Giveaway from Curlitude: "Journey" Multicolor Pendant Necklace

Win a "Journey" Multicolor Pendant Necklace from Curlitude.

This beautiful necklace worths $25.00.

Learn more about Najeema, the artist behind this great shop, here on last Saturday Artisan post.

Number of winner: 1 (One)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. Contest starts now and ends on November 3, 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 November 4th. 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: Ash Ann Jewelry

Meet Ashly, our Saturday Artisan! Come and take a peek at her shop, Ash Ann Jewelry, and I'm sure you will fall in love with each piece.

She makes beautiful jewelries with vintage chic style that I truly adore. Let's get to know her more, shall we?

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

My name is Ashly King and I am the owner and designer of Ash Ann Jewelry. I love being crafty and ventured into jewelry design and enjoyed it! I love the vintage chic style when it comes to home interior and you can see some of that style in my jewelry pieces. I offer custom orders for special occasions (wedding, parties, holidays, fund raisers, etc) as well as just simple everyday wear. My items are all unique and I offer affordable pricing.   

What is the story behind your shop name?  

It took me a little while to come up with it, but I was playing around with my name, "Ashly Ann" and narrowed my ideas down to a shortened version of it.

Who is your target market?

Women, teens, brides, bridesmaids

Which part of creation process that you enjoy the most?

 My favorite part is choosing all of the materials and beads to create the final design.

 

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

I reside in a historic town of Pendleton, Indiana. There is a lot of history here. My town is famous for its local park (Falls Park). It used to be a popular swimming spot with a water slide and a diving board. Today, it is just a place where all of the ducks hang out and local people fish. It has beautiful falls and an antique filled house that you can tour for free. A little history about Falls Park...

Pendleton, Indiana’s recorded history begins in December 1818 when John Rogers, the first non-native settler to the area, built his home near the falls on Fall Creek. As time passed, more people made their way to the region, always settling near the falls - the community source of water and power.

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

I currently store all of my beads and jewelry supplies in several plastic organizers and I keep my necklaces in once place and earrings/bracelets in another. I find keeping the like items together very helpful. I don't have a workshop yet, but I have enough space in my closets to keep myself organized.  

What is your best seller?

 So far, necklaces.

 

How does your day go in general?

My typical day would consist of my full time job. I am a type-setter for a stationery company and design card layouts with type and patterns. I enjoy it! It definitely uses my creative side.

 

How do you balance your personal and work life?

Just making a decision that once I am finished with a certain project, I will move on to my next focused thing. Having a focused mind set and a set of goals keeps me balanced.

What inspires you?

Honestly, ultimately God inspires me. Why? I look at nature and design and for me, it always points to my Creator. I am just a vessel and He has blessed me with creativity. I enjoy creating pieces and seeing people happy with the finished product.

 

What is your goal for 2014?  

Continue to learn more and grow with Ash Ann Jewelry. To be in a few shows and to be featured more. 

 

Any advice for others running their on-line shop?

Yes, when starting out.... be very patient and do not give up. It takes time to build a customer base and it takes a lot of marketing to get your name known to people. Google+ business page and joining communities are awesome about spreading the word! 

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

I wait for sales to buy my supplies most of the time and use coupons. I love garage sales in the summer and thrift shops in the winter!

Find her on: Facebook, Google+, Polyvore, and Website


Ashly is having a giveaway now. Would you like to win this beautiful Heart Pendant Necklace? Head over to her FB page to get a chance to win it.

 

Giveaway from Shadow Dog Designs: Fuchsia Czech Glass Swarovski Earrings

Win this awesome giveaway! Catherine of Shadow Dog Designs is giving away a pair of  Fuchsia Czech Glass Swarovski Earrings.

Get to know Catherine a little bit more by visiting the last Saturday's Artisan post.

