Jacaranda Designs Jewelry

Take Advantage of a Coupon For 15% off Jacaranda Designs Jewelry!

2012-02-10T12:06:00.000-08:00

Bake Sale Cookies

2012-02-10T11:00:00.001-08:00

Cookies for tomorrow's school bake sale., originally uploaded by jacaranda-designs.

Today my eleven year old son's class at school is having a bake sale to raise money for the Red Cross. Last night we baked cookies together. Simple shortbread cookies that he decorated with a little water icing and of course, Smarties! Yum!

New Hair Accessories!

2012-02-07T12:37:00.000-08:00

I've been really busy lately adding new beaded hair elastics and floral bobby pins to Jacaranda Designs. Here's a sampling of what's new for hair in my shop.

We Have a Winner

2012-02-05T13:06:00.000-08:00

We have a winner of the Jacaranda Designs January Giveaway!

It is.... E L I Z A B E T H!!

Congratulations and thank you to everyone for entering.

Valentines Day

2012-02-03T06:33:00.000-08:00

Valentines Day is just around the corner and I've added a new section to my shop to make it easier to view some of the Valentines products from Jacaranda Designs.

Are you a Downton Abbey Fan?

2012-02-02T10:29:00.000-08:00

At Christmas, I became somewhat addicted to the British series Downton Abbey. We watched the first season in a couple of days. Since then, Season 2 has been playing on PBS and every Sunday evening, I like nothing better than to settle down with a cup of tea and watch the latest installment in the British saga. Oh and Maggie Smith is priceless. Her one-liners leave me in stitches.

If you're wondering what all the fuss is about, check out this article on BBC. It's a fun read.

Brass Etched Heart Locket With Little Purple Glitter Bead

2012-02-01T13:51:00.001-08:00

Brass Etched Heart Locket With Little Purple Glitter Bead - Romantic Gift For Your Loved One

What's more romantic than tucking a photo of your loved one in this treasured locket?

This vintage style brass locket necklace features a heart shaped brass locket etched with a floral scroll design on the front and back. This brass heart locket opens allowing you to ...

Click Here to Visit My Etsy Shop!

Jacaranda Designs Jewelry January Giveaway - This Time With a Pinterest Twist

2012-01-17T06:48:00.000-08:00

Hello everyone and Happy New Year! I hope 2012 so far is proving to be a wonderful year for you.

This is my first giveaway of 2012 and the lucky winner will be receiving a pair of Ornate Floral Blue and White Daisy Earrings. They have been very popular and I actually ran out of stock over Christmas. The good news is that they are back in stock and you can own a pair.

Have you heard of Pinterest? Do you have a Pinterest account? Here is my Pinterest account. If not, head over to Pinterest and ask for an invite to join. It is a social media site that relies heavily on visuals. It becomes quite addictive once you start. You set up your boards and then "pin" items you see on the Internet that you love and you add them to your boards.

For this giveaway, you can enter really easily!

To qualify to win you must simply....

.....PIN products from Jacaranda Designs Etsy Shop (Etsy have made this very easy by adding a "PIN" button on every listing in the lower right corner.)

               OR

.....Follow me on Pinterest

   OR

.....Tweet about this giveaway

   OR

.....Become a follower of my BLOG

               OR

.....Follow me on Twitter

   OR

.....Follow me on Facebook

Once you have pinned one of my products or tweeted about the giveaway, simply, add a link to the pin or tweet right here (include your email address or etsy name with every entry - if you're worried about spam email you can spell out the "at" and "dot" rather than using standard email format) otherwise I won't know that you've been pinning my products :)

To choose a winner, I will be selecting the individual who follows me on Pinterest AND has tweeted about the giveaway AND has pinned the most items from Jacaranda Designs.

So what are you waiting for? Better start pinning now!

This contest ends on Tuesday Jan 31st at 8pm and is open to individuals over the age of 18 worldwide.

My Amaryllis is Flowering

2012-01-11T07:11:00.000-08:00

A few years ago I bought one of these amaryllis bulbs from a local nursery. I loved the fact that the color of the flower was so unusual - a lovely lime green. I found the bulb again this year but sadly, it didn't flower in time for Christmas. However, the good thing is that now, after Christmas, with all the decorations removed, my lovely flower is in it's glory.

The Joy of Books

2012-01-10T12:19:00.000-08:00

As yet another book store in Toronto closes, this cute video made it online. It's really fun to watch. Enjoy!

G Turned Fifteen on the Weekend

2012-01-09T06:42:00.000-08:00

My son turned fifteen on the weekend and I found myself wondering where the time has gone and how he's grown so big. He's now taller than me, his hands and feet are huge and when I look at him I can help but feel amazed that I once carried him for 9 months. I'm so incredibly proud of him and love him so much. Here's a couple of pics of then and now....

Just In Time For Valentines Day

2012-01-06T10:36:00.000-08:00

Brand new and just in time for Valentines Day... stunning scarlet red vintage jewel earrings.

Chilly Winter Morning in Ontario

2012-01-05T06:37:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year!

