Wednesday Wellspring: Christmas in July

Congratulations to Something from Nothin' for winning this month's Graduation team challenge with her Gift for Grad necklace! Check out her other lovely creations in her mini parked front and center at the top of the blog! July's theme is Picnic/Summertime, so, team, get to creating!

The Wednesday Wellspring giveaways will be back on July 14th with a team giveaway launching Christmas in July. Be sure to check back for some great prizes!

Trash & Treasures Tuesday: Ideas for a Summer Party

Buying a new home means many sweet friends and family members will want to check out your new digs. We've decided to have an all-day, come for as long as you like, outside on the deck, enjoy some treats, housewarming party. I've been poking around Etsy for some ideas... here are a few of my favorites.

These upcycled glass jars with chalkboard fronts are perfect for some extra lighting in the evenings, or for some citronella candles to keep the buggies away. Courtesy of BragginBags.

I adore these coasters, made from upcycled wallpaper samples. They are even New York themed. Love! Courtesy of Burlap+Blue.

This vintage inspired pedestal is perfect for some summer desserts. Made from a candlestick and a plate - simple but so smart! Courtesy of Burlap+Blue, again!

I'm a sucker for garland. This cute set is made from repurposed fabrics and would be perfect on my deck! Courtesy of Green Hot Mama.

Any green tips for having a summer gathering? Leave 'em in the comments!

Peace & thanks,
Kaitlin

Make-it Mondays: Christmas in July

I don't know about anyone else, but my shop is SLOOOOOW right now. Summer is a notoriously poor sales season before the insanity of Back to School and the Holidays. To counter that Etsy is running its 3rd annual Community Christmas in July promotion. The sale runs from July 15th through July 25th. This blog post on the Storque covers how you as a seller can participate. You can learn more in this Etsy forum as well. Encourage sales with some discounts, sales and giveaways to tide you over before the fall rush. We are considering a special RNEST team giveaway for our Wednesday Wellspring posts during this time (contact Michelle/TheQuiltedHouse if you are interested).

Wednesday Wellspring: Graduation

Congratulations Samy, for winning In My Head Studios' gorgeous pendant!

And now, the Reserved Parking Spot is once again up for grabs in this our June monthly challenge: Graduation!

Cast your vote for your favorite on the poll on the upper right corner of the blog sidebar. Voting will end June 29th, with the winner announced on June 30th!

And now, in no particular order:

Gift for Grad Sterling Necklace by Something from Nothin'

Black and White Graduation Bracelet by Beauty in the Eye First Date Secret Book by creative hodge podge

Now, help us choose a winner by voting for your favorite graduation-themed craft!

Trash & Treasures Tuesday: Recently Thrifted

The official start of summer = garage sales galore! And while poking through boxes of forgotten treasures in someone's yard will always be my favorite way of thrifting, the birth of Etsy and other online avenues pave the way for virtual garage sailing. Below is an assortment of deals earned the old fashion way and through the comfort of my MacBook.

These adorable earrings made from vintage lucite cabochons are an Etsy steal. I ordered the red and cream pairs and the seller was sweet enough to throw in the pink pair! Thanks, Dangsworld!

My mom gave me this and I though the old McCurdy's box was vintage goodness all by itself. Opening it was even better...

 Vintage buttons! I foresee lots of button crafting in my future.

I snagged this small child's desk at a garage sale for $5! It makes the perfect nightstand in our guest room.

And last but not least, some 80's records, 25 cents each. REO, The Boss, Duran Duran, Journey... all the greats. Hehe. I almost bought Rio online for $10 a few weeks ago - good thing I waited!

Any good thrifted treasures lately? Share 'em in the comments!

Peace & thanks,
Kaitlin

Make-it Mondays: Get Inspired by TED

Feeling like your in a rut with Etsy or the whole creative process? There are days when I can't find any motivation, but TED never fails to inspire me to do more and be more as a maker. TED is a non-profit group that hosts talks from the greatest minds in the world on technology, entertainment and design. The TED website offers videos of every talk they host FOR FREE, a great brain boost in under 20 minutes.

