Wednesday Wellspring: Merv And Dolores

Bubbling up from the well this week, is Merv And Dolores! This RNESTer is offering the winner's choice of one Merv And Dolores Matted Art Print! The print is of an original 5"x7" piece of Merv And Dolores artwork. Heather, the artist behind Merv And Dolores, created this original artwork on smooth hot press high quality Aquarelle Arches watercolor paper. She used pen and ink, acrylic ink and coffee to stain the paper. This print is printed on heavyweight 61lb matte finish paper using pigment-based ink, which means it will last 100+ years without fading. Each finished piece is matted with a single white mat with an 8"x10" outer measurement. This means you can place it in any ready made frame of your choice. Artwork will be signed and dated on the back (or the mat if you prefer).

You can find Heather and her wonderful creations around town over the next few months:

• Saturday, April 2nd, 9:30am-3:00pm: First Baptist Church of Penfield, 1862 Penfield Road, Penfield NY 14526
• Saturday, May 14th, 10:00am-4:00pm: The Arts & Crafts Fair at St. John of Rochester in Fairport to support the Sutherland Art Club

And now for the rules (This giveaway is open to the US and Canada!):

MANDATORY ENTRY #1: Go to Merv And Dolores, 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 Merv And Dolores website and leave a comment here telling me your favorite item.

2. "Like" Merv And Dolores on Facebook.

3. "Like" RNEST on Facebook.

4. 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, April 5 and will be announced in the next Wednesday Wellspring.

Treasury Tuesday: Yearning for Spring...

A common theme I'm seeing with a lot of the treasuries made this week is that we are all yearning for SPRING! The pictured treasury is one that I made about looking forward to taking walks in the woods again. It features SunshyneSilverwear and PeachesPictures.

Into The Woods...

Click on the links below and go see more treasuries featuring and curated by other RNEST members!

Featuring RNEST Members:

• Today's Bedtime Story...Little Red Riding Hood featuring KarenSwimmer
• Floating, Falling, Blooming Flowers featuring aDifferentView
• Wrapped In A Rainbow featuring aDifferentView

Featuring and curated by RNEST Members:

• Hey Rochester, Is It Spring Yet? by SoftShellCrafts - featuring exclusively RNEST members!
• Spring Has Sprung by SarahGortiz
• A Tribute To The Carrot by TheQuilted House - featuring KarenSwimmer
• Peas In A Pod by KarenSwimmer - featuring GocksFrocks, TheQuiltedHouse, and Peachesproducts

Curated by RNEST Members:

• Hydrangea and Iris by KarenSwimmer
• Get In Your Field And Dance by KarenSwimmer
• Swing Batter by KarenSwimmer
• Midnight Carnivale by aDifferentView

* If you make or find a treasury that features an RNEST member, or if you are an RNEST Member who makes a treasury, post the link on the wall at RNEST's Facebook Page. Your treasury could be featured on the next Treasury Tuesday!

Make-It Mondays: Six Inch Art

Wondering what to make lately? Don't have time to make anything too big? Enter The Rochester Contemporary Art Center's 6x6x2011 Global Show. The concept is great: Display only 6 inch square artwork of any medium and sell each one at the same price anonymously (though you can sign the back) to support RoCo, a major faction of the contemporary art scene in Rochester.


Check out all of the details here: www.roco6x6.org and peruse the application.

Entries are due by May 1st. RoCo will display the first 5000. That may sound like you have tons of time, but remember this is open to the whole world! Show will be open from June 4- July 10, 2011. Wouldn't it be great to have a major RNEST presence there?

Fashion Fridays: Oh Baby!

Spring has sprung and along with it will be two baby girls in my family. In their honor I have chosen to feature this adorable baby sweater set from VioletUnderground. It just looks so soft and sweet!

My favorite gifts for my daughter were the handmade sweaters, hats and booties. They are always "the keepers", the heirlooms that we save for our future grandchildren and then maybe even great grandchildren. I just love the fact that clothing (something that we for the most part take for granted) can be a very significant part of family history.

