HOLIDAY TWENTYTWELVE

It's Holiday Gift Time!  This year with your purchase of $35 or more (before shipping), my special present just for you is a pair of sterling silver earrings with your choice of gemstone!  Choose from milky minty SERPENTINE, deep blue AVENTURINE, or royal purple AMETHYST.  Your special gift will be lovingly boxed and ready to give to that special someone - who may very well be, ahem, yourself!

Want to order in time for Christmas?  Order by these dates...

2012 HOLIDAY SUGGESTED ORDER BY DATES:

• USA - December 1
• CANADA - December 5
• LOCAL DELIVERY (Lower Mainland, BC) - December 8
• AFRICA - November 9
• EVERYWHERE ELSE - November 21

Wishing you all a lovely holiday season full of lots and lots of handmade presents!

SHOP NOW at len&len on Etsy!
SHOP NOW at len&len on Big Cartel!

CYBER MONDAY TWENTYTWELVE

Happy Cyber Monday everyone!  Please enjoy 15% off at len&len on Etsy on your entire order (before shipping) with coupon code "CYBERMONDAY2012"!  This sale is on TODAY ONLY, so head on over to the shop right now!

CLICK HERE TO SHOP NOW AT LEN&LEN ON ETSY!

HAPPY HOLIDAYS

Just a little announcement that the shops will be closed for the holidays from December 21 to January 2. Wishing you all a warm and fuzzy holiday season with your loved ones! Don't forget to slow down and enjoy, and see you in the new year!

HOLIDAY TWENTYELEVEN

It's gift giving time again! Buy handmade this year and give the special people in your life something lovingly made just for them! (Aw, aren't you a sweetie-pie!)

And this year, my gift to you is a FREE PAIR OF STERLING SILVER AND LABRADORITE EARRINGS with your purchase of $50 or more (before shipping)!

Want your order in time for Christmas? Order by these dates...

2011 HOLIDAY SUGGESTED ORDER BY DATES:

USA - December 5
CANADA - December 9
LOCAL DELIVERY (Lower Mainland, BC) - December 12
Everywhere Else - November 30

Hope everyone has a lovely holiday season full of love and handmade goodies and (mmm...) peppermint hot chocolate!

SHOP NOW at len&len on Etsy!
SHOP NOW at len&len on Big Cartel!

BLACK FRIDAY TWENTYELEVEN

Happy Thanksgiving everyone! Please enjoy the Black Friday to Cyber Monday sale at the shops! Get 15% off your entire purchase (before shipping) from Friday, November 25 to Monday, November 28. Enter code "BLACKFRIDAY2011" during check-out to receive your discount!

SHOP NOW at len&len on Etsy!
SHOP NOW at len&len on Big Cartel!

HOW TO WEAR {INSIDE OUT BRASS EARRINGS}

Spring Collar Shift Dress by Thimble and Acorn
Inside Out Earrings in brass by len&len
Eco-chic Mary Janes by The Generation
Leather Tote Bag by Asaborake

Ah yes,spring is here! Time to lighten the load of winter off our shoulders and simplify our daily wear to sweet spring styles! Accentuate the bold simplicity of len&len’s Inside Out Earrings in brass with this pretty floral collar dress, lovely linen and hemp flats, and hand-stitched black and caramel leather tote. (And as an added bonus, purchase anything at Asaborake’s Etsy shop by April 30th, and 20% of sales will be donated to the Red Cross for Japan Earthquake Relief!)

I WISH {TWEET TWEET}

{clockwise from top left}

Two Birds with Hats by pipodoll
Love in Red by Valentina Ramos
Lovebirds by inaluxe
Love Birds in Orange Hats by Creative Thursday

Just made a treasury for all you LOVE BIRDIES out there featuring original "love bird" art on Etsy! These are just a few of my faves from my treasury - CLICK HERE to see the complete collection...

GIVE LOVE

Ah, l'amore! Valentine's Day is fast approaching! And what better to give your sweetheart than a little bit of bling handmade with love???

Here are my suggested order dates for estimated delivery by Valentine's Day...

