Treasury: Beautifully Abstract

It has been so long!

Life has really caught up to me. A year has already passed where I have struggled to be the best high school art teacher I could possibly be. I hope to do better this next year coming up.

I have also struggled to create. But the dark cloud of insecurity is slowing drifting away.

I am going to put more paintings up on Etsy for sale. Please feel free to look! :)

I also hope to add more nail polish rings to the listings, since I have found more materials to use. Keep an eye out for those!

Friday Featurette.

It sure has been a while! But, it's about time to do a featurette. Let's focus on generally overlooked crafters: those who make lovely toys, and big fluffy lovable plushies.

Today's featurette is going to Danielleorama. Her stuff is just plain cute, I have to say.

Foxy, $45

Pansy, $28

This next one is my personal favorite. It's reminiscent of Bitey and the bigfoot character from Brackenwood, but in a lovely candy, child-friendly way.

Jaunte Poilu, $36

Please take a look at her shop, you're sure to leave (via X'ing the tab) with a smile on your face. She also has a blog at http://danielleorama.blogspot.com.

I'm one of those people in TN who will bear witness to this ice storm coming, so if you don't hear from me anytime soon, it'll be because of power outages. I'm not scared but... not happy about it, either. :\

New Arrivals!

I'm so happy, I got two parcels in the mail today!

After a long wait, I finally got my harem pants from thaimodish. They're lovely! So wide and comfortable, and stylish! I tried to take the best pictures I could, so forgive their lack of quality. (It took forever just to find the camera, haha.)

I just need to wait for warmer weather, because these don't look good with uggs or anything. Sandals only. And right now, it's snowing.

I also couldn't resist Rachel's deal over at talk2thetrees, so I got one of her adorable crochet headbands. It is custom, with a choice of two colors. I just love it.


School is already starting to sink into my head and pick at my brain. Drawing 3 is very independent, and our first assignment is open concept. Aah! I'm still stuck on what surface to use for my concept and critiques start next week. Oh boy. Here it comes.... at least I have my pants. :3

The 2010 Handmade Olympics!

Over at the amazing rikrakstudio blog, you'll find an event that is a first, in my eyes, for the Etsy blogging world. The 2010 Handmade Olympics! There are over $2000 in prizes!



There are 8, count them, 8 different events, so if one of your items doesn't fit a category, you can try another. The point of this event is to "nominate" one of your items that best falls into any of the categories (you can enter all of them!), as well as nominate another person's item from their shop that really speaks to you of that event. Prizes are involved for the top 3 of EACH event, so imagine winning more than one! There is even a random drawing prize for each comments section. Here are the 8 categories:

{ event 1 } :: our favourite handmade goodie with an innovative design
{ event 2 } :: our favourite handmade goodie for kids
{ event 3 } :: our favourite handmade eco friendly goodie
{ event 4 } :: our favourite handmade item that inspires lovelieness + wellness (in our homes, for ourselves, etc.)
{ event 5 } :: our favourite handmade personality/group forwarding kindness thru handmaking
{ event 6 } :: our favourite thrifty-forward, sustainable-minded blog, shop or site.
{ event 7 } :: our favourite FUN-FILLED handmade OR vintage goodie
{ event 8 } :: our favourite handmaking-focus blog

Please visit and give it a look over, it could change your Etsy shop! I myself have entered one and hope to enter more. I nominated my tea bag prints for event 4, or "items that inspire loveliness and wellness (in our homes, for ourselves, etc.)". So maybe when voting time comes around..? ;)

Happy nominating!

Wednesday Wishlist.

(Because internet window shopping is just as fun, and I'm honestly blank right now about a blog post.)

Fancy Swirls Dark gray leather diary, $32

Faux Boot Legwarmers in black, $49.50

Deco Dragonfly Mug, $25

Shakespeare's Sister, $395

Fawnia Oak Leaf with Aquamarine Glass Beads, $16.80

The Stalker 10x8 black cat print, $27.00

Full Agenda Dress by ModCloth, $47.99

London Fog by Piperlime, $119

What are your Wednesday wishlist items?

Orglamix Giveaway Winner!

Wow, I have to say I'm so impressed with the turnout of my latest giveaway! I'd like to thank Cheri for the opportunity to try her fabulous makeup, and her generosity in holding so many giveaways so others can discover her cosmetic treasures.

I put in the numbers and Random.org spat out..........

184!!
Or Lisa of xMaterialGirlsx.blogspot.com! Congrats!

Lisa has a few blogs, one of them consisting of cosmetic news, coupons, and other giveaways going on specifically for beauty products. Please take a look, you might find giveaways for new makeup you've been after!



I'll be contacting the winner shortly for info. If you didn't win, please don't be discouraged, I'll be holding another giveaway as soon as possible. Thank you for everything!

Friday Featurette.

