Free Press Friday - Sunny Days Embroidery

Boy am I ever glad it's Friday! This has been one trying week, and I don't think I have ever been happier to see the weekend roll around. In honor of this crazy week I've had, I chose an artisan for Free Press Friday who helps bring the fun back into life. Whenever I have a bad day, or need something to break an angry or foul mood, I go window shop in her studio. I have yet to leave without a giggle.

Meet Fran, the Queen of Quirky. She's the genius behind the awesome patches, lipbalm holders, koozies and assorted other awesomeness at Sunny Days Embroidery. She's been selling on Etsy for three years, and she's been on Artfire since November of last year. I've had the pleasure of getting to know Fran on a more personal level because she's one of my Plurk buddies, and I can assure you she is every bit as cool and funny as her studios imply. In addition to her shops, you can find Fran on Twitter, Blogger, and Myspace. She also has a really cool Flickr page (which is where I stole all the pics in the post!).

Fran holds a special place in my heart because so many of her pieces involve ninjas. On top of that, she's even helping me design a cool, custom ninja patch to repair my beloved snowboard pants! (On one of my many falls last year I ripped them, and now my little ninja booty gets cold and wet when it hits the snow! Thank goodness Fran is coming to my rescue... I guess you could say she's literally helping to save my ass!)

Please check out all the fun, funky finds in her studios! I've chosen my favorites for the spotlight below, but I assure you there are far more goodies there than any mere spotlight can hold! Go say hello to Fran, and remember, she always welcomes custom orders! (Btw, for every order Fran gets right now she's donating $1.00 to her friend JoAnn to help offset the cost of her husband's upcoming surgery. So, not only would you be getting something cool and truly unique, you'd be doing a good deed in the process! What more could you ask for?)


♥

* Would you like to be featured on Free Press Friday? Just leave a comment and tell me that! I'll be in touch shortly!*

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Free Press Friday - Luv2Sparkle

Woo hoo! We made it to the weekend again! Time to trade in those paint-splattered, glue covered crafty clothes for a sexy outfit and some killer heels! Time to put down that tired old coffee cup and go out for some luscious cocktails! Time to grab some of that gorgeous handmade jewelry you've got and go sparkle all over town!

What's that? You don't have any handmade sparklies? Well guess what? This Free Press Friday edition is just for you!

Meet Sharon, the talented face of Luv2Sparkle! She's from Maricopa, AZ, and she has got just what you need! This awesome lady has been super busy filling her studio with all kinds of sparkly treats! But, before we get to those glittery goodies, I wanted to tell you a little bit about Sharon and where you can find her online.

I noticed Sharon's work one day back in February, when I was browsing around on Etsy. She used to sell under the name L0ve2Sparkle, but she's busy moving her things to her new shop, which reflects her updated name. She's also active on Artfire (and, as you know, I'm partial to that studio).

Sharon has also quickly become one of my favorite tweeters. She's great at keeping her page updated, and she is even better at balancing fun, personal updates with her shop promotions. If Twitter isn't your thing, you can also find her on Plurk and Myspace as well!

Somehow, between balancing her "real life" as a pharmacy technician with her awesomely crafty alter-ego, Sharon also manages to find time to blog and maintain her own website. This girl is truly a sparkly inspiration!

Now, it seems like I remember promising you guys some sparkly stuff.... and I am a ninja who likes to keep her promises... so here you go! You may want to set yourself a spending limit before you start browsing. (And if you don't, and you spend too much, don't say I didn't warn you! :wink:) I've chosen just her resin pieces for her spotlight, but be sure to stop by her shops and check out her pearl and crystal work as well. You won't be disappointed, I assure you!



Now go say hello to Sharon! And, while you're there, be sure to mention you saw this blog post... because it gets you free shipping!

♥

* Want to be featured on a future Free Press Friday? Just leave a comment with your name and a link to your shop and I will be in touch! *

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Free Press Friday - Broken Hallelujah

Happy Friday everyone! I hope you all have awesome plans for the weekend, and I hope you are all giving yourselves some much deserved time off! It seems we all work so hard so many odd hours of the day and night, so we definitely need to learn to kick our shoes off, let our hair down and just relax sometimes! In honor of that, this week's Free Press Friday featured artisan is one who has some awesome goodies that will make our relaxing all the better (and more stylish!). Her name is Brandy, and she is the artisan behind BrokenHallelujah.

Brandy is from College Station, TX, and she just graduated from college at the "ripe old age" of 22. For the last four years she's been selling her crochet online, and let me just say, this is not your grandma's crochet! I honestly never knew crochet could look so cute and fashionable! Brandy makes items that are not just gorgeous, but useful as well! And we all know how important that is in times like these, right?