 All eyes will be on you when wearing these fabulously cheerful handmade earrings, named FUCHSIA IS SO FUN. "Glowing" and " stunning" should be their middle name. Created with fuchsia colored Czech glass tumbled nuggets, 6 mm and 4 mm "fuchsia" Swarovski crystal faceted bicones and sterling silver, they will definitely lift your spirits any time you wear them! The one of a kind beaded earrings were designed and created by Catherine of Shadow Dog Designs. 

 

The color of the Czech glass nuggets is a luscious color of fuchsia, a deep magenta pink. The nuggets are faceted with an English cut and have been lightly tumbled to give an old, antiqued look to the glass. Because of that, some edges are worn and there are spots that almost look like smoothed chips in the glass. The glass was then given a shimmery metallic finish that sometimes glistens with a pale tangerine color when the light hits it just right. Fabulous! As you can see in photos #2 and #7, when backlit, the color absolutely comes alive. Now just imagine these on your ears! A sterling silver daisy spacer caps the top and bottom of the nuggets. In addition, a 2 mm sterling bead was added at the bottom.

To add even more sparkle to the FUCHSIA IS SO FUN earrings, I chose to add two different sizes of "fuchsia" faceted Swarovski crystal bicones: 6 mm and 4 mm. The crystals were stacked one on the other above the Czech glass nuggets. A sterling silver daisy spacer separates the 6 mm Swarovski crystal from the Czech glass and a 2 mm sterling bead separates the crystals. A 2 mm sterling bead was placed on top of the smaller crystal.

All the components used to create the main body of the FUCHSIA IS SO FUN earrings were strung on handmade (by me) sterling silver headpins. The headpins have a hand hammered loop at the bottom to add extra interest. The top of the headpin was carefully wire wrapped into a loop and then connected to sterling silver French hook earwires. A lovely finish for a fun pair of earrings!

a Rafflecopter giveaway Contest starts now and ends on March 2, 2014. Contest opens to worldwide (tracking may not be available to countries outside of 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 March 3rd. Winner must respond within 48 hours after being contacted otherwise another winner will be randomly selected. Good luck, everyone!

Countdown to Christmas - Week 8

Julie and Blu host weekly Countdown to Christmas promotion and I tell you, I have so much fun with it. The Countdown to Christmas - Week 8  has been completed with 119 linked items! Yay!

All handmade shops owners are invited to join.  
There is a 3 item limit for each shop or studio. Multiple shops may post three for each. Keep in mind that it's G-rated. Posting starts from Friday to midnight Sunday, which should provide a lot of time to add items. Participate as many weeks as you like.

Check out my Countdown to Christmas Pinterest Board for more wonderful artworks.

and 3 items from Adorebynat Storenvy shop:

Gnome Gift Favor Tags Birthday, Baby Shower Party

 

Pink Elephant Stickers, Personalized 

 Alligator Welcome Door Sign for Party or Nursery Room  

 

 

This week I'm highlighting those gorgeous items you will need (or want!) for the holidays, whether it's something that you wear, something that are perfect as home decoration or something that make someone's smile because they know you care about them.

Thank you for stopping by. Feel free to leave a comment, share this post by clicking the social media icons (twitter, google+, facebook etc) found on top, just under this blog post title.

Saturday Artisan: The North Way Studio

Meet our Saturday Artisan, Maria of the North Way Studio. You'll agree with me that she has an amazing talent once you take a peek at her Etsy shop.


Hand crafted with a focus on the simplistic, every item is lovingly created to add a bit more beauty to your life. All designs, materials, and colors are inspired by nature, with a little twist of whimsy thrown in.

Tell us a bit about yourself and what arts/ crafts that you make?
My Fiance and I are both from the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, about 4 hours north of the Mackinac Bridge. We are incredibly lucky to live in such an absolutely gorgeous area, right on the shores of Lake Superior. We love it there and are really proud to be Yoopers (one that lives in the U.P.). A lot of the jewelry that I create is inspired by different aspects of life there—apple blossoms, the ruggedness of the area, and the rich history of the mining towns. It’s all so incredible that it’s hard not to find muses on a daily basis.

