Featured Seller of the Day 11/15/2009

Just a quick update before we start...it's only 40 DAYS TILL CHRISTMAS! I hope all my fellow Etsyians have got your shops stocked and your shopping started! :) Okay now onto today's Featured Seller!

Today's seller is also a very talented crochet artist who makes equally cute plushie characters. Her shop is called:

A hook, a skein, and a wild imagination!

So what kind of cool and cute creations can be found in this unique shop? Well how about a slice of toast with his own blog! :)

The Original Mr. Toastee - Crochet Bread and Butter Plushie

Yes, this beautiful slice of crocheted bread is toasted to perfection and proudly displaying his pat of 100% pure butter. But not only is he handsome, he is also a talented web author! You can read about his adventures at The Adventures of Mr. Toastee and Friends! Mr. Toastee is also available in rye and whole wheat, for those of you who prefer a healthy alternative to white bread. :)

Thanksgiving is fast approaching, and I'm sure our next guest will be at most of your homes this year.

Mr. Turkee - Plush Turkey Leg Keychain

I love turkey legs! They are the best part of the turkey; hands down! Growing up there were three of us (until my twin brothers were born) and as you know turkeys only have 2 legs. This ALWAYS posed a problem. I have never figured out how, but my middle brother Steve ALWAYS managed to get one of them. Leaving me and my sister (and later my younger twin brothers) to fight over the remaining leg. To this very day, Steve always seems to walk away from the carnage of the family buffet with a turkey leg proudly displayed on his plate. And I always hate him for it. :) This cute keychain is perfect for those of us who love turkey legs, but never seem to be fast enough to get one. :)

Well so far we've covered breakfast and dinner, how about some dessert?

Happy Happy Ice Cream Cone - Lemon Sorbet

This ice cream cone is very happy. Why? Because he is made of yarn and won't ever melt! Now granted he probably doesn't have to worry too much about melting this time of year, but it won't be winter forever! Besides what color is sunnier and happier then lemon yellow? Definitely a very yummy (and happy!) treat. :)

Tomorrow's featured seller creates sweet treats! ::Hint - They crochet and work with clay!::

Later!

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

Another Mini Update

I haven't had a lot of time to update my shop lately, as my husband and I have been looking at houses. We are actually in the process, of starting the process, of bidding on a house we like, and I would just like to say, that house shopping and everything that it involves, TAKES FOREVER! It's been a whole week since we looked at the house and decided we wanted to bid on it, and we haven't even been approved for the mortgage yet! Well at any rate, hopefully we'll get the mortgage part settled at the beginning of the week, then put a bid on the house. Keep your fingers crossed that, if we get to the bidding part before someone else does, they accept our offer! :)

In crafting news, I promise you (and me) that I will get my sushi rolls posted this week! :) I also need to finish that Hufflepuff ornament that I started FOREVER ago. Okay time for bed.

Later! :)

Saturday Selections! 11/14/2009

Today's Saturday selections will feature a harvest decoration that goes back hundreds of years: dried corn. Maize or Indian corn has been around for centuries. And every Thanksgiving season they are used to decorate homes all over the country. Let's take a look at some beautiful examples of crafts featuring this harvest staple.

Indian Corn with Gourd, Original Oil Painting by lamgallery	Project Hybrid Corn Series No.3 (Cran-Orange) by GoBuggy
Indian Corn and Bowl of Walnuts by BeadSmyths	Indian Corn - Handspun Fleecy Art Yarn by Jazzturtle
Indian Corn Fall Harvest Beauty by maclancy	Harvest Indian Corn Magnet by Autumn2May

Have a great weekend everybody. I'll see you tomorrow, with our next Featured Seller of the Day!

Later!

Featured Seller of the Day 11/13/2009

Today we go from knitting to crochet. Which to me seem very similar, but apparently they are VERY different! According to the knitter I know, my cousin Amber (thewanderingknitter), it's impossible for one person to know how to knit and crochet. I find this a little silly, but my mother-in-law Anne (TheCrochetedCat) seems to agree with her, so I guess until I meet someone who can do both I will have to assume they are telling the truth! :)

Sorry I'm getting side tracked; back to today's featured seller, who's shop is called:

Prim and Plush

As a geek by association, I love the world of geekery! I know a lot about bits and pieces of it, but mostly rely on my geeky friends and family for the really in depth stuff. However I do not need their help to fall completely in love with the creations in today's shop. What could be so cool, cute, and geeky to have such universal appeal? The answer: plushie molecules! :D

Mrs. Methane V2.0

I bet for a split second, before you saw this picture, you thought that I was kidding didn't you? But, it's true! Today's artist has melded their love of science with their love of crochet to create adorable stuffed molecules! The piece above is Methane (CH4), which (according to the description) is "the simplest of all organic compounds." It is also pink and blue and purple and adorably cute! :D

Mr. Ethanol (drinking alcohol)

This is a cute version of ethanol (CH3CH2OH), or drinking alcohol. It's hard to imagine that this cute and cuddly little molecule, is the cause of so much pain and suffering, for those of us who on occasion get slightly carried away with its consumption. As a non-drinker myself, I would actually find this to be a great gift to give to someone with a hang over; but then again, I can be pretty snarky at times. ;)

Alright I'll leave the geekiness behind for just a second, as I need to show off one of the cute non-geek pieces this seller has to offer.

Lots of Love Bear

Along with amazingly cute molecules, this seller also makes amazingly cute teddy bears! :) This one is my favorite! I love the little "loves" surrounding the bear, and the big pink heart she is squeezing. I'm also slightly partial to this one, because one of my favorite teddy bears as a kid was a polar bear. :)

One more molecule before we go. This one is my hands down favorite. Drum roll please!

Cup of Water

It's a cup of water (H2O)! :D This is one of the coolest geekery pieces on Etsy! And on top of the idea being super cool, the execution of the water molecules and even the mug are perfect! This one is on my Christmas list! ;)

Tomorrow we'll be looking at another crocheter. ::Hint - They make cute food plushies!::

Later!

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

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