Triangle Holiday Arts & Crafts Calendar (Week 5)

Wintry weather has arrived in the Triangle, to get you in the mood for holiday shopping! We have several events in & around Raleigh this weekend, plus we've expanded our reach to the Triad, too! Hope to see you out & about!

Friday, December 11
Art After Dark & Main Street Christmas
Where: Holly Springs Cultural Center
When: 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm
Seller to look for: AlloverArt

Saturday, December 12
ELF Arts & Crafts Fair
Where: The ArtsCenter, Carrboro
When: 1:00 pm - 5:00 pm
Seller to look for: Gilded Lily Glass

Garner Christmas Shopping Spree
Where: 1005 Poole Drive, Garner
When: 10:00 am - 3:00 pm
Seller to look for: LindaSearcyJewelry

Holiday Marketplace
Where: West Millbrook Middle School, Raleigh
When: 10:00 am - 4:00 pm
Seller to look for: OldBroomStreet, ShoreDebris

Saturday & Sunday, December 12 & 13
Carolyn & Friends Artist Affair Craft Show
Where: Carolyn's Bead Addiction, Raleigh
When: Both days - 9:00 am - 5:00 pm
Sellers to look for: Ellesbeads

Sunday, December 13
Holiday Arts & Crafts at the Market
Where: Farmers Curb Market, Downtown Greensboro
When: 11:00 am - 5:00 pm
Sellers to look for: Orange Cat Art, Gilded Lily Glass


We hope you'll visit our NC Triangle Etsy Team members and say hello!


(Members, if you have an event coming up next weekend, send it to Orange Cat Art by Wednesday night to get onto next Friday's calendar!)

Vote for your favorite! (Monthly Team Challenge #8 - Spring Fling)

As always, we've gotten some great entries this month. This month we've beaten our record for the highest number of entries. This was a very popular theme!

Now you get to pick the winner. The winner will be featured in the team blog, they get to pick the theme for next month's challenge, and this month they will win their choice of one Original Art Pendant, which is being generously donated by AlloverArt. If you are a team member and haven't joined us for a monthly challenge yet I encourage you to participate next month!

The theme this month was "Spring Fling". Participants were encouraged to interpret this challenge theme in any way they wished.

Voting is now open, so please cast your vote for your favorite entry on the sidebar poll. Voting will remain open until 11:59 PM on Monday, March 30. The winner will be announced on Tuesday, March 31.

Click on the links below to get a closer look at each of the entries (listed in the order in which they were submitted):

1) Bunny Patch Pillow by shamsandcoverups


2) Caroline Bracelet by FrenziedArtists


3) Shea Monoi Butter Citrus Blossum by CCrafters


4) Pink Dogwood Blossoms Fine Art Photograph by orangecatart


5) Cross Stitch Travel Tissue Holder by lynnscrafts


6) Hand Painted Ceramic Easter Bunny Cuddle Bears by PhantasyCeramics


7) I'm Compostable Organic Cotton T-shirt by bluegreendesigns


8) Spring Fling Patchwork and Yo Yo Pillow by UncagedBurt


9) Vintage Paper Doll Scrapbook Embellishments by VintageScraps


10) Sherbert paper pack by jdfootloose

Monthly Challenge #8 - Spring Fling

Challenge #8 will run March 4 - March 21 with the theme, Spring Fling, chosen by last month's winner TraceyGurley.

------Monthly Challenge Rules----
* Participant must be a member of the NC Triangle Street Team. If you've just joined the group or haven't found a way to be active here is a great chance to jump in!
* One entry per shop/participant per challenge.
* You may enter something already in your shop or something made specifically for the challenge. The choice is yours!
* Your entry must be listed in your shop with the month's challenge tag (NCtriangleC8). If it sells that is fine, the link will still work and you are still eligible to win!
* Once your entry is listed, post its title, your shop name, and a link to the entry in a comment to this post. (This is a change from past challenges which is necessary due to some technical issues that we are currently having with the team forums.)
* Post only entries that are relevant to the monthly challenges. Entries not relevant to that month's challenge will be deleted at the discretion of the moderator.
* Each participant must post their entry by 11:59 p.m. on Saturday, March 21.
* All of the entries will be compiled and voting will run from approximately March 23-30. Voting will be held via an open poll here on the team blog.
* The winner will be announced on April 1. As a reward: the winner's shop will be featured on the blog, plus she/he will get to choose the next challenge theme, plus they will win a prize which is generously being donated by AlloverArt. The prize this month: your choice of one Original Art Pendant.

