A WORLD OF CREATIVITY

Fashion Trends for 2010

2010-01-07T11:28:00.000-06:00

I'm not a Fashionista by any stretch of the imagination (I don't even like to shop) but I do enjoy reading the fashion section of my local newspaper, the Houston Chronicle. Sunday's story was all about 2010's fashion trends. Two of those mentioned in the article were bib necklaces and the color turquoise.

As stated in the article, belts were the "jewelry" for the outfit in 2009. In 2010, it will be all about adorning the neck and bib necklaces that layer and drape do it perfectly.

The necklace pictured below was created by Heaven Ghen, owner of the Etsy shop Studio Saturn. Heaven has an AS in jewelry manufacturing and repair and is a certified Gemologist. She loves making jewelry and it shows in her work. The hematite and sterling necklace shown here is titled "Reflections of a Dream". For additional photos and a full description of this piece, click here.

On the subject of color the article stated that, according to the Pantone Color Institute, 2010 will the year of turquoise.

Rather than decking out in head to toe turquoise you may prefer a nice accent piece such as the handbag pictured below, created by the team of Kay and Lori, owners of the Etsy shop Bede Sisters. In addition to handbags, market bags and totes, their shop offers jewelry and hand-crocheted scarves. Be sure to read Kay and Lori's profile to find out how, after 30 years of going in different directions, they came together to start their family business. For additional photos and a description of the pictured handbag, click here.

The (Lost) Art of Letterwriting

2010-01-03T15:28:00.000-06:00

On New Year's Day I was feeling nostalgic and decided to go through a box of cards and letters I've kept over the years. I love re-reading those letters. The most current one is from my youngest grandson when he was in Navy bootcamp, written in March of 2008. The oldest is from my Mother, written in 1974.

Sadly, with the popularity of home computers came the decline of handwritten letters. Emails, FaceBook, Twitter...all have taken the place of sitting down with pen and paper. Some of the letters I received were five pages long. E-mails are usually a few paragraphs at best. Handwritten letters are personal. E-mails, in my opinion, are not.

You can't put an email in a box to take out and enjoy again and again. Yes, you can print it out but it's not the same. Seeing my late mother's beautiful handwriting always brings tears to my eyes. My son's letters were as charming as he was (he passed away in February, 2002) and because he is no longer with us, they are even more dear to me. My grandchildren are grown now and it's so much fun re-reading the letters and cards, and enjoying the drawings, they sent me when they were growing up.

I'm as guilty as the next person...I don't remember the last time I wrote a letter. My Dad lives upstate from me and I call reasonably often but I don't think about writing a letter. I think I will.

I searched on Etsy this morning trying to find handmade stationary or note cards that I thought were special enough to feature with this post. I was instantly smitten by these 4 1/4 X 5 1/2 inch cards from the shop Marisol Spoon. which feature detachable mini-prints of her original oil paintings, suitable for framing. Perfect for writing a lovely note to someone special, sure to be treasured always.

Final day of 2009...sales on Etsy

2009-12-31T14:54:00.000-06:00

I almost waited too late for this post because most of these offers end at midnight tonight but here goes....

Bit n' Beads has Christmas items on sale such as this cute book charm.

Miss Sideburns is offering 25% off on items such as this...

Set Carre', Miss Sideburn's partner, is also offering 25% off.

White Earth Studio has gorgeous handbuilt porcelain pottery items and is offering free shipping plus a bonus gift.

HuggerMugger has reduced prices 25%-50% on various items.

Sleepy Robot has two Santa robots marked down from $12 to $5.

Pet Scribbles has marked down Christmas related cards and tags.

And last but not least, localcolorist is offering buy one get one free on selected Cranes.

ops! I almost forgot my sale..last two Christmas themed items marked 50% off.

Have fun shopping!

Never in a million years...

2009-12-29T09:46:00.009-06:00

Whatever preconceived idea you may have about what's available on Etsy.com, banish it now. I have a shop on Etsy and I've bought everything from bird feeders to vintage but never in a million years would it have occurred to me to look there for a chicken coop.

My husband and I have a very large backyard in an area that allows livestock and we have seriously considered buying a couple of laying hens. Problem is, we have dogs... and hawks flying around salivating (do birds salivate?) for a tasty chicken dinner... which would require building a covered enclosure. Building? We aren't that handy. I searched locally but was unable to find anything that fit our needs. We finally gave up the idyllic notion of eating delicious fresh eggs, collected each morning from our own happy hens.

I couldn't believe my eyes when I logged onto Etsy this morning and there on the front page was a chicken coop! A handcrafted, portable chicken coop!

I checked out the shop, Chicken Coops, and found that the owner, Drew Waters, is a "woodworker and designer with an avid inclination for backyard agriculture". He, like me, was unable to find the perfect backyard chicken coop. Unlike me, he designed and built his own. As he says in his Etsy profile, "Lots of friends asked me to do the same for them, so was born my small line of sustainable, handcrafted chicken coops."

