grandia road

newsy bits & new places

2009-05-09T08:33:00.012-04:00

As I've been roaming 'round the indie highway this week I've discovered quite a few new places to visit, stopped in to see some old friends, and found some new venues for selling handmade. So as I wait to find out if I've won any of the contests I've entered this week, let me do some sharing!

Communities

Plumdrop is a great community of online sellers. You can advertise your venues with java-mini's, meet up with other sellers in chat, and share tips and tricks for selling online. Plumdrop is not limited to handmade. Here's a screenie of our profile at Luna so you can see the minis; there are several other popular venues you can list, as well as the opportunity to list your own site. I really like this feature!

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Try Handmade is an in depth blog by Erika Jurney where you can find reviews, interviews, articles, giveaways, and a forum. The forum's initial page was a bit confusing to me in that it didn't really look much like a forum. But it is one, really! There is also a Try Handmade Flickr group here.

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Venues

This is a venue and community site rolled up into one. Signing up and opening a shop are both free, though 1000markets can charge up to 5.5% and +.50 per transaction using Amazon Payments exclusively. I had a few hiccups when opening a shop, but overall it wasn't difficult. You can also maintain a blog, post photos and video, and open your own market which will then become a unique community. The shops are lovely and look really professional.

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Zibbet is a handmade venue with over 35 categories to buy and sell in. Joining is free and once a member you can become part of the referral program where you can get paid for referring new buyers or sellers. All payments are processed through Paypal and this site is worldwide. Setting up a shop was very easy.

There are no listing fees, but they do take 7.5% of every transaction. I had to search pretty thoroughly to find that information. I would have much preferred to see the fees involved during their guided tour. There is also a 'showroom' which is a paid service. When I clicked on the link to find out more information I got a message saying "Ad Bookings Unavailable". I'm not sure if this was in error, or if because there are no spaces available there simply isn't anything to see there. Certainly worth a perusal if you're looking to expand your selling venues, though not one of my favorites.

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I would love to hear from you about any and all of the above. Do you sell at the venues? Belong to those communities? Sound off!

Botanical Bird Contest for May!

2009-05-06T13:57:00.006-04:00

Botanical Bird, whose jewelry I just drool over, is having a contest that will run from May 5th through the 24th. Here is the photo of the prize; this gorgeous Dogwood Blossom Necklace!

I love the heirloom look and with the Dogwoods out of bloom now, this necklace is a lovely reminder of spring.

To enter, visit Botanical Bird's blog and follow the instructions.

Get thee out and share the love! :D

ArtFire Mother's Day Giveaway-May 2009!

2009-05-04T13:57:00.004-04:00

I found a very cool Mother's day giveaway to share with you.... running from May 3rd through May 9th.

Lori at Risky Beads has coordinated a fabulous Mother's day themed prize along with A Jewel Gift, Pretty Purse Designs, Soapsmith, Bijoux Designs For You, L il Brit Knits, and Acadienne; all sellers on Artfire.

Of course I want to win.. there is a *fabulous* bracelet that I simply MUST have! But, I gotta share the love... so go on over to the Risky Bead blog follow the instructions and enter the contest. Just don't hate me when I win!

mwaaahahaa! >:)

Also.. each seller listed above is offering a 10% discount on items in their shops during the contest. I know! Cool, huh? Use this code: RBMAYAF10P** when purchasing!

Share the love and tell 'em Starr sent you.

Buddy Squirrel

2009-05-01T13:28:00.010-04:00

This is Buddy. He stopped by today to enjoy our marigolds.

But wait...he's noticed something.

The mother lode!

This looks like the ticket.

I...dont... think... I ... can... reach.....

Drat! Discovered!

We will meet again Bird Feeder!

I just bought....

2009-04-29T13:02:00.004-04:00

....that really cool midnight blue necklace for sale by ShySiren! If you scroll on down you'll see it on the right! I'm terribly excited, can you tell?

Don't feel like scrolling? That's ok.. here it is!

There's another in cerise, which I am trying really hard not to buy.. I only have one neck after all! Visit Shy Siren on Etsy here, or her website here. Sara rocks, and if you've followed my blog this isn't the first time I've mentioned her. :)

Share the love today!

what a birds nest

2009-04-25T18:26:00.006-04:00

Lily found this beautiful nest out back at my mil's house. She had to see inside so her grampa took photos for her. The mil said it's a Cardinal nest!

We have a lot of Cardinals but the trees are a good ways off from our deck and the chance of us seeing a nest near here are slim. Super glad she got to see one at the mils.

Out of the workshop...

2009-04-23T12:34:00.009-04:00

..and into the store!

New items have gone up on both Luna Arcana and Luna Arcana Too! So check out new spring jewelry and supplies. More to come as I crawl out of the workshop. :)

In other news, with the onset of spring we have gussied up our deck with plants and bird feeders . My daughter loves to watch the birds that come to the feeders, so I decided that we should keep a birding journal together. Instead of buying a notebook, I brought my search for just the right book to Etsy and was not disappointed in what I found...the perfect journal! Check it!

This gorgeous re-purposed journal was made by Secretary Mous e. Here's a look at the inside before I got my hands on it:

and now after I started personalizing it:

The inside of the book contains two good-sized envelopes which will be perfect for keeping feathers or drawings, or completed monthly pages. In the above photo I've just added some flair to the front of it.

See that beautiful piece of ribbon? That was what my journal came wrapped in!! Being that it was a perfect match for for this book I turned it into a bookmark and added a super cool pendant that I got from Anomalous Bits back in October.

Here's a pic of one of the pages:

Here you can see that some of the pages of the original birding book were placed inside. I cannot even tell you how much in love I am with this journal. Reina did such a fantastic job of not only figuring out which of the original book pages to keep, she added scrapbook paper that compliments the book amazingly well! And I will also mention there are awesome map pages too. This book will wind up being a family heirloom that I can pass on to my daughter. Each of the pages I have added are removable and fit perfectly inside the envelopes. So she will be able to continue using this book for many years to come.

Huge thanks to Reina at Secretary Mouse for her insight and creativity... I cannot imagine I would have ever found anything more perfect. Check out her shop!

Oh, and here's a photo of the corner of our deck taken on a rainy day this past week.

We are providing quite the buffet for the birds!

Twenty-three Squidoo!

2009-01-11T10:58:00.002-05:00

I discovered Squidoo the other day and have decided to make some lenses. It's a pretty interesting place and has a lot of information and seems like a great place to network and get yourself 'out there'.

So, check out my in progress, first lens here, which features Luna Arcana on Etsy and will expand to include other lenses by me as well. My second lens is all about shouting out to other Etsians, just like this blog. :)

There are so many exciting ways to present on the 'net and I love checking them out! I will be sure to give feedback on Squidoo as time passes in case anyone else is interested.

Share the love :)

front page goodness II

2008-11-14T12:31:00.007-05:00

Oh my gosh! The treasury I was talking about in my previous post, by Botanical Bird, made it to the front page and I subsequently sold the bracelet featured! How incredibly awesome is that!?

The bracelet I sold is on the far right of the second row. I'm so excited that one of my items made it to the front page!!! All my thanks go to Cyd at Botanical Bird for picking that gorgeous treasury..
Click on the pic to see a close-up!

Lots of love from me to Cyd. I hope you will share the love with her too!!

front page goodness!

2008-11-11T12:13:00.011-05:00

So I clicked over to Etsy today and found a featured item by someone I myself featured a while back. I'm so happy for him! The lucky item is this Like Mother, Like Daughter scarf set from David's Knits.

I'm so pleased to see him up there and I'll hope you'll go over and congratulate him. All Etsians desire that front page feature! Sadly Etsy doesn't have an auto notify when they feature someone (I know.. silly right?) so I sent him best wishes along with a screenshot.

Getting to the front page isn't exactly easy. Though my jewelry has made it to a few treasuries, I've never made it to the frontpage. (That I know of!) Here are a few tips to help you get into a treasury, which raises your chances of a front page spot!

1. Take fantastic pictures! See? I wasn't kidding around with all that photo stuff. lol
2. Use your team tags. If you belong to an Etsy Street Team, use the tags of that team. If one of your team members snags a treasury they very often include other members. The easiest way for them to find other members is by searching the team tag.
3. Use color tags. A lot of treasuries are themed by color.
4. Take a spin through the promotions section of the Etsy forums; people looking to fill treasuries often post there.
5. Create your own fabulous treasury. Go here. Once the amount of treasuries drops below 333 a new treasury will open up

.

Now mind you, I have never had a treasury I made make it to the front page. So what the hell do I know? lol!! I do know, though, that it's all about eye candy.

The Esty Front Page Treasury group on Flickr keeps track of screenshots, so you can browse back if you want, and look for your items. If you do make it to the front page, be sure to go here, and get promo buttons for your shop!

Remember to share the love with David. :D

ps: I don't usually have this kind of luck... one of my items was featured in this unbelievably gorgeous treasury by Cyd at Botanical Bird! View it here live, or below as a screenshot!

sunday on etsy is answering a question!

2008-11-02T11:19:00.005-05:00

I received an email the other day from a reader, asking me how I choose the Etsy items and their sellers to feature on my blog. So, while I work on my new look (yes! A new look for Grandia Road!) I thought I would take a few minutes to answer that question here.

The best advice I can give for picking items and selling on Etsy is to post clear photos!!

I can't tell you how many times I have passed over an item because the photo was blurry. I might love that item and really, really want to show it to you, but if the pic is blurry what's the point? If you can't see it, you can't determine if it's something you want to buy. I never buy anything if the pic is blurry. I want to be able to zoom right in and see everything; details to flaws!

I know we're not all professional photographers with the proper lighting and a studio and the artistic education and background. But! It isn't necessary. All that is required to sell your item is a good, clear, picture. Make that 5 good pictures; that's 5 chances to sell your item for every angle you can post.

I look for items that are featured, in focus, and are the center of attention. Having other items in the background can be distracting. As can using live models. There is a lot of discussion about that particular topic on the Etsy forums. I find myself looking at the person, not the item. My personal opinion is that human nature necessarily draws the eye to the person not the thing you're trying to sell. Are they making a goofy face? Is their hair sticking up? What color are their eyes? Are they pretty? Handsome? By the time you've gone through all those things in your mind.. are you even thinking about that item anymore? I'm sure not.

Composition! is everything as well! If you do it right you can create a scene that the viewer will want to jump right into. For me, it makes me want to buy that item all the more! Here's an example of what I mean.

I featured this bag by Carry Me Away in this post. I love this photo. Doesn't it look inviting? It made me want to live in the photo, carry that bag to the market, and eat that yummy fresh fruit. Super cool example of great composition!

If you do it wrong... ugh. In order for me to show you a good example of a bad photo I'd have to pick on someone and I don't really want to do that! Suffice to say if you pounce through 'undiscovered' you will see a lot of examples. That is not to say that all undiscovered sellers have undesirable photos!! There are a lot of people who get lost in the shuffle on Etsy.. not surprising since it is a super popular venue. But there is also a large percentage who just aren't keeping their photos and shops in general in good condition. That leads to my next criteria.

Information! Also key. I want to see a banner, an avatar, a profile, and a shop announcement. At the minimum. I have also passed over super neat items because there was nothing to talk about beyond the item itself. I can't personalize my feature if there isn't any information about the person who made it. You don't have to be a graphic artist to get a banner and/or an avatar. There are a gazillion free services and even Etsy sellers who will work you up some graphics in a pinch!

The profile is all you though. Tell me who you are, what you do, why you do it. Part of the charm of buying hand made things is to connect with the crafter. I recently featured Lara at Countryside Sayings. . She custom made me some totally rad blocks for the holiday, which I'll be posting photos of in the near future. She was as sweet as can be and I was her first sale and happy and proud to be it So we connected and I purchased and now she's had four sales! Can't you just feel the love!? Clicking on a cool item only to discover that there is no information other than a few items for sale is the second worst thing that can happen. What's the first? Bad photos!

Web presence! Not necessarily key, but a super fabulous bonus for me when I'm looking for people to feature. I love finding their blog or their website and linking to them. That's another way of connecting with people. So if there's a web presence listed in the profile or shop announcement I grab those links and post them here. If there isn't.. believe me when I say I go looking for it. If I find it I post it. Get yourself out there. Everywhere!

So that's all I've got for today. I hope it was informative and I hope anyone popping by will take it as it's meant.. to help and encourage. :)

In the meantime I'm working on a new look for the site so please bear with me if you visit and things look a bit wonky!

Share the love :)

saturday i'm under construction

2008-11-01T11:23:00.002-04:00

This site is Under Construction! Please visit again soon!

friday on etsy is halloween!

2008-10-31T11:05:00.007-04:00

It's the spookiest day of the year! For anyone interested in the history behind All Hallow's Eve, click here. That kid of mine is off to a party tonight and she's going as a witch because she wanted to be scary. Mind you, she's anything but in her costume from Joann's. She's just too darn cute.

For anyone interested in my tagging yesterday, you can visit 17 Grandia for the post.

Have a Happy Halloween and too see the rest of the amazing Etsy Halloween lineup, click HERE!

thursday on etsy comes with a meow

2008-10-30T11:08:00.010-04:00

Those of you who follow me or anyone who reads the comments on my posts will see that I was tagged by Marcy at Studio Marcy. It seems a bit like a chain letter though perhaps friendlier because you share something of yourself in the process. So I will be responding to that tag over at 17 Grandia sometime later today and will link to it here. After all, this page is about you not me!

What would Halloween be without black cats? I have four cats, though not one of them is black. Etsy is a fine place to find black cats, it's obvious I'm not the only one who digs them. Check out what I found...

Zombie Kitty Mary Janes by Em And Sprout made me laugh out loud, so they get first spot today.

Seriously, when I saw these I laughed right out loud and immediately wanted them. Lindsay's shop is filled with similarly whimsical shoes in sizes 5 to 11. Em and Sprout are Lindsay's cats. That is kitty love for you! You can also see more of her designs over at her blog. I think my second favorite shoes are these, and I know my daughter would love to run around in them; she'd probably try to scare the cats. lol!

My next favorite for today is Penelope by Fall Down Tree.

Penelope's expression charmed me and I bet she has the same effect on you! Adam has amazing artwork that leaves me smiling with it's quirkiness and loving every piece. I tore myself away to see his blog, and encourage you to do the same. You can also visit him here, for amazing photography.

Last I picked Witch Ca t by Paper Mathew.

I love the attitude on this cat! This particular piece is a print of his original artwork. It's made of paper! Well, of course the print is made of paper ( O.o) but so is the artwork! Yes, quite impressive isn't it. And unique! There weren't any sculptures in his shop but I wanted to see what else I could find. Google awarded me with a link to a site with photos of his sculptures. Definitely worth a look! The crow is my favorite. (What a shock, I know!) Hopefully he will post more information so we can learn more about him and his artwork.

Go out and share the love!

wednesday on etsy dedicated to a raven

2008-10-29T11:10:00.010-04:00

Ah the raven! I love black birds and have featured them in the past. Today I'm featuring them for Halloween and there are a gazillion of them on Etsy.

