KCEtsy Sale: The Perfect Gift

Today team members are doing more than baking pies and thawing turkeys, they are diligently working to prepare their shops for our huge "KCEtsy Sale: The Perfect Gift" sale Black Friday through Cyber Monday on Etsy.

Team members are offering a variety of savings all weekend long ... from early bird specials to deep discounts, to free shipping and BOGO (buy one, get one), to drawings and free gifts with purchase.

So skip the insanity at brick and mortar stores this Friday and check out the savings at these participating KCEtsy team shops. Remember the sale starts 12:01 AM Friday, November 28th and goes through 11:59 PM Monday, December 1st.

Thyme2dream is offering 'can not miss' disciounts on gift certificates.

ajscountrycottage has sweet discounts on her beautiful candles and clamshell wax melts.

allisonstein has a special sale section of her shop filled with great stocking stuffers and ready to frame originals and prints.

SylviaC has expanded her sale section and is offering free shipping on all jewelry!

crazybabes is offering free shipping and a complementary gift with purchase!

thefunkyfelter has expanded her super sale section with discounts of 20-40%, plus many of her items ship for free!

TheGaudyGoddess has early bird specials from midnight to 8am Friday plus, 25% off bodycare products plus flat shipping rates and other discounts!

MeiMei2006 is offering free shipping on select items plus an expanded sale section with great savings.

Visit the sale section of nicherndesign for great discounts on gifts.

sixgunannie is offering speical discounts in her 'The Perfect Gift' section.

TinyStitches has never before offered discounts on all in stock pillowcases and baby blanket bundles.

See the shop announcements at somethingfromcassie for details on her weekend savings.

bbesigns will offer free shipping on all items in her special KCEtsysale section. Plus buy 3 get one free. See shop announcements for details.

10 - 20 - 30 sale at angelfireartglass. 10% off one item, 20% off two items, 30% off three or more items!

Free shipping and free gift with very purchase at DumbKidDesigns.


*Written by TinyStitches.

KCEtsy Sale: The Perfect Gift

It is almost here!! Thanksgiving is just around the corner and with it in close second is Black Friday and Cyber Monday. For those of you who do not know what Black Friday is: it is the Friday after Thanksgiving. It is the beginning of the Christmas Season and shoppers everywhere are on the move.

In light of this festive marketing holiday we will be running one big team sale giving you a chance to find amazing gifts for everyone on your list. This week KCEtsy team members are carefully selecting and tagging items in their shop to include in this very special KCEtsy Sale: The Perfect Gift.

The purpose of this member wide sale is to network together so that we can promote not just one shop, but all our KCEtsy Members. We will also be blogging about this sale all week to build up the promotion. You may even find a few sneak peeks so you can make your list and be the first to purchase your Perfect Gift from a participating KCEtsy shop.

Kansas City, spread the word about the KCEtsy Sale: The Prefect Gift, and link to this blog.

For visitors and shoppers: on your marks..get ready for some great deals! Check back often.

* Written by Six Gun Annie

Fridays Inspiration - Our under $8 gift guide

With all the economic craziness in Washington and on Wall Street, everyone is taking a closer look at their holiday budgets. When your holiday wallet gets cinched, you starts looking for ways to get the biggest bang for your hard earned dollars.

The Kansas City Etsy Street Team is a great place to look for unique, high quality gifts that will help you stretch your holiday budget to the max! Look at these great finds, perfect for hard to shop for teens and college students!



1. What Happens at my Locker Magnet by deannaburasco
2. Bottle Cap Pendants by Illustrious
3. Bath Taffy - Solid Bubble Bath by moodygurl
4. Key Fob by nicherndesigns
5. Magic Bubble Tree Bubbles Wand by Thyme2dream
6. The Bubble Ring by thefunkyfelter
7. Lip Butters by ajscountrycottage

Friday's Inspiration - Pink

For many October is filled with the beautiful colors of autumn - apple red, burnt orange, harvest gold - but for those who are and have battled breast cancer, October is pink. Pink because October is Breast Cancer Awareness month and thanks to the Susan G. Koman Foundation and Estee Lauder's introduction of little pink ribbons some 16 years ago, the color pink has become a national symbol of hope and support in promoting awareness and early detection. Like many of you, I am surrounded by strong women who are survivors and women who will soon join the ranks of survivors. This summer a dear friend was diagnosed with breast cancer, starting treatment early last month. September also marks the 7 year anniversary of when my mother was diagnosed. Thanks to early detection and good medical care, she's been cancer free now for 6 years.

