St. Patricks Giveaway!

Just in time for St. Patrick's Day, BEST will be raffling off a bounty of handmade treasures, including work from sweetpepita, jenygwen, miscelena, byamandagotsch, jenmenkhaus, dandelionblu, my sister colescloset, vwstudios and Me! These pieces and more will be given away to one lucky member of our mailing list, so sign up now! The drawing will take place on March 10th, and the package will be mailed once we receive a mailing address. Good Luck!

UpCYcle!

Read my newest post on Crafting in a Green World about Upcycling!

Thanks Modish!

What a cool discovery on a lazy Sunday morning! One of my favorite blogs, Modish, featured my work! Thanks!

Design + Obama = Love

Designers love Obama. Check it out.

Future Me

Future Me ~ a website and a book where you can write Future You an email that will be emailed to you in the future. Why not?

Teaser...

These pieces, made from Kristen Ferrell's melamine Superhero plate, will be available on Etsy soon!

St. Patricks Giveaway Sampler Sneak Peak!

BEST members are busily preparing a giveaway sampler... complete details will be announced on the BEST blog on February 18th, but in the meantime - take a look at the goodies we have so far. Want a chance to win the sampler? Sign up for out Google Group mailing list. Work pictured by Amanda Gotsch, SweetPepita, JenMenkhaus & Me.

Crafty Site of the Day!

I will be featured on the Crafty Site of the Day Gadget of the Day on February 15th! The Crafty Site of the Day gadget is a desktop application that people using Vista can download from Windows Live. The gadget showcases a different craft-related website every day (crafty bloggers, artists, designers & crafters working in all media, craft organizations, cool craft supply stores, retail stores that sell crafty wares, etc.). Thanks Eucalyptus Handmade!

Don't Break Hearts, Break Plates!

You have until Valentines day to enter Teensygreen's Don't Break Hearts, Break Plates Giveway! Go enter!!

Another busy week!

I had a pretty productive week so far, just in time to enjoy the 70 degree weather! I will start adding stuff to my Etsy site over the next few days. The bottom batch was made from plate scraps that my neighboors mom discovered while digging a pond! There were at least 4-5 different plate patterns. I love doing projects like these.

Library of Congree Flickr Page!

The Library of Congress has a Flickr page! It is amazing! They started this project as a way to share photos with people who may not visit the library website and as an experiment with web communities. Many of these photos were provided to the Library with no further information, they are asking folks with any information to comment and add notes to the photos. They have left all the tagging up to the viewers, encourage many comments and are asking the public to request the types of photos we would like to see in the future. The coolest part is that these photos are pretty large and could printed! Wow. The pilot program will only last as long as there is user intrest so go, see, comment!!! Here are the FAQ's.

Have a Green Valentine's Day!

Find out how at Crafting in a Green World!

Charley Harper

I had a great Sunday morning! After Nolan ate his breakfast he fell back asleep for a mid-morning nap. Everyone else in the house was still asleep (even the dog!) and I was able to watch Sunday Morning with a cup of coffee and a piece or orange choclate chunk cake. Yes, I am a dork, but a happy dork! Anyway, there was a story about Todd Oldham and his effort to share Charley Harper's work with the world throught the book Charley Harper: An Illustrated Life. I had never seen his work, but the moment I did, I was in love! Oldham is even using his images as inspiration for his work with La-Z-Boy.

Anyway, just had to share some images and give a clue for a good Birthday present for me =)

BEST!

In case you want to know way to much about me, my bio is up at the Batimore Etsy Street Team Blog now!

New Life For Left Over Paint Chips

Need some ideas for using up those left over paint chips from your last home improvement project? Check out these ideas in my newest post on Crafting in a Green World!

New Work, Finally!

I was finally able to get a new batch of work made! I hired a nanny to come hang with the boy, 2 days a week, so I can get in some quality plate breaking time. Hopefully I will be right on track with a bunch of new stock for the spring craft show season. Can't wait!

Junk Mail Love - Part II

Get another dose of my Junk Mail Love on Crafting in a Green World today!

Engauged!

Please check in with this Brand New shop on Etsy, from designer Kit Puliz, called Engauge. I can't wait to see what great designs she has up her sleeve! Good Luck Kit!

Delight!

FYI - It is woodland creature week on Delight.com!

