May 30, 2010

Treasury Masterpieces

Making and Etsy Treasury is just like a craft project. You select a theme, and a source for materials. You find just the right pieces to make your collection shine. You arrange them just so, and voila - a beautiful arrangement of images and inspirations. Here are some of the masterpieces that the Oh Canada Team has created this week:

The Hunter and the Hunted by bstudio

Etsy Picks: The Hunter and the Hunted

Summer Daze by The Art of Zen...Crochet

Etsy Picks: Summer Daze

Glowing Reviews by bstudio

Etsy Picks: Glowing Reviews

Dream a Little Dream by sixbabygirls

Etsy Picks: Dream a Little Dream

Feeling Blue by Blue Jeans Jewelry

Etsy Picks: Feeling Blue

And finally, Lemon Lime features Oh Canada Team members Leanne Designs and Arly.

Etsy Picks: Lemon Lime



Want to see more? Whatever your tastes, chances are the Oh Canada Team has something for you! Include the phrase "OhCanadaTeam" in your searches on Etsy.com to see what our talented artists are making. You can also visit any of the shops seen here by typing their names into the search area of the Sellers Page.


May 28, 2010

Friday Finds: Bowling Shot Glass Set

Chrome Bowling Shot Glass Bar Set by Collectique
Chrome Bowling Shot Glass Bar Set
Originally uploaded by collectique.

Hooray for barbeque season! Is there anything more enjoyable than getting together with the family or the gang to enjoy grilled treats, patio fare and good company? One of the things that makes the barbeque party so memorable are the interesting drinks. Whether you serve elaborate blended cocktails, or cans of cold beer with quirky sleeves, summertime beverages should always have a little personality.

This vintage shot glass set is a great conversation piece for any party - indoors or out. It’s perfect for both sports themed décor and the vintage collector. To see more great vintage barware, clothing, toys and more, visit Collectique!

Get ready for summer with handmade and vintage treasures. Whatever your tastes, chances are the Oh Canada Team has something for you! Include the phrase "OhCanadaTeam" in your searches on Etsy.com to see what our members can offer.

Copyright 2010 Oh Canada Team
Text by Mortira


May 27, 2010

Color Me Happy

Colors have an amazing ability to spark our emotions. Some are exciting, others are calming. Some colors can makes us smile. Come on a colorful tour with the Oh Canada team, and see what color can do for your mood!

Canadian Gems by Fosten Greetings is all about cool pastels.

Etsy Picks: Canadian Gems

If Wishes Were Rainbows by sixbabygirls puts a rainbow of bold colors on parade.

Etsy Picks: If Wishes Were Rainbows

FAAABULOUS by Annabelle's Art packs a citrus punch with lime and orange.

Etsy Picks: FAAABULOUS Stuff from the Oh Canada Team

From the Sea by soapstar captures the deep, rich tones of the ocean.

Etsy Picks: From the Sea

Kiss Me Red by The Sage's Cupboard is full of fierce crimson.

Etsy Picks: Kiss Me Red



The talented artists of the Oh Canada Team can help you with all of your color cravings. Include the phrase "OhCanadaTeam" in your searches on Etsy.com to see what our talented artists are making. You can also visit any of the shops seen here by typing in their names in the search area of the Sellers Page.

Copyright 2010 Oh Canada Team and Etsy.com


May 25, 2010

Shop Spotlight: Little Bear’s Mom

Fuchsia Stone and Sterling Silver Bracelet by Little Bear's Mom

It’s hard to resist an expertly made pair of earrings, or a beautiful handmade necklace. There are so many options when it comes to finding just the right jewelry for yourself or someone special. What makes an artist stand out is their attention to detail and choice of quality materials.

Molly of Little Bear’s Mom creates some absolutely stunning jewelry using stones and metals in beautiful colors. With a variety of styles and techniques to choose from, a visit to her shop is like a walk through a candy store. Oh Canada has put Little Bear’s Mom in the spotlight.

Oh Canada: Of all the things that you sell, which item or style is your favorite?

Little Bear’s Mom: My charm bracelets are my favorite to both make, and wear. They're sometimes more time-consuming, but I just love creating a pattern and seeing it come together.

Oh Canada: Where did you learn your skills?

Little Bear’s Mom: Back in the 90's, when beading started to become popular where I grew up, I took a course at a local store. The rest has been trial and error, due to my penchant for experimentation.

