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Asian Sandlewood Candle by JenSanCandles

The C Word

I am not sure how all of you feel about this, but I hate the "C" word. That would be C for CRAFT. I do not do craft. To me, crafters are those who use patterns or pre-made kits and make pretty things from them. Artists come up with their own ideas and create original work based on those ideas. You can be an artist using any materials: paint, clay, fiber, metal, beads, etc.

This weekend I encountered this stereotype first hand. I interviewed and shared my portfolio with a professional, and for the first time chose to include some of my recent work I have done with knitting. The pieces I chose were designed by me and made from scratch with my own hands.I even included original sketches that I made to show the evolution of the piece. One of the 2 women I was speaking with used the "C" word to describe what she saw in the photograph. The blood drained out of my face. I said that I create sculptural pieces using the material of fiber and technique of knitting. Her partner did defend me saying that Craft has gained more mainstream acceptance as art. MRRRRR.

How do you stand on this? Why are you a crafter? Why are you an artist? Do you care about the definition?

Handspun Fun

Handpainted sportweight wool sock yarn by Lambsears

Undiscovered Gold

Corn Syrup

There is definitely a trick to selling your art. First you must create amazing images. Then you must find a way to get your work to the people. That used to require a gallery or other retail location exhibiting your work. Now artists are lucky enough to be able to find their audience online directly.

Vantage Point

What does this have to do with my choice this week? Well, here is an amazing young artist fresh out of school who has already found at least one fan in me.

Elon Sharton Bierig has a great future. He considers himself a surrealist, taking realistic imagery and bringing it into a conceptual space. Of course what caught my eye was his series of hands. Anyone who is familiar with my work will know that is a bit of an obsession of mine, though my hands are nothing like the tangle of fingers he has chosen to portray.

He has priced his work to sell. If you are shopping for dramatic pieces for your home, this is the place to find them. All the work in his shop is oil in various sizes ranging from 9"x12" to 42"x18". He ships from his home in the Bay Area of California to everywhere.

Dexterous Growth

Outside of his etsy shop, you can see his portfolio on his official website. You can find him talking about his art on twitter and facebook as well.

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Super Birthday by ThePaperCrown1

Handspun Fun

The Edge by RainyDayArt

Undiscovered Gold

Sting Bodysilc Ray Orange and Black

This week I had very difficult decisions to make. As I pounced through the shops that have yet to have a sale, i found TONS of fantastic choices. There were new jewelers, knitters, painters and everything in between. I choice this shop because it was so unusual.

Blackapple Bodysilc could call itself a jewelry shop. It could just as easily call itself temporary tattoos. What they create falls somewhere in between. The pieces are handmade silicone which can be worn anywhere on the body you can find a clean, flat surface. Due to its natural adherent quality, it can be washed and reused.

Zero, the artist behind these creations, lives and works in Los Angeles. Since losing her job in the economic downturn, she decided to throw herself wholeheartedly into her art. How lucky we are that she decided to do just that!

Skullberry Bodysilc Orange and Black

Her work is not for everyone. Zero herself says that it is "alternative" fashion; it is designed for lovers of tattoos and other forms of body art. Many of her pieces listed currently take texture and color from lizards and snakes.

If you are looking for something different in body art but don't want to make the commitment to the permanence of most, this is the perfect solution. I look forward to seeing what amazing work fills her shop in the future!

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Your  Child's Art Coasters by BeachChik

Handspun Fun

Vineyard-Tough Ewe by MDKnits

Undiscovered Gold

Bicycle

I wish I took these photographs. That is probably the greatest compliment any artist can give to another, to not just find the beauty in the piece, but to envy that they got to the image first.

Rene Viescas Allen lives in Colorado and travels the countryside to capture abandoned and neglected items scattered through this beautiful landscape. She strives to tell the story of these items in their heyday. A bold and noble task to take on.

Dodge Truck

Rene's shop, Riviescas, is filled with the images from this project. My favorite pieces tend to be the rusted out automobiles, but she also does amazing work capturing flowers and old barn doors. Her colors are so beautifully saturated, you can almost feel the warm sun and the breeze as you look at them.

Retro Fan

You can find her portfolio online and see items not for sale including beautiful portraits, She also lists upcoming exhibits and contact information here. Want to get to know Rene more personally? Check into her blog where she is taking on the overwhelming project of blogging every day for 365 days. If you want to be updated when new images are for sale, be sure to follow her facebook fanpage.

I look forward to seeing this work on the front pages of etsy this fall.

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Alphabet Magnets by The Angry Robot

Handspun Fun

Handspun Sheep's Wool by aldonasuneviciene 

Undiscovered Gold

The Danielle Card

This week I needed a laugh. All week I have been feeling terrible due to a case of vertigo. I have been unable to drive and have had a hard time knitting as well. But enough about me, lets talk about this great new etsy shop!

Off-the-Wallmark is brand new. When I say brand new I mean she just opened her shop yesterday. It is not a surprise then that it has yet to be discovered. Already she is showing great promise.

The Katelyn Card

All I know about Allison Horst is that she lives in Santa Barbara, California and she has a dark sense of humor. She gives her cards female names like Danielle and Katelyn.

Her illustrations are so fun and light-hearted, which takes some of the edge off of these morbid ideas she references. I hope one day to have the occasion to need one of these cards, like a friend going on a diving expedition or a heart transplant. Wait, maybe I dont want that second one.

Anyway, check out her VERY brand new shop and pick up a card for the one you love.

Showing off your treasuries

A new tool is now available for your blog or website. It sets up the code automatically so that you can display treasuries with ease. Here is an example of a Treasury I was selected for recently:

'The NFL- AFC Division' by kneatknitcreations

Tribute to the AFC Division Teams

armwarmers made with BALTIMO... bombshellsport... $19	Cincinnati NFL/ Halloween he... rosytouch $8.75	SATIN RIBBON HAWAIIAN LEI or... itsashorething $3.99	Pittsburgh Steelers Football... TraceyKnits $20
BLUE Houston Texans Pillowca... EverythingAbig... $35	Indianapolis Colts Pot Holde... ronaprilkendal... $6.5	Superwash Sock Yarn - Sports... yarnmagnet $20	Titans Teddy Bear - Tennesse... DoOver $15
Vintage Buffalo Bills Footba... crystalebunch $2.99	Miami Dolphins Cheerleader -... dressyourgoose $11.95	Patriot (6 notecards) CapeCard $12.95	NEW YORK JETS DUCT TAPE WALL... CustomWallets $10
Bronco Mini Hanger Rondinelli $15	Chiefs No.1 Fan License Plat... carguystuffplu... $24	Diaper bag set of 4, Diaper ... highstylecreat... $88.95	Junior Seau AngiesGallery $125

Generated using Treasury HTML code generator by Whale Shark Websites.

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Rhinestone Bridal Necklace by LivingVintage