Wednesday Wellspring: Turtlefly

Congratulations to Marija (#2) for winning Buenahelena's giveaway!

Bubbling up from the well this week, Turtlefly offers up some colorful whimsy to brighten your day! Today, one lucky winner will receive "The Molly Purse". This is an adorable little purse made of 100% cotton fabrics and western snap closure. Fully lined in purple on white polka dot fabric and has a small yellow and multi color polka dot 1/2” ruffle.

Perfect size for a little change purse, tissues, special little toys or small notebook and pen or crayons to have on the go.

Excellent party favor option and can be custom made to suit your party theme (discount given for a party orders). You can see more of the artist's lovely creations at her website.

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

MANDATORY ENTRY #1: Go to Turtlefly, 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" RNEST on Facebook.
2. "Like" Turtlefly on Facebook. 3. Tweet and blog about this giveaway and leave a coment here with the link.

The winner will be chosen using the random number generator on Tuesday, September 7th and will be announced in the next Wednesday Wellspring.

Treasury Tuesday: School Bus Yellow

It's the last Tuesday in August! And what color treasury would be more appropriate than this one celebrating "back to school" by HeatherVitticore! (BTW: this treasury got featured on the front page of Etsy this week!)

School Bus Yellow by HeatherVitticore

featuring TheQuiltedHouse & BeadworkByAmanda

Be sure you click on the links below and go see more treasuries that feature some of our other awesome RNEST members! (if you don't, you're missing out!)

Featuring RNEST Members:

• Little Mary Sunshine featuring GoldhawkPottery
• My, What Large Eyes You Have featuring KiraArts
• Warmth and Charmth featuring InMyHeadStudios

Featuring and curated by RNEST Members:

• Yummmmm Marmalade! by aDifferentView, featuring FuzzyBunny

Curated by RNEST Members:

• Autumn Feel by KarenSwimmer
• You're Getting Sleepy...Have More Coffee! by PeachesProducts
• For Wayward Victorian Girls by aDifferentView
• On Hooks and Needles by HeatherVitticore

* 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!

August Team Challenge: Trending Colors

Welcome to RNEST's first color-themed Team challenge: Trending Colors. According to Etsy's marketing team, the most popular colors this month are deep jewel tones, fluorescents, classic reds and kelly greens. Check out RNESTer's favorite items in these colors!

Cast your vote for your favorite on the poll in the

upper, right corner of the blog!



Esmerelda
by A Different View

Circuit Board Keychain in Vivid Red
by Beadwork by Amanda

Pick Your Own Dishcloth Set of Three
by MF Crafts

Earring Wire Wrapped Siam and Ruby
by Designs by Missrie

Sapphire Arrowheads Lace Scarf
by Woolhead Works

Small Blue Owl
by Kira Arts

Upcycled Quilted Denim Bowl Bold Black and Red
by The Quilted House

Red Fuzzy Mittens
by MF Crafts

Hand knit cowl in rosy pinks
by Woolhead Works

Iggy the Sweater Monster
by Kira Arts

Big Fat Hi Card in Scarlet
by The Quilted House

Purple Fuzzy Mittens for Child
by MF Crafts



Fabric Rose Hair Clip Red
by Kira Arts

Cast your vote for your favorite on

the upper right of the sidebar! 

Treasury Tuesday: Our Love is On Fire

"Our Love is On Fire"? Our RNEST members are on fire! We were in SO many treasuries this week! And SO many good ones! Once again, I was having a hard time picking the pictured one! My August criteria of featuring color treasuries reigned me in and narrowed it down a little....but not much! I ultimately picked Our Love Is On Fire (featuring Buenahelena's matchstick painting) because the firey color scheme was just so gorgeously vibrant.

Our Love Is on Fire... featuring Buenahelena

There are still a bunch of beautiful treasuries! Be sure to click through the links to see them, and leave a comment telling us your favorite!

Featuring RNEST Members:

• Crazy For Stripes! featuring Buenahelena
• Our Love Is on Fire... featuring Buenahelena
• Etsy's Rainbow of Color featuring GoldhawkPottery
• Blue & Lemon Country Kitchen featuring GoldhawkPottery
• Something To Talk About featuring GoldhawkPottery
• Vacation Time Is Coming To An End featuring aDifferentView
• Ray Bradbury - Author Birthday - Aug. 22, 1920 featuring aDifferentView
• Bring Me To Life Of Halloween Night featuring aDifferentView
• Summer Tomatoes featuring KarenSwimmer
• Just Plain Awesome featuring KarenSwimmer
• A Striking Duo featuring MFcrafts
• Grey With A Hint Of Sun featuring MFcrafts
• Fall Crazy Style! featuring MFcrafts
• Jack and Jill Went Treasure Hunting featuring MFvintage
• Lumiere featuring MFvintage
• Layers of Sarah featuring SarahGOrtiz

Featuring and curated by RNEST Members:

• MayDay Preview by BeadworkByAmanda, featuring Buenahelena, TurtleFly, InMyHeadStudios, FuzzyBunny, JiBabu, The StitchingStudio, and KiraArts

* 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: We Made-it on Etsy!!!