Just a quick little featurette for you fine folks. (...Friday!)

Here comes my first fine artist featurette, dedicated to donnadidit. We were in a chat together and she was very nice to me; she gave me some lighting tips. Her paintings have a lovely, pop art feel to them. Very vibrant and accessible.

Orange Bliss, $54.99

She has original paintings, ACEOs, handbags/totes, and even painted shoes. I definitely am a big fan of her animal paintings.

Boxer, $50.99

Please don't forget about the lovely giveaway & review of Orglamix mineral makeup, just a few posts below. Ends Monday, so don't miss out!

Orglamix Review & Giveaway!

The holidays have come and gone, and they were wonderful! I'm happy to have gotten what I did from my family, considering how hard the economy has been this year. Hopefully the new year will bring more joy and prosperity.

To get back into the blogging game, I'm hosting a giveaway for Orglamix makeup. If you visit a lot of blogs, you may have come across these lovely cosmetics made by Cheri. She graciously agreed to send me an eye color collection to review, as well as give away one color collection (or three single color shades) to one lucky reader!

I've won several shades from other blog giveaways, so I'm pretty familiar with these products. However, the color collection Cheri sent me was the Wicked collection, pictured here. As a rule, I'm not one to pull off bright greens and dark shades, but I felt adventurous and wanted to give it a try.

Orglamix is home to mineral makeup that is formulated without a lot of unnecessary chemicals such as nano particles, synthetic dyes, parabens, and bismuth oxychloride, which can cause skin irritation and can be dangerous in mineral makeup when not filtered correctly. Bismuth is used to make makeup shimmery and affix to the skin easier, but Cheri has found a way to accomplish this without using this chemical. Simply put, her mineral eyeshadow stays on wonderfully and shimmers for long periods of time. Her Sweet Pea shade is very light and yet shimmers like diamonds. Also, she is a member of PETA, so you know that these are animal cruelty-free.

Here are pictures of me wearing the Wicked collection. The greens Eucalyptus and Lagoon are so lustrous, and the dark shade Obsidian gives a smoky effect that really speaks of the popular Broadway show. Note that I don't have the best camera in the world.

Compared to others like MAC, Orglamix is very affordable at just $3.99 per shade (before shipping). Some would say that the container is too small, but you're paying over $10 less, and you really don't need to put a lot of the powder on! (And recently, she has upgraded her container size!) She sells brushes and Magnetism, an eye primer, but I've successfully used these products with just concealer cream and a cheap eye brush. Just imagine these with her applier products!

And now, onto your favorite part of reviews: The Giveaway!!

Mandatory Entry: Visit Orglamix's store and pick your favorite eye color collection (or three shades). Come back here and post a comment with your favorite. With every entry, including this one, please leave a way to contact you, either with an email address or Etsy username.

Optional Extra Entries:

1) Heart Orglamix on Etsy. Leave your Etsy username for proof. 1 entry

2) Follow Orglamix on Twitter @hautebeauty AND tweet about this giveaway: Giveaway! Win an Orglamix eye collection from @hautebeauty, hosted by @spektorish! Click here: http://tinyurl.com/yjuutvu Link back here with your Twitter name. 1 entry

3) Become a Facebook fan of Orglamix. Link back with your name. 1 entry

4) Follow me on Twitter @spektorish. Link back with your Twitter name. 1 entry

5) Follow this blog using Google connect. 1 entry

6) Heart my shop at laurart. Leave your Etsy name. 1 entry

7) Subscribe to my blog using the RSS Feed. 1 entry

8) Blog about this giveaway. Post a link back. 2 entries

This giveaway is open until January 11th. On that day it will close at 12pm, or noon CST. That's plenty of time to get all entries in! I will pick one winner at random by Random.org and then contact them for details. Good luck to you all!

Christmas on Etsy.

Well, tomorrow I'm going home for the holidays, so this blog will be on a mini-hiatus as I celebrate with my family and friends. When I return, it'll be back to tweeting, posting, and Etsy-ing while doing art. Also, I'll be reviewing Orglamix makeup and holding a giveaway for one of her amazing eyeshadow collections, so don't forget! :)

For my "final" blog post, I just wanted to showcase some items I found on Etsy that are Christmas-themed or colored. Some are just plain cute, some are elegant, and some are practical. Here are a few of my favorites, in no particular order...

Necklace of Mother of Pearl Buttons and Felt Balls, $35

By derinmavi

Eye Pillow Slip Cover - Funky Christmas, $3

By BoutiqueKarma

Felt Christmas Tree Ornament, $2

By MiniMaxwell

Ribbon Candy colored pencil art, 8x10 print $23

By paulapertile

Noelle Headband, $18

By FlockTogetherCrafts

Little Red Dress, $82.50

By 3ampoems

Ceramic Christmas Cereal Bowl Set, $40

By handpaintedbykristin

Garden Essentials - Garden Journal, $32

By PrairieGarden

Hot Chocolate Soap, $4.75

By MySpaSecrets

Hope your eyes had a lovely feast! Hope your actual holiday feast is delicious, hope you have a wonderful time with your loved ones... and hope you get the gifts you wanted. :) Happy holidays, Merry Christmas, and to all a good night.

