Time to Vote for the May Craft a Long!!

Whoops, we haven't posted in awhile!! Spring has sprung, is over and it's hot and sweaty here!
Our thoughts and prayers are with our Louisiana residents affected by the flooding from the rising Mississippi River. Our members are considering donating a % of our charity funds from our Etsy shop to help those affected by the floods. We'll let you know what we decide.

~~ For now it's time to vote in the Craft a Long! This month...despite the lack of rain, our theme is Flowers and Greenery! Here's what lovely work our members have!
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Forest Floor Handpainted Silk Scarf from Splendiferous Fiber.

13 x 70, 100% silk scarf is handpainted, sunprinted, and hand overprinted with pearlized blue and turquoise leaves, and speckled with metallic gold. Large size perfect for neck, waist or as a light wrap. One of a Kind.
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Garden Earrings from etco

Pretty Czech Glass Rose Bell Flowers hang from an antiqued brass flower connectors. They dangle from an antiqued brass leverback ear wires.
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Raggy Flower Applique Ruffle T Shirt Set from Embellished Bayou

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From CuteLootnFood2Boot
My take on "flour and greenery" with a recipe for Seafood Fettuccini and folder made of recycled card stock. A little all-purpose flour, green onions, green parsley. Well you get the idea!

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Foxglove Art Print from DitsyGypsy.

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Topiary Custom Throw 60"x90" from Pamela's Custom Creations

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Blue Ceramic Wall Vase from Hurricane Pottery
Handbuilt, ceramic vase in royal blue with copper wire wrapped to form a hanger and, in front, a bow

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Spring Dresses with Yo Yo Flowers from Vivy's Closet

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Floral Pincushion with Fabric Covered Button from Destash City
Keep your pins and needles in one place and in style with this cute pincushion!

Thanks for voting!!!

First Ever Run-Off Voting for Craft a Long!!!

Sorry this is so late, life!
For the first time ever, Handmade Louisiana is having a run off for winner of the craft a long!! So these are the top four entries tied at 1st place! We need to declare a winner so choose your fave and spread the word!

Pumpkin Necklace by Etco

Autumn Haze Ornament by Dusty Oak Ornaments

Sunset Trees Handpainted Scarf by Splendiferous Fiber

Rustic Pumpkin Earrings from Chloe Boutique

Vote in the poll on the left hand side!

February Craft A Long Voting Time!

It's time to vote again! Our theme for the team for February was New Orleans/Mardi Gras/Love (any or all of that!) Please choose your favorite among these awesome contenders!

1. Saints Inspired King Cake Handmade Soap from Amelia Amos Soaps

My soap shows my love for the Saints, king cake and how can you get more New Orleans than Black and Gold King Cake SOAP!? WHODAT!

2. Mardi Gras Applique Shirt from BayouMoon

Green shirt appliqued with purple and gold felt mask--complete with jingle bells! 

3. French Quarter Earrings by Etco

Gorgeous vintage Fleur De Lis, hand aged with a beautiful Verdigris patina. The finish has an uneven distressed look. Hang from antique brass earwires

4. King Cake Necklace by Flambeaux Design Company

This king cake is created using polymer clay, drizzled with polymer clay icing, then sprinkled with real cinnamon and a crafty version of colored sugar. The pendant is securely attached to a 16-inch chain and closes with a copper hook & eye clasp

5. Mardi Gras Oyster Shell Wall Clock by Art on the Half Shell

Hand-crafted Oyster Shell Wall Clock featuring a dozen Oyster Shells set like the hours around a pearly white dinner plate with accents of purple, green and gold sea glass. The 12 o'clock hour is embellished with a real 7mm pearl.

6. Fleur De Lis Soap on a Bead Rope by Embellished Bayou

Fleur De Lis Soap on a Bead Rope from Embellished Bayou perfect for Mardi Gras!

7. Mardi Gras Hand Dyed Silk Scarf by Splendiferous Fiber

by SplendiferousFiber.etsy.com 100% habotai silk 10.5 x 65 inches, hand dyed

8. Illusion Knitting Fleur De Lis Dishcloth by GarSticksandStrings

This deceiving dishrag looks like a plain beige and black striped cloth but, when viewed from an angle it is revealed that there is a hidden fleur de lis!

9. Fleur De Lis Luminary by Hurricane Pottery

We lit candles, we prayed, we crossed our fingers, we made bets, we wore our lucky whatevers, we partied with friends and held on tight....all this for the love of our Saints!

That's all folks! Vote for your favorite on the left sidebar and share this with your friends! Remember, Handmade Louisiana supports all artisans in and from Louisiana and surrounding areas--buy local--buy handmade!

