Pillow Cases

So I was recently scrolling through some studios on Artfire without anything particular in mind that I needed. I just needed something! And I ran across Sewnfromtheheart and her wonderful creations. I saw this pillow case and knew I had to have it.

It is a long story but I will shorten it. Years ago, hubby worked nights and I worked days. It seemed that my pillow was quickly being flattened. I have told him that I think his head becomes 1000 pounds when he goes to sleep. Anyway, I started putting my pillow in a different pillow case so that he would know that was mine and hands off. I was tired of replacing my pillow every couple of months. So fast forward almost 20 years, and yes, I still put my pillow in a different case. Our sheets are all solid colors so there will be 3 cream pillows and one purple or something like that. So I got this pillow case from Marie. When I got it, I loved it even more! It is so soft and so well made. It is better than the store bought ones! It is going to be one of those that I take off, wash and put right back on.

I also got a couple of her sunglass cases. I put one in my desk drawer at work so when I take off my sunglasses. It protects them from any scratches as they move around in the drawer. I carry a very small purse that sunglasses won't fit into. I put the other just inside the front door at home on a hook on a shelf. I put the sunglasses in and put my keys on that hook. It prevents chaos in the morning. I have this lovely feline helper that thinks anything on a flat surface should be batted around all night! Finding keys and glasses can be a chore! So this is the perfect solution. The glasses cases are also so soft and perfect size. I love the velcro closure so that I can't drop them out. Plus, if the feline helper does manage to knock it off the hook, the case will prevent any scratches!

Thank you Alicia for such wonderfully made products! I can tell the love and care that you put into your products. They include a little bit of you in each one. They truly are Sewn From The Heart!

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Adorable Greeting Cards

I recently contacted Christie of Luvncrafts about a special order. I asked if she could do a couple of dozen mini thank you notes cards, and I wanted them all different. I know that some people pick a design and stick with it. They consider it part of branding their items so that people begin to associate that particular card with that person. But I love the variety! I will pick a thank you card for an order based on the item I am shipping (do the colors match? does it have the same theme?) or just based on my own mood. I had seen her note cards on ArtFire and loved them, but I really wanted a variety pack. She was kind enough to say yes. She may have thought I was nuts for it, but she never let on to me that was what she was thinking.

Well it was only a day or two later when I got the e-mail that my cards were listed.

I quickly paid and could not wait to get my cards. I got them just a day or two later and they are so adorable! I love them! Each of the 24 cards are different. I don't think she used the same paper twice, and they are all adorable! They are the perfect size. Some are fall themed, some are winter themed. There is one with holly that just screams Chrstimas. The cards are really thick card stock so they will be really easy to write on. I can't wait to use them! Hubby sat down and looked through them too and he smiled. He too thinks that they are cute and the perfect size. I know that they will be perfect to write a quick note and stick in with orders. He was more than happy with the price too!

So if you are needing any kind of note cards, birthday cards etc, contact Christie. She will be able to whip something perfect up for you in no time at all. I can't thank her enough for her wonderful cards!

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SIMPLICITI's kiddy heartwarmers

Also known as "sontags", these heartwarmers are really handy to have because they are good for summer-cool days, as well as winter-cold ones.  It works as a handy little wrap-shrug, tied to a smart bow at the back, and it just looks so darned cute!  In winter, just wrap it around like a scarf or tie it up as a hoodie.  SIMPLICITI currently has a range of fun colour and sizes for a range of ages from 4-10.

Pearl is the designer and craftsperson at SIMPLICITI.  She lovingly hand-crochets every heartwarmer in her shop, and welcomes custom orders of your little ones' favourite colours and/or size.  Heartwarmers were once very popular during Victorian times, and with SIMPLICITI's bright bold hues, it looks like they're going to be a trend all over again!

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Toddler Safe Natural Soap

Irena from Ginger's Garden makes this amazing natural goat's milk soap, which has no scent or color added and is safe for even the most sensitive skin. I bought a bar because I've been looking for some higher quality soap for my 22 month old son and this one said it wouldn't dry out his skin. He gets dry, itchy, red skin (aka eczema) after almost every bath or swim, and he hates being covered in the various creams we've bought in an attempt to re-hydrate his skin. The problem was only getting worse because of his recent habit of taking off his diaper and finger painting with the contents, which means 2-3 baths a day, and if anyone out there knows anything about eczema, you know that more bathing causes a worse rash.

I have to admit, I was skeptical when the description said it wouldn't cause his skin to dry out. I've tried most of the soaps at the drug store that tell me they're moisturizing or won't dry out your skin and they just don't work. Maybe my son stays in the bath too long after being cleaned (he loves the water), or maybe they just don't agree with his skin, but either way they weren't working.

