Friday Finds; December 23

It's hard to believe that Christmas is almost Christmas here! I'm thankful that we can celebrate Jesus' birth at this time of year, and I'm thankful for what He's done in my life.

Today I want to share some beautiful gold inspired creations from talented Besteam artists on Etsy. First, I would like to show you this really lovely angel tree topper or table centerpiece by angelsneverlastings. It is made with amazing artistry, and I would love to have an angel like this.

Next is this lovely gold carved ring from riorita. It is really beautiful, and can be ordered in different types of gold.

This gear and feather gold headband from poisongarden is adorable. How my daughter loves feathers, and they are so popular right now!

Last, enjoy these beautiful flower hair clips from msformaldehyde. Perfect for any occasion!

If you're an Etsy artisian looking for a great group of people to help you grow and support your work, check out the BESTeam.

Friday Finds: December 2

Today I want to share with you some sweet, delicate pinks. I love the color pink, and find it so feminine and alluring.

For example, take this Magnolia Photo from StitchPrincess. What an amazing picture!

This Butterfly Quilt Coverlet from OurHomeToYours is really sweet. My daughter would love to have something like this on her bed!

I'm loving this yummy Strawberry Shortcake Soap from sandyvern. Sounds like it would smell so amazing!

What a fun Candy Canes Greeting Card from EmptyOnTheInside to send out this season.

These amazing shops are all part of the besteam on Etsy.

Friday Finds: November 18

One of my favorite colors is pink. I have always loved it - even when I thought I only loved lavendar! Pink is such a feminine color, and so fun to wear.

I'm loving these fun things this week:

Pink Lap Blanket
by GmaEllen

Baby Booties
by KnitfulDezigns

Pink and White Scarf
by OurHometoYours

Alphabet Wine Glass Charms
by AbsolutelyKismet

These amazing shops are all part of the besteam on Etsy.

Friday Finds: November 11

Happy Veteran's Day! I am thankful for the troops and what they do to protect our country and keep us safe every day!

I am also reminded that Christmas is coming soon. Only about 1 1/2 months left! Wow! Time to get working on Christmas presents and Christmas cards. To help you in your shopping, here are some fun finds for you:

Christmas Wreath
by angelsneverlastings

Ribbon Choker
by PoisonGarden

Red Earrings
by jaynemarie

These amazing shops are all part of the besteam on Etsy.

Wednesday Sneak Peak: Love that Jasper

I have been having a blast with jasper lately. It is such a beautiful stone and is so varied in appearance and colors. There is lots of room for creativity and pairing with many other colors of stones and pearls. It was so much fun to make these new necklace, bracelet, and earring sets this week, and I wanted to give you a sneak preview of them!

My new creations are taken locally to Bellaphia Boutique in Chelan and also placed in my shop CKSILVER on Etsy. As always you can let me know if you want to snag something before it is available in either of those venues!

Fancy Jasper and Pearl Necklace, Bracelet, and Earrings
by CKSILVER

Smoky Quartz and Black Onyx Necklace (with Jasper Pendant),
Bracelet, and Earrings with Jasper Pendant
by CKSILVER

Friday Finds: RedemptionArt

I'd like to introduce you to Connie Haskell from redemptionart featuring vintage, handmade, and upcycled art from Volcano, Hawaii.

Come learn more about Connie with me...

Introduction
In my shop you will find things from all over the globe that have somehow made their way to my beautiful island home. I am the queen of redeem! I find complete satisfaction re-cycling, up-cycling and redeeming! Those who know me know my mantra: "it can't be that hard to wash out a can and remove its label!" Little did I know that one day I would be "redeeming" my professional life and that it would be the economy that would dictate this redemption.

Name one thing that not many people know about you.
I have 4 tatoos...hidden well!

How did you get your start on Etsy?
I just took the leap almost a year ago pretty much on my own, after being an etsy shopper for about 6 months.

How did you choose your shop name?
My name RedemptionArt is a statement of my spiritual and physical lifestyle. .I am a believer that everything and everyone can be redeemed.

What does a typical day look like for you?
Prayer, feed animals, make coffee, do basic housekeeping, check emails, facebook, twitter, hive, list new products, re-list products, work on art projects and so much more....especially play with my grandkids.

