BESTeam Feature: Ardna's Sac by Claycass

This week I am featuring a nice little shop called Ardna's Sac by Claycass. The shop gets its name from the artisan's name, Cassandra. The shop name is Cassandra spelled backwards. Clever. Cassandra/Claycass has been crafting for many years and has been interested in creating since she was a child. She started creating jewelry in high school and hasn't stopped since. Her favorite medium to work with is polymer clay and you can definitely see her talent in her work. Look at just a few of her great designs. These "Poinsettia Earrings" are great for the upcoming holiday season. Very pretty. The "Tiny Kaleidoscope Design Earrings" are so unique. What a cool design in the polymer bead. The "Apple for the Teacher" pin is adorable. This would be the perfect gift that any teacher could appreciate. Stop by her shop at http://www.etsy.com/shop/claycass or follow her blog at http://www.ardnas-sac.blogspot.com or become a fan on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Claycass/116741562652.

BESTeam Feature: Bits N' Beads by Gilliauna

This week I am featuring BESTeam member Bits N' Beads by Gilliana. What a neat shop this is. The store has everything from bangles, to necklaces, to rosaries, and even I.D. lanyards. Something for every occasion and such pretty items. This talented artisan started their Etsy Shop in 2009, but actually has over 20 years of jewelry making experience. So you know that each piece is professionally crafted. This store is very excited about using a variety of colors in their work and I love it. Each piece just jumps out at you. Here are a few of my favorites. I love reading so this bookmark is the perfect accent to one of my favorite pastimes. It is so elegant. I also love this "Elegant Cluster Ring." I mentioned that they love using color and they perfect color harmony in this ring. The pearls are lovely. Inventory is important, but packaging is also important and sometimes overlooked. I just wanted to point out the time and care that this shop has taken to develop such lovely packaging for thier sold items. Details, details. Very nice. Go and check this store out at http://www.etsy.com/shop/Gilliauna or check out their blog at http://www.colorfulartisanjewelry.com and become a fan at http://facebook.com/BitsnBeadsbyGilliauna and follow the shop on twitter at http://twitter.com/gilliauna

Featured EtsyBlogger: Patch

This month's featured EtsyBlogger is Patch. She is a talented
artisan that has not one, but three shops. Quite the achievement.
Her vintage shop is called Patch Vintage Shop and features great
finds from her very fashionable mother. Her second shop is called
Patch Supply Shop and is full of jewelry supplies for people wanting
to try their hand at creating. Her third shop is called Patch First
Shop and features her beautiful creations. There are so many choices
and styles that anyone can appreciate. Her jewelry is unique and
classically feminine. I just love it. The main materials she uses
are swarovski crystal and pearl. For those of you getting
married...Patch also makes custom wedding jewelry. Here are just a
few of my favorite items. How great is that adorable cat pendant!
You can also follow Patch on either of her blogs at
http://patchfirstshop.wordpress.com or http://patchfirstshop.blogspot.com.

Favorite Summer Movie

I just became a member of a new team. I am very excited to now be a part of two fantastic teams. The newest team is called Etsy Bloggers and this is my first blog as a new member. So the topic is for us to talk about our favorite summer movie. I just saw "Eat, Pray, Love" starring Julia Roberts. What a great movie. It got great reveiews and they were definitely right. I was worried about seeing the movie because I had read the book and loved it and I was worried that it might not live up to my expectations. Well, I don't want to overbuild it, but it was well done. This movie, for anyone who doesn't know, is about a woman who has it all and is still not happy. She ends up going on a year long journey in order to find herself. The movie has travel, spirituality, and love. Something for everyone. The supporting actors were very likeable as well. Javier Bardem was great opposite Julia Roberts. I enjoy traveling and Bali has now become a new must see spot. Definite must see movie.

