"Made With Love" Event: A.W.E. Handcrafted Jewelry Review and Giveaway Ends 7/24 (WW)

~This post is part of the handmade "Made With Love" event. All giveaways run from July 18th-24th. View all 29 sponsors on my blog and visit additional co-hosts for this event HERE~ 

About the Designer...

I’m Deb Soromenho; Mom, wife, designer, metalsmith, and multi-tasker extraordinaire! I get most of my inspiration for my jewelry from my travels and my love of indigenous culture -- the shapes, textures, and cultures of the world (this is my “tag line”). I handcraft all of my jewelry using traditional goldsmithing techniques and pride myself on my attention to detail and unique, high quality finished pieces.  My design has an urban edge, it’s bold but not bulky, has lots of texture and unique shapes, and is inspired by the shapes, textures, and cultures of the world.  Oh, and A.W.E. stands for Artsy, Worldly, Earthy. Three words that sort of sum up my design aesthetic!

A.W.E. Handcrafted Jewelry is sterling silver, bronze, and copper jewelry that appeals to the eclectic and artsy, yet modern type. 

Review... 
At A.W.E. Handcrafted Jewelry, a piece of metal turns into beautiful artisan jewelry at the hands of true artist. These amazing pieces of jewelry will be a treasure in your jewelry box.

Deb sent me this gorgeous Tulip Swirl Necklace in Copper. I'm so amazed that this is entirely designed, and made by her! The necklace is absolutely amazing. It's very delicate and elegant, yet simple and understated depending on what you wear with it. A black top with a v-neck is what I've worn with this with so far. The necklace is very lightweight and the 18-inch silk cord is very soft and rustic looking with the way it coils and hangs. The hand oxidized copper is so pretty, and has a lovely, unique swirl design. The sterling silver lobster clasp is of high quality too. I'm SO impressed! I'm still in "AWE" over all her jewelry!

The packaging is ready for gift-giving, and would be great for your Hubby or significant other to give you. Just drop a big hint about this fabulous jewelry you just found out about! :) Or you could just treat yourself or a loved one to a new pair of earrings or a great new necklace.

Deb's jewelry is full of artistic details and beautiful textures and dimensions. A.W.E. Handcrafted Jewelry has high standards for their jewelry and business goals. So much in fact that Deb recently made 100 pairs of earrings for the Emmy's Swag bags (check out this blog post for photos of the process!). How cool is that?! I hope celebs treasure the beauty of Deb's jewelry, and help get the word out for her business!

I REALLY want these Silver Hammered Disc Earrings too!

~Exclusive Event Promotion~

Use code MadeWithLove at checkout to get 20% off entire purchase!

Win it!

One winner will receive the Flourish Earrings in Sterling Silver! ($78 Value!)

"Made With Love" Event: Queen of Paper Cards Review and Giveaway Ends 7/24 (US/CAN)

~This post is part of the handmade "Made With Love" event. All giveaways run from July 18th-24th. View all 29 sponsors on my blog and visit additional co-hosts for this event HERE~

About the Designer... 
My name is Eydie and I am married with three children. I am also a nana to three adorable munchkins with another one on the way! I started making cards in my free time to give to friends and family members. The more time I spent making cards the more I had fun coming up with new designs. I enjoy the process of making cards and seeing a thought translate into a finished card. I just opened my etsy shop, Queen of Paper Cards, but I have been making cards for years! I have cards for many occasions from birthday to wedding to thinking of you to baby shower and more. I can even personalize cards! Please take a look around my site and let me know what you think.

Review...

Handmade cards are the best! If you're going to spend $3-4 on a card, then you might as well buy a unique card made with love and support a small business, right? I think that's a big YES! Queen of Paper Cards is a new Etsy shop full of beautiful and affordable handmade cards for many occasions.

Eydie sent me a few of her cards to review for her. It was so much fun discovering all the little details, and trying to figure out what she used, and how she made them. When I was younger, my mom and I used to make cards and scrapbook pages together. Ah, someday I will get back into it! Needless to say, I know a quality handmade card when I see one! 