2012-01-01T16:05:00.000-08:00

I hope you all enjoyed your new year celebrations last night. We went to a friend's party and for the first time since 2000 made it all the way to midnight. Usually we're at the cottage and after a full day of skiing, there is no energy left to stay up to see in the new year. This year however, we are home.
Do you have any new year's resolutions? Mine? Hmmm, I think to eat more vegetables and less sugar!
A sincere thank you to all my friends who comment on my BLOG and to customers of Jacaranda Designs. I really appreciate your continued support!

I wish you all a successful and happy 2012. May your dreams come true.

Boxing Day Sale at Jacaranda Designs!

2011-12-26T09:17:00.000-08:00

Up to 50% off almost everything in the shop! This sale won't last long so don't delay!

Merry Christmas!

2011-12-23T15:47:00.000-08:00

Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas and a happy and healthy New Year!

Hey, Santa Visited Early This Year?

2011-12-20T06:09:00.000-08:00

My youngest son, J, dressed up for the school concert. He was disappointed that it was a "Winter" concert, not a "Christmas" concert and that there would be no mention of Santa. He had to dress up as an alien from the planet, Pluto. Well it's supposed to be really cold on Pluto and so we dressed him up all in white and guess what, he was the closest thing resembling anything to do with Christmas in the whole concert...my little Santa Claus. He loved it!

Merry Christmas everyone! If you are celebrating another holiday, I wish you wonderful celebrations. And if you don't celebrate at this time of year, then I wish you a happy, healthy December!

Holiday Sale! Everything at Jacaranda Designs Is On Sale!

2011-12-10T06:35:00.000-08:00

Yes, it's getting very close to Christmas so take advantage of this sale at Jacaranda Designs to get your last minute shopping done! Everything in the shop is reduced. Yay!

ETSY LOVE!

2011-12-08T08:30:00.000-08:00

Today I'm featuring Etsy finds that have just really caught my eye lately. Lovely, all of them!

Winner of the Jacaranda Designs November Giveaway

2011-12-03T08:04:00.000-08:00

Congratulations to Lulu, the winner of the Jacaranda Designs November Giveaway!

Thank you to everyone who entered. My next giveaway will be in the new year :)

ETSY LOVE! Christmas Decorating!

2011-12-02T09:34:00.000-08:00

In the last few weeks, I've worked three craft sales and now I have a almost completely free weekend ahead. So today, I'm cleaning my house so that on Sunday we can haul out all the ornaments and Christmas tree to transform our home into the festive spirit.
If you're planning on decorating before Christmas, why not take a look at some of these lovely Christmas Etsy finds.

IPhone Photography

2011-11-29T10:39:00.000-08:00

I don't often use my iPhone for photography. If I do, it's the Hipstamatic app. However, on Sunday morning, rising very early (hockey practice), I looked out the window and the sun had created a line that almost looked like fire on the horizon. I really didn't feel like going downstairs to grab my Canon, so I used my iPhone to capture the moment and I love the way it turned out.

ETSY LOVE! CYBER MONDAY DEALS!

2011-11-28T07:29:00.000-08:00

Cyber Monday is here and so are some amazing deals from talented Etsy entrepreneurs. Here's a sampling of many of the fantastic deals available on Etsy today.

Cyber Monday Sale at Jacaranda Designs - 10% Off Everything!

2011-11-27T13:57:00.000-08:00

Cyber Monday Sale at Jacaranda Designs!

1 day left to save 10% on everything in the shop. Prices have already been adjusted.

Note: Shipping charges excluded.

ETSY LOVE! BLACK FRIDAY DEALS!

2011-11-25T07:43:00.000-08:00

All of the following Etsy sellers are featuring Black Friday specials. If you don't see the special on the item, go to the shop owners home page for full details.

Black Friday Sale

2011-11-24T12:34:00.000-08:00

Black Friday Sale at Jacaranda Designs!

Save 10% on everything in the shop. Prices have already been adjusted.

Note: Shipping charges excluded.

Happy Thanksgiving

2011-11-24T09:27:00.000-08:00

Wishing our neighbors to the south a very happy Thanksgiving! Hope you're having fun spending time with your families and loved ones. Enjoy!

Jacaranda Designs Jewelry: Jacaranda Designs Jewelry November Giveaway - $20 ...

2011-11-23T10:24:00.000-08:00

Jacaranda Designs Jewelry: Jacaranda Designs Jewelry November Giveaway - $20 ...: In this month's giveaway I'm changing things up a bit. Instead of giving away a specific piece of jewelry, I'm offering a $20 coupon to be u...

Adornments on Queen

2011-11-22T12:30:00.000-08:00

Wednesday evening from 5pm to 8pm, I shall be at the store "Adornments on Queen" with a small table featuring a selection of my jewelry for sale. The store is located a 338 Queen Street East (near Parliament) in Toronto. Come by and join us for a free tea and discounts throughout the store.

And just to get you in the mood for winter and of course, Black Friday sales, here's a treasury of some of my favorite Black Friday deals from Etsy.

The Christmas Tree is Up (not ours!)

2011-11-20T10:48:00.000-08:00

Way to early for us to put up a Christmas tree but Ian and I went into the town centre yesterday for a much needed coffee together and I was surprised to see the tree is up already!

ETSY LOVE!

2011-11-17T10:01:00.000-08:00

I've finally made a dent in my Christmas shopping. Have you? Here's some ideas to get you going!

