Treasures From Hawaii

Anybody who knows me knows that I lived a brief 3 1/2 months in Hawai'i way-back-when. And those same individuals have probably all heard my warning--if you go to Hawai'i you will never be the same. You will bring a piece of Hawai'i back with you in your heart, but you will also leave a piece of your heart in Hawai'i. Those pieces will call to one another for the rest of your life, and you will always yearn to reunite them back in the islands.

If you are one of the souls that faces this "plight" (as I am), than Dara Shepherd's Etsy store, Treasures From Hawaii, may be just the remedy you need.



Hailing from the lovely beaches of Kauai, Dara offers the Hawaiian Beach-in-a-Bottle. Each unique container is lovingly hand-filled with sea glass, crushed coral, sand, shells, coral pieces, and other beach finds. Dara also offers these elegant treasures in large quantities for wedding or party favors.



If you yearn for the vivid flora of the islands, Dara's Pink Hawaiian Hibiscus print may be just what you need for your office or home. Available in two sizes, the price is right to chase the Hawai'i blues away.



And whether you buy one of her prints or need a special mat for a print of one of your own treasured snapshots, Dara's Sea Glass Photo Mat is a great way to have a bit of Hawai'i with you always. Covered with hand-collected sea glass from the beaches of Kauai, this mat can be framed or displayed on an easel with your special photo showcased within it.

Visit Treasures From Hawaii by clicking here

Silk delights from bstudio

I've got a soft spot in my creative heart for silk flower embroidery. So of course when I discovered Brenda's work at her Etsy store bstudio, I was instantly smitten. Brenda's interior design background shows through in her work, which is probably another reason why I've been drawn to it for quite some time now.

I think my favorite piece that she has available in her store right now has to be the Circle of Roses Pillow. Made in a lovely blush pink silk dupioni adorned with hand-embroidered roses, this pillow is the essence of "pearly"!



I also love the whimsical elegance of Brenda's Multi-Colored Dots Pillow. The rows of hand-embroidered silk ribbon dots against the silver silk dupioni remind me of "confetti cake" made with angel food cake and candy sprinkles.



As the daughter of a quilter, the Pink Patchwork Butterfly Pillow catches my eye too. The blush colored silk dupioni looks so elegant paired with the patchwork sections.



Brenda's work also includes hand-dyed silk flower hair ornaments, brooches, napkin rings, and MUCH more.

Click here to stop by her online store, bstudio.

Unique Designs by Sandy

As I've delved into the world of Twitter, I've been delighted at the wonderful artisans I've found. My latest discovery is Sandy of Unique Designs by Sandy, a jewelry designer hailing from Perth in Western Australia. Sandy's wirework is exquisite and each of her pieces are a work of art. And not only are the pieces unique, the item descriptions at her Etsy store are as well. Each one gives a detailed write-up of the metaphysical properties of the stones, gems, and metals used in each piece.

Without further adieu, let me show you some of my favorites...

Cherry Quartz Sterling Silver Wire Wrapped Ring

Pink Cubic Zirconia Solitaire
14kt Gold Filled Wire Wrapped Ring
Elegant, Dainty, Stylish, Feminine, Romantic and Classy


Cherry Quartz Sterling Silver Handcrafted Earrings
Sweet, Short Length, Ornate

White Pearl Sterling Silver Decorative Bracelet
Luscious, Simple, Elegant, Lustrous and Very Stylish


Don't forget to bookmark Sandy's store so you can go back again and again
http://uniquedesignsbysandy.etsy.com

Pink and pearly goodness

With the recent launch of the Dusting in Pearls online store, came the introduction of a new way of packaging orders. I wanted opening an order to be like receiving a gift. I also wanted to recreate the glamorous experience of buying something from the high-end department stores of the mid-20th century. So I hand-package every order in pink scented tissue paper in a white glossy gift box tied with a luxurious satin rope and tassel. I also include a free handmade sachet that is scented to compliment the order. If you order cards with roses on them, the sachet is rose scented. If you order something with lilacs on it, then the sachet is lilac scented.

"Pink Gerbera Dreams" Writing Set

Every purchase also includes a free set of 12 sheets of hand-embossed writing paper. The paper is vintage high-quality linen that is in pristine condition and oh-so-elegant.


