Featured Artist: BackWoods Creations

I have been doing the arts and crafts thing since I was a wee child. Mom always said idle hands can make trouble. I love keeping the creativity flowing and still find time to get into trouble. My creative endeavors are somewhat eclectic.

Creating fabric animal sculptures and mixed media pieces is where its at for me. All items are made in a smoke free environment. I will take suggestions for new critters so just let me know what you have in mind. Items are not toys for kids. I do custom work as well! So if you have a special cat or dog or whatever drop me a convo.

All of my items are made in a smoke free environment but we do have pets (2 corgis - Rudy and Cleo and 2 cats- Stella and Minnie). If you are interested in learning more about me and my artistic leanings check out my blog at www. backwoodscreations.blogspot.com.

Also, check out my second shop, SecondLife (http://SecondLife.etsy.com), for tons of sheet music from Victorian Times on up to the late 60's.

Etsy Shop: http://backwoodscreations.etsy.com
Blog: http://backwoodscreations.blogspot.com

Featured Artist: DreamON

I always loved to cut, paste, paint and draw from my earliest memories. Creating art is what I do, it's built-in by my creator, He enables me, and I love it.

My college degree is in art. In addition I have received training from some fine national and regionally-known artists. Some of my most important lessons came from not so well-known, but wonderful artists who now paint in the sky, and local artists who teach the basics, as well as the artists I paint with.

I value the presence of a recognizable subject in my paintings. I love it when the center of interest appears in the midst of background objects that aren’t so well-defined. I want watercolor to look like watercolor, and I want my paintings to have a painterly look, not a photographic copy. Therefore I am an impressionist, because I don’t want to over-control the media.


Etsy Shop: http://DreamON.etsy.com
Blog: http://DreamsAboutArt.blogspot.com

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: Ulixis Crafts

My name is Amanda, I'm 21 years old and I grew up in the middle of nowhere - Northern Ontario. I'm currently a fifth year Honours Biology and Pharmacology co-op student at McMaster University and I'm working in the Janssen lab on my thesis. I do real-time videomicroscopy of smooth muscle cell migration.

I've been crafty my whole life, and enjoy making a variety of things. When I was younger, it was drawing, then wreathes, dolls and beading. Now, my focus has switched to notebooks and jewelry. I also enjoy cooking, reading, writing and problem solving.

Please check out my blog, where I'll be posting regularly on personal tid-bits, inspirations and featuring other Canadian / Etsy sellers!!

Etsy Shop: http://ulixis.etsy.com
Blog: http://ulixis.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: Entyqua (Becki's Designs)

I am Becki I am a SAHM to one gorgeous little girl!

About the creations
I make both costume and genuine stone/metal jewelry as well as finish Jewelry boxes, card making and other paper crafts and coming soon I will be doing clothing as well! I have a lot of creative outlets

For my Jewelry: I use a lot of natural stones and beads for my creations, my favorite being wood and gemstones. I also love to use pearls weather they are freshwater or faux pearls have a very elegant feel to them and always and a touch of class to every piece they are used in! All my jewelry designs are Hand made with care a love. Also you will always find each piece is very unique and will never be recreated. If you need a necklace or bracelet made to a certain size please specify during checkout, if I have the extra materials I can make the changes! I also LOVE to do custom work! I love to share ideas with others to come to a creation that might not be with out two great minds working together!

For the Finished Jewelry Boxes
I LOVE to paint I love to decorate I love to take something ordinary Like a plain unfinished wooden box and make it dazzle. These are one of my favorites of my hobbies. They come to me from a craft store plain dull and wood colored and ends up with color and flair and style I love the transformation!

For the paper crafts
I am a scrapper I will always be a scrapper I have so much scrap I don’t know what to do with it! SO I make cards and other paper related crafts! I wish I had enough time to do this more than I do!

For the clothing
COMING SOON!! Can’t wait!

For more information on my Hobbies (yes all of them and yes there are MORE ACK!!) Please visit my blog! http://beckisdesigns.blogspot.com/

Etsy Store: http://entyqua.etsy.com
Blog: http://beckisdesigns.blogspot.com/

Featured Artist: Sweet Irie

Established in 2005, the Sweet Irie name came about from the newest addition to my family; my kitten, Irie. Her name means, supreme joy; quite fitting! She is the light of my life and the inspiration for my jewelry, as she likes to help me work! Although I have to admit, she isn't much help! She loved to play with the jewelry and balls of hemp I once used; stringing it all over the house. Needless to say, she now has her own stash of 'toys' lying around. Just as well, I have since moved on from making hemp jewelry and create the beautiful handmade beaded designs you will see throughout this store. I do hope you enjoy!

I am a proud member Etsy FEST (Florida Etsy Street Team)and Etsy Bead Street Team! Please check out our blogs for awesome group information and events:

Special Orders
Don't see what you are looking for within my store? Or do you simply have a special request!?! I would love to create a special design just for you! Call on me for your unique jewelry project and watch it come to life! Sweet Irie Originals can make any custom accessory to fit your color, style, and budget! Just pick a color, two, or three, size, and a bead and style preference and let me do the work! Send me your thoughts and let me draw something up for your approval...see your vision come to life; and all before you buy! I guarantee you will love it!

To request more information convo me or contact me via email at info@sweetirie.com.

Etsy Shop: http://sweetirie.etsy.com
Blog: http://www.sweetirieoriginals.blogspot.com
Blog: http://etsyfest.blogspot.com/
Blog: http://www.etsybeadstreet.blogspot.com/
Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/shellmonster

Featured Artist: lchandler

My passion is creating unique pieces of jewelry. I eat, sleep, drink, shop and dream of making jewelry.

Linda Chandler began making jewelry even as a child and grew up designing and handcrafting one of a kind pieces. She is inspired from designs of nature to basic functional pieces and combines the two into literal works of art. Linda is a master craftsman in many facets of jewelry making. Whether it be silversmithing intricate filigree designs, weaving wire into almost impossible patterns or stone setting, her foremost enjoyment comes from the design to finish of her amazing pieces.

Linda has been a vendor on Etsy for well over a year and finds it a welcome change from The traditional Art Show scene that she spent many years taking part in. She feels that Etsy is a wonderful and lucrative avenue in which to share your designs, meet fellow artisans, and share tips and techniques.

Author of "Woven Wire Jewelry" & "Getting Started Making Jewelry".
Scheduled 2/08 "Wire Wrapping".

Etsy Shop: http://lchandler.etsy.com
Blog: http://lchandler.blogspot.com/
Website: http://jewelrybylinda.com
Flickr Account: http://www.flickr.com/photos/jewelrybylinda/

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/