This week's spotlight:KingMtnTreasures!

This week's spotlight shop is one of our more active members on FTLOSA. Tisha's shop, KingMtnTreasures has been active on Etsy since 2008, and caters to animals great and small, and the people who love them as well. On top of that, she is dedicated to her blog, Facebook pages, twitter, being mom to her 2 sons and capacious animal family, along with her community activities and personal interests too. Feel free to ask her what the secret is. Though she's retired now, we're sure her years as a nurse has helped to keep her on her toes.

     One of the highlights of Tisha's repertoire are her adorable stuffed dogs and and other toys. With her mixed media approach, incorporation of different patterns and textures, and a combination of hand and machine sewing techniques, you'll know that you have found a one of a kind character to add to your collection. Her experience and inspiration comes from spending many days as a child with her grandmothers. They were seamstresses in a factory that created stuffed animals, and her fondness for the times she spent with them are definitely evident in her work today. While she learned basic sewing as a teenager, her friends and family encouraged her and inspired her just 10 years ago to really become passionate about sewing, and she hasn't looked back since. The dachshund shaped toys are inspired by her two weenies, Dinky and Toby. She likes to incorporate themes such as holidays and seasons and there will be even more great themes to come.
     Her cat Jazzy was naturally the inspiration for the smaller stuffed versions, the Jolly Jazzy cat toy line.  Filled with catnip, they're hard to resist. She even even smaller dachshund toys, maybe to deter Jazzy from tormenting Dinky and Toby in real life! Her cuddle sacs are a big favorite of of the pups as they love to hide away, and eventually the smaller versions became a fun spot for her hedgehogs. Her blankets toys and treats are so versatile, there is definitely potential to provide great quality items for a lot of her pets.Her entire animal family consists total of 5 dogs (Dinky, Toby, Goob, Lucky, Lady), 2 cat (Jazzy, Junior), 2 hedgehogs (Spike, Lucy), 2 horses (Poncho, Brightman), 2 mini Zebu (Chief, Miss Lily), 4 goats (Mickey Mouse, Sara, Toby, Hoby), 11 hive apiary, and numerous chickens.
      Tisha also decided to use her love of organization, purses, ad gift-giving in general to design her bags. Wether you are looking for a coin purse, cosmetic bag, tote or a hobo purse, there is a cute design or color combination waiting for you in the shop.  Her patchwork style and fabric matching make each piece fun and functional. No matter what you may find hat you enjoy, it's distinctively Tisha's style and can be seen in the cohesiveness of her shop items and design in general. 


Not only is she a talented crafter, she is a great writer as well. As much as we like to promote the shops at FTLOSA, this blog is worth a read as well.http://kingmtntreasures.blogspot.com/p/promotions.html It's filled with cute stories, inspirational affirmations, great pictures, and perhaps a lesson or two. You can also find some great deals for the shop, and an excellent source of information and other excellent shops. You can also be sure to check out her Facebook pages and say hello on Twitter.

http://www.twitter.com/kingmtntreasure
http://www.facebook.com/kingmtntreasures

'Fungi' by DragoninKnots

For KingMtnTreasures ~*~ http://www.etsy.com/shop/KingMtnTreasures

Edible Wild Sugar Mushr... andiespecialty... $75.00	Crochet Mini Orange Mus... meekssandygirl $75.00	Set of Earth Friendly W... stephaniemonro... $24.00	Cosmetic Purse-Mushroom... KingMtnTreasur... $10.00
Mushroom Dollhouse - or... tanjasova $250.00	Flour Sack TOWEL Golden... ByRichner $4.50	3 to 9 months Mouse and... starryknightde... $20.00	Mushroom Earrings Fungu... SparklingBagCa... $8.99
vintage 1970s CERAMIC M... CherryBombVint... $38.00	Fleece Tunnel for Hedge... platypusmonger $7.50	Magic Mushroom Bi-Fold ... CatandWolfDesi... $6.00	Alice in Wonderland mus... astashtoys $7.00
1980s Sears Roebuck and... WellWudJaLookA... $49.99	Custom Pet I.D. Tag, Gr... dogonnit $10.00	Wee Folks MODA Fabric M... AllegroFabrics $9.75

Treasury tool by Red Row Studio.

 


             

This week's spotlight Shop: Jaded Estrella

This week, we're celebrating yet another fabulous Etsy seller who's dedication to adoption and the search for quality pet products has brought her success on Etsy, Jaded Estrella!