Note: You can also post a picture of your entry to the NC Triangle Street Team Challenge group on Flickr, but you still need to post your entry here in order for it to be included in the voting process. Entries added to the Flickr Challenge group must be tagged with this month's challenge tag.

The nitty-gritty of entering:
Pick or make the item you want to submit, list it in your shop if it isn't already listed, make sure to include the challenge tag as one of your item tags, post a link to your item here. It is that easy!

****Future Prizes***
If anyone is interested in donating prizes for future challenges just let Jenn know! It is great exposure for your shop and it is fun to send off free things to your friends :)

Good luck everyone!

Giveaway!

NCTriangle team member AlloverArt is having a giveaway on her blog.



Good luck!

Do you Facebook?

In case you hadn't already heard, NCTriangle is on Facebook. Come join the group if you're on Facebook too. You can benefit from networking, promoting your local shows and more. You can even grab some NCTriangle Flair :)

If you're interested in learning more about advertising on Facebook, check out AlloverArts's blog post about it!

Giveaways

Who doesn't love a giveaway?

Head on over to AlloverArt's blog to read about hers!

Attention NCTriangle members: If any of you are doing giveaways let DinnerTimeChimes know and we'll advertise your giveaway on the team blog too!

Etsy Shop Makeover Community Vote

Etsy is hosting a Community Vote involving seller's top-selling items from 2008. They released this Storque article saying, "In an effort to better understand which of their items are workin' it, sellers shared links to their top selling items of 2008 in the comments of this post. Now we want YOU to pick your favorites from this pool."

So, Etsy has put together a little contest and Allover Art, a NCTriangle Team member, is in it! The items that receive the most votes will be featured in the Etsy Gift Guides. Allover Art's item that is featured is her Hand-Painted Black Tree Silhouettes Resin Pendant Necklace which you can see on the left. It's an eye-catching 1.5 inch (3.81 cm) circle fine art resin pendant on a black Chinese silk cord. This tiny acrylic painting is one-of-a-kind, and depicts tree silhouettes on a pale yellow background.

This original miniature painting was created with high quality acrylic paints on a wooden tile. The painting was then sealed on every surface, and then received a high-gloss resin finish which gives it a very polished look. The finished effect is similar to that of a heavy glass pendant, but it is actually very lightweight. The pendant features a large silver-plated aanraku bail securely fastened to the back, and comes with an 18 inch (45.72 cm) black Chinese silk cord with a lobster claw clasp.

So take a moment and visit the voting site HERE, and if you like her work, vote for Allover Art. She thanks you. :)

Featured Seller: Allover Art

Who are you?
Ruth Jones, the owner and artist of Allover Art.

Where are you located?
Holly Springs, NC

What do you create?
I create fine art oil paintings on canvas. The majority of my paintings are commissioned custom works.


What is your favorite place to visit in the "triangle"?
I have two; I can't choose just one! :) My two favorite places to visit are Harris Lake County Park in New Hill and Carolina Pines Dog Park in Raleigh. Both places are relaxing and we can let our dog Kasey run free and happy without her leash.

When did you start creating?
In high school I took a generic visual arts class and discovered that I had a natural talent for art and painting. I continued to paint in my spare time while I studied Art History at Rutgers University in New Jersey. I would have liked to study Art instead, but it was a very time-consuming major and the majority of my time was dedicated to swimming. After college I continued to paint on my own and teach myself new techniques. It wasn't until February of 2008 that I decided to officially turn my love of painting into a business.

