A Time for Thanksgiving...

I sit here so amazed at all that I have to be thankful for. I am blessed with a great husband and two awesome children. Children that we weren't sure we would ever have. As my husband and I were up with our two week old son and our two year old daughter with both crying at midnight last night, I had a thought " I am truly thankful to hear these cries" Hearing those cries means that I have the blessing of these little miracles in my life. I don't know if dealing with infertility makes one that more grateful for these angels. I just can't be more thankful for my family.

I also am thankful for blessing others have been given. My best friend is holding twins (a baby boy and girl) in her arms this Thanksgiving. Her husband (my husbands best friend) and she are going to be awesome parents. They have waited along time for this and am so happy that they have this joy in their lives now:)

Thank goodness for our family and friends. You all bless our lives in way you don't even know. Even if we don't see each other every day, the blessings are still there.

Thank goodness for our soldiers. Without them, we wouldn't be experiencing this wonderful freedom and all the good things that come with it.

I hope you all have a blessed Thanksgiving and are able to share it with some of the special people in your lives.

BIG SALE WEEKEND!

SPECIAL WEEKEND SALE!! SATURDAY AUGUST 14 AND SUNDAY AUGUST 15.
All photographic prints are Buy One, Get One Free. Checkout with you first choice and include your second choice in notes to seller. HAPPY SHOPPING!

http://www.etsy.com/shop/CreatedByThe3Maries

an even bigger sale in my vintage shop!!!!!

Special weekend sale! All items currently priced $8 or more are 50% off! Convo me for an adjusted listing or checkout and I will refund the difference via paypal. If you have been eyeing a vintage goodie in this shop, now is the time to grab it!

http://www.etsy.com/shop/the3maries

See shop announcement in either shop for complete details:)

Funretro

Looking for quality vintage items? Funretro is the shop for you! There are so many wonderful treasures to be discovered in this wonderful shop!

Here is my interview with Natalie, the wonderful person behind this shop:)
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What got you started selling Vintage?

I began selling vintage items back in 1998 on ebay. By that point, I had already been buying vintage items for myself for years. I was finding more items than I could possibly ever need, but couldn't resist passing up. I would see things and think, "someone would really love this", and it really just started there. I knew I had a knack for finding the beauty in otherwise forgotten items. So funretro was born! When I discovered Etsy, well, that was a whole new experience for me. I now had the ability to become part of something that felt so different. So communal. I always knew that one day I would have a big shop. I guess I always thought that there would be a physical space to go along with it. Etsy completely changed my mind about that!

What are your hobbies?

Going to estate sales has been a long time hobby of mine, probably for over 15 years now. I also love photography (my own and others), going on long drives anywhere (and sometimes nowhere in particular), and gardening. Of course, all of this is trumped by a long, lazy afternoon in bed with my two dogs, Casey and Brodie!

Favorite items from your shop?

This is the hardest question because I often like (and want!) many of the things I add to my shop! I am a diehard lover of industrial items (as most can tell). One of my favorites at the moment is the Wooden and Metal Plane http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=41591018. That plane is to die for, in my opinion! The Wooden Apothecary Box is also a favorite http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=41071323 and I am secretly hoping it doesn't sell so I don't feel guilty about keeping it for myself!

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My personal favorite is the blue glass pedestal bowl http://www.etsy.com/listing/52776240/deep-blue-glass-pedestal-bowl. The color is stunning and it is top quality! To have a great time looking at truly terrific vintage items visit http://funretro.etsy.com.

It's Been Far Too Long!

It is so hard to believe it has been five months since my last post! Where has time gone? I guess I should get you caught up.


First of all there is a new development in my life pictured to the left:)

He is due to arrive by November 8th. We are very excited as is the rest of our family and friends. This is truly a blessing from God.

During the first few months of my pregnancy I haven't been as active online. So that explains the largest part of my absence.

Speaking of the baby...we haven't settled on a name yet. I welcome any suggestions from my readers!

Stay tuned for new posts, contests, and much more!

Acrylic and Steel

In their shop announcement it states:

"This is Adam and Erica's hodgepodgity of eclectic goodness. :)"

This is so true! There is such a variety of hand created items in this shop. From art, to baby items, to hand forged knives.

First lets get to know our wonderful artists in their own words:

"We are a husband and wife team. I am an artist, fashion designer and general crafter. Adam makes hand forged knives and beautiful jewelry. I have been drawing and painting as long as I can remember and I have a degree in fashion design. You may not know that by looking at our shop since we do not have much in the way of clothing, but I do custom clothing orders. Adam took a knife making class and that is when he started forging knives, he does really beautiful work. We started selling on etsy shortly after my daughter autumn was born (she is 15 mo now) . I thought about it for a very long time before we opened our shop. Selling on etsy has been an excellent experience. I have made some great friends, and I am always surprised that we actually sell things!

I also play Roller Derby and Adam is a referee. We also enjoy rock climbing and hiking. I also love biking.








I love this painting, and it is a great price:
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=28806445
This is my favorite knife:
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=35144538
and I also love these:
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=37047283
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=36377502
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=35908067
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=21485268

Thank you so much for your interest in our store!"

As I browsed around, I was in awe of what I found! Erica's paintings and art are fantastic. Then one discovers all the cute baby items she makes. Every page of their shop displays a new treasure to discover! Adam's knives are truly works of art! Some people might not think of these as art, but you must see these!

My words can't do this couple's work justice. You just have to see it!

http://AcrylicAndSteel.etsy.com

JoyfulD*sign

Looking for wonderful Sea glass jewelry that is eye catching but friendly to today's budgets? Check out JoyfulD*signs!