I'm not sure I still want to be a chicken farmer but, if I decide I do, I will definitely order one of these.

Click HERE for more photos and information.

A year's vacation

2009-12-27T12:17:00.007-06:00

My intention in December, 2008 was to take a month off from blogging and re-charge my batteries. It's now been over a year. That's what happens when you procrastinate for a week, then another week, then a month... all of a sudden 12 months have flown by.

I was amazed when I looked at my blog feed and saw that people are still finding it. Whether they actually read it after realizing it's woefully out-of-date I don't know, but I do know that seeing they were here has given me the push I need to once again be a showcase for artisans world-wide.

Today's spotlight is on Fairchildart from Mounds View, MN. This artist crafts the most incredibly realistic polymer clay miniature food I've seen anywhere. Just look at this brat and chips!

Can you believe it isn't real?

If your prefer breakfast, how about this? Yummy!

To see more, check out Fairchildsart's Etsy shop.

It's time to relax!

2008-12-08T15:53:00.006-06:00

I'm giving myself a much needed break for the rest of 2008. I have unsubscribed to most of my Yahoo groups, closed my Reborn shop on Etsy, put away my polymer clay and I'm tying up loose ends everywhere else.

I don't have to be Monk (one of my all-time favorite detectives) to read the clues...my stiff neck, aching back and irritable mood are telling me to relax and get rid of the stress that has built up during 2008 so I can ring in 2009 with a smile, not a grimace.

I won't be posting any new features until January so I want to take this opportunity to thank all of my loyal readers for your support and wish everyone the happiest of holidays and a joyful New Year.

World Aids Day

2008-12-01T09:21:00.006-06:00

Today I am honoring two of my brothers and my son, all of whom died from complications of HIV/AIDS.

Yes, the good die young. My brother, Robin, died in 1990 at the age of 39. My brother Michael, who died in 1991, was only 29. My beloved son, John David, passed away in 2002. He was 38.

These men were loved by everyone who knew them. They were the ones who lit up a room when they walked in; the ones to whom others gravitated in a group. They were loving and unselfish, willing to give a helping hand to anyone who needed it. Their deaths left a void in the lives of so many; a void that can never be filled.

HIV was discovered in 1981. There were no treatments. Since then, many new drugs have been discovered to help lengthen and improve the lives of those with HIV. There is still no cure.

My hope today is to encourage those who are at risk to be tested and those who are not to be safe. The following is excerpted from the website of the Department of Health and Human Services Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. For additional information, click here.

Preventing Transmission

Your risk of getting HIV or passing it to someone else depends on several things.

* Abstain from sex (do not have oral, anal, or vaginal sex) until you are in a relationship with only one person, are having sex with only each other, and each of you knows the other’s HIV status.

* If both you and your partner have HIV, use condoms to prevent other sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) and possible infection with a different strain of HIV. If only one of you has HIV, use a latex condom and lubricant every time you have sex.

* Get tested for HIV
If you are a man who has had sex with other men, get tested at least once a year.
If you are a woman who is planning to get pregnant or who is pregnant, get tested.

*Talk about HIV and other STDs with each partner before you have sex.
-Learn as much as you can about each partner’s past behavior (sex and drug use).
-Ask your partners if they have recently been tested for HIV; encourage those who have
have not been tested to do so.
-Use a latex condom and lubricant every time you have sex.
-If you think you may have been exposed to another STD such as gonorrhea, syphilis,
Chlamydia trachomatis infection, get treatment. These diseases can increase your risk of
getting HIV.

* Get vaccinated against hepatitis B virus.

* Even if you think you have low risk for HIV infection, get tested whenever you have a
regular medical check-up.

* Do not inject illicit drugs (drugs not prescribed by your doctor). You can get HIV through
needles, syringes, and other works if they are contaminated with the blood of someone who
has HIV. Drugs also cloud your mind, which may result in riskier sex.

* Do not have sex when you are taking drugs or drinking alcohol because being high can make
you more likely to take risks.

To protect yourself, remember these ABCs:
A=Abstinence

B=Be Faithful

C=Condoms

BLACK FRIDAY

2008-11-25T15:53:00.021-06:00

Most of you know about Black Friday....the biggest sales day of the year on the Friday after Thanksgiving. This year, it will mean more than ever to those of us who are having to pinch pennies because of the present economic situation.

The Etsy shops I am featuring today are all offering either a percentage off their items or free shipping or, in some cases, both.

The items pictured are the shop owners favorites. The details of the specials are listed next to the photos.

I hope you will check out each shop to see the other wonderful items available. This is your chance to not only save some of your hard-earned money but to support handcrafting, two subjects close to my heart.

Jen Hintz Yarn Arts

Free shipping in the U.S...
details on shop home page

Beaux Bangles

Free Shipping in U.S. on items over $15.00
from now until January 7th

Clay Beads and More

Buy 2 items, get free shipping...
details on shop home page

Photographs by Robin Lynne

Buy one, get one free
November 28th through December 1st

Arts Afire

Free shipping through December 1st on small canvasses and drawings.

