Spring is here. Blossoms are bursting forth on the trees. I wondered just yesterday what it would look like when the rosemary was blooming, and there it was. Tiny and lavender, in case you wondered.

It appears as though it has finally warmed up a bit in North Carolina as well, though still raining, where my good friend Sarahbeth has just launched the new spring 2010 line for Unabashed Apparel.

Captured by brilliant photographer Jana Busbin, Sarahbeth's organic daily wear collection boasts fairly traded organic hand-dyed fabrics, as well the impeccable classy style of a sassy southern woman.
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This month's craft category advertising contest had several winners; there were so many talented entrants, I just couldn't choose. Winners receive a month of free advertising on this blog. This is one of the lucky winners:

Olga Kononova of Neroli Handmade Artisan Jewelry has been making things with her hands her whole life. She grew up in Russia, and now lives happily in California. Olga's unique designs are sure to delight.

Visit her Etsy Shop.

This month's craft category advertising contest had several winners; there were so many talented entrants, I just couldn't choose. Winners receive a month of free advertising on this blog. This is one of the lucky winners:

Maria of Giertta refers to her jewelry as "Scandinavian Sleek." Maria is originally from Sweden, buy just recently moved to Australia. A qualified gemologist with the Gemmological Association of Great Britain, her favorite gemstones with which to work are tourmalines.

Visit her Etsy Shop, Website, and Blog.

This month's craft category advertising contest had several winners; there were so many talented entrants, I just couldn't choose. Winners receive a month of free advertising on this blog. This is one of the lucky winners:

Chriss Smith of The Art of Zen... Crochet loves working with natural fibers and repurposed items in her crocheted work. Chriss seeks materials that are eco-friendly or that enrich the lives of those who are disadvantaged. Chriss is currently running a giveaway (details on her blog) in honor of Earth Day, 2010. The hip and classy looking hat below was made from gently used repurposed t-shirts.

Visit her Etsy Shop and Blog.

This month's craft category advertising contest had several winners; there were so many talented entrants, I just couldn't choose. Winners receive a month of free advertising on this blog. This is one of the lucky winners:

Lori of Lori Citsay Jewelry is a self-taught jewelry artist / metalsmith. Her beautiful designs are somehow simultaneously delicate and sturdy. This particular piece unleashes my imagination as I struggle to decide what that little rosy spot could represent.

Lori has shops on Etsy and 1000 Markets.

Cozy is a good way to put it.

Each time I read Alicia Paulson's blog, Posie Gets Cozy, I find myself snuggled on the couch, enveloped in the fluffiest blanket in the house. Soft, cool, winter afternoon light spills across the room, and I seem to be getting something done while doing nothing at all.

At least that's how it feels.

Alicia has a way of harnessing a perfect afternoon, replete with just the right amount of crafty inspiration, good food, present loved ones, and relaxing pace with her brilliant writing and beautiful photography.

Alicia's shop, Posie: Rosy Little Things is where you can find many of her patterns, or you can check out her book, STITCHED IN TIME: Memory-Keeping Projects to Sew and Share.

An excerpt from the blog post titled: "Knitting"
"In a strange way, I love knitting more than any of the other crafts I do. Its stitches have been harder won, and are somehow more precious to me. The fact that my dad might have thought it was cool is precious to me. I never do it for "work," the way I do sewing or crochet or embroidery designs; knitting is only for me, and only ever will be." (Photo below from the same post).

This month's "Yellow" advertising contest was a photography competition with a theme of "winter." Entrants were asked to submit photographs of ice, snow, bare trees, winter wildlife, or anything they do in winter to keep themselves warm and their spirits up.

The winning entry was submitted by Alina & T. The win includes one month of advertising on this blog.

Alina & T is a relatively new shop on Etsy, and is operated by Alina of Sofia, Bulgaria. Alina's jewelry is whimsical and modern; it is feminine without being too girly. Learn more about Alina & T on both Facebook and Twitter.

Alina's winning photograph:

This delightful little bit of winter was taken in the town of Cesky Krumlov in the Czech Republic (South Bohemian Region). It is known for its medieval castle and well preserved old town, and the photo is taken looking out from that castle. The river you see is Vltava, the same river found in Prague.

