Rain's Ramblings

It's been a while.

2010-12-22T23:05:00.000-06:00

Wow, September? That's the last time I posted? That's pitiful, hahaha.
The holiday rush has left my shop mostly empty (yay for that, though now I have a loooot of catching up to do), and things have died down now that it's a few days from Christmas. Therefore, I had a moment to pause and look through my fellow Etsians' shops. And you may know by now that I love to highlight unsung artisans, so where on Etsy did I go? Pounce, of course! :)
I found quite a few good shops that have not yet had their first sale (most have opened late this year, though).
Take a look with me, and see what I found:

From the shop of naturalammolite

From the shop of compassrosejewelry

From the shop of gelatinsilversurfer

From the shop of petitdecorllc

From the shop of upcycler

I could go on and on, but I had best stop there for the night; it's getting late.

Take care, and happy holidays!

Excuse me while I scrape my jaw off the floor.

2010-09-13T02:50:00.000-05:00

I got the thrill of my life today. I checked out Etsy's main page, and noticed the Spotlight article was on Asian inspired goods, so I decided to check it out seeing as I have a common interest.
Many lovely Asian-inspired items graced my eye, and when I scrolled down just slightly, my eyes fell upon....

...a pair of my own chopsticks.

...Wait, what?! Am I dreaming?

Yes, these were part of the Storque's latest Spotlight collection, and I am unbelievably honored.
It's the kind of thing you always hope for, the kind of thing you think will probably never happen to you. The feeling is incredible. The listing got 43 hearts in one day. Wow.
Understand, I'm not trying to brag. I wish all handmade artists could feel what I'm feeling now. I'm just so dizzy with excitement, I have to share the news!
If you want to see the Storque post, check it out here.

A bit unusual, a bit lovely. A bit Unintentional.

2010-08-30T18:07:00.001-05:00

In Etsy chat tonight I came across a budding Etsian, Unintentional, with all of four sales currently. Being as I like to support those who are starting out, and I LOVE a bit of oddity, I'm definitely showing off this shop. Take a look at these samples of her shop, and visit her shop at the bottom of this post:

Earrings from bullet casings! How creative!

These earrings...

...and this bracelet use resistors in their design. Colorful!

Visit Unintentional's shop at:

http://www.unintentional.etsy.com/

Another Blog Facelift

2010-08-28T00:50:00.000-05:00

I was looking through some blog templates online and came across this one. I think I'm in love. What do you think of the new look?

How to make your own "training" chopsticks

2010-08-18T22:42:00.001-05:00

Also known as "cheater" chopsticks, training chopsticks are basically just to help folks get familiar with the use of them. They're more like training wheels, you could say. There are some for sale online made in all one piece, which is handy except for the fact that you don't have the option of not using the trainer.

This simple set of instructions allows you to use your own chopsticks, and a couple of small items around your house, to make a quick set of training chopsticks. All you need are chopsticks (which I can help you out with, naturally. http://www.windandrain.etsy.com/. Just a suggestion. ^-^ ), a rubber band (the smaller the better), and a small piece of paper (one of those mini notebook pages or a post-it note works nicely). Got all that? Here we go!

Step 1.

Wrap your rubber band around the large end of a pair of chopsticks. Wrap it just tightly enough that it securely holds the two together, but not so tightly that it is a struggle to pull them apart. (In other words, don't make it harder on yourself!)

Step 2.
Fold your piece of scrap paper into a small rectangle (the smaller and fatter the better) and slide it up between the two chopsticks, just under the rubber band. This will force the two chopsticks apart, thus creating a "spring" effect.

Step 3.

Hold the chopsticks as you normally would (see the photo for a better idea) and press them together to hold food. Voila`! See? That was painless. (Unless you popped yourself with the rubber band. Ouch.)

Hope this helps! Have fun.

Handmade Tea Bowls

2010-06-18T23:44:00.000-05:00

This time I did a search for Japanese style tea bowls. The selection was impressive, to say the least. Here's a few for you to feast your eyes on.

Photo and item by http://gregjohnsonporcelain.etsy.com/

Photo and item by http://potterybyjolene.etsy.com/

Photo and item by http://jeffguerrero.etsy.com/

Photo and item by http://amyhalkoceramics.etsy.com/

Photo and item by http://newmoonstudio.etsy.com/

And that's all for now!

Be sure to visit their shops and check out the rest of their pottery as well.