Each piece is so special. Denise takes such care with every detail. I was truly in awe as I browsed her shop. I would think I had found my favorite and then I would see another of her beautiful creations!

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

"I have been walking beaches and collecting things since I was a little girl. I used to pick up stones and shells - if only I had known then that the Great Lakes and oceans produce these beautiful gems called mermaids’ tears. What a collection I could have had! I discovered mermaids’ tears, better known as sea glass, while walking the beaches of South Florida ten years ago after my 20 year long marriage ended. During those long walks, I picked up sea glass while I talked to God, fascinating by the beauty and mystery of the frosty gems.

Creating and crafting is a way of life for me. So it wasn’t long before I decided that I needed to design something with my quickly growing collection. I was inspired to start my business by my loving and creative mom, Joyce, the JOY in JOYful D*Sign. I hope she’s really proud of the work I’m doing! Although she is gone, her love and inspiration live on in my work. My favorite medium is sea glass and I am obsessed with dragonflies which often land in my work.

My style is light and airy - you won't find anything overbearing or overstated in my shop. I want the beauty of the sea glass to speak for itself. I gravitate toward the colors of the ocean so you will see lots of blues, greens and aquas. But I don't discriminate - I love COLOR! I was fascinated by the Crayola 64 Box of Crayons when I was a kid. If you don't see a color combination you like - contact me and we can design it together!

Long walks on the beach hunting for sea glass are always a must – for relaxation and to shore up the supplies so I can keep the creations coming. My sea glass is all authentic and unaltered, found along the coasts of South Florida, the Bahamas, Puerto Rico, Hawaii, Canada, and England. Major thanks to my boyfriend, Tim, who hunts with me (and on his own sometimes) and who does all the drilling for my projects! When I’m not making jewelry or some other hand beaded creation - my other specialty is kaleidoscopes, I love to knit, crochet, cross stitch, and enjoy my 16 year old puppy, Peanut."

There are so many beautiful creations in Denise's shop, it is hard to choose a favorite! The Victorian Pearl Dragonfly earrings are gorgeous! The Victorian Valentine red and white sea glass necklace is also a stunner! It is so dainty and feminine. I could go on and on!

She also has a newly created $10 section of earrings that are wonderful!
http://www.etsy.com/shop/JoyfulDsign?section_id=6754051

Check out Denise's shop at http://JoyfulDsign.etsy.com.

Cappy Sue

It's been a while since I have had a feature, but this one is a gem:)


Cappy Sue is an artist. Truly an artist. She has an eye for the unusual. Cappy also has an eye for beauty that most wouldn't catch at first glance. I am amazed at her creative spirit.

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

"I am 31 and happily married. All my kids are the furry kind. I create my work mostly from my dreaming which I have every night and are very vivid. Most would think of them as nightmares but for me I find inspiration there.

I love to laugh more than any thing so often my work takes a comical turn trying to spread that laughter.

My hobbies are a little odd to. I spend my free time reading random weird books and listening to music. My music is any thing from 1920s rare recordings of Shine on Harvest Moon to AC/DC to Adele truly I have yet to find a kind of music I don't like. Other than that I have little collections my current favorites are Mary statues in all sizes from the 3 inch plastic to a foot tall concrete. I am working on a spot for them all in my art cave.

In my shop I have so much stuff straight from my heart. My favorites would have to be Night of Haunting http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=39244880 because it was my first item on the front page of Etsy.
I also like Mourning Mermaid http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=32433160 because some thing is so sad about her and I see some thing beautiful in that.
I am also fond of the Plus Size bracelet http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=33039800 because it was my first big try at making jewelry and I thought it came out well."

I am love to browse Cappy Sue's shops and see what new inspiration has struck her. There is something for everyone's tastes!

Cappy has four wonderful Etsy shops. In one you will find all her wonderful art creations, in the second you will find some of the coolest clay creations around, the third houses her vintage treasures, and the fourth is a supply shop for your creative needs.
http://cappysue.etsy.com
http://cappysueclay.etsy.com
http://cappysuevintage.etsy.com
http://cappysuespice.etsy.com

Hi all!

Changes and updates to the The3Maries:

I have opened a shop on Zibbet. It will stock my photography and original art. You can go to my shop by clicking on the cute banner below:)



I am very excited about this expansion.

I am also revamping my Artfire shop, it was just too mixed up. I am trying to streamline it now and give it a cleaner look. You can check out the changes starting by clicking the Artfire banner below.



Still loving Etsy and trying to improve my two shop there:

http://The3Maries.etsy.com
http://CreatedByThe3Maries.etsy.com

What's new with your shops? I would love to hear about it and share it here on my blog! Contact me through any of my shops:)

Looking for great deals?

If you are looking for great deals then check out the Tradeaholics TRADE5 sale. No item is priced over $5! There are tons of great deals with more than 100 shops participating.

For more info, check this link for a list of shops or search TRADE5.

http://www.etsy.com/forums_thread.php?thread_id=6416106

Check out ClaireBabyDesigns!

ClaireBabyDesigns is having an awesome giveaway on their blog. Hurry over and check it out, it ends today!

http://clairebabydesigns.blogspot.com/2010/01/clairebaby-designs-giveaway.html

Don't miss her shop either! It is full of wonderful upcycled bags and accessories. I fell in love with the pin up messenger bag. Its beautiful, colorful, and practical. I am a Green Bay Packers fan and will always love Brett Favre so the Green Bay #4 bag was destined to catch my eye!

http://Clairebabydesigns.etsy.com

Happy New Year!

Wishing everyone a very blessed 2010!

New year, new ideas, new posts!