Show your love and support for those battling breast cancer during this month of increased awareness by sporting a little more pink in your life.

1. Sweetheart Heart Pendant by thefunkyfelter
2. Anokhi the Gifted by threeredtrees
3. Caterpillar Pinks Bracelet by ExcessoriesKC
4. Cotton Candy Lampwork Ring by angelfireartglass

Halloween Garland Tutorial

Here's a whimsical Halloween craft you can make, with thanks going to TinyStitches for creating and sharing this project.
Here's what you need:
3 sheets of 8.5" x 11" white cardstock,
2 sheets of black 12" x 12" cardstock
2 sheets of festive orange 12" x 12' cardstock
scissors or large 3" circle punch
paper cutter or ruler and craft knife
gluestick or double sided tape
3/8" wide ribbon

Directions:
Print Happy Halloween circles on white cardstock. Cut each circle out using scissors or large 3" circle punch. Cut black cardstock into 3.5" squares. Cut orange cardstock into 3.75" squares.

Glue each circle on a square of black cardstock and then on a square of orange, centering the image each time.

Cut or punch small slits in the upper right and left corner of each square. Layout cards in the order, using any of the spacer graphics at the beginning, end and between both words. Weave ribbon through each slit, as pictured. If garland is too long, break it into two strands.

Halloween Goodies

Now is the perfect time to pick up a chic new Halloween accessory. These KCEtsy team member creations are a fun, whimsical way to celebrate Halloween.

1. Custom Shabby Halloween Bubble Art Pendant by semiprecious1
2. Scaredy Cat Halloween Print by karenkayartworks
3. Happy Grim Reaper Skeleton w/Pumpkin Limited Edition Print by allisonstein
4. Halloween Wallet/Cardholder by DumbKidDesigns

Friday's Autumn Inspiration

1. Note cards Set of 6 cards with envelopes, by bbesigns
2. Autumn Leaves Soy Candle, by ajscountrycottage
3. Fallen Leaves Kitchen Towel, by StirAtHome
4. Autumn Flame Amethyst and Copper Tiara Circlet Crown, by Thyme2dream
5. Big Bold Marigold Earrings, by JewlLi

Wearable Art for Fall

1. Candied Apple Scarflette - StirDesigns
2. Geranium Hat Set - ExcessoriesKC
3. Fringed Nuno Scarf - thefunkyfelter

Weekend Festivals

If you love handmade art like we do and are itching to get out and see what area artists have to offer, just about every weekend in September and October has a festival happening where artists and crafters alike will have their handmade creations for sale. So get your umbrella ready, pull on sensible shoes and bring a waterproof tote bag for all your treasured finds; we're going festival hopping!

River Market Art Festival on Saturday, September 13th, 10 am-5pm. The art tents will be set up on Delaware Street, a block west of the Farmer's Market area. Sweet Mud Clay Works, will be participating in this festival showcasing beautifully crafted, handmade porcelain earrings.

Lawrence Fall Arts & Crafts Festival on Sunday, September 14th, 10am-5pm. Art tents will be set up in South Park just south of downtown Lawrence at 12th and Massachusetts St. Ni-Chern Designs and Thyme2dream, will both be among the 200 artists showing their work Sunday. Ni-Chern Designs' chic line of handbags, wristlets and pouches, and Thyme2dream's magical jewelry, ear cuffs, tiaras, and more are not to be missed.

