Surrounded by Beautiful Things

Enjoy a visit to the lovely Etsy shop http://www.thewinglessbird.etsy.com/ , a " boutique of vintage findings and handcrafted loveliness,high quality graphics and web design. ''

by TheWinglessBird
Hello Dears, My name is Heather, otherwise known as The Wingless Bird. I am a fashion designer & fine arts graduate. I love to be surrounded by beautiful things.

I spend much of my time alone, drinking tea & getting lost in a daydream for hours. Draping & pinning fabric to mannaquins, in a small, Edwardian loft, filled with pretty little findings, in the company of my kittens, who I very much adore.When I'm not designing & creating clothes, I'm a painter & I love to paint. I also enjoy gardening, preserving beauty, long walks & night drives. Movies and music play a huge part in things that inspire me.I am currently listening to Eisley, The Cure & Radiohead.

Inspiration
The Wingless Bird has a very vintage & romantic feel, sophisticated with elements, often at times, cute & querky - It is very much who I am as a person . Elegant, earthy colors, rich bottle greens & burgundy, florals are all something you will see throughout my work.

I am often inspired by the early 20th c, where romanticism meets the awakening of modernism... Fashion designer Anna Sui, English author & book illustrators Arthur Rackhum &Beatrix Potter, Post Impressionist Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec & photography by Eugene Atget & Brassai...

Please come and visit...
Twitter
http://twitter.com/TheWinglessBird
Coming soon to tumblr
http://thewinglessbird.tumblr.com/
email

the.wingless.bird@hotmail.com

Kindest,

Heather (The Wingless Bird)

Never Give Up on your Dream

You will love shopping at KhaliNoveau's Etsy Shop http://www.etsy.com/shop/KhaliNouveau where she has many wonderful treaures. I fell in love with her little birds. Have fun exploring!

by KhaliNouveau

My name is Aiysha Khaalid, nickname Khali, I am a full-time artist with a bachelor degree in Fine Arts. I'm a painter, an illustrator, a mixed media artist, and crafter. I am the owner and creator of the Etsy shop called KhaliNouveau. The name of my business is a combination of "Khali, a nickname given from my family and "Nouveau", French for ‘New’ inspired from the most famous and my favorite art period, Art Nouveau.

Creativity has been in my blood since an early age. I have been an artist for over 15 years. What inspires me to become an artist is my love of art, and artworks by Frida Kahlo, Gustav Klimt, and newly discovered Hayv Kahraman because of their original artistic style and feminine beauty in their work. Their use of details, strong symbolism, and strong composition in their artwork affects my creative energy into making my own style.

As an artist I like to experiment with all kinds of materials and mediums but I mostly feel comfortable with a few. My base mediums I like to work with are acrylic paints and graphite pencil on smooth surfaces such as canvas and printmaking paper. These are my personal choice because honestly, I fail horribly in watercolors, and oil paints are quite messy and difficult to work with. I have no special technique or process that makes my artwork unique. I do re-sketch my ideas often. Some people assume as an artist, I am artistically adapted to any art style like great masterpieces to computer graphic design. But I only limit myself to what I do best and my expertise is painting in my own way and I do not mimic another artist’s technique.

My greatest accomplishment thus far has been working at an established art gallery in Dubai. I always wanted to work at an art gallery and did not expect to be living and working that dream in the Middle East. I gained so much insight on the art world and it’s a lot of work helping to run an art gallery. Ten years from now I see myself teaching art again and owning an art gallery. If I had to give one advice for new artists, I would say that don’t be afraid to fail or make mistakes, that’s part of the learning process as an artist. So never give up on a dream or something that you are passionate about.
 
 

Enjoy a visit to Kathryn's Etsy shop http://www.etsy.com/shop/DycheDesigns .

"So stop a while, meander through the pages of my shop, take in the sights, dream, laugh and dance along the way and lets see if we can find you something you truly love and connect with."

by Dyche Designs

My name is Kathryn. I was born in Wales, grew up in Oxfordshire (UK), and now live in Virginia with my husband and two cats.When I lived in the UK I worked as a Human Resources Officer for a biotech company but after moving to the US I decided to take a break. It wasn’t long before my husband and I realized that I was so much happier as a result and I opted to make the break permanent. I feel extremely fortunate to have such a supportive husband and to be able to pursue my crafting on a full time basis.

