I Really REALLY Want It

How adorable is this illustration by Chichiboulie?!? I want to fill my little girl's room with them! Vibrant colors, rich and joyful characters, and lovely themes - I could find a home for just about everything in the entire boutique!

Get this one here. And be sure to check out the "Boulie Blog" here.

Are you a creative blogger? The Creative Bloggers Blog Ring is all about paying it forward - supporting other creative people through blogging. You can get involved here.

Featured EtsyBlogger -- miesmama

Congrats to this month's featured EtsyBlogger, miesmama. A longtime active member of EtsyBloggers and also a member of the Felting team, miesmama creates pretty little things for just about anyone. From her profile:

I am a mother of two who loves to be creative. I knit, quilt and daydream. Anything to do with textiles inspires me and makes me happy.

Check out the miesmama blog to learn more about this unique and lovely artisan. Hope she's enjoyed her month of EtsyBloggers fame!

I Want It

My daughter's recent "Fancy Day" must have put me into a dressed-up state of mind because these gorgeous dangly earrings by Hilary of 57 Design Studio are really calling my name. Are you feeling it? Little black dress, strappy heels?

Get them here. And be sure to check out Hilary's awesome jewelry blog here.

Are you a creative blogger? The Creative Bloggers Blog Ring is all about paying it forward - supporting other creative people through blogging. You can get involved here.

Artisan Feature -- EdUB Graphic Art and Design

This week's featured artisan is Erin of EdUB Graphic Art and Design. A super talented graphic artist, Erin offers logos, business cards, banners, blog layouts and more in her Etsy shop. Some of her favorite logos are featured here.

Tell me a little bit about you and what you do.
My name is Erin and I'm currently moving from place to place with my husband's construction job. It was hard for me to find work in this new place because not only was the economy horrible, but I was five months pregnant (and despite what the law says, people don't want to hire a pregnant woman!) Enter, Etsy! I started designing logos for people in alchemy and then opened shop in March. I've had such a blast with it! I do custom logos, blogs, etsy shop make-overs, photo editing, print design, invitations, etc. I'm always open to custom requests!!!

What 3 phrases best describe your work?
Unique, lovely, girlie :)

What inspires you?
COLORS! I love mixing different colors, especially blues and greens (thus why my logo is blue and green!)

What drives you to create what you do?
I just love art and I love being able to create while making some extra cash on the side...even better :)

What makes your work unique?
I think I have a totally different style from a lot of designers...partially because I haven't had formal training. My ideas come from me and the more I practice, the more creative I can get.


What role does your work play in your life? What role would you like it to play?
Work is important to me, but my family is my first priority. Any extra time my husband has at home, I spend it with him...other things will be put on hold. After baby...more things will probably be put on hold :) However, I believe in balance in all things and I will definitely keep working to keep my sanity!!

How do you see your work and/or your business evolving in the next five years?
I really hope to see a greater clientele...I LOVE working with repeating clients because I know their style and it's so easy to work with someone you feel you know! I have met some really great people on etsy and I hope to continue to do so.

Where can we find you on the web?
My Store: www.edub.etsy.com
My Blog: www.edubgraphicdesign.blogspot.com

Are you an artist or craftsperson? Would you like to be featured here? I would love to hear from you. Leave a comment here with a link to your shop, and I'll be in touch about future opportunities.

Dear Kid Sunday

Welcome to this week's installment of "Dear Kid" and sorry for the unannounced hiatus! I'm just now getting caught up after our Seattle trip and the freelance projects (thankfully) have been plentiful. Here's what we've been up to since you last heard from us.

Want to write a "Dear Kid" letter of your very own? Learn more about how to participate here.

Dear chickadee,

We've had a busy couple of weeks since my last letter. We planned a surprise party for your Grandma Tiny and you were SO awesome at keeping it a secret! She had no idea. Part of the surprise was a quick visit from your Aunt who lives in California. You were super excited to see her and I know she loved spending time with you.

Also last weekend a new little doggie came to stay with us. You've been such a great help. Since she's a lot smaller than our dog, you're able to walk her all by yourself and you think that's pretty great. She's really taken to you as well. Hopefully she'll continue to get along nicely with our big dog and she'll be able to stay.

You did something SUPER cool this week - you started writing words! We've been working on reading and you already recognize some words, but all of the sudden, you began sounding things out in order to write them down. Amazing! The first time you did it, you came running up to me and said, "Look, Mom! I made a sign that says 'No Apples!'"


Not bad considering you'd never tried anything like that before. You thought it was hilarious to ban apples in our house, so your next sign was:

Poor Dad. He loves pears! That one was even more amazing because I only gave you a teeny bit of help. You couldn't figure out how to make the long A sound in "pears," so I gave you a hint. The rest you came up with yourself! Later that afternoon, you wrote me a note that said, "No Nap." Hmmm....

The fancy dress in the picture is from your "Fancy Day" with your Aunt K. She took you out for an early birthday surprise - getting your nails done and then.... a tea party! She said you behaved like quite a little lady. I'm so proud of you.

