Through Summer Glass Treasury by Natalya1905

Through Summer Glass

Thank you Natalya for including my earrings in this gorgeous treasury!

Wednesday Window Shopping on Etsy!

Maybe it's the recent holiday parties that has me in this frame of mind...but this week's Window Shopping on Etsy is all about cupcakes! Mmmmm!  Let's take a look at a few artisans that have been inspired by cupcakes!!

Routine is for Robots creates lampwork designs and is definitely inspired by cupcakes!  This adorable glass cupcake pendant features lime green 'cake' and white frosting, dotted with tiny rainbow sprinkles and topped with a genuine Swarovski crystal cherry! 


In the artist's own words: "All my jewelry is lampworked by me and is annealed for durability and strength. "

 

At Crocheted Little Things you will find a vast variety of cupcakes as well as faux food and spa items.  This Crocheted Pincushion Cupcake in White with a Red Cherry in white acrylic yarn helping a busy seamstress to keep her pins and needle in order in one spot. Embellished by a red cherry also in acrylic yarn.

Luisa, the owner, is the busy mom of two wonderful kids who is having too much fun selling her crocheted little things on Etsy and Artfire to really call it a business or a job!  Her work is colorful and wonderful and certainly fits right in with our cupcake theme!

This Cupcakes Four Drawer Trinket Box by Sister Butterfly is perfect for stylishly storing jewelry, or other small treasures.  In the artist's own words: "The entire box and inside drawers were painted a metallic brown. Then I decoupaged various cupcake patterns...The back has chocolate frosted sprinkles! Then, I inked the edges for a "shabby chic" look. Last, I sealed it in triple coats of sealer for extra protection. This box measures: just under 8" tall, by 6" wide, by 4" deep."

Oh, AND they have real cupcakes on Etsy too!  These are Raspberry Lemonade Cupcakes by Sugar Plum's Cupcakery.  In the artist's own words: "You simply will not believe the burst of flavor that pops through your mouth! The sweetness of fresh raspberries in our raspberry filling combined with our very own lemon meringue fill and then...yep...you guessed it...Our very own Raspberry Lemonade Buttercream Icing!!!"

So I hope you have enjoyed this week's Window Shopping on Etsy Feature!  Wishing everyone a wonderful week!

Social Shopping Networks Part One--Kaboodle

I have recently been experimenting with social shopping networks as a way to promote my own designs and to 

promote my fellow artisans as well. Sites like Kaboodle, 

This Next, and Wist have spearheaded a category of e-commerce sites called "social shopping" in an attempt to combine two favorites online activities: shopping and social networking.

In today's post, we are going to talk about Kaboodle.

I must admit, I began using Kaboodle because it is one of the sharing options in Etsy, whether you are listing a new item, sharing a favorite item from someone else's shop, or promoting a beautiful treasury. But Kaboodle has a lot more to offer above and beyond that.  

Kaboodle is a social network based on shopping and can put you in touch with other shoppers who have similar interests in products. Kaboodle also features product reviews, and as you grow to know the community, the product reviews become more relevant since you'll recognize some of the reviewers. A handy bookmark allows you to recommend your own products as you browse the web.

And as with every social network, the more time you take to build a targeted community, the better you will do with Kaboodle.

Additional features include:

• Lists--whether you know it or not, if you are sharing an item from your Etsy shop or your favorite treasury, you are creating a list on Kaboodle.  There are pre-made list titles such as "Things I Love" or you can create your own lists.  For instance I have a list for items recently listed in my shop.
• Styleboards--where you can make a collection of some of your own work, or some of the favorites from other artisans--here's an example of an actual styleboard!

Delightful... by triplyksis

• Blogazine--a great way to help promote your items and those of other handmade artisans; you can create a style board and include that in your blogazine or you can blog about some of your favorite picks!
• Polls--you can create your own polls for other members to vote on...you can also take polls on a wide range of shopping topics including, "which dress should I wear to my boyfriend's sister's wedding?"  This could be great additional exposure for for your own designs or those of your fellow artisans!
• Groups-this is usually how I find friends within the handmade industry; by looking at groups that are either related to Etsy, handmade, crafts, or art...you can pretty much find your peeps.  There are groups of all types and forums within each group.  This is a great way to get your links out there, meet new artisans and build your community within Kaboodle

Given the fact that Kaboodle is one of the sharing choices connected within Etsy, you owe it to yourself to maximize the effect of sharing your own newly listed items, your favorite items, or those wonderful treasuries!  When you have a minute, give Kaboodle a try! Oh and follow them on Facebook and Twitter!

Next week I'll talk a bit about This Next! Stay Tuned!

Indie Junction Featured Artisans for the Week of July 4th!!