What is the story behind your shop name?
The name The North Way Studio came about last winter, when I originally opened the store. In the beginning it was going to be dedicated to knit goods all named as different aspects of the Upper Peninsula. I really enjoy Fair Isle colors and designs, so the store was going to be filled with items of that nature. When I finally opened with a few items (only a few months ago!) I realized what I really wanted to focus on was jewelry. So my inventory changed, but the name just stuck. It’s still a sort of dedication to my proud northern roots. 

Who is your target market?
My target market is really anyone who enjoys fine jewelry with a focus on the simplistic. You can do a lot of amazing things with wire, but at some point, it just becomes too extravagant to wear and enjoy on a daily basis. So I wanted to keep it simple, really trying to highlight the beauty of the stones rather than bury it.

Which part of creation process that you like to do the most?
It really depends on the stones I’m purchasing. Sometimes the best part is seeing the finished item; how it hangs or how the facets catch the light. Other times, just finding the stone is the most exciting. I literally spend hours online searching for the perfect piece. I’m a little bit crazy here lately when it comes to gem shopping. At least now I have an excuse to hoard all of them.

 


Any advice for others running their on-line shop?
My advice to other sellers would be to really follow what you want to do. Don’t get set in a certain rut, thinking you have to stay in one category always. I changed from knitting to jewelry making nearly overnight, reworking item names and everything. These are your beautiful creations and your little spot of the world to really show them off—so make it exactly how you want it to be!
 

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

The town I’m from is just wonderful. We’re still on the small side, but we have some amazing culture that is very unique to the area. The Keweenaw is filled with rustic beaches and huge forests, cabins, a few lighthouses and old towering mine shafts from the mining boom. 

 

There is so much history tucked away up there, it’s hard sometimes to really take it all in. Artifacts from the 1800s could be sitting in your yard and there are a lot of ruins just off the road that we walk by on our way to classes. A lot of people still retain their heritage, such as the Finnish in the Keweenaw. My family is a very proud and boisterous mixture of Italian and Finnish—and we love it! Of course, the gem of the Upper Peninsula is Lake Superior. There is something so majestic about the fresh water and how ginormous it is. It’s always toe-numbing to swim in, but Yoopers seem to relish that for some reason. We’re very proud of our Lake and of the entire area.

Blog Giveaway: $25 Gift Certificate from Crazy Fox Studio

Win $25 Gift Certificate from Crazy Fox Studio. Get to know Linda, 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 Crazy Fox Studio 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 of the following: what you learn from the interview, what you want to see more on her shop and why, or any constructive feedback is always appreciated. Come back here and leave 2 comments that you did, to ensure your entries are counted.
• Heart Crazy Fox Studio (1 entry). Simply let us know your Etsy username.
• Follow Crazy Fox Studio blog (1 entry).
• Follow my adorebynat blog (1 entry). If you're already a follower, you still get an entry, just says you're following already.
• Like Crazy Fox Studio Facebook page AND tell Linda , Nat of adorebynat send you there.
• Like my Adorebynat Facebook Page. You must drop by and say hello to earn 1 entry.I'd love to hear from you.
• Follow Crazy Fox Studio on twitter (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 provide 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 Crazy Fox Studio and earn 10 entries for each purchase. Don't forget letting us know by leaving comments.

Contest starts now and ends on March 10, 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, March 11 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.

Saturday Artisan: Shadow Jewels

Our Saturday Artisan this is week is Rhonda of Shadow Jewels. Come on, take a peek at her shop and you'll stay awhile admiring her beautiful jewelry collections. Looking for a perfect Holiday gift? She gets that covered. 

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

My name is Rhonda, but everyone calls me Shadow. I make vintage inspired and wire wrapped jewelry. I'm a nurse and a nature nut. I'm married, have two grown kids, and a house full of cats. I live near Los Angeles.

