A Wonderful Gift

A quick apology: I am sorry I am not blogging much right now, I am getting ready for my wedding and though it is a small wedding, it is amazing how much of my time it is taking up with all of the preparations. I will get back to more regular blogging (God willing) as soon as possible :)
Arwen Sniffs the Large, Mysterious Package
A few months ago, I purchased some beautiful vintage pins from my good friend Jen at Epic Farms (http://www.epicfarms.etsy.com). While purchasing them I mentioned that Brennan and I are getting married in September. Well, she then said that she had a little something in mind and that, as I wasn't in a rush to get the pins (I'm using them in my wedding, details below and to come), she wanted to do a little something to go with them. Now, I was thinking a little something to be just that, but I wasn't thinking it would be this wonderful something. I want to share with you one of the most wonderful gifts I have ever received. Upon getting the package from the post office, I noticed it was rather large. When I opened it I found...
The "Bliss Box", and its Beautiful Poem
...An absolutely beautiful box! On the outside it was decorated with beautiful paper, reminiscent of Italy, and the front had a label saying "Bliss Box" and on top was a poem:
"The Bliss Box
In this box when you are joined together,
place joyous memories to cherish forever.
Your wedding announcement, a special note,
a flower, some ribbon, a thoughtful quote.
And on the papers of pink and blue,
write a loving word or two.
Then set it aside in a special place,
secure it with ribbon or tie it with lace.
When you are down and feeling blue,
pull out this box and look it through.
In times of struggle, it times of trial,
inside this box you'll find a smile.
Remember why your love is true,
encourage each other and find joy anew.
Keep God as your center, your focus heavenly,
for marriage does not take two but three.
Jen Crowe, Feb. 2010"
Isn't that beautiful?? I've already said that she should make more, similar ones to sell in her delightful Etsy shops (epicfarms.etsy.com and wysiwigs.etsy.com), as I am sure more people would want them. I thought that would be all, and to find my little pins inside, but I was wrong...
A Handful of Envelopes
...A pack of envelopes! I wasn't sure which ones to open first, but fortunately I opened the orange envelope first and found...
Some Envelopes
...a delightful card from Jen. I then opened the pink envelopes and found...
Gorgeous Scrapbook Die Cuts From Jen
...Some incredible die cuts for my wedding scrapbook! I just went out today and got a scrapbook for our wedding photos (okay, okay, I like to be prepared, lol), and thse are going to be perfect! There is a little couple, gold hearts (the gold doesn't show in the photos, sorry), gold interlace rings, doves and hearts and heart labels and so much more, including a set that reads "Our Wedding". They are gorgeous, you need to see Jen's shop for these and more.

A Jumble of Letters Makes...
The next envelope contained a jumble of letters...what did they make? I will admit, it took me a while to figure it out (yeah, brain wasn't working well, the envelope said it all, lol). Brennan and Meghann in beautiful opalescent paper, with a beautiful green tree with matching green crystals attached to it.
The Final Two Envelopes
The final two envelopes had more stunning cuts, including a little car and sign that says, "Just Married" and letters in a little plastic envelope that say Just married as well ( I didn't take them out as they are delicate). The final cut is a beautiful cake with gorgeous pink flowers and a small pink crystal on the top. Okay, I admit it, I cried happy tears when I saw the cake cut. I don't know why, but for some reason that one made me realize I'm finally going to marry the man I've loved for almost 9 years. But STILL the package wasn't done!
Vintage Bits and Bobs
Jen also included some beautiful vintage pieces of jewelry for me to play with. I've already got some great ideas for these, let me tell you!
The Vintage Pins for My Wedding
Finally I got to the package I had ordered (seems funny, doesn't it? LOL!). These are the vintage pins I'm using in my wedding. They are silver plate with faux pearl and rhinestones on the left, and the flower one has rhinestones and some sort of mother of pearl in the petals. Here is what I'm doing with them:

Handmade Ribbon Bouquets
I ordered a bunch of ribbon from a great Etsy seller a few months ago in blue, pink and white, the colors of our wedding. I then made bouquets of ribbon roses - one for my bouquet to hold, and a small one to put in my hair (I'm wearing my hair half up and half down, so it will go where the elastics/pins will go). But where is the flower pin?

