While She Dreams...

happy christmas and new year!

2011-12-20T16:15:00.000-08:00

Just a little announcement that the shops will be closed for the holidays from December 21 to January 2. Wishing you all a warm and fuzzy holiday season with your loved ones! Don't forget to slow down and enjoy, and see you in the new year!

holiday 2011

2011-11-29T11:46:00.000-08:00

It's gift giving time again! Buy handmade this year and give the special people in your life something lovingly made just for them! (Aw, aren't you a sweetie-pie!)

And this year, my gift to you is a FREE PAIR OF STERLING SILVER AND LABRADORITE EARRINGS with your purchase of $50 or more (before shipping)!

Want your order in time for Christmas? Order by these dates...

2011 HOLIDAY SUGGESTED ORDER BY DATES:

USA - December 5
CANADA - December 9
LOCAL DELIVERY (Lower Mainland, BC) - December 12
Everywhere Else - November 30

Hope everyone has a lovely holiday season full of love and handmade goodies and (mmm...) peppermint hot chocolate!

SHOP NOW at len&len on Etsy!
SHOP NOW at len&len on Big Cartel!

black friday to cyber monday sale!

2011-11-25T09:54:00.000-08:00

HAPPY THANKSGIVING EVERYONE!! Please enjoy the Black Friday to Cyber Monday sale at the shops! Get 15% off your entire purchase (before shipping) from Friday, November 25 to Monday, November 28. Enter code "BLACKFRIDAY2011" during check-out to receive your discount!

SHOP NOW at len&len on Etsy!
SHOP NOW at len&len on Big Cartel!

how to wear... inside out earrings in brass

2011-04-20T13:54:00.000-07:00

Spring Collar Shift Dress by Thimble and Acorn
Inside Out Earrings in brass by len&len
Eco-chic Mary Janes by The Generation
Leather Tote Bag by Asaborake

Ah yes,spring is here! Time to lighten the load of winter off our shoulders and simplify our daily wear to sweet spring styles! Accentuate the bold simplicity of len&len’s Inside Out Earrings in brass with this pretty floral collar dress, lovely linen and hemp flats, and hand-stitched black and caramel leather tote. (And as an added bonus, purchase anything at Asaborake’s Etsy shop by April 30th, and 20% of sales will be donated to the Red Cross for Japan Earthquake Relief!)

i ♥ ny

2011-04-14T18:01:00.000-07:00

{view from the Top of the Rock, NYC}

{pastrami sandwich from Kat's Deli}

Hey guys! I apologize for the quietness on my side – life’s been a bit crazy with the hubbie completely immersed in engineering exam mode. And as the title of this post implies, I was away on a short vacay to New York City for a bit of yummy deli gluttony! Ah, NYC, what a inspiration! I hadn’t been since I was 8 years old, and back then all I wanted to do was eat a giant soft pretzel on a busy street. I guess this time around wasn’t much different – all I wanted to do was eat a giant pastrami sandwich! That’s me in the second photo having my dream come true at Kat’s Deli (you know, that’s where Harry’s Sally had her legendary fake orgasm – yah, I had what she had)! I felt a bit strange getting there at 8am on a Sunday morning and finding a completely empty restaurant, but I had to squeeze that sandwich in my itinerary before leaving on my plane just a few hours later! And that nasty tummy ache afterwards was well worth it…yum!

owl love

2011-01-28T23:00:00.000-08:00

owl lover 2011 calendar by My Owl Barn

So I came across this super cool free download for a customizable owl art calendar over at My Owl Barn and nearly fainted! I mean, how cool is this?! You get to choose 12 owl images (one for each month) from 30 beautiful designs to make your very own 2011 calendar! The only bad side is having to pick which owls you love the most! And for someone like me, (infamous for having once spent over 15 minutes deciding what to buy from a snack vending machine) this is not good. No, not good at all...

CLICK HERE to design your very own owl lover calendar to print and ogle at for the rest of the year!

i wish... tweet tweet

2011-01-22T23:39:00.000-08:00

{clockwise from top left}

Two Birds with Hats by pipodoll
Love in Red by Valentina Ramos
Lovebirds by inaluxe
Love Birds in Orange Hats by Creative Thursday

Just made a treasury for all you LOVE BIRDIES out there featuring original "love bird" art on Etsy! These are just a few of my faves from my treasury - CLICK HERE to see the complete collection...

sleep on it

2011-01-13T12:20:00.001-08:00

iron-on pillowcase transfers tutorial from Creature Comforts

I was looking for a quick and easy DIY Valentine’s day project for my honey, and I found this super cute tutorial and free download for iron-on pillowcase transfers on one of my fave blogs, Creature Comforts. Surprise your special someone with these sweet pillowcases decorating your bed on Valentine’s night, and maybe you’ll get a lil’ surprise from them too - oh my! Click here to see the tutorial…

give love

2011-01-13T11:37:00.000-08:00

Ah, l'amore! Valentine's Day is fast approaching! And what better to give your sweetheart than a little bit of bling handmade with love???

Here are my suggested order dates for estimated delivery by Valentine's Day...

MADE TO ORDER designs:
• Canada - January 20
• USA - January 14
• Everywhere Else - January 10

READY TO SHIP designs:
• Canada - January 31
• USA - January 25
• Everywhere Else - January 19

And if you miss the made to order deadlines, no worries folks - I'm planning to list a few ready to ship designs at my etsy shop next week!

XOXO from me to you...

twentyeleven

2011-01-03T14:39:00.000-08:00

Happy new year everyone!

2010 was such an amazing year for me! I launched my new shop, len&len, got featured in some of my fave blogs, learned how to spin yarn (sort of), and of course, was honored to be a front page Etsy Featured Seller! It's going to be a hard year to top, but I really hope 2011 has more happy surprises in store!

I've got a few plans for the shop this year - I worked on some new metal designs over the holidays that I plan to reveal very soon, and I also started working on a couple of new lines using different materials - I'm so excited about getting these new lines launched!

And I'm still working on last year's resolution of being content with my real self... it's probably going to take the rest of my life to really get that one down! What's your resolutions for this year???

double the exposure

2010-12-15T00:33:00.000-08:00

I was so lucky to get double the exposure during my Etsy featured seller interview when my Thick Ripple Cuff Bracelet in Sterling Silver was also featured on the front page simultaneously!

Here's the breathtaking all white treasury that made it to the front page...

who's that girl on the front page?

2010-11-22T08:45:00.000-08:00

Who's that crazy looking girl on the front page of Etsy today? Why, it's ME! YEEHAW!! (*Hi Mom!*) I am so freaking fantabulously thrilled to be Etsy's Featured Seller! Read the interview here...

a dream come true

2010-11-21T00:22:00.000-08:00

So... I've been ranting and raving about having some BIG news to announce this coming Monday. Well, I thought I'd let y'all in on the secret a little early!

No, I'm not pregnant with my second child. And no, I didn't win the lottery.

My big news is...
I am officially Etsy's next "Featured Seller"!

WHOOOHOOOO! FRONT PAGE BABY!!!! I can't believe it - I'm going to be featured on Etsy's front page starting on Monday with my very own spotlight interview!

When I got an email from the folks over at Etsy back in September saying that I'd been handpicked to be a featured seller, I couldn't believe what I was reading! I've always read their front page interviews and never even dreamed that they would ever pick me from amongst over 264,500 sellers! I guess I did win a lottery... :)

Gosh, I am so nervous! This whole experience has been so surreal already, and it hasn't actually started yet!

