Friday Feature No. 39 -- Featuring Very KIKI

Today's Friday Feature is all about the kiddos....and cool things for kids! We are featuring Kristen from "Very KIKI" on Etsy.com. Kristen has a shop that makes you wish you had little munchkins, if you don't. Her children's clothing line is so fun and very cool!

Without further ado, let's hear more about Kristen and her shop:

TDB: When did you first start making kid’s clothing, and why?
Kristen: I started making kid’s clothing a little over a year ago. I began by making gifts for family members. One day I put a few items on Etsy to see how they would sell and people seemed to like what I was making so it really just took off from there.


TDB: What inspires you to create?
Kristen: It changes all the time. Sometimes random ideas pop into my head. Other times I’ll come across a fabric I’ve never seen before and I can’t stop thinking about it until I make something with it.

TDB: When you’re not creating, what are you doing?
Kristen: I’m a Middle School Social Studies teacher by day and I run my Etsy shop evenings and weekends. If I have any free time I usually spend it with friends and family. I also can usually be found watching baseball, reading sewing books, drinking coffee, and walking my dog.


TDB: If you had three wishes, what would they be?
Kristen: 1. Good health for my family and friends.
2. For veryKIKI to turn into a full time business.
3. To be able to eat all the cake I want without gaining weight!


TDB: To what do you think you can attribute your Etsy success? (Besides of course, your gorgeous products!)
Kristen: I think that I’m offering a quality product at a reasonable price. Also, pictures are key. People can’t hold your product in their hands so you have to represent it as clearly as possible in your pictures. I find that my pictures come out best when I take them near a sunny window.

TDB: What are three random things about you that people might not know.
Kristen: 1. I like hard-boiled eggs in my salad.
2. I love getting up early in the morning.
3. I am obsessed with ironing every article of clothing that I have.

TDB: What is your best-selling item?
Kristen: The owl and the necktie are definitely the most popular.


Now for the fun part. Kristen has generously offered to give away any one item from her shop! If you want to enter to win, here's what you need to do:

1. Go visit "Very KIKI", then come back here and leave a comment about your favorite item from Kristen's shop. Please make sure you leave a VALID email address with your comment.

2. Earn an extra entry by Twittering about the giveaway. Please Twitter to @dwntownboutique. Come back here and leave a separate comment about your Twitter.

3. Earn another extra entry by blogging about the giveaway. Please leave a separate comment with the link to your blog post.

This giveaway is open worldwide. Deadline to enter is Thursday, May 14th at 11:59 PST. We will announce the winner at some point on Friday the 15th. Don't forget to leave that email address!!!

Have a great weekend, and Happy Mothers' Day to all you wonderful, wonderful moms out there!

Angie

Sugar Fly Designs -- A Giveaway

Today, we are doing a special feature on a Non-Etsy shop, but an online shop nonetheless, with some GREAT handmade goodies in it! That shop is Sugar Fly Designs, and I have asked the owner Michelle, for a little interview and giveaway. Of course, she said yes.

TDB: Please tell us a little about yourself and your business.

SFD: Although I’ve always been somewhat of a dreamer of bright lights and big cities, but fate brought me back to my small town roots several years after I graduated college with a degree in marketing. It really is true that God has bigger dreams for us that we can dream for ourselves. I’m happily married to the cowboy of my dreams with two amazing children. Along with Sugar Fly Designs, I also teach technology on the high school level at the same school where my children attend. Sugar Fly Designs started as a hobby several years ago but has turned into a fabulous collection of unique jewelry designs and styles that compliment the inner gypsy-cowgirl in us all. I’ve always thought of Sugar Fly Designs as my own little type of self-therapy. I have a small shop at my home where I design and create my items. I also have a large support system of friends and family that help out when needed. Its so relaxing to spend time creating items and doing what I love, and I have a fabulous time when my girlfriends and family come to the shop and help! We spend most of our time laughing and just enjoying each others company.

TDB: How did you come up with the name "Sugar Fly Designs"?

SFD: I’d love to say there was a fantastically interesting and exciting story behind the name Sugar Fly Designs but really there’s not. I just came up with it on a whim basically. Originally I called my business The Buckle Bunnies and focused primarily on handmade buckles. However, over time I started to venture out into more unique ways of expressing my style through t-shirts, flip flops, and accessories. I didn’t want potential customers to be limited from my items because the name Buckle Bunnies sounded purely western…so I thought about it and came up with Sugar Fly Designs. I think it sounds fun and allows me to showcase other items.

TDB: Who does all of the creating for the items on your website?

SFD: I pretty much design and create everything on my site with a few exceptions. The crystals initials, cake toppers, yard art, and ornaments are made by a very gifted friend in Texas, and the t-shirts are purchased wholesale.

TDB: How do you balance creating and family?

SFD: Very carefully!!! I value my time with my family and try to ensure they never feel neglected because of my business. I encourage my children to come to my shop and help in whatever capacity they feel most comfortable. Sometimes that means my 6 year old may string beads, or my 11 year old may help with inventory…anything I can do to help them feel included. I feel very fortunate to have the support of my husband and extended family as well.

