fantasy art and tree chatter of aquariann

EDIT: Handmade giveaway is officially over. Congratulations to Edmond Leung for submitting the randomly-chosen 91st entry. Porter & Hazel will email you soon with instructions on how to claim your prize. While exploring Virginia's Natural Bridge for our anniversary last month, a tour guide walking by told us to follow her. Perhaps it was the comic book shirt Ogre was wearing, but she said we seemed like souls who wouldn't want to miss this tucked away treasure. Off the path, on a rock we may have never noticed, was carved a J.R.R. Tolkien quote, "STILL ROUND THE CORNER THERE MAY WAIT A NEW ROAD OR A SECRET GATE; AND THOUGH I OFT HAVE PASSED THEM BY, A DAY WILL COME AT LAST WHEN I SHALL TAKE THE HIDDEN PATHS THAT RUN WEST OF THE MOON, EAST OF THE SUN." She said it was a mystery who carved it, then moved on to let us revel in the magic of the moment. When returning home from vacation, I found I had been contacted to host a giveaway for Porter & Hazel . The...

EDIT: Giveaway is officially over. Congratulations to Darlene Demell for submitting the randomly-chosen 88th entry. Milan will email you with instructions to claim your prize within 24 hours. As soon as real tulips began blooming in my town, the fairies whisked away the magic tulip in my yard to another soul in need of a flower pick-me-up. If you yearn for more spring flowers in your life year-round, Milan of SNiS Leather Goods makes the cutest tulip wallet! And he's giving one away to a lucky winner. The credit card case is made of 100% natural leather and is designed to hold four standard credit or ID cards. Milan's interest in making leather products began when he was just 14. He'd spend hours in his father's workshop, watching his dad create various leather items. Eventually, Milan tried his own hand at making something and fell in love with the process of using raw materials to design something beautiful. Later he fell even more in love with a creative woman...

I rarely make New Year's resolutions, but this year I am determined to harmonize my home. First on my list is organizing my jewelry collection. 2014 marked my fifth year of hosting and entering giveaways, so I've collected quite a bit of bling for free. The last (but not least) addition to arrive before the new year was these magnificent Mother of Pearl earrings by Rica Jewels . I'm taking the arrival as a good sign for 2015, because Mother of Pearl is said to attract prosperity. The shiny shell earrings certainly made me feel like a million bucks when I wore them on New Year's Eve! But I'm not bogarting all the good fortune to myself. One of my readers will win another pair of Mother of Pearl earrings from Rica Jewels. Don't miss your chance to enter Jewelry Giveaway before January 10, 2015. Disclaimer: I received these free earrings as a thank you gift for hosting a jewelry giveaway. If you think your creations would harmonize with my whimsical rambli...

The 2013 Halloween Shop Hop Linky has crawled back into its grave until next year! Thanks to the ghouls that played this year. Congratulations to Beaded Embellishments for her crystal cluster necklace getting the most clicks. Below is an Etsy treasury of submissions that are still available to buy at time of update. Halloween Orange and Black C... beadedembellis... $70 ...

EDIT: Giveaway is officially over. Congratulations to the randomly chosen 174th commenter, Tirabaralla ! Summer is in full swing! The dance clubs and amusement parks are jamming with people. No lady wants to lug around a full size purse to such bustling places, so Citlalli of Sew Beastly has designed an Itsy Bitsy Wristlet handbag line. These cute bags are the perfect size to fit the essentials and still strap comfortably around a wrist. Each is adorned with a ruffle and outside pocket that closes with a metal snap. Inside has two small open pockets, great for separating cosmetics from cash and phone. The winner of this handmade giveaway gets to choose one Itsy Bitsy Wristlet , priced at $21, from her new Etsy shop. Citlalli offers a variety of purses, wristlets and pouches. Most of her products are limited editions, made with repurposed fabrics she's saved from being toted away to landfills. She adores working with ruffles, because they bring such life to fabric. She also digs ja...

Drink up, me hearties, yo ho! This plunder of handmade goods rifled together by Captain Elutheria marks me 50th treasury feature! It has everything ye need to sail the seven seas in style, including a spyglass necklace, maroon tricorn hat, and crocheted monkey minion. Don't forget the cloth treasure map to guide ye, the wooden sword to protect ye and me pirate bookmark to save ye place.

