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!

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?

BN: Currently, we are selling our products in our online shop at: http://www.buddhanature.etsy.com During the rest of the 2009 Winter Season we will be selling our natural crafts and toys, every sunday, at the Winter Farmer's Market at the beautiful Squamish Lil'wat Cultural Centre in Whistler, BC ( http://www.slcc.ca/ ) We are always looking out for suitable venues for our crafts and are hoping to sell at some great events around British Columbia this summer including the Pemberton Festival ( http://www.pembertonfestival.com/home/ )

Etsy Buy Handmade buddhanature

xoxo Michele

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:

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Whimzeee Baby is giving away a 3 pack of baby burpies of the winner's choice.

To enter:

Please visit Whimzeee Baby and then come back here and comment on what your favorite item is in their shop. Be sure to leave a valid email address if you don't have one attached to your blog account.

For one extra entry:

Follow our blog by clicking at the top right, on "Follow This Blog". Please leave a separate comment.

For another extra entry:

Tweet about this giveaway. Use @dwntownboutique when you tweet so we can verify. Please leave a separate comment.

For another extra entry:

Blog about this giveaway. Please leave a separate comment, along with the link to your blog post.

Deadline to enter is Thursday, January 22 at Midnight PST. Giveaway is open worldwide.

Have a great weekend!!!

Angie

Wordless Wednesday Featuring Julie Meyer

Tuesday's Treasures on Etsy

EtsyBuy Handmade P&L Creations

EtsyBuy Handmade Paul Dolanjski

EtsyBuy Handmade Warm and Soft Designs

EtsyBuy Handmade Sand & Sea Designs

xoxo Michele

Friday Feature No. 36 -- Featuring "Memories of Distinction"

Happy Friday! WHEW! I made it through the week! It's the first week of being back at work and back to school, and it's been a little tough to get back into the swing of things. I have things that I am really behind on, but I have purchased a day planner where I write down all that I need to do for each day. One day at a time. It sort of helps me keep on track. I know that I may not get everything on the list done, and that's ok. At least it helps me stay more focused!

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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Shellie has generously offered a $50 Gift Certificate for her memory-preserving services.

To enter: Please leave a comment about one of the following:

Why you think it's important to preserve your family history,

or

What you would want Shellie to help you with if you won,

or

What your favorite memory is from your family's history

Please make sure to leave a valid email address so that we can get ahold of you if you win.

For additional entries, please leave a separate comment for each of these things you do:

1. Tweet about this giveaway, using @dwntownboutique or @ChattyMamaBear.

2. Blog about this giveaway, and leave the link to your post.

3. Follow our blog by clicking on "Follow This Blog" at the top right.

Each item done will receive ONE additional entry. A maximum of four entries are available for each person.

This giveaway is open worldwide. Deadline to enter is Thursday, January 15th at Midnight PST.

Have a GREAT weekend!

Angie

Gumdrop Shop for Valentine's Day

Here's a cute custom boutique Valentine's Day outfit from Gumdrop Shop on eBay.

Wordless Wednesday Featuring misjinaz

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 Feature No. 35 -- Featuring Juicy Christians

The holidays are over, and I'm quite behind. I'm struggling, trying to catch up with things and getting back to business. Anyone feeling the same way?

I'd like to welcome the newest member of The Downtown Boutique...Michele of Sweet Irie Originals. Michele has gladly agreed to become a co-author, along with Sydnei of Simply Sentimental. I'm so grateful for these gals! If you want to co-author, please email me.

Today, we are featuring a shop that I recently found on Etsy, and I LOVE: Juicy Christians. Nathifa, of Juicy Christians, sells gorgeous pendants, earrings, necklaces, and more. They are some of the most unique pieces of jewelry I have seen. I think when I can, I am going to do some shopping for ME!

Let's get to knowNathifa a little better:

TDB: If you could only use one word to describe yourself, what would that word be?

Nathifa: The pressure to choose one! well...I would say..faithfull(with two Ls..becuase I have a lot of faith in my dreams, people, etc...see, I still couldn't just say it in one word!

TDB: What is your dream job?

Nathifa: My dream job is to sell my creations and make a fantastic living doing it!

TDB: What websites or blogs do you regularly frequent?

Nathifa: I LOVE visiting blogs! I have a few favorites! Those include sadie olive, pam garrison, anahata katin, insideablackapple, and theartnest. I will definitely be visiting The Downtown Boutique now that I've found it! Now, if I could just keep mine updated...

TDB: If you could learn a new skill, what would it be?

Nathifa: Does swimming count? I really want to learn how to swim...BUT, if that doesn't work, I would give my big left toe to learn how to play the violin!

TDB: What is something that people would be surprised to find out about you?

Nathifa: I have a serious fear of worms. :o/

TDB: What is your "vice"? (Chocolate? Coffee? Something else?)

Nathifa: I'm allergic to chocolate so I have to go with Golden Oreos or white chocolate macadamia cookies from Subway...

TDB: Who was your favorite childhood book character, and why?

Nathifa: There was this book I read when I was younger called Nobody (not quite sure about the title) and it had a red cover and the illustrations were stick people. It was about nobody. You know, when you're younger and your parents ask you who broke the lamp and you said nobody, well it was about nobody. I really loved that character! I can't find the book to this day though so if you know what Im talking about please let me know.

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Juicy Christians is giving away a $15 Shopping Spree to their shop.

To Enter: Visit Juicy Christians, and then come back here and let us know which item from Nathifa's shop is your favorite. Please make sure to leave a valid email address if you don't have one attached to your blog account.

Get a second entry: Tweet about this giveaway. Please use @ChattyMamaBear or @rioosodesigns when you tweet about it. Please leave a separate comment about the Tweet.

Get a third entry: Blog about this giveaway. Please leave a separate comment, with a link to your blog post.

Get a fourth entry: Follow The Downtown Boutique by clicking on "Follow This Blog" at the top right. This is only good for those who have Blogger.com blogs. Sorry. Please leave a separate comment to let me know you are now following us.

This giveaway is open worldwide. Deadline to enter is Thursday January 8th at Midnight PST.

Have a great weekend!

Angie