Don't Worry, Be Happy!

That's how I feel when I look at Mary Hamilton's beautiful work. Her Bougainvillea On a Rampage painting puts a smile on my face and reminds me of all the wonderful places I have visited, like Key West where bougainvilleas grows wild. I love the vivid colors and subject matter of these paintings. Check out Mary's wonderful shop, Dream On, and don't forget to read her blog too.

Dream On

Today I am featuring the etsy shop, Dream On. Please read the Mary Hamilton's bio below.

" I always loved to cut, paste, paint and draw from my earliest memories. Creating art is what I do, it's built-in by my creator, He enables me, and I love it.My college degree is in art. In addition I have received training from some fine national and regionally-known artists. Some of my most important lessons came from not so well-known, but wonderful artists who now paint in the sky, and local artists who teach the basics, as well as the artists I paint with.I value the presence of a recognizable subject in my paintings. I love it when the center of interest appears in the midst of background objects that aren’t so well-defined. I want watercolor to look like watercolor, and I want my paintings to have a painterly look, not a photographic copy. Therefore I am an impressionist, because I don’t want to over-control the media. "

I'm Sorry

Apologies can often be difficult. That's why if you do it with a sense of humor, it helps everyone feel happy again. Katie, of Knuckletoes, obviously has a great sense of humor, as you will see in her collection of apology cards. Her charming shop also carries handmade jewelry, purses, clothing and other gift items. If you owe someone an apology, this could be the best way to do it!

Knuckletoes

Today I am featuring Knuckletoes, Katie's very interesting etsy shop. Please read her bio below:

" Hi there, I'm Katie, thanks for stopping by.I'm a small time, jewelry, clothing and purse maker who wants to share her style with the world! I'm from Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada, and every year I try to make it out to the surrounding Folk Festivals to sell my product. I've gone the last two years and really hope to make it out again in 2008!I try to make my clothing and purses out of recycled materials. Anything from tablecloths, to pillowcases, to reused LP record covers. This not only gives my items a vintage feel, but it helps the environment, and what more do you need?If you see anything you like, don't hesitate to contact me and ask me any questions you like about it. If you're in the area, I may be able to cut down on your shipping, so let me know!You can find me also at:Myspace

http://www.myspace.com/knuckletoesIndiePublic http://www.indiepublic.com/profile/knuckletoesBlogger

http://revinylized.blogspot.com/

I've also started a second shop for all of my items made from recycled records:

http://revinylized.etsy.com/ "

Grandmother's Gift

The three owners of Lazy Cat have something in common. Their grandmothers taught them how to crochet. Allison, Kelly and Stasia have used this wonderful skill to create the pieces you see here as well as well as many other beautiful, handmade scarves, hats, and intricate necklaces. The results are amazing. Please take a look at their wonderful etsy shop and get your checkbooks ready!

Lazy Cat

Today I am featuring the shop of Lazy Cat which is the collaborative effort of three good friends. Please read about Allison, Kelly and Stasia in their profile below.

" Lazycat's profile is still under construction, but here's some info to get you started!Customer service and shipping information can be found below.Lazy Cat Gifts was created by three friends in Ann Arbor, MI. Two of them were in medical school at the University of Michigan and the third worked in a laboratory there. All of us had grandmothers who crocheted, however Kelly was the only one who had really learned well. She "retaught" the rest of us how to do it, and after honing our skills for several years making many gifts for many family members and friends, we decided to try to sell some of our creations! We had a good start at a local craft show and found Etsy.com while searching for a gentle way to beginning selling online. (Plus, Etsy comes with the bonus of a great community of artists!) Etsy is also great for us, because Kelly has moved to Philadelphia, while Allison and Stasia still live in Ann Arbor. However, we keep in touch every day!We enjoy using the skills from our grandmothers to create wonderfully hip and modern pieces. We crochet in both yarn and wire, creating jewelry, scarves, hats, etc. We are constantly looking for ways to expand crochet, and we love making custom items!We are updating our store all the time, so please check back often to see what new goodies have appeared!Currently, we are featuring Kelly's mom's items in "Ruth Ellen's Creations" as she is unable to make her own website, so please check out her beautiful quilts and tasty dog treats. NOTE: Tasty dog treats are currently out of stock for the summer months. They will return in the fall. If your doggie is desperate for some more, please send us a convo/message, and we'll see what we can do.Read more about our cats and our store on our blog:" http://lazycatgifts.blogspot.com/_________________________________________________________________________________________________

Buttons N' Bows

If you are looking for unique gifts, take a look at these darling button bracelets by Ulixis. They come in a variety of shapes,colors and designs and would make a lovely gift. She also does journals and I thought this one might be the perfect gift for the season. Just imagine all the wonderful things you might include in a book like this! Pictures, memorabilia, and other items could be included or leave it blank for that special someone to fill with daily thoughts or events.