Spark Twinkle And Fade

Under The Radar: Part 5

Happy (almost) Thanksgiving!! I hope all of you are excited to start the shopping season in earnest in just a few days.  I for one will just be glad for turkey leftovers and dessert.  I am dealing with a bit of a cold and have been so exhausted.  But I have a craft show that I need to finish preparing for (including tagging which I hate) so the resting will have to wait till I am done with that. This is the last UTR till December.  I may not get to update again until the second week of December because I will be so busy-but it's good busy so I can't complain. So here is UTR for this week and I hope you like it! Take care and have a good (hopefully long) weekend!!

 

Round Robin-Original Watercolor by Sungazer

 

Menomonie With Dotted Leaves by Day Street Designs

 

Tiny Silver Clouds by Original Design UK

 

The Super Ampersand shirt by Lorem and Ipsum

 

Cocoon RIng by Lisa Crowder

Holidays+Pastries=Love

Ok some business first. The winner of the Umlauf giveaway has not contacted Jess or I since last Friday so Jess asked if I would draw a new name from the magic hat. So the new winner is: JENNIFER SURINE!! Yeah Jennifer! Hope you enjoy your new cowl just in time for winter to freeze us all to near death.  Enjoy!

So in just a couple of days it will be Thanksgiving and I am so excited. It's my favorite holiday eating wise and can't wait to eat too much and then nap the rest of the day. Bliss.  And the best part is going over to my parents house where it always smells so nice and feels so cozy and I don't have to worry about cooking a turkey and the hassle that is in our wee kitchen at home.  But I do want to make something sweet to bring over there and I have been tossing around some different ideas-white and chocolate cupcakes, apple strudel cake and a list of other pastries found in cookbooks and online. But the other day while reading Emily Martin's blog Inside A Black Apple, she talks about making macaroons. And they not only look delicious but they are so pretty too.  They are what I imagine Alice (of Wonderland fame) eating before her whole too big/too small incident. But I digress. So yes, the macaroons look lovely and so I *think* I am going to give them a go for Thanksgiving. And Ms. Martin was even nice enough to share some tips so you too can make these  pretty pastries. You can read about her macaroon misfortunes and subsequent triumph here.

And my Sparrow shopis slowly but surely getting a bit of a face lift with new items, new photos and a more (I hope) cohesive style and look.  I just posted these very cozy warm bracelets in the shop last night:

       

(I love mustard and grey together!)

    

     

        

Well I hope you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving and eat lots of yummy food! I will be a little MIA next week because I have a craft show on December 5th-7th and I will be busy making tags and getting displays together and all those fun things.  If any of you are in the STL area you should come on out. See here for details.  xxx

Handmade Holidays: Women's Handbags and Totes

***THE UMLAUF GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED. THANK YOU FOR PARTICIPATING!!***

Ok so before Handmade Holidays I need to announce the winner of the Umlauf giveaway. I want to say a big thank you to Jess of Umlauf and her donation of one of her uber cozy cowls for this giveaway.  And thanks to all of you who participated and visited Jess' shop and my blog! We tip our hats. And now for the good stuff.  This name was chosen at random by yours truly. And the winner is....MARIGOLD!! Marigold please contact me so that I can pass your info onto Jess. Thanks again everyone!! And if you didn't win don't fret-I will be doing more giveaways in the future with other amazing Etsy sellers.xxx

And now for Handmade Holidays!  This go round is all about the things we carry-namely bags.  I tried to pick a variety of items from casual every day bags to fancier fare.  I hope you all enjoy these picks and I will see you the first week of December for the next Handmade Holiday installment which will be all about art.  Which I love. Take care and enjoy browsing!

