creative & busy team leader...

It's been about a month since I mentioned who the featured EtsyBlogger is... that means it's time for this month's big announcement!!! The featured EtsyBlogger for September is...

Joey and Aleethea

I have to say that the EtsyBloggers would be nothing without our fearless leader! She is the Admin and Team Leader for our team. I don't know how she juggles it all! Two small children, her busy, adorable etsy shop, the blog, the team.... she must be super woman! :) Look at the adorable items in her shop! (Sampling seen below.) Take time to see what else she's up to at her happening blog! Thanks so much for all you do for our team! :)

I LOVE blue!!!! ...and chocolate tags give away...

I LOVE blue... all shades of blue! (Even my car is blue!!) I decided it was time to make a Blossom Card that had a lovely blue flower. (It helped that it was also an EtsyBlogger carnival challenge to show your favorite color in your work as well! :) ) This aqua blue floral paper just grabbed me when I saw it at a store months ago and it's been patiently waiting in my stash for the perfect time to bloom. I really love how it "pops" against the orangey pink background paper. I just listed this Blossom Card in my shop as Blue Posies Blossom Card.

Now it's time for the September drawing announcement!!! This month's give away is for a set of 3 of my chocolate tags. Drawing will take place on Monday, September 22nd. (Comments counted until Noon, PST on 9/22/08. U.S. residents only, please.) So, leave a comment so I know you’d like to be entered in the drawing and tell me, what's YOUR favorite color! :)

UPDATED 09/22/08 @ 1:30 pm: Drum roll..... The winner of this month's give away is... Nathan!!! Congratulations!!! Thanks so much for commenting on my blog!

a brilliant blog award...

Miesmama nominated me for a Brilliant Blog Award... Thanks so much miesmama! She's one of the fabulous, friendly people from my EtsyBloggers group! You should check out her WONDERFUL blog, now that's some good reading! She also makes and sells the most amazing selection of items at her Etsy shop... you can see some of them here. Go check out her shop to see all she has to offer!

Now the best part of being nominated is that I get to nominate seven people for this award... So many choices, I had to narrow it down to some family members and fellow EtsyBloggers. Here they are:

http://twozanyzebras.blogspot.com/
http://adayinthelifeofacox.blogspot.com/
http://hanson5.blogspot.com/
http://afreshtakeonpaper.blogspot.com/
http://tote-n-tots.blogspot.com/
http://storybeader.blogspot.com/
http://designsbyvanessa.blogspot.com/

Here are the "how to's" for those who were nominated! :) It is my turn to pass on this prestigious award.

Here are the rules for the nominees:
1) Add the logo of the award to your blog
2) Add a link to the person who awarded it to you
3) Nominate at least 7 other blogs
4) Add links to those blogs on your blog
5) Leave a message for your nominees on their blogs

an artist to treasure...

It is such an honor to be able to feature another wonderful Etsy artist/EtsyBlogger for the month of August. It's...

Tulip's Treasure Box

She is one of those EtsyBlogger team members who make everyone feel welcome (especially the newbies! I know!). She has very beautiful pieces of jewelry in her shop as well as wonderfully functional, eco-friendly bags... Here's a sampling:

If you check out her blog you will see that she is always “sharing the love” and focusing on other artists. What a kind, thoughtful, creative artist! You can read all about artists that inspire her and other interesting happenings at her blog.

I enjoy checking out her treasures in her wonderfully stocked Etsy shop. Viewing any of Lily’s items definitely makes you feel like you’re looking at treasure!

I'm not ready... & Blossom Delight Drawing

Back to School…

Oh my… those three words have so much meaning. I get excited thinking of having a schedule again with Cami at school. It means I have more time to work on my projects. The flip side is that I’ll miss my sweetie… I love having her help me run errands, do housework, keep me company, make me laugh, hang out together… and all the other wonderful summer time things we get to do. Summer has a sense of freedom: freedom from strict bed times, freedom from “it’s a school night,” and freedom from homework schedules. It’s a break that you really start to long for beginning around spring break, when you get that first taste of summer with a week of freedom!

We’ve had a packed summer. A few trips away, lots of friend sleep over nights, swimming, and relaxing. We have one more get away weekend planned, a day at Six Flags Magic Mountain, and a couple of beach days… then the summer days will be a memory and the back-to-school schedule will begin.

Summer time’s running out and school’s just around the corner. I sense the anxious excitement in my soon-to-be middle school student. It’s time… she’s ready… I’m not.

All right… I enjoyed having a drawing so much last month I have decided to have one monthly along with my EtsyBlogger carnival post! YEAH! :) This month’s drawing will be for one of my Amy Butler - Sparkle n Glitter Wildflower Blossom - 2 in 1 Cards. These cards are reusable! I include extra paper and a nice little explanation on vellum on how it all works. The blossom itself can be used after the card’s life has expired. It can be detached and added as a gift tag or placed anywhere you like. (It’s attached with Velcro!)

