First, I must apologize for being behind on this post. I thought I'd posted it, but it was hiding in my queue! It's been one of those weeks...

This week's feature is Jewelery by Janelle. There are so many extremely talented artists and artisans out there, but every now and then you run across a shop that really has...that je ne sais quoi that hits you. For me, Jewelry by Janelle's shop is just that.

It's her use of woods that really gets to me. I love natural woods in my home, be it furniture, paneling, or a piece of driftwood on the wall, but the textures, colors, and absolute glamor that she brings to life in jewelry (and in the last case below, a magnificent box) from is truly beautiful.

And I'd be remiss if I didn't mention that she also creates equally lovely non-wood jewelry. I was particularly struck by this snowflake obsidian set she has listed. It's subtle yet striking and would pair wonderfully with so many outfits, formal or casual.

Make sure to check out her blog! She regularly features other artisans and is currently hosting a giveaway for one of her delicious bangles!

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Eye Candey 12/26/2010
 
Who doesn't love candy? With Eye Candey, you're getting a lot of 'candey' -- from awesome crafty goodies to anything you can possibly conceive of being printed. I really love the funky feel that the candey shops have, and it's a ton of fun looking through them.

Some of the neatest things I found were these edible image cupcake toppers. My favorites were these paisley ones and rag doll ones:

I also found these cute little resin flowers pretty charming, from the crafty shop.

On top of all of the fun stuff and awesome printing services available from Eye Candey, you're also in for a treat on the blog. You'll find quirky and interesting commentary on equally quirky and interesting products, companies, news, and updates on what's new with Eye Candey -- including a new storefront! How cool is that?

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I'm not really a 'group' person, and have always had a difficult time getting involved in interest groups. Awhile ago, I, for some reason, was motivated to join the HAF group, and I'm so glad I did!

I've always felt very welcomed and encouraged by the members and have never felt isolated from the cool kids, like I usually do in other groups. The chats, support, suggestions, and frank answers are a refreshing change and an invaluable resource.

If, as an artist, artisan, or crafter, you're looking for a new home with a multitude of strengths and interests, definitely check out the Handmade Artist Forum. It's a hub for discussions, advertising, community, and you can even put up a shop, if you so desire.


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Jennifer of Mewes Mountain Arts is our handmade artist, this week.  She lives in the beautiful Rocky Mountains of Colorado where she's able to look out into her backyard and see the self-proclaimed family mountain.  Always a black sheep, she's bounced from the fine arts, all over the country, and finally settled on information technology as a career.
Her jewelry is colorful and textural, as you can see by her Red Foilage bracelet above.  With this piece, she's combined several different types of red beads into a lovely, fall arrangement for your wrist.  

Jennifer is very influenced by her religion, and has a giving spirit.  For example, the lanyard below proceeds breast cancer awareness.  She's know many people touched by this cruel disease, and is working to make a difference.  She's combined various silver elements into a useful, pretty piece.
You can visit both her Etsy and Handmade Artist Forum shops by clicking to the items below, and visit her inspirational blog here.
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This week has been a fraught of computer and networking issues, so I'm terribly behind on getting this feature ready.  This week's artisan is baublezptoa! 

A self-proclaimed ex-hippie, Carmen began her jewelry career right after high school when she found her local bead shop.  She strung for friends and family, but soon found herself drawn away when the local bead shop closed and school and work picked up in intensity.  Her talent laid low while she maneuvered herself through the corporate world, but it came into full bloom when she began searching for a new way of life.

Since she made that break from 'the real world', she's acquired more and more skills and explored her artistic abilities and talents in many different areas.  One of her more recent accomplishments was to gain her certification in Precious Metal Clay.  The below piece uses PMC as a base for two lovely peridot cubic zirconias.
Carmen's certification in PMC allows her to share her knowledge and skills with others.  I'm a pretty bad teacher and have a weird learning style, so I have a great deal of respect for anyone who's able to communicate with others and allow them to explore new things.  That said, she prefers to stay in the studio and design, sculpt, and tweak her pieces.  

The piece below really caught my eye.  The glitz of the cabochon is unbeatable and snazzy, and you can see how much care she puts into her pieces in the detailing around the sides and top.
Another part of her life is her animals.  She has a beautiful fur family, and I really enjoyed looking through her galleries.  Currently, baublezptoa is donating 30% of sales to Best Friends Animal Sanctuary.  Pet lovers will also love the paw print medallion at the top of the page.  Everyone will love at least one of the drool-worthy, fine-art pendants!  Absolutely gorgeous.

You can find baublezptoa's shop on etsy, as well.  She has a website here, and a blog where you can read about her crafts and other artist features.
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Travel inspires many artists, whether it's other artisans creating beautiful things in a new, exciting way, the vistas, beautiful building, the exotic taste of another language, the novel flavors of a foreign dish, or simply just the time away from daily life.  This week's artist, Holly of Tuscan Road Designs, is no different and found herself in a new, creative world after her visit to the island of Murano.
Her style is very eclectic and feminine, and you'll be able to find rustic, organic designs and frilly, victorian-esque designs snuggled next to clean-lined, modern and bold, colorful designs. It's a candy shop where almost anyone would be able to find something to suit their tastes.
Her outstanding collection and gallery of jewelry is only part of her day-to-day life.  After taking lampwork classes, inspired by the beauty of the glass artists discovered on her journeys, she taught and she shared her knowledge with her son.  Her son, in turn, shares his experiences with wildlife rehabilitation.  You can read all about the baby owls (who are disgustingly cute) on her blog.
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Another week, another fabulously talented artist!  I'm pleased to introduce you to Kazumi, a Japanese artist who specializes in sock monkeys and chalk art.  Or should I say diversity?  She doesn't just stop at sock monkeys and chalk art, and has a wide range of products -- from baby clothes to coin purses to amigurumi and more.

Kazumi is a very busy businesswoman and artist and has her creations all over the internet.  Her zazzle shop includes a wide variety of merchandise featuring her fabulous, playful designs.  I'm currently visiting family for a wedding, and this design stuck out and made me grin:
You can read all about her sock monkeys here.  She has profiles of her monkeys, so you can learn all about her socky family and friends.  Just make sure to have you 5 bananas ready to pay your subscription! :)

Her chalk art can be found here.  These pieces would make a great signboard for a restaurant or kitchen, a welcome sign for a baby shower or wedding, or just as an artistic welcome to your home.  Here are two of my favorites:
But don't be fooled, she doesn't stop there!  Another etsy shop houses some of her sewing, crochet, and smaller art pieces.  Check out her coin purses and ACEO and other art! 
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