Sunshine: March 2011

Thursday, March 31, 2011

Handmade Friday Feature- LilithEvy

Today's featured shop is LilithEvy.

If you are look for cute paper beads, boxes, and die cuts,

than this is the shop to visit!

The Frosted Button:
How long have you been crafting?

LilithEvy:
As long as I can remember! I always loved to craft!

The Frosted Button:
What inspires you?

LilithEvy:
Nature, bright colors, abstact art, animals and, my favorite inspiration: my son :o)

The Frosted Button:
What is your favorite thing to make?

LilithEvy:
My favorite art to practice is photography... but just for fun, not for sale. I really love that. I always keep my camera with me. In my shop, I love make paper beads... even if it's long and dirty :o)

The Frosted Button:
What are some tips you want to share with other people who are interested in buying/selling handmade?

LilithEvy:
For who wants to sell, promote, promote, promote and keep smiling! For those who want to buy, go for it :o) You'll have something original and you'll encourage the artist, not the industrial company.

The Frosted Button:
Is there anything else you would like to share with my readers?

LilithEvy:
Make what you love and love what you do!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Thank you so much for sharing your shop with us!

LilithEvy has generously offered to let the winner of today's giveaway

pick their choice of any regular sized box!

To see all of the regular sized boxes, go HERE

{Mandatory First Entry}

Visit LilithEvy's Etsy shop and take a look around,

then come back here and tell me what your favorite item is

from the shop.

(1 entry)

{Extra Entries}

1. Heart LilithEvy on Etsy

(2 entries)

2. Add LilithEvy to your Etsy Circle

(1 entry)

3. Purchase any item from LilithEvy

(15 entries)

4. Follow this blog

(2 entries)

If you already follow, just let me know

5. Blog, Tweet, or Facebook about this giveaway

( 2 entries for each you do)

Make sure to leave the link!

6. Sign up for an ad space on my blog.

Details under the "Advertise" tab at the top of my page

( 15 entries)

If you sign up during this giveaway, you will receive 1 more week of

advertising for free!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Please do each comment separately

Also, leave a way for me to contact you if you should win.

Your Etsy username or e-mail is best.

This giveaway is open Worldwide!

Giveaway ends on Saturday, April 9 at 12 noon Central Time.
The winner will be selected using Random.org and will be
announced later that day.

Wednesday, March 30, 2011

Yummy Cake Recipe!

{via}

Last week our church held a Mother/Daughter Tea.

Because spring is just around the corner, I wanted to make something new and

fresh. I searched through my pile (a rather large pile I might add) of recipes

clipped out of newspapers and old Taste of Home magazines, and voila! I found the perfect recipe!

Enjoy!

~Lemon Lime Poppyseed Cake~

1 package (18 1/4 oz.) yellow cake mix

1 package (3.4 ounces) instant vanilla pudding mix

1/4 cup poppy seeds

4 eggs

1/2 cup water

1/2 cup canola oil

1/4 cup lemon juice

1/4 cup lime juice

GLAZE:

1-3/4 cups confectioners' sugar

2 tablespoons lemon juice

2 tablespoons lime juice

Directions

In a large bowl, combine the first eight ingredients. Beat on low speed for 30 seconds; beat on medium for 2 minutes. Pour into a greased and floured 10-in. fluted tube pan.

Bake at 350° for 40-45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack to cool completely.

In a small bowl, combine glaze ingredients until smooth; drizzle over cake. Yield: 12 servings.

~My variations~

I didn't have poppy seeds, so I didn't add them. They only add to the look, not the taste,

so if you omit them, that is okay.

I didn't do it this time, but I though a great substitute for the vanilla pudding would be

lemon pudding. Yum!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Because I rarely ever make bundt cake, I was more than nervous that it wouldn't come out of the pan!

But much to my delight ( and extreme relief), it came out perfectly!

But, if it hadn't come out well, I had plan B up my sleeve.

This would actually be really good, and you might even want to do this even if

your cake comes out fine.

Plan B was to chunk up the cake into bite size pieces and layer it

with lemon pudding, like a trifle. Yummy or what?!

I may just have to try that...... =)

Let me know if you ever try this recipe!

{Recipe Credit}

Monday, March 28, 2011

HUGE Giveaway + Randomness

Please spread the word, because once I reach 500 followers

I am going to have a ...

*Huge Giveaway!*

Yippee! I can't wait to post it!

