fantasy art and tree chatter of aquariann

Scamper through the Little Gray Boutique and you're bound to find cute and eco-friendly items for you AND your feline friend. The owner, Kasandra Griffith, is an interior decorator that wanted a fashionable cat bed to match her living room. After searching high and low with no luck, she decided to design her own. Since her cats love the sound of tissue paper and and grocery bags, she created a Crinkle Cat Mat from recycled plastics with catnip wrapped around warm fuzzy fleece. Her two cats adore their stylish beds, and so will yours! The mats are available in Kitten Size, Single Size & Double Size. Kasandra also sews makeup bags and totes using upcycled Sunbrella material. That fabric is made for outdoor use, so her bags are water resistant and mold proof. They're also very affordable, as she prides herself in making quality, one of a kind creations that don't cost an entire day's worth of pay. Want to advertise your shop and help support my blog at the same time? ...

It may have snowed just a few days ago, but there are green buds peeking out from the dirt in my flower bed. Spring has to be right around the crimp! It certainly sounds as if it's already March, with the wind raging like a lion outside. I'm happy to be in for the blustery night, and still able to wander peacefully through the handmade gardens of my fellow Delaware Etsy Street Team members. Aren't these plant-themed picks naturally lovely? 1. Evergreen - Olive Green Boro Lampwork and Hand Forged Copper Bracelet by Sundown Bead Designs 2. Spiraling Tree Drawing on Large Rectangle Shaped Porcelain Pendant by Marsha Neal Studio 3. Clutch in Amy Butler's French Lace Lotus Brown Fabric by Longrunners 4. Forest Floor Mixed Media Ring by My Mom Pattie

I started sketching a pair of dragon ACEOs months ago, inspired by the last FAE Exhibition of 2010, Frost and Fire. Then I got distracted by life, and left them hibernating through the brunt of winter. Today Fire was awoken by the howling wind outside and demanded that the battle commence again. I conceded by unsheathing my black Sakura Pigma Micron Pens and inking him first. I've lurked around the Sunday Sketches Linky hosted by Sophia at the Blue Chair Diary before but this is my first time drawing along! I hope participating will become a weekly regimen and not just a blue moon event.

Tiffany Rainey, the freelance writer behind Will Write 4 Food , not only uses her talents to support her own appetite - she helps her clients put dinner on their tables, too. She uses a strategic method designed to get customers to a business's website through SEO, catch their attention, and buy the product. She incorporates creative writing and personality into modern marketing techniques and copywriting to achieve superior results. But why am I still writing? Tiffany's the connoisseur of words! I'll let her explain her approach: "SEO, great photography, and eye-catching graphic design are just the icing on the cake. You still have to convince your customer that what they think is really pretty will also taste delicious. That is where I come in! I write to increase your traffic and close more sales!" Her new service is catching on a lot quicker than expected, and her project slots are filling up fast. If you're interested in improving your business through th...

EDIT: Giveaway is officially over! Congratulations to the randomly chosen 108th commenter, Andalene! Accessorize an outfit and rejuvenate your spirit at the same time! Michelle of WireQueen is bequeathing a beautiful pair of clear quartz earrings to one of my readers. The design is named "Midwife Healer" in honor of the midwife that delivered her second daughter. The four sided dagger beads are different lengths and embraced by sterling silver wrap with surgical steel earwires. She has already cleared the crystals, but if you ever need to recharge or remove unwanted energy, simply place in a window that is beaming with sunlight. Michelle believes that the Creator gave to all things a purpose, including gemstones. She covers as little of the "face" of the stone as possible, but still secures it safely in its setting. She has customers who are still wearing creations that are over 10 years old! She's been selling jewelry offline for years, but only recently began...