I'm usually a pomegranate cranberry juice and pear vodka kind of girl, but this eve calls for champagne! Wouldn't it be swell as a bell to ring in the new year while sipping from a stunningly handmade flute? Have a wonderful time tonight, no matter the type of glassware you use to toast to the future. I hope the coming months bring you closer to achieving all of your finest dreams. 1. Sea of Tranquility Champagne Chalices by Lach Arts 2. Hand Engraved Champagne Flutes, 'Branches and Leaves' by Daydreem Designs 3. Hard Glass Lampwork Champagne Flutes by Our Glass Creations 4. Peacock Champagne Flutes by Mary Elizabeth Arts "Drinking champagne from a paper cup Is never quite the same And every sip's moving through my eyes And up into my brain" - Death Cab For Cutie

Brrr! Get out of the staggering cold and come rest by the fireplace to be mesmerized by the Fantasy Artists of Etsy exhibition . Through the roaring fire and gleaming frost, you'll eye OOAK art dolls, leather masks, snow wands, magic vials, fairy jewelry, crystal cuffs, and more fantasy art than you could shake a marshmallowed stick at. EDIT: Frost and Fire has been replaced by another exhibition, but click on the screenshot below to view all the FAE items currently for sale that are tagged with the word "frost."

The other night, the Ogre and I sipped on Irish coffees, decorated the Christmas tree and watched Elf . We didn't eat a whole roll of Tollhouse cookie dough as fast as we could, but we did snuggle during the end of the movie. It's so nice to have found a soulmate that shares my affinity for elf culture. Inspired by Buddy's adventure from the North Pole to New York, I passed through the seven levels of the Candy Cane Forest during my weekly walk around the handmade hills of Etsy. I got a little dizzy in the Sea of Swirly Twirly Gum Drops, but emerged triumphantly with these adorable creations. Don't be a cotton-headed ninny-muggins - go take a closer look! 1. Candy Cane Jane Striped Neck Warmer by Mademoiselle Mermaid 2. Candy Cane Unicorn by The Dream Angels 3. Peppermint Pixie Doll Ornament by The Fairies Nest 4. Candy Kisses Holiday Top Hat in Red and White by Bubbles And Frown

I've been up since 3:30am, getting my shop on at Kohl's and JCPenney's. Mom and I brave the madness every year, but stay away from places where the crazies wrestle over Zhu Zhu pets or one HDTV. I get to pick out most of my own gifts, so that's always fun. Check out these awesome brown 'Megan' boots we scored for only $30. And hey, if you don't have to try clothes and shoes on before purchasing like I do, the doorbuster sale is available all day on JCPenney.com! Although if you're going to take advantage of any online sale this weekend, might I suggest mine? 20% off a $3.50 bookmark would make quite a unique and inexpensive stocking stuffer for the fantasy art fan in your life! Eep, but I'm tired and getting sidetracked. I'm about to crawl into my Super Girl pjs and swoop back into bed for a much needed nap. There are thousands of handmade pillows on Etsy that I'd like to rest my head upon. However, I grew up making my friends mixed tapes a...

It's the 25th Annual World Championship Punkin Chunkin this weekend. For those giving the screen a blank stare, you apparently didn't grow up in Sussex County, Delaware like I did. Or happen to flick through the Science Channel on November 1st, the day they deemed Chunk-O-Ween and devoted several hours to showcasing mighty contraptions hurling pumpkins through the air. Don't cry over splattered pulp if you missed it - you can see pumpkins fly instantly by downloading all four Punkin Chunkin episodes. I was a teenager the first time I went. It was still held in Milton, and one of the pumpkins went much further than expected and nearly hit a car on Coastal Highway. The event has since evolved onto a 1,000-acre farm in Bridgeville. They're estimating nearly 100,000 spectators this year, so I'm not going to brave the chilly madness. I wonder if any Etsyians will? There aren't any handmade items tagged with "Punkin Chunkin" on Etsy. Crushing, right? I am i...

