Window Shopping!

I love Fall....really love it!  And when Fall comes around my thoughts go to December and Christmas.  So what if it's only September, you've got to start that holiday shopping sometime so I thought I would help you get started with some "window shopping"!  The Artisans and their beautiful creations below will put you in the mood for sure.  Visit them and see what other beautiful things they have.  These Artisans are all from my Etsy Angel Team!  Enjoy!

SewingGranny~Mona 

 Mona makes the cutest bib and burp cloth sets.  Several of my grandchildren proudly sport her bibs!  They wash up wonderfully and are very well constructed.  She also sells pot holder sets, place-mats, "mug rugs, coffee cup cozy's, table runners and many other things.  

BeadedTail~Sharla

Sharla has so very many beautiful things in her shop.  These Smokey Quartz earrings are stunning and she has the necklace (equally as stunning) to match it!  I have purchased numerous gifts for my family, and myself, from Sharla.  She has jewelry from gorgeous to the whimsical at a price point that everyone can afford.  Visit her today and find that very special gift for those on your gift list.

CrochetbyMSA~MaryAnn

Anyone that knows me well knows that Sunflowers are my favorite flower!  Even in the winter my kitchen is sunny and bright with them all around!  MaryAnn handcrafted this beautiful crocheted Sunflower doily.  I just can't help but smile when I see this!  Her shop is filled with such beauty and grace!  Anyone receiving one of her doily's or other items, would just love them.  They truly are gifts meant to last a lifetime and be passed down from generation to generation.  Stop by her shop and see what else she has!

These are just 3 of the Etsy Angel Team that I am so proud to be a member of and these are just 3 of many that you'll be seeing in the very near future.  I plan on introducing you to ALL my Team members and let you know what beautiful, fun, functional, bright, happy, stunning, gorgeous and wonderful things they create.....stay tuned!

Simple Pleasures.....

Living rural has so many pros and cons.  Driving long distances to get anywhere is one of those "cons".  However, over the past 2-3 weeks those long drives have been welcomed because I was able to experience something I've never seen before.  Butterflies!  Butterflies you ask?  Yes, thousands of them.  More butterflies than I have ever witnessed in one place before.

Our roadsides in Missouri are kept cut back only a few feet since the gas prices went up.  So many of the wild flowers and other plants have been able to take up residence and thrive.  One such plant is the thistle.   I remember many years ago the dried thistle was so coveted by home crafters and flower arrangers that you hardly ever saw them anymore (I lived in Michigan at the time).  I guess that hobby never took off here in Missouri since we have an abundance of them!

Driving the other day I was amazed at the sheer number of butterflies.  There had to of been 1,000's of them.  The Thistle on the side of the road, for about 12 miles, was just black with butterflies.  All moving to the open flowers to eat nectar.  It was a beautiful sight to see.

After some searching via the internet I discovered that the butterflies were called a Pipevine Swallowtail and they look like this (photo credit to Charly Mann).  Their iridescent hind wings practically glowed in the sunlight.  Bright blue toward the bottom and black top wings.  It ranges from the US down into Mexico and as far away as Costa Rica.  They can be seen from April - October in the Northern part of it's range and from February - November in it's Southern range.  They have 2 hatchings in the North and usually 3 in the South.

All scientific descriptions aside they are beautiful.  Their graceful movement catches your eye and you can't help but watch them.  Hopefully you have either stopped your car and pulled off the road or you are watching them from your patio!  I have had the blessing to be able to of done both this Summer.  Sometimes I think that the world would be a more peaceful place if we all pulled off the road once in a while and just sat to watch the butterflies.....

What's Up With Cotton? The PRICES!!

 Been to the fabric store lately?  Got sticker shock?  Well hang on, it's not over with yet!  The price of fabric has been steadily rising for months now and it is only going to go higher.  There are many factors, floods in Pakistan which is one of the largest cotton producing countries, India reducing the amount of raw cotton it allows for export and China depleting it's existing supply of cotton.  China now has gone through most of their "stash" and are literally purchasing cotton at any price just to get their hands on it.

Cotton is a commodity that is traded on the open market like oil, gold, silver etc.  So, short supplies and higher demands have made the cotton futures skyrocket.  Large manufactures are having to pay anywhere from 18-35% MORE for their greige goods (pronounced "grey" goods, and describes raw, woven fabric that has not been treated, dyed or finished).  The cost of cotton back in 2005 was around .56 cents per pound....it's now at $1.52.  It all rolls downhill.

The prices are higher, the demand is higher and everyone is scrambling to get what they think they'll need for the future which is just going to drive the price up even more.  So, the bottom line here is.....even the home crafter/small business person is going to feel this pinch (actually we already are).

If you notice prices going up and up when your looking to purchase clothing or anything that is "fabric related" please keep in mind that it's not just the business owner trying to "make a buck", we're dealing with those increased prices too.

Micheal Bourlard, vice president, retail sales made this statement regarding the increase in cotton prices; " Hoffman California Fabrics and other textile manufacturers find ourselves inside a “perfect storm” of low supply, high demand and high prices for cotton. Thanks to a healthy greige goods inventory, we were able to keep our prices steady for nearly two years into the first half of this year. That supply now is nearly exhausted and unfortunately, we’ve been continually frustrated by an extremely volatile market with frequent price hikes." 

