January's Featured EtsyBlogger - Nico Designs

This month's Featured EtsyBlogger is Nico Designs!

At Nico Designs you will find handbags, accessories and an assortment of handcrafted gifts. Nico's shop is a creative expression of things that go on in her and her family's little world. Nico is a stay at home mother with two small babies, ages two and one. She sews for sanity!

At Nico Designs each item is created with design, style and functionality in mind. Nico strives to create handbags that are eco-friendly by utilizing a combination of new, repurposed, recycled or upcycled materials. Nico's diaper bags use 100% cotton fabrics, not vinyl or PVC that may be harmful to children.

Below is a sampling of items from Nico Designs' Etsy shop.



You can also stop by Nico's blog to see what she is working on and/or what her family is up to.

December's Featured EtsyBlogger: Calkat

This month's Featured EtsyBlogger is Calkat! In Calkat's case, there are two bloggers - Kathy and Carrie.

Kathy and Carrie have been making and designing OOAK pieces of jewelry for over five years. In addition to Calkat, they have three more shops on Etsy, each distinctly different from each other. At Ametista, Kathy and Carrie sell dark apothecary bottles, furry monster boxes, unusual OOAK gifts and more; at The Clay Shoppe, they sell molds and supplies for polymer clay lovers; and at Yoga Fairies, Kathy and Carrie create polymer clay fairies in a variety of yoga positions.

Below is a sampling of items from Kathy and Carrie's four shops.

Featured EtsyBlogger - Rose Works Jewelry and Kindred Spirit Treasures

As many of you know, I am a member of the EtsyBloggers Street Team and each month we have a new featured EtsyBlogger that we all write about on our blogs. This month's featured EtsyBlogger is Ruthie of Rose Works Jewelry and Kindred Spirit Treasures. As I did with the last few featured EtsyBloggers, I asked Ruthie some questions about her shop. This time though, I also threw in some questions about her blog. Enjoy the read!


1. How would you describe your jewelry?

I have an eclectic mix of jewelry. I do everything from simple strand work, to working with wire, to bead weaving, to hemp! I'm always pushing myself to learn new techniques and to stretch myself.


2. How long have you been making jewelry for?

A little over 10 years.


3. How did you get into this line of work/hobby?

I was originally taught a few things by a friend of mine. I loved working with beads, but didn't really have the money at the time to pursue it. I went back to it from time to time over the years, making things for myself and friends, and a few years ago I started to make it on a more consistent basis. All my friends and family were telling me I should try to sell my work, and since I needed a way to support my hobby, I eventually did!



4. What is your favorite item in your shop? Why?

Gosh, it's hard to pick one favorite! I really love this piece: Saffron's Firebird Necklace because it's the first one I ever made like it and I played around with adapting patterns to make it.


5. What are some of your favorite Etsy shops or items?

Oh goodness - so hard to pick! I love so many shops! But here's a couple of my top ones : )

spottedcowsoaps.etsy.com
leathermadenice.etsy.com
thechainmaillelady.etsy.com
phippsart.etsy.com


6. How do you attract people to your shop?

I run a blog that I try to post in daily, and I participate in both Project Wonderful and Entrecard through that blog. I have a radio show through Block Head Radio, so that also puts my name out there. I use Twitter and try to build relationships through that as well as to announce new items. I also try to go into the Etsy forums and post when I have spare time... Oh yes, and of course there's the traditional passing out my business card to random people I meet!


7. What advice can you offer other Etsy sellers to boost their sales?

Make friends. Yes, I've made sales to complete strangers, but the majority of my sales have come through connections I already had or relationships I've built online.


8. Are your items available anywhere other than Etsy?
Not at the moment, but it's in the works!


9. Tell us a little about your blog.

I use my jewelry blog for a variety of purposes. I showcase my own work and talk about life as a business woman, but I also use it to promote my radio show and to share what I've learned about running an internet business. Right now I'm working on a series with my friend Theresa of tiltcreations.blogspot.com where we are researching the different selling venues available online. It's a lot of work but it's a lot of fun too!


10. How long have you been blogging for? What do you primarily blog about?

I've been blogging in different venues for about 5 years now. I have three blogs right now. There's my jewelry blog that I talked about above, a blog where I feature other artists exclusively - roseworkstreasury.blogspot.com and a personal writings blog - ajedismusings.blogspot.com.