MADE TO ORDER designs:
• Canada - January 20
• USA - January 14
• Everywhere Else - January 10

READY TO SHIP designs:
• Canada - January 31
• USA - January 25
• Everywhere Else - January 19

And if you miss the made to order deadlines, no worries folks - I'm planning to list a few ready to ship designs at my etsy shop next week!

XOXO from me to you...

TWENTYELEVEN

Happy new year everyone!

2010 was such an amazing year for me! I launched my new shop, len&len, got featured in some of my fave blogs, learned how to spin yarn (sort of), and of course, was honored to be a front page Etsy Featured Seller! It's going to be a hard year to top, but I really hope 2011 has more happy surprises in store!

I've got a few plans for the shop this year - I worked on some new metal designs over the holidays that I plan to reveal very soon, and I also started working on a couple of new lines using different materials - I'm so excited about getting these new lines launched!

And I'm still working on last year's resolution of being content with my real self... it's probably going to take the rest of my life to really get that one down! What's your resolutions for this year???

DOUBLE THE EXPOSURE

I was so lucky to get double the exposure during my Etsy featured seller interview when my Thick Ripple Cuff Bracelet in Sterling Silver was also featured on the front page simultaneously!

Here's the breathtaking all white treasury that made it to the front page...

WHO'S THAT GIRL?

Who's that crazy looking girl on the front page of Etsy today? Why, it's ME! YEEHAW!! (*Hi Mom!*) I am so freaking fantabulously thrilled to be Etsy's Featured Seller! Read the interview here...

A DREAM COME TRUE

So... I've been ranting and raving about having some BIG news to announce this coming Monday. Well, I thought I'd let y'all in on the secret a little early!

No, I'm not pregnant with my second child. And no, I didn't win the lottery.

My big news is...
I am officially Etsy's next "Featured Seller"!

WHOOOHOOOO! FRONT PAGE BABY!!!! I can't believe it - I'm going to be featured on Etsy's front page starting on Monday with my very own spotlight interview!

When I got an email from the folks over at Etsy back in September saying that I'd been handpicked to be a featured seller, I couldn't believe what I was reading! I've always read their front page interviews and never even dreamed that they would ever pick me from amongst over 264,500 sellers! I guess I did win a lottery... :)

Gosh, I am so nervous! This whole experience has been so surreal already, and it hasn't actually started yet!

Please stay tuned for the link to my interview on Monday! But till then, here's a sneak peak of my studio picture for the interview...

INSIDE OUT

Inside Out Disk Earrings in Sterling Silver by len&len

I'm turning inside-out as I impatiently wait for the unveiling of my big announcement next Monday! Speaking of which, Inside Out Disk Earrings are now available in sterling silver! Oh, and don't forget the Holiday Gift Special - get a FREE SURPRISE GIFT with every $50 purchase (before shipping)! So, yes-siree, that's right - you'll get a free gift when you order a pair of these babies! Order yours here or here...

THAT TIME OF YEAR AGAIN

Well, I don't know how we got here so fast, but it's that time of year again! As I said before, I know it always seems a little too early to be talking about the holidays before Black Friday, but when it comes to buying gifts online (might I add, from the comfort of your home in your warm flannel pajamas), it's never too early to get it all done! And besides, as long as I don't bring up the subject before Costco takes out their Christmas gift baskets, I dare say, I ain't jumping the gun...
So here we go - this year, my holiday gift to you...
Get a FREE SURPRISE GIFT with every $50 purchase (before shipping)!

Oh, and there's no limit to the number of free surprise gifts, so order as much as you like! The more you order, the more free gifts you'll get!

Spend $100 and get 2 FREE GIFTS
Spend $150 and get 3 FREE GIFTS
And so on and so forth… 

Curious about the surprise gifts? Well, don't worry, I promise they'll definitely delight - lovely enough to give to that special person on your nice list... or maybe keep as a special present to yourself!

And don't forget, all len&len designs come lovingly gift packaged and ready to give to your special loved ones! That's one less little chore to do before Christmas - phew!

CLICK HERE to SHOP NOW!

That's it for now... wishing you all a very happy HANDMADE holiday season!