This beautiful sweater, hat, and booty set would make the perfect gift for a Spring Baby!

Wednesday Wellspring: March Team Challenge: Natural History

We've got a museum full of awesome exhibits for this month's naturla history-themed team challenge.

Cast your vote for your favorite on the poll in the upper, right corner of the blog.

Learning to Fly by a Different View

Recycled Spreading Knife
Teardrop Pendant
by Sunshyne Silverwear

Squirrel Climbing Closeup
by Aimee Maher Photography

Bird Wood Coasters
by Aimee's Creations

Desire by A Different View

Easter Card by Christine's. . .

Repurposed Silverware Pendant:
Springtime Draws Near
by Sunshyne Silverwear

Dragonfly Necklace
with Beadwoven Agate
by Beauty in the Eye

Bottlecap Tree Necklace
by Beauty in the Eye

Barn Owl Sketchbook
by Soft Shell Crafts

Oyster Catcher Rubber Stamp
Hand Carved by Jackbear Stamps



Sharptooth the T-Rex
by KiraArts

Vines on Moss Hat
by Woolhead Works

Cast your vote for your natural history-themed favorite on the upper right of the sidebar! 

Wednesday Wellspring Pre-Game: Winner of Goldhawk Pottery Giveaway

And the winner of Goldhawk Pottery's gorgeous bowl is:

#23 Ohkeeka

Thanks for playing and stay tuned for this month's team challenge and next week's Wednesday Wellspring giveaway featuring Merv And Dolores!

Treasury Tuesday: Sunny Days and Sunflowers

The pictured treasury this week by GocksFrocks features a number of different RNEST members. It's just perfect for the dreary between-seasons days of March when we desperately yearn for spring to come.

Sunny Days and Sunflowers by GocksFrocks

Featuring RNEST Members:

• SPRUNG - featuring KarenSwimmer

Featuring and curated by RNEST Members:

• Hoarders by KarenSwimmer - Featuring Buenahelena

Curated by RNEST Members:

• Springishness by SarahGortiz
• The Camptown Ladies by SarahGortiz
• Tea Time by ADifferentView
• Erin go Braugh by aDifferentView
• Green by SoftShellCrafts
• 3.14159265 by SoftShellCrafts
  
• Black and White...and Red All Over by GocksFrocks
• The Secret To Happiness by GocksFrocks
• Little Red... by GocksFrocks
• Hawaii Five-O by BmegDesigns

* If you make or find a treasury that features an RNEST member, or if you are an RNEST Member who makes a treasury, post the link on the wall at RNEST's Facebook Page. Your treasury could be featured on the next Treasury Tuesday!

Make-It Mondays: Studio Visit #9 A Different View

This week's studio visit is with a one of our newest members, Chrys Callan, of A Different View. Like romantic poets of yore, working by candle light in a dark attic, Chrys makes what could just be a small basement space into her creative center. What comes from that place is an eclectic mix of "artistic adornments and assorted oddities". Let this enthusiasm rub off on you!

Buenahelena: Where do you work/where is your studio?

A Different View: I am living the dream!! Breaking it down to brass-tacks, I work in a corner of a basement. I have one table and the top of a dryer. But my apartment is in the heart of the arts district, right near Village Gate so I think I just get infused with all that creative air; which
makes my "studio" in a word: PERFECT.

B: What is your medium or product?

ADV: It varies! I dabble... with mix media... but I tend to go through phases. Right now I am focused on jewelry and accessories that combine man-made with natural items. I love stained glass, but working on large pieces just did not hold my infinitesimal attention span. On a whim I tried to find a way to combine glass, with flowers and jewelry; and I just ran with it. I am always looking for a way to take my work to the next level or see what's the next direction I can run in!


B: What is the biggest challenge about your space and how have you worked through it?

