Project Silverbugs

All New Things

2011-09-12T14:24:00.000-05:00

Simple Woodland Treasure - Mini Terrarium by ayasuki

Hello, peeps! It's been a long time since my last blog. At least I'm working steadily on more jewelry and other crafty things, and I'll probably post a "progress report" this week on how all my little projects are progressing. Today I'll be working on a sweet Ravenclaw necklace! Don't worry, my shop isn't turning into a miniature Diagon Alley. I just work on whatever I feel like working on at that particular moment and lately that's been this particular necklace. I also went to a craft party a month ago, where we girls were hand sewing sock monsters. That opened up a whole new method of crafting for me, and I've been into hand sewing all kinds of things ever since, including sock monsters. I have photos and I will be posting them here soon. Today I downloaded a mexican dress and embroidery pattern from http://www.themexicandress.com/. I have a sewing machine and I don't know if I'll hand sew or machine sew. We'll see. When I was little, I had a lot of these little mexican dresses and I miss wearing them. So I decided to make one for myself now and practice my needlework and my drawing...by coming up with my own embroidery design and attempting to hand stitch it onto the dress. I don't know about y'all, but to me that sounds like fun. I guess only other crafty-people will understand. My grandma taught me needlework when I was very little and it's been awesome getting back into it.

Mini Zen Garden by Timber Green Woods

Speaking of feeling like a little kid again...this Thursday will be my 3rd time in English Comp. 2. I mean, the third time attending this particular class. It feels totally strange sitting at a desk at school again. I think I'm the 2nd oldest person there. I met two high school seniors in this class last week. They're just babies! Don't they have a curfew? Haha. English 2 is okay, the teacher is really nice, but I groan whenever I think of all the essays I'll soon be writing. And peer reviews...ugh, need I say more? We did complete one interesting activity. The instructor gave us 10 minutes to write a paragraph using only monosyllabic words. Some of my classmates complained a bit, but this one wasn't difficult for me. Nobody wanted to stand up and read their paragraph, though! That made me laugh, we're all so immature. I hope that won't last, I swear I'll make more of an effort in the future. These kids are a bad influence on me, ha! I'm 30 years old, for frak's sake. I can speak up in class!

Sand All-Natural Foundation by BL Soaps

This is what I wrote, but was too "shy" to stand up and read. I should have, I think it was good!

I like sand. Yes, that's right, I play with dirt.

I bring it back home in clear, marked bags and get stopped

by "the man" on my way to board the plane.

I don't mind at all. Some smirk when they look through

my bag. "Why sand?" they ask. Why not?

It tells me where I've been, makes me smile.

It sits in rows on top of my shelves at home, a prize

for all to see. If I can't go back to a nice place,

I bring a piece of that place home with me.

I know it's not the most inspiring words you've ever read! But this was a fun activity. And I wrote more than the teacher did (and he cheated and used a lot of 2-syllable words) anyway!

And, yes, I do love sand! I know I'm strange. In case you couldn't tell, sand was my Etsy theme for the day. All items can be found by clicking the captions under the photo. Very easy! And here is the sand I collected at Folly Beach, South Carolina. Oooh, exciting, isn't it? Maybe not to you, but it is very exciting to me :)

*by the way, to any arenophiles or sand collectors reading this: yes, I have lots of sand from Folly Beach left over, I'm definitely up for trading. I have sand from many different places. Let's exchange some, show me what you got ;)

I Might be Crazy...

2011-03-17T17:40:00.001-05:00

"Luggage" ACEO by heather91.etsy.com

...but this artist just "gets" it.

Allow me to explain. As do many other females, I sometimes get the urge to buy something completely unnecessary, just for fun. Unlike most other women, I don't much care for shoes or purses or jewelry (which is weird, because I make jewelry). My impulse buys usually consist of geeky tee shirts, kitchen gadgets, strangely flavored candies and ACEOs. All of which are rather inexpensive, because I'm on a tight budget these days.

Yesterday I went hunting for some original works of art on Etsy. I love ACEOs (or, Art Cards Editions and Originals), I've been collecting them for some time. You're really only supposed to trade them or give them away, but since I don't have my own to trade, I don't mind buying the inexpensive ones.

I have sifted through many pages in Etsy's ACEO category. I would say that for every 10 pages of garbage, there is maybe one piece that is actually good. Etsy allows anybody to sell pretty much anything they handmade, no matter how mediocre it is. And it just seems like a lot of people don't realize that their work isn't very good, or that they could benefit from some kind of instruction/improvement. I'm not saying that I have to love every piece, I can respect art and say that it is "good" even if I don't particularly like the subject matter, the colors, the technique.

There's a noticeable difference between the pieces that really stand out and those that look like the artist had no clear vision or idea about what they wanted to create. I hope that makes sense! The "collage" category troubles me the most. 90% of them are random bits of trash or torn up magazines and stamps haphazardly glued to "vintage" postcards cut in half. There's no obvious or implied structure, no coherence--and I don't think that is because the artist is trying to be ironic or "shake things up". Nope, they're just clueless cutty-pasters.

"Safety" original ACEO by heather91.etsy.com

So I was pretty happy to discover this shop, though it was on the 40th page of my search.

Yes there are postage stamps and birds and bits of paper...but she obviously didn't just throw said stamps and birds onto a playing card, fall where they may, slap a layer of modge podge on it and finish it off with a quaint little title.

There are no sparkly stickers in disarray or owls with mustaches, ironic or otherwise.

In these pieces, the shapes are simple. The colors are subtle. You have to let your brain do the work. Allow yourself to come up with an explanation for what you're looking at. I believe that good art makes you think... It doesn't always come right at you, forcefully. I love the way these shapes sometimes parallel each other, even though there is contrast in the colors. And in other pieces, the shapes seem to be at war, competing for your attention even if their colors are similar... It's not about each individual line or scrap of patterned paper...it's about how they flow together soothingly in one direction or how they block each other chaotically.

Aw, look at me, being all "art snobby". I'm entitled to my opinion, dammit! And this is what I like. Now please excuse me so I can continue shopping.

Very Good News...

2010-11-28T20:28:00.001-06:00

mélange bracelet

...just in time for Cyber Monday! I noticed this last week, but only had time to read about the details today. Etsy has enabled the use of Coupon Codes now, which means that if I want to offer a discount or have a storewide sale, I don't have to go back and edit your Paypal invoice and then resend it to you. Now, all you have to do is enter the code I give you here or on Facebook or Twitter and you type it in and the discount is automatically applied. Please remember that you can only use one discount per order. For example, if you have obtained more than one coupon code from here, from Facebook or wherever...you have to pick just one and use it for your purchase. Next time, you may use the same code or a different one, but only one at a time. I hope that makes sense :)

So I've used a bit of my free time during this long holiday weekend to take new photos of jewelry that I've recently made, and upload those photos to Etsy and Facebook. I know that Cyber Monday is becoming almost as popular as Black Friday. I thought it would be a good time to try out the coupon codes. I'm sure a lot of you now that Etsy can sometimes be notorious for glitches, mistakes and bugs (not the good kind). I really hope that the coupon codes are working. Now is as good a time as any to find out, I guess. I know that the "My Etsy" tab for Facebook is NOT working at this time for some people, including me. I am very disappointed by that and wish for a better way to integrate Etsy and Facebook Fan Pages. Until then, I hope that you all can find me there. I think there is only one Silverbugs Jewelry on Facebook.

I'm very excited about these coupon codes and now that you've read this far, I can give you a code exclusive to readers of this blog! Type in "silver2" without the quotations during your next purchase from my shop for a 10% store-wide discount. This discount will be available from right now until 12-31-2010. Remember that shipping to the USA is free, shipping anywhere else in the world is only $6 for your entire purchase. Thanks & happy shopping!

