BESTeam feature October54Gallery on Etsy

 Winter Trees

Beautiful, isn't it?  This is an example of the stunning photos you can see at October54Gallery on Etsy, this week's BESTeam featured shop.  Anne from Whispering Pines, NC (I bet that's a lovely place!) is responsible for these works of art, and it's no surprise to learn that her work is on display at many local venues too.

I've chosen just three of my favourites from this shop, so as to have them shown to best advantage.  Regular blog readers will be able to see the themes of nature in the ones I've picked.  Click on any of the photos or captions to go directly to the shop and see more.

 Live Oak

Anne says that art has always been a part of her life, and living all over the USA as well as time in Costa Rica, has also influenced her artist's eye.  Anne also makes block prints and writes. 


Anne's work has a strong positivity for me, so it was a pleasure to find this quote from Walt Whitman in one of her listings:

Happiness not in another place, but this place...

not for another hour, but this hour.

 The Beach, South Carolina

I love this quote too from Anne's blog:

"The afterthought is good, but forethought is better."

(Norwegian saying)

You can visit Anne's blog here:
http://october54gallery.blogspot.com/

BESTeam feature October54Gallery on Etsy

 Winter Trees

Beautiful, isn't it?  This is an example of the stunning photos you can see at October54Gallery on Etsy, this week's BESTeam featured shop.  Anne from Whispering Pines, NC (I bet that's a lovely place!) is responsible for these works of art, and it's no surprise to learn that her work is on display at many local venues too.

I've chosen just three of my favourites from this shop, so as to have them shown to best advantage.  Regular blog readers will be able to see the themes of nature in the ones I've picked.  Click on any of the photos or captions to go directly to the shop and see more.

 Live Oak

Anne says that art has always been a part of her life, and living all over the USA as well as time in Costa Rica, has also influenced her artist's eye.  Anne also makes block prints and writes. 


Anne's work has a strong positivity for me, so it was a pleasure to find this quote from Walt Whitman in one of her listings:

Happiness not in another place, but this place...

not for another hour, but this hour.

 The Beach, South Carolina

I love this quote too from Anne's blog:

"The afterthought is good, but forethought is better."

(Norwegian saying)

You can visit Anne's blog here:
http://october54gallery.blogspot.com/

BESTeam weekly feature: AllAboutCats

Now, gentle reader, can you guess what this shop sells from its name?! Indeed, from AllAboutCats you can pick up anything you need to entertain your feline friends, as well as lots of lovely cat-themed human stuff as well.  So, if you're a servant to one or more cats yourself, this is the shop for you! 

AllAboutCats is run by Linda from South Burlington, Vermont, who is a proud mum to three rescue cats herself.  It's refreshing to see that the felines help in the production of lots of these items, and I'm sure they've had a lot of fun testing out some of the prototypes!  Linda likes to do other crafts too, and on her blog you can read about her other makes too, find out how to make cat accessories and toys yourself, see some great treasuries of cat items from other sellers on Etsy, as well as fantastic photos of Maggie, Jerry and Brady themselves.

Having not had cats for a while now, I remember the days when a beige catnip mouse was the extent of the stock under the 'cat toys' heading at the supermarket. Thankfully, for today's discerning and sophisticated moggies, there is a much better range, so why not pick up something from this shop where each item has been lovingly handmade?  Here's a selection of my favourite cat and human items.  Click on any of the pictures to go directly to the shop.









1. Funky cat coasters - love the colors!
2. Save the lives of the real spiders by giving this toy spider to play with instead
3. Cats need to celebrate Valentines day too
4. Mini wallet or business card holder so you can be reminded of your friends at home when shopping...
5. What a cute pig!
6. More funky cats - this time for the fridge.

You can find out more about Linda and her feline friends at these links:

Email: AllAboutCats@TheLastByte.com

Blog: http://allaboutcatsetsy.blogspot.com
Check out the customer appreciation photos - so cute!

Facebook Page: http://www.facebook.com/pages/All-About-Cats/178751288826475?v=wall

Linda's other Etsy Shop is This And That In Vermont
for handmade items, supplies and vintage.

BESTeam weekly feature: AllAboutCats

Now, gentle reader, can you guess what this shop sells from its name?! Indeed, from AllAboutCats you can pick up anything you need to entertain your feline friends, as well as lots of lovely cat-themed human stuff as well.  So, if you're a servant to one or more cats yourself, this is the shop for you! 

AllAboutCats is run by Linda from South Burlington, Vermont, who is a proud mum to three rescue cats herself.  It's refreshing to see that the felines help in the production of lots of these items, and I'm sure they've had a lot of fun testing out some of the prototypes!  Linda likes to do other crafts too, and on her blog you can read about her other makes too, find out how to make cat accessories and toys yourself, see some great treasuries of cat items from other sellers on Etsy, as well as fantastic photos of Maggie, Jerry and Brady themselves.

Having not had cats for a while now, I remember the days when a beige catnip mouse was the extent of the stock under the 'cat toys' heading at the supermarket. Thankfully, for today's discerning and sophisticated moggies, there is a much better range, so why not pick up something from this shop where each item has been lovingly handmade?  Here's a selection of my favourite cat and human items.  Click on any of the pictures to go directly to the shop.









