A Holiday Gift and GIVEAWAY

Monday giveaways are back ... and with more chances to win! I am filling up the calendar with some wonderful items from crafty shops, and looking forward to feature the talented artists. This week's featured artist/shop is Amy's Holiday Gifts.

Amy of Amy's Holiday Gifts describes her shop as "an outcropping of my love for the holidays, and a way to share the love of celebrating holidays with others." Amy has been kind incredibly kind this holiday shopping season and is providing TWO giveaway items.

Candy Disk Earrings


Snowman Ornament


The first name, picked at random, will have a choice between the two items above. The second winner, also picked at random, will win the remaining item.

For a chance to win this week's giveaway, you must:

NAME AND POST A LINK TO YOUR FAVORITE ITEM FROM THE FEATURED ARTIST'S SHOP IN THE COMMENTS

Featured Shop = aholidaygift.artfire.com


For additional chances to win:

1) Tweet the giveaway (include @NMArt in your tweet and post your tweet in the comments with your twitter username)- 1 extra entry

2) Blog about the giveaway (post a link to your blog post in the comments)- 1 extra entry

3) Purchase an item from the featured shop (post the item you purchased) - 2 extra entries

ENTRIES WITH OUT CONTACT INFORMATION WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED.
(Email address, Etsy username and Artfire username accepted)


In addition to the two giveaway items, Amy is offering Nature Manipulated's readers a special discount. Enter coupon code "NATURE" upon checkout and receive 15% off your order at aholidaygift.artfire.com


A little bit about Amy and her shop ...

How long have you been crafting for?
Most of my life. I’ve been surrounded by family members who have always crafted. I have fond memories of sewing a pillow at one grandmother’s home and using a jigsaw at another grandmother’s home. And then… there is the birthday party my mother and I held for myself with a sesame street theme. One of my jobs was to paint the outside of ice cream containers to make them look like garbage cans for Oscar the Grouch favors.

Where does your inspiration come from?
Everywhere. I may have a particular person in mind when I create something, but then make changes or replicate it to put it into my shop. Sometimes, I’ll be driving to work and an idea will pop into my head because I’m thinking about how to best use a particular material.

You have two shops on Artfire. Can your items be found anywhere other than Artfire?
Yes, on Etsy and eBay. (Amy's second Artfire shop is Amy's Jewelry and Gifts)

How do you manage more than one shop?
Check in to each one daily; try to balance what is listed in each location; attend to different trends in terms of what sells where.

How do you promote your holiday items around this time of year?
Advertising within sites where my listings are; advertising on external websites; having sites listed on business cards when I do craft fairs

Are you on any social networking sites?
Facebook

Tell us something interesting about you or your shop.
We have 5 dogs in the house. We thought we were nuts to have 4 but the teenager needed her own so we recently adopted a Chihuahua pup. His favorite playmate is our great dane. Watching them play keeps us in hysterics daily.


One of Amy's favorite Artfire shops is WUDLS Woodshop


Thanks for participating in this week's giveaway. Entries will be accepted until Monday, November 9, 2009, 2pm Eastern Time. I will notify the winners the following day. Please be sure to stop by every week for more great giveaways.