District Devin: Second Edition

Hey all! Devin from OooohShiny here again. I hope everyone enjoyed their Turkey Day (or, for those of you not in the US - Thursday).

I’ve never ever ever gone out at the crack of dawn for Black Friday sales. I’d much rather do my shopping on my couch in my pajamas where I don’t have to worry about getting trampled. And oh boy - did I do some shopping. I think I heard my PayPal balance sobbing earlier.
I’ve been trying to do as much shopping as possible on Etsy. Today I’m going to share with you some of the fantastic presents I’ve gotten for others as well as some of the gifts I’m hoping to receive myself.

1 - A Little Bird Told Me Bird Mobile from Jahje at BabyJivesCo: For the baby niece.
My niece’s room is an animal-jungle type theme and I’m so excited to see this bird hanging from the ceiling. It’s obvious how much work Jahje puts into these. I kind of want to keep it for myself.


2 - Skeletor: Cuddly Plush Toy from Jennifer at HandmadeStuffs: For the geeky boyfriend.
We met Jennifer at a comic convention earlier this year and Nick stopped at her booth approximately 18 times to look at her plush dolls. They’re large and in charge and I’m not quite sure where Skeletor is going to live in our apartment, but he’s pretty awesome nonetheless.


3 - Zodiac Embroidery Kit from Jessica at MiniatureRhino: For the best friend.
I showed this to my best friend right after I started embroidering and she loved the idea. So I’m making her one. And then I’ll probably get another to make one for myself. I love the idea of kits - all you need in one package.


4 - Whoville Red Dot Christmas Dog Collar from r.e. at restowe: For the puppy.
I don’t (and won’t) have a child, but my pets are close enough. This collar is awesome. There’s magnets involved so you don’t have to worry about that flap of extra collar that sticks out. Plus, they’re super cute.

All for me.
1 - 2012 Desk Calendar from Jessica at JessicaDoyle
I bought one of Jessica’s desk calendars last year and it greets me every day at the office. It’s so bright and cheery! All of Jessica’s artwork is amazing, so the calendar is like getting 12 mini prints for a great price.


2 - Heather Eco Resin Transparent Ring from Jessica & Gwynne at RosellaResin
Yes, I make jewelry, but I don’t work with resin, and this ring is something that I could only dream of making myself. I love how delicate the heather is inside the chunky ring. I pretty much want everything in this shop.


3 - Pisces Rising Jersey Scarf from Jody & Karl at blackbirdtees
For some reason, I’ve become obsessed with wearing scarves. And while I don’t actually believe in astrology, I’ve always identified closely with my sign. And I think constellations are very cool.


4 - Pisces Brass Constellation Cuff Bracelet from Julie at JulieNolan
Regarding the fact that it’s a piece of jewelry: see #2. But sub “resin” for “metal” and “ring” for “bracelet.”
Regarding the constellation: see #3.
And I really love big chunky bracelets.


I hope these gave you some ideas for the loved ones on your list (or yourself, if you subscribe to the “one for you, one for me” gift-buying thought). You can go back to your leftover pumpkin pie now!

xo
Devin

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


Thanks for the great ideas, Devin! I'm certainly more excited about Christmas shopping now :)

District Devin: Art for your Home

I'd like to introduce a new series to the blog! I'm calling it District Devin because...ALLITERATION IS ALL THE RAGE! Anyway, enjoy. This will be an end-of-the-month segment for you all to look forward to. 

---

Hi all! My name is Devin and I run OooohShiny over on Etsy. I’m one of those people who love to write and chat and all that good stuff but have tried and failed approximately twelve times to keep a blog of my own, so Kristi has graciously offered me a monthly spot on her blog to do what I want. Within reason.

Since you’re a reader of Kristi’s blog, I assume you either like art / photography or just like Kristi. All of those things are awesome, but I want to focus on the art side of things today.

I’ve recently been on an art spree over in Etsyland, collecting items for the new house that is going to happen one day in the hopefully near future and wanted to share with you some of the amazing things I’ve found.

source: Sometimes I Swirl

Sarah is the genius behind Sometimes I Swirl and I’m in love with just about everything in her shop. She has turned doodles into beautiful works of art, ranging from embroidery pieces to vases. We share a love of all things black and white (and gray) but there are some pieces in her shop that are so vibrant and full of color that they’re hard to resist. I’ve picked up five items from Sarah recently and imagine I’ll be back soon.

 source: Sometimes I Swirl

Little Bean Prints is named for Marie’s daughter. Her shops boasts “Art prints for nursery, child or adult,” and it’s true. There’s a sort of whimsical quality in all of her artwork. Her nature-inspired drawings are nothing extravagant, but there is definite beauty in her simple lines and subtle colors.

source: Little Bean Prints

On the opposite side of the spectrum is Lisa from Ellemoss. Hers was one of the first photo shops I ever found on Etsy and I’ve been absolutely infatuated ever since. Her photos are absolutely incredible - dreamy and dark and surreal. There’s a bit of mystery in her art and I believe her images mean something different to each person. 

source: Ellemoss

And lastly, we have Trafalgar's Square. My best friend had a daughter earlier this month and I went a bit crazy in Kit’s shop. I mean, seriously - one look at her sweet paintings and you can’t help but smile. And want to hug the nearest fluffy thing in sight (in my case, it’s my dog, who returns the favor with tons of kisses). No nursery would be complete without a piece from this shop.

source: Trafalgar's Square

That’s it for me for now! I hope you enjoyed a peek into some of my favorite things. Go forth and be creative!

xo
Devin