Chickie's Girl

Free shipping...details on shop home page

The Leather Box

10% off all items on Black Friday

Julia's Closet

10% off and free shipping
on Black Friday

Small Shiny Objects

Buy one, get one free and free shipping
from Nov. 27 through December 1st.

Georgiana Gem

Free shipping from November 29th through December 1st

My Design Collectibles

Free shipping in U.S. and Canada
November 27th through December 1st

I would like to wish all of you, and your families, a very happy Thanksgiving.

More for Christmas

2008-11-21T15:16:00.015-06:00

If you aren't looking forward to doing your Christmas shopping at the local mall, check out Handmade Fuzion, a juried website "dedicated to providing buyers with unique items and a comfortable online experience". In order to sell on Handmade Fuzion, an artistan must submit photos of his or her work for approval. Some make it, some don't. The owners of the website want to keep out sellers of mass produced items and not saturate the site with too much of one category.

I know about Handmade Fuzion because I have a shop there....Ronalyn's Reborn Dolls.

Today, I searched the site for items I would be happy to give, or receive, as Christmas gifts.

There are many more wonderful items on Handmade Fuzion from which to choose so check them out and have fun shopping!

This "crazy legs walking dish" can be found in the shop "Mary Judy Original Ceramic Art"

Handcrafted salad tongs, made from poplar and cured with edible olive oil, are definitely a step-up from my dollar store plastic tongs.

Find them in "April's Flowers".

From "A Breath of French Air"....Cranberry Spice Bar Soap. How lovely that would be in your guest bathroom.

Something new to me is watercolor painted on Yupo, a synthetic watercolor paper made out of plastic. To find out more about this technique, go to "Andy Mathis Art Co.".

This would be a cute stocking stuffer for anyone on your list who sews. Don't worry, the pins will not pierce your finger. Check it out at "dottyral".

Is there a special child in your life? You can have a doll custom made at "The Lucky Pebble".

We can't forget our four-legged friends! These yummy looking Rock Lobster dog treats can be found at "Organic dog treats..."

All Christmas

2008-11-11T10:55:00.016-06:00

This year, why not forgo assembly line Christmas decorations and buy Handmade?

Rather than featuring one artisan this week, I am featuring several Etsians who offer Christmas items in their shops.

If you don't see what you are looking for in these shops, there are many others from which to choose...just go to Etsy and, in the search box, type in Christmas. Several pages of shops will show up .

This lovely fall arrangement is from Rosebud's.

How about a personalized Christmas stocking from Chrissy's Creations?

I fell in love with this adorable crocheted angel ornament . There are several styles available in the shop, Fine Threads

Of course you will need a set of these handmade Christmas pot holders to take all those delicious treats out of the oven. They are from Little Worm.

Ahhh, visions of Christmas's past. These ornaments, from Tinker Shop, would look beautiful on your tree.

These pretty, wire-wrapped glass ornaments are from d'Pholk Designs.

Everyone leaves Santa a cookie or two but what about his reindeer? This kit is called "Christmas Eve Magic Kit". You can read the story behind it at everydaysies.

This ornament, for Baby's first Christmas, is only one of many speciality ornaments at Doodle Pad Designs

Zeba Collection *** Troy, Michigan

2008-11-04T12:56:00.002-06:00

Shloleh Mesbah, the jewelry artist whose gorgeous work you see here, worked with stained glass for five years before she took an interest in working with metals which lead her to her present passion, making jewelry.

Sholeh's new pieces are most often inspired by falling in love with a stone, bead or piece of glass. She begins experimenting with various options until she finds a design that pleases her, a process which can take several weeks.

Learning her craft included taking classes at her local community college, reading books and watching instructional videos.

Sholeh does not like to make a piece more than once although she has made exceptions when someone specifically asked for a certain piece. Her jewelry is made with quality materials and, she told me, she "makes them to last as if I was going to pass it on to my grandchildren".

What you see here is a small sampling of Sholeh's work. You can see additional pieces of her collection in her Etsy shop and on Indiepublic.

Red Leaf Handmade Bath and Beauty Products * Seattle, Washington

2008-10-27T19:08:00.005-05:00

Fall is here with winter close behind. It's time for some soothing body lotions and potions.

Chris, owner of the Etsy shop Red Leaf, has been working on the designs and formulas for his bath and body products for about two years. This past June he opened his shop.

A particularly cold winter, and very dry skin, sent Chris to the kitchen to experiment with various ingredients to formulate a moisturizer. Through trial and error, Chris created a line of products based on simple ingredients from his kitchen. He told me he was inspired to start making them to sell because of two things...the right amount of savings and the wrong career choice.

Inspiration for new products comes from his customers. He depends on them to tell him what they want and, if it's feasible (and it usually is) he develops it.

