{feature: Priddy Creations}

1. Tell us about you, your shop, and why you create. Priddy Creations specializes in camera accessories for the every day mom to the professional photographer. Additionally, our product line includes custom totes and bags and other accessories. All of our products are handcrafted in our smoke free studio using only the best materials. Rest assured that you will be getting a top quality product. All of our fabric creations have finished seams, re-enforced stitching and are top stitched where necessary for a lasting item. Custom orders is our specialty and we would love to help you create that perfect item to fit your style and personality. Shoot in style!

I love anything crafty and expressing my tastes and personality through design.

Website: http://www.priddycreations.com

Etsy: http://www.priddycreations.etsy.com

Blog: http://www.priddycreations.blogspot.com

2. What is the best memory/event you have from creating? I think the most exciting thing is when I sell that first item when creating a new product! Nothing beats that!

3. What is your favorite item, or what is your best seller? My favorite item(s) are my camera bags. I love being able to create a unique and individualized product that lets a person stand out and their personality come through. My best seller is my Carnival Bloom & Passion Damask Camera Bag.


4. Share something you've learned from creating? With sewing, measure TWICE and cut once. I can't tell you how many times I have messed up the measurements when cutting. Also, patience. Sometimes designs don't turn out how you pictured in your head.


5. When you are stressed, have too much to do, or need a break, how do you relax? READING! That is the most relaxing hobby I have! I love losing myself in someone else's story!

{oh, hello}

There are some new sponsors at Gussy has a lot to say -- check out their shops? There's some darling work under the INSPIRATION section
{to the right}.

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fine prints :: stationary & business design

small bird studio :: custom blog design makeovers



*Also at small bird studio there's a giveaway for a complete blog makeover.
Giveaway runs now through Saturday.



xo.

{sponsor feature + giveaway}

This giveaway is now closed.

Designs by Tahra
:: sponsor giveaway + feature ::

What inspires you? I am inspired by serving others and the feeling I get from creating jewelry that people love or cooking a meal my family oohs and ahhs over!


Where do you call home? Are you from there originally? I call Orlando, Florida my home but I was born in Prince Frederick, Maryland until I moved here at the age of 14.




Name something unique to where you live. We have Disney World here in Orlando, Florida that everyone loves to visit when they come see us.


Share an interesting fact about yourself. I am a registered nurse and used to be an open heart surgical nurse. I love to work with my hands and tools.


How did you come up with your shop name? I came up with my shop name pretty easily {designs by Tahra}. I couldn't think of anything that was especially unique to me except my name, the spelling is very unique!


Share a little bit about yourself. I am a homeschool mom of four children. I love my husband and my children passionately. I love to cook and to bake homemade bread. I love to read home decorating magazines and Southern Living has been my favorite because it has travel and cooking included.



If you had to describe yourself in a word, what would that word be? That is hard! I would say loving.


What made you decide to open up shop? I love to make and wear jewelry, and I needed a way to support my creativity.


Name your favorite thing about selling handmade. I think that selling handmade is great because it is supporting the small businesses in our country. It helps to support individual families and allow us to grow. Don't get me wrong, big chains are useful, but I just think that having a small business that I can teach my children how to support themselves and be creative is just amazing! They really get the business part.


Do you have a day job or sell on Etsy full-time? I homeschool my children which is a full time job for sure! Yes, I sell on Etsy full time.



Give us a little glimpse into what a typical day in your life looks like. I get up early at around 7 am and pray and read my bible. I check my email from 8-8:30. That includes listing things or getting things ready to ship. I then help the kids with breakfast until 9 am and then we head upstairs for school.

I help them with school until noon. Sometimes I will make some jewelry if they are working well on their own. I am always available to help them with their school work, though. I then make lunch and they get an hour of free time. I am back upstairs at 1:30 and we finish school until 4pm.

Then I prepare dinner and check more emails. After dinner we spend time together playing games or going to baseball or football practice. After bedtime, I spend time creating jewelry or I will spend time with my husband and then I hit the hay.


Share with us a favorite Etsy purchase or shop. I love to buy the jewels or gemstones online that I use in my jewelry. I also recently purchased some soap from BanjoBaySoaps. She does a great job with the soap, it is all organic and it is cold pressed.


List a few of your most favorite pastimes. I love to help people with medical questions. Although, I have not worked for 10 years, so I feel like it is becoming a pastime in my life.



