The Dog Days of Summer

While trying to come up with a theme for this week's post, I Googled "dog days of summer". From Fact Monster, I got this answer:

Dog Days is the name for the most sultry period of summer, from about July 3 to Aug. 11. Named in early times by observers in countries bordering the Mediterranean, the period was reckoned as extending from 20 days before to 20 days after the conjunction of Sirius (the dog star) and the sun.

Which means they're just about over. So, to celebrate their end, I asked for dog-themed items from the team. (If you wish to be featured in one of these posts, keep an eye out for my announcements on the team message board.)

Victorian DOGS on sterling silver by Allie's Adornments

Cavalier King Charles Spaniel Brooch Set by Indy & Cleo

Paw Print Pendant by Vision Quest

Love My Dog Squiggle Bookmark by cserpent designs

Ceramic Mug by Maid of Clay

Set of 3 Dog Potholders by annie k designs

Purple Pug Wallet by Emo Seal Creations

Designer Chihuahua dog bamboo knitting needles by Designs by Tami

Handmade Knit Wrist Cuff by ohmay

Modern orange and Wiener dog print toddler dress by 100 Acre Co

Around the Team

Just in time for Valentine's Day. Think Eco² says:

Our handmade eco-friendly wine gift boxes are a memorable gift. We are a San Diego-based company offering wine & liquor gifts, wine racks, garden planters, and rustic wedding decor.

Handmade Wooden Wine Box by Think Eco²

Little Smarty Pantz says:

I hand draw all of my art, and enhance them digitally. It's my creative outlet, outside of my day job. (I am an artist for the entertainment industry - commercials, tv shows, films, etc.) So it is so nice to design for me rather than for work. :)

Personalized Valentine's Plate by Little Smarty Pantz

They have several plate designs especially for Valentine's Day. Make sure to click the link and check them out.

And Allie from Allie's Adornments was kind enough to find some more Valentine's Day finds from the team:

Narwhal Love by Maid of Clay Ceramics

Leather Luggage Tag by Tresijas

Shower Them with Hearts by Pacific Paradise Soap

Bookmark by Vision Quest

Cupid's Garden by Allie's Adornments

Felted Case by ohmay designs

Happy Birthday Scorpio!

Born between October 23 and November 21, Scorpio is symbolized by the scorpion and are considered to be the most mysterious individuals in the Zodiac.

Fire Engine Red Scorpion on Black Bow Hair Clip by drellajones Scorpios have a burning passion about everything they do in life. They are extremely determined, ambitious and persistent. They are always quick in decision-making and tend to gather wealth. Scorpions are usually known for making money and hiding it. They are quite conservative about spending the money.

See a Penny Necklace by NinaGibsonDesigns Scorpios will remember every small gesture of kindness and love and repay it. On the other hand, they will never forget a misdoing and have a revengeful nature. One should note that a Scorpio never forgives and forgets!

Mad Bunnies Two Sided Mug by MaidofClay

An Elephant Never Forgets Card by cbsorci

A Scorpio can be a loving and passionate partner. They are extremely devoted and loyal however, they are also known for jealousy and possessiveness.

Cherry Blossoms Cute Couple by Nidhi Famous Scorpios include Leonardo DiCaprio, Goldie Hawn, Demi Moore, Ted Turner, Keith Urban and Mickey Mouse. This is our 10th post in a series of Astrological signs by SophienMe

What came first, the chicken or the egg?

