Giveaway from Bownanza Utah: Crochet Hat with Flower

Win this beautiful Crochet Hat from Bownanza Utah. 

One crochet hat - Stretchy, infant or toddler to adult size, usually fits age 2 to small adult. Easily fits any bow and a cute as a photo prop or winter accessory! Coordinating flower included.

Learn more about Jeanette, the artist behind this great shop, here on yesterday's Saturday Artisan post. 

Number of winner: 1 (One)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

NO PURCHASE IS NECESSARY. The contest starts now and ends on January 5, 2014. The contest opens to US and Canada (Free Shipping to the US). Open to Legal Residents (18 years of age or older). Don't forget to leave me a way to contact you. Entries without contact information will be disqualified. Entries that do not follow the rules will be disqualified. The contest winner will be drawn on January 6th. The winner will be selected by Random.org and be notified by e-mail. Adorebynat is not responsible for sponsors that do not fulfill their prizes. I have represented each sponsor with the expectation they will fulfill their prizes and in a timely manner. The winner must respond within 48 hours after being contacted otherwise another winner will be randomly selected. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED.

Don't forget to check out other current giveaways here. Would you like to be featured as a Saturday Artisan and sponsor a giveaway? Here is how to apply.

Saturday Artisan: Bownanza Utah

Meet Jeanette, our Saturday Artisan!
Jeanette is the artist and shop owner of Bownanza Utah.

Tell us a bit about yourself and what arts/ crafts that you make?

I am a SAHM of 4 kids 8 and under. I started making hair clips for my daughter when she was 2 and love it! I like making creative clips called ribbon sculpture the best! I also have flowers, and headbands, and just started making bottlecap necklaces! I love to craft, and I love that I can help earn vacation money for my family while I am home taking care of the kids.

What is the story behind your shop name?  

I liked the spin on Bownanza, and when I googled it, it came up with a bow hunting website, so to set my shop name apart, I added the Utah, since I was living there at the time. Meanwhile I moved back to Arizona where I grew up, and now i am not sure what to do with the Utah part, but at least it can help me be found!

Who is your target market?

Most of my items are for baby to about age 10. But I do have some things targeted at women (amazing feather clips) and a few boy items (neckties and shoes)

Which part of creation process that you enjoy the most?

I like making new things.  there is something exciting about making it for the first time, and getting it right. I also like taking pictures of them, I think my kids make pretty cute models!

What is your best seller?

Everyone loves flower hair clips, and everyone loves Minnie mouse and princesses!

How does your day go in general?

I actually have a huge inventory and don't craft too often, usually only when I get an order, or have a show. I always make two of whatever i am making, so that I have extra! I spend most of my day taking care of my kiddos! (cleaning, shopping, playing, feeding, taxi etc)

What sets you aparts from your competitors?

Unique products! And great prices

What does handmade mean to you?

I make the majority of my items, particularly the ribbon sculpture items. Alot of care goes into making these, and I consider it art - it takes time, skill, sometimes burned fingers or redoes, and hopefully the customer will appreciate the care that goes into each product!

Don't forget to check out Bownanza Utah's Facebook Page!

Would you like to be featured as a Saturday Artisan and sponsor a giveaway?Here is how to apply.

Giveaway from Angel Crafts Shop: $10 Gift Certificate

Win a $10 Gift Certificate to spend on Angel Crafts Shop.

Learn more about Sandra, the artist behind this great shop, here on yesterday's Saturday Artisan post.  


a Rafflecopter giveaway 

NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. Contest starts now and ends on September 2, 2014. Contest opens Worldwide. Open to Legal Residents (18 years of age or older). Don't forget to leave me a way to contact you. Entries without contact information will be disqualified. Entries that do not follow the rules will be disqualified. Contest winner will be drawn on September 3rd. Winner will be selected by Random.org and be notified by e-mail. Adorebynat is not responsible for sponsors that do not fulfill their prizes. I have represented each sponsor with the expectation they will fulfill their prizes and in a timely manner. Winner must respond within 48 hours after being contacted otherwise another winner will be randomly selected. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED.

Don't forget to check out other current giveaway here.

