Monday Morning Mosaic

I've personally explored a wide variety of different art forms and crafts. Some of them I enjoyed and others I didn't. Some, I wanted badly to be good at but wasn't and others I was good at and yet not quite good enough.

In today's mosaic, I'd love to introduce you to four talented artists that I personally admire beyond words and whose creativity, imagination and talent take my breath away.

Nature Mandalas - Nature Photography Prints

Rocky Top Studio from Belfast, Maine

A published, award winning professional photographer based in Midcoast Maine, the artist that runs this ship has been photographing full time for over 10 years and it shows in the quality of the work you will find there. With an eye for beauty and a talent for sharing it through photo prints and note cards, this shop is a breathtaking display of nature's beauty. Currently, they are also having a "Buy One Print, Get One Free" sale as well!

Black Sketchbook - Original Paintings by International Artist Claire Elan

Claire Elan from Los Angeles, California

Original one-of-a-kind oil paintings and drawings by international artist, Clair Elan. These paintings have a soul reaching melancholy to them and a life breathing quality that draws the eye and speaks to the soul. Each painting includes a detailed certificate of authenticity from the artist. The gallery of paintings in the Black Sketchbook is a small one, but well worth an admiring eye and some deep contemplation as well.

The Dancing Brush - Contemporary Organic Abstract Art

The Dancing Brush from Nashville, Tennessee

Specialty plasters, metals and glazes combine in the creation of this new body of work with a unique flair and one of a kind texture reminiscent of mother nature herself. Every piece has a birth and life of its own and every one come out different and I'm so enraptured with the artist's trees that I've been dying to buy one of her pieces for myself. This artist has an eye for beauty and a way of communicating her vision that reflects her love for her work.

Studio Rayyan - The Fairy Tale and Fantasy Art of Omar Rayyan

Omar Rayyan from Martha's Vineyard, Massachusetts

When I saw the Squid Contessa, I knew this was an artist I had to introduce to my readers. The detail and imagination in the works by Omar Rayyan are more than breathtaking but awe inspiring and rich with fantasy and imagination. Fantasy art, fairy tales, folklore and flights of fancy fill this shop and are available in both original art and art prints as well as mini prints.

The handmade marketplace and the talented artisans you'll find there are a terrific alternative to commercial products and with the added bonus of personalized care and an attention to detail and quality that commercial products lack.

When shopping for artwork, prints and other items to add to your home decor, don't forget to browse through artisan works and see what you can find, you'll be surprised at just how much creativity, originality and quality is out there!

One of a kind Original Fine Art Paintings by Elizabeth Caffey

Today's shop is ran by one of the most amazing oil-on-canvas artists that I've seen in a very long time.

Elizabeth Caffey is a highly talented self-taught artist from Quartz Hill, California with a unique vision and the talent to share the creative eye inside her mind with the world at large. In her shop, ElizabethCaffey on Etsy, you can find a variety of her paintings to browse through that are sure to leave you agog with her talent and creativity.

Her work draws from surrealist, realist and illustration traditions with her own personal flair and her gorgeous paintings depict a cast of characters who are complex and often strange.

All of her paintings are original, one of a kind pieces of fine art with beautiful attention to detail. Her artwork has a definite steampunk theme to many of the pieces which are surrounded in her shop by other works in the realm of fantasy, sci fi and more.

Not only that, but Elizabeth also does commissions. So, if you would like to have your portrait painted or if you love her style and flair and would like to make a special request, you can contact her to discuss ideas!

Also, at the moment she's making room in her studio and is having a 50% off sale!! You can take advantage of this by using the coupon code FIFTY at check out.

YOU CAN CLICK ON THE PICTURE ABOVE TO VISIT ELIZABETH CAFFEY ON ETSY AND TAKE A LOOK AROUND OR, IF YOU PREFER, YOU CAN CLICK RIGHT HERE!

If you like what you see in her shop, you may also enjoy visiting Elizabeth Caffey's blog or website or perhaps stopping by to say hi to the artist on Facebook!