Treasury Tuesday

2010-11-16T11:30:00.001-06:00

That has a nice ring to it...

I just happened to be up late/early at 2am and I had the notion to make a Treasury. Today's theme is Magic, it's for Wizards and Witches only. It's called Not for Muggles. Here's a mini version of it. To see the full page view, click here. Enjoy!

OMG Harry Potter!

2010-11-15T13:13:00.001-06:00

I realized this weekend, it just hit me while I was looking at my (neglected) Etsy shop--Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows is in theaters this week! I just can't wrap my mind around the fact that it is NOVEMBER, Thanksgiving is next week, etc, etc, etc...

The year is nearly over and the series of HP films is nearly over as well. Just this one and the next installment in 2011 and then it's all over for good. It's a bit sad to think about and I sincerely hope somebody I know is planning a big party for the very last movie's release. We have a while to plan it out. But right now is the perfect time to get your hands on some Harry Potter-inspired handmade crafts. In my shop, I've got some awesome stretchy bracelets in Hogwarts house colors. They're made with round Swarovski crystals & silver or gold beads, they're cute & comfy to wear. I only have one of each left!

{ravenclaw}

I also have sterling silver charm bracelets, only 3 of those left: 1 in Ravenclaw colors, 1 in Gryffindor colors and the last one in Slytherin colors. Hufflepuff colors was the first to go.

{all four house colors}

All orders in the USA are shipped Priority Mail, so if you purchase something today or tomorrow, you just might get it in time to wear it to the midnight showing. You will definitely get it in time for Christmas.

*Today's quest is an easy one, to be sure. I'm just going to type in "harry potter" in the main Etsy search bar. Here's what I came up with right off the bat...

It's true! Charm Studio has a lot more of these neat printed proclamations, this one is $10.

It's a snitch! These are all over Etsy right now, H-O-T, hot! But I love the simplicity of this one and especially that the tiny brass ball is a locket that you can actually put something in. $16 by Last Day of Forever Designs.

I HEART Death Eaters! Well, I do. It would've been nice if "Snape" was on this list. I never liked Greyback, blech. If you HATE Death Eaters, don't worry, Evie Tees has a shirt for all you yucky Gryffindors & Marauder wannabes...

Each of these tees is a very reasonable $18.

Exploding Frogs soap! Who wouldn't love this? It's the perfect stocking stuffer for a kid or a geeky adult (like me) and I think these look like as much fun as the Bertie Bott's Every Flavor beans. I remember those were BIG a few years ago. But now I want one of these. Howard's Home gives you 10 frogs for $20.

Last up today is a cute little potion bottle which contains the Elixir of Life. Surprisingly, it will only cost you $12 at Last Day of Forever Designs. What a steal! (Drinking this is not recommended, and if you did so, it wouldn't actually make you immortal. But it's fun to pretend.)

Thanks for reading, more tomorrow! GO SLYTHERIN!

*All prices in U.S. dollars. Be sure to check out each of these shop's Policies and shipping info before purchasing. If you have any questions, send me an email at silverbugsjewelry@hotmail.com

And while you're at my shop, don't forget to click on my Favorites page, where you'll find many more amazing items.

Look at me...

2010-07-25T01:21:00.002-05:00

I. AM. BACK!

So I took a very long hiatus from bloggery. I spent that time making absolutely no jewelry, gathering no supplies and, well, being completely unproductive. But I did manage to make two awesome Etsy Treasuries. The first one was LOST-themed, but very subtle. I dug through the search for a couple of hours and unearthed a cache of beautiful black swans, flames, caducei, big white waves, and crazy Medusa snakes. Why? Because the theme was DHARMA stations, and I had wanted to do a DHARMA drama treasury for some time. After a few week, many of the featured items had sold and I foolishly deleted that Treasury without taking any screencaps. All I have is my memory of it :(

Earlier this month, I began my obsession with Avatar: The Last Airbender. I'm geeky, so what? I was inspired to curate a new Treasury, based on the four elements of Earth, Water, Fire and Air. I spent a long time deciding what would look just right even though I am not an Etsy Admin favorite and I highly doubt I'd ever make it to the front page. Still, if it's worth doing, it's worth doing well. Since I have no new creations to show you, and I don't want to post another long blog full of pictures, here is a couple screencaps of my Elemental Treasury, which is still available to view in the Etsy Treasury East page (here's the link).

You don't have to squint! Just click on the image and a new tab/window will open with the full size version. Here's my tag/description:

Earthbenders DO rule! Bonus: While I was checking out some older screencaps of random junk I thought worth saving, I found an old Treasury I curated some time ago, maybe a year or more... Don't look at it for too long, it's kind of like looking at the sun. It's BRIGHT. Check it out:

Again, click the image to get the blinding, full-size version. This is my view of it, and you can see the faded alternates on the far right. Etsy has changed the Treasury now, some things are much better but I miss having alternates in case a featured item was sold or removed. But I am VERY happy that anyone can make a Treasury at any time, they're now unlimited. I hated having to wait until the total number dropped below 333 or some arbitrary number like that. And ya know what? I HATE those stupid Buy n' Replace Treasuries, don't get me started.

Anyway, I know I have complained a lot about Etsy these past few weeks (on Twitter and Facebook). But if there's a million things they get wrong, at least in my opinion, the Treasury feature is something they got so right. I love it!

Tomorrow I plan to sit down and get back to work on more jewelry, and finally start taking photos of the many, many pieces I've completed but have not yet listed. I have already started picking items for my next Treasury--scroll all the way down and get a sneak peak from my Favorites page! I will definitely post a screencap of any and all new Silverbugs Treasuries right here.

Happy Summer everybody!

'Round Here

2010-06-04T10:00:00.001-05:00

I am really pleased as punch when I come across a local seller on Etsy. Well, for me, "local" means anyone within the sprawling metroplex that is Dallas-Fort Worth. It's a big place, but I still feel a kinship with people from the cities nearby, especially my own hometown.

Just before Mother's Day last month, I was looking around for some gifts, when I found a cute little shop full of the most adorable foodie soaps. It was a nice surprise to look over at the "location" and find that this seller is based in Arlington, Texas--the city right next door.

{It's soap!}

Go check out soapopotamus now!

Take a minute to browse, everything in the shop looks delicious, but it can't be eaten--it's soap! And don't worry, if foodie soap isn't really your cup of tea there are plenty of other goodies at soapopotamus--bath bombs, yummy-sounding "lip butters" and solid perfumes. There's plenty of "normal" soaps, too. You know, the rectangular kind...

I had fun picking favorites, the best part is that they'll stay in the "Favorites" section of my own shop/profile so I can buy whenever I get the extra cash. I also had fun reading about Regina Panzeca, the owner & proprieter, in her Profile page, and later on her MySpace page. The links to more info on her are in her Profile section.

I did buy some of the small pink donut soaps for my mom. They were about the size of those mini-donuts you can buy at the grocery store. They looked real, smelled pretty good, too. She kind of wished she could eat them!

I know it's been a while since I last blogged. I was really preoccupied with the end of LOST and having a good friend fly in from out of town to watch with me. It was epic! Since LOST has ended I suppose I'll have loads more time to blog and make jewelry and other things...and travel. Thanks for reading & following. See ya next time ;)

Greatest Hits (Menagerie)

2010-04-23T09:00:00.005-05:00

It's Friday! Today I'm continuing the "Greatest Hits" theme, taking all the items in this blog from my 40+ page Favorites List. You can see the whole section in its entirety if you like, just by clicking here. I love all of these little treasures and I know you will, too. I also love that I am able to be the curator of my own little "treasury", or exhibit. Getting to share the work of some other amazing artists and craftspeople really cheers me up! I'm focusing on the Animal Kingdom, for no particular reason other than it seems like a fun theme. Here we go! Before we get started, it's time for the...