There will be lots of amazing items from

all kinds of Etsy shops.

I am currently contacting shops, so if there is a shop you *love*,

let me know and I will drop them a note and see if they are interested!

You never know who will say "yes", so don't hesitate to

tell me about one, two, even three shops.

The more the merrier, I say. =)

Feel free to post about this on your blog, Facebook or Twitter.

The sooner I reach 500 followers, the sooner you will get

to enter the giveaways!

Now I'm off to hopefully get a few items listed on my Etsy shop.

It seems like forever since I have had a chance

to list anything new. Grrr. That is not good for business.

I'm also going to try to create some items tonight.

Anything in particular that you want me to make and list?

I'm always open to new ideas!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The current food I am wanting to try is macaroons.

The french kind, to be exact.

I've never had them- what do they taste like?

Are they crunchy? Please tell me, because

I'm a little bit afraid to try them.

Crazy, I know, but I am not a huge *new* food person.

I like my tried and true favorites the best. =)

But these do look awfully tasty......

Yum.

Saturday, March 26, 2011

And The Winner is.......

The winner of the gift set from BelleTerra's Etsy shop is......

Masha!

Congratulations! I have sent your e-mail to BelleTerre

and she will contact you about your prize.

Thanks for entering, everyone!

Don't forget to enter this week's giveaway HERE!

Thursday, March 24, 2011

Handmade Friday Feature- LaurenBlytheDesigns

Today's featured shop is LaurenBlytheDesigns.

This shop offers a lovely selection of vintage inspired

jewelry. I also think some of the jewelry
has a pretty, feminine or Victorian feel to it.

The Frosted Button:
What prompted you to sell handmade?

LaurenBlytheDesigns:
I started designing jewelry over 8 years ago and started out designing bridal tiaras and jewelry. I had an online bridal jewelry shop that was fairly successful and was on the Knot and other bridal websites. After I had my son I took some time off and decided I wanted to do something different. I wanted to create jewelry I could wear and that my friends could wear too. I always have had a love for vintage jewelry and clothing as well as history and so creating jewelry with a vintage flair made sense. I opened my shop on Etsy about 18 mos ago.

The Frosted Button:
What is you favorite item to make?

LaurenBlytheDesigns:
Necklaces are my favorite and that is why I have more of those than other designs. I think with necklaces I can be so much more creative. I love to layer and add several vintage pieces or vintage style pieces. Different metals, beads and chains add to the beauty of the design.

The Frosted Button:
What inspires your designs?

LaurenBlytheDesigns:

Often things I see in stores or in magazines will inspire me. I sometimes see something I love and will create something with that same feeling. Music also inspires me. I have to have music on when I work and often a song will set the mood or tone. I often name some items after songs.

The Frosted Button:
What is some advice you can give to others who may be selling handmade or own a small business?

LaurenBlytheDesgins:
If you are selling handmade on Etsy you have to market yourself. If you set up a shop and have wonderful photos but you don't market your items no one will find you. Renewing your items and adding new items so you show up in search near the top is very important. Tagging your items with the appropriate colors and themes pertinent to Etsy is also important. If you can get on a treasury team that's really helpful too and if not make treasuries as then you can be featured in them as well! It's a lot of work but worth the effort!

The Frosted Button:
Is there anything else you would like to share?

LaurenBlytheDesgins:

I love your blog and thank you for including me as a featured artist; it's an honor! I hope whoever wins the contest for my piece of jewelry enjoys it! I believe all my designs, especially those with vintage pieces, have a story to tell and the woman that wears it will keep that story alive.

You have a very lovely shop, Lauren! Thank you so much for sharing it with us!

~Links~

Shop: laurenblythedesigns

Blog: laurenblythedesigns blog

Twitter: @laurenbdesigns

Facebook: laurenblythedesigns

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

For today's giveaway,

Lauren has kindly offered to give one of my readers this lovely book necklace!
For details on sizing and such, see this listing

Isn't is cute? I wish I could enter!

{Mandatory First Entry}

Visit LaurenBlytheDesigns and take a look around,

then come back here and tell me what your favorite item is

from the shop.

