Two Tightly Wound ... amazing collaboration!

Andrea & Amy make up this awesome jewelry design duo. Not only will you be getting some insight about them, BUT the video is a brand new venture, this talented duo has been working on.

Andrea & Amy met at a gem show. Both were beaders BUT wanted something more challenging...something unique, that NOT everyone was doing. "We wanted to use our creative energy to design unusual and beautiful pieces of jewelry"...it's safe to say they both wished they had been jewelers from the very beginning...as a paraphrased quote from George Elliot, "it's never too late, to become what you should have been".

Amy lives in NY & Andrea lives in CT. Everything is shared between the two...buying the gems & wire, to opening new accounts & managing their Etsy site. They take advantage of buying in bulk, by buying together. They email constantly & are in touch either by phone, fax, or ESP everyday.

A typical day for them?...They both work on their designs...Andrea works during the day and Amy in the evening. If they have to see a customer at their retail outlet to fulfill an order, they also coordinate that with other issues they have to address "face to face".

They meet weekly to exchange finished pieces of jewelry & supplies. "Our designs are each our own".They don't really collaborate on them, except to comment on how wonderful they are or share a new technique. "We are our biggest fans...we have to be!...Amy & I support each other...our husbands help to a certain extent but really it's just the two of us. We could use some extra support...Spanx might be an option ... :D "

I asked them if they ever considered their work "art jewelry" rather than just beadwork AND if they ever considered showing in a craft gallery. As they explained, some of their current retail outlets consider themselves artist's markets or galleries. They had done the craft show circuit and didn't want to continue because it wasn't the right venue for them. They did consider the high-end craft shows BUT the amount of work for the monetary reward didn't seem to be there.

My last question, in great Etsian flourish...what do you wish for you and your business in the future? ..."We hope to earn the admiration & recognition of our peers...we would LOVE to become famous jewelry designers. We would like to see a celebrity or ANYONE walking down the street wearing our designs (haven't yet). Amy wants a red Ferrari. I want a larger office."

With their combined talents & support of each other...who knows...I for one am a fan and wish them great success! Remember that they also do "custom work" & "bridal work"...contact them through their Etsy shop or here is their email: twotightlywound@aol.com

Attention...New Streetnoodle Banner courtesy of Jacy

Not only is Jacy the creator of my new Streetnoodle Banner, but she is featured in my slide/video presentation (see below).

For anyone looking for help with your own banners, shop tags, avatar, or shop identity of any kind..I would highly recommend Jacy. Her patience and artistic skills teamed with her technical knowledge simplified what I thought to be an undoable project.

Please contact her at her Etsy shop...I know you'll be as delighted as I was with the outcome.

Art by Jacy

I met Jacy through an Etsy forum thread...I was so impressed by her spirit & passion, and when I saw her work, I felt it showed through...the following is all in her own words:

"It was the third grade that I knew I wanted to be an artist. Not just paint a pretty picture, but I wanted the life. I wanted to eat, breathe and sleep art and of course make a living off of it. High school came, and a combination of teenagery-emotions mixed with acrylic paint, had me funneling an artistic game plan. It was then that I knew my medium was paint and my fav subjects were anything in creation.

Skip about 10 years into the future, and I was stuck. At some point throughout this "game plan" of mine, I gave into a regular job and settled. I was unhappy and frustrated, sitting 8 hrs a day with no creative outlet. Can you imagine? Can you relate? Up until December of last year, I was working for someone else and not for myself, like I had wanted all my life! I realized at that point that I was scared of change & scared to take a chance. I was too self-conscious about my artwork and didn't allow myself to go through a normal artistic process. Instead I settled on a typical 9-5 job that constantly drained my ideas & energy.

But on December 2nd, 2010, my prayers were answered and I got...fired! What?! Actually, I wasn't even upset or nervous. I knew there was a bigger reason for it and I secretly felt it coming. Dare I say I was even happy & excited about it! I don't know how to explain it except that I knew that God was watching. That day I went home and not even 2 hours of being let go, I was cleaning out my dusty art studio & sharpening my paintbrushes! It was time for action!

It has been almost 3 months since then and I have never felt so free. My paintings are thriving & my name is getting more exposure. I am even able to sell my work in a new Agawam Ma store called "Hidden Treasures", an entire shop of handmade creations. Only 15 minutes away from my home in Enfield, CT! My Etsy store & online blog has been opening doors to so many great relationships & opportunities, including this one. Who would have thought that I would go from doodling on old receipt papers & boxes right into scribbing a guest post on a wonderful blog? (Brownie points! But seriously Ellen is wonderful).

