SPRING FLING....SIGNS OF SPRING ON ETSY...!

WHERE OH WHERE IS SPRING? It wasn't outside my window this morning, not with 4" of heavy wet snow out there . Well....maybe...that IS spring in Wisconsin.

SPRING is definitely popping out in many of the shops on Etsy. I have gathered together some delightful, colorful items from various Etsy shops that have a wonderful "springy" look to them, and have brought them out here for all to enjoy in a SPRING FLING!! This is the first group of shops, to be included in the SPRING FLING, I will be adding another group of shops within the next week or two, so do stop back!

I hope you enjoy the lovely collection of spring items below. To visit any of the shops just click on the shop's name below the little photos.

Home Garden Decor Floral Bee Skep Bee Hive

SHOP: BARBARA LUCORE

Floral wreaths, arrangements, necklaces, pendants and more.

Spring Will Come - Digital Painting - 11 x 14 matted
SHOP: ART2ART COLORADO
Paintings, Collages, Digital Art, 3D Assemblage and more

Green Ruffle Leaf Necklace

SHOP: STOKES GALLERIES

Nature Inspired Polymer Clay Jewlery

Abstract Butterflies Tie-Dyed Silk Scarf

SHOP: MADE WITH LOVING HANDS

Handpainted Silk Scarves

Pink Paper Butterfly Necklace

SHOP: PAPER DISPLAYS OF AFFECTION

Origami earrings, necklace,

Aqua Earrings

SHOP: DESIGNS BY TWILIGHT

Jewelry - Earrings and necklaces

The BLANCHE in Wonderful Stripes

SHOP: CHICKY BAGS

Colorful, fabric handbags

Deep Red Lily Earrings

SHOP: TABBY TOO

Garden Inspired Jewelry

FAITH - An angel of courage keepsake

SHOP: PAMELA JEAN'S KNITTING GARDEN

Lovely keepsake angels, and knitted hats

Birth of a Fern

SHOP: URBAN DESIGN PHOTOGRAPHY

Photography

Ballerina Dance Flower Earrings

SHOP: CYNENSEMBLE

Unique Jewelry for Unique People

FLORA HEADPIECE

SHOP: TALKING TO UNICORNS

Beautiful hair decorations for the dreamer in you

Handmade HUMMINGBIRD FEEDER, Fused Glass and Copper, LAVENDER
SHOP: GLORIOUS GLASS GARDEN
HANDMADE Stained Glass GARDEN Bird Baths and Feeders

PinwheelBloom VickieBag

SHOP: MILLIE FERN

Handcrafted Originals, Bag, Plush Toys and more

Lavender Smocked Bishop Dress

SHOP: AMBERLY JOY

Children's clothes, smocked dresses, hair accessories

3 Vibrant yellow Spring daffodils handknitted in knitted vase

SHOP: NIFTY KNITS

Hand knitted flowers, jewelry and collectibles

Fresh Flowers Shabby cottage chic chipped sign

SHOP: SIGNS BY DIANE

Shabby and cottage chic vintage inspired wood signs

Sweet Leaves - Blossom Blue Branches (set of 3)

SHOP: JANE JOSS

Original floral designs

White with Light Pink Polkadot Flower Loop Bow and Light Pink Interchangeable Crochet Headband

SHOP: CHICY CREATIONS

Chic Hairbows, Tutus and more

Spring time Dichroic ring

SHOP: STU STU STUDIO

Affordable Artistic Giftable Glass Jewelry & Home Decor

Isadora Dances on the Twillight Seashore-SEA POPPIES BOBBY PINS/BROOCH-Satin, Organza, Tulle, Chiffon, Svarowksi Crystal

SHOP: FLYING BUTTONS

Happy Hair Accessories, Fun Jewelry and Unique Goodies!

Iggy the Inchworm Handmade Lampwork Bead

SHOP: MAY BEADS

Handmade Lampwork Beads and Jewelry for Kids and Adults

Sealife Glass and Charm Necklace

SHOP: ROZZYTOZ

Jewelry and other beaded goods

Adorable Easter or Spring Greeting card Spring Flowers

SHOP: PERCIVAL ROAD DESIGNS

Collage and Handmade paper goods

Spring Pixie in Blue Heather

SHOP: PIXIE BELL ELFINWEAR

Whimsical Knits For Mischievous Imps!