TDB: If you were given three wishes, what would they be?

SFD: To live to see my children grow up and become successful

To have my grandparents back so I can spend more time with them.

To grow old with my husband and be able to look back on a life well lived without regrets.

TDB: How long have you been creating for "Sugar Fly Designs"?

SFD: I started in 2006 and hope to be doing this for many more years.

Here are some of the goodies you can find in Michelle's shop:





And here is what Michelle of Sugar Fly Designs is giving away: A Personalized Pendant, which Michelle will personalize with any name or phrase (whatever you want!) and create in the colors you want.

Here's how you can enter to win your own personalized pendant. Simply visit Sugar Fly Designs, then come back here and leave a comment, letting us know your favorite item from her shop. Please make sure you have a valid email address somewhere in your comment, or attached to your Blogger profile.

Deadline to enter is Monday, May 11th at 11:59 pm PST. This giveaway is open worldwide. You MUST have a valid email, so that I can get ahold of you if you win. If you don't, I'll move on to someone else.

To earn an extra entry, we'd love it if you would follow our blog. Simply click "Follow this blog" up there at the top left, and then leave a separate comment, letting us know you're a new follower.

Want another extra entry? Twitter about this feature & giveaway. Then leave me a separate comment with your Twitter ID. Please Twitter to @dwntownboutique.

Ok, I'll allow another extra entry. Simply blog about this giveaway, then come back here and leave another separate comment with the link to your blog post.

Have fun!

Jan. 21 is The Downtown Boutique's One Year Birthday!

Be sure to check back every day, starting tomorrow through January 27th. We will be having a giveaway every single day!

PS...Feel free to use the button above to display on your blog!

A Not So Random Featured Guest -- Jesse Jane's

This feature was supposed to go up last Friday, but we have had a pretty sick little guy, who has wanted nothing but to sit in mommy's lap. This doesn't allow me to get much done, but I will not complain too much. It is all too soon that they no longer want to snuggle. He is starting to feel much better, so now I am finally able to do this feature.



Today we are featuring Jesse Jane's, a shop that is FULL to overflowing with some fantastic pendants, and more. I asked the owner of Jesse Jane's to share a little bit of randomness about herself, and here is what she shared:

TDB: If you could picture one celebrity wearing your pendant, who would it be?
JJ: Oprah, because she has such a huge following...
TDB: Anything special you watch or listen to or eat while you are creating?
JJ:I usually have the tv going in the background while I work- Stargate re-runs, Doctor Who, Torchwood and other DVD's...
TDB: What is your favorite item to create?
JJ: My favorite items to create are the one of a kind bracelets I create for various challenges.
TDB: Who is your favorite Etsy seller, and why?
JJ: I don't know that I can choose who my favorite etsy seller is.. I'd have to pick several: sheltie19, southamptoncreations, cornerstore, and many more.
TDB: If you could learn a new skill, what would it be?
JJ: For a new skill I'd love to learn how to do stained glass work.
TDB: If you had a super power, what would it be?
JJ: For a superpower I would love to be able to teleport wherever I wanted to go.
TDB: What's the most difficult lesson you've ever had to learn?
JJ: My most difficult lesson was when I had to learn that life isn't always easy...

Hey, I'm with ya on the teleporting! Then, I'd get to see my family who are out of state, much more often!!

Please go and check out Jesse Jane's on Etsy. They are offering a great deal on all of their pendants: BUY 2, GET 1 FREE!

On top of that, Jesse Jane's is giving our readers a chance to win not one, but THREE of their great pendants!

To enter: Go visit Jesse Jane's, then come back here and comment on your favorite item from the shop. Please make sure that you leave a valid email address, or have one attached to your Blogger account. You do not have to have a Blogger account to enter.

For an extra entry: Please blog about this giveaway. Leave a separate comment with the link to your blog post.
For another extra entry: We'd love to have you follow our blog. Please click at the top right, where it says "Follow This Blog". Leave a separate comment letting us know you're following.

For another extra entry: Tweet about this giveaway. Put "@rioosodesigns" on your tweet, so I know you tweeted. Leave a separate comment letting us know you tweeted.

Giveaway is open worldwide. Deadline to enter is Monday, December 22nd at Midnight PST.

Don't forget to scroll down and enter to win a Photo Greeting Card Design

from Photo Greetings on Etsy!

Have a GREAT week!

Angie

Friday Feature No. 33 -- Featuring Jenny Karlsson

Well, it's late, and I have a toddler, who just got up from his nap crying, sitting in my arms. Please forgive me if there are typos that I don't catch.

You might have noticed that we have not had a Friday Feature for the past two weeks. This is much my fault because I sent out my reminder emails a little too late...like the day before! I have been sick, and so has our little guy, so things aren't getting done as well as I had hoped.

Today, we are featuring Jenny of Jenny Karlsson Design. Jenny lives in Sweden, and is one of a very few featured guests who live outside of the USA! Jenny's shop is a delightful display of cozy items, such as crocheted flower brooches, unique (and numbered) handbags, and more.

Here is a little interview with Jenny:

TDB: When did you first get into crafting, and who taught you to craft?

