Etsy Shop Profile- MeredithCarey

Shop owner Meredith Carey grew up always feeling like she was in the wrong time. Going to places where people reenact history like Renaissance Fairs was a homecoming for her. Now that she is older she enjoys surrounding herself with items from the past. Her shop is filled with wonderful items that anyone who is a lover of Steampunk or Victorian items will adore. Her shop is still new and growing. So stop by her shop and take a look around. Also when you get a chance check out her fan page on facebook you can also keep up to date and contact her at her twitter account @MeredithDCarey


If you could visit any period in time where would you end up?

If I could visit any period in time it would definitely be the Victorian era. I have always loved and admired the fashion, architecture, music, literature, and social history of the time. In fact, I received my BA in sociology with a minor in history partly because of it.


What is your favorite item in your shop?

My favorite item in my shop is a vintage barware set I found. It is like nothing I've ever seen before. It has four shot glasses and a decanter that all rest in what looks like a German soldier's helmet. The detailing on it is just amazing and fun. Sometimes I debate about keeping it for myself.



Since your shop is so new do you have plans on what you would like to do with your shop? My personality is very planned and organized so before I opened my shop I read a lot of books about having a business and they all said to pick a niche. They warned against being too broad or trying to sell everything to everyone. I really enjoyed cardmaking and scrapbooking so that's where I started. I make cards, invitations and scrapbooking kits for people that have a Victorian theme. But very quickly I felt unsatisfied because I also have a love for antiques and collectibles but I didn't want to try and start a second business while this one was still so new. Then one night as I was talking with my husband about it he suggested I add vintage items to the shop I already had. I was worried about being "too broad" but he thought I could sell the collectibles like I wanted and still offer cards to go with them for people who were buying items as gifts. And it just seemed to fit together. So now I am building on this idea. Since my direction has changed a bit I have some work ahead of me to clearly define my shop but I love every minute of it and am excited to share it with others.

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What made you decide to open up a shop on etsy?

I had been interested in having a business, as I've said, and I knew it had to be online because of the financial costs involved with a brick and mortar building. One night I was reading an article in a magazine and someone was advertising their shop on Etsy so I checked it out and it was exactly what I was looking for. At that point I still hadn't decided exactly what I was going to do but since my passions are for handmade and vintage items, I knew I was in the right place. From there I worked my ideas until I had a shop that was really like me. A place where people can "Imagine life from another time," a slogan posted on my shop's homepage to remind me and everyone else of my mission.

Etsy Shop Profile- Fleurdelisquilts

I'm happy to bring my second etsy shop profile of shop owner Mary from Fleurdelisquilts. Mary is regular poster in the etsy blog team. This week her shop hits it's 1 year anniversary!! This grandmother loves to sew and pours into it the same love that she pours into the items she sews for her own family. Last year this caring woman had to all but close up her shop in order take care of her mother who passed away of cancer. Her shop is not just full of quilts but also has hair accessories, bridal veils, purses, bibs and more. But now she is back and ready to take on the challenge of custom pieces just for you! Please check out her blog at fleurdelisquilts.blogspot.com and  become a facebook fan.

When and where did you learn how to sew?
I've been sewing for as long as I can remember, but I was mostly playing until high school. After marriage and children, I really honed my skills sewing for my three boys and seven sisters. I've made prom dresses and a couple of wedding dresses. Eventually I found my way to making quilts, probably because I was raised with quilters as both my mom and grandmother were quilters. They influenced me quite a bit and really encouraged me in all of my sewing and quilting.

Where do you draw your inspiration from?
Anything can be inspiration....a beautiful flowers, a grandchild, a request or commission from someone else who has specific ideas for a quilt, lots of different magazines, dreams, fine art and, of course, memories of my mom and grandmother. When I pick up fabrics from mom's stash, I immediately begin reminiscing about her, often those are tearful memories, but they are also happy, love-filled memories. Calico, especially in blue or purple, take me back to my grandmother's dresses and her sweet smell.
       



