THE WINNER OF DZFANTASY'S "Fantasy Butterfly Necklace" is....

CATERINA

of

TORINO, ITALY

CONGRATULATIONS, CATERINA!!

Caterina's entry was randomly selected from all the entries received for my "Butterfly Necklace" giveaway here on DZFANTASY.

Since people had the option of leaving more than one entry, I believe there were approximately 22 people who entered this giveaway.

Caterina has been notified of her winning, and has already responded, so I will be shipping the necklace to Caterina in Italy first thing tomorrow morning.

THANKS, again to everyone who took the time to enter this giveaway.  I will be having another giveaway in the next several weeks, so be sure to stop back to see what it is.

HOW ABOUT ZIBBET AS AN "ON-LINE" SELLING VENUE!

I have just started an additional DZFANTASY shop on ZIBBET.  My main on-line selling venue will still be Etsy, but I thought I'd give Zibbet a try with some of my items. I went with the "free" account for now to see how things go.

With a free account you are limited to listing only 25 items in your shop, but since I'm basically going to be listing my "fiber fantasy jewelry" on there, I feel that won't be a problem for now.

If anyone has a shop on Zibbet, it would be fun to hear your comments here, as to how you like it and the "pros and cons", etc.

After I am on Zibbet for a while, I will put together some of my observations and share them here with you.

CLICK on the link below to visit my very new, tiny little shop on Zibbet.  I will be adding more items in the coming weeks.

MAGICAL "FAIRY CHARM EARRINGS"...will be sure to bring you a magical feeling!

FIBER, CRYSTALS AND FAIRY CHARM EARRINGS

(click on the title above to learn more about them)

Wear these little beauties and feel the magic!!  The tiny fairies will dance and twirl as you wear them!  Light and airy as a fairy!

If you are looking for a bit of fun and fancy to perk up any outfit...give these earrings a try.  I designed the handknit "focal" beads using a beautiful satin finish ribbon yarn.  Creating these free form knit beads takes me about 2 hours, as they are shaped by using a clear 4# test fishing line, which can't be seen in the completed beads.

One of these days when I have more time, I will do a tutorial to show how the beads start out and end up in various shapes such as the ones above.  It is a technique I just recently taught myself.   It does take a bit of time to create each bead, but I have found it fun to see how they look when completed.  Adding Swarovski crystals and recently charms, has added to their magical look and sparkle!

Great gift ideas...either for yourself or someone special.  No two will ever look exactly the same.

MOTHER'S DAY GIFT IDEAS ON ETSY

BLUE HAIRED FIBER SCULPTED "SPRING FAIRY"

Give Mom a bit of magic...at DZFANTASY, you will find fantasy sculptures, fairies, mermaids, and also fantasy fiber jewelry...necklaces, face pins, earrings and more!

MOTHER'S DAY isn't that far away!  Are you thinking...what can I get for "MOM", to show her how special she is?  Well, don't worry....perhaps you will find just what you are looking for by taking a peek at the Etsy shops listed below.

There are so many wonderful creations that can be found in Etsy shops, so I thought I'd put together a special feature showing just a very few of the many choices that one can find while shopping on Etsy.  What could be a more meaningful gift, then one that is "handmade", with love and attention to detail.  Don't you think your mom deserves the very best?

Each shop will be represented with a large photo showing the item in their shop.  To visit that item, just click on the title below the photo.  You can also click on any of the 4 thumbnail photos displayed, to go to directly to that item in the shop, or click on the shop's name below the thumbnails, to go to the shop itself.

Sit back and enjoy visiting the shops below.

Beaded Amulet Necklace

by SERENITY COLLECTIONS

Serenity Collections offers beautiful beaded amulet bags such as the gorgeous one shown above, beaded necklaces, bracelets and more.

Handmade wool slippers using felting technique.

by GRAZIM

When you pay a visit to GRAZIM, you will not only find beautiful selections of felted slippers in wonderful colors and design, but also other gorgeous felted items!

