I've been featured!

I apologize for being behind in my posts. There's been a lot going on in my life, and I'll save that for another time.

For the time being, I'd like to extend my heartfelt thanks to Charan, of CreativeWithClay, for featuring some of my creations on his blog!! The most recent was my golden Peacock purse. Please visit Charan's blog, where he runs a weekly feature on "colors". I think it's a wonderful, fun, idea, and has been a huge success!

A million thanks, Charan!!!

Please be sure to stop by Charan's shop to see some awesome clay work!!

Shop:
www.creativewithclay.etsy.com

Blog:
http://creativewithclay.blogspot.com


You may visit my shops at:

www.gladraggz.etsy.com
www.gladraggz.shophandmade.com
www.carpetbaggercreations.artfire.com
www.carpetbaggercreations.1000markets.com

The Barefootweaver Etsy shop!

I never know what gorgeous shops I'll find on Etsy. Yesterday I learned that I never know what gorgeous shops will find ME there!!





To my surprise, I opened my mailbox to find that a generous seller was letting me know my silk ribbon embroidery purse was in her lovely treasury!!! You can view it here:
http://www.etsy.com/treasury_list_west.php?room_id=68948


In following up, I was bolled over to find that the most beautiful treasures of all were sitting quietly in Cait Throop's Barefootweaver shop! I am in awe of handwoven cloth, and always have been. There's something about the blend of texture and color that really send me! And, weaving is one more craft I see myself aspiring to, but probably won't ever embark upon because of expense and space considerations.


As a young person living in western New York, I faithfully shopped the annual Keenan
Art Show in Lockport, NY, a stringently juried show, and in my mind's eye, I somehow see the Cait Throop shop among the fine artisans there. It's safe to say I would have gone home with at least one of her pieces. The only problem would have been trying to decide which one! If she was ever there in reality, it would have been at *least* one item per year!

Cait shares that she's been in love with weaving since the 1970's, and has been weaving since the early 1990's. In discovering weaving, she shares that in it, she found "not just color but dance as well", and that she's "totally in love with warps, wefts, textiles and their endless possibilities."

She dyes many of her own threads, and over the years, has changed her weaving techniques, and now incorporates interesting knitting yarns with various shapes and textures into her work. I immediately recognized some of the textured and ladder yarns as those I also love, and have used in my winter purses.



Cait produces beautiful creations in her home - an old farm that she shares with two horses, three cats, one small dog, and a very supportive husband.

I love it!










Sunshine and Shimmer II scarf:
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=30124573

Sunshine and shimmer skinny cuff:
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=29392436

Ocean Blue Sweater:
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=24133261

Stripes forever scarf:
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=26880264

Garden party scarf:
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=25166985

Handwoven Chenille scarf:
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=29061253

Fiber circle pendant:
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=24359701

Barefootwearver Etsy shop:
www.barefootweaver.etsy.com

Cait's facebook fan page
http://www.facebook.com/cait.throop#/pages/Barefoot-Weaver/112344572360

Cait's new blog:
http://www.barefootweavercait.blogspot.com

More promotion

Seems like I'm doing more promoting these days, and despite my best efforts, sales are at a standstill. While I've gotten views and a few more hearts, there are still some lonely items in my Etsy shop that could use some love. I'll be updating my photos as soon as we get some sunshine (we're finally getting some badly needed rain, so no complaints about that). But, at the same time, Craftgawker, (very photo fussy), has accepted a my first submission. So, I know my photos aren't too bad.

Anyway, with autumn fast approaching and the holiday season in mind, perhaps someone is or knows someone special and young at heart, and who would love this sweet purse, (above?

And, the color of these biwa pearls make them perfect for fall and winter! They are so pretty with their iridescent pink tones over brown that remind me of antique copper!!

And, they match this necklace - perfect for fall!



Please stop by my on-line shops for a better look, and hope your day is full of life and love!

www.gladraggz.etsy.com
www.gladraggz.shophandmade.com
www.carpetbaggercreations.artfire.com
www.carpetbaggercreations.1000markets.com

Brown "antique copper" Biwa pearl earrings:
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=23145145

Antique copper pearl Necklace:
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=23192622

Pony purse:
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=18964610

The tnoble8238 Etsy shop's beautiful fine art.

The first thing that you see when you enter Tish's trnoble82338's Etsy shop is a color - beautiful, pure, clear, and crisp - and so well done that you can almost feel, taste and smell what's on the screen! It's obvious that Tish is a not only loves beauty and nature, but she knows that she knows what she's doing. She knows how to use composition and her camera skills in a way that's no less than a perfect balance of art and science.

She's managed to capture the essence of the spectacular, as well as the often overlooked mundane in a way that makes each and every image breathtakingly beautiful! I think some of her landscape scenes seem almosts make believe in their beauty - dream-like and etherial...

As I browsed through the trnoble8238's shop, full of botanicals, landscapes, seascapes, wildlife, and architecture, I found a great sense of peace and tranquility there. I was surprised to discover that each of these fine art photos are extremely reasonably priced, and that each photo is available as a blank note card, or as matted art or custom framed art.

