Friday, April 11, 2008

Friday Features No. 9 -- Featuring Lemonbird

Happy Friday! Boy, it has been a long week! I am so grateful for all of you who have emailed me or left a comment about how much you enjoy the blog. I feel it is very time-consuming, but I really enjoy doing it.

I want to start by congratulating Sylvia P, who won "Orion", the Shark Monster, from Karen's Monsters. We had 128 comments, and her name was randomly chosen through Random.org. Thank you all for commenting and entering!


Todays Friday Feature is really in a jam. Well, at least Amy, the owner of Lemonbird is up to her elbows in jam. Amy and her husband own and operate Lemonbird out of southern California. They started the business after a trip to France, which you can read about in her shop. Let's see what else we can find out about Amy and her yummy business.




TDB: I read that you started making jams after a visit in France, and finding some wonderful jams. Did you have any jam-making experience before that, or was this a brand new venture for you?
Amy: I love to cook and I have been making jams for years. I was always experimenting with cooking and giving friends and family gifts of all kinds of foods. A couple of weeks ago, friends actually opened jars that I had made for them a few years ago before I started selling the jams.

TDB: You have some very different combinations in your jams. What's the inspiration behind those combinations?
Amy: I love all kinds of fruits and vegetables at the local farmers markets. I was telling a friend yesterday that weekly visits to the market are my "joie de vie". I get inspired by tasting the fruits I use, a walk through the garden, a smell, a season I want people to feel when they taste the jam, a place near or far. . . And my imagination is nonstop when someone brings me fresh fruit from their garden!

TDB: Have there been times when you've thought something sounded wonderful, and it ended up being a complete flop?
Amy: (I am smiling as I write this one!) I've learned the hard way to make test batches of any kind of new jam I think will be wonderful, especially when learning to work with a fruit I've never cooked with before. I made a mix of blood orange last spring with some fresh herbs and after cooking and canning all day long - it tasted medicinal and I had to throw out every jar.

TDB: Where else do you sell your jams?
Amy: My jams are for sale at Artisan Cheese Gallery in Studio City, California and Fiore in Montrose, California. Both of these shops are in the LA area. We've actually had requests from other shops across the country in the past couple of weeks and we're hoping to expand to more places this year.

TDB: Who helps you create these wonderful jams?
Amy: My husband! He's been there helping me with everything I make from start to finish. I've also had a lot of help from friends and family who have all volunteered to help in some way.

TDB: What is your favorite jam that you make?
Amy: Wow, tough one - I think as I finish each type of jam it becomes my new favorite!

TDB: When you're not "jamming", what do you enjoy doing?
Amy: We love camping and hiking and the outdoors. We're also planning the start of an orchard and garden right now.

TDB: What advice can you give to new shops on Etsy?
Amy: Etsy is a wonderful place with so much talent and kind people. I think the handmade movement is truly affecting how we make purchases and who we are purchasing our goods and services from. Find your niche, have great photos, and a professional looking shop. There are many services on the site itself that can help you get started!

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Thanks Amy! Now we get to talk about what Amy is offering for the Friday Features giveaway. Amy is giving the winner a choice of either a 2 jam gift basket with a Lemon & Lavender and Apple & Thyme jam, OR 3 individual jams, including Kumquat & Tangerine with Vanilla, Blood Orange and Apple & Thyme. Items will shipped anywhere in the US.


To Enter: Please go visit Amy's shop, and come back here and comment on your favorite item in her shop. Unfortunately, we can only open this contest to readers in the United States, due to postal regulations on food items. Deadline to enter is Thursday, April 17th at midnight PST. Please be sure to leave only ONE comment with a valid email or other way to get ahold of you. I had to re-draw twice on the last giveaway, because I had no way to get ahold of the person whose name I drew!

Don't forget to enter to win the $10 gift certificates from Ambrosia Delights. We will be drawing TWO winners who will each receive the $10 gift certificate! Deadline is Monday, April 14th at Midnight PST.

16 comments:

The Mommy said...

OMG, my new favorite shop!

The Candy Apple Crunch sounds AMAZING! All of it does, but that just sounds really great right about now! AWESOME!

My email is mandymagoo[at]gmail.com

:D Can't wait to see who wins! :D

Eva said...

i have to agree with the mommy above, the candy apple crunch sounds delicious!!!

ekrzemin(at)yahoo(dot)com

tjmetz said...

I'm going to have to say the Orange & Dark Chocolate, not for myself, but for my Dad. I think he would go crazy over this and what a wonderful Father's Day gift it would make!

Jennifer
tjmetz@mchsi.com

Melissa Aubrey said...

What a great interview! My favorite is also the candy crunch, anything with caramel!

Karin Grow said...

This is a tough one. They all sound so interesting. I'd like to try the jam trio of kumquat & tangerine w/vanilla, blood orange, and apple w/thyme. Yum!
Karin Grow
karingrow@gmail.com

Beki - TheRustedChain said...

What a beautiful shop! The blood orange looks amazing to me!

And I'm easy to find if I happen to be the winner. :) haha!

jenny said...

i like the tiskat a taskit i think thats a nice gift set please enter me in the contest thanks jenny9675309@yahoo.com

Having a Knit Fitt said...

My sister said the Orange & Dark Chocolate with Cardomom is orgasmic so I have to go with that!
Cate
vadogwood AT mac DOT com

Anonymous said...

Candy Apple Crunch sounds really yummy.

dolls123[at]gmail[dot]com

Grateful Gramma said...

Orange and dark chocolate sounds heavenly!

Please enter me in the drawing. Thanks!

Laura said...

Such a tough choice!! I would love to try the blood orange, or the pear/anise jams. Yum!

laurachilton {at} hotmail {dot} com

Anonymous said...

Sounds delicious. I really like the "Tisket Tasket Picnic Basket" in Amy's shop. Thank you.

MLgrandma AT yahoo DOT com

Anonymous said...

NICE BLOG! I love the polka dots!

Here's my Etsy shop...please give it a look! :)
http://nicoleleeartistry.etsy.com

I also featured an amazing and talented artist, who is new to Etsy too, on my blog today.

Check out the blog feature here: http://nicoleleeartistry.wordpress.com/

My New Featured Artist--> pollywogpouch
Here's her shop: http://pollywogpouch.etsy.com)

Anonymous said...

The candy apple crunch sounds yummy! But I would love to try all the flavors, some of those I never imagined together like the orange and chocolate!
My email is lucymleyva@sbcglobal.net
Thanks!

JaniceJ said...

Yummy, they all look so good!! I would love to try the Orange and Dark Chocolate Jam!
I have never heard of chocolate jam before.
togiak@gmail.com

Anonymous said...

What a great blog!

I think I'm sold on the Candy Apple Crunch ... it's making me hungry right now! :)

-sharon
liu.sharon[at]yahoo[dot]com