Favorite Finds

It’s Etsy Friday again and I’m here this week to bring you some of my favorite items!  Enjoy Shopping!

 

Aquamarine Ring

Aquamarine Ring

This lovely aquamarine and copper ring with it’s crystalline beauty is made by Midwest Alchemy.  The shard of aquamarine is surrounded in a electroformed copper band and has been treated with LOS, sealed with Renaissance Wax and has a matte finish.  Each unique piece of jewelry by Kelly at  Midwest Alchemy is completely handmade in her studio in northern Ohio.

Stones are chosen for their color, texture, shape and feel.  I just love the mix of the more rustic sculptural copper element along with the natural beauty of the rough gemstones.  Rings and pendants are also available with stones of crystal, amethyst, quarts, topaz, opal, tourmaline, garnet, sapphire, citrine, druzy, labradorite, turquoise, chrysoprase, pyrite, and pearl.  Truly something for everyone!

Midwest Alchemy is also an Etsy Featured Shop.

 

Straw-Hat

Vintage Inspired Straw Hat

I simply adore vintage inspired designs, and Ella from Ella Gajewska Hatsin Poland makes some of the finest millinery you’ve ever seen!  This particular piece is a fashioned after straw hats from the 1920’s with a small brim and asymmetric crown.  It is beautifully detailed with hand applied Swarovski crystals on a soft natural ostrich feather.This elegant hat has been hand blocked and is an original design.  The shop owner can create something beautiful and customized just for you, depending on your interests.  She has a lovely Etsy shop full of all types of hats – everything from her “Teddy Bear Winter Hat” (you have to see that one!), to knit caps, fedoras, and romantic turn-of-the-century designs.  So stunningly beautiful!

Key

Skeleton Key

There is just something about old keys and vintage architectural pieces that I find fascinating.  I think it’s because when I touch these little pieces of history I always stop to reflect on who might have created them, owned them, or used them in times long ago.  Such is the case with these pretty little metal skeleton keys sold by Etsy seller ChokkoVintage.

Chokko Vintage provides this information about skeleton keys (quoted from ehow.com):

“Skeleton keys were designed centuries ago to open warded lock types. Warded locks are simple systems with a set of movable plates inside. When a properly shaped key bit was used, the plates would push aside to release the lock. Skeleton keys were also simple, with generic bits capable of opening many different locks regardless of the maker and key bit style. The use of ward locks declined in the late 1800s, but some use continued into the 20th century. The development of more secure locking mechanisms led to the disposal of the old locks and keys.”

These little keys are beautiful as home decor, in crafting projects, or…I can picture one on a chain that rests on the bodice of my vintage dress form!  Chokko Vintage has many to choose from; all keys ship from Thailand.

 

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Keeping It Local

After the organized get together with fellow Etsy sellers in Austin, Texas last Saturday, I am delighted to introduce several of them via this week’s Etsy finds!  So many great local artists!

 

Fiber-Bracelet

Fiber Bracelet

Rachel Anderson of One Man’s Trash makes these really cute fiber bracelets from braided satin, scrap cords, and wrapped cotton fibers.  Add some vintage style floral twill end trim, a stretch loop and buttons, and they fit perfectly around the wrist.  They are all unique and really colorful!  According to Rachel, they are,  “A little bit 80’s…a little bit hipster..and just weird enough to make your jeans and ratty t-shirt cool enough for happy hour.”  Gotta love that, and the fact that these beauties are recycled and re-purposed!  Rachel also has some lovely necklaces, earrings, and rings in her shop, all made with salvaged materials.  I think she must get pretty excited when she comes across a little box of vintage fabric and notion treasures that nobody else knows what to do with.

 

Baby-Bolt

Flying V Guitar Bib

Love, love, love the cute baby and children’s clothing pieces from seller Baby Bolt (Striking Kidswear).  Austin is certainly known as the “Live Music Capital of the World”, and there’s no reason not to introduce the kiddos at an early age to electric guitars!  The custom guitar design is zigzag stitched onto this classic size bib (for babies 6-24 months).  The reverse is a soft flannel in black and white line checks. This bib has been lined with an extra layer of flannel for extra drool absorbency, which gives it a nice weight and feel.  Just place around baby’s neck and attach with the super soft velcro that won’t scratch sensitive infant skin.

All fabric used by Baby Bolt is washed in eco friendly dye and fragrance free detergent prior to sewing to ensure minimal shrinkage, and finished clothing can be machine washed and dried.   All clothing designs have been tested on babies and children both at home and on the playground prior to listing in the shop.  Your kids will love them, and so will you!

FetoSoap

Feto Soap

These bars of oatmeal, milk, and honey soap by Feto Soap are so pretty with their “bee” design.  A soap favored by both men and women, it is scented with a delicious blend of honey, almond, and vanilla.  Yum!  The honey in this soap comes from local Texas wildflowers, and no colorants have been added.  It’s great for dry and sensitive skin.  This hypo-allergenic and coconut oil based soap weighs 1.7 ounces and measures: 2 x 2 x 1″.  It is packaged in a white organza drawstring bag.

