Pandula Arts Creations

The "Pandula Arts Creations" is one of those shops that really need to be visited and thoroughly browsed through!

Marsha has a number of pencil art listings...there are animals, fantasy, abstract, and flowers.  She also has handwoven items and pine needle baskets.

Do you see these baskets???  They're MADE with pine needles and vine (along with some copper wire to hold it all together).  Can you BELIEVE that????  Who'd have thunk it?  All these years I've been HAPPY that I don't have pine trees, like all of my neighbors, and I was missing out!  ROFL ROFL

I am just floored by Marsha's seemingly endless creativity!  You really need to read her Artfire blog about how her fascinating journey began.

Marsha is very active on Facebook and Twitter.  Both great places to fan/follow her so that you'll be among the first to know about new listings, upcoming sales and promotions.

Visit Marsha's blog to see more of her artwork, purses, baskets, etc. that have been gifted or sold.  You'll truly be amazed at this woman's talent.

So, please show her some blogger love and visit her shop and all of her pages.  If you have a sec, share the page with your friends as well.

BTW...still time to enter this month's giveaway.  Last day to enter is August 31st.  Winner will be announced Sept. 1st. 

This month's prize is one of my popular coupon organizers (pictured in the upper, left-hand corner). 
These organizers ATTACH to the shopping cart, leaving your hands free for shopping!

Leave a comment, on any post, to enter.  Enter as many times as you want.  Want more ways to get extra entries?  Find out how just below the pic of the coupon organizer.

Woohoo!!!!

I entered into Meg's Crochet Jewels blog contest, in July, and ended up winning this beautiful necklace!!!

How lucky am I?  I've finally gotten settled, after my vacation, and am getting caught up on my blogging.

You can find more of Meg's wonderful jewelry in her Etsy shop and in her Artfire shop.

She has a great blog (as I mentioned) and a Facebook Fan page.   If you follow her, at both of those sites, you'll be among the first to know about giveaways, promotions, and sales.  That's how I ended up winning!  :o)

Now the tough decision...to keep it for myself or to give it as an Xmas present.  What do you think???

My Recent Handmade Purchases #2

We're getting to that time of year again...holiday shopping time!  I have started my holiday shopping and thought I'd share with you my recent handmade purchases and the wonderful shops that I found them in.

This is my 2nd post about my holiday purchases.  If you would like to see my first blog post, with my first purchases of the season, you can view it HERE.

I can't say who I purchased a number of gifts for because they may actual stop by my blog to read this post and I don't want to give away any surprises.  LOL  :o)

At the Made for Me by Oaklie shop, on Artfire, I purchased this beautiful scarf for myself and these earrings as an Xmas gift.  I purchased 5 scarves, last year, from this shop, as Xmas gifts, and they were a huge hit.

The Muddy River Ironworks shop, on Etsy, offer a wide selection of hand forged items.  A family friend just loves sunflowers and I bought this one to go on her porch.

I have fallen in love with the keychains in the, Designed by Audrey, shop on Artfire.   Isn't it gorgeous?

Another of my favorite shops is The Monkey Shop on Etsy.  I purchased a monkey from them last year and was so pleased with it that I returned to purchase 2 more this year.  I have a couple of others, that I've "hearted" and will probably return to buy before my shopping is finished.

When I was getting ready to have my Xmas in July sale, I decided that I wanted a generic sale banner for my shops.  My one-stop shop for all of my banners, and avatars, is always the My Helping Hands shop on Artfire.  I also ordered a vacation banner since I was going on vacation for the first couple of weeks this month.  Buy with confidence at this shop!

I just love to buy soaps for Xmas gifts and stocking stuffers...they're so much fun and always a big hit.  I found a wonderful new shop for soaps... Sudsey Sue Soap on Etsy.  The cameo soaps are for my grandmother.  Aren't the smiley faces and peace signs fun?

Then I found this wonderful Alice in Wonderland bracelet for my sister-in-law.  Vampire Kisses (also known as Miss Bohemia's) has a wonderful selection of themed items!

