Christina Aguilera was a paper doll.

I remember when we were younger,that was one of my favorite games.Playing dress up with someone else is even funnier that for oneself. And for an imaginary human being made out of paper,super easy. The last episode of Project Runaway had Mrs Christina Aguilera as the paper doll model for whom everybody was creating the new challenge.
This week the designers will be given a chance to shine. But this time they won’t get immunity. Bob Mackie, the sultan of sequins, is there. The challenge is to create an extravagant stage look. Will it be her schoolgirl “Genie In a Bottle” moment? Her sensual chaps period? Her “I’m a 50s waitress” look? Inspired by her but creating a new look that unveils something else,meaning a complete wardrobe that can display in some form a new alternative for the same piece. Some designs were stunning,some real and some mediocre.And I tough,why not use her as our own doll.Why if we give her the chance to unveil a handcrafted,created,sewn and painted new outfit from the etsians community that we proudly belong to: the FDL team: Fashion,Design and Lifestyle.
Have some fun!
Featured shops from Fashion,Design and Lifestyle team
http://www.eikumpel.etsy.com/
http://www.daintycrochetbyaly.etsy.com/
http://www.amysfunkyfibers.etsy.com/
http://www.love2sew.etsy.com/
http://www.thirdfloor.etsy.com/
http://www.stargazer29609.etsy.com/
http://www.seasidestudio.etsy.com/
http://www.octopedalarts.etsy.com/
http://www.norakaren.etsy.com/
http://www.mylittleaura.etsy.com/
http://www.missbubbles.etsy.com/
http://www.laurabailliedesigns.etsy.com/
http://www.karma711.etsy.com/
http://www.jinxydv8.etsy.com/
http://www.happiknits.etsy.com/
http://www.gracenapoleon.etsy.com/
http://www.erintokuuke.etsy.com/

GOLDEN YEARS...Remembering Heath Ledger when he was a good knight

I wanted to make a treasury in gold to remember the song of the movie,one of many good ones from A knight's tale,but it was impossible to find room. So I created one for myself and the ones who enjoy gold at this time of the year..I believe we are many....

Team members offering great deals for BLACK FRIDAY and CYBER MONDAY

Shop 'til your Fingers Drop!

WOW! The Fashion, Design and Lifestyle Team is on fire for the holiday weekend and Cyber Monday sales! You can get all of your holiday shopping completed from our team shops on Etsy! Buy truly unique and special gifts this holiday season - go handmade! Check out all of these sales ...

Thirdfloor has a 20% discount on all items, excluding shipping! And free domestic shipping (50% off international) for all orders over $50! Offers good 11/28 to 12/1.

Kristensteinfineart has great price reductions in effect that were recently made for the VAST art sale. All sale prices are good through 12/31. Free shipping on all items in her shop for a limited time.

Delightworthyn is offering free shipping until 12/1. She has also just added some great items to her Sale section!

CelesteCraft is offering 20% off all orders of $20 or more (excluding shipping).

Love2sew has a Christmas sale on doll clothes - 3 for $30, or $10 each. Check out the section in her shop!

Asianexpressions is offering free shipping for all items from 11/2 to 12/1.

Jinxydv8 has items in her Sale section at 50% off! Also, free shipping if you mention your blog!

Mylittleaura is offering free shipping from 11/28-12/1.

BarbaraLousBoutique is offering free shipping on 11/30.

Eikumpel is offering 15% off items in her shop from 11/28 to 12/1.

Daintycrochetbyaly is offering free domestic shipping and 50% off international shipping from 11/28 t 12/1.

Amysfunkyfibers is offering free shipping on items in her shop from 11/28 to 12/1. Please convo her before ordering.

Happiknits is offering free shipping with the purchase of 2 or more items; 50% off international shipping.

Rebeccasartcloset is offering free shipping on all orders over $50!

Norakaren has 15% off on any order $30 and over, and free shipping on orders of $150 or over. Please convo her so she can adjust the invoice.

Just click on the shop name to see all the wonderful items that our team members have to offer!

If you have any questions about these promotions, please contact the shop directly. Thank you.

Have a lovely holiday weekend!

Also Candice Hayden from http://madhatterspo ttery.etsy. com

offering a 20% discount on "black Friday" to whoever purchases on the day after Thanksgiving and types in Black Friday when they check out!

