Grand Opening and Giveaway Celebration!

I am excited that a talented crafter and dietitian has combined her talents to create Mora Nutrition.  It is an Etsy shop where you can find food and kitchen accessories.  She makes 100% cotton dishcloths in beautiful colors, shopping bags, and menu lists with much more to come. 

This week in her shop, you will find great deals in celebration of her Grand Opening and she is doing a giveaway here, offering a free gift certificate to her shop!  But first, here is more about Kati, creator of Mora Nutrition...

Why Mora Nutrition Food & Kitchen Accessories? How did you come up with the name?

Let's face it, the name is NOT that creative!  In fact, my Etsy shop is merely an extension of my business Mora Nutrition and its name reflects that.  I have always had a passion for nutrition and love being crafty, so the ability to incorporate both into my career makes me incredibly happy.  Plus, they just seem to go together somehow.

How long have you been crocheting and why do you enjoy it?

I learned to crochet when I was 11 years old. My grandma use to take me with her to one of crochet classes at our local high school. I have been crocheting ever since; however, it wasn't until after the birth of my second son, Ben, that I became obsessed! Now I crochet all the time and find it to be such a calming experience.

What else do you sell in your shop?

I also feature paper products in my shop. All of the paper products I produce are forms that make eating healthier easier. This is a relatively new venture for me, but I love being able to provide people with the tools they need to do something great for themselves AND have them be cute along the way.

What is your favorite thing to make and why?

I enjoy making all of the products featured in my shop...BUT if I had to pick just one, I would probably say the mix and match dishcloths are my favorite. I love that I can make multiple color combinations with them and I love that they are so versatile. Everything else is a close second!

What is one thing people would be surprised to know about you?

That I just auditioned for Oprah!  Yes, I submitted my audition video just this week for a chance to get my own television show.  I don't know if anything will come of it, but it sure was fun to make!  If you want to, check out my Oprah audition video.

And now for THE GIVEAWAY:

Win a $10.00 gift certificate toward products at Mora Nutrition on Etsy!

Rules:
1. Open to U.S. residents only.
2. Ends Friday, July 2nd at midnight PST.
3. Winner will be chosen at random and contacted via information provided in comment entries on Saturday, July 3rd.
4. Each entry requires a separate comment.
5. Enter by:
    - Tweeting on Twitter about this giveaway.
    - Posting on Facebook about the giveaway.
    - Visit Mora Nutrition's Etsy shop and tell us what you would buy with the gift certificate.
    - Follow Kati on Twitter at @aroundtheplate
    - Become a friend on Facebook of aroundtheplate.

**Remember to post a separate comment for each entry.

Mora Nutrition's Links:
Website: http://moranutrition.com/
Etsy Shop: http://moranutrition.etsy.com/
Blog: http://aroundtheplate.com/
Facebook: http://facebook.com/aroundtheplate
Twitter: http://twitter.com/aroundtheplate

My Daughter's Treat of a Birthday

We recently celebrated my daughter's 3rd birthday. We went with a treat theme because I think it is cute and she didn't really care. Her only requirement was Strawberry Shortcake on her cupcakes.  She was so excited to have all of her cousins over to her house - just for her!

What's a party without balloons!?!  I went with pink, blue, and yellow and the kids were all happy to take one home when they left.

We had "sandwich bar" so that everyone could make their own sandwich and get something healthy before the treats that were to come.  I also made strawberry lemonade which was a big hit since we used strawberries from our garden.  I highly recommend it if you have them because they are so much more flavorful!

 

She enjoyed opening presents and was excited about all of the gifts she received. Dora was big this year, along with crocheted play food.

A birthday party also needs a pinata. Boy did the kids go after that candy! The adults were just thankful that no one was hurt.  Here are a couple of them diving for the candy.

And the cupcakes...They were too quick for me to get a picture before they were almost all eaten, but you get the idea. My daughter told me the cupcakes were her favorite part of her birthday.

She wore a cupcake dress that went perfectly with the party theme.

Everyone loved the "thank you" gifts. I bought this cake which is actually several boxes wtih lids. 

The kids were so excited to get "cake" after having cupcakes.

I filled the cake with treat-themed items: ice cream poppers (remember those?), cupcake bubbles, kaleidescope, crocheted cookie, cupcake soap, and ice cream bath fizz.  The ice cream poppers were definitely their favorite!

A very fun day with family and great weather too. Our big girl enjoyed it a lot.