Please stay tuned for the link to my interview on Monday! But till then, here's a sneak peak of my studio picture for the interview...

inside out

2010-11-16T00:35:00.000-08:00

Inside Out Disk Earrings in Sterling Silver by len&len

I'm turning inside-out as I impatiently wait for the unveiling of my big announcement next Monday! Speaking of which, Inside Out Disk Earrings are now available in sterling silver! Oh, and don't forget the Holiday Gift Special - get a FREE SURPRISE GIFT with every $50 purchase (before shipping)! So, yes-siree, that's right - you'll get a free gift when you order a pair of these babies! Order yours here or here...

that time of year again

2010-11-09T00:36:00.000-08:00

Well, I don't know how we got here so fast, but it's that time of year again! As I said before, I know it always seems a little too early to be talking about the holidays before Black Friday, but when it comes to buying gifts online (might I add, from the comfort of your home in your warm flannel pajamas), it's never too early to get it all done! And besides, as long as I don't bring up the subject before Costco takes out their Christmas gift baskets, I dare say, I ain't jumping the gun...

So here we go - this year, my holiday gift to you...

Get a FREE SURPRISE GIFT with every $50 purchase (before shipping)!

Oh, and there's no limit to the number of free surprise gifts, so order as much as you like! The more you order, the more free gifts you'll get!

Spend $100 and get 2 FREE GIFTS
Spend $150 and get 3 FREE GIFTS
And so on and so forth…

Curious about the surprise gifts? Well, don't worry, I promise they'll definitely delight - lovely enough to give to that special person on your nice list... or maybe keep as a special present to yourself!

And don't forget, all len&len designs come lovingly gift packaged and ready to give to your special loved ones! That's one less little chore to do before Christmas - phew!

CLICK HERE to SHOP NOW!

That's it for now... wishing you all a very happy HANDMADE holiday season!

P.S. My big announcement is coming up in the next 2 weeks! I'm so excited!!

officially stalked

2010-10-18T19:17:00.000-07:00

Circle Initial Pod Necklaces in Sterling Silver by len&len

I'm so honored to be officially "STALKED" by the amazing folks over at Etsy Stalker with my very own Solo Exhibit!! Read the interview here, plus leave a comment to enter the contest to win a custom Initial Pod Necklace!

UPDATE: Congratulations to Jo Rossi from Portland, Oregon for winning the giveaway!

i wish... vintage pumpkin thanksgiving

2010-10-09T23:20:00.000-07:00

plastic trays from time valley
fondue pot from ByHeart
cappuccino mugs from Bluebell
Pyrex bowls from Strictly Vintage

A few ways to serve up Thanksgiving dinner... vintage style in bright pumpkin! Happy (Canadian) Thanksgiving everyone!

harvest moon crazy

2010-09-20T23:10:00.000-07:00

Harvest Moon Necklace and Earrings in Brass by len&len

Have you ever felt like the stars have all aligned for you? For me, it's an extremely rare occurrence. But for some strange reason, 3 crazy lucky things have just happened in the last week that makes me definitely believe the stars have all aligned just for me!

First of all, I can hardly believe it, but my Harvest Moon Brass designs are currently featured in FOUR Etsy treasuries simultaneously! Check them out here, here, here, and here! (And that last one was just created as I was typing up this post - SO CRAZY!)

Secondly, I was asked to be a featured seller on one of my fave blogs! I'm keeping this on the down-low until the details are all finalized, but stay tuned to find out which blog! Here's a hint - it's one of the blogs listed on the left under "blogs I heart". Oh, and there's going to be an awesome giveaway with the feature, so you don't want to miss it!

And thirdly, just before typing this (much to my downstairs neighbors' dismay), I was jumping up and down in my pj's because of some incredible news just emailed to me! I am so gawsh darn tootin' pee-in-your-pants excited about this news! It's just so freakin' CRAZY!!!! Unfortunately, I've been informed that this news has to be kept "hush-hush" until November, so I have to somehow keep this a secret until then! But please stay tuned to find out about my super fantastic news - it's scream out-loud on the top of every mountain AMAZING!

In the meantime, don't forget to witness one of life's most beautiful marvels - this year's full harvest moon, popping up in the skies on September 23 at 5:17AM PST! Hope you'll be watching with me... :)

i'm crushing on made by hank

2010-09-15T18:56:00.001-07:00

One day, I'm gonna get me one of these darn tootin' cute handbags by made by hank. She sells out of these babies so freaking quickly!

summer vacay

2010-06-16T13:05:00.000-07:00

Hey guys...

I'm taking a lil' break from the handmade world and closing up the shops for summer vacay! Actually the shops will be open for perusing and purchasing, but there will be a delay in shipping until June 30th. But to make up for the wait, order from my etsy shop, and get a FREE SURPRISE GIFT with your order until June 30th. Or if you prefer a discount, order from my big cartel shop, and use discount code "SUMMER10" to get 10% your entire order until June 30th!

Thanks so much for your patience during this time, and hope y'all are enjoying your summer too!

i wish... avocado baby

2010-06-02T14:31:00.000-07:00

1. chocolate dipped baby shoes in green by She Knits by Amy

2. arthur avocado woodland bear plush by sleepy king
3. reversible linen bird bag by RobinsEggBlue
4. linen ring sling baby carrier by Li'l Peeper Keepers

This is a little late for Mother's Day, but in honor of all you great new mommies out there, here's a few super duper cute handmade baby goodies in avocado green - the perfect neutral shade for those who don't quite know yet if it's going to be a girl or a boy... happy belated Mother's Day everyone!

making it lovely

2010-05-15T00:17:00.000-07:00

Some old, but REALLY REALLY COOL PRESS! Nicole from Pink Loves Brown featured my Modern Stackable Cuff Bracelets in Brass back in November 2009 on her blog, "Making it Lovely," as part of her monthly style series!

how to wear... modern stackable cuffs in sterling silver

2010-04-29T13:26:00.000-07:00

Zinfadel Clutch by eclu

Modern Stackable Cuffs in sterling silver by len&len
Ribbon Mary Jane Bridal Flats by HydraHeart
Lace Tunic by Lirola

len&len's Modern Stackable Cuffs in sterling silver are so dainty and feminine when paired with these "pretty in pink" handmade etsy picks!

emily's picks... i do, i do, i do

2010-04-15T19:09:00.000-07:00

Hello blog reading masses … it’s been a while. But life has a tendency to get busy, and sometimes when my life gets busy, I have a hard time of coming up with ideas for blogs. But, nevertheless, I’m back from an extended absence and actually here on Anna’s blog!

So, I’ve got weddings on the brain. Not because I am getting married mind you, but because I have so many people around me getting married. I just returned from Austin, Texas at the end of March from being a bridesmaid for the wedding of two of my closest friends, and I’m in the midst of being a supportive maid of honor for two more ladies, who thankfully are waiting until summer/fall 2011 to tie the knot. All of the decisions and discussions are surrounding me. And I cannot help but get all girly and daydream about my wedding, should I ever decide that a wedding is what’s right for me. Thus, the following Emily’s Picks blog is all about MY wedding.