Chris learned his skills online and from a bath and body retailer. He developed his products from simple ingredients made especially for sensitive skin. For those who have a sensitivity to scents, all of his products can be made unscented. None of the scents Chris uses contain phthalates.

Many bath and body sellers concentrate on products for women. Not Chris! He has a full line for men including shaving soap, lotions, shower gels and shampoos.

The packaging Chris uses is from recycled material which itself is recyclable. Just as importantly, it can be used for other purposes once you have used the product.

In addition to his Etsy shop, Chris has several wholesale accounts around the nation. He has a website but says he can't commit to a blog because he is the one and only person making, packaging and mailing his products. Amazing!

binhog designs *** Puyallup, Washington

2008-10-20T18:58:00.008-05:00

Very few sets of luggage are unique which means that someone, or several someones, will have luggage identical to yours. It can be stressful waiting for your bag to come around the conveyer. You're afraid you'll miss it when it goes by or accidentally pluck someones else's luggage off the darn thing instead of your own. Worse, someone else might mistake your bag for theirs and off it goes without you. That is what happened to Rita Helinger a couple of years ago. The accidental pilfering of her rolling bag was Rita's inspiration for making her custom luggage ID tags aka luggage handle wraps.

Are you going to Vegas? How about a handle wrap sporting dice? Maybe you are on your way to the Carribbean to scuba dive. Rita has a handle wrap just for you. She also has tags sporting state and country flags, animals and even skulls and pirates. With 60 tags to choose from there is bound to be something that appeals to you.

Rita, who is a flight attendant, sells her tags at the SWA Inflight offices, on the plane to her co-workers, on her website and in her Etsy shop.

Creations Julie Jongleuse *** Montreal, Canada

2008-10-13T15:34:00.004-05:00

The holidays are going to be here sooner than we think, bringing with them parties...office parties, family parties, friends getting together to celebrate the season. What better time to treat ourselves to some really unique and beautiful jewelry to wear with our holiday outfits.

I find it fascinating to learn what inspires an artisan's first attempt to create. In Julie's case, the catalyst was her cousin who was going to a wedding but didn't have a lot of money to spend on jewelry. Julie had some ideas and offered to try her hand at creating a necklace for her. The results were beautiful and the necklace received so many compliments that Julie decided to sell some of her work.

Like many artisans, Julie is self-taught, learning from a book, friends and trial and error. She has been selling her jewelry for two years. Julie's new pieces are inspired, she told me, by "the sunlight and how it can make anything sparkle".

Julie sells her jewelry in her Etsy shop. She has many lovely pieces for sale and she also welcomes special orders. There are directions in her Etsy shop explaining how to contact her.

The Wren *** Cape Town, South Africa

2008-10-06T16:41:00.007-05:00

I found these wonderful bags when the designer special ordered two business card cases from my Etsy shop. I fell in love with her bags and her adorable bird pouches.

Wendren Milford, the owner of The Wren, began creating her items in December, 2007. She learned to sew from her mom and continued to fine tune her skills.

The desire for a new handbag led Wendren online where she found several designs that interested her but none that were just right. She decided to combine ideas from those sources and create her own style which led to the development of her classic Small Town Wren Bag.

Wendren finds inspiration for new pieces by looking through magazines, blogs, websites and communing with nature. Often, her inspiration "sprouts by itself, watered by found inspiration". She has an idea which germinates for awhile until, suddenly, she realizes she has her next project. As Wren told me, "That's an exciting moment!".

Passionate about sustainability, Wendren loves the challenge of finding ways to use every bit of fabric she has and the idea of turning waste into beauty. All of her fabrics are, as she put it, "once unwanted". Her bags are made from fabric roll ends, her bird pouches are made from the left over bag fabric and her cosmetic bags are made using the selvages of those fabrics.

Wendren recently added an exciting new collection of bags made from old coffee bean sacks made of organic jute. She has also sourced 100% organic hemp canvas so the bags are 100% natural.

Wendren sells her creations on Etsy and DaWanda and also has a website.

Miss Pretty Pretty *** Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin

2008-09-29T15:46:00.007-05:00

Julie Gottemoller decided she loved to sew at the tender age of 9, when her Dad donned the "absolutely hideous" tie she made for him and wore it to work. According to Julie, the tie was two pieces, cut from one layer of light brown flowered fabric, and seamed together. Her sister (many years later) entered the tie in an "Ugliest Tie" contest and won. I think if her Dad had been entered into a "Dad of the Year" contest, HE would have won.

Julie has been sewing toys and apparel for children for nearly 20 years and, other than a couple of home economics classes in high school, she is self-taught. She learned by extensive reading and trial and error.

Inspired to sew apparel by becoming addicted to machine and hand-applique, Julie started making items for herself. She soon began sewing items for family and friends and, she said, "somehow, it became a business".

As an "older" mom, Julie began creating items for kids, inspired this time by her two children; Billy, almost four, and Katie, two. Her nieces, who are featured in one of her two Etsy shops, also provide her with lots of ideas. They were a big help when Julie was working on plans for her playhouses.

