rhymes with twee: la de blog

Tonight while I was searching Etsy for Hoggle’s competition in other hedgehog items, I found the shop of Michelle Cavigliano, aka My Zoetrope. After spending a full hour ogling the goods she makes and checking out her awesome blog mostly about the vegan food she cooks, a crafter crush was born. She has a wide-range of styles, but my favorites are, of course, the big eyed girls like Solitude in Poppies, and the cutesy doodles. A s’more cowering from its fate, vegetables dressed for the Christmas season (funny because she also has a Christmas broccoli but very different from my Rhymes with Twee card), and a double popsicle named Ms. Cici dressed up in her beachy best. Zachary and I spent a long time laughing at the silliness of it all. I sure do love silly, but those who blend fine art with silly are my faves.

Tromp to the trope:
http://www.myzoetrope.com
http://myzoetrope.etsy.com

I don’t know why it took me so long to stumble onto this artist. I am constantly finding inspiration in other artists who work with paper. These three dimensional paper constructions by Jayme McGowan (Roadside Projects) just leave me with a dropped jaw. Using scissors, watercolor, ink, and paper, she creates whimsical action shots of circus folk (trapeze artists, knife jugglers, etc.) and everyday ladies (writing in journals, putting on lipstick, etc.). Reasonably priced prints are currently $14 - $20 apiece. Originals up in the shop right now are $350. It appears that she will do custom orders, so of course I am pondering this.

Roadside Rage:
http://roadside.etsy.com

Travis Nichols is i like apple juice. I like apple juice too and I love his artwork. This door hanger cracks me up and I wish hotels used these as their Do Not Disturb signs. Previous versions were silkscreened, but for the time being Travis is hand doodling these. I love a good doodle! I especially like the tiny detail where the back of The Bible says “by God”. Travis is an earth-loving vegan and uses recycled goods and all of the prints on his site are made with soy inks. Awesome!

Juicin’ on up:
http://www.ilikeapplejuice.com
http://ilikeapplejuice.etsy.com

Reducing, Reusing, Recycling: sure, everyone is doing, but not everyone is doing it as well as Muse Glass. Ever thought to save that plastic mesh bag that your beloved oranges came in and save it until you cut it up and make it into gorgeous jewelry? Clearly, you are not Hayley Rupersburg. She creates a vast array of products from lamps to vases to stained glass jewelry, but my favorite is her renincarnations line. Using scraps and bits of things that would otherwise end up in the garbage or in the recyling bin, she creates truly amazing jewelry like this piece.

Let this muse bemuse you:
http://museglass.etsy.com

Originally I had seen Sarah Lomba’s cool arrow necklace and added her as a favorite on Etsy, but then she started posting more and more adorable little drawings. Since I’m a mega-doodler, I appreciate these tiny little pieces of art all the more. I bought some tiny stickers from her about a month ago and I just placed an order for two magnets and a necklace from her. She draws bears and bunnies, but with a dainty quality about them. Precious sweaters, hair clips and butterfly collars. Animals playing dress up? The cutest.

sweet sweet s. jane:
http://sjane.etsy.com

It’s been too long! I was swamped with preparing for Bazaar Bizarre Cleveland and DEPART-ment, but then I just needed a break.  I’ve been creating a lot lately and made a couple gifts to be given as Christmas presents.  Check my Flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos/madflowr

I favorited Jessica Gonacha’s Etsy site awhile back.  Then I noticed that she favorited me back a couple days ago.  Then I had a convo from her asking about my flaky croissant cards and could she get multiple cards?  Now we are swapping.  My cards and other assorted goodies for a mini lino block print on wood and a print.  I could not be more psyched.  It’s always a big pat on the back when you find out other people like the stuff that you make.

Jessica Gonacha is a fine artist living in Duluth, GA (formerly of Boulder, CO) that makes a wide array of things.  Collages, coasters, tables, cards.  Abstracts and animals.  She is also all over the internet like me.  Also, her middle name is Leigh.  How cool, right?!

Nacha average artist (apologies for the bad pun):
http://www.jessgonacha.com

I have admired the work of Laura Howard (aka Lupin) for some time over the internet. She’s one of those sellers that is always featured on the front page of Etsy in treasuries because she’s widely admired in the craft world. And why shouldn’t she be? Her stuff is inventive and cute. Fake beards and mustaches for an instant disguise, beautiful flower pins, zines. She makes it all. The felt mistletoe she makes is my favorite. It’s much more charming than the real thing and will last forever. Plus, you can hold it above you to get kisses aplenty.

