Dragon's Den

Soy Tea Lights Special!

2011-07-24T15:51:00.002-04:00

I've added some great new scents to my soy tea lights selection in my ArtFire shop. These candles are handmade from an all natural soy blend, premium fragrance oils and natural cotton wicks. They are long burning and have great scent throw!

To help get them into your hands I'm offering a great deal - Buy one set of 12 soy tea lights and get another set of 12 for 50% OFF! The second set can be the same scent as the first or a different scent. Just add the two sets to your cart and use the code "bogosoy" to get the special price.

You can even use this special on my tea light sampler packs! With these packs you get to sample every scent from the fragrance category of your choice. You'll get one or two of each scent in the category (12 total). This is a great way to try new scents and find your favorites!

Order from my shop DragonsDen on ArtFire.

Here's a complete list of all the incredible scents I have available (ordered by category or type of scent):

Clean/Fresh Scents:
Clean Cotton
Eucalyptus Leaf
Green Garden
Rain
Sea Shore
White Tea & Ginger (sweet and lightly citrus)

Earthy/Herbal Scents:
Amber
Black Canyon
Dragon's Blood
Enchanted Forest
Endless Summer (handmade blend of Cinnamon, Sandalwood and Patchouli)
Sandalwood
Tall Grass
Witches Brew (blend of Patchouli, Cinnamon, and Cedarwood)

Spicy Scents:
Apple Cinnamon
Cinnamon
Cinnamon & Sandalwood
Incense
White Ginger & Amber

Decadent/Dessert Scents:
Chocolate
Coffee
Mocha
Vanilla Bean
Vanilla Buttercream
Vanilla Musk

Floral Scents:
Birds of Paradise (floral and fruit)
Fresh Cut Roses
Fresh Cut Tulips
Hungarian Lilac
Lavender Fleur
White Lily & Amber

Fruity Scents:
Apple
Black Raspberry Vanilla
Cucumber Melon
Mango Papaya
Mulberry
Raspberry
Tahitian Orange & Musk

Free Lip Balm!

2011-04-17T11:38:00.000-04:00

This week get a free full-sized tube of lip balm with any order from my ArtFire shop! There is no minimum order and you choose the lip balm flavor! To order and get your free lip balm, visit my shop at DragonsDen.ArtFire.com

Add the item(s) you want to buy to your cart. Then go to the Lotions & Lip Balm section and choose a single lip balm in any flavor and add it to your cart. Then use coupon code "SPRINGKISS" and the cost of the lip balm will be taken off your order. Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions!

My lip balms are made with cocoa butter, beeswax, sweet almond oil, hemp oil and vitamin e. They glide on easily and really last!

You can choose from any of these 9 flavors:

Chocolate,
French Vanilla,
Mango Mania,
Cucumber Melon,
Orange Cream,
Jack Frost Kiss (Peppermint),
Honey Bee Mine (Honey),
Creamy Coconut, and
Unflavored.

This special starts now and lasts until Easter Sunday, April 24th at midnight PST.

New in my Shops: Carved Candles and Plaques!

2011-04-04T13:11:00.000-04:00

I've recently started exploring my ability to carve. So far I've only done carvings in wax - beeswax and paraffin. At some point I will likely try using other materials, but this is great fun for now! :) I work with completely cooled/solid wax and use wood carving tools for cutting. Then I use Lemon essential oil to soften any hard lines or edges. The Lemon essential oil naturally dissolves wax and works with both beeswax and paraffin.

My carvings take between 8 and 16 hours to complete. I don't refer to pictures as I carve. I simply have a general idea in mind when I start and then see what shows up as I work. After I finish the carving, I make a silicon mold from the original. The carvings I have for sale are the wax duplicates made from the molds. The molds create perfect reproductions!

Here are the first two carvings that I have listed in my shops.

Beeswax Goddess Candle
This is my first detailed carving and I'm very happy with how she came out! She's 2 inches tall. I carved her from beeswax, starting from a square votive. It took about 8 hours to carve this.

Fairy Plaque
I love this fairy design! I carved the original in beeswax. The picture shows the reproduction made from paraffin wax. This also took me about 8 hours to carve. This plaque is 3 inches in diameter and is 3/4 inch thick. There is a flat edge, which allows it to stand on any flat surface. This has no wick and is meant to be displayed for decoration only, not for burning or melting.

Keep watching my shops for more to come!

Etsy shop
http://dragon06.etsy.com

ArtFire shop
http://DragonsDen.artfire.com

Giveaway on Indiespotting!

2011-03-18T11:11:00.001-04:00

Right now Indiespotting.com is running a giveaway for my shop! Follow the link for details and find out how to enter the contest. I'm offering a $25 credit to anything in my ArtFire shop at http://DragonsDen.artfire.com.
You can even use the credit towards the shipping if the items you want come to less than $25.

The giveaway is on until March 30th, so get your entries in soon!

Handmade For Less!

2011-02-05T11:14:00.000-05:00

I've created a new website called Handmade4less to help promote fellow artists and crafters who are selling their products online. Customers can browse this site for coupons to online shops that sell handmade products. They get great deals and the shops get extra promotion! The site has almost 30 stores promoted now and it's growing fast!

If you're a shop owner, this is a very cheap and fun site to use for promotion! If you like "Buy N Stay" promotion threads then you have to check this out! Shops from any online marketplace are welcome. We already have stores with their own sites as well as shops from Etsy and ArtFire.

I promote this site on Twitter through @craftydragon. I always post with each newly added coupon.

There's also a brand new Facebook Fan Page where I'll be posting updates about the site.

So check it out and let me know what you think!

Wonderful Spooky Collection!

2010-10-18T17:12:00.000-04:00

My candles were featured in this great ArtFire Collection. Enjoy!

Are you afraid of...

Curated By: artandjewelry

ArtFire.com

Jewelry Supplies

New to ArtFire Sale!

2010-10-02T21:34:00.000-04:00

I finally made the plunge and joined ArtFire. ArtFire, like Etsy, is an online marketplace for handmade and vintage items.My new shop is http://DragonsDen.artfire.com

20% OFF everything in the shop!

To celebrate, I'm offering this awesome special until next Sunday (October 10thth) midnight EST. The prices are already marked down to make it easier for everyone. :)

Since this is to honor my new shop, the special only applies to the ArtFire shop, and not the Etsy shop. So drop in and help me celebrate!

Visit DragonsDen's ArtFire Shop

Crocheted Blanket in Progress

2010-09-30T12:40:00.000-04:00

I'm really excited about this project I've been working on that is finally starting to take form. This is a small blanket/throw made up of many rectangles sewn together. So far it is about 1'4" by 2', so I've got a long way to go yet.

Since I have a hard time following crochet patterns, I do pretty much everything freeform. I watch the examples of friends' work for new ideas. So I'm sorry but I can't really provide a proper pattern, but I'll let you know generally what I'm doing.

I found five colors of the same texture of very soft synthetic yarn. I wanted to incorporate them all together somehow, and that's how I came up with the blanket idea. I like easy projects, so I thought I'd start with making a lot of small rectangles and then go from there. I said I like easy - that doesn't mean it's not tedious! Actually, crocheting is one way I relax, so I prefer projects that are very simple and repetitive.

Using the single crochet stitch, I make the rectangles about 6" wide by 4.5" long. I haven't been exact - I measure each rectangle against the last one to make sure it's the right size. I don't even count the stitches or the rows. Insert here the shocked gasps from experienced crocheters! ;) So no they are not exact, but even still, it's fitting together well.

I then put a border of beige around each rectangle. And then using the beige yarn, I sew the rectangles together.

I don't have a pattern in mind, other than keeping the colors well mixed up. I'm not sure how big it's going to end up. I still have many rectangles that need to be added, and I still need to make more rectangles as well.

So even though it's not done yet, I just wanted to show it off! I'll follow up here when it's done. And I think I might want to hunt for more yarn after and make another one! This is definitely a long-term project, but working on the little "squares" is so easy in waiting rooms or airports or wherever you have free hands. Of course it's also possible that I won't want to see another crocheted rectangle as long as I live! I'll keep you posted. :) This blanket is for my house, but if I make another it'll be a gift for some lucky friend or family member.

Featured on Etsy Item of the Day!

2010-09-28T19:59:00.003-04:00

Today my beeswax tea lights and my shop are featured on Etsy Item of the Day. This site is beautifully organized and a great resource for all of us who love Etsy!

They included a picture of my tea lights in the gorgeous wood holders made by Peg and Awl.

This has inspired me to get back into my work on this blog! So expect to see more entries soon.

In the meantime check out this great feature!

Ren Faire Vending!

2010-09-16T09:48:00.003-04:00

This weekend (September 18-19) I will be vending at The Village Renaissance Faire in Wrightstown, PA. This Faire is a blast! It's a great family event with lots to see and do for a low entrance price.

I'll be sharing the space with a friend of mine. We did this faire last year and it was lots of fun! My friend sells jewelry and bellydance accessories (some handmade). Her stuff was a hit last year! You can see her site at Crystal Kini Designs.

Hope you can join us there!

Here are a couple of pictures from last year.

Giveaway!

2010-09-12T11:54:00.003-04:00

Mrs. Nespy's Frugal World is running a bunch of great giveaways in September for back to school. It's a great opportunity to pick up some fun free stuff!

One of these great giveaways is from my shop! Click this link to find out how you can win a $15 credit that you can use for anything in my shop.

Don't forget to check out the other giveaways while you're there. Mrs. Nespy's is one of my new favorite blogs!