1. Funky cat coasters - love the colors!
2. Save the lives of the real spiders by giving this toy spider to play with instead
3. Cats need to celebrate Valentines day too
4. Mini wallet or business card holder so you can be reminded of your friends at home when shopping...
5. What a cute pig!
6. More funky cats - this time for the fridge.

You can find out more about Linda and her feline friends at these links:

Email: AllAboutCats@TheLastByte.com

Blog: http://allaboutcatsetsy.blogspot.com
Check out the customer appreciation photos - so cute!

Facebook Page: http://www.facebook.com/pages/All-About-Cats/178751288826475?v=wall

Linda's other Etsy Shop is This And That In Vermont
for handmade items, supplies and vintage.

BESTeam feature: Chasing the Nuns on Etsy

Today it's my pleasure to introduce you to Sarah from Chasing the Nuns on Etsy. Sarah from McHenry, IL, is a stay at home mom who's into crafts.  Her shop is full of beautiful knitted and crocheted items and she's happy to make any of these up in different yarns for you if you see something you want customised, or if you want something like a bag made out of a T shirt. How cool!

I've chosen some dishcloths, hats, a cuff, bags and booties from her colorful selection.  That turkey hat is perfect for Thanksgiving, I think! And that red lotus cuff would look really striking with jeans.  Click on any of the pictures to go directly to the shop.








You can catch up with Sarah at the following links:

http://chasingthenuns.blogspot.com

http://twitter.com/chasingthenuns

http://www.facebook.com/pages/McHenry-IL/cerlandia/273587627352

and be sure to visit her other Etsy shop for screenprints:
http://www.etsy.com/shop/charlesandsarah

BESTeam feature: Chasing the Nuns on Etsy

Today it's my pleasure to introduce you to Sarah from Chasing the Nuns on Etsy. Sarah from McHenry, IL, is a stay at home mom who's into crafts.  Her shop is full of beautiful knitted and crocheted items and she's happy to make any of these up in different yarns for you if you see something you want customised, or if you want something like a bag made out of a T shirt. How cool!

I've chosen some dishcloths, hats, a cuff, bags and booties from her colorful selection.  That turkey hat is perfect for Thanksgiving, I think! And that red lotus cuff would look really striking with jeans.  Click on any of the pictures to go directly to the shop.








You can catch up with Sarah at the following links:

http://chasingthenuns.blogspot.com

http://twitter.com/chasingthenuns

http://www.facebook.com/pages/McHenry-IL/cerlandia/273587627352

and be sure to visit her other Etsy shop for screenprints:
http://www.etsy.com/shop/charlesandsarah

BESTeam weekly feature: LoveElycia on Etsy

LoveElycia on Etsy, based in Hamilton, Ontario,  Canada, is the perfect place to shop if you need a post Christmas disguise.  Perhaps you're popping into town to return an unwanted gift to the store and don't want any friends and relatives to recognise you.  A simple moustache headband is just the ticket then. 



By now, you've probably guessed that this week's BESTeam feature is a shop that is a little bit quirky in a fun and funky way.  LoveElycia, or ♥elycia, provides fun headbands for fun people and a selection of vintage clothes and prints as well.

The prints all come with a story attached to the character.  I like Derby, here, who loves to crochet but can't commit to a full Afghan. 

Just recognise myself there - short attention span, low boredom threshold, love to make cute things!

Here's my pick from the vintage section - Frills and Lines - I think you need to supply the skates yourself!

Elycia trained as an engineer, but is now pursuing her dream of making cute things full time.  I think she's getting close there - a popular shop, a great fun blog and lots of new ideas - watch this space!


You can keep up with Elycia from these links:


http://www.etsy.com/shop/LoveElycia


http://www.loveelycia.com
(some super cute cat pics here for those like me who enjoy blogs with added animals)


http://www.twitter.com/loveelycia


http://www.facebook.com/loveelycia

BESTeam weekly feature: LoveElycia on Etsy

LoveElycia on Etsy, based in Hamilton, Ontario,  Canada, is the perfect place to shop if you need a post Christmas disguise.  Perhaps you're popping into town to return an unwanted gift to the store and don't want any friends and relatives to recognise you.  A simple moustache headband is just the ticket then. 



By now, you've probably guessed that this week's BESTeam feature is a shop that is a little bit quirky in a fun and funky way.  LoveElycia, or ♥elycia, provides fun headbands for fun people and a selection of vintage clothes and prints as well.

The prints all come with a story attached to the character.  I like Derby, here, who loves to crochet but can't commit to a full Afghan. 

Just recognise myself there - short attention span, low boredom threshold, love to make cute things!

Here's my pick from the vintage section - Frills and Lines - I think you need to supply the skates yourself!

Elycia trained as an engineer, but is now pursuing her dream of making cute things full time.  I think she's getting close there - a popular shop, a great fun blog and lots of new ideas - watch this space!