ADV: Well... space for one. And my cats for two. When I am working in the basement the space is the bigger issue; so I have gotten really creative with 'improv shelving'. Laundry baskets. Stools. My dryer. Anything that can be a flat-surface ends up becoming one. I do my 'finishing work' (ie: jewelry assembly) upstairs, and that is when my lovely assistants come out of hiding to help. That, generally takes smoke-and-mirror distraction techniques. And catnip. Lots and lots of Catnip.

B: Describe a typical day at the studio.

ADV: Is there ever one? For me it's an exercise in entropy and inspiration. When I get an urge to create, or a burning idea that must be realized, I do it. When I get tired, finished, or the muse leaves me, I stop. That's how I roll.


B: What do you love the most about being a crafter/artist/etsy seller?
ADV: The fact that I only answer to me. Of course I take custom requests, but it's all for what I love to do. I have final say on what I create and sell. I have full creative authority. I make my own hours. So it's always and ever fun for me. It's not a job. It's a passion. And that is how I always want my art to be.

Thanks for sharing you space and process with us Chrys! You can visit Chrys's Etsy shop here: http://www.etsy.com/shop/aDifferentView . You can also track her newest creations, treasuries and events on her Facebook fanpage.

Fashion Friday: Duets

Love the tag team DuncanCreative and The Quilted House!

Currently Karen and Michelle are combining their talents to create, what I am sure will be beautiful cloche hats hand crocheted by Karen with fun and funky quilted flowers by Michelle.

The duo will debut their latest and greatest at Mayday Underground! Can't wait to see them! Love the idea of teaming up with other team members to create new products. Perhaps this could be one of the monthly team challenges?

We could challenge each other to come up with the funkiest and most unexpected of combinations!

Wednesday Wellspring: Goldhawk Pottery

Congratulations to #1, lexacd, for winning the a beautiful photograph of your choice from Aimee Maher!

And bubbling up from the well this week, is Wednesday Wellspring's first potter: Goldhawk Pottery! This RNESTer is offering A gorgeous Festive Turquoise Dipping Bowl to one lucky winner! This small but sturdy blue and black bowl is perfect for dipping sauces or serving nuts, olives or many other snacks. It was dipped in black glaze on the outside and painted with a turquoise glaze on the inside and fired in an electric kiln, making it food, dishwasher, microwave, and oven safe!

And now for the rules (This giveaway is open to the US and Canada!):

MANDATORY ENTRY #1: Go to Goldhawk Pottery, 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. Follow the Goldhawk Pottery blog.

2. Follow Goldhawk Pottery on Twitter.
3. "Like" RNEST on Facebook.

4. 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, March 22 and will be announced in the next Wednesday Wellspring.

Treasury Tuesday: Where Winter Turns To Spring

Our RNEST members have been curating and featured in so many treasuries lately, that I've had to make the decision to picture one, and then link to the rest. So you'll have to click through to see them!

Where Winter Turns To Spring by FuzzyBunny

I love how FuzzyBunny makes the visual transition from "winter" to "spring". Appropriate since it finally seems to be warming up a bit around here! And the greens remind me of St. Patrick's Day coming up this week!

Featuring RNEST Members:

• I Don't Get The Mustache Thing!! But It's Cute!! - The title of this treasury makes me laugh! It features work by KarenSwimmer.

• My weekly inspration - blues and orange - A treasury of blue & orange featuring work by TheQuiltedHouse

• Sunburst - A sunny treasury featuring the work of Buenahelena and SunshyneSilverwear

Featuring and curated by RNEST Members:

• Wanderlust by ADifferentView - A gorgeous, gypsy-inspired treasury was made by ADifferentView and features beautiful pieces by GocksFrocks and SunshyneSilverwear.

• A Few Blue Favorites by KarenSwimmer - A treasury of blue items featuring various RNEST members.

Curated by RNEST Members:

• Ode To The Schnazz by KarenSwimmer - Mmmmm...you can almost smell these items through the internet.