Read any good books lately? I read a lot of homeschool curriculum's. It helps me to determine what each of my children might need in the area of school and possibly how we could get better at teaching or learning.


What is your most prized possession? My most prized possession is my bible. I realize so many times in my life I have fallen short. I know that this is where I gain wisdom or even just sneaking a few minutes with God helps me to get back on the right track.


What are three of your favorite foods? I love filet mignon, chicken parmesan, and beef bourguignon. I love to taste homemade breads. I love good coffee and chocolate desserts. Sorry that is more than three!


What would you like to learn to do? I have recently become more interested in metal smithing. I would also like to take some real chef cooking classes. I know how to cook most things, just want something a little more advanced.


What are you listening to right now? I am listening to the hustle and bustle of my husband shuffling the boys to baseball practice and my girls asking please, please can I go. Maybe some quiet time for Momma, ahhhh!


Name one place you must visit in your lifetime and why. I have always wanted to go to Hawaii. I have heard that it is very beautiful and since I grew up living on the Chesapeake Bay in Maryland, I love the beach. I love to lay out, walk along the beach, play in the sand and water with my kids and sometimes read a book and be quiet.

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Enter to win $50 shop credit!

To enter:

Leave a comment sharing your favorite piece from Tahra's shop

RULES:

• The giveaway will close Sunday, March 7 at 10 pm CST, and the winner will be announced the following day

• An email address must be listed on your blog profile or in the comment you leave

Other links:
Facebook fan page

{feature: No. 17 Cherry Tree Lane}

May I introduce No. 17 Cherry Tree Lane:

1. Tell us about you, your shop, and why you create. No. 17 Cherry Tree Lane is truly my online "home". It's a place where I come and share my inspirations, thoughts and vintage finds. I love to write about motherhood, faith, and my slight obsessions with flea markets, antique shops, Mary Poppins and shopping. It's a large melting pot of musings, straight from my heart. Mainly I seek to make No17CTL a warm and inviting place for others to visit, by keeping it real and unique...

extra links:

Blog
Shop


2. What is the best memory/event you have from creating? Since my shop is not a shop of homemade creations, but vintage finds, most of my favorite moments are found at the antique marts and flea markets on Fridays and Saturdays. I think my best memory in regards to shopping for items for Attic 17 is when I ventured to a garage sale and a woman was selling a vintage, turquoise blue OLIVETTI typewriter from the 1960's for $10. My heart skipped a beat. And then I snatched it up.

3. What is your favorite item, or what is your best seller? My favorite item I ever sold was a 3 piece set of glass refrigerator PYREX. It's not that the pieces are all that uncommon... it's that they are so stinkin' cute and versatile. I had over 25 inquiries on that set alone, within about 5 minutes of posting. Adorable (seen here).


4. Share something you've learned from creating? What I have learned most from both writing on my blog and selling vintage on Attic 17 is this: Be true to what you love. If you write what you love and sell what you love, it all matters more. It means more. It makes everything more genuine, memorable and worthwhile.


5. When you are stressed, have too much to do, or need a break, how do you relax? I go for a run. Strap on the tennis shoes, turn on the iPod and run off the stress. If that doesn't work, I eat a cupcake.

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

Thanks, Rachel!
♥

{giveaway :: The Vintage Pearl}

This giveaway is now closed!

A few weeks ago, at Blissdom, I was finally face-to-face with my jewelry-designing friend Erin @ The Vintage Pearl. We hugged and talked and then talked some more about how excited we were to finally meet each other. And then we took some pictures together, then talked. As you see, it's easy to be around Erin :)

We "knew" each other for a months online prior to meeting -- and it was so FUN to finally meet her. Erin is a doll, that's for sure! And, lucky for us, she's super creative and inspiring with her hand stamped jewelry and photography skillz.

This past Christmas, Zack surprised me with an item from The Vintage Pearl. He ordered the Circle of Love bracelet and had it stamped with some words I hold close to my ♥.

{GIVE*AWAY}

Erin has offered to give one reader $50 shop credit!


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Imagine all the people you could bless with her jewelry:
{your mom} {your sister} {your child} {your husband}

{your friend} {your daughter} {a teacher}

{a blog friend} {your brother}

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To enter, please visit The Vintage Pearl and
leave a comment sharing your favorite piece.

