You Can Wear My Jewelry With These Accessories

If you like the beadwoven earrings and necklace but have so far held off on buying them because you wondered what you'd wear them with, worry no longer!

Let this treasury act as your personal shopper on Etsy!

Beadwoven designs are very under-rated and deserve to take a spot in your jewelry box next to your pearls, gemstones, glass, and metal. The end product that results is worth more than the sum of its parts. When you buy beadwoven jewelry you are investing in a true piece of wearable art.

Purple is in this winter and it is gorgeous when combined with metallic bronze/gold with hints of plum and/or blue! The beads I've used for the tubular mesh in this Triangle necklace; Volcanic Heart Center and Golden Buds earrings are hexagonal, with an irridescent metallic color which give them the effect of fish scales, and when the light hits them they are absolutely luminous!

To purchase these or my other unique jewelry designs available in my Etsy store, please go to;

Giftbearer

 

Promotional Frenzy Presents; Out of Whole Cloth BNR Treasury

A compilation from 8 fiber artists

We are now an official Etsy Team!

For details on joining go here ---> http://www.etsy.com/teams/7512/promotional-frenzy-team

We're giving you a sneak preview before we open so that you can look through these shops and pick out something you need and/or want. Try to get there as close to opening as possible so that you have a good chance of getting your chosen seller.

If you have not been to one of our Specialty BNRs here is how it works:

1) We fill half the treasury slots with 8 featured sellers. The other 8 are left blank.

2) The first 4 buyers to call and buy from one of the sellers get featured in two spots! These usually go fast, so don't delay. The first 4 must be from different sellers (for instance if someone has already called/bought from one articular seller you can't buy from that same seller to get the 2 spots). If you're heart is really set on that seller please wait and watch until just after the first 4 are taken and we have 16 items on the board and then make your selection for the usual 1 spot. You will also want to buy in as soon as possible so that you have the best chance of getting sales, as we have found it works better not to carry people over and to have fresh things each week.

3) Once we have all spots filled (after first 4 have bought-in) it reverts to 1 spot for to each buyer and you can buy from any seller.

4) Please help promote the BNR, and feel free to post your specials if you buy in/are featured.

Let's make this a huge success and show all these fiber artists some love! There are a wide variety of items from which to choose and you will almost surely find something you can use or give as a gift. Please don't hesitate to inquire about custom orders, as most if not all of these artists are very open to customization.

Also, if I buy from you, you just might end up featured in my blog!

A Family Visit

Tonight my son, Quinn and his girlfriend, Mallory came from Athens, GA. (near UGA) and stayed for a few hours. Both had to work earlier and drove up in the evening afterwards. We talked and ate Banana nut bread and Cranberry bread and opened presents; hand-crafted jewelry for her, and clothes for him that he had needed for a long time. Carmella got lucky again today! They brought her some more chew toys of various types and a bright orange collar and leash. Now she will have a back-up for if she decides to mangle her current ones or to alternate every so often. She already chewed one leash in half (the purple one the shelter sent her home with), so it's good to have an extra one just in case.

Everyone wanted to give Carmella a big hug because she's so cute!

I had given her a bath earlier and had not put her regular collar back on yet after washing and drying it. She was smelling nice and her fur was soft. All the excess ointment residue had begun to make her grimy and smell stale. After her bath she was full of energy, bounding around the house waiting for them to arrive.

Mallory told me she'd seen the movie "Marley and Me" and that it was excellent.

Quinn filled me in on what was happening at work, and is still trying to get it authorized so that he can come and stay for about 3 days. His off days are usually at two opposite ends of the week, so it will take some persistance to get those two together next to one vacation day. I very rarely get to see him and he has not been able to drive for awhile because he has a benign brain tumor which causes seizures and had been in an accident about a year ago after one hit him unexpectedly, so he has to come when he can find a way up here (which hasn't always been easy).