I always knew it was what I wanted, but now I know that if you step out with confidence & faith, it can happen!

In one of my blog posts "How to Get Over Fear", I talk a bit more about my situation & give tips on how to not let Fear consume you. I list the lies that Fear likes to tell us & a list of what we need to say back.

We all come from different walks of life, but we have one common thread: we are human & we were created to create. Whether it's a hand-knitted floral blouse or assembling organic homegrown veggie Easter baskets, we use our hands to bring something new to this world. My hope is that we all can not only embrace that responsibility, but that we learn to see that we do have something we can offer to the rest of the world. That is the true essence of who YOU are!"

"Hidden Treasures"... 143 Main Street, Agawam, MA 01001

Hours: Mon-Sat 10:00am-7:00pm ...Sun 12:00pm-5:00pm

Website: http://www.artbyjacy.com

Etsy Shop: http://thiswayup1.etsy.com

Blog: http://thiswayupshop.blogspot.com

**To be announce later in few days, the new "streetnoodles" blog banner designed by Jacy at Thiswayupshop.

Adele ....a wonderful artist

first saw her interviewed a couple years back on "60 minutes" (i think?), but just recently reintroduced to her talent on "ellen degeneres".

New February additions to my Zibbet shop

These new February additions are at both my Zibbet shop & Etsy shop...come and see :D

Marionettes with Geahk Burchill

Process: Marionettes with Geahk Burchill from Etsy on Vimeo.

"Fiction Failed This Family" by Ocelli from Ocelli on Vimeo.

Both these videos were reproduced here on this blog from Etsy's blog section, with the kind permission of Geahk Burchill.

We all know the irrational "fear of clowns"...I know I have experienced it, BUT Geahk's work is a bit refined, in that I find myself caught in a "twilight zone" of being fascinated, haunted, and a bit repulsed and uncomfortable by each intity he creates...not because they are so alien to me BUT that they touch upon a "magic mirror"...reflecting & amplifying the image I sometimes see and fear in the shadows of my soul.

The first video concentrates on the artist and his process...the second delves more into the results of his colaborative efforts. I did ask about his "pivotal moment" with the idea of marionettes. The following is a shortened paraphrase version of his response to a similar question last year.

In 1998, Geahk attended the birthday party of a friend's boyfriend. He didn't know anyone there except his friend Sue. It was held at a strange little apartment in Berkeley, CA...it was decorated everywhere with rusty trinkets, old dolls, small animal bones & sixties rock posters. There were children toys from the 1950's and a lot of candles handmade and melted down to the stubs stuck to the fireplace mantle. The carpet had been scavenged from an old theatre by the landlord and was an insane tangle of curling vine patterns with red flowers.

What made the party special was that someone had loaned the host a video camera. They were all poor artists from poor backgrounds...Geahk had never used a video camera before then. BUT like kismet, they all realized at once that they had to use this opportunity...they set up the grey crate (coffee table) as the stage...a little teddy bear with strings & bic pens acted as a controled puppet while more & more objects from all around the house were gathered to create a whole cast of characters with an organically ad lib story line emerged.

The birthday boy was Dave Huckins and the rock posters were his. He had done posters for Phil Lesh, David Crisman, Widespread Panic and Stringcheese Incident. He was also a puppeteer with his friend Adam Bolivar back in Boston. The had a troupe together with Sue Kenney (now Newman), called, the "The Scratch Bros. Presto-Digital Phantasmagoria!" Dave invited me into the troupe for a play called "The Mermaid".

More than a decade later, Geahk can't shake his addiction to puppets and marionettes in particular. In his travels, he organized several small troupes with friends and artists. "Twisted Things" & "Skin & Bones", to name a couple.

He started The CastIron Carousel Marionette Troupe with Adam Bolivar in the winter of 2003 in the basement of a shared house in SW Portland. Their troupe has set a tone for a long series of strange, beautiful, gory and unsettling puppet plays for grown-ups.

Please visit Geahk's amazing Etsy site, where he has new designs every Friday! (OMG): http://www.etsy.com/shop/GeahkBurchill

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Gb-Designs/179229085425078

Marina Shafran...custom jewelry artist

Marina's artisan perspective started to form in her early years in the beautiful city of Riga (Latvia), where she was born...she had come from a long line of craftsman of different disciplines.

