August Giveaway: Day Two!

*CONGRATULATIONS to Claire!!! Random.org chose her as the winner of Tracey Jane's lovely Christmas Banner!!!*




It's Tuesday, and today's Featured Positivity Team Member is Lisa from Distinctive Dezigns!

Lisa's shop is filled with elegant and sophisticated, one-of-a-kind jewelry pieces!

Her philosophy is captured in her shop statement:

"Hi my name is Lisa and I am about all things unique...unique people, unique clothing, unique jewelry. I design my jewelry to reflect just that....UNIQUENESS. No two people were created the same, therefore no two people should have the same accessories. Hence my slogan: One of a kind jewelry for a one of a kind you." 

Have a look at these gorgeous necklaces and bracelets from Distinctive Dezigns!

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Lisa has graciously offered this beautiful necklace to be given away today! 

{Hip to be Square}

This unique and sophisticated 64" necklace is created with beautiful brown beads separated by smoky topaz.  

To be entered in today's giveaway, please:

1. Visit Distinctive Dezigns by clicking HERE

2. Come back to the blog and leave a comment, listing the item you love the best from Lisa's shop

3. Leave a valid e-mail address {those who do not leave an address will not be entered into the giveaway, as this is the way we will contact the winner}

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Today's winner will be chosen at 6 a.m. EST tomorrow morning and will be notified via e-mail, after which, Lisa will be notified. She will contact you with details of how you can receive this lovely necklace! 

* * * GET READY FOR A WEEK OF GIVEAWAYS! * * *

Good Monday Morning, all!!! We've got something GREAT planned this week!


Each day this week {Monday through Friday}, we'll be featuring a member of the Positivity Team and their Etsy shop.


You'll get to know a little bit about them, see some of their beautiful shop items, and have a chance to win one of their lovely items. 


There's no better way to kick off this week than meeting our first member!
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Today's Featured Positivity Team Member is Tracey Jane from Ben and Jess!

Tracey Jane carries a myriad of GORGEOUS items in her shop!

She sums up her store goods in her shop statement:

"I specialise in handmade happy birthday banners, baby banners, merry christmas banners and little french dress garlands. You will also find vintage inspired tooth fairy boxes, monogram letters and chenille scottie dogs." 

Have a look at a sampling of her beautiful items from Ben and Jess!

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Christmas is right around the corner! And Tracey Jane has graciously offered this festive banner to be given away today! 

Merry Christmas Banner

This 86" banner has been hand-cut and created with quality scrapbooking papers and ribbons.  

To be entered in today's giveaway, please:

1. Visit Ben and Jess by clicking HERE

2. Come back to the blog and leave a comment, listing the item you love the best from Tracey Jane's shop

3. Leave a valid e-mail address {those who do not leave an address will not be entered into the giveaway, as this is the way we will contact the winner}

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Today's winner will be chosen at 6 a.m. EST tomorrow morning and will be notified via e-mail, after which, Tracey Jane will be notified. She will contact you with details of how you can receive this lovely banner! 

Friday's Fancies {back to school}

I woke up to a cool, crisp morning today, which can only mean one thing . . . it's back-to-school time! My mind's eye is conjuring images of small children running out to school busses, their red lights flashing. My ears are longing to hear the laughter of children on the playground. My nose is already smelling the warm, pungent earth that Autumn brings. And my tastebuds are anxiously awaiting the first cider of the season, as my kids gather around me after a long day at school!


Here's a sampling of the WONDERFUL back-to-school items to be found this season on Etsy:

{clockwise from top left}

Send your kids back to school in style with this beautifully-made Roll Up Pencil Case in Autumn Stripes from See Anna Sew . Such a great organizational tool! And with room to hold 23 pencils, your kids will never be able to say that their homework didn't get completed for lack of a pencil.

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Any child {or adult, for that matter} would look forward to lunchtime {or a lunch break} with this Eco-Friendly Insulated Lunch Bag by Farfalla Gialla. Just pack full of fresh fruits and veggies and a homemade sandwich, and you're ready to send your kids on their way with a nutritious lunch.

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Wondering what to pack all those nutritious food in, while avoiding those plastic sandwich bags??? Here's the solution! This Reusable Sandwich Eco Bag from Zummi is the perfect little eco-friendly bag. Just pop in your sandwich, fruit, or snacks and press closed. Also great for storing toys, makeup, and crafts!