Etsy Seller Feature

I found au clair de la lune's shop through the Etsyveg team of which we are both a part.  I have always liked her shop, but it has become one of my favorites.  I had to contact owner, Adrienne to learn more about her and her shop.  So, here is our conversation...

Tell me about what you do, the idea behind your shop.

Au clair de la lune is centered around conservation and all of the items in my shop are made from recycled fabrics. I find so many things compelling about using repurposed materials. There is of course the eco impact of not creating more. As a society we are so inundated by stuff and more stuff. I really like the idea of breaking that chain and trying to be as neutral as possible in my use of new materials. This cuts down not only on the creation of new stuff, but also the pesticides and fertilizers that would be used in creating new fabric, and it keeps old stuff out of landfills.

I also like the challenge of taking something that would otherwise be discarded and finding a way to make it beautiful and useful again. At times there seems to be such a folk art quality in using recycled materials, particularly with the use of found objects that find new purpose.

What other crafts/art do you enjoy that you don't sell in your shop?

Outside of the shop, I love to do arts and crafts with my kids. I’m already making plans for summer activities and projects. First on the list will be building the ultimate squirrel proof birdfeeder. Somehow tie-dye and mosaics always seem to happen every summer too. I also live in a very old house that will forever be a work in progress. All of my projects seem to share a pretty consistent green/repurpose theme.

What other job do you have (if any)?

Job #1 would definitely be keeping up with three very active kids, but I also teach English part-time at a local college. I find it an absolute luxury to spend entire class periods discussing a short story or poem. I hope my students feel the same way.

Do you sell anywhere other than etsy?

In addition to my etsy shop I sell in a few local boutiques here in Central Florida. One of my summer plans is to try out craft fairs.

 

What is your favorite part of having a shop?

I love having an outlet for my creativity. It can be very gratifying to really enjoy creating an item, see it fully realized in the shop, then get feedback from customers. An unexpected but very welcome benefit of having an etsy shop is the camaraderie that develops with the teams. I’ve met so many wonderful people!


What is the hardest part of having a shop?

Definitely the hardest part of having an etsy shop is time management. As an etsy seller, you are responsible for every aspect of the shop from creation, to photography, to marketing and promotion. It has taken me awhile to develop a rhythm for getting things done and I still struggle with the photos. I love to come up with ideas for new items and to sew, so it can also be tough to “turn it off” sometimes, especially because I work at home. There’s always one more project that I want to finish or start…

 

What is your favorite piece in your shop and why?

My favorite items always seem to be what I’m working on at the moment – which right now would be yoga bags. I also like the lunch rolls because not only are they eco-friendly because they are made out of recycled fabrics, but they serve an eco purpose in that they replace disposable napkins and flatware!

 

What would people be surprised to know about you?

I’m a pretty open book – no one who knows me would be shocked to learn about my NPR and chocolate addictions. I literally air my laundry (in the backyard, on a clothesline)! I do love mysteries in all shapes and forms – I listen to audio mysteries in my car, mystery theatre radio programs on-line while I sew, any mystery TV show, read the books – and I always try to solve the mystery before the detective, be it cat, caterer, or Perry Mason!

Thanks to Adrienne from auclairdelalune.  I hope everyone enjoys getting to know her as much as I did.

Blog Giveaway Winner!

I love doing giveaways and plan to do more soon.  Thanks to everyone who entered.  Our winner has been selected through a random drawing and that winner is...


Julie of Juliesparklybits!


Congratulations and if you didn't win this time, you will have more opportunities in giveaways coming soon.

Paper Crafting Free Giveaway!

After going through every inch of my craft room recently, I came across a large amount of scrapbooking supplies.  I put together this large assortment of what I am able to part with. (You should see what I'm keeping.) 

It was difficult, but here is the assortment up for grabs in this giveaway:
- paper
- cardstock
- stickers
- diecuts

Well over 100 pieces!  The winner will receive everything you see pictured here...

Guidelines:
1. U.S. and Canada residents only.
2. One comment for each entry.
3. Enter by: 

• following my blog
• telling me your favorite item in my shop
• tweeting about the giveaway (Twitter)
• posting about the giveaway on your Facebook page or blog
• buying something from my shop

4. Make sure you comment with your e-mail address or some other way that I can reach you if you win.

5. The winner will be selected at random from the qualifying entries.

**Remember - you must comment separately for each entry.**

Giveaway ends at 8:00am PST on Monday, June 7th, 2010.

Good Luck!

