Introducing Creative Inspirations by Lisa! Today's CityCraft Handmade Holiday Happy Hour Market Featured Artist.

Today’s featured CityCraft artist is Lisa Winne Clark of Creative Inspirations by Lisa.

An established jewelry & calligraphy artist, Lisa has been practicing her craft for over 28 years. She enjoys using semi precious stones, Swarovski crystals & other unique vintage finds to create lovely handmade cameo & gemstone jewelry pieces.


As Lisa explains on her Etsy shop profile, her part-time crafting hobby evolved into a full-time crafting business after a series of unfortunate events occurred in her life. She credits her faith in God & the support of her husband for helping her to overcome life’s difficulties. Lisa not only offers us exceptional jewelry & calligraphy but bestows us this great life advice, “ if anything negative ever happens to you (hopefully, it won't), always turn it into something positive! It will heighten your spirit and inspire others to realize that there is another, more constructive way of handling a negative situation.”

A true talent & inspiration!

Lisa is another extraordinary member of Etsy Pittsburgh & we are so pleased to have her on the team!

And so we welcome you to Navarra on December 18th from 5:00 pm to 9:00 pm to shop local, shop handmade, and see Creative Inspirations by Lisa along with numerous other talented artisans.

Introducing Birds of a Feather! Today's CityCraft Handmade Holiday Happy Hour Market Featured Artist.

Welcome to the special Thanksgiving holiday weekend edition of the Etsy Pittsburgh CityCraft blog artist features! Due to illness in the family (first my youngest son who kindly shared with the rest of the family) and the Thanksgiving holiday, blog entries are a bit behind so I'm issuing multiple artist features to get caught up.

I'm pleased to introduce you to the fourth of these featured CityCraft artists - Birds of a Feather.

Emily Acita and Kathryn Koffler, of Birds of a Feather, say they make "handmade jewelry created out of vintage buttons (drawings/paintings are done on shank buttons) and other small handmade items like cards and Christmas ornaments."

From their blog, "Birds of a Feather is an art studio in Lawrenceville run by Emily Acita and Katie Koffler. Emily and Katie work independently and collaboratively to create textile art, paintings, drawings, and jewelry."

Come to Navarra on December 18th from 5:00 pm to 9:00 pm to shop local, shop handmade, and see Birds of a Feather along with numerous other talented artisans.

Introducing Sunstone Soap! Friday's CityCraft Handmade Holiday Happy Hour Market Featured Artist.

Welcome to the special Thanksgiving holiday weekend edition of the Etsy Pittsburgh CityCraft blog artist features! Due to illness in the family (first my youngest son who kindly shared with the rest of the family) and the Thanksgiving holiday, blog entries are a bit behind so I'm issuing multiple artist features to get caught up.

I'm pleased to introduce you to the third of these featured CityCraft artists - Sunstone Soap.

Kim Piper, of Sunstone Soap, says she makes "over 25 body soaps, face soaps, and Fluffy Puppy soap. In addition to this, we offer a growing product line that includes: body scrubs, facial toner and oils, shea cream, salves, mists, massage bars and oils, bath salts, and lip balms."

From her website: "Welcome to our store! Handmade Sunstone Soaps are a natural blend of plant oils and fragrances, colors and exfoliates. Unlike mass-produced commercial soap bars, these hand-crafted soaps do not contain animal fats, hardeners, deodorants or chemicals that can be drying to your skin. Sunstone Soaps retain all of their natural glycerin moisturizers making them especially gentle on your skin.

Our products are made without animal testing. Products have been tested on family and friends only. A portion of all proceeds are donated to animal welfare organizations or FSMA."

Come to Navarra on December 18th from 5:00 pm to 9:00 pm to shop local, shop handmade, and see Sunstone Soap along with numerous other talented artisans.

Introducing Sticks-n-Stones! Thursday's CityCraft Handmade Holiday Happy Hour Featured Artist.

Welcome to the special Thanksgiving holiday weekend edition of the Etsy Pittsburgh CityCraft blog artist features! Due to illness in the family (first my youngest son who kindly shared with the rest of the family) and the Thanksgiving holiday, blog entries are a bit behind so I'm issuing multiple artist features to get caught up.

I'm pleased to introduce you to the second of these featured CityCraft artists - Sticks-n-Stones.

Catherine Leger, of Sticks-n-Stones, makes unique "rock oil candles".

Come to Navarra on December 18th from 5:00 pm to 9:00 pm to shop local, shop handmade, and see Sticks-n-Stones along with numerous other talented artisans.

Introducing Silent Lotus Designs! Wednesday's CityCraft Handmade Holiday Happy Hour Featured Artist!