Before I show you all the cute things I found in Brandy's shops, I wanted to let you know where you can find her if you just want to get to know her a bit better. First of all, she's on indiepublic, and if you check out her page there you'll see she has great taste in music, and she's interested in photography and sewing in addition to crochet! You can also find her personal page on Facebook, and, while you're there, be sure to go over and become a fan of her studio page as well! If you're like me, you'll also want to follow her on Plurk and Twitter, so you can chat with her. (Btw, she's super fun to chat with, in case you were wondering!) Brandy also maintains a blog and flickr page where you can see all her wonderful creations come to life!

Now that I've given you everything you need to stalk her, let's talk about these great little relaxing goodies Brandy makes! She has some cute little cloths for when you're kicked back in the tub, and some handy handmade lipbalm cases for when you need a "lip break on the go". But those are just the beginning! The real treats (IMO) are her slippers and headbands! Head over to her Artfire studio or her Etsy shop to pick up some pampering for your tired tootsies, and an awesome crocheted headband (because let's face it: just because your hair is down doesn't mean it has to look bad, right?)

Here are just some of the cute things I found browsing her shops:

Feel free to stop by and say hello to Brandy! And be sure you spread the word to the rest of the world, too! We all need a little extra handmade pampering, you know! :wink:

♥

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Free Press Friday - Birch Soaps

After a week of not having a clue what day it is (yes, it's been that kind of week), I am happy to find that it is officially Friday! It's time to kick off our shoes, take a long lunch, and get ready to celebrate the weekend! It's also time to check out the work of a fellow artisan!

This week's Free Press Friday featured artisan is Birch Soaps, aka Katie. She's from Seattle, WA, 22 years old, and engaged to another artist. (Lucky girl... Can you imagine the creativity in that household?) Katie works as a design consultant and conservation framer for Museum Quality framing during the day, and creates her wonderful handcrafted goodies in her off time. In her studios, she sells handmade beauty products, including soap, lip balm, and lotion bars.

As I was browsing through her shop on Artfire, I found myself starting to drool a little. All of her products look so inviting, from her awesome pictures to her delicious fragrance descriptions. I also kept going back to stare at her Chocolate Covered Strawberry soap so much I made my own stomach growl!

Katie has studios on both Artfire and Etsy, and she also uses Trunkt to reach out to wholesalers. She's an active tweeter, and you can also find her on Flickr and indiepublic. I would advise that you go check out her Flickr page, and don't just look at the soap (as tempting as it may be to get stuck there!)... click over to her other albums and check out her awesome shots of fire spinning! (This is something I've dabbled with in the past, and I know how challenging it can be! I am super impressed by these pictures!)

Please stop by Katie's studios and say hello her! And, while you're there, if you find something you like, mention you saw this post (at checkout) and she will send you a free lip balm with your purchase! (Thanks, Katie for your kind offer to my readers!)

Thanks so much for letting me feature you, Katie! It's been a pleasure to meet you, and I wish you best with your studios!




♥

* As always, if you'd like to be featured on Free Press Friday, please leave me a comment with your name and link to your studio(s)! *

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Free Press Friday - Creative Critters

WOO HOO! It's Friday! And we all know what that means, right? Time to stage a "ninja invasion" of another artisan studio and see what sort of awesomeness we can find!

This week's artisan is someone I found on Artfire just recently. She posted in the forums, and I couldn't help but take a peek inside her studio. She's Creative Critters, and her work is so cool, I sent her an email asking her to let me feature her on a Free Press Friday post. She was kind enough to say yes, and I am so happy she did! i can't wait to show the world her awesome art!

Let me start by introducing her to you guys. Her name is Michelle, and she's from Fairview Park, Ohio. She's 33 (which I think is a fine age to be LOL), and she has the ability to take a lump of polymer clay and work miracles with it! When I asked her about herself, she told me "I love all animals, being outdoors and active, anything dealing with fantasy, and working in the garden. When I create, I put my soul into my work- I truly love what I do. And I'm really enjoying getting to know some of the other artists on Artfire!" Well you know what? I couldn't agree with her more! Seems like she's loving her Artfire studio as much as I love mine!

Michelle makes polymer clay sculptures, mixed media jewelry, adorable cloth dolls, knit toys, polymer clay pen sets, and World of Warcraft plush characters, all of which you can find in her studio. She also blogs and maintains a Flickr page (where you can see tons of her awesomely cute sculptures!) If you want to make a more personal connection with her, you can find her on both Facebook and Myspace.

I love that Michelle seems to have a little bit of a "geeky side" (as do I!), and it shows in all her wonderful fantasy based pieces! But don't let her fool you... This girl can make just about anything from clay... as you will see if you look around her studio!