Handmade Crafts, Accessories, Paintings and More

A pair of sisters that love to create and have meshed their two styles into one to design unique handmade items. Their shop, Ardent Reverie on Etsy, is a beautiful display of this mesh of fashion and style combined with a love of crafting.

Melanie and Meghan Mina began their Etsy store in late 2009 and have made a success out of their love for crafting by sharing their creativity with others. They've won awards and drawn interest from around the world with their unique style.

Ardent Reverie on Etsy is filled with a variety of crafts and accessories including feather and flower hair accessories, delicate jewelry and necklaces, hats, scarves, purses and even a selection of solid perfumes!

YOU CAN CLICK ON THE PICTURE ABOVE TO VISIT ARDENT REVERIE'S SHOP ON ETSY AND TAKE A LOOK AROUND OR, IF YOU PREFER, YOU CAN CLICK RIGHT HERE.

If you like what you see in the Ardent Reverie shop, you may also enjoy visiting the Ardent Reverie website where you can learn more about their designs as well as the artistic sisters behind them as well as find out about discounts and giveaways! Or, if you prefer, you can also stop by and say hi to Melanie and Meghan on Facebook or Twitter!

[This blog post is a "BESTeam Feature" for the Boosting Etsy Shops Team. The BESTeam is dedicated to helping its members promote their shops and assisting each other in marketing, advertising and sharing the tips and tricks of running an online business. If you are a seller on Etsy and are interested in becoming a member of the BESTeam, the team is accepting new members and you can find more information about the team as well as apply to become a member HERE.]

16 Remarkable Weekend Finds!

An Etsy Treasury curated by Gilliauna ~ Once Upon The Northern Lights

Click on the picture below to be taken to a page where you can browse individual items you like that you see pictured here as well as the shops where these items were found and artisans behind them all!

Credits go to: adaliajean, adorned7, AshleySpatula, atlantisglassandbead, CalienteJewelry, claycoyote, dinjik, FizaDesigns, gilliauna, harvestorm, jacquedesigns, Ljane6, NatureBits1118, NorthernLightPhoto, paintingsbyoakes, tyronearts and WildWomanJewelry.

Faerie Garden Fancies from BunnyKissd

Paintings and beads, sculpture and jewelry. Drawings and much much more... that's what today's shop has to offer. BunnyKissd on Etsy is filled with fun and colorful bits of clay, pendants, beads and more to make you go "awwww!" and give a smile.

Diana, the artist behind BunnyKissd, is filled with artistic wonder and loves to express herself with a wide variety of mediums from paper, paint, glue and scissors to polymer clay, pencils, watercolors, photography and even the occasional computer art! She's a member of a number of teams on Etsy that I'm also involved with including the Etsy Bloggers Street Team and the Queer Etsy Team.

My favorite piece in Diana's shop at the moment is the beautiful crescent moon necklace you can see pictured here in this post. I have to admit, though, it was a hard debate for me because she has some of the cutest winter ornaments with s'mores and other marshmallow and snowman themes as well and they're all very cute. And also the hungry caterpillar sculpture that made laughter bubble the minute I saw it as well!

YOU CAN CLICK ON THE PICTURE ABOVE TO VISIT BUNNYKISSD ON ETSY AND TAKE A BROWSE AROUND OR, IF YOU PREFER, YOU CAN CLICK RIGHT HERE.

You can also visit Diana on her BunnyKissd blog as well!

Artwork for Hope and Charity

Today I'd like the opportunity to introduce you to a shop ran by a small woman with an especially big heart.

Although Kate, the artisan behind OnBehalfOf on Etsy, proclaims herself not to be a professional artist, her artwork is truly beautiful.

Kate believes in using beauty to fight back against the ugliness in our world. She uses her artwork and creations to help fight back against forces of injustice through selfless love. Ninety percent of the proceeds from each item that's sold in Kate's shop are donated to organizations that help to provide clean water in developing countries, free modern day slaves, care for orphans and provide medical help to those with HIV. Her shop and her efforts towards it were created on behalf of these people that need our help.

