Where the Wild Things Are! BESTeam Feature

Where are the wild things?  Check out these wild and adorable "critters" from etsy's BESTeam shops! This week post features Babamoon, Las Flores del Sur and Absolutely Kismet!   

 


These darlin' little lamb and bunny hats are from Babamoon!The bunny comes is a variety of colors.  Either one or even both of these would be a great gift for a newborn! There is even a bunny hat for adults!


 


Las Flores del Sur has this lovely owl necklace - a silver toned owl and blue beads - gorgeous!

   
I love animal prints so this necklace from Absolutely Kismet immediately caught my eye! 


 
Absolutely Kismet also has these very cool spider wine charms!  October is just around the corner, these would be perfect for Halloween! This set of four comes in a variety of colors.

Machu Picchu, Peru

We recently spent a week in Peru visiting Machu Picchu and the Sacred Valley!  What a beautiful country!  It was a wonderful vacation full of interesting sites and long hikes.  We spent several nights in Cusco which was the former capital of the Inca empire. Its narrow streets and plazas reflect life long ago.  Some of the highlights of this little city include Sacsayhuamán which is a walled complex made of large polished dry-stone walls, each boulder carefully cut to fit together tightly without mortar; a piece of paper cannot fit between the stones     - the stonehenge of South America - so unbelievably amazing; just as impressive as Machu Picchu.  Around the corner from our hotel was a Chocolate Museum. Create your own chocolate bar ( visions of I Love Lucy pop in my head as she and Ethel work in the candy factory).  We enjoyed walking around the town - there was something interesting around every corner.

Machu Picchu was our next stop - a definite must-see! Built by the Incas around 1450, it was abandoned about 100 years later. Although it was known to the locals, Hiram Bingham "rediscovered" it and brought it to the attention of the outside world one hundred years ago. There are many different theories about the origin and purpose of this amazing urban center.

 Ollantaytambo is a living Inca town in the Sacred valley and on the way to Machu Picchu. The town is located below the spectacular Inca ruins. It has been built on top of original Inca foundations and is the best surviving example of Inca town planning.

BESTeam Feature: Lovely Whites!

Lovely Whites is the theme for this week and it will feature items from three BESTeam shops from Etsy:

Knitful Dezigns, Off the Wall Expressions, and Jewelry by Jaynemarie. 






Check out these lovely white hats from Knitful Dezigns...The sweet little summer beanie with a bow and the very cute sun hat for those sunny days!  You are guaranteed to look lovely!












Off the Wall Expressions will add some lovely whites to your home decor:

 
  These Lovely high quality vinyl designs are an easy and economical way to add your personality to your home. It's a quick way to renovate a room and add a little pizazz! The designs are easy to mount and remove.


 Who can resist these lovely pearly whites from Jewelry by Jaynemarie! These are the perfect accessories for not only a wedding but for any occasion! Make an elegant statement! Jaynemarie specializes in Bridal jewelry and welcomes custom orders.

BESTteam Feature of the Week - Absolutely Kismet

This week's BESTeam post is featuring Absolutely Kismet, another wonderful Etsy shop! You will find a collection of wine charms, hemp jewelry, necklaces, earrings, stitch markers, and bracelets.   

I love this tiger striped heart pendant!  Animal prints are always in style!  And this is a way to add a pizazz to a subdued outfit. Make a statement!


 
These alphabet wine charms are too cute!  Six charms come in a set, so you can select which six letters you'd like! A great gift; so unique.  If your friends are not fond of wine, they can be attached to coffee mugs or tea cups - perfect for a Sunday brunch or afternoon tea.
 
The Bow-tie Wine charms are so adorable!  They are available in a variety of colors that you can pick from.


For the knitters, there are stitch markers, another great gift or just something nice for yourself. 

You can  follow Absolutely Kismet on Facebook and Blogger!
http://www.facebook.com/AbsolutelyKismet
http://absolutelykismet.blogspot.com/

BESTeam - Empty on the Inside

Watch out Hallmark! These beautifully artistically created handcrafted cards from Empty on the Inside will become a worthy competitor!  Cards for every occasion are available. The cards are "empty on the inside" so that you can write your own personal message for that special person and occasion!
 
I love this Iris card!                This Bouquet is also lovely! There are several different flower cards - these are just two.

 

I am always fond of abstract designs and love the color combinations in these cards! 
 

Who can resist this adorable pup?!


You can also order a dozen of your favorite cards!  There is a card for every special person in your life as well as every special occasion!
 

Sneak Peek!

The creative slump is over!  For months I have been totally uninspired, uncreative, and unmotivated to make any jewelry.  I am happy to report that I spent the entire weekend creating necklaces!  The first little collection is Oriental Blues.  We have been in Chile for over a year now, and this weekend I felt slightly "homesick" for Thailand - I 'd enjoy a delicious meal at the River Tree House, the torrential rain storms, and a trip to the Weekend Market. All those blue & white beads were calling me......

