Merry Christmas!

May the joy of Christmas fill your heart this Holiday season.

Cock-A-Doodle-Doo

Roodoodle describes himself as : husband, dad, singer, songwriter, storyteller, blacksmith, widget, prop builder, writer, bad actor and painter of watercolor roosters. I don't know about any of those except I do know he produces the most delightful Rooster paintings you will ever see!

Maybe they remind me of Foghorn Leghorn, my all time favorite cartoon character as a child. Whatever it is, you have to love a rooster painting entitled "You Tell Him the Tractor's Got an Oil Leak"



To see more of these charming roosters, go visit:
http://www.etsy.com/shop/Roodoodles

Santa, Please Bring Me Cynthia Vardhan Ceramics

Today I wanted to introduce you to a wonderful Etsy potter, Cynthia Vardhan. These mugs or teapot would make lovely Christmas gifts for someone special on your Holiday list (me).

All of her wares are hand-thrown in her studio and covered with intricate and raised, textured, tactile decoration using a labor-intensive slip-trailing process. This results in a colorful pattern you can both see and feel.

Since age 13, through college and arty grad school, Cynthia's skills in ceramics have evolved and grown to what you see today: gorgeous little pieces adorned with textured patterns you can stare at and touch for hours.



Cynthia's work has been exhibited & sold across the US.To see more of Cynthia's work, please go to:
http://www.etsy.com/shop/cynthiavardhan

Dear Santa Baby- Please Bring Me This Stacy Leigh Purse

Stacy Leigh at 1000Markets has the most exquisite original Leather Handbags, Belts, and More using ruffles, fringe, victorian lace and fabrics. Who needs Hermes when you can dazzle with this orange fringe number:

You can also be pretty in pink with this ladylike soft pink cowhide leather shoulder bag with layers of pink leather cut in waves.

For more of Stacy's handbag artistry go to:

http://www.1000markets.com/users/stacyleigh

This Pearl is a Real Gem- Pearl Fryar, Topiary Artist

You may have a seen topiary gardens that are grander than Mr.Pearls, but I can guarantee you have never seen one with more heart. If you ever find yourself in South Carolina near Bishopville, you must stop in to see Pearl Fryar's Garden. Mr.Fryer says on his website that if you find him at home, he will stop whatever he is doing to visit with you and talk about his work. We embrace our eccentric Southerners!

Pearl Fryar's obsession came about over 25 years ago when he was determined to win the coveted "Yard of the Month" in Bishopville. well, not only does he have the yard of the month, but yard of the century! A wonderful documentary film, "A Man Named Pearl" came out last year to rave reviews and is worth renting to understand Pearl's passion and vision. Pearl Fryar has been featured on PBS, HGTV and written about in the Washington Post.

Take the Bishopville, SC exit off Interstate 20. Turn towards town. When you come upon the Waffle House with it's Seussian Topiary in front, you know you are heading in the right direction.

To read more about this wonderful treasure, please visit his website:

http://www.fryarstopiaries.com/index.asp

Patrick Conlin-Silversmith

While shopping on 1000Markets today, I discovered this large sterling hinged cuff by Patrick Conlin. His shop features jewelry, holloware and sculpture hand crafted using tradional metalsmithing techniques- fabrication, raising and casting in sterling, copper and bronze. Isn't it lovely?

Metalsmithing, Iron Mongering and Glass Blowing are three crafts on my list of things I want to learn. I am fortunate to have the Penland School of Crafts nearby, and want someday to take advantage of their terrific teaching facility in the beautiful NC mountains. http://www.penland.org/

Meanwhile, I will lust after both the bracelet and this tendril belt buckle in Patrick Conlin's shop:


To see more of Patrick's metalsmithing talent check out his shop :

http://www.1000markets.com/users/patrickconlin

HappyHound on HandMadeNews.Org

Today I am in HandMade News as the featured Artisan!

http://www.handmadenews.org/article/index.php?id=1956

If you are not familiar with HandMadeNews.org, please go check it out. It is the largest handmade craft blog on Earth (!) written by artisans. You can find many articles on craft trends, inspirations, marketing ideas and business tips.

One of my favorite sections is The Green Wise department with articles about carbon neutral living, environmentally friendly craft ideas and green practices to help keep our planet healthy.

Have a lovely weekend!

Skullicious

This weekend I added some new Halloween Skull tags to my Etsy shop. I know, it is only August, but the retail shops already have Christmas out, so I am feeling kind of justified.

I don't know what you do at your house for Halloween, but I have recently discovered that Dia de los ñatitas (Day of the Skulls) is a festival celebrated in La Paz, Bolivia on November 9. Traditionally, the skull of one or more family members are kept at home to watch over the family and protect them during the year. On November 9, the family crowns the skull with fresh flowers, sometimes also dressing it up in various garments, and makes offerings of cigarettes, coca leaves, alcohol, and various other items in thanks for the year's protection. Makes handing out candy apples dressed like a witch seem kind of lame doesn't it?

