Mark Your Calendars!

On April 25th, two amazing things will happen. I will be a mom for the first April in my life, and I will be a vendor in Fort Worth's first Spring Fling! This show is organized by the folks at Funky Finds, a great online blog featuring handmade goods from around the world. Lucky for us DFW-ites, Funky Finds is based right here in the metroplex, which means we get to participate in this upcoming handmade bazaar!

I'll have a ton of my felted jewelry for sale as I slave away on new designs over the spring during my maternity leave (that is, when I'm not nursing, changing diapers, or trying for 5 minutes of sleep). Also on display, I'll feature a slew of my Nuts & Seeds pieces, featuring beads made from nuts and seeds from the Colombian rainforest.

So mark your calendars for April 25th!

Tefi Loves: Anne-Julie Aubry

Somewhere over the moon there is a young raven-haired girl lost in a strange, enchanted garden. She counts ants, swims in a misty lake, and frolics among larger than life flowers (left). This haunting girl is the imagination of artist Anne-Julie Aubry who uses both traditional painting and modern digital formats as the mediums for her strange and lovely work. Her inspiration comes from her childhood, fairytales, nature, and dreams as evidenced in some of her haunting pieces pictured below. Available in her Etsy shop are prints, buttons, cards, and more.

Shop: http://www.annejulie.etsy.com/ Web Site: http://www.annejulie-art.com/ Location: France

Tefi Loves: In My Backyard

The name says it all. In My Backyard features sweet handmade items either inspired from the artist's backyard, or gathered from her backyard. A perfect example: the Little Bird wooden pin pictured left made from her old rose tree. From her "little old cottage with a large garden in New Zealand," In My Backyard creates brooches, stationery, zipper pouches, and gocco prints all adorned with the things she see's in her backyard: birds, cabbage trees, berries, and pods. Some of our favorites are pictured below: Shop: http://www.inmybackyard.etsy.com/ Web Site: http://www.inmybackyard.co.nz/ Location: Christchurch, New Zealand

Tefi Loves: Nuts

Go nuts over these delightful handmade finds featuring nuts and seeds - all found on Etsy.com!

Felted Wool Acorn set of 12: $24 Shop: http://www.lilfishstudios.etsy.com/ Location: Brainerd, Minnesota

Little Pine Drops earrings: $14 Shop: http://www.trystbykerry.etsy.com/ Location: Toronto, Canada Peanut Dress size XS: $45 Shop: http://www.lyptis.etsy.com/ Location: Melbourne, Australia Squirrel with an Acorn art print: $9 Shop: http://www.barkingbirdart.etsy.com/ Location: Portland, Oregon Green Nut Combo necklace: $24 Shop: http://www.tefi.etsy.com/ Location: Dallas, Texas

Acorn I Spy kids' toy: $24 Shop: http://www.thosegreathousewomen.etsy.com/ Location: Michigan, USA

Flora + Fauna Handmade is a series of spotlights and reviews that celebrate art, craft, design and the natural world we live in.

Vote For Me! (please?)

Holy Toledo! I was floored to get an email from Etsy.com admin stating that they had chosen my Caribbean Queen necklace as a finalist in their Holiday Sparkly Jewelry contest. Log on to your Etsy account (or create one - it's easy! - so you can start shopping for the best handmade stuff on the planet) and VOTE FOR TEFI DESIGNS!! Here's the link: http://www.etsy.com/voter_list.php?room_id=26

Voting ends at 4pm on December 19th. My piece is in superb company and there are some seriously beautiful pieces in the contest. But ignore the prettier pieces and vote for my necklace instead. (pretty please?) Buy the one-of-a-kind necklace here: Caribbean Queen: $39.50 FREE SHIPPING & GIFT BOX

Tefi Loves: Nut and Bee

When perusing Nut and Bee's art print repertoire, it's impossible to settle on just one sweet little animal or flora print. Her characters are charming and simple, some just looking at you with curious eyes, some engaged in odd little activities. Choose from a large selection of art prints to liven up your walls, write sweet little notes on her stationery and top it off with a rubber stamp or three. Nut and Bee also offers note pads, write-on labels, and stickers. You can also find her work at Moo and make mini cards or gift cards with her art. So many sweet offerings! Clockwise from top left: Puffy Puffer Puffing, Treetop Koala, Tusker and Son, Bruno and Oliver, Hot Tea Tortoise, Whirlipig, Gopher Peeping, Bunnylump, Toadstool Treat Shop: http://www.nutandbee.etsy.com/ Blog: http://annettle.livejournal.com/ Location: Auckland, New Zealand

Tefi Loves: Grasshoppers

Ah, Grasshopper. You have much to see. Just take a look at these beautiful Friday Finds starring our hoppy little friends!

