Time For Yourself

I walk into my art space and instantly "sigh" a sense of relief and release. I realize that it the days that I find most difficult that I really cherish my escape and need my creative outlet to take me away.

Today's tip is to spend some time in your studio, or art space...even if it is to just to sit and have your coffee or tea.

Take some well deserved time for yourself.

Enjoy a visit to Junquete's 5 & 10 Variety Etsy shop http://www.etsy.com/shop/junquete where you will find a variety of items for sale in her shop and where Norma shares her love for vintage from way back when she started working in an antique store and collected lots!

by Junquete's 5 & 10 Variety
Hi there, I'm Norma from junquete's 5 & 10 Variety here on Etsy http://www.etsy.com/shop/junquete .I have a huge variety of things that I both offer and make. I like to stay busy so I try anything once. If the once works then I stay at it.

I love to make anything into earrings. I got hooked on it while I was sick for three months and needed something to do. They were easy to do from the comfort of my couch while wrapped in a blanket and a heating pad.

I sell vintage because I have a need to connect with the past. I worked in two different antique stores at the same time so it was easy to send people to which ever store had what they needed. It was also fun to be in both stores in the same day. It really was fun watching customers shake their head over that one.

I started making my 'Purse N Boots' shoe purses to enter a contest to make a purse for under five dollars. I didn't even come close to winning it but I started to get hook on them. I've done about twenty to date. Some sold and others became gifts. I was always sure they wouldn't receive another one.

~Norma

Gorgeous!

Check out Amanda's gorgeous designs and her wonderfully, amazingly organized studio space!

It looks like a great place to create.

by BellaRhysDesigns

My name is Amanda-or BellaRhysDesigns on etsy.com. I have always been involved in the arts one way or another. From painting scenery at our community theater and earning a few awards for watercolors in my school days to my last 16 years dedicated to being a hairstylist and salon owner, each day has seemed to carry an artistic outlet for me in some form. Besides acrylics and watercolors I’ve also enjoyed creating w/ oil pastels, black and white photography, mixed media altered art, pottery and scrapbooking.

In 2002 I started making jewelry after being inspired by pieces I had seen in Greece on vacation and was frustrated and bored with the components I was finding locally. I started shopping around on Ebay and ran across some very cool glass beads by Cassie Donlen called lampwork. I immediately started researching them and was excited to incorporate them in my work. I found a local class and dove right in, completely mesmerized by the colors, styles and techniques used to create these little works of art! I found that they totally changed an ordinary piece of jewelry into an endless array of possibilities.

I have since taken metalsmithing classes to enhance my work by making my own forged or custom stamped pieces.I find inspiration in my children’s books, fun material, change of seasons, pictures in magazines,some of the treasuries on Etsy or even let my 6 year old daughter to come up with a fun color combo.I hope you enjoy the tour of my studio! If anyone would like to look at my blog for ideas of pieces I make that haven't been listed on etsy please feel free to come by for a visit!

http://bellarhysdesigns.blogspot.com (An amazing blog! I love it ~Kerry).

http://www.bellarhysdesigns.etsy.com/