(And check out my own shop at http://windandrain.etsy.com/)

Handmade Sushi plates

2010-04-25T21:31:00.000-05:00

Furthering the idea I had of looking up handmade chopstick rests, here's some sushi plates to entice you. If you do a search for sushi plates on etsy, you'll see that there is quite honestly, a TON of them. It was really, really hard to decide, but here's a sampling, at least. If you want to see more, check out Etsy and see what you like.

Photo and item by: http://kooymandesigns.etsy.com/

Photo and item by: http://thepaintinglibra.etsy.com/

Photo and item by: http://pastanaut.etsy.com/

Photo and item by: http://susanrothschild.etsy.com/

Photo and item by: http://cannelleetleon.etsy.com/

As stated before, this is the tip of the iceburg.

Hey. Since you're heading to Etsy, why don't you stop by my shop as well?

It's the same ol' http://windandrain.etsy.com/

Have fun. :)

An Update on Chickens

2010-04-21T00:56:00.000-05:00

Okay, time to bore you with more pictures of my little chicks. Now they're about 2 weeks old, and my how they have grown! You'll have to excuse my over-excitement, but I'm quite delighted in my little ones. (Just humor me.) :)

handmade Chopstick Rests (..not mine.)

2010-04-18T17:29:00.000-05:00

I decided to do a search of chopstick rests under the Handmade catergory on Etsy, and here's some of the more awesome ones I found.I of course make my own chopstick rests that come free with purchase of my chopsticks, but some of you might find another that you'd like to use to make your set more unique. Shop links are listed below each picture. :)

Shop and photo by: http://pendantsandmore4u.etsy.com/

Shop and photo by: http://goldenjester.etsy.com/

Shop and photo by: http://sumiko.etsy.com/

Shop and photo by: http://yevgenia.etsy.com/

Shop and photo by: http://jojo2238.etsy.com/

Pay 'em a visit sometime.

Yay, pictures!

2010-04-08T23:09:00.000-05:00

Hey, it's spring again! Time for more rainy-day photos.
Also, I modified my unused greenhouse into a chicken coop, so I have some adorable little additions to the family now. They are straight run mixed, so who knows what they are just yet. The surprise when they get older is part of the excitement of it all, I think. (Just so you know, the chicks are separated in two 3 x 3 hutches for now as they are of different ages. Later on they'll be released into the full length coop.)

And now, the chicks...

In need of input.

2009-12-17T20:18:00.000-06:00

Alright, so, I think it's about time to hold a giveaway again, don't you?
However, what should I give away this time? A piece of jewelry, or a pair of chopsticks again? Or, maybe I'll go with something else entirely. I can't decide.

What would you like to see?

Just comment below and offer up your suggestions.

5-a-Week Features! Week 6 (I'm back!)

2009-12-13T20:51:00.000-06:00

Alright, so. Sorry about that unannounced abscence of the weekly features. I kind of got wrapped up in all life has to offer (or more like fire at me with a cannon.) Long story short, I'm back, and you'll see weekly features again. Believe it or not, I DID remember to write down the sales of the last featured sellers a week after they were posted. You'll see them at the end of the post, as always.
Here's this week's 5 features! There's another theme this time: Simply Red!

1. http://sorad.etsy.com/ - 8 sales
This shop sells some really awesome looking cards.

2. http://echosofspring.etsy.com/ - 24 sales
Absolutely beautiful earrings and necklaces.

3. http://jkimages.etsy.com/ - 2 sales
Color-rich photography. Definitely some beautiful work in this shop.

4. http://rosieswreaths.etsy.com/ - 12 sales
Gorgeous wreaths to adorn your door this holiday season.

5. http://classicsredone.etsy.com/ - 28 sales
A wide variety of lovely items, such as hats and hair clips.

Alright, and now I'll show the sales for the week after I featured the last Etsians. (Though they've made quite a few sales since then.)
1. http://studioseventyfive.etsy.com/ - First count: 22 sales, a week later: 24 sales.
2. http://horsehairrakupottery.etsy.com/ - First count: 1 sale, a week later: 1 sale.
3. http://gaudetsgems.etsy.com/ - First count: 8 sales, a week later: 10 sales.
4. http://gardenleafdesign.etsy.com/ - First count: 14 sales, a week later: 14 sales.
5. http://bekahsquilts.etsy.com/ - First count: 21 sales, a week later: 21 sales.