And in honor of transition, thanks to the launch of len&len, this blogs picks will be a cross section of etsy & bigcartel :D

Pick number one …

Custom Wooden Star House Tree by Star House

All things considered, I think the reason why I’d want to get married, is to have a chance to have a party with delicious food. And what’s the most delicious part of any wedding, unless there’s some horrible terrible occurrence where it is dry and flavorless (which might have been my cousin’s wedding, just saying) ... the cake! Call me old fashioned, but I love a cool cake topper. Call me ultra hip and modern, but I am so not a big fan of the traditional bride and groom up top. But this little pick from Star House is totally adorable.

I love owls, and I love trees, and while my dear forester father would have angrily yelled at me for hours if I had suggested it in his presence, I love the idea of proclaiming one's love for another by carving initials in a tree. Granted it’s not good for the tree, but that’s besides the point. Star House has some truly unique (but still traditional if that’s your thing) cake toppers. I also like the little birdies.

Up next, we’ll switch to bigcartel – and Bumbleberry’s wedding invitations. My favorite are these simple and sweet invitations that are just the kind of simple and sweet girl I am …

Wildflower Wedding Invitations by Bumbleberry

I love that they’re printed on recycled paper, and I love that they’re not too ornate. I hate the invitations that you have to pay three times the postage because of the size and bulk of the them. Weddings are expensive enough without those hidden added expenses. Plus Bumbleberry’s shop has lots of designs. Some of them more ornate, but none of them over the top. I also have a soft spot for the Elise design as well. The one drawback for Bumbleberry … they’re located in Australia :(

Okay, back to etsy, for what might be my new favorite wedding idea EVER thanks to Kat’s Krafts. Dear readers, I give you the program cootie catcher –

Cootie Catcher Origami Wedding Programs by Kat’s Krafts

I’m absolutely in love with this idea. Please buy from Kat’s Krafts so that she’s still in business when I decide that it’s my time to walk down the aisle, I’m begging you!! I’m sure I’m not the lone girl out there with many many memories of making cootie catchers as a kid (and maybe I made some as an adult as well), and these just bring back a flood of memories. What a great way to personalize and make your wedding unique from all the rest. Plus it’ll keep your guests entertained while they’re waiting for your grand entrance, or for you to get done taking all of those pictures.

Ok – back to bigcartel – So what’s left, I’ve got the cake topper, the invitations, and the programs … maybe a tiara. No, probably not a tiara, I’m just not princessy enough, but a headband, I can totally rock a headband. Like maybe the Edith from VieModerne …

Edith Peacock Feather Medallion Headband by VieModerne

I like that it’s different, and I like that it’d make me wear my hair down, which I mostly prefer. And I like that it’s peacock feathers, which for some reason always have fascinated me with their unique beauty. (case in point - one of my previous picks of Halloween masks). VieModerne also has a wide selection of other peacock hair accessories which I also very much adore. Definitely a shop worth checking out!

And for my final selection, back to etsy. I think for this wedding of mine, I need something blue. I know, how about this divine locket from MStevensonDesigns?

Filigree Resin Brass Oval Locket by MStevensonDesigns

Why do I love this locket … aside from the fact that it’s gorgeous?? Well, it’s blue, and like peacocks, lockets have also fascinated me for years and years. I’ve always wanted a locket, and a wedding seems like a good enough reason to get one, well a theoretical wedding that is. I love the idea of a simple plain wedding dress with a big beautiful necklace to really draw the eye. And this locket will do just the trick. MStevensonDesigns has a wide variety of beautiful simple but ornate designs that just look expensive and impeccable. I think next paycheck, I might have to go shopping, wedding or not.

So there you go, a blog post of Emily’s picks. And now that I’ve got some of my wedding planned, I should probably work on finding myself a groom ;)

As a side note, I’d also like to take the time to wish congratulations to my favorite Texans, Jonathan and Ashley on their wonderful wedding last month. And congratulations to Wayne & Darlene and Kurt & Nicole for their upcoming weddings in 2011.

And don’t forget to check out the new shop – len&len at bigcartel. You won’t be disappointed, you have my personal guarantee!

new shop just launched

2010-03-23T16:51:00.000-07:00

So, with spring fever in the air, I've been having this aching sudden desire to decompress, reorganize, and simplify my life. The result? I've decided to combine all of my separate handmade ventures into one brand!

I'm a little nervous about this idea, as I know from past experience, shoppers, in particular Etsy shoppers, tend to prefer browsing through shops with related items. And being that I have a wide array of handmade products, this could be a little disconcerting. But alas, I've been struggling with maintaining three separate identities for each of my crafty ventures, and quite frankly, I REALLY need to make my life easier! So here it is, my brand new SINGULAR identity - len&len.

You can check out my brand new shop here... lenandlen.com on big cartel.

Why big cartel? Well, if you check out my new shop, you'll see that I get to have a bit more license on the design and layout of the site. Plus, I get to join a fresh new community of awesome artists. And my favorite reason, big cartel allows discount codes during the check-out process! Nice, huh? So, in light of that, here's my first discount code...

Until April 30, enjoy 15% off your entire purchase at my new shop with discount code "OPENING15".

Oh, and don't worry, I'm not abandoning Etsy. I'll be slowly moving all my products from KUKUkachoo, apartment49, and Tweet Treat to my brand new Etsy shop, lenandlen.etsy.com. And my first 5 customers there GET A FREE GIFT with their order!

If you're wondering where I came up with the name, as my closest friends and family already know, "Len-Len" is my alter ego and childhood nickname, so lovingly given to me by my horse racing loving father. Apparently, one day long ago when I was a baby, my dad jokingly decided to call me by whichever racing horse won that day. A horse named "Jok-Jok" won. My mom hated it. So my dad started to call me "Len-Len," the horse that won second place, instead. I personally don't think that this story is actually true. But it's funny and ironic, as I always tend to fall second place in many aspects of my life. And hey, there's nothing wrong with second place, right?

I apologize to my modest fan base for being such a fickle monkey! Y'all are awesome for following me around from identity to identity. And with len&len, I will truly attempt to stick with this brand. Besides, I can't really get tired of it - it's my name.

Oh and why len "AND" len? Well, that's my little joke on the multiple personalities disorder that I clearly suffer from.

back to reality

2010-03-01T09:54:00.001-08:00

Hey guys! I'm back from my holiday break, all chipper and re-energized with a little extra vitamin d coursing through my veins from the tropical sun! Ah, what an awesome vacay! It's a little sad coming back to my usual gray Vancouver, but man am I ever proud of our Canadian athletes and their amazing performance at the Winter Olympics! GO CANADA GO!! Anyways, I’m working on some fresh new designs for spring, so keep an eye out for new stuff coming soon!

just listed

2010-01-25T12:46:00.000-08:00

asymmetrical cuff in sterling silver by apartment49

My asymmetrical cuff is finally available in sterling silver! Get yours here...

craft hope for haiti

2010-01-19T02:31:00.000-08:00

If you're looking for a way to help support Haiti, the folks over at Craft Hope are hosting an Etsy shop of lovingly donated handmade goodies with 100% of the proceeds going towards Doctors Without Borders for Haiti. You can donate by purchasing an item from the Craft Hope for Haiti shop, or if you craft, you can help by donating one of your handmade items to the shop.

It's a definite win, win situation... You support a worthy cause by donating to Doctors Without Borders ...AND you get to receive a lovely handmade goodie in the mail!

Heck, I couldn't resist! I just bought this super cute quilted pillowcase donated by incolororder.blogspot.com...