Would you like to be featured as a Saturday Artisan and sponsor a giveaway?

Here is how to apply.

Saturday Artisan: Angel Crafts Shop

Meet Sandra, the artist behind Angel Crafts Shop. She is our Saturday Artisan for this week. It's an honor to know Sandra and to feature her shop. I admire her dedication in helping special need orphans. Check out Sandra's shop and you will see that her products are beautifully made. 

Without further a due, let's get to know her, shall we?

Tell us a bit about yourself and what arts/ crafts that you make?

I'm a WAHM (Work-At-Home-Mum), living in Switzerland with my sweet 10-year-old boy and my loving husband. We moved here for my husband's work and love living in this picture-postcard-beautiful country. 

I make Kanzashi-inspired Hairclips as well as Suffolk-Puff Flower Hairclips. I also make Hairbow Holders which help keep all those pretty hairclips organised and available at a quick glance. I have recently added Fimo Keyrings to my craft items.

I decided to combine my love for crafting and my love for these kiddos. So this store was born. 50% of the sale price of every item goes back to the orphans. The other half goes to buying more supplies and keeping the store running.
Every month i will select a couple of special needs orphans who are listed on Reece's Rainbow to benefit from the sale of my crafts.

You can read more about the orphans I advocate for on my blog - trippingdifferently.com.

What is the story behind your shop name?  

AngelCraftsShop started out as a project for a Sunday School class to help a couple of special needs orphans, initially called Angels for Orphans. After that one project, I felt the need to do more and have been advocating for special needs orphans since 2012, mainly working with Reece's Rainbow, a Christian advocate ministry. After a year, I wanted to have a constant way of giving to these precious children.

Who is your target market?

Anyone who supports handmade and orphans really. Of course, with my current range of items, mostly women and people who have little girls to dote on. I hope to expand my range of products to include some things for boys in the near future.

Which part of creation process that you enjoy the most?

The actual making of the item, cutting up the material and putting it all together.

For us who love to travel, could you share a bit about your beautiful town/ city? 

What you see in postcards about Switzerland is indeed what you get to see when you come here. It is a beautiful country, with stunning scenery and lovely old towns to explore. Of course, it also produces some of the world's best chocolate!

Could you share on how your organize your products, we all can use a little tips here and there in this department?

I use Ikea's inexpensive yet durable self-assemble cardboard boxes to store all my materials. Divided into different categories such as Knitting, Fimo, Cloth, Beads/Buttons, Ribbons etc. I find having boxes of the same size allows for easy stacking and moving them around is also a breeze.

What is your best seller?

It's a tie at the moment. The Classy White and Turquoise Kanzashi Flower Hairclips and the Sweetie Blue and Orange Kanzashi Hairpins.

How does your day go in general?

Different days of the week vary, depending on the activities the family has on. On production days, when i'm working on making items, I generally start after I had a quick look at my emails, about 9 am. Then I work till about lunchtime. Usually I try and make production days when my boy gets to stay in school for lunch. That way I can have a quick lunch and can get back to work for a couple more hours before he gets home from school. Other things, such as updating the website and social media etc, I usually do after my boy is asleep.

How do you balance your personal and work life?

Family comes first so if there is a need to, I will shorten production days or move things around to fit the family schedule.

What inspires you?

Nature! I love how pretty and intricate flowers are. And I keep on making because I want to help the special needs orphans I advocate for.

What is your goal for 2014?  And are you on the right track?

To do my first fair and have at least 100 items listed. I think I'm more or less on track ;)

What is the key to success?

Perseverance and Patience

Any advice for others running their on-line shop?
I just started myself so my advice would be to just start and learn on the job cos that is how I'm doing it.

What does handmade mean to you?

Handmade means something which someone has used their very unique set of skills and put their heart into creating. It means one of a kind, it means intentionally and lovingly made.

What is your favorite quote, song, or movie?

My Favourite Things from The Sound of Music

Would you like to be featured as a Saturday Artisan and sponsor a giveaway? Here is how to apply.

Oh Happy Mails

Receiving snail mails (with the exception of bills!) is pretty exciting!

