My 3 Favourite Etsy Shops (for March, 2013)

I have not been updating this blog of mine lately. My man and I packed up our things and drove from Alaska, through Canada.....

to move to.......

SEATTLE!

We love it here so far! Although we are still staying with some friends on their living room floor in Seatac (and have been for the past 5 months!!!), we consider ourselves living in Seattle now. We have only recently acquired enough part-time jobs to be able to support ourselves in an apartment of our own. So, the apartment-hunting begins.

Therefore, in all of our unemployed time, I have found 3 great gems on Etsy that I just cannot stop revisiting!


1. Clay Gauged, Plugs and Art Jewelry

https://www.etsy.com/shop/ClayGauged

Gauged earrings, Green Vines, green yellow brown leaf, 0 gauge 

I love this Etsyan because they are not afraid of COLOUR! They utilize classic colour combinations as well as quirky, seemingly New-Age and Mexicana inspired arrangements that absolutely demand your attention. 

 

Cactus Pop dangle spirals, 2 gauge

Black Pearl Corkscrew, 2 gauge

Little Mermaid, Aqua, 4 gauge

Crimson Clover, Dangle Plugs, 2 gauge

They work well with colour, but they also use the basics to their fullest potential. Forming basic spirals, Art Noveau styled designs, sea creatures, vegetables, airborne beings, and other mind boggling sculpted creations, Clay Gauged knows what the gauged community is looking for, and exceeds all expectations.

2. Good Egg, by elf518

https://www.etsy.com/shop/elf518

The creator of Good Egg describes their knitted pattern style as the "intersection of modern and traditional motifs." Nothing could be more accurate to describe these beautiful works of unique knitted colourwork. 

AND,

What makes this Etsyan an extra special find on Etsy? They sell the PDF Patterns for these beautiful designs! So, if you are a knitting fiend (like myself and many others out there!), you can choose your own colour scheme to match your home decor and personal tastes. 

OR,

You just may be lucky enough to find a friend to knit these blueprints into your own quirky garments and cushions.

PDF Knitting Pattern, Cuckoo Clock Pillow

PDF Pattern - Garden Gnome Hat

PDF Knitting Pattern the Fair Isle Owlie Cowlie

robot pixel mash-up fair isle sweater

Being a knitter I know how much work must go into these designs! They are original, unique, and Good Egg sure knows the ins and outs of keeping a simple, productive, successful Etsy Shop! In this Etsyan's case, less is way, way more. Check it out!

3. JessieForged, by Jessie Ford

https://www.etsy.com/shop/JessieForged

Last listed but CERTAINLY not least, are the Metalsmithed and Multi-Media Majesties of Jessie Forged. My best friend and absolutely the most creatively inspiring person in my life, I am proud to share her Etsy on my site. JessieForged is inspired by simply: Everything. Time, Space, the Life of Bees, Colours / the Absence-of, Geometric Shapes, History, Love, War, and everything between. Building an inventory for her Etsy has proven a challenge, as her works tend to sell fresh out of the workshop, so I take great pleasure in the opportunity to share Jessie Forged right here in my blog.

Triangle Horsehead Nebula, Pendant necklace

Triangle Purple Orion Nebula, Pendant necklace

Half Moon Eagle Nebula, Pendant necklace

If not for the upkeep of my own Etsy shop, then these pendants would keep me on Etsy, checking back for more. In addition to Space inspired necklaces, there are bronze cast Arrowheads, Quartz and Amethyst set pendants, and other earthly metal-set pendants she makes as well. However, I guess we will just have to "favorite" the shop for now, and keep checking back for what JessieForged has to offer.

So this is my latest load of interests. I hope someone has received a wave of inspiration! Thank you for wandering into my humble abode.

-Jindy

Funky Bangs Hairstyles

Funky fringe styles! I love them all... which one shall I get?

Bowl Cut Bangs

(image has been removed)

Chunky Blunt Norwegian Style Bangs

Asymmetrical Side Cut Bangs

Long Messy Sprayed Bangs

Right Angle Blunt Bangs

and... as much as I absolutely LOVE the Chunky Blunt Norwegian Style Bangs (sadly, no longer posted to its original website), I think I have to go for the Asymmetrical Side Cut Bangs. It's what I have been trying to describe to my hair stylist but she keeps cutting EVERYTHING too short. Done and Done.

Egyptian Eloquence

These little accessories say so much. What do they inspire you to do?

Reproductions of Egyptian Jewelry from Jewelry Inn

Reproduced Ring

Egyptian Scarab Ring

 

Eye of Horus Bangle

From the Fourth Collection of Gem Palace Jewelry Inspired by Artifacts at 

the Metropolitan Museum in New York

and my personal favourite...

Pendant Necklace of King Senusret II from the tomb of Sit-Hathor Yunet 

from Factoidz

Knitted Shorts...

In addition to knitted shorts and all things fabulous...

knitted shorts by Apolysis. Although on vacation, when this fantastic individual returns I am definitely going to check out the rest of their shop! That top is very interesting as welll...

Mark Fast

I just don't need words...

 

Really inspires me to sketch more and create more.
That is all.

Knitting that will Inspire Anybody

I'm not updating as much as I'd like to be, but I guess this is really more for me than for anyone else anyways so that's alright. I just want to take note of a few things that inspire me at the moment...
 