LOST SHOUT-OUT OF THE DAY!

You guys know that LOST is my favorite thing ever...and the party

ends this year. So I post as many Lost-themed items as I can, just to

feed the obsession! These awesome buttons are from a great shop,

Slevin11. They sell DHARMA magnets and other fun stuff
so take a look at their sold items as well. This set is only $7USD

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This item is in the running for Most Adorable. I am a dog person
and these little felted sculptures are truly precious.
The best part is that they are fully customizable and you can send a photo
of your dog or cat so that Gerry, of GFelted, can make a tiny sculpture
of them by hand. This one is actually a wearable pin, $65USD.

A stunning photo of a male african lion, from Photos by Linda
the 8 x 10 size is $19.99 but you can choose from a few other sizes, too.

"Some Bunny Loves You" necklace by Badass Bunny.
Can you believe this is polymer clay? I love how shiny it is! $28USD

Polar Bear and Hearts nostalgia sweatshirt

circa 1980, from Really Truly Vintage, $20USD

Green seahorse textured trinket dish, handmade by Island Girl Pottery, $10USD

Amazing Pictish-style boar sculpture by Crookedjaw, $2,400USD

"Bughouse Chess II", a real chess set and, yes, those are real bugs!
From Insect Art, $300USD

Vintage brass crane bird sculpture

from astelier, $13USD

"Tangerine Garden" pillow by Urban Roost, $35USD

Bevelled stained glass Polar Bear window, by Sunfire Glass, $145USD

Mini koi pond storage tin by starless, $10USD

"Year of the Tiger" fine art print by Genece Hamby.

8 x 10 print is $16.95, and did I mention that this is a Tiger year?

Fox on a bike, natural cotton tote bag by dark cycle clothing, $10USD

Fairy-tale Frog Prince Portrait by Toadbriar
signed 5 x7 print from Kim Parkhurst, $20USD

"The Geese" postcard print by The Nebulous Kingdom

(one of my VERY favorite shops), $3.30USD

Metallic Cicada fiber wall art, hand embroidered
by concentric, $25USD

Angel horse memorial, concrete garden sculpture
by PhenomeGnome.com, $26.99USD

Scrappy Sparrow in purple and grey, by Maisey Handmade, $5USD

Cute little watercolor cat print by LaBerge, $17.50USD

Animal Scarf, extra-long Black Bat, by Sara Lanzillotta
available at Devout Dolls, $32USD

"Antarctic Waters" limited edition archival inkjet print
by Diana Sudyka, one of my favorite artists.
This 11 x 14" print is $30USD

That just about wraps it up for this week, everybody! I'll be back next week with updates on my own jewelry & crafty projects as well as more Fresh Etsy Finds. I'm definitely going to blog about some of the great Vintage items I have found on Etsy, probably post a blog or two on some of the fun supplies I've found there, too. I love to search for supplies, because I never know what will turn up and I like getting to work new materials into my jewelry projects. I'm thinking it would also be a good idea to do a foodie blog. I'll admit that I've got a sweet tooth and I have purchased cookies, cakes, candies, teas and all kinds of goodies from various Etsy sellers. I'd love to share my favorites with you. Till next time, have a great weekend & thanks for reading!

Greatest Hits (Kaleidoscope) Part Deux

2010-04-21T09:30:00.002-05:00

Time to finish this series! Yesterday I posted a blog featuring my favorite Favorites, items that deserve to be with people who love them. I wanted to show you some very colorful finds, that's why I narrowed my selections to include only very colorful things. So let's get to it! But first...

It's the LOST SHOUT-OUT OF THE DAY!

Desmond just might be the solution. Or whatever, he's got a lot of fangirls, anyway. I prefer Dr. Linus myself, haha, but I love this shirt by 24/7 Magnum, $18.99USD

***********************

From page 19, this item proves that you can find just about anything on Etsy, and that's cool! Brandy's Botany Bay brings you Arbol chili seeds, a package of 25 for $2.50USD

Vintage toy watch, circa 1950, from Covetable Curiosities, $6USD

Red Lotus winter coat, by longing, $175USD

Children's felt wall clock, by Evgie, $50USD

"Time Warp" original abstract painting by Sally Trace, $199USD

Big Ben belt buckle, by b*mused, $26USD (say that three times fast!)

"Year of the Dragon" 8 x 10 print. Even though it is currently the Year of the Tiger, I like this print better. But you can find all the Chinese Zodiac animal prints at Genece Hamby's shop, for a mere $16.95 each. Every print is lovely, I'm a Goat girl myself, though Dragon is probably the most colorful.

Real butterfly wing earrings, by mybugs, $6.50USD

Mosaic sun chest, by Peggitha's Pieces, $375USD

Vintage 1950's Prom Dress, so dreamy, from Vindemial Vintage, $275USD

Vintage Japanese garden dragonflies, from Mama Vintage, $29USD

Pincushion ring, by Dottyral, $9USD

Butterfly stem-less glasses by Marywibis, $50 per set of 2

Art glass winged heart sculpture, by AMN Flamework, $35USD

"Eccentric Owl" necklace by Mano Celebrates, $30USD

"Felix Felicis" potion by specialmeat, a favorite shop of mine. This tiny bottle would make a cute jewelry pendant, and is only $10USD

Same theme as the last item, these fun little owl post papers and pretend stamps are from another of my very favorite shops on Etsy. Celeste Frittata brings you this Owl Post Stationery set, $4USD

Grand Stash wallet in Lotsa Hearts print, by Mashulu, $25USD

Baroque porcelain earrings in rainbow colors, by Suus Keramiek, an extremely talented Etsyer, one of my favorite shops to browse and buy from, this pair is $29.90USD.

Okay, looks like that's a wrap! I had fun and hope you enjoyed perusing my favorites. There's more to see at my shop, so check it out! I believe it was last week that I mentioned a blog giveaway. I'm still working on that, actually, I'm working on whatever jewelry item I will be giving away. It will either be blossom earrings or a wire bracelet, or maybe a choice between the two. I'll keep you posted, so keep checking my blogs. I'm trying to get back into the habit of doing this every day, but from now on my blogs will definitely be shorter. There are so many great artists, finders and items on Etsy, these blogs can quickly get out of hand! Not that I'm complaining...

Thanks again for reading, and see you tomorrow for a trip down memory lane (vintage!)

Greatest Hits (Kaleidoscope), Part I

2010-04-20T09:00:00.004-05:00

Are you ready for this? I've got 40 pages worth of Favorites in my Etsy shop. I have even more Favorite Sellers. I love every single item I "heart" but some of them have been sitting in their shops for far too long. These treasures deserve a home where they can be appreciated. I'm going to pick one item from each page and show it off right here. It's a kaleidoscope of color, and that's the theme for today! There are so many items, at least 40, I will split this blog into two parts. Look for the sequel tomorrow! The title of "Greatest Hits" is just to let you know that these items are some of the best on Etsy, in my humble opinion. Plus, it's also the title of one of my favorite episodes of LOST.

LOST SHOUT-OUT OF THE DAY

"What Lies in the Shadow of the Statue?" brushed aluminum stamped necklace from Spiffing Jewelry, $25USD. WANT!

***********************

First up is a beautiful original watercolor painting, "Gold Aspens in Fall", by Mary Ann Hamilton, available at her shop, Dream On, for $75USD.

This next item sounds dreamy, too. Mimosa and Carnation castile natural soap from Campo di Fiore, is only $7.50 for an 80gram bar.

Delicious cookies from Lori's Place is #3, and I must say that I am a satisfied customer of this little shop. I ordered these adorable cookies for a few lucky ladies on Mother's Day last year. They taste as good as they look and everyone loved them! These super-fancy ones are $4USD each.

Number 4 is the lovely "Green Blossom" limited edition photographic print, 8 x 12", by Misha Aston, $30USD

Cute little Chinese Tea Pins, by Tara Bursey, $5USD for a set of three!

"technoPOP" 4 x 5 mini print by Kecky, one of my favorite artists on Etsy and anywhere else, this little print is only $5USD

"Portia" Shakespearean bookmark by another of my favorite artists, Elizabeth E. Schuch, the genius behind Immortal Longings on Etsy.com. This bookmark and many others can be found there for only $4.99USD

Cool "blood red" neckwarmer by Thumbelyna, $15USD

Vintage Confections has these awesome, customizable and very colorful lollipops, 12 pieces for $10USD, and so many more yummy candies, so check out their entire shop!

B. Inspired Vintage has these funky little Country Hen Milk Glass mugs, so grab them while you can, $18USD for the set of 8, and have a cluckity cluck-cluck day!

Anatomy of the Brain, set of 9 Ephemera art blocks, $125 USD from sushipot.

I can't decide which I love more, this t-shirt or this chick's hair! Miss Cherry's Boutique is only selling the shirt, $15USD, you have to get the hair someplace else, haha...

Juicy Fruit cascade earrings, from The Smiling Soul, $22USD

"Fruit Pizza" is the name of this amazing 62" x 74" quilt by everystitch, $175USD.

Tangerine and Yellow handmade glass plate, $46USD by Jennifer Benjamin Glass

Gothic Rose Flower Ring, by The Family Jewels, $14USD

"I Just Wanna be Your Baby" hand crocheted polar bear hat, is probably the most unbelievably cute item in this post! Maybe the model has something to do with that, haha... Available at Rachel Did for $20USD

Lemon layered mini-flapper dress with origami pleats
Truly one of a kind and completely gorgeous! This dress is $373USD and is available at Irene B Clothing.

"Lime and Jazz" handmade wire earrings, by Licia Beads, $45USD

Wood and resin cluster necklace by modica, I LOVE this artist, her jewelry is just too cool. This necklace is $80USD, many more items and colors available, check out the entire shop!

And, just because I wanted to end this blog in a totally weird way, here is the last item of the day--from Rainy Day Swap Meet, a Miniature Nacho Platter necklace with red glass beads. This looks so real, it's starting to make me hungry! Only $12USD.

Soak it all in, maybe drop by and visit the shops above, they all have many more cool items for you to see. To take a look at every item I have in my Favorites: get comfortable, stop by Silverbugs Jewelry, click on Favorites in the right margin and browse at your own pace. To see the rest of my favorite Favorites, stop by tomorrow for Part 2. Thanks for reading!

You'd Look Good in Wings

2010-04-05T14:47:00.000-05:00

I love birds, planes, fairies, silver bugs and winged things...

"Just as it should be" original fine art photograph

by Ingrid Art Studio, $22USD

While searching for fairy-tale themed items on Etsy, I came across a few pairs of beautiful handmade cosplay wings that sparked an idea for today's Fresh Finds blog. I searched for "wings" and "winged" items, and I'm proud to show off the cream of the crop right here. There are a few things you'd expect to see and quite a few surprises, too!

Handmade Purple Fairy Wings, Adult size, by On Gossamer Wings, $75USD

Handmade Real Butterfly Wing Earrings (Urania Ripheus - Sunset Moth), by Mybugs, $6.50USD

Handmade black felt swan, by Orit Dotan Dolls, $22USD

Mosquito Resin Ring, Size M, by Renathe Schneider, $28USD

Sunny Pegasus shirt, Size Small, by coup, $27USD

"Dream Believe Love" Idea Diary/Project Journal, by Moment in the Sun, $4.99USD

Real Cicada Display (Framed Natural History Display) by Bug Under Glass, $28USD

Vintage toy airplane, from Cool Vintage, $17USD

"Dragonfly Wings" Mineral Makeup Eyeshadow - 10 grams by Mum Mum's Crafts, $7USD

Vintage 1970's wing-tip heels, from Amber Rose Vintage, $19.99USD

"Tico and the Golden Wings" by Leo Leoni (vintage book), from Ric Rac and Buttons, $39USD

"Celestial Angel" handmade polymer clay figurine, by My Heaven Sent, $25USD

Fairy Wings Perfume - 1oz bottle, by Wylde Ivy, $15USD

I saved my absolute favorite for last - Edible Butterflies!

These go super quick and they're one of a kind so get them while you can - they're available at Sugar Robot, this listing is 20 butterflies for $8.95USD

* * * * * * * *

Thanks again for reading today's blog. I can't show you every winged item on my Favorites list or this blog would never end. But you can always visit my shop and see them for yourself, all 15 pages worth!

Don't forget to vote in this month's poll at the top of the page, "What are your favorite Vintage items?"

Also, stay tuned this week for more information about my first blog give-away!

See ya tomorrow...

Ever After

2010-03-30T10:00:00.000-05:00

"Marsh King's Daughter" Fairytale Charm Bracelet

Silverbugs Jewelry, $50USD

The other day I realized that I had barely posted any new blogs this month! Shame on me... I've neglected my Fresh Etsy Finds in order to clean out the entire house so I can have a badly needed garage sale. We're pretty much buried in piles of old papers, art supplies I never use, tacky & outdated home decor, old clothes & shoes and various other odds and ends. I've been cleaning so much, I'm starting to feel a bit like Cinderella. Luckily, my husband is less like an evil stepmother and more like Prince Charming, haha! I always wonder what did happen after the "happily ever after". Did Charming make Cinderella sew the buttons back on his shirt collar and clear up his dirty dishes?

Because I was already thinking along those lines and daydreaming about a fairy-tale life, today's Fresh Etsy Finds theme is all things "once upon a time"...

"Bear Cards", set of 10 blank cards, $12.50USD, by Amber Alexander, who has one of my absolute favorite shops on Etsy! This set is adorable, and makes me think of that classic tale, "Goldilocks and the 3 Bears"

"Garden Nymph" Rosemary Mint Body Butter, by Chase Street Soap Co.,

$9.50USD

"Red Head Mermaid" Glass painting by Elena Diadenko-Hunter, $60USD

This vintage, hand-made doll must have been inspired by the story of Pinocchio. You can find this sweet yet slightly strange little guy at The Haps for $26USD

Enchanting "Fairytale Tea", by Wildroot Botanicals, $7.50USD for a 1.10z tin, makes about 20 cups.

"Under the Apple Tree" canopy bed, made of 100% hardwood, with intricate, laser-cut details. Fit for a princess! By Attila Design, $9,600.00USD

"Red Queen" handmade shoes by Woland & Moon, $270USD

I can't blog without posting at least one vintage book. Here's something a little different, Chinese Fairy Tales by Jeanyee Wong, brought to you by Breckenridge Beads & Books, $12USD

Love Potion Pendant by specialmeat, another of my favorite places on Etsy. This cute little bottle and it's divine concoction only $10USD

"The Forest is my Throne" tiny, hand-made, leatherbound journal, by New Prehistory Adornment, $22USD

"Il etait une fois" artwork pocket mirror, by The Nebulous Kingdom, $9.50USD. I have to say that this is perhaps my very favorite Etsy shop!

Vintage 1950's black & white fairy-tale princess dress, a must-have, from Snappy Fish Vintage, $78USD

What's a fairy-tale without a happy ending? Here is one more than suitable for today's story...a sweet little handmade sterling silver ring, by Kablam Industries, $35USD

Remember, all these items and many more can be viewed by visiting my shop, Silverbugs Jewelry, and clicking on the Favorites tab in the right margin. I'm up to 35 pages of favorites, everything I've ever blogged about and more. Please take a look at my jewelry, there, too--many items inspired by real & imagined Fairytales...

