Wednesday, October 31, 2007

Trick Or Treat! This Bag Has Your Name On It!

Personalized Halloween Trick or Treat Bags
Choice of 5 colors, 100% Polypropylene; a light-weight and durable fabric, shipping is only $5.00 regardless of how many you order!


Adrienne and her mother, Charlotte are business partners and owners of Personality Plus Boutique which offers many different embroidered items from shirts to towels, to blankets, and tote bags, most priced under $20.00. If you want to find a special gift that someone will really treasure, have her create something personalized for your loved-one.
Plan and purchase ahead of time for Christmas or other special occasions.

Embroidered Fleece Blankets
50" X 60", sturdy stitching and comes with carrying strap. More embroidery options shown on blog

Charlotte has done commercial embroidery for over 15 years and has worked as a seamstress.

Adrienne teaches preschool out of her home alongside this creative endeavor.

They welcome custom orders and also offer bulk pricing for larger orders.
Normally their turn-around time is 2-3 weeks, but if you need something sooner they may be able to accommodate you.

Personalized Embroidered 100% Cotton Birthday Favor T shirts
sizes xs (2-4), s(6-8), m(10-12), L(14-16), xl(18-20). Adult size shirts also available. More embroidery options shown on blog.

See more of what they have available at:
http://AdrienneN.etsy.com

and read more about the creators at:
www.personalityplusboutique.blogspot.com
www.personalityplusboutique2.blogspot.com

Tuesday, October 30, 2007

Crafting Healthy Skin


Kelly Peterson, owner of Mineral Magic Cosmetics has been making her own cosmetics for several years and takes great pride in her makeup line. All her products come with a 100% guarantee. (She promises to send a free full-sized jar should the color you receive not turn out to be what you wanted). She tests her products on her own sensitive skin before offering them to the public, so you can be assured that they are both mild and effective.

Mineral makeup is pure, crushed Mica, zinc oxide, titanium dioxide, and iron oxides from the earth, which improve your skin condition. Kelly buys these minerals in powdered form. She has formulas she uses and can customize blends, as each person has different types of skin and individual issues. Kelly asks her customers what they need and what their desires are and uses that as her guide. She always includes extra samples in the package.

These natural products also provide an SPF (sun protection factor) of up to 20, depending on how much you apply. They are an anti-inflammatory for your skin, as well. Mineral Magic brand make-up does not contain bismuth oxychloride used in typical commercial brands, which is kin to arsenic, a common cause of skin discomfort and severe skin reactions. Since these minerals are 100% pure, bacteria cannot live in this material, and there is no need for
an expiration date. There is also virtually no allergy risk. It won't clog your pores and is used as a mineral supplement for your skin.

Mineral Magic Hand And Body Lotion
Comes in your choice of: Cucumber Melon, Oatmael Milk & Honey, Indonesian Teak, or Buttered Cake


Super-Sized Vegan Mineral Gift Set
(1) 30 gram jar in your choice of foundation
(1) 10 gram jar with blush colors
(2) 10 gram jars with eye colors
(1) 5 gram concealer
(1) 6 Piece mini makeup brush set PLUS carrying case
Kelly reports that her best-selling items are her Vegan Mineral Makeup Kits.
Mineral Magic Gift Set- Safe for Sensitive Skin
(1) 30 gram jar in your choice of foundation
(1) 10 gram jar with blush colors
(2) 10 gram jars with eye colors
(1) 5 gram concealer
(1) 6 Piece mini makeup brush set PLUS carrying case
(BRUSHES ARE NOT VEGAN)

She has recently added products to her Etsy online store made by her 9 year old son, Timmy who is autistic, but high-functioning, and is educating him on operations and money management through helping with her business. He has made smelly jellies, aroma ice beads and more. You can see and purchase his products in the Made By Timmy/Awareness Section of her store. I love to see creative work options like this for people with disabilities and encourage you all to buy whenever possible. He's worked very hard on his products, so show him some love while you take good care of your complexion!

Smelly Jelly- Made By Timmy

Comes with choice of fragrances; Amber Romance, Apple Cinnamon, Christmas Splendor, Cucumber Melon, Eucalyptus, Desert Sage, Seaside Holiday, Peach, Lavender Bouquet, Daydream, Jasmine, China Musk, or Romance

Kelly also sells her line of cosmetics at craft fairs, two other web sites, and flea markets.