Team Tuesday: Barnegat Bay

2010-03-30T20:16:00.004-04:00

This past Saturday I was one of the Etsy NJ members that set up to vend at the Barnegat Bay All About the Waterfowling Day. It was great to connect in person with these fellow team members! It was so fun browsing through these items in person that I just wanted to show off some of them here.

Barnegat Bay Vending

2010-03-21T10:57:00.005-04:00

Just wanted everyone to know I'll be vending Saturday, March 27th at the "All About Waterfowling Day" at Barnegat Bay, New Jersey. Vendor table fees are donated to the National Resource Education Foundation of NJ, so I thought it was a great chance to get out for my first vending this year and help out a valuable service!

This will be a great event for the whole family! Along with the specific waterfowling displays and demonstrations, there will also be music and hayrides. And I'm just one of the many crafters who'll be vending there. All vendors are selling 100% handmade items!

For those of you who haven't seen my handmade items check out my shop at dragon06.etsy.com

All About the Waterfowling
www.experiencebarnegatbay.org
Barnegat Bay, NJ
March 27, 2010
10 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Free Admission
Free Parking

Sunday Roundup (Feb 28 - Mar 6)

2010-03-07T18:41:00.005-05:00

Have a few new things to share with everyone today. These really caught my attention this week.

Fave blog post:
Good Job! by Lisa Bonchek Adams
* A fun post talking about appreciation.

Fave tweets:
by @McMedia One never succeeds by trying to look good at someone else's expense. Always be kind, show class & integrity.

by @BelieveAngels Should you shield the canyons from the windstorms, you will never see the beauty of their carvings.

Fave New Webcomic:
Valor of Zen
* Beautiful fantasy comic!

Team Tuesday: A Shop for Yarn Addicts!

2010-03-02T14:00:00.007-05:00

As some of you know, I do some crocheting in my spare time to relax and create fun things for my family and friends. I don't go through much yarn this way, and that's a big problem ... because I love buying new yarn!!

I am drooling over the gorgeous yarn from Pancake and Lulu, one of the great sellers on the Etsy New Jersey team! I dare you to try and browse this shop without buying! As soon as I've worked through enough of my current yarn pile I will back here for sure. :)

Just click on the pictures or links below to buy or get more information.

Read more about Etsy New Jersey shops by checking out the blogs listed below.

Sunday Roundup (Feb 21 - 27)

2010-02-28T11:19:00.003-05:00

I wanted to share with my readers some of my favorite things from this week. Enjoy! :)

Fave blog post:
The One Deadly Sin of Changing Habits by Leo Babuata (@zen_habits on Twitter)
* Straight-forward delivery of some great advice. A great read!

Fave tweet:
by @paulocoelho "25/02 Dreams cannot be tamed. Dreamers cannot be ruled"
* Enough said :)

Fave Books:
The Story of my Life by Helen Keller (audiobook on Librivox)
* A touching story full of beauty and wisdom.

Before They are Hanged by Joe Abercrombie
* Second book of "The First Law" fantasy series. This series so far is filled with great characters, action, intrigue, and wit.

Team Tuesday: Handmade Jewelry in NJ

2010-02-23T10:52:00.006-05:00

"Team Tuesday" blog posts are part of an Etsy New Jersey Blog Hop. So to check out more great posts about New Jersey artists take a look at the list of links below.

This week I'm featuring some items from a couple of my favorite jewelry artists in the EtsyNJ team. Click on the pictures to purchase or find out more information about their items.

Join Us for the 1st "Team Tuesday" Blog Hop and add your Link to our List!

Rules

Blog post must be about an EtsyNJ member shop. To find an EtsyNJ shop, search "EtsyNJ" at Etsy.com. Please limit yourself to just EtsyNJ shops, you may feature more than one if you like, use whatever style or format you want, its your blog. Your post can be as simple or as elaborate as you want.

You do not have to be a team member to participate, but you MUST feature an EtsyNJ member on your blog.

Snowed In!

2010-02-06T13:37:00.003-05:00

We got a snowstorm last night that left us with drifts a couple feet tall in the backyard. Our poor little dog just looked at the wall of snow at the door like, "Now what am I supposed to do?" :)

So since I'm stuck inside today I might as well enjoy it! I put together this lovely selection of picks from the Helping Others Street Team (HOST) and the EtsyNJ team. Enjoy!

Free Lotion With Every Order!

2010-02-01T11:27:00.007-05:00

I now make cream lotions, and I know my customers will love them! This all natural cream lotion is made from a high quality, paraben free and vegan lotion base. It works in quickly, leaving your skin feeling silky smooth and not sticky or greasy. You don’t need to re-apply very often, and a little goes a long way!

Here are the scents I currently have available.

Unscented
Lavender (made with Lavender essential oil)
Chamomile Neroli (made with essential oil blend)
Vanilla (made with fragrance oil)
White Tea & Ginger (made with fragrance oil)

And more scents are on the way! Custom orders are always welcome.

For more information and a complete list of ingredients, you’re welcome to check out the listings in my shop in the Lotions and Lip Balm section.

Free Samples!

For the entire month of February, I will include a free lotion sample with every order. I know once people try this they’ll love it! As well as a promotion for these lotions, this is also a thank you gift to my wonderful customers. This free offer applies to every order – no minimum!

The samples are ½ oz each and come in bottles for easy application. These bottles are also a perfect size to keep in your purse or use when traveling.

No special code is required to receive your sample. However, when placing your order, please let me know if there is a scent of lotion you really would love to try. Or if you would prefer unscented, just let me know. You can tell me by just putting your preference in the message to seller box at checkout. If you don’t mention a preference, I’ll pick a random scent for you.

My family and I are in love with this lotion! I hope you love it too! :)

Purple Friday Finds

2010-01-29T11:30:00.003-05:00

Pretty, perfect, passionate ... PURPLE!

These are some of my favorite picks from the Etsy Freethinkers Team. Click any of the pictures for more information about each item.

Use LOVE to get more of what you love!

2010-01-25T11:39:00.003-05:00

If there’s something you’d like to see more of in your life, feel the LOVE for it instead of feeling a “need” or “want” of it.

How is the feeling of “love” different from “want” or “need”? The best way to describe it is to have you feel it for yourself. Think of someone or something you know you love in your life right now. This can be a child or a spouse or a pet. The list is endless. We’ll use a person as an example. Close your eyes and feel the love you have for that person. Then think of something else in your life that you love and feel that feeling. The trick here is just to recognize exactly how it feels TO YOU to feel love. Describing how I feel isn’t going to help you because each of us feels and senses things in a unique way.

Now try this exercise

Think of something you want more of in your life. Let’s pick money for example because that’s a pretty popular one. Normally if you’re feeling short of money, you feel a burning desire, a need to get into a better situation. That’s a natural feeling. Now think about money, and think about why you want more of it, in a general sense. For me, money brings me a feeling of security and freedom. Whatever good feeling you get from money in general, focus on that for a minute. This is something you love in your life.

Part of this process is taking a very specific want and making it more general. This helps me because I have been known to obsess over things that are lacking in my life. So trying to think of that specific thing in a different way can be very challenging. But it helps to make the feeling and statement more general.

Now this isn’t saying you must always feel this new way about the thing you desire. We’re human, and we’re used to thinking certain ways about things. Just once in a while, whenever you happen to be thinking of something you want, try the exercise above.

It helps to have words to go with this feeling because that helps you focus it. You can phrase it in any way that works for you. I can share a couple of mine: “I love the security and freedom I get from having more money in my life.” “I love the feeling of purpose I get from knowing I’ve helped someone.” “I love seeing my family happy.”

By changing how you feel you can change how quickly you get this thing you’re wanting. By simply holding that sensation of love and focusing your attention on it, you will manifest more things in your life that make you feel that way!

Make every day a good day!

2010-01-19T19:41:00.009-05:00

Here are a few easy things you can do today to help improve your mood and reduce your stress. They take very little time and no money. Try a couple of them and see how you feel!

* Do you have a minute alone – maybe in the elevator, stairwell, your car, or office? Smile once for no reason at all.

* Have one of your favorite foods as a meal or snack. Don’t rush it. Take your time and really enjoy it.

* If you have a clumsy moment, laugh at yourself! It’s not important enough to get upset about, and it was likely pretty funny if seen by someone else.

* If you’re dealing with someone who annoys you, focus on something you genuinely like about them. Maybe they’re wearing a nice shirt or maybe you like the color of their eyes. It won’t make you love that person, but you’ll notice that working with them becomes a little easier.

* Take a minute or two to spend with a pet. Feel the softness of the fur, or really notice the colors of the eyes, fur, feathers – whatever applies to your pet. :)

* If you have a chore to do around the house, turn on your favorite music or audio program. Your mood will rise as you listen, and then the job will be over in no time.

* Take a minute to think of your closest circle of friends and family. Sometimes the ones closest to your heart are not the people you see or talk to the most. If you feel like it, you can even send someone an e-card or a little note by snail mail.

* Take a few minutes and play a silly game. If you want to play it with someone else, like your kids, then that works even better! But it’s best if it’s something silly or physical that doesn’t take much brain power. Before you know it, you’ll be smiling and maybe even laughing.

Do you have a tip you’d like to add to this list? Leave a comment and share it!

Wordless Wednesday

2010-01-13T15:14:00.005-05:00

Water on a Leaf

by Art by LAQ

Deals for the New Year!

2010-01-04T11:41:00.003-05:00

I just wanted to share some of my favorite Etsy shops with my readers. And as an added bonus, all of these are either marked down or have free shipping. Click the pictures to shop or get more info.

Hope you like the selection. :)

Thank you!