  
Let the fireworks begin with this week's Indie Junction Featured Artisans: Steve  of Cherished Stained Glass, Audrey ofAudrey Garden Lady, and Kim from Candied Beauty!
Let's start off with Cherished Stained Glass specializing in stained glass in all its forms.  In the artist's own words: "Stained Glass found me, rather than me finding it, as a very young lad admiring the glass windows in the Churches of England or from a doorway in the entrance to a Victorian home.  I was amazed at how they threw their colours over the white washed inner walls, with such stunning effects.  I suppose it was inevitable that one day it would become a big part of who I was to become. My work comes from the heart. From the design stage it is usually a feeling or an inspiration that guides me through to the day it’s finished, where that initial spark of intuition becomes a reality and something I am proud of.  After years of making panels, sun catchers and lamps for our home and as gifts I had my 'Eureka' moment and decided to take what I had learnt, go with my feelings and set up Cherished Stained Glass.  I care about the pieces I make and feel that there is something of me in every single one of them.  That I suppose is where the business name comes from as 'Cherished' is exactly how I would like my customers to feel about the pieces that they purchase. As the feedback suggests, many seem to do just that."
Places to find Cherished Stained Glass in addition to primary website:

• Blog
• Folksy
• Facebook
• Twitter
• SAATCHI

Steve is also part of the journalism team of Handmade and Fabulous!
Now let's take a look at some of the wonderful work you will find at Cherished Stained Glass!
  
Our next featured Indie Junction Artisan is the owner of Audrey Garden Lady where you will find affordable gemstone jewelry and other art  inspired by Audrey's love of nature and gardening!    In the artist's own words: "My name is Audrey but the kids call me Garden Lady because I teach organic gardening, as a volunteer, to children at my son's school. It is a particularly rewarding experience.  I love the outdoors and am inspired to create by what I see in nature. I have been an artist pretty much most my life in various mediums from early crayons, paint, playdough and even mud then later Sculpy clay, water colors, acrylics, fine papers and now jewelry. Paper sculpture is one of my great loves. Creating unique jewelry pieces has become a passion as well. It is a blessing to be able to enhance others lives through art and gardening.  After a fourteen year career as a branch manager of a bank, I left that world to become a SAHM who is actually not home a lot, though I am a homebody. I am a wife to an awesome husband, mother of a wonderful son, chief cook, bottle washer and homemaker, volunteer at school and Boy Scouts, and Church, and in my community and enjoy it very much."
Places to find Audrey Garden Lady:

• Blog
• Facebook
• Twitter

Now let's take a look at some of the wonderful things you will find at Audrey Garden Lady!
  
Our third Indie Junction Featured Artisan is Kim of Candied Beauty, featuring luxurious bath products made using only the finest, high quality ingredients and with loads of LOVE and attention! Vegetarian! Cruelty Free! Paraben Free! SLS/SLES Free! Made Fresh to Order!  It's a bath bakery and beauty bar!!  Take a peek at this video to learn more about Candied Beauty!



Places to Find Candied Beauty:

• Blog
• Facebook
• Twitter
• Website

Now let's take a look at some of the yummy bath products from Candied Beauty!
  
We hope you have enjoyed this week's featured Indie Junction Artisans!  Indie Junction is a wonderful community that brings together artisans from across all mediums in the spirit of collaboration, support and growth.  Indie Junction now officially has a new home!  Due to changes within Ning and incredible growth of our community, we have moved to a brand new home!  Many thanks to the design team of Nicky (co-owner) and her husband Steph for creating a wonderful site for all of our members!  With this new site we can not only continue to add value for our members but also keep the site free!  For more information about Indie Junction, please go here!
For those in the US and all around the world who are celebrating the 4th of July or are still celebrating Canada Day this weekend...hope it's a safe and wonderful holiday for all!

I Love Fireworks!!

For Those in The U.S. and Those Celebrating Around the World

Happy 4th of July!!!

Here's My Latest Indie Junction Treasury!!

Indie Junction Shades of Peach

Featuring a sampling of all the wonderful talent on Indie Junction!

I Was Included in This Gorgeous Treasury by Lapis Beach!!

I Need a Vanilla Latte

Thank You Lapis Beach!!

My Necklace Was Included in This Beautiful Treasury East!!

Thank You Jewelry by NaLa For Including My Necklace in This Treasury!!

EPL Summer Contest: Pastels on Parade

Jewelry by Nala

Wednesday Window Shopping on Etsy!

This week's window shopping expedition is dedicated to all the wonderful photography you will find on Etsy.  I wish I could showcase ALL of them but let me at least show you a sampling!

Let's start with this beautiful black and white from Year of the Tiger! Here you'll find photography, collage paintings and assemblage (three dimensional collage)!  Very talented artisan!