Fun Flower Rings

2011-11-10T10:50:00.000-08:00

I've just added a few new flower rings to my shop. I was at a craft sale on Saturday, and these cute little rings were my biggest seller. Teenage girls especially loved them. I can see why - they add a lovely punch of color and very affordable.

ETSY LOVE!

2011-11-08T11:02:00.000-08:00

Some of my recent faves on Etsy. Show them some love!

First Signs of Frost

2011-11-06T06:21:00.000-08:00

It was an early start today as our youngest son had hockey practice at 7am. As he and Ian were leaving I noticed on our front door step all the frost that had accumulated on the pot plants and couldn't resist snapping a few shots. Here's a couple. Happy Sunday!

First craft sale of the holiday season this coming Saturday

2011-11-04T10:35:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow is my first craft sale of the holiday season. It's called Craftstock and is at White Oaks Secondary School in Oakville so if you happen to live in the area, come by and say hello. I'll be at table #8.

I've been reworking my table display over the last couple of weeks.

I found some lovely French cream and floral fabric on sale that I used to make a new table covering. I also scoured the thrift shops in the area for picture frames which I repainted and used for displaying necklaces. I managed to pick up a few trays which I also painted and I'm using them to display necklaces and earrings.

But my big find was a gold metal fruit tray that I bought for 99c. My very patient husband attached it to a stand and made it so that it would rotate. It's turned in a wonderful necklace carousel plus I've filled it with little packages of bobby pins.

I have nearly everything ready to go for tomorrow. I sprained my ankle last weekend so thank goodness I have a helper for the day.

Wish me luck!

Jacaranda Designs Jewelry November Giveaway - $20 Coupon at Jacaranda Designs

2011-11-01T10:46:00.000-07:00

In this month's giveaway I'm changing things up a bit. Instead of giving away a specific piece of jewelry, I'm offering a $20 coupon to be used towards any purchase at Jacaranda Designs. After all, it's the holiday season and we all have gifts to buy for friends and family.

Please leave a comment on this post, including a link to your favorite piece of jewelry at Jacaranda Designs. Hey, maybe it'll be yours soon.

You can enter once per day and you must include your first name and etsy username or email address with every entry. If you're worried about spam email, you can spell out the 'at' and 'dot' rather than using the standard email format.

Receive additional entries:
- if you follow or subscribe to my blog
- twitter about the giveaway and/or blog about the giveaway
- become a fan of Jacaranda Designs Facebook Page
- feature any of my items on your blog
- follow me on twitter
- purchase any item from Jacaranda Designs (5 additional entries!)

Just comment/leave a link letting me know!

Go ahead, have fun and spread the word please!

This giveaway is open to everyone, worldwide. Giveaway ends Wednesday 30 November, 5pm.

Autumn Colors in Ontario

2011-10-31T11:04:00.000-07:00

Quiet Sunday

2011-10-23T09:46:00.000-07:00

Spending a Sunday morning at the park with my son.

Enjoy Free Shipping at Jacaranda Designs Jewelry on Most Items

2011-10-20T07:18:00.000-07:00

Looking for unique gifts for friends and family? Well there are many new jewelry designs at Jacaranda Designs.

AND I'm offering free shipping on most items in the shop.

So stock up now while you can save on the shipping charges and have fun shopping.

Stunning Italian Floral Window Boxes and Planters

2011-10-16T10:54:00.000-07:00

While traveling through Italy in the Spring, I took dozens of photos of the vibrant window boxes and pot plants everywhere. I was so envious as I always struggle to keep mine healthy throughout the entire summer. Here's a sampling of the beautiful displays.

A Fall Walk Along Oakville's Waterfront

2011-10-04T10:45:00.000-07:00

We Have a Winner! Jacaranda Designs Jewelry September Giveaway - Autumn Acorn Earrings

2011-10-04T10:22:00.000-07:00

The winner of the acorn earrings from my September giveaway is....

HELEN!

Thank you everyone for taking part. I had a wonderful response to the giveaway and chose the winner using random.org.

I hope you all enter my next giveaway!

First Attempt at Cake Pops - They Look Very Different To The Ones in The Books!

2011-09-28T11:16:00.000-07:00

A couple of weeks ago, my niece Leah, was over for dinner and I decided this would be a great time to try making these cake pops I keep seeing everywhere.

I made the actual cake pops, but when it came to decorating them, the boys and Leah took over. So ours ended up as upside down cake pops with some rather unusual designs but they loved making and of course, eating them!

A Quiet Monday

2011-09-26T09:19:00.000-07:00

Embracing Rust

2011-09-19T09:41:00.000-07:00

Some fantastic Etsy finds for the Fall in rich rust!

New Autumn Designs at Jacaranda Designs

2011-09-15T10:12:00.000-07:00

I've been extremely busy lately readying my shop for the holiday season. There are many new jewelry designs in lovely earthy as well as vibrant colors. Here's a snapshot of a few pieces. Head over to Jacaranda Designs to see the entire new line. As always, many of of my designs are one of a kind. However, I do make duplicates of some pieces so if you require multiples, please contact me and I'll see what I can do.

