Mother's Day Jewelry Sale

Help me celebrate my first Mother's Day...

Take 20% off all jewelry only with coupon code: MOTHERSDAY20

* * *

Enter my shop: emeraldcut.etsy.com

October Coupon Code (for Jewelry)

My 5th anniversary as an Etsy seller is coming up next month!  This could not have been accomplished without you all.  Your support, kind words, and positivity--it all means so much to me.  

To thank you, I am offering a huge discount on my jewelry this month...

To celebrate, take 30% off* ready-made jewelry in my shop by applying OCTOBER at Etsy checkout.  Once applied, the discount will be reflected in your order total.  Enjoy and happy (almost) October!

*Coupon is valid on ready-made jewelry only, and excludes custom orders and donation items.

Thumbelina Leigh & a Shop Promo

Thumbelina Leigh Lavender
July 2015

My Thumbelina Leigh Lavender is still holding strong despite a complete change in appearance over the past three years.  Read somewhere that lavenders only last a handful of years as potted plants, which may be true, but I have seen some planted-in-the-ground varieties flourish for over a decade now!  Thumbelina Leigh is a hybrid, only introduced in 2003, making it a newbie in the lavender world--but it is gorgeous, compact, and deliciously fragrant once established.

To compare, the following photo is of my TLL in March of this year (note the older growth stems to the left):

March 2015

Basically, my lavender photo from July 2015 (first photo) shows all new growth--the sprigs on the left-hand side visible in the above photo taken this spring are now long gone, had died earlier this summer.  Who knew lavender plants could basically die off--and then sprout up again.  Has anyone had this issue with growing lavenders?

A 2012 throwback photo of the same plant after purchase from the nursery:

May 2012
Newly purchased and re-potted

I hope that my TLL will flourish again, and have high hopes that it will.  If this occurs, I will list more buds for sale in my shop, for there have been a few inquiries about them as of late.

* * *

P.S. My shop is almost at 800 sales!  As a gesture of thanks, I will include a free gift per purchase for orders through #800.  Also, if you are in the US, do not forget to apply the coupon code FREESHIPPING at checkout for free shipping on orders over $15.  Thanks again for all your support, and enjoy!

Christmas in July Sale

If you missed my 4th of July sale, you are just in time for my Christmas in July one.  Take $10 off orders over $25* when you apply XMASINJULY at checkout.  Enter my shop here.

*Excludes donation items, custom orders, and writing services

Memorial Day Weekend Sale

This weekend only, take 15% off purchases from my shop with the coupon code: WEEKENDFUN15 

After applying the coupon code, the discount will appear in your Cart.

Discount is applicable on all shop items except those for charity.  I have not had a shopwide sale in a few years until now--so enjoy!

New Stamped Work

I hope this blog entry finds you well.  Lately, I've been pretty busy with wedding and writing ideas (you'll see what I mean when you read on!), of which I am excited to share with you.  Here are some new favorites of mine that I dreamt up this past month, and many prototypes later, have now listed for sale:

Tell your wedding guests about your upcoming nuptials
in bookish style with these one-of-a-kind handmade bookmarks;
stamped letter-by-letter and created from vintage book pages by me,
these Save the Date Bookmarks will surely catch their eye
(and not to mention, make cool page holders)!

For the writers, a contemplative reminder to write more...and often.  
Writing takes practice, so don't give up--especially if giving up
seems like the most feasible option.
You've got something interesting to say, so write on it.
Ornament available here.

Also new to the EmeraldCut shop are custom stamped bridal seed packets

that incorporate vintage dictionary pages 

with your choice of a short four-word-max phrase-- 

and non-GMO seeds from the list below (subject to availability): 

- California Poppy (orange or red)

- Cosmos

- Petite Marigold

- Nasturtium

- Sunflower

- Sweet Pea

- Zinnia

Yes, I know the following is not new stamped work, but with wedding season right around the corner, I thought I'd include this listing, too.  Father of the Bride, Maid of Honor, Best Man...the monumental task of writing that wedding speech is not going away (especially with the wedding date coming up soon)--so allow me to help relieve the stress by writing a custom speech for you with your input!  Even if we have to start from scratch, or go through endless scribbled notes and/or ideas, I will work with you until you have a final product--your wedding speech--that contains not only the congratulatory message you'd like to convey, but also eloquently brings forth your unique tone and wit.  In other words, a speech that you are proud to give.

Custom Wedding or Engagement Speech Writing Service

Lots more fun ideas coming this Spring...check back here soon for sneak peeks!  

Or stop on by the shop to see what's new.

P.S. Free US shipping on orders over $15 is going on strong--enter FREESHIPPING at checkout!

