It's Fantastic Feature Friday...Christine Marie Ford and Winner of Weekly Giveaway

TGIF fellow bloggers!! Hope everyone has had a great week.

I'd like to start off by announcing this week's giveaway winner. Gloria of gloriajeanDesigns (http://www.gloriajeandesigns.etsy.com/) and Giggle Rainbow (http://www.gigglerainbow.etsy.com/ ) offered a $20 gift certificate for this week's giveaway. I would like to say thanks to Gloria for letting me host her giveaway and we wish her many happy sales :D

So...the Winner is...................KimNettieDesigns..................!!!
Congratulations Kim, thanks for participating ;D

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Today, on Fantastic Feature Friday, I am featuring an amazingly talented artist who specializes in Jewelry, Fiber Art, Quilting and Inspiration!

Christine Marie Ford (http://www.christinemarieford.etsy.com) is a full-time artist located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. She says "Versatility is my niche." Here's what Christine also has to say about her craft:

"As an artist and craftsperson I love to create rich and colorful contemporary fabric art, quilts and jewellery. My art quilts are often created with an abstract flair inspired by themes of nature and the human spirit. My first quilt was made entirely by hand and took one and a half years to complete."

"Today with the aid of a sewing machine, I create my own designs and specialize in a process called “free motion” quilting in which I can literally draw with the needle! Some of my newest work is completely “improvised” from start to finish. I tend to use 100% cotton commercial prints and batiks as I enjoy the “thrill of the hunt” but am also known to paint on fabric from time to time."

"I’m also known for my innovative fabric vases, textile jewellery and beaded jewellery and have much to share with you! I’m always redefining my personal style and looking to transform my work in new and exciting ways."

"My life before fabric and jewellery making was as a stage and screen actress for over 22 years and this theatrical background greatly influences my bold and dramatic creations. I continue to participate in the performing arts as a singer/songwriter and just about everything in between!"

I must say that I love everything that Christine creates. Her items are exquisite and would lovingly grace anyone's home or personal presence!

Christine is also offering an item from her shop (http://www.christinemarieford.etsy.com) for this coming week's giveaway.

This gorgeous Mini Suede Journal/Sketchbook is created with beautiful high quality medium brown suede leather which Christine hand picked right from the tannery. It als features 160 pages total(both sides); size is approximately 3" x 3.75" (50lb, acid free, 100% recycled) and is hand bound with beige waxed Irish linen thread. The strap is made from a more unusual leather to add visual interest and to hold the book closed when not in use. There can be only one lucky winner! Best of luck to all who enter!!

How to enter:

1. Follow my blog ~ 1 entry
2. Comment on today's blog post ~ 1 entry (be sure to leave contact link)
3. Mention this giveaway on your Facebook Fan Page ~ 1 entry (be sure to leave your facebook page link in the comments section so that I may fan you)
4. Twitter about this giveaway ~ 1 entry (be sure to leave your twitter link in the comments section so that I may follow you)
5. Purchase from my shop, Ethereal Beginnings ~ 1 entry
6. Purchase from Christine's shop ~ 5 entries (please copy your transaction into the comments section for valid entry)
7. All of the above ~ 10 entries

So...if you do ALL 7 of the above you will have a total of 20 entries to win Christine's Mini Suede Journal/Sketchbook.

Thanks for blogging in on this fantastic Friday. Hope you have a great weekend.

Cheers and Blessings,

Fantastic Feature Friday + Giveaway...gloria~jean Designs & Giggle Rainbow

Today's Fantastic Feature is of a wonderful seller who has two amazing shops on Etsy, gloria~jean Designs and Giggle Rainbow.

Giggle Rainbow was the first shop that Gloria opened here on Etsy. She says, "Creating, art, crafting and sewing have been a part of my life for as long as I can remember. I have a passion for creating, I love to paint and sew, and I love interior design. Hubby thinks it might be a compulsion, he might be right. Is there such a thing as a compulsive crafter, painter, or designer? I am always thinking of new things to make or paint; a better way to organize this or that in a creative new way."

"My first experience with sewing was making clothes for my dolls with only a needle, thread and a scrap of fabric. Then my Gramma gave me her old sewing machine, and my skill improved with every effort. I've moved on to a better machine, better fabric, and better results. When I had my babies, my compulsion to create went into high gear I found that making baby clothing and accessories is one of my favorite creative outlets. I truly love to sew for babies. I hope you find something for your special baby as making these items brought me much joy; truly they are a labor of love."

Just four months after opening Giggle Rainbow, Gloria opened gloria~jean Designs. In this shop, she offers, "Artistic expressions for you and your home. Original Paintings; Custom paintings; Creative Decor; and "Go Green" items for your home. Artistically stylish and colorful accessories, bags, and organizational items for you.