2009-12-29T13:28:00.004-05:00

This is just a quick post to say thank you to everyone for a great 2009!

Thank you to my loyal readers! Your comments and clicks and encouragement mean a lot to me!

Thank you to my customers! I hope everyone loved their items. Remember, I welcome all kinds of feedback. I want to make the best products possible for you!

Thank you to everyone who has supported my shop through word of mouth and promotion. It means so much to me!

On a more personal note, I took a lot of much needed "me" time this year. I want to thank all my friends and family who have supported me in this.

It has been a fun and successful year, and I'm really looking forward to 2010! There are great things on the horizon. :)

Etsy New Jersey Team Sale!

2009-11-24T17:03:00.005-05:00

This great team sale starts tomorrow (Wednesday, November 25th). You'll find my shop in the list too. :) I'm including a free gift with every order (no minimum!). The gift bag will include samples from my shop and others. Come visit my shop if you're looking for candles, soap, lip balm and more! Dragon06.etsy.com

Check out the info below to see all the other great shops participating in this sale.

Happy Thanksgiving from EtsyNJ! The EtsyNJ team is hosting a team wide sales event that begins on Wednesday, November 25 and ends on Monday, November 30. With over 50 shops participating, you are sure to find something you absolutely love. Search "EtsyNJ Thanksgiving Sale" at Etsy.com Be sure to put "EtsyNJ Thanksgiving" in the notes to seller at checkout.

Reminder: Check each shop description for more details. Sale ends Monday 11/30 at midnight, unless otherwise specified by the individual shop owner. You must pay each shop individually, contact shop owner with any questions.

To browse participating shops by sales promotion, click on the following links:

Free Shipping

10% - 20 % off entire purchase (not including shipping)

Free gift with every purchase

BOGO - Buy One Get One Half Off

Or, see http://etsynj.com for the entire list of participating shops!

Stuff that stocking!

2009-11-12T11:28:00.002-05:00

Here are some great handmade stocking stuffers from the Helping Others Street Team (HOST) on Etsy.

Enjoy! :)

Wordless Wednesday

2009-11-04T11:05:00.007-05:00

Three Wise Ones
by PetitBijouArtShop
For sale in the Etsy HOST team shop

Caturday Etsy Picks

2009-10-03T10:27:00.002-04:00

Here are a few of my favorite handmade picks today for Caturday. Enjoy! :)

Kitten print
by Red Linc Art

Cross Stitch Sweater
by Dreams of May

Cat Nap Furniture Protector
by Susan's Treasures

Halloween Candles Blog Special!

2009-09-26T16:09:00.002-04:00

Looking for spooky candles to add to your Halloween decor? I have a great variety of handmade Halloween candles both scented and unscented. The most popular scents are Pumpkin Spice and Witches Brew. Pumpkin Spice is a sweet and spicy scent that is just like pumpkin pie. Witches Brew is a spicy blend of Cedarwood, Cinnamon and Patchouli.

Halloween Blog Special: As a special for my blog readers only, take 20% off your entire order! Your order must contain at least one Halloween item. This special lasts as long as there are Halloween items listed in my shop. Just put "Halloween blog" in the Notes to Seller section on checkout. Then wait for me to send you a revised invoice before paying.

Click on any of the pictures below to go to the items or visit my shop at dragon06.etsy.com.

Ren Faire Vending Fun!

2009-09-24T11:00:00.000-04:00

This past weekend a friend and I shared a vending space at The Village Renaissance Faire in Wrightstown, PA. This Faire is a blast! It's a great family event with lots to see and do for a low entrance price.

My friend sells jewelry and bellydance accessories (some handmade). Her stuff was a hit! You can see her site at Crystal Kini Designs.

The weather was perfect and we had plenty of friendly folk stop by our tent. I will definitely vend at this event again!

Friday Finds: Promote Your Shop!

2009-08-07T10:07:00.004-04:00

I've found a shop on Etsy that is perfect for all your promoting needs. This shop is called Bitsy Creations, and there's a sister-shop called Bitsy's Greetings where you can find all kinds of great cards and stationary.

But my focus is on promotion items today. Now is the time that shops should be getting the materials they need to get the word out for Christmas shoppers. This postcard would be perfect to include with current orders. You could remind people about buying handmade Christmas presents, or you can promote a sale or just highlight a few items from your shop. Now's the time to start planning, and Bitsy Creations can help with Custom Postcard Design.
Or maybe you've just started your own business and you're looking for a professional logo to start the branding process. It's good to put your brand on your business cards, online or print advertisements, and product labels. Here's a great package to get you started with a custom logo and branding package made just for you.

And last but not least, I think it's very important to include thank you notes in with your orders. And it's even better if you can put your brand on those too. Bitsy Creations has these great customizable Thank You Cards. They're just the right size for including with your orders.

Find out more about Bitsy Creations through her shops, Twitter, Blog and Facebook.
http://bitsycreations.etsy.com and http://bitsysgreetings.etsy.com
http://twitter.com/BitsyCreations
http://bitsycreations.blogspot.com
http://www.facebook.com/pages/BitsyCreations/103261504547

Mismatched tea lights discount batches!

2009-08-05T09:21:00.004-04:00

I've been making a lot of custom candle orders lately. As a result of that, I've got many small batches of leftover wax in all different scents and colors. Often the colors don't really "go" with the scents. I've been letting these mixed up wax leftovers build up, but now's the time to make something of them. I'm making tea lights out of this leftover wax and offering them at a HUGE discount!

I just listed these in discount batches in my shop at Dragon's Den on Etsy. These are HALF PRICE of my regular tea lights. They're in batches of 20 and totally random colors and scents. But if you tell me your favorite scent, I'll do my best to include a few in your batch.

As with all my candles, these are made from a high quality beeswax and paraffin blend with cotton wicks. They are long-lasting, with good scent throw and are virtually smokeless when burned properly.

Here are my available fragrance oils to give you an idea of what you might get in a batch.

*Fragrance oils (sorted by category):

Clean/fresh scents: Clean Cotton, Sea Shore, Sea Moss, Green Garden, Rain, Eucalyptus Leaf

Earthy/herbal scents: Amber, Hemp, Sandalwood, Pine Needle, Tall Grass, Dragon's Blood, Witches Brew (blend of Patchouli, Cinnamon, and Cedarwood), Warm Sand (handmade blend of Cinnamon, Sandalwood and Patchouli)

Spicy scents: Cinnamon, Peppermint, Perfect Pumpkin, White Tea & Ginger (sweet and lightly citrus), Cinnamon/Sandalwood blend

Decadent scents: Vanilla Bean Noel, Vanilla Buttercream, Vanilla Hazelnut, Chocolate, Maple & Brown Sugar, Gingerbread, Coffee, Mocha, Raspberry Truffle

Floral scents: Gardenia, Honeysuckle, Fresh Zucchini Flower, Rose, Lavender, Lilac, White Lily & Amber (currently my favorite fragrance oil)

Fruity scents: Pear, Mulberry, Pineapple, Black Cherry, Apple, Apple Cinnamon, Strawberry, Mango Papaya, Mint Mango Tea, Peach, Lemon, Birds of Paradise (coconut, fruit and floral), Tropical Islands (fruit and floral), Jamaica me Crazy (reminds me of pina colada), Passion Fruit & Guava, Black Raspberry Vanilla, Spiced Cranberry, Lychee Red Tea.

My 1st Garden: Monster Tomato Plants!

2009-07-24T17:09:00.005-04:00

I haven't given my readers a garden update in quite a while. My entire "crop" so far has been two hot peppers. They're weren't all that hot because apparently it has rained too much. But they were still tasty and there are more coming as you can see here.

I'm hoping to get tomatoes soon. I have some tiny green ones showing up. But I can't believe these tomato plants! They've grown far taller than the stakes I put in for them. My thought is that because I planted them in the shade by accident they're trying to rival the trees around them to get more sun! They stand over 5 feet tall now. It's a little hard to see it in the picture, but maybe you'll get the idea.

Next year I'll be putting my tomatoes in a different spot in containers where there's more sun. Hopefully they won't grow as crazy tall as they did this year.

As for the rest of my plants ... There is one sweet pepper plant left, which may or may not produce. I didn't support my snap peas well enough and they are no more. But they started out great, and I think they'd have done a lot better if I looked after them. I have some carrots growing, so we'll see how they come out.

I'll let you know how my tomatoes turn out. I am pretty excited about them. I tried to take a picture but it didn't work out. So just imagine green tomatoes just a bit larger than peas! lol

Top EC droppers for June

2009-07-01T10:21:00.003-04:00

Here are my top EntreCard droppers for June. Check out these great blogs!

Learning Corner - Education
Funky Town Disco Music - Music
Business & Life Success - Education
My gypsygoods - Hobbies
Brick For Jade - Mixed Bag
Lohman Trading - Hobbies
Split Rock Ranch - Fashion
Lazy Bear Blogs - Self Improvement
AUGUSTINIANS - Education
Ask Ms Recipe - Cooking and Dining

Music Monday

2009-06-29T10:37:00.001-04:00

A great song and a must-see video! Enjoy! :)

Best Hot Sauce in Canada!

2009-06-26T17:00:00.000-04:00

My sister, brother-in-law, and niece have started up a business selling their homemade hot sauce. The store is Triple G's Hot Sauce at http://greathotsauce.ca/. Their hot sauce is probably the best I've had! If you are a connoisseur, then you had to give it a try! Unfortunately they only ship within Canada, but I know I have some Canadian readers who would be interested. :)

Here is the intro video to their online store.

