The new look for our shop

Well, I've just spent several days updated and "tidying up" our shop on HandmadeArtists.  Due to Etsy allowing re-sellers and wholesalers now, and moving away from handmade items, we have decided to let our shop there slowly fade away, and have increased our presence on the Handmade Artists site.  It's a great up-and-coming site, full of ONLY handmade items, and with amazing customer support.  The forums are fun, and the shop site is improving and expanding daily.  I personally love the fact that Andrew and Kimberly have a set goal...20,000 sellers, then they will close off open registration.  They want to be the "Tiffany of Handmade" and I want to be a part of that future.  So, if you want to be a part of a great handmade venue, hurry on over today.  Now see what I did with our store...first I revamped our sections, improved some pictures (or tried to), and checked the shipping costs to get you the best prices available.  So let's browse by section.

 Our first section is our jewelry.  Here you will find our unique designs in mostly beaded jewelry.  I have a different approach to designing my pieces.  I find a focal point, then just sit at my table and look at my beads.  They are in drawers, hanging on walls, in my carry tote.  I grab some complimentary colors and shapes, then just start laying them out and stringing them together.  The beads pretty much make themselves into jewelry.  Like this pearl seed bead memory wire bracelet.  I just reached into my bead pile without planing the color pattern, and I love how it turned out.  In this section you'll find necklaces, bracelets, earrings, and crochet cuffs.


Let's visit our next section...

fashion.  Here you'll find our scarves, cowls, belts, hats, and handbags.  I first started crocheting way back when I was only 10, and have been "hooking" ever since, lol.  I love yarn like I love beads...soft and bright.  For most of her childhood I have tried to teach Amanda to crochet, without much luck.  Until a few years ago.  It finally kicked in, and she's become an accomplished "hooker" herself.  She created this long and skinny purple scarf, it's her own design.  I also knit, but being left handed, it is one skill I cannot learn from someone else.  I had to struggle and figure it out for myself, and yes, I hold my needles funny and knit backwards, but the outcome is still the same.  Speaking of backwards, I recently taught my youngest daughter to crochet, and it's hard to describe her technique.  It's sideways.  She had to just watch me, then went off by herself to figure it out.

The last section I want to share with you today is our  section for quilts, blankets, and pillows.  Right now there are only 2 blankets listed, but I am in the middle of one more crochet in an southwestern pattern, and 2 soft applique blankets, and several pillows.  Yes, I suffer from artists ADD...when I get up each morning, I never know what medium will catch my fancy....knitting, quilting, crochet, beads, painting, sketching, paper crafts...it's a wonder I get anything finished.  I completed this blue chevron stripe woven blanket not too long ago.  I really enjoyed working on this blanket.  Since it's weaving, I didn't need to count my stitches and I could watch television while creating.


Next week, I'll show you around some of our other sections.  And some new items I am listing this week.  So bookmark the page, and come visit me soon.
Be blessed,
Debbi

my clean studio

I finally got some time yesterday to clean my studio from the mess I made at Christmas.  I had cleaned the downstairs shortly after my son and his wife left (my studio doubles as a guest house), but the upstairs?  Wrapping paper, ribbons, boxes, glues, holiday trimmings, beads, wire, what a mess.  But yesterday I got it all put away, and now I'm ready to get creative.  So today I decided to go shopping for supplies, because you can never have too many beads, paints, and yarn.
So let's run on over to Handmade Artists and see what we can find to play with... 

Wow...what amazing pieces of jewelry I can design with these beads.  The first is a Pink Flamingo Porcelain Cabochon from Abella Gifts, match this up with pretty pink and green beads for a very feminine statement piece.  And then I saw this cute little girl at My Craft Basket, a polymer clay dragon pendant that would also look great with pink beads.  HEY, look...I found some pretty pink and green beads!  You'll find these organic lampwork beads (with spacers) in the shop of Gaby.