I’m loopy for Lupin:
http://lupin.etsy.com

After searching Etsy for a ceramic Christmas tree and coming up with nothing, I decided to do a search on mod ornaments for whatever reason. This one came up. What a cool way to recycle those clear plastic cd-shaped pieces that come with a pack of cd-rs or dvd-rs. What a great looking ornament. Patricia Rodriguez also makes custom boxes. Many of the ones in her sold gallery are super mod. Go Tiger Bee!

RarBuzzzz on over to:
http://tigerbee.etsy.com

I’ve had this particular wall mobile by Little Green Frog as a favorite on Etsy for awhile now. Actually, I’m really surprised that no one has bought it yet. It’s one of those things I’d have to figure out a place to showcase it, though I have very little wall space left to hang it up. These are just pretty things to brighten up any dreary wall. I love hearing rain through the chimney and I love looking at these ingenious little wall hangings by Vancouver’s Little Green Frog.

It’s not easy being green
http://lgfrog.etsy.com

I’ll state right now that Charlie is one of my favorite people in the world and a good friend. She runs A Minor Thread out of her 1 BR apartment in her spare time.  Now that I’ve disclosed that information, the purse that she gave me is my take everywhere with me purse.  I talked about it in the Banjoflannel post a couple entries back.  It fits a couple books, magazines, pens, business cards, a camera…everything you can think of.  The reason I am posting about this particular purse is because it’s made with the vintage flower fabric that the applique on my purse was made with.  So, if you want to be purse pals with me, now is the time.  I can vouch that her totes hold up after time since I’ve carried my tote nearly every day since August of 2006. I’m still getting compliments on it left and right.

A Needle Pulling (A Minor) Thread
http://minorthread.etsy.com

It breaks my heart when artwork gets stolen. Susie Ghahremani (Boy Girl Party) had a bunch of her mini paintings stolen at a Giant Robot show last year. When I read in the description of the Story Time print that this original painting was stolen, it ticked me off. Darn you robbers of art. If I had the loot and had the painting not been stolen, I would have tried to buy the original from Portland’s very own Apak. I will settle for a print if anyone wants to get me one for Christmas. Apak has plenty of prints that whet my whistle, but this one is my favorite right before the card they made of neon pandas clinking frosty beer mugs together. That one is currently sold out, but hopefully for you they will repress that gem.

apak it up, apak it in:
http://apak.etsy.com

There is a song I really love by Push Kings called ‘Girl Who Only Loves Candy’.  Well, this seller is all the way from Finland and all he eats is candy, candy.  Well, let’s hope he has a good dentist.  He certainly makes some cavity inducingly sweet items.  I had his shop as a favorite for some time, but this is a new item featuring animals from Finland including a hedgehog.  The craft world has some cute hedgehogs, but this may be the cutest one I have ever seen.  Our hedgehog, Hoggle, is still cuter though.  However, if you are looking for something to buy me, I will accept said totebag happily.

Finance a Finlandian:
http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5110862

Most anyone who knows me has probably noticed that I am not a bag lady.  99% of the time, I alternate between carrying two bags even though I have two brightly colored purses by Matt & Nat that I save for special occasions.  One is a grey flannel tote with a flowery applique made by my pal Charlie (A Minor Thread) and the other is a dowdy camera bag for when I want my camera with me.  I figured it was time to get another purse and when I saw this style by Diana of Banjoflannel, I fell…hard.  There are elegant touches like the piping matching the lining, the sexy silver buttons, and the soft pleats on the front of the bag.  I contacted Diana about a custom bag and she has been wonderful with communication and making sure I get exactly what I want.  Unparalleled awesomeness.

Get a brand new bag:
http://banjoflannel.etsy.com

Essimar makes some of the most beautiful cards I have ever seen and, being a creator of paper goods myself, I have seen A TON of cards. I wonder how it is that Esther R. lives in Chicago and I have not seen her work until today, thanks to her tuli card being on the Etsy front page. I’m really at a loss for words. Each of the cards are little works of art. These are two of my favorite.

 Express yourself artfully:
http://essimar.etsy.com

Another one of my favorites from THE PACK LADY: Rummage & Craft Spectacular is R Blade Designs. Raiza hand carves these unique pieces and it’s amazing how much personality they have. They look even better in real life. She even hand made her display for her jewelry out of wood. I already know one person I am placing a special Christmas present order with R. Blade for. I bet you do too!

Wood is good:
http://rblade.etsy.com