fantasy art and tree chatter of aquariann

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 !

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...

Happy Thanksgiving, my sweet potatoes! I hope everyone feasted on as much love, laughter and tasty goodness that I did today. I devoured quite a few of the foods I listed last Friday in my Turkey Legs post, but forgot to mention one very important treat - homemade Kahlua! *swoons* To celebrate the holiday and shopping frenzy afterward, I am offering 20% off all items in my Etsy shop. The sale starts now, Thanksgiving night and rolls through Cyber Monday, November 29th, so waddle on over to my fantasy art of aquariann shop and use Etsy's new coupon feature! Just type code "THANKS2010" during checkout and the discount will be automatically applied, no more pesky revised Paypal invoices to wait for! Now there's a reason to strike up the band and join the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade procession.

EDIT: Giveaway is officially over! Congratulations to the randomly chosen 134th commenter, Asuka ! Wouldn't these unicorn wine charms add a little magic to your next celebration? Nicole of FantastiCrafts paired these four fantastical metal charms with blue seed beads and purple accent beads on a medium sized wire ring that will fit most stemmed glassware. She's gifting a set to one of my blog readers this holiday season! When Nicole was only eleven, her mom bestowed her with hemp supplies from the 70s that she'd found. Nicole has been making unique jewelry ever since. It wasn't until eight years later that her hobby became a serious business venture - thanks to another present from her mother, a handmade necklace. "It was so beautiful and I was surprised that it was made entirely of beads and findings that I recognized from local craft stores. I was inspired by the realization that this was something I could make, and my talent took off from there. It wasn't l...

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

I am thrilled to introduce my very first and incredibly sweet blog sponsor, Megan of Autena ! Her childhood home was akin to a museum, full of interesting items that amassed over the years. She describes it as, "a magical visual atmosphere, which allowed for the viewer’s imagination to bubble forth. Thus was nurtured my passion for collecting - holding on to heirlooms and scouring markets of all sorts for whatever held my fancy at the time." After a career in the food business, followed by one in health care, she's returned to her roots for her third career as a treasure hunter and re-purposed jewelry artist. She proves that the third time's a charm! Her Etsy shop is filled with unique trinkets from vintage Christmas ornaments and perfume bottles to handmade bracelets of upcycled buttons and chains. Want to advertise your shop and help support my blog at the same time? Become a blog sponsor like Autena !

Thanksgiving is less than a week away and I am already drooling over the meal in store at our family gathering. What is your favorite mouthwatering morsel? I am a ravenous fan of the casseroles - broccoli, corn, green bean or sweet potato, they're all divine. I can't resist the traditional stuffing, mashed potatoes or croissant rolls, either. Then there's cracker gravy, a delicious dish I wasn't introduced to until I began dating Justin. And of course, Thanksgiving dinner wouldn't be the same without turkey as the main course. Feast your eyes on these adorably unique creations I found while hunting through the handmade fields of Etsy. 1. Bartholomew, Thanksgiving Monster Sculpture by dance sippy dance 2. Oven Roasted Turkey Plush by Midnight Snack 3. Juicy Turkey Leg Pinata by Birchangel Pinatas 4. Turkey Leg Baby Rattle by MayaBella Handmade

One of my most popular colored pencil drawings is my Peridot dragon, admiring the August birthstone he clutches in his talons. You'd think all the attention would inflate his ego, but all he cares about is the gem. The ornament has been created by attaching a decorative yarn hanger to a tabletop picture frame, so it can be displayed all year long, even after the tree has been tucked away. The size of the print is approximately 2.75"x3.75." The frame has been brushed with silver acrylic paint, embellished with silver glitter, and then distressed to show glimpses of the original frame beneath. Price is $7.50 and available in my Artfire shop with the rest of my fantasy art ornaments .

The Nicktoons Network has surrendered to Invader Zim and has been re-airing the episodes. Every time one appears on my DIRECTV guide, I have no choice but to watch it unblinkingly. I even own the Invader Zim Complete Invasion DVD set , and yet I'm compelled to sit there and sing the Doom Song during commercials. It's a sickness, really. My favorite character is, of course, GIR. C'mon, what nerd wouldn't adore a robot minion disguised as a day-glo green dog? He's just so insanely cute. GIR may even love food more than I. One of his best lines is "Hi floor! Make me a sammich!" The poor mechanical puppy even misses a cupcake after devouring it. I am happy to report that I am not the only GIR fan on Etsy. Don't these handmade finds make you want to roll around on the floor? YAY! 1. GIR Hat / Beanie from Invader Zim by Cutie Hats 2. Glow in the Dark GIR Charm by Lyssa's Stuff 3. Invader Zim Cupcake Topper - GIR by Artisan Cake Company 4. GIR Wristban...

AJ of Erthe Fae Designs illustrates that fantasy art is not all unicorns and fairies and everything merry in this masculine Fantasy Artists of Etsy gift guide. There's chainmaille for the knights, black magic soap for the wizards, and treasure for the pirates. One of my handmade bookmarks is included for those bookworms or poets out there. Be chivalrous this holiday season and pick out something special for the fantasy fan in your life. Also, a mighty thank you goes out to all the noble veterans today for fighting for our freedom to create whatever our hearts can dream!

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.

EDIT: Giveaway is officially over! Congratulations to our randomly chosen 122nd commenter, Kate of Primitive Post ! Happy November! Wouldn't this primitive crow and stars upcycled pillow look festive amongst your harvest home decor? Patti of Northern Lodge sewed it together using several wools she'd been gifted. Now she's paying it forward and giving it away to one of you! Inspired by the fall colors surrounding her rustic cabin in Colorado, she envisioned a pumpkin patch and designed an entire collection of primitive pillows around it, complete with black cats, witches and jack-o-lanterns. The crow is my favorite, and thus why I picked it as a prize, but she's giving the winner a choice - this pillow or a $25 gift certificate to her shop to put toward any handmade item. The pillow option includes free international shipping up to $8. She also makes quilts, throws and scarves from eco-friendly materials. That is indeed me on the right shyly modeling her Among the Spruc...