This past Christmas, I was able to do some amazing trading for Christmas gifts. There are some wonderful Etsians out there, more than willing to do trades. There's even a blog out there in blogland, called Etsy Traders! So I went browsing to see what I could find.
I found a shop called Dragonfly Stitches. Beautiful quilts! I got this wonderful quilt that you see, in exchange for a business card design, and a matching thank you card design. This quilt is for our little guy whom we are adopting, and he LOVES it. So do I! It is very well made, and just wonderful...one of those things that will be a keepsake, even after our little one outgrows it. The really cool thing about this shopkeeper, is that she didn't have a "little boy" quilt listed, so she said she would custom make one! I told her what colors I liked, and she happened to have one in the works, so she finished it for us. I LOVE it!
Just goes to show...you never know until you ask!
Saturday, January 31, 2009
An Etsy "Purchase"
The Winner of the Day 4 Giveaway Is......
Jennifer said...
It sounds like a wonderful foundation! I learned that there is no other camp available for children with limb loss and their families with the therapeutic programs that Camp No Limits has to offer. mattandjen[at]gmail.com
She has won the bracelet and earrings from Knitster23. Congratulations!
Angie
Friday, January 30, 2009
The Winner of the Day 3 Giveaway Is...
Kim said...
I LOVE the jumbo hugs!
January 26, 2009 8:33 AM
She has won the 3 pack of Valentine's Cards from Simply Sentimental.
Have a great weekend!
Angie
The Winner of the Fabric Stationery from Pretty Pear Designs
Audrey said...
These are my favorite:http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=19270087I will add a link to here on my give away blog:http://audreyscountrycraftsgiveaway.blogspot.com
Have a great weekend!
Angie
Thursday, January 29, 2009
The Winner of the Day 2 Giveaway is....
Donna said...
I am a follower.
donna444444(at)yahoo.com
Congratulations Donna! You have received an email with instructions.
Don't forget, there is still time to enter Days 3-7 of the giveaway!
Angie
Handmade Thursdays- Love Letters!
Today's Handmade Thursday idea comes to us from Marie of Make and Takes. Marie is a mom of three who blogs daily with craft ideas and recipes for home, family, and fun. If you still have leftover candy canes, Make and Takes has a great way to use them for Valentine's Day!
Look for more ways to make it handmade each Thursday on The Downtown Boutique.
Got a unique craft, recipe or decorating idea for 'Handmade Thursdays' and want to be featured on The Downtown Boutique? Contact us! We'd love to hear your feedback on items featured, too!
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
The Winner of the Day 1 Giveaway is....
barbmccrea said...
I really like the Vintage Valentine Cherub Pendant, Thanks for the chance!barbmccrea at hotmail.com
January 22, 2009 7:26 PM
Congratulations barbmccrea! You have been randomly selected as the winner of the Bright Red Butterfly Vintage Image Necklace. I will be emailing you.
To everyone else: Don't forget to enter to win the other giveaways for our blogiversary/Birthday Bash!
Have a great day!
Angie
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
Happy Birthday to The Downtown Boutique -- Day 7
Ack! It's 9:05 my time, and I am just NOW getting to the giveaway for today. Can you guess how my day has gone today? Yikes!
So, today our 7th and final giveaway is from Michelle of Spoonful Of Chocolate. Michelle is offering FIFTEEN decadently wonderful Cinnamon-Flavored Chocolate Spoons...great for jazzing up your coffee, or hot chocolate. These would be PERFECT for sharing with your loved one on Valentine's Day. Yum! Yum!
To enter for this giveaway, please go visit Michelle's shop...Spoonful of Chocolate, and then come back here and let us know your favorite item from her shop. Please be sure to leave a valid email address.
For an additional entry, you can blog about this giveaway. Please leave a separate comment with the link to your blog post.
For an additional entry, you can Twitter about this giveaway. Please Twitter with @dwntownboutique, and then leave a separate comment, letting us know you Twittered about the giveaway.
For an additional entry, we'd love to have you follow our blog! Please click on "Follow This Blog" at the top right of the page. Please leave a separate comment letting us know that you are a NEW follower.
Deadline to enter is Monday, February 2nd at Midnight PST. Giveaway is open worldwide.
Have a great day!
