Etsy Love: MissHillary + Giveaway

Summer is in full effect here on Maui.  The high this week is 86 degrees with 64% humidity. Yeesh!  And what better way to beat the heat (other than a yummy glass of iced tea or lemonade), than to brighten your wardrobe with a fun and one of a kind tote!  Especially when the tote is handmade from Hawaii...

When I came across the Etsy shop, MissHillary, I was smitten.  Hillary's cheerful designs and her attention to detail is definitely something that stands out.  A few of my favorties from her shop are the Light Blue Denim Ruffle Bag and the French Kiss Bubble Bag.  She explains that, "Every stitch has been a learning experience for me, and one that I will forever be grateful for. Sewing has been such a blessing, and a hobby that I never thought would be so adventurous!"  Being self taught in sewing myself, I love that she shares the same passion.  Let's get to know Hillary a little better...

{etsy shop} {blog}

Meet the artist

-Tell us a little about yourself.
My name is Hillary Akau. I'm 24 years old and married. I have 3 dogs named Naya, Zoey, and Kitty...yes, I named one of my dogs Kitty because she kinda looks like a cat and she jumps over everything like a cat! Hehe:) I enjoy being creative, sewing is my hobby! My favorite color is pink, I love anything and everything that's covered in pink!

-What inspired you to start up your Etsy shop?
When I saw all the creative handbags on Etsy, I thought I'd try to sell some of my bags too. So I set up a shop, and got some sales. After every sale, I get inspired to sew more and more. :)

-Where do you draw inspiration from?
I get inspired everyday. I can be walking around shopping and I'll get some inspiration in my head, then I'll go home pick out some fabrics and ta-da...my idea comes to life! I get inspired by beautiful colors, prints, and anything cute.

-Any advice to others who are thinking of opening an Etsy shop?
My advice to anyone thinking of opening up and Etsy Shop would be...go for it! You'll never know how many people out there in the world will adore your creative ideas! It's such a fun way to share your handmade items with people. Never stop creating!

-For anyone who wants to visit Kauai... what is a "must-do" there?
For anyone who wants to visit Kauai, you have to stop at Hamura's Saimin Stand and try their yummy saimin! Kauai is known as the Garden Island because of its beauty. If you're visiting for the first time, you have to tour the island and drive to Hanalei, it's very very beautiful there! Kokee is also a must do!

Hillary was also sweet enough to send me a bag of my very own!  I love the striped pattern and the color combo.  I also love the fact that I can put a ton of stuff in here.  Although it would be perfect for the beach, it's also a great bag to carry around during the day.  Her sewing skills are impeccable.  Each stitch is perfect and I know a lot of love and patience went into this bag.  Hillary, thanks so much!  I'll definitely be using this bag a lot this summer. 

Now, you too can own you very own MissHillary bag.  Hillary is giving one of my readers the chance to win this cute blue corduroy tote.  See giveaway rules below. 

Giveaway rules:
Mandatory
1.  Name and Email address (so I can contact you if you're the winner)
2.  Visit MissHillary's shop, here and tell me what your favorite item is.

Optional - for optional entries to count, please list each one you do in a separate comment. 
1.  Be/become a follower of my blog. (+1 entry)
2.  Be/become a follower of MissHillary's blog. (+1 entry)
3.  Blog about this giveaway or place the giveaway in your blog's sidebar. (+ 1 entry)

Giveaway ends Tuesday, June 15th - 11:59pm (HST). Open to everyone.

Love, S

Etsy Love: Inez Designs + Giveaway

Jewelry is definitely one of my favorite ways to play up an outfit.  Even the most simpliest of outfits (the white tee and jeans combo), can be glammed up with a bold necklace, whimsical bracelet, or a striking ring. 

Inez Designs has just that - pieces that will definitely make an ordinary outfit... extraoridnary!  Inez has a collection of whimsical pieces with a sprinkle of edge.  I love how her designs are sweet, but not too sweet.  Let's get to know Inez a little better.