 As always... Norwegian Knitting.

The patterns in these Nether Garments  by Elizabeth Zimmerman aren't so much innovative or new, but just so bright and colourful! I'm so excited to start working on my friend's Norwegian Mate Carrier (which I have been putting off for over a year now... ugh), and I think I am going to go the colourful route rather than the dimmed down traditional route, which is very much her daily garb. You've witnessed it, this is the first time in my life that I have used the term "garb" as a word in my own vocabulary.

 Russian Dolls.

So colourful, playful, creepy... Russian dolls have been in and out of my mind for years, and finally they are sticking after I found this pattern for Tatiana Gloves. There is also a mitten cover in the images. 

 House Slippers.

I need some. Desperately. Tracking in the snow and having these dirty dusty floors from poor air filtration means icky feet unless I take further action. Hexagon Boot Slippers are a project that is super cute, retro-mod, and great for my stash-busting purposes. I might end up making 5 pairs of these (or Christmas gift ideas??? hmmmm...)

Knitted Mittens.

I already made myself a pair of the Mittens from Halland by Marcia Lewandowski, and use them every single day in the long Alaskan winters. This isn't to say that I don't want dozens of more mittens, such as these Anemoi Mittens by Eunny Jang.

 "Norwegian Stockings."

Maybe the crazy colours are what give this pair more of an African or even Russian appeal, but they really are Norwegian patterned stockings called Damestrømpe. In the neverending queue I have for projects to make (regardless of recipient), I would like to make a pair of these, just as pictured. The Caution Tape effect is growing on me.

Lace Stockings.

Vogue Knitting is starting to impress me. I've always been a fan of more independent designers and publishers, but even the limited community of knitters and crocheters leaves room to support dominant publishers such as Vogue Knitting. I never ever thought I would want to knit ANY kind of lace in my lifetime, but alas... these stockings tempt me. Someday, someday....

 Oranje. 

This beautiful fair isle sweater inspired by Dutch athletic uniforms (what? Yes.) by Ann Weaver truly revamps the old tradition of knitting garments. Though I don't know what each shape represents, I am particularly drawn to the downward arrows because they remind me of the anchors I've seen growing up visiting Alaskan fishing docks.

 Dragon Ride Shawl.

So many stitches!! So many colours!! So, so worth it.

So my inspiration at the moment consists of LOTS OF KNITTING!! and...

 the Alboka. 

A traditional instrument from the Basque region of Spain (País Vasco). It sounds like bagpipes, plays like a clarinet and is made of viking horns. This instrument is perfection. I am going to make one soon, after I finish some knitted leggings for a friend and these knitted shorts I'm working on. It's about time I take on a big project for myself. Little ol' me. There's even a website with a step-by-step guide on how to make one!! Construyetualboka.blogspot.com. Yeah, it's even in Spanish. Real Spanish: Spain Spanish. And I understand the better part of 99% of the instructions (some terms are in Euskeda, the regional language).

Time to be selfish :)

Have a great week, hope I inspired someone.
Jenny





P.S.
I almost forgot...

Pantry Organization.

Call me crazy but I'm in a major organization and purging mood right now. I just cleaned out the fridge at me and Nolan's place and am realizing how much space there actually is inside. Pantry and cupboards are next, and I am fully prepared for an awesomely organized pretty cupboard for our pretty apartment.

My life, my art, me

I feel like posting something random, with some pictures.

 

First off, of course I'm going to ramble on about Argentina. My life. I miss Buenos Aires every single day, and miss how adventurous and fearless I was. This is a picture looking down on my terrace roof of my first apartment, where I lived with Felipe (who was so awesome that he climbed up the attic ladder and took the photo of everyone). This was the first time I got yelled at for being too loud, but it was my 22nd birthday, I'm okay with that. Seeing as how that apt royally screwed me over, I do not feel bad about having a good time.

 

My creations. This hat I will miss fo sho. It's mainly how proud I am of the sort of cogwheel/rose window stained glass/ macrame backing I did. I tried to re-create it a few times, but I need to really sit down with this picture and look at it to see what I did. Most of what I do is freelance design, so not really much "design" at all, but experimenting. This hat sold and has a happy home in Virginia or wherever it got sent to.

Last for the night... my hair. I've changed my hair a lot since high school, and will only be changing it more. I have lovely dreads now and a funky fringe that is sometimes hard for me to rock with confidence. Sometimes I think back to the long blonde hair I've had since 3rd grade and ask myself if I miss it. I have to say... I do, sometimes, when I see those damn Garnier Fructis commercials or the John Frida product ads. Every time I think about my old hair though, I think of this picture. I'm not sure if I'm topless with a scarf, or just wearing a spaghetti strap tank top and a scarf. Either way, I know it was beautiful, I know it can grow back again, but I wish people would accept me for how I am now. Instead of looking back to High School days, or complaining about how "my beautiful hair is ruined". I don't sit here and complain about your ugly comeover, or those hideous Crocs on your feet. Not that I'm a total fashionista myself, but at least I'm somewhat unique.

I like my awkwardness. I like my screwy bangs. I like my ratty dreads and my experimental makeup. I like my odd facial expressions to make each picture different. I never want to be a porcelain doll. I always want to be an Etch-a-Sketch of weird quirky Me.

That's it for meow.

-Jenny