Featured Seller of the Day 11/12/2009

Okay so this should have been yesterday's feature, but I got so caught up in the Etsy drama, that I totally forgot to post it! Oops! Well without further adieu, here is today's featured seller!

Today's featured seller is a talented knitter that specializes in extremely cute stuffed animals! :) Her shop is called:

Lullaby Lily, hand knit creatures that comfort

The simple beauty and outright cuteness of these pieces make them completely irresistible!

Cat in Cream

Purrr! This pretty kitty is made of undyed cotton and stuffed with pure wool stuffing. The result is a kitten the color of rich cream, perfect for hugging and snuggling. :) The artist does not add a face so that the child that owns it, can add their own expressions to it while they play. (It's hard to pretend your kitten is sad or sleeping if it has big eyes or a huge smile!)

Sure cats are purrrfect pets, but what about a more exotic stuffed friend?

Silky Pinky Piggy

This plump piglet is done up in shades of pinks. He is not only huggably cute but super soft and silky! I personally think he looks slightly shy, and seems like he might need some help being introduced to the rest of your stuffed animal friends. But once he gets to know everyone, I'm sure he'll fit in nicely! :)

This little piggy still not exotic enough for you? Well I'm sure you don't yet own one of these lovely creatures. :)

Giant Snow Slug

Yes that is a gaint slug plushie, why do you ask? :) Okay so maybe in real life not very many people have pet slugs, but who could possibley resist this cute plushie one? Instead of being slimey this big beauty is soft and squishable (in a good way!). And if white is not your color the artist has made up a wide varity of colors, sizes, and textures, so you can find the perfect slug for you. :D

Tomorrow, we will be revisiting the world of geekery. ::Hint - She also works with yarn!::

Later!

P.S. For more information on today's featured seller, please check out their Etsy profile here => lullabylily's Profile

Featured Seller of the Day 11/10/2009

Today's featured seller has come up with some cool and unique ways to recycle some very recognizable products. :) Their shop is called:

IVY LANE DESIGNS ☮ Home of Eco-Fabulous Nifty Gifties

While I'm sure many of you do recycle as much of your packaging as you can, today's artist has found a unique way not only to recycle (or upcycle) old packaging, but also to turn them into useful treasures.

Mac -n- Cheese Recycled / Upcycled Journal Notebook - Original Spiral Bound - Cheesy-licious

I think my kids eat about a million pounds of this stuff a week. :) Definitely a fun way to keep track of your thoughts! :) Thinking about a different food? There are many, many varieties to choose from, including Duncan Hines Brownies, White Castle Hamburgers, and even Nestle's Hot Cocoa!

Need unique eye candy? You can't get much sweeter then this!

Candy Pop-Art Collage Original Spiral Bound Recycled / Upcycled Journal Notebook - One-of-a-Kind

This super sweet notebook is sure to give it's owner sugar shock, in a good way! And just think, no calories!

And if you are more of a music buff then a foodie, their are notebooks available for you too!

ARLO GUTHRIE'S ALICE'S RESTAURANT Timecycled / Recycled / Upcycled Record Album Cover Journal Notebook - Vintage Circa 1967

Keep your thoughts and drawings safe behind this vintage LP cover art. What a great way to get use one of the beautiful album covers that most people these days are throwing away!

Need something to draw in your cool new upcycled notebook? How about some recycled crayons!

Recycled / Upcycled You Are My Shining Star Crayons - Set of Five (5) - Eco Friendly

Okay, so maybe these are geared more towards little kids then grown-ups, but I still think they are cool! :) And my kids would go nuts over the cute shapes! There are even some available that are multicolored, for the kid that can't make up their mind. :)

Okay back to grown-up stuff. :) This next one is makes use of something that we all probably have lying around in a junk drawer somewhere: paint sample cards.

NEW Pop Art Paper Bead Eco Friendly Necklace - Recycled / Upcycled One-of-a-Kind - Turquoise

Isn't this a great idea! And not only is the design beautiful and unique, but since the artist is using a paint sample, the colors match perfectly! :)

Tomorrow's featured seller is a brillant knitter. ::Hint - She makes cute animals!::

Later!