Good luck to the featured sellers this week. Everyone pay them a visit and help them out! A tweet or two wouldn't hurt either. If you see something you like about a shop, spread the word! :)

(What is "5-a-Week Features"? - New to the blog? I feature 5 Etsians every week on my blog, occasionally with a specific theme (such as this week's "red" theme). I note their sales for this week, and then when I feature the next 5, I note the previous features' sales again to see if they have increased. Look back at previous blog posts to get a better understanding of this little game. Would you like to recommend a shop for me to feature? The shop must have: a) Less than 30 sales b) more than 4 items listed c) decent pictures (I'm not too picky, though.)

See you next week!

New blog theme.

2009-10-30T23:07:00.000-05:00

I gave my blog a facelift. What do you think?

Better, or worse?

5-A-Week Features! Week 6

2009-10-29T23:24:00.005-05:00

Welcome back. First of all, Happy Halloween to you all!

This week's feature has another theme, monochrome. Let me know in the comments what you think, and if you have suggestions on future themes, toss them in too. I'd love to hear your ideas.

Be sure to visit this week's 5:

1. http://studioseventyfive.etsy.com/ - 22 sales
Lovely jewelry to match any attire.

2. http://horsehairrakupottery.etsy.com/ - 1 sale
Intriguing raku pottery.

3. http://gaudetsgems.etsy.com/ - 8 sales
Simple, classic beauty in jewelry.

4. http://gardenleafdesign.etsy.com/ - 14 sales
Handmade wedding supplies and jewelry.

5. http://bekahsquilts.etsy.com/ - 21 sales
Cozy lap quilts in many colors.

Okay, time to compare last week's sales:
1. http://electricpenguin.etsy.com/ - 10 sales last week, 17 sales this week.
2. http://sandart.etsy.com/ - 23 sales last week, 23 sales this week.
3. http://sackittoya.etsy.com/ - 0 sales last week, 0 sales this week.
4. http://2virgosdesigns.etsy.com/ - 27 sales last week, 29 sales this week.
5. http://zwilling.etsy.com/ - 17 sales last week, 17 sales this week.

Thanks for reading, and good luck to the features!

5-A-Week Features! Week 5

2009-10-22T18:02:00.003-05:00

Time marches right along. We're already on week 5 of the 5-A-Week Features.
As I was looking through my list of shops with 30 or less items, I came across a couple of male-aimed items, so I thought I'd make this feature have a sort of masculine theme. Let me know what you think. (ETSIANS! Make more guy stuff, dammit! It's too far and few between. >:p )

1. http://ElectricPenguin.etsy.com - 10 sales
This shop sports some creative jewelry, including beer label jewelry, such as the bracelet featured here!

2. http://sandart.etsy.com - 23 sales
Fantastic paintings, mostly slightly-abstract portraits. All of them display immense emotion. Beautiful!

3. http://sackittoya.etsy.com - 0 sales
This shop only has 4 items currently, but all of them are some great mixes with hilarious names and captions (I had trouble deciding on a feature between this one pictured below, or the "Better Than Sex" chocolate brownies :D). Great for gifts, and easy to cook, from what I understand. I think we can expect to see more great things in this shop later.

4. http://2virgosdesigns.etsy.com - 27 sales
This is a spa set designed especially for men. Let's face it. Most men are hard on their skin and body whether at work or at play, so shouldn't they deserve a spa treatment too? There's lots of bath lovelies for the ladies at this shop too, of course.

5. http://zwilling.etsy.com - 17 sales

This classic knitted beanie comes in many other colors. They're quality made, perfect for snowy outdoor activities.

Okay, now for last week's 5. Unfortunately, we only had 1 sale last week. :/ But hey, it's better than nothing! Hang in there, and we'll keep on promoting. :)

1. http://hjmart.etsy.com - 21 sales last week, 22 sales this week.

2. http://polliwog123.etsy.com - 11 sales last week, 11 sales this week.

3. http://jessemosher.etsy.com - 24 sales last week, 24 sales this week.

4. http://theleidy.etsy.com - 13 sales last week, 13 sales this week.

5. http://twist21.etsy.com - 8 sales last week, 8 sales this week.

As always, good luck to you all! We'll check in next week!

5-A-Week Features! Week 4

2009-10-15T23:18:00.006-05:00

It's that time again! Wow, you know, Thursday comes sooner than one thinks.
Anyway! Here's this week's 5 featured Etsy shops:

1. http://hjmart.etsy.com/ - 21 sales
This shop has richly colorful paintings with a natural theme.