Julie's card table playhouses are quickly becoming popular and, in fact, the red one in the photo above won the Etsy "Handmade Kids" contest in the toy category, with 11,000 Etsy members voting. That is quite an accomplishment!

In addition to her Etsy shop, Miss Pretty Pretty, where you will find her playhouses and other children's items, Julie has a second Etsy shop, Katies Kloset, which caters to women. She also sells her items at Arts and Crafts Fairs in the metro Milwaukee area and has a a loyal following of devoted customers, most of whom are in the water aerobics class she has been teaching at a local college for the past 20 years.

When asked what else she would like my readers to know about her, this was Julie's reply:

"I am committed to making quality items at reasonable, fair prices. I love to see people wearing the clothes I make and I love knowing that children will have hours of memorable play in my playhouses. I am blessed to have a wonderful, supportive and hard working husband who encourages me endlessly and supports my need to create".

To see more of Julies work, be sure to visit her Etsy shops.

Comments are welcome.

Hurricane Ike

2008-09-25T22:20:00.002-05:00

I haven't published a feature since Hurricane Ike because, until this afternoon, I didn't have Internet service. I live in Dickinson, Texas, about 20 minutes North of Galveston. We were extremely fortunate to have sustained no damage, except to our trees, and were able to return home on the 15th.

My heart goes out to the thousands of people who suffered terrible losses. Please keep them in your prayers.

I will begin posting again beginning next Monday.

Kreated by Karina *** Queens, New York

2008-09-08T22:38:00.006-05:00

It's been awhile since I've featured a soap maker and, because I really like handmade soap (and I think it makes a nice gift when you need something small yet special) I am introducing you to Karina Gallo who makes not only handcrafted soaps but also lip balm.

Karina started making soap and lip balms in 2001 because she was tired of using products that were filled with chemicals and parabens. She wanted something better for her skin and felt that others would, too.

Although she now lives in Queens, New York, she was living in England when she discovered a soap-making class. She decided to give it a try and has been making soap ever since. Karina uses only traditional ingredients...no harsh chemicals or fillers...and because of this, her handmade soap retains its glycerin and is therefore more moisturizing. Her lip balms also have no preservatives and she uses natural mica for color.

Karina finds inspiration for new soap everywhere but, she wrote, "really, what gets me going the most are scents...fragrances invoke memories and mindsets. Think about what the smell of sugar cookies fresh from the oven means to you, or the scent of coconut...perhaps it reminds you of your last tropical vacation. That's what I want to capture. I want to offer a slice of your life in every bar".

I love Karina's products and couldn't resist showing you the cute rubber duckie encased in a bubble gum scented soap for kids and a soap especially for the man in your life called "Cool Water" which she describes in her Etsy shop this way; "A wonderful masculine scent similar to Cool Water Cologne. Luxurious, Sensual , Romantic. Light floral notes of orange blossoms, citrus and marigold melds together with base notes of carnation, vanilla and musk. This is a very nice men's scent....refreshing and clean". I think my husband is going to find this in his stocking on December 25th. Luckily, he rarely reads my blog so it will be our little secret.

Karina sells her soaps and lip balms in her Etsy shop and at local craft shows and wholesales to boutiques or for special functions. Her blog can be found at http://kbyk.blogspot.com

Comments, as always, are welcome.

A Trio of Quilters

2008-09-02T21:13:00.016-05:00

I'm veering from the norm this week and featuring three wonderful quilters. I've tried quilting and I can tell you that it takes talent, perserverance and patience. Several years ago, I made four simple, twin size quilts and never quilted again. These three women, and their amazing quilts, really impressed me. I couldn't decide which to choose so I'm featuring all three.

I'm thinking ahead to winter and how warm and cozy I would be snuggled up in my bed under one of these fabulous quilts. Ummm!

Monika *** Saskatchewan, Canada

Monika has always been a "sewer" and, as the oldest of five chidren, she "learned to make her own fashion". She has been quilting seriously since the 80's.

While Monika (who is self-taught with the help of books and magazines) was raising her children she made clothes, quilts, fabric dolls and many other items to fill her time and earn extra cash. She lived most of her adult life in remote milary Posts and crafting filled a need.

A few years ago, Monika retired from long haul truck driving and decided to try her hand at long arm quilting (machine quilting using a commercial long arm sewing machine). She bought an APQS Freedom machine with a 12 foot frame and, while waiting for it to arrive, Monika made "gazillions" of quilt tops to have something to practice on. When a friend saw how beautifully they turned out she recommended Monika open an Etsy shop, which she did.

In Monika's words, her Etsy shop, Quiltlover, "is all about affordable, well made quilts with top quality fabrics. My designs are simple and my prices are reasonable." Monika has shipped Quilts to Australia, Germany, The Netherlands, Japan and every corner of the United States and Canada.