The Lovebirds wedding card is absolutely darling and will be perfect for my sister's upcoming wedding in August. The card is 6 1/4 x 5 inches, and made with a pearly white cardstock that shimmers slightly against the light. It's blank inside, comes with an envelope, and arrives in a clear sleeve to protect the card until use. The "Happily Ever After" is stamped in the corner, and a ribbon adorns the top, tied in a knot. The birds are very dimensional, with the wings coming off the card. Two shiny gems make for eyes on the birds. I love all the details, and the patterned paper used for the birds' bodies is really pretty. Oh, did I mention this card is only $3.50? What a steal! I hate to give this card away, but I love my sister enough that I guess she can have it! :)

The Thank You Card Set features 2 cards, each with a different background, and a flower with multi-colored petals. Each card is 4 x 5½ inches, is blank inside, includes an envelope, and comes in a clear protective sleeve. Each paper leave has "thank you" stamped on it. There's a silver brad in the middle of each flower, giving off a great deal of dimension for the whole card. The set is only $4 for both cards too! It's such a bargain and these cards are so pretty! I'm looking forward to sending these to some special people soon!

I actually received another card from Eydie, thanking me for the event and such (so sweet, although it's really HER shop that allows me to do this all!). This card has a really unique design, and I wanted to share it with you. Instead of opening a traditionally folded card, the written portion of the card pulls out of the top! I thought this was so clever! I've since learned that this is a pocket card and she has a few more of these in various designs in her shop. I LOVE this card! 

I'm so impressed with Eydie's talented eye, creativity, and attention to detail. Her cards are amazing and full so much personality! Here are a few more of her cards that are just adorable!

~Exclusive Event Promotion~

Get free shipping on your purchase with code MadeWithLove during the event!! Offer good through 7/31/11.

Win it!

One winner will receive any 3 listings of choice from Queen of Paper Cards!

"Made With Love" Event: JessyCatsMom Review and Giveaway Ends 7/24 (WW)

~This post is part of the handmade "Made With Love" event. All giveaways run from July 18th-24th. View all 29 sponsors on my blog and visit additional co-hosts for this event HERE~

About the Designer...
Hi, my name is Natalie and I live in Albuquerque with my husband of 7 years and our 2 year old daughter (Cat). I also have a 22 year old daughter (Jessica) that lives in California - although I am trying to convince her to move to ABQ. We moved here about 7 months ago and I instantly fell in love with the creativity of the town. On almost every corner of the Downtown area, there are beautiful murals and mosaics. You will see in my shop that I have adapted some of this incredible artwork. Although I have been cross stitching for the past 23 years, the other items in my shop are more recent creations thanks to inspiration from Etsy. The downside to being surrounded by art and being a member of the Etsy community is that I now have too many ideas for projects and just not enough time. I hope you enjoy my shop.

Review...

At JessyCatsMom, you'll find a variety of cross-stitched art decor, beadchimes, and vintage antiques. Natalie sent me an item that truly shows her versatility, skill, and what she is truly capable of!

I received this beautiful cross-stitched Blue SeaStar, framed and all! This is a new item that Natalie created just for my review, and she can make another one if you order from her shop. The Blue SeaStar image is actually part of the mosaic located at the Albuquerque Convention Center, and was adapted by Natalie to create a cross-stitched image. This was cross-stitched on antique white cloth using 24 different colors which includes 14 shades of blue. The actual Blue SeaStar measures approximately 4"x4".

I can't even begin to imagine the time and effort that went into actually creating this piece. How she managed to get all 24 colors in there, map out each one, and still be sane by the end, I don't even know! What I love about the Blue SeaStar is how it almost looks 3-dimensional in person. It almost pops out at you. I actually had to look at it laying flat from the side because I couldn't tell if it was just my imagination! Once we get our son's room a little more finished, I'm hoping to put this on his wall. It's a really versatile piece of art, so it could really fit in almost any room.   

