New Earrings!

I recently won a pair of earrings in a giveaway from SweetBirdy, they are the sweetest little pearl earrings and I really cannot wait to show them off!

Oh, and the yarn they're posing on is a wonderfully soft alpaca and silk blend that is phenomenal to work with!

Interview and Giveaway from youvebeenupcycled

Welcome to the last giveaway of 2009! The crafty momma over at youvebeenupcycled has offered to giveaway winner's choice of item from her shop!

She thinks it is important the reuse and recycle whenever we can and I couldn't agree more. In her eclectic shop you will find all sorts of functional pieces made from unexpected materials; vinyl records into bracelets, drink containers into belts, paper beads and record bowls just to mention a few!

Read on to find out more about this talented, eco-friendly artist and learn how you can enter to win one of her items!

What is one craft that you would love to learn to do?

I would love to learn to sew clothes... and purses. If you could become any animal, what would you choose and why?

A cat - because I have a Himalayan cat and his life is pretty awesome! He rules the house...

Where do you find your inspiration?

My kids! Give us your best greenie tip!

Reuse - reuse - reuse. You can make lots of things from stuff you throw away every day!

youvebeenupcycled is offering my lucky readers a chance to win a $5 gift certificate with free shipping! Considering that all of the items in her shop are less than $10, $5 is a very generous offer from this amazing seller.

To Enter:

-First and foremost, you must visit youvebeenupcycled and leave a comment on which item is your favorite from the shop

-to gain another entry, follow this blog and leave separate comments saying you are!

-to gain another entry, tweet or blog about this giveaway and leave the link in a separate comment so we can all see

with every comment, please leave a way for me to get a hold of you so I can notify the winner as soon as possible :)

The giveaway will end at midnight on Sunday, December 20, (also the sponsor's Birthday!) a winner will be chosen by random number generator and notified on the 21st. Go ahead and start entering!

Interview and Giveaway from silhouettejewel

Sorry this is a day late, but to make up for it, we have some extra ways for you to enter this giveaway! First, the interview with our sponsor, silhouettejewel.

Silhouettejewel is the creator behind a line of unique and totally chic jewelry. After being introduced to this hobby, she has never looked back! Using raw materials and a "sprinkle of creatitivity" Sue comes up with the designs you see in her shop :)

Read on to find where this talented woman finds her muse and learn what she wishes she knew when she started selling on Etsy.

How did I begin making jewelry? Well I must confess it is all my friends fault! She decided to give it a try and I went along for the ride. But to be fair we have both been avid 'consumers' of jewelry so this seemed like a natural transition for us.

Where do I find my muse? Colour, colour, colour! That has got to be my first focal point a lot of the time. Then technique. As you can see from my site a have trouble confining myself to one technique. My original friend and I used to meet with a few like minded 'addicts' and we would teach ourselves new techniques. Wire wrapping, chain maille and simple stringing are a few techniques that I have developed a preference for.

My ideal creative setting - would have to include the internet - there are so many sources of inspiration there that you couldn't get in a single location. It would also include warm breezes, tropical beaches, pina coladas....... and someone to do the housework so I could focuse exclusively on my creative technique :)

One thing I wished I knew before starting Etsy - how to take better pictures. My pictures when I started really did not do my pieces justice. I was too impatient to wait until the pictures got better and forged ahead. I'm glad I did! I have learned a lot by running this business on the internet. The photography I still continue to work at and recently have felt like I am getting closer to where I would like to be with it.

Keep up with silhouettejewel on Twitter or over on her blog.

Silhouettejewel is offering up a pair of her Black Spinel Ear Threads to one of my lucky readers!

To Enter:

-First and foremost, you must visit silhouettejewel and leave a comment on which item is your favorite from the shop

-to gain another 2 entries, follow this blog and silhouettejewel's blog and leave separate comments saying you are!

-to gain another entry, tweet or blog about this giveaway and leave the link in a separate comment so we can all see

-if you make a purchase from either SillyLittleLady or silhouettejewel during the time frame of this giveaway, you will receive 5 extra entries! How cool is that?

with every comment, please leave a way for me to get a hold of you so I can notify the winner as soon as possible :)

That gives you 5 ways to enter this giveaway!

The giveaway will end at midnight on Sunday, December 13, a winner will be chosen by random number generator and notified on the 14th. Go ahead and start entering!

Interview and Giveaway with Seababe!