Jenny: I think it must have been my mother at some time. She used to make some of our clothes when we were younger, and also some soft toys. I remember getting a simple little loom that you could weave scarfs & such in.. At least I know that now - back then I made mats for my dolls' house :) But I have always been interested in making things, the creativity have always needed to come out somehow. I am mainly self-taught I guess..

TDB: From where do you get your inspiration for your crafting?

Jenny: A lot of it comes from nature, flora and fauna. Some times it's things that I see that inspires me, most times though I think it is that the things that brings me energy is the things that I get inspiration from. The will to make something must be there. Then I also love beautiful magazines, children's books, art, history, times past. I like a lot of old things. They have feeling to them.

TDB: What is your favorite thing to create?

Jenny: I like variation. Simple and complicated. I do love to do embroidery and such and would like to have time to make more intricate things. It is easy to get caught up in the 'must make & sell'- circle.. Then again one of the best things with handicrafts is that it must take its time, and then it turn out best. When I have made something it has filled its purpose for me somehow. It's the making that I like, and I don't have trouble parting with my work. I rarely keep something for myself.

TDB: Please tell us a little about your family.

Jenny: There's my beloved one, mom, dad, two brothers and Lilly the dog. I live on my own but I talk to my parents really often and one of my brothers lives in the next door house :) I talk even more often with my beloved one, we live about 300 kilometres apart at the moment..

TDB: If you had 3 wishes granted to you, what would you wish for?
Jenny: Tricky question.. Hm.. I think I would have to be a bit materialistic and ask for 1. 'never have to worry about money', you know - so you have enough to get by and a little more. 2. For my loved ones to be happy and live well. 3. Being able to teleport myself all over the place (would be very practical).Hm, that last one might change a bit, but the other two will stay the same. :)Then again, you gather wisdom all your life by living & learning.

TDB: If you could travel back to any time period in history, where would you go, and why?

Jenny: I have thought about this sometimes.. and there are a few options.. victorian England, 1920's, beginning of the 19th century and perhaps Egypt. These are a few of the time periods that fascinates me and I find a lot of inspiration in. I guess it is also down to The Pre-Raphaelite movement, Arts & Crafts, Arthur Rackham-Edmund Dulac-Walter Crane ( illustrators), The House of Eliott (series) & Jane Austen.. Oh and Charles Dickens.. I do like times past. I can get quite nostalgic about periods in time that I haven't even lived, but am longing for somehow.

TDB: Please share 3 random, little known facts about you
Jenny:
* I was in a youth circus when I was younger. Doing simple acrobatics dressed up as a native american (in a shirt & pants made out of brown flanell that my mother had made, and with red & white stripes in my face).
* I really like playing computer games, especially where you get to chop around with swords and such..Guns works too :) .. There must be a plot though, adventure and excitement. My favorites are Monkey Island x 4, Morrowind, Fable, Half-Life and NoOneLivesForever.. Those are the ones I've played the most. I think...
* I have never smoked a single cigarette. Er.. Oh well, I couldn't come up with any other fact just now.. :)


Thanks Jenny! It was great to find out a little more about the woman behind the designs!
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The Giveaway: A $15.00 "Gift Certificate" to Jenny's shop on Etsy.com.

To Enter: Please visit Jenny Karlsson Design, then come back here and leave a comment about either your favorite item in Jenny's shop or what you would spend this gift certificate on, if you are the winner. Please be sure to have a VALID email address attached to either your comment (like this: downtownboutique (at) sbcglobal (dot) ne), or your Blogger account. You do not have to have a Blogger account to enter, as long as you have an email made available to us.

For one extra entry: Please blog about this giveaway and leave a separate comment with the link to your post.

For another entry: We'd love to have you follow our blog! You will get updates in Blogger with each new post. Yes, you must have a Blogger account for this one. No, it doesn't count if you are already following.

Deadline to enter: Thursday, November 27th at Midnight PST. Giveaway is open worldwide.

Have a great weekend!
Angie

I've Been Featured on "Simply Sentimental: the Blog"

Hurry! Go! Rush on over to find out what Sydnei has said about me! There's even a giveaway with TWO winners!!! CLICK HERE.

Friday Feature No. 30! -- Featuring Smile Moon

WOW! This is our 30th Friday Feature! That's pretty exciting! Thanks for all the wonderful comments and giveaways to all who have participated. We're not done...we're going to keep going as long as there are people who are willing to give something away, and people who are willing to enter to win those giveaways.

Congratulations to Crystal, who won her choice of block print from Little Sparrow's Nest. Thank you to Michaela Dawn for such a great giveaway!

Today, we are featuring something that is near and dear to me. I know I've gushed about this before, but I just LOVE woodworking! I took shop class as a 7th grader, and actually made a cutting board (woo-woo!), a set of salt and pepper shakers, and something that resembled a shelf, but never got hung up. I was pretty good at it, and even made a cute bear toothbrush holder when I was an adult. If I could, I would probably have a little woodshop, where hubby and I could work at it together, but I don't think our apartment managers would let us set up shop.


