Literature and Butterflies - A BESTeam Feature

Literature and butterflies are the two sweetest passions known to man.

~Vladimir Nabokov

At first mention, most people wouldn't be able to make much of a connection between As You Like It and Unexpected Knock, the names of the two Etsy shops belonging to Massachusetts high school English teacher Stephanie DiCarlo.

For literary buffs, As You Like It is the title of one of William Shakespeare's plays, his rare comedy that deals with the trials and tribulations of its young heroine as she leaves a life of oppression in a courtly existence to find happiness and love in the rural woodlands. Unexpected Knock is a reference to a line from one of the poetic works of beloved American author (and also a Massachusetts resident) Emily Dickinson.

Being an English teacher, Stephanie draws inspiration for her creations from literature, and her offerings in these two shops show both the diversity and similarity of her styles.

As You Like It (dicarlos) is an eclectic collection of artwork and jewelry created simply "as you like it" - with art themes for everyone... from zen-inspired lotus flowers and mandalas to geeky rocket ships, and jewelry styles inspired by the world of nature using a variety of earthy gemstones and natural themes... including butterflies! Here are a couple of my favorites from this shop.



Stephanie's second shop, Unexpected Knock, offers a lovely selection of greeting cards and artworks, all of which are inspired by the works of Emily Dickinson. Upbeat, humorous, and inspiring were all words that came to mind as I browsed this shop, and I think you'll agree. I especially liked these greeting cards!


You can read more about Stephanie's world and enjoy her vibrant expressiveness on her blogs As You Like It and Unexpected Knock. Follow her on Facebook as well, for some previews, updates, and great deals from her shops.

'Til next time,