11. What advice can you offer to other bloggers or people thinking about starting a blog?

Ask yourself what your purpose is in writing a blog and build it accordingly. Also, posting consistently is important. Even if it's consistently 3 or 4 times a week, that's still important to building and maintaining a following.


Business Details

Name: Ruthie Stickney

Business/Shop Name: Rose Works Jewelry and Kindred Spirit Treasures

Location: Vancouver, WA

Etsy URL: roseworksjewelry.etsy.com and kstreasures.etsy.com

Blog URL: roseworksjewelry.blogspot.com, roseworkstreasury.blogspot.com and ajedismusings.blogspot.com

Featured EtsyBlogger - Spotted Cow Soaps

This month's featured EtsyBlogger is Linda Wheelock of Spotted Cow Soaps. Like I did with last months featured EtsyBlogger, I decided to ask Linda a few questions about her shop, her craft and Etsy. Here it goes ...


1. How would you describe your shop?
The handcrafted soap shop that has something for everyone. Handcrafted in the Heart of Vermont ~ 100% pure & natural the way Mother Nature intended it to be! Your Skin Will Thank You!

2. How long have you been making soaps for?
I have been making soap for over 8 years.

3. How did you get into this line of work/hobby?
I was looking for unique gifts to make family, friends and teachers when I
happened across a soapmaking website. I spent several months researching
suppliers and lurking on various soapmaking forums before placing my first
order for supplies. The recipients were enthusiastic and eager to buy more
if I would continue making the soap.

4. What is your favorite item in your shop? Why?
Right now ~ Gingerbread Whipped Sugar Scrub. It is my favorite because it is yummy goodness for your skin. I'm a big lover of sugar scrubs but not a very big fan of the oily tub and skin that most leave behind. After a bit of experimenting, I developed this scrub that cleanses,
exfoliates and leaves your skin feeling fabulously silky smooth afterwards. The sugar is fine enough that the scrub could be used on your face.

5. What are some of your favorite Etsy shops or items?
This item is a hoot and I happen to have purchased one to give as a gift last spring. I see they have a nice gift set for Holiday gift giving this year - Veggie Folk Carrot
I love this shop - agoodwitchtoo She's a good Witchy, and I love her soap!
I am amazed at the artistic abilities, not to mention, patience of Lily aka Hot Lips from Tulips Treasure Box

6. You currently have 485 sales. How do you attract customers to your shop?
A lot of promoting both on and off Etsy. Promoting eats up a lot of hours every day. Aligning myself with groups both on and off Etsy has proved to be beneficial, as well as being active in the forums, chat rooms and virtual labs on Etsy. But it doesn't stop there...social networks are a great tool. Twitter...if you don't Twitter, you should. It is the single most important marketing tool one could use. It is helpful if you don't bombard your followers with sales pitches all the time...try to keep an even balance by tweeting non-sales related info to your followers.

7. What advice can you offer other Etsy sellers to boost their sales?
Don't give up. This is my second attempt at marketing my products. The first attempt was not very successful in terms of sales, but it was helpful in that I learned a lot about what doesn't work. If something isn't working, then stand back and reassess your approach. It helps to attact customers to your shop if there are different price points.

8. Are your items available anywhere other than etsy?
I've opened a shop on ShopHandmade.com and I'm an artisan listed on The Artisans Shoppe


Business Details:

Owner Name: Linda Wheelock

Business/Shop Name: Spotted Cow Soaps

Location: Vermont

Website URL: spottedcowsoaps.com (currently directed to Etsy Shop)

Etsy URL: spottedcowsoaps.etsy.com

Blog URL: spottedcowsoaps.blogspot.com


Hope you enjoyed the interview and check back for the next featured artist.

Featured EtsyBlogger - Storybeader

It's been a while since I interviewed an Etsy seller. When it comes to featured Etsybloggers, I normally just write about them, their shop and their blog. This month I decided to bring back the interviews and ask Storybeader a few questions.

1. How would you describe your jewelry?
Ethnic and southwestern, and one-of-a-kind, of course!

2. How long have you been making jewelry for?
It's been 3 years now.

3. How did you get into this line of work/hobby?
I began slowly, like a lot of other jewelers, making gifts and jewelry for myself. Then I began to sell a few pieces. When I started to make money, I felt justified in buying more materials and supplies.