BESTeam Feature: Moon Angel-Art by Moonangelnay

The shop I am featuring this week is Moon Angel-Art by Moonangelnay. Oh my goodness! What a great shop with so many items to choose from. This mom from Birmingham (in the UK) is a very talented photographer. She says that the goal of her photos is to not "just be physical art or home decor, but something to think about." She definitely achieves this by photographing beautiful items, such as a rose, and then portraying them in a funky and creative way which makes her photos very unusual and one of a kind. Love them. My favorites are above. Look at the way she plays with the lights and darks in this photo of a face with the red lips adding a dramatic pop of color (Photo Title: Lust). Just great! I am a big fan of nature photography so the photos "Wandering Sheep" and "Placid Arachnid" are definite favorites. You can even get your favorites made into wearable art. She turns her creations into really cool necklaces. Definitely make sure you take the time to stop by this shop at http://www.etsy.com/shop/moonangelnay. Or you can read her blog at http://moonangelnay.blogspot.com or for up to the minute goings on follow her on twitter at http://twitter.com/moonangelnay.

Septarian Nodule Pendant

So for the last week, in my limited spare time I have been excitedly working on a sterling silver wire-wrapped pendant. I am very proud of this piece because the wire is encasing a Septarian Nodule. I came across this stone in a shop and I loved the colors and knew that I had to create something with it. I was unfamiliar with the stone itself so I did a little research and it turns out that it is also beneficial as well as being pleasing to the eye. Septarian Nodules formed millions of years ago and are made up of Limestone, Calcite, and Aragonite. These stones are said to be helpful with all aspects of communication, like speaking and being understood. They have even been known to be helpful to public speakers as well. This stone is also just a great stone to have for overall well being. I included some pictures in this post so that you all can see a little bit of the wire-wrapping process and how I created this pendant.

BESTeam Feature: S & T Creations

This week I am featuring a wonderful shop called S & T Creations. The business was started seven years ago by two crafty friends with an interest in jewelry making. Since then they have honed their skills through various classes. Throughout the years, they have participated in craft fairs and events and one can even find their creations for sale at Big Hair Peace in Jeffersonville, Indiana. Experience and talent have led to the creation of such breathtaking pieces that you see to the right. Just look at the Egypt Design in Coral Necklace. It is so beautiful with the silver accents adding the perfect complement to the coral beads. The Liquid Silver Earrings are so unique, but classic with the all metal design. They remind me of a maze. Also, I am really liking the Sweetheart Bracelet. What a neat design and so colorful. Very pretty. I also wanted to comment on the quality of their product photos. They look very professional. The vase is perfect for showing off the designs. It lets the jewelry really pop and the vase has texture to add interest without distracting from the products. Be sure and stop by this shop at http://www.etsy.com/shop/sandtcreations or follow their blog at http://sandtcreations.blogspot.com or become a fan on facebook at http://companies.to/sandtcreations or follow on twitter at Teri_B.

BESTeam Feature: Miss Pretty Perfect

This week I am very excited to get to feature such a talented lady. I absolutely love accessories especially purses and this shop has so many great choices that it is so hard to choose. Miss Pretty Perfect has not one, but two degrees in fashion, one being from the very stylish and trendsetting New York City. She spent five years as a sewer for a handbag company and even saw her sewing creations for sale in such stores as Bloomingdales. Experience and talent go into each and every one of her handmade creations. The primary materials she uses are upholstery fabric and leather. She started her own line in 2007 which symbolizes women who, to paraphrase, are "independent and believe in a positive lifestyle...and even though they don't live in a perfect world, create one in their mind." Miss Pretty Perfect has now taken her business one step further by selling her designs in a brick and mortar shop called the Urban Alchemist which is located in Brooklyn. How exciting and congratulations. Some of my favorite items are to the right. I absolutely love casual chic and the Miss Lotti Leather Tote definitely achieves this. Plus look at all that storage. I am also a huge, huge fan of the Miss Rosa Wristlet line. They come in three colors and designs and I absolutely adore all three of them. Stop by and take a look at her Etsy store at http://www.etsy.com/shop/missprettyperfect or become a fan on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/missprettyperfect or follow her on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/toiyah or find out more about her on her blog at http://www.missprettyperfect.blogspot.com.