The Bouquet with Pin, and the Bliss Box
Why, the pin went on the bottom front of the bouquet I'm going to hold. It sits just below my hands, so it will add some beautiful sparkle - plus, as the bouquet will never die, it will eventually become an ornament in my bedroom! I now have filled the Bliss Box with my bouquets, as well as the jewelry I'm wearing (I'll show you that later!), and the jewelry I'm giving to my mom, soon to be mother-in-law, and friend doing my photos. After the wedding, I am looking forward to filling it with things from our marriage!
Oh, and the second pin? I'm wearing it on my dress, I'll post photos when I get married ;-)
The big day is September 10, my birthday (Brennan chose it, not me, as he says he'll never be able to forget it, lol). I'll keep you up to date with other things that are going on as I'm able to...some things I'm giving away and I want them to be a surprise, so I'll photograph them and post them after the wedding :)
Thank you for sharing in my Wonderful Gift, I hope you have a wonderful gift of your own soon!

Fabulous Friday Feature: She's Batty Designs!

This week's Fabulous Friday Feature is a surprise...at least to the seller! This week I am featuring the fabulous gift card designer She's Batty Designs. You can find her on Etsy and ArtFire, and she has a great blog as well. See below for some more great items in her shops. This is the perfect way to make any gift (or just a card!) stand out from the sea of mass-produced, rather soulless cards. All of her cards are hand made by her and are very intelligently designed.
I love these snowmen cards, the pop up 'snow' really makes them stand out from the crowd. It is also great that they come in different colors - you could give the same card to 3 different people and they'll still look different!
These are just the cutest pumpkins ever! I thought about buying them just to put up in my office as art. Of course, they'll also make great little thank-you's or even place settings!
If gingerbread cookies had to look like cards, hands-down, they would choose to look like these. Aren't these the most delicious and cute-looking cards ever?? Genius, that's all I have to say.
This beautiful, dainty card is also a pop up! You'll have to visit her stores to see the rest of this very pretty card.

Please visit her and tell her I sent you! She is a great artist, so don't forget about her cards when you are doing your shopping :-)
She's Batty Designs on Etsy
She's Batty Designs on Artfire
She's Batty Designs Blog

That's all for now, tune in tomorrow for Sweet Saturday :-)

Sweet Saturday: New Gift Wrapping For Packages

~Your Package Will Look Similar to This!~

Making people happy is, in my humble opinion, one of my favorite things to do, especially if it is unexpected. When people order from my shop, I give them extras, little trinkets to go along with their gift, as a thank you, and to make them feel special. Because they are. Ask any one of my family members how my face looks when I get a sale, no matter how small, and they'll tell you I look like a little kid on Christmas morning facing a stack of beautifully wrapped presents.

I LOVE when people trust me enough to order from me. It makes me feel so special that I WANT to thank people. So I give little extras. I make handmade origami gift boxes that have my flower and landscape photos printed on them. I give them care and handling instructions to keep their purchases looking fabulous for years. I give little thank you notes with offers for discounts the next time they purchase. I give them little trinkets, like key chains, buttons, etc. to add to their order.

Imagine my chagrin when I realized that many of my sales are destined to be gifts, and that the purchaser then has to go out and get a card for it! Here I am, wrapping everything so they don't have to go to that trouble, but I am making them get a card! A generic card, no less, to go with a unique, handmade gift, YUCK!

So I have decided that, although I also sell my cards, each order will now have a handmade blank card to go along with the handmade box and treasure inside it. It will look similar to the package above, except the card will be blank, and the photos on the card and box may vary. I can even personalize the card with a greeting done in calligraphy if you wold like, just let me know. It will be FREE, just like my other extras to you when you order.

A big, heartfelt thank you goes out to everyone who has ordered from me in the past, and to those who will order from me in the future. I love serving each and every one of you, and I hope to be able to do so for many years to come.

Have a great day!

Sweet Saturday - A Bracelet Fit for A Queen!