4. What is your favorite item in your shop? Why?
I like my treasure necklaces the best, because they are so unique. But if I had to pick one single item, I would say my Pumpkin Magnesite and Blanket Bead Necklace. The orange and green colors are so beautiful and remind me of autumn leaves. I love the twist of golden (and not silver) blanket beads - makes you feel all warm and cozy, just looking at it!

5. What are some of your favorite Etsy shops or items?
I love looking at the beadweaving jewelry. There are two ladies from Israel, that have some absolutely beautiful pieces. It you're a seedbeader, you'll know their stores: Triz Designs and Smadar's Treasure. They are both bloggers - that's how I found them!. I'm also on the lookout for unusual pendants and beads. My latest buys on Etsy have been lampwork pendants, from Canyon Echoes and Graceful Creations

6. How do you attract people to your shop?
I have my blog, Stroll Through Storyland, that introduces people on the internet to Etsy. I just started a new series on my blog about my design process and think this might interest some people. I try to always comment on other people's blog, if I take the time to read them. I also try and drop about 50 cards a day on other Entrecard blogs. Hopefully people are curious enough to come by and visit with me.

I participate in the Etsy teams; in particular, the Etsybloggers. I don't have time during the day to socialize with everyone, so at night, I try to read the forums and comment. Many of my fellow Etsybloggers are regular window shoppers (thank you!)

I made some postcards, instead of business cards, to hand out when I get a chance. Hopefully, people will put them up on their refrigerators and bulletin boards. They are my new "Season's Greetings" cards! I also plan to send the postcards out to anyone who's bought something from me in the past if I have their addresses.

7. What advice can you offer other Etsy sellers?
If you're not on a team, join one. Plan to spend at least as much time on the computer as you do designing and producing your product. I've come to realize that you need to know your audience, remember to pay yourself for your work and don't forget the fees and extraneous costs involved in the selling process. Now this might not be relevant to everyone, but if you're selling, you're in business.

8. Are your items available anywhere other than etsy?
I don't want to spread myself too thin, but I liked the layout of Shop Handmade and have a few items there. I am a member of The Artisans Shoppe and my pieces are featured along with others throughout the month. I've also succeeded in putting a Buy It Now button on my blog, under one of my necklaces. I plan on making a tab, to sell more necklaces directly from my blog. And if you're ever in Lawton, Oklahoma, come by the Museum of the Great Plains and see me and my jewelry in the Museum shop.


Business Details

Name: Deborah Baroff

Business/Shop Name: storybeader

Location: Lawton, OK

Etsy URL: storybeader.etsy.com

Blog URL: storybeader.blogspot.com

The {NewNew}'s Virtual Trunk Show Was a Hit

384 people showed up! Crazy! The Etsy Treehouse was packed.

If you were one of the people who joined us, thanks for coming. Please tell us what you thought. If you couldn't make it, I hope you join us next time.

And, congratulations to the trivia winners!





You can continue your savings through the weekend by using the coupon code NEWNEWVIRTUAL08 during check out to receive further savings from these participating {NewNew} members.

AdornmentsNYC.etsy.com
BShorr.etsy.com
DirtyLovesClean.etsy.com
Fubabee.etsy.com
KarensMonsters.etsy.com
KimmChi.etsy.com
LinguaNigra.etsy.com
MayLuk.etsy.com
NatureManipulated.etsy.com

Make Feeding Time Easy with Baby-friendly Necklaces

I'm not a mother so I don't really know how difficult it is to feed you a child. Do they really need distractions? I know when I'm hungry you don't need to take my mind off food. I'm more than willing to eat. Like I said though, I'm not a mother so I really don't know anything about feeding a child.

According to Jen from Etsy's BF Beads, breastfeeding can be a challenge and sometimes babies do need a distraction - at least something to prevent them from pinching you. Jen knows from experience. From her experience she created the perfect distraction - nursing necklaces.

Babies can hold the pendant or slide the beads on the necklace cord itself, keeping the baby's hands busy so they don't pinch, scratch, or pull mom's hair. Since both the necklace and pendant are made from one continuous length of cord, there's no chance of one part breaking off from the other. These necklaces are sturdy and do not use any findings or clasps, because they are often the weakest part of a necklace.

