Happy New Year!

May the new year bring you

joy and peace.

Happy 2009!

A Rug to Warm your Soles (and Paws)!

Last week I was lucky enough to receive my rug from fiveforty. It's a gorgeous mixture of blues, greens and even some purple. It's so well made and cushy under your feet, it's just a delight for bare toes to step on. Pegg does such gorgeous work and I appreciate all the time and thought that goes into creating a rug like this.

I tried it in our kitchen first and I had no sooner placed it on the floor and our dog Mabel was over to inspect. Next thing I knew she was lying down on it. I think she thought she had received the most wonderful early Christmas present. I was thinking more along the lines of a few dog treats and a long walk but hey, I guess she felt this year was her year for an upgrade!

The next day I was moving 'my' rug around the house to find the perfect spot and guess who I had running around my feet and jumping up and down!

In the spirit of Christmas I'm willing to share 'my' rug - but does this look like a dog who shares the same thought?!!

Super Duper Secret Santa

A group of Canadian Etsians are participating in a Secret Santa exchange this Christmas. Since this was my first Christmas at Etsy it was also my first exchange. I must say I had so much fun putting my goodies together. I hope she likes it! (Though I did it so secretively she might never know it's from me!!)

I had the loveliest package arrive this week. It was my Secret Santa package and it was from Jenn of CrazyBliss. Jenn is an incredibly talented artist. I loved her shop the minute I set eyes on it. In fact she was one of the first shops I bought from when I joined Etsy. I just love the expression she puts on her cats and people and I love the vivid colours that she uses. I had previously asked about having her do a custom painting of our dog and look what Jenn sent me as my gift.




I just can't believe it. How thoughtful. How generous. How Jenn!

My package included:

• a 5 x7 original art work of my dog Mabel. So cute!
• 2 prints of Mabel for both my daughters- so thoughtful!
• 2 sets of bubble bliss magnets - love them!
• 2 adorable cat magnets and,
• a set of sweet note cards.

Wow! I know I'm a lucky girl.

I'm so glad I met Jenn on the Canadian forum and so many other talented Etsians that I'm happy to call my friends. As new as on-line friends are for me you have all become a meaningful part of my daily life. You helped me get started as a 'newbie', you've supported me through the ups and the downs and you have most certainly made me laugh. Thank you!

Merry Christmas everyone! Here's to a very happy new year for all!

Profiles: Handmade Design

I'm very excited to introduce you to a brand new zine Profiles created by two multi-talented women, Maggie Krawczyk the sole proprietor of Neogami Origami Jewellery and Cassandra Ellen Morgan a graphic designer with a portfolio loaded with editorial and print work.

Maggie and Cassandra say it best when describing their new venture, "Profiles will provide an informative glimpse into the world of hand made design. We will highlight the newest trends, hottest boutiques and designers with products that are unique and (especially) local to the GTA. From Artisan to starving artist, Profiles will uncover the passion and motivation that keeps these designers making the goodies we love".

Take a look at my own Wallis Design profile.

I'm thrilled to be a part of this project and proud to be included with these talented artists. Check out the Artisan Profiles.

Cheers! to Maggie and Cassandra. I wish you a very happy and successful new year!

New Friends I've Met Along the Way

I've met some really nice people at Etsy. Today I want to introduce one of those people. Her name is Lisa and she's the owner of Weezi. She's an awesome designer specializing in quality hand-sewn fashion and accessories. Lisa has a store in London, Ontario called Weezi of course! Doesn't it look funky and fabulous!












Look at this fabulous 50's inspired dress. Lisa makes great original designs and they are so affordable as well. Check weezi.com for more fashions, handbags, pillows and other accessories.





You can also find great accessories such as this purse in her Etsy store Weezi.etsy.com.
















Lisa is not just a great designer she's a super nice person who has put together a great list of fellow Canadian etsy artists. Check it out for items from, jewellery to handbound leather books, wallets to soap - there's something there for everyone. Weezi's Guide to Canadian Handmade Gifts. Thank you Lisa for doing this for all of us!

Handmade in Canada. It's music to my ears!

Check out etsy.com for more handmade gift ideas.