Beautiful Beaded Bangles

Just a few of the gorgeous bracelets KCEtsy Team Members have to offer:
Left: Thyme2dream, Elven Forest Fairy Vine Bracelet or Arm Cuff.
Top right: Angelfire Art Glass, Turquoise Treasures Lampwork Bracelet
Middle right: JewlLi - petite moonstone and garnet bracelet
Bottom right: baxtershouse - Black Onyx with Dangles

Want to try your hand a making a simple bracelet? KCEtsy team member TinyStitches, came across this tutorial for making a chic bracelet using handmade paper beads. A great project for a night with girlfriends, a tween slumber party, or mother daughter craft day. Dig through your scrapbook papers, magazine pages, or even wrapping paper scraps, purchase a couple of beads and a jewelry clasp and in no time flat you'll have an inexpensive bracelet you made all by yourself.

Inspiration: Arthur Rackhan's Faery World

I used to have a big poster of this painting on my wall when I was 16. All I knew about it then, was the caption said, "Queen Mab". Many years later, when I found it on the web it was entitled "Feeling Very Undancey Indeed," and when I researched it a bit more I discovered it was actually from Arthur Rackham's illustrations for J. M. Barrie's Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens.

Ah, so that explains why I loved the painting so much! I love J. M. Barrie. The world has lost way too much of its innocence these days, consequently I work very diligently to hang on to as much of mine as I can. Reading Peter Pan every few years is one of my favorite ways to accomplish this.

According to our beloved Mr. Barrie, dancey is how the faeries say they are happy... so undancey is faerie-folk language for a wee bit dispirited or some such thing. It is Queen Mab, and the reason she is feeling undancey is too long to go into here, but Dover Publications is issuing a new edition of the book with Arthur Rackham's original illustrations next month, so you can go and read the story for yourself if you are curious.

One of the things I love most about Arthur Rackham's illustrations of Queen Mab are the beautiful tones of ivory and burgandy that he used... it seemed only natural when I was asked to create a wedding set in these colours that they should be named after the undancey faery Queen.

When I finished the tiara, I went to find the Undancey picture again and was delighted to see how much tiara looks like it belonged to her! I have also made a hair clip, earrings, two necklaces and a bracelet in this series. They are my new personal favorites, and are available in my etsy shop, look for "Queen Mab's Wedding"


*Written by Thyme2dream.

Take Time to Smell the ...

1. Knit Flower Pin (Stir Designs)
2. English Garden Lampwork Pair (angelfireartglass)
3. Funky Flower Hair Pin (thefunkyfelter)
4. Happy and Orange 4x6 matted print (Sylvia C.)
5. CHERISH Me Collage Magnetic Frame (collagecontessa)
6. Flower Pop Headband (StirExcess)
7. Cosmos II fine art print (LitteBirdPhoto)
8. Spring Garden Locket (JewlLi)

Find more "flower inspired" work by KCEtsy Artists here.

* Written by TinyStitches.

KCEtsy Art Helps Support Charities

Etsy artists and crafters are an extremely giving lot. The following KCEtsy artists donate either a portion of their sales or are matching the donations of their clients to local and national charities.



lbloter - Pink Ribbon Soldered Pendant Charm
A portion of the sale of each Pink Ribbon pendant will be sent to the Susan G. Komen Foundation in support of breast cancer research.

threeredtrees - Hilde
10% of every Original Sock Dog purchase from three red trees is donated to the Humane Society of Greater Kansas City, a wonderful, caring, no-kill animal shelter where I have been volunteering since January 2005.

nicherndesigns - Small pouch, Ginger Blossom
10% of all proceeds are donated to Prevent Cancer Foundation (preventcancer.org)!

bbesigns - Handmade Cards and Gift Tags
bbesigns is participating in, Mission Soldier Support organized by EtsyGreetings Street Team. Each participant is sending blank cards for our soldiers overseas to use. You're welcome to join in and purchase one or more cards to donate. The cards will be sent to capturedtimebooks.etsy.com who is shipping them to the soldiers. bbesigns will DOUBLE the amount of cards purchased for this cause. If you buy one card, I will send two. If you buy six cards, I will send twelve and so on. More information is available here.