At the ripe old age of 13, she became a fashion model & for the next 7 years traveled the world...educating herself in a "classroom" we all mistakenly consider glamourous and pampered. If anything it was exhausting hard work...BUT with benefits for a young woman with an exceptional eye for design and the growing skills of an artisan... seeing the "best of the best" made by the "best of the best" is an opportunity that she did not waste.

As you can imagine, true "passion" came from her long involvement in wearable art and the fashion industry. At age 20, after traveling most of the world...she came across San Francisco, and fell in love (as most of us do :D ) . She grounded herself in a position at as waredrobe coordinator of an exclusive boutique, "The Rafael's", which presents handmade wearable art.

It was during her experience at "The Rafael's", that her creativity was inspired by the wonderful handmade designer art jewelry, by some of the most famous and notable artists of the time...some of whom she was able to meet, or view their work in galleries around the world.

It took quite a bit of time to hone her skills & master some of the techniques, BUT a few years ago she finally made the move to being a custom jewelry designer... Marina believes that by wearing handcrafted designer jewelry, you can reveal your exceptional personality. Because of this belief, she feels her designs are very detailed & meticulously handcrafted with hundreds of small detailed & precious components.

Currently Marina has her studio in the heart of San Francisco...and she sells exclusively through Etsy...and loves custom work, so feel free to contact her: contact@mshafran.com with your requests.

Etsy shop: http://www.etsy.com/shop/mshafran

Website: http://www.mshafran.com

Easy Breezy Giveaway Results

Just a quick notice...all who participated in the giveaway are winners...your "grab bag" prizes are being packaged tonight and hopefully will be shipped tomorrow.

Though I contacted everyone by email, some may fall thru the cracks...unfortunately due to prior business & family commitments, if I don't hear from you with mailing addresses within 24hrs. ...your winnings will be forfeited.

Hope to hear back from all of you... have a Merry Christmas & Happy New Year!!!

My Etsy Shop...Deadline for before Christmas delivery is Dec.19th

JUST REMEMBER... deadline for before Christmas delivery deadline, from my Etsy shop, for the continental US deliveries ONLY, is Dec. 19th.

After that the 2oth seems okay, BUT i can't guarantee. Please be aware that I will be continuing to offer FREE SHIPPING using USPS Priority Mail thru Christmas Eve...WHY? you may ask...I have a theory, that most people buying this late and for who, are all adults (at least old enough NOT to believe in Santa Claus [in public :D ] )... so if this is the case, you can forewarn your friends & family recepients that their gifts are in the mail & may be a few days late.

HO, ho, ho ....Merry Christmas!!!

meredithdada @ Etsy.com...ooak handmade beaded art

Meredith, from the Etsy shop, "meredithdada" considers herself lucky that she grew up in a family of artists. Her mother was the strongest influence being an art teacher by trade and being known for her pottery & ceramic work, as well as being skilled in drawing & painting. Meredith got a well rounded education in the arts at a very young age. Her grandmother was a talented artist as well...taught china painting out of her home & was a avid crafter. Her grandfather worked mainly in wood and has taken up painting recently and at 93 yrs. old & still paints everyday. Her father who was a heavy machinery mechanic, retired and pursued his passion for photography & is submerged in it full-time now.

You'd think that with this kind of pedigree and the fact that for the longest time she thought everyone had a full artist studio in their backyard, that she would have chosen Art as her major in college...but NO, she chose to major in Psychology! ...go figure :)

Creative expression had always been a big part of her life & so natural...like breathing. College is suppose to be a safe place to find new roads, to experiment with different options. There was a time in college though, where Meredith focused only on academics & working to pay the rent and like so many of us who know that "art" is what keeps us sane and happy...Meredith pathed her own way to realize how much "art" was NOT a hobby or even an option...BUT a necessity for the balance and fulfillment in her life. With the early encouragement of her future husband, to take her "art" seriously and to get it out there for people to see & enjoy... she finally found the balance & happiness that had been lost to her for a while.

Five years ago, Meredith's beloved grandmother died. She use to make elaborate Christmas ornaments & ball gowns for Meredith's Barbie. She left Meredith a huge bin, full of glass jars with all sorts of colored beads and rhinestones to touch & inspire her...as you can see thru her work in her charming Etsy shop, "meredithdada".

As if "all-knowing", her grandmother gave Meredith the perfect project & skill to be used in her role as stay-at-home Mom... a transitional creative outlet that lends inself to an energetic 2 year old's erratic schedule ..far better than the messy & somewhat dangerous mosaic tiling she was involved with before...which she may return to as her family dynamics change.

