jessicaNdesigns: mini feature

Shop Spotlight & Giveaway with Vintage Rose Wraps

6.09.2011

Yesterday I showed you how awesome the Vintage Rose Wraps are & today I am super pumped to have Katie from Vintage Rose Wraps in the Shop Spotlight {I decided that is a pretty cool name to use from now on for the mini features, don't you think?}

So, let's get to know Katie & see some more sweet wraps shall we?

I can’t live without: artichokes, my bernina sewing machine, summers in midway, utah

My favorite Blogs are: MOSTLY MY FRIEND’S BLOGS (is that lame?) BECAUSE THEY ARE REAL PEOPLE I KNOW WITH REAL STORIES THAT I AM GENERALLY INTERESTED IN. i do love so many other ones, i couldn’t possibly pick my favs! :)

This is how I like to Relax: a good movie, good food, a good friend—or everything all at the same time.

My favorite Tv Shows/movies: movies: pride & Prejudice, pillow talk, les miserables. TV: not a lot of time to watch but my hubby and I are loving the mentalist

My favorite materials to work with are: fabric, wool, paper & a good writing pen

My Hometown: Salt lake city, utah

My favorite room in my house is: my kitchen/family room where my little family gathers most.

My favorite vacation was in: europe for our 10 year anniversary. we went to austria, italy and france. my favorite spot hands down was halstatt, austria. I’ve never seen a little town more beautiful and well preserved. It was a dream.

My guilty pleasure is: girl getaways/retreats

In one word I am: a creator

My favorite fashion item is: VINTAGE ROSE WRAPS! NO JUST KIDDING…WOULD HAVE TO BE GOOD PURSES OR SHOES.

I fear: NOT BEING PREPARED when i should be.

This is what makes me smile: watching my kiddos play nicely together or my 2 year old singing all the words to both verses of “you are my sunshine”

You may not know this about me: as much as i love to create, with 4 kids i do very little on my own outside this business.

My Worst Habit: being too sensitive in a situation or too passionate about something i feel strongly about.

I want to learn to: oil paint and play the guitar. oh! and learn adobe illustrator.

My favorite item I bought from another etsy shop is: don’t have favorites but i love artichokes and bird nests so anything having to do with those...

My advice to other Etsy Sellers: don’t sell on etsy! start your own dot com! (i never sold on etsy and went straight to my own site. It’s been the best!)

My typical day is: filled with laughter and tears, chaos and quiet, love and learning.

I stay inspired by: following my own dreams and listening to the inner pulls of my heart and doing something about them.

Katie is so generous and is offering one lucky winner the chance to

WOOT WOOT!!

Here is how you enter

{must be jessicaNdesigns follower}

Tell me something interesting you learned about Katie in the shop spotlight interview.

Want Extra Entries?

Do any of the following & leave a SEPARATE comment for each one you do:

Like vintage rose wraps on facebook {tell her I sent ya!}
Share link to this giveaway on Facebook {tag jessicandesigns)
Follow Katie's Blog & leave a comment telling her I sent ya!
Visit her shop & tell me your favorite wrap!

GOOD LUCK!

Contest ends 6/16 & Winner will be Announced on 6/17

Featured Shop: Pixelcloud & a Giveaway!

5.26.2011

Meet Danielle, owner and designer of Pixel Cloud. Look how cute her family is, for real!---------->

Pixel Cloud makes "Cutesy prints for home and the kiddos." Let's take a look at some of those prints while we get to know more about Danielle!

Giggles & Snuggles Print

I can’t live without: My computer.. lets just be real :)

My favorite Blogs are:

How I like to Relax: kiddos in bed. chai latte. laptop

My favorite Tv Shows/movies: The Office - nothing compares :)

ABC's Print

My Hometown: Beautiful, Vancouver British Columbia

My favorite vacation was in: Maui.. Nothing beats the sun, surf, sand and my beautiful family

My guilty pleasure is: Reality TV

Fearfully & Wonderfully Made Print

In one word I am: spunky

This is what makes me smile: My kiddos wrapping their arms around me whispering "Mommy, I love you!"

My Worst Habit: overworking

I want to learn to: take breaks

xoxo Print

My favorite item I bought from another etsy shop is: my wooden chandelier

My advice to other Etsy Sellers: renew renew renew

I stay inspired by: blogs and tea :)

I just love getting to know the owners behind my favorite shops! Thanks Danielle!

Dianapantz Mini-Feature & GIVEAWAY!

5.11.2011

Yesterday I raved about my favorite bag from dianapantz, and today we are going to learn more about Diana and see some more lovely items from her shop!

Here we go:

I can’t live without: dark chocolate! bubble baths, our public library and hang-outs with my cute man friend.

My favorite Blogs are: just.lovely.things, smile and wave. more than anything, i love just lurking and linking to new blogs.

This is how I like to Relax: late night walks around the lake, riding my bicycle and being a tourist in my big city [Minneapolis!!]

Springtime Pouch

My favorite Tv Shows: friends, Cosby show and bones.

My favorite materials to work with are: cotton, upcycled materials and cute toys out of felt.