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

Putting beads and rhinestones together in different ways to create something beautiful and unexpected, that keeps me interested in my craft. But even more than that, I love shopping for vintage beads and rhinestones, and finding rare old pieces to use. My favorite part of all is opening a package, and finding my vintage rhinestones in their original wrapper. I love the yellowed crackly paper, the warm musty smell, and the soft cotton batting that has kept the crystals safe through the years. And of course the labels are wonderful sources of information. It's always fun to be able to tell my customers exactly where their beads or rhinestones were made.

For us who love to travel, could you share a bit about your beautiful town/ city? When I go out, I don't head for the city, I run to the Sierra Nevada mountains. There is something so serene in the high lonely places, it touches my soul. I am drawn to the forests and giant trees of Sequoia National Park. The sweeping vistas, spring flowers, forest creatures, and the colors of nature through the changing seasons are my main sources of inspiration.

How does your day go in general? Oh boy. Well, a couple of months ago we took in a stray mama cat. Someone had obviously dumped her when she was pregnant, and she was the skinniest, sorriest cat I have ever seen. It took a few days, but she finally grew to trust us enough to bring her kittens. They are growing up fast, and mama is fat and happy now. My days are filled with caring for them and playing blanket monster and paper ball.

What is your favourite tool that you cannot live without? My dremel with the burr cup attachment. With this amazing little tool, you can remove the sharp bits from the end of a clipped wire, and make your own earrings. Brilliant!

How do you promote your shop? First, I strive every day to improve my shop and make it the best it can be. I signed up for the Etsy emails, and read all of the tips they send us. It does no good to promote your shop if you only have a few tired items, poor quality photos, or bad tags and titles. I mainly promote my shop through team activities. Making treasuries is great for promoting inside Etsy. For off Etsy promotion, I use social networking. Facebook, twitter, my blog, and other sites around the web. Get the word out people! Shake your moneymaker! 

Stay-tuned for tomorrow's giveaway!

Giveaway: Purple Fluorite Earrings Set

Win these beautiful Purple Fluorite Earrings from Sweet Silver.

These beautiful purple fluorite fluted rondelles in shades of fuchsia and violet have, and have slight rainbow inclusions when the light hits them just right. Adorned by a small silver saucer bead, they hang from hand formed and hammered sterling silver earwires. The total length of the earrings is 1-1/8 inches. They will wrapped in a gift box and ship them USPS First Class.

Get to know Amy, 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 Sweet Silver 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 Sweet Silver (1 entry). Simply let us know your Etsy username.
• Follow Sweet Silver blog (1 entry).
• Follow my adorebynat blog (1 entry). If you're already a follower, you still get an entry, just says you're following already.
• Like Sweet Silver Facebook page AND tell Amy, Nat of adorebynat send you there.
• Like my Adorebynat Facebook Page. You must drop by and say hello to earn 1 entry.I'd love to hear from you.
• 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 Sweet Silver and earn 10 entries for each purchase. Don't forget letting us know by leaving comments.

Contest starts now and ends on November 5, 2011. Contest opens worldwide. Don't forget to leave us 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, November 6 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.

Giveaway: Vintage Bracelet Pink and Gold

Win this beautiful vintage bracelet from Marelle of Hopscotch Couture. Get to know Marelle, 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 Hopscotch Couture. 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 Hopscotch Couture. (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 my Adorebynat Facebook Page. You must drop by and let me know that you enter this giveaway (1 entry).
• Follow Hopscotch Couture on twitter (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 Hopscotch Couture and earn 10 entries for each purchase. Don't forget letting us know by leaving comments.
  

Contest starts now and ends on September 3, 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, September 4 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.

Giveaway: Pair or Earrings

Win Silver/ Gold Quantum Squiggle Earrings!

This week's giveaways is sponsored by February Jones.

Get to know Maria, the artist behind February Jones. She is 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 February Jones shop. Return to my Adore By Nat blog and simply leave a comment here about your favorite item from her 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 feedbacks are always appreciated.
  
  Come back here and leave 2 comments that you did, to ensure your entries are counted.

