Folksy Friday: A bit of freehand embroidery

It's a while since I've done a Folksy Friday so here goes.  Spotted a couple of really beautiful embroidered designs on Folksy recently.  I do a bit myself, but nothing as neat as these!  I really love my embroidery 'old-style' if you know what I mean, free hand, it brings back memories of happily playing as a child with a stack of half finished tablecloths and napkins and paper embroidery patterns and hoops that I think were left in our house by my paternal grandmother. As she died before I was born, I never got to learn from her, but those patterns and bits and pieces were a bit of a crafty inspiration.

Click on any of the pictures to visit these lovely shops:

This needle book combines embroidery and applique by Lynwoodcrafts

Stunning beaded and embroidered art deco design by Rebecca Jayne Dagger

So applicable to me!  Framed embroidery by littletreasures

A choice of very pretty flowers from Natalie Ofkants

Which is your favourite?

BESTeam feature October54Gallery on Etsy

 Winter Trees

Beautiful, isn't it?  This is an example of the stunning photos you can see at October54Gallery on Etsy, this week's BESTeam featured shop.  Anne from Whispering Pines, NC (I bet that's a lovely place!) is responsible for these works of art, and it's no surprise to learn that her work is on display at many local venues too.

I've chosen just three of my favourites from this shop, so as to have them shown to best advantage.  Regular blog readers will be able to see the themes of nature in the ones I've picked.  Click on any of the photos or captions to go directly to the shop and see more.

 Live Oak

Anne says that art has always been a part of her life, and living all over the USA as well as time in Costa Rica, has also influenced her artist's eye.  Anne also makes block prints and writes. 


Anne's work has a strong positivity for me, so it was a pleasure to find this quote from Walt Whitman in one of her listings:

Happiness not in another place, but this place...

not for another hour, but this hour.

 The Beach, South Carolina

I love this quote too from Anne's blog:

"The afterthought is good, but forethought is better."

(Norwegian saying)

You can visit Anne's blog here:
http://october54gallery.blogspot.com/

Fabulous handmade gifts from Dreamaid

Magnolia bud print by Clevedon

Shopping for gifts that give a little extra to charity doesn't mean compromising on style.  Check out these delightful one of a kind, handmade items from Dreamaid sellers. Click on any of the images to go directly to the shops.

Beautiful vintage style bracelet by Josephines

Mini notebook by Jolqa

Etsy picks: Deep in the forest

Celebrating the forest today. I've always loved stories about the forest, the mythology associated with a place where there is darkness in the day, which teems with life and death, can be cool in the blazing sun, supports some of the smallest and the largest forms of life, and is always stunningly beautiful.

Check out these Etsy artists whose work captures the aesthetic of the forest so perfectly...

'Very deep in the forest' by BlueForestJewellery

I love the myths, mystery and folklore around the forest - a place of quiet refuge, hidden dangers, life, and continuous renewal. And here are some beautiful artworks which celebrate that. Enjoy!

Mommy Deerest - mother... bomobob $10.00	AUTUMN'S RAINBOW TwirledTreasur... $28.00	The nightbound belt buc... flightpathdesi... $38.00
Three Birch Felted Wall... WoolyMammoth $85.00	Among Friends No. 2 - 2... maechevrette $300.00	HUGE SALE --WAS 43 -- E... HidenSeek $33.00
Pine Tree - Crocheted i... FebystanDesign... $20.00	Autumn Forest 16 x 20 x... QiQiGallery $125.00	The Forest's Edge- ... marisolspoon $32.00
SEE AMERICA- Wild Life CraftsmanArt $22.00	A Walk in the Forest - ... serpentmandala... $18.00	SALE Little Green Oak L... lupin $10.00
Forest in Blue - 5 x 7 ... BigBeanPhotos $11.00	Fairy Forest Playset - ... QuietudeQuilts $15.00	Pink and Red Deer in Si... michellebrunne... $50.00

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Folksy Friday: Windy Day

It's a windy day.  My Folksy Friday reflects this.  Enough said!







