Giveaway Found

So I just found this amazing giveaway!! Shasta Anne is giving away a $100 Forever 21 gift card AND a $100 Exxon gift card. Is that not the most amazing thing?

Feel free to share with me if you win!! I have tons of things from Forever 21 I'd love to have in my closet!

Spring Break Part 2

First, you should read all about Part 1.

Part 2 started when I hopped on a plane down to Fort Lauderdale. I stayed with 7 friends in a condo on the beach in Hollywood, FL. We had the absolute perfect weather! The beach was beautiful and the water was so clear! I'll share a few pics from our trip.

We went down to Miami for the day. Being architecture majors, we had to check out the deco style. Being girls, we had to check out DASH Miami! Unfortunately, I didn't have $80 to spend on a t-shirt or $600 to spend on a maxi-dress (although it was really cute!). Maybe the Kardashian sisters secretly read my blog and they'll send me a gift card or something...

These two pics are of a parking garage covered by green walls. That's probably the best way to hide such a massive eyesore!

Is this not the coolest Gap store ever??

It was so good to get away for a week and relax without having any school work to think about. The only thing I had to worry about was putting on my sunscreen...and I think I did a pretty darn good job!

What I'm Loving Wednesday

I'm linking up with Jamie again for WILW.

This Wednesday I'm loving that I reached my goal of 100 "likes" on Facebook. I surpassed my goal in a flash, and I have a Facebook exclusive giveaway posted! Check it out! The winner gets 2 mum bobby pins!

I'm loving that I have an interview at and Interior Design firm in Greenville this morning. Wish me luck! I'm hoping to become their newest summer intern!

I'm loving that I sold one of the purses from my "garage sale". Kelsey from Family, Fashion, and Facts is going to love her new bag! There are still more in the sale!

Happy Hump Day y'all!! I can't wait to see what you're loving...although it may be late this evening before I get to read any blogs. I have an interview, followed by an architecture career fair, followed by studio, followed by a reception for the career fair, followed by hopefully home. I'll have a tiny paper to write, and then I'll get a chance to catch up on all my favorite blogs!

UPDATE: I'm loving that my interview went well! I'll be hearing back in about 2 weeks, so I'll be sure to keep y'all informed!

I'm also loving this dress from Modcloth. Maybe if I sell a few more of those purses or these headbands I can get it!

SOLD!

This purse has SOLD! but there are still more for you to snatch up. Check out my purse garage sale.

Spring Break Part 1

My Spring Break was basically cut into two parts. Part 1 involved me going home and hosting a kitchen themed bridal shower for my friend Emily.

Here is a picture of the bride with the hostesses. The invitations had a 50's look, so my mom decorated the house using old kitchen gadgets and beautiful flowers.

I think she did a great job decorating! The shower was Sunday afternoon, so we served desserts only. We had cake, cookies, and candies.

My all time favorite food served was this donut cake. I got the idea for it from this blog, but I changed up the design a little. We put a small flower vase in the middle so the tulips acted as a cake topper. Being the architecture major I am, I constructed the donut cake with a larger sized mini-donut base and smaller ones staggered to the top. It was a big hit!

I think everyone had a great time!! Here's Emily showing off some of her new kitchen stuff! Is that not the cutest apron ever??

Spring Break part 2 will be posted later in the week...I don't want to overwhelm everyone!

Be sure to link up with Lauren and me on Friday for "See Where I Relax" and check out my purse garage sale! I'm still looking for 19 more "likes" on Facebook before I host a giveaway!

Featured Item of the Week

So I come back from perfect, summer, 80 degree Florida, and it's a cold, dreary, wet, 50 degree Monday. Two things have brightened my day so far...

1. I received a package from my blog swap partner!! It was like Christmas! There will an entire post on this awesome package later!
2. A featured item of the week!

This week's featured item would be the perfect addition to any spring and summer wardrobe.

I love these pink coral earrings. Each coral piece is unique, and these earrings are as well.

This pair of earrings has just been relisted in my shop. Be sure to check them out!

I can't believe it's the last Monday in March! Come back this Friday to link up when Lauren and I host our "See where I..." series!! We want to see your favorite place to relax and unwind!