Please visit Giggle Rainbow, http://www.gigglerainbow.etsy.com and gloria~jean Design, http://www.gloriajeandesign.etsy.com for wonderful items to add your home. ;D

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Gloria is also offering a Giveaway, yay!! Please enter to win a $20 Gift Certificate which you may use in one or both of Gloria's shops. There can be only one lucky winner but I do have numerous ways for you to enter and to earn lots of ballots. So, here is how to enter:

1. Follow my blog ~ 1 entry
2. Comment on today's blog post ~ 1 entry (be sure to leave contact link)
3. Mention this giveaway on your Facebook Fan Page ~ 1 entry (be sure to leave your facebook page link in the comments section so that I may fan you)
4. Twitter about this giveaway ~ 1 entry (be sure to leave your twitter link in the comments section so that I may follow you)
5. Purchase from my shop, Ethereal Beginnings ~ 1 entry
6. Purchase from either of Gloria's shops (Giggle Rainbow or gloria~jean Designs)~ 5 entries (no minimum required) (please copy your transaction into the comments section for valid entry)
7. All of the above ~ 10 entries

So...if you do ALL 6 of the above you will have a total of 20 entries to win Gloria's $20 Gift Certificate. Best of luck to all.

Thank you all for blogging in. For my American friends, I hope you all have a wonderful holiday weekend. :D

Cheers and Blessings,

It's Twilight Thursday....Twilight on Etsy

Today I wanted to take you on a tour of Etsy and show you all the wonderful Twilight themed items you can purchase to feed your Twillight obsession ;D. Here we go:

First up are these fabulous totes from Sweetthoughtshoppe (http://www.sweetthoughtshoppe.etsy.com/)

Made of 100% cotton fabric in a sparkly 'Twilight' inspired print. These totes are PERFECT for any 'Twilight' fan! Available in Small, Medium and Large Fan size.

Next up is this fantastic pocket mirror from HooknMirrors (http://www.hooknmirrors.etsy.com/)

Finally, these amazing coasters from KimsKandyKreations (http://www.kimskandykreations.etsy.com/)

Please visit these lovely shops for your Twilight themed items. Would you like to see more, please visit my Twilight Themed Treasury: http://www.etsy.com/treasury_list.php?room_id=133098.

Thanks so much for blogging in. Be sure to join me tomorrow for my Fantastic Feature Friday.

Cheers and Blessings,

Fantastic Feature Friday...ScrapHappyLyrebird

Today's Fantastic Feature is Scrap Happy Lyrebird. A wonderful new Etsian whom I have had the pleasure to come to know.

Tess of Scrap Happy Lyrebird is a Decoupage Artist. Here is a little of what she has to say about her craft:

"I began decoupaging after I envisioned a special card box for my wedding, but couldn't find one anywhere. I covered an entire wood chest with vintage ephemera and fell in love with the process."


"My pieces are made with a mix of authentic vintage ephemera from my antiquing trips, scrap-booking materials, and odds and ends that strike my fancy from around the house. I spend a lot of time trying to evoke a certain feeling from the past with each of my pieces, and making sure that each little scrap adds its own unique quality."

"I love decoupaging boxes in particular because of the endless possibilities they present; they can be secret hiding places for little treasures, repositories for love letters, or lovely presentations for a special gift."

Please visit Tess at Scrap Happy Lyrebird, http://www.scraphappylyrebird.etsy.com.

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Today is also the day that I announce the winner of my weekly giveaway.

And the winner is..................Jewelry of Note..................

Congratulations!! I hope you enjoy your "Sample Tea Chest" from Teaman.

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Thanks so much for blogging in this week. Please join me on Marvelous Monday to check out my new giveaway. I hope you all have a Fantastic Friday and fantastic weekend.

Cheers and Blessings,

It's Marvelous Monday...Giveaway and Tootin' My Horn

And what a Marvelous Monday it is!!

I was so excited to get a message from Donna of DZ Fantasy, letting me know that she had featured me on her blog. She even interviewed me!! ;D I want to thank Donna for featuring me. She is a lovely etsian with a great heart. Please visit her blog at http://dzfantasy.blogspot.com/2010/05/featured-etsy-shop-ethereal.html.
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Another wonderful thing that happened to me this past weekend!! I am now an official member of the EGG (Etsy Goodie Goodies) Team. I am so excited to be a part of this team and there is a featured seller giveaway happening on our team blog. Please hop on over to enter to win, http://etsygoodiegoodiesteam.blogspot.com/.
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I'm also so excited to announce this week's giveaway. My Fantastic Feature Friday was Teaman, http://www.teaman.etsy.com, and I am pleased to be giving away his "Tea Sampler Chest".

Teaman's Tea Sampler Chest is the perfect taster pack for the tea lover. This beautiful black lacquer wood tea chest contains 75 tea bags in 15 of the most popular flavors of tea: Peppermint, Blueberry and Blackberry, Mandarin Orange and Mango, Chai Black, Earl Grey, China Green, Strawberry, Citrus White, Vanilla, Apricot, Raspberry, Chamomile, Darjeeling/Ceylon, Apple/Cinnamon Spiced Green, and Orange Spice Green.

