Introductory Offer - New Beaded Wrap Bracelets only $15!

My newest designs are these colorful wrap cuff bracelets. Made with memory wire, these bracelets are easy to put on because no clasp is necessary - they just wrap right around fitting any size wrist.

 Elegant enough to go with your dressier outfits, but still light-weight, easy to wear, and affordable enough for every day! Try one with a sun dress for a casual summer party!

I have put them on sale for $15 for one week only - don't miss out! (Regular price will be $18.)

Send me a message if you would like a color combination other than the ones I have listed - I am happy to do special orders!

Not in the market for a wrap bracelet right now? Good news - All my other bracelets are $3.00 off this week, too! Sale ends at 11:00 pm Thursday, July 7.

Find me at:
Etsy - http://www.etsy.com/shop/hollynsage
Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/pages/HollySage
Twitter -http://twitter.com/hollynsage
Pinterest - http://pinterest.com/hollynsage/

Artist Collaboration with Petrillo Pottery

I am excited to announce the collaboration of Holly&Sage and Petrillo Pottery! Rachel Petrillo is a sculptor and potter; she makes unique and beautiful porcelain creations including these adorable fruit and flower pendants. 

She has made some especially for me, and I am busy making some new Mommy necklaces with them. 

Now, not only are these necklaces lovingly handmade in the US, the beads are handmade in the US, too!

These are adjustable so that they can be worn long or short. Though Mommy necklaces can be worn by anyone, they are simple and sturdy pieces that can withstand pulling by the young hands of babies and toddlers, so they are ideal for caregivers of small children.

Note: Porcelain ceramic beads are fired and glazed to resist breakage, but they are breakable and should not be dropped.  

Mommy necklaces are sold as jewelry for adults, not toys, and should not be given to unsupervised children.

Stay tuned to Holly&Sage or follow me on Facebook for news of new necklaces to be listed soon!

June 19 is Father's Day - Great Handmade & Vintage Items for Dad!

What will you get for Dad this Father's Day? The same old tired bottle of after shave or tie that he will never wear? 

Why don't you surprise him this year with something truly unique - it is easy when you explore the world of awesome handmade and vintage items available on Etsy!

Washer Necklace Leather w/Recycled 

Button 'Life Savers'

ReClaimed Wooden Soap Dish

This is an inventive way to recycle buttons! These 'washers' were in a bunch of buttons that I acquired - they are buttons with the middles drilled out to form a circular life saver shape. I have arranged them on a 2mm black leather cord and it makes an awesome necklace for a guy or a girl!
The colors are neutral - black, tan, and shades of brown, so it can be worn with anything. The necklace is a short choker length.       

$18.00


Keep your handmade soaps from turning mushy by using one of these well draining soap dishes from PS Products.
Each soap dish is made out of reclaimed Cedar, finished with linseed oil and is cut to allow water to drain through the dish and away from your soap, so your soap will last longer.

$5.00

Vintage Hazel Atlas Gay Nineties Shot

Glasses-Set of 6

I love this fantastic set of shot glasses/small tumblers for that mid century vintage collector! Made by Hazel Atlas(marked on the bottom) in the 1940s-50s, they show a fabulous bar scene with a lady and her pooch, a man and the bartender.    
From InMyIgloo

$29.00

Hand Formed Copper Money Clip Favorite Guy

He's going to love the way this simple copper money clip helps him hold on to his bills or all those receipts that seem to accumulate in his pockets! More than that, he will love the fact that you were thinking of him! (And he will think of YOU every time he sees it!)

$9.50

Pair of Antique Folding Pocket Knifes -

Signed Richards Sheffield England

Pair of antique folding pocket knifes. Each knife features two different sized blades. These unique items from Grey Squirrel Antiques are sure to bring back many old memories for Dad!


 $19.50

Skeleton Key Boro Glass Beaded Keychain For Him

This lampwork glass beaded skeleton key will make a great Father's Day or anniversary gift for the man in your life. The brass tag can be customized to say the love note of your choice. The bead is dark purple and measures 3/4 inch in diameter and 8 mm. It was handmade in the flame of my torch from borosilicate or boro glass directly on the shaft of a vintage steel skeleton key that measures 2 3/4 inches in length.               $38.00

Hollow Book Safe - Contract Bridge 

Complete with Two Decks of Cards Cut-Out

These vintage book safes from Conduit Press are sure to please a collector of any kind! They can be used as they're intended (as safes hidden on a book shelf to hide your treasures, or your vices) or as a jewelry box on your dresser, or perhaps a conversation piece on your coffee table. 