EmeraldCut Shop Sale

Having a little Black Friday/Cyber Monday sale in my shop to celebrate the shopping season...

BLACK FRIDAY/CYBER MONDAY SALE!* 
Apply THANKFUL20 at checkout for 20% off your order, or FREESHIPPING for US orders over $15. 
*Excludes donation items, custom orders, and writing services; one coupon per order. 


Sale ends 12/3. Take a peek and let me know if anything suits your fancy--because as always, blog readers receive a special complimentary gift per purchase!  Just a little gesture of thanks for following along on my inspirations, mishaps, and ideas via this blog.  Hope you had a delightful Thanksgiving!

October Challenge: A Photo a Day

At the last minute (October 2nd to be exact), I decided to take part in a self-guided, photo-taking challenge for the month of October.  My goal is to take one photo per day that captures the particular subjective feel of the day, whether it be the mood I am in, the weather, and/or even lighting and color saturation.  Why October?  In addition to being prime autumn season, it's also my favorite month for a variety of reasons (mainly seasonal, of course).

I am very curious to see if a consistent theme emerges beyond the obvious autumn one, since what catches the eye is, in my opinion, at once aesthetically driven and unconscious.  Or should I say, subconscious?  From my Pinterest pins, I already have an idea of what draws me in, yet being the person behind the camera--rather than a passive-yet-entertained image collector via Pinterest--has its given advantages in the emotion-unfurling department.  Let's see if my theory is plausible.  

Come November 1st, I will post the October challenge collage, in its entirety, here in my blog.  Perhaps I've had too much coffee, but I'm really excited for this!

* * *

P.S. I'm offering free domestic shipping (US addresses-only) on orders over $15.00 for my Etsy customers!  All you have to do is apply FREESHIPPING at Etsy checkout to take advantage of this coupon code.


Have a great week!

In Budding Anticipation

I much prefer fall, weather-wise, but spring flowers are the cat's meow...

Nothing is really new here, besides that I uprooted my indoor planters, which had, as of last week, consisted of stump-like stems and no growth since a spider mite made a nesting ground of them last fall and I, out of fright, severely cut both down to mere nubs (as documented here).  My indoor planters are now prepped and set to grow Greek oregano (same as last year) and lemon balm (a newbie plant for me) from seed.  Growing plants from seed have been a curious lifelong, albeit non-constant, past-time of mine.  Although my love of plants has waxed and waned throughout the years, I continue to be awestruck with the transition from seed to seedling, from nub to bud.  If you haven't already, feel free to read about my love of growing plants from seed here.  Will talk provide some photos as soon as the seeds sprout (crosses fingers).

* * *

Gearing up for a HUGE Easter SALE--35% off all items starting today through April 1st.  Stop by my shop for the coupon code!

Shop Happy

It's midweek again, and I'm not feeling quite productive--hesitating somewhere between wanting to glue myself to the computer with hard copy draft in hand, and yearning deeply to follow a recent uptake in creativity.  One fatal swoop is all there is to it...

So I decided to go with the creative streak.

I apologize if you've stopped by my shop over these past few weeks, perhaps months, and witnessed en masse a consistent change in shop banner.  It drove me mad to not have a banner that fit the EmeraldCut mood and overall aesthetic, so like clockwork, I continued sorting through my photos until I found one (or two or twelve) that I believed would make a suitable shop banner.  It's been an ongoing process--designing, editing, and trying out different shop headers--but a dozen or so designs later, I am finally content with the result.  If you've missed the shop header show, below is a recap of a few designs:

And yes, after you design a few, your eyes do cross.

* * *

The final banner:

Incorporates an earthy, olive-green peridot, my favorite stone; a book page; my shop name in a unique, readable font. 

* * *

In celebration of this recent shop happy...

For orders $25 and over, apply ILOVESPRING at checkout for $5.00 off your purchase! Excludes donation items; offer ends March 15th.

Have you ever been this creatively meticulous?

It's a headache in the moment, but the end product is worth every moment spent.

A November Thought

Last vestiges of autumn...

I hope you all had a very cozy Thanksgiving.  As for me, I've been MIA from bloglandia for the majority of this week, and I feel like I've missed out on so many...thankful posts.  Yes, I am being slightly sarcastic/ironic here.  What I mean is...

Why should a national holiday urge us forth to be thankful?  

Shouldn't we be thankful every day?

In truth, I guess national holidays push us to examine, contemplate, and otherwise decry our love/hate relationship with these very national holidays that drive us insane--or into a blissful world of holiday cheer.  So, on that note, I will leave you until next week. 

