Oldies but Goodies: Handmade Edition

For the past month I've been working on a major reorganization of my stores, my store room, and even my personal bookshelves. It's been such a huge project that I haven't been able to post about the major holidays over the past few weeks. I really hope if you haven't finished your gift purchasing (say, for Father's Day or a birthday) that you'll pay me a visit with enough time to allow for shipping!

 It has occurred to me that the "visual clutter" I have recently removed from my stores may have been keeping you from seeing some of the great things I have. I thought I'd pop in today and show you some of the things you might have forgotten about, and tell you their stories.

A few years ago, I used my printmaking knowledge to carve and hand-print two designs of bookmarks. The first one is the first part of a Victor Hugo quotation I happen to like: "To learn to read is to light a fire; every syllable that is spelled out is a spark." It was a way of uniting my two loves--writing (and by extension, reading), and fine art. I invented my own smoke and flames inspired script for this bookmark.

My other bookmark design depicts a type of grass in an Art Nouveau style. I found a lovely tile motif in an old book on the New York Museum of Art website and decided to copy the lines of it. It was almost too delicate to cut out! These two bookmarks share the same plate, incidentally, and have to be cut apart after I ink them and apply the paper in the Japanese style.
I printed them in four color/paper combinations (three of which I still have). Unfortunately, there are few people in the world who appreciate a handmade bookmark when commercial ones are so easy to come by. If you are interested in something really special, they are all in the "Books and Bookmarks" section of my Artfire store.

Speaking of printmaking, I made this aquatic themed print in college. Yes, it does reflect my early interest in Art Nouveau and jellyfish. This was made using a technique called Monotype, which involved painting ink on smooth plates, removing layers of ink with tools, inking the plate again to layer the colors, drawing with colored pencil, etc. It can only be printed once per composition, unlike the bookmarks above, so whoever comes to own this one, called "The Reef After Dark," will have an exclusive piece of art.

Here is another early handmade item from my stores. I have a Japanese flowering plum in my front yard, and I think it's gorgeous in the spring. I decided to draw and hand-stitch a cluster of flowers on the end of a branch, using satin stitches, back stitching, French knots, and more. It took forever! If you like this one-of-a-kind piece, you can buy it here.

 I also have recently moved this little piece of rustic-style felt art to Ebay. It is all hand-stitched and dates to my junior high days. I was using a pattern, but I must say my success with it may be an origin for my pom pom animal line, which you may be very familiar with.












Yesterday, I posted on my Facebook fanpage about a decoupage project I made with friends over the weekend, just to get out of a crafting rut. I used a cardboard box I had purchased nearly a decade before to decorate, and layered on magazine clippings about Hawaii, circulated stamps from Micronesia, and a few vintage crate label prints from an old calendar. I'm not really serious about opening a decoupage line of products in my store (unless you ask, lol) but I plan to post a picture of my project over there if you'd like to stop by and leave a comment.

I am considering drawing some iron-on embroidery transfers and selling them as kits, because doing it myself would require me to charge pretty high prices for my time. Would any of my readers be interested?

What sort of things do you like to craft? Let me know in the comments.

Spring Showers, Bright Flowers

There are spring flowers and new leaves are gleaming in the bright sunshine around here. It makes me want to wear and decorate with bright colors, and throw open the windows to let in the sunshine. Mother's Day in the US is right around the corner, it's the peak of wedding season, and it's May birthday season, too. It's easy to find a good excuse to break out the flowers!

Here are a few of my favorite floral things from what I have on hand; I am preparing to list more in coming days:

This vintage Vera Neumann scarf is fabulous! It is from the late 60s, and has never been worn (it still has the store tag on it).  The print looks like peach pink and red Azaeleas with turquoise leaves.

This 70s era ceramic citrus floral wall plaque is the perfect way to brighten up a narrow strip of wall, perhaps in a kitchen. It has a hanger already attached to the back. I believe if this is not Lefton, it is a quality imitator.

