Real weddings, an Irish affair

Second Style: the Mary Janes and flats

Mary Janes and flats

Absolutely adorable and very chic, these low heels are sexy with colorful designs. Genuinely sophisticated a woman needs to have a least one pair in her closet that she can slip-on for a romantic Lolita like night out on the town.

The lime green bride from Germany

There are times when the custom orders come with innovation and imagination and I wanted to share the story,here with ficticious names and get to the point to display the possibilities of a new creation.

She said:

Hello there,first of all: You are creating truly beautiful things! Well, my name is NEWBRIDE and, I am from Germany and I am getting married next year. That's why I have started looking for the perfect shoes. I love shoes and that's why it is really important to me that I find "the" ones :) So, I was looking all over Etsy and came across your shop and loved your designs immediately! Especially the matching sari Wedding shoes. I've got a couple of questions, could you paint shoes and a matching clutch? I have found two items I just loved on DSW.com (shoes:http://www.dsw.com/dsw_shoes/catalog/product.jsp?productRef=SEARCH&category=&prodId=dsw11prod420018 and clutch:http://www.dsw.com/dsw_shoes/catalog/product.jsp?index=28&sort=&category=dsw11cat120018&prodId=163143&brand= ) but I don't know if those are dyable...is that possible? I found those shoes a couple of weeks ago, in a beautiful lime green, but they were sold out in my size, so I couldn't order them, but if they could be died and partly painted it would be a dream come true.

Oh,the new ideas....when we keep talking about the design,I knew she was a furniture designer and wanted to use her own motif to the green shoes and clutch. I applaud her creative side!

Now I find green and lime green creations everywhere,so here for the ones that are looking for that "something green" for their big day.

From ChloeandMaddy

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=32598514

From ToonDesign

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=42044877

Wedding Season

After I knew my sister was going to get married for some reason the customized shoes started to rain on me. Peacock themed weddings,Reinassance theme weddings,celtics,medieval,cinderella and many other new trends. So ,I designed another new shoes for the Wedding collection. Suitable to wear by the Bride,bridesmaids,Bachelorette or just a great night out and standing out of the crowds.Take a look,feel like a princess,or a peasant,or a maiden or a bride.

and now for the last Christmas color: GREEN

I made my own treasury again since it is so hard to find room on etsy.It makes me remember the story of Jesus when He was born and their parents could not find room in a regular inn so they ended up in a manger.Sometimes we are so busy that He can't find room in our schedules either.
I put together my collection of favorites and best seller for you to enjoy in the color of today for organics and not so :Green.
Here featured are some products from the one a day challenge team( a group of ladies that formed to take on Bittersweets challenge to create on item a day. The challenge began in April for a month. After the challenge, we liked each other so much that we kept on) and daintycrochetbyaly. Enjoy!!

The Challengettes are :
Amy aka aclairejewelry
Athena aka AthenaCreates
Cara aka carapace
Celeste aka Cricket's Creations
Chrissy aka Bittersweets
Deborah aka TheGaudyGoddess
Elle aka downthestreet
Emily aka TinkerWare
Fen aka BeadFloraJewels
Funda aka DasheDesigns
Ginny aka ginpins
Heather aka BeadifulBaublesSC
Holly Anne aka PrettyBetty
Jennifer aka iWunder
Jessica aka OnceUponARock
Joanne aka jjmckillip
Julie aka JooolesDesign
Kara aka CoryellDesign
Karen aka yarrow1
Kila aka go2girl
Kristin aka kmaylward
Kylie aka EarlyBirdCreations
Linda aka lolabear
Lindi aka LinDesigns
Meagan aka KaedanKrafts
Melissa aka RainyDayArt
Nora aka norakaren
PegasusMaiden
Rachel aka themagpiesdaughter
Sarah aka AFineDistraction
Sue aka maddyandme
Teresa aka YarntoSpin

Green is the new black and old vs. new

All over the fashion world, people are saying, “green is the new black.”

On the streets of Toronto a new kind of It girlis in town - and you won’t find her in Holt Renfrew. She is the recessionista - the thrifty woman with a killer sense of style.

With the global movement to “go green” in full swing, with everything from Earth Hour, to organic produce, it was only a matter of time before the fashion industry followed suit.