P.S. For more information on today's featured seller, please check out their Etsy profile here => ivylanedesigns's Profile

Featured Seller of the Day 11/09/2009

Today's featured seller is from Latvia, and creates unique journals and albums. Her shop is called:

Crearting handmade

Her pieces reflect the natural setting that surrounds her, making each piece a unique work of art!

Handbound wood journal

This hand bound journal looks like it was created by an elf or a forest spirit. The wood cover has been polished smooth, but still retains the rustic, imperfections of the natural wood. You can imagine the artist sitting in a meadow near the forest painting the beautiful floral design on the cover. An exquisite piece, filled with the charm and beauty of the wild wood.

The next piece has the same earthy feel as the first, but is made with a completely different material.

Large 9 1/2 x 7 Handbound Leather Journal

This richly colored journal is made with high quality cow hide, that has been painted with a mysterious forest scene. Everything about this journal looks and feels organic, right down to the polished stick used as a closing clasp. What hidden secrets could be captured within this volume? The only limits, are your own imaginations! :)

While still beautiful and richly colored, this next piece has a slightly more modern feel to it.

Leather notebook 4 3/4 x 3 1/4

If you have been following this blog for a while, you have probably figured out that blue is one of my favorite colors. :) I think it's because the color blue reminds me of two of my favorite things: the sky and deep water. This cover seems to show one or the other and both at the same time. Does it show the sky and sea meeting? Or are we flying over a lazy river? The gorgeous colors of this piece are only enhanced by the unique texture of the layered leather. This is definately a notebook worthy of your best ideas or most sercret thoughts!

Tomorrow, we move away from the organic, into the world of the up-cycled. ::Hint - Tomorrow's artist makes notebooks!::

Later!

P.S. For more information on today's featured seller, please check out their Etsy profile here => crearting's Profile

Well that was a long week!

I am finally feeling better! Yay! Now hopefully I can get back to sewing and posting. I got nothing done this week, but the very basic cleaning and emailing. It's no fun being sick. :(

In other news I submitted some pics to craftgawker and so far one of them was excepted! :D

Nigiri Salmon Sushi Felt Pincushion

I love how this piece turned out so I'm very happy that they liked my picture. :)

I think I shall turn in early tonight. I promise tomorrow will include a Featured Seller of the Day!
Later!

Very quick update

So I guess I wasn't fully over what ever it was I had earlier this week. Yesterday I felt horrible, and today not doing much better. Hopefully I'm not sick all weekend (though with my husband home, I actually get to sleep some). I'll get back to posting when I feeling better. Sorry about the delay!

Later!

Featured Seller of the Day 11/04/2009

I'm back, and feeling much better! I still wish my children would let me sleep in longer, but I'm sure most mothers wish that. :) Today's featured seller (well yesterday's technically) hails from Scotland. He takes full advantage of the beautiful countryside around him by working in both photography and woodturing using local indigenous woods. His shop is called:

Billy Currie - Photography and Creative Woodturning

Let's take a look at some of his woodturing pieces first.

Large Decorative Elm Platter from Scotland

This beautiful platter has been turned from local elm, then the carved pattern was added by hand. I love the flame design at the top, and how the natural grain of the wood runs at a diagonal to the pierced designs on the sides. A very elegant piece!

This next bowl is slightly more rugged, but just as beautiful.

Large Yew Bowl from Scotland

This bowl is made from Yew wood. Yew this size (12" in diameter) is very hard to find, making this a very rare and unique piece! The best part about this bowl is not the smoothly and expertly worked spots, but the places that were left rough and natural. :) I love the knots in this piece, especially the chunk missing from the lip of the bowl (you can see it slightly better in some of the other pics in the listing). Leaving some of the areas rough shows off the natural beauty of the piece, as well as the artist's skill in working with the wood. That way the rough parts enhance the smoothness of the worked areas, and the worked areas highlight the natural beauty of the rough parts.

