I may have actually fallen off the planet.

Wow, that was a long lull in posting. I should be ashamed. So I come to you bearing gifts to ask for mercy.

Down Home Girl


My first byhand.me spotlight, and I think I'll be utilizing this tool more often for some themed sharing posts.

Music is like air for me. When I don't listen to music for a while, my internal deejay starts playing songs I hate, apparently in an effort to make me listen to something, anything, to cleanse my brain. I frequently get on band-centric kicks, and right now my listening consists almost entirely of music from Old Crow Medicine Show and the Felice Brothers. Both bands draw heavily from American roots music and inject it with their own amazing energy.

I think of myself as a city girl who grew up on a farm, and my mother was born and raised in the South, so OCMS and the Felice Brothers build a comfortable bridge between my past and my present. This spotlight was inspired by OCMS and takes elements from their songs "Wagon Wheel" and "Down Home Girl". (I posit the theory that Ketch Secor is the sexiest man to ever wield a fiddle.)

If you've never heard of the Felice Brothers, I enthusiastically encourage you to check out this YouTube playlist I made of some of the best examples of their work.

You Should See...

Haven't done one of these in a while and decided one was overdue. The You Should See... series is where I showcase pieces from talented Etsy crafters that, while not on my personal Favorites list, are very worthy of attention.

Ceci N'est Pas Une Pipe Necklace



I never thought I'd use the word "adorable" in reference to surrealist art, but this Magritte tribute necklace from Rachael Sudlow Jewelry? Frigging adorable.

Willa Necklace



I'm a sucker for this type of wire tree pendant anyway, but the colors of the stones used on this particular specimen from The Pebble Collection are magnificent. It reminds me of the Maple trees that look like they're lit from within when they turn in the autumn.

Duckling



That's right: I'm bringing the cute today. I'm not usually one to coo and melt over cutesy animal toys, but some of the felted animals out there really get me in my soft spot. This guy from .:do little design:. is one of the worst offenders of the bunch. So sweet he makes my teeth hurt.

Gender Neutral Soap



Something about the name paired with the picture on the label of this soap from Seattle Sundries tickles me. And I really want to know what cocoa powder, vanilla and sweet birch smell like together.

You Should See...

Items for sale on Etsy that have struck me as fantastic:

Balancing Cat Card



I think if I received this clever card from Pocket Studio, I'd want to display it on my desk instead of just putting it back in the envelope like so many other cards.

Power Line Plate



I'm not sure why this plate (and the other Power Line wares) from Urban Soule calls to me, but it does.

Keep Calm and Carry On Spoof Calendar for Men



You can probably learn much about me just from knowing that I prefer the mens' version of this print-it-yourself calendar from little brown pen to the womens' version.

Oops Coasters



One of the things I like best about Etsy is coming across incredibly clever (a word I seem to use often when talking about items on Etsy) products like these industrial felt coasters from Studio Wonjun.

You Should See...

Every so often, I will be posting items from Etsy that strike me in some way or other. Things I don't end up putting on my favorites list, but things I feel should be shared just the same.

Shy Tree Spirits



From almapottery, these little guys are just beguiling. I want to put one of these little sweeties on my window ledge, but I'm sure my cats would murder it in a matter of days.

Silver Rabbit Charm



This lovely bunny is from pinksupply, and it makes me think of one of my favorite books of childhood, Rabbit Hill.

The Whimsical Art of Hidden Eloise



This is just one of many beautiful illustrations at HidenSeek. They all have a little bit of magic in them.

Three Graces Cameo



From labellesavage, this necklace puts me in mind of the Paris sections of the HBO John Adams miniseries, which I have been watching obsessively. I can picture this around the neck of Abigail Adams as she attends an opera in Paris.

What Etsy items strike you as too good to keep secret?