P.S. If you're into Black Friday/Cyber Monday sales, enter THANKFUL20 at Etsy checkout for 20% off items in my shop.

Hurricane Sandy Relief

I'm a little late in joining the Hurricane Sandy relief efforts, but I figured that later is better than never.  Below are two items (click on images to view listings) that I will be donating 100% of proceeds from towards this cause, via the American Red Cross: https://www.paypal-donations.com/campaign_20.html

Fall Chai Tea Circadian Agate Wire Wrapped Pendant

Tourmaline and Sunstone Pendant

A donation receipt will be emailed to the buyer once the amount is donated.

*PLEASE, NO COUPON CODES WITH THESE PURCHASES.*

P.S. For 50% off your order (excluding donation items, for obvious reasons), enter VOTE2012 at Etsy checkout.  Coupon ends at midnight on election day--remember to vote!

 * * *

Update:
On 11/14/12, I was lucky enough to be included in this Treasury filled with donation items to benefit those rebuilding after Hurricane Sandy.

Gone Buggy

 

How has your week been?  On the EmeraldCut front, things have been going pretty well, all things considered.  In between becoming increasingly overwhelmed by all the political bantering on one hand, and the upcoming holiday season on the other, I have been left with very few devices with which to maintain my sanity.  For instance, I want to read a book, but my head has been entirely wrapped around: 1. My shop -- fretting to not avail about the marketing "plan" (there is no real plans, just a wealth of hopeful ideas), the holidays, and shop listing photographs and descriptions, and 2. All the wasteful, mailed political ads that arrive in our mailbox -- duplicates, the unintelligible jargon, the blame game, and all.  Although I agree that it is important to stay informed (and of course, vote), I cannot help but visualize the personal and political biases of politicians and special interest groups that fund/support or not fund/not support legislation.

Common good, where are you?  (I hear that you're the best bet here.)

My buggy-ness has either been a reflection of, or has rubbed off on, my oregano and thyme plants.  Have you ever had spider mites infest your indoor greenery?  Well, it appears that the small and dry whitish spots on the leaves on both of my herb plants are indicators that spider mites have been munching on and subsisting off of my plants for some time now.  

Do you want to know what is quite appalling about the size of spider mites?  According to Wikipedia, many, if not most, are invisible to the naked eye.  The one that I killed a few days ago was close to 3mm in size, orange-white legs and all. 

I need to relax a bit -- go and read/get lost in a book -- because spider mites, along with aphids, are common houseplant pests.

* * *

I am crossing my fingers that the extensive pruning job that I did on my oregano and thyme plants are not further detrimental to their health and growth.  They are now skeletal, stubby and protruding things, resembling stout deciduous trees in wintertime; what a sight.  It, embarrassingly enough, must be a trend -- yet, I do have some hope as my Thumbelina Leigh Lavender is sprouting some new buds this autumn.  Optimism, contrary to personal belief, is a dear, dear friend of mine.

The Bright Side

Welcome to the bright side of things.  I know that times have been tough for everyone, and that life sometimes breaks apart in fits and starts at its seams, bursting with anxiety and gloom in all its darkness.  Sometimes it's hard to just take in a deep breath--I know this.  But as in every dynamic, there is a probable upside, even if it is merely considered a silly learning experience or, conversely, a epiphany-like chance at introspection.  This post chronicles a few recently found up sides...

Have you heard of The Bright Side Project?  I stumbled across their website through vitrifiedstudio, who is having a giveaway (which is currently open through 9/18) there.  In addition to hosting giveaways, The Bright Side Project is a collection of DIYs, interviews with shop owners, and quotes--with a "when life gives you lemons...make lemonade" perspective.  Very optimistic and real without being overly sentimental or gushy.

(I tend to steer away from the gushy.) 

The Bright Side Project's mission statement is clear: no matter how bad you currently have it, there is optimism among the ruins.

On a more personal level, as you know, my shop's September sale (via a 30% off coupon code: HARVEST) is half over as of yesterday.  I recently received an order from a buyer who purchased a Pay it Forward item, which is exempt from the sale, with this coupon code.  Upon realizing its exemption, this buyer actually sent me back the money due.  How refreshingly honest is that?  Very much so.  For me, this integrity-laden act genuinely made my day, put a little skip in my step--not that someone read the fine print and adhered to "the rules," but that someone cared enough to be kind.  And to simply pay it forward, which is inspiration enough for me.

Sale and Giveaway: 15 More Days!

Just a reminder that my September Etsy shop sale (enter HARVEST at checkout for 30% off your order) and giveaway end in a mere 15 days, on September 30th.