She went to Rutgers University for purchasing and finance, Manatee College for radiography, and is also a licensed cosmetologist. She is married, and lives in Pennsylvania.

This industrious entrepreneur has a pending trademark, and is currently applying for a patent on a skincare product she’s developed.

See all of the cosmetics available at
http://mineralmagic.etsy.com/
http://www.mineralmagiccosmetics.com/
http://www.mineralmagic.etsy.com/
www.stores.ebay.com/Mineral-Magic-Cosmetics
And read her blogs at:

Monday, October 29, 2007

Just Marbelous !

12.5mm charmeuse bag, lined in silk habotai with a braided silk ball and loop closure. Item measures 4.5" x 6.25" with a 41" strap.

Jodi Hughes of AkHotDoggies (Alaska Hot Doggies), based in Anchorage Alaska, marbles just about everything. Using washable, colorfast textile paint, she covers silk, cotton T-shirts, shoes, purses, resin, and plastic.

When asked how she got into this type of art, Jodi said, "I needed a creative hobby. I had stumbled on Dharma Trading’s website and purchased their Marbling starter kit. I can honestly say my 1st attempts did not turn out well but for some reason I kept experimenting. My friend got me hooked on thrift stores which really kicked up my inspiration. Thrift Stores are just treasure troves of ideas!!"

When dry, the finished product has some texture to it, unlike dye, as the paint sits on top rather than soaking into the fiber.

The process of how this effect is achieved is very interesting. "The marbling process for textiles takes several days," Says Jodi "sometimes more, depending on the results." The artist has outlined the instructions in her IndiePublic page using paper as an example, and it is paraphrased below.


1) First allum is prepared in an 1/8 cup per quart of warm water. Then with a damp sponge it is wiped on the object to be marbled. All areas must be covered to insure proper adherence later of paint. Then let dry completely.

2) Next, prepare the "size" either Carrageenan or Methocal (Jodi uses Methocal). This is the stuff that allows paint to float on top and swirl. 1-1.5 Oz. of this powder is stirred gradually into a gallon of warm water. After stirring for a few minutes, add 1 teaspoon of household ammonia per gallon of water. Keep stirring the mixture until it has thickened. After a few more minutes of mixing, then pour it into a tray and let sit for 15 minutes until all suds are gone. (If the suds take too long to dissolve then rake them with some newspaper).

3) Next float the paint: (Jodi uses Setacolor because it can be used on textiles as well as paper, and it is reasonably-priced.) Apply paint onto your item with a squirtbottle or eye dropper. Paint should spread when applied about 2-3 inches. If it doesn't then it is too thick and needs to be thinned. If it spreads more than that, it needs to be thickened. Use various items to swirl the paint around to get the pattern you want. Metal impliments work best because paint won't stick as much to them as it does to plastic and wood.

4) Place object upside down into the size. Make sure the whole area you have painted comes in contact with the size and that there are no air bubbles that will resist. If you decide to do other items, be sure to mop up excess paint from your workspace so that it doesn't bleed into your next piece.


Jodi recommends the book, The Ultimate Marbling Handbook by Diane Maurer-Mathison. It is a great basic beginners' guide full of information and great, colorful examples.

One of my favorite items of hers is the elegant little silk purse (pictured at very top).
It was hand-dyed bright pink, then marbled with blue and purple. At only $15.00 it is an excellent deal!

This silk tie was originally a silver gray color but after marbling it black and orange the blend of colors is quite rich but not overpowering or garrish. It looks kind of pastel Salmon, only more exciting than your typical pastel color.


And these shoes are just fabulous!


She even has marbled paper!


See all of her goodies for sale on Etsy at:
http://akhotdoggies.etsy.com/

A tutorial on marbling fabric specifically is offered at this site:
Quilting.About.com

Supplies for marbling can be bought here and further instructions:
DharmaTrading.com

More info from the artist can be found
on Myspace:
http://www.myspace.com/akhotdoggies

and in her Blogger profile:
http://www.blogger.com/profile/07795616798348076736

To learn still more about the artist go to her blog:
http://akhotdoggies.blogspot.com/

Sunday, October 28, 2007

Comfort and Joy

Sachets of 4 different scents

EvaFelicityDesigns offers pictorial magnets, jewelry, sewn crafts, bath and body products, paper goods, signs, sachets, pet wearables, photography, and art. Her products range from whimsical and cute, to country decor, to romantic and emotional. Items in this Etsy store are all about comfort and happiness.

