Etsy Earthpath Artisans

Here Comes The Sun Challenge Winner!

2010-06-29T07:48:00.000-07:00

Sun Spots by AKiwiSilkie!

Congratulations!

This talented artisan is also known as HowlingCaterpillars! Read her member interview from a previous post!

Member Interview #4

Here Comes the Sun Challenge!

2010-06-21T06:29:00.000-07:00

The sun is and has been many things to many people. Summer Solstice was quickly approaching, the days are longer, the sunshine is warm and inviting.

East members were challenged to create an item that was their interpretation of this theme. Be as literal as representing the celestial body or reflective of this time of growth and renewal.

Most of our team was out playing in the sun! The following 2 entries are here for your viewing pleasure! Please vote for your favorite! Return next week after the pool closes to see who won!

Entry 1
Sun Spots by AKiwiSilkie

This is a 7 Inch Dream Web, and he hangs 23 and a half inches from his hanging loop to the tip of his longest feather.

Dark spots, some as large as 50,000 miles in diameter, move across the surface of the sun, contracting and expanding as they go. These strange and powerful phenomena are known as sunspots.

Sunspot activity cycles about every eleven years. The point of highest sunspot activity during this cycle is known as Solar Maximum, and the point of lowest activity is Solar Minimum. Early in the cycle, sunspots appear in the higher latitudes and then move towards the equator as the cycle approaches maximum.

It's made from a Brass Ring, Cotton Batik fabric, Wooden Beads, Fake Sinew, and Natural and Dyed Turkey Feathers. The Focal bead is a Antiqued Brass Pendant from the Global Nomad Collection from Blue Moon Beads. It's about 2 and 1/4 Inches by 1 Inch and the indents in it are filled with a glittery resin and an 8MM Amber Colored Rhinestone.

The Bright Watermelon and Sunny Yellow feathers bring out these colors in the batik fabric.

Entry 2
Primary Practice Pentagon by Cobaltquilter

The bright yellows, oranges, and reds dotted with a variety of blue appear like a sun star with sky peaking through!

A series of borders in different widths arranged asymmetrically balance the unexpected order of the tie-dye 'print'.

Machine quilted following the color burst in the center with free motion sunburst motifs in the borders on my domestic sewing machine.

This large lap/crib quilt measures approximately 60 inches across point to point, with 36 inch sides.

EAST Member interview #4!

2010-04-22T07:08:00.000-07:00

Meet Brenda! Visit her Etsy Shop to see her amazing creations!

1] Name:
Brenda Mihalopoulos

2] Shop name and link:
Howling Caterpillars http://www.etsy.com/shop/howlingcaterpillars

3] Inspiration for shop name:
It’s my son’s fault. We were having an outbreak of tent caterpillars when he was little…He’d see them scrunching along, then they’d lift their heads up into the air and he thought they were howling…

4] Location and any impact on your work:
I live in Massachusetts, sorta half way between Boston and Plymouth. I think that it really hasn’t had any impact on my art work, though.

5] Preferred medium(s):
Mostly fabric…I use scrap booking buttons usually, some gemstones, feathers, almost the time; for my DreamWebs. My other goodies, it varies.

6] Brief personal history:
Born and raised in the Bay State, probably die here too…not a big traveller; my only out of country trip was to Canada in 68. Visited a few states: California, Florida, Connecticut, Rhode Island, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania, New York, Vermont, Maryland and Maine.
I always was interested in “old stuff” like dinosaurs and I could read heiroglyphics when I was little. I wanted to be an archaeologist growing up, but my grandmother said it wasn’t for girls and that I should get a degree I could “use”. So I have a wasted Accounting degree…It never interested me enough to do anything with it, but I loved the 12 column worksheets and how to make everything balance.
I have a twin sister, who’s five minutes older than me. In China, *I* would be considered the older one because I was polite enough to let her go out first.
I’m married to a Greek Orthodox guy who’s 17 years older than me. I have one son who’s now 16 and lucky he’s lived this long…and am owned by Obelisk the Tormentor, a 6 year old Leghorn hen.
I work for a chain pet store, cleaning the small and fuzzys which I happen to be allergic to. But I love animals and take my allergy/asthma meds…
My sister and I were both premies, weighing 2 pounds when we were born. I’ve had two corrective surgeries on my heart and she was treated for clubfoot. But we’re both healthy now.

7] What brought you to crafting and Etsy:
My great grandmother (we lived in a four generation house) was always knitting or crocheting or making dolls. I still have some of the dolls she made. Can’t knit or crochet to save my life though, must be a left-handed thing.
I was always drawing and sketching stuff, so I’ve always been an “arty” person.
My Aunt was going the flea market circuit in the Southwest and was making Dream Catchers. She taught me and I made them my own by using fabrics and crafting thread instead of the sinew and leather. I don’t call them Dream Catchers because they’re not the traditional ones.
As for being sucked into Etsy, it was a chicken person named Terrie Lacy who was selling her potholders there and I joined to see if anyone would be interested in my creations too.

8] Where do you glean your inspiration, family, friends, Spiritual Path:
My inspiration can be anything. It can be an interesting fat quarter or remnant, then I run around Joann’s like Mike the Headless Chicken looking for scrap booking buttons or beads to match. Some inspiration comes from being a Pagan, like my Gods Inspiration series of DreamWebs and my Tshirt designs.

9] What's in the wings, mediums to try, subjects to explore:
I’ve tried jewelry making, polymer clay, candle making, soap making, but I’ll stick with my mainstays of DreamWebs and Tshirts.
I want to finish my line of Poppets. I have desert, glacier, ocean, mountain to do…
I’m also thinking of starting up another store for my “craft” stuff, like the Altars-in-a-jar, and the Feathery Blessings line…I already have a name in mind “The Kiwi Silkie”…

10] Any additional information you would like to share:
Nope…hehehe Except for the fact that I have a wicked sense of humour…And I’m a fiction writer, nothing published yet, but I do have some excerpts from my past two NaNoWriMos on my blog… http://spottedcrow.blogspot.com/

Meet Celticcrossing! EAST member Interview #3!

2010-03-07T06:02:00.000-08:00

Celticcrossing is the winner of our most recent Midwinter challenge! Her entry, 'Once in a Blue Moon' is a beautiful example of the wonderful work offered in her Etsy Shop. Be sure to visit and see all she has to offer!

This entry is the third in the series of get to know the members of EAST, the Earthpath Artisans Street Team of Etsy interviews. Enjoy!

1] Name:
Celticcrossing or in RL [real life] it’s Arien.

2] Shop name and link:
Celticcrossing.etsy.com

3] Inspiration for shop name:
My first name [Arien] is Celtic & I’ve always been fanatic about anything Celtic so I knew that had to be part of the name but it was a wonderful friend of mine who came up with the final name of Celticcrossing.

4] Location and any impact on your work:
I’m just a small town girl, living in Nova Scotia, Canada. I always see this wonderful jewelry that seems to cost so much and all I could think was “gee I could do that!” and so I did.

5] Preferred medium(s): gemstones, sterling silver, & copper wire.

6] Brief personal history:
I have always had a fascination with gems; in junior high I was lucky enough to have a teacher who was a gemologist and had the equipment to teach gem cutting. I took to it like a fish to water! I would have continued with it had the teacher not left leaving me without an avenue to continue with.
I am a full time Youth Counselor by trade. I enjoy bringing crafts to the kids that I work with. I find it to be a social learning experience & the kids are always smiling with their finished work. Not to forget that crafting keeps me awake on night shifts!
I’ve always done crafts of some sort whether it be making jewelry, water colors, cross stitch, crochet. I’ve always had some type of crafty hobby – & I’ve got a lot of supplies to prove it!
Recently I’ve been drawn back to making jewelry & more intriguing to me the art of wire work. Figuring out how to wind, swirl, & twist wire to get the desired effect you want, I love it!

7] What brought you to crafting and Etsy:
I have almost always crafted in one way or another. But it was an amazing friend of mine who told me about Etsy & I haven’t looked back. I have met many wonderful people!!

8] Where do you glean your inspiration, family, friends, Spiritual Path:
Inspiration is every where! Look around you, the world is an amazing place full of spectacular things. Family, friends are always inspiring me to create & imagine grand things. Learning Reiki, reading oracle cards, connecting with so many other fantastic artisans is always inspirational & a growing experience for which I am forever grateful.

9] What's in the wings, mediums to try, subjects to explore:
What’s in the wings? I’ve got ideas for some rings, looking at a “Moon” series possibly. Mediums that I may try will be actual metal smithing I think. Considering the work that I’m doing right now it seems only right to add it, & possibly chainmaille (my brother keeps asking if I’m ever going to do it!) There will always be new ideas; new techniques to try & I love to learn. So I am sure that there will be new things in Celticcrossing.

10] Any additional information you would like to share:
Just that I love to learn & create & I have been blessed here with the EAST team to learn & grow from such wonderful people!♥

Be sure to visit Arien's shop Celticcrossing on Etsy to see more of her fantastic work!

Midwinter Challenge Winner is Once in a blue Moon by Celtic Crossing!

2010-02-28T09:49:00.000-08:00

People did a great job of representing the theme Midwinter. Thanks to everyone who participated and all those who voted for your favorite!

Congratulations Celticcrossing! Be sure to visit her Etsy Store and see all the fantastic items she has listed! Come back soon to learn more about Celticcrossing and her creative process!

To see all the entries visit the challenge post!

Midwinter Challenge Vote on your favorite!

2010-02-20T06:05:00.000-08:00

February first falls midway between the Winter Solstice and the Spring Equinox.
The EAST Team was challenged to create a piece that demonstrates their interpretation of this theme.

In the item descriptions the artist includes an explanation of how their work reflects the theme, Midwinter. Be sure to visit each members shop to read the details of their challenge entry! After seeing all the entries please vote in the poll, in the right hand sidebar, to select your favorite! Voting will be open until February 27th. The winner will be our next featured team member!

#1 Intention Basket Talisman for Joy, Patience, and Strength by sagehealer of SageHealer Art for Healing and Meditation:

#2 Midwinter Goddess Dollie by dismissie of Dismisie' Mixed Bag:

#3 Once in a Blue Moon Necklace by Celticcrossing:

#4 Introspection DreamWeb by HowlingCaterpillars:

#5 Blue, Silver and Gold Chainmaille Circlet- Midwinter Skies by merigreenleaf of Elfling Creations:
#6 Bridgit's Cross table topper by Cobaltquilter of Cobaltquilter's Corner:

Be sure to vote for your favorite!

Meet SpiritedWoodland! EAST Memeber interview #2!

2009-12-27T07:10:00.000-08:00

This is the second in a series of posts introducing our Street Team members. We are a varied group of unique artists! Today I am sharing interview responses from Roxie of Spirited Woodland.