• Heart February Jones. (1 entry). Simply let us know your Etsy username.
• Follow February Jones' blog (1 entry).
• Follow my adorebynat blog (1 entry). If you're already a follower, you still get an entry, just says you're following already.
• Like February Jones Facebook Page. Tell Maria that adorebynat sent you there.
  
• Like my Adorebynat Facebook Page. Don't forget to say hi to me there and come back here to leave comment (1 entry). If you liked my FB page already, you still can say hi and earn 1 entry. I'd love to hear from you!
• Follow February Jones and or adorebynat on twitter (each earn 1 entry).
• Tweet about this giveaway, add "@FebJonesEtsy and @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 February Jones and earn 10 entries for each purchase. Don't forget letting us know by leaving comments :-)

Contest starts now and ends on April 23, 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, April 24 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.

Giveaway: Autumn Inspired Necklace

Win this beautiful Autumn Inspired Necklace, sponsored by Glassimo.

Get to know Judit, the artist behind Glassimo. You'll learn a few things from the interview on yesterday's post.

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 Glassimo shop. Return to my Adore By Nat blog and simply leave a comment here about your favorite item from her 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 feedbacks are always appreciated.
  
  Come back here and leave 2 comments that you did, to ensure your entries are counted.

• Heart Glassimo (1 entry). Simply let us know your Etsy username.
• Follow Glassimo blog(1 entry).
  
• Follow my adorebynat blog (1 entry). If you're already a follower, you still get an entry, just says you're following already.
• Like Glassimo FB page and kindly tell Judit that Adorebynat sent you there. (1 entry).
• Like my Adorebynat Facebook Page. Don't forget to say 'hi' to me there and come back here to leave comment (1 entry). If you liked my FB page already, you still can say hi and earn 1 entry.
  
• Follow Glassimo on twitter (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 Glassimo and earn 10 entries for each purchase. Don't forget letting us know by leaving comments :-)

Contest starts now and ends on January 29, 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, January 30 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.

Saturday Artisan: Designs by Tracy Brigham

Meet this week Saturday Artisan, Tracy, the artist behind Designs by Tracy Brigham, a shop full of jewelries for any occasion, Wine Glass charms, Napkin Rings, and Hummingbird Feeders.

With the holiday shopping fast approching, you may want to visit her shop and get those wonderful gifts for your loved ones. So many to choose!


Tell us a bit about yourself and what arts/ crafts that you make?
I have had a career in the banking industry for 23 years, until last year when I decided I was tired of dealing with the politics of Corporate America. I have spent the last year trying to figure out what I want to do with my life. I have one child who is now 22 years old and mostly on her own. (I'm not sure if they are ever completely on their own.) My daughter has been telling me for years that I should sell the items that I make, so I decided to finally do that and opened a shop on Etsy. I have been working with beads and wire as a hobby for about 8 or 9 years. I make Jewelry, wine glass charms, napkin rings, and hummingbird feeders. My favorite things to work with are gemstone beads and sterling silver.



Which part of creation process that you like to do the most?
I enjoy sitting down with the materials I want to use for a project and coming up with a new design.



Could you share on how you organize your products, we all can use a little tips here and there in this department?
I have containers and containers of beads that are stored by color and whether they are gemstones, glass, or crystal. I have learned that for me everything has to have its place or I end up spending more time looking for things than actually creating. I try to keep like items together. Ex: Sterling silver components, silver plated components, jewelry tools, packaging items, etc.


What is your favorite item in your shop?
That is a hard question it changes from day to day. Right now I would say I have two favorites:

My Clear Crystal and Smoky Quartz Asymmetrical Necklace

My Swarovski Bronze Pearl Stretch Bracelet


What is your goal for 2010? And are you on the right track?
My goal for 2010 was to decide on a new career. I am really enjoying having the time to be creative and hopefully making that into a successful business. I am also applying to nursing school, which I am very excited about. I am definitely on track.

Holiday season is fast approaching. Give us a scoop on your prep. What are you excited to offer for 2010 holiday season?
I am participating in two craft shows in October and December. They will be the first shows that I have participated in, so I am working on displays, packaging, and items. I am excited about offering my Napkin Rings for the 2010 holiday season. People have been very interested in my Napkin Rings for holiday dinners and also as gifts.


