It’s time for Take Five Tuesdays. I always look forward to pulling together this round up of things I find appealing over on etsy, it’s quite fun. I’m trying to mix it up a bit this week by bringing in a little more color this week. Hope you like my picks as much as I do!

First up is an amazing west coast artist, this time it’s animals and botanicals photographed by Elizabeth Soule of Portland, OR. Elizabeth wrote to me back in November while I was still in Germany, and I’ve been watching her work ever since and I like everything I see from this creative lady. I want to order some cards from her today, for sure. I adore the use of plastic animals with living flowers, it’s an unexpected combination that somehow really works. I’m transported by the colors and composition, soft and very natural, dreamy. After arranging this little collage I noticed something though… I think I have a crush on the little deer and flower image as he popped up in 3 out of 4 images. Ah so cute.

Here’s another Portland artist, her name is Lucia Johnson and she paints on windows, isn’t this neat? Again, lots of color and fun images. Lucia has been painting for years but only recently in ’02 did she develop her technique on windows. Lucia works as a full-time artist selling both originals and prints on etsy and in shows in her local hood. Let’s hear it for artists making a living. Starving artists no more!

Next up is graphic designer Angela Liguori of Carta, Inc. Her work is bit more subtle than the others shown here today, but I have to give a little love to a local and Angela is so very talented. A Boston transplant from Rome, she owns a graphic design studio specializing in custom paper goods, including hand-bound books, cotton ribbons imported from Italy, and beautiful handmade books printed in a limited edition of 80.

Recently I discovered a Seattle artist and her fully saturated work, her name is Mary Maki Rae and it was Imelda who wrote about her. Blue Tambourine is my favorite, especially after seeing it laid out on Imelda’s table (she ordered it), it’s so captivating. I can’t help but think of my friend Marisa from Creative Thursday, she’s such a fun-loving person and she adores bright colors and unique work, I have a feeling she’ll like this work very much (do you, Marisa?). Mary is best known for her limited edition serigraph prints, paintings and children books. They have an almost folkloric vibe to them, somewhat Nordic I think, just with a palette that feels very Moroccan or Russian to me. Such a talented lady! {via Imeldagoze}

And I can’t forget the lovely Ink Jet, this lady is so sweet and when she wrote in asking me for a little nod here on decor8, I couldn’t resist her sweet email. I’ve had her shop bookmarked as a favorite for a long time now, way before her email. Ink Jet is based over in the UK and has some of the sweetest badges, pocket mirrors, and magnets. As a die-hard Smiths/Morrissey fan, I especially like the Meat is Murder magnets. I’m thinking that if you have a shop on etsy, or you just suppport ‘em like I do, you may want to own one of these badges and put it on your messenger bag or something. Then when people ask what your badge is all about, you can hand them your etsy shop card. Ha! {insert evil marketing grin here.}

If you missed past Take Five Tuesdays, click here to learn about other faves of mine.

(images from etsy stores linked above.)