Also, be sure to check out the "garage sale" of purses I posted. Low prices on great bags!

Purse Sale!!

I've seen a lot of blogs recently have "garage sales" of some of their gently worn clothing and accessories. I think it's such a great idea!! I have tons of purses that I never use, and they need good homes! I'm doing some Spring cleaning in preparation for moving into my own place over the Summer, so I figured I'd give my blog friends a chance to snatch up some new bags at low prices.

This orange bag is perfect to add color to any outfit. Great for carrying a few items. Never been used. 

Interior tag reads "Rising Tide". $10 with $5 shipping.

This bag has a lot of interior space with one zipper pocket. This purse has been gently used. 

It was purchased from Target. $10 with $5 shipping.

This brown purse has never been used. 

It was one interior zipper pocket and would be perfect to carry a few items. 

$10 with $5 shipping.

This Nine West designer handbag is the perfect bag for dressy events. 

It has been gently used but shows no wear. 

Interior is divided in two and has one zipper pocket. $15 with $5 shipping.

This fun reversible bag features two bright patterns. Perfect for summer and spring. This bag has been gently used. $6 with FREE SHIPPING!

This brown shoulder bag has a lot of storage space. There are two side pockets, one exterior zipper pocket, three interior pockets, and a set of card holder pockets. 

This purse was given to me used, but I have not used it. Shows no wear. $20 with $5 shipping.

Large light gold Rampage designer bag. Perfect for an evening out. 

I've only used this purse a couple of times, and it shows no wear.

There are three interior pockets. $60 with $10 shipping.

Feel free to ask me any questions regarding these bags. Comment or send me an email about purchasing any of the listed bags. All transactions will be completed through PayPal. All of the purses are in excellent condition (like new). If this sale is a success, I'll be posting more "garage sale" items over the next month.

Facebook Giveaway

I really want to host a Hand Made and Lovely giveaway exclusively on my Facebook fan page. When I reach 100 "likes" (unless I have reached that goal while on vacation), I'm going to host one!!

I haven't decided exactly what I want to giveaway yet though. Any suggestions?

If you're not already a fan, head on over to my page and "like" Hand Made and Lovely. That will move us closer to the giveaway. Spread the word to your followers and friends. I'm going to give extra entries for referrals. The person will simply leave a comment on my wall letting me know who sent them to my page.

New Cookie Creation!!

Last week my roomies and I were laying around watching a movie and decided we wanted some cookies. I'm the resident baker, but I didn't have any chocolate chips or vanilla. Catherine suggested that I pick the chips out of her chewy bars...and then changed that to just using her chewy bars. Veronica requested something salty instead of sweet. I immediately thought of my pretzels.

I made up this recipe, and it turned out really good! I was proud. Here's my make-shift recipe:

3/4 cup brown sugar

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1 egg

1/2 stick softened butter

add flour until mixture thickens

2 chewy bars broken up

about 10 pretzels broken up

bake at 375 for 8-10 mins

This is by no means an actual recipe...I understand...but it works!!

WIIILW

So each Wednesday I usually link up for What I'm Loving Wednesday...but since I'm on SB11 right now (and this is a scheduled post) I can't exactly add my link to the actual link-up. Unless one of you lovely people wanted to do it for me! :) (not even sure if that's possible)

I'm still participating regardless...except I'm changing the title to

"What I Imagine I'm Loving Wednesday"

This Wednesday I imagine I'm loving being at the beach with my friends. It's supposed to be really great weather!!

I imagine I'm loving relaxing with no school work to think about.

I imagine I'm loving the millions of emails I'll have when I return from vacation about Etsy sales, blog comments, and giveaway wins.

Hope y'all are having a awesome Hump Day! For those of you who aren't at the beach, it's almost the weekend!

I'm looking forward to catching up on all your posts and loves when I return!

Scared??

Is my Hand Made and Lovely face scary??

My boyfriend says it creeps him out a little. He still put one of my new business cards in his wallet though!

What do y'all think??

Pour Moi?!