However, I was pleasantly surprised and extremely impressed by Ginger's Garden's soap. I only got it a few days ago, but even with multiple baths a day, my son's eczema is slowly clearing up. If we're lucky, it will go away altogether - but even if it doesn't, this soap has worked a million times better than any soap or lotion we've tried. I can even feel the difference when I take him out of the bath. His skin is silky smooth again, the way it should be, even after he's been playing in the water for half an hour or more.

And it smells beautiful, too. There is no scent added, but I don't think it needs it. I was almost expecting the commercial "unscented" smell (which smells horrible in my opinion), but this soap has a pleasant, light smell that in my opinion is very fitting for baby and toddler soap. It would also be great for anyone who doesn't like strong smelling soaps.

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Extra Large Hot Pads

I don't know about you, but I can never find my hot pads in the kitchen. Even if I find them, they are never big enough to wrap around whatever hot item I am trying to get out of the microwave or oven. So I got a set from My1SweetAngel. These were wonderful! They were much bigger than I expected, and so thick! They were constructed so well and I could tell they were made with great care.

I picked out a set that I thought I would give my mom for Christmas. It is just NOT going to happen. I fell in love with the set I got so I am going to keep them. Of course I had to try them out and when I went to reach into the microwave and get out a hot bowl, I didn't burn my hands! Usually, the hot pad is not big enough to grab the bottom and wrap up to the top so that I can hold both edges. But these are. You don't have to be a mathmatical genius to figure out how to cover the bowl and protect your hand.

Usually once I get the item out, I can never manage to set it down on the hot pad without burning myself again or the counter. These are long enough that you can set it down on the edge of the hout pad and not burn yourself or the counter. Then a simple slide to the middle and all is good!

So if you are in the market for either yourself or someone else, consider My1SweetAngel hot pads. It is a great gift for anyone and everyone! She has a great variety of fabrics for the hot pads as well as some adorable baby items and charity magnets!

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Turquoise Stick Earrings

This gorgeous pair of earrings are as simple as they are dramatic.  Two stunning sticks of turquoise dangle delicately under 14K goldfilled ear wires, wrapped in random fashion.  The sleek, modern lines of the turquoise is juxtaposed by the organic, handmade effect of the crafting, giving this number a sophisticated bohemian feel.

Interestingly, the wire-wrapping looks easier than it really is, as the "random" effect requires a fair bit of judgement in order for the two to pull off as a pair. 

Pearl Bhasin is the designer and artisan at MAYA & RUHI, the jewelry label named after her two young daughters.  She is inspired by inspired by art history, literature and daily wonders - Art Deco, Istanbouli pottery, the paintings of the Pre-Raphaelites, desert sunsets, Gustav Klimt's mosaics, Antoni Gaudi's wonky buildings, and the Mughals insatiable appetite for bling.

Pearl works from her home studio in Singapore.

The Tuquoise Sticks are available on both Etsy and ArtFire.

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Amazing foot lotion (aka goo)

This Foot Goo by BAKidagain is just amazing. I have had problems with my feet since I hit puberty - dry, cracking, peeling, itchy, blistering skin (also known as eczema, as I recently found out) - and I've tried countless lotions, scrubs and pharmaceuticals (both over the counter and prescription). This foot goo is the only thing I've found that helps. When I remember to put it on after I shower and before I go to bed every night, my feet look perfectly normal and stop itching - which means I can wear my flip flops and strappy high heel sandals without wondering if anyone's staring at my peeling skin.

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Eco Friendly (and better working) Swiffer Pads

These crocheted Swiffer pads from ForgetMeNotSoapShop are not only eco-friendly, they work a whole lot better than the disposable variety. They can take a lot more wear, so you won't tear holes in them while scrubbing at a tough spot on the floor, and they pick up a lot more dirt before being "full" and having to be changed.

And when one of them is dirty, you just put it in the washing machine!

They work for both the regular Swiffer and the Wet-Jet. But if you want a mop and don't have the Wet-Jet, you can always stop by the dollar store and pick up a refillable spray bottle. Just mix up floor cleaner and water in one of those, spray the floor and go over it with one of these pads on a Swiffer. If you do go that route, though, make sure to label the bottle clearly!

