Polka Dots are In!

Do you want to have the latest fashion or home accessory?
Well, apparently polka dots will be big this coming year...so....I went on a Polka Dot search and found some great items....

How about a pair of earrings to start your new look and your day off in a bright and cheerful way?

                   Polka Dot Earrings

A Polka Dot Bag would be fun to take to the office or out shopping...and it is vintage too!

                    Polka Dot Bag

Or maybe this white with black polka dot scarf?

              White and Black scarf

Want more color???  I love this vintage belt!

     Vintage Belt Polka Dots and Red

If you would rather have some Polka Dot for your home, we can help you with that too....

                       Cupcake liners

How yummy would cupcakes look in those???

You can wear this great apron....

                   Polka Dot Apron

While mixing them up in this bowl!

    Vintage Red and White Enamel Bowl

Put those cupcakes in a bakery box and tie a fabulous ribbon bow on it....

                    Polka Dot Ribbon


You can serve them to the man in your life.....while he sits on the couch, leaning against...

                 A Polka Dot Pillow  .....

While he wears his new

                           Polka Dot Tie

All the money you save baking those cupcakes yourself can go into your....

Pink and Green Polka Dot Piggy Bank


There, now tomorrow is all planned out...see I told you Polka Dots were IN!
To check out these items in their shops just click on the name below each photo.
VE

THE WONDERFUL FELTED PURSE

My new passion is the felted purse, not for me to make because I believe they are beyond my abilities, but to look at, enjoy, and some day to purchase.  They are so beautiful and the artists who create them have such talent and imagination.  In my many random searches I have found that there is also a wide variety of designs.  To create the felted purse is not an easy, quick little hobby.  It takes extreme patience,  perseverance, dedication, hours of work, and a focus on the end result.

Here are some of the very talented artists who are creating these little masterpieces of  useful art:



http://www.artfire.com/modules.php?name=Shop&op=listing&product_id=3574024

http://www.artfire.com/modules.php?name=Shop&op=listing&product_id=229771

http://www.artfire.com/modules.php?name=Shop&op=listing&product_id=2322775

http://www.etsy.com/listing/65778319/rose-flower-gold-black-felted-purse

http://www.etsy.com/listing/69252932/robin-bird-in-a-nest-blue-rust-felted

http://www.etsy.com/listing/73436175/alpaca-hypoallergeniccamelrust-felted

http://www.etsy.com/listing/75971139/rosy-rust-felted-purse-with-lining-and

http://www.zibbet.com/FeltLikeKnitting/artwork?artworkId=364135

http://www.zibbet.com/InStitches/artwork?artworkId=441111

If you would like to felt your own purse, here's a shop that for $5.00 offers a wide assortment of patterns.

http://www.zibbet.com/PippsPurses

Happy felting!  Pepper, Pep, Helmet Head

Pounce!

This week, the crew of  ACJ is featuring shops new to Etsy.  Shops awaiting their first sales.  Do you  remember your first sale and how exciting it was?

Last week, I made this  Pounce treasury of undiscovered shops (click on the word Pounce directly above  the treasury and you can see the treasury on Etsy OR click on each photo to be  taken to each shop):

Today, I'd like to draw attention to  the first two shops in the treasury!  Why?  Because the first one, Pretty Duzz,  

 broke the ice and purchased a card from the second one, Melley  Nelson Design giving them their first sale!  How cool is that? Thank you Brenda!  And I see Brenda is having a Fourth of July sale in her shop, be sure to check it out.


And here is the second shop, Melley Nelson Design:

Please be sure to check  out the rest of the shops in the treasury, each one is new to Etsy.

THIS just in!  Leslie from Julesandlouie is offering FREE shipping on anything in her shop through the Fourth of July!!  Use coupon code "Happy4" at time of checkout to qualify for free shipping!

Someone better snap up  this purse from Julesandlouie, because I'm loving it!:

Why not make someone's  day and be the first person to purchase from a new shop?!?! 

(You can click on each banner to be taken directly to the shops or an item to be taken to that item)

Have a great and safe  holiday weekend!

RWS

For the Love of the Irish

If I were given a free ticket to fly anywhere in the world, I would choose Ireland. I've always been fascinated by this beautiful country. It is a mix of the soft and beautiful and the hard and difficult. I love the art, music, dance, and culture as well as the landscape and people.


http://www.etsy.com/listing/69050237/4-green-claddagh-ring-irish-language
So....as I was thinking of Ireland and St. Patrick's Day I did what I usually do, I did an Etsy search. This time for the artists of Ireland.


http://www.etsy.com/listing/68709047/seafoam-pearls-and-fish-scales-a-mermaid
Here is a little gallery I put together to honor the artists and their wonderful talents. I hope you enjoy it.


http://www.etsy.com/listing/60998235/white-chiffon-silk-shawl-with-handfelted


http://www.etsy.com/listing/69741805/cream-silk-shoulder-bag


http://www.etsy.com/listing/68351567/art-pendant-songe-dune-nuit-dete-glass


http://www.etsy.com/listing/58165893/handmade-notebook


http://www.etsy.com/listing/67365053/baby-girls-st-patricks-day-hat


http://www.etsy.com/listing/64156804/felt-necklace-with-wooden-beads-merino

There are so many talented Irish artisans on Etsy that I'm sure if you do your own search you'll be pleasantly surprised.  Have fun and have a very happy St. Patrick's Day.....

pepper/Helmet Head

Yipee! Crochet is Popular Again!

I've been collecting free crochet patterns for quite awhile now, and ever so often I glance through them to see if something catches my eye.

A few weeks ago as I was finishing a rose and leaves, I ran across a free pattern for this adorable purse. This purse pattern is so quick and easy and I didn't even have to make any adjustments at all. For those who crochet or knit, you know how rare it is that a pattern doesn't need some "fixing".

I did use one 2.5oz. ball of 4-ply 100% cotton yarn instead of what's listed in the "materials" section.

I then used just a safety pin to make a brooch and attach the rose and leaves to the purse. I'm pleased with the results and I hope you will be also.

I'm only showing a link to the purse pattern because free patterns for the roses are abundant on the internet.

http://www.lionbrand.com/patterns/90138AD.html?keywords=noImages

Have fun and I'd love to see your finished purses!!

pepper