Featured Etsy Artist

Today's featured Etsy artist is ILaBoom, from Greece.  She specializes in hand-made shadow boxes frames, light boxes, pedestals and vintage inspired paper goods.  Here is an item from her shop that caught my eye:

Le petit bonheur- hand-made light box

"Le petit bonheur" means "small happiness".  I love this sentiment.  It's so important for all of us to find happiness in the small things.

From the artist:  "I am Tatiana and I love making stuff that are inspired by nature, recycling, simple things and vintage childhood. Cute shadow boxes, nostalgic light box displays, pedestals, frames are some of my creations. Paper is my favorite material and I like to find ways to use it in everything I make.

I live in a small cycladic island, Antiparos, seeking ways of raising my biotic level and come closer to nature. I love life here and especially wake up everyday and look at the Aegean sea calms me down and gives me all the inspiration I need. My dream is to open a small shop in Antiparos someday to sell all my pieces and organize events like weddings and baptisms."

Wishing Tatiana the best of luck in her endeavors!  Here are links to her blogs:
http://craftingtheday.blogspot.com/
http://laboomeria.blogspot.com/

For another great Etsy featured artist, click here.

I'm the creator behind this blog and Moondog Treasures: yoga jewelry for women and men, mala bracelets, Sanskrit mantra necklaces, and wire-wrapped beaded crosses. I use this blog to share what I do and to feature other talented Etsy artists whose work I admire. Contact me at moondogtreasures@live.com.

Yoga in Deep Ellum

I recently took a field trip to a unique part of Dallas with lots of history: Deep Ellum. My reason for the trip from the suburbs into the big downtown was to visit with Jessica Jordan, owner of Super Yoga Palace.  I brought some pieces from Moondog Treasures' yoga jewelry collection to show her.

Jessica is a person with a vision similar to mine:  to create a community of yogis in her neighborhood and to provide a space for them to practice yoga that doesn't break the bank.  I like Jessica.  Here are a few photos I took around the street near her studio.  I peeked inside, but didn't take pics because a class was in progress.  Trust me, it's warm and inviting inside.

Caring for the environment is also important to Jessica.  From her web-site:  "Super Yoga Palace is kind to the Earth and encourages those who practice here to be so as well. Green products and recycled materials were used to create the studio space, plants throughout filter the air, and recycled, sanitized yoga mats are available if you are in need."

I'm happy to say that she'll be offering some of the eco-friendly pieces (recycled Indian coins and sari fabric, recycled precious silver) from my yoga collection on her site and in her studio.

Loved this mural.  Go Mavs!!  Winners of NBA championship 2011!

And here are some of the items that Jessica chose to showcase at her studio.

Recycled Indian coins on dyed silk ribbons

Recycled PMC (precious silver)
om and lotus pendants on sterling chain.

I'm the creator behind Moondog Treasures: yoga jewelry for women and men, mala bracelets, Sanskrit mantra necklaces, and wire-wrapped beaded crosses. I use this blog to share what I do and to feature other talented Etsy artists whose work I admire. Contact me at moondogtreasures@live.com.

Building a photography light box

New year...new adventures.  Yesterday I decided it was time to get more professional with the photos for my etsy shop. I found inspiration from this site, WikiHow.

So, here it is in all its glory...

Finished project.  Ready for the camera. 

A display board for science projects.
I bought this because it is already lined white on the inside.

I scavenged the house for products that matched the list online, then I headed to Lowe's for the rest.

I cut the board to make it into a box, then cut
one inch borders around 3 sides and the top lid
for the parchment paper.  See finished product below.

Lamps with clips, from Lowe's.  Thanks to hubby
for help in finding these.  Bright halogen bulbs.

Voila!  The finished product.  The openings in the sides and top are taped with
parchment paper.  More white to brighten up the photos.  The lamps are attached to
the sides and top for white light all around.  I'm still using the maps as background.

Here's how the first photo turned out. I'm liking it, but it still needs some work. 
I'm going to play around with the angles of the lights...

I'm the creator behind Moondog Treasures: yoga jewelry for women and men, mala bracelets, Sanskrit mantra necklaces, and wire-wrapped beaded crosses. I use this blog to share what I do and to feature other talented Etsy artists whose work I admire. Contact me at moondogtreasures@live.com.