Long Copper and Turquoise Earrings by Little Bear's Mom

Oh Canada: Everyone has different motivations for making their unique wares. What drives you to create?

Little Bear’s Mom: I've always been creative, and I've done both performance and visual arts all my life. When I was a child my grandmas taught me to sew and do other types of handiwork, and my mom (who is an artist) would come up with exciting crafting and art projects for me to do.

Now that I'm an adult, I often have more than one project on the go, and my house is full of all sorts of unfinished odds and ends - I'm very bad on the follow through. I have a number of unfinished baby blankets, and the babies they were intended for are 5, 6, 7 years old now!

Jewelry making is the one thing that I seem to be able to see through effectively, from start to finish, because it doesn't necessarily take that long to make a piece, and it doesn't require a huge amount of space. I find that I need to have some sort of creative outlet to keep me calm and to balance out the more serious side of my life.

Sterling Hoop and Aquamarine Earrings by Little Bear's Mom

Oh Canada: If you could learn to use any new technique or material, what would it be?

Little Bear’s Mom: Now that I've really seen the extent of what can be done with beadweaving, I'm not only impressed, but also intrigued. But I'm not sure if I have the required patience! And I would also love to learn more about pottery.

Oh Canada: Any plans to incorporate a new product into your shop this year?

Little Bear’s Mom: I've recently begun adding some simple pendant necklaces to my shop. I had also hoped to start making anklets this spring, but have not yet gotten around to it.

Oh Canada: What is your favorite thing about selling on Etsy?

Little Bear’s Mom: I love that a lot of the aspects of running a business are taken care of for you. Yes, I do know how to code and I've designed simple web sites before, but it's just so much easier to slot my items into an already-existing platform. It's also great to be part of something that has such name recognition and is relatively well established.

Turquoise and Copper Pendant Necklace by Little Bear's Mom

Oh Canada: Do you have a number one tip for new sellers?

Little Bear’s Mom: Well, a general tip would be to avail yourself of the advice that Etsy provides. Read the Storque, sign up for the newsletter, read in the forums. Most importantly, use all your tags, take nice clear pictures and use all 5 slots, and take your titles and descriptions seriously.

But my own personal tip? I cannot tell you how many serious grammatical and spelling errors there are in a number of Etsy shops. I don't mean small typos or mistakes here and there. And I do take into account the seller's location just in case their native language isn't English. But otherwise...come on...this is a business venture. I don't mean to sound like a schoolmarm, but please, take the time to read over what you've written, and run it through a spell/grammar check. Mistakes just don't look professional and can really turn a buyer off.

Oh Canada: What is your favorite thing to buy on Etsy?

Little Bear’s Mom: Besides supplies for my jewelry making, I think it's a tie between bath and body products (mainly soap), and toys for my son.

Oh Canada: What is the number one best item (listing) in your shop right now?

Pale Amethyst Three Chain Bracelet by Little Bear's Mom

Little Bear’s Mom: My absolutely favorite item in my shop right now is this three-strand lavender and silver bracelet.

It took me a few days of planning and deciding on which beads to use, and I'm really pleased with the result. It doesn't have the most hearts-per-item, but it's been featured in more treasuries than anything else in my shop.

You can see all of Molly’s beautiful creations in her shops on Etsy, Artfire and Zibbet. To stay up to date with the latest sales and creations, you can follow Little Bear’s Mom on Twitter and Facebook. For more insight into her inspirations and designs, check out her blog Little Bear’s Mom.

Copyright 2010 Oh Canada and Little Bear's Mom


May 21, 2010

Friday Finds: Fuchsia Chalcedony Pendant

Fuchsia Chalcedony Pendant by Little Bear's Mom
Fuchsia Chalcedony Pendant Necklace
Originally uploaded by littlebearsmom.



Pow! Simplicity is powerful. This incredible necklace features an explosively pretty pink briolette that is sure to draw attention. The pendant is suspended with a beautiful sterling silver wrapped bail, on a sterling snake chain necklace.

This simple design has a definite bold side, and the brightly colored stone is free to shine. To see more incredibly wearable jewelry designs like this, visit Little Bear's Mom Jewelry. Add the tag OhCanadaTeam to your searches on Etsy.com to see even more unique designs by Canadian artists!

