Friday, July 31, 2009
Fabulous Friday Finds - Woodly Creations
Check out these adorable wristlets by Woodly Creations. I'm loving her fabric choices and zipper colors, so cheery! You know everyone will be asking you where you got your wristlet from if you go out with one of these.
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
Friday, July 24, 2009
Birthday Birdies
These are the most darling cupcake toppers ever! These fabulous birdies are by The Cupcake Girls, a new favorite etsy shop of mine. I'm headed out of town for my birthday this weekend but I'll be back soon. I'll miss all of my bloggy friends. Have a super weekend!
Thursday, July 23, 2009
Summer Lovin'
I'm drooling over this new etsy shop that I stumbled upon today. Tortilla Girl is feminine, breezy, summery and absolutely lovely. I'll let you drool with me...
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
Monday, July 20, 2009
Hello Cupcake
I've been neglecting my blog lately but only because I've been busy in my craft studio. I'm working on a few new designs (think baby) but I'm not quite ready to reveal those just yet so I will leave you with pictures of my new Hello Cupcake cards...
Thursday, July 16, 2009
Christmas in July Sale - 20% Off Everything
Merry Christmas in July! I love Christmas in July, not only because it is just another excuse to shop (like I need an excuse) but also because it is a great chance to start shopping the sales in preparation for the holidays. I'm excited to announce that Designs by Vanessa is participating in its first ever Christmas July sale! Type "ChristmasJuly" in the message to seller box at checkout on Etsy, wait for the revised paypal invoice before paying and you will receive 20% off your purchase. This offer expires 7/31. Looking for more Christmas in July sales? Check out all of the Etsy Blogger sales HERE.
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
Monday, July 13, 2009
Interview With An Etsian: Meet Chelsea G.
With a shop name like Bird Nerd, I knew I had to interview Chelsea! Chelsea is a very talented artist and her love for birds is right up my alley. I don't think you'll be disappointed by this birdie-filled shop. Meet the fabulous bird nerd Chelsea...
In a nutshell, tell us about yourself.
My name is Chelsea Groves and I live just outside of San Francisco with my husband and dog. Originally from the southeast, I've lived in this part of the world for two years now. I've enjoyed exploring all the sights here, from the art museums to the beautiful beaches and redwood forests.
Apart from crafting and creating, what do you do?
I've always been an animal lover, so about a year ago I started searching for volunteer opportunities helping animals. I learned about the Marine Mammal Center and have been helping out there once a week since then. We rescue sick and injured seals and sea lions, rehabilitate them, and then release them back into the wild. I mainly help by feeding the animals and cleaning their pens.
Though I'm primarily an artist, I'm growing to love sewing. I've been known to make some pretty unusual Halloween costumes, including a peacock (for myself) and a narwhal (for my husband).
What inspired you to open an Etsy shop?
I was working as a graphic designer and had been creating bird art in my spare time. Around the same time that I completed my first few collages, I happened upon Etsy. I thought the site looked promising, so I listed my collages to see what would happen. I made my first sale about a month later, and the business grew and grew until I was able to become a full-time artist. I had no idea that Etsy would end up being a major part of my life, but I'm happy that it is!
What is your favorite creation in your shop?
I tend to get attached to a lot of the collages that I make, probably because of the amount of thought and labor that goes into them. Right now my favorite is "Wentworth, Barn Owl". I'm proud of how it turned out and I like the overall dark, night time feel of it.
Where else can we find you?
You can find me on my personal website.
For photos of my art and life, you can visit my Flickr.
Describe your studio and what you like best about it.
My studio is a large room at the back of our house. I like it because it has lots of windows and looks out on our backyard. That way I get lots of natural light and can keep an eye on all the birds that visit the feeders I've put out for them.
I keep things organized with lots of shelves and drawers. I also have two desks; one for art, and one for computing. My business has expanded a lot in the last two years, so I've added a lot of equipment and products. When things start to feel chaotic in the studio, I know it's time for a trip to Ikea for a new shelf or cabinet for organizing things.
What is your favorite Etsy shop?
I have a lot of favorite Etsy shops. Some artists that really stand out to me are MLee, MinicingMockingbird, Blue Dog Rose, and Ashley White Jackobsen.