I made this bracelet yesterday after having a bit of a vision. If I had been asleep I would have called it a dream, but I was sitting doing something completely different and it just flashed into my head. I used large, 8mm Swarovski Crystal Pearls in 'natural white' and smaller, 4mm Swarovski Crystal Pearls in 'rosaline pink' and spaced them with sterling silver beads. I attached them with silver plated marquise connectors for a multi strand look, and then made an 'S' clasp with sterling silver wire that I hand formed and lightly hammered. I made a bead link to dangle from the clasp for a little extra luxury - it also makes the clasp look fancy so that the bracelet can be worn with the clasp on top or underneath. This is soft as silk and has a good weight to it - you feel it on, but it isn't too heavy. This will be a prefect gift for Valentine's Day or a special treat for any day - you'll feel like a queen wearing it, whether it's with a fancy dress or a pair of jeans.
This will be for sale shortly on my Etsy site - first come, first served! I only had enough large pearls for one of these, so until I order more, this is it!
Meghann

Fabulous Friday, Part 2 - The First of the Monkeys!

~From the front, what long arms you have!~

~From the side, what a cute, curly tail you have!~

This is the first of (hopefully) a few monkeys I have made. I crocheted him using grey and red yarns to make him look like a sock monkey. Although he does have a bit of a squint, my glass safety eyes arrived in the mail today so from now on I will be using those instead of sewing them with more yarn. This one is a gift to my friend Louise of Fireseed, and I am currently starting an octopus for her wonderful orange tabby Raff. I'll keep you posted!
I am still listing new items in my Etsy shop every day, and my SUPER 50% OFF SALE is still on - for a limited time! Check it out for some wonderful Valentine's gifts.
Meghann

Sweet Saturday: a Beautiful, Sugary Bracelet

~Sugar and Ice, This Bracelet is So Nice!~

I made this bracelet yesterday after having the inspiration come from absolutely nowhere. Well, actually, I was watching "Marie Antoinette" with Kirsten Dunst and thought that I needed to make something girly, fun, and gorgeous!
I used rosaline pink Swarovski pearls and sterling silver beads and strung them on memory wire to get this layered effect without a lot of weight. Even better, there is no clasp to fiddle with - you just wind it on your wrist to fit you, and unwind it to take it off. It will fit almost any size due to it's Slinky-similarity and is light as a feather, yet looks like you have layered some beautiful bangles together. I think I just might need to order some more memory wire and Swarovski pearls to make a few more!
This will be for sale shortly on my Etsy store, please visit :)
My SUPER 50% OFF SALE is still on, maybe you can get you and your Valentine something sweet and affordable - or get a smart head-start on next year's Christmas shopping?
Meghann

Fabulous Friday

~So Sleepy!~

Today's Fabulous Friday is brought to you by... SLEEP! Yes, glorious, wonderful, restful sleep. I've been so go-go-go the last month that I almost forgot I could sleep (well, that and the Fibromyalgia causes insomnia so it was a double-whammy!). Today we slept. Had lunch. Napped. Had dinner. Sat on the couch and watched TV. Went to bed early (or I will go to bed early - we haven't hit that yet). The dog was knackered. Pure tuckered out by Christmas at my parents' house yesterday. All that attention and turkey from grandmom sure got to her! I don't normally allow 'human food' to e given to my animals, but plain turkey and plain veggies are ok, and grandmom knows this so every few minutes I'd hear, "Shhhh don't tell your mom!" and then I'd hear Arwen munching and licking her lips. Lucky dog! Eating is hard work so she sure needed her naps today :)
We had a great Christmas. sure, the gifts were great (fabulous actually!), with me getting some great books and DVD's, plus a fabulous gift certificate to my favorite gardening store, but it was seeing family again and visiting, catching up and laughing. My mom also does a fabulous table spread with lots of veggies and fruits, cheeses and homemade crackers, and dinner is always divine with her stuffing and turkey so tender you don't ever need a knife. More veggies, followed by the yummy shortbread and fudge that I made ended the evening wonderfully. All in all, it was a FABULOUS Christmas and I am exhausted!

Reminders: the SUPER 50% off sale is still on and more items have been added to the sale!
Also, there are only a few more days to enter the December Monthly Blog contest. It is free to enter and you could win a great prize!
That's all for now, I'm going to have a FABULOUS rest!
Meghann

New Earwires!

