Need Prayers

Hello fellow bloggers! I know there are several events going on I am supposed to be participating in right now. Please forgive me. My brother was in a serious car accident lastnight. He is a Highway Patrolman and was responding to a shots fired call. We have been at the hospital and are waiting on tests to come back. A lot is going on in my family right now. We have several major illnesses, surgeries, and accidents. It has been a rough week for everyone. Please say a few prayers if you get a chance. I will hopefully be back online in a few days.

In the meantime...please check out my giveaway and get entered for that. It ends 6/30! 

http://leksidesigns.blogspot.com/2010/06/june-featured-etsy-seller-snowdon.html

Paying It Forward

Well....this is my first blogger award! Thank you so much "The Answer is Chocolate"!!!!

The conditions of the award stipulate that I need to share 7 things about myself and them pass the award on to 15 other bloggers. I must say that this is truly hard for me to do since I do not really like to share anything about myself. However, in good spirit here we go....

1. My husband and I met when I was 14 years old. We were childhood sweethearts

2. I am addicted to working out. EVERY night I am either at the gym, the track, or the park doing my workout thing! LOVE IT!

3. I LOVE CANDY! My husband jokes that I don't drink and I don't smoke, but I sure do eat the heck out of RUNTS! That was always my gift from him a long time ago when we were broke and couldn't afford anything else (those gifts are always the most memorable).

4. I love reality TV...I know....ug. I just can't help it!!!

5. I truly understand the statement, "God only gives you what you can handle. Sometimes I think he trusts me too much."

6. I am a Christian! I am not one of those people who say they are Christian and then get sloppy drunk, smoke, sleep with every man/woman in town, lie, cheat, steal, etc... It's not up to me to judge, but don't sit there and confess how religious you are when your actions don't show it. Hypocrisy: the act of persistently professing beliefs, opinions, virtues, feelings, qualities, or standards that are inconsistent with one's actions. Hypocrisy is thus a kind of lie.

7. It is my goal to be underestimated. I believe this gives you an advantage in most situations.

Whew....that was hard. I will be awarding the 15 blogs throughout the week!

The guidelines for accepting this award are...

Thank the person/people who gave it to you.

Tell 7 things yourself.

Pass the award on to 15 bloggers, whom you have recently discovered, and think are fantastic.

The 15 bloggers recieving this award are:

1. http://jewelrybysolange.blogspot.com/
2. http://three-seventeen.blogspot.com/
3. http://www.mamaslittlechick.com/
4. http://coutureunraveled.blogspot.com/
5. http://dearednablog.blogspot.com/
6. http://studiohaus.blogspot.com/
7. http://cleverbetty.blogspot.com/
8. http://heavenlysavings.blogspot.com/
9. http://cleverlyinked.com/
10. http://autumnraincreations.blogspot.com/
11. http://bedbuggs.blogspot.com/
12. http://charmbraceletdiva.blogspot.com/
13. http://www.boosandrawrs.com/
14. http://heroesinheaven.blogspot.com/
15. http://punkrockmomma.com/

Congratulations

Happy Father's Day

Happy Father's Day to all of the dads out there. This day is always a bitter sweet one for me. I miss you Dad.

I lost my daddy in 2000. He passed away suddenly, without warning. The most valuable lesson I learned from that is that you never know when someone might go. NEVER let things go unsaid and NEVER leave someone without telling them you love them if you do. Every time you part....it could be the last time you see them. Here are a few songs that remind me of him.

PUT ON YOUR BIKINIS!

My next unique find is an AWESOME Clothing designer. I LOVE her bikinis. I personally think that if we have to work our rears off (literally) at the gym every day and watch what we eat, why not go out in your bikinis and be proud. Something about me....I have to be different. I will not buy something everyone has and I will not make something everyone makes. I am always on the lookout for the newest thing and the most unique thing. I was browsing through Etsy the other day looking for a new bikini and I found My Sugar Doll. Shay is an awesome designer. I got in touch with her and did an interview. Check out her shop!

