Time to Gradually Re-Open My Etsy Shop

Ruth Sandra Sperling
RSS Designs In Fiber - My Handmade Designs on Bonanza and ETSY and On Fire For Handmade Gift Guide - or Email for a Private Order

Lace Pink Round Coaster Set of 2 with 3D Burgundy Red Crocheted Rose
Pink and Burgundy Red Napkin Rings with 3D Burgundy Red Rose

For those of you who have been reading this blog of mine, they may remember the days when I was selling on Etsy!

Went through some Life Changes in 2012 - and everything I had to sell online was in my Artfire Studio for some time - but now it is finally time to re-join some of my friends on Etsy - including the Interior Design Style people (in an Etsy Team) - and other Handmade Artisans that I have networked with for years!

The first 4 listings that I have started the Re-opening with include the Coaster and Napkin Ring set pictured above - and the other photos below - both in Thread Crochet and Yarn.

All Online Venues for Selling - including Handmade - go through changes - and Etsy has gone through its share of changes since my Etsy Shop was active, including an About Page, which I did for my Etsy Shop!

Over the next few days, I will be adding MORE listings, so I actually have a Shop there again!!

Ah-h-h - the Changes of Life, but I am looking forward to interacting and networking with some of my Handmade friends on Etsy - including some amazing Artisans of Decor from Interior Design Style (formerly Design Style Guide) - and a number of Crochet Artists who I am still friends with on Facebook!!

So, if you're looking for something you've seen that I've made - look on ETSY - or Bonanza - or for links on this blog - to see where it is!

Double Ruffle Yellow and Orange Field of Flowers Thread Crochet Art Doily

Purple and Black Flower Crochet Brooch or Applique with Lavender Beading

Desert Sands Basket and Mat Decor Set

A DESIGN STYLE GUIDE Treasury: BURGUNDY (One of my favorite colors!)

Ruth Sandra Sperling
RSS Designs In Fiber - My Handmade Designs on ARTFIRE and ETSY



From DESIGN STYLE GUIDE:

DESIGN STYLE GUIDE TREASURY "BURGUNDY"
 from bombayjewel

Showcasing some "Burgundy" Handmade Decor items !!

(through 10/04/2011)

Including my

NAPKIN RING and COASTER SET with 3D BURGUNDY ROSES - Floral Decor

Available in my Etsy RSS Designs In Fiber Shop !!

DESIGN STYLE GUIDE - Updated Portfolio Fall 2011

Ruth Sandra Sperling
RSS Designs In Fiber - My Handmade Designs on ARTFIRE and ETSY

DESIGN STYLE GUIDE 

- the Presentation Site for HANDMADE DESIGN PRODUCTS where I have a Portfolio of some of my "DESIGNS IN FIBER"!!

Well - it is a New Season and I decided to Update my Portfolio there to show some of the Seasonal Items I Have Available -- or can make.

I keep a Page here on my Blog that shows all items I have presented on DESIGN STYLE GUIDE at one time or another.

Today I added a couple of new things!

Like HANDMADE DESIGNS for Your Home - or Office - or Garden - or School?

Take A Look on DESIGN STYLE GUIDE or HERE !!

Proud Rooster -- My Design in a Curated Collection on Artfire

Ruth Sandra Sperling
RSS Designs In Fiber - Get My Handmade on ARTFIRE or Bonanza - or Privately

This is my Fiber Art Home Decor piece of a Rooster:

PROUD ROOSTER !!

Drawn, Charted and Hand-Crocheted by me in Natural Bamboo Crochet Thread with Textured Accents in Fudge Brown, Bright Red and Yellow!!




This is also in my Interior Design Style Portfolio:  A Rooster Textured Filet Crochet Art !

Member-Curated Online Galleries - or Treasuries on DESIGN STYLE GUIDE

Ruth Sandra Sperling
RSS Designs In Fiber - My Handmade Designs on ARTFIRE and ETSY


DESIGN STYLE GUIDE is a promotional site for Handmade Decor -- and I am a Member of it!!



One of the Features that comes with being a Member of DESIGN STYLE GUIDE is that you can create an Online Photo Gallery - or "Treasury" as it is called - of 12 items listed on DESIGN STYLE GUIDE.  A "Treasury" lasts 7 days -- and each Member can have one "Treasury" on the website at a time.

