Beauty of Nature

It's a beautiful day outside here in New York (not that I would really know because I am home sick) so I thought I would share this wonderful nature-inspired treasury a fellow Etsyblogger, ebogie, created.

Beauty of Nature

Click on the image to check out the wonderful items in ebogie's treasury, including my Starfish necklace. Couldn't help the self promotion!

Update on Blog Giveaways

I am going to be taking a little break from posting blog feature/giveaways. Although the posts still provided information on the artists and crafters, remaining true to my blog's purpose, I started to feel it was a little heavy on the giveaways. What ended up happening was I only had time to write one post a week and because I had giveaways lined up, that is what the posts were. I would like to go back to writing a variety of handmade-related posts, including sharing treasuries, some of my favorites and tips and advice for the handmade seller. I have been really busy lately so it may be a bit before the tips and advice posts come back.

Weekly Feature and Giveaway: Outta Sight {Closed}

This week's giveaway is from Outta Sight

London Pickett of Outta Sight has been making jewelry for approximately eight years. She began making jewelry after she visited and made a pair of earrings at "The Bead Bar" for a Ladies Night Out. London continued to have design ideas and began frequenting the shop. Making jewelry became therapy for her.

Making jewelry is a bit difficult for London but that doesn't stop her. London is blind in her left eye. Fortunately, she sees color and shapes with the little vision she has in her right eye. With the help of good lighting, a magnifying glass and most of all, determination come, London is able to create wonderful handcrafted pieces.

Since discovering her passion for jewelry making, London has sold her designs in retail stores and by word of mouth. Recently she decided to open shops online and currently can be found on Artfire, Etsy and Zibbet.

For more information on Outta Sight and to keep up to date with London, stop by and read her blog at london-outtasight.blogspot.com.

While looking around Outta Sight, please take advantage of London's special offer for my readers - receive a free pair of Awareness Earrings with any purchase from London's Artfire shop. Mention my blog upon checkout and London will contact you to find out your cause and color preferences. Also, keep in mind, London donates a portion of all sales from Awareness items to ABC of NC, a highly specialized school for autistic children.

This week, enter to win a pair of Awareness Earrings (your choice of cause and color) from Outta Sight.

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For a chance to win this week's giveaway:

Mandatory: Visit Outta Sight, come back to this blog post (not facebook) and post your favorite item and email address in the comments section of this post.

Additional chances to win (leave a separate comment with your email address for each entry):

1) Tweet the giveaway and post a link to your tweet in the comments below - 1 extra entry (once daily)

You may tweet the following: Win a pair of #handmade Awareness Earrings (your cause, your colors) from Outta Sight @ http://bit.ly/5yrO5o. @NMGiveaway #Artfire #etsy #giveaway

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

3) Add one of my ad buttons (left hand sidebar) to your blog or website and post a link to your site in the comments - 1 extra entry

4) Join Nature Manipulated's mailing list (by doing this you agree to receive a monthly newsletter from NM)- 1 extra entry

5) Follow my blog publicly via Friend Connect - 1 extra entry

6) Purchase an item from the featured shop and post a link to the item you purchased (transaction link) - 5 extra entries

ENTRIES WITHOUT CONTACT INFORMATION WILL NOT BE INCLUDED IN THE GIVEAWAY. (Email address, Etsy username and Artfire username accepted. If your Blogger profile links to your email or shop, that is acceptable too. Leave contact info for each entry. Tip: When leaving your email do not use the @ and . symbols, instead spell out AT and DOT.)

Entries for this giveaway will be accepted through Sunday, May 16, 2010, 11:59pm Eastern Time. I will notify the winner via email and the winner will have 48 hours to respond before I choose a new winner.

This giveaway is open to contestants worldwide

Thanks for participating in this week's giveaway. Be sure to stop by every Monday for another great giveaway.

Read Nature Manipulated's giveaway disclaimer.

Weekly Feature and Giveaway: Blackdog Handcrafted Jewelry {Closed}

This week's giveaway is from Blackdog Handcrafted Jewelry

Sandi of Blackdog Handcrafted Jewelry has been making jewelry for approximately five years. She began making jewelry because she wanted pieces with an organic look and couldn't find then anywhere. After learning how to shape, hammer and polish metal, Sandi fell in love with jewelry making and since has been handcrafting unique, natural, eye catching pieces. As Sandi describes, her jewelry is "soft yet bold".

Sandi's inspiration comes from her surroundings. The land, creeks, mountains and trees of her hometown near Denver, Colorado, are breathtaking and provide her with a never ending supply of inspiration.

For more information on Blackdog Handcrafted Jewelry and to keep up to date with Sandi, visit her website at http://www.blackdoghandcraftedjewelry.com. Sandi can also be found on facebook. In addition to Artfire, Sandi has shops on Etsy and Zibbet.

This week, enter to win a pair of Pink Rhodonite and Hammered Sterling Silver Earrings from Blackdog Handcrafted Jewelry.

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For a chance to win this week's giveaway:

Mandatory: Visit Blackdog Handcrafted Jewelry, come back to this blog post (not facebook) and post your favorite item and email address in the comments section of this post.

Additional chances to win (leave a separate comment with your email address for each entry):

1) Tweet the giveaway and post a link to your tweet in the comments below - 1 extra entry (once daily)

You may tweet the following: Win a pair of #handmade pink rhodite & sterling silver earrings from Blackdog Jewelry @ http://bit.ly/5yrO5o. @NMGiveaway #Artfire #etsy #giveaway

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

3) Add one of my ad buttons (left hand sidebar) to your blog or website and post a link to your site in the comments - 1 extra entry

4) Join Nature Manipulated's mailing list (by doing this you agree to receive a monthly newsletter from NM)- 1 extra entry

5) Follow my blog publicly via Friend Connect - 1 extra entry

6) Purchase an item from the featured shop and post a link to the item you purchased (transaction link) - 5 extra entries

ENTRIES WITHOUT CONTACT INFORMATION WILL NOT BE INCLUDED IN THE GIVEAWAY. (Email address, Etsy username and Artfire username accepted. If your Blogger profile links to your email or shop, that is acceptable too. Leave contact info for each entry. Tip: When leaving your email do not use the @ and . symbols, instead spell out AT and DOT.)

Entries for this giveaway will be accepted through Sunday, May 9, 2010, 11:59pm Eastern Time. I will notify the winner via email and the winner will have 48 hours to respond before I choose a new winner.

This giveaway is open to contestants in the U.S., Canada and the U.K.

Thanks for participating in this week's giveaway. Be sure to stop by every Monday for another great giveaway.

Read Nature Manipulated's giveaway disclaimer.