Ready for Big Girl Shoes

This sweet image is actually a pair of bronzed baby shoes resting on an old window sill. The light came in perfectly at that moment and the cobwebs behind the shoes became visible so the shot was irresistable to me.

Professionally printed on 8" X 10" archival paper. Signed on the back. Available as a print only or matted and framed.

Next let's take a look at CW Images that produces images and products that give your environment the style and beauty that you desire. The galleries focus on the beauty of nature and the artist's unique abstract style of photographing light to create interesting compositions.  

Nature1
Printed on 5x7 matte photo paper
Requests for other sizes welcome
(low res photo used for display)

From the CW nature gallery which feature the beauty of the plants and animals around us.

Emele Photography brings you a range of affordable prints perfect for your home and office, plus gift giving!

Greek Church Dome Print
Think of Greece and you're bound to think of the churches... This photo of a church dome roof was taken at a monastery just down the road from where I lived in Crete...

Size: 5x7 inches or approx 13x18cm
Paper Type: Gloss
Printed on: Premium Quality Fuji Crystal Archive paper.

 Kelly Warren Photo Art features happy, colorful art and photography to color your world! 
Miss Jasmine Take Two

Meet "Miss Jasmine", a 50's era Oldsmobile from my Harvey Collection series. Jasmine hung out with Jenny and Violet in her younger days; they didn't like Christine. Jasmine's heart belongs to Mr. Newman. Fine art print will be printed on Kodak Endura Lustre paper with a small white border to assist in framing.

Read the story behind the Harvey Collection on Kelly's blog here!



Well, that's it for this week's Window Shopping on Etsy!  Hope you have a wonderful week...and stay tuned!

Indie Junction Social Community Has A New Home!

What's Your Function...at Indie Junction?

Indie Junction is a rich and wonderful social community where artisans across all genres come together in the spirit of collaboration to help each individual achieve their goals within the handmade industry. This network was the brain child of two indie artisans, Nicky of Ambient Girl Designs and Jolie Papeterie and Deb Hall of Zur Designs.Together we had a vision of a gathering place for artists to share, collaborate, and support each other through cross-promotion and sharing of resources and ideas. That’s why the key words for this site are: Create. Love. Explore. Collaborate. Support. Learn. Grow.

Indie Junction was created just in time to ring in 2010 and by the first week had already grown to approximately 130 members!  Now, about six months later, we boast approximately 300 members, we have our own blog where we feature three talented Indie Junction Artisans each week in an on-going series, an Etsy Treasury Committee, we have an active presence on the Etsy Forums, we have a Facebook Fan Page, an Indie Junction Twitter Channel, a Flickr Group, and we have become an official Etsy Team! And we have so many plans to enhance the value of the community for our members!

In the meantime, between all the changes over at Ning and the fact that we have totally outgrown our original space, we were struggling with how we would continue to keep the community free to all members. Therefore, it is with great pride that we present to you Indie Junction’s new home, designed by the dynamic husband and wife duo of Nicky and Steph Vee! Together they have designed a home for Indie Junction that contains all of the favorite features…and then some! One of the new additions at Indie Junction is a special hub called Indie Euro–An up-to-date creative hub for the European members of Indie Junction. Allowing both sides of the Atlantic Pond to share ideas and to work together in a positive, relevant and fun environment. We’re all Indie Members, but realize that in some areas, more localized information would make membership more relevant and useful. Whilst, at the same time offering a direct link between Canada, the Americas and European Communities, through chatting, buddy link ups and tons of really useful information, regarding all aspects of creating and selling our pieces.

People began to move into the new site and set up their pages even when the site was not yet officially complete. Already when you log on there is that old familiar feeling of excitement so you know you are home! There are photos of new artisans every day, people are gathering in Chat to exchange ideas, take a break while they are working, or even eat lunch together…virtually. There are a number of groups already started: All Things Etsy, Indie Junction Darkroom, Indie J Business Group, Indie Maillers, Flickr Group, and The Brits of Indie Junction. Members are encouraged to start their own group if they don’t see one that suits their needs. The discussion forums are active and already filled with useful information, and each member has their own Word Press Blog and there are already some wonderful posts that help to show the artist behind the designs.

Membership at Indie Junction is open, so simply click here, sign up, and start customizing your own page, join some groups, post to the forums, and make some new friends! Once you’re settled, come over to Chat and exchange ideas with other artisans or just hang out! Or join in on the forums, start your own discussion! Come join us at Indie Junction! We’ll be waiting for you here!

Indie Junction Featured Artisans for the Week of June 27th!!

