Funkified (in purple)

We have a couple of new items to show you today. One being a fabulous funky purple bracelet, and the other being a very cute dolphin bookmark.

Funkified (in purple)

Available for purchase at our Etsy Shop:

http://1337art.etsy.com

Purple balls of funk! They are made of purple rubber with pink tips. This is surely going to be a trend setter bracelet!

This is a great casual, trendy bracelet. How often do you see rubber jewelry? This will make a great gift for yourself or a friend/sister.

The bracelet closes with a sterling silver swirl toggle clasp set. The design is one-sided.

Approximate length: 7.7 inches

Made with Sterling Silver, Czech Glass, Swarovksi Crystal, Antiqued Silver Pewter, and Rubber.

Dolphin Mini Swirl Bookmark

Available for purchase at our Etsy Shop:

http://1337art.etsy.com

Now you can read with style and an added elegance! This lovely bookmark is available in a cute 3.5 inch size! Perfect to take along with you almost everywhere!

This fun bookmark features an adorable porcelain dolphin and blue crackle glass beads.

Great for paper or hardbacks! They also make great gifts for teachers! Made with Sterling Silver, Porcelain, Crackle Glass, and a Silver Plated bookmark.

More items and new prodcuts are on their way as we gear up for our summer long local farmer's market! Keep checking back for more new items, Etsy Artist Features, promotional tips, 1337 Art updates, informational articles, and more!

Enjoy your weekend,

Christina
CM Designs
http://1337art.etsy.com
Elite Art for the elite at heart. Featuring jewelry for men and women, art collages, awareness items, bookmarks, cell phone charms, key chains, and more! Customs are accepted.

Promotional Tip: Deviant Art

What is Deviantart?

Deviantart is a community where artists can share their artwork with other artists. The art found there ranges from photography to woodcrafts. There is most definately a category that will fit/suit your needs.

It is free to join, and you are given a profile page that includes a journal, a featured deviation (a submitted piece of work), your favorites list, a wish list, webcam, contact information, and general profile information.

We at 1337 Art have our very own deviant art page which you can find by clicking the link below:

http://1337-art.deviantart.com

Another benefit of having a deviant art account is that you can do "in house" advertising for a discounted price. The service is called Adcast, and you pay for the amount of clicks your ad produces. It is a great way for other deviants (deviant art members) to notice your work.

Deviantart.com also offers deviants to have their artwork available in prints, on mugs, calendars, and more!

Whether you are a jewelry artist, a traditional artist, a culinary artist, or anything else Deviantart.com is a great way to expose your artwork. Feel free to give it a try:

http://www.deviantart.com

Thank you so much for your interest,

Christina

CM Designs

http://1337art.etsy.com

Elite Art for the elite at heart. Featuring jewelry for men and women, art collages, awareness items, bookmarks, cell phone charms, key chains, and more! Customs are accepted.

Dragon Soldier Necklace (for men)

Surprise the special man in your life with a masculine piece of jewelry. Not only will he feel comfortable, but he will wear it with confidence!

Your man deserves a casual, seductive necklace. Let this be the one.

Approximate length: 19.5 inches
The pendant measures 28mm x 17mm

The pewter dragon pendant was made in Oregon with diamond tipped cutting wheels to produce such a fine detail.

Made with Sterling Silver, Swarovski Crystal (Palace Green opal), Antiqued Pewter, Pewter, Czech Glass, and Labradorite.

Our growing selection of men's jewelry gives them the opportunity to express themselves. Most men do not wear jewelry because they don't share a personal connection with what they find in stores.

Does your man know exactly what he likes? Let us know so we can make him something he will treasure.

You can find this Dragon Soldier Necklace for sale at our shop:

http://1337art.etsy.com

Thank you so much for looking.

Christina
CM Designs
http://1337art.etsy.com
Elite Art for the elite at heart. Featuring jewelry for men and women, art collages, awareness items, bookmarks, cell phone charms, key chains, and more! Customs are accepted.

Trendy New Earrings!

Summer is a time to dress casually and comfortable. We have three new pairs of earrings that are both trendy and casual enough to wear everyday!

Our first pair of earrings consist of very cute blue porcelain dolphins. They sit atop blue crackle glass for extra shine when wearing out in the sunlight!

You can find these dolphin earrings for sale at our Etsy Shop:

http://1337art.etsy.com

Our next pair of earrings are for all of those soccer fans out there!