Wordless Wednesday

2009-06-24T10:27:00.004-04:00

Our Lily hiding at the in-law's house.
(Yes she put herself under there somehow!)
Wordless Wednesday

New Flavor for Lip Balm!

2009-06-23T09:38:00.005-04:00

I just wanted to introduce my newest lip balm flavor - Mango Mania! This lip balm is fresh and sweet!

I designed my lip balm formula to glide on easily and protect your lips for hours - with no greasy feeling! The ingredients are as natural as possible. I use beeswax, cocoa butter, sweet almond oil, hemp oil and vitamin E. The only artificial ingredient is flavor oil, and I do have some scented with essential oils to make them all natural.

Worried about how these ship in the summer heat? I have small re-usable cooling packs that I include with my lip balm and lotion orders in the summer.

Mention this blog and get 20% off your lip balm order! Just use the code "blog20" in the message to seller box. Then wait for me to send you a revised invoice through PayPal. This offer does not expire and is good for all my different flavors. Honey Bee Mine, Peppermint, Natural (unscented), and Mango Mania.

Caturday Finds

2009-06-20T11:09:00.003-04:00

Here are a few Caturday Etsy items I found while browsing today. Enjoy! :)

Paws (set of 5 cards)
by Heidi Shaulis

Custom Kitty Cat Shoes
by Em & Sprout

Little Enid in Red Chair
by Harry Boardman

My Blackadder birthday

2009-06-19T09:43:00.005-04:00

I had my 35th birthday was just last weekend (June 14th). I had a mellow day with family this year, and it was just perfect.

As a family, we walked out to a local ice cream parlor and sat on the patio with our massive sundays! I decided I'd rather have that than cake this year. We even brought the dogs to let them have their own vanilla cups. I think our dachshund ate it too fast because she shivered for the rest of our outing!

And in our family for birthday presents we just pick something we'd like and then that becomes the gift from everyone. It takes the surprise out of it, but it's fun to think all year about what we want to pick. :)

This year I decided to finally get the entire series of Blackadder. This show is one of my all-time favorites. :) For those of you who don't know it, it's a British comedy from the '80s starring Rowan Atkinson. The humor is rather dark at times, but I love it! :)

Here's a short clip featuring Hugh Laurie who was one of the stars of the show for while. Please note before watching, the humor is a little raunchy and some might consider it offensive.

Wordless Wednesday

2009-06-17T10:51:00.004-04:00

Shaking Dog
by Just A Moment

Friday Finds

2009-06-12T19:22:00.003-04:00

I love trees! I thought I'd dedicate this Friday Finds to them.

Enjoy!

Featured Shop: LazyTcrochet

2009-06-09T10:30:00.006-04:00

LazyTcrochet has wonderful handmade clothing, accessories and more! As a novice to crocheting I can really appreciate the creativity and hard work that went into her beautiful products!

I picked this Blue Skies and Puffy Clouds scarf as my favorite item in her shop. I love the design and the colors. Just dreamy!

Be sure to check out www.LazyTcrochet.blogspot.com for more Etsy-related goodness, team features, recipes and more

I've put together a sampling of LazyTcrochet items to make a Spotlight on ByHand.me. Below are just a few. Go to this Spotlight to see the whole selection and to leave a comment.

Love

2009-06-07T15:13:00.006-04:00

Pinkalicious Fruit Tree Blossoms
by Nature Visions

Yesterday I fell in unconditional love with myself.
Today I looked around through the eyes of a child,
and fell in unconditional love with the world.

Top EC Droppers for May

2009-06-01T11:59:00.005-04:00

It's been another great month with EntreCard. I've been following some really interesting blogs.

Thank you so much to my top droppers in May! Check out these great blogs!

Blog Name - Category
Lazy Bear Blogs - Self Improvement
Joyarna Knitblog - Hobbies
Split Rock Ranch - Fashion
My gypsygoods - Hobbies
Gems by Jerri - Hobbies
Lohman Trading - Hobbies
WoW Fail Blog - Gaming
Bible Examples - Religion and Spirituality
Cinnamon Spice & Everything Nice - Cooking and Dining
The Frugal Housewife - Finance and Investing

Featured Shop: Create a Thought

2009-05-31T10:48:00.005-04:00

CREATEaTHOUGHT is a lovely Etsy shop containing all kinds of handmade, vintage, and upcycled items. There are many unique items to choose from including great handmade journals and cards. But for I must admit to being biased toward candle items, so I picked this Vintage Wood Star Candle Holder as my favorite item.

This excerpt from CREATEaTHOUGHT's profile gives some insight into motivation behind the craft.

"CREATEaTHOUGHT's mission is to help you do just that. I provide items that fit your personal writing and recording style. If you find that you are in need of a different style I will strive to create a personalized item just for you! Each journal is created to be unique and one of a kind.

I want to be able to provide you with something that is not mass produced. You will not have to worry about someone saying 'I have that same journal!'"

Also, be sure to check out the CREATEaTHOUGHT blog at http://createathoughtetsy.blogspot.com/

I've put together a sampling of items by CREATEaTHOUGHT to create this Spotlight on ByHand.me. Please feel free to go to this Spotlight to see the whole selection and leave a comment.

Wordless Wednesday

2009-05-27T09:32:00.004-04:00

Fresh Embrace
by MADART

Sunny Friday Finds

2009-05-22T10:45:00.005-04:00

In honor of the gorgeous weather we're having here this week I thought I'd post some bright and sunny picks today.

These are all handmade items from some of my favorite sellers on Etsy. Just click on the pictures for more information about each one. Also feel free to check out this spotlight on byhand.me.

Enjoy! :)

Crafting Tips: My Favorite Suppliers

2009-05-21T11:02:00.004-04:00

When I first started making candles and soap it was a challenge to find the right suppliers. I started out as many do by getting supplies from AC Moore and Michaels. These stores have a few great things going for them. They're generally local (easy to get to), and you can get your supplies right away instead of waiting for shipping (for us impatient types).

These places are great if you're just getting started in your craft and you're looking for a few basic supplies. Most people don't want to invest in bulk supplies when they don't even know if they'll like their new craft. However, I'm not sure how they are for other crafts, but for candles and soap I quickly outgrew these stores. They are relatively expensive, sell in small volume and have very limited selection.

I was looking for great quality bulk supplies at good prices with reasonable shipping costs. So I needed to look online. It took some trial and error but I've come up with a group of online supply stores that I'm very happy with. I know how hard it is when you're just starting out, so I thought I'd share a few of my favorites.

Many of these stores sell both candle and soap/B&B making supplies. I've also included some comments for each. And don't forget to sign up for newsletters from online supply stores. They often have monthly specials for subscribers.

Peak Candle Supplies
Very good selection, quality, shipping and customer service. Many of the fragrance oils are also safe for B&B products.

Bramble Berry
Soap Making Supplies
Wonderful products! Best prices I've found for soap-making oils.

Nature's Garden
Wholesale Candle & Soap Supplies
Good selection and reasonable prices.

Wholesale Supplies Plus
Soap and Candle Making Materials
One of my favorites for candle scents.

E&M Gold
Beekeepers and Natural Honey Advocates
Local New Jersey beekeepers where I get my beeswax. They sell a lot more than bulk beeswax. Take a look!

Taking Time

2009-05-20T10:53:00.002-04:00

Zen Moment by Jai Johnson

I just wanted to check in. And I want to say hi to all my new visitors. I've been rushing around lately working on a big order. I'm taking today to just do whatever the heck I feel like!

For all you out there who have your own business (as I know a lot of my blogger friends are) remember to take time off! It's so challenging managing your business and your art/craft and keeping your house together. And if you have a full time job as well or kids ... wow I can only imagine! So for all you hard workers out there, remember to take some time for yourself.

If you feel like you're so stressed and overworked that you CAN'T POSSIBLY take time ... then now's the PERFECT time! We are taking care of so many people and things that we often forget to take care of ourselves. The world will keep turning even if you take a day off. :)

Caturday ... with matching luggage!

2009-05-16T09:47:00.003-04:00

Here are our two gorgeous cats. Above Patch has snuggled himself into my overnight bag.

And here are the two guys (Leo and Patch) cuddling on the suitcase - one of their favorite spots.

That's all for today. I'm working on a big project that's taking a lot of my extra time. Hope you like the pics. :)

My 1st Garden: Trouble with Squirrels

2009-05-14T12:12:00.008-04:00

Green pepper plants
This is just a quick update on my garden. My peppers are still inside, but I think I can plant them soon. Here they are in their makeshift pots. I learned that I need to upgrade them from the starter pots (toilet paper rolls), so they went into tea boxes. I'm determined to spend as little as possible on this project.

Cherry tomato plants
The tomatoes I started inside are now in the ground. I planted five but only four remain. Some critter (I imagine a squirrel) dug up one of the tomato plants the same day I planted it. When I checked on them the next day the poor plant had been dug up and then tossed aside and left to die. I guess I'm going to have to get used to this, but as my first "casualty" it was kind of sad.

Since then, however, the rest of the plants are doing fine. My husband is looking into making cages for them.

Snap pea plant
As well as the plants I started inside, I also planted snap/snow peas and carrots. The carrots are coming up well so far but don't look great in pictures yet. I'll show you those as they get bigger.

This picture is of a snap pea plant. I'm not entirely sure if I'm going to need a pole for these. I'll look it up at some point.

And that's it for this update. I'm hoping the squirrels don't cause more issues. I really have no idea what I would do if they become a problem. I'd appreciate any advice from readers!