• See You In Fairy by KarenSwimmer - Kind of makes you feel like going dancing in the woods.

• Can You Say Scherenschnitte? by Buenahelena - "Fabulous paper cut outs with a fabulous to pronounce name." Inspired by a conversation at last night's RNEST meeting about the difference between Scherenschnitte and Kirigami.

• Lovely Things I Can't Afford by KiraArts - Items I would love to buy if I suddenly found myself ridiculously wealthy...and some that I simply can't justify spending the money on myself. Does anyone else ever feel silly when they click that "favorite" button when they know they will never be able to afford the item?

* If you make or find a treasury that features an RNEST member, or if you are an RNEST Member who makes a treasury, post the link on the wall at RNEST's Facebook Page. Your treasury could be featured on the next Treasury Tuesday!

Make-it Mondays: St. Patty's Blessing To Our Team

May the sales rise to meet you,
May the seasonal trends be always at your back,
May the treasuries shine warm upon your face,
The positive feedback fall soft upon your profile and,
Until we meet again,
May Etsy hold you in the palm of Its crafty little hand.

Fashion Fridays: Week Two: Spring Green!

In the spirit of St. Patrick's Day, I went on the lookout for something green that would work well in our current season of transition.

Spring has sprung at MaticStudio! You'll be the envy of everyone at the St.Patrick's Day parade in this gorgeous hand crocheted cowl by Leah Moerschel.

I have always had an affection for happy colors and this green is one of my favorites. Maybe it is the way it compliments my red hair but I feel like more and more people are confident in their love of color and I say go for it!

Who wouldn't feel good when they are wrapped in something bright and cheery!

Check out more by Leah @

MaticStudio and Sugarfoots

Wednesday Wellspring: Aimee Maher Photography GIVEAWAY!!

Congratulations to #25, Tam, for winning the adorable Nubbin from Kira Arts!

And bubbling up from the well this week, is photographer and crafter: Aimee Maher Photography! This RNESTer is offering your choice of any 8x10 image in her shop. All images are printed on HP Premium Glossy photo paper and signed by the artist.

And now for the rules (This giveaway is open to the US and Canada!):

MANDATORY ENTRY #1: Go to Aimee Maher Photography, 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. "Like" Aimee's Creations on Facebook.

2. "Like" RNEST on Facebook.

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, March 15 and will be announced in the next Wednesday Wellspring.

Treasury Tuesday: Featuring KarenSwimmer

KarenSwimmer (aka: Duncan Creative) has been featured in quite a few treasuries this week! And I think it's interesting that these three treasuries, each made by different people, can each be connected in a sort of mental chain reaction...

Cool Crochet featuring KarenSwimmer

This first one includes her in with lots of cozy crochet items...which (especially looking at those granny squares) makes me think of my grandma...

Little Red Riding Hood featuring KarenSwimmer

...And speaking of grandmothers, the next treasury's theme is about the classic fairytale about that little girl who loved her grandma enough to brave the dark woods and a hungry wolf in order to go visit her! Which makes me think of the new Red Riding Hood movie coming out, which is a darker interpretation of the classic childrens' fairy tale...

Gothic Kids Toys featuring KarenSwimmer

...And speaking of darker interpretations of kid stuff, this last treasury has fun stuff for kids who like things a little on the darker side.

Keep the treasuries coming! If you make or find a treasury that features an RNEST member, please leave a comment with the link, or go post the link on the wall at RNEST's Facebook Page. (or if you are an RNEST member yourself, you can post it at this forum topic on the Ning).

Your treasury could be featured on the next Treasury Tuesday!

Make-It Mondays: Turn Digital Images Into Polaroids

I just discovered a wildly habit forming tool that you can use for your Etsy shop, blogs or just plain fun. It's called Poladroid. What Poladroid does is take you digital images and crops them into square compositions, digitally ages and colorizes them for a retro feel and frames them with the classic white Polaroid background.

