Treasury Tuesday

Here is another installment of Treasury Tuesday. As many of you know I have a Facebook giveaway going on with my treasury titles for the month of November and no one has guessed correctly yet. This week is very exciting because I am using a vintage seller for the first time. Enjoy.

Today's anchor piece is an amazing vintage dress from FabGabs vintage Etsy store and owner Julie Bergman. 

Here is what Julie has to say about herself....

"Vintage Clothing - Casual, Classic and Couture

Collecting and selling vintage clothing always comes from a place of passion, whether it is about the fashion, about the history or about expressing yourself. It's often all of the above. Fab Gabs is a business that thrives because all of us have a passion for the eras, the history, the style, and our customers.

Wearing the past does not mean you are out of style. Quality vintage clothing is always relevant and fashionable, whatever the current trends may be. We believe that you can wear vintage every day if you wish, no matter what you do. A smart vintage blouse or sportcoat can be mixed with modern accessories for the workplace. Or you can go whole-hog and pair your clothing with the period-appropriate hat and shoes. When you choose vintage, however you wear it, you will stand out as being put together, tailored and unique.

Matching the right clothes to the person is our pleasure here at Fab Gabs. Lady or gent, whoever you are and whatever era calls to you, we are delighted to serve you."

Here is what others are saying about Julie....

“This dress will be a staple in my winter wardrobe, as it is gorgeously cut and sewn and fits very well. Shopping at FabGabs is well worthwhile!”

“I am so happy with my purchase from FabGabs! This coat is even prettier in person (and I thought it was very cute online!) While it was just as described online, the colours were even more vibrant in person, and and I can't wait for spring. This shop was quick to answer my questions and very warm and friendly. It was a pleasure to purchase my coat from FabGabs and I'm looking forward to shopping with them again soon!”

“Arrived safely and both pieces are in excellent condition, just as advertised. And the sizing was accurately described, which was my biggest worry. I would buy from this seller again.”

“Darling tilt hat as described and pictured. Smooth and very speedy transaction. I appreciate how swiftly it arrived here since you mailed so quickly after my payment. From your personal collection to mine, it will occasionally appear in a museum exhibit as I am curator or our town's museum. From one good home to another. I'm happy! Thanks again.”

Until next week happy hunting.

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Treasury Tuesday

This month all of my treasuries have one thing in common. If you can guess that thing your name will be put into a drawing for a scarf from my shop, your choice. 

Today's anchor item is a fellow Colorado artist Brock and his Etsy store Wabi Sabi Wolverine. The anchor piece is a hand painted card that features a guitar in Japanese style ink art. 

What Brock has to say about himself.....

“art in collaboration with nature

W A B I • S A B I
Rooted in the Zen Buddhist principles of transience and simplicity, wabi-sabi is a Japanese aesthetic theory that strives to mimic natural beauty by emphasizing the characteristics of imperfection and impermanence.

Sometimes the hardest part of my creative process is knowing when to stop and let the works speak for themselves. My role as an artist is to not interfere. With this work I hope to express my sincere respect for nature, and to inspire others to develop and strengthen their personal relationships with the natural world. We are all connected to the landscape in many complicated and beautiful ways. Landscapes define and sustain us.

W O L V E R I N E
An elusive animal of the boreal mountains. A symbol of wilderness and the spirit of nature.

As an ecologist, I view landscapes as processes, driven by natural forces. As an artist, they are shapes, forms and textures. As a person, I view landscapes as experiences. All of these perspectives are incorporated into my works, which explore my relationship with landscape.

My artwork relies on nature as a true collaborator. Found objects are innately embedded with meaning. For example, metal is a symbol of industry, while rust demonstrates the resilience of nature, the passage of time, and the beauty of change. Rusted metal is a point where man and nature meet.

My ink works are inspired by Zen brushwork and calligraphy. Negative space plays an important role in these works as forms are simplified, distilled and expressed as only a few practiced brushstrokes.