All Feto Soap items are handmade locally in small batches in Austin, TX.  Soap is made from scratch with both cold and hot process methods.  The shop carries glycerin soap, perfumes, lip balms, lotion bars and NEW shea butter sugar scrubs!  Products are carried in retail outlets around the country, and are sold in many Austin boutique stores.  Feto Soap products are offered as private label, guest bars, bridal shower favors, wedding favors, and baby shower favors.  You can also have them shipped as a gift  directly to your recipient!

Feto soaps have been featured on Home and Garden Television’s Show, That’s Clever, BUST, Woman’s Day Magazine, and The Chicago Tribune.

 

Strong-Poster

Strong Poster

This great poster measures 8×10 inches and is professionally printed on high quality paper. Each poster comes individually packaged in a clear protective cover and includes backing board for shipping stability.  All proceeds from this particular item in the Tisa’s Creations shop will be donated to the Breast Cancer Resource Centers of Texas.

Tisa’s shop carries simple, modern paper items including cards and stationary.  You can also check out her website at:  www.tisasspot.blogspot.com.

Blue Ice

It’s Etsy Friday again and this week I have some great finds, all in beautiful icy blue hues!

Blue-Pendant

Mariaela

Wow!  Mariaela has some beautiful jewelry in her shop.  I love this pendant fused using eco-friendly tin, and created in her home studio in Poland.  It is made to look like old silver.  Her technique is melting glass and immersing stones, sand, pieces of metals, etc. in it.  Her pieces have a modern edge, while still fitting into the current trend of “retro vintage” style jewelry. She just opened her Etsy shop in August of this year.

 

 

Winter-Ice

Winter Oasis

Such a stunning winter scene.  I want so badly to go down that path to see where it leads, in the hushed quite of freshly fallen snow!  This 8×10 print is appropriately titled “Winter Oasis” and is offered in the donnageissler Etsy shop.  It is printed on beautiful matte fine art paper and packaged in a protective sleeve with backboard.  Photographer Donna lives in Michigan and says she “does her best to make pretty pictures”.  I think I can safely say she has succeeded!  She has won numerous awards and her work has been seen in:  Decor Magazine, Black and White Magazine, and on HGTV’s Designed to Sell.

 

 

fascinator

Winter Story Fascinator

Such an ice queen!  I keep picturing this fascinator being used on some epic movie set.  Fascinators are a form of millinery that are most typically made from feathers, and can be made from wool or lace.  It is often an alternative to a hat for formal attire, and can incorporate a base making it a miniature hat.  At the recent wedding of Catherine Middleton to Prince William many of the female guests wore fascinators.

RubinaFascinators makes one-of-a-kind headpieces for special events like weddings, cocktail parties, etc., and is happy to take custom orders.  Go ahead and place yours today!

 

 

Blue-Glass

Blue Ice Glass

Check out this 1960’s retro blue & green ice glass/bucket.  It measures 5″ by 4″, and has three distinct color layers.  Super piece that would look great on the bar, or anywhere it’s displayed.  Sold by Park Estate Company in San Diego, California and shipped free to the lucky purchaser.  Park Estate Company has over 500 listings in their Etsy shop, so you are sure to find something to please!  They say they are, “attracted to beautiful big baubles that sparkle and can only be described as fabulous”.  I’ll say yes to that!

All About Winter

Got to thinking about winter (and some of the things we can’t do in the south), and pulled together several great Etsy Friday finds!

Acorn-Candle

First check out these great blackened beeswax pine cone bowl fillers, scented with cinnamon and rubbed with spices. The aroma must be fantastic every time you walk by these!  And they are very reasonably priced at $7.50 for a set of three.  Check out all the beautiful beeswax candles at this Etsy seller’s shop at Farm Field Primitives.

 

Husky-Skis

And who wouldn’t want this lovely giclee art print of a Siberian Husky on skis!  This graphic art piece is created by illustrator Ryan Fowler, and sold at the Native Vermont Studio on Etsy.  The 12×12 print is also available on canvas, and is signed by the artist.  There are so many unique pieces in this Etsy shop, that honestly it would be difficult to choose just one.  This shop is one of my favorites!

Hot-Apple-Cider

After a cold day on the slopes, try some of this bootleg luxury apple cider soap in your shower or bath.  This soap is made with real apple cider beer and packed with luxury oils.  And I have to be honest, don’t be tempted to eat them…yeah they look that good!  Each bar weighs 5 oz and is made with natural vegetable oils and butters; it promises to leave the skin silky smooth.  Yummy.  Purchase them at Antoinettes Bath House.

 

Ice-Skates

I searched for some vintage ice skates for sell, and guess what I found?  This beautiful pair of Size 7 white ice skates in their original Planerts box!  What a find!!  As the description states, “A little elbow grease and you’re ready to fly.”  If only we had frozen ice ponds in Texas; check them out in the My Serious Side Etsy shop.

Have fun shopping!