Some days I have a hard time picking a shop to feature. Other times, there is no question at all. The quality of the work, the amazing photo's, everything about the shop just screams "pick me!".


SewGracious is one of those shops. I mean, how could you not want to buy from her? Look at these purses. Have you ever seen such amazing workmanship and quality? You can tell by looking at this Ribbons and Linen Market Bag that you are getting a well crafted bag.

And if that weren't enough, why not pick up a Business Card holder to go along with it? You know we all need one of these!


So, because it was such an easy choice, I sent along my interview questions. What did she have to say? I wonder..........

Tell me a little bit about you, your art and your store:

I've working with a needle & thread since I was 4 years old; thanks to my sweet grandmother. I've done all kinds of needlework through the years including needlepoint, cross stitch (owned a cross stitch shop back in the day), smocking, heirloom sewing, clothing construction, etc. I sold on eBay for many years before establishing my website and finding Etsy. Now I sell most of my items on Etsy and sell monogrammed accessories on my website at http://www.sewgracious.com I truly ♥ Etsy. It's been a wonderful outlet for my handmade items.

What is your favourite piece and why? :

This is one of my all-time favorite bags. I entered it in the Journal Modiste Modie Awards and it won the bag category! http://journalmodiste.com/index.cfm?page=modie_winner_photos&nid=277



I loved the bag even before it won the award, but that made it really special to me.

What inspires you?

I'm inspired by many different elements. Most all of my bags are one of a kind now. I don't like to make the same thing over & over. I find that my creativity flows if I can just sew without having to be confined to certain specifications. Sometimes I'm inspired by the newest fabric from the latest designer. Sometimes I get ideas after making a bag. I think of a way to change it up for the next time. Many times, I'm inspired from a variety of fabrics on my sewing table. I can have fabric stacked up and discover a combination that looks great together.


If the world could only know one thing about you, what would you want that to be?

I love my family. They are the most important part of my life. I've been blessed and am thankful each day for those who love me most. They are my biggest supporters & the best encouragers I have.


What did you have for breakfast?

Today, it coffee with hazelnut creamer and Greek yogurt with honey & granola

What is the strangest pet you've ever had?

They aren't MY pets, per se, but right now we have a pair of millipedes, Milli & Peedi, that came home from a school project. Luckily, they live at my husband's office. ;-)

If you were a colour, what colour would you be?

Pink

Be sure to click on SewGracious' banner or any of the items pictured here to visit her shop and spread some Etsy love. You won't be disappointed, I promise!

Deon

Today's Featured Seller - Half an Acre!!

Well, it's certainly been a while since I've worked on this blog! Once Etsy admin so kindly reactivated my Banner Queen shop, I thought it would be a great idea to get it up and running again. So, I went to the forums to find someone to feature.

9 pages! Now that's a lot to choose from!!

It was really tough to choose a shop from all of the wonderful submissions. But this one stood out and bit me right on the end of the nose.

I absolutely adore the colours and textures of these little creatures! Just look at this little Salamander crawling his way up the tree. Isn't he just the cutest thing you've ever seen?


Or this bucket of Pointy Fabulous Fish? Just look at the detail in them!


So, as always, I sent Half and Acre, my list of interview questions.

Tell me a little bit about you, your art and your store.

well, my name is Anna! Half-an-Acre is named after a quote from a 1950's gardening programme heard on the radio not long ago. A VERY British 'gentleman' offered this advice .."However small one's garden one should always set aside at least half an acre for wildflowers...". It made up giggle - and still does! The "we" is me and my old pal Ruth .... she is the other half of Half-an-Acre ... together we are an acre! We started making stuff because everything in the shops was so boring and samey. The British can tend towards convention when thinking about decorating their homes - we want to offer some bright, fabulous and funky things to cheer up these homes. We met at art college nearly 20 years ago and share a love of quirky and unique things. We are both passionate about colour. The Half-an-Acre Etsy shop contains all our handmade, painted, wooden items. Soon Ruth is opening another shop - "The Other Half-an-Acre" - selling other gorgeous handmade items including felted slippers socks and other lovelinesses!