The Rochester NY Etsy Street Team, has been making small waves in the community over the past two years, from newspaper articles, to TV spots and proud representation at many festivals and art markets. In recent months our team has been working on a bigger idea. We wanted to build a sense of creative community in Rochester beyond our group while making our presence known. This led to some grant writing (thanks VERY much to Sarah Goldhawk) and a plan to join forces with the Hungerford for one month.

And.....(drumroll)..... we made it happen! Here is the article on Etsy announcing August's Etsy Team Grant winners.

We are planning lots of fun including: a First Friday market, swap meet, after market, workshops and even a Halloween shindig.

GO TEAM!!!!!!

Wednesday Wellspring - Buenahelena

Bubbling up from the well this week, is the fun and funky Buenahelena!


Today, one lucky winner will receive Two "Vintage Fun" Button Magnets. Each one is made with collage cut outs from vintage, 1960's McCalls Magazines. They have strong magnets on the back. This artist keeps her shop eco-friendly with a wide variety of recycled and re-purposed items. Take a look around and get inspired! You may just find a creative new use of one of your own vintage treasures!

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

MANDATORY ENTRY #1: Go to Buenahelena, 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" RNEST on Facebook.
2. "Like" Buenahelena on Facebook
3. Follow Buenahelena's artistic blog
4. Tweet and blog about this giveaway and leave a coment here with the link.
5. Write a comment here saying what the people in the pictures might be thinking!

The winner will be chosen using the random number generator on Tuesday, August 30th and will be announced in the next Wednesday Wellspring.

Treasury Tuesday: Shades of Ocean Blue

This week's pictured treasury features a piece from GoldhawkPottery. Doesn't looking at this treasury make you want to take one last trip to the beach before summer s over?

Shades of Ocean Blue featuring GoldhawkPottery

Be sure you click on the links below and go see more treasuries that feature some of our other awesome RNEST members! (if you don't, you're missing out!)

Featuring RNEST Members:

• Smell The Autumn featuring InMyHeadStudios
• Oh For The Love Of Analogue! featuring InMyHeadStudios
• Seeing Spots featuring InMyHeadStudios
• I Think You Are Going To Dig This featuring JiBabu
• Into The Woods featuring JiBabu
• Back To School featuring KarenSwimmer
• SUNFLOWER! featuring KarenSwimmer
• Sunflowers featuring KarenSwimmer
• Oh Baby Baby Baby Oh featuring KarenSwimmer
• Darling It's Better Down Where It's Wetter featuring KarenSwimmer

Curated by RNEST Members:

• Dreamy Sunday by LoveAndWhiskers
• Winds of Change by KarenSwimmer

* 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: Still More Pets of Etsy

Having done this Pet series several times now, I don't think anyone on our team is petless. It's a fact: we need fuzzy creatures in order to make it as crafters and artisans. This week's pets belong to Kira of KiraArts. Enjoy!

Kira: "I have two pets, Luna my dog (a dachshund/miniature pinscher mix) and Terra my cat (the offspring of a friend's barn cat)."

Luna and Terra taking their afternoon nap in Kira's craft room.

Terra "helping" with some yarn when she was a kitten.

Terra is in the craft room a lot. Maybe it's because she was in there a lot when she was a kitten. She is often curious as to what Kira's doing and decides to hop up on her desk to investigate.

Luna is often just content to lay down near her.

"What is this thing, Mom?"

"Mommy, can you stop sewing and please let me outside?"

If you would like your cat to become an instant RNEST celebrity, contact Buenahelena (buenahelena@hotmail.com) with pictures and fun tails (pun intended).

Treasury Tuesday: Peculiar Plum

Once again, it's been a hard week to decide which treasury to picture. There are so many good ones RNESTers made and/or were featured in this week. But seeing as our Team Challenge for the month of August has a theme of "Trending Colors", I'm going to stick with color-themed treasuries to feature this month! Here is a lovely one featuring TheQuiltedHouse!

Peculiar Plum featuring TheQuiltedHouse

Keep those treasuries coming! As hard as it is to choose when there's a lot of great treasuries, I enjoy seeing a wide selection and the different themes people come up with! And, of course, I enjoy seeing the wonderful handmade items as well! As always, be sure you click on the links below and go see the other treasuries that feature some of our other awesome RNEST members! (if you don't, you're missing out!)