A Sassy Red Felt Purse

by AT THE BRINK

AT THE BRINK offers a delightful selection of eco-friendly, felted purses out of recycled sweaters, and also "wine bottle cozy/bags".

Spring Forward Wildflower Purple Earrings

by EM'S GEMS

EM'S GEMS offers a great selection of delightful beaded earrings, bracelets and necklaces.

BIRD BATH, Glass and Copper, ORANGE and YELLOW

by GLORIOUS GLASS GARDEN

GLORIOUS GLASS GAREN offers a gorgeous selection of colorful glass bird baths, humming bird feeders, butterfly feeders and more!

Happy Mother's Day Card - Personalized - Shower of Love

by DEZIGN DAZE

DEZIGN DAZE specializes in custom and personalized greeting cards, calendars, receipe cards, note cards and more.

Devore Paisley Scarf in Lavender, Cream, and Green

by WILD GINGER SILK

At WILD GINGER SILK, you will find a wide selection of hand painted shawls, wraps, scarves, and accessories.  What mom wouldn't be thrilled to receive a hand-painted silk scarf such as the beauty above!

Yellow Rose MOM Teacup Candleholder Great Gift for Mom

by RECYCLED BY RENEE..The All American Girl

Shop RECYCLED BY RENEE, and you will find Sandblasted Lighted Bottles, Teacup candleholders and Shabby, Victorian and Cottage Chic handmade items, along with American/Patriotic items.

Lime Green Pearl Cluster Earrings (Cascading Pea Sprouts)

from the CARMELLA COLLECTION

by GIFTBEARER

GIFTBEARER offers a stunning collection of tribal style jewelry, fine silver, sterling gem earrings, bracelets, and much more.  The CARMELLA COLLECTION is named in honor of the artist's dog, Carmella, who is the first dog in the United States to be cured of distemper.

 

 PHILOSOPHER - Original Silk Painting

by SILK STORY

SILK STORY has the most exquisite silk paintings that tell a story, along with gorgeous silk scarves, cards....all original designs from this very talented artist!

Pastel handmade evening wristlet

by HI GIRLS

HI GIRLS offers wonderful handmade bags, jewelry and polymer clay items for the home!  I'm sure some deserving mom would love the lovely handbag shown above...many others to choose from at HI GIRLS.

Tea Sampler in a beautiful Tea Chest

15 Great Flavors 5 Bags of each 75 Bags in all

by TEAMAN

If your mom loves tea...be sure to visit TEAMAN, where you will find over 30+ different blends of tea!!  I bet she'd love a "tea sampler" like the one above!  It is always fun to sample the different flavors of tea.

Mother's Day Gift Idea Skin Care Package

by FORGET ME NOT SOAP SHOP

You will find a lot of delightful handmade soaps when you pay a visit to FORGET ME NOT SOAP SHOP!

Ranunculus Flower Blank Card Assortment -- Set of 4 Cards and Envelopes

by KHO KREATIVE

KHO KREATIVE offers beautiful, colorful cards like the set above.  Pay a visit to KHO KREATIVE to find handmade cards, photos and custom designs.

Lithuanian Scratched Mother's Day Present Unique Egg

 Chicken REAL Egg European RED Flowers Daisy Pysanky

by

 European Girls Crafts and Eggs

EUROPEAN GIRLS CRAFTS AND EGGS offers beautiful, colorful Lithuanian scractched eggs

SNEAKING OUT THE WINDOW - FaNtAbUlUs FELTED WOOL HANDBAG

by

 BARBARA PAIGE KNITS - Mother and Daughter Fiber Arts Creations

You will find wonderful fiber creations at BARBARA PAIGE KNITS...felted bags, shalws and Shrugs, hand spun yarn, handmade button and more!

Lovely Lavender Potpourri Adornment

by

QUEEN OF ALL TRADES

QUEEN OF ALL TRADES lives up to its name because when you a pay visit to this shop you will find a wonderful assortment of potpourri wreaths, potpourri adornments, jewelry, paper crafts and more.

Yummy Yummy Chocolate Doughnuts with Strawberry Icing Soap

by

ESPECIALLY 4 U BY E and T

What mom doesn't like soaps and bath items!  These look good enough to eat! ESPECIALLY 4 U BY E and T has delightful  handmade soaps, bath items, lotions, shower gels and more.

Keishi Pearl Bracelet

by

AMANDA'S OBSESSION

When visiting AMANDA'S OBESSION, you will find beautiful necklaces, bracelets, letter pendant necklaces, stamped necklaces handcrafted from semi-precious gemstones and metals.

Charming hand painted Ceramic Maiolica Tile

by MAIOLICA

MAIOLICA offers beautiful handpainted ceramic items.....tiles,such as the one above, dishes, bowls and more.  The artist  specializes in painting ceramics in the Italian Renaissance Style.

Golden Dynasty three strand bracelet

by FOREVER ANDREA

When you visit to FOREVER ANDREA you will find unique handmade jewelry, lovely keepsake baby bracelets, fun children's jewelry, handmade crocheted scarfs, hand-milled soaps. All sorts of fun gifts to choose from!

Glam White or Black Swirls Fabric Coin Purse with Felt Lining

by RITZEE REBEL

RITZEE REBEL offers a wide selection of cute purses, felt pins, hair accents and more! 

Vintage Mother's Plate

offered by

 A COLLECTIBLE CACHET

 If you love vintage items, be sure to pay a visit to A COLLECTIBLE CACHET where you will find kitchen, jewelry, milk glass, linens and things, home decor and more!

Horse Shoe Necklace

by

FIRED AND WIRED

FIRED AND WIRED offers poly shrink and resin jewelry in the following themes, sports, horse & horse racing and various holidays.

Jamie Hobo Shoulder Bag - Handmade Handbag - Boutique by Chez Mois

by SID'S IN STITCHES

Looking for beautiful, colorful, handmade purses in many styles...you will find them at SID'S IN STITCHES!

Juicy Peach - Handmade Soy Candle

by

THE PINK SINK

THE PINK SINK offers you Handmade Soap ~ Bath & Body ~ Lip Balm ~ Skin Care

Mother Iridescent Shell Brooch Gold Fill Script Antique

by

THREE CHICKS VINTAGE

At THREE CHICKS VINTAGE you will find vintage treasures of  jewelry and beauty items, apparel and accessories and a lot more!

SPRING FLOWER

by PRAIRIE STAR JEWELS

PRAIRIE STAR JEWELS offers handmade necklaces, earrings, purse charms and more created from semi-precious stones and mixed metals.

Thank You for Being You - Mothers Day Gift Idea

by ART OF AMY

Pay a visit to ART OF AMY and find whimsical, fanciful note cards, Alice In Wonderland prints, original art, gift sets, and more!

Asymmetrical Pearl Necklace - Autumn Abundance

by LYNN'S BEADS 'N' THINGS

LYNN'S BEADS 'N' THINGS offers jewelry fashioned from semi precious stones, Freshwater Pearls and other beads. Handmade Cards using real pressed flowers and leaves, laminated for lasting beauty.

Wrought Iron Candle Set - perfect for outdoor living

by A BREATH OF FRENCH AIR

A BREATH OF FRENCH AIR offers a wide variety of handmade soaps, soy candles and bath products.

Beaded Necklace with Polymer Clay Pendant - Licorice Fluff

by MEL'S ART BUFFET

MEL's ART BUFFET offers unique designs for your unique taste - featuring bracelets, earrings, necklaces and more!

Beaded Handmade Eyeglass Holder - Mom

BITS N' BEADS by GILLIAUNA

BITS N' BEADS has such a unique variety of offerings ....necklaces/chokers, earrings and hoops, bracelets and cuffs, I.D. Lanyards, charms and more, you will find it hard to choose!

Baby Fairy Charm Bracelet

by UPCYCLE UTOPIA

UPCYCLE UTOPIA offers "upcycled art" created from bits and pieces of everyday life...earrings, pins/brooches, art dolls, magents and more!

