Fashion Trends for 2010

I'm not a Fashionista by any stretch of the imagination (I don't even like to shop) but I do enjoy reading the fashion section of my local newspaper, the Houston Chronicle.  Sunday's story was all about 2010's fashion trends.  Two of those mentioned in the article were bib necklaces and the color turquoise.

As stated in the article, belts were the "jewelry" for the outfit in 2009.  In 2010, it will be all about adorning the neck and bib necklaces that layer and drape do it perfectly.

The necklace pictured below was created by Heaven Ghen, owner of the Etsy shop Studio Saturn.  Heaven has an AS in jewelry manufacturing and  repair and is a certified Gemologist.  She loves making jewelry and it shows in her work.  The hematite and sterling necklace shown here is titled "Reflections of a Dream".   For additional photos and a full description of this piece, click here.

On the subject of color the article stated that, according to the Pantone Color Institute, 2010 will the year of turquoise.

Rather than decking out in head to toe turquoise you may prefer a nice accent piece such as the handbag pictured below, created by the team of Kay and Lori, owners of the Etsy shop Bede Sisters.  In addition to handbags, market bags and totes, their shop offers jewelry and hand-crocheted scarves.  Be sure to read Kay and Lori's profile to find out how, after 30 years of going in different directions, they came together to start their family business.  For additional photos and a description of the pictured handbag, click here.

The (Lost) Art of Letterwriting

On New Year's Day I was feeling nostalgic and decided to go through a box of cards and letters I've kept over the years.   I love re-reading those letters.  The most current one is from my youngest grandson when he was in Navy bootcamp, written in March of 2008.   The oldest is from my Mother, written in 1974.  

Sadly, with the popularity of home computers came the decline of  handwritten letters.  Emails, FaceBook, Twitter...all have taken the place of sitting down with pen and paper.  Some of the letters I received were five pages long.  E-mails are usually a few paragraphs at best.  Handwritten letters are personal.  E-mails, in my opinion, are not. 

You can't put an email in a box to take out and enjoy again and again.  Yes, you can print it out but it's not the same.  Seeing my  late mother's beautiful handwriting always brings tears to my eyes.  My son's letters were as charming as he was (he passed away in February, 2002) and because he is no longer with us, they are even more dear to me.  My grandchildren are grown now and it's so much fun re-reading the letters and cards, and enjoying the drawings, they sent me when they were growing up. 

I'm as guilty as the next person...I don't remember the last time I wrote a letter.  My Dad lives upstate from me and I call reasonably often but I don't think about writing a letter.  I think I will. 

I searched on Etsy this morning trying to find handmade stationary or note cards that I thought were special enough to feature with this post.  I was instantly smitten by these 4 1/4 X 5 1/2 inch cards from the shop Marisol Spoon.  which feature detachable mini-prints of her original oil paintings, suitable for framing.  Perfect for writing a lovely note to someone special, sure to be treasured always.

Final day of 2009...sales on Etsy

I almost waited too late for this post because most of these offers end at midnight tonight but here goes....

Bit n' Beads has Christmas items on sale such as this cute book charm.

 

Miss Sideburns is offering 25% off on items such as this...

 Set Carre', Miss Sideburn's partner, is also offering 25% off.

White Earth Studio has gorgeous handbuilt porcelain pottery items and is offering free shipping plus a bonus gift.

 HuggerMugger has reduced prices 25%-50% on various items.

Sleepy Robot has two Santa robots marked down from $12 to $5.

Pet Scribbles has marked down Christmas related cards and tags.

And last but not least, localcolorist is offering buy one get one free on selected Cranes.

ops!  I almost forgot my sale..last two Christmas themed items marked 50% off.

 

Have fun shopping!

Never in a million years...

Whatever preconceived idea you may have about what's available on Etsy.com, banish it now. I have a shop on Etsy and I've bought everything from bird feeders to vintage but never in a million years would it have occurred to me to look there for a chicken coop.

My husband and I have a very large backyard in an area that allows livestock and we have seriously considered buying a couple of laying hens. Problem is, we have dogs... and hawks flying around salivating (do birds salivate?) for a tasty chicken dinner... which would require building a covered enclosure. Building? We aren't that handy. I searched locally but was unable to find anything that fit our needs. We finally gave up the idyllic notion of eating delicious fresh eggs, collected each morning from our own happy hens.