I was patient enough waiting to see these goodies. They arrived months before me, so opening them all at once is just like opening presents at a Christmas day all over again. 

Be warned! I will show you a lot of amazing products. Please don't drool! Tee hee! And if you love them, you know where to get them. Links to the shops are provided below.

These stamps and washi tapes are treats for me. I have ton of stamps already and most of them are still unopened. But as one that has a serious hobby, you would understand, wouldn't you? 

I also bought myself a birthday present from one of the amazing jewelry artists, Aya of Aya Designs. I truly love her designs.  

Not too long ago, I purchased these cute necklaces and bracelet from my buddy, Zei of Pelhuaz by Red.

Check out this beautiful flower charm from Pelhuaz and adorable pink owl from Unique Creations by Tracy.

I was lucky enough to win this cute Wezen by J by G's giveaway, hosted at Pelhuaz's blog. I'm going to put it on my desk. I think it will do a very good job in cheering me up whenever I feel my day is not as good as I'd like it to be.

Networking with other business owners are rewarding. When you have a small business and your marketing budget is so limited, working with others is the best way to go. Interacting with others such as commenting their FB statuses, helps you to be seen as well. When they do a giveaway, you participate by entering and spreading the word. Who know, maybe you are lucky and you get to be the winner. 

This beautiful scarf is from Alesia of Green Barn Yarn and Gifts (previously known as Sew Accessible).

These pretty earrings are from Catherine of Shadow Dog Designs. Catherine is an amazing lady and her creations are one of a kind, beautiful and made with only high-quality material. Such a blessed to have a friend like her.

This cute monster plush is from Cody of Lu & Ed. It was made based on my little guy's drawing. Truly one-of-a-kind!

In addition, I received this goodies bag. What not to love? Such a pleasure being in this amazing community. These are from my favorite handmade shops! Some I come to know as wonderful virtual friends.



Now, who is not going to love Pedra, the lion? Kelly of Kiser Krafts is the amazing creator.



Pedra is so cheerful and a perfect companion for my little guy. He said she is pretty. :-)

Last but not least, look what I got in the mail the other day, a surprise bag from Violetsbuds. Pretty, pretty, and pretty!

I want to thank all these ladies for creating beautiful products. I'm honored to be the recipient. 

If you are looking for a gift for yourself or loved ones, I highly recommend those shops above. Their products are one-of-a-kind, created with passion and I guarantee you that you get superb customer service. 

Tutorial by VioletsBuds: Ruched Zinnia Flower

I'm amazed by how pretty VioletsBuds' creations are. She makes beautiful handmade accessories and home decors. Her flowers are simply adorable! They are beautifully made and her design is fabulous.

Want to learn how to make a runched Zinnia flower? Well, Melanie from VioletsBuds generously shares a tutorial on how to make one.

The Zinnia Ribbon flower is one of my favorites, but I don't make it very often. It can be quite time consuming, but it makes a fun, unique flower. I find it easiest to use a 7/8" or 1" wide ribbon, but other sizes can be used as well.

Starting at the bottom corner, make a running stitch at a 45*   angle. Count the number of stitches it takes to make the first pass. (I like to use an even number). You will want to use the same number of stitches for each pass so that your petals all look even.

Once you get to the edge, make a 90* turn and stitch to the   next edge. (If  you like, you can draw lines at 90* angles down the strip (zig zag). I   skipped this step and just eyeballed the angle while I stitched.) After making a few passes you can start pulling the thread taut and make the ruched petals.

When your ruched ribbon is as long as you want it, knot & cut the thread. Next, start curling the ribbon in a circle to form a flower. You can secure it with thread, sewing it in place. Or, you can use a hot glue gun to glue the flower down to a piece of felt.

The finished flower should look like this. It can be attached to a headband or clip to wear as a hair accessory, or put on a lapel pin, or to adorn a handbag. I used a blue zinnia in this hair fascinator and love the added texture it brings.



If you make a ruched ribbon zinnia, we would love to see your work! Let us know what you think of the tutorial too.

Giveaway from Violet's Buds: Hair Accessories Mystery Gift Set

Here is another Fantastic Giveaway! You could win a Mystery Gift Set filled with hair accessories worth $35+, sponsored by Violet's Buds!