About My Art/Crafts
I have always loved walking into stores that have a wide selection of items so it came as no surprise that my online shop ‘‘Dyche Designs’ naturally evolved into housing a variety of my own crafts.What I create depends a lot on what I’m feeling at the time. I don’t try to fight it, I just go with it. Most recently I’ve found myself drawn to creating mixed media artwork and love how I am able to loose track of time and myself in the process.

I’ve also spent many hours sat at my sewing machine creating bags, cushion covers and pin cushions. During the fall my thoughts turn to knitting scarves and at various times throughout the year I can also be found crafting jewelry.

Another favorite of mine are soaps and candles. Nothing beats the smells that emanate throughout the house whenever I pour them.

The Creative Proces
The thing I love most is the flexibility and freedom that comes with creating.I am not an organized person so the creative process for me is kind of a chaotic and random event. I have a real aversion to following instructions and have a hard time planning or designing anything in advance. I typically sit at my work area and through experimenting with different colors, textures and materials I create a piece that I feel happy with.



Where I Create
I am extremely fortunate to have a dedicated craft room where I do computer work, jewelry making and house all of my supplies. That said, I have a tendency to spread to other areas of the house and can often be found sewing in our dining room or painting in our sun room (the light is so beautiful in there).

It is an amazing journey that I find myself on and couldn’t have achieved any of this without the love and support of family and friends. Thank you to everyone who supports the handmade community.

Favorite Quote
“Love, peace and jelly babies”.

http://twitter.com/DycheDesigns

http://dychedesigns.blogspot.com/
 

"Only One"

Be prepared to be "awwwwwed" by these fabulously adorable knitted treasures. You are sure to fall in love when you visit Only One's etsy shop http://www.etsy.com/shop/bgordon2 .

Have fun browsing!

by Only One

"The gift of a knitted bear, which has been carefully and lovingly made, will be treasured far more ... and chances are, it will still have a loving home long after more commercial toys have been sent to the charity shops." ~ Sandra Polley

I am a 28-year-old elementary school teacher, and I’m currently on maternity leave with my beautiful 6-month old daughter. During her naptimes, I knit (when I probably should be doing laundry or catching up on sleep!). I just started my Etsy shop, called Only One. I named it Only One because each item is the “only one” of its kind! Also, when I was young, my parents called naptime an "only one", and each of my toys would be perfect for little kids to keep them company during their naps. 



I love to knit, and I especially love creating unique toys and collectibles that make me smile. For years I mostly knit teddy bears, altering patterns by shrinking the heads, lengthening the arms, etc. Now I design and knit many different toys, usually with bright colors and distinct personalities. Several of my toys have cute poems included too.

Usually, I knit in my family room because that is where I’m most comfortable, but that can get a bit messy. Recently, my husband suggested that I take some time to organize my supplies, so we found a 4-drawer cart that fits next to my sofa. Now all of the main supplies (needles, felt, thread, etc.) are conveniently located, organized, and hidden away.

I’m always adding to my Etsy shop, so I hope you’ll visit often!



Cheers,

Bonnie King

Beauty From Within

Be sure to visit Inner Pieces Gallery and her unique Etsy shop http://www.etsy.com/shop/InnerPiecesGallery   where you will find "designs that offer a modern approach to paper-cut art." The artist calls her designs "Lacuna Décor". In Latin, Lacuna means “empty space, or gap” and Décor means “beauty.” In other words, beauty comes from the space within! What begins as original illustrations transform into elegant pieces of framed inspiration.

by Inner Pieces Gallery
For many people, I think that my style of artwork is simply fun to look at. It’s dimensional, it’s unusual, and it looks slightly different at different angles, especially as light upon it changes throughout the day. For me, though, the dimensional space between the layers speaks to me in a more personal way. Though this lesson may have cost me more than a few dramatic trials in life in order for me to finally learn, I now truly know that everything I need already exists within me. I need joy? I find it within. I need strength and courage? I find it within. I need patience and understanding? It’s all there, within me, ready whenever I need it.

