Lillyella's Secret Santa Gift Exchange!

The thing I love most about the holidays is giving gifts. I get so darn excited I can hardly contain myself! I haven't been involved with a secret santa gift exchange in quite some time, but after joining in on the one Team Etsy Project Embrace organized this year, I though it would be fun to organize one myself amongst blog friends! Most of you are total strangers but you do have one thing in common, you either like my jewelry or enjoy reading my blog. Good enough, right?!

So here's how it will work — From now until this Friday, I will collect the names and addresses of anyone who would like to participate. I will then randomly assign each participant the name of a person you are to send a gift to and you will receive a gift from someone else. Only myself and your secret santa will have your information and everything will be secret until gifts are received!

Gifts can be handmade or purchased, should be valued around $20 (before shipping) and gift wrapped. Please keep in mind you will also need to ship the item and I'll ask that items be shipped by December 17. (If you've never shipped anything internationally, don't be scared! It's easy, you just have to go to the post office and they will help you. It's not even necessarily more expensive, unless you are shipping something heavy.)

TO PARTICIPATE:

Please email your name and address to nicole@lillyella.com, subject: Secret Santa. Please also include whether or not you are willing to ship internationally. Feel free to include information about yourself — likes, dislikes, favorite colors, favorite Etsy shops, your personal style, hobbies, interests etc, or you can just leave it up to your secret santa to totally surprise you!

I will email you the name of your gift recipient, along with all the important details, by Monday, December 8.

Feel free to contact me anytime with any questions. I think this is going to be tons of fun, and maybe even a new tradition! Happy Holidays, everyone!

p.s. If you leave a comment on this post, please be sure to ALSO send me an email with all the info specified above. thanks!

photos © Anthropologie

Couture du Jour

Turtleneck Blouse LadyTA $32

Black Agate Earrings theBeadAerie $24

Leather Clutch ChezMargot $15

Faux Fur Cuff Boots ASOS $95

Todays ensemble was created by Evelyn of Sumiko Shop ~

Spotlight: Earmark

Being a graphic designer myself, I really appreciate good, quality art and I've been a huge fan of the husband and wife team known as Earmark since I first stepped foot onto Etsy. Bridgette and Mike have been creating stationery, invitations, party banners, recipe cards and a variety of other handcrafted paper goods and pencils for over five years now, and they sure have perfected this art of theirs.

Read on to learn about how they got their start, who handles what when it comes to running the business and who gets to do the dishes. You can also enter to win a set of their recipe cards!

Where are you from originally and where do you currently call home?
Bridgette: I am from a small town in Western Massachusetts and currently reside in South Eastern Massachusetts. I have lived in Brooklyn and Ocean Beach, California, which I love and miss! But family is here and they win over endless sunshine and beautiful beaches.
Mike: I was born in the Chicago area, but I grew up outside Baltimore. I have lived in several places since then, my favorite being sunny San Diego.

Do you sell your art full time or do you have a 'day job'?

Full Time! Both of us have worked at Earmark Invitations full time for roughly the last five years.

What, if any, formal training have you had in the arts?

Both of us went to school at Pratt Institute of Art in Brooklyn, NY. Bridgette was an Illustration major and Mike was a Painting major. This is where we met too! Mike switched over to graphic design after two years when he transferred to the Art Institute of Boston.

How did you come up with your shop name?

Bridgette actually came up with the name by browsing through a thesaurus - it just jumped out at her. It's kind of a different name for a stationery company, but it just works. An earmark is a distinguishing mark or characteristic that makes you stand out from the crowd, and we believe our work has that.

Being a husband and wife team, who does what for the business?
Bridgette handles all of the online promotion and social networking for the business, as well as working with clients on custom projects including wedding invitations and other events. She also does most of the product photography and website management.

Mike is responsible for the majority of the production: printing, cutting etc. He also handles the packaging and mailing of orders and responding to etsy conversations and email inquiries. He also designs most of the custom banners.

Alternatively, who does what around the house?
Bridgette does all of the decorating, at which she is an expert, says Mike. Aside from that, most of the duties are shared by both of us. We both like to cook, and neither of us likes to do dishes.