Cluster Pendant

The next little collection has been a work in progress, but I actually accomplished quite a bit on it today. Our school colors are red, white, & blue and the mascot is the eagle. So I put together some school spirit necklaces and earrings. The earrings are basic, but I plan to make some others with beads, etc. Which of these spirit necklaces do you like best?

Charm Necklace

Drop Pendants

Charm Cluster on leather

I hope to add these to my etsy shop this week! 

BESTeam - Upcycle, Recycle, Reuse

This week's feature is Upcycle, Recycle, Reuse - an eco-friendly shop with a mission to prevent the wasting of useful materials by making use of existing ones.  There are a variety of lovely handcrafted paper products which are created from "old" products which now have a new, fresh appearance.

 

I love this cat journal!  The front and back covers are from a cat calendar!  (What a great idea - always hate to throw away those beautiful calendars!)

  

Here is a set of 5 butterfly gift tags - feels like springtime!

 

Another one of my favorites - a set of 3 little envelopes! Great for little gifts, cards, storing tiny treasures and small trinkets. These interior design envelopes are so clever!  There are also envelopes featuring cats, fruit, flowers, butterflies, and tigers

It's never too early to plan ahead for the holidays!  These little boxes are perfect for those miniature gifts - no paper or tape needed!  Place the gift inside and your gift is ready to go! A simple little time saver - especially for those who dislike wrapping.

 There are a variety of cards for different occasions, holiday gift boxes, paper embellishments, upcycle containers, and handmade tags. Go green and help the environment!

You can also visit Upcycle, Recycle, and Reduce's blog.

BESTeam - Zen 25 Release Me Creations

After reading Maureen's profile, I felt that I could relate to her!  She began creating jewelry while she stayed with her parents during the last few months of her father's illness. In search of a distraction and a release from the day to day stress, she began to craft jewelry. It gave her a positive way to channel her energies. Creating jewelry became a way of meditation.  It created an incredible release for her heart, mind, and soul. This resulted in her etsy shop -  Release Me Creations. Something similar happened to me in 1995. I spent the summer with my parents while my father had to have an aneurysm in his stomach removed.  Driving back and forth to the doctors (an hour trip one way) and the hospital - compiled with worry and stress - I needed something else to occupy my mind. I discovered small quilts and figured I could easily sew one!  I found a sense of peace and a release of the stress I felt.

Ok - this post is about Maureen's etsy shop which has such unique necklaces, bracelets, rings, earrings, and cuff links/tie tacks!  I cannot pick a favorite as I love them all! The Love Letter Necklace, Nautical Compass Necklace,  Tiny Carousel Necklace, and Nautical Dive Helmet are just too darling! (Click on the photo to be transported to Release Me Creations).

 

 Check out this whimsical Pewter Castle Ring:

You can also visit Maureen here:

Her Website  www.releasemecreations.com

Blog http://releasemecreate.blogspot.com/

Faceboook http://www.facebook.com/pages/Fort-Worth-TX/Release-Me-Creations/187693621254709

Twitter  http://www.twitter.com/releasemecreate

BESTeam Back to School Linky Party

It's that time of year again...new crayons & pencils, notebooks & binders, lunch boxes and books, and sports events! Our Home to Yours is hosting a back to school linky party  beginning today!  Stop by and have a look at all the great items that will celebrate the start of a new school year! 

I've included a School Spirit Necklace - which is available in a variety of colors - just let me know your school colors and I'll make one for you.

 

A classic cluster pendant to wear to support your team - whether is it high school, college, or professional.  I wore one to a college reunion and high school reunion.

The Boosting Etsy Shops Team (BEST) is a group of Etsy sellers from around the world, representing a wide variety of crafts, products and services sold. We are team mates and we are friends, we encourage and we challenge each other to better ourselves and our businesses – and together, we are the BEST!

BESTteam Feature of the Week - ChickyD

What little fashionista wouldn't love a shop that is full of hair accessories! ChickyD at etsy has a huge bow bowtique along with totes, hats, clippies, and headbands.  Looking at all the adorable bows made me long for those days when my daughter was young enough to love bows!  This bow is my favorite - I love animal prints!
 


The korker style bow has always been a favorite style: How girly and cute!


 


Here 's a great gift for a baby shower or to welcome the newborn! So sweet - the bow is detachable so it can be worn with or without the bow.

No one is too young to cheer for her favorite team and show a little spirit by wearing a bow!  Look for your favorite team - Chicago Bulls or Black hawks, Iowa Buckeyes, University of Notre Dame, Chicago Cubs, Minnesota Vikings, and Chicago Bears.

Let's not forget the holidays.  All little fashionistas will look festive for Halloween, Christmas, and even on that first day of school!


 


If you see something you like, but need another color - convo ChickyD as she is happy to work with you on a custom design.


ChickyD has a second etsy shop that sells vintage and retro photographs, Danizabeth.  
You can also find her at  Facebook. Stop by and  "like" her page for updates and news:
http://www.facebook.com/ChickyDsAccessories


Follow her on Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/Danizabeth2