It's me again!

Seems like it has been forever since I have been in the blogging world! Lots going on in real life over that past month. I am back now!!

In the upcoming weeks you can look forward to features on some great Etsy shops!

Today is the last day for Holiday weekend sales in each of my shops:

The3Maries (http://The3Maries.etsy.com) is running a BOGO promotion. Buy one item and get the second for half off!! Use code BOGO50 in notes to seller and wait for an adjusted invoice or convo me and I will change the listings ahead of purchase.

In CreatedByThe3Maries (http://CreatedByThe3Maries.etsy.com) the entire shop is 25% off when you use the code ART25 in notes to seller. Same process as the The3Maries with adjusted invoice or corrected listing.

If there is something you've fell in love with in either of the shops, right now is a good time to snatch it up!!!

Check out this great blog!

This blog is featuring a wonderful article on a team I am a part of. Check out the Tradeaholics!

http://etsyselling.com/2009/11/team-time-etsy-traders/

Looking for great deals?

The EtsyFriends group, which I am a part of, is having an awesome sale! From today to next Saturday , November 1 through 7 you will find great deals in each of the participating shops.

To find these fantastic deals, follow this link:

http://efpromotions.blogspot.com/2009/11/holiday-savings-brought-to-you-by.html

Happy Shopping:)

BusyBeadLady

I have discovered a wonderful jewelry shop with top quality items at truly affordable prices! BusyBeadLady is a shop full of treasures!

Let's find out some more about the owner:

"It was 1984 when I first met my husband.

Sometime in the next year, my sister-in-law called to say she would like to visit us. I had never met any of my husband's relatives, had not even talked to them on the phone. So I scrubbed the house during the day and lost sleep worrying at night. Would I like her? Would we have anything in common?

She arrived and I liked her immediately. She and my husband reminisced, I politely listened and learned all I could about this man I had come to love. Then he went to bed! She and I talked till 3:00AM!

The next day, as we talked more, she went to her luggage and removed a needle, some thread and all these tiny beads which I later learned were seed beads.

That was the day I found another love. It has been a slow, sweet and obsessive romance with the beads. A twisted, crimped up necklace strung on fishing wire, findings that turn your neck green, stringing a bracelet only to find I didn't use enough thread! Stalking beads wherever I could find them. Selling at craft shows in the rain. Craft shows in the wind. Craft shows in the heat.

But all these years later, I still love to sit in my work room and learn new things, adapt new ideas, find new materials and bead."

I love all her jewelry but chose three different items for this feature. First there is the Teal Heart Pendant. It is a delicate and really feminine necklace. The color is stunning. A glass heart pendant dangles from a gold tone bail.

Next the Vintage Pop Art earrings caught my eye. These are post earrings. They are made of brass and have enamel painting on the front. They are very pop art, as we would have said in the 60's. Each drop piece is quite different from each other, but they go together in a fun way.

Lastly there is the Daisy Yellow Nugget Bracelet. It looks like nuggets of sunshine to me. This bracelet is sure to brighten up your day!

To find all these great pieces and more visit http://BusyBeadLady.etsy.com. You won't be disappointed!

Also don't forget her second store:
http://AgelessThings.etsy.com

My Little Girl is One!

We just recently we celebrated my daughter, Mallory's, 1st birthday! There was chocolate, funfetti, and strawberry cake and cupcakes. We had punch and ice cream. There was a lot of little ones and grown ups too!







The party was beautiful. Mostly in part to the wonderful Sugar-n- Spice vintage inspired decorations I purchased from SendACelebration! Cheryl makes the greatest party decorations. SendACelebration has tons of beautiful custom birthday hats and decorations. If you need a package, Cheryl can do it. My package included the Happy Birthday Mallory banner, cupcake toppers, blowers, hats, treat bags, balloons, wall hangings, balloons, table confetti...The works! Cheryl's custom packages make planning your little ones birthday parties just a little bit easier!






I was even able to get a special hat and blower for Mallory to keep from her first party! Everyone just kept commenting on how beautiful and unique the decorations were! Perfect decorations for my little princess!





To find that special hat, decoration or custom package for your little lady or man visit http://SendACelebration.etsy.com.

Swiedebie

I have discovered a shop with the most awesome dolls and sock creatures! Swiedebie is wonderful! Every item is one of a kind!

