Every year I make a resolution to eat more fruit. (Vegetables I have no problem with, but fruit is a much harder sell for me. I think it’s a texture issue.) This year, I’ve rediscovered my love of pears! Why in the world do I ever stop eating them? Light and crisp, a perfectly ripe pear is a thing of beauty. Maybe if I fill my house with these pear themed items, I’ll remember to eat them year round.

Perfect Pears

Whether your decor is shabby chic, rustic, or French Country, this photograph would be right at home. Lisa Russo added a vintage texture treatment to her photo of pears from the farmer’s market, giving it a timeless feel.

Papercatz calls these hand stamped hanging tags Perfect Pear. Wouldn’t they be darling adorning gifts for twins? Or an newly engaged couple? They come in a set of 6 and include natural twine ties so you can add them anyplace you’d like.

Inedible Jewelry’s miniature food jewelry will have you gasping in delight. So tiny and with so much detail! Purchase their creations, like this luscious pear necklace, or buy their book, The Polymer Clay Cookbook, and learn to make your own treats.

Fun and colorful, this collection of pears is a print of Art by Kellie’s original pen drawing that has been scanned in and digitally composed. Scrumptious, indeed!

Needle felted from yellow wool, this pear doubles as a dish! At over 8 inches tall, you’ll find no end of uses for it. (Oh and you haven’t seen cute until you’ve seen Laura Lee Burch’s needle felted dog sculptures!)

Create this pear (as well as a matching apple!) with step by step guidance of a PDF knitting pattern from Fluff and Fuzz. Use them as pincushions, home decor, or even soft toys.

SkyeArt has a shop filled with hand sculpted, painted, and stamped polymer clay creations. These ones read Let It Be but you can choose from a large variety of sayings.

Happy Stalking!
Curator V.

My twelve year old daughter, who has long had more fashion sense than I will ever have, has declared turquoise and orange to be her latest, favorite color combination. While the pairing wouldn’t have occurred to me naturally, as I looked around I realized that the two play off each other beautifully, adding freshness and energy everywhere they’re found.

Color Story: Turquoise & Orange

Paper Jayne is filled with handmade stylish coptic bound journals. The orange rhino on the turquoise cover will certainly get those creative juices flowing.

Handwoven using the African Zulu basket pattern, this piece is the perfect size to hold jewelry or candy. Made from plastic coated wire and hand washable, Apple Creek Crafts can weave it in a variety of color combinations for you.

These lampwork beads add a pop of summertime wherever you put them. They come in a set of four made to order by Studio Mees & Merel in her home studio in the Netherlands.

Textile Platypus made this little felted dragon from merino wool she dyed herself. It’s one of a collection of absolutely charming creatures to be found in her shop. (Yes, there IS a platypus!)

Billijo Smith is a college student working on her fine arts degree. She paints to supplement her living expenses. Both vibrant and stark, I’m drawn to her oil and acrylic painting.

This dichroic glass pendant contains stripes of rich orange and salmon accented beautifully by a single silvery blue patch. It’s available, along with much more fused glass jewelry and home decor, from First Light Glass.

I love the way Joy Funnell has incorporated various shades of blue and orange into this stunning ring. The blue zircon in the center is echoed by the shiny cubic zirconia around the outside, while the orange and turquoise enamel “flower” gives in an exotic flair.

Happy Stalking!
Curator V.

I’ve had this piece in my favorites for ages. Sweet gemstone flowers, skillful wire work, a lovely old-fashioned feel…the entire pendant is a well-thought out piece of art. After going back to it for the umpteenth time, I finally got smart and asked its creator, Rhonda of Shadow Jewels, to do a Solo Exhibit.

Like any woman, Rhonda is captivated by a whole host of things and her resulting designs defy simple categorization. She loves to repurpose vintage finds: The focal point of this necklace is an old chandelier crystal hanging from a vintage nouveau style brass vine centerpiece. Additional Swarovski crystals add sparkle to an elegant piece.

Because Rhonda finds inspiration in so many materials–everything from gemstones to crystals to rhinestones to glass–her offerings fit every price range. These earrings feature vintage West German glass beads from the 1950′s. Priced at only $15, they drip with romance and shine.

Inspired by the winter sky at sunset on the solstice, spinel rondelles range from palest cotton candy to rose to plum creating an ombre effect. Swirling tourmalinated quartz teardrops finish it off with drama and mystery.

Whatever her inspiration, Rhonda’s pieces are decidedly feminine. One of a number of shabby chic pieces in her shop, I love the mixture of honeysuckle she’s used in this Pink Sugar bracelet. The variety of textures and finishes keep it sweet without crossing over into syrupy.

Curator V: How did you get your start making jewelry?

Well, about 12 years ago, I got a new computer. Once I got online, unfortunately I discovered cybershopping. That was when my passion for vintage jewelry began. I started collecting Victorian jewelry, but that was frustrating for me because the pieces I really wanted were too expensive. Then one day I bought a necklace with a broken clasp~ a bargain! And decided to learn how to fix it. When I found you could buy vintage beads and jewelry parts online, that was the end of my normal life. Zowie! ‘This will be much cheaper’, I thought. Sure! Now I have a whole room full of the stuff. It has not been cheaper than buying the Victorian jewelry, but it sure has been more fun.

Curator V: You’ve been on Etsy since 2008. What made you decide to join then? What changes have you seen there over the past 4 years?