Anyway, today we are featuring Jeffrey, from Smile Moon on Etsy. Jeffrey is a guy with a great sense of humor, who doesn't mind last minute communications from people like me! He has been woodworking for....well, let me get on with the interview, and you'll find out more about Jeffrey...
TDB: When did you first get into woodworking, and who taught you?
Jeffrey: I first got interested in woodworking about 20 years ago, just before my oldest daughter was born. My record collection (remember LP records?) had outgrown the plywood boxes I'd slapped together when I was a kid, and I thought it'd be nice to build my own stereo cabinet. Of course, before tackling a piece like that, I decided it'd be wise to make a few "practice projects" to learn my way through. Over the next several years, I ventured to make a blanket chest, a cradle, several different artist's easels, kitchen & bathroom cabinets, bookcases, and plenty of smaller crafty things. To this day, however, I still have not made my stereo cabinet.

Most of what I've learned has been through experience (read: mistakes), but I've picked up a fair bit from reading books, watching Norm Abrams on TV, and sometimes taking the advice of a host of more experienced woodworkers along the way. I wish I'd taken high school woodshop classes when I'd had the chance. At least I've still got all 10 fingers!


TDB: I'm curious...how many children DO you have? (If you read Jeffrey's Profile in his Etsy shop, you'll understand why I asked this question.) Do you plan on teaching them woodworking?
Jeffrey: I've got six kids, ranging in age from 5 to 18. [This past summer saw us attending orientations for college and kindergarten in the same week.] They've each got their own pair of safety glasses for when I'm running tools, and they all know they're welcome to join me anytime I'm in the workshop. Some of them show more interest than others, but I rarely turn any of them away if they want to build, say, an airplane from scraps of wood and a few nails (there's a small fleet of planes in there already). I want to make them feel welcome without the pressure of forcing them to learn if they're not up for it.




TDB: What is your best selling item?
Jeffrey: At this point, it's a toss-up between the balancing wine bottle holders and the toy swords. I've only been selling on Etsy for a little more than 6 months now, but I'm definitely noticing that some items have a 'season'.

TDB: If you could teach ANYthing, what would you teach?
Jeffrey: Anything? Probably, I'd like to teach geometry and trigonometry. I'm such a math geek, but I couldn't do my woodworking without at least a basic understanding of it, and so much of what we depend on (computers, transportation) relies very heavily on math-related studies.


TDB: What is the best piece of advice you ever received (any subject)?
Jeffrey: I believe it was my father who told me that everybody's got something to teach you.

TDB: What are three of your life dreams, and have you accomplished any of them?
Jeffrey: This is tricky, because for the most part, I'm a go-with-the-flow kind of person. That said, I always wanted to fly an airship. More realistically though, I've always wanted to marry someone I love and who loves me back, and I'm glad to say I've been able to accomplish that. Beyond that, every day our kids stay healthy and out of trouble is another good one for me!


TDB: Please share three random facts about yourself.
Jeffrey: I dance like a spastic with his arms caught in the ceiling fan. I eat ice cream combinations that make my poor wife ill to think about. I have a unibrow - they're all the rage.

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Alright, what little boy (or big boy for that matter!!!) wouldn't LOVE a pair of wooden swords??? Need some great Christmas gifts for some adventurous little boys? What better thing to stimulate a wonderful imagination in this world obsessed with Wii? So here's your chance to win this pair of swords AND one of Jeffrey's wooden puzzles.

To Enter:

Please visit Smile Moon and let us know what your favorite item is, OR let us know your favorite childhood toy that did NOT require batteries, but made for HOURS of fun.

For an extra entry, you can become a "Follower" of The Downtown Boutique blog. Just click on the right where it says "Follow This Blog". Please leave a separate comment to let us know you are now following our blog.

Deadline to enter is Thursday, October 23rd at Midnight PST. Giveaway is open worldwide. Please make sure you leave a VALID email address. If there is no visible email address, you will not be entered into the giveaway.

Have a great weekend, and if you get a chance, go rake up a pile of leaves and jump in it, or visit a pumpkin patch, or go pick some apples! Enjoy the Fall weather, no matter what you do. If you're in the southern hemisphere, have a gorgeous Spring day!

Angie

Friday Feature No. 27 -- Featuring Red Ruby Rose

Well, it's Friday again, and I'm posting late. I've got both of my boys sick now, and the teen even stayed home from school, even though he didn't want to. I am really hoping hubby and I don't get this cold! I really don't want it!

Have you seen what we're giving away? It's in the post just below this one...so be sure to scroll down. I'm sure you'll really like it! It's my way of saying "Thanks" to all of my great readers, sponsors, and the people I've featured who have been so wonderfully generous with their giveaways.

Speaking of features and giveaways, today we are featuring Rowena of "Red Ruby Rose", all the way from Bristol, UK! I featured Rowena's clutch purses several weeks back, in our Etsy Mini featured favorites. She was so thrilled that she wanted to be included in a Friday Feature, and wanted to do a giveaway.

Let's get to know a little more about Rowena...

TDB: At what age did you start sewing, and who taught you?
Rowena: My grandma and mum taught me how to sew but I was never any good at it. It must have lurked in the genes and blossomed in my 30's!