2. http://polliwog123.etsy.com/ - 11 sales
This shop has some very cute handmade cards.

3. http://jessemosher.etsy.com/ - 24 sales
This fellow paints Rock n' Roll folk art on plywood. Very fine work!

4. http://theleidy.etsy.com/ - 13 sales
There's some lovely jewelry in this shop, from colorful to elegant.

5. http://twist21.etsy.com/ - 8 sales
This shop has beautiful aluminum and fabric pendants. They look like stained glass.

Okay, let's compare sales of last week's features!
1. http://firststepphoto.etsy.com/ - 11 sales last week, 16 sales this week.
2. http://strawberriesandsushi.etsy.com/ - 18 sales last week, 25 sales this week.
3. http://notthesun.etsy.com/ - 20 sales last week, 20 sales this week.
4. http://stringbeanstudios.etsy.com/ - 3 sales last week, 3 sales this week.
5. http://thunderridgedesign.etsy.com/ - 4 sales last week, 5 sales this week.

Thanks for looking! As always, if you have a 5-a-week feature suggestion, email me at warhandmades@gmail.com, or convo me on etsy at http://windandrain.etsy.com/. The requirements are:
*Must have 30 or fewer items.
* Much have 4 or more item listings.
*Can not be your own shop! (Get someone else to suggest you if you like. ;) )

Follow my blog! Help get the word out! :)

5-A-Week Features! Week 3

2009-10-09T01:12:00.004-05:00

Welcome! Before we take a look at last week's 5, as usual, let's take a look at this week's features:

1. http://firststepphoto.etsy.com/ - 11 sales
This shop has some really nice wall decals, customizable to boot.

2. http://strawberriesandsushi.etsy.com/ - 18 sales
This shop sports lovely japanese fabric, and a couple of handsome sock monkeys!

3. http://notthesun.etsy.com/ - 20 sales
Now, I'm not usually much of a scarf person (considering it's rarely cold enough for one here), but the colorful ones in this shop are just so awesome, I just can't resist them! They also sell some lovely headbands as well.

4. http://stringbeanstudios.etsy.com/ - 3 sales
Check out these lovely "blueberry" earrings. This shop has a lovely variety of jewelry.

5. http://thunderridgedesign.etsy.com/ - 4 sales
This shop sells beautiful hand-crafted Victorian hat boxes like the one below. Also, check out their gorgeous girls' pinafores!

Okay! Let's compare the week's sales of our last 5 features.
1. http://mydollgift.etsy.com/ - 14 sales last week, 14 sales this week.
2. http://lmturnedart.etsy.com/ - 2 sales last week, 2 sales this week.
3. http://littleprettlings.etsy.com/ - 1 sale last week, 1 sale this week.
4. http://eflu07.etsy.com/ - 28 sales last week, 33 sales this week.
5. http://azulado.etsy.com/ - 2 sales last week, 2 sales this week.

Congrats to eflu07 on your sales! The others who didn't have a sale this week, hang in there and don't let it get you down. There's plenty of time for sales to come later, as long as you don't give up. :)

As always, I wish you all the best of luck! <3

5-a-Week Features! Week 2

2009-10-01T22:58:00.004-05:00

Welcome back to 5-a-Week Features! Before we take a look at the current sales of last week's shop, here's this week's five, complete with sample photos this time!

1. http://mydollgift.etsy.com - 14 sales currently
I adore the artwork in this shop. The drawings are so fun and free-spirited. Definitely check this one out.

2. http://lmturnedart.etsy.com - 2 sales currently
This shop has beautiful turned wood bowls and goblets. No two are alike!

3. http://LittlePrettlings.etsy.com - 1 sale currently
A cute little shop for cloth purses and change pouches. Great for the holidays.

4. http://eflu07.etsy.com - 28 sales currently
This shop features fantastic hemp jewelry with good use of color. Take a look!

5. http://azulado.etsy.com - 2 sales currently
This shop has gorgeous ceramic pottery, as well as some very unique ceramic jewelry.

Now let's look at last week's shops, and compare their sales for the week!

1. http://smaxwelldesigns.etsy.com had 27 sales last week, 28 this week.

2. http://delguidicestudio.etsy.com had 27 sales last week, 28 this week.

3. http://twoknit.etsy.com had 16 sales last week, and 20 this week.

4. http://GoodWooddogs.etsy.com had 27 last week, and a whopping 51 this week! Nice!

