My Mom's Crafts

When I was a child I used to watch my mom with great delight. She was always making something. Whether it was Christmas ornaments for our Christmas Tree, pillows for the couch, ceramics, fabric covered photo albums or fabric painting. I can't remember what the fabric painting was techinically called but there were little tubes of paint that she would use to color in images preprinted on fabric. Later she'd frame them and put them on the wall. If anyone remembers what it's called, please let me know.
Anyways, my mother was always creating something and she was always kind enough to let us help out and create our own crafts. Last month when I started thinking about opening a shop on Artfire, I immediately thought of my mom and her talent of creating crafts. She had been crocheting scarves and arm warmers for my daughter the last couple of years. I asked her if she'd like to start selling them online with me and she was so excited. Right now in our shop she is selling scarves, a wrist cuff and a belt. She's currently making some dishclothes for me and some longer scarves. Please stop by our shop and click on the link on the right called Scarves and other crochet items to see what she has in our shop.

Bloggy Giveaway Contests

Do you love to win things? If so, make sure you check out some of these giveaways that are associated with Bloggy Giveaways Carnival.



KN Chenille Socks (US Only)

Starbucks GC/Bath and Body Works(US only)

Tidymom(sweet valentine)

Bloggy Carnival.... $50 Victoria Secret Gift Card From A Family Completed


More to come later!

Yesterday was a busy day and I didn't have time to put together a Mega Color Monday. So here it is on Tuesday. Enjoy the Color Purple!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY GREETING CARD, PURPLE BLUE CANDLES
US $4.50

Store: With Our Hands

TOTE BAG DESIGNER FABRIC
US $29.00

Seller: creatingthings

LAVENDER HANDMADE SOAP
US $4.00

Store: LotionsandPotions

HAND PAINTED 3 WICK CANDLE
US $20.00

Store: SugarLakeCreativeArts

BRIGHT PURPLE MUG
US $20.00

Store: GinaDeSantis

PURPLE FRINGE CROCHET SCARF
US $12.00

Store: withourhands

IMAGINE RING - JOHN LENNON AND OBAMA
US $5.00

Store: withourhands

PURPLE MINI THANK YOU CARDS, SET OF 6
US $2.50

Store: withourhands

Giveaway from SoapDeli

Thanks to everyone who entered the giveaway. We had 171 entries! Wow. Using Random.org a winner was choose. Congratulations to Wanda. Here was her entry:

Wanda said...
Mmmmm, the Chocolate Cherry Soap with Shea Butter would be enough to make me not mind being on a diet! Thank you for the giveaway!

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This winter, here in Vermont, has been a bitter cold one. Normally all this cold weather would dry out my skin. Luckily for me, I have been using some handmade soap from the sellers at Etsy and Artfire. Handmade soap normally doesn't have all those harsh chemicals that mass producers of soap has. You may pay a little more for a bar, but it will last longer and keep your skin feeling fresh and hydrated.

Rebecca from SoapDeli, has offered to provide my first giveaway on this blog. You can enter to win an assortment from her shop. All of her soaps are rich in moisturizing oils and butters for happier, healthier skin. You're sure to love the thick, creamy lather of her soaps so much, that you'll be back for more before you know it! They are great for shaving, too!




Chocolate Mint Soap



My Chocolate Mint Shea Butter Soap is a tasty combination of dark chocolate, light chocolate, vanilla fragrances, and pure peppermint essential oil. The result is a delicious blend of chocolate and peppermint candy. This soap rinses cleanly away and is all natural except for the fragrance. Vegan. Each bar weighs 4oz. - 4.5oz.






GRAPEFRUIT TWIST SALT BAR FOR EXTRA DRY SKIN WITH SHEA AND COCOA BUTTERS

My Grapefruit Twist Salt Bar is the perfect soap for dry or troubled skin. Great as a facial bar or all over, this bar contains both shea and cocoa butters as well as an abundance of skin loving oils such as Olive and Rice Bran, both known for their moisturizing properties. It also contains sea salt, known for it's healing properties. It leaves behind a bit of excess oil to smooth and rehydrate your skin. Leaves you feeling moisturized, not oily or greasy. Also makes a great shampoo bar.My Grapefruit Twist Salt Bar is a blend of pink grapefruit, lemongrass and a touch of mint. It's lovely pink color comes from a natural red oxide and titanium dioxide blend. Sea salt makes this bar especially hard so it lasts even longer than a traditional cold process bar of soap. Bar weighs 4oz. - 4.5oz. Vegan.