Sunday Shares.

So, I finally found the time to take some pictures and post new Etsy listings! About time, right? Sometimes I wish I could make clothes and jewelry because it'd be faster with more quantity. But, you know, you stick with the gifts you were given.

Let me share them with you. I've posted several prints and one customizable drawing! That's right, a commission drawing, and it's not as expensive as you'd think. ;) Here are some pictures of what's up:

Hopefully some fish will bite before soon! I'm still weary of posting numerous listings and paying those fees ($.20 accumulates fast!) with no sales to show for it.

So please, take a look! Show your friends (especially if one is engaged or to be married). Post a comment here with some of your new listings for me to view.

Most of all, though... Christmas is near!! Hooray! :)

Friday Featurette.

Today's late featurette goes to marbled, the shop of designer handbags and totes. I only need one purse from time to time, but I still like to admire all the lovely handmade bags out there on Etsy.

Everyday Black & Cream Bag, $28

Marbled is just plain cute, and pretty affordable when compared to other stores of the handmade variety. Chic and elegant, to just plain cute! There are plaid, floral, and solid colors to choose from. This is my favorite:

White Core Bag, $28

Etsy indicates this store is only a few months old, so it's rather novel with just 17 items for sale, but hopefully more products will come with more exposure. I just love little tote bags! :)

Stay tuned for a makeup giveaway coming up!

And now, the Winner!

I'm very happy with the response my big giveaway received. After the deadline passed I went to random.org, put in the numbers, and came out with #27 or...

MissKnits! Congratulations, Mel! The prize-givers have been contacted, and I will mail out my prizes on Tuesday.

She has a lovely shop of handmade items, as well as a supply store at BitsfromMissKnits. You can also check out her blog here.

For those who didn't win, don't be discouraged! I'll be holding another giveaway soon. Makeup lovers, definitely stay tuned!


Well, tomorrow is my last day. Printmaking final, and an Ed. Psych exam. I'm kind of nervous!! I really hope to make all As, I worked my butt off this semester and it has been the toughest so far. Wish me luck!

And thanks for visiting. :)

Only two remain!

Phew, so that's three classes down, and only two more to go. My drawing final went really well, as well as my e-portfolio for Art Ed. and photography final was good. The only problem is is I've been up for over 36 hours with only 6 hours of sleep in between. That's what college finals are about, though, if you aren't a time management god/goddess.

I'll be teaching middle school tomorrow morning, then finishing up Monday with an Ed Psych exam and my printmaking final. Exciting! I am really ready for the holidays to get here; REST REST REST! And maybe I'll be able to produce some good stuff to put on Etsy.

PLEASE DON'T FORGET: my BIG giveaway ends on Saturday at noon! Six people including myself are giving away great prizes, and under 100 people have entered so your chances are pretty good compared to most big big giveaways. Click the link or scroll down, spread the word to your friends! You don't want to miss it.

Better updates to come with this break. :)

My Multi-Prize Giveaway!

Hey everyone! I hope you enjoyed your Thanksgiving holiday, whether it was spent stuffing your face or stuffing your stockings for loved ones (and yourself, hehe).

So, it's finally here. I'm really grateful to my internet buddies and fellow Etsians. I've reached 300 followers on Twitter, and over 100 on this blog. I sure hope it will continue to grow as the days go on! In lieu of this community, the holidays, and just good ole fun, I present to you..

My Multi-Prize Giveaway!!

Some Etsy sellers have graciously donated their items to this giveaway in the spirit of giving. Please take the time to visit their shops and peruse their items and their sales. (You'll want to do this anyway for entries!)

ONE lucky winner will receive this prize package, valued up to $60, after being selected by Random.org. Here's what is included, and how to enter:

First Item



Tina from FlockTogetherCrafts has donated a beautiful Guinea Hen Feather Headband. Love it!

Second Item



John and Donna McLean from LaughingFridge has donated one of their adorable magnets, the Pirate Fat Cat Aaaaarrt Magnet! :3

Third Item



Tricia from SimplyUniqueKreation has donated a gorgeous Red Wave Ring. It is a size 8, but the ring size can be adjusted for the winner.

Fourth Item



I am offering a 3-card set of a mystery printmaking design, as well as the pretty photo album shown above. Album contains 10 plastic sleeves, sized approximately 6x6".

Fifth Item:



Haley from Haleysscrapbooknook is offering one item from her store valued at $7.50 or under. Check it out!