My good friend, C. Bay Milin of Brooklyn, took advantage of the snowpocalypse 2010 with this brilliant shot, among others. I love Bay's photography; it is refreshing to see the world through his eye.

I want to see the winter world through your eye, too. Do you have your own great winter photo? Enter my advertising contest. The best winter photo submission will win a month of free advertising on this blog. There's just one more day before the deadline!

This month's "Orange" advertising contest was an essay competition: How does your craft reflect your personality? Would examining a selection of your creations give someone who doesn't know you a good idea of who you are, or would they get it all wrong?

The winning entry was submitted by Can't Forget Cards. The win includes one month of advertising on this blog.

Can't Forget Cards is headed up by two UNC graduates. Each card is handmade and one of a kind, and the artists employ a variety of media to create the cards. As Megan states in her essay below, each card's interior message is also a bit of a twist, ensuring that Can't Forget Cards are truly unforgettable.

Megan's winning essay:

As my main creative outlet, my cards reveal the real me. Because my cards are original, a lot of thought goes into making them; I have to pull from my background and life experiences for ideas (for example, I own a husky. One of the cards includes a drawing of huskies pulling a sled).

My attention to detail on the cards also applies to all other aspects of my life; I like to get things done, and well. While working on a card I often use pencil first, which highlights the fact that I don't like to rush into things. Once I have a plan I'm happy with, I commit firmly - in this case with markers (ha ha).

This card in particular speaks a lot about me: Checker Cupid Card

My favorite color is green and the card uses green in it. Just kidding, it's so much deeper than that. By poking fun not only at the entire Valentine's Day holiday, but also delivering an unexpected message, my sarcasm and wit shine through in this card's overall message.  Also what you see on the outside of this card, isn't necessarily what you get on the inside - sort of a creed I live my life by: the good ol' don't judge a book by its cover.

Because they cover many topics, and use many different materials, my cards show that I'm fun, interesting and eclectic. They're more a labor of love than anything else, so my soul goes into them.

Northern California artist Marianne Bland of Truc d'Art is on a mission; she is creating a new piece of art every day for an entire year. All of this effort is being documented in her blog, Art Project 2010, in which she dishes up "fresh art (& snark) daily!"

Since I love me some good art, and some good snark, I decided to check it out. Marianne employs a striking variety of style and texture, and the year is just beginning...

Of all the posts so far, my favorite is Day 36. I have spent many days contemplating the twisted, stately eucalyptus trees of Northern California. Each time I return, the smell of "euks" (as I call them in my head) brings me back to memories of warm days surrounded by the trees that seemed always green and always brown at the same time.

I find it interesting then, that the opening lines of Marianne's description of the day so closely reflect my own feelings about eucalyptus trees and returning to a place in which I spent so much time.

An artist is, of course, entitled to feel anything they wish about their own art, but I think this one is a winner, and not "meh" at all.

Here is Marianne's original post:

It’s a weird feeling to drive down the streets of your hometown after a long time away. Routes I used to take every day are both familiar and odd at the same time. It’s as if I can feel the space of time, as if it’s palpable. Being here made me think of the things I used to do here. When I was upset or frustrated, I cherished my alone time in my car. I didn’t have to deal with crowds or lines or traffic or anything, it would just be me and my CD player and my sketchbook. I used to drive out to Ohlone, the community college in Fremont, and park in front of a eucalyptus tree for hours. I’d draw and write and sip coffee. I always wanted to do a nice watercolor of the trees, the way the bark falls away in strips and leaves unexpected colors in lines wrapping around the trunk like brushstrokes.

But watercolor and I have a rocky relationship. We go through phases. Sometimes it’s all movies-and-dinner and fabulous conversation, and other times  it’s walking on eggshells and constant arguments that end in walking away from each other.

Yesterday’s painting took so long that I wanted to do something faster today. I drove out to some of the giant eucalyptus trees near the sushi place at 5:30 with about 25 minutes of light left.

I did a quick charcoal sketch, then came home and picked a palette of the secondaries and abstracted it a little. I feel “meh” about it, but they can’t all be winners.