Our September Winner is Announced!

We pulled a random number this week and are pleased to announce the winner of the set of handcrafted pumpkins. The prize goes to Chani of France. Congratulations Chani! Belinda will be in touch with you to work out the shipping details.

Thanks so much to all who entered! And watch for the October giveaway to be posted later this week, just in time for Halloween!

Special thanks to Belinda of Wandering Whimsies for hosting the September giveaway!

Our September Giveaway-Just in Time for Fall

Here in the Louisville area we had a brief snap of cool weather and for a moment, it felt like fall! It was so welcome after the 90 degree temps we've had all summer. Thinking of cooler weather ahead, it's a great time to think about decorating for fall. And we have just the giveaway for you!

This month we are featuring the shop of Wandering Whimsies with creations by Belinda Johnston.

Belinda has graciously donated a set of large handcrafted country pumpkins. They will be perfect for Autumn and Halloween decorating!


"This set of large fabric pumpkins will look wonderful nestled atop your cupboard or sideboard with leaves and grubby pillar candles! Or as a table centerpiece, or along your mantle. They are the perfect touch for your Autumn decorating!

Each pumpkin is sewn from warm and natural quilt batting, painted a shade of harvest orange, coffee stained and baked dry in the oven.

The leaves are sewn from a variety of green plaid or check fabric with layers of batting and then coffee stained. (Shown with green checks). A single leaf is added to each pumpkin, along with rusty wire tendrils and a wood stem cut from a tree branch.

Each pumpkin has been sprinkled along the top with German glass glitter
--- just like the dew on the pumpkins in the fields.

Each pumpkin is approximately 5 1/2 - 7 inches in diameter and is unique from any other in the set."

The value of this giveaway is $24.95.

Wow, there is a lot of detail that goes into creating these special pumpkins. Need a set of your own? Here are the ways to enter!

1. Visit the WanderingWhimsies etsy shop and leave a comment here about any of the items in Belinda's shop. Or tell us something you would like to see Belinda create.

2. Follow the Bluegrass etsy team blog if you are not already a follower. Let us know you are following by commenting below. (one chance to win)

3. Subscribe to the Bluegrass etsy emails from this blog if you are not already a subscriber. Let us know you have subscribed in a comment below. (one chance to win)

4. Post about this contest on your own blog and leave us the link below for your blog. (one chance to win)

5. Tweet about this contest from your twitter account and leave us your twitter name. (one chance to win)

6. Make a purchase from Wandering Whimsies for 3 chances to win. List the transaction ID in three separate comments below.

This contest ends on September 30th. Good luck!

October Team Giveaway: Part 1

The winner of our September giveaway, donated by Tina Mackin of Smackinart is "haptree" of the UK. Congrats haptree, we will be in touch with you to get your address so we can send out your cards and 'zine.

Being that October is the beginning of the fall season, we will be hosting TWO giveaways this month!

The first giveaway for October was generously donated by Joey and Kelly Graves, the beading team behind Whimsy Beading.


Boo To You! October is here, and it's time to trick or treat with a fun necklace from Joey and Kelly Graves of Whimsy Beading! This 20" necklace of fiber optic glass beads in orange and grey, silver spacers and Swarovski crystals spells out every ghost's favorite word and will be a fun addition to anyone's holiday jewelry wardrobe. Valued at $25.00, it's sure to be a sweet treat to the lucky winner!



How to Enter?
To enter, please visit Kelly and Joey's Whimsy Beading shop. Come back here to leave a comment and tell us what you like about their shop. If you tweet about the contest let us know for another chance to win. If you post this contest at your blog, leave a comment with the link for yet another chance to win. Finally, if you are not already a subscriber to our blog, enter your email in the subscribe box for another chance to win. Just let us know that you have become a subscriber.

This contest ends on October 14. We'll post the winner here and then announce the second part of our giveaway.

Good luck to all and thanks for playing!!

Feature Friday: Harmon Art

Today's feature highlights another husband and wife creative duo on the Bluegrass etsy team, Brian and Emily Harmon of HarmonArt. They have shops on etsy and artfire and specialize in hand built earthenware and fine art gourds. Like so many others, I have always been drawn to art that represents nature, especially items with leaves. So I am delighted to share this interview with you and introduce you to two very talented artists!

How did you first hear about etsy?

My wife has always been a fan of handmade jewelry. I first found Etsy when looking for Christmas presents for her a few years ago. It took us several years to decide that our work would work for Etsy as well.

Tell us about a little about yourself and your favorite craft/art!

HarmonArt is a husband/wife team. We are both teachers. I teach high school art while my wife is an elementary librarian. We love our jobs because they afford us time off in the summer to devote to our true loves of earthenware ceramics and fine art gourds all with a natural, autumnal theme and color scheme.


How did you get started as a designer?

My wife grew up on a farm that raised gourds. She was always surrounded by them and found something beautiful to do with them. I am technically a photography teacher. I love it, but it is so technical. I got into clay because it is so different from photography: physical, malleable, dirty. I just love them both for opposite reasons.

What inspires you to create?

We are both inspired by the warm, earthy colors and organic shapes of autumn. Leaves are one of God's most overlooked but beautiful pieces of artistry. I am always looking at the details of tree leaves and they often find their way into our art.


How long have you been a member of Bluegrass etsy and how did you hear about the team?

I've been a member for about 2 months. I heard about the team through ArtFire actually. My wife and I also have a shop there. It is much smaller, so it is sometimes easier to connect with people. I first discovered ArtFire's version of TeamBluegrass and then sought it out on Etsy.


Any advice you would give to aspiring designers?

I am pretty new to online selling, but it was a total surprise to me how much promoting is important and necessary. I check my Google Analytic every day. Days when I intentionally spend time promoting via Facebook, Forums, link directories, Twitter, etc, I always see results in my page views. In terms of getting your shop viewed, the ball is really in your court.


Anything else you would like to add?

We have been doing art shows for years, and just this year jumped into the online art market. So far we love it and look forward to a long online career.

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Thanks to Brian and Emily for this interview and for letting us know a little more about your art. We are happy to have you on the Bluegrass etsy team! Be sure to check out their etsy shop here to see more of their nature inspired art.

To see more examples of the talent on our team, go to www.etsy.com and type teambluegrass in the search box.

If you are a team member and would like to be featured on an upcoming Feature Friday post, contact Kim Ries or leave a comment here.

We are now listed with the Kentucky Arts Council!

Yep, that's right. Bluegrass Etsy Street Team is now an art organization listed with the Kentucky Arts Council. So shop with confidence and pride that you are getting high quality goods from down home Kentucky artisans. Everything is hand crafted with love and an attention to detail you will never see in any big-box corporate store! To visit our member's shops, check out the side bar to the right, where you will find items perfect for fall, like this hip hat by Cowgirl Rosie:

Or this lovely, super detailed, and elegant hand beaded bracelet by These Precious Things:

And just in time for Halloween or Thanksgiving, this festive handmade card by Devin Pranther:

Or just a little sun, in a gold that goes with any fall attire by Daydream Art Studios: