New Moon in Aquarius Artist Feature

New Moon in AquariusFebruary 13, 2010 6:51 pm PST

This month's featured new moon artist is jeweler and soul seeker, Shi Eddy. Plus, stay tuned for yet another Etsy jeweler (these gals do love their rocks!) who hails from Melbourne, Australia. The moon in Aquarius invites us all to aim high and pursue our goals with passion and courage. Test out your tiger-heart this new moon as you free your mind, run with the wind and share your innate charisma and sensitivity with us all!

Shiron (Shi) Eddy

Rainier, Oregon, USA

Shop: http://shijewels.etsy.com

Blog: http://shijewels.blogspot.com

Being born under a sign that’s ruled by Uranus, the planet of drastic change, revolution, upheaval and independence makes for some very interesting twists and turns in this life of mine. Both my sun and moon signs are Aquarius and I’m absolutely true to my sign. I’m a tree hugging, Goddess loving, hippy at heart. As an Air sign I live for the wind -- it cleanses and re-energizes me; I’m mule stubborn, fiercely independent, a dreamer and idealist…always looking forward to tomorrow.

As a mother of twins and a recent empty nester, making jewelry not only fills the void of a quiet home but also allows me to express my creative side. With Nature as my muse and Earth’s bounty of wonderful little treasures at my fingertips, I am provided the never ending inspiration to create pieces that show my appreciation of the beauty that surrounds us all.

'Te Amo' ~ Labradorite, Topaz & Peridot Sterling Silver Necklace

I love learning about the metaphysical and healing properties of the stones that I work with, it never ceases to amaze me how versatile these little earthy gems are. I’m always surprised when a piece refuses to be made how I intended…you’d think I’d be used to it…but the stubborn side of me is determined to make it as I have it in my mind’s eye only to relinquish this vision after a few exhausting hours allowing it to be made as it wishes, and it never disappoints. Jewelry is an extension of me, it isn't just a fashion statement; it's an expression of the soul.

To read more New Moon Artist Features please click here.

Full Moon in Leo Artist Feature

Full Moon in Leo
January 29, 2010
10:18 pm PST

This month's full moon in Leo is gearing up and ready to inspire as only those very special people, the positively cheery and beaming Leos can do best. My first artist feature is ceramicist Dana Morton, but hang tight I've got two more Lovely Leos coming up later in the week.

Dana Morton

Sonora, CA

http://EarthborneArt.etsy.com


Ceramics has always been a running theme in my life. I discovered ceramics in high school and credit that class for keeping me interested enough to graduate. I landed my first job, teaching preschool by taking a bag of clay to the class and showing the children how to make pinch pots. It also helped me immensely when I quit smoking ten years ago. I have left the art for brief periods in my life but it has always come back to me.


I specialize in a line of ceramics called, "My Grandma's Linens". It all started when I needed favors for our wedding. I went through a box of old linens that my grandmothers had made and created little dishes by taking impressions of them. It was comforting, that my grandmothers, who have passed on, were able to help me with such a special day in my life. I now scour flea markets, yard sales etc., in search of old textiles. I like the idea of preserving them in clay while breathing new life into an old art form. I always wonder about the person who made each textile as I’m taking an impression of it. I hope they’re smiling.


One might think that a ceramic artist would be an earth sign and I’m sure that’s true in many cases. However, all ceramics must be fired and that’s where the attraction is for me. I have enjoyed many different firing styles, including raku, salt and reduction. Currently I’m firing oxidation. I love the way the different atmospheres in the kiln affect the outcome.

Ceramic Art Pottery


The sun has had an enormous impact on my work and my life. I like to set balls of clay out in the sun, so that they dry on the outside. The dryness of the clay causes it to crack as I’m pinching out the pots, creating this wonderful texture. I come alive in the summer and do my best work then.

Ceramic Art Pottery Covered Jar, Urn, Memory Keeper


My dreams and past lives have also influenced my work. I’ll never forget one dream in particular: I was doing an art show and there were all of these beautiful pots in my space. I woke up, went out, and started making my dream pots. As far as past life experiences go, I have never had such a deja vu experience as when I was visiting Mesa Verde National park. When I walked into the museum and saw the pottery, I felt a very strong connection to it, as if I made it. I still get that feeling whenever I come across it in books.


Recycling and donating are also very important to me. I have local businesses saving their bubble wrap and other packing materials. I refuse to buy something that ends up in our landfills on a daily basis. My donations include, silent auctions, our local women’s resource center and sponsoring a child in Mexico. I want to do all I can, in my small way, to help our earth and the people living on it.


I enjoy releasing my positive Leo energy into the Universe. It comes back in so many interesting ways. Sometimes, in ways that, I never would have imagined.

You can find more Full Moon Artist Features here.