There is a page listing all the Treasuries on DESIGN STYLE GUIDE with the "Featured Treasury" of the Day, which is chosen "somehow" based on the Voting.  You can bookmark this page in your own computer browser to be able to check and see what is exhibited in these Online Galleries at any time!!!

It can change at any time, as a Member can create one every 7 days and who knows what themes will be in one "Treasury" at any time!!!

Above is a linking photo of my most recently created "Treasury" on DESIGN STYLE GUIDE:  Romantic Hearts & Flowers by RSS Designs In Fiber .  Of course, it is done with the idea of with promoting Handmade Decor for the upcoming Valentine's Day.

Not everyone decorates their home based on Seasons or Holidays, but enough do that it is worthwhile making things for Holidays or Seasonally -- and promoting them!!  So, I do!!

Handmade Decor can be some of the most interesting and nice things to decorate a Home or Office -- or any space -- with.  Some of it is totally Unique -- some of it is totally "Eco" -- some of it is just very Artistic and pleasing to the eye!!

If you are looking to decorate Your Way -- you may find some Handmade Decor at DESIGN STYLE GUIDE that is Your Way!!

Members of DESIGN STYLE GUIDE list their Handmade Decor items to promote them -- for sale wherever they choose to sell them!!

Artisan Feature of OOAK Handmade Mosaics from Memories In Mosaics

Having gotten involved with quite a Number of Artisans of various different Arts and Crafts, over the last few years I have seen quite a bit of Handmade pieces that are very impressive.

But these One-of-A-Kind Mosaics by Memories In Mosaics on Etsy and Design Style Guide -  well, they are quite awesome!!

So, I am doing a short Feature here of just a few of the Mosaics created by Chris of Memories In Mosaics - not only OOAK Mosaics, but these three are all different things.

You might want to take a few minutes and browse through the Shop, Memories In Mosaics one of these days!!

A Mosaic Mirror on a Southwestern theme - with a Talavera Sun Face!

A Lazy Susan Made of Upcycled Beach Glass!





A Mosaic Table Made of Broken Dishes!



(all photos above link)

-- Ruth Sandra Sperling of
RSS Designs In Fiber - My Handmade Designs on ARTFIRE and ETSY

STARS for Decorating - of course Handmade!

Ruth Sandra Sperling
RSS Designs In Fiber - My Handmade Designs on ARTFIRE and ETSY


Most of my Handmade works are Inspired by Nature -- but I include in that the Sky and what you find in it -- including STARS!!

On and off the last several years, I have done various designs with Stars in them - the best place to look is my Public Gallery of My Designs In Fiber , where I have pictures of work I have done for years!!

But I have a few items for sale now in my online shops - these are smaller ones suitable for Holiday decorating this Winter Season:

If you see anything in my Public Gallery of Fiber Designs that you would like Custom Made, contact me by email!

New Fall Color Palette Reflected in my Newest Fiber Design

Ruth Sandra Sperling
RSS Designs In Fiber - Internet Shop of Handmade Items In Fibers

Though I have always liked some Turqoise in some things in my life, as Pantone (and others) decided that it was the "2010 Color of the Year" -- I took a look at putting some Turquoise in some of my "Designs in Fiber".

This is the first time I have incorporated Turquoise into a Fall or Autumn or Harvest Seasonal design - intentionally. It is in the current Fall Color Palette!

It is sort of an experiment for me, though I have found that I really like the combination of the Yellow/Orange/Turquoise -- and I did this design with contrasting rounds - not just for the colors - but the contrasts really shows off the crochet design.

Here is a closeup, to see the details more clearly:



I am curious how others feel about this -- it is Thread Crochet (considered Vintage or Old-Fashioned by some) in some new, modern, lively colors!

(You can find it in my Etsy shop and I want to also include it in my Design Style Guide Portfolio.)

Leave a comment, if you would like!
(I only approve comments in English)

Moving into FALL or AUTUMN Designs for 2010

Ruth Sandra Sperling
RSS Designs In Fiber - Internet Shop of Handmade Items In Fibers


I'm doing something a little new this year in Fall or Autumn or Harvest designs.

I've been reading about Color Trends for 2010 (both in Fashion and Home Decorating), because I like to work in Color!!