Nursing necklaces are also great for entertaining bottle fed babies!

Don't forget to also check out Jen's reminder bracelets! Reminder bracelets are used to keep track of which breast was nursed on last during a feeding (or which breast needs to begin the next feeding).

Visit Jen's blog - Mama's Magic Studio

Dressing Your Kids With Personality

Just like everyone else, kids have personality. Even as an infant they show traces of it. They take to certain people, react to different things and behave in different and sometimes unusual ways. As children get older they show even more personality. They become animated and become establishing themselves and their place in the world - well, at least in the homes.


When I look at children's clothing, it all looks the same to me. It lacks personality and does an inadequate job or representing different types of kids. The colors are often subdued, themes tame and styles limited. Children's clothing should be just as animated as the child. There is plenty of time to conform as they grow up.

Joey & Aleethea™ brings coolness and personality to a child's wardrobe. Whether your child is a monster, a rocker, a jock, a tree-hugger, a military brat, a corporate coo-er, a diva, a retro radical, a cowboy, an indian, an artiste, a punk, a prince or princess, Joey & Aleethea has clothing that fits.

Joey & Aleethea uses only high-end designer fabrics and the highest quality of materials which can be customized for your child. If you have something it mind, Joey & Aleethea can digitally design it for you.

I'll leave you alone now, you have some shopping to do!

Joey & Aleethea's shop

Joey & Aleethea's blog

Something I Did As a Child That I Will Always Remember

OK! Here I go again. I wrote this blog post yesterday and none of it saved. I refreshed the page because it was messed up and I lost it ALL. So frustrating!

So it's time again for EtsyBloggers' blog carnival. One of the topics is "Something You Did When A Child That You Will Always Remember."

I did a lot of things as a child. I remember a lot of them, although there are probably a lot more things that I don't remember or shouldn't remember. For this blog carnival I decided to pick a story that is craft-related. Sounds boring but it's not. It's a story about craft, child labor, stubbornness and once again craft.

Here it goes. Enjoy!

When I was eleven years old I was taking private art classes. My teacher had me doing all sorts of things. In class I would paint, draw, sculpt, sew, make Russian babushka dolls, make cards and more. I really loved it all. I had taken art classes my whole life, starting from pre-school and finger painting, but this class was the best. I got to do a little bit of everything and try things I would have never thought of. One of the things I really took to was making cards. My teacher had me do all kinds of crazy things with them. I was no longer confined to a piece of construction paper folded in half and box of crayons or markers. I moved past red hearts with arrows through them, balloons and flowers. My teacher had me making cards Hallmark deemed too complicated. I was the eleven year card-maker and I loved it! Until... my mother found out.

It was a few months before my twelfth birthday and my mom and I were planning my Bat Mitzvah. There are a lot of things that go into this great big party, one of them - invitations. Bad timing for my mother to find out I knew how to make incredible cards! When she saw the wonderful three-dimensional cards I was making in class, ... LIGHT BULB ... she came up with the most fabulous idea. Fabulous for an adult about to shove out a lot of money! My mother decided that it would be so special if I designed AND made my own Bat Mitzvah invitations. Not such a great idea for an eleven year old girl! A hundred or more people were being invited and I could think of a hundred or more things I would have preferred to do than sit home and hand make each invitation. I loved making cards but at that moment I would have much rather been doing a weeks worth of homework.

My mother and I argued about it. We fought. I cried. We fought some more and then she won. I was to make the invitations. I sat down to the drawing board and with my art teachers help I came up with a great invitation design - great, but complex!

The invitation mock-up was really cool. I airbrushed the cardstock blue and pasted a handmade cut out of a white dove on the front. When you opened the invitation a Star of David popped out from the center with the event date in the middle of it. On the left hand side of the card I pasted a handmade airmail envelope (with the red and blue lines all along the sides). In the envelope was another little white dove carrying a note. The note read "I hope you can attend." The rest of the card was used for the event details which I hand wrote in gold ink. As I said before, the invitation was complex.