Welcome to the special Thanksgiving holiday weekend edition of the Etsy Pittsburgh CityCraft blog artist features! Due to illness in the family (first my youngest son who kindly shared with the rest of the family) and the Thanksgiving holiday, blog entries are a bit behind so I'm issuing multiple artist features to get caught up.

I'm pleased to introduce you to the first of these featured CityCraft artists - Silent Lotus Designs!

Kylie Dickman, of Silent Lotus Designs says she makes "Unique handcrafted jewelry of sterling silver or pure brass with gems and minerals, inspired by the designs of nature and the beauty of simplicity. "

From her Etsy profile, "A deep fondness and appreciation for gems and minerals makes creating with them a very spiritual process for me. I love to blend them with sterling silver and pure brass because it enhances both the beauty and the properties of the stones. Painting is another mode of spiritual exploration for me. I have taken traditional Chinese forms of brushwork and technique and blended them with western ideas and methods. The result is my own inspired "style" of brush painting in which I try to capture the rhythm and beauty of the brushwork, while conveying the true qualities of the subject and instilling a sense of flow and energy. I love to share my creations with others and find them a good home. :)

She is also an invaluable member of the Etsy Pittsburgh Team and is frequently seen vending at local events and is always one of the first members to volunteer to help the team wherever needed.

Come to Navarra on December 18th from 5:00 pm to 9:00 pm to shop local, shop handmade, and see Silent Lotus Designs along with numerous other talented artisans.

Introducing Cerca Jewelry! Today's CityCraft Handmade Holiday Happy Hour Featured Artist.

Today’s featured CityCraft artist is Laura Wetzel of Cerca Jewelry.

Laura is an accomplished jewelry artist whose designs are funky, bold & modern. Her hand-crafted pieces reflect a unique pairing of materials perfect for work or play. Laura skillfully hammers, oxidizes, tarnishes & brushes sterling silver & blends it with copper, plastic & rubber to create works that dazzle, “with a nod to old Hollywood glamour.” Her sexy chic jewelry makes a strikingly elegant statement anytime.

As Laura explains on her website, “What is CERCA, you may ask? Jewelry. Jewelry with a little bling and a lotta moxy. These are not your mother’s pearls. We gave those back. Honest.
Well she wasn’t using them, anyway.”
Amen!

Laura is another extremely talented member of Etsy Pittsburgh & we are thrilled to have her on the team!

And so we welcome you to Navarra on December 18th from 5:00 pm to 9:00 pm to shop local, shop handmade, and see Cerca Jewlery along with numerous other talented artisans.

Introducing Kitty Savel of Beads from Wallpaper! Today's CityCraft Handmade Holiday Happy Hour Featured Artist.

Today’s featured CityCraft artist is Kitty Savel of Beads from Wallpaper!

Kitty is an earth savvy jewelry artist who specializes in creating unique beads using wallpaper. She combines her wallpaper beads with other kinds of beads to make stylish necklaces, earrings & bracelets. When crafting her wallpaper beads, Kitty uses expired wallpaper books given to her by local merchants. For the non-wallpaper beads she uses in her works, Kitty tries to use recycled & repurposed beads found at various flea markets & thrift shops.

Kitty recently joined Etsy Pittsburgh & undoubtedly makes a welcome addition to the team!

Come to Navarra on December 18th from 5:00 pm to 9:00 pm to shop local, shop handmade, and see Kitty Savel of Beads from Wallpaper along with numerous other talented artisans.

Introducing Charmed By Nature! Today's CityCraft Handmade Holiday Happy Hour Featured Artist.

I’m pleased to introduce you to today’s featured CityCraft artist - Charmed By Nature!

Lynne Kropinak of Charmed By Nature, handcrafts engaging & whimsical jewelry inspired by nature. Lynne incorporates “real” nature into her works, using real leaves pressed into polymer clay to make her leaf beads & pendants. She also uses various flea market finds & semi precious stones to create what she describes as “jewelry with a sense of humor” reflecting “a love of nature & fun.” Lynne often hand paints her polymer pendants & beads & has recently added the art of silver metal clay to her repertoire.

Lynne is also an avid knitter & has begun having what she describes as “a love affair with colorful, fuzzy & oh-so-touchable yarn.” She has recently opened a second Etsy shop, Back to the Garden that offers “snuggly giftables” made from gorgeously colored, thick soft wools.

Lynne is an active & important member of the Etsy Pittsburgh Team. She enjoys participating in the numerous Team craft demonstration events & often hosts 'craft nights' in her lovely home.

Come to Navarra on December 18th from 5:00 pm to 9:00 pm to shop local, shop handmade, and see Charmed By Nature along with numerous other talented artisans.

