Scott's Marketplace

For many reasons I have chosen to close my shop at The CraftStar.  Which left me looking for a place to list my items, and in my search I've discovered

Scott's Marketplace.

It's a unique site, not because it's for handmade items only because it's not, but because it promotes local small businesses.  You can browse shop by location, so you can support your local economy.  

There is a vibrant handmade community at Scott's, so let's see what I can find....

I just love the bright colors of this statement necklace from Alice's Chic Boutique.  She even named it..."Lilly".

I love handcrafted soaps.  The prettier, the better.

And I love color...so this Pear Berry Soap by 

Belladonna's Soaps fills both those requirements.  And I bet it smells really good. too.

It's hard to tell what's cuter, this spring Easter hat, or the model wearing it?  I found this in the shop Blackberry Crochet.  There are tons of items in this shop, and well worth a look.

And lastly, here's my new shop there.

And to get into the holiday mood, here's a happy reindeer card to share with someone special.

Be sure to stop and check out all the great items at Scott's Marketplace.

Be blessed,

Debbi

The CraftStar Catalog

The CraftStar has started something new a few months ago - 

The CraftStar Catalog.

And this week, I am a part of it with my 

Silver Ruffle Scarf.

This is a lightweight scarf that measures a full 58" long, so you can wear in long, or double it for a fuller look.  It's created with a soft metallic yarn that shimmers when you move, so it would look amazing paired with a black dress for your festive holiday office party.  Plus, I am almost finished with a matching clutch (just need to sew in the lining) to complete your look.

Here are two of my favorite items from this weeks catalog...

I love the Southwest look, especially any turquoise.  So when I saw these beads, I was ready to snatch them up.  But guess what?

THIS IS SOAP!

I love it!  Little rock shaped pieces of soap created to look like real turquoise, right down to the gold veins.

You'll find this at Rock Hound Soap.

Speaking of beads, all creatives need supplies.  And I have to admit that beads are a weakness of mine. (Along with paint and yarn, lol)

So I have to share these incredible glow-nouveau mirage beads.  (Think mood beads of the 70's).

These change color as they get warm - or cold.  So much fun!  Find them at Poppie's Beads N More.

There is more to be seen in The CraftStar Catalog...and even more on The CraftStar site.

So go get your shopping on!!!

Be blessed,

Debbi

Handmade Artist Feature - Norma's Bath and Body

Look what I found at The Craft Star, just in time for Mother's Day!

Norma's Bath and Body!

I love what her banner says..."It's the body bakery!"...and some of her items look good enough to eat...

like these Banana Nut Bread cupcakes.  But you don't eat these, they are soaps.  Yummy.

Ohhh, this orange sherbet body scrub looks absolutely delicious!

Would you like fries with that??? LOL

These french fry goats milk soaps are a trip, and a great gift for that fast food lover in your life.  And the packaging is perfect!

You can also find Norma here...

TCS / Etsy / Artfire / Facebook / Twitter / Pinterest

Be blessed,

Debbi

*while performing a google search on this shop, I did come across one complaint from one person in 2011.  As a shop owner, I know that it is impossible to please everyone, and all the other reviews on her shop are positive.  Norma has been in business since 2004, So I have no qualms about featuring this shop.*

The Craft Star Artist feature - Mel's Fun Suds

This week I am thrilled to feature a really amazing shop from the huge collection of shops at The Craft Star, Mel's Fun Suds.  This is one of the cutest shops I have ever come across...

This shop is run by a disabled Air Force vetran and his very proud wife.  They were looking for something creative to do together, and decided to make soap.  When their son enjoyed the fun shaped soaps at bath time, they decided to share them with the rest of us.  Yea us!

Let's see what they have to offer.

When I first saw this bunny, I totally thought is was a real chocolate bunny, but it's not, it's soap.  You get a choice of a wide range of colors when you purchase this Easter bunny gift set.  You get 2 bunnies to a set, one to give away, and one to keep for yourself. :0)

Now, I'm just a simple country girl, so I had to share this Cowboy Up Clean Soaps.  You get a set of 4 bendy toy cowboys with their feet encased in a bar of soap, and you get to chose the soap scent.

Who else remembers Kazoos?  I loved them as a kid, and this set of 8 Kazoo soaps is a winner with me.  The bright colors will get any child's attention at bath time. 