LEMON SPICE CHEFS SOAP WITH COFFEE AND SHEA BUTTER - ALL NATURAL

This kitchen soap contains coffee which is great for ridding your hands of nasty kitchen odors like onion and garlic. It also adds a little scrub to the bar to help remove not only odors, but food and dirt as well. It's scented with a blend of lemon, sage, and ginger derived from Lemon, Orange, Ginger, and Geranium essential oils. Shea butter helps soften hands and lend an extra creaminess to the lather of the bar. Use it in or out of the kitchen! Bar weighs 4.0 - 4.5oz. and is 100% natural and also vegan. This listing is for one bar.

Contest Details:

1. Open to U.S. and Canada Residents Only
2. One winner will win: Lemon Spice Chef's Soap, Chocolate Mint Soap and Grapefruit Twist Salt Bar.
3. To enter: Visit SoapDeli's shop on Artfire
4. Leave a comment here telling us what your favorite item in her shop is.
5. Contest will run until February 2, 2009 at 7:00am EST.
6. Be sure to leave your email address or a way for us to contact you.

Have fun looking at her shop! Some of her soaps will actually make you hungry. :)

Artfire's Item of the Hour

I woke up this morning to find an email in my inbox from Artfire. I was randomly choosen as their Item of the Hour. Yippee! I'm so excited. In all the time I was with Etsy, I was never on their front page. 1 1/2 weeks with Artfire and I'm on theirs. I LOVE ARTFIRE!

Here's the email I received.
Congratulations! Your product "COWBOY BIRTHDAY CARD kids YeeHaw" has been randomly chosen as item of the hour. Your item will be featured on the ArtFire.com Home Page from 01/23/2009 @ 11:47 PM until 01/23/2009 @ 5:00 PM MST Thank You for being a part of the ArtFire Community!

Friday FUNday Artfire Features

PUPPY LOVE ADJUSTABLE RING - VALENTINE'S DAY $5.00

Here's a cute puppy dog ring. Great for Valentine's Day with the cute red heart on the chest of the puppy. Adjustable Ring.


Shop: withourhands

FRUIT PUNCH & SUGAR BODY BAR SOAP $5.00
A bar of Fruit Punch! topped with sugar Handmade Soap, in a 5 oz size * This soap is VEGAN * A single bar of Fantastic Handmade Cold Process Soap,. Scented with Energy FO. for a stimulating blend of Citrus, including Grapefruit, Lemon and Lime, with hints of fresh Cucumber and Jasmine, and a touch of Pineapple, Blackberry and Champagne.

Shop: HartleySoapCompany



SWEET CARAMEL O'MINE FLAVORED BLACK TEA BLEND $11.00

The ultimate treat! Rich, creamy, decadent flavor from your tea cup! That's what my Sweet Caramel O'Mine tea is all about! This is a unique Caramel tea blend from my own recipe, using high grown Ceylon teas as well as Assams (to highlight the malty tones of the caramel), and organic caramel flavors. You'll even find a couple of tiny caramel nuggets amongst the tea leaves!

Shop: LiberTEAS



PEANUT BUTTER FUDGE BITES $9.00
MMMMM Peanut butter fudge covered in rich milk chocolate. These scrumptious treats are fabulous!If you love fudge AND chocolate you won't want to pass these up.Each order comes with 12 fudge bites. Perfect for gift giving or for treating yourself.


Shop: SweetTreatMaryann


"STARRY RED" ORIGINAL DICHROIC HEART GLASS PENDANT FOCAL BEAD JEWELRY - SIGNED $24.00

Dichroic fused glass 6 LAYER heart pendant. The delicate braided cord is included with your purchase. 18" long. Bail color can be changed at no extra charge. This is just a gorgeous display of dichroic glass.

Shop: AAE-artglass




GRAPEFUIT SCENTED GOATS MILK SOAP $5.00

This listing is for one bar of all natural goats milk soap scented with grapefruit essential oil and with grapefruit pieces for exfoliation. This bar weighs 6.25 ounces.Enjoy the clean and invigorating scent of this soap!
Shop: beadlover08





COLONIAL JAR SOY CANDLE $12.00


My Soy Candles are made from the highest quality soy wax containing no pesticides or herbicides. I use only the highest quality fragrance oils. Fragrance selections and descriptions can be found at my website.


Shop: SoyScentual

YOUNG GIRLS PINK GLASS VALENTINE CHARM BRACELET $12.00
Here is a sweet little bracelet perfect your little girl. It measures 5.75 inches or 5 3/4 inches in length. It has 3 pink umbrella metal (enamel) charms that have a darker heart design on it. Then there is the 3 itty bitty matching pink sunglasses as well.
Shop: libertydoll

New Feature from Artfire

Artfire launched a new feature tonight. Similar to Etsy's Minis, Artfire gives you the opportunity to create Shop Windows. Items from your shop rotate through your shop window. When a visitor to your website stops by, each time they will see a new list - or if they refresh their browser.