Major brand names like, H&M, as well as designers like Katherine Hamnett, are taking a step into living harmoniously with the hip, tree-huggers of the world, with their snazzy, new, green threads.

According to Katherine Hamnett’s website, organic cotton – one aspect of eco-friendly clothing – is cotton grown without the use of pesticides or chemical fertilizers in soil that has been chemical-free for at least the last three years. Besides being pesticide-free, organic cotton can also help farmers get as much as a 50% increase in their income, as it costs less to produce than conventional cotton, which is responsible for using 25% of the world’s pesticides.

“The difference is ethical. By choosing organic cotton t-shirts you’ll feel how soft, stylish and luxurious they are. More importantly, you’ll help change thousands of lives for the better,” said Hamnett on her site.

“I will always try to pick the organic over the regular product, even though the price difference can sometimes be silly. I know no pesticides were used on it, and that helps me sleep better at night,” said Holly Jackson, who is in charge of a sustainability committee at the University of Maryland. “I think if people knew the bad effects of pesticides, they’d be a lot more inclined to pay the extra dollar for an organic item.”

The idea of ‘green living’ attached to organic clothing is supposed to be a key feature that should appeal to most fashion-conscious folks. However, with an average price of about $110.00 to let designers like Hamnett bring a little more ‘green’ to your closet, it’s no wonder the trend of the recessionista which is sweeping the city like your new, organic blush brush has come out to show us all how to look like a million bucks without actually spending that much. Amanda Reyes, a second-year arts and contemporary student at Ryerson Universityprefers the path of the recessionista over what she says is the sometimes, “expensive and sketchy,” ways of organic clothing in mainstream brands. Reyes uses the scandal surrounding Lululemon and their “seaweed t-shirts.”

In November, last year, a front-page expose in The New York Timesreported that its independent testing laboratory didn’t detect any seaweed in a randomly selected ‘VitaSea’ Lululemon T-shirt. “Personally, I would rather go to Value Village, CTS, or Black Market, and pay six bucks for a really cool, vintage-y blouse – as opposed to paying a ridiculous amount of money for a plain t-shirt,” said Reyes. “And besides, who wants seaweed in their clothing?”

At H&M, organic cotton t-shirts costs about twice as much as a regular t-shirts. This is why Brittany Schein from Oklahoma City, Okla. thinks that the ‘green movement’ is nothing more than a carefully-crafted marketing scheme. “Caring about the environment is the trend right now. They know that if people see a regular shirt versus an organic one, they will buy it – even if it is a little more expensive,” said Schein.

Nina B, a student from Boston, Mass. said, “I have one ‘organic cotton’ dress from H&M, but I would have bought it if it was regular cotton. The fact that it had a special tag didn’t influence my decision to buy it.”

Another online magazine that has set its sights on creating a greener closet for us all is treehugger.com, a website that “sympathizes with the fact that most people aren’t willing to compromise their current lifestyle in order to improve our shared environment,” and understands that by living green through “education and action … you don’t need to run off to live with the wolves to contribute to the betterment of Mother Nature.“

Though it may be true that most of us aren’t looking through Craigslistfor a new, howling roommate, it may just be a little unfair to say that we won’t budge to save our planet. The movement of the recessionista takes on a ‘Fashion without victim’ approach – one shared by Katherine Hamnett, only with a lower price tag.

“I do think that it’s [thrifting and buying vintage] exponentially more ‘green’ than ‘organic’ garments. Producing more clothing still uses more resources – even if some are ‘organic,’ still pollutes,” said Nina B. “To me, it just seems like a way for people to spend money and then pat themselves on the back for being ‘green.’”

Even some firm believers in the ‘green movement’ remain cautious when it comes to buying into ‘buying green.’ Jackson said, “A lot of brands ‘greenwash’ people now. By making an item seem environmentally friendly, when really, they only care about the profit.”

In the battle between seemingly eco-friendly corporations and savvy recessionistas, it is unclear which side is “greener” (pun most definitely intended). For one, buying more things – even if they are organic – isn’t necessarily ‘green,’ as valuable resources are still being used up. And, although it would appear that refraining from over-consumption of brand-new, fabulous threads is significantly greener, some used, vintage items like real fur and leather don’t exactly spread feelings of ‘eco-love’ to some of the Earth’s creatures.