TDB: What's the story behind your Etsy shop name, Red Ruby Rose?
Rowena: An instant decision on signing up to Etsy - I wanted Ruby Rose but it had been taken so I added the red!

TDB: According to your shop profile, you have some other hidden talents...what are they?Rowena: Well.... I'm an illustrator and I front a rather fine indie-pop band called Santa Dog. (http://www.santa-dog.co.uk/)

TDB: What new projects are you currently working on?
Rowena: I've just launched my new range of clutches with my own fabric designs - I studied printed textiles for my degree at Edinburgh School of Art so it's lovely to come back to it.

TDB: What are your business goals for the coming year?
Rowena: Business goals? I'm afraid I don't think like that. I muddle along from week to week and never make long term plans.

TDB: Does your businesses make a living for you?
Rowena: Absolutely. I've always been of the mindset that my creative work is a lifestyle that has to sustain me - I could never work a 9-5, I'd be a square peg in a round hole.... completely unemployable.

TDB: Please share 3 random things about you, and don't be afraid to let us know any deep, dark secrets. :-)
Rowena: 3 random things,,, errrr...... I'm not a true blonde..... I'm a chocoholic...... and I adore tequila :)

Thanks for sharing your very interesting life with us Rowena. Now, for the giveaway. Rowena is giving away a $75 gift certificate for her shop!!! PLUS free worldwide shipping.

To enter: Please visit "Red Ruby Rose" and then come back here and comment about your favorite item in Rowena's shop. Your comment must have a valid email address attached to it somewhere...either in your blogger account or in the comment.

For one extra entry, you can blog about this giveaway, and leave a separate comment with the link to your blog.

Deadline to enter is Thursday, October 2nd at Midnight PST. Giveaway is open worldwide.

Have a great weekend!

Angie

Win a $50 Amazon.com Gift Card!!!

Can you believe it? We've had almost 20,000 hits here on The Downtown Boutique since its inception in January! Not only that, but we've had some WONDERFUL giveaways, and some FANTASTIC sponsors too! I'm just so thrilled that we've been able to feature SO many different artists and crafters from all over the world. I am so grateful for my wonderful readers, who keep coming back again and again!

So, to show my appreciation, I'm going to give away a $50 gift certificate for Amazon.com!!!

I hope that you will visit the shops of those who have made this gift certificate possible. It is sponsored by the 5 paid ad spots we got during the month of September:

Annie Howes

Mazer Design

Second Sister Jewelry

Very Vintage

Cookie Dough

I hope that you will visit each of our sponsor's shops or websites and show them a little love.

To Enter:

Leave a comment, letting me know what you are thankful for, or a short story of a time when someone went out of their way to help you with something.

For one extra entry, you can blog about this giveaway. Please leave a SEPERATE comment with a link to your blog post about the giveaway.

For FIVE extra entries, purchase something from any of our sponsors, located on the right hand side, starting from "Cookie Dough" and going all the way down through "Ambrosia Delights", and leave a seperate comment with the link to what you purchased. I WILL be checking with the shop owners!

Deadline to enter is Thursday, October 2nd at Midnight PST.

Giveaway is open worldwide.

NOTE: You MUST, MUST, MUST leave a valid email address, or have one attached to your Blogger profile, or you will not be entered to win, and your comment will be deleted. I'm sorry, but I don't have the time to track people down.

Have fun!

Angie

Halloween Handbag Giveaway from Sew Gracious

Pam at Sew Gracious has been featured over at "Simply Sentimental, The Blog", and is giving away this fun Halloween Handbag. Visit Sydnei's blog to find out how you can win it!

By the way, did you know that Sew Gracious is one of our sponsors? And Sydnei, from Simply Sentimental is too! Sydnei is also a co-author here on The Downtown Boutique, and is the one who posts the "Wordless Wednesday" feature every Wednesday.

Friday Feature No. 24 -- Featuring Lula Boutique

Good morning, and happy Friday! I have my big guy off to school, and my little guy down for a nap. Hubby's at work, and it's QUIET here! YAY! That means I get to get things done.

I wanted to congratulate Maja, for winning the $25 gift certificate from Hullabaloo Boutique. Thank you all for your comments and entries. Thank you Nicci, for giving away such a great prize, and for being willing to be featured here on The Downtown Boutique.

Awhile back, I posted in the Etsy forums about looking for people to feature on The Downtown Boutique. The response was great! My very first responder is being featured today. "KK" from Lula Boutique has asked to be featured, so now it's her turn. KK's Etsy shop is full of wonderful vintage inspired "luxe" (jewelry). My favorites are the Jadite Crush earrings, and the "Sweet Love" Necklace (and it's being given away here on The Downtown Boutique!) KK also has a blog that you can visit: http://www.lulaboutique.blogspot.com/.

TDB: What is a typical day in your life look like?

KK: Everyday for me is completely different.but most days are filled with Etsy and making jewelry for Lula Boutique. Trying new techniques at taking photographs, marketing, and shipping my creations off to their new homes. Oh, and I absolutely love every minute of it too!

