Wordless Wednesday! God's Majesty On Display in Idaho.

Artisan Feature: Seese The Day

Seese The Day is an Etsy.com boutique named for owner and artist Jo Seese who aptly lives by the phrase Carpe Diem. A grandmother who teaches middle school, Jo likes to joke that crafting keeps her sane after a day spent dealing with teenagers. Jo was inspired to make her most popular creation, knit beaded bracelets, by a friend and fellow crafter. Her first creation inspired some of her other colleagues to get crafty and soon she was getting together regularly and teaching other new skills. Her fellow crafters insisted on the creation of Seese The Day and Jo was off and running. Jo now spends her free time between grading papers and combining her love for both knitting and jewelry to make unique woven beaded bracelets, scarves, hair accessories, and more. Most of her work is one-of-a-kind and she happily accepts custom orders. Jo loves the personal experience of selling her items to customers on Etsy, friends, and family. Jo often receives requests from her students once even sold one of her projects to a stranger on a train.

In her shop you can also find a great selection of knit scarves perfect for the changing season, customizable stack-able stretch rings, and flower headbands for babies and girls. I am a big fan of her zebra striped headband with a red 5 inch flower currently for sale in the Seese The Day Etsy shop.

For this review Seese The Day sent me a custom made Knit Beaded Bracelet in "Summer Sparkle." Woven together with golden thread are clear, white, brown, and gold seed beads attached with a lobster-style golden clasp and a drop chain. I love that the size is adjustable, although the bracelet is perfectly sized on its own and the knitted design is quite flexible. The drop chain actually allows this to be worn as an anklet as well, which I think would be really cute on the beach next summer! There is a seemingly random pattern to the bead work which I think adds charm and I love owning one-of-a-kind pieces like this one. The bead work is actually quite delicate which  makes the bracelet nice and light. I would recommend these bracelets for someone who prefers their jewelery to be flexible while still giving the look of a chunky bangle.

Jo looks forward to retiring in 2012 and hopes to supplement her income by making many new happy Seese the Day customers. She is inspired to create new items by fellow Etsy artists and is working on new skills such as embroidery, so be on the lookout for new pieces in her shop. The future of this store is certainly a bright one.

Visit Seese The Day on:


Etsy


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Enter to win this Silver Sparkle Cube Bracelet, a $29 value, by Seese The Day,
in the North Carolina Artisans Event
HERE

Aritsan Feature: The Gretchen Collection

The Gretchen Collection is an Etsy.com shop operated by Gretchen Krueger. A stay-at-home mom of 2, Gretchen got her start making artwork for herself and friends and since participating in a local craft fair, her art career has taken off. Gretchen creates decorative pieces on canvas using the art of decoupage to add a touch of whimsy to familiar woodland creatures, abstract objects, and depictions of nature. Most of her pieces are ideal for nurseries and children's rooms; among the artwork you will find custom letter wall hangings and hair bow holders. She offers a few pieces that would complement any space in the home as well. Her pieces are simplistic and modern. She also offers designs in college logo patterns. Current finds include her own alma mater of Appalachian State, NCSU, UNC, and ECU, perfect for decorating the dorm room. These would make a great gift for a student headed to college this fall. She would be happy to create custom designs in other schools as well!

Gretchen also offers some jewelry and accessories. She has adjustable chrysanthemum flower filigree cocktail rings. I am a big fan of these rings! I hardly ever order jewelry online but since these will fit any size finger I would purchase one knowing I wouldn't have to return it! I like the option of being able to choose different fingers to wear it on. She also uses the same flowers to decorate bobby pins for a cute hair accessories. 

For this review, Gretchen sent me her most popular item, an 8 x 8 Boutique Owl Multimedia Art Block, similar to the one she is giving away. I was very impressed with how seamless the owl is put together. The collage work looks very professional and smooth and I like the addition of ribbon to add a 3 dimensional touch. I am compiling a few girl items with hopes of having a baby girl one day and I think this piece would bring an adorable and modern decorative touch to a pink nursery. Gretchen accepts custom orders and loves creating pieces to match specific nursery or bedroom themes. You can currently order an entire custom set through her Etsy boutique (an example set is show below). She loves the feedback she gets from customers and has received many positive accolades. You may also find her pieces in Raleigh-area boutiques.