So as you shop and you see the prices creeping up know that I am doing my best to keep prices down.  I look for new ways to purchase fabrics at lower prices so I can still make my items affordable for you.  I shop all the "sales", purchase larger cuts of fabric, take advantage of "discontinued" prints that are often at a lower price, frequent yard sales, garage sales, thrift shops etc.  Fabrics are always laundered prior to cutting them out and stitching them together so you can be assured of a "clean" product!

Believe me, when the prices of cotton start coming down again you'll be the first to know!   

Glass Artist ~Julie DeGroot~ GardenJewels on Etsy

GardenJewels

I happened to run across Julie in the Etsy forums.  Her spirit came through in her response to other Artists.  I clicked through to her shop and was taken to a garden filled with fairy doors, stained glass wind chimes, garden art and whimsy.  A shop that makes you take a deep, cleansing breath of fresh air and let it out slowly....all the while your stress melts away.  Julie has an eclectic eye in her designs using the new and the found.  She takes Vintage items and incorporates them into her designs.  Color, shape and movement are things you'll find in her creations. 

Each one of her designs is a one of a kind piece.  Giving one as a gift you'll never have to worry about them getting the "same" thing twice!  The pieces are not something that will be given away they are truly heirloom pieces. 

From her Shop Bio...

"I create one of a kind stained glass art

~ Inspired by Nature 

~ Bringing you reflections of color, movement  & soothing sounds to your home & garden

~ All of my glass art is individually designed
& handcrafted by myself.
~ Each piece is totally unique and a one of a kind."

Julie lives in Beautiful Western New York, in the country surrounded by the woods and nature.  She is a "self taught artist and have been enjoying and creating stained glass, mosaic designs, paintings, murals and my gardens for over 20 years now".

"I have a great passion for glass, for my gardens and the great outdoors, so I combined them to create my glass art for your home & garden, inspired by nature."

 "A garden should be filled with not only plants & love, but little surprises throughout it. Something to catch your eye & drag you in to sit awhile to stop and smell the roses.  My heart and soul goes into all of my art.
Always on the look out for vintage glass, beads, or objects to reuse. I love to upcycle pieces into my art.  Taking nothing and turning it into something!  Most of my inspirations come from my favorite place to be in this world, my gardens. Nature always sings to me.   My name Garden Jewels comes from my passion for my Gardens & for my Husband who calls me Jewel."

Take some time and stop by Julie's shop, take a look at the beauty she has created.   If your shopping for something very special this is the place to find it!

Several members of my family have been the lucky recipient's of Julie's work.  They love them and cherish the meaning behind them as well as the care and love that went into each piece.

Visit GardenJewels......

eReaders and Magnetic Cover Closures...the truth....

Questions have come up regarding "magnets" or magnetic closures and eReaders.  Will they harm your device?  Simple answer is....no.

Technology has come a L-O-N-G way in the last 10 years when people were warned about keeping their electronic devices, floppy discs and the like away from magnets. You can certainly form your own opinions but by all I have read regarding the matter magnetic closures on a eReader cover will do NO harm.  In fact when the first Kindle came out it actually had a MAGNET that helped "hold" it to the leather cover that was an accessory item.

Here are some of the comments I found while doing research on the issue, some more "scientific" than others, others more "humorous".

Quotes taken from Kindle Boards

"There are no magnetic drives in the Kindle that would be affected by anything that is somewhat magnetic."

"Kindle exposure to magnets waves in non-commercial usages are absolutely no problem."

"The electromagnet pulse from a nuclear bomb will destroy unshielded electronics. Therefore, I would avoid exploding a nuclear bomb within, say, a five-mile radius of your Kindle. The actual radius will vary with the strength of the bomb."

From Yahoo "Answers":

"My Amazon Kindle cover uses magnets to snap closed. I have a small room with numerous electronic devices (LCD monitors, a laptop, an external hard drive, a cell phone, a watch); also, I like to carry both my Kindle and my laptop in my bookbag. What I'm wondering is, are these magnets in the Kindle cover strong enough to damage anything, or should I quit worrying about being careful? (Obviously, they do no harm to the Kindle itself....)"

Answer:

"Your question is valid although I believe your concern is not. It's true magnets can effect digital storage and many other electronic devices. The strength of the magnet you describe is not enough to do any damage."

Google has literally pages of questions and answers regarding magnetic closures and eReaders....none of them "warn" or say they will harm an eReader.  As always, you must form your own opinions on the matter, but I am convinced that they do no harm.

Giving Thanks by Indie Artisans Handmade

Indie Artisans is an ever-changing collection of the best handmade has to offer, presented on one timely page that makes shopping for gifts or yourself easy and fun.

The collection changes with the seasons or on a whim, so check back often for the finest artisan goods hand selected from the most creative, experienced group of online artisans ever assembled.

Click on anything you are interested in on the blog page and it will take you directly to that Artisans shop page.  You will purchase directly from the Artisan.

Holiday Gifts for the Teacher....

Apple for the Teacher?  Sometimes picking up a nice gift for a Teacher is difficult...they get plenty of candy and other things and many of those end up being "regifted".  How about something that they will really be able to use?  This eyeglass case would be perfect!  A double case that can hold their readers and their sunglasses!  Visit my ArtFire store and see ALL the different cases for women AND men.