Each photo is original, artist signed, and available in a variety of sizes and finishes. Photo note cards are mounted on 80lb embossed, archival card stock, and the cards are available individually wrapped, as boxed sets, sold on consignment, or offered wholesale. Prices start at $5.00, that I find to be a tremendous bargain!

Again, I'm awestruck by what I've found, and had a very difficult time making a choice. Here are but a few of my favorites, but please, visit the trnoble8238 shop to see more - I promise you won't be disappointed!

Lake of Mirrors:

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=21668873

Peek Through:
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=21419262

Bridge with Breeze:
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=24869449

Drops and Disintegration:
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=30860358

Hustle and Bustle:
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=30866610

Push Pins:
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=30866984

Gothic on Blues:
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=24869890

The trnoble8238 Etsy shop:
www.trnoble8238.etsy.com

I've been doing more promoting than creating or selling this last week, and in doing so, realize there are some items in my shop that are just - well, unloved...






The photos seem to be good enough, but perhaps I need some new, "fresh" shots, or different poses of some of them. Perhaps a human model might work for some of my purses, and perhaps my earrings could use a model shot???





Anyway, here are a few of my *least* loved items. They are jewelry items - admittingly a highly competitive market.

I'd love it if anyone would leave a critique or two about what I might do to increase the desirability of these viewed but "heartless" lovelies?!


Have a nice weekend, everyone!!


Chandelier earrings:
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=24599658

Silver foil lined disc earrings:
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=20805921

Black, silver and red earrings:
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=20806377

www.gladraggz.etsy.com
www.gladraggz.shophandmade.com
www.carpetbaggercreations.1000markets.com

In time for the autumn Season...

I have a new autumn purse - newly listed yesterday. The colors remind me of the autumn oak leaves in my native western New York, and I can still see, smell, and hear them rustling when I look at this bag.



I've again used batiks for this purse. There are two complimentary prints on the outside, and one for the lining. I love to play with fabric scraps, and put together some trimmings in a sunburst effect for one of the inside pockets. The result is unique and interesting.



I listed this purse last night, and even though, (at the time of this posting), it hasn't earned any hearts yet, it's already in a treasury!!

Please feel free to take a better look at my new creations, on-line shops, and the treasury!

New autumn batik purse:
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=30614886

Treasury:
http://www.etsy.com/treasury_list_west.php?room_id=67619

My online shops:

www.gladraggz.etsy.com
www.gladraggz.shophandmade.com
www.carpetbaggercreations.artfire.com
www.carpetbaggercreations.1000markets.com

New purse with rich, elegant Oriental fabric

My new purses have been selling quite quickly lately, (THANK YOU, buyers!!) In fact, they've been selling faster than I can get them posted to my blog! I decided to share my newest creation right away - just listed last night. I enjoy the change of seasons, and while we do experience new seasons here in northwest Florida, the transition is more subtle than in my native Western New York. So, in a sense, I'm still experiencing the move into fall and winter, but in a more active way - through my creations.

I love the striking red and black oriental themed fabric of this purse. The rich fabric and attention to detail make it striking and elegant. It has a magnetic snap closure and my signature knotted shoulder straps. The knotted effect not only makes a style statement, but this method treats them as one, eliminating the constant annoyance of having to keep track of 2 straps. And, the straps are long enough to wear over a coat.

As is the case with all my fabric purses, the bottom has been reinforced with plastic mesh to resist sagging.


Approximately 13" wide at base, 12" wide at the top opening (33 and 30.5 cm), 9" tall, and 3.5 " deep at base. (9cm). The handle stands about 14" (35.5cm) above the top of the purse.

From a clean, smoke-free home.

The fabrics in this purse have been pre-washed. To clean , spot clean or hand wash, spin or blot, hang or lay flat to dry, iron on cotton setting. Or, dry clean.

Red and black oriental purse listed on Etsy site:
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=30306493

To see more and/or to purchase, please see my on-line shops:

www.gladraggz.etsy.com
www.gladraggz.shophandmade.com
www.carpetbaggercreations.1000markets.com

Our new Greyhound foster - Babbs!

As some of my older viewers know, our home is lovingly shared with dogs. Penny is our retired racing Greyhound, who is our canine matriarch and mentor to newly retired racing Greyhounds who live with us between the track and their new "forever" homes. Usually fosters take up residency for at least a few months, until they either find a home locally or are shipped off to another state for adoption. Life at the track is all they've ever known, so acclimating to house life is always an adjustment for them.

While it's sad when they leave, seeing the process of a dog's "blossoming" is extremely rewarding. It's easier to say goodby because I know that each and every one of them will live forever in my heart. Usually after one foster leaves, another comes in immediately, but after our last foster girl, (Catcher), left, we were without a dog for a while - too long... Finally, we got word that a new dog was coming, and we were all anxious to get her, to say the least.

Yesterday, we all took a long drive, (Penny too), to get "SNS Babbs", (her racing name), and she's now in the process of settling in. Babbs is a timid and somewhat apprehensive girl, but she'll settle in before too long. They are all unique in their own way, but they all do very well in the end.

Here's Babbs' photo from the Greyhound adoption page. For being so shy, she's really quite photogenic, and a very pretty girl. When I get some photos of my own, I'll be sure to share them.

Welcome Babbs!!