I had fun making the first one. The second one not as much and the third hardly at all. By the fourth and fifth, I was totally over it. You could see it in my work. My invitations were beginning to become sloppy. I didn't want to make anymore. I told my mother and of course, what did she say? "Too bad!" Well, not in those words but that was the point. I made one more invitation and then I stopped. I told her I wasn't going to make anymore. She got angry. We argued. We fought. I cried. We fought some more. Finally, she compromised. We agreed that I only had to hand make invitations for my immediate family and close friends. We placed an order for the remainder of the invitations. I thought I would be okay with making approximately ten invitations but after making three more I was sick of it again. I really didn't want to do it. After all, why was I making invitations for my own party? For all I know, she was probably thinking I should make the party favors too. Once again, I refused to make more. Once again, we argued. We fought. I cried. This time I put my foot down. I was not making another card. The silly part was I only had one card left to make, but I refused anyway. My mother was mad, actually - furious. There was nothing she could do though. I wasn't going to make it. We were one invitation short and we decided we were going to send them to everyone but my grandfather. My mother made me promise that once I got over my stubbornness and lack of desire to make invitations, I would make one for my grandfather. Of course that time never came. I never made him one and he came to my Bat Mitzvah anyway - uninvited.

From that point on, I never made a card again. I was so turned off. It became a pleasure to go to the local stationary store and spend an hour looking for a card with the perfect cheesy saying. I loved Hallmark.

A few months ago I started realizing all the cards on Etsy. There are so many incredible ones. I started marking many as favorites and tried finding reasons to buy them. After looking at so many cards, I thought to myself, "I can make cool ones myself." THAT'S WHEN I NEW I GREW UP! I started looking at paper and embellishments, die cuts and other fun stuff. I started buying supplies. Now I am soon to start making cards again. I'm all grown up now.

Happy 1st Anniversary EtsyBloggers

It is the EtsyBloggers' 1st Anniversary. Happy Anniversary! In celebration, there is a team sale going on from August 13th through August 17th. Check out the list of EtsyBloggers offering discounts here.

For those of you who have not heard about EtsyBloggers, it is the official Etsy street team for those who love to blog about their craft, the creative process and other Etsians. In the EtsyBloggers team you will find a global group of talented artists and designers who offer a wide range of handmade items, vintage items and supplies.

EtsyBloggers has its own website found at www.etsybloggers.com. The site is full of wonderful tips, promotions, contests and more. Twice a month the team hosts a blog carnival with postings on a wide array of topics such as: inspiration, favorite tools, meaning of success, how-tos ... and ... I can't possible list all the different topics. In addition, every week, the team has a promo thread in the Etsy Teams & Events forum.

EtsyBloggers has been a successful team not only because of its participation in the forums, carnivals and on Etsy as a whole, but mostly because the team's members are incredible. Everyone is so talented and most importantly helpful, informative and FRIENDLY.

Meet some of the team's members:
Joey & Aleethea, Administrator
A Keeper's Jackpot
LazyTcrochet
roseworksjewelry
Spotted Cow Soaps
Storybeader
Tote-N-Tots
Tulip's Treasure Box

and me, Nature Manipulated

If you are blog about all things Etsy, come join the group for another great year. If you are already part of the team, happy anniversary!

What's Inside Tulip's Treasure Box?

"The most beautiful thing we can experience is the mysterious. It is the source of all true art and science. He to whom this emotion is a stranger, who can no longer pause to wonder and stand rapt in awe, is as good as dead: his eyes are closed."

What a great way to welcome your visitors! When you visit Tulip's Treasure Box's Etsy shop, the above quote is the first thing you see. Then you scroll down and ... yes, you experience the mysterious. Tulip's jewelry creations are truly unique and require more than one look before you can even begin to notice all of the intriquisies. The detail in Tulip's pieces are so fine and her use of color is incredible.
One piece that caught my eye because it is so different is her SEArene OOAK bracelet. On her blog, Tulip says in reference to this piece, "The seahorse has always been a mystery to me, a lady of the sea to behold." The bracelet is made with hundreds of tiny seed beads, genuine Swarovski crystls and a polymer clay focal piece created by another talented etsy artisan. It really is a work of art.

Another piece that caught my eye because of its intense color is Tulip's SeaFlower cuff bracelet. The yellow, "SunFlower," peyote, beadwoven cuff bracelet is handmade using hundreds of tiny beads and genuine crystals, and as Tulip states, it produced "many needle holes in her hand."

