Vintage Love.....

On this Christmas Eve, I want to wish everyone a very Happy Christmas! In all of our hurried preperations, I know that you will remember Christmas' past with a fond smile. Holidays and nostalgia go hand in hand...remembering our family traditions, friends and relatives. The past is a treasure...

I have a love for everything vintage, and today I want you to peek into Vintage Inspirations...a superb etsy shop filled with handmade jewelry reminiscent of the past. As a child, I used to spend weekends at my grandparents house and sometimes my grandmother would show my sister and I all the beautiful jewelry boxes she had...filled with jewerly that had been handed down through time...each one gorgeous and unique.

I love jewelry that emits a mood, and that has been very hard to find until now. Vintage Inspirations creates such wonderful pieces that just looking at them, will give you a sudden urge to listen to the Boswell Sisters. That is a beautiful thing.

Here are a few of my faves......

Aren't they divine?

Visit this shop, and you're sure to fall in love. The shop's owner has been creating handmade jewelry for four years now, and explains the name of her shop in her profile : "Why "Vintage Inspirations"? Because I love everything vintage! From an old piece of furniture with chippy paint, to faded photographs and old tarnished costume jewelry, I love it all! Although I think that my work refelcts todays tastes and trends I always have that Vintage Inspiration in the back of my mind."

Very well said.

Take a peek!

http://www.vintageinspirations.etsy.com

Have a Wonderful Christmas Eve! Stay Warm!

Chirp, Chirp......

In our frenzy of holiday preperations, I just want to remind everyone to keep our feathered friends in mind. During the cold weeks ahead, take a moment to sprinkle some birdseed, fill your birdfeeders, or place your suet cakes in their holders.

With birds on the brain, I want you to visit Magpie Collections today. Magpie is certainly fitting for this shop's owner ~ as she tells us in her profile "Magpie-The name suits me very well. Always attracted to beautiful things, I collect them (bead-aholic)and make jewelry. I love doing artistic stuff, the feeling of accomplishment and satisfaction one gets when you create something beautiful with your hands let it be a painting, jewelry or anything creative.Thats what I am all about...".

Magpie Collections is filled with beautiful handmade jewerly, using a range of materials including swarvoski crystals and polymer clay. Custom orders are welcomed, and the shop is trader friendly, which I love!

Here a few of my favorites.......

And, with Valentine's Day approaching, this "Love Crazy" necklace would be an amazing treasure!

Categories in this shop range from Anklets, Bracelets, Necklaces, Paintings, and even Wine Charms, making this shop a perfect fit while shopping for those hard to please.

Stop in to Magpie Collections today! Can't wait to see more treasures from this magpie....

http://www.magpiecollections.etsy.com

Have a great day everyone! Stay Warm!

All Warm and Fuzzy......

Can you believe that Christmas is only a few days away? Time is just flying by. We'll blink, and then it will be New Years Eve. I haven't thought too much about making New Year's resolutions...I tend not to. Instead, I like to make a "Things I'd Like to Do This Year" list. lol. If you haven't tried it, it is fun....and great to do while you're hanging out on new year's eve. Once this list is done, keep it in a safe place - then on the next New Year's eve, you review the list from the year before, realizing all the things that you've accomplished. The list can be as big or little as you want it.....and the kids love it.

This year, I'm putting Learn to Knit on my list. My mother is very, very good at knitting, but I never caught on. Crochet is wonderful, and I caught on very quickly - taught myself, actually. When I was younger, my mom did attempt to teach me to knit, but to say the least, it didn't work out. lol. I have always been fascinated with knitting, and I really am going to try to learn this new year. If any of you can recommend a great book on knitting, or any other tips, feel free to comment me! Speaking of knitting.......

I stepped into the most amazing etsy shop this past week, called The Sheepish Lion. I love the name, lol. Very original and cute! I absolutely LOVE this shop! Shop owner Tammy is absolutely amazing at knitting up soft scarves, beanie hats, and ipod/cell phone cozies....but her felted jewelry is so sweet and unique! I must place an order ASAP! I have never seen necklaces like these before, but I am so taken with them........

These are made using 100% wool and a technique called 'wet felting'. They close with a barrell clasp, and can be custom ordered, if you'd prefer a different color. I can't wait to order mine!!

