Planet June -- featured ArtFire Artisan

I'm not one of those people who think everything in life has to be cute.  But sometimes you just need a dose of extreme cuteness, and if you can crochet (or know someone who will crochet for you, possibly for beer), then I recommend you check out Planet June's shop on ArtFire.

I know you want to crochet some alpacas.  Or this triceratops.   Hell, I think it's worthwhile learning to crochet for these cuties.

The artisan and pattern maker is fellow Canadian June Gilbank, and she sells these crochet patterns and many, many more from her ArtFire shop.  She's a technical writer, so she knows how to make these patterns (and the ones she sells for punchneedle embroidery) clear and easy to follow.  Which is a good thing for folks like me who can't crochet to save our lives :)

The Twelfth Dimension -- featured ArtFire artisan

I've been fairly obsessed with 1:12 scale dolls' house miniatures for the last 8 months or so,  so I've been shopping all over the place for minis.  ArtFire has some great artisans in this area, and I think The Twelfth Dimension is one of them.

This is a tiny, handmade Giraffe Pull Toy  for a dollhouse or 1:12 scale toy shop (wouldn't a shop like that be fun to put together? :)  It's no more than 1 inch high!

The seller says of herself, "I have been creating and designing Scale Dollhouse Miniatures and Kits to Make for 30 years. You can read articles featuring my miniature toys in past issues of Miniatures Showcase, Nutshell News, Miniature Collector and Dollhouse Miniatures magazines."

Isn't this chinese checkers set sweet?

While the artisan makes a lot of tiny pull toys and games, she also makes other sorts of miniatures, like this box of old cookbooks, perfect for dressing up an attic or a corner of a miniature bookshop.  Look at how perfect the old cardboard box is!

She also sells on Etsy under the usernames twelfthdimension and VintageSams.

Vespertine Gallery -- featured ArtFire artisan

I have some pretty strong Gothic tendencies when it comes to jewellery and fashion.  I don't indulge too much anymore, because I tend to think that it's a young woman's look, (except for evening and performing, when I feel more comfy being in costume) but I adore beautiful, dark objets.


When you want beautiful, dark and detailed, try Vespertine Gallery at ArtFire. The maker, from the UK, says of her work:

Vespertine Gallery specialises in unique hand crafted gothic jewellery made from an array of components including antiqued brass filigree, Czech crystal and glass, vintage German glass and an assortment of delicate chains and vintage charms and findings.

This was the first of her pieces to catch my eye.  this is the Wings of Valour Gryphon Bracelet; strings of rosary beads set off a cameo of a majestic mythical beast.

Here's a dragon pendant that I'd wear in a moment -- for any operatic encounter :)

And this is the Vampira Necklace, combining Renaissance styling and Goth iconography, including a tiny bat and a kitschy cameo of Vampira herself!