 

Next I found this bag of handrolled paper beads at Jsouza's Shop.  Sure, these beads are something I look at and think "I can make them", but I never do, so it's time to just buy them.  And it's a great price for 100 beads.  You can get these adorable Sock Monkey Felties from Lil Bit Sassy.  Great for an added touch on anything, from quilts to scrapbooking.  Plus, if you ask, she can change the size and/or color.  And for more scrapbooking ideas, how about these die cut hearts from Creative Jem?  They would be great to use as a mat for your photos.

 

Yarn...yarn...I need more yarn.  Love the color, love the feel, love the fiber.  I found these on Etsy.

First the beautiful blues of this Iceberg handspun yarn from Cool climates.  You know what I love about handspun yarn?  The challenge of matching colors.  Not at all like what you can get at the "big" stores, where most every skein is the same.  I like the slight change in color and thickness in the handspun yarn.  Check out the differences in this amazing Siren Song yarn from Spincycle Yarns.  And I could just lick this Creamsicle Merino yarn from the shop of Sleeping Beauty.  Heck, I even love the name of her shop, lol.

Ok, my muse is now awake and raring to go.  Is yours?  If not, click on a link and visit a shop, and get creative!

Be blessed,

Debbi

HHC#25 contest winner - JewelryByJane29

Every week on HandmadeArtists.com we have a highlight challenge, which is a great way to showcase the wide range of items available on the site, but it is also a great way to get some free advertising on the On Fire For Handmade site, and win a free prize.  And the winner for challenge #25 is Jewelry By Jane with her highlight "Tickled Pink".



Aren't these just some great pink items?  If you click on the highlight (or the title link) it will whisk you off to the site, and from there you can click on any individual item to get to that shop.

Now for some info on Jane.  She designs and sells...well, take a guess.  Go ahead.  Guess.  Oh, all right, I'll tell you...she designs amazing jewelry.  Mostly beadweaving and wire wrapping.  Look at these and drool....(but not on your keyboard).

 

This Southwestern Turquoise Beadweave Necklace is a real eyecatcher, and would look great with your favorite black dress, or jeans and shirt.  Or how about this White Cats Eye Cabochon Pendant?  Very fancy...and unique.  And then there is her wire wrapping...and this Copper Wire Cuff Bracelet.  Let me tell you,  you won't find jewelry of this high quality, and handmade beauty, at Wally World.  So click on any link above, and shop handmade today...be an original.

Be blessed,

Debbi

oh, and before I forget, this is what she won from Oaklies Fashions...

 

 

so, what are you waiting for?  Come and join the fun at HandmadeArtists.com.

 

HAF artist feature - Reef Botanicals

I know that I have mentioned numerous times that I am not the best at time management, so I am totally in awe of this weeks HandmadeArtists.com featured shop, Reef Botanicals and the energizer bunny, Larissa.  Now, this shop is a team effort from Larissa and her husband Eric, but Larissa is the one that we usually see around the Handmade Artists Forum, and let me tell you she is one busy lady.  Let me show you some of the items they sell on their Reef Botanicals site.



I love candles...and wouldn't it be great if these Chocolate Decadence Votives could satisfy my sweet tooth while sweetening the ambiance of my home?  I wish! LOL. 

My Chuck likes to shave the "old fashioned" way, with soap and a razor, so this Smooth Operator Shaving Soap would be perfect for him.  And for you that have difficulty making a decision, try this Custom Gift Basket where you get to choose the items.  So, yeah, you'll still have to make a choice.

Eric and Larissa have a second shop called Fabric Of My Mind (as if one is not enough).  You'll also like the items you can find here. 

Here you'll find hand-sewn, hand-knitted, and original photography, along with other neat items.  This Wicklow from a Horse photo is by far my favorite.  It makes me want to just run out and buy myself another horse.  The color of this Deep Blue Celtic Knot knitted scarf is so pretty, and it looks warm too.  Larissa is also an actress with her local theater group, and she created a whole heard of cows as gifts for her fellow actors on opening night.  Then she created some for us, meet Flossie the Cow.  She has 3 listed, all with different fabric patterns, but the same sweet face.