Wordless Wednesday

2009-05-13T10:43:00.004-04:00

Ephemeral Light
by Forgotten Beauty

Monday Madness! Etsy Specials for This Week!

2009-05-10T18:12:00.016-04:00

Do you like buying handmade? What about buying handmade for less?? Here are some great deals from Etsy shops. These specials last all week (May 11 - 17). Check them out!

If you have a special you'd like to share, then include the details in a comment. :)

Magnet Games
20% off all items. Please leave "craftydragon" in the "Note To Seller" section at checkout." The discount will be refunded to your paypal account.

Inki Handmade
I'm having a Moving Overseas Sale: 15% off all listed prices, refund via PayPal! Just Check out and Pay!

Splendid Things
Boutique cards, baby items and home decor. Free shipping to all CraftyDragon blog readers May 11-17. Enter "Crafty Dragon" in the message to seller section at checkout and I will refund the shipping via PayPal within 24 hrs. Or convo me and I'll adjust the listing.

Lil Dab Designs
Free gift with every order plus only a dollar shipping!

Learning with Autism
New shop having a grand opening sale. b1g1free. Please have a look. Thank you!

Nutmegclick
ALL of my photo prints are $5 this week in honour of mother's day.

The Tote Trove
Free shipping to Canada and US. Also, purchase any 5 items and receive 10% off your order. Please send message before purchasing, and I'll apply your discount.

Wreathmic Creations
All items in my shop are reduced 10% for the month of May only! Also, in honor of Mother's Day, May 10th, I'm raffling off my Victorian Teacup arrangement. Just convo me with your name and email. I will contact the winner on May 31st.

Birds of a Feather
Enjoy $2 off per package of Double Ruffle and Ruffle Crepe Trims in these delicious sunny colors; CANDY, LIMEADE, LEMON CHIFFON, LILAC, TURQUOISE & PUMPKIN. See my sale section.

Handmade by Jody
Free shipping on all items to US buyers!

Yaffa Dreams
15% off jewelry in my shop! Coupon Code "ThisMommyNeedsMoney". Does not apply to PIF OR DESTASH. I can do refund via paypal or you can convo me for reserve listing. Expires May 17, 2009, 11:59 pm PST. Lots of new stuff listed! Check it out.

Vintage Petals
Free shipping in the contiguous US! Shipping costs will be refunded through paypal. Tons of fabulous vintage clothes to spruce up your wardrobe!

The Fairy Ring and The Enchanted Cupboard
May Spring Sale 20% off - contact me for information

Treasure Box Jewelry
I am having a 20% and free shipping sale! Just type "blog promo" in notes to seller and I will refund via PayPal.

Crafty Projects: Cat Pillow

2009-05-10T10:52:00.004-04:00

Here is a simple (but rather tedious) crochet project I did for my cat (Leo). Actually it is for both of our cats, but I'll admit to a little favoritism. Leo is my cat from before getting together with my husband. Leo and I have been together about seven or eight years now. (I'm not good with remembering anniversaries or birthdays either!)

Anyway, my idea was to crochet a pillow case to turn a regular pillow into a comfy cat bed/pillow. I didn't think about it until I started measuring that pillow cases are huge!! When I was out crocheting in the dentist's waiting room someone thought it was a blanket. And my little dachshund kept trying to cuddle under it while I was working on it. :) It was an easy project though, just single crochet with stripes to make it more interesting. I did each side separately and then sewed them together.

Here he is just getting used to it. I know he might rip it up a little. He does have all his claws. But if he likes it, then it's worth it!

Friday Finds

2009-05-08T12:25:00.002-04:00

Some favorites I found while browsing today. Enjoy!

Click here to see the full Spotlight on byhand.me.

Hug your dog today!

2009-05-07T11:29:00.004-04:00

I saw this on the More Than Sew So blog and I just wanted to share it with my readers. Our dogs (and cats) have been such a comfort to my family in times of grief and hardship. I don't know where we'd be without them.

EntreCard Market Listings

2009-05-06T10:30:00.005-04:00

I just wanted all my EC friends to know I have listings they can check out for products and advertising. Considering the current cash-out rate is $1/1,000 credits, these are great deals!

Advertising

125 x 125 square ad shown on this blog for 30 days = 1,500 EC credits
http://entrecard.com/market/listing/1103

Products

$5 credit towards any purchase in my shop = 3,500 EC credits
http://entrecard.com/market/listing/1385

$10 credit towards any purchase in my shop = 7,000 EC credits
http://entrecard.com/market/listing/1386

Crafty Projects: Bag Swap

2009-05-05T10:50:00.005-04:00

I recently got involved with a bag swap, organized by Audrey's Country Crafts. The participants were paired up by Audrey and we each sent someone a bag. These could be handmade or bought. It was great fun!

I'm not sure if the bag I made has been received yet, but I'm dying to show it off!

It's a simple crocheted purse, about 8" by 8". The closure is a loop that goes around the silver button in front.

I got this lovely tote bag from Paige at Lenox Knits. She also included a hand-knit headband and wristcuff. I love everything! Check out Paige's blog too.

So thanks again to both Audrey and Paige! I love these crafty swaps! :)

Cards from Audrey!

2009-05-02T14:58:00.004-04:00

I just received this lovely set of 6 handmade cards with matching envelopes! I got them from Audrey at Audrey's Country Crafts for participating in her Crafty PIF (Pay It Forward). (See more about my PIF here.)

I absolutely love these! I am such a card addict! How did you know?? These are so lovely and well made. I definitely recommend everyone check out Audrey's Etsy shop.

I have been a little slow with making the PIFs that I'm sending out, but rest assured they are coming!

So again, thank you, Audrey! You always have such great swaps and fun stuff on your blog! :)

Top EC Droppers for April

2009-05-01T12:33:00.002-04:00

I joined EntreCard in March and I'm having a lot of fun with it. It's a great way to discover new blogs, make some friends, and increase your blog traffic.

Thank you so much to my top droppers in April! Check out these great blogs!

Alteredevents
Daisy the Curly Cat
Frugal Healthy Choices
Singapore Draws
Cinnamon Spice & Everything Nice
My gypsygoods
Split Rock Ranch
Small Town Mommy
Joyarna
The Work From Home Mother

Award!

2009-04-30T15:41:00.004-04:00

One of my new favorite bloggers, Audrey of Audrey's Country Crafts, just gave me this lovely award! So I wanted to share the love with some of my favorite blogs out there.

About the award:
"These blogs are exceedingly charming. These kind bloggers aim to find and be friends. They are not interested in self-aggrandizement. Our hope is that when the ribbon of these prizes are cut, even more friendships are propagated. Please give more atteniton to these writers. Deliver this award to eight blogers who must choose eight more and include this cleverly-written text into the body of their award."

So here are my picks. These are wonderful blogs and friendly people. :)

Tamara's Herbes
The Redhead's Homestead
The Frugal Vegan
Threads of Magique
Lenox Knits
Success Bound
The Frugal Housewife
Unique Charm

Wordless Wednesday

2009-04-29T13:15:00.002-04:00

Princess Heidi
in costume made by Howlin' Hounds
(Wordless Wednesday)

Featured Shop: le Beau Papillon

2009-04-28T12:47:00.004-04:00

Today's featured Etsy artist is Jillian from le Beau Papillon. I just can't say enough about this shop! The pieces are elegant and simple and the prices are affordable even in hard times such as these. Jillian is friendly and approachable and welcomes custom orders.

My favorite earrings in her shop is this gorgeous pair of Colette earrings made from vintage beads.

Jillian shared a little with me about herself and her art. And she has a special deal for my readers!

My name is Jillian Mackowiak, and I'm absolutely in love with beads and making jewelry. At almost anytime of the day or night you can find me on Etsy searching through all the jewelry supplies for sale. If I'm not browsing through Etsy I'm working on my jewelry. I try and list new items daily, but if not daily I definitely get a lot up on the weekends. i hope that you can find something that you like. If there is something that you have in mind that I don't have posted, I love doing custom orders so just send me a convo!!

Etsy shop: JillianMackowiak.etsy.com
Blog: jillianmackowiak.blogspot.com

Special deal for Dragon's Den readers: Anyone who mentions this blog in the message to seller box will be refunded 10% of the cost through PayPal!

I've put together a selection of Jillian's items to make this Spotlight through ByHand.me. This is just a few of the items. Go to this Spotlight on ByHand.me to see the full selection and leave a comment.

My First Garden: Planting!

2009-04-24T11:47:00.005-04:00

Well here it is! The plot is hand-dug and about 10x20 feet. I decided to go for wide beds that would hold two rows of most of my veggies. (If this plan doesn't work this year I can try something different next year.) Then I used leaves as a mulch between beds and around the border. I'm expecting to have some issues with grass coming up in my garden so I wanted to at least keep the border and paths free of it.

I didn't add any compost or fertilizer or extra topsoil. But the earth in this area has been mostly covered by leaves for about two years. So I'm taking a chance that it's rich enough to give me a good season of growing. I'm planning on starting composting bin but it's a little further down on the To Do list.

I planted two rows of snow peas in one of the beds and two rows of carrots in another. I'm also planning tomatoes and peppers. The tomatoes I started inside are coming along nicely but I don't think they're sturdy enough for planting yet. Of all the peppers I started inside only two are coming up. I may have to break down and buy seedlings.

I'll keep you all posted about how things grow (or don't grow). You get to share in my triumph and disappointments!

Wordless Wednesday

2009-04-22T09:51:00.004-04:00

Happy Birthday, Mom.
I miss you.