You might think it is enough that an artist, with this much talent in working with wood, would be satisfied with just turning out bowls and platters. But this artist is also a very accomplished photographer as well!

Living in the Scottish countryside today's artist can take full opportunity to capture the beauty around him. This first photograph is a beautiful example.

Moss Field - 9x6 Fine Art Print

This mossy field with it's deep rich greens, seems to draw you in and hold you back at the same time. The field itself is inviting and looks soft and safe, but the forest in the back seems to be lurking, waiting. Waiting for what I wonder? Maybe it's waiting for you to stray to close to its edge...

If the haunting hills and fields of Scotland are not to your taste, then take a look at our next picture.

Barvas Sunset - 9x6 Fine Art Print

It's hard to believe that these two pictures were taken in the same country. But it is not hard to tell that they were both taken by the same master photographer! The warm colors of the sand and sunset in this piece are soft and slightly earthy. They are offset beautifully by the rich blues of the sea and sky. :) And while the last piece seemed to be full of tenshion and an anticipation, this piece gives off an air of pure peacefulness. The sun slowly setting and the waves gently lapping the shoreline; sounds like the perfect way to end an evening, and this post! :)

Tomorrow we'll take a look at an artist that makes books. ::Hint - They work with leather and wood!::

Later!

P.S. For more information on today's featured seller, please check out their Etsy profile here => BillyCurrie's Profile

Feeling Better :)

I'm glad I took it easy today, I feel much better tonight. :) I did end up reposting the Thanksgiving pieces that just sold. So here they are! :)

Thanksgiving Harvest Indian Corn Polymer Clay Magnet (Made To Order)

Thanksgiving Harvest Cornucopia Polymer Clay Magnet (Made To Order)

Thanksgiving Pilgrim Hat Polymer Clay Magnet (Made to Order)

Thanksgiving Roast Turkey Clay Refrigerator Magnet (Made To Order)

I reposted a couple other fall pieces too. Feel free to check them out here, if you are interested. :) And since my cousin Amber is bugging me about it, here are the pins I made up to go with the sushi pincushion I just posted.

"Wasabi Paste, Pickled Ginger, and a Cup of Soy Sauce"

I like the ginger and the wasabi is okay, but the bowl of soy sauce came out not so great. The bowl part is too thick and the white clay ended with a bunch of fuzzies stuck to it. Really, it just looks bad. I was going to just remake that one piece and then include them with the nigiri, but I tried them out with it, and it just didn't look right. I think one of the things I like about the salmon nigiri, is it's very simple looking. And adding the pins just took away from that too much. Since the ginger and wasabi did come out pretty good, I might try to remake the soy sauce next time I'm playing with the clay. But if I do get it right, I'll sell the pins separately.

Time for bed. Goodnight everyone!

Later! :)

Well, that was fast!

I was going do a quick post about the Thanksgiving pieces I made, but they sold already! So I guess this is a quicker post then I thought. :)

I did post my nigiri sushi too. And since that's still there, here you go!

Nigiri Salmon Sushi Felt Pincushion

It turned out really cute, but I didn't like the pins I made to go with it, so I'm selling it by itself. :) Maybe I'll repost those Thanksgiving pieces as custom listings. Hm... If I do, I'll let you guys know! :)

Later!

Yuck...

Yesterday kicked my butt, and today I'm not feeling very good. So I believe I shall take the morning off (as much a my children will let me) and hopefully will be feeling better by tomorrow. Sorry if you were looking forward to today's featured seller, hopefully I'll be posting them tomorrow.

Later!

Featured Seller of the Day 11/02/2009

I can't believe it's November already! Well with the holiday season upon us, let's look at some shops that are perfect for finding unique gifts! Today's shop is called:

Handmade Hair Sticks, Pens and Recycled Jewelry

Today's artist makes beautiful pieces for both men and women. Let's start off with something for the ladies.