Beth at Living a Goddess Life (who happens to be my partner for the Spring Swap I'm participating in) has passed on a fun blog award to me! Thanks Beth! Can't wait to hear how you like the package I sent you! And I, of course, can't wait to receive the package from you!!

The rules are pretty simple for this award. I just have to list 3 things I love about myself and post a picture of myself. Then, I'm supposed to pass the award on to some other beautiful blogs!

I love my blue eyes. Thanks Dad!! Blue would have been the color I chose if I had been asked to choose my eye color. The shade of blue tends to change with what I'm wearing, and I think that it just about the coolest thing ever.

I love my hair color. I'm not really sure who to thank for this one since my mom has black hair and my dad was blonde as a child. I bet I get more daily compliments on my hair than you do (unless you're a redhead too). I have random strangers (men and women) tell me that they love my hair. People always tend to think that since I have red hair, it gives them the right to touch it! I don't understand why people I just met think they can run their fingers through my hair. This happened a lot at my family's art show.

I love my fiestiness (if that's a word). I know I get this honestly, and I can thank my mom. Sometimes it gets me in trouble, because I can't let things go. I don't apologize for my personality. My real friends love it about me (I hope).

I don't know why, but I really like this picture of myself. I think I was having a good hair night.

Now, I'd like to give this award to a couple of beautiful bloggers I know.

Trina at A Love to Create

Sarah at Waiting on Butterflies

Congrats ladies!

Featured Item of the Week

This week's featured item is this pair of Bright Grommet Earrings. These earrings are perfect for Spring!

The orange, pink, and green pop in this mod flower design. These earrings are made out of designer grommets. I know this is not a typical material for earrings, but I love the design. These bright earrings are available in my shop for only $10!

Since I'm currently on Spring Break, I'm offering all my followers an exclusive coupon code! Just enter SB2011 for 11% off your total order. This excludes shipping costs. Please remember that since I'm on vacation, all orders placed between 3/18 and 3/27 will be shipped on Monday, March 28th. Thank you for understanding my delay in shipments and responding to posts.

Next Week...

Next week is my school's Spring Break!! I'm starting my week off with a kitchen themed bridal shower for my friend Emily! I'm so excited! My mom and I are throwing this shower with another bridesmaid and her mom. I'm pretty sure my mom has been decorating all month, so I'm sure everything will look amazing! I'll be posting pics when I return from the beach!!

Yes, I'm heading down to Florida Monday through Friday for my last Spring Break as an undergrad. That's very sad and weird for me to think about, but I'm excited to relax on the warm beach (lathered in spf 70) all week with seven fun girlfriends. Who knows what we'll be getting into, so I'll update that when I return as well.

I'm so ready for this exciting week. Since I'll be gone, all Etsy orders made today (3/18) through next Sunday (3/27) will not be shipped until Monday, March 28th. thank you for understanding my delay in shipping and answering emails/blog comments. I have scheduled posts all week, so continue to leave me sweet comments. I want a full inbox when I return!!

I'm Green with Envy

I've made my first Treasury on Etsy. This treasury is full of beautiful green pieces! (perfect for St. Patty's day)

I love all these green pieces! Which is your favorite?

While I love jewelry and shopping on Etsy, I've found some other green beauties that I'd like to share with you. All of these dresses are from Modcloth...unfortunately, they are all out of stock. I guess everyone got more of a head start on St. Patrick's Day than I did.

Don't get pinched today...wear your green! Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Custom Compass Necklace

A friend of mine recently approached me about making her a custom compass necklace. She has been wanting one for a while and knows that I make jewelry. I did my research and found a compass for sale on Etsy...perfect! I used an antiqued gold chain to accent the brass compass. I think it turned out very nice, and Ashley was beyond pleased!

Sorry for the low quality myspace-esque phone pic. After I made this for Ashley, I saw a compass necklace in American Eagle. It was about a third of the size and more expensive than my price (with tax included). You just can't beat handmade! And it's guaranteed that no other girl walking down the street will have your accesory. This is a working compass, if you were wondering.

Please contact me with any questions about custom jewelry orders. I love creating, and I know what it's like to want a very specific piece. I promise to be honest with you if I simply cannot do what you desire. Prices for custom pieces are similar to the prices in my Etsy shop but may vary depending on materials.

