Plan ahead for Holidays & Special Events

It's been an interesting year so far, with a wonderful selection of guests that have left a mark of inspiration here at the Almost A Fairy Godmother blog. I wanted to take a moment to remind you all about them, as well as give you a heads up concerning the holidays.

Butterfly Print from Tina T. Ames

Personalized handmade gifts can be seen as welcome surprises at the holidays. They're often tailored to the tastes of someone you care about, and help to add a more thoughtful perspective to the task of gift giving. Yes I just called gift giving a task. It can be hard work to find the perfect gift. But personalized art can make a unique impression on someone.

So that's why I'm reminding you about our wonderful spotlight artists. I'm sure any of them would be delighted to be chosen as the person to help you create a piece that will bring a smile to the face of your loved one. But you have to remember that making something by hand can take time, and shipping around the holidays can be a bit hectic which is not the artists fault. So please make sure to get your requests in early so there's no disappointment.

Animals in Clothes by Koalarazorclock

If you're thinking about a toon like piece you can check out art by Seph Jocuno or Silly Panda's Art Blog. Either artist has a great handle on anime type art styles, and can provide you with a unique artwork that can bring a smile to your face. They've both got instagrams that are active if you're uncertain about what to expect. You can find more direction from the artist spotlights. Seph Jocuno Artist Spotlight or Silly Panda's Artblog Artist Spotlight.

Maybe you'd like to have a picture turned into a watercolor? Koalarazorclock offers this service, and her work is lovely. She also does adorable art portraits of animals in clothes. Check out the artist spotlight on Koalarazorclock to see more as well as get some ideas. Or perhaps you'd like to add some unique photography to someone's collection? Check out pieces available by Mahikol Torres.

Jewelry is always popular, and there's no reason not to check out the pieces created by Hada Pixie Designs again. These unique pieces of jewelry can add a unique edge to an outfit, without necessarily going over the top.  The Artist Spotlight on Hada Pixie Designs can offer more direction. There are also the unique hair pieces created by Wanou Et Moi. These pieces can add a unique flare or twist to someone's daily hair routine. Check out the the artist spotlight on Wanou Et Moi for more information. Pieces by these artists are great for the individual as they're each a handmade piece of art.

Vampyre Rosary by Hada Pixie Designs

Or maybe you want something a little different. An oracle deck can be inspiring as well as beautiful to look through. Or perhaps you'd like an inspirational artwork to add to someone's graduation gift. Tina T. Ames has some amazing pieces that can be used for just that. Check out the artist spotlight for more information on her artwork. Artist Spotlight Tina T. Ames.

Perhaps you're interested in something more practical? You can look into some handmade soaps. They come in  a variety of scents from Cark Farm NH. You can check out their available products and read more about them in their spotlight.

Please remember to give them enough time to create the pieces that you're interested in, because artists do have daily lives, and some work a full time job on top of trying to keep up with their artistic talents. But by sending in your requests early, you can ensure that there's enough time to have your unique creation completed before the holidays. Yes I know that I sound like I'm repetitive, but time is very important for creation and shipping.

Plan accordingly, and here's hoping your holiday planning is magical. (Personally I'm about halfway done with my shopping XD)

Artist Spotlight : Hada Pixie Designs

Every artist has the ability to delve into a variety of fields, exploring creative realms is not a crime after all. Some of them find that they enjoy more than one type of art field. Hada Pixie is one of these artists. She has a start on etsy, after having done modeling, and working as a photographer as well, you can access and view a variety of examples of her work on her website. But today we're going to be focusing on checking out her jewelry designs.

 Many people often take their talents for granted. They utilize them off and on, creating pieces for themselves and their friends, not always thinking past those initial stages. Hada Pixie had been making pieces to accent her own look, as well as those of the people in her life for years. But Hada Pixie opened her etsy shop in 2015, after her boyfriend offered her the serious suggestion of sharing her work with others.

Brimstone Rosary available on Etsy

So what kind of pieces does she make? Well she has a variety of styles on her etsy, but the best way to explain some of them is the rosary style. This is a format in which a pattern is created that can be used in meditation, prayer, or relaxation exercises.

