My Etsy Pick of the Day Recap

Any of these lovely handmade items would make a
wonderful, unique gift!

Yawn...I am definitely a sleepyhead in the morning before my coffee!

Sleepyhead 1 by houseofharriet

Never lose another pan at a potluck
I originally picked "Granny wants her pan back"
but it has sold out, but this one is just as fun!
Personalized 9x13 inch Baking Dish by sassyinteriors

It's a Bikini, it's a Dish Cloth...it's darn cute!

Dish Cloth Bikini Gag Gift by beesugarpie

Nothing says loviin' like the Double Double at In-n-Out Burger!

Cheeseburger Diagram Tea Towels by girlscantell

Admit it...this is what you were thinking as the family invaded your house this Thanksgiving

My Family is a Freak Show Without the Tent Pin by TheAngryRobot

Super cool as a necklace...totally off-the-hook as a mask...

I'm a Dirty Hipster Mask/Necklace by PunchDrunkPrincess

Add some unique style to your home with this

Alfred Hitchcock THE BIRDS Pillow by Regansbrain

My Etsy Pick of the Day Recap

Check out these great Etsy shops!



A great gift for a boss, teacher or friend!

Pen Pal Sea Glass Pen by Sea Shaped

Spot your luggage easily with this

Lime Green Hippo Suitcase by BrightWall

Awwww!!! So sweet!

Gift of a Child by Deborah Voizin

So cool, so chic...this Paris designer is hot!

Fingerless Gauntlets by Malam

For the modern bride, a beautiful button bouquet...

Puttin' on the Ritz by Really Bad Kitty

I love the modern design of this...

The Greens Cosmetic Pouch by Majkatree

Wouldn't this make a great stocking stuffer?

Soap Snapshot Vegan Friendly by Dennis Anderson

My Etsy Pick of the Day Recap

My dream job is to be an Etsy admin who has the insanely cool job of browsing the Etsy categories and picking their favorites. Until that happens, I'll just make do with tweeting my favorites on Twitter each day. Here's a recap of things that caught my eye!

For those long road trips with the kids in the car, a classic
Car Bingo Game by pilosale

The solution to running with keys in my hand...
"Wrist Cuff Wallet by Mary Zoom

You won't think of junk mail the same...
Rolled Recycled Paper Bead Bib Necklace by ReLoved Designs

Dogs should look pretty for the hoildays ,
"The Yuletide" collar by Lucky Fiona

Something Lady Gaga might like,
"Aren't You Gorgeous" Feather Eyelashes by Get Eye Bling

Simply gorgeous!
Gray Leaf Scarf by Deniz03

Found using Pounce, so cute! ...
Squirrel in the Woods Coaster set by Urban Sparrow

Spreading my wings

Spring has a certain energy about it...time for new life in the animal kingdom, new blossoms in the garden and a new shop for me! I've been eyeing 1000 markets for awhile and have been thinking about putting my art in another handmade venue. I adore Etsy and love being a part of it but sometimes I feel that my shop gets lost in the crowd. 1000 markets has a different feel to it, like a small town vs. a large city. Each individual market is unique and original. The photo layout is nice on the eyes, and the people are welcoming. One of my favorite features is "the wall" where you can post comments. I also have a blog in my shop where I'll be posting, so take a stroll on over and say hello!

On a scale of 1-20...

Riverbed
Originally uploaded by smashgirl

What would you rate this?
You can tell me on plaincraft.com anonymously, just click on the little row of boxes beneath each picture...I have 3 items that you can rate.
Riverbed, Bali Bowl, and Our Love is Not Black or White are on plaincraft for 2 weeks and the top rated items make the gallery page each day. I really like this site because it gives me some feedback on what people like or dislike. As an artist that is helpful when you're creating new things. Click here!

Deal Alert! You can get free shipping on my small heart mosaics until Feb. 2 and pop over to smashgirl cards to pick up your Valentine's Day card to go with it!

I've been featured on Rare Bird Finds!

My "I love you more than pancakes" card featuring my late dog Buster was picked by Amanda of Rare Bird Finds and featured on her blog! Thanks Amanda, this picture of Buster pining for the pancake is one of my favorite photos. I like to think that Buster is in doggie heaven eating as many pancakes as he can !
Be sure to check out Rare Bird Finds blog, it's filled with so many cool things to buy, and her Etsy shop, Little Pies for homemade organic dog treats!

Hearts!