So, just some friendly advice from one self-proclaimed ‘couture connoisseur’ to another – go ahead, shop new and organic, or shop vintage. Just remember to stay informed, stay thrifty, stay stylish, and try not to get caught up in all of the corporate hype. The choice is always yours.

It's SHOW TIME!!!

Believe it or not ,october is here.

Fall is around us and Christmas

only 2 months from now....

the stores already have Christmas items and thanksgiving stuff is

almost gone. Boca Raton and all Florida state prepares for outside shows and venues. Our Palm Beach Etsy team is hosting 5 dates of arts and crafts at the Breezway at Florida Atlantic University. The dates have been set already by Laura,one of our youngest members and we have plenty of hand made art created by our amazing artist and members. We all share the same etsy addiction and we all live in South Florida. We expect to see you there during wednesdays from 10 to 2 pm the following dates :

10/22/2008
10/29/2008
11/12/2008
11/19/2008
11/27/2008

We are planing a trunk show by the end of November but some information is still kept secret until we have everything ready for promotion and advertising. The trunk show will be a great chance to do some Christmas shopping from the best artisans and for the hand made lovers. Items include:fashion ,clothing,cards,accesories,candles,jewelry,

photograpy,baby items,home decorations,eco friendly products, beauty

and make up and much more.

Also the Miami Team of Esty host a show named Miami Craft Market @ Upper East Side Garden, Saturday, September 20th, 2008 noon-5pm.fashion, art, music and mini-golf. What more could you ask for?

You are all invited ,is a free show if you want to enjoy being in the area.

Finally the The Great GREEN Family Festival is happening this Nov 15-16 from 10-5pm at the Fruit and Spice Park in the Redland area!

Many Etsyshops are going to be participating in this festival.

The 2-day event will raise awareness of simple, green-living practices, products and services that local families can put into use in their homes and community. We will host 50 to 100 local, sustainable, and environmentally responsible vendors and exhibitors featuring:*a Local & Organic Farmer’s Market*Culinary Plants & Natural Foods*Natural Baby and Family Products*Independent designers and artists*Alternative Vehicles & Fuels*Renewable Energy* Natural Health and Beauty Care*Medicinal Herbs, Oils, & Teas*Environmental Education & Art Exhibits*Fair Trade and Conscious Consumerism*Entertainment and Children’s ActivitiesAs the premier GREEN event in Miami-Dade County, we anticipate an attendance of five to eight thousand people.

My peacock flew and fell

On this gorgeous hand painted wrislet, he left its prints with shimmery feathers, fashionably on style day or night.

Brand new Eco white leather look alike, painted in gold,green,deep turquoise,copper and other green tones.

Three pockets inside. One pocket protected with invisible grey zipper ,You’ll find the pockets super convenient to carry keys,lip goss or even your cell phone.

A bit larger than your typical wristlet, this bag offers plenty of room for your checkbook and other essentials, too.

I HAVE A GREAT MOTHERS DAY SALE GOING ON NOW THROUGH MOTHERS DAY

I HAVE A GREAT MOTHERS DAY SALE GOING ON NOW THROUGH MOTHERS DAY, TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THIS JACKET JUST REDUCED $10 AND ALL JEANS AND JACKETS HAVE FREE SHIPPING!$ 40
PLEASE COME CHECK IT OUT!
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=10692984

www.norakaren.etsy.com
www.norakaren.ecrater.com

Here I go again on my own!

Hello my peeps. I feel flattered for being the april winner of www.smidge.ca goody bag and I can't wait to see the gorgeous items. By the way ,I took the chance of sharing it with many other members of many other sites for crafty people like us.So I hope they come and take a look at what we fancy. I take the opportunity to promote my shop www.norakaren.etsy.com and show you my latest listing : Hand Painted 2 piece set Amarylis and Leaves size small on brown denim ON SALE (just reduced it $20 off!)take a look an post your comments. http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=9899144

Peacock in Denim Dress that fits like a Glove LAST ONE size medium FREE SHIPPING

Submissive Peacock displays his wonderful pose, shows the amazing structure of its feathers on this unique denim dress .Size medium. Fits like a 10-12. Is one of a kind and my original design. No other sizes. No stencil, no copies.Perfect for a spring or summer night outdoors. Be the one to get all the eyes on you!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 this design on your own favorite jeans or dress ,send them to me and I will charge you only for the paining. Hope you love them!!E-mail me for any questions at norakaren2002@yahoo.com

http://www.norakaren.etsy.com/

http://www.norakaren.ecrater.com/

How about a printed t-shirt from Miami Beach?