Not in Denial But Still a Little Raw...

My brother, Gary, who had long been suffering from the family curse (heart disease & diabetes), died in his sleep on November 24th, 2010.

He was waiting for his friend/ex-wife to come back home with his 2 grown sons and his little sweetheart grand-daughter. He had plans to spend Thanksgiving holidays with them ....but during this long road trip, his family was on, they were called when Gary didn't show up for work.

Though I know Gary wanted to die in his sleep, it doesn't take away the sense of loss his family & friends all felt...how i felt.. somehow cheated of time & words with him.

The following is the eulogy I gave to show a different side to Gary...the child...the young energetic man I knew and came to admire.

Eulogy for my brother (died 11/24/2010):

Thank you all for gathering here to honor and mourn the death of Gary Ikemoto...I still find it strange to say these words because, I've yet to accept them.

When Sonja asked me to do part of the eulogy...the part that reflected my fondest memories of Gary, I realized I didn't have RECENT ones.

As with all families (I guess), we seem to go off in all directions, only seeing each other during rare family gatherings or sad functions like these.

So my fondest memories were of things I learned from Gary when we were kids.

***May I preface here by saying that Gary, as a child, was a bit of a "rag-scallion"...he was the "golden child" of our family...smart, charming, the only male off-spring...HE COULD DO NO WRONG...and nothing bad seem to touch him.

CASE IN POINT: when he got his first bicycle...he had a bad fall & suffered facial laserations...which healed into one of his most endearing features...A ONE_SIDED DIMPLE.
What can I say, he took advantage with his natural charm & singular dimple of many a fine maiden in high school & college... :D

When we were kids, our paternal-grandfather came to visit...he brought both of us equal size mason jars filled with pennies! Gary & I thought we were millionaires...each of us emptying our jars in the middle of our beds and running our fingers thru this "treasure".

Gary then taught me about loans, line of credit...and BALLOON PAYMENTS...and within a week's time he had all my pennies.

I think Gary was in 3rd grade and I was in 2nd... he had his heart broken for the first time by May Chung, his first girlfriend...it was the first time I felt an emotional closeness to Gary.

To ease his pain, he declared one day that he would never marry AND that he would NEVER have children...BUT if he did, he would name them horrible names so they would always hate him for eternity...names like Ezekiel...Jethro...Poindexter.

I joined in with his pledge and for however long it takes to get over a love like May Chung...

We would go along with our day as usual, BUT every once in a while, one or both of us would squeal out "Ezekiel"..."Jethro"..."Poindexter"...and break out laughing with delight.

(OMG Brian [Gary's first born]...you came so close to being a "Poindexter"!)

When life went on and Gary grew into a fine young man & married Sonja & shared Erin and later his own boys Brian & Todd... that "bad name" pouting child was gone & I saw a miracle...the rebirth of "father knows best" played by my brother, Gary...I WAS SO PROUD OF HIM!

I call it a miracle because growing up...we never knew a father who could show love so openly as Gary...this was HIS CREATION...HIS GIFT to his sons.

I know they will miss their father in the moments, days, and years to come...BUT whenever they express their love to their family or others, or when Lily laughs unprovoked...they will all feel their father's legacy & presence.

I love you Gary...you're the best brother I could have asked for.

Caught in the Stages of Denial

This is just a quick note to say that earlier this morning, i was informed my older brother of only a year, had died in his sleep the day before...i've tried to wrap my mind around this, BUT just can't. In true CSI fanatical fashion, i won't believe it till i see the body, read the autopsy...even then i know he can't be...dead.

Spectacular End of the Year...Easy-Breezy Giveaway!!

I've been meaning to have a giveaway long before this time so everyone could relax for most of the holidays and have a little something extra to look forward to...a SURPRISE to add a little spice to our lives.

But life got in the way and I forgot and so many things are lumming...Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year AND tax time !!! ...So to lighten the load for all of US, I decided to have an Easy-Breezy Giveaway... as trouble free as I can make it for all involved.

I'm not sure if the younger generation had these, but when I was a kid the local drugstore every year around Christmas would have a big bin of "grab bags" for sale...No one knew what was in the bags...but it was always of more value than the price of the bag and all the proceeds went to a local charity. The bags were beautifully wrapped & were a clear temptation for all us kids & visually stimulated adults with child-like dreams..."what could be in the bags??"...mom would let us all buy one, but we had to put it under the tree till Christmas, adding to the "mystique".