My Hometown: snowy Minneapolis, Minnesota.

My favorite room in my house is: my craftroom! and really, wherever blake is [awwwww]
Because: i am happy with what surrounds me!

My favorite vacation was in: i drove the entire Oregon coast last spring - beautiful. and this past summer, we went to haiti for a month to help rebuild - i absolutely came back a different human.

My guilty pleasure is: lurking old boyfriends and listening to the backstreet boys ALL THE TIME!

Onesies!!

In one word I am: human.

My favorite fashion item is: my super-cute upcycled nautical bag that i made from old pillowcases.

I fear: bad financial planning [this is why i plan out all of my money and EVERY dollar]

This is what makes me smile: baseball. chocolate. hitting a roadblock, overcoming it and the pride that comes with succeeding, seeing people that love me, volunteering, the future.

Large Farmers Market Tote

You may not know this about me: i am left-handed and wanted to look like tina turner when i was a little kid. and i love dinos, like really love dinosaurs!

My Worst Habit: biting my nails and explaining/reading/following directions.

I want to learn to: knit with needles, sew a zipper, maintain my bike without help

Favorite item I bought from another etsy shop is: a wedding photo for one of my best friends. [the shop doesn't exist anymore!]

My advice to other Etsy Sellers: have big dreams! plan ahead. do what you love. but be patient; this is a hard industry right now.

My typical day is: busy. i nanny part-time and i work for myself full-time. i am the queen of 4 page to-do lists.

I stay inspired by: taking breaks, lurking the internet, and thrifting

3 tools in my studio I can't live without: pandora/netflix, sewing machine and a million extra bobbins

So fun getting to know other sellers!!

On to the GIVEAWAY:

Here is how you enter

{must be jessicaNdesigns follower}

Tell me something interesting you learned about Diana in the mini-feature.

Want Extra Entries?

Do any of the following & leave a SEPARATE comment for each one you do:

Like dianapantz on facebook{tell her I sent ya!}
Share link to this giveaway on Facebook
Add Dianapantz to your Etsy Favs
Like jessicaNdesigns on Facebook
Visit her shop, come back & tell me your favorite item

GOOD LUCK!

Contest ends 5/19 & Winner will be Announced on 5/20

The Sweet Sugar Beet Mini-Feature & GIVEAWAY!

5.05.2011

Meet Haley...the super beautiful woman behind

The Sweet Sugar Beet

In emailing back & forth, we discovered we are both 29, both Moms of 3 & we have a mutual friend in common! How neat!

On to the fun part, let's get to know Haley shall we?

{my favorite: Gathered Market Bag}

I can’t live without: My kids, my husband, my family, creating (anything!)...and chocolate!!

My favorite Blogs are:

Just a few of my favorites!! I love them because they are so inspiring and full of lots of DIY and handmade love!

{wallet wristlet clutch & classic clutch purse}

This is how I like to Relax: Relax? What's that!?! haha. I don't get a lot of time to myself being a mom of 3 little ones all under the age of 4, but I have a severe addiction to fresh popped popcorn (if you don't own a stir crazy popper - it's must!). So relaxing for me is a HUGE bowl of popcorn and a new episode of Grey's Anatomy!

My favorite Tv Shows/movies: Grey's Anatomy, Dancing with the Stars, Private Practice, So You Think You Can Dance

My favorite materials to work with are: Anything bright and fun!

My Hometown: I grew up on a farm just outside of Chesaning, Michigan. My dad is a farmer and growing up we helped in the fields every summer. I specifically remember working in the sugar beet fields - which is how my shop became known as The Sweet Sugar Beet!

{Mini wallet & Cosmetics Bags}

My favorite room in my house is: We just moved to our new house last July and I'm not sure yet what room is my absolute favorite. I think right now it's my 'studio'! There's a room in the basement that I basically have all to myself...well, it's my mission to make it that way!

Because: I have my own space!!

My favorite vacation was in: My husband and I spent 2 weeks in Hawaii for our honeymoon on Kauai and Maui. Probably the most amazing place I've ever been!

My guilty pleasure is: Chocolate

In one word I am: Mother

{Design your own tote bag!}

My favorite fashion item is: oy! I wish that I could say that I am the most fashionable person out there, that I can't live without my red lipstick and high heels. Most of my days are spent in my sweats and t's! When I do get that chance to get all 'dolled up' I can't live without my fav pair of jeans, flats and of course SSB bag! ;)

I fear: I can't live without my children/husband. If anything were to ever happen I would be lost.

This is what makes me smile: Hearing my kids laugh that cute belly laugh, watching them play with one another and listening to the little conversations they have with one another.

You may not know this about me: I was a cheerleader at Michigan State University

{Design your own Curvy Clutch}

My Worst Habit: Probably worrying too much! I'm a total over-thinker/worry-wort when it comes to almost everything!

I want to learn to: This list could go on and on! I love DIY projects and right now I really want to learn how to re-upholster and install a new brick patio (ha!)

My favorite item I bought from another etsy shop is: Definitely my Modern Pearl Rosette Statement Necklace from Allora Handmade!!

