Thinking About a Gift Card for Mom? Think Etsy!

 Still need a last-minute gift for that special mom in your life?  Lots of people steer away from gift cards because they think they are impersonal, but those people probably have never received an Etsy gift card.  Etsy gift cards can be printed or emailed directly to the recipient, which will open up a magical world of endless possibilities for her.  Not only can she shop for just about anything handmade or vintage on Etsy, she can have something custom made just for her.  I'm totally going to use myself as an example . . .

I shop on Etsy A LOT.  The sellers are always wonderful, and a lot of them will customize items to fit your needs and your tastes.  One of my favorite Etsy sellers is Trish, the owner of CaliCatBoutique.  She sells handmade handbags, totes, clutches, backpacks, wallets, and more.  Everything you see pictured here, Trish has made just for me.  How awesome is that?!!

These are coordinating mother-daughter Mabel tote bags.  My daughter and I could not agree on a fabric, so we decided that having coordinating bags is just as good as having matching ones.  Trish also created matching accessories according to our specific needs.  I cannot wait for the weather to warm up, so we can start carrying these babies!

Both of the bags above and the ones shown below were not bags the CaliCatBoutique offered in its shop.  Do not assume what you see in any Etsy shop is all there is to offer.  Many sellers will create something just for you.  That is something you cannot get at the mall or your local department store.  I should also add that these custom bags cost a fraction of what designer bags cost.

The two bags shown above are mother-daughter Disney Princess-inspired Marianne clutches.  I fell in love with this fabric, but thought it would suit a smaller bag because it was so colorful.  My daughter wanted glitter on her bag and I wanted something purple.  I love how these turned out, and they are perfect for when we want to travel lightly.

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Above you'll find a larger version of the Denver Backpack and custom Clematis Clutch. Both accompanied me to Utah last year, where my oldest competed at the USA Taekwondo National Championships in Salt Lake City.

These two are the very first custom handbags I ordered from the CaliCatBoutique.  Above is a custom Star Wars Rey-Inspired Sublime Bag.  Below is a custom Disney Princess-inspired Everyday Tote Bag.

Am I stopping there?  NO WAY!!!  I currently have a Disney Mulan-inspired bag and clutch in the works with the CaliCatBoutique.  As you can see, the possibilities are endless on Etsy.  Give mom what she wants, which we all know is to have things her way. Am I right?

What are your favorite Etsy finds for Mom?

Tell us in a comment here.

Personalized Star Wars Pet ID Tags

 Since we adopted this pair of kittens in July, life has been interesting (and lots of fun).  These are not our first kittens by any means, but they are the most mischievous kittens we've ever welcomed to our family.  If you follow me on Instagram, then you already know that Yoda is the one with the big ears, and Kenobi is the one with the smudge of black on his nose.

Although we had purchased some basic ID tags at our local pet supply store on the way to picking up these 9-week old brothers, we later decided we needed tags more fitting of their personalities.  That's when my online search led me to stumble upon the TagNTrail shop on Etsy. This shop sells handmade pet ID tags, waterproof collars, and more.  There were several Star Wars-themed pet tags to choose from, but I ended up with the Obi-wan pet tag for Kenobi because he's so lovable, and the Jedi pet tag for Yoda because he can jump so high that you'd swear he could fly.  I had a great experience buying from this Etsy shop.  I was able to choose the font color for our pets' names and contact info located on the back of the tags. The shop owner was even nice enough to change the lightsabers on Yoda's tag from red to green for me (because you know, Yoda's lightsaber is green).

At first I thought the tags, which are about 1.25" in diameter, would be too big for our little kittens, but they were very lightweight and didn't seem to get in the way of their daily mischief at all.  You have the option to ask for smaller jumprings if you have smaller pets.  I forgot to do that (oops), but it worked out well for us to simply put the tags on the ring that came with the kitten collars.  I'm pretty happy with these tags, and I'd definitely return to this Etsy shop next time I need dog or cat ID tags.

More Etsy Finds . . . 

