fantasy art and tree chatter of aquariann

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

Pixie Dust Fineries is aglow with a variety of handcrafted artisan jewelry, all designed by Trish. She lost her job in 2007, and now works 24-7 on her Etsy shop. Even when she watches TV, she pays more attention to the jewelry being worn than the actual program. New ideas leap into her head constantly, and she's been known to get up in the middle of the night to sketch one so it doesn't flee by morning. Trish's favorite item to work with is Swarovski Crystals. She says, "I love the way they sparkle, and the smooth texture and they just look rich. I also love natural gemstones. No two are alike, and most of them have interesting medicinal backgrounds." She has dozens of gorgeous bracelets, earrings, necklaces and rings shining with those quality materials - and many are even on sale this week! Don't miss her Year End Clearance section . Want to advertise your shop and help support my blog at the same time? Become a blog sponsor like Pixie Dust Fineries !

Last week the Ogre and I bundled up and buckled on our holiday cheer at Christmas Town Busch Gardens in Williamsburg. I had never seen so many lit Christmas trees in my life, and o, thy candles did shine so brightly! The pretty lights, swell carols sung in several languages, and delightful scents wafting through the air would have made even the grumpiest Scrooge smile. This is only the second year Busch Gardens has transformed their amusement park into a magical winter wonderland. I hope they keep the tradition for years to come because it'd afford me the greatest glee to return. Bounce tickets with an online discount were only $48 for 3 consecutive days, and they included free parking and access to Colonial Williamsburg, which was also beautiful to explore. We were greeted by this giant snowman after we made our way through the entrance and a forest of blue lights. It's also where we discovered the first chiminea, thanks be to Noel. Fluttering toward the kerosene heaters plan...

Set sail with the Fantasy Artists of Etsy team this Christmas, thanks to expert navigator, Alison of The Interimaginational Institute for Fantastical Exploration & Cartography . Who needs visions of sugar plums when you can dream of fairy doors, garden gnomes, mermaid treasure and my Peridot dragon ?

The world is still revolving, the weather is growing warmer, and my 2010 Winter Blog Hop has officially come to an end. Visit my current blog hop to join the next seasonal dance. 2010 Winter Blog Hop Participants: 1. Roseberry Style 2. SofiNos Designs 3. Vagabond Carnival! 4. Diary of a Craft-aholic 5. Beaded Embellishments 6. Autena 7. Julia Finucane 8. Artists & Crafters Commun 9. WillOaks Studio 10. Fantasy & Custom Artwork 11. Honey from the Bee 12. Beach City Boutique 13. Shealynn's Faerie Shoppe 14. The Auld Grey Mare 15. Create With Joy 16. Vintage Wanna Bee 17. Beauty Brite*follows back 18. Courtney @ One Fine Wire 19. Katherine's Gifts 20. Go Ask Katie 21. Katherine's Corner 22. The W's 23. ShhhhhJustBetweenUandMe 24. Nothing but Fabulousity 25. Southern Stretch Marks 26. A Woman's Haven 27. Chic/Revived Furniture 28. KooKooCraft nymph 29. Go Ahead and Snicker 30. Bird in a Tree 31. Hobby Hodgepodge 32. from glitter to gumdrops 33. Bay Moon Design...

You may recognize Denise of Beaded Embellishments from the very first giveaway I hosted back in October. That pair of Fuchsia Swarovski Crystal Earrings isn't the only piece of fashion jewelry in her shop that's hard to forget. All of her designs softly bewitch the eye with their simple elegance. And you won't meet a sweeter Etsyian! Reading her recent blog entry, The Reason for the Season , gave me a moment of calm during the holiday storm that's been pulling me in a trillion twinkling directions. Her advice to pause and reflect on all the hope, love and joy in this world was a breath of peppermint air. Want to advertise your shop and help support my blog at the same time? Become a blog sponsor like Beaded Embellishments !

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."

EDIT: Giveaway is officially over! Congratulations to the randomly chosen 165th commenter, Darcie K.! Christmas will come twice this year for a lucky lady out there. Jessica of Cut Your Heart Out is gifting away her gorgeous Abigail necklace. The elegant design features a 1" metal leaf pendant on a 24.5" medium silver cable chain accented with red acrylic spacers. Nature lovers will love the simplicity of the sole leaf and fashionistas will appreciate the boldness of the red pops of color. Jessica creates wickedly sweet accessories to adorn neck and ears. She abides by a simple philosophy - delight the customer with handmade pieces. She doesn't list anything in her online store that she wouldn't be proud to wear herself. Nor does she believe in putting high price tags on her work. All of her beautiful necklaces and earrings are almost too affordable, starting at only $5! How To Enter The Giveaway Giveaway is open worldwide. I will be pulling a number from my random.o...

Foxy G has used paper instead of bread crumbs to curate a trail of talented work by the Etsy Twitter Team . The variety of handmade items crafted from paper are astounding! I'm awed to have my Snowflake fairy bookmark included amongst bookplates and scrapbook embellishments, greeting cards and gift tags, journals and notebooks, even hand painted paper mache garland and a Scandinavian woven basket.

Lithia's Creations is a must stop shop for any gothic princess's carriage ride through the handmade kingdom of Etsy. The Victorian gardens of floral filigree rings and blooming rose cabochon earrings are a splendid sight. However, the unique cameo pendants, ranging from ghostly Gothic Lolitas to sweet Flower Fairies, are the main enchantment for travelers. Lithia uses her inspiration of theater and costume design to twist different eras of fashion into her own one of a kind style. She has so much fun creating her fantasy jewelry, but sadly proclaims that "laundry really puts a kink in my creative process!" Lithia's even been known to toil at her workbench for over 10 hours, until her husband in shining armor comes to rescue her. Want to advertise your shop and help support my blog at the same time? Become a blog sponsor like Lithia's Creations !