{etsy shop} {blog}

Meet the artist

-Tell us a little about yourself.
My name is Inez Tan and I am from Singapore, a land of sunshine!  I started this new exciting journey, six months before I quit my job. I’ve always been fascinated by the darker side of beauty and I just love working with metallic colors, chains, vintage fabric and charms. My designs are edgy, modern and unique.

-What is the mission statement behind Inez Designs?
Inez Designs mission statement is to create new fashion and unique experiences for people.

-What inspires you?
I am inspired by so many things! Fashion, films, books, art, music, popular culture, and so forth. It can also be the fluffy clouds in the skies or beautiful and whimsical creatures.

-If you could give one piece of advice about accessories, what would it be?
Be bold and dare to be adventurous! If you are wearing jeans and a simple white top, just funk it up with layers of necklace of a statement piece! It will change your entire look and make your day special.

-If you could design a piece of jewelry for a celebrity, who would it be and why?
I would design for Erin Wasson. She is someone with great style and personality. I love her designs for fashion label RVCA too. It is simple yet with a rock and roll laid-back attitude. I share the same sort of philosophy. I imagine her being the model of my jewelry.

-What is your point of view on creativity and all things hand-made?
Handmade items are special. They are not mass-produced and each piece is different thus adding more character and personality. I feel that there is extra love and care involved in something handmade. I love the imperfections of things handmade.

Inez was also kind enough to design a something just for me.  It's simple, a little dark, and totally wearable.  I absolutely love it.  Thank you Inez for being so sweet and generous!  I'll definitely be wearing it a lot this summer. :)

Inez is also offering one of my readers the chance to win one of her lovely designs. 
The Multi Feather leaves charm bracelet. 

Giveaway rules:

1.  Leave your name and email address.

2.  Must be a follower of my blog.

3.  Visit Inez Designs here and tell me what your favorite item is.

4.  Blog about this giveaway or place the giveaway in your blog's sidebar (+ 1 additional entry)

Giveaway ends Monday, 5/31/10 - 11:59pm (HST).  Open to everyone.

***This giveaway is now closed***

Love, S

Etsy Love: Sea Babe Jewelry

I recently came across a fabulous pair of Etsian's in my very own backyard (and by backyard, I mean Hawaii).  Local designers Kristin and David of Sea Babe Jewelry create handcrafted artisan jewelry from the North Shore of Oahu, Hawaii.  They use 100% recycled gold and silver in their designs.  The simplicity in their designs is stunning.  Each piece is delicate and finely detailed.  

Kristin and David's designs begin at $20.  The Twenty Dollar Ring is a gorgeous piece that is so beautiful that no one will believe you only paid $20 for it.  A few other pieces that I simple adore are The Bacon Stack, The Three Gold Stack, and my ultimate favorite piece from their shop, the Infnity Plus One ring.  The craftsmanship of each piece is undeniably exquisite.  Let's get to know a little more about Sea Babe Jewelry...

{shop}

Meet the artist 

-Tell us a little about yourself.
My name is Kristin, and my other half is David and together we make up Sea Babe Jewelry. I have my own shop on Etsy, called Sea Babe and together we run the Etsy shop, Sea Babe Jewelry. This is a full time operation and we both work from home doing this day in and day out.

-What inspired you to begin Sea Babe Jewelry?
At the time, I was looking for a hobby. We had some friends that introduced us to "shelling" at our local beach. We were hooked and soon started making our shells into jewelry to sell at our local Country Market. The whole thing grew into a business from there.

-Where do you find inspiration?
I get inspiration from beach culture, current fashion trends, and I like to make pieces that I, myself would like to see and wear.

-Who do you see wearing your designs, do you wear them yourself?
I pretty much only wear stuff I make right now. Because I make what I love, I end up wanting many of the things I make. It's really a fun part about the business.

-I love that your designs are hand-crafted from 100% recycled silver and gold. Can you share with us your view about the importance of recycling and/or sustainability?
David and I made sure when we started Sea Babe that being eco-friendly would always be a big part our mission. We chose to use recycled metals, and opted not to use certain products, like glues or resins. We also use minimal electricity and seek out ways to contribute to our local environment.