A Tasty Crop of Heirloom Tomatoes

2011-09-13T05:53:00.000-07:00

This year we decided to try planting some heirloom tomatoes. I usually plant the basic beefsteak and cherry tomatoes so a change was welcome. We ended up with some really tasty large red tomatoes and also hundreds (yes, I'm not exaggerating!) of little year pear shaped tomatoes. They are sweet and far less acidic that regular tomatoes. If only I could get the boys to enjoy tomatoes...one day maybe.

Here's an easy appetizer I made with the yellow tomatoes.

* Roll out some puff pastry and cut it into 2" by 2" squares, spread some pesto or tapenade on each piece of pastry, and top it with a cut tomato and a splash of olive oil.

* Then pop them in the oven on a baking tray at about 450 degrees for about 15 minutes.

They are delicious!

Jacaranda Designs Jewelry September Giveaway - Autumn Acorn Earrings

2011-09-05T13:00:00.000-07:00

It's been a while since I've hosted a giveaway for Jacaranda Designs. I thought a suitable giveaway this month would be a pair of my acorn earrings. In lovely autumn colors, they are perfect for the coming season. To enter is easy....

Please leave a comment on this post, including one word you would use to describe the style of jewelry at Jacaranda Designs.

You can enter once per day and you must include your first name and etsy username or email address with every entry. If you're worried about spam email, you can spell out the 'at' and 'dot' rather than using the standard email format.

Receive additional entries:
- if you follow or subscribe to my blog
- twitter about the giveaway and/or blog about the giveaway
- become a fan of Jacaranda Designs Facebook Page
- feature any of my items on your blog
- follow me on twitter
- purchase any item from Jacaranda Designs (5 additional entries!)

Just comment/leave a link letting me know!

Go ahead, have fun and spread the word please!

This giveaway is open to everyone, worldwide. Giveaway ends Friday 30 September, 5pm.

There's Nothing Like a Good Cup of Coffee to Start The Weekend

2011-08-27T07:22:00.000-07:00

There's nothing like a good cup of coffee to start the weekend. This week I started drinking decaf coffee in an effort to wean myself off caffeine. I've had killer headaches but hopefully I'm over the worst of it.

Don't you love the design on this cup of coffee? I wish I could take the credit for it, but alas no, it was a far more experienced coffee maker at the Kerr Street Cafe in my hometown of Oakville.

Have a lovely weekend everyone!

Camping Trip

2011-08-23T11:20:00.000-07:00

This past weekend our family went on a camping trip to Bon Echo Provincial Park in Ontario. We had never visited this park before and were really impressed. There is a stunning lake there, offering canoeing and swimming as well as beautiful granite and quartz rock formations.

Saturday was a glorious warm day. On Saturday morning, we woke to find a family of four raccoons sleeping in the top of a tree on our site. That night after we finished our dinner, we sat around the fire while the raccoon mommy and three babies decided it was time to come down the tree. They were very nervous but knew they had to come down. It was interesting to watch the mother raccoon pushing one of the babies to climb down the tree and the baby trying to get back up. Although we stayed very quiet, they were obviously scared. The mommy gave the baby a good talking to (at least that's what it sounded like) and then they made it down and disappeared into the bush.

Sunday, sadly it rained! Today we're cleaning the mud off the tents and packing everything away.

It's the last of the family road trips for the summer :(

Fresh From My Garden

2011-08-17T15:17:00.000-07:00

I picked these from the garden and placed them in a vase in the kitchen. Later we went out for a few hours and left all the windows closed. When we arrived home the beautiful scent of these roses had permeated the entire house.

The Lazy Days of Summer

2011-08-12T09:08:00.000-07:00

It just a few weeks left until the boys head off to school again. I'm going to miss their company during the day as well as the lunches on the patio outside. Both boys love books and Jake particularly likes to sit on the patio eating his lunch and reading his favorite piece of fiction. Enjoy your weekend..hope it's a good one.

Beautiful Buildings of Rome

2011-08-10T15:37:00.000-07:00

At the end of June, we spent a glorious two weeks in Italy. I am now finally getting the time to sort through the hundreds of photos I took during the vacation. Today I'm featuring some of the beautiful buildings of Rome...they're everywhere!

Summer Fun

2011-08-05T04:44:00.001-07:00

Have a wonderful weekend!

New Beaded Hair Elastics In Stock at Jacaranda Designs

2011-08-01T11:31:00.000-07:00

I've recently added some new beaded hair elastics to Jacaranda Designs. Here's a peek.

A Different Kind of Gardening

2011-07-23T08:27:00.000-07:00

A couple of weekends ago, we took the boys into Toronto's Kensington Market on a Saturday morning. It's a fun place to shop, have breakfast and people watch. The boys always find something interesting to look at and it's such a change from the sterility of the suburbs.

This particular Saturday we were intrigued by the vehicular reclamation project. I couldn't walk past without whipping my camera out. Decorating that car and planting the scrubs looks like it must have been incredible fun. Despite the fact that Ian's car is pretty old, I'll have to suppress the urge to cover it with graffiti - he still has to get to work.

My Sweet Peas

2011-07-19T08:30:00.000-07:00

Several years ago I planted sweet peas in my near my vegetable garden. I assumed they were annuals. However, every year since then, they have come back and thrived. In fact, I have to cut them back or they would completely take over. Sweet peas have always been a favorite. My Granny always had them in her garden and they are a reminder of my childhood holidays spent at her house.