I've also launched a new collection called "Choose-Your-Greeting" sets of cards. With the click of the mouse, you can easily choose from six greetings so that every card in your set has something different to say. The latest in this growing collection is the design "Sarah's Gerberas" (pictured above). "Lilac Nostalgia" is also a recent addition to the collection (picture below).


"Sarah's Gerberas" , the "Lilac Nostalgia" cards (above) and the "Red Gerberas" cards (below) are part of the special "Pearly Collection" of stationery that is printed on a gorgeous thick opalescent paper that looks like it's made of crushed pearls. I love running my hand across it.


There will be lots more additions to the store as I get products photographed and listed. You can be updated of the progress by following Dusting in Pearls on Twitter by clicking here. You can also become a fan of Dusting in Pearls on Facebook by clicking here and get the latest updates that way.

Grand Opening!

I am excited to announce that Dusting in Pearls has just launched the official Dusting in Pearls online store at http://www.dustinginpearls.com.

Receive 10% off your first order with the Grand Opening coupon code 5e4c9237fe

All orders over $50 receive free shipping all the time!

Mulberry Muse

A few months ago, I found the work of Wendy Paula Patterson on Flickr, and that was my official discovery of Mulberry Muse. Wendy is a talented artist from Australia that produces such gorgeous work I would like to own it all. As it is, I am the very pleased owner of a set of her Berry Bird Cards. The cards are even more beautiful in person...


It is so hard for me to pick out only a few of her other pieces to showcase, because they are all so beautiful. But here are just a few...

Paris Vintage Rose Card

The Peacock Bustle Pillow Box Collection

Vintage Roses Card

Paris Rose Collection

As a final note, my purchase from Mulberry Muse was such a delightful transaction. Despite the fact that my order was coming from Australia, I received my package much sooner than I had anticipated. And opening the mailer was so much fun it was like opening a gift on my birthday. If you want a nice treat for yourself or someone you love, Mulberry Muse is the place to find it.

Yummy Faux Goodness

If you have not had the pleasure of being introduced to Brissonte', I highly recommend that you take the time to visit the Brissonte' blog and the Brissonte' Etsy store. I was originally drawn in by their decadently adorable faux felt desserts and have now found a number of favorites amidst their many lovely offerings.

And if you happen to live in the general vicinity of Lawrence, MA, you could also visit their retail shop and art studio in The Cotton Weaving Mill. Unfortunately, I am not on the right coast, so I will enjoy their online establishments. If any of you do go to visit their retail shop and studio, please drop me a note. If you take photos of your visit, I'd love to post them here.

Oh, I almost forgot, they also have a wonderful online inventory at the Brissonte' official website.

New Website and Online Store Soon!

It's been a long time since there's been a new post at Dusting in Pearls. There's a reason for that. I've been deeply involved in designing and developing the new Dusting in Pearls official website and online store. I've had to be the designer and developer myself for this project and it seems to have taken over most of my time. Fortunately, I found a free open source shopping cart tool called Zen Cart that is making it a lot easier.

Official launch of the website and online store should happen before late spring 2009. I will keep everyone posted! Thanks for your patience.

New Notecards

I am pleased as can be to announce the new set of 12 Rose Nostalgia Collection notecards are now available at the Dusting in Pearls Etsy store! I am so excited that now you don't have to choose which rose you like best. You can have them all!

pinc.stuff

If you're looking for some adorably cute sweet calorie-free treats for the holidays, then look no further than pinc.stuff. Sheryl Ng creates and crafts such sweet delicacies that you'd think they were edible.

Chocolate Cupcake Necklace and Earring Set

I have to agree with Sheryl when she asks, "Don't these little cupcakes bring back sweet memories?" They do for me! This dainty little replicas look just like the original edibles.

Mini Marshmallow Charm Bracelet

I just couldn't resist sharing this precious charm bracelet with you! Is this just the cutest conglomeration of mini marshmallows you've ever seen?!?!

Sweet Frosted Donuts

And Sheryl lets you choose which one of this lovely dainty desserts you want on an 18" inch silver chain necklace. Oh my! It's so hard to choose just one!

Sheryl offers so many pieces that you've got to go over to pinc.stuff and see them all for yourself.