Amazonite Gemstone!

I finally have some extra time to resume my posts about gemstones. I am trying to go in alphabetical order. Amazonite, a gemstone that I love. It is usually in bead form, sometimes carvings too. As stated in the video below the more greenish variety is from Russia. I prefer the ocean blue stones, that look a lot like Aquamarine beads, but much more affordable. I believe it to be a natural gemstone, as I have found no info about enhancements. It is a member of the Feldspar family, and only has a hardness of about 6. Because of that, I would probably use these beads in earrings, or necklaces. Maybe a bracelet, with warning about being careful when wearing. I probably would not put it into a ring. The short video below gives some nice info about Amazonite.

Orange and Black Etsy Finds

Welcome back for another round of Etsy finds. This week my theme is Orange and Black. Fall decorating, and Halloween are right around the corner. To visit each shop simply click the highlighted link under each image. Enjoy!

First off this week is this beautiful beaded necklace from  AlfaDesigns  Love it!

SticksNStonesGifts, offers these adorable cloth napkins for boys or girls, and eco friendly too!

Wow, how adorable, from Shelleyscrochetole, this crochet baby witch hat and diaper cover.

Having a Halloween Party?  How about this painted sugar skull plate from Missy69 to hold some spooky treats. 

Finally, from MsPDesignsUSA, this adorable forest animals PDF quilted applique. 

Art Challenge Day 12: Freedom and A Historical Event

Two of my topics for my Art challenge were, Freedom, and a Historical Event. So, using sharpie permanent marker pens, I created this beautiful commemorative plate for the day that women earned the right to vote in the USA. Almost 100 years ago! In the grand scheme of History, that is not a long time. As a woman, it is very important to me that I know the issues, the candidates, and be sure that I vote. Women died for this cause, so do it! You can visit my Etsy shop, to view, and or purchase this item, and others.

Nature's Bounty

It is almost Fall, and that means time to harvest. This week, I am featuring some Team Support and Promote members, that are all created with the theme of Nature's Bounty. To visit each Etsy store, click the highlighted link, under each picture. Enjoy!

SticksNStonesGifts, makes the cutest cloth lunchbox napkins, including these beauties. 

This adorable crochet turkey hat.from, ShelleysCrochetOle, can be made to order for any size.

BoardArtistry, makes these lovely hand turned wooden pens.  What a wonderful gift idea!

I love gemstones, definitely Nature's Bounty, and from ALFAdesigns, this Botswana Agate, Pearls and other semiprecious stones. 

This adorable PDF applique quilt design, is from MsPDesignsUSA, and another diy gift idea.

Missy69, painted this beautiful pumpkin and Fall flowers still life, done in acrylics.  Great holiday home decor.

Art Challenge Day 11: Fear

With Halloween quickly approaching, I used my topic for fear to take advantage of that fact. I used a black plate to draw then paint the haunted house, zombie, tree, moon and witch onto the plate. This is so cool looking. The gold paint on the house makes the house look like it is melting. I had to used black for the witch silhouette because the gold paint pen just wouldn't show up good. This is all done with paint pens, which are safe to eat on, and safe to wash. They are not dish washer safe. Visit my Etsy store, to purchase, or view my other painted plates.

Purple and Black Items on Etsy Team Support and Promote

This week, I have chosen a color combo, that is popular for Halloween and Fall, purple and black.  Each of the items below is from a fellow Team Support and Promote member.  You will find a short description, and link to each shop, below each image.  Please feel free to visit, and share this post with those that may be interested. 

SticksNStonesgifts, makes the cutest lunch napkins for kids.  This one has a Halloween theme, and are reusuable. 

From Shelleyscrochetole, is this absolutely lovely duvet cover.  I love this! 

This is a lovely crochet bolero jacket, beanie hat, and dress set for a newborn baby, from Missy69

Peridot the August Birthstone

I know I am going out of order, I think I left off with Aquamarine, so way out of order, lol. But, Peridot is the birthstone for August, and my birthstone, so I have to post about it now. To view some beautiful Peridot jewelry, visit my Etsy store, by clicking the Etsy mini on the left hand side of this blog. The first video, is just some of the most beautiful specimens of Peridot. The second video talks about the healing powers of Peridot, and the last video which I still have to watch, looks awesome. It tells how to test your Peridot, to see if it is the real thing, by using magnetism. Cool! I also think this would be an awesome Science experiment for my two homeschooled children, oh yeah! Enjoy!

Art Challenge Day 10: Two Tone Color Palette

A two tone color palette, means I only get to use two colors. That is always a challenge for me. However, buying these colored plates, one orange and the other black, made it much easier, because not many paint pens actually work on these two colors. The sugar skull is black and gold, and the owl is silver and gold. I love how both of these came out, but I have to admit that owl is just beautiful. I have one more black plate, so you know it will be something in silver and gold, lol. I am not sure, yet, what I will put on that one. To visit my Etsy shop, to purchase, or look around, just click the highlighted links.

Time To Go Back to School and Halloween

This week, for my Team Support and Promote member feature, I am doing a double theme.  Since I don't want to forget about all the lucky kiddos going back to school, I decided to do that theme, and Halloween.  You can't ever start thinking about Halloween too early.  To visit each Etsy shop, simply click the highlighted link under each picture.  Come back again next week to see more beautiful handmade items.

Shelleyscrochetole offers this adorable pug tote bag, perfect for back to school. 

Next, from Conniesquiltfabrics, is this skull fabric sold by the yard.  Make something awesome for back to school, or Halloween. 

Missy69, offers this adorable wood burned Halloween picture frame.  Perfect for school picture, or baby's first Halloween.

Want to make some adorable back to school clothes, or bags?  Then check out this fat quarter fabric bundle from, FabricsandFrills

If you are a preschool, or elementary school teacher, then you need zoo animals in your classroom.  Check out this pdf pattern from MsPDesignsUSA, and make this for your classroom.

Last but not least, from SticksnStonesgifts, are these adorable skull Halloween napkins for school lunch box.  Awesome!

Art Challenge Day 9: Clouds

For my clouds topic, I decided to use photography as my art choice. Summer time, here in FL, can produce magnificent clouds, both the puffy kind, and stormy kind. Below you will see some of my favorites taken over the course of this Summer. School starts next week, here in FL, so we should get back to a more normal schedule, and I hope to get some new gemstone posts up. My kids don't actually go back to school until Sept, because we homeschool, but they both will be starting two classes next week, only a couple days a week. I will be glad to get back to a normal schedule, lol I may end up painting one, or more of these pics, that will be fun. I am still working on a painted poinsettia tablecloth, that is taking way longer than I expected. It should be done early next week, I hope. It is quite beautiful.