 These remind me of a funny story...when my son Josh was still small (about 4) he had learned a "new" word.  And despite all my discussions and bribes, he used this word...a lot.  One day I got a bar of soap and told him that his dirty mouth needed to be cleaned up.  Guess what he did....he took a bite out of that bar of soap and swallowed it!  I was a young mother, and FREAKED OUT!  I even called poison control.  The man on the other end of the line was chuckling and asked me the brand of soap.  When I told him it was Ivory, he said that since it was 99.9% pure to not worry, and to definitely not take my son too far away from the bathroom.  I think he was trying very hard not to laugh out loud.  

Now it's your turn, click on any link above and check out all 165 items in her shop.  And please share any fun stories you have of raising kids, or being a kid.

Be blessed,

Debbi

my almost Friday finds....handmade all the way

Everyone does a Friday Finds post, and since I like to be difficult, I will do mine on Thursdays. hahaha.

So what's new in the world of handmade?

Over at the Handmade Artists site I found these 3 beauties.

I love Winnie the Pooh, so this natural stone tile is a must for me. You can find this in the shop of Sierra Dawn Designs.

This 2 tone Men's wedding ring just took my breath away.  You'll find this, and so many other wonderful engagement rings and wedding bands in the shop of Vidar Jewelry.

Chainmaille just fascinates me, and this roundmaille bracelet is something that I would wear, everyday.  Visit ChaynMayle's shop for this and more.

Ok, let's hop on over to Etsy...

You know, I hate to say it, but it's getting more difficult to find real handmade at Etsy, and not imports.  But I did find these...

UNICORN FARTS lip balm!  I love it.  yeah, I know, demented.  yeppers. lol.  You'll find a bunch of balms and soaps and stuff in this shop, The Long Winter Soap Co.

This crochet snowman hat pattern is just what I need for Quintin's first Christmas this year.  You'll find all sorts of way too cute patterns in this shop, Beezy Mom's Creations.  I had to favorite this shop so I can find her again.

I love original artwork, and to wrap up my early Friday finds, I found this very pretty and colorful abstract painting of looking up thru the trees.  This is from Tim Lam's shop Elseart.  Tim has a wonderful style, full of color and joy.

Well, that's it for today.  Be sure to click on a link and support the handmade community.  Nothing says love better than handmade.  And then come back tomorrow when I share what's new in my shop!

Be blessed,

Debbi

New items at The Craft Star

I've recently started selling my vintage and up-cycled vintage handmade products at The Craft Star.  So I'm going to start a weekly post of new items there.  And after I get more settled there, I'll do an occasional artist feature like I do for Handmade Artists.  So let's see what's on the front page at The Craft Star...

I love the color of these filigreed aqua earrings in the shop of Edna Catherine.  In this shop you'll find 2 of my favorite things...jewelry, and vintage.

Now these chicken oven mitts are definitely for me!  Chickens and farm house decor really is my style.  These are from the shop of jessiemae and is part of a collection titled black, white, and red all over.

A collection is just like a highlight from HA or a treasury from Etsy, and is curated by members of the site.

This candy corn soap was also on the front page under the recently listed handmade items.  Looks good enough to eat, doesn't it?  You can purchase this soap at the shop of Bubbles Up! by Bethie B.  

I LOVE THAT NAME! hahaha

And under the recently listed vintage items you'll find this Tasco pocket arithmomter.  Talk about your early day calculators...it comes with a leather cover and directions.  This is in the shop of....ME, lol

YankeeBurrowVintage.

They have lots of other great items, and features at The Craft Star, and I'm looking forward to making a place for me there.  

So come on over and visit for a bit. :0)

Be blessed,

Debbi

Highlight Challenge Winner

Every week on HandmadeArtists.com there is a highlight challenge, and there are really nice prizes awarded to the highlight with the most comments.  I hosted last weeks challenge and the theme was "Calgon...take me away".  Anne from On Fire For Handmade won this set of 4 crochet dishcloths from my shop.  I have 2 other sets listed if you like these...sage green/country red and candy (which is orange, yellow, and pink).  And now here is the winning highlight.  Just click here to visit the highlight at the site, and from there you can click on any item to get to that shop.
 



