Etsy Seller Feature & Giveaway - Spacey Louise Designs

We have another great giveaway and Etsy shop to share with you today!  I'm so thrilled to introduce you to my dear friend Stacey of Spacey Louise Designs.  She is a close friend of mine (we go way back - like preschool) and one of the most crafty and talented people I know.  Stacey is a stay at home mom who loves a good diy project as well as a great song - Night Ranger, Sister Christian is probably her all time favorite song.  Ok, really that's just a joke - but who can't resist belting out those song lyrics?  We stand alone in that category but we will never fail to sing when that song strikes.  Stacey has a fun etsy shop she fills with eclectic jewelry and accessories as well as a blog she has recently started to chronicle her diy undertakings.   Take some time to get to know Stacey-

What do you create? I create smiles. Ha Ha. Seriously, I create jewelry, accessories, babywear... I try to go along with any ideas that pop into my head.


When did you start creating? I have always been into crafting. I started toying with jewelry almost ten years ago.

How did you choose your shop name? I just changed my shop name, actually. The old name was inspired by my first-born son. The new name is a combination of my high school nickname and my middle name.

Do you have a favorite handmade item? I am not sure if I have a single

favorite handmade item. Maybe the awesome sock snowman my son made at preschool. 

Tell us a little about your blog: My blog is supposed to be a motivational tool to hold me accountable for all of the projects I am working on. House projects, decor, recipes...that is some of what will be on there.

What do you do when you are not creating? When I am not crafting, I am working on making my house a home, wrangling my kids and counting my blessings

One lucky reader will win this pair of unique earrings made by Stacey!  Check out all the ways to enter below.

To Enter to Win these lovely earrings:

Just leave a comment below with your email address!

Extra Entries and chances to win (Leave another comment for each additional item for extra chances to win!):

1. Follow this Blog
2. Follow Stacey's Blog: 117 South
3. Become a fan of Spacey Louise on Facebook

4. Share this Giveaway on Facebook and Twitter!

Thanks so much for joining us today - you have until Tuesday Jan 31st to enter and we will announce the winner on Wednesday! Winner will be picked from random using random.org. Have fun!

Etsy Seller Feature & Giveaway: Saved By Grace Designs

So this week Justin and a bunch of teenagers and a few more adults are off to Costa Rica to spread God's love on a mission trip.  They are doing everything from feeding the homeless, vbs, hygiene distribution and of course sharing the gospel wherever they go.  I just received a little mini report from Justin and it sounds like they have had a wonderful time today, Justin is so proud of the students and their eagerness to share Jesus with others.  


I'm so excited about our etsy feature and giveaway today.  Andrea Anderson of Saved by Grace Designs is sharing some beautiful insight into her shop and also her faith.  She is a sweet, sweet person whose love for God is evident in what she does.  She is offering two handmade reversible headbands (of your choice) to one of our readers - but that's not the coolest part.  She will also send two of her headbands to two girls in the Dominican Republic (a place her parents go on mission to every year).  And, even cooler yet, each time anyone makes a headband purchase with her she will send a headband with the Dominican Mission - how awesome!  (She loves custom orders so if you have something else in mind, don't hesitate to ask her!)  She has a heart for missions and I think it's so cool that this happens to fall during the week that Justin and our students are off on a mission trip themselves.  So take some time to get to know Andrea, I know you will enjoy reading her feature.  The giveaway starts today and a winner will be announced Saturday morning!

Where are you located? Cleveland, Ohio

What do you create? So far...reversible aprons, reversible headbands and hot/cold packs filled with dried cherry pits, but I have a few other ideas in the works too ;)

Tell us about your blog: "Whispers in the Silence" refers to God's voice, quiet, yet there, just waiting for me to listen to Him. I love writing about what God whispers to me and can feel a difference in my writing when He is speaking through me versus when I'm just writing for fun. "Whispers" also provides a creative outlet for me - in writing, projects and photo styles - and a way to honor the creative spirit God placed inside me. 

Are there any charities you support? I give to a number of charities as I feel led. I especially have a heart for organizations which help woman and children - especially when it comes to basic needs such as food, water, sanitation and medical care. Currently, my husband and I are planning to do a triathlon in honor of Charity:Water which brings clean, safe water to people in underdeveloped countries. There is a link the donation page on my blog if you want to check it out.

Why is missions important to you? As God has grown me in knowing Him, He has opened my eyes to the suffering His children face around the world. I often feel the tug to go and help. So far, God hasn't opened the way for me to physically go to another place and help, but He has made it possible for my husband and I to provide financial support. Last year, when I started making the reversible headbands, I thought it would be fun to make headbands for girls in the Dominican Republic - my parents have led an annual construction mission there for the past six or seven years. As I made the headbands, I thought of the girls who might be wearing them and loved how this was one more way I could participate on the mission. 