5. http://sterlingdelicacies.etsy.com had 0 sales last week, and 1 sale this week.

Congrats on your sales, and hang in there! I wish you all the best! :D

If you'd like to suggest a shop for my 5-a-Week Features, just convo me on etsy at http://windandrain.etsy.com, or send me an email at warhandmades@gmail.com.

The requirements are, again:

*Must have less than 30 sales

*Must have more than 4 items listed

*Can not be your own shop! :)

5-a-Week Features!

2009-09-24T15:41:00.005-05:00

Welcome (back)!
Each week, I'm going to feature 5 Etsy shops in my blog, along with how many sales they have at the time of listing. Next week, I'll post 5 new ones, and we'll compare sales amounts of last week's 5 sellers. Okay, so let's get started! This week's 5 are:

1. http://SterlingDelicacies.etsy.com/ - 0 sales
Delicious-looking caramels!
2. http://twoknit.etsy.com/ - 16 sales
Lots of fantastic knits. I particularly love the cuffs.
3. http://delguidicestudio.etsy.com/ - 27 sales
Vintage-inspired clothing, and beautiful chokers.
4. http://GoodWoodDogs.etsy.com/ - 27 sales
Precious hand-carved figurines of dogs, bunnies, and others.
5. http://smaxwelldesigns.etsy.com/ - 27 sales
Stunning wire and stone bonsais and pendants.

Do you have a recommendation for next week's 5 shops? Convo me at http://WindandRain.etsy.com/
Requirements: Must have 4 or more items listed, must have less than 30 sales, and CAN NOT be your own shop! :)

Chopstick Giveaway WINNER

2009-09-23T18:49:00.003-05:00

I'd like to offer a big thanks to everyone who entered my giveaway. I hope you stop by the blog more often in the future, as I've decided I'm going to hold more of them!
Now without further ado, our winner is....

BurningMoon!

Congratulations! I have contacted you for your shipping information.

Didn't win? Stop by my Etsy store, and I'll give everyone who entered my giveaway 20% off their purchase (refunded via paypal) through October 7th! Just put "blog giveaway" in the Comments to Seller. That's 2 weeks to take advantage of this exclusive sale, as part of my gratitude to you.

Thanks again!

Chopstick Giveaway! 9/14 - 9/20

2009-09-14T18:00:00.003-05:00

WindandRain.etsy.com

Win a free pair of my handmade chopsticks (chopstick rest included)!

I'm feeling generous, so, want to win that pair of chopsticks (and chopstick rest) shown above?
It's easy enough. Post your entries to the comments, in the manner described below. The winner will be chosen randomly. You'd better hurry though, the contest ends September 20th!

**Please enter seperate comments for each entry. Please include your email address with every comment that you make.

Methods of entry:
1. Go to my etsy store and grab the link of your favorite item in my shop. Come back and post it here in comments! (REQUIRED - 1 entry.)
2. Tweet or blog about this giveaway (maximum of 1 tweet per hour, please)! Post the link to your blog or twitter here (1 entry per tweet, or 1 entry for blogging).
3. Follow my blog! Post in the comments that you are a follower (1 entry).
4. Buy something from my shop for 5 extra entries! Post that you made a purchase, along with the link of the item.

I will announce the winner on September 23rd, and also email the lucky person! Good luck!

Earrings

2009-09-08T23:09:00.002-05:00

I just added some earrings to my shop. It's been ages since I've made jewelry like this. I guess the style is a little dissimilar from what's primarily on Etsy, but we'll see how it goes. I just got a wild hair. :)

Sold my kumihimo cord. That's another craft I've been eyeing in my (rare) spare time lately. More to come later.

Continued...

2009-06-10T22:25:00.010-05:00

A very small mushroom. (To get an idea of how small this thing is, look at the moss around it. The mushroom itself is about an inch tall.):

A tiny frog (Sorry for the blur. I'm still no expert at taking shots at night, especially of moving objects. :) This little guy is literally under an inch long, and I'm not sure what kind he is.):

Our latest creations in bonsais:

Wild Bergamot:

Trumpet Creeper:

Sandwort? ( There's a broken bottle in the first shot. Littering's not nice. :-( ):

Rosemary (the "mother plant" from which I start all my new plants):

Red Clover:

Prickly Pear:

Oak-Leaf Hydrangea:

Praying mantis. Curious little fellow, and cute too:

More pictures!

