Love Is In The Air

Whether you love it or dread it, Valentine's Day is fast approaching. If you are looking for a gift for you honey bunny or simply an excuse to treat yourself, check out what the CCCOE Team has to offer: For Her: Red Heart Valentine's Day Ring by pila1290 You're Cute Conversation Heart Necklace by LoveYourBling Card Holder-Black/White/Hot Pink by ocstylescreations For Him: Recycled Stone Brewery Beer Bottle Glasses Mixed Set by bottlehead Cash Register Key Of Your Choice Cuff links by KD Design Studio Pocket Wallet Pouch-Chocolate Tweed by jackandbeedesigns. May you spend the day with someone or people you love!

Happy Birthday Aquarius!

Hi! This is gonna be the start of my new monthly series, hope you enjoy it! If you are celebrating a birthday and can relate to some of the characteristics let us know by leaving a comment! Aquarians are born January 21 thru February 19. They are symbolized by the Water Bearer. The Water Bearer is a sign of hope for the future which is perfect for Aquarians as they are interested in making the world a better place.

Repurposed Game Tile Charm by backroomcreations

Aquarians are very strong thinkers and good problem solvers. They are straight forward people and very opinionated. Their colors are electric blue, bright pink and grey. Aqua blue colors promote their earring potential.

Sterling Silver Charm Necklace - Blue Wish by kynerasjewels

Aquairans love to be surrounded by friends though they also appreciate the opportunity to be alone to recharge. They are very independent and enjoy traveling.

Luggage Id Tag-Blue Flowers by jackandbeedesigns

There are two sides to the Aquarian. They can be shy, sensitive, gentle and patient or they can be enthusiastic and lively with a tendency to be exhibitionists.

Two Hearts as One - Black and White Necklace by NiteOwlStudios Famous Aquarians include Mozart, Oprah Winfrey, John Travolta, Michael Jordan, Abraham Lincoln and Ronald Reagan.

Naturally Beautiful in California

Hello! My name is Gwendolyn Garcia, and I am known as shop owner GwendolynForever on etsy! This is my first time writing a blog for the CCCOE Team! Since I make and sell handmade herbal skin care in my etsy shop, I decided that this would be a great opportunity to get to know others on my team who are interested in pure and natural skin care products, too! In a team of 600, I was bound to find some lovely products, and here they are! Sacred Water Soap Company An all-natural soap that will sooth and soften without irritating sensitive skin. Calming Lavender scent is derived from all natural pure essential oil, making this soap the perfect way to start your day! Tanza Botanicals A pure and gentle facial salve made with herbs and essential oils that are known to Sooth, Nourish, and Restore your skin gently. Yogurt base ensures gentle exfoliation and moisture. Perfect for dry or mature skin.

Pacific Paradise Soap

Salt and Sugar scrubs are wonderful, because they leave your skin so soft and moisturized that you don't even need to use lotion when you're through! This all natural scrub is made with super skin nourishing oils and is scented with all natural lime and ginger essential oils, making it an uplifting and luxurious way to start your day! Skin Your In This product is a great way to end a stressful day. Coconut milk for a moisturizing soak, Colloidal oat for skin soothing and smoothing, and Buttermilk and Goat's milk for gentle lactic acid exfoliation, skin-friendly fats and proteins, and pH balancing for happy skin! Available in two scents: Vetiver Bay & Lime, or Lavender Vanilla! Aroma Fields Goat's milk is great for the skin: It contains fats and proteins that are easily absorbed by your skin, and it produces a very low-alkaline soap, making it more pH balanced and good for your skin. The end result is a soap that will not irritate even the most sensitive of skin. This unscented Goat's Milk Soap is perfect! Scent By The Sea Enjoy one of these exotic and inspired scents by Scent By The Sea. A wide variety of hand-crafted perfume oils to transform and transport your senses! This lovely perfume boasts "a straight magnolia/white floral shot with a green herbal chaser" and is blended into an unscented oil base! Lovely! I hope you enjoy this selection of natural products hand-crafted by various member of the CCCOE Team! Until next month!!!

Three of My Favorite Shops

I want to share with you three CCCOE Team members and their shops.  We all have one thing in common – our love to create.

  

First is Jenna and her Etsy Shop Duffy by Widigy. I love Jenna’s tag line, "You wear Duffy because you are classic with a twist."