Visit The Gretchen Collection:

Etsy

Facebook

Enter to win this Boutique Owl Multimedia Art Block, a $15 value, by The Gretchen Collection 
in the North Carolina Artisans Event 
HERE

Goat's Milk Infant Formula Recipe

Some of my friends and family are aware of my son's dairy allergy and I wanted to make this information available to my readers or anyone looking for more information on meeting the dietary needs of an Infant with MSPI (Milk Soy Protein Intolerance) and/or food allergies.

We first noticed the following signs to indicate that my little kiwi might have a food allergy or intolerance around 3 months:

• Irritability/Colic
• Excema around face, chest, and hands
• Rashes around mouth and anus
• Unexplained sleep disturbances
• Other common signs

We had another friend with an MSPI baby and she suggested cutting out dairy, the number one food allergen, from my diet to eliminate it from the breast milk Logan was receiving. There is also an elimination diet that moms can try that eliminates all allergens and slowly adds them back. I would have tried it if the problems continued. After removing dairy from my diet we saw a dramatic change, enough to indicate that dairy was the main problem and I didn't need to continue eliminating more allergens. For those who are curious, I did eat dairy my entire pregnancy. I am also encouraged to have found information indicating that Logan may grow out of this intolerance in time.

When I began weaning from breastmilk altogether we needed to decide what to supplement Logan's diet with. We did experiment with formulas available to confirm that he would not be able to tolerate Dairy based formulas. We tried all the special made formulas for babies with dairy allergies and Logan absolutely refused to eat them, even mixed with breastmilk. I have long trusted Dr. Sears and Sears and my resourceful The Baby Book and found information about using Goat's milk on their website.

With the support of our pediatrician and after doing much research about the amount of calories needed, how to balance the proteins, fats, and carbs correctly, and additional additives for baby's health, we decided on this recipe that we began using around 8 months. The basis for this recipe come from AskDrSears.com.

Goat's Milk Infant Formula Recipe: (1 day of formula)

40 oz Infant Mixing Water
8 scoops (32 oz worth) of Powdered Goat's Milk
*or*
1 quart Fresh Pastuerized Goat's milk
8 oz Infant Mixing Water (we add extra water to dilute the amount of protein)

2 TBS Organic Brown Rice Syrup (carbs)
1 day serving of Infant Multivitamin (adds essential Iron and Folic Acid as well as other vitamins)
1 tsp of Organic Coconut Oil (fats)
1 tsp Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil (fats)
1 dropper Baby DHA (fats)
11/2 Scoops Baby probiotics (for aiding in digestion and to mimic live cultures found in breastmilk)
(If constipation is noticed you can also add some molasses, we just offer apple juice on occasion)

**Please consult your child's pediatrician before adapting your child's diet, this is for informational purposes only**

Logan has responded vary well to this diet, he is well within normal growth ranges for his age, sleeps much better, has clear skin, regular bowels, 6 teeth, and is always smiling! I am glad information like this was available and hope others find this useful.

Artisan Feature: Macrame & More by MelanieR

Macrame and More by MelanieR at Etsy.com is a shop named for its owner and artist Melanie, a native North Carolinian. Along with the custom penciled portrait art work of her husband Claudiu who hails from Romania, visitors to this Etsy shop will find the Knotted Art-N-Wear working of one very crafty elementary school art teacher and mom of two. This shop is fun, funky, quirky, and retro all the way. Among the 100 plus items for sale you will find macrame and beaded bracelets, earrings, hair clips, necklaces and more. Many feature glass pendants or bead work and different colored or natural hemp, floss, or cords woven together to create a natural and earthy accessory. You can even find the occasional macrame wall hanging.

