Friday's Fancies {blustery Autumn days}

It seems that I can always count on Autumn to give me a few REALLY blustery days. In fact, this morning, I awoke to mounds of red and orange leaves strewn across our front yard. The thing is, we don't have any trees in our yard that have red or orange leaves!

Yesterday, I watched the wind create tiny leaf tornadoes and make leaves "rain" sideways, whilst I sat inside my kitchen with a cup of warm cocoa, staying mostly warm. The wind rattles our 120-year-old windows at night, rustles the leaves on the trees, howling and howling through them, and brought in dark, low clouds all day yesterday.

It's amazing to me that something quite invisible can have such power!

Today's Friday's Fancies are a tribute to that very underestimated force of nature . . . 

THE WIND!

I just LOVE the motion and movement of all these wonderfully windy items! :)

{clockwise from top left}

Blustery Day Giclee Print by pattyabaker

Windy BamBoo Forest T by Ahpeele

Windy Recycled Paper Necklace by SugarbakerHepburn

Windy Shadow Fine Art Photo by DeemWave

Wishing you all a warm place and a clear window to watch the wind do its amazing work!


Fondly, Kate 




* * * Now it's your turn. Have a go at creating your own Friday's Fancies on your personal blog. When you have, come on back to this post and leave a link! We'd love to see what wonderful items you've found! :) * * * 

Treasury Challenge - Faery Tales

It's time for another team Treasury Challenge.

This month the theme I picked is Faery Tales, and

here's my treasury based on one of my childhood

favourites.

"Mirror Mirror on the Wall,

Who is the fairest of them all?"

Snow White

Here's a wee sneak preview......

Want to participate?

Make your own treasury based on your

favourite faery tale and add it a link in the comments below!

Can't wait to see them all............

Positive Quote Monday

"Winter is an etching, spring a watercolor, summer an oil painting and autumn a mosaic of them all." ~ Stanley Horowitz

Autumn in Marmora by paint1chris

Friday's Fancies

Just a teeny bit early, as I don't think I'll have time to do it tomorrow. I'm going to the funeral of a close friend's father just before lunch, and in order to get there by bus and be sure I'll make it in time, I need to leave the village at 9.30am then have to wait in town for another bus to the venue. It's unlikely I'll remember to do this tomorrow!

Sometimes a label merely describes the item it's stuck to. Sometimes the label informs you of how the item is to be used. Or perhaps the label is all about status, making the garment or accessory more desirable than something without the label.

All of these labels are functional, imparting information and providing a service (although you could argue that the last ones are decorative only but I like them).
 

Gift tags from thequeenofcups

French apothecary jar from TheShabbyChicCottage

DIY sign kit from ourhobbytoyourhome

Merci ornaments from FrenchAffairs

Positivity Team Members

Here are some beautiful goodies from our AMAZING positivity team members! There are so many wonderful shops in our team, have you checked them out lately?

Irish Linen Full Apron by historika

Shades of Purple Bracelet by SeaFlowerStudios

Subtle Tones Felted Alpaca Wool Scarf by taffyknits

Expression and Communication Crystal Therapy Kit by SubtleHarmony

Enjoy!! xo Nickole

Friday Fancies - Halloween Spirit

It's that time of year, when the creepy and the crawly are part of the fun that is HALLOWEEN!

Etsy ALWAYS has an abundance of amazing goodies, but this time of year everyone's creativity really shines. Maybe it's the spooky and the scary or the change in season that really sets it apart from the rest of the year...my favorite time of year! And if you do your own Etsy search you are sure to find your own Halloween spirit :)

Black Spider Webs Pleated Wristlet by honeydbags

Victorian Black Widow by birdzNbeez

Lace Fingerless Gloves in Black by ZenAndCoffee

Pearly dew drops drop by irenesuchocki

xo Nickole

October Team Contest!

Another HUGE CONGRATS to Lynne from ClosetFull for winning the September Team Contest!

After only a few minutes deliberation, Lynne came up with a GREAT theme for the October Contest!

Think of cool evenings, autumn leaves, mulled cider . . .

Here's a few items to give you a hint and some inspiration {too many great Etsy products to just choose one!}:

{clockwise from top left}

 Pumpkin Spice 8 x 10 Print by charmsoflife

Two Primitive Folk Art Pumpkin Jack O Lanterns by LennyMud

Zig Zag Tam in Pumpkin Spice by YesJess

Gourmet Pumpkin Spice Hot Cocoa Mix by Teton Cocoa Company

In Lynne's own words:

"October's theme just has to be: 

Pumpkin, Orange and Spice; Something to Make Us Smile!"

So pull out all your Autumny supplies and get ready to create something just wonderful {as I know you all will!!!}

When you've completed and listed your item, come on back to this post and leave a link in the comments to your item. {It helps to bookmark this page, then when you're ready to post your entry, just go to your bookmarked pages and click on the link! Easy peasy!} We'll upload the photo to the post for all to see, and Lynne will have a chance to pick the winner.

Please post your entry by Tuesday, November 2nd, 2010.

Winner will be announced Thursday, November 4th.

The new Contest Theme for November will be announced Wednesday, November 10th!

Can't wait to see all your WONDERFUL creations!!! :)

*

And here they are!:

Cambridge Autumn Hat and Scarf in Brown by sexyhandmade

* * *

Tiny Orange Fabric Bowl/Basket by SeeAnnaSew

* * *

Regency Silk Taffeta Reticule by historika

* * *

Fire Agate and Sterling Silver Necklace by bluegiraffeshop

* * *

Autumn Leaves Glass Necklace by ElectricPenguin

Positive Monday - choose to be happy!

