It's Halloween time, the season for great costumes and fun decorations. I created some unique fabric bowls for the holiday.

Imagine the looks of delight when you serve up your Halloween candy from a bowl with grinning Jack-o-lanterns or scary little skulls. These little cuties could help organize your "stuff", keys, glasses, phones, next to the front door for ready access on your way out the door, or picture your friend's faces when they see guest towels or treats snuggled in one of these bowls in your powder room.

Your fabric Halloween bowl could easily be used as a center piece for your table or counter, filled with wrapped candies and treats. These scary Halloween bowls would make wonderful hostess gifts or a special treat for your child's favorite teacher.

Be the first on your block to showcase a one-of-kind, Halloween fabric bowl.

You will find these frightfully cute bowls at: CharmingElegance.Artfire.com

Featured Artist: HippiesCreations

Hi Friends, I'd like to introduce another excellent Featured Artist from ArtFire.com.

Hippies Creations.ArtFire.com, owned by Petra Monaco, displays an excellent selection of crocheted items and much more. Born and raised in Germany, Petra started her love of crafting at an early age. Over the years, she has explored many different types of art, from woodburning (pyrographing), and jewelry to crocheting and more. Petra, crocheter extraordinaire, offers a wide selection of personal items done in a wonderful array of colors and designs. I especially love the "creature" items:

There are too many cute animal items to show here. Then there are the baby items:

Note the darling "Sugar Skulls" in this colorful baby blanket and matching hat.

Even though her love of creating is strong, her love of family is far greater. Petra has 4 wonderful boys, all the way from a newly married Army man to a small youngster with challenges. You can read more about her journey at lennonsworld.com. Through Lennon's life experiences, her youngest child, Petra chronicles, on her blog, her thoughts, emotions and prayers in a powerful, touching, series of entries.

Also an author about her early life experiences, you'll find not only an poignant story, but you'll be uplifted by her tenacity and love of life.

You can find Petra here:

https://www.Hippiescreations.artfire.com
http://hippiescreations.blogspot.com
http://lennonsworld.com
http://hippiescreations.com

Featured Artist: Maremi_Small_Art

This morning I logged-on to my website only to discover I had been included in a wonderful collection, Purple and Pink Creations, curated by Maremi_Small_Art of Artfire.com. I feel honored to be able to show off my Purple and White Lilac Fabric Basket. Thank you, Marta. This great collection is an interesting, eclectic grouping of items created by Artfire Artisans in lovely purples and yummy pinks.

Purple and Pink Creations

  Curated By: Maremi_Small_...

ArtFire.com

Maremi_Small_Art is a relatively new shop on Artfire.com run by Marta. Marta has been a creative person her whole life, but decided to follow her dreams of creating about a year ago. Growing up in Poland, Marta brings an interesting European flair to her art. She has some darling hair bands for little girls, and not so little girls, along with pins, brooches, earrings and hair clips.

Marta uses top quality ribbons of different types in her divinely crafted jewelry. Along with her shop, Maremi_Small_Art, she has developed an interesting blog, (although I confess, I can't read Polish. :-) and a tutorial for making a lovely bracelet on YouTube.

I hope you will take the time to explore Marta's charming shop. I'm sure you'll enjoy what you find.

www.Maremi_Small_Art.artfire.com
www.ArtistyCrafty.blogspot.com

Collection by AussenWolfDesigns at ArtFire

Over the holiday, I had the honor of being included in a lovely collection on ArtFire. The curator, AussenWolfDesigns, put together a collection, entitled: "Are You Blue?" showcasing ArtFire artisans who designed wonderfully eclectic items, all in shades of blue. Thank you, Judy, for including one of my "blue" pieces, a Tooth Fairy Pillow.

Are You Blue?

  Curated By: AussenWolfDes...

ArtFire.com

Fine Art Photography

The owner of AussenWolfDesigns,Judy Aussenhofer, describes her work: "I love designing jewelry for the alpha woman in each of us--a woman who is a leader in her pack, who is confident, loyal, often whimsical, and has an aura of mystery. " Judy's by-line makes me smile and her jewelry truly is unique...from wire wrapping

including gorgeous stones and cameos...

...to enchanting crystals.