The Sweet Smell of KCEtsy

Who doesn't love a great smelling candle, or a fantastic bar of luxury soap or stepping into a soothing, hot bubble bath and then, covering your skin a light, sweet smelling lotion. Handmade bath and body products are the ultimate in self pampering. And these KCEtsy artists pride themselves in providing a top quality product - better than anything you can purchase in the stores - that is affordable AND organic - meaning is great for your skin and body as well as the enviornment. Can you get better than that?

thegaudygoddess' ophelias Apoth.e.cary bath and body products •
therusticowl's Vegan Soy Candles •
ajscountrycottage's Luxury Artisan Soaps •
lafngirl's fragrance bead sachet

Personalize It with KCEtsy

Handmade art is always a one-of-a-kind expression of the artist and the individual who purchases it. Likewise a handmade card or accessory – given as a gift or kept for yourself – designed and crafted by a talented artist can become a personalized a piece of art when you have them customize the item to your specific tastes.

Here are a few of the KCEtsy artists offering personalization:

semiprecious1: Unique, personalized, wearable art jewelry

bbsigns: Handmade cards and gift tags, personalized note and greeting cards.

karenkayartworks: Original art and prints, personalized sketchbooks.

RetrospectiveDesign: Custom wedding invitation packages, stationary and photo montages.

MondeDesign: Custom monogrammed wedding & children's accessories.

Come out and enjoy a day in beautiful Briarcliff Village where Katherine and Laura Morris, of ExcessoriesKC, will be exhibiting their original designed purses, jewelry, scarves, clothing, and more. The show will be held inside Urban Arts + Crafts, a truly unique and fun craft supply store, Saturday, July 5th, from 10:00 am - 2:00 pm at 4157 North Mulberry Drive, KC MO 64116. Briarcliff Village also has many beautiful boutiques as well as several wonderful restaurants. Come on down and make a day of it!

* Written by ExcessoriesKC.

River Market Show Highlights

A big thank you to everyone who came out and supported our artists Friday night for our first showing in the River Market for Third Fridays! Eljay's is a beautiful cafe. Joy and Leah have created a chic, comfortable space perfect for enjoying a cup of coffee and sandwich with friends. We hope you'll stop by and say hello to them whenever you are in the River Market Area.

Congratulations to Marion, of Lawrence, our show basket winner! Marion will be taking home a basket of special goodies handmade by each of the artists who showed Friday night.

Here are some highlights from each of our artists booths, if you see something you love, please contact the artist for more information.



Looking for a great local Jazz band to play at your next function, you will not be sorry with Kinetic Trio. Check out their MySpace page for a sampling of their music!

It's Show Time!

Come see us tonight, as we host a Third Fridays Trunk Show of unique and handmade art and craft items at Eljay's River Market Coffeehouse, from 7 to 10:30 p.m.

The trunk show will feature a creative array of art, treasures, and gifts, including handmade cards, whimsical watercolor paintings, glass, jewelry, fiber, photography, collage art, plush collectible animals, and accessories for toddlers and babies.

Music for the event will be provided by a fantastic local jazz group, Kinetic Trio. And Eljay's will have a variety of house specialties this evening to satisfy your palette, everything from great espresso and coffees, too specialty teas, wine and spirits, as well as a variety of savory appetizers.

As a special thank you for attending our show, participating artists have contributed a sample of their handmade wares for a gift basket that one lucky show attendee will go home with. Rules for the drawing will be posted at the show. The basket will include a wide selection of original art stationary and jewelry (many pictured in this post), and a few added surprises, we're confident you'll enjoy! Thanks to the following shops for their contributions: bbesigns, The Gaudy Goddess, tinystitches, SylviaC, Excessories KC, Allison Stein, and three red trees.

KCEtsy Butterflies

Be Free - enameled necklace • ACEO - Grammatical Terms
Butterfly cardholder • Butterfly Hand Towel
Orange Butterfly - hand-cased resin pendant • Felted Butterfly Pendants

Etsys First YART SALE

Wednesday, June 11 - Friday, June 20

Etsy sellers from all over, including members of the KCEtsy Street Team, are counting down the 10 days to the first Day of Summer with an Artistic Slant on a traditional Summer Yard Sale.