Pink Kiss

The other day I fell in love with these pale pink freshwater pearls and I just had to buy them. I paired them with small white pearls and rose quartz beads. I'm so happy with the result. I love the simplicity of this necklace. So soft and feminine.

Sweet Success!

My father in law had his 80th birthday on the weekend and my youngest daughter (who is eleven) wanted to make something special for him. She immediately thought of a cake because Grandad has a bit of a sweet tooth. This couldn't just be any cake, she said, 'it had to be special', and as you can see it really was!



It took over 3 days to make. There was the mixing of ingredients, baking of the cookies and the cake, royal icing, buttercream icing and putting the cake together. It was a gorgeous cake and spectacular with the iced sugar cookies as decorations. It not only looked good but it was delicious as well. The cake was subtly scented with orange and lemon and the buttercream icing had a hint of almond and was so creamy and not too sweet.

It was definite success and a wonderful celebration for a sweet grandad!

What a Feeling!

I know I've talked about treasuries quite a bit but I have to say I've had an exciting week with them and I just want to share.

It started with this treasury, 'Shades of Maple'. This was my very first treasury that was picked to go on the front page. What a thrill!

Just two days later this treasury that featured my earrings was on. I was so happy that I actually was on-line at the time and could see it for myself. Lisa put this beautiful treasury together. You should check out her shop JustCharming on Etsy. While my earrings may have only been on for a few minutes the great news is that they sold!

Tuesday night, or should I say Wednesday morning, I was used as an alternate for this treasury when it posted on the front page. These 'Butterscotch Sundae" earrings got a little extra love at 3 a.m.!

Then today my 'Circle Game' treasury made it to the Front Page. I had just come home, walked in the door and checked Etsy and there it was. I was so glad that I hadn't missed it.

Two feet off the ground, flutter of the heart and a WhooHoo! Ah...the Front Page...it's a great feeling! I hope to see you there again soon.

Warm and Fuzzy

I always enjoy having a knitting or crocheting project on the go. I always find it a calm and relaxing thing to do. It's a bit of a break from the fine detail and itty bitty beads that I use when designing my jewellery.

Lately I've been having fun crocheting little wool flowers. Once they're done I felt them and then I make them into ponytail holders and pins.













The pins are great for adding some colour and flair to your jacket or coat, sweater or even your purse.

Spreading the Love

I think I've mentioned before how I enjoy making treasuries on Etsy. It's fun. It's creative. When all the stars happen to be aligned and I have the time, I'm at the computer at the right time and a treasury opens up it's pure pleasure filling in the twelve spots with gorgeous Etsy finds.

Last night I had the excitement of one of my treasuries making the front page. Can I say Whoa Hoo! I actually wasn't home at the time to see it in person but luckily was able to retrieve a screen shot. It was also great to find out that two of the items have sold. Sweet felted acorns by reyaveltman and a gorgeous bracelet by stringmealong. Awesome!

I've 'met' some really nice people from the treasuries, whether they were in one of mine or I was lucky enough to be featured in their treasury. The beautiful scarf in 'Shades of Maple' treasury was made by solidartcollective. (Check out her shop for other beautiful crocheted scarves!) I was thrilled to see I have been featured in her blog . Thank you so much!

Last week, also through a treasury I was featured in a blog by Celeste the super nice owner of cricketscreations who also makes gorgeous scarves. With the weather getting cooler I guess I've been drawn to all the beautiful knitwear on Etsy lately! All I can say is thank you, I really appreciate it!

Etsy is a great place to meet people with similar interests. I mean what was the chance of me meeting two great women from Utah and Colorado if it hadn't been for Etsy and making a treasury.

Who knows what my next treasury will bring and who I might meet. You can still visit my current treasurywest 'Darkened Skies' until Thursday at 11:26 p.m. Spread the love and don't forget to 'click'!

Happy Thanksgiving

Gorgeous crimson red, pumpkin orange and golden graced the scenery in every direction. The last burst of colour before the November winds strip the trees of their coloured jewels.

My favourite time of year and such perfect weather. Warm sunshine kissed our cheeks as we kicked the leaves underneath our feet. Calm waters reflected a stunning array of colours. An absolutley beautiful weekend up in Muskoka with my family .

My Mom prepared our dinner that was equally beautiful and shared the colours of the forest with cranberry red, sweet potato orange and golden turkey. Everything was delicious. A perfect Thanksgiving weekend. Something to really be thankful for.






