Leo and Junie

Wordless Wednesday: Decorate with color

2011-02-23T12:25:00.000-05:00

My New Project: garage converted to a studio

2011-02-21T13:55:00.000-05:00

I have been teetering back and forth with a new studio location in my house. We recently remodeled our basement, but my son took it over a few months ago. I know when I come up with house projects my hubby is more than excited to get the project running (I'm so lucky that he loves to remodel)! The garage is a wasted space right now. I could use half of it, but I need to have a huge yard sale this spring before I can move on! OH, the thoughts that are running through my head right now!

After browsing the web, I found tons of pictures for inspiration. I LOVE Shabby Chic. This style incorporates vintage items, light colors, recycled things, painted furniture, and mismatched collectibles. I think my jewelry shop has bits of this type of style flowing through it too. My Mom loves roses so it's in my genes for sure.

Hmm...let's begin...I can dream a little...

{source: Shabby Scraps Boutique}

{source: Ish and Chi}

{source: Selina Lake Stylist}

My daughter would be sharing the space with me. She is a little artist in the making - always creating things just like her Mama!!

Right now my studio is in the dream stage. More to come...

BESTeam feature: Love Elycia

2010-11-25T09:47:00.000-05:00

Happy Thanksgiving to everyone! I will always be thankful for my family and friends, but this year I am also thankful for creativity! This shop is full of creativity and fun...Love Elycia. Elycia is an engineer turned crafter from Canada. She has a cool blog to read when you're looking for discovered shops and whatever's on Elycia's mind at the moment. Take a look at some fun items you'll find in her shop.

If you are into the latest stache craze then you'll find some serious staches in different colors and sizes!

CUSTOM Headband Incognito Moustache $9.00

Or how about a blond one? Headband Incognito Blond Moustache $9

Have something to say?

Say Anything CUSTOM Word Bubble Headband $12

Love Elycia now sell vintage wares as well. Visit her shop, you'll be tickled pink!

Enjoy your Thanksgiving weekend!

BESTeam feature: MysticWynd

2010-11-13T21:54:00.000-05:00

Mystic Wynd is an Etsy shop filled with jewelry for every woman. If you like gemstone, crystal, or religious jewelry - this shop is for you. Whether you're a stay at home Mom, fashionista, career woman, grandmother, or a guy looking for a perfect gift for their perfect girl...you will definitely find something at Mystic Wynd.

I could show you the many styles of her shop, but I think I will be a little selfish and show you my favorites...my love for butterflies! You'll have to stop by and visit her shop to find your favorites!

Butterfly Necklace in Purple $34.95

Blue Butterfly Button Ring $14.95

Gardener's Copper Charm Bracelet $39.95

Butterfly Garden Necklace and Earrings $39.95

Follow Karen at her wonderful sites:

Have a great weekend!

BESTeam feature: You Are My Sunshine

2010-11-03T21:32:00.002-04:00

Nina, owner of You Are My Sunshine Etsy Shop, is a sweetheart. You will often see her kind hearted comments on many of our BESTeam blog features. She always has something positive to say. Her amazing shop is filled with handmade fabric flower brooches, necklaces, bridal items. The colors in her shop are very pleasing to the eyes and the warmth draws you in. Her blog is bright and fresh...filled with pretty finds every week. Here are some lovely favorite finds from her shop...

Wild Flower Brooch $14

Necklace Like a Monet Painting $50

Fabric Shabby Roses Painted Glass Button Necklace $60

Get to know You Are Sunshine more at the following places:

Enjoy your week,

BESTeam feature: ElizabethMD Jewelry Designs

2010-10-28T23:13:00.000-04:00

Welcome to Etsy shop, ElizabethMD Jewelry Designs, from Ontario. The owner, Elizabeth, is a recent fashion college grad and started making handcrafted one of a kind jewelry. She has been adding new items to her shop and offers sterling silver, silver, gemstone and beaded jewelry.

Do you have a gift to buy and not sure what your lovey wants? Elizabeth offers $10, $25, and $50 gift certificates!

Take a look around her shop. I did! These are my favorites...

1. Blown glass blue lariat (my fave) 2. Opera length geometric necklace

3. Pale blue easter candy necklace 4. Spin class blue glass necklace

Be sure to visit her links:

Have a great week!

Etsy Find: Campbell Jane

2010-10-21T22:05:00.000-04:00

Beautiful Aura Angel

"Every portrait that is painted with feeling is a portrait of the artist, not of the sitter. "
~Oscar Wilde

This tells the story of Folk Art by Campbell Jane which is an Etsy shop full of whimsical art and beautiful life. The owner is a full time painter, artist, Mom, poodle Mom, and also loves music. I believe you can see these things in her paintings. All of the paintings offered in her shop are original works of art.

Campbell Jane offers budget friendly prints, book marks, and art cards of her originals as well. I love the feel of her shop, the colors used, and the portraits of angels. I collect angels so this was treat to feature her shop this week! All I can say is WOW...such talent!!

Here are some of my favorites

Angel of the Sea

Gallery exhibitions of Campbell Jane Folk Art

Twirling in Tulips

Shar Pei Dog Angel Print

Visit Campbell Jane for more whimsical art at:

ETSY SHOP

BLOG

TWITTER

An Autumn weekend in the Mountains of Pennsylvania

2010-10-16T09:23:00.001-04:00

We spent a weekend in the beautiful Mountains of Pennsylvania.

(source)

Taking a stroll at the campground.

Music by the campfire

At the dog park..

The big king of our house in a little body. This is Kai, our fearless Chihuahua. The only thing he's scared of are loud noises and teenage boys who visit my son at our house frequently!

Kai really enjoyed the dog park last weekend in the mountains. My kids had to chase him to get him to run around!

"Wow, this is better than getting my belly rubbed! Nah...just kidding!"

This is Buddy, our rescued Puggle. This is his 4th home...he's only 3! He used to be super duper hyper until we took him to obedience classes. Now he is a dream, but he still likes to make his grunting noises :-)

"Let's see who can run the fastest!!"

Our boxer, Jade, didn't make it to the dog park, but we did take her to mountains with us for some good country air! She's such a cutie! This is her bumble bee costume she wore at the campgroud!

"I love to give paw!"

Have a great weekend!

Wonderful Wednesday Etsy Find: Omni Presents

2010-10-13T21:26:00.000-04:00

Welcome to a spiritual Etsy jewelry shop for the mind, body and soul! Omni Presents is a new Etsy shop offering handcrafted gemstone jewelry to provide you happiness, energy, and balance. She uses gemstone colors to resonate your chakras (energy centers along the spine located at major branchings of the human nervous system, beginning at the base of the spinal column and moving upward to the top of the skull, through which pass 3 major energy channels). Each line of jewelry caters to the wearer of these beauties.

Take a journey through the wonderful shop, Omni Presents...

Color Splash Jasper Bracelet

Regal Butterfly & Turquoise Necklace

Jasper & Bone Aum Bracelet

Jasper is one of my favorite stones. It comes in many shades and looks beautiful with autumn and winter outfits! Jasper is known for helping to provide awareness, protection, and insight.

