Follower Feature Friday: simply_hibiscus

Happy Friday, Folks!  It's time for another follower feature!  This week's follower is simply_hibiscus, who makes some of the cutest plushies this side of... well... anywhere.  A visit to her shop is like walking into a very eclectic and somewhat odd zoo.  You'll find all sorts of critters from owls and octopuses to dinosaurs and yetis, with a healthy dose of adorable monsters thrown in to the mix.  Here are some of my favorites...

Melvin 

Melvin has got to be the world's cutest yeti.  That hair... Those eyes... He may be the strong, silent type, but inside he's just begging to be cuddled.  And who wouldn't love to cuddle a yeti?

Lucy the Owl

I love me some owls, and there seem to be plenty of them floating around the Etsyverse.  But Lucy here stands out from the crowd.  Lucy is an owl with attitude.  Or maybe... hootitude?  Whatever it is, she's got it.  And then some.  As the entry reads, "Checkered, round, gray, and small, she's the owl that has it all."  I couldn't have said it better myself!

Wub

I don't know about you, but I didn't know monsters could be this cute.  In fact, this little guy - with his big, round eyes and somewhat uncertain expression - is so adorable I kind of feel bad for calling him a monster.  Perhaps "unidentified creature" would be better.  I'd hate to hurt his feelings.  He seems like kind of a sensitive little guy... 

Now, if you don't see anything in the shop that really tugs at your heartstrings, don't fret.  Simplyhibiscus takes custom orders!  And if you wanna give a little Wub to a someone special, you can have your order gift wrapped for just two bucks! 

So what are you waiting for?  Go pay simplyhibiscus a visit.  And let me know if you see any octopuses.

Follower Feature Friday: KMstudioDOTcom

Happy Friday, folks! Now, before I get on with my follower feature, I'd like to take a moment to share...

I got a feature of my own! I'm in this treasury! Isn't it lovely? My first treasury. I'm so excited!

But enough about me. Today's featured follower is kmstudiodotcom, who makes awesome items, both ornamental and functional, out of recycled aluminum cans. How cool is that? I always love to see crafters making nifty stuff and helping the environment at the same time. And KM Studio does just that with beautiful items like this magnet:



Hard to believe it's made from a plain old soda can, isn't it? And what a lovely way to dress up your fridge. Or your favorite jacket! Because you have the option, when ordering, of having this little lovely made into a brooch rather than a magnet. And there's no need to worry about sharp bits snagging you or your clothes, as each piece has a foam backing.

Are you more of a bookworm than a pin-wearing fridge-dresser? That's cool. KM Studio's got you covered too. Check out these bookmarks!



Nifty, no? I love the clip-type bookmarks, but a lot of the ones I've used have been a bit cumbersome - a bit heavy or oddly shaped. These look just perfect. They're small and simple, and they're made of aluminum, so they'd be light too. And again, they have a foam backing to protect you and your book. My only complaint is that I didn't see a Coke version. It's all about brand loyalty, y'know.

Ah, but KM Studio doesn't just recycle aluminum cans. She works with polymer clay and paints too! Take a look at this gorgeous polymer clay rose magnet:



So pretty! It reminds me of one of those lovely little miniature rose bushes. Looks like it was just picked!

And I just love this painting of a pair of lovebirds:



Such beautiful, vivid colors! Makes me think of the sunset.

And this is just a taste of what KM StudioDOTcom has to offer. Be sure to check out the rest of her shop!

I'm off to kick back and enjoy the rest of my birthday. See you Monday!

Follower Feature Friday: Dongedy

Happy Friday, folks! Today's featured follower is the fantastic Dongedy, a truly unique photographer who specializes in miniatures.

It's hard to describe Dongedy's art in words, other than to say that it's wonderfully creative--a bit quirky, rather humorous, and sure to make you smile. So, allow me to show you a few of my favorites...



This one is called "Sin of Gluttony," and looking at it, I can't help but imagine myself as a tiny climber, scaling a jar of Nutella. Oh, yes. Much gluttony would be committed...



On one hand, this could be a viewed as a more serious piece making a statement about the medical field's dependence on drugs. On the other hand, it just makes me chuckle. I would love to see this hanging in a waiting room...



This would be a great Valentine's gift for your favorite heartbreaker. Or maybe an anti-Valentine's gift. Or maybe just a generally awesome gift for someone who appreciates a great visual pun.

I'm going to stop typing now, and you're going to go check out Dongedy's shop, right? Right.

Follower Feature Friday: Eco Creations

Happy Friday, Folks!  Hope you're all enjoying yours.  We're having a snowy one here, but that's okay.  I view it as a great excuse to stay inside and drink lots of hot chocolate! 

And, of course, catch up on things like my blogging.  It feels like it's been ages since I did a Follower Feature...  But I'm jumping back in the saddle with this post, featuring the lovely EcoCreations!

If you're into eco-friendly, nature-inspired designs, you simply must check out Eco Creations.  While they're focus is on hemp and beaded jewelry, they also feature other accessories and home decor (there aren't any listed at the moment, but they do some awesome hemp rugs).  And the best part?  Not only is everything in the shop beautiful, but it's all made with vegan, domestically-made, and/or recycled materials. And they offer free shipping in the US!  Here's just a sample of what they have to offer...

