SWIRLED

I've always admired magical swirled creations by Laura Timmins, so I was very happy to find out that she opened a new shop on Etsy, GoHeadOverHeels.etsy.com. Laura's beads are not only extremely beautiful, with these magnificent color combinations, but they are also flawlessly executed and just perfect in every imaginable way.

See more of Laura's and learn about her technique on her site, www.LauraTimmins.com.

ENCASED

I admire these lovely hearts both from the art and engineering points of view. These richly-textured encased hearts fit inside each other like Russian Matrioshka dolls. They are made by an artist from Colorado, Tejae Floyde, and can be found in TejaesArt.etsy.com shop and her Flickr photo album.

I also love Tejae's idea of pocket hearts. Imagine finding a heart like that in your pocket (placed there secretly by a person who loves you)!

Find out more about tejae and her art in her blog, tejaesart.blogspot.com.

OPULENT

These amazing, richly-decorated journals are made by Chris Kapono, the artist behind Etsy shop Mandarin Moon.

Chris uses glass pebbles, brass findings, and metal paints to enhance her polymer clay creations, and the results are simply magical.

Find out more about Chris and her work in her blog.

FLORAL

With my interest in sculpting polymer clay flowers, these hand-sculpted creations from dkdesignshawaii.etsy.com caught my attention, although the material used to make them is not a typical polymer clay. It is CLAYCRAFT by DECO Soft Clay – an air-drying synthetic clay-like material, which in its raw form behaves quite similar to "regular" polymer clay (except it does not need to be baked).

Diane Phillips, the artist who makes these gorgeous flowers, teaches Deco clay classes in San Jose, California. Visit her web site for more information.

INVITING

Handcrafted from polymer clay and fairy dust, these fairy portals by Kim Detmers look like they are about to open into the enchanted reality. Visit Kim's shop (both current and sold sections) to find dozens of these tiny doors – each of them different from the others.

Find out more about Kim's works at her blog, claybykim.blogspot.com.

ROMANTIC

I found these custom-made wedding cake toppers in Lynn's Little Creations shop on Etsy.com. Romantic, expressive, and well-executed, these sweet "clay caricatures" come in a wide array of poses and with many tiny details reflecting occupation and hobbies of the people they are made for.

Visit lynnslittlecreations.blogspot.com to learn more about these cake toppers and the artist who created them.

COZY

I've learned a lovely new word today: "scarflette". That is how Shirley Dunn calls her cozy knitted creations, which can be found in her shop, Kerrera Skye. Shirley embellishes her handknits with polymer clay buttons. She makes them herself, which allows her to match the colors of her yarn perfectly.

Shirley's scarflettes are so feminine and pretty that I almost wish for the winter to stay a bit longer...