Here is a sample of one of my shop windows.

Store not available

To locate your shop window - log into your Artfire Account; under promote you'll see Artfire Shop Window.

If you're not a member of Artfire yet and you're interested in learning more, please visit Artfire at http://www.artfire.com/modules.php?name=sevenforlife&afuid=10262.

Worldwide Wednesday

My featured artists today are sellers from Artfire who live outside of the USA.

Netherlands

'Royal Blue' is a handbound blank book with 48 pages (96 sides) of heavy quality bright white and smooth watercolor paper (3oo gr, canson if I remember well). It measures 16×16 cm (apr. 6 x 6 inches). The paper is suitable for almost any dry or wet medium. The book is covered with Dainel original, a velvet-like material that looks and feels wonderful. The gold-coloured metal corners provide both decoration and protection. The coptic binding is done in black 4-ply Irish waxed linnen and allows the book to open flat at every page. All materials used are acid free and archival.


Canada

Here Is My Hearts- a soft necklace although it is made from rocks (gemstones).A pretty feminine set perfect or the Grad or Bride or to say 'I Love you' to any special gal including yourself.The necklace itself is rose quartz on 20lb. test nylon filament. The two smallest heart charms and the bottom ones on the earrings are rainbow fluorite, the next larger ones are an unconfirmed gemstone (peach aventurine,peach jadeor calcite) Then a golden heart and an enamel or epoxied one.The necklace is 22 inches long with a golden lobster claw clasp. The earring drops are 1 3/4 inch on golden shepherd hooks.Calcite Pink -It's a heart crystal, associated with angels. This is a soft stone of forgiveness that brings unconditional love, luck, money, problem resolution, gambling, healing, creativity, business success, attracting loveRose Quartz - known as the "Love Stone", the stone of unconditional love. It opens the heart chakra to all forms of love: self-love, family love, platonic love, and romantic love, helping the user feel a strong sense of self-worth, therefore being worth love. Rose quartz encourages feelings of peace and calm. Has excellent protection energies during pregnancy and childbirth.


England

Lovely pair of earrings handmade with bubblegum pink pearl beads, corrugated silver beads and white porcelain beads with pink flower detail.Total length: Approx 4cmEar wires: Sterling Silver


Australia

Every woman should have at least 1! The perfect gift for every occasion.This stylish pocket mirror fits right into your purse or pocket. ♦ Handmade with stylish images on the front ♦ GLASS mirror backing♦ Measures 2.25" in diameter♦ Each item comes in a small gift bag


Israel

This needlefelted OOAK art work from 100% merino wool makes great a pin cushion or/and a unique gift for a bird and nature lover.This lovely birdie measures from base to top appr. 5' (12 cm)Due to the 2 seedbead eyes it is not recommended for small children under 5 years old.


Germany

Turk's Head Knot Cuff: braided from a single 3 metres long leather cord. When wearing the cuff you can't see no beginning and no end of the cord. Suitable for men and women. This design is one of my favorites: absolutely simple but stunning!This one measures 7,5"(19,5 cm) with an 2,5" (6 cm) diameter and is made from dark brown leather cord. But please send me an email with your wrist measurement and I'll make a suitable one especially for you! Leather colors are black, dark brown and natural-colored.


France

I've been inspired lately by some Swedish designs. These are my interpretation. These tags have been white-washed but you can still see the lovely grain of the wood through the paint. A lovely bright red cord ribbon has been added. They're plain on the back so that you can add your own personal message. You can do this in any felt tip pen.They measure approximately 6cms (2 1/2"). The ribbons may vary depending on stock but will be red or white to match the tags.

Say Thank You with our Thank You Cards

http://withourhands.artfire.com/

Mega Color Monday - RED

BOXER FELT APPLIQUED RED COTTON TOTE BAG $6

EMBROIDERED TOILE ROOSTER RED TOWEL SET $8

EMBROIDERED DIVA COFFEE SLEEVE JAVA JACKET CUP COZY $6.50

UPCYCLED, REPUROSED, RECYCLED POPCORN JOURNAL/NOTEBOOK $1.50

L SNIP T-SHIRT ON RED ..... WOMEN'S LARGE TEE $18

BABY LOVE SCREEN PRINTED SHORT SLEEVE TEE OR ONESIE, 3 MONTHS-12 YRS. $18

WINDOW PANE FASHION ACCESSORY SET 3PC $65

ROMANTIC VALENTINE BEADED NEKLACE $24