April's Featured EtsyBlogger is Linda B's Beaded Jewelry!

Congratulations Linda B's Jewelry for being this month's featured EtsyBlogger! I love her beautiful shop full of gorgeous one-of-a-kind jewelry. My favorite pieces from her shop are her lapis blue lovelies!

"Copper Chain and Royal Blue Lapis Swirl Pendant Necklace".

"Copper Wire Blue Lapis Earrings".

Linda B's lapis jewelry reminds me of a scene from my favorite retro Dreamcast game Shenmue: The Lapis Fortune Teller. Since "fortune tellers" are one of the mentioned popular trends in this month's Etsy Merchandising Desk Tips. I have been inspired to create a treasury featuring one of Linda B's lapis pieces as well as five other EtsyBloggers member items in this Lapis Fortune Teller team treasury! Please check out the treasury, comment, and support the EtsyBloggers!



Here is a short clip from the Dreamcast game Shenmue featuring the Lapis Fortune Teller...See how my lapis treasury was inspired?!

I Love Wearing HippieChicJewelz!!!

During the Etsy Self Taught Artist's Treasury (STAT) Team's BSP (Barter Sales Promotion), I traded for some lovely items from Julianne of HippieChicJewelz...and I love her fun and artsy jewelry! I feel like each piece conveys something about my personality; I adore the original style of each one-of-kind creation! The necklace I am wearing above is called "Purple Flower Power"...and as you can see below, my baby nephew Bobby is very fascinated with it (this is my husband's favorite piece too)!

Here I am wearing a stunningly flirty pair of heart shaped earrings by HippieChicJewelz titled "Sweetheart Earrings". Don't I look PRETTY?! Ha ha, I'm not conceited...right?!



...And here I am with a lovely masterpiece around my neck titled "Mad for Plaid Queen of Hearts"!
I encourage everyone to check out Julianne's delightful, creative, and beautiful Etsy shop HippieChicJewelz!

March's Featured EtsyBlogger is Karen of MysticWynd!

This February Karen of MysticWynd is the Featured EtsyBlogger! Congratulations Karen! :-)

The Mystic Wynd Shop is an elegant, mysterious, and yes very mystical!!! Here are my favorite items from this mystifying shop!
This exquisite necklace looks like something Juliet Capulet would have worn...Romeo would be drooling! "Pink Faux Pearls, Roses on Brass Necklace - Rosalyn" by MysticWynd.

Oooh la la, this delightful bracelet would be the perfect gift for a gardener...it's lovely! "Gardener's Copper Charm Bracelet w Flowers" by MysticWynd.

GORGEOUS! This sunny rainbow bookmark reminds me of my sunshine sister! "Rainbow Crystal Chakra Bookmark w Sun Charm Gold Plated - Energy and Enlightenment" by MysticWynd.

Protect, Cherish, Nurture Our Loving Mother Earth

The captivating image above is a beautiful print of the original painting "Mother Nature: Protect, Nurture, Cherish" by Bitowhimsey.

Another one of my team blog articles has been posted on the Etsy Recycler's Guild Team Blog! This one is titled "Reuse and Recycle Your Packaging Materials"; I suggest some things that you can recycle and use in your Etsy shop orders for packaging, as well as feature several Etsy Recycler's Guild member upcycled packaging items (package tags, stationary, business cards, etc.). Please check it out!

http://etsyrecyclersguild.blogspot.com/2011/03/reuse-and-recycle-your-packaging.html

Getting motivated to do your part by protecting, cherishing, and nurturing our amazing planet this coming Earth Day? Well, here are two treasuries that my spark some ideas and further encourage your nature-loving aspirations!

Here is a treasury created by my sister, Andrea of Storybook Artifact, and is titled "Earth Day Dreaming". This darling treasury is an entry for this week's Etsy STAT Team Treasury Challenge...Please view this treasury!!! Andrea's chances of winning the challenge increases with the more views her treasury gets! She features my hand-painted upcycled decoupage canister "Little Miss Cupcake" in this delightful collection!

I created this treasury titled "Capture the Beauty of Spring" featuring all members from the Etsy Recyclers Guild!!!

A Day in the Park...Take a Walk and Get Some Sunshine!

The delightful image above is an item from the Etsy shop Cupcake Cutiees Designs titled "Day in the Park Digital Clipart Elements" . I enjoyed a fun walk in the sun at a local park with my darling twin sister, Andrea of Storybook Artifact, and her sweet baby boy (and my adorable nephew) Bobby yesterday! What a fun-filled afternoon we had!
I created a blog article for the Etsy Recycler's Guild blog about "The Healing Benefits of Sunshine". Please check out this informative blog article that features two items from Etsy Recycler's Guild members!Speaking of promoting Etsy Recycler's Guild shops, Kitchen Robots by Leuckit created this charming treasury titled "A Walk Outside..." where all Etsy Recycler's Guild members are featured. My "Sunshine on a Rainy Day" hand-painted upcycled decoupage canister is featured in this treasury too!My "Sunshine on a Rainy Day" upcycled tin is also featured in this bright and sunny treasury created by STAT Team Captain HippieChicJewelz titled "Put Some Bright In Your Life" and is one of the participating treasuries in the STAT Team Tuesday Treasury Challenge! My dear sister, Andrea of Storybook Artifact, also featured my "Sunshine on a Rainy Day" upcycled tin in her STAT Team Challenge Treasury "The Bright Side of Black"...Thank you Andy!

Also, I would like to share that the awesome Etsy STAT Team is participating in a rewarding pursuit called the "Exposure Game"; during the week, each member selects an item from their shop that they would like featured in the Exposure Game and on Friday all of the members participating in the game will promote all of the STAT Team members' selected shop items however they wish (this could be by creating treasuries, promoting on Facebook fan pages or blogs, etc.). STAT Team member Planet Calamari is participating in the Exposure Game and she has made a wonderful treasury for the game titled "Exposing the ESTY STAT TEAM Part 1" and she also features my "Sunshine on a Rainy Day" upcycled tin.

Become a Milk Maid in Your Kitchen!

The darling image above is a "Milk Maid Vintage Linen Tea Towel" by Big Yellow Taxi Vintage. Please check out this lovely Etsy shop!
My sweet sister, Andrea of Storybook Artifact is now selling Milk Maiden Heirloom Kefir Grains...You can become a milk maid in your own kitchen with these babies!

She explains the wonderful benefits of kefir in her item description as follows:
Kefir is full of beneficial bacteria that aids as a natural probiotic for your intestinal flora, and thereby builds up your body's immunity. It has been found that kefir is an effective immune stimulant and antimicrobial against a wide variety of harmful gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria. Composed of around 400 strains of beneficial bacteria found in the intestines, kefir's microbes serve as a natural clean-up crew for your intestines, and are essential for the proper absorption of many vitamins and minerals. Kefir also has an abundance of vitamins, minerals, amino acids and enzymes. Some of the more noteworthy of these are calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, vitamin B2, and B12, vitamin K, A and D. Tryptophan, an essential amino acid found in kefir, has been found to have a relaxing effect on the nervous system.
Please check out Andrea's cozy little Etsy shop "Storybook Artifact" filled with delightful vintage finds, original paintings and sketches, and yes...probiotic heirloom kefir grains!!!Also speaking of Storybook Artifact's Milk Maiden Heirloom Kefir Grains, these healthy little cultures along with her Antique Rabbit Tea Pot Set are featured in this pleasantly pink STAT Team treasury created by CALLACosmetics titled "Vintagely Pink".My hand-painted, upcycled decoupage canister "Little Miss Cupcake" is also featured in this adorable treasury!

Today is "Be Humble Day"

The adorable image above is an original art print titled "Humbled Bird" by Kimberly Glesenkamp.
Today is not a day to brag or to boast. Its not a time to talk about your success or accomplishments. Why!? Because today is ...... Be Humble Day!

