Featured Artist: Art 2 the Extreme

I am an elementary art teacher from Indianapolis, Indiana. I graduated from college with a Visual Arts Education degree and a Ceramics concentration.

Travel is a HUGE part of my inspiration to create art. I have been to England, Scotland, Mexico, and lived in Italy for a short period of time to study art.

I love working with ceramics, printmaking, and fibers most of all! In my free time, I create art to share and sell, as well as scrapbook.

Art is all around us. It is everywhere and in everything.
My art is my world and I guarantee that my work is 100% original and of the highest quality. Buyer satisfaction is of extreme importance to me.

Please enjoy and feel free to provide feedback or receive further information about myself or my products by contacting me at art2theextreme@yahoo.com.

Etsy Shop: http://art2theextreme.etsy.com
Blog: http://art2theextreme.blogspot.com/
Squidoo: http://www.squidoo.com/art2theextreme
Flickr: http://flickr.com/photos/art2theextreme/

Featured Artist: wpooh87

1. Tell me a bit about yourself (name, location, affiliations, personal stuff).

My name is Irisa. I am 21 yrs old. I live in Ohio. I am a stay at home mother of one infant son. I am married as well. I also have a love for photography. I am currently beginning my own studio. I will also be traveling to personal homes to take pictures for people. Professional portraits and such.

2. What is the first thing you can remember making by hand? How and why did you make it?

I was about 9 yrs old. I made a granny square blanket for my Barbie doll. It was a mess to say the least but it worked for me while I was playing...lol

3. What inspires you? Where do your ideas come from?

My mom was my inspiration to begin crocheting. Most of my ideas sprout from within. I take ideas from around my house, things that can be used in this new day and age. I make up my own stitches sometimes. Sometimes they work out sometimes not, but I have fun in the process.

4. Why should people buy handmade?

Handmade is best made. Most of the time handmade is more durable. Handmade items can usually never be found again so you basically get a custom item. No one can say they have the exact same thing as you do.

5. Creatively where do you think you'll be in five years?

Well, creatively speaking I believe my stitches and my patterns will evolve and improve to the max. As time presses on I will change into the business woman and photographer that I want to be.

Etsy Shop: http://wpooh87.etsy.com
Etsy Shop: http://irisasphotography.etsy.com
Blog: http://irisasbusinessjournal.blogspot.com

Featured Artist: A Pretty Rock

"Oh Shiny!" should definitely be Yazmin Wickham's mantra and says a lot about her.

Yazmin of A Pretty Rock creates one of a kind or limited edition pieces of jewelry. Brought to life with carefully selected gemstones, mineral stones and freshwater pearls, the collection is meant to lend affordable, quality elegance to all.

Yazmin, a jewelry designer, has always been an artsy-crafty person, but it seems like she just moved into jewelry unintentionally. In 2004, she went to the Yellow Daisy Festival for the umpteenth time and found a pair of beautiful hair chopsticks with beaded ends. She wore them for about a month straight! They were a true obsession.

She spent a lot of time thinking about the chopsticks and how to make her own. This led her to local stores like Michael's and Joann's, but it also led her to several boutique bead shops... Many gemstones and wire later and here she is!

There is no reason why every woman shouldn't have A Pretty Rock in their life!

Etsy Shop: http://aprettyrock.etsy.com
Blog: http://www.aprettyrock.com/blog
Website: http://www.aprettyrock.com

Featured Artist: Bella Dio

Bella Dio {bel-uh dio} is Italian for "Beautiful God". My love for my Lord and Savior, is always in the forefront of what I do and I wanted that to be conveyed in my name.

I am a stay at home mom with 3 boys living in Indianapolis. Six years ago I began playing around with beading during a play date with friends. I started out just making jewelry for myself and then giving them as gifts. As more people took interest in my work I started taking it more seriously. A few years into crafting, buying beads and stringing them no longer thrilled me, so I decided to go to the next step and make my own beads. Thus began my work with polymer clay. Polymer Clay opened up different avenues for me as I was able to sell my designs in the antiques/tea room where I worked. I am never content for long and felt the need to branch out even more and added wirework to my designs. In between all of these ventures, a friend turned me on to Cafepress. I started to design t-shirts from drawings that I had done. Looking around, I wanted to express my faith to any generation so I made designs that had scriptures in them, but could be worn by anyone. Thank you so much for stopping by and looking through my shop.