Visit Omni Presents at these lovely spots:

Have a great week!

Wonderful Wednesday Etsy Find: Turquoise Angels

2010-10-06T23:22:00.000-04:00

I love finding girly girl Etsy shops! Today I am featuring Turquoise Angels. The creators behind the scenes are a Mother and daughter team who love to make clothing for girls, babies, and mommies. You will find adorable hand tied tutus, screen printed garments, and hair accessories. This Etsy store from Virginia can make a little girl's dress-up wishes come true. The tutus are also great Christmas gift ideas!

Take a look at some of my favorites from Turquoise Angels :

Watermelon Handtied Tutu - Photo Shoots, Birthdays, Dance Performances, Parties (Newborn-5T)

$26

Love the colors!

DREAM ANGEL TUTU DRESS- Great for Weddings, Pageants, Photo Props, Parties

$50

Gorgeous tutu dress for any little princess!

Fire cracker french clip boutique bow

$9.50

Perfect bow for cheerleading, with her favorite outfit, or photo shoots

Visit Turquoise Angels:

Turquoise Angels Etsy Shop

Blog

Twitter

Facebook

Enjoy!

A Morning in the Garden

2010-08-21T09:24:00.001-04:00

I perhaps owe having become a painter to flowers. ~Claude Monet

Have you ever wanted to go to a place to feed your soul visually? A place to "sort of" call your own. A place where you can lose yourself and gain inspiration at the same time. I find this all in my Mom's gardens...my inspiration for my jewelry designs all started here. Take a little journey and you will see why...

Hostas, daisies, and bird amenities

A place for morning or afternoon tea

Blackeyed Susans, Purple Coneflower, Hydrangea, and Hummingbird feeders

A place for butterflies

Look how the Clementis found its way around the handmade spoon chimes!

Handmade gourd from Pennsylvania

Tomatoes anyone?

How much prettier can this be?

Yellow Finch perched on a purple coneflower

My Dad bought this old whiskey barrel and turned it into a water fountain

One of my Mom's garden loves...roses

Pretty flower containers are scattered throughout the yard

Butterfly bush on the left..not sure what the white flower is.

Mini herb garden..my Mom makes homemade herbal tea.

Fresh picked flowers

Handmade birdhouses

Salvia

Milkweed for Monarch butterflies

A place to rest after a long day...

Birds flock to this backyard

That's me (owl tee by Hard Love Apparel )

I will be the gladdest thing
Under the sun!
I will touch a hundred flowers
And not pick one.
~Edna St. Vincent Millay, "Afternoon on a Hill"

BESTeam feature : Lightkeeping

2010-07-21T15:35:00.000-04:00

I'm so excited to finally be featuring Lightkeeping, a colorful jewelry shop on Etsy. The shop owner, Anastasija, lives in Cork, Ireland. I am part Irish and always wanted to visit this lovely green country. Lightkeeping is a beautiful shop full of lampwork & beaded jewelry and hair accessories. Each Lightkeeping piece of jewelry is lovingly made with great care and attention to color, proportion, symmetry, and most of all, beauty. Her prices are amazing too! She is a member of the Boosting Etsy Shops Team (BESTeam) as well as the European Street Team, Crafty Ireland Team, and Russian Artists. She is quite the busy bee!

Take a little tour with me through her shop....

Here are some of my favorites::

2 Turquoise fabric flower hair clip $8

Teal and green lampwork earrings $12

Long faceted teal jade cluster earrings $12.95

These beauties made it to the Front page of Etsy!!

Like to see more beautiful jewelry and hair lovelies from Lightkeeping?

Visit her links:

ETSY SHOP

BLOG

TWITTER

Enjoy your week!

BESTeam Tuesday feature : Just Peachy

2010-07-13T23:08:00.002-04:00

I just love the name Just Peachy! This cute Etsy shop has adorable hair accessories and jewelry. The shop owner, Rachel, is new to the craft scene, but is already making lots of cute stuff from button earrings to crocheted necklaces to felt flowered headbands.

One of her recent treasuries made it to the front page! Nautical theme at its best:

Love it!!

Take a little walk through her shop....

Spice up a boring outfit with a colorful flowered headband

Felt Flower Headband Bright Pink, Blue & Purple $15

Custom Felt Flowers Hairpiece $15

Necklace - Crocheted & Beaded $10

White Puca Shell Earrings $8

Just Peachy is having a sale through July 17th

FREE SHIPPING ON ORDERS $10 OR MORE

JUST PEACHY SHOP

BLOG

TWITTER

Visit her shop for some fun jewelry and accessories!

Have a great week!

BESTeam Tuesday featuring Just the Goods

2010-06-29T21:09:00.001-04:00

We've all heard the infamous saying, You are what you eat. At Just the Goods, you'll find skin care that says: You are what you wear...on your skin. With so many environmental worries in the world, organic, vegan, and natural skin care is what you want to use on your body. This Etsy seller based out of Winnipeg, Canada, offers handmade natural and affordable skin care.

Shaving solids, body butters, natural toothpaste, bath melts, and some facial skin care items are available in their Etsy shop right now. Most of Just the Goods items are made without animal-derived ingredients and striving toward a 100% vegan selection.

If you've read my "about me" blurb, you'll know my love of bath and body products! Here's a few on my wish list...

Vegan Body Butter (choose your scent) $6.20

Vegan Unscented Fizzing Bath Melts $4.20

Set of 5 Lip Balm $12.00

I forgot to mention they use re-usable canning jars with some of their products! Also their products are tested by friends not furry friends!! Loving that! So check out their shop today.

Visit Just the Goods at the following cool places:
ETSY SHOP

BLOG

TWITTER

WEBSITE

Enjoy your week!

It's a Wonderful Wednesday featuring Unique Designs by Ms P

2010-06-23T22:32:00.000-04:00

Meet Paula, AKA Ms P, owner of UNIQUE DESIGNS BY Ms P. Her new Etsy shop features crocheted items, beaded and custom jewelry. You can get a sense of who she is by reading her blog. She is upbeat, passionate about creating, and always leaving wonderful comments on our BESTeam blog posts!

Ms P loves working with fabric, fibers, beads, and just about anything else textural, colorful or sparkly. She makes jewelry, gloves, hats, scarves and an occasional bag or tote along with some fairy items.

Here are a few pretties from her shop:

Clear Blue Sky fingerless gloves $10

Star shine Bracelet $20

Family Bracelet Golden Topaz $20

Visit Ms P at:

Have a great week!

BESTeam featured seller, Kei Glass

2010-06-16T22:08:00.001-04:00

Being a daydreamer of beads and jewelry, one thing I've always wanted is a kiln! My lucky BESTeam member uses one all the time {jealous-I tell ya!} Meet Kei from Colorado. She is the lady behind the torch! Her Etsy shop, Kei Glass, is filled with dichroic jewelry, lampwork pendants, key chains, wind chimes, and purse pulls == all made from glass. Making lampwork and glass jewelry is a very cool process. You can read about it on her blog.

ON my love list...