What is your favorite tool that you cannot live without?
My jewelry pliers, I would never be able to work with sterling silver and other metals without them.


Stay-tuned for tomorrows new giveaway.
In the meantime, enter the giveaways that we have currently on: Skribblykids and KhaliNouveau's giveaways.

Giveaway: Little Shimmer Earrings - Peach

This week giveaway is sponsored by jacarandadesigns: a beautiful pair of little shimmer earrings (peach).

These delicate little earrings are so feminine and have a victorian feel to them.

They are made from faceted crystal beads in a soft peachy pink, full of shine and brilliance!

Embellished with antique brass plated findings give them a lovely elegant and old world looking, but still fashionable and wonderful to dress up any outfit!

Read her profile featured yesterday.

There are eight ways to win. Please make sure you leave a separate comment for every entry. How to enter to win:

Mandatory entry:

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

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

• Heart her shop and earn an entry. Simply let me know your Etsy username.
• Follow her blog and you earn an entry.
  
• Follow my blog and you earn another entry. If you're already a follower, you still get an entry, just says you're following already.
• Become my Facebook Fan and you earn another entry. If you're a fan already, you'll also get an entry. Let me know your FB username please.
  
• Tweet about this giveaway. Provide me with your tweet please. Each tweet worths one entry and you can tweet each day until the end of the contest (a maximum of one tweet per day is counted). That's a total of 7 entries!
  
• Blog about this giveaway to earn 2 entries. Leave two separate comments here please providing me with the link to your post.
• Purchase an item from jacarandadesigns or my shop and earn 5 entries for each purchase. Don't forget letting me know by leaving comments :-)
  

Contest starts now and ends on April 3rd, 2010. Contest opens worldwide.
Don't forget to leave me your e-mail address. Entries without contact information will be disqualified. Entries that do not follow the rules will be disqualified. Contest winner will be drawn on Sunday, April 4th by a random number generator. Winner must respond within 48 hours after being contacted otherwise another winner will be randomly selected.

Saturday Artisan: jacarandadesigns

Meet another talented Etsy artist residing in Toronto, ON: Jane of jacarandadesigns.

Inspiration is a very fundamental key to create a beautiful art. Read on how Jane thoroughly elaborates her key points to get inspired.


Tell us a bit about yourself and what arts/ crafts that you make?
I'm the owner of Jacaranda Designs. I live in Toronto with my husband and two boys, fish and hermit crabs! I used to work in the IT industry but left that world behind a few years ago. I started making jewelry in 2005 and just loved creating pieces. I found working with beads and creating my "treasures" very therapeutic. I have attended many jewelry-making courses over the last few years and continue to learn new and exciting techniques to incorporate into my jewelry. Jacaranda Designs is a result of my passion for making beautiful pieces of jewelry!

What is your favourite item in your shop?
My favorite item in my shop right now has to be my Ivory Pearl and Gold Bouquet earrings. Classic pearls with a modern flair.


What is your best seller?
My best seller is my Antique Brass Birds Nest Earrings with pale blue pearls.



What inspires you?
Color
There's color all around us and yet sometimes, I think we fail to see it. Sometimes though, I'll look at a color and it will arouse certain emotions in me....love, anger, warmth, energy, creativity to name just a few. I love looking at various color combinations in fabrics, in nature, even in what other people choose to wear. Color not only affects my mood but I think the mood of other people around me also.

Nature
I love plants and flowers. I look forward to spring and summer so much, just to see the glorious plants that Mother Nature has to offer. If you look closely at flowers and even leaves, you'll see beautiful textures and color combinations. Even the smell of certain plants can be intoxicating. There's nothing quite as relaxing as taking a stroll around a gorgeous garden and just observing the plants and insects. I take tons of photos during the spring and summer and often refer back to them when I'm making jewelry as they are full of inspiration.