There are tons of others that I love as well. I've bought so many amazing things on Etsy that I'll cherish forever, including a beautiful portrait of my dog, Delilah, by lizzelizzel. It can be seen here.
List your favorite book, movie, song & website (other than Etsy of course).
I love so many books, but one of my all-time favorites is Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides. One of my favorite movies is Idiocracy. It makes me laugh every time. A new favorite for music is Neko Case. My husband took me to one of her concerts recently and it was amazing. A website I've really grown to love is Flickr. I like expressing myself and documenting my life through photos and Flickr has really encouraged me to do that.
Where do you see yourself in 10 years?
I don't have any definite plans for the future. I'd love to keep expanding my business and get more and more exposure, but the most important thing to me is that I'm still creating. I'd also like to have a house full of gorgeous vintage furniture and an impeccable wardrobe.
What is your favorite birdie (as in species of bird)?
I think right now it would have to be the western scrub jay. They're fairly common here, but they're a gorgeous mix of blue and grey. They're also very loud and always announce their presence in the yard. I leave a little bowl of peanuts out for them so that they'll come visit me often.
In a nutshell, tell us about yourself.
My name is Chelsea Groves and I live just outside of San Francisco with my husband and dog. Originally from the southeast, I've lived in this part of the world for two years now. I've enjoyed exploring all the sights here, from the art museums to the beautiful beaches and redwood forests.
Apart from crafting and creating, what do you do?
I've always been an animal lover, so about a year ago I started searching for volunteer opportunities helping animals. I learned about the Marine Mammal Center and have been helping out there once a week since then. We rescue sick and injured seals and sea lions, rehabilitate them, and then release them back into the wild. I mainly help by feeding the animals and cleaning their pens.
Though I'm primarily an artist, I'm growing to love sewing. I've been known to make some pretty unusual Halloween costumes, including a peacock (for myself) and a narwhal (for my husband).
What inspired you to open an Etsy shop?
I was working as a graphic designer and had been creating bird art in my spare time. Around the same time that I completed my first few collages, I happened upon Etsy. I thought the site looked promising, so I listed my collages to see what would happen. I made my first sale about a month later, and the business grew and grew until I was able to become a full-time artist. I had no idea that Etsy would end up being a major part of my life, but I'm happy that it is!
What is your favorite creation in your shop?
I tend to get attached to a lot of the collages that I make, probably because of the amount of thought and labor that goes into them. Right now my favorite is "Wentworth, Barn Owl". I'm proud of how it turned out and I like the overall dark, night time feel of it.
Where else can we find you?
You can find me on my personal website.
For photos of my art and life, you can visit my Flickr.
Describe your studio and what you like best about it.
My studio is a large room at the back of our house. I like it because it has lots of windows and looks out on our backyard. That way I get lots of natural light and can keep an eye on all the birds that visit the feeders I've put out for them.
I keep things organized with lots of shelves and drawers. I also have two desks; one for art, and one for computing. My business has expanded a lot in the last two years, so I've added a lot of equipment and products. When things start to feel chaotic in the studio, I know it's time for a trip to Ikea for a new shelf or cabinet for organizing things.
What is your favorite Etsy shop?
I have a lot of favorite Etsy shops. Some artists that really stand out to me are MLee, MinicingMockingbird, Blue Dog Rose, and Ashley White Jackobsen.
There are tons of others that I love as well. I've bought so many amazing things on Etsy that I'll cherish forever, including a beautiful portrait of my dog, Delilah, by lizzelizzel. It can be seen here.
List your favorite book, movie, song & website (other than Etsy of course).
I love so many books, but one of my all-time favorites is Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides. One of my favorite movies is Idiocracy. It makes me laugh every time. A new favorite for music is Neko Case. My husband took me to one of her concerts recently and it was amazing. A website I've really grown to love is Flickr. I like expressing myself and documenting my life through photos and Flickr has really encouraged me to do that.
Where do you see yourself in 10 years?
I don't have any definite plans for the future. I'd love to keep expanding my business and get more and more exposure, but the most important thing to me is that I'm still creating. I'd also like to have a house full of gorgeous vintage furniture and an impeccable wardrobe.