To see more of Tulip's mysterious creations, please visit her Etsy shop at tulipstreasurebox.etsy.com. Also, take some time to check out her blog at tulipstalking.blogspot.com.

What Does the Color Blue Mean to You?

What does the color blue symbolize? To me, it represents an array of emotions. Generally, when one thinks of feeling blue, they think of being down, maybe sad. I use that term and understand the meaning, although sometimes when I think of blue, I also think of happiness. I think of the sky, the ocean, spring and summer days, and all the great things you can do when everything is blue.

Earlier today, I wasn't feeling to well and I was kind of out of it. I thought to myself, "I'm feeling blue." I guess I was. Then when I returned home from work, I looked through my shop, posted some new items and realized how many blue items I had. I looked at them closely and thought, "These blues, they make me happy." That's when I started pondering what exactly it is the color blue symbolizes.

What does it mean to you? What do you think of when you think of the color blue?


Share your feelings in the comments.

Featured EtsyBlogger - A Keeper's Jackpot

This month's Featured EtsyBlogger is A Keeper's Jackpot. A Keeper's Jackpot makes beaded, wire wrapped and wire crocheted jewelry. This Etsy artist has some great work at very reasonable prices.

Also, stop by A Keeper's Jackpot's blog and read about her shop, projects, hikes and more.


Some of my favorite pieces from A Keeper's Jackpot include:

Putting Smiles on Children's Faces

One of this month's themes for the Etsy Bloggers' Blog Carnival is favorite creations. What is my favorite creation? After thinking long and hard about all of my art, both visual and wearable, I was able to choose my favorite, "Making the Day," a black & white digital photograph of smiling children.

Making the Day is not so much my favorite because of its aesthetic value (although it is a great photograph) but rather because of the story behind it. In 2005, I went to Havana, Cuba with It's Just the Kids, Inc., a non-profit organization dedicated to the needs of children. Fourty-nine volunteers traveled to the Caribbean Island to build playgrounds and I was one of them. In six hot days we built four incredible playgrounds in areas that really needed them. Children from the communities gathered around the sites while we selflessly built slides, swings, bars and other colorful structures for them. You could see the gratitude in their eyes as they peeked through the fences. Even greater, we had a ribbon cutting ceremony at the first site we built and everyone came, when we opened the grounds to the children, they came flooding in, trampling over each other. Hundreds of children so eager to play. The smiles on their faces were priceless. I remember one boy, probably around 10 years old, was so grateful to us that he chased our bus through the streets as we left to go back to our hotels, forever leaving our creation to him (and others, of course).

After thinking long and hard about my favorite creation, after sorting through my photographs, jewelry designs and other pieces, how could I pick anything other than Making the Day?

For more information on It's Just the Kids, Inc. and to see pictures of the playgrounds we built, please visit their website at www.itsjustthekids.org/cubasite.htm

What Does Success Mean To Me? What Does It Mean To You?

Suc.cess
Pronunciation: \sək-ˈses\
Function: noun
Etymology: Latin successus, from succedere

1. obsolete : outcome, result
2. a) degree or measure of succeeding b) favorable or desired outcome; c) the attainment of wealth, favor, or eminence
3. one that succeeds

What makes a person successful?

A person is successful when they achieve what they set out to do. Every person sets their own goals and goes about achieving them in their own way. Success is subjective. Some people consider having money and/or a good job being successful. Other people consider having a life full of happiness being successful. There are people who think making it through each day makes them successful. It all depends on the situation a person is in and the objectives they set for themselves.

For me, I consider myself successful. Not because I have or have achieved any one thing but because I have many things and have achieved many things, all of which contribute to my overall happiness. My success comes from building a strong personality, overcoming obstacles and staying on my feet. Sometimes I get knocked down but I pick myself right back up and keep trying. I don't give up and that makes me successful. There are hurdles in life, for everyone, and a successful person is able to jump over them, learn from them and keep on moving in the direction of choice.

There's no quantitative measure for success. You can make a million dollars a year and live everyday as a miserable person. That's not success. Well it is economically, if you think about average incomes but if you think about your life, what are you really succeeding at? Being miserable? I guess if that's your goal, you've succeeded.

