Remix Studio August 5, 2008

I am a total orange freak.  I love  all things in the shade of pumpkins.  In fact, I even have a bright, Halloween orange fuzzy fleece for winter.  (This coat is my absolute favorite even though it inspired a dad at my son’s school to tell me, “You look like a furry, Halloween muppet”….. not the exact fashion statement I was after but oh, well.)

Given this passion and my love for all things “green”, it is not surprising that I am  lusting for this adorable handmade purse from Remix Studio on etsy.  Liz, the talented artist behind this bag crafted it using old t-shirts. 

 I know that just because I love orange doesn’t mean everyone else does but the cool thing with Remix Studio is you can send her your own old, well-loved t-shirt and Liz will turn it into a custom bag for you.   How cool is that? 

To find out more about Liz and her creative process, visit her blog at Remixed.

WildMagic Studio August 4, 2008

I just wanted to give a small shout out to Kristen, the artist at WildMagic Studio.  I put out a cry for help in  the Alchemy section of etsy and lickety-split, Kristen came to the rescue.

I am seriously computer challenged but I want my blog and etsy shop to look good.  I needed to have an old ad removed from Our Great Green Globe and wanted to add my etsy mini to show off my 2Monkees shop.  I had been reading in the Forums about how to add my etsy mini but had grave fears of blowing up Our Great Green Globe. 

Kristen asked me a few questions, got right to work and in a flash, I had an etsy mini and no more ad.  I have a few more changes I need to make both to my shop and to the blog before I feel like it is perfect.  I feel sooo much better now that I know I have a reliable, knowledgeable person to help me. 

Fixed Gear Gal August 1, 2008

I must have kids on the brain this week because all of my features seem to be related to those little fountains of germs and honesty.  (Maybe this has to do with the fact that this is one of the first weeks both of my kids are home with no activities all summer!) 

Even though my boys are now 8 and almost 11, they are both still VERY attached to stuffed animals.  If you dare to lift up the covers of their beds, you will always find at least 30 or more animals burrowed in the sheets.  Unfortunately, many of their critters are the boring mass produced Beanie Babies but when I showed them Fixed Gear Gal’s distinctive handmade creations, they fell in love.  They especially liked the Master of Camouflage Monster seen on the left.  They liked his crazy body shape and cute little eyes.  I loved that he is constructed using recycled materials.  In fact, all of Fixed Gear Gal’s creations are made using thrift store fabric, donated scraps, sweaters and old blankets and other odd fabrics the artist discovers.  Each monster is totally unique and makes a perfect gift for the little monster in your life!

Tulip Tree Baby July 31, 2008

I just returned from our annual family trip to visit my parents in Oklahoma.  Both of my sisters show up with all of their family and I fly in to spend some days of family fun in the blazing summer heat of Oklahoma.  All 16 of us crowd together in my parent’s house- laughing, eating and running around.  Since it is so hot, most of our time is spent splashing around in the pool.

This year, both of my sisters had kids still in diapers.  One of my sisters was trying desperately to potty train my two year old niece but as is inevitable with this process, there were lots of accidents.  She had a great bribery tactic going-pee in the potty and you get a sucker- but it was slow going.  As I watched how hard she was working, I couldn’t help but thank God that I was out of the diaper stage. 

There wasn’t much that I liked about this whole phase but when I saw Tulip Tree Baby’s wool diaper covers on Etsy, I wondered if I might have found it a little more enjoyable.  These adorable hand knit diaper covers are made of wool, a naturally deodorizing and  antibacterial fabric, reducing the need for frequent washing.  Wool is also stretchy, making it span a number of sizes for less waste.  Best of all- they are totally cute!  They make great bloomers under dresses….and for all you moms  of boys, your little tikes can just wear them with a t-shirt or under their pants.  I somehow doubt that there is much to love about the diaper stage but I think Tulip Tree Baby’s wool diaper covers might have eased the pain a little bit! 