And now for some information on Anne and On Fire For Handmade.   There is so much to cover with Anne, she is tireless when it comes to promoting handmade.  She promotes the shops at HandmadeArtists AND she runs the OnFireForHandmade treasury team on Etsy.  AND she promotes on her own site...OnFireForHandmade.    AND there you will find a wonderful Gift Guide of amazing shops, AND What's Hot in Handmade.  AND she has her own shops also, Oaklies Fashions on Etsy (crochet scarves and accessories), AND My Helping Hands on Etsy (graphic designs).  She is one busy woman!!!  So click on any link and see for yourself all these wonderful sites and items.  And join us at HandmadeArtists.com.  Maybe you'll win the next highlight challenge.

Be blessed,

Debbi

the Best Hearts have it!

We all know that as retailers (I don't like that word, we are NOT walfart) we artisans that sell our creations need to think ahead when creating items for our customers, so with that in mind, I would like to share with you some lovely heart items from 3 of my Etsy BESTeam buddies that you can order now and be ready for Valentines Day.  Or you can "share" this post with your one and only so they can surprise you next month, haha.  And the first one up to share her heart is...

Sandy from Sandy's Handmade Soaps and Things.  As you can tell by her shop name, Sandy sells soaps, but she also sells other things, like knitting markers and jewelry.  These frosted heart earrings are very cute, and perfect for those parents (like me) that likes to give our children gifts on Valentines day.  Yeah, I know, it's suppose to be about adult couples, but come on, I love my little girl too.  You can check out her other items, and find Sandy at these sites.

Etsy / Blog



I absolutely love these Silver Heart earrings created by Irith from Riorita.  She is a silversmith and a goldsmith, and handhammered these earrings.  What an amazing talent!  Plus she lives in Israel, which is one of the few places I would love to visit....and she gets to watch peacocks and geese outside her windows while creating her beautiful items.  Doesn't that sound wonderful?  Check her out here..

Etsy / Blog / Website / Facebook / Twitter / Tumbler

And last, but not least, there's Claire.  Her shop is Blue and White Wear.  Claire is an American that lives overseas.  First in Thailand, where she discovered a love of oriental items and styles, and now she calls South America her home.  I chose these adorable Simply Hearts Wine Charms mostly because I love the colors.  Crisp and clean, the perfect way to track your glass of wine, or in my case, Pepsi.  Yes, I drink soda out of my "good" glasses because I don't see why we wait for special holidays to use those special items.  Every day is special to me.  Look for Claire here.

Etsy / Blog / Twitter

So now we're ready for Valentines Day.  And if you really want that "perfect" relationship....make everyday Valentines Day with the people you love.

Debbi





The BESTeam is a group of artist/bloggers that have become friends while sharing, supporting, and promoting each others endeavors in our shops an on our blogs.  So....

If you are an Etsy artisian that likes to blog, check out the BESTeam on Etsy.

If you are a blogger that happens to sell on Etsy, check out the Besteam blog.

The Best of Baby Blue

Well, it's late on Friday and I'm just now starting my weekly Besteam feature.  I'm a baaaaad girl, but I'm also a very busy girl lately.  Which makes me blue...so let me share with you the beautiful baby blue items from Gmaellen, Mossy Creek Soaps, Empty on the Inside, and CK Silver.

I love these Powder Blue Nesting Baskets from GmaEllenCrochetGifts.  Ellen fills her shop with the greatest crochet items.  From baskets to dishcloths, with some earrings and bookmarks thrown in for good measure.  And if you're going green, check out her shopping bags and totes.

Etsy / Blog / Twitter / Facebook

At Michelle's shop, Mossy Creek Soaps, I fell in love with this baby blue Eco Friendly Soy Candle.  While reading the description for this candle, I discovered that it is truly a fully Made In America, right down to the soy.  Buying local is not only good for the country it is soy good for you too, (sorry for the pun, I couldn't help it. lol)

Etsy / Web Site / Blog / Facebook / Twitter

Now let's go visit my friend Anne at Empty On The Inside.  She hand paints the most wonderful cards, and yes they are empty on the inside so you can use them for most any occasion.  I really like this Abstract Tide, but she has 59 other cards to choose from, and if you need something special, she will do a special card just for you.  She did for me. :~D

Etsy / Blog / Facebook / Twitter

And the last shop for this week is CK Silver.  Cindy loves creating beautiful pieces of jewelry and this Sweetheart Wire Wrapped Pendant is one of my favorites.  Cindy loves working with silver and gemstones and crystals, to bring you the most extraordinary additions to your wardrobe.

