I love curating treasuries on Etsy. It is kind of like a game to me - to hunt down those great finds and put them together in a way that is nice and fun to look at. Here is one I curated this past weekend that was featured on Etsy Treasury Hunter.
I am always honored when folks choose something from my shop to feature in their treasuries as well. Here is one curated by Intertwined Jewelry that featured one of my new Ouchie Pouch designs.
Have you come across any great treasuries this week?
Monday, August 8, 2011
Sunday, August 7, 2011
"It's My Heart" Ouchie Pouch Donation
Several months ago I was contacted by a very special woman named Chella, who asked me to do a custom order for a friend of hers named Max. Max is a huge Star Wars fan, so Chella asked if I could make him two Ouchie Pouches in Star Wars themed fabric to help with some leg pains he is suffering. As she and I exchanged messages to set up the custom order, Chella shared with me a little bit about herself and Max and what brought them together.
Max was born with a congenital heart defect called hypoplastic left heart syndrome. This amazing little boy underwent his first open heart surgery when he was three days old and received a heart transplant a few short months later. As a result of the anti-rejection medications he received after the surgery, he developed non-Hodgkins Lymphoma. Max recently celebrated his seventh birthday, and from what Chella and his mom, Liz, tell me he is an active, happy and compassionate little man. Chella told me that for his most recent birthday, in lieu of gifts, he asked that his guests sign up to be organ donors instead.
Chella also had a son named Logan born with hypoplastic left heart syndrome, that very sadly passed away at 13 months of age. This was how she met Liz and Max many years ago. Even though they live in different countries, they have remained close friends over the years. Chella is a consumate survivor and an inspiration. She has lost three children. Logan's twin brother, Calum, had hydrocephalus and passed away eight months after Logan when his shunt malfunctioned. Chella also had a third son named Camlon who passed away shortly after birth from an Interuterine Growth Restriction (IUGR). Chella herself was diagnosed with cancer in 2009 and needed a heart/kidney transplant in 2010 after the chemotherapy caused multi-organ failure.
I have been very touched by both Max and Chella's stories and have learned a great deal I did not know about congenital heart defects through my exchanges with Chella. I feel very blessed and fortunate to have two healthy little ones, so I was moved to do something to show these two extraordinary people that they made an impact on me.
In honor of Chella and Max, I have decided to create a special "It's My Heart" Ouchie Pouch. 100% of the profits from the sale of this Ouchie Pouch during the month of August will be donated to charities of Chella and Max's choosing. In honor of Chella's babies, 50% of the proceeds will be donated to the Its My Heart organization, and in honor of Max and his family, 50% of the proceeds will be donated to the Ronald McDonald House Charities, which has provided an incredible amount of support to Max's family throughout the years. Please consider donating to these extremely worthwhile causes by purchasing an "It's My Heart" Ouchie Pouch from my Etsy shop in the month of August or by visiting their websites and donating directly.
If you would like to know more about Max and Chella...
Max is well known in the world of congenital heart defects and you can read more about his story in the following articles:
Max was born with a congenital heart defect called hypoplastic left heart syndrome. This amazing little boy underwent his first open heart surgery when he was three days old and received a heart transplant a few short months later. As a result of the anti-rejection medications he received after the surgery, he developed non-Hodgkins Lymphoma. Max recently celebrated his seventh birthday, and from what Chella and his mom, Liz, tell me he is an active, happy and compassionate little man. Chella told me that for his most recent birthday, in lieu of gifts, he asked that his guests sign up to be organ donors instead.
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| Max |
I have been very touched by both Max and Chella's stories and have learned a great deal I did not know about congenital heart defects through my exchanges with Chella. I feel very blessed and fortunate to have two healthy little ones, so I was moved to do something to show these two extraordinary people that they made an impact on me.
In honor of Chella and Max, I have decided to create a special "It's My Heart" Ouchie Pouch. 100% of the profits from the sale of this Ouchie Pouch during the month of August will be donated to charities of Chella and Max's choosing. In honor of Chella's babies, 50% of the proceeds will be donated to the Its My Heart organization, and in honor of Max and his family, 50% of the proceeds will be donated to the Ronald McDonald House Charities, which has provided an incredible amount of support to Max's family throughout the years. Please consider donating to these extremely worthwhile causes by purchasing an "It's My Heart" Ouchie Pouch from my Etsy shop in the month of August or by visiting their websites and donating directly.