Here are some photos of this year's flowers..

A Successful Homemade Pasta Meal

2011-07-17T12:38:00.000-07:00

If you read my previous post, you'll know I was trying my best to make some homemade pasta. Nothing too fancy, just fettuccine.

It worked out really well. I ended up making a pesto sauce for it and it tasted so good.

I wish I had the time to make pasta more often but it took me quite a while so I'm afraid my family will have to settle for homemade pasta only once in a while.

Trying My Hand At Pasta Making

2011-07-16T12:57:00.000-07:00

After visiting Italy recently and tasting the delicious fresh pasta, my children have been after me to make some. I bought a pasta maker about 20 years ago and the last time I used it was about 20 years ago!

I couldn't find my original recipe so I found one in one of my Jamie Oliver cookbooks. After some trial and tribulation, we managed to make some semi-presentable fettuccine. It's busy drying right now but we're planning on cooking it for dinner tonight.

Keeping my fingers crossed that it's edible otherwise it's grilled cheese for dinner for everyone :)

Etsy LOVE! Pool Party

2011-07-13T12:58:00.000-07:00

In this hot and humid weather, what better way to spend the day than enjoying the fun of a pool party. I've found so many delightful products in various Etsy shops that are perfect for summertime pool parties. Enjoy!

Mid Summer Clearance Sale at Jacaranda Designs

2011-07-11T11:48:00.000-07:00

Looking for that perfect piece of jewelry to complement a summer outfit? Are you super organized and already scouting around for interesting holiday gifts? Whatever the reason, it's a great time to shop at Jacaranda Designs.

I have having a mid summer clearance sale and everything is 25% off. The prices in the shop have already been adjusted so no need to worry about coupons codes.

Many items are end of line so if there's a piece you have your eye on, don't delay.

My Current Vice, Cappuccino

2011-07-09T13:11:00.000-07:00

I have this love hate relationship with coffee. I love a cappuccino or cafe latte mid morning. The downside is that when I don't have my daily fix, I get a roaring headache.

My coffee addition had been tamed just before we went to Italy and then I discovered some of the best coffees I've ever had. Sunday morning, the day after our return to Canada was a rude awakening with no cappuccino to satisfy my craving. I grabbed a pair of shorts and t-shirt and drove to our nearest Italian bakery and bought a cappuccino.

All week I've been trying to wean myself off but now I'm just facing the fact that I really enjoy coffee and I'm giving in. The problem is I don't have an expresso machine at home and doubt if I'll be getting one anytime soon?

What's your vice?

Back from Our Italian Vacation

2011-07-05T10:06:00.000-07:00

We just returned from a two week vacation to Italy. Neither Ian or myself had ever been to Italy before so this was a real treat. We stayed for two weeks. We spent the first 5 days in Rome. Then we rented a car and drove to Tuscany where we spent 5 more days. After that we drove to an area just north of Venice, close to the Dolomites for 4 nights and then flew home out of Venice.

The boys loved their Italian experience also. They're both history lovers so there was much to interest them, especially in Rome.

The food was so tasty, the vino perfect and the weather beautifully hot. I think we had rain once, during the night.

We saw so much during our travels and took tons of photos. I've downloaded them but it's going to take me a while to sort through them! You'll be seeing a lot of them over the next few weeks.

Also, Jacaranda Designs is open once again. I closed the shop while I was away and it was lovely not feeling that commitment to staying connected.

Hope you're having a lovely summer!

Etsy LOVE!

2011-06-14T06:38:00.000-07:00

I haven't done an Etsy LOVE post in a while due to some health issues which have kept me rather occupied. In June I shall be taking some much required time off and closing the shop for a couple of weeks. Before then, I'd like to showcase some of my favorite recent finds on Etsy. Enjoy!

Sunday Afternoon in the Garden

2011-06-07T07:27:00.000-07:00

On Sunday afternoon, Jake and his friend were playing badminton in the back yard. We were pretending it was the French Open of Badminton (not that it really exists!) and I was the paparazzi with my camera. After taking tons of photos and nearly getting my lens hit with a badminton racket, I moved on to photographing plants (my favorite).

Whilst poking around the garden, I happened upon a robin's nest high up on the drainpipe of the house under the eaves. A perfect spot that is sheltered and that the squirrels and raccoons can't reach. It looks like the initial nest fell sideways and then they built another on top.

Hope to see some little baby birds sometime soon.

Quinoa The Everyday Superfood

2011-05-31T11:39:00.000-07:00

I know I haven't been blogging much lately. I've had a lot on my plate. Those of you who know me well, know that I have been struggling with chronic back pain for several years. A few weeks ago I started a non invasive low level laser therapy to help ease the pain and nerve issues. I have to go three times a week which takes quite a chunk out of my day. So far, I've had 10 sessions and not a huge improvement but I will persevere for a little while longer. Just to complicate things, I hurt my knee recently. It swelled up like a football and has really put an end to my daily walking! So as you can see, my reasons for not blogging are quite legit - I just haven't had time!

