Tis the Season, Part 1

Now that Halloween is over, it's time to get serious about Christmas. Have you started your Christmas shopping yet?

No? Perhaps you're still thinking about Thanksgiving. That's cool. Sora Designs has just the necklace for you (and she's offering 15% off on these or anything in her shop. Just use the coupon code CCCOE15 here or at Sora Designs Black).

Rose gold wishbone necklace

Wishbone pendant necklace

Large Wishbone Necklace

Want a really unique gift? How about a family tree birthstone sculpture by NouveauTique? Make sure to order this early as it's custom made.

Family Tree Birthstone Keepsake Sculpture 

And here are several other ideas for everyone on your to-buy-for list...

From Prairie Primitives: 

Antique crazy quilt top, made in the late 1800s. This quilt top has a lot of damage but it would look spectacular wrapped around your Christmas tree in lieu of a traditional tree skirt!

Crazy Cutter Quilt

From From the Heart Products: 

If you have an executive in your life who complains about some of those board meeting that get out of hand with everyone talking at the same time. Talking over one another causing a one hour meeting to lag on for two hours or more.... 

I have the very thing for you to gift them!  

A Native American Talking stick was traditionally made for the Chief or Medicine Man who leads a circle to use to keep only one person talking at a time. No one but the person holding this Sacred meeting tool is allowed to speak until they have spoken their truth! I use them when I am doing Group Therapy and have no problem with cross talk now.  

This is a great Christmas gift for the executive who is hard to buy for!!!

Custom Made Native American Inspired "Power/Talking Stick"

 From Sferra Designs:

There's still time to create a Hawaiian quilted Christmas stocking with this easy pattern and tutorial. The pattern is Breadfruit, a popular Hawaiian design.

Hawaiian Christmas Stocking Pattern

From Suzie's Imaginarium:

Best baby Christmas gift EVER!

Yellow baby security lovey blanket

From Favor Favour:

Decorate for the full month of December with advent calendars.

Woodland Folk Art Advent Calendar Boxes

From Bhenderson145:

New Holiday style bracelet up in the shop - and more Christmas ornaments on the way.

November Sky Bracelet

Some of the Himmeli Style Ornaments:

Himmeli Style Copper Ball Christmas Ornament

The pictures all link to their listings on Etsy. We'd love to have you visit us 😎

Paint It Red

As I was floundering about for some sort of theme for today's post, I thought of red. So, I searched "Red" and here are some of the items that I found:

Handmade Fountain Pen by ASH Woodshops

Cheery Red Soap Dish by LoJoCeramics

Cable and Diamond Cape by Suzanne Sullivan

Siren Red Vintage Jeweled Earrings by Beaded Treasure

Red Cherry Necklace by Sora Designs

Chalcedony Gemstone Earrings by PinKixx

Red Sea Glass Bracelets with Nepal Turquoise/Coral Inlay Beads by MootiDesigns 

So many wonderful shades of red. What's your favorite red item?

Lucky Day

March is almost here. So, if you're planning some celebrations for that green day that falls on a Tuesday this year, now's the time to do some shopping...

Lucky Me Card by Black Sheep Betsy

You did get my veiled reference to St. Patrick's Day, didn't you?

Green Shamrock Shaped Diamond Plate Metal Snowboard Stomp Pad by Green Bomb

Because I wouldn't want you to miss out on all the fun green goodies that our fellow teammates have come up with.

St. Patty's Mini Leprechaun Hat Headband by Tiara's Boutique

This day may come once a year, but we can look forward to it all year.

Clover Locket Necklace by soradesigns

And we don't have to keep the green and shamrocks to only one day of the year.

Luck Shawl by Epicurius

Leprechauns look for their pots of gold at the end of the rainbow all year long.

Lucky Leprechaun Hat by My Little Critterz

What's your lucky charm?

lucky charms sterling silver necklace by Vision Quest

And make sure to check out more St. Patrick's Day items at...

Luck Of The Irish curated by California Crafters Club Of Etsy - CCCOE on Etsy

Happy Birthday Virgo!

Born August 23 through September 22 Virgo heralds the end of summer and the nearing of the harvest. Virgo has always been a symbol of fertility and is the only astrological sign symbolized by a women.

Virgo Vintage Pendant Acrylic by estudiomartita

Acorn and Oak Leaves Stud Earrings by soradesigns

Being good analysts, Virgos dig into every possible fact and detail, before deciding on something. Their attention to detail, meticulousness and intelligence make them practical and diligent workers.

Numbers Print 11x14 by BlackberryCottageHD Risks, any thing which is hazardous to health, chaos and even noise are not in the good books of this personality. Changes, alterations, disorder and asymmetry do find any room in a Virgo's life.

Jade Asymmetry Ruby Red and Aqua Blue Bracelet by amaniworks

Dangerous Baths Blank Card by FranticMeerKat

Famous Virgos include Greta Garbo, Mother Teresa, Michael Jackson, Ingrid Bergman, Richard Gere, Buddy Holly and Stephen King.

This is the 8th post in our series of Astrological signs by Sophie n Me.

Happy Zucchini Day!

Zucchini garden marker by ThreeSistersHarvest

Did you know that today was a holiday? Maybe not a get-off-work holiday but special nonetheless. August 8 is "Leave Some Zucchini on Your Neighbor's Porch Day." My yard is small and my thumb is black so I won't be a leaver but hopefully I'll be a leavee. If so, I'll make some of these, my favorite enchiladas ever. Zucchini Enchiladas 6 corn tortillas 1 cup oil 1/2 cup chopped onion 1 cup zucchini, grated coarsely 1 cup Monterey Jack cheese, grated 1 can (10 oz.) enchilada sauce Heat the oil and fry the tortillas for just a few seconds, until soft. Drain them on a plate lined with paper towels. Pour about 1/3 of the can of enchilada sauce to cover the bottom of an 8x8 square baking pan. Lay out a tortilla and put some cheese, onion, and zucchini down the center. Roll it up and place seam side down in the pan. Repeat with the other tortillas, then pour the rest of the sauce over the top and make sure all the tortillas get some sauce on them so they don't dry out. Sprinkle with more cheese and bake at 375 degrees for 15 minutes, until hot and the cheese is melted. If this year's Zucchini Day just snuck up on you and you'd like to plan better next year, here's some garden inspiration from our talented CCCOE team:

Garden Tool Apron by HeartC Rose Garden Candles by ForestCandleStudio Girl with Floral Dress and Butterflies art print by ChristaHoward Garden Gnome Stitch Markers by DesignsbyTami Bewitched Garden Necklace by SoraDesigns Tiny Tiny Terrarium by TortoiseLovesDonkey Dangling Seed Earrings by Gioelli Child's Flower Garden Fleece Hoodie by TheEnchantedSquare Repurposed Bird Feeder by TransientTreasures

Post by gardening-challenged Janet of CustomSepia

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!