Dichroic glass earrings

Lampworked Glass Pendant - Seaweed

Dichroic Pendant and Earring Set

Dichroic glass pendants really pop and sparkle with color against skin. This gorgeous orange set is perfect for summer!

Visit Kei at these links...
KEI GLASS Etsy Shop
BLOG
FACEBOOK
TWITTER

Enjoy the rest of your week!

It's a Marvelous Monday featuring PhotoSprint

2010-06-14T21:07:00.000-04:00

This cool new store, Photosprint is owned by my fellow BESTeam friend, Nevita. She is from Bulgaria. She already has a thriving hand knitted accessory shop, Nevita. I just love her new fine art photography shop. Photosprint features custom made Etsy shop banners and avatars. Nevita is super nice and will help you in any way she can.

Here's the details....

CUSTOM ETSY SHOP BANNER AND AVATAR

This is the listing description from her shop:

A custom Etsy shop banner is something that every shop needs to stand out from the crowd and make its own image. Make your shop memorable!

By ordering this Custom Etsy shop banner you will receive 5 versions of your shop banner and avatars. If you have ideas for you logo, just convo me or write into the "message to seller". If you don't contact me I will do all my best to surprise you with great banners.

I will send you the 5 versions of banner in 1-5 days.
Your banners and avatars will be delivered to you via email as a .jpg attachment. Please send me your email address.

Visit her shop today!
PHOTOSPRINT ETSY SHOP

It's a Marvelous Monday featuring Turquoise Angels

2010-05-31T13:06:00.001-04:00

Happy Memorial Day!! I've been waiting patiently to do a feature on Turquoise Angels. The creators behind the scenes are a Mother and daughter team who love to make clothing for girls, babies, and mommies. You will find adorable hand tied tutus, cotton dresses, screen printed garments, and hair accessories. This Etsy store from Virginia can make a little girl's dress-up wishes come true. I would love to get a little tutu for my niece for Christmas! I know I just mentioned Christmas in May, but I'm an all year x-mas shopper!!

Just take a look at some of my favorites from Turquoise Angels :

Watermelon Handtied Tutu - Photo Shoots, Birthdays, Dance Performances, Parties (Newborn-5T)

DREAM ANGEL TUTU DRESS- Great for Weddings, Pageants, Photo Props, Parties

PATRIOTIC RED WHITE AND BLUE HAND TIED TUTU-Perfect for MEMORIAL DAY, 4TH OF JULY, PHOTO PROP, PAGENTS (Newborn-5T)

Visit Turquoise Angels:

Turquoise Angels Etsy Shop

Blog

Twitter

Facebook

Enjoy!

It's a Marvelous Monday featuring Waterwaif

2010-05-24T21:09:00.001-04:00

I've found some of the most beautiful gemstone and ocean themed jewelry by Tara of Waterwaif. Her stunning artisan collections are made from sterling silver, gemstones, charms, and whimsy :: both pleasing to the eyes and soul! She finds strength and inspiration from the ocean and all the inhabitants that reside there. Waterwaif handmade jewelry truly reflects her love of the sea.

Don't miss Waterwaif's blog! Her blog is filled with giveaways, cool posts, and fun stuff for etsy lovers. Tara is very blogger friendly and is willing to help fellow Etsians with reviews and hosting giveaways as well.

This is truly an Etsy shop you don't want to miss!

Take a look at some of my favorites:

Starfish Crystal Blue Topaz Pearls Charm Bracelet

Aqua Beach Sea Glass Sea Horse Necklace

Lime Sea Glass Pearls Mermaid Bookmark

Be sure to visit Waterwaif at:

❤

Leo and Junie
Jewelry Designs :: Nature & Vintage Inspired
By Christine Steckel

leoandjunie@yahoo.com

Contact Me

It's a Wonderful Wednesday featuring Empress Jade Vintage

2010-05-19T22:25:00.002-04:00

Empress Jade Vintage is cool vintage shop on Etsy.com. This shop has cute, fun and affordable vintage women's party and day dresses, accessories, and tons of fabulous vintage lingerie. She ships worldwide from British Columbia.

I could have filled this post with TONS of beautiful retro pieces from her shop! Ok, so I narrowed it down to some of my favorites. Here they are...

Gorgeous finds!!

Navy Blue Satin Vintage 30s Dress Evening Gown S

YELLOW White Vintage 50s Sundress Dress Jody of California S

STUNNING White Rayon Vintage 40s Full Slip Lace Faggoting 38

Red Vintage 70s Harrods Shoes Size 7 M Slingback Sandals

Visit Empress Jade at the following cool sites:

BLOG: http://empressjadevintage.blogspot.com/

WEBSITE: http://www.empressjadevintage.com/

ETSY SHOP: http://www.etsy.com/shop/empressjade

http://www.etsy.com/shop/empresspatterns

FACEBOOK: http://www.facebook.com/EmpressJadeVintage

TWITTER: http://twitter.com/EmpressJade

❤

Leo and Junie

Jewelry Designs :: Nature & Vintage Inspired

By Christine Steckel

leoandjunie@yahoo.com

Contact Me

Working this Weekend!

2010-05-16T08:02:00.001-04:00

I've been a busy bee this weekend making lots of goodies for my shop and custom orders. The custom orders I made are totally different than what I offer in my shop so I thought I'd post them here for your viewing pleasure (hee hee)!

Moss Agate Gemstones, Boro Lampwork Sea Turtle, and a fine silver Starfish Clasp

Turquoise coin gemstones, fresh water pearls, and lampwork focal bead with s.s. toggle

Pink catseye beads, Swarovski butterly crystals, sterling silver heart charm and findings

Made for a toddler girl who loves pink!

I made this one a couple of weeks ago...Lucite flowers, crystals, brass link bracelet and findings

Enjoy the rest of your weekend!!

Leo and Junie

Jewelry Designs :: Nature & Vintage Inspired

By Christine Steckel

leoandjunie@yahoo.com

Contact Me

It's a Wonderful Wednesday featuring Poppy Luxe Designs

2010-05-12T12:36:00.000-04:00

It's a dreary Wednesday! What's a better way to cheer you up than taking a peek at Poppy Luxe Designs, a cute Etsy shop owned by Kimberly from California. Her shop is filled with picture frames, jewelry boxes, hair accessories, and pretty magnets.

Kimberly is a creative person who loves to decoupage. Some of her handmade items can take up to a week to make by looking at the pictures of her jewelry boxes. She also loves to make art journals which you can see one being made on her blog. It's very cool to see one made from start to finish.

Take a look at some of my favorites from Poppy Luxe Designs!

Tropical Bobbies Fuschia & Peacock

Sherbert Satisfaction Jewelry Box

I'm Really Cute Layered Flower Hair Clip

Etsy shop: Poppy Luxe Designs

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/poppyluxedesign

Twitter: http://twitter.com/poppyluxedesign

Blog: http://PoppyLuxeDesigns.blogspot.com

Enjoy!