The job he has is about 7 hours short of full-time and they don't provide him any health insurance, so he has to pay for all his doctors' appointments out of pocket (including medications), and he's supposed to be starting with a new neurologist soon. The company doesn't even give employees the option to be full-time and get benefits until they've been there for 6 months. He still has a few more months to go. It's a type of call center that deals with other companies that provide special offers to their customers and those who are interested in the offers are then transferred to Quinn's company to hear about them further and possibly sign up.

He's good at closing these sales so I hope he will move up quickly and will not have to stay at the bottom for very long. Apparently some employees in higher positions do get pretty good pay and benefits, but it's unconscienable that any worker in America is expected to go without health insurance and must work on Christmas!

Then I took some pictures of Quinn and Mallory while they were here, of Carmella and them, and of Carmella later with her gifts from them.

I can hardly wait to get my watercolor paper and start painting again. I now have lots of good subject matter to work with.

http://Giftbearer.etsy.com/

Creating from the Ground Up

Phunky Purple Capris - $40.00
Triple-stitched 100% cotton new fabric; waist: 37" completely out (can be "cinched" to as small as needed), length: 33" and inseam 18".

KreativeMindz located in Wordsville, Ohio is the brainchild of Aly and Beau Stacy. It includes a variety of sewn items and woodwork.

Interestingly the couple has both been in lines of work that involved making things with their hands. Aly used to work in the in set building and design for commercials (and sometimes still does), but mostly stays home now with her children. Beau is a carpenter who builds Timber Frame homes.

Aly’s style was first influenced at age 15 when she was planning to go see the Grateful Dead. She admired the gypsy style shirts and skirts she saw on other concert-goers, so she decided to sew a patchwork skirt so she’d have something “cool” to wear. At the time not many of these types of clothes were available commercially or at least they weren’t readily available, so this got her thinking about beautiful fabrics and what she could do with them. Her husband grew up learning woodworking from his father, so the handmade wooden boxes were natural for him to make.

The skills both brought with them complemented each other and were probably what brought them together and what makes them a good fit to this day.

The work of the two has a decidedly spiritual feel to it drawing from African symbolism and a natural, earthy quality, almost pioneer-like.

This husband and wife team belongs to Etsy EarthPath Artisans Street Team.

When asked how her spirituality impacts on her art, Aly responded, “I do not practice any set "religion", but I am a VERY spiritual person and feel very connected to the earth and the universe. When I am creating a piece, I will only do it if I'm in the right "space". NEVER do I sew if I am unhappy or angry, or any "negative" emotion. When I sew I am thinking good things and putting good intentions into what I am making. If it is a custom piece I think of that person and what the item will be for them. I believe that my intentions go into the piece. May sound fruity, but this is what I believe and have even been told that others could "feel" these intentions.”

Having her son at the tender age of 20 all naturally was a life-changing experience for her and an opportunity for personal growth. It was empowering and enlightening and quite a learning experience.

They are not currently selling their work in any stores but plan to start doing so in the New Year.

Aly used to sell her clothing at shows and festivals many years ago and she has found that her handmade pants seem to sell the best; lined patchwork pants back then, and her Capri pants with appliqué on Etsy.

Aly would like to expand her skills to include felting and batik, and Beau would like to start making bowls and cooking utensils.

Mineral Elemental Cloth - $45.00
Derived from African culture, the mandala in the center is original artwork by the artist’s mother, Judith Bajus Davis (you can check out some of her work at http://www.egads-it.com/). printed on fabric and then appliqued on by the artist with different colored threads to represent all five elements. cloth is 31" long and 21 3/4" wide. It includes handmade bamboo hanging rod (pictured) made by Beau.

The Tribal Tree Sunburst Handcrafted Box - $22.00
OOAK, Douglas Fir Box with narrow brass hinges.12" long, 6" wide and 4 3/8" tall, Inside: 10 5/8" long, 4 1/2" wide and 3" tall.