***

For additional entries {leave a separate comment}:

-Comment that you follow my blog

--Comment that you follow Erin's blog

-Comment that you follow me on Twitter

-Comment that you follow Erin on Twitter

-Tweet about this
{enter to win $50 with @TheVintagePearl via @GussySews' blog: http://u.nu/5bgp6}

-Blog about this {leave a comment with your post URL}

{EXTRA INFO}

• The giveaway will close Sunday, February 28 at 10 pm CST, and the winner will be announced the following day

• An email address must be listed on your blog profile or in the comment you leave

{Blog Sponsor: Pretty Things by Meg}

This giveaway is now closed!

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Hello readers, please meet my in-real-life friend, Meg: the gal behind Pretty Things by Meg. Meg is another blog sponsor. She makes allllll sorts of gorgeous vintage jewelry. Her favorite color is pink and you can definitely see that throughout her pieces. What kinds of jewelry does Meg make? Earrings, bracelets and necklaces. {All of her pieces are my favorite pieces.} :)

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How long have you been designing/blogging? I actually started blogging and designing right around the same time... about a year ago.




What do you enjoy most about it? What I enjoy most is dreaming up the design. I love to combine contrasting textures and unusual colors. I also relish stumbling upon vintage pieces... and then marrying them with new piece, to create a style my husband has dubbed "vintern." It feels great to know that any given piece of jewelry I create is absolutely one-of-a-kind.




Give us a little background info on yourself. I am a quarter of a century old, I have an amazing and inspiring husband whom I love very much, and a ridiculously adorable pup that I could cuddle with all day long. I have a degree in English Lit and plan on pursuing my Master's within the next few years. I attribute my love of creating to my grandma - she is one of the craftiest people I know (crafty in the artistic sense; she is certainly not conniving ;)).

Besides creating, I enjoy cooking, decorating, singing/playing music with my hubby, traveling, reading, and knitting. I love to learn new arts... I am currently learning how to crochet :) Next is sewing (and after that, learning the ukulele) :)




Where do you see yourself in one year? Now this is a tricky question... I can tell you where I hope to be. Right now I am stuck in a boring and unfulfilling desk job; a year from now, I hope to be at a new job where I am doing meaningful work that I am passionate about. Of course, I also hope that my Etsy shop is continuing to blossom and has expanded to include other types of handmade pretties in addition to jewelry.




Share a fun memory creating/blogging has brought you. A couple months back, a woman from France contacted me on Etsy wondering if I'd be interested in selling my jewelry in her shop. So my Pretty Things are now available in a shop called La Boutique in Sarthe, France :)

***

::GIVEAWAY::

Meg is graciously offering $20 shop credit to one winner.

{as a little tease, Meg is offering FREE U.S. and international shipping on all orders from now until Christmas!}

To enter:
Leave a comment sharing your favorite item from her shop.

For additional entries:

-Comment that you follow my blog

-Comment that you follow me on Twitter

-Comment that you follow Megan's blog

-Tweet about this {leave a comment with your Tweet}

-Blog about this {leave a comment with your post URL}

RULES:

• The giveaway will close Friday, December 11 at 12 pm CST, and the winner will be announced the following day

• And as always, make sure your email address is on your blog, blog profile, or typed in your comment. Gussy hearts you all, but this needs to be fun, not a search game ;)

This post concludes my blog sponsor feature articles.

Be sure to scroll down and read the other blog sponsor posts, many include giveaways!

{Blog Sponsor: Paint Me a Picture}

Lindsay Girl, the creative gal behind Paint Me a Picture, is a great, great blog friend of mine. We talk daily. But that is beside the point ;) She makes ahh-mazing paintings. Remember this:

She is the gal that made that. I heart Lindsay, and her paintings. And you should, too. Lindsay Girl is another one of my blog sponsors. Something I love about her work is that she uses other mediums to create texture and depth, like paper, buttons and fabric. Maybe she and I will get together and add some ruffles to her projects? :)


Please check out her shop and blog. Your eyes will thank you. And you can thank me by leaving a comment after you read through this post.

Below is a little interview :)

Love you, Lindsay!!!