Browsing today though, I found a seller that is doing something pretty darn unique. Check out King Raven by Anomalous Bits!

This pendant is made of plastic, but it looks like glass! I just love this guy and he even has matching earrings. See?

Fabulous! There are literally so many designs to choose from I could spend hours trying to decide which one I wanted and in the end would probably wind up getting them all. They're just so cool. They are priced just right too, and that makes it even easier for me to justify buying at least one! ;) I'll be sure to let you know which one it is! (Did I mention she has a gnome?!)

Alistair by Optic Waste is my second pick today.

This silhouette is lovely and old fashioned and reminds me of photos I have of my great grandparents. There's even personal information about Alistair on the back. :)

This delights me to no end! Optic Waste has so many wonderful offerings and you can learn more at the Optic Waste website or blog.

So get out there and share the raven love! :D

tuesday on etsy...is creepy crawly!

2008-10-28T12:30:00.013-04:00

Who loves a spider? Not me, that's for sure. In fact, Burries (the husband) stumbled on a horribly creepy yet hypnotic website that has a spider on it. Even I was mesmerized. Visit that site here. Be warned.. you will probably get 'the huzz' and freak out!

Let's see what creepy crawly spidery things we can find on Etsy, shall we?

Spider by Found Object Art doesn't give me the creeps at all!

Steve Anderson (go Etsy men!) has made this versatile spider to sit on a table, hang on a wall, grace a garden, or any other place you can imagine. After all.. if it gets rusty, it's just that much more beautiful!

I've always been fascinated by metal art. I think it's awesome that metal scraps can be make into something else, though I'm sure it takes a very clever brain indeed to find out just what. Steve's been welding since the 70's and is even working on getting his own forge. Click here to see what happens when lawn clippers go bad. LOL! You go Steve!!

Along Came An Arachnid by Beads In The Belfry is my second distinctly non-creepy spider.

Nina Jackson is the artist who made these lovely earrings from sterling silver. Another person clever with metal. Because the close-up doesn't really do these justice, look how delicate they really are!

Just like sparkly little spiders dangling from their webs. Fantastic! Nina has a gorgeous selection of unique and whimsical designs. She blogs here, and has been featured in DIY City Mag's DC Issue!

At last, I'm going to show you a super creepy spider. Remember that spider from up top there? That one that gave us all the huzz? This one will send us all to that fine little state of catatonia!

Spookyrumpus Scary Harry by Felt At Home is so darn cute my brain might just do that exploding thing!

SEE!? You thought I was kidding. That'll learn ya! He's so sweet and he's got that googally moogally feeling to him. Wanna see what he looks like on?

EEEK! lol. Phillipa has a plethora of amazing felted goodies including the most amazing purses! After much consideration I think I like this one best, but it was very hard to choose! You can learn more about Phillipa at her blog, or her myspace page.

Not so spooky after all, but wonderful picks just the same. Wait, what's that tickling your leg!?!??!!

monday on etsy... it's up for grabs

2008-10-27T11:11:00.014-04:00

Halloween is almost here! Are you ready for it? Have you purchased your candy? Your costume? Your decorations are up and looking SpOoKy!? Have your hostess gifts ready for those parties you're going to? There's still time... but not much, so hurry!

Today I'm doing a grab bag of sorts.. just some random Halloween themed items that I've seen during my searches and wanted to show you. I'm going to start with one of my favorite crafts; the one that proves elusive to me no matter how hard I try to do it...

Felted Pumpkin Pottery by Valerie's Gallery.

Now I know you can crochet or knit to make felted treasures like this cute little pumpkin. But try as I might.. it's an epic fail whenever I attempt it. But hey, I can't be good at everything and thankfully there are people like Valerie who are. That just means I can purchase these wonders guilt free. ;)

Valerie is a member of Etsy For Charity and they are celebrating their first anniversary. This is great for charity and great for you, everything in her store is 20% off. She is extremely talented and you will find many amazing things to ooh and ahh over. I promise. You *must* see these!

You can also visit Valerie at her Felted Treasures blog.

These Little Monsters by Goose Grease have been peeking at me for days now!

Michelle is offering free shipping today for any of her costume dolls. So now is the time to jump over and get a set! I know my daughter would love to play with these, and actually any of her costume dolls. These would make a wonderful gift for Halloween lovers young and old. Though not too young as they aren't meant for chewing! Visit Michelle at her website for more information about her and her family!

My last pick today is The Ghost Family by Lucky Bunny Lampwork.

How cute are these!? Here's what Kim has to say in the description:

"As you can see the little gray one has had a bit too much candy corn and has trouble standing on his own, much to the embarrassment of the rest of his family!"

It's personal touches like this that set Etsy apart. Kim is a talented lampworker and her shop has beautiful beads! You can visit Kim at her personal blog, or at her Etsy Finds blog where she shares her Etsy picks! I love that I can share the love with someone who shares the love. lol :D

Have a wonderful Monday! :)

sunday on etsy...is artfully fine

2008-10-26T10:31:00.010-04:00

aSunday brings to mind keeping up the house, which makes me realize that I have some very bare walls. What better way to preserve Halloween all year 'round than to hang up some creEeEepY art!

With no further ado...

The Gang in Disguise by Creative Thursday!

Marisa has the most delightful characters, and I'm not the only one who thinks so, believe me! She blogs here and has a website here. And whoamg, she published her own children's book called Who Are You Going To Be Today, Olive? Look!

She is selling this book in both signed and unsigned copies. There are 16 autographed and numbered copies left, so if you want one.. hurry over and get it! Any and all of her work would be wonderful to own. She has just the right amount of whimsy and gentle spookiness in this print. You can get originals too! Love love love love Creative Thursday! :D

Next up is Halloween Boy by Scotti Taylor.

How cute is this? Is that a ghost across the moon? Or just a cloud? hmmm! Don't you love that it's up to your own interpretation? Scotti has a lovely shop filled with beautiful colors. 5% of her sales go towards Women For Women through JustGive.org.

And here's Look NO HANDS by Blue Water Folk Art.

A little witch and her cat braving the skies together. Ahh. Sweet! :) Mollie has some lovely artwork and you can see more of it at her website here.

You know, I started out today meaning to show you the creepiest paintings and look what happened. I found delightful and only sort of spooky. It's amazing how many times that happens. It's my own little creative process I suppose. Perhaps tomorrow I'll feature the really creepy stuff, but for now I'm happy with the three I've chosen today :D

Share the love!

saturday on etsy ... better bundle up!

2008-10-25T10:16:00.010-04:00

It's 59 degrees outside today and expected to be around 39 degrees tonight! That surely puts a different spin on the upcoming holiday! I have no memories of 'bundling up' for trick or treating, but I'm sure my mother must have insisted. So, if we have to bundle up let's do it in style!

So, technically not 'Halloween' but functional for the holiday; gotta keep those fingers free for trick or treating and those necks warm so you can stay out that much longer! ;)

First up, Autumn to Winter by Oh May.

Fantastically stylish. What else can I say about this set besides I want it? *Mind control* YoU WiLl bUy iT fOr mE!! */Mind Control* Oh May has been knitting for over 4 decades and her shop is hip and funky and amazing. Be sure to check out her fiber art jewerly!

Cashmere Crochet Handwarmers by Trendy Knitting is up next.

This color combination is my absolute favorite, right down to the lilac accent. Just gorgeous! I want these too! Don't make me use the mind control!! lol. Trendy Knitting also has the most fabulous shrugs. There are 43 at the moment.. so plenty to choose from. I love a shrug. Don't you?

Then there's the Alpaca Convertible by Debz Creations.

I just want to yell "STOP IT with your clever designs and gorgeously made products! I can't stand it and I'm so jealous!" But I won't. I will delight in the fact that there are so many, many clever crafters out there. And I will drool over every single creation. :) I mean come on, it's convertible! It's a mitten! No, it's fingersless gloves! No, a mitten! No, well you get the idea ;) Deb has a wonderful selection in her shop, something for everyone to be sure.

So.. are you warm and toasty now? I hope so! It's time for me to get cracking at my own little jewelry craft so I can have my shop filled for the holidays.

Enjoy today and share the love.

firday on etsy ...not tricks but treats!

2008-10-24T10:22:00.007-04:00

It's time to indulge ourselves in all that is sweet about Halloween! I mean besides our children in their little costumes. Never mind the costume, what's in that treat bag!?!

I remember when I was a kid trick or treating. You know, back when we went out alone and weren't afraid to knock on a complete strangers doors. Back when we had metal toys to play with and no one though they were unsafe; the kind where you actually could lose an eye! My candy was always poked and prodded beyond recognition by my ever protective parents and god forbid it wasn't wrapped! That went into the trash.. no stopping for a prod even. I loved the candy cigarettes, (WHAT? Who thought that was a cute thing for kids to imitate? lol!) and there was always Bazooka bubblegum and perhaps a package of Chuckles. My favorite was the Bit O' Honey which always, sadly, didn't make it past the prod phase. I think my mom liked those best. lol.

I'm looking forward to my daughters haul this year to see how much it's changed. Of course it's all very organized now in specific neighborhoods with excellent lighting and plenty of parental supervision. And that's the way it should be.. now that I'm a parent. :)

What kind of candy did you love when you were a kid?

So I found you some literal eye candy today, I hope you enjoy the selections!

First up is this DDS Apple from Adam's Apples.

Two wonderful surprises awaited me when I discovered this sinful treat. First, it's not an apple at all, it's a pear! I love pears! The second surprise was that Adam's Apple is run by two brothers. YES! Another male owned Etsy shop. The brothers promise that every ingredient is the best and freshest and I believe them. Also let me add their disclaimer: "Our Kitchen has nuts, nuts, nuts galore. Contamination is a very strong possibility. If you are allergic to any kind of nut products. Do not order!" I hope you aren't allergic and will click over right now... don't pass these up! YUM!

Next I found Kreepy Kids from A Sugar Affair.

How adorable are these sugar cookies?! Oh my gosh, I just love them. Lacie makes these and sends them out wrapped ready for giving as a gift. But! The best part is you can custom request your Kreepy Kid cookies by visiting her on Flickr and picking your designs! There are over 100 to choose from! Totally cool. These would be great as a party favor or for a Halloween birthday present! Or just because. ;) She also makes these delightful treats for your inner pirate! You know I love a pirate! There is also an allergy warning on these so please be away of that when you click over to buy. :)

Last I picked this Huge Halloween Basket from The Chocolate Tree.

This basket is full of yummy goodness in the form of chocolate covered pretzels, caramel apples, chocolate covered marshmallows, and caramel popcorn. You can customize your caramel apple selection too! This basket is great as a hostess gift for a Halloween party or for an office! And, this seller is still waiting for her first sale, so GO GO GO! Be her first customer!! Think how wonderful that would be. :)

There are many wonderful edibles on Etsy and I cannot wait til we get to the Christmas season so I can feature more amazing handmade treats. *drool*

Share the love and the treats!

thursday on etsy .. in disguise

2008-10-23T10:10:00.008-04:00

Wow! Costumes a plenty on Etsy today! So many wonders to choose from. I'm not mincing words today.. let's just get to the eye candy. :)

The first costume is The Rose Faerie Queene by Fairy Nana.

Positively enchanting. And made with top quality materials including Dupioni silk. The Fairy Nana has got it going on for sure.. one seriously hip grandma! Imagine having a maid of honor wearing this! Talk about fairy tale wedding! There are many other amazing costumes at her shop, oo like this mother and daughter set! Who would not want to wear something so ethereal and fantastic?

Now here's one for the kiddies! The Little Witch by Yaya Papaya.

I wish I had this for my own daughter... she looks an awful lot like the model! This is just so perfectly adorable. That hat just makes it! There are many, many more to choose from. Yaya Papaya is in the midst of getting these fabulous tutu's patented! And, more exciting than that, she is gearing up for Christmas! Why didn't they have this kind of stuff when I was a kid?

My last pick is the Red Vixen by Damsel In This Dress.

Now what I love particularly about this costume is that it's doing double duty (or even triple if you count weddings!) as a Halloween costume and/or a Ren Faire costume. I love the Ren Faire and if you haven't been to one you should really go. What a blast! There are a lot of wonderful offerings in the shop of this very talented damsel, even something for the pirate in you!

Once again Etsians come through for me with high quality and an originality that you just cannot find in mass produced stores! So as you're getting ready for your costume party this year, take a peek at Etsy and be inspired, or better yet.. buy something handmade!

Share the love!

wednesday on etsy for keeps...

2008-10-22T09:45:00.013-04:00

Keepsakes that is! In lieu of my showing tags for scrapbooks I decided to see what amazing photo albums and scrapbooks I could find for Halloween and let me tell ya, I was not disappointed. Once again I fight with myself to not click on "add to cart"!!

I hope you will have less self control. Yes, less! mwahahaha! >:)

The first album to catch my eye is Batty For You by Faerie Dust Dreams.

You're probably thinking "that's a box Starr!" Yes, it is! But check this out!

It opens up to an album! So not only can you enjoy the album you have a lovely box to display. It's so unique! I am loving this!! Michelle has some other very lovely styles, my favorite being this one. You can read more about Michelle and her lovely crafts at her blog here.

This Happy Halloween Paperbag Album by Brown Paper Packaging is super fabulous..

The embellishments on this album are particularly pretty and quite well placed. Look!

Just look at the detail! Very wonderful stuff! It's this attention to detail that I love about good crafters and envy like the dickens.

I also like this Goblins Mini by WhatchaMaDoodles.

I love the scalloped edges, such a nice touch! And the interior is lovely in it's simplicity...

Now WhatchaMaDoodles has fantastic albums in her shop and some pretty and hip items all ready for Christmas! You can visit her at her blog as well.

There were so many lovely albums to choose from I had a super hard time narrowing it down to just three. So I urge you to search on Etsy and look at them all. In fact, click here! (I did it for you!)

Share the love

tuesday on etsy and I've got jack!

2008-10-21T09:56:00.016-04:00

O'-lantern that is! ha! Here comes some educational content.. buckle up!

Jack-o'-lantern (Jack of the lantern) is synonymous with 'will o' the wisp', which refers to wisp, a bundle of sticks or paper sometimes used as a torch, and will-o' ("Will of"). All are named after the phenomenon of strange lights flickering over peat bogs, called ignis fatuus. What? Is that's Latin!? Yes! And here is the etymology of ignis fatuus: Medieval Latin : Latin ignis, fire + Latin fatuus, foolish.

So what does all this mean? It means today I'm featuring Jack-o'-lanterns! And ya learned something in the bargain! I was quite sneaky about that wasn't I. *smug* :D

Let's begin with this very chic Jack-0'-lantern pendant from Art Under Glass.

This pendant leans more towards sophistication and is double sided.
The back side looks like this:

This pendant is especially appealing to me because of the back; it lends itself to thoroughness and a complete and finished product. Art Under Glass has more to offer at her Natural Wood Art Jewelry Shop, and the new Ice Art Jewelry Shop.

Next up is something for the kiddies! An I Spy Pumpkin from Those Greathouse Women.

The eyes are pouches that contain small items. You and your tiny tot can squish those eyes around and play I Spy together. Too, too clever!