Unique Hemp Jewelry

I don't think I've ever seen hemp combined with sterling silver before, but isn't gorgeous?  If you don't think hemp jewelry can be elegant, take another look at this picture.  And then go check out the rest of the shop, because this is just one example.

Elegant Earrings

Maybe hemp just really isn't your thing.  No worries.  Eco Creations has lots of not-hemp-but-still-eco-friendly jewelry too.  Like these beautiful, graceful earrings, featuring mother-of-pearl coins that were not harvested from live oysters.  No need for your earrings to fight with your ethics!

Beautiful Beaded Bracelets

Eco Creations has all sorts of beautiful bracelets of both the hemp and beaded variety, ranging from austere and elegant to fun and funky.  So choosing one was difficult, but the name of this one caught my eye.  Sugarplum.  What a perfect name!  It really does remind me of a bunch of sugarplums all strung together.  It's one part Serious Plum Business, two parts Sugary Dancing Fun.  I love it!

And all that talk of sugarplums has made me hungry...  I'm off to raid the after-Christmas candy stash.  You go pay a visit to Eco Creations!

Want a chance to be featured here?  Come follow me!

Follower Feature Friday: Freedom Market

Christmas is only two weeks off (already?!), so hopefully you've got your shopping mostly done.  But there are always those hard-to-shop-for people on your list--your picky cousin, the aunt who has everything...  your token hippie friend.  Granted, said friend is probably pretty laid-back, but you still want to get them something they'll really like, right? 

Well, that's easy.  Just buy them something from freedommarket.  You can't go wrong!  They have a huge selection of hemp jewelry, like this beautiful bracelet:

There are plenty of other bracelets, chokers, even anklets!  And each piece displays the same great craftsmanship.  These will certainly stand the test of time.

Looking for a more functional gift?  Or maybe a special way to present the jewelry you just bought?  Freedommarket has a selection of handmade pouches as well.  This one is my favorite:

Adorable!  And it had entirely too many potential uses to list them all here.  You could store jewelry in it, use it as a change purse, a makeup bag (for the essentials, at least), put some potpourri in it and turn into a sachet...  I think you get the idea. 

Now, maybe your token hippie friend has a cute hippie baby (or is going to have).  Why not pick up something for the little one too?  Like one of these:

What hippie parent wouldn't love to dress their tot in tie-dye? 

And if all that's not enough for you, freedommarket has a selection of vintage items, as well!  So go take a look.  Peace out!

Want a chance to be featured here?  Follow me!

Follower Feature Friday: Terrabella

Happy Friday folks! It’s time for another Follower Feature! And another holiday shopping idea…

If you’re shopping for a lady, jewelry is pretty much a no-fail gift. I’m sure there are girls out there who don’t like jewelry, but I don’t know any. Trouble is, some of us like it so much that it’s hard to find something we don’t already have. If you’ve got someone like this on your hands, don’t give up and start looking for other ideas just yet. Go check out Terrabella first.

Your lady/mother/sister/friend may have jewelry consisting of every metal and stone known to man, but does she have anything made of wood? I don’t. Not yet anyway… But I’d love to have any of Terrabella’s jewelry. It’s all just gorgeous, superbly crafted. And no matter how much work is done to a piece, the inherent beauty of the wood itself always shines through.

Take this bracelet, for instance. Or this one. Aren’t they just stunning?

Now. What if you’ve got one of those rare non-jewelry-wearing sorts? Well, Terrabella’s got you covered there too. This keepsake box would make a wonderful gift. Perfect for adding your own personal touch. You could put a hand-written or some other special item in it. Or even use it as a unique, thoughtful way to present another gift. Lots of possibilities, and if this one doesn’t strike your fancy, there are plenty more where that came from.

Like the idea of a useful gift, but looking for something a little… roomier? How about a basket? Baskets are nice, right? How about a hand-woven pine needle basket. I’m willing to bet most people do not already have one of these.

I wish I did. I’d love to see one in person. I’m just fascinated. Must look into this pine needle weaving thing more closely. And while I’m doing that, you go give Terrabella some love!

Want a chance to be featured? Follow me!

Follower Feature Friday: ParkersPrints

Happy Friday, Folks! And welcome to the first edition of Follower Feature Friday!

Ready or not, Christmas is coming. The holiday season is upon us and it’s time to start thinking about shopping and decorating and… sending cards! Chances are, whether you’re planning to send cards to everyone you know or just to a select few, you’ve got a few people extra special people on your list. Why send them the same old storebought card you’re sending to everyone else when you could send them a beautiful handmade card instead?

Not into making cards yourself? No problem! ParkersPrints can help you out. She’s got a great selection of cute cards (and envelopes!), not just for Christmas, but for all sorts of occasions.

Got a coffee-holic in the family? This card would be perfect! And if you don’t know any coffee-holics, you could always send one to me…

Or you could go for something a bit less specific but still adorable. Serioulsy. ADORABLE.

Looking for a unique, eco-friendly way to send your cards and letters? How about envelopes made from catalogs?

And on the off-chance that you can’t find what you’re looking for in the shop, ParkersPrints also welcomes custom requests.

So. Go take a look. Buy a card. Send a card. Make someone smile.