If you live in the New Jersey area and are hosting a party, you can hire these talented artists for face painting and body painting.  Plus, they have a well written blog,  twitter, and 2 facebook pages (here and here).  See, I told you she was one busy lady (and hubby).  :0)

Click on any (or all) the links to check out this amazing shop for yourself.  And I'll see you tomorrow.

Be blessed,

Debbi

HAF artist feature - Lisianblue

Come with me, let's take a walk and do some window shopping.  Kris is an amazing artist with 2 shops on HandmadeArtists.com and I can't wait to show you what she creates...

Her first shop is Reflections...and it's full of glass, and light, and color...



Just check out this Hand Painted Ginger Jar.  Here is what Kris says about this jar..."Based on a wonderful place I lived for 11 years, this art glass piece stands on it's own. I could sit on my front steps and see the valley for miles and miles, "Sanctuary" is my somewhat stylized and minimized view. The mountains here often turn blue at dusk.

This elegantly shaped glass vase has been carefully hand painted with quality glass paints. the greens range from a transparent emerald green to a frosted kiwi green and an opaque light green. Transparent royal blue with very pale frost blue, medium frost blue and an opaque light blue. Transparent amber trees.
5 1/4 inches tall and approx 3 1/4 inches wide. A tad over 10 inches around at the widest point."



How about this Clear Glass Tetrahedron Pyramid.  It contains red and pink beads, and I can see any baby (or adult) just spending time turning it over and over and watching the changes of the beads.  This piece comes in a special handmade gift box with glittery hearts and a ribbon tie.  If you would like to have some special keepsakes inside your pyramid, just leave Kris a comment, she loves custom orders, and your satisfaction is very important to her.  Her next shop is also on HandmadeArtists.com and is called Lisianblue.   This is where you will find all her creations made with yarn and fabric, just like this...

 

...very cute Girls Knit Sweetheart Cap.  I also love to knit (and crochet) but creating patterns like these hearts are not easy, at least not for me. :0)  But Kris did a wonderful job.  And she used my favorite yarn, Caron Simply Soft.  "This sweet light weight cap with hearts all around will fit a variety of ages. With it's 16" circumference, it will fit very young children to teens and adults. - it stretches comfortably up to 22" . The 9" length allows the band to be cuffed to help keep those ears warm for those smaller heads."

 

This last item I just love...I love quilts and I love vintage, and this Romantic Vintage Inspired White Quilted Wall Hanging satisfies both for me.  "Vintage inspired white quilted wall hanging with hand embroidered art nouveau designs within hand quilted hearts make up this beautiful original wall hanging.

White on white hand embroidery work is highlighted with light greens, a bit of very pale blue and pink. The one cross stitched square has very light yellow, pink, and green.
This romantic wall hanging is made from a quilt that I made 11 years ago that was cut into different size blocks and pieced back together. Embellished with buttons and beads to cover a few very tiny stains. ( about the size of a mall pin head.) More buttons and beaded hearts were added for aesthetics.
This unique wall hanging measures 29.5" x 32" not including the white ribbon hanger which can be altered for length.
**Note: there are a couple of small stains on the back, and 2 heart shaped patches to cover 2, 1/4" holes,
Comes with white washed dowel with 1/4" ribbon hanger. "

You can also visit Kris on twitter and her blog, where you can learn even more about this talented artist.

Be blessed,

Debbi

HAF artists feature - iKnitQuiltSew

Today I would like to share with you a great shop at TheHandmadeArtists. 

iKnitQuiltSew is a wonderful place stuffed full of blankets, and dolls, and so many things for baby and mommy. Check this out.

I love this little kitty!  A vibrant pink baby quilt with pretty grey kitties.  What a great way to comfort your baby girl at nap time.  Heck, I would like this quilt for myself, LOL.  This is a one of a kind original design by Sandi herself, and it measures 40.5" x 44", perfect for the princesses crib.  It was first machine assembled and quilted, then hand quilted with medium weight polyester batting.  Sandi hand embroidered the details on the kittens faces and even signed her name, making this not only a quilt, but a piece of art.

