Happy Holidays!

Merry Christmas! Of course everyone relates December with the holidays. My family is starting a new holiday tradition this year. Since there are about 13 people in my family, we have decided to do secret Santa. If you don't know what this is, here's the gist: Everyone's name is written on a piece of paper and put into a hat. Each person draws a name from a hat and gets that person one gift.

This month, I asked some of my sponsors and friends:

What is your favorite holiday tradition or activity?

Angel Inspired

I was motivated to create more animal designs by Angel of Artsy Angel. I've been getting a lot of great feedback about my owl pendant, and she suggested I work on some cute little creatures like deer, foxes, raccoon, and bears - some of which I recently blogged about here. I am very thankful for Angel's creative idea. Check out some of her original art prints:

Colorful Jackalope

'Tis the Season

Couldn't go on without a little festive holiday cheer!

1. Christmas Earrings by VicAustenStudio | $21.95
2. Set of 3 Vintage Tree Ornaments by ChromaticWit | $9.99
3. 8x10 Holiday Art Print by DaphneGraphics | $15.00
4. Hand-Painted Wooden Angel, Wall Decor by thePaintedKitten | $34.00

Yoga Necklaces

Yoga Bow Pose Om Necklace

Winter Wonderland

"Sleigh bells ring, Are you listening, In the lane, Snow is glistening, A beautiful sight, We're happy tonight, Walking in a winter wonderland"

Kaayli Nail Finish & Giveaway

Peacock blue Nail Polish

I am happy to share with you an awesome Etsy shop, Kaayli Nail Finish, who specializes in mini nail polishes! There are tons of fun colors and shades. Some of my favorites are Purple Smoke, Sorbet pink, Peacock blue, Beachy, Bordeaux burgundy, and Diamond Dust! There are also a bunch of lovely holiday shades such as Crimsimmion red, Christmas Green, Midnight Sparkle, and Chocolaty Velvet.

I was lucky enough to actually try out a few polishes too! I tried the Sorbet pink and the Beachy yellow. I absolutely love the shimmery effect both of these colors had on my nails. The Sorbet was my favorite because it gave a subtle touch of light and pink color. The Beachy was beautiful too - when the sun hit my nails, I could see hints of many shimmering colors. One of the best features these polishes had was that there was no strong odor; they actually had a nice some-what faint fruity aroma. I also loved that they dried quickly after applying.

Beachy & Sorbet Nail Polishes

I got to know the owner behind these cute little polishes, Rebekah. She currently makes her polishes in San Diego, California, and loves everything creative. "I am motivated to create because it is what I love. I also love making something that has a positive impact on someone else."

Kaayli Nail Finish sells their polishes in mini bottles. You can buy them as singles, in duos, trios, or quadruples. There are several multi-polish sets ready for sale, like the "Sunset Mini Nail Polish Trio," which contains the Beachy, Crimsimmion, and Pure Gold polishes. Customers also have the option of creating their own custom multi-polish set.

Sunset Mini Nail Polish Trio

The mini bottles are perfect for collecting a lot of unique colors without spending a lot. Rebekah explains, "I don't think I have ever used an entire bottle of nail polish except for clear! I collect a variety of colors and I want a new one for each occasion, each special outfit, each holiday, each season, my different moods, etc... I may only use a color 2-3 times before I move on to a new one." She loves to create bold, unique colors that "shimmer, sparkle and pop against my skin," which they definitely do!

Kaayli Nail Finish is offering my special readers some awesome deals: 10% off orders now until Dec. 31, 2013. Use coupon code PA10OFF at checkout. Plus a giveaway! Win a $10.00 gift certificate from Kaayli Nail Finish! Use rafflecopter below to enter. Giveaway starts Monday, Dec. 9th and runs through Monday, Dec. 16th.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

CraftFields

I happened upon rather unique jewelry, and a very modern looking Etsy shop the other day. CraftFields carries modern jewelry including necklaces, bracelets, and earrings. They specialize in using unique and unconventional materials such as plexiglass, rubber, wood, and clay for their jewelry.

Alcohol Molecular Formula Necklace

Sisters Kavina and Rara, own and make all the creations in CraftFields. Their need to open their shop was to extend their passion of jewelry making to the world outside their home in Bulgaria. The sisters opened their shop in August 2010. They work hard to keep their items interesting and eye-catching. "All jewelry designs in our shop are one of a kind, which means that you will not see somebody else with the same earrings or bracelet."

Silicon Rubber Earrings

Kavina and Rara love to use strange materials for their jewelry. They use laser cut plexiglass with items such as their "Hipster Glasses Frame Necklace" and "Alcohol Molecular Formula Necklace" (see photo above). Their wooden bracelets and ceramic pendant necklace are unique as well. My favorite items, however, are the rubber earrings, made of multi-color silicon (see left photo). I asked CraftFields what inspires them to create such funky jewelry, and their response made me smile. Not only do the shapes and the colors motivate them to create, but as well as "the people...the idea that with every design, we give a little part of ourselves to the world."

Be on the lookout for a giveaway coming soon to CraftFields' fans. It will be announced on their blog sometime in December. You can also find more updates and photos from CraftFields across the web on Facebook, Flickr, and Pinterest.

Holiday Giveaways

Be sure to check out these wonderful holiday giveaways! Both include prizes from a bunch of handmade shops.

2nd Annual Christmas Giveaway

Earn entries every day of the giveaway!
Ends 12/15/2013



1st Annual Multi-Vendor Holiday Giveaway
See Prizes here
Ends 12/09/2013