fauna blossons in lime, sunspots in olive, and bliss bouquet $14USD

full bloom in orange $12USD

tumble roses in tangerine $12USD

disco dots in ink $12USD

kashmir in okra $12USD

turquoise wildflower and seagreen coriander, reversible $12USD

You can visit ‘Love My Coasters’ here: http://www.etsy.com/shop/LoveMyCoasters

]]> http://thesweetestdigs.com/2010/04/21/etsy-fave-4-brainstorm-studio/ Thu, 22 Apr 2010 01:09:50 +0000 thesweetestdigs http://thesweetestdigs.com/2010/04/21/etsy-fave-4-brainstorm-studio/ This week’s etsy fave showcases another mother/daughter duo shop. Brainstorm Studio features Lisbeth Miller’s (the daughter) mandala designs.  Lisbeth, who experienced a traumatic brain injury, creates intricate paper mandalas that Martha, Lisbeth’s mother and an art teacher at the Maine College of Art, turns into beautiful items. I was particularly drawn to their bright table linens and have featured some below. A percentage of Brainstorm Studio sales goes to support the Epilepsy Foundation.

mandala table runner and napkin set, $72

Isn’t that set stunning? I just love the blue and white.

set of four new leaves mandala napkins, $32

blue goddess mandala table quilt, $75

Don’t you find all the colours just so cozy and cheerful? I know I do!

You can visit Brainstorm Studio here: http://www.etsy.com/shop/brainstormstudio

bliss bouquet ironing board cover in teal, $24USD

marilyn ironing board cover in grey, $24USD

tumble roses ironing board cover in pink, $24USD

tabletop ironing board cover in architectural, $16USD

These covers will make your ironing board so pretty, you may just want to leave it out instead of jamming into the linen closet (or wherever you may keep you it!). The duo also produces various other goodies, like scissor sleeves, sewing machine covers and aprons.

pretty pastel half apron, $30USD

scissor sleeve - bliss $12USD

Check out City Chic Country Mouse here: http://www.etsy.com/shop/CityChicCountryMouse

Got a living room that needs a little extra something? This funky decal may do just the trick. $36.99USD

If you don’t have a big wooden plank to track your kid’s growth like I did growing up, this is a pretty fun alternative. It has a strip of white vinyl down the side so that you can mark the progress of your child’s growth. And of course, you can customize the name! $89.99USD

Owls are “in” and I’m digging the trend. $18.99 USD

Some may call me cheesy, but I am totally smitten with this quote decal. Looks fabulous on the edge of a big wall, like in the photo above. $35.99 USD

Wouldn’t this look great in your living room or dining room? Such a neat way to add in some nice looking artwork on a really good budget. $49.99 USD

A great alternative to the run of the mill calendars from Staples or Business Depot. This calendar incorporates a white dry erase vinyl that you can write on, and is applied directly on to the wall. Price varies depending on size. $25.99 or $89.99 USD

Find all of these and more at Simple Shapes: http://www.etsy.com/shop/SimpleShapes

]]> http://thesweetestdigs.com/2010/03/21/etsy-fave-branch-handmade/ Sun, 21 Mar 2010 13:38:17 +0000 thesweetestdigs http://thesweetestdigs.com/2010/03/21/etsy-fave-branch-handmade/ Welcome to my new “etsy faves” series. Since I spend so much time browsing around on www.etsy.com to get inspired and find unique items, I thought I would share some of my favourite finds. This week I want to introduce you to a shop called Branch Handmade (http://www.etsy.com/shop/branchhandmade). Branch Handmade offers a home and fashion accessories line that features original hand screen printed designs. The shop owner, from new jersey, is an interior designer by trade and used to own a furniture and home accessories store. The designs, which are all created from the owner’s own photographs or drawings give off a really fun, retro vibe — from owls, to bikes, to chandeliers, there is something for everyone. I really love the pillow cases and kitchen towels. Check out some examples of Branch Handmade’s products below:

http://www.etsy.com/shop/branchhandmade

This pillow case is a hoot! (I actually purchased this for a gift — it’s even more beautiful and lux in person)
US$19.

Here is a pair of beach cruiser cotton towels, printed on larger cotton flour sack towels. Perfect to spruce up your kitchen or bar.
US$12 for the pair.

Ahhhh… a pair of 250 thread count cotton pillowcases – a perfect, elegant addition to your bedding.
US$18 for the pair.

