Thursday Feature: Coveted Crafts

On Thursdays, Dexter & Dinah will feature a new crafter/artisan whose works are handmade.

This Thursday's Coveted Craft isn't so much a craft as it is art.  A friend of mine directed me to Childlike Faith Studios' Etsy shop, with prints created by the talented artist Dallas Edman, who is based out of Coeur d'Alene.  These prints are really stunning, as well as affordable, so I wanted to share.  How gorgeous are the details in this piece, titled "Ducks in a Row"?

Ducks in a Row

I love the amount of detail that went into every wave.  I also love the detail in the grass and the smoke in this next print:

Engine that Could

There are certainly days where I feel like I'm not going to make it to the top of the mountain, so this would be a nice reminder that I need to work past that.  This next one I love just because it is so charming:

More Than a Fair Weather Friend

For more of Edman's beautiful work or to purchase a print, check out the shop.

Happy Thursday, Crafters!

Thursday Feature: Coveted Crafts

Every Thursday, Dexter & Dinah will feature a new crafter/artisan whose works are handmade.


It is C-O-L-D COLD in Seattle right now!  I've been watching the snow flurries outside my window all day (thankfully nothing has been sticking, this city shuts down when it snows!).  I'm hankering after soft woolen things as a result.  I like this uncomplicated orange "scarfette" from Etsy seller trishafern - the one wooden toggle makes for an interesting detail, and this would be perfect under a mandarin-collared jacket (which makes a regular scarf, with all of its bulk, tough to pull off).

Dark Pumpkin Scarfette

I never did learn how to do a cable knit - maybe a good resolution for the new year!


Happy Thursday, Crafters!  Stay warm out there!

Thursday Feature: Coveted Crafts

What?  It's Friday?  Erm...well, just pretend it's Thursday, for the purpose of this post.  I'm a smidge late with this one, but it is too good not to share!


Our good friend Vanessa has officially reopened her Etsy shop!  Hubuh is a delightful place to find clever cards and bright prints from Vanessa's original art.  I particularly love this card:

Please Forgive Me Note Card

I can totally see a guy giving this to a girl after putting his foot in his mouth.  Or you know, vice versa.  


I'm always looking for good every day cards, for when you want to send someone a note to let them know you are thinking about them, but not something so sappy that it feels forced.  This card fits the bill, in addition to being smart:

Hello Note Card

I'm also fortunate to have an original painting of Vanessa's hanging in my house.  Vanessa sells lovely prints of her work, such as this one:

The Spanish Bride Print

For those of you in the Seattle area, Vanessa is currently showing her art in the Forgotten Works Challenge in Pioneer Square, at the Tashiro Kaplan Building, 115 Prefontaine Place South.  For more information, click here.


Happy "Thursday," crafters!

Thursday Feature: Coveted Crafts

Every Thursday, Dexter & Dinah will feature a new crafter/artisan whose works are handmade.


My boyfriend drinks a lot of soda.  I mean, a LOT.  We're talking soda at lunch, soda at dinner, and if we're out to eat, as many refills as the wait staff sees fit to bring by.  If I were as crafty as Etsy seller squigglechick (who's located pretty close to me in nearby Bothell, Washington), I would turn all of those sodas into this pretty and useful luggage tag:

Repurposed Coca Cola Luggage Tag

We all know how much I love repurposing!  As squigglechick says: "What a great way to distinguish your luggage from all of the others at baggage claim or to add to your child's backpack just 'in case' it should get misplaced at school or on the bus."


Happy Thursday Crafters!

Thursday Feature: Coveted Crafts

Every Thursday, Dexter & Dinah will feature a new crafter/artisan whose works are handmade.

Hi Crafters!  Where did the week go?  It has certainly been busy here!  There's been much cooking and crafting - stay tuned for a recipe this weekend and a new biweekly feature on Monday!  Today's Coveted Crafts is this rustic cutting board from RedOnionWoodworks.  I have two cutting boards but I'm always wishing I had a third.  In addition to combining function (the hole for hanging in the kitchen is great) with beauty (love the natural edge), this cutting board is from lumber salvaged from industrial logging operations.  I want I want...

Everyday Natural Edge Cutting Board 183

Happy Thursday Crafters!

Thursday Feature: Coveted Crafts

Every Thursday, Dexter & Dinah will feature a new crafter/artisan whose works are handmade.


My boyfriend has taken a shine to the birds and squirrels who flock to the magnolia tree in our yard.  We have a PetSmart right around the corner from us, and about once a week he goes to buy a big block of Squirrelola (squirrel food) and suet for our bird feeder.  Both the man and our cat then spend an hour or two staring out our window watching the squirrels chase each other and the birds as they run around the yard hiding the food.


I'm thinking a bird feeder like this one might be the perfect addition to the yard, so we can attract some of the bigger birds:

Hanging Bird Feeder, Tray Style

The entire bird feeder is made from reclaimed or salvaged materials.  In fact, everything in Etsy seller Andrew's Reclaimed shop is from reclaimed and salvaged materials.  I'm eying this soap dish, which is sold by itself or in packs of six or ten, as a great little gift to tuck into holiday baskets:

Soap Dishes, Pack of 6, Reclaimed Cedar

Lovely, practical, and environmentally friendly!


Happy Thursday Crafters!

Thursday Feature: Coveted Crafts

Every Thursday, Dexter & Dinah will feature a new crafter/artisan whose works are handmade.