The winner can specify up to 2 preferred headband sizes, and favorite colors. Shipping will be free to the US.


Learn more about Melanie, the artist and shop owner, here on yesterday Saturday Artisan post.


Take a look at these gorgeous handmade hair accessories. Aren't they exquisite? The colors are perfectly combined.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Contest starts now and ends on February 1st, 2014. Contest opens to worldwide (free shipping to the US). Don't forget to leave me a way to contact you. Entries without contact information will be disqualified. Entries that do not follow the rules will be disqualified. Contest winner will be drawn on Sunday, February 2nd. Winner must respond within 48 hours after being contacted otherwise another winner will be randomly selected. Good luck, everyone!

Saturday Artisan: Violet's Buds

Happy Saturday!

Meet our Saturday Artisan: Melanie, the artist behind Violet's Buds shop at Storenvy.

I truly love her flowers. They are all so beautifully made. Recently, she has added a new line in her shop: the hoops arts!

Tell us a bit about yourself and what arts/ crafts that you make?

I am a happily married SAHM with an energetic preschooler. When my daughter was 6 months old I decided to try making her some cute hair accessories. It quickly became an addiction, and I began making clips and headbands for my nieces and friends. After encouragement from friends and family I opened Violet's Buds in March of 2011. I started by selling headbands and clips for young girls, and have expanded to include hair accessories for all ages, fabric jewelry, photo props, newborn crowns, and holiday ornaments. I also make custom maternity sashes and wedding accessories upon request.
Currently I am starting a new line of hoop art decor that uses the same fabrics and flowers as the hair accessories.

Which part of creation process that you enjoy the most?

I enjoy matching various colors and patterns of fabrics, along with buttons and beads to create unique pieces. 

For us who love to travel, could you share a bit about your beautiful town/ city? 

I was raised and still live in a suburb of Kansas City, MO.

Our city has a growing artistic community, lots of beautiful sites, and amazing barbecue. Kansas City was recently named a top travel destination for 2014! 

 

Could you share on how your organize your products, we all can use a little tips here and there in this department?

Currently, I organize all my stock by color. My shop is organized by accessory type. I am often seeking new methods of organization to see which works best.

What is your best seller?

Since the majority of my pieces are one of a kind, I don't have a single best seller. Lately, the button hair pins have been quite popular.

How do you balance your personal and work life?

Balancing work and personal life is a constant challenge for me. One of my goals for 2014 is to become better organized, both in business and my personal life, and stick to a schedule to prevent burnout.

What inspires you?

I greatly enjoy the creative process and the therapeutic outlet that crafting gives me. I've always been drawn to art, photography and crafts. I am inspired by the fabrics I use, my daughter and her style, and by brainstorming with other crafters.

Any advice for others running their on-line shop?

My biggest piece of advice is to plan on spending the same amount of time, if not more, on marketing, advertising, and networking as you do on the actual creation of your pieces. It takes sometimes months for customers to find you and your products.
Also, never be negative! No matter how discouraged you might be, never post something negative on your social media-- its likely to drive customers away.

Don't give up, just keep plugging away. Find a group of like-minded businesses that can help give tips and encouragement. A great support system is so very important.

Saving money is important; tell us one thing that you do to save money?

The majority of the fabrics used in my pieces are either remnants, or are upcycled from clothing & linens. Beads, pendants, & buttons in Violet's Buds accessories come from old & sometimes broken costume jewelry, old clothing, or scouted out at flea markets. This allows me to reduce waste, and give new life to otherwise forgotten items. Additionally, the majority of Violet's Buds pieces are one of a kind.

So where can we get in touch with Melanie? 

Reach her here:

Facebook

Blog
Pinterest
Twitter

Stay-tuned for tomorrow's giveaway! You don't want to miss it!

Saturday Artisan: NoodleBeeBoutique

Happy Saturday! Meet our Saturday Artisan, Kristin, the owner/ artist behind NoodleBee Boutique (cute name, right?) 