My name is Shay I'm 28 years old, happly married expecting my first baby and have two puppy dogs that I adore. I started sewing when I was a senior in highschool and got hooked! I went to school for fashion design and fell in love working with knits. In 2002 I started selling my designs (much skimpier back then!) to stripclubs in So.Cal and Las Vegas. Besides fashion design I enjoy spending time with family, music, riding roller coasters, thrifting, going to the beach, and currently decorating my house to look fabulous high end on a shoe string budget!

I got started on Etsy after all the years I sold at clubs and had so many customers telling me I should sell online. For a short time I sold on my myspace blog then a gal I knew told me about Etsy. I thought it was great because it was like having your own website without all the fuss.

It's so hard to decide what my favorite piece is because it changes all the time! I would say it's the Cat's Meow Bikini (currently sold out but will be back in stock soon!) I love that bikini because it really reprsents who I am as a designer. It's a mix-up-mash of pin-up punk and girly lolita. I love the fabric print and the bow belt!!

What is SugarDoll's Design Philosophy?


SugarDoll is the all compassing persona of Shay...yes that's my name hey!! It's all the things conservative parents warn you about. Girls who like piercings, tattoos and manic panic colored hues. A girly girl who grew up wearing frilly frocks complete with clear lipgloss and a tomboy who loves extreme sports, baggy pants and metal rock. A love for mixing bold colors and prints, mixed in with alittle glam and glitz. A mix up mash of pin-up, harajuku, lolita and punk. The fashionably loud and pround, stands out in a crowd and yet I know not everyone gets it. I listen to music waves as I work, this is wear I get most of my quirk. Inspirations include: Marilyn Monroe always my muse, Bettie Page she's all the rage and all the starlets of the 1940's and 50's age. I basically sum it up as "Sweet and Alittle Punky" but all in all I'd say my design philosophy is very spunky.

So come check out all the goodies! XO

Visit My Sugar Doll at:

http://www.mysugardoll.etsy.com/

Myspace.com/MySugarDoll

http://www.twitter.com/sugardollbikini

 

Unique Find...Autumn Rain Creations

Each month I will be doing a couple of random unique finds. I find these wonderful sellers while browsing through shops and visiting other blogs. Simply put, their products must move me in some way in order for me to feature them. This weekend I came across Autumn Rain Creations. I have a deep interest in photography. I don't necessarily like to take the pictures myself, but LOVE to look at unique photos. You will be seeing a lot more of this interest of mine in my slideshows. Anyway...here is Autumn Rain Creations' interview...enjoy!

My name is April. I live, love, and create in the Pacific Northwest. I am wife to 1 and mama to 7, my most busy wonderful large family. I started Autumn Rain Creations a few years ago but have really come into it this year. I always have to be making something whether it's jewelry or taking that one photo shot.

My favorite time of year is Autumn and having my family naturally opened my eyes to the beauty around me and in nature. If I had to pick a favorite item in my shop it would be my "Family Is Love" Sand photo. Kind of a snap shot of the most important thing in my life.

Check out all of her websites!

http://www.autumnraincreations.etsy.com/

http://www.autumnraincreations.blogspot.com/

http://www.facebook.com/autumnraincreations

http://www.twitter.com/autumnraincr

 

HAVIN' SOME POOL TIME!!!

Kidlet is off to waterpark with friends and my husband and I are off to lounge by the pool for the rest of the day! Yay! We hardly ever get quality time together, so we are both looking forward to this evening. I had to get my ipod updated with my new favorite songs before we could go and I noticed Need To Breath has their new video of "Something Beautiful" posted on their website! I have a few of their songs posted in "My Favorite Music" page at the top...but check out their blog and website at http://www.needtobreathe.net/ to see their new video! It is AWESOME!!! OFF TO TO THE POOL NOW! CHOW!

New FUN SUMMER RINGS!!!