What is your favorite use for your quilts?
Originally all my quilts were meant for the bed--queen size or perhaps twin for the grandchildren, but today I find that I am making more wall hangings, quilted pillows, art quilts, and even doll quilts. So really my quilts are meant to be used in all sorts of ways from art works to home decor to their original purpose of keeping loved ones warm.


What is your favorite item in your shop right now?
That would have to be a quilted pillow that I made a few weeks ago. (www.etsy.com/listing/74837559/designer-throw-pillow-in-quilted-cotton) 
It was fun to make in so many ways but especially in the designing and quilting stages. I was able to explore color and learn some new quilting motifs.

Lastly being a book blog do you have any recommendations for books I should read? 
I am currently reading "Ask for it" by , Linda Babcock and Sara Laschever which is nonfiction and really not my genre, but I'm enjoying it immensely. 

I just finished "Inside out girl" by Tish Cohen, which is a fabulous book about a family with a child who has nonverbal learning disorder (NLD). It's such a timely novel in that we educators deal with children who have learning disorders every day. This novel helped me to see the world through the eyes of child who might be in my classroom. 

And just before that I read "The Night Journey" by Kathryn Lasky. It's a great historical fiction which is my favorite genre. I love to read about the lives of people who experienced the world at a different time and place. 

I have several others waiting in the wings for summer reading but I'd prefer to read those before mentioning them

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Book Review- Wonderous Strange Lesley Livingston

So I just happened to stumble upon this book while searching around for books to add to my TBR list. I've found that I enjoy finding books I want to read almost as much as I enjoy actually reading the books themselves. From the moment I saw the book cover I was hooked. As a self proclaimed cover whore this just spoke to me. A beautiful girl with long curly red hair. When I was younger I thought the most beautiful women on earth had long bright red curly hair.

The book is about an actress named Kelley who lives in NY. She is currently starring in a Midsummer Nights Dream playing the fairy Queen Titania. While practicing her lines in Central Park she runs into changeling (a human child raised in the fairy world) Sonny. Soon everything changes for her and she becomes aware the faeries surround her world and her connection to them that she never knew she had. A huge fight is coming as the doors between our world and the Otherworld are threatened to tear open.


I really enjoyed this book. It caught me from the first page. I loved Kelley's spunk. There were plenty of twists and turns. Some you could see coming from a mile away others you never see coming. While I think the romance between Kelley and Sonny could have been written better I still enjoyed it. I am just sick of the whole boy meets girl and there is instant flaming love. Sometimes love needs to develop over time. Other than that I really loved the book. I look forward to reading the next two books (both of which have gorgeous covers!)  I give it 4 out of 5 stars.

Book Review- Maiden Flight Bianca D'Arc

So I decided to read this ebook because it fits in with the current challenge for the Hogwarts reading challenge. I thought the cover was interesting enough that I would have to check it out. Not very long in length I knew I could blow through this book.

I quickly dived into the book and was caught from the start as the main character, whose name I can't even remember, chases after a dragon who has stolen the deer she just killed. She has the rare ability to understand dragon's and the dragon decides to bring her to his rider. This is where the book takes a sharp right turn. This is also where I learn to pay better attention to all the details before I pick up a book. For this book is an erotica book. Which for anyone who knows how I am about sex in books they would be laughing right now. See it's not that I'm opposed to sex. In fact I find it strange when a book lacks characters who are doing it. I just have a problem with reading the details. I like the old black and white movies thing where it fades to black and they come back to them lying in bed smoking cigarette and just looking thoroughly satisfied. I say I'm not a prude but when I told my husband about this book and my shock at the erotica in it he cracked up and told me that I am indeed a prude.

I admit I did finish the book. If one were to take out all of the erotica it could have made for a good fantasy genre short story. But like a young girl on the verge of pubescence I found myself blushingly curious and I skimmed through the sex scenes. Some had me snorting with laughter, some intrigued, and some had me exclaiming "bullshit!". What had me claiming bullshit? Well the virginal female who barely was able to handle her mans largeness later on had no problem during a threesome taking that large penis in another much much much tighter hole. UGH! I know! I know! Oh not to mention there is a disturbing moment where the dragon goes down on her. Ick ick ick! This just had me certain that I'll never touch another erotica book again

So as you can imagine this is my lowest scoring review ever. If it hadn't been so short and if I hadn't had the stare at a train wreck response to it I never would have finished this book. Again I have nothing against sex I just necessarily like to read all about it. I give this book half a star. I would give it zero stars but the half comes from the parts that would make up a decent short (and I do mean short) story.