Angie
Monday, January 26, 2009
Happy Birthday to The Downtown Boutique -- Day 6
Today our Birthday/Blogiversary comes from one of my own online friends...Katherine of Sweet Caroline's. Katherine is the mama of two little ones, and has a thriving jewelry business in Florida. She will be starting jewelry parties for little girls to make their own jewelry! What fun that would be for a birthday party! Katherine has just tiptoed in to the waters of blogging, and is one of the co-authors here on The Downtown Boutique.
Sweet Caroline's jewelry is all made with the highest quality materials: Swarovski crystal and pearls, sterling silver, bali beads and semi-precious stones, just to name a few! You can find mother's bracelets, grandmother's bracelets, bracelets for your little princess, and even a necklace!
Katherine is giving away this sweet "Hugs and Kisses Valentine's Day Bracelet".
To enter: Please visit Sweet Caroline's and let us know what your favorite item is in the shop. Please be sure to leave a valid email address when you comment.
For an additional entry, you can blog about this giveaway. Please leave a separate comment with a link to your blog.
For an additonal entry, you can Twitter about this giveaway, using @dwntownboutique when you Twitter. Please leave a separate comment letting me know you have done this.
For and additional entry, we'd love to have you "follow us", by clicking on "Follow This Blog", up in the right hand corner of the page. Please leave a separate comment to let us know that you are a new follower.
Deadline to enter is Sunday, February 1st at midnight PST. Giveaway is open worldwide.
Have a great week!
Angie
Sunday, January 25, 2009
Happy Birthday to The Downtown Boutique -- Day 5
Today we are featuring Michele, of Sweet Irie Originals. Michele is one of my wonderful co-authors on this blog, and has helped me with my "mom blog", for which I am EVER grateful! Michele also has a WONDERFUL blog: Sweet Irie Originals, where you can win loads of free goodies!
Michele's Etsy shop, Sweet Irie Originals has the cutest wristlet key fobs, coin purses, and more! We have one of her Green Camo wristlets, so I can attest to the great quality of her products. My hubby uses it for his keys. (Except, he doesn't call it a wristlet.)
Today, Michele is offering this wristlet and coin purse gift set that is perfect for Valentine's Day. Give it to a friend, a loved one, a teacher, a student, or keep it for yourself!
To enter: Go to Sweet Irie Originals and look around. Then come back here and comment about your favorite item from her shop. Please be sure to leave a valid email address.
For an additional entry, you can blog about this giveaway. Please leave a separate comment with the link to your blog post.
For an additional entry, you can Twitter about this giveaway to @dwntownboutique. Please leave a separate comment about your Twitter, so I can go find you.
For an additional entry, we'd love to have you "follow us" by clicking on "Follow This Blog" at the top right of this page. Please leave a separate comment letting us know you are a new follower.
Deadline to enter is Saturday, January 31 at midnight PST. Giveaway is open worldwide.
Have a great Sunday!
Angie
Saturday, January 24, 2009
Happy Birthday to The Downtown Boutique -- Day 4
It's Saturday! Today we are going to be celebrating my sister-in-law's birthday. And today is day 4 in the "birthday/blogiversary" celebration for The Downtown Boutique.
Today our featured artist/crafter is Paige of Knitster23. Paige creates unique jewelry and knit stitch markers.
Here's something pretty cool that Paige has in her shop announcement:
$1.00 from each sale will be donated to the No Limits Foundation. This foundation has 4 camps throughout the U.S. for children with limb loss. To learn more about this foundation, you can go to http://www.nolimitsfoundation.org/ or just convo me or e-mail me! I'm more than happy to answer any and all questions!
Paige has generously offered to give away a Valentine themed jewelry set of earrings and a bracelet:
To enter: Go to Knitster23 and look around. Then come back here and comment about your favorite item from her shop. Please be sure to leave a valid email address.
For an additional entry, you can blog about this giveaway. Please leave a separate comment with the link to your blog post.
For an additional entry, you can Twitter about this giveaway to @dwntownboutique. Please leave a separate comment about your Twitter, so I can go find you.
For an additional entry, please visit No Limits Foundation, and then come back here and leave a comment about their programs, or about what you learned from their website. Please leave a separate comment.