Cotton Bird Designs offers custom-made birds dressed professionally (think teacher or doctor). She also makes wedding cake toppers or can fashion a bird out of a map that designates a particular part of the world.

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In Rob Ryan’s Etsy store, he features limited edition screenprints of his work as well as hand printed tiles. I love the papercut aesthetic. If you’ve got a few extra minutes, click through the images below to see his works for sale. It’s definitely worth the time!

Valentine’s Day is a long way off, but I couldn’t help think that this print would be a perfect gift.

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This is one of several pieces Robert has done that features people in the trees. They are all great and this one is no exception!

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I think we can all identify with this one!

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Part 1:
Part 2:
Part 3:

A blessed mommy of 3 busy boys, wife to my best friend, and child of the King. I discovered my love of sewing after I had my first baby. My favorite things to sew are diaper bags, purses, quilts. I love sewing all things related to babies: maternity skirts, baby carriers, burp cloths, bibs, etc. I also enjoy baking, reading, and I’m trying to enjoy gardening. My blog at: http://seemommysew.wordpress.com/ shows some of my sewing and also has care instructions for the longies I sell.

Now…before I go into this mini interview, please DO NOT go running to my mother and telling her about this blog post. Next, she’ll wonder if I’m pregnant or when I’m due–which I’m not, so I’m not. But it doesn’t hurt to know about the different things that are sold on Etsy for when the time comes, now does it?

What do you sell on Etsy?
Maternity Skirts, Diaper bags, Recycled Wool Longies, Purses

What else do you do to make money?
I’m a stay-at-home-mom….so no money there

How long have you been working at your craft?
I’ve been sewing for about 6 years.

What is your favorite item for sale in your shop?
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=10740891

(Shown at right.)

Why do you love Etsy?
It gives me a creative outlet and inspires me.

Her products are greeting cards and earrings sold together as shown. What a great idea!

Here is the video!

I like this headband for so many reasons. First of all, I can tell that it is comfortable to wear. I own a similar headband, and it beats those plastic headbands hands down. It conforms to the shape of your head and holds your hair flat. This is important to me as I grow out my bangs. Secondly, I like it because of the colors. It is natural and sunny. It reminds me of a patchwork quilt and of my hippy hometown, Eugene, Oregon. Finally, I like it because it is homemade. Items crafted carefully by hand are just nice. It’s like they are made with love.

Thank you, Greenbeansnstrings, for letting me share your headband. Visit her Esty shop to see more of her great work!

Update:  I added a picture of the matching dress for sale by Greenbeansnstings on Etsy (4/10/08)

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Could you tell me about your fabric? It looks special.I am a total fabric hoarder. Much of the fabric I use for plushes is either vintage cotton calico, or newer printed cotton that has been overdyed to soften the bright colors and make it look older. I stain a lot of my plushes with ink, to make them look like they’ve been in a wet attic for a few years. I am enchanted by old, forgotten toys of bygone ages; toys that were made by hand, one at a time, not mass-produced on machines or printed with licensed characters. There is so much love in them, both love from the person who made them, and love from the people who played with them, often playing with them until they fell apart completely, and needed to be repaired over and over again. I want to bring that kind of feel into my pieces, so I never use a sewing machine, and try to use mostly cotton or natural fabrics, though I do experiment with faux fur.

How long have you been crafting? Who taught you?

My mom is also very artistic, and has always encouraged me to make things. I’m a commercial artist by profession, and graduated with a Graphic Design degree, so making art is just second nature to me. The idea of taking something banal and giving it new life as something else fascinates me. There is so much creativity in people!

What you like and dislike about selling on Etsy?

There isn’t much to dislike, for me. I love the community atmosphere, everybody is really supportive of each other. It really provides an outlet for artistic folks who may not have ever thought they could have an internet shop. I’ve had a webstore for years now, selling my soap, but not everybody is able or interested enough to go through the hassle of setting up a web-based store. Etsy makes it available for anybody, and I think that’s just brilliant. I’ve met some great crafters on Etsy.

Is there anything else you would like to share with my readers?

Try and step away from the computer, when you can. I’m definitely an internet-a-holic sometimes, and need to remind myself that there is a whole wide world outside the screen. I take hikes in the forest, I like to watch birds, I love to look at plants and insects. The internet is a great tool for networking and meeting people, and making personal business progress, but don’t forget to observe and absorb what is around you every day.