Do we define our world, or does our world define us? I have to say that I've made some things for my Etsy store that I'm sure I would never had thought of making. Robots, foxes, mustaches, owls, narwhals - all things that were never in my repetoire prior to discovering Etsy, and all popular themes on Etsy. I really LIKE foxes and owl, and I don't think I've been even been with a man that didn't have a mustache, but would I have thought of making them if it wasn't for Etsy? Did Etsy make them popular or are they popular despite Etsy? I just recently bought a pair of fingerless gloves - an item that had never before entered my mind as something I should own until I saw them on Etsy (they're actually quite handy). Still, Etsy tends to have a great influence on us creative types, especially if we are business people as well as makers and like to sell as much as we like to create. Here are some great examples of the themes that are popular on Etsy, with buyers and sellers alike. What I love most about the handmade pieces is that the creator has taken a common theme, put their artistic stamp on it and made it their own. Personalized Bike Stationery by SweetPerversion

Mustachioed Thank You card by Gigglesapu Vintage Owl Magnifying Glass by Soradesigns

Beige Cowl by Phydeaux

Octopus Thank you Card by PupandPony

Fox Wedding Topper by Handymaiden

Blog post by Felicia of MaidofClay Ceramics. This blog features members of the CCCOE, please post to Twitter and Facebook and help promote your fellow members and the team in general. Thanks!

Beautiful shades of teal blue

Chocolate and mint coasters by Reecreates

Reecreates from Fair Oakes has these great cork backed coasters that come in sets of four. I love the chocolate colored polka dots !

Les enfants handmade stickers by KisforCalligraphy

12 adorable embossed baby stickers by KisforCalligraphy from Moraga. Peel and stick in sage, chartreuse, lime, and minty green on white paper stock. They are sooooo cute !

Teal Butterfly adjustable ring by Pila12903

Pila12903 from Fresno has this delicate looking teal adjustable  butterfly ring. There are other styles of  butterflies available in other color options like brown, pink and lime green.

Perfect Teal Earrings by Rockpilewest

These stunning teal earrings are by Rockpilewest from Southern California. The many facets catch the light nicely and the dark copper beautifully complement the teal color !

Dachshund Jar by Maidofclay

This Dachshund with the sweetest little face is by Maidofclay from Southern California. The jar is hand thrown stoneware with a teal lid and the handcrafted doggie is a warm chocolate brown.

Want a closer look ? all links and photos are clickable  ♥

This post was contributed by Tania Cavenecia Torres a jewelry designer from the San Francisco Bay Area

Incredible Edibles - Real and Imaginary

I never thought I would become one of those people who talks about what they're going to have for dinner while they're eating lunch. Well, I've officially morphed into a Florida retiree! It's not that I dwell so much on regular food, it's the sweet stuff that's front and center on my food radar. It's the desserts that I crave much more than food that sustains your health. Dessert is about sustaining your SOUL. And my soul needs lots of sustaining. Lots and lots. Pass the Creme Brulee, please. KECookies is one of the few sellers on the California team that make "real" edibles. I've ordered KE Cookies before and let me tell you, they were delicious. So much so that my stomach was literally growling (not at all kidding) as I was scrolling through her shop to see which photo to use. It was torture that I couldn't reach into the screen and eat them right on the spot. It was so hard to choose which one of Roscata's polymer faux food masterpieces to use in this post. Since I've been in a sushi mood this week I chose this one. i love that there's even a little wasabi and ginger to complement the toro and ebi.

My favorite guilty pleasure on Easter is gorging on deviled eggs. This sweet little amigurumi is by UnaTuna. What's cute is the yoke can be taken out of the shell for double the eggy pleasure.

Even dogs can get in on the nummie action with a stop at DogCityBakery. They even have mini "Taco" treats that look like the real thing, but I'm sure the dogs won't appreciate how very cute they are before they wolf them down. Fun gift for the new mommy of a furbaby. I have a confession, my stomach was growling looking through the doggie treats 1) because they look a lot like human treats, and 2) I'm really hungry! I knew I should have written this post on a full stomach!

The detail that goes into TheFeltedPear's felt food is amazing. Everything in her shop shows the same level of craftsmanship.

I just bought a box of animal cookies a couple of weeks ago and these look as good as the real thing. LaurelBushman creates these fun refrigerator magnets from polymer clay and decorates them so they're almost indistinguishable from the real thing.

First it was dogs, and now even zombies can get in on the feeding frenzy. BRAINNNNNZZZZZ!!! What's even cooler about these brain-shaped soaps from Rosaleendhu is that they are bacon scented.