What I'm Loving This Wednesday

I'm linking up with Jamie for WILW!!

First of all, I'm loving that it's Wednesday. This day couldn't come soon enough! It's halfway to a verrrry good Friday. The start of my Spring Break!! All that stands in my way is one project review and two classes. I'll be sharing my SB11 plans with you later in the week!

Speaking of my review, I'm loving that this project is almost over! I generally don't mind group projects. I will say that I like working better on my own, because I'm all about time management. I like to finish early so I can laugh at all the people who haven't done their work yet relax. This group project has definitely not been ideal. Partners were assigned by the professor before the first day of studio. Everything seemed to be fine until last week. I'm not going to get into the hairy details because this guy could have an entire ranting post dedicated to him. Dang, he could have an entire BLOG. I'm just glad that after 5:00 today, the partner from H-E-double hockey sticks (yes, I said it) will be but a memory. How do you like our final board layout? I dare you to find something on there he did...you'll looking alllll day. Please pray for me!!

I'm loving that I won a $25 Target gift card from the Little Girl in the Big World. Can't wait to go shopping!!

I'm loving the idea that struck me last night. I want to host a giveaway exclusively to my Facebook fans. I'll of course promote it on my blog, but the only way to enter is through Facebook. When I reach 100 "likes" I'm hosting this giveaway! If you don't already, head on over to my page and "like" Hand Made and Lovely!

New Winners Picked!!

So, the two original giveaway winners didn't provide their emails in their comment (and I couldn't find them on their blogs). I instructed them to contact Joanna to claim their prizes within 48 hrs. They never emailed her, so I chose 2 new winners!

The new winner of the Pampered Chef Stackable Cooling Rack is...

#39. Ashley!!
The new winner of the Pampered Chef Baking Pan is...

#9. Catherine!!

Both of these ladies provided their emails, so Joanna will be contacting you shortly! Congrats! They will also have 48 hrs to respond, or new winners will be drawn again.

Top 2 Tuesday!

I'm linking up with the Undomestic Momma again today for Top 2 Tuesday!



This week's topic is 2 random facts about yourself.

1. I'm about to fill out a March Madness bracket. My boyfriend presented me with a challenge today that we should have a mini-competition between ourselves, and the loser buys Osaka. Osaka is this really awesome hibachi restaurant in Clemson. I LOVE it!! So, in order to save myself $15, does anyone have any suggestions? Who should I pick to win it all?? I need help!

2. I have a pink bookbag. (random enough??)

Featured Item of the Week

This week's featured item is my Teal and White Fashion Ring!

The pendant on this ring used to be an earring. I found this pair of earrings during one of my shopping trips and loved the design. After seeing the earrings, I knew I had to have them but not as earrings. I've been really into big rings lately, and this ring definitely makes a statement. 

I cut off the earring post and attached the piece to an adjustable ring base. I kept one for myself (because I love it so much), and I have the matching ring for sale in my shop. It's a steal for $7!!

Giveaway!

The Hand Made and Lovely giveaway on Bouffe e Bambini ends tomorrow! Don't miss your chance to win this necklace!

Sold!

Update on the headbands for sale through my blog...

These 2 Hand Made and Lovely headbands have sold! Don't worry though...I still have one more braided headband for the special deal and four more rosette headbands. Contact me with questions!!

Pampered Chef Giveaway Winners!!!

The winners have been chosen for the amazing Pampered Chef giveaway I've been hosting this past week! Lucky winner number one will be receiving this awesome Stackable Cooling Rack!

The second winner will receive this Square Baking Pan!

And the winners are...

Winner #1 is Kelly from Life in a Small Town. Winner #2 is Lola from The Life of Lola. I don't have either one of your email addresses ladies! Please contact Joanna (the Pampered Chef consultant) within 48 hrs to claim your prize. After 48 hrs new winners will be drawn. Here's her email address: cooking4him@gmail.com

Don't be too sad if you didn't win! Check out www.pamperedchef.biz/jsterrett and order your favorite items today!

Thanks to everyone who entered! Stay tuned for the next Hand Made and Lovely giveaway!