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7 super cute holiday gift ideas

Rather than spending all of my money at the big box stores this holiday season, I ordered several handmade items from Etsy shops in support of the shop small movement.  Many of these shops are run by only one person.  An incredibly ambitious, motivated, and exhausted person, no doubt.  Someone who is chasing a dream of creativity, independence, and fulfillment.  If I can bring a little bit of happiness to both the shop owners and my circle of friends, my own holiday will be that much more enjoyable.

I’ve collected a few choice items for my 2016 holiday gift guide.  I’ve actually purchased from some of these shops myself in the past and have been very impressed by the artists’ incredible workmanship and attention to detail.  I hope that you will also patronize small businesses this holiday season.  But with Christmas only two weeks away, you’d better start shopping soon!!

For the cat mother

A set of bone china mugs with sitting cat and sleeping cat illustrations from Jin Designs.

A set of sitting cat and sleeping cat mugs from Jin Designs is the perfect gift for any cat lover.  Hand decorated on fine bone china, the black cat illustrations are original drawings of the artist’s childhood pet.  These minimalist mugs are microwave and dishwasher safe and are created by Jinny Ursell in Hove, United Kingdom.

For the dapper gentleman

The front of an engraved leather keychain from Maven Metals.

This sleek engraved leather keychain from Maven Metals is made of top grade bridle leather and tough stainless steel hardware.  The leather strap is available in three colors and the stainless steel ring can be personalized with up to 35 characters of your choice.  This item is handcrafted by Julie and Ben in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho.

For the teen daughter

The front of a lavender leather wristlet with a triangular hologram panel from Gmalou Designs.

This lavender leather wristlet from Gmalou Designs is versatile and fashionable with a bit of flair!  Made of high quality genuine leather, this colorful bag features a leather tassel and a detachable strap on the zipper pull.  The triangular hologram panel in the center gives this bag a fun and funky vibe.  It closes with a metal zipper and is handmade by Georgia in Haugesund, Norway.

For the jewelry fanatic

The front of a cherry and maple jewelry box from Blue Skies Homestead.

cherry and maple jewelry box from Blue Skies Homestead stores all of your favorite jewelry in style.  This one of a kind piece has a cherry box, maple drawer fronts, and a maple inlay stripe around the top and down each side.  Its eight felt lined drawers open with purple heart drawer pulls.  It is triple coated in satin polyurethane and is made by Rick in Holland, Michigan.

For the leather lover

The inside of a leather coin wallet from Mr. Lentz.

This leather coin wallet from Mr. Lentz is made to order in your choice of three colors and seven sizes to accommodate currencies from around the world.  Natural vegetable based dyes give the full grain vegetable tanned leather its rich color.  This slim wallet holds all of your pocket change, a medium size stack of cash, and up to six cards.  It is made with solid brass hardware and can be personalized with a branded or stamped monogram.  To keep your high quality wallet in high quality shape, the artist also includes a free tin of his very own all natural leather conditioner.  This item is handcrafted by a cowboy in San Diego, California.

For the little one

The front of a personalized wooden fox teether from Smiling Tree Toys.

This personalized wooden fox teether from Smiling Tree Toys is a lovely heirloom gift that the entire family will treasure long after teething has ended.  It is made of non splintering, sustainably grown hard maple and is safe for children of all ages.  The extra thick and softly curved lines of this teether are easy to grasp and its adorable fox shape will enchant any young mind.  It is made by Justin and Kathleen in Lamberton, Minnesota.

For the seasonal decorator

A four piece village ornament kit from Holiday Spirits Decor.

A four piece village ornament kit from Holiday Spirits Decor will adorn your home beautifully this holiday season.  The kit includes a cottage, a chalet, a colonial house, and a church that you can build and decorate yourself.  Precut and scored bristol board house pieces plus all of the accessories necessary to embellish your village are provided.  Tree and wreath accents are also included in the kit and are available in your choice of three colors.  This ornament kit is handmade by Carol Fisher in Chicago, Illinois.