They are very simple featuring black and white "opal" glass beads with enameled pewter soccer balls. These are too cute to pass up! Is there a soccer girl in your family? These are perfect for her!

You can find our soccer earrings for sale at our Etsy Shop:

http://1337art.etsy.com

And lastly we have some very cool Yin and Yang earrings. A unity of opposites, and they are perfect and trendy for every day wear and flair.

The yin and yang are made of enameled pewter, and there are black and white "opal" glass beads.

You can find these yin and yang earrings for sale at our Etsy Shop:

http://1337art.etsy.com

All three pairs of earrings come with "rubber" ear wire clutches for added security. They are also all under $10.00. These are a steal!

To see more of our designs and products please feel free to visit our Etsy Shop:

http://1337art.etsy.com

We do accept custom orders in case you are interested in something extra special.

Thank you so much for your interest,

Christina
CM Designs
http://1337art.etsy.com
Elite Art for the elite at heart. Featuring jewelry for men and women, art collage, awareness items, bookmarks, cell phone charms, key chains, and more! Customs are accepted.

New Item Launch!

We are happy to announce our brand new collage bookmark section! According to our recent survey the majority of our readers preferred classic paper (or cardboard) bookmarks with ribbons. This is just the first out of many we plan to create.

Long goodbyes have been the best thing for him.

This romantic mixed media bookmark is perfect for your summer reading.

Measures 6 inches x 2 inches.

The back of the bookmark has the same spider web paper. The webs have a fuzzy texture too!

Made with Acid Free / Lignin Free (and recycled materials) cardstock. The bells are gold color steel. We also used assorted papers and organza ribbon.

You can find our Long Goodbyes collage bookmark by following the link below:

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=12011070

Thank you so much for your interest!

Christina
CM Designs

http://1337art.etsy.com

Elite Art for the elite at heart. Featuring jewelry for men and women, art collage, awareness items, bookmarks, cell phone charms, key chains, and more! Custom orders are accepted.

Promotional Tip: Classified Ads

Does your local town or city have a newspaper? Why not advertise your business for a low monthly/weekly fee with a classified ad? People read newspapers at work, on the bus, in long grocery store lines, with their coffee, among a lot of other places.

Our local newspaper comes out monthly, and it is also free so a lot of people like to read it. We place a classified ad in it every month to inform our local area that our business exists. Even if you don't notice any increase of sales for awhile, if people begin to see your ad every month in the paper, they will know where to look when they are in need of your products.

Classified ads are a much cheaper alternative to placing actual picture ads. Check out the classifieds section of your local newspaper to see what kind of ads are published and how to place your own ad.

It is best to keep your ad simple. We use the following (or variation of) for our ads:

Handmade jewelry, bookmarks, and more! Special requests are accepted. Support your local artist: CM Designs http://1337art.etsy.com

A lot (if not all) newspapers also have an online website for the convenience of their readers. If you purchase a classified ad it will show up in the actual printed newspaper as well as the newspaper's website. That is twice the advertising!

Thank you for reading and happy advertising,

Christina
CM Designs
http://1337art.etsy.com
Elite Art for the elite at heart. Featuring jewelry for men and women, art collage, awareness items, bookmarks, cell phone charms, key chains, and more! Custom orders are accepted.

We've been featured!

First we want to thank GabrielsAunt for featuring us in her blog. She did a lovely job with it, and she is so kind for including us. Feel free to check it out! And while you're at it, check out her great Etsy Shop too:

http://gabrielsaunt.etsy.com

We also wanted to announce that we have one of our items, specifically our Remembrance Key Chain for sale at memory-of.com !

This is a website that is an online center for healing from the grief of losing a loved one.

Our Remembrance Key Chain includes a sterling silver picture frame, a fairy/angel with multiple color choices, and a message bottle to write a prayer or a specific memory.

If you are in grief, or if you know someone who is this item is allows you to remember and cherish. Please follow the link below to view this item:

http://www.memory-of.com

Thank you so much for stopping by,

Christina
CM Designs
http://1337art.etsy.com
Elite Art for the elite at heart. Featuring jewelry for men and women, art collage, bookmarks, cell phone charms, key chains, and more! Custom orders are accepted.

Apraxia Spotlight

Let's make the world a better, healthier place.

Childhood Apraxia of Speech is a motor speech disorder. For reasons not yet fully understood, children with apraxia of speech have great difficulty planning and producing the precise, highly refined and specific series of movements of the tongue, lips, jaw, and palate that are necessary for intelligible speech.