Copyright 2010 Oh Canada Team
Text by Mortira


May 18, 2010

Birds, Bees and Trees

May is such a wonderful month. It is sandwiched between the cool beauty of spring, and the hot freedoms of summer. We can pull our capri pants and sandals out of the back of the closet and enjoy a stroll through the park, smelling the flowers; but the full heat of summer isn't quite here to chase us back into the shade. The following collection of treasuries featuring the Oh Canada Team includes some wonderful May themes and more!

Greenery by bstudio

Etsy Picks: Greenery

The Birds and the Bees by HornCatCreations

Etsy Picks: The Birds and the Bees

Canada! Eh? by Jasmina100

Etsy Picks: Canada! Eh?

Amour Love Liebe by Khalliah Design

Etsy Picks: Amour Love Liebe



Lavender Sachet with Silk Embroidered Daffodils by bstudio

Congratulations to Oh Canada Team member bstudio with a recent feature in Etsy Finds. This lovely silk embroidered sachet was chosen for the Show Them the Love Grads and Dads collection.

Want to see more? Whatever your tastes, chances are the Oh Canada Team has something for you! Include the phrase "OhCanadaTeam" in your searches on Etsy.com to see what our talented artists are making. You can also visit any of the shops seen here by typing in their names in the search area of the Sellers Page.

Copyright 2010 Oh Canada Team and Etsy.com


May 15, 2010

Team News: Canadian Banner Contest

The Oh Canada Team Blog needs a spiffy new banner. We need an image that captures the essence of the team: Canadian handmade goodness! So we’re going to invite all of our team members who create to make us a mascot for our blog. Vintage sellers are welcome to join in, too, with a distinctly Canadian vintage find.

Here’s how it works:

1. Create an item for your shop that features a distinctly Canadian image or pattern. Think beavers, dogwoods, maple leaves, red and white…you get the idea!

The deadline for listing your entries is June 15th. You may enter an item that is already in your shop. Voting will take place from June 17th to June 28th.

2. List the item in your shop, and include the tag “OhCanadaTeam BBC”. This will allow us to locate your entry for the voting process, and can be removed when the contest closes.

In the description, let us know what inspired your Canadian creation. Include a paragraph in your listing about the Oh Canada Team banner contest, with a link to our blog and the voting dates. This can also be removed after the contest closes.

3. Upload one image of your item to the Oh Canada Team Flickr Group, with the tag “OhCanadaTeam BBC”.

Your main image should have a neutral background - light for light items and dark for dark items. This will help ensure that our blog title will be legible if your item is chosen for the banner.

Your image should be at least 1000 pixels wide so that there is plenty of room to shape a suitable banner from the picture.

Once the entries are complete, everyone will get a chance to vote for their favorite items and pictures here on the team blog, from June 17th to June 28th.

The items with the top 4 votes will be featured in the Oh Canada Team blog banner, and the shop’s Etsy Mini will be displayed in the sidebar. The banners and featured shops will rotate every 2 months.

If you have any questions or comments about the Oh Canada Banner Contest, visit the threads in the team Flickr group discussion and Oh Canada Yahoo Forum where we can chat about the challenge.

Good luck and happy crafting!

Etsy Picks: Canadian Pride
Canadian Pride by Tres Belle Knits

Copyright 2010 Oh Canada Team



May 14, 2010

Friday Finds: A Handmade Wedding

Wedding season is nearly upon us, and it’s a great reason for shopping. Whether you like to make it a girl’s day out, or surf shops in your pajamas with a cup of tea, shopping for the perfect favors and accessories is one of the best things about planning a wedding.

When it comes to having a sensational wedding day, one of a kind handmade pieces are sure to make a big impact. Today, the Oh Canada team shares some beautiful handmade must-haves.

Jewels for the Bride


Pure. Swarovski. Pearl. Earrings by Joanniel Creations
Pure. Swarovski. Pearl. Earrings
by Joanniel Creations

Corocraft Leaf Necklace by Blue Jeans Jewelry
Corocraft Leaf Necklace
by Blue Jeans Jewelry

Entwined Freshwater Pearl Bracelet by Rockfern Designs
Entwined Freshwater Pearl Bracelet
by Rockfern Designs

Moonstone Briolette Hoop Earrings by Splurge
Moonstone Briolette Hoop Earrings
by Splurge