(1 entry)

{Extra Entries}

1. Heart laurenblythedesigns
(2 entries)

2. Add laurenblythedesigns to your Etsy Circle
(1 entry)

3. Fan laurenblythedesigns Facebook or Twitter page (links above)
( 2 entries for each you do)

4. Follow laurenblythedesigns's blog (link above)
(2 entries)

5. Follow this blog
(2 entries)
If you already follow, let me know

6. Blog, Tweet, or Facebook about this giveaway
( 2 entries for each you do)

7. Purchase any item from laurenblythedesigns
( 15 entries)
Let me know what you purchased!

8. Sign up for an ad spot on this blog
( 15 entries)
If you sign up for an ad spot during the week of this giveaway,
you will receive an extra week for free!
Just visit the "Advertise" tab at the top of this blog

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Please do each comment separately!

Please leave your e-mail or Etsy username with your comment.
If you would prefer to not have your e-mail published, just leave a separate comment
with your e-mail and ask me to not publish it.

This giveaway is only open to U.S. and Canada residents

Giveaway ends on April 1 at noon Central Time,
and a winner will be picked later that day using Random.org

Have fun!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Do you have a shop that you love and would like to see it
featured on this blog?
Just let me know! I am always looking for new and interested shops
to feature.

Saturday, March 19, 2011

Helping Japan

Friday, March 11, 2011, will be a day many of us will

never forget. And the people of Japan will certainly never

forget the day that a massive earthquake and tsunami

came suddenly, changing life as they knew it.

Please, please be in prayer for this nation as they

not only struggle to put their towns and lives back together,

but as they also deal with the nuclear crisis.

Below I have complied links to shops and specific listings

that are donating all, or some, of

their profits to fund relief efforts in Japan.

If you know of a shop that is doing this, and it is not

included in my list, please let me know so I can include

them in the list.

Thank you!

{Shops}

CedarRidgeTrading

GreenOptimist

ElephantDancing (some prints)

Ritual Bath (certaint items)

PapalShop
(15% all items in shop, 100% on "I Heart Japan buttons)

Xangetsu

ChibiandCharming

Mayene
(50% on kawaii items)

BananaNutHead
(100% of all sales)

chocolatepopsicle

MYCinta (some items)

Precioussadies

NewFashionedWhispers- $5 of every purchase donated

{Listings}

The below items are donating a large percentage, if not all,
of the profits made on the items for relief efforts in Japan.

Imagine, Hope, Believe Necklace

Photography Print- Butterfly

Heart for Japan- Paper Hearts

Japan Relief Bracelet

Earrings

Personalized Notecards

Hairbow

Love Bunnies

Japan Flag Phone Charm

You can also search the words "Japan" ,and "Japan relief" in the Etsy search
box to find more shops donating to Japan.

OurDailyChocolate Winner!

The winner of the pair of earrings or fabric peony from Our DailyChocolate's Etsy shop is.....

The Knapps!!!

Congratulations! I have given your name to the owner of Our Daily Chocolate and

she will contact you about what item you would like.

Thanks so much for entering, everyone! It was another successful giveaway (176 entries!)

Thursday, March 17, 2011

Handmade Friday Feature- Belle Terre

Today's featured shop is Belle Terre.

This shop offers all-natural products including soap,

lip balm, hair care, gift sets, and more!

The Frosted Button:
How long have you been selling handmade?

Belle Terre:
BelleTerre was born in April of 2010; however, we started focusing on Etsy in October of 2010. Prior to that, we were selling at our local farmers market. As with most of the Etsy community, we bought and supported handmade for many years before we began producing ourselves.

The Frosted Button:
What is your favorite product to make?

BelleTerre:
We have a new item that is just heavenly to make! It is the gourmet rose bath salts. It includes dried organic red rose petals which we chop ourselves. The kitchen smells amazing the whole time we are making it!

The Frosted Button:
What is your favorite thing about selling handmade?

Belle Terre:
We create items that we enjoy and put them out there in hopes that others will enjoy them as well. As I'm sure other handmade seller will agree, it can be pretty vunurable posistion to be in.
Our absolute favorite thing? Interacting with customers, especially when they tell us they love our products as much as we do!

The Frosted Button:
What are your best sellers?

Belle Terre:
Our best selling soap by far is our Lemongrass Shea. It has a fresh, clean scent and the shea butter is fantastic for your skin. Most people also enjoy our vanilla lip balm. It contains a few simple ingredients like beeswax, coconute oil, honey, and vanilla flavor, all organic.The scent is reminiscent of bees and summertime.

The Frosted Button:
What is some advice you can give to others who are selling handmade?