While I'm featuring my ink works in my shop right now, I also create sculptural works using found objects and materials like concrete. Please visit my website at wabisabiwolverine.com to view a more expanded portfolio.”

What others are saying about him.....

“Arrived promptly and perfectly protected. Looks a good as on the screen!”

“love this card, perfect, thank you!”

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Treasury Tuesday

My last Halloween Inspired treasury. I love Halloween. Enjoy

 I will be focusing on my favorite shops for the Holiday season. Today's anchor piece is from one of my favorite shops Three Trees Bindery and artist Michelle Skiba.

What Michelle has to say about herself.....

“a forest of books

Three Trees Bindery began as the marriage of two of my favorite things: trees and books. As an avid journal keeper and book collector, creating books from things found in the forest evolved slowly and naturally from my wanderings. Completely taken with the beauty of an acorn, a leaf, or a piece of bark, these small tokens I was unable to put down became the sources of inspiration for my wooden library.

Over the years as I have become more acquainted with woodworking, my appreciation for trees, and the wood they give has deepened. I am captivated by the unique and varied character of wood, the intimacy that is developed by working with your hands, and the details that are hidden behind a finished product. I love the tactile sensations through different stages of finishing and the scents of wood dust in the air.

For me, bookbinding is a meditative process. The attention and focus it requires is a beautiful practice of being in the present moment. When I sew my whole world consists of simply this thread, this knot. Any worries are easily lost in the steady rhythm of stitching. I have a great appreciation for all styles of binding, from the simple and elegant Japanese stab bindings to the intricate structures of the Gothic & Renaissance periods, but I am most taken with variations on the Coptic binding, the exposed stitching for me evokes the same feeling as trees in winter, their bare branches reaching for the sky. I love seeing the structure that lies underneath things.

My techniques have developed over years of steady practice. Most of what I know I learned by experimenting and making lots of mistakes. I am a constant student. I enjoy learning different techniques, pushing the boundaries of what is possible and exploring new ideas. I continually try to balance the unique characteristics of a handmade item and the slow progression toward mastery of my craft. I want my books to reflect the quiet beauty of the forests that inspire them.

I enjoy the community and personal connections I have found here on Etsy. It gives me great pleasure to work with clients on custom books and commissions. I love hearing how my books will be used. I am continually touched by the stories people share. It makes me sad to hear someone say my books are too pretty to write in. I want to create books that are beautiful but also functional and useful. My books are made to hold the things closest to your heart."

What others are saying about Michelle.....

“Everyone was amazed and touched by the detail and workmanship of our wedding guestbook/photo album. It was wrapped so beautifully, customized perfectly, and I cannot express how much we love this book! Thank you so much for creating what will be the major keepsake of our wedding memories! You have been fantastic!”

“Absolutely beautiful book! I really like the color combination of the peacock blue with the wood type. Very well made. Very quick shipping. Thank you.”

“I could not have been more pleased with this purchase. The personalized customer service combined with an exquisite hand-crafted product made both a birthday and a wedding very, very special.”

“Words cannot describe how beautiful this book is, and it was so charmingly packaged. It will be the perfect home for our wedding photos and other memories. Thank you so much.”

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Treasury Tuesday

As a treasury curator you tend to rely on a few shops to give you great material. Today I am featuring one of my go to shops. I have used her photography for dark Gothic treasuries, fun summer treasuries, romantic and light treasuries and wintry treasuries. So I thought I would introduce her to you.

The anchor piece for this treasury is a rich red and deep black photo of a forest called Fiery Autumn from RaceyTay

What Tracey has to say about herself.....

“A little whimsy

I started taking photographs as a way to capture the beauty I saw around me. In a blade of grass, the sun glinting off a metal fence covered in ice, a single perfect snowflake.

Much of what you'll find in my shop is nature art; birds and animal, trees and flowers. Most are as mother nature intended, cardinals are red and bluejays are blue.

And then there is the whimsy. The fantastical. The fun. My photography has allowed me to express that which is creative, often buried deep inside. I truly like to make things. To solve the problem of how to show you want I see.