Through her art, Kate has started a mission to spread hope and help throughout the world and her artwork is a glowing beacon of that hope shared with everyone who sees it. Filled with vibrant colors and an ethnic style, these pieces are sure to catch the attention and inspiration of all who see them.

YOU CAN CLICK ON THE PICTURE ABOVE TO VISIT THE ONBEHALFOF SHOP ON ETSY AND TAKE A LOOK AROUND OR, IF YOU PREFER, YOU CAN CLICK RIGHT HERE.

YOU CAN ALSO VISIT KATE ON HER "ART ON BEHALF OF BLOG"!

[This blog post is a "BESTeam Feature" for the Boosting Etsy Shops Team. The BESTeam is dedicated to helping its members promote their shops and assisting each other in marketing, advertising and sharing the tips and tricks of running an online business. If you are a seller on Etsy and are interested in becoming a member of the BESTeam, the team is accepting new members and you can find more information about the team as well as apply to become a member HERE.]

Licoricewits - I'm glad you're weird...

Do you have that one friend that marches to a different drummer and is almost impossible to shop for because their... well, just a little weird or even slightly odd?

Okay well I have more than one of those. I have a barrage of them! And all year round, I hunt for "the perfect gift" for each of these individuals on my list. Something little, something cute, something perfect and just for them.

Today's shop is filled with just these perfect gifts! And I wanted to make sure I introduced you to them just in time for the beginning of the holiday shopping season too, so maybe you can find that perfect something for someone on your list (or, let's admit it, maybe a little something for yourself too!)

Licoricewits on Etsy is filled with zombies, monsters, aliens and other things cute for the "slightly odd" in life. They have aliens and robots, Sasquatch and goblins mixed along side perfect little cake toppers and nerd girl gifts. I am in love with their little wooden Kokeshi dolls, but they also have bookmarks and art prints, magnets and even original paintings!

Terry, the artist behind Licoricewits, is based in Vancouver, BC and has a love for horror, sci-fi and most things cute and has done an amazing job of incorporating all of that together into a terrific shop filled with wonderful items to tempt you with.

This extremely talented artist also does animal artwork in their second shop, SavageArtwork on Etsy, which is filled with owls, penguins and a variety of bunnies, ducks, wolves and other animals on prints, magnets and more.

YOU CAN CLICK ON THE PICTURE ABOVE TO VISIT LICORICEWITS OR SAVAGEARTWORK ON ETSY AND TAKE A LOOK AROUND OR, IF YOU PREFER, YOU CAN CLICK RIGHT HERE FOR LICORICEWITS... OR RIGHT HERE FOR SAVAGEARTWORK!

I Wanna Wear It! ~ As You Like It on Etsy

Yep, you heard me right. I wanna wear it!

The picture you see here is actually a canvas painting, but when I went into today's shop for the first time, my first instinct and urge was that I wanted to -wear- this piece.

I mean... it's just gorgeous! It would look spectacular wrapped up in my hair or curled at my hips in a drape or skirt. Or as a bandeau shirt curled lovingly around my torso.

Not to mention that the necklace pictured below from the exact same shop would fit perfect with the outfit I've built in my mind around this painting.

I mean, talk about being inspiring!

I really, really like this design and I can guarantee that if it was made in a large scarf or a piece of fabric that I'd have snatched it up without a second thought.

The shop that houses both of these beautiful items is "As You Like It" on Etsy by DiCarlos.

Stephanie, the talented artist behind these pieces, is filled with creative juices that she stirs vigorously into a number of different artistic venues. These include paintings and jewelry, as seen here on this blog, as well as a variety of wonderful cards and prints.

As a school teacher in northern Massachusetts, I can't imagine how she has time to make such beautiful pieces but she has not one shop, but TWO!

As You Like It by DiCarlos is filled with colorful jewelry, amazing prints and paintings.

Stephanie's other shop, Unexpected Knock (the name is inspired by the poetry of Emily Dickensen) has an entirely different flavor with a slightly more formal feel with a collection of clean, crisp designed poetry-inspired cards and artwork.

Both shops are relatively new, one opening in April of this year and the other in June, but you won't be disappointed by what you find there so be sure to stop by and visit!