Why did you choose your medium?
I chose oil paint because it allows me to show great detail. I've found that oil paint enables me to create the most accurate representation of my subjects and generate the greatest satisfaction from my clients. I have been at a few shows where people have exclaimed that they thought my painting was a photograph. Oil paint satisfies the perfectionist in me.

What is your next project going to be?
My next project, or projects, will be working on Christmas commissions. I have already completed a few custom paintings for clients to give as Christmas gifts, and I have more lined up.

Where do you create?
I work from my studio in our home that my husband and I share with our dog Kasey in Holly Springs.

What is you most popular item that you create?
The most popular item that I create is the custom pet portrait. My business actually began with a former coworker asking me to paint a portrait of his pets for him to give to his wife for Christmas. Ever since then I have had numerous requests for custom pet portraits, whether it's to construct a Christmas gift for someone or to memorialize a pet who is no longer with us. I think that my pet portraits are popular because my clients see their pets as members of their families and want a way to recognize that relationship, as well as to honor the loyalty and love that their pets have for them.

--To see more of Ruth's work and read more about her life, check out her personal website and her blog.

Monthly Challenge #2 Winner - Allover Art

Wish you could tell someone hello or you are thinking of them? Send them a quick note with these cute card sets from Allover Art our second monthly challenge winner.

Peaceful Puppy Card & Envelope Set

Frisky Kitten Card & Envelope Set

Would you like to have your items showcased? Check our blog and forum for the dates of our next challenge, and you just might see your items here next month!

Monthly Challenge #2 Winner - Allover Art

Want to get a jump start on your Christmas shopping? Why not order a custom oil painting from Allover Art. 

Custom 8 x 10 Pet Portrait

Custom Landscape 8 x 10 Oil Painting

Allover Art specializes in custom landscape and custom pet portraits. If you are interested in commissioning a painting for Christmas, please contact Allover Art as early as possible. 

Allover Art was our Challenge #2 winner and will be featured throughout the month of October. 

Would you like to have your items showcased? Check our blog and forum for the dates of our next challenge, and you just might see your items here next month!

Team Treasury: Primary Colors

bluecuddly's treasury was quite popular! Thanks for showcasing the NCTriangle team!

Team Treasury: BERMUDA triangle

3squares created this treasury by finding caribbean shades in our local shops...

School Colors Challenge #2 Winner

The winner of our second monthly challenge "School Colors" is. . .

Biggest Fan by Allover Art

Congratulations Allover Art!

Allover Art's shop features "original fine art oil paintings on canvas" as well as commissioned custom paintings.

As the winner of the monthly challenge, Allover Art's items will be featured on the blog throughout the month of October, plus she will get to choose the next challenge theme.

Thank you to everyone who joined in on this fun challenge and to everyone who voted. It was a lot of fun! If you missed out entering an item for this challenge you need not worry, our new challenge host Jenngee will be posting info on our October challenge soon.

Team Treasury: few of my favorites

JoannasPhotography was proud to show of her favorites found in NCTriangle Etsy shops...

Vote now for your favorite!

Challenge #2 - School Colors

1. Pencil Soap 2. Tiger Collection - Orange and Purple Keishi Bracelet 3. Team Color Pony O's - Who's Ready for Some Football 4.Biggest Fan Original Oil Painting 5. School Dress Mini Photo Book 6. Apples on Blue Coffee Corset 7. Black, White, and Red Fused Glass Pendant

Voting is now open, so please cast your vote for your favorite entry on the sidebar poll. Voting will remain open until 11:59 PM Saturday, September 27. The winner will be announced on Monday, September 29.


Thanks to all of the wonderful entries from (1.) Karenssoaps (2.) Scatterbox (3.) Sugarpiesbows (4.) AlloverArt (5.) VintageScraps (6.) Jenngee (7.) JessiJeanJewelry . Good Luck to everyone!

Team Treasury: Let the sun shine in!

OrangeCatArt loves sunny days! Don't you too?

Team Treasury: start Christmas shopping!!

LynnsCrafts has already started encouraging people to buy handmade for the holidays!