Visiting Old Friends

It's been too long since I've gone handmade shopping, and too long since I've spent time with old friends.  So today I will do both...let's see what new creations my old friends have to offer.

Isobell Morrell loves giving old teddy bears new life, and creating adorable new animal toys for kids of all ages.  Her shop on Etsy is Coldham Cuddlies.  You'll love it there.

Percy Penguin is the newest member of the Coldham Cuddlies family.  He stands about 7.5" and would make baby (or big baby) a great forever friend.

Isobel makes each animal by hand, and made to order.  So you are getting quality and unique toys.  And like I said, she also can take your old best buddy and infuse them with new life.  Check out her shop, and follow her adventures living in the country side in jolly old England by reading her blog,

Coldham Cuddlies Calling.

I don't know about you, but I love lists.  Notes.  To-do lists.  And while I've tried all those fancy apps, nothing beats a clean page and a new pen.
And that's why I love Blue Highways over at Handmade Artist.  Take this Heart of Nature handbound journal. You will never find something this amazing and personal at Amazon.
Andrea drew the old Victrola and painted the flowers on this fabric cover.  She cut the 200 lined pages and sewed (yes, sewed) them into the journal and then added a small frosted red bead for an accent on the spine.  I have watched videos of how books are made (minus the machines), and the amount of work is unreal.  The best part?  These journals are not that expensive.  And they would be the best gift you could give your favorite word nerd.  She also has art journals with unlined pages.







Lastly, I met Teena at a local craft show last fall, and then she joined me over at The CraftStar.  And she is the perfect choice for what I wanted to share next...wire wrapped jewelry.
Check out this amazing Amber Wire Wrapped pendant.  The color and wrap of this copper wire accents this genuine amber stone perfectly.   There has been a push lately of some $5.00 jewelry company, I've seen their direct marketing booths at local craft shows, and let me tell you, that jewelry can not compare to handcrafted jewelry.  This pendant will be something you'll pass on down through the years to your children, and their children.  Teena's business is Serendipitini and not only does she offer jewelry, but pet items, and beautiful glass artwork.

So ends my shopping trip for today.  Remember, the holiday season is not far away, so support your local small business and shop handmade.

Be blessed,
Debbi

What's New With My Facebook Friends

I do enjoy the social media aspect of on-line retail, I have made some good friends, and found some awesome items.  Here's some posts from my facebook friends....

Wick and bandit is an amazing place where you can find these cute little guys.....you can see them all on her facebook page.

Greg Olsen is one of my new very favorite artists....his talent just leaves me speechless, and that's not an easy thing.  If you enjoy surrounding yourself with inspirations to your faith, check out his website, and his facebook page.

Wow!  Just Wow!  I love this Book Art by Messie Jessie.  This was shared by Fashion Wire.

So, how are you with your social media?  Are you everywhere, or do you concentrate on just a few place?

Be blessed,

Debbi

And the feet goes on....

I love family.

I love tradition.

I miss my kids being little. 

 I love having grand-babies.

And with all that being said, I would like to share with you the lion baby slippers I made for my newest grandson Quintin.

As you can see by the picture above, I had originally made slippers for my kids when they were little.  My son got his slippers for Christmas when he was about 11 and wore them until he was a teenager.  I had packed them up when he moved out as an adult.  When Quintin was born, I pulled them out of my cedar chest with the intention of making a new pair for him.  After a quick google search, I actually found the vintage pattern book, which I just had to order.  As you can see, the new slippers were a big hit. :0)

And daddy's slippers still fit too.  LOL

I decided to list these slippers in my shop for your children and grandchildren too.

Lion Head Slippers

I have them listed in my The Craft Star shop and offer them in the size you need, and will be adding other animals soon.  If you would like a pair for your special little one, just give me the measurement of the child's foot at the time of your order, and within 2 weeks, they'll be on their way.

What is your favorite animal?

Be blessed,

Debbi

My newest " baby", Miss. Pink Funny Bunny

Well, I finally got a new item listed in my Craft Star shop.  This summer has just flown by, and I have spent a lot of it making gifts for Quintin, my newest grandson.  :-)

But after I finished his blanket and shipped it off, I was determined to create something to list in my shop.

And here she is...

Miss Pink Funny Bunny!

This is actually the third bunny I made.  Hannah took my first one, and she sold the second one at school.  So I figured it was time to make one for the shop.

At only 8" tall, she's a great size for little fingers.  I have hand sewn all the buttons on with strong embroidery thread, but I still don't recommend this toy for babies.  

(Oh, and I found the pattern at my favorite go-to site, Lion Brand Yarn. )

Well, it's time for me to get back to class, and everyone.....have a wonderful Labor Day Weekend!

Be blessed,

Debbi

what I listed this week

I have so many projects in various states of completeness...but this week I was determined to complete and list SOMETHING!  Well, I actually got 2 items listed in my shops. Yea me!

This is Mr. Funky Bunny.  Amanda made one several years ago, and it sold quickly, so I decided to make another one.  Well, the first one I made, I ended up giving to Hannah.  She then took it to school, and a friend of hers ordered one, so there went my second bunny.  The third one I got to keep and list in my Handmade Artist shop.  You can get it for yourself here...  the buttons are all sewn on with heavy duty embroidery floss, but I don't recommend this toy for children under 3.

Now this is a vintage silver pendant I found at a local consignment shop.  I loved the look, but the silver was ugh, and the stone was dull.  But after a little cleaning, the yellow in the (I think) abalone shell just popped!  I paired it with a simple cord and ribbon strap, and you can find it here in my vintage shop on The Craft Star.