Italian Paper Domino Tile Pendant Giveaway July 30, 2008

I have decided to have a little giveaway on my blog.  I am in absolute love with this little pendant that I made from a recycled domino tile. (I can’t take much of the credit because the paper I used is sooo fabulous.)  Often times when I finish a project, I find little things I wish I had done better but I really like this one– so, I have decided to give it away. 

How do I win you ask?  Just enter a comment in the comment box by August 10th and I will draw a random winner (with the help of my boys) on the 11th.  Good luck!

If you love giveaways and are always looking for the chance to win more swag go to Bloggy Giveaways to see all the great contests that are currently available.

Mia Joie

In my younger days, I had a never ending fantasy of having a little girl.  Don’t get me wrong, I LOVE the rough and tumble life as the mom of two boys but I always thought I would also have a girl.  (I think part of it is that I am very close with my mom and had visions of continuing this positive relationship with the next generation.)  Alas, it was not to be!  Now, I just get my girly fix by making my own jewelry and ogling little girl’s fashions. 

One shop that helps feed my need for girly is the adorable Mia Joie.   (Oh yeah, it also has booties for little boys.)  It features handmade baby shoes made from organic and repurposed fabrics.  Look at these adorable shoes pictured on the left. The artist, Jessica Haley, describes these booties as  “stylish, super soft, and ultra eco friendly. They are made from fushia organic cotton and lined with organic fleece.  In addition, this shoe has reclaimed floral insole.”  What little princess wouldn’t want to strut around in these shoes?

In addition to using organic cotton, All Mia Joie™ shoes come gift packaged in an eco-friendly and reusable fabric bag.   Mia Joie also donates 10% of all sales to Giving Children Hope, a non-profit organization that refurbishes medical equipment to assist needy children.
Jessica has a beautiful Mia Joie blog, that currently features many of her etsy favorites and also has articles talking about the importance of using organic cotton.  If you visit her blog, you can sign up for her newsletter and receive an instant $5 off coupon.   http://www.miajoie.blogspot.com/.  Check her out!

Honeysuckle Creations July 29, 2008

Checkout this VERY cool chandelier from Honeysuckle Creations.  The artist uses old slides to form her one of a kind creations.  This chandelier is fashioned from vintage slides of the 60s and 70s. The theme of this chandelier is “The Sights of the World” and it includes professional and amateur  shots from Scotland, England, Mexico, Guatemala, the Grand Canyon, ruins, Sydney Australia, the Netherlands, Seattle, India, Russia, Chile, France, Texas, Greece, Austria, Rome, Italy, Kathmandu, Sri Lanka, Budapest,  and many more.  

Each slide is painted a pink color and then bound together with slides on all four sides.  Eight beautiful crystals finish the bottom of the chandelier.  What an amazing and unique use for old slides!!

To learn more about these amazing green creations, visit her blog at http://honeysucklecreations.blogspot.com/.

I Love it! July 28, 2008

  I just got my very own sea urchin necklace from Star of the East and I absolutely love it!  I essentially asked for this necklace on the left with a few modifications.  It arrived beautifully packaged and was exactly what I expected.  I had to put it on immediately and show it off.   Checkout Star of the East to see all of their amazing creations from the sea.

Etsy Sale of the Week!

This week I am offering an amazing sale in the 2Monkees store.  Buy any three items in the store and receive one free scrabble tile pendant of your choice for free.  There are so many to choose from, I am sure everyone can find one they just can’t live without.

How does it work?  Just go to 2Monkees and select the three items you would like to purchase.  At checkout, leave a message to the seller with your choice of scrabble tile pendant.  It might be best to leave me your top three choices in case your tile has been choosen by someone before you.  That’s it!  It is that simple and then you will be sporting a brand new scrabble tile pendant made from recycled scrabble tiles.

WoW! I am so Excited! July 27, 2008

I just had to share…..I can’t believe it.  Two stores bought my handmade items this week to sell in their stores! Here is one of my recycled domino tile pendants.  I am really enjoying using scraps of paper and old game pieces to create beautiful jewelry for people.  I just found a supplier of fair trade pewter pendant blanks that I can embellish with paper and other found objects.  The possibilities seem endless!  Check out my latest creations at     2monkees.