This is the second in my series of artful and crafty 2008 calendar finds from Etsy.com.

The ilee calendar above, featured in my first post, was the one I ended up purchasing. I have to tell you - it surpassed my expectations. The pages are gorgeous and beautifully created, each one with special elements such as foil stamping and glitter effects. I especially love the texture created by the raised designs, characteristic in letterpress printing. It’s a beautiful work of Art that makes a practical holiday gift for anyone that appreciates Art, good design or the timeless method of letterpress printing.

That’s what the new crop of fabulous calendars are below - works of Art that make great holiday stocking stuffers, hostess or secret santa gifts. Check ‘em out.

The photos will take you directly to each item featured. Some of these calendars get sold pretty fast. If you click a link that shows the item has been sold, click the shop link to browse the seller’s other items to see if it’s been relisted.

Enjoy!
 

2008 Satsuma Press Calendar . Satsuma Press {satsumalynn.etsy.com} . $39
This limited edition calendar features original artwork - a different and beautiful modern botanical print for each month. Hand printed on Crane’s 100% cotton Lettra paper in pearl white with a tiny punch hole at the top so you can tack it on a wall or board. 

2008 Letterpress Wall Calendar . Pistachio Press & INK+WIT {pistachiopress.etsy.com} . $35
Pistachio Press collaborated with INK+WIT {tarahogan.etsy.com} to create this fantastic limited edition 2008 letterpress wall calendar. Tara designed and illustrated the pages and Pistachio Press did all the hand printing on Crane’s 100% cotton Lettra paper in fluorescent white. 

2008 Letterpress Calendar . C&A: letterpress stuff {chadandamanda.etsy.com} . $30
This unique free standing calendar is a three-panel piece displaying leaves from different seasons of the year. Each panel features an original design that has been hand printed on Crane’s Lettra paper in fluorescent white. 

2008 Calendar . Moontree Letterpress {moontreepress.etsy.com} . $25
This simple and elegant 13 page, 2 color letterpress calendar features a unique design for each month. 

A Little Black Bird 2008 Calendar . cup of snowflakes {cupofsnowflakes.etsy.com} . $20
This whimsical monochromatic wall calendar features a little black bird in different scenes for each month. The illustrations are originals done with graphite pencil. The calendar is laser printed on 160gsm white paper. 

Calendar 2008 . seasprayblue {seasprayblue.etsy.com} . $40
A colorful wall calendar featuring 12 original delightful illustrations from seasprayblue. When the year is over, you can cut out the illustrations and send them as postcards or frame them to hang on your walls. 

Calendar 2008 . Debi van Zyl {debivanzyl.etsy.com} . $25
Pre-order this unique and interesting calendar. Count down the year with concentric circles, each month getting smaller. The front and back are bound with a wood strip using a Japanese book binding method. 

2008 Desk Calendar . Modern Art Everyday {modernarteveryday.etsy.com} . $16
Twelve different fabulous giclee prints of Modern Art Everyday graces the pages of this clean and colorful calendar. Turns your desk into a mini-art gallery at a great price!

This fun, playful sculpture was designed and created by the very talented Polymer Clay artist, Nancy, proprietor of Etsy.com shop, NanjoDogz.

Click each of the photos to view the item description in greater detail.

Just look at all the incredible little details in this piece - the wonderful doggie bowl, the heavy “lockdown” chain, the charm hanging from his collar, the “wood” dog house, the skull & crossbones over the door, the nail stud details throughout - not to mention the actual dog - the Pugsta.

I can attest to Nancy’s impressive meticulous attention to details because I’ve actually purchased a couple of her pieces. Let me tell you - if you think it looks this good now in the photos - just wait till you get it. It’s even more fantastic in real life!

I took the opportunity to ask Nancy a few questions and here’s what she had to say about this piece.

What was your inspiration for this piece?

I am always inspired by animals, especially dogs. As for the Pugsta, he just came from my imagination. When I think of dogs sometimes I look at their features and see their uniqueness and with the Pug, with their pushed up nose and big eyes and little rounded low to the ground bodies, they just remind me of a little tough guy walking around, like a little gangster, just cool as can be and from there Pugsta was born!