Belle Terre:
I think for handmade overall, you have to love and believe in what you sell. Customers can tell.
Specifically for Etsy, good pictures and good customer service are essential.Those are your only interactions with you customer base, so you have to make it count.

{Links}

~Website

~Facebook

~Blog

~Shop

Thank you so much for sharing your shop with us!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Today's giveaway is for a a lovely little gift set from Belle Terre!

The winner will receive a lip balm and soap of their choice.

To check out the scents available, take a look at THIS listing.

Here's how to enter:

{Mandatory First Entry}

Head on over to Belle Terre and take a look around,

then come back here and tell me what your favorite item is

from the shop.

(1 entry)

{Extra Entries}

1. Heart Belle Terre's Etsy shop
(2 entries)

2. Add Belle Terre to your Etsy Circle

(1 entry)

3. Follow Belle Terre's blog (link above)
(2 entries)

4. Become a fan of Belle Terre on Facebook

(link above)

(2 entries)

5. Blog, Tweet, or Facebook about this giveaway

(2 entries for each you do)

6. Follow this blog

( if you already follow, let me know)

(2 entries)

7. Purchase any item from Belle Terre

(15 entries)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Please do each comment separately.

Also, leave a way for me to contact you if you should win.

Your e-mail or Etsy shop username would be great.

If you would prefer to not have your e-mail published, just

leave a separate comment letting me know.

This giveaway is open WORLDWIDE!

This giveaway will end on Saturday, March 26 at noon Central Time.

The winner will be announced later that day.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Special Note:

From now until March 22nd, Belle Terre will be donating $1 for every item purchased

to the Red Cross to help with relief efforts in Japan.

This would be a great time to not only get a nice little gift for a friend,

but also to help out the people who are suffering in Japan.

Thank you!

Wednesday, March 16, 2011

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Enjoy a bit of green this St. Patrick's Day!

Peridot Sterling Silver Verdant Necklace

Lime Green Marshmallow Fluff Scarf

Chocolate Mint Cake Truffles

Kiss Me Peridot Green Quartz Wrapped

One Dozen Ulta Mint Whoopie Pies- On Sale

Coconute Lime Epic Lip Balm with Honey

If an item here catches your eye, make sure to visit the shop!

Also, if you like something, let me know and I will think about

contacting that seller about a shop feature and giveaway!

Thursday, March 10, 2011

Handmade Friday Feature- OurDailyChocolate

Today's featured shop is OurDailyChocolate

In this shop you will find fun and unique flower bud earrings,

rolled flower earrings, fabric peonies, and more!

The Frosted Button:

How long have you been crafting?

OurDailyChocolate:

I've been crafting my whole life!
But only within the past year have I started to sell what I create.

The Frosted Button:

What is your favorite thing to make?

OurDailyChocolate:

Anything people love! I enjoy knowing my items make people happy. And who doesn't like being happy!? My favorite mediums to work with are paper, spray paint, and most recently, fabric.

The Frosted Button:

What are some helpful tips you can share with other shop owners?

OurDailyChocolate:

Customer Service! It's the most important thing to have great customer especially when you are a small company. Be relational. Customers like to know the person and product.

{Links}

Etsy shop: OurDailyChocolate

Blog: OurDailyChocolate Blog

You can also check out her Facebook and Twitter pages
under the same name.

Now for the giveaway!
The winner of this week's giveaway will get to pick their
choice of a fabric peony or a pair of earrings.

Here's how to enter:

{Mandatory First Entry}
Visit OurDailyChocolate and take a look around, then
come back here and tell me what your favorite item is in the shop.

(1 entry)

{Extra Entries}

1. Heart OurDailyChocolate
(2 entries)

2. Add OurDailyChocolate to your Etsy Circle
(1 entry)

3. Follow this blog
(3 entries)
If you already follow, jsut let me know.

4. Follow OurDailyChocolate's blog
(3 entries)

5. Become a friend/fan OurDailyChocolate's
Facebook or Twitter page
( 2 entries for each you do)

6. Purchase any item from OurDailyChocolate
(15 entries)

7. Tell me what you would like to have given away in the future,
or nominate a shop for a feature
(1 entry)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Please do each comment separately, and leave a way for
me to contact you if you win.
Your Etsy username or e-mail works great.
If you would prefer not to have your e-mailed published,
just leave a separate comment letting me know.

This giveaway is only open to U.S. readers.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

This giveaway will end on March 19th at 12 noon Central Time.
The winner will picked at random using Random.org later that day.

Have fun!