Full Moon in Leo Double Artist Feature

Full Moon in Leo
January 29th, 2010
10:18 pm PST

Let Leo's energetic and extroverted energy inspire your self-confidence. Generous warmth and vitality come more easily now in this fiery Leo time of the proud heart. Let dramatic outbursts entertain and feed your creative appetite. Leos ARE special and need special treats too, especially to feed the inner child. (Excerpted from the We'Moon Datebook).

Nina Glaser
Baltimore, Maryland, USA
shop: ninaglaser.etsy.com
fine art: www.ninaglaser.com
I've always thought it was funny that Leo's are known to be extroverted and crave center stage- because I consider myself to be pretty shy! The more I think about it and analyze it though, the more I realize that while I'm not extroverted in personality and demeanor, I am a lot more open and up front in my paintings! I'm definitely a lot more fearless in my art, so maybe my creative side is right on with the Leo's!
I went to college for painting and illustration and recently earned my Masters in painting. After painting non stop in grad school for two years straight, I felt like I wanted to use my creative energy towards something different. I was excited that many of the patterns and images that I created for my paintings could be easily transferable into home decor and paper goods. And thus, my love affair with Etsy began.
Block Printed Napkins


Starting my own business and getting to be my own boss has been really fulfilling for me. A common Leo characteristic that I've always related to is the need for control. Leo's are determined not to fail, and at the end of the day, need to feel like they have accomplished something. I love that I get to make my own products, promote them, converse with customers about them (sometimes I even get to hear lovely stories about why the customer is buying my products), and then ship them out! Its the full process, and I find it to be loads of fun!

On my most ideal day, I get to sit at my desk with a cup of coffee in the warm shining light of the sun and create create create! I'm a fire sign, after all!

Lesha McElvy
Herndon, Virginia
EarthRitesBags.etsy.com

I have always known I was a Leo in heart and spirit: generous, loving, independent, faithful - I am all of those to the extreme, but creative, self confident, spontaneous? Me? There must have been a mistake somewhere, or so I thought.

As a Leo, I am in constant battle. My brain, the male lion, is always working, calculating, thinking, and analyzing. The playful cub that is my spirit, wants to chase after butterflies, wander into the woods, be in awe, and wrestle with the other cubs. The male lion and cub bicker all the time, fighting to win, needing to prevail. My heart, the mother lion; loving, giving, nurturing, cries for harmony and unity. This has been the way I lived my life.

One day, I can not tell you which or when, but one day, my heart slowly won. By following my mother lion, she found a way to bring about change, harmony and happiness. There are still days that the fighting goes on, but my heart if I listen, can still it. And like any great woman, the male lion and cub are willing to follow.

EarthRites Accessories was the mother lion's idea: analyzing, organizing, structuring, visual geometry? My brain is spinning in circles and thrilled. Touching, feeling, experiencing - my spirit dances in delight! My heart can flow through my hands, guiding my work, loving and creating. There was a self lesson in this for me as well. Creative, self confident and spontaneous? Well, I guess I just needed a nudge.

Silk Lined Tarot Runes Bag

Starting EarthRites was a scary process for me. Jumping right in and following my instincts when lacking the self-confidence was no easy task. There was no thinking because I would quickly think my way out of it. I still hide the receipts in a box that I have not tallied up, knowing that if I look at it too soon, I'll stop. I am mixing fabrics, stones, metals, and even herbs and nuts to make bags I know will belong to someone one day. As each one sells, I am gaining my confidence, truly "knowing" and understanding this is what I am supposed to do. I finally feel like I am headed in a direction going somewhere, instead of spinning in circles.

When I make a unique bag, I know it is for someone in particular, I can feel it in me. My hands instinctively pick out the fabric and I feel the intuition flowing through me, guiding my every step, fighting with logic, to make the perfect bag. I am pulling out things that I would never think to include, mixing colors that make my brain scream. I can feel myself channeling the other person's energy and when it is completed it sits on a shelf until that person finds my store. As I send it out I know it was made just for them, special, just like they are.

My spirit guide said to me one night, "Loving is creating." This is how I work. This is how I live.

You can read more Full Moon posts here.

New Moon in Capricorn Artist

New Moon in Capricorn
11:11 pm PST
January 14, 2010

This month’s New Moon is in the sign of Capricorn, a cardinal earth sign, meaning that Capricorn types like to be the boss, but in practical ways relating to the earth, foundation, structure and whatever brings value, meaning and status within society and our fellow human beings.


Some key words for Capricorn are: ambitious, status quo, self-discipline, common sense, logic, patience and self-sufficiency. I like to associate Capricorn with paternal figures, landlords, bosses and rules!


The shadow side of Capricorn relates to workaholism, emotional constriction, sorrow, loneliness, and time-serving. Capricorn also relates to our bones, and especially our knees that can give out when we work too hard, haven’t you noticed?