Too bad that philosophy doesn’t really work when it comes to square footage. My tiny little home office is bursting at the seams with furniture and equipment. The digital cutting tool that I utilize (think double the size of a sewing machine) takes up half my desk. My computer takes up the other half. My solution? Buy an additional desk and somehow squeeze it in amidst the bookshelf, file cabinet, copy machine, printer, drawers, more drawers, shipping supplies, more supplies, and a closet full of please don’t ask. Not exactly an environment overflowing with creative energy.

I do a great deal of creating when I’m away from my office. I venture into the living room, the dining room, or anywhere the mood strikes me. I especially enjoy moving my “studio” outside. Recently, in order to determine the color combinations of my next designs, I brought my little hors d’oeuvres tray full of color swatches out to the back yard with me. Seeing the metallic paper sparkle in the sunshine connected me, in a way, to the little ones I actually design for, those pint-sized lovers of all things shiny and sparkly! I hope my work delights them, excites them, invokes a sense of wonder and curiosity. I especially hope they learn (a lot quicker than I did) that joy truly does begin within!

Cherice
InnerPiecesGallery.com

Don't Be Afraid to Create

Enjoy a visit to Ageratum's lovely Etsy shop http://www.etsy.com/shop/ageratum where "you never know what you might find".

by Ageratum

I just enjoy creating (crafting) beautiful things and I am into beading right now. I have always been attracted to colorful sparkly objects. I am totally 'self taught' and can only say to others starting out that you need to watch and observe every little detail. Taking a few classes would probably help tremendously! Also, be YOU and don't be afraid to create with new techniques and your own ideas. I create my OOAK designs wherever and whenever I can - usually on the dining room table. More than a few times I have created a design in my head after going to bed at night. That doesn't say much about my 'night life'! HA

Everyone wonders where I came up with my shop name. It was actually kind of accidental but it is the name of a wild flower which has always been my favorite and I use it a lot.

I especially like reading the scriptures from the KJV of the Holy Bible and have one of the many beautiful verses in my shop announcement.

Spreading Smiles

Enjoy a visit to The Curious Cupcake http://www.etsy.com/shop/thecuriouscupcake. A wonderful Etsy shop that sells beautiful wire wrapped jewelry.**10% OF PROCEEDS FROM ALL PURCHASES WILL GO TO SUPPORT THE WILD FRIENDS OF THE EARTH FOUNDATION IN LEESBURG, FL. OFFICIAL WEBSITE: http://www.wildfriendsoftheearth.com/ **

 
by The Curious Cupcake
I am always getting asked 'Why The Curious Cupcake?' Well that's easy, I like cupcakes and I'm curious. It really is that simple, just like the things I make and the whole reason I got started in this direction in the first place. I love learning new things and I love creating, what better way to put the two things together than with making jewelry? I get to work with many different mediums, colors, shapes .. the possibilities are endless. But even with all of those millions of possibilities it still comes down to the basics, putting pieces together to make a new whole. Creating something new, out of something else.

My favorite things to work with are wire and crystals. Wire has a mountain of potential. Between the kinds, the sizes, the colors .. it could go on and on. Wire can be the focal point, the background piece or sometimes just the guts. Its completely versatile. At the other end I love working with crystals. I love color and sparkle and using Swarovski crystals combines both. Color can almost set a mood for a piece and there's no better way to get true, vibrant colors than with crystals. I've made pieces using only crystals and I've used them as accents. It doesn't matter how they're used they always bring more life to any piece.

People often find it amusing that I rarely wear any of the pieces I make. Save for a few select things I have designed for myself most everything is not something I would wear. It may seem odd but that's not why I do this. I make jewelry because I like to create and its amazing how good it feels to see someone wearing something that I created with my own hands. On top of that I try very hard to keep my jewelry affordable. You shouldn't have to break the bank to wear something fun that brings a smile to your face. That's what I'm trying to do, spread the smiles and add a little sparkle to the world.