We have designed these lovely and fashionable earrings. The color blue and stars are used to symbolize the illness. Reach for the Stars!

Don't be afraid to show your support!

We at 1337 Art have plans to expand our awareness item product line. All profits from the awareness items that we sell are donated to a rightful cause in hopes to one day find the cure to each illness.

To view our current variety of awareness items please follow the link below to our online Etsy Shop:

http://1337art.etsy.com

Thank you so much for your support. It is greatly appreciated.

Christina
CM Designs
http://1337art.etsy.com
Elite Art for the elite at heart. Featuring jewelry for men and women, art collage, awareness items, bookmarks, cell phone charms, key chains, and more! Custom orders are accepted.

Great finds - Leather Roses!

Looking to combine two lovely, romantic, sexy things? We found three beautiful items that combine roses and leather!

Have an anniversary coming up? These items will make a great gift for anyone.

The first thing we want to show you is a leather rose. A fine piece of work that will last for years without water. Present this rose to your girlfriend with some babybreath and ferns.

You can find this lovely rose at Leatherpedia:

http://leatherpedia.etsy.com

The next item we want to show you is a beautifully made leather rose wallet.

This wallet has been hand carved, hand tooled, hand stitched, hand painted, and dyed.

You cannot pass up that fine detail work. It's the perfect style for anyone--casual and sexy.

You can find this rose wallet at CopperSpringsLeather:

http://copperspringsleather.etsy.com

Lastly we have a gorgeous leather rose belt. This hand tooled dark brown leather belt is a unique find.

It will go great with your black jeans, black tank top, and heels.

You can find this belt for sale at BeasBargains:

http://beasbargains.etsy.com


Thank you so much for looking! Have a great time shopping!

Christina
CM Designs
http://1337art.etsy.com
Elite Art for the elite at heart. Featuring jewelry for men and women, art collages, awareness items, bookmarks, cell phone charms, key chains, and more! Custom orders accepted.

Small Business Advantages

When trying to juggle a full time job and your business with family and leisure time and daily life you tend to focus on the negative aspects of things. Time becomes a trivial concept. You're torn between running a good business and spending time with the people you love. Achieve the zen. There is a balance out there that is just waiting for you to discover.

You are the boss.

Take some time off. First off-breathe! Owning a small business has it's own little perks, such as being able to take off your "serious face" for a minute or two. Have fun with your job; don't let it own you. Go for coffee with a friend. Watch a movie with your hubby. Indulge in your favorite video game. (have fun!)


Play with new ideas. All work and no play making you a dull boy or girl? Is there something related to your business that you've been wanting to try? Do you, for example, own a photography business? Perhaps you could venture into making bookmarks out of your photographs...and greeting cards!? Try brainstorming new marketing ideas. Flyers? Thank you cards? Special gift wrap? Button pins?


Small business grants and loans. There are people out there who want you to be successful, and they are willing to give you money to help you prosper! It is definitely worth looking into local grants and loans to help give you the jump start you need. Here's a link to help you get started if you are in the United States:

http://usgovinfo.about.com/library/weekly/blstategrants.htm

Extra income. You may not be able to financially survive on your business yourself yet, but extra income is always helpful. You can afford small luxuries and invest even further into your business.

Self fulfillment. Did you grow up thinking you would run a business? Well here you are selling products that you have made yourself! It's okay to reflect on the goodness that you feel, and there's no shame in recognizing this. Always remember how high and good you feel when the tough low times come...you will always prevail as long as you know you can do it.


Thank you so much for reading,

Christina
CM Designs
http://1337art.etsy.com
Elite Art for the elite at heart. Featuring jewelry for men and women, art collages, awareness items, bookmarks, cell phone charms, key chains, and more! Custom orders accepted.

Owls - O Rly?

We'll never completely understand the philosophy behind the owl trend, but the least we can do is enjoy it.

Owls are known as the protectors of the after life, and they are associated with intelligence, power, mystery, intuition, brilliance, perspective, and more.

Furthermore these nocturnal creatures are symbolic of psychic ability, inner knowing, and intuition.

We have designed two brand new owl pieces: a quaint pair of earrings and a chic cell phone charm: both equipped for our modern society.

The earrings are made with Sterling Silver, Swarovski Crystal, Antiqued Pewter, and Czech Glass.