Most of all, I enjoy knowing this piece was inspired by this local mosaic and hope Natalie continues to challenge herself with more creative artwork in her area! 

Win it!

One winner will receive $15 Gift Certificate to JessyCatsMom!

"Made With Love" Event: Kaleidoscope Art&Gifts Review and Giveaway Ends 7/24 (WW)

~This post is part of the handmade "Made With Love" event. All giveaways run from July 18th-24th. View all 29 sponsors on my blog and visit additional co-hosts for this event HERE~

About the Designer...
        I'm a wife and mom to two beautiful daughters (8 and 2) who keep me on my toes (along with a menagerie of animals) I like to keep busy! We live in a semi rural part of Eastern Washington. Up until July of 2009, I was a store manager for several national retail chains (for over 20 years), and am very happy to now be in business for myself. Although I learned to crochet when I was around 7 years old (thanks Grandma!), I took a 28 year 'hooking-hiatus'....and now I'm BACK!
        As the owner and artist behind Kaleidoscope Art&Gifts, I specialize in crocheted items (hats, scarves, cowls, fingerless gloves, sweaters, animals etc), and also create wire and bead window/car art and wind chimes/mobiles. I take time out as much as possible from the production end of the business to teach Art lessons as well as paint custom window designs locally. I LOVE the process of collaborating with my clients/customers to create a personalized, unique product for them! I feel very strongly about karma, harmony, the concept of paying it forward and the golden rule. For this reason I spend a LOT of time finding ways to help promote other businesses/pages, share my fans, be as personal as possible when interacting with my fans and fellow business persons and every once in awhile to interject some piece of my 'real-life' into my business.

Review...

Kaleidoscope Art&Gifts has a shop full of beautifully crocheted items for the whole family at very resonable prices. You can also view an even larger selection of available styles and colors of items in her Facebook photos albums too. Her variety is truly amazing!

I received 3 Scrubbies and 1 Drink Sleeve. Each item is hand crocheted using 100% Acrylic yarn. Both products can easily be hand or machine washed as needed.

These round Scrubbies are great for use in the shower or bath. They are a little more exfoliating than just a wash cloth from the yarn's texture. As you can see the size is perfect for the palm of your hand. They are also 2-sided, so they are nice and thick for scubbing dishes too.

The Drink Sleeve will stretch to fit almost any glass or cup you would like to use. It has quite a bit of give. This works great as a barrier between your hands and a very hot or cold beverage. It also insulates the cup and beverage inside too. Below you can see I tested the shape of this sleeve on a tall drinking glass. It wouldn't go up any higher so I knew it wouldn't slide up while holding and drop my glass below. Unforunately this design won't fit on a mug with a handle, but maybe a new design that opens with some sort of closure to go through the handle would do the trick.

The main items in her Etsy shop are crocheted hats and beanies. She also has a few hat/diaper cover sets in there too. I'm very impressed with how low her prices are considering the quality of her work and time crocheting takes. Maybe she's just super fast at crocheting? :) Either way, you're getting a really great deal if you order.

~Exclusive Event Promotion~

Use code MADEWITHLOVEEVENT at checkout to Get 20% off your purchase in the month of July 2011.

(custom orders included, shipping NOT included)

Win it!

One winner will receive $15 Gift Certificate to Kaleidoscope Art&Gifts!
($15 off a purchase of $15 or more-custom orders included-shipping charges not included)

"Made With Love" Event: The Orange Owl Review and Giveaway Ends 7/24 (US/CAN)

~This post is part of the handmade "Made With Love" event. All giveaways run from July 18th-24th. View all 29 sponsors on my blog and visit additional co-hosts for this event HERE~