Videos are categorized by adjective like "beautiful, inspiring and fascinating" or by genre's like design and business (both good for Etsians I might add). One of my favorite talks is by Eva Zeisel, 94 years old and a ceramic designer for over 75 years. If we could all have her creative longevity...

Eva Zeisel on the playful search for beauty | Video on TED.com

Jack's Pick: Inky Star Shop's "Home Sweet Home" Photograph

Each Friday I select an item created by a member of the Rochester NY Etsy Street Team(RNEST). What criteria do I use? I look for great looking items that I think are well made offered for a great price!

This week I have to give props to The Inky Star Shop for a bit of urban art, a wonderful photograph from our home city of Rochester. Kaitlin Gray has taken this shot from the streets of Rochester, and perfectly captured the image with the title, "Home Sweet Home."

The neutral colors in this image, and the grittiness would be perfect in the decor of someone with modern taste. It's images like this that make you think about the world around you that you miss everyday because of our fast paced distracted lifestyles.

Wonderful photograph Kaitlin, can't wait to see more from the Flour/Flower City.

Wednesday Wellspring: In My Head Studios

Congratulations to #54 daer0n for winning inky star shop's beautiful necklace!

And this week, the well is overflowing with upcycled beauty from Vickie Porter of In My Head Studios - who was recently made famous in this wonderful article in the Rochester Craft Shop Examiner! Kathleen Landers' interview with Vickie reveals Vickie's true love of what she does. We're very lucky to have her on the RNEST team and one of you will be incredibly lucky to this amazing altered mixed media domino pendant!

The pendant is called Sophisticated Squares and boasts a colorful collage, which is a print of a larger work of art that Vickie made specifically for her domino pendant jewelry. The collage was created with a variety of papers, rubber stamps, acrylic paint, and ink. The print for the pendant was made with high quality archival paper and ink, then sealed with several clear coats to assure lasting durability for years to come.

Now, for the rules (This giveaway is open to the US only):

MANDATORY ENTRY #1: Go to In My Head Studios, heart the shop, and then leave a comment here telling me your favorite item.
MANDATORY ENTRY #2: Become a follower of this blog and leave a comment letting me know- or if you are already, leave a comment saying you're a loyal follower.

BONUS ENTRIES (leave a separate comment for each):
1. Check out the article in the Examiner and tell me what Vickie said "fuels her fiery existence of art making."
2. Become a fan of RNEST on Facebook.
3. Become a follower of the In My Head Studios' blog.
4. Follow In My Head Studios on Twitter.
5. Become a fan of In My Head Studios on Facebook.
6. Tweet and blog about this giveaway and leave a comment here with the link.

The winner will be chosen using the random number generator on Tuesday, June 22 and will be announced in the next Wednesday Wellspring.

Trash & Treasures Tuesday: What do you mean Father's Day is THIS Sunday?!

How is it the middle of June already!? Father's Day snuck up on me this year, and since my Dad is The Best Dad In The World, I dug around Etsy for some gift inspiration (trash & treasure style, of course).

My pop works for a local payroll company and is a member of the Greece Rotary, so he often sports a tie. This tie tack, made by RNEST's very own Beadwork by Amanda, would definitely spice up his wardrobe.

Made from a piece of recycled circuit board, the tack is a nice blend of traditional and unique.

My dad used to be a DJ and brought a lot of great music into our home. I think a record player would give him a good excuse to dust off his old albums and rock out. This one from Etsy seller All Unique would do the trick.

Over the years, my dad has collected miscellaneous pieces of silverware. One year for Christmas, he presented three complete sets (each unique) in wooden cases he restored to me and my two sisters. It was amazing! Maybe it's time to replenish his supply. Etsy has a ton of great silverware, like this assortment from AB and C.

And while this next idea might not fall into trash or treasure, it's DIY all the way! A superhero's gift box for a super dad, courtesy of AlphaMom.com.

Find any good gifts for Dad? Make him the perfect present? Leave 'em in the comments! And happy Father's Day to all the gents out there who care for and love their families!

(But seriously, my dad is The Best Dad In The World and I'm The Luckiest Daughter In The World. Love you, Big Guy!)