My advice to other Etsy Sellers: This is a tough one! My advice is to take good photos and use as many tags as you can! You really need to know who your target market is...and market to them!!

My typical day is: There really is no typical day when you have small children, is there!?! It typically starts out with 1 of my kids getting up before 7 - the other 2 shortly after. We make breakfast, clean up and then head to the master playroom...the basement! I check in on emails, play 'house', race cars, do laundry, make lunch, clean, etc! You get it - not much down time!! Once the kids are in bed for the night (if we're lucky by 8pm!) I start sewing and end up in bed somewhere between midnight and 1am. Phew!

I stay inspired by: My customers are probably my main inspiration. When I first started my shop I only made the large size bags! Everything else has actually been created specifically because someone requested it!

3 tools in my studio I can't live without: My sewing machine (of course!), rotary cutter and trusty iron

Check out her website for more info & pictures of her amazing products!

Are you drooling over her products yet?

Well, Haley is giving one lucky reader a $25 Shop Credit toward ANYTHING in her shop!

Here is how you enter

{must be jessicaNdesigns follower}

Visit her shop, come back & tell me how you would use the $25 Shop Credit.

Want Extra Entries?

Do any of the following & leave a SEPARATE comment for each one you do:

Follow Haley's Blog
Like Sweet Sugar Beet on Facebook{tell her I sent ya!}
Share link to this giveaway on Facebook
Add The Sweet Sugar Beet to your Etsy Favs
Like jessicaNdesigns on Facebook

GOOD LUCK!

Contest ends 5/12 & Winner will be Announced on 5/13

The Sweet Sugar Beet.

5.04.2011

I stumbled upon Haley's Amazingly cute shop

Sweet Sugar Beet

a little while back and fell in love

with her stylish & super cute items!

As you know, I am obsessed with fun, pretty fabrics...

so imagine my delight when this arrived in the mail:

{me trying & failing to do a self portrait a la Little Miss Momma}

Random...but thought it looked pretty next to my lilacs!

Haley sent me the LARGE Cosmetics Bag!

Look at that fabric....*swoon*

I LOVE IT!

It fits all the makeup I use everyday and then some!

And it is so bright & colorful!

The fabric is perfect!

The Sweet Sugar Beet is FULL of AMAZING

items done up in fabrics that are to die for!

Come back tomorrow

You don't want to miss more items from her shop!

Plus, we will learn more about Haley,

the Sweet owner of Sugar Sweet Beet

& of course we will have the:

SEE YOU TOMORROW!

FrEEna Design Minifeature & GIVEAWAY!

4.28.2011

Remember the super cute earrings

I got from FrEEna Design?

Well today I am super excited about introducing

you to Christina of FrEEna Design

& giving you the chance to WIN one of my favorite pieces!

I came up with some super fun questions so we can get to know Christina better.

HERE WE GO:

I can’t live without:

Jesus

My favorite Blogs are:
I can say mine, since I have a couple of my own:
http://www.inadevotion3.blogspot.com/
http://fr33na.blogspot.com/
http://freenadesign.blogspot.com/
http://lowellina.blogspot.com/
but other than that I like to browse on friends blogs, photography, travel.

This is how I like to Relax:
swinging in my old yard, watching the stars

My favorite Tv Shows/movies:
The Office, Lie To Me, Project Runway, Design Star, The Colony
Movies: Inception, The Pursuit of Happyness, A Knight’s Tale, The Pianist, The Devil Wears Prada, The Book of Eli

My favorite materials to work with are:
Lace, Copper, Cotton

My Hometown:
Bucharest, Romania

My favorite room in my house is: the living room/work space :)
Because: it’s where I spend most of my time, either working, dreaming, having dinner, relaxing.

My favorite vacation was in:
Prague, Czech Republic where I actually dream to move one day.

My guilty pleasure: Chocolate and Pepsi

In one word I am: quirky

My favorite fashion item: Striped navy shirt

I fear: regrets.

This makes me smile: My husband dancing, New family photos, Music, Color Combination, Surprises, Fresh Air, Hugs.

You may not know: I have another 11 brothers and sisters, same parents.

My Worst Habit: Tapping my feet impatiently when I am sitting down, even when I do something that I enjoy.

I want to learn to: swim

Favorite item I bought from another etsy shop is: So far just supplies but I’m planning on getting a leather handmade journal.

My advice to other Etsy Sellers: Keep improving your shop, creating new things, and hoping. That sale might be just around the corner.

My typical day is: Breakfast, checking email & other accounts, talking to my family online, go out take a walk and check the mail, working on different projects, I like to watch a movie while I’m having lunch, continue with work, cooking dinner, cleaning, spending time with my husband

I stay inspired by:
Browsing through fashion magazines, looking at what others like to wear, nature and other artists.
I am a very visual person and if on a certain day I do a lot of research, before bed my mind startsputting pieces together and new ideas will pop out.

3 tools in my studio I can't live without : scissors, needle, wire pliers

That was fun! :)

And speaking of FUN...

Cristina is GIVING AWAY

this AWESOME bow tie necklace!