At that time, I was selling on another venue that catered more to the vintage shops. When I found Etsy, it just seemed like a perfect fit to me. I admire their commitment to supporting the handmade community. I am inspired every day by the creative people I meet there.
Etsy has grown tremendously, and there have been many positive changes since then. My favorites are the shop stats, and the changes to teams, and the treasury. I also love the new Discover feature on the home page.

I believe we are now entering the times that will be the true test of Etsy. As the site becomes more successful, the big resellers are more and more attracted to selling there. Will Etsy take a firm stand against them and protect the handmade marketplace? We shall see.

Curator V: Your design style is always beautiful, but nearly impossible to categorize. Is that intentional?

Yes, I suppose it is. My tastes are not limited to one certain look or style. To make exactly the same kind of thing day after day is just so tedious to me. The truth is, I make what I like, and that is somewhat eclectic. I am not a factory, after all.

Curator V: How would you describe the woman you design for?

My customers are independent, free thinkers, who love the art in beautiful jewelry, and care about buying treasures that are made with love and not mass produced.

Curator V: What can we expect from Shadow Jewels in the future?

I am working on some designs for more wire wrapped gemstone earrings and pendants. Coming soon!

Our giveaway is bound to have you buzzing! This necklace features a vintage brass honeybee adorned with vintage topaz and cream glass beads. To enter, visit Shadow Jewels then come back here and leave a comment with your favorite item. One winner to be chosen at random next Sunday, May 20th.

(Reading this via a feed? Here’s a direct link to the giveaway.)

Announcement: Etsy Stalker is now on Pinterest and you’re all invited to join the Show Me Your Etsy board. This is a place where you can pin items from your shop or share an Etsy find. See you there!

The tenth of each month means new Shadowboxes! Meet each of our featured shops and teams here.

In regular exhibits, Curator Ivy was Barking Up The Right Tree and Curator Violet put together a collection of ceramic casseroles and baking dishes in the newest Handmade Kitchen exhibit.

{Solo Exhibit and Giveaway}

French Canadian jewelry maker Virginie Martin combines sterling silver and stones to create jewelry for women, children, and men that spans the spectrum from casual to chic. Enter here to win her Oxidized Silver Necklace.

{Visit Our Sponsors}

Kumo Temari – Japanese-style thread-wrapped embroidered spheres
Just Dangles – Handmade Charms and Pendants
Loz Feliz – Fall in Love with this Comedic Webseries
Mad Cap Fun – Bottle Caps for Grown Ups
ClosetFull – Vintage items from a lifetime of collecting

Interested in advertising on Etsy Stalker? Details here

{Shadowboxes and Giveaways}

See the 9 Individual Shops and Etsy Teams in our May Shadowbox Gallery!

Here are this month’s Shadowbox Giveaways!

Win an Eau de Natural Parfum from Esscentual Alchemy
Win Little Pearl Gold Filled Earrings from Veronica Russek Joyas
Two Winners! Win Custom Story Beads from Tesori Trovati Jewelry
Win a Peeking Watermelon Necklace from Serasi Jewelry
Three Winners! Win Hair Flowers & a Surprise Box of Goodies from MsFormaldehyde
Win a Four Piece Gift Set from Southern Twisted Soaps
Win a Cowrie Shell Bracelet from Wirequeen Jewelry

Think your shop has what it takes to be a part of our Curated Shadowbox Gallery? Information and details here.

Have a wonderful weekend!

Love,
Curator Violet

This month we’ve got everything from luscious soaps and perfumes to dramatic burlesque accessories and (of course) a sparkling trove of jewelry both handmade and vintage! Be sure to check each Shadowbox for giveaways and coupon codes just for our Etsy Stalker readers.

NOTE: A number of Etsy sellers have put their shops in vacation mode today to silently protest some of Etsy’s policies. (You can learn more about this here.) If you find that some of our featured shops are closed today, take some time to understand why and know that they will be open again tomorrow.

Veronica Russek Joyas Veronica Russek Joyas is closing in on her 300th sale (I’m thrilled to have been sale #299!) and she’s offering a fabulous discount on her gemstone and pearl jewelry to celebrate!

Esscentual Alchemy Handmade in small batches, the all natural perfumes and colognes from Esscentual Alchemy will transport you to an uplifting emotional place. Check out her sample sets to discover the scent that speaks to you.

one98one Clever and fresh, one98one uses wood, acrylic, and fabric to create playful necklaces and brooches that will definitely have you standing out from the crowd.

Serasi Jewelry Overflowing with tropical color, you’ll find that geometry and organic design thrive together at Serasi Jewelry. It’s easy to see why she was our fan favorite last month!

Tesori Trovati Jewelry This month, Tesori Trovati is proud to be the featured Art Bead Blog Partner for Vintaj.com. Check out her special set of limited edition pendants inspired by the theme “Storybook”.

MsFormaldehyde If her edgy and dramatic hair flowers, feather fascinators, and bridal accessories weren’t enough to lure you in, she’s sweetening the pot by offering a pair of free earrings with every purchase this month!

Southern Twisted Soaps Pamper yourself with handmade soaps, lotions, and body sprays all in mouth-watering scents from Southern Twisted Soaps. Along with items for you, you’ll find great Dad-themed gifts here.

VJSE The Vintage Jewelry Sellers on Etsy Team is back with their never-ending supply of vintage jewelry and accessories. Take a trip back in time and find the piece that’s perfect for today’s you.

Wirequeen Jewelry Using wire, gemstones, cowrie shells and more, Wirequeen Jewelry takes wire wrapping to the next level to create beautiful, sculptural designs.