Today though, I wanted to tell you about a cookbook that I have been using. My mom bought it for me as I'm gluten intolerant and so do not eat wheat. Quinoa is actually a protein and so incredibly good for you. I've made dozens of recipes out of this book and I wanted to let others know about it. It's by far the best collection of gluten free recipes I've come across. Not all the recipes are gluten free but a large majority are. Even if you eat wheat, quinoa is still a really healthy, tasty alternative.

Yesterday I popped in ay my parents' house and had a delicious slice of moist chocolate cake made from this book. It was yummy and I'm in the process of making it for my family right now!

The name of the book is Quinoa 365 and definitely worth ever penny.

I'll let you know what the family think of the chocolate cake.

A Spring Walk Along The Bronte Waterfront

2011-05-27T10:52:00.000-07:00

On Tuesday, a couple of friends and I went for a stroll along the Bronte waterfront in Oakville. Armed with cameras, we took tons of shots along the way. The previous day was Victoria Day in Canada so the beach was littered with the remains of lots of fireworks and beach fires. Along the way, we saw swans and baby Canada geese. In one of the shots, you can see the Toronto skyline - no smog that day. It was a lovely morning out, not too cool and not too hot. Perfect!

Enjoy Free Shipping at Jacaranda Designs Jewelry

2011-05-24T09:20:00.000-07:00

For a limited time, I'm offering free worldwide shipping on all Jacaranda Designs Jewelry. It's really easy. When you checkout at my shop, simply enter the coupon code FRSHIP and the shipping charges will automatically be deducted.

There's lots of new additions to the shop, so drop by and take a look.

Tulips From My Garden

2011-05-15T12:53:00.000-07:00

The rain was weighing down all the flowers so I decided to pick a few and brighten up the kitchen. Within an house they had opened up to reveal gorgeous centers. Enjoy!

Magnolias In Bloom

2011-05-10T08:52:00.000-07:00

After a few weeks of dull, wet weather, the sun has finally decided to make an entrance. Every Spring I look forward to the glorious magnolia in our front yard flowering. I must say I was worried that this year we'd be watching in from inside the house while the rain came down.

But it's in bloom this week and as beautiful as ever!

It's my favorite plant in the garden, followed by my peony.

What's your cherished plant in your garden?

Happy Mother's Day!

2011-05-08T16:11:00.000-07:00

To all the Mom's out there....have a fantastic Mother's Day!

From left to right... my grandmother, younger sister, me, Mom and older sister..... this was taken a long time ago!

Etsy LOVE!

2011-05-05T10:29:00.000-07:00

The bulbs are starting to flower in my garden this week and finally the sun is out. I've been poking around in the beds checking to see what's coming up. I have shades of purple and yellow in the front garden.

Today I'm featuring my Etsy faves from the last week..all in shades of glorious green!

Spring is in the Air

2011-05-04T08:18:00.000-07:00

Although it's been an incredibly wet April and so far, May also, I know that spring is in the air because each morning around 3:30 am the birds start chirping outside our bedroom window. It's incredible how loud it gets and usually Ian or myself ends up getting out of bed and closing the windows. We have a cherry tree outside and the birds just love congregating in it.

Now I probably bring it on myself as I put seed out for the birds. The bonus is during the day I look out of my kitchen window and see so many beautiful birds at the feeder.

On the topic of birds, I have been adding to my collection of bird nest necklaces at Jacaranda Designs. They have been selling well lately with Mother's Day around the corner. After receiving many requests for custom colors, I decided to expand the line to include more color combinations.

Have a wonderful day and don't forget to feed the birds!

Etsy LOVE! Fit For Royalty.

2011-04-27T10:51:00.000-07:00

With the Royal wedding in a couple of days, I thought I would spotlight a few Etsy finds that fit the British theme. Are you going to watch the wedding? I'm heading to a friend's house at 6am to enjoy the events as well as English scones.

Part 3 The Heartsy Deal - Helpful Hints

2011-04-26T15:56:00.000-07:00

Taking part in a Heartsy promotion and receiving a huge amount of Etsy orders for Jacaranda Designs in the space of a few days is an event you have to be ready to handle efficiently. I've summarized some helpful hints that I feel may help you get prepared.

1. Have as much stock on hand before the promotion as you can. It's going to save a lot of time if you don't have to make your products as the orders come in.

2. Stock up on packaging and mailing supplies. Depending on how you package your product, you will want to stock up on items such as bubble envelopes, boxes, ribbon, tissue, business cards.

3. Create a spreadsheet ahead of time. On my spreadsheet I had the following columns:
a. Coupon Number
b. Customer Name
c. Amount of Etsy Order
d. Invoiced
e. Paid Invoice
f. Purchase Date
g. Shipping Cost
h. Shipping Status
i. Date Shipped
j. On Back Order
k. Etsy Fees
l. Paypal Fees
m. Remaining Shop Credit

I know it's a lot of columns but it certainly made it easier for me to track all the data.
As soon as Jacaranda Designs Heartsy coupons started selling, I started updating my spreadsheet and continued to do so through the entire week.

4. Make sure your expected shipping times are very clear on your Shop announcement. I committed to shipping out all orders within three days of payment.