Drawing will take place on Monday, August 25th. (Comments counted until Noon, PST on 8/25/08. U.S. residents only, please.) So, leave a comment so I know you’d like to be entered in the drawing and tell me, has summer gone too quickly for you?! Happy getting ready to send the kids back-to-school! :)

UPDATED 08/25/08 @ 3:00 pm: Drum roll..... The winner of this month's give away is... miesmama!!! Congratulations!!! Thanks so much for commenting on my blog!

Miesmama, please send me your mailing address via an etsy conversation. I'll send out your card this week! :)

featured: a keeper's jackpot

July is my first month as a member of the EtsyBloggers team. Every month I have the opportunity to write about one of my fellow team members. The featured EtsyBlogger this month is...

A Keeper's Jackpot

“A Keeper’s Jackpot” is a wonderfully talented and friendly etsian. She opened her Etsy shop in October 2007. She’s one of those SUPER artistic women who creates gorgeous jewelry using multiple techniques such as wire wrapping, wire crochet, and polymer clay to create beautiful, one-of-a-kind pieces. Her newest endeavor is decoupage. I am anticipating seeing some gorgeous pendants using this medium… I’ll be checking her shop often! :)

I chose a FEW of my favorite items from her shop to show here… Unique and beautiful jewelry, lanyards, bookmarks… she has it all! Interested in seeing what she’s currently up to!?! Check out her informative AND interesting blog!

A Keeper’s Jackpot… definitely a keeper! :)

TWO treasuries

I'm featured in TWO treasuries today... YEAH!!! Both treasuries were put together by fellow EtsyBloggers team members. WOW! They're so supportive and I'm sooo proud to be part of the team! Thank you VERY much EcoKate for including my Sushi - California Roll in your treasury. I'm so happy to be included with such beautiful items!
Another "thanks" goes out to spottedcowsoaps.... Her treasury of red hot items is sure to please the eye! She included my Black & Red Blossom Card in this collection. Again... I am so honored to be included with such amazing artists!

Thank YOU so much EtsyBloggers! :)

a l-a-z-y afternoon & bookmark delight

I ABSOLUTELY LOVE TO READ!! However… I have a hard time putting a book down in the middle of the story, soooo I have to limit my reading. (or nothing else would EVER be accomplished… besides the important fact of not leaving characters in limbo!) Is there anyone else like this? I know my sister, Bethany, is like this too (admit it, Beeper!)!

Well… a couple of Sundays ago after a nice morning of volleyball, my husband had a great suggestion of spending an afternoon out in the Jacuzzi/pool AND maybe I should bring out a book (see how this is all HIS fault… or just his way of guaranteeing that I’d be outside the rest of the day!). It sounded like such a relaxing way to spend a Sunday… so I went to my book stash (books that NEED to be read!) and selected one in a series of three that my mom gave me (I guess we can say this is also her fault!).

The book I selected to read was, “Full House” by Janet Evanovich. (I did get teased and harassed by my husband and daughter throughout the afternoon about the title… My husband kept asking if Uncle Joey was dressing up as Elvis yet, and lots of other things that are just best not repeated… AND it is NOT about the TV series!!!)

If you’re looking for a book that is “light” reading that keeps you turning page after page with crazy characters, “a little” steamy sex, suspense, and funny dialog… well, then, this is the book for you! I couldn’t put it down until I was finished. It was a l-o-v-e-l-y way to spend an afternoon! I can hardly wait for the next lazy afternoon to present itself… that’s when I’ll read the second book in the series! :)
OK… to celebrate my first EtsyBlogger carnival post, anyone who leaves a comment on this post will be entered in a drawing to win this bookmark (appropriate, don’t cha think!). This bookmark is marked #3 in my bookmark series. It’s a new item I wanted to make for my shop. (I’d love to hear what y’all think!) I have made a couple of other similar bookmarks as custom orders and I’m excited about adding more. All elements have been hand cut and embroidered. (I did use a sewing machine to accent the leaves and flower center as well as to sew the bookmark together.) No two bookmarks will ever be exactly alike, as I hand cut and sew all pieces, PLUS I’m not a robot! :)

Drawing will take place on Monday, August 4th. (Comments counted until Noon, PST on 8/04/08. U.S. residents only, please.) Better leave a comment… and tell me, do you get caught up in books too?! Does everything stand still while you “rescue” the characters?! (…and most importantly… what do you think of the bookmark!?!) Happy Reading!

UPDATED:

August 4th @ 12:42 pm.

Here's the winner of the bookmark! I can't even believe it! I had my daughter choose the name out of the container... she mixed it for what felt like h-o-u-r-s... and whose name does she pull out but her Aunt Heather's! (I'll be mad Heather, if I find out that money has exchanged hands!!!) :) I am VERY happy for Heather though, as she could use some good luck right now! Congratulations!

Thank you to ALL who commented... and please check back! I plan on having a MONTHLY drawing! I'm planning for August's drawing now! :)