P.S. My big announcement is coming up in the next 2 weeks! I'm so excited!!

OFFICIALLY STALKED

Circle Initial Pod Necklaces in Sterling Silver by len&len

I'm so honored to be officially "STALKED" by the amazing folks over at Etsy Stalker with my very own Solo Exhibit!! Read the interview here, plus leave a comment to enter the contest to win a custom Initial Pod Necklace!

UPDATE: Congratulations to Jo Rossi from Portland, Oregon for winning the giveaway!

HARVEST MOON CRAZY

Harvest Moon Necklace and Earrings in Brass by len&len

Have you ever felt like the stars have all aligned for you? For me, it's an extremely rare occurrence. But for some strange reason, 3 crazy lucky things have just happened in the last week that makes me definitely believe the stars have all aligned just for me!

First of all, I can hardly believe it, but my Harvest Moon Brass designs are currently featured in FOUR Etsy treasuries simultaneously! Check them out here, here, here, and here! (And that last one was just created as I was typing up this post - SO CRAZY!)

Secondly, I was asked to be a featured seller on one of my fave blogs! I'm keeping this on the down-low until the details are all finalized, but stay tuned to find out which blog! Here's a hint - it's one of the blogs listed on the left under "blogs I heart". Oh, and there's going to be an awesome giveaway with the feature, so you don't want to miss it!

And thirdly, just before typing this (much to my downstairs neighbors' dismay), I was jumping up and down in my pj's because of some incredible news just emailed to me! I am so gawsh darn tootin' pee-in-your-pants excited about this news! It's just so freakin' CRAZY!!!! Unfortunately, I've been informed that this news has to be kept "hush-hush" until November, so I have to somehow keep this a secret until then! But please stay tuned to find out about my super fantastic news - it's scream out-loud on the top of every mountain AMAZING!

In the meantime, don't forget to witness one of life's most beautiful marvels - this year's full harvest moon, popping up in the skies on September 23 at 5:17AM PST! Hope you'll be watching with me... :)

SUMMER VACAY

Hey guys...

I'm taking a lil' break from the handmade world and closing up the shops for summer vacay! Actually the shops will be open for perusing and purchasing, but there will be a delay in shipping until June 30th. But to make up for the wait, order from my etsy shop, and get a FREE SURPRISE GIFT with your order until June 30th. Or if you prefer a discount, order from my big cartel shop, and use discount code "SUMMER10" to get 10% your entire order until June 30th!

Thanks so much for your patience during this time, and hope y'all are enjoying your summer too!

MAKING IT LOVELY

Some old, but REALLY REALLY COOL PRESS! Nicole from Pink Loves Brown featured my Modern Stackable Cuff Bracelets in Brass back in November 2009 on her blog, "Making it Lovely," as part of her monthly style series!

HOW TO WEAR {MODERN STACKABLE CUFFS IN STERLING SILVER}

Zinfadel Clutch by eclu

Modern Stackable Cuffs in sterling silver by len&len 

Ribbon Mary Jane Bridal Flats by HydraHeart

 Lace Tunic by Lirola 

len&len's Modern Stackable Cuffs in sterling silver are so dainty and feminine when paired with these "pretty in pink" handmade etsy picks!

EMILY'S PICKS {I DO, I DO, I DO}

Hello blog reading masses … it’s been a while. But life has a tendency to get busy, and sometimes when my life gets busy, I have a hard time of coming up with ideas for blogs. But, nevertheless, I’m back from an extended absence and actually here on Anna’s blog!
 
So, I’ve got weddings on the brain. Not because I am getting married mind you, but because I have so many people around me getting married. I just returned from Austin, Texas at the end of March from being a bridesmaid for the wedding of two of my closest friends, and I’m in the midst of being a supportive maid of honor for two more ladies, who thankfully are waiting until summer/fall 2011 to tie the knot. All of the decisions and discussions are surrounding me. And I cannot help but get all girly and daydream about my wedding, should I ever decide that a wedding is what’s right for me. Thus, the following Emily’s Picks blog is all about MY wedding.