So as we enter this New Moon phase get ready to:


- Ground your intentions in right action in the material world.

- Strengthen your willpower and commitment to purpose.

- Channel your ambitions in accord with your duties.

- Get serious.

This month's New Moon in Capricorn artist is Shannon, a Canadian jeweler I recently discovered on Etsy. I do hope you enjoy her exquisite work and her passionate writing as well!


Shannon
Montreal, Quebec, Canada
GiftedDesigns.etsy.com

I've always enjoyed astrology and I've always played with it a little, but it's interesting to see just HOW my sign interacts with everything I do. According to many people, I'm not at all your typical Capricorn; my personality is too open and friendly and I'm always laughing whereas Capis are usually seen as serious, reserved and driven by an almost obsessive need to achieve and succeed.

Not to say that I don't have that drive, but it's countered by my Ascendant Aries which is where I think I get all my fire and verve!

That said, I definitely have some less immediately noticeable traits that are unmistakably Capricorn and that definitely come into play in my jewelry and pretty much everything I do. They often mix in with my Aries Rising, but they are still there.

Let's take that obsessiveness. When I start something, I jump into it with both feet first and I am SUPER passionate about it. I read and I learn and I want more of whatever it is. This is definitely true when it comes to gemstones, I NEED to know what they are and how good they are. I need to know what the different types of metal I am using are and the terminology involved. The more I do this and create, the more I have the need to know more and the more I have a need to have the BEST gems and metals!

Multi-colored Glass, Antique Brass & Aqua Tiger-tail Necklace

That's where materialism comes into play. Capricorns can be quite materialistic; they like having the best of the best and achieving the best possible positions in whatever they do. They like being around successful people and being successful themselves. In that aspect, I'm no different. I LOVE owning beautiful beads of precious stones, love knowing where they came from and how good they are. I love knowing that these creations of mine are not inexpensive both to own AND to create and that the people who will own them can afford to buy them. I love that each and every single piece is OOAK (original, one-of-a-kind) and unique and so to own the piece means you own something no one else has. I love knowing that each sale is a small step towards success for me and that that will lead me to fulfilling other goals.

Aside from just loving the stones for their beauty and value, I feel a deep connection to them because they were once a part of the Earth. I think part of that is because I am an Earth sign and so I feel grounded and of course, the more playful and fiery Aries does counteract that quite a bit with some high-spirited flightiness, but when it really matters I'm serious and in control and ready to take on what I need to to get ahead.

Sterling Silver and Red Bamboo Coral Pendant Necklace

In terms of work ethic, I LOVE the minutiae of creating jewelry. It's just SO meticulous and you need to have so much patience. I love handling small pieces and knowing that when I'm done, I will have made something that is beautiful and something to be proud of. I love being able to adjust a jump ring so precisely that if I have to open it again, it'll take me a few minutes to find the seam. I love being able to align pieces together perfectly and to create asymmetrical designs that are JUST SO and so they have their own sense of symmetry, at least to me! The perfectionist in me is always out when I am hunched over my desk working on a particular piece. I even go so far as to wear all necklaces , bracelets and rings for a day so I can be SURE that whoever purchases it will be happy with it. I keep track of the good and the bad and whatever is bad gets adjusted until it too is good. Only then will a piece be listed.

In terms of organization, the Capi and Aries in me fight it out on a daily basis. On one hand I can be organized but on another my environment can be chaotic and messy. Either way, the chaotic mess always ends up being conquered at some point when I get fed up of looking at it. Even when the mess is there I still know precisely where everything is and so it's really less of a mess and more akin to orderly disorder. It just LOOKS like a mess! If my Aries were just a tad weaker, I doubt I'd ever be disorderly. *lol*

Mexican Turquoise, Serpentine and Silver Necklace

I love the competitive feeling I get when I see other artisans' pieces that I love. I love knowing that those beautiful items are competing with and complimenting mine. I take pride not only in my work, but the work of others and I aspire to reach the heights the artisans I admire so much have reached. I love being told my pieces are beautiful and that I have talent and will go far. It feeds that need to succeed and reaffirms my commitment to my craft.

So when people look and interact with me, they see a vivacious, positive, happy young woman with immature tendencies. Once they get to know me better, they realize that there are much deeper levels to me and that I have a rigid streak inside me, that I like things to be done in a certain way, there's an order to things after all! They also see that there is a serious side to me. My need for symmetry and perfectionism, my drive to keep going and not give up even when I sabotage myself because of insecurities that I struggle with daily. My need for acknowledgment and to make and have the best. My single-minded determination to accomplish whatever I want. All these things are Capricorn and all these things come into play in what I do. I can be thankful for them because they allow me to create the wonderful pieces I create along with my more playful Arian traits. Both compliment each other well and give my pieces a signature that is uniquely me.

To read more New Moon Artist features please click here.