WhY bUY HaND MadE?

I just took the buy handmade pledge.
Perhaps you should too. :)

Consider the following:
"Buying Handmade makes for better gift-giving.

The giver of a handmade gift has avoided the parking lots and long lines of the big chain stores in favor of something more meaningful. If the giver has purchased the gift, s/he feels the satisfaction of supporting an artist or crafter directly. The recipient of the handmade gift receives something that is one-of-a-kind, and made with care and attention that can be seen and touched. It is the result of skill and craftsmanship that is absent in the world of large-scale manufacturing.

Buying handmade is better for people.

The ascendancy of chain store culture and global manufacturing has left us dressing, furnishing, and decorating alike. We are encouraged to be consumers, not producers, of our own culture. Our ties to the local and human sources of our goods have been lost. Buying handmade helps us reconnect.

Buying handmade is better for the environment.

The accumulating environmental effects of mass production are a major cause of global warming and the poisoning of our air, water and soil. Every item you make or purchase from a small-scale independent artist or crafter strikes a small blow to the forces of mass production."

*****
On that note...consider visiting local craft markets this holiday season to find your unique and thoughtful gifts.

Other fun options include shopping online at sites like ETSY and MINTd. Where you can shop at all hours!!! ;) Happy Holidays!!!

Holidays Are a Comin'

I'm so excited about the upcoming holidays and to celebrate bLuGrn design is coming up with new and fun stuff to share for the holidays.

For one Gift certificates are now available. Perfect for that hard to shop for person... let them pick out their own perfect treat from the blugrn swag any time they want.

Who needs holiday greeting cards???? how about gift notes or tags?

Of course there's always NEW jewerly to check out...

Lastly.....We're having an Upcoming Trunk show together with Sheny Designs to get your little holiday gifts in person:

December 8th- Houston, Tx - 1742 Sunset Blvd. Houston, Tx

Friday's Fav's

Etsy: Your place to buy & sell all things handmade

Pink for October

Web sites will Go Pink during the month of October to bring attention toBreast Cancer Awareness Month, get people talking about breast cancer, and raise money for research.

In addition to going pink in October I will donate a portion of the proceeds to Susan G. Komen for the Cure.


Read more about Pink for October

Crafty Bastards ROCKS!

Incredible. Our first craft show and definitely not our last! We started setting up around 8am and didn't stop until 5:30pm. It was so busy and so much fun!

I sold out of all my monkeys, bird, sharks' teeth, braille, and little cloud necklaces.

All my "little darlings", ginkgos, and shark teeth earrings.

It was really really cool.
The only sad part was that I didn't have time to check out the other vendors' booths. Which i heard were pretty neat.
My husband was able to check out some of the b-boy battles.... check out some of the video footage that he took at the show.

You can also see and submit photos to the flickr Crafty bastards photo group HERE.

All in all we had a pretty amazing time at our first show. Thank you to everyone that stopped by...and thank you thank you to the amazing event that Crafty Bastards provided!

Q&A Post on Crafty Blog

NEAT! The Crafty Bastard's blog just posted my Q&A. Fun!
Read more here

Pretty excited about my first show... Only 5 more days!

Getting ready for Crafty Bastards

Only 12 days away from the big event and I'm starting to pump out some new designs for the Crafty Bastards show.

Still have to come up with a sign and figure out how i'm going to display everything together with Chickrocks.

We're anxiously looking forward to our first Craft show and look forward to seeing you there if by chance you happen to be in the d.c. area. ;)

In the mean time check out some of the new stuff i've been working on:

BRAILLE LOVIN'

Inspired by the ubiquitous and somehow overlooked braille which can be seen in all public buildings and spaces...and now also in note cards and jewelry ;)

Send a card that can truely touch someone....and if you're wearing it, iy's your own little secret daily reminder to tell yourself something nice and keep you smiling.

Greetings in Braille:
Hello
Happy Birthday
I love you
thanks!
Nerd!

Sterling silver braille jewerly:
smile
*nerd*
love
sexy
pretty
wise

ETSY Favin Friday

My favorite picks for this week from ETSY. ENJOY
* Pebble jewelry from ashleyjewelry

*Unique Stoneware from PuTokWagnerCeramics

* felted bags - myjennywren

*fabulous vintage and new jewelry from forqueenvictoria

*adorable baby goods - joeyanddaleethea

*fun jewelry foundling

*fabulous spice sets - purposedesign

*Fun accessories from imyourpresent ( i like the name!!)

Etsy Favin 5 Friday

*sheny.etsy.com

*experimetal.esty.com

*kendrabinney.etsy.com

*tigerlillyshop.etsy.com

*fieryliondesigns.etsy.com

Crafty Bastards Vendors

The 2007 Crafty Bastards Vendor Gallery is now up! Check them all out and see where we're located on the Vendor Map.
(We're #62 near Paper Source)

Favorites Friday

Inspired by Freshly Blended I thought I would share some of my Etsy favorites. (I spend a bit of time sifting through the goods.)