Are there times when it is difficult working together?
It's always difficult when things get stressful, either when orders are slow, or when we've got a million things to do. Generally we are a great team, and even when things get tough, it's never that bad.

What do you like least about your craft?
We put a lot of effort into all of our designs and products, and sometimes it can be frustrating to price our products competitively, but we find there's a great deal of satisfaction in providing value and quality to our customers that makes it worthwhile.

Do you have any advice for other sellers or those thinking about pursuing their craft?
Go for it! It's a challenging path to take, but if you have perseverance and dedication, the rewards can be great. Don't let anything stand in your way.

Etsy Shops you love
ThePeachTree
Laura Amiss
Paper Doll Wood Shop
Eclu
Picciolo
Get Ready Set GO
Inklore

There are just too many! I want to go on and on. I have SO many favorites! The talented people and shops I have come across on Etsy never cease to amaze me. Every day I fall in love with something new and wonderful!

Five things we love
Walking to the beach
Interesting places
Unique foods
Creedence Clearwater Revival
Playing games

Five things we don't
Cleaning
Cold weather
Terrible reality tv shows
When home repair projects go awry
Miley Cyrus

Where is the coolest place you have ever been?
It's a tie between Caye Caulker in Belize and Sardinia, Italy. They are very special places and we recommend everyone go experience them.

What is your favorite leisure time activity?
We play a lot of games (board, card, video) and we watch bad movies on netflix. Bridgette also loves to bake and browse the internet for unique treasures to fill our home.

Share some of your guilty pleasures
Hell's Kitchen with Gordon Ramsey
Bridgette: Rod Stewart
Mike: Huey Lewis and the News

Favorite junk food
Mike: An entire box of ores, with milk of course.
Bridgette: Chocolate, chocolate and more chocolate.

What is the strangest thing that has ever happened to you?
We participated in a gifting event for Sundance Film Festival and we met a bunch of famous people, all at once. Having never met any, it was a very surreal experience, even though most of them were very down-to-earth and friendly. Bridgette received a hug from Gary Coleman, and one from Dustin Diamond (Screech from Saved By The Bell).

What is the stupidest thing you have ever done?
Bridgette: Planning a beach wedding during hurricane season.

Mike: I recently cut off the tip of my pinky when dicing an onion.

If you could trade places with any other person for a week, famous or not famous, living or dead, real or fictional. with whom would it be?
Bridgette: Johnny Depp's Wife, or maybe Amelia Earhart.
Mike: Sherlock Holmes or Indiana Jones

If Hollywood made a movie about your life, whom would you like to see play the lead role as you?
Bridgette: Kate Winslet or Carol Burnett
Mike: Johnny Depp or Will Ferrell

If you could be a superhero, what would you want your superpowers to be?
Bridgette: To be able to warp from one place to another. Awesome!!
Mike: I wish I had the Intersect in my brain like Chuck.

What would you like to learn?
Bridgette: Several new languages
Mike: Filmmaking
Both - advanced cooking techniques

What does the future hold for you and your shop?
Hopefully great things. Scratch that - amazing things! We will keep trying new things, creating cool new designs, and providing our customers with unique handmade products. We will continue our goal of creating happiness!

You can keep up with Bridgette and Mike and their work by visiting their blog or following them on Twitter and Facebook.

Also find their full line of products at EarmarkInvitations.com.

GIVEAWAY TIME!

One winner will receive a recipe card set in the design of your choice from Earmark.

HERE'S HOW TO ENTER:
Please leave a comment on this post with your favorite item from Earmark and answer the following question: What holiday is lacking awesome greeting cards?

You may enter once per day and YOU MUST INCLUDE your first name -AND- etsy username or email address with every entry. (If you are worried about email spam, you can spell out the 'at' and 'dot' rather than using the standard email format.)

Receive additional entries (one each) if you:

Follow or subscribe to this blog, my Twitter or my Facebook

Follow or subscribe to the Earmark blog, Twitter or Facebook

(You DO NOT need to leave separate comments for each additional entry, just mention which apply)

You have until Sunday, December 5 at 10 pm (est) to enter and I will announce the winner Monday morning.

