Elizabeth Levesque, Artist

Elizabeth Levesque is a painter, illustrator, and crafter that currently resides in Norfolk, VA. Having recently returned to school to study fine art, Lizze creates a wide variety of unique artwork. Her fine art pieces include stunning portraits, colorful wood pieces, and whimsical animal imagery. She also does illustration work, as well as crafts & custom design work. If you are interested in purchasing some of Elizabeth's work, several pieces are listed on Etsy & several are available through J. Fergeson Gallery in Farmville, VA. (pictured: Lil Acorn Incubator)

Jewelry Finds

I love jewelry year-round, but there's something special about unique accessories in warm weather months. A funky necklace or bold earrings can turn a simple warm-weather ensemble from casual to chic with minimal effort.

LoOnY JeWeLS features 100% hand-stitched & drawn bijoux created by Lisa Piccinini. Based in Italy, she constructs brooches (pictured) that feature an original ink drawing embellished with metal beads & sequins. I also like her bold & whimsical necklaces, especially the elephant.

Colette's Boutique is a great source for a variety of wire jewelry that incorporates beautiful semi-precious gemstones & sparkly crystals. The blue green Sunflower pendant (pictured) is the perfect accessory for spring & summer. I also love the Cleopatra earrings!


Michelle Watson, the owner & designer behind Mimi & Lu, creates accessories that are derived from a fine art standpoint. I would love to have several of the colorful Carolina bracelets (pictured) to layer. And the Lovescript necklace is lovely!

Los Angeles-based Under Oak Studios offers pendants, dirty words & shiny stones created by Joy Diani. Sounds interesting, doesn't it? The ladybug initial necklace is super cute and the Denim Wood Spears necklace (pictured) is a great statement piece.

And, for those who like accessories of the steampunk persuasion, there's Noble Studios. I especially like the a variety of cool rings made using antique buttons, gears & clock parts. Don't miss the extensive sale section! (pictured: Blue Rhinestone Propeller Ring)

Funky Five: Mother's Day Gifts

1. Say A Prayer by epgphotography

2. Lovely Pair of Leafs Earrings by Gleeful Peacock

3. Lotion Bar by Owens Acres

4. Hand-crafted Dragonfly Sun Catcher by Creative Imaginings

5. Red Pearl Keychain by Felíz Beads

*Bonus - 6: I Love You Mom Tile by Tilesmile

This Week's Events

Tuesday, April 26 through Friday, April 29
Toronto Alternative Arts & Fashion Week, 6pm-Midnight
99 Sudbury St., Toronto, ON

Thursday, April 28
Vintage Fair, 10am-4pm
University of Essex Student Union, Colchester, Essex CO4 3SQ

Thursday, April 28 through Saturday, April 30
Battlecreek Boutique, (Thur/F) 9am-8pm, (Sat) 9am-5pm
Old Pleasant Grove Rec Center, 65 E. 200 South, Pleasant Grove, UT

Friday, April 29
BrisStyle Indie Twilight Market, 5-9pm
King George Square Between Ann & Adelaide Streets, Brisbane, QLD

Brocante Lux Eco-April Market, 11am-8pm
Market Square, 91 King St., St. Catharines, ON

Friday, April 29 & Saturday, April 30
Petticoats on the Prairie, (F) 1-7pm, (Sat) 9am-5pm
Black Locust Farm, FM 1606, Ira, TX

Friday, April 29 through Sunday, May 1
Brookside Art Annual, (F) 5-9pm, (Sat) 10am-9pm, (Sun) 11am-5pm
63rd and Brookside Blvd., Kansas City, MO

Sugarloaf Crafts Festival, (F/Sat) 10am-6pm, (Sun) 10am-5pm
Maryland State Fairgrounds, Timonium, MD

Make It!, (F) 4-9pm, (Sat) 11am-6pm, (Sun) 11am-5pm
Calgary Chinese Cultural Centre, 197 1 St. SW, Calgary AB

Friday, April 29 through Sunday, May 8
New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival
New Orleans Fair Grounds, New Orleans, LA

Saturday, April 30
3rd Annual Spring Bash, 11am-5pm
South Side on Lamar, 1409 S. Lamar, Dallas, TX

Designers Downtown Market, 9am-3pm
Ornamentea, 509 N. West St., Raleigh, NC

Craft Saturday, Noon-6pm
Fourth St. Theatre, 216 4th St., Des Moines, IA

Craftstravaganza, 9am-5pm
Minnesota State Fairgrounds, Fine Arts Bldg., 1265 Snelling Ave., St. Paul, MN

