Monthly Archives: September 2014

Swap & Tell #8 Linky Party

Welcome to Swap & Tell #8!
A link up for shop owners trading products and posting reviews!

This link up is all about helping one another get exposure for our products and services.

We have a very exciting announcement!
Swap & Tell has been revamped to be more inclusive!

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We all know that advertising can be very expensive, so my co-host and I are so very happy to be offering shop owners a way to get your name out there to new audiences for the cost of a trade, while helping fellow shop owners in the process. And now if you have a blog or Facebook, but no product to swap, you can link up to receive products and post reviews. Speaking of co-hosts, I am pleased to be joined by Heather at Woods of Bell Trees . Heather has a unique and fun blog and personality, with a growing following. Be sure to pay her a visit! Your link will show on both blogs simultaneously, meaning more opportunities!

If you are just now finding out about Swap & Tell, you can read more about it here.

And now, on to the swap, but first, please read the rules:

*This link up is a SWAP so please only link up posts that contain a picture of an item you would like to swap and have fun shopping around!

*Link up a post from your blog, Etsy, Facebook, Pinterest or Instagram that contains a picture and description of your swap item, using a permalink to your specific post or shop item.

*Visit the other links, find something you’d like to swap for, and leave the other person a comment with a link to your posted item.

*Exchange address info with your swap partner. Each person will pay shipping for the item she/he is sending.

*Please be prepared to ship your product no later than one week from the time the swap ends. (The timetable for services will be worked out between those swapping.)

*Product reviews should be posted no later than two weeks from the time the swap ends. (The review timetable for services will be worked out between those swapping.)

*The review should contain a photo of the product received; your own scoop on the product; and a link back to the product, shop or person (their choosing). (The review for services may or may not include a photo, details to be worked out between those swapping.)

*Please include the Swap & Tell button or text link back to your host in your linked post.

*Please Note: We have modified the link up to now allow participants to link directly from their Etsy shops!

* Please follow your host, Tarnished Royalty with one of the following methods:

tarnishedroyalty on facebooktarnishedroyalty on pinteresttarnishedroyalty on bloglovintarnishedroyalty feed

*****If you are linking as a NON SHOP OWNER:*****

*You can link any post, with a blurb about Swap & Tell somewhere in the post.

*Visit the other links, find an item, and leave the person a comment that you would like to review their product.

And finally, have fun and remember, it’s all about promoting and helping one another. The value of the swap is in more than the products received, but in the exposure you will receive from reviews. A swap means a review for your product too!


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The Colors of Fall

Hello Readers! I feel like I need to explain my absence from posting lately. Back in July, my brother-in-law suffered a stroke that left him in need of several weeks/months of rehab. Since that time, he has had two episodes of brain swelling that required him to have a craniotomy to relieve the pressure. He is doing remarkably well, but is looking at several more weeks of rehab. During this time I have been driving back and forth (about an hour away) to visit him and my sister as much as I can. Then this past weekend my sister fell at the hospital and broke her knee cap! No fair! Now she is looking at surgery and several weeks of recovery as well. So I will be helping out as much as I can, and will continue to post as often as I am able. Thanks so much for following along. I hope to be back to posting more frequently soon! And if I haven’t visited your blog lately, it’s nothing personal!

Coming into my favorite season, I decided to snap some photos of some of the blooms in our yard that are showing off their rich fall colors.
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Tiny crabapples bursting with color
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I wonder how they would do if I brought some branches inside?

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Glorious cockscomb with their huge, velvety heads and saturated color. We grow these every year. They dry really nicely and fade to soft, varied shades of peachy pink over time.

Enjoy the season! Please come back tonight to link up at Swap & Tell and find out what’s new with the swap!

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Swap & Tell #7 Link Up + Orange Cantaloupe Soap Review

Welcome to Swap & Tell #7!
A link up for shop owners trading products and posting reviews!

This link up is all about helping one another get exposure for our products and services. We all know that advertising can be very expensive, so my co-host and I are so very happy to be offering a way to get your name out there to new audiences for the cost of a trade, while helping fellow shop owners in the process.

If you are just now finding out about Swap & Tell, you can read more about it here.

Swap & Tell has opened up opportunities for me to try out new products and meet some great people with small businesses. One such person is the very lovely Heather from Woods of Bell Trees. Not only is she a co-host of Swap & Tell, she has lots of fun jewelry in her Etsy shop and some delectable candles, soaps, body scrubs and tons of other smell-goods in her JewelScent line. Before we get to this week’s Swap & Tell link up, let’s have some show and tell! In our recent swap, Heather sent me a luscious bar of orange cantaloupe soap.
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Ahhh, the aroma. I wish you had smell-o-vision. This soap and I have another date with a candle lit bath very soon. And guess what? When enough of the soap has been melted away, a hidden jewel will be waiting inside. Cool, huh?
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Here are some more of Heather’s products to drool over:

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She has some mad wire wrapping skills! And her photographs are beautiful. Note to self: ask Heather what camera she uses.

You can see and read more from Heather over at Woods Of Bell Trees.

And now, on to the swap!

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Swap & Tell is hosted on both mine and Heather’s blog, so your link will show on both blogs simultaneously, meaning more opportunities!

please read the rules:

*This link up is a SWAP so please ONLY link up posts that contain a picture of an item you would like to swap and have fun shopping around! Links that are not for swap will be removed to preserve the authenticity of the link up.

*Link up a post from your blog, Etsy, Facebook, Pinterest or Instagram that contains a picture and description of your swap item, using a permalink to your specific post not your general URL from your chosen source.

