Tuesday, December 28, 2010

Meet Nina!

One of our favorite things about Etsy is making awesome, talented and kind friends who continually knock our socks off with their creativity.  Case in point, Nina! Jewelry designer and mixed media artist extraordinaire, Nina creates gorgeous dreamy pieces that take your breath away.


The above two shots are of a shadowbox Nina created.  And below is one of eight owl ornaments she gifted to her mom, made with metallic thread, Dresden owls, Czech beads, felt and a washer.

 Be sure to check out Nina's Etsy store HERE and her blog HERE. We can't wait to see what she creates next!

Friday, December 24, 2010

Thursday, December 2, 2010

Afternoon Relaxing


Oh to have time for an afternoon nap in the sun! Thomas found a sunny spot on the patio yesterday and hunkered down to take advantage.

I've been a bad blogger lately, so just in case I have to ignore the blog for a little while, I thought you might like to see this guy.  Now, if only we could teach him to help pack orders...

Tuesday, November 30, 2010

Personalized Letters From Santa, Elaborate Cards & More!

We've just added several new paper goods to the website... kangaroos that double as treat containers and ornaments; pretty 3-D Christmas cards with richly embossed vintage images; old fashioned tags... very sweet things to send or display.

It's always hard to choose a favorite, but the kangaroos are pretty darn cool! I totally see them as favors at a kid's birthday party or hung on the Christmas tree with a pouch full of little peppermints.

My mom has always been a huge fan of Santa letters, so I'm guessing her top pick would be our personalized letters from Santa... darling poems, a vintage graphic of Santa and Rudolph, a reindeer stamp.

If you click the image above you can see all of our new paper pieces together.

Thursday, November 25, 2010

A Special Holiday Offer in Our Etsy Shop!


From now until Monday Nov. 29 we're having a special holiday sale in our etsy shop! At checkout just enter the coupon code 32NORTH to save 15%.

Are you having a sale in your etsy shop and want a special banner? Look no further, there's a large selection HERE.

Hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving! I made stuffing and cranberry sauce from scratch and spent a couple of hours down on the beach enjoying the sunshine.  Beautiful day and many blessings!

Wednesday, November 24, 2010

A Feature in Victorian Homes

We're very pleased to share that one of our Victorian style advent calendars was featured in the December issue of Victorian Homes Magazine! Here's a quick peek inside the mag:


You can find this particular advent HERE with the other Victorian style advents we offer.

Sunday, November 21, 2010

Just in: Glittered Scraps!

 Just in time for Christmas crafting, we're stocking several styles of German scraps featuring pretty silver glitter accents.  Check them out HERE!

Wednesday, November 17, 2010

Do you Know Dawn of Kiki La Ru?

I am smitten with Dawn's cake bunting! If you don't know Dawn yet, you must visit her etsy shop where she offers cake bunting for just about every festive occasion under the sun.

This particular bunting is called Snow Queen and features dreamy pink and cream pennants on pink and white bakers' twine.


If you're more of a DIY'er, Dawn also offers kits for you to make your own.  And she graciously notes where she gets her lovely props, like these sweet little bottle brush trees.

Tuesday, November 16, 2010

Free Banners & Avatars for Your Christmas & Holiday Promotions on Etsy

Are you having a Black Friday/Cyber Monday promotion in your etsy shop? We are, and we can hardly wait! I've created several free banners and avatars for you to use just in case you want to really announce your sale.

Here's what to do:
Just click on the image you like to enlarge it to the correct size, then drag it on to your desktop. Banners are sized at 760 px by 100 px and avatars are 75 px by 75 px.

Some have text appropriate for a range of sales.  Others are blank for you to add your own text using basic photo editing software.




Keep scrolling! There are more below...



   


I love these large classic bulbs:







Had to include and orange one.  A blog I read frequently wouldn't have it any other way!


Hope you enjoy these, and if you have any questions don't hesitate to ask.  I'm happy to help :)




Saturday, November 13, 2010

A Weekly Wrap Up



We've been busy little elves carefully gathering orders and spending lots of time at the post office.  In between all the boxes and bubble wrap though, I've made back to back trips to Home Depot for paint samples for our wall.  We're still determined to paint it deep blue. 

This week we also made a group of crafting supply kits for a special group of scrapbooking ladies who'll be getting together with our blog friend, Cathe.  They turned out pretty awesome with a mix of specialty supplies from our shop; so awesome, in fact, that we plan on adding them to our offerings.  What do you think? Neat, yeah?

Well, I must run for now.  We're having a beautiful warm day today and the ocean is calling, so I'm sneaking down to go for a surf and enjoy the sunshine.  See you all back here soon!

Tuesday, November 9, 2010

'Tis The Season

The season is in full swing around here! And post office/UPS trips are happening at least once a day.  Above is yesterday's first round.

Saturday, November 6, 2010

New Shop Additions: More Paper Advent Calendars


We adore advent calendars and couldn't resist adding a few more to our already large selection.  All of these beauties are available HERE, plus about 75 more designs!

These bear angels have the sweetest faces.