Mayday Underground Crafts + Art, 10am-4pm
Main Street Armory, 900 E. Main St., Rochester, NY

Dustbowl Arts Market at Norman Music Festival, 11am-7pm
Corner of Gray & Crawford, Downtown Norman, OK

Crafty Balboa April Showers, 11am-5pm
Passyunk Fountain, Passyunk & Tasker, Philadelphia, PA

Fenton Street Market, 9am-3pm
Veterans Plaza, Corner of Fenton St. & Ellsworth Dr., Silver Spring, MD

Mt. Lebanon’s Earth Day 2011 Celebration, 10am-2pm
Mt. Lebanon Park, Pittsburgh, PA

The Toronto Etsy Street Team Spring Craft Show, 10am-4pm
The Gladstone Hotel Ballroom, 1214 Queen St. West, Toronto, ON

Spring Arts Open House Alumni & Craft Sale, 10am-5pm
Sheridan College - Trafalgar Campus, 1430 Trafalgar Rd., Oakville, ON

Princeton Spring Onion Festival 2011, 9am-4pm
Princeton High School, 1000 E. Princeton Dr., Princeton, TX

Hip Happening Spring Bazaar, 11am-5pm
Sellwood Masonic Temple, 7126 SE Milwaukie Ave., Portland, OR

Saturday, April 30 & Sunday, May 1
Anne Arundel County Spring Craft Festival, (Sat) 9:30am-5pm, (Sun) 9:30am-3pm
Anne Arundel Co. Fairgrounds, 1450 Generals Hwy. Rt. 178, Crownsville, MD

Weekend in the Park Arts & Crafts, 10am-5pm
Jim Barnett Park, 1001 E. Cork St., Winchester, VA

Indie Craft Revolution, (Sat) 10am-5pm, (Sun) 10am-4pm
St. Louis Artists’ Guild, 2 Oak Knoll Park, Clayton, MO

Towsontown Spring Festival, (Sat) 10am-7pm, (Sun) 1-7pm
44 W. Chesapeake Ave., Towson, MD

33rd Annual Siesta Fiesta, 10am-5pm
5124 Ocean Blvd., Sarasota, FL

Athens Artsfest, (Sat) 10am-5pm, (Sun) 10am-4pm
Harlan Rowe Jr. High School, 116 State Rte. 1064, Athens, PA

Sunday, May 1
First Sunday Arts Festival, Noon-5pm
Calvert & West St., Annapolis, MD

Indie Reno, 10am-5pm
Lake Mansion, 250 Court St., Reno, NV

SoWa Open Market, 10am-4pm
460 Harrison Ave., Boston, MA

Clover Market, 10am-4pm
12 E. Lancaster Ave., Ardmore, PA

May Day, 10am-5pm
Caffé Medici, 2222 B Guadalupe St., Austin, TX

RetroChalet

Cindy Fahnestock-Schafer of RetroChalet offers a wide variety of vintage funky stuff & supplies. Whether you're looking to add to your Pyrex collection or need some unique display items, you are sure to find it here! Located in Baltimore, MD, Cindy stays busy not only with RetroChalet, but also her blog and running the Etsy Recyclers Guild. Her blog focuses on all things Melmac & Melamine. Seeing a lack of readily available info regarding vintage plastic & retro dishware, Cindy began compiling all the info she could find on her blog. If you would like to purchase Melamine dinnerware, Cindy has lots of great pieces listed in her RetroChalet shop.

*GIVEAWAY - Closed - Congrats Christina! One lucky winner will receive a $20 Gift Certificate from RetroChalet. To enter, visit the shop & leave a comment on this post noting one of your favorite items. For an additional entry, like RetroChalet on Facebook & leave a comment on this post noting you have done so. Giveaway ends at 9pm EST, Saturday, May 7.

Year Retro

London-based brand Year Retro has launched their Spring & Summer 2011 collection with the release of some funky retro-esque jewelry! Their designs are reminiscent of computer game & cartoon characters such as Super Mario, Yoshi and SpongeBob SquarePants. Also included are the original Tounge Out and Ice Cream brooch & key charm designs. All Year Retro necklaces use silver plated rope chains which are extremely popular in the retro fashion scene at the moment. If you happen to be in London, stop by Global Sports in Shepherds Bush to purchase goods in person. If shopping online, receive a 20% discount with coupon code FUNKYFINDS. Learn more about Year Retro on Facebook.

The Shops Insider - Subscribe today!