Sandi learned to knit from her grandmother and some of the patterns she uses are actually from her great-grandmother, dating from the late 1800's.  That's where the classic look of Sandi's items must come from, like these hand knit white and red cowboy booties.  Aren't they just adorable?  And how about this large brown toy teddy bear?  He is completely handmade with movable joints, and a cute knit scarf.  He measures almost 16" tall when standing.  She also carries dolls, headbands, dishcloths, and baby gifts.  So hop on over to her shop iKnitQuiltSew and visit her blog.  You won't be sorry.

Be blessed,

Debbi

HAF artist spotlight....Lisianblue

Today let's take a peek into the wonderful world of Lisianblue over on HandmadeArtists.com. 

Kris is an artist that enjoys many different mediums, but for her shop, her medium is yarn.  Kris loves to crochet and knit, and creates items for all ages and uses, from baby bibs to hats to washcloths.

I really like the pretty shade of lavender she used for this Womens Lacy Cloche Cap.  This cap is 20" around and has very pretty, yet subtle, Czech Crystal beads in the flower and along the bottom row, to add just the right amount of bling to your look.  Kris shares that her "model" for her hats is slightly smaller than a "normal" adult head, so the hat lays down lower in the picture that it will on your head.  But if you need your hat a different size, she would love the opportunity to create one especially for you.

Here's some beautiful knit Lavender Blue Fingerless Gloves.  The lacy pattern and picot edging make these gloves dressy as well as functional to keep your hands and wrists warm.  They measure 7" long and 6.5" around, and when you check out this items page, you will see all the different colors you get to chose from, so you can have what you need to match any outfit.

I just love the bright yellow of these crocheted dishcloths.  They measure only 4.5" x 4.5", a size I prefer in dishcloths.  And the sunny bright color will make even washing dishes a happy chore. 

Click on any link above to visit Kris's shop, Lisianblue.  You can also find her here...

HA shop / Artfire / Blog / Twitter

Be blessed,

Debbi

What's on your mind?

On Wednesday's I like to share a shop from Handmadeartists.com, and while I have shared Larissa's shop, Reef Botanicals, with you before, today we are going to take a look at her other shop, Fabric of My Mind.  Larrisa, and her husband Eric, are a very crafty duo...so enough talk from me, here are my favorite items from her shop...

My Owen would love these Jumbo Dolphin Crayons!  The colors are so bright, and the jumbo size is perfect for little hands.  Larrisa used a WHOLE BOX of 64 crayons to create these wonderful creatures full of swirling colors.

Larissa is also very handy with needles.  Knitting needles.  In her shop you'll find scarfs, a cute rabbit, and washclothes.  This Racing Strip Hand Knitted Washcloth is my favorite.  I love the colors, and the yarn is....bamboo!  I have never heard of cotton bamboo yarn, but I do know that bamboo is very fibrous, and very strong.  And you won't find these at Wal-mart!  So get them while the getting is good.

The item details doesn't tell us which one took this picture, but I love it.  If you know me at all, you know I love horses, and orange.  And right now we no longer have horses, so I'll settle for horse decor.  This photo is titled Wicklow from a Horse, and was taken in the beautiful countryside of County Wicklow in Ireland.  When I look at this I can feel like I'm actually on the back of this horse, enjoying a relaxing day of riding.

Click on any of the links above to visit (and purchase from) Larissa and Eric's shops on the Handmadeartists site.  You can also find this couple at these links below.

FabricOfMyMind / ReefBotanicals / Website / Blog / Facebook / Twitter

If you live in the New Jersey area, they are also available to provide face painting at your next party.

NJ Facepainter blog

Be blessed,

Debbi

Attention all vintage loving knitters!

Do ya'll remember when I shared about the stash of stuff that my step-son brought me?  No? Well, you can read about it here.  In the stash I discovered a vintage Boye Needle Master and a vintage Boye Needle Master Junior.   They are in excellent condition, and for sale right now in our Etsy shop.  You can click on the links above, and to see our complete Etsy line, just click on the tab at the top of this page titled Fun With Yarn.  The tab titled For Your Home is our home decor shop at the Handmadeartists site.  I'll be sure to let you know what else I uncover in my pile. :~D



a craft collectors dream

I have been so swamped lately, I think my to-do list has learned how to reproduce while I'm sleeping. Not only do I have my normal housework, my responsibilities to my children and foster care, I am redecorating (very slowly), switching all our business stuff from ourhometoyours to yankeeburrowcreations, and taking new item pictures to update our listings.  Well, the other day Chuck's son brought me a truck full of crafting...stuff. It seems an older woman they know was moving into a nursing home and they were helping her clean her house. She graciously allowed them to have all her crafting supplies, which they brought to me. I love those kids!