You can find the owl earrings for sale here:

http://1337art.etsy.com

The cell phone charm is made with Sterling Silver, Swarovski Crystal, Czech Glass, Antiqued Pewter, and a Silver Plated cell phone finding/lanyard.

The lanyard can easily be switched out for a nickel plated key ring at no extra charge.

You can find the owl cell phone charm for sale here:

http://1337art.etsy.com


Hoot-hoot,

Christina
CM Designs
http://1337art.etsy.com
Elite Art for the elite at heart. Featuring jewelry for men and women, art collages, awareness items, bookmarks, cell phone charms, key chains, and more! Custom orders are accepted.

Etsy Artist Feature 16: eringarrisondesign

It is important to show the world the charm of handcrafted items. We intend to do this one Etsy Artist at a time. Today we feature Erin with eringarrisondesign. She specializes in fine art photography, and she does it with a very interesting style.

Below you will find her interview:


1. What is the first memory of crafting that you can recall?

Well, I can remember back to arts and crafts in pre-school. My very, very first drawing ever was a single brown crayon line streaking across a blank sheet of paper. Thats it. Just a brown line. I think I was boycotting structured arts and crafts! I then remember my next attempt at drawing, and, although I can't quite remember what it is I drew, I do remember my aunt (who is an artist herself) telling my mom that she needs to put me in as many art classes as she can. She did, and here I am now, an architect who is also a photographer and graphic designer! And I still have that drawing of the single brown crayon stroke.

2. What do you specialize in?

I specialize in fine art photography, and I also offer graphic design work, which can range from wedding invitations, greeting cards, and announcements to advertisements, and even once in awhile I'll take on website design.



3. What made you decide to open up a shop on Etsy?

I had just started to re-fall in love with photography, I had lost touch with it once I was out of college and had a 'real' job. I would show people my work, and would always get the same response, 'You should sell that!' So, I started to look for a place to sell my work as a side activity. A couple of people who work at my office are Etsy sellers themselves, and they suggested I open up a shop there, too. I checked it out, and it seemed like a fun, supportive, stress-free environment to not only sell my work, but to network with other artists and people who share common passions, and to meet people who can introduce me to other forms of art as well.

4. What are your hopes for the future?

I hope that I can continue on the path that I'm going with my photography and graphic design work. Everyone has to start out small, which is where I am currently at, but I would love for both of them to grow into more than just an occasional side activity. I love the freedom of creativity I have when doing these things, and would like to share my work with as many people as I can!

5. What are some of your favorite past times?

Well, architecture and design, of course! I have been passionate about art for as long as I can remember, I've had a love of architecture since I discovered it in the 8th grade, and I've been interested in photography since early college. So, obviously those are very big in my life. Besides all of that, I love to travel, my husband and I are trying to go someplace new every year. I also love food and wine, especially when combined with the traveling! I enjoy going to movies, shows, sporting events, any sort of entertainment! I also have a love for animals, I have 5 'kids' - 2 English Bulldogs and 3 cats! And of course spending time with my friends, family, and my husband!



6. Try to sum up your workspace in as few words as possible.

My shop is a collection of fun, interesting, beautiful, inspiring creations, with enough variety for everyone to find something that they enjoy!

How do you feel about custom orders?

I gladly accept custom orders! I very much enjoy working with people to create just the right thing for them. I offer custom framing/matting of my prints, graphic enhancement of prints (if someone finds a print that they like but would rather have it in black and white, for instance, or maybe cropped differently, or color added), plus custom graphic design work, as mentioned above. Just contact me and ask!

How did you choose your shop name?

Well, the first part is obviously my first name, followed by my maiden name, and I chose to use the word design rather than 'photography' or 'graphics', because I don't label myself as an architect (even though that's my formal training!) or a photographer, or a graphic designer. I call myself a designer, because thats what I do. I design.

Is there anything else you would like to add?

I would like to also add that a portion of my sales of animal prints will be donated to benefit no-kill animal shelters.

How can people get in contact with you?

I can be reached by email: eringarrisondesign@gmail.com, or by visiting my shop, http://eringarrisondesign.etsy.com and sending me a message there.



Thank you so much for taking the time to read this feature. Feel free to visit Erin's Etsy Shop today for great fine art photography.



Christina

CM Designs

http://1337art.etsy.com

Elite Art for the elite at heart. Featuring jewelry for men and women, art collages, awareness items, bookmarks, cell phone charms, key chains, and more!


