look what i found - a story in blue and grey.

my allergies are really, really getting to me - this is the first full summer i've spent in montana and it seems a shame to be cooped up inside with all the sun and breeze. so in trying to spend my time inside productively, i'm spending a lot of time poking around etsy for new artists to feature.

today i have three talented shops to show off:

1. untitled card in blue and grey, Melodyeve.

a shop offering handsewn and hand embroidered cards. i love the rough edges and slightly uneven stitching, with such a pretty and unusual combination of fabrics. this would be a perfect card for somebody who sews or quilts.

2. the quilter in pea green, marysgranddaughter.

i love everything in this embroidery shop, but the details in 'the quilter' make this my favorite piece. a vintage porcelain doll arm on a background of antique linen. she's holding her own threaded needle and a tiny authentic printed quilt. i'm just in love. love!
(read more about marysgranddaughter's materials and process on her blog.)

3. triple tiered felt tear drop earrings, sunflowerexpress.

i've seen a bunch of felt pendants recently, but not many felt earrings - certainly not many as classy as these. hand-embroidered with silvery blue thread and hanging from sterling earwires. sunflowerexpress also offers pendants, bracelet cuffs, and hair clips done in felt.

pear and sage.

for this week, a beautiful trio of items in pear and sage: three etsy artists with gorgeous uses of fabric and paper.

1. prickly pear stud earrings. (DancingJellybean)

cute little stud earrings made from polymer clay and covered with yellow-green origami paper. just under 1/2" wide, with silver plated earring findings. i'm so attracted to little stud earrings on etsy lately, even though i don't ever wear or even own any studs. (maybe a future feature? hm...)

2. embroidered silk lily pad hair clip. (TheFaerieMarket)

lots of handmade organza flower hair clips on etsy, but i've never seen a lily pad before. 3" wide, made from olive green silk with teal embroidery done freehand with a sewing machine - 'drawing' with the machine.

3. hand embroidered linen coasters. (BobbiLewin)

i just think these are so beautiful and perfect. i love anything in linen, and these are done so meticulously, yet they look handmade in that one of a kind way. these little bees are embroidered by hand! hey bobbilewin, you should do pillows. pincushions...

p.s. just found out today that i will have a booth at missoula's MADEfair craft show at the end of june. SO excited, this will be my first craft fair. anybody in the MT area going to be there too?