A beautiful hike through the woods. The orange leaves against the blue sky was breathtaking.












Our dog Mabel was in heaven as we unhooked her leash and let her run free through the forest.

My Obsession.

It was a happy day yesterday when I went to my mailbox and found my package of supplies had arrived. I really didn't expect it to arrive for a few more days so it was extra special. No sooner had I ripped open the envelope and I was grabbing my jewellery tools. I've had fun playing with copper in the last few weeks so I had ordered more and also something new: brass and gunmetal. The brass daisy bead caps were even nicer in person and I had to use them right away. The result are these earrings. I call them Fairy Mist. They make me think of giant waterdrops that have landed on a flower petal in a fairy forest. The seagreen firepolish beads are gorgeous and have such subtle colour shifts.


It's amazing how such a small package can spur you on to creative delight. You jewellery artists out there know the feeling when you come out of a beading store with such a small bag and a $100 receipt in your hand. But what lies in that bag is pure excitement, enjoyment and creative satisfaction.

Enjoy your day, as I know I will, happily lost in my beads.

Etsy Friends.

I was delighted to find that I have been featured in a blog by Jewelzodonnell. Jewelz has been making some really lovely greeting cards lately. I met Jewelz in the Canadian forums on Etsy. It's there I found a great group of supportive women. Not just there to support our Etsy endeavours but really care about each other in the ups and downs of our daily lives. It's been a pleasure to get to know them over the last few months. Not only are they downright nice people but they are also fantastically talented and successful women! I'm happy to say they are my friends.


Here's a sample of the talent. I'll have to make this a regular feature to highlight everyone and their great products! Hey, that sounds like a great idea! Ok, that settles it I'm going to do a regular Etsy Friends feature on my blog.




Here's a brilliant upcycled wallet from Loscann, a sweet knitted hat for baby from Arly, a gorgeous chainmaille bracelet from CreationsbyUli and a moisturizer that sounds so good you could eat it...White Bartlett Pear and Fig...mmm...from Bovinebubbles.

"Purse-anality"

It's jewellery for your purse!

Whether it's for a special evening or everyday, these dangles are fun. A giant lobster clasp easily attaches to your purse, computer bag or knapsack.

Check out my Etsy shop .

Bring out your inner bling!

Think Pink!

A good friend of mine from Etsy is participating in the 60km Weekend to End Breast Cancer Walk in June 2009. I wanted to support her in her walk so I designed these earrings to sell on Etsy. It's a set of two pairs of sterling silver earrings. I initially thought they would make a great set for a Mom and daughter, but really, sister, friend - it doesn't matter - we're all in this together.

Check them out in my Etsy shop.


The proceeds of the sale of these earrings will go directly to Jay's campaign. (otherwise known as Loopy from Loopy4ewe).

So let's all Think a Little Pink.

Together, we can End Cancer.

What a Great Discovery!

What a nice surprise tonight to find my Vintage Rose Copper Earrings in an Etsy treasury. "Nothing to Get Hung About' - Strawberry Fields Forever.

Gutentag from Oregon created this beautiful treasury. Thanks so much for including me and please check out her shop as she has some gorgeous bags. I had a hard time picking which one to feature she has so many beautiful ones. I just love the fabrics!

Treasuries are so much fun!

It's great to discover new favourite shops!

Going on a Treasury Hunt

Well it's been a few weeks since I last had a treasury on Etsy. It was just good timing when I finally snagged this one on Tuesday. When I realized that the treasuries would open in a few minutes I was first stuck with the dilemma of what to call it. How can I name it when I don't even have the items to put in it yet? All I knew was that I was thinking of fall and warm sweaters and my heart was literally smiling that day. So "Warm and fuzzy" it was. In my head I was thinking of rich browns but next thing I knew I had found a beautiful deep purple yarn from larimeloom and then some felted wool ponies in beautiful fuschia and lavender from valeriesgallery. All the rest followed after that.

I love the creative process in making a treasury. Whether you're guided by your emotions that day, colour combinations, places you want to travel to, silly inspirations or just the desire to highlight fellow etysian artists that you admire it's a wonderful way to give a little peek of yourself to others.

