Wow Factor Wednesday Feature - Salutations!

Welcome to our Wow Factor Wednesday Feature, todays featured seller is Charlotte from Salutations! on Etsy.com. I recently purchased a baby beanie and couldn't be happier! It is very well made and utterly adorable!!

Now, let's get up close and personal with our artist...Hello! I'm Charlotte. I live in Northern Utah with my husband and our little girl.

I've been crocheting since I was about ten years old, which is when my mother taught me how. Years earlier, my mother learned the same set of skills from her mother. The funny thing is, when my grandmother was around 80 or so, she had me sit down with her and re-teach her. So, we came full circle.


Crocheting is one of my most enjoyable hobbies. I like the feel of the yarn between my fingers, and I love the way a hand-made blanket, scarf, hat, or whatever else has a different feel to it than something that is made with more automation. There's a feel of love in handmade articles. I'm grateful for that.

I've been selling on etsy since the summer of 2009, and have had just a marvelous experience here. I'm a member of the etsy Create Crochet team, as well as the Trade-a-holics team, and I fully enjoy my participation in both.

If you'd like to learn more about me and my little family, feel free to check out my blog at charlottelaughs.blogspot.com Any time I list new items, I post pictures on my Facebook Fan Page. You can check that out at:
http://www.facebook.com/SalutationsCrochet Be sure to stop be her shop on Etsy, where you can get 20% your order just by putting "jessiemac" in the notes!

Hope you have enjoyed this weeks feature! Don't forget about our giveaway - #50 takes the prize!!

Todays Trends & Techniques - Pink Paislee Spring Collections

Pink Paislee is a fairly new company in the scrapbooking industry, established in January 2008 and based in Kansas City,Mo. Their products are "more than just backgrounds for your photos; they are a path to your inner artist." They currently have over 200 products available and can be found in scrapbook specialty stores in more than 40 different countries. Their new Spring collections were recently released and are now available.
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This is a fantastic collection of papers and embellishments done in shades of yellow, gray and black. Perfect for all of your Spring Projects. Pictured is a mongrammed door hanger. Click here for instructions.


The 365 degrees Collection is full of bright primary colors done in a way that is shabby chic and fabulous! Perfect for any occasion! You'll find paper, embellishments and fantastic stamps in this collection! This amazing box set is just one of several fun projects possible with this beautiful collection. Click here for instructions.

The Bayberry Cottage Collection is a fun and whimsical assortment of papers, embellishments and stamps. The colors are bright and summery. As the name foreshadows it is reminescent of a summer cottage by the beach. Featured is an Altered Wooden Hook done in the Bayberry. Click here for instructions.


We hope you have enjoyed this weeks article. Come back next week when we take a look at the upcoming trends in altered albums!!


***All photos, projects and instructions were provided by pinkpaislee.com and are the express copyrighted property of Pink Paislee, LLC.

Saturday Blog Special

Welcome to the Saturday Blog Shoppers Special. For this weekend only, my entire shop is Buy One Get One Free. Just put SBS in the notes section of your order for discounts! Hope to see you all there! http://jessiemacCreations.etsy.com

The Timely March Hare

Good Morning and Welcome. Todays featured theme is the March Hare. I felt it appropriate not only because it's March but because Alice in Wonderland is one of our favorite stories. We recently went to see the new Alice movie by Tim Burton, definitely worth the trip to theaters! So let's dig in!

March Hare by RayvenwoodManor

March Hare - Raku Pottery by Wildfire Pottery

The March Hare - Tempest in a Tea Cup by Amazing Owl
I'm Late by darklingwoods

We hope you have enjoyed this weeks themed feature. All of the artists can be found on Etsy.com. Thanks for stopping by and have a great week!

DON'T FORGET ABOUT OUR GIVEAWAY! BE THE 50TH FOLLOWER AND WIN!

GIVEAWAY!! BE #50! FREE CARDS!

This is the easiest giveaway ever! All you have to do is be the 50th follower of this blog and you will receive a set of 12 FREE cards (your choice of holiday/occasion). It's really that simple!! No Purchase Necessary!!! So come join the fun and enjoy weekly features, giveaways, promos, and much more!

Braggin Rights Bath - Our Wow Factor Wednesday Feature

Hello all and happy Wednesday. We have returned from our Port St. Lucie Spring Training adventure (Let's Go Mets!). I am feeling refreshed and rejuvenated and in the spirit of that I have decided this weeks feature is going to be one of my favorite bath and body shops: Braggin Rights Bath!!
This wonderful shop is full of amazing items that are luxurious and whimsical. My personal favorite is the Chocolate Milk Bath! So rich and creamy...my skin feels amazing after.

Here's a little bit about the owner; in her own words!
My first name is Tracy, I got into business about 4 yrs. ago, though I only opened this Etsy shop in January. I love anything that smells good, love chocolate, and bath products; as well as love to be creative... I thought it was a perfect match, and I was right! I spend time with my family and embroider as well. My mother is, and always has been my inspiration- she has given me the morals and beliefs that have allowed me to treat my customers excellent, and provide a fantastic product. She told me to make someone smile, and I try to do it daily! :-)

Braggin Rights Bath can be found on Etsy as well as on the web. To find her on etsy please go to To find her on the web please go to We hope you have enjoyed this weeks feature and that you go check out this great shop! Tracy is a real joy to work with; her products are fabulous and her customer service is unbeatable!

What's New This Week..

Well, this week is going to be a crazy one! Leaving for a vacation in a few days, so I'm working double duty on both businesses right now! Here's a little shot of the latest St. Patty's Day items in my shop. Hope you come take a look!


