Copper Beads in Action by June Sprigg Tooley

Here's another wonderful example of my etched copper beads in action. This lovely neckpiece was made by June Sprigg Tooley, an avid beader and fabulous etsian. I really enjoy the combination of gemstone and metal beads in this one, and I love that beautiful dragonfly pendant. I don't have much of a knack for beading myself, so I loved seeing what June came up with!

Copper Beads in Action at Catherinette Rings

One of the things I love about making my etched copper beads is getting to see what other jewelry artists have done with them. So naturally I was very excited when I saw these great steampunk bracelets made by Daniel at Catherinette Rings. I really enjoy the combination of materials in these bracelets, and the wirework is exquisite. Catherine, the other half of Catherinette rings, makes adorable and colorful flower rings. Check out their etsy shop to see all their other wonderful jewelry!

Need a place to store your loot?

Hi Everybody! It's been a while since I've posted. I'm still recovering from finishing my student teaching, and I'm spending the first few weeks of summer teaching arts & crafts and sewing for summer school.
I still havn't had much time to make anything new or interesting, but my Friend Christine over at porcupine snuggles has been busy knitting some of the cutest little loot bags I've seen. How else could two teddy bears make off with a fortune in monopoly money and chocolate coins in such an adorable fashion?
Christine is a very talented knitter and has lots of cute things in her Etsy shop. Check it out!

Etsy Shops I Love- Studio Elan

As a metalsmith, I have a definite appreciation for functional artwork. What could be better than a beautiful object you can use in your everyday life? I also have a definite appreciation for ceramics artists, mainly because I have no talent whatsoever for ceramics. That's why Studio Elan is one of my favorite Etsy shops. The shop's motto says it all... "Functional Stoneware Pottery with Flair."

At Studio Elan, you can find a wide range of functional ceramic objects, from elegantly simple garlic graters and spoon rests to artistic treasure jars, all made with impeccable craftsmanship. I personally love the wonderful rich colors of the glazes and the beautifully proportioned forms of the pieces. Studio Elan is truly a one of a kind shop, and I highly recommend it not only for the quality of the work, but also for excellent customer service.

Like Comics?

My husband does. He just started making his own little lo-fi webcomic. The first episode features an actual conversation my husband and I had almost word for word. I love the comic version of my husband with his rectangular head. I think it's a pretty good likeness. He does have kind of a rectangular head. Anyway, you should totally check it out. You can see it on his blog.

Etsy Shops I Love - Pink Quartz Minerals

I'm the first to admit that I'm no makeup expert. Sometimes I need a little help picking out the right makeup. If you're like me and you could use a little extra help, Pink Quartz Minerals is the place to go. Owner Doree is super friendly and helpful, and answers questions very quickly. Plus, there are many listings in her shop for sample kits that allow you to choose different product and colors to try, and specially selected eyeshadow sample kits designed to complement various eye colors. If you're buying foundation but aren't quite sure what shade is right for you, you can choose an option to have samples sent to you before you choose your color. Buying makeup doesn't get much easier than that!

As for the products themselves, they are very high quality, with a wonderful range of colors to choose from, and very nice packaging. The makeup is entirely made from minerals, so it's all natural and vegan and very kind to the skin. I was a little concerned at first that mineral makeup might be difficult to apply, but it is actually quite easy, and each order comes with a very complete set of application directions. Buying from Pink Quarts Minerals is simply the most positive makeup shopping experience I have ever had! No more drug store makeup for me!

Etsy Shops I Love - Maryink

I'm not very good at screenprinting. I tried it at school and didn't have much talent for it, which makes me all the more impressed with all the talented Etsy sellers out there selling cool screenprinted items. One of my favorite shops for all sorts of wonderful screenprinted items is Maryink.

My first purchase from Maryink was a set of lovely votive candleholders covered with screenprinted paper, which I bought as a gift for my mom. Since then I've bought a few t-shirts and a tote bag, and I just love them all.

Maryink's shop features a diverse selection of unique designs, ranging from delicate florals to folk art motifs and bold pop designs. My favorite thing about Maryink's items is that the t-shirts are printed with a special ink that disperses the dye in the t-shirt. The prints are actually dyed into the fabric of the t-shirt, not sitting on top of it like with a normal screenprint. This makes the t-shirts extra comfy to wear and the prints don't crack like regular screenprints sometimes do.

Maryink is definitely one of my favorite Etsy sellers, and I'm sure I will be back for more!

I do not remember Precious Roy

This blog post is not by Alison, alias Copperheart. It is, in fact, by her fiance, Justin. In exchange for my marrying her, she has given me assistance in creating an Etsy shop of my very own.

http://gigaduck.etsy.com/

Right now there's only a comic book for sale, which I like to call "The Adventures of Wyatt Earp in 2999." The title, I feel, speaks for itself. My friend Josh Lynch and I put this book together as a sample to drum up interest in a series we're shopping around to publishers, and was previously only available at conventions (and to submissions editors at prestigious comic book publishers).

Josh is a for-real professional artist, and I think it would do you well to check out the book. It's kind of lame to be "It's super limited edition," but it totally is, you know. I've got, like, six left in the current print run; they were hell of expensive to print, so any new edition we'd make would be printed on much cheaper paper than the beautiful thick stock it's on now. Therefore, you should buy this rare flower of sequential art immediately.