Featured Photographs:

Venetian Canal
What Are You Looking At
Nature in Motion

Italian Wine Making

Great Finds - For your Pets!

Attention pet lovers and owners! We have found some great items for your pets. Each item is unique and handmade.

The first thing we wanted to show you is a goldfish cat bed--we've never seen anything like it! Your cat sleeps inside the fish's mouth, and all that's left of them is their tail. It's adorable, and it makes a great gift for yourself, a friend, or your pet.

You can find this clever cat bed for sale here:

http://natdesigns2003.etsy.com

The next thing we found is a cute tighty whitie dog toy! It even squeaks!

If you are tired of your dog (or cat?) eating and playing with your unmentionables, this toy is the perfect solution!

You can find this dog toy for sale here:

http://casbahkitten.etsy.com

Next we have...

Minty organic catnip inside of...that's right, an eye ball!

These are perfect for mischievous kittens and curious cats.

The catnip is made in New England, and the eyes have been kitty tested.

Surprise your favorite kitty today, and have him or her occupied for days.

They are great for chewing, pawing, clawing, patting, and looking cute with.

You can find these catnip eyeballs for sale here:

http://hannapt.etsy.com

The last thing we have to show you today are doggy donuts! They are completely chocolate free, and they are organic! You can even choose your colors!

Coffee for you, and a donut for your dog?

You can find these tasty looking doggy donuts here:

http://thecupcakechronicles.etsy.com

Thank you so much for looking! We hope you enjoy these great pet finds.

Christina
CM Designs
http://1337art.etsy.com
Elite Art for the elite at heart. Featuring jewelry for men and women, art collages, awareness items, bookmarks, cell phone charms, key chains, and more!

Mother's Day (part 2)

I made my fiance's mother a matching bracelet, earrings, and necklace set for Mother's Day.

She is going to receive it a few days late, but it will be worth the wait. I used light sapphire crystals because that is her son's birthstone color.

She has a unique taste in jewelry, and I thought the light sapphire complimented the blacklip shell pendants beautifully. I can already see her wearing the set to work with her to show off to her friends.

The shell pendants display a beautiful Aztec design.


They are made with Sterling Silver, Swarovski Light Sapphire Crystal, Czech Glass, Pewter, and Blacklip Shell.

Interested in a custom order for you or a friend/family member? Please feel free to send an email to 1337art@gmail.com. We can work in your price range in a variety of materials, textures, and colors.

We appreciate you taking the time to read our blog. Feel free to subscribe as we have plans for daily updates including promotional tips, great finds, information articles, updates on new items and events, Etsy Artist features, and more!


Enjoy your week,

Christina
CM Designs
http://1337art.etsy.com
Elite Art for the elite at heart. Featuring jewelry for men and women, art collages, awareness items, bookmarks, cell phone charms, key chains, and more!

Happy Mother's Day

Happy Mother's Day!

For Mother's Day I am going to present this lovely horse necklace and a matching bracelet, along with a few other little goodies.

It's made with pewter, sterling silver, black labradorite, Swarovski Aquamarine Satin crystals, and Czech glass.

I was nervous at first because I didn't think the selected materials would go well, but I am happy with the finished product.

The horse pendant was cut using diamond tipped machines...beautiful detail work.

Finished off with a lovely filigree heart toggle clasp.

Thank you so much for looking!

Happy Mother's Day!

Christina
CM Designs
http://1337art.etsy.com
Elite Art for the elite at heart. Featuring jewelry for men and women, art collages, awareness items, bookmarks, key chains, cell phone charms, and more!

Tribal Mystery Necklace

Embrace the spirit within. This beautiful necklace consists of black and reddish brown. Known for its gentle energy, Mahogany Obsidian is used for strength and protection.

The Mahogany Obsidian pebbles add a defining, natural look.

Approximate maximum length: 15.25 inches - Not as tight as a choker, and the pendant rests nicely between your collar bones.

The sleek and slim pendant measures approximately 46mm x 20mm x4.5mm

Made with Sterling Silver, Mahogany Obsidian, Czech Glass, and Antique Pewter.

This would make a great gift for any strong woman in your life, perhaps a sister.

You can find this lovely necklace for sale at our Etsy Shop:
http://1337art.etsy.com

Thank you so much for your interest!

Christina
CM Designs
http://1337art.etsy.com
Elite Art for the elite at heart. Featuring jewelry for men and women, art collages, awareness items, bookmarks, key chains, cell phone charms, and more!

