One of the things I love about art is the way it can inspire other artists and artisans.  I love how when different people view a piece of art, they each take something different away from it.

In this “Art Inspiring Art” series of blog posts, I’ll be choosing my own favourite pieces of art, and featuring Etsy items which are inspired by that artwork or remind me of it.  For my first post I’ve chosen my favourite painting – and one I think is a favourite of many – Vincent Van Gough’s Starry Night.

There are a lot of items on Etsy featuring prints of this beautiful painting (and I’ll admit that when I was researching this article I was tempted into buying a pair of Starry Night earrings), but I’ve deliberately chosen items that were inspired by the painting rather than those which feature prints of the painting itself.

From left to right and top to bottom:

1.  I was immediately drawn in by this rendition of Starry Night in a mosaic wall hanging by Pals Creations.  I love the way the different sizes, colours and textures of the glass remind me of Van Gogh’s distinctive brush strokes.

2.  I love this enamel bangle gift set by Bullfinch and Barbury, inspired by the swirling storm clouds and glimmering stars in Van Gogh’s painting.  They are available to purchase separately, but I think they look stunning together as shown in the picture.

3.  Starry Night Inspired Playsilk by Beneath the Rowan Tree.  What is a Playsilk you ask?  I wondered the same thing, and after reading the description I was intrigued by the idea – “Playsilks are a natural toy enlivened by a child’s play. Made of silk… they shimmer, shine and float with every movement. Lead by the child, silks become costumes, baby slings, blankets, wings, rivers, canopies and so much more.” As someone who works with children every day, I love the idea of a toy which encourages a child’s imagination.  Although, personally, with its beautiful Starry Night inspired colours and patterns, I think I’d be tempted to hide this from the kids and keep it for myself as a scarf.  Or maybe buy two!

4.  For those who fell in love under a starry sky, The Quilted Pony has created these beautiful Starry Night inspired wedding bands.  The beautiful swirly design evokes an image of warm evenings out under the stars.

5.  This Starry Night Pendant by Redux Jewellery features a vintage acrylic cabochon with blue and turquoise swirls and black and glittery gold and silver accents, reminiscent of the colours and swirls in Van Gogh’s painting.  With free worldwide shipping, it’s hard to resist!

6.  For those who prefer to create their own jewellery, why not start with these amazing Van Gogh inspired Long Beads by Humble Beads?  The creative possibilities are endless, and with the stunning combination of blues, gold and coppers, your finished jewellery is sure to turn heads!

Whose art inspires you?

Creative Block Journal by Mypipsqueak

Over the past couple of months, I’ve been in a terrible creative funk.  I haven’t had the motivation to create, and even worse I haven’t even been motivated to promote my work properly.

I haven’t done all those little things I used to do -

• listing or relisting a new item each day
• writing regular blog posts
• posting regularly on my facebook page
• visiting other blogs and commenting
• writing for handmade spark (sorry!)
• participating in online forums
• participating in Illustration Friday and Monday Artday

And let me tell you, I’ve noticed the difference!  When I stopped doing all these little everyday jobs, my traffic and sales dropped off dramatically – and I only have myself to blame.  There’s no better way to prove that these little things really do count!

I’m not really sure what my excuse has been, I think it’s more a combination of factors – stress at my day job, my studio (ok, garage!) being freezing cold (it’s winter here Down Under), and just (I’ll admit it) pure laziness.

I’m beginning to pull myself out of this little funk, and I think what has helped is connecting with my customers.  I did a market today and got to chat to people who loved my work.  I met one of my facebook fans in person, and was told by 2 different customers that they were disappointed I wasn’t at the last market.  People chatted to me about the designs they liked, and things they’d like to see.  I think the creative juices might just be flowing again!

So tell me, reader – have you ever had creative block?  How did you deal with it?

Limited Edition Wizard of Oz Art Print – EMERALD CITY – by Robert David Bretz

Yes, it’s May already – is it just me or did that sneak up on us?

May’s birthstone is Emerald, so I’ve picked out a few of my favourite Emerald-coloured treasures from around Etsy:

Top to bottom, left to right:

1.  Spring Shawl Shades of Green by EverythingUnder20

2.  Vintage Green Glass Necklace by Botanical Bird

3.  Green Goddess 5×7 Blank Greeting Card by Emily Balivet

4.  Elegant Silk Dupioni Clutch in Emerald Green by Mermaid’s Dream

5.  Emerald Isle Double Stranded Posy Necklace by Cymbaline’s Designs

6.  Madame Feather Butterfly Hair Silde in Emerald Green by Flowers by Bluebird

7.  Jade Leaves and Chain Earrings by Decorate the Diva

There are so many lovely Emerald-coloured items around Etsy, it’s hard to choose just one favourite!  Which one of these is yours?

