PurlWork

PurlWork might very well be my most favorite Etsy shop. It is, of course, filled with things that I really don't need; but who can resist such beautiful little bags! They are so beautiful that I purchased three of them as holiday gifts for friends and family this past year. When they arrived I was so excited; and sure enough they were even more beautiful in person than the photos suggest. They were a huge hit! Splendidly soft and perfectly sized, they make a great addition to both casual wear and more formal events. And I only wish I had an excuse to buy the Aztec Turquoise Wool Felted Wristlet for myself. I have been coveting that particular item since I first laid eyes on it. I check back occasionally to make sure that no one else has bought it. Sure enough, it sits there waiting for me. Someday....

Lynn offers these bags in a variety of gorgeous colors. I purchased true red, bright yellow, and classy charcoal versions for my friends. But my next favorite has to be the Orange You Glad Orange Felted Wristlet. If that isn't the perfect summer accessory, I don't know what is! Just big enough for your sun glasses, cell phone and keys. I'm definitely going to be putting the turquoise wristlet on my birthday wish list this year; hopefully my husband will come through!

Lynn also has another Etsy shop, SilverWork, where she sells lovely modern jewelry. Check them both out next time you are shopping for gifts for the women in your life!

Blythe Madness!

I've recently been introduced to a darling little lady named Blythe! If you haven't met her yet, Blythe is a big-eyed doll that has developed a bit of a cult following. She was originally produced by Kenner in 1972, but was quickly discontinued. In 2000, an woman named Gina Garan published a book featuring Blythe dolls posing in locations around the world and Blythe fever took off. I had seen Blythe and Blythe products listed on Etsy, but just thought it was a curiosity. Then I found myself swimming in tulle scraps leftover from making my tutus. I wanted to find some way to use them rather than throwing them away, so made a miniature doll sized tutu and listed it in my Etsy shop. I didn't think anyone would be all that interested in a mini tutu, but figured I would list it anyway and see what happened.

A few months later, Jenny bought one of my tutus for her Blythe doll, Heaven. She took some adorable photos and posted them to her Flickr account with a link to my shop. And suddenly I was pulled head-first into the Blythiverse! Sales for my mini tutus took off! In the last month I have sold more Blythe tutus than all of my other products combined since my shop opened! Thank God for Blythe! It's so exciting to have a successful product! Although it is a little strange to have that product end up being the one thing you thought would be the least successful. I guess if anything, it's a lesson in not second guessing myself and just putting it out there!

Evie Ivy Overstreet

Evie Ivy Overstreet is one of the very first Etsy shops I feel in love with. I found the shop while searching for some small toddler friendly toys to take with us on vacation. It was going to be my daughter's first airplane trip and I wanted to be sure I was prepared. I found their adorable Veggie Beanbags and was smitten. I didn't end up purchasing them because I found way too many many fabulous items, but I have coveted them ever since. This shop is full of so many wonderful items for kids! Including the precious Persimmon Ball pictured at the right. This would be one of my top picks for a baby shower gift or even as a great addition to baby's first Easter Basket. The soft orange fleece is so cheery! And even though the listing says it started it's life wanting to be an orange, it was obviously meant to be Persimmon. Adorable!

Evie Ivy Overstreet also carries kids clothes with one-of-a-kind hand stitched felt appliques. My favorite, a white t-shirt with a little red fox, appears to have been purchased. But this little gray Mushroom Shirt is almost as wonderful. I love that most of their items are unisex; cute enough for little girls, but incorporating a masculine color palette so little boys can wear them too. All of the appliques are hand sewn and cut with no pattern, so each is unique. You won't find all the other kids at playgroup wearing this! So if you are looking for something hand made, original and charming for the little one in your life, look no further than Evie Ivy Overstreet!

Back to Blogging!

I had a blog a few years ago and when I stopped updating it, I vowed never to return. It was too much responsibility. The constant updating. The never ending search for interesting subject matter. All that worrying about whether anyone was reading, and if they were, what they thought about what I wrote. But here I am anyway!

I've hit a new creative burst and am looking for as many outlets for that energy as I can find. I've started up an Etsy shop featuring my many creations and have had some real success. It is so exciting to finally be able to put my money where my mouth is and at least make a stab at a creative life. I've long considered myself creative, an artist even, but was so paralyzed by self criticism that I very rarely even attempted any art. But these days things are different and I am bursting with ideas and confidence!

So, what can you expect to find if you continue to check in with me here at Enter The Bellybutton? Here's a glimpse of what's to come:

Getting Over The Fear - Ideas for overcoming creative paralysis
Features - Introducing you to some of my favorite Etsy shops
Sneak Peeks - New products that I am working on
Reviews - Products that I love
Inspiration - Music, art, cinema, literature and everything else that shapes my world
and much more!

See you real soon!