Now you have your Classic ones - mostly from Nature - Copper Reds, Oranges, Goldish Yellows, Browns and Beiges -- just think of the trees turning in the Fall and that is what you would most likely think of these Classic Fall or Autumn coloring!!


I have been doing my Fall Designs In Fiber in these colors for years now - and some have been rather popular -- one year I had a rather large Custom Order for a bunch of my Maple Leaves in different colors!!

See this blog article from last year in the Fall, with a video!!
http://rssdesignsinfiber.blogspot.com/2009/11/fall-decorating-what-i-have-to-offer.html

But I have decided to step out a bit from the classic - this year, Turquoise is supposed to be "The Color of the Year"!! So colors in that family are showing up in different season's palettes.

See this article from "Handmade Spark" with the Fall 2010 Colors per pantone - the color "Lagoon" is the color in the Turquoise family in this palette.

And in this article from Design Style Guide, "Turquoise Inspiration 2", different shades of Turquoise is shown in Home Decor.

So, I am working on some new items with shades of Turquoise in it -- my newest has Yellows in a design with Turquoise, including some textured Irish Crochet Leaves in a Sunset Ombre thread - got the Fall Leaves in there.

Another with an Aquamarine, Gray-Beige and Beige Rose (almost like the 'Living Coral' shown in the Handmade Spark article)!

Another in Blue/Green/Beige -- and maybe some Reddish Coppery Maple Leaves!!

-- And like in my earlier post -- more Classic in Sunset Ombre and Fudge Brown!!

Fall /Autumn / Harvest Season is one of my favorites for Color!!

So, keep an eye out for what shows up here!!

"For The Joy Of The Harvest" -- Handmade Home Decor from Design Style Guide

Ruth Sandra Sperling
RSS Designs In Fiber - Internet Shop of Handmade Items In Fibers

DESIGN STYLE GUIDE, whom I have mentioned before, is a website of Handmade Home Decor.

I am often surprised when I look through it or search under certain themes.

I have always liked the Harvest Season, so I decided to put together a Treasury on Design Style Guide, "For The Joy Of The Harvest" - some beautiful Handmade Decor depicting the fruits or scenes of the Harvest!!

You can also find Handmade Home Decor by Design Style Guide Artisans on Etsy by searching "designstyleguide".

(The photo above is clickable and goes to this Treasury, which is Temporary - through 08/31/2010. There are always various Treasuries on Design Style Guide!

Elizabeth Graf's "VISIT MY ART GALLERY" - A Permanent Treasury on Etsy!

Ruth Sandra Sperling
RSS Designs In Fiber - Internet Shop of Handmade Items In Fibers





Elizabeth Graf has made a Treasury East -- a Permanent Member-Curated Gallery on etsy.com -- the picture above links to the actual Treasury!

Beautiful Colors!!

This picture is of the Treasury as of the date of this post -- it can change whenever Elizabeth edits it!!

WHITE FLOWER BEAUTIES - My New Curated Gallery on Etsy

Ruth Sandra Sperling
RSS Designs In Fiber - Internet Shop of Handmade Items In Fibers


One of the Features that I really like on Etsy.com is their Member-Curated Galleries called "Treasury". I have written about them before - but now they have a new one (it is still in Beta, but it is functioning)!

It is called Treasury East - it has 16 slots for 16 Etsy listings to be featured - and, so far, it is permanent and editable by the Curator.

I created my first one yesterday:
WHITE FLOWER BEAUTIES !!





It has a combination of Etsy items from people who are Thread Artists on Etsy (search "threadartiststeam" under Handmade on Etsy) and in Design Style Guide (search "designstyleguide" under Handmade on Etsy). I went through different shops on Etsy and found these 16 items of -- WHITE FLOWERS!!

All beautiful and Handmade!!

As it is permanent, I plan to maintain it, checking it regularly to see if anything has sold -- and replacing the sold items with newer Etsy listings.

The photo above links to it on Etsy - and you can go there - and then click on any of the listings to see them.

VISIT HER ART GALLERY - Elizabeth Graf

Ruth Sandra Sperling
RSS Designs In Fiber - Internet Shop of Handmade Items In Fibers

I am a huge supporter of Handmade!

On Etsy, that includes paintings, photographs, Mixed Media pieces, ACEO's.