***

How long have you been painting/blogging? I am sure I have painted since I could hold a paint brush. I remember having watercolors as a little girl. As far as painting on canvas for others to see - that started in 2001 when a friend gave me paints and a canvas for my 19th birthday. I have been in blogland for 3 years.

What do you enjoy most about it? I love creating something new and something someone *loves* for their home. It is so satisfying to begin, finish, and deliver a painting, and to see the look on friends' and customers' faces. I enjoy blogging because it gives me a glimpse into the lives of others and allows me to share as well.

Give us a little background info on yourself. Just a small town girl living in a lonely world... {smiling}

Seriously:

-from a small southern town

-laugh loud (I am the one you hear above everyone else in the theater)

-eloped and married at 20

-discovered good music through Mr.Wonderful

-enjoyed 5 years of love and adventure

-introduced Mr.C {our 10-month-old baby} into the love-adventure

-decided to stay-at-home as a mommy and start selling my paintings

Where do you see yourself in one year? Ha, ha, ha, ha (that is me laughing loudly).

Hopefully in my new house, still painting and selling, and enjoying my crazy, unpredictable life.

Share a fun memory painting/blogging has brought you. I think every time I blog a new post (whether it be a painting or about what is going on in my little life) I get a new, fun memory. Receiving responses from friends/followers with their advice, encouragement, and silliness makes my day.

Go check out her shop, and remember Lindsay Girl if you need something custom for your home or nursery. She'd l-o-v-e to work with you, I promise ♥



Be sure to scroll down and visit the other blog sponsor articles!

{Blog Sponsor: Spunk&Sass Designs}

This giveaway is now closed!



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Spunk & Sass Designs is run by best friends Valerie and Bailey, also known as Spunk {V.} and Sass {B.}. They started creating jewelry together in the summer of 2008.

Share a fun memory creating/blogging has brought you.

{Sass}: I guess it's been about 2 years now, but {Spunk} and I used to get together while her future husband was away working for 12 hours at a time and survive on raisins, peanuts, popcorn, and diet coke while crafting until our eyes were fuzzy. I think that was when I knew we'd be great business partners. Those nights showed us our strengths and how well we play off of each other. It was the start "of a beautiful relationship".

{Spunk}: I started this business with my best friend and that's been a true blessing. The best thing so far was when we did the Gussy giveaway in November, we had one of your readers come to buy something since she didn't win. She came back again on Black Friday for our sale. She messaged me on Twitter a few days later saying she received her package, that she LOVED the jewelry, and how excited she was to wear it all. She told me that she had been looking all over for someone who does our particular style of jewelry and how glad she was that she found us. Her comments and praise made me so happy. We've received a lot of positive feedback, but nothing to that extent. So to receive her comments was very exciting and motivational.

What do you enjoy most about it?

{Sass}: I love most that it is such an expressive hobby. You can tell days that I'm feeling ubber creative due to the difficulty level and the amount I make. You can wear any old necklace, but to wear something you made or something someone handmade for you, I just feel that is empowering.

{Spunk}: I really just enjoy sitting with all my beads and materials around me and beading. I like to see what different things I come up with. I love taking pictures of the jewelry and putting them online for people to buy. It makes me really happy that people want to buy my jewelry. That's one of the best feelings.

***

Now for something fabulous!

Spunk&Sass Designs is giving away this necklace:

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To enter: Leave a comment with where you would wear this necklace.

For additional entries:

-Comment that you follow my blog

-Comment that you follow me on Twitter

-Tweet about this {leave a comment with your Tweet}

-Blog about this {leave a comment with your post URL}

And as always, make sure your email address is on your blog, blog profile, or typed in your comment. Gussy hearts you all, but this needs to be fun, not a search game ;)

RULES:

• The giveaway will close Friday, December 11 at 12 pm CST, and the winner will be announced the following day

• And as always, make sure your email address is on your blog, blog profile, or typed in your comment. Gussy hearts you all, but this needs to be fun, not a search game ;)

Be sure to scroll down and visit the other blog sponsor article!

{feature: the vintage pearl}

As you've probably figured out by now, Gussy loves unique things. I recently stumbled across The Vintage Pearl; I instantly fell in love with the unique jewelry. It catches my eyes because it's mostly family-oriented pieces, celebrating life and the people in it. Erin creates darling hand stamped jewelry from her home! What a mom! :)


Here are a handful of my favorite items:










Please take a few minutes to visit her blog and website.