What's your favorite season of the year and why?
I love Christmas! Because it celebrates redemption! Because everyone gets together, a chance to spend time with my adult neices and nephews.

What was the hardest decision you ever had to make?
divorce?

What do you consider your best personality trait?
I genuinely love people, especially the chance to encourage someone.

What's your birthstone? Do you wish you had a different one?
My birthstone is a garnet and I wouldn't trade it! Love the dark red color.

You can also find Connie on her blog, Twitter, Facebook, and her handmade shop.

Friday Finds; CreativityBugs

Meet The Creativity Bugs, two sisters (Sandy and Sue) from Wauconda, Illinois, who have a passion for crafting. What started out as making gifts for family and friends, is now turning into a business venture for them.

Their Etsy store had its grand opening January 2011, and shop items include paper crafts & gifts, handmade cards, paper craft kits and supplies, holiday gifts, doll clothing and accessories, plus a whole lot more.

Sit down with me and get to know them more...

How did you get your start on Etsy?
Sandy and sister Sue found that they were making more crafts than they could possibly keep or give as gifts, so they decided to try to sell their items at arts & craft fairs along with Etsy.

How did you choose your shop name?
Sue’s nickname around work was suzybee as she was always buzzing around making stuff happen. When she started her blog she decided to call it “Creativity Bug” as an acknowledgement to her crafty side and her nickname. When trying to think of an Etsy shop, these two sisters like the idea of calling it “the Creativity Bugs”.

What does a typical day look like for you?
Sandy is a mom to an 8 year old girl, so when she is not working as an analyst, she is taking her daughter to dance lessons, cheerleading practice, football games, and other kid events. With all that going on, she tries to squeeze in a few hours of crafting each week.
Sue is currently a freelance writer, so her days are spent researching, interviewing, and writing. She tries to leave the weekends for crafting and checking out crafting events.

From whom did you learn to craft?
The crafty gene comes from our mom. She started us off with making weaved potholders and craft projects before we started kindergarten. Slowly she introduced us to cross-stitch, needlepoint, and crocheting before finally showing us how to use her prized sewing machine. Of course, all this lead to other crafts such as stamping, papercrafting, and scrapbooking.

What is the one thing you would want to be remembered for?
Sandy wants to be remembered for being a loving and caring mom and wife. Something she attributes from watching her parents as she grew up. Sue wants to be remembered for being a loving, caring, and charitable Christian.

Do you have any family traditions that you hope are carried through to future generations?
When we were aged 5 & 7, our mom taught us how to make a bunny cake using two round cake pans, cake mix, frosting, and jelly beans. She continued this tradition with her granddaughter at age 4 and every year all of us girls make the cake together for Easter.

If you could be anywhere in the world for one day, where would it be?
Sandy and Sue both agree that they are exactly where they want to be and that is wherever their family is.

Concluding thoughts
Our company motto is "lovingly creating items for others to love & cherish". We guarantee quality workmanship as nothing leaves our "shop" unless it has been crafted with 100% craftmanship mixed in with creativity and a pinch of kindness & love".

You can also find Sandy and Sue on their blog and on Facebook.

Friday Finds: YouAreMySunshine

Meet Nina from youaremysunshine in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida. She specializes in handmade fabric flower brooches, fabric flower hair pins, rings, earrings, bracelets and statement necklaces in a rainbow of colors to bring sunshine to your day.

This beautiful woman was born and raised in the city of Marikina, MetroManila, Philippines in a very entrepreneurial family. She began studies to be a vet in college, but was always interested in interior design, the arts, creating. One of my favorite comments from her blog is this: "I always thought and still think that I could live in a cardboard box and it would be the most inviting and cozy cardboard box ever!"

Sit back and enjoy my interview with Nina:

How did you get your start on Etsy?
I started my shop in October of 2007, taking my first pictures, experimenting with photography. The results were terrible! I learned a lot along the years.

How did you choose your shop name?
When my sons were little, I would sing them to sleep with the nursery rhyme "You Are My Sunshine." Now that they are older, cuddles consist of discussions about anything and everything important to growing boys. Yet, as sleep overcomes them and their eyelashes finally fall onto their soft, smooth cheeks, their lips relax into innocent worry-less smiles and their ninja warrior/transformer gyrations settle into peaceful, lyrical sighs, I look at each one and still think, “yes, my love, you are my sunshine.”