You can keep up with Elycia from these links:


http://www.etsy.com/shop/LoveElycia


http://www.loveelycia.com
(some super cute cat pics here for those like me who enjoy blogs with added animals)


http://www.twitter.com/loveelycia


http://www.facebook.com/loveelycia

BESTeam weekly feature: MyaBruceDesigns on Etsy

Leah from Arizona formed MyaBruceDesigns to offer a great personalised service for those of us who want customised cards, invitations or announcements but don't want to spend hours on the computer getting frustrated with photo manipulation software! I guess that's most people then ;-) The shop is named from Leah's children middle names.
Leah offers pre-set designs and all you need to do is convo your photo. She's also happy to work with you if you have a particular theme in mind for your creation. When you're happy with the look, Leah emails the finished article to you so that you can print out as many copies as you wish. What a neat idea!





I like this butterfly invitation - flutterbys are so sweet!




















This photo collage has a western theme but can be customised to suit your needs.
















And this elephant baby birth announcement card - suitable for boys as well, I think









You can catch up with Leah here too:
http://twitter.com/MyaBruceDesigns
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Mya-Bruce-Designs/113429518702303#!/pages/Mya-Bruce-Designs/113429518702303?v=wall

BESTeam weekly feature: MyaBruceDesigns on Etsy

Leah from Arizona formed MyaBruceDesigns to offer a great personalised service for those of us who want customised cards, invitations or announcements but don't want to spend hours on the computer getting frustrated with photo manipulation software! I guess that's most people then ;-) The shop is named from Leah's children middle names.
Leah offers pre-set designs and all you need to do is convo your photo. She's also happy to work with you if you have a particular theme in mind for your creation. When you're happy with the look, Leah emails the finished article to you so that you can print out as many copies as you wish. What a neat idea!





I like this butterfly invitation - flutterbys are so sweet!




















This photo collage has a western theme but can be customised to suit your needs.
















And this elephant baby birth announcement card - suitable for boys as well, I think









You can catch up with Leah here too:
http://twitter.com/MyaBruceDesigns
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Mya-Bruce-Designs/113429518702303#!/pages/Mya-Bruce-Designs/113429518702303?v=wall

BESTeam weekly feature: Steufel on Etsy

Today I'm featuring a relatively new Etsy shop: Steufel.  Steufel is run by Stephanie, from Cologne in Germany, and is a great shop if, like me, you love colour in your jewellery.  Her pieces are bold and chunky and often combine upcycled elements in them, along with sari silk, to create a kind of fusion of colour and steampunk.  I like the steampunk pieces, but as always, I was most drawn to the blue items!

You can find out more about Stephanie on her blog, where she confesses to being a nail polish-aholic, and loving mystery novels and cooking. 

My favourite items is this beautiful ring.

It's made of keishi pearls in shades of cobalt and denim blue, Czech glass leaves with AB coatings and a faceted glass bead, sari ribbon, all mounted on a button with the shank created from turquoise blue wire.

Stephanie describes this as a cocktail ring and I agree that this would be stunning with a really dressed up outfit, maybe a little black dress, or equally at home with jeans and a T shirt.  Just stunning!



A couple of other beautiful items caught my eye too!

Turquoise ribbon and beads bracelet

A fabric ring on an adjustable copper band

Be sure to check out this great shop!

BESTeam weekly feature: Steufel on Etsy

Today I'm featuring a relatively new Etsy shop: Steufel.  Steufel is run by Stephanie, from Cologne in Germany, and is a great shop if, like me, you love colour in your jewellery.  Her pieces are bold and chunky and often combine upcycled elements in them, along with sari silk, to create a kind of fusion of colour and steampunk.  I like the steampunk pieces, but as always, I was most drawn to the blue items!

You can find out more about Stephanie on her blog, where she confesses to being a nail polish-aholic, and loving mystery novels and cooking. 

My favourite items is this beautiful ring.

It's made of keishi pearls in shades of cobalt and denim blue, Czech glass leaves with AB coatings and a faceted glass bead, sari ribbon, all mounted on a button with the shank created from turquoise blue wire.

Stephanie describes this as a cocktail ring and I agree that this would be stunning with a really dressed up outfit, maybe a little black dress, or equally at home with jeans and a T shirt.  Just stunning!



A couple of other beautiful items caught my eye too!

Turquoise ribbon and beads bracelet

A fabric ring on an adjustable copper band

Be sure to check out this great shop!

BESTeam weekly feature: RaeoLight on Etsy

Raeolight from Joplin, MO, is a shop dedicated to fine photography, converted into prints, cards and magnets, calendars and jigsaws and other great gift ideas.  There are some great photos, all taken by Rachel, who despite having no formal training, uses the power of photography to really offer some really stunning images.

I'm going for a spring, summer, autumn and winter collection to show how all the seasons of the year are captured by this talented young photographer.  Click on any of the pictures to go directly to the shop.

Spring and Summer





Fall and Winter







There are some seasonal items too, and a special section of gifts under $20 - perfect for this time of year.

You can catch up with Rachel and see more of her work here:
www.facebook.com/raeoflightphotos
or
www.raeoflightphotos.blogspot.com