Introducing Barker's Herbs and Heirlooms! Today's CityCraft Handmade Holiday Happy Hour Market Featured Artist.

I'm pleased to introduce you to today's featured CityCraft artist - Barker’s Herbs and Heirlooms!

Tamara Barker of Barker’s Herbs and Heirlooms, is a self-taught mixed media collage artist & photographer. She offers an eclectic array of unique jewelry, gift tags, & collage art accessories with a focus on vintage images & recycling.

From her Etsy profile, Tamara admits to having “a deep affinity for things from the past.” She tries to “follow current trends and combine the old & the new whenever possible.” Tamara has also adopted the motto “making treasures from trash” based on a comment made by a customer at a recent show & has appointed herself “Queen of the 3Rs (reduce, reuse, recycle).”

Tamara is an integral member of the Etsy Pittsburgh Team and is the coordinator for CityCraft.

Come to Navarra on December 18th from 5:00 pm to 9:00 pm to shop local, shop handmade, and see Barker’s Herbs and Heirlooms along with numerous other talented artisans.

Introducing River Rats! Today's CityCraft Handmade Holiday Happy Hour Market Featured Artist.

I'm pleased to introduce you to today's featured CityCraft artist - River Rats!

Stacey Magda, founder of River Rats Designs, says she makes "uniquely recycled handmade hanging sculptures, mobiles, sun-catchers, sculptural panels, and other goods from local waterways, hiking trails, and even construction sites! The idea originated through my love for the outdoors and the concept of reuse reduce recycle. All are woven together with my quality wire-working! There is a special bond seen with every piece of the unity of humans and nature."

For more on River Rats, please visit them on MySpace.

Come to Navarra on December 18th from 5:00 pm to 9:00 pm to shop local, shop handmade, and see River Rats along with numerous other talented artisans.

Introducing Lz Rocks! Today's CityCraft Handmade Holiday Happy Hour Market Featured Artist.

I'm pleased to introduce you to today's featured CityCraft artist - Lz Rocks!

Leslie Beard, of Lz Rocks!, says she “makes handmade stuff that rocks.“ She features a wide variety of jewelry and accessories such as wire-wrapped pendants, epoxy resin mold pendants, fused glass pendants and rings, as well as hand knit scarves.

From her Etsy profile, " I am 27 and self-medicate with craft. I love living in Pittsburgh with my EJ (who sometimes helps out with listing and shipping) and 2 kittens, where I own a curious beast of a retail establishment called Your Mom's. I dig the wire wrap, resin casting, felting and spinning, glass fusing and flameworking, and various eco-crafts - check out http://craftingagreenworld.com/ "

She is the founder of the Etsy Pittsburgh Team and will be participating in Pittsburgh’s annual Light Up Night this Friday, November 21st.

For a CityCraft sneak preview, stop by and say hello to Lz at:

Light Up Night Holiday Bazaar
10:00 a.m. - 7:30 p.m.
YWCA of Pittsburgh
305 Wood Street
Pittsburgh, PA
For more information on light up night, visit http://pittsburgh.about.com/cs/downtown/a/light_up_night.htm

Come to Navarra on December 18th from 5:00 pm to 9:00 pm to shop local, shop handmade, and see Lz Rocks! along with numerous other talented artisans.

Introducing Vintage Hotcakes. Today's CityCraft Handmade Holiday Happy Hour Market Featured Artist.

I'm pleased to introduce you to today's featured CityCraft artist - Vintage Hotcakes.

Dawn Ellis of Vintage Hotcakes, makes home & personal accessories fashioned from vintage, new & recycled materials. Her craftsmanship is impeccable and her creations rarely fail to elicit smiles. From her Etsy profile, " I don’t use patterns for any of my creations & sew ‘free style’ as I like to call it. I also love buying handmade..."

She is an invaluable member of the Etsy Pittsburgh Team!

Come to Navarra on December 18th from 5:00 pm to 9:00 pm to shop local, shop handmade, and see Vintage Hotcakes along with numerous other talented artisans.

Melissa Babyak will be performing at the CityCraft Handmade Holiday Happy Hour Market

Come to Navarra on December 18th from 5:00 pm to 9:00 pm to shop local, shop handmade, and see Melissa Babyak perform.

From Melissa's MySpace page: "Melissa will be the first to admit that she bought her guitar on QVC and isn’t a “polished” musician, but she is completely fulfilled with happiness while she’s performing. She doesn’t take herself too seriously, plays music because it’s fun, and loves interacting with the audience! Melissa is grateful for every single musician out there who continues to inspire her to play, write and most of all, have fun!"