**NOTE: This should go without saying but let me say it anyway as a friendly reminder. All items featured including photos are the sellers own. Please contact sellers if you have questions about copyright and use of their products. Periodically I like to mention this because handmade doesn't mean that anyone can or should copy someone else's design for profit of any kind. Just so you know. xxx**

   

The Fraulein Tote (in Rosewood) by Moop

 

The Everyday Bag in Steel Grey Faux Suede by Pesky Cat Designs

 

Red Oak II-Large Clutch by Atelier of Mine

 

Jack Rabbit Market Tote Bag by Jack Rabbit

   

Pyramid Of The Obsolete Tote by Little Shark Press

 

Alice Bag-Sky Blue by Sew Mo

 

Wild Apple Bag by The Illuminated Owl

The Bean Bag In Navy by TT Peas and Carrots

 

La Bicicletta Shoulder Bag by Kate Durkin

My Little Obsessions OR What I'm Into Now

If you are anything like me I go through phases where I become really obsessed with one thing or another for no particular reason.  It could be a style of art, an object, a food, a time period or any number of things.  Then I am forced to learn or acquire anything and everything associated with said thing.  It's like OCD that springs up without warning.  So to pass the burden onto you, let me share some of the things I am crazy for (literally and figuratively).  Maybe you will like them too.

  

Old Maps are just so cool. This one is from Antique World. 

 

Block art like this piece from Two Sarahs!

 

Monogrammed necklaces. So pretty. These are from Anthro.

Still loving foxes. I found this sweet pin here at Wildlife World.

 

Re-in love x2 with Mr. Darger and his Vivian Girls.

 

Antique Medical Supplies. This pill silverer from Phisick would look so cute on a bookshelf.

Under The Radar: Part 4

Welcome to another addition of Under The Radar, bringing you new shops from Etsy selling the sweetest wares. Submissions are still be accepted for this ongoing series so if you have a new shop or a shop that has no or few sales (or know someone who does) drop me a line.  The only stipulation is that you need to have good quality photos-if you are unsure if you meet this requirement please feel free to contact me and I will take a look.  

Todays UTR is one of the best in my opinion.  There are some great brand new (some only a few days old!) shops featured with everything from remade found objects courtesy of Found Brooklyn as well as bags, ts and all sorts of cool things.  Also in the works is a UTR giveaway with items from featured shops here. So stay tuned for that! Enjoy some Etsy newness and be sure to stop by again on Friday for the next installment of the Handmade Holiday series featuring womens bags/purses/totes! 

 

Japanese Chiramen Blouse by Kaori Yatsomoto

 

Squirrel Storing Acorns Pillow by Bonjour Teaspoon

 

Laser Fox t by Forward Collective

 

Candle Holder Set by Found Brooklyn

 

Limited Edition Aqua Clutch by Walking Wardrobe

 

Leather Hummingbird Journal by Kd Books

 

Shin Flower Brooch by Dear Posh

New Sparrow Fist Items & Umlauf Giveaway!

This weekend seemed to come and go so fast. I feel like it should still be Saturday! I didn't get half of what I wanted to done. Oh well. There is always next weekend I suppose.  I did go see a great movie over the weekend with my other half called Let The Right One In. It was really good and beautifully shot. And the colors were amazing.  I really recommend seeing this in the theater, even if you don't really like vampire/horror movies because the story is so unique and well told. 

I also worked on and posted some new items for the Sparrow shop including this moth brooch which I dearly love (I will have to make one for myself):

   

And some exciting news: the UmlaufGIVEAWAY CONTEST starts today!! To enter, simply visit Umlauf, find your favorite item in her shop and post a comment about it here.  It's so easy! The winner will be chosen at random and announced on Friday the 21st. So good luck to everyone!! And here are a few words from Umlauf's shop owner Jess:

My name is Jess and I run two shops on Etsy. Softerfire  is a beading supply shop, and Umlauf  features hand-knits, cat beds, and paper goods. I live in Michigan, where the nights are falling early, fast, and cold: perfect weather for sitting in front of the fireplace and getting my craft on. Knitting has been my biggest passion for about three years running. Fiber is seriously addictive (just ask my husband!)

One lucky contestant will receive my Sun-Warmed Brick Cowl keep your neck toasty and bright this season! It was hand-knitted by me with love from a mixture of fibers, including Peruvian wool, alpaca, and silk.

Bonus! If you enter this giveaway, you'll be eligible for a special 20% promotion at either of my shops! Convo me at Etsy for the details.