I would like to introduce you to the shop owner, here is a bit about her in her own words:


"My name is Swee, I am a Singaporean, a fashion designer and a stay at-home-mom living in The Netherlands. I like to execute my ideas and love on things I create for my family, home and currently my sock monsters.

Last year during the winter, I decided I do not want to sit at home and just lay my hands on household chores and baby, so I started making dolls of all kinds. I experimented with a lot fabrics I have in mind. Then I came about using socks, which are our usual almost daily fashion need, to produce them into MONSTER dolls. I played with their faces, expressions, their characters, and even thought of giving them adorable names, which children and collectors can relate to.

I began designing my monsters in basic shapes and tested the local demand in The Netherlands. Many Dutch are curious and amazed the socks can be produced into an interesting end product. From there on, I characterized my own monsters, played with more colours, and created stories for each of them.

Come to think of it, if I do not make dolls now, I will probably be a freelance bridal designer or a freelance fashion designer/stylist, which I used to do before I become a mother. :)

I love movies. Before I was expecting my daughter, I used to go to the cinemas in Singapore twice a week. I was a movie fan. However, my child’s arrival kept me busy and I enjoyed my new pastime with her. Now, I catch movies in the television when occasionally they showcase some dated ones. I love romantic and comedy movies. There are so many movies I love, and I shall make do with these two. 'The Holiday' starring Cameron Diaz, Jude Law (Oh my… he's cute!), Kate Winslet (she is a natural) and Jack Black. The next one I can remember loving is watching Johnny Depp’s Pirates of the Caribbean, where I love this actor’s hidden dark comedy acts.

My future personal plan is to establish myself in my Dutch, my business degree, and of course, to travel to many countries (so I can buy supplies… ;P), and to watch my daughter grow into a fine young lady of who she is.

I love OOAK handmade things. There are so many wonderful artists in the world and so many favourites. One of my favourites I will like to share is Kreativlink - www.kreativlink.etsy.com. She is very unique and versatile in her journal designs. I am a huge fan of hers, and got my very first Etsy purchase of her red suede leather journal. I made a sock monster (inspired by her works) for a team's challenge, here you can see my work - http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=31790666#.

Also, I love the works of Ayca, from Ayawedding - http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=7863487. Her works are delicate and pretty, reminds me of the time when I used to work in the bridal industry back in Singapore. She is also a very lovely person with a beautiful heart and her beauty is reflected on her works."

With so much creativity within this shop, it is hard to pick three favorites. I managed to do so though, so here goes. The Elena Babushka Plush is adorable! Elena is a lovely little Babushka made out of black linen added with an adorable piece of Japanese linen. Her eyes are made of felt and detailed with a bubbly watery feel to it. She is perfect for people of all ages!

The Louie Doopie is a mini, but packs much personality! His vivid red and white clothing and gold hair are real attention grabbers. He is about the size of your palm. So cute!

Lastly, there is Medoosee! She was inspired by Medusa. Made of bright pink socks, she is sure to be a favorite of many.

To see these one of a kinds creations and much more, visit http://swiedebie.etsy.com.

Sosorosey

For wonderful and unique crochet items, you must visit Sosorosey!

Let's fine out a little more about Jennie, the shop owner:

"Grandma Copeland taught me the fine art of crochet when I was 10, and I have been "hooked" ever since. Doing the math, it appears that I have been at it for over 75% of my life! Zoiks!

Crocheting with different materials and textures of string and yarn, and matching or combining them with strips of unique fabrics really gets my creative juices flowing!

I have always had a love affair with vintage linens, and now I have an opportunity to reinvent some of my very imperfect old treasures while maintaining their original beauty. Please note that no intact vintage linens are ever harmed in the making of my bowls, bags, and eclectica!

Attention to detail (including an OCD-like perfectionism in every stitch!) is my specialty."

I think it's neat to see what items are the shop owners favorites. Here are some of Jennie's:
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=30623343
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=31998536
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=30274161
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=29599728

Obviously Jennie has great taste and great skill at her craft! I found a few favorites too! The Infant Nest looks awesome! The upcycled snuggle nest™ is super soft, sturdy, and versatile; it stretches to fit larger babies, and *scrunches* for the smaller peanuts. It can be used inside out for a different look, and the ends can easily be smoothed in for a more rounded look. This is a terrific photography prop!