And I just donated a pair of my Open Squares Bayong Wood Sterling Silver Earrings from my apartment49 shop... (click here for the listing)

For more information on donating, check out Craft Hope's blog. Click here to shop at the Craft Hope for Haiti Etsy shop.

i wish... the not so blah grays

2010-01-11T23:53:00.000-08:00

1. claire hand knitted cardigan by Oveja Negra
2. spangle sequins hair barrette by Mrs. Bow the Mommy
3. mum clutch by yorktown road
4. rosebud belt by heart of light

I absolutely adore the color gray. To me, it most definitely is anything but blah, especially since it goes with everything!

twentyten

2010-01-07T15:38:00.001-08:00

Ah… another year! It’s always so nice to start fresh and begin a new era of goals and plans and wishes!

I’ve got so much planned for this year…
expanded lines of new creations at my Etsy shops…
fulfilling a few dreams that I’ve had since I was a little girl, like learning how to hand spin my own yarn…
and the goal of learning to be my real self and being content with who that person is.

I think that last one is a big toughie that will most likely take the rest of my life to figure out. Although spinning yarn is pretty hard to do too - I've already thrown my drop spindle across the living room a few times!

“Perseverance with balance” is my new motto. “Balance” meaning if it just gets to be a little too much on my plate, I promised myself that I would practice the all too important skill of learning to let go.

So I wish you all, whoever you are out there actually reading this (please feel free to comment and say hello – I feel so all alone in blog land!) a safe, healthy, and bursting year of whatever it is you dream for…

just a few more sleeps

2009-12-23T02:05:00.000-08:00

Just a few more sleeps ‘til Christmas, and my Etsy shops have closed their virtual doors for an eensy weensy teensy little while as I thoroughly enjoy the holidays with my family...

Yes, I'm finally getting around to doing those little things that make this time of year so wonderful - made some really cute clay ornaments with my daughter, perused my old recipe books for a yummy cake recipe (happy birthday dad!), hand stitched names on our stockings... oh how I love Christmas!

No fears though, I’ve left apartment49 and Tweet Treat up and running for browsing and shopping for what us cold toesie Canadians call Boxing Week (or as what I like to call the “get what I really wanted for Christmas” week)! There’s just a slight delay in shipping from now until January 4, when I return from my little holiday vacay. And so, to make up for the wait, I thought I’d offer some really awesome shipping promos!

At apartment49, enjoy FREE SHIPPING to the United States and Canada and only $2 Flat Rate shipping to everywhere else!

At Tweet Treat, enjoy LOWER FLAT RATE SHIPPPING in the entire shop!

All Cowls & Scarves - ONLY $5.00 FLAT RATE SHIPPING WORLDWIDE!
All Hats - ONLY $3.00 FLAT RATE SHIPPING WORLDWIDE!
All Hair Pretties - FREE SHIPPING WORLDWIDE!

Okay, so sneak down to the Christmas tree, carefully peel the tape from your gifts, and take a tiny little peek at your presents… What?!? Not the gorgeous asymmetrical cuff from apartment49 or the chunky industrial cowl from Tweet Treat that you really wanted? Alright then, time to take matters into your hands, get on your computer, and go get what you really wanted for Christmas!

Happy holidays everyone, and wishing you all a truly lovely, warm and fuzzy time of year!

etsy holiday sale at apartment49

2009-11-22T22:47:00.000-08:00

Thick Glimmer Cuff by apartment49

I thought I should kick off the holiday shopping season with an added bonus! In celebration of Black Friday and Cyber Monday, every item at apartment49 is 10% OFF until November 30!

PLUS...

Don't forget my HOLIDAY GIFT SPECIAL also at apartment49!

My little holiday gift to you…
Get a FREE SURPRISE GIFT with every $30 purchase*!

No limit to the number of free surprise gifts!
Spend $60 and get 2 FREE GIFTS
Spend $90 and get 3 FREE GIFTS
And so on and so forth…

*total before shipping

ENJOY, and HAPPY HOLIDAY SHOPPING!!

new brass designs

2009-11-19T14:36:00.000-08:00

Inside Out Disk Earrings by apartment49

Asymmetrical Cuff by apartment49
Modern Stackable Bracelets by apartment49

Finally got around to listing some of my latest brass jewelry designs at apartment49! A little thanks to my amazingly gorgeous friend, Dulce, who so nicely agreed to model for me! Oh, and hey, if there's any hot, intelligent, employed guys out there, she's available by the way... (She's going to kill me for saying that!)

grand re-opening of tweet treat

2009-11-13T16:56:00.000-08:00

Industrial Cowl in Charcoal by Tweet Treat

Tweet Treat is finally re-opening!

Phew! I knitted like a mad woman, and slowly but surely, lots of lovely new hand knitted and hand crocheted goodies are trickling in my little shop! And in celebration of this grand re-opening, for a limited time get a FREE PAIR of gemstone earrings with the purchase of any cowl, scarf, or hat, courtesy of my other Etsy shop, apartment49!

Tweet Treat's 2009 HOLIDAY SEASON SUGGESTED MAILING DATES:

U.S.A. – December 5
Canada – December 8

holiday shipping dates and free gift with order

2009-11-01T21:02:00.000-08:00

I know it always seems a bit too early to talk about the holidays at the beginning of November, but when it comes to buying gifts online, it's never too early!

Here are the 2009 HOLIDAY SEASON SUGGESTED MAILING DATES...

Canada – December 14
U.S.A. – December 12
Europe, Asia, Australia, New Zealand, Middle East, Caribbean – November 28
Central/South America, Africa – November 21

And as my holiday gift to you...
At apartment49, get a FREE SURPRISE GIFT with every $30 purchase*! No limit to the number of free surprise gifts!

Spend $60 and get 2 FREE GIFTS
Spend $90 and get 3 FREE GIFTS
And so on and so forth…

*total before shipping

And if you haven't already noticed, my other shops, KUKUkachoo and Tweet Treat, are bare and empty. But don't worry, they're just under construction temporarily as I madly make new goodies in every spare minute I find! I'll get some listings up and running very very soon (before the holidays for sure), and there will definitely be some holiday specials at those shops as well!

And just a heads up, all of my shops will be closed from December 20 to January 4 for the holidays!

That's it for now... wishing you all an early happy HANDMADE holiday season!

emily's picks... happy halloween!

2009-10-25T13:38:00.000-07:00

Hey kids! When did it become October?? I feel like I blinked and September was over completely. Oh well, goodbye Summer, hello Fall.

This set of picks comes courtesy of the upcoming holiday of Halloween, and are a little bit inspired by my fairy goddaughter, Ava, because she’s incredibly adorable. Now, I must admit upfront that I hate Halloween. In part because I’m lazy, and in part because I hate being the center of attention and having people look at me. And also, I have no kids, and I really think Halloween is a kids’ holiday. So there’s that. Just putting it out there.

That being said, despite my hesitation at my dressing up myself, I do like looking at people’s costumes, and checking out people’s creative energies. My costume this year is inspired by a recent trip to Austin TX, and being caught up in the fervor of University of Texas football. My Texan friends took me to the UT team store, and a lazy costume idea was born – the UT football fan. So I’m decked out and ready to go with lots of burnt orange and longhorns. My sister so far has won my personal awesome costume award with her idea to be Link from the Legend of Zelda. But Halloween isn’t quite upon us yet, so there’s plenty of time for the awesome award to change hands.

