Think of that scene in American Psycho. They thought it was the bee’s knees, but in reality, bone is boring! Moo MiniCards add little pops of color to that boring stack of business cards. If you’re a big fan of the cards, 3squares aka Jean from Raleigh, North Carolina has created a wearable way to network using them! This fashionable necklace holds 4 (or 8 if you upgrade to a larger spacer), so you no longer have to carry a business card holder! Plus, the moo card in front will peek through the cut out circles. These are also available with cut out squares. Wear your art on your neck!

Moove & shake:
http://3squares.etsy.com

How I have missed you: la de blog. There has not been a shortage of inspiring things, but there has not been enough time to write about them all! These cables by Chicago makers, Cordinated (Juli Sherry and Dan Somen), are not only pretty to look at, but make such a FUNctional gift for that musician in your life! A lot of work goes into these babies. Dan does the soldering of the cable to the plugs. Juli expertly wraps yarn in blocks of fun colors around the cable. Then they are scotchguarded to prevent them from picking up grime from dirty club floors. The best part: Cordinated cables can be made in the colors and lengths of your choosing. Dress up your beloved guitar or bass with a new accessory!

You Yarn for these cables:
http://cordinated.etsy.com

If you’re in search of a modern accent piece, Kailey Hawthorn might be your gal. She has workspaces in both Cambridge and Windsor, Ontario. Vintage fabric mingles with new fabric and pillow covers are born. She paints mod flowery drawings onto records and turns them into clocks. Similar patterns end up on wooden letter blocks for a bold pop of color that would look great on a wall or mantle. She is also available for custom orders.

Not for the font of heart:
http://kaileyhawthorn.etsy.com

Succulents = success! Everywhere you look in the craft world these days, there they are! Erde Designs of Cary, NC make a terrific and affordable product to house your plant babies! I think that one of these stocked with a succulent would make a super gift to snazz up someone’s drab day job desk…or your own!

Y’all Erde for this?
http://ErdeDesigns.etsy.com

Kelly of Tresijas, of Fresno, CA is a mother to three wee ones and yet still has the time to turn recycled materials like wood from burn piles and scratched up records into unique and beautiful jewelry. To boot, she is raising those kids to be creative themselves, so she her two daughters their own Etsy shop: http://treslocas.etsy.com . My favorite items from Mom are these recycled LP necklaces which stole a little piece of my heart when I saw them. I have seen a number of different sellers who make jewelry out of vinyl, but never have I seen them turn out so artistically. If you like a particular designs, but want it in a different color, she will do custom work and she is ever so nice.

Divine vinyl:
http://tresijas.etsy.com

Tonight while I was searching Etsy for Hoggle’s competition in other hedgehog items, I found the shop of Michelle Cavigliano, aka My Zoetrope. After spending a full hour ogling the goods she makes and checking out her awesome blog mostly about the vegan food she cooks, a crafter crush was born. She has a wide-range of styles, but my favorites are, of course, the big eyed girls like Solitude in Poppies, and the cutesy doodles. A s’more cowering from its fate, vegetables dressed for the Christmas season (funny because she also has a Christmas broccoli but very different from my Rhymes with Twee card), and a double popsicle named Ms. Cici dressed up in her beachy best. Zachary and I spent a long time laughing at the silliness of it all. I sure do love silly, but those who blend fine art with silly are my faves.

Tromp to the trope:
http://www.myzoetrope.com
http://myzoetrope.etsy.com

I don’t know why it took me so long to stumble onto this artist. I am constantly finding inspiration in other artists who work with paper. These three dimensional paper constructions by Jayme McGowan (Roadside Projects) just leave me with a dropped jaw. Using scissors, watercolor, ink, and paper, she creates whimsical action shots of circus folk (trapeze artists, knife jugglers, etc.) and everyday ladies (writing in journals, putting on lipstick, etc.). Reasonably priced prints are currently $14 – $20 apiece. Originals up in the shop right now are $350. It appears that she will do custom orders, so of course I am pondering this.

Roadside Rage:
http://roadside.etsy.com