I'm usually a last minute person but this year I've decided to be a bit more organized so I'm making fun new things for Valentine's Day! I'm so proud of myself!

Here's my latest heart titled, "Our Love is Not Black and White".

Here's just one of the many heart cards I've added to my new shop, smashgirl cards. I love finding interesting and pretty colors in old magazines.

Now, I must try to be organized in all aspects of my life!

She's a Calendar Girl!

She's a Calendar Girl!
Originally uploaded by smashgirl

Lucy will be featured in the 2009 Lucky Fiona Calendar!!! We were so excited to hear the news and have already ordered our calendar. Lucky Fiona on Etsy is only making 20 of these calendars, so if you'd like one...these would make a great gift for those dog lovers...go quick and order one now! Proceeds from this calendar sale will benefit the animal shelter in central Illinois where they adopted Fiona from too!

Old Magazines=New Cards!

While waiting for my mosaic projects to dry I leafed through my favorite Elle magazines for some inspiration...I'm never dissapointed with the beautiful glossy choices to create with! When I spotted this beautiful plum colored page I just knew it would be perfect for my mod tree cards!


Cut into simple spheres, this page became my "Orb notecards". Each one their own color combination but together a beautiful set! Perfect to send a note, a generous 6 1/2 x 5 size with plenty of space to jot your thoughts. Here's an idea from my friend Rita, she loved her handmade card so much she framed it...voila' mini art!

All of these blank notecard sets are now available in my Etsy shop, a perfect gift for your favorite teacher, hostess or friend!

Cool Blogs From Cool People

Happy Thursday! Time for sharing more cool blogs!

A knitting magician in Las Vegas? Now that's cool! Check out All Things Tangled and read Send in the Clowns! A magician dating a clown, now posing as a mime??? Only in Vegas! When was the last time you went to a party and saw Liberace and Marilyn Monroe? How cool is that? Read Liberace to find out more! I'm a sock lover, I just have to have my feet cuddled up in socks...even in the summer at night. It's just a comfort thing for me, or maybe it stems from my childhood when my grandma used to send us a new pair of crocheted slippers each Christmas. So when I saw these Christmas socks I just had to add them to my favorites...one question remains...are they magic socks?



Daily Dream-Daily Doodle is such a cool name for a blog it captured my attention right away! This Etsy seller makes jewelry to drool over...I would like one of everything please (hint: to the family). Read My Brooch and you'll see what I mean...incredible talent! What a surprise to be reading along in her blog and come upon this post titled "Sunday" and say to myself, "Hey, that looks like Dana Point Harbor". Now that's very cool to find out that we are both from the OC! Here's what living in the OC has inspired her to make..."The Citrus Tree Necklace".

Come back next Thursday for more cool blogs!

Which collar should Lucy choose?

Talk about a "lucky dog", Lucy just got picked as this week's official "Friend of Fiona" and won a new custom collar from LuckyFiona on Etsy. I am having a hard time choosing which collar to pick...they all are so cute! We need your help!
Take a look around in her shop and then leave your comment below and next week I'll tally up the votes! Don't miss Lucy's 15 minutes of fame at http://www.luckyfiona.blogspot.com/!

"Cool Blogs From Cool People"

There are sooooo many cool blogs , I'm glad that I'll be doing this feature every Thursday so I can share them all with you!

Here's my picks for this week:

Robot Love definitely makes my cool blog list! First off, she has a post titled "That's cool..." where she talks about her purse contents called "Inside Friday". Each week she gives us a picture of what's inside...I don't know if I'd be brave enough to share my purse! It makes you wonder if what you carry in your purse tells a lot about you? I look forward to seeing the evolution of her contents week to week! I also think it's so cool that she has a close relationship with her sister...she mentions her in almost every post! Very cool! Take a look at what they create together, these lovely fabric pears!


There is just something cool about food plushies! So my next pick is Midnight Snack.

With Thanksgiving just around the corner, and the expectation of cooking a turkey, I just may have to get a turkey plushie to throw in the oven for the looks...as I slink off to the grocery store and buy my pre-ordered turkey dinner! I'm a bit lazy when it comes making the turkey! These super cool turkeys are available on Etsy. What a surprise to find her article, "Trying New Things" and read about her first mosaic project! You know as a mosaic artist I think that is cool and she also talks about my friend Jennifer(who gave me all my eyes) from RockCandyMosaics! Super coolness bonus points!

I think I hear the Ice Cream Man!

