Showing posts with label EtsyBloggers Team. Show all posts
Showing posts with label EtsyBloggers Team. Show all posts

Saturday, June 25, 2011

June's Featured EtsyBlogger Tamdoll and Another Sister Shop Sale!

Congratulations fellow EtsyBlogger Tammy Gross of Tamdoll for being this month's "Featured EtsyBlogger"!!! I'm enchanted with this one-of-a-kind gorgeous "White Queen - Fiber Charm for Necklace or Brooch" by Tamdoll...Absolutely BREATHTAKING!!! It reminds me of the beautiful White Queen in Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland (which happens to be my favorite tale of all time)!

...Speaking of Alice in Wonderland, the SISTER SHOP SALE of the month (which will be ending soon) encompasses just this theme!!!
My twin sister and darling best friend, Andrea of Storybook Artifact, is offering her Vintage Alice Flowers and Birds Cake Topper Candle Holders Set for FREE with the purchase of my new hand-painted upcycled (Alice in Wonderland themed) decoupage canister "Why is a Raven Like a Writing Desk"!!! Have a very HAPPY "Un-Birthday" with this FREE gift sale! This offer ends at the end of this month of June.

Saturday, May 21, 2011

May's Featured EtsyBlogger is Nancy of NanjoDogz!

Congratulations fellow EtsyBlogger Nancy of NanjoDogz for being this month's "Featured EtsyBlogger"!!! I absolutely adore this Little Polymer Clay Bookworm Bead that I found in this delightful Etsy shop! It reminds me of cute bookworm mascot from my small town local library...he encouraged me to read so many books. What better thing to do for summertime leisure than to read a good book! I have created a treasury featuring this NanjoDogz item titled "Summertime Leisure"!!!
Speaking of a good summer read, I love this vintage book collection of the little leather library titled "Victorian Literature Collection" that my sister, Andrea, has in her Etsy shop, Storybook Artifact.Andrea also has an adorable hand-painted bookmark that is called "Princess Story-Bookmark Original Oil Painting" which I also feature in the treasury above.

Thursday, April 21, 2011

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?!

Friday, March 18, 2011

Donating to Earthquake/Tsunami Relief Efforts in Japan

The adorable image above features a "Japan Disaster Relief Aid - Cupcake Topper" by The Giving Madam.

My heart goes out to the dear people of Japan, I have created several team treasuries featuring members of the Etsy teams I am involved with and items that are donating to Japan relief funds. In my shop Eco-Friendly Freckles, I will be sending 20% of all of my hand-painted upcycled decoupage canister and tin sales to the Salvation Army’s earthquake relief efforts in Japan. You can view all of my "Japan Relief" decoupage tins here:

http://www.etsy.com/shop/ecofriendlyfreckles?section_id=6793761

The Etsy Recycler's Guild relief efforts for Japan are featured on our team blog...my donating items are mentioned too. :-)
http://etsyrecyclersguild.blogspot.com/2011/03/etsy-sellers-show-love-to-japan-and-how.html
Here are some team treasuries I have created featuring team items and items donating to earthquake/tsunami relief efforts for Japan:

"The Sugar Plums and Cherry Blossoms of Japan - Donations for Relief Efforts" for the Etsy Self Taught Artists Treasury (STAT) Team.

"Wishbone Doggies Love Japan - Donations for Relief Efforts" for the EtsyBloggers Team.

"Owl Always Love Japan - Donations for Relief Efforts" for the Etsy Recycler's Guild Team.

"Soaring Sympathy for Japan - Donations for Relief Efforts" for the Oklahoma Disciples of Etsy Team.

"Tears and Healing for Japan - Donations for Relief Efforts" for the Etsy Natural Healer's Guild.

Thursday, March 17, 2011

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.

Sunday, March 13, 2011

EtsyBlogger's Blog Carnival - The First Sight of Spring!

For my husband, Joe, and I the first sight of Spring is the beginning of life for our baby organic heirloom tomato seedlings! Basking in the warm and comforting sunlight by our bedroom window, these heirloom Rutger's and Marglobe Supreme tomatoes are destined to flourish and produce a plentiful amount of delicious organic homegrown tomatoes. We love gardening and are very thankful for all the gifts our garden provides.
Here is a picture of me planting an organic heirloom Rutgers tomato plant in our garden the summer before last.

Sunday, February 20, 2011

EtsyBlogger's Blog Carnival "Thinking Green": What Are You Doing to Make This a Greener Planet?


On the 28th of this month, Janet from "Honey from the Bee: Artisan Jewelry Inspired by Nature & Vintage Elements" will be hosting February's second blog carnival for EtsyBloggers on her blog "Honey from the Bee". The theme is "Thinking Green", Janet asks participants to write about what they're doing to make this planet greener. She says this could be about your art or just around the house or at work.

It didn't take me long to ponder over this because I have be "thinking green" for a long time. I have taken my artistic talent and combined it with my love for recycling to produce a one-of-a-kind functional, upcycled art piece that isn't only decorative but something lovely for the greenies too!