Etsy Artist Feature 15: ladyjinxjewelry

It is important to show the world the charms of handcrafted items. We plan to do this one Etsy Artist at a time. Today we feature ladyjinxjewelry. She is new to Etsy, and she has a fun, growing selection of jewelry.

Below you can find her interview:

1. What is the first memory of crafting that you can recall?

It's a tough question but I would have to say the days of my little creative self inside my bedroom, where I always had tons of tons of plastic beads that I strung on simple string and made necklaces for my mother to hang on her cars rear view mirror. I always made little key chains too! They were always fun.

2. What do you specialize in?

Handcrafted jewelry and accessories made of glass beads and gemstones and stretchy bracelets made of plastic beads.
3. What made you decide to open up a shop on Etsy?

I started to notice Etsy.com a lot around blogs and beading sites and even deviantART.com where I first started showing my pieces. It looked like a great community and possibly good place for me to start selling some of my jewelry pieces. I read as much as I could on it, and signed up!

4. What are your hopes for the future?

I hope to expand my shop and continue beading jewelry. As for personal, I hope my abilities will grow from this experience.

5. What are some of your favorite past times?

I really enjoy being with my birds, Ash and Kiwi, especially Ash, since he'd attached to me and doesn't like being away from me too much. He's out when I draw or at the computer. I keep him away from my beading though, he might try and snag a bead. Other than my birds, I enjoy doing photography, drawing, and being a gamer girl on guild wars and other video games I own!

6. Try to sum up your workspace in as few words as possible.

My workspace is the small corner in my room right now, across from my birds cage, who always enjoys my company. I have plastic buckets with lids from the dollar store to keep loose beads and spools of wire in. And I have different bead boxes; one for findings, one for gemstones, and one for glass beads. It's small and cramp right now, but it's always fun to make jewelry there!

7. How do you feel about custom orders?

I always think of custom orders as being fun and practice for me. You're making the piece that accommodates the customer, and you're getting the satisfaction of making them smile and expanding your personal skills.

8. How did you choose your shop name?

I wasn't able to come up with a fancy name like some of the shops I've seen on Etsy. So I looked towards my nickname I've had for years now, Lady Jinx. It's been my nickname in real life and online for a lot of people and it's now stuck to me. So I thought, I'm Lady Jinx and what do I make? Jewelry! So there we go, Lady Jinx's Jewelry!

Is there anything else you would like to add?

Nope. I think I said all of it :)

How can people get in contact with you?

On Etsy: http://ladyjinxjewelry.etsy.com
Blog: http://ladyjinxjewelry.blogspot.com

deviantART: http://ladyjinx-shop.deviantart.com
Myspace: http://myspace.com/ladyjinxjewelry

Thank you so much for your interest,

Christina
CM Designs
http://1337art.etsy.com
Elite Art for the elite at heart. Featuring jewelry for men and women, awareness items, art collages, bookmarks, cell phone charms, key chains, and more!

Featured items:

Ocean Spray Gemstone Bracelet
Vintage Red Cross Bracelet
Elegant Purple Bracelet

Great website in need of support.

Recently the owner of Meta Web Pages has been unable to keep up with his personal blog and promotional forum.

His forum is a great place for both buyers and sellers of handmade items to share a community. Sellers are able to promote their items, and buyers are able to search for what they are looking for with many different categories. Buyers are also able to make topics concerning custom orders and rare things that they want to purchase.

Please follow the link below to see the forum with currently 248 members. We need to get the forums actively going so people can rely on selling and purchasing from them:

http://www.metawebpages.com/forum/index.php

Thank you so much for your interest,

Christina
CM Designs
http://1337art.etsy.com
Elite Art for the elite at heart. Featuring jewelry for men and women, bookmarks, art collages, awareness items, key chains, cell phone charms, and more!

Promotional Tip - Local Flyers

If you take a moment to think of all the bulletin boards that exist in your area, you'll discover the great (and free!) promotional opportunities for your business.

You can locate bulletin boards at libraries, gas stations, malls, parks, bus stops, among many other places. If you have friends and relatives that live out of state, it is a great idea to send them some flyers so they can put them up in their area.

The best flyer format includes contact information on loose strips of paper preferably on the bottom of the flyer. This allows interested people a convenient way to check out your website - all they need to do is rip one of the slips of paper off the flyer and stick it in their pocket.