Let's promote the members of CCCOE by forwarding the link to this blog to Twitter and Facebook. Also, please remember to tag your items CCCOE TEAM so I can find you. Don't forget that other CCCOE members use this tag when they searching for items to use in team treasuries.

This post was submitted by Felicia of MaidofClay ceramics.

Tastes Like Purple

There's a neurological phenomenon called temporary synaesthesia, where a person experiences mixed sensory signals, e.g. mixing sight with sound, smell with taste. Sometimes it occurs as a result of a blow to the head, some experience it under the influence of hallucinogenic drugs. I'm sure you've experienced a lesser form of it at least once in your life, I know I have. The commissary at work used to serve this particular kind of pickle as a garnish, some form of dill pickle. I used to call them monkey pickles because they tasted how monkeys smelled. I guess I had just been to the zoo when I made this connection, I really don't remember, it was a long time ago. But from that point on they were monkey pickles to me. I'm sure some of you have experienced something tasting like skunk, right? Or is it just me? I won't even go into what alfalfa sprouts smell like to me :-) Clicking on the photos will take you directly to the listing. These teeny tiny envelopes really come in handy. I've used these in packages when customers are sending a gift directly to the recipient - very classy! You can find these in the appropriately named TeenyTinyEnvelopes. The bold print on this pouch by AnnieKClothing makes it a standout I've always been tempted to take up knitting, and when I do Syrendell's shop will be my first stop. This brilliant violet silk scarf is handpainted by OceanAvenueSilks. It literally glows, doesn't it?

This fiber brooch by Ohmay is the most beautiful shade of purple and would dress up any outfit.

This little crocheted plum by the ButtonTreeShop has the cutest expression. I just want to pinch its plummy little cheek.

This is the second of a monthly blog post by Felicia of MaidofClay Ceramics. Please feel free to pass this blog post along by any means at your disposal - it's great exposure for those featured, and of all the CCCOEr's in general. Thanks!

Flea Market Madness

My name is Felicia and I'm a flea market addict. There, I said it. What's worse is I got my husband hooked too! There was a time before I injured an ankle that my husband and I would spend most every Sunday at a Southern California flea market. The first Sunday of the month was the Pasadena City College market, the second Sunday was the famous Rose Bowl flea market, the third was the Long Beach Flea Market (my personal fav), and the fourth was our Sunday to rest (unless the Ventura Flea market was going, of course). I swear, it was the only thing that could have gotten my butt out of bed before the sun was up! But with my inability to walk for long distances my flea marketing days are, if not completely gone, then seriously dampened. Thank goodness for online shipping and Etsy! I've found many vintage goodies shopping on Etsy and within the CCCOE there are a number of sellers that specialize in vintage alone (CCCOEr's - make sure you tag your listings with CCCOE Team). Here are some goodies I've found recently while browsing through the Vintage section: This vintage Mexican tooled leather purse in KMalinka's shop takes me back to summer vacations spent with the aunts in El Paso. They used to cross over to Juarez to buy these (back in the 60's when it was still safe to venture there). If I were more of a purse person (backpack, anyone?) I would totally have this one in my arsenal. Many times the best vintage finds are those that you no longer use for their originally intended purpose. This camera has a great silhouette and is a sculpture in its own right. Carried by SlothArt. Alyssa of Oldetymenotions is a great supplier of antique buttons and other vintage goodies. I used to collect antique buttons once upon a time and I'm sure if I hadn't gotten over THAT addiction that I would have been Alyssa's best customer. Alyssa not only sells the antique buttons but she creates wonderful jewelry from them.

Dustdesignco uses a circa 1950's Los Angeles Transit Authority token in a way the original commuters never dreamed would look so good. I wonder if these were for the iconic "Red Car" my mom used to talk about.

I love when vintage components are used to create contemporary pieces. Nan of Nansglam uses a vintage skeleton key to good effect by creating a necklace with a sense of mystery.

This post was contributed by CCCOE member, Felicia of Maid of Clay Ceramics (in her very first blog post EVAH