This program can be downloaded for FREE, because it is still in its beta version. (Although you can offer donations for this truly fun product.) It took me a grand total of 20 minutes to download, install and try out my first photo.


After downloading and installing Poladroid, you can click on the desktop icon to open it. I expected this to pull up a full program with drop down menus and tool bars, but it is so much cooler and so much more simple. A small Polaroid camera will appear on your desktop. All you have to do is drag and drop your digital image over it. Within moments the camera will spit out an undeveloped Polaroid, sound effects and all. You can watch it develop slowly like a real Polaroid picture or (and this is my favorite part) you can click and hold the photo to shake it back and forth for faster development. AHHHHH, I love it!!!

Our Team

Our Team "Poladroided"

My "Poladroids" automatically saved into My Pictures once they developed. After that you can move them wherever you want. Use one for your Etsy items, especially if you have a retro style or vintage shop. (Note: I say only one because they will not show off the true color of your item.) Use them on your blog, facebook or webpage. As the manual warns it's "addictive". As your tester I concur with that statement, so excuse me while I get back to making Poladroids....

*Addendum: You can also have them printed like other digital photos, however the white background will be the white background of the photo paper. It is up to you to cut it down to Polaroid size.

Fashion Fridays: Week One

J'adore Paris!

It is Fashion Week in Paris and since I can't go, I thought, lets bring a little of Paris to us! We spend so much time typing messages via email or chats. During this long month of March let us bring back the age old art of hand written letters. This card would inspire anyone to say hello the old fashion way!

When a card has been so carefully made, it is as much fun to give as it is to be the recipient.

This beautiful card popped from the hands of Karin Marlett Choi of the shop Intertwingle.

We are never too old to get excited about an unexpected letter in the mail!

Wednesday Wellspring: Kira Arts

Bubbling up from the well this week, an awesome etsian and Tuesday's Treasury blog author: Kira Arts! This artist is offering an adorable nubbin to the winner. Nubbins are small, armless, plush monsters made of anti-pill fleece. They love to be squeezed, snuggled, and petted...and make great stress relievers! Just give them a squeeze, or even throw them across the room, they'll love it! Most Nubbins measure between 5 and 6 inches tall and between 3 and 4 inches wide.

You can find Kira and her art work around New York at "Little Monsters" - a joint promotion with George Lama Photography in Medina at the Shirt Factory Cafe on March 19th & 20th and at the Zine & Craft Fair at Flying Squirrel Community Space on March 20th.

And now for the rules (This giveaway is open to the US only):

MANDATORY ENTRY #1: Go to Kira Arts, 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. "Like" Kira Arts on Facebook.

2. "Like" RNEST on Facebook.

3. Follow the Kira Arts blog.

4. 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, March 8 and will be announced in the next Wednesday Wellspring.

Treasury Tuesday: March Treasury Madness!

My fellow RNESTers have made SO many treasuries this week! I couldn't pick just one or two, so I had to post them all! Four of them are curated by RNEST members, and one of them features a member.

Stay In & Read by Buenahelena

We had quite the snowstorm in Rochester last Friday, which is what inspired Buenahelena to create this cozy, bookish treasury with some good advice on what to do on a snowy day.

Perfectly Peacockery by MaticStudio

The bright, peacock-inspired colors of this treasury by MaticStudio are a welcome sight when all the colors outside are grey and white.

Bird is the Word by aDifferentView

This treasury by aDifferentView reminds us that spring is coming and the birds will be returning soon!

Mystery Theme by Bmeg

Here's a unique treasury. The curator, Bmeg, chooses the theme, but YOU have to guess just what that theme is! How fun! Click on over and leave a comment with your guess!

Yesterday's Girl

I just happened upon this treasury last week. It was on Etsy's front page and I recognized the photo by RNESTer AlisonTyne! (third row down, far right) Congrats Alison for making the front page!