fantasy art and tree chatter of aquariann

Storybooks still fill my mind with childlike wonder. A stroll around Faerie Moon Creations does the same. The Little Red Riding Hood necklace to the right is only one of seven iconic fairy tale characters that Theresa MacNaughton painted into an enchanting collection. She certainly accomplishes her goal to craft whimsical handmade jewelry and original art that makes your heart sing and has you feeling forever young at heart. When asked what inspires her to create, Theresa replied, "Deer in the woods ... butterflies on flowers ... leaves floating through the air ... the sun shining in the sky, and the stars glowing in the night ... faerie whispers on the wind ... in other words - magic. And it is through this natural magic that I wish to inspire YOU." And to motivate you to give her works a loving home, she's offering Etsy coupon code FAERIE10 to save 10% off your entire purchase, before shipping fees. Most of her jewelry is one-of-a-kind. However, if the Big Bad Wolf...

Last year, I had lofty hopes of participating in each monthly FAE Art Dare and being able to release my first calendar from the ACEOs produced. I hit the sky flying with my Star Stretch illustration of a winged wolf for the January Full Moon ... and then crashed back to earth. Daily life distracted me from drawing any more lunar lovelies. This year, I'm determined to create enough new art works to put together a collection for 2012. For inspiration, I rocketed around the planet of Etsy to find out what wondrous 2011 calendars other fantasy artists dreamt up. 1. Whimsical Landscapes 2011 Calendar by Juli Cady Ryan 2. Enchantment & Fantasy Art 2011 Calendar by Rachel Anderson 3. 2011 Fantasy Art Calendar by Samantha Nowak Illustrations 4. Miniature Fairy House 8x10 Calendar by Spirited Woodland

Lindsay of FaerieMajikk spends hours painting the visions of the dreamer. Her adoration of fantasy art began during childhood when her brother gave her a unicorn poster out of a magazine. Years later, her art is still very much inspired by a child's ability to unquestioningly believe in fantastical things. Her shop glimmers with fairies and elven queens, sirens and vampires. It is truly a place without limits or boundaries. Painting ordinary still life and landscapes have never appealed to Lindsay. Creating fantasy art is not merely a want, it's a need. Her advice to other artists is "All I can say is create what you love, what you have a passion for, never give up on your dreams and always keep learning - that's the most important I think, being open to new things, techniques, etc." Want to advertise your shop and help support my blog at the same time? Become a blog sponsor like FaerieMajikk !

Slip on a velvety cloak and follow Sylvie Branch into a forest where fairies flit freely through the brittle brush and leaves. Peer closely with your human eyes, as dryads and sprites may blend into the woods at first. Don't forget to look above and below your line of sight - my tree fairy lounges up on a limb, while an adorable acorn pixie keeps watch on a log. Forest Fairies Curated By: SylvieBranch ArtFire.com

The wizard of Pacific Coast Designs & Vintage Finds has dreamed of a place where troubles melt like lemon drops. But the journey there can't be all rainbows and bluebirds - my flying monkey magnet has swooped in to spy upon Dorothy and Toto's trek down the yellow brick road. "Somewhere, over the rainbow, skies are blue. And the dreams that you dare to dream Really do come true." -The Wizard of Oz

I opened my fantasy art Etsy shop four years ago, after a super sweet jewelry artist, Aimee of Jewel Street Designs discovered my work at a craft fair and enthusiastically insisted I check out Etsy. I had been halfheartedly trying to sell my art online at deviantArt and eBay , but both venues had made me feel akin to microscopic plankton drifting silently through infinite waters. The amount of support from fellow Etsians in the first month alone could have powered a rocket to Saturn. My first sale was on July 17, 2006, only days after I listed my first item. Can you imagine my elation as I packed my very first fantasy art magnet to ship to Jenny of Sneddonia Designs , all the way across the sea in the United Kingdom? I've been just as excited for every sale since - I can barely believe I received my 300th last week from Brenda of Brenda's Beads & More in Washington! *tap dances* It's amazing to ponder my artwork residing in so many places around the world. After br...

Stretch your fairy wings and take flight with Fantasy Artist of Etsy , Kelly of She's That Girl Soap Shop . My Ashley fairy and her butterfly friend are taking a moment to breathe in this whimsical collection of vivacious purples.

I'm as giddy as a grasshopper to announce that my fantasy art 8x10 prints and bookmarks are now available at The Yoga Studio on Rt. 24 in Lewes, Delaware! I take bellydance classes there and my teacher, Viviana Matthews (you may remember me mentioning her on National Dance Day ) was kind enough to show my online etsy shop to the owner, Andrea Kennedy. Oh dearie my, was I nervous when I brought my art by for her to see in person! I've been trying for months to get the guts to start approaching brick and mortar galleries and shops, but the kamikaze butterflies in my tummy have always convinced me otherwise. However, Andrea was very sweet so I didn't rush out crying. She carries several items from local businesses and students, including jewelry from the Heidi Lowe Gallery and skin care products from Essensia Spa. I think my art will mesh quite well with the energy of her studio!