Miocene Sharks Teeth of Calvert County

The sharks' teeth collected along the shore of the Chesapeake Bay between Chesapeake Beach and Calvert Cliffs in Calvert County are records of a far distant past when the climate, geography, and living creatures in this area were quite different from those of today. Back in the Miocene Epoch, about 17 million years ago, the sharks that bore these teeth lived in the warm, shallow sea that covered southern Maryland.

The present-day configuration of the Chesapeake Bay emerged, with the deposits of the Calvert Cliffs that were once sea bottom now standing 100 ft. above the water line. Fossil remains of animals from that ancient sea floor are now exposed as wind and water erode the cliffs, and represent the most extensive assemblage of this period in the Eastern United States.

The teeth of extinct sharks most commonly found here belong to the following species: Galeocerdo contortus, and G. triqueter (Tiger Sharks), Hemipristis serra (Requiem Shark), Oxyrhina desorii (Mackerel Shark), Sphyrma prisca (Hammer-head Shark), and the Sand Shark, Odontaspis elegans. Teeth of the spectacular giant White Shark, Carcharondon megalodon, are found here too, but are rare.

From the great number of teeth that have been and are still found here, initially one wonders how so many sharks could have lived in a relatively restricted area.

There are several reasons for this abundance. First, sharks have an unlimited supply of teeth. No cavities, permanently missing teeth, or tooth aches for them! Shark teeth are not set firmly in the jaws, but in the gums, where they occur in layered rows. If a tooth is lost, it is gone but briefly, for another from the reserve layer moves forward to take its place. Also, recent studies indicate that the young of one common modern shark replace their upper teeth every 7.2 days, and the lower ones every 8.2 days! It is possible that this may have held true in fossil sharks.

Check out our Chesapeake bay sharks teeth fossil jewelry and get a little history of your own.

Crafty Bastards

We got in! Together with Chickrocks, we beat the 4 to 1 odds of making it into Crafty Bastards art fair! That means we're busy & having fun cooking up new designs to sell at the fair. Be sure to check the store for new jewelry and cards!

Crafty Bastards(sm) Arts & Crafts Fair is an exhibition and sale of handmade alternative arts and crafts from independent artists presented by the Washington City Paper. The fair is all-day, outdoors, free to attend, and will offer goods for sale, food, entertainment, prizes, and more!

When is this event and how do I find it?
Sunday, September 30, 2007, 10am-5pm at the Marie Reed Learning Center at 18th & Wyoming in the hip Adams Morgan neighborhood of Washington, DC.

Hope to see you there!!!!

Destash

Have some fun. Get creative!
Supplies now available at blugrndesign.com!
Create your own colorful treasures!

Limited quantities available.






Don't forget to see what's new in jewelry.

New in June!

GREEN and GOLD- lush and vibrant ready for summer. Epecially paired with 14/20 goldfill.



GINKGO Earrings- Already green and thriving with their beautiful fan-shaped leaves, enjoying the summer heat. Did you know: The Ginkgo has the intriguing distinction of being one of the world's most urban-tolerant trees, often growing where other trees cannot survive. These earrings are a tribute to these beautiful and hardy trees, and sure to compliment your summer look and be a lasting accessory for any season.
SHOWN: Sterling silver hand cut silhouettes with turquoise accent bead.


Child's birdie necklace- All girls love to accessorize! Little ones too!
This is a miniature version of the flying birdie necklace and sized to fit your tot at a lenght of 13 inches and mini bird charm and pendant measuring a mere 1.5 cm.




Shark bites-A little of wit with a bit of shark. Perfect little summer necklace! Tiny sterling tags with varied phrases to match the little shark's tooth fossil which measures less than 1/2 an inch.

SHOP NOW!

New Jewelry and Paper

New at bLuGrn design:
1)"Monkey Around" pendant- lightly hammered and polished hand-cut sterling monkey silhouette. Have some fun accessorizing.
2) Cluster earrings with unique hook and hoop designs that uniquely display the bead and gem composition.
3) Great chain necklaces perfect for layering or everyday wear. Darling "love birds ", fox and squirrel silhouette necklaces. Unique and one of a kind.
See the new jewelry now!

In paper goods we have new customizable goodies such as vintage mod calling cards customizable with choice of pet silhouette, names, and info.

* Save the date cards (contact for a quote). Top portion is decorated with a ribbon and perforated to come apart and be saved as a keepsake bookmark.

* Colorful and fun mini note cards, perfect for including with gifts or just sharing with a friend. Designs include birdies, poodles, "sweet treats", and variety pack.
New Designs Coming Soon.

* Fun Sea Live notes, cute enough to frame

Take a look.

Happy Memorial Day Weekend!

Mother's Day- Sunday, May 13

Just a reminder to get Mom a special little something and send her some love.
Earrings
Necklaces
Cards

New Paper Goods

These have turned out to be quite popular, so I wanted to share.

Mini Note Cards - add to gifts, books or just share with a friend. Varied sizes and sets.





Octopus Greetings -Send some fun color and cheer out to a pal.Set of 6 note cards with 3 different colored envelopes decorated with 3 different octopus greetings: Hello, Thank you!, and Hurray!

Cards measure 5.5 x 4.25 (inches) Printed on cream textured* cardstock.



See more