What is your favorite birdie (as in species of bird)?
I think right now it would have to be the western scrub jay. They're fairly common here, but they're a gorgeous mix of blue and grey. They're also very loud and always announce their presence in the yard. I leave a little bowl of peanuts out for them so that they'll come visit me often.
Thursday, July 9, 2009
Etsy Blogger Feature: miesmama
Miesmama is July's featured Etsy Blogger! She makes the cutest things out of felt - I'm in love with her felt flowers! Don't forget to show her some blog love. Here are a few of my favorite pieces by miesmama...
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
The Little Black Box
I decided to spoil myself a little and order a Little Black Box and it arrived in my mailbox yesterday! Talk about handmade goodness, I was like a kid on Christmas morning looking through all of the fabulous samples and promotional items. Once a month, The Little Black Box puts their promo boxes full of handmade goodies on sale. July boxes will be available for purchase on July 31st so mark your calendars and spoil yourself with lots of little handmade surprises.
Now for what you are all waiting for, the loot!!
As soon as I opened the box, I could smell the yummy scent of the sweet orange-clove soap by Strawberry Hedgehog and my cats immediately came sniffing because of the adorable handmade catnip toy by Colorado Catnip Toys that was inside. Dogs weren't excluded in this box, treats by Pawsh Dog Bakery (how cute is that name?!) and Stylin' Pup Pillows were also inside.
The next thing that I noticed was a sample sized sultry summer fragrance by Lemon Lollipop, simply because the card was so cute and they included a lemon lollipop (great idea!). This shop is as cute as their logo! The Little Black Box did not disappoint in the smelly good stuff - a raspberry lemonade tart by Kreations by Kathie, a buttermint baby scent shooter by Whiff and Sniff Candles (see my post about Whiff and Sniff HERE), a freesia hand poured soy melt by Walking Leaf Co, and a chai tea soy tart by The Serene Dream Shop were all inside of the box.
One of my favorite items in the box was a Japanese cherry green tea sachet and zen tea soap by SBS Teas (they also included chocolate, which is always a huge plus in my book). Other favorites were thank you cards by Pegg Macko Designs and Just Wright Boutique (another cute shop name!). I also adored the cute pocket mirror by Just Buttons (this is now in my purse). Lots of other fabulous goodies and coupons were included in the box and I will definitely be ordering from The Little Black Box again in the future. What a great way to surprise yourself and to sample several different handmade businesses.
Now for what you are all waiting for, the loot!!
As soon as I opened the box, I could smell the yummy scent of the sweet orange-clove soap by Strawberry Hedgehog and my cats immediately came sniffing because of the adorable handmade catnip toy by Colorado Catnip Toys that was inside. Dogs weren't excluded in this box, treats by Pawsh Dog Bakery (how cute is that name?!) and Stylin' Pup Pillows were also inside.
The next thing that I noticed was a sample sized sultry summer fragrance by Lemon Lollipop, simply because the card was so cute and they included a lemon lollipop (great idea!). This shop is as cute as their logo! The Little Black Box did not disappoint in the smelly good stuff - a raspberry lemonade tart by Kreations by Kathie, a buttermint baby scent shooter by Whiff and Sniff Candles (see my post about Whiff and Sniff HERE), a freesia hand poured soy melt by Walking Leaf Co, and a chai tea soy tart by The Serene Dream Shop were all inside of the box.
One of my favorite items in the box was a Japanese cherry green tea sachet and zen tea soap by SBS Teas (they also included chocolate, which is always a huge plus in my book). Other favorites were thank you cards by Pegg Macko Designs and Just Wright Boutique (another cute shop name!). I also adored the cute pocket mirror by Just Buttons (this is now in my purse). Lots of other fabulous goodies and coupons were included in the box and I will definitely be ordering from The Little Black Box again in the future. What a great way to surprise yourself and to sample several different handmade businesses.
Friday, July 3, 2009
Fabulous Friday Finds - 4th of July Birdies
I hope everyone has a fabulous 4th of July! Hubby and I are planning to pack a picnic and watch the fireworks in our area. What are your plans?
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