Meanwhile, we've been having a little trouble with listening at home, haven't we? Lately I have to ask several times for you to do something, and every now and then you'll stick your tongue out or give me some sass. I don't like it one bit and I've not been very patient with you. When I get mad, you get madder - we're quite the team. I realize that if I get worked up, I'm only teaching you to get worked up, so I need to learn to practice self-control. Now that you're older, you can say things that really hurt my feelings. It's my job as your mom not to respond emotionally but to offer you choices and allow you to make mistakes. You're smart enough and independent enough that you'll learn much more effectively from the consequences of bad choices than you will from a lecture from Mommy. Let's work on it together this week, OK?

On a "you're adorable" note, last night when we were at dinner, you tried and tried to get the waiter's attention while he was taking our order. Every time there was a break, you said, "Sir? Sir?" When he finally turned your way you said, "Sir? Guess what? Me and Mommy are best friends!" That was pretty much the sweetest thing ever.

I love you so much, girlie girl.

Kisses,
Mommy

It's Christmas in July!

Ho ho ho! It may be 100 degrees outside here in Texas, but the Etsy Bloggers street team is bringing you a little bit of Christmas cheer... in July!

This year, make sure you have enough handmade goodies under the tree for everyone on your list. Stock up now and save big on some amazing artisan goods.

In my Freshly Crafted and Retrocrafted shops, take 20% off your entire order for the rest of the month!

Here's a peek at what a few of my fellow Etsy Bloggers have to offer:

Luscious pine-scented soap by spottedcowsoaps

Stunning Southwestern earrings by beadedtail

Super cute clutch by TiLTcreations

Adorable little girl's apron by veryverdant

Pretty hobo bag by nicodesigns

Check out this thread to discover all the super talented artisans participating in this sale. Happy shopping!

Wordless Wednesday - Just 'Cause It's Great

I Want It

How perfect is this color combination? I could stare at this gorgeous copper pendant by Earth Expressions all day. Get it here. And be sure to check out the Earth Expressions blog here.

Are you a creative blogger? The Creative Bloggers Blog Ring is all about paying it forward - supporting other creative people through blogging. You can get involved here.

Featured Artisan -- Bonhomie

This week's featured artisan is Kirstie of Bonhomie. A fellow Etsyian and work-at-home mom, Kirstie creates gorgeous, earthy jewelry designed to enhance and celebrate your natural beauty.

Tell me a little bit about you and what you do.
I'm a stay-at-home mom of one toddler and I'm married to a wonderfully supportive husband! In addition to my jewelry, I run my own business as a virtual assistant/legal billing specialist. I'm a self-taught jewelry artist. I've been working on my jewelry for only a little over a year and I love it!

What 3 phrases best describe your work?
Organic, funky and down-to-earth. Does that count?

What inspires you?
I'd like to say that I'm inspired by nature or the world around me but really, I'm not certain what inspires me. The act of creation itself inspires me!

What drives you to create what you do?
I just started working on a new line of enameled jewelry. I had no previous experience or training with enamel so I just sat down at the bench to see what happened. Most times it's a new technique I'd like to learn that drives me create. I wanted to learn to enamel and what came out of my experimentation are pieces that I connect to.

What makes your work unique?
My work is unique partly because of my lack of training. I know that sounds odd but what I mean is, on many an occasion, what I intend to create comes out completely different than what I've pictured in my mind but it ends up as it should be - in 'my style'.


What role does your work play in your life? What role would you like it to play?
As I mentioned earlier, I have a very supportive husband. He recognizes that creativity is something I require in my life and working with jewelry fills that need. He's my biggest fan and supports the fact that, even though my work isn't supporting us financially, it takes a leading role as though it will someday.

How do you see your work and/or your business evolving in the next five years?
In the next five years, I hope to have fully developed my 'signature' in my work - so that people can look at my work unidentified and KNOW it's mine. And I fully intend to be a full-time jewelry artist (with a full-time income!!) five years from now.

Where can we find you on the web?
Bonhomie jewelry is available on Etsy and 1000Markets. You can also visit my blog for sneak peeks of new designs (and the sometimes twisted thoughts of my mind!)

Are you an artist or craftsperson? Would you like to be featured here? I would love to hear from you. Leave a comment here with a link to your shop, and I'll be in touch about future opportunities.

Dear Kid Sunday

Welcome to this week's installment of "Dear Kid." As always, full credit to Christina of Cutest Kid Ever for the fabulous idea. Want to write a "Dear Kid" letter of your very own? Learn more about how to participate here.

Happy Sunday, sweets!

Whew! We've had a busy few weeks. Last week we went to Seattle to see friends and family, and you had a great time. You're a good traveler which makes things pretty easy for Daddy and me. And this time we get to spend most of our trip outside. You got to go on a long boat ride, have a campfire on the beach, see those amazing Seattle fireworks for the first time and get lots of love from your aunt, uncle, cousins, Grandma, Grandpa and all of our wonderful friends.

