Wednesday, August 12, 2009

The Blue Daisy Designs



I just found this amazing shop on Artfire called The Blue Daisy Designs. Check out that ridiculously adorable cosmetic case! Its my favorite piece. I fully appreciate the work that is put into these little treasures. You can just tell the artist cares about each design and is meticulous while making them. Look at how perfect the stitches are. I love the pincushions, they're precious. What a great gift!

Tuesday, July 7, 2009

TheSteamPunkTrunk




I recently found an Artfire shop that features Steampunk pieces that I think are pretty awesome. I am a minor fan of the steampunk culture but I'm very particular about what I like. Some of it is a bit overwhelming, I like the pieces that are unique yet still wearable. I think my fascination with steampunk comes from my Dad. He buys vintage watches, works on them and re-sells(and keeps the best lol). He loves them and I grew up around pieces of Elgins and Hamiltons laying around :) I'm sure he'd be horrified to see these precious watch movements being made into jewelry LOL

TheSteamPunkTrunk is a great shop with exceptional steampunk artwork. I really like the rings, they're so feminine. Make sure to check out the great hair pins too, I love! What a great shop :)

Tuesday, June 30, 2009

Jellybeans



If you know me, you know I love the unexpected. And Jellybeans Artfire studio is quite unexpected. Everyone can doodle a dot. It takes an artist to turn that dot into something unexpected..and amazing. Every piece in this studio radiates happiness with the bright, cheerful colors. The picture I chose is a set of 3 romance cards that I just love. Make sure to take a peek at her awesome stationary and prints!

Saturday, June 27, 2009

HarmonArt





My find for today is these awesome leaves from HarmonArt on Artfire. HarmonArt is a husband/wife team and I think its great that they can share their love of art. These ceramic leaves are hand-sculpted from real leaves. You know me, I'm all about nature and I just love these. Fall is my favorite season and these unique pieces of art capture fall's wonderful colors perfectly. Make sure to check out their gourds because you know, gourds are great as Thanksgiving decorations but then what? These are beautiful and allow you to enjoy them year-round!

Monday, June 22, 2009

Pranke Arts




I just found this wonderful artist on Artfire. If you know me personally, then you know that I collect Simon Bull's poppy paintings. I have always loved poppies and this recent find of mine is wonderful. Its creator is Richard T. Pranke and you can check out more of his artwork http://www.richardtpranke.com/ I had to include a picture of Sheeps in a Field because the colors are so bright and amazing.







Friday, May 1, 2009

May Sale :)



I love May..

Everything is starting to bloom, the air is warmer, the sandals come out AND its my birth month!

In celebration of my favorite month, Bella-Sweet Jewelry is taking 15% off its entire shop :) Now is the best time to get a fun, new piece of jewelry..


Friday, March 20, 2009

Champaka Nectar

Many people know that my first business was a soap/toiletry business that was very successful for me. I've taken a brief break from it but I have a passion for high quality toiletries. Most of all, I adore perfumes. I love how each individual aroma(whether its floral or citrus, woody or spicy) slowly warms on my skin.

One of the best perfumers I know is Tracy of My Skin Soap Studio. She's honestly gifted in the art of blending perfumes. She's a kind, caring person that always willing to share her knowledge with others.



I've been lucky enough to try her Limited Edition Champaka Nectar perfume. Rare Champaka flower is blended with numerous essential oils, absolutes and resins. The first aroma you smell is warm cocoa with a touch of citrus and vanilla. As the scent warms on your skin, the deep exotic scent of the Champaka flower, vetiver and sandalwood come thru beautifully.

Its really something not to be missed! Once you try natural, hand-blended perfumes..you'll never stop at the Macy's perfume counter again!

Thursday, March 19, 2009

Bonzie



I'm simply dying over this gorgeous wrap from Bonzie Its so breathtakingly unique. I have a big event coming up where I am required to wear either formal black or white. Its an event that I'm extremely nervous to attend because I know I just won't fit in.
And when I'm in a situation where I know I will be awkwardly out of place, I always feel the need to wear something extremely glamorous so I stick out even more :)

Check out her shop, everything is beautiful and so intricately detailed which I fully appreciate.