To the left is an example that is called Brimstone. It actually features a symbol that in alchemy is called brimstone or sulphur. It is also referred to as the satanic cross. This is a symbol that some people may not have seen before, or might find rare to find.  She offers it with both red and yellow choices for the howlite skull beads as well, meaning you can select a more personal looking piece.

Tantric Black Flame Rosary available on Etsy

Her Tantric Black Flame rosary is also unique. It's a  limited edition piece which she made utilizing pendants from Venus Aeon. She's only making 25 of these. Venus Aeon is a production label associated with underground music, much of which is associated with darker underground music, some of which has occult themes. I was intrigued by the symbol, and the way they defined it made it even more interesting.

Their website states :

This Venus Aeon logo pendant represents the Tantric Black Flame. The two 'V' shapes represent Male and Female principles much like the Hindu Shiva and Shakti. The Black Flame is seen within the 'V' shapes and is the Creative Principle or dynamic 'seed'. This represents the Promethean Flame as well as the Resurrected Gods (always the son of the God and Goddess) of ancient mythology. This can also be seen as creative spark of the Universe or Consciousness and has also been represented as a "Luciferian Principle" by some. In this context Venus is both the Queen of Heaven and the Morningstar. The Aeon is the new aeon beginning December 22nd, 2012 when the Mayan long count ended its cycle.

Which gives the piece more depth. many people enjoy adding layers of symbolism to their wardrobe. Sometimes it's worth learning what a symbol means, because not only can it mean something to the person who wears it, it can mean something very different to people observing them. With the Tantric Black Flame pieces, she also offers customization just in case you wanted something a little different.

Sulfur Necklace available on Etsy

Unlike the Brimstone piece, Sulphur actually features a piece of sulphur stone. It features a wire wrapped pendant by Exotic Goddess Designs. I feel that this piece, as well as the Tantric Black Flame, are wonderful examples of Hada Pixies ability to work well with others. She uses her design choices, which combined with her networking skill becomes the ability to create something new and unique.

This piece isn't a rosary, but would be excellent if you like to layer pieces. As someone who loves to have more than one thing on at any given time. The black beads make it a piece that is flexible with what you can pair with it, and the yellow howlite pop in their bright yellow set to match and compliment the wire wrapped sulphur. Great for both male and female wear.

Vampyre Rosary available on Etsy

The last piece we're going to look at today is one of my favorites. I was honestly torn between showing you this one, and the Isis piece. But given the heated climate currently, we're going with the safer of the two. This rosary is called Vampyre. If you know much about symbolism, I'm sure you'll find the pendant drop as interesting as I do.

Why do I find it interesting? It looks very similar to an ankh. The ornate detailing makes it a wonderful example of a piece you can wear for fun, or in a more formal setting. Many of us, get attached to our jewelry in one way or another. So knowing what your pieces can mean to other people can be important.

This piece though was made to accompany a book. The book has the same name, Vampyre, and is by Ted Carter. This makes it unique in that it has more than one purpose. Sort of like all the Harry Potter merchandise people collect. Meaning is created by the consumer. Which is awesome.

I asked Hada Pixie a few questions that I have a habit of asking different artists. It's fun to see what they're answers are. Hada Pixie had a marvelous answer when I asked her what helps to inspire her pieces. She said that she likes to create pieces that she would be willing to wear herself, as well as to work with customers to create custom pieces. To me this is a sign of dedication to her work. She knows it's good, and she's willing to work with others to create pieces that they will wear and cherish.

As to what she would recommend to anyone interested in exploring jewelry design, she recommends that they have fun. But Hada followed that up with the honest addition, that you shouldn't quit your day job. This is realistic because it's not an easy field to get into, and while it is a lot of fun to create things for yourself and others, there may not necessarily be enough happening to keep you busy on a day to day basis. So I suppose it means to do it as long as it makes you happy, but don't make it your sole purpose.

If your interest has been sparked but you're not sure about any of the pieces seen here today, please head on over to etsy to peruse Hada Pixie Designs other offerings. You can also explore her photo shoots through her website. Remember if there's something you're interested in personalizing Hada Pixie is willing to work with you. Artists often love the challenge. Especially if it means their work will be loved.