Finally, I renewed my membership in The Gift Shop Handmade Directory through the end of the year.  I purchased listings for my Artfire and Etsy shops.  This is a great place to advertise your shops and get lots of traffic during the holiday season.

These are all wonderful places to begin your holiday shopping!  If you visit often, you'll even find some great sales.  Be sure to follow the shops' blogs and on Twitter and Facebook.  They'll often advertise sales there for their followers/fans only.  :o)

Bee Monday

I decided that I'm going to have "Bee Mondays" on my blog.

For those of you who don't know me, I've recently begun to get into all things bees.  I know that a bee is my avatar for my shops but I never really put much thought into bee-related things.

I guess we can probably blame that on my mother and Anne (Made For Me by Oaklie). 

My mother bought me the cute bee plant decoration that I use as a prop, for smaller items, when I take pics for new listings.  She also bought me a Tumblr cup with a bee on the inside.

Anne suggested that I should use bee props when I take pics.  So, the first thing I bought was the small bee that I used in some of the pics of wallets that I listed. 

After that, I was hopelessly stuck on bees.  LOL  I'm always on the lookout now for all things bees.

So, back to Bee Mondays.  I'm going to share with you some of the unique handmade things, related to bees, that I have found.

I have two items to share with you today....the first is this stunning bee stained glass by A Touch of Glass.  A Touch of Glass is a stained glass shop that has many gorgeous pieces listed.

The second is this amazing custom order Welcome Sign by Rusty Rooster Metal.  Rusty Rooster Metal has a large selection of signs and hangings in all types of the themes and motifs.

These shops have so much more than bees and the quality of their work is top-notch.  I'm thinking of snagging one of those signs from Rusty Rooster Metal and having VaBeachQuilter put on it.  Then I'll hang it on my sewing room door.  What do you think?

Da Beez Neez

"Da Beez Neez" (what a FUN name!) is an ecclectic shop filled with jewelry, knitted items, and buttons.

Jackie, the shop's owner, loves to reuse, recycle, and upcycle many of the items in her shop.  If you're a button collector then check out her vintage button selection.

Jackie has knitted toys and clothing for babies and toddlers, as well as, doll clothing.

That little purple critter, that's pictured, is just too CUTE! 

And how about that children's cardigan with the removable shepherd????  I wish a had a boy that age!!!

What a fun shop to go to for your holiday shopping...or even to pick out items for your own wishlist.

Harmony in Metal

The "Harmony in Metal" Artfire jewelry shop is owned by Tracy.

Her speciality is jewelry mainly crafted with copper metalwork and chainmaille.  She also likes to turn basic sheet metal and wire into wearable art.

I am not a jewelry person, per se, but I absolutely LOVE this shop!!!

Tracy has bracelets, earrings, necklaces, and pendants.

She is offering free shipping on orders over $20.  Just use coupon:  FREESHIP20 at time of checkout.

Tracy welcomes custom orders, so if you'd like something different or see something but want it resized, just let her know.  :o)

Luv n Crafts

The "Luv n Crafts" shop, on Artfire, sells handmade cards, crocheted items, and beaded jewelry.

They have a wonderful selection to choose from and is a great place to start your holiday shopping.

So, hop on over and show this shop some blogger love!  :o)

Megan Jane Jewellery

Megan Jane creates and sells beautiful handmade jewelry in her Artfire shop.

She has bracelets, earrings, and necklaces.  She has a great selection of brooches and rings, too.

Megan Jane's shop is a -0- sale shop and is just looking for someone to make her first sale.  Please show her some blogger love and stop on by...if you have a sec, click one, or more, of the share buttons just under the post.

Megan Jane has a great "baby" blog, too.  NOT a blog about babies...LOL  just a new blog.  If you can show that some love and follow along it'd be wonderful!

You can follow her on her Facebook fan page, Twitter, and on Flickr.

And The Winner Is.....

July's winner has been picked!!!

Drum rolls please......

The winner of this bagel/bread warmer is:

 Karen of Mystic Wynd!

Karen has a wonderfully ecclectic Etsy shop and you can follow her on Twitter.

Congrats, Karen!

August's prize is now posted (upper left-hand corner).  Ways to enter is posted under the prize.