What does a typical day look like for you?
I work a full time job so I do all my creating, listing, etc. on the weekends.

Name one thing that not many people know about you.
I love to sing, I love to eat.

Most people have something or someone they look to for inspiration - what or who is yours?
My inspiration is nature. I love color and the way nature always surprises me with its wonders.

What is the one thing you would want to be remembered for?
I would like to be remembered for what my children think about me when I am gone.

Do you have any family traditions that you hope are carried through to future generations?
I tell my kids I love them everyday. I vocalize what I feel and they in turn have responded in kind. I tell my mom I love you also which I never did consistently when I was growing up. I hope my kids will never be shy about saying those words to anyone who matters to them.

If you could be anywhere in the world for one day, where would it be?
I would love to be back in Paris for one day. San Francisco would be a close second.

You can also find Nina in her vintage Etsy shop, her blog, and on Twitter.

Friday Finds: Fighting Social Injustice to Make a Better World

Meet Kate from OnBehalfOf located in Saint Louis, Missouri. She has such a big heart for other people that are hurting and suffering, and helping others to see the world that is beyond themselves.

Since our world system has enabled a small percent of us to live richly, lacking nothing, while the majority of beautiful people lack even the basic necessities in life, she regrets and is sorry that she is part of the priveleged minority and does what she help to change this injustice for other people.

Her heart and the aim of her life is to do what she can in fighting this injustice, and helping those in this society to see that. She says "Now that I have seen, I am responsible. I believe in possibility. I believe in God's providence. He knows my heart because He made it that way. And He's done so much already. I'm a small girl, but I am pretty determined that not everything about me will be small."

Ninety percent of the proceeds from each item in her shop go to provide clean water in developing countries, free modern day slaves, care for orphans, or provide medical help to those with HIV. Kate says, "I do, however believe in using beauty to fight back against the ugliness in our world, and fighting back against forces of injustice with acts of selfless love. Please wear or display my art on behalf of hope, and on behalf of the people who will receive it through the proceeds of this shop."

Programs your purchases from her shop go to support:

• Lahash International
• Blood: Water Mission
• Not For Sale Campaign
• John M. Perkins Foundation
• Shaohannah's Hope
• A Beautiful Idea

I had a chance to ask Kate a few more questions about her and her shop, and here are her answers:

How did you choose your shop name?
I chose the name On Behalf Of because the proceeds that I make work on behalf of those in need around the world.

What does a typical day look like for you?
During the school year, I wake up at five in the morning, go to work at an elementary school from 6-9, then go to college from 9-2, then back to work from 3-6. It always feels like I'm running from start to finish!

What's your favorite season of the year and why?
Definitely summer. I'm originally from LA, so I need to be in the sun as much as possible. In Missouri, this doesn't happen very much...

You can also find Kate on one of her two blogs: artonbehalfof.blogspot.com and ktgresh.blogspot.com.

Friday Finds: Handmade accessories from msformaldehyde

Today I am featuring msformaldehyde of sunny San Diego. She makes handmade accessories you can't find anywhere else. She loves everything tiki, polynesian, hawaii, and tiki oasis, and does wedding flowers for all types of weddings.

Name one thing that not many people know about you.
I wear my heart on my sleeve

How did you get your start on Etsy?
Making own my stuff and decided to sell it.

How did you choose your shop name?
I am a unemployed science girl.

What does a typical day look like for you?
Making new creations and post office hopefully.

Most people have something or someone they look to for inspiration - what or who is yours?
I come up with ideas, I love art and go to museums. I love fashion and it inspires me daily.

What is the one thing you would want to be remembered for?
Raising a great son. He is the light of my life and is a brain tumor/cancer survivor. We have been through a lot the past 2 years. I love him so.

You can also find msformaldehyde on Facebook, Twitter, her own website, and her blog.

Friday Finds: MysticWynd

Today I would like you to meet my friend Karen from mysticwynd. Born and raised in Chicago, Illinois, she now lives in Scottsdale, Arizona. She has 3 kids, 3 stepkids, 7 grandkids, and she loves to do all those crafts she learned as a child.

Karen hopes to igniting that special spark of uniqueness that lies within us all in her designs. Some things are elegant, some are fun, some are outlandish, some are colorful, some are calming.