Thanks for reading :)

Wibbly Wobbly, Timey Wimey...Stuff

2010-03-10T11:58:00.011-06:00

"Back to the Future" by Studio CVH, fine art metallic print, $30USD

Hello again! I haven't blogged in a while, at least a week. It's taken forever for me to get this one finished. It's not because I'm putting it off or because I am too busy with other things (though I probably should be). The reason I haven't been able to finish this one is because I get so distracted looking for items related to "clocks, time, hourglass, seasons..." Etsy is saturated with talent! There are more and more shops opening there every day, and so many pages to search through. I can't possibly show you all of it here, so remember that you can visit my shop and click on the Favorites tab (in the right margin) to see everything, 35 pages worth.

I was looking for "time-travelly" stuff, or anything implying or used to calculate the passage of time. Not sure how exactly to explain that! February is over, but I still have fun searching for items related to LOST, my favorite t.v. show of all time. Last season, time travel was a major part of each episode. Certain characters became, "unstuck in time" and were moving back and forth through time. It was confusing and caused many a nosebleed. Not for me, though--I have my Constants close at hand.

Let's get to it, shall we? By the way, the title of this blog is a reference to my 2nd favorite t.v. show of all time, also dealing with time travel, Doctor Who.

Vintage alarm clock, from Eclectic Pelican, $75USD

Steampunk time machine assemblage, by Urbandon, $140USD

Digital flip clock radio t-shirt, Design by Colosso, $23USD

Doily clock, by and furthermore, $28.50

"Change of Seasons" stained glass panel, by Fleeting Stillness, $500USD

Steampunk & Lace full layered skirt, by Wasted Wishes, $65USD

"Mark Your Calendar" sterling silver pendant, by Punky Jane Jewelry, $62USD

"Theory of Relativity" handmade glass focal bead, by Whitney Lassini, $37USD

Sun Dial with equation of time graph on face, by Shakespeare Sundials, $350USD

Vintage children's book, from Emily Lynch Vintage, $15USD

Atomic Zodiac diamond serving bowl, from Tipsy Time Machine, $18USD

The Four Seasons tea set, by Marywibis, $90USD

Pre-historic History vintage illustration t-shirt, by isotope, $18USD

Vortex necklace with green Tourmaline, by Favor Jewelry, $72USD

And now I'm done, so it's TIME for bed! See you some Other time...

I Don't Do Taco Night

2010-02-23T12:00:00.000-06:00

Hey, guess what? It's LOST Night! That means it's Taco Night at our house because we like to eat tacos and because, unlike Kate Austen, I am not afraid of commitment. Hah! You've gotta be a hardcore Lostie to understand that, I think. But you don't have to be a nerd like me to enjoy today's Fresh Etsy Finds. The deliciously silly theme for this Tuesday is--tacos, of course!

By the way, those scrumptious-looking taco earrings (at the top of the page) can be found at Penelope's Porch, priced at $10USD.

Yes, that is soap! I'm a big fan of Glo Girl, their soap chocolates in particular. But this soap taco is too cute. $10USD

Adorable. Choose your color, style and size at The Shirt Dudes, $12.98USD

This made me smile. Valentine's Day is history, but your sweetie will appreciate the sentiment here, any old time. I know I would! 1 notecard, blank inside, comes with brown paper envelope, by The Rasilisk, $2USD

Si! Handy little Taco Shell Holder, by North Shore Wood Crafts, only $12USD

Home-made Taco Seasoning (yum!) by Clover Hollow for $6.95USD. You get one bag, which contains enough spices for up to 20 tacos.

I had to include a painting, and even though this isn't a painting of a taco itself--I think it's still really cute. And the sign says "Tacos" so, you know... This original acrylic painting by MC2 Art & Graphics measures 5" x 5" and is only $20USD (which I think is a steal for an original!)

This felt food play set by Pinkerton Designs looks much nicer than the hard plastic fake food they sell at the toy store. Felt is so much softer and still very washable. And the little "dipping sauces" are so sweet! Only $12USD

To see ALL of my favorites, including those that didn't make it into this blog, please visit my shop or scroll down to the very bottom to see page 1.

Well, I have to say that looking at all these taco-related items made me very hungry. Dinner is still a long way off... Thanks, Etsy! Now I must have a snack.

See you tomorrow :)

In the Loop

2010-02-22T11:15:00.032-06:00

I took a little time off last week. I wish I could say I did something productive with that time, but why lie? I made up for my laziness this weekend by cleaning the house, taking lots of photos for Silverbugs, setting up a brand new shop (more on this later), baking and by planning out a whole week's worth of blogs!

Gold matte "Infinity" necklace
by Little Brown Bird, $28USD

Today's theme is "loops". I decided to focus specifically on jewelry items because that's what I make and sell in my own shop.

For my favorites, I picked mostly bracelets, earrings and rings. I was looking out for the rings especially, because according to my last, non-scientific poll posted at the top right side of this blog, people's favorite piece of jewelry is, 8 times out of 10, a ring.

"You are My Destiny" gold and diamond ring by Artisan Look, $1028.00USD

I can't be sure, but I think that is because people were including their own wedding/engagement rings when they voted. The options were: Necklace, Ring, Earrings, Bracelet, Anklet... 10 people voted, 8 chose "Ring". I believe 1 vote went to earrings and 1 other went to necklace. I think this is an interesting result that I didn't expect. I don't like wearing rings very much. Even my wedding ring makes my finger itchy. I prefer necklaces but I think I'll start making more rings. Okay, enough of my babbling, on to the highlights for today's Fresh Etsy Finds...

Darling Circle 16K golden bubble earrings

by Frieda Sophie, $19USD

Emma's Mobile Disco Bangle bracelet (medium)

by Penny Dog Resin Jewellery, $33USD

Girls Never Get Lost copper ring

by Foxy Girl Boutique, $32USD

5 Loops, necklace scarves

by Nitca, $90USD

Vintage Lucite hair barrettes

from Bakelite Bakery, $12.50USD

Turquoise blue and Rainbow green swirls, peyote-stitch bead bracelet

by Made by Katarina, $47USD

Satellite Necklace

by Favor Jewelry, $92.00USD

"Green Isles" Czech glass ring

by Creative Manifestations, $16.50USD

Time Compressed, silver stud earrings

by Blue Sunflower Studios, $30USD

Many more of these wonderful items in my Favorites section, to see them all plus all my other favorites from previous blogs--visit my shop, Silverbugs Jewelry. I tried to cover a variety of styles, materials and prices. I hope you find something that works for you, something that you just can't live without. Support creativity, buy handmade! Okay, it's still February, which means that today's theme must have some tie-in to my favorite t.v. show, LOST. If you watch, you already know what I was trying to get at. If not, there's still time to catch up! Various characters have mentioned "loops, loopholes, being in the loop, closed loop, out of the loop" etc since Season 1. In the last episode, a certain Bad Guy mentioned that he really wanted to kill a certain Good Guy, but since just killing him would be "against the rules" for some reason, he swore he'd find a "loophole". I won't tell you if he succeeded or not, but that conversation between Good & Evil was a MAJOR reveal. Too big to say anything else about it in case you want to watch but haven't gotten to that point in the story yet (what are you waiting for?)

I also want to mention my surprise at signing in this morning and finding that I now have 4 followers! Yes! Thanks for reading :) See you tomorrow...

Last one: Bunny Love Bangle bracelet,

by Fleathers (an AMAZING Etsy shop!) $250USD

Ursus Maritimus

2010-02-11T15:24:00.000-06:00

I was going to blog about loops & loopholes and other such craziness today...but the snow outside is so beautiful and fun to play in and it gave me another idea...

