Christmas Digital Cards

Well the Holidays are just around the corner. So I have been busy creating some wonderful Christmas and Holiday Season Cards.

Here are some that I made this week.

http://www.etsy.com/shop/M2MPartyDesigns

http://www.etsy.com/shop/M2MPartyDesigns

http://www.etsy.com/shop/M2MPartyDesigns

Here are some more Christmas Party Invitations. All of my cards can be customized, so if you find a design you like, but would like a different color, let me know!

http://www.etsy.com/shop/M2MPartyDesigns

http://www.etsy.com/shop/M2MPartyDesigns

http://www.etsy.com/shop/M2MPartyDesigns

http://www.etsy.com/shop/M2MPartyDesigns

http://www.etsy.com/shop/M2MPartyDesigns

http://www.etsy.com/shop/M2MPartyDesigns

Featured Craft artist of the Week: EverydayDoxologies Shop

This week I would like to welcome Michael and Heather from EverydayDoxologies shop.  Their shop is full of handmade crates, and handmade soy candles. They also do custom orders. This month  Michael and Heather are offering a 10% off all items in thier EverydayDoxologies shop. A special coupon for our readers is available, so read on and learn a little about what make EverydayDoxologies shop such a unique shop.

http://www.etsy.com/people/EverydayDoxologies

1.What would you like us to know about you?
Michael and Heather have been best friends for 14 years. They started dating seven years ago, while Michael was deployed in Afghanistan. Six years ago, they got married. Last year, they adopted a son from Ethiopia. They’re due with another baby boy in November, and they formed this Etsy shop as a way to finance their adoption of a baby girl from Ethiopia. 

2.When did you discover Etsy?
We found Etsy four years ago when we were looking specifically for artwork about Ethiopia that we could hang in our house. We renewed our love for Etsy when a cousin opened a shop on Etsy two years ago. 

coupon code: MIS2MANOS

3.What prompted you to open an Etsy Shop?
Heather became a stay-at-home mom after Million came home from Ethiopia and plans to continue when baby boy is born in November. We wanted something that would be more fun than work that would also contribute towards our saving for a second adoption.

4.What do you sell?
Our specialty is custom handmade crates, although we do offer soy candles as well as occasional greeting cards printed of oil pastel artwork Michael has done in the past.


5.How did you come up with your shop name?
It initially came from a quote by Francis Schaeffer. “An art work can be a doxology in itself.” We wanted our everyday lives, the mundane pieces as well as the exciting ones, to be doxologies.

6.How would you describe your shop?
Since over 75% of our orders are for crates with custom orders, I would have to say our shop is a “make it what you want to be” shop. We are really very accommodating (being Minnesotans, who are--after all---known for friendliness, fondness for cheese, and a horrible football team) and love to try new stains, distressing techniques and making all manner of sizes of crates. 

Featured Craft artist of the Week: CuteCartoonPortraits

This week I would like to welcome Joanna G. from CuteCartoonPortraits. She love to draw! If you need to have a custom banner or cartoon, she the lady to contact. CuteCartoonPortraits is offering my readers 25% off, so let’s read on and find out how we can get the coupon.

http://www.etsy.com/shop/CuteCartoonPortraits

1.What would you like us to know about you?
I am a Motion Designer by day, and an illustrator by night. Everything I do seems to involve some type of creativity.

2.When did you discover Etsy?
A few years ago when I was selling light switch covers. I was blown away by all the talent out there! I have not looked back since.

3.What prompted you to open an Etsy Shop?
I was in school and was always looking for creative ways to make a few bucks without having to resort to working at a fast food chain. It worked! I'm glad it did because this is a really awesome way to make ends meet.

4.What do you sell?
I specialize in custom cute cartoon portraits of your family, pets, and loved ones. 

5.How did you come up with your shop name?
I wanted a name that got right down to the point. I think “Cute Cartoon Portraits” does the trick :)

6.How would you describe your shop?
Cute. Cute. Cute. I'm an expert at cute.



7.What inspires / motivates you?
Good art and good music are a must. I try to visit sites like Motionographer.com when I start to feel the creative “blahs”. This site is a sure cure.

8.How has Etsy changed your life?
Etsy has provided me with a way to do what I love for money. What could be better than that?