SPECIAL DISCOUNT!

Bridgette and Mike are also offering lillyella readers 10% off all orders placed through their website and their Etsy shop. Simply enter LILLBLOGTEN at checkout, valid through 12/4/2010.

Thanks for visiting!

Miniature Rhino Giveaway Winner!

A big thanks to Jessica for being in the Spotlight last week and to all who stopped by to check out her interview and enter the giveaway!

The winner of the giveaway is MEI, congrats! She loves the White Snowflake Holiday Embroidery Card Kit and would like to see more embroidery card kits for different occasions in Jessica's shop.

You can keep up with Jessica and her work by following her on Twitter and Facebook.

See you this afternoon for another awesome new Spotlight!

Couture du Jour

Switching Sides Sweater  Anthropologie $60

Mojave Collection Bracelet  ThePeachTree $29

Frye Jane Boot  endless $297

Ruffle Butt Skirt  gaiaconceptions $82

Grand Shop Reopening!

Yep, that's right, I'm finally reopening my shop! I am sad that my return did not come sooner and that it is not as grand as I have been dreaming, but I'm thrilled to be opening, if even on a small scale, before the holidays.

I've had to change my creating habits a bit to adapt to my current 'lifestyle' but here's the scoop — I'll be listing small batches of new, limited edition and one of a kind pieces in my etsy shop starting TODAY at NOON (Est), and then as often as I can create more after that. 

In addition to this, I'll be accepting custom orders for any of my previous designs from now through December 3. To request an order, send an email to nicole@lillyella.com or send me a conversation through Etsy listing the piece(s) you would like and I will setup a reserved listing in my shop for you. Please understand there are a few designs I can no longer make but most will be available and can also be customized in regards to color and size.

As always, feel free to contact me anytime via email or through my shop with questions and stay tuned here for info on future shop updates. I hope this is a fabulous holiday season for all! 

xo, nicole

Happy Thanksgiving!

Bear Art – Pumpkin Pie Amber Alexander

I hope you are spending it with the ones you love, being thankful for their company and all you have around you.

Don't forget to really enjoy the pie. Life's too short not to.

xo ~ nicole

Slow Food in a Modern Kitchen

Happy Turkey Day everyone! Today for our slow food lesson I thought I would introduce you to the simplicity of making one of my favorite holiday side dishes, cranberries.

I have always been wary of the cranberries that seem to be served still in the shape of the can they came in, placed in a pretty serving dish as if that’s going to fool everyone into thinking that this is actually eatable food. It’s a shame really.

Cranberry sauce is one of the easiest things you can make on Thanksgiving and once you taste and see how yummy the real thing is, I promise you won’t be going back to the tin shaped version any time soon.



Basic Cranberry Sauce
Zest of 2 Oranges
1 cup of water
1 Cup of sugar
12 oz. (about 3 cups) of fresh cranberries

Fill a medium size sauce pan with the water and add the orange zest, simmer for about 5 minutes to release the orange oils. Add the sugar and stir to dissolve. Add the cranberries and simmer for about 15 minutes or until the cranberries have popped and are translucent (basically it will look like cranberry sauce!). Cool and enjoy.

If you want to add some spice, toss in a cinnamon stick or a few cardamom pods during the simmering. Makes about 3 1/2 cups.

If you really want to jazz it up, here is my family's recipe (well, my variation of) for holiday cranberries.



Pincus Family Cranberries
1 recipe of Basic Cranberry Sauce (still hot)
1 packet of plain gelatin (1 oz.)
1 cup pomegranate juice (any red juice will do but I like the kind that comes from an actual fruit)
1 1/2 cups of crushed or roughly chopped pineapple, rinsed and drained
1 cup of mandarin orange segments (11 oz. can), rinsed and drained
1 cup of chopped walnuts

While the basic cranberry sauce is simmering add the packet of gelatin to the juice and let bloom for at least 1 minute or until the sauce is finished cooking. Add the juice/gelatin mixture and the rest of the ingredients to the still hot cranberries. Stir to combine. Chill overnight or until the gelatin has set. This is not a super thick sauce so no need for a Jell-O mold, it’s better served in a pretty bowl!