I hope you all enjoyed the small sampling of Mother's Day Gift ideas that can be found on Etsy. I'd like to thank the shops above who chose to participate in this MOTHER'S DAY SPECIAL feature.

If anyone would like to leave a comment with a link to an Etsy shop that you feel has Mother's Day Gift ideas, please feel free to do so.

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY TO ALL THE MOMS OUT HERE!!

FEATURED ETSY SHOP - GIFTBEARER

14 Karat Solid Gold Braided Ring

by Pippit Carlington of GIFTBEARER

WELCOME, Pippit Carlington and her Etsy shop, GIFTBEARER, where you can see Pippit's gorgeous contemporary tribal style jewelry.  She has some truly wonderful pieces of jewelry that anyone would be delighted to wear.

Before paying a visit to GIFTBEARER, let's learn a bit more about this talented artist by reading her interview below.

What led you to start creating your art/craft

I wanted to start a career after my son was born and to make a living with my art; something I already had skills in made sense to me.


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


I've always worked with a variety of materials and started out painting and drawing as a child, but also have worked in other mediums as well over the years. I rotate mediums and materials so that I stay inspired and my work won't get stale. Jewelry seemed one of the more practical forms of art when deciding on one medium to put my main focus on, although lately I'm not so sure.


I first thought about making art furniture, but the logistics of getting to and from the location where training was available weren't going to be feasible, so started using wood to see what I could make on a smaller scale, and found that wood made nice jewelry. I found I really enjoyed that, so I continued to add more and more techniques on to what I taught myself, went to jeweler's school for metalwork, took other classes in beadweaving, and found that the possibilities in this field are endless. I wish I had the money to take more specialized classes in other jewelry techniques. There are alot of areas I'd like to explore.

Copper Poppy (bracelet)

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

There are many things I find most enjoyable; soldering, beadweaving, spool-knitting, bead crochet, PMC (I could go on and on), but I guess what I really enjoy (in a nutshell) is watching something come out that is really unique and knowing that others also appreciate it with the same sense of wonder and excitement.

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

I guess in many ways what I create is like a watermelon because it is often colorful, sometimes the winning combination takes alot of work and is at first hard to break into, but once I get everything the way I see it in my head, the result is sweet!

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

I'm currently getting into felting and I'm really enjoying that. Currently I'm making some needle-felted dogs that are going to be replicas of the ones I work with that have obtained a new cure for Distemper. I have always loved dogs, and sculpture and realism has always intrigued me!

My own dog, Carmella is the first in the US outside a lab setting to have ever been cured in both body and central nervous system of the disease. Jewelry doesn't seem to be selling all that well in this economy, so I happened to notice that these types of fiber miniatures seem to have a big following of people with disposable income who also love dogs.

Carmella still has a large vet bill, and I'm also looking at possible surgery/procedures to repair some remaining CNS damage she suffered before she obtained treatment. If I can make the money needed for her expenses with this new medium and have fun doing it, it will be a real win/win for all!

Carmella Collection - Illumina (Earrings)

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

I would like people to be excited about my work and feel a special connection with it, not as merely an inanimate object, but to view it as adding something special to their lives, to feel the unspoken expression of the soul of these items on a spiritual level.

What advice do you have for other artists/crafters?

Keep striving to improve upon your "best", set your sights on new mountains once you've climbed the previous one, and be ready to change some things along the way to keep the journey interesting and fresh for yourself and for viewers/buyers.

Pippit, thank you for a very wonderful interview, and for sharing your lovely creations with everyone.  May you realize success in finding funds for Carmella's surgery!!  Anyone who has or had a beloved pet, knows how important they become in our lives. 

Be sure to pay a visit to Pippit's links below.

ART LIFE NEWSBLOG

BLOG MYSPACE

FLICKR

TWITTER

FACEBOOK PROFILE PAGE

FACEBOOK FAN PAGE

The links below will give you information on the new cure for distemper:

CANINE DISTEMPER CURE

SAVE DOGS FROM CANINE DISTEMPER