$50.00 

Safari Print- illustration reproduction drawing artwork wall decor

5" x 7" Signed Reproduction of original artwork printed on professional photo paper. Striking, intense colors, and exceptional sharpness. This artwork by YuliyaArt is unique in that the artist does not use pencil or sketch at all - artwork is alive, developing in the moment I am drawing it and sometimes final result is surprise even for me.

Mid-Century Vintage Leather Jewelry Box

This mall square leather men's jewelry or nick-knack box from Restashable would be a perfect Father's Day gift! Smooth warm medium brown cowhide leather with tan suede interior. There are slots on the inside of the box lid for holding tie bars or something. Lid is attached and closes with a snap.

$18.00

There are way too many more excellent choices on Etsy for me to list them all here. Take a look for yourself and you will see what I mean!

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY!

Here's to Handmade Holiday Success!

Etsy is sponsoring a Holiday Boot Camp to help promote handmade and vintage gift-giving this holiday season. With so many unemployed and financially troubled, it makes more sense than ever to support independent artists and craftspeople.

We at Holly&Sage pledge to participate in the Etsy Success Holiday Boot Camp to the best of my abilities. I vow to check in every week, do my homework and support my fellow Holiday Boot Campers. I will read the weekly newsletters and blog posts, check in on the weekly forum thread, read the weekly blog post, check off the checklists and salute the mascot. I promise to share what I've learned with those who need it, support my fellow Etsy indiepreneurs and, most of all, have a positive and persistent attitude. I understand that together we can spread the word about our handmade and vintage goods, making this holiday season a more unique and meaningful one to gift givers and give-ees everywhere!

To learn more about the Boot Camp, visit Etsy's blog.

This Week's Featured Artist: Audrey of Retrograndma A Blast From the Past!

Welcome to our series on handmade artists. This is my first interview in a while! I think everyone was on vacation for the summer, but this week we are back in business with Audrey of Retrograndma!

I regularly feature artists or artisans of handmade items to help promote the handmade industry. If you would like to be featured, see Would You Like to be a Featured Artist? for details.

Hi, Audrey! Thank you so much for joining us today and sharing a bit about your creative work!

1. What is your first name and where are you from?

- Audrey from Sunny Saskatchewan in Canada!


2. What type of art or craft do you create and how did you get started with it?

- I recycle books and records and create unique handbags, wallets, clocks, earring holders, hollow book safes and containers. I've been crafting for many years now...I used to do A LOT of sewing, crocheting, and plastic canvas crafts and decided I needed a change.


3. Where do you market your products? How long have you been selling your work?

- I started my Etsy shop, Retrograndma in 2007


4. What is your dream for your products or artwork? Is it a mainly a hobby, or a main source of income (or would you like for it to become a main source of income)?

- I would love it to be my main source of income. I can call it a hobby as I love creating these items - I never tire of it as each piece is unique - it's my relaxation therapy away from my daytime job. I dream of retiring soon, crafting all day and making many sales :-)


5. How are your items different from the next guy’s? What is unique about your work?

- I think it's unique to be able to recycle books and records and create handbags and other accessories.


6. What is your favorite subject matter/medium/material (whichever applies to your art form)?

- I mostly love making the book handbags - especially out of vintage books.


7. What is your favorite part of creating and selling your products or artwork? The part you like the least?

- I enjoy creating my product and then mailing it away for someone to use and enjoy. I feel good that someone is carrying my purse and leaves me awesome feedback of my craftsmanship. I do a lot of custom work and that also is a good feeling. One sale was creating custom handbags for a bride's bridesmaids !
The least thing I enjoy? I don't think there's anything that I like the least about creating and selling my products.


8. Tell us a little bit about your family and how they feel about your business or your artwork.

- When I show my family and friends - they just are amazed at what I can create out of a book or record.

Audrey, thank you for taking the time for this interview! We wish you all the greatest success.

If you’d like to learn more about Audrey or her work visit her shop, Retrograndma or her blog.

We Have a Winner!! Is it YOU?!?

I want to thank everyone that entered the giveaway for the copper necklace - it was a great success! We had 97 entries - not bad for a first giveaway!

I used a random number generator to choose a winner, and the winner is...
...
...
...



Kelli Lee!



Congratulations, Kelli - I have contacted you about getting your address so I can mail the necklace to you.

Everyone else - thank you so much for participating! I will be sending an email to each of you (if you provided me with an email address) with a discount code good on any purchase from Holly&Sage through August 31.