Anyway… here are a variety of my picks for Etsy items for your Halloween season…

Number One – The Princess Cinderella 2-piece by Miss Things Boutique

Now I said earlier that this entry is inspired in part by my fairy goddaughter Ava. She’s in her princess phase, and Cinderella is her current favorite. And how adorable would a 2½ year old look running around in a big poofy blue dress?? Pretty sure it’d be off the charts. And that’s not even for Halloween, just for an afternoon play date. On Halloween, it’d be awesome award winning.

Miss Things Boutique has lots of pretty poofy princess dresses for your little one, whether or not they’re into Cinderella or into ballet or just into playing dress up (and what little girl isn’t??). There’s even an adorable bee costume.

Pick Two... The Ebony Bubinga Marble Wood Magic Wand by Fortress Wand Works

This one is for me. Since I’m Ava’s fairy godmother, I need a wand. But alas, I’m more of a Harry Potter wand kind of girl than a fairy godmother wand kind of girl, so I went with a wand from Fortress Wand Works. This wand is just beautifully made. So many fairy godmother wands look like they’ll just fall apart after you cast your magic spell and turn the pumpkin into the carriage, but this wand looks like it’ll stay in one piece even after midnight.

This wand is a bit spendy (at 42 dollars) but it has handsome craftsmanship, and if you’re truly into Harry Potter, or role playing, or just stunning woodworking, this wand is worth the price. Fortress Wand Works only has a couple of items in their shop, but they’re also new to Etsy, so in time they could have many different wands to choose from.

Pick Three… The Zombie Prom Gothic Wrist Corsage by April Hiler Designs

A slightly different turn away from Miss Ava, and to my true obsession… zombies. They’re slow, and bloody, and eat brains, and I love them madly. I think this love is largely owed to my intense worship of Simon Pegg and that zombies are one of the monsters of the world that I have more of a chance in defeating. Whenever I contemplate the apocalypse (happens more frequently than you think), it usually involves a zombie element. And it must run in the family, since a recent conversation with my brother about his new house, turned to his only problem with the new place: no real safe place in the event of a zombie uprising. He was devastated.

Anyway, back to the corsage. Did I mention that it’s fabulous?? I love the dark colors (cause I’m not so into hot pink) and I love that the gift box is a coffin. Truly inspired, and I wish I’d thought of it. April Hiler Designs has lots of dark and devilish flower designs, including matching boutonnieres and bridal bouquets for the perfect zombie wedding. As well as some beautiful traditional fare, with not so much a zombie tilt. Lots and lots of great ideas for decorating with flowers for fall.

Pick Four… Bloodbath Whipped Sugar Scrub by Bloodbath

I know what you’re thinking… This girl starts her blog post with pretty poofy princess dresses, and in a just a couple paragraphs is recommending items from a seller called Bloodbath??? It’s quite the turn I know, but I couldn’t resist the names on these products. Petrifying Pomegranate, Coffin Candy, Screamsicle… I love the play on words. And I also just enjoy a nice sugar scrub in the shower. Sugar is great for exfoliating truly beautiful places like elbows, and you smell less like the ocean compared to using a sea salt scrub. (Not that there’s anything wrong with smelling like the ocean).

Bloodbath’s shop is filled with fun macabre bath items, which really there are far too little in this world. Even the loofah sponges look devilish. Also, I love their logo, even though it does call to mind a bad horror movie.

Pick Five… The Peacock Feathermask by Masks by Martina

Now I’ll be honest, this is my second choice on the mask. Although, my first choice was also from Masks by Martina. But it was so intensely beautiful and magical that it was sold in between my gathering of items yesterday, and my blog posting today. Sigh… but this one is pretty darn close, and certainly just as pretty. The real drawing power on this mask for me is the peacock feathers. What is it about those feathers that just make things seem mystical??

This mask really reminded me of one of my very favorite movies, Labyrinth. It looks very similar to the mask that The Goblin King Jareth wears to the ball. And it’s probably the influence of that movie that has made me always want to go to a masquerade ball, with a mask on a stick keeping my face covered until the clock struck midnight. All of the masks in Masks by Martina’s shop are perfect for your next masquerade ball, and ideal if you’re lucky enough to be headed to Venice for Carnival. I wish I fell in either group…

And finally, a special Pick Six… The Candy Corn Hand Painted Mary Janes from Snanimals

And this, my friends, is what’s known as coming full circle. Starting with the little girl princess dress and ending with some adorable little girl mary janes.

In my opinion, the real reason why everyone REALLY loves Halloween, is because there is a perfectly good excuse to have candy all about the house. My favorite Halloween candy (and probably because I only allow myself to eat it around Halloween) is candy corn. And since this set of picks is in part inspired by Ava and in part inspired by Halloween, I thought these adorable mary janes seamed the perfect cross point for both inspirations.

Snanimals’ shop has lots of adorable hand painted shoes that have absolutely no affiliation with Halloween as well. My personal favorites are the cupcakes, the cows, and most especially the little japanese dolls. And if you want another Halloween option, the Frankenstein pair is pretty darn cute too. Happy Halloween everyone!! Be safe, and eat lots and lots of candy!

PS - hoop class is super awesome. The first night, I felt really awkward and ridiculous, but now that I’m getting the hang of it, I’m really enjoying it. And the soreness was where I least expected it – my palms. Those aerial moves with the hoop over your head really do a number on them. And I bought my very own hoop. Not from Etsy though, from my instructor. But I do very much have my eye on that Red Devil hoop from my last set of picks, pity it’s been sold.

1 sale away from 100!

2009-10-14T22:17:00.000-07:00

OMG! I can't believe it - I'm only 1 sale away from reaching 100 sold items in my apartment49 Etsy shop! And so, I think that's a great excuse to CELEBRATE (and secretly eat one my daughter's peanut-free ice cream sandwiches while she's sleeping tonight). And since I can't really share the ice cream with you (not that I would anyway - IT'S ALL MINE!), I thought I should share the happiness! I'm giving a FREE SURPRISE GIFT to my next 3 customers at apartment49! Yay! Enjoy folks, cause I certainly am... (wiping melted ice cream from my chin)

CLICK HERE to visit my apartment49 Etsy shop!

ava and her mustard scarf

2009-10-09T18:27:00.000-07:00

Okay, so I admit it. I just bought 15 balls of yarn yesterday. No, I have no idea what I'm actually going to do with all that yarn, not to mention the several other balls of yarn I have lying around from my last yarn-craze buying excursion! But oh do I ever love looking at the pretty, pretty mottled colors, each ball a little bundle of creative potential...

I stare at my mound of wound up strings several times a day, longing to turn each ball into an extra special toasty warm goodie for someone I love. I imagine thick cozy shrugs and giant wrap sweaters and chunky accordion cowls materializing before my eyes! But in all honesty, I don't have the patience to make all those lovely large things. In the end, they'll all probably just end up being a plain old boring scarf that no one will want to wear.

Most of my little crochet creations end up going to my little girl. She's only two years old, so she doesn't really have a choice. If mommy says, "Wear the ugly mustard scarf that mommy made for you!" then she has to wear it.

For now, that is. I know these days are numbered. She's currently in the "princess" stage and insists on wearing a big poofy pink dress every single day.

But today, I won the daily morning outfit argument, so it's jeans... and the ugly mustard scarf.

emily's picks... hula hooping paraphernalia

2009-10-05T22:30:00.000-07:00

Hello… Me again.