Here's a snap of the back:

I love that the list is sewn right onto the toy! The Four Greathouse Women are actually comprised of four generations and you can learn more about them and their goings on at this blog and this blog.

Last I found these Glitzy Halloween Tags by Dixie Creations.

Yes, I know I just did tags yesterday, but these are so wonderful! I couldn't resist. I know that Halloween is a holiday that will leave many memories and pictures behind and these would be fabulous in your scrapbook!
Dixie Creations is filled with original designs that I found completely delightful!

I have such a hard time when I write this blog because I want to purchase everything I write about! Truly! I am forever wishing I was more crafty so I could put to good use the amazing things I find. I will just have to live vicariously through those who do I suppose!

Here's to clever crafty women and the art they make. Share the love with all your little pumpkins today!

monday on etsy...let's roll dem bones

2008-10-20T09:30:00.007-04:00

Thanks to everyone who voted for me over at Vintaj. Number 13 won this months challenge. It was a gorgeous entry. I did get a respectable amount of votes and I'm looking forward to next months challenge!

Well, enough about me. Let's explore the skeleton on Etsy today and see what spoOoky things we can find.

My favorite find today are these Buttons by Curioddities.

Creepy-crawly and scrawlie just like it says! Another item that reminds me greatly of Gorey. Ever since I saw these I've been frantically trying to figure out a way to justify buying them. Don't wait too long to visit the shop, I'm very close to purchasing! You can visit Clara's website also for more information, and naturally her shop has more to see!

Next I found some Skeleton Hang Tags by Absolutely Dottie.

I love the altered art movement, and these tags are just fabulous. Great for scrapbooking, Halloween birthday gifts, or even as bookmarks. This is just the tip of the iceberg for Dotties shop, there are lots of funky and fun things to see, including these earrings which just crack me up!

And last I want to show you Baxter, the skeleton mushroom, by Effunia.

Baxter, pictured center, has his very own personality which you can read about in the listing, though I will say his favorite food is gummy worms! Effunia has a very cool website where you can see where all the creations she has made have gone. There are even fun photos of these plush darlings with their adopted parents! Fun!! :D This is a wonderful touch that sets handmade items apart and kudos to Effunia!

So there you go... Skellies! As always share the love.

sunday on etsy...let's get the party started!

2008-10-19T10:47:00.014-04:00

I don't mind telling you that this morning's perusal through Etsy 'halloween' items was both delightful and disturbing. In an attempt to un-see some of the things I've seen, let's get our invitations sent out, shall we?

First is this Flying Witch by Cheeky Moppet. (I just love that shop name!)

This Cheeky Moppet has a lovely shop filled with stationary and cards and she welcomes custom orders. She is also a member of the Etsy Mom Team, which I am also a member of. You can read more about her at this blog, and more about Cheeky Moppet's paper crafts at this blog.

Next I found these blank Halloween Cards by Decadent Designs.

These could easily be personalized by you as invitations and how can you not love a pirate skeleton? It makes me laugh out loud. :) Lynsey's shop has an array of cards and invitations, but one thing remains constant; they are all flawless in style. You can view pictures of her custom work here.

My last pick for today is Witches and Ghouls from NY Paper Crafter.

This crafter comes from my own area of Hudson Valley, NY. I can imagine how lovely it must be there right about now. *wistful sigh*! In addition to cards there's a great tag section which you won't want to miss. You can view the website which has information about the artist as well as great photos. NY Paper Crafter is also participating in Mission Soldier Support. You can learn more about this charitable cause here.

So that's it for today. Share the spoOoOoOoOoky love!

saturday on etsy we're payin' it forward

2008-10-18T11:21:00.010-04:00

**Warning! Educational Content!!**

'Pay it forward' is a concept that started with Benjamin Franklin in 1784, was popularized by Robert Heinlein in 1951, and made it's way to me when I saw the movie in 2000.

Pay it forward or PIF, is now something you can find on Etsy! Items are sometimes priced at just the listing cost of .20, (or in some cases are regular but the monies go to charity) shipping is minimal or free, and you get the opportunity to PIF. Kinda cool, huh?

Today I'm going to check out the PIF going on at Etsy. If you want to check it out too, simply search 'PIF'!

First is Red Frosted Glass by Designs by Melody.

I love the fall color combinations in this bracelet and it has just the right touch of vintage for me.

The proceeds of this particular bracelet go to the Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation. Melody has a blog where you can get to know a bit about her personally, or you can visit her website to learn more about her art and see what other goodies she has available. I'm in love with her hand painted tiles!

Next I found Kitty Purrito by Compass Rose.

How cute is this cat? I mean seriously! Did you hear that popping sound? That was my brain... exploding from cuteness. The sale price of this item goes directly to A Helping Paw Humane Society. Right on! Compass Rose Girl has a blog you can visit if you want to learn more about her.

Finally I found Feeling Frisky by Crafty Cartoons.

This particular listing isn't for charity, it's for you; just share the laughter! Crafty Cartoons has a blog where you can learn about what it's like to be the husband of a crafter.

There is a cousin to the PIF, which is RAK (random acts of kindness) but that particular search term didn't have as many results as PIF.

I hope you enjoyed today's departure.. you know I'm all about sharing the love and PIF is just one more way to do that. :)

Tune in tomorrow for the beginning of "Thirteen Days of Halloween"!

friday on etsy is home again

2008-10-17T10:56:00.010-04:00

So we creep ever closer to Halloween. Starting on Sunday I will begin my thirteen days of Halloween feature so be sure to check back for that.

Today I'm sharing some home decor items I found. I love to see little touches of nature around the house. A lot of folks see it as clutter but to me it's eye candy. Something lovely no matter where you look. There's not a thing wrong with that! :D

First I found Harvest by Countryside Sayings.

This kitschy/folk art block letter sign would be perfect in an entryway or even on a mantle. I especially like that you have control over how you display the letters. Just think, if you're an anagram freak (like me!) you can even spell out different things throughout the year! Check out this anagram solver for ideas. :D You can also find out more about Countryside Sayings' custom work on her blog.

**Lara is brand new to Etsy and hasn't had a sale yet! Why not share the love and be her first!!! (She has lovely Christmas signs too!)

Next I found Leaf Garland by Scatterbox.

Isn't it lovely? So delicate looking and I can think of at least a dozen places I could string this garland for just the right autumn touch around my house. (Nevermind that my cats could also think of a dozen places to take this garland!) You can also find these adorable little boopkas, which frankly I don't know if I can live without. Wanting more information about this clever, clever gal? Visit her website!

And then I came across Autumn Cafe Curtain by Creative Neurosis.

This would work equally well as a design element on the wall as it would on a window. But there's something so very fall about the idea of this curtain blowing gently in the breeze making those floating leaves nearly come alive.

Share the love with these very talented women and tell 'em Starr sent ya!

thursday on etsy, let's bag it.

2008-10-16T07:14:00.012-04:00

I'm thrilled that the autumn theme is still going strong and that the Etsy community has put forth such a tremendous effort towards this season. :)

Today I'm showing off bags. No, not the ones under my eyes! Though they are pretty darn spectacular. (chuckles) I was thinking more along the lines of these...

Me and the Autumn Breeze by Carry Me Away..

It is so fashionable these days to carry your own bag into the market. I can remember folks doing that when I was way young and wondering why they wouldn't just use the free bags that the store gives you. Older and wiser now, I completely get it. I'm glad more people are turning towards this trend, and how can you not with such an awesome bag as this? Kudos to Carry Me Away for photography composition which very surely helped to catch my eye, but didn't detract in the least from the quality and hipness (yes, I think it's a word!) of this bag.

Here's a Woodland Paisly Tote Bag from PhriendlyK8's Threads.

This is another photo that caught my eye; I just love weathered wood. But, more importantly I love the bag. Look closely at the tree. isn't that fabric gorgeous? It is! Now PhriendlyK8 has a host of other products in her shop.. she does flawless applique work. One of my favorites is this, and I always love to find a gnome where I least expect it! (Mwahaha.. you'll have to click to see them. It's all part of sharing the love you know.)

And then there is an Autumn Goodness Granny Bag by Pink Lady Designs.

(Have I mentioned I also love distressed shabby chic style old painted wood as well? lol) I love the color combination in this bag; the pink really pops but doesn't detract from the fall colors. The interior of this bag is just the coolest too.. matching Moda fabric that resembles honeycomb!

Now, Pink Lady is pretty cool. Not only is she making excellent quality items for you to purchase, she is also giving one away. Here I go again, lessening my chances of winning something fabulous just so I can share it with you. The things I won't do! :D To have a chance to win a Zippity Do Dad from Pink Lady, visit her blog and leave a comment in the post. What could be easier?

Go now and share the love. Do it!

wednesday on etsy, let's dish!

2008-10-15T06:38:00.010-04:00

Mmm, pear cobbler! Now that I've decided on a cobbler to save my Riviera pears, I'm going to need a fabulous dish to put it on. What better than something autumn themed?

I wish I had a full set of these Autumn dishes, by Mary Wibis. They would be perfect in my dining room.

I'm just so fascinated by trees. This plate is almost too pretty to cover with food, even with something as yummy as a pear cobbler. Art by Mary Elizabeth Hining can also be found at her website, and her vector art is available here.

Next I found these cool Rocky Mountain High Aspen bowls by Owl at the Moon.

These hand painted terra cotta bowls are right up my alley. The colors are wonderful and I love the delicate painting inside them. Owl's Etsy shop is filled with, you guessed it, owls; bowls to T-shirts to graphic arts. Something for everyone in the same folk art style. Simply wonderful!

Today's fun find is a Three Flowers felted bowl by Julie Persons at Creation Nation.

This wonderful felted bowl is just one of a over a hundred items available at Creation Nation. Be sure to check out her profile to see just how popular her work has become. :)

Well I'm off to bake that cobbler. Share the love!

tuesday on etsy calls for an apron

2008-10-13T19:33:00.016-04:00

One of the things I love about fall is the fruit. Just last week I received a gift of a box of pears from Harry & David. Pears are my fav! Sadly, this particular batch of pears was mealy. *GASP* Harry and David are known for their quality and also their customer service. So while I wait for my replacement pears, I decided I should make something baked to try to save the pears. A cobbler perhaps? A pie? Maybe a tart. While I decide about that...

I do love to bake, and if you're going to bake you really should have the proper accessories. Yes? Yes. So today I'm featuring aprons with a fall theme.

First up has my second favorite fruit. I love this apron right down to the rickrack and apple buttons.

Johnny Appleseed by Tallulah Sophie.

Tallulah Sophie styles herself as "Shabby Retro Vintage" with a twist of "Funk" and I agree completely. Super fun items in her shop. Here's a preview of a fabulous item for the end of the year. More info is available at the Tallulah Sophie website.

Next is this Harvest Apron by Handmade Crafter. This is from a male owned shop. Yep, male owned. Don't ya love a guy that makes stuff with his hands? And look at the fun and flirty thing this one made....

Look at the adorable tie in the back!

This style of apron really hits the mark with me. Perhaps it's because I'm old fashioned and have fond memories of tv shows where the women always dressed flawlessly and wore aprons and cooked and baked til the cows came home. (As I sit here in front of the computer in my jammies.. lol) I'm surely romanticizing the era, but that doesn't detract in the least from my liking a good apron. So check out this guy owned shop and see what other goodies he has in store for you!

And last, but surely not least, is my fun pick for today... apron themed and all! I cannot stand how cute this is.. seriously. I think my head may explode.

Ginkgo and her autumn apron.. by Blueberry Bandit.

Sara at Blueberry Bandit has a shop full of brain exploding cuteness and Ginkgo is just the top of the iceberg. Seriously! She has these which I wish I had on my desk right now along with Apple, who I wish I'd seen so I could have included her in my scarf post. But that's ok, I found her now and she is officially in my favs and on my blog reading list. If you'd like to add her yourself, visit her at the Blueberry Bandit blog.

Thanks for visiting today and remember to share the love. You know you have tons to spare :)

monday on etsy is harvest in paints

2008-10-13T10:48:00.010-04:00

I hope you all had a great weekend. Mine was busy. You'll notice to the right is my plea to everyone who reads my blog to vote for me in the Vintaj blog October challenge. Thanks ahead of time if you do! :D

Today I searched 'harvest' and look what I found; fabulous original paintings!

The first artist is bringing it with both barrels today... not only does his painting fit my criteria of 'harvest' but it fills the Halloween bill too. And, for good measure, this artist 'shares the love'!

The Harvest Moon by Philippe Fernandez.

All of the Fairytale art in his shop is stunning with just the right amount of spooky. Perhaps we'll have to revisit this artist as we get closer to Halloween. You can read more about Philippe at EBSQ and on My Space. Something about his artwork puts me in mind of Edward Gorey, who has been a favorite of mine since I was a kid. Either way, I really like his style. You can even find him at zazzle.

Next I found the Irish Wine Harvest folk art painting by Dee at Mermaid Messenger.

The colors are vibrant and the composition is wonderful. It reminds me of the art style of a tarot card. I just love it! Dee's shop doesn't just have original oil paintings either.. she has greeting cards as well. You can visit the Mermaid Messenger blog and also at the Talent Database.

So there you have it.. Harvest in paints! Share the love and don't forget to vote for me! ;)

sunday has us up to our necks

2008-10-12T08:20:00.008-04:00

I loved doing yesterdays mosaic so I did another today, though on a smaller scale. I chose scarves today because I was just in that kind of mood. I've been wishing it was fall since the first say of summer. lol!

And now, on with the show..

Top to bottom, left to right:

Garland Fall in Spice by Kanokwalee. I love that these 'fall leaves' are wearable.
Long Stranded Scarf in Violet, by Fray. As Fray puts it.. this scarf is "soft and drapey"!
Avocado Green Lace by David's Knits. Love this new style from an old Grandia Road friend.
Seaweed and Teal by Madlight 13. This reminds me of I Dream of Jeannie's "running away" outfit! Seriously!
Sage and Burgundy by Fullenstar. Additional photos available on Flickr.
Tulip Fields by Caroline Hardy. Gorgeous blend of colors! Also blogging here.

So as I was looking at all these scarves together I noticed a common theme among the photos I chose... the use of a mannequin. Kudos to all of you for doing so.. it really does make a difference. I don't like seeing live models in photos on Etsy mostly because I think it detracts from item you're trying to sell. The live model is usually more worried about how they look than how your work looks. I kind of feel like a Simon Cowell thinking that, but it's true. And hey, I didn't purposefully exclude scarves that weren't on mannequins! Undeniable truth that mannequins sell scarves? Probably not. But for my picky eye, it sure did the trick. ;)

I also wanted to include one more item today... it's so cute and I've been seeing it all week as I look through 'fall' themed items. And, he's wearing a scarf.. so it kind of counts!

This small fox was made by Brigette B. He's so jaunty and clever looking, and I bet he's British at heart. Visit Brigette at her shop, or you can find lots of info and artwork at The Brigette Brigade.