How long did it take you to create it?

I never really can say how long a piece takes me, because a lot of my pieces are mixed media, they are done in sections and it’s usually a three to four day process.

A lot of animal lovers are sensitive to dogs that live a lifetime chained outside with limited contact. By the looks of it, this pugsta is obviously loved and cared for. Is he on lockdown for only a limited amount of time? Does he get to run loose or let into the house with his humans?

This little Pugsta is not really on lockdown, he’s more like on time out. He had been running the mean streets of Chicago and got into some big time trouble with his pack. Oh, he’s always running in and out of the house with his family, but this little Pugsta prefers to be outside, he likes running with his Pugsta Pack. As a matter of fact that’s who he’s waiting for — he’s waiting for his pack to stop by so they can go off and get into some more mischief!

Will there be more of this series in the future?

Actually this is my second Pugsta and I am planning on doing more Pugsta pieces.

About you, how did you get into your craft?

I have been creating all my life, in one form or another, from drawing to quilting. Polymer clay was just another medium that I started to play around with and found that it was something that I truly enjoyed and it stuck with me.

How long have you been making polymer clay sculptures?

I have been making polymer clay sculptures now for about 2 years.

What do you love most about being an artist?

I always say the best thing about being an artist for me is that I can do what I love and create the animals that I love so much, it’s a double blessing.

What words of advice would you offer to other artists?

Stay focused, don’t get too discouraged when sales are slow and just remember if you’re doing something you truly love you are so lucky — and don’t give up, stay with it.

Wise words indeed, Nancy. Thank you for that!

You can purchase Nancy’s work at her Etsy shop and on eBay. Besides her wonderful sculptures, she offers adorable Christmas ornaments, sweet little pendants & other jewelry, and the cutest beads. They make the perfect gifts for any dog lover!

If you’d prefer a custom piece in your dog’s likeness, no problem. Just send Nancy a message. She does a really terrific job!

Ok, I have a confession to make. I am a big nerd. One of my goals that I’m proud to achieve after moving out on my own is staying up for a whole weekend to play Super Mario Brothers 3 with my best friend - something I’ve always wanted to do as a kid that would’ve been extremely frowned upon by my parents.

After a two night and two day marathon spurred on by coffee and adrenaline from the sheer need to get to the next level, you start to see this strange smoky haze. And when you finally collapse in bed by 3 o’clock on Sunday afternoon, so you can be at your real world job first thing Monday morning with no one the wiser to your delinquent weekend activities, you’re still bouncing up and down on clouds, and pipes, and menacing flower pots as you drift off to sleep. Ahhhh, sheer bliss!

So it is with great excitement that I’m featuring this collection of hot, rockin’ handcrafted items from a handful of super talented, super crafty artisans from Etsy. All the goods featured are very affordable from as little as $1.50 for the Game Over pin back button, to as much as $20 for the Vinyl Nintendo Clutch. With the holidays around the corner, this would be a great way to shop for the gamer nerd on your list. Click each photo to take you directly to the item featured.

THE MUSHROOM BRIGADE…Accessorize with this cute Super Mushroom Pin and power up anytime, anywhere. Made from mini hama beads, you can mix and match this with the Spugmeistress‘ other adorable Nintendo inspired goodies.

These colorful Super Mario Bros Mushroom Keychains by Pixelated Creations are a great way to get organized. For a mere $3 a pop, you can afford to color code your keys for work and home, or have a different color for each family member! They make great stocking stuffers too.

And whoa! Don’t miss Pixelated Creation’s other super cute Nintendo inspired goodies. They’ll have you droolin’!

Write all your game cheats, codes and hints in this felt covered 1 Up Mushroom Notebook by Painted Fire. It’s pocket-sized so you can exude your nerdyness wherever you go. The felt cover is removable so when this notebook fills up, you just replace it with a fresh one. And it’s so easy and convenient to replenish because those little composition notebooks used here are available at any drugstore!