Where do you create? You can see this post on my blog for a tour of my "workshop." I'm dreaming about a sewing room however...

Why did you choose your shop/company name? "Saved by Grace" is a reminder to me that everything I have, is because God loves me as His child and chose to have His Son die for me. As someone who struggles to break free from a legalistic way of thinking, I need this grace reminder daily, otherwise, I would easily fall into the trap of thinking that what I do in my life and my shop is somehow earning my way into His kingdom. And, perhaps, if there are others who are seeking God's love, but have yet to encounter it, God may use this shop name to point them to His message of salvation.

What have you learned in the process of growing your business? Making sure all the "i's" are dotted and "t's" are crossed. I used to thinking selling handmade items was as simple as making the item and slapping a price tag on it. However, I've come to learn there are regulations which need to be followed and that it's helpful to have a lawyer review marketing language and policies. For new products which I want to sell, I also need to budget in extra time for testing patterns and products to ensure the end product is of high quality and durable (I'm tired of buying this which break 2 seconds after I buy them and I imagine my customers are too :) )

What do you do when you are not creating? Loving my husband, raising my children, homeschooling, writing, training for my first triathlon (yikes!) and setting time aside in my day to listen to God.

To Enter to win two of these headbands of your choice from Andrea:

Just leave a comment below with your email address!

This Giveaway is now Closed!!

Extra Entries and chances to win (Leave another comment for each additional item for extra chances to win!):

1. Follow this Blog
2. Leave a comment stating your favorite item from Andrea's Etsy Shop

3. Share this Giveaway on Facebook and Twitter!

You have through Friday, July 29th to enter!  Winner will be announced Saturday!!

Etsy Seller Feature & Giveaway: Kirameku

Today we have a really great etsy shop feature and giveaway!  Maxime is truly one of the sweetest etsy shop owner's I have met.  She has been super busy with college and exams and still found the time to create a special art piece just for this giveaway!  Also, she has generously offered our readers a 10% discount for her etsy shop - just use the code: AUFEMININ.  She is so talented and I'm really excited about sharing her talent with you!  I love her watercolor artwork and my favorite is definitely Revised Columbine - in love with that one!  Check out how to enter the giveaway below and enjoy!


A little bit about Maxime: My name is Maxime Pagé and I am the proud owner of Kirameku, nice to meet you all! :D I am situated in the city of Montreal, in Quebec, Canada and I have a wonderful shop full of colors and sparkling pieces! I sell handmade jewelry and original artworks.

When did you start creating?  I started drawing as far as I can remember and the creative aspect of it somehow it translated in a lot of what I do, from decoration to cooking, you name it! I started to take concentration classes 6 years ago and have two degrees in my domain, one in Fine Art and one, now completed, in Illustration and Design. My mediums are very wide, I can paint with any medium and do digital illustration. Along my favorites mediums, you will find graphite, watercolor and acrylic paint. I have explored many venues in the last ten years and I am always seeking out new approaches and new medium to widen my knowledge and abilities. I am in love with anything colorful and archival! :D I spend about 8 to 35 hours on a piece, depending on the theme and size, so I want to make sure it will last a long time! :D I usually choose my mediums on the type of effects that I want to create in a piece or the deadlines I have to meet.

What is the most time consuming part of your art?  I would say that the most consuming part of my work in not to actually do the research and all the thumbnails development, but to make all the color variations samples to achieve the color palette that will depict as closely as possible the feeling I want to translate in my work. And after that you have the actual coloring, which in my case is thin layers of paint added one after the other. So first thing I know, ten hours just went by and I barely start to see my volumes appearing. But let me tell you that it is so worth it! :D

Where do you create?  I create mostly in my small atelier at home, surrounded by tons of references book and a hard drive packed with inspiration from all around the world to study the compositions and coloring techniques from different cultures. There I have my precious drawing table and mabef easel.

Do you have any advice on how you have made your business grow?  My piece of advice to painters that are beginning would be to keep reading on their medium and favorite artists. The technical aspect of your medium is as important, if it is not more, than the practical aspect of it. You will learn so much about colors and conservation and you will be able to make crucial choices in your palette simply because you now know which type of color mix is better or which color is not archival and will disappear within two or three years. You will be amazed on how much it is important! :D

Maxime is giving away this beautiful original watercolor that is named Spring Dream, and it is ink on yupo paper, about 5x7 inches; signed on the back.  

To Enter to win this beautiful watercolor by Maxime:

Just leave a comment below with your email address!