Brazilian Tulipwood Spiral Hair Sticks

These beautiful hair sticks would add a touch of the exotic to even the most basic up-do. I love the gorgeous caramel colors of the Brazilian tulipwood and the spiral shape of the sticks! I usually wear my hair down, but these might give me a good excuse to put it up. ;)

Okay, how about a gift for the man on your list?

Repurposed Cardboard Pen

Pens are always a great gift for the guy who has everything. And while this shop has some beautiful hand-turned wood pens, I thought I show you something a little bit different. This pen is made of cardboard. Yes you read right, those lines are not the grain of some exotic wood, but a neatly stacked pile of recycled cardboard! Who knew recycled cardboard could look so elegant? The best part is since it's sealed, it's just as durable and comfortable to use as a wooden pen!

Think recycled cardboard is pretty cool? Well how about recycled wine bottle corks?

Repurposed Wine Bottle Cork Secret Compartment Key Ring

This beautiful recycled cork keychain would be perfect for either a man or a woman! The unique texture of the cork, set against the shiny gold hardware, make this piece pop! And best of all it has a secret compartment! Things with secret compartments are always cool in my book. :)

Tomorrow's featured seller dabbles in two differnt mediums. ::Hint - They do photography and woodturning!::

Later!

P.S. For more information on today's featured seller, please check out their Etsy profile here => beetnik505's Profile

Awesome! :D

My felt initial ornaments were featured in Etsy's Holiday Guide: Personalized Gifts! Yay! :D Here's the link to my ornament's listing.

Custom Initial Holiday Ornament - You Choose the Letter and Color

I'm so happy! :D Maybe I should make a couple more up. Hmm...something else to do tomorrow. :) Okay time for bed! Goodnight everyone!

Later! :)

Stupid Time Change...

I hate time changes. I doesn't matter if it's forward or backward, it always screws up my sleep pattern, which is not that great to begin with. So right now my body thinks it's about 11:30 and it's not even 10:30 yet. Yuck...

On the upside I got a lot done today. I finished up my special orders for Thanksgiving and made an extra piece too! :) I was gonna post them tonight, but my brain is not functioning enough to do that, so they shall be posted tomorrow instead. But I will post a pic of the non-special order piece I did, because it came out REALLY nice! :D



I love the way this piece came out! :) I wasn't planning on making it this detailed, but it just kinda turned out that way. I also made a cooked turkey, Indian corn, a pilgrim hat, and canned cranberry sauce, but those are special orders. I'll let you guys know when I post them all.

Oh and Halloween yesterday was totally fun. :) I'll post pics when I've gotten them from my aunt (cause she took all the pics). Alright time to clean up my sculpey mess.

Later! :)

Featured Seller of the Day 11/1/2009

Today's featured seller makes yummy creations out of recycled felt! Her shop is called:

Little Fluff Stuff: Toys treats & other little goodies!

Except for a little wool blend, all of today's artist's pieces are made with felt that comes from 100% recycled plastic water bottles! What kind of things can be created with felt made from water bottles? Let's take a look!

Brown Box of Felt Chocolates - Set of 4

In honor of Halloween being yesterday, let's start off our tour of this store with some chocolate! This delicious looking set of truffles would be the perfect gift for the chocolate lover in your life. And these candies are calorie free! :) I love how the white chocolate piece looks like it's been rolled in coconut! Yum! :)

Oh, you're all chocolated out from yesterday? Understandable, I think I ate double the amount of candy I should have last night too. Okay then, how about an international treat instead? Something less chocolaty but just as sweet!

Felt Macaroons - Set of 7

Macaroons (or macarons) are a traditional French pastries made with two thin, dome shaped cookies and a cream or ganache filling. These macaroons are brightly colored and are made to mirror some of the more traditional flavors macaroons are available in. They sure do look good enough to eat!

Okay, okay, enough sugar for the moment. Let's move onto some savory treats!

Eco Friendly Felt Sushi Set

This beautifully made sushi set is perfect for fans of this unique Japanese cuisine! It comes with five different types of sushi, plus a leaf garnish, and a wooden tray complete with ginger and wasabi! I love sushi and this set makes me hungry just looking at it! Who knew that something made out of old water bottles could end up so colorful and unique? :)

Not into raw fish? Well, to each his own I guess. ;) How about some Chinese food instead?