Well, a member of our Design Style Guide Etsy Team, Elizabeth Graf, a painter herself, reguarly is the curator of Treasuries on Etsy of Visual Art - in the most beautiful colors!!

I love color in lots of things - it shows in how I make things in fiber in Colors!!

But Elizabeth Graf's series of Treasuries on Etsy "VISIT MY ART GALLERY" has some of the most beautiful and striking color than any others I have seen!!

You might want to check the Treasury list on Etsy and look under "Curator" for "ElizabethGraf" -- you may just be amazed and pleased and *!*!*!* with what you will find!!

EARTH DAY IS EVERY DAY -- My Tree Tapestry Pillow

Ruth Sandra Sperling
RSS Designs In Fiber - Get My Handmade Decor in Fibers on Bonanza

Tree Tapestry Pillow by RSS Designs In Fiber

This week is what is being called "EARTH WEEK" - with Thursday, April 22nd, 2010 being EARTH DAY! And it is the 40th anniversary of EARTH DAY!!

Well, I think Earth Day is a good idea -- if it is a day of celebration and education that results in Every Day being EARTH DAY!!

It is fairly easy for me, as I was brought up with a certain perspective on life about caring for our environment from the time I was a young child -- and I love Nature and what is outdoors, so, for me, whether there is an official Earth Day or not -- Every Day is EARTH DAY!!

As I have said before, Trees are one of my favorite things on Earth -- so to honor the concept of EARTH DAY -- and because I love trees -- I made the above pillow - a TREE TAPESTRY!!

It is for sale here on Etsy!!

It is in the technique of crochet tapestry or colorwork. I used 100% cotton yarn in Earthy colors - with a sky in a Teal Blue - and, as shown below, the Back of the pillow is done in a textured crochet spike stitch in solid Teal Blue.

Back of Handmade Tree Tapestry Pillow by RSS Designs In Fiber

Teal Blue is in the Turquoise family of colors -- and I have left a comment on this Home Decor article, Turquoise Inspiration 2, on Design Style Guide Community, showing it off -- as I think it could fit very well in some of the rooms pictured in this article!!

In addition to the subject of my pillow being Earthy, I bought an Eco-Friendly EcoCraft Pillow Form for it!! The fill of the Pillow Form is 100% PLA - a synthetic fiber made from the annually renewable resource - corn!! The cover of the Pillow Form is 100% woven cotton. I was really glad to find such an Eco-Friendly Pillow Form (at my local JoAnn's)!

So, I feel pretty good about this -- both artistically, as the design is totally my own -- and environmentally, as it is really an environmentally friendly product!!

To Living a Life That is Good for the Whole Web of Life!!

More on Purples and Lavenders for Spring! Handmade Decor from Design Style Guide!

Ruth Sandra Sperling
RSS Designs In Fiber - Internet Shop of Handmade Items In Fibers

From my Etsy Team, Design Style Guide, comes an amazing array of Handmade Home Decor -- unique and beautiful -- much of it One-of-A-Kind!!

Above is a photo of a Treasury curated by me on the website for Design Style Guide:

The Feels of Lavenders and Purples Infuse A Room !!

This Treasury shows some beautiful Handmade Home Decor in different shades of Lavenders and Purples for decorating in this color theme!!

Go to it on the website and each photo in the Treasury links to the individual item. These curated Treasuries on the Design Style Guide website last for about 3 days, but their shops are permanent, so here is a linking list of the shops of these artisans.

Stylish Stems

marcympc

Beged-Dov Stained Glass

Greenhouse Glassworks

V Silcox Designs/A Painted Setting

Distinctive Decor

Mad Hatter

Drexel Earthforms Dramatic Decorative Pottery

Carol Broadley Pottery

Pamelasquilts

WebWorksFiber

Continuing with PURPLES for SPRING! Handmade PURPLE FLOWER Home Decor!

Ruth Sandra Sperling
RSS Designs In Fiber - Internet Shop of Handmade Items In Fibers





Pansies are one of my favorite flowers -- sometimes I have them in my front yard garden, though not every year.

And making things representing the things in Nature I love is a real joy!!

This hand-crocheted PURPLE PANSY piece has a center cluster of Purple and Lavender Pansies made with beautiful shaded Pearl Cotton threads.




The border, which is featured close up in this photo above, echoes the colors of the Purple and Lavender Pansies around a section done in a gray-beige with a design which can be visualized as leaves or branches.