What is your favourite piece and why?

My favourite piece is the Hagstone wreath decoration.



Why? Because I never intended to make it! It just happened! I spent many happy days on a beach on the Isle of Wight looking for them The stones were warm and lumpy in my pockets, the sun was shining and all was right with the world! I only made one. I loved working with the stones. They have such an organic feel to them. My husband loves it so much that he doesn't want anyone to buy it and wants me to price it so high so that no-one does! But I haven't!

What inspires you?

Colour inspires me. It always has. I grew up with my mother constantly exclaiming "LOOK! Look at that lovely shade of blue!". Colour excites me. I find patterning very soothing. I doodle constantly and some of the patterns on our wooden items are direct results of doodles.

If the world could only know one thing about you, what would you want that to be?

I'll prove you all wrong ..... there's more to me that you will ever know.......

What did you have for breakfast?

Ummmmm ........... two bits of toast and marmite! Lots of coffee!

What is the strangest pet you've ever had?

Stick Insects...

If you were a colour, what colour would you be?

I would wish to be seen as a pale turquoise but I think I am really and orangy-red!

Now, you have to agree with me. Aren't those pieces gorgeous? Be sure to click on them or the banner (not made by me!) to go to Half an Acre's shop and spread the Etsy love!

Stop by soon for another featured Etsy shop.

Deon

Today's Featured Seller - Two Beans!

Once again, I am so far behind on this one, I'm embarassed to admit to it. ;)

The same day I asked for shops to feature and found 3Dots, I was also recommended this shop. So, being the curious sort that I am, I followed the link and found the most wonderful items! I immediately fell in love with Two Beans' shop and even though I had planned on only doing one feature from this group, I just had to add her in.

Again, I sent a few interview questions for her to answer. Lets see what she had to say, shall we?

Tell me a little bit about you, your art and your store

My name is Leah Csiszar, I've studied and practiced art for the majority of my life and plan to continue that habit until I run out of questions....... if that ever actually happens. I work primarily with all types of metals and currently I'm exploring a relationship between the traditions of textiles, weaving, and metal. Twobeans is an art shop of small works that I started with my partner, Charles Austin, in December of 2007. Charles has also been an active artist throughout his life, he primarily works with stone. We started twobeans as a place where people can shop for unique items for their homes, functional pieces and accents for their personalized living spaces. This line of work is a way that we can continue working through the winter, since it's small most of it can be made inside of our home, our sculpture studios are not heated yet, we live in Vermont so winter is a pretty long season. Also it's fun to change the way people look at things, we like to create some common objects in an uncommon way, I think it's healthy* ;)

What is your favourite piece and why?

My favorite piece right now is Baskets and Stone. I love to collaborate, and I feel our work complements each others well. There are a mixture of sensibilities in this piece which appeals to me, and I see it as art but also as practical. I also love epiphytes, they are beautiful plants and creating homes for them has been fulfilling for me.

What inspires you?

I am inspired by textures. I love to touch and have physical contact with the world around me. My hands are vital to me, I gather information, I work and I manifest with them. That is how I feel complete and ready for the next challenge.

If the world could only know one thing about you, what would you want that to be?

My existence in the art world.

What did you have for breakfast?

Green tea with jasmine, fresh oatmeal toast with some butter and honey, orange juice with some pulp. * yum *

What is the strangest pet you've ever had?

A friend gave me a spotted dogfish for my fish tank long ago, I named him Jupiter, he had a long salamander type of body with 4 little legs, webbed feet, and the most interesting feelers on his head. They were fuzzy and shaped like some kind of club moss, he looked like a Dr. Seuss character. He's no longer with us.

If you were a colour, what colour would you be?

green, so maybe I could photosynthesize.

Now, here are a few of my very favourite pieces.

Pinwheel Sculpture Bowl

Epiphyte hanging basket number 2



Egg Shaped Basket

I absolutely love the texture and visual appeal of these pieces. I'm sure you all agree that they are stunningly beautiful. I am continually amazed at the scope of talent on Etsy.

