Etsy Twitter Shop of the week - Rhodes Annals Designs

This week’s shop has extermely lovely handmade items. Claire Elizabeth Annals (her maiden name was Rhodes), of RhodesAnnalsDesigns.etsy.com, sells bags, hats, crochet purses, knitted scarves and cowls. She also sells some of her sister’s jewelry and vintage patterns.

“Each item is 'lovingly' handmade, by that I mean that I enjoy making them and like to imagine how they will be used by their new owner. When I made the wisp scarf, I couldn't shake the feeling that it should be used as a light shawl at a wedding. I am always on the look out for new ideas, and if I wouldn't use an item, it doesn't go into my shop. I use the best materials I can source, and I am always on the look out for unusual yarn and fabric patterns.”


Her family inspires her to create. “There have been many things over the past where one or another member of my family has said 'you could sell that'. The hats came from my mum giving me a metre of fleece fabric one day as my son had outgrown his hat and she, rightly, reckoned I could make one myself. The 'hug a hottie' came from a special request from my sister for a knitted hot water bottle cover. The flower hair clips came from a childhood memory of hair grips and bun covers that my mum used to crochet for me when I was a little girl, and the pouches came from a necessity to be able to find things in my voluminous handbag (which I made because I couldn't find anything big enough in the shops).”

Rhodes Annals Designs is located in Worksop, Nottinghamshire, UK, and ships internationally. She is more than happy to make custom items just for you.

About her Twitter habits: “I like to engage in conversation with others over Twitter - I do a fair amount of link posting but hope that I balance that out with friendly banter and sometimes even advice. I know personally that I am more likely to purchase from someone that I felt I had 'bonded' with on Twitter or in the Etsy forums - and I have purchased many, many items that way. I love the immediacy of Twitter - you can post a link to your latest item and then sit and watch the view count mount up. I think that there are lots of very courteous people on Twitter who click on every link and I am thankful to them.”

You can read about her projects on her blog at Claire's Stitching Adventures. Find her on Twitter @RhodesAnnals. Become a fan of her Facebook page.

Special for the Week: Put “Twitter Rocks” into the “Messages for the Seller” box and await a revised invoice with a 10% discount off the item price.

Socks for Diabetics - Now in Stock

Socks for diabetics need to be made in one piece without seams. Seams can form ridges which may irritate feet and cause sores or blisters to form. The fabric needs to be breathable and draw moisture away from the skin.

These socks are made in one piece without seams and have been knitted in a spiral pattern as can be seen in the photo. The socks are made from a blend of fibres and are breathable with a slight elasticity for added comfort should feet swell. The yarn blend also serves to draw moisture away from the foot.

The socks were shown to my diabetic educator who thought they were just the thing.

This pair is made from an ombre yarn with shades ranging from a pale silvery grey to a dark charcoal. The yarn is a blend of cotton, wool, nylon and elastic fibres.

Diabetic socks on Etsy

Friday Top 10 on the Handicrafter (1.23.06)

Fridays Top 10 Picks on the Handicrafter have been posted. Go take a look now - http://handicrafter.today.com/2009/01/23/54/.

There are several extremely unique and beautiful items this week. For example, there is a knitting pattern for a dissected rat including all the innards (sold) that would be perfect for a little boy's room. Just perfect for Valentine's Day is the bracelet of hearts made from a pepsi can! Oh so cute is the crochet pattern for the wee fairy doll. All of these among others.

Such beautiful work abounds online so go browse. Gather ye gift ideas while ye may.

Etsy Bloggers Featured Blogger for May 2008 - It's a Cozy Life!

Cozy is a 50-something empty nester from Arizona. Cozy is happiest when her hands are busy knitting or crocheting. According to her bio her dream is to design a lace wedding shawl like the ones found in Europe. I can't wait to see it.

Cozy is indeed a very busy lady with shops on Etsy, Silkfair and Ecrater. All are filled with her beautiful and meticulously worked creations. There is a creamy, dreamy scarf in her Etsy shop that is so scrumptious! Find it here:

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=9281011

Cozy is a multi-talented crafts person. Besides knitting and crocheting, she has also tried her hand at needlepoint, embroidery, quilting, tole painting and sewing. She has also done leather work and ceramics.

Cozy is a warm-hearted lady who is a very active member of our Etsy Bloggers Team willingly taking on a variety of tasks. She is kind and helpful, especially to newbies like me. I thoroughly enjoy reading her posts and have learned so much from her in just a very short time.

Please visit her blog: http://cozyetsy.blogspot.com/

And be sure to visit one or more of her lovely shops. Click on the Mini shop below to go to her Etsy store.

Etsy Buy Handmade Cozy

Congratulations Cozy on being our May 2008 Featured Blogger!

Spring is coming

Today the sun is shining and the temperature is 1 degree celsius. Not that warm really but oh it does feel like spring!

I've been working on several projects this week trying to get caught up before Easter. As Easter is early this year I'm burning the midnight candles. The pain in my legs has also been bad and has kept me from sleeping so having the projects to do helps to distract me from the pain.

Finished my butterfly and turquoise necklace last night. It has the tiniest little metal butterflies black seed beads, silver lined crystal seed beads, turquoise coloured bicones, clear bicones, silver lined bugles and turquoise coloured cat's eye balls. The butterflies are silver coloured and burnished with black. It has plenty of bling to it. It would be gorgeous as either daytime or nighttime wear.

Sally was very interested and was watching me closely as I beaded away. As I put the finishing touches on my iridescent ebead and butterfly necklace she came right over and was raising her paw to 'help me out' when I screeched. She also thought it might be fun to sit on my bead tray! LOL! This is a cat who won't sit on anyone's lap. Right!

I spent 3 hours working on a colonial fashion doll outfit (Barbie (C)tm). It is a pale dark blue. I want to say dusty blue. I finished the overskirt and crocheted a white picot edging around it. Still to go are the arms, neckline, underskirt and slip.

On the drawing board is a yorkie puppy. A lovely lady wearing a bright pink bow in ther forelocks. Charmed!

I've been exploring all the wonderful shops and people on We Love Etsy. What a talented group!

Keep on Crafting!

Mau

Shop Opens on Etsy

Impawsible to Resist, a cornecopia of treasures opened on Etsy in February 2008.