Deadline to enter is Friday, January 30 at midnight PST. Giveaway is open worldwide.
Have a great weekend!
Angie
Friday, January 23, 2009
Friday Feature No. 38 -- Featuring Pretty Pear Designs
Today, we are featuring Amy, from Pretty Pear Designs. Amy has a unique product, that I know I haven't seen anywhere before. She makes fabric stationery....and it's SO cool! Let's hear a little more about Amy.
TDB: How did you get your start making fabric stationery?
Amy: I started making fabric stationery, because apparently I had issues collecting fabrics that I thought were pretty. I would buy a yard here and there because it made my eyes happy. I was convinced that someday I would do something with it. Well, one night I just had this huge to make something, anything. I pulled out my stash of fabrics and started thinking what could I make that does not involve pulling out my sewing machine ( with a 2 yr old and newborn at the time, I knew that sewing projects were out of the question for me). I stared at the pretty fabrics and they reminded me of my mom. I started to think about my mom, and thought I would love to send her a card with some of these pretty fabrics.
It was an hour of what if I did this, and then tried this, and this printed this, what would happen? That was the start of my first fabric card. I sent out a few cards to all the important ladies in my life for Mother's Day knowing they all loved handmade items, and well that was the start of it.
TDB: What other creative abilities do you possess?
Amy: It depends on who you ask. I got my degree in art education with a concentration in pottery ( so I am a secret potter ). When I let my mind and inhibitions go I can paint a little. I love to design and decorate, and I am always playing around with making different things when I have time.
TDB: What does "a day in the life of Amy" look like?
Amy: Yikes! A day in the life of Amy is not so exciting. I am up by around 6:30 am and start my motivational round up of getting kids ready. My daughter is 5 and in kindergarten and my 3 year old daughter is home with me. I get my 5 yr old ready to go on the bus (an ongoing battle of remotely staying on task, so we can catch the school bus). After she is gone to school, I have my breakfast and coffee with the computer. I use the morning hours to do Etsy, twitter, blog and try and do my online promotions. I can only do this for a little while and then it is time to clean-up the house a bit and entertain the little one.
My day is a balance of mommy and work, grocery shopping and fresh air. I do not do much actual cardmaking during the day. I have to save that for the evenings when I know I will have no interruptions. I love making stationery and these cards, but I am also very aware of how precious this time is with my girls when they are young like this, so I try to spend a lot of time with them.
TDB: What are three things in your life that you just can't do without?
Amy: Right now I feel like I cannot live without my computer (sad), I can't live without water - seriously if I don't drink water throughout the day I am so tired and I get headaches, and not to sound cliche but hugs, I need them.
TDB: If you had the power of tele-transportation, what would you do with it?
Amy: If I had the power, I would transport myself to Crested Butte, Colorado to snowboard whenever I felt like it. I would see my mom more, and when I was in the mood for some wonderful food I would go to NYC for an evening out with my friends. Oh, and we would take our girls to Disney World, because right now with the way the economy is going not sure if we can do that now.
TDB: As a young child, what did you want to be when you grew up?
Amy: Ok, here I go. In this order, from when I was very young through High School - Miss America, Veterinarian, Architect and Interior Designer, and Wildlife Biologist (with a concentration studying grizzly bears).
TDB: Who has been the greatest influence in your life, and why?
Amy: My mom and dad. My dad because he passed away from Leukemia when I was 15 years old, and from him I learned the greatest lessons in life that keep me balanced and happy. I learned to live your life without regrets, to understand the seriousness of life, but to not take life too seriously. I learned from him that family, love and relationships are what are most important, not material things. That time with your kids are precious and that it is more important to create memories then to buy them. From my mom I learned strength and courage. I learned that women are the silent rocks of every family. I learned from here to appreciate what is beautiful and to laugh even when you don't always feel like it.
Happy Birthday to The Downtown Boutique -- Day 3
Today is day 3 of our week long blogiversary/birthday bash, and Sydnei, from Simply Sentimental, and co-author of this very blog, is providing our giveaway.
Sydnei creates fun and whimsical greeting cards, paper piecings for scrapbooking, and gift tags. Sydnei is also the creative mind behind "Simply Sentimental, The Blog", a FABULOUS blog featuring goodies and giveaways from all over! Sydnei has been co-authoring this blog for almost a year now!
