The Bride Wore Black

On Christmas Eve almost 97 years ago, my grandparents were married in a simple home ceremony. The bride wore black. It was quite a surprise to me the first time I heard it until she explained that it was the custom in her city at the time. Besides, she added, she would wear the dress again.

So it seemed quite natural to me when my husband and I were married four years ago to do the same thing, especially because it was not the first marriage for either of us. We were married in a simple ceremony in our home, by a dear friend, an Episcopalian priest. The bride wore black, of course.

When the topic, weddings, was chosen for the Etsy Bloggers Carnival, it was a story I had to share! The photo above is from our wedding, but as I look just like my grandmother, it was almost a step back to that simpler time, 97 years ago. I guess that happy marriages do not come from the color of the wedding dress....black, white, or any other color!

What about you? What color was your wedding dress?

P.........resenting MagdaleneJewel and Knits!

This month's Etsy Blogger has inspired me more than she knows. Her delicate work is not only evident in her jewelry such as the gorgeous necklace that features a polymer clay flower and crystals shown below, but in her knitting. As a fellow knitter, I can tell that her workmanship is excellent. The baby mocs shown to the right are just one of the sweet items in her new shop http://www.magdaleneknits.etsy.com . And that's where she has been an extra inspiration to me. In a couple of weeks, I'll be opening a new shop as well to separate my baby items from the other crafts. Stay tuned for the update! Meanwhile, please check out her shops, both knit and jewelry. The second is at http://www.magdalenejewels.etsy.com . You'll be glad you did!

P.........resenting: DizzyDragonflies

As a knitter and crocheter, it was most exciting to find that the Etsy Blogger of the Month is Dizzy Dragonflies, purveyor of luscious hand dyed yarns. Not only does she dye yarns, she spins and knits finished projects from her efforts.

The two gorgeous spring colored skeins of yarn that you see to your right are some of the many colorful yarns that are available in her shop at http://dizzydragonflies.etsy.com She will even custom dye yarn in quantities for large projects!

More about her and the process she uses is available on her blog at http://knittingdragonflies.etsy.com Congratulations for being our blogger of the month; your yarns are all gorgeous!

P.........resenting: memoriesforlife

Scrapbooking has always been one of my favorite past times, so you can imagine how thrilled I was to discover the etsy shop http://memoriesforlifesb.etsy.com/ ! Edi creates all kinds of unique scrapbooks in her studio and they're perfect for the beginning and expert scrapbooker alike. Her "word" scrapbooks, such as the one on the left are stunning. Each chipboard letter opens a new page with perfect spaces for your pictures. She'll even make custom "name" books.
My favs are her "pet" scrapbooks. Even Kirby and Katydid wish that I had known Edi before I made their scrapbook.
Her work is quite professional and she does some work with real power tools! (My family gets nervous when they see me with a scissors and a crochet hook!)
Please visit her delightful Etsy Shop to see more of her great work and perhaps order one for yourself. They also make great gifts!

M.........ega Giveaway!

You could win one of these twenty five items absolutely free! Through August 14, the Etsy Bloggers Team is hosting this offer in honor of our second Anniversary. All you need to do is click on http://etsybloggers.blogspot.com/ and follow the directions for one or more entries. I've highlighted two of the items below: a darling pair of earrings and a photograph box that opens up to provide room for your photos. good luck!

L.........azy T Crochet

This month's Etsy Blogger is LazyTCrochet! It is exciting to feature a fellow knitter and crocheter and one that loves bright, bold colors as much as I do! To the right you can see a unique cuff knitted around a bead that features bats, the Chinese symbol for joy, prosperity and happiness. If you check out her shop in the next couple of days, you will also find incredible bargains as she is participating in the Etsy "Yart" (yard+art) sale. Her shop is full of hats, scarves, capelets and shawls as well: something for everyone. You can find her shop at http://LazyTCrochet.com and her blog at http://LazyTCrochet.blogspot.com She is certainly far from "lazy"!

T.........wo Zany Zebras

Let me introduce you to a Zarkle! He's the creation of http://twozanyzebras.etsy.com/ Twozany, our Etsy Blogger of the month, makes these adorable contemporary critters as well as other imaginative and practical items for babies. This Zarkle is named Carlton Chameleon and his entire 12" body is squeezably soft. She claims he is very fond of dalmatians and firetrucks and is sure to keep all monsters at bay. Can't you just see him perched on a toy fire truck? Please take a moment to visit Twozany's shop on Etsy by clicking on the link provided. You are sure to come away with a smile, and perhaps your very own Zarkle!