Her Star Ornaments are classics! I love the ones in the cottage colors! The robin's egg blue, pink and ecru give a sweet punch of color! Stars measure 2.5" point to point, with an additional length of cotton added for hanging.

The Sheet scarf is so unique! This was the first time for me to see these! The scarf is made from a cotton jersey knit bed sheet! This is wonderful upcycling! The blue color is so pretty too!

Jennie has so many things to see! Visit http://sosorosey.etsy.com and her vintage shop http://sosovintage.etsy.com.

Check out her blog also at http://sosorosey.blogspot.com!

Punkscrapper

Punkscrapper's Shop is wonderful! She makes everything from felt coffee cozies to custom artwork.


I asked Julie to tell us a little more about herself, this was her response:




"I have always loved to do artistic stuff, as kids my sister and I didn't have a tv and so we spent our afternoons drawing, painting, putting on plays/skits and creating forts...etc. My sister was my first and best art teacher ;)

I wanted to be a fashion designer all throughout jr high and high school but when it came right down to it...I didn't do real well in home economics! Im really not a gifted seamstress! So I studied the next best thing...psychology! Haha! I really loved college but missed out on the artistic side of things. I have always wanted to do my artwork as my full time job. When I met and married my husband he encouraged me to take a leap of faith and do etsy. He has been my greatest encourager! Long story short(er) here I am...a starving artist working hard and loving every single second of it!

I draw inspiration from a lot of things...my family and friends are an ongoing source as well as many of the 'greats' in literature and film... Tim Burton, Roald Dahl, Eyvind Earle and Mary Blair (Disney artists from the 50s), Edward Gorey, Lewis Carroll...and the list could go on and on and on! I love the mixture of whimsy and darkness that many of these talented artists/authors/etc mastered!

I love treasure hunting at thrift and vintage stores! My husband and I do this often! I love music and catch concerts as often as we can afford it (my favorite band is U2)! I enjoy drawing so much because it gives me a chance to create my own little world...so I would have to say that my drawings in my shop are my favorite items...right now probably the What's Done is Done print and the Candy Girls series of prints."

I love the items in her shop! I actually own one of her original drawings and a set of prints! The drawing I own is the Gumdrop Girl from her Candy Girls series. It reminds me of sweets, Halloween, and Edward Scissorhands all in one! Her artwork is awesome!

Julie's feltwork items are terrific also. She makes all different themes of felt coffee cozies and felt embellished tea towels. My favorite cozies right now are the Holiday ones. You have a choice of five designs: a reindeer, a star, an ornament, holly, or a tree. These dress up your coffee cup nicely!

My favorite set of tea towels are her Jack Skellington ones. I love Nightmare before Christmas!
Jack Skellington's face just jumps off those black towels! She has other seasonal ones also.

Visit http://punkscrapper.etsy.com to find all this great stuff and more!


***Mention The3Maries blog at checkout and receive a 10% discount!

Sketchbook Studio Art

"To draw, you must close your eyes and sing." Pablo Picasso

This quote comes from Sketchbook Studio Art's profile.

At Sketchbook Studio Art you will find a collection of whimsical and realistic watercolors including flowers, landscapes, figurative work, animals, and children. Watercolor greeting cards are also available which can be framed as a small work of art for home, office or special occasions.


Leslie's work is wonderful. I love all her paintings! I did select a few to showcase for this feature though. The Ballerina Girls is a very warm and colorful painting. To me it captures a moment of anticipation of waiting to dance perfectly! The young ballerinas look adorable in their bows and matching tutus!

The Dalmatian Puppies is a great painting! She highlighted the cuteness of the little pups just right! Makes you want to take the puppies and the painting home!:) I love the softness of the puppies and their bed and the dark blue background makes them stand out even more!

I love architecture. The Up North painting is a wonderful display of a beautiful Victorian style home. The yellow is so cheerful and the landscape of greenery and flowers just pops off the paper.

Beginning October 1, Leslie is going to be including a holiday gift bag and tissue paper with each purchase. The gift bag will have a copy of one of her paintings (holiday theme) attached to the front of it. This is an awesome bonus !

Stop by http://Sketchbookstudioart.etsy.com and see all of Leslie's beautiful work!

TDN Creations

For beautiful handcrafted jewelry, TDN Creations is one shop you need to check out! Each piece is carefully handcrafted in a Montreal, Canada studio.
Rings, bracelets, earrings...they are all here!

