rhymes with twee: la de blog

I tend to stick to cute over here at the RWT: la de blog, but I am fascinated with this incredible 3D Bronze Tarsier Skull Pendant by Moon Raven Designs. Mike, residing in Brentwood Bay in British Columbia, Canada, casts his jewelry from the actual skulls, talons, teeth, claws, and other bony body parts of animals who died of natural causes. What results is art that is wearable and wondrous. Tarsiers are one of my very favorite animals and their skulls are very distinctive. Look at how huge the eye sockets are! If you don’t know what a tarsier is, then I advise you to go watch one of the many youtube videos of these adorable alien-like creatures right now.

Om nom noming to get you:
http://mrd74.etsy.com

Think of that scene in American Psycho. They thought it was the bee’s knees, but in reality, bone is boring! Moo MiniCards add little pops of color to that boring stack of business cards. If you’re a big fan of the cards, 3squares aka Jean from Raleigh, North Carolina has created a wearable way to network using them! This fashionable necklace holds 4 (or 8 if you upgrade to a larger spacer), so you no longer have to carry a business card holder! Plus, the moo card in front will peek through the cut out circles. These are also available with cut out squares. Wear your art on your neck!

Moove & shake:
http://3squares.etsy.com

How I have missed you: la de blog. There has not been a shortage of inspiring things, but there has not been enough time to write about them all! These cables by Chicago makers, Cordinated (Juli Sherry and Dan Somen), are not only pretty to look at, but make such a FUNctional gift for that musician in your life! A lot of work goes into these babies. Dan does the soldering of the cable to the plugs. Juli expertly wraps yarn in blocks of fun colors around the cable. Then they are scotchguarded to prevent them from picking up grime from dirty club floors. The best part: Cordinated cables can be made in the colors and lengths of your choosing. Dress up your beloved guitar or bass with a new accessory!

You Yarn for these cables:
http://cordinated.etsy.com

If you’re in search of a modern accent piece, Kailey Hawthorn might be your gal. She has workspaces in both Cambridge and Windsor, Ontario. Vintage fabric mingles with new fabric and pillow covers are born. She paints mod flowery drawings onto records and turns them into clocks. Similar patterns end up on wooden letter blocks for a bold pop of color that would look great on a wall or mantle. She is also available for custom orders.

Not for the font of heart:
http://kaileyhawthorn.etsy.com

Succulents = success! Everywhere you look in the craft world these days, there they are! Erde Designs of Cary, NC make a terrific and affordable product to house your plant babies! I think that one of these stocked with a succulent would make a super gift to snazz up someone’s drab day job desk…or your own!

Y’all Erde for this?
http://ErdeDesigns.etsy.com

Kelly of Tresijas, of Fresno, CA is a mother to three wee ones and yet still has the time to turn recycled materials like wood from burn piles and scratched up records into unique and beautiful jewelry. To boot, she is raising those kids to be creative themselves, so she her two daughters their own Etsy shop: http://treslocas.etsy.com . My favorite items from Mom are these recycled LP necklaces which stole a little piece of my heart when I saw them. I have seen a number of different sellers who make jewelry out of vinyl, but never have I seen them turn out so artistically. If you like a particular designs, but want it in a different color, she will do custom work and she is ever so nice.

Divine vinyl:
http://tresijas.etsy.com

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