Etsy / Blog 

Well, that's it for this week.  Next week I plan to start a lot earlier, lol. And this gives me the theme for tomorrow's linky party, Baby Blue!

Debbi

Saturday Shopping Link Up - chocolate

Today we went out to dinner to one of our favorite restaurants, Golden Corral.  They have a fairly large selection of food, so everyone in our family can find something to eat.  Of course, our favorite food bar is the dessert bar.  And they have a new item there, a chocolate fountain!  I was in heaven.....I love those things.  I could just stick my face in one, or give me a straw....a really big straw, hahaha.  So that is this weeks theme, chocolate.   Chocolate color, chocolate food, things you can wear while eating chocolate, you get my drift.  Here are my 3 Etsy chocolate picks...

First is a Chocolate Covered Strawberry Drizzle Dessert Bar from Love My Suds.  Now, while these look so delicious, you can't eat them.  This is a bar of.....soap!  You should see the soaps for sale in this shop....if you're on a diet, these are the treats to get, no calories.

I remember pigging out on these Hostess cupcakes while growing up.  No box was safely hidden in my house, I was always able to sniff them out, and snarf them up!  (I liked the orange ones too).  These earrings are made of polymer clay, and they can be found in the Etsy shop Artwonders.  You can find tons of miniature food clay items there.

And last, I found my favorite dipped in my favorite.  Oreo cookies dipped in white chocolate.  These we eat, my friend.  They are listed for weddings, but I'm sure they taste as good as they look anytime.  But be warned, when you visit the shop of Sweettoothesweetie you could be there all day trying to decide which treat you absolutely need to eat!


Ok, there are my picks for chocolate.  Now it's your turn.  Link up something from your shop or blog that involves chocolate.  Remember, you don't have to stick with just Etys items, if you sell on Artfire, or Zibbet, or any other venue, please join my party.  And you don't have to stick to chocolate, share your favorite item.  Just remember to link and share, because the more people, the better the party. :~D
Debbi

here kitty kitty

Here's some Besteam kitty kitties! This week I pulled 3 totally different shops for my BESTeam weekly feature, and was "almost" stumped as to how to tie them all together for my feature. That's when I noticed that all 3 shops had a cat item for sale, so here we are, "here kitty kitty kitty". lol

First up from the shop of UpcycleRecycleReuse I found this way too cute orange tabby kitten.  I had a kitten just like this as a kid, we called him Kris Kringle (yes I brought him home at Christmastime).  This Orange Tabby Cat envelope was created from recycled paper, which is the foundation of this Etsy shop.  You can also find UpcycleRecycleReuse on facebook, and follow the Recycle blog.

Next I found this Vintage Siamese Cat Perfume bottle and vase in the wonderful Hawaiian shop, Redemption Art.  Let me tell you....Connie finds the neatest stuff, and graciously shares them with us.  You can like Connie on facebook, or follow her tweets on twitter.  But I'm telling you, her blog is a must read.  She has a great way with words, and shares life on the island so well, you'll feel like you're really there, so bring your lei and grass skirt and enjoy.

And finally Michelle from Mossy Creek Soaps handpainted this Black Cat on a pumpkin for those who celebrate Halloween.  Michelle makes all her soaps from natural ingredients right in her own studio in Georgia, USA.  She also teaches soap making there and in case you were wondering, she is a certified soap maker with the Handcrafted Soap Makers Guild.  And you can find her all over the web...at her own site, read her blog, on facebook, on twitter, and the first place I met her, on Creating the Hive, another cool social site for artists.

Well, that's all the Best for this week.  You can click on any of the links above to get you where you want to go.  And remember, if your an an Etsy artist that likes to blog, and is looking for support, friendship, and promotion, the BESTeam is the team for you.

Debbi

Besteam feature on Mossy Creek Soap

Today I'm featuring the shop, Mossy Creek Soap, run by Besteam member Michelle Rhoades.  I first met Michelle on Creating the Hive,  a fun social site for us crafty types.  When Michelle opened her Etsy shop a few months ago, she posted a question on the Hive about promoting her Etsy shop, and I told her about this team, the Best Etsy team ever! :P  I am so glad she checked us out and now I want y'all to check her out.  As I'm sure you've been able to figure out, Michelle makes and sells soap.  She has had her own Mossy Creek Soap site before joining Etsy, so she is an accomplished soap maker with tons of knowledge and experience.  Let me show you what I found in her Etsy shop.