The Sheepish Lion's shop is a joy to visit....you can spend a lot of time here, browsing through all the superb items. Here are a few more of my faves.....

The felted Bangle bracelets with seed beads look awesome! The Sheepish Lion also carried handcarved knitting needles, as well! How great it that?!

Pretty please, with a cherry on top, visit this shop! You'll love it as much as I do!

http://www.sheepishxlion.etsy.com

She also has a fantastic blog http://www.sheepishxlion.blogspot.com

Be sure to check it out!

Have a Great Day everyone! Stay Warm!

Go Green

In all of my crochet endeavors, there is one thing that I will no longer crochet. The bag keeper. Why? Because I refuse to use plastic shopping bags. Once discarded, plastic bags take many, many years to decompose, and they are harmful to animals and the environment as a whole. I have been searching for alternatives, and can you believe it? I found a great alternative. Where? Etsy, of corse! lol

AmandaMade is a fabulous Going Green Shop! The shop has a wonderful section called "Making Green Fashionable", featuring handsewn, large and roomy shopping bags. Bags are sewn of cotton, making them very durable, with a lining inside, and are larger than shopping bags offered at the grocery store. They are very fashionable too...the choices of patterns and colors make them lively and great to take on your next shopping trip.

Here are some wonderful bags offered at AmandaMade.......

Aren't they great?

The owner of AmandaMade is a stay at home mom and full time interior design student. Her profile lets us know that she has been sewing since she was 7, and she loves to focus on making items that are environmentally friendly.

The shop has a wonderful variety to it, offering a wide selection of items, including Wristlets, Coin Purses, Laptop Bags, Supplies and Patterns, and wonderful Hand Embroidered Pillows like these...

AmandaMade takes custom orders, too!

Take a peek at http://www.amandamade.etsy.com/

Wonderful Shop!

Have a great day everyone! Stay Warm!

Just Add Charm....

Hello again, my sweet readers! Today I am determined to get the rest of my holiday wrapping done.....I hope. lol. I finished two new items for my etsy shop, which hopefully I'll post before the weekend. Of course, I had to browse while I was there......ooooh the things I find! lol.

About a week ago, while in one of the Etsy chat rooms, I met a wonderful Etsian whom I absolutely adore! Her shop is called "Just Add Charm". First off, I have to say that the name of this shop is incredible and very, very clever as she sells hanmade fabric button jewelry, hair ties, magnets, bookmarks, and other wonderful goodies. The name is more than fitting, as her work is charming!

I spent at least an hour browsing through all of her lovely accessories. Truly unique and very, very special. I love the fact that you could easily dress the jewelry up or down. The earrings and necklaces would go perfect with anyone's wardrobe. I know my daughter is going to love the hair ties, too!

It was very, very difficult to choose which of her items I love the best ~ they're all so great! Here's a few that caught my eye....

Sigh. They are just so clever and unique! So hard to choose!


I am in love with these retro Jello fabric magnets too.......so vintage, and so sweet.

Just Add Charm is inviting, with a great variety and freshness to it. The price range is great - items are very affordable, which is a plus. The shop's profile is welcoming, making us feel comfortable right off the bat. Store Policies are listed under the shop's profile, making them clear and easy to find.

You HAVE to visit this shop! I can't say more than enough great things about Just Add Charm..you'll just have to stop in and see for yourself. I bookmarked this shop right away as one of my favorites, and I know it will be added to your list too.

http://www.justaddcharm.etsy.com

Have a great Day Everyone! Stay Warm!

Twirl.....

Good Morning all! Another cold, snowy day here in CT. Perfect pancake kind of morning. I have two sons, ages 10 and 8, and my daughter is 4. They keep me busy, especially in the morning! My daughter absolutely loves waving goodbye to the boys as they leave for school - and today, she demanded that she gives her brothers a 'sweet kiss' before they leave. lol. A 'sweet kiss' is when she blows a kiss after drinking cocoa.....and she does this little twirl. Of course, I got a kick out of it....I love the things she comes up with. We've been going through an "everything ends with a twirl phase" lately. Grocery store, post office, video store, - no matter where we are...everything we do she insists that we 'twirl' at the end. lol. I myself have yet to 'twirl' after bagging my groceries...but what if we all started twirling? It just might put you in a much happier mood. Yes, the looks you would get would be a little off putting, but a twirl may just be what everyone needs in their day.

