Broken Vintage China is Reborn

I never would have thought that a broken dish could look so lovely, but here is a remarkable artist who has not given up on shattered cups and saucers. Laura has a wonderful Etsy shop, dishfunctionldesigns, where you will find true one-of-a-kind jewelry made from the china designs of years past. I was noticing how plain my dinner plates look in comparison to the lovely patterns she has in her shop.

Laura hand-cuts and shapes each broken piece of china into a shape that best displays the vintage pattern. She then creates a custom lead free silver-tin alloy bezel, making each piece a unique treasure. Browse her selection of necklaces, pendants, earrings, and charms to see if you recognize any of the delightful china patterns. Her artistic pieces of jewelry are perfect for the woman who enjoys a special flair with matchless vintage beauty.

If a piece of your grandma's china has accidentally broken, save the pieces! Laura can make unique pieces of jewelry from the shards, and they can be given to family members as an heirloom remembrance of their loved one.

Laura brings life back to broken china in Pennsylvania and ships internationally. You can also find her on Facebook or on her website. Thank you Laura for showing us that with the skill of a craftsman, thoughtful ingenuity, and resourceful creativity - recycling really works!

The Well-Dressed Bear

A stunning group of very stylish bears is found at Ash Grove Bears, an ArtFire shop. Vicki is a teddy bear artist who has been bringing her bear friends to life for over 15 years. Although officially retired, she can’t give up sewing and enjoys dressing her bears in exceptional outfits, and especially delights in making their elegant hats.

Vicki truly loves what she does and feels a connection to her ancestors through her sewing and millinery skills. She lovingly names her bears and composes a poem for each as they head out into the world. Her unique creations would be a thoughtful gift for any serious bear collector.

Vicki crafts her striking bears in Canada and ships to the United States. You won’t find a finer dressed bear anywhere. These collectible bears are not designed for play, and should be kept for proud display.

     

Elegant Floral Glassware

The floral theme continues with this fantastic discovery at Decouverre Glassware, an Etsy shop, with stunning hand painted glass and stemware. These captivating designs remind me of stained glass. Stephanie is a very accomplished artist who has chosen a glass canvas. She designs then meticulously hand paints each glass using non-toxic, European, thermo hardening enamel paints in a cheerful palette.

You will be amazed by her extensive selection of pretty posies; each one a unique creation. If you have a design, pattern, another style of stemware, or color in mind, Stephanie will be happy to work with you on any special request. She will skillfully create a one-of-a-kind heirloom gift that is sure to be adored and treasured. Personalizing and engraving may also be possible depending on your selection.

Stephanie paints her flower garden in Canada and ships internationally. You can also find her on Facebook. You won't want to hit any high notes with one of these beauties in the room.

    

The Art of Kanzashi

The fine art of crafting flowers continues at Kanzashi-Hime, an Etsy shop, with dazzling hair ornaments ready to make you feel like a princess. Tsumami Kanzashi is a traditional Japanese craft dating back hundreds of years. This incredible art form was used to create the elaborate hair decorations that graced the traditional hairstyles of the geisha and their apprentices.

Jenny crafts these intricate flowers by folding a single square of fabric to form each petal. The petals are then hand sewn in place to create a beautiful and fashionable work of art. These eye-catching floral decorations are then attached to a wide variety of hair accessories to accommodate any hairstyle. The flowers can also be attached to a clip making a very versatile adornment.

Jenny meticulously fashions her unique flowers in Australia and ships internationally. If you see a design you like but have a different color in mind, contact her and she would be happy to work with you. She is also willing to make flowers out of your fabric, perfect to match any special event. A fall of wisteria would make an excellent bridesmaid’s thank you gift.

French Beaded Flowers

The traditional art of crafting French beaded flowers blooms at BuddingCreations an Etsy shop. This delightful shop captured my notice with a beaded hyacinth, but there are many amazing flowers to choose from in a rainbow of colors. If you are looking for an unforgettable wedding bouquet with unique sparkle, Danielle will create an heirloom keepsake you can display and treasure forever. She has several styles to choose from and will make extraordinary flowers for your perfect day.
Danielle's creativity doesn't stop at flowers that never wilt or fade. Get ready for fantastic looking houseplants that don't need water, and be sure to see the trumpet vine with an incredible hummingbird. Her favorite color is blue, and her shop sports a beautiful blue butterfly barrette, which can be made in any color.

Danielle fashions her beaded beauties in Florida and ships internationally. If you see a design you like, but have a different color in mind, contact Danielle and she will be happy to work with you.

The Art of Knitting Wood

Amazing wooded intarsia artworks are found at WoodenArtbyTom, an Etsy shop. Intarsia is the traditional art of knitting wood together and relies on the skill of the artisan to harness the beauty found in each piece of wood. No paints or dyes are used and all of the colors you see are from the natural wood, making each creative work truly unique. Tom selects the woods to form his artistic vision, fashions the individually shaped pieces, carefully sands them until they fit perfectly, then glues them in place.

This is another team shop operating in perfect harmony. Melody handles the computer and paperwork leaving Tom to his woodworking tools and sandpaper. He works with reclaimed woods and each of his finished pieces has a list of the woods that were used on the back. I can only imagine the satisfaction he must have after gluing the last piece in place and stepping back to behold “A job well done.”

Tom crafts his exquisite works of wooden art in Indiana and ships internationally. If you have a favorite wood or theme in mind, Tom has the ability and willingness to bring your unique and special intarsia piece to life. You can also find them on Facebook.

Unfortunately, their etsy shop and Facebook page appear to have fallen silent.

Soap never looked like THIS

My title is taken from a section in this surprising Etsy shop, Goddess in a Lather (moved to YodelyGoatSoaps), and I never have seen soap like this! It was very hard to pick two photos to share in this feature, as there are numerous soap sculptures that caught my eye, but by now I’m sure you have guessed that I favor blue. Here is a master at work in her chosen medium - glycerin soap – and what a statement she has made with a plethora of exquisitely crafted pieces of art.

Maggie considers herself part mad-scientist, part Sherlock Holmes, and uses only the purest, most chemical-free bath & body ingredients possible in her lovely creations. If you see something you like, but would prefer a different color, fragrance or even fragrance-free, please contact her to place a custom order. If you would like to know more about her ingredients or process, her bio is available at Etsy.

Maggie crafts her soapy art in Illinois and also ships to Canada. You will want to drop a heart at this shop for future unique gift giving. Order an iris in the bathroom color of a friend to present them with a very special room accent they are sure to display and enjoy. Maggie has definitely put the ‘You’re Special’ back in gift giving with her slippery selection. Many of these soaps are just too pretty to use!



Maggie has opened a new soap shop, and you'll find her at her new etsy location.

Doily Heirloom Art

I can appreciate the many hours of work that go into the beautiful works of crocheted art found at Doily Mania, an ArtFire shop. I had never seen the delightful bumblebee pattern before, and there are some eye-catching shapes and color combinations. Butterflies, chicks, and bunnies can be found among the flowers, palms, and pineapples. Zagorka has devoted years to her mastery of the crocheted arts, and her skill is very evident in the heirloom quality items you will discover in this amazing shop.

This mother daughter team works beautifully together. Zagorka is the creative genius behind the crocheted treasures and her daughter, Gloria, handles the computer and business end of things. If you see a pattern you like, but would prefer a different color or size, contact Gloria. They are happy to take customer orders.

Zagorka wields her magic hook in Idaho and ships internationally. More stunning crocheted artwork is found at their etsy shop. They have a new family member, Riku, and his pictures are on their Facebook fan page.