I do this because I truly love it. When I am taking photos or working on a photograph I forget about everything else. I've walked into traffic. I've forgotten to eat. I've found myself sitting in the dark as the day turned into night. It is true escapism for me. And I love it.

This is something I was doing before there was a shop here at Etsy. This is something I will always be doing.”

What others are saying about RaceyTay

“Well made iphone case. Love the green leave with raindrops motif. Helps me locate my phone among my scattered papers with ease. Excellent transaction, great packaging and fast service. Price is very competitive also. Thanks!”

“LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this case! I have long been admirer of Raceytay's work and now I get to carry a piece of it wherever I go! Thank you so much :)”

“A pleasure to do business with this seller! Great communication and very speedy shipping. Would definitely recommend to others.”

“Big, gorgeous prints, packaged very well and shipped faster internationally than most domestic packages. She also tossed in a few months of photo calendars I wasn't expecting. I absolutely recommend her to anyone. THANK YOU TRACEY!”

Until next week happy browsing everyone.

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Treasury Tuesday

I have been a little remiss in my postings of late. I have been extremely busy so here it is 12:02 am on Wednesday the 17th and I am posting Tuesday's post. I hope that you will all forgive me for my lateness.

Today's anchor piece is a fantastic peacock art soap by my fellow Colorado artist Tracie at The Charming Frog.

What she has to say about herself and her team,

“Works of Art in Soap!

The shop began in New England as a brick and mortar shop. We have continued on as a collective from the imagination of my sister, Jenny. She began as a creator of fine jewelry in stones and silver then incorporated soaps, perfumes, and lip balm. 

Combined, we have many years of art under our belt and love to integrate colors and creativity into everything we do. We create our own molds and love the originality we place in every soap. We also purchase molds and try our best to craft new designs using them. From our experiences and places we have lived (New England, Mississippi, Hawaii, and Colorado), this gives us the different perspectives we engage into our art. Currently we are located in a storage room in Tracie's home in Colorado Springs near Pikes Peak. Because we are enveloped with the beautiful scenery of Colorado, it gives us motivation!

As we move forward, we want to illustrate our passion of art into the products we offer. We will continue to make soaps that are artistic enough to show off in any art gallery! We plan on expanding and incorporating more products in the near future and welcome comments and suggestions from our customers and other shop owners!”

What others are saying about The Charming Frog,

“Thank you for great customer service, excellent communication as well. I knew where my soaps where all along the way! The seller let me know exact times when the soaps will be shipped, packaged beautifully, notified on the day of shipping, and the box arrived within days. Great experience!”

“Thank you for great customer service, excellent communication as well. I knew where my soaps where all along the way! The seller let me know exact times when the soaps will be shipped, packaged beautifully, notified on the day of shipping, and the box arrived within days. Great experience!”

“More than just soap. A piece of heart and soul goes into every order. Blown away by the quality, and creativity in every piece. T is the real deal, and a sweetheart as well. I'll never forget her kindness! The best!!”

“This was purchased as a gift. Soap arrived quickly and was packaged beautifully. The packaging kept all of the soap safe and unbroken. The color was just as described and the attention to detail was amazing. I highly recommend The Charming Frog. I will definitely be purchasing more from this store. Very easy transaction and such a pleasant experience....very professional and thoughtful.”

Until next Tuesday happy browsing everyone. 

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Treasury Tuesday

Today's anchor piece is a handbag handmade by Lynda Lye at the Etsy shoppe littleoddforest.

Here is what she has to say about herself.....