❤

Leo and Junie
Jewelry Designs :: Nature & Vintage Inspired
By Christine Steckel

leoandjunie@yahoo.com

Contact Me

It's a Marvelous Monday : ANGEL STAR

2010-05-10T10:17:00.003-04:00

I was honored to receive the first signed copy of Angel Star by Jennifer Murgia!! The beautifully written young adult book debuts on May 18, 2010, but was released early on April 28th. I recently had coffee with Jen and we had a great discussion about Angel Star and the sequel, Lemniscate. Jen is not only a gifted writer, but a sweetheart as well!

I ordered Angel Star from B&N at the desk and got it in 2 days!! I'm currently reading it and loving it! I will do a mini review after I'm done. I am not an expert reviewer, but an average girl that likes a good read. Can't wait!

Jennifer holding my signed copy of Angel Star!

Here's a synopsis of Angel Star:

Seventeen-year-old Teagan McNeel falls for captivating Garreth Adams and soon discovers that her crush has an eight-point star etched into the palm of his right hand-the mark of an angel.
But where there is light, dark follows, and she and Garreth suddenly find themselves vulnerable to a dark angel's malicious plan that could threaten not only her life, but the lives of everyone she knows.
Divinely woven together, Angel Star takes readers on a reflective journey when one angel's sacrifice collides with another angel's vicious ambition in a way that is sure to have readers searching for their own willpower.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

There is a lot more to this book than meets the eye. Young tweens, teens, and adults will love this book of courage, fear, love, growing up in this uncertain world, and discovering strength you never thought you had.

Website: www.jennifermurgia.com

Twitter: http://twitter.com/jennifermurgia

Facebook: Angel Star
Jennifer Murgia on Goodreads.com
Angel Star Fan Club

Check out : Angel Star Giveaway on http://www.writtenwordreview.com/

It's all about angels baby!!

❤

Leo and Junie

Jewelry Designs :: Nature & Vintage Inspired

By Christine Steckel

leoandjunie@yahoo.com

Contact Me

It's a Terrific Tuesday featuring Maria Bella Jewelry

2010-05-04T20:43:00.000-04:00

I am in gem heaven between these two shops, Maria Bella Jewelry and Tiger Bead Store. They are both owned by Mary Ann from sunny California. Mary Ann makes lovely contemporary jewelry with gemstones, sterling silver, brass, and pewter. Her style to me is timeless and classic. While browsing her Etsy shop, I came across beautifully wire wrapped gemstone jewelry. We have similar tastes as she also likes to use birds, flowers, and nature items in her designs.

Maria Bella Jewelry

Visit her Facebook page

Maria Bella Jewelry Blog

When you are an avid beader of six plus years, you start accumulating beads, baubles, and everything in between. Mary Ann likes to find good deals on jewelry making supplies and offers them to the Etsy world in her shop, Tiger Bead Store. I'm loving the cabochons she offers here!

These are some of my favorites...

Hummingbirds Earrings Sterling Silver, Glass, Pewter

Beautifully simple and pretty!

Petals (Silver Turkish Blue Chalcedony)

This is one of my favorite gemstones.

Woman with Flowers Necklace

I like the vintage feel of this pendant. It's an illustration from Mucha named Fruits and Flowers from 1897.

Get to know Maria Bella Jewelry a little better by visiting her Etsy shop and her blog. Don't forget to "like" her Facebook page too!

Have a great week!
❤

Leo and Junie
Jewelry Designs :: Nature & Vintage Inspired
By Christine Steckel

leoandjunie@yahoo.com

Contact Me

Some updates!

2010-05-01T07:57:00.000-04:00

It's a fabulous Saturday already! The sun is shining and the temperature is climbing. We will have a taste of summer today in Pennsylvania!

So, what do you think of my new banner on my blog? I love it! It's fun and has the two things I love, an owl and flowers! D. from The Photo Spot made it for me. She also made my Etsy shop banner and avatars. She's great to work with and will answer your endless edits until they are perfect! Check out her shop!

One last thing, I am offering FREE shipping (domestic) in my shop today only!!

Have a great weekend!!

❤

Leo and Junie
Jewelry Designs :: Nature & Vintage Inspired
By Christine Steckel

leoandjunie@yahoo.com

Contact Me

It's a Terrific Tuesday featuring Lotus Mira

2010-04-27T10:37:00.004-04:00

Happy Tuesday! After three straight days of rain, the sun made a brief appearance this morning. The clouds have rolled in again! It was refreshing to discover a new Etsy shop from beautiful Washington, DC, Lotus MiraGe Ephemera Handcrafted Jewelry. The shop owner, MiraGe, is a hard working Graduate student, wife, cat lover, and Boston native studying Law. How does she have time for creating?!?

She has little pieces of art for your ears, neck, and wrists! Lotus Mira offers handcrafted jewelry and art, composed of found items, vintage artwork and images, and other ephemera. A girl after my own heart! She currently specializes in soldered art. Her future plans are to work with polymer clay and would love to learn lampworking!

I found a lot of information on the profile page of Lotus Mira about MiraGe and her future artistic journey. Something she quoted really stayed with me. "Many people think nothing of spending $100 on a dinner out, but wouldn't spend $100 on a piece of art that they could have forever. It's because they don't value it the same. It's not because they can't afford it."

(taken from http://www.thebeads.com/articles/pricing.phtml) This is so true! Next time you see a piece of art that you would love to own, think of this statement.

I hope you enjoyed learning about the fabulous shop, Lotus Mira. Take a little journey into her world...

Here are some of my favorites from her shop:

Vintage Faery Images One Inch Soldered Pendant (double sided)

Alice in Wonderland Four Paneled Soldered Bracelet (double sided)

Vintage Malaysian Stamp Butterflies - World Postage Stamps Series - Soldered Pendant

All of the pendants are made with lead-free solder.

GRAND OPENING SALE for Lotus Mira :: Be among the first to buy a four-paneled bracelet, join me on Facebook, or refer a friend -- you can get free items and/or to get up to 20% off! Check my Shop Policies to learn how!

Get to know Lotus Mira a little more and see her mini works of art through her links!

BLOG : http://LotusMira.blogspot.com/
TWITTER: http://twitter.com/LotusMira

ETSY SHOP: http://www.etsy.com/shop/lotusmira

FACEBOOK PAGE: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Lotus-MiraGe-Ephemera/330807772723

Enjoy!!

------------

Leo and Junie
Jewelry Designs :: Nature & Vintage Inspired
By Christine Steckel

leoandjunie@yahoo.com

Contact Me

Leo and Junie Celebrate Earth Day with Aquarian Bath

Celebrate Earth Day with Aquarian Bath

2010-04-22T08:00:00.007-04:00

Celebrating Earth Day!!

I found this great shop, Aquarian Bath, through facebook a few months ago. Cory, the owner of Aquarian Bath, is from sunny Florida. Cory is an herbalist, mother, organic gardener, and soap maker. She offers handmade artisan soaps and products made with pure essential oils and natural ingredients.

What's better than eco-friendly products?! I recently asked Cory about her efforts to keep her products palm oil free. She said, "My soaps are orangutan friendly. I do not use palm oil, which is a threat to orangutan and rain forest; jungle habitat is cleared to make way for palm plantations. My products are also free from chemical fragrances and artificial dyes."