Yesterday I quietly shared a photograph of an autumn sunset over the Nassau Valley Vineyards in Lewes, Delaware. It was a bit chilly capturing it, so today I'm trying to warm up by sharing this vibrant collection curated by J Kamakate. My Sunset unicorn magnet is basking in the brilliant embers of last sunlight.

I have been a GLEEk since last year and a Rocky Horror Picture Show fan for over 20 years, so you can imagine my excitement for last Tuesday's Glee episode. Tell me I'm not alone! I still haven't made it to a Rocky Horror film screening and gotten to throw toast at anyone, but my parents and I time warped to the 2000 Broadway Revival in New York City. The show was an absolute blast - we had front row seats and the Narrator, played by Dick Cavett , even pulled me on stage to dance with him. It's no wonder the musical is a cult classic. The quantity of Rocky Horror items available on Etsy may be low, but the quality is astounding. Time is fleeting, so take a peek at these handmade creations closely. 1. Rocky Horror Picture Show Tribute Garter by Lipstattoo Designs 2. Columbia - Rocky Horror - 8x10 Print by Power Ups 3. Dr. Frank-N-Furter Hand-embroidered Portrait by Our Daily Thread 4. Rocky Horror Picture Show Matryoshka Dolls by BoBo BaBushka

The steampunk queen of The Grand Design has pulled out her pliers and twisted together a captivating collection of handmade treasures. The gears include my Tina fairy magnet, a re-enchanted apothecary bottle, Alice in Wonderland caterpillar sculpture, daisy ankle corsets, clockwork octopus cuff links and other unique art available on Etsy.

Grab a feathery mask and dance your way to the new Fantasy Artists of Etsy exhibition . There you'll find the most marvelous accessories to adorn your next masquerade ball gown, as well as one of a kind dolls, spell candles and fine art.

Meri of Elfling Creations has curated a glimpse into the Fantasy Artists of Etsy Hearth and Harvest exhibition. The tree fairy that guards my blog is moonlighting amongst OOAK art dolls, intricate jewelry and other autumn-inspired pieces.

Last week's X-Men Friday Finds theme was in anticipation of frolicking about at Baltimore Comic-Con. True to my thrifty mutation, I picked many X-Men comic books from $.25 and $1 bins. I even splurged a blueberry bit and bought Uncanny X-Men #350 for $10. *pets shiny foil cover* I had been waiting to read the trial of Gambit for years, and devoured it as soon as we reached our hotel room Saturday night. Sunday I stumbled upon an even more delicious comic book - Strawberry Shortcake's Great Pie-Baking Contest! It was printed in April 1985, when I was only three years old. I still have the original dolls from my childhood, and even snagged the entire 80's cartoon series on VHS off eBay several years ago. In the afterglow of adding this sweet book to my collection, today's handmade finds from Etsy are devoted to Strawberry Shortcake and her berry friends. 1. Strawberry Shortcake Doll by BoriDolls Creations 2. Strawberry Shortcake Travel Crayon Holder by Crafts By Nancy ...

Happy September! It is still blistering hot in Delaware, but this new Fantasy Artists of Etsy exhibition comforts me with the brewing arrival of cooler weather and vibrantly changing leaves. Autumn is so close that I can almost taste the apple cider and pumpkin desserts! Etsy Buy Handmade FAEteam

Comic books deserve a lot of credit for the existence of my art. I was a big fan of the X-Men cartoon back in elementary school, but it wasn't until college that I avidly started collecting the comic books. After marveling at the line art and vibrant colors of the first lot of Uncanny X-Men books that I acquired from eBay, I knew I had to try drawing the characters myself. My first attempt was a mushy embrace of Gambit and Rogue scrawled in Bic pen and Crayola markers. I had so much fun that I branched out to my favorite characters from anime and 80's cartoons, and then into original fairies , dragons and other magical creatures of my own. I haven't drawn fan art in several years, but my comic book adoration is still superhero strong. Although I collect many different series, my longboxes are mostly filled with X-Men titles. And I will be raiding the Baltimore Comic-Con this weekend for even more. Hence why I decided that my first Friday Finds blog entry ever be X-Men the...

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...