Peace & thanks,
Kaitlin

Make-it Mondays: Anticipate Summer Trends

Summer is a time to relax and enjoy the outdoors. It is also an opportunity to incorporate a variety of themes into your Etsy shop, giveaways and blogs. If you don't check From Etsy's Merchandising Desk yet, please do. You can find it on Etsy's site by clicking Community, then the Storque Blog. From there the search bar will give you the option of searching blog tags for merchandising desk. Each month Etsy gives sellers a heads up on the trends, future site features and important dates there. Check out July.

Here are some of the themes and RNESTer's who already have it going on:

Geekery (for Embrace Your Geekness Day, July 13):

from jackbear stamps


Bath and Beauty (scrubs to slow off hard work in the sun):

from the fuzzy bunny


Travel Themes (good for outdoor parties as well!):

from lauren's lovelies


Outdoors and Camping:

from creative hodge podge

Wednesday Wellspring: inky star shop

Congratulations to #21 Mrs. Milne for winning creative.hodge.podge's amazing secret book!
And this week, the well is overflowing with gorgeous vintage goodness from inky star shop (that's right, from our newest RNEST bloggist of Trash and Treasures Tuesday)! Kaitlin's shop is full of beautiful new and repurposed vintage jewelry and original, eclectic photography. It is one fun shop to explore! For this week's giveaway, she is offering a lovely necklace, measuring 18" long with a 2" extender. It is made from vintage beads collected from a friend's beautiful vintage necklace that, over the years, lost its shape. Kaitlin immediately fell in love with the turquoise colored beads and made plans to reinvent them in new pieces. With the addition of a few new beads and a unique side blossom the vintage beads great a fresh, new style.

Now, for the rules (This giveaway is open to US and Canada!):

MANDATORY ENTRY #1: Go to inky star shop, heart the shop, and then leave a comment here telling me your favorite item.
MANDATORY ENTRY #2: Become a follower of this blog and leave a comment letting me know- or if you are already, leave a comment saying you're a loyal follower.

BONUS ENTRIES (leave a separate comment for each):
1. Become a fan of RNEST on Facebook.
2. Become a follower of Kaitlin's blog.
3. Tweet and blog about this giveaway and leave a comment here with the link.

The winner will be chosen using the random number generator on Tuesday, June 15 and will be announced in the next Wednesday Wellspring.

Trash & Treasures Tuesday: New Treasure From Old

Everyone has a spot were they toss jewelry when it breaks; damaged necklaces, cracked beads, snapped bracelets or one half of a pair of earrings. It might be a little jewelry container, a shoe box or just in the bottom of a drawer. The stuff you just can't part with. A few months ago, I was given a plastic bag filled with sentimental pieces that were either broken or just not being worn.

Some beads were vintage and some were new. Each piece had character and something about it that was meaningful to the owner (let's call her Ms. V.). Ms. V. gave me the great honor of taking this collection of jewelry and creating something new. She wanted a statement necklace she could wear for special occasions that incorporated all these little slices of her jewelry past. Here's what I came up with:

Each strand focuses on one color that was prominent in the collection of beads (light, dark, clear), but splices in a few contrasting colors here and there to make it look more cohesive. I didn't want it to look like three separate necklaces, but one larger piece. I'm happy with the results, but even better, Ms. V. was happy with the results (and it looks rather stunning on her, I must say!).

I think this is a great way to reinvent your jewelry; you can turn your sentimental pieces into the pieces you love to wear (for both the history and the style). Your forgotten jewelry is trash no more!

Peace & thanks,
Kaitlin

*And many thanks to Ms. V. for trusting me with such important memories!

Make-it Mondays: Terrariums

Sometime last year I became interested in terrariums and posted a quick tutorial on my blog. With plants and farmer's markets coming back in season it is a great time to revisit the idea.

Terrariums last year round, are self-sustaining and portable, making them perfect for renters and urban dwellers. I collect small china plates for my bases and glass dome tops from thrift stores for under $1.00 a piece. Any clear, enclosed container will also do, from mason jars to vintage candy dishes.