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Soft spring sunshine

My latest Etsy treasury is inspired by this warm March afternoon!  The collection features handmade and vintage items in soft shades of yellow and gold.  Have you ventured out into the spring sunshine today?

Soft spring sunshine: Leather Necklace with Sterling Silver Beads, Contemporary Geometric Jewellery, Summer Ombre Necklace, Free Gift Wrapping Soft spring sunshine: Felted Easter bunnies with eggs Soft spring sunshine: Gold Heart Earrings, Valentine Earrings, Mixed Metal Earrings, Gold Hearts, Valentine Gift, Gold and Silver Earring, Rustic Gold Earrings Soft spring sunshine: seascape_"A dot on the i"_wallpaper for immediate download_sunset sea_summer_Riviera
Soft spring sunshine: Unique Yellow Cupcake Favors - Baby Shower, Wedding and Party Decorations - Eco Friendly Seeded Paper - Plant and Grow Soft spring sunshine: Champagne Quartz Necklace / Pale Yellow Quartz Pendant / Mixed Metal Necklace / Quartz Briolette Pendant / Sterling Silver Soft spring sunshine: Light Yellow Elephant Baby Shower Tags Set of 20 - Yellow Shower Favors - Shower Gift Tags - Blank Elephant Labels - Lemon Neutral Tags Soft spring sunshine: undergrowth - hand dyed yarn, merino wool cashmere nylon fingering sock yarn, 2 ply, kettle dyed, neutral pale yellow green yarn sublime
Soft spring sunshine: Sailboat Art, Sailing Print, Nautical Art, Boat Photography, Sailboat Picture, Pale Yellow, Sea, Block Island, Ocean, Boats, Ships Soft spring sunshine: Rustic wedding country chic pale yellow bridesmaid dress Soft spring sunshine: Mixed Yellow Rabbiit Cupcake Toppers, Food Picks-Set of 24 pcs Soft spring sunshine: Sparkly Golden Swarovski Crystal Earrings, Champagne, Elegant, Gold Filled Earrings
Soft spring sunshine: Vintage Porcelain Tea Trio by Winterling Marktleuthen, Bavaria Soft spring sunshine: Phoebe Print from My Original Watercolor Painting, Yellow Bird Print Art Wall Decor, Eastern Phoebe Bird Home Decor Art Print Soft spring sunshine: Personalized Baby Blanket Chevron Gray and Yellow Dot Newborn Blanket Reversible for Baby Shower Gift, Crib and Stroller 38" X 38" Soft spring sunshine: Nursery Art, Baby Decor, Modern Nursery, Pale Yellow and Grey, Giraffe Nursery, Elephant Nursery, Balloons, Tree, Gender Neutral Baby Decor
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Lampwork glass chandelier necklace

Lampwork glass chandelier necklace

This handmade chandelier necklace is one of a kind!  It was born out of an abundance of lampwork glass beads and a spark of creativity :)

Four 10 x 5 mm cobalt blue borosilicate glass beads form a dramatic pendant with accents of Swarovski crystal and sterling silver.  The 4 mm crystals glimmer in a light sapphire satin color that beautifully complements the boro beads.

Lampwork glass chandelier necklace

The pendant measures approximately 43 mm (1 5/8″) from the top of the sterling silver circle to the bottom of the longest sterling silver headpin.  It hangs from a 1.4 mm sterling silver double rope chain with a sterling silver spring ring clasp.

The lampwork beads are also handmade, though not by me :)

Lampwork glass chandelier necklace

I loved designing this pendant because the lampwork beads are just beautiful.  They have great depth and amazing color.  Anyone who likes blue will undoubtedly be drawn to them.  Visit my Etsy shop to learn more about this necklace today!

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Pretty little soldiers

After several intense weeks of searching for a new job while working extra hours at my current job, I finally found myself back at the beading table last weekend.  It was a much needed break, and it felt wonderful to explore my creative side once again!  Though I admit, I did feel a bit guilty about playing with beads when I should have been cleaning the house or digging through the paper blob or working on one of a million other things on my to do list.  I think I’m this close to a complete meltdown at any moment.