My Children
There's something about the innocence and simplicity of the way children look at things that can be very inspirational. Sometimes they comment on or get enjoyment out of those things we find so "everyday" and yet if you really listen closely, it's those details that can be very enlightening provide a different way of looking at things.

Music
As much as I love a quiet, silent home at times, most of the time I love to listen to music. I find it very relaxing to work while I listening to certain music. If I had to choose a favourite, I love Cuban music...not too slow that it makes me want to put my feet up and do nothing, and not too loud that I'm prevented from concentrating.

Other Artists
I'm constantly awed by the talent displayed by other artists. If I'm ever feeling in a blah mood and not very creative, I just check out some of the wonderful artwork created by others. That's usually all it takes to inspire me to get started on a new project!

Lastly (yes, I know it was only five !), my husband inspires me. He's my biggest fan. He's always there to support me and offer words of wisdom and encouragement.

What is your goal for 2010?
My goal for 2010 is to continue to create pieces of jewelry that I love and of course, to expand my customer base and increase sales.

How do you promote your shop?
Any and every way I can think of. I have a blog where I feature my jewelry as well as other Etsy artists. I also have a monthly giveaway of one jewelry item. I advertise on Google, Facebook and Project Wonderful. I also belong to many online communities where I try and make valuable contributions.

Any advice for a newbie running his or her on-line shop?
Clear photos are so important. My photos have improved over time but it's been a lot of trial and error. Even now, I look at a few of the photos and think I should probably redo them as they're not quite as good as I'd like. Also, be patient. Hard work eventually pays off. I started 2.5 years ago and yet 90% of my sales have been in the last year.

During this recession time, tell us one thing that you do to save money?
I try not to waste supplies and also not to buy supplies unless I know what I'm going to make with them. The first year in business I bought so many beads that I've never used which was a bit of a waste. Now I'm gradually using them up in my designs! Also, make your own lightbox. There's so many instructions online. I made mine for less than $20 and it's stood the test of time!

If you're shopping for Easter holiday, don't forget to visit her shop. There are tons of Easter theme jewelries available at jacarandadesigns.

Giveaway: Dragonfly Set Jewelry

Have you been enjoying the giveways that I've been hosting since the new year? Well, I'm sure you will love this week giveaway as well.

Donna, proud owner of Dryan327 shop generously sponsor this week giveaway. I really encourage you to read her profile featured yesterday here. It's always nice to find out more about the artist, after all we're talking about handmade jewelries not those mass-produced ones.


You could be the lucky winner winning the beautifully crafted Dragonfly Set Jewelry shown above. There are Seven ways to win the giveaway with a total of 18 chances to win. Please make sure you leave a separate comment for every entry. How to enter to win:

1. Go to dryan327 shop. Return to my Adore By Nat blog and simply leave a comment here about your favorite item from her store.
2. Heart her shop and earn an entry. Simply let me know your Etsy username.
   
3. Follow my blog and you earn another entry. If you're already a follower, you still get an entry, just says you're following already.
4. Become my Facebook Fan and you earn another entry. If you're a fan already, you'll also get an entry. Let me know your FB username please.
   
5. Tweet about this giveaway. Provide me with your tweet please. Each tweet worths one entry and you can tweet each day until the end of the contest (a maximum of one tweet per day is counted). That's a total of 7 entries!
   
6. Blog about this giveaway to earn 2 entries. Leave two separate comments here please providing me with the link to your post.
7. Purchase an item from dryan327 shop and earn 5 entries. Don't forget letting me know by leaving comments :-)
   

Contest starts now and ends on January 30, 2010. Contest opens worldwide.
Max 18 entries per person please (based on the rules above). Don't forget to leave me your e-mail address. Entries without contact information will be disqualified. Entries that do not follow the rules will be disqualified. Contest winner will be drawn on Sunday, January 31st by a random number generator. Winner must respond within 48 hours after being contacted otherwise another winner will be randomly selected.

>> EDIT The contest is now closed >>