IMPORTANT POINTS:

This Giveaway will run thru DECEMBER 15th...giving me time to mail everything out before Christmas.

Participants can only enter ONCE, this way everyone will have an equal chance to win..I would prefer you enter by following me on my blog & reporting back, BUT another way to enter is to go to my Etsy shop and pick one item you like & report back under comments...don't forget your email so I can contact you if you win.

blog: http://nineandahalfdesign.blogspot.com
etsy: http://www.etsy.com/shop/streetnoodles


There will be MULTIPLE winners since I will be reducing my inventory in bundles worth $50-$75+ each.

I would prefer to keep the participants domestic so deliveries should reach you before Christmas, BUT if any international client wants to participate, please know that your prize will contain smaller items (probably jewelry or cards) to keep the mailing cost down...and please know there is no way I can guarantee a before Christmas delivery.

So GOOD LUCK to all...I hope this simple giveaway will add to your child-like wonder and yet be easy on your adult duties over the holidays :D

I'm Ashamed for Many Things, BUT Not For Presenting This Extraordinary Contemporary Folk Art Dollmaker Duo

Create your own video slideshow at animoto.com.

My confession to being ashamed is for not acquiring permission to present this slide presentation from "Cart Before the Horse", a remarkable art doll shop at Etsy. I had noticed their shop and their increditable creations months ago...i even convoed them for permission to use their images, but was unable to make contact of any kind.

I only hope that they will understand my selfish motivation to introduce them to my readers & followers. They have done an extraordinary thing in connecting their doll images to our feelings, our common history, our connectiveness instead of our differences. Historical touchstones are referenced, but there seems to be subtle new references, a sense of humor with every stitch, and a dry wit at times.

Dylan & Jo are the creative force behind this charming shop, a modern "mom & pop" collaboration . Each doll is individually sewn, drawn & painted. They usually come as limited editions of 25. Pieces are signed, numbered, and dated by the artists themselves, Dylan & Jo.

Along with a charming variety of art dolls, Dylan & Jo also have very affordable quilt pattern kits of their own creation & style... which I can only guess is an off-shoot of their instructional FREE blog articles that walk you through some of the most delightful craft projects... see their blog; http://thecartbeforethehorse.blogspot.com

My favorite new Fall TV series...Terriers

Donal Loque and Michael Raymond-James are the stars of this series about two buddies who due to a series of strange circumstances become "unofficial" (no license) private eyes. Donal is a disgraced "clean" alcoholic ex-cop doing whatever odd jobs to survive...Michael is talented ex-thief who has become tight friends with Donal helping him with whatever odd jobs arise...they drive an old pick-up that has the faded name of the previous owners' business painted on it's side...in a depressed ocean side community.

You've probably recognize the actors' faces...great contemporary character actors have that great distinction to be recognized BUT not quite really. I've seen Donal over the years in comedies, dramas, & vampire films & have had a crush on him for years...with Michael i recognize him, "but not really":D

What makes this my favorite new Fall series is the acting & writing, BUT i really like the maturity of the producers to not expect instantaneous bravado or recognition of the characters, BUT to show a slow burlesque-like tease of each character introduced from Donal's stressed out old cop partner trying to quit smoking by chewing & inhaling thru an endless supply of nicotine filter tips and Michael's relationship with a gorgeous vet student, who he burglarized & fell in love with on the spot (unbeknowst to her)...add the only dog in the mix, a stout & loveable english bulldog.

There is one more thing i have to mention... more of a prediction really about Michael Raymond-James...my husband thinks i'm crazy, BUT this is my thought....remember "Thelma & Louise" and the monumental appearance of a young Brad Pitt introduced as a charismatic convenience store robber...so polite & charming. I get the same vibe from Michael's character in this series...a comical, zany, polite, sweet, charming & sexy "outlaw".

Whatever it is...i hope you will at least watch it once or TIVO it & watch it at your leisure...would like to hear what you think.

Conclusion: Facebook is like an abusive boyfriend...that your parents like!

This is dedicated to Erica who made a comment on the previous "Facebook entry"... my opinions are my own, and based on a 7 hour bout with Facebook trying to get my fan page up and running.

Facebook is like an abusive boyfriend that your parents like... everyone told me i should have a fan page with Facebook, even though i told them i didn't trust them, found them confusing & hard to deal with...following the "rules" they set, and yet with every inelegant programers' frustrated "loops" & turns there was an obvious intent to make me feel stupid and inadequate..HEY, i'm a college graduate, went to grad school, got my masters...BUT i'm suppose to find a microscopic phrase or single word that is inherently frought with "misdirection".