So, I’m starting a new venture tonight. Something I’ve not really ever done before, and something I was kind of trapped into doing. See, my friend Nicole was watching one of our local news magazine type programs, and saw a story about this hula hooping class offered locally. A woman on the segment lost a bunch of inches and like 10 pounds in 6 weeks. She came running to me to have a friend to take the class with, and I was totally down with it. Loved the idea, signed up on payday… and then Nicole couldn’t afford it (unforeseen life circumstances and such). And so, I am all alone, taking a hula hooping class. Starting tonight. I foresee extreme pain in the abdominal area tomorrow morning.

Anyway… taking this class has got all sorts of exercise ideas in my head. Afterall, what girl doesn’t want to look super cute at the gym, or at the local park, or on the hiking trails, or in my case, at the park with a hula hoop. Interesting side note, there are a TON of hula hoops on Etsy. Who knew??

My latest list… top five cutest things to take exercising…

Number 1 - Batik Yoga Pants by batikwalla

They are SUPER cute, but I admit an affinity for blue and yoga pants and batiking, thus I am biased. By far the best thing to come about in fashion in the last ten years is the increase availability of comfortable lounging pants that aren’t sweatpants. I hate Hanes sweatpants, but I so love a comfortable pair of pants to sit on the couch in. I’m sure the idea is to actually do yoga in these pants, but I’ll get there eventually.

Batikwalla has a great selection of batik designs. Batiking was one of the few crafts I was actually decent at in Girl Scouts back in the day, but I could only dream to make the cute designs that are available in this shop.

Number 2 - Skatin Worshiper Skorts by Model Citizen

These would be great if I played tennis. But I don’t. Unless the Wii counts. But I love roller derby, and if I played tennis, I’m sure I’d really appreciate this adorable skort. (Side note, Model Citizen also has a super cute pair of yoga pants as well, one track mind I know). Skorts have come such a long way in the last few years. You can do almost anything in a skort from play tennis, to hike, to dragonboat, and handstands. Plus they’ve gotten way cuter. Of course, Model Citizen merely provides the design, but still, they’re cute.

Number 3 - Peace Hoody from edgy apparel

My true favorite thing to do in Seattle is hike. I love trudging up a trail and being rewarded with a beautiful view, which are frequent around here. I also LOVE hooded sweatshirts. Perfect for a day that starts suspicious clouds and ends with sunshine. Cause you really never know when it’s going to start raining in Seattle. And this little hooded shirt seems perfect for both. The best hikes mean you start early, when it’s a bit chilly, and this shirt seems just about perfect as either a layer of many or the warm layer over a t-shirt for later in the day.

And it’s got an adorable design, that almost everyone can agree with (what kind of person doesn’t like peace and sunshine?) Really the only thing I dislike about this shirt is that it’s grey. And I have light colored cats who like to drop fur everywhere. But nonetheless, there are a lot of cute other colored items with edgy apparel.

Okay… three pieces of clothing that were made by companies and embellished by Etsy. Probably should keep my last two items completely homemade.

So - Number 4 - Fairy Garden Yoga Mat Bag by Chella Bella Designs

Now, I am not a pink girl. I’m sure I’ve made it clear that I am definitely a blue girl. But there is something about the funky print on this bag that I just adore. Maybe it’s the green, or the flowers that are just a tad daisy like but funkified, regardless, I just love it. I might even buy it for a yoga mat I haven’t bought yet. (I have a yoga mat, but it has a strap so really I have no need for it, but it’s adorable, and I like to shop). Anywho… loads of designs and options available with Chella Bella.

And finally Number 5 - Red Devil by Hoola Monsters

Seems like given the inspiration for this blog, I should pick my favorite hula hoop. When I signed up for this class, I thought the only kind of hoop was the 3 dollar Toys R Us model. Then, I got an email from the instructor with a comment about 30 dollar ones available for sale, and my jaw dropped. And then I realized how many hoop sellers there were out there. There were three or four different ones that I really liked at Hoola Monsters, but this one stood out. It’s not my usual thing to go for red, but I just loved it frankly. I can’t explain why. I urge you to look into Hoola Monsters, if you’re really interested in hooping and you want a custom hoop.

Of course, that really raises the question, how does one ship a hula hoop??

That’s it for now. I’ll be sure to let the informed masses know about my hula hoop class. I sincerely hope I don’t develop a nagging cough tomorrow after it’s all said and done. And, in the words of the great Maury Povich – Until Next Time America (and Canada) – I added that last part myself.

emily's picks... kitchen stuff on etsy

2009-08-31T22:32:00.000-07:00

So I decided, since I update this blog not even close to nearly often enough, that I would have to get some darn good reinforcements! Hence, I present this new blog series, appropriately titled "Emily's Picks," since it is, very simply put, Emily's picks.

Now, who the darn tootin' heck is Emily? Well, she's one of my very dearest oldest friends, that I have to say, is very easily the most dependable friend I have on this earth. Here's three things I love about Emily, since I must brag about how wonderful she is:

1. She was the first person to come up to me at my new school and introduce herself when I moved to North Carolina from Florida in 3rd grade.

2. When we were kids, she let me dapron, Boojiboo, coasters, cupcakes, raw a skull and crossbones on her arm with a permanent marker. Oh, and she also let me write "BAD TO THE BONE" underneath it too.

3. She printed out and put together 200 programs in immaculate bridezilla perfection the day before my wedding without ever complaining once.

Did I mention that I love this gal??? So enough intro, here it is, Emily's 1st round of picks!

Hello blog reading masses ...

Let me first introduce myself - I'm Emily aka friend of Anna, the owner of this blog. And I will be serving as guest blogger for a bit while Anna is SUPER RIDICULOUSLY UNCONSCIOUSLY BUSY. I'm a pretty un-crafty person, so I consistently rely on things like etsy, and craft fairs, and festivals for my homemade needs. Although to be honest, I did make a quilt once, but I don't think that counts as crafty because I did use a sewing machine, and my grandmother did help me and do the hard parts. I don't know how to knit, or crochet, or deco-pauge, or draw, or do much of anything. Although, I am a bit of a whiz at a stovetop. So at least there's that.

So what gives me the right to take over this blog of a much craftier person?? Well, she asked me to first off. Plus, I've known Miss Kukukachoo for over 20 years (which makes both of us feel a little decrepit). And really, once you've shared the salt crystals from your lunch time pretzels at the bottom of your lunchbox with someone, you're bonded for life. Which, interestingly enough, Anna and I did ... in 1987.

To start off my first slot as "guest blogger" I debated between my top 5 favorite kitchen related items on etsy (as cooking is my primary crafty-esque talent) or highlight my top 5 favorite owl related items on etsy (as that is my power animal, and my most frequent collectible). And then I said, Emily, you'll write another blog sooner or later, owls can wait.

So, my top 5 crafty kitchen items on etsy ... in no particular order of course.

NUMBER 1 - Hot Cowboy Potholders courtesy of Originals by Lauren

How could you really go wrong with a hot man on a pot holder? I mean really, eye candy and heat protection in one; it's really a nearly perfect product. Now if only they came with a hot cowboy sous chef ...

Also available with Originals by Lauren - Hot Firemen Potholders, Hot Camper Potholders, and Under Construction Potholders. Lauren also has a fine selection of other non-sexual harassment potholders as well. But there isn't any fun in those is there??