I started out just making jewelry for my mom and my co-workers. I would often show off the new things I came up with at work and more often than not I wouldn't bring them home. I started off with a couple of small craft shows, just getting my stuff out there for more people and working on making something more than a hobby out of it. I have slowly worked up to larger craft shows and have now added my own website and Etsy to the mix. Its a lot more satisfying to make something if I have a way to get it to someone who appreciates it.

Recently my friend and roommate has joined in on the fun. She is now making beaded flowers both to sell on their own and and to incorporate in my jewelry. Instead of her just tagging along and helping me with my things we are now creating together. It just adds one more layer of fun to the mix. I hope to be doing this for a long time.
 
 

 
 
 
 

One-Stop-Shopping

In Abyss Creations' graphic design Etsy shop you will find "biz logos, namecards, web banners, avatars, buttons, and invites as some of the candies in the sugarbowl . She is open to convos ~so please feel free to contact Abyss Creations for a tasting of design concept and ideas."

by Abyss Creations

Welcome to Abyss Creations! Web link - http://www.etsy.com/shop/AbyssCreations

I'm the creative diva behind the scene and am pleased to produce professional and quality graphics for your websites and/or etsy stores. This is a One-Stop-Shop for all your creative needs without the ridiculous pricetag. Biz logos, namecard, web banner, avatar, buttons, e-invites are some of the candies in sugarbowl.

My day job evolves around the Advertising and Media industry so I’m very familiar and comfortable working on smaller and very large scale projects – most of whom are corporate clients. So don’t be shy, come on in and please feel free to contact me for a tasting of design concept and ideas. =D

Enhancing the Beauty from Within

Enjoy a visit to Sharon's etsy shop http://www.etsy.com/shop/adornyou  where you will find " handmade jewelry inspired by a love of eclectic adornments ranging anywhere from Vintage Style all the way to Sleek and Modern! "

by Adorn You

Hello, my name is Sharon and I decided I wanted to work towards being a full time stay at home mom. Designing and selling jewelry is helping me achieve that!

I was introduced to the world of beads through a friend around six years ago and haven't tired of it yet! There is such an array of pretty beads, styles and techniques to keep me interested for a long time. I do cherish the vintage style and the wonderful stones that nature provides. I have always enjoyed crafting in many ways and love creating jewelry pieces to enhance the beauty from within.

I do most of my creating on my large office desk at home, which I have added a variety of upright drawers and cabinets to, sitting beside, underneath and on top of it, to store all my goodies.

 I do need to add more storage now, possibly some wall shelving with stackable boxes, will be the next step. In one of my filing cabinets I have stackable trays with various sizes of circular tins that have clear glass lids, so you can see the beads inside. I purchased them from Lee Valley.

 

Follow Sharon on:

Become a fan and view new and upcoming designs before they hit my shop!

http://www.facebook.com/pages/AdornYou-Jewelry/135431293470?ref=ts

For more of my jewelry check out this link:

http://www.adornyou.ca

You are invited to visit my bead supply shop: www.adornyouemporium.etsy.com

 
 
 
 

Just Believe in Yourself

You will love this quaint little shop, BedBuggs Boutique http://www.etsy.com/shop/bedbuggs , so whimsical and enchanting.

"I love the idea of sharing my creativity with the world, and I love seeing everyone else's ideas,

 they're so inspiring.

by Bed Buggs Boutique

Creativity is in my blood, my dad is an Artist by profession and my mother is the craftiest person I know. I’m a Stay at home mom, and determined to keep it that way. All my inspiration comes from my BedBuggs (nickname for my two kids).

I love to create cute and unique items to make them smile. I’m fortunate to have a workspace built in a closet in our family room so I can keep a close eye on my “BedBuggs” while I create, and when I’m done I can close the doors to keep them out.

 I’ve found that Organization is crucial when it comes to creativity. When my space is disorganized so are my thoughts.

My motto: “Just Believe in yourself”.

If you'd like to see more visit our Blog at:

http://www.bedbuggs.blogspot.com/