I {HEART} ETSY

I have my shared my love for Do It Yourself magazine before, and I was so excited to see that in the new issue, they have a ~Best of Show~ section featuring a ton of Etsy sellers. Yay! I just told someone the other day that I love Etsy. I love that it is an all handmade community that supports artists, crafters, designers and small business owners. I love that people can come together to offer there creations, support other crafters and often insipre eachother. You are purchasing unique items that are not mass-produced. Even if the same product may be made a thousand times each will be unique in some tiny way. It is all your own. Being a seller is rewarding in that every time you make a sale, there is an element of surprise that someone actually paid for something you made!

Kelly Maron from Paper Stories said it perfectly:

"We are happiest when we make something that makes someone else happy."

Here are a few of the sellers that were featured int he showcase (congrats!):

{Alyssa Ettinger}

{Felted Style}

{May Luk}

{Happy KO}


{Chikabird Inc}


{Lucky Bee Press}

Way to go guys! Remember...buy handmade!

A FEW CHANGES

I always like to change up my packaging to reflect the colors or feeling of the current season. For Fall & Winter, I turned to my favorite store for inspiration...Paper Source. Turning me loose in this store is just plain dangerous...I want everything! The project possibilities are endless! I needed new thank you cards so I chose these bright Papaya colored note cards with chocolate brown envelopes and I hand-embossed 'to thank you' on each card. I also needed new ribbon and chose this rich brown satin ribbon...it just looks so decadent!

It has been raining for days and it gave me a chance to work on a few projects that I always want to do, but just never get around to doing. I made these cute little glass magnets and thought they would make a fun gift to include with orders as a little something extra for my customers!

Hmm..now I just have to update every listing with new packaging photos.

CRAVE ~ Vol. II
crave (krāv) transitive verb craved, craving crav′·ing

1. to ask for earnestly; beg

2. to long for eagerly; desire strongly

3. to be in great need of

Here are a few things that are on my wish list for Fall! I am so glad cooler weather is on its way, Fall is my favorite season. Sweaters, boots, handbags, jackets...jeans...handbags...oh! did I say that already?

These boots in a classic style and cool gunmetal color rocks.

{Randie Boot}, Nine West

So what if I have way too many purses...I REALLY want this one...really.

{Bryant Park Bag, Sundance}

..and this scarf is too cuddly to pass up!

{Tuesday Scarf, LilyandLulu}

Candles are always on my list and Ten Digit Creations has the BEST candles! These candles smell amazing and last a remarkably long time! This scent is perfect for Fall!

I adore this cardigan from {Vintage C}. Love the color. Love the shape. Love it!

And of course, I love my new {HARLOW RING}. I am a huge fan of big rings and this is big without being over the top and will go with pretty much anything. I might wear it everyday until it sells!

If you have any items you {CRAVE} and think it should be in the next volume, let me know!

ARTS FESTIVAL AT PIEDMONT PARK

One of my favorite days of the year is the Arts Festival at Piedmont Park. Piedmont Park is spectacular on a normal day...but fill it with happy people and art...it just doesn't get any better than that. Here are some highlights of the day....

It was a nice day with the sun hiding just behind the clouds. The white artists booths lined the edge of the park...

My favorite part of the day was getting the chance to meet Delias Thompson. I have been a fan of her amazing jewelry for awhile and it was so nice to finally meet her in person! She was as nice in person as I thought she would be and her booth looked fantastic. I have added a few of her pieces to my 'must have' list!

Yes...that is chalk he is using!!!

and at the end of the day...while serenaded by a talented gentleman playing the trumpet on the corner...

Tracy and I enjoyed some wine and a Caprese Salad...YUM!

It was a great way to spend a Sunday and I hope everyone else had a great day too. Mondays always come way too fast...stupid Mondays.

FIREFLY RING

Ok, Kel...the first ring is done! :)

My very good friend Kelley (from Kelley's Beads) recently went on a trip to Philidelphia to go to BeadFest 2009 and completely surprised me by buying me these super cool cabochons. Read about her trip here. The green stone is an Imperial Jasper, the cool shaped rust colored stone is a Snakeskin Carnelian Agate and the two pretty oblong stones are Regency Rose Agates.

Her only request....that I make rings out of them! So the first ring using the Imperial Jasper is complete and I am working on the Snakeskin Carnelian next! I love the way this ring turned out...the different shades of green are spectacular...and I love the size of the stone.

I LOVE big rings!

SATURDAY CREATIONS

I had planned to be at the pool all day today for our neighborhood's legendary pool party, but the weather didn't really cooperate...so instead, I decided to work on some new jewelry. Take a look.

The other day I soldered a bunch of Gold rings and hammered them so you will see them making an appearance here and there....like this necklace and earrings!

I have had this bracelet designed in my head for a while. I love the way it came out!

And I love these new earrings....

Hopefully I can get a few more things made tonight. Hope you all are having a good weekend!

BUNNY UPDATE!

If this is the first you have heard of the bunnies, check out my fist post here!

I was SO disappointed Tuesday when I went to check on my little friends. They were gone! I had just checked on them the day before and they were doing great..two of them had their eyes open, they were fat and happy...and they had grown so much over the last few days. Here are few pictures from the last time I saw them. I so miss them already. Buona fortuna little ones.