Here is my featured interview of Aquarian Bath ::

Seller name: Cory Trusty

Shop: AquarianBath

Shop website: http://www.aquarianbath.com


A little bit about Aquarian Bath ::

Products offered: natural soaps, lip balms, herbal salves, flax neck pillows,
natural perfumes

Available for: Herbal speaking engagements or classes, custom soap

batches and lip balms, wholesale natural perfumes, custom herbal
pillows

How did you get your business started?
The first time I ever sold my bath and body products was at the local
Sea Side Herb Society herb fair.  The annual fair is coming up again
this month in Ormond Beach and it will be my 5th year selling.  It is
still my best event of the year.  Since I started selling I've built
up a good number of return local customers and online customers on
etsy and other venues.  I've also discovered what items are the most
popular, etc.

Jasmine Sambac Soap

Where do you live?

Daytona Beach, Florida.

How long have you lived there?
I've lived here since 2003, but my husband grew up here.   Our
daughter is a 5th generation Florida native.

Favorite color?
I love all shades of green.

Favorite smell?
I love the smell of my backyard when the orange tree is blooming.  My
mom's old fashioned roses are another favorite.

 Where Cory lives & creates

This is a picture taken a couple miles from my house at a park along
the Halifax River, also known as the Intracoastal waterway.  My
daughter, pictured here, calls it the bunny park though, because there
are wild rabbits living under the board walk.  In the spring there are
Eldertrees blooming and in the Fall there is lots of goldenrod in the
park.

What are your hobbies (other than what you make)?
Favorite way to spend your time?
I love swimming, reading books, and gardening.  Any time I get to hang
out with my girl friends, especially the herbal and nature-girl
friends!

Favorite place?

I love the Pacific Northwest which is where I'm from.  It's always
hard to go home to visit, because in the end I don't want to leave.  I
wish I could afford to be a snow bird.

Favorite item in your shop of all time?
Well my favorite for hair is the Carrot Top Shampoo Bar.
It's been very popular and generated a lot of return business from
people who have tried it.  For myself personally I couldn't live
without the Ocean Waves Sea Salt Soap. During the
winter I can tend to get dry itchy skin

Favorite shop that isn’t yours? Why?
I love to window shop at Pimp and Paint.  Her art is functional and
has a nice whimsical and earthy feel.  There are lots of dragonflies
and plenty of green which I love.  She also has a great blog where she
takes you through her creative process. http://www.etsy.com/shop/pimpandpaint

--

Follow Aquarian Bath ::

ETSY shop  http://aquarianbath.etsy.com
http://www.aquarianbath.com
http://www.flickr.com/aquarianbath
http://www.twitter.com/aquarianbath
http://www.aquarianbath.blogspot.com
http://www.facebook.dj/aquarianbath

e-mail: aquarianbath@gmail.com

A big thank you to Cory for allowing me to get a little personal information

about her and her business!
Natural Soaps & Specialty Salveshttp://aquarianbath.com

❤ Happy Earth Day! Celebrate it today and everyday!

Leo and Junie
Jewelry Designs :: Nature & Vintage Inspired
By Christine Steckel

leoandjunie@yahoo.com

Contact Me

It's a Marvelous Monday featuring Our Home to Yours

2010-04-19T21:20:00.000-04:00

I was thinking about this time of the year and the coming months. You'll see weddings galore! One year I was invited to 5 weddings! Sometimes giving money to someone you are close to is so impersonal. Something from the heart will last a lifetime.

Are you looking for something special from the heart as a wedding gift or your own wedding? I have found a few things that are made from the heart and home by Our Home to Yours from North Carolina and member of the BESTeam (Boosting Etsy Shops Team). They are a Mom (Debbi) and daughter (Amanda) team 1200 miles apart, but together they blend their creativity and love for crafting. Their new Etsy shop offers hand made hats, baby toys, and blankets, custom made jewelry, paper goods, and knick-knacks.

Here are a few beautiful items perfect for weddings:

White quilled wedding invitation border

A keepsake to preserve a wedding invitation

Ring bearer pillow

Beautifully crocheted in white

Bridal Shadow Box ~ especially made for you

Custom order to your specifications for wedding memories to last a lifetime

To see more from Debbi and Amanda's, Our Home to Yours handcrafted items, visit:

Our Home to Yours Etsy Shop

Our Home to Yours Blog

Follow them on Twitter

Add yourself as a fan on Facebook

Have a great week!

❤

Leo and Junie
Jewelry Designs :: Nature & Vintage Inspired
By Christine Steckel

leoandjunie@yahoo.com

Contact Me

BESTeam featured seller, Conduit Press

2010-04-13T09:44:00.001-04:00

For those of you that don't know me that well, I love journals. In fact, my 5 year old daughter is completely addicted to journals, because she's following in my footsteps! I use journals for lists, drawing sketches of jewelry designs that pop into my head, good finds on Etsy and beyond...whatever's on my mind.

My fellow BESTeam member Talia from Indiana, owner of Conduit Press , makes journals, upcycled notebooks, scrapbooks, photo albums, and more. She is a Mom, artist of various mediums, and has a love for books. She's been creating things since she was a young girl. She opened her Etsy shop almost two years ago and her customers love her careful, detailed work.

I love the idea that the leather she uses in her journals is recycled from a local leather shop. She is currently working on making library cards to put in old librabry books turned into blank notebooks as seen on her blog. That is so cool! It gives it a vintage vibe and also is good for the environment! Here are some of my picks from her shop:

Maroon Leather with Green Orb - Unlined Journal

Edgar Allen Poe Hollowed Book Safe

Harpers Album Lined Journal

You can find more beautiful items and information about Conduit Press here:

Conduit Blog : http://conduitpress.wordpress.com
Conduit Press on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/conduitpress
Conduit Press on Twitter: http://twitter.com/conduitpress

Conduit Press on Etsy

❤

Leo and Junie
Jewelry Designs :: Nature & Vintage Inspired
By Christine Steckel

leoandjunie@yahoo.com

Contact Me

Leo and Junie Things to pamper Mom for Mother's Day

Things to pamper Mom for Mother's Day

2010-04-12T10:09:00.000-04:00

I just realized that Mother's Day is less than a month away. WHOA! This month is traveling fast!

I love browsing through Etsy and finding new things. Here are some Mother's Day finds to oogle over! Each one represents a little piece of me and what I like. I'm sure you will as well! Enjoy...

Handmade Lilly Pulitzer Large Pouch Clutch

by
Hoganfe Handmade Handbags Originals

For the Mom that loves handbags. I love the bright colors and use of fabric in this bag!

I have bought 2 handbags from her in the past and let me just tell you they are well made bags!

Crochet Coasters Sunflower I Set of 4

MonikaDesign

These are perfect for a Mom who loves flowers!

What's better than cheerful sunflowers?

Violet Purple Amethyst Stalactite Druzy Finger Focal Stone or Collectors Specimen

Glimmering Gems

This is for the Rockhound Mom who can't get enough of Mother Nature's creations!

Truly a beauty to display proudly!

