Season Greetings

I found this flash season greeting and had to share it with you. May Your Holidays be filled with warmth and wonder!

Last Minute Gift Ideas - eBooks

You are still shopping for gifts and time is running out.   How about eBooks for the crafter, hard to find,  the one that has everything, a co-worker, or the hard to reach person on your list?  Delivery is immediate, and they make a great gift either emailed, or gift wrap printed version.  Here is an article on how to print an eBook  How to Print an eBook in a Booklet Form

NEW PolyPedia E-Book Vol 1,2,3,4,5 - CHOOSE 4 TUTORIALS OF YOUR CHOICE How to Create Polymer Clay Millefiori Canes 100 plus pages Step-by-Step Instructions TUTORIAL by Iris Mishly

Offered by Iris Mishly Polymer Clay Art

VYM7777'S CROCHET HATS E-BOOK COLLECTION (10 WONDERFUL ORIGINAL CROCHET HAT PATTERNS)

Offered by  vym7777- scrochet-fashions

Beaded Trees E- Book offered by Around Beads

Handmade Bags and Purses for Under $50

Like any woman, I can never have enough purses and bags.   Here is a sample of what I found on Etsy. 

Botanical Batik......Holiday SALE from L B ARTWORKS for $34.80

Design for you ... Black and White denim Bag from CrazyBoy For You bags and purses,diaper bag, tote,pouch

Messenger,School Bag, Black and Orange canvas with bird ,adjustable strap from Sinem Inugur for $38

ACEO Cards Gifts for the Art Lover

Today, I was exploring the Art Category on Etsy (as promised before) and looking for gifts for under $50 for those art lovers. The first thing under the ART category is ACEO. I am embarrassed to say, I did not know what an ACEO was until I wrote this post. Like sports trading cards, these are the art lover’s trading cards. Learn something new every day. It stands for "Art Cards, Editions and Originals". These cards have one main rule - they are 3.5 inches by 2.5 inches - the size of a trading card so they can be traded!

These cards are also sold either as originals or editions. Make sure you know which you are buying! If it is a print it should say so, and it should be numbered (for limited editions) and signed, usually on the back. They are available in different mediums and of different subjects. Watercolor, Oil, Acrylic, Colored Pencil, Pastels, Photography, Pen and Ink, Sketching, Collage - Abstract, Surrealism, Outsider Art, Impressionism, Expressionism.

They make great stocking stuffers or buy a bunch to get an art lover hooked on them. Here are some that I really liked on Etsy.

I am going to start with the original painting watercolor category first, since that is my favorite.

Bright Poppies - ACEO - Original

This card reminds me of my own poppy patch in my garden. 

Created by DreamON Original Paintings and Prints by Mary Hamilton for $10.

Stargazer - ACEO digital photograph

Created by Firedance Photography for $3.

Hand Made Apron Gifts for the Chefs in your Family

I was wondering what can you buy for $50?  There were so many categories, that I decided to do one category a day.

Here is what I found in the Accessories, Apron category.   So, before you run out to Target or Walmart, try these handmade gifts.

 New Adult size bib style embroidered hot stuff apron

Handmade in Salamanca , US by Ginksburg's handmade dresses, quilts & fashion jewelry for $3.

Queen and Princess of the Kitchen Personalized Mommy and Me Apron Set - with Polka Dots, Ribbons, and Pockets - Embroidered Applique Monogrammed

Handmade in Atlanta by Memento ~ Personalized Monogrammed Gifts & Embroidery  for $40.

Shabby Chic Half Apron . . . red roses with green rose dots

Handmade in Florida by Fancy Boutique - Accessories ♥ Fancy Aprons ♥ Tea Towels ♥ Headbands for $26

Personalized Apron Example Grandma's Kitchen Kids Eat Free

Handmade in Arlington, Texas by Custom Threads - Personalized Embroidered Aprons & More for $18

Sagittarius Birthday & Christmas (December) Gifts

C

hoosing Presents for Those Born November 22-December 21

Those born under this sign are very optimistic, always looking on the bright side.  They are patriotic and loyal, very honest and caring.  They have a great sense of humor and capable of making you laugh your head off.  Richard Pryor, Woody Allen and Dick Van Dyke are all Sagittarius.  

On occasion they may show a little temper, it does not last long and typically they do not hold grudges.    They are  impatience, restless and generally on the go.  They have a need for freedom and personal space.  

Organization and sticking with a routine is not their forte.  They are fun and lively people and tend to bring a lot of  joy and happiness to the relationship. 

They love to entertain - so a big birthday party with all their friends and board games is a must. 