There can be only one lucky winner but I do have numerous ways for you to enter and to earn lots of ballots. Entries for this giveaway are accepted until Thursday, May 20th at 11:59 (EST). So, here is how to enter:

1. Follow my blog ~ 1 entry
2. Comment on my blog ~ 2 entries (be sure to leave contact link)
3. Mention this giveaway on your Facebook Fan Page ~ 1 entry (be sure to leave your facebook page link in the comments section so that I may fan you)
4. Twitter about this giveaway ~ 1 entry (be sure to leave your twitter link in the comments section so that I may follow you)
5. Purchase from my shop ~ 5 entries (no minimum required) (please copy your transaction into the comments section for valid entry)
6. All of the above ~ 10 entries

So...if you do ALL 6 of the above you will have a total of 20 entries to win Teaman's "Tea Sampler Chest". AND...if you do ALL 6 everyday you will have a total of 80 entries, woo hoo!! Best of luck to all.

Thanks for blogging in. I hope you all have a Marvelous Monday. Come fly with me tomorrow for Travel Tuesday!!

Cheers and Blessings,

Fantastic Feature Friday...Tim the Teaman

Happy Fantastic Friday!! Every Friday I feature a fantastic etsian. If you would like to be featured please convo me at http://www.etherealbeginnings.etsy.com/ or leave a comment here on my blog.
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Today's Fantastic Feature is Teaman. Teaman has amazing hand blended teas in both tea bags and loose tea. Here's a little more about him from his bio:

"I am originally from Windsor, Ontario, Canada. I relocated to the US in 1996. I reside in the quaint little town of Howell, Michigan. I have a great wife, two wonderful daughters and a pug."

"I take great pride in my tea products and feel that customer service is my top priority. I have worked with the production and custom blending of tea for years and I am quite confident you will love my items. My tea is bagged with the highest quality tea paper providing great flow through ability yet prohibits product dispersion keeping its contents intact. Whether it is Assam, Ceylon, Kenyan, Chinese, Indian or Japanese, my teas are always fresh and are of the highest quality. Hand blended with real fruit, spices, roots, or beans then enhanced by adding flavor flakes. A fairly unique process which sets my teas apart. It is like flavor crystals that enhance the flavors of the fruit and spices. Along the lines of flavor crystals when added to chewing gum. The crystals flavor is dispersed with the addition of boiling water filling your cup with robust flavor!"

Tim says, "Tea really is the best thing you can put in your body! I invite you to take a minute and read some healthy facts about tea. A cure for most ailments and a step in the right direction for anyone looking to cut their caffeine intake or rid their diet of sodas. Also helps reduce wrinkles!

www.umm.edu/altmed/articles/green-tea-000255.htm

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2005/11/051117174842.htm

http://www.realage.com/tips/smooth-your-skin-with-a-cup-of-this

"Don't forget most of my teas can be enjoyed iced as well. Follow the same method as if you were making hot tea, using approx. 5 teabags for a gallon pitcher. Add boiling water to teabags and let cool. After cooled, remove teabags and pour into individual serving, then add sweetener, stir and add ice."

Teaman offers over 35 varieties of teas and they are beautifully packaged in a variety of ways. Please visit Tim's shop at http://www.teaman.etsy.com . He is offering some amazing deals starting at $1, $2, and $3. So, come on over and have a cup of tea.
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Today is also the day I announce the winner of my weekly giveaway. I would like to say thank you so much to all who participated. We are definitely growing and I love reading all your comments :D

And the winner of this week's giveaway is......ScrapHappyLyreBird......hope you enjoy shopping with your $20 Gift Certificate!!

Thanks so much everyone for blogging in. Be sure to come see me on Marvelous Monday for the start of a new week and a new giveaway!! It's going to be marvelous so don't miss out!!

Cheers and Blessings,

Fantastic Feature Friday...And the Winner is...

Today is full of surprises!! I love surprises, my girls always ask me if I want hints for my birthday or christmas presents and I always tell them, "No, Mommy likes to be surprised". It drives them nuts, lol.

So my surprise today is that the winner of my Giveaway is also going to be today's featured Etsyian!! She doesn't know this **shsh**!! Please give her shop lots of love ~ make sure to heart and cart if you are so inclined :D

And the winner is..........TURTLE BEAD................!!!!

Here's a little quote from her bio:

"I'm addicted to making handmade jewelry. I'm big on arts and crafts and participating on anything remotely creative. Turtle Bead on Etsy is the reflection of my love for my many hobbies."

"Although I LOVE making jewelry there's nothing like crafting a candle. My favorite part is when a customer lights up with happiness after they take their first whiff of their favorite scent. It makes my day! It's incredible what scent can do. It can take you transport you to your favorite memories and relieve emotional tension."

Please visit Turtle Bead at http://www.tbead.etsy.com/ !!

Turtle Bead is also the winner of my Rose Anti-Aging Wrinkle Cream. Congratulations Turtle Bead!!

Would you like to be my surprise Fantastic Feature Friday Etsyian? If you are interested, please message by conversation at http://www.etherealbeginnings.etsy.com/ or email me at ethereal1@live.com.

Wow, it's been a wonderful week here at Ethereal Beginnings. Thank you all so much for blogging in and entering my giveaway. I am going to be having one each week, so be sure to blog in on Marvelous Monday for your chance to enter.

Cheers and Blessings,