Tuesday, October 23, 2012

Tuesday's On Fire for Handmade Feature - Linda Searcy Jewelry Designs





This weeks Featured Artisan for Share the Love, Blogger's Unite is Linda Searcy Jewelry Designs-
Classical and Contemporary jewelry with a Hint of Nature!

You can Find Linda Searcy Jewerly Designs on:





Want to help spread the word too?  Grab the code for your blog HERE


Are you On Fire for Handmade? http://onfireforhandmade.com

Saturday, October 20, 2012

It's About Time

It flies. It heals all wounds. Occasionally it may seem to stand still. We budget it, try to save it, kill it. Some of us obsess about it, others have no sense of it. It is the great equalizer. It's time - and as much as we wish we it wasn't, awareness of it keeps our world running just a little smoother. 

Luckily, there are many wonderful ways to keep track of time and I've found some amazing ones to share with you today.  Let's not waste any more time - on with the show!

Vintage Alarm Clock from SovietEra

Custom Engraved Sundial by OfTimeAndPlace

Vintage 30 Minute Wooden Hourglass from ToysNwhatNot

Vintage Black Forest Cuckoo Clock from LoLovesVintage

Full Size Grandfather Clock by Shamrockfinewoodwork

Steampunk Pocket Watch by GlazedBlackCherry

GARDEN WARMTH- Butterfly Glass Beaded ID Lanyard with watch by CJsInspirations

Large Wall Clock Kit by mrsmo5

Steampunk Watch Cuff by Aranwen

Well, I'm out of time now, but I hope you liked the selections I've shared with you.  Take some time and visit all of these great shops and please remember to support small business owners. 

Blessings!




Friday, October 19, 2012

Tote Like a Butterfly, Bling Like a Bee

There are a over a million different species of them, and you will find more in one square mile of soil than make up the human population of the entire world.  Without them, our eco system would completely fall into destruction and life as we know it would probably not be possible.  They are insects... those creepy crawlies, those things with wings, and the inspiration for my post today!

Before I show you my finds, I thought I'd share a few fun facts about the insect world.

Did you know -

  • Mayflies have the shortest adult lifespan of all insects - approximately 3-4 hours - because they don't have the ability to eat!
  • The African mound building termite queen has the longest known insect lifespan at 50 years - although some entymologists believe they may live up to 100 years.
  • While spiders aren't technically insects - they're arachnids - most people think of them as the scariest creatures in the insect world.  Fear of spiders (arachnophobia) is the third most common fear - coming in only behind fear of public speaking and heights.
  • The largest insect is the Phobaeticus chani or Chan's megastick. One specimen measuring 22.3 inches with the front legs fully extended is on display in London's Natural History Museum.
  • The heaviest insect is the Little Barrier Island giant weta. One female specimen was found in 2011 weighing 2.5 ounces - that's about the weight of three house mice combined!
  • The largest flying insect is the Atlas Moth with a wingspan of up to nearly 8 inches.
  • If you think 8 inches is large for a flying insect, consider this - in prehistoric time, the Permian Dragonfly had a wingspan of approximately 75cm.  That's nearly 30 inches!  I'd hate to think how big mosquitoes might have been back then!

Luckily, all of my finds today are simply inspired by insects, so rest assured that no insect life was directly harmed simply for the creation of the items. I can't, of course, attest to the fate of the annoying gnat or fly that made its way into any of the artist's or artisan's studio!  I can attest that these are all beautiful bits of insect imagery.  Enjoy!

Farmers Market Blue Butterfly Tote by PiecesOfSungreenEtsy

Let It Bee Encaustic Painting by KissedByABee

LIGHT IN A JAR Original Watercolor Print by MuddKidIllustration

Dragonfly Silk Purse Scarf by MySistersArt

Steampunk Golden Scarab ' with revealed gears ' by ranaway

SPIDER HANGING BY THREAD - Organic Cotton Unisex Crew Tshirt by LookForFiddleheads


Cicada Brooch with Mexican Opal by ParadiseFindings

Praying Mantis Beaded Sculpture by RavencroftDesigns

Purple Butterflies Hair Comb by TheHoneyComb

I LOVE MY ANT (Aunt) Tee by MeSoSmall

Luna Moth Suncatcher by CFosterGlassworks
I hope I haven't driven you *buggy* with this post, but I do hope you'll take some time to visit all of these shops to see the rest of their offerings too!  I'll be back tomorrow with a spotlight on timepieces, so please be sure to stop by again.

