Etsy Shop Collaboration Giveaway!

I'm so thankful that Lindsay from Wedding Rings to Teething Rings has asked me to be apart of this Etsy shop giveaway. It's been underway all weekend, but I wanted to save it for you all today. I've been very blessed recently with making online connections to grow the Marion Claire Stationery brand and I really want to show how thankful I am by giving away a five pack of holiday cards. So for those of you who entered the giveaway on Sarah Hartley's blog and did not win, here's another chance AND you can win a lot of other great prizes as well! So check out Lindsay's post below and learn more about these fellow creators.

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Let's celebrate Black Friday by supporting Etsy Shop owners with a huge giveaway valued at $175!  We truly have such a great group of ladies here that have made this giveaway possible!  Please, grab a cup of coffee, meet these hardworking and creative shop owners, and check out what each adorable shop has to offer!

1. Amanda from Bangles & Bauble is giving away two pairs of handmade earrings! Bangles and Bauble is a jewelry line which creates fashionable handmade pieces.  Using the latest trends as inspiration, Amanda likes to create her pieces to give a unique vibe that will accentuate outfits in a new way.  Amanda uses durable material and purchases the majority of her supplies from Etsy retailers, which adds another element of "handmade" to her pieces! 

2. Lena from Root and Blossom is giving away a handmade fabric bunting! Lena is a teacher turned SAHM who blogs over at Root and Blossom.  Lena makes everything from buntings to headbands to baby mobiles and bibs!  Lena's blog and shop are all about owning where you're at in life's journey and flourishing in it!

3. Jessica from A Little Loka is giving away two sets of coffee stained stationery!  Jessica creates art prints, jewelry, holiday items, and more!  She started her shop when she received overwhelmingly positive responses to her artwork.  Jessica also blogs over at Living La Vida Holoka! She is also offering 20% off now through December 28th with code WRTR20!

4. Chelsea from Marion Claire Stationery is giving away five holiday cards of your choice! This shop is named after Chelsea's grandmothers.  She creates greeting cards with a perfect blend of heart and sass.  Chelsea is inspired by her desire to keep snail mail alive, and she never misses an opportunity to send her friends and family a card.

5. Andrea from On Your Wall Prints is giving away $25 store credit towards her original prints! Andrea makes words come alive on paper and can turn words into decorations.  Andrea sells downloaded artwork that is easy to print.  They are excellent gift ideas or perfect for the days when you want to add some life to your walls!

6&7. Tabitha from Tiny Wishes Creations is giving away a custom birthstone necklace and a hand painted wine glass! Tabitha's shop features hand painted, heat cured glassware and jewelry.  She is happy to work on a custom order with you, too.  Tabitha is also a mom, wife, lover of pink moscato, and amateur photographer.  Tabitha also blogs over at A Hundred Tiny Wishes!

8.  Liz from After Dinner Designs is giving away a beautiful pair of earrings!  She and her husband handcraft one of a kind pieces of jewelry, accessories, and home decor from bits of recycled plates, cups, and saucers.  They love to create custom pieces from your own heirloom china, so contact them to discuss custom orders!  Liz always blogs over at Liz Fresh Plate focusing on faith, food, family, and home!

9.  Ashley from Ashley Lorren Designs is giving away a handmade "live laugh love" metal stamped key chain! Ashley specializes in metal stamped key chains, accessories and jewelry.  All items are made to order, and custom orders are always welcome!

Now for the chance to win all 9 prizes, a $175 value! All entries will be verified. Prizes may vary from images shown. Winner must be US resident for shipping purposes. Winner will be notified within two days of selection by e-mail. Winner must respond to e-mail within two days of receipt or a new winner will be randomly selected. Sponsors of raffle are eligible to participate.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Writtenforyou Giveaway!

So...I am obnoxiously excited to bring this giveaway to you all today! Writtenforyou is a small business that offers an extensive line of products with handwritten cursive typography on each piece, and is owned by my dear friend Rachel. And (honestly) while I was browsing her etsy page and thinking, "We should pair up for a giveaway," she sent me a Facebook message about doing that very thing. So here you have it! 

Rachel and I used to be camp counselors together so I'm fairly certain we have an unbreakable bond of sorts and I am so happy to be hosting this giveaway with her and showcasing her products for you guys! I love her products and think her handwritten designs are so refreshing and beautiful. Here's a brief interview with her so you can learn more about writtenforyou!

When/why did you start writtenforyou?
Writtenforyou was officially created in November of 2011, but the ideas and passion started a few years ago while I was still in school. Thanks to some great friends, I had some opportunities to work on custom projects, which inspired me to sketch more and seek out other project opportunities. I quickly learned that I love sketching and writing in cursive. Eventually I realized that this wasn't just a hobby but what I really wanted to invest my time into. I have always believed that we need daily reminders of love and friendship through written words and writtenforyou has given me the chance to give these reminders to others.

What kind of ink & paper do you use?
My favorite type of paper is linen card stock and classic crest 110# card stock. I use pigma micron drawing pens, which are my absolute favorite.

Are any pieces you sell not handmade?
The only thing I do not do by hand is the screen printing of my cell phone cases and tote bags. I am a one woman operation and work out of a very small one bedroom, so I don’t have the resources or time to do my own screen printing. I work with a great company that does really quality work.

What are your goals for writtenforyou?
My dream is to open a paper and home goods boutique with the very talented Lisa Moore (https://www.etsy.com/shop/youandmepaperie), as well as go full-time with my shop. I’d love to expand to letterpress, screen printing, and create more designs and products for weddings. But at the end of the day, as long as I’m creating, that’s really all that matters.

Anything else you'd like to add...
I love what I do and am so thankful for what it has grown into. This shop changed my life in such a wonderful way and I am so excited to see where it takes me in the future.

Now here's your chance to get your hands on some writtenforyou products! 

Contest ends Tuesday, January 28th - be sure to enter daily for the greatest chance to win!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

This is a sponsored post, I received a free matte, but all opinions, as always, are my own.

Fine print: Winner is not allowed to use winnings towards a custom order or THIS piece, let's not kill Rachel's hand!

Valentine Playlist & Snail Mail

Hoping all of you are able to send and receive your fill of love today, or this weekend if you are like me and MJ who are always far too busy to ever do anything on the actual day of Valentine's Day. Remember, we're the couple who didn't exchange Christmas gifts until mid-January. But honestly, as cheesy as it sounds, everyday is Valentine's Day with him - relationships with distance are not for the faint of heart, people!

If you know me well, then you know that I am obsessed with greeting cards. I love sending them, receiving them, making them...I am all about this business. Hire me, Hallmark. Sometimes when I'm bored I go to Rite Aid (mind you, I live in the city so Rite Aid is literally my neighbor) just to browse through the greeting cards. Which I realize makes me lame, but I want to have my own greeting card company eventually and am currently toying with the idea of opening an Etsy shop for cards and random design work so I need to look at my competition!

So, this year for Valentine's Day I wanted to send some love to everyone, though not a realistic goal, I at least sent some to 25 households through personally designed cards. And by personally, I mean I made them in Photoshop and InDesign and made six different designs. Each one was based on beautiful simplicity and song lyrics, because honestly what else do you need in a Valentine? I hope they all made it to your mailboxes by today. I loved making these. First, coming up with the design and what pictures (which were all taken by my friend Hannah) and then buying the special paper and envelopes from a little stationary shop downtown called Weldin's. Sigh. I just loved this process and I hope those of you lucky enough to get one love them too. But for everyone who doesn't receive a snail mail Valentine, I'm sorry and you're welcome to consider this post as your own special Valentine. Add the Elton John, Your Song, to the list if you so desire in that case...that's always a goodie. Happy Valentine's Day with infinite X's & O's from me!

1. For MJ (as pictured above)  - Ho Hey by The Lumineers

I belong with you. You belong with me. You're my sweetheart.

2. For my parents - Home by Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros

Home is wherever I'm with you. (Alabama, Arkansas, I sure love my Ma & Pa.)

3. For my brother - Murder in the City by The Avett Brothers

Always remember there is nothing worth sharing like the love that let us share our name.

4. For my anti-Valentine's friends - What's Love Got to Do With It by Tina Turner

What's love got to do with it.

5. For my friends (part 1) - Everybody by Ingrid Michaelson

Everybody wants to love. Everybody wants to be loved.

6. For my friends (part 2) - Awake My Soul by Mumford & Sons

Where you invest your love, you invest your life.