Our giveaway for today is three Valentine themed greeting cards from Sydnei's shop.
Winner of the Burpie 3 pack from Whimzeee Baby
Congratulations to Andreah of Life's a Hoot, who won the 3 pack of burpies from Whimzeee Baby, the featured guest on last week's Friday Features. I am SO sorry I forgot to put a link to the shop! My little guy has been sick, so my mind has been elsewhere. Thanks Andreah, for the reminder.
Thursday, January 22, 2009
Happy Birthday to The Downtown Boutique -- Day 2
Today we are giving away one of my own creations from our Etsy shop, Photo Greetings:
Our photo greetings are easy and convenient for any busy family. All you have to do is pick your design, email me your high resolution photos and the text for your card, and then print them at your favorite photo processing center (such as Shutterfly, Costco, Walmart, etc.), on your own schedule! How cool is that?!
Not only do we do Valentine Photo Greeting cards, but we also do Birth/Adoption Announcements, Shower Invitations, Birthday Invitations, Memorial Cards, Graduation Announcements, "Change of Address" Announcements, "Save the Date" Announcements, Holiday Cards, and anything else that you celebrate in your life. We have loads of premade designs to choose from, but if you don't see exactly what you're looking for, we are also glad to do custom designs such as THIS ONE that we did for a customer who requested it.
To enter: Please visit Photo Greetings and let us know which design is your favorite, not including the one shown. It doesn't have to be Valentine themed. Please be sure to leave a valid email address.
For an additional entry, you can blog about this giveaway. Please be sure to leave a separate comment with the link to your blog post.
For another additional entry, you can Twitter about this giveaway. Please Twitter to @dwntownboutique, so I can see where you Twittered. Please be sure to leave a separate comment.
For another additional entry, we'd love to have you "Follow" us by clicking on "Follow This Blog" at the top right of the page. Please be sure to leave a separate comment to let us know you are now following us.
Deadline to enter is Wednesday, January 28, at Midnight PST. Giveaway is open worldwide.
Have a great day!
Angie
Handmade Thursdays- Resoution: Organization!
ali design brings us this unique way of making your own 2009 calendar. Simply print, cut, punch a hole on top, and your calendar is ready to hang.
This download-and-print calendar from up up also makes a nice, economical gift for yourself or a loved one.
Both items can be printed as many times as you'd like. The calendars are a great way to help stay organized in 2009... and are also a nice way to make handmade gifts quicky and easily!
Look for more ways to make it handmade each Thursday on The Downtown Boutique.
Got a unique craft, recipe or decorating idea for 'Handmade Thursdays' and want to be featured on The Downtown Boutique? Contact us! We'd love to hear your feedback on items featured, too!
katherine
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
Happy Birthday To The Downtown Boutique -- Day 1
This giveaway is now closed.
Woo Hoo! It's been one whole year since the inception of The Downtown Boutique. It has been such an AMAZING journey! I have three co-authors now, and I couldn't do it without them! Sydnei, from Simply Sentimental, has been with me since last April! Michele, from Sweet Irie Originals, and Katherine, from Sweet Caroline's have just joined me in the last month. I am grateful for all three of these wonderful gals!
And I can't even BEGIN to say how much our readers mean to me! We have had readers from over 80 countries all across the world, with 89% of our readers coming from the USA. We have had nearly 29,000 visits in the past year! WOW! That's so exciting to me!
Thank you to my wonderful advertisers too! You guys ROCK! And I'm very blessed to be able to feature so many wonderful products and shops from Etsy.com, and other places on the web.
So, to show my gratitude, we will have a giveaway for each day from today through January 27th. Each giveaway will go for one week.
Today's giveaway comes from Mia Sophia. Mia is a mom from Houston, Texas and has three girls, with whom she tries hard to maintain some amount of "girly-ness" when possible. Mia has TWO shops on Etsy: Mia Sophia and Friendly Banter. You will find that both shops have some GORGEOUS items in them. Mia also has a blog called Mia Sophia's Day.
For today's "birthday gift", Mia is offering this lovely "Bright Red Butterfly" Vintage Image Necklace, JUST in time for Valentine's Day!