American Kestrel (Falcon) Original Art Greeting Card

CatCanPaint

For the bird lover Mom

5% of all sales in this shop will be donated to the the Birds of Prey program. There are 15 raptors in the collection. They all have different injuries and circumstances that bring them to the program. They are non-releasable to the wild, and are housed and fed, and medical needs taken care of with donations from the public.

❤

Well, I hope you enjoyed seeing these beauties. If you click on the name of the shop, it will take you right to their Etsy Stores!

Happy Monday!!

Leo and Junie
Jewelry Designs :: Nature & Vintage Inspired
By Christine Steckel

leoandjunie@yahoo.com

Contact Me

Leo and Junie The Sunshine Award

The Sunshine Award

2010-04-11T10:32:00.004-04:00

Giving thanks to Paradise Purls for honoring me and my blog with The Sunshine Award!

The Sunshine Award is awarded to bloggers whose positivity & creativity inspires others in the blog world.
The rules for accepting this award are:-

Put the logo on your blog or within your post.
Pass the award onto 12 bloggers.
Link the nominees within your post.
Let the nominees know they have received this award by commenting on their blog.
Share the love and link to the person from whom you received this award.

I happily nominate the following deserving blogs:

1. Aquarian Bath

2. Anticipation Cards

3. PrincessSamy

4. Sew Dandee

5. Lightkeeping

6. Imeon Design

7. Nevita

8. Manoa Road

9, Off the Wall Expressions

10. Robin Maria Pedrero

11. Buffy is a Happie Stamper

12. Avalon Rose Design

All fantastic blogs! Please click through and check them out, leave them a comment or a follow! Thanks so much!

Leo and Junie
Jewelry Designs :: Nature & Vintage Inspired
By Christine Steckel

leoandjunie@yahoo.com

Contact Me

Leo and Junie Featured BESTeam member, Darling Dande Designs

Featured BESTeam member, Darling Dande Designs

2010-04-06T09:41:00.004-04:00

I am proud to introduce you to a fellow BESTeam member, Kirsten, owner of Darling Dande Designs from Florida (one of my favorite states). She makes adorable handmade baby blankets, personalized bloomers, diaper covers, tutus, and clothing. Kirsten recently launched her online boutique website. She also makes handmade items for big girls like us!! She is a proud Mama to Dani and Declan. Her hubby actually came up with the name of her shop DANDE, a mix of her kids names! How cute is that!?

I have two nieces, one still a baby and the other turning two in May. So, this is exciting to find a shop that has a little of everything for your babes! Here are my favorites:

Party Tutu for little girls

Perfect for a birthday party, dress up, or just to have fun!

Little Girl's Bloomers or Diaper Cover

I love the owl on the bottom!!

Zippered Change Purse

Something you can tuck in a diaper bag, purse, or keep in your car :)

I hope you enjoyed meeting Darling Dande Designs!

Here are her links to see more of her adorable handmade items:

Darling Dande Designs Etsy Shop

Darling Dande Designs Website

Follow her blog

Follow her on TWITTER

❤

Leo and Junie
Jewelry Designs :: Nature & Vintage Inspired
By Christine Steckel

leoandjunie@yahoo.com

Contact Me

Leo and Junie Featured BESTeam member, Darling Dande Designs

April Giveaway in honor of Earth Day this month

2010-04-04T10:34:00.009-04:00

In honor of Earth Day this month and my Leo and Junie Facebook Fanpage reaching 100 fans, I will be hosting a giveaway to a lucky follower. It seemed fitting since I make nature inspired jewelry that I tie the Earth Day with it!! The giveaway fun will start on Sunday, April 4, 2010 through Friday, April 23, 2010.

Here's what you need to do to win:

1. Mandatory entry = Follow my blog.
2. One entry = Become a fan on my Facebook Fanpage.
3. One entry = Go to my Etsy shop and post a comment here on my blog with your favorite piece of jewelry you like and tell me why.
4. One entry = List one eco-friendly thing in your comment you are/or will be doing in honor of Earth Day this month and everyday!

Winner will be selected at 9:00 pm EST on 4/23/10 by Random.org and contacted for information. Winner will be announced Saturday, April 24, 2010. If there is no response within 48 hours another winner will be selected.

This will be a fun experience for me, because this is my first giveaway! Are you ready for the prize?!?

Flirty Leaf and Flower Earrings

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=43164226

I have enough materials to make another pair exactly like this one in my shop! They are made with lead free/nickel free brass and glass flowers/leaves.

I will be announcing the winner on Saturday, April 24, 2010.

So, let's have fun with this! Good Luck!

Leo and Junie
Jewelry Designs :: Nature & Vintage Inspired
By Christine Steckel

leoandjunie@yahoo.com

Contact Me

Leo and Junie Featured BESTeam member, Darling Dande Designs

It's a Marvelous Monday for Featured Etsy Seller, Owlsome Gifts

2010-03-29T08:13:00.001-04:00

Yay! I am so excited to feature, Rachael, an owlsome Etsy seller from Nashville. She makes lovely owl inspired handmade gifts in her shop, Owlsome Gifts ! First I must say this is a perfect pairing, because I am a bird and owl lover! Seeing all the owl things on Etsy brings me back to my college days when I took a biology course, learning about birds of prey. Owls are so beautiful and mysterious.

Today, we are on a journey to all things OWL!!

After looking at her Etsy shop, I quickly added her to my favorites and glad that our Boosting Etsy Shops Team randomly assigned me to feature her cute owl items. Her shop includes jewelry, keychains, bookmarks, art, pillows, and cards. This is the hot spot for the love of owls. I love the fact that she is a multi-faceted artist. She has something for everyone in her shop.

Take a look at her adorable BLOG, Owlsome Blog where you'll find a banner making tutorial and some of her favorite owl finds on Etsy.

Here are some of my Owlsome Gifts favorites:

Handmade Stuffed Owl, Black and Light Pink Owl Pal with Floral Belly and Pink Polka Dots

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=40554465

Big Owl Necklace - Green and Gold Owl with Crystals

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=43638781

Owl Pillow - Handmade, Bright Pink Owl on Yellow Pillow with Button Eyes and Striped Feathers, Machine Appliqued

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=40560478

Please see her owlsome shop today. You won't be disappointed!

Owlsome Gifts Etsy Shop

Owlsome Gifts Blog

Her other Etsy jewelry shop, Curly Pearl

Owlsome Gifts Facebook page

Follow her on Twitter

Enjoy your week,

❤Christine❤

It's a Marvelous Monday for Featured Etsy Seller, CyndesPlace & Hip Chic Designs

2010-03-22T09:48:00.005-04:00

Meet my newest featured Etsy seller, Cynde from Cyndesplace.

She is one of our lovely artists from our BESTeam (Boosting Etsy Shops Team). After reading her Hip Chic Designs blog, I realized that our lives are not that different. We both try to find the time to create as well as being a Mom and squeeze in exercise among our busy lives! (Cynde's currently doing P90X, a challenging fitness program ~ that's not for wimps!! Google it when you get a chance!!)