– A romantic Paris night at the Eiffel Tower – Print by An Alliteration –

Paris would have to be #1 on my list of places to visit.  I’ve never been anywhere overseas but I’m determined to get there one day.  Until then, I’ll content myself with these beautiful Paris-themed items from Etsy:

From left to right and top to bottom:

1.  Paris Locket by Countingstitches.  I love the image of the Eiffel tower on this locket with the balloons and aeroplane around it, and the little Eiffel tower charm adds a beautiful embellishment.  How perfect for putting in a picture of you and your loved one on that trip to Paris?  (I can dream, can’t I?)

2.  Fantastic Flying Machines Steampunk Bracelet by Jezebel Charms.  The silver plated charms featuring vintage flying machines and a little Eiffel tower mixed with the softness of the creamy-coloured pearls and amber glass beads makes for a stunning and classy combination.

3.  Eiffel Tower Pillow Cover, Ivory on Ivory by Iviemade.  This hand-embroidered pillow features an Eiffel tower stitched in Ivory floss onto an Ivory pillow cover, giving it a subtle but beautiful effect.

4.  Spring in Paris Print of Mixed Media by Diana Evans.  This print has been featured on Etsy’s front page, and I can certainly see why!  The silhouette of the Paris skyline printed in lovely springtime colours would make a great feature for any wall.  How fabulous would it look paired up with a few of your own Paris photos? (dreaming again…)

5.  Wristlet Zipper Gadget Pouch in The Streets of Paris by Antique Basket Lady.  This goregous design features a map of the streets of Paris, overlaid with drawings of famous buildings and scenes of paris life.  It’s the perfect size for a Ipod or phone, and those few essentials.

6.  Eiffel Tower Framed Embroidery by Jennifers Gift.  With its intricate black embroidery of the Eiffel Tower on beautiful Ivory silk, this is probably my favourite Paris-themed item.  Framed in a simple but classy black frame, it would enhance any wall.

Birds Nest Necklace featuring Turquoise Jasper by E Ria Designs

Easter is upon us, and so I couldn’t resist doing a post on my favourite egg-themed items on Etsy.  Of course, you don’t need to keep these beauties just for Easter – they’re perfect for all year round!

I just love this gorgeous pastel artwork by Denise Aumick of Wild Thread Studio.  The colours are so soft and beautiful with a wonderful use of light.  It’s titled “They Leave us in So Many Ways”.

These pretty earrings from JJs Jazzy Jewels are called “Candy Eggs“, and I can see why.  They feature beautiful egg-shaped turquoise stones.  What a great addition to a spring outfit – they’d go perfectly with the birds nest necklace featured above.

This pretty pocket mirror featuring a bird’s nest by Iszle Accessories store would be perfect for checking your spring makeup… ok in my case more like checking to see I haven’t got chocolate smeared on my face.  Either way, it’s an Easter essential that can be used all year round!

Happy Easter!

Anyone who’s been to my Etsy store would know I have an affinity for trees.  I love painting trees – I never quite know how they’re going to turn out until the painting is done.

I think the symbol of the tree is a wonderful thing to feature in artwork, because it’s universal.  All over the world, people are familiar with trees – they may look different, and some may be surrounded by many trees and others very few, but it’s something we can all relate to.

I’d like to feature some of my favourite tree items from around Etsy:

Made with Love by Hannah features hand-screen printed skirts featuring fairytale forests.  My favourite is this one – “Snow White”:

Trees feature prominently in Beth Millner’s handcrafted stirling silver and copper jewellery, which I think it one of the reasons I love all of her work so much.  One of my favourites is this stunning piece – I love the crooked tree and the pretty leaves.  It’s reversible too!

Another gorgeous necklace is this Tree of Life silver botanical necklace by Glorious Girl Jewelry.  Simple and lovely, this necklace would compliment any outfit:

Finally, when writing about beautiful tree designs, I couldn’t leave out the Timothy Adam’s wonderful jewelry trees.  Handcrafted from steel, they are a wonderfully unique way to display your jewellery.  My favourite is this Japanese Cherry Tree – I love its asymmetrical design.