If you would like to know more about Max and Chella...
Max is well known in the world of congenital heart defects and you can read more about his story in the following articles:
Thursday, August 4, 2011
{Featured Artist} Lindsay from OriginallyMe
It's {Featured Friday} here at Snuggly Monkey, and today we will be chatting with the lovely Lindsay, owner of Originally Me on Etsy.
Lindsay, who is based in South Carolina, says that she specializes in all types of fun and eclectic jewelry and other girlish accessories. She has been crafting for as long as she can remember, but she focused in on her jewelry making about 6 years ago. Let's take a peek inside her studio...
How did you come up with your shop name?
I thought long and hard on this name and "Originally Me" just came to me. It seemed perfect for the funky and unique accessories that I wanted to offer.
How would you describe your work to someone who asked you “What do you sell/make/do?”
I create unique eclectic jewelry and accessories that are all one of a kind. I love mixing colors and all different types of materials to produce a beautiful product.I want to make something that makes you feel special when you wear it :) I'll admit I kind of want to keep every single thing I make!
How did you first get into making your accessories, and how did you learn to do it?
One year I was looking for something unique to give my sister for Christmas and I ended up making her a box full of earrings. That's when I fell in love with creating pretty jewels. My craftiness is all completely self taught.
What is your favorite item to create? I LOVE it all! A secret little creative thing about me is that I love to paint. You don't really see that in my etsy shop though.
What do you like about being a part of the Etsy community?Being a part of the Etsy community is wonderful! My favorite part is all of the amazingly sweet and talented people I've met through both Etsy and blogging.
What aspects of your Etsy business do you find challenging? Any ideas for how you might overcome these challenges?
To me, the most challenging part of Etsy business is being noticed in the massive amounts of talented artists. My biggest suggestion is to make sure that you have something unique to offer that's not just like what everyone else is doing.
How did you set up your shop banner and avatar? I set up my shop banner and avatar myself. I use photoshop and illustrator to do a lot of my graphics but picnik.com is awesome too and totally free. If you've never tried it, you should!
Do you photograph your own items? What are some of your tips?
I photograph my own items. I think item photographs are SO important to let the buyer see exactly what they are getting. Natural light is a necessity. I think, for what I do, it also helps to photograph my items on a model.
What else do you do to keep your shop looking great? I try to have great pictures, an inviting banner, and I recently changed my avatar to be a picture of me. I know personally, I like to see the artist behind what I'm buying, so I thought this was neat. My items tend to be very colorful so I think that makes my shop pretty.
What sound or noise do you love?
Weird I know, but I love the sound of rolling a suitcase on that little moving sidewalk thing in the airport.
What sound or noise do you hate?
I am very intolerant of people chewing loudly.
What natural gift would you most like to possess?
I wish I was musically talented. I can play the guitar just a tiny bit, but I wish it just came naturally.
What would you like to be when you grow up?
I'm studying to become an architect, so that's the direction I'm aiming right now... but I'm a dreamer! Who knows where I'll end up.
What makes you smile?
It's the little things in life that make me smile :)
Thank you so much Lindsay for giving us a peek into your Etsy world today! Be sure to keep in touch with Lindsay by stopping by her shop, Facebook page or blog and saying Hello!
Etsy shop: www.etsy.com/shop/originallyme
Blog: loveoriginallyme.blogspot.com/Facebook: www.facebook.com/pages/Originally-Me-designs/105717738921
Pinterest: pinterest.com/originallyme/
'Originally Me' by snugglymonkeyco
 teardrop layered bead a... $27.00 |  $18.00 |
 $13.00 |  $12.00 |
Did you feature another great Etsian on your blog recently? Were you featured on a blog this week? Would you like to meet some more great artists and learn about their craft? Then join the party and add your link to our Featured Fridays Linky!
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