Cynde loves to sew and create bags, hair accessories, and much more! I love what she wrote on her Facebook fanpage, "We all need to find our inner "hipchic" you know the one that dreamed big dreams and found a way to make them happen. This hipchic is making all kinds of bags and gift items and embroidering on everything." This is so true...

You can see a ton of her fabulous creations on her Facebook fanpage photos.

She is currently working on cell phone cases. Cell phones are a necessity and why not buy a few to coordinate with your outfits!

Here are a few of my favorites from her Etsy shop

Organza Poppy Hair Clip

I love the colors in this hair clip. Beautiful for spring/summer!

Fancy Spring Headband

This headband is sooo pretty and only $10.00! The pink satin flower is a great punch of color for spring.

Love these flowers! You can find them here in her shop.

To find out more about CyndesPlace & HipChic Designs, visit her links:

http://www.etsy.com/shop/cyndesplace

http://hipchicdesigns.blogspot.com/

http://www.facebook.com/pages/hipchic-designs/62020866825?ref=ts&v=wall

http://twitter.com/hipchiccynde

Have a great week!

❤Chris

It's a Marvelous Monday Featured Seller IMEON Design

2010-03-15T21:09:00.001-04:00

As part of my Marvelous Monday, I am featuring an Etsy seller and fellow team member of BESTeam (Boosting Etsy Shops Team)

Meet Noemi from Portland, Oregon, owner of Imeon Design. This cool Etsy shop is filled with handmade paper goodness!! She makes invitations, announcements, cards, and other pretty paper items. I have to tell you something I learned when I read her Etsy profile, how she thought of her shop name. The name Imeon came from Noemi spelled backwards! Very clever!

Her creative process really shines through her creations. All of her cards and artwork seen in her shop are unique, because the cutting, printing, pasting and stamping are all done by hand. Take a look at some of my favorites...

Grass Easter Egg Holder

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=42427650

Butterfly card

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=40533690

Imeon Design is having a giveaway on her blog to win these

The winner will receive four paper fortune cookies, in the color of their choice (light or dark green, blue, pink, purple or red). Each cookie will be put in a kraft box and wrapped with red and white twine.

How cute are these paper fortune cookies?!? I love this idea. They're a great idea to tell someone big news in a clever way!

See the details on how to win these here.

To view more about Imeon Design, visit her at:

Etsy shop

http://www.etsy.com/shop/imeondesign

Blog

http://imeondesign.blogspot.com/

It's a Marvelous Monday Featured Seller Miss Pretty Perfect

2010-03-08T22:59:00.000-05:00

Before I start, I just have to let you in on a secret....I am addicted to purses. I can't even tell you how many handbags, wristlets, totes, and messenger bags I own. SHHHH, don't tell my DH, although, he probably knows and doesn't dare say anything about it!

I was thrilled to feature the cool handbag designer, La Toya from Miss Pretty Perfect. Her designs are over 10 years in the making. She studied fashion design in NC and NYC (how cool is that?) and was employed as a sewer for private label handbag designer. Her journey just began...

She started selling her handmade handbags on Etsy.com a little over a year ago. By the looks of her feedback, I'd say she is making her customers very happy, indeed!

Take a look at some of her cool designs. I'm in LOVE with these wristlets:

MPP Miss Rosa Gathered Wristlet in Olive-U

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=42138447

MPP Miss Rosa Gathered Wristlet in Texas Bluebells

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=42137281

MPP Miss Rosa Wristlet in Pink and Green Truffles

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=37304099

******************************************************************************

Visit her shop today at http://www.etsy.com/shop/missprettyperfect

Check out her other cool links to get to know her better:

MPP Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/missprettyperfect
MPP Blog: http://www.missprettyperfect.blogspot.com
MPP Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/toiyah
MPP Video: http://www.youtube.com/missprettyperfect1

Enjoy your adventure through Miss Pretty Perfect's Etsy Shop

It's a Marvelous Monday featuring Etsy seller, Off the Wall Expressions

2010-03-01T20:23:00.002-05:00

I'm so excited to introduce you to a wife and husband team (and sometimes help from their kids), Off the Wall Expressions from Indiana. They have been selling high quality cut vinyl art for home decor and businesses on Etsy.com for a little over a year, but have tons of sales and happy customers! Off the Wall Expressions have over 20 years experience in signs, graphics, catalogs, and crafting. What's better than decorating your kids room with a custom made name or celebrating your wedding with a personalized wedding monogram on the dance floor (easy peel off)!?!

What a fantastic idea for a person that has everything! They won't be disappointed with this gift!

Give walls personality with beautiful vinyl decor

*******

Their Vintage Style Chalkboard Square was featured on "Good Morning America"!

Visit Off the Wall Expressions today and to sure to add them to your favorites.

Go to their blog: http://www.offthewallexpressions.blogspot.com/

Go to their Etsy shop: http://www.etsy.com/shop/OffTheWallExpression
Become a fan on their facebook page:

http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#/pages/Off-the-Wall-Expressions/50599134212

VOTE to get Jeff on SURVIVOR!!

2010-02-26T15:07:00.002-05:00

VOTE VOTE VOTE!!!

My cousin's brother-in-law has been trying to get on the reality show, Survivor, for 10 years! CBS had a Casting Call and Jeff made it to the finalists. Now it's time to vote. Visit his VOTE FOR JEFF FACEBOOK PAGE to become a fan and go to CBS Casting Call for Survivor to vote for Jeff Troxell! When you vote for Jeff, you are voting for the average hard working American with a passion for adventure!

Jeff Troxell

My Rain Vintage Moonglow Earrings are featured on an ETSY Treasury and byhand.me!

2010-02-25T22:17:00.001-05:00

Happy Birthday To Me, Etsy Treasury by WINTERGARDEN

Make a Wish....

2010-02-22T07:59:00.000-05:00

I stayed up late last night to look for gorgeous & whimsical items from ETSY sellers to feature in a new treasury. For those that do not know what a treasury is ~ Etsy.com describes them a an ever-changing, member-curated shopping gallery of handpicked items. When I make a treasury, I always have colors and a certain feel in mind. BUT, how do you choose from thousands of beautiful items? It's not easy. I also try to pick items from as many categories as possible. Please take a look, leave a comment if you'd like, and click on each item (make sure you are signed in Etsy for each click to count!) Some of the sellers are undiscovered. Let's get this to the front page!
Click here to go to my Make a Wish...Treasury on Etsy

Pinch me, I'm dreaming!

2010-02-21T01:47:00.003-05:00

I am so excited! Yesterday, my Spring Butterfly Earrings were featured on the front page of Etsy.com!
Pinch me...this is a dream come true! I'm glad Facebook alerted me or I would not know I was on their front page! Etsy linked my featured item to my Facebook fan page though the My Etsy application. WoW! I'm learning something new everyday whether it's on Etsy, Twitter, or blogging! I'm glad I got a chance to snag this screen print! Enjoy all these spring beauties that were selected.

Resistance is Futile

2010-02-20T08:53:00.002-05:00

My LOVE MY PUG bracelet is featured in this adorable PUG treasury on Etsy.com!

Click here to go to the treasury.

Who are Leo and Junie?