Fashion, Design and Lifestyle (FDL) Team Contest

Fashion, Design and Lifestyle (FDL) Team Contest
The Fashion, Design and Lifestyle (FDL) Team on Etsy is running a September contest! The team's September challenge was to create pieces using a song title. If you can guess the correct song title, you can win one of three lovely prizes from our team's giveaway sponsors:
A crocheted necklace from daintycrochetbyaly.
A pair of Simply Silver earrings from capitolagirl.A handmade brooch from happiknits.
For complete details about how to enter, please visit the FDL Team Blog at:http://fashiondesignandlifestyle.blogspot.com/2008/09/september-contest.html

New canvas art

I have hand painted this stunning peacock on an ivory canvas Tote. The hand screening was first in black ink and then I painted all the details by hand in blue sparkly,green turquoise ,light blue silver sparkly, gold in the centers,details and even for the crown. This tote bag is a really great size and super stylish for any place to go: from the beach to a night out!It is a lovely brand new bag made out of a Heavy Duty Canvas material with the Most Gorgeous Sparkley Fabric Paint.I really hope you enjoy it! Please note: All my pieces are one of a kind individually painted. It is a very nice bag that measures approximately 18 1/2 inches tall (from the top of the handles to the bottom of the tote--the body of the purse is 13 inches tall) and 13 inches wide. If you want enjoy too any other of the 3 color options.

Meet Margarida from the FDL Team

Margarida is the owner of the etsy store http://www.eikumpel.etsy.com/ learn a little bit more about her:

Who are you? (Any information you would like to include is great!) I’m Margarida, 29 years old, Portuguese living in England.What do you create? Handmade and original design crafts, such as brooches, bookmarks, puppets, plush dolls and others.How long have you been doing your craft? I learned a lot of crafty techniques when I was very young, because my grandmother was a professional sewer and taught me a lot! But I only started to craft on a regular basis around 2 years ago.
What is your inspiration? Life, music, colours, nature, museums, happiness, music… and so many others!

What do you like about creating? I like the creative process, to imagine a piece in my mind and then to put it on felt… it’s wonderful!What do you like about your business? I love to think that someone is using one of my creations… makes me happy!How did you find out about Etsy? I don’t really remember… sorry!Do you sell your products anywhere other than Etsy? Yes, in my website, http://www.eikumpel.com

What do you think sets you apart from other designers? My designs and my use of colour!What do you do when you’re not creating products for your shop? I’m an Environmental Toxicologist and I’m currently finishing my PhD.What are some other sites to find out more about you and what you love to create? (Blog, Flikr, MySpace, etc.) http://www.eikumpel.com/ ; http://www.flickr.com/photos/eikumpel/


What would you love to be doing in ten years? I would love to be a Science Communicator and still make and sell my beloved crafts!

I'm so proud of this team!

The Fashion Design and Lifestyle team on Etsy ,that I belong to, is proud and excited to announce their new lending partnership with Kiva (http://www.kiva.org/), a charitable organization who lends money, donated from individuals and groups, to small businesses throughout the world. The fantastic thing about Kiva is that, once the loan is repaid, the lender gets to allocate the money to another small business. It is the gift that keeps on giving!

We decided to invest in Kiva as it helps small businesses like ours and it is international, just like our team. It is our way of reaching out to the larger world.

Sellers on the Fashion, Design and Lifestyle Team, lovingly referred to as FDL, have decided to contribute 10% of the sale price on items marked “fdlkiva” in the tags. Once the fund reaches $25.00, we will allocate these proceeds to help support an international small business whose market is similar to ours. For every $25.00 that we collect, we will continue to contribute towards as many businesses on Kiva that we can. Once loans are repaid, we will reinvest in another Kiva business.

To help us achieve our goals and help the world, please search http://www.etsy.com/ for keyword “fdlkiva”: 10% of the sales price will go towards our Kiva fund!

Watch here for our progress towards our goals, as well as information on the businesses that we invest in.

For more information about the FDL team on Etsy, visit us at:

Blog: http://www.fashiondesignandlifestyle.blogspot.com/
Etsy Team Page: http://team.etsy.com/profilest/fashion.shtml
Team Shop: http://fdlteam.etsy.com/

Featured artist Aly from DaintycrochetbyAly

Who are you?
Aly is the person behind the hook, always, thinking about the magic world of crochet. My hook understand me and I hold her carefully. I have a little boy and husband, I am originally from Venezuela, a hot country with kind people! ;-)