I had a chance to ask Karen a few things about herself, and here is what she said:

Describe yourself in three words.
Capable, reflective, and accommodating.

Name one thing that not many people know about you.
If I mention it here, then everyone will know! Okay, in 2006, I married a Klingon on the bridge of the Enterprise with a Starfleet Officer officiating.

Are there any important lessons you've learned the hard way since you started selling your work?
I would have to say I've learned how involved marketing can be...and how it tends to take more time than anything if it's going to be effective.

What one aspect of your business do you wish you knew more about?
I'd love to learn more about metalworking and someday I want to take classes in lampworking!

What's your favorite outdoor activity?
I love going on nature hikes in the mountains, or skipping stones by a lake.

What was the hardest decision you ever had to make?
Having to make the decision not to resuscitate a loved one who was dying - that's not a position I would not want to put anyone else in. (If you don't have a living will, write one - because even if you think you've "discussed it," unless it's in writing, it's subject to interpretation and a lot of emotion...Make sure your wishes are clear!)

Be sure to visit Karen in her Etsy shops (mysticwynd, MWElegance, and TheCraftersCabinet), on her blog, Twitter, Facebook, on Handmade Spark, and Creating The Hive.

Tuesday Treasures: Beautiful Photography

I love flowers, and love the beautiful flower photography from October54Gallery. Anne is married with two children, and feels that art has always been a part of her life. She has lived all over the United States and spent eight years in Costa Rica.

Like this beautiful Holiday Amaryllis. Wow!

And this beautiful Magnolia photograph:

I wonder where she found these flowers?

Tuesday Treasures: vintage treasures from wayfaringmagnolia

Today I found Amanda and her Etsy shop wayfaringmagnolia. It is a sweet shop with lots of vintage clothing and other items.

She loves art, music, fashion and life, and currently works as a professional musician/gypsy wherever people want to hear her sing.

Here are some of her fun collections! This hot pink blazer is perfect for the person that wants to make a bold, yet feminine statement. A gorgeous shade, and with a lovely black trim, it is sure to be loved for a long time.

This wool skirt is a treasure, with its classic brown and neutral colors. And how fun that she found it in some items from her grandmother!

And last, this Grandma's Vintage Memory Book looks so sweet, and what a fun way to keep track of your family history.

So go check out her shop, list your favorite items here, and say that cksilver sent you!

Tuesday Treasures: soaps from sanyvern

Today I am featuring the lovely shop of sandyvern. Sandy is a self taught crafter, and is very talented in many different areas.

One of the things that caught my eye, however, is her soaps. She has been making soaps for about 3 years, and also makes cold process soaps and “melt and pour” soaps. Here are some of my favorites:

The first is this Decorative Flip Flop Soap:

Next this Lavender, Oatmeal, and Honey soap that my mother-in-law would just LOVE!

And of course these Fall Leaves Soaps are adorable too:

Sandy also loves her pets: a dog, a Border Collie X Australian shepherd cross, a kitten, 3 bearded dragons and 2 parrotlets.

To find out more about her, you can check out her blog:
http://theadventuresofsandyvern.blogspot.com

Tuesday Treasures: fingerless gloves from uniquedesignsbymsp

I love to go find new handmade items from other online shops, and the fingerless gloves at UniqueDesignsbyMsP have really caught my eye. She works with fabric, fibers, beads, and just about anything else textural, colorful or sparkly.

Fall in love with the colors in her fingerless gloves. First, my favorite are these A Taste of Berry fingerless gloves:

These Clear Blue Sky ones are really pretty as well!

So go stop by her shop, and say that cksilver sent you!

Thursday Thoughts: Vintage Stamp Pendants

Today I am featuring a fascinating artist, LotusMira, a maker of soldered vintage stamp pendants, soldered floating frames, and much more. The symbolism in her shop name is very thoughtful. Mira (pronounced "meera"), from the Sanskrit root meaning "prosperous," (one can hope!) is her middle name and her Indian/Bengali grandmother's first name.

The first soldered stamp pendant that caught my eye is this beautiful vintage Malaysian butterfly stamp:

I also really love this World Series Ghana stamp too, with this vivid map:

But how fun would it be to get this beautiful Periwinkle Beach floating frame for Christmas?

So go ahead, check out this talented Etsian, and tell her cksilver sent you!