A Terrarium in Ten Steps:

1. Spread a layer of pea gravel in the bottom of your container.
   
2. Sprinkle activated carbon on top of the gravel. This cleans the water as it filters through the stones and back into the soil again. It can be purchased from a pet store in the aquarium section.
3. Scoop on a generous amount of potting soil, finishing off what will look like a three layer cake of earthy goodness.
4. Plant 2 or 3 small succulents. Jade plants, cacti and aloe are my favorites with no fuss or muss. Plus they won't quickly outgrow the terrarium.
   
5. Place a thin layer of moss over the soil and around the plants. This gives the illusion of a miniature grass covered world. Get it on the cheap by scavenging sidewalk cracks and local parks.
   
6. Populate your environment with plastic animals, marbles, crystals etc...
7. Add a dash of water. Succulents need little water and with the dome it will recycle itself. I have gone for about 3 months at a time without watering mine and even then just very lightly.
8. Put a lid on it.
   
9. Display in a sunny place.
10. Enjoy!

There are several sellers on Etsy who sell whole terrariums or terrarium accessories. If creating miniatures is your thing, marketing terrarium accessories might be a good venture for you. Check them out for inspiration or a puchase!

1. Blithe Gardens
2. Warm Country Meadows
3. Terradctl
4. Doodle Bird Imaginariums
5. Betty's Fantasy
   

Wednesday Wellspring: creative.hodge.podge

Congratulations to Kelley's Beading for winning this month's Americana team challenge with her Fireworks Earrings! Check out her other lovely creations in her mini parked front and center at the top of the blog! June's theme is Graduation Day, so, team, get to creating!

And this week, the well overflowed with upcycled goodness from creative.hodge.podge! Sarah enjoys working with everyday materials, like markers, glue, discarded books, and paper scraps and transforming them into something better. And that's exactly what she's done with this week's giveaway item: a secret book! For this particular book, Sarah hollowed out the inside then sealed the pages together and painted them gold along their edges. She then added colorful paper pieces to the bottom back cover. These books can be used to store a variety of things, like money, jewelry, an iPod, lip balm, etc.

Now, for the rules (This giveaway is open to US and Canada!):

MANDATORY ENTRY #1: Go to creative.hodge.podge, heart the shop, and then leave a comment here telling me your favorite item.
MANDATORY ENTRY #2: Become a follower of this blog and leave a comment letting me know- or if you are already, leave a comment saying you're a loyal follower.

BONUS ENTRIES (leave a separate comment for each):
1. Become a fan of RNEST on Facebook.
2. Tweet and blog about this giveaway and leave a comment here with the link.

The winner will be chosen using the random number generator on Tuesday, June 8 and will be announced in the next Wednesday Wellspring.

Trash & Treasures Tuesday: Recently Thrifted

Spring is a thrifters dream; from garage and estate sales to Etsy and Craigslist, there are a ton of treasures waiting to be found. Here are a few deals I recently snagged:

The bow pin is from Etsy seller TotallyVintage. I've been watching a lot of Glee lately and am somewhat in love with the blog What Would Emma Pillsbury Wear. Emma is by far the best dresser on the show. WWEPW details how to get Emma's look for less. When they recommended checking out Etsy for Emma-ish accessories, I hopped right over and found this gem. Love it.

The hot air balloon necklace is from Etsy seller FreshyFig. I had been eying this piece for a while and am very happy with it - it goes with everything!

This vintage Pyrex butter dish is from Etsy seller PlaidPonyVintage. I looked through a lot other dishes from other sellers and this one was reasonably priced, shipped quick and is in perfect condition. Awesome deal.

And like I said, let's not forget the power of Craigslist for one-of-a-kind treasures.

I got this patio set (which seems to be vintage, with many layers of paint) for a quarter what you would pay for a new set. Plus, all the charm of a (possibly?) vintage piece. And, while I was picking up the table and chairs, I eyed this beauty in the seller's garage.

I told her to call me if she ever wanted to sell. She said for $30, she'd let me take it home. SOLD!

Found any treasures lately? Know some good thrift stores or hear about any block garage sales? Post 'em in the comments!

Peace & thanks,
Kaitlin