Last night the Ogre and I got gussied up for the Dewey Beach Winter Gala. I haven't been to a formal dance since college, so I leaped on the chance when a co-worker offered free tickets. My giddiness has been growing by the day, especially after my mom gave me a shopping spree on Kohls.com for my birthday, and we found a dazzling purple dress on clearance for only $6. And it actually fit and made me feel glamorous, what luck! The fundraising event was extravagant, with two floors of live music, heavy hors d'oeuvres and flowing drinks. We started out in the Cove , grazing on an assortment of delicious cheese and meat trays and relaxing to the smooth sounds of the Comfort Zone jazz band. Then we went upstairs to the Baycenter, where three more bands played the main stage. The outer edges of the gigantic room was set up with a myriad of bars. The ice sculpture to the right was part of the oyster bar - the bartender poured vodka through the middle and into an oyster shooter. It wa...

I possess a glittering trove of amethyst jewelry, collected over the years as gifts. Since it's my birthday week, I couldn't resist exploring the caverns of Etsy for a glimpse at February's birthstone, my favorite quartz. Aren't these handmade creations by my fellow Fantasy Artists of Etsy precious? It's not too late to buy me presents. 1. February's Girl - Chunky Amethyst Point Wire Wrapped Necklace by Gypsy Moon Art Studio 2. Fluttering Amethyst Butterfly Necklace in Brass and Dyed Turquoise by Faerie Fabulous Finds 3. Art Nouveau Flame Amethyst and Copper Tiara Circlet Crown by Thyme2dream 4. Tristan and Isolde - Celtic Magic Wand Set with Kudu Horns, Smoky Quartz Crystals, Amethyst, Black Tourmaline by Spinning Castle

My birthday week has started out sparklingly, despite my car deciding she was getting old, too, and demanding several hundred dollars worth of unavoidable pampering. The Ogre abducted The X-Files: The Complete Collector's Edition from an out-of-this-world eBay deal, so being mesmerized by the first season wiped my mind of automotive worries for awhile. Indulging in a few dangerously delicious treats, from a Warm Chocolate Chip Cookie Sundae at the Greene Turtle to a Blood Orange Vodka Martini at Saketumi, also teleported that frown upside down. I am also the Etsy Twitter Team Shop of the Week, which is even better news for you - go read my SOTW interview and be rewarded with a 10% Off Coupon Code to my Etsy shop, valid through February 2011. Plus, my snowflake fairy is featured in a glorious treasury faceted with two of my favorite gemstones, garnet and amethyst. Andrea of Beadmask sculpted a collection that's sure to rock many an aquarian's tastes. Treasuries s...

Although Etsy warned us of major forum changes back in January, signing on yesterday still made me feel as if I'd risen from a deep slumber and zombies had taken over the world. Trying to figure out what had happened made my brain hurt. We were told several of the forum sections would be migrated to teams instead, but the ones that have always been the most helpful in sharing my work and making me smile (Promotions and Etc) were not mentioned in the original announcement I read, so I wrongly assumed they'd be left as is. Not so. Every single thread in both categories are now locked with the cheery message of "You don't have permission to participate in this discussion." When picking through the rotting flesh of what's left of the Etsy Forums to see where I'm supposed to shamelessly promote my art now, the only instruction I could find was to join a team and start a discussion on its personal forum board. I am already a part of several teams, and they'r...

EDIT: Giveaway is officially over! Congratulations to the randomly chosen 97th commenter, Howell! Also, Patti has been kind enough to post a sale coupon for those who didn't win. Enter AQUAR customer coupon code for a 20% off entire order in EITHER shop, Northern Lodge or Cabin Windows . Offer good through March 15, 2011. This adorable pair of eco-friendly mittens has a date with one of you, ladies! Patti of Northern Lodge is gifting them away to celebrate Valentine's Day. The felted wool is upcycled from a gray and maroon sweater. She hand decorated each mitten with an appliqued wool heart, complete with a gray vintage button and braided maroon wool bow. They're even lined with an inner polar fleece which makes them extraordinarily warm. Thanks to her gorgeous Among the Spruces Wool Scarf that I modeled during her last handmade giveaway , my neck has remained quite cozy this winter, despite the uncommonly cold weather. In addition to a large variety of scarfs, she also d...