Monday, June 29, 2009

Etsy items I adore this week

Thursday, June 18, 2009

Custom Map Necklace Giveaway!

Seriously, what’s better than customized jewelry?!?For my first blog giveaway, I will create a one-of-a-kind necklace showcasing your favorite place. Do you long to visit Paris? Did you grow up in Santa Fe? What about that vacation to Fiji?

I have lots of vintage maps, and can make a necklace of just about any location your heart desires. They also make very meaningful gifts.
These necklaces are one of the best-selling items in my Etsy shop. They retail for $18.
Want to get one for FREE?
Here’s how:

How to enter:
For each action below, you will receive one entry. Please leave a separate comment for each one.
  • Leave a comment telling me which location you would choose to be on the necklace and why (you can change this if you are the winner).
  • Follow my blog, or tell me if you are already following.
  • Follow me on Twitter (use the box at right).
  • Tweet about this giveaway. Comment with a link to your twitter profile.
  • Blog about this giveaway. Leave a link to the post in a comment.
This contest is open to everyone, U.S. and abroad! The giveaway starts now and will end at midnight (U.S. central time) on Sunday, June 28th. I will draw a winner using a random number generator and post the winner on the 29th.

Necklace comes on a 24” ball chain, which can be shortened to any length using scissors.

Good luck!

Wednesday, June 17, 2009

Eco-Friendly Packaging

I love getting things in the mail, but I cringe every time I find I've been sent another plastic bubble-mailer. When I send out my orders, I like to use mailers that are less harmful on the environment.
These padded mailers by Caremail are made of 90% recycled content and can be recycled with mixed papers.
They are padded with recycled newspapers (instead of plastic bubbles) to cushion the contents.

They come in several sizes, and are available in cases of 25 through Amazon for a very reasonable price (with free shipping on orders over $25). I have had many of my customers thank me for using these mailers.
Remember: Plastic does not go away...ever!
And what about gift boxes?
Nashville Wraps is your best source for all gift packaging materials (they even have food safe biodegradable cello bags).
I use (and adore) these 100% recycled jewelry boxes for all my Etsy orders:
Visit the Nashville Wraps website for a free catalog, or save a tree and shop online!
Do your part for this world we all live in! Sustainability is so important (and it's not that hard).



Wednesday, June 10, 2009

Trip to Austin

I know, it's been too long. What with teaching swim lessons, summer adventures, and everything else the start of summer entails, I've neglected you, dear blog. Did you miss me?
A few weeks ago, my friend Chelsie from high school in Oregon (and, coincidentally, from Vegas, too) came out to visit for a week. I decided it would be a perfect excuse to hightail it down to Austin, so....ROAD TRIP!!!
There are several things I love about Austin. For one, it's artsy (in the cool, edgy way). Second, there are so many things to do outside, many of them for very cheap (or free!).
I'd love to live there, but Jason says as a true Sooner, he can not be in the same town as UT.
I had to show Chels the amazing event that is the Congress Ave. bats. It took a while for them to figure out the sun had set, but once they started taking flight, it was quite a show.
(These are the bats leaving the bridge for the night)
The most important reason why I love Austin so much, outweighing all others:
If I lived in Austin, I would never get anything done. I would be at Barton Springs all day, every day, rain or shine. I live for open water swimming, and the long, freshwater pool at the Springs is heavenly; I can swim a long way without coming to a wall and having to turn around.
Look at the clarity of the water! I chased some small fish for a while (I'm easily amused).
I swam twelve lengths of the very long pool. It felt sooooo good.
Chelsie got stung by a bee, and we both got sunburns, but our trip was still wonderful.
Chelsie is preparing to go on The World Race in January, which is an eleven month mission trip adventure. You can read more about it Here.