Healing Herbal Hot Pack with Removable Cover - $20.00
Filled with herbs; Eucalyptus Leaf and Calendula. The essential oils used are Lavender, Ylang Ylang, Lime, Bergamont, Rosemary, Tangerine, White Camphor, Chamomile, Cedarwood, and Sweet Orange. Heat in microwave for 1-2 minutes.

When asked about their goals for their business Aly says “Honestly, I would like our business to be our main source of income. It is our dream and our goal...to be able to work at home and raise our children...all at the same time. The kids really get in to our projects now.”

Be on the lookout for more hotpacks, keepsake boxes, and some stockings for the holidays. Buy a special gift for a loved one.

Go to their online store for more great gifts:
http://KreativeMindz.etsy.com

and to their blog to keep up with what’s going on with the artists: http://kreativemindzthreadz.blogspot.com/

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

Hand-sewn and Home-grown

Soandsewcrafty is a small craft business whose owner, Opp, Alabama native Karen Copeland, stitches a variety of interesting homespun items, with a sense of humor and playfulness. Among the many items she makes are costumes for pets (like this pumpkin outfit from which her orange tabby peaks out from over its shoulder to see who might be staring),

The lovely blue, green and yellow paisley handbag (shown at top),

these adorable cat silhouette pillows,

scrubs with Christmas trees and other unusual patterns on them, cloth sanitary pads, throws, and a mix of other fabric items.

Karen describes how she was introduced to needle and thread. “I have been sewing for almost as long as I can remember. My mother and her mother were talented seamstresses, painters....just plain "crafty" people, and I suppose I inherited that from them! And believe me I am thankful to them for that!”

Four years ago a car accident left Karen permanently disabled with a broken leg that never quite healed. In constant pain, she is unable to sit or stand for lengths of time, so opening an online store on Etsy gave her the venue she needed to make some extra money to supplement her monthly disability check, and the impetus to clear out a lot of the fabric she’d been hoarding for years. Like most artists, she loves her supplies and relishes going out to buy more whenever she can.

Her sewing gives her a sense of purpose and accomplishment, and when she’s immersed in transforming fabric into something useful or fun, she can forget about the stresses of life for awhile and enjoy the process.

You can find heartwarming gifts for everyone in the family and friends too at
http://soandsewcrafty.etsy.com/
and to learn more about the artist behind Soandsewcrafty, take a look at her blogs:
http://www.soandsewcrafty.blogspot.com/
http://www.myspace.com/soandsewcrafty

Are You Oh So Over the Rainbow Bright?
The mother of 3 young children, Hyla can appreciate the importance of clothing that is both comfortable and pleasing to the eye, and the need for interesting stuffed toys that are refreshingly different from the same-old-same-old found at all the local department stores. The artist’s Etsy online store MyFairyBabies, has a great mix of things for the mother-to-be, special gifts for children, cleverly designed inventions that make life a little easier and more fun.

Shown below is the Pacifier Buddy; an innovative combination burpcloth and pacifier-keeper that prevents a baby’s pacifier from getting lost. A ribbon loops around the pacifier and keeps it from falling on the floor. These can be customized and made in a variety of choices in textiles. At only $5.50 apiece to $9.00 for 3, you really can’t go wrong. These come in different sizes for young babies and toddlers.







Cheery colors of pink, blue, purple, and orange engage babies’ eyes and stimulate their senses; much better for healthy development than the often muted and washed out pinks and blues normally available on the commercial market.

This pink “Fairy Waldorf Doll” is one of the signature items FairyBabies is known for. Note the intricate stitching on the back of the fairy’s wings. This is just what every little girl would love for Christmas!








This month FairyBabies is offering free US shipping and 50% off International shipping. Great for Baby Showers, Birthdays, Christmas, or to welcome that new addition to the family, given by that doting relative or friend tht wishes she had 3 or 4 of her own. See her entire selection of children’swear and gift items at http://MyFairyBabies.etsy.com