And in honor of transition, thanks to the launch of len&len, this blogs picks will be a cross section of etsy & bigcartel :D

Pick number one …

Custom Wooden Star House Tree by Star House

All things considered, I think the reason why I’d want to get married, is to have a chance to have a party with delicious food. And what’s the most delicious part of any wedding, unless there’s some horrible terrible occurrence where it is dry and flavorless (which might have been my cousin’s wedding, just saying) ... the cake! Call me old fashioned, but I love a cool cake topper. Call me ultra hip and modern, but I am so not a big fan of the traditional bride and groom up top. But this little pick from Star House is totally adorable.

I love owls, and I love trees, and while my dear forester father would have angrily yelled at me for hours if I had suggested it in his presence, I love the idea of proclaiming one's love for another by carving initials in a tree. Granted it’s not good for the tree, but that’s besides the point. Star House has some truly unique (but still traditional if that’s your thing) cake toppers. I also like the little birdies.

Up next, we’ll switch to bigcartel – and Bumbleberry’s wedding invitations. My favorite are these simple and sweet invitations that are just the kind of simple and sweet girl I am …

Wildflower Wedding Invitations by Bumbleberry

I love that they’re printed on recycled paper, and I love that they’re not too ornate. I hate the invitations that you have to pay three times the postage because of the size and bulk of the them. Weddings are expensive enough without those hidden added expenses. Plus Bumbleberry’s shop has lots of designs. Some of them more ornate, but none of them over the top. I also have a soft spot for the Elise design as well. The one drawback for Bumbleberry … they’re located in Australia :(
Okay, back to etsy, for what might be my new favorite wedding idea EVER thanks to Kat’s Krafts. Dear readers, I give you the program cootie catcher –

Cootie Catcher Origami Wedding Programs by Kat’s Krafts

I’m absolutely in love with this idea. Please buy from Kat’s Krafts so that she’s still in business when I decide that it’s my time to walk down the aisle, I’m begging you!! I’m sure I’m not the lone girl out there with many many memories of making cootie catchers as a kid (and maybe I made some as an adult as well), and these just bring back a flood of memories. What a great way to personalize and make your wedding unique from all the rest. Plus it’ll keep your guests entertained while they’re waiting for your grand entrance, or for you to get done taking all of those pictures.

Ok – back to bigcartel – So what’s left, I’ve got the cake topper, the invitations, and the programs … maybe a tiara. No, probably not a tiara, I’m just not princessy enough, but a headband, I can totally rock a headband. Like maybe the Edith from VieModerne …

Edith Peacock Feather Medallion Headband by VieModerne

I like that it’s different, and I like that it’d make me wear my hair down, which I mostly prefer. And I like that it’s peacock feathers, which for some reason always have fascinated me with their unique beauty. (case in point - one of my previous picks of Halloween masks). VieModerne also has a wide selection of other peacock hair accessories which I also very much adore. Definitely a shop worth checking out!

And for my final selection, back to etsy. I think for this wedding of mine, I need something blue. I know, how about this divine locket from MStevensonDesigns?

Filigree Resin Brass Oval Locket by MStevensonDesigns

Why do I love this locket … aside from the fact that it’s gorgeous?? Well, it’s blue, and like peacocks, lockets have also fascinated me for years and years. I’ve always wanted a locket, and a wedding seems like a good enough reason to get one, well a theoretical wedding that is. I love the idea of a simple plain wedding dress with a big beautiful necklace to really draw the eye. And this locket will do just the trick. MStevensonDesigns has a wide variety of beautiful simple but ornate designs that just look expensive and impeccable. I think next paycheck, I might have to go shopping, wedding or not.

So there you go, a blog post of Emily’s picks. And now that I’ve got some of my wedding planned, I should probably work on finding myself a groom ;)

As a side note, I’d also like to take the time to wish congratulations to my favorite Texans, Jonathan and Ashley on their wonderful wedding last month. And congratulations to Wayne & Darlene and Kurt & Nicole for their upcoming weddings in 2011.

And don’t forget to check out the new shop – len&len at bigcartel. You won’t be disappointed, you have my personal guarantee!