Share the fall love with someone special today!

saturday is eye candy galore

2008-10-11T10:57:00.009-04:00

I've been racking up quite the amount of time on Etsy this week. There is literally something for everyone on there! I've also spent a good portion of the time drooling over the eye candy and the craftsmanship of the very, very talented people who comprise the indie community.

Today I'm doing a mosaic of jewelry... all fall themed, and all beyond beautiful! Beneath the mosaic you will find all the information you need to share the love with these artisans and even to create a mosaic of your own. :)

Top to bottom, left to right:

1. Autumn Rose Necklac e by Botanical Bird. I don't know how this seller has escaped me thus far!
2. Swirl Leaves by Fleur Fatale. Also blogging here: Fleur Fatale.
3. October Morning by Wicopy. Store wide sale going on now!
4. Romantic Flower Blossoms by Shy Siren. She's published! Buy her book! It's amazing!
5. Falling Acorn by ERM Originals. Out of this world chalcedony here!
6. Fall Bracelet by Natas. Check out Kathy!
7. Harvest Necklace by Glass Onion. Also blogging here: The Glass Onion.
8. Perfect Acorns by Beads by Evelyn. Also blogging here: Beads by Evelyn.
9. Margo by Maddy Anne. Also blogging here: Maddy Anne Designs.

It was difficult to keep this mosaic to 9 items, but I was singularly determined it would fit nicely on my blog page. lol. I'm also happy to include Shy Siren, who is one of my favorite Etsians, ever. :) Hope over to 17 Grandia Road if you want to know why!

Besides the common fall theme of these pieces you'll also notice the photography is spot on with these sellers, right down to the composition. Yay to all of you! :D

Time to go share the love with my family! Have a great day!

ps: Visit Big Huge Labs for tons of mosaic making fun ;)

friday on etsy with cecilie

2008-10-10T10:37:00.006-04:00

Another successful blogging week under the ol' belt. :) I'm having so much fun on Etsy finding all the amazing things people have made with an autumn or fall theme. It's really very hard to pick just one thing to feature.

Nevertheless, I sally forth with today's find of Cecilie. From Ravenhill, direct from Norway, comes this one of a kind (aka, 'OOAK' if you're interested in searching Etsy for these extra special items) Scandanavian Matryoshka art doll.

Isn't she lovely? The fabric is to die for as are the hand embellishments and her beautiful painted little face! AHH! It's so darn cute I can't stand it! lol!

I also fell in love with Tallulah...

I love her Halloween theme and notice how the fabric is positioned just right so it looks as if she has a pretty little necklace on? Just darling!

If you would like to learn more about Matryoshka dolls, here's the wiki. If you would like to learn more about Ravenhill and what she's up to, visit her blog! And naturally visit her Etsy shop, which is chock full of more cuteness. Shop early and check out her christmas dolls!

Are you still here? Go share the love! ;)

thursday on etsy with trees

2008-10-09T07:40:00.008-04:00

I love trees. I have several photos of them in my home, most by photographer Gary Irving. I acquired them back when I worked for the Nature Company. There were several other photographers whose work I wanted to purchase but I never got around to it. Sadly the names of those photographers are lost forever to me as the Nature Company is no more.

So, today's Etsy find is trees and another stunning item in the glass category. Alan Comacho, of Glass Man Productions, has created this breathtaking piece of heaven entitled Seven Sisters No. 1.

The inspiration for this piece is Big Bear, California and it's easy for me to see that represented fully in this work. Big Bear is spectacular and I've many fond memories of it. I also see a bit of the Craftsman influence, but perhaps that's because I do love Craftsman so much? :)

You can view the Glass Man on Etsy as well as his own website. There are so many beautiful pieces to see, including more trees!

I also have a love of Science Fiction and Fantasy. (Ok, now your're wondering what tangent I'm going off on, aren't you? If you're the Glass Man viewing this.. you know right where I'm going!) I love, love, love this piece too!

I know it isn't fall related, but I'm sneaking it in for it's fall colors and well, because I can.. it's my blog!! >:)

Share the love with the Glass Man today. You can also read his inspiring story and learn how two completely different disciplines come together in his work!

Lots of love,
Starr

wednesday on etsy with chocolate

2008-10-07T21:22:00.014-04:00

Good morning!

Can you believe that I have only referred to chocolate once in this blog? I'm shocked and appalled quite frankly. It certainly deserves more of my time, though you know I am inspired by what I find on Etsy.

So, today, chocolate, with a fall twist! Ooo.. don't you just love a twist? I found Malmsey's and had to share with you her ultimate eye candy...

Not only are you getting fall flowers, they look like a gorgeous plate of chocolates and are made of glass!

When I was young we spent summers on Cape Cod and we often visited the Sandwich Glass Museum. I believe my mother was just as intrigued by glass as I was at the time. She began collecting Pilgrim Cranberry glass. I've since inherited that collection and have over a dozen pieces. But! This is not about me, it's about Malmsey's!

There are several places you can find these delectable glass confections made by Hulet Glass. It all begins at their website. You can also view the blog (and even enter the contest to win a free chocolate! I realize this lessens my chance to win, but what can I say? They're worth sharing!) and even vote for them on Start Up Nation.

Now, to tempt you further I'm going to show you a few more images. With the holidays fast approaching you cannot go wrong with something this special!! Here is your eye candy (literally!)...

SpoOoOoOoOoooooOOoky!

Wait, someone already tried this one!

Ohh, ok just one more!

Now, even though I really, really want to win the contest.. visit the blog and give some love. Something this special just has to be shared. :)

Have a great day!

tuesday on etsy ...it's fall!

2008-10-07T11:46:00.007-04:00

Another gorgeous fall day! I hope it is for you too, wherever you are. :)

I'm am going to be keeping the fall theme throughout the month; with all the fabulous things Etsians have to offer this should be a piece of cake. ;)

Today I found two of my favorite things while searching 'fall'; gnomes and leaves! Wind Up Bird Studios has these super sweet falling leaves gnome cards:

I love the colors and the play of the light in this illustration. Naturally I was left wanting more and Wind Up Bird provided! Here is another set of playful gnomes!

What is better than two gnomes? Six gnomes! :) There are many more whimsical offerings from Wind Up Bird to tempt and delight. Just say peas!

I ferreted out Wind Up Bird on Flickr for you; no, no, don't thank me. What? Oh, ok, well.. thank me by visiting Wind Up Bird on Etsy and Flickr and share the love!

i'm back and it's monday with etsy!

2008-10-06T14:36:00.008-04:00

Halloo everyone!

After many computer problems I'm finally able to return to my blog. Did you miss me? Of course you did! *wink wink*

I'm so glad it's October. My favorite time of year. The air is finally cooling and, even here, the leaves are starting to change color.

To celebrate my return and the month of October, I'm sharing the love with Alina Hayes Ceramics and this fantastic fallen acorn jar, which I found in my *autumn* search on Etsy.

This jar would be perfect anywhere in my house. I love to surround myself with images of nature. I actually have acorns in a dish along with leaves I picked up off the ground in Muir Woods in northern California. I have been moving those with me for nigh on 15 years now! This acorn jar would be much more practical and far easier to dust! You all know how much I love a container too...oh the possibilities!

Alina also creates fabulous jewelry like these delicate porcelain dangles:

To learn more about Alina, visit her blog. She is also a member of the Etsy Mud Team. Check out Alina Hayes Ceramics and share the love... you will drool when you see these!

I'm so glad to be back. :)

tuesday no etsy!

2008-07-23T09:27:00.000-04:00

I'm having some computer problems and I hope you'll bear with me while I'm off line for a bit.

I hope to have them worked out in the next few days!

Share the love while I'm gone :)

saturday on etsy with plums!

2008-07-19T09:35:00.013-04:00

I love plums, most especially this kind..

...and the firmer the better, because it means they'll be tart. I love a tart plum. Yum!!

So today is about plum on Etsy!

Kit Mit has plum in this super awesome wrist warmer!

The color combo is gorgeous and I especially love the detail. These would be perfect for us here in the south, where it gets chilly enough to want to keep your hands warm, but not so cold that you need a full glove or mitten! Kit Mit also has reversible headbands in funky fun fabrics!

Leaves of Glass is doing plum vintage, with this gorgeous Phenomenon bracelet.

Leave of Glass is also a blog shout out for me, she's been in my reader for quite some time! There is something so alluring about this kind of jewelry. The vintage quality is there sure, but there's something else. I can't really put my finger on it. It's like something from a dream. You can also check out the Leaves of Glass blog.

Art Kitten is doing plum blossoms on this multi-purpose blank book.

Guest book, photo album, journal. Whatever need you have, this book will fill it. Art Kitten will also customize the cover for you! I love hand bound books. I've always been drawn to them and the colors on this book are in right now. Who doesn't love a plum blossom!

Ok, time to share the love :)

friday on etsy with bags and bags

2008-07-18T09:35:00.009-04:00

I love bags. I love containers. I love things in which you can put other things. If I was any more of a pack rat I swear I'd have whiskers! So, I'm always scoping out new things to put my things in.

I also like that we are in the age of the messenger bag, because I love a bag that you wear across your chest instead of just over your shoulder.

So today, a tribute to many kinds of messenger bags.

Mandinka is doing messenger in repurposed fabric, like this Mr. Mooney No1908 bag:

You all know how I feel about repurposing! Great quality suits meet super craftsmanship in this very hip bag. Check out Mandinka's shop, they have all kinds of bags made from all kinds of awesome suits!

Yummy Pancake is doing messenger bag meets breakfast with Mr. Toastee!

This is head explodingly cute! Visit Yummy Pancake's blog for more crochet fun! You can even travel back in time by visitng this post! Whoamg! It's TOAST!

Ella Since OSix is doing messenger retro with vintage fabric, on bags like Vicky!

Ella has the most gorgeous vintage fabrics I've seen in a long time. She's hanging in the Netherlands and selling her fabulous bags in shops throughout the Netherlands, Belgium, and Germany! Check out her website for serious vintage eye candy, several sizes of bags to choose from, and a bit of tapestry too!

Share the love!

thursday on etsy

2008-07-17T09:13:00.008-04:00

Today is a pounce day! I spent quite a lot of time in 'undiscovered' but I found something pretty cool in 'just sold' to share.

Five Trees makes these ring catchers, which is not something I've seen before!

Very clever and a grand choice of colors. Five Trees cites the inspiration for this color combination as the sea coast of Maine. Having been there, I agree 100%! I also love that it wouldn't scratch the top of my dresser. It's perfect for those bits of bling you wear every day.

Now hang on to yourself because she also makes critters like Priscilla.

Does that face not just make your heart melt! Each critter has it's own story too, to help you get to know just who you're adopting! Here's a quote about Priscilla:

As her name might suggest, Priscilla is a wee bit prissy. . . not that she would be happy if you described her that way. She hates dirt and puddles and especially then hates cars or buses that move swiftly while hugging the curb on rainy days, splashing anyone standing within three feet of the edge of the sidewalk. Very bad behavior, indeed.

I love the personalization of these cuddlies and naturally admire the ability to create such cuteness.

That's it for today folks, just the one. Makes it super easy to share the love. ;)

wednesday on etsy

2008-07-16T10:36:00.009-04:00

I love finding things on Etsy that are not what they appear to be at first glance. I came across a photo this morning of a lovely little floral arrangement. When I clicked on the picture itself I discovered that these pretty flowers are doing double duty!

Ya, they're pens!! Really? They don't look like pens!

Potted Pens creates these by hand from silk flowers and decoupages the pots they come in. I love these.. what a great gift! And what a clever crafter. :)

I also found this gorgeous arrangement and thought it was just representative of something made for a bridal bouquet.

Yea, they're clay. Yep. Clay. Look again, can you tell?

Petal By Petal makes these flowers petal by petal out of clay. I cannot even believe these are clay. Petal By Petal does custom work and promises to make your dreams come true! I think she can!

Share the love. :)

tuesday on etsy - wow!

2008-07-15T11:08:00.008-04:00

Today I wanted to wow you all with fabulous Etsy finds that are like no other finds I've shown before. This is tougher than you might think!

So, instead of me scouring Etsy like a detective on the job, I decided to search Etsy with the word "wow". Let's find out together what comes up :)

Kerri Hale caught my eye with these uber fabulous Sea Mist chalcedony earrings!

The color really is a "wow" and her shop is filled with similarly lovely items. Read about Kerry on MySpace and view more photos of her work and Vermont (love it there!) on Flickr. (pssst, check out Blue Pacific too!)

Jeannie Bags has this very cool diaper bag with colors that say wow!

This is on the tip of the iceberg, Jeannie's Bags has super stylish handbags, totes, and even fabric. Check her out!

And finally, Verre Design by Patricia Wood caught my eye with this Wow Necklace colors too!

Verre Design has beautiful jewelry, so check out the shop and also visit the website for in depth info.

So, searching "wow" was not at all what I thought it would be. There were some World of Warcraft items (being that it's called WoW by the masses), dogs, native American items, and some really weird stuff. I love to learn something new every day! :)

Share the love! :D

monday on etsy

2008-07-14T10:12:00.009-04:00

Today's message was brought to you by Kristen Mays!
Please check out Kristen on her blog, where you can see one of the most amazing things.. ever!

sunday on etsy

2008-07-13T09:44:00.011-04:00

I worked with a gal years ago who had a joie de vivre that was really something to be admired. One of the many things I learned from her was to embrace the things I disliked doing by adding a bit of flair to the whole affair. For instance, whenever I do housework I wear a tiara. Really really!

So I'm shouting out to my friend Stacee who has taught me to let out that inner princess/goddess/diva and embrace her at the silliest of times. I hope you'll think about doing the same!

Fairy Couture captures my love of fantasy with this Wings of Flight Fairy Crown.

How could you feel anything but spectacular while wearing this? Naturally it's meant for an occasion, nay an event. But you could wear it anytime, anywhere!

Look at this beautiful Fairy Flower tiara!

To read more about this mother/daughter team visit their website, Fairy Court Creations.

Now if you're looking for something more traditional, then Anca Pe'elma has just what you need; this stunning Marcasite Headpiece.

Or, you can go for a very formal flowered tiara like this one!

For the full low down on Anca Pe'elma designs, visit their website!

No matter what type of tiara you choose or what occasion it's for, you can't help but feel special in something so beautiful.

Share the love with yourself today and embrace the inner beauty of you!

saturday on etsy with hope & charity

2008-07-12T09:59:00.008-04:00

Another Saturday! That makes 10. It's an anniversary of sorts. What I need is a commemorative photo of my blog! Yes!

That makes Hope Studios my first pick, with this hand painted memory frame.

It would be silly to put a photo of my blog in there, but it's fabulous with a face in it! This from Hope Studios;

I create my custom Heartsongs frames from a solid piece of pine. I measure, cut, sand, distress, antique, and hand paint each one. Hangers and dust covers are attached to the back and ribbon photo corners are affixed within the shadowbox. I work in a smoke free, animal free environment. No stencils or stickers are used and color, size, font, and quote are custom.

In addition to the beautifully hand crafted frames, Hope Studios sells Wish necklaces like this Shamrock:

The description of the items is better than anything I could write about it. :) Here's a quote:

Make a wish and tie the necklace around your neck...when the string wears off your wish will come true. Some people call it "the secret", the power of positive thinking can indeed bring good things your way!

