the holly bears the crown…a treasury

The Holly and the Ivy is a much loved carol of mine, and the shades of red and green are my favorite color combination. (Is it any wonder that I become even happier as Christmas draws nearer?) Hence, the inspiration for a collection of a few favorite things...

My current treasury is compiled explicitly of Lab Rats artisians. The Lab Rats team on Etsy is a place for Virtual Lab regulars to get together and promote one another; it is also an extremely friendly and helpful group of Etsy people. I’m happy to belong to it and if you would like to also, you can check out the Lab Rats team blog here.

For my blog, I am also including the alternative listings that are part of my collection, but do not show up in the public view.

From the top, and left to right...

Bowl of Cherries (10X8 art photography print)

by MariaLuna

Olivine Oval Studs

by spookychandelier

The Cinnamon -- Autumn Jade Necklace

by lushboutique

Ruby Red Crystal Earrings wire wrapped with Sterling Silver wire

by alyssakaycollections

Atticus' Picnic Shorts

by verabelle

Age Is Only A Number Blank Birthday Card

by SimplyInvitingCards

Jessica Rabbit - Scarlet RED HOT Lace Cocktail Dress

by zwzzy

At Mars Bar Art Print

by 2ndcoming

Woodland Green Pullover

by blueberryshoes

Burnin Ring of Fire

by justbecreative

Black Millefiori Wire Wrapped Heart Pendant Necklace

by celticmoonstudios

Frederick's of Hollywood - blank journal/notebook

by aprilevening

Summer Leaf Jewelry Set

by celticmoonstudios

Vintage Little Red Plaid Purse

by AgelessThings

Pink and Purple Sweet Raspberry Fingerless Gloves

by duckfoot

thimble and thread - embellished mixed media print

by mizkatie

So much talent and coolness...I am always amazed.

a virtual trunk show?

Well, in the words of the LabRats team blog and I couldn’t have said it better myself: “A trunk show, in real life, is when a group of crafters get together and have a small show for people they invite or whoever happens to come by and see. It works almost the same in the virtual labs, only... well, it's virtual!”
There will be artisans from the Etsy LabRats team offering special discounts from their shops at Etsy.com. We will be offering a 20% discount on all items for the Trunk Show only, plus our current promotion---free shipping in the US.
So join us in the Etsy Virtual Labs
Monday, November 23 at 7pm (EST)
Art, jewelry, baby items, paper goods, crochet, vintage and so much more!
Everyone is welcome!
Look for the Gallery, in black. http://www.etsy.com/virtual_labs.php
Hope to see you there!

glistening snow and mistletoe…a challenge

That is the theme, picked by SimplyInvitingCards, for the Etsy LabRats Team challenge. We decided to add the idea to an oil lamp bottle---a new category recently added to our shop on Etsy.
Having to conform to a particular premise while creating was a special experience. It felt like an exercise, but the kind you enjoy, because it is fun and you know it’s helping to stretch your mind a bit, which in turn allows for growth. And, growing is always good…

Oil Lamp Bottle - Snowflakes

a simply splendid stocking stuffer

Today, I’d like to share an idea for a simple stocking stuffer and a brilliant craft blog called CraftyPod – the podcast and blog all about making stuff with Sister Diane — aka Diane Gilleland. Sister Diane’s podcasts are brimming with interviews of some of the best and the brightest in the craftosphere. Her blog enlightens us with, not only beautiful tutorials, but great information on crafting a creative business. The links below are a small slice of what she offers.

Two clever ideas that were literally dreamed up by Sister Diane:

How to Turn a Cardboard Box Into a Splendid Notepad
and
How to Weave a Cover for Your Splendid Notepad

These tutorials are not only beautifully photographed, the instructions are clear-cut and a breeze to follow. Have fun exploring CraftyPod!

Works in progress…a mask and a challenge

Currently we’re working on a new item that was inspired by a team challenge. The challenge? Anything to do with ‘glistening snow and mistletoe.’ hmmmmm…well, Jeff and I have come up with some ideas and they appear to be materializing, along with other new designs. That’s always a good feeling. Let’s hope the momentum continues.

These photos were taken today from our workroom.

fifty of the smallest bottles…

Experimenting with a new collection -



Sunday, I spent some time outdoors, enjoying the beautiful weather Florida receives when there is a tropical storm in the Gulf of Mexico, and taking photos of a brand new collection. Usually I use a light box, but decided to try natural lighting, in the shade, for the first six of fifty bottles we’ll be listing in our shop on Etsy. The backdrop for most of these photos is actually our giant bamboo. I’m surprised at how dark the background turned out; very different from most of our photos. However, I believe I like the new look …and it was a lovely, lovely day.

a favorite treasury…fresh via {pounce}

Often, I’m not able to put up a treasury when there is an opening to do so. It’s ok though; there are plenty of great treasuries already up. One that I came across this morning caught my attention. I love it when treasuries feature new shops, no sales, and manage to pull off a stunning collection. Here are the shops that are featured in shavingkitsuppplies's  Etsy treasury:

tuft hat by cathycarron

flower conversation ring by evebella

eco manly bag by katchabilek

dreieck dark lamp by umbu

laptop sleeve by boyzz

duvet by plantedplume

wooden barn friends by frenchsecrets

photograph and window sash by picsandpanes

hanging low cardigan by jjanak

peterpan collar dress by vintagelush

straight line clutch by graceisenough

anemone ring by gingasquid

I have featured gingasquid in one of our treasuries before...they truly have creatively vibrant pieces of art in their shop. Take a look, when you have a chance; you may get lost in wonderment.

Shavingkitsuppplies's shop is a beautiful blend of vintage and handmade.

Repurposed Linen and Lavender Sachet With Vintage Imagery - Antiquarian French Menu Detail by shavingkitsuppplies

Works in progress…random collecting

col•lage : \kə-läzh, kȯ-, kō-\

Etymology: French, literally, gluing, from coller to glue, from colle glue, from Vulgar Latin *colla, from Greek kolla - Date: 1919
1 a : an artistic composition made of various materials (as paper, cloth, or wood) glued on a surface
2 : hodgepodge - a collage of ideas
3 : Jeff’s favorite art form and diversion

the beginning of a new collection in progress...

A really good link about collage in art, defined with illustrations, and links to other resources.

ArtLex on Collage - http://www.artlex.com/ArtLex/c/collage.html