1] Name: Roxie J. Zwicker

2] Shop name and link:

Spirited Woodland - www.SpiritedWoodland.etsy.com

3] Inspiration for shop name:

I thought that the woods could be filled with curious creatures - along with some myth, magic and mystery. I find that sunlight streaming through the trees is just as inviting as moonlit nights in the woods... and I think my work encompasses all of those aspects... hence the name.

4] Location and any impact on your work:

NH Seacoast... Yes, there is no other place I would rather live than New England! The colors and textures of the seasons constantly call to me. I am about an hour from the gorgeous White Mountains and yet a few minutes from the ocean. I truly love where I am. I travel all over finding inspiration on back roads and country roads.

5] Preferred medium(s):

Wood, fabric, dried flowers and moss.

6] Brief personal history: I am also an a uthor - my 4th book is on it's way to bookstores - it's about the legends and lore of New England's Haunted cemeteries. I've been so fascinated with our area's history, I just can't get enough. I started my own business, New England Curiosities (www.newenglandcuriosities.com) in 2002 giving tours of our local fascinating places. I've been lucky enough to have been featured on the Travel Channel and History Channel. I meet the most interesting people in my field... and I love to hear their stories! I also have a background in finance and accounting and worked in that field for over 15 years.

7] What brought you to crafting and Etsy:

I've been making things for as long as I can remember. I totally get into whatever I'm working on at the time and the world just goes by. I take great pride in what I do and always wondered if there would be people interested in the way I look at the world. Etsy seemed to be an easy and fun way to introduce a lot of my art to the world, although I have been selling my jewelry and photographs for several years previous. For my one of a kind art pieces, Etsy was a perfect fit. I could experiment with different projects and find out what people liked, while continually finding inspiration and new ways to do things.

8] Where do you glean your inspiration, family, friends, Spiritual Path:

My family is very supportive of my art... considering it and my supplies are in practically every single room of the house (someday a studio!). My husband will often bring home interesting things and tell me, "Well, I think you can do something with that." I love those challenges. Some treasures I'll find at flea markets and antique shops and sometimes I can just see a piece transformed in my mind! When I'm working with wood, I really want to express the spirit and energy of the trees and honor them in some way - I just love trees and their energy.

9] What's in the wings, mediums to try, subjects to explore:

I'm dabbling in ACEO's and I find that to be a lot of fun. I'm going to keep a few on hand at all times.

10] Any additional information you would like to share:

My thoughts over all are - don't be afraid to do something different - or try a medium that you may never have considered. Have fun with what you do... it will show through your work - every time!

Please visit SpiritedWoodland to see more of Roxie's fantastic work!

Win a $100 Gift Certificate!

2009-10-20T11:33:00.000-07:00

Sign up for my newsletter for a chance to win a $100 gift certificate to my etsy shop! All details can be found on my blog - http://www.soulystones.blogspot.com

Good luck!

EAST Team Treasure Hunt - Look EAST and Harvest the Fruits of our Labor!

2009-09-22T00:01:00.000-07:00

And the Grand Prize winner is... Alteredbeauty.etsy.com! Congratulations!

Thank you everyone for your participation!

Weekly winners Congratulations!

Week9: Sabrina of Wishcraftcharms.etsy.com has won again! Great job hunting for treasure! She has won: Petrified Wood Nugget from DivineDesignByForet.etsy.com!

Week 8: Sabrina of Wishcraftcharms.etsy.com has won! Great job hunting for treasure! She has won: Golden Sunshine - Baltic Amber Earrings from SoulyStones.etsy.com!

Week 7: Sadly there were no treasure hunters during week 7.

Week 6: Alteredbeauty.etsy.com has won again! Quite a treasure hunter! She has won: Autumn Pumpkins - Cartilage Chain Earrings from Merigreenleaf!

Week 5: Judy Collander has won again! Great job finding treasure! She has won: Shimmery Earring from Dismissie!

Week 4: JewelsOfIndia! Has won: Faded Red Key Fob from ravenshold!

Week 3: HowlingCaterpillars, aka Brenda! Has won: Nordic Rune Pendant - winner's choice of rune designs from Mysticwynd!

Week 2: alteredbeauty.etsy.com! She has won:ACEO- In the Light of a Celtic Moon from Cobaltquilter!

Week 1: Judy Collander! She has won the Autumn bracelet from Divapixie!

Keep hunting!! More prizes to be given away! Thanks for participating!

The EarthPath Artisan’s Street Team (EAST team) on Etsy invites you to participate in our Harvest Treasure Hunt! Since, for so many of us, this is a time of harvest and thanksgiving, we have chosen to begin our Treasure Hunt today, September 22 (the Autumn Equinox). Each week, for the next 9 weeks, thru Tuesday, November 24th, we will be giving away a different prize to one lucky treasure hunter each week - and then on Wednesday, November 25th, (the day before Thanksgiving) we will be drawing one lucky winner from all entries who will receive an amazing Bounty Basket filled with an assortment of wonderful items from a variety of EAST team shops!

As our “Harvest Treasures” we have selected an item (or items) from our participating shops that we feel represent the Harvest theme. These items may be representative of an actual harvest of fruits and vegetables or a harvest of personal/spiritual nature. When searching through our team shops, look for item titles you think are harvest related! Not as easy as it sounds when you consider how Earth friendly we all are! Designated treasures will change throughout the prize period and will contain one of the following phrases in their descriptions:

“Look EAST and harvest the fruits of our labor!”
“The EAST Team wishes you Bountiful Blessings!”
“Treasures abound when you follow your EarthPath!”

We’ll also be sprinkling around a few clues to direct you to our treasures, so be sure to check out our shops and follow this blog to help you on your way to winning!

You will receive one entry for every 5 items you locate! Each entry must contain 5 different treasures.

Limit of 3 entries per person.

An additional entry will be given to anyone posting a purchase of an item from any shop designated with an asterisk on the list below! Once you have gathered your “treasures”, post your list of page addresses as a comment to this post. Comments for this promotion will be moderated for approval, so the answers won't appear here! Be sure to include your Etsy name/contact information in the post as well!

Happy Harvesting!

Participating shops:

*ArabesqueArtsByDarcy (http://www.arabesqueartsbydarcy.etsy.com/ )
*Cobaltquilter (http://www.cobaltquilter.etsy.com/ )
*dismissie (http://www.dismissie.etsy.com/)
*divapixie (http://www.divapixie.etsy.com/ )
*DivineDesignsByForet (http://www.divinedesignsbyforet.etsy.com/ )
*Foret (http://www.foret.etsy.com/ )
*ForetTwo (http://www.forettwo.etsy.com/ )
*Howling Caterpillars (http://www.howlingcaterpillars.etsy.com/ )
*Generationstiedye (http://www.generationstiedye.etsy.com/ )
KarinLorenc (http://www.karinlorenc.etsy.com/ )
*Merigreenleaf (http://www.merigreenleaf.etsy.com/ )
moodyandsanguine (http://www.moodyandsanguine.etsy.com/ )
Mountaindreamers (http://www.mountaindreamers.etsy.com/ )
*Mysticwynd (http://www.mysticwynd.etsy.com/)
*Rainfeather (http://www.rainfeather13.etsy.com/)
*RainSews (http://www.rainsews.etsy.com/ )
*Ravenshold (http://www.ravenshold.etsy.com/ )
*Sagehealer (http://www.sagehealer.etsy.com/ )
*SoulyStones (http://www.soulystones.etsy.com/ )
*TheOmIntention (http://www.theomintention.etsy.com/)

Weekly Prizes: (In no particular order! Prize will be selected randomly - one per week!)

Golden Sunshine - Baltic Amber Earrings
Nordic Rune Pendant - winner's choice of rune designs
Autumn Pumpkins - Cartilage Chain Earrings
Petrified Wood Nugget
Autumn bracelet
Shimmery Earring
ACEO- In the Light of a Celtic Moon
Faded Red Key Fob
One prize to be announced!

The Grand Prize Winner will recieve a Bounty Basket which includes ALL of these goodies:

1) "Harvest" Bookmark
2) Glittery Fall leaf pendant
3) Orange and Grey Crocheted Wristband Bracelet
4) Oh My Aching Feet - Handcrafted Herbal Foot Bath Tea
5) Altar in a jar (representative example shown -actual design may differ!)
6) Smudge Sticks - Exceptional Energy, Fragrance, Color (2)
7) Tea Towel Embroidered with Harvest Mother Design (Design copyright Urban Threads)
8) Tarot card pin
9) Earth Harvest Tote Bag

Happy Harvest and Good Luck to All!

Meet Ravenshold! EAST Member interview #1

2009-08-08T06:17:00.000-07:00

This is the first in a series of posts introducing our Street Team members. We are a varied group of unique artists! Today I am sharing interview responses from Rebecca of Ravenshold!

1] What is your name? Rebecca

2] What is your shop name and please share a link:

Ravenshold Creations http://ravenshold.etsy.com/

3] What was the inspiration for your shop name?

Well. . .it just sort of happened. I wanted a user name on Etsy that had raven in it somewhere and everything I picked was already taken so out of desperation I used ravenshold which was the name of the country I was running on the game NationStates and it was available. Out of that grew Ravenshold Creations.

4] Where are you located and any does this have an impact on your work?

I'm in Wyoming, and I'm not sure if there has been any impact on my work beyond the fact that working with leather is still pretty common in this area which means that people are pretty accepting.

5] What is your preferred medium(s)?

Most kinds of leather, although I also play around a bit with jewelry

6] Would you please share a brief personal history?

I was born in Wyoming and have lived here most of my life beyond a short stint in Texas and a semester in Hungary when I was at University. I've got a BA and MA in International Studies (focusing on the former Soviet Union and Eastern Bloc) which I haven't ended up using but it was worth it. I also ended up becoming heathen around the same time but I don't think there's any connection between the two. I'm a huge history and science geek and can bore people to sleep on a number of topics, I'm also staff to a large number of cats. I'm not sure what else to say really, I lead a pretty quiet life.

7] What brought you to crafting and etsy?

I came to crafting because of my Mom and Grandma, they were always working on something and always had projects for us to do to. I got started doing leatherwork when I worked at a Tandy Leather store some time ago and then didn't do a lot with it when I moved on to other jobs. I got started on Etsy after someone recommended it to me and here I am.

8] Where do you glean your inspiration, family, friends, Spiritual Path?

There are two sides to inspiration for me. Everything I make is functional, so the first part is the idea to make a specific thing for a specific purpose. That is usually inspired by trying to meet a specific need which can come from family and friends. The other side is the way I decorate the piece and that comes from a number of different places. Some does come from being heathen, there's a lot of wonderful designs that can be found in Norse archaeological finds, but I also draw inspiration from medieval manuscripts, medieval archaeological finds, Victorian design books, textile patterns and nature.