Judy's love of stones began at an early age. She has studied her craft extensively to provide excellent quality in all of her jewelry pieces.

















I hope you will visit her studio at: www.AussenWolfDesigns.artfire.com and check out for yourself this outstanding artist.

Featured Artist: MaggieMays

Happy July 4th, Everyone. My family and I have just finished a great American 4th of July hamburger feast. We watched the fire works last night and are now settling down for some relaxation.

I know most of you are still out enjoying a wonderful family holiday, so I decided to have my next blog ready for your return. My Featured Artisan this week: MaggieMays.

MaggieMays Fine Jewelry is a member of the ItsBetterHandmade Guild on Artfire. She and her husband work out of their home in Florida, designing stunning, top quality jewelry for the discerning shopper. As MaggieMay's puts it, "My whole reason for making jewelry is not only that I love to create; but knowing that a finished design will make you or your sweetheart happy owning a creation made especially for you!" You can certainly see evidence of this in her work.

Above you'll see a Ribbon Diamond Ring with 5 rows of baguettes and round cut diamonds in a channel twist that is accented by the 10k yellow gold. 45 beautiful diamonds put on quite a light display.

A gorgeous set of earrings in Zandrite. One of the things I particularly like about MaggieMaysshop is that I always learn something more about gem stones. For example, here is an interesting bit of info from MaggieMays: "Zandrite, a manmade gemstone, is a translucent gem which reflects light and has a very unique similarity to mystic topaz iridescence."

MaggieMays uses stunning, mesmerizing, precious, semi-precious gemstones, pearls, diamonds, crystals and bead jewelry in modern, elegant, sophisticated and classic designs with a touch of elegance. You'll find true Fine Jewelry castings designed using precious metals, such as, 10K gold, 14K gold, .925 sterling silver, Gold/Sterling, and Oxidized Silver.

And one of my favorites, purple, of course:

MaggieMays has such a wide selection of beautiful, well-made items, I could show you examples all day, but I'd rather you take a peek at her shop for yourself. You won't regret the time!

MaggieMays Shop: www.MaggieMays.artfire.com,
MaggieMays Blog: www.MaggieMays.blogspot.com

Featured Artist: White Owl Designs

My Featured Artist today is Sandra Walton of White Owl Designs.

Sandra has been painting and creating art forms since she was 14 years old. She has lived all over the Southwest and I believe I see a reflection of that region in some of her work. In her "Rainbow Medicine Wheel" hand painted beads, I see the powerful blues and vibrant colors of the Southwest.

Sandra's Dark, Romantic Valentine Necklace, showcases enchanting shades of red in her unique beads. All of Sandra's beads are painted on wood with a most unusual technique. Porcupine quills allow her to achieve great detail on these beauties.

Currently working out of her Santa Cruz studio, Sandra describes her Art on beads as "each one has a story, a unique and original design" White Owl Designs Studio also demonstrates a playful whimsy in many of her items. I love these pink skull earrings.

I've only touched on a few of the wonderful items you'll find at www.WhiteOwlDesigns.artfire.com . I hope you'll take the time to visit her and see for yourself her lovely creative work.

Featured Artist: Jewelry in Harmony

My ArtFire Guild, It's Better Handmade, came up with an intriguing idea recently on how to promote Artists who specialize in handmade items. I decided to participate in this "Blog Ring", not realizing that I would be exposing myself to some rare and lovely Art. I call it Art, because to say that these Artisans were simply producing handmade items is to grossly understate their creative abilities.

Please join me as I explore these Artist's worlds. The Artist I would like to showcase today is Elizabeth Devigili of Jewelry_In_Harmony.

When I first took a peek at her ArtFire shop, the piece that popped up initially just took my breath away. I admit I'm a purple nut and I adore cameos.

This exquisite lavender cameo ring is "to die for", as one of my students might say. Liz uses the finest hand carved cameos in luscious colors, combined with 14K rolled Gold or Silver wire, to create her jewelry.




Also included in Liz's repertoire are lovely semi-precious stones. Her ability to shape and craft these wire sculptures is amazing.


I encourage you to visit Liz's work on-line. You'll find her over 10 years of experience at creating this beautiful jewelry is well worth your visit. You can find her at www.artfire.com/ext/shop/studio/Jewelry_in_Harmony.