I tried to pick a variety of things from her studio to add to my spotlight, but there is no way I can begin to show you all her cool stuff! Please go shop around a bit... I promise you will be amazed at her talent! (And her prices are so reasonable it's crazy!)




It's been my real pleasure to meet Michelle! She's always so sweet in the forums, and her work is truly an inspiration! Good luck to you, Michelle! I imagine you will have great success around here!

♥

* Want to be featured on Free Press Friday? Leave a comment with your name and a link to your shop and I will be in touch! *

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Free Press Friday - Painted Bull

Happy Friday everyone! It's my favorite day, as it's the day that I get to spend window shopping and picking out my favorite things! This week, my focus is on Painted Bull. I first saw her studio on Artfire, but if you keep reading, you will see this talented lady is all over the internet!

Painted Bull isn't really a bovine at all (in case you're curious!). She's actually a very lovely and talented artisan named JJ (This makes her extra cool in my book, because I'm a "JJ", too! LOL), and she's from the mountains of Georgia. JJ has a degree in Medieval History, which, according to her website, makes her "fascinated with the historic aspect regarding art and culture".



JJ is a weaver, and, to be honest, until I actually visited her studio, I thought she made blankets.
Boy am I embarrassed! But I'm also happy to see that I am wrong... and even happier to see what she does make! (Not that she can't make blankets... she's just too busy making other cool stuff I think!) On Artfire, she sells woven jewelry, the likes of which I can almost guarantee you've never seen. She also has hair accessories listed there, and categories in place for rugs, scarves, and even homespun yarn. JJ also has a studio at 1000markets, and you can see even more woven awesomeness there!

If you're just looking to learn a little more about the face behind Painted Bull, you can visit JJ's Facebook page or her Myspace page. She also has an indiepublic page you can check out where you'll see more of her work exhibited and also learn about her favorite movies, book, and artists! Also, if you're like me, and addicted to Twitter, you can even follow her there!

My favorite thing about JJ has got to be her blogs, though. You can read her "normal person" posts on Blogger, but if you're more the adventurous type (and you can stand a few "bad words" LOL), head over to Wefty Woman and check it out! Be warned though, it's not for the feint of heart! And I would advise taking a snack with you... 'cause the reading there is totally addictive! (WARNING: do NOT drink while reading Wefty Woman. Your monitor will be in perilous danger!)

Check out all the awesome stuff that JJ is making these days! I'm sure you won't be disappointed if you head over to her studios!


(I'm trying something new this week, and using ByHand.me to make a spotlight. You guys tell me if you like is this way, or if you'd rather I go back to just choosing two listings each week.)

Thanks, JJ, for letting me feature you! It's been a pleasure to meet you, and I wish you all the best with your art!

<3

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Free Press Friday - Deronda Designs

Time again for Free Press Fridays! This week's featured artisan is Deronda Designs. Let me start by saying that I am super jealous of her work! Glass work is a skill I have always wanted to learn, and Deronda is definitely talented in this arena!

Deronda is from Fessenden, ND. According to her blog, she lives there with her husband Jeff, and is an "empty nester". Being an empty nester has given her time to perfect her lampworking skills, and, amazingly, she is self-taught! This blows me away, because i know how hard glass work can be WITH a teacher... I can not imagine trying to teach myself such a wonderful art!


In addition to her blog, Deronda maintains her own webpage, and studios on both Artfire and Etsy. If you visit either of her studios you are sure to be blown away by her beautiful beads! You can also take a look around her Flickr account and see some other work she's completed recently... but be warned, you WILL be tempted to start shopping with her soon!

If you just want to get to know Deronda a little better, head over to her Facebook page. You can also follow her on Twitter or check out her IndiePublic page! No matter where you look, though, you'll find Deronda is as kind and humble as she is talented... and that says a LOT!

My two "picks of the week" from her studios were both found in her Artfire studio. I've truly fallen in love with both of these pieces, and at this point I just have to decide which I love more so I can make my purchase! LOL

Take a look, and I am SURE you will agree:
GEOMETRIC FUSED GLASS COASTERS


FUSED GLASS NIGHTLIGHT


It has truly been my pleasure to get to feature yet another talented artisan this week! Good luck, Deronda! I look forward to seeing all your wonderful pieces as your collection continues to grow!

<3

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Free Press Friday - LaDeDa Creations

This week's artisan is the lovely Laura from LaDeDa Creations!

I met Laura when I first came to Artfire. She was in the forums causing drama (not really LOL) and she was SO very welcoming to me! She's been a true Godsend! She is one of the first to jump in and help you when you have a question, and, along with Catinalife, she helps keeped me entertained on the late shift.

LaDeDa is from Catoosa, OK, and she can work wonders with polymer clay! She also sells handmade body products, and supplies. She's fun, kind, and honest. She is happy to ship anywhere in the world, and her feedback is nothing less than stellar!