Fuzzy Nipper Catnip Toys from the Auntiemcreations Shop

Kitten-size Collars from SusansSewingStall Shop 

Do you like to shop handmade?

Share your Etsy finds with us in a comment here!

Also, check out how these talented Etsy shop owners are Making It for some real life inspiration.

Adjustable Breakaway Kitten Size Collars

 As I had previously mentioned, our family recently adopted a pair of kittens that needed to be rehomed.  Having had kittens in our family before, we stopped by our local pet supply store to pick up everything we knew we'd need on our way to picking up Kenobi and Yoda.  Yes, my husband is a HUGE Star Wars fan.

One of the items we picked up at the store was a pair of kitten collars.  They were stretch and stayed in place with Velcro.  They seemed like just the thing we needed.  Although those collars did work, they were not ideal.  Because they were cut to fit, the ends kept unraveling on both collars.  I had to trim them almost daily.  The end of the collars also did not want to stay in the loop that is meant to hold the end in place.  I had just accepted that I would live with these collars until the kittens grew big enough to wear size small cat collars because there was no alternative.

Then one day, while I was shopping for custom pet tags on Etsy, what do you think was mixed in among my search results? . . . Kitten sized collars!  These kitten collars are handcrafted by a woman named Susan, owner of the SusansSewingStall Etsy Shop. They look just like the cat collars you'd find in a pet supply store.  They are adjustable, have a breakaway closure, and have a little bell attached.  The prices are also extremely affordable, which is awesome because there are so many other expenses when adopting a pair of kittens.

At the smallest adjustment, these collars are said to fit most 8 week old kittens.  Since our kittens were about 12 weeks by then, the collars fit them perfectly when adjusted to almost the halfway point.  They definitely have a lot more room to grow.  I suspect that these kitten collars will fit our kitties into adulthood, unless they turn out to be as big as our other cat who is almost 20lbs.

I just had to share these kitten collars since they are so hard to find and I love to shop handmade whenever possible. Plus, the shop owner is such a nice lady, and ships her ready-made items super-quick.  She even takes custom orders if you don't see what you're looking for in her shop.

What great finds have you discovered on Etsy?

Share them with us in a comment here.

Custom Made Disney-Inspired Handbags for Star Wars & Disney Princesses Fans

When I went to Walt Disney World in Orlando earlier this year, I was determined to find a designer Disney bag that I loved.  Alas, it just didn't happen.  There was no magic between me and any of the bags I found.  Did I find some that I liked? . . . Sure!  I just couldn't bring myself to spend a few hundred dollars on a bag I didn't absolutely love.  During the weeks following our trip, I looked around online for a bag because I was told that not all styles were carried in the shops at the park stores.  That's when I happened upon this little Etsy shop called CaliCatBoutique.

After taking a look at the various styles of bags available in this shop, I realized that this Etsy seller offered custom bags, where I could choose the fabrics, vinyl color, zipper color, and more.  I could actually create a bag that I loved!  And, you know what? . . . I ended up creating TWO for much less than it would have cost me for just one high end bag at Disney.  It's been awhile since I wrote a Shop 'n' Share post, but I just couldn't not share about my two new bags!

The first custom handbag is a Star Wars-inspired Sublime bag.  I chose a Rey fabric paired with an off-black vinyl and contrast zippers for a bold accent.

I love the touches of silvertone hardware on this bag, right down to the six metal feet that protect the bottom of the bag from wear.

For the interior, I chose a fun star patterned fabric that picks up the colors of the exterior fabric.  I was pretty pleased with how well the two prints coordinated.

For the zipper, I chose black over a brightly colored one.  I think it worked well.

To complete the look, I found this Star Wars: The Last Jedi Rebel Logo Tassel Keychain to use as a purse charm.  Even though the keychain is goldtone, it worked well with the colors of the bag.  It's almost as if it was made for this Star Wars-inspired bag!

The second bag is a custom tote bag inspired by Disney Princesses.  I first saw this Everyday Tote in purple and fell in love with it.  As I looked around, however, I was extremely infatuated with this subtle Disney Princesses printed fabric.