The artist uses the following materials in her jewelry unless otherwise stated;
glass, stone, crystal, pearl or metal beads. Solid Sterling Silver, Silver plated,
Silver-tone and gold-tone base metals, and surgical steel are the metals she works with to create her designs.

Sewn items are hand/machine sewn using quality fabrics and materials.

All bath and body products are made by hand in small batches and only the finest natural ingredients and essential oils are used. Flavored items such as lip balms will occasionally contain popular scents and flavors not achievable by all-natural methods. If an alternate method is necessary she will substitute natural-derived, food grade, man-made ingredients. This seller makes sure to state this clearly in her listings whenever a substitute is required.

All of her photographs are taken with either a digital or SLR camera in and around my hometown of Hanson, surrounding cities of south shore Massachusetts, in various vacation spots.

Two Lovers Beach photo print

Due to the lengthy process of printing high quality Glossy photos, currently it may take her up to 1 week to ship a photo or poster. Pease feel free to contact her with any questions or special orders.

Cute Toad Postcards


5 X 7" Leaf Photo Print

Be good to yourself or a loved-one and pick something up from Eva's online Etsy store:
http://evafelicitydesigns.etsy.com/

and to learn more about the artist, see her blog:
http://evafelicity.blogspot.com/

Saturday, October 27, 2007

Divinely Guided

Shown above are a Rainbow Obsidian, and a watermelon Tourmaline cabochon wire-wrapped in sterling silver and gold-filled wire.

Beth Alexander of Cryztalvisions specializes in unique and hard to find gemstones and crystals. She works with sterling and fine silver and 14/20 Gold-filled wire for the rich look you
get from solid gold, but at an affordable price.

Fire Agate

Azurite and Malachite

Growing up, she was strongly influenced by a whole extended family of artists, and by teachers who encouraged and nurtured her natural talent in the arts, and taught her about geology, gemstones, and crystals.

Landscape Agate

Her father was an accomplished artist and craftsman who taught art in the public school system for many years.

Boulder Opal, and Carnelian

She is excited to learn new jewelry-making techniques all the time, and more recently has been learning about as well as implementing various healing energy arts such as Reiki, chakra balancing, Earth-based energy medicine, shamanic practices, and Angel Therapy.

Amethyst Druzy

Finding that she is spiritually perceptive, she melds this element of herself with her passion for gemstones, experience, and skill in crafting the items of jewelry that will be special conduits for good.

Chiastolite- Notice the naturally-existing cross in the center of the stone!

Beth loves nothing more than to be exhilarated by the creative process and is awed by how pieces seem to design themselves. She reports that each piece has its own unique energy that she can feel while she is creating it. (It is uncanny as I read about her kinship with and her way of understanding the essence of these pieces, just how similar my thinking is to hers! Very rarely have I run across anyone whose process I resonated with to such a degree. It feels as though I am looking into a mirror, but the mirror is looking back and seeing too! The Divine message ultimately is interconnectedness, which is the source core message of all that is channeled through me as well). On her other website she talks about Talismans and Amulets and the cultural transmission of the belief through the ages that such objects hold powers that cannot be fully explained (nor explained away), nor understood by the usual earthly means.

It is very possible that man’s fascination with adornment is not merely a form of anthropomorphism, a type of projection of our own inner psychological processes onto inanimate objects, as critics suggest, but instead, a real glimpse into another level of communication with energies we have yet to fully comprehend. Can I prove this beyond a shadow of a doubt? No, but it bears some looking into, having survived the test of time persisting on in an age of advanced science and technology.

As I was looking at Beth’s other website I saw a lot more wire-wrapped pieces than I noticed on Etsy. That seems to be her specialty, and she really has some impressive ones, some that have already sold (all the more reason for you to place a custom order), and others still available. Many have handmade bails bursting with curls of square wire that look like the curled ribbons on a wrapped present. The precision of the wire-wrapping on some of these is near perfect.

