Hot off the press - New WEST Team Treasury

'More Gifts Under $20 ' by deannewatsonjewelry

From cute to cool, this treasury has something for everyone. Gotta love the prices! All items are from the WEST team in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.

Recycled Map Star Book ... PrairiePeasant $7.00	Simple Eco-Friendly Ste... ToxieDesigns $15.00	Turquoise and Blues Por... NancyBloklandP... $20.00	Ocean Sunset artisan so... SoGaSoap $6.00
SALE - Notepad/Passport... elliven $14.00	Simple everyday modern ... waterleliejewe... $16.00	Brace Face - Computer P... PeriwinkleDzyn... $15.00	Buddy Holly light switc... dandee $10.00
Card Suit Hearts Earrin... Jynxx $10.00	Fortune Cookie Change P... hoshiidesigns $9.75	VALENTINES SALE Beach B... jakecleo $17.00	Crocheted Hat - Raspber... MonCherieCreat... $17.00
Fizzing Vegan Bath Melt... JustTheGoods $5.00

Treasury tool by Red Row Studio

W.E.S.T. November Design Challenge Results

The design challenge for November was based on the Fall 2011 colour trend forecast from Pantone:

Four WESTers took up the challenge with fabulous results! I'm going to start from the last to the first entry with this post.

Just under the wire, Kat from aeliodesign entered this beautiful one of a kind cuff:

OOAK Luxurious Horn Cuff Bronze Metalwork Emberglow Agate Stone set in Sterling Silver by aeliodesign

Kat notes that she had plans to make a necklace for the challenge, but on the last day of the challenge, she just sat down at her bench with some metal and a saw, and this was the result. The cuff itself is "bamboo," with some rippling through it, and the stone is "emberglow."

You can see more of Kat's Original, contemporary & stylish jewelry designs in her shop aeliodesign. When you go there, you will see she is currently living in Greece, but she will be moving back to Winnipeg soon!

Our third entry was based on the colour Quarry:

Modern Elongated Swarovski Crystal Hoops Earrings, Light Denim Blue and Argentium Sterling Silver - Roxie by Toxie Designs

Jennifer says earlier this year she purchased vintage crystal in the colour Indian Sapphire, which she thinks best matches Pantone's Quarry hue. These crystals are in a discontinued shape in a large 10mm size.

Vintage light grey blue faceted crystal saucers floats on an arced earwire which meets at the bottom latch. These sexy earrings, made of Argentium Sterling silver* (anti-tarnish, nickle free and ethically mined) are hand-shaped and hardened by me. The crystals are brilliantly cut vintage saucer beads in pale light denim blue or quarry blue from Swarovski. These are limited edition earrings as only three pairs will be made.

You can find more of Jennifer's Modern Geometric Jewelry in Silver and Gold in her Toxie Designs shop!

The second entry was from MonCherieCreations:

Cafe Latte Fingerless Mitts by MonCherieCreations

Just the thing for a cool fall day in November! Miriam notes: I love the colours for this challenge! This was a pattern I'd been wanting to make for a while, and I had two perfect colours with which to make them.

With these fingerless mitts, you'll keep your hands warm with comforting colours and style. Perfect for running errands or an evening out, these mitts will keep you hands warmer but leave your fingers free to use the outdoor ATM, pay your parking, order at the drive-thru, or fasten your kids' seatbelts. A great gift for yourself, a teacher, a bus driver, or anyone else for whom you'd like to get a thoughtful gift.

You can find more of Miriam's handmade crocheted bags, hats, headwraps and more in her MonCherieCreations shop!

And last, but not least, Susana from lemon dear was our very first entry, and she made a very cool moustache calender for 2012:

2012 calendar. Printable PDF. Original illustrations. Moustaches by lemondear

Susana writes:
Ever since I was a child, I've always found moustaches to be absolutely charming - and I don't mean just Clark Gable and John Waters' cooler than cool pencil thin moustaches. My fascination has always included the magical bearded lady of the amusement parks, fairs and circuses of yore, and of course, Groucho Marx's grease moustache and the millions of imitations that followed in the form of "funny guy" masks. While thinking of a calendar idea, something one will see all through the year, I thought: I'd like to see colourful moustaches. It was a huge aid to have this challenge and the Pantone colours available, since I am still a bit scared about colour--hence one of the lines of my manifesto goes "Do not be afraid of colour." This was a perfect chance to run wild with the amazing hues presented. Using the suggested colours was like writing an exquisite corpse: no one knows what the previous verse was or what the following one will be, but somehow, they match beautifully.

You can find more of Susana's embroidery patterns, embroidered hoop art, customized colouring books and 2012 calendars in her lemon dear shop!