This fits in French Country Style, though it is also an "Inspired by Nature" theme -- and I have listed this on the Handmade Decor website, Design Style Guide -- and added it to 2 of their online magazine articles as an example of a certain types of decor:

PURPLE FLOWERS IN INTERIOR DESIGN

- and 2010 COLOR TREND!!

HOLIDAY DECOR COLOR THEMES -- Today BLUE AND WHITE is Featured!

Ruth Sandra Sperling
RSS Designs In Fiber - Internet Shop of Handmade Items In Fibers

I've been reading -- BLUE and WHITE are a rather popular Decor Color Theme. I have seen books about it! From Elegant to some Country Styles to Nautical and Beach Themes, as well as the Jewish Themes, BLUE and WHITE is a well-known color theme -- though it can be in different shades of BLUE!!

These BLUE and/or WHITE items pictured in this article, Hand-Crocheted by me, are some examples of work I have done in this color theme for decor. Each photo links to the item listed in my online shop, RSS DESIGNS IN FIBER.

But -- if you look through this Slideshow of my PUBLIC PHOTO GALLERY of my Thread Crochet Items, you will see more of a variety of items I have done over the years in BLUE and WHITE (as well as other colors).




The following 4 images reflect my ideas of how to do designs in BLUE and WHITE!

DESIGN STYLE GUIDE on ETSY has some wonderful Home Decor, just to give an example of what you can find there, I have chosen the last image to showcase BLUE and WHITE Table Decor that is co-ordinated -- A Blue Pottery Vase: "Together Vase" by Glynt Pottery.

You can find various Thread Crochet HOME DECOR from ETSY THREAD ARTISTS in BLUE!

And - you can find other Home Decor from DESIGN STYLE GUIDE in BLUE !

An Etsy TREASURY To Brighten Up Our Winter Days!!

Ruth Sandra Sperling
RSS Designs In Fiber - Internet Shop of Handmade Items In Fibers

Never sure which holidays people celebrate these days -- sometimes get surprised actually communicating with some about it, but no matter the holiday or any time, many of us enjoy decorating our homes and work spaces to brighten up our days -- and Red and Green -- colors in Nature as well as popular winter holidays -- certainly brighten up those shorter winter days inside!!

So, I searched on Etsy from my Etsy Teams, Design Style Guide and Etsy Thread Artists, to see what could be found on Etsy in these cheery colors -- and I managed to find a few items I really liked!!

All Handmade!! Yes, people actually carefully make these rather unique beautiful items with their own hands!

The image above is of a TREASURY or Member-Curated Gallery (curated by me) of these Red and Green items I found listed on Etsy. You can find it on Etsy here - until it expires at 11:58 am Tuesday morning.

In the real one on Etsy, the images link to the listings they represent, but after Tuesday morning, it will be gone.

Here on my blog, the image will stay though it will link to "nowhere" - but you can still find these items or similar ones on Etsy!!

ARTISAN FEATURE: MYSTIC SILKS/aka KLAIRE

Ruth Sandra Sperling


The very first time that I saw Klaire's Silk Paintings, Pillows and Scarves, I knew I had found the work of an artist that I would always love! I believe it is the combination of the colors, subjects, themes -- it just appeals to me so much aesthetically that I brighten with a smile every time I see them! So to share it with any readers of my blog, here is a Feature of her and her artwork:

MYSTIC SILKS/aka KLAIRE

Question: What is(are) your Craft(s)/Art(s)?

Answer: I would be classified under artist, when I am doing a painting, and I suppose a designer when I am creating a silk scarf, or silk pillow.


Question: Places you sell your Craft(s)/Art(s) on the Internet?

Answer: Etsy http://mysticsilks.etsy.com/ -- and Yessie


Question: Places you sell your Craft(s)/Art(s) off the Internet?

Answer: Galleries in local area


Question: What/Who has been the inspiration behind doing your Craft(s)/Art(s)?

Answer: I'm not sure I can give the inspiration a name.I like to say it's the muses. They use me as they choose to.




Question: Can you briefly explain to our readers how you do your Craft(s)/Art(s) (methods, skills, materials)?