"4Q" you Facebook! ... no Faceless, mega entity, hiding in the darkness of annonimity is worth 7 hours of my time...unfortunately you've got the general public ("the parents") bamboozled...so sorry Erica...i did get my fan page up, BUT I HAVE NO IDEA HOW I DID IT! ...my only hope in some alternate universe, all of us abused victims will gather mattresses around the faceless Facebook building & burn it down...using self-defense due to post-traumatic stress as our defense.

Facebook...devil or angel??

this is just a short blurb for me about my confession that Facebook is a total mystery to me...i HATE IT, yet i keep returning to it because i know it must have mystical powers i should be tapping into...i just don't have the magic sword or key or "portal" that will allow me to navigate without getting lost and frustrated beyond belief.

there is a wonderful blog called "I dreamed I saw"...if you see it you'll see how special it is...visually & content-wise. It was developed & designed by an amazing branding & website design/ development group, www.houseoftearsdesign.com . at a blissful time a few months ago i was under the delusion that i could make enough in sales to employ them to help me shape my empire...but alas, the sales have slowed and I had to tell Kirk, the rep there, that I couldn't afford their services. I guess we hit it off, because he spent a little longer on the phone telling me some good "free" advice of what i could do for myself...the first being, to create a Facebook fan page for my business.

so in honor of kirk's patience & generousity... i plan to dedicate a few hours daily to conquer my fear of Facebook! ...let the challenge begin!

JunqueGypsy @ Etsy.com

Create your own video slideshow at animoto.com.

My blog followers will attest that this is the first time I've ever done a promotional write-up for a vintage shop. When you see Leonda's shop, JunqueGypsy, you may also ask "why?"...a few pics are a little dark & some blurry, and the items aren't "staged" like Etsy might like them to in the "Etsy-way"...BUT if you look at the items themselves you'll see the quirky, eccentric, fun nostalgic mix you get from her shop and the passion that this woman gives in her collection...my video doesn't do it justice.

It all started 30 years ago when Leonda first "absconded" (nice way to say, ripped off, stole, took without permission) with a wide collar swing 50's classic black "Donnybrook Original" coat from the high school drama department.

Since then over a dozen different countries, the thrill of the "hunt" and "discovery" is the same from a foreign bazaar or a local flea market. Her fondest "hunt" was a local dumpster diving incident with a friend holding her by her ankles as she braved filth, disease & dignity for an antique watering can.

The entrepreneur side has always been there since childhood. Her grandparents, Mammaw & Pappaw, were true Kentucky hill people. She remembers their house always nice & tidy, but on closer inspection, all the knick knacks & such had price tags on. People would come by regularly and have private shopping tours...and on weekends, they set up a table at the local flea market.

Before she opened her Etsy shop, Leonda had accumulated a huge collection of stuffed animal toys, but when her husband complained to "get rid of those typhoid toys" she immediately placed in a trunk in the basement and 30 years later after a career in teaching, she rediscovered them and also rediscovered herself & her passion in a "vintage" business. When in her first antique show, a woman ran up and grabbed one of the stuffed animals, squealing, "Billy! It's Billy". Turns out her mother had thrown her favorite stuffed friend out decades ago.

Not only is Leonda having fun digging out her vintage wares, researching the history, and on occasion, hearing "the rest of the story" from their purchasers...BUT she is part of a cherished few who DON'T think that Wal Mart or the urban mall are all that great. In a society where we don't think twice about throwing away "stuff"...or people. It's nice to know there are people who value things for their iconic beauty & their personal history to people

Please visit the JunqueGypsy and have fun remembering :D

Would you believe...a free full length video as a "Cracker Jack" surprise!

Create your own video slideshow at animoto.com.

This is what you get if you make an ungodly amount of "free" 30-second videos... a free full-length video. i actually could have used up to 3 minutes worth of time...but i just lost count of the number of pics i was downloading from my files :D

It's not going to win any awards BUT i love it anyway :D ...i hope you'll all enjoy.

daisical... handmade nature & vintage inspired jewelry

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Brittany is the energy & style behind this relatively new shop at Etsy (just over a year old)... i say this because since finding her shop thru her blog, i've been so impressed with her style AND "styling" of her shop & blog. Beautiful & professional presentation, yet an obvious warm human factor, making all her work so approachable & wearable.

please visit & spread the word about Brittany's shop & blog:

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

blog... http://prettylittlevintage.blogspot.com/