25% off EVERYTHING BLOGSALE001 

9.Where else can we find you? (Do you have a website or blog outside of Etsy?)
I have a more official selling site: www.cutecartoonportraits.com
facebook: www.facebook.com/CuteCartoonPortraits
blog: cutecartoonportraits.wordpress.com/

10.Is there anything else you would like to share?
How about this doodle of a dancing couple? (pic attached)


12. How much time do you spend on your shop each week?
It varies from week to week, which mostly depends on how busy I am at my day job. But, the more time I spend on my etsy shop, the more custom portraits I get to draw, the happier I am.
13. How do you promote your shop?
14. Right now I've been doing plenty of interviews like this one. It will help spread the word and get people to know who I am.

Coupon code: 25% off EVERYTHING BLOGSALE001 at checkout

Featured Craft artist of the Week: SaraiDesigns

Today I would like to welcome Sarah K. from SaraiDesigns. She love creating wearable art, each one of her  pieces is one of a kind!

http://www.etsy.com/shop/SaraiDesigns

1. I am passionate about crochet. It is such a beautiful art, and has gotten a bit of a bad rap, especially when compared to knitting which has always been the trendy child of the two. My goal is to present the world with crocheted clothing that fits and is aesthetically pleasing. I also delight in clothing that nods to both vintage, old fashioned themes combined with modern sensibilities, so most of my clothes are what I would consider wearable art pieces that are looking for a home with someone who will know right away that that piece belongs with her.

2&3. I heard about Etsy several years ago, and was vaguely interested, but didn't have time to pursue it. I finally actually checked out the website last fall, and was immediately enthralled. Through word of mouth, I knew I could set up an Etsy store, but courtesy of the word of mouth method of gathering information, I also thought that it was probably an arduous task best left for some never to happen day when I had nothing better to do. I quit my normal job last fall, and since I did end up with some extra time on my hands, I decided to check it out, and was superbly pleased to find that setting up a store was a ridiculously easy thing to do. In fact, not only was it easy but I really enjoyed it, and I was also very impressed with all the wonderful information that Etsy makes available to people trying to learn the ropes of selling. The infrastructure is really great, and makes the whole thing so much more user friendly than some other websites I've looked at.

4. I sell crocheted clothing and crochet patterns that I have designed and made. I try to recycle materials when I can, and one of my favorite items that I will be making more of are dresses/tops that have a crocheted bodice sewn onto a recycled dress/skirt. These are so cute, and there is no limit to the styles that I can create. I'm really looking forward to expanding this part of my shop.
I also sell prints of photos I have taken, most of which are of things in the natural world but could include anything that really strikes me.
Vintage Lovelies is a small part of my shop where I can pass on antique or vintage treasures that I come across in my constant haunting of thrift stores, yard sales, antique stores, and flea markets. You never know what you'll come across! 

http://www.etsy.com/shop/SaraiDesigns 

5. SaraiDesigns is based on my name. Sarai is the Hebrew version of my name, Sarah, and although I'm not Hebrew or particularly religious, I wanted to use something unusual but liked the idea of keeping it simple by using my name. I wanted the name to be a little elegant, slightly sophisticated, but not too pigeon holed, so that I could use it for a lot of different types of things.

6. My shop is vibrant and colorful, earthy and yet delicate. I certainly appreciate the neutral color pallette that has become so prevalent on Etsy, and its very attractive, but I have to admit that color always draws my attention. I don't know yet whether I can claim any kind of success using vibrant colors as opposed to the more soothing tones I see in a lot of shops, because I haven't had my shop long and I haven't had many sales yet. But I will keep using this type of look until it becomes evident that it wont work, which I hope won't be the case. But we shall see.

7. My inspiration comes from several places. I love the look of the roaring twenties, flapper style hair, clothing, jewelry, art, decor, all of it. I wouldn't say that my pieces are direct reflections necessarily of that time, but there is that hint I think in a lot of what I do. I also look at what is popular right now, and try to mesh the two things in an attractive way. Perusing fashion magazines or websites is always interesting and I usually come away with my brain agog with ideas. It can be a little overwhelming, but there are always some winners stewing in there!
The great outdoors inspires me greatly as well. The texture and color in flowers and plants, trees, the sky, even the ground, catch my attention constantly. I am outside in the woods a lot, as we live up in Northern Idaho and only recently got electricity, so I feel that I've lived the last six years or so in much closer touch with the things outside than the things inside, in some ways.