We will be taking a break from the design challenges in December. What theme would you like to see for future challenges in 2012?

Fall Colour Trends Design Challenge Entry #2

Here is our second entry into our November Design Challenge based on Fall Colour Trends from Pantone:

Cafe Latte Fingerless Mitts by MonCherieCreations

Just the thing for a cool fall day in November! Miriam notes: I love the colours for this challenge! This was a pattern I'd been wanting to make for a while, and I had two perfect colours with which to make them.

With these fingerless mitts, you'll keep your hands warm with comforting colours and style. Perfect for running errands or an evening out, these mitts will keep you hands warmer but leave your fingers free to use the outdoor ATM, pay your parking, order at the drive-thru, or fasten your kids' seatbelts. A great gift for yourself, a teacher, a bus driver, or anyone else for whom you'd like to get a thoughtful gift.

You can find more of Miriam's handmade crocheted bags, hats, headwraps and more in her MonCherieCreations shop!

With a Grateful Heart Design Challenge Entry #2

Here is the second entry for our October Design Challenge:

Take-out or Travel Cup Cozy and Coasters - Christmas set - candy cane stripes by MonCherieCreations

Miriam writes: My item for the Grateful Heart design challenge is a red-and-white striped cup cozy and two "peppermint" coasters. Here's the story of the candy cane to explain why this item represents what I am most grateful for:

A candy maker in Indiana wanted to make a candy that would be a witness, so he made the Christmas Candy Cane. He incorporated several symbols for the birth, ministry, and death of Jesus Christ. He began with a stick of pure white, hard candy: white to symbolize the Virgin Birth and the sinless nature of Jesus, and hard to symbolize the Solid Rock, the Foundation of the Church and firmness of the promises of God. The candy maker made the candy in the form of a "J" to represent the precious name of Jesus, who came to earth as our Savior. It could also represent the staff of the Good Shepherd with which He reaches down into the ditches of the world to lift out the fallen lambs who like all sheep have gone astray. Thinking that the candy was somewhat plain, the candy maker stained it with red stripes. He used three small stripes for the blood shed by Christ on the cross. So that we could have the promise of eternal life.

__________

Nicely done! Thanks Miriam!

W.E.S.T. August Design Challenge Results

You may remember that the W.E.S.T. Design Challenge for August was "Back To School".

My little guy is heading to Kindergarten later this week. So it's a perfect time to do a round up of all the Back To School entries.

Crocheted Messenger Bag - Teal and White Stripes
By Mon Cherie Creations

10 Colourful Fabric Bookmarks - Vintage Inspired Set
By Tawny Bee

Fine Silver Apple Pendant Necklace
By The Silver Agenda

Aren't these entries terrific? I kinda wish I was going back to school. I miss all the fun back to school shopping.

And remember: Handmade is best - even when back to school shopping! :D

Stay tuned tomorrow when I announce the September design challenge for our talented WEST bunch!

Warm and Sweet/ Back to School WEST Treasuries

A couple of new WEST treasuries for your viewing (and clicking!) pleasure today:

'warm and sweet ' by Evecouture

Fizzing Vegan Bath Melt... justthegoods $5.00	PATTERN for Queen of He... TaraSawchuk $4.00	Blood Red Teardrop Swir... KristinBuhler $24.00
Sweet Nothings Everythi... emmsgems $5.00	Doll heart charm neckla... heatherazzi $4.50	Paxton Berry Cosmic and... ToxieDesigns $35.00
Pink taffeta girls skir... Evecouture $45.00

Treasury tool by Red Row Studio.

And

'Back to School - W.E.S.T.' by MonCherieCreations

A treasury of W.E.S.T. team members featuring back to school items.

Black and white polka d... Evecouture $35.00	Vintage Red and White C... marathon1981 $12.00	Personalized Tote Bag -... cottoncupcakes... $16.00
Atari tuque/beanie doctormoo $20.00	Bamboo Fleece Hoody-Cre... MJAnne $199.00	Birds and flowers in cr... SaysTheStone $18.00
Girls Crochet Hat and M... varcoe $26.00	LIGHTNING notebook housefires $5.00	Child friendly vegan sk... justthegoods $23.00
Electric Orange Post-it... RockCandyDecor $40.00	Polka Dot Perfect BlueStarStudio... $29.50	Little Miss Licorice-Ha... heatherazzi $6.00
Boy Cave Hanging Door S... kiernicki $15.99	Favourite Denim and Flo... emmsgems $5.00	Micro-Macrame Friendshi... TawnyBee $14.25
Pizza Buttons (Set of 3... thegoblincave $2.00

Treasury tool by Red Row Studio.