First let's get to know a little more about the artist from her shop profile:


"I've been crafting for as long as I can remember.
I "discovered" wire working several years ago, and a passion was born. I then decided to take metal smith classes to bring my creations to the next level.

I've been working with many different materials, from felt to silk, to polymer clay and crystals. But my favorite of all is silver. Especially silver wire.

Most of my work include wire. It is so versatile. You can twist it, weave it, crochet it, knit it, make jump rings and chain maille with it... So many possibilities that I want to explore thoroughly.

I like pure lines and simple designs. Because the simple things in life are often the best."

The Summer Wind Sterling Silver Ring is so unique! It looks more like art than a piece of jewelry! It has been handforged from a 2.15mm round wire. This ring is made to order to your personal size. It is gorgeous!

If you are looking for some sparkle, then the Stalagtite Earrings are for you. Every move while wearing these makes you shine a little more. They are made of a thick round wire that has been hammered, lightly bent and tumbled to a high shine. The earrings hang from a handmade ear wire and measure approximately 56mm in length.

Lastly, the Harlequin Sterling Silver Ring has diamond and round shapes that have been hand cut and go around the entire band. It has been polished to a high shine. This one is a real attention getter!

To find these beauties and more visit http://TDNCreations.etsy.com.

Crafted By Design

Crafted by Design specializes in sewn crafts, crocheted items, and wood-turning. Custom orders are available for all slings, aprons, hair bows, and pens/fire pistons. Their work is awesome!

Let's get to know a little more about the shop owners in their own words:

"I have always loved to craft, and enjoy trying new techniques. I am a stay at home mom to 5 lovely children ranging in age from 1-15. Between my children, my crafting, and the elementary PTO (where I am Vice President), I am just about always busy!
All the woodworking is done by my husband, when he is not busy with his "real" job, or his side businesses (yes, he has more than one!).
The jewelry is made by my mother-in-law. She is a very talented artist in many areas, but jewelry is the only one of her talents we've been able to convince her to try to sell some of her work.

My favorite item would have to be the black and green ring sling! My personal ring sling saved my sanity with my last child, so I have a special fondness for them, and this particular turned out so pretty! I love that the pocket is nearly invisible, even when you know it is there!"


There is so much to choose from in the Crafted By Design shop. There is such a wide array of different items. The woodcraft item that caught my attention was the Wood Business Card Holder. It is made with 2 contrasting hardwoods (Paduak and Maple). It easily holds 25 business cards. They can be carried in a pocket or bag while closed, but can also be opened and placed on a desk or table for easy access. Each business card hold is made to order. This is a very attractive piece!

There are so many great crochet items too. My favorite is the Pumpkin Hat. It is adorable! The hat comes adorned with crocheted green stem, vines and leaf. The brim can be rolled down to give a little more growing room, or to cover the ears in icy weather. It is available in a wide selection of sizes. This little hat is perfect for Halloween or just festive for the Fall season!

The Ring Slings are a must for any mother to a young child! They come in a wide variety of colors. They also can be custom made!

There is so much more to see than these few items! Visit http://CraftedByDesign.etsy.com.

Prism Moon Designs

Prism Moon Designs specializes in unique handmade wire art jewelry, animal and fantasy sculptures and whimsical costume fairy horns. Sarah creates so many wonderful things!

Let's get to the artist better per an excerpt from her profile:

"Prism Moon Designs consists of 23-year-old Sarah, an abnormally quirky young lady with an overactive imagination and the attention span of a ferret on crack.

I share my home with 3 dogs, a rabbit, 12 rats, a blue tongued skink lizard, a Saharan uromastyx lizard, an albino milk snake, a Brazilian rainbow boa, a tarantula and a bunch of fish.
When not slaving away at my job as a manager at a pet store (shocking!), I can usually be found making shiny things into even shinier ones, or pillaging unsuspecting villages. I try to inject a little magic and sparkle into everyday life."


Sarah's sculptures are beautiful! My favorite is Dotty the Pink Baby Dragon. She's soft pearly pink with golden spots and spikes, has glossy black hematite eyes, and is curled protectively around a bright pink vintage glass gem. Every dragon needs a shiny, after all! She measures about 2 1/2 x 2 inches around and only about 1 1/2 inch to the tip of her ears from the ground. She's made of durable unpainted polymer clay, and sealed for protection and a glossy finish.

