BESTeam Weekly Feature

It's time again for my weekly Esty BESTeam feature. The BESTeam is a group of Etsy sellers who support one another by promoting each others shop.  One way we do that is to do a weekly BESTeam blog feature.  This week I have four BESTeam shops to feature.  Riorita, Ms formaldehyde, Sandy's Handmade Soap and Things and Poison Garden.

Here are my choices from their shops for this weeks post.  Take a few minutes and click on the shop names above and learn a bit more about them and the other terrific things they have to offer in each shop.

Here is an unusual bracelet from Riorita that I love.  I really had a hard time picking out just one item from the many beautiful offerings in her shop.  Riorita is located in Israel and she has silver and gold creations that include semi-precious stones, ancient glass and beach glass, and pebbles from the Sea of Galilee.

Surprise bracelet with stones in Sterling Silver and Gold Bracelet

riorita.etsy.com
irithbzjewelry.net
rioritajewelry.blogspot.com
rioritasjewelry.tumblr.com
twitter.com/riorita3
www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100001186016759

The next shop to feature is Ms Formaldehyde.  Ms Formaldehyde is located in San Diego, California.  She makes feather fascinators, feather earrings, wedding fascinators, bridal veils, carved skulls, sugar skulls, gothic, lowbrow, lolita pin up and dita burlesque accessories.  Here's a beautiful special occasion item from Ms. Formaldehyde.

Ostrich feather fascinator

twitter.com/#!/MsKFormaldehyde
www.etsy.com/shop/msformaldehyde
msformaldehyde.blogspot.com/
pinterest.com/msformaldehyde/
www.facebook.com/pages/MsFormaldehyde/104565692916493

Next is Sandy's Handmade Soap and Things by Sandy Vern.  Sandy is located in Stamford, Connecticut.   Here is just one soap from her wonderful shop which also includes handmade jewelry. This wonderful soap has one side that is a brown sugar scrub, much like a pumice stone, to gently exfoliate, and smooth away rough skin with a light creamy lather for exfoliating. The other side is made from a shea butter base which is skin nourishing and super moisturizing. It is scented with yummy brown sugar fragrance.      

Brown sugar scrub and shea butter soap

My last shop to feature today is Poison Garden.   Poison Garden is a collaboration of three artists who share a love for the romantic with a bit of an edge. Poison Garden offers many handmade, vintage and revamped vintage items in several styles including Victorian, Neo-Victorian, Steampunk, Gothic and whimsical.  Here is a long Strand of vintage costume beads that can be worn a number of ways.   At one end is a decorative dangle, at the opposite end a delicate silver hook. You can hook one end to any link of chain on the strand and wear as an asymmetrical choker with the long strand hanging delicately down the back. It can also be wrapped around twice to make a classy double strand choker or it can be draped in any number of ways, or even worn as a whimsical wrap bracelet.

Neo Victorian Long Bridal Strand

poisongaren.etsy.com
poison-garden.blogspot.com
www.twitter.com/poisonousgarden
www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Poison-Garden/123138724371600
poisongarden.tumblr.com

I hope that you enjoyed viewing these items and that you will take the time to visit these shops on Etsy.

BESTeam Shop Feature

I have three shops to feature this week from the BESTeam on Etsy.  Here is an item from each of these shops.  Take a few moments and check out the other great items in these shops. 

Here is the first item from Joyflower on Etsy.  Joy of Joyflower creates beautiful hand painted silk scarfs and women's fashion accessories.  Check out the beautiful blue shades in this Azul Mother of Pearl pendant with Aigner gold chain.  Visit her shop and check out the vibrant colors she also uses in her silk scarfs.
Links: www.Joyflower.etsy.com facebook  www.facebook.com/Joysilk twitter: @JoySilk blog:    joysilk.blogspot.com/ flikr: www.flickr.com/photos/joyflower/

Azul Mother of Pearl Pendant

Azul Mother of Pearl Pendant

 

 Here is a unique pair of earrings from Cksilver on Etsy.  I love the blue lapis lazuli stones and freshwater pearls along with the sterling silver. 

Lapis blue and silver earrings

Cindy of CK Jewelry specialize in sterling silver, pearls, semi-precious stones, and Swarovski crystals.  Her shop is worth a visit to check out her other beautiful pieces.  Here are her links:  Shop: cksilver.etsy.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/cksilver Twitter: www.twitter.com/cksilver Blog: cksilver1.blogspot.com

Last but not least here is a cute and creative bag by Etsy shop Creativity Bugs. The Creativity Bugs are two sisters (Sandy and Sue) who have a passion for crafting.  Shop items include paper crafts & gifts, handmade cards, paper craft kits and supplies, holiday gifts, doll clothing and accessories, plus a whole lot more. This 6x6 bag can be used as a purse for a special little girl in your life or as a great gift bag.

Fun and flirty handbag

 Links for Creativity Bugs: Shop: www.etsy.com/shop/creativitybugs
Facebook: www.facebook.com/pages/Creativity-Bugs-Crafters/165471840170137?ref=ts
Blog: creativitybug.blogspot.com/

If you are looking for a team that provides marketing support for each others' Etsy shops take a look at  The Boosting Etsy Shops Team. One thing we do is to write weekly features on our blogs for each others Etsy shops.  The BESTeam also encourages use of Twitter Accounts and Facebook Fanpages to promote each other. They  are now accepting new members so if you are interested here is the link to the team page. http://www.etsy.com/teams/5645/besteam-boosting-etsy-shops-team