• MIAMI NAIVE
• Peacock over blac...
• Peacock shines on...

my tee

You can buy my tee with many diff. options at

• Peacock shines on...

Multicolored Peacock printed on t-shirt

I'm proud to present my wonderful peacock designed to fit a great cotton tee shirt. Printed on a 100% cotton black tee shirt. It comes in black in sizes:
S-M-L AND XL
If you need a size not available here I will find it by request.
Please at check out specify:size and color Care: regular or hand wash recommended. No dry clean, no bleach and no fabric softener please. If iron don't press on painting.
Hope you love it. E-mail me for any questions at norakaren2002@yahoo.com

Every Roses has its Thorns.Hand Painted Blue Denim jacket with tatoo roses

This is a unique blue jacket . It's a dark blue denim. Brand new New York Company. Is one of a kind and my original design. Comes in small,medium, large and extra large. It has tatoo roses in the front right next to the collar, sides, back and sleeves. Red Roses with thorns ,leaves and stems.I used fabric paint in gold,red,ivory and greens.The paint doesn't fade and the colors stay shiny always. Glitters in green shiny , silver and ivory are water resistant because they are real fabric paint.No glitter added.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 this design on your own favorite jacket,jeans or dress ,send them to me and I will charge you only for the painting.When ordering, Please specify size in notes to seller Hope you love them!!E-mail me for any questions at norakaren2002@yahoo.com

Hand Painted Baby Bodysuit Wrapped as Candy- HAWAII- Gift ready to Give

This is a wonderful baby bodysuit in white fabric , 100 % cotton Gerber.Choose from any of my designs and have it wrapped like candy...ready to give or wear!*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.*Every bodysuit comes in a white tulle wrapped as candy , with ribbons in yellow,green,pink or blue. Choose from this 4 colors or all together! *Care:Regular wash or hand wash is recommended. No dry clean, no bleach,no fabric softener,please. When iron , don't press on painting*Sizes: newborn,0-3,3-6,6-9,12,18 and 24.*Also check for more colors and designs for your baby.Your little one will adore their personalized Onesie *Ordering, please specify in your "notes to seller" at checkout:*Onesie Size*All items are made in a smoke/pet free studio. *Shipping:Please allow 7 - 10 business days to ship. Thank you!*Get in touch:If you like it contact me please por any questions at norakaren2002@yahoo.com
Added on Mar 25, 2008

When Flamingoes go marching in

These are gorgeous light blue jeans. Super nice fit. It's a 4 reverse fit , long leg, good for juniors or ladies. The bottom of the two legs have been painted with flamingoes in pinks,whites, silver wings and green leaves all around. Details in gold leaves,pink flowers and blue skies.Measurements are:waist 27"hips 42"inseam 32"crotch to button 12"100% cotton.Fabric paint always shiny. Pants have a very good design.It's my own design,original and unique and the only pair I have. No copies, no stencil.Care: regular or hand wash recommended. No dry clean, no bleach and no fabric softener please. If iron don't press on painting. If you want this design on your own favorite jeans, send them to me and I will charge you for the painting only.Hope you love them. E-mail me for any questions at norakaren2002@yahoo.com

St. Patrick's Day

Hi

Here is my green jacket, perfect for today or any day!

This is a unique green jacket in size 10. It's a very washed green. Brand new Azara from France. Is one of a kind and my original design. No other sizes. I use fabric paint.The paint doesn't fade and the colors stay shiny always. Glitters in green shiny , silver and ivory are water resistant because they are real fabric paint.No glitter added.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 this design on your own favorite jacket,jeans or dress ,send them to me and I will charge you only for the painting. Hope you love it!E-mail me for any questions at norakaren2002@yahoo.com