Hi everyone! I hope you all had a wonderful holiday, I know I did, and I wish it didn't have to end. But alas, it does. To make this week back a tad more bearable, we are hosting another giveaway! This week's giveaway is sponsored by seababe, creators of fine, casual, beachy jewelry :)

Kristin and David run both Seababe and Seababejewelry on Etsy and the two shops, although both offering jewelry, offer very different styles and price ranges. Between the two shops, you are sure to find something that fits your needs.

Read on to learn more about the amazing couple behind this fantastic shop:

What prompted you to start a second shop? How is this new one different than the other?

We were prompted to start a new shop when Kristin started working with new materials like leather and glass. The new style was a little more casual than our Sea Babe Jewelry shop, so we thought it was a good time to expand. The second shop has turned into a more casual and inexpensive shop, while the original shop has all our gold pieces, and some items that have a higher ticket price.

Who started the jewelry making, Kristen or David? How did it begin?

We started making jewelry together. It all began as a hobby and escalated to more.

Where do you find your inspiration for your pieces?

We are inspired for our pieces by the ocean, surf culture, history, traveling, current fashion trends, and even our customers! We get our inspiration from many different sources.

What is the most valuable advice you have ever been given? About the shop, life, whatever?

One piece of advice that sticks out in our minds is to "mind your business." Meaning that we need to be aware of what's going in in all aspects of your business.


Seababe has offered one of my lucky readers a chance to win a pair of their Pink Posie Earrings:

To Enter:

-First and foremost, you must visit seababe and leave a comment on which item is your favorite from the shop

-to gain another entry, follow this blog and leave a separate comment saying you are!

-to gain another entry, tweet or blog about this giveaway and leave the link in a separate comment so we can all see

with every comment, please leave a way for me to get a hold of you so I can notify the winner as soon as possible :)

That gives you 4 ways to enter this giveaway!

The giveaway will end at midnight on Sunday, December 6, a winner will be chosen by random number generator and notified on the 7th. What are you waiting for? Get started!

Interview and Giveaway from tartocstreasures

There is a new giveaway this week! This week's giveaway is from tartocstreasures, the maker of unique and colorful jewelry in between her nursing and her life :)

Read on to learn more about her design process, and where she finds her inspiration!

How would you describe your aesthetic? What kind of person do you see wearing your jewelry when you create it?

As far as aesthetic: I prefer to use natural stones and arrange them in color combination that is both eye catching and unique.

I see people wearing my items as someone who enjoys having a unique handmade item of their own to wear, either free spirits or more conservative of any age

Where do you find most of your inspiration for your pieces?

Whenever I get inspired and picture what I want to make in my head, I find time. If I dont it just ticks away at me and I can't wait to see how the finished product looks.

I get inspiration in many different ways, from a color combo someone is wearing to inspiration from the great outdoors, to inspiration from my love of animals and the sea. Every time I sell a piece it is like I am giving away a piece of myself as I put my heart and sole into each item I make.

tartocstreasure's is offering up her Patriotic at Heart Memory Wire Bracelet (shown above) to one of my lucky readers!

To Enter:

-First and foremost, you must visit tartocstreasures and leave a comment on which item is your favorite from the shop

-to gain another entry, follow this blog and leave a separate comment saying you are!

-to gain another entry, tweet or blog about this giveaway and leave the link in a separate comment so we can all see

with every comment, please leave a way for me to get a hold of you so I can notify the winner as soon as possible :)

That gives you 4 ways to enter this giveaway!

The giveaway will end at midnight on Sunday, November 29, a winner will be chosen by random number generator and notified on the 30th. Don't delay, go visit her shop now!

Interview and Giveaway from hotpinkchick

Ready for this week’s giveaway?! I am :D Although I can’t win, I am excited to send off another great item from another fantabulous Etsy seller.

This week’s giveaway is sponsored by hotpinkchick. Bonnie, the woman behind the magic, is mother to both human and fur babies. While she loves bold color, she also favors clean lines and understated elegance. Read our interview to learn more about this amazingly talented woman:

Where did you first learn how to design jewelry?

At my dining room table with my daughter and her friends. I'm only half kidding there. I've always been creative and grew up in an artistic family, but jewelry making was a happy accident. My daughter loved to bead when she was very young and we had a beading party for her birthday one year. I liked it so much I eventually started making 'big girl' pieces for myself. Then friends, coworkers and ladies at the grocery store (seriously) wanted to buy them, so I began selling. Over time I continue to learn, grow and develop my own style and realized I had truly found my passion.
What motivates you most to continue with your craft when you are just having a down-day?

Creating is like therapy for me, so motivation is never a problem. I'm new to Etsy though, so it's easy to have down days when you're trying to find your footing in a new venue. It's alot of work getting your name out there, but instead of getting discouraged, I just get to work. Making new pieces that I'm proud of is my biggest motivator.