Happiness is an attitude.

We either make ourselves miserable, or happy and strong.

The amount of work is the same. 

Francesca Reigler

autumn-delight photograph by LittleOddMe

Personally I've yet to find any creature enjoy life more than the

dogs we've shared our home with. Their lives were full of as

much fun as possible, most of which they created themselves.

Friday's Fancies

Sighhh!

Another Friday! Time to start thinking of kicking back, putting on those soft, fuzzy socks, and welcoming the weekend! . . . or maybe to put on the work gloves and finish those projects that are calling your name.

Time for another Friday's Fancies!

Not sure if it's just me, but I'm always curious as to what items people have in their favorites. I have a few favorite shops that I lurk in, checking to see what kinds of Etsy items they are in love with! I also like to check out the favorites of people who heart my shop.

So, in honor of curiosity, here's a collection of items I've found favorited by other people.

In fact, I've found so many items I loved, I created a Treasury!!!

FOUND while snooping through other people's favorites {<--Click here to see it}

Now it's your turn! Create your own Friday's Fancies on your personal blog. Then come back and post a link in the comments!!!

Can't wait to see all the items that you love too!!! {Like I said, I'm a bit curious}

Have a WONDERFUL weekend, lovelies!!!

Fondly, Kate

And the Winner is . . .

Well, the contest is over, and we have a winner of September's Team Contest!!!

Pam from Electric Penguin, winner of last month's Team Contest, had a difficult time choosing, and who could blame her?! We had a lot of GREAT submissions!

In Pam's own words: 

By using pictures, descriptions, and "that certain something", I picked a winner. Please give a big round of applause to... Harvest Butterfly Hannah Hand Quilted Wall Hanging by ClosetFull!! Congrats, Lynne!!

Now it's Lynne's turn to choose the Monthly Contest Theme for October, and our turn to await anxiously! :)

Come back next Wednesday, October 13th to find out what wonderful theme Lynne has chosen!

Meet the Member - Kristen from Simplewhimsey

Please introduce yourself. Who are you, where do you live?
I wear many hats. First I'm a mom of two great boys, 13 and 10, and a wife to a wonderfully crazy guy. Those three guys keep me very busy between baseball games, boy scouts, play dates and homework. I'm a city girl living in the country. I grew up in one of the best cities in the world, (ok I'm a little bias) San Francisco. Now we live in a historic gold rush town in the Sierra Foothills of California. Both two incredible places to live. I went from living around the corner from 3 different types of restaurants to living in the forest raising chickens and trying to keep the bears away. Never a dull moment.

How would you describe your work / style?
I would describe my work as happy, fun and whimsical.

Who, or what, inspires you?
Color, color, color. My favorite part of making my banners is picking the fabric. Sometimes a fabric will just catch my eye and that will inspire me. It's probably why my fabric is billowing off my shelves. Fabric is very addicting.
I also love simple designs and clean lines.

What made you decide to start selling your work?
I was laid off, and my friends encouraged me to use my creative juices and make something to sell.

Do you have a website or blog address?
No just my etsy shop: www.simplewhimsey.etsy.com
and my facebook fan page http://www.facebook.simplewhimsey/

How did you learn your craft? How long have you been creating?
I've been creating and crafty forever. but I have been really sewing for about 9 years.

My sisters all were sewing by the time they were teenagers but I didn't have any interest. My oldest sister is an amazing seamstress and has worked for companies we all know (don't know if we can mention names) and has even taught pattern making. Anyway she was down visiting me, brought her old sewing machine from the sixties, and said I'm teaching how to sew we are going to make a pillow. We made a couple pillows and that was that. When my husbands sister was pregnant a few years later I saw an adorable quilt but thought it was crazy expensive and thought "I can make that" So I dusted off that sewing machine and have made about 10 quilts since then. I love making the banners because they are fun and festive and you can re-use them year after year. They are soooo much nicer than the plastic ones too. Just added the hats to match the banners. Ohh and I think the are so dang cute! Wish I made these when my guys were younger! Don't think I'd have much luck getting my teenager to wear this at his next party but he did try it on for me! I did say I have great kids huh!

Is there any other craft skill you would like to learn?
I've always wanted to try mosaic making. I've even started keeping my plates and bowls that break. One of these days.


Anything exciting planned that you’d like to share?
I'm looking forward to the change of the seasons. I love the fall colors here in the Sierra Mountains. I'm also looking forward to some eggs from our chickens! Got our first one this week! So exciting!! Hey it's the little things in life I enjoy.

Have you had any work featured in magazines/books/galleries?
Not yet, maybe one day...

Has your work won any prizes/competitions?
No, I've never entered my work in anything

If I wasn’t doing this, I’d be………
Who knows....

Describe your perfect day.
Good cup of coffee, some fresh fruit with a crepe (that I don't have to prepare or clean up). Then relaxing on a sunny beach with friends and family. A massage, then ending the day with a fantastic meal with friends and family and maybe even a little dancing.

Describe your proudest moment.
Ok this is such a mom moment. Reading never came easy for either one of my guys and I will never forget the first time they sat down and kept reading a book after their minimum time was up. It was awesome! My youngest said, “ I want to stop reading but I need to find out what is going to happen so I have to keep reading!”

What do you do to relax?
Hot bath with candles.

What animal would you like to be, and why?
I love dolphins they always seem happy and look like they are having so much fun!

What’s your weakness?
Organization, Chocolate and kittens. not necessarily that order. Ha ha

Positivity Quote Monday

Attitude is a little thing that makes a big difference. ~ Winston Churchill

((Photograph by UnaPhoto))