Keeping on the lighter side today, I would love if you would 'twirl' over to this marvelous little shop called Kiss the Frog. Yes, it's called Kiss the Frog. Such a wonderful name, in my opinion....reminiscent of princesses, castles, and enchanting little things.

In this shop, you'll find the most wonderful prints of original paintings, cards, paper mache boxes, pins, sachets, accessories, and clothes....such a great variety!

Here's a few of my favorites! ~

So Sweet! http://www.kissthefrog.etsy.com/

I must order some prints for my daughter's room, and the Love Tree Sachets look wonderful!

All the items are made by the artist in Greece. Original drawings, prints, hand painted clothes and unique accessories make this shop such a lovely place to visit. I truly had a wonderful time looking through all the items here. I absolutely love the shop's banner - so whimsical!

The artist also has a blog where you can learn more about Kiss the Frog. Here's the link

http://www.kissthefrogboutique.typepad.com/. I must warn you, their blog is wonderful! So much to see!

Please visit Kiss the Frog today ~ and don't forget to do a little *~TwIrL~* when you're done. lol.

Have a great day!

Stay warm!

I am nearly finished with my holiday shopping! This was no small feat this year, especially when choosing gifts for the kids. Toy recalls and safety concerns over imported items made Christmas shopping tedious and scary. I must say, though, that I have gone back to basics with my chosen gifts this year. I really gave this a lot of thought before I began shopping, and decided that the one special gift that I can give my kids this holiday is the gift of imagination. Toys have become so high tech and complicated in the past few decades - so much so that it's almost as though the toy does all the playing for the child. Children need to nourish their imagination through play - I have always believed that. I remember when my sister and I were kids, we would go and visit our great grandmother on Sundays. We never brought anything with us to keep us occupied, as she had a drawer in the living room that held books of paper dolls. At first glance, most kids today would balk at this type of toy, but we played for hours...carefully cutting out the doll's outfits and accessories along the dotted lines, folding the tabs, and dressing our dolls to act out hundreds of plays. Dolls, whether paper or cloth, bring the gift of play and friendship to any child. I will be giving my daughter a sweet handsewn doll this holiday. One that when you hug, it almost feels as if it hugs you back.

Where do you find a doll this special? You'll just have to shop at Beena Dolls!

This sweet doll shop is filled with handmade, original dolls that are just as adorable as can be!Every part of every doll is made from scratch - no parts or patterns used. The detail on each doll's face is hand embroidered after being drawn freehand. The end result is a sweet, cuddly doll that your child will cherish ~ even becoming a family keepsake. I just love these......

Making dolls for over 30 years, Beena Doll's owner takes great pride in her work. Visiting her shop, http://www.beenadolls.etsy.com/ was a lot of fun! I just loved reading through her profile, where she tells us she is a country girl at heart "I live in the country,was raised in the country(different part of the world,but country nonetheless)lived in cities twice and didn't like it .You just can't beat a 22 acre back yard!!!". lol.

A girl after my own heart!

The shop is so much fun to visit! Dolls are so wonderfully displayed, each one just waiting to be hugged! I am in such awe over the detail of all the doll's faces, and their outfits are beautiful!

I personally love "Betty Brown Eyes". This doll measures 18 inches, all clothing and the doll are machine washable (which I love), and the doll is made of cotton and double stitched. The doll's denim skirt is even made from recycled blue jeans and her sweater and socks are hand knitted!

The quality of this doll is amazing!

(Betty Brown Eyes)

Please visit this enchanting shop! I myself will be shopping at Beena Dolls with my daughter seated right beside me.....I'll let her choose that one special friend that just can't wait to meet her!

Have a Great Day everyone! Stay warm!

A Secret Garden.....

I woke this morning to a snow white, wintery scene through my window....and though I love this time of year, I can't help but long for spring as I throw on my sweater and extra pair of socks. Green shoots popping out of the soil; buds on the trees; birds chirping and the sun shining just a little warmer each day. I absolutely love gardening, and can't wait to get my hands back into the soil this new year. I swear, if they made a perfume that was scented like spring soil, I'd probably be one of the first to buy it! lol. To fulfill my floral craving, I have discovered a "secret garden" of sorts in a wonderful etsy shop called Beads in Bloom. You must take a peek at the enchanting blooms that are handmade from hundreds of tiny beads strung on wire, then wrapped around one another to create a single petal. This is the art of French Beading. I adore these.....