Eco Friendly Felt Dumplings - Set of 3

My second love in the world of asain cuisine is dumplings! I could probably eat nothing but sushi and dumplings for the rest of my life! These dumplings are so real looking, that each time I see them, I'm surprised there is no steam coming off of them!

Okay, I think I have to stop here or I'm going to end up eating all the food in my fridge! :) Tomorrow's featured seller works with wood. ::Hint - They make hair accessories!::

Later!

P.S. For more information on today's featured seller, please check out their Etsy profile here => LittleFluffStuff's Profile

Saturday Selections! Halloween Installment! 10/31/2009

Happy Halloween Everybody! I hope you have a great night of tricks and treats! Today's Saturday Selections feature some of my favorite Halloween themed Etsy pieces. Enjoy!

Black Cat Bead by idzyne	Candy Corn by kre8or
Spooky Tree by gypsymarestudios	Sugar Skulls Soap by DirtyAssSoaps
Crocheted Spider Web by spacestitch	Black Widow Sushi by FeltedChicken

Now I am off to finish decorating for our Halloween party this evening and make sure my kids skeleton costumes fit correctly!

Later! :)

Featured Seller of the Day 10/30/2009

Today's featured seller has some spooky and creepy items available for our viewing pleasure. Her shop is called:

-where the sweet and sour co-mingle-

Sarah's polymer clay creations range from creepy to sweet, from brains to treats! Since Halloween is tomorrow, this seemed like the perfect combination to start off the weekend. :) The first piece is Halloween in a nutshell, well in a pumpkin shell really. ;)

Whacko Jacko Necklace

This perfect Halloween pumpkin pendant is all ready for fright night! It has an old world gothic feel to it, that is enhanced by the intricate metal frame the jack-o-lantern rests on. A perfectly creepy piece for a wonderfully creepy night!

Not creepy enough for you? Well relax, it only gets creepier from here!

Opti Ring

Eye love this piece! :) No, but seriously, I've always had a thing for eyes, though generally I prefer them in someones head, rather then staring blankly up from their hand. Either way, this is still a really cool piece!

Too creepy? Okay how about we move to the sweet part of this shop for a bit. :)

Chocolate Truffle Charms (6)

If these don't get you in the mood to chow down on some serious quantities of Halloween candy, I don't know what will. And while these aren't traditional Halloween fare, I'd take chocolate truffles over bit sized Snickers bars any day! :)

Alright one more creepy piece. This one would be perfect for a special occasion in your future, if you are a zombie that is!

Lunch Meat Cufflinks

You will be the envy of your zombie friends when you show up at the next black tie event sporting these beauties! Though I would double check with your sweetie before wearing them to her aunt Mayble's 50th wedding anniversary. While you might think it's funny, I'm pretty sure aunt Mayble might think differently! ;)

I hope you enjoyed our selection of Halloween tricks and treats! Tomorrow is Saturday Selections and I will be featuring more of my favorite Halloween themed items. I'm not sure if I'll be going the creepy or sweet route yet, you'll just have to check in tomorrow to find out!

Later!

P.S. For more information on today's featured seller, please check out their Etsy profile here => beatblack's Profile

Sushi Rolls

Last night I finally finished the sushi roll part of my sushi set. It was actually much harder then I thought it was going to be. But after I figure out how I wanted to attach the "fillings" to the rice it went much faster. Here's a pic of the rolls all together:



I think the salmon came out the best, but I still like the roe one the best. :) Now all that's left is to make a felt dollop of wasabi and a fan of ginger. And the set will be ready to post!

I also finally got a pic of my finished nirgiri salmon sushi.



I like this one a lot! I'm going to make pins for it, hopefully tonight. If it sells I think I'll do a tuna one next. :)

Today is all about getting the house clean then keeping it that way, so there is not as much to do tomorrow before the Halloween party. :) Have a great weekend everybody!

Later!