In this pile of bags and boxes we found...

knitting and crochet projects started but not completed, the needles and instructions included,

needlework kits,

leather working supplies,

hoops, needles, floss, storage boxes,

yarn, yarn, and more yarn.

All this made me so delightfully giddy!!!!

Right now it's all just dumped in the middle of my studio, Chuck has graciously agreed to help me build racks and on one wall I am going to make cubbies for all the yarn.

But first...my kitchen floor is sticky from spilled koolaid...

Debbi

HAF artist spotlight....Dalishknits

I'm still fairly new at the Handmade Artists site, and just getting to know the wonderful artists there.  That is why I enjoy the blog ring from the Handmade Artists Forum, it's a great chance to get to know the other artists, and then share them with you.  Today I got to meet Gina Dahl, the talent behind the shop, Dahlishknits.  And her knit items are simply delicious.  Check these out...

this clutching toy is great for newborns that like to grab and hold things.  Made of machine washable yarn, and with no pieces to get pulled or chewed off, every baby would love this.  And the bright color is great for still developing eyesight.  As a plus, this toy comes with a matching pair of booties.

I love this little guy.  A OOAK Electric Blue Caterpillar.  The bright blue yarn is sure to encourage your baby to reach out and grab at it.  The yarn is machine washable, and the eyes are sewn on so there are no detachable parts. 

These MaryJanes for newborns would be great as a shower gift.  So tiny.  I just love babies...they smell go good, and baby feet are the only feet I will touch, lol. 

Now for a little background on Gina.  She has 2 young children that inspire her creations.  She has a blog, Llama Mama, where she shares stories of her fun-filled days.  And she has a second blog, Dahlish Knits where she shares her creative process.   So click on any link above to find out more about Gina.

Debbi

trying new things! iKnitQuiltSew

If you caught my blog post(s) yesterday, you'll see where I was playing with my new phone...trying a new blogger app, and not doing too well with it, lol.  Another new thing in my life this year is my shop on the Handmadeartistsshop site.  It's a forum, and it's a selling site, and part of the "newness" is that there are new artists that I get to meet, and share.  So my first HAS artist feature is.... *drum roll please*.... iKintQuiltSew!

Not all artists work with paint, or clay, or marble.  Sandi is an artist that lovingly creates beauty with fabric and yarn.  She learned to knit and sew from her grandmother, and uses the patterns that came from her great-grandmother, giving such a touch of vintage class to all her items, like this...

 Camo Colors Knit Baby Hat and Booties gift set.  With all the great-grands, and great-nephews and nieces popping up in my family, gift sets are a God-send to my sanity.  And let's not forget poor tired mommy...with this beautiful Ladies Headband with flower.  The color is sure to brighten any sleep deprived new mother, and make her look, and feel, wonderful.

And if your newest family member is a little girl, what little girl could resist this...meet Anne the rag doll! 
I made a doll..once..for a granddaughter, and let me tell you, attaching curly hair onto a doll was enough to make me pull out my own hair.  It's so much better when Sandi does it, lol.  This doll looks so soft and ready to help your little angel have sweet dreams.  And then hang this colorful Hand Quilted Baby Quilt on the nursery wall.  What a perfect touch! 

The last item I would like to share is the very first item that caught my eye from this shop...a gorgeous Handmade Log Cabin Lap Quilt.  The air can be a little nippy at those 3am feedings, heehee.
You can also get to know Sandi by becoming a follower of her blog, and like her on facebook to get all the latest up to the minute news on iKnitQuiltSew.

Be Blessed!
Debbi