Be sure to click on Two Beans' banner (NOT designed by me!) to visit her shop and spread some Etsy love!

Thanks for stopping by and have a great day!

Today's Featured Seller - 3Dots!

Oh boy am I late on this one! I asked over the weekend for sellers to show me their stores for a feature and I'm just now getting to it. Bad me. ;)

But, once again, when I asked I had pages upon pages of stores to choose from. It's so tough sometimes! But, this store, 3Dots really stood out to me. Maybe it's because I love Inukshuks, I don't know. But there is definately something special about this seller and her shop.

I tried something a little different this time too. I sent a series of questions for her to answer. I thought it might be kind of neat to try it that way instead of all of you slogging through my horrendous thoughts and ramblings.

So, without further ado, here is 3Dots!

Tell me a little bit about you, your art and your store

Hi! My name is Lucie and i'm a 26 years. I live in Québec which is a francophone province in Canada. I'm really into modern Art and contemporary design. I studied Arts in college which helped me find my own style. I think all this is reflected in my shop. You can find one of a kind, simple and contemporary wood jewelry.

What is your favourite piece and why?

My favorite piece is hard to choose but I think it's this one, the "Tall Inukshuk" not only because it seems to be the most hearted in my shop, but because I just love so much the overall look of it. I love the wood pieces shapes and the way they are disposed. It just gets a lot of comments.

What inspires you?

As I said below, i'm really inspired by modern Art and contemporary design. I love linear and geometric shapes, i'm just attracted by them. Nature is also a great source of inspiration, I love the fact that i'm working with a natural material.

If the world could only know one thing about you, what would you want that to be?

If the world could know only one thing about me, I would love them to know that making these pieces is extremely fullfilling for me. I'm really passionate about what I do and being able to show it through Etsy is such a great thing!

What did you have for breakfast?

This morning, I had Special K red berries for breakfast as almost every morning... I just can't get enough...

What is the strangest pet you've ever had?

I actually own the strangest pet. It's my cat. You migth think a cat isn't really strange but believe me, mine is. He's the ugliest you've ever seen for sure, he loves to eat salad, strawberries, watermelon and BBQ chips but no chicken or things cats usually love. He also likes to play like a dog. When we throw something away, he brings it back and wants to play again... What a weird cat !!

Ok, I just have to jump in here in defense of kitty. She is not ugly! I think she's beautiful. Don't you? ;)

If you were a colour, what colour would you be?

If I was a colour, I would like to be turquoise. I don't really know why but I think this color is refreshing and eye catching. I love turquoise!

I've picked a couple of my favourite pieces from 3Dot's shop.

Bubble Trouble

And a gorgous bracelet!



Well, I certainly hope you enjoy 3Dot's shop. I think she has absolutely stunning work! Be sure to drop by and spread some Etsy love. Just click on her banner (NOT my design!) to go there.

Thanks for stopping by and have a great day!

Shhhh......It's a Secret!

Shhhhh.......Don't tell Juju. It's a secret!


I couldn't decide who to feature on my blog today, so I decided to surprise my friend and feature her Vintage store today. She doesn't know, so don't ruin the surprise, ok?


Some of you will already know who it is I'm featuring today. Even if you don't know her personally yet, you will be familiar with her Morning Coffee Hour and 5:00 Newbie Chat Threads in Promotions. Juju is the all patient all suffering soul who puts up with the rest of us while tirelessly answering every single post. And there are a LOT of them! She gives up minimum 2 hours of her day, every single day to gather all of us together to give us a place to chat, have fun, dance on poles in fishnet stockings and promote our shops a bit too.


So, because of her selfless actions every single day of the week, including weekends, I've decided to say thank you by featuring her shop here for all of you to see.


Introducing....JujuToo!!!


Here is what she has to say in her shop announcement


Welcome to my shop. I offer vintage items that aren't found in every basement or brought out from the average closet, but those special, and sometimes rare, things that will evoke memories all while being of great quality. I also offer items that I make myself.


