Saturday, February 18, 2012

Second Saturday Giveaway by Kate Kehoe: Win a Vaccum Tube Bot from Deets!

Posted by Crystal Pepperdine, Founder and Executive Director of Flint Handmade

Note: Second Saturday Giveaway for this month was postponed to today (the third Saturday of the month) due to our very special announcement last Saturday.  :)

We have another guest post for our Second Saturday Giveaway.

Last year, I annnounced that whenever possible, our featured crafter from the same month of the previous year will do the interview and take photos with a new featured crafter!

Our November 2011 Giveaway featured an interview and photos of Carla Gibson of Chuber Pottery by Ali Misner Harris of Alexandria's Soap Garden who was featured in our November 2010 Giveaway.

This month, our February 2011 Giveaway featured crafter, Kate Kehoe, interviews and photographed her friend and fellow crafter, Deanne Neiburger.

Check it out!

Interview and Photos of Deanne Neiburger of Deets by Kate Kehoe of Chicaloo Photography and More for February 2012 Flint Handmade Second Saturday Giveaway

Deanne in her workspace.

Kate: Tell us about your workspace.

Deanne: I began working from home in 1999, and over that time moved to various rooms in the house as our first and then second children were born. In 2009 we broke ground on the studio space I am in now - an amazing space above our new garage. Going from a 10x10 room to a 20x30 loft space has played a huge role in growing my business.

Deanne's polymer clay.

Kate: What is your favorite craft tool/material?

Deanne: I have played with polymer clay for nearly 15 years now, and the material still challenges and excites me.

Lots of spare parts.

Deanne's collection of vacuum tubes.

Along with the clay, I am inspired by beat up old objects, and particularly tiny parts from watches, geeky gadgets and, of course, vacuum tubes.  

Deanne using her favorite craft tool...her fingers!

Kate: What is your favorite craft tool?

Deanne: My fingers. I do use a couple of simple wooden clay tools and a sharp blade, but the majority is done without any.

A few of Deanne's sculptures and tools.

Kate: How did you get into crafting?

Deanne: I come from a long line of crafters: my mother was an amazing seamstress, my grandmother's crochet abilities were unmatched, and my aunts and sisters and I all follow in the family tradition of crafting and constantly learning new skills. Along with sculpting, I love to draw, crochet, sew, build, be a "handyman", scrapbook, and I'm sure lots more.

Some of Deanne's drawings.

 A collage Deanne created out of vacuum tube boxes.

Kate: How did you come up with your company name?

Deanne: Deets was the nickname my sisters and cousin called me growing up. With its new meaning as slang for "details" and my own obsession with the tiniest ones in my work, I thought it would be a good fit. I also have worked under the name Caketop Workshop in the past, creating one of a kind custom wedding sculptures.

Deets tags.

Kate: What do you listen to/think about/watch while you craft?

Deanne: Red wings hockey whenever possible!! My musical tastes are rather eclectic. Currently the most frequent tunes in my heard in my studio are MC Frontalot (nerdcore rap), Lily Allen, Ingrid Michaelson, various African artists (King Sunny Ade and Doudou N'Dyia Rose are my current favorites) and lots of bluegrass. Ben Miller Band is fantastic, and I adore Mountain Heart. Oh, and fantastic classical music as well. Like I said, eclectic.

Polymer clay robot heads waiting to be attached to vacuum tube bodies.

Kate: What projects would you like to work on in the future?

Deanne: I have three large thyratron tubes waiting for the right moment to become something awesome!

Huge tubes.

I have also begun many more figure drawings and sculptures now that I have the space.

Sculpture in progress.

Kate: Provide a description for the item you are donating for the giveaway.

Giveaway bot will be similar to one pictured above.

Deanne: The giveaway is for one of my vacuum tube bots - a cool little guy to adorn your desk or shelf. His head is made of polymer clay, with various metal findings and a vintage vacuum tube body.