I hope you enjoy your time in the kitchen this holiday and make some yummy slow food with and for those you love! Happy Thanksgiving.

~ Shawna of Pinkkiss Pottery

Couture du Jour

Mohair Shrug reflectionsbyds $90

White Paws saralagace $65

Turquoise Earrings kirevi8 $42

Genevieve Cowl TickledPinkKnits $79

Todays ensemble was created by Sandy of Rubinia Jewelry ~

Click here to submit an outfit of your own for Couture du Jour and be entered into a monthly drawing to win jewelry from my shop!

Couture du Jour

Greensleeves Top ModCloth $59

Emerald Goddess Necklace verabel $88

Malibu Platform Pump endless $95

Ponte Pencil Skirt Anthropologie $78

Today's ensemble was created by Krista R. who is an awesome supporter of this blog and all things handmade!

Click here to submit an outfit of your own for Couture du Jour and be entered into a monthly drawing to win jewelry from my shop!

Spotlight: Miniature Rhino

I never tire of learning more about the artists behind my favorite shops. I find it helps me to more deeply appreciate what they create because I know why they are creating it. Today's interview is no exception as we meet Jessica of Miniature Rhino. She grew up surrounded by women makers who taught her a love of crafting, materials and tools. Her interest in science, objects with a story and all things old and aging shines through in her work, as does her passion for what she is creating.

Read on to learn more about how Jessica got her start, where her shop name came from and what her biggest weakness is. You can also enter to win one of her fabulous creations!

Tell us a bit about you and what you create
Hello! I’m Jessica Marquez, the maker behind Miniature Rhino (MR), a handmade line of embroideries, books, mail paraphernalia, pins, and lots of lots of little things. I started MR in 2007, but have always been a maker. I studied art (mainly photography), and art history in school and received my MFA in 2008 from Rochester Institute of Technology. Since the fall of 2009 I’ve been working full time on my small business. It’s an amazing challenge for me, but I enjoy my creative work and working for myself.

Where are you from originally and where do you currently call home?
Southern California born and raised. I’m definitely a California girl and never thought I’d live on the east coast. I’ve been in NY for 6 years now, but definitely see myself back in California one day- I hate the winters here, but love the food and the energy of the city and it’s still very exciting and new to me.

Do you sell on Etsy full time or do you have a day job?
When I started in August 2008 I had a full time job and had no plans of making MR my full time job. It was a creative release, something fun and I was already making these things for friends and relatives, so I thought, “why not?” As I started slowly growing I was having a hard time balancing both jobs and, even though it was way too soon to quit my stable job, I took the leap in August 2009.

What, if any, formal training have you had in the arts?
Throughout school I always took art classes, even outside of school. I have a very creative family and making was just part of growing up. I’ve been really lucky and have been able to study and dabble in lots of studio art practices - bookmaking, printmaking, and metals, but I received a BA in art and an MFA in Imaging Art or Photography in 2008 from Rochester Institute of Technology. I love making photographs and looking at images in all forms- from vernacular to found and fine art.

What made you decide to open up shop on Etsy?
I had made a gift for a friend. It was a little glass bottle filled with little objects that reminded me of her (like my Cabinets of Curiosity) that I thought she’d like and she did. She told me about Etsy then and encouraged me to open a shop. I was in school at the time and wasn’t able to then, but the idea for MR started that night and it became something to look forward to when the stress of school and finding a job were over.

How did you come up with your shop name?
Miniature Rhino was a screen name I used for awhile before opening my shop. The name comes from a few places, little strange convergences of things I love – Ionesco’s absurd play Rhinoceros, my love of the Smashing Pumpkins, who have a song called Rhinoceros, Dürer’s iconic woodcut of the imagined animal, but mainly MR comes from my young cousin’s imaginary friend, Dr. Rhino. I remember her talking to him in the mirror and using her long hair as a moustache. I was in high school then and would scribble Dr. Rhino on things I made and it’s become a symbol for creativity and imagination for me.

