Artist Spotlight: Part Thirty-Four

Wow.  Just wow.

No, really.  I've never seen anything like this.

This week's artist is Joy, creator of Eye Candey.  And eye candy she's got!  I don't even know where to start with this bookaholic football fan from Buffalo, NY who now lives in Tampa, FL.  Look, for instance, at her fun and funky jewelry.

Or her funny t-shirts.

Very modern vinyl wall decor, a hot thing right now.

Want something a little more statement-making?  How 'bout this one?

I think that says it all, don't you?  But if you're not into the vinyl, she has repositionable and reusable fabric wall decor too.

I'm such a fan of the whole Steampunk thing, I really am.  But I love this great abstract set!

How much fun could you have with that?  Seriously.  Is it at all surprising that she says she's a lover of all things wild, wacky and over the top?  Not to me, it's not!

Speaking of wild and wacky, how about this awesome fabric wall decal?

I think I'm in love.

But that lollipop has reminded me to tell you about her edible wares.  Yes, edible.  She makes printed cake and cupcake toppers, which you can have customized!  Look at these adorable things!

Is that funny, or what?  What a terrific idea!

And her edible stuff isn't the only thing she'll customize.  She will actually print fabric that you yourself design!  That's just fabulous for you artists who make purses, clothes, stuffed animals and dolls... pretty much anything!  With my new forays into sewing, you just know I'm going to be taking her up on this.  That said, if you can't think of a design, she's got some ready-made stuff for you as well, like this moustache fabric.

And these great Victorian panels that are perfect for quilting.

There's tons of information, of course, on her blog, as well as tips and tutorials, posts about outrageous food, and a plethora of other subjects.  Check it out!

Artist Spotlight: Part Nine

I've got another multitalented artist for you to check out this week!  I'd like to introduce Jan, of Jewelry by Janelle.  She designs jewelry using exotic woods, gemstones both precious and semi-precious, glass beads, Swarovski crystals, and anything else that happens to strike her fancy.  She's constantly adding new items to both her Etsy shop and her Handmade Artists shop, and she takes custom orders besides!

Her forte, and what makes her most different from the other artists I've featured so far, is that she's wonderful with wood.  What she does is just beautiful.  I thought I loved this necklace, for instance.

But then I saw this one!

That one's not only beautiful, but so different and interesting too.  I'm also a big fan of these earrings.

And while her brown-toned wood items are beautiful, let's not discount her more fun and funky side, shown by this Purple Heart heart-shaped necklace.

As I said, though, it's not all wood all the time.  Sometimes she takes a break to work with other things.  Check out this Swarovski Pacific Opal and White Opal Floral Copper Necklace.

On Etsy, she's got earrings to match it too!  And I love this Snowflake Obsidioan Egyptian Fan necklace.  This one's got both a bracelet and earrings to match!

Ever a fan of crocheted jewelry, I also adore this one that she's made with copper wire and brown glass beads.

She works in other metals too!  There's chainmaille, pretty feminine jewelry, and even a touch of Steampunk.

And to round it all out, here's a tote bag she's made and is selling!

If you want to learn more about Jan, her work, and the artists she also takes the time and effort to feature, be sure to check out her blog.  There, you can read the stories behind her pieces, like this beautiful necklace made of Kingwood found in a now-defunct factory in south Florida from the 1920s and purchased by her woodworker husband on Ebay.

Go read!  There's a lot more, I promise.  You'll  learn about all sorts of wood and how she does what she does with it.

Artist Spotlight: Part Eight

My spotlighted artist this week is CJ Grand of The Grand Design.  She's a very cool sci-fi costumer and jewelry maker who currently focuses on the Steampunk movement.

For those of you who don't know what Steampunk is, imagine a world in which steam power is still widely used, such as the 19th century or Victorian England, but with prominent elements of science fiction or fantasy, like the fictional technological inventions described by H.G. Wells or Jules Verne, or with real technological developments like computers occurring at an earlier date.  Steampunk can also include the "path not taken," such as analog computers or mechanical computers.

The result in practical terms is Victorian clothing combined with beautiful accessories and jewelry that are made from machine parts, technical bits, and all sorts of morphed and combined elements.  It is this jewelry you'll find at The Grand Design.

This necklace, above, for example, was made from a combination of upcycled parts and vintage jewelry.  And this one, below, is made from a British military button, watch parts, and watch gears, all mounted in a vintage pocket watch.

And these earrings are made from glass fuses wrapped in copper wire.

CJ didn't start with Steampunk, though.  As she states in her bio, she started buying stones and minerals to make unusual jewelry for herself, but found that she had more than she could wear in a lifetime.  Steampunk is her new obsession, but she still displays some of her stone jewelry in her shop.

For more about CJ and the many artists she features, check out her blog too!