I paired this pretty fabric with the same off-black vinyl that was used for the Star Wars-inspired bag.

For the interior, I chose a contrasting fabric.  I had a tough time deciding on the color.  Thank goodness the CaliCatBoutique owner is a patient woman.  Ultimately, I ended up with the fuchsia, and I am very pleased with my decision.

When I had mentioned that I never zip my tote bags up, the owner offered to make the bag with a magnetic snap rather than a zipper.  I'm so happy that she did because the functionality of the bag is just as important as the style to me.

Originally, I had purchased a fuchsia leather rose purse charm to hang on this bag, but it didn't look quite right, so I returned to Etsy to find an alternative.  I just think the bag needed a little splash of color.  Finally, I came upon the AnaBeeCreations Etsy shop, where I spotted a mouse head key fob.  I requested to have the pink dotted fabric against the black vinyl.  When the key fob arrived, I replaced the swivel lobster claw clip with a ball chain in order to hang it from my bag.  I love the way this bag turned out, and it's what I'm carrying now for spring!

I'm really just thrilled with my two new bags!  I had also been eyeing the Bonnie Bucket Bag.  Maybe I could have a Buffy the Vampire Slayer-inspired bag made?  Although I did see a beautiful stained glass Beauty and the Beast fabric recently . . . the possibilities are really endless!

NOTE: Be sure to ask for a quote on custom orders, as the cost may vary depending on the fabrics and details you choose.

What theme would inspire your dream handbag?

Tell us in a comment here!

Let the Wand Choose the Wizard with This Handmade Gift Idea for Your Harry Potter Fan

Since this year marks the 20th anniversary of Harry Potter, my children's keen interest in this series was renewed.  Their choice for every family movie night has been a Harry Potter movie for the past few months.  It wasn't a surprise when they brought up the wand we purchased as a birthday gift for my daughter's classmate last fall at King Richard's Faire.  They started to get excited about perhaps choosing wands for their souvenirs at our visit to the Faire this year.  When they started fashioning magic wands out of paper and using up all the rolls of tape in the house, it was clear that waiting a few months for their wands would be extremely difficult for them.

Being the avid online shopper that I am, I started looking on Etsy to see what was available and for what price.  I was surprised at the wide range of magic wands (and prices) on Etsy.  The more I looked, the more I came to realize that I wanted only hand carved wooden wands for my children, similar to the ones sold by the artisan at the Renaissance Faire.  When I came upon the shop, OrchardWorks, I knew I was getting close!

Here's where the magic happened.  I discovered that OrchardWorks offers 'random wands' at an incredible price!  You can tell the shop owners what your color preferences are, along with some adjectives that would describe your perfect wand's personality.  Then the wand chooses the wizard!  You'll see which wand chooses you when it arrives at your door.  How cool is that?

I have to admit that my daughter was a little worried about not being able to choose her wand herself since she is so particular about everything (no idea who she got that from), but she was extremely pleased with her wand, as were her two brothers.  Hers is the light-colored one in the center.  Her preferences were that her wand be honey color and delicate.  My oldest received the wand at the top.  He had asked that his wand be dark-stained and regal.  My youngest son's wand is pictured at the bottom, and is my favorite.  He asked for a black,  twisted, powerful wand.  All three have been casting imaginary spells on each other since that day.

TIP:  If you are shopping for more than one child, you can tell the shop owners the name or age/gender of your children.  They'll label each wand for you, so you'll know which wand chose which wizard.

Since I was so impressed by the workmanship and quality of these wands, I just had to share.  You would care for them as you would care for fine wood furniture.  These would make perfect gifts or even party favors for a Harry Potter-themed birthday party.  I wish I had purchased one for myself!

Who do you know who would love their own Harry Potter-inspired wand?  Share with us in a comment here.