In addition to being a writer, I am also a musician of sorts; I write and record music with my brother, Zach, under the name Morrison Bass. To date we've produced a full-length, 12-track album called Hometown, which will be available on the shop shortly. It is equally as awesome as the Wyatt Earp comic, except that you can hear it. Also, it contains no cowboys, but there is much else to recommend it. To that end, you can visit our lo-fi MySpace page at

http://www.myspace.com/morrisonbass

Anyway, it may seem kind of crass to advertise on my fiance's blog, but this was actually her idea, so I will not feel bad in telling you that my comics and music are beloved by right-thinking people the world over, and several former candidates for the 2008 US presidential election have bought them (I will not tell you which ones, but let's just say Ron Paul would only pay me in currency that bore his face).

Good day, citizens.

-Justin

Etsy Shops I Love- PudledukSoapCo

One of my favorite things about Etsy is that its a great place to find natural handmade bath and beauty products. I have lots of trouble with dry, itchy skin, especially in the winter here in Wisconsin, so I need products that moisturizing and natural. That's why I love Pudleduk! They make the most wonderfully moisturizing soaps, with nice subtle fragrances. They use shea butter in their soaps, which I have found to be the best moisturizer for my dry skin. Personally i love their goats milk soaps (I have a fondness for goats, having spent three years working on goat farms myself) but they also have vegan friendly olive oil soaps. I even use their soap to wash my hair- I just follow it with an apple cider vinegar rinse and it works great! Their bars are nice and big too, and come packaged in nice little muslin pouches which you can find lots of uses for once the soap is gone.

In addition to soap, Pudleduk sells lip balm, skin treatments, aromatherapy products, and even bases to make your own natural bath and beauty goodies. I have bought their Helping Hand Herbal Salve, which has done wonders for my dry hands, and some of their lip balms (the vanilla is to die for). I'm very happy to have found a source for such wonderful natural bath and beauty products!

Hey Knitters

My mom now has lovely handspun and hand dyed yarn in her etsy shop, WoollyAttic

I can say from experience that her yarn is nice and cozy!

Everyone and Their Mom Has a Blog!

My mom is getting so techno-savvy, pretty soon she'll be way cooler than me! She just started her own blog, where she's going to talk about her spinning and knitting projects. She already has some great pictures up of a beautiful afghan she's working on. I think she's going to be way better at blogging than me :)

Anyways, If you're a fan of the fiber arts, check out her blog at http://woollyattic.blogspot.com/

Everyone and Their Mom is on Etsy!

My mom just opened her Etsy shop last night! It's called WoollyAttic, and she's selling lovely handknit hats, scarves, and gloves. Some of her items are made with handspun yarn too! If you're a fan of cozy winter accessories, check out her shop!

imogeneANDannie: Pattern and Piercing

I admit it. I just love bunnies. I can't help myself... their little fluffy tails and their cute little ears...

It was my love of bunnies that first drew me to imogeneANDannie's shop, where I found a few other friendly woodland creatures, as well as a lot of really unique jewelry.

imogeneANDannie's jewelry focuses on two classic metalsmithing techniques: surface decoration and piercing.

This "Bunny Necklace" features the silhouette of a rabbit, skillfully pierced from an oval medallion adorned with a sweet floral motif. It is a very cute necklace, to be sure, but it is also elegant in its well thought out simplicity and fine craftsmanship. Also, the photograph itself is lovely.

The "Branch Earrings" pictured below are an other fine example of some very precise piercing. The stark yet elegant shape of a bare tree branch is cut from silver and oxidized. These earrings are very unusual without being over the top.

In addition to wonderful pierced jewelry, imogeneANDannie features some lovely jewelry made with vintage beads.

To see more of this artistic jewelry, check out http://imogeneandannie.etsy.com/ or visit http://www.imogene.org/ to see work by other great crafters too!

Green Lantern Glass: Brilliantly Modern

It's a little embarrassing to admit, but Green Lantern Glass first caught my eye because of the association with one of my comic book aficionado boyfriend's favorite superheroes. When I looked into the shop, I found a collection of lovely glass pendants and stunning stained glass panels.

One of the things that interests me most about Green Lantern Glass is the combination of very modern aesthetics with classic media and techniques. This beautiful stained glass panel entitled "Modern Stained Glass- Coastal Trees" is inspired by Japanese prints, and made with traditional European stained glass techniques, but the graphic quality of the hand painted details, and the semi-abstracted representation of the landscape give it a contemporary feel. Personally, I love the rich, clear colors of the glass and the crispness of the painted details.

The same sensibility carries over to Green Lantern's jewelry pieces. These glass pendants feature hand painted designs fused between two layers of glass. They are graphic, yet elegant, and simple enough to wear everyday. Superb craftsmanship and elegant modern design make Green Lantern Glass truly brilliant. Check out Green Lantern Glass at http://greenlanternglass.etsy.com/ to see more.

SOKU: Wonderful Wooden Jewelry

Today's post is the first in a series of features on fellow Etsy sellers.

One of The things I love about Etsy is that just by browsing around, you can discover wonderful pieces by very talented artists and crafters. One day my browsing brought me to soku's shop, where I found some of the most beautiful wood jewelry I've ever seen.

Soku's jewelry ranges from the simple and elegant to the bold and ornate, all rendered with exquisite craftsmanship and sensitivity to the material.

The Earrings above: "Geometric Circle, Maple Earrings" Feature a Celtic design in maple wood, beautifully hand finished. Wonderful earrings for those of us who like jewelry that is earthy and bold (and those of us who are Irish or Irish at heart.)

For those of us who prefer smaller and simpler jewelry, soku has these lovely "Smaller Oval Within an Oval" earrings. These classic earrings feature a modern shape and a rich finish that brings out the grain of the wood.

Beautiful jewelry, wonderful shop, very fair prices. I can't say enough about soku! Check it out for yourself at http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5164032