Also, a friend of mine will be doing a giveaway of another one of my items in August - check back for more details later!

A Unique Baby Shower Gift Idea

A really unique idea for a baby shower gift is a nursing necklace. Whether the new mom is planning on nursing or not, she will be holding the baby a lot, and babies like to grab things! A nursing necklace is made stronger than a regular necklace with no little parts that can easily pull off or break - perfect for a mom or anyone that holds a baby a lot!

I have an extensive selection for sale at my Etsy shop (all under $20.) There is also going to be one given away on Girly Girl Giveaways later this week! Be sure to watch for it and enter to win this reversible turquoise and lavender one:




Or visit Holly&Sage to see many more!

Would you like to be a featured artist?

I believe in handmade items and cottage industry. I would rather buy an item from a fellow artisan or crafts person than to buy it from a mega-store at half the price!

In order to do my part in promoting the handmade industry, I am going to feature a different artist or crafts person each week – the offer is open to any artist or crafts person who creates handmade items and sells them.

These posts will appear one day each week (not sure which day, yet – I will let you know when we get ready to roll!). If you would like to be featured, simply email me at hollylu16@gmail.com and include the following information in interview form:

1. What is your first name and where are you from? (State or country only)

2. What type of art or craft do you create and how did you get started with it?

3. Where do you market your products? How long have you been selling your work?

4. What is your dream for your products or artwork? Is it a mainly a hobby, or a main source of income (or would you like for it to become a main source of income)?

5. How are your items different from the next guy’s? What is unique about your work?

6. What is your favorite subject matter/medium/material (whichever applies to your art form)?

7. What is your favorite part of creating and selling your products or artwork? The part you like the least?

8. Tell us a little bit about your family and how they feel about your business or your artwork.

Please also provide:
• A link to your shop, website or blog

• A photograph of one of your items or a link to the photograph with permission to use it in this post

• A photo of yourself or your work space if you wish (optional)

Once you’ve sent your information, we’ll schedule a date for you to “go live” on this blog. I will send you a reminder email the day before your feature goes live so you can tell all your friends to watch for it!

All I ask in return for this is a link back to my blog (to your feature) and that you spread the word among any other artists or crafts people you feel may be interested in a bit of free advertising and promotion.

Thank you to Cher at cecilbobby.com for the idea to do this. I am kinda copying her! I don’t think she will mind – it is all for the good of the handcrafted community!

I have decided to formally promote the handmade and artisan items of my friends and fans of Holly&Sage! This decision was influenced partly by Heather of Studio FM and partly by the weekly FEATURED FELLOW ETSIAN feature on Cecil Bobby's blog.

Heather's generosity to all of her friends that sell handmade products inspired me to do more sharing of my own resources with my friends. It can only help all of us if we spread the word about each others work! I am all for buying everything I can from a cottage industry rather than a mega corporation!

Cecil Bobby's blog gave me an example to follow. She features a fellow Etsy seller each week and in order to be included you only have to have an Etsy shop and answer a few simple "interview" questions. She only asks that each participant links back to her site and that they "spread the word among any Etsians [they] feel may be interested in a bit of free advertising and promotion." (If you have an Etsy shop you can find the information for being featured on her blog at )

I am going to do a similar feature here on my blog. This blog started out as just a place for me to ramble on occasionally about things that were on my mind (like whether buying sweat pants at Walmart was a good deal... ( )

Anyway, I am working on improving it and using it to promote my handmade products as well as those of my friends (including my Facebook friends and fans of Holly&Sage). I reserve the right to publish the occasional rant about Walmart, but I will try to keep it professional! ;- D

This is the plan: I will make a list of questions and anyone wishing to participate can send the answered questions to me and I will schedule a date for their 'interview' on my blog. I will, of course, link to your site or Etsy shop (I don't require that you have an Etsy shop, only that you make a handcrafted product that you sell). In return I ask that you link back to the blog - from Facebook, Twitter, your site, I don't care where! The idea is to get incoming links. That will make the whole endeavor work. The more people that see the blog, the more it will help YOU, ME, and EVERYONE else! I think it is a win-win situation!

I will come up with the questions and post them in a day or two. I welcome any advice or suggestions, and please spread the word!!

Thank you!

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

holly&sagewelcomepage
Originally uploaded by Steve & Holly2008

I am spending the day updating Holly&Sage fan page on Facebook! (I was expecting to spend an hour or two on it, not all day! But alas... I guess I am more tech-impaired than I realized!)

This is my Welcome page to new fans, what do you think?