I've been doing a lot of work out of our home office lately, which is, I must admit, incredibly messy.  I just have far too many odds and ends and not enough storage options.  Which is why I love the idea of these handy felt bins, which would fit on top of my bookshelf, on a side table beside the desk, or even under the desk:

Bohemian Poppies Fabric Bins

Even better, they are made of felt which is made from recycled plastic bottles, and the interfacing is also made with recycled plastic bottles.  What a great use for a plastic bottle you'd otherwise toss in the recycling!  Plus, the fact that they are really attractive with hand embroidered details doesn't hurt either.

Gypsy Forest Fabric Bins

Happy Thursday Crafters!

Thursday Feature: Coveted Crafts

Every Thursday, Dexter & Dinah will feature a new crafter/artisan whose works are handmade.

Etsy has proven to be a terrific source of inspiration for me.  I have an almost-spent candle on my desk in a lovely glass vessel with a lid.  I don't want to trash the glass vessel once the candle is done.  And then it hit me - terrariums! Lately I've been fascinated by the whimsy and prettiness of these little low-maintenance ecosystems.  Etsy seller MossTerrariums has a perfect example of what I have in mind:

Mushroom moss and lichen terrarium

I love the cute little red polka-dot mushrooms!  It's like a scene from a fairy tale.  MossTerrariums also features one of my personal favorite terrarium ideas - the repurposed light bulb.

Light Bulb Moss and Lichen Terrarium

Again, the tiny mushroom - really cute.  What a great idea to avoid another used incandescent in a land fill.

Happy Thursday Crafters!  And also, Happy Birthday Mom!

Thursday Feature: Coveted Crafts

Every Thursday, Dexter & Dinah will feature a new crafter/artisan whose works are handmade.


Plastic bags are presently the bane of my existence.  I hate throwing them away, so they keep piling up - I've forgotten my canvas totes the last few times at the grocery store, and the pile of plastic bags keeps getting higher (though I'm hoping to do something clever like what Alyse did with her bag rag rug).  I also keep sending my man to work with his lunch in a plastic sandwich bag.  Etsy seller Torilynn123 has the solution with these cute, reusable, and washable sandwich or snack bags:

ItsAWrap reusable snack bag

The backs are lined with water-resistant nylon and a strip of velcro holds your sandwich in place.  They come in several fun and colorful patterns.  Alyse and I saw some of these in the store the other day for an outrageous price, but Torilynn123 brings this handmade good to you at an affordable $6.  What a great idea!


Happy Thursday Crafters!

Thursday Feature: Coveted Crafts

Every Thursday, Dexter & Dinah will feature a new crafter/artisan whose works are handmade.


This Thursday's Coveted Crafts is a short one, as we have a lot of fun projects/recipes coming your way this weekend.  One ordinary object that I am forever looking for new ways to turn into something extraordinary is the common t-shirt.  My boyfriend has about a thousand t-shirts stained with bike grease that I'm finding new ways to repurpose - I hate throwing anything away!  While I'm working on a t-shirt rug, I also find this t-shirt tote bag from SquirrelProductions quite charming:

Upcyled t-shirt yarn farmer's market tote bag

It is made entirely from upcycled t-shirts!  It looks roomy enough for quite a few groceries or picnic supplies.  While I've long known how to knit, I think it is high time for me to learn how to crochet, so I too can create things as innovative as this.


Happy Thursday Crafters!

Thursday Feature: Coveted Crafts

Every Thursday, Dexter & Dinah will feature a new crafter/artisan whose works are handmade.


Part of the inspiration for this blog was the idea of creating useful and aesthetically pleasing crafts and works of art out of ordinary objects.  I particularly like the idea of using objects that would be thrown away or otherwise disposed off if they weren't turned into something new and beautiful.  Etsy seller Bottlehood features upcycled glasses, tumblers, and pendant lamps out of liquor, beer, and wine bottles that would otherwise be destined for the recycling plant or a landfill.  How striking is this pendant lamp, made from a leftover bottle of Skyy Vodka?

Upcycled Skyy Vodka Pendant Lamp

I also like the graphic feel of this pendant lamp with the text of the original bottle prominently featured:

Absolut Mandarin hanging light pendant with canopy

While I already have glasses coming out of my ears, I still rather fancy these charming amber-colored tumblers, which highlight the French beer company's logo printed in the glass:

Amber recycled bottle glass tumbler

Bottlehood is based out of San Diego and emphasizes that its bottles are all sourced from local restaurants to reduce its carbon footprint.  Hmm, maybe I could find someone who would be willing to help me turn my own love for bottles into usable art a little bit closer to home...


Happy Thursday crafters!

Thursday Feature: Coveted Crafts

Every Thursday, Dexter & Dinah will feature a new crafter/artisan whose work is handmade.

I'm really having fun trying to figure out how to incorporate our existing furniture (a hodge-podge of Ikea, family hand-me-downs, mid-century modern and Danish modern) into our new, mostly wood-paneled house.  As I mentioned, I'm going for mod cabin - I'm thinking cuckoo clocks, ceramic antlers, a faux Flokati rug, and other knickknackery.  The result is that I've spent more time than I'd like to admit on Etsy.  This week, Dexter & Dinah is featuring etsy seller SewEnglish, whose handmade pillows, like her shop name, are firmly tongue-in-cheek.  I mean, who can resist a fun throw pillow like this one, which features one of life's most important lessons:

Bacon!  It makes everything better...

 How cute is this next one?  It ties in perfectly with the mod cabin theme:

Who!  Who!

But what I particularly fell in love with was this deer silhouette:

Oh dear!  A deer!

I loves me a play on words.  She also has some naughtier pillows which I admire for their playfulness but fear I would forget to take off the bed when the parents came to visit...hmmm...