Take a look at this OWL Wipeable Pocket Bib. The title says it all. It's Adorable (who doesn't love owl?). It's Wipeable (love this feature!!). And it has Pocket to catch all the mess which mean less work for me or any moms sweeping the floor. Functional as Kristin describes it!

  Learn more on how to organize your stuff from Kristin and if you're a scrapbooker who has photos stacked in a closet (I'm guilty of that!), I hope you get motivation from her goal this year. 

Tell us a bit about yourself and what arts/ crafts that you make? 

First and foremost I'm a wife and mother of two amazing kids. I know everyone says that but that's ok! I also am a full time art teacher (going on 11 years) and do as many crafty things around the house and with my kids as I can. My shop sells functional and practical accessories for little 'mess makers' of all ages. I'm currently designing a line of reversible aprons and smocks to add to the shop. 

What is the story behind your shop name? 

When my son was a baby we called him 'noodle'. 7 years later I was blessed with my daughter and 'noodle' evolved somehow into 'noodlebee'. I was on an extended maternity leave due to complications with my daughter's birth last year and sewing was a good therapy for my recovery period. It was only fitting that I name the shop after her!

 
Who is your target market? 

Currently my shop is for babies and toddlers, however I intend to expand the shop to sell aprons and smocks for pre and elementary school aged children.

Which part of creation process that you like to do the most? 

Besides shopping for new fabric, my favorite part is putting the snaps on the pocket bibs. Adding those snaps makes the bib functional and I'm really proud of my design for them!

For us who love to travel, could you share a bit about your beautiful town/ city? 

I live in Springfield, Virginia which is about 20 minutes south of Washington DC. I grew up in Arlington a stones throw from the city and I love living so close to such amazing culture. My husband and I make sure to visit as many events as we can with the kids and taking public transporation is a great way to do that. If you visit, the Lincoln Memorial at night is an amazing thing to see! 

Could you share on how your organize your products, we all can use a little tips here and there in this department? 

Organization is something I'm always working on. I really like everything to be organized not only so that I can be more efficient, but also so that things look good. I work out of a tiny townhouse with no spare room for crafting so once I got started on this new venture I had to be very creative in finding storage space. I moved all of my clothes to one side of my closet and now my fabrics, notions, plans, and sewing machine live there. I use lots of plastic bins under the bed too. Everything is hidden away but easily accessible for the times when I work.What is your best seller? The pocket bib. This bib is 100% wipe-able. Parents love it! How does your day go in general? 5:45 - 6:30 is my 'me time' when I'm getting ready for work completely ALONE! Everyone else is still asleep so I can shower, dress, eat breakfast in peace. I teach from 7:30 - 3 and then pick my daughter up from daycare by 4. I try not to have to run errands after that but occasionally we have to. Usually we are home doing homework and all of the other chores and getting dinner ready by 6. Sometimes there are sports schedules to work around. The kids go to bed between 7:30 - 8:30. After that it's ME time again. That's when I go on PINTEREST, check out my favorite blogs, cut fabrics, sew, scrapbook, or veg out with my hubby & our Netflix. 10:30 is lights out! 

How do you balance your personal and work life? 

As a teacher my personal life sometimes blends with my work life. My son attends my school so his friends (my students) know me outside of school. For the most part though I leave 'work' at 'work'. My family is more important. I don't do school related grading or assignments at home. I only check school emails until 4pm on weeknights and not at all on the weekends. These little things make a huge difference for how relaxed I am at home and how much of mommy my kids actually get. 

What inspires you? 

Pictures. I had the idea for PINTEREST about 10 years ago :) I love looking at the way people do things, new products, new ideas. I am a visual image junkie. 

What is your goal for 2012? And are you on the right track? 

My goal was to do Project Life in 2012. Project Life is memory keeping system developed by Becky Higgins. I'm doing really well maintaining my PL binder. I post my weeks on my blog which helps me stay on track. 

What is your favourite tool that you cannot live without? 

My Netbook. 

How do you promote your shop? 

My shop is very new. I have a Facebook Page and I'm always posting things on there. My friends are good about spreading the love too. For each sale I send the buyer several business cards with coupon codes on them and a note telling them to share with friends. 