The detail is amazing! Beads in Bloom offers a wide variety of french beaded floral items, such as bookmarks, pins and brooches, and barrettes. The shop also sells individual french beaded flowers which can be displayed at your home or office! I love the fact that the shop also offers wedding corsages and boutonnieres ~ How beautiful would these flowers be in a wedding??! So unique!

I really enjoyed my visit to this shop....items are displayed beautifully, prices are perfect, and I felt as though I had dropped into a secret garden. I can almost smell them! I love that the shop explains the art of french beading under their Profile, which really draws interest to this delicate craft. The shop accepts custom orders as well, willing to work with you if you would like flowers made in specific colors. Items purchased are shipped in white boxes, ready for gift giving, and earrings arrive in small drawstring pouches.

I encourage all of you to visit http://beadsinbloom.etsy.com/ and take a walk through the blossoms! Just what we need this time of year!

Stormy Weather...

Well, the storm set for this weekend was not as awful as predicted. More rain and sleet than snow and winds. Yet, it's still yucky outside. Awesome day to stay inside with my coffee and skeins ~ and that's a good thing as I have a ton of orders to fill! I am trying my hardest to stop shopping on Etsy, which I am sure can be done, though it's becoming more difficult day by day. I promised in my last post to start letting you in on some of my favorite shops, so today I would love for you to take a peek at Pixie Soap!

I discovered this shop about a week ago, and I am IN LOVE! I adore handmade soaps, and this is an enchanting little shop! With soaps such as Chocolate Covered Strawberry, Fresh Summer Peach, Rain, and Gardenia, I wish that my monitor had a scratch and sniff feature! Pixie Soap carries a wide variety of soaps, as well as lip balms (the Mochaccino sounds yummy), sweet gift sets, soap accessories and unscented soaps. I will most definitley be ordering this lotion bar as well...how adorable is this? http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=8439539

Their Etsy shop is adorable ~ their banner is creative and eye catching, with photos of their wrapped soaps on either side. Definitley inviting. The inventory is categorized very well, making shopping a breeze. Photos of all items are clear and well presented. I have visited many, many etsy shops, and yes - sometimes you will hit upon a shop that is not presented well, and this definitley deters you from shopping - this is definitley NOT the case here. The shop is wonderful! And with over 300 positive feedbacks, I will be placing an order as soon as I can decide from all the great varieties.

Even the shop's Profile section is well presented - direct, to the point, and categorized, the shop explains everything from Shipping to their Recycling methods very, very well. As an added plus, Pixie Soap is based out of Plymouth, Massachusettes - which is one of my most favorite places in the world! I spent a week's vacation at a beach house in Plymouth the summer before last, and I love everything about this town. Very quaint and charming just like Pixie Soap!

Please visit!

http://www.pixiesoap.etsy.com

Stay warm!

Fa la la la la

I absolutely love the holiday season as much as the next person, but the stress level can become ridiculous. So, in times of great havoc, I turn to my hooks and skeins of yarn and all becomes right in my world. I've been asked more times than I can count "why do you crochet" and I've noticed that the question always has one common theme - it is always asked by someone who does not crochet. lol. The repetition of stitches calms your worries, the feel of the yarn will actually soothe your soul....and the end results are always rewarding. Crochet is an amazing art.

I have been in awe of the crochet talent on etsy. If you still haven't visited this absolutely amazing handmade shopping extravaganza - what are you waiting for? I do sell on etsy myself, but have spent so much more time browsing and shopping other Etsian crochet shops. The work is amazing! Go browse - I'd love to hear about your favorite shops/items. The one thing I've noticed is that my favorites on etsy have become gargantuan - there are soooo many things I just have to have. I'll be featuring a few of 'my favorite things' from Etsy in my next posts.

My christmas shopping is in full swing, the tree is up and the lights are twinkling, and soon my house will be a whirlwind of wrapping paper, tape, tags, bows, dominic the donkey, baking, mailing, and generally becoming a tornado of holiday cheer. phew.

Where did I put my hook?