~~Amy

Winner of Latest Giveaway Is:

Etco---AGAIN! Lucky number 3!! I SWEAR I'm not rigging it :) Here's proof:

Congratulations Etco! :) I'll contact Metry Chick and let her know you won !

Thanks to all who entered!
~~Amy

Do You VooDoo?

It's that time of year again folks! The air is turning crisp...(okay less humid)...pumpkins are popping up in stores and I'm planning my November 1st Candy Run to the store. It's FALL folks, and in New Orleans that means Halloween weekend is The VooDoo Experience, better known as the VooDoo Fest! So get ready and head on down to Marconi Dr in New Orleans (just a hop, skip and jump from my old Alma Maters, Delgado and UNO!) on Friday Oct. 30th-Sunday Nov. 1st for an awesome 3 day lineup of musicians, artists and more.

If you can catch the Fest on Friday, Oct. 30th, there's two special acts I'd like you to check out! Please make sure to catch the The Noisician Coalition where our very own team member, MissMalaprop will have a role! And send me the pics!!

There are so many to see at the VooDoo Fest, but of course we are partial to our Louisiana musicians! The Benjy Davis Project invites you to catch them at 3pm on Friday, Oc. 30th at the Soco/WWOZ stage. Immediately after, they'll be doing a signing at the FYE tent. BDP has graciously offerred up an AUTOGRAPHED CD and Poster for one of our lucky readers!! And just to show we love all our readers, you can get the free MP3 of "Still Sweet" here also!

How to get your hands on the CD and Poster, aside from sending me massive amounts of chocolate? Easy peasy! Just head on over to the guys Myspace Page and listen to a few of their tunes and let us know which one is your fave in a comment here. (Be SURE to leave us a way to contact you so Rock Ridge Music can send you your prize!) Do you dig a BDP song not playing on their Myspace Page? No prob...just list that one! (Maybe they'll add it to their page for you!) While you're on their page, sign up for the mailing list and check out their Twitter and Facebook pages also!

To say there are some great artists playing at The VooDoo Fest would be an understatement. I mean, Kiss, Lenny Kravitz, Widespread Panic, Jane's Addiction, Eminem, just to name a few. But we all know our Louisiana artists are the best, so don't go just for the headlining acts, there is ALWAYS good music to be found at ANY Louisiana event! Then, the art, the food, crowds.....VooDoo fest IS as New Orleans as it gets!

So head on over if you can, and be sure to check out Benjy and the guys. Don't forget to leave your comment here with your favorite Benjy Davis Project song! You have until November 2nd to enter!!

Rock on!!

~~Amy

October Giveaway!!

Okay, we know it's late! It's my fault...I was out of town the first week of the month!

Handmade Louisiana wants to let YOU have a little piece of US! Each month (for as long as possible!) one of our members will have a nifty giveaway for you to win!! Winning will not require too much...blood samples optional...and you'll get a piece of the great things our team can do!

This month, you can win a nifty soap from my very own shop!
You can win one of these three soaps!
Gingerbread cookie Fall Leaf Soap

Or a Green Fall Leaf Soap scented in "Home for the Holidays"

OR, a Gold Leaf Soap scented in Cappucunio Hazelnut

All my soaps are made from a base free of SLS, Sodium Lauryl Sulfate. SLS is a common chemical in bath and body products to make them lather more, but it is also a garage floor cleaner! So soaps free of SLS are better for the skin AND the environment! I also use fragrance oils free of phthalates.







How do you win? I thought you'd never ask!

1. Visit one of my shops listed here. Come back and leave a comment on which item is your fave!
www.mamaslittlemonkeys.com
www.fleurdeink.artfire.com
www.ameliaamos.etsy.com
www.mamaslittlemonkeys.etsy.com
www.destashcity.artfire.com

2. Visit one of these shops belonging to my fellow members. Come back and leave a comment on which of their items is your fave!
CTStudios
Hurricane Pottery
DebiDeauxDesigns

You must leave a link to the items and you must complete steps 1 AND 2 to be entered. You MUST leave a URL, email, or contact IN your comment for us to contact you when you win!

You have until November 1st to get your comments in!

Extra entries:
1. Send an email to merry@handmadelouisiana.com with your email address for our future mailing list.
2. Tweet, Facebook, or promote this contest. You MUST provide a URL where you promoted this so we can verify.
3. Join our Facebook Group. Please make sure your Facebook account is set so we can contact you, and include info about yourself (friend, buyer, seller, artist, etc) in your application.


If you would like to join Handmade Louisiana please email Merry at merry@handmadelouisiana.com and she'll send you what you need to know! There is never any cost to join HML!

Good luck!