Thursday, March 31, 2011

Mothers Day Treasury on Etsy

Here I am for my second post, still getting the hang of it.  Not sure if it's too long, too short...though today I have a few cool things to share.  Hopefully it won't be too long and you'll find something interesting (I'm featuring a couple of talented artisans) and inspiring (be inspired to either buy handmade, or start making and selling those handmade items you've been dreaming about).



First off...there's Etsy.  I you aren't already familiar with Etsy, it's an online marketplace for everything, handmade, vintage and supplies that cover a wide range of items including art, photography, jewelery, clothing, edibles, bath & beauty and so much more.  It's an amazing craft market place that fits between Amazon and eBay and has hundreds of thousands (no exaggeration here) of members in 150 different countries.  It's the best place to find that special & unique gift or item you're shopping for.



So...this morning when I checked my Etsy store activity, I noticed I was included in a Mothers Day Flowers treasury, which is a collection of themed items an Etsy shop owner has put together using items from other shops...a great way to support fellow shop owners.   This Flowers for Mom treasury was created by a fun vintage seller from Houston Texas, Jessika in her shop Hippy Chic Finds...check out her selections...and we invite you to visit Etsy for more Mothers Day gift ideas. 

Hippy Chic Finds has a  nice selection of affordable vintage items. 

Erin's Artwork does really wonderful & colorful  recipe boxes and cards with decoupage.  She also does jewelry & trinket boxes...what Mom doesn't love those!

Jimmy Mann from mannmadedesigns is an artist on the east coast who does very cool contemporary jewelery using silver, recycled aluminum and vintage porcelain tiles...really so unique.


The finishing touch...a Mothers Day card from Jill in the United Kingdom.
These are simply beautiful with hand twiddled, quilled flowers!  Really worth checking out her shop.


And lastly... one of a collection of vintage hanky pillows I created for Mothers Day.  My Mom is no longer with me ... but I know if she was she would be loving these hanky pillows and right in there helping in the production!
Love you Mom   



Monday, March 28, 2011

DailyPaintersProject


Wow!  My first blog ever...what should I blog about...hummm.  I know...I love painting and I love friends...so how about my painting friends!  I get to paint with this amazing group of women once a week for most weeks over the last nine years.  Oil paints is the medium for most of us, though we don't discriminate against water or acrylic paint, we just love to paint.  


These artists have started a daily painting group with the innovative idea of a "On The Go Gallery".  Once a month their gallery shows up in a different venue, to show off the theme for the month.  This Wednesday night they'll be at Sbicca,  a wonderful restaurant in Del Mar, California with their traveling gallery.  The theme is "Shades of Blue" and their interpretations of the blues are varied and imaginative.


Sadly for me, I was on a painting sabbatical making hanky pillows when they got the ball rolling on the "Daily Painters Project", so I'm not part of this project.  I'm back though to paint and cheer them on ... and try to keep up with they're painting brilliance! 




 Tangerines and Blue Jug by Carole Mayne
Still Life In Blue by  Linda Volz
 Blue Moonlight by Betsy Blodgett
 BB King by Jill Treadwell
 Door by Marjorie Taylor
 Out of the Blue by Cris Wetherby
Jewel of Balboa by Andrea Gayle