One of my fondest childhood memories of summer is that magical tinny sound of "Pop Goes the Weasel" coming around the corner. My brother and I would dash through the screen door at lightening speed to shake out some change from my Mom. Our biggest fear was that no kids on our street would flag him down and we'd run outside only to see the back of his truck turning the corner. It seemed like the end of the world as kids!

These days my neighborhood has no stickered singing trucks driving through and I feel a little sad for my kids that they don't get to enjoy the thrill of the Ice Cream Man. Where did he go? Did he trade in his truck and start working at Cold Stone? Maybe the price of gas shut down his business? Does he still come to your neighborhood?

Featured Etsy Shop~Flowering Moon Designs

Joanne of Flowering Moon Designs has a self proclaimed obsession with glass. It is her medium of choice when it comes to making mosaics. I just love the garden stones that she creates! The beautiful iridescent glass shimmers and shines in the sunlight. What a gorgeous piece of artwork to have in your garden beds. I'm not the only one who loves these...the Etsy shoppers have cleaned her out and this is the last one available! What a steal at only $16.00!

Another signature design of hers are these beautiful and useful mosaic wall hooks. Everyone could use one of these in their house to hold keys, or your dog's leash. Art with a purpose, you got to love it! Again she's used those beautiful iridescent pieces of glass that catch the light.

For all of the musicians out there that are looking for some unique artwork, take a look at this mosaic guitar she created for an EMA (Etsy Mosaic Artists) challenge earlier this year, titled "Dragonfly Medley". Joanne's husband is a musician and this inspired her to join together her passion for art with his passion for music. What a romantic and beautiful idea! Her husband must really love her since he parted with his mint condition Martin Backpacker guitar! It even comes with the Martin gig bag!

Besides mosaics, Joanne is also an amazing stained glass artist. If you love fairies and angels then you'll love this! This is an inexpensive way to have the feel of a stained glass window in your home!

Joanne will also do custom orders! Be sure to visit

her Etsy shop Flowering Moon Designs to see more of her beautiful art!

Perfect for a Mermaid

The Mermaid Mirror
Originally uploaded by smashgirl

Living in California near the beach certainly inspires me. Seashells are so beautiful so I thought that I'd use them for my first mosaic mirror. I used a layered style and set the shells on top of one another. I really love the feminity that the shells create. The Mermaid Mirror is currently for sale in my Etsy shop. More shell creations coming soon!

Don't miss the "Yart Sale" going on now until Friday June 20th. Selected mosaics are 20% off and I have a special "10 Dollar Sale" section also. Search "Yart Sale" on Etsy for all participating shops!

Stella is a dummy!

See, she really is a dummy. A dummy that belongs to Julia and Marie the mother- daughter team from TheJulReeBox shop on Etsy. I stumbled across their forum post the other day titled, "Name That Dummy". I just had to go check it out! Here's what it said:

Enter to win beautiful Double Jasper Earrings!! Name our display girl. She has been called: Hortense, Mindless Chick, Sha-Goon-Da-La, Hey You, Brainless Dummy, Face-Less Wonder, Invisible Man, Not Another Pretty Face, Etc., Etc., .... but we want to do her proud. We will choose her new name from the first hundred applicants. Come join the fun! Convo us your entry or go through the forum/promotions under NAME THAT DUMMY!!

She looked like a Stella to me, so I entered my pick and I won! I just love their sense of humor! Stella looks like a million bucks, don't you think?
Here are my two favorite picks from their shop:

I love the bright bold colors of the "Ole" necklace! So spicy!

The "Blue-Green Sea" bracelet is perfect for a beachy girl like me. I love bracelets that have lots of movement and the colors are so pretty! Both are available for sale in their Etsy shop, The JulReeBox.
Thanks ladies and have fun with Stella!

The Story of Stella

You'd think it would be easy being "The Lady in Red". You're beautiful, people stare at you, and someone even wrote a song about you. What could be wrong? Why is "The Lady in Red" so depressed and drinking alone in a bar? Stella(her real name)can never get away with wearing any other colors. The paparazzi would have a field day if she was seen in the grocery store wearing blue! Men are afraid to even approach her and ask her out for a date. Life can be pretty lonely when you are a legend...will Stella ever meet her man?

Will Stella go home with Stan and live happily ever after, or will Stan and Stella both go home alone? Well it's up to the buyers in my Etsy shop...will they buy one or both???

To be continued...