YOU CAN CLICK ON THE PICTURES ABOVE TO VISIT "AS YOU LIKE IT" ON ETSY AND TAKE A LOOK AROUND OR, IF YOU PREFER, CLICK RIGHT HERE. I ALSO ENCOURAGE YOU TO STOP BY THE "UNEXPECTED KNOCK" ON ETSY AS WELL!

You might also enjoy visiting Stephanie's As You Like It Blog and Unexpected Knock blog.

Environmentally Responsible Artwork

Sometimes owls are cute. (Okay, so, I say sometimes because there are certain times when they're just a little on the creepy side. But... USUALLY owls are cute.) And today's no exception to this in my opinion although the spectacular set of owls pictured to the right really aren't what first drew me to today's shop. They're just one of the many items that caught my attention once I'd "stepped through the door" so to speak.

What first drew me was the picture below.

I love artwork that speaks to me and reminds me of bits of my past that are meant to be savored but might have been lost in the clutter of everyday life's responsibilities and the build up of hours, days and years gone by. Stephanie Birch, the artist behind today's shop, helped stir one of these special memories for me.

The tall birches and simple beauty of the piece drew my eye and made me smile. I once got lost in a similar vista and spent a few hours lying in the grass staring up at the sky, swaying silvery trunks and fluttering bows of birch trees.

The shop, One Gift One World is filled with a number of these serene and beautiful paintings as well as a variety of other earth revering pieces that are worth much more than just a lingering look or two. In fact, they have some of the most beautiful bird art prints that I've ever seen! They also have pieces featuring trees, bunnies, nests and more in both original paintings and prints as well as sculpture.

All are created by the extremely talented artist, Stephanie Birch, and a portion of each of the sales through One Gift One World is contributed to charity. The charities include the Natural Resources Defense Council - The Earth's Best Defense as well as The Humane Society and the Arbor Day Foundation.

These contemporary nature-inspired original paintings, fine art prints and other home decor items are absolutely beautiful. Stephanie also offers a handful of unique accessories. You'll love the browse through her shop so don't miss out on stopping by to take a look around.

YOU CAN CLICK ON THE PICTURES ABOVE TO VISIT STEPHANIE'S ONE GIFT ONE WORLD SHOP ON ETSY AND TAKE A LOOK AROUND OR, IF YOU PREFER, CLICK RIGHT HERE.

You might also enjoy checking out Stephanie Birch's blog or the One Gift One World website!

Watercolors, Pastels, Oil Paintings and More

Every once in a while I have to revisit some of my absolute favorite themes and today's post is all about color, my favorite theme of all and the one that my own handmade creations lean towards.

Today's shop is The Garden Room, and as if the name wasn't enough to make this shop rank among the top of my favorites list.

Not only is the name right up my alley but the shop is filled with beautiful, vivid paintings and drawings of flowers and other still art that is just gorgeous.

The artist behind all these beautiful pieces is Patricia Snow, an artist that started out self taught and has since earned a degree in art as well as taken a number of lessons in pursuit of constantly expanding her talents and improving upon her craft. Her artwork comes in a number of different mediums too that really show off her versatility!

In fact, she also sells a bit of jewelry there as well.

I'm particularly impressed with her floral pieces as well as her depictions of birds. They're absolutely remarkable and I think that you'll think so too.

That said, though, there's a number of styles available in her shop and she sells not just original framed pieces, but also prints on note cards, ACEO cards and more!

The shop, as a whole, is a true celebration o nature and you won't want to miss it.

TO VISIT THE GARDEN ROOM SHOP ON ETSY, YOU CAN CLICK THE PICTURES ABOVE OR, IF YOU'D RATHER, CLICK RIGHT HERE!

This week had a Theme, you know

I must tout about spring again! Yes! I have to. Because I just spent the whole day yesterday outside playing in the dirt, you see. And I feel so rejuvenated by the experience!

Gardening is hard work. Hard, sweaty, dirty work. But you know? It's always so worth it. The fresh air and feel of soil between your fingers is just so recuperating. Like a mini vacation.