Answer: All I can briefly say is the process of creating on silk is quite a labor of love. Starting from the day the blank white silk arrives. The silk needs to be laundered to remove the residue from the silk worm. Then the silk is tabbed and pinned to a frame, where the designs are hand painted onto the silk in increments using gutta, French dyes, or paints. This step can take many days or months. After the designs are placed on the silk, it dries for 24 hours. After drying, the silk fabric is placed and layered between folds of unprinted newspaper, or cotton sheets. Then rolled onto a coil tube and placed into a steamer for 2-3 hours (this steaming process sets the dyes deep into the fibers of the silk). It is this steaming process which brings out the mysterious images I speak of in some of my description. See the painting "Bluebird Garden". Images of human forms show up between the statue and the rose bushes on the right. The dyed pieces are removed, laundered again to remove any excess dyes. Then each finished piece is ironed. A silk painting is mounted with pins onto a formcore board, then framed. I will work on paintings, and silk scarves at seperate times.




Question: How did you learn your Craft(s)/Art(s)?

Answer: I was attending an art class on water colors when I happened upon another class that was teaching silk art. I took it to relax and Zen out.


Question: Are you continuing to study your Craft(s)/Art(s) - and, if so, how?

Answer: I am always reviewing and updating my skills by taking classes, or reading.


Question: What is Your personal history in your Craft(s)/Art(s)?

Answer: I attended the Cooper Institute of Art--then because of lack of funds had to find a real job.


Question: Are there other interests in your life that you would like to discuss here (hobbies, charities, other careers, etc.)?

Answer: My creativity extends to writing poetry. I have been published in several college magazines. I also write children's stories, and illustrate them. I also help with the recruitment and activities on Design Style Guide: http://www.designstyleguide.net .
My real job (until I retired) was that of a Registered Nurse. Before that a fulltime mother to 4 children.

Here is a poem that Klaire wrote:

"Can Anyone Hear?"

Will I answer
the question at night,
after the day pregnant with light
has curtsied and bowed
to the presence
of blackened skies?

The stars whisper
their truths to ears
gone deaf.

By: Klaire L. Martin
aka MysticSilks


Question: To anyone aspiring to do the Craft(s)/Art(s) you do, do you have any
suggestions or recommendations?

Answer: Learn all you can. Ask questions of those with more knowledge in your art, or craft. Then just enjoy!



Please Note: My Features are based on the artisan's answers to questions I give them and the photos they send me or choose or approve -- I give all artisans I Feature full editing rights.

Designs from Etsy for Decorating

Ruth Sandra Sperling
RSS Designs In Fiber - Internet Shop of Handmade Items In Fibers


One of the things I love about Etsy is the creativity in the Handmade items all over the shops.

There are various ways you can show this -- you can do what they call "Etsy Minis" of items from your own shop - or your favorites - and, I believe, of some Gift Guides. Then you can put the "Etsy Minis" wherever will take the code (then it links to the items on Etsy) - or you can make an image of the Etsy Mini to put in things.

But the Etsy Teams I belong to have come up with all kinds of additional ways to show our creative items on the Internet - various Blog postings and websites.

As I have talked about before, I am in 3 Etsy Teams:

• Design Style Guide
• Eco Etsy
• Etsy Thread Artists .

This time I am showcasing something on the website for Design Style Guide: http://www.designstyleguide.net/ . On this website, members of the Design Style Guide Etsy Team can pay for having listings on the website, which is advertised to Interior Decorators and people in Home Decorating. One of the features on this website is that members can create "Treasuries" of 12 listings (curated galleries) on http://www.designstyleguide.net/ .

Well, I have 2 listings on http://www.designstyleguide.net/ and I just updated one -- and I decided to make a Treasury on the theme of the Late Summer to Early Fall Harvest Summer: Grapes, Vines and Leaves.




These Treasuries on http://www.designstyleguide.net/ are really beautiful galleries of items members of Design Style Guide have crafted themselves. Take a look! They change every few days!!

Find uniquely hand-crafted aesthetic items for your home or office or any room or building with Design Style Guide and Etsy!!

If you like to decorate with hand-crafted finely detailed crocheted items in thread - check out Etsy Thread Artists!

If you are eco-minded and are looking to shop from like-minded people who run their businesses "eco" or "green" - check out Eco Etsy!

Etsy Sellers can be in multiple Teams, so you may find some in multiple Teams - just like me!