Once upon a time, in this little odd forest... (littleoddforest)                                                        { HOW }

Hi! I am Lynda Lye, a Singapore designer. I started my company Forestprints Design in Aug 2004, and launched my website (www.forestprints.com) in Oct 2004, followed by my indie lifestyle label, littleoddforest, affectionately known as LOF by friends and fans. I LOVE design, and wanted to do something on my own that i could take pride in and truly love, but got no such satisfaction slaving away in design firms. Many things in the world today tend to be too de rigueur, slick and cold, and I was looking for more things quirky, odd and colorful with more personality. So I embarked on this journey, born from daydreams of escaping monotony and constraints, to bring my imagination and creations to life. My main aim is, among others, to help make the world a more beautiful place to live in! With 4 mini collections yearly, LOF aims to be a lifestyle embraced by many, especially handmade lovers and craft connoisseurs from all over the world who appreciate a little dose of fun in their everyday life!

{ WHY }
Since a child, I have been influenced by childhood fantasies of bizarre fairytale adventures, set in magical enchanted forests, filled with imagery of talking animals, imaginary creatures and trees, creating this strange little world of colors and endless possibilities in my head. Thanks to my artist-painter dad, who began reading loads of incredible tales to me when I was still in my mother's womb.

{ WHO }
Preferring to draw and cut freehand, I have always been an artsy-craftsy kid, doodling cutting and gluing away as early as when I was just a wee 4 year-old, scaring adults by snipping away with scissors and knives, even my own nails and hair! A Science major throughout my school years and one-time Economics degree dropout, I finally flew off alone to college in Chicago for 4 awesome years and got my Bachelors in Fine Arts degree (BFA) from the prestigious School of the Art Institute of Chicago, after much bumming around and feeling lost. I majored in Visual Communications, but got to dabble in a little bit of almost everything 'artistic', including painting and fashion, all thanks to a flexible curriculum, an experience I will truly treasure all my life.

{ GOODS }
I design and make only what I like! We are the anti-orthodoxy of big brands, shiny leather bags and all things flashy. Everything is produced in limited numbers, with many one-of-a-kind creations, made with lots of love and sweatshop-labor free. I strongly believe in good quality and usable hand made goods, and am annoyed when handmade is associated with flimsy arty impractical items that will not last. I love using vintage/out-of-production materials, and playing with various combinations to make each piece unique. Besides being a staunch supporter of indie designers, artists and small businesses, my unbridled passion is in pervasive creativity. Not wanting to be tied down by mere labels or be dictated by my degree/training, I hope to fuse my love for all things design, be it product design, the graphic arts, packaging or fashion, with my own sense of style. I will lay my hands on everything if I could!

{ WORK |
This is a one-woman business. I do it all, from managing the website to eeky paperwork. Creatively, it is just me, myself and I. I design everything, from the products to graphics and marketing peripherals including my own website which was coded from scratch by my coding genius, Brandon. As things grew, I have managed to hire a precious little crew of both full and part-time worker fairies and gnomes, including my dearest awesome mum, without whom all of these would not have been possible! I also founded CRAFThings in 2006, an online handcrafted craft supplies store to help support craftsmen of SE Asia, but have since trimmed it down here as a handcrafted craft supplies category. I also started a mini label or creative-distraction outlet, if you may, in 2008 - PeppyWanders, just so I can refresh my creative juice

for all things forest-ty!

What others are saying about her....

“I bought two items and they were both fantastic! Quite aside from the products, though, I was really happy with the friendly and speedy customer service, and how willing they were to work with my requests! Absolutely great, I am so happy with my purchases and I will definitely be purchasing more items and recommending the store to my friends! Thank you!”

“Hoots all around for this beautifully made and fab looking purse! So cute!! Will look great with all sorts of outfits. You are amazing Lynda!”

“This is one of my favorite household items. What a lovely idea! I love hand made pictures and designs, but was really surprised at the quality of this product. It's very well made, very professional. Big stores should be buying this. Lynda, I would encourage you to make more designs of trays and similar items like this. Your product competes with similar items I've seen by Issak designs and habitat. I will be back for more. Excellent price for a really colourful, well made, quality product. Many thanks, I smile when I lift my tea from your lovely tray, first thing in the morning and last thing at night! Alison”

Until next week happy hunting everyone. 

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Wednesday's Wandering

Among the Aspens....

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