Handcrafted Everyone

The handmade artisan from the Handmade Artists' Forum that I am going to feature today I have featured in the past, TRusk4U.
I always enjoy revisiting past featured artisans, it is interesting to see how things have progressed for them, what new creations they have.
Since I last visited Teresa she has introduced some new lines to her online stores. Not only does she have her outstanding jewellery creations, she now has hand turned pens, keyrings and shaving sets in her HAF shop.

You will see some great new pieces on her Etsy as well.

Teresa also has a great blog, and you can 'like' her on her Facebook fanpage as well!

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Ambience and Aroma

This week I am revisiting an online vendor I have shared with a couple of times in the past. Because I have shared them before I thought I would focus on just one area for this post.
The handmade vendor I am referring to is Reef Botanicals, which is the baby of Larissa and Eric. Larissa is very active on the Handmade Artists' Forum, as well as being very active offline as well in her job as a lawyer.
Reef Botanicals brings you wonderful handmade bath and beauty products, such as soaps and scrubs. In this post though I am going to be looking at one of their newer lines.. candles.
There is something about candles, with their soft flickering light, that lends a lovely ambience to any room. When you add to this an amazing fragrance you create an inviting and enjoyable environment. Reef Botanicals create candles with sensational fragrances designed to create specific moods.

Home for the Holidays - evokes memories of pine trees, cookies and candy canes with their amazing fragrance and their rustic red and green colour.

Autumn Harvest - Apples, pears, plums, nuts and cinnamon... the wonderful scents of an abundant harvest come together in these gorgeous mottled red candles.

Chocolate Decadence - The mouthwatering scent of chocolate fudge, with a hint of vanilla and hazelnut, evocative of warm brownies... only you can't eat it!

This is just a small sample of the wonderful candles available at Reef Botanicals. I'd show you more, but then you'd have less reason to wander around their online stores yourself ;)

You can find Reef Botanicals on the Handmade Artists' Shop, as well as their own website. Larissa also maintains a great blog.

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Hope for the Future

I am back to introduce you all to a wonderful handmade artisan, Lisa, the creativity behind Speranza Jewelry. Speranza means hope in Italian, and Lisa feels that jewellery gives us hope for the future.
When she is not creating she is immersed in the hurdy gurdy that is Washington, D.C, with its constant political rhetoric. She works for a Television News agency, so you can imagine the pressure she faces. So to relax and recharge she communes with wire and gems to produce beautiful jewellery creations.
In this post I am going to focus on her earrings, I have a thing for earrings.

Something for everyone and any occasion!
So where can you find Speranza Jewelry? Well, she has shops on ArtFire and Etsy, as well as a fabulous blog. Take a look yourself and be impressed!

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Promoting the Promoter

In this blog post I get to talk about one of my favourite Handmade people. I get to talk about a lady who gives a lot of her time and energy to the promotion of Handmade, as well as being an incredible artist herself.

Kimberley Kitchen, sometimes known as Makin' The Best of It, is one half of the incredible duo behind the Handmade Artists' Forum and Shop. This is a lady with an immense amount of talent. Not only does she handpaint glasses and framed wedding invititations, she also makes chainmaille. That's right, those wonderful intricate weavings of little rings of metal in to wearable pieces of art.

The focus of this blog post is Chainmaille by MBOI (Makin' the Best Of It - see). Let's be clear, there is a duo here, Kimberley and Andrew, but let's focus on Kimberley (Andrew doesn't need anything to swell his head more :P) This lovely lady makes some amazing pieces of chainmaille jewellery, and if she likes a weave but doesn't know how to make it she will learn it. And one of the things I love the most is that in most of her pieces she let's the chainmaille do the talking, instead of overwhelming it with lots of beads or focals. Whilst there is nothing wrong with adding beads, it is also great to see someone focus on the beauty of chainmaille by itself.

I'm going to stop talking now, and let you see more of her work (and Andrew's :D) Oh and you need to click this link to ChainmaillebyMBOI ... because that's where the good stuff is!

I want to take this opportunity to thank Kimberley and Andrew for all their support in the time we have known each other. I am honoured to count you amongst my friends.

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Feature Artisan - Alchemy Atelier

The Handmade Artists' Forum has started a new blogring and once again I have stepped into the breach. So hang on to your seats whilst I take you for a whirlwind journey through the studios of various handmade artisans.

This week we are going to meet Alchemy Atelier. The creative goddess behind Alchemy Atelier is Shannamarie, who confesses to being a crafting addict since childhood. At that time her focus was more on sewing, including Barbie clothes (Barbie fan over here).

These days her attention has shifted towards jewellery, and she has a preference for earrings (hey me too!). A little trip into her Artfire studio will also show you she makes very nice rings. Let me show you a few things...

But what does a jewellery maker do when they are not feeling in a jewellery state of mind? Well this particular artisan pulls out fibre or yarn and makes needle felted poppets or amigurumi toys.