So, what have you created this week?

Be blessed,

Debbi

a wonderful wolf

A little bit ago, I shared with you this crochet wolf that I found on Etsy.  Isn't he cute?



On Saturday, he became MINE!  Robin sent me this little fellow, and I can't tell you how cute he is in "real life".  Extremely well made, and large!  My newest grandbaby is going to love him.  That is, if I can bear to let him go, lol.  Now y'all need to visit Robins shop REcreations to see all her wonderful creations.  And they are all her creations, all her items are her own original designs.  Here's a few more to look at, just to get you started.

 

Ginger the cow                            super soft Bunny Rabbit             colorful pinata

 This was hard, I could be here all day, her items are that cute!!!

 

Now for all you readers out there, I got a new blog follower from Saturdays blog hop, and so I went to check out her blog.  Well, let me tell you, there is only a few blogs that I actually subscribe to so I don't miss anything....and Black Ink Paperie has just become my newest favorite read.  With my blog being mostly a craft blog, and most blogs I follow are craft blogs, it is so refreshing to read something that has nothing to do with crafts, or on-line selling, or search engine optimization.  That's what this blog is, just a great read.  I'm not sure if what Bev is writing is her actual real life, or her imaginary life, or a mixture of both, but I am hooked!  I was trying to come up with a word to describe Bev and her writing, and all that came to mind is "quirky"....check it out....I bet you'll love it too.   So, that's it for my sharing today.
Be blessed,
Debbi

Amazing mini's

This morning I was reading the new posts on my favorite blogs, and I have to show you what I found on Trina's Trinketts.   First let me tell you about Trina. 

She's a very talented artist and her medium is polymer clay.  She created this very cute baby giraffe cake topper.  It only stands 2 1/4" tall.  I love the detail she puts into her cake toppers.  You can go to her shop, Trina's Clay Creations to see all the adorable items she has to offer.  Anyway, while I was checking out her blog, she was sharing another group of artists that create items in mini size.  And I do mean mini!
 

Just look at this micro green chameleon!  It is crochet!  With embroidery thread!  and it's has arm joints so the legs are movable!  Now I consider myself a fairly accomplished knitter and crochet....but my fingers would never be able to crochet this small.  The name of this Etsy shop is Su Ami. 

A family of 5 crafters from Vietnam and the youngest member is only 10 years old.  I love my daughter but I cannot imagine my 11 year old having the patience to create something like this.  Heck, I don't have the patience.  When I browsed their shop, I was floored by the wide range of items they offer...of all sizes.  Here's just a few of my favorites.



You can also check out their blog to see more of their collections.  So, go on...go and visit these amazing artists.

Be blessed,

Debbi

I love this shop!

Oh My Goodness, I have to share with you the cutest shop, Cranberry Creek 71.

Actually D.J.Walk, the artist, found me and sent me a circle request.  That's an Etsy thing.  So when I visited her shop, I just fell in love.  So, enough talk from me.  Look for yourself.

 Just in time for Memorial Day, or 4th of July, this patriotic rabbit stands 24" high and would look great as part of your picnic decorations.  This shop specializes in primitive folk art like this Raggedy Ann doll.   She's only 14" tall, perfect for little girls.

This Snowman Lady doll has such beautiful eyes and stands a full 22" high.  With her red, white, and blue outfit, you could change the snowflake in her hand to a flag, and keep her out all summer.  Here's a retro Raggedy Ann doll for the in style crowd, because retro is in now.

And this primitive Rabbit Farmer just makes me smile.  Just what every country home needs.

So click on any link above and visit the amazing world of primitive art of D.J.Walk.

Be blessed,

Debbi

the Best from the UK

I have a "best" friend over in England, and her name is Isobel.  She is just about the sweetest woman I have ever met, and she runs the cutest Etsy shop ever.  Isobel creates....I don't want to just call them stuffed animals, because they are much more than that...think Veveteen Rabbit.  Her creations are treasures for children to keep forever.



Take a close look at these Light Brown Plush Furry Baby Rabbits...I swear I can see their noses twitch.  Look at the cute backsides, heehee.  These are custom made, so you have a choice of a white belly, or a solid rabbit.  They look so soft....

Isobel lives with her husband in a hospital which has been renovated into apartments.  I love old buildings, and it's wonderful to reuse them instead of tearing them down.   Next I found Henry, the plush Daddy Hedgehog.  Man, I love that smile!  This is sure to chase away the bad dreams for any child (or adult).  He stands 8" tall, and is the head of a whole hedgehog family consisting of daddy, mommy, and baby.  So when you decide to purchase him, be sure to take the whole family, heehee.

Look who else has come to visit from Coldhamcuddlies....Barry the Beaver.  What a handsome fella, I crocheted a beaver for my great-grandson, but Barry is soooo much cuter. 

In getting to know Isobel, I discovered that she was born in Pakistan, back when it was part of British India.  Oh I bet she has wonderful stories to tell of her childhood.  Hopefully someday she will share them with us on her blog.  On her blog you will find artist features, and stories about her creations.  I love reading how she gives life to these wonderful cuddlies.  And lest I forget, Isobel is also a doctor....a favorite stuffed animal doctor.  She will lovingly restore your child's favorite friend, or even your own from your childhood.  So click on any of these links and go meet Isobel.  She loves making new friends, and tell her I sent you.

Etsy / Blog / Facebook

Debbi