To find all the fun Yart Sale deals being offered by KCEtsy Street Team participants, click here. Or search the entire Yart Sale listings within participating Etsy Handmade, Vintage or Supply Stores, by using Etsy’s new drop down search bar to choose your category (handmade, supplies, vintage or all items) and type in “Yart” and shop away!


Participating KCEtsy Shops:

ajscountrycottage – Artisan Soaps, Candles and Tarts
Save up to 25% off candles, tarts and soaps.

Thyme2dream – Jewelry & Fanciful things for Magical Space
Save $2-$20 on selected jewelry pieces, new items added daily.

allisonstein – A place for Whimsy, Dragons, Cats with Wings, And More Cats.
Free US shipping on all sale items.

bbesigns – Handmade greeting cards and gift tags for all occasions.
Discounts on gift bag and tag sets, plus buy three cards, get one free!

* * * * *

See Thyme2dream, allisonstein, and bbesigns along with other KCEtsy Team members, Friday night, June 20th from 7-10:30 pm, at Eljay's River Market Coffeehouse for the River Market Districts Third Fridays.

Lampworking 101

1. Krakator Nugget Lampwork Beads 2. Yellow Squares with Green Dots 3. Funky Lampwork Beads

Artists and crafters of today are experiencing a renaissance in the popularity of beads, jewelry making and bead embellished textile arts. With this rise in popularity of beading there has also been a revival in the ancient art of glass beadmaking, more commonly known as lampworking or flameworking.

Lampworking is the art of creating glass beads, vessels or sculptures in the flame of a torch or historically, an oil lamp. Fortunately, technology has advanced from the day of the oil lamp and flameworkers typically either use a single fuel torch or an oxygen/propane premix or surface mix torch for a hot, clean flame.

Beads are fashioned by first melting the tip of a rod of soda lime or borosilicate glass. The molten glass is wound upon a stainless steel metal mandrel that has been coated in a clay-like substance to prevent the bead from sticking to the metal. Each bead is then shaped and embellished with tiny glass stringers or noodles, metal foils or even enamels. The glass is then flame polished and promptly placed in a small kiln and held or “soaked” at over 900 degrees to anneal or eliminate stress in the glass. The beads or objects are gradually cooled overnight to prevent “thermal shock” or breakage from the hot glass cooling too rapidly. This annealing and slow cooling process assures strength and durability for your long lasting enjoyment.

1. Lampwork Pet Charm 2. Adobe Flower Lampwork Bead Pendant 3. Orange Lampwork Bracelet 4. Reticulated Flower Pendant
5. Ambered Boro Shield Pendant 6. Coral Mango Dangle Bracelet
7. Ocean Waves Boro Beads

For more information about glass beads and lampworking, I have compiled a list of my favorite books and resources!

• Making Glass Beads by Cindy Jenkins
• You Can Make Glass Beads by Cindy Jenkins
• Beads of Glass by Cindy Jenkins
• Passing the Flame by Corina Tettinger
• 1000 Glass Beads by Valerie Van Arsdale Schrader and Cathy Finegan
• The Art and Soul of Glass Beads by Susan Ray and Richard Pearce

Some online favorites are:

• International Society of Glass Beadmakers
• Lampwork Etc.
• WetCanvas! Cyberliving for Artists

See more amazing handmade Lampwork creations from these KCEtsy Lampwork Artists:
Anglefire Art Glass • Genea Beads • Jamihamilton

*Written by Lampwork Artist Angelfire Art Glass

Four Mysterious Little Letters … ACEO

Search through all the wonderful handmade items made by Kansas City Etsy Street Team members and you might stumble across something called an ACEO. You pause momentarily, asking yourself, “What IS an ACEO, anyway?”

Simply put, an ACEO, which stands for “Art Card, Editions and Originals,” is a miniature work of art which is always two and a half inches by three and a half inches, the size of a standard playing card. It can be made in any medium; it can be an original, one-of-a-kind piece, or part of a series of cards that are the same, and it can be an easy and highly-addictive way of collecting unique and affordable works of art.