2009-06-10T21:59:00.008-05:00

Magnolia:

Lemon Bee Balm:

Indian Pink:

Hairy Ruellia:

Dog rose:

Daylily:

Butterfly weed:

Black-eyed Susan:

Bonsai!

2009-05-23T20:33:00.004-05:00

Bylen is trying her hand at making bonsais. Here's her very first works. Not a bad start, I think.

Holly:

Japanese maples:

Wildflowers, etc.

2009-05-19T00:10:00.021-05:00

Another day of fun with the digital camera. And more fun shots to entertain you.

Abbie, one of the neighbor's pups I've been dogsitting this past week (sleepy):

A common (wild) strawberry (nothing fancy, I just liked this shot):

A big yellow coreopsis (we have a nice field of them this year):

False Solomon's Seal:

Fleabane (pretty common, but I love it so!):

Groundsel:

Honeysuckle (aren't they pretty things?):

A huge old pine tree in our pasture. Anyone know what kind of pine this is? I've heard it's a Loblolly, but it looks like no Loblolly pine I've seen. I thought it might be a black pine. Any ideas are definitely welcomed, as I'd love to have more of these!

Big mountains, bigger sky:

A pair of mushrooms in the front yard:

Nodding(?) thistles:

Ox-eye daisy:

Queen Anne's Lace (aka Wild Carrot):

Red Trumpet Vine (?):

Incoming storm clouds that, fortunately, held off until our picture taking escapade was done:

Sweet Hedge:

Wild Garlic:

Etsy's best kept secrets?

2009-04-26T23:38:00.004-05:00

Here's a few etsy artists with only a few or no sales. Such a shame really, considering they really have great work. They'll get their day though. We all do. It seemed like forever before I made over 5 sales.
I picked 5 of my favorites:
* http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=23622602 by donnastruthers. These shell beads had me fooled from a distance. They're handmade from glass, and kiln fired. Well done.
* http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=23992174 by AgapeGiftShoppe. A stunning dogwood bloom hair pin. This one is absolutely gorgeous, and sports a vintage jewelry center.
* http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=23183143 by miraculousmosquito. A set of cute printable cards and envelopes for only $3.50. I love the pastel colors on these.
* http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=22370546 by sweetlylovely. An upcycled pincushion in romantic pastel colors. I love the 'antique rose' feel to this entire shop. Beautiful stuff.
* http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=22610113 by wisteriaprints. I love the variegation in this shot. This artist has many wonderful prints, it was hard to choose one for the blog.

Good luck to all five of you. I wish you all the best.

...Whoa.

2009-04-26T19:05:00.002-05:00

I have to say, this is one of the most freaking amazing artworks I have ever seen.
Seriously. You simply have to see this.

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_yTEpoJ9_KNM/Se8XTxcZ1lI/AAAAAAAABPI/Tgh2Lwturws/s1600-h/PabloReinoso_1.jpg
Benches made by Pablo Reinoso.

Bored and creative. Oh no.

2009-04-23T22:18:00.003-05:00

That's a dangerous combination for me, I usually get in trouble. Usually when I'm feeling bored and creative, I end up staying up til 2 in the morning making 4 different types of cookies and other desserts. Or maybe making waaay more cards/chopsticks/pendants in one night than is recommendable. Or maybe I end up grabbing a pair of scissors and hacking away at old sweaters. Who knows.

This time, I took up chinese brush painting. Oh boy, I love the occasional challenge. It's not as easy as it looks, folks. Trust me. But undeniably enjoyable, nevertheless. Here are my practice sheets.. 'doodles', you could call them. (The bird really sucks, but I had to try...)

I may look like crap, but I smell DAMN good!

2009-04-18T17:31:00.005-05:00

My life's little pleasure is smelling good.
Yeah, I'm not hard to please.

Today was the ever-popular craft fair, the 25th Anniversary of the Bloomin' Festival here in Cullman, AL, and we had over a hundred crafters set up this time, or so I heard. It's always a very popular festival, but today, OMG. SO many PEOPLE! I sure hope all the handmade vendors did well today. With that kind of crowd though, I'm betting they had better luck than usual.

I myself purchased about 4 decadent soaps and some shea butter from the very kind folks at Sheer Pleasures Soapworks (http://www.spsoap.com/). If I might say so, I highly recommend the 'Amber Romance' and 'Orange Clove', but I'm a sucker for spicy scents. Honest to goodness, you could smell this booth before you got to it, it was so delicious!