S.........tar Studded Blogger

All puns intended!! These are literally stud earrings in the shape of stars. They're designed in polymer clay by Nora at http://DesignbyNora.etsy.com
A fellow etsy blogger, Nora has a degree in Art and shows her beautifully understated jewelry in her Etsy shop. These particularly caught my eye as I see a great deal of purple jewelry in my Red Hat Society group and in other Red Hat groups we meet. These are almost the size of a penny and would look stunning on a Red Hatter or anyone with a love for pure color.
Also in her shop, she features quality, stunning handbags by her Uncle Naz. Do stop by and visit her soon!

P.........IGs are the reason

I opened a shop on Etsy! Many Etsy Bloggers are writing about what caused them to open a shop on Etsy, and I had to tell the truth! But it's not what you're thinking! Pigs is an acronym for Projects in Grocery Sacks. The fact that I have Piggly Wiggly bags to put them in is just a happy coincidence. One of the most important reasons I opened an Etsy shop was because there were too many PIGs in my house. Here you can see two of them: a giant Eeyore peeps out of one, and some pine needle baskets nestle in the other. When you love to craft you rapidly accumulate so many FOs (finished objects) and UFOs (unfinished objects). And there are just as many acronyms in the crafting world as there are in any field. One of my favorites is my husband, the CEO of Peacox Creations, so dubbed because when we go to craft shows he "Carries Everything out"! Although I still go to a couple craft shows a year, it is somewhat easier physically for me to sell here on Etsy and I'm having a ball. So, go ahead, organize your own PIGs and join us here to buy and sell!

D.........onna Pool

It only took a moment for me to select an item from http://donnapool.etsy.com to illustrate this month's etsy blogger! Although her eclectic shop has everything from buttons to cameras, her cat photos are are so appealing , and also have the Katy and Kirby seal of approval! I'm always intrigued with black and white photography and was happy to see it in abundance in her shop. This photo, of one of her previous cats, Sebastian,

actually shows him smiling! Please take a moment to visit her shop and her blog at http://ddpool.blogspot.com for greater insight into her creative process. Thank you, Donna, for introducing me to your work and your world.

N.........ew Year's shop goals

Setting goals is important any time of year, but January seems a better time than most. Prompted by the Etsy Bloggers, I set out to form this year's goals of my Etsy shop. Over many years, I've learned to keep goals reasonable and considering the economy I've decided to feature smaller, practical items. There will still be some new baskets and Christening Gowns, but for now I'm concentrating on scrubbies and scrubbie dishcloths. The latter are washer and dryer friendly, and the small scrubbies can be washed in the dishwasher. Just because they're practical, it doesn't mean they can't be attractive, and they're offered in sets of two or six to keep costs down. As you can also see, our beautiful Katydid has decided to "help" me attain my goal, and posed on my make shift light box. She and her brother, Kirby, are often seen in "helpful" mode, lying on the bed as I'm trying to make it, jumping in the dryer when it's warm, and sitting on my lap as I try to craft. How could anyone attain goals without them?

K.........iller Brownies

Many Etsy Bloggers are publishing Brownie recipes in honor of National Brownie Day December 8. After a friend shared this recipe with me, my family and friends will not tolerate any other brownies. I think this is an adaptation of a Pampered Chef recipe.

You need:

1 pkg of Betty Crocker brownie mix with the syrup packet
3 eggs
2 large Symphony chocolate bars

Prepare brownies according to box using three instead of 2 eggs. Place half the batter in greased 9"x9" pan. Lay the two Symphony bars on top. Cover with the rest of the mix. Bake 35-40 minutes.

J.........ewel of a poet!

Isn't this "tipi treasure" necklace fantastic? It is just one of the wonderful pieces of jewelry created by storybeader. And, every item of jewelry she creates comes with its own original haiku! The haiku for this piece is called "Doves Rising". You can read it and see all the gorgeous jewelry on her site at http://storybeader.etsy.com She is the Etsy Blogger of the Month, so please also visit her blog at http://storybeader.blogspot.com

Meet TulipsTreasureBox!

One of my super Etsy teams, etsy bloggers, is featuring this fantastic shop this month. From fabulous jewelry to practical t-shirt recycled totes, this will be a fascinating visit for you. I was first attracted to her shop from her name because tulips are my favorite flower, but I've chosen a pendant with an iris to feature. At any rate, they bloom in the same season, and I just love this piece. To see all her beautiful items, just click on the link below!

http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5508373