Some people like to use florescent and pastel colored paper for their flyers not only because it catches people's attention, but it also allows for easy identification to see if the flyer needs to be replaced.

The next time you're out and about consider looking at the local flyers. You can decide what you like and what you would do better.

Thank you for reading,

Christina
CM Designs
http://1337art.etsy.com
Elite Art for the elite at heart. Featuring jewelry for men and women, art collages, bookmarks, awareness items, cell phone charms, key chains, and more!

Self Injury Awareness

Self Harm (SH), self-inflicted violence (SIV), and/or self injurious behavior (SIB) is a worldwide issue. It is impossible to say just how many people are suffering from this behavior.

People use self-injury as a coping mechanism to relieve emotional pain or discomfort. They self harm without suicidal intent.

All profits from our awareness items are donated. The profits of our Self Injury items are being donated to:

http://www.yspp.org/index.htm

It is okay to show your support.

Red and black are the colors of self injury awareness, and we chose to use copper, as it is not a popular color/material.

You can find both Self Injury Awareness items for sale at our Etsy shop:

http://1337art.etsy.com

Thank you so much for looking. We are hoping to add more awareness items soon.

Christina
CM Designs
http://1337art.etsy.com
Elite Art for the elite at heart. Featuring jewelry for men and women, art collages, awareness items, bookmarks, key chains, cell phone charms, and more!

Breakfast time!

We all know breakfast is the most important meal of the day--it's time to show our love! We have found three wonderful breakfast items that will get us all thinking about breakfast in a new light.

First we have this clever Breakfast Platter Pendant by Komodokat.

Bacon, eggs, and toast never looked so cute! This pendant is made with polymer clay, and it is hand painted with acrylics and glaze.

Come visit Komodokat's Etsy Shop for more cute items:

http://komodokat.etsy.com

Next we have a beautiful cappuccino candle that looks too real to be made of wax! The burn time will vary between 35-45 hours. Handcrafted by jlock38.

What a great gift this will make for someone! Mmm, the house will smell amazing!!

This candle is also available in Irish Cream, Hot Chocolate (with mini marshmallows) and a Hazelnut Blend.

Come visit jlock38's Etsy Shop today for an amazing variety of novelty candles:

http://jlocke38.etsy.com


The third thing we came across is this lovely Breakfast in Love card set by peasoup.

You get a flirty cup of coffee, naughty bacon, sweet toast, happy pancakes, and a sizzlin`egg.

Know a friend or a family member that owns a Bed and Breakfast? These cards would be a very cute touch for them to leave their guests with a little thank you note inside.

The cards are also sold individually in peasoup's etsy shop:

http://peasoup.etsy.com

Thank you so much for your interest!! Happy breakfast time!

Christina
CM Designs
http://1337art.etsy.com
Elite Art for the elite at heart - featuring jewelry for men and women, art collage, awareness items, bookmarks, key chains, cell phone charms, and more!

Great ACEO Finds!

We have found a few (out of many) great ACEOs that we wanted to share with you.

ACEO stands for 'Art Cards, Editions and Originals'. They are a standard size (2.5" by 3.5"), and are a great way of buying a piece of original art at a very low price. They are fun to collect and display.

There are many uses for ACEOs:

*Wall/desk/notebook art
*Miniature greeting note/card for a bouquet of flowers
*Coffee table book
*A fun little extra in a birthday card
*Cubicle art
*A unique addition to your personal collection
*Inspiration

The first ACEO is entitled Koi Pond by jenmaestre. This unique piece of art features actual bits of pencils, and it's finished with satin oil based poly. Come visit jenmaestre's Etsy shop today!

http://jenmaestre.etsy.com

The next ACEO we have to show you is this lovely Bounty Fairy Door by ZudaGay made entirely out of polymer clay!

The details of the door, the hinges, the flowers...they're just beautiful!

Come visit ZudaGay's Etsy Shop today:

http://zudagay.etsy.com

And the third ACEO we have for you is She doesn't open the mail by 7redhead.

It's vintage, it's stylish, and she shows much attitude! The ripped bits of printed text, and the picture of the woman, and the butterfly are all perfect and feel so right.

Come visit 7redhead's Etsy Shop today:

http://7redhead.etsy.com


Thank you so much for stopping by! It is much appreciated!

Christina
CM Designs
http://1337art.etsy.com
Elite Art for the elite at heart - featuring jewelry for men and women, art collages, awareness items, key chains, cell phone charms, and more!