NUMBER 2 - Vintage Inspired Blue Cupcake Apron courtesy of Boojiboo

There are countless adorable aprons in Boojiboo’s store, but this one is my favorite, perhaps because it incorporates two of my favorite things – the color blue and cupcakes. Super cute cut on anyone who might be cooking, or just pretending to be Donna Reed while dusting and vacuuming around the house (or maybe I’m the only one who does that?). My close second favorite is the Vintage Inspired Black Tattoo Full Apron. Cause well, I like tattoos.

NUMBER 3 - Hand Blown Glass Bowl courtesy of Providence Art Glass

Now granted, this item is a bit pricey and it falls under the category of “too scared to ever use it cause what if it broke,” but it’s also lovely and just a touch psychedelic. Very recently, I was introduced to the art of glass blowing thanks to an awesome 30th birthday present from my equally awesome friend Darlene. I made an eggplant. But I had a lot of help from two talented (and super dreamy) professional glass blowers. Thus, I am an expert in all things glass blowing and can appreciate the artistry in such things. ;-) Or something … in any event, I think this piece is lovely, and I only wish I was the type of person to spend this much money on myself for absolutely no reason. Or that I was talented enough myself to make one just like it.

NUMBER 4 - Owl Ceramic Tile Coasters courtesy of little coaster gnome

I tried really hard to not overlap the owls and the kitchen, really I did, but I couldn’t resist these guys. Although truthfully, there’s lots of awesome playful designs from littlecoastergnome, and I could have picked any of them, but I love owls, so it was bound to happen this way. You can never go wrong when it comes to liquid protection on your tables, and little coaster gnome has a selection that could make almost anyone happy, and would match in almost any situation. Plus, littlecoastergnome makes an excellent point that a set of coasters is the perfect hostess gift, which can always be a difficult thing to come up with at a moment’s notice.

NUMBER 5 - Peacock Stemless Glasses courtesy of Mary Wibis

Now I’m really more of a beer drinker than a wine drinker, but these hand painted glasses by marywibis are simply beautiful. And I have a thing for the stemless glassware that is all the rage these days. There are tons of designs available with marywibis, including some lovely fall inspired designs, and some cardinals that offer just enough of a splash of color to make them dynamic. If I had my druthers, and more than one bottle of wine in my house at any given time, I’d pick these up in a heartbeat. Although that being said, I could just as easily serve ice water in these lovely glasses at a dinner party rather than wine. Maybe I will pick these guys up … decisions decisions.

That’s it from this end for now. Stay tuned for future guest blogs featuring owls, and perhaps some outside of etsy craftiness. You really just never know ...

i wish... back to school and getting wiser

2009-08-15T23:35:00.000-07:00

1. thoughtful owl moleskine by Treatzone

2. owl pencil pouch by Cheryland

3. owl field bag by Deadworry

4. owl hoody by PrettyRaccoon

Is summer over already? Oh dear, it's time to get back to school! Buck up, kiddos, and go back to school with OWLS! What better to return than with your personal birdie mascot that symbolizes wisdom, intellect, wit, and intuition? And besides, they're so darn tootin' CUTE! I personally just can't seem to get enough of owl stuff these days, and Etsy shops are brimming with super cute owlie stuff that'll get you ready for school in style!

just listed

2009-08-14T13:19:00.001-07:00

sterling silver heart necklace by apartment49

Just listed a few of my latest pieces in my Etsy shop! Oh, how I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE playing with sheet metals! More designs to come!

sneak preview of 1st photo shoot

2009-05-31T22:55:00.000-07:00

tiger ebony wood open teardrop earrings by apartment49

harvest moon necklace by apartment49

Here's a little sneak preview of my first photo shoot for my new line of handmade brass and sterling silver jewelry designs for apartment49! I haven't really taken any modeling shots since college, so I felt a little rusty. I'm so excited about all the new designs I've been working on (until 3am in the morning, much to my hubby's dismay). Stay tuned for more pictures to be posted! Oh, and I shouldn't forget to give a shout-out to my little cousin, Anne Marie Espiritu, for being such an awesome model! Thanks for doing my bidding, Squirt!

i wish... modern-day cinderella

2009-05-12T01:43:00.001-07:00

dress: robins egg dress by Sarah Seven
bracelets: modern stackable brass bracelets by apartment49
clutch: all about a gold bow clutch by Davie & Chiyo

I decided to start a new series of posts based on pure wanton lust for Etsy stuff, appropriately titled “I WISH…” There’s just so many incredible Etsy sellers out there creating gorgeous handmade products, I thought why not create some wicked little outfits that showcase the brilliance of Etsy talent? So here it is - the first collection in my new series of "I WISH..." posts inspired by a modern-day Cinderella look. Hope y’all enjoy!

tweet tweet

2009-04-14T23:24:00.001-07:00

I've finally decided to join the Twitter bandwagon!

Check out my twitter page here:
http://twitter.com/apartment49

Thanks for all your continued support, and HAPPY TWEETING!

spring is here

2009-04-09T23:21:00.001-07:00

Twig Brass Bracelet by apartment49

Hey everyone! I'm FINALLY getting around to working on some new designs for apartment49! Just bought tons of brass and sterling silver sheet to play with... Ah, the endless possibilities! Keep your eyes peeled for the new spring designs trickling in at my etsy shop, like this Twig Brass Cuff Bracelet!

the get what you really wanted for christmas sale

2008-12-23T22:01:00.001-08:00

Iolite Open Hoops by apartment49

I'll be away from all my Etsy shops for the holidays, but Apartment 49 will still be open for browsing and shopping! PLEASE NOTE THAT THERE WILL BE NO SHIPPING DURING THIS TIME. All orders during this period will be shipped promptly when I return.

But, to make up for the delay in shipping, I'm having an AFTER CHRISTMAS SALE!! ALL REGULAR PRICED ITEMS ARE 15% OFF!! Yes, that's right, now you can get yourself what you really wanted for Christmas! ENJOY!

And a HUGE THANK YOU to all of my lovely customers for another amazing year on Etsy! See you in the new year with loads of new creations! Til then, I wish you all a very happy holiday season!

free giveaway

2008-11-26T17:22:00.000-08:00

Dandelions Thank You Card Set by KUKUkachoo

Ooh ooh! Free stuff! I'm participating in the Ardent Sparrow's Blog Holiday Giveaway this year! Enter to WIN my KUKUkachoo "Dandelions Thank You Card Set" on her blog here:

http://theardentsparrow.blogspot.com//

9 other super cool Canadian handmade shops have also donated neato stuff from their shops too! Enter often and GOOD LUCK!

it's that time of year again

2008-11-12T17:26:00.000-08:00

Santa Birdie Gift Tags by KUKUkachoo

Yes, that's right, it's holiday shopping time! For some of you fellow shopaholics out there, this is the perfect excuse to go out and SHOP UNTIL YOU DROP! And for those of you who hate going out amongst the crazy packed malls, this is a tortuous annual ritual. Don't fret, anti-shoppers! Avoid the crowds, and shop online! Tons of lovely handmade goodies are waiting to be given to everyone on your Christmas list at all of my online shops! Your gift recipients will love you for being so thoughtful and original by choosing something specially handmade.

Visit Apartment49 for modern jewelry designs featuring sterling silver and luxe gemstones. And right now is the perfect time to shop, since I'm offering FREE SHIPPING on everything at Apartment49 from now until November 30! Plus, there's tons of beautiful designs to choose from for only $20 and under!