I always enjoy meeting new artisans who suffer from Craft ADHD like I do!
So, lovely readers, drop by Alchemy Atelier on ArtFire and check out the goodies Shannamarie has been making! And take a peek at her blog as well for some interesting and illuminating posts.

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When being Blue is awesome!

Here we are again with another HAF blog ring post. This week's featured HAF member is lisianblue. I have 'known' Kris, the creative goddess behind lisianblue, for a while now and I have to say she is a really lovely lady. And she is super talented!
She works with a lot of different materials, including yarn and glass. Her glass creations are some of my absolute favourites. So let's take a look at some of her creations.

Just amazing artistry. Check out lisianblue on ArtFire for more of her creations, and take a look at her great blog for lots of great posts.

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Tis a pity yarn isn't Edible!

A weird title I agree, however in this case I think it is entirely appropriate. This is my post for this week's featured member on the HAF blog ring. This time around it is the delightful Gina from Dahlish Knits.. and let me tell you, her work really is 'dahlish'!
Dahlish Knits can be found on the recently upgraded Handmade Artists' Shop, and her store includes such treasures as these...

So drop by Dahlish Knits on Handmade Artists' Shop and don't forget to check out her blog as well, for lots of cool posts.

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The Jewelry Geek

I was very slack last week when it came to the HAF blog ring. This was mainly due to a horror week at home with kids and gastro..erk. However last week I was actually the featured member, and so in the tradition of the blog ring I will do a blog post on the featured member from the second blog ring list. This happens to be a fellow jewellery maker known as The Jewelry Geek.
Talent behind this store is Kristin, a Navy wife and mother of a little boy, who has been making jewellery for 15 years. She has a store on Etsy which features her lovely pieces. She also has a blog where is features other artisans. So let's take a look at some of her great creations....

This is a lovely fresh looking bracelet, with some wonderful sparkle.

It's purple and it has a butterfly! She must have been thinking about me when she created this one! :P

I really like this piece, it has interesting shapes and angles.

What a lovely sunny piece, perfect for summer!

All these wonderful pieces and more can be found at The Jewelry Geek on Etsy.. check her out!

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Baby, You're Beautiful.

It is time for another HAF member to receive the Haffina treatment as part of our current blog ring.
This week it is the wonderful Sandi from IKnitQuiltSew. She creates wonderful items, especially for babies! Let me show you some of my favourite pieces from her Etsy shop.

I reckon my daughter would love this doll!

These would have been great when my boys were little! Maybe for a grandson instead LOL!

I wish I had had these when my daughter was a baby! They are gorgeous!

Now this one was obviously made with me in mind!!

I love quilts, and having once started a quilt, that never got finished, I have enormous respect for anyone who makes them!
There are lots more wonderful items to see, so go check out IKnitQuiltSew for yourself!

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Intentional Inspiration.

It is time for me to introduce you to another member of the HAF community as part of our weekly blog ring, and this week my victim guest is someone new to me and this blog. Intentional Stones is the name of the studio and is a collaborative work between two women, Mina and Simbelmynë. Together they create wonderful pieces of jewellery with a focus on gemstones and silver.
I went for a little wonder through their ArtFire studio and found some delightful examples of their creations. Let me show you just a taste...

Lovely pieces indeed. There are more to see in their studio, plus if you visit their dot com you can find links to their twitter, blog and facebook!

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TRusk4U - Creations to please.

It is week three of the HAF blogring, and it is time for another victim guest. This week we are going to revisit someone I visited last year, TRusk4U. Teresa is the talent behind the name, and not only is she a wonderful jewellery maker, she is also a lovely, giving lady. Members of the HAF community would be aware of the wonderful gesture she made during our recent sorrow.
Teresa has a well stocked store on Etsy, filled with delightful creations that cater to many tastes and budgets. Let's take a look at just a few.

 I love these earrings, they would be like wearing spring on your ears!

Elegant simplicity.. absolutely gorgeous!

Juicy and Fruity.. perfect for summer!

Simple, elegant and very classy!

That is just  a very small sample of her lovely pieces. Get yourself along to TRusk4U on Etsy to see even more!

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Amazing Kabi Designs

Excuse my tardiness, this post was due to be up earlier this week.. but somehow time got away from me. However I am here now and this post will continue XD
It give me great pleasure to introduce the second victim guest as part of the current HAF blog ring.
This week it is the amazing Kabi Designs. The creative talent behind Kabi Designs is Karina, a polymer clay artist hailing from NY.
We all know that I love polymer clay, and I love people who create with it even more. Karina has an amazing talent. Take a look at a few of her pieces.

Amazing Mica Shift, one of my favourite techniques!

An adorable sculpture!

And a gorgeous Kitty Pendant!

As you can see her work is outstanding and her shop on Etsy is well worth a visit!

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