Sixth Item:



Danielle from 7SeventeenGallery is offering a lovely little original painting titled A Little Windy. It is already framed!


How To Enter!!

MANDATORY: Visit each shop and pick out your favorite item. Then come back and post in a comment the items you picked, whether by name or URL. Please do this all together, for it counts as 1 entry only! Don't forget to put your contact info for all entries.

Extra Entries:
1) For EACH shop you heart, including mine at laurart, you'll get ONE entry. Please list your Etsy username. Do separate comments.
2) If you buy an item from one of the shops before the deadline, you'll receive a whopping 5 entries! Just post the item listing with your Etsy username.
3) Follow my blog using Google connect. 1 entry
4) Subscribe to my blog feed. 1 entry
5) Follow me on Twitter AND post a tweet about this giveaway that includes my name @spektorish. Please include your Twitter username and a link to this status. 1 entry
6) Follow @Flock_Together. Leave your Twitter username. 1 entry
7) Follow @uniquekreation. Leave your Twitter username. 1 entry
8) Follow Tina's blog for 1 entry, Tricia's blog for 1 entry, and Danielle's blog for 1 entry.
9) Become a Facebook fan of FlockTogether for 1 entry.
10) Blog about this giveaway, then comment with the link to it for 1 entry.

This giveaway will run until Saturday, December 12. The contest will close at noon or 12:00pm CST. Later on the winner will be picked, and I will post their name with their permission the following day.

So many entries to be had, wow! I am so excited, it has been so long since my last giveaway. I wish you all the best of luck. Tell your friends! :)

This giveaway ends December 12th at noon CST. Any posts after that will not count. For shipping costs, this is only open to the U.S. and Canada, sorry!

How refreshingly NEW!

So, what's a good way to procrastinate doing my schoolwork?

If you guessed updating my blog layout, you'd be correct! I know it's very naughty of me, but I couldn't resist. I thought the old one wasn't cutting it for the theme and purpose of my blog. I think this is much better. I'm aware it may appear wonky in other browsers, but hey, I'm no bloggin' whiz. I used to be a layout whiz, back in the days of yore as a bored 15-year-old internet addict, but no longer.

Please, let me know what you think! I'm so happy to have a 3-column design instead of just two, leaves lots of room for links (advertising? *wink*) and more!

OH! I've already passed 100 followers, hooray!! As promised, a big giveaway is coming up. I won't spoil everything, but I'll just say that there is more than one Etsian involved. ;) Keep a look out shortly.

One more to go!

Wow, I'm already just one follower away from 100 Google friends! That's amazing! You know, I never saw myself being a blogger. Activity has died down a bit, sure, but that's not anyone's fault but my own for my busy-ness. Don't forget, I'm thinking of cooking up a giveaway when I reach the 100th. It could be a shop gift certificate to a featured Etsian, could be an item I'm giving away myself... just stay tuned. :)

In the meantime, speaking of giveaways... therikrakstudio is hosting an INCREDIBLE giveaway! And when I say incredible, I mean just absolutely incredible. It contains a huge prize package worth over $450!! WOW! And ONE lucky winner will receive it, picked by random.org


So head on over and enter! Great gifts for the holidays, for sure.

Quick update!

So, today was my first "sick day." I didn't attend class this morning because I've finally caught the sickness. I had a perfect streak going of zero absences in all my classes! Luckily, the other two classes for Mondays were cancelled, so I've been able to get rest. I still feel bad, and I think it's stress. All of this is piling down on me once again. I ran into my neighbor earlier, and after discussing finals he humorously added, "And then the crying starts." No kidding!

But, a little ray of sunshine to peek through this mess: I won a giveaway! Well, two to be exact, I just mentioned one on Twitter. First, my dream of owning a pair of feather earrings came true thanks to Tina of Flock Together Crafts! And today, I got an email from therikrakshop about winning the fabulous Sponsor's giveaway. So there are some happy pieces to my stress puzzle. Hopefully the luck will continue! :)

(Edit: Just found out that I won this giveaway, too! A while ago I won an eyeshadow color from Orglamix, featured on my pirate Halloween outfit, and now I won a collection!! I am so excited! This makeup is divine, I encourage you to take a look.)

One more thing, before I go. I love dripping and splattering, experimenting with direction, and also different media. For a few days I've been building up on a 18x24" canvas layer after layer of coffee, tea, and India ink. Here is the result:


Should I put it in my shop? :) What do you think? Should the presentation be different? (Flip around, sideways, etc.)

One last thing... it's getting close to that time. I've been unable to produce a good one so far, but it's about the time for a giveaway. I'm two away from 100 followers, I'm over 300 on Twitter, and it's near the holidays. Once that 100 is reached, I'm going to produce a giveaway, hopefully one to blow your socks off! Stay tuned! (Tell your friends *wink!*)