Follow Friday

Answer to today's question: It is so hard for me to pick just one character. When I was a little girl I always imagined myself as Mary in the Secret Garden. I always wanted to discover a hidden space I could call my own. 




Please enter my giveaway sposnored by gwenwalls. It's for a ring, earring, and pendant set 

Giveaway- Jewelry set from gwenwalls Little Fairy Shop

So I told myself I was going to wait a while before doing any more giveaways....but well I changed my mind especially after I got an eyeful of gwenwalls Little Fairy Shop. Filled with wonderful goodies that activate the imagination I just knew I had to contact her. So I was so excited and please when she agreed to do a giveaway. She has wonderful items that not only will delight little girls but also delight those young at heart. Here are just a few the goodies you'll find hidden in this fellow book lover's shop.

How precious is this hair barrette? I love it!






                            Never get lost again with this Jack Sparrow compass ring!





I love these elegant white rose earrings!









                                              The Giveaway
  One reader will win this set of ring, earrings and pendant! I'm so jealous I love them! As a bonus anyone making a purchase before June 30 can get free shipping! Just use code MOMMY

Rules: Giveaway will end June 24'th. The winner will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be picked. Please put your email address in at least your first comment. Winner will be picked by random number generator. Mandatory entry must be done before bonus entries count. Leave a seperate comment for each entry please. US only.

Mandatory Entry: Visit gwenwall's shop and come back and tell me your favorite item

Bonus Entries:       

Become a GFC follower- old followers count (1 bonus entry)
    Heart gwenwall's shop (1 bonus entry)
                                     Tweet once daily  include @giveawaymommy in tweet
                                Buy something from gwenwall's shop (10 bonus entries)
                                Become a Fan of gwen's on Facebook (2 bonus entries)
                                Become an email follower on gwen's blog  (3 bonus entries)
                         

Etsy Shop Profile- LMG Design

Lisa from LMGDesign is a full time artist. She creates beautiful paintings, jewelry, book thongs and my favorite of hers upcycled puzzle pieces. I just love all of her pieces! You can check out her blog at www.lisamgriffin.blogspot.com  or visit her facebook page . She welcomes custom orders so feel free to contact her if there is a piece you would like her to make. Stop by her shop and check out all the other wonderful goodies she has!

                                                    Where do you draw your inspiration from?
Inspiration is pretty ambiguous. I tend to draw from the world around me, so nature, family, color all those things have an influence... my mood that day has an influence. But that is what makes art interesting and fun, it is ever changing.





What is your favorite piece in your shop right now?
My favorite item is the "Dreamer" Pieces of Inspiration set. I also love Gotta Paint, which is my avatar... I am in the process of making one for myself. That's the problem with my shop, I only make one of each design... and sometimes it is hard to not keep it for myself. 

Writers often suffer from blocks do you go through the same thing when creating a piece and if so how do you work your way around it?
I think it is part of the creative process.. everyone has experienced that frustration. I tend to leave the studio. Get a fresh perspective, do some yoga, get outside, play with the kids, read... anything to switch gears mentally. Then I come back with a fresh perspective, I am more relaxed and feeling more positive and that is when those creative juices really start to flow. Sometimes, it helps to not take it so seriously and just enjoy the process. 

When and where did you learn how to make jewelry?
I began making jewelry about 3 years ago, self-taught. I LOVE necklaces and earrings, so that was what I focused on at first. The puzzle pieces were a fun side project. We had so many lying around the house that I sat down with my kids for a creative exercise/art lesson and we all painted them. It was so much fun that I haven't stopped working with them, embellishing them... seeing how far I can push that medium. Book thongs were next, and those are my creative therapy. There is something so relaxing and quiet about stringing seed beads, it has a zen quality to it.