What is the best advice anyone has ever given you regarding your craft, your business or your life?

Love what you do and never give up. The two really go hand in hand for me. If you love what you do, you'll stick with it and the longer you stick with it, the more likely you are to succeed.

Don't forget to visit Bonnie at her Facebook page, or on Twitter!

And now for the Giveaway!

Bonnie is offering one of my readers their choice of color in these wonderful Christmas earrings! Frosted beads, antiqued brass, long dangles, what’s not to love?

Interested in learning how you can win a pair for yourself?

To Enter:

-First and foremost, you must visit hotpinkchick and leave a comment on which item is your favorite from the shop

-to gain another entry, follow this blog and leave a separate comment saying you are!

-to gain another entry, tweet or blog about this giveaway and leave the link in a separate comment so we can all see

with every comment, please leave a way for me to get a hold of you so I can notify the winner as soon as possible :)

That gives you 4 ways to enter this giveaway!

The giveaway will end at midnight on Sunday, November 22, a winner will be chosen by random number generator and notified on the 23rd. So what are you waiting for? Get started!

Winner!

No, not the winner for this week's giveaway, he or she will be announced next Monday, but I was the winner of a giveaway a while back! MusicalKitten held a giveaway on her blog and I was lucky enough to be the winner :)

My guitar pick earrings came in the mail last week and I've worn them so many times already since them, I even have them in my ears right now! They are so light, so funky and get so many compliments (not to mention, my boyfriend likes them because he plays the guitar ;)).

Hop on over to her shop and get yourself some!

Interview and Giveaway from Designerfavors

Dawn is the artist behind the shop designerfavors on Etsy. After having difficulties trying to find the right favors for her wedding 5 years ago, Dawn decided to make her own and after making some for her sister’s wedding a few years later, she chose to sell them! Allowing her brides to customize their favors lets them pick and choose something that works for them, that fits perfectly with their wedding aesthetic.

Her shop has blossomed into more than just wedding favors, she now offers favors for baby showers, anniversaries, birthdays and, of course, the holidays!

Read on to learn more about this amazing artist and see what you can win from her shop :)

Are you a self-taught artist?

Pretty much. I've never been to any creative classes or scrapbooking parties but I have seen a lot of other people's work. I usually do trial and error to mimick a look I like or a style I come up with all my own. I also get a lot of inspiration at craft store. They have really wonderful items on display and I always think "I can do that".

What is your favorite way to learn new techniques, books, YouTube videos, having someone else teach you first?

I mostly like to learn by trial and error again. I just figure out how to do something in my own unique way.

Where do you tend to find most of your inspiration?

Actually, just browsing through craft stores or down the scrapbooking isle. I tend to see items I like and just put them together. Whether it's coordinating papers or new items on display I just find something I like and try to do it myself.

What is one piece of advice you think is essential everyone know?

Do what makes you happy! I think that's true in life and in the life of etsy. If you build a business around something you don't like doing you will get burned out and frustrated. As long as you enjoy what you do you will always be motivated.

You can keep up with designerfavors by her blog, facebook fanpage, or on Twitter.

Now for the Giveaway:

Just in time for the upcoming Christmas season, Dawn is offering one of my readers a set of 24 personalized tags (8 of each design). These tags are about 2 ½ inches in diameter and come with ribbons for attaching to gifts! After the winner is chosen, Dawn will create a set just for them, personalized using their specifications :)

To Enter:

-First and foremost, you must visit designerfavors and leave a comment on which item is your favorite from the shop

-to gain another entry, follow this blog and leave a separate comment saying you are!

-to gain another entry, tweet or blog about this giveaway and leave the link in a separate comment so we can all see

with every comment, please leave a way for me to get a hold of you so I can notify the winner as soon as possible :)

That gives you 4 ways to enter this giveaway!

The giveaway will end at midnight on Sunday, November 15, a winner will be chosen by random number generator and notified on the 16th. So what are you waiting for? Get started!

And tune in next Monday when we announce the winner of this one and host another giveaway! (Hint: next week will be a set of earrings ;))

And the winner is...

Drum roll please.......dddddddddddd......(my boyfriend is actually playing with drum sticks right behind me right this very second and let me tell you, it gets kind of annoying after a while!) But regardless, the winner of this giveaway is sibabe64!
I know I said I would draw names out of a hat, but when the time came the random number generator was just so much easier ;)

Thank you all for entering my giveaway, sibabe you should be expecting an email soon :D

Don't Forget :)

My giveaway ends tomorrow! Click here to go sign up and be eligible to win a box full of prizes :D

Giveaway!