What inspires you?
Museums. Natural history. People’s stories. Children’s books & illustrations. Vintage ephemera. Family photographs. Bookmaking. DIY. Science. Art. Travel. Thinking about what comes next.

What do you like least about your craft?
I guess it’s also what I love most about it, that it takes time. I take pride in handcrafting my work. All the materials I collect, the care and thought I put into the design, the attention I give to every object I make takes time and I respect this process. The labor is part of the finished work to me. I like the idea of sitting for hours and stitching, like a Victorian lady in a parlour room pining for her love as she works a needle and thread, but this not the most efficient business model. It’s difficult for me to balance a handcrafted business when my work is so labor intensive and time consuming.

Do you have any advice for other sellers on Etsy or those thinking about pursuing their craft?
Share your story. If you don’t put yourself out there you never give yourself the opportunity to succeed. Make something unique — never copy! Take great photos, it’s the only way people have to experience your work. Believe in yourself. Everyone has to start somewhere. I never imagined that could have a creative job working for myself, and even though I struggle daily, I am doing it.

Etsy Shops you love
Enhabiten
BloodMilk
Dr. Kennedy Jones
Peg and Awl
Forestbound
Fernbeds
Under the Pyramids
Mon Petite Fantome

Random Likes
fancy/not fancy combo
handkerchiefs
finding little things to keep in my pockets
lockets
goats!

Random Dislikes
nose blowing while I’m eating
people who don’t like cats & babies
washing dishes
Littering (drives me crazy)

Where is the coolest place you have ever been?
I’ve floated along on the Ganges at dawn wide eyed watching the cityscape in Varanasi, India one of the oldest cities in the world.

What is your favorite leisure time activity?
Exploring NYC, just walking around and popping in and out of shops and eating at a new place and then maybe a movie.

Favorite junk food

Chocolate!! I’ve got a mad sweet tooth. All chocolate and sweets in general are constant temptations. I love you cookies, cakes and sweet treats, you evil delicious things.

What would you like to learn?
TO SPEAK SPANISH!! One day I will. I have a romantic fantasy of living in Mexico for a year. I traveled for 3 months there after undergrad and naively thought I would learn to speak the language in that time. I need much more time there!

What does the future hold for you and your shop?
This year is almost over and I find myself looking toward next year with really high hopes. I want to grow and grow and grow as a maker and small business owner. I’m looking forward to expanding the offerings of MR. My goal is to develop more goods and be represented in more stores nation wide. I would love to teach embroidery classes. I’m working so hard on MR that I also need to create a more balanced life to handle the stresses and unique challenges of this grassroots unconventional job. New year, fresh start!

You can keep up with Jessica and her work by following her on Twitter and Facebook.

GIVEAWAY TIME!

Jessica is offering one lucky winner their choice of one of the following:

Shown clockwise from upper left

Message in a bottle letter service

Holiday embroidery card kit

Flipbook stationery set

DIY message in a bottle kit

HERE'S HOW TO ENTER:
Please leave a comment on this post with your favorite item from Miniature Rhino along with what other type of item(s) you would like to see in the shop.

You may enter once per day with another item you love or another new item.

YOU MUST INCLUDE your first name -AND- etsy username or email address with every entry. (If you are worried about email spam, you can spell out the 'at' and 'dot' rather than using the standard email format.)

Receive additional entries (one each) if you:

Follow or subscribe to this blog, my Twitter or my Facebook

Follow Miniature Rhino on Twitter or Facebook

(You DO NOT need to leave separate comments for each additional entry, just mention which apply)

You have until Sunday, November 28 at 10 pm (est) to enter and I will announce the winner Monday morning. Good luck and thanks for visiting!

Blue Tricycle Giveaway Winner!

A big thanks to Heather for being in the Spotlight last week and to all who stopped by to check out her interview and enter the giveaway!

Before I announce the winner, Heather is offering Buy One Get One FREE on all items in her shop through Wednesday, November 24 when you mention lillyella at checkout! Purchase the higher priced item and leave a message during checkout for what additional item you would like for free.

