This week we are honored to have Tiffany Zal at Upcycled as our featured First Friday artist. Below is her Artist Summary along some follow up questions

Who are you and what do you do?
My name is Tiffany Zal, I’m an artist, a collector of beautiful things, nature lover, and artistic skill gatherer. My part time job is at Bathing Beauties Beads, but I bring home the bacon by splitting my time between collecting/selling vintage on Etsy, and making recycled jewelry to sell in Upcycled and at craft markets. I’m a native New Yorker with the classic story of coming to Missoula and falling in love with the mountains, people, and place. Aside from making jewelry, I work in a bead store, I sell vintage clothing, décor, and knick knacks on Etsy, and spend my days blogging, sipping coffee, and thrifting. I’m inspired through and through by the environment, nature, and the Montana mountains which is evident in the things I make and surround myself with. 
I love the challenge of reusing before buying first hand products or materials. Upcycling is not only ethical, but pushes you to be creative in new and different ways, and brings a meaning and story into your creations. This jewelry you see is made with as much recycled material as possible; with wire from Home Resource, and beautiful rustic and distressed bike parts found in the bins of Free Cycles. 
With each purchase you are making a statement of support for sustainable transportation, Upcycling, local artists, and your community bike shop, not to mention a statement of Missoula swag! 

How did you get started?
I got started making this jewelry through a variety of factors. Upon moving to Missoula, I started fixing my bike at Free Cycles which my Uncle Bob owns. Being attracted to rusty things, I started collecting whatever bike part eye candy around there with the intent of making something, although I was unsure of what. Jewelry was a natural result; I’ve always been an artist at heart, while having a pragmatic business savvy mind. Jewelry is the synergy of those two things; practicality and creativity. The final catalyst to getting started was Donovan Peterson’s encouragement and providing a way for me to put myself out there with my product and price tags.

What's the best part of owning a crafting business?    
It’s really rewarding to feel like you’re investing energy into something that’s so reflective of your ideas and taste, and is meaningful to you. I love the connectivity of being a crafter. Being connected to what you make, the materials, the people who buy it, the stores you sell in. It certainly adds fulfillment to your work.

What's your biggest challenge? 
Deadlines. Having a time limit can stress me out quite a bit. It feels like it limits the amount I can experiment artistically etc. But I guess they’re motivating to get stuff done, so it’s not all bad. 

How are you growing your business?
I’m trying to grow my business by networking, getting my name out there, selling at every craft fair/market I can make it to, and exposing myself to as many inspiring people and creations as I can.

Where do you see yourself in five years?
I would like to be selling my jewelry in stores across the country, making enough money to experiment more and refine my craft. 

Any advice for up and coming crafters?
My favorite advice is from artist/writer Austin Kleon: “do good work, then put it where people can see it”

Recently, we interviewed Samara Lynde maker of the Woolsters line of sweater monsters. She is the featured artist for April, and will be in our store for First Friday. You can find her line at Upcycled,  at Frayed Sew in Helena, at Tart in Bozeman and online at etsy.

Who are you and what do you do?
 My name is Samara and I am a wife/mom/librarian/crafter.  I make monsters and other quirky things out of recycled wool and cashmere sweaters.

How did you get started?
I have been making my "Woolsters" since 2009.  I started out by making bracelets from some wool scraps and then I sewed a patchy, weird creature for my daughter out of the leftovers.  That led to my son wanting one and that led to my weekly covering of our dining room table with cut up sweaters.

What's your favorite aspect of your crafting business?    
One of my favorite things about making these monsters is that they always surprise me.  I don't really plan them out, they just happen.  I try on different shapes of eyes and about a million different mouths until I find the one that was meant to be.  They are all one of a kind and have one of a kind personalities.

What's your biggest challenge? 
 I think the biggest challenge is making enough time for sewing.  I basically live in a constant state of guilt that I don't get enough done.  I'm pretty sure I need therapy.
Whenever I get sick of sewing, something always comes along to spur me on.  Today it was a customer telling me how his little girl loves her Woolster.  She puts it to bed everynight by emptying it's pocket (there is little wool bowling pin in it) and then puts it back in the morning.

What's the best piece of advice you've received as it pertains to your business?
The best advice I've received about my business is to never undervalue it or the time it takes to create it.

How do you define success?
Success to me is being able to make something that someone falls in love with.  I love to hear stories of what my Woolsters are doing in their new homes.

Where do you see yourself moving forward?
So I'll probably be doing this as long as people keep finding joy in them.  Or until summer, when it's just too nice to stay inside and sew.  Please, be patient with me.