Not only do I love the necklace and the idea behind it, but I love the packaging as well. Jennifer at Hope Studios has got it going on!

Jennifer also has a blog, which I visited and got the mother of all flashbacks. She has a song playing when you land on the page which took me back to about 1975 and has left me feeling warm and fuzzy for my childhood. Thanks for that one!! Share the love with this gal, she has got it all and it's packaged beautifully :D

My other pick for today is a Charity pick; Donna Pellegata who creates fArCiCaL fOlK ArT like this Turbulent Tea Tray:

and this Finesse of the Feline Fanny print:

Donna is a member of Etsy For Animals which sells donated items from Etsy sellers and donates the proceeds to various animal charities. In addition to belonging to that Etsy team, Donna also donates a percentage of each of her own sales; each listing specifies the percentage and charity the proceeds will be forwarded to.

You can also visit Donna at her blog and her website.

Talk about sharing the love! Now it's your turn!

friday on etsy with a clickety clack!

2008-07-11T07:28:00.011-04:00

Clickety clack! Growing up we had and old typewriter. It was considered old back then; you couldn't even plug it in! Oh the horror!! It looked just like this one (though we had the green model).

My brother has spent money over the years to have it refurbished. Probably good that it didn't go to me after we grew up. Can you imagine ever using something so archaic? lol.

What I love about vintage typewriters is what people are doing with them now.

Rockwell 23 has The Urge To Adorn, and they do it well with this no glue bracelet:

This from their website...

By using our own custom findings that are securely fastened directly to the keys, you are guaranteed a very durable, clean-looking and high quality bracelet that we're sure will make a great conversation piece.

Visit What's Your Type? for more information about their jewelry. They do custom orders as well!

Keys and Memories is using keys for earrings and even cufflinks!

Now guys can take the homemade pledge and be trendy too! ;)

Luna Clay Designs is making these lovelies;

which have a perfect air of romance and mystery and a Fae quality. I love it! You can visit Luna Clay at their website, see their photos on Flickr, and at Domino Effect here on Etsy, where Diana sells game piece art!

I love clever crafty people who can see an old typewriter and think, "accessories!"

Share the love! :D

thursday on etsy

2008-07-10T10:09:00.007-04:00

There is an image in my head of a kitchen. It's not my kitchen; mine is actually not considered a kitchen. It's sort of tucked into a corner and trying to be a kitchen. It fails most of the time.

I remember my Aunt Roses kitchen. What Sicilian doesn't have an Aunt Rose? :) She had a gorgeous sapphire blue Italian tile floor. They were small ones, maybe 3 inch square. And she had pipes running through underneath so the tiles were never cold in the winter. My Aunt Rose was one super classy lady, and she had an eye for style and flawless taste. She died last year and I've been missing her a lot lately. So, today I'm thinking of her, and I'm sharing a few things that I know she would have loved to have in her kitchen.

The first shop to catch my eye is Miss Natalie. She has this beautiful tea towel!

This is just the kind of thing I would have found in Roses kitchen, neatly folded over the oven handle. Not only do I love the tea towel, I love the composition of her photo... it's a lovely still life.

Natalie is very talented and has an array of items in her shop. You can also visit her at her blog or her website.

Then there's Blue Sky Potter y and this hand made french butter keeper.

This is the kind of thing Aunt Rose would have on her counter, tucked into a little corner, but very much well loved and well used.

Deb makes awesome pottery and features everything you could possibly need for your kitchen. She even has a jewelry section!!

Last I found Revo, Revolutionary Design Studio. He has the most flawless blown glass pear I've ever seen. Look!

This beautiful glass pear would have been in her kitchen window, which looked out over her back yard. I can only imagine how lovely the sun would look shining in through this sculpture.

Anthony's work can be seen in over a hundred galleries nationwide. You can visit his website for more information on his art.

Well, those are my pics for today and I hope you enjoyed them. Now go share the love! :D

wednesday on etsy

2008-07-09T10:34:00.012-04:00

Happy hump day everyone! We've made it halfway through the week! Is that cause to celebrate? Perhaps! We're alive and breathing, and that's always a happy thing. :)

On to today's fabulous finds!

Oktak Designs makes handbags and pouches. Here's a bright and cheery frame pouch.

I love the colors in this one and I love a frame pouch. Oktak makes them in sizes ranging from small to extra large, and even has eye glass pouches! See?

I would be so hip with this pouch, that it would be considered advanced hip! Oh! And check out this super market tot e!

You can also visit Aki at the Oktak website, and on flickr.

Rocklen Designs makes super cool wire jewelry. I love these Stormy Wave earrings.

And I also love this Amber Chain necklace!

Having worked wire with a jig, I know how difficult it can be. However, the jewelry at Rocklen is not made using a jig, it's done by hand! Look!

I bow down to this wire working artisan.

That's it for today. I hope you enjoyed the picks and will share the love with these very talented people!

tuesday on etsy without ads!

2008-07-08T10:03:00.011-04:00

Last night I was Stumbling around the internet and came across a site called Browser Shots. It lets you take a snap shot of any website you want and it shows you what it looks like in like a gazillion browsers. I only use Firefox and so was intrigued to see what Grandia looked like to other people. Well, it's a good darn thing I did! I had absolutely no idea that my title bar had a block for ads in it, nor did I realize there were ads below the title bar! (Hip hip huzzah for adblock)

I know it must seem weird that I don't want ads on my blog. Everyone's doing it, everyone wants to make money. This site, however, is about featuring Etsians and their hand crafted items, not some random google silliness. That's for some other site!

So we are now ad free here at Grandia Road! YAY!!

On with the shout outs!

Junque Revival has amazing found object art, like the Yellow Sands

and Wicked Creature

You can visit Jessica at her blog Sweetpeas.

Battlemaiden Studio has beautiful watercolor artwork. I just love the fantasy genre. My favorite is Faerie of Autumn

There are also beautiful zodiac related items, like Leo the Lion.

You can visit Valerie at the Battlemaiden Studio Blog , where you can also learn about all the other places she lives on the web!

Imogene And Annie has lovely nouveau jewelry like these earrings.

This Tree is my favorite.

Imogene and Annie also has a shop called Vintage Bead Boutique , which I just go nuts over! And visit Annie's blog, Imogene.

Jellybeans! This art is so pretty in it's simplicity. (Which does not necessarily mean easy!) I love Pink Inspiration.

And I also love Apple Tree.

You can visit Angie at her JellyBeans Art blog or at her online portfolio.

Go and share the love today! :D

monday on etsy - it's oh so sweet!

2008-07-07T09:44:00.021-04:00

Yesterday I promised more shout outs for the very talented and creative people whose blogs I read. However, I found an Etsy seller that is just too fabulous that I didn't want her to share the spotlight. I'll return to the blog shout outs tomorrow. I hope you don't mind!

Betz White is a recent addition to my reader and I'm so glad I found her!! I'm blown away by how crazy talented she is!! She has been seen on the Martha Stewart Show. Yes, Martha Stewart!!

First check out these gorgeous creations!

Green, Pink and Lilac Pincushion:

Amazing, isn't it? It gets better with Cup O Joe!

So completely awesome that it's like you can't just have one. You must have at least two, maybe three! Because they look all the more gorgeous in groups. You don't even have to sew to own them. Yep they're pincushions but they don't have to be just pincushions. You can have them on a plate set out when company comes over. You can create a little vignette to catch the eye, you can use them in your kitchen to inspire, in your dining room as a centerpiece. See? You have to have more than one!

Now here's even more amazingness. (no, not really a word but this is my blog, so I get to do that. lol) Betz has a book, yes! a book!, where she shares 30 Sweet Felted Projects. Yep, 30 projects. What more could you ask for?!

Talk about eye candy:

Here's a description of the book, from Betz herself:

"Warm Fuzzies is filled with techniques, tips and patterns for creating over 30 cute and colorful felted items made from cast-away sweaters, including cozy pillows and throws as well as comfortable hats, scarves, pincushions and handbags.

The best thing about these projects is how easy they are to make...and there's no knitting involved! Simply throw old wool sweaters into the wash to make fabulous felted material, then cut the pieces apart and use them to make felted goodies. Start with the sweet Cupcake Pincushion--they're so easy, and super cute!"

If you purchase her book from Etsy she will autograph it for you! Go buy your copy right now and then come back. I can wait! :)

Now, tell me, how awesome is it that you can make these delicious bits of eye candy without knitting? I don't know about you but I, for one, am completely excited about that. I can't knit. At all. I can barely crochet. But these darling cupcakes don't require either talent and that's just aces with me.

So, where can you visit Betz White besides her Etsy shop? Well, let me tell ya!

You can check out her website, her blog, and the Warm Fuzzies Flickr group. Her blog features over a dozen tutorials from felting projects to making a cake stand from repurposed dishes!

Ok, just one more photo to take you out...

Hm. I don't know about you, I gotta go find some chocolate.

I hope you'll head on over and check out all the wonderfulness that is Betz White and share the love with her.

sunday on etsy shout outs

2008-07-06T10:35:00.016-04:00

I'm so glad it's Sunday. This weekend was something else.

Friday night I was attempting to hack a rubber band off a broccoli stalk and wound up hacking a 2 inch long, 1 & 1/2 inch deep gash into my hand. After I did it I said "Oh, well, CRAP!" I ran right for the sink. Why? I dunno. Seemed like a good idea at the time. Except that we have really yucko water and it generally smells like a swimming pool. Major burn! Burries (The Husband) asked to see it. Apparently he is an expert in determining if one needs stitches or not. When I showed him my hand and I saw how deep it was I nearly fainted right there.

M in Law rushed over to take Milo to her house for dinner and I went to the ER to get stitches for the first time in my life. Yes. I managed to reach the ripe age of 40 without a single stitch!! Now I have three and I feel I have hit some kind of milestone. The Doc was cool and said I'd love his stitches so much I'd want to come back for more. Uhhhhhh no.

I didn't manage to get much sympathy out of Burries for all the stitches and trauma I had to endure leaving the house, being at the ER, having a tetnus shot, (yea, for those of you who don't remember getting a booster in the past 10 years.. they fill that syringe up nice and FULL and then shoot it into your flesh, where there isn't any room for all of it! OW!) and getting three painful stitches in which I could feel the needle going in and out and pulling the sutures right on through. FUN! But no sympathy. Not a bit. I shouldn't have been such a trouper about it ;)

So on to Etsy!

Today I wanted to give shout outs to some very talented people on Etsy whose blogs I follow. Some you'll have seen before on here, some maybe not! The purpose is to share the love with those who share themselves with the world. :)

In no particular order...

Moonbeam Arts has this beautiful Sun and Moon Card set.

You can visit Kerry at Chasing Moonbeams.

Mossy Owls has the most delicious beads I've ever seen starting with this Fairy Princess Cupcake.

And this Ice Cream Sandwich!

You can visit Michael at Mossy Owls for adventures and information on polymer clay, or at Odds and Ends where she shares a more personal side.

Once Upon The End has awesome paper products, like this Thank Ewe card.

And this fabulous School Paper Bag Album. (which I would love to have for Milo's first year at school!! Hmmmmm.....)

You can visit Cheryl at Once Upon The End. She's got the paper market cornered for sure.

Polka Dot Creations has lovely polymer clay buttons and has just started carrying bags like this Button Embellished Handbag.

And these gorgeous buttons

Visit Lisa at Polka Dot Creations. She does amazing things with fabric and clay!

Today I plan on going through the almost 200 blogs listed in my reader so I will have more to share tomorrow! :D

saturday on etsy with a basket case

2008-07-05T08:21:00.010-04:00

aI bet you think that title refers to me, doncha? Well, maybe it does! :D

Yesterday was super cleaning day at my house. You know the kind of day; the one where you move furniture and actually vacuum under rugs. I hate clean up day. Especially that kind. I much prefer to go around the house and rearrange the furniture or the decor. I was wishing most earnestly that we had more baskets to put things in.

I grew up with baskets of every kind all over the house. I miss them. I only have three. I love them dearly, but there's only three. That's SOO not enough!! I wonder does anyone actually make baskets anymore?

Lucky for me that question was answered on Etsy :D Gotta love it!

Hands To Work is a mom and daughter team that love working with their hands.

Country Living Basket

Great for kids toys, pet toys, or even a small waste basket! Versatility is one of the things I love best about baskets.

This mother/daughter team has been making baskets for over twenty-five years and focuses heavily on the Shaker influence. In fact, Hands to Work is part of the Shaker maxim that exemplifies the work ethic of the Shakers. The Shaker style is simple, durable, and functional.
All of this is evident in the quality of workmanship in this shop.

Also available, Nantucket baskets.

Next I found Timarie at Fallen Tree Baskets. Timarie uses a combination of gourds and pine needles to create these lovely containers.

All the materials used to her gourd baskets and containers are harvested locally in California. She has also got luminaries for sale which are just totally cool in the dark. They look like this during the day:

and this in the evening. You're going to have to click over to see it! I'm evil, aren't I. lol.

So, to sum up, basket weaving remains alive and well. I wonder if it's something you can learn on your own or it you have to take a class. Hm! Yet another craft I want to try. At least now I have an appreciation for the cost of these types of baskets when I see them out.

Share the love!

friday on etsy

2008-07-04T00:17:00.001-04:00

After yesterday's weirdness (heh) I am once again returning to Undiscovered for my finds today.
I really would love to have my blog (at least once) help someone get their first sale. I think that would be just too cool. :D

So, today, for Friday, bright and cheerful and one tribute to America to get us all started :D

To show my love for my country, I picked this item from Jo Chris 12. It's simple and tasteful and gets the message across. I also think it's something you can wear all year 'round, not just on the holiday!

And on to the Undiscovered's for today...

Thingyworks! Bright and cheerful designs straight from Budapest!

Watermelon Necklace

Orange Op Art

ThingyWorks was featured in a The Storque, Spotlight "Best of the Week" in June! Check out her shop. It's filled with color and Thingies ;)

Julie Suzanne has light hearted and brilliantly colored original art.

Three Reasons

Soft and Blue

You can visit Jule Suzanne at her blog where she is 'recapturing creativity'!

Happy 4th of July to you all!

thursday on etsy - Weird!!

2008-07-03T09:44:00.001-04:00

I'm doing it! I'm braving the 'everything else: weird' category. Just for you. Right now. Apparently 'weird' can mean many things on Etsy from "That's actually not weird" to "Omg, my eyes!!"

Which do you think I'm going to show you? (My heart says the "OMG!", but I do want people to come back and visit!)

Here are some not weird items from Etsy.

Starry Eyed Studios, home of Alesha Davies Fowlie. How are these bird magnets weird?

They're beautiful. I love watercolor paintings.

Here's some Seaside magnets:

Alesha has a lovely shop filled with her original artwork on magnets and pendants as well. Check out her blog too! Weird? Hardly.