What do you create?
I crochet anything that comes to my mind and I see in my dreams, inspiration is everywhere... and I never know where is going to take me next time....lately I have been more creative with necklaces, its been my favorite thing to do. I used to do a little each sumer and this year my creativity has been focused on that.
How long have you been doing your craft?
Since I was a very little girl, my oldest sister taught me the basics, and while she was sewing, she kept next to her, we were always busy doing something, we never had time to be bored!, Through the years, I became really obsessed with crocheting, you wouldn't believe!! all the places I used to be crocheting, my classmates and teachers always saw me crocheting ! my family and friends, everybody knew about it!, seriously, I can't stop!.
What do you like about creating?
I love seeing just a thin thread becoming something...beads and threads are my favorites materials.
What do you like about your business?
I like creating something for people that they treasure, I love spreading the word about an art that many people consider something from the past, I hear all the time, "my grandma used to crochet".
How did you find out about Etsy?
One day I was thinking of designing a flower and I started looking for real pictures of flowers, I found flickr and next thing, I found etsy!
Do you sell your products anywhere other than Etsy?
Not right now.
What do you do when you're not creating products for your shop?
I take care of my litlle boy and family!, my most important thing ! My universe. Our blessing. :-)

I'm honored with the etsy treasuries.

The treasuries had been made by artist and crafters fron the FDLteam: Fashion,Design and Lifestyle. Enjoy, click and comment.

Matching earrings?

This is my newest creation.Wire earrings matching your clothes,shoes,purse or whatever you want!.Take a look and send me your request.You won't be dissapointed. I love custom orders!

Aly's Creation Feather based

Aly Hymel finished her necklace.She is a wonderful artist who displays her crafty imagination on crochet necklaces. Last week she requested some hand painted peacock feathers from me to create new additions to her shop. When she finished it she wrote me back an e-mail saying this: it was great to work with your art, look what I did !! Thanks for sharing your art with me, thanks for inspiring me to create this piece and thanks for being FDL team member!!!

and she added:
One of the trends this year has been feathers, they have inspired me to create several pieces of jewelry, but using what I love, crochet!
When I saw Nora's art I had this idea in my mind that somehow I could combine my crochet with her art , peacock is such a beautiful bird and it means so many great things in different cultures around the world, that reading about it, just made my imagination fly... after feeling the inspiration, this one is the is the result....!

Thanks Aly for all the compliments and I wish you all the best luck and sales with your new merchandise....And with all of you, wonderful bloggers, I share her inspiration and creativity
Cheers
Nora
www.norakaren.etsy.com

Christmas in July

There are over 200 etsians waiting for July 20-31st to offer reductions on stock and special prices on Christmas items, so to take advantage of that, I wanted to start writing a posting and mentioning some of this wonderful creators, crafters, painters,jewelers,card-makers,photographers,toys and dolls makers,bags,books and paper goods crafters,gifters,fashion designers, suppliers,vintagers and I don't know how many more words I can invent tonight!
This is a group of etsians from the forums I'd like you to meet and check their wonderful stores:
DesignedByLucinda
slvrlily
InvisibleMaps
buttonfactory
celebratelife
FeltLikeStitchin
ThEfReNcHtOuCh
TheSwansNest
thatissocute
maryrichmonddesign
fdlteam members
and of course me.....www.norakaren.etsy.com

I will keep posting for more stores participating in the program.

Concentric circles painted like retro stitches

I painted concentric circles like stitches in gold, copper, and bronze fabric paint to give the dress a sixties retro look.The bottom part of the dress looks like the belt and loops of a pair of jeans making it unique and so different.Dress it up with bronze strappy sandals to a very sassy night out or just rattan flip-flops for day time!.
Invisible Zipper in the side for a better fitting.
It is one of a kind and my original design.
This is the only one I have , no other sizes. No stencil, no copies.This is a unique hand painted Dress in dark brown denim from C-Loe Paris.
Talla 3 or size medium.
Measurements are : 38 " around bustier in the widest area ,33" waist , 40 " around hips and 30 1/2 " long from collar to lower end dress.


I use fabric paint.The paint doesn't fade and the colors stay shiny always. Glitters are water resistant because they are mixed with the paint.
Regular wash or hand wash is recommended. No dry clean, no bleach,no fabric softener,please. When iron , don't press on painting.

If you prefer to have it on your own favorite jeans ,jacket ,outfit,canvas or where your imagination goes , contact me and I will charge you only for the painting.

Hope you love it!!E-mail me for any questions at norakaren2002 [!at] yahoo.com

837 views and on sale!

I reduced this peacock t-shirt $5 . Take advantage of this must see!