Featured Shop: Bags by Melanie

2009-04-21T13:07:00.010-04:00

At Bags by Melanie you'll find a wonderful selection of bags, purses, and key fobs. There are lots of colors and styles to choose from and prices to suit anyone's budget.

It was tough choosing a favorite but I finally decided on this bag called Charm.

Melanie talked with me a little about herself and her art:

"My name is Melanie and I am a stay at home mom of three children, two boys (11 and 3) and a girl (1 1/2). I started my stay at home business of making bags and accessories three years ago this August.

"I make and design my own patterns, because of this each bag is slightly different from the one before it. I let the fabric tell me what it wants to be. Just because I have a piece of fabric doesn't necessarily mean that it belongs made into a tote bag. My brain is always full of ideas, some good some not so good, but they are always floating around. I only make one this at a time to make sure I am giving each piece the attention it deserves."

I've put together a sampling of items by Bags by Melanie to create this Spotlight on ByHand.me. Please feel free to go to this Spotlight to see the whole selection and leave a comment.

BOGO Special This Week!

2009-04-20T09:39:00.007-04:00

This week only (April 20th to 27th) buy ANY ITEM at full price and get a second item for 1/2 PRICE! The second item must be of equal or lesser value.

Put the code "BOGO" in the message to seller box. Wait for me to send you a revised invoice by PayPal before paying.

For any new readers not familiar with my shop, I have a great selection of handmade candles and bath and beauty items. And I have many vegan items!

I don't do full-store sales very often, so don't miss this!

Dragon's Den
dragon06.etsy.com

Etsy
Buy Handmade
dragon06

Shop Feature: Lucky Stars Origami

2009-04-18T13:00:00.003-04:00

Lucky Stars Origami is a great Etsy shop filled with unique handmade jewelry at great prices. The bright and colorful designs are perfect for spring. These origami flower earrings are my favorite item in her shop:

Here's a little about how she got started making origami jewelry:

"I started doing origami because of a boyfriend I had in high school. He was really into it. We even went to the origami convention in New York a couple of times. After we broke up, I stopped for a little while and I've just recently started up again. I saw these spirals and I thought they would be perfect for earrings! Then I decided to try stars... and it's snowballed from there!"

I've put together a sampling of Lucky Star Origami items to create this Spotlight on ByHand.me. Please feel free to go to this spotlight to see the whole selection and to leave a comment.

My Newest Soap: Green Tea with Lemon

2009-04-16T12:04:00.006-04:00

My Green Tea with Lemon soap is back by popular demand. I tend to switch between making new soaps and old favorites to keep as much variety in my shop as possible.

This is a wonderful smelling, all natural, vegetable soap made with green tea leaves and essential oil blend. The bars are at least 5 oz each.

The combination of green tea and lemon make this a wonderful soap in so many ways. It’s perfect for your morning shower as the lemon scent refreshes and wakes you up. The green tea leaves also provide a gentle exfoliation. As with all my soaps, this has a luxurious lather and leaves you feeling clean and soft.

I use the hot processed method to make this soap. It’s made from olive oil, palm kernel oil, castor oil, cocoa butter, water, lye, sweet almond oil, grapefruit seed extract, lemon and lemongrass essential oils, and green tea leaves.

I also have samples of this soap available. Click here for details.

Wordless Wednesday

2009-04-15T12:29:00.005-04:00

Oak Fairy
by Meredith Dillman

(Wordless Wednesday)

Get the Most From Your Beeswax Candles

2009-04-14T15:00:00.001-04:00

Beeswax candles are a great natural alternative to those who prefer not to burn paraffin wax. Beeswax has an attractive color and rich natural scent. Beeswax also has a high melt point, making the candles last a long time. These things are all generally well known, and beeswax candles are quite popular.

Many people don't realize, however, that beeswax candles need a little more work and attention than other types of candles. Here's a list of things to keep in mind when you're burning beeswax candles of any size. These tips will help you get the most out of your beeswax.

It's important to keep the wick trimmed to 1/4 inch. If the flame becomes small and looks like it might go out, it's time to trim the wick.
Burn your candle for an extended period of time. This increases the size of the melt pool to ensure your candle burns right to the edge. For tea lights burn them at least 1 hour each time, for votives at least 2 hours, and burn your pillar at least 3 hours each time.
Pillars will not melt all the way to the edge. Over time, fold the wax from the sides toward the center.
Do not blow out your candle. Snuff the candle or extinguish the wick by dipping it in the melted wax. Then be sure to straighten it again. I use a skewer to do this.

Craft it Forward

2009-04-12T11:52:00.006-04:00

Yesterday I was visiting Audrey's Country Crafts blog and she has this wonderful thing going on right now. It's a crafty PIF (pay it forward) where she's giving away 5 handmade items to the first 5 people who comment. I decided I'd take her up on this fun project!

Each of the 5 people who comment then just craft it forward. If you like creating and giving as much as receiving then you'll love this!

Here are the rules:

The first five people to respond to this will get something handmade by me.
There are some restrictions, though:

~I make no guarantees that you will like what I make.
*What I create will be just for you.
~You’ll receive it this year (2009).
*You have no clue what it’s going to be. It could be ANYTHING handmade!
~And in return, all you need to do is post this text into your blog and make 5 things for 5 people.

Respond in the comments section… first 5 people win!

So leave a comment and get crafting! In your comment please include a way for me to reach you.

Crafty Projects: Crocheted Purse/Backpack

2009-04-11T14:15:00.000-04:00

Just a few months ago I took up crocheting. I find it relaxing and fun! I've been working on pretty simple projects so far. This has been my most ambitious project. It's a drawstring style purse/backpack made from cotton yarn.

I made it because I've been wanting a small, light bag that I could use to hold things like a pair of flip flops and bottle of water. And I wanted it to be a backpack style because when I'm on an extended walk or hike I hate having a bag that smacks against my hip.

Sorry I can't pass along the pattern because I'm still not even very good at *reading* patterns, let alone writing one. To tell you the truth I wouldn't even be able to even describe the stitch I used for most of the bag. I started out trying to do a double crochet but I knew I was getting it wrong. But then I liked how it looked so I kept doing it wrong! :)

My 1st Garden: Helpers!

2009-04-10T14:10:00.000-04:00

Yesterday I did some more yard work to get rid of the piles of leaves. I had my faithful helper Heidi there with me. :) But she's usually ready to go back in before I am.

I'm still a long way from being ready to plant though. These lovely daffodils are right in the middle of the space I want to use. I'm planning on transplanting them off to the side. The digging of the garden itself is still a few days away at least depending on weather and availability of helpers.

Some of the seeds I started inside are looking pretty good. Only the tomato plants are coming up so far. I did two seeds to each "pot" and I'm sure that was a mistake. I was just worried they wouldn't all take. So I guess I'll be doing some thinning out soon. I also have green peppers and hot peppers, but nothing is showing for them yet.

That's it for this update. Hopefully soon I'll have more to share!

Buying Handmade FAQ: Shampoo Bars

2009-04-08T09:55:00.002-04:00

Shampoo in a bar?
Many people haven't heard of bar soaps that can also be used as shampoo. Before I started making soap I hadn't either. Now bar shampoo is all I use. With handmade shampoo bars you can have a totally natural product that's great for your hair. It's a good option to keep in mind when shopping for shampoo. We're not stuck with always using liquid!

Why buy handmade?
Many commercial shampoos have levels of toxicity and/or contain certain chemicals that can be harmful over time. Go to Skin Deep: Cosmetic Safety Database to check the safety of the products you use. While not all handmade shampoo bars are completely natural (some have chemical fragrances or color), in my opinion they are safer options than many commercial products.

How do you use it?
To use a shampoo bar make sure your hair and the bar are wet and then rub the bar onto your head until you build up a good lather. Then spread around the lather and work it into your hair and scalp. Then rinse. Trust me, this works even with long hair. Some people (like myself) use conditioner after shampooing. Some also find it helpful to use a special rinse a couple times a week to get rid of any build up. You can buy special hair rinses or make them yourself. If you buy them, I would recommend Tamara's Herbes. I don't find any build-up with my shampoo bars, but this is something that occurs with some handmade shampoo products.

What's the difference between a bar of soap and a shampoo bar?
Any handmade soap can be used as a shampoo bar. But the type of soap will make your results differ greatly. Also, I wouldn't go with a handmade bar that has extra additives meant for exfoliation. I wouldn't want bits of oatmeal or cinnamon in my hair! A good shampoo bar will have ample lather, and will contain oils and other ingredients that are known for being especially good for hair. There are several of these ingredients. The ones I currently use are castor oil, olive oil, and hemp oil. But these are just a few of the ones out there. Do your research! If there's a bar you're considering buying, check out the ingredients to find out their properties.

What about handmade liquid shampoo? What's the difference?
Handmade liquid shampoo is also a good natural shampoo option. Liquid and bar shampoos perform differently though, and in the end it comes down to personal preference. Handmade liquid shampoo will have natural hair-healthy oils and additives. But it generally doesn't lather very well, and has a tendency to leave more residue than bar shampoo. The reason the storebought liquid shampoo lathers so well is because it's not actually "soap". It's a detergent and while not necessarily harmful, many people prefer handmade because it's more natural. There are liquid shampoo bases available that some crafters will use as a base and add extra scents and additives. These liquid shampoos will have more lather and leave less residue but will have extra chemicals.

Any other Questions?
Just leave a comment and I'll do my best to answer them!

Featured Shop: Crochet by Kerri

2009-04-07T09:20:00.003-04:00

I recently got one of these great handmade coffee cozies (coozie) from Kerri at Crochet by Kerri. It's well made and a beautiful lime green color. The picture does not do it justice!