Memorial Day and the Start of BBQ's and Picnics

For me, Memorial Day weekend has always marked the beginning of the outdoor season and that includes a lot of BBQ's and picnics!  I am currently getting our patio ready for the good times to come and hoping for good weather and great company of family and friends.

Large Rustic American Flag

This is a collection of items for picnics and barbecues with an Americana flair.  You can find all of these (and more) on Etsy and if it's too late to get them for Memorial Day, you could have them for the 4th of July or your next get-together.

Decorations are a fun way to get a festive feel to your party.




Beautiful Bunting Handmade Red and White








The table is where I spend most of my effort.  Great items here that I would love to have on my patio table this summer!

Vintage Glass Pitcher with Matching Glasses

Darling Vintage Barrel Style Relish Dish Jar

Star Spangled Red, White and Blue Cloth Napkins

Vintage Red and White Check Metal Bowl






And you need a place for family and friends to sit back, relax, and share stories.  These vintage chairs are great for that!

I adore the vintage feel of this handmade apron - beautiful and fun details.  You have to keep your cute outfit clean!

The little ones need something cute to wear too and this pillowcase dress looks so comfortable as well.

And for the activities...croquet anyone?  I grew up playing croquet and my kids love it too.

Wishing All a fun summer with friends and family!

Before and After Projects

I enjoy seeing before and after pictures of projects and sharing my own.  I have posted quite a few on my blog and here are a few recent projects of mine. 

I recently received this well-loved and well-used, but very sturdy child's rocking chair from a family member.  The paint was worn and since white gets dirty easily (especially with kids), I thought I'd try something else.

I had just bought this pale chartreuse green color and wanted to try it on something.  A great, gender-neutral color for kids, I decided to use it on this chair.  I love how it turned out and decided to keep it for my daughter's room.  

Previously, she had this white wicker rocker which had seen better days.  I don't have a before shot of this one, but this is how it looks now, after a new coat of paint.  I am selling this one locally.

Another piece I am selling locally, but don't have a before shot of, is this vintage telephone gossip bench that I painted black.  It took a lot of sanding, but was well worth it in the end.  I wish I had a place for it because I would keep it!

The last one is a smaller piece which I am selling in my online shop. It started out as raw wood with a couple of spots on it.  

This shelf was screaming at me to be pink with that cute heart-shaped flower cut-out.  So pink it is!

I am constantly working on new projects, so keep checking back for more Before and After posts.

Time for that Summer Dress!

The weather is getting warmer and it's time to start looking for that summer dress to keep you cool in the heat.  Not only is this a collection of great summer dresses.  They are all under $30!

White is classic for summer - go for this flowy dress...

Or this long white dress...

Perhaps you want a little color...

Or a more colorful vintage dress...

I love this romantic, upcycled dress...

Here's one for special events...

And finally, a pretty strapless dress.

 So many to choose from - happy shopping!

Old Wood Framed Windows

Anyone else have a stack of old wood framed windows laying around?  If you're like me, you have a pile of good intentions, but maybe don't have the "Aha!" idea that gets you moving on a project.  Well do I have some ideas for you!  I love making something new out of something old - a new piece with history that is unique.
 

Some ideas are so simple.  I took one window and simply hung it on a wall in my daughter's room across from the one window in her room.  I am yet undecided about whether I will put pictures of flowers in the glass or floral stick-ons maybe.  (Her room has floral decor.)  By itself looks fine too, so there it is - as simple as just hanging it!

Here's a decorated window from growingpanesdecor on Etsy.  The extra touches add a lot! 

I am amazed at the talent of people like preciouspages on Etsy.  This window has been turned into a real work of art...and it's being sold for charity!


Another idea...
I found this window at my local Habitat for Humanity ReStore for $5.00 - that's right, $5.00!  I bought some decorative L-brackets ($20 for four) and painted them to give them an old, patina look, and then put them onto the window with some old salvaged wood I had sitting around. 

We hung this window shelf above the stove to serve as a spice rack, but it clearly holds much more!  *If you do this, be sure to secure it with screw into studs.  You don't want this to fall.

Another fun and creative idea is this Chalkboard Organizer from adropinthebucket on Etsy.  I don't think I ever would have thought of this - what a great idea!

A few more ideas for using old windows for which you can find how-to steps online:

• greenhouse
• mirror (replace broken panes with mirror)
• space divider
• table top (just add legs)
• pot rack
• hanging candle holder
• cupboard
• backdrop in the garden
• garden vine support (if glass is missing)
• tray (smaller windows)

There are so many ideas.  The hard part is choosing which one you want to do.