Prism Moon Designs features many pieces of handmade wire art jewelry. My favorites are the Blush Necklace and the Twinkle Amethyst Earrings. The Blush Necklace is a smooth oval of subtly crackled fire agate surrounded by swirls of gold plated artistic wire and accented with tiny fire polished glass beads. A truly gorgeous necklace! Amethyst is one of my favorite stones, so the Twinkle Amethyst Earrings were sure to get my attention! The earrings feature lovely violet amethyst rounds that are suspended in swirls of silver plated artistic wire, accented with matching sparkling crystals.

Halloween is soon approaching. Visit Sarah's shop to see her awesome costume horns also!

To see all these great things and more visit http://prismmoon.etsy.com.

Teresa's Quilts

I have found a very talented quilter on Etsy. Teresasquilts is a must see quilt shop! Each of her creations has such detail!



I asked Teresa to tell us a little about herself, this was her response:


"My passion is quilting. I have two wonderful grandchildren and love to sew for them. I also like to give quilts to friends and family. The only reason I sell my work is to support my "habit" of sewing for others.

My favorite item is "Toss the Bouquet". That quilt was a challenge for me, so I am very pleased that I was able to complete it.

I also do one-of-a-kind "photo memory quilts". They are great family treasures that allow me to make personal connections, and of course are fun for me to make. Creating a family heirloom is an extremely meaningful experience and gives me satisfaction beyond words."

With so many beautiful creations, it was very hard to narrow it down to three favorites! The Toss the Bouquet is one of Teresa and my favorites! That is one gorgeous quilt! It is a terrific pattern and the colors all work so well together. This quilt fits a queen or king size bed. It features a prairie points border that adds that special extra detail. The back is handsewn and high-loft batting is used to add extra thickness and comfort.

Another quilt that caught my eye was the Purple Passion. Teresa used beautiful shades of purple and gold for this one. The framing of the center is outlined with gold ribbon. The binding is done in gold satin. It has been machine pieced and quilted with coordinating purple thread. The Purple Passion has an oriental theme. It is made to fit a full size bed.

The quilted wall hangings from Teresasquilts are a must see too! The Budding Beauty is my favorite. It features a dark background, an earth tone vase with a bright cheery bouquet of flowers. It also features prairie points for part of it's framing.

This is just a few of Teresa's many creations. To see them all visit http://teresasquilts.etsy.com.

Lost River Rags

For a great selection of body pampering products you must visit LostRiverRags! They feature scrumptious soaps, lotions, and other great body products!

Let's get to know a little more about the shop per an excerpt from their profile:


"We specialize in creating Hand-Poured Goat's Milk Soap...which is FREE of Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS ) and Sodium Laureth Sulfate (SLES)! We use the purest fragrance oils, goat's milk, and glycerin to create this perfect soap for you. Our Goat's Milk Soap is a great moisturizer, keeping your skin silky smooth all year long, even during those winter months.

We also create Hand-Poured Soy Wax candles! Soy wax not only burns on average of 12 hours longer than a parrafin candle, they are also clean burning! No SOOT!!! Our wicks are 100 PERCENT COTTON!!!!

Lost River Rags & CandlesLights was all started in the little town of Lost River, West Virginia. Now, six years later, we reside in Broadway, VA where we've carried our business on!

We are a husband and wife team who create our products right out of our home! We've dedicated a room just for creating our bath & body projects! We love working together and creating our luxurious products just for you!"


With all the wonderful scents it's hard to choose just a few items! The Pomegranate Mango Swirl Soap caught my attention just by it's appearance! It is hand rolled, so no two are alike! The smell of pomegranate and mango just seems like a warm summer day! The beautiful shades of orange and pink are eye catching too!

The Sandlewood Fleur De Leis soap is made with goats milk. It is another of LostRiverRags beautiful soaps. These soaps are not only wonderfully scented but are really great to look at! This soap is a very soft, musky, earthy scent. All bars of soap come with a silky matching tie and an official Lost River Rags and CandleLights hang tag with complete ingredients listed inside. On the inside left of the tag there is a place where you can write who its To and whom its From. A GREAT GIFT IDEA!

LostRiverRags also has a line of soy candle. The Hot Apple Pie would have to be my favorite of these! There just something about the comfort of smelling fresh apples baking! There are many , many scents to choose from. They are in a special flat mason jar.

To find all these wonderful items visit http://LostRiverRags.etsy.com.