  
The talent fest continues with this week's fabulous Indie Junction Artisans: Ambidextrous Octopus, Ida Michaeli ofIdale,  and Valerie from Additions Style!!
So let's start right in with Ambidextrous Octopus, a shop featuring salvaged, repurposed, upcycled, revamped, recycled creations (or however you wanna put it) and some pretty amazing photographs!  In the artists' own words: "The Ambidextrous Octopus is a brother / sister team effort which is why we are an octopie: 8 appendages means at least 2 hands cooking up new crafty goodness at all times!   We are totally enamored with remaking, salvaging, repurposing, upcycling, revamping, recycling or however you wanna put it. We love twisting and turning something obsolete into something awesome-tastic!  We also like to go on photo taking adventures into lost places. Peeling paint and rusty nails make us giddy. Abandoned buildings are our Taj Mahal. Graffiti spray is our Mona Lisa. Give us back allies and junkyards and we are a happy cephalopode."
Take a look at some of the goodies from their Etsy Shop!
  
Our next Indie Junction Featured Artisan is Ida Michaeli from Idale featuring exclusive handmade ceramic artwork, functional pottery, jewelry, and artifacts!  In the artisan's own words: "I have been in love with clay since i took part in archeological expeditions as a teenager. What do archeologists discover? Mostly ceramics. All the materials, all those bones and iron, turn into dust after centuries and millennia, only fired clay stays intact. It may break, but it is impervious to entropy... I remember my ecstasy as i washed disinterred beads in the river - and they sparkled and dazzled in the sun with shocking blue, deep purple and mellow yellow colours.  However, my style has nothing to do with the ground or archeology. I would call it Quasi Victorian Eclectic. My overglaze techniques and multifiring allow me to compose collages of images, ornaments and reproductions on ceramic surfaces. The work is completed by drawing with lustres, mostly gold lustre.  You are welcome to visit my website."
Now let's take a peek at some of her wonderful work!
  
Our third Featured Indie Junction Artisan is Valerie from Additions Style featuring her wonderful jewelry collection created from recycled & repurposed hardware.  In the artist's own words: "I am a jewelry artist who works with sterling silver, and a mother of a teenage daughter who loves jewelry. A couple of years ago I was ready for a change and wanted to try something new. I wanted the opportunity to try a new medium, experiment with new techniques, and create jewelry and accessories that were young, fresh, and affordable.  Working with my daughter we started a collection named ADDITIONS. When we started I did not know the design direction we were going to take, until one day when I went into the hardware store. My whole design process was recharged that day and I realized that I could create jewelry that looked like silver, using hardware to make it affordable. Since that day I have found great resource for recycled hardware to create the jewelry and accessories in our collection.  Working with the hardware has been inspirational for me. I get new ideas all the time and creating is exciting. Sometimes the best thing is trying to figure out what to do next, so check back often to see all the new items.  You can follow my design process and my adventures on running an online business on my blog." You can also follow her on Facebook and Twitter!
Here are some of the designs you will find at Additions Style!
  
We hope you have enjoyed this week's featured Indie Junction Artisans!  Indie Junction is a wonderful community that brings together artisans from across all mediums in the spirit of collaboration, support and growth.  Indie Junction now officially has a new home!  Due to changes within Ning and incredible growth of our community, we have moved to a brand new home!  Many thanks to the design team of Nicky (co-owner) and her husband Steph for creating a wonderful site for all of our members!  With this new site we can not only continue to add value for our members but also keep the site free!  For more information about Indie Junction, please go here!

My Earrings Were Featured in this Treasury East by Among the Ruins

Demure

Featuring Artists from Indie Junction

Thanks Kim!

Wednesday Window Shopping on Etsy!

Well, it's officially summer!  So let's go to the beach!  Take a look at some picks from my weekly window shopping trip that are beach themed!

Well we need to include something from a shop called Lapis Beach!  How about Beach Twist? This stunning necklace is knit on warm gold thread and has all types of glass beads and shells twisted through the knitting. The colors are golds, tans, ivory & creams with touches of pale blue. It is absolutely one of a kind.

And how about this wonderful print from Emele Photography!
Title – “Blueish Gray Pebbles”
Size: 10x7 inches or aprox 25x18 cm 
Print includes a 1 inch white border.
Paper Type – Matte
Printed on premium quality Fuji Crystal Archive paper.
Orientation – Landscape / Horizontal

Not to mention this wonderful Stone Cairn Pendant by  Aimee's Rock Works?   Three drilled stones on a silver-tone post. Rock cairns are often used on trails to mark the path and to show the way.  This mini-cairn will show that its wearer is always found!

And then there's these adorable Crab Wine Charms from Ogden Arthaus!

Don’t let your glass of wine get pinched! These handmade lampwork glass crabs will help you keep your glass all night long! This set of six charms includes a variety of colors that are easily identifiable!




And I could go on and on and on!!  Hope you enjoyed this week's Window Shopping on Etsy! Stay tuned next week when I'll explore more wonderful shops who offer high quality handmade items and excellence in service.  That's why...HANDMADE RULES!!