5. Day One - spreadsheet and responses. On Day 1, I did not even try to start shipping orders. I spend my entire time updating my spreadsheet as orders came in, renewing items that had sold and responding to customer inquiries (you may have a lot of these)

6. Day Two - Invoicing and Shipping. On Day 2, I started by invoicing all those customers who had spent more than the coupon value. Once I had sent off the invoices, I started to package up all those orders that had been paid in full (i.e. customer had spent less than the coupon value). On the evening of Day 2, I sent out emails to all the customers whose orders had been shipped that day.

7. Day Three, Four and Five. As invoices were paid, I packaged up those orders. Many individuals did not use their coupons on the first day so the remainder of the week was spent also dealing with a few orders coming in.

Anyway, that was how I got through a very busy time for Jacaranda Designs. My hope is that this information will help you if you decide to embark on a Heartsy promotion. You may not approach it the same way as I have but whatever you do, stay organized!

Part 2 :The Heartsy Deal - The Math

2011-04-21T11:44:00.000-07:00

I know a lot of people dread working with numbers but if you are going to consider offering a promotion on Heartsy you really have to spend some time doing the math to ensure that you come out ahead of the game and don't end up losing money.

Realize that the discounts offered on Heartsy are fairly substantial - Jacaranda Designs was 62%. I offered a $19 coupon for $50 worth of goods.

Some of your buyers will purchase products that total more than the coupon value. However, many will purchase goods totaling less than the coupon value. During my promotion, I would say approximately 50% of my customers purchased more than the $50 coupon value.

When figuring out your financials ahead of time, assume that buyers will NOT purchase more than the coupon value. This is the worst case scenario.

Following are the points you have to consider:

1. Wholesale discounts.

The discounts on Heartsy are generally a little more than wholesale discounts. The first thing to figure out is whether you are generally able to afford to give wholesale discounts on your Etsy merchandise. I price Jacaranda Designs jewelry so that I am able to offer wholesale prices to customers buying in bulk. I think my prices are fair and reflect the cost of the materials and time taken to produce them.

If your products are priced at a level where you cannot generally afford to offer customers wholesale discounts, then you may find that you will lose money on a Heartsy promotion and it may not be worthwhile for you.
If you are able to offer wholesale discounts, then read on...

2. Etsy Fees
Etsy fees are 3% of the selling price of a product. NOTE: Etsy take a percentage of the price the item is listed for and sold for in your shop. They do not know that a buyer has purchased the item using a coupon worth much less. If you sell a $50 item, your Etsy fees will be 3% of $50 ($1.50), not 3% of the cost of the $19 coupon.

3. Paypal Fees
You will be paying Paypal fees on the money transferred from Heartsy to your account. When you send out the invoices to customers who have purchased over the coupon value, and they pay you, Paypal will take a portion of those payments too. I rounded out that expense to 3% of payments received. This is 3% of the $19 value plus 3% of any dollar amount spent above $50.

4. Shipping
If a buyer purchases a coupon that entitles them to say $50 worth of goods from your shop, the coupon can include the shipping so effectively you're giving a discount on the shipping in addition to the cost of the item(s).
For example, a customer with a $19 coupon worth $50 could purchase a $40 necklace plus shipping of $3.50. The total of $43.50 falls within the $50 value so the customer is not paying extra for the shipping. You now need to pay the shipping out of the $19.

5. Heartsy Fees
There currently are NONE - YAY!

So taking into account the above costs here is an example:
Amount paid per coupon: $19
Etsy fees per coupon: $1.50
Paypal fees per coupon: $0.57
Shipping per coupon: $3.50
Left over per coupon: $13.43

From the $13.43 deduct the cost of making your product. This will obviously vary for everyone.

This is a very basic approach but it will give you an idea of what to expect.

I hope it helps you out. Next week I will be writing about efficiency processing your Heartsy orders and staying on top of everyone.

To read Part 1 of my Heartsy experience, click here.

Happy Easter everyone!

If You Missed Out On The Jacaranda Designs Heartsy Promotion

2011-04-20T08:04:00.000-07:00

I've had many requests from customers since my Heartsy promotion ran, asking if they are still able to buy coupons. Sadly, all coupons sold out within the 24 hours.

Don't despair though!

Until the end of the Easter weekend, I'm giving you the opportunity to save 25% off everything at Jacaranda Designs (This does not apply to shipping charges and cannot be combined with any other promotion).

In order to qualify for the 25% discount, please enter the coupon code "HEARTSY" when you check out.

Part 1 :The Heartsy Deal - Jacaranda Design's Positive Experience

2011-04-19T11:20:00.000-07:00

During early March I was lazily browsing through the Etsy forums on a Sunday afternoon when I stumbled upon a posting about a relatively new site called Heartsy. I read that Heartsy offers special deals on selected Etsy shops, a little like Groupon. It sounded like an interesting promotional opportunity so I decided to investigate further. It turned out that in order for a shop to be considered for a promotion on Heartsy, the shop owner was required to add a few photos of their products and submit their "deal" for consideration/voting by the customer community.

A few minutes later I had submitted my Jacaranda Designs deal and moved on to other things. A couple of weeks later I had an email from Heartsy informing me that Jacaranda Designs had received sufficient votes to qualify. Heartsy administration were very responsive to my emails and questions, always getting back to me promptly. Together, we finalized the details of the promotion and a few weeks later, Monday April 13th, Jacaranda Designs was featured on Heartsy.