Jacqueline Knits, selling hand knit tea bag totes and fruit jackets. Have a peek:

These jackets keep your fruit from getting bruised. I bet they look lovely in a big fruit bowl too. All your fruit wrapped up warm and snuggly and looking stylish. This is not weird either. I think it's clever. Since Jacqueline has over a thousand sales (!!) I gather other people agree with me. She's got beautiful bright colors too. Clever! Not weird.

How about a Travel Sewing Kit?

The second items listed for both Etsy sellers are not listed under weird. I just wanted to show you a second picture. :)

But having said that I'm tapped out. lol. The majority of the items I found in weird consist of metaphysical items. That's not weird, just different. But believe me when I say there is plenty of weird for sale on Etsy. If you're looking for it.

Share the love!

wednesday on etsy

2008-07-01T23:38:00.010-04:00

Have I told you that I own a life-sized fake raven? Emphasis on fake. It was not ever a real bird. *huzz!* I aptly named him Poe when I was much younger and given to being prosaic. Regardless of his name, he is perched in Milo's play room right now and the cats love to have a sniff every once in a while.

That leads me to my pick for today. I just love a black bird. From a grackle to a crow to a raven to an actual blackbird. Look what I found in 'undiscovered' today.

Bird and Moon Studio has a bird sculpture Napoleon style!

Tere has a studio and is a professional fine art artist. Doesn't that sound awesome? I'm sure it's a lot of hard work, but I'm guessing there's a whole lotta love for it. You can also check out her new blog. I dig this bird's hat. He is stylin'!

I also love a chickadee. I found this one at Kristen K. Swanson's shop.

Chickadees remind me of my home in NY and more specifically my mom. My mom was a bird fanatic and had all manner of bird feeders. Of course we lived in the burbs in Westchester and had plenty of woods surrounding us. Birds a plenty there were. Chickadees always stood out to me for some reason, perhaps because they were always prevalent in the winter and I thought of them as Christmas birds.

Kristen certainly does a wonderful job of representing them in her hand-painted, wheel thrown porcelain cup. If you're curious about what kind of work environment an educator and artisan such as Kristen has, visit her blog and marvel at it, like I did!

My last pick is from Bailey Doesn't Bark. Good dog! :o) This series is called Look Up Sometimes.

These vintage plates are hand painted with non-toxic paint. Aren't they lovely? The design of the plate itself becomes a frame for the artwork. I'd be looking up all the time if these were on my wall. Re Jin Lee's work can also be seen on this website.

Birds a plenty today and much love for original artwork.

Don't forget to give David's Knits a visit.. he is still waiting for that first sale!

Share the love :D

tuesday on etsy

2008-07-01T10:50:00.008-04:00

Ok. I am putting out a call to arms! Or necks as it were.

Every day when I pounce through undiscovered I come across someone that I blogged about on June 6. He's still undiscovered and every time I see him in the pounce list it just frustrates me to no end!

So! I'm making it my goal today to get this man a sale!

Check out David's Knits. He's having a sale and you can save $10 off any scarf in his shop. I know how exciting the first sale is! If I didn't live in the south and actually ever left my house I would buy one. Really really.

He is knitting his heart out! See?

Cherries Jubilee!

Gorgeous shades of cherry from the deep burgundy of a bing cherry to the bright pink of the cherry blossoms!

Mother/Daughter Perriwinkle Set!

I love the idea of the matching set for mom's and kids and I love that he's started adding bead embellishments! I also love the color. Imagine how soft this scarf must be. It would be like wearing a little bit of the sky!

And my personal favorite La Boheme!

I love the combination of brown and pink and it is so well blended in this scarf with soft taupe and a touch of charcoal. I really really love this scarf!!

He keeps on knitting and has doubled the amount of items in his shop since I last blogged about him and every single item is just flawlessly made. Fall is coming! Share the love with David!! It would be entirely awesome if you all would mention him in your blogs this week to try to help him get a sale. Let's do it! :D

Share the love!

monday on etsy

2008-06-30T10:49:00.007-04:00

Show of hands if you're bumming it's Monday. *raises hand*

Monday is icky but let's make lemons out of it by checking out what's undiscovered on Etsy.
Man I think I have carpal tunnel from pouncing through Undiscovered. I have some things to say about the Undiscovered, but that's a topic for another day and another place.

I found some sweet little treasures at Flutterbudget. I fully believe that Shannon is undiscovered only because a lot of people don't have the patience to search through Etsy like I do. Let's expose this shop with it's super cool & cute jewelry! To that end, I am only featuring Shannon today.

She has a wonderful sense of color and design, which I'm sure comes from her background in Art History and fashion merchandising! She is also a button lover. So am I, though it's a collection I have yet to start!

Enough of my chitchat! Here's the pics!

Turquoise and grey flower necklace:

Hairpins!

A ring!

And my personal fav of Indigo and Pearl:

So pretty and cool too! I love repurposing!

Visit Shannon and be her first sale! Imagine how exciting that would be for her! We all remember our first sale and how reaffirming it is. :)

Share the love! :D

sunday on etsy

2008-06-29T07:40:00.009-04:00

Well! Here I am at practically the bum crack of dawn, tossing back coffee like a kid with a pixie stix. The Husband (hereafter referred to as "Burries") wanted to sleep in this morning and I, being the good soul I am, said I was heartily up to the challenge. Ha!

One thing I have already learned on this rainy Sunday morning is to stay the hell out of the 'everything else: weird' category on Etsy before I've had my second cup of coffee. Don't believe me? Go see for yourself. Not that there's anything wrong with it. That category just requires a fully functioning brain.

So, with full-on bed head and coffee cup in hand I attempt to ignore the plaintive meows from our cat Chigger and find myself typing meow into the search box on Etsy. Inspiration? Intervention from the Universe itself? Nah, I'm just not awake yet! ;)

'Meow' returned 511 items. The first to catch my eye is from Karin Grow. The Retro Kitty print is my fav!

I am so in love with this style. It would match my house purrfectly! Yes, I really did type that. *Goes to get more coffee* There's a lot of wonderful artwork and kitsch in Karin's shop so I hope you'll stop by there and check it out.

I also found a retro kitty at So Charmed, which has handmade jewelry for "Punks, Pirates, and Princesses". What's New Pussycat? is my favorite by far, but she's got a lot of really cool designs.

This particular item comes with a very interesting story, so check out the listing to find out a bit of trivia about the movie industry! Really really. You can also visit So Charmed's Website for more info.

My last pick for today is yet another retro kitty (just love 'em!) from Kimazier. These Sassy Kitty earrings are just to die for.

Kim is influenced by the Saturday morning cartoons she saw as a kid livin' in Jersey. Now she's in Seattle and living her dream. You can visit her website to read more about her and find out what other cool things she does! I totally see the influence from the 70's cartoons. These kitties in particular make me wistful for my childhood. :)

Don't forget to share the love.

saturday on etsy

2008-06-28T09:58:00.008-04:00

Another beautiful day here in the south. I hope you have lovely weather where you are and that your weekend is beyond fantastic!

My earliest entrance into the 'I love eye candy' club was a subscription I had to Victoria magazine. There is something about that magazine that is just so appealing. I could never actually see myself wearing the clothes they show or even decorating in quite that style, but there's something. I used to make envelopes from the pages and send letters to friends. I also cut the pages down and made funky origami with them.

Searching 'Victorian' brought me over 11,000 results! For being over a hundred years old the style and essence of the Victorian era is still very much present.

My only pick for today is Shy Siren. I do not know how I have not ever seen her shop before today. Her jewelry is so incredibly beautiful that I am completely jealous of every single one of her creations. Really really. Not only do I wish I owned all of her pieces, but I wish I made them.
Look how lovely...

Here is another...

Victorian and stunning and fabulous. I wish I knew where she got her supplies from. *scheming in my head about how to find out* Seriously though, I don't know what I'm doing wrong but I aim to find out and correct it.

And just when I began to feel like I might never ever make jewelry as beautiful as hers, I read her shop announcement. Whoamg, she wrote a book! It's called "Perfect Match: Earring Designs For Every Occasion" and you can buy it on Amazon. Seriously! Amazon. Well no wonder. Now I don't feel quite so bad. This gal is professional! Visit her Perfect Match website for more information about the book. Here is a snippet from her profile:

"I design & hand-craft each and every piece with consideration and deliberation of the materials, textures, colors, and the way light reflects or passes through each. All pieces have their own unique design sensibility and are often one-of-a-kind. Lots of LOVE goes into each design!"

Yet another artisan that I admire and strive to be like. She puts love into her designs and it shows in each and every single piece. I can feel that love all the way over here! Can't you? You can see more of her jewelry in her Etsy shop and you can visit her at her website. Please go see her. Please share the love.

I am trying to figure out how to buy her book without The Husband noticing yet another craft related purchase. Wish me all kinds of luck, I am sooo gonna need it!

Oh, ok.. just one more picture! (I can't help myself!!!)

Visit Sara at Shy Siren. I cannot say enough wonderful things about her shop and her website and her beautiful craftsmanship.

friday on etsy with stars

2008-06-27T10:30:00.007-04:00

Yesterday I made a photo mosaic meme on 17 Grandia. I followed the instructions and was completely surprised (and delighted too!) by the photos that my search words returned. Some are obvious, but some are not. I love that a picture can be many things to many people. :)

Inspired by that photo mosaic, I decided to search Etsy today using three of the questions from that meme. Working backwards, I chose Starr first. That's two R's, which pretty much cut out all sorts of 'star' things. My search returned just 62 items. Let's get to picking, shall we?

My first pick is from The House of Mouse. Oh my, the cuteness that abides in this shop is unreal!!
Here are the Beatles Mice.

Anna has mice from all walks of life from Beatles to zombies! She will take commissions as well, so you can personalize your mouse. Amazing detail in something so small! The Kid and I want to own them all! Check out House of Mouse, it is guaranteed to make you smile :D

Next I searched the answer to question 11, which was 'sad', because I was feeling a little blue last night. 'Sad' returned 3445 items. Hmm. My favorite item is the Queen of Sorrow from Anne Julie.

I love Anne Julie's shop and her work and I have been a fan for a long time. She is a well established artist. You can visit her at her website or her blog and naturally her Etsy shop! I like her artwork because it is filled with emotion. It isn't just painted figures; each and every one of her pieces says something. So get on over there and share some love for a talented artist :D

Last I answered the question of 'who do I love most' in the world. This was a tough question for me since I am married to a wonderful man and have a beautiful daughter. I wound up picking my husband only because I've loved him longer. :) To preserve anonymity I searched 'husband' and got 325 items.

I chose a kitschy and fun item from Sweetheart Sinner Creations. This photo really cracked me up. I hope it makes you giggle too!

I'm still giggling! To learn more about Sweetheart visit her page at IndiePublic. Her shop is full of awesome items from Goth to Victorian and there is something for everyone there!

So those are my picks for today, following the meme theme and answering some personal questions. I hope you enjoyed the departure!

Share the love :D

thursday on etsy for summer

2008-06-26T08:45:00.011-04:00

With summer in full swing, I wanted to see what items Etsians were tagging as 'summer'. While looking through the gallery in my usual random way, I realized that I tend to set the search by 'price low to high'. I do this mainly for my own benefit; if I see something I can't live without I want to be able to indulge in that spur of the moment purchase.

But in doing this I have neglected an entire section of Etsy filled with amazing talent and vision. So today is all about the 'price high to low'.

Gemella Artisan Jewelry is the first shop to catch my attention. After reading her bio and looking at all of the items in her shop, I feel almost as if I'm playing at making jewelry. There is just no comparison. It is no wonder her jewelry has been featured in galleries! Yes, galleries. Read her profile for all the juicy tidbits! The Summery Gemmy necklace is my favorite:

This necklace is so incredibly beautiful that I need to show you two pics.

This eye candy is so wonderous that it's actually advanced eye candy. Romantic, feminine, playful and flirty. This design has it all. I am actually going to cry a little bit that it can't be mine.
Please view Gemella's shop. I now have found the level of quality to strive for in my own work.

I would be remiss if I didn't find a dress to wear with this jewelry. We must complete the dream! That brings me to Astoria Designs. Tabitha has been in the business for over 20 years, and every bit of that experience shows in this Summer dress:

How beautiful would you feel in this dress? I know that I would feel like a princess in a lovely, hazy, summery dream that I wouldn't want to wake up from! Tabitha also does some custom work too!

Ok to complete the ensemble, I found this fabulous silk purse at Bobbi Jordan.

You can visit Bobbi Jordan's blog to see what movie star and famous writer own a bag designed by M. a. D. You can view more M.a.D. handbags here. Bobbi's shop is filled with gorgeous jewelry as well. You can also request custom handbags!

You're on your own for shoes; in my dream I'm barefoot! I think these three items are just so gorgeous and I think they go together beautifully. But I'm not exactly an expert in fashion design. Hey, at least I didn't pair it up with a red sequin bag and a beret! lol.

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wednesday on etsy with patterns

2008-06-25T10:21:00.013-04:00

Happy hump day! Yesterday I tried my hand at crocheting and felting. Hop over to 17 Grandia to read that exciting blog entry! Part of my foray into that activity included my need to learn to crochet a round. That then led me to find instructions. Ha. Well. I am befuddled by instructions for crocheting. And don't get me started on knitting. I don't know how people do it. The M in Law tried to teach me to knit and I nearly poked my own eye out.

So today I am going to give a shout of for the folks that can not only follow a pattern, but those who actually create patterns. My mind boggles. Seriously.

The first great find is Ele at Nutella Dreams. While reading her shop announcement I was pretty sure I was detecting 'New York'. (If you're born and raised in NY you kind of develop a NY'ker radar) Sure enough popping over to her profile proved me right! So not only do I get to show you some super cool patterns, I get to give a shout out to a NY'ker. :D

My favorite Ele creation is the Newsboy Hat:

Love the color, love the groovy button. Love that she created this pattern! Hate that I can't follow a pattern! Grrr! Visit her and check out her other offerings. She's got hats a plenty and even a cheeseburger!

I next found Mel at Forever T and M. She's got patterns for the most adorable dolls! I was hard pressed to pick just one, but I finally decided on Tammy the bunny:

I love this bunny. Look at the detail that went into making this pattern. She's wearing a tiny flower bracelet! Mel is amazed that yarn and a hook can create these little gems. I am too! But more amazed that she created the pattern for it. Check out her shop, it's full of adorable things that you will want to make!

My last choice for today is Knit Art by Grace. I chose her specifically because she states in her profile:

"Helping a new crafter/beginner with a "simple & easy" patterns is my passion. I love what I do. Hope you'll enjoy my tutorial."

I love that she keeps it simple and easy. I fell in love with the Lazy Days bag, which says Easy right in the title!

Not only do I love the bag, I love the colors. I'm also wondering if it might just not be easy enough for me to follow. Check out her shop for both crochet and knit patterns, as well as some finished products.

I envy each and every one of these talented women who can conceive of something and turn it into a pattern for others to follow.

Please note that unless otherwise specified, patterns you purchase on Etsy are for personal use. The patterns cannot be resold nor can you sell the finished products.