Create Fairy Garden Magic with DIY Fairy Dust Bottles

My daughter and I have been having a blast shopping for the perfect items to add to her fairy garden.  Since she and I also enjoy crafts (of the easy variety), we decided to try our hand at creating our own miniature bottles of fairy dust.  We had seen bottles of fairy dust for sale that were filled with brightly-colored glitter.  They looked pretty cool, but we wondered how could we expand on that idea to make our bottles of fairy dust even more magical?  This is what we came up with . . .


How to make your own Magical Fairy Dust Bottles:

SUPPLIES NEEDED:

Sample Pack of Glitter (Fine)

Clear or White Glitter (Regular)

Mini Glass Bottles with Corks

White Glue

Sticky Notes (or Small Funnel)

Scissors

OPTIONAL:

1/8" Satin Ribbon (Any Color)

1/16" Hole Punch

Step 1.  If you don't happen to have a small funnel handy, you can make your own by rolling a sticky note into a cone shape.  Use the self-adhesive or a small piece of tape to keep the cone from unrolling.  Don't have a sticky note?  A regular square of paper will do.

Step 2.  Place the funnel into an open bottle.  Then fill the bottle about 2/3 with white or clear glitter.

Step 3.  Using scissors, carefully snip off the very tip of the corner of the pouch holding the color glitter you have selected for your fairy dust.

TIP #1:  Since these pouches of glitter are not resealable, keep some tape handy.  Once you're done with the glitter, fold the opened corner of the pouch down at least twice and secure with tape.

Step 4.  Place the funnel into the bottle containing the white or clear glitter.  Fill the bottle to the base of the neck with the fine colored glitter.

Step 5.  Cover the mouth of the bottle tightly with your index finger and shake the bottle vigorously to mix the two types of glitter together.  Continue to shake until well-blended.

Step 6.  You'll notice that the glitter has settled a bit after all the shaking.  Place the funnel in the bottle.  If the color of the fairy dust is to your liking, fill the bottle to the base of the neck with the clear or white glitter.  Then shake to blend.  If you'd like to have more color, add a little more colored glitter.  Shake to blend.  Repeat if needed.

TIP #2:  Do not overfill the bottles.  This will ensure there is room for the cork stopper to be inserted securely.

Step 7.  When your bottle is filled to the base of the neck with glitter, apply a small bead of white glue around the circumference of the cork stopper (as pictured below).  Then insert the stopper into the filled bottle, making sure it's snugly in place.  The glue should dry clear.

Step 8.  (Optional) Choose a star from your glitter sample pack.  Then punch a slightly off-center hole through the star with your hole puncher.

TIP #3:  I found that it was common for 2 or 3 stars to be stuck together.  It would be a good idea to double-check that you are punching a hole in a single star only.

Step 9.  Cut a 5" to 6" length of 1/8"-wide ribbon.  Then cut one end at a sharp angle, so you have a point.  Thread the ribbon through the whole in the star.

Step 10.  Tie the ribbon around the neck of the bottle.  Double-knot the ribbon in the back.  Then trim the tails of the ribbon to match the width of the bottle's neck.  Then you're done!

TIP #4:  If you plan to use a different color of glitter for your next bottle of fairy dust, be sure your funnel is completely free of the previous colored glitter, otherwise traces of the previous color will appear in your next bottle.  If you are using a paper funnel, you may consider discarding that funnel and making a new one for each color of glitter.

Cool Fairy Garden Finds . . . 

Cat with Butterfly - If you shop around on Etsy, you'll see this black and white cat from several sellers, but fairyinthegarden1 made hers special by adding a butterfly.  This extra handcrafted touch is what made me fall in love with this cat.

Sitting Fairy - There are actually four of these adorable little fairies to choose from at the FairyBestWishes Etsy shop, and I ended up purchasing them all.  They are each in a different pose, wearing a different color dress, and holding a different colored gem.

Magic Wooden Chest - I found a cute little toy chest in the MLSLaserEngraving Etsy shop.  I inquired whether I could have the word "Magic" engraved in a chest in place of the word "Toys."  The seller happily accommodated my request.  Originally, I thought my daughter would paint or add gems to the chest, but she seems to like it the way it is for the time being.