Enter to win:
1. Go to Mia Sophia and then come back here and comment on your favorite item from the shop, BESIDES the giveaway item shown. Please be sure to leave a valid email address.
2. For an extra entry, you can blog about this giveaway. Leave a separate comment with the link to your blog post.
3. For another extra entry, you can Twitter about this giveaway once. Use @dwntownboutique when Twittering. Leave a separate comment when you Twitter.
Deadline to enter is January 27th at midnight PST. Giveaway is open worldwide.
Have a great day!
Angie
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
Jan. 21 is The Downtown Boutique's One Year Birthday!
Monday, January 19, 2009
Fabulous Finds: Buddha Nature
During my recent tromp through the forums, I stumbled upon the sweetest little shop and just had to share with TDB readers! Among the many lovelies found in her shop, she creates the most adorable crocheted monkeys (as seen above) and gorgeous handbags (below,) which are perfect for grocery shopping, a day at the beach, or just running around town. Her stuff is super cute and made out of hemp, wool, and cotton (just to name a few), so not only will you be buying something sweet..."you will be honoring the planet" as well, states Whitney! Ready to read more about this caring artist!?! Alright, let's do it....
TDB: What is the name of your store and what type of items do you sell/market/promote?
BN: Our company's name is Light Harmony Gratitude but you can find us on etsy as "buddhanature". ( http://www.buddhanature.esy.com )
We make and sell crafts which have a similar theme, promoting a spiritual and organic lifestyle.
TDB: What made you decide to get into this business?
BN: Our company is actually a partnership between myself, Whitney, and my talented and supportive partner Jeremy.
Although, I am mostly the one in charge of online operations.
Jeremy has a bachelors degree in fine art and contributes paintings, bags and bamboo flutes to our wares.
I have been crafting since I was a little girl at summer camp.
We have both found that we need to create beautiful things in life to be really happy, so making that into our mutual business was a natural step forward.
Since moving to Pemberton BC, We have found ourselves to be increasingly supported by the wonderful artistic community in the area and it has really encouraged us to continue doing what we love.
TDB: Do you have any special interests, crafts, talents? If so, what is your latest project?
BN: I noticed early on in life that I had "the touch" or an "eye" for making all kinds of natural artistic creations. My eyes see organic shapes and colours and my hands automatically arrange them into wonderful creations. It's my most cherished gift!
My latest projects are making handmade recycled greeting and note cards, featuring my digital photography. The can be planted to grow lovely flowers!
I am also working on some new hemp necklace designs. I love to work with knots, hemp, gemstones and crystals.
TDB: List three things we would be surprised to know about you?
BN: 1.I love to snowshoe!
BN: 2. We have three amazing and sweet sister cats in our household. Luckily they are partly outdoor cats and we are able to keep our crafts and materials free from their playful paws (and stray hairs!)
BN: 3.Jeremy and I have a few entrepreneurial side projects aside from crafting, Jeremy is a guitar and classical yoga teacher as well as a promising musician. ( http://www.myspace.com/jeremyreubencraig ) We are both trained in Gendai Reiki Ho at the second (okuden) level. Whitney has begun studying the third, (shinpiden) level. ( http://www.coreselfreiki.ca/GendaiReikiHo.html )
TDB: Where can we find your shop products?
Friday, January 16, 2009
Friday Feature No. 37 -- Featuring Whimzeee Baby
Happy Friday! We had a great week. We signed the paperwork to make our little guy and "adoptive child", rather than a foster child. Only a few more weeks, and he will be ours legally. We are SO excited!!!
Congratulations to Karen (ktgonyea at gmail.com), who was selected as the winner of the $50 gift certificate from Shellie of "Memories of Distinction". I'm sure that you're going to love working with Shellie.
Today, we are featuring a dynamic duo (Victoria and Kim) that goes by the name of Whimzeee Baby. I am going to let you read all about them here:
TDB: How did the two of you happen to start working together?
Whimzee Baby: We started working together after becoming really good friends, our husbands have been friends since elementary school. So it seemed like a natural fit.
TDB: What is your favorite thing to make?
WB: We love making all our products because we use the most amazing designer fabrics. They are all just so great and fun to work with, so really can not pick just one.
TDB: If you could learn a new skill, what would it be?