I am a very proud member of the INcrowd Etsy Street Team.
The INcrowd is having a scavenger hunt! It is the yearly Wearin' o' the Green Basket o' Fun and will run from March 1 through March 15, 2008.

The prize will be a gift basket full of items generously donated by INcrowd members.

Please feel free to ask any questions. I do take custom orders. So, if you see a design that you like, but wished it came in a different color, just ask. Happy shopping.

Etsy Shop: http://BellaDio.etsy.com
Blog: http://belladio.blogspot.com
Cafepress: http://www.cafepress.com/belladio

Featured Artist: Mooretaste

Hi, I'm Toni Moore (also known as Toni Geary), I have always loved jewellery so making it really satisfies a passion that I've had for many years.

I am a work at home mum of 2 small children so my days are very full.

My aim is to create unique and beautiful jewellery items that you will love for many years.

I love learning new techniques and I constantly strive to create something that's just that little bit different. My items combine silver, copper, crystals, semi precious gemstones and my own handmade Dichroic pendants.

Anyway, enough from me. Suffice it to say that if you enjoy wearing my jewellery half as much as I enjoyed making it, you'll be one satisfied customer.

If you find that something isn't quite what you're after, please contact me as I love creating custom items.

Etsy Shop: http://Mooretaste.etsy.com
Blog: http://Mooretaste.blogspot.com
Website: http://mooretaste.com

Featured Artist: GilBea

I used to be a watercolors painter, but a few years ago I discovered silk painting, and now I'm hooked to it!!!

For a few years I have been seriously working on silk fabrics, making all kind of different stuff, from silk paintings that hang from the walls to silk scarves or brooches and t-shirts.

Right now I'm experimenting with new things for this next season: Spring/Summer 2008. Silk bags, shirts, headbands, and a big etcetera. Come back again in a few months to see my new creations!

For more information visit my website:
www.gilbea.com

Etsy Shop:http://gilbea.etsy.com
Blog: http://gilbea.blogspot.com
Flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos/gilbea

Featured Artist: little brown bird

My name is Mary Ryan. I am an Interior Design Consultant by day and a Jewelry Artist every other waking moment.

My art is not limited to any one medium. I love photography, writing, painting, singing, acting...I could go on and on. Still, my love for all things shiny keeps me happily engrossed in jewelry design. Every piece created is a product of a restless imagination.

I prefer to use semiprecious stones or interesting glass beads in my work and love to pair them with sterling and .999 Fine Silver, yet I will not overlook the aesthetic value of a beautiful bead or found object simply because it is a base metal. My style is ever changing and evolving. As a result, you will find a little bit of everything in my work. I don't believe in stifling my creative energy and will try my hand at just about anything.

I am an adventure seeker and traveler and always hungry to discover new things. I have been greatly influenced by my travels and the amazing people I have met along the way. Having zip-lined through the cloud forest canopies of Costa Rica, jumped off of a bridge into the Urubamba River in Peru, hiked the Andes to Machu Picchu, traveled Death Road in Bolivia, and driven the Kennedy Expressway in Chicago...I have learned that life is something to be embraced with all senses. I believe life and art hold the same truths...that it must not only be viewed, but heard, touched, smelled, and tasted with an open heart, an open mind, and always with an open-mouthed hearty guffaw.

I have a variety of collections to complement any style and price point for young girls to women. I will happily accept orders for custom sizing or a change in clasp or ear post/wire on any of my pieces.

My work has been featured on-line and at local boutiques. I welcome inquiries for wholesale opportunities at boutiques and galleries. Please contact me for details.

Etsy Shop: http://littlebrownbird.etsy.com
Etsy Shop: http://intheraw.etsy.com
Blog: http://thelittlebrownbird.blogspot.com