This silk scarf has a more neutral color palette, but that light blue still feels like spring to me--in the winter, it seems like the sky is always gray.

This men's Hardy Amies necktie has bright colors that remind me of flowers, but the pattern still has a masculine edge to it. A daring man could totally pull this off with a gray suit and a coordinating shirt.

These hair chopsticks, still tied in their original packaging, make a nice gift...maybe just to yourself. ;)

 This selection of 50s-70s era birthday cards will help you get prepared for Mom's birthday this year. Some of them can be used for other people's birthdays, as well. They don't all mention mother in the messages on them, and only one has some writing on it.


I am only scratching the surface of what I have in stock. Floral themes are eternally popular and I don't think they ever go out of style. Many flowers also carry a special symbolic meaning (rooted in Victorian and ancient traditions), which makes them great gifts.  Hope you'll stop by!

Curious about the traditional meanings of certain types of flowers? Here's an interesting link you can explore:
The Language of Flowers

Here's Some Tax Relief You Can Use...a Coupon!

Last week, I worked on taxes any time I had a break from my other obligations, and now, at last...

I'm finished!

I'm celebrating by offering a 20% off coupon in my Artfire and Etsy stores. Just use coupon code:

 TAX20 

It's good through the end of April, and works on anything over $7!

If you have your eye on something in my eCrater store and would like the discount, you'll have to write to me, because that store doesn't have coupon capability. I'll have to mark it down manually for you...but I'd be happy to do that!

So, after shaking off the bookkeeping brain-stupor, I have started photographing and listing things again. My plan is to try to get something new into the store on a daily basis, so stay tuned!

Here is my newest listing, from today. This scarf has a minimalist, modern art kind of print, with primary color blocks and boxes on a tan  background. Follow the link to see it flat. If you like it, it's eligible for the coupon code. Just sayin'...

Defiant, Persistent Spring!

This has possibly been one of the most brutal winters in several decades in the US. In fact, even as I write this, the air outside my window is below freezing, and there is snow on the ground. My area usually gets rain in March, and lots of wind, so what is with this weather?

Nevertheless, spring is coming! The robins are back in my neighborhood, the crocuses have sprouted, and I keep seeing flocks of geese flying north again. I am so ready for those warmer temperatures and greener landscapes!

I've been restocking my stores this week with bright and pastel colors, for those desperate for some sunshine and flowers. I know how you feel!

I listed this beautiful floral chiffon scarf a few weeks ago. It has already been favorited by 25 people on Etsy and pinned a few times on Pinterest--good signs I won't have it for long!

I recently acquired several solid colored chiffon scarves in spring colors. Chiffon is breezy for the warmer temps, and transitions well into the summer and fall. This light olive green scarf is very long and rectangular, with opaque stripes and sheer panels that virtually disappear against your skin! Makes me think of erin go bragh and St. Patrick's Day, as well.

This little  Royal Grafton demitasse cup and saucer will brighten your day! Could you believe it dates to the late 1950s? I love that orange color on the cup.

If you're still not cheered, maybe the little boy on this plaque can manage it (or his little mouse and bird friends).

Or perhaps the little boy on this plaque can brighten up your nursery room, when the spring rain comes.

This little duck figurine will put you in a good mood about spring rain, as well.

 With spring rains comes Easter, and new baby animals! I have some real wild bunnies living in my back yard, but this pink lead crystal one is pretty cute, too.

Of course, all of this spring talk makes me think of Bambi. Isn't this all-white Art Deco doe and fawn statue pretty? It is from Gallery Originals, which as it turns out, is a limited-edition division of Avon products.

If all of this spring talk has got you hankering for some green leaves and flowers, you could consider growing some, indoors, in a planter like this gorgeous Hull pheasant planter!


Well, that's enough for today. I need to get back to listing some more springtime beauties...after all, I hear another snowstorm is moving into my area today...