This week is your last chance to swim through the Fantasy Artists of Etsy exhibition, Secrets of the Sea , before it bubbles away to reveal our next theme, Hearth and Harvest . Meri of Elfling Creations has managed to lure her favorites from the exhibition into the magnificent collection below. I'm floating because my Treasure mermaid bookmark is included amongst the intricate shells and scales.

Glitter me impressed. I not only got an automated message from Artfire that my Aware fairy print is showcased in one of their new Artfire Member Curated Collections - they also provided the code to embed a widget into a website, with the option of four different sizes and background colors. Thank you fairy much to Katrina Marie for including my art in her enchanting collection and enlightening me to this hot new Artfire feature! Fairy Dreams Curated By: KatrinaMarieD... ArtFire.com

Tracy of mztracyr designs and Rita of Rita's Creations have concocted treasuries that will turn you positively emerald. My Peridot dragon is featured in both. Jealous, aren't you?

Mauby's shop must have a mammoth dream catcher hanging in its imaginary window - just gaze at all the vibrant colors she's strung together from Etsy Twitter Team members' art. My damsel ... in distress? and her dragon friend are pleased to crash at this magnificent castle in the air. "Sweet dreams are made of this Who am I to disagree? Travel the world and the seven seas Everybody's looking for something" -Eurythmics

Nihan of nihanatakan design studio has cast a collection of olivine proportions. And not a month too soon, as peridot is the birthstone for August. My Peridot dragon clutches his jewel close for success and strength of heart. The gem also protects from nightmares and helps turn dreams to reality. Like dragons, peridot is born of fire and has even fallen from the sky in meteorites. It's most commonly uncovered in volcanoes, hence once being cherished by native Hawaiians as the tears of the goddess Pele. But don't cry if you can't afford any of these handmade treasures this moment - add it to your wish list and perhaps the power of peridot will make it come true.

My Nightmare Before Christmas wallet from Hot Topic loyally haunted my purse for six years ... but when my ID began jumping out of its torn window, I knew it was finally time to lay Jack and Sally to rest. I decided to treat myself to a handmade wallet instead. After scouring Etsy, I was hypnotized by the dozens of pop culture wallets from Custom Wallets . It was tempting to check out immediately with a Nintendo, Smurfs, Wonder Woman or of course, Nightmare Before Christmas design. Then I read the shop announcement and discovered I could request any theme. Would it be Strawberry Shortcake, Jem or She-Ra? The Last Unicorn or Rogue and Gambit? Oh, the possibilities were endless. And then it hit me with silly string - why not order a wallet of my very own art? And behold, Jeremy worked his magic with duct tape and clear tape to create a classic bi-fold style with flip out ID and two credit card slots crawling with my creatures.

Twirl into the glimmering night with Fantasy Artist of Etsy , Amanda of Spiral Moon. My Star Stretch magnet has gravitated into her homage of that mysterious orb in the sky. "Moons and Junes and ferris wheels, the dizzy dancing way you feel as every fairy tale comes real; I've looked at love that way." -Joni Mitchell

Stop and roll to this Etsy Twitter Team treasury, sprinkled together by Jewelry Drops . My Peridot dragon pinback button is having a staring contest with the gorgeous girl modeling Mandizzle's silk flower hair clip in sage. Wonder who will blink first?

Tracy of A Fabulous Flair has been going color-happy since she discovered the joys of making Etsy treasuries. Last week I shared her Guess that's why they call it the blues... theme, but this rosy-cheeked collection was actually her first born back on June 28th. It features a pinback button of the tree fairy that watches over my blog. "Yes, painting the roses red! Not pink, not green, not aquamarine! We're painting the roses red! " -Alice in Wonderland

Anyone that's spied my art (or just my handwriting) could guess I adore lines that curl and twist. I'm giddy that Nancy's Romance swept my Peridot dragon magnet off its coiled tail and into this spectacular collection.

If you're feeling glum, spend a moment to admire this fantastic collection finessed by Tracy of A Fabulous Flair . I smile every time I see that magnet of my Ashley fairy , based on a bubbly blond roommate of mine from college, and hope you will, too. "Live for each second Without hesitation " -Elton John

Fellow Fantasy Artist of Etsy , Kelly of She's That Girl Soap Shop invoked the power of pixie dust and a magnet of my breast cancer awareness fairy Aware was amongst the pretty handmade items that fluttered forth.