Share the love :D

**** Update!

Ele at at thnkdfrent/Nutella Dreams shared some love with me and sent me free patterns for the Newsboy Hat. I can attest to the fact that she is a super gal and her patterns are awesome. Keep watch on 17 Grandia for photos of the hat I make! The Kid is gonna be styling! :D Super thanks to Ele!

tuesday on etsy with aprons

2008-06-24T11:46:00.010-04:00

Aprons. Do you remember a time when it was practically unheard of to not wear an apron? My mom didn't wear aprons, unless it was Thanksgiving and then only because she made us matching Colonial outfits. (I know!) But I grew up watching I Love Lucy (didn't we all?) and even now I still catch an episode here and there, and I wonder how much of what she wore reflected the actual average person. Did women dress like that all the time? Did they put on their aprons in the morning when making breakfast? Did they make breakfast all dressed and pretty?

I don't know about you, but half the time I shuffle out of the bedroom with bed head in search of a cup of coffee. I think maybe that's why I like to think that back 'in the day' women were much classier and took care of their appearance all the time and wore aprons that made them look so feminine and beautiful and strong and not at all subservient.

So today is about aprons, and a tribute to women of simpler times who I really wish in my heart were as lovely as they seemed.

Chic to Chic (fab name!) is making aprons fun and flirty. She says so right in her shop announcement, and I believe her. Check this out.. she calls it Tangerine Dream.

I love the vintage style fabric and the colors. Each of her aprons is named after a film, which hopefully inspires you to spend time with family and friends.

Sue at Giabella Designs finds time between work and being a mom to make these lovely aprons. The Park Slope vintage style apron is my favorite. I love the color combination, and the panel in the center really pops!

Lastly, Indulge.. in something Chic is trying to bring out the domestic goddess in us all, and with aprons like these she just may do it. I particularly like this French Chef's apron because it's child-sized!

My daughter has an apron and chef's hat but they're pretty plain fare compared to this. I love the French style and all the details. She also has them in matching adult sizes. How cute is that?

With the Indie scene being what it is today and with a refocus on hand crafting I hope we can all being to appreciate once again the simpler life; the quiet moments where we find quality matters, and that making things with your own hands gives you a sense of pride and accomplishment.

I know I love that silly Frankendog no matter how dumb he looks! :D
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monday on etsy - who? who!

2008-06-23T09:43:00.008-04:00

I feel wiser today for my foray in sock animals over the weekend. I made a total of 4. You can view three of them at 17 Grandia, along with the top 10 things I learned while making them.

Being a bit wiser I thought, why not feature owls today? Owls it is! I found some amazing ones. I hope you'll love them as much as I do!

First is Bay Moon Studio. I purchased some scrabble tile pendants from Sue and she does a tremendous job. I just love the three I purchased, so here's a shout out for her and a wise old owl for you:

You know, I am wishing I had bought this one too! Ha! What else is new? ;)

The next owl is from BoyGirlParty who has an amazing store on Etsy and a fabulous website as well.

Susie Ghahremani graduated from the Rhode Island School of Design and I think her artwork is filled with an aura of childlike wonderment. Which, as it turns out, is exactly what she strives for. Freaky that I thought that and found that exact phrase in her profile! Really really! In fact, she describes it in the name of her shop as well. Here's a snippet about that:

"What's a "boygirlparty", you ask? It's the first party you go to as a kid that has boys and girls at the party, it's strange and new and exciting and full of childhood wonderment. It's also my pseudonym as I hope my artwork expresses those same sentiments!"

I love her owls, and in fact, everything in her shop! Oh for a million dollars...

In the spirit of children and as an extra left over from my toy making weekend, the third owl is a Lil' Hoot from Manic Muffin Totes.

Manic Muffin does all her quilting by hand, and if you can believe it, in 12 stitches per inch. I don't know about you, but I think that's a lot of tiny stitches! She must have eyes like a hawk to see them! The M-in-law quilts and I can tell you, that's seriously professional quality. Not to mention beautiful.

The last owl comes from Wyanne Thompson. She is a mixed media artist and jewelry designer. You can also visit her website or her blog. Or both! She has many fabulous things in her shop but this Funky Little Owl In A Tree Giclee print just captured me.

I love the colors and the delicate spirals the best. Wyanne has an amazing story and I hope you'll visit her shop and website and spend time getting to know her. She is having a summer contest as well, which you can read about in her shop profile. Wouldn't you love to win a custom original painting by Wyanne?! Go on now, run.. don't walk :)

Thanks for visiting with me today and checking out the owls I spied on Etsy. Have a great Monday!

sunday on etsy with a ninja (really!)

2008-06-22T11:08:00.013-04:00

I spent yesterday and most of (Friday too) working out how to make a sock animal. I got a book from the library called Sock and Glove. It seemed pretty easy; the book had pictures to follow. How much easier can it get?

Well, I'm not a good sewer. Not even by a little bit. I want to sew. I want to have beautiful seams. I wanted to have a sock dog that would be the envy of sock dogs everywhere! What I got, is Frankendog. (Now to be fair, I took him apart and put him back together again. He originally had an X for one eye and his body was extremely long and gangly. He also had a crooked head and (since I was making him from a pair of used socks) a mangy quality to his ears. So here he is; Frankendog.

I will be posting on 17 Grandia Road later today the travesty of sock kitty and sock bunny.

Now lets get down to someone who can actually do this properly. Uppity Woman! Well more properly, Uppity Woman Designs.

First, Rosie:

Frankendog is staring at me right now. I think he feels betrayed. But look at Rosie. How adorable and cute is she? Look at that face! And that little red flower she wears makes her look quite jaunty. Maybe Frankendog wants a date?

Then there's Starr:

I would still find this dog just as cute even if we didn't share a name. Look at how well she stands up!

Ah well. I promised you a Ninja too, didn't I? Here he is:

This little guy is super clever and totally awesome for being kinda geeky and dashing at the same time!

This is the quality I am striving for. I don't know that I want to sell sock animals, I think I just want to be able to be proud that I was able to make a high quality sock dog. Don't get me wrong. I love Frankendog because he was my very first attempt. And while he has already changed once, I may even change his eyes again; he looks kinda girly.

So how do you hide the seams on the legs and head? This is one of those "I've been sewing for a dog's age (no pun intended) and it's one of those things you just pick up along the way" isn't it. *sigh* Research and the internet is my friend and I will, by dog, find out!!

Uppity Woman's got it goin' on. She is my sock animal hero! And she can be yours too. Go visit her shop. Adopt a sock animal. She has got the most lovely little critters. If I had a million dollars (oo, Bare Naked Ladies sang a song about that!) I'd own every single one of them!
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As an aside, I received an Adopt-A-Gnome in the mail yesterday as a thank you from Cheryl at Once Upon The End! I can't believe it! I am now the proud parent of Gilbert. He grows award winning radishes, loves to knit, and is only 108 years old. That's quite young for a gnome you know! Here's his picture!

Isn't he cute!?! Thank you so much Cheryl. I am so proud!

saturday on etsy with fairies!

2008-06-21T11:57:00.008-04:00

By now it's probably obvious that I love fantasy. I especially love gnomes, but I also love fairies. While searching fairies I came across someone who is still undiscovered (unbelievably!) and I just had to feature Katy from Winsome Hollow. Ok, right to the eye candy!

Etsy: Your place to buy & sell all things handmade
winsomehollow.etsy.com

Needle felting to me is so wispy and magical, especially when it's little wee folk like these. Katy is a super talented wool artisan. Here is a snippet from her profile:

"I strive to create heirloom quality pieces which may be passed down through the years. I love the idea of creating original, one of a kind works which are equally durable, strong, and yet soft to the touch. This strength of construction and all natural material allows people to enjoy distinctive pieces of art..."

She is also a proud member of the Brooklyn Craft Collective. Katy is also able to translate that magical feeling into her felted and fabric clutches. These would be perfect for keeping your felted treasures in, because once you buy them you know you'll be taking them everywhere to show them off!

So, why not be among the first to own one of these amazing pieces of art? You can always say, "Oh yes, Winsome Hollow! I was one of the first to own one. Pity you didn't get one of her earlier works!"

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award

2008-06-19T12:55:00.006-04:00

We interrupt our regularly scheduled feature to present an award I received from Erin at Jewellery by Erin! She is a rockin' chick who has awesome talent! Thank you so much Erin! I'm orbiting the moon over this one :D

To follow her example, I am in turn bestowing this award to 5 people. This is awesome fun!

Lisa Clark at Polka Dot Creations because I have never seen anyone repurpose fabric the way she does. She sews up something fabulous every time, and probably has the best skirt collection in the entire world! And she does amazing things with polymer clay with a talent I can only dream about.

Mary at South End Blend because her site is always filled with eye candy a plenty, from peonies to linen napkins to ribbon or even a peach. It's always mouthwatering at Mary's. I love to read about her life and see her creativity. She inspires me with every visit to her blog.

Ree at The Pioneer Woman because she can blog like no one I've ever seen. She has got it all from awesome kids, to The Marlboro Man, to a home on the range and still has time to blog, do give aways, share stories of her life and times, and my god.. just go look at her website. If you haven't been, you will not believe it! She is my blogging hero.

Heather at Oh My Stinkin' Heck because she makes me think and she makes me laugh. Her blog is one that I would probably be called a "lurker" on since I don't often comment. But I do visit all the time and I enjoy every minute I'm there.

Cheryl at Once Upon The End because once I visited doing my gnome blog, I could not stop staring at her blog. She makes the most beautiful things! She has since sold the gnome journal and I have mixed feelings about that. I'm happy she did, but I wanted it!!! *sniff* *grin*

So those are my picks for this award. I'm so very happy to have won it and almost as happy to pass it on :D

Share the love!

monday on etsy

2008-06-16T08:08:00.009-04:00

Oh the things you can find on Etsy when you pounce. Really. Some of the things I cannot believe someone even thought to make. Others are so delightful that I wish I could buy them all up.

Todays find is something in the second category. I saw it and wanted it immediately. However, it was not at all what I thought it was. What does it look like to you?

It looks like an amazingly delicious piece of chocolate chip pie, right? With delectable curls of chocolate on top and a nice thick chocolate (probably graham cracker?) crust, right?

Wait, let me show you another photo..

There, see? I missed saying there was coconut on top. Whew, I wouldn't want to miss that. I love coconut.

Now, the truth?

It's Soap. SOAP! At first my heart fell, but then.. hey! It's soap! How cool is that!!? This soap is made by Open Window Soap Works. Also known as The Sudstress, Kat makes the most amazing soap I've ever seen. Here is a basic list of the ingredients she uses:

Olive Oil, Unrefined Golden Cocoa Butter, Unrefined Fair Trade Shea Butter, Coconut Oil, Palm Kernel Oil, Sweet Almond Oil, Palm Oil and Castor Oil.

She states:

"My original recipe is a wonderful balance of cleansing, moisturizing and lathering properties."

And, I believe her.

She does have soap that doesn't look like pie, and it is still beautiful and each bar looks like a work of art.

What I especially like about her soap is that each bar is an opportunity to pamper yourself. We all use soap.. all of us, every single day. Do most of us ever notice it, unless it's not there? Kat's soap is worth noticing, worth paying attention to, and worth taking a little extra time to slow down and be pampered. We deserve it. Visit Kat at Open Window Soap Works and pamper yourself by getting a bar or two!

sunday on etsy

2008-06-15T08:05:00.009-04:00

Happy Father's Day! I am up super early today to let The Husband sleep in. Which is good in a way, not in a 'Hey! I'm awake!' kind of way, but in a 'oo, more time to browse on Etsy' kind of way!

I got to thinking about that paper bag journal from the other day, the one that Nigel wanted. Well, I really want it too. Not to write in, but to just look at and keep as part of a collection. That got me thinking about all the books that I have in my "collection" most of which are books I think my daughter, (The Kid) will someday really get into. That thought led me to the array of scrapbook paper I have and the non-existent scrapbook album I was hoping to make for her to record every minute of her wonderful life. (Unlike my parents, who did not even fill out my baby book!) This was all in a split second mind, and now I'm feeling quite guilty that I never made that album. I do have a few pages made, but nothing that I could ever present to her and say "Hey Kid! This is your life!". I suck at being a crafty mom. :(

But I think I have discovered a way for busy moms like me to have that kid of album without all fuss and hoo-ha. (segue!) Aloha Scrapping is the solution. Wendy creates and sells pre-made albums that have an attention to detail that, quite frankly, I would be hard pressed to match.

First up is a paper bag (I have decided that I am in love with this idea) Vaction/Travel Chest & Scrapbook.

Yes, the chest comes with the album. Think of all the wonderful souvenirs you could put in there! Shells from the beach, a leaf from a walk through the woods, oh the possibilities! The album itself is amazing, here are a few photos of the pages themselves.

Look at how lovely!! It says "Vintage with a hint of old world charm". Doesn't it?

In addition to all the offerings in her shop, Wendy is completely happy to do custom orders. She will work with you and your budget to create something to die for no matter what you can spend. You can also view her website, which has more samples of her work.

I'm off to find what else you can do with paper bags! Have a fun filled Sunday :D

saturday on etsy

2008-06-14T11:47:00.005-04:00

Summer. Hot. Muggy. Humid. Y.U.C.K. I dislike the heat intensely. I love the imagery of summer (and long for it in January) but in actuality I much prefer fall. So I am longing for fall while sitting here drinking a cold lemonade. Do you sense a segue coming up? ;)

I love lemons. I always thought it was silly to call cars that didn't work lemons. Lemons are a good thing! And I have always believed that if life gave you lemons you should make lemonade. Duh! What else would you do with them? I believe my sentiment is echoed by Elena Diadenko-Hunter, evidenced by "I am Sorry About Lemons".

What is cool about this painting is that it's done on glass. What is super cool about it is that it's painted in reverse. Yes. Reverse! That does not even compute for me. This was painted backwards. *boggle* The colors are beautiful and cheerful and it reminds me of my sister and me.

Elena was born in the Ukraine and lives in the U.S. now. If you would like to know more about this super fabulous artist you can visit her website. Her Etsy shop has glass paintings and even prints . Be sure to check out the mermaids too. They are just as gorgeous as you imagine!

friday on etsy

2008-06-13T10:01:00.012-04:00

Another Friday at Grandia Road! Every day is a learning process and yesterday I learned something interesting about java script. I know! I can't believe it myself. So today I get to share my Etsy mini with you. Now that's not particularly exciting because I have done that before on previous days. But! I now have the ability to easily showcase one person good and truly well. Keep your dear eyes pealed for that in the very near future. :)

I love gnomes. Have I said? Sadly, I only have one actual gnome. His name is Nigel P. Worcestershire. He hangs out with Captain Jack Sparrow on my desk. Let me just say that I am not one of those action figure nerds. I only have the one. And only that one because I love pirates and it was a gift. Really really. I do have several books about gnomes and fairies and all manner of wee folk. I love the fantasy of it all. So today... many things gnome. Here's a photo of Nigel totally not enjoying the sun. Candles don't do well in the sun.

He stood patiently for the photo but then I had to get him the heck back into the air conditioning. He's such a wuss. But I love him!