TDB: When did you get started making jewelry?

KK: I’ve been making jewelry since I was 7 years old. Every summer during my childhood, my sister and I would vacation with my grandparents at their home in Rhode Island for a couple of weeks. Every summer they would take us shopping in Providence and one of my favorites shops was “Beauty and the Beads.” The first time I stepped foot into that fabulous bead shop I was hooked!

TDB: What or who was your most positive influence growing up, and why?

KK: Without a doubt, my Mom!!! She is a talented artist who works in several mediums and has been creating handmade goodness her entire life! She sews, sketches, and paints with watercolor. Looking back, some of my favorite possessions were all handmade by my Mom. She made me dresses, bags, hats and even stuffed animals. My Mom has always encouraged and supported my creative habits like making jewelry and I thank her for that.

TDB: What do you do when you're not crafting?

KK: When am I not crafting? I don’t even know how to answer this question. ;) Actually, I have another “job” working in Real Estate sales, so that takes a chunk of my time away from crafting. Besides that, I am fortunate to live in a gorgeous town that I love and so I try to take advantage of it as much as possible. Going downtown to take in and admire the historic architecture, art galleries, restaurants, and picnics on the beach and spending time with my husband and fabulous friends. That’s how I like to spend my time!

TDB: What's your best selling item?

KK: The “Lily & Swallow Necklace.” It’s a vintage inspired piece with an asymmetrical design that features both a swallow charm and a pink flower pendant.

TDB: What is your best advice for someone who is just starting to sell their "wares" online?

KK: I think that the best advice I can give is to love what you do. Have a passion for it! I would suggest being active with your business everyday. If you keep your shop stocked with new inventory, your customers will have a variety of choices and will be more likely to find something they adore.

TDB: If someone were to describe you, what would they say?

KK: I would love to tell you that they would describe me as being a city girl who is completely adventurous and much of the risk taker who lives life without a care in the world…But in all actuality, they would most likely say I am a small town kind of girl who is quite reserved, a little quirky at times, and a “homebody” at heart who loves life and lives it to the fullest! Oh, and they would definitely say I am “girlie-girl!”

Boy, I can sure relate to being "a small town kind of girl who is...a little quirky at times, a homebody at heart, who loves life and lives it to the fullest!" KK, thank you for sharing about yourself with our readers.

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KK has generously offered up your choice of these two necklaces for her giveaway. Winner gets to choose which one they want! How cool is that?!

To Enter: Please go to KK's shop on Etsy, Lula Boutique, and look around. Come back here and let us know what your favorite item is.

PLEASE leave a valid email address or your Etsy shop ID when you comment. You do not have to have a Blogger account, as long as you leave me a good way to get ahold of you. If you have a Blogger account, please make sure that your email is included in your account.

If there is not a way to get ahold of you, I will delete your comment. I hate to do that, but it needs to be a fair playing field for those who do this right.

Deadline to enter is Thursday, September 11th at Midnight PST.

This giveaway is open worldwide.

To earn an extra entry, you can blog about this giveaway. Please leave your blog URL in a separate comment.

Have a GREAT weekend!

Angie

"Back to School" Three Free Ad Spots Giveaway!!

Well, my 14 year old had his first ever day of public school yesterday. We've always homeschooled him, but figured he's ready for public high school. He's so excited! I had to take pictures too, even though he thought it was silly. I promised that I wouldn't send the camera to school with dad as he dropped him off, so I didn't get that shot, but that's ok.

So, now we're celebrating! I don't have to be the teacher anymore! Well, there are those life lessons that get taught every day, but you know what I mean. Not that I didn't enjoy having my son with me nearly every day for the past four years. I did! I was a single, working mom for 10 years, so believe me, I cherish the last four years! But it's a huge relief for me.

To celebrate, we are giving away THREE free ad spots! One will be an Etsy Mini ad spot, one will be a 125x250 ad spot, and one will be a 125x125 ad spot. These ad spots will go for 31 days. You then have the choice to purchase more time. First name drawn will receive first choice. You don't have to have an Etsy shop to win the 125x250 or 125x125 ad spots, but I do ask that you have a website or blog where you make or promote handmade items. It doesn't have to be handmade only, but we would love to feature as many artists and crafters as we can, right? Please, no sites with vulgar, obscene, "mature", or otherwise offensive items.

You are MORE than welcome to give your ad spot to someone you love, if you win. It doesn't have to be for your very own blog, website, or Etsy shop.

To Enter: Please leave a comment, letting us know about someone you'd like to see featured on our blog. Please be sure to leave an email or have a Blogger account with a valid email address.

For an extra entry, you may blog about this giveaway. Please be sure to leave your extra credit comment, letting us know where you blogged about us, in a separate comment.

This giveaway is open worldwide. Deadline to enter is in two weeks: Tuesday, September 9th at Midnight PST.

Happy Back to School!
Angie

Friday Feature No. 23 -- Featuring Hullabaloo Boutique

Happy Friday! YAY! WOO HOO! It's been a long week, because I haven't gotten much sleep. My hubby went hunting for 5 days, and I have a tendency to not fall asleep until the wee hours of the morning when he's gone. He's back now, so I'm sleeping better. It's SO good to have him back at home!