9] What's in the wings, mediums to try, subjects to explore?

In the wings right now are belts, purses and messenger-style bags. Belts will show up first, I still need to do trial runs on the purses and bags.

Rebecca, thank you for sharing a bit about yourself with everyone! I look forward to keeping up with the new and wonderful work in your shop!

Please visit Ravenshold to view her amazing leather work items!
http://www.ravenshold.etsy.com/

Free Shipping - thru May 31

2009-05-16T23:00:00.000-07:00

I thought I had posted here before about this sale, but it seems I somehow skipped this blog. SO here goes:

From now through the end of May, you can get EVERYTHING in my Etsy store with FREE SHIPPING! I'm trying to clear out some of my stock to make room for new projects. If you've been eying something, now is the time to get it!

FREE SHIPPING @ Breath of the Dragon! Unique and customized wood burnings.

~ Sunfire

MAJOR SALE IN AVALON ADORNMENTS ON ETSY!!!!

2009-05-15T07:10:00.000-07:00

I know it's been forever since I posted here, and I apologize!
I took the Winter off from my businesses, and never quite got back to blogging, either.

Allot has happened, and I'll catch you up on that a bit later. I'm planning on moving later this Summer, and the house needs to be painted before it goes on the market. I've had to pack the studio up, so we can get to the walls.
However, today I need to tell you about a huge sale I'm having on the items left in my jewelry and art shop, Avalon Adornments, on Etsy. I don't want to have to pack up all the jewelry and things I have listed in my shop. I've reduced prices, and some items are slashed more than 50%.
check it and get some beautiful jewelry at great prices! Even Tim's hand-forged knives are on sale! he knocked $25.00 off the price of each one!
Thanks for shopping!

Button Blowout Sale in my Etsy Shop!

2009-05-14T03:57:00.001-07:00

**BUTTON BLOWOUT SALE!**
I'm listing every button I have left in my inventory and taking 50% off of the price in order to clear them out! On May 21st they'll all be gone for good! We've got Star Wars, Princess Bride, Pirates of the Caribbean, Firefly, and more! Get them while you can!

Pagan/Zodiac Buttons for Sale!

2009-04-28T11:45:00.000-07:00

I made these 1.25 inch buttons for a store in North Carolina and then picked them up before we moved so I could try to move the rest of them along. (They weren't doing well there, despite that I think they came out cute!) So I decided finally to get pictures of them and offer them up. What you see is all of what I have left, I don't have any more of these and I can't make more. They're $1.50 each and $2 for shipping (up to 6 of them for that shipping cost). You can e-mail me at liz@oap-studios.com, put "button order" in the subject and tell me which buttons you're interested in. I'll send you a Paypal Invoice and then ship your order once paid!

Here's some closer pictures of the buttons.

Pagan Prompts

2009-04-02T08:38:00.000-07:00

Looking for suggestions on what to blog about? Well, I've created a new site that will be updated weekly with new pagan-related blog prompts.

http://paganprompts.blogspot.com

Not much there yet, but I hope to have a new topic posted each Thursday. Have some suggestions already? Feel free to comment and share, and I will add them to my list.

~ Sunfire

1000 hearts giveaway

2009-03-18T03:41:00.001-07:00

I've been hearted over 970 times! And I just have to celebrate my 1000th when it comes. So here's the deal:

Favorite items in my shop that interest you. After the 1000th heart, I will pick out at least 5 items and randomly pick one of the people who hearted it to receive it, absolutely free. If they are anonymous or refuse it, I will offer it to another person who hearted it.
Of course, the sooner I reach 1000, the sooner the giveaway happens.

http://krummenacker.etsy.com

Just in Time for Valentine's Day

2009-01-13T07:53:00.000-08:00

A collaboration between myself and a fellow artist, these heart charms were begun on the new moon with a blessing ceremony. Each step of the creation process--creating a small packet of herbs, knitting the hearts, hand beading and embroidering--was carried out with intention and focus on the nature of love, and loving energy was poured in to them as we worked. They were then blessed, energized and charged during the full moon. The result is a "love charm" that is aimed not at making someone fall for you, but at enriching the love in your life, or opening your heart to greater loving possibilities. They are wonderful to sit in meditation with.

Each heart has a different energy and purpose, which became clear to us as we worked on them. They are amazingly sweet, but also energetically potent. And they are they fit perfectly in the palm of the hand.

There are 20 in all that will be listed in my Etsy shop, Green Fingers--come see them and read more about them there!

The Second Annual Winter Wonderland EAST Event!

2008-11-28T08:38:00.000-08:00

EAST's 2nd Annual Winter Wonderland Event is happening now! Running from Nov.28 thru Dec.15, EAST member shops are celebrating the season with special sales promotions, and crafting unique new items! Search Etsy.com using the WWEE tag to find participating items.

Mandalas: circles of the soul

2008-10-22T09:26:00.001-07:00

Mandalas are symbols that often feature in East team members' work, as in Cobaltquilter's design above, called 'Yoni the Sacred Feminine'. The word mandala comes from Sanskrit (an ancient Indian language) and loosely means 'circle'. It can be seen as a representation of 'one-ness' or wholeness. The intricate and colourful Tibetan sand mandalas are representations of the whole cosmos and the act of creating one is undertaken by monks as a meditative process. The mandalas are full of symbolic meaning and once complete they are destroyed as a demonstration of the impermanence of all things. Mandalas can be complex and intricate, like Indigoluna's 'Autumn Earth Mandala Quilt, or simple as in Spiritmama's 'Om T-shirt', below.

Mandalas have long been used as a meditative tool. Some of the earliest are the Yantras - precise geometrical patterns that have their origins in Indian Vedic traditions. The meditator sits and gazes upon the Yantra, studying its pattern, which forms a bridge to higher realms of consciousness. This idea is expressed in one of Ideasign's many beautiful mandala's, 'Somewhere Between Body and Soul', shown below.

But as well as helping us to reach higher levels of consciousness, mandalas can also help us to go inwards. By drawing our own mandalas, we can begin a healing dialogue with our inner selves.
Perhaps the first to fully explore this idea was psychoanalyst Carl Jung, who used mandalas in his analysis. Jung was always interested in symbolism within various cultures and he saw mandalas as the "path to the centre, to individuation" (which was the core of his work). He began drawing his own mandalas daily, reflecting on the insights they gave. And he used them with his patients, allowing the patients to discuss the images they created and what they represented.

It really is very simple to reap the benefits of mandalas. Give yourself an hour or so of undisturbed time. Play some contemplative music, and let your mind relax. First draw a large circle on a piece of paper. This will be the basis of your mandala. Now think upon a theme, or go on a guided visualisation (such as to meet your Wise Being, inner sanctuary, inspirational place) where you will allow your inner eye to visualise your own mandala. Holding this image, now create it on your page. Don't worry - this is not a competition - you don't have to be able to 'draw' like an artist, just have fun and create. Your mandala may be intricate and geometrical - so get out the ruler and protractor; it may be figurative or perhaps it is a mass of colours. There are no rules! Anything goes - just get it down. Pastels or chalks are great as they help you to sketch out the image quickly.

When you have finished your mandala, have a good look at it. Is it trying to tell you something? If drawing a mandala is really not your thing – just keep your eyes open. Mother Nature loves to create mandalas and if you look, you'll see that they are all around us:

Shown above are celticgoddessjewellery's Black Nautilus Earrings and Greenfinger's Pentacle Wreath.

This article was compiled by Healingstones and was extracted from an article on her blog. For more articles about crystals and such, visit Stoneweaver.

Symbolism of the Sacred - The Pentagram Star

2008-10-16T09:10:00.000-07:00

Exploring the sacred meaning of symbols and imagery with beautiful and inspiring examples from members of the EarthPath Artisans Street Team.

The Pentagram Star:
The pentagram or pentacle is a five pointed star which fits perfectly into a pentagon and often appears within a circle. It is associated with the number five and all expressions of fiveness including five fingers, five senses, five Platonic volumes and five elements: earth, air, fire, water and spirit. This fifth element of spirit is also known as quintessence, the source of the word quintessential which speaks to us of heart and soul. Slice open an apple or a pear and see the five pointed star in the arrangement of the seeds. The flower of almost every edible fruit has five petals.
Over a period of 8 years the planet Venus traces a pentacle in the sky. This was known by many early civilizations including the Mayans, Egyptians and Greeks. It is no wonder that this five pointed star is associated with the Goddess, mystery and magic.
Through it's mathematical connection to the Fibonacci spiral and the Golden ratio it has qualities of regeneration, harmony and beauty. From ancient times this star has been used to ward off evil and can be used in the home, in rituals or worn as protection.

This beautiful print by magickmermaid titled 'Goddess Heart in Circle" perfectly expresses the relationship between the five pointed star, the Goddess, the circle of life and the essence of the heart. The yellow trefoil knot is a symbol of unity and harmony. This would be perfect as a meditation or altar piece, or simply as a decoration in your home.

I love the subtle quality of this knotted pentacle pendant by knottysheep. Based on a Chinese knot called wufu, which literally means "five fortunes, this pendant is a beautiful and profound weaving of East and West. It could be worn as protection or for good luck and prosperity.

For more beautiful pentagram inspired creations search using the words' east team' and then 'star', 'pentacle' or' pentagram' on Etsy.com.

This feature has been prepared for you by Morgen of Inkyspider Textile Designs and Kootsac re-usable bulk food bags.

October Giveaway - Divapixie of Fools and Jewels (an EASTIE!)

2008-10-03T08:09:00.000-07:00

Show your support for your fellow Eastie! Divapixie of Fools and Jewels has donated THREE yes 3, Halloween pendants! There will be THREE winners! Two bottle cap pendants with a Halloween theme and also a resin Halloween pendant! Each one comes ready to wear with a chain!

October Giveaway! Divapixie has generously donated THREE, yes THREE items to giveaway! We will have a first place, second place and third place winners, randomly generated by random.org.

Contest Rules:
Please post your comments on my blog at http://www.buyindie.blogspot.com, each post counts as one entry, then leave me a bit of information about one of her products from her etsy shop http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5052896, don't forget to leave your email address in the comment so I can notify you if you are the winner! (or leave me some way to contact you)

Earn some extra entries for this contest! Blog about this contest on your own blog or website and post a link in your comment! Be sure to enter and tell all your friends! If you refer a friend and post their screen name in your post, you win another entry!