Mosaic Birdhouse Bird Feeder

SHOP: KAYZKREATIONS

Stained Glass, Mosaics and Fused Glass for Home, Garden

THANKS, to all the lovely shops who have participated in this feature...more shops will be coming soon! I'm sure the shop owners' would appreciate any comments you may have.....so leave them here.

FEATURED ETSY SHOP - ALTERITY - Antique Button Jewelry

WELCOME, Lisa of ALTERITY - Antique Button Jewelry out on Etsy. While looking through Lisa's shop, ALTERITY, I happened across the above earrings, and was quite taken with their design. If you pay a visit to ALTERITY, I'm sure you will be amazed at what Lisa has created out of antique buttons, without damaging the buttons themselves. First, let's learn a bit more about this multi-talented artist.

What led you to start creating your art/craft?

I was actually a closet beader, beading for friends and family for gifts. Work and family began to slowly take over my life, and just recently, my husband has allowed me to leave the work behind, devoting my time to family and craft. Oh, seeing as thought I collect antique clothing buttons as a hobby, I began working them into my jewelry in the fall of 2007. In January this year, I began my business!

How did you decide what medium you wanted to work with?

This was tough. I paint and sew, too, in addition to making jewelry. I opened Alterity on Etsy to originally sell my button jewelry, but found my other items infiltrating it (quilts, paintings, journals, etc.) Just a few months ago, I decided to open Alterity Art (which is my legal business name) on Etsy, to sell all the other stuff and keep Alterity exclusively as an antique button jewelry site, as well as my journals.

What aspect of creating your art/craft do you find the most enjoyable?

Everything! The purchasing, the designing, the creating, the listing, the selling and finally, the shipping. This is one job I will never grow to hate or be bored with!

If you had to choose a fruit OR a vegetable, to describe your art/craft, what would you choose, and why?

Definitely a Pomegranite. Not all people find my jewelry as beautiful as I do (like the peel on a pomegranite), however, take the peel off and who can resist the shiny, sweet delicate seeds inside!

If you had to choose one other medium in which to display your “creativity”, what would that be, and why?

Easy - Painting. There are just some ways you can't express yourself in jewelry!

What message, if any, do you want to convey with your art/craft?

Elegance of the victorian era and the flippant fun of 40's and 50's (well, at least the swing music of the 40's...wars are never fun!)

What advice do you have for other artists/crafters?

Do and make what you like...those with your same tastes will find you. Don't give up waiting though, your patience will pay off!

LISA, thanks for sharing your unique, creative jewelry with us! You can visit ALTERITY by clicking on the photos below to go directly to that item in Lisa's shop, or click on the ALTERITY link below the photos to see all the times in the shop. I've also added Lisa's other Etsy shop link below.

FEATURED ETSY SHOP - LeelaBijou Jewelry

VOLCANO RING

WELCOME, Maria, a jewelry artist from the Canary Islands, Spain. I love the colors and sparkle of the Volcano Ring... (I guess, I'm like Maria....I LOVE Swarovski crystal!)

Below is another photo of this ring, so that you can see the great colors! After reading what Maria has to say about herself and her delightful jewelry, be sure to visit LeelaBijou, as she has a wide selection of very beautiful jewelry in her shop....necklaces, rings, bracelets and more!

What led you to start creating your art/craftI have always loved arts?

When I was younger, I looked for different ways to express myself: painting, music, etc. One day, three years ago, I started making my own jewelry. Simple designs with wood beads, glass beads and silver. Many people showed interest in them and that encouraged me to go further. I learned new techniques, and I improved my old ones. Later, I included new materials in my work (like Swarovski crystals or Italian crystals) and I got a great response from my buyers. Two months ago, I joined Etsy. I have many ideas and projects for the future, and I hope they will become true.

How did you decide what medium you wanted to work with?

People always told me I had an eye for jewels and picking colors. At first, I made very simple designs with very basic materials. I got excited with my first results, so I worked hard to learn new techniques. These techniques allowed me to work with better materials, like Italian crystals or natural gems. My favorite material is the Swarovski crystal.

What aspect of creating your art/craft do you find the most enjoyable?

Mixing different pieces and obtaining very surprising combinations. I love creating new shapes with hearts, flowers, butterflies,…A great feeling surrounds me when I create something someone considers special, something “unique” for them. I also love when I can combine my ideas with the ideas of more people. I have made a lot of custom orders through these years and I find them very interesting and funny too.

If you had to choose a fruit OR a vegetable, to describe your art/craft, what would you choose, and why?

A cherry, because it looks beautiful, but it also tastes very good. It is not just appearance. I want to make beautiful jewelry, but I also want it to be of a high quality.

If you had to choose one other medium in which to display your “creativity”, what would that be, and why?

Music. I studied piano and I used to sing. Moreover, my grandmother was a professional singer. It´s a perfect medium to evoke deep feelings.

What message, if any, do you want to convey with your art/craft?

With my jewelry, I try to show creativity and colorful ideas. The world can be dark sometimes, but we can make it a little brighter.

What advice do you have for other artists/crafters?

If you like what you do, keep working on it. Don´t worry about the sales, and make your art with dedication and passion. Sooner or later, people will recognize your efforts.

Maria, beautiful work, great interview.....thanks again for taking the time to share your thoughts and creativity with everyone! Again, do take time visit Maria's shop LeelaBijou. She really does have some delightful jewlery. Christmas is just around the corner! You will also find links to her blog and Twitter below.

BLOG

TWITTER

FEATURED ETSY SHOP - BEQI CLOTHING

WELCOME, Beqi and her Etsy shop, BEQI CLOTHING. Here you will find a wide range of delightful earrings, rings, necklaces, chokers and more all designed by Beqi. Before you go visit Beqi's shop and her other links, lets hear what this artist has to say about herself and her creations.

What led you to start creating your art/craft?

I've been sewing since I was 9, but I didn't start sewing clothing until my early twenties. What led me directly to starting a business was a half bottle of merlot on my friend's studio rooftop--she explained the basics of small business ownership to me, and it didn't seem so scary.

How did you decide what medium you wanted to work with?

Having a background in clothing (vintage clothing wholesale sale, retail experience, etc.), it was a natural step to take my obsessive love of sewing and make money with it. After a year or so, beading and jewelry work came along.

What aspect of creating your art/craft do you find the most enjoyable?

Everything but the paperwork. I love to sew, buy fabric, bead, soft mount found objects to jewelry backings, design, paint, work on my website and my Etsy site, work craft fairs, sell to stores, the whole shebang.

If you had to choose a fruit OR a vegetable, to describe your art/craft, what would you choose, and why?

Japanese Plum. Sweet on the inside with a touch of black humor around the edges.

If you had to choose one other medium in which to display your “creativity”, what would that be, and why?

I actually sing in a band on the side, but I also paint, draw, write, and dance. I'm kind of a jill-of-all-trades when it comes to not getting a 'real' job.

What message, if any, do you want to convey with your art/craft?

With the clothing especially, I want to free women from the idea that sexiness only comes in a too-thin frame, or that their bodies should be altered to fit their clothing. I don't know that the jewelry conveys any deep message, except maybe my disdain of free time.

What advice do you have for other artists/crafters?

If you can work 16 hour days during the slow season and not lose your head, this is the career for you!

Beqi, thanks for sharing your thoughts and work with all of us. It sounds like you really know how to keep busy, and have a great time with it all! Be sure to visit Beqi's Etsy shop and her web page where you will find her line of clothing, and accessories.

BEQI CLOTHING WEB PAGE

FEATURED ETSY ARTIST - Jessi's Jewelry/Distinction Jewelry

I love the unique, light feeling that so many of Jessi's pieces invoke, when looking at them. Be sure to pay a visit to Jessi's shop after reading below, in Jessi's own words, what she as to say about herself and her lovely work.

WELCOME, JESSI....!

What led you to start creating your art/craft?
My path was a rather unusual one. I became a fan of a wonderful but short-lived television show called Firefly, and one of the characters wore a distinctive necklace made of leather cording. I searched for one like it but it was not for sale anywhere. Having dabbled around a bit with beginner jewelry design, I just made myself one! I was able to make an almost exact replica of the necklace, and on a whim I posted to a fan forum offering them for sale. I didn’t expect anything to come of it, but they started selling like hotcakes. Shortly thereafter I started offering simple beaded necklaces inspired by the show, and before long I had to open my own web store ( www.serenityverse.com/shop ) to handle the order volume. Over time I became better at what I did, learned a lot about designing, and thanks to the sales I was able to afford and offer better quality materials. Before I knew it……I was a jewelry designer!

How did you decide what medium you wanted to work with?
Initially all of my work was “stringing.” I used the materials that most appealed to me, namely gemstone beads, sterling silver, and lampwork. Stringing gets a bad name amongst jewelry designers because it is the most basic skill, and is often branded the hallmark of a beginner. That has always irked me because while the market admittedly is flooded with “beginner crafts” strung jewelry, some of the most stunning and artistic creations I’ve seen have been strung necklaces and bracelets. I have always felt, both as a beginner and later as an experienced designer, that a strung piece made with superb materials, quality workmanship, and most importantly a striking and beautiful design is something for which no apologies should be made.While perfecting, honing, and expanding my design skills (and my ever expanding collection of beads!), I dabbled in other mediums. Stringing beads wasn’t enough for me, but I had a hard time finding any other medium that felt “right” for me and gave me the artistic control I needed. I took a brief stab at lampworking, tried wirework, tried Chinese knotting, mangled polymer clay, and all it took was one look at seed beads for me to run away screaming!The epiphany snuck up on me sideways. I began collecting some beautiful cabochons made out of unusual gemstones, planning to wire wrap them. But every time I tried to wrap one, I was unhappy with the results. I didn’t enjoy wire wrapping, and most irksome was the fact that I had purchased these stones for their innate beauty and patterns, and wire obscured and distracted from them. I decided to have them set in sterling silver as pendants so that I could make necklaces with them, but I couldn’t find anyone to do it whose “style” was right for me. Then it happened….my eyes lighted on a dusty sign in a local lapidary supply announcing silversmithing classes.I signed up. I collected even more stones. The class was cancelled. A year later though, I was lighting a torch for the first time. By the end of the beginner’s class I was hooked. By the end of the advanced class I was obsessed. Not even six months after I started, I knew I’d found my medium….and I had acquired my own top of the line torch and more tools than I care to admit to.In silversmithing I have finally found a medium that gives me the creative control I desire and allows me to make things I’m proud of, and most importantly I love doing it. I will probably always do stringing and very basic wire work as well, especially incorporating my metalwork. But my focus has certainly shifted dramatically to silversmithing, and I only expect that focus to deepen.

What aspect of creating your art/craft do you find the most enjoyable?
I adore the creative control; the ability to be able to imagine a design that I think would be cool and then actually create it. That is quite a rush.

If you had to choose a fruit OR a vegetable, to describe your art/craft, what would you choose, and why?
A pink grapefruit. Refreshing, tangy and sweet without either flavor being overpowering, the grapefruit is bold but not brash. The qualities of the grapefruit do a pretty good job of describing what I like to create; pieces that are different but not overpoweringly edgy, pretty without being “cute”, elegant but not snobbish, and clean without being boring.

What message, if any, do you want to convey with your art/craft?
I want to convey the messages that are personally important to my customers. Jewelry is about more than simple adornment. It's about meaning; a wearable token for who we are, who we love, and what we admire. One reason I love custom work is that I get to create something that has deep and often hidden personal meaning to the person wearing it.

What advice do you have for other artists/crafters?
Do what you enjoy, and create what you like. There is a lot of peer pressure in the jewelry field to “be different!” “expand into other mediums!” and my least favorite, the unspoken encouragement of difficulty of creation over pleasing design. How, however, is one supposed to “be different” if everyone is struggling to do just that? In that case, are you not, by trying to be different, copying everyone else? What is new and different one year will be the overused trend the next. So stop trying desperately to be different, and be yourself….and that act alone will set you apart. Follow what you like and enjoy, and your own unique style will develop gracefully on its own, and your skills will surely advance along the paths that you are drawn to.

THANKS, JESSI for sharing your beautiful work, and also giving us an insight as to what makes you "tick" as an artist! Below you will find links to Jessi's Etsy shop, and also her web site. Be sure to take the time to visit!!

JESSI'S WEB PAGE - DISTINCTION JEWELRY