This sweet 3D Coin Block Bank is an original design by Lost Mitten. This particular one is a custom order reserved for someone else, but you can get your own just by sending her a message. It features a question mark on one side and a brick block pattern on the other 3 sides. Eh, fuhgetaboutthebank, this makes it a snap to save up for your next video game!

These one inch pin back Dork Nerd Geek Buttons by The Pink Samurai are perfect for your favorite dork or gamer.

This Game Over Button may be every gamer’s nightmare, but The Pink Samurai turned it into a cool button! Easier to look at without pain in your eyes!

CONTROL CENTER…This Nintendo NES Controller Business Card Holder is stylish retro art for your desk. Another terrific original design from Lost Mitten, who is fast becoming one of my favorite sellers on Etsy.com. It’s not only cool looking but functional as well. It’ll hold your biz cards, receipts and other important scraps of paper you have lying around.

Another fabulous item inspired by the Nintendo NES controller is this super cute felt zippered coin purse by Etsy.com shop, Lindsey Porter. All the design elements are securely sewn on rather than just glued. Measuring only 2 1/4″ x 4 1/4″, it may be diminutive in size but big in nerd style!

If the coin purse above is too small for your needs, check out this fab Nintendo NES Vinyl Clutch by Etsy.com shop, In Hope. No cows were harmed in the making of this bag! Fashioned out of vegan-friendly vinyl, this wristlet style pouch measures approximately 7″ wide x 6″ high. It’ll fit your keys, cell phone, iPod and other basic essentials quite comfortably. In an effort to downsize, I carry a wristlet for everyday use and just love it! This one is perfect if you’re in the mood to be a little fun n’ funky while channeling your inner nerd.

WAKKA-WAKKA-WAKKA-WAKKA…Inspired by Nintendo’s all time classic game, this Pacman inspired cozy by Etsy.com store, Eternal Sunshine is so so adorable. I heart it! A perfect soft cozy for your iPod, cell phone or camera, it’s made out of crocheted black and yellow textured yarn that gives it that thick, curly look and provides extra cushion for your precious electronic gadget. It’s all in the details with tiny beads sewn in for the eyes and dots. You even get to choose whether you want a velcro, button or snap closure! Now, how sweet is that?

Did I mention I adore Lost Mitten’s shop? Another must have for any Nintendo nerd, this set of 4 Pacman Coasters takes the “key”!

If you’re in the mood for a some fun bling, check out this bracelet called The Chase, by Etsy.com store Pixel Party. Yeow! Pacman’s in trouble here! Pacman and the ghosts are printed on white shrink plastic, sealed with a glossy clear sealer and are attached and finished with silver-plated jump rings, chain and lobster clasp. Sah-weeet!

And my final featured item is another super cute business card holder from favorite Etsy.com shop, Lost Mitten. This Pacman Perler Bead Business card has a different scene on each side as shown above. Git ‘em! Cool and functional, this makes a great gift for your favorite Pacman freak or nerdy gamer!

I hope you had fun viewing all the Nintendo Nerd madness I found at Etsy.com. I know I did and I’m making my wish list all ready for Santa!

WOW! What a pleasant and joyful surprise when I got these two cute n’ adorable gift pups in the mail today! Marcy Lamberson of Etsy.com store, StudioMarcy, made them especially for me! Now how sweet is that? Aren’t they darling? Included with the Lampwork beads was a lovely handwritten note by Marcy.

Thank you so so much, Marcy! They’re absolutely positively more than “okay”! They’re just over the moon supercalifragilisticespialidociously terrific! You made my week with such a kind and generous gesture! These pups will be put to good use to help other animals in need in my Paws For a Good Cause section. Look for it to make an appearance in my Etsy.com store soon!

In the meantime, if you’re not Marcy and you’re reading this, score yourself some fun, adorable, whimsical handcrafted Lampwork glass beads in Marcy’s store! They’ll make you smile, they’ll make you laugh, and they’ll make you really, really happy!