You can also find them on their blog at:
http://LostRiverRags.blogspot.com

StarGazingWoodElf

StarGazingWoodElf features one of a kind handcrafted fantasy jewelry, costumes, clothing, and accessories. There are so many beautiful items in this shop!

First, let's get to know Victoria a little better. I asked her to tell the readers a little about herself, and this was her response:

"I started creating jewelry about 3-4 years ago, when I wanted a very specific piece, and could not find it anywhere! I eventually decided that it "couldn't be that hard, right?" After purchasing a few basic supplies, I gave it a try. The first piece was far from beautiful, but the inspiration it created was. I just had to create more... and more...and more, and then people started asking me where I got my jewelry.... and it grew into a legitimate reason to open an etsy shop :o) I really love Etsy!

My favorite hobbies are: Reading, Music, Making Jewelry, Designing and creating costumes, Sketching/Painting, Dancing, Practicing Originality, etc..... I love trying new things!

Well, I am the oldest in a family of 10 children…… That makes life interesting, but I loved it! I finished High School last year, and I’m working toward a Folk Art School hopefully in the next year or so."

One of my favorite pieces from Victoria's shop is also one of her favorites. The Elven Viking Pendant and Chain is truly beautiful. It is reminiscent of the Evenstar pendant, from Lord of the Rings, but with it's own flair. Looped and swirled silver tone wire forms the base, in a basic "V" shape, then additional swirls are added all along the length of it. Inside the center loops of wire are placed several little glass beads, to add a drop of color and visual interest. It would make a wonderful gift!

The Whisp of Imagination Elven Ring is wonderful. Silver tone wire has been carefully wrapped into a circle, wound about with wire of a finer gauge, twisted, wrapped and detailed. Swirls and two coordinating beads add color and character.

The Assym style Dance Dress is a must see. It is an one of a kind outfit by Victoria Dunnaway for StarGazingWoodElf. The two piece set includes a handkerchief skirt and a Assym cut halter style top. This set is beautiful, dainty, and feminine. You just have to see it!

I own a bracelet made by Victoria. It is stunning and is made with the utmost care and skill. It has become one of my favorite bracelets!

To see all these beautiful items visit http://StarGazingWoodElf.etsy.com.

****10% off to any The3Maries readers if they mention the blog at checkout!!

Cowgirljunk

"We believe true cowgirl style and spirit lives a little in every woman. We believe that for over 100 years real cowgirl style has never gone out of fashion.

Buck the rules and may you always find the path of happy trails!"

You will find this statement in Kelly's shop announcement! Boy is it true! Cowgirljunk is a wonderful vintage shop with very interesting items.

First let's get to know a little more about Kelly via an excerpt from her profile:

"I'm a native Southern California girl!
Raised riding horses and spending whatever time I wasn't riding, at the beach.
Needless to say these two lifestyles influence me the most regarding my personal style and creativity.

I'm an old soul and vintage is a true passion.

I've been very active in Greyhound rescue, horse rescue and I support Surfers Healing a Foundation for Autism.
www.surfershealing.org
www.hemopet.org
www.tierrescue.org

The vintage bridles, bits and rosettes are my favorite items."

The vintage Pickle Caster caught my attention. It is beautiful! It has a wonderful amber pattern glass insert. The fans both open and closed accent the top. The tongs are highly decorated as well with bird foot ends. Circa. 1870 - 1890

Her Raggedy Ann and Andy dolls are awesome! They are an awesome pair! You just have to see these!

The Vintage 1970's Men's Hawaiian Shirt is in near mint condition! The fabric is a great print. This is one great find!

Cowgirljunk offers so much more than the few items I have mentioned. Drop by and see for yourself http://cowgirljunk.etsy.com.

Don't forget to check out Kelly's other shop too, http://BohemianFleaMarket.etsy.com.

Inkcredible Creations

If you are looking for awesome paper crafts Inkredible Creations is the place for you! Beth is really talented at her craft!

Let's get to know her better in her own words:

"I am a stay at home mom to 2 beautiful kids, daughter is 6 and son in 4. I have enjoyed crafting for most of my life. I have been scrapbooking for over 10 years and paper crafting for about 5 years. I also have been making fabric gift bags for about 8 years. I love to see the reaction on someone's face when they receive a handmade gift from me. It makes all the time and effort put into it, so worth it! One of my favorite items in the shop is my premade scrapbooks. They are really cute in person!! (and so much fun to make!!!)"

