And the winner is...

secret cake!!!

Congratulation, random.org chose lucky #28 as our winner this week. Here's another look at what you've won!

Thanks again to The Lily Pond for this great giveaway. Be sure to check back on her shop for all your cute hair accessory needs! And as always, a huge thank you to all who entered. Be sure to check back for more giveaways as I put more shops in the Etsy Limelight!

Secret Cake, email me at lillianraydesigns@gmail.com to claim your prize. :o)

Have a great weekend!

Etsy Limelight Giveaway: The Lily Pond

It's time to put another Etsy shop in the Limelight. I love finding undiscovered shops (sometimes with your help) and introducing them to my readers. It has been a lot of fun getting to know the creative minds behind all of these incredible Etsy stores.

I would like to introduce you to The Lily Pond Boutique!

Let's learn a little about the owner of this adorable shop straight from her:


What inspired you to open your shop?

I'm a stay at home mom of twin girls (age 2), and love to dress them up. I decided to try making hair bows, and soon discovered that I have a great time doing it. Collecting ribbons and dreaming up ideas for new designs has become a bit of an addiction.


What kind of things do you like to do for fun when you aren't creating for your shop?
Family is very important, I love playing outdoors with my girls. Some other hobbies include: reading, baking, and making hand-stamped cards. Some of my spare time is also spent volunteering at my local church, my family hosts a small group in our home.

What is your favorite item in your store?
I'm really into korker bows. I think they look so cute in girlie pigtails, and can be made in many different variations.

What are you giving away?
I am giving away a set of mini korkers (2 1/2") on alligator clips. This stylish korker set gets it's name from the corkscrew ribbon that make up the bow. This set features four colors and are set on an alligator clip, the ribbon is treated to prevent fraying.



How to enter:

It's easy- all you have to do is leave a comment letting me know your favorite little hair accessory from The Lily Pond!

If you are ALREADY a follower then leave a separate comment letting me know that you follow this blog and you will receive an additional entry.

The giveaway will end this Thursday, April 8 at 6pm PST. The winner will be announced on Friday. Be sure to come back to check if you are the lucky winner.

Vacation Mode

Hi friends...

The giveaway was great last week and I am looking forward to next week!

You may have noticed that both Lillian Ray and Lillian Ray Luxe shops are in vacation mode. I wish I could say that it's because we are headed to an exotic all inclusive vacation, but it's just not true.

I am catching up on custom orders and trying to find time to photograph my new spring/summer pieces. It's also just a really busy season for me.

I will still be updating here and there and running the Limelight giveaways. Be sure to check back!

:o)

We have a WINNER!

I am so excited that Random.org chose lucky #7 as the winner of the incredible gift bag from Suit Your Fancy!

KATY...YOU ARE THE LUCKY WINNER!! :o)

Take a look at all that you just won!!



I would be lying if I said I wasn't jealous!

Thank you all for your participation and a HUGE thank you to Suit Your Fancy for your generous giveaway. Be sure to go check out the shop. This is one talented lady!

Have a great weekend! We will be traveling this weekend so we're excited to take in some spring sunshine!

Add Some Color

I saw this easy craft and immediately thought of the first apartment I lived in with my husband. I hated that our first home together had to have white walls. I had to get creative to bring some color in.

We had vaulted ceilings so I purchased extra long curtains from Ikea and hung them on the wall behind the head of the bed in the guest room. I used curtain rod to hold them and some nails to hold the rod in place. It was simple and added just what the room needed.

The photo below is a variation of that idea. Using an embroidery hoop and a pair of curtains, this room gets a pop of color and drama. I love it and it's SO simple.

Click on the photo to find other easy craft ideas.


Image from here.

Etsy Limelight Giveaway: Suit Your Fancy

It's time to put another store in the Etsy Limelight!

Let me introduce you to Suit Your Fancy



This adorable shop has quite a variety of items. From baby quilts to headbands to stuffed owls, this is definitely a fun shop to scroll through.

Let's learn a little more about the creative mind behind this shop straight from her:

1. What inspired you to start your shop?
I guess I finally got up enough courage to try it. It's a bit scary opening up a shop, online or one on main street...but I've always wanted to try-so here I am! :)



2. What is your favorite item in your shop?
I LOVE the little stuffed owls...super cute & huggable.




3. What kind of things do you like to do for fun when you aren't creating for your shop?
Reading is a forgotten pleasure in my home. With four kids ranging from 18 months to 9 years a quiet moment & down time to read a good book is my ULTIMATE treat.