Handmade Holidays: For Men

Finding handmade things for the men in your life can sometimes be a challenge.  How many times have you defaulted to just buying gift cards for your father, brother, husband ect?  Well no more! Here you will find a sampling of some great gifts for men that suit a range of personalities.  And don't forget to check out Etsy for even more good stuff for the men you love. 

 

Lowtops Black on Baby Blue by Josh W. Golden

 

Anchor Flask by Moxie and Oliver

 

Man Scarf by Moocow Handknits

 

I Want To Crack Your Chest Open And Crawl Inside T by Cubist Literature

   

Circles Modern Industrial Belt Buckle by Timothy Adam Designs

 

Keep It TogetherT by Snowcone Collective

   

Custom Destination Vintage Map Cuff links by Sherry Truitt

 

Hand Engraved Pocket Copperhead Pocket Knife by DJ Rigel

Under The Radar: Part 3

I'm back with more Etsy shops flying under the radar. It's going to be a quick post because I have an awful lot of work to do but I look forward to these posts-I find so many awesome shops in the process! So I hope you enjoy this edition of UTR and stay tuned for next week when there will be a super awesome BLOG GIVEAWAY courtesy of Jess at Umlauf! More details on the giveaway to come.

 

Mod Birdie Mobile by Paisley Ann Home

Peekaboo Cuff by Summerland

 

Botanical Pencil Case by Tolka

Winter Wonderful or Things I Like About The Cold

I'm not a fan of cold weather. I would rather be warm and in a t-shirt then freezing despite my many layers. However, despite my hatred of the cold there are things about winter that I really love. Like curling up with a cup of hot chocolate and watching it snow outside, or dressing up in fancy coats and cozy sweaters for a night out. Or buying these amazing boots from Camper:

 

Black Boot with Red Button detail by Camper 

Yes I love those boots and they are on my X-mas list for this year. I may have to gift them for myself but I don't mind. I will get lots and lots of wear out of them and they aren't trendy enough to go out of style in my world. 

Another good thing about winter is that my parents are having a Holiday Open House this year. I am so excited because I will be making some cute little favors (still figuring out what those will be) and sipping on some Peppermint Hot Chocolate courtesy of Martha Stewart's website. Yum.  Plus there will be baked goods and tiny sandwiches to gorge myself on. There really can't be anything better then holiday food.  Plus I figure putting on a few pounds might keep my warm during the insanely cold months to come. If only I didn't have to drive in the snow and ice...

I am slowly but surely adding some more "wintry" themed items to my shop and posted a new one this morning. It is a snow owl pendant necklace and I really love it. I may have to make one for myself. Hopefully this week I will get a few hours to work on new stuff now that it is sufficiently cold out and moving closer to the holiday season. I can't believe Thanksgiving is only in two and a half weeks! X-mas will be here before I know it and I need to buckle down and start buying presents early. Well, that's all for me today. Time to do some work. Take care and look for Handmade Holiday part 3 this Friday featuring Etsy items for the men in your life!

 Owl In Winter Necklace available at The Sparrow Fist

Handmade Holidays: Kids

This was one of my favorite lists to make! I love kids stuff.  I admittedly get jealous of some of the unbelievably cute clothing and wish that they came in my size. Not to mention all the great toys which luckily can fit right in with some of my decor.  So whether you are looking to buy a gift for your child, for a friend or relative or just for you, here are some great picks from Etsy. And of course, check out Etsy for yourself because as much as I would like to, there is no way to cram all the wonderful things there in one little blog post. So enjoy and let's make it a Handmade Holiday this year!

   

Vintage Red and White Elephant plush by Maiden Love

 

Marne 4 Dress Tunic by Bread and Roses

 

Organic Modern Leaf Bib and Burp Pack by Cocoa and Milkweed

 

Blue Striped Pants With Linen Pockets by Bluebird Baby

 

Bicycle Wall Decal by Lewas Designs

 

Lavender Sock Baby Rattle by Chickabiddy Baby Boutique

 

The Duchess Silk Booties by Frosting Couture

 

Mighty Aeroplane Adventure Hoodie by Red Boots Designs

 

Cloth Ball by Cicada Studio