Crochet by Kerri has a great selection of crocheted cozies, scarves, and blankets. The colors are great and the prices are affordable! Be sure to also check out her blog at http://crochetbykerri.blogspot.com/

I've put together a sampling of her items to create this Spotlight on ByHand.me. Please feel free to go to this spotlight to see the whole selection and to leave a comment.

Crafty Secret Santa ... In March

2009-04-03T11:00:00.002-04:00

I recently got involved in a Crafty Secret Santa/PIF (pay it forward) that was organized by Paul over at Dude Craft.

Here's the scoop - there were 20 participants and we all gave Paul some info about ourselves. He then sent each participant the info for one person. We then all made something crafty for whatever person we were given, based on the info they gave Paul.

Sound complicated? Well it really wasn't. It was great fun!

What I made

Part of the info I was given was my person loved "curling up with a good book and a cup of tea on a rainy evening". That was my inspiration for the scent of this chunk candle. I was also trying to capture a little of the look of a random pattern of rain on a window. I love the Rain scent too it was definitely a pleasure to fill the house with it for a day. Also, I don't often make chunk candles so it was a little change of pace for me.

What I got

The person who made something for me was inspired by my love of crafts, earthy colors, and my love of all things recycled/upcycled. This is a very cute wall hanging that has its permanent home on my craft room wall. The embroidery says CRAFT LOVE and there is a shadow puppet bunny as well.

Now the fun isn't over yet! Paul has been featuring these projects over at Dude Craft so we can all check out what everyone made. Go take a look! Follow the blog while you're there. He's always got great crafty posts!

Shop Feature: Rhi's Bits and Beads

2009-04-02T10:30:00.004-04:00

Rhi of Rhi's Bits and Beads makes beautiful jewelry at affordable prices. And she also has a great selection of jewelry supplies. There are some breathtaking stones in her collection!

Rhi has taken the time to write to me about her shop and her art.

I'm a rock hound, gem collector, and bead addict who lives in the beautiful Pacific Northwest. My passion for rocks and gems naturally led me to the creation of jewelry, and I've been creating off and on for the past 15 years.

My favorite materials to work with are Pearls and natural stones that are created by Mother Earth.

I'm hoping to soon be able to take some metal smithing classes, so I can incorporate pieces from my gem collection into jewelry.

I've put together a sampling of her items to create this Spotlight on ByHand.me. Please feel free to go to this spotlight to see the whole selection and to leave a comment.

Wordless Wednesday

2009-04-01T11:03:00.004-04:00

My mom and her mom.
(Wordless Wednesday)

Soap Samples

2009-03-31T15:30:00.004-04:00

Soap samples are now available for only $1 (+ $1 shipping). You can also get 3 samples for just $2.50 (+ $2 shipping). These are 1/2 ounce ball soaps. This way you can try it out before getting a full bar to make sure you like the scent and feel of the soap.

Ordering is easy - at the bottom of the page enter the kind(s) of soap you'd like and then click the "Buy Now" button. Note there are different buttons for 1 or 3 samples.

This is open to anyone - an international offer! I figure that's only fair since I ship internationally in my shop. If the button below does not show up or work for you just contact me at ajanes1@comcast.net

The types of soap available will vary over time, so I'll keep updating this list.

Types of Soap Available

Just click on the pictures to see the detailed information for each type of soap.

Layered Mint Soap/Shampoo

Green Tea with Lemon Soap

Rose Ribbon Soap/Shampoo

Unscented Oatmeal Honey Soap

My 1st Garden: Baby Steps

2009-03-28T14:30:00.000-04:00

I'm going to swallow my pride and share my gardening experiences with you this year. This will be the first garden I've had since I was a kid living on a small farm. I've wanted to start one for many years now, but there was always one thing or other in the way.

One of the biggest factors holding me back was my own fear and sense of intimidation. There is so much involved in gardening that I don't know. But as with most things in my life I'm just going to plunge in. I'll find resources and get help from friends along the way. :) So this may be a learning-from-my-mistakes year, but that is still forward progress so I'll try to stay positive.

So I'm now in a house with ample yard space to start a veggie garden. The space I'm going to use has been neglected for a couple years. So this first picture is after a day of work trying to find the ground under all the leaves.

The second thing I've done is to start a few plants inside. I'm trying to do this garden on the cheap, so I loved this idea of using toilet paper rolls for starting seeds. Check out Nature Moms Blog for that and more great tips.

I've got two containers like this going. I started cherry tomatoes and green peppers and catnip. I'm crossing my fingers hoping they'll work out.

So that's it for this update. I have a feeling the next update might involve some cursing over my sore back after digging out the garden plot...

Florida Trip with Pictures

2009-03-25T14:00:00.002-04:00

I just wanted to share some pictures from my short trip to Florida (West Palm Beach). It was my first time there and my goals were to see some alligators and lizards. Of course I also wanted to get some sunning and barefooting in. The weather was gorgeous, and I got a couple barefoot walks in with no one giving me even a second glance. :)

I also want to do a shout out to the Old Key Lime House. Fun restaurant with great food and an awesome view! We even got to see a pod of dolphins ... too bad I didn't have my camera with me then.

Onto the pictures I did get ...

Anole lizard

Pelican

Alligator (little one)

Mystery bird
(I'd love some help with this one)

Fig Tree

Hope you like these. I had fun taking them! I think the lizard picture is my favorite. But then I have a thing for lizards and that one was very patient posing there for me. :) I have definitely discovered a new respect for wildlife photographers!

And I would love to find out what that Mystery Bird is. I don't know a lot about birds so I don't feel bad asking for help.

Winners chosen!

2009-03-24T11:57:00.003-04:00

I just contacted the 2 winners of the free tea lights contest. So check your Etsy convos - you might be one of them! :)

Thank you to everyone who entered. This is valuable feedback and will definitely be influencing what I choose to make and list on a regular basis.

And for those of you who mentioned new scents - I'm keeping those in mind too. I'm always looking to expand my selection and there were some great suggestions made.

So again thank you everyone very much for voting and commenting!

Free Tea Lights Giveaway!

2009-03-16T10:30:00.001-04:00

I would love to get feedback from you about your favorite candle scents. In return, I'll send a free set of 6 tea lights to 2 people!

Just choose your favorite scents in the new poll over to the right. You can choose as many or as few as you like. You can also choose "other" if you are thinking of a favorite that's not on the list. If you choose "other" I'd love if you could let me know the details in a comment to this post.

Want to know about the rest of my scents? I only included 20 of my scents in the poll. You can see the rest in my Etsy profile if you're interested. You are welcome to choose a scent from my profile as your choice for the giveaway if your favorite isn't in the poll.

Note: These are all fragrance oils. If you're interested in candles with essential oils take a look here.

Giveaway Prize:

You get a free set of 6 tea lights in your choice of scent. These are beeswax and paraffin blend candles with all cotton wicks.

How to Enter:

This is open to anyone in any country! I ship internationally so my contests are international too!
Choose your favorite candle scent(s) in the poll.
Write me a comment including your email address or Etsy User ID so I can reach you.
Also tell me which scent you'd like to receive if you win.
Blog about this giveaway to get an extra chance to win! Include the link to your blog in the comment.
Enter now! The poll closes Monday, March 23rd at 11:59 PM (EST).

How to Win:

On Tuesday, March 24th, 2009 I will randomly choose 2 people out of those who posted comments.
I will contact the winner the same day by email or Etsy convo.
If I don't get a response from a winner by the end of Thursday then I will choose new winner(s) on Friday.

What's the Catch?

There's no catch. This giveaway is entirely free with no purchase required, and I pay the shipping. Have fun and good luck!

Crafting Tip: Better than Perfect!

2009-03-10T11:30:00.001-04:00

One thing I struggle with in my crafting is trying to make everything *perfect*. Yes, I have high expectations about the quality of my recipes, but it even goes beyond that. I fret if I've cut a bar of soap just a little off square. I stress about the color if it comes out not exactly as I've planned. And don't get me started on what I do if the finish on a candle isn't flawless!

I'm sure I'm not alone in this kind of thinking. "My work has to be perfect for it to be professional." Heaven forbid someone out there thinks I'm an amateur!

We as artists and crafters need to break out of this pattern of thought. We create amazing and beautiful items. Each is unique and wonderful. If buyers want machine-accuracy and assembly-line perfect then they'll go shop elsewhere. Our buyers see the value of handmade. As a buyer of handmade, I value more the personal thought, effort, creativity (blood, sweat, and tears) that went into the item.

And so today I want to celebrate the imperfections that make our work better than perfect! Here's a spotlight of Etsy items that have been marked down because of small flaws. These are great, unique items! I made this spotlight on byhand.me and you can see it online here.

Business Tips: Managing Multiple Social Media Profiles

2009-03-08T12:10:00.003-04:00

I have been feeling swamped by the number of profiles I have out there. I don't even share most of them with people anymore because I'm embarrassed that I don't update them as much as I should. Each one individually is fun and worthy of my time - but when I back up and look I just see a big messy pile that will waste my whole day.

I recently added Twitter to my list of social media. I put this off for so long because I thought it might be just one more thing on my social media plate. It has turned into an incredible resource! I will not add this one to the pile to gather dust. (BTW I'm @craftydragon for anyone who wants to follow me.)

This brings me to the topic of this post. This is one of the great resources that I found through Twitter. It's an article with really great tips on how to manage multiple profiles. Go check it out - it'll change your life! Ok ... well it'll allow you to really use all those profiles and free up some time.