—–

Happy Easter Everyone!

Where did you learn how to felt? Is it difficult?

Felting is an amazing process. It is such an alchemy! You take a natural fiber like wool and shrink it by agitating it in hot water. Essentially, what I do with my purses: I knit them into different shapes with yarn that is made from wool. It is really important to use 100 percent wool, not superwash or any synthetic yarn – otherwise it will not felt. You can also use mohair or alpaca for felting. So after knitting the purse, I sow it together and put it in the washing machine, where the hot water, agitation and detergent will work their magic. Depending on the fiber I use, after 15 minutes to half an hour, the material will have shrunk considerably. That’s why I have to knit everything very, very large! Felting is a process of pulling together the fiber within the wool very tightly, which creates a very strong, durable, soft, and naturally water-resistant frabric.

For some of the purses, I spin my own yarn on my spinning wheel.
I learned knitting when I was a little girl (see the story in my profile), and felting a few years ago by following instructions in a pattern. It’s easy, really. Have you ever shrunk a sweater when you washed it wrong? That’s essentially what it is…

Do you find that you make any money using Etsy or do you spend it all again on supplies?

I am pretty new to Etsy and have sold four purses so far, and I definitely make money that way. Although wool yarn does cost money, most of the cost of the purses comes from my labor. Just imagine knitting something very large. That’s what I have to do with every purse.

What is your favorite item that you currently have for sale?

I don’t know if I have one special favorite, although I do like the purse that’s on my avatar. I spun all the yarn for it, including the bobbly novelty yarn. I also like my totes, since they are so incredibly functional! I use my own every day.

What would you really like to buy on Etsy if you had the money?
Ohhh boy…. everything! There are so many talented artists on Etsy, and I want to support them all! I do like jewelery…

Is there anything else you would like to say to my readers?

For your readers who are Etsy members, I want to say thank you for having the courage to put yourself out there. That is one of the hardest things for me – fear of rejection. I also want to thank everyone for being so supportive in the forums – I just love browsing in the forums and catching the good vibes. For your readers who are not Etsy members, I would like to say THANK YOU for supporting small businesses. Most of us are very small-scale, one-person operations, starving artist, so to speak… It is wonderful to receive feedback from people out there who went on Etsy to look for gifts. One of my buyers wrote to me that her husband wants to give her a purse for Valentine’s day. She wrote that she looked at hundreds of purses, and mine were the most beautiful. Do you think that made my day? Yep.

I would love it if you could take a moment to check out my Etsy shop. I have lots of great jewelry and some other items as well. Some items have been recently marked down. To purchase an item, you must become a member of Etsy, but that is quick and easy. Then you can use Paypal, an e-check, or a credit card to make your purchase. If you don’t find what you want, you can click a link to request a custom item. Or just leave a comment here. I would love to make something special just for you. Thanks!

I’ve been struck with awe a few times as I’ve viewed JaredKS‘s photography. Even his avatar of a dandylion is awesome. Keep reading to find what inspires him.Jared, What inspires you?

I am continually inspired by the beauty of nature. I love to take long walks through the prairie with my camera. I don’t always find wonderful scenes to photograph, but it’s always peaceful and wonderful.

How do you get such bright colors in your photos?

It’s all about the light. For whatever reason, the light in the first and last half hour to hour of the day is just fantastic. It’s possible to get a great photograph at other times of the day, but these times are hard to beat.

How long have you been taking pictures?

I started when I was eight. The first roll of film I remember taking was of my friends at a summer camp. When we got the pictures, my mom suggested I consider different compositions for future photo sessions. Years of trial and error later, here I am.

How long have you been selling them?

Just a bit over a year. Etsy was my first venture into selling my artwork, and I have been far more successful than I ever hoped to be. I may find the courage to branch out to the local Farmer’s Market this summer, but I haven’t talked myself into that quite yet.

Do you do other things with your pictures like make cards for your family or frame the prints for your home?

We do have some of my work hanging in the house. My mom has a ton of my work hanging in her home – she’s definitely my biggest fan.

What is your favorite thing for sale in your shop right now?

My favorite changes all the time, but right now it’s Stormy Grass:
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=8420309

I think it’s just that I’m really, really looking forward to spring. I miss green.

