Today's Featured Shop: Glorious Glass Garden

Now that spring is finally here I have been hunting down items that would give my garden a little pizazz. I happened upon these lovely hummingbird and butterfly feeders. They are all fused glass and one-of-a-kind pieces. They would make terrific Mother's Day gifts. You can find these garden treasures at: http://gloriousglassgarden.etsy.com

Today's featured shop: Rafya

As a jewelry artist I am always on the lookout for unique jewelry. I have had my eye on Alona Lahav for a few months now. I was trained in a jewelry factory in Israel and I lived there for many years and visit often with my Israeli husband. Israeli jewelry design has a distinct flair, however, Alona's designs are different. She uses cold pressed clay, hand stamped and painted. I love her color scheme and her style. In fact, this is the first time I've seen work from this process. She has done well for herself on Etsy and I can see why. Although I try to find artists that have limited exposure, once in a while I find artisans that deserve a feature even though they may already be somewhat successful. These designs fall into that category. You can find Alona's work at: http://rafya.etsy.com.

Today's Featured Shop: Priscilla Mae et al

Today I bring you a touch of whimsy: paintings on pillows. Each pillow depicts a woman with a story to tell. They are vivid, interesting, and my favorite touch, most are embellished with jewels. They are not meant to be used as actual pillows; they come with stands and they are only 8"x8" and ready to be displayed on a shelf. You can find these creations at: http://priscillamae.etsy.com

Today's Featured Shop: Lulu Bug Jewelry

Today I bring you another jewelry artisan whom I feel excels in uniqueness, craftmanship and aesthetic appeal. Initially, the concrete and silver lemon slice necklace caught my eye. I was compelled to check out her shop. She works with precious metal clay and adds her own special flair. I love her handpainted pendant designs. You can find more of these treasures at: http://lulubugjewelry.etsy.com

Musings

You may have wondered why I haven't featured a shop in a few days. I have a good excuse!
Have you ever been so excited about something you bought for your art that you become so absorbed in creating that the rest of the world fades away? I'm giving you a little window into my jewelry making obsessed mind. I finally bought a good solder system and have been totally engrossed in metalsmithing experiments. For 3 days I haven't done a lick of housework, the laundry has piled up and I've barely made time to feed myself. Luckily, my husband is an excellent cook and that has been his creative outlet lately, so the kids are well fed. After several melting mishaps, I've finally created a ring with my new soldering toy.

Here's the peridot ring.

The next pictures are of my studio workbench, the new solder kit and the old torch. I can't believe I was using this old torch for 10 years! What was I thinking?

Tomorrow I will feature a new shop, I promise! I have a few good ones lined up.

Today's Featured Shop: CrookedMoonMosaics

I'm always looking for interesting belt buckles and I was thrilled when I stumbled upon these stunning creations. Each buckle is a one-of-a-kind piece of wearable art. I love the color combinations. You can find them at http://crookedmoonmosaics@etsly.com

Today's Featured Shop: KimberlyRose

Today I wanted to share the beautiful photography of KimberlyRose. I think her images are powerful. I usually try to limit my feature photos to four, but I wanted to give you an idea of her range and four photos just wasn't sufficient. I have included two landscape photos which are extraordinary in composition, color, angle, uniqueness and pure aesthetic pleasure. I think the woman in the fourth photo is captivating. Some of her photos are thought provoking and witty, such as the woman and the coffee pot. Look at the drop of coffee! I love "Jumping For Cheese", the first photo. You can find her impressive collection at: http://kimberlyrose.etsy.com

Today's Featured Shop: Indigo Rain

"Magical" best describes the work of today's featured artist, Indigo Rain. I am serious when I say that I really had a hard time deciding which drawing to showcase. Each drawing masterfully spins a colorful story sure to spark the imagination of child and parent alike. In fact, while these delightfully whimsical drawings are perfect for any child's room, I think they could grace the walls of any room, particularly the cat drawings. They are art prints, but each one is hand embellished with glitter and sometimes even rhinestone. Enough gushing! You need to check her Etsy shop for yourself: http://indigorain.etsy.com