This week was all about getting back into the swing of things and we had lots on the schedule. You had gymnastics camp on Tuesday and Wednesday, and a birthday pool party on Thursday - that's a pretty full week for us!

We had a big occasion this week. You moved into your first "big girl" bed. For a long time, you've been sleeping in either your toddler bed or, more recently, on the floor in your princess tent. On Monday, though, we got your twin bed set up and you were SO excited about it. We went to Target and I let you pick out some sheets and wall decals. When we got home, we had a redecorating party! I think your room looks more like you now - girly, playful, creative... and definitely not like a baby anymore. You seem to love it!

You introduced us to a new alter ego this week - "Princess Presto." Apparently she flies "swiftly through the night sky." Leave it to you to combine princesses and super heroes, right? You also let it slip that you have a "secret grotto" these days and that you hope I never find it. Hmmmmm...

Lately you can't get enough of puzzle books and worksheets, so we've been working through this really big Kindergarten workbook together before dinner each night. It includes things like simple math, writing upper and lowercase letters, matching pictures to words, and you always do a great job. Sometimes, though, you think I'm trying to pull a fast one and actually teach you something. As soon as you think it's a lesson, you're over it. I've had kind of a hard time getting you to stay focused even though you obviously like the challenge.

Apparently, though, I've been doing it wrong. It's quickly becoming clear that praise and encouragement make you feel like a sell-out. You respond much better if you think you're showing me up. For example, you love nothing more than for me say, "Oh, this is probably too hard for you. Let's do something a little easier." Your response is always something like, "Oh yeah???? Watch this! I can do the whole thing and not even need any help!" We got through the entire alphabet that way the other night - before each letter you'd put your hand on your hip and say, "I'll bet you don't think I can write this Q!" or "There's no way I can make this W, right, Mom?" And you especially love it if I act astonished and mad when you get it right. Wow. It's amazing how different we are.

Thursday morning we found ourselves with a flat tire and a carload of groceries on a 100 degree day. You were quite the little helper! First, you suggested I call Barack Obama. Then you said that maybe the tire was flat because it "just wanted attention." Thanks for the perspective, kiddo. What would I do without you?

Yesterday we talked about being in love. You're all about "finding your prince" and getting married right now. Slow down, girlfriend! Let's at least get to your fourth birthday first, shall we? You told me yesterday, with a very long and dramatic sigh, that you're not in love yet. When I told you that you didn't need to worry about being in love for a long time, you were having none of it. You said you wanted to get married NOW. And at a friend's party last night, you promptly fell in love with an 11-year-old boy. Followed him around all night batting your eyelashes and giggling, in fact. Thankfully he was a great sport! Oooooooh my. Perhaps we should take a break from the Disney princess stories?

I love you so much, baby girl.

Sincerely,
Mommy

Wordless Wednesday - Sesame Street Rocks

Featured Artisan -- Epheriell

This week's featured artisan is Jess of Epheriell. A fellow Etsyian and super talented jewelry artist, Jess offers gorgeous contemporary designs that are both simple and stunning.

Tell me a little bit about you and what you do.
I am an Aussie girl who has discovered her passion in creating sleek, artisan jewellery! I also love to work with yarn and beads and gemstones, and I also make jewellery from sea glass that I collect at the beach down the end of my street. I love wandering slowly along the beach looking for a glint of treasure on the sand! I also have a lovely English fiancé, and a ridiculously cute cat named Gobbolino…

What 3 phrases best describe your work?
Contemporary metal jewellery

What inspires you?
Nature inspires me… as does the metal itself. When working with wire, you have so much freedom – but as with any material, limitations also.

What drives you to create what you do?
I work in a very ‘intellectual’ job, and I find working with my hands just brings me an incredible satisfaction. Until I began crafting, I always felt as though there was something missing in my life – now I can’t imagine life without it!

What makes your work unique?
I think every thing a person makes is unique, because it comes from their hands, and so every piece – even if the look the same – never can be. I am trying to find unique ways to shape my material, and I’m always trying new designs. Who knows what I’ll be making in a year’s time?


What role does your work play in your life? What role would you like it to play?
Currently, making jewellery is a hobby (or perhaps, obsession!) for me. Sometimes I think I would love to be making a living from it, and other times I don’t want to take the freedom out of it by doing this. I’ll just keep creating, and whatever happens, happens, and could not happen any other way! (kudos to the Matrix, here, for the quote…).

How do you see your work and/or your business evolving in the next five years?
I will keep crafting for the rest of my life. I can see this becoming a bigger and bigger part of my life – and it’s nice to know that if I ever have kids, I’ll have the ability to make some money from my craft. My main aim is just to keep enjoying what I do, and to keep creating new designs!

Where can we find you on the web?
Blog - http://www.EpheriellDesigns.com
Website - http://www.Epheriell.com
Etsy - http://Epheriell.etsy.com

Are you an artist or craftsperson? Would you like to be featured here? I would love to hear from you. Leave a comment here with a link to your shop, and I'll be in touch about future opportunities.