***This contest ends October 22nd!***

What Diva Pixie says about herself:

"Hello, my name is Cindy. I'm a native Minnesotan who now resides in Dodge City Kansas. I saw a set of jewelry pliers in a clearance bin at Ben Franklin's one Christmas and thought they looked interesting... the results are here in my etsy shop. I am currently taking a Metalsmithing class at the local college as well to hone in my skills. I do take custom orders with 50% upfront for cost of materials and 50% upon completion. Any questions, comments or even if you just want to chat convo me. Have a sparkly day!!!"

What her customers are saying about her:

"Thank you so much for making this custom piece for me, it is fantastic! This was such a smooth transaction and you took the time to figure out exactly what I was looking for. I highly recommend this etsian!"

"Wonderful Etsy User! Divapixie makes the most beautiful jewelry! This shop is a must to check out for original, gorgeous and reasonably priced handcrafted jewelry!!"

"I LOVE this necklace! It feels mine, like I have owned it all my life and worn it almost every day. It feels a part of me like my wedding ring. What can I say? Divapixie has outdone herself creating this peice for me. It is perfect. Thank you so much!"

Symbolism of the Sacred - The Spiral

2008-09-29T13:42:00.000-07:00

Exploring the sacred meaning of symbols and imagery with beautiful and inspiring examples from members of the EarthPath Artisans Street Team.

The Spiral:
The spiral is one of the most widespread shapes and energetic movements in nature. Spirals can be found in the design of galaxies, the unfurling of embryos, the cochlea of the ear and in the tiny curling tendrils of some plants. It is no wonder that it is such a powerful symbol all over the world for regeneration, transformation and birth.
The spiral is symbolic of the Great Mother. As it ascends upward it transforms matter into spirit and as it descends downward spirit is materialized into matter. The Latin word for mother is mater and gave rise to the word matter. The spiral represents the Great Mother's generative powers to bring life into being through transformation.

This Spiral Healing Hand pendant comes from the shop of Spiritmama. The design on this bamboo pendant has been lazer carved by Lisa Coltman of SunFusion.biz. This native American glyph represents the healing hand or the power of regeneration.

This Wild Heart of Earth amulet pouch has been made by Greenfingers out of the wool of local Oregon sheep and alpaca. A soft and gentle spiral rests within this small magical pouch. Perfect for holding a crystal or other sacred object.

For more beautiful spiral inspired creations search using the words' east team spiral' on Etsy.com.

This feature has been prepared for you by Morgen of Inkyspider Textile Designs and Kootsac re-usable bulk food bags.

It's Time for the Spirited Autumn Event!

2008-09-22T07:25:00.000-07:00

It's time for The Spirited Autumn Event! From Monday, September 22nd (the Fall Equinox) until Monday, October 6, Members of Etsy's Earthpath Artisans Street Team are offering special promotions on selected items in their shops. The event focuses on Fall Themed and Magical items, just in time for Halloween! Search Etsy using the TSAE tag to find participating items.

Here are just a few of the items that are participating:

Hedgewitch Sale

2008-09-16T03:07:00.000-07:00

I hope everyone has had a great summer (and anyone in the other hemisphere is enjoying the first signs of spring!)..

.. this is just to let you know that Hedgewitch is having an 'end-of-summer' sale, so its a good time to visit and grab a bargain!

Welcome in Fall!

2008-09-13T16:27:00.001-07:00

Etsy
Buy Handmade
krummenacker

To celebrate, I'm offering 25% off everything in the Clothing and Costumery and Hairsticks sections of my Etsy store. http://krummenacker.etsy.com -- I'd like to help people who are designing their own Halloween costumes to dress them up. Just hit the "contact" button on the store site and it will let you send me a message. Tell me what you want and I will edit it for the discount and reserve it for you to purchase.

Sun Catchers

2008-09-09T16:36:00.000-07:00

I've been making sun catchers with sterling silver and swarovski crystals. I've made three different ones so far - a faerie, a moon goddess and a crescent moon and star. You can even request different colors of crystals on them to match your decor, I have purple, blue, orange, clear, red, green and black available. Please see my shop for more pictures.

www.SoulyStones.Etsy.com

Featured giveway on buyindie.com ! - East member Lizstaley

2008-09-05T15:35:00.000-07:00

Liz of "the Realm of Nerdiness", fabulous artist and kafma maker extraordinaire, (also an EAST member!) has generously offered to donate the above wallet (see more pictures at http://lizstaley.deviantart.com/gallery/#Isis-and-Osiris-Wallet) for my very first indie giveaway! I can give a personal testimonial of her products. I own the original Athleenia the Cow-Octo-Pirate Kafma OF DOOM and also I own the original ACEO entitled "Seeking Solace".

Please post your comments on http://buyindie.blogspot.com and leave me a bit of information about one of her products from her etsy shop http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5082757, don't forget to leave your email address in the comment so I can notify you if you are the winner!

Be sure to read my entire post about Liz on buyindie.com and follow the directions and maybe YOU could be the owner of this extraordinary wallet!

***All entries must be received by 09-26-08***

Now a part of the Etsy Teams Blog Ring!

2008-09-02T05:53:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone! Our blog is now a part of the Etsy Teams Blog Ring! This is an opt-in Blog Ring for the Street Teams of Etsy to be a part of. If you look on the right-hand side of our blog, you'll see the Blog Ring code- feel free to navigate through the blogs using the arrows. These will take you to other blogs where you can learn about other awesome Etsy teams! Have fun!

New pendulums on the horizen from Celtic Goddess Jewelry

2008-08-24T15:30:00.001-07:00

Celtic Goddess Jewelry is expanding her pendulum line! Be on the lookout in the near future for pendulums made of wood, metal and unique stone choices! Pendulums are good for divination, but also are good for healing work and spell work!

The two newest in the collection are a pendulum honoring the goddess Pele and a pendulum honoring the Native American traditions and lore of the turtle and the earth.

Be sure to check out a wide variety of new pendulums coming soon to my shop!

Http://celticgoddessjewelry.etsy.com
http://celticgoddessjewelry.com

Isaura the Spell Casting Witch Concocts Her Best Brew

2008-08-18T15:58:00.000-07:00

We all love witches around here, and I'm bubbling over to share my crazy art doll witch Isaura in her studio concocting her latest brew.

Who's ready for Halloween?

More pics here:

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=13894619

Happy Spellcasting!

Waxela Sananda

SpiritMama

Giveaway on Fehu Stoneware's Blog!

2008-08-04T09:40:00.000-07:00

Want the chance to win your very own stash/PPF Bait jar? Our very own Fehu Stoneware is having a giveaway on her blog, so check it out and enter!

http://fehustoneware.blogspot.com/2008/07/contest-woohoo-tada-its-about-time.html

W is for Witch ~ New item in my shop!

2008-08-01T09:32:00.007-07:00

Most of you know me more from my herb shop, but I do have a more creative side that likes to play with glitter, and silks and paint and glue.
I thought you might like to see my newest creation in my Avalon Adornments shop. It's a mixed media assemblage. You can see more about it here.

I rarely post items here

2008-07-28T02:37:00.001-07:00

... but I had to share this.

It will end up only showing in my Sold items on Etsy, because it was a custom order, for a Wiccan business card holder. You'll notice I put Lucky's business card on one side.
I did a little write up on my blog about this. Most of this is fairly common knowledge to the readers of this blog, but some of it may be of interest.

...I was pleased to have a roaring success with this Wiccan business card holder.

For those of you not familiar with these symbols, the pentacle represents 5 elements: spirit, air, fire, water, and earth, with spirit being the top point. Although some Christians in modern times are suspicious of the pentacle, in medieval times it was also thought to represent Five Virtues and was referred to as being embroidered on the equipage of great Christian knights in epic poems. In the Tarot, the Pentacles are the suit of Air, Intellect, and Wealth: not bad symbols for a business card holder.
The Triple Moon symbol represents the Goddess as maiden, mother and crone. The waning and waxing of the moon has always been seen as a metaphor for the cycle of life, and the Fates found in many myths are likely a version of the triple goddess. I consider the Triple Moon an excellent reminder in today's youth culture that there are other times of life which are just as important. Those with life experience become more confident and more powerful.

Winners of EAST's Gypsy Design Challenge!........

2008-07-22T06:27:00.000-07:00

The Gypsy Design challenge voting has ended and we have winners!
Thank you to everyone who voted!

Figgy, of FromtheFigTree won with her beautiful Gypsy skirt

Congratulations!!!

Liz, of LizStaley, came in second place with her adorable Anime plushie

And Dismissie came in third with her Gypsy wagon

Everyone who participated was so creative, I'm just blown away! Thank you so much!

Tonka Beans for Magick and Money!

2008-07-20T13:32:00.000-07:00

I now have Tonka Beans for sale in my shop!

Also known as Coumaria Nut and Lucky Bean, Tonka has a long history of use in both the perfume industry, and for it's associations with Luck, Money, and Love.
Tonka beans have a vanilla-like scent when tinctured, and are sometimes used as an ingredient in fragrances.

To use for magickal purposes, they are carried in your pocket, placed in a sachet, or used in spells for to draw money to you. If I'm doing a prosperity spell designed specifically for money, and not just general abundance, I'll always have a few tonka beans on my altar.
It is not recommended to burn tonka beans, which is why I don't include them in my incense formulas.

Sale at Summer Sea Herbs!

2008-07-14T09:00:00.000-07:00

**************I'm having a sale thru July 18th!*************
Take 25% off all items in my herb shop, Summer Sea Herbs!
Just place your order and wait for an adjusted invoice. It's that easy!

Don't forget to vote!

2008-07-14T08:28:00.000-07:00

There's only a week left to vote for our Gypsy Challenge! It's really easy, just vote on the poll to the right of this entry!

Here's our official write-up about the challenge:

The EarthPath Artisans Street Team (EAST) is having a Gypsy Design Challenge! Team members have taken their interpretation of what the word "Gypsy" conjures up for them, and created new pieces in a variety of media.

The purpose of this challenge is not to win prizes or compete with each other; rather, it's a way to build team camaraderie and inspire us to explore new themes and stretch our creative muscles. And for the winner, it means a little extra attention from an adoring public! Winners will be posted on the blog and on Etsy.

So stop by the EAST Challenge page on Flickr http://www.flickr.com/groups/earthpathchallenge
to see pictures of the entries, and then go vote at the EAST blog
http://earthpathartisans.blogspot.com
You can also see many of the entries in the members' shops by visiting the team shop's favorite items page.
http://earthpathartisans.etsy.com

Sign up for My Newsletter and Win

2008-07-09T20:05:00.000-07:00

I have decided to start up an e-mail newsletter for my shop. The newsletter will come out some time near each of the neo-pagan holidays, and will feature herbal magic tidbits for the holiday, shop news, special offers, and occasional free prizes for subscribers only.

Subscribers will also get first dibs on special seasonal items.

AND, if you sign up by this Friday, July 11, I will put your name in the hat to win a free hanging copper goddess like the one to the left. Only you get to choose the bead color!