As a Funky Finds blog reader, you probably know about our online marketplace, The Shops @ Funky Finds. If you aren't familiar with The Shops, I urge you to visit the site & check out all the great handmade items various artisans currently have for sale. Also, yesterday I was guest blogger on the Sunday Afternoon Housewife blog & explained a bit about the benefits to those who utilize The Shops.

Each month, subscribers receive The Shops Insider, a newsletter that is full of info pertaining to The Shops @ Funky Finds. We highlight a few Featured Shops, let you know about Discounts & Specials sellers are offering & much more. In our next edition, we are introducing a new exciting feature - a Behind-the-Scenes interview with a Shop owner!

If that's not enough to entice you into subscribing, one lucky subscriber will win a Funky Finds tote bag & other swag! The winner will be announced in the next Shops Insider set to go out April 26th. Don't miss out...Subscribe today!

Spreadshirt

With Earth Day just a few days away, I wanted to introduce you to the eco-friendly fashions at Spreadshirt.com, the leading multi-channel clothing commerce for designing personalized tees & other apparel. While the phrase “organic fashion” is gaining popularity, many of you may think that “eco-friendly” doesn’t equal “fashion-friendly”. But, with the help of celeb support & over $521 million dollars spent on sustainable fashion each year, Spreadshirt is changing the way consumers view such fashions.

Spreadshirt offers a variety of organic fashion for women, men & even babies. The site allows you to create a customized tee that expresses your love for Mother Nature, or you can create your own design on an organic tee. It’s that easy! To celebrate Earth Day and the rise of organic fashions actually being fashionable, Spreadshirt is offering 20% off your entire order with the purchase of two organic items through May 4th. Celebrate Earth Day with Spreadshirt and show the world that organic fashion IS fashionable!

Etsy Trashion Team Celebrates Earth Day

The Etsy Trashion Street Team is a group of Etsy sellers who focus on recycling & upcycling all kinds of discarded & found materials. These creative artists & crafters are dedicated to making trash into treasure! To celebrate Earth Day, many team members are having sales. Also, the group plans to host giveaways throughout April. (pictured - Upcycled Tape Measure Earrings by iamthemandy)

Trashion celebrates the beauty in unconventional objects & materials. For team members, recycling is an art AND an ideal. They aim to help promote environmental awareness & look good doing it! To celebrate the 41st anniversary of Earth Day, follow the Etsy Trashion Team on Facebook. (pictured - Starburst Double Cuff Bracelet by Candy Calamity)

The following Trashion team members are running Earth Day promotions.

iamthemandy - Free shipping on all April orders with coupon code SUPPORTLOCAL11.

Rachel Brooke Art Jewelry - 15% off through April 24 with coupon code EARTHDAY15.

Anyone's Guess - 15% off through April 24 with coupon code TRASHIONTEAM15.

Candy Calamity - 25% off through April 24 with coupon code TRASHIONTEAM25.

re-maker - 20% off through April 24 with coupon code TRASHIONTEAM20.

Tubby Tabby's Jewelbox - 20% off through April 24 with coupon code TRASHIONTEAM20.

Scavenger's Daughter - 12% off with coupon code EARTHDAY2011.

SewTrendy - Free domestic shipping during April with coupon code FREE2SHIP.

This Week's Events

Wednesday, April 20
Green Sustainable Vendor Fair, 11am-3pm
Keystone College, Hibbard Campus Center, 1 College Green, La Plume, PA

CRIME SCENE by Art Nouveau Events, 8pm-2am
Lounge, 517 Clematis St., West Palm Beach, FL

Friday, April 22
craftXnw, 5-9pm
On Washington St. between 4th & State, Olympia, WA

Friday, April 22 & Saturday, April 23
Earth Day Dallas Eco-Bazaar, 10am-5pm
Downtown Dallas Arts District, Dallas, TX

Earth Day Up-cycled Fashion Show, Silent Auction & Dance Party, (F) 7:30pm-Midnight
Clothes Swap, (Sat) 1-4pm
Alchemy Initiative, 40 Melville St., Pittsfield, MA

Saturday, April 23
Cherokee Earth Day Craft Show, 9am-3pm
Kountry Klass Mall Banquet Hall, 515 W. Cedar St., Cherokee, IA

Austin Eco Fashion Show
Spider House, 2908 Fruth St., Austin, TX

The Handmade Market, 11am-5pm
Cobblestone Hall, 215 Wolfe St., Raleigh, NC

Fifi's Markets, 10am-4pm
The Workstation, Paternoster Row, Sheffield, S. Yorkshire S1 2BX

