May 7, 2008 |
8:54 pm
So the summer is nearing and maybe you’ve got long hair. Long hair in the summertime is always a pain. It gets plastered to your forehead (or your whole face if you’ve got really long hair), you don’t know where to put it, and it’s just too dang hot to have that much hair flying about.
Maybe you need a headband! Fear not, Kathy over at A Cozy Life has a few for you:
Kathy combines sewing and lovely crochet work to make these accessories. She’s got an eye for pretty prints and nice colors. You’re sure to find a headband to match an outfit or add some pizazz to your summery wardrobe. And hey, you’ll keep your hair out of your face!
If you have kids and want to give them a little shade from the sun, there are colorful bandanas for them — like this one:
Tags: headband, hair accessories, bandana, sewing, crochet, a cozy life, cozy
May 3, 2008 |
9:28 am
Do vegetables make you sad? Well, these may be the perfect gift for you (or your veggie-phobic friends):
These awesome pins/magnets/applique patches are made by Chrissy at BitterSweets. She says she began making these BitterSweets characters in between art classes and loves coming up with new ones. They’re pretty cute and funny and are wholly appropriate to stick all over your fridge.
These characters come in pin, magnet or plain ol’ patch form. (Read each description carefully to determine which one you’re ordering.) Some even come in keychains! You could carry a bitter eggplant around with you!
The angry food isn’t just limited to veggies, either. There are fruits, ice cream, pastries, and even a few breakfast items. Angry pancakes, anyone?
Tags: pins, magnets, food patches, sewing, bittersweets
April 19, 2008 |
7:04 pm
If you really think about it, needlefelting is probably a great way to relieve some stress. You take a tool that holds a bunch of needles and you stab, stab, stab at wool until it bends to your will and makes shapes and whatnot.
(Well, of course, it’s stress-relieving until you poke yourself by accident. Ouch!)
If you still believe that stabbing wool is a stress reliever, then Michelle of Sunfleur must be the most relaxed person on Earth! Check out her felty goods:
You’ll also find some hangable art/one-of-a-kind ACEOs in the shop, like this awesome piece:
There are all kinds of wonderful goodies in the shop. You’ll find beaded jewelry. Some hats. Accessories. Watercolor paintings.
Even the felt items run the gamut, from the aforementioned critters to pins to earrings to magnets.
Michelle is a talented artist indeed, and it’s nice to see her work across different mediums.
Tags: needle felting, felt, felting, fiber arts, sunfleur
April 8, 2008 |
4:22 pm
It’s springtime and the time that many folks probably think about planting things in the yard.
If you have a penchant for killing plants instead of nurturing them (oh yes, there are many of us green thumb-less folks out there!), maybe you should look into these:
(The actual Etsy listing is only for one cactus. But the whole range of cacti was just so much fun to look at!)
These cacti are from Barbara at Blazing Needles. Barbara is an avid knitter who turns out a lot of really unique and interesting things. And not just cacti!
Check out these awesome things for your home:
There are also ipod cozies, lip balm bags and even a little Judaica if you’re so inclined.
Tags: knitting, knit cactus, home goods, cozies, coaster, knit box, blazing needles
April 7, 2008 |
7:56 pm
Sometimes, it’s not about the big and bulky, but the thin and delicate.
As a sometimes impatient crocheter, I’m a fan of big, bulky yarn. 
But I’ve got a healthy respect for those who work with small hooks and needles and turn out the lace pieces or the things with intricate details that take many hours (and much patience) to do.
Something like this:
This is the work of Irregular Expressions, a family project that comes all the way from Turkey! According to the shop’s profile, the mother makes all the goodies while her son and daughter help run the shop. (Yay for helpful family!)
Everything made Irregular Expressions is completely unique and won’t be duplicated. Since many of the pieces employ freeform crochet, it would be hard to re-make some of the items in the first place!
You’ll find cuffs, neckwarmers, chokers, necklaces and brooches in the shop. There’s a wonderful whimsy to many of the items, from meandering loops and cords to lacy fringes and irregular shapes. Some items also employ small beads. But everything displays a level of attention and detail and craftsmanship that’s beautiful.
Tags: freeform crochet, crochet, cuff, brooch, accessories, irregular expressions
April 6, 2008 |
4:14 pm
Glass — stained, fused, painted, opaque, transparent — always puts a smile on my face. It’s beautiful and fragile and yet useful.
If you’re a fan, check some of these pieces out:
These are from Unblinking Eye Designs, purveyor of cool glass things! Not only are there the functional pieces — like the ones above — but there are also many stained glass panels, scrap glass ornaments (yay for repurposing!) and, my personal favorite, the repurposed bottle/spoon rest.
Do check it out … no doubt you’ll find something super colorful and fun!
Tags: glass, fused glass, art glass, plates, unblinking eye designs
March 31, 2008 |
9:18 pm
Looking for some unique sculptures or clay items, whether they be for wearing or for around the house?
How about these?
This positively stunning work is from Stormy Designs. She is an artist who specializes in creating things with polymer clay. You name it, it’s in the shop. Jewelry? Done. Glass items covered in richly textured and colored clay? Done. Buttons and baubles? Done.
Everything in the store is hand-scuplted, and many items are one of a kind! You just can’t replicate all those textures and patterns exactly!
Stormy Designs also takes requests and custom orders. Yay for convenience and getting exactly what you want!
Tags: polymer clay, jewelry, sculpture, art, stormy designs
March 24, 2008 |
8:07 pm
If you’re a knitter or crocheter, then you no doubt have had some bout with that uncooperative skein of yarn that gets super tangly. Or maybe your skein has gotten away from you. Or maybe it’s not even in a ball in the first place.
Well, if you have a burning need to take control of your yarn so that you know, you can actually create stuff, maybe you need a yarn ball holder:
You’ll find these cute (and functional) critters at Popsie Daisy. Brandi is the brains behind this operation, and she turns recycled wool sweaters into many cute things! She also uses repurposed wood and zippers in the yarn ball holders. How fun!
But back to those recycled wool sweaters! They not only make the yarn ball holders (which, by the way, come in all kinds of animals). You can even pick up a scarf or two made out of the sweaters. Or this hedgehog pouch:
Yay for recycled goodies!
Tags: recycled sweaters, yarn ball holder, scarf, popsie daisy
March 17, 2008 |
2:51 pm
So the next time someone tells you that something won’t happen “until pigs fly,” you should give this to said person as an illustration of that tried-and-true adage:
This adorable little guy is the work of Amy at A Beautimus Hodgepodge. Amy is an engineering student, but when she’s not buried in studying that, she is creating little cute things like these:
Amy also does illustrations and even takes commissions! If you want more info about her art, check out her Etsy profile, or visit Tesla Bunny. You can also find some ACEOs in the Etsy shop!
Tags: plush, stuffed animals, animals, jefita, a beautimus hodgepodge
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