Are you ready for school to start? Or have your kids already started? Our 14 year old is entering into the public school system for the first time in his life! And he's going in as a high school freshman! We're nervous, and excited, and so is he! I think we were probably the only parents at freshman orientation, but he is a special needs student, and since we've not been a part of the public school system since the late 80's, we wanted to be there. He did really well. We're so proud of him. So now he starts on Monday. This should be a huge change for us all, but it will definitely be a good one.

Ok, I need to ask for your forgiveness. I had 166 comments on last week's Friday Feature...all entries for people who were hoping to win the earrings. The only problem is, that there are now only 117 comments. Why? Well, because I deleted all comments that had no email address or way for me to contact the person if they won. I don't think it's fair to all of those who actually followed the directions on how to enter, to have to be in a bigger "pot", so I ended up deleting 49 comments!

PLEASE, if you're going to enter our giveaways, PLEASE read the whole set of directions, and PLEASE leave an email or way for me to contact you. You don't even have to have a Blogger account, but I do need a way to get ahold of you. I hope that you will forgive me if I deleted your comment. I really wish I didn't have to, but it makes things easier, to be able to choose from those whom I know I can get ahold of.

So for those of you who followed the directions, we narrowed the competitive field, so that you would have a better chance of winning. We chose our winner through random.org, and our winner is "moonmaiden", whose favorite earrings were the "Aurora" earrings. Congratulations!

This week, we are going to be featuring a shop that I would definitely be buying from if I had a little girl! Nicci, of Hullabaloo Boutique has agreed to being featured here on The Downtown Boutique, and she has a GREAT giveaway for our readers!!! Be sure to go to Nicci's Etsy shop and check out her gorgeous and fun line of children's clothing.

Let's get to know Nicci a little better.

TDB: Nicci, when did you first learn to sew, and why?

Nicci: About 7 years ago I bought a sewing machine with the intentions of making accessories for my home. I never read the manual to my machine because I was just too excited to get started. I whipped out a few pillows that eventually came apart. Instead of reading the manual to figure out what went wrong I just put my sewing machine away (this is very typical of me). Five years later while shopping for custom boutique clothing for my two year old daughter, I was inspired to create my own clothing for her. Nevermind the fact that I really didn't know how to sew or the fact that I lost the manual to my machine, I was determined and knew I could figure it out on my own. Instead of buying a pattern, I turned a dress of my daughter's inside out and figured out how to make it. After lots and lots of practice, studying, and research I started to get the hang of it. Soon enough I started designing my own patterns, upgraded to a serger and opened a business (kind of in that order). Every piece I make is better than the next. My confidence has grown and my designs have improved to a level I am proud of.

TDB: What is your favorite item to create?

Nicci: Obviously, clothing is my favorite item to create. I get such satisfaction out of combining fabrics and experimenting with designs. It is very rewarding but more importantly, a way to express myself creatively.

TDB: Your clothing is just gorgeous. What is your inspiration behind the pieces you create?

Nicci: I mainly find my inspiration by searching for fabric. It is an addiction. When I see a fabric I love, I usually know immediately what design I will create for it. Seeing my children in my designs and their friends in my designs always inspires me to create more and more. When friends, family and strangers ooh and ahh over my clothing, I am always stunned. That, alone, is a major source of inspiration!

TDB: How do you juggle married life, children, and a business?

Nicci: Ha! What a great choice of words!I am not very good at juggling.This is my biggest daily challenge. I am not one to easily follow a schedule.....I never have been, but I am finding it is a necessary evil. Often I have to be inspired to create and that doesn't happen at the same time everyday. When I do get inspired, I want to spend hours and hours creating, but it just isn't possible. Trying to decide daily what needs the most attention is basically how I function.

If my house is an utter disaster I have to spend the day cleaning. If my kids are restless, I choose to spend the day playing and goofing off so we can all have a little bit of fun. It recharges me. If I am feeling creative, I design and sew while my little ones destroy the house. I would love desperately to follow a schedule, have even designed one, but I am intimidated and overwhelmed when it comes down to it.

As for spending time with my husband, Monday nights are ours. We have a babysitter and we get out of the house. Unfortunately, we don't get to spend too much time during the week together because as soon as the kids go to bed, I go to my sewing room. Saturday evenings are our family nights. Whether playing games, sitting in the backyard with a fire roasting marshmallows or staying in watching a movie, my husband and I try to dedicate that time for our family.

TDB: Who is your favorite fabric designer?

Nicci: There are so many. I really like April Cornell, Jennifer Paganelli, Heather Bailey, Amy Schmidt, Robert Kauffman, Alexander Henry.....

TDB: If you could vacation anywhere in the world for one whole month, where would it be, and why?

Nicci: Uh, vacation? What's that? Hmmm, I think I would choose somewhere mountainous, surrounded by lakes, cool air, crisp leaves on the ground, the smell of a campfire, an adirondack chair and a warm blanket. Where ever that location may be, that's where I would want to spend a month. I feel absolutely refreshed watching a campfire and looking out over a serene lake on a cool autumn evening. That to me is heaven on earth, aka, mother nature.