Any advice for others running their on-line shop? 

Pictures are really important. I am always retaking pictures and making sure I edit them well. Unfortunately for me natural light isn't always available when I am crafting at night so I don't get around to posting as many listings as I could if I was home during the day.

Saving money is important; tell us one thing that you do to save money? 

My husband and I got married 2 weeks after college graduation and had our son 3 years later. Raising a baby at 25 in the DC area is tough! We've always been on a budget! My tip for children's clothes is to shop at second hand stores whenever possible. Your children will outgrow items too quickly to spend a lot of money on them. Shoes, however, I am a stickler for buying new. Children's feet are always growing and I insist on having a fitting every time!

Giveaway Winner of Fairyshadow

Happy Monday everyone! The fall is officially here. This means that it's time for me to gear up in getting ready for holiday seasons. Without we even realize, it'll be here in a blink of eyes.

Congratulations Lyudmila (#76) for winning Fairyshadow's giveaway! I think we all had fun, didn't we? 

Thank to Tania for sponsoring the giveaway and as always, YOU, who entered the giveaway. Don't forget to enter the current giveaway. 

Now, let me get back to my prep for the holiday seasons. You will start to see christmasy works around here :-)

Giveway: Headband or Hair Clip

Win a headband or a hair clip of your choice from the Little Magpie. Get to know Maggie, our Saturday Artisan this week.

There are many ways to enter. Please make sure you leave a separate comment for every entry.

How to enter to win:

Mandatory entry:

• Go to the Little Magpie shop. Return to my Adore By Nat blog and simply leave a comment here about your favorite item from the store.

Extra entries (only qualify once mandatory entry is fulfilled):

• Earn 2 entries - Go to yesterday's post to know her more. Leave a comment there (yesterday's post) on at least one the following: what you learn from the interview, what you want to see more on her shop and why, or any constructive feedback are always appreciated. Come back here and leave 2 comments that you did, to ensure your entries are counted.
• Heart the Little Magpie (1 entry). Simply let us know your Etsy username.
• Follow my adorebynat blog (1 entry). If you're already a follower, you still get an entry, just says you're following already.
• Like the Little Magpie Facebook page and tell Maggie, Nat of adorebynat send you there.
• Like my Adorebynat Facebook Page. You must drop by and let me know that you enter this giveaway (1 entry).
• Follow adorebynat on twitter (1 entry).
• Tweet about this giveaway, add "@adorebynat" in your tweet. (1 entry).
• Blog about this giveaway to earn 2 entries. Leave two separate comments here please providing me with the link to your post.
• Be creative and share the love! Refer your friends and family to enter this giveaway. Use your social media (other than twitter and blog) to shout out this giveaway. As long as you provide me a link or a way to confirm it, you'll earn 2 entries (two separate comments).
• Purchase an item from the Little Magpie and earn 10 entries for each purchase. Don't forget letting us know by leaving comments.

Contest starts now and ends on October 8, 2011. Contest opens worldwide. Don't forget to leave me a way to contact you. Entries without contact information will be disqualified. Entries that do not follow the rules will be disqualified. Contest winner will be drawn on Sunday, October 9 by a random number generator, by the artist herself. Winner must respond within 48 hours after being contacted otherwise another winner will be randomly selected.

Featuring fellow Etsian sellers - episode 1 - Skylar's Candy Clips

It's been over a month since my NatSupplies ETSY store opens. My Grand Opening promotion was successful.
An interesting note I may add, unlike my AdoreByNat store, most of my NatSupplies customers are not from United States. Instead, they are from United Kingdom, Australia, France, Germany, and Netherlands, just to name a few. I really go global! Love it!

Some of these customers are actually Etsy sellers themselves. It makes me curious to see what arts and crafts they make using these crafting supplies. That's why I have decided to feature them.

My first buyer: Skylar's Candy Clips. , not only that she is a sweet lady, but she also makes beautiful hairclips and other hair accessories. Visit her store. Find out how she came up with her store name and enjoy browsing her hair accessories collection.




Please don't forget to grab one (or more) set of those hair clips. They even can be personalized as you wish.