What’s your favourite tree item?  Post a link in the comments!

There aren’t many things better for soothing the frazzled nerves after a day at work than a nice cup of tea (except maybe a glass of wine but that’s probably not as good for you!)

Some days I feel like the only tea drinker in a world of coffee drinkers – but I’m sure there are lots of others like me out there!  I’ve got all you need here for a great tea party:

First and foremost, you’ll need tea – Tea for All Reasons has a great selection of teas to tempt you.

Of course then, you’ll need a teapot to put it in.  I love this chalkboard teapot by Geek Details.  You could write the name of the tea blend on the teapot, or a message, or even try your hand at your own teapot art!

Something to pour the tea into… these gorgeous cups by Marywibis feature handpainted trees depicting the four seasons:

And a pretty spoon to stir with… this beaded and wire wrapped spoon by The Artful Diner is inspired by the colours of nature:

Enjoy your cup of tea!

Pantone’s colour of the year for 2010 is turquoise – It’s a bright and beautiful hue and one of my favourites.  There are so many beautiful handmade items in turquoise out there – I’ve chosen just a few of my favourites.

First up, this beautiful unique pendant by Simply Willow - Doreen’s Dragonfly.  I’ve always been a sucker for dragonflies so this caught my eye straight away.  I love the detail and character in the aged brass dragonfly, and the way it seems to be hugging the turquoise with its wings.

This gorgeous scarf made by fellow Aussie Rainbow Revolution has been made from a ‘light as a feather’ super fine tissue silk fabric and has been hand painted in fresh and bright Turquoise and Violet.  I’m sure you’ll agree the colour is stunning, and it’s light enough to wear even in summer.

Another favourite turquoise treasure is this lovely Vintage Turquoise Blue Glass and Greek Ceramic Silver pendant by Michvanetta.  I think the turquoise discs match beautifully with the silver to create a simple, elegant necklace .

Finally, I couldn’t resist including this Turquoise Straight Bottle by Blue Room Pottery.  I came across Blue Room Pottery through Handmade spark, and have found many new favourites there!  This bottle is another wonderful example of simple beauty – you could use it to hold flowers, but personally I think it looks wonderful on its own.

Enjoy your turquoisey twenty-ten!

“Just Be Bumblebee” Tile magnets set by My Little Chickadee Creations

Spring has sprung for you folks in the Northern Hemisphere, so I thought I’d share some of my favourite “Birds and Bees” items from around Handmade Spark!

I’m a big fan of Wyanne‘s work, and have featured her art here before.  I just love this gorgeous Giclee print entitled “Free to be”.  I love the image of the bird flying to freedom.  It’s finished with beeswax which gives it a beautiful soft effect.

Aggie Ray makes beautiful purses, and this cute little bumble bee “ziplet” is perfect for all you busy little bees out there – great for carrying small items when running quick errands.  With shipping only $1 for US customers, and $3 for international, it’s hard to resist!

These Bird Watcher earrings by Demure Artistic Designs are just beautiful – a perfect gift for a bird lover, or a treat for yourself to add the perfect finishing touch to your spring outfit.  The matching necklace is gorgeous too, and features two cute little birdies tending to their nest!

Enjoy every minute of your Spring!

Autumn Leaves Bobby Pins by Two Cheeky Monkeys

As the Earth revolves around the sun at a leisurely 30km/second, the Northern Hemisphere will soon be coming alive with the sounds of spring… here in Australia, in the Southern Hemisphere, we are ambling towards the welcome cool of Autumn.

With that in mind, I’d like to share with you some Aussie Autumn beauties found through Handmade Spark:

First up is this gorgeous Red Silk Felted Shawl by Living Earth Gallery.  Its beautiful red hue is reminiscent of the leaves of Autumn, and it would be the perfect thing to wear as the weather begins to turn cool.

What better to pair with the shawl than these Venetian Spiral earrings by Pepe Newton?  The stunning combination of Venetian glass seed beads and cut glass teardrops makes for a beautiful addition to any outfit.

I just love the handcrafted glass art from Jen’s Studio.  Her plates and platters are truly works of art!  She has created a series of works called “Autumn Dreaming“, and my favorite of them is this one:

I hope you’ve enjoyed spending Autumn Down Under!