I recycle tin and steel cans along with magazine clippings and yogi tea tags and I incorporate all of these items that would have otherwise ended up in a landfill somewhere and use them in my art creations! I create my upcycled decoupage canisters by selecting and cutting desired magazine clippings and yogi tea tags and arranging them in a complementary pattern to produce an original theme and story.

I then paint the inside of each canister with a color that complements the hues of the images on the piece. All of my upcycled decoupage canisters are hand-painted with a glossy black background and small white freckles; which unlike polka dots are not perfectly symmetrical, hence the name of my shop "Eco-Friendly Freckles". These delightful freckles create a texture that is pleasant to feel, and a look that is unique and fun!

This greenie project of mine creates a beautiful, functional art piece that can be used to hold pens/pencils, paint brushes, kitchen utensils, teas, bath salts, soaps, candies, and anything your imagination can come up with! These upcycled canisters are great for containing presents too!

To view all of my hand-painted upcycled decoupage canisters in my Etsy shop, you can find them here:

http://www.etsy.com/shop/ecofriendlyfreckles?section_id=6793761

I have discovered an Etsy team that I LOVE!!! The Etsy Recycler's Guild is a GLOBAL community of Eco-Artists, crafters & vintage gurus, who have united in the name of GREEN, Team Tag: WASTENOT- founded in 2007., "recycled" in 2009, and have grown by leaps and bounds. Our tag is "Wastenot" which really sums it up.

We believe in recycling, repurposing, upcycling, and reclamation of used or discarded goods. We use these components in our crafts, jewelry, merchandise, clothing, and in our artwork. We also encourage sale of vintage goods, and house greenies who have developed alternative solutions for reduction of the carbon footprint.

We live green, we love to recycle, and that's what brought us together. Our team believes in Random Acts of Kindness, a movement to promote each other's shops and spread the word about living green.

For more about us view our blog at http://EtsyRecyclersGuild.blogspot.com

Friday, February 11, 2011

Jamary's Vintage & Handmade Items Review and Bourbon Bread Pudding Recipe

For Christmas, I got this elegant vintage cake server set from the Etsy shop "Jamary's Vintage and Handmade Items" for my sister, Andrea of Storybook Artifact. Andrea and I both adore this lovely cake server set; it is in excellent vintage condition and with its exquisite floral design and 22 Karat Gold embellishments, it is a luxurious set of china to have! I suggest you all check out Jamary's beautiful vintage/handmade Etsy shop full of little treasures like this one. ;-)

http://www.etsy.com/shop/jamary92My darling sister Andrea from Storybook Artifact used her vintage cake server set last night to serve one of her favorite dessert recipes "Burbon Bread Pudding", and she so kindly gave me her recipe to share here with everyone! Thank you Andy! :-*

Andrea's Bourbon Bread Pudding Recipe:

Soaking the raisins in the whiskey for a couple of days is essential. Be sure it is enough to just cover them. "the secret ingredient"

3-4 slices of bread (any old bread will do: from homemade to left-over burger buns)
4 Tbsp. sugar
3 1/2 cups milk
4 eggs, separated
1 Tbsp. vanilla
pinch of salt
1/2 stick butter melted
bourbon whiskey soaked raisins

1.) Break bread into ovenproof dish (casserole glass dish)
2.) Beat sugar and egg yolks
3.) Add milk, and mix well
4.) Add vanilla, butter, and salt
5.) Pour milk mixture over bread
6.) Strain bourbon whiskey from raisins, and set aside
7.) Fold raisins into soaked bread in baking dish
8.) Place baking dish into large pan filled with water (broiler pan)
9.) Bake at 300 degrees for 40-50 minutes or until knife inserted comes out clean
10.) Make meringue adding 2 tablespoons sugar to each egg white. Spread and return to 350 degree oven until brown.Raisin Bourbon Whiskey Sauce:

1/2 stick butter
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup water
However much bourbon whiskey was strained from raisins

Dissolve sugar in the water in a small sauce pan over medium heat. Whisk in butter and heat until melted. Cool before adding the bourbon whiskey.

Whiskey Preference: Black Velvet

Andrea of Storybook Artifact and myself of Eco-Friendly Freckles have each created treasuries that express the beauty, femininity, and grace of women...as well as convey how amazing they are. During this time of Valentine's celebration, let's take a moment to appreciate and thank all of the incredible women in our lives (wives, mothers, sisters, and grandmothers) and gaze in amazement at these elegant and very feminine treasuries.
This first treasury features members from the Etsy STAT Team and is titled Rustic Valentine Beauty. Created by Andrea of Storybook Artifact, she dedicates this treasury in a beautiful way as follows:

"A dedication to the women who nurture our world's children, work hard in making a house a home, love and care for their men in sickness and in health, and, can't forget, makes something out of the food dad puts on the table. You are the ones who truly make our world flourish, and create a cushion of security for that solid foundation our children desperately need to thrive in our world. We are blessed; thank you. <3" href="http://www.etsy.com/teams/6362/etsybloggers">EtsyBloggers Team and it is titled "Mademoiselle Stops to Smell the Roses".