The art card movement has quickly gained popularity in the past few years. According to the book Artist Trading Card Workshop by Bernie Berlin, in 1997, artist M. Vånci Stirnemann started the trend by having a gallery show featuring 1,200 art cards which could be acquired by gallery visitors if one brought an art card of his or her own to trade. Thus began the ATC, or “Artist Trading Card” craze. To maintain the spirit of Stirnemann’s original concept, ATCs could only be traded, never bought or sold. Some artists wanted to be able to sell their playing card-sized creations, and thus the ACEO movement was born. Starting on eBay, the movement quickly spread to Etsy, where it currently thrives.

I began collecting ACEOs two years ago when I first signed up as a buyer on Etsy. Within my current collection you’ll find all kinds of styles and media, from traditional miniature paintings, to collage and mixed media pieces, to photographs and relief prints. Collecting ACEOs is a wonderful way to get a sampling of work from an artist whose work you admire. Made in a dizzying array of media and techniques and in a vast number of subjects, with a little looking around, you are almost guaranteed to find something you like.

The KCEtsy Team Artist ACEOs pictured above are from left to right:
Compounds of Sulphur by Jodie Hurt • Yellow Flowers by Collage Contessa • Adorable - Cute Dragon by Allison Stein • What a Wonderful World by Karen Kay Artworks

*Written by jodiehurt.

June Frist Fridays Highlights

It was great to see so many wonderful members of the KC community at our June First Friday's Trunk Show in the Crossroads District. A special thanks again to Shiraz Restaurant for allowing us to use their beautiful Gallery Room, and of course to our amazing artists. Here are just a few highlights from the show!



See you all at our next show in the River Market District at Eljay's Coffeehouse for Third Friday's!

Artist Spotlight - Genea Beads

Earlier this year we took our children to the Moon Marble Company in Bonner Springs, KS, for their Open House and watched glass artists create amazing marbles. We watched wide eyed as these talented artists transformed thin rods of glass into beautiful, intricate marbles - true pieces of art, not a child's toy.

Shortly after this basic introduction to one aspect of lampwork, I met Genea of Genea Beads, a fellow KCEtsy team member, at one of our First Friday Trunk Shows at Shiraz Restaurant. As a lampwork artist, Genea turns thin rods of glass into unique and vibrant beads and pendents to use in whimsical pieces of fine art jewelry.

"I've been making jewelry for years, and one of the most exciting things to add to a piece of jewelry, are beads I made to match whatever design I have in mind."

Fun, vibrant and playful best describe Genea's overall style. Her attention to detail and playful use of color and design bring her work to life.

"I love glass! There is something amazing about working with fire and using things from the earth to create beautiful works of art."
You can see Genea's lampwork creations first hand this Friday night at Shiraz Restaurant, as she and other KCEtsy Team Members show their upscale handmade wares as part of June First Fridays in the Crossroads District. Genea also sells her work at Bead Boutique in Kansas City, MO on Englewood Road and on Etsy at Genea.etsy.com.

* Written by TinyStitches.

KCEtsy Joins the River Market's Third Fridays

Several KCEtsy team members are part of an upcoming Third Friday show at Eljay's River Market Coffeehouse, located at 412 B Delaware in the River Market District.

Come and enjoy a cup of coffee, spirits, and appetizers from ElJay’s Friday, June 20th from 7-10:30 pm. Listen to Jazz by a fantastic local group, Kinetic Trio and shop for unique and handmade items our talented KCEtsy members have to offer - creative handmade cards, whimsical watercolor paintings, glass, jewelry, fiber, photography and collage art, as well as plush animals and accessories for toddlers and babies, just to name a few.

Some of the KCEtsy members participating include:

Please check out our shops and visit us in person at ElJay’s, Friday June 20th!

We look forward to meeting and visiting with you!

* Written by bbesigns, show coordinator.

Fuchsia

Fuchsia is one of my favorite flowers ... so when I found two huge hanging baskets loaded with the unique, vibrant, beautiful blooms at a local nursery, I simply had to have them for my front porch!