Blessings~

Thursday, October 18, 2012

Treasures Within

Where do you keep all of your little trinkets and treasures?  My dresser has its share of trinket boxes in a variety of sizes and shapes - some gifts received throughout the years, others chosen by me for a special purpose or because they appealed to something in my spirit.  I also have a jewelry armoire to help me keep track of my jewelry and smaller accessories.  If I could justify it, I'd probably have a collection of trinket and jewelry boxes for no other reason than because I loved them for this reason or that.  I guess there's just something intriguing about opening a little box to explore the treasures hidden away there...

With so many shapes, styles, and themes to choose from, it was hard narrowing down my favorite trinket and jewelry box finds to just a few to share with you here today, but I hope you'll find something you like too!

Wooden "Last Rose of Summer" Woodburned Box by WillowSwitchDesigns

Turquoise Treasure Box by MosaicRenaissance

Pink Betsy Keepsake Box by FunWallArt

Magic Hidden Drawer Wooden Puzzle Handmade Jewelry Box by KalotArt

Yellow Flower on Black Trinket Box by PaintingFromTheHeart

Stained Glass Jewelry Boxes by GlassMagic

Jewelry Box with Secret Compartments by WatsWood

Industrial Style Customized Box by NYCostumer

Hand Carved Clay Box by ClayScenes

Don't forget, these lovely boxes are the perfect way to present a lovely piece of jewelry (something from Mystic Wynd perhaps?) or other small trinket on any special occasion, and of course they make enchanting gifts all by themselves!

Happy Shopping... and Blessings!



Wednesday, October 17, 2012

Fossil Fueled

Fossils fascinate me.  I love the idea of holding something in my hand (the smaller ones of course) that has been around for millions of years. It's awe inspiring to consider the type of world these creatures were a part of... everything they've lasted through... to be unearthed and turned into a piece of geologic history and modern day artistry!

I wandered the halls of Etsy and searched through my favorites to find these fabulous fossils and fossil inspired items, and I hope you'll enjoy the variety of items and the amazing diversity of styles and display that have brought these ancient pieces of history a place of honor in modern day life!


Adjustable black brown leather bracelet cuff with Ammonite fossil piece by LeasBoutique

Fossil Coral Ring. Agatized Coral and Sterling Silver Ring. US Size 5.5 by Isueszabo

Pine Needle Basket with Fossil Center by CarolsCoiledArt


Fossil Fern - Neuropteris from Cyclopaedia

Inclusion (insect fossil) in Baltic Amber by BaltCoast

Triceratops Skeleton illustration on Canvas Bag by WhimsyBags

Framed Fossil Fish by MWNaturesAntiquities

Fossil Fern Imprint on Smooth River Rock by MontanaFinders

Prehistoric Mastodon Molar Tooth Fossil Necklace by organikx

Shark Tooth Fossil Necklace pendant by MandalaRain

Fossil - Trilobite Pendant by saxdsign

Any of these would make a thoughtful gift for your favorite geology buff or science nerd - why not start your holiday shopping early and go buy your favorite now!

Blessings~


Tuesday, October 16, 2012

Walk Through the Woods

Today's theme will feature woodland items and I thought it would be fun to share my finds with you via a poem attributed to a Sgt Leighton G Harris.  It's a favorite of the scouting community and I hope it will become a favorite of yours as well.  The imagery and tone of the poem was perfect for the many lovely items I'd like to share with you today, so I hope you'll enjoy! 

When you walk through woods, I want you to see...

The floating gold of a bumblebee.
Bumblebee Yard Ornament by SaltyPeanutStitchery

Rivers of sunlight, pools of shade,

When you walk through woods, I want you to hear...
A million sounds in your little ear,
The scratch and rattle of wind-tossed trees,
Forest Trees Wall Decals by DecalsMurals

A rush, a timid chipmunk flees.
Needle Felted Wool Chipmunk by ClaudiaMari
The cry of a hawk from the distant sky,
Surveying Hawk by JasonTennant


The purr of leaves when a breeze rolls by,
Falling Leaves Necklace by MysticWynd

Brooks that mumble, stones that ring,
Woodland Stream - Original Photograph 8x10 by TammieBowdenPhoto


When you walk through the woods I want you to feel
That no mere man could make this real...
Could paint the throb of a butterfly’s wings,

Large Aqua Butterfly Metal Wall Decor by TropicAccents
Could teach a woodchuck how to sing,
5 Groundhog Finger Puppets by HandfulOfPuppets

Could give the wonders of earth and sky;
Glittering Night Sky 5x7 by KimDot
There’s something greater than you or I.
When you walk through the woods
and the birches nod,
Son, meet a friend of mine named GOD.


Hope you enjoyed! Blessings~

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