Hand Painted Goodness

I swear this time the whole vintage thing was a fluke. I wasn't looking for it but these purses, in Junkyard Glitter's Etsy shop, jumped out at me and I'm not even a purse kinda girl!

But aren't they fabulous?

Who could resist a purse that has a cupcake painted on it?


The poppy on this purse is so vivid against the black background!


I love the name of this purse, Peace is Great. And the dove on the olive branch is precious.


Cherry blossoms are one of my favorite images.


Contact Junkyard Glitter at:
Etsy: http://www.etsy.com/shop/junkyardglitter

Also, check out her husband's Etsy shop at:
Etsy: http://stokedone.etsy.com

Featured Artist: Knuckle Toes

Hi there, I'm Katie, thanks for stopping by.

I'm a smalltime, jewelry, clothing and purse maker who wants to share her style with the world!

I'm from Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada, and every year I try to make it out to the surrounding Folk Festivals to sell my product. I've gone the last two years and really hope to make it out again in 2008!

I try to make my clothing and purses out of recycled materials. Anything from tablecloths, to pillowcases, to reused LP record covers. This not only gives my items a vintage feel, but it helps the environment, and what more do you need?

If you see anything you like, don't hesitate to contact me and ask me any questions you like about it. If you're in the area, I may be able to cut down on your shipping, so let me know!

Etsy Shop: http://knuckletoes.etsy.com
Etsy Shop: http:/revinylized.etsy.com
Blog: http://knuckletoes.blogspot.com
Blog: http://revinylized.blogger.com
Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/knuckletoes
IndiePublic: http://www.indiepublic.com/profile/knuckletoes

Featured Artist: Lazy Cat

Lazy Cat Gifts was created by three friends in Ann Arbor, MI. Two of them were in medical school at the University of Michigan and the third worked in a laboratory there. All of us had grandmothers who crocheted, however Kelly had the most experience.

After honing our skills for several years making many gifts for many family members and friends, we decided to try to sell some of our creations! We had a good start at a local craft show and found Etsy.com while searching for a gentle way to beginning selling online. (Plus, Etsy comes with the bonus of a great community of artists!) Etsy is also great for us, because Kelly has moved to Philadelphia, while Allison and Stasia still live in Ann Arbor. However, we keep in touch every day! And, we are all so excited Kelly is moving back to Ann Arbor in June!

We enjoy using the skills from our grandmothers to create wonderfully hip and modern pieces. We crochet in both yarn and wire, creating artisan bead crochet jewelry, scarves, hats, etc. We are constantly looking for ways to expand crochet, and we love making custom items!

We are updating our store all the time, so please check back often to see what new goodies have appeared!

Additionally, our Boutique line of jewelry is currently available at Suwanee Springs at 306 S. Main St. in Ann Arbor, MI. Please stop in to see these exclusive pieces!

In the past, we have featured Kelly's mom's items in "Ruth Ellen's Creations" as she is unable to make her own website. Hopefully her beautiful quilts and tasty dog treats will return soon.

Read more about our store and the cats who inspire it on our blog: http://lazycatgifts.blogspot.com

Etsy Shop: http://lazycat.etsy.com
Blog: http://lazycatgifts.blogspot.com

Featured Artist: Indigo Luna

My name is Rachel Kitterman and I am an art addict. My primary passion is fabric and I have been making art quilts and dolls for over a decade now. I also love paper, altered art, mixed-media, knitting, crocheting, jewelry, artist books, photography... pretty much, if it will hold still, I'll make art out of it. Here you will find an ecclectic sampling of all the creative things I love to make.

I have always been an artist. I have always drawn, cut, pasted, painted, collected, sewn, written and dreamed. I have been driven by the question, “What if?” (and fighting against its archenemy, “That won’t work!”)

I also wear many other hats. Among other things, I am a sign language interpreter, an energy worker, a minister, a blogger, a wife to a wonderful and creative man, and a mother to two wild and amazing little girls. All of these roles shape and change and inform my art.

I am a 5th generation Oregonian. This lush and verdant environment is in my blood. I grew up in a valley surrounded by tree-covered hills and blessed with a great deal of rain. I memorized the names of flowers as a child. I picked basketsful of mushrooms in the damp woods and studied moss and built forts inside of blackberry thickets. After traveling the United States, I can’t imagine living anywhere else.

My work has appeared on the cover of the 2005 Quilting Arts Calender, in Artella Magazine, Art/Quilt Magazine, Fiberarts Design Book 6, as well as many juried shows.

I also write and I'd love it if you'd come by to check out my blog at http://indigoluna.typepad.com

Proud member of EarthPath Artisans Street Team E.A.S.T. Search for "east" to see other amazing goodies made by this talented team.

Etsy Shop: http://Indigoluna.etsy.com
Blog: http://indigoluna.typepad.com/indigo_luna/

Featured Artist: Contas Brasil

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

I am the third daughter from a family with 7 children!! My father is an Opthamologist and my mother has a Ballet school.

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

Knitting! When I was about 9, I saw my mother was knitting something and I became curious, so she taught me how to do it.

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

The beads and what is inside my mind!!

4. Why should people buy handmade?

Not everything handmade should be bought ONLY because its handmade. When it is a good piece, you recognize that personal touch from the artist and lots of love and energy that she put on it.

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

If it depend on my effort, I hope I'll be creating a lot and selling to shops all over the world!!

Etsy Shop: http://contasbrasil.etsy.com
Etsy Shop: http://contascoeln.etsy.com
Blog: http://contaskoeln.blogspot.com/

Featured Artist: Eva Felicity Designs

Hello there, My name is Eva and I am so very happy to be here on Etsy showcasing all of my happy little creations. I make them all in the cute little studio that my amazing boyfriend built for me, so I must give him some credit here. I am quite new to Etsy but know that I will take any order as top priority. All items are Handcrafted by Myself.

MATERIALS USED
Jewelry
All items are glass, stone, crystal, pearl or metal beads unless otherwise stated. The metals I use are: .925 Sterling Silver, Silver plated, silver-tone basemetal, gold-toned basemetal and surgical steel.

Sewn Crafts
All items are hand/machine sewn using quality fabrics and materials.

Bath Products
All products are made by hand in small batches. Only the finest natural ingredients and essential oils are used. Flavored items such as lipbalms will occasionally contain popular scents and flavors not achievable by all-natural methods, and so I will use natural-derived, food grade, man-made ingredients. I will ALWAYS state in an items description whether these are used.

Photography and Art
All photography is taken with either my wonderful digital or SLR camera in and around my hometown of Hanson, surrounding cities of south shore Massachusetts and while vacationing. Special shipping for photographs! Due to the lengthy process of printing high quality Glossy photos, at this time it may take me up to 1 week to ship a photo or poster.

Etsy Shop: http://EvaFelicityDesigns.etsy.com
Blog: http://evafelicity.blogspot.com/