Miniature Cupcake - These cute little pink cupcakes came in a set of 4.  I found them in an Etsy shop called BeesKneesMiniatures.  This shop has the most adorable miniatures.  I'll be sharing everything I purchased from this shop soon.


Like this fairy garden craft? Pin It for later . . . 

Have a cool fairy garden craft or find to share?  Leave a comment here.

Find more fairy garden inspiration here.

Fairy Garden Finds, Crafts & Inspiration

It all started with a gift idea for my daughter's 10th birthday.  Having two brothers, she didn't have too many girly hobbies.  We had built her a small dollhouse a few years ago, but furnishing it didn't seem to hold her interest.  Then, while shopping for the perfect bonsai tree for my home office on Etsy, I started seeing all these wonderful fairy garden items mixed in with my search results.  That's when the idea of putting together a fairy garden kit began to form in my head.

Before long, I became so enamored by all the creative and magical things I found while shopping.  I spent way too much time (and money) finding the perfect fairy garden items to include in my daughter's gift basket.  Some may say (ahem . . . my husband) that I went a little overboard.  I was just so excited that I found a hobby that my daughter and I could enjoy together.

I was right!  My daughter oo'd and aah'd over each item as she removed them one at a time from her gift basket.  It was then that I realized that a fairy garden had something a dollhouse didn't have . . . no limits.  Anything goes for a fairy garden as long as you can imagine it!

I'll be sharing all the magical fairy garden items I've found (many of which were handcrafted by some very talented people), some easy fairy garden crafts I've made, and sections of our fairy garden that may inspire new ideas for others.  As I share these things, I'll add the links below.  Let the fun begin!

Fairy Garden Inspiration . . .

DIY Light-up Personalized Window Box Beach Fairy Garden
DIY Miniature Magic Fairy Dust Bottles

DIY Miniature Dollhouse Size Books

Have questions or suggestions? Leave a comment here.

Shop 'n' Share: Personalized Hello Kitty & Marvel Super Heroes Tooth Fairy Pillows/Gift Card Holders

When our oldest son turned 6, we gave him a personalized tooth fairy pillow.  Unfortunately, that company is no longer in business.  So, when I saw these extremely adorable and affordable handmade personalized tooth fairy pillows on Etsy, I had to order one for each twin.  They actually do not turn 6 until January, but I wanted to share them with 3G2S readers today because these would make a great holiday gift.  You can even use them as a cute way to present a gift card to a child.  I will be tucking a gift card in the front pocket of each pillow as part of their birthday gifts.

These tooth fairy pillows are usually sold by It's The Small Things on Etsy for $6 each plus $2.50 shipping to a U.S. address or $3 shipping to a Canadian address.  If you happen to catch the item on sale (like it is now), then you can order one for just $5.10 plus shipping.  For an item that is handmade where you get to choose from a wide array of fabrics and have a name custom embroidered on the pillow, that is such a huge bargain!

I cannot wait to give these to our twins in January.  If you end up ordering one, be sure to come back to let me know which fabric you chose for yours!

These items were purchased with my own funds.  No compensation was received for sharing about this shopping experience with my readers.

Giveaway & Review: Hand Painted Wall Letter from The Framed Frog [CLOSED]

"Room to Play" Product #8

Since we were redoing our daughter's side of the room. We took down all the posters that were just a mix of everything from Littlest Pet Shop to Disney Pixar Cars. We wanted the area around her bed to be pretty and cheerful. The "All Around the Mulberry Bush" Hand Painted Wall Initial from The Framed Frog boutique was exactly what I had in mind.

Look how beautifully wrapped my daughter's wall letter was when it arrived! If you are purchasing for a gift, then you do not need to worry about the presentation because this item comes wrapped and ready-to-give.

This 3d wall initial is hand painted over a paper mache letter. This makes it ultra-light weight, so I do not need to worry about it falling off the wall while hanging above my daughter's bed. I had the option to change the design and color scheme, but the example on The Framed Frog Etsy Shop is what I fell in love with.