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An apple for the teacher? This adorable little Hand-Crocheted Apple Cozy from Unravel Me  will keep your apple warm and bruise-free! Practical, and yet, still SO SWEET! I'd love to buy a set of six, wrap them around my apples, and set them on the shelf in my front entryway!

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Happy beginning of Autumn {for those of you in the Northern Hemisphere}! May you enjoy the sights, smells, and tastes of this beautiful time of year!

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*Now it's your turn! Create your own Friday's Fancies on your blog, then rush back and post the link right here in the Comments! We can't wait to see what LOVELY items you've found on Etsy to showcase this week!!!*

Happy Wednesday, Team!

It's time for this month's Treasury Challenge.

Here's how it works:

Once a month, we team administrators will choose a theme to base an Etsy Treasury on.

Once we announce the theme, we encourage team members to create a Treasury on Etsy.

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If you've never created a Treasury before, it's not too complicated

and is a really fun process!

1. Search for items you love. Add them to your favorites.

2. Click on "Treasury" on the lower left side of Etsy's home page.

3. Then click on "Create a Treasury List" in the upper right hand corner.

4. Once there, a blank template will pop up where you can enter Listing URLs . . . these can be either the address or the listing number {this works best when you have 2 internet tabs pulled up, so you can copy from your favorites in one tab and paste them into your treasury in the other tab}

5. Don't forget to give your Treasury a title and SAVE it!

6. {optional} Convo the sellers whose items you have featured to let them know they've been featured in a Treasury . . . don't forget to include a link to the Treasury

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Okay, so, the next part of the challenge is easy . . .

Come on back to the team blog and post your link so we can all see

your treasury, and leave comments! :)

This month's Treasury Challenge theme is:

Summer

Select items to feature in your Treasury this month using "summer" as your theme.

It's as easy as that!!

For this month's theme, I've created this treasury:

Summer Garden

Just because Summer will be ending soon, doesn't mean there aren't plenty of beautiful things in "Etsy's garden" to look at :)

xo Nickole

Positive Monday

Screenprinted man's t-shirt from thedoghouse

A person can learn a lot from a dog, even a loopy one like ours. Marley taught me about living each day with unbridled exuberance and joy, about seizing the moment and following your heart. He taught me to appreciate the simple things - a walk in the woods, a fresh snowfall, a nap in a shaft of winter sunlight. And as he grew old and achy, he taught me about optimism in the face of adversity. Mostly, he taught me about friendship and selflessness and, above all else, unwavering loyalty.

John Grogan

Friday's Fancies - Liberty

As I've just spent two solid weeks gazing at some gorgeous Liberty of London tana lawn whilst making two bridesmaid dresses from it..........I thought I should look at some more! I found lots of stunning items on Etsy, but these were the ones that really caught my eye.

First off, we have ElisaLou's padded gadget pouch, suitable for cellphones, cameras etc. Next I chose these gorgeous patchwork postcards from AnniesPatch, making letter writing a bit more fun than just plain paper!

The fabric bunting is made by Ravenhill, and is perfect for summery decoration, whilst lastly I selected these stunning handmade fabric beads from MavisandFrank, in a gorgeous fresh blue and mint green colourway.

If you fancy making your own Friday's Fancies, please add the link to the relevant blog page / flickr page in the comments section below. Go on - have a go!!!!!

Lois
xx

Positivity Team Member Features

Have you searched Etsy for the 'Positivity Team' lately? Our team has been growing and growing! Here are a couple of our new members and their BEAUTIFUL pieces in this week's team member features.


Don't forget to take time to check out the rest of the team's shops by doing a 'Positivity Team' search in Etsy's search tool bar--ENJOY!!

Flamingo Red Embroidered Lace Necklace by beingoflove

Vintage Fish Jewelry Box by soveryhappy

Orange Red and Yellow Salsa dish by GlassCube

What Carrie Would Wear by MadLook

Positive Quote

Today's Quote is a simple one:

Carpe Diem

{seize the day}

There is only one today! Grab ahold of it, take the ride, choose to make it the best today you've ever had . . . use it well}

Friday's Fancies {Sea Treasures}

Some gorgeous sea treasure-inspired items to fuel your creativity for this month's team contest! :)

{clockwise from top left}

Any mermaid would be proud to wear this flowy green Mermaid Wrap Skirt by thaitee {which comes in many different and equally-as-lovely colors}

Washed up on the shore with a bit of shiny treasure, these Sea Urchin White Earrings from Star of the East have a wonderful seaside feel

The gorgeous, soft feel of the muted rocks on this Shoreline with Round Rocks fine art print from Rocky Top Studio sends my soul to a peaceful daydream

X marks the spot on this Path Pirate Ring from Ardent 1, a reminder to dig deep for the treasure you come across along your path in life

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Now it's your turn!!! Post your own Friday's Fancies on your personal blog. Then come back to the team blog and leave a link to your Friday's Fancies here!

