I’ve just updated my etsy store, Sweet Averie with lots of pretty jewelry. You’ll find dangle earrings, necklaces, and a ring or bracelet or two. The collection will get you nice and ready for spring and it features seaside blues and greens, sparkly pinks, and freshwater pearls. I hope you like it!
So, lets celebrate! That means a GIVEAWAY. Just imagine a bunch of confetti falling from the sky, kazoos blaring, and YOU winning a piece of handmade jewelry. (Made by me, of course.)
Here’s what up for grabs.
It’s a wire-wrapped nest pendant with three freshwater pearl eggs. The pendant is about the size of a quarter and I’ll send it to you with two yards of white vintage lace trim. That’s right, vintage lace.
How to Enter:
Please visit Sweet Averie and check out the goods. Then come back here to this blog post and leave a comment telling me which item from Sweet Averie is your favorite.
Don’t forget to leave an e-mail so I can contact you. The giveaway will close on Friday, January 29th.
Blogging is good for your health. Well, it might not keep you from catching the flu, but it will occasionally bring you a bit of cheer…and really great gifts!
About a month ago, I found a link to this really great gift exchange, Shop, Swap, & Blog on the Structured Chaos Blog. I signed myself right up. Lucky for me, I was paired with Stephanie, an amazing chick and owner of a boutique Letterpress shop called Dahlia Press. Stephanie also blogs about life, Seattle, cool stuff, and her fabulous letterpress. You can check out her portfolio here.
Oh look, there’s the cute little package in front of my fave Sugar pillow.
Lets open it and see what special treat Stephanie sent.
It say’s “Hello Stranger.” Isn’t that the cutest greeting?
Stephanie is a true west coast gal, she lives in Seattle and even worked for Starbucks! Yum. After some years in the corporate world, she decided to throw her creativity into a new art, Letterpress. All of her wonderful pressed stationary is printed on 100% tree-free cotton paper. It is so thick and soft, I can’t wait to write on it with my trusty Uniball Jetstream pen (my current fave). To top it all off, she mixes all inks by hand and personally designs each motif. Her work at Dahlia Press truly is stunning.
How’s this for fabulous? My own personalized note cards!!! I had toadd all those exclamation points because I’ve never had personalized stationary. Stephanie told me I could pick out whatever I wanted from her shop, but I had no idea she was going to customize it for me. For me! I’m in awe. It’s so pretty. :)
Thanks Stephanie, I’m in love with my Letterpress stationary from Dahlia Press. :)
www.dahliapress.com
www.dahlia-press.blogspot.com
www.dahliapressshop.etsy.com
Can you guess what’s in this little package?
I love wrapping things up. It makes the little gift, or purchase in this case, so much more special.
Blue paper.
My favorite yellow polka dot paper wrapped around.
Fall apple ribbon. (Target dollar bin!) I’m in love.
Are you ready for the answer?
Here it is:
It’s a University of Florida pendant. You know. The Gators. Like, national champions and stuff. My alma matter. Well, you knew that, of course. This little pendant will be going to Jacksonville, Florida, where my sister will wear it on her prettty little neck to the Florida/Georgia game (which the Gators will win, duh). She likes to match her outfits to whatever event she’s going to.
I made myself one too! I hand-carved those little suckers (the gators, not the “F”).
Hey, guess what? I can make you a pendant too! Just go to my etsy, Sweet Averie, and message me. I can carve you any little critter, thingy, or whatchamacallit onto your very own pendant. :)
While I was messing around with clay, I made a few other little goodies for my shop, Sweet Averie:
Last but not least:
Yep. I totally pulled out my copy of Interview with the Vampire.
Because I like to jump from one project to the next (sometimes before completing the first one, ie. embroidery). Ok, Ashley, stop. Embroidery. Like that’s a project? Not an embroidered cat in a hoop, or a pillowcase, or a napkin. No, my project was “Embroidery.” Which basically means, learn all there is to learn about embroidery and then embroider something. I guess I did sew an applique onto a pillow. Well folks, it’s fine. I can move on to a new project.
Clay Project
You got it. Learn all there is to learn about polymer clay and then make something. I’m pretty sure I’ve got tons left to learn, but in the meantime, here are some clay pendants that I made.
(For sale in my Etsy, Sweet Averie.)
(Also for sale in my Etsy, Sweet Averie)
These next pendants were either special orders or gifts for friends and family. If you’d like for me to make you a pendant, I will! It’s just $12 + shipping. Just visit my Etsy and convo me. :)
Look who came for a chat while I was outside taking the pendant photos.
Next time I’ll try to move in and get a closer shot of my little hummer friend.
This weekend Dameian and I are heading to the NC mountains for my darling cousin Stephanie’s wedding. Dameian is thrilled, of course. He totally hearts weddings. I, on the other hand, have been planning for months. Is it ok to wear a “lbd” to an evening wedding? I hope so, because that’s what I’m wearing.
Sure, my cousin is registered at Macy’s. But I couldn’t resist making their gift.
Oooohhh, don’t they look scrumptious? That’s vintage lace trim around the gift. Plus, a graceful fabric flower attached with a heart brad. The “Love” tags can be found at PaperCrave. Just print on card stock and cut.
I made the envelope for the card out of my favorite wrapping paper. It’s yellow with tiny polka dots. I love it and will be so sad when the roll is gone. Found it on clearance at Target a while back. The blue scalloped label can be found at Tart Workshop.
Wondering what’s inside of these packages?
A name plaque. Smith, that is.
I stained a piece of wood then used transfer paper to write “SMITH.” Painted the name, added a border, and attached a saw tooth hanger to the back. The font is ArtStamp and I love it. I want to use it on everything.
The other gift is a custom order from my sister. She was my first Etsy shop, Sweet Averie, custom order. Isn’t she sweet?
Stephanie is going for an Earthy Mod look in her new house. I hope she likes these gifts.
Now, my favorite part. The card. I used this beautiful image of a girl and boy in a tree. The little girl has red hair, and so does my pretty cousin! I couldn’t resist. Do click on the image. It’s huge and gorgeous.
To download this image, “Belle and Boo” by Mandy Sutcliff, please go to Feed Your Soul: The Free Art Project. This peice is from March 2009. There are tons of really beautiful, and free, images for your enjoyment.
I’ll be back next week with wedding photos, I hope.
I did it! I actually sold something! Yay :) My first customer was the very lovely and dear Marie of Emma Calls Me Mama.
She pretty much is the coolest Mama on the block and she’s the soon to be lucky owner of the handmade Tea Rose hair clip. Maybe she’ll wear it her hair, maybe she’ll let her daughter Emma wear it, or maybe she’ll gift it to someone special. I can’t wait for her to receive the Tea Rose. Thanks Marie!