Ok, so of course the first item I fell for is....ORANGE, lol.  Now, it's not orange flavored, but it is full of grapefruit, coconut, and lime.  The perfect soap to take on your next beach vacation.  Or to use at home when you just need a mini-get-a-way.  Calgon has nothing on Mossy Creek. :)  This soap is appropriately named Grapefruit Delight.

Michelle also makes body cream.  Oh, I got the munchies while reading the description of this Cocoa Body Butter.  ummmmm, milk chocolate whipped body butter.  I'll eat just about anything covered in chocolate, but I never thought of rubbing it on myself.  LOL. 

At Mossy Creek Soaps you can also find great gift items, like this Serenity Creek Basket.  Here you'll find soap, a soap mitt, a soap dish, and lotion.  Much nicer than those cheapies you'll find at Walmart during the Christmas season.  Michelle is a certified handcrafted soapmaker and creates all her items in her studio located in Georgia.

Michelle has a great blog where you can get to know her better, and to learn more about the art of soap making.  I love reading the blogs of shops I purchase from, it's nice to get to know the people behind the crafts. If blog reading is not for you, try her facebook page where you can sign up for lessons given at her studio.  And don't forget to follow her on twitter to keep up with the latest in the soap world.  So click on any highlighted link above to see Mossy Creek Soap for yourself.

If you are an Etsy artisian that like to blog, check us out here.

If you are a blogger that sells on Etsy, check us out here.

Mountain Creek Gifts

We belong to several Etsy teams, one of them being the CAPSteam, Christian Artists Promoting Shops team.  That's where I met Brittany from Mountain Creek Gifts.  Brittany lives in the middle of Amish country in Ohio.  When I still lived in western NY, I remember visiting Amish shops near the PA border.  I have always been intrigued by the wonderfully peaceful lives of the Amish.  To have so much faith in God that you would separate yourselves from the world is inspiring.  His Word tells us that we are to be separate, and not of this world.  But as my husband likes to ask me, whatever would I do without my laptop? hahaha.  While preparing to blog about Mountain Creek Gifts, I asked Brittany to share her life and background with me.  After reading her message back to me, I've discovered a kindred spirit.  She married her childhood friend (and I mean childhood, they met when she was only 7).  She comes from a large family, 8 total with her as the second oldest.  I was the youngest of 10 (including steps brothers and sisters).  She grew up on a farm, and while I did not grow up on a farm, I spent many summers on my uncle's sheep farm, and even worked on a dairy farm for 2 summers as a teenager.  I am truly a country girl at heart, just like Brittany.  She has a brother in the military, and stationed in Afghanistan right now.  How proud she must be of him!  Brittany's favorite scripture is also one of my own favorites.  Jeremiah 29:11.  Look it up, you'll be glad you did! Brittany spends her time researching and making all natural soaps and candles, and discovering great vintage items, all of which you can find on her Etsy shop.  To visit her shop, you can click on any of the highlighted links.  I chose a few to share with you.  At the top we have her all natural soap balls.  Just imagine how relaxing your bath time would be when you toss one of these into the tub.  Next is her all natural peppermint cookie soap with shea butter.  Sounds good enough to eat. And last, but not least, this wonderful vintage silver-plate soap dish, complete with 3 bars of soap.  And better yet, you get to choose the soap!  So stop whatever you're doing right now, look up "her" scripture, the look up her shop!!  Tell her I said "Hi".

We love sandyvern

I wanted to take some time today to share with you a great BESTeam member, Sandy from Sandy's homemade soaps and things on Etsy. She specializes in soap, both melt and pour and cold press, and with some really wonderful designs.

This Blueberry crunch soap sounds like it would smell wonderful. And the dog soap is only one of several designs, from dogs to horses, and things in between.

And I love how it looks like someone (not me) took a bite out of this creamsicle soap. I also found jewelry, knitting markers, and this cute knitted sock monkey, in her Etsy shop.

And her blog is chock full of great information, on other Besteam members. You can find her by clicking on any of these links, and thru her blog, and twitter. I highly recommend her for your Christmas shopping!