The Royal Game of Ur (Ancient Chaldean) from Antiquity Gamecrafters

ZOTS WAHOO board game WOW new board game WAHOO plus 2 signed game from Wood Designer

T

hey are fond of traveling and love the great outdoors. They like outdoor activity such as hiking, camping, horseback riding.

Holiday Sales and Promotions

Iam having a sale at my Etsy store, Zeba Collection from November 27 through December 14. Be sure to stop by and take advantage of this sale, 20% off orders $100 or more.

Furthermore, With every purchase you receive my 'Spread the word' package. Each package contains two handy Gift Certificates.
Personalize them by writing your name and your friend’s name on the gift certificate and hand them out. Spread the word and start enjoying the rewards!

For you:

• $15 in shopping credits for each new shopper you refer.
• The choice to save credits up to $30 by referring 2 friends who shop within a year.

For your friends:

• $10 savings off their first order, if used by February 28, 2010.

Etsy Black Friday Weekend Extravaganza

Independent members of the handmade community on Etsy offering sales during the American Black Friday and Cyber Monday Weekend.
Over 200 Etsy sellers worldwide have gathered to bring you great savings during the Black Firday and Cyber Monday weekend. Click on the title to visit the participating stores.

Apple Cider, Fall Colors

Fall is a busy time. In spite of the all the rain in October, we managed to visit the cider mills a few times, indulge on cider donuts and enjoy the fall colors in Michigan. And, I still managed to do fall garden cleanup, make new pieces of jewelry and get ready for a Black Friday weekend sale at Etsy. Now that things are winding down a little, I can write on my blog again.

I hear cider mills are mostly popular in Michigan and people from other states do not understand what the big deal is. Well, all I can tell you is that it has a different taste than apple juice. Taste wise, the difference between apple juice and cider is like the difference between store bought and fresh picked tomatoes. I found two good sources that explained the differences between apple juice and cider, the first one is on AnswerBag.com, at http://www.answerbag.com/q_view/36322and the second one is at mass.gov (the Massachusetts Department of agriculture) at http://www.mass.gov/agr/massgrown/cider_juice_difference.htm

Check out this Awsome Giveaway

Great Three Strand bracelet giveaway, just in time for the holidays. Click the title of this post to see details.

Birthday Gifts for Scorpio

Scorpio October 23 – November 21 – associated with beginning and ending. Scorpions are determined, resourceful, intuitive, emotional, and magnetic, but they can also be jealous, compulsive, secretive, and stubborn. They are self assured and confident. They like being involved in work that is meaningful and they do not like shallow relationships and flattery. Scorpios are independent and will give everything for love. Even though they give the impression of selfish and self-centeredness, they are capable of incredible self sacrifice. They are loyal, courageous, with a great love for luxury. Keep that in mind when planning a birthday party or outing. Order the finest wine and plan your party at the finest restaurant.

Click the images for the product information.



How about giving a wine and cheese journal like this one from Small Square design

The Artisan Jewelry Gift Certificate Results

to Darcy from Iowa. She is the winner of the gift certificate.


Thank you everyone for participating in my giveaway. The response and the feedback I received for this giveaway was fabulous, I wish I could meet everyone face to face. I learned a lot from your comments, but first let me answer a question reqarding nickel free jewelry.

There was a comment about nickel allergies and if findings and clasps in my pieces are nickel free? I use a combination of Sterling Silver, fine silver, gold filled, metal and sometimes silver plated findings and clasps. I always mention which metal I am using in my listings (you can also look at the list of the materials). You can be assured that sterling silver and fine silver and Niobium are the only metals that 100% nickel free. You may already know that white gold has nickel (for color and strength) and 14kt yellow gold may contain nickel.

As a note of caution – findings or jewelry marked as nickel free can contain anywhere from .05% to .01% nickel (very very small amounts). I will add a tag of ‘nickel free’ to my nickel free pieces for ease of use.

Here are the changes I am planning on making, based on your comments:

Big Onyx Hoop Earrings by Zeba on Etsy

Big Onyx Hoop Earrings by Zeba on Etsy

Big black hoop earrings are back with a big splash. Black conveys serious and conventional as well as mysterious, sexy, and sophisticated. Big hoops say chic, modern and glam. Put on a pair and you have an instant Diva like the red carpet celebrities.

These earrings make a perfect gift for a July or December birthdays, or a 7th and 10th year anniversary gift.

Shared via AddThis

Statement Necklaces for Petites

Fall arrived quite suddenly and here we are in a rainy and cold day and nothing else to do but to search the web for interesting posts about this fall's trends.

That is when I ran into a series of articles about fashion tips for petite women on About.com . I am a petite woman myself, so when I run into a bunch of articles focused on petite women I was supper excited. The articles offer general fashion tips but the most existing one is about Necklaces for Petites.