Green Grasshopper hoody Shop: http://www.inkyspider.etsy.com/ Location: British Columbia, Canada

Grasshopper pull toy Shop: http://www.mccoytoys.etsy.com/ Location: Asheboro, North Carolina Patience Grasshopper bracelet Shop: http://www.edithandlulu.etsy.com/ Location: Portland, Oregon Bugs in the Yard art print Shop: http://www.tamaragarvey.etsy.com/ Location: Savannah, Georgia Grasshopper hand-dyed Merino wool Shop: http://www.maisydayhandspun.etsy.com/ Location: a farm in Oregon

Leafing Out art print Shop: http://www.corid.etsy.com/ Location: Pullman, Washington

Tefi Loves: The Purl Bee

It is always a delight to visit The Purl Bee, the official blog for the Manhattan-based yarn and fabric shop, Purl Soho. Day after day, The Purl Bee posts beautifully-rendered knit projects, sewing tutorials, book reviews - even a glossary for those "huh?" moments. My favorite thing about The Purl Bee, other than the splashes of colorful photography, is that the reader does not feel she is being asked to buy their goods. Rather she is encouraged to sit back and enjoy the simple pleasures of knitting, sewing, embroidery, and other textile crafts. To get into the holiday spirit, try your hand at these sweet birdie ornaments, and pick your craft: knitting or sewing. Feeling intrepid? Try both!

Blog: http://www.purlbee.com/ Shop: http://www.purlsoho.com/ Location: Manhattan, NYC

A Beautiful Sight: Gift Ideas

Thanks my designer friend Pam for being the inspiration for my latest batch of posters and banners. Check out her wood-etched lovelies: http://www.pamelamichelle.etsy.com/!

Tefi Loves: mariwibis

If you're like most people, you're afraid to break out the fine wine glasses for fear of, well, breaking them. Fear not - Mary Elizabeth Hining offers stemless wine glasses covered in delicate branches and vibrant cardinals (left). Just try to knock these off the coffee table. Her beautifully detailed images are hand painted with non-toxic paint, then heat-set for lasting durability. Chose from champagne flutes to decanters. And in case you can't pick your poison, choose an entire set of various glasses and enjoy a little bit of each (champage, wine, and martini). Feeling bold? Spring for this set of fern-covered stemware (below). Go on, I dare you.

Shop: http://www.marywibis.etsy.com/ Web Site: http://www.meharts.com/ Location: Durham, North Carolina

Tefi Loves: Mushrooms

Milk & Honey Mushroom Soap: $4.50 Shop: http://www.loveleesoaps.etsy.com/ Location: Daytona Beach, Florida

Toadstool Skirt: $62 Shop: http://www.madewithlovebyhannah.etsy.com/ Location: Los Angeles, California

The Forest Floor hairclip: $10

Shop: http://www.hellobirdie.etsy.com/ Location: Fort Worth, Texas

Mushroom Softie: $40

Shop: http://www.annieoakleaves.etsy.com/

Location: San Diego, California

Tefi Loves: Ollies Woolies

Ollies Woollies, run by Catherine Svensson who lives and works in the southernmost part of Sweden, is a line of charmingly crocheted and fulled jewelry. Many of Catherine's pieces resemble branches and other flora found in the enchanted forests of our imagination - like her Winter Berries necklace (pictured left). The process of fulling involves washing the crocheted piece in alternate hot then cold water, during which the fibers are agitated, causing the wool to shrink, and leaving the individual stitches barely visible. All items are handmade by the artist using 100% wool and contain no wire, making each piece soft and manageable. All products are hand-washable and come with free care instructions. Shop: http://www.ollieswoollies.etsy.com/ Location: Lund, Sweden

Tefi Loves: Beadkeepers

The jeweler behind Beadkeepers believes that art and nature are inextricably linked; one cannot exist without the other. F&FH couldn't agree more! This is why we can't get enough of her unique, biology-inspired pieces like her bell jar rings (pictured left). Nature lovers can rest assured that all animal bone and insect designs are created with either found objects or captive raised "farmed" insects. Added bonus: a portion of Beadkeepers' sales goes to the Rare Species Conservatory Foundation. Shop: http://www.beadkeepers.etsy.com/ Blog: http://www.beadkeepers.blogspot.com/ Location: Loxhahatchee, Florida