After you've loaded all your selections you can sit back and hope that others enjoy it as well. If you're lucky your treasury might even end up on the front page (a coveted award for any treasury maker). One day maybe I'll join that club but right now I'm just happy when that little box appears at the bottom of the treasury list prompting you to submit your title for your next treasury. Who knows where the next one will take you..

Happy New Year...

I still always think of September as a new year, a new start. I guess it goes back to the new school year as a child and continues now with my own children. The fresh new pack of pencil crayons, new backpacks and jeans. Somehow though, this year feels a bit different. The girls are growing up right before my very eyes. My youngest still wanted us to walk to school with her but we were quickly abandoned for school friends that had been missed over the summer. Instead of helping with tying shoes I'm helping with the hair straightener. Where did the time go?

So as we begin September I'm reflecting on the great summer we had together. I'm enjoying the summer-like weather we're having now and excited about the fall weather to come - I love walking our dog on a crisp fall morning. As the girls head to school I will now have some more time to myself to create some new jewellery designs that have been swirling around in my head. Here's one of my new copper earrings that were inspired by my sister Kathy.

Happy 'new year' to everyone.

The Show was a Success!

Gravenhurst Dockside Festival
We made it through the clouds, rain, thunder, lightening, torrential downpour, fog...hmmm...I think that was it...no wait...there was sunshine as well. Yeah!! My first show (and an outdoor one at that) was a success! I met so many nice people. I can't thank you enough for all your lovely comments.

I learned some good things for the future as well. I had some great comments about the setup of the booth and how I displayed my jewellery but I could see right away that some coloured fabric hanging from the back walls would make it stand out better. Also, a display case or small table at the front would help to show off more product. A sign would probably be a good idea as well. All things to consider for the future but I am very pleased with the results. I'm excited and motivated for the future. My head is spinning with ideas and it shouldn't be long until you see some of them on my website and in my etsy shop.

There's more than me behind Wallis Designs. I couldn't have done it without my family. My two daughters Erica and Sydney spent endless hours helping me get ready for the show in so many ways plus all the time they spent in the booth. My husband gave me lots of great sales advice and totally supported this venture as I spent hours making jewellery and hours on the computer in setting up nancywallisdesigns.com and promotion. My Dad and sister Karen helped me with setting and closing up the tent and my Mom made us great meals each night when we stayed at the cottage. I also want to thank my friends in the Canadian Etsy forum. Your support and encouragement has really helped me. So thanks to all of you.

The Calm Before the Storm

Our family just returned from a beautiful long weekend camping trip up at Algonquin. It was a great weekend with old friends and even the rain, thunderstorms and lightening and bugs didn't stop us from enjoying it.

Such a beautiful place. In the short time that we were there we were able to see 2 moose, a deer, a beaver, 2 great blue herons, a family of ducks, a river otter swimming right by our canoe, loons and howling wolves in the distance.

Ahh...it was so relaxing.

Prettiful Bracelets by two "Prettiful" Girls

What's more heartwarming than having your daughters say they are inspired by you. I'm so proud of both my girls. This summer they caught the beading bug (I guess it really is contagious) and have been busy beading bracelets. Today, they posted two of them on Etsy for the first time.

At ages 11 and 13 they create all their bracelets, take the photographs and write up all the descriptions. Now who's inspiring who?!!

Happy Canada Day!

I just wanted to wish everyone a very happy Canada Day!

I hope you can enjoy the day with family and friends.

To help celebrate Canada Day, as well as July 4th, a group of Canadian Etsy'ians' are having a special sale. Each shop is doing their own thing from sale prices, percentage off, special reduced items, reduced shipping to free shipping. Check it out!

From July 1st to July 5th I will be offering FREE SHIPPING for all Canadian and U.S. destinations. Multiple purchases are included and they will all ship free. So come and drop by nancywallisdesigns.

Today is...Etsy favourite Day.

Here are some favourite treasures I found on Etsy recently. Such creativity and cool products. Check these out.

One of my favourites is an MP3 player holder from iheartthatdance .

Check out this fantastic leaf necklace made from a real photo image from diffraction, - I just think this is so original.

And here's a great idea for you photographers out there from tanybug. What a nice way to personalize your camera equipment.

Have a great day everyone!