1. Birds 'like leaves in the wind' by Falcon
2. Foxy under a tree by Blackoutwell
3. Paper lanterns by the talented Tim Irving
4. The bracing British seaside by Emma in Wonderland (the same famous winner of Dreamaid's most recent ten of the best competition)
5. Delicate origami crane mobile by Longarms
6. Beautiful quilted cushion with windmill motif by Mammaquilt

BESTeam weekly feature: Moonangelny on Etsy

It's a real pleasure to feature a fellow Etsians who is based in the UK, only a few miles up the road from me in Birmingham.  Us Midlanders should stick together! Moonangelnay is Naomi, a photographer, avid blogger and all-round artistic person.  As well as a really well-stocked shop specialising in stunning photos, ACEOs and photo pendants, Naomi has opened another store on Etsy, BabaMoon, to sell her beautiful baby knits.  With little ones of her own (you can see how cute they are in the photos on her blog), I think Naomi probably qualifies as a supermom!

It's really hard to pick favourites from these images, but I've always had a thing for snow!  This print is amazing colours - greens and blues - wow!

I love this one, too, entitled 'Blush'

And this wandering sheep is so cool, s/he just had to be included

I love the way these images are often of everday things, but shot so as to look just that little bit different, to make you think differently (and think twice) about the art all around us.

You can find about more about this fascinating artist (and shop for baby accessories too!) here

BabaMoon.etsy.com
http://moonangelnay.blogspot.com

Folksy Friday: Shops you should visit Part One

I asked the Folksy folk to nominate some lovely shops with less than 5 sales, and here is part one.  What a lot of lovelies lurk in shops you've probably never visited!  Click on any of the pics to visit these stores.








1. Reclaimed time nominated by spjewellery
2. Art by mimi nominated by Gelert Design, Lynwood Jewellery, Fairly Girly and Jewellery Angel
3. Rags to Roses nominated by Gelert Design
4. Jesselu nominated by  Lauras Little Lovelies and Owl Loves Panda
5. Sleeping Cities nominated by Lauras Little Lovelies
6. Lynsey Luu nominated by The Little Wren (aka Cath81)

More next week...

Dreamaid feature - getting a bit arty

Art and prints is this week's theme from Dreamaid sellers.  Click on any picture to go to the store.

1. Aubaterre photo by PaulWardSmith71

2. Pembrokeshire misty morning photo by Welsh Crafts

3. Highland Cow photo by Jayne Strathdee

4.Chocolate Heaven wall hanging by ANGEL

5. 'A FORÇA VEM DOS PÉS QUE EQUILIBRAM O HOMEM' concrete scultpture by Sanreaah

6. Sunday Morning print by Cbaroneart

Remember, all Dreamaid sales benefit others as well as yourself!

Click here to tweet: Dreamaid: shop with a conscience

Folksy Friday Green Apples

The apples on my tree are just about to start turning from green to red now (assuming a bit of helpful sunshine comes along!) and they inspired today's picks! Click on any of the picture to be taken to the shop







1. This striking fine art print by ialbert would make a fabulous wall hanging

2. This lovely screen printed cushion is called Audrey, and comes with a red or green apple to suit your preference. Beautifully handmade by heart zeena's lovely little shop

3. Apple handmade soap by Shoples - you can smell it from here, can't you? (Love the shop name too!)

4. How could you not smile at this green apple ring by cute creations?

5. You could almost squeeze the pips out of the padded keyring from love poppet 

6. These apple earrings are completely handmade from wood and a vinyl record by Have a Thing about Me

This Folksy Friday is a bit late, due to blogger giving me some grief earlier.  But I'm able to post now, thanks to the help of a very kind military guy from Holland who was on the blogger help forums at just the right time.  Thank you, complete stranger!!

Click here to tweet: A handfull of lovely green apples on Folksy