It covers tips on a variety of necklace styles including the statement necklaces. I have seen pictures of statement necklaces on the runways, and every time, I wondered, gee that covers my whole torso, I can never wear that.

Birthday Gift Ideas for Libra

Click the image for the product information
The second half of September is approaching and so is the zodiac sign Libra – the scale, the sociable, cheerful and charming soul. Librans tend to be strong supporters of equality, the rights of man and universal brotherhood. They seek balance in life and are strong willed and will succeed at their chosen goal using their wit, charm. The Libra person is easygoing, sociable, idealistic, diplomatic, romantic, charming and refined.

They love the finer things in life and love to be admired especially for their taste in the arts, home decor, and hair style and so on. Books, music, flowers, and perfume are typical delights for a Libran. Libra is associated with social and aesthetic pursuits, intellectual activities, luxury items, decadent pastimes, and mind-body arts such as yoga and tai chi.

I have been featured

Check out this lovely review about me and my work written by Kayla of
The Eclectic Element

Artisan Jewelry Gift Certificate Giveaway

$25 Gift Certificate

From Zeba Collection ($25 value) – Open worldwide

One of the drawbacks of having an online shop is missing the interaction with the customers. In a retail store you can be the fly on the wall and hear customer's opinions while they shop. With an online shop, you view the item from your home and I never get to hear your feedback. So, this giveaway is to give me a change to hear your suggestions about my shop, products, policies and so on. To show my appreciation for your time and help I am offering Free shipping on your first purchase to anyone that participates, in addition for a chance to be entered in the drawing for a $25 gift certificate from my Etsy Shop. Gift certificates must be redeemed through my Etsy shop only toward the purchase of products listed in the online shop.

Fall 2009 Fashion Trend - Purple with Black Accessories

Purple is one of the hot colors this fall especially with black accessories. So, I went shopping on Etsy and here are some of the purple and black combinations I found that I think is in line with this fall's trends. I hope you like it.

Click on the pictures for product details.


This jacket combines two of the hot trends of this fall, purple and velvet, from, Stacie May's shop


I love this outfit, the dress is fitted and shaped with a touch of black from Juliannabass.

Great Artisan Jewlery Giveaway

A Peyote Stitch Bracelet From Windyriver ($30 value)
TCheck out this great giveaway sponsored by the Etsy Jewelry Design and Supply Shops.

The giveaway end September 30, 2009.

Remembering This Summer

Even thought in theory there are still 14 days of summer left, here in Michigan it already feels like fall. The temperature is only around high 70s and fall plants such as Mums are starting to bloom. Most plans are acting as if it is fall already. We had a cold spring and a cool summer, only a handful of days the temperature reached around 90 degrees. The raspberries ripened a month later than they should have and the blackberries are still trying to ripen. The only good thing that came out of this cool summer was an abundance of cabbage and the reduced population of Japanese Beetles, so I am thankful for that.
So, farewell all my summer plants, until we meet again next spring.

Soul Reader: Full Moon in Pisces - A Watery Blessing

Soul Reader: Full Moon in Pisces - A Watery Blessing

Wow, this month is my lucky month- here is another review of me in the 'Soul Reader' blog. Here you get to know two different pisceans and how each one's work is influenced by their zodiac sign. Two different perspectives all together. Check it out.

I have been featured

I am very existed about this article on one of my earrings. I thought the reference to 'MadMen' was very clever, which by the way I am a huge fan. I think I am more of a Betty Draper type. Check it out Feminist review

Birthday Gift Ideas for Virgo

Click the image for the product information
The first half of September belongs to the modest, shy, meticulous, tidy, reliable, practical, diligent, analytical and intelligent Virgo. The basic outlook is toward practical considerations in every facet of daily life. They make an impression with their skilful insights and broad-based knowledge.

They are the most interesting person to be with. When you get to know them a little more, you find out they are fascinating people with all sorts of useful tidbits of information.

They have a well balanced mind and superior intellectual abilities. They are considered by friends and family to be courteous, diplomatic, cool and rather reserved. They are real thinkers; having a quick and keen perception.

They are loyal as partners and friends and are caring to the ones that they love.

The Results of the ‘Artisan Jewelry Gift Certificate Giveaway’

to Bella Stefanos from California. She is the winner of the $25 Gift Certificate.

I would like to offer everyone that participated in this giveaway ‘Free Shipping’ on their first order.

I enjoyed reading everyone’s input very much and I would like to thank everyone who participated and especially those that provided additional information and links. The response I received for this giveaway was more than I anticipated.