Michelle *** Boise, Idaho

Michelle has been sewing since she could stand up and reach the machine while at the same time pushing the pedal. She made her first sewn item at age 6, her first garment at 9 and her first quilt when she was 16. She has been creating quilts as a business since 2002 and has been long arm quilting since 2003.

Michelle's business started during a summer off from work when she decided to finish some "UFO's" (unfinished objects) to make space in her tiny apartment. She gifted many of her finished quilted items and received very positive feedback from the recipients.

Later that year, Michelle and her husband were given the news that a baby was on the way. She made the decision to stay at home full time and created her Etsy shop, Dragonfly Stitches.

When Michelle first started her business she relied on the methods her mother and grandmother had passed on to her. Eventually, she took a few quilting classes for her own fulfillment which led her to think of quilt making as art. She still makes traditional quilts, baby blocks and nursery sets but she is most enthusiastic when she is creating art with fabric. Her latest innovation is a technique she calls mosaic piecing.

Michelle is a member of her local quilt guild, Boise Basin Quilters, and serves on their board. She is assistant manager of an MSN group called Quilting Forever and also belongs to two Etsy teams, Quiltsy and IdahoIndiWorks. In addition, Michelle has taught many "How to Quilt" classes and has taught her husband and all of her son's how to quilt. She must be a terrific teacher because her two older sons have won awards at Quilt shows.

Barb *** Minneapolis, Minnesota

Barb started quilting in 2000 when her daughter, who was soon to be married, came across an idea while looking through a wedding magazine. At each place setting would be a fabric square and the guests would be asked to write a message to the newly wedded couple. The mother of the bride would then make a quilt from the collected squares as a keepsake for the bride and groom.

Barb had never made a quilt so she took a class at a quilt shop, taught by the shop owner's mother. She and her classmates made a 12-block sampler quilt to learn all of the basic (and a few intermediate and advanced) quilting skills. Barb has been quilting ever since, loving it more each day.

Barb's Etsy shop, Jabaro Designs, incorporates her daughter names (JAckie) her name (BArb) and her husband's name (ROn). Barb wrote that she "has been married for 38 years and is a gramma' wannabe".

Feel free to leave a comment.

Childish Thoughts***Dickinson, Texas

2008-08-26T19:06:00.006-05:00

It's a very small world, isn't it? I found the cutest crayon roll/tote bag sets on Etsy and decided to see if the person who created them would like to be featured on my blog. Unbelievably, she lives about four miles from me. Amazing.

Jonie has only been making these crayon/color book sets for a few months but she has been sewing since she was seven years old. Her Great-grandmother helped her refine her skills through the years and when she passed away, Jonie continued to learn on her own.

I really like that the sets come with a crayon roll with crayons, a coloring book and a tote bag to put everything in. Your children or grandchildren can take their bags with them wherever they go. I was impressed with the price...only $10!

Inspiration for new items often comes from Jonie's three year old son. Jonie told me she finds things he likes and makes them her own. Jonie loves making new things and encourages frequent visits to her Etsy shop to see what's new (she makes other goodies, too). In addition to her shop on Etsy, Jonie sells several of her items to Peaceblooms, a store in North Carolina.

I ♥ comments!

Live Mini *** Redwood City

2008-08-20T12:51:00.018-05:00

Don’t these look good enough to eat? They don’t taste as good as they look, though (I’ve had that problem with some of my real concoctions) because they are 100% polymer clay. The penny in the photos was probably a give-away, right?

Betty Hagen has been creating miniatures (1/12 and 1/6 scale) from polymer clay since 2005. She was initially inspired by “burn out”; she was a biochemistry and molecular biology major with no time for herself. She began crafting miniatures for fun, never imagining it would turn into a full time job.

Inspiration for new goodies comes from several sources; bakeries, grocery stores, restaurants, cookbooks and surfing the ‘net. Betty’s husband is a wonderful cook (lucky girl!!) and his delicious dishes inspire her to translate them into polymer clay look-alikes.

Most polymer clay artists are self-taught and Betty is no exception. She learned from books and websites, both national and international. Sadly, Betty has several chemical allergies to artificial scents which severely limit her work with the public. Happily, working with polymer clay fits her rather isolated lifestyle, giving her not only an outlet for her creativity but allowing her to run a home-based business.

Betty sells her work in her shop, Live Mini, on Etsy. She also has a blog, a website and a Flickr photo site. Be sure to check these out; Betty is an amazing artist.

Don’t be shy…leave a comment.

paperplanet***Pennsylvania, USA

2008-08-13T21:51:00.010-05:00

Earlier this month I was searching for a unique birthday gift for my lovely sister-in-law. Naturally, I went to Etsy and wrote an Etsy forum post requesting gift ideas, telling them my SIL owns a flower shop and loves cats and pot-belly pigs. There were many wonderful suggestions but the real flower petal necklace made by Sherry, owner of the shop paperplanet, was absolutely perfect! My Sister-in-law adores it.