Now onto the giveaway winner…

Congratulations to EMILY! She loves the Abstract Botanicals and would like to see more printable gift tags in Heather's shop.

Stop back this afternoon for another awesome new Spotlight!

Couture du Jour

COCO Top roselabiche $69

Blue Velvet Hairpiece ban.do

Vintage Lace Up Shoes vintageagogirl $38

Apothecary Skirt Anthropologie $128

Todays ensemble was created by Sandrine of La Boite a Bijoux ~

Click here to submit an outfit of your own for Couture du Jour and be entered into a monthly drawing to win jewelry from my shop!

In the Kitchen: Pumpkin Bread Pudding with Bourbon Caramel Sauce

Tired of traditional pumpkin pie or looking to shake things up this Thanksgiving? Then I have just the recipe for you. Best part is you could practically make it with your eyes closed, though I wouldn't necessarily recommend it. I'm just sayin', it's really easy! My mom described it as 'orgasmic', so I guess that means it's also pretty darn tasty, and I'll second that.

Ingredients

10 oz bread*

15 oz pumpkin puree (canned or fresh)

1 1/4 cup whole milk

1/2 cup heavy cream

2 large eggs

1/4 cup light brown sugar**

1/4 tsp salt

3/4 tsp pure vanilla extract

1 1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp fresh grated nutmeg

1/4 tsp ground allspice

1/2 cup pecans, optional

Bourbon Caramel Sauce

3 cups whole milk

3/4 cup sugar

1/8 tsp salt

3/8 tsp baking soda

2 Tbsp Bourbon, optional

*When it comes to bread just about any will work and you want it to be a little stale, so whatever kind you use, let it sit out uncovered for about a day. I first tried this recipe with sourdough, then with whole wheat and italian, and all three were delicious. A brioche or french would also work nicely or you can get extra fancy by using croissants or cinnamon raisin bread.

You shouldn't need more than 10 oz of bread, maybe less depending on what kind and the shape you use, you'll just want to fill your pan nicely. You can either use 1/2" slices as shown on the left (quick and easy!) or you can cut or tear 1" cubes from an unsliced loaf and scatter them in your pan.

When you're ready to make the dish, preheat the oven to 350° and place the bread in a buttered 2qt baking dish.

To make the custard, whisk all the wet ingredients and spices together in a large bowl then pour the custard over the bread in the baking dish. Be sure to stir it around or lift the slices to spread it in between and under, making sure all the bread is thoroughly coated.

**If you're not planning on serving this dish with any kind of sweet sauce, I recommend doubling the light brown sugar in the custard to 1/2 cup total.

Next, toss the pecans in a bowl or plastic bag with 1 Tbsp brown sugar and 1/2 tsp cinnamon then spread them evenly over the pudding, if desired.

Bake until set, about 40 - 45 minutes. You'll need to cut into the middle to check the doneness as the top will set faster.

In the meantime you can make the sauce.

In a large saucepan, whisk together the milk, sugar and salt and heat to a simmer over medium heat.

When it begins to bubble, remove from heat and stir in the baking soda. It will foam up a bit.

Return to simmer and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally and skimming off foam as needed. Sauce will begin to thicken and turn golden brown within 30 - 45 minutes.

Continue cooking until sauce is thick enough to lightly coat a spoon. When the sauce is almost finished, add the Bourbon if desired, and continue cooking until it reaches the desired consistency. If you're concerned about liking the flavor, start by adding one Tablespoon, then add the second if desired.

Serve scoops or slices of warm pudding topped with warm sauce and enjoy! The pudding and sauce can both be stored, covered, in the fridge for up to two weeks and you can definitely make this ahead of time for Thanksgiving dinner. Just reheat it in a low stove or microwave before serving and fill your gravy boat with the warm caramel sauce!

I'd love to hear what you think about this one and if it graces your dinner table this Thanksgiving.

p.s. It's also really good for breakfast!

> Click here for a printable recipe card

And find more easy and delicious recipes here.