I reached 100 followers over the weekend and to celebrate I am have a HUGE GIVEAWAY!

What you can win:

• A Beanie - knit from super-wash merino and a fuzzy acrylic blend in a nice wide rib pattern so ensure that it will fit snuggly on many different head sizes and keep you warm and happy J
• A Cellphone/ipod/kleenex pouch – or whatever else you want to use it for! It has been knit in such a pattern so that it will keep whatever small item your heart desires safe and scratch free
• A Hacky Sack or Bean Bag – knit from a durable acrylic yarn and filled with beans, my hackysacks have been approved by a long-time hacker
• A book containing 10 love poems by Pablo Neruda – very sweet book, not necessarily your typical love poems, there is also a movie out Il Postino, that focuses on his work
• A half-pint of our very own Prickly Pear Syrup! – perfect for pancakes, waffles and whatever else you put delicious syrup on J
• A random assortment of teas – all very delicious and addicting
• And a few other random knick knacks that I think you should get

Whew, that’s a lot of stuff!

Want to find out how you can win?

• Visit my shop, find your favorite item and come back here and tell me what it is, or give me a critique, something constructive ;)
• Follow this blog (if you already do, please be sure to mention it in a separate comment)
• Post about this giveaway on Twitter with a link back to this posting and tell me about it
• Post about this giveaway on your blog with a link back and tell me about it

Please leave each of your entries in different comments so I know how many to count you for and please leave me a way to get a hold of you so that if you do win I can tell you! J There are 4 different ways to gain entry so hop to it!

This giveaway will be open until October 1st and on that day I will draw the winner out of a hat and email them :)

September Goals

Hiya, I know I know, already a day into September and I'm behind! But anyways, here is my review of last month's goals and my new goals for this month:

August Goals

1) Continue blogging twice everyday -I think I did pretty well, there were a few days when classes got busy that I couldn't, but overall, a success :)

a. Monday Colors

b. Tuesday Learn Something New Day

c. Friday Feature

2) Contact at least three B&M shops to wholesale or consign - I contacted two, not three :( And well, maybe I should keep trying...

3) Finish custom orders - I finished them all! Even the few that came throughout the month :D
a. Dr. Who Scarf
b. Pink Runaways Beanie
c. Any others that come in throughout the month

4) List at least two new beanies in my shop - I did list two new beanies and have even more to list now but I am waiting for my mannequin head to come in the mail :)

5) Retake photos - yea, uh, this one still needs some work...


And now for my September goals!

1) Blog at least once a day - with Fall classes I won't have too much time but I am going to keep trying to blog twice a day but to keep the pressure off, I'll state my goal as at least once :)
2) Get 100 followers! I have 91 as of this moment in time and once I reach 100 I will have a pretty sizable giveaway to celebrate!
3) List at least 4 new beanies in shop - the beanies are already knit but just waiting for the mannequin head...
4) Prepare advertising slots and prices beginning the month of October (I will be offering advertising on my left sidebar over there <-------)

I think I'll keep the list at four, hopefully I'll reach them all and then in October you will only hear squeals of joy of completion of the list hehe

Pouch from Hello.Lollipop

Last week I was informed that I was the lucky winner of Hello.Lollipop's giveaway! The pouch arrived on Monday (which is great because Mondays and I don't always get along so getting a surprise gift on Mondays is always nice:)).

Here is the pouch:


It is very well made, the colors and fabrics work wonderfully together. Right now it is home to a small knitting project I am working on.

My favorite part of the pouch is the button, it is so cute!

Thank you Hello.Lollipop!

What To Blog About...And a Giveaway! .... evidently hehe

After reading this excerpt of Tim Adam's hints and tips for us Etsians, it made me ponder what would my readers like to hear about on this blog? On the one hand I could very easily blog about my design process, the reasons I choose certain colors or materials, certain textures, certain vendors. I could also blog about some how-tos of my design process, I could post a tutorial on how to dye yarn, or knit a certain stitch or project. I could post scheduled events, Friday Finds, or Tuesday Tutorials or Wednesday...W...somethin or others. I could also always blog more about my personal life, but I don't want to bore you all too much ;)

So what would you, my reader, like to hear more about? Do you have any specific questions you want me to answer or any tutorials you want to read? Please tell me :) give me some feedback. Actually...I think that I will give away a pouch to a random commenter...here, one of these pouches...you get to choose which pouch if you win...so you should probably leave me some way to get a hold of you, Etsy shop name or email or something. Now get to suggestin'! *Please* :)

*should mention that the time to apply for the giveaway will be Wednesday, midnight, mountain time*