Honeymoon Carry-ons


Green Rose Print Tote by MiniMade
Green Rose Print Tote
by MiniMade

Go Shop Girl Milk and Honey Soap by soapstar
Go Shop Girl Milk and Honey Soap
by soapstar

Naughty Love Coupons by Farren Square
Naughty Love Coupons
by Farren Square

Great Balls of Fire Candle Trio by Tante Caroline
Great Balls of Fire Candle Trio
by Tante Caroline

Mementos and Keepsakes


Blue Flowers Wooden Gift Tags by Botanical Theatre
Blue Flowers Wooden Gift Tags
by Botanical Theatre

Hand Painted Record Mandala Notebook by Benny and the Jet
Hand Painted Record Mandala Notebook
by Benny and the Jet

Simple Flowers Handmade Notecards by Annabelle's Art
Simple Flowers Handmade Notecards
by Annabelle's Art

Elegant Flower Gift Card Holders by Teacup Designs
Elegant Floral Gift Card Holders
by Teacup Designs

Something Blue


Eau Claire Bubble Pendant by Birch Beer Boutique
Eau Claire Bubble Pendant
by Birch Beer Boutique

Peacock Feather Headband by Miss Merete
Peacock Feather Headband
by Miss Merete

Twilight Sky Hand Painted Ring by Dollface DeVille
Twilight Sky Hand Painted Ring
by Dollface DeVille

Carolina Teals Bracelet by Leanne Designs
Carolina Teals Bracelet
by Leanne Designs

Whatever the occasion, the talented artists of the Oh Canada team are sure to have what you need! Add the phrase “OhCanadaTeam” to your searches on Etsy.com to see what we have to offer.

Copyright 2010 Oh Canada Team


May 12, 2010

Beautiful Dozens

The new Treasury East system may be all the rage, but there's still something alluring about making a list that has only a few days to dazzle. It's prestigious - being chosen for these hard to acquire treasury spots, and making it into the spotlight instead of the alternates list.

Here are a few of the latest traditional treasuries from the talented Oh Canada Team:

We're Walking in Sunshine by Leanne Designs

Etst Picks: We're Walking in Sunshine

Dreamy Chocolate by Khalliah Design

Etsy Picks: Dreamy Chocolate

Inspired by a Fig by bstudio

Etsy Picks: Inspired by a Fig

Leaving on a... by sixbabygirls

Etsy Picks: Leaving on a...



Upcycled Mushroom Stool by Pour Toujours

Congratulations also go out to team member Pour Toujours for being featured in the "Back With a Vengeance" Upcycled and Repurposed Etsy Finds.

Want to see more? Whatever your tastes, chances are the Oh Canada Team has something for you! Include the phrase "OhCanadaTeam" in your searches on Etsy.com to see what our talented artists are making. You can also visit any of the shops seen here by typing in their names in the search area of the Sellers Page.

Copyright 2010 Oh Canada Team and Etsy.com


May 7, 2010

Friday Finds: Wishing Star Purse

Wishing Star Purse by Woolbrain
Wishing Star Purse
Originally uploaded by woolbrain knitter.



This week’s Oh Canada treasure is a charming Wish Purse in green and white. The tiny clutch has a jersey knit lining and zippered closure to keep all of your wishes and trinkets safe. It comes complete with a wish card to write down your secret wish!

To find more creative, functional purses and accessories, visit Woolbrain on Etsy. There are many colorful handmade designs perfect for summer!

Many of our talented team members have also been finding their way into some gorgeous treasury lists this week. One of our new members, aosta of Blue Jeans Jewelry, shares two fun collections entitled Oh Canada!

Etsy Picks: Oh Canada...

Etsy Picks: Oh, Canada



East to West by Vanti Designs features team members Chrissmith22 of The Art of Zen…Crochet and Liz-Anna’s on the Lake.

Etsy Picks: East to West



Chocolate Mint Goodness by The House of Hearts

Etsy Picks: Chocolate Mint Goodness



The Sundaes of Our Lives by soapstar features a handful of Oh Canada Team artists, and a host of pretty pink creations.

Etsy Picks: Sundaes of Our Lives



Dollface DeVille has created a wonderful treasury with members of 3 Etsy teams: When Worlds Collide.

Etsy Picks: When Worlds Collide



To see even more incredible creations by Canadian artists, include the tag “OhCanadaTeam” in your searches on Etsy.com.

Copyright 2010 Oh Canada Team and Etsy.com
Text by Mortira


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