6th Annual Fort Worth Prairie Fest, 10am-8pm
Tandy Hills Natural Area, 3400 View St., Fort Worth, TX

Austin Flea, 11am-5pm
The Highball, 1142 South Lamar Blvd., Austin, TX

Spring Artisans Fair, 11am-5pm
Howland Culture Center, 477 Main St., Beacon, NY

The UK's BIG Vintage & Fashion Fair, 9:30am-6pm
Metquarter, 35 Whitechapel, Liverpool L1 6DA

5th Annual Ultraviolet Rock Show & Art Auction for CF, 7pm-1am
Club Dada, 2720 Elm St., Dallas, TX

Curiosity.Haus Contemporary Craft & Design Fair, 10am-3pm
Sneinton Market, Gedling St., Nottingham, UK

Sunday, April 24
Blim Monthly Community Market, Noon-5pm
Heritage Hall, 3102 Main St., Vancouver, BC

Simply on Board

Victoria Turner is the mom & designer behind Pippalily, a company that creates practical parenting goods that are functional, yet stylish. She recently launched Simply on Board that is essentially a knock off of her Canadian-made Pippalily strap. Why would she do this? Well, she figured that if she didn't do it, someone else would! Simply on Board offers 100% cotton straps available in packs of two retailing for less than $10.

The straps are a lovely way to keep your child's favorites off the ground. You simply velcro one end of the strap to a car seat, stroller, shopping cart, etc. & attach the other adjustable end to your baby’s teether, rattle, toy, etc. This great product recently launched in the United States & is now available at Amazon.com.

Simply on Board is also hosting a contest to find the next Simply on Board baby that will be featured on the packaging. Victoria said, "We have created this contest because we think it is fun to walk into your favorite baby store and see your child’s picture on a product!"

*GIVEAWAY - Closed - Congrats mrsweiss! Simply on Board is giving away a pack of two straps (winner's color choice). To enter, leave a comment on this post noting which color you prefer. For an additional entry, "like" Simply on Board on Facebook & leave a comment noting you have done so. Giveaway ends at 9pm EST, Saturday, April 23.

Dawn & Deepa

Texas-based entrepreneurs Deepa Mireles & Dawn Bakun make up Dawn & Deepa, a new jewelry line made especially for children. Their jewelry designs offer a modern take on classic designs that one would wear if they could turn back the clock. They are working hard to change the way consumers view & use children's jewelry so it isn't only for special occasions.

The duo recently partnered with The Fruit Tree Planting Foundation, an award-winning international nonprofit charity, to plant fruit orchards around the world, including in international hunger relief sites, through the sale of an exclusively designed charity necklace. The D&D Appleseed necklace (pictured) features a juicy apple pendant, caring heart & tiny appleseed dangling from a 16” ball bead necklace. For every Applessed necklace sold, Dawn & Deepa will donate 10% of the proceeds to the foundation. Deepa Mireles said, “We hope that our small gesture will help to bring awareness to the amazing and inspiring work done by the Fruit Tree Planting Foundation.” Be sure to browse through all of D&D's jewelry offerings & stay tuned for their boys line to be launched this year.

Pet Goods

lizziebees is a great source for unique pet toys & accessories hand-crafted by Lianne Nichols. Follow lizziebees on Facebook for updates & more information and stop by her Shop @ Funky Finds for more product offerings.

Although currently on vacation, Mindi Morrow of Red Dog Barkery offers durable, yet fashionable, hand-crafted collars & leashes, custom dog beds, & homemade, all-natural dog treats. Visit Red Dog Barkery on Facebook for photos of Mindi's work.

The Muttley Crew: Dogs with Style offers custom-made pet bandannas that will reflect your pet's personality. They also offer embellished pet towels & pet placemats that are fun AND functional!

Paper Goods

Book-Inz is a fashionable AND functional product. These hand-crafted magnetic bookmarks ensure that you never lose your place in your favorite book. Available in a variety of colors & patterns, Book-Inz are also customizable.

KDHollister Books & Handmade Paper Art is a great place to find unique paper books, including journals, guest books, and hidden message books.

Paper Cuts, Texas offers the cutest handmade note cards, many embellished with vintage buttons.

S.ALEXANDER Designs specializes in handmade cards, invitations, marketing & promo materials & much more. Check out the photo gallery for a sampling.

Vinyl George features a variety of hand-crafted paper products by Julie Sears. Her product line includes wedding announcements, penny wishes & more.