Extra Entries and chances to win (Leave another comment for each additional item for extra chances to win!):

1. Follow this Blog
2. Leave a comment stating your favorite item from Maxime's Etsy Shop
3. Become a follower of Kirameku on Twitter

4.  Become a follower of Maxime's Blog
5. Share this Giveaway on Facebook and Twitter!

You have until Sunday, July 17th to enter to win this giveaway!  Winner will be announced Monday, July 18th so check back!

Etsy Seller Feature & Giveaway: The Crochet Loft

We have a great feature and giveaway for you all today.  I am always a fan of crochet, It's one of those things that I've always wanted to learn but haven't because I know I don't have the patience to do it.  Renee from The Crochet Loft is a sweetheart and has a neat Etsy shop where she offers one of a kind handmade cozies, scarves, gloves and headbands, I love the detail she puts in her work.  She has graciously offered to make a custom cozy for one lucky winner and I think that is so sweet of her.  You can see below how to enter. 

A little bit about our Etsy Seller:  My name is Renee and my shop is thecrochetloft. I reside in California. I crochet water bottle cozies in the warm months and scarves, fingerless gloves and wide headbands in cooler months.

When did you start creating?:  I started to crochet when I was about 9 years old with my mom.

Why did you choose Crochet?:  I like to crochet because it relaxes me and puts me into a zen mode.

What inspires you?:  I get my inspiration from the colors out in the world whether it is from nature or just looking at items from a store.

Where do you create?:  When I create I have a quiet place in my bedroom next to the window and sitting on a rocking chair.

What is your most cherished handmade item?:  The most cherished item I have made is not in my shop. I made a sweater jacket and it took me 4 months to make. The funny thing about it is I never wore it because I did not want the jacket to get dirty.

To Enter to Win a custom cozy made by Renee:

Just leave a comment below with your email address!

Extra Entries and chances to win (Leave another comment for each additional item for extra chances to win!):

1. Follow this Blog

2. Leave a comment stating your favorite item from Renee's Etsy Shop

3. Become a follower of The Crochet Loft's Blog

4. Share this Giveaway on Facebook and Twitter!

Thanks so much for joining us today - you have until Sunday night to enter and we will announce the winner on Monday! Winner will be picked from random using random.org. Have fun!

Etsy Seller Feature & Giveaway: Sammys Grammy

This giveaway is now closed!


We're excited to feature another Etsy seller with you today !  Sammy's Grammy is a lovely shop full of beautiful re-fashioned and transformed vintage pieces that have been handcrafted into new works of art.  Rita, the shop owner, is such a thoughtful person who finds beauty in so many things, I think that's how she creates such beautiful and timeless pieces. You can find her stop here: SammysGrammy Etsy Shop.  I personally love her refashioned vintage jewelry and lace headbands.  She has also made a lovely pair of earrings to giveaway to one of our awesome readers, find out below how to enter to win!  Take some time to get to know Sammy's Grammy!

A little bit about Sammy's Grammy:  My name is Rita and I am Sammy's grammy. She's 8 years old.  I live in western New York, on the shores of Lake Ontario, in the fingerlakes region. It's wine country, loads and loads of grape vines. And along Lake Ontario's shores is a fruit belt (apples, mainly but also peaches, pears, pumpkins, lotsa corn) Lots of maple trees tapped in springtime to boil up maple syrup.

What do you create?  I do "needlework". Therefore whatever I make, I use some kind of needle. it's usually hand sewn or hand knitted, hand beaded. I love using a vintage component in my creations thus repurposing - leaving as small a carbon footprint as I can. I'll repurpose a bunch of old jewelry into one new smashing piece. With the vintage linens - they are completely transformed. A vintage towel will become an angel, a vintage doily will become a purse or a shrug, a vintage pillowcase will become a child's dress. 

I have just opened a second shop, called "needleworx" to showcase all the things I love to make but do not have a vintage component. They may have an upcycled component, like the silk pillow I made from a second hand men's shirt. 

 

When did you start creating?  I started to create as a small child, watching Grandmom stitching on her Singer foot treadle machine. I wanted a turn. She let me. Pretty soon I was making clothing, nothing complicated, of course. Halter tops for my sisters and myself. As I grew up, I continued sewing because I always wanted the latest fashions and usually was unable to afford them, so I made them, often reusing fabric in the process. 

Why did you choose your medium?  As a young wife and mother, the draperies I wanted always cost more that I had so I had to make them too. This habit of wanting to be surrounded by beautiful things is what led me to "estate sailing". And the rest is history. 