These hanging baskets - more specifically their gorgeous cascading hot pink and purple blooms - is my inspiration for today's post.

On a chilly, cloudy, damp Kansas City day, the color of fuchsia, seems to brighten things just enough to make it not seem quite so dreary.

Have a wonderful holiday weekend!

1. Paprika the Spicy Pup 2. Wildberry Zinger Candle
3. Bright Coneflower Fine Art Print
4. She's a Heart Breaker ACEO 5. Pink and Orange Ribbon Purse
6. Bubblegum Drop Earrings 7. Toddler/Infant Nap Mat

When you care enough to send the very best.

Thanks to Hallmark, some of the most recognized greeting cards come from Kansas City. But when you care enough to send the very best, sometimes a Hallmark Shoebox, Fresh Ink or Expressions card just doesn't cut it. The KCEtsy team has a group of very creative independent artists who create unique personalized greeting cards and stationary you simply can't purchase at any chain store!

So when an email, a text message or even a Hallmark simply doesn't send the right message, choose something that will with a unique and handmade card from a local KCEtsy artist.

1. RetrospectiveDesign 2. somethingfromcassie 3. collagecontessa

4. artstew 5. bbesigns 6. AllisonStein
7. lbolter 8. myheart2yours 9. christamarie612

*Written by TinyStitches

Artist Spotlight - AJs Country Cottage

There isn’t anything quite like the feel of handmade soap on your skin, and the scent, well that can take you to a completely different world.

If you’re trying to live your life a little more on the green side of the street, reduce your carbon footprint or simply do things a little more organically, than you’ll definitely be interested in the amazing talents of AJ of ajscountrycottage.

For the last six years AJ has been building a thriving handmade soap and candle business from her Lee’s Summit studio. Using local products where ever possible, AJ is always testing and creating new blends of scents and colors to create just the right combinations in her essential oil soaps and soy candles and melts. “I recently tried to capture the look and aroma of a spring garden in a new soap, using my own blend of earthy, herbal, and sweet floral notes. I swirled the raw soap batter with three earthy colors – green, yellow and brown. I was very pleased with the results – Garden Mosaic.”

As you can see, AJ’s products are intensely inspired by ‘solitude and the great outdoors.’ “A bright sunset might inspire me to copy the colors in one of my creations, or the fragrance of spring flowers might lead me to try to capture that scent in my work.”

You can find AJ’s luxury artisan soaps, soy and vegan candles, wax melts and lip balms online at her etsy shop … ajscountrycottage, and all summer long (May – October) at the Lee’s Summit Farmer’s Market (7am to sell out at 2nd and Douglas Streets, downtown Lee's Summit).
* Written by TinyStitches

June First Fridays Trunk Show

We've been a bit quiet on the blog for the past couple of weeks, everyone on the team is hard at work preparing for a busy June!

The KCEtsy Street Team is at it again for another First Fridays event in Kansas City. Taking place at Shiraz Restaurant (a delectable place to eat BTW), inside the restaurant in their Gallery Room at 320 Southwest Blvd., at Southwest Blvd. and Broadway in the Crossroads District, KC, MO.

The artists show and sale runs from 7:00pm to 9:00pm on Friday, June 6th, 2008. You can expect to see 10 local artists displaying their fine art and upscale handmade wares. Come join in the fun - shop and eat at Shiraz. See you there!

A partial list of the artists in our show. Please check back for updates.










*Written by KarenKayArtworks

Artist Spotlight - TheFunkyFelter

Although she was an imaginative child and loved to doodle, her passion for creating didn’t begin in earnest until her college days, according to Shalana of The Funky Felter. “A few years into a computer science degree, I realized I just wasn't fulfilled. Searching for another major, I came across graphic design and grew to love all the fine art classes such as drawing, painting, and ceramics.” More recently, she discovered the fiber arts. “Now that I have found feltmaking, I feel like I have truly found my artistic calling. Fiber art is very fulfilling to me as an art form, and I believe the medium where I express my creative abilities best.” Her favorite materials to work with are natural animal fibers such as raw sheep’s wool, alpaca, and plant fibers. “It is a thrill for me to really start from scratch when I make my felted items. Essentially, I am starting with the most basic of materials, usually in their unprocessed states.”