About the Designer...
I was born and brought up in India and came over to the US in 2003 for my Master of Science in Biochemistry. My topic of research during this period was the effect that environmental toxins, allowed by regulatory standards, have on our immune system. This was my first introduction to how chemicals can really have a lasting effect on our genetic makeup. From there I moved to upstate NY where my husband chose to go to chiropractic school at New York Chiropractic College. While he was at school, I worked at the University of Rochester in their Center for Neural Development and Disease studying the evaluation, diagnosis and lasting inflammatory effects of traumatic brain injuries. Though all this work was satisfying in the sense of being innovative and novel, I still didnt feel like I had achieved my main goal of being able to help people on a very basic level. This is when my husband's mentor suggested I give their Master of Science in Applied Clinical Nutrition program a try. All the years of biochemistry finally clicked into place in my head. Overall, I realized that we are what we put on and in our bodies. Hence came about the two businesses I am involved in - The Orange Owl which offers people options for skincare products that are good for them and the environment, and Alternative Roots Wellness Center (www.alternativerootswellness.com) where my husband and I offer chiropractic and nutritional counseling services.

What do you make? I make 100% natural skincare products - no chemicals, no fragrance oils, NOTHING BAD! All our products, except the lip balms are 100% vegan. The Orange Owl is ecofriendly with all packaging made from either post-consumer recycled or completely recyclable materials. Starting ingredients are purchased from vendors that practice sustainable harvesting methods and are of the finest quality. The company is setting up to be carbon neutral which should be achieved in the next few months. This actually started out as an easy answer to one of the projects I had to work on in nutrition school. Since I was studying part time and working full time, I needed a project which would fit in with my philosophies as well as not be too difficult to work on. So, I made a soap infused with ginger which is supposed to help increase extremity circulation for diabetic people. I was hooked! This was also a time I had set a challenge up for myself - replace all cleaning solutions etc in the house with more ecofriendly versions. This included all the skincare products I used and I couldnt believe how effective something I made with my own hands was. Needless to say, I haven't stopped since!

How did you get started? As I said, it was for a school project. I have to give credit to my aunt here - growing up I never believed I had any creative bone in my body. In fact a lot of my friends from school are now amazed at all the projects I have come up with! It was just not anything I ever participated in. When I got married and moved to upstate NY, I was busy applying for jobs but didnt hear back anything for a few months. It wasn't the best time self-esteem wise and so I went to visit my aunt, figuring that it would be more fun to hang out with her and waste her time. She saw through my plan and instead introduced me to making beaded jewelry. I first laughed at her belief that I could do something like that, but was quickly shocked by the fact that I was making pretty nice things! If it hadn't been for that experience, I dont think I would have tried to make soap for my class project. That gave me the confidence to think a bit outside what was normal for a biochem geek like me. 

Who or what inspires your products? My products are mostly associated with various memories and that makes them all very personal to me. Aunt Z's Lemon Bar is a tribute to my aunt who makes the world's best lemon bars. She tried to teach me how to make them, but I am terrible at baking (you would think someone who has run science experiments for 6.5 years of her adult life would be able to follow a baking recipe properly!). So, I made a soap for her. Masala Chai is a thank you to a very close friend of mine in India. Our ritual when I go back home now includes a steaming cup of spice tea over which we catch up on our lives. The flower I chose for our wedding in India was the marigold or calendula which gave rise to the Festive Suds. Until I met my husband, I had never truly appreciated the outdoors and our hikes along some of the best trails in New England inspired the Walk in the Woods. The body butters and lip balms are an offshoot of these memories. Some, like the Cinnamon and Spice lip balm, were just complete serendipitous events - I was trying out a bunch of spices together and drops of cardamom and cinnamon essential oils just happened to fall in the same spot and I fell in love with the smell. I am a big foodie, so recipes also influence me - I cant wait to try out two soaps - one after an apple coleslaw I ate on my trip to Toronto and another one after a particular Creme Brulee I had in Vermont.

How long have you been doing this? I started making soaps for my family about 2 years ago now. The Orange Owl came together in fall of 2010, so it is fairly new.