8. Opening a store on Etsy did more than just give me a place to market my creations. I discovered an entire world of other talented, fabulous people who seem to want to put some old fashioned honesty and good will out into a world that has become so obsessed with the bottom line. I would say that has been a really pleasant surprise, and it inspires me to continue in faith that all good things will come around in time, especially on those really dead days when I think this will never work. 

Tractor Birthday Party Invitations

Here are some of my newest Tractor Invites. I've been trying to make a few different styles. I think these came out alright. Let me know if you have any suggestions.

https://www.etsy.com/listing/108408996/boys-tractor-birthday-party-invitations 

Fairy Wings and Tutus

I just had some of my fairy wings professionally photographed for my shop. I thing they turned out beautiful! So I thought I would share.

These are the pink wings.

Pink fairy Wings

These are my white wings.

White fairy Wings

White fairy Wings

Here are some pictures of my tutus that I also had professionally photographed.

Pink Tutu

Pink Tutu

Featured Craft artist of the Week: Tamara-Cyprus

http://www.etsy.com/shop/TamaraCyprus

This week I would like you to welcome Tamara-Cyprus from Tamara-Cyprus Shop. She loves making jewelry, and with every piece, she intends to create a personal exchange between the object and its wearer

1. What do you like us to know about you?
Thank you so much for choosing me to be on this blog. I am happy and grateful being given this chance and this platform to present my work and myself.
Let me introduce myself:
I am a self-taught jewelry maker. Several decades ago, as a student of Archaeology and Ancient History in Jerusalem, I financed my studies and my daily life partly with jewelry making which I used to sell on the campus. I continued ma studies in Anthropology and Folklore in Germany, got my PhD in 1980 and worked for many years with my cinematographer husband producing and writing dozens of high quality documentary films.
After retiring we moved to Cyprus (Eastern Med) and I restarted my jewelry making, adding new techniques, new materials and new ideas.

2. When did you discover Etsy?
I discovered Etsy accidentally in 2010 while I was looking for some handmade gifts for my friends and my family.

3. What prompted you to open an Etsy Shop?
About 2-3 years ago I started to participate in Cyprus in single and group exhibitions as well as in Craft Fairs. Coming to Etsy and to establish a shop there turned to be an additional and a logical step to me. 

http://www.etsy.com/shop/TamaraCyprus 

4. What do you sell?
I am selling my own handmade jewelry: necklaces, bracelets, rings and earrings. By combining stainless steel and brass nuts and washers with beads of ceramics, metal ornaments, glass, resin and semiprecious stones, I create an enticing collection of jewelry. By using the different materials I give the jewelry a modern look of both freshness and simplicity.
In the recent last months I created two main designer lines, namely “ICE and FIRE” and “DARE to WEAR”.
“ICE A and FIRE” refers to the jewelry combined of the cool “ICE” of stainless steel with the hot sparkling “FIRE” of Swarovski crystals.
The idea of “DARE to WEAR“ is that you have to look carefully and at least twice at the jewelry in order to discover the unusual elements which usually are not used in jewelry. And when you discovered them, just “DARE to WEAR!”

5. How did you come up with your shop name?
My real Name is Tamar, but people call me Tamara. My homepage is www.tamaras-jewelry.com and my Facebook Fan Page is named “Tamaras Jewelry Design”. So it came naturally to name my Etsy Shop Tamara too. I just added Cyprus to the name because I live now in Cyprus. And voilá, here is the Etsy Shop name “Tamara-Cyprus”.

6. How would you describe your shop?
Hand-made jewelry is one of the most enjoyable things a person can wear. Each piece of the hand-made jewelry is an expression of the taste and the personality of the person wearing it.
Each single piece of the jewelry designed by me is unique, is an original creation and in non mass-produced. The pieces are all one-of-a-kind and individual. The design of each piece is a contemplative creation. Each of them – their color, the arrangement of the single parts and their position in the complete design is inspired by my personal taste and artistry as well as the result of patient handiwork.