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Special Moments

With Artfire doing the Christmas in July promotion, I can't help but start thinking of Christmas presents already. What to buy for each person as well as some of my favorite gifts throughout the years. It really is true as I get older that it is the little things that mean so much more. Like my son remembering that mom doesn't really like chocolate but loves Skittles. So as one of my little gifts he got me some Skittles. So, as I was looking through some studios from the Trading Post Guild on Artfire, I found these little things in Crochetedlittlethings Artfire studio. They made me think of my mom. My mom collects cookie jars. She has probably 20 of them. We as a family finally all agreed to quit buying them as she was running out of places to put them. The ironic part is that my dad is a diabetic and the last thing he needs are cookies around the house. But every time any of her 6 grandkids walk into the house, the first thing they do is head to the cookie jar. It is almost always empty, which we all understand but why have 20 cookie jars if there are no cookies? So these little crocheted cookies are the perfect gift for mom. She will see the humor in my gift but she will treasure them always. And knowing my mom, she will put a couple in the cookie jar just to see who finds them. I know she will keep a couple out hanging around on her cabinet pulls so that she will see them every time she walks through the kitchen. And I know that every time one of those grandkids ( who love to tease grandma ) pulls out one of her special cookies, she will get a great laugh. It will be one of those memories that we will sit around and talk about as we all get older. You all have those stories that every time the family gets together, someone starts with the "You remember that one time that...". The cookies will be one of those. It will start when she upwraps them at Christmas and everyone will love them. They will all be glad that grandma finally has cookies for her cookie jar. So please, take a moment, think about your family members and those special moments. It really is the simple things in life that we remember the most and with the fondest of memories. Sheila, studio914

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Adorable Chocolate Butterfly Lolipops

If you are looking for a treat to brighten someone's day look no further than Red Rose Confections! These adorable butterflies are the perfect for hostess gifts, party favors or just because. They also are adorable for use in cakes and as cupcakes picks. Each one is hand painted and individually wrapped and tied with colorful ribbon.  All of the chocolates are completely customizable from colors to flavors to create a chocolate that meets your tastes.

Heather at Red Rose Confections makes all kinds of tasty treats for your special occasion.  Anything from delicious barks, to fresh baked cookies are available to order and if you don't see what you are looking for just ask! She is always looking for a challenge and to make the perfect dessert. Each treat is custom baked to order. If you are imagining someone hand dipping each or personally dropping each cookie, you have the right idea!

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Miniature Oil Painted Jewelry

Nancy van den Boom's jewelry is just amazing! She creates amazingly detailed miniature paintings and turns them into pendants, earrings and brooches. The magnolia pendant to the left is my favorite out of her studio, but she has many other gorgeous pieces available.

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Adorable Chipmunk Carving

This adorable chipmunk was hand carved and painted by Sandra Healy. It really captures the spirit of this little creature and would be a great gift for any nature lover.

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The Perfect Ring Bearer Bowl and Keepsake

This gorgeous clay ring bearer bowl from SayYourPiece is beautifully decorated in colors of your choice as well as your names and the date of your wedding. After your wedding, it can be displayed in your home as an everlasting reminder of your special day.

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Beautiful Travel Pillowcases

SewnFromTheHeart makes these adorable travel pillow cases. They are durable and wash easily, so they're great for kids pillows, camping, sleepovers, ect. Because they're so wonderfully colorful and unique, you'll be absolutely sure which pillow is yours and avoid losing it or accidentally taking someone else's home with you.

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The Ultimate Steampunk Accessory

If you've ever been sitting around watching Torchwood (for the zillionth time) and thinking about how cool it would be to have one of those Vortex Manipulator Wristbands, this wristband by Leticia Arriaga and Vandy Fae is the accessory for you.

Each one is custom made from hand tooled leather and is designed to hold your cellphone or a credit card reader (making it great for craft shows). It also locks, which is a great feature if you often go to crowded places like comic book fairs, gaming conferences and concerts and don't want your cellphone getting stolen. You could probably slip a credit card or debit card and some ID in there too, so you wouldn't have to bring your wallet.

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Ingenious butter keepers

These butter keepers by UgaBugaBowls are just amazing. They'll keep your butter from going sour for up to a month without having to keep it in the fridge! Say "goodbye" to margarine and "hello" to fresh, spreadable butter.

To make this ingenious butter keeper work, all you do is smoosh a stick of softened butter into the top and put a little bit of water in the bottom to create a seal.

They're also dishwasher safe - which is a huge plus! And running them through the dishwasher between butter sticks will make sure none of the last stick of butter is left over to make the new one go bad.

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Aromatherapy Necklaces from A Magpie's Dream

If you are plagued by stress or anxiety or just need a little extra help concentrating during the day, there are many essential oil blends that may help you. If you keep one of these blends in an aromatherapy necklace hung around your neck, you will receive the benefits all day long.

Of course, you can also use these pendants to carry your favorite perfume or tiny keepsakes (sand from a family vacation, a drawing on a grain of rice, tiny notes) and keep them close to you throughout the day.

Lauren from A Magpie's Dream makes beautiful necklaces using crystal beads and glass aromatherapy pendants. There are a few available on her website, but there are always many more just waiting to be made. If you use the contact link on her website, she'll be able to tell you what pendants, chains and beads she has available and together you can design a custom aromatherapy necklace.

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