Why did you choose your shop name?  I have a granddaughter named Samantha (Sammy).
What inspires you?  Because both my grandmothers did handwork and were patient with a little girl who wanted to learn, these were skills that I grew in as I matured. We are experiencing a renaissance, presently, of these arts but the actual items that the Victorians used by necessity are not needed any longer, or modern materials have replace the old. For example in a Victorian household, every piece of linen (dish towels-bath towels-sheets-pillowcases-napkins-tablecloths-underclothing) was embellished with hand crocheted lace!!! Just not so any longer. I, personally love the luxury of a lace trimmed pillowcase to sleep on rather than a polyester and cotton mass produced, no iron, one. 

What are your most cherished handmade items? The hand crocheted tablecloth my grandmother made for me for a wedding gift and a small doll coat made of wool crepe with a lace collar (which I now have on a teddy bear) which my other grandmother made for me.

To Enter to Win these lovely earrings made by Rita:

Just leave a comment below with your email address!

Extra Entries and chances to win (Leave another comment for each additional item for extra chances to win!):

1. Follow this Blog
2. Leave a comment stating your favorite item from Rita's Etsy Shop
3. Become a fan of Sammys Grammy on Facebook
4. Share this Giveaway on Facebook and Twitter!

Thanks so much for joining us today - you have until Sunday night to enter and we will announce the winner on Monday! Winner will be picked from random using random.org. Have fun!

Etsy Seller Feature & Giveaway: SweetsNThings

This Giveaway is now Closed!!


I'm so excited to share with you this Etsy seller feature and giveaway today!  Rhea is a sweet lady with a sweet shop, SweetsNThings where she sells awesome handmade luxury soaps, lotions and balms.  I've enjoyed getting to know her and can't wait for you to as well!  She is generously giving away two of her lovely items to one of our lucky readers -  One of her bars of Lemon Rosemary Shampoo and pumpkin spice whipped soap in a jar (two of her favs).  What perfect items to go in your newly remodeled bathroom space!  You can check out below how to enter to win!  

A little bit about Rhea:
I live in Aztec, New Mexico, the northwest corner of the state. I live with my husband, and my three youngest children who are still in school.

What do you create?
I create a lot of things, but on Etsy, I sell my bath and body products. I am also a yarnaholic - I knit, crochet, and also sew. I always have several projects in the works!

What inspires you?
I find inspiration in nature, in television, in music - just about everywhere really! I normally start with the scent first, and after I mix one I love, it really does lead me through the rest of the process.

Why did you choose your shop/company name?
When I first came to Etsy, I was as a buyer, but I did put some thought into what I would do if I transitioned to a seller. Of course, I would sell my super awesome handmade candies, fudge, and perhaps some baked goods. And they are awesome, but my state does not permit online sales of any home prepared foods. I can sell them at the farmer's market, or out of the trunk of my car, but not online. But the name "SweetsNThings" has stuck, and while many of my items look good enough to eat, they mostly taste like soap. My best friend, my little brother, suggested that since I couldn't sell the best candy on the internet, I could still sell the best soap, and maybe he'd lose a little weight in the process. And he has, I haven't had time to make candy in over a year.

Do you have any advice to share on how you have made your business grow?
Just to keep making new things, and keep seeking your customers. My most popular products have been the shampoo bars. If I had stopped trying new things, I would have never though to use soap on my hair, and if I hadn't been looking for people who have similar hair problems, I would have never found my customers. I wasn't afraid to say, I made this, I like it, and I think you'll like it too. Always keep your business in your mind, and take it with you, to the post office, to the grocery store, and to your online communities.

What are your goals (personal and/or business)?
I had a long term goal of slowly building my Etsy business so that I could do it full time eventually, but due to cutbacks at my day job, it is my full time job now, and I love it! I used to think about new things all day at my job, and come home too tired to do anything but package orders. I'm working hard now to expand my business, and hopefully, I'll never have to return to the rat race. My new goal is to join the "petite bourgeoisie", and someday have a B&M store with well paid minions.

What do you do when you are not creating?
My youngest three children (3, 10, and 18) are still at home, and they tend to occupy my evening hours, but I also have a small flock of chickens, and a darling husband. He breaks us away from the home at least once a week, so we can go golfing, or trolling the dollar store. The toy aisle at the dollar store is a huge adventure for us - you can never have enough water balloons or cap guns!

What is your most cherished handmade item?
My grandmother's quilt. She made it especially for me when I bought my house, as a housewarming gift, and it is just perfect, peach and green triangles. It's never too warm, never too light, and always reminds me of her.


To Enter to Win:
Leave a comment below with your email address


Extra Entries and chances to win (Leave a comment for each additional item for extra chances to win!):
1.  Follow this Blog
2.  Leave a comment stating your favorite item from Rhea's Etsy Shop
3.  Follow Rhea's Blog
4.  Share this Giveaway on Facebook and Twitter!


Thanks so much for joining us today - you have until Sunday to enter and we will announce the winner on Monday!  Winner will be picked from random using an online randomizer.  Have fun!