Giveaway Details:

Suit Your Fancy is giving away an INCREDIBLE gift set consisting of a "smattering" of things offered in the store. It's a $50.00 value and contains a canvas tote (to hold everything but the owl), a stuffed scarf owl, premade accordian-style scrapbook, four coaster cards Spring-themed, a pencil (of course), a traditional sized notebook and three mini notebooks (keep one or two and then share the love), two crocheted flower barrettes and a no-slip head band decorated with a crocheted flower!



One lucky winner will get ALL of these awesome items!!

How to Enter:

For your very first entry (required) scroll through Suit Your Fancy and let me know what your favorite item is in a comment.

For a second entry become a follower of this blog or let me know that you already are following. Leave a separate comment letting me know.

For a third entry, blog about this giveaway and post the link in a separate comment.

For a final fourth entry, tweet about this giveaway and post the link here in a separate comment.

This giveaway will end on Thursday, March 25th at 6pm PST and a winner will be announced the following day. Be sure to check back on Friday to see if you are the lucky winner!

Happy Friday

It's Friday and that means that I am HAPPY.

It has been a long week around our house and we are looking forward to getting some sunshine this weekend.

Next Monday a new shop will be in the Etsy Limelight and SERIOUSLY- you MUST come check out what the owner is giving away. I just got a sneak peek at the prize and I am wishing that I could enter!!!

Enjoy your weekend and we will see you here on Monday!


Happy Friday - FREE Shipping - 8x10 Fine Art Printby Lori H.

Celebrate Spring

I have been MIA due to being sick, but I'm coming back soon and am gearing up for Spring!!! Spring starts this Saturday but the weather has been perfectly warm this past week. The blossoms and green grass make me smile every time I step outside.

For those of you Starbucks lovers out there- check this out:



The weekend is almost here! Happy Thursday.

Tips for Saving Time

It's a gorgeous spring like Tuesday here in California and after spending yesterday very sick I am ready to try to enjoy this dream like weather.

There isn't anything new to share in the jewelry world today, but I am excited to show you a really great piece that the Today Show recently aired for time saving tips for a busy woman. You should check it out!

I may be making a trip to Wal Mart after watching this- you'll see why!

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Winner!

We have a winner!

Random.org chose comment #2 as the winner!

Congratulations to Hope!!

You are the winner of an adorable heart ornament hand painted by Harriet.



Thank you for all who participated! Please check out Harriet Damave for some incredible stuff.

Have a wonderful weekend. :o)

DIY Spring Centerpieces

I make an effort to have fresh cut flowers and greens in our home at all times. We don't have a budget for these things so I have to get creative. I purchased one bunch of gorgeous daffodils (buy them only if they have not yet bloomed) at my local grocery store on sale for $1.49. Then I realized that we have an incredibly gorgeous blooming tree in our front yard. I used branches and the daffodils to bring some cheer into our home as we hosted quite a few people this past weekend.





It reminded me the spring is right around the corner (only 9 more days, but who's counting???).





Here is an incredible DIY tutorial for three different kinds of spring centerpieces that Epicurious put together. I love how fruits and vegetables are incorporated into these beauties. Using unexpected elements sure does catch attention.





Bring some nature into your home and enjoy it!

Sunny Yellow

This has been a wild week at our house and we are still recovering.

I have lots of LR stuff to catch up on. The latest custom orders have been a blast! I love the thought and creativity that people put into the gifts that they give. I am looking forward to catching up so I am able to create some new spring/summer pieces. I love the warmer months of the year and the bright colors that come along with them.

One of my favorite spring colors is yellow. I find my inspiration for new pieces and colors to use all over the place. The wedding photos below are my newest love.

Check out these incredible wedding photos taken by Stephanie Fay. I just love the idea of the outdoor church lined with windows and a door. The yellow dresser altar is a bold and unique alternative for an altar.

The rustic elements of the wedding make the colors pop. I just love it!





Be sure to check out the giveaway in the previous post. Enter to win a unique heart ornament! :o)

Happy Wednesday!

Etsy Limelight Giveaway: Harriet Damave

Today we have a new store in the Etsy Limelight! I am excited to introduce you to

Harriet Damave

Harriet creates beautiful designs to wear and to decorate your home with. This is her second Etsy store. You can also find her incredible work here. She is a talented artist. Let's learn a little more about Harriet straight from her!


What inspired you to start your shop?

I decided to open a second shop on Etsy especially for my Delft Blue items because it is such a completely different product from what I sell in my first shop House of Harriet. There I sell mainly on-glazed mugs and plates, a totally different product and technique.
My new shop is all about cobalt oxide. It is a strong and vibrant pigment that loves high temperatures. Painting with cobalt oxide is a lovely adventure; it is a bit like painting with watercolours. The highly absorbing surface of the porcelain makes unexpected things happen. I love that. During the firing, due to the chemical processes not only the colour changes from black to blue, but the drawings start to have there own life. It is ever so exciting to open the kiln after a day. It is a great exercise in patience and it can be amazingly surprising.