Rainbow Moonstone

This Swirling Ocean Jasper Pendant is on Etsy and it’s beautiful! Ocean Jasper has always been one of my favorite of all the opaque stones. I love the freeform diamond shape of this cab!

This piece, a flat circular donut-shaped textured piece made of pmc is called, Circle of Life. It has lines that have been filled with patina, creating nice definition in the pattern.

Shown below is a lovely piece using pmc and Labradorite squares (another of my favorite stones).

Check out her Etsy store at:
http://cryztalvisions.etsy.com

Also, see her other website at:
http://www.CryZtalvisions.com

and her blog:
http://cryztalvisions.typepad.com/

Friday, October 26, 2007

Cuddle Your Baby with Fleece from The Great White North

Diaper Cake


Toni Anderson came to live in Alaska 13 years ago, and she and her boyfriend, a firefighter, moved from Kodiak to the North Pole 3 years ago. The area is not all that remote as one might imagine with the typical images conjured up most associated with the Alaskan wilderness of dog-powered mushing sleds and unpaved and rugged terrain, primitive housing, and trading posts cut off from the rest of the world, but nevertheless, shopping is very difficult, the town having only a few stores and no mall. For this reason many local people buy online. There are only 2 stores that carry baby/maternity items in the Fairbanks area, the biggest neighboring town about 10 miles away with a population of about 30,000 people.

The inspiration for her business KuddleBugs Threads came from the seamstress’s two 15 month old twin daughters, Tori and Trista, and a need among the local mothers for quality and selection in warm clothes for their children. At sub-zero temperatures the winters can get pretty brutal in the North Pole, and making her fleece baby accessories gets her through the long, dark days (maybe nights would be a better description).

“Where I live the temperatures are very crazy” she exclaims. “The summers can get up to 80 or 90 degrees F and the winters plunge to -50 degrees Fahrenheit. We already have 5 inches of snow on the ground and the temperatures have been in the single digits! One of the things that are so interesting to me is the change in daylight hours. The summers get up to 21 hours of daylight on the longest day, where in the winter, the shortest day of the year has 2 hours 40 minutes of daylight!”

She buys most of her supplies nearby because she wants to support the local economy, and because the cost of shipping these materials to Alaska is too expensive.

Among the unique items she offers are infant car seat covers (a must-have in that bitter cold weather), booties, hats, and mittens made for Toddlers. These ice blue and white mittens will keep even the worst chill out of tiny hands.

Toni recently just finished a local show at the Ft. Wainwright Army Base, her first one, and it was a lot of fun and a great success! Her boyfriend had to work that day so she just packed her two girls into the car and set out on the new adventure on her own. The experience went smoothly and she says the twins were a big help.

She has only been in business 1 month, so she is not sure whether or not there is a big tourist market for her items, but so far she has sold mostly to the locals out of her home.

The Diaper Cake (shown at top) is really creative, and it looks like it provides enough to last a new mother a very long time. It would make a clever gift for a baby shower.

These Disco Party Booties are one of the few items Toni carries made of lighter weight cotton. They sure aren’t that typical muted pastel you see in all the commercial stores.

One thing you'll really notice is all the unique and different fabric prints. The maker has chosen quite a selection of cloth that is anything but run-of-the-mill; some of it even comical. Check out this Monkeying Around car seat cover.

All items available through her Etsy online store are shipped Priority Mail and can take approximately 3-5 days for delivery. She ships on Thursdays, but if you need your piece sooner that may be prearranged. Toni ships her work worldwide by First Class mail.

If you’re looking for something specific she will accept custom orders. Please contact her through Etsy to let her know what colors and specifics you are looking for.

In addition to her finished babywear Toni also offers Gift Certificates!

Keep on the lookout for more of these creative items coming soon!

See her Etsy shop at:
http://KuddleBugzThreadz.etsy.com

And to stay updated on the artist check out her blog at:
http://kuddlebugzthreadz.blogspot.com

Thursday, October 25, 2007


Rolling Out The Welcome Mat

You can tell that life is more laid back in this tropical oasis where Joanne resides, owner of Coconut Palm Designs, who specializes in signs made from Belizean hard or soft woods. Her shop on Etsy is peppered with images of relaxation such as these lush exotic wildflowers growing from within a central outpouring of thick, vigorous leaves.