Anything else? Yes, the fact that I know how lucky I am - I have two jobs and I get to make people happy through both of them - I love the feeling. I help out people with their health issues individually through my wellness center and people smile when they try out any of my products :) I have the world's best family that has supported me unconditionally through this. One of the aspects that I am truly proud of is the collaboration between The Orange Owl and The Schooling Project, run by one of my closest friends in India. 5% of all sales go directly towards funding the education of underprivileged children. When I was working on The Orange Owl, I knew I wanted to give back to society as I moved ahead - but I was not really sure of which direction to move in. Then I remembered my grandfather telling me that education is the basis of everyone being able to live to their best potential. My friend had just set up The Schooling Project which was doing wonderful work with children who are not as lucky as all of us and so we decided to work together.

Review...

Using simple ingredients, The Orange Owl has a lot to offer for those looking for natural skincare products. You'll find fabulous scent combinations, luxurious lathers, and a company with an eco-friendly bottom-line too.

Here's a little more about their products (from The Orange Owl website):

"Care is taken to use only essential oils, spices and herbs to scent and color the merchandise – no synthetic fragrance oils, scent blends, phthalates, sulfates, parabens, dyes, petroleum products or silicones here."

I received a bar of Sugar & Spice soap and also a tube of Citrus Splash lip balm. The soap smells so delicious, I could almost eat it! You can definitely smell the undertones of chocolate. To me it actually smells like spicy chocolate milk! The ginger is a little more dominant, giving the bar it's spicy scent. The bar gets quite slimy, allowing for a great lather to occur. My hands feel soft and somewhat moisturized after washing too. The bar is a little small at only 3 ounces, and maybe a bit pricey at $5.99, but The Orange Owl certainly cares about using only the highest quality ingredients, and bringing its customers a luxurious, natural product.

The lip balm I also received is fantastic! It goes on very smooth, and has a wonderful orange scent. There are no unnecessary ingredients in this lip balm either, and includes beneficial ingredients like organic jojoba oil and vitamin E. I LOVE this lip balm and would love to try some of her other scents like Cinnamon & Spice, or Minty Fresh.

I really like the interesting and creative scents The Orange Owl has for it's soaps. They are very different and most have a personal story behind their creation. Their website is beautiful, and each product's photo really drives home the scent and feel of each one. I also love their commitment to natural, chemical-free bath and body products. That's become increasing important to me over the last year as I've researched ingredients more and more over time. The Orange Owl also has Bath Salts and Body Butters that look heavenly!

Using eco-friendly packaging is very important at The Orange Owl. The soap is wrapped in paper made from 100% recycled material, and can be recycled by you too. The packaging is also printed using non-toxic inks.

Win it!

One winner will receive TWO soaps and a lip balm of the winner's choice from The Orange Owl! ($15.47 Value!)

"Made With Love" Event: Heather's Hobbies Review and Giveaway Ends 7/24 (Worldwide)

~This post is part of the handmade "Made With Love" event. All giveaways run from July 18th-24th. View all 29 sponsors on my blog and visit additional co-hosts for this event HERE~

About the Designer...
I am from Central Jersey. I am a stay at home mom to three boys, Chris (19), Joey(7), and Brian (5). I have been happily married for the past 8 years. I make crocheted baby and toddler shoes and hats. I also make blankets and anything that I can get a pattern for. I started crocheting 28 years ago. My late grandmother taught me and I have been hooked ever since. I found Etsy and it help me to create Heather's Hobbies. I have been in business for my self for the past 5 years. I just can't see me doing any other job. I love it that much.

Review...

Little baby feet need adorable baby shoes for all those cute outfits, right? Of course they do! Heather's Hobbies has a pair or two you'll want to get your hands on. She crochets the most beautiful baby shoes I've ever seen, along with lots of other crocheted clothing and accessories for the whole family. You definitely don't want to miss this shop!

When I received these Wool Little button Loafers, I couldn't believe how stinkin' cute they were! These tiny little baby shoes are made from 100% Peruvian Highland Wool that is super soft instead of itchy like you might think. Instead they're super cozy and comfy for little feet! The sole features 2 crocheted layers, and are of course very flexible for infant feet. They seem like they would have a good fit around the heel just by looking at how it curves inward at the top.