This one has Bible verses behind the windows.

This one has beautiful colors.

And this one is super long.

This one is a standing 3-D style.  The folks bearing gifts fold forward and the manger and Bethlehem bend toward the the back.
This one has a charming family scene.

This one also has Bible verses behind the windows.

Wednesday, November 3, 2010

Rock On!

Look what was in my mailbox! A couple of weeks ago I won a gorgeous hand painted rock in Geninne's giveaway.  Isn't it adorable? He has the most charming look on his face.  Thank you, Geninne, I love him!

 I couldn't resist keeping the cloth and tie that the rock was bundled in.  And that's Geninne's card on the right, which now has a happy home on my refrigerator.  As for my new bird rock,  he has a proud place on my desk where I can enjoy him everyday :-)

Sunday, October 31, 2010

Meet Jennifer of Hummingbird Traveler Studio!

We're big fans of Jennifer Primeaux and are so excited to share a bit about her with you today! From fanciful cotton batting flower girls to handsome mice dressed in their finest royal attire, her work combines Victorian era details, Native American inspiration and the best of 18th century France.  With meticulous attention to detail and a flawless execution, we're sure you'll become big fans too!  Read on for a peek into Jennifer's world... 

A bit about you (name, location, where you can be found on Etsy & online).
Jennifer M. Primeaux of the Hummingbird Traveler Studio. Santa Fe, NM. www.etsy.com/shop/hummingbirdtraveler
 

How did you get involved in your crafting business?
I have been crafting and drawing since I was two. As a toddler I would get fists of crayons and draw on the walls; when I got in trouble with that I started drawing in the closets. Growing up we made many of our own Christmas ornaments and decorations. When I graduated from high school I knew I wanted to be an artist, or maybe an art historian. The preservation of Native American cultures has always been a love of mine. From high school I went to the Institute of American Indian Art, and after that I went to The University of Oklahoma for Art History. I didn't think of starting my own crafting business until the late 90's when I found myself working at a holiday shop. To say that I was enchanted by the Victorian (inspired) and German glass ornaments that I sold is an understatement. It was love at first sight! Within a couple of months of working there, I started making my own Victorian Christmas ornaments. Initially, it's still a dream of mine, I wanted to have my own line of Native American glass ornaments. Unfortunately, this is too expensive to do by myself. Those early years were spent experimenting with making my own molds (for candy containers), learning the art of spun cotton, experimenting with collage techniques and research. Since then, I have been creating my own version of the Victorian ornament. I discovered Etsy a few years ago. I see Etsy as great opportunity to showcase my ornaments. 


Describe your signature style.
My ornaments are a combination of the Victorian ornament made from cotton batting, and a three dimensional doll. Each ornament has a doll body on the inside made from cotton batting, cotton fill and wire. There is a lot of hand sewing in each one. Also, I create my own patterns for each. When I can, I try to use vintage supplies in my ornaments. Anything magical like fairies, Marie Antoinette, Native American cultures and the little critters in my yard are all inspirations for me. I love to take my inspirations and sprinkle them with glitter!


How has your approach to design changed over the years?
I don't know. It feels like it hasn't changed. 


What are your favorite materials? Any tools or supplies you can't live with out?
My favorite material right now is millinery flowers, cotton batting, vintage seam binding, and glitter. At the moment I'm in love with this vintage 1950's thread holder that I have. Its a pink plastic doll with a bell skirt. Inside of her bell skirt is a place for your threads. Otherwise, I can't live without all of my flowers, ribbons and papers!


Biggest design or crafting challenge so far.
I think the single biggest problem I have now is how to make my ornaments more quickly! Each ornament still takes hours to make.


Who or what has/have been your creative influences?
I come from a family of crafters and artists. My primary influence is a my Mother, Connie Hansen. She is a fine arts painter and has always encouraged me to create. When I was a kid she always found money to buy me pads of drawing paper and colored pencils, paints, etc. Other influences are my Native American ancestry, The Victorian Era, the 1920's-30's, and Marie Antoinette. Also, I love animals. When I look at the little animals in my yard I picture them wearing little outfits and having personalities.


Favorite color combinations?
I really like faded colors, especially light pinks and blues. Anything aged is great. When I buy vintage millinery I don't mind if they have brown spots on them, this gives them character.


Interest outside of work/design?
I'm really interested in History. My boyfriend always laughs at the documentaries I watch. He thinks they are really boring. Maybe they are, but I think they are fascinating! I'm also in love with Victorian architecture, I spend a lot my time looking at old houses for sale. I feel like a displaced Victorian.


Anything else you'd like people to know about your pieces?
Behind each completed design there were at least 20 prototypes that didn't make the cut. I'm very particular about my work. It has to meet a certain standard, and most importantly they have to possess a certain magic or I don't sell it. It doesn't matter how long I have spent on it. An example would be the German style candy containers I tried to make (Native American designs). I spent about five thousand dollars on them and I could never get them to work (problems with the medium). When you get one of my ornaments you are getting something that is truly handmade.

***********

Thank you, Jennifer! :)