Can't wait to see what you come up with!!!

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Monthly Team Contest for August!

Another huge CONGRATULATIONS to Lois from Bluebell Design for winning July's Team Contest!

We're ready to announce Lois' very unique Theme for August's Contest!

This month's theme comes in the form of a poem!!! {Can you smell that salty sea air????}

drumroll please . . . . . .

{this beautiful Seashell Votive Candle Set from beach grass cottage is perfect inspiration for the theme!}

Here is the Theme for the August Team Contest:

Sea Shell, Sea Shell,
Sing me a song, O Please!
A song of ships, and sailor men,
And parrots, and tropical trees,

Of islands lost in the Spanish Main

Which no man ever may find again,

Of fishes and corals under the waves,

And seahorses stabled in great green caves.

Sea Shell, Sea Shell,

Sing of the things you know so well.

{Sea Shell by Amy Lowell}

So, gather your sea-treasures and get ready to create something gorgeous {as I know you all will}! When you've finished listing your item, come on back to this post and leave a link to your item so we can start posting those pictures!


* * * Submissions will be accepted until Wednesday, September 8th * * * 


* * * The contest winner will be announced on Thursday, September 9th * * *


* * * A new monthly theme will be introduced Wednesday, September 15th * * *

Have a look at these lovely creations!

Mediterranean Morning Pins by SoleDeVita

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Fused Candle Holder by Glass Cube

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Seashell Earrings by LeoAndJunie

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Avalon Sea Shell on Hemp Wrap Bracelet by Electric Penguin

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if all the stars were seashells bobbies by Kate's Cottage

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Ivory Floral Circle Canvas Tote Bag by Hard Love Apparel

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Stroll Along the Beach Needle Felted Bowl by joanna dances

Come on over to the Etsy Forum Thread for August!

Hello, Team!!! If you haven't popped on into the Etsy Forum Thread for August, stop on by!!! We're chatting up a storm . . . home projects, craft fairs, organizing, family life . . . you name it, we're talking about it! Come on by for a HUGE dose of POSITIVITY! :)

Here's the link:

http://www.etsy.com/forums_thread.php?thread_id=6589449

Have a LOVELY, LOVELY day!!!

Fondly, Kate

Positive quote for the week

Just for today, no matter where I am going, or what I am doing, or who I am doing it with, it is my intention to focus on the positive.

Lucy MacDonald

If that's not the ethos of the Positivity Team, I don't know what is!

One day at a time........

 
Handstamped copper necklace by jeanskipper

Friday Fancies - Citrine

This week's Friday Fancies is all about Citrine!

All these lovely items were found by typing 'Citrine' in Etsy's search engine...It's so much fun to look through all the wonderful items Etsy has to offer! Take time to do your own search, you never know what you'll find!

Enjoy :)

xo Nickole HardLoveApparel

Steampink Jewelry Ring by CatherinetteRings

Citrine Natural Point by GreenEarthStones

The Scene Wire Wrapped Tree and Flower Necklace by true2u

Handmade Organza Blossoms by supplier

Team Contest - And the winner is....

Sheshanna from Pieceunique, the winner of last month's contest, had a tough decision in picking this month's winner! All the entries were so BEAUTIFUL!

Keeping in mind with her chosen theme of “THE ESSENCE OF A HAPPY SUMMER” she has chosen.....and the winner is..........
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Bluebelldesign's Brighton Bag!! Congratulations Lois!! Now it's your turn to choose next month's team contest challenge theme!!



You can check out the Brighton Bag here!

Positive Quote Monday

"Every day may not be good, but there's something good in every day." ~ Author Unknown

As we all know, there a good days and bad days...but how many times have we tried to find the good in a bad day? I know that it sometimes may be hard, but finding the good in your bad day just may make a good day instead! :)

xo Nickole