capital region etsy finds- camera earrings!

Yesterday I told you about the amazing gingko ring that Matt got me for Christmas.  Today, let me introduce you to ANORIGINALJEWELRY.  This shop is located in Saratoga Springs, and the creations that come out of there are amazing.  My personal favorite are the camera silhouette earrings, which I also received for Christmas and have worn for every day since.  Go check out this shop, people!

capital region etsy finds- gingko!

I know that I have featured these shops before on this blog, but now I actually own some goodies from them.  Matt was awesome enough to buy me two of my Etsy favorites for Christmas this year.  I've been eying these particular pieces from afar, and am SO glad that I get to wear them every day!

First up is this amazing ginkgo leaf ring by esdesigns.  

For years I have had a fascination with gingko leaves, ever since reading a poem that featured them.  I actually lost the poem for years, and looking at this ring reminded me of it so much that I went on a quest for it.  I'm going to share the whole thing here, because I just found it, and it really means so much to me:

This is a poem by Marvin Bell called These Green-Going-to-Yellow:

This year,
I'm raising the emotional ante,
putting my face
in the leaves to be stepped on,
seeing myself among them, that is;
that is, likening
leaf-vein to artery, leaf to flesh,
the passage of a leaf in autumn
to the passage of autumn,
branch-tip and winter spaces
to possibilities, and possibility
to God. Even on East 61st Street
in the blowzy city of New York,
someone has planted a gingko
because it has leaves like fans like hands,
hand-leaves, and sex. Those lovely
Chinese hands on the sidewalks
so far from delicacy
or even, perhaps, another gender of gingko--
do we see them?
No one ever treated us so gently
as these green-going-to-yellow hands
fanned out where we walk.
No one ever fell down so quietly
and lay where we would look
when we were tired or embarrassed,
or so bowed down by humanity
that we had to watch out lest our shoes stumble,
and looked down not to look up
until something looked like parts of people
where we were walking. We have no
experience to make us see the gingko
or any other tree,
and, in our admiration for whatever grows tall
and outlives us,
we look away, or look at the middles of things,
which would not be our way
if we truly thought we were gods.

help a friendly girl out!

So, if I haven't told you already, I got a new camera for my birthday/Christmas, and am SUPER psyched about it!  Only problem, my current camera case is old and not very stylish!  Etsy to the rescue!

I'm really looking for some input here, because I am SUPER indecisive!  I spent some time on Etsy the other day, and here are my top three choice for a brand spanking new camera bag!

Here's a bag from janinekingdesigns.  I LOVE the pattern, and it's brown!  

How cute is this camera bag with tweed from janinekingdesigns as well?

My last choice is this leather camera bag from PorteenGear.  I really love the pattern on this!

a friendlybrown favorite

I made a lot of gloves this past year, but none are as special as the pair I made for Matt for Christmas.  I was actually too late in making them, as he went out a few days before Christmas and bought a pair, but I like to think that these are WAY better!

By far the most difficult pair to make, they feature half fingers, and an optional mitten covering for really cold days!  Maybe one day when I have elves working for me, I'll be able to sell these in the Etsy shop.

Merry Christmas Matt!

Treasury Tuesday

I woke up to find myself fortunate enough to be included in 2 treasuries!  Both of these really struck my eyes because of the colors used, as well as the cute names the creators chose.  Go check out these treasuries for some super cool items!

 I also like this "foggy" treasury because it's the same colors as my blog!

Coffee and cream!  What a cute idea for a treasury!

friendlybrown holiday trends...

Well, the holidays are officially over, and I'm getting to the end of my orders- only 2 more pairs to make!  I really think it's interesting to see what buyers on Etsy choose from my shop, and I thought I'd share with you too!  Here are a few of the pairs of gloves I sold in December:

Here's the most recent pair of fingerless gloves- love this color combo!

 These have been one of my best sellers...

Custom pair for Matt's mom... she loved them!

 These were a custom pair for a usps worker!

 A coworker ordered these for a friend's birthday.  I LOVE making gloves for people that I actually know!

 These are also a very popular pair of gloves- adapted from these gloves!

A Friendly Feature in The Times Union

A few weeks ago, I was featured on the All Over Albany blog.  The Times Union liked the piece so much that they picked up the article and published it yesterday!  I'm really excited that it was featured both online AND in print.  This is the first time FriendlyBrown has been featured in a publication.  I totally feel like a proud mama!

Thanks everyone for the well wishes.  As you may have read on FaceBook, I will NOT be closing up shop this holiday season, so if there's someone in your life that needs some warm hands, just let me know!

so excited!

Hey everyone!  Sorry I've been MIA lately.  I had a super busy week that I can't wait to tell you about (birthday celebrations, comedy shows, cookies, new designs and more!), but for now I just had to tell you about the blog I've been featured in!