Also, a couple of other fantastic shops to whet your pallet:

*Designs by R & R: http://www.designsbyrandr.com/ These folks make gorgeous jewelry, and seem to also be nature-inspired. They use a lot of precious metals and natural stones to achieve marvelous pieces of art.

*My Father's Woodworks, LLC: http://www.myfatherswoodworks.com/ This shop owner is actually the husband of my high school english teacher. He is a fine woodcraftsman, and makes a wide variety of tabletop items such as beautiful wooden goblets and napkin holders, even tables themselves! And let's not forget the ever-handy 'Golden Retriever'!

*Alex Fong (Chinese paper cutting): Unfortunately, try though I may, I could not locate Mr. Fong's website if he indeed has one. I see the gentleman every year at the festival, and somehow he remembered me when he saw me. He is always so excited to tell folks about his new additions to his crafts, and is always eager to demonstrate the art form. You can tell he takes great joy in what he does, and that is a rare pleasure to see. He creates fantastically detailed pictures using Chinese paper cutting, and this year added paper folding to his cutwork. Simply astounding.

If you're local and have never been to the Bloomin' Festival, what on earth are you waiting for, honey?!

Twitter. Or else.

2009-04-18T03:43:00.003-05:00

I created a Twitter account the other day. I think I've made about.. oh, 4 posts? I'm still learning the ropes. At any rate, if you folks out there Twitter, you can hunt me up as WaRHandmades. I'll have that unmistakable clover shot down shown below as my background, so you can't miss it.

Etsy tips

2009-04-10T19:47:00.002-05:00

I just came across this link today in the forums posted by wingsoflove, a set of tips for newbies to selling on Etsy. If you are new and need a hand, it's definitely worth a read. And if you're not a new seller, it's still good to look over as a checklist, of sorts. Take a look here.

A lovely rainy day!

2009-04-05T22:24:00.013-05:00

It was a beautiful day today. A steady drizzle of rain fell throughout the day here, though only enough to energize a person. It was one of those misty rains that felt more like your skin prickling than raindrops beating down on you. After taking a few pictures of some chopsticks this morning, Bylen and I decided it'd be a lovely day to photograph some of our local flowers peppering various parts of our yard; sadly, the daffodils and hyacinth had already faded into the memories of early spring. Here's what we did find; we hope you enjoy the bounty of our rainy outing in the rain as much as we did. (By the way, zoom in on these babies for a better shot, I shrunk them so my blog wouldn't be homicidal on anyone's computer.)

My first showy victim, a patch of clover dusted with the afternoon rain:

Columbine, which miraculously came back out this year after dying off completely:

Two dandelion shots, drenched with rain:

Bylen's lilac bush; gee, these things smell terrific:

A water oak frond, for lack of a better term, the 'flower' of an oak tree (we call 'em oak worms!):

Pink dogwood blooms:

My rosemary is blooming! And a watery spiderweb on the same rosemary bush (poor spider...):

A wild azalea, such an interesting looking plant...:

And finally, a few white dogwood pictures:

Earth Hour

2009-03-28T20:39:00.002-05:00

I'm sitting here with only the light by my monitor. It's 8:40 pm, and we're 10 minutes into Earth Hour in my part of the world. It's a great movement, I think, and for an even greater cause. How simple is it to flip a switch to be a part of something great, to potentially make a difference?

Funny thing, really. I only found out about this myself just an hour ago when I was in the good ol' Etsy '5 minute FS' game room. How did you find out about it? Comment and let me know.

Don't know what Earth Hour is? Well, glad I'm not the only one in the dark today, no pun intended. Here's the site, check it out and read for yourself. http://www.earthhourus.org/main.php

Stick it to 'em!

2009-03-28T13:02:00.003-05:00

I got my business cards today. Yay! It's incredible.. I never thought I would ever actually need business cards, but here they are. To accompany my cards that I place on bulletin boards, I've made a few decorative pushpins.

So listen up, locals! If you're out and about and see a fancy pushpin on my card (if someone else hasn't stolen it yet), you're more than welcome to take it, just please take the card along with it! Haha.

(By the way, Hancevillians and Cullmanites... I need suggestions. Where do YOU go to look for posted bulletins of interest? Recommendations are appreciated.)

A few samples! :

No news is... sometimes better than the alternative.

2009-03-27T19:37:00.003-05:00

Well, you know that beloved little clay pendant I made, the three-dimensional bird's nest? (See the picture below, the one on the far right.) Yeah, my new puppy wasn't as fond of it as I was, and I came home to find it in a hundred little pieces one day. Ah well, it's a good thing I love little miss Ruby more than that pendant, 'eh? :D

I've begun making chopstick rests using oblong marbles for my current chopsticks. It's rather fun trying different painting techniques to get them to match the washi on the sticks, and boy has it been a learning experience.

11 sales so far now, not bad. Interestingly, I've only recieved 4 user feedbacks, so I'm not sure what to think. I have to keep in mind, though, that some new buyers aren't aware that Etsy has a feedback option. And apparently so far everyone's happy, as I've had no nasty little messages waiting for me yet. :)

2009-01-29T18:59:00.002-06:00

Hi there folks! Etsy's rolling right along, and do I have news for you! A fellow Etsian is having a giveaway on her decadent handmade caramel apples and other lucious treats. You can find the link here. http://doubledippedsweets.blogspot.com/ It ends on Feb 2nd, so go have a look-see. While you're at it, visit her etsy shop. http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5676624

2009-01-11T22:55:00.002-06:00

So. 3 sales on chopsticks. So far, so good.
Don't forget, if there's anyone actually reading this, you can see my work at Windandrain.etsy.com .
I have a whole new box of 200 different washi on the way and I cannot wait.

The pendants are doing pitifully, and rightfully so. Dominos are great for pendant-making, but they're so small, and those that are posted are far from my best work. I can do better, I'm sure of it... Maybe I'll try washi on them as well. Sales seem to of slacked off a bit on Etsy for folks, and I'm betting the current economy has something to do with it. Often times, such novelties as handmade decorative goods are the first items to be checked off someone's list when tightening the proverbial belt. At least the chopsticks are pretty AND useful.. That's a plus.

My darling Jesse gave me the idea to create decorative spoon rests, and I may just do that. I'm unsure what medium to use as of now, but I would like to incorporate some vintage watercolor into it as I did with the "spoon pendants".

Later.

Finally. Some eye candy!

2008-09-29T12:59:00.002-05:00

I finally got a picture of the previously mentioned pendants.

The ones on the far left and right are actually a pearlescent pale blue. Yay for glare... >.> The sunset pendant used a mixture of different shades of modeled clay for that extra "stained glass" feel. And yes the black strips around the pieces are supposed to look "messy". I've never known anyone to NOT make a mess with that stained glass leading. :)

Obviously, the one on the right of the bird's nest is the one I prefer as stated before, so it's only on a simple satin cord. The others will have their own fancy kumihimo or macrame' cords in due time (currently in the works). By the way... the large ones are roughly 1 and 3/8" tall by 1 and 1/4 wide, and the small ones are close to 1" tall by 3/4" wide. (I didn't realize the picture would be that dark, as my screen lightens and darkens constantly. o.o')

Death by knitting needles

2008-09-26T01:01:00.001-05:00

Alright. So I learned something. I can NOT knit. I was able to get the yarn tied in place on the needles after much cursing and frustration, and from there it has only gone further downhill. I do believe that the book I purchased to learn knitting is rather horrible at explaining how to knit and it would probably be easier to actually -watch- someone do it instead. If anyone knows of a link with a good, clear set of instructions (maybe even with a video), please post it in the comments. I would so love to learn to knit!

In other news, I have been working on making more clay pendants to accompany my kumihimo ropes. These feature lovely "skinner blend" backgrounds, with natural, earthy settings. (I think I will post a lesson on how to make skinner blends at a later time; it's quite fun.) Unfortunately, I find myself not willing to part with my best one (a 3D bird's nest design), as I've fallen in love with it myself! I'll be sure to post pictures here soon. Then again, I guess wearing your own work is one of the finest ways to advertise, right? "Oh, what a pretty necklace!" "Why thank you. I made it myself. Here's my card."

...Well, maybe...

The seed awakens...

2008-09-17T21:33:00.003-05:00

'Lo there. Rain at your service.

I'm a crafter of sorts, dabbling in a mix of polymer, paper, paint, cloth, and wireworking. I recently opened up a shop over at Etsy.com, and while there's nothing to see there just yet, there will be quite soon.

Keep your eyes peeled for updates here as well, as I'll be tracking my own steps as a blooming handmade craft salesman. :) I've a good mind to post a tutorial or two down the road as well. So maybe, at the very least, this blog can be educational, if not entertaining.

Oh, by the way. My shop can be found here.

Sit back, relax, and enjoy the mayhem that follows.