I had a lot of fun along the way and as my appreciation I would like to offer everyone that participated in this giveaway ‘Free Shipping’ on their first order. Just mention ‘Giveaway, Free Shipping’ or something like that in the “Notes to Seller Box” at the time of purchase.

One of the drawbacks of an online shop is the loss of communication with the customers and receiving feedback. This giveaway to some extend fulfilled that need, in fact I had so much fun that I am thinking of doing another giveaway. So keep-an-eye for my next giveaway coming in September.

Okay, enough talk, here are the results:

My new Line - Wire Crochet

Coral & Hairpin lace Technique
I have been really busy lately working on my new line of wire-crochet jewelry.

It all started with me picking up a book about wire crochet jewelry and saying, "OOOH this is so nice". Well let's say I have not been able to put down the crochet hook ever since. I like the outcome and it is a nice change from the traditional methods.
Turquoise & Half Double Crochet
So what is crochet and where did it come from?

The origins and when it started is kind of mystery, but everyone agrees that it has been around for a long, long time.

The word comes from croc, or croche, the Middle French word for hook, and the Old Norse word for hook is krokr.

My Adventures With the Dragon Flower

In full bloom

I have always admired the colorful tropical plants and saddened that I could not grow them in Michigan. One day, I was looking through my garden catalog and saw a picture of a flower that looked tropical, and it was rated for Michigan. I was so excited that I didn’t do my research; I just went ahead and ordered them.
First signs of flowers
In the spring, the plant looked Ok until the first sign of its flower. I was very excited and didn’t know what to make of it.




When it finally bloomed, it was a big surprise. You could see the flower from miles away, OK maybe not miles but definitely from across the street.

What to do with Small Amounts of Your Havest?

I have a small suburban backyard with a small vegetable garden. This means, when I harvest my vegetables, I only get a handful of beans, peas, okra, maybe one or two eggplants, zucchini and yellow squash. Most receipts ask for a pound of this and a pound of that. In the past I would try to save my small amounts of harvest until I had enough for one recipe, but that didn't always work as well, the produce just didn't stay fresh long enough. Until now, my husband is the cook in our house, and he discovered this soup recipe that is just perfect for our harvest. I am not a fan of soup, but I liked this one (even in the summer). If you have a small garden, next time you have a little bit of this and a little bit of that, try this recipe, you will not be disappointed.

The recipe is called Pistou and is from the 'Soup superb ways with a classic dish'. We used up our harvest from the day; my husband added his own touch of parsley, thyme, oregano and okra to the recipe. It was even good the second day. I think the fresh vegetables is what made this soup soooooo good.

I am glad that I didn't give up on growing beans and peas and okra this year.

Artisan Jewelry Gift Certificate Giveaway

$25 Gift Certificate

From Zeba Collection ($25 value) – Open worldwide

I have purchased Ad spots in few magazines; however, I am having a hard time deciding which ad I should use. Help me pick an Ad for a chance to be entered in the drawing for a $25 gift certificate from my Etsy Shop. Gift certificates must be redeemed through my etsy shop only toward the purchase of products listed in the online shop.

Garden Walks – Westerville Ohio

This is the second half of our Garden Walk in Westerville, Ohio. Westerville has a population of 37,000 residents and is ranked 15th in the Top 100 list of "America's Best Places to Live" by Money Magazine. You can take a photo tour of the city and read more about the city at http://www.westerville.org/Home/tabid/36/Default.aspx .

There were total of 10 homes that participated in the garden walk and it took about 7 hours to complete the tour. We saw a wide variety of home and garden styles, very different experience from the Victorian village. These were mainly suburban homes, some new development and some very old, some with moderate size yards and some with acres of land.

Can you imagine this little cozy area with the wisteria flowers all over the support?




Isn’t this a clever bird bath? The little emitter attached to the curved hook provides little dribbles of water all day long.



We also saw a lot of these cleverly put together pots of flowers. I think they are really cute.



I think I am going to build one these in my yard, it keeps the rabbits away and with a fabric covering the top it will extend the gardening season.



I like the metal work on the planters and you see it again repeated on the arbors.



The intricate wood work on the arbor is repeated on the Gazebo.




The placement of the Bird sculptures was very clever. Instead of being tucked away somewhere out of the way, they are placed in the middle of the yard.
















This sculpture combination is charming. It reminds me of road-runner and .......







More cute sculptures and bird baths. The scarecrow is my favorite. The birds are made of wood.




A cute little pond, the surface was covered with fishing wire to keep the animals away. A clever solution.

And last but not least, the house I like to call "the Blue elephant". You see what I mean when you look at the pictures. Let’s just say there a lot people taking pictures that day.











Thanks a lot to my husband for taking the pictures.