Entries from January 2007 ↓

February is upon us, and I have plenty of beautiful purple amethyst for those February birthdays!

Amethyst at Lava Jewelry

Amethyst in my Etsy shop

Amethyst is the purple variety of the mineral quartz. Amethyst’s color is due to Fe+4 impurities. Similar to citrine (the yellow variety of quartz), amethyst forms in holes (called vugs or amygdules) in silica-rich volcanic rocks.

Historical information, from mineralminers.com:
“The early Greeks believed that amethyst would protect one from the effects of drunkenness when consuming alcohol. A possible explanation for this unusual virtue being given to amethyst is that when water is poured into a cup fashioned of amethyst, it would have the appearance of wine yet could be drunk without experiencing wine’s normal inebriating effect.”

Metaphysical properties, from mineralminers.com:
“Amethyst is said to bring serenity and calm, to enhance one’s ability to assimilate new ideas, and to assist during meditation. It is also said to give strength and mental stability, and to provide balance between one’s physical, emotional, intellectual states. Amethyst is also said to make one shrewd in business matters.”

“Amethyst is said to help remove toxins from the body and to help treat arthritis. It also said to be useful in treating a number of disorders including those of the digestive system, heart, nervous system, skin and hearing and to help provide relief from pain and to strengthen the immune system. ”

Please feel free to add any amethyst information in the comments below!

Today’s featured Etsy shop is kuriloff, a shop that features drawings and paintings. Kuriloff’s artwork consists of stylized nudes, fantasy trees, non-objective art, expressionistic portraits, and landscapes. All drawings are created using acid-free pens on paper. The paintings are created using gouache (opaque watercolor) on paper or acrylic on canvas.

I asked kuriloff a few questions about her work…

What inspires you in your artwork?
I am inspired by phenomena in nature, especially trees and clouds. I am also inspired by the female figure. My imagination plays a key role in all of the art I create. Despite my classical and extensive art education, I prefer to stylize images and to create surrealistic renditions instead of realistic artwork.

Do you have formal training?
Yes, I have formal art training. I received a B.S. in Studio Art from Brooklyn College. My art education also occurred at New York University; the Art Students’ League and the Brooklyn Museum Art School. I had the good fortune to study for several years with painter, Stefano Cusumano.

Kuriloff’s artwork is available for sale in her Etsy shop http://kuriloff.etsy.com, and on her web site http://www.ninakuriloff.com. Nina makes incredible use of bold color and line; check out her work!

I’ve really been enjoying featuring various Etsy sellers here. I was planning to put up two sellers a week (Mondays and Thursdays), but I’m tempted to step it up to three times a week. I’d like some opinions. Would featuring three sellers a week detract from their spotlight? I’ve been getting requests from so many wonderful sellers, and I really would like to be able to put more of them up.

You should now be able to leave comments on my blog without registering. I got a plugin that should help me prevent spam while allowing anyone who wishes to leave a comment. I hope it works!

Question of the Day: Well, maybe not so much a question, but a rambling, pondering sort of thing. This is the sort of thing that keeps me up at night. I’ve been wondering why evolution is so often portrayed as a linear process. There is some kind of assumption that mankind will evolve into a predetermined “advanced” being. I see evolution as a chaotic, non-deterministic process. Also, why has technologically advanced come to mean more evolved? You can tell that my mind has been poisoned by an overdose of sci-fi. Otherwise, why would I even think of these things?

I normally try to keep things positive, but every once in awhile it feels good to complain. I’ve had a headache that won’t go away for over a week now. I know I’ve had headaches last for months at a time, and I know a couple of people who suffer headaches for years at a time, but this still kinda sucks. Most of the time, it’s a mild headache, but it flares up into a migraine almost every afternoon/evening, forcing me to take Imitrex. Blech! I’ve managed to go the past four days without taking Imitrex, so I’m hoping that the lack of medication will help the headache go away.

Well, okay, I’m finished complaining.

I made a bunch of wirewrapped pendants today that I’m really excited about. I’ll probably be listing them in a couple of weeks on Etsy. I can’t wait to show them to you!

Question of the Day: What are some of your least favorite words?

Today’s featured Etsy shop is Block Party Press, a shop that features polymer clay wearable art pendants and rings. BlockPartyPress also sells photo/note holders and ACEO’s and plans to add earrings, bracelets, shadow boxes and tins or trinket boxes in the near future.

The owner of Block Party Press is Tamara, a stay-at-home mom of two young boys, living in Elkridge, MD. I asked Tamara a few questions about her work…

How did you get started making your art?
I have been working with polymer clay for over 10 years. I started working with carving blocks and printing just this past year, and I started combining the two over this past summer (2006).

What other types of art do you make for fun?
I love to make useable art out of trash. I have a couple of pieces in my shop that I entered into the upcycling contest, but I have been making all kinds of things from trash for a while now.

What inspires you in your work?
It seems like everything inspires me. I love shapes and texture and contrast, so I have trained my eye to see everyday things through those elements. I am very inspired by mother nature, leaves, plants, trees and flowers.