And here are some of the absolutely stunning items she has gathered for us to see




I have to start out the Product Parade with what I think is absolutely the coolest thing in her shop. It's new and I hadn't seen it yet, but I have absolutely fallen in LOVE with this!


A Vintage Rooster. Isn't he a hoot!!!
I love that little fella! He is absolutely gorgeous and would look great in my kitchen. ;)



Summer is coming. It's slow, I know, but it's coming. ;) How about a Retro Pitcher Set? It's not only bright and fun, it's a complete set of 6 glasses and a pitcher!






Now, couldn't you see yourself relaxing on your back deck this summer with a nice, cool, refreshing drink in your hand using this set? It's great!!!



Now this piece, I have to say is the most interesting of all the items in Juju's shop. It's a Rare Vintage Lenox Lighter and Cigarette Holder Set. Honestly, I'm not even sure what to do with this, but I love it just the same. It's so interestingly shaped and in pristine condition. I love this!

So, now that you've had a taste for what Juju has to offer in her shop, don't walk, run over there and get yourself something new (well, old, actually).

And while you're at it, don't forget to check out her other shop, Juju Designs for gorgeous hand painted children's items.

Thanks for stopping by and have a great day!

Random Ramblings

I didn't get my feature done today, so I'm filling up space with random ramblings. ;)

I think Etsy gave most of us heart failure today with the site meltdown. I for one sat in front of my computer compulsively hitting refresh and rebooting. I just couldn't figure it out! So much for saying I could give up on Etsy anytime. Apparently, I'm an Etsy Addict.

Hello, my name is Deon and I am an Etsy Addict....

Come on, admit it. You are too! Tell us all about your Etsy addiction. You'll feel much better once you admit to it. It's cleansing. ;)

The only thing that really bothers me about the whole thing is losing my views. Honestly, in my old crochet shop I wouldn't have worried about it. In my Banner Queen shop, it hurts. I feel like it makes me look like a really unpopular designer. But, I guess a fresh start never hurt anyone!

Well, those are my rambling thoughts for today. Check back tomorrow for something interesting!

Thanks for stopping by and have a great day!

Today's Featured Seller - SudsMuffin!!

I did it again! I posted on the forums to see who would like to be featured and lo and behold I woke up to this time 9 whole pages of requests! I thought it was hard last time!

I ended up choosing SudsMuffin as my featured seller today, because not only is she a truly wonderful person, I think her banner and her product are absolutely scrumptious!!!

So, what does SudsMuffin have to say about her shop?

First, lets send you to her website. http://sudsmuffin.com/ It is just full of scrumptious goodies!

Personally, I am in love and in awe of her marketing of Suds Muffin Pink. She has adopted hot pink (I love that colour!) as her trademark. If you come into her Brick and Morter shop in New Brunswick, Canada, not only will you get some fun little presents like soap samples, lip balms or possibly even have your picture taken and posted on the website, BUT you'll get to see Mr. SudsMuffin parading around in his hot pink t-shirt! I love that she's got him to wear that not only in the store, but all around town too! You're my hero, Mrs. SudsMuffin. ;)

After more than 8 years of making Bath and Body products, it's no wonder that her Etsy store looks so very good! I have to send kudo's out to Mr. SudsMuffin, too. He's the one who runs the B&M and makes most of the product. What a guy!

Now, on to what you're really here for, the yummy, scrumptious product!!

Purple Sugar Soap! Seriously, this is gorgeous!!

Hand Dipped Vanilla Scented Incense Cones. Sooo relaxing!!




Do you know someone who is pregnant or just had a baby? This Mini Muffins Baby Care Kit would be the perfect gift!


Now, be honest. Are you not completely in love with SudsMuffin's store? Be sure to click on her banner (NOT made by me!) to visit her Etsy store and do some shopping. Or, if you're in the neighbourhood, drop by and see Mr. SudsMuffin. If you do, be sure to tell him I said "Hi!"

Thanks for stopping by and have a great day!