fantasy art and tree chatter of aquariann

EDIT: Giveaway is officially over. Congratulations to Cassandra McCann for submitting the randomly chosen 712th entry. Forget visions of sugar plums dancing IN your head - wear a Sugar Plum Fairy crown ON your head instead! Karla of Thyme2dream is giving away the beautifully beaded tiara above to one lucky princess. Swarovski crystals, Czech glass beads, and non-tarnish gold wire are twisted together so that it can be worn down low on the forehead (circlet style) or higher up as a tiara or crown. The design has secure loops that can be fastened with hair pins or ribbon at the back. Her Sugar Plum Fairy collection of gold, shimmering ivory and lilac purples is inspired by the visions she had whilst listening to the Nutcracker Suite. Since tiaras are not for everybody's wardrobe, Karla is giving the winner the option of choosing a $50 gift card instead. Other available hair accessories include decorative hair combs, leaf headbands and bridal fascinators. She also creates a myri...

After days of eating Thanksgiving leftovers, I gobbled up Amazon's Cyber Monday deal and finally bought my first tablet, a Kindle Fire ! I've been entering Kindle giveaways for months, but to no avail. Now I am climbing the trees in anticipation of it arriving. I already know what free book for Kindle I'll be downloading first - Rys Riding, Book I by Tracy Falbe. She's giving it away to celebrate the completion of her Rys Rising series. She's also offering one winner a $25 Etsy gift card to her Perfect Pages shop and all four of the fantasy eBooks - scroll to bottom of my post to claim your chances. Tracy also organized a Feel Real Fantasy blog tour in celebration and my blog is today's stop! I am honored to introduce you to Ajel, fleshmender of the frontier. Age: Early 20s Physical appearance: Sandy hair, brown eyes, average build Special skills: Healer and surgeon Magical items: A warding crystal She is a trained fleshmender from a long line of f...

"Enough of acting the infant who has been told so often how he was found under a cabbage that in the end he remembers the exact spot in the garden and the kind of life he led there before joining the family circle." - Samuel Beckett I was walking around Nassau Valley Vineyards last Wednesday while they were harvesting their garden ... and the owner offered me this cute cabbage! I can imagine a Cabbage Patch Kid growing in it, can't you? Flutter to my Wordless Wednesday Directory for a list of blogs that regularly host WW Linky Parties. Grab my button as a reminder to return next week for more photography fun!

I don't think I'd win a staring contest with a dragon, do you? The mom behind Heart My Geek collected several captivating dragon eyes into one precious place. Fantasy gifts include a leather dragon mask, evil eye bracelet and my green dragon magnet . Treasuries shared by readers between November 27 - December 3 Precious Dragon's Eye Whimsical Woodland Christmas Red Hot for Cyber Monday Red Gifts #1 Gifts for the Outdoorsman Christmas Cards 4 Charity Peanut Butter Lovers Month Have a Fairy Christmas! Holiday Gift Guide for Her Green December Blue Christmas - Gifts for Her Under $25 Holly I'm Dreaming of a Tropical Eclectic Christmas! Stay Till Christmas BnR (If you don't sale)

Cameos have had a special place in my heart ever since I inherited my grandmother's vintage cameo woman necklace as a little girl, so it's not a surprise that I'm a fan of the My Sweet November shop. Jewelry artist Candy enjoys putting a modern twist on a classic piece of jewelry. She's been working with the popular skeleton lady cameos since 2009 and they are by far her best seller. However, she also uses cute cameo designs of living creatures, like the adorable owl cameo pendant to the right. Candy is as sweet as her name. Running her own business has its ups and downs like a silly straw, but just knowing that her creations have the potential to make someone's day better makes it all worthwhile. I have a coworker that chants "I love my job, I love my job" when her clients are being particularly rotten - but Candy really does love her job and customers! Disclaimer: My blog sponsors pay me for advertising space and monthly feature posts. But I on...

Store shelves may be sparkling with snowflakes and Christmas ornaments, but autumn's not officially over yet! Branch out to My Sweet November , Beadmask , WireQueen Jewelry and Life is the Bubbles for fantastic jewelry in late fall colors of copper and orange. My Sweet November's orange leaf earrings are created with laser cut wood shapes that have been painted a lovely deep orange. The fall leaves hang from antique brass ear wires. Total length from the curve of ear wire to bottom of leaf is 2 3/8". The earrings are lightweight and perfect for everyday wear. Rubber stoppers are supplied for those graceful girls like me that somehow get earrings without backs tangled in hair and then dropped onto a bathroom floor. Beadmask's fall maple necklace is an amazing autumn accessory! The leaf was hand cut, carved and sculpted from premium tooling leather. The shape was then hand painted in rich earth tones of cocoa, cinnamon and goldenrod. A medallion of pheasant feath...

"Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit. Wisdom is knowing that a tomato doesn't belong in a fruit salad." - Miles Kington My mom found this tiny tomato in her salad at the Lobby Bar in Dover Downs. Isn't it adorable? It was delicious, too. Flutter to my Wordless Wednesday Directory for a list of blogs that regularly host WW Linky Parties. Grab my button as a reminder to return next week for more photography fun!

Look what galloped out of my mailbox just in time to jazz up my winter jacket! Stephanie of Inspired Greetings and Designs sweetly sent me a flower brooch to add to my small zebra-print clothing collection after I hosted a giveaway for her. The weather is too cold to wear the matching zebra flip-flops, but I'll still roll in my zebra-print pants, out of control. The flower is handmade with individually cut layered petals of silky fabric. Even the back is pretty - the bottom layer is covered in black lace. Black and silver beads embellish the center to add a subtle sparkle. The fashion brooch measures approximately 2.75" across. A metal pin is attached to secure it easily to any fabric item - next spring I plan to move it from my coat to a small black handbag I take when going out dancing.

EDIT: Giveaway is officially over. Congratulations to Linda Meyers-Gabbard for submitting the randomly chosen 702nd entry. Have you dragged your holiday decorations out of the attic and dusted off the Christmas wreath yet? One reader will win the above sterling silver band by Kate Szabone Jewellery and get to hang a wreath ring around her finger during any season. The design is reminiscent of a budding rose branch. The band looks simply lovely on its own, but can be stacked with two or more rings. Kate even makes a matching engagement ring, available in 14k white, yellow or rose gold and set with a rose cut diamond or moissanite stone! Walking through the wonderland of Kate's online shop is a beautiful sight. Her jewelry is inspired by the simplicity and complexity of nature, the Art Nouveau movement and her mother - a photographer, spinner and fibre artist. Kate uses a range of recycled metals, natural gemstones and conflict-free diamonds whose sparkles are even breathtaking...

"How should we be able to forget those ancient myths that are at the beginning of all peoples, the myths about dragons that at the last moment turn into princesses; perhaps all the dragons of our lives are princesses who are only waiting to see us once beautiful and brave. Perhaps everything terrible is in its deepest being something helpless that wants help from us." - Rainer Maria Rilke, Letters to a Young Poet Behold the purple dragon costume I wore to FaerieCon 2012 last weekend! My stunning leather crown was handcrafted by the tremendously talented Beadmask . Flutter to my Wordless Wednesday Directory for a list of blogs that regularly host WW Linky Parties. Grab my button as a reminder to return next week for more photography fun!

EDIT: Giveaway is officially over. Congratulations to Patrícia Dias for submitting the randomly chosen 191st entry. My hands are dry, my hair is staticy and it's not even officially winter yet! The above magic vial pendant by Izile's Oddities could combat the cold weather blues. The powerful ingredients include a good bit of genuine Emerald for life, health and the essential essence of our Earth; green Tourmaline for healing, strengthening and stimulating; and Peridot for regrowth, vitality and infusing fresh energy and life. The power-packing combo is blended together in a neutral oil base with leaves of Sage for longevity, wisdom and endurance. The "Vitality" vial is finished in Sterling Silver wire, sealed with a glued-in cork and hung on a brown cotton sliding cord. And if you win the $25 gift card Izile is giving away to one random reader, you could freely choose this pendant and carry the green of Earth with you until spring. The magic vial pendants are Iz...

If Michelle of Wirequeen ruled the world, every woman would own a wire-wrapped piece. She strives to create designs that make people smile and hold their heads a little higher when wearing them. Life, from the music of a child's laughter to the wisdom in an elder's gray hair, and the beauty of nature (as shown in the cowrie shell ring to the right) inspires her. Many times the color of a stone or the shape of a wire can trigger fond memories which also translates into her art. Michelle began working in international trade more than 20 years ago. The beads and gemstones she imported from West Africa encouraged her to make her own jewelry. Later she picked up wire and fell in love with the technique. She sadly stopped when her body betrayed her and twisted up like a pretzel. Her physical therapist encouraged her to continue wire work to improve movement in her hands. When the disability got so bad that she could no longer sell at craft shows, she turned to Etsy, even though s...

"Weddings are always emotional - even the cupcakes are in tiers." - Unknown Flutter to my Wordless Wednesday Directory for a list of blogs that regularly host WW Linky Parties. Grab my button as a reminder to return next week for more photography fun!