This Week's Events

Friday, April 15
Craft Revival Preview Party, 9pm-2am
The Loving Touch, 22634 Woodward Ave., Ferndale, MI

Friday, April 15 through Sunday, April 17
Art In The Square
Southlake Town Square, Southlake, TX

Oklahoma Steampunk Exposition, (F) 3pm-2am, (Sat) 10am-2am, (Sun) 10am-4pm
The Stone Garden Hotel, 6200 North Robinson Ave., Oklahoma City, OK

The First Annual Show & Tell Art Festival
1912 Wenneca Ave., Fort Worth, TX

3rd Annual Baltimore Fine Furnishings & Fine Craft Show - (F) 4-8pm, (Sat) 10am-6pm, (Sun) 10am-4pm
Baltimore Convention Center, 1 W Pratt St., Baltimore, MD

Saturday, April 16
Shop Crafty, 10am-5pm
The Marchesa, 6406 N. IH-35, Ste. 3100, Austin, TX 78752

Handmade Arcade, 11am-7pm
David L. Lawrence Convention Center, 1000 Fort Duquesne Blvd., Pittsburgh, PA

Crafty Feast, 11am-6pm
937 Main St., Columbia, SC

3rd Annual Craft Revival, Noon-6pm
The Loving Touch, 22634 Woodward Ave., Ferndale, MI

Chili with the Works, Noon-5pm
SouthSide Works, 428 S. 27th St., Pittsburgh, PA

Deep Ellum Outdoor Market, 11am-5pm
Covered Lot Behind Cafe Brazil, 2820 Indiana Blvd., Dallas, TX

Provenance Fair, 10am-5pm
2706 Hamilton Blvd., Wichita Falls, TX

Crawfest, 11am-9pm
Lavin-Bernick Center & Newcomb Quads, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA

Aspasians Art Fair, 9am-5pm
Downtown Rockwall Historic Square, 101 E. Rusk St., Rockwall, TX

Handmade Promenade: Record Store Day Celebration, 11am-6pm
Luna Music, Midtown location, 52nd & College, Indianapolis, IN

The Big Thaw, 10am-4pm
Mayo Street Arts Center, 10 Mayo St., Portland, ME

Earth Day Celebration, 11am-4:30pm
(former) First Church of Christ Scientist, 1203 Sherwood Ln., Nichols Hills, OK

The Handmade Revolution, 11am-5pm
The Yellow House on B, in Golden Hill, 2940 B St., San Diego, CA

Youtique: Spring Into Handmade, 10am-3pm
D'Amato's Restaurant, 222 S. Sherman Driev, Royal Oak, MI

Urban Folk Circuit, Noon-5pm
The Grafton Pub, 4530 N. Lincoln Ave., Chicago, IL

Kids Fest and Rock-n-Romp, 10am-2pm
Veterans Plaza, Corner of Fenton St. & Ellsworth Dr., Silver Spring, MD

Saturday, April 16 & Sunday, April 17
Creative Heart Collective, 11am-5pm
The Gladstone Hotel (ballroom), 1214 Queen St. West, Toronto, ON

Old Gruene Market Days - (Sat) 9am-5pm, (Sun) 10am-4:30pm
1641 Hunter Rd., New Braunfels, TX

NEW PEOPLE Artists Village, 11am-6pm
NEW PEOPLE, 1746 Post St., San Francisco, CA

Spring Bada-Bing! The Boss of All Craft Shows, 11am-5pm
Plant Zero, 00 E 4th St., Richmond, VA

Indie Craft Bazaar, 1-6pm
Cinema Paradisimo, 503 Southeast 6th St., Ft. Lauderdale, FL

Giveaway: Wardrobe Ave.

Wardrobe Ave. is an exciting showcase of apparel, jewelry & accessories from emerging designers, small boutiques & vintage sellers that are not mass produced. This E-Marketplace enables fashion designers & hard-to-find fashion store owners to sell their items online. There's no limit to the ways you can network when you visit the site. Have an upcoming event? Promote it here. Are you a photographer? Find a designer who needs your services in the classified section. Whether you want to post an ad for a model or find event assistants, blog or chat in our forums, WardrobeAve.com is a fun, new online resource. Learn more about Wardrobe Ave. on Facebook. (pictured: "Cindy" dress)

*GIVEAWAY - Closed - Congrats Marija! Wardrobe Ave. is giving away a $40 gift certificate to spend on any product you like! To enter, visit the website & leave a comment on this post noting an item you'd like to own. For an additional entry, follow @WardrobeAve on Twitter & leave a comment on this post noting you have done so. Giveaway ends at 9pm EST, Saturday April 16.