And now, many things gnome. :D

First up we have The Dreamy Giraffe. KJ has amazing talent at capturing an ethereal and innocent quality in her artwork. Take a close look at the faces; most especially the eyes. This 'Gnome Who Is Not Your Momma's Garden Gnome has Nigel all a twitter! I bet he'd love to have her hanging above him so he could stare at her all day. Please check out KJ's profile so you can get to know her. She is officially better than the Zooman!

Second, we have Sarah at the Museum Of Useless Objects, or MoUO. She definitely does not make useless objects! I love this vessel first because she calls it jaunty and not enough people use that word anymore! I also love it for it's color and shape and the fact that it's gnome-sized. I also love it because it's 'made in Cape Cod, and also because Nigel would like it to keep his treasures in! Sarah is also a sculptor and has seriously amazing talent working with metal. So, check her out at MoUo and on her website.

Next up is Teresa's Ceramics with Mr. Spades. He is supposedly Gordon's best friend, but I think Nigel might be able to win him over. Don't you? Well, admittedly Nigel is only a candle. Very dull conversation wise. And the whole 'can't be in the sun' thing. But, I'll bet Mr. Spades would love to hang out on my desk with Nigel. After all, Nigel knows a pirate captain! Visit Teresa and her amazing ceramics and check out her blog as well.

Now you knew that jewelry would appear at some point. And there it is, from Cupboard Scraps. From start to finish this is a professional job. I'm drooling over this pendant, seriously. Not only does it have that vintage quality, but it's finished on the back as well. And! It comes packaged beautifully. Packaging can be a selling feature (obviously for gifts) but in this case, the packaging is almost as awesome as the pendant itself. I wish I had more info to share with you about Cupboard Scraps, but certainly you can see for yourself how lovely their work is.

Moving on, there is Once Upon The End which I would have sworn was right out of merry England, but it actually from Illinois. Go figure! This journal would be fabulous for Nigel, but I think he would find it a bit daunting, size wise. I love it though, and I love that it's repurposing paper bags and uses hemp.. it has an all natural feel to it that is quite appealing. You can also visit Cheryl on her blog, where you can learn about her, and see pictures of cute babies!

And lastly, Nothin' But Wood. Now considering this a guy owned shop, I'm going to try to leave out the innuendos. I have seen several of these adorable wee folk doors during my internet travels, but usually on a large production scale. These are clearly made by someone who has enormous love for his craft. Kerry has carved (oo, bad pun!) a nice niche for himself.

Nigel has requested the I buy everything on this page today. Alas, I wish I could purchase every single one of the items I feature. I really, really do. I hope you feel the same way.

thursday on etsy

2008-06-12T10:31:00.008-04:00

Let's cut right to the chase. No nonsense from me today because what I found is totally Bad Ass! That is, Bad Ass Custom Decals! And you thought I was being cheeky!

Straight from Florida, David and Alicia at Bad Ass (ok, so I like saying it) have been designing decals for a few years now and it shows. (Yes, in a good way!) There are so many designs I like but I tried to pick three to give you a good idea of the array of possibilities.

First is a kitty, because I love kitties!

I love the whimsy of this, and if you check out the listing you'll see that it's available in 26 colors. Yes, 26! Which means it can match virtually any decor. I think it would be cool in a kids room. :)

Next is an Arizona themed decal:

Now imagine this type of decal customized just for you. Poems, famous quotes, your own writing.. anything(!) can be made into a decal. How utterly cool is that!?

Finally, here is a very cool idea which I especially love because it's a tree.

I have a serious fascination with trees. I'm kind of agog at the moment just browsing through this shop thinking about all the amazing things I could do with these decals were I not in a rental home. Not to mention that they must have access to an endless amount of fashionable homes to show their work off in. Not only was I drooling over the decals I was drooling over the interior decor. :)

So, visit Alicia and David and get something bad ass for yourself!!

***Alicia and David are offering a 15% discount to my readers! Yes! That's right! 15% off a purchase at their shop if you say you came from Grandia Road. So now we know they are just as bad ass as their products :) ***

wednesday on etsy

2008-06-11T10:27:00.006-04:00

Is it really Wednesday again? The days are becoming a blur! We've been so busy trying to run three facets of Luna and keeping up with the cheeky monkey.

Speaking of cheeky monkeys..(I'm a dab hand at segues eh?) here's the Monkey Travel Club!

Here's Moose, the monkey purse:

How adorable is this? This one's for grown ups too! YAY!

Now, if you love a monkey, and many of us do, you can visit the Monkey Travel Club Flickr page to see all the monkeys your heart desires. (Does this little monkey face look familiar to you? From a previous blog post perhaps? Comment on that blog post and you will receive 15% off an item in either of my Etsy shops! Please convo first so I can adjust the price.)

Now, not only is there this fabulous talent for monkey making, this clever crafter is also Isew on Etsy which has beautiful handbags, quilts, and even faboo baby bibs. You can also get more in depth with Isew on blogspot. It's a beautifully put together blog and it is going on my Sage for Firefox so I can keep up with this talented chick.

Looking for monkey love? Visit The Monkey Travel Club. Looking to save 15% off one of the items in my shop? Comment on the previous blog post that has monkey love and convo me on Etsy with the item name so I can adjust the price!

tuesday on etsy

2008-06-10T09:09:00.008-04:00

Today is all about my hometown, New York. More properly, I am from Westchester county which is one hour north of New York City. The interesting thing about New York is that most people tend to forget there is an entire state looming over that 22 square mile piece of land. Go figure, it's only a technicality. ;)

So I searched New York on Etsy and I found three things that I wanted to share. There were some seriously bizarre things on there which made me kind of die a little bit inside. (I searched NY after all, I should have seen that coming.)

First up, Gallo Girl Photos, with Brooklyn Spring Blossoms:

I love Dogwood trees. Luckily they are also prevalent here in the south, so I do get to see them blooming still. Amazing isn't it that you could find this so close to the concrete jungle. Gallo Girl has fantastic photos from all over the city. It was hard to choose one, but I really do love the colors in this one. Check out her shop, there's something for everyone from this self-taught photographer!

Next up, an item from Hollee Costume Jewelry, the Coney Island charm bracelet.

Coney Island (watch your eyes if you click on that link, wow it's yellow!) is synonymous with New York and summer. This bracelet captures summer, sun, and fun! What a fantastic souvenir for anyone who has been to Coney Island or even wishes they could.

The third pick is from a shop called Chic Throws 2, and I'm cheating here a little bit. I found a throw that was a 70's New York throw, but the colors clashed with the other two items, so I am featuring Spring Fling instead. (Hey, it's my blog ya know!)

These throws are made in France from hand selected textiles, which are luxurious to say the least. Taking a page from Martha Stewart, Tricia Guild and Kelly Hoppen, Chic Throws 2 seeks to fill the niche for much desired well made and designed throw pillows.

That's it for me for today! Go visit the shops and share the love :)

monday on etsy

2008-06-09T11:59:00.007-04:00

Yarr!!!

Have I ever mentioned that I love pirates? There's something about them. I don't know what that quality is. It's certainly romanticized, real pirates are not fun and they steal your stuff!

So today is pirate day! If you're a Pastafarian this may help a ways with global warming. ;)

First, let me ask you. Have you ever been to a Renaissance faire? It is amazing fun. I went to one many many years ago in California. I had the time of my life. Here's a quick review of what I remember about that fair:

The men get down on their knees and kiss your hand when they greet you
Almost everyone dressed in period costume
When you buy something and tip them they yell "Huzzah to the tipper!"
They sell beer in glasses that are 3 feet long. (Called a Yard) seriously!
People walk around eating turkey legs
You get to watch a real live joust and yell out "Hip Hip Huzzah!!"
The Faire is chock full of amazing artisans that sell all manner of wonderful curiosities
The bathrooms are better not spoken of

So, there are a few things that make a memorable day. However, what can make your day even more memorable is actually going in costume yourself! And that, finally(!) brings us to LoriAnn's Costume shop! (You were beginning to wonder, weren't you!)

In true Ren Faire tradition, LoriAnn offers this Medieval Pirate Corset:

How much fun would it be to wear this to a Ren Faire or a costume party!? Or even just to the store or vacuuming! Yes, vacuuming! I love to wear a tiara (borrowed from my daughter) when I do housework. I really do!
LoriAnn, who you can also find on her own site, is a very talented woman, and her costumes are of such high quality that they are in demand for parades and themed charity events. I hope you'll visit her on both sites and see what she has to offer. This costume is only the beginning!

To stay with the Ren Faire theme, you could hop on over to Poet Summer and pick up this fabulous Pirates charm bracelet.

Carrie has an amazing quantity of one of a kind (OOAK) items to choose from. In fact, I think I may have to cut my blog short so I can spend the next half hour picking out exactly what I have to buy from her. Yes, have to. It's just not an option not to have some of this fabulous work. She wants us all to wear our art! I'd rather wear hers! I can't paint worth a darn. ;)

Stop by both shops and say hello from me. You won't be disappointed in the quality of work that you see and certainly both of these talented people deserve some recognition and sales! :D

sunday on etsy

2008-06-08T09:33:00.006-04:00

Good morning :)

I am getting a much earlier start these days. I've yet to decide if that's a good thing since the day before isn't ending any earlier!

Todays find reminds me of something you'd see in a Craftsman home. I'm particularly fond of the American Craftsman style; from the wood interiors to the built ins, to the use of stained glass windows as accents. It's always been a dream of mine to live in a restored Craftsman home. Though I also dream about living on Cape Cod, so there's a puzzler!

Ok, enough jibber jabber! Here's what I found at Barbara's Stained Glass. This pink rose stained glass panel!

Barbara has been working with stained glass for over ten years. Not only does she make fabulous stained glass, she takes care of her four kids at the same time! Go mom power!

This piece features a vintage Imperial Glass company "Cape Cod" plate as a centerpiece. Using vintage focal pieces like this sets Barbara apart from other artisans. Not only is each piece she creates unique, but she also incorporates a little piece of history into every design. That makes her work like 150% special! You can't get good 'special' like that just anywhere. You have to go to Michigan to Barbara's house for that.

She has amazing talent and gorgeous pieces to look at in her shop. When you visit, say hi from me so she knows where ya came from :D

What? Oh, yes, you were looking for another photo weren't you. I've spoiled you, you know. ;)

saturday on etsy

2008-06-07T08:30:00.011-04:00

woke up mega early today and am ready for a nap at the late hour of 8:30 am! Nevertheless, one must carry on and so I am.

I was inspired to look for something blue today but wasn't quite sure I wanted to search by color and leave up a treasury for a day. So instead I searched Blueberry and have three wonderful things to share with you.

Cynthia Van Horne Erlich's shop was the first to catch my eye with this Sprig Of Blueberries note card:

This card is reproduced from her original watercolor. Beautiful and juicy too! You can visit her at Rosebud Cottage for more of her artwork.

Next is The Flying Ewe, with hand dyed fiber that I initially thought was an abstract painting.

Of course I feel silly now thinking that since it is obviously hand dyed merino wool. Perhaps this is the peril of waking up too early! Carolyn over at the Ewe, has also created a fiber gallery on Flickr which consists of the creations of those who purchase her fiber. I like the idea of following the trail of what the fibers eventually wind up being. Cool.

To use the over-used cliche of last but not least (but I really mean it!) is Dream A Little, with a Blueberry Juicy Bug!

How cute is this? Now, if you like this teeny little bug, hold onto yourself! Her Etsy shop is only the tip of the iceberg in all that is the trademarked Juicy Bug empire! You can find more, lots more, at her website. It is people like Dana that make me wistful for my childhood where no one would think twice if I sat and played with this tiny bug for hours and hours. She also makes me wish I was a millionaire so I could buy every single one of her creations. She has even got Halloween (my favorite holiday!) themed bugs, one of which is a bat, the other candycorn!

But I digress and we are now off the topic of blue and blueberries. Perilous getting up so early.

Please stop by and visit these people on their Etsy shops and elsewhere. Saturday is a good day to share the love. :)

friday on etsy

2008-06-06T11:52:00.007-04:00

Friday at last! Today is a day of discoveries. 'The Husband' has been learning to make chain mail and I am the only person on earth as yet, to own one of his Byzantine style bracelets! I know you're seething with jealousy!! ;)

So the fact that he is into making something to sell on Etsy, I started thinking that there must be other men crafters out there. I have featured Nick Stagg, who does amazing things with reclaimed wood. But he is truly the only guy I've come across on Etsy. That is, until today.

I found David of David's Knits. He is hanging out down in Florida now that he has done the whole 'Broadway' thing. ;) Yes, that's right. Broadway!! That is just too exciting for this NY'ker!! Instead of sleeping his life away while on the road for long stretches during his performing career, David made use of that time by teaching himself to knit. Industrious!! I just love that. Here's what he's doing these days. Get your drool cup ready!

This Cafe Bustelo Malabrigo scarf is the most luscious color of rich chocolate. In this second picture you can see how the color of the wool (Merino!) catches the light. Waves of deep dark chocolate with rich milk chocolate drizzled throughout!

I admire anyone who can work with their hands and create things that in essence make us all immortal. But, I doubly admire a guy who can knit! :D

I hope you'll visit David and pick up something fabulous. Imagine passing this scarf down through the family and the stories it could tell, the least of which would be how jaunty you always looked wearing it.

thursday on etsy

2008-06-05T12:20:00.007-04:00

Artichokes! Yes! Have you ever had one? I am always running across people who have never had an artichoke and I am shocked and horrified. I thought everyone grew up eating artichokes! Apparently not so. Well, they have been missing something yummy not to mention an exciting experience that rivals the eating of Fugu!

Well, ok. I exaggerate. Artichokes aren't toxic in any way, but the choke can sure be unpleasant. It's called a choke for a reason!

So I grew up eating artichokes and have carried a love of them right into my mature years. *cough* *cough* What? >.>

So in the spirit of my favorite thistle (check out the wiki I linked above) I searched for artichoke things on Etsy today. And, I found some!

First, from Enfin, La Voilia! is a beautiful image of an artichoke on personalized note cards.

Straight from Belgium, Marijke makes gorgeous cards of every kind. She's been a graphic designer for over 15 years. Her artwork has a wonderful sense of whimsy and yet her style reminds me of vintage drawings. I would be hard pressed to pick another favorite.. they are all so lovely. These cards would be fabulous for anyone but I can see these in the hands of a foodie sending out invitations or thank yous!Please check out her shop.. you won't be disappointed!

Next up is a tote bag (I know, another bag, I can't help myself!!) from La Lune Designs. It's called Pasta Tote.

See? It was totally worth my posting another bag. This is the kind of bag you take shopping with you down to the Fresh Market to pick up your fresh fruits and veggies! You would be so incredibly chic. You could hold your head high knowing how you'll answer the "paper or plastic" question.

La Lune Designs is full of fabulous baby items as well, all made by a crafty mom who decided she couldn't find what she wanted and decided to just make her own. You must admire that quality in a person. And the talent.

So, two items today because I simply love artichokes. If you have never had one, I urge you to get one at the market and cook it up. You will be pleasantly surprised. It is worth the every ounce of effort you put into it.