Interested? Contact me on Etsy with your e-mail address by midnight Etsy Standard Time (Eastern Time) on Friday, July 11, and you'll be added to the list and entered in the drawing!

Name the Kitty to Win!

2008-07-09T16:20:00.001-07:00

I have this kitty I rescued and I'm having some trouble naming her, so I'm having a contest!

Whoever submits the name I choose, wins his/her choice of this lovely hand crafted copper, Swarovski crystal, aventurine, malachite and class necklace

OR

This wonderful healing magnet

You can see more pictures of the prizes in my shop, Luminosities

Here are some pictures of the little kitty. She's about a year old and still quite playful.

You can see more pictures of her here and here

Go HERE to submit names and may the best name win!!

EAST's Gypsy Challenge Begins! Come Vote!

2008-07-05T13:08:00.000-07:00

The EarthPath Artisans Street Team (EAST) is having a Gypsy Design Challenge! Team members have taken their interpretation of what the word "Gypsy" conjures up for them, and created new pieces in a variety of media.

The purpose of this challenge is not to win prizes or compete with each other; rather, it's a way to build team camaraderie and inspire us to explore new themes and stretch our creative muscles. And for the winner, it means a little extra attention from an adoring public! Winners will be posted on the blog and on Etsy.

So stop by the EAST Challenge page on Flickr http://www.flickr.com/groups/earthpathchallenge
To see pictures of the entries, and then go vote at the EAST blog
http://earthpathartisans.blogspot.com
You can also see many of the entries on Etsy by visiting the team shop's favorite items page.
http://earthpathartisans.etsy.com

Voting ends July 21st.
We'll see you there!

2008-06-26T07:27:00.000-07:00

Today is my two year Etsy-versary! Yay!
To celebrate, I'm going to offer 20% off everything in Summer Sea Herbs. If there's anything you want, just wait for an adjusted invoice after you make your purchases, before you pay.

It's been a great two years here, I'm so happy to have found Etsy, and of course, especially happy about our EarthPath Artisans family! You all rock my world!

Have a wonderful day!
Blessed be,
tracyw

Sunflowers

2008-06-03T02:11:00.000-07:00

Well, its summer! To celebrate the season, I've put together a Sunflower Treasury full of handmade desirables, a real blast of sunshine.. hope you enjoy it.

There are sunflowers blooming in the Hedgewitch herb garden and the online shop is full of happy sunflower cards in warm sunny shades.

Don't forget FATHERS' DAY...
Does your Dad like gardening? Why not choose a sunflower card this Fathers' Day? Your money will go towards supporting the important work of The Woodland Trust (Hedgewitch donates 10% of all card proceeds) plus if you mention Fathers' Day I'll include a sunflower mini-photocard FREE to use as a gift tag on a Father's Day gift.

Dangle Diva Club!

2008-05-29T11:01:00.000-07:00

Hey all you Earring Addicts!

I have JUST the solution for you! Come on over to my shop and pickup YOUR subscription to the Dangle Diva Club!

Every month, all Members of the DDC will receive an email newsletter from me, with exclusive earring selections. Simply reply to me with the pair you like, and they will be gift wrapped and sent to you! It’s like getting a little gift just for you, every month, with no fuss, muss or having to spend hours searching for the perfect pair! Let ME bring the awesomeness to YOU!

This also makes the perfect gift for a loved one! Send them a little something every month, without lifting a finger!

You can read more of the details, rules and disclaimers if you click on the above picture! Come on, you KNOW you want to! Join the DDC fun today!

BreathoftheDragon on Etsy

2008-05-17T11:53:00.001-07:00

I've been working on my Etsy store today. I've added shop policies and updated some information like team tag info on my profile.

I am working a lot lately, so I doubt I will be listing any new items any time soon. I hope to make some new ones in the coming month, however.

Check it out and let me know what you think!
Thanks!
Sunfire

P.S. -- Also, would you please list me on the side of this blog? I don't see my shop listed. Thanks.

Elder

2008-05-05T00:20:00.000-07:00

I've recently had the enormous pleasure of welcoming a wonderful addition to the Hedgewitch herb garden .. a beautiful young elder tree, which had obligingly seeded it itself into a tub behind our house.

It is small enough that I think it has a good few years before it becomes too large for the roof garden, and it is covered with little flowerbuds. Many of the local elder trees are already in bloom, so I'm looking forward to seeing the first blossom on the Hedgewitch tree sometime soon.

This tree is steeped in folk-lore and is a fount of mystery and medicine. I have been collecting elderflowers for years, and am so delighted to be able to have my very own elder growing amongst the herbs in my garden. Further information on the Elder can be found on the Earth and Tree blog where I have posted an information sheet and directions for making elderflower tea.

Needless to say, I wasted no time in trying a leaf to take impressions and was pleased to see that it works very well - a more subtle impression than some of the herbs with more ribbed leaf construction, but perhaps the more beautiful for this?

Cosy Custom Tanks in Earthy Colours

2008-04-20T21:38:00.000-07:00

Following a request for a custom order, I've been making new versions of the Hedgewitch handknitted tank top. The original was a cropped version (length 19") but it now comes in a longer length (24"), too, which reaches to the hip.

The yarn I use for the tanks is a really soft cosy wool mix which is ever so slightly fluffy and gives a really snuggly feel .. at the moment, the colours available are Cappucino (a creamy blend), Chestnut (flecked beige) and Moss (olive/rust combination). I'm currently trawling the net for more supplies of the popular Copper colour, now discontinued.

These tanks are perfect to keep you warm in that tricky transition from Brrrrr! to Spring when a sweater is too much but you need a little extra draught exclusion!

The ones you see in the shop are generally knitted up to fit a ladies size medium (UK 12-14) .. but I can make you one in whatever adult size you specify (including plus size). The joy of a custom order is that you can specify the measurements precisely .. the length, width, how deep you'd like the neckline, etc. Just lay out a garment that fits you well on the bed to take the measurements (much easier than when you're in it).

They make a lovely gift, too... if you're not sure of the recipient's size, I can send you a beautiful gift card with photos of the tank top for you to give them, then they can contact me with their measurements and have one made to measure.

Click here for more photos of the Chestnut cropped tank and Copper tank (both now sold) and the Moss tank top which is currently on sale in the Hedgewitch shop.

ACEOs and why I love them

2008-04-17T06:01:00.000-07:00

I've been making a LOT of ACEOs lately. I mean a lot. I've made 31 ACEOs in as many days, practically. I'm actually making 100 ACEOs, at least, all from a theme list just because I wanted to do the creative exercise and think "outside my box."

So, now that you know how obsessed I am with ACEOs, let me tell you what they are. I get asked a lot what "ACEO" is. ACEO stands for "Art Card Editions and Originals." What they are is 2.5 inch by 3.5 inch works of art. Those are the ONLY rules! They can be any medium, any thickness, any subject. I've seen ACEOs made of felt, yarn, polymer clay, paper, wood, metal, glass... the list could literally go on forever. They can be any thickness, so long as the front is 2.5 x 3.5. Most people though make them so they can fit inside a standard playing card sleeve- but they don't have to.

I know what you're about to ask me. You keep seeing the acronym "ATC" as well as "ACEO" and want to know what the difference is. ATC is Artist Trading Card, which is what ACEOs started as. Artists would make them and trade them with others. But, apparently people who aren't artistic wanted to start collecting them, so ACEOs were made- and ACEOs could be sold rather than being traded. This opened the little art craze up further and allowed non-artists to get into collecting.

There's a lot of other information available on ACEOs as well. You can check out Wikipedia, Art-Cards.org, and ACEO.org for more information, or simply enter "ACEO" or "ATC" into Google and browse through. They are very popular on both Etsy, Ebay, and even sites that specialize in JUST ACEO sales!

Alright, so now I've told you a little bit about what an ACEO is, now you're thinking "Okay, that's great, but why the obsession, Liz?"

I'm obsessed with both making AND collecting ACEOs right now. I'm obsessed with making them for many reasons. For one thing, they're really easy for me to store- much easier than storing sketchbooks or prints, that's for sure. Especially since I'm already a card game nerd, so I have boxes for "Magic: The Gathering" cards laying around anyway (which, by the way, are the perfect size, so if you have a local gaming or card shop, you can go there for all your display/storage needs, for the most part! Support your local gaming store!). I also love that they're portable without me having to carry a bag around. I usually only carry a wallet in my pocket, no purse. I take a messenger bag with me if I'm going off to a gaming session or something, but that's it.

So, with ACEOs, I can literally grab a few blanks, wrap my theme list around theme, grab a mechanical pencil, and shove all of that in my pocket and go. I took my hubby to get a haircut last weekend and this was exactly what I did too. While he was getting his haircut, I pulled out the cards and started drawing. So convenient to work on!

Not only that, but they take a little bit less time to do than my full-size pieces, and I've found excuses to experiment with a bunch of mediums that I normally don't use- like watercolor, acrylic paint, and collage. And it's been so much fun too!
I love collecting ACEOs because it gives me an affordable and easy way to collect art from artists I love. My collection is really small, but at the end of this week I'll have about a dozen ACEOs from seven different artists... all for under $25! (Granted, a lot of those have come from trades though other artist friends, but still! With the trades added in, I've gotten all that lovely art for under $50! And only TWO of those are prints instead of originals!) That's incredible for a collection of original art!

"Fine then, these things sound pretty cool... But what am I supposed to do with these things once I have them?"

I'm so glad you asked! I happen to have a few ideas! For one thing, they would look great in a binder with the card pages they sell at shops to hold baseball/trading card game/collectible cards. Or, you can find great display books specifically made for displaying ACEOs (Imagine having some beautiful original art pieces as your coffee table book!). Or, if you'd prefer to decorate your walls with your new small art collection, most super stores that have a section for picture frames will also have 2.5x3.5 frames (I've found them at Wal-Mart for about $2.50 each- very nice black ones too that look fabulous). Or, if you can't find ACEO frames, you can frame two ACEOs together in one 3.5x5 frame as well. If you're feeling really adventurous, get a ACEO mat in a size that you like (I've seen them up to 8x10 size). There are also Baseball card frames that hold a bunch of cards in one display, so you could group bunches of them together. (I found out about these while at my local Michael's- their's held about 20 though)

Another idea that I've heard around the Etsy forums for displaying art cards is to buy Deck Protectors (I recommend Ultra Pro- the trusted name in all geeky gaming circles for card protection) and attach a magnet strip to the back of the sleeve. Now, you can slip a card into the sleeve, and hang art on your fridge, metal door, white board, or any other magnetic surface you can think of! And, when you want to rearrange because you got more art to display, it's easy to move the sleeves (or the cards!) around. I know someone on Etsy who was going to do this to the inside of their apartment door since they couldn't paint the door. What a great idea- and definitely a great conversation piece for when company is over!