Jenni Phillips Original Art & Prints, Ursa Major paper doll set, $25

Keep in mind that this is Texas--we're gonna get about 5 inches worth, which is just enough to play in but not enough to be really destructive and annoying. It should be almost 80 degrees Fahrenheit today, haha, with it being so late in the year. I can remember the last time it snowed like this after the New Year. It was 1985 or thereabouts. My brother and I went outside to play in the snow, but we were so unused to it being so cold outside, I didn't even have proper gloves and wore socks on my hands! That sounds so ghetto, come to think of it, we did live in Oak Cliff at the time...

Don't hate on me, South Dallas, for that one! HAHA! Anyway, I'm so excited by the weather today! I'm in a winter wonderland kind of mood, so this Fresh Finds blog is all about the "Einsteins of the bear community", the Polar Bear.

Lilac Pop Photography, "Polar Bear in Blue #3" fine art photograph, $30

Tamara Dozier, Polar bear poly clay pendant, $30

Kittredge Candles of New England, Polar bear candle, $10

Spizzpin Jewelry, Vintage carved ivory polar bear, $125

Kathan Stained Glass, polar bear family decorative panel, $249

Bonny Baby, Polar Express hand-knitted wool hat, $12

Janice Cordeiro Wool Creations, Needle felted Polar Bear sculpture, $72

I have LOTS more favorite polar bear items, too many to list them all here. Visit my shop to see the rest, or scroll to the very bottom of this blog to see a few more. Gotta run, there's a snowball fight outside & I wanna play, too!

See you tomorrow :)

Love Will Look Orange

2010-02-08T15:58:00.000-06:00

Today is a mushy, soggy, wet, cruddy day. I had to write that, just to get it out of my system. I won't let myself complain any more because when I started whining about the weather on my facebook page, a friend kindly reminded me that I should smile anyway, because at least I am feeling well today. Besides a few sneezes this morning, she's right. I feel a bit tired, but I'm well.

See Jane Knit Yarns, Lux Merino wool yarn, 1 skein, $18

So today, as a remedy for the rotten weather and for those of you who happen to be under the weather, here is a shot of vitamin C! Well, not really. But these bright, shiny items will at least cheer you up. I was sleepy when I started searching for "orange" or "tangerine", but I found so many great things that just seemed to POP out and grab my attention. Just what I needed!

Retro Reality, 5 Orange glass mugs, $20

Kahiko, "Siren" vintage shirt, $17

Meringue Designs, "Tangerine & Lemon" pillow cover, $19.50

Geek Chef, Kumquat Marmalade, $8

Holzfurhaus, "Tuesday Sunrise" artisan wooden bowl, $48

Another great item from Orange Twist, vintage bicycle notecard (blank), $3.95

A Breath of French Air, Pumpkin Crunch soy candle, $6

Given' Me Lip, Orange Cream Ice Pop vegan lip balm, $3.45

Mysticfibers, Hot & Fiery Oranges beaded cuff bracelet, $45

Nola & Spencer, Leon Orange dog collar, $22

Bayan Hippo Handmade, Citrine tote, $37

The Sweet Petal Market, Sugar Poppies, $10 set of 3

If you've been paying attention, you'll remember that each blog this month ties in to my favorite show, LOST, in some way. Devoted fans like me know that the color orange is used in many episodes to highlight a scene or a certain character. Remember this?

Haha, and there are many other times the color orange is used in the show to make a certain moment stand out. The title of this post is from the episode in which Jin meets his wife, Sun. Jin's friend is reading his fortune to him and says that he will find love soon and that it will "look orange". I have no idea what that means! But at least I could tie that into my etsy blog in some way. :) See you some Other time...

Hearts (and Minds)

2010-02-06T18:18:00.012-06:00

I took my time with this one, today being a leisurely Saturday, and spent about an hour browsing Etsy for something "heartsy". The title & theme of today's blog is, amongst other things, somewhat of a reference to Valentine's Day, which is one week from tomorrow. It's also a mild LOST reference, "Hearts and Minds" being the title of one of the weirdest and most uncomfortable episodes in the entire series.

Tilly Bloom, Hearts & Minds hair pins, $15

So after a few minutes of browsing the website, I realized that there were plenty of cute little items festooned with hearts, but not many items representing the "and minds" aspect of this theme. I looked up "anatomical" and found exactly what I was looking for. Don't read any further if you're very squeamish...

Language & Meaning Design Works, Set of 5 Handmade Anatomical Cards, $10

Pigeon Print Shop, "Cupid's Arrow" original etching, $25

Lulu Bug Jewelry, Handmade silver and concrete necklace, $68

Crow Biz, Brains Trio glass magnets set of 3, $10

Cyberoptix Tie Lab, Heart Attack screenprinted necktie, $30

Champignons, pocket moleskin cahier, $11

Dark Cycle Clothing, Heart illustration t-shirt, $18

Aktisu's Creations, Exposed brain fleece hat, $27.50

Munstre (shop), Antique style anatomical heart lightbox, $65

Fallen Asher Photography & Design, Star punk skull pillow, $25

Papier Delights, Anatomical heart embroidery, $19.51

I have to say, I like these items more than a lot of the traditional heart-shaped items. I've never been much of a girly-girl and I hate when things are excessively "cutesy".

Whatever your preference is, as far as hearts go, there's still time to order a last-minute gift for yourself or your Valentine!

Silverbugs Jewelry, "The Sweetheart" bracelet, $28 (free shipping!)

Check out my shop, Silverbugs Jewelry. I ship everything via Priority mail, which is FREE for any of my customers in the USA. I ship internationally, too, also via Priority mail for a $6 flat-rate fee. To see the rest of my extensive list of Favorites, which includes many more items than I was able to feature here, visit my shop and click on the "Favorites" tab in the right margin. Or, you can just scroll all the way to the bottom of this page and you'll see the first page (you can click it and it will take you to my shop).

Have a good Sunday...see you next week :)

Black & White & Red All Over

2010-02-05T11:01:00.001-06:00

My computer was on the fritz for two whole days, which almost derailed my plans to keep it fresh & blog every day.

If I get off track, even just a little, my flaky side shows itself and I start to wonder, "Why should I get started again at all? Something else will inevitably go wrong this time, too." Did I say "flaky side"? I meant "inner pessimist". I don't like that person, she brings everyone down. So to shut her up, I'm going to post another one and quick!

Dr. Mikey, "System Failure" Original Acrylic
Painting on canvas, $250

These items took me more than 15 minutes to find, because I had a lot of time to look for them on my good ol' iPod Touch whilst waiting for my laptop to be repaired. I found so many great items. The theme here is a black/white/red color scheme. Remember that this month, I'm sticking to LOST-related themes. How does this fit in? If you're a LOSTie you know that black vs. white is a major part of the show. The color red is important, too. There's a joke in Season 1 that goes "What is black and white and red all over?" The answer given is, "a penguin with a sunburn."

It's really stupid and somewhat cryptic. I still don't understand if it has a deeper meaning. But who cares? I found a lot of great stuff because I couldn't get that joke out of my mind. Take a look:

Quilt Lover, Drama Queen Lap Quilt, $205

Real Butterfly Gifts, Black/Red Papilio, $29.99

Aunti Di's Delights, Fleuriste 16 oz Soy Candle, $12

Cute Ability, Black Forest Cake Necklace, $18

The Utilitarian Franchise, Cotton canvas throw pillow, $60

Vie Moderne, "Julia" Feather headband, $36

Orange Twist, Triceratops in Love blank card, $3.95

JMN Pottery, Large Bowl with puzzle pattern, $100

Vintage Darling, 1970's "Lolita" Dress, $24

Body Language Soaps, Vixen Indulgence Cream, $10

Old Baltimore Vintage, 1960's Small black suitcase with red/white trim, $25

Island Bunny Exchange, "What Happens in Vegas" bracelet, $8

That last shop's name is purely coincidence. Don't mistake coincidence for fate.