HOW TO: Manage Multiple Social Media Profiles

Green News: A few fave picks

2009-03-06T11:40:00.008-05:00

These are just a few recent green living tidbits I've come across recently. I just wanted to share them with my readers. Quotes are from the sites. Just click the links for more info. My work here is done. :)

Real Geeks Ride
http://www.realgeeksride.com/

Check out (and support) this bike ride to promote greener living.

"This ride across the USA, and the months leading up to it, is about their transition from ‘geeks’ into ‘geeks with bikes’. They will be showing, through realgeeksride.com and various forms of social media, the challenges, myths, and culture of cycling, the way a geek would understand them.

"Through their example, they hope to inspire (or potentially force) other geeks to change their commuting habits. If these two geeks can make it across the USA, it is foolish to think other geeks can not at least bike to work."

Green Teens: A Youth Movement to Spread Environmental Awareness

http://greenteensusa.org/

"Green Teens is a youth group who spreads environmental awareness through education and simple, positive lifestyle changes. The group has been around for about a year and can be found working throughout their community in Northeastern Connecticut. Some of Green Teens accomplishments include holding cloth bag booths, running light bulb swaps, and attending community events to spread their message!"

Planet Positive
http://www.planet-positive.org/

"An environmental mark. A better way of living."

"Our mission is simple, but bold: to reduce carbon emissions and promote a more equitable distribution of resources.

"We will do this by actively promoting the Planet Positive mark as a straight forward way for everyone around the world to reduce their carbon footprint.

"Through Planet Positive we will create a network for organisations and individuals to work together towards a common goal: to ensure actions have a long-term positive effect on the environment, making good the damage done by past centuries of consumption and harmful emissions."

Cool Site: The Optimist

2009-03-04T10:01:00.003-05:00

If you're an optimist (like I am) here's a site to let you know you're not alone. So much around us is doom and gloom ... but there is a place where the world looks a little brighter.

This site is The Optimist at http://www.optimistworld.com/. It's a place to go to see the positive side of news, media, sports, personal stories, and more. And it's interactive! Comments, voting, and personal stories from readers are encouraged.

Here's part of the description from the site:

"If you are an optimist – or aspire to be one - welcome to our world. Here at Optimist World you'll find daily good news headlines, inspiring stories about charities, positive corporate social responsibility, activities, sustainable travel, optimistic stories from the world of sports, and so much more."

So take a few minutes out of your day and browse around to see what good is happening in the world around you. It may just put a little spring in your step.

Featured items: Spring Fever Sale!

2009-03-02T09:12:00.002-05:00

Here are some amazing items from just a few of the shops participating in the EtsyNJ Spring Fever Sale. Go to http://etsynj.com/springfever/ to see all the deals offered.

Click on the pictures below to take you to the items. And go to Spring Fever Sale to see this list on byhand.me. There you can leave comments to boost popularity and get these items more views!

Cool site: byhand.me

2009-03-01T19:03:00.003-05:00

I just discovered this site. I'm sure it's been around for a long time but I'm a little slow. :)

Just one of the site's features is that it allows members to make these great "spotlights" (similar to Etsy treasuries). Here's the first one I've made. It features all my items. I'm already planning my next one to include fellow Etsy friends. Too much fun!!

NJ Spring Fever Sale!

2009-02-28T11:15:00.003-05:00

The Etsy New Jersey team is having a group sale! Click on the poster below for more info about the individual shop specials.

Shop Feature: Liz Staley's Realm of Nerdiness

2009-02-27T15:00:00.003-05:00

Liz from Liz Staley's Realm of Nerdiness is having a great sale right now and I just wanted to show off her shop. In this shop you'll find all sorts of things for the nerd in your life. Believe me I have lots in my life! (including me lol) She's got magnets, gaming accessories, art, and lots more.

But right now I'm going to focus on her handmade plushies - in particular her Kafma. Liz has a great assortment of these adorable plushies. I've included a couple of my favorites. Just click on the pictures for more info.

What are Kafma?

"Kafma is actually short for "Kute and Furry Mutliplying Aliens". They are small balls of fur hailing from a planet far away. All they do is eat, reproduce, make a pleasant purring noise, and get into my crafting supplies to make costumes for themselves."

Liz has all of her Kafma plushies marked down now. Go to the Plushie section in her shop to see the deals.

Featured Shop: Yaffa Dreams

2009-02-25T10:50:00.003-05:00

Susan of Yaffa Dreams makes lovely jewelry and accessories at affordable prices. I've chosen a couple of my favorites. Just click on the pictures to see more information about the items and how to buy them. Also take a look below where she adds a special offer for Dragon's Den readers!

Susan a little info with me about her shop and her inspiration.

"My name is Susan and I started creating items to sell on Etsy when I moved back to Florida and couldn't find a job. This helps keep me sane and also make a few extra dollars.

I love using different items to make jewelry. I make a lot of things out of hardware, guitar picks, etc. And sometimes, I combine them. I like shimmery, sparkly beads. And I like most items with hearts.

My daughter has a section in my shop called Fantastical Awesomeness. She creates the items and earns spending money. I do the business end of it.

Not only do I have jewelry in my shop, but also bags and keychains and vintage items. I also have a giveaway on my blog: www.redheadhomestead.blogspot.com

If you mention "CraftyDragon" in the notes to the seller, I will send you a FREE gift with your purchase."

Yaffa Dreams
www.yaffadreams.etsy.com
www.redheadhomestead.blogspot.com

Blog Special: Free Dragon Soap!

2009-02-23T11:15:00.000-05:00

This week's offer is a free dragon soap with any purchase from my shop (Dragon's Den on Etsy).

This is a raspberry scented soap made from a shea butter soap base (paraben free). This 3 ounce moisturizing soap is a perfect size and shape for kids! Click on the link or picture for more info about this soap.

There is no minimum order for this special. This is totally free with no extra shipping added to your order. Just enter "dragon soap" in the message to seller box on checkout. I will add the soap to your order when I see the code. Do not add the soap listing to your order unless you want two. :)

This special lasts until next Saturday (Feb. 28, 2009).

Item Review: Green Goddess Toner

2009-02-19T12:00:00.002-05:00

Tamara from Tamara's Herbes has wowed me again!

My face has very sensitive skin with problems like acne, dry flaky skin, and patches of dry rough skin. This is all something I've lived with my whole life. No product really worked to clean or moisturize without giving me a reaction. The most I could hope for was a product that wouldn't turn my face beet red!

Recently I decided to try Tamara's Green Goddess Toner. Like her other products this is all natural and chemical free. It's specially designed for sensitive skin and it's a cleanser, toner, and light moisturizer.

The first day I used it I was happy to find that it didn't make my face red or leave it feeling tight and dry like commercial products do. That was a great start! But what was remarkable was that by the 3rd day of using it my skin was noticeably better! My skin felt so soft! No more flaky skin and the dry patches were almost completely gone! Now after using the toner for over a week I don't see any more acne and my face is still smooth and soft. My entire face care regimen is to use this toner once a day - that's it! What a miracle product!

I just had to share this with my readers. I'm hoping this can help some others with problem or sensitive skin. Click on the link above or the picture to see more info about this toner. And visit the rest of Tamara's Herbes to see her other great products!

Green and Frugal: Re-usable Dryer Sheets

2009-02-17T14:20:00.003-05:00

I recently made some recycled and re-usable dryer sheets. I just wanted to share this project with my readers. I made these using old, cut up PJs (jersey knit). I didn't even finish the edges. But if you don't want to make your own pieces I know you can get handmade recycled cloths by searching on Etsy.

This is not the only way to make these, but this is how I did it. I'm happy with how they came out, and they work great in my laundry! I've heard it said that you can use the sheets up to 5 times before re-applying the softener, but I re-apply after each use. I do them in large batches so that I don't have to do it often.

This is definitely frugal too. By using these re-usable sheets I get 7 times more loads out of the liquid fabric softener!

Blog Special: Free Tea Lights!

2009-02-15T13:10:00.005-05:00

Visit my shop (Dragon's Den on Etsy) and get a free set of 6 scented tea lights with any order!

You choose the scent - either Vanilla Bean Noel or White Lily & Amber. Vanilla Bean Noel is a blend of buttery, rich vanilla and musk. It is my favorite vanilla scent by far! White Lily & Amber is described as: "a soft background of white amber and musk provide a comfortable backdrop for crisp top notes of dewy cyclamen and smooth mimosa with middle notes of white lily." It is rich and feminine without being too floral. It's just a gorgeous scent!

These candles are handmade from a beeswax and paraffin blend and all cotton wicks. They are long burning with great scent throw. There is no color added to these candles. They are the natural creamy color of the wax blend.

There is no minimum order for this special. This is totally free with no extra shipping added to your order. Just enter either "Vanilla" or "White Lily & Amber" in the message to seller box on checkout. I will add the package of six tea lights to your order when I see the code.

This special lasts until next Saturday (Feb. 21, 2009).

Spring is in the Air

2009-02-12T13:00:00.005-05:00

The last two days here in South Jersey have been beautiful and unseasonably warm. I know it won't last long but it's got me thinking spring!

So I browsed through Etsy to find some NJ home grown spring picks that fit my mood today. Click on the pictures to see the item or the shop links below for the whole shop. Hope you like them!

Sellers featured:

From Nancy's Heart
http://FromNancysHeart.etsy.com

Chimera
http://chimera.etsy.com

Capital City Crafts
http://capitalcitycrafts.etsy.com

Entertaining Angels
http://entertainingangels.etsy.com

Liz Arti
http://LizArti.etsy.com

Pequest Designs
http://Siarh.etsy.com