~New Earwires!~

I had a really cool request a little while ago - a client wanted to have really cool ear wires for her jewellery creations. She had the idea for them, based on a few other designs, but wanted them in sterling silver, and wanted them bigger than the average decorative earwires (most of them being tiny, and rather wimpy in my humble opinion). These are a few of the fantastic results! I'll be listing these and many more soon, as well as more items in my SUPER 50% OFF SALE. Keep checking the Etsy store for more cool, affordable things!
Meghann

~Another Beautiful Custom Necklace~

Here is another beautiful creation, custom made for a very special friend. She is giving it as a Christmas present, so she will have to remain nameless, but I have to say that this was one bear of a necklace to make, being my first 'woven' piece ever. It did, however, turn out beautifully and I am thinking of ways to make others for sale on my Etsy shop. They won't be quite as ornate though, as this one took many, many hours, lol. This was made using Czech glass seed beads, Czech glass druk (round) beads, tumbled Turquoise nuggets and a turquoise round donut pendant....GORGEOUS!
Of course my SUPER 50% off Sale is still going...and there is still time to have it delivered before Christmas (some areas may need additional postage, so contact me if you are unsure). Of course, at these prices, you can easily afford to get yourself some gifts, and even get a head start on next year's Christmas shopping (remember how you always say you're going to do that???).
Check out my Etsy Store for more items added to the 50% off section daily!
And don't forget to enter the December contest of the month to win a great prize!
Meghann

Best Sale Ever!!

~Insert Fireworks Here~

So I decided to up my sale AGAIN.
Now almost everything in the store is 50% OFF!
I'll be adding more items so keep checking back and remember: it's not too late to have these items mailed to your recipients on time for Christmas!!
Check it out!! www.littlestudiojewels.etsy.com
And the deadline for the December Blog contest is quickly coming up so don't forget to enter!
Meghann

Sale-ing a Sale-ing a Sale-ing We Shall Go!

The Buy 2 Get One Free Sale in my Etsy store is still going very well, a few people have taken advantage of the wonderful deals in my shop and have some beautiful, handmade jewellery to give as Christmas presents!
I wanted to give you more, though, so if you purchase over $100 worth of items, after discounts, you'll get a free surprise! All jewellery does, of course, come in a handmade gift box so it is ready for gift-giving - you don't even have to wrap it! I can even send the item directly to the recipient if you would like.
Plus, you don't have the line ups, crabby clerks, and grabby shoppers to contend with (and don't even get me started on the parking!)
Happy shopping, and don't forget to enter the free monthly blog contest to win great prizes ;-)
Meghann

Time to Think of next Month...

~Want to Learn to Make This? You Can - Thursday January 15, 2009!~

Well the first class I taught at The Bead Store in Kemptville was a huge hit. The pendant was finished by the end of the class and the participants got to wear them home! They loved the project and now have some new techniques to add to their repertoire. I had so much fun, so a big thank you to all who came out!
The next project is the one you see above. This is a beautiful nested ring with sterling silver wire and Czech glass beads surrounding a beautiful focal stone, in this case a carnelian melon. This will be taught by me at The Bead Store in Kemptville on Thursday, January 15 from 7PM to 9PM. It will be lots of fun, so I really encourage you to come out and try it. It is a great way to get out of the house and escape those January doldrums, plus it is an affordable project and you'll have a beautiful ring to give away (or keep!) by the end of the class. Check out their website for details: www.rideau-art-beads.com
The SUPER SALE is still going strong in my Etsy Store, so check it out as there are lots of great affordable gift ideas and there is still time to get it mailed to you (or directly to the recipient) before Christmas. See the sale here: www.littlestudiojewels.etsy.com :)
Also, don't forget to enter the December blog contest to try and win a wonderful prize! Everyone is eligible, so enter and tell your friends too - you never know...you just might win!
Meghann

The Sale Gets Better!

Alright! The SUPER SALE just got even better! This one is for one week only, starting now:

Buy 2 Items
Get One Item Free!

The third item must be of equal or lesser value to the lowest priced item, and cannot be combined with another offer (not on previous specials, sale or custom items). Hurry - these items are going to go fast!
Shipping may be delayed slightly (2-3 days) due to sales volume.
Hurry to get your shopping done now - there is still time to have it arrive before Christmas :)
Also don't forget to enter the December Blog contest!
Hope you like it!
Meghann

December Contest Announcement!