What is the thing you would like to buy most on Etsy right now?

I absolutely love this piece from blockpartypress:
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=9306322

I have an ACEO that she made, and it’s one of my favorites. She’s a fantastic artist.

Anything else you would like to add?

Just yay for Etsy. I love that a site exists that allows artists and crafters to be able to sell directly to customers who appreciate unique, creative, and wonderful items. I’m glad to be a part of it.

Congratulations to these artists featured on Martha:

Handspun Hand-Knit Cashmere Flowers by Year of the Goat

Plushee by Sweetestpea

Feltidermy by Girl Savage

Doll and Frame by The Black Apple

Smooth Talk Cow by Fringe

Kanzashi Geisha-Inspired Headdress by Toybreaker

Silk Hand-Screened Ties by Toybreaker

Sterling Silver Ring with Amboyna Burl Inlay by RobandLean

Love-Letter Necklace by Kathryn Riechert

Scrabble Piece by Littleput Books

Camilla Rose Locket by Luxedeluxe

Petal Earrings in Silver Jewelry by Elizabeth Scott

Japanese Blossom Bag by Janine King Designs

Brown Handbag by Charm Design

Calendar and Stationery by ilee

Notes by Modern Printed Matter

Paper Tags by Every Jot and Tittle

Sock Monkey Soapsicle by LoveLeeSoaps

You can see the full video here, thanks to Etsy artist Moth to Flame Studios.

***Don’t forget to stop by my shop , cloud9designstudio, too!

But Silvershadow’s work stood out to me, and I’m sure there is a lot I can learn from her.

She told me that she is learning a lot, almost daily, from other Etsy artisans (jewelry and otherwise) and bloggers.  And from magazines (all types!)  She reads Art Jewelry, Step By Step Beads, Step by Step Wire, Stringing, Gem and Lapidary Journal (when it comes out), Bead Styles and everything she can find.  It’s amazing what she can find and where.  FireMountain Gems has an online Bead-cyclopedia with good tips, too.  Enjoy our interview!

What can you tell us about yourself?

Single female, with a small herd of cat-alo (owned and managed by 2 of the most domineering cats), and mooched off of by the various raccoons and opossums that eat their food and run rampant over my roof.
 
Favorite rooms are my bedroom, with huge windows overlooking the pool, and my jewelry workroom / office with its growing plethora of equipment and stones, growing as my skills do.

I support the cats and pool with the day job (Information Security pseudo-geek) and my jewelry habit with the weekend job (Traffic Monitoring for Central FL).

How did you learn to make jewelry?

Self-taught, mostly, with a couple of classes at the local bead bar to start me off, with the fundamentals of stringing and wire work.  I read every magazine I can find, have a growing library of books and online articles, have taken a short gemology class online and am getting ready to delve into a full jewelry design course in the evenings.

How long have you been doing it?

About 1 year, non-stop.  I started when my grandmother (who raised me) went into her final decline, accompanied by a very dear friend whose liver had begun to fail.  My work with jewelry and stones gave me a “happy place” to go to and something to focus on.  So beauty from pain…

How do you decide which stones to use in your jewelry?

Color, texture and patterns!  And the jewelry is built around the stones, I’m finding.  I’ve started to work with nice, subtle  lampwork and dichroic glass as co-focus with the stones, but stones are my favorite.  The variations in patterns and colors are never ending.  Combine the natural beauty of stones with nice human made glass and you can’t beat it!

What is your favorite item for sale in your shop?

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=8593285 (shown right)
This piece REALLY shows what I was saying:  This piece goes with almost everything; the glass beads have a nice pattern that includes red, blue gray, teal and a light violet.  The cuprite stone oval beads (an unusual type of cuprite, too – smoother, with more defined patterns) go well with the teal of the glass.  Sadly, due to the increase in the price of silver, this is a higher priced piece, because it is LOADED with silver.  Each of the spacers is 1.5 grams of silver (solid and handmade).

Next steps?

To learn casting and more…  and more….and more….  The hard part?  Coming up with the $$!    Fortunately, if you look hard enough, (and want to, badly enough)  there are almost always “oars” that can be pulled in.

Is there anything else you would like to share with my blog readers?

Whatever takes you to your “happy place”, DO it, to the best of your ability.  Don’t take shortcuts on your quality and skills.  Don’t get discouraged and don’t lose faith in your own visions.  Beauty is incredibly subjective;  it may take the people who see with your vision time to find you, but keep at it and keep promoting and you’ll be OK.  Last, but NOT least:  there is so much beauty and joy in the world…  Lincoln said:  “If you look for the good in a person, you will find it; if you look for the bad, you will surely find that, as well”.  That applies to EVERYTHING.  You find what you look for, good or bad.  Look inside yourself, most of all.

Ooops! Forgot to introduce myself /bows Stephanie Strain, Orlando, FL ☺

And I learn TONS from my street teams: EAST (EarthPath Artisans), FEST (Florida Etsy Street Team) and looking at some of the others that I’d love to have time for….

 Thank you to Stephanie!  Visit her shop at http://silvershadow.etsy.com.

PhriendlyK8 I would love to make a custom item JUST FOR YOU! Contact her to place a custom order! You can contact  PhriendlyK8  through Etsy or email her at phriendlyk8sthreads@yahoo.com The sky is the limit when it comes to custom pieces so don’t be shy!

First of all, what inspires you?
Mmmn, what doesn’t? Nature is probably my biggest influence – trees, birds, flowers, ocean life. I’m fascinated with unusual color combinations and textures. I love art in any form, collage art, altered art, folk art, abstract… and when I’m feeling uninspired, I will often look through magazines such as Somerset Studio – with all the collage art – you know, with wings and crowns and amazing texture and color. Sometimes I’ll thumb through my huge art history book as well. Or Flickr’s “most interesting” photos… or… Quilting Art Magazine is always wonderful. I have a “little” magazine problem actually. I love looking through magazines.

And when did you begin creating lampwork beads?
I started making jewelry (this time around, I really started when I was a kid) after my son was born. I was having a hard time finding free time (he was the kind of baby you couldn’t put down, super high-needs) and I really needed some time off, so I made a deal with my husband that I was going to get out of the house one night a week and do something, anything, to get a break. What I really wanted to do was crawl in bed and read a book or even better, sleep… but I found myself at Michael’s Craft store wandering the isles. Just wandering… and I ended up in the bead isle. I got a magazine about making beaded jewelry and some pretty purple beads and some elastic string and decided to make myself a bracelet. And then I had enough left over I made another and another and found it very relaxing. I didn’t want to stop and started making gifts for everyone I knew… and eventually enough people said I needed to start selling my pieces. As time went on I got pickier and pickier about my materials – stringing wires AND beads. I discovered handcrafted lampwork art beads and fell in love… so much so that I wanted to try to make them myself. I signed up for a lampworking class at the community college and then bought all my equipment second hand and built a studio in the garage. So the short answer is: about 4 or 5 years ago, but I haven’t been making beads that long – it has always been hard to find free time to melt glass, and then when we moved I lost my studio and had to start all over again. My new studio was finished this summer and I’ve been catching up for lost time ever since.

How do you like doing business on Etsy? Do you sell your work anywhere else?
I think Etsy is great. I love how easy it is to set up shop, how well it integrates with PayPal, how nice it feels to be involved in something so grass-roots and artist oriented. I have also been selling my jewelry on my own website: http://www.bluebetween.com for several years and I just recently started selling my beads on the auction sites, eBay and JustBeads.

Is this your full time job?
It is, now that my son is in school. It’s more than full-time actually, the business side of things takes up way too much of my time, I wish there was more time for melting glass and creating.

What is your favorite piece that you have for sale right now? And why?
I love this bead: http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=9032952 – I actually gasped when I first saw it after it came out of the kiln. I love the colors and how the blue frits blended with the green base, and how the tree and hearts pop. I almost didn’t list it… but I can’t keep all my favorites. So there it is, for sale. I hope it goes to a good home.

And finally, do you have anything else you want to tell us? A blog address of your own?
I’ve been blogging for years: http://bluebetween.blogspot.com/ – lots of my photographs are there (I’m doing a 365 days of colour photo thing this year, so something new every day), home decorating, crafts, kiddo pictures, garden, dogs, cat… lots of beads… you know… my life!

About the name The Blue Between

The name The Blue Between was inspired by a childrens’ poem by Kristine O’Connell George:

“Everyone watches clouds,
naming creatures they’ve seen.
I see the sky differently,
I see the blue between—”

To me, Seeing The Blue Between represents the artist’s eye, daring to live life in your own unique way.