Lampwork glass, Swarovski crystal, and sterling silver earrings

But the beads were calling to me!  How could I resist?  This lovely set of pink / purple lampwork beads had been patiently waiting for me since February.  They were handmade by Barbara Steffen of Fire Spirit Beads in northern California.  I snapped them up almost as soon as she posted them for sale!  I knew that I wanted to accent them with Swarovski crystals and sterling silver, but I couldn’t decide which crystal color looked best with the deep, rich hues of the glass.  Indecision finally resulted in a different crystal color for each pair!  When I lined them up partially finished, they looked like pretty little soldiers to me.  Hence, the title of this post :)

Lampwork glass, Swarovski crystal, and sterling silver earrings

Rather than the standard sterling silver fishhook earwires that I use in most of my designs, I selected smooth, flat sterling earwires here because I wanted these earrings to be extra special.  The sleek curves of the earwires beautifully complement the saucer shapes of the lampwork beads.

Lampwork glass, Swarovski crystal, and sterling silver earrings

Check out the closeup shots of each finished pair below.  I’ll post all of my new earrings in my Etsy shop as soon as I have a chance to photograph them with the fancy camera.  In the meantime, please feel free to contact me if you’d like to order any of these earrings today.  Cheers!

Lampwork glass, Swarovski crystal, and sterling silver earrings

Lampwork glass, Swarovski crystal, and sterling silver earrings

Lampwork glass, Swarovski crystal, and sterling silver earrings

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Artists for Alex online craft showcase

Two days only!

The Artists for Alex online craft showcase is in full swing!  This weekend’s showcase features ten artists whose beautiful creations include upcycled clothing, stamped jewelry, pet accessories and costumes, vintage hand embroidered linens, my very own beaded and woven jewelry, and much more.  A portion of the showcase proceeds will be donated to Alex’s Lemonade Stand to help in the fight against childhood cancer.  This showcase only runs for two days, so hurry and visit the site now!!

Artists for Alex online craft showcase

Several door prizes are up for grabs at the showcase this weekend.  One of them is a lovely pair of crystal and silver earrings designed by yours truly!  Check out the earrings that I created by clicking here.  You can enter to win one of the door prizes simply by sharing the Facebook post below with your friends.  It really couldn’t be any simpler!  Winners will be drawn tomorrow night at the conclusion of the showcase, and prizes will be shipped this coming week.  Thank you for supporting handmade artists, and I hope to see you at the showcase!

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Featured Friday – Handmade by Eva Rose

Handmade by Eva Rose

This week’s featured Etsy shop is Handmade by Eva Rose in Bristol, England.  Shop owner Eva creates novelty fabric items such as diaper caddies, burp cloths, bibs, glasses cases, camera cases, and storage baskets.  She works primarily with cotton, linen, and polyester fleece fabrics.  I particularly love her woodland animal designs – this orange polka dot fox pillow is just adorable!  Visit her shop to learn more.

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Between the lines

My latest Etsy treasury brightens up your day with fresh and colorful summer stripes.  Each item in this collection is handmade in the USA.

Striped Neon Pink Fuchsia Grey Basket / Neon Crochet Basket / Neon Color Block Crochet Bowl / Modern Organization Basket Summer Stripe - Large Clutch Striped Dog Leash - Lime Green and White - 6 Foot Length Mesh Beach Bag - Blue Green Stripe - Shell Collecting Bag - Beach Bag
Multicolor earrings colorful earrings striped and dots earrings Red Stripe Dog Collar, 2 inch wide, large 15-22, red, white, striped, stripes, summer, ribbon, nylon, large Scrabble Pendant - SUMMER STRIPE London Blue and White Striped Girls Boutique Hair Bow Clip Spring Summer
SCARF, Infinity Scarf, Blue Scarf. Blue Infinity Scarf, Stripe Scarf, Striped Scarf, Summer Scarf, Scarfs, Scarves, Circle Scarf EMBROIDERED LINEN- MULTICOLOR Stripes Lumbar Pillow cover-Throw pillow-Decorative pillow--Accent pillow-Handmade 12”x 20”100% cotton.. Navy Blue and White Striped Clutch with Cording - NAVY and WHITE Purse - Nautical Purse - Blue Striped Clutch Handmade, Ceramic, Bowl, Luxury, Gift, Gold Edged, Stripe, Pink
Baby and Toddler Organic Girls Multi-Color Striped Skirt with Bow - Fae Hipster Preppy Baby Boy Vintage Plaid Bowtie - Striped Spring Summer Onesie Bodysuit Chunky Round Gumball Necklace, Pink and White, Stripes, Colorblocking, Big Bead Necklace, Multicolor, Single Strand Statement Necklace Striped Fish Pillow - Summer Decor - Ice Cream Colors - Hilton Head Decor
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5 reasons to buy handmade beaded jewelry