Coffee addiction?

A coffee addiction is nothing to be ashamed of. We all just share an intimate bond with the lovely elixir.

We have made two more coffee themed items: one bookmark and a pair of earrings.

These fun items feature the dilemma of a coffee addition (in good humor, of course!) Handcuffs, a key, and yet we always go back to our coffee. :)

Now you can read with style and an added elegance! This lovely bookmark is available in a cute 3.5 inch size! Perfect to take along with you almost everywhere!
Great for paper or hardbacks!

Tired of using toilet paper or folding the corners of pages to mark your spot in the book you're reading? It's time to upgrade! We offer a variety of bookmarks to best suit your personal style!

Are you looking for a unique gift? We accept custom orders! Whether you want a ribbon bookmark or a beaded one--with a coffee theme, a kitchen theme, an inspirational theme, a sports theme...we can create it for you!

Not sure how to present your unique gift?

*We can gift wrap it for you at no extra charge!
*You can slip it into their current book while they're asleep!
*You can include it in a coffee/tea/new book gift basket for a fun leisure surprise!

They also make great gifts for teachers!

These earrings are mismatched for that extra unique point. One earring has handcuffs with a coffee bean, and the other earring has a key with a coffee bean.

Comes with two rubber clutches.

You can find both items for sale at our Etsy shop:

http://1337art.etsy.com

Thank you so much for your interest! It's time to go get a cup of coffee!

Christina
CM Designs
http://1337art.etsy.com
Elite Art for the elite at heart - featuring jewelry for men and women, awareness items, bookmarks, art collages, key chains, cell phone charms, and more!

Etsy Artist Feature 14: maiaart

It is important to show the world the charms of handcrafted items. We plan to do this one Etsy Artist at a time. Today we feature maiaart. She does beautiful artwork with watercolors and pyrograph gourd art. I purchased her freedom horse (as pictured) greeting card to give to mom for Mother's Day. Maia is so nice to work with and she is so very friendly and helpful.

Below you will find her interview:

1. What is the first memory of crafting that you can recall?

My first memory of crafting would be mud pies. They were great mud pies, I made them with the neighbor kid “Brian”. We decorated them with leaves and beautiful little rocks. They were very unique, I have never seen any like them since!!!

2. What do you specialize in?

I am finding a love for painting, this is something I have never done before except for using the dyes on my Gourd art. Using the watercolors and bottled inks have been very interesting. My specialty or my great passion has always been Pyrograph Gourd Art. I have been an artist in that field for over 20 years. My hands are whining and I needed to find some other way to create and share. So, painting is a wonderful way to share emotions with other people. I have purchased art for so many years because of how it makes me feel, now I can try to share that with others.

3. What made you decide to open up a shop on Etsy?

I kept running into little icons that talked about “etsy” when I was selling ACEO’s on eBay. Finally I asked one of the artists what they thought. The thing that struck me was that it was so affordable to list and it was a community. I was not sure what she meant by that, but once I got started then I really realized how incredible of a community it was!!

4. What are your hopes for the future?

In the future I hope to be doing what I am doing now only different, in the sense of change and growth happen so I am excited to see where it leads.

5. What are some of your favorite past times?

My bliss time is spent kayaking, walking, and learning the obvious that I did not see. Cultures, I love learning about different cultures. When the Monks from Bhutan stayed with us I learned so much in 3 months. Even with language barriers, because body language is very telling when that is what you have to communicate with!

Much laughter goes with that!

6. Try to sum up your workspace in as few words as possible.

My workspace, well it is an optical allusion of chaos, it truly is so organized!!

How do you feel about custom orders?

Custom orders are not something I do much of at this time. I do have people send a specific amount of money and say “use this up” for gourd art etc.. They may choose a theme such as Hawaiian or Maori or what ever they come up with. Then the rest is up to me!!

People can contact me through; maiaart.etsy.com or; joylife3@olypen.com

Is there anything else you'd like to add?

It is artists like Christina that help support and promote the camaraderie between artist.

Thank you so much for your interest! Feel free to leave comments for Maia to see!

Christina
CM Designs
http://1337art.etsy.com
Elite Art for the elite at heart - Featuring jewelry for men and women, bookmarks, art collages, cell phone charms, key chains, and more!

Featured items:

Moonlit Seahorse Greeting Card
Freedom Horse Greeting Card
Momma's of Africa