Friday, February 27, 2009

My Fellow Alchemists

I thought I'd take some time today to share some of my friends Artfire shops. The Alchemists is a group of artisans that were brought together on an online forum because of a love of soap, toiletries and candles. Friendships formed and I am very happy to say I am one of them :)

Faerie Made is an awesome shop with many handmade soap options. She focuses on essential oil blends and all of her soaps are vegetarian. Her Arnica Muscle Rub gets well deserved rave reviews. Check out her shop here: Faerie Made

Moon Garden is owned and operated by a wonderful woman. While her soaps are so beautiful(I love that they're round!), the important thing is the ingredients she chooses. Her love of all things furry shines through by choosing to use animal-friendly ingredients. Her soap smells wonderful and lathers like crazy! Check out her shop here: Moon Garden

The Herb Way is a great shop that's located in Tennessee. Her toiletry/soap ingredients are chosen with care, keeping the environment in mind. Make sure to check out her beautiful handmade raw silk and Egyptian terry facial cloths here: The Herb Way

I adore a long soak in the tub every day. Magic Hands Workshop has everything needed for a luxurious bath. The sassy lady who the magic behind Magic Hands is kind, intelligent and quite humorous. I think her coconut milk bath bombs sound amazing; take a peek here: Magic Hands Workshop

These are a few of the incredible shops that make up The Alchemists. Check out all the other shops by searching "Alchemists" on Artfire :)

Wednesday, February 25, 2009

SavageArtworks

I found this Etsy shop http://savageartworks.etsy.com/ a few months ago and fell in love with it! Her artwork is so beautifully detailed. The animals are adorable, their faces just make me melt.
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8 Reasons You Should Buy Handmade Products over Commercial Products
1. Handmade products are unique. Do you really want the same scarf, mug, earrings, necklace or other item that 20,000 other people have? Of course not! Handmade items are always unique, even if they are the same type of product because they are not made by machines they are crafted by human beings so each piece will have its’ own unique characteristics.
2. Handmade items have personality. Life is not about being blah. Life is about expressing yourself and to do that your things need to have as much personality as you do. If you are happy with buying mass produced items that have no personality off a shelf at Wal Mart think about what that says about you. Don’t you want to express some personality?
3. Handmade items are special. When you get a gift don’t you feel a little bit more loved when someone gives you a handmade gift? Everyone loves getting handmade gifts or wearing something that was made just for them.
4. Handmade items last longer. Because they are made from high quality materials and handcrafted by trained artists items that are handmade last longer than low quality imported mass produced items.
5. Handmade goods are high quality. If you are a person who values the quality of an item more than the price then you already know that handmade items are far superior to mass produced items. While a mass produced item may be cheaper initially is it really cheaper when the item needs to be replaced a month later? When quality matters, go handmade!
6. Handmade items are not made by children in sweatshops in Third World countries making 10 cents a day. Experienced and trained craftspeople make each handmade item. So while you might pay a few dollars more for a handmade item it’s because you are paying for quality, experience, talent, and craftsmanship. Isn’t that worth paying for?
7. When you buy handmade you are supporting traditional arts and crafts techniques that have passed down through generations. In today’s high tech world the old arts and crafts traditions are being replaced by mass production but when you buy handmade you are saying that you prefer your items to be high quality pieces of art instead of mass produced trinkets.
8. When you buy handmade you are supporting local and small businesses. By paying artists and craftspeople for their goods you are supporting them and all the businesses that they do business with. If you are a person who believes in supporting your community economically then buying from local artists is a great way to support your community and make sure that your money goes to support local businesses.
Keep these things in mind the next time you see a scarf, a bracelet, some great handmade soap or other item and think,” I could get that for half price at Wal Mart.”!