How did you name your shop?
The shop name came from me trying to come up with a clever name centered around the block part of my art. I came up with Block Party because of the block reference, and when I am working, I feel like I’m partying. The press part I added because Block Party just seemed like it was missing something. It is probably a little confusing since I make mostly pendants, but originally I had planned to include paper products as well. This may still happen, but I am happy working with the carving blocks and clay right now.

Block Party Press’ work is available for sale exclusively at http://blockpartypress.etsy.com.

Today’s featured Etsy shop is DreamWoven, a shop that features texture/fiber-based goods such as hats, clothing, and bags.

I asked the owner of DreamWoven a few questions about her shop and her work…

How did you name your shop?
I stole the name…… from my husband. He was doing some graphics for a company and the product was linens (bed sheets)… he came up with the name “Dreamwoven”…. I, of course, upon hearing the words said, “It is mine!” and thenceforth became “DreamWoven”.

What inspires you in your work?
Everything!!! There isn’t a thing that I see or hear that doesn’t, in some way, become a part of what I am working on. I am constantly buying books, constantly scanning magazines, seeing what is out there, both new and old, that will inspire me. Sometimes it is weird things, like a portion of a photograph, or a certain set of colours in a leaf…. sometimes it is much larger things that are more nebulous…. the thinking about an answer to a problem, the meditating about why certain things are the way they are. Everything inspires the things I create. Everything inspires how I live my life. My family is creative. My husband is an artist (fine art as well as graphics), my son is a glass-blower and my daughter can write and draw, equally well. You cannot walk into my home without becoming inspired. I immerse myself in the things I like to look at, hear and see…. and those things, in turn, inspire what I create with my hands.

What other types of jobs have you worked?
Let’s see…. I was a hi-faluting legaleze type of person at one point in my life. I’ve done all kinds of things…. radio commercials, interior decorating, had a clothing line, published a book of poetry, was an exotic dancer, did some web pages for some organizations, worked on a carnival, was in a theater group, raised two kidlets, was an editor for a motorcycle magazine, painted, danced the light fandango, and the one job I keep coming back to is that of learning HOW to live life fully. That is a full-time career, as far as I’m concerned.

DreamWoven’s work is available for sale in her Etsy shop http://dreamwoven.etsy.com, her web site http://dreamwoven.com, and at high-end art shows. She uses the most amazing combinations of colors and textures in her fiber work, not to mention the coolest baby booties I’ve seen. Go check it out!

DreamWoven images used with permission.

Question of the Day: Guess my least favorite word in the English language. If anyone gets this without further clues, I will send him/her a free scented candle or a packet of Kool-Aid (winner’s choice). Place your guesses in the comment space below. No profanity, please. If no one guesses it without clues, I’ll start to add clues one at a time in future postings.

Does anyone else out there like genmai cha (brown rice tea)? I don’t know why this was on my mind, but I was just thinking about how I lived off of genmai cha, rice, and miso in college. Poor college student’s menu, I s’pose. I also used to work on a Sparc I, using Unix, ytalk, and playing MUD’s. With that info, you should be able to calculate my exact age.

Question of the Day: Would it be bad for me to get addicted to online computer games? (Again…)

The first Etsy shop to be featured on my blog is Allstix, a shop that sells handmade knitting needles. They’re crafted from select Maine birch and 10 inches long. They have a sleek protective sealant that ensures durability for years to come and come in lots of funky designs.

I asked Allstix’s owner a couple of questions about her shop…

How did you get started making your knitting needles?
I saw a tutorial on the internet about how to make your own knitting needles out of wooden dowels. I used Swarovski crystals, Australian rhinestones and anything else I could get my hands on to make pretty “tops”. One day I looked at my needles and realized that although the top was beautiful, the rest of the needle was BORING! I immediately started creating an image transfer process and found a great protective sealant and applied this to the shaft of the needle. I quickly realized that I had a great needle, but it needed a better start. I upgraded to unfinished needles made from select Maine birch and finished them myself with the new technique I had developed. Hand painting the tips and tops made them complete.

Tell me three things that most people don’t know about your work.
1. I have to chew gum when I work. I can go through 7 or 8 pieces of gum before a set of needles is finished. I only chew Orbit Bubblemint.

2. The finishing process is done by hand and only by me. I refuse to let anyone else help me with this step.

3. I’m in the process of becoming officially licensed to carry knitting needles with the Virginia Tech logo. Go Hokies!!

Allstix’s work can be found online at www.allstix.com, www.allstix.etsy.com, and www.theurbanknit.com. Go check these out! I’ve personally never seen knitting needles like these, and they make a wonderful gift for the knitter in your life!

I plan to feature a different Etsy shop in my blog about once a week. Please feel free to email me if there’s a shop you’d like to recommend.

Allstix images used with permission.

Can you tell I’m having a sweets craving? I think I should make some chocolate chip coconut walnut cookies soon.

I now have soy container candles in my Etsy shop. I have both pretty glass jars and cute little tins. Run now and go check it out! Yes, I even have rich warm chocolate scented candles! Maybe that’s where my chocolate craving came from…

Question of the Day: Has anyone seen the current season of BSG (Battlestar Galactica)? I don’t have cable, so I have to download it if I want to see it. I haven’t watched any of the current season. I loved season 1. Season 2 really dragged, but picked up at the end. Like a true geek, I plan to rewatch season 1 and 2 before I download the current stuff.