Shalana draws inspiration from the things she loves best: her husband, dog, rabbit and home. Her first concern is the palette she‘ll work with for her next project. “When I think of design, I think of color first. I love color and color schemes.” Her passion for vivid color is evident in the bright array of hues she chooses for her work.

“I really like experimenting with new three-dimensional, wearable forms. Currently, I like making hats and purses. I've always liked to make things that are beautiful art yet wearable and utilitarian in nature.” But a new direction is also on the horizon for Shalana. “I am planning to do some wall hangings and sculptural pieces this spring and summer. Ordinarily my felted works are wearable and fashion accessories, but I am very excited to create some strictly art pieces. I'm also experimenting with some plant fibers to felt. Some people find wool to be ‘itchy’ or are even allergic to wool, so I would like to create some of my smaller needle felted items out of a plant based alternative to wool or even out of alpaca, which is a non-allergen for most.”

Shalana’s day job is teaching computer design courses part-time for a local community college. “Teaching is my other career passion, and I really enjoy working with the students and helping them to appreciate art and design.” What does she find most challenging about being an artist? “Probably having the time to accomplish all the things that I want to do. There just never seem to be enough hours in the day or energy for me to be able to carry out all of the ideas swimming in my head.” She loves living and working in Kansas City, and finds another source of inspiration in her students and co-workers.

Shalana’s items can be found for sale locally at Gifted Hand Gift Shop in Crown Center, where proceeds from sales are used to educate the local community's teen girls about domestic violence prevention. “I am very happy to have my items carried in a shop that contributes back to Kansas City in such a way.” Shalana discovered Etsy while searching online for a place to sell her wares. On the web, visit her shop at thefunkyfelter.etsy.com.

*Written by AJs Country Cottage

Giving Back

KCEtsy had the unique opportunity to contribute to a deserving charity function this month. Tomorrow night will be the Third Annual Rose Brooks and Alpha Chi Omega Foundation Wine Benefit at Kansas City Southern Cathedral Square. The fundraiser event will benefit Kansas City-based Rose Brooks’ Center and the Alpha Chi Omega Foundation, both of which support victims of domestic violence.

The mission of Rose Brooks Center is to break the cycle of domestic violence so that individuals and families can live free of abuse. In 1978 a group of caring volunteers saw a need and began a crisis hotline for domestic violence victims. They were immediately inundated with calls. Soon after, the family of Rosa Brooks (a woman who took homeless individuals and sick children into her home) donated her home to the cause. In 1979, Rosa's home was opened as one of the first domestic violence shelters in Kansas City. Within 24 hours of opening, all 19 beds were full!

Today, Rose Brooks Center offers an emergency shelter for up to 75 women and children, a violence prevention program in 37 schools, a hospital advocacy program located in six area hospitals, a children's therapeutic program, court advocacy, outreach counseling and a Transitional Housing Program. All programs are offered from one site helping to provide victims of domestic violence a full continuum of care to heal and become independent from violence. You can find out more information about the center at their website, rosebrooks.org.

Our KCEtsy group had many members who were able to donate to a basket being put up for auction at the charity event. The donation had a combined value of $180! What a way to give back! You can see the wonderful items received included jewelry of many forms, baby items, a wallet, canvas and much more.


If you are interested in attending the event you can still do so and pay at the door. It’s a worthy cause.

Kansas City Southern Cathedral Square
427 W. 12th Street Kansas City, Missouri
Tickets $25.00
Entertainment provided by the Olathe East Jazz Combo

Visit our Contributing Artists’ Etsy stores for more of their items:
BBesigns
CollageContessa* & CollageCuriosities*
DumbKidDesigns
NiChernDesigns
NMPhotos & ElegantSolutions
SemiPrecious1
StirDesigns
SylviaC
TheFunkyFelter
TinyStitches

*Charity Basket Organizer.

*Written by CollageContessa