I love how she always stands up for herself, too. And, on top of that, she won't hesitate to defend the people and sites she loves, either.

You can find her all over the internet these days. She has shops on both Artfire and Etsy. She blogs, she twits, and she maintains a Flickr account. And just in case that wasn't enough, she also keeps up a Facebook page and a MySpace page!

I have no idea how she has time to keep up with all that, but I'm glad she does! She's a delight to know, and her work is lovely!

My favorite things in her shops are these:
HANDMADE BROWN AND TURQUOISE RING HOLDER


HANDMADE GLOW IN THE DARK JEWELRY DISPLAY/HOLDER


Head over to her shop and show her some love! And while you're there, ask her about her new kittens! ;0)

<3

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Free Press Friday - catinalife

My spotlighted artisan this week is catinalife. I met her on Artfire shortly after joining, and she's now my facebook friend (and I like to believe my "real life" friend, too... even though we haven't met face-to-face yet!).

Catinalife (her real name is Joy) makes beautiful jewelry from her home in Wilton, Iowa. Joy is a self-proclaimed "beadaholic, rock, fossil hound" and she has "never met a rock [she] didn't like." When she isn't busy watching corncams hoping to see her fellow artisan, LaDeDa running through the cornfields, she sells her wonderful items on both Artfire and Etsy. She also tweets from time to time, but you need to add her to see (she's sorta secretive like that! LOL)

Joy has been truly kind to me since I first met her. I can't say enough good things about her. She's so sweet, so supportive, and probably the most humble person I've ever met! She's sorta quiet sometimes, but once you get her talking she's a true riot! Her blog features daily laughs, and trust me... they are HILARIOUS!

Joy's real talent isn't just telling jokes though... As far as I can tell, she's an AMAZING jewelry artisan who has a real flair for making gorgeous, elegant pieces out of those "rocks" she loves so much. ;0)

It was hard for me to narrow down just which pieces I loved, but I finally decided to showcase these two:

(This one if from her Artfire shop)
TIGEREYE QUARTZ GOLD BLUE RED NECKLACE BRACELET GEMSTONE SET


I chose this one because I have had a lifelong love of tiger's eye... and what she's done with this focal piece is wonderful!

(And this one if from her Etsy shop)
Olive jade butterfly pendant necklace set

This one caught my eye because of the stunning butterfly it has... I'm definitely saving my pennies for this one! LOL

As you can see, catinalife is truly talented! Thanks for being so sweet, Joy! You rock!

Now everyone go look around her shop and show her some love! ;0)

<3

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Free Press Friday - djstoreroom

Ok guys, in honor of my new bloggerdom, I have decided to implement "Free Press Fridays" around this place.

It works like this:

Every Friday I will highlight one handmade artisan from around the world on here. Anyone is free game (and yes, I will be happy to highlight you if you are a vintage seller or a supply seller... you're family, too, right?). I plan on posting a link to your shop(s), choosing a few items that I love from each, and adding any random/funny/interesting thing about you I feel like saying (It's MY blog... so there! :P)

If you would like to be spotlighted, please send an email to me here: NJ3939 at gmail dot com

Also, if there is anything YOU want me to mention in your spotlight, please let me know that as well!

One last thing before we get to our first artisan... I know I said I welcome ANY comments, and that is true IN REGARDS TO MYSELF... however, I do ask that you please be kind in your comments on Fridays. Meaning, IF YOU CAN'T SAY SOMETHING NICE, BE QUIET OR FACE THE NINJA WRATH!!! :P

and now.... (drum roll please).... the very first artisan on free press friday....




djstoreroom is my very first follower here. I met her on Artfire, in the forums, and she's located in Singapore. She was kind enough (or maybe I should say "brave enough"? LOL) to click the link to my blog, and, in my book, that makes her awesome!

She JUST took the plunge to becoming a full-timer, and I am so proud of her. I recently took that plunge as well, and I know how scary and intimidating it can be! (Good for you dj!)

DJ sells the cutest little handmade pouches in her Artfire store, and she also sells tutorials so we can learn to make them as well. (Although I doubt mine would turn out anywhere NEAR as cute as hers! LOL) She also sells on Etsy, where she has cell phone charms listed and vintage paper cards. DJ is active on twitter and indiepublic, and she somehow still manages to find time to blog!

I simply love her handmade pouches, and these are my faves:

TURQ HENNA GARDEN MEDIUM ZIP POUCH


FALL MEDALLION BLOOM SMALL ZIP POUCH


DJ ships internationally, and she seems like a really cool person to work with!

Good luck DJ! Please keep us posted as to how the full-time works out for you! <3

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