What is your favourite item in your shop?
At the moment I like the small impressionist brooches with pictures of delftware on it. Delft on Delft I have called them.


What kind of things do you like to do for fun when you aren't creating for your shop?
Lately I love to draw in the zoo, in nature, or just good old fashioned sketching in little book wherever I go.
I become extremely happy from visits to museums. I was in Madrid in the Prado a while ago, a deeply moving experience that can stay with me for months.

Giveaway Details

Harriet is generously giving away a heart ornament of choice to one lucky reader.

Here is how you enter:

Visit Harriet's shop(s) and tell me what your favorite item is. It can be from either store (Harriet Damave and House of Harriet).

That's all you have to do!

Please leave a separate comment for each entry.

-For one additional entry become a follower and let me know. If you are already a follower then tell me in a comment.

-For one additional entry blog about this giveaway and post the link in a comment

-For one additional entry tweet about this giveaway and post the link in a comment


The giveaway will end on Friday, March 12th at 2pm PST and will be announced soon after it ends. Come check back to see if you are the lucky winner!

Breather

This weekend has been a wild one for me! I have been hosting hosting hosting (I love it) but I am needing some catch up time.

I can't wait to introduce another Etsy store owner later on today. Her stuff is really unique!

Come back and look for another post later today to see who is now in the Etsy Limelight!

Happy Monday!

See you in a few hours :o)

Etsy Limelight

I am really enjoying getting to know the creative minds behind some of the new(ish) stores that I feature in the Etsy Limelight.

I just signed on to Etsy and saw one of the previous participants on the front page. She has some adorable pillows and her shop has really taken off since I first was in touch with her.

Congrats toHoney Pie Design

I just love your shop! :o)

Types of Gold

When purchasing jewelry, it's important to know what it is made out of. Not all jewelry is created equal.


Here are some things you should know about gold:

Solid Gold- Obviously the highest quality gold you can purchase is solid gold. You will mostly find this type of precious metal in fine jewelry stores. Solid gold is very expensive.

Gold-Filled- A layer of gold is pressure bonded to another metal (commonly brass). This should not be confused with gold plated. This is a high quality alternative to solid gold and is considerably more affordable. Gold filled jewelry wears, lasts, and looks like solid gold. You can be sure that you are getting a quality item when it is gold filled because this kind of metal is regulated by the government.

Gold Plated- This is a common type of metal that is inexpensive. A very thin layer of gold is applied to a base metal (many different kinds of metals are used). The gold typically chips off over time or may wear down. Some gold plated items are known for turning your skin colors.

Gold Toned- This is just about any kind of metal (normally very inexpensive) that is finished with a gold color. This kind of jewelry rarely contains any gold.



I am a big fan of gold filled chain and use it often. Check out my Lillian Ray shop here to find more gold items. You can also find items that only use gold filled metal here at my Lillian Ray Luxe store.

Winner!

Congratulations to MARCI (comment #20)!!

Random.org chose you as the winner of these awesome cards!



Thank you to all who participated in this giveaway! A BIG thank you to Jen for sharing her incredible talents with us. Check out her store here.

Marci, email me at lillianraydesigns@gmail.com to claim your prize. :o)

Have a very happy weekend!

Something New

My new favorite thing in the Lillian Ray shop is this:


Golden Rose Headband

It's a one of kind headband and it took me a while to convince myself to post it. I was tempted to keep it for myself. :o)

Please don't forget to enter the giveaway from Blue Plume Studio below. Isn't her stuff incredible?

Happy Wednesday!

Etsy Limelight Giveaway- Blue Plume Studio

I hope you all had a great weekend. We have a fun week planned here with Lillian Ray.

Let's start it by putting a really awesome Etsy store in the Limelight!



Jen of Blue Plume Studio and I were friends in high school and it's so much fun to keep tabs on her Etsy store and website. She is not only an extrememly talented artist, but she is also such a sweet fun person! Let's get to know a little more about Jen straight from her!

1. What inspired you to start Blue Plume Studio?

As an artist for the majority of my life, I have always sought out opportunities to create, to salvage, and to bring beauty to items once forgotten. Whether designing murals, re-purposing materials, or creating an intimate painting, it is my aspiration to share the joy of art with everyone I can. I started Blue Plume Studio with the desire to offer anyone the opportunity to own a creation in which they find memories, peace, or joy. In fact, I named the studio after my own fond memories at the Los Angeles Arboretum as I created art surrounded by the wild Peacocks roaming the grounds.