Customers can order signs with any information they would like on them for example; name, city, or country. Colors and designs can be specified to the customer’s taste and needs. She also has non-custom signs in her Etsy store ready to ship to you right now. This artist guarantees quick, reliable service and quality products.

She also carries ACEOs done in a variety of mediums, each original art works, signed and dated on the back. They are drawn with colored pencil on watercolor paper, and measure 2.5” X 3.5”. The artist uses lots of vivid, primary colors in these small works of art.


Custom sign orders normally take 10-14 days to complete. After painting and carving the wood with a dremel, then filling in the recessed areas with more paint, her wood pieces are then sprayed with a clear protective finish in matte or gloss to seal out moisture and lengthen the life of the item.Generally it takes no more than another 14 days for it to reach its destination but the Belizean mail can sometimes be very slow.

Coconut Palm Designs accepts Paypal and Setcom as payment options.
For those who would like to pay through Setcom, once the purchase is complete, she will email the buyer a "Buy Now" button that leads to the secure Setcom site where the transaction is completed.

To see more of Joanne’s work take a look at her Etsy store at:
http://CoconutPalmDesigns.etsy.com

and to learn more about the artist see her blog at:
http://coconutpalmdesigns.blogspot.com/

Wednesday, October 24, 2007

Fiercely Independent-A Rose of a Different Color

Yellow Splatter- Ceramic Bowl

Staci Rose of Staci Rose Designs has had an affinity for the arts since she was five years old. She has lived in San Francisco for the last 10 years while developing herself as a self-taught artist and musician.

The artist creates items in a number of mediums including jewelry, home décor, Judaica, oil painting, and ceramics, all of which are decidedly different. Among the styles of jewelry she makes are beaded designs, chain, and wire-wrapped, and also has some polymer clay pendants.

She uses some very idiosyncratic combinations of stones in her jewelry that many people wouldn’t know to try together, and the result is a depth and richness that almost make one feel as if they’d just had a satisfying meal.

Pagea Russian and Brazillian Amazonite Gemstone Earrings feature Russian Amazonite puff cylinders and Brazilian Amazonite faceted rounds. 1-1/3", and surgical steel ear hooks. These retail for $10.99, a very good price by the way. I believe only the hooks are base metal and the wire and head pins are sterling. (She uses surgical steel earwires because they're hypoallergenic, as she finds many of her customers have allergies to Nickel, Gold, and Sterling Silver especially when wearing earrings). The combination of the shapes and the two different shades of darker and lighter green really make these unique and exhilarating!

Chocolate Blush is a gorgeous double-strand combination of Zebra Jasper, Pink Opal, and Chrysanthemum stone. This necklace truly reminds me of a Neapolitan hot fudge sundae. Its creamy strawberry pinks, and shades of chocolate brown seem to mix and run into one another. This piece would be hard to pass up. I’m picky when it comes to jewelry, but in this one all the conditions are right! You won’t want to take it off at the end of the day. It’s just that luscious!

I saw this lovely, sunny, orange and yellow painting called Julie Amazon on page 5 of her Etsy store and I really like how she uses light and shadow. It measures 12 X 16” and is in oils on canvas paper, primed and mounted on “perfect mount” board.


Shown at top is Yellow Splatter, a large ceramic bowl that resembles a wonderful up-side-down hat with ruffled gathers, created with slab and slump methods, then edges were ruffled by hand. The whole piece has been glazed with Speckled Yellow and splattered with Blue Gloss Glazes. It is texture rich and can be used as a decorative or functional piece. The bowl measures approximately 5" high, 12" top diameter & 3-1/2" base diameter. It is oven, food and dishwasher safe but do not use this bowl in the microwave! Comes signed on the bottom.

Staci believes that each piece she creates is predestined for a particular individual.

She’s a Certified Member of EBSQ Self-Representing Artists, and a proud member of Worldwide Women Artists, an international collective of women artists showing and selling our work online.

Staci welcomes custom orders. Contact her with all special requests at stacirosedesigns@yahoo.com and be sure to tell her you heard about her through The 90 Day Challenge!