Junk Mail Love - Part I

Read the first of my Junk Mail Love posts on Crafting in a Green World!

Kitchen mini-makeover.

I had to do a mini kitchen makeover this week to make room for my new Kitchenaid Mixer! (Thanks mom!) So, I moved my spices into these great magnetic cans from Bed Bath and Beyond. They stick right to the fridge. Just think of the organizing possibilities!

When I filling out papers for my mixer with the manager, he had to ask for my email address. Imagine me standing in the fine porcelain/wedding registry section of BB&B trying to tell him, not too loudly, that my email was actually Juliet@IbreakPlates.com. He looked a little scared.

Can you tell I like green?

CB2

I must have been living under a rock or something. Has anyone else seen CB2? It is the contemporary Crate and Barrel. Lots of great stuff.

Feeling Fancy

I just had to show everyone this amazing necklace from ImogeneandAnnie. So. Nice. This makes me want to work in silver again.

We're the B.E.S.T!

The Baltimore Etsy Street team is in full effect! Check out our teams blog learn about all of the members, see some work and learn about future events! Daily member profiles will be starting on Thursday!

Crafting in a Green World

For most contemporary green crafters, myself included, crafting with recycled materials began at childhood. Growing up before prepackaged craft kits were everywhere, I was forced to recycle if I was going to satisfy my need to create. I learned that a well appropriated paper towel roll can be transformed into anything from a fort to a pair of boots, given enough tape.

Today's green crafters have taken this childlike creative spirit, and combined it with rebellion for mass consumerism and a concern for the planet. The result is the creation of imaginative and functional objects with a twist. It is a great feeling to give a new life to what some might think of as trash. Goodwill has become the new craft store!

I am so proud to be a part of this growing green crafting movement and excited to share my finds on a new website called Crafting in a Green World, part of the Green Options network. Please check it out and learn something new about living green and crafting green! Feel free to leave comments and suggestions on either site! Here is my first post!

Mmmm...

This was so much fun, I had to share. Dip fresh mint leaves in candy chocolate (the kind that hardens when it cools.) Really yummy!

Must See...

220 pieces of toast make up the flip book style video of the Book of Spam. It is a must see.

Vintage Bead Boutique!

There is something so satisfying about burying your hand in a big pile of colorful beads, isn't there? My friend Annie is a lot like me in that she loves beads, but does not really like to use them in her work. She has decided to share her vintage collection with the world in her new Etsy shop VintageBeadBoutique. I can't wait to see what amazing finds she has stashed away.
(I think she is just looking for a new reason to visit Providence RI...)

From the "why didn't I think of that" file...

Paris designer Thomas Jaillot together with Marco De Michelis will introduce a Silver Scissor that wraps around your wrist. From Toy Me.

Max Mead Cartoon

Whatever.

Beer Bread, Yum.

This being home all day with the baby thing, has made me pretty dependant on the Food Network for entertainment. Sometimes, I have to feed my compulsion to craft with cooking and because Nolan loves the grocery store, it works out pretty well. I have been taking photos of some of the meals I have cooked so I can work on a cookbook for next year. Tonight I made beer bread with dill and cheddar.
Here is the recipe courtesy of Farm Girl Fare...
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 Tablespoon granulated sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 Tablespoon baking powder (make sure it's fresh!)
2 Tablespoons chopped fresh dill (or 2 teaspoons dried)
1 cup finely grated sharp cheddar cheese
12 ounces beer (I used Yuengling)
Optional glaze: 1 egg & 2 teaspoons water, beaten

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Combine flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, dill, and cheddar in a large mixing bowl. Slowly stir in beer and mix just until combined. Batter will be thick. Spread in a greased 8-inch loaf pan, brush with egg glaze if desired, and bake until golden brown and a toothpick stuck in the center comes out clean, about 45 minutes.Cool in the pan on a rack for 10 minutes. Remove from pan and cool 10 more minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.

SO Yummy, and smells great too. Next plan is to make a sweet variety with Hard Cider and brown sugar.

SO MANY great calendars on Etsy!

From seller Diana Fayt.

From seller LizardPress.

From seller SmackofJellyFish.

From seller SusyJack.From seller Criswellcole.

From seller Happify.

From seller Joom.

Aren't you glad it is over?

Presents Opening Children by Rob Sheridan. Creepy.