WB: I am going to start learning to sew, at the moment my partner does all the sewing and I do the prepping. So once I learn it will be a little bit easier to get stuff done.
TDB: If you could vacation anywhere in the world for a whole month, where would you go?
WB: For both of us probably Europe!
TDB: What is the best piece of advice you've ever received?
WB: To follow your dreams and to be happy in all aspects of your life.
TDB: Do you have a favorite blog, website, or Etsy shop that you visit daily?
WB: We love to see all the stores that post new things and when things catch the eye we find lots of great new favorite things.
TDB: If you were each given $1M what would you do with it?
WB: Well, first make sure our families do not have to worry about money, then open a great boutique with all of our favorite things, after that travel when ever we want, show our kids the world!
Here are some examples of what Victoria and Kim make and sell:
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
Friday, January 9, 2009
Friday Feature No. 36 -- Featuring "Memories of Distinction"
Congratulations to KawaiiNeko2008, who is the winner of the $15 Shopping Spree from JuicyChristians! I will try to do better at posting the winners of each giveaway.
Today, we are featuring someone I found on Twitter.com. Shellie is know as @Military_Mom on Twitter. Shellie's website is Memories of Distinction, which she is currently working on getting up and running. Memories of Distinction offers personal ways to preserve your family's history through photos and memories. She creates custom scrapbook layouts, memory books, shadow boxes and more. Shellie would love to work with you on putting together a custom memory book that will create wonderful memories for years to come.
Shellie describes herself as "I am a wine drinking, chocolate popping, scrapbooking, wanna be chef, bookworm, shutterbug, soccer mom and military wife." She is also a blogger, and her blog is called Musings of a Military Wife. Click on the title, and it will take you to her blog, but be sure to come back here and finish reading! Let's see what else Shellie has to share about herself:
TDB: Why, when, and how did you get started scrapbooking?
Shellie: I started scrapbooking because my husband was deploying, and I needed something to fill the time and be creative too. It was 4 years ago now, and we lived on base at the time, so there were plenty of friends around who also scrapbooked.
TDB: How does your scrapbooking affect your "military life" or vice versa?
Shellie: As I said above I started scrapbooking on our previous base, so it has helped preserve our memories of friends and events both on and off base. It also allows me to create books for my hubby to take with him on deployments keeping a part of us and home with him when he is away.
TDB: What is the most important thing to remember when scrapbooking?
Shellie: Preserve those moments that are special to YOU, you do not have to scrap every picture you have ever taken. You also do not have to scrap like anyone else or following a time line, just preserve those memories and journal.
TDB: Name all of the places you have lived in your life.
Shellie: Florida, Ohio, Massachusetts, Ohio (yep been there done that twice), Colorado, nothing over seas (yet ;) )
TDB: Name three things in your life that you could NOT do without.
Shellie: My camera, My Family, My new HP HDX notebook pc (this was a hard question)
TDB: If you could have any superpower, what would it be?
Shellie: This might not be a "super power", but I would love to be able to wiggle my nose and have a clean house, laundry done and everything in it's place.
TDB: What are your favorite "crafting" tools?
Shellie: My Crop-a-dile for sure (can not do anything without it), hhmm my ATG adhesive gun (much more affordable), quilling tools (you can make some great embellishments for pages with these!
Here is a little slide show of some of Shellie's work:
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Wednesday, January 7, 2009
Gumdrop Shop for Valentine's Day
Tuesday, January 6, 2009
Tuesday's Treasures
Hi everyone! I thought I would take a moment to just to say hello and introduce myself...although I know Angie welcomed me earlier in her sweet post! My name is Michele, the name behind Sweet Irie Originals and the Sweet Irie blog! I am so excited to be joining the Downtown Boutique and hope to bring you some yummy new goodies and features from week to week, so just bare with me while I become acquainted with you and my new home! Now, enough about me, enjoy your treasures for today...
| EtsyBuy Handmade Country Dreaming |
| EtsyBuy Handmade Tavy Ann |
| EtsyBuy Handmade Mod Yarn |
| EtsyBuy Handmade Lil Miss Muffin |
xoxo Michele
Friday, January 2, 2009
Friday Feature No. 35 -- Featuring Juicy Christians