I personally own one of her creations and love it! I've found some new favorites in her shop! The Altered Lunchbox/Memory Tin in the football team is great. It would be a perfect way to hold all your special one's football memories year to year. There are six sections inside the altered tin: players, games, plays, coaches, schedule, practices. You could keep pictures, newspaper clippings, schedules,or anything else you would want to save from the football season.

The Boo to You Halloween scrapbook would be perfect for those upcoming Halloween pictures! It is made of very boo-tiful Halloween colored papers. This book is truly a gem.

Beth makes many cards also. The Cupcake Birthday Card is adorable! It's made of bright beautiful colors and the cupcakes look like they have icing on them!

Visit http://bjacobs150.etsy.com for all these wonderful items and more!

Runway Crochet

Runway Crochet is a wonderful shop on Etsy. So many treasures to find! The owner Vickey is one of the kindest, most sincere people you will ever meet. She is all about helping others! I am truly blessed to have met her!

Let's get to know this wonderful lady better! Here is an excerpt from her shop profile:

"What kid didn't toy with the idea of fashion design using paper dolls by tracing them and creating fashions out of different papers, crayons, markers, pencils and a pair of scissors? I sure did but, when it came to going off to college, fashion was not one of the subjects I studied. As the matter of fact, my high school sweetheart accused me of not being "in style" at the time. I guess some men do pay attention to those sort of things more than you'd think.

It wasn't until a few years after I graduated that I actually started to teach myself how to crochet along with learning a few other crafts and needle arts. A gift from my father, Reader's Digest Guide to Needlework was the book that started it all! Besides that, there are so many wonderful books from published crochet designers out there with so many gorgeous things to drool over – I can't imagine not wanting to crochet some of them, and create a few original designs of my own. Otherwise, I'd be bored stupid!

It’s fairly easy but, time consuming to make enough “plarn” (combo plastic + yarn) to make a large shoulder tote like the one in my shop (about 50 or more bags) However, I save all of my bags. I’m a horrible pack rat saving everything and anything I think I might be able to use to make something with! My late grandmoms, who lived through the Great Depression, were a HUGE influence on me. So glad I could spend the time with them that I did while they were here.

I just wish I was talented enough to create something really original! Most everything I do create or design is made based on something I’ve seen or a combination of things I've seen. The tote is based on a leather bag I carry everywhere. The baby doll tunic is based on a favorite cloth top I had in high school. Nothing really unique here. But, I keep trying, hoping, crocheting and crafting! Got to find that niche to be successful on Etsy. Would love to quit my day job but that’s really pie in the sky!!! LOL! I’m just happy the good Lord gave me the ability to learn how to do some of this stuff. It’s fun, it takes my mind off of any troubles, and I really love to create these things."

Vickey is too modest in my opinion. Her creations are beautiful! The Circle Lace Vest II is awesome. The colors are gorgeous! The blues, pinks, purples, and yellows are real eye catchers! So feminine!

The Large Shoulder Tote bag is another terrific find. It is completely made from white, black and red plastic grocery bags. A great example of upcycling!

Vickey also sells some wonderful vintage dolls. The Vintage Doll from Scotland is one of my favorites! This vintage hard plastic doll was purchased in Scotland in the 1960's. It stands about 11 inches tall with blonde braids, hand painted facial features, chubby cheeks and blue sleep eyes. The costume consists of plaid kilt and scarf, black velvet jacket with ruffled shirt underneath, boots and hat. She is adorable!

To see all the wonderful things Runwaycrochet has to offer visit http://runwaycrochet.etsy.com.
You can also find Vickey on Twitter, Facebook, and her blog!
http://twitter.com/runwaycrochet
http://www.facebook.com/runwaycrochet.fans
http://runwaycrochet.blogspot.com/

***Special offers for The3Maries readers!!!
1) 10 % off any purchase in Runwaycrochet's shop if you mention this blog at checkout!
2) Fan Runway Crochet on Facebook and choose one of her fabulous hat pin cushions. ( I have the Ladybug and love it!) Simply fan her page..check out the photos for the hat pin cushions and lay claim to the pin cushion by leaving their name, your blog name and the words, "I've got this one!" in the comments next to the picture of the hat pin cushion of their choice. There are 16 to choose from!