I couldn't believe my eyes when I logged onto Etsy this morning and there on the front page was a chicken coop! A handcrafted, portable chicken coop!

I checked out the shop, Chicken Coops, and found that the owner, Drew Waters, is a "woodworker and designer with an avid inclination for backyard agriculture". He, like me, was unable to find the perfect backyard chicken coop. Unlike me, he designed and built his own. As he says in his Etsy profile, "Lots of friends asked me to do the same for them, so was born my small line of sustainable, handcrafted chicken coops."

I'm not sure I still want to be a chicken farmer but, if I decide I do, I will definitely order one of these.

Click HERE for more photos and information.

A year's vacation

My intention in December, 2008 was to take a month off from blogging and re-charge my batteries. It's now been over a year. That's what happens when you procrastinate for a week, then another week, then a month... all of a sudden 12 months have flown by.

I was amazed when I looked at my blog feed and saw that people are still finding it. Whether they actually read it after realizing it's woefully out-of-date I don't know, but I do know that seeing they were here has given me the push I need to once again be a showcase for artisans world-wide.

Today's spotlight is on Fairchildart from Mounds View, MN. This artist crafts the most incredibly realistic polymer clay miniature food I've seen anywhere. Just look at this brat and chips!

Can you believe it isn't real?













If your prefer breakfast, how about this? Yummy!











To see more, check out Fairchildsart's Etsy shop.

It's time to relax!

I'm giving myself a much needed break for the rest of 2008. I have unsubscribed to most of my Yahoo groups, closed my Reborn shop on Etsy, put away my polymer clay and I'm tying up loose ends everywhere else.

I don't have to be Monk (one of my all-time favorite detectives) to read the clues...my stiff neck, aching back and irritable mood are telling me to relax and get rid of the stress that has built up during 2008 so I can ring in 2009 with a smile, not a grimace.

I won't be posting any new features until January so I want to take this opportunity to thank all of my loyal readers for your support and wish everyone the happiest of holidays and a joyful New Year.

World Aids Day

Today I am honoring two of my brothers and my son, all of whom died from complications of HIV/AIDS.

Yes, the good die young. My brother, Robin, died in 1990 at the age of 39. My brother Michael, who died in 1991, was only 29. My beloved son, John David, passed away in 2002. He was 38.

These men were loved by everyone who knew them. They were the ones who lit up a room when they walked in; the ones to whom others gravitated in a group. They were loving and unselfish, willing to give a helping hand to anyone who needed it. Their deaths left a void in the lives of so many; a void that can never be filled.

HIV was discovered in 1981. There were no treatments. Since then, many new drugs have been discovered to help lengthen and improve the lives of those with HIV. There is still no cure.

My hope today is to encourage those who are at risk to be tested and those who are not to be safe. The following is excerpted from the website of the Department of Health and Human Services Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. For additional information, click here.

Preventing Transmission

Your risk of getting HIV or passing it to someone else depends on several things.

* Abstain from sex (do not have oral, anal, or vaginal sex) until you are in a relationship with only one person, are having sex with only each other, and each of you knows the other’s HIV status.

* If both you and your partner have HIV, use condoms to prevent other sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) and possible infection with a different strain of HIV. If only one of you has HIV, use a latex condom and lubricant every time you have sex.

* Get tested for HIV
If you are a man who has had sex with other men, get tested at least once a year.
If you are a woman who is planning to get pregnant or who is pregnant, get tested.

*Talk about HIV and other STDs with each partner before you have sex.
-Learn as much as you can about each partner’s past behavior (sex and drug use).
-Ask your partners if they have recently been tested for HIV; encourage those who have
have not been tested to do so.
-Use a latex condom and lubricant every time you have sex.
-If you think you may have been exposed to another STD such as gonorrhea, syphilis,
Chlamydia trachomatis infection, get treatment. These diseases can increase your risk of
getting HIV.

* Get vaccinated against hepatitis B virus.

* Even if you think you have low risk for HIV infection, get tested whenever you have a
regular medical check-up.

* Do not inject illicit drugs (drugs not prescribed by your doctor). You can get HIV through
needles, syringes, and other works if they are contaminated with the blood of someone who
has HIV. Drugs also cloud your mind, which may result in riskier sex.

* Do not have sex when you are taking drugs or drinking alcohol because being high can make
you more likely to take risks.

To protect yourself, remember these ABCs:
A=Abstinence

B=Be Faithful

C=Condoms