Featuring RNEST Members:

• On the Brink Of Autumn featuring Buenahelena
• Pur-py featuring KarenSwimmer
• Looks So Cool featuring TheStitchingStudio
• Beautiful Beaded Jewelry featuring InMyHeadStudios
• Turquoise, A Lovely Shade of Blue featuring InMyHeadStudios
• Labyrinth Boutique featuring aDifferentView
• Back to the future - Timeless Travel - N°1 featuring aDifferentView
• Fantasy and Legends featuring aDifferentView
• Getting Lost In The Labyrinth featuring aDifferentView
• A Labyrinth You Won't Want To Escape From featuring aDifferentView
• Night Terrors featuring aDifferentView
• The Labyrinth Is A Jewel Box featuring aDifferentView
• Hung On The Walls Of The Labyrinth featuring aDifferentView

Featuring and curated by RNEST Members:

• Dreams of Fall by TheQuiltedHouse featuring InMyHeadStudios, SunshyneSilverwear, PeachesProducts, FuzzyBunny, and KarenSwimmer
• RNEST Under The Pink by Missrie featuring an all-RNEST cast!

Curated by RNEST Members:

• Through the Portal by KiraArts
• Urban Farm Girl by KarenSwimmer

* 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: More Pets of Etsy

Many of our Etsy team members have a special creature helping them out in the studio. We simply can't make it without them (or at least that's what they want us to believe!) This week Heather Vitticore's feline assistant, Kidden, is helping her make items you'll find in her two shops: Merv and Dolores and Heather Vitticore.



Don't worry. Heather says the iron isn't on. You don't need one when there's a warm body around anyways right? If you would like to have your pet featured in the next Pets of Etsy, contact : buenahelena@hotmail.com

Treasury Tuesday: Teal & Chocolate

So many awesome treasuries this week! It was so hard to pick just one to feature! I ultimately chose BeadworkByAmanda's beautiful Teal and Chocolate color treasury, since I am a sucker for teal/turquoise...especially when it's paired with a chocolate brown. Somehow, I am in the mood for some brownies with teal frosting now. ;)

Teal and Chocolate by BeadworkByAmanda

Be sure you click on the links below and go see more treasuries that feature some of our other awesome RNEST members! (if you don't, you're missing out!)

Featuring RNEST Members:

• Little Boys and Girls Go To School featuring sarahgortiz
• Phoney Fantasy featuring sarahgortiz
• Vintage Back To School featuring MFvintage
• Pigtails and Marching Band featuring MFvintage
• Our House is a Very, Very Fine House featuring MFvintage
• A touch of gothic...red and black for fall featuring MFvintage
• Vintage Treasures for $10 or less featuring MFvintage
• Darling creations all ready for Christmas in July!! featuring MFcrafts
• Cover Up by the Homefront Team featuring MFcrafts
• Pistachio and Copper featuring KarenSwimmer
• Back To School (already?) featuring KarenSwimmer
• Please Feed The Ducks featuring KarenSwimmer
• Yarning For You featuring KarenSwimmer
• Are You Ready For Some Football? featuring KarenSwimmer

Featuring and curated by RNEST Members:

• Grey Skies by JiBabu, featuring Buenahelena, PeachesProducts, and SunshyneSilverwear

Curated by RNEST Members:

• Teal and Chocolate by BeadworkByAmanda
• Fusion by BeadworkByAmanda
• Bubbles by BeadworkByAmanda
• For the Boys! Happy Birthday, Declan! by MFCrafts
• Dog Days of Summer - Vintage Style by MFvintage
• Baby It's Cold Outside by MFvintage
• Into The Wild by SoftShellCrafts

* 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: DIY Packing Tape Stickers

I love experimenting with materials and finding solutions for items I've collected at flea markets and thrift shops. I had a bunch of images cut out from vintage magazines and being an Etsy seller I had quite a bit of clear packing tape for mailing orders. With these two materials, I experimented with making some unique DIY stickers. They are easy to make and add a layer of richness that you can't get by cutting and pasting the magazine paper alone.


You'll need:
Clear Packing Tape
Clippings from retro magazines (small enough to fit within the tape!)
Scissors
Bone folder
Sponge (with soft & scrubby sides)
Water

Step 1: Cut off a piece of tape and lay your image face down to the sticky side of the tape.

Step 2: Use a bone folder or other hard, smooth object to press the image onto the tape.

Step 3: Wet your sponge and dab it over the pack of the magazine paper until it is saturated.

Step 4: Use the scrubby side of the sponge to take off the extra layers of paper.

Step 5: Let the piece of tape dry. It will regain its stickiness.

Step 6: Cut out your sticker from the excess tape and stick it somewhere!

Now you've got a great one of a kind sticker. Want a whole bunch? You can scan your retro images and print multiples on a laser printer. Inkjet will not work. I have only used magazines from the 60's and 70's. It would be worth the experiment to see if newer ink and printing processes from current magazines work as well.