*Look around at the other links until you spy something that interests you. Visit as many as you like and when you find something you’d like to swap for, leave the other person a comment with a link to your posted item.

*Once you have committed to a swap, please edit your post with a note that your item is already swapped so you won’t continue to get offers.

*Exchange address info with your swap partner. Each person will pay shipping for the item she/he is sending.

*Please be prepared to ship your product no later than one week from the time the swap ends. (The timetable for services will be worked out between those swapping.)

*Product reviews should be posted no later than two weeks from the time the swap ends. (The review timetable for services will be worked out between those swapping.)

*The review should contain a photo of the product received; your own scoop on the product; and a link back to the product, shop or person (their choosing). (The review for services may or may not include a photo, details to be worked out between those swapping.)

*Please include the Swap & Tell button or text link back to your host in your linked post.

*Please Note: We have modified the link up to now allow participants to link directly from their Etsy shops!

* Please follow your host, Tarnished Royalty with one of the following methods:

tarnishedroyalty on facebooktarnishedroyalty on pinteresttarnishedroyalty on bloglovintarnishedroyalty feed

And finally, have fun and remember, it’s all about promoting and helping one another. The value of the swap is in more than the products received, but in the exposure you will receive from reviews. A swap means a review for your product too!


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In The Studio: Turn It On

A few posts ago I mentioned that I will be selling my jewelry at Junk Jubilee Jingles in Des Moines, Iowa in November. I’ve been spending a lot of time in my studio and one of the materials I have been using in my designs for the show is industrial faucet handles. Today I want to show you a couple of necklaces I created.

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I like the chunk factor that they add, as well as the industrial feel they have. Balancing the crustiness is a vintage button. Though you can’t see it in the photos, the button has an inset mirror to add just enough sparkle.

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I gave this one a patina, which I like with the coral and wood beads. The words “open” and “close” add a bit of whimsy.

Click to read more about Junk Jubilee Jingles
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Swap & Tell #6 Linky Party

Welcome to Swap & Tell #6!
A link up for shop owners trading products and posting reviews!

swap_&_tell_sidebar_now

This link up is all about helping one another get exposure for our products and services. We all know that advertising can be very expensive, so my co-hosts and I are so very happy to be offering a way to get your name out there to new audiences for the cost of a trade, while helping fellow shop owners in the process. Speaking of co-hosts, I am pleased to be joined by Donna at Distressed Donna Down Home and Heather at Woods of Bell Trees . These lovely ladies each have unique and fun blogs and personalities, each with a growing following. Be sure to pay them a visit! Your link will show on all three blogs simultaneously, meaning more opportunities!

If you are just now finding out about Swap & Tell, you can read more about it here.

And now, on to the swap, but first, please read the rules:

*This link up is a SWAP so please ONLY link up posts that contain a picture of an item you would like to swap and have fun shopping around! Links that are not for swap will be removed to preserve the authenticity of the link up.

*Link up a post from your blog, Etsy, Facebook, Pinterest or Instagram that contains a picture and description of your swap item, using a permalink to your specific post not your general URL from your chosen source.

*Look around at the other links until you spy something that interests you. Visit as many as you like and when you find something you’d like to swap for, leave the other person a comment with a link to your posted item.

*Once you have committed to a swap, please edit your post with a note that your item is already swapped so you won’t continue to get offers.

*Exchange address info with your swap partner. Each person will pay shipping for the item she/he is sending.

*Please be prepared to ship your product no later than one week from the time the swap ends. (The timetable for services will be worked out between those swapping.)

*Product reviews should be posted no later than two weeks from the time the swap ends. (The review timetable for services will be worked out between those swapping.)

*The review should contain a photo of the product received; your own scoop on the product; and a link back to the product, shop or person (their choosing). (The review for services may or may not include a photo, details to be worked out between those swapping.)

*Please include the Swap & Tell button or text link back to your host in your linked post.

*Please Note: We have modified the link up to now allow participants to link directly from their Etsy shops!

* Please follow your host, Tarnished Royalty with one of the following methods:

tarnishedroyalty on facebooktarnishedroyalty on pinteresttarnishedroyalty on bloglovintarnishedroyalty feed

And finally, have fun and remember, it’s all about promoting and helping one another. The value of the swap is in more than the products received, but in the exposure you will receive from reviews. A swap means a review for your product too!


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Thrifted! Velvet Frames, Lace and Jewels

Gosh, it’s been a while since I’ve posted much or visited my favorite blogs. It’s been a little chaotic over here, with just life. Hopefully things are settling down a little now and I’ll be around more. I’ve missed you! I would love to show you some of the things I found on a recent flea market excursion.

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I am crazy for old velvet, so when I saw these very old frames on the $1 table at the flea market it was love. You can tell how worn and faded they are, that’s why I love ‘em.

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Rarely do I hit the market without picking up some sort of lace. Isn’t this basket sweet?

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And no junking day would be complete without a stash of junk jewelry.

I am so excited to be gearing up for a great and big show in Des Moines this November. Junk Jubilee Jingles will be held November 14, 15 and 16 at the Iowa State Fair Grounds. Have you heard of it? It’s worth the trip, with quality vendors of all sorts, great shopping for yourself or holiday gift buying and fantastic displays to inspire. Some of the jewels, buttons, buckles and bow in the above pic will make their appearance at the show once they are fashioned into wearable art. I’ll be talking a lot about the show between now and then. If you live anywhere near I hope you make plans to come and shop!

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