I absolutely adore the design of these loafers, and all the little details. The buttons give these shoes extra personality, and the white wool gives them even more. You can undo a button to help get the shoes on baby's feet if needed too. These would be a perfect baby shower gift, and would certainly be a highlight of the party! Heather is clearly very talented, and does an amazing job with every detail. Any mom would be so excited to have their baby wear a pair of baby shoes from Heather's Hobbies!

Heather has a variety of colors and types of yarn for all her shoes. Many of them are made using organic yarns too! Many of her shoes also go up to a size 6, so many styles will fit up to a young toddler. You can also find beautiful crocheted baby sweaters, baby hats/beanies, adult beanies, bags, totes, and more.

Here are a few of my favorite items at Heather's Hobbies!

~Exclusive Event Promotion~

Use code HRS15 to get 15% off your purchase at Heather's Hobbies!

Win it!

One winner will receive $25 Gift Certificate to Heather's Hobbies! 

"Made With Love" Event: UrbanWalls Review and Giveaway Ends 7/24 (US/CAN)

~This post is part of the handmade "Made With Love" event. All giveaways run from July 18th-24th. View all 29 sponsors on my blog and visit additional co-hosts for this event HERE~

About the Designer...

Hi there my name is Danielle. I'm from the beautiful city of Vancouver where I live with my amazing husband and two super cute boys... seriously, the cutest ever ;)

What do you make? I make vinyl wall decals.

How did you get started? It was honestly something that I stumbled upon. I have been in the graphic design field for 10 years and my husband had a cutter. I thought it would be a fun hobby and I just stepped out and gave it a go.. little did I know that I would be able to do this full time from my own home.

What inspires your creativity? I get a ton of inspiration from blogs and home decorating sites.

How long have you been doing this? a very busy year and a half :)

Review...

Your home decor is about to get a big facelift with vinyl wall decals from UrbanWalls. With unique quotes to modern, chic designs, you'll have so much fun dreaming up your new interior design project!

Danielle sent me her very popular, Keep Calm Carry On vinyl wall decal. This is my first wall decal experience, so I was a little nervous about the whole process of putting it on the wall. However, easy to use directions are included with the decal, so newbies like me can figure out how to apply it properly. 

This design is 23" wide x 33" high. Since it was such a large design and I was applying it by myself, I pressed the decal onto the wall as I was slowly removing the backing at a 45 degree angle. This seemed to work well except for one little circle from the crown that I noticed later on the backing. I was easily able to use tweezers to delicately put it on the wall once I was done.

Once the backing was off and I had rubbed the decal onto the wall pretty well, I started to pull off the transfer tape, also at a 45 degree angle. I did have a few intricate areas (like the area above) where I had to slow down, go back, and scratch the transfer tape over the decal again so it would stick better onto the wall's texture. This is certainly to be expected with such small details on any decal, but easily fixed.

I had so much fun putting this up, and my arms even got a little work out too! Ha! I love the design, the matte finish, and that I don't have to ruin our apartment walls with paint, frames, or other decor just to have something on the wall. Vinyl wall decals also remove easily, without damaging your wall. You can choose your colors for your wall decals, and truly transform a room with a whole new look with just a little time. I have to say I've had an excellent experience with UrbanWalls, and I think anyone can easily put up their own decal. UrbanWalls shipped my decal in a shipping tube to protect it from damage, and I think the materials for the decal are a very high quality. 

The Girly Girl Tree decal is adorable! 

Danielle recently launched her own blog where she plans to share things that inspire her such as graphic design, interior design, fashion, and deals. I love her posts so far, and have enjoyed going back through them all. It's inspired me a bit too!

~Exclusive Event Promotion~

Get 15% off with coupon code MadeWithLove!

Win it!

One winner will receive the In This House We Do... vinyl wall decal from UrbanWalls!