Be Humble Day can be a humbling experience. That's exactly the intent of today. Humbleness is a good thing, a virtue. People much prefer a humble person to a braggart. Practice humbleness today, and everyday. It will serve you well in life.

In this blog article, I am going to share with you all some treasuries that I find humble...ha ha, or maybe quite the opposite!


Who could be more humble than a calm cowboy? I reckon just about nobody. ;-) This lovely, rustic treasury is titled "Keep Calm & Cowboy On" and is a STAT Team Challenge Treasury created by Oddball Art Co.. My Vintage 60's Playboy Pinup is featured in this treasury.


Hang on a moment, a cow is more humble than a cowboy...who could be more humble than a sweet brown eyed cow? This delightfully brown treasury is also another entry into the STAT Team Treasury Challenge, this one is titled "How Now Brown Cow" and is created by Jems by Sandi. My Vintage 60's Miller High Life Print Ad with a very suave gentleman is featured in this treasury...and so is a cute, humble dog with a knitted hoodie!


Speaking of adorably sweet doggies, who could be more humble than the darling print of doggie in this treasury...look at those precious eyes! This is another STAT Team Challenge Treasury titled "STATTEAM Challenge Brown" by Hippie Chic Jewelz. My hand-painted upcycled decoupage canister "Traveling Lady" is featured in this charming treasury!


Oh here we go, I've got it...not the brown eyes on a cow or a dog, the most humble of them all are the brown eyes on an innocent, loving young girl! Just like the classic Van Morrison song this STAT Team Challenge Treasury is titled "Brown Eyed Girl" by my dear sister Andrea of Storybook Artifact. She features my hand-painted upcycled decoupage canister "Little Miss Cupcake" in this treasury.


No no no, I've finally got it! Our beautiful, humble earth...nothing could be more true, natural, and definitely humble. This STAT Team Challenge Treasury is titled "The Color of Earth" and it is beautifully conveyed in this treasury by Mystichintime. She features my hand-painted upcycled decoupage canister "Traveling Lady".


Ha ha, alright now this treasury is quite the opposite of "being humble" it features a very vain woman who is obsessed with the often considered "sinfully seductive": chocolate...and this lady is having a major chocolate attack! This STAT Team Treasury Challenge is created by myself, Eco-Friendly Freckles, and is titled "Chocolate Insanity at the Vanity". I feature my sister's (Andrea of Storybook Artifact) Vintage Rose Hand Mirror.


Mmm, indulgent chocolate...I love it! Here is another STAT Team Challenge Treasury titled "Brown is the Color of Chocolate (Especially)" and is created by CreatIVYty. She features my hand-painted upcycled decoupage canister "Little Miss Cupcake".

February's Featured EtsyBlogger is Diana of Faerie Garden Fancies!

This February Diana (BunnyKissed) of Faerie Garden Fancies is the Featured EtsyBlogger! Congratulations Diana! ;-)

Faerie Garden Fancies is a charming little shop filled with many enchanting treasures...here are my favorite items from this delightful shop!

Mermaid on a Rock:


Hemp Bracelet with Rainbow Beads:


Fluid Original 8x10 Watercolor Painting:

Gleeful Grandma and LightMine Etsy Shop Review

Andrea's and my mother, Vicki, was so very elated to see her first and only grandchild, Bobby (Andrea's baby boy) during our visit this week. In her cozy room in the nursing home, we celebrated a happy belated Valentine's Day the day after the holiday. We opened up her Valentine's gift which she loved a "Vintage Avon French Telephone filled with Charisma Perfume and Bubble Bath". I got this adorable vintage find from the Etsy Shop "LightMine"...Please check out this stunning Etsy shop full of alluring gifts for yourself or someone you love!

Bobby even enjoyed playing with his Grandma's vintage Avon french telephone..."Hello, Grandma?! I love you!"

For a tribute to my darling mother, Vicki, this blog article features treasuries will all items that remind me of her. :-)

This is my (Eco-Friendly Freckles) latest treasury titled "Lady Chatterley's Poet". I feature six members of the Etsy STAT Team including my sister Andrea of Storybook Artifact! This treasury reminds me of my mother because of her love for romance novels..."Lady Chatterley's Lover" by D.H. Lawrence is one of Andrea's favorites.

Here is a fun and vibrant Etsy STAT Team treasury from Hippie Chic Jewelz titled "That 70's Shop Item" and naturally it reminds me of my mother because she was a playful young lady full of sunshine in the seventies! My hand-painted upcycled decoupage canister "Little Miss Cupcake" is featured in this STAT Team treasury.


This treasury is titled "Natural Beauties" and is created by Etsy STAT Team member Aunt Carrie's Cottage. This colorful treasury reminds me of my mother's love and fascination for birds; she used to have a pair of parakeets that she loved very much and she also enjoyed watching cardinals outside of her window. My Vintage 60's Morton Salt Print is featured in this treasury.

Custom Orders for My Upcycled Decoupage Canisters

I love creating custom orders for my customers! Although since I am limited to certain themes because of the magazine clippings I have on hand, I request that my customers provide a broad theme (like flowers, pets, cocktails with the ladies, etc.) so I can pick out corresponding images; or if they would like to provide the magazine clippings, pictures, or other themed paper materials that would be fantastic! If you are interested in an Eco-Friendly Freckles customized upcycled decoupage canister, I suggest that you do not request me to use photographs or anything printed on photo paper because the glossy Mod Podge that I use on my canisters and tins damages the outer layer of the photo paper, and thus it will not resemble one of my attractive works of art. ;-)
I recently made a custom order for my mother-in-law, Beverly; she wanted a customized hand-painted upcycled decoupage canister to give as a Christmas gift for her dear mother-in-law, Margaret, that featured the performance characters from the play "Tuna Does Vegas".
Margaret is related to one of the actors in this play, and she was tickled with this one-of-a-kind gift; which made me really happy! ;-) This was a fun and vibrant canister to create, and certainly a unique piece of my Eco-Friendly Freckles collection.Beverly gave me a local theatrical magazine that featured an article that discussed the performance and presented these "Tuna Does Vegas" images.
However, the theatrical magazine did not provide me with enough images for this piece, so I looked through my boxes of magazine clippings and I found several complementary images for this themed canister (including all of the playing cards and the woman's leg with pink stockings).
I painted the inside of this canister a deep, shiny metallic blue...I think it helped emphasize the flamboyant attributes of this work of art!
Speaking of metallic blue, this following treasury features a beautiful combination of both of these colors: metallics and blues. This treasury is titled "Liquid Metal" and is created by fellow Etsy STAT Team member KKennedyMason; she features my hand-painted upcycled decoupage canister "Expressive Soul".
To complement the flamboyancy of this blog article, the treasury featured below is definitely fits the extravagance. ;-) The treasury is titled "Eccentricities & Complexities" and is created by fellow Etsy STAT Team member Pepper's Apothecary; she features one of my vintage print ads "Fieldcrest Lazy Daisy 60's Advertisement".Another one of my hand-painted upcycled decoupage canisters is featured in a fun and rebellious treasury created by my amazingly awesome sister, Andrea, owner of the delightful Etsy shop "Storybook Artifact". This is her first Etsy STAT Team treasury and it is called "Snails vs. Spice"; it depicts the battle against men, women, and Valentines Day...for all of those rebels out there! Andrea features my canister that encompasses this theme wonderfully; it is titled "Paulie's Confession" and it depicts a cheating husband and his wife that finds out the ugly truth from the talking pet parrot Paulie. This is one of my favorite canister creations!
I featured one of Andrea's mystical original paintings in a treasury of mine that features all members from the Oklahoma Disciples of Etsy Team! Andrea and I are both members now! This treasury is titled "Serene Sentiments" and I feature Andrea's painting "Is He the Man of My Dreams" from her shop Storybook Artifact.Andrea made her FIRST SALE today!!! She talks about it here on her blog...let's all give her a big "congratulations" and comment on her blog!

http://storybookartifact.blogspot.com/