I just posted some new FUN summer rings! The top trend this summer is to throw on a bug chunky fun ring! Here are mine! Check them out at in my shop!

http://www.leksidesigns.etsy.com/

Oh...The Joys of Parenting

I know that I, as a parent, live for those funny times. Kids say and do the darndest things! I remember several years ago we moved to our first "newer" home. My daughter had just turned 2 and had just started spitting out somewhat whole sentences. this home had a dishwasher, which I wasn't used to. I ran out of dishwashing detergent one day and decided to use regular Dawn liquid in the dishwasher. If you have ever done this before, you know what happens! If you have considered doing this....DON'T!!! Anyway, the foams start sputtering out of the dishwasher and quickly begin to fill the whole kitchen. I do not realize this until my cute little baby girl goes tottling around the corner. She is dressed in her cute little pink outfit with her ponytail on top of her head. I hear her sweet little baby voice say, "What the HELL!". LOL! Oh...my. My 24 month old just cursed!!! Needless to say, after I finished laughing until I cried and called my husband to repeat the horrible comment, I did instruct her that "HELL" is a bad word and we do not say that. Oh...and I spent several hours cleaning up bubbles!!!

I found a video of other KIDDO FUNNIES...enjoy! Happy Friday!

JUNE Featured Etsy Seller: SNOWDON GIVEAWAY

Visit her Etsy store at : http://www.etsy.com/shop/Snowdon

For the GIVEAWAY:

Cotton Lotus Yoga Bag

HOW TO ENTER:

In order to enter, you must follow these simple rules.
Rules:
1. Follow this blog.

2. Enter the Featured Etsy Sellers Store

3. Choose your top three items

4. Comment on those items HERE!
5. Make sure your email is in the comment so we can contact you should you win!

I will throw all names in a hat on the last day of the month and draw!

It is that simple!!

About SNOWDON

Tell me a little bit about yourself:

I live in leafy Cheshire in the North West of England, in a little stone cottage with my husband and our semi adopted cat! That is where all the crafting happens. Our kitchen is regularly used as a screenprinting workshop on the weekends. During the day I'm a graphic designer for a University in nearby Manchester, but my heart lies in crafting, I'm working towards doing that full time eventually.

Why did you start making handmade items?

I've been a graphic designer for more years than I dare to count, and it's become a very computer oriented industry. That's fine for commercial jobs that need to be turned around quickly but a few years ago I began to feel frustrated that I just wasn't using my hands any more. I used to love illustration and hand lettering, but colleagues and clients often want the quickest solution which usually involves using clip art illustrations and stock photography.

So after taking some time out to travel, and feeling at a bit of a crossroads, I decided to go back to school part time. Over the space of 3 years I squeezed in a Bachelor of Arts design and illustration course around my full time job and happily graduated with a first class degree. Those 3 years really reconnected me with my love of illustration and printmaking and the pure joy of creating something with my own hands.

Last Christmas I was offered a stall at a craft fair, it was all a bit last minute but I managed to frantically print up and get together a small selection of my bags, tee shirts and cards. The day went really well, and I was so happy that people loved my products enough to spend their hard earned money on them, so the very next morning I opened my Etsy shop, and the rest, as they say is history!

So although I'm still working as a graphic designer for the moment, I use most of my spare time designing and making things for my ever growing range of products, and working towards the day when I'm able to give up the day job and live the full time crafting dream!

What is your favorite item to make and why?

Well, I must admit I'm a bit of a crafting butterfly! My favorite item to make is always the latest thing that I've discovered I can do! For instance, my mum recently gave me her old sewing machine, and once I got the hang of it I was amazed to realise I could make my own cushion covers and print onto them with my own designs, so at the minute it's sewing and printing. However I've just got a new badge and fridge magnet maker so I've a feeling that could be the next big favorite!

VISIT HER SITES!!

http://www.etsy.com/shop/Snowdon

http://www.snowdondesignandcraft.com/

http://www.folksy.com/shops/Snowdon