This awesome bracelet, which spells GEEK in amino acids, was made by the very talented molecularmuse, who makes all kinds of beautiful, science-grounded items, perfect for the geek in us all!

I had a hard time choosing the best thing to feature from sihaya09 (aka Sihaya Designs). I’ve known her online since long before she started selling her jewelry online, and it’s so wonderful seeing her become so successful. Today I think this gorgeous necklace best represents the direction her work is now taking her–into a world of sophisticated, subtle color schemes, professional workmanship, and shimmering semi-precious stones.

One of the things I am really longing for as my birthday approaches, after stalking them from afar, is a print of one of dkim’s beautiful, dreamlike artworks. There is something inutterably heartbreaking about “Too Alive to Stay,” one of my new favorites from her shop.

PreciousMeshes does absolutely amazing things with wire, working with it like it’s yarn! I love her woven, wrapped pearls, especially. These Protozoa earrings are just one example among many.

Every single item in lake’s shop seems to tell a story, and her Apothecary earrings are no exception. when I picture them I think of a children’s picture book, maybe something like Little Nemo, riding around in a dirigible with these dainty, little cages hovering all around.

When I went shopping through antb’s shop, I saw lots of lovely items, but didn’t expect to find anything as fangirly as this Ferris Bueller bowl! What an awesome surprise.

This CRAFT diorama by beebalalou is amazingly intricate. What a great art piece! I’ve had the pleasure of seeing Ms. Jen Rowan doing her thing at several local craft and art shows, and she has a great personality to match her work!

BirdNerd is a local favorite Etsian of mine. She has so many amazing illustrations and representations of different avian friends (in many different mediums too! including plushies!) that it was hard to decide which one I would feature today–but I decided this barn owl had the best color scheme.

Another really talented local illustrator is jenoaks. I have been stalking this Striped Socks print for months. As you can see, I’m a big fan of stripey socks myself.

This purple lace choker from jewelry artist Aranwen is so beautifully delicate and intricate. I love it!

I love that this adorable tunic was made by thimblescratch using all recycled fabric!

Etsy user omaha made this “primitive” journal to look aged, soft, and well-traveled, and she did an excellent job. I would love to be sitting in a cafe in some little French village, sketching away in this!

sheilasthings is having an extreme sale in her store right now, and so many of her lovely items are going for a song, such as this very round blue pot, for only $7!

I wouldn’t even be advertizing juror2’s ChefChop Tee or Apron if I didn’t know she could make more. I totally love this and want to buy one for my boyfriend’s younger brother, who’s going to culinary school. I had an opportunity to meet Ms. juror2 at Craftaluma a couple months ago (I bought a magnet with a pirate on it) and her illustrations look even better in person!

aorta makes all kinds of beautiful, one-of-a-kind applique clothing, often incorporating some of my favorite animals, squids! I’m totally digging this “>applique squid tie. She uses upcycled clothing for all of her creations, which gives them even more of a unique feel.

La Traviata- The Fallen Rabbit is one of my favorite paintings currently in amberalexander’s shop–but it was hard to choose because her watercolors are so lovely. I think the item description sells this print better than I ever could: She couldn’t help herself. She was a beautiful, young Rabbit and Men wanted her. Why shouldn’t she enjoy?

I’m really digging the jewelry that philosophia makes, incorporating real butterfly wings, such as this one, which also has a scrap of vintage paper trapped inside. I’m a real sucker for science-meets-art, and this fits the bill nicely.

motleymutton’s little needlefelted animal necklaces are always totally adorable, but I’ve never seen her make a bat before. The little goth girl inside of me is squealing with glee!

And that’s the five for today, folks! Tonight or tomorrow I will have another post talking all about the event that’s happening at Brownies Vintage tomorrow night!

I’ve also spent a shocking amount of time on my big hobby: running decant circles for Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab. It’s a really rewarding, fun hobby that fills my house with wonderful smells and is always very inspiring–and even though it’s not something I really make money from, and certainly not something from which I’m trying to profit, since starting to do decant circles a few years ago, I’ve learned a lot about efficiency, good recordkeeping, good customer service, and the ins and outs of the USPS, that has served me very well in my enterpreneurial/artistic efforts–but it’s also time-sensitive, which means sometimes it ends up taking time away from my real work.