Shop Etsy on Small Business Saturday

The second annual Small Business Saturday is November 26, 2011. It is about supporting the small business person, your family mom and pop business rather than the chain stores or Fortune 500 corporations. It’s about entrepreneurs and families selling things that the chains aren't. Think about what is available in your local community and give them some support even if you need to spend a bit more.  When I think about my local community, the small mom and pop business is almost a thing of the past.  Sadly, the ones that are left are struggling to compete with large conglomerates who can offer volume discounts that they can't. For example, the large grocery stores now offer all sorts of services, like floral which makes it difficult for the local florist shop to compete.  I think I will find one of the few florist shops left in my area to support on Saturday.  Another idea is to support a home based Etsy business this year with your holiday shopping.  Etsy business owners are home based, mom and pop businesses doing what they can to make ends meet in this tough economy.  Etsy businesses offer truly unique gifts that will wow your family and friends.  You can find that something special that can't be found in any brick and mortar store.  You can feel good about getting that special gift and also about helping a small business owner.  You can even shop by location and find Etsy sellers in you general area. Click here to shop local on Etsy:

So if you are unfamiliar with Etsy, I recommend you check out what the small business owners and handcrafted artist have to offer, but be warned, the creative unique offerings are endless and it can be very addicting.  Here are a few examples of what can be found on Etsy:

 

Who wouldn't love to receive a handcrafted leather journal like this one?  Shirley Lynne of The Orange Windmill makes all her journals from scratch. She hand-cuts the leather for the covers and tears each sheet of paper individually.  Take a look at her other journals here.  Here are her other links:   

Facebook: www.facebook.com/theorangewindmill Twitter: twitter.com/#!/shirleyljmartin
Pinterest: pinterest.com/shirleymartin/

Leather Journal - Mahogany Brown by The Orange Windmill on Esty 

How about this unique piece of jewelry for that someone special? 

Jayne started making jewelry when her daughters were small and found out that she really enjoyed designing and making jewelry.  She started making jewelry for herself and received many compliments and questions about her jewelry and  because of that she decided to design and make jewelry for sale. She only uses the highest quality gemstones and pearls.  Check out her other unique designs here.  Other links for Jaynemarie:
Facebook page: www.facebook.com/JewelryByJaynemarie Twitter account: twitter.com/#!/JewlryJaynmarie
Blog page: jewelrybyjaynemarie.blogspot.com/

Freshwater White Pearls and faceted Rose Quartz Rondells by Jaynemarie on Etsy

There are an endless supply of jewelry sellers on Etsy.  You could spend days, just looking through all the unique and beautiful one of a kind handcrafted choices.  Here is another unique piece of jewelry if you are looking for something in the $30.00 price range.  Handcrafted by Agnes of BeaderBubbe on Etsy with fancy jasper semi-precious stones and stone bead chips on memory wire.  It is one size fits all.  If you have a few minutes -- visit her shop - you'll be glad you did.  

Chips away bracelet by BeaderBubbe on Etsy

Lastly, Etsy is great for getting the right gift for that hard to buy for person on your list.  If you have someone to buy for who is a collector, take a look through the vintage shops on Etsy. You might just find that perfect, unique, gift. Here is a listing from Redemption Art on Etsy.  Connie works hard at providing a range of vintage goods that would please the start up collector as well as the professional. Her business is based in Hawaii so if you are looking for something special that you think might be specific or found in Hawaii contact her and she will try to help you find it.  Check out her shop here.  Other links: facebook:www.facebook.com/redemption.art

twitter: twitter.com/#!/islandbuzzy blog: islandbuzzy.com

Vintage rose colored depression glass

BESTeam finds

Annie Oliverio of Empty on the Inside has been creating art since she was a kid.  She opened her Etsy shop in March of 2011.  If you like greeting cards - check out her shop. She is busy stocking her shop with Christmas and holiday cards. 

Daffodils blank greeting card

 Annie started making the cards for her own use because she was having difficulty finding cards that she liked.  Incredibly, there are no mass produced or printed cards in her shop. Each card is a hand painted original

Hand painted greeting card - blank inside

  Every one is unique and special and anyone you give one to would feel special.  They are "empty on the inside" and therefore you can fill them with your own words. 

Handpainted sunflower greeting card

Faith of Stitchprincess sells one of a kind homemade clothing, aprons and photography.  Here is a sampling from her shop but it's worth a trip to visit her shop and see her other creations. 
Her specialties are dresses (casual and evening), skirts, aprons, purses, and small quilts. All of her products are hand or machine-sewn, with materials purchased from local fabric stores or vintage fabrics from her mother and grandmother. 
Faith's formal dresses are beautiful.  They are custom made in any fabric or size to your particular specifications. 

Royal blue apron

Formal gown with gathered bodice

Looking for some unique hair accessories?  Check out Danielle's shop called ChickyDs. Danielle always loved arts and crafting. She knew from middle school that she would pursue a career involving art. She went to school, studied Graphic Design and now works doing just that at a local newspaper.  Here are just two of her creations,  take a few moments and check out her other creations. 

Primary color dots loopy bow

Teal poly-satin flower ruffle headband

Tree of life necklace

Here are a couple of creations from Bluewhitewhere on Etsy. 
CC of Bluewhitewhre is an American (born & raised in upstate NY) expat who has lived in Bangkok, Thailand for 9 years.  She recently moved to Santiago, Chile with her husband.  She creates jewelry with an oriental flair.  Take a moment to visit her shop - you will be glad you did.


Here is a antiqued silver toned tree of life pendant with two round malachite stones and five little faceted golden crystal beads.

Turquoise and tiger eye necklace

Turquoise nuggets and shiny, faceted tigers eye create a feeling of the old Southwest in this updated, modern necklace. An asymmetrical necklace has little gold-tones balls to add a little sunlight sparkle. The necklace is about 17 inches long (43 cm). Fastens with a gold-tone lobster clasp