Handmade beaded jewelry

Handmade beaded jewelry makes a fantastic gift for yourself or a loved one.  This Overstock.com guide provides five reasons to choose handmade beaded jewelry over commercially manufactured pieces.  I don’t know about you, but having more reasons to buy handmade jewelry never hurts!

My personal philosophy is that if I can’t make it myself, I will seek out a unique, one of a kind jewelry gift from another artist.  I enjoy working with the artist to develop a custom piece because I know that it will have special meaning for the recipient.  Perhaps it will become a favorite accessory that she will wear several times a week.  Or maybe she will love it enough to pass it along to a younger generation in the future.  Either way, she will appreciate the gift even more knowing that I had a hand in its design.

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Featured Friday – Past Your Porchlight

Past Your Porchlight

This week’s featured Etsy shop is Past Your Porchlight in Ontario, Canada.  I found this shop by complete accident while creating my Snowy treasury last week!  Shop owner Jessie Cunningham creates handmade soft sculptures and plush toys in the most adorable animal shapes.  Her items are made with a variety of materials including heirloom quality wool blend felt, polyester felt, faux fur, and deer suede.  I can’t help it – I’m totally in love with the badger sculpture above!  Visit her shop to learn more.

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Seeing spots!

Today’s Etsy treasury celebrates all things polka dot.  Each item in this collection is handmade in the USA.

Polka Dot Plush Easter Bunny Stuffed Animal Nursery Decor Pink Fuchsia White Fuchsia Polka Dots Wide Padded Zipper Pouch Gadget Case Cosmetics Bag - READY TO SHIP Baby bandana bib, baby bib, bandana bib, bibdana, baby shower gift, baby girl bib, drool bib, baby girl gift, red polka dot bib dog collar flower ,red polka dot flower ,dog collar accessory ,wedding dog flower
Bridesmaids clutch, gold bridesmaids gift ideas, gold cosmetic bag, gold wedding, gold polka dot, unique bridesmaids Orange Polka Dot Brag Book, Photo Album Display, Mini Scrapbook Album, Instagram Book, Premade Scrapbook Fall Dog Collar / Polka Dot Dog Collar / Thanksgiving Dog Collar / Orange Polka Dot Dog Collar Peel and Stick Pastel Orange Polka Dot Wall Decals | Long Life | Apartment Safe
Yellow Polka Dot Straws, Cute Straws, Fancy Drinking Straws, Yellow Drinking Straws, 25 Pack - Yellow Polka Dot Green Polka Dot Pillow - Premier Prints Green Dandie Dot Pillow - Decorative Pillow Throw Pillow Green White Polka Dot PIllow Cover 24 Green Polka Dot Cupcake Wrappers for Weddings, Engagement and Special Occassions Blue Polka Dot Fabric Button Earrings
Crossbody Bag, Hip Bag, Crossbody Purse, Crossbody Handbag, Hip Purse, Polka Dot Bag, Blue Purse, Blue Hip Bag, Letterboxing Bag Purple Polka Dots Light Switch Cover Girls Bedroom Decoration Radiant Orchid Decor Switchplate Switch Plate 1338 Purple Polka Dot Mug - Coffee Mug - Ceramic - Made to Order Dog Bow Tie- Fuchsia Polka Dot Bow Tie- More options available- dog collar accessory