Sherry has been working with handmade papers and pressed flowers and leaves for about 10 years. She has been creating her Earth Lights for many years, in different versions. Her beautiful necklaces, which Sherry calls Garden Gems, are one of her newest designs.

A common thread among artists, Sherry has loved making things since she was a child. She has always enjoyed giving her handmade creations as gifts to family and friends, challenging herself to create something new and different each year. Sherry wrote “there’s something very special about working on an item and presenting it to a relative or friend as a birthday or holiday gift”.

Sherry attended Penn State University (she lives in State College, Pennsylvania, home of Penn State) where she learned a variety of art skills and techniques. She also is an avid reader of art technique books and magazines. Many of her skills, however, are self-taught and she continues to learn through experimentation.

Inspiration comes in many forms for Sherry…nature, her gardens and container plants, long walks, books, films, music and travel. Her style is influenced by her interest and commitment to environmental issues; reusing and recycling materials in her work. As an active environmentalist and a paper artist, she views her art as, in her words, “a unique opportunity to bring the wonders of nature to those who enjoy my work by enhancing and embellishing their lives in peaceful, beautiful, fulfilling and Earth-honoring ways.”

Sherry depends on the success of her gardens in the Spring and Summer to provide her with pressed flowers and greenery for her projects through the Fall and Winter. She loves simplicity. Sherry wrote; “Each flower I grow, dry and press is unique and has a beauty all its own…something I try to emphasize in my paper arts. My attempt is to ‘showcase’ the beauty of each flower…whether it’s on one of my Earth light candle holders, a Garden Gem necklace, a note card or even a bookmark”.

Many of Sherry’s ideas, creations and techniques have been published in a variety of national magazines and her hope is that her work has inspired others to begin creating.

In addition to her Etsy shop, Sherry sells her paper arts at a local shop/gallery, The Harvest Shop, along with 100 + other Pennsylvania artists. She also sells her work at SOTA (Spirit of the Artist) in Philadelphia.

As always, comments are welcome.

Painting Paradise***Kauai, Hawaii

2008-08-06T13:51:00.020-05:00

Do you need a vacation but just can’t work it in this summer? How about a virtual trip to Hawaii via Marionette’s lovely paintings?

Painting professionally since 1992, Marionette first sold her art in a small coffee house in Wyandotte, Michigan. In the fall of 2000, she opened a small studio in the same building, painting mainly watercolor florals and scenes of Hawaii inspired by her vacations on the island. She began to teach classes in her studio and at local galleries until, on March 16, 2001, the building burned down. This trauma led to much soul-searching about her art…”Should I quit? Should I go on?”…until she came to the conclusion that the fire “was a sign from God” to start doing her art full-time and do it on the island of Kauai, the place she loved.

The change didn’t happen overnight but Marionette did have a plan and in 2004, she quit her day job and moved to Kauai. Last year she opened up her new studio, Painting Paradise, in Waimea, Kauai and has since been a full-time artist, making a living by retailing art from her studio and Etsy, wholesaling to local shops and galleries, teaching classes throughout the week and working on commission paintings.

As with many of the artists I have featured, Marionette told me her mom was instrumental in her artistic endeavors, always keeping art supplies in the house for her when she was a child. Marionette began taking Tuesday evening pastel lessons from a neighbor and was the only “kid” in the class. As it has a habit of doing, life and school sidetracked Marionette and she no longer had much time for art. Her college major was in biochemistry but the yearning to create was still within her and she found herself “sneaking into art classes”. She wrote, “I guess I have always been in awe of the beautiful things that God has created. He has given me a very good sense of color and I enjoy sharing the colorful world within me.”

There is no dearth of inspiration on Kauai…the lush, tropical splendor is everywhere one looks. Once in awhile, Marionette will take a “camera day”, picking a beach, botanical garden or resort, and spend the day taking photographs. She sometimes collects reference material and is a self-proclaimed “art book junkie”. Her photos and research are also for the benefit of her students who, she says, are often the inspiration behind a new work. Her example; “If I have a watercolor student who wants to paint the waves in the ocean, I will do a demonstration painting to teach that particular technique.”

Marionette has recently discovered the fun of adding pen and ink to her watercolors, which has added a new dimension to her paintings and has become her “current passion”. She often uses the technique to paint the old plantation cottages found down the street from her studio.

Mostly self-taught, Marionette has learned a lot through informal study with other artists and taking classes. Lee Vanderwalker (a good friend who also lost her studio in the Wynadotte fire and now lives in Belize) taught Marionette silk painting. A week-long workshop with Jan Kunz, taken 10 years ago, improved her watercolor technique “a jillion percent”.

Marionette works mainly in watercolors, acrylics, silk painting, pastels and, sometimes, scratchboard. As you can see from the photos above, her subject matter is tropical flowers, landscapes, hula dancers, plantation cottages and the "ever popular Kauai chickens".

According to Marionette, hens and roosters roam freely over the island…parking lots, beaches, backyards…because there are no natural predators, such as the Mongoose. Although the Mongoose thrives on other Hawaiian islands, it never made it to Kauai. According to Marionette, you either "love 'em or hate 'em" and she is in the love 'em camp.