For this giveaway, one listing purchased this month equals one entry--a lucky buyer will win this autumn-themed stationery set made from recycled book pages, complete with sage green-colored cardstock inserts:

Winner will be drawn on 10/1: please see the full details of this sale and giveaway here.  Wishing you all a wonderful weekend!

* * *

P.S. The holidays are quickly around the corner.  Don't know what to get for the witty little girl in your life? You know, the one who doesn't really like frilly dolls, but has a deep appreciation for playthings in general. Or for the doll aficionado who collects uniqueness rather than mass produced?  Check out this blog post: GoHeyJudy!: Little Girl Dolls.  The lady behind it all has an absolutely high quality, witty, and unique shop--and not to mention, some enviable mad sewing skills!

Anticipation

 Hello, handful of people who read my blog.  I've missed blogging, and it has only been five days since my last post.  Goodness!  I don't know about you, but I've bit big by the autumn bug far too early this year--my autumn cravings (can one crave a season?) began in mid-August.

Today is only September 1st, but I'm already daydreaming of a cocoon-like existence: daydreaming of cozy sweaters/cardigans and a continuous supply of hot drinks, autumn-colored leaves and a chill in the air--boot weather.  And oh, must I forget the chai?  Scratch that, I am already drinking the spiced teas to no end.

Today is also the first full day of my month-long Etsy shop 30% off coupon code and giveaway (see my previous blog entry for details).  I am probably not supposed to admit this, but I am slightly nervous about having two simultaneously-occurring promotions (well three, if you count my donation items). Yet, I know that the only thing I can do is see how it all goes.  So I will just go with the flow...sipping my chai tea and grabbing a well-worn cozy cardigan to drape across my shoulders in the process, as anticipatory gestures of autumn.

September Coupon Code and Giveaway

A sneak peek for my blog readers!   

For the month of September in Etsy shop... 

* * *

To celebrate the harvest season, I am also having my first-ever giveaway...

WIN THIS:

A botanist's set of five envelopes
created from book pages, plus sage-green cardstock inserts.


TO ENTER:
Each shop purchase made in September equals one entry for this giveaway.  For example, if you purchase two listings from my shop at one time in September, you will be entered twice.  Another example: if purchase two listings at separate times in September, you will be entered twice.

Drawing will be held on 10/1/12, and done the old-fashioned way, a name hand-drawn from a jar.  Check back here for the winner on October 1st!

Week in Photos (aka Happy Spring, Custom Order, and New Stones)

This past week has been a culmination of sorts: with spring in full bloom, it's been a trying task to stay focused, so I've been relying on sustained effort to meet some deadlines--with the windows open, and brisk escapes to the yard as inspiration. 

My first bridal order, which was also my very first bulk order, was excitedly completed last week.  I had the immense honor of creating bridesmaids pendants with these beautiful, AA-quality citrine briolettes:

The faceting on these briolettes are stunning...

 I hope the bride and bridesmaids are as content as I am with how the pendants turned out.  A true labor of love.

***

Escapes to the yard yielded some epitome-of-spring photos.  (I know that I have posted more than a few nature shots in the past, so please bear with my endless fascination with the great outdoors.)

This bush seemed to have bloomed overnight into this breathtaking sight.

***

I ordered a few new stones: moonstone briolettes in pale gray, peach, and white.  They are quite sturdy and large, and the stones have an earthy, warm glow rather than an overt sheen.  Ideal stones, in my opinion, for those who prefer a subtle, versatile color palette.

And, for good measure, a dramatic shot with shadow and light...

***

Now onto some theory articulation--I have to constantly remind myself, You are almost there.

Hope that you all are having a wonderful week.  I truly cannot believe that it is already May 1st!  This year is flying by way too quickly for my comfort level, but one must stay optimistic...and just breathe.  

P.S. In honor of Mother's Day...from now through Mother's Day, 5/13, enter MOTHERSDAY20 at checkout for 20% off your order in my Etsy shop.  

20% Off Sale: Coupon Code ENDS 4/8

Yes, it's sale time.  Great for Easter, Mother's Day, early graduation, and spring wedding gifts...oh my!  See below for the coupon code.

Take 20% off* in my Etsy shop with the coupon code: BUNNYHOP20

*Coupon code excludes donation items and gift certificates.

Hoppy Easter.  (Couldn't resist the play on words.)

Last Minute Leap Day Sale

Sorry for the last minute notice, but the idea of having a leap day coupon code...leaped (pun intended) upon me as of late, today.  So, take 29% off most items in my shop from today through March 1st with the aptly-titled coupon code: LEAPDAY29

*As always, coupon codes exclude certain items, as listed on my shop announcement.


Happy almost spring...been craving the color kelly green lately.