Her work is sold in galleries and boutiques in Canada and in the US in the San Francisco Bay area. To check out more of her online collection or to purchase these go to:
http://stacirose.etsy.com

To learn more about the artist go to her blog:
http://stacirose.blogspot.com

Tuesday, October 23, 2007

Painting the Human Condition

Paulette Insall didn’t begin painting until just a year ago, but she envisioned herself doing so for many years before she could muster the courage to try it. When she did, what came out yielded rich, colorful, and soulful pieces of art that are reminiscent of Picasso.


Most of her mixed-media paintings are of individual stylized women, rendered through a range of methods including acrylics, watercolor, pencil, stamping, and collage.

Although each is different they all have an underlying wistfulness, sadness, or sense of loss about them. Paulette wants other women going through difficulties in their lives to know they are not alone. Her art acts as a therapeutic timeline and is a vehicle for her to connect with others.

One of her paintings Time Flies… Hold On has the caption “Her heart ached for it so”. Behind a young girl is a stained glass window, and in her hand, a pocket watch. What is particularly interesting about this painting is that the hand is not attached to an arm but instead seems to be disembodied. This could symbolize a feeling of not having control and a longing for something that never seems to come. The other highly significant items in the painting are two wings attached to her shoulders, but disproportionately small in comparison to the girl. She looks angelic but at the same time unable to use these wings to take her where she wants to go. It’s as if she’s a fledgling bird not quite able to fly yet, but developing in that direction.


The painting Listen is about listening to your heart and to God, and believing in yourself despite naysayers who would discount your dreams. The artist describes how people in her life have been questioning the path she’s chosen and opening the door to self-doubt.


Follow shows a girl with long flowing hair, dots in a wavy line going through her head, and a butterfly which seems to symbolize freedom to follow her dreams. All of these parts are flowing in the same direction and the girl’s eyes seem to be following them, but she looks as of she might cry. To the left are three windows which appear to be distractions away from her art.


Waking Dream is about resolution of past pain and self-discovery. You can see that this particular face isn't as sad as the others and the mood seems much lighter. Even the girl's hair seems to be springy as though she has gotten some life back into her, awakening to contentment and peace. Butterflies are fluttering around her in an almost nurturing way.

Most of her prints sell for $17.00-$20.00,
very reasonably-priced for such beautiful work!

The artist also has videos of her in the process of painting on YouTube; http://www.youtube.com/pinsall

To see more of her current work she has available, go to her Etsy store:
http://pauletteinsall.etsy.com

and to learn more about the artist read her blogs:
http://www.pauletteinsall.com/blog
http://web.mac.com/pauletteinsall
http://web.mac.com/pauletteinsall/Paulette_Insall/Artist_Features/Artist_Features.html

Monday, October 22, 2007

Tickled Blue

The artist behind Bluebaby, known only as Amanda creates primarily crocheted amigarumi dolls which remind me a lot of Anime characters, and other crocheted things. She also carries a few pieces of jewelry.

“My usual screen name is briensbaby” says Amanda, “(Brien being my hubby's name) but I wanted to do something different for my Etsy shop. Blue is my favorite color, so i just stuck that in place of 'brien' and voila! bluebaby was born!”

Amanda at first wanted to make a whole body for her stuffed dolls, but one night, before attaching the limbs, she thought that the little guy she was holding looked cute just how he was...with no arms or legs, so she decided to leave him that way, and apparently her customers agreed, as they have now started to sell!

Her creatures have attitude with names like, Evil Elmer
Crochet Dude,

Stanley Stoner,

and Pooping Pete.
Some of them have zany, or mischievous-looking eyes made from felt. These are sure to tickle your funnybone.
She makes a variety of styles of hats that are both stylish and comfortable.

Etsy is the first venue where she has ever tried to sell her work. In the past she has given her items away to family members as presents, but now that her husband is the only one working outside the home she is using her talents to make some money on the side.

Amanda makes her items the best way she knows how, and devotes lots of hard work, concentration, and faith to each one in hopes her work will pay off.

Watch her Etsy store for more winterwear and afghans this holiday season.
Find more at:
http://bluebaby.etsy.com
To learn more about the artist read her blog at:http://bluebabyhomemadegifts.blogspot.com