TDB: Do you sell your clothing anywhere else, other than Etsy?

Nicci: Other than etsy, I am currently designing part of the fall line for a local boutique. Occasionally I sell on ebay but love etsy much, much more.

Thanks so much Nicci! I'm definitely with ya on the vacation thing! There's nothing like a campfire, a lake, and a cool evening to relax a body!

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The GIVEAWAY: $25 Gift Certificate to be used in Nicci's Etsy shop, Hullabaloo Boutique.

TO ENTER:

Please visit Hullabaloo Boutique and let us know what you would spend the $25 on, if you won.

Please leave one comment per person.

To earn 1 extra entry, you can blog about this giveaway. If you choose to blog about it, please leave a separate comment.

PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE leave an email address, if there is not one in your Blogger profile. If you don't have a Blogger profile, and would still like to enter, please be sure that you give me an EASY way to get ahold of you if you win.

Any comments that are left, that don't follow these directions will be deleted.

Deadline to enter: Thursday, August 28th at Midnight PST.

Have fun!

Angie

Friday Features No. 22 -- Featuring Jennifer Rydin Designs

Good morning! I'm actually getting a Friday Feature posted on a Friday! Yay! I'm in the middle of doing all sorts of publicity graphics for my church's women's retreat coming up in October, so it has been a busy week for me. But I'm still getting this out on Friday, so we're good!

Today, we are featuring someone who I've had marked as a favorite on Etsy for a LONG time now! I love her jewelry!!! And she is actually giving away my favorite pair of earrings for her giveaway this segment!!! Today we are featuring Jennifer of Jennifer Rydin Designs.

Let's find out a little more about Jennifer, and her business.

TDB: When did you first start creating jewelry, and why?
Jennifer: I started creating jewelry full-time about 2 years ago. I found myself in awe of another jewelry designer who inspired me, so I decided to go for it and start creating jewelry of my own. I've been creating art for as long as I can remember... It actually feeds my soul. I love using my hands and my imagination to create something visually appealing that will help someone express their personality and individuality.

TDB: What is your inspiration for such gorgeous pieces of jewelry?
Jennifer: I love history, music and poetry - many of my designs are inspired by these muses in my life. I adore Jane Austen and Shakespeare... I'm inspired by art and all things vintage. Even my brand new designs may have a vintage feel - I tend to have a love for Victorian turn of the century style as well as 40's and 50's retro.

TDB: I see that some of your pieces are now being sold at the Globe Theater in London! How cool is that!!! How did that come about for you?
Jennifer: I was contacted by London based artist, Elizabeth Schuch. She creates incredible works of art depicting Shakespeare's greatest works. She wanted to collaborate with me and I was incredibly honored. It's been a blessing working with her. Her artwork is sold there and now they are giving my necklaces a go as well.

TDB: What is the best piece of advice you've ever been given?
Jennifer: That's a tough one. I've been given lots of great advice over the years. I will never forget a quote I heard from one of my favorite movies - I've never forgotten it and it stays with me...
"I think that we can't go around... measuring our goodness by what we don't do or by what we deny ourselves, what we resist, and who we exclude. I think... we've got to measure goodness by what we embrace, what we create... and who we include."
Quote from the movie "Chocolat"...

TDB: What is your favorite thing to create?
Jennifer: Of course I love creating my jewelry! I must admit, my favorite thing to create is memories with my family... especially spending time with my little boy who is 7 years old. Boys are amazing ~ I never thought I would know so much about Spiderman and Star Wars! :)

TDB: What do you do in your "spare time"?
Jennifer: I love listening to music ~ mostly jazz and I love listening to "A Prairie Home Companion" on NPR. I was raised in the Midwest, so it reminds me of my childhood home. :) I also love hanging out with my family ~ playing games together or going on nature hikes. We have to take advantage of all the beauty here in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado!

Thanks for sharing Jennifer. I know what you mean about creating memories with family. I have two boys now, and even though we still really want a girl, I'm really enjoying being a mom of boys! My husband is such a great role model and loves being "Dad"!

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So here's the fun part: the giveaway! Jennifer is giving away a pair of her "Jenny" earrings.

"Ah, so divine, little lightweight flowers accented with silver and faceted chocolate brown glass beads. These cheerful flowers will be a great addition to all of your outfits. They measure 10mm long and the petal span is 15mm at the widest part. Genuine handmade sterling silver ear wires complete this delightful look."

How to enter:

*Please go look in on Jennifer's shop on Etsy.com, and come back here and comment on which piece of jewelry is your favorite.

*Please be sure to have a valid email address available to me, whether in your blogging profile, or in your comment. If you're "anonymous", and you don't leave an email, I will delete your comment before I choose the winner.

*Earn 1 extra entry by blogging about this giveaway on your blog. Please leave an additional comment if you blog about it. Be sure to leave the URL to your blog post.

*This giveaway is open worldwide.

*DEADLINE: Thursday, August 21st at Midnight PST.

Have a wonderful weekend!

Angie