-What is one of your favorite things to do in Hawaii (Oahu)?
I love doing things like going to the beach, hiking, and bike riding. But if someone was coming to visit, I would have to say that a drive out to the H-3 Pali Highway would be what I would recommend. The views from this drive are gorgeous and you get to drive through a mountain by way of a large lighted tunnel.

I was ecstatic when Kristin offered to send me my favorite piece - the Infinity Plus One ring (fine silver).  From the moment I recieved the ring, I fell in LOVE!  It came packaged in a cute little box and Kristin even included a handmade orchid hairpin.  The ring itself is even more magnificent in person.  The pictures do not do it justice.  The quality is superb; delicate but substantial.  The fit is true to size and I love that the ring is made of fine/pure and recycled silver.  I don't have to worry about getting it wet or my fingers turning green (unlike my abundant collection of F21 rings.  ha ha!).  Another thing I love about the Infinity Plus One ring is that I can wear it a few different ways.  I'm a big fan of versatility!  This ring is slowly becoming one of my favorite pieces of jewelry (of course my wedding/engagment rings will always be at the top of the list, but that's a given!).  Many Mahalos Kristin and David for letting me feature your shop on my blog and for sending me such a beautiful piece of jewelry. I'm sure I'll be paying your shop another visit. :)

Treat yourself to something magical and hop on over the Sea Babe Jewelry to pick up your very own treasure from Hawaii!  

Love, S

Etsy Love: The Pagestoppers + Giveaway

I really can't wait to open up my very own Etsy shop!  I discovered Etsy about 3 years ago when sister gifted me a subscription to Craft Magazine.  My very first visit to the Etsy site filled my heart with so much sunshine.  It was a community filled with people just like me!  For those that personal know me, you know that I'm a Crafting-DIYIng Queen! 

With all the fabulous Etsy shops currently out there, I wanted to feature some Etsian's I adore.  I was super happy when the sweet Grace of The Pagestoppers contacted me and introduced me to her shop.  She's created delicate bookmarks, each adorned with a little treasure.  You can also find dainty little hairpins and rings.  Let's all get to know Grace a little better...

{etsy shop} {blog}

-Tell us about yourself?

My name is Grace Leong. I am 23 years old. I love Christ, pretty crafts, reading and playing the piano. I am presently teaching kindergarden children. I live in a small, tropical island- Singapore. We have all-year round summer here!

-What inspired you to start up The Pagestoppers?

The Pagestoppers was birthed two months back. It was actually a fruition of my dream of setting up an online craft shop- to express my creative side! I have a fond love of handmade products as they express the creativity of a person’s mind. Also, my boyfriend, Timothy, has been supporting me silently in this arty project! What inspired me to start the shop was actually this verse from the Bible about the Proverbs 31 woman: “She perceives that her merchandise is good and her lamp does not go out by night.” Thus, the Pagestoppers is one of my Proverbs 31 projects at the moment.

-Share with us your creative process.

I believe that an inspiration is just a thought away and it is all a matter of giving much thought.

-Are you currently reading anything? What's your favorite book(s)?

I am currently reading Beautiful in God's Eyes by Elizabeth George.  My favorite book is the Bible as my faith plays a huge role in my life! (;

-Where do you find inspiration?

Anything and everything- nature, photographs, clothing, colors etc.  I also draw inspiration from the most descriptive verses in the Bible especially from beautiful verses in Psalms.

Grace was kind enough to send me a couple of her sweet creations.  The bookmark really is the sweetest thing.  I'm planning to put Pooma's picture in the locket.

Grace is also offering one of my lucky readers the chance to win their favorite item from her shop.  Simply click on over to The Pagestoppers and choose your favorite item.  Leave a comment on this post stating your favorite piece.  Leave your email address too!!

Giveaway ends on Tuesday, May 11th, 2010 9:00pm HST.  I'll pick a winner and the winner will be announced the next day.  Of course, if you can't wait to see if you're the lucky winner, purchase one of her beautiful pieces yourself!  You won't regret it. :)

Open to everyone!!

Love, S