  

I am amazed at her skill in creating colorful funky bowties using a variety of fabrics, her favorite being cotton.  Jenna got the bug for bowties after she made sixteen (in a short period of time) for a friend’s wedding – she’s been hooked ever since. 

Somehow, she manages to juggle a husband, two children (with one on the way).  Jenna tries to make at least one tie per week, even if she’s not feeling too great.  Her workspace, like most of us Etsy crafters, is small.  Her space sounds wonderful though, a purple desk her husband made her. 

By the way – not sure how to tie a bow tie, like me, she has a link to teach you.

I wish I could create jewelry, but I don’t seem to have the knack for it.  The last necklace I made, fell apart halfway through the day (while I was wearing it).  Becky has a wonderful shop on Etsy, Junebell Design

 I fell in love with her leather and copper "Love" bracelet as soon as I saw it (hint, hint)

Becky is a full-time preschool teacher and manages to find time in the evenings to make her jewelry.  Becky creates custom copper jewelry by handcutting copper from sheet metal.  She does all the sanding, shaping, texturing, oxidizing and makes sure to seal her jewelry for long lasting wear. 

Becky spent part of her childhood in the Philippines where she picked up her love for the “rice” pearls that are sold in the street markets.  Currently her favorite items to work with are pearl and silver Becky has a room devoted to her tools and supplies (I am envious) but enjoys working in the living room so she can spend time with her husband.

Cherry Designs is another wonderful shop that caught my eye.  Kathy crafts all the handmade greeting cards for her shop Cherry Designs. Kathy launched Cherry Designs after a successful fundraiser for a breast cancer organization.   

Each card is carefully crafted using colorful paper, stickers, buttons, ribbons and other embellishments. Most of all she loves working with color. I love her use of glitter.

Kathy manages to find time to craft her gorgeous cards at night, while her husband sleeps and her husband at work.  Her snug workspace is two desks fitted together in her home office.  She has lots of room for storage.  Right now Kathy's workspace is decorated with red - for Valentine's Day.

Dreaming of Spring

As I sit here in mid January I find myself daydreaming about springtime. It’s a new beginning every spring; new life everywhere in the flora and fauna. All of it wrapped up in fabulous bright colors. As I browse Etsy I find myself eyeing items that are reminiscent of springtime.  Here in California Spring is just around the corner, so hopefully the items listed below will help us all think of spring.

 Come on Baby Wake Up - Lotion Bar from Intentions

Wake up it is spring time! Everyone is coming out of their winter coma, tired of dealing with dry winter skin and this is the perfect product to snap us all out of winter.

Lilac Love 11x14 Fine Art Photograph  from octoberphotography

One of my favorite things to do in the early spring is to notice all of the flowers blooming and coming back from their deep sleep.  This photograph captures everything I love about spring flowers.

Mountain Shawl by Epicurus

It may be springtime (well, almost) but it still gets cold, use this gorgeous shawl to wrap yourself up and stay cozy. Not only is it warm, but this shade of green just screams spring!

Flight of Butterflies Collar  by SophiesThreads

Don’t forget about our four legged friends!! Spring is the time of renewal; maybe it is time to get a new pet collar complete with one of nature’s beauties: the butterfly.

Honey Amber Rose Garden 10 inch Tapers by ForestCandleStudio

These candles spark fond memories of spending time watching the roses grow in my mothers garden.

Handwoven Seed Bead Vine Necklace by AnKaLi

Springtime is filled with vibrant greens and signs of new life.  Wear a vine on your neck to remind you of the beauty springtime has to offer.

7.Bird in the Vines Wall Clock by JessilynJoy

This clock encompasses everything that I love about spring, birds, plants, and vibrant colors.

I hope that this short CCCOE journey has sparked an interest in what is to come in the months ahead!

The author, Carrie of  AnKaLi Designs is a resident of South Pasadena, CA. She enjoys bead weaving, jewelry design, photography, skydiving, and spending time in the California sun.

Some Scarves for a Cold January

It's gotten cold here in California (at least, cold for California), so the scarves have come out.  Yeah!

First, from susanneedlehands is a scarf sure to brighten up a drab outfit.

Or from laprincessa, something that's subtle and classy.

Who wouldn't like some ruffles from CraftyMtnGirl?

Or a bit of brightness on a gray day from handittou?

This lovely scarf from FunkieFresh is sure to keep you nice and toasty.

KindredSpirits143 give us subtle shades of beige and green.

Or how about something a little, um, well...from FunkyMonkeyCreations?

These scarves are sure to chase away the January chill.