Amy Luke is no stranger to Etsy, as she has been acquainted with the site for around four years. Her shop has been open since April of 2009. Amy notes that her loofah chews were inspired by her  two adopted chinchillas, Fivel and Oblio:

Do not adjust your monitors; they really are THAT cute!

It's no surprise that she fell head over heels for these boys, and set out to learn everything that she could about them. She discovered that they really liked loofah, so like most concerned pet parents, she searched high and low for the best quality chews. Loofah is a tropical vegetable that becomes a dense mass of fibers when mature, and is often dried, bleached, and used as sponges. While super great for cleaning your back during the morning shower, it is also a very nutritious vegetable that is high in fiber and vitamins. Unfortunately, the commercial loofah treats contained unhealthy additives, like strings, glue, preservatives and colorings that were just too risky to munch on.

Amy then decided to seek out a reliable source for natural loofah that was not treated or bleached, and colored them with natural FDA approved edible colorings. You will see that she has also created a lot of adorable shapes as well ( toy and treat, yay!). After sharing these wholesome and fun treats with her friends and even peers on the online community, she decided to open her own shop which you can find here:F & O Loofah. If anything, you have to check out her site to see the pics of the satisfied customers enjoying her treats. My favorite is Alina the Rottweiler, savoring the tiny loofah "fry" held gingerly in her paws! Naturally,  the handmade nature of her treats was a perfect fit for Etsy as well, which has given her an opportunity to share and learn with even more animal lovers, and with our happy group.She also has been exploring other crafts as well, that we can't wait to see more of.  We hope that Amy continues to learn from us as much as we learn from her, which exemplifies FTLOSA in a nutshell. So please check out her shop and website, and check her out on our forums!

Our weekly spotlight shop: Markysmommy713

This week's spotlight shop is Markysmommy713! Crystal is 25 with two youngsters and six sugar gliders that she has helped rescue.  She has successfully helped rehabilitate sugar gliders affected from toxic cage and malnutrition and sees first hand the hundreds of sugar gliders abandoned due to owner negligence. Crystal is the kind of gal who always take a bonding pouch with her, "just in case". She started out making these fun, whimsical toys for her own suggies, and then decided to sell them on Etsy to raise money so that she could continue helping other gliders in need. Her toys attract a lot of attention as they are very colorful and cute. She has a variety of different types of toys that she makes to fit your sugar glider's every need.

The Panda n Bowl is Chibi's personal favorite. ;)

She's quite new to Etsy so I know FTLOSA can't wait to learn more about her and her rescue efforts.

'Pink Elephants for everyone!' by CobbCabinCrafts

I just couldn't resist!

KINDLE 3 E READER Sleev... Britgaldesigns $15.00	Daisy Kingdom Pink Elep... Alaskids1 $50.00	Pink Elephant Baby Boot... FoxFinery $8.00	Pretty Pink Elephant Su... NotBettyCookie... $32.00
Hand knitted toy Pink E... miquemoriuchi $55.00	Pink Elephant Print Squ... SwingStationSt... $15.00	Elephant Foraging Toy Markysmommy713 $7.00	Cosmetic Make-Up Bag --... BellStitches $25.00
PInk Elephant applique ... tinytigersbout... $18.00	Pink Elephant- Reusable... chrestivo $12.99

Our Weekly Spotlight Shop: DragoninKnots

"Once upon a time, in the land of memories and dreams, there was a young girl. She liked to lie in the warm patches of sun cast by the windows and whisk around the house in a half-dance half-run, whilst softly singing some odd little tune. She was taught to sew and cook and dance and play music, as she thought all little girls learned to do. And she would follow her mother to craft fairs and spend her pocket money on odd little knick-knacks, as she thought it was perfectly natural to do. She grew a little taller and a little older and seemed, for awhile, to outgrow her whimsical former self. But we never quite outgrow ourselves, do we?"

This is the delightful introduction to the world of DragoninKnots. You can tell before even taking a glance at her shop that you will find whimsy and femininity at each click of the mouse. Then take a glance at her amazing ACEOs and you may find that they are sophisticated and even reminiscent of Van Gogh's sketches from his famous letters ( think Starry Night over the Rhone).