Well, I hope I've provided some insight into ATC/ACEOs, what they are, and why they're so darned addicting! In case you haven't realized it yet, all the images in this entry were done by me- all over the past month in my ACEO madness. Most of them are still available in My Etsy Shop, but they all are one-of-a-kind, so grab them up quick if you fall in love with one! ;)

Let's hear it for Taurus!!

2008-04-14T17:39:00.001-07:00

We're coming up on Taurus in another week. Time to showcase the bright, shiny, brand new 3D Taurus magnets. So without further ado, heeeerrrrrreeeeeee's....Taurus!

Taurus is an earth sign and this magnet celebrates the 2nd sign of the zodiac! It would look great on your refrigerator, in your bedroom, in your office or even in your car. It makes a great gift for the Taurus in your life.

The lining is watercolor painting in rose pink, inside a round tin with a glass top. The glyph for Taurus is on the inside of the glass, so handling won’t smudge it. Also on the inside are a sterling silver Taurus word bead and four genuine peridot stones. Peridot is associated with Taurus as are the colors pink and green. The outside is wrapped with a barely there light green ribbon. A strong magnet is attached to the back.

The magnet is 2” (5.8 cm) across and 1” (2.5) deep.
Available for purchase at Luminosities.

The lining is watercolor painting in rose pink, inside a round tin with a glass top. The glyph for Taurus is on the inside of the glass, so handling won’t smudge it. Also on the inside are a genuine malachite stone, four genuine peridot stones and the word “May.” Malachite and peridot are both associated with Taurus and of course May is a Taurus birth month. The outside is wrapped with dark green ribbon. A strong magnet is attached to the back.
Available for purchase at Luminosities.

The lining is watercolor painting in rose pink, inside a round tin with a glass top. The word “Taurus” is on the inside of the glass, so handling won’t smudge it. Also on the inside are the glyph for Taurus in copper wire, copper being the metal associated with Taurus. A genuine rose quartz stone rests beneath the glyph. The outside is wrapped with barely there pale green ribbon. A strong magnet is attached to the back. Available for purchase at Luminosities.

Spring has Sprung! Finally...

2008-03-23T08:02:00.000-07:00

While it seemed that Spring would never get here, the calendar has moved steadily on from Winter and officially become Spring. and not a minute too soon, either. I don't know a single person who hasn't felt just totally beaten down by the weather here so far this year.

So, to celebrate the fact that there are Spring flowers blooming somewhere, I've posted some of my pics from the annual New England Flower Show held in Boston. There's also a few of my other pics here that make me think of Spring.
Enjoy!

Mini pocket goddesses with crystals by Celtic Goddess Jewelry

2008-03-20T13:24:00.000-07:00

Recently I have discovered needle felting. Its very meditative and basically just another form of sculpture. You take roving (which is wool yarn before its turned into yarn) its a fluffy poof. Then you stab it with felting needles oh, like a million times.

This is an example of what I have done recently with needle felting. You can purchase these pocket goddesses on etsy http://celticgoddessjewelry.etsy.com

Healing magnets at Luminosities!

2008-03-17T20:06:00.000-07:00

Brand new healing magnets at Luminosities!

The lining of these magnets is a green abstract watercolor with clockwise (sun-wise) spirals drawn in blue gel pen. The outside is wrapped with a green ribbon, green being a healing color. Powerful magnets are attached to the back.

Put these charming magnets on your refrigerator, in your bedroom, in your office or even in your car.

The magnets are 2” (5.8 cm) across and 1” (2.5) deep.

This magnet uses symbolism and the power of stones to surround you with healing energy. Lapis lazuli is said to be a powerful stone with both physical and mental healing properties. The stone you see here is a gorgeous dark blue with flecks of gold.

The Egyptian ankh is a symbol of life and the silvertone ankh in this magnet fits in well with the healing theme.

This magnet uses symbolism and the power of stones to surround you with healing energy. Amethysts are believed to carry healing properties and the three genuine faceted amethysts you see are a deep purple color.

As a symbol of transformation and renewal, the pewter dragonfly charm adds to the theme of healing.

This magnet uses symbolism and the power of stones to surround you with healing energy. Bloodstone is believed to be a powerful healing stone. The stone you see here is a deep green and red.

Butterflies are symbols of transformation and the butterfly sticker in this magnet invites you to transform into a being of beauty and health.

See more images or purchase now at Luminosities.

In the rainy northwest, thinking of the dry southwestern desert...

2008-02-03T14:50:00.000-08:00

Oregonians pride themselves on "loving the rain" here (definitely a "love it or leave it" mentality!) but, for those of us who haven't grown up in it, the winters here can be a little bit difficult sometimes.

Makes me long for the desert, like these earrings, which feature horn, moonstone, turquoise and sterling silver. It takes little more for my own personal visions to fill in with cacti, joshua trees and rattlers, and the color of the horn brings to mind the best shade of worn-in cowboy boot.

Ahhhh... when people tell you to "put it where the sun don't shine" I never expected that they meant to take it to Portland, Oregon. Pretty as this city is after months of rain, it sure is work to get there.

I guess it explains why there ARE at least three yarn shops in every quadrant of this city. We need to hold onto those warm soft things, I guess. And, since there is, apparently, room for even more, here's our newest addition, Yarnia - a unique concept, at least here in Portland, where you design your own yarns by mixing and plying - and then take it home by the pound.

I was planning on making this a Sunday afternoon field trip. I just looked outside tho, and it's hailing. I should probably be spending that money I don't have on a yoga class instead, but since I can't really afford either one right now, here's a handy Sun Salutation reference I "stumbled upon" this morning.

Love Spells for Valentine's Day!

2008-01-27T08:57:00.001-08:00

Just in time for Valentine's Day, new loves spell magnets! These would make great Valentine's Day gifts!

A love spell in a magnet! This magnet uses the magick of stones, color and essential oil, plus the power of words. What a great Valentine’s Day gift!

With red, pink and white, this piece utilizes the colors of love. It contains genuine rose quartz which attracts love! A little heart charm adds to the love vibe. To further emphasize the point, there is a little word bead that says, “kiss.” Inside is a tiny drop of rose essential oil, also a love attractor.

Put it on your refrigerator, in your bedroom, in your office or even in your car.

The lining of this magnet is red fiber paper, inside a round tin with a glass top. The outside is wrapped with a white ribbon with little red hearts.

The magnet is 2” (5.8 cm) across and 1” (2.5) deep.

Available for purchase at Luminosities

A love spell in a magnet! This magnet uses the magick of stones, color, essential oil and images. What a great Valentine’s Day gift!

With red, pink and white, this piece utilizes the colors of love. It contains genuine rose quartz which attracts love!

With red, pink and white, this piece utilizes the colors of love. To further emphasize the point, there is heart charm with the word “loving” and a red cloth rose. Inside is a tiny drop of rose essential oil, also a love attractor

Put it on your refrigerator, in your bedroom, in your office or even in your car.

The lining of this magnet is red paper embossed with multiple hears, inside a round tin with a glass top. The outside is wrapped with a red ribbon with little white hearts.

The magnet is 2” (5.8 cm) across and 1” (2.5) deep.

Available for purchase at Luminosities

the more to tempt you with!

2008-01-16T19:24:00.001-08:00

I just received a package in the mail today after recently deciding to pull my jewelry from a shop in Asheville, NC.

To be honest I'm THRILLED to be able to sell these pieces direct instead, and so... take a look at some of the items i'm listing in my etsy shopin the next few days! Just in time for Valentine's Day I've lots of rose quartz and garnets, great stones for love. :-)

All's well in Portland, I've just joined the (massive) ranks of pdxetsy since it seems I'm going to be here for quite a while. They are an active bunch of folks, and I'm looking forward to meeting them in person and getting more involved (and seeing whom, perhaps, I already know, as this town is small like that).

Winter Wonderland Challenge ~ Vote & Win!

2007-12-26T06:49:00.000-08:00

Dec.15- Jan.7th
The EAST team has issued a challenge to all members to create an item that falls in the theme of Winter Wonderland. Voting will be open to all Etsy members: Pick your favorite item here and heart it! The entry with the most hearts wins! There will be four winners. Gift packs filled with promotional items from participating member shops will sent to four lucky voters, determined in a random drawing on January 7th!

Here's a few of the items crafted for the challenge, but you can see all the entries here in the favorites of the EAST team shop.

Witchvox Front Page!

2007-12-18T15:44:00.000-08:00

I'm on the front page of Witchvox again! The article is Caring for Your Feline Familiar. How exciting!!

Fantastic New York Times article about Etsy

2007-12-15T09:17:00.000-08:00

The NYT has a fantastic article about Etsy! It covers everything from the philosophy behind not only Etsy, but much of the DIY, handmade movement.

It includes interviews with the founder of Etsy, the most well-known Etsy success story and other driving forces.

Read it here:

New York Times

Arts and Crafts Show to Benefit Rwandan Orphans

2007-12-04T11:34:00.000-08:00

Last Saturday I did my very first show. It was held in the parking lot of the college, organized and put on by the Intercultural Communication students. The vendor fees and t-shirt sales went toward building a house for Rwandan orphans, victims of genocide.

It was a really small show with only about 20 vendors, but it was for a great cause.

The whole thing was promoted by the Chair of the Communication Department, my friend Tina.

It was so windy I had to finally give up on my upright displays and lay almost everything flat on the table. Some of my business cards are now floating somewhere on campus. I shared a table with my friend Julie, who brought candy canes which made us very popular with the kiddies!

Because of the wind and because the Gem Faire was in town, I didn't do very well in sales. I did go to the Gem Faire after the show was over and undid any gains I made at the show and then some!

If I thought of the show only in terms of income generated, I'd have to write it off as a loss. (Some vendors didn't sell anything at all, though, so I did better than most!) The thing is, there was so much more to be gained from this event.

They had two drumming bands play, which was awesome! One was a small band called Panzumo who kept us bopping with Africanesque beats.

The other band was a bunch of kids and their instructor from a local drum shop. These kids were fantastic! They played drums, trash cans and trash can lids. They had choreographed movements to match their playing. I was so impressed with these guys! Their name is Boom Chaka. The kid pictured below is about to do a backwards somersault off of that trash can!

Needless to say, they drew quite an audience.

The most impressive thing about this event, though, has to do with the Intercultural Communication students. They worked like demons to put this thing together in a short period of time. Seeing college students come together like this to make a difference in the lives of others much less fortunate than they was a real privilege. They actually had three days of events to raise money to build a home for orphans in Rwanda. It was the students themselves who came up with the ideas for all of this.

