And the Countdown to the Holidays Continues!

Still have some slots to fill on your holiday gift list?  Eight of our WESTies are madly creating more goodies for you--meet them in person at the Under the Mistletoe Market this Sunday, December 4, 2016!

Our eight artisans will be among 80 local vendors at the sale!  Stop by to say "hi!" to our our WESTies who will be selling handmade mosaic artisan jewelry; handmade pottery; personalized gifts; handmade leather baby shoes; fun greeting cards and illustrations; funny handmade cards, handprinted towels, onesies and baby bibs; vintage-inspired and vintage jewelry; and beaded and gemstone jewelry. Check out their wonderful items ahead of time using the links below!

MosaicPendantsPlus

Nancy Blokland Pottery

iEngravedit

Sarah Neville Studios

Sew Dandee

Heidis Jewels

Kristas Jewellery

Little Loves Closet

Sunday, December 4, 2016

11 am to 4 pm

CanadaInns Polo Park

1405 St. Matthews Avenue, Winnipeg

Admission is $2, children under 12 free

Stroller-friendly

lots of free parking!

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas...

With Christmas less than a month away, you are going to want to check out all of the potential gifts at the Springs Christian Academy Christmas Craft Show on Saturday, December 3, 2016!

Among the 80+ local crafters, you will find 5 of our WESTies onsite, selling handmade wool socks, mosaic artisanal jewelry, recycled and vintage jewelry, buttons, handmade bags, wallets, accessories and adorable sock monkey toys.

Monkey Business Card Company

Blueberry Lane Craft

Sox n Such

Periwinkle Dzyns

Mosaic Pendants Plus

Don't miss out on getting some handmade, original gifts for those you love!

Saturday, December 3, 2016

10 to 4

595 Lagimodiere Ave, Winnipeg

Admission is $4, children under 12 are free

Free parking, coat and parcel check

Childcare provided

Christmas Cafe

Meet the Westies at the St. Norbert Handmade & Vintage Sale (Three Dates)

Don't miss out on this chance to shop from a number of West Etsy Vendors at the

St. Norbert Handmade & Vintage Sale this summer!

The sale takes place at St. Norbert Arena

3450 Pembina Hwy (right next to the Farmer's Market).

Saturdays, 9am-3pm July 23, July 30, August 13.

Admission $1
FREE PARKING! (just tell the lot attendant you're there for the craft sale).

Shop for Crafts, Refurbished, and Antiques!

July 23rd WESTies:

Atomic Age Vintage Shop

Bitchin'Kitsch Kitchen

Heidi and Seek Boutique

Raiment Resource

Art on a Whimsy
Playful Peanut

July 30 WESTies:

Bitchin'Kitsch Kitchen

Mosaic Pendants Plus

Little Big Ideas

Raiment Resource

Heidis Jewels
Playful Peanut
Peachy Green Eco
The Bearded Lady

August 13 WESTies:

Bitchin'Kitsch Kitchen

Raiment Resource
Playful Peanut
Peachy Green Eco
The Bearded Lady
Nancy Blokland Pottery

Customer Service Sundays with Yolanda of MosaicPendantsPlus

Customer Service Sundays - how WESTies go the extra mile for you!

This Sunday we visit with Yolanda of MosaicPendantsPlus!

 Did you know? Yolanda is happy to design custom orders just for you! Whether you're local or across the pond, be sure to shoot Yolanda a message and see what she can whip up just for you!

WESTie Wednesday - featuring MosaicPendantsPlus

Welcome to WESTie Wednesday, where each week we better get to know a proud WEST member and their Etsy shop! Let's meet Yolanda, of MosaicPendantsPlus, for those of you interested in original, unique jewelry!

(source)

"I'm a semi-retired teacher who has always loved creating with colour. I have been working with mosaics for a number of years, but had been creating larger items like mirrors, tables and frames. I had been experimenting with resin to create jewelry and at the same time, creating smaller mosaics, so it was a natural evolution to use resin on my mosaics. The shiny, durable finish was perfect for the online Etsy market.

I purchase as much of my raw materials as I can through Etsy, as I make a point of supporting Etsy sellers. When I am looking for something specific that I can't find on Etsy, I research potential markets. I use a huge variety of materials including stained glass, broken china, beads and handmade paper. I have been fortunate that I could convert my study into a craft room, although I sometimes like to work in my bright, sunny kitchen. I take my pictures in various rooms by the large windows on the south side of my house as the natural light really brings out the color and shine of my creations."

(source)

"Originally, I planned to create jewelry for larger women as I personally prefer big, bold pieces. However, I soon found that I didn't want to limit myself and I wanted to ensure that each piece was an original creation. My focus is still on mosaics and I use broken china, stained glass and beads for the majority of my jewelry. But I love working with beautiful and handmade paper so some of my jewelry is decoupaged and then covered with resin or glass. Responding to feedback and requests, I have expanded my original work from necklaces, to include earrings, hairpins, scarf pins, brooches and bracelets. My creations appeal to people who are interested in original, unique jewelry and I keep exploring ways to keep creating new and exciting jewelry."

(source)

"I love Etsy and online shopping. Etsy is a market that I have been interested in participating in for quite some time and semi retirement allowed me the time to invest in it. It is still a thrill when someone purchases one of my creations and especially when I receive a review!"

Yolanda's creative endeavors can be found on Facebook here.

Who's New Monday: Mosaic Pendants Plus

It's Monday, so let's meet another new WEST member, Yolanda Hogeveen and Roberta Debiuk!

Where are you from?
We have both lived in Winnipeg most of our lives.

What is your Etsy shop name?
Mosaic Pendants Plus

What made you decide to start an Etsy shop?
Largely because we have run out of family and friends to give our pendants to, but still had lots of ideas for designs.

What do you sell?
We have created a variety of shapes and sizes of pendants, and more recently have created brooches. We plan to start creating earrings soon.

What is your favorite item to make?
I have been 'fooling' around with mosaics for years, starting with frames and mirrors. I recently discovered that I really liked the combination of mosaics and resin for jewelry, as using the traditional grout made the jewelry very heavy. I have collected a huge variety of stained glass, broken dishes and beads, so incorporating these into unique designs has been great fun. I am especially excited that they are large pieces, as I have been disappointed in the past at the small size of pendants ordered online. We have, however, included some smaller pieces for those who prefer daintier jewelry.

What are your long-term Etsy goals?
Etsy was a natural fit as I have loved shopping on it for years and have introduced a variety of people to it. It was very easy to set up a shop. We have been up and running for less than a month and we have received lots of views, which we hope translates into more sales soon!