In my effort to showcase Etsy artisans, http://www.stinkyandsweetpea.etsy.com/ has the cutest doggie cookies ever! Look at these Dia de los Mutt-os Skull treats. They also have the coolest tattoo heart cookies. For bad-ass doggies- like mine.

Making Hydrangeas Last

My garden is in full bloom with the lovliest hydrangeas right now. I have discoved a wonderful method of making them last without wilting. There is a sticky substance when cut that clogs the stem preventing water from reaching the blooms, causing them to quickly wilt. To prevent this , try this technique:

1. When cutting hydrangeas, take water to the garden in a container.
2. Immediately after cutting each bloom, drop the stem in the water.
3. Indoors, boil water and pour it into any container.
4. Cut the hydrangea stems to the desired length.
5. Stand the stems of the hydrangeas in the hot water for 30 seconds.
6. Immediately put into room temperature water and then arrange.

This process will revive hydrangeas that have wilted after a few hours or days as well.

Let's Go Buy Shoes Instead

In an effort to do my part in stimulating the economy, I went car shopping yesterday. I have not been car shopping in years. I can confirm it is still the single most unpleasant buying experience available. I like walking into a store, spying desired object, walking up to the register and paying. Clean, simple, satisfying. With a car purchase, the object for the sellers appears to be "wear them down with sales double speak and tricky numbers games". Can you imagine if every time we walked into a shop we had to bargain?

I just want a new SUV Mr.Toyota dealer, and I want to pay the exact same price as the tough nosed negotiator that just bought one before me. Is that too much to ask? I hate this process so much, that today I have enlisted the help of the tough nosed negotiator husband of a dear friend to do this deal for me. Apparently he loves doing this. It might be a guy thing. Or a power thing. I have no idea, I think I will go buy some new shoes today. It will be most satisfying.

This charming blue toy car is from http://www.gagaonline.etsy.com/ According to her profile, all of the toys in her shop are handmade by special needs adults. Please check out the shop for lovely bunny, giraffe & dinosaur toys in pastle colors.

Bob, Why The Long Face? by Valerie Fuqua

This wonderful piece of art was created by Valerie Fuqua, a Chicago ,Ill. artist working in mosaic and mixed media art. This mask is named : "Bob, Why The Long Face".

When Valerie was a child she was quite taken with National Geographic magazine. She was struck with the fact that despite having so little in the way of material things, there were parts of the world where people were adorning their faces with "paint" in elaborate designs. Those memories have stayed with her and were the inspiration behind her ongoing series of mosaic masks.
I found Valerie's work on Etsy at:

www. mistflowerstudio.Etsy.com

More of her beautiful work can be seen at her website:

http://www.mistflowerstudio.com/index.html

The Cycling Artist

I found this artist on Etsy one day as I persused paintings for a future purchase (hopefully!).

Artist Tina Mammoser is a full-time artist working from her studio in Greenwich, London. All of her paintings are of or inspired by the sea and are part of an ongoing project (3 years so far!) to cycle the English Coast and paint it. She goes out to a point on the coast with the bike (by train), cycles for 3 or 4 days, then comes back and does lots of sketches, studies and finally big canvases.

This painting is of the Isle of Wight. During her trip she stayed at Thornness Bay on the northwest side of the island and so each day got to see the dramatic change in visible beach and sea as the tide changed. Lisa became slightly obsessed with the strips of sand, shallow water, exposed kelp and distance bay water.

Everything about this painting makes me happy.

Please visit Tina's shop to see more amazing art:

http://www.thecyclingartist.etsy.com/

Beautiful Objects Found on Etsy

I am going to use my blog to highlight some amazing artistic finds from Etsy,Artfire and 1000 Markets. The first is this Borosilicate Glass Heart Pendant. I was unfamiliar with the term Borosilicate so I searched and found that it is a type of glass which includes at least five percent boric oxide. Because borosilicate glass is stronger and more durable than conventional glass, it is very popular in the manufacture of scientific instruments. All I know if this pendant is charming!

This artist goes by the name of Firelily and can be found at:

http://www.firelily.etsy.com/

Pass the Lemonade

It has been over 90 degrees every day this week, so I am thinking about swimming pools. In my next life I am going to live here in Ubud, Bali. This will be my amazing view. If you are somewhere hot today, stay cool. If you are somewhere cool, lucky you.

Life Is A Beach

Winston went on his very first beach trip to Sullivan's island, S.C. recently. Sullivans Island is a dog lovers haven as they allow dogs to run free on the clean , sandy beaches from 5:00 AM until 10:00 AM during the summer months.

All dogs must have a $25 permit available at Town Hall in order to partake in the daily Beach Playdates! Here is the application if you plan to visit: http://tiny.cc/tWtaa