I'm such a LOST geek! I make no apologies. Have a great weekend, everyone. I'll be posting tomorrow as well, with a Valentine's/Lostie theme. Hopefully I'll have some new clay pendants & charm bracelets of my own to show you. Don't forget that I'm having a 15% off sale on all items featuring hearts, I've got a special section just for these in my shop--go take a look at Silverbugs Jewelry!

If you want to see more of my Favorite items (including the ones in this blog) go to the "Favorites" section of my shop or scroll all the way to the bottom of this page.

Thanks for reading.

Are we LOST yet?

2010-02-02T17:45:00.005-06:00

I am so excited right now, I can barely keep it together. I won't say too much, because words aren't easy for me when I'm this anxious.

Today is LOST day, the premiere of the final season. All over the world, like-minded geeks are celebrating what could be the most exciting event on television! So here's my contribution: my favorite LOST-themed items on Etsy found in 23 minutes.

Shup (G), Necklace, $30USD

Maddie's Vintage, Vintage Postcard, "Waipio Valley", $4USD

Beautiful Soaps, Citrus Essential Oil Blend with Mango Butter, $4.99USD

Trash and Trinkets, "Eye Am Watching You" Pendant, $28USD

Jake Lieberman Photography, "Lincoln Log Cabin" Photographic Print, $23USD

Peace Images Jewelry, "Tangled History" Bracelet, $39USD

Mark J. Asher Photography, "The Lab Life" Photographic Print, $20USD

My Beauty Addiction, "Islander" Mineral Eyeshadow, $5

Middleburg Folk Art Studio, White Rabbit Papier Mache Sculpture, $89USD

Secondseed, "August Airplane" digital print, $15

Squishythings, "Single Flashforward Beardwig Jear #6", $6USD

Denise Jewelry Designs, LOST Inspired Antique Numbers Charm Bracelet, $18

Seabelly, "Mysterious Purple Pirate Ship" photographic print, $13USD

There are lots and lots more where that came from. To see all my favorites, please visit my shop, Silverbugs Jewelry, and click on the "Favorites" tab. Or, you can scroll to the very bottom of this page - my Favorites can always be found there. Gotta go get ready to watch the premiere. See you tomorrow...

Good luck & Namaste!

Rabbit Rabbit Rabbit

2010-02-01T15:16:00.012-06:00

With today being the first day of a new month, and having watched Donnie Darko thrice in the past 48 hours AND with the last season of LOST premiering tomorrow...

I think it was pretty lucky that my first thought as I woke up this morning was...

"Rabbit, rabbit, rabbit"

Hence, the title of this blog.

To keep the good luck going strong, I decided that today I would begin my daily blog about awesome things I've found on Etsy (and sometimes, Other places, too) in less than 15 minutes. Every weekday, I'm going to browse the site for that amount of time and find as many amazing items as I can. There will definitely be a theme involved. I'm going to see how long I can keep this up, and so we begin.

You've probably guessed the theme for today, but since LOST returns this month, I'm going to make as many of these blogs LOST-related, if I can. Why? Well...it's only my favorite thing ever, that's why!

Let's get started...

The picture at the top is by The Silver Stag for Cafe Press. It's actually a cute little magnet, $5. Click here for the link.

NYHop, Dress, $28

Two Sugar Babies, 1 Dozen Fondant cupcake toppers, $12

Eden Creative Studio, Pack of 10 Valentine's Day Cards, $10

Tumbleweed Cottage, Vintage Child's bowl & mug set, $12

Bustle and Sew, "Amelia" the little knitted bunny, $20

Badass Bunny, Necklace, $28

Amber Alexander, "Senorita" art print, $18

I found many, many other rabbity items, way too many to mention here, but you can always visit my shop, Silverbugs Jewelry, and click on my Favorites tab, to view more. Or you can just scroll down to the very bottom of this blog, my favorites are always right there, too!

Thanks for reading, see ya tomorrow :)

So Many Hearts...

2010-01-29T17:26:00.012-06:00

Well, actually...just two for now. This month's sale at Silverbugs Jewelry is predictably heart-themed. Valentine's Day is almost 2 weeks from now, after all! And what is so wrong with being a little bit romantic? Even as an Aspie, I get sentimental and dreamy around this time of year. There would be nothing to look forward to in these last, dreary days of winter, if not for Valentine's Day. You don't have to spend a lot of money to get your sweetie a little somethin' nice. I just listed these two items, there are more to come...

Heart of Gold
$25.50 Sale Price
Free shipping to the USA

* * * * * * * * * * * *

The Sweetheart
$23.80 Sale Price
Free shipping to the USA

And there is so much more in my shop, you just have to check it out.

*I am currently donating $10 from each total purchase to the American Red Cross Haiti Relief & Development Fund. Read my shop announcement for more info, and take a look at http://www.redcross.org/

LOST on Etsy

2009-11-05T01:00:00.002-06:00

I've got LOST fever, acute DHARMAtitis......

Tomorrow is a big Lostie day for me and LOST is one of my favorite things in the world. I can't tell you what the big deal is...it's a secret. *laughs maniacally in an evil villainous kinda way*

I can, however, point you in the direction of some fun Lost-inspired trinkets I found on Etsy.com. Then you can have your own little piece of paraphernalia from the greatest television show of ALL TIME!

Here goes....

My blog, so I get to shamelessly promote my shop first (woot!). Here is my contribution...

Special

...an awesome sterling silver necklace with strands of red coral beads & bright red crystals alongside glossy, black hex-cut glass seed beads. The focal point as you can see is The Numbers in sterling silver block beads. They slide back and forth across the three strands, and they're pretty fun to play with. This necklace is about 16" long, it's really cute and only $50. If you mention this blog in the Notes to Seller box during purchase--I'll give you a discount of $10 off plus free shipping! Be sure to keep checking in at silverbugsjewelry.etsy.com, I'll be listing a few LOST charm bracelets and pendants as well as some Harry Potter-inspired jewelry before Thanksgiving.

Next up is a listing for these adorable little--

Lostie buttons

all the best characters are featured here. What made me choose these over all the other Lost-themed buttons on Etsy is the style in which these characters were drawn. It's so unique! I love the light blue background, too, a nice change from the stark black/white of the dharma logos (yes I realize black/white is a major theme of the show). You get four buttons of your choice for only $5, shipping is extra. My pick for cutest button-face goes to....Jin!

I'm really digging this piece of sophisticated, understated LOSTie art! It's called...

Lost Literature

...and it comes to you matted and framed and ready to be displayed in your home. Each 3-D octagon was cut from the pages of a book mentioned on the show. This would be an AMAZING gift for a very nerdy Lostie (such as myself, hint hint) who has read or attempted to read every book ever referenced on the show. The seller, Terror Dome, has stated that this piece is one of a kind and even if she makes a similar piece in the future, the literary selections will be different. So grab this one while you can! $76, shipping is extra.

In keeping with the spirit of the show, and the Numbers I've come to love so much--I'm only blogging 4 items today. Last but not least is...

Scarlet Kate

Remember Eggtown? Kate is on trial for everything she's done before the crash of flight 815. If you're a jewelery fiend like me--you were paying more attention to her cute, faceted teardrop earrings than to the court proceedings. That is, until Jack showed up. *dreamy*

I digress! Sulablu was inspired by Kate's smoky topaz earrings, and decided to make the same style in many different colors. These red ones are my favorite, but if you prefer blue or green or just about any other color, you should check out sulablu.etsy.com! Each pair is $14 plus shipping.

Please keep in mind that all prices are in USD. The awesome notecard featured at the top of the page is by BettyTurbo.etsy.com, you can find it right here.