The event on Saturday may not have been lucrative for me personally, but it was fun. Between the bands and the joy of watching the students work to help those who need it, it was a much more fulfilling experience for me than just making a profit. I was so moved by their hard work and dedication that I contributed 10% of my sales (not much, but every little bit helps) to their cause.

For more information about the efforts of the Intercultural Communication students' efforts and events, go here:
3 Days of Change

For information on the situation in Rwanda, go here:
Rwanda: How the Genocide Happened

The Fairies Got Me Again

2007-11-28T11:25:00.000-08:00

More than two weeks ago, I lost the remote control for my television. Not a tragedy, I know, but damned inconvenient. If I wanted to go from channel 56 down to channel 2, I had to get up, go crouch in front of the t.v. and hold the channel button down until I got where I was going.

After doing that for several days, the button got less cooperative. I started having to push it over and over again, or push it from just the right angle or beg it to work. This resulted in my missing the first few minutes of some of my favorite shows. Forget about going all the way up to channel 78 just to see what was on! By the time I got to the right channel, it would have been too late.

Of course I looked for the remote. I took all the cushions off of the couch – the bottom cushions and the back rest cushions. I stuck my hands in all the cracks and crannies. I looked under the couch. I looked on the floor next to and behind the couch. I looked on the floor next to and behind the t.v. I looked on the bookshelves next to the t.v. I looked through the disarray that is my crafting table. I looked under my crafting table. I took all the cushions off the couch and felt around in cracks and crannies again.

I started to think that maybe I’d had it in my hand when I went to do something in another room. Maybe when I got there, I’d needed two hands and set it down and forgot about it. I looked in the bathroom. I looked in the refrigerator. I looked in the freezer. I looked in all the kitchen cabinets and drawers. I looked in the bedroom. I looked under the bed. I started accusing the cats of making off with it.

Every couple of days, I repeated the search, including the Great Couch Exploration. I looked over, under, behind and next to everything. I picked up every piece of paper, magazine and scrap of fabric. No remote. Finally, crouching in front of the t.v., trying to cajole the channel button into cooperating, I began to consider just buying a new one.

After two weeks of this, I started to think the fairies were messing with me. They’ve done it before. I tried to reason with them. I said, “Come on, guys, can you please give me back my remote? It’s not all that funny anymore.”

Then, the night before last, I sat down on the couch and felt something hard and lumpy beneath me. I knew immediately what it was. Yep, the remote. I searched that couch at least four times that I specifically remember. The only explanation I can come up with is that the fae were having a laugh at my expense.

2007-11-22T21:21:00.001-08:00

Just in time for that crazy holiday shopping...

Eight stunning new items from earthcharms!

Etsy
Buy Handmade
earthcharms

Give them something amazing this year: buy handmade!

Summersea's Sunny Treasury

2007-11-20T11:41:00.000-08:00

What's a Treasury? It's a collection of items chosen by an Etsyian to fit a theme and/or to display some of that Etsyians favorite items from shops on Etsy. I'm in one this morning! Here's a screen shot of it:

See? There's my little Yule magnet, right in the middle of the top row! Items chosen by SummerseaHerbs

Vampires R Us

2007-11-19T11:56:00.000-08:00

Hey, everyone! Since my Elizabeth Bathory necklace sold, I was inspired to list another vampire necklace. This one has genuine agate fangs.

Got Vampire?

Astrology gift sets now on sale!

2007-11-15T12:44:00.000-08:00

Hi Everyone, its Andee from http://celticgoddessjewelry.etsy.com.
I just wanted to let everyone in on my newest addition of my Astrology gift sets! I only have Pisces listed at the moment, but I can accommodate any astrological sign (price will vary).

Its a great deal, considering you get a sterling necklace, a custom glyph soap scented with a special fragrance blended for your SIGN (made by serenedreams), a beautiful card (by serpantmandalas) and an original piece of art AND a quartz sphere. Im even thinking about adding earrings to this set for no additional charge! (if you place a custom order I WILL include a pair of earrings for your sign for free!)

Thanks!
Andee

taking Etsy on the road...

2007-11-09T11:35:00.000-08:00

before i left for a cross-country road trip i had a spurt of Etsy sales. I decided to try and take Etsy on the road with me, then, putting together a small studio and some designs i could easily do using only an AC inverter in my car cigarette lighter, an extension cord, a dremel, and a few simple tools.

To be quite honest, i was thankful the sales came to a stop for a bit - my work has kept me so busy i hadn't had time for jewelry until today, but today i'm making my first "on the road" order.

crazy to think that necklace is only going an hour and a half away to San Francisco - what timing! I'm borrowing my sweet man's place for the afternoon to get away from work and have some personal time to sink back into my creativity and create another personalized braille pendant.

These have been doing quite well, and i've sold a few offline as well. And they're STILL a pleasure to make despite the fact that they're pretty much ALL i make right now. Order yours today and it will arrive within two weeks from wherever i happen to be at the time (today's necklace is being created on beautiful Bodega Bay in Sonoma County, california).

November art sale

2007-10-30T03:57:00.000-07:00

All of the original art on my etsy site can be obtained at 10% of by contact me for "Sale Price". My husband, Allan Krummenacker, is participating in this as well.

still here!

2007-10-24T11:15:00.000-07:00

i've been in northern california for over a month - working like a dog! i work on a farm and usually by the end of the night, i'm exhausted...

why do i do this? well, the pay is great, and it's wonderful to get exercise working outside in northern california wine country every day, at least in october (it starts raining in november and i get very, VERY cranky - but hopefully that means some good inside time to *MAKE SOMETHING*).

in the meantime, i still have several shop offerings for you to browse, some of which are custom pieces which i can make anywhere - and will, happily!

happy fall!

Lakshmi Art Doll

2007-10-23T09:08:00.000-07:00

I just completed a mixed media Lakshmi Art Doll today. Lakshmi is the goddess of prosperity, beauty, and purity. She brings good luck and blessings to the home of those who are devoted to her.

Click here for the Etsy listing

Revelate on IndiePublic!

2007-10-22T06:58:00.000-07:00

Congratulations to our very own Revelate for becoming IndiePublic's
Member of the Day!!!
To see the front page featuring her, as well as checking out her space
there, please see:
http://www.indiepublic.com/

Or you can see her shop on Etsy

New items from earthcharms

2007-10-20T19:08:00.000-07:00

I have two new beautiful pieces featuring beads I got from the Gem Faire:

Click here to view the listing on Etsy

and:

Click here to view the listing on Etsy

I took the photos for both in my lightbox. I need a brighter light source for it, but other than that it's great! Earrings are a little tricky, as they don't want to stay put on the curved card stock. I'll figure it out with some trial and error.

EAST Autumn Challenge Winners!!!

2007-10-17T11:22:00.000-07:00

Yesterday our "Autumn Colors & Falling Leaves Design Challenge" was judged by Etsy Labs! There were 40 wonderful and crafty entries.
The winners are:
Funky Devaz

Ravenshold

RachealAnilyse

Azurefire

I'm amazed at all the creative entries, across many different
mediums. Thanks to everyone who participated! To see all the listings for the Challenge entries , search AutumnEast as a tag, or you can go look at the favorites here in the team account,
http://www.etsy.com/favorite_listings.php

Here's the article that Etsy labs did for the winners and about the event!
http://www.etsy.com/storque/section/spotlight/article/etsy-earthpath-
artisans-design-challenge-winners/431/

Nice job, Everyone!
blessed be,
tracyw, SummerSea

Autumn Harvest

2007-10-14T14:37:00.000-07:00

This is a piece for the Autumn EAST Challenge. You can check out all the challenge pieces here.
I feel so grateful to be a part of such a talented group of artists!!! All the challenge pieces are AMAZING!!!

I am so excited how this piece turned out. This was a vision that has been swimming around in my mind for awhile. I used different cottons, organic cottons, batik cottons, hand dyed canvas, and a piece of vintage upholstry fabric for the moon. I appliqued it all together with different colored embroidery threads. My husband made a frame from stained poplar to compliment the piece. You can see more pictures and details about this piece here.

Thanks!

GO EAST!

Sparklies!

2007-10-12T10:25:00.001-07:00

I have taken the day off to raid the Rock and Gem Faire. I am that much of a nut, yes.

I'm so excited about it! I've been saving since April, and now I get to go and hopefully find a bunch of things I simply cannot live without (snark, snark). I'm hoping for some iolite and kyanite especially, since online stores seem to carry only chips, spikes, and unappealingly-colored beads. Either that or they're $130 a strand, and that's just not in my budget.

Other things I'll be specifically looking for:
Carved stone beads
Amethyst (it sells like mad for me)
Carnelian (ditto)
Citrine
Labradorite
Seraphinite
Red tiger eye
Tourmalated quartz

I'm sure I'll return with an armload of amazingly gorgeous specimens. I'll play with my lightbox and see if I can get nice pictures of them (it's dark and raining outside).

In other news, my mature content earrings have 911 views! They'll be my first item to hit 1,000 if nothing goes wrong with the view counters! :D

A Toast to Autumn

2007-10-10T03:51:00.000-07:00

Druids and dryads could both enjoy spiced wine from these oak leaf and acorn glasses. They are one of the featured items in my shop, and therefore part of my special "free shipping on featured items" sale.
Besides wineglasses, several of my art pieces celebrate grapes and wine. I grew up in a California wine town, and when I think of harvest festivals I think of juicy grapes and rich red wine. Browse the fine art section at http://krummenacker.etsy.com to see them all.

Halloween is on the way!

2007-10-09T16:46:00.001-07:00

It's a chilly day.

I am simmering hot apple cider on the stove, and the scent is filling my home. I worked on a light box today so I can photograph my jewelry even when the sun is hiding!

Still on the list? Buy another pumpkin and that awesome pumpkin cleaner/scoop I saw at Michael's.

Harvesting Your Good Intentions

2007-10-03T10:20:00.000-07:00

Harvesting Your Good Intentions
As autumn creeps in bringing with it the changing seasons, our lives burst forth in vivid colors of orange ,yellow and red. We leave (or is that leaf) behind the lush spring and summer greens and turn our heads toward the warmth of crackling fires and smooth hot cocoa. What better time to ponder on the successes we have had this year.....the special things that have come our way and Harvest all the good intentions we have been sowing this past year. There is no better time than the present to pull out those warm and cuddly hats. I feel totally blessed to have a forum to strut my passion. My hats are my canvas as are the people who wear my hats. May your autumn season be filled with the color of creativity.
Peace Be
FunkyDevaz
http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=4600

In the Spirit of Fall...

2007-10-01T16:03:00.000-07:00

...and approaching Halloween, I blended a very tasty, spicy, warming tea ;).