Well, anyway, this entry is actually about a Treasury I put together on Etsy a couple weeks ago. I’d like to give these great items some more publicity, so here we go:

From top to bottom, left to right:
Photographic Print by sfjamiejones
Earrings by heronmoon
Wrap by rainbowrevolution
Cuff by hollyhawk
Ceramic Mug by LASdesigns
Wall Art Block by suzannaanna
Ceramic Ring by panopoly (me!)
Plush Squid by Caelista
Painting by BellatrixArt (Sold!)
Pendant by leandogpottery (Unlisted)
Photographic Print by ritagpatel
Purse by theseawithin
Ornament by pattihaskins
Painting by purelypainting
Coasters by abbsmcnabbs
Photographic Print by sfjamiejones

It is my new goal to make 7 entries in this blog in the next 7 days. Let’s see if I can keep it! I certainly have enough to write about…

A few new items have been added to the shop over the last few days. I’ve been in the middle of glazing a bunch of stuff for days but have been a bit stuck in a rut due to my housemate moving out, and all the general turnover and confusion and unexpected tasks that added to my life. Things are starting to settle down, though, so I’m hoping to get that stuff fired within the next couple days. In the meantime, new stuff:

[Blushing Pink Bead Set]

[Desert Sage Beads]

[Orphan Bead Set]

[Delicately Pink Beads]

Oh, and as you can see, I’ve made a new banner for here, as well as for my shop and Etsy user icon, to more correctly represent current crafty focus. (Nice alliteration, huh?)

Meanwhile I recently made an Alchemy request for some new skincare products, and I couldn’t believe the outpouring of responses I got. Not just bids, but just general Conversations from other Etsy users about things that had worked for them. It was really awesome and reminded me about how much I like the Etsy community as a whole. I ended up accepting bids from Swan Mountain Soaps, Tamara’s Herbs (I also got a sample of her Hair Therapy product), Greenberry Soaps and Botanicals, Unico’s Cauldron, and am currently figuring out exactly what I want from Parrot Feathers. I’ll be sure and let y’all know how all that turns out!

So, I’m kind of saving the best news for last, but–I just found out that my Weathered Green Handmade Ceramic Shank Buttons are getting featured in tomorrow’s Etsy Finds e-mail! I’ve never gotten publicity on that scale before, so I’m mega-excited. Yay!

First, on the recommendation of Chicky Bandita, I placed an order for some of Rose of Sharon Acres’ Tooth Chips. They come in many different flavors,including anise and orange cinnamon (the latter being my favorite!) and offer a couple different sample pack options, so it was really easy for me to give them a trial run.

The tooth chips are basically little shavings of a soap that’s specially made for teeth. You just put one piece on your moistened toothbrush, and start brushing away. The idea of literally washing your mouth out with soap takes a little getting used to, but although you can tell that the soap is soap, it doesn’t taste bad like putting a bar of Dove in your mouth, or something–just a little odd. The chips immediately lather up as soon as you put brush to tooth, but it’s not the thick foam you get from toothpaste. It’s just like regular soap lather. I liked that because I hate feeling like I’m drooling while I’m brushing. The tooth chips made me feel very fresh and clean. When you’re done brushing, you’re supposed to rinse three times, which felt like just the right amount for me!

After I ordered the chips, I thought I’d do a search and see what else Etsy had to offer in their vein. The other item I found that looked really interesting was Bloodroot’s Toothpowders. I chose a (very affordable and generously-sized!) sample amount of the ginger toothpowder.

The tooth powder is, literally, a powder, that’s comprised of various herbs plus baking soda. You wet your toothbrush, sort of dunk it in the powder, andget to work. When I first tried brushing with it I was a little surprised by the taste. I think I was expecting an unsweetened herbal powder to taste like a ginger snap cookie or something, which was my problem, not the product’s. It actually tasted quite good. I was totally shocked at how fast my teeth got clean–they felt squeaky before I’d barely begun to brush! At first I found the texture of ground-up herbs to be a bit odd, but I quickly adjusted. It was also a little weird to see my mouth full of greenish-brown foam, but everything washed away easily when I was done, and the results certainly didn’t lie. This stuff works great!

I liked the both of these so much, I may have to order full-sized amounts of each, and then alternate between them based on my day’s scenario. If I’m gonna be snuggling with the boyfriend, I’d rather have my breath smell like ginger than faintly of soap, but if I’m getting ready to go out and I’m wearing a light-colored shirt, I’d rather brush with white lather over earthtones, just in case I make a mess

These are both great products and I encourage you to try them out if you’re looking for a better option than regular toothpaste, or even if you’re just curious or adventurous. These are also awesome examples of the neato things you discover when you choose to buy handmade!

World-Weary Blue Beads

Light Aqua Teardrop Beads

Orphan Bead Set–SOLD

Matte Purple Ring Prototype