Better Things To Do With $50

2009-05-21T18:34:00.030-05:00

[photo: "Leaves" lariat, $22USD, by june designs]

First of all, I'd just like to mention that this year has been a relatively good one, as far as sales go--I reached the 100th sale mark in March and sales have been steadier than I expected. I don't really have time to stock my shop as often as I'd like, and I especially don't have loads of time for marketing and promotion--but I continue to make sales and I do appreciate everyone who takes the time to check out my little shop. Thanks to all of you!

I'm working on making lots of jewelry right now, and hand crafting supplies in felt, paper and polymer clay. I think I will begin listing those items after this round of "destashing"--that will probably be in September (just in time for Christmas and all the Winter holidays).

I would also like to mention that I am currently putting together an Etsy goodie bag for my 200th customer. Well, actually my 200th Etsy sale. Whoever that lucky person is will get a box full of samples, cards, soaps, candles, perfumes, stickers, buttons, beads, jewelry and MUCH more--all from Etsy shops and all for free. It's my gift to you.

* * * * * * * * * *

Now, here's my list of "Things I'd Rather Buy than a Digital Converter", all priced around $50 USD.

I put this together because today at 6pm, almost every station on television ran that obnoxious, repetitive ad telling everyone that WE MUST MAKE THE DIGITAL SWITCH NOW, cue the doomsday clock, etc., etc....

I keep thinking (blame the Asperger Syndrome, please) how unfair it is that I have to spend an extra $50 on a converter box. Here's a short list of things I'd much rather spend that money on!

[photo: Fused Glass "Television" Pendant, by Mimi Buggy $22USD]

Believe it or not, this pretty flower arrangement is made of polymer clay. This is a real bonus, because you don't have to water it and it will always stay this beautiful. $40 USD, from Petals and Paws.

I try not to use the word "cute" so much that it becomes annoying, but how else can I describe these handmade, heart-shaped nesting bowls?
$30USD from JD Wolfe Pottery.

"Anjali" is just one of my favorite scents from Wiggle Perfume. I bought a handful of samples, at $1USD each, and found the scent that was perfect for me (Remedy). There are scents for men, soaps, eau de parfums...now I notice there are even more fragrances that I cannot wait to try out. This is one of my very favorite Etsy shops. Prices range from $5.50 - $54 depending on the amount of fragrance you want. The perfume in the photo is priced at $7.50USD

I've been obsessed with gardening lately, and different types of plants (the ones that I can't kill), especially succulents. There are quite a few gardeners on Etsy, and succulents are popular right now. I especially like the unique pots and planters I've found, each seller has their own style. This is a good one, and only costs $22USD, from Blithe Gardens.

I love the candles at Auntie Di's Delights! I've bought several of them, many as gifts. They smell great and everyone so far has just loved them. They last forever, but when they finally do burn out, I look forward to getting more! The 16 ounce candle pictured is $12USD and Coconut Cream Pie scented. Mmmm.....

Last but not least, here's a fave from a cute little shop I just discovered today--Knotty Sisters. This is a "foldover skirt", made from jersey knit fabric. It looks really comfy and cute, but not so trendy that I couldn't wear it (I'm gonna be 30 soon, you know?). Plus, they will make the skirt just for you, at your specifications. Not bad for $29USD.

♥

This list was so much fun to put together, and I'm adding things to it every week. For the complete list of all my favorites, see the "Tiny Treasury" box at the top of the page. Or, to visit my shop and see everything else PLUS my Favorites page, please click here. Thanks, and have a great weekend!

What Mom Really Wants (A Gift Guide)

2009-05-01T02:15:00.006-05:00

Attention: Mother's Day is May 10th! But you still have a few days left to get her something great and it doesn't have to be expensive. I've got a few suggestions, but there's something a bit different about these...

These are the kinds of things that MY mom would want. I've noticed the types of items Etsy admins. have put on their front page, in their email newsletter and in their Mother's Day Gift Guide. A lot of it is beautiful and stylish, the sort of things I myself would want to receive (I am a mom, too, after all).

But that stuff is way too trendy for my mom. She's got a very classic style. She's the kind of woman who won't go anywhere without perfectly coiffed hair and all her makeup on. She seems to wear pumps and a blazer with every outfit. She's had the same hairdo for 26 years. It's not that she's in a "fashion rut". She appreciates those things that are timeless. Ralph Lauren is her favorite designer. Her favorite color is navy blue. Her favorite type of shoe is a classic leather loafer. I don't think I've ever seen her wear pink. Her belt and her shoes always match. She always remembers to wear her jewelry and it always coordinates perfectly with everything else she's wearing.

Right now I'm looking at the Etsy Jewelry Gift Guide and I can tell you with certainty that she wouldn't wear half the things on it. I have almost 20 years experience trying to buy something that my mom will like. I've made many mistakes, but I've learned. The items I've posted here are things I know she and other moms like her will love. I tricked Mom into telling me what she wanted the most by asking her to look at my shop, check out my favorites list and tell me "if anything stands out as especially nice or especially horrible". Feel free to use that line if you need the extra help! ;)

Oh--and the beautiful card above was made by byvik ink. A percentage of the proceeds from the sale of the card will be donated to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation in honor of the artist's mother and mother in law...

Let's start with something simple and practical. After all, who needs a Blackberry or iPhone, anyway? Not my mom! She's only just learned how to text. And she still likes taking notes the old-fashioned way. She always carries around a pretty journal or dayplanner, so I try to find a nice new one for her every year. This one's from Touch the Sky, and it's only $20.

My mom loves to cook and she does it well. But now that it's just her and Dad at home, she sometimes forgets to throw out those old spices and get some fresh ones! These cute little magnetic tins full of yummy spices from Purpose Design would definitely be appreciated. And they are only $16!

My mom is the kind of lady who always hangs a wreath or a cute little sign on the front door, and they change to match the seasons. It always makes her house look as welcoming on the outside as it feels on the inside. This lovely wreath is by Two Inspire You and at $75 is a bit of a splurge, but combined with a nice card it would make the perfect gift.

It amazes me how many silk scarves my mom has, it almost seems like she has one to match every tailored suit in her wardrobe. I didn't find one she'd like in her favorite color, so I picked this one from Wild Ginger Silk in her second favorite color--taupe.

My mom has a bit of a sweet tooth, but she's not much of a baker. Well...her cakes are pretty good, but she always burns the cookies! So she loves it when someone bakes the cookies and gourmet sweets for her. This gift set just looks so scrumptious in the photos, and it's such a good price--$26.50--I might get one for her and one for myself. From Whimsy and Spice.

Mom loves the classic color combo of dark blue and gold. These earrings are small and simple, but they are so elegant and can truly be worn with almost anything. They're from M. Levinson and are made to order. At $150, they're another splurge but trust me, all you need is a pretty card, a giftbox and these earrings and you'll have one happy mama.

We all know that it just isn't Mother's Day until someone gives Mom something in a pretty vase. At $54 dollars, you should still have a bit of dough left to fill this adorable vessel, from Red Hot Pottery, with some daisies, carnations or maybe even a few roses. My mom says she never has enough vases because she's always giving the glass ones to me and my sister in law when she makes fresh floral bouquets for us on special occasions. But this is one she'd be stingy enough to keep!

I have lots more items to share, but not enough time or space to share them. So if you want to see MUCH more, click here. This link will take you directly to the "Favorites" section in my online boutique. Here's a preview.

Etsy
Buy Handmade
silverbugsjewelry

I will also be listing more of my top favorite items on my blog over at myspace.com. Click here to get there.

Thanks for reading! I want to wish a very happy Mother's Day to my own mom (Dianne), both of my grandmas (Rosa and Dolores) and all my tia's out there--you ladies number too many to name all of you. Big Hispanic family, what can I say? ;)

I want to wish every mom a Happy Mother's Day, including myself. We deserve it!