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=7281434

WITCHY

2007-10-01T14:40:00.001-07:00

WITCHY
Originally uploaded by lizstaley

Happy October, all!

I cannot believe I've been on Etsy for 7 months today. Wow! I also can't believe how much I've learned about running a business in that short amount of time- and how many new friends I've made along the way! It's amazing- I hope I have another seven incredible months. :)

So anyway, in anticipation of the upcoming holiday, I added this choker to my shop today. I have a pair of fishnets that would be lovely with it as well, just need to photograph them at some point.

Can't wait to see what the rest of the team is up to for October!

Happy October from Green Fingers

2007-10-01T13:09:00.000-07:00

Shop Announcement for October 2007

I love fall--it's my favorite season, and October is my favorite month of those that comprise autumn. Hot apple cider (spiced, with a little brandy, even better!), pumpkin carving, costumes, falling leaves, HALLOWEEN! Fall is a time of celebration of all the abundance the universe has given us. I have SO much to be thankful for, and am reminded of it most strongly in the fall, when winter is coming--and I have nothing to fear from it. When the nights are cold--and I have a warm bed and a warm fire in the wood stove. When I have plenty to eat, a safe shelter, a family that loves me, and amazing friends to share all my joys with.I think it is important to remember, when we reflect on all we have to be grateful for, that for some people fall isn't a time of celebration, but a time of worry. Worry about whether they will be able to keep warm and feed their families over the winter. It's important to remember that enjoyment of the cold days is a luxury not afforded to everyone.

So in honor of my favorite month, I'm going to do what I can to express my gratitude by giving a little back. For the month of October I will be donating 30% of the purchase price of every Etsy sale to the Oregon Food Bank. This includes custom orders as well. It's the least I can do.

EAST Treasury by Summersea!

2007-09-28T07:39:00.000-07:00

Wanted to share a screen capture of Summersea's EAST treasury!

You can view it and comment here: http://www.etsy.com/treasury_list.php?room_id=45

Halloween is coming!

2007-09-28T06:44:00.000-07:00

I just added two new Halloween/fall inspired pieces of jewelry to my store.

The happy pumpkin is a pottery sculpt with glass beads and carnelian chips. http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=7229370

I was having so much fun with the carnelian chips I made a ring with another piece of sculpted earthenware and copper wire. http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=7230859

Herbal Goodness for Women

2007-09-26T15:20:00.000-07:00

I just listed 2 new teas...Tasted, tested & approved by me ;).

-WEMOON HERBAL TONIC (nourishing):

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=7221204

-WISE WOMAN POWER TEA (for a healthy cycle):

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=7222668

Happy Autumn!

2007-09-23T18:40:00.001-07:00

To celebrate my favorite season, I'll be listing new items all week long!

Keep an eye out for new charms, chokers, earrings, and of course, Halloween goodies!

www.earthcharms.etsy.com

New Incense and Flower Essences Arrive!

2007-09-20T18:15:00.000-07:00

I have been VERY busy this past week or so, and have finally gotten a few new items listed in my shop. I have FIVE new flower essences available for the first time ever, and two new incenses for your magickal needs!

First, the flower essences: Iris, Lady's Mantle, Echinecea, Mallow,and Valerian.
This is the first time I have offered the essences individually. I will make more of the single flowers and gemstone elixers available soon.

For my current selection and to find out more about flower essences, please click the link.

I'm also offering two new loose 100% Organic herbal incense blends:

Lucky Stars, and Prosperity & Abundance .

These are made to assist with spells and rituals.

Please vist my Etsy shop, Summer Sea Herbs, to see everything I have to offer! I have a full selection of herbal incenses, essences, bulk herbs and magickal items!

Earth Goddess Clay Brooch

2007-09-20T14:07:00.000-07:00

Hopefully this is the first of a long serie of Clay Goddesses ;)!

I only use natural clay: white, red or black (a very dark grey in fact).

I intend to add more engravings, stones and even incorporate some pigments or herbs...Whatever my Muse will suggest. I will most likely make more brooches, pendants...Maybe some figurines too ;).

I like this design, it's both primitive and modern with a discreet charm. I think she'll look great on a jacket or a shawl.
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=7151894

Computers: the final frontier

2007-09-20T05:23:00.000-07:00

I feel like an explorer. I believe life is to be faced head on, challenges attempted and either met or tried again another day but the exploration of the computer frontier is more intimidating. Just when I think I've met a challenge and won, something new comes along and it's back to basics. But for now, I've taken the challenge of the blog! So here I am, hoping to get into the swing of things! My newest carving, a miniature orchid pot.

Custom Orders

2007-09-19T06:45:00.000-07:00

I LOVE LOVE LOVE custom orders. Here's one I did for celticgoddessjewelry . These are a pair of capris made with black organic cotton and I also found this really cool swirly grey, black and white fabric. I did a cool gas mask applique on the left pant leg. Celtic sent me a pic of a gas mask, so I used that as a guideline. Hope you all enjoy!

You can find us here if you would like something custom made for you.

Many Blessings!

Purple.

2007-09-18T10:29:00.001-07:00

There's no such thing
There's no such thing
There's no such thing

as too much purple.
as too much purple.
as too much purple.

245 people have marked earthcharms as a favorite. Where are YOU?

A Note From a New Member

2007-09-17T22:01:00.000-07:00

I'm afraid I can't edit links, but I can let the dear readers here know where to find me. http://visitingthemuse.blogspot.com/ is the art and crafts blog I have, and I sign off with poetry every day to make sure it stays interesting.

My shop is http://www.krumenacker.etsy.com

Thank you for your attention, and my your path be forever blessed.

And the Winner is...

2007-09-11T17:21:00.001-07:00

Wow! What a successful Wickedly Chic contest! There were over 330 entries to win the Summer Sea Herbs gift box of magickal goodies.
The winner is Lisa G. of Auxvasse, MO! Thanks for playing, Lisa, and your gift box will be shipped to you shortly.

In case you missed all the action, you can shop for those magickal goodies yourself, at Summer Sea Herbs on Etsy.com!
Don't forget to sign up for the Wickedly Chic newsletter to enter more weekly contests!

Win a Summer Sea Herbs Gift Box!

2007-09-08T09:05:00.000-07:00

I'm giving away a gift box of Summer Sea Herbs Magickal products to the lucky winner of Wickedly Chic's weekly Sunday Night Giveaway contest. You'll win all the products pictured here! A $40.00 value! The box includes three loose herbal incense blends, two Journey pouches, a bottle of Earth Magnet flower essence, and a roll of Three Kings Charcoal! To be eligible to win, all you have to do is go to the site, and sign up for the newsletter here:http://www.wickedlychic.com/index.php?id=6

It's a great site to find Indie craftswomen! There are alot folks from Etsy over there as well! Every week, a different set of shops and products are featured.Thanks, Liz, for the opportunity to sponsor the Sunday Night Giveaway!

A new EAST idea in the works

2007-09-07T21:56:00.000-07:00

What's a good way to get everyone creating and the public looking?

Why, a contest of course!

Details are currently being hammered out between some EAST members for a group-wide creative contest. Keep an eye on this blog for details!

Getting Ready for the Fall...

2007-09-06T11:09:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I listed those 2 natural items inspired by and for the Fall...The soap smells yummy but is not edible ;)!

*MABON / FALL EQUINOX TEA*:
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=6988619

*SPICY HARVEST SOAP(S)*:
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=6988996

look who made the front page on Etsy (however briefly)?

2007-09-05T13:06:00.000-07:00

i missed it entirely, but fellow EAST'er Indigo Luna was kind enough to alert me that i'd finally, after almost a year, made it there.

Sadly, it was gone again before I had the chance to view it but one of my fellow front-pagers, Pincushion Queen, had taken screenshots and happily sent them to me.

Thank you! and YAY!

Summersea Herbs

2007-09-05T06:50:00.001-07:00

One of my favorite Etsy sellers, as well as the woman responsible for getting this team started - meet Summersea Herbs and her latest products:
Recently i made my first purchase from Summersea Herbs (i'd wanted to buy something from her for ages and finally couldn't resist indulging myself in one of her "magickal journey" pouches, given that i'm leaving in three days for a cross-country drive). It was shipped immediately, in my mailbox three days later and PACKED with lovely goodies - beautiful scents, incense, and a wonderful note, too - i'm sure everything in that box was created and put in there with wonderful intent.

TRIPLE GODDESS LOTIONS

2007-09-04T15:16:00.000-07:00

I'm very proud to present my new line of all natural lotions for the Maiden, the Mother & the Crone. They leave your skin silky smooth and moisturized all day long.

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=6976318

Alchemille

Greenfingers

2007-09-03T07:35:00.001-07:00

good morning, all!

check out new items from EAST member Greenfingers, who creates goddess-centered art in several different mediums. Beautiful work!

Good Morning!

2007-09-02T09:35:00.000-07:00

I was very unexpectedly given the day off today! I expect to take a nap, get a lot of crafting done, and clean house.

It's September, so it's time to stock up on all things Halloween! Check out what I'm offering:

Etsy
Buy Handmade
earthcharms

There will be more!

the pile beside my bed...

2007-09-01T16:38:00.001-07:00

...is books. i read two or three at a time - generally one is fiction, one is a craft book, and one is something metaphysical. right now here's what's currently in my beside pile:

Fiction: The Fifth Sacred Thing. I'm re-reading this one after only having read it the first time a few months ago. Not sure why except perhaps that I'm out of other fiction and also thinking this might put my head in mind for the upcoming road trip. Interestingly, I appear to be reading two books by Starhawk at once, tho it wasn't a conscious choice.

Craft: Sexy Little Knits: Chic Designs to Knit and Crochet. knitting and crochet are two of my "lesser" hobbies along with spinning yarn, and i only do them when i can't make jewelry or i'm in an inspiration "lull". i also generally only do it when it's cold and am usually fascinated with creating lingerie. This book has great patterns for that. Hopefully I can finish this bikini by january.

Metaphysical: The Earth Path: Grounding Your Spirit in the Rhythms of Nature. I've always loved Starhawk for her down-to-earth, non-wishy-washy approach to things as well as her nature-focused concepts. This book serves a dual purpose as a good fluid read as well as a great guide for developing personal and group rituals to honor nature.

What have you been reading lately?

Music to create by...

2007-08-31T15:13:00.000-07:00

A new album,

to envoke feelings of fall.

"This compilation explores the darker side of British folk music, evoking the mystery of our ancient past and peoples, the strangeness of their beliefs, arcane traditions and the remnants of this carried down the centuries as folklore."

Have a listen at their myspace.

an EAST treasury!

2007-08-31T13:26:00.000-07:00

i can hardly believe it as i've had oh, two or three treasuries in almost a year on Etsy.

but, i managed to score one today, and it's all about EAST. Enjoy!