All Over Albany is by far my favorite blog, and they featured me in a post about local Etsy shops today!  (Insert excited squeal here!)  Please go and check it out here.  Writer and fellow Etsian Crystal Powel has done an amazing job finding some awesome local shops.  Great places to do all of your Christmas shopping from the privacy of your own home!

Peace!

Pretty things from Etsy!

I thought I should follow up on this post that I did about a keychain that I purchases from Etsy.  It arrived over Thanksgiving break, and I can't wait to show it off!

Of course, I took some pictures while I was unwrapping it!

Adorable label!

 It's always a good idea to include your business card, and this one was really well designed!

 Can't wait to put my keys on this- I won't look like such a janitor anymore!

Shop Local- CREW edition

Happy Black Friday everyone!  If you're anything like me, you want to stay as far away from the malls as possible today.  Why not shop in some amazing local stores, right from the comfort of your own home?  Etsy is the way to go, my friend.

My good friend CAPow was awesome enough to create a team on Etsy, just for us capital region crafters!  It's called CREW (Capital Region Etsy Whizzes) and anyone in the capital region can join!  

For this week's shop local post, I'm going to show you some of my fellow teammates.  All of these products would make amazing gifts! ;)

Dirty Mustard Drop - Original Watercolor ACEO by Squier

Jacquard Acid Dye 604 Burnt Orange bykateweb

 

 

Blue Tree, Art Print by thirteenthstory

 

 upcycled vintage bead necklace pink raspberryrenewool by

 

 Chocolate Fabric Fortune Cookie by TheFortuneCookieShop

 

Vision ORIGINAL OOAK COLLAGED ACEO by Aerten

 

And the bird has it!

A few weeks ago I asked for your help picking out a new key chain for myself!  The orange birdie got the most votes, but it's been sold!  So, I've decided to choose myself, and am going with the fun retro trees wristlet!

I'm really excited about my purchase, and thought it would be fun to document what Etsy packages look like when they arrive. I'll show you how the seller packages up their products.  I'll have lots of pictures to show you when it arrives- can't wait!

Pretty little packages...

If I haven't said it before, packaging is a huge part of a buyer's Etsy experience.  As a person that both sells AND buys on Etsy, I see how important it is to show off your items.  I love receiving my Etsy purchases, because they're not just things that I buy, they're like little presents to myself!

I always make sure my handwarmers go out with some prettty wrapping and a personalized thank you note to the buyer.  This way, they feel special, and will remember me the next time they need a knitted item.  I thought it would be fun to show you some recent packages I've sent out:

i need YOUR help!

While I was waiting for a washing machine at the laundomat last night, I looked down at my keychain and was totally horrified.  It's UGLY!  I'm not even going to show you a picture of it, it's so ugly.  So, I decided to find a new one, where else? Etsy!  Obviously, I searched for a brown one, and found some really cute items!  

This is where you come in.  I found 7 beautiful brown keychains, and I want to buy one.  Comment on which one you think I should buy.  Whichever keychain gets the most comments will be mine! (also, I don't know how long I can wait to purchase, so comment as soon as you read this!)

Burnt Orange Brown RETRO FLORAL Print Keyfob Key Chain

 

 

Chocolate Brown Leather Keychain wtih Teal and White Flower

 

 

 

Fun Retro Trees Wristlet Key Fob Keychain in Brown

 

 

 

Loopty Wallet - Brown Plaid

 

 

 

Pretty needle felted orange birdie brown tweed keyring keyfob

 

 

 

Green and Brown Corduroy Zipper Keyring Bag

 

 

grab your keys, let's go felt keyring penny circles

off the needles: 11.7.10

There's been lots going on at FriendlyBrown for the past few weeks.  I'm really excited to have finished 3 (!) pairs of gloves for Rebecca in Minnesota.  Here are a few pictures of the finished products all together.  She said they would be gifts for Christmas.  I wonder who they're going to!

Look for some updated pictures of these gloves at my shop.  Now, off to more knitting!

shop local- last but certainly not least!

This week for our shop local post, I went straight to the back of the line, and explored all of those Albany Etsians who haven't updated their shop in awhile.  These artists are amazing, creative, and downright awesome.  Please visit their shops and give them a little love!

Outer Space by Aerten

 

 

 

Puddle Original Papercut by foxcutspaper

Green Clutch by ForeverFruitful

 

 

Gothic Choker by JulesVR

Bettie Page Duct Tape Purse by AutumnSilverMoon

Tea Bags as Origami Flowers by OrigamiGarden

Yellow and Orange Vintage Earrings by faunawantflora

 

 

 

Awesome alert ahead!:

Recycled Record Bowl by reVisionDesign

St. Francis Church, Bradford, PA by colleenroche