Marionette sells her art from her Etsy shop (she loves being part of the Etsy community), her art studio, her website and several galleries and gift shops in Hawaii. She also writes a blog, Kauai Artist.

As always, comments are encouraged.

Larry Watson *** Alexandria, Kentucky

2008-07-23T22:37:00.008-05:00

I’ve done it again….found an artist so talented and unique that I spent much too long trying to decide which photos of his work to show you. I fell in love with every one of them and it was hard to narrow it down to only five pieces. (Click on photos to enlarge)

Larry has been making pottery full time since 1989. His work has evolved over the years; he has experimented with new glazes, forms and motifs. His pieces, however, have remained distinctly his own. Larry finds that trying to make something based on another’s style is not for him, or, as he put it “....it stinks. Doesn’t work. Don’t do it.”

After graduating with a BS in Industrial Technology, Larry was talked into taking pottery classes by his Mom (an artist and art critic) which he did, at a local university. His BS degree proved useful but the pottery was “a whole new world” for Larry. He continued to take pottery classes until he was told by his instructors that they had taught him all they could and to get his own d*&# studio.

Questioned about his inspiration for new pieces, Larry replied, “Usually some experience in the studio will connect to something very personal in my life, and then I develop the idea from there. Quite frequently, accidents are the best inspiration because they get me out of the box. But… I have to push myself and the materials hard enough to make some accidents. Developing ideas is the most important part. That means making little steps, mentally, that lead to other little steps, leading to other little steps. Then, VOILA! The new idea takes on a life of its own. I hurriedly grab pencil and paper to write it down before it dissipates into the nethersphere.”

Larry does not consider himself to be a particularly cerebral person; he is more intuitive in his work. According to Larry, when he “abuses” and then softens a piece, it “takes on a beauty that perfection cannot even come close to. It’s like our personalities; the dents and scars become our most endearing and powerful characteristics. What life brings us, in all its diversity, is our beauty.”

Larry sells his creations at art fairs in Ann Arbor, Baltimore, Atlanta, ACC, and St. James Court as well as a few local art fairs. He also wholesales his work to shops and galleries all over the country.

I’m sure you are anxious to see more of Larry’s work...and learn more about him...which you can do by visiting his Etsy shop and his website. He also writes a blog which links from the homepage of his website.

Comments are welcome!

Twisted Thicket Studio *** Michigan, USA

2008-07-16T15:07:00.009-05:00

There is nothing a creative artist can’t use as a canvas (well, almost nothing), including gourds, rocks and wood.

Painting on those surfaces isn’t anything new of course, but this artist takes it up a notch.

Kim lives on the border of Michigan and Wisconsin, on the Michigan side. She has been working as an artist, in various media, since 1970. Many of Kim’s skills were self-taught, while others were learned from school, books, college and her parents and grandparents (all of whom are artists). Kim strongly believes that most artists never stop learning, or trying new things. She likes…actually craves...the excitement of it all.

Before Kim found her favorite medium...gourds...she airbrushed 3-dimensional faces onto pumpkins. Believe it or not, she painted one or two pickup truck loads of pumpkins every Halloween season, starting right after fall harvest.

Can you imagine putting all that effort into something that would soon rot and be thrown away? Neither could Kim. She hated knowing that her art would be trashed soon after Halloween so, she began searching for a surface that would not only last but which would be available all year long.

Kim experimented with large rocks, painting 3-D faces onto them. She named them Garden Guardians and began to sell them locally (which she still does). The turtle (photo above) is painted on a rock.

While she was painting rocks, Kim continued her search for the perfect “canvas”. While looking for fake, but realistic, pumpkins, she came across gourds. At last…Kim found what she had been searching for and she fell in love with them. Once she became aware that not only could she paint on gourds, but also carve, etch, sculpt, inlay, wax resist, stain and burn them, a whole new, exciting world opened up for her.

Kim’s inspiration for new pieces comes from music (her piece entitled Symphony...first photo, above...was created while listening to a Tchaikovsky CD), places and things around her and fantasy and western books. She is also inspired by glass artists such as Dale Chiluly, fantasy artist Boris Vallejo, the petroglyphs and cave art of our ancestors, and her own dreams.

All of Kim’s work is original and each piece is one of a kind. As is the nature of gourds, rocks and wood, no two are alike so, there will always be differences even when the basic design of a piece is similar to another. Kim told me, “I get bored doing the same thing over and over (I would make a lousy comic strip artist)”.

Kim uses high-quality paints and tools. Her paints are fine-art acrylics (not the craft paint found in craft stores or Wal*Mart). She uses a Nibs burning system for her pyrography and Vega 2000 airbrushes.

Anxious to see more of Kim's work? In addition to her Etsy shop, she has a website and a blog. She also sells at art shows, craft shows and galleries.

Have a comment? Click on “comments” below and tell us what you think.