2. What is your favorite item in the shop?

I am excited about my new Audubon line. These original paintings, prints, and stationary pieces are wonderful not only because they are representations of fun whimsical birds, but also because of the cause: a portion of my sales goes directly to help wildlife in need through the Audubon Society of Portland, OR. These mixed media paintings are comprised of chalk, crayon, acrylic paint and vintage book pages.


3. What kinds of things do you like to do for fun?

I am an avid animal lover. If I am not painting or creating art, then my husband and I are spending time with our two beloved rescue dogs, Toto and Foxy. Toto is a Dachshund- Terrier mix and Foxy is a Cairn- Patterdale Terrier mix. We spend much of the time jogging, going to the dog park, and exploring our new city, Portland, OR.



Jen is generously giving away a sampler set of 12 Audubon stationary cards (worth $30) from her latest painting series. These are INCREDIBLE! This gives the winner the chance to have a great variety of Jen's art for their own use or to share with friends and family!

How to win (each entry needs to be left as a separate comment):

1.Go to Blue Plume Studio and let me know what your favorite item is. Leave it in a comment.

2.Become a follower of my blog and let me know that you did (or already are).

3.Blog and or Tweet about this incredibly talented artist and link the giveaway for one entry each. Please leave a separate comment for each entry.

That's 4 possible entries!

This giveaway will end on Thursday, February 25th at 5pm PST. The winner will be announced on Friday and will have until Monday to claim their prize. Be sure to check back to see if you are the winner!

Do you know of a new(ish) or undiscovered store that should be put in the Etsy Limelight? Email me at lillianraydesigns at gmail dot com. :o)

100 Sales

Lillian Ray hit 100 online sales today and I am so thankful!

Congrats to Lori, who purchased the 100th sale...there will be something special sent with your order!

Yesterday was a fun day! One of my soon to be released bridal hair pieces made it into a photo shoot along with a couple of my Lillian Ray Luxe pieces.

I can't wait to show you some of the photos!

Be sure to keep an eye on the store as new items are coming often. :o)



Happy Thursday!

Time Slips Away

How can it already be Wednesday?

This week has flown by and I haven't had a moment to keep you updated about everything that is happening. The Limelight giveaway has been postponed until next week so stay tuned.

My husband had a nice birthday despite a flat tire, a car window that decided to get jammed in the down position, and his favorite game console breaking on his birthday. Did I mention that all of my birthday gifts for him were to be used with that console? That means they sit here untouched for now.

For Valentine's Day my love swept me away for a day cation to a somewhat local beach that we have not yet explored. It was a warm day that felt like late spring. GORGEOUS!


roses on the beach 8x10 Fine Art Print by Alice B Gardens

This week I have been super busy with all things Lillian Ray without a moment to even post. Be sure to check out some of the new things in the shop. Some of them round their way there after my husband took me antique shopping on Valentine's Day.

I hope you had a great holiday weekend. Another weekend is almost here!

LOVE

It's a BIG weekend for us here. My hubby is having a birthday tomorrow and then Valentine's Day is on Sunday.

I hope you enjoy time with people that you love on this glorious three day weekend! Come back next week to see who will be in the Etsy Limelight!

Make some Valentine's for your loved ones and dress them up in these awesome doily envelopes.


Click on photo above for tutorial

Happy LOVE day!

Crafting with Kids

Crafting last week was a lot of fun.

I just thought I would share a few photos from the event. This was a dinner that the children of our church put on. I was in charge of decorations and put the kids to work. It was a lot of fun!






Things I learned:

-Making tissue paper pom poms is super easy. I will post a tutorial and tell you what I learned soon.

-Kids LOVE to decorate and come up with some crazy/fun ideas.

-Making flowers to stick into green plants is so much more fun and affordable than fresh flowers.

-Paper link chains need to come back! They are so easy to make and added so much to the room.

-Battery operated tea lites are very entertaining to use on tables with children (and even some adults!). We had numerous people try to blow them out.

The Gift that Keeps Growing

It's all in the details.

That's why I just love the idea of using plantable paper products. I've been to (or helped plan) numerous events that have used these either for invitations, favors, thank you notes or favor tags. You can find them in many places, but their popularity on Etsy is increasing.



White Plantable Gift Tags Embedded With Organic Wildflower Seeds by Davita


GP Plantable Number Tags by Green Post



Personalized Plantable Valentine Card for your Sweetheart by Girl in Gear


Wildflower seeded paper invitation set of 25 by Artful Beginnings


GP Plantable Heart Tags- (10) by Green Post

It's about time to get your gardens started, so send some loved ones plantable paper greetings.

Happy Monday!