Melanie and Claudiu have an active family, playing sports such as soccer. Team spirit is an inspiration for some of Melanie's creations. Looking to wear your school colors? Melanie takes custom orders for school or team color fan bracelets in this fun zigzag woven design. At only $5.00, these are a great deal for back to school care packages! Melanie also crochets so you never know what crocheted creations you might find in her store as well. One of her featured crochet designs in the store right now are crocheted hoop earrings with lightweight colorful circles on a sterling silver earring. If you are looking for a unique gift idea a penciled portrait by Claudiu is a unique treasure. Contact the shop for more information and pricing on portraits.

Another great find at Macrame and More by MelanieR is her Egyptian coil spiraled jewelry in either  sterling silver or copper wire. Melanie sent me a set of these creations in a bracelet and ring to review. I love the lightweight feel of the bracelet and how the coils mold to the shape of my wrist. The texture is fun to feel and this bracelet looks different than any other jewelry I own. I like pairing this set with silver and gold pieces I currently own to make a trendy three metal mix that I've seen in magazines lately. I once was Cleopatra for Halloween and these pieces would have gone great with that costume, they would also pair well with a Greece or Roman theme. You can also find these pieces on colored metals in the shop as well; like the purple and green bracelets that would make excellent accessories for a Halloween witch. They are great for everyday as well and Melanie also has a variety of rings to match, many with an added jewel, she also make other great beaded wire jewelry such as this bracelet:

Visit Macrame & More by MelanieR at:

MelanieR Etsy Shop

Twitter


Facebook

www.PencilPerfectArt.com

Enter to win this pair of copper spiral wire earring with turquoise beads, a $15 value, by Macrame & More by MelanieR, 

in the North Carolina Artisans Event

HERE

Wordless Wednesday! Swing Away!

Artisan Feature: Affordable Wonders

Affordable Wonders is an online retail shop and an Etsy shop featuring the creations of Cristina. Cristina opened her shop about two years ago when she was running out of places to store her creations and people to give them to. Affordable Wonders has become quite a success since then, enabling Cristina to help provide for her family and stay home with her kids. After being medically retired from the US Army, Cristina feels she has regained her sense of purpose again. I want to say thank you to Cristina for her service to this great country of ours! 

Cristina's favorite things to work with are merino wool, beads, and crystals, and she makes a variety of products with them. Her most popular item is an adorable Mickey and Minnie Mouse-inspired Diaper Cover and Hat set. She sells the crochet pattern for the set as well. Her shop consists mostly of knit items such as hammocks and outfits great for photo props, blankets, and clothing. Cristina sells the patterns for many of her items as well, so check those out if you are a knitter or crocheter yourself like I am. Knitters, you can also find stitch makers in her shop.

In addition to the Etsy boutique, the Affordable Wonders website offers tutorials, artist profiles, Cristina's blog, additional products, and more. Visitors to the website can also find tutorials from her customers, and you can sign up to keep current with the latest from Affordable Wonders.

A darling creation from Affordable Wonders

Other than her knit items, Cristina mostly creates beautiful Beaded Hair Ornaments in the shape of flowers and butterflies. I was sent this white beaded hair ornament to review. You can see from the photo its relative size compared to a dollar bill. Affordable Wonders

does take custom orders but expect a few weeks wait as the beads are imported. Cristina has some great suggestions for the many ways this accessory can be used. Many customers request a corsage wrist band be attached so it can worn with ribbon for prom. They are high quality and can be used for weddings or other formal occasions. 

I enjoyed tucking mine into an updo for church or a date with my husband. I like that it is attached to a longer bobby pin which helps it grip my fine hair. The bead work is exquisite and up close I could not spot any flaws. The flower is beaded with wires and can be bent for slightly different looks. Cristina offers other colors and sizes in her shop as well. My one critique is the I'm not a fan of the green stem. This was probably a choice to make it look like a real flower but I think it distracts from Cristina's amazing bead work. I think if asked Cristina would be happy to use a different color to wrap the stem.


Visit Affordable Wonders at:

 Website

Etsy Shop

Twitter

Facebook

Enter to win this beaded hair accessory, a $20 value, by Affordable Wonders, 
in the North Carolina Artisans Event
HERE