That's what I thought of, too, when I first saw Karen Faulkner's watercolor paintings and prints. That wonderful, vibrant feeling of rejuvenation that comes with being outside and bursting feeling of joy as the first flowers begin to bud and bloom.

All of Karen's paintings speak to me so strongly of emotion and joy and a true love for color and nature that it was no surprise to me at all that she paints with her emotions. It's all right there in the artwork.

She uses only professional artist quality pigments too, and acid free, 100% cotton water color paper, so you can be sure that with proper loving care, these pieces are going to last forever.

TO VISIT KARENFAULKNERART'S SHOP ON ETSY, YOU CAN CLICK THE PICTURES ABOVE OR, IF YOU'D RATHER, CLICK RIGHT HERE!

A Celebration of Color

Today we're celebrating color because today is a "make new things" day in this house! And I can't think of anyone more fitting and perfect to celebrate color with than Cozy Little Cave on Etsy.

This shop is filled to the brim with beautiful, vivid colors and stylish pieces of artwork that are sure to draw the eye and make you smile.

The artist behind all of these wonderful, colorful paintings is Tess Carter. She loves bold color, dynamic design, and a touch of playfulness and it shows in every piece in her shop!

She offers both original paintings and prints as well as encourages people to contact her for custom pieces. (I love artists willing to go custom, it just adds an extra special personal touch.)

Tess started painting to make her own "cave" a little more cozy. Now she hopes to bring warmth and coziness to yours too! I can't even begin to tell you how much I enjoy browsing through this shop. It's so fresh and bright and just about perfect. If you love color, you're sure to love it too, so take a look!

TO VISIT COZYLITTLECAVE'S SHOP ON ETSY, YOU CAN CLICK THE PICTURES ABOVE OR, IF YOU'D RATHER, CLICK RIGHT HERE!

Quoth the Raven... Nevermore

Once upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered weak and weary,
Over many a quaint and curious volume of forgotten lore,
While I nodded, nearly napping, suddenly there came a tapping,
As of some one gently rapping, rapping at my chamber door....

Edgar Allen Poe was one of my absolute favorite poets when I was growing up. In fact, come to think of it, he still is.

Maybe that's why I like today's piece so much. The first time I saw it, it immediately reminded me of Poe's "The Raven" and it's one of the very first pieces on Etsy that I ended up making a favorite.

This piece is by Kristin Forbes-Mullane, a very talented artist that runs the KFM Gallery on Etsy. She offers original paintings, illustrations, jewelry and more in her shop and the gallery is filled with beautifully unique pieces with true depth to them.

Kristin is a native of Phoenix, AZ and grew up loving anything having to do with art, especially drawing and painting, which she started at a young age. Her love of art was inspired by her father, who, as an artist and graphic designer himself.

These days, she's all about taking beautiful, peaceful images and making them dark and mysterious. Take a browse through her gallery and you'll see that she especially enjoys using religious icons and old family photos as inspiration for many of her pieces to create effective, emotive imagery.

YOU CAN CLICK ON THE PICTURE ABOVE TO VISIT THE KFM GALLERY AND TAKE A LOOK AROUND OR, IF YOU PREFER, CLICK RIGHT HERE.

Artwork You Can't Pull Your Gaze Away From

I had one of those "Ohhh WOW" moments when I stumbled across this shop the other day, and an overpowering need to share what I'd found. And so, I'm very happy to share this artist with you here today!

EarthArt is a shop on Etsy that is filled with contemporary pieces of art from painting to sculpture and variety of mixed media original.

Laura Sue is the artist behind these beautiful Contemporary Earth Art creations, and a very talented artist she is, too! She's a full time professional artist that has recently embraced offering her original art pieces independently on Etsy and has been rewarded with a wonderful following of admirers and collectors.

Many of the compounds that Laura Sue uses to create her artwork are her own, and she spends as much time with a saw and chisel as she does with her paintbrushes and blends of paint. This dedication is evident in her art, even through the online medium.

TO VISIT EARTHART'S SHOP YOU CAN CLICK THE PICTURE ABOVE OR, IF YOU'D RATHER, CLICK RIGHT HERE!