CHEERS! - SET OF MINI CARDS


KISS ME I'M IRISH - SET OF MINI CARDS


LUCK O' THE IRISH - SET OF TAGS

I'll be posting a giveaway! Come check it out!!

Don't forget to come back and check out the features this week!!

I'm Feeling Blue....

This is a first in a series of features. Every Thursday, there will be a new group of items all relating to a particular theme. Obviously today's theme is blue. Below you will find items that are not only blue, but also inspire a certain mood (at least in me). Enjoy!


This amazing knit cowl is offered by Urbanknit at Etsy.com. Although I absolutely adore this item; it makes me cringe at the thought of the cold blasts of this past winter and yearn for blue summer skies.



This wonderful bag is available from shanineal. Dark and dreary but mysterious and alluring at the same time... Love it!


I simply adore this brooch by Claybykim. It reminds me that Spring is right around the corner!! (And Mother's Day;)


Better and Brighter Days are Ahead...or so this gorgeous gown by 4YourWedding screamed at me!


The whispers of the ocean are tickling my ears. Just in case I need a reminder, there's this lovely pendant by GlassyGrace.

All of these fun finds can be found on Etsy.com. In case you couldn't tell I'm not a big fan of the winter and I'm chopping at the bit for some warm weather. Hope you have enjoyed this feature!

Wow Factor Wednesday!

This is the first article for a weekly feature called Wow Factor Wednesday... These articles are going to introduce you to an artist from etsy or artfire.

Todays artist is AmiKami from Etsy.com

Her beautiful knit and crocheted items can be found at www.etsy.com/shop/AmiKami

A little about this amazing creator

My name is Victoria and I'm a mom to three wonderful little boys. We live in a small town nestled in the San Bernardino Mountains.

AmiKami means "knitting spirit" --- through the time and concentrated attention that goes into this craft, I believe that handknitted articles possess a special quality that no manufactured piece can have.

I have a deep appreciation for handcrafting and feel that over the past decades we have been losing that sense of personal human connection through an ever growing dependence on commercial manufacturing. It thrills me to have found a community here on Etsy that provides the world with an opportunity to rediscover the wonder and beauty of items produced by loving hands instead of machines.

I have always had a great interest in history, particularly the period between mid 1800's to early 1900's. I enjoy reading books written in that time, studying the fashions and styles, learning the fine art of various "dainty work" and watching old movies - with a special fascination with Silent Films (I can get lost in them for hours!)

Having been collecting antique knitting & crochet books and patterns for years, I have acquired a vast library where I find endless inspiration for my work here in my Etsy shop. I love finding ways to incorporate past aesthetics with a hint of modern styling. Fiber is my medium of choice and knitting still never fails to enchant and challenge me

We would like to thank Victoria for the info and for allowing us to feature her on our blog. We hope you stop by her shop and take a look around. We're sure you will fall in love with her gorgeous creations, we sure did!

Trends & Techniques Tuesday! Tear Bears

Todays featured technique is Tear Bears. Those of you who scrapbook know all about tear bears and their current popularity. They are by far one of my favorite paper goodies to make and to decorate! The possibilities for these little guys are endless.

For those of you who are unfamiliar with tear bears, they are fuzzy, handmade teddy bear paper piecing that are so cute you will want to hug them. With sparkly eyes, fuzzy limbs and adorable clothes, these bears make sweet page accents for any occasion. Their limbs are poseable so they can be positioned in a variety of ways!

What will you need??

•Chalk
•Lightbox
•Black pen
•Water pen or cotton swab
•Quick drying glue
•Brown mulberry paper
•Toothbrush
•Black cardstock
•White paper
•White pen

Step by Step
Select a piece of light brown mulberry paper, which is a handmade paper with fibers in it. When torn, the edges remain fuzzy. You can find mulberry paper at ACMoore or online at a variety of scrapbooking sites.

Step 2
Draw a pattern for your tear bear on a white sheet of paper. If you need a pattern, you can download and print one from About.com (just search tear bear pattern). It should include one large pear shape for the torso, one medium round circle for the head, four medium rounded rectangles for the arms and legs, five small ovals for the hands, feet and muzzle, and two small half circles for the ear. These can be sized up or down for a small, medium or large bear.

Step 3
Place your mulberry paper over the pattern sheet.

Step 4
Trace a line around one pattern image, using a water pen or a wet cotton swab. You should be able to see the pattern paper through the mulberry paper. If you cannot see the pattern, use a light box to help illuminate the image.

Step 5
Tear on the wet line to remove the shape from the mulberry paper. Repeat this process until you have torn out all 13 body parts.

Step 6
Stipple the edges of the body parts with a toothbrush to help them appear fuzzy.

Step 7
Apply chalk to the edges of the body parts. Make sure the paper is dry first. A slightly lighter color of brown is best. Use pink chalk on the cheeks.

Step 8
Assemble your bear. The hands and feet should lay on top of the arms and legs. The ears should be behind the head and the muzzle should be near the bottom of the face.

Step 9
Glue the body pieces together using quick drying glue.

Step 10
Cut out two small circles for the eye and one small oval for the nose from black cardstock.

Step 11
Glue the eyes over the muzzle and glue the nose in the top center of the muzzle. Using a white pen, add three small white dots on each piece as the sparkle in their eyes and the wetness of their nose.

Step 12
Draw a black line down the muzzle from the nose for the mouth and add two eyebrows.

Now that your tear bear is complete, you can dress them up and try different poses before gluing!