What makes this particular wall letter stand out from those in other boutiques is that they are also personalized with your child's name. This is truly a work of art. It is even signed by the artist on the back.

Take a look at how flawless the artwork is. There is not one misplaced speck of paint or one missed spot.

For this particular wall letter, you can choose between a ribbon hanger, keyhole, or no hanger at all. I opted for the ribbon hanger. I think the artist did a wonderful job selecting the ribbon colors. They are very soft and serene . . . pretty, but does not take attention away from the "M'. If I ever change my mind about the ribbons in the future, I need only pry the staples loose to remove them.

My 3 year old daughter's favorite parts of her wall initial are all the pink parts. It is her favorite color after all.

Visit The Framed Frog on Etsy to see their full selection of hand painted and personalized gifts. You can see more examples of their products on the Scrappy Frog blog, Scrappy Frog on Twitter, and The Framed Frog on Facebook.

Thank you to The Framed Frog for sending us a sample wall initial free of charge to base this review upon and for providing a second wall initial as our contest prize.

What you can win:
One lucky reader will receive a Hand Painted Wall Initial from The Framed Frog similar to what my daughter received. (Winner can work with the artist on a different design and color scheme.)

Limitations:

This giveaway is open to U.S. entries only. You do not need to be a blogger to enter, but you must have a valid email address and be age 18 years or older. If you enter anonymously and do not include a valid email address in your comment entries, I will not be able to notify you should you win this random drawing.

How to Gain Entries:

Browse the vast selection of hand painted gifts offered by The Framed Frog. Then leave a comment telling me the name of one item you love (aside from the item reviewed in this article). You MUST do this to be eligible to win this contest.

Extra Entries:

1) For 5 extra entries, leave a relevant comment on one of my non-giveaway posts. Then leave FIVE separate comments with the name of the post on which you commented. You will earn 5 extra entries for each different non-contest post you comment on.

2) For 5 extra entries, enter one of my other contests. Leave FIVE separate comments here telling me which contest you entered. You will earn 5 extra entries for each contest you enter.

3a) For 10 extra entries, blog about this contest linking back to this post AND The Framed Frog . Then come back here and leave TEN separate comments with the link to your blog post.

3b) If you helped me promote this event by blogging about it prior to June 6th, 2010 according to the directions in my Room To Play Event post, then please give yourself an additional 5 entries. Remember to leave a separate comment for each extra entry.

4) For one extra entry each, if you are a friend of mine Facebook and/or have "Liked" the 3 Garnets & 2 Sapphires Facebook page, then leave a separate comment telling me so with the link to your Facebook profile.

5) For one extra entry each, follow ScrappyFrog on Twitter and/or "like" The Framed Frog on Facebook. Then leave a separate comment for each with the link to your Twitter or Facebook profile.

6) Follow me on Twitter. Then leave a separate comment with the link to your Twitter profile.

7) Tweet about this giveaway linking back to this post. Then come back here and leave the link to your tweet in a separate comment. You may do this once per day until the end of the contest.

8) Subscribe to this blog's feed. Or you can follow me through Blogger or subscribe via email (widget is on sidebar). Then leave a separate comment telling me you did so.

9) Subscribe to A Blog of Goodies' feed (the sister site to 3 Garnets & 2 Sapphires). Then leave a separate comment telling me you did so.

10) Add my button or blog link to your blog's sidebar. Then leave a separate comment with the link to your blog.

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11a)

Add my "Room To Play" Giveaway Event button to your blog's sidebar. Then leave a separate comment with the link to your blog.

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11b) If you helped me promote this event by displaying my event tag prior to June 6th, 2010 according to the directions in my Room To Play Event post, then please give yourself an additional 2 entries. Remember to leave a separate comment for each extra entry.

(All entries will be verified prior to awarding this prize.)


Random Drawing:

This contest will be closed on Monday, August 2nd, 2010 at 11:59pm EST. A random number drawing will be held shortly after. The winner will be announced here and will be contact via email or through their blog. If the winner does not respond within 48 hours, a new number will be drawn.

Good luck in the drawing!