And at KUKUkachoo and TweetTreat, enjoy FREE GIFT PACKAGING, so all your gifts are beautifully packaged and ready to give!

Oh, and while you're picking out gifts for your loved ones, don't forget to get a few gifts for yourself...

CHRISTMAS SHIPPING DEADLINES

Order before these dates to ensure your packages arrive in time for the holidays:

U.S. and Canada - December 12
Europe, Asia, and Australia - December 5
Everywhere Else - November 30

HAPPY HOLIDAYS EVERYONE!! Best wishes from my heart to yours!

honeybee centre blueberry festival 2008

2008-08-08T16:30:00.000-07:00

Come visit my booths for both Apartment49 and KUKUkachoo at the Honeybee Centre Blueberry Festival in Cloverdale! Tons of fun for the whole family...sample local and exotic honeys and enjoy loads of free entertainment!

SATURDAY, AUGUST 16
10am - 4pm
Honeybee Centre
corner of Fraser Highway and 176th Street
Cloverdale, B.C.

For more information on the 2008 Blueberry Festival:
http://www.honeybeecentre.com/

daily outfitting

2008-08-01T12:20:00.000-07:00

Tiger Ebony Wood Open Teardrop Earrings by apartment49

Ooh gee whiz, I'm so excited! One of my earrings on Apartment49 has just been picked as part of a super sexy outfit on "Daily Outfitting", a daily blog with really inspirationally fab outfit ideas!

Check out my outfit here:

http://dailyoutfitting.blogspot.com/2008/07/serious-business.html

Man oh man do I want that purse to go with my earrings!

go green with vintage jewelry

2008-04-27T19:18:00.000-07:00

In honor of Earth day, which has long gone and passed (this is how behind I am on my life!) I thought I would write a little blurb about yet another way to GO GREEN! Don't worry, I'm not going to suggest that you turn off your shower water while you're shampooing your lovely locks to save the planet. (Although, if you really are dedicated to doing your part and you don't mind freezing your buns off, that's not a bad idea!) Here's a really painless and rather fun way to go green -- next time you need to buy an important woman in your life a gift, get them vintage jewelry! Not only will that gal be ever so grateful to you for your impeccable taste and creativity, but you'll also be supporting the use of incredible vintage jewelry components. How is that going green you ask? Well, you would be promoting the usage of beads and components that have already used energy in their creation and would otherwise be sadly sitting in a box rotting away in some huge warehouse somewhere. Yes, that's right, so many lovely vintage beads are sitting in storages unused, unloved, and waiting to be discovered by vintage addicts such as myself! Every time I incorporate a vintage component into a jewelry piece, I feel that's one less new jewelry component that I would have otherwise used instead. The more vintage components I use, the less new components I purchase, the less new energy required to create more components!

I'm especially in love with 1950's vintage glass jewels and 1960's vintage Lucite, two very different styles of vintage, but both so uniquely wonderful in their own way. Vintage glass jewels have incredibly vibrant, rich colors and an intense sparkle that is just unmatched with newer imitations. I absolutely love creating with those rare beauties! Vintage Lucite is chunky, bold, and funky -- perfect for daring individuals who love turning heads! Check out both styles of vintage at my shop Apartment49, and promote the usage of vintage components! And then you can give yourself a pat on the back for doing your part without freezing your buns off!

bon voyage

2008-04-02T16:09:00.000-07:00

Oh my goodness gracious, I sold my first piece at Apartment49! A huge thank you to Anthinea, my very first customer at my new little jewelry shop! She bought a pair of Cherry Lantern Earrings for herself, so off my little creation went to its new home in Nantes, France! Oh it's so bittersweet! I'm so happy that a belle in France is sporting a pair of earrings that I made, but as I said goodbye to Anthinea's earrings, I realized that they're travelling to a country that I haven't been to myself! I'd better sell more earrings, so I can get my bum out there! Anyways, as my very first customer, Anthinea also received a free surprise gift, which was another lovely pair of sterling silver earrings! Two more free surprise gifts to go! Oh, and please pardonnez moi, but Anthinea gave me such a lovely first feedback, that I have to gloat just a little bit! Anthinea so nicely wrote, "Thank you very much, they are so graceful and original! Merci elles sont fabuleuses je les adore! Tout le monde m'en fait des compliments. Merci pour votre gentillesse et le cadeau!" Thanks again, Anthinea, for being ever so sweet!

apartment49 is open

2008-03-16T21:59:00.000-07:00

Tiger Ebony Wood Open Hoop Earrings by apartment49

Apartment49 is finally open! Thanks so much to everyone who so patiently waited while I finally got around to getting everything in gear! And to celebrate the GRAND OPENING, I'm giving my first 3 customers a SURPRISE GIFT with their purchase! Ooh, a surprise! Yay! Isn't it exciting?!? I'm so excited for myself that my eyebrows feel like they're permanently lifted! This is better than botox!

a change in tastes

2008-02-20T12:26:00.000-08:00

Time for another post? Nah, nothing's popping up in my brain. Why is it that when I'm actually in front of my computer, fingers on the keyboard, I can't think of a darn thing to write about? I know I came up with tons of thought provoking topics last night while I was trying to go to sleep!

Sleep...ah yes. It's so strange lately, I haven't been able to fall asleep as quickly as I used to. It's quite unusual for me. I used to fall asleep at the drop of a hat. I used to fall asleep quicker than I could mutter the word out loud. I used to fall asleep in the same amount of time that a fresh baked cookie could survive untouched in front of me. (That's approximately 0.5 seconds by the way) Now I find that I have to put effort into falling asleep. I actually have to think about it, decide to want to fall asleep, concentrate really hard, take a deep breath, and count some sheep. Yes, really, I actually visualize plump, woolly sheep jumping over a white picket fence surrounded by the green beauty of Ireland. Is Ireland really green? Note to self: Find out if Ireland is really green.

I guess I'm getting older, or rather, I'm getting OLD. Even my tastes are changing. I mean, the other week, I baked three loaves of fruit cake. I hate fruit cake! Well, I used to hate fruit cake. And now I crave those weird, unnaturally bright green and red candied fruit chunk thingies! Although, it was a butter pound cake fruit cake. So I guess it wasn't really that dark rummy traditional fruit cake that I loathe. I still won't eat that stuff. Ick.

great oaks from little acorns grow

2008-02-13T21:24:00.000-08:00

Ah yes, shove a bum folks, I have finally joined the blog-bandwagon! And now that I've taken a seat on this ride, what the tootin' holler am I going to blog about? Well, let's see here, I could very easily go on and on about myself...and bore everyone to death. I could advertise my Etsy shops like mad, hoping readers find my crafts worthy of the little extra cash in their wallets. Or I could complain about how the cashier at the supermarket treated me like %&*# today because I didn't feel like putting on any make-up and I looked like I woke up in a dumpster. Maybe a little bit of all of the above. Well, I really don't know why I'm doing this. I'm quite a introverted and very private person. All I really want is for you to click on the links at the top left to my webstores and BUY SOMETHING gosh darnit! And if I have to write about my deepest darkest hopes and dreams and thoughts and wishes and anything else that I will probably regret posting on the world wide web just to get your attention, then to heck with it, i'll do it! Oh the drama, just to get you to buy a pair of (really nice) earrings! Oh and hey, while you're at it, you might want to consider getting a matching necklace too...