What's your favorite part of this time of year?
Visiting family? Driving around to see Christmas lights? Turkey? Presents? Aunt Mabel's inability to sing carols in tune, making your brother shoot milk out his nose (ok it's early right now and I'm not fully awake yet).
Your answer could win 3 different sets of 4 photo cards, just in time for sending out those thank you's after Christmas and New Year's!
I hope you like them!
Don't forget to check out the SUPER BOGO 50% off sale to get lots of affordable gifts for your friends, family, neighbors and coworkers. At these prices, you'll be surprised at how much quality gift-giving you'll be able to do!
Also check out our charity of the month, Epic Farms and see what great things they are doing for horses in need (I always have a soft spot for my 'neigh'-bors!)
Have a great day!
Meghann

November Contest Winner!

And the winner of the November Blog Contest is.....

HANDICRAFTS!!

For their honest (and smart!) comments on how they are doing their Christmas (holiday) shopping this year:

Since I don't have a lot of money to spare, I am mostly likely going to buy from etsy only. I'd rather give hard-working artisans the money then some big corporation, which puts all the same things out on the shelves every year! (At least it seems that way to me!) But it will still probably be a credit cards Christmas. :(
Thanks for this opportunity!

Handicrafts will be recieving the ring shown above - Congratulations!! Please contact me within the next 2 weeks through my Etsy store to get the ring mailed to you as soon as possible. (After 2 weeks if I haven't heard from you I will choose another random name.)
Thank you to everyone for their responses and keep on the lookout for this month's contest!
Don't forget to check out my Etsy store, which is having a Buy One Get One 50% off sale - just in time for your shopping!!
Also stay tuned for a post on our Charity-of-the-Month :)
Take care,
Meghann

SALE SALE SALE EVERYTHING MUST GO!!

Just in time for the gift-giving season (and perfect for those trying to save a bit of money in these tighter financial times), I am trying to make room for my new creations, which means......

A HUGE SALE!!! Buy anything from my Little Studio Photography and Jewellery Etsy store and get a second item for 25% off!

Hurry - once these beautiful pieces are gone, that is it!

The nitty-gritty:
Second item must be of equal or lesser value. This is not available on custom orders at this time, and cannot be combined with another offer. The discount does not apply to shipping or taxes (if applicable). I will refund the difference after payment has been received. Shipping times may be slightly delayed due to higher sales volumes.
Don't forget to enter the contest of the month here on this blog.
Enjoy!!
Meghann

~Enter the November Contest and You Could Win This Ring!~

Our November Contest is appropriate, I think, given the current financial situations of most of us: by replying to this post, let me know how, in light of the current economy, you will be doing your holiday shopping this year. Are you scaling back a lot? Using credit cards? Making gifts yourself? Purchasing more carefully? Setting Spending limits? How? By replying, you will be automatically entered to win Celtic Style Sterling Silver and Czech Glass Spiral Ring, shown above. One reply per person please. One name will be randomly drawn on December 1, and I will contact the winner, as well as posting the winner on the blog here on that day. The winner will have 2 weeks to contact me and give me their address so I can ship them their earrings. If they don't contact me in the two weeks, I will choose another, random name and they will have 2 weeks, etc. Good luck and keep checking back for exclusive discounts available only to people who read this blog!!
Keep checking my Etsy store for more new items listed every day, and remember - I love to do custom orders :)
Get responding!
Meghann

Fall Cards are Fabulous!

~A New Card Set Just For Fall~

I just had to share this new card set with you! Here is a selection of 4 photos from right around the corner in fall and late summer. The high-quality laser printed and sealed images are about 4x5, and then mounted on thick card stock. The cards are about 4-1/4x5-1/4 inches and come with matching white envelopes. They are the perfect size for gift-giving, thank-you's and invitations! I am also able to make a custom set of all 1 or 2 images of your choice, and I am also able to print these as larger photographs - just ask!
These will be available for sale on my Etsy Store, as well as other card sets so hurry to check them out!
Thanks for stopping by,
Meghann