For YOUR chance to win the Vacuum Tube Bot (valued at $16) by Deanne Neiburger of Deets, just complete steps A and B:

A) Follow Flint Handmade via the blog, Twitter, Google Reader or whatever newfangled "following application" tickles your fancy. Or, if you don't do the whole following thing, email us at flinthandmade@hotmail.com and we will add you to our email list.

B) Leave us a comment in response to this blog post by 5pm on Saturday, February 25, 2012 answering the following 2 questions:

1) How do you follow Flint Handmade?

2) What other types of sculptures could Deanne create out of polymer clay and/or vaccum tubes?

Please be sure to answer BOTH questions to qualify for the drawing.

The winner will be selected at random and posted on the blog within one week after the deadline. The winner will have 30 days to claim the prize.  You must check back with the blog to see if you won!

We hope to hear from YOU and we hope you enjoyed our February Second Saturday Giveaway by Kate of Chicaloo Photography and More!

17 comments:

  1. I follow Flint Handmade through the email list, Facebook, and my blog roll.

    I love the robots! I think it would be neat to make a mash up of humanoid and electronic, a cyborg like character. Or part mechanical pirates.

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  2. 1- I follow FH in every way possible!
    2- a polymer clay PUG would be awesome (of course)!

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  3. Great interview!! Deanne is super-talented and I always love seeing her at shows. My favorite part of what she does is how she upcycles old awesome-looking (but useless) pieces and turns them into something amazing. And the cake-toppers she does... whoa!

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    1. 1- I follow the blog, look forward to email updates, and follow Flint /handmade on Facebook.

      2- I would love to see what a polymer clay owl or cat would look like. I think these products are so unique and cute!

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    2. I LOVE your bots and cake toppers and have loved seeing your creativity. I follow the blog via facebook/email/blogger and would love to see some mini robots to be used as jewelry or ones to sit on the rim of potted plants. :)

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  4. I follow FCHM on facebook. I would imagine animals would be an interesting challenge with the vacuum tubes.

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  5. Following via the blog!! GFC!

    what about cupcake toppers?? I bet she could make such cute little things!!!
    jaragabrielle1018@gmail.com
    Jara Christensen

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  6. Awesome amount of space to work in!!
    I follow via email, FB and in person whenever possible.
    Love the small bots, maybe bigger ones would be cool!

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  7. I follow using Google Reader.

    What about making some jewelry pendants with the clay and vacuum tubes? Something steampunk would be fun!

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  8. 1) How do you follow Flint Handmade?
    I follow on Facebook.

    2) What other types of sculptures could Deanne create out of polymer clay and/or vacuum tubes?
    I would love a polymer clay owl! My husband loves robots though & keeps the Deets robot ornament I got him for Christmas on the shelf to look at year 'round!

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  9. 1) How do you follow Flint Handmade?
    -I followed via Google

    2) What other types of sculptures could Deanne create out of polymer clay and/or vacuum tubes?
    -Wow,the possibilities are endless. But Steampunk if VERY COOL!! Especially with the vacuum tubes.

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  10. Very cute! I follow FH on Facebook, and I think little robot doggies would be fabulous!

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  11. Thanks for all the suggestions! This winter I added penguins to the ornament collection, and owls would be an awesome extension of that. I do have a pirate bot on sale at the Yellow Door in Berkley, and plan to make more, as well as some new pendants. You will certainly see more figure/robot combinations in the future as well.

    Thank you all for your kind words, I can't tell you how much it means to know that my little creations make people happy.

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  12. I follow through Facebook and emails.

    I would love to see her interpretation of Dr Who characters. Daleks, K9 and of course, the TARDIS.

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  13. Loved the article! Follow on FB n Blog.... cool item!!!

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  14. 1. How do I follow Flint Handmade?
    - usually by email or the blog

    2. What other types of sculptures could Deanne create out of polymer clay and/or vacuum tubes?
    - I like the pirate and steampunk ideas, but honestly, I enjoy being surprised by Deets every time I see her work. My son has a growing collection of Deet creations (he's 5)!

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  15. I follow via Facebook and email. I'd love to a spaceship out of one of the thyratron tubes; or possibly a "machinerator" (family word for a fasinating but mysterious device).

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