Success in business - to me, it's not about the money. It's about the joy you get doing what you do. If you're not happy doing it, you're not successful. I'm successful in my business because I like creating things and I can find people who understand the joy my creations bring, and it gives me pleasure to know that my work will bring others pleasure. In my mind, that is success.

What does success mean to you?

New York City Photo Hunts

Around this time of year my boyfriend and I run around Manhattan taking photos of select areas. We usually pick an area we want to concentrate on, grab our cameras, lenses and filters and head on over for a few hours of artistic play.

We've done Wall Street, South Street Seaport, Battery Park, Flatiron district, Times Square, 5th Ave, ... Somehow we've never ventured to Central Park to take pictures. I'm not sure why. Maybe it's because we forget there are trees in the city and nature to photograph. ??? Who knows!

Thinking about Central Park.., it is one of thee greatest places in Manhattan. It is a place where many of us New Yorkers go to get away from the craziness. It is a place where some of us New Yorkers stay away from because of all the craziness that goes on in the park. Nonetheless, crowded and crazy or not, Central Park is a work of art, and this month's featured Etsy Blogger, Alicia Mae can prove it. Alicia Mae's "New York Through my Eyes" series is an example of some of the beauty the park has to offer.





To see more photographs by Alicia Mae visit aliciamaeprints.etsy.com
You can also visit her blog at www.xanga.com/aliciamae_8

Stay tuned for a regular photo tour of New York City as my boyfriend and I start our photo hunt season.

Cozy makes an accessory I want but really don't need

Do you have an item/accessory you always find yourself buying even if you NEVER use or wear it? There are a couple of things I do that with... belts and headbands. Belts - I always buy new ones but I always wear the same old boring one I've had for over ten years. Headbands - I buy them because I think they look cool and I NEVER wear them. I have a collection of headbands and I think the longest one has ever stayed on my head is three minutes (at most). I put them on, look in the mirror, and immediately take them off. They look silly on me. Nonetheless, today I find myself looking at more headbands and of course, seeing one I like. "STOP, DON"T BUY IT," that's what my reason is telling me. This time I might just listen to it. Instead, I will display a few of Cozy's headbands in hopes that you, the reader, gets to them before I do.




To see more of Cozy's items, visit cozy.etsy.com
You can also visit Cozy's blog at cozyetsy.blogspot.com

EtsyBloggers' Feature of the Month: Stormy Designs

I've been on Etsy for awhile but I never really looked into the different street teams. Last month, I was checking out some sellers' blogs and stumbled upon the EtsyBloggers banner. I decided to click on it and find out more about the street team. After all, I am an Etsy blogger!

I navigated around the site, read the requirements for joining, scrolled through some of the members shops, and decided to join. Upon logging in as a member, I learned of all these great blogs, promotions, carnivals, and of course, this month's featured blogger. One of the requirements of being a member is to feature the month's lucky blogger on your blog.

On March 31st, Joey and Aleethea (the street team's administrators) posted April's featured blogger. I thought, "here we go, I hope I like this blogger's work, otherwise, my post will be forced, insincere, and boring." I must say I was a little scared. I didn't want to click on the link to the unknown shop and find out that I didn't really like his/her work. Nonetheless, I moved my cursor to the link, closed my eyes and clicked. I took a deep breath and opened my eyes. "WOW!" Yes, that IS what I said. I opened my eyes and there before me was the most incredible sea horse. "WOW!" I said again. I did not expect to be greeted by such a stunning piece. I was relieved and more than happy to feature Stormy Designs on my blog.

I browsed through the four pages of earrings, necklaces, bracelets, vases, bowls, keychains and more. Stormy Designs creates everything out of polymer clay. Looking at some of the pieces, I would've never guessed it was clay. The colors, how they blend! Some of the pieces look like ceramic and/or glass, others look like pieces of stone.

I wish I could provide more information about Stormy Designs. I don't know much about her other than she's a great artist. Maybe she'll stop by this feature and leave us a little more information.

I'd like to know what inspires Stormy Designs' work. What would you like to know?

Where you can find Stormy Designs:
StormyDesigns.etsy.com
StormyDesigns.biz

Read Stormy Designs' blog:
StormyDesigns.biz/blog

If you are interested in joining EtsyBloggers visit www.etsybloggers.com