After making her handmade cards for charity, DragoninKnots decided to take a whirl at the online shop, eventually making her home on Etsy. The goal was to sell her wares to pay for her schooling. More recently, after seeing her mother delve back into crocheting, she decided to try it for herself. After the more interesting creations that come from learning crochet ( anyone, myself included that has picked up a hook has experienced this), she began making scarves, gloves, coasters, and much more. Most impressively she has even made a crochet corset! Coming from a family of crocheters, each family member can recognize each others style so you know that what is created is truly unique.

The shop  currently contains fantasy accessories, winter accessories, bright and colorful crochet and ink ACEOs. One of the wonderful things about her crochet pieces is the incorporation of ribbon.Ribbon is something she uses while making her clothing and adds to the texture and feel of each crochet piece. Texture is extremely important as she feels that especially with winter accessories, these worn items should feel good and comfortable. DragoninKnots prides herself on her individual coasters, as she enjoys the idea of trying different styles and not having to commit to one decor for your living room, kitchen, office, etc. The ACEOs are inspired by her own love for collecting other artists' mini artwork and are a reflection of her own experiences and travels. Studying abroad in France, learning the language and her vast knowledge of Old English are the current inspirations for her pieces.

Some of her other passions right now are her up and coming photography shop. You can see some of her amazing photos on her blog: http://DragoninKnots.blogspot.com. The composition of her images are engaging and the imagery itself is inspiring. She also recently adopted a very shy roborovski hamster ( we love adoption here at FTLOSA) that she hopes will warm up to her new environment and friends very soon.

Please do keep on the lookout for DragoninKnots now and in the future. You never know what adventure she'll have in store for you!

Like the music? Check out JoanSteret on YouTube!

Our weekly featured shop: Morumoto!

Our weekly spotlight shop this week is Morumoto. She has had her shop on Etsy for a little over three years now. When you see her beautiful plushies, we just know you will want to "adopt" one! Mostly because they are so incredibly lifelike. Each little "critter" is posed in a cute little scenario for their photo, and there is a story behind each one. Here's alittle bit about Morumoto from her profile:

"Hi everyone! I'm Morumoto (Japanese for "guinea pig", in case anyone was curious). I've been drawing ever since I could remember and learned to sew at a young age. Creativity is something I cherish, and I just don't feel right if I'm not working on some sort of artistic or crafty endeavor.
I'm a traditional artist. All my artwork is hand-drawn, hand-inked, and colored by hand. I don't have anything against digital art (there are actually quite a few digital artists whose work i admire), I just prefer doing my art by traditional means, being able to feel every pencil line, every pen stroke, and every dab of color. I'm very fond of animals (especially canines and rodents) and creating an atmosphere through the use of
Although I picked up the needle and thread when I was young, making plushies is something I began doing somewhat recently. It began with my fondness for guinea pigs; simply put, I've only ever found so few cavy items such as figurines and plushies that I decided to make some of my own. I craft my plush critters carefully by hand, creating a life-like portrayal that captures the feel as well as the appearance of my subjects. My crafting endeavors have already turned towards other rodents, such as mice, rats, hamsters, and and I won't be satisfied until I have made a plushie of most if not all rodents. I'm constantly searching for more materials and ideas."

Please do check out her lovely shop. You will be amazed and will find yourself going "awww" for these lifelike plushies!

'You Might Be A Chocoholic If' by gottaspoilemgems

You Might be a Chocoholic IF you start seeing types of chocolate in Everything.

Cuppa Joe Java Jacket--... CoffeeCountyCr... $7.00	Rat Plushie - Chocolate... Morumoto $12.50	Brown Cable Knit Beret ... GeorginaKay $15.00	Cherry Almond Clusters chocolatecreat... $10.00
Chocolate Donut Soap Wi... HowardsHome $4.95	Flower Fascinator Hair ... ArtQueenClaire $12.50	Sassy lassy Chocoholic ... lynnsdesignera... $28.00	S'mores Dog ID Tag whatthepup $22.00
Pastel Drawing Deer Faw... autumnlanearti... $15.00	cupcake ring missbates92 $4.09	iPad Cover Quilted Slee... QuiltedCupcake $16.50	Mocha Muffins - Vegan SweetVConfecti... $9.00
The Kiss - 4 x 6 art pr... punsintended $5.00	100% Cotton Leopard Pri... whisperbugbout... $19.95	Binky's Seashore Fu... SexyStitches $12.50	Choco Chip Cookie Earri... arihoma $6.50

Treasury tool by Red Row Studio.