2010-02-18T09:18:00.004-05:00

Someone recently asked me, who are Leo and Junie? Are they your kids' names or pets? No, to both! I love my kids' names and dogs' names, but they didn't sound good together. I guess I originally was not too unique with my list of names for my new Etsy jewlery shop. Everytime I would come up with something clever, I would get knocked down, because it was taken already. There are a lot of good shop names out there. I thought that naming my designs, Christine's jewelry designs was a little too plain and boring. I always liked stores that had names like Lisa Rinna's store in California, Belle Gray (google it) or Dave & Buster's (restaurants located all over the U.S.). Then a light bulb went off in my head (it does everyday, but if I don't write it down it disappears)! My closest lovies are born in August and are so true to their Leo sign. My beautiful daughter was born in June. I would call her my June-bug. One night I had a dream that I owned a little brick and mortar gift shop with handmade items. Leo and Junie was on the front window. There goes the light bulb! The birth of Leo and Junie arrived! I think they sound pretty good together. Don't you think?

Dear SUMMER....Come quickly!

2010-02-14T18:54:00.001-05:00

This is my newest treasury, Dear SUMMER...

I'm sick of all the snow in the Northeast! Summer, please hurry up!

Take a look and support handmade sellers!

http://www.etsy.com/treasury_list.php?room_id=113248

Happy Valentine's weekend!

2010-02-13T09:49:00.006-05:00

I was on Facebook last night and Barnes & Noble asked it's fans: Friday Face-off, Valentine's Edition: Chocolate or Flowers? I say jewelry! Here's my pitch:

Flowers will die. Chocolate will disappear ;) BUT Jewelry is forever!!

Anyway, here was my part of my Valentine's dinner

my sushi dinner..yummy..octopus on the left!

I had to spend Valentine's Day will my honey a few days early, because he has to work this weekend. We ended up going to a Sushi place, Hana Sushi. The streets of Nazareth, PA were not totally plowed yet!! There was no parking so we had to walk to the restaurant. The payoff? We had the place all to ourselves! Our dinner was delicious and the staff was awesome!

Well, I hope you enjoy whatever you do this weekend.

Happy Valentine's Day!

Ahh, to be 5 again!

2010-02-11T15:45:00.000-05:00

The joys of playing in the snow!!

Irish Eyes are Smiling

2010-02-10T12:29:00.003-05:00

I'm so thrilled! My Irish Eyes earrings are featured on an Etsy Treasury, Shamrocks by PinkiesPalace

http://www.etsy.com/treasury_list_west.php?room_id=86470

FAIRY-Go-Round

2010-02-09T20:38:00.002-05:00

Come visit my newest Etsy treasury right from Fairyland

http://www.etsy.com/treasury_list.php?room_id=112486

Hearts for Haiti

2010-02-09T18:25:00.000-05:00

Please visit Hearts for Haiti to purchase donated handmade items to help Doctors without Borders.

Here are my earrings that just sold today:

You can visit Hearts for Haiti on Etsy's website: http://www.etsy.com/shop/HeartsforHaiti

Pink skies

2010-02-09T07:38:00.001-05:00

This was the view from my porch on Sunday at dinner time.

Aye, Chihuahua! I'm cold!!!

2010-02-08T11:26:00.005-05:00

My little Chihuahua is so cold. He's always snuggled with a blanket, one of his humans, our Boxer, or all three at the same time like in this picture (taken with my hubby's cell phone).

Attention Etsy sellers!

2010-02-08T09:49:00.001-05:00

I would like to start featuring fellow Etsians on my blog. I would love to promote others in the handmade world. Especially, if you have a new shop like mine! If you would like to be featured on my blog, email me at butterflybeadgirl@yahoo.com, leave a comment, or you can leave me a convo at my Etsy shop.

Need a pick me up?

2010-02-07T20:15:00.000-05:00

My friend makes amazing lattes the old fashioned way on the stove. Ohhh, they are sooo good. That was my inspiration for my 3rd treasury on Etsy. I am addicted to treasuries as I am addicted to lattes! Take a peek, it's yummy! http://www.etsy.com/treasury_list.php?room_id=111537

I made my first Treasury last week, Avocado Avenue

2010-02-06T12:43:00.002-05:00

I am now addicted to the Treasury!!!!

Let's see how long this path stays here...

2010-02-06T10:32:00.001-05:00

Ok, so my hubby cleared a path for our puppies to go outside. As for the snow drifts and more predicted snow, I'm not sure how long the path will last!

It looks so peaceful out here.

Winter Wonderland...

2010-02-06T10:28:00.000-05:00

This is a tree that I can see from my living room window.

Got my second treasury today!

2010-02-04T14:18:00.005-05:00

Check out my new Dark Romance Treasury on Etsy
This is my second treasury and I am so addicted. I had
a huge list of unique dark, but cool items. You can only
list so many. It was well worth it. I like coordinating the
theme and searching for items. It's so much fun! I already have my next one ready to roll out...Please support handmade on Etsy!

Need help promoting your Etsy business? Promoting with Facebook.

2010-01-31T09:53:00.002-05:00

Did you know you could promote other EtsyMoms or Etsy sellers from your own Facebook fan page? It's so easy.

1. Log into Facebook.
2. Go to your own Fan page for your Etsy business.
3. Find another EtsyMom or Etsy seller Facebook fan page on here or by browsing.
4. Under their business fan page profile picture, click Add to My Page's Favorites.
5. From the drop down box: Click on your own fan page and waaalaahhh! It's now added!

They will now be displayed on the left hand side of your fan page under Favorite Pages which is usually directly under your Fans!

I also like to do this to promote businesses in my local area as well. It's fun, helps promote other Etsy sellers, you could end up on their page too, and it's like a bookmark to their fan page.

Visit my fan page today to take a peek!

LEO & JUNIE's Facebook FAN PAGE

A new day to dream...

2010-01-26T08:08:00.000-05:00

"Those who dream by day are cognizant of many things which escape those who dream only by night." ~ Edgar Allan Poe

Featured on Etsy website

2010-01-23T22:58:00.000-05:00

Wow, my earrings, Sunrise Sunset, were picked for a Treasury on Etsy

ETSY.COM Treasury: Sunset

Inspired

2010-01-23T11:17:00.000-05:00

I just love when the sun is shining. It puts me in the mood for creating new pieces of jewelry. I'm truly waiting for spring to visit!

My first sale! Yay!

2010-01-17T18:15:00.000-05:00

Wow! I got my first sale yesterday!! I sold a pair of earrings on ETSY.com. I'm super excited to get more listed in the next few days if I can get off blogger, goodreads.com, and facebook! I also just started reading Evermore by Alyson Noel. I have to read this one before I can read #2 and #3 of The Immortals series.

Welcome!

2010-01-16T23:32:00.003-05:00

This is my first blog for Leo & Junie and my first posting! It's so exciting to get my blog up and running. I just listed a few items in my etsy jewelry shop tonight. So take a peek and let me know what you think! I will be adding more new items within the next few days.

I will be adding jewelry tips, trends, and sharing other etsy shops' handmade goodies.