On the day of the promotion, I woke at 5am and around 7am began a wonderful, crazy busy day (to top it all my son was home sick from school for the day!). In fact the entire week flew by as I prepared invoices, packaged orders and responded to inquiries.

I'm a pretty organized person (with a background in project management) so I thought I would be able to handle the load very efficiently. Although I did manage to package heaps of orders and mail them out within the three business days I had promised, I see now that I could have been even more efficient with my time.

All in all it was an enormously successful promotion. I know there has been a lot of discussion on Etsy forums regarding whether sellers should sell their handmade crafts at such a considerable discount and this is my opinion. I wasn't approaching this as a quick way to make lots of sales and profit. This was another form of advertising and marketing. I usually pay for advertising of Jacaranda Designs and I figured Heartsy was a way to advertise that would not cost me money.

Anyway, I thought I would talk about my experience on my blog and hopefully help other sellers prepare for the big day or at least make a decision whether they want to participate as a Heartsy seller.

Part 2 (later this week) will discuss the math you have to do ahead of time. Yes, I know, many people hate math but in this case, you will have to do some number crunching to make sure you end up making, not losing money.

Stay tuned....

A Lovely Quiet Sunday

2011-04-17T05:54:00.000-07:00

After a chaotic week (yes, I was featured on Heartsy!), it's now time for a quiet day, thank goodness. I have a few orders to process, a couple of chores around the house but for the most part, it's a day of relaxation before another busy week begins. Hope your Sunday is relaxing too!

Winner of the Heirloom Tomato Seeds from The Bear Foot Shaman

2011-04-08T11:05:00.000-07:00

Thank you everyone for entering the recent giveaway for the heirloom tomato seeds. We had a wonderful response and the lucky winner is DARCY!

I know many of you were hoping to win this lovely seed package from The Bear Foot Shaman. Don't despair...head along to the shop where there are still many varieties in stock ready for your summer vegetable garden.

Etsy LOVE!

2011-04-06T07:57:00.000-07:00

My weekly faves from Etsy. Every week I am astonished by the amount of creative talent on Etsy. Grab a coffee or tea, sit down, relax and browse through these wonderful finds from Etsy artists.

Baking The Ice Hockey Team Cake

2011-04-04T10:06:00.000-07:00

This weekend was the end of season hockey party. The boys had such a fun time. It was a pot luck dinner and I offered to make the hockey cake. When the boys were younger I used to make their birthday cakes every year, each time with a different theme. However the last couple of years I've been making their favorite desserts instead.

Needless to say I was a little out of practice. I scoured the shops for mini hockey players to put on the cake but they were nowhere to be found! So I ended up stealing the nets off our rod hockey game (they've since been washed again and re-installed on the game!) and decorating the cake with the name of our childrens' team - the Hound Dogs.

It worked out well but the cake was huge so I hope the boys like it because they are going to be finding a slice in their lunch boxes every day this week most likely.

New Spring and Summer Designs From Jacaranda Designs Jewelry

2011-03-30T10:41:00.000-07:00

I've been really busy the last little while adding new jewelry designs to my shop. Here is a small sampling of some of the recent additions you'll see if you visit Jacaranda Designs.

A Tasty Giveaway From The Bear Foot Shaman

2011-03-28T06:48:00.000-07:00

For all you gardeners out there, you're going to love this next giveaway. Spring is just around the corner in this part of the world and if you're like me, you're starting to poke around the garden looking for signs of the warmer weather. Of course, with Spring comes the opportunity to start a vegetable garden and reap the delicious rewards of your hard work during the summer.

We've had a vegetable garden each year for about the past 16 years and each year I try a different type of tomato in addition to my favorites. If you don't have a large area of a garden to cultivate your vegetables, you can also grow tomato plants in pots. This year I think I shall purchase some heirloom seeds from The Bear Foot Shaman and give those a try - they look too good to pass up.

YOU have the wonderful opportunity to win some heirloom tomato seeds courtesy of The Bear Foot Shaman. The Bear Foot Shaman specializes in Aromatherapy, Herbal Medicine, and sells Heirloom Seeds. They hope that everyone can enjoy the wonders and health a garden has to offer. They are kindly putting together a package of the following seeds:

Heirloom Organic Black Krim Tomato Seed Vegetable Garden Seeds

Heirloom Organic Yellow Pear Tomato Garden Seeds Vegetable Seed

PIF Super Sioux Tomato - Wonderful Organic Heirloom Seeds - Perfect Garden Tomato Seed

Organic Heirloom Gypsy Black Tomato Non-GMO Garden Vegetable Seed

The giveaway is easy to enter...

Please leave a comment describing which seeds from The Bear Foot Shaman you would include in your ideal vegetable garden.

You can enter once per day and you must include your first name and etsy username or email address with every entry. If you're worried about spam email, you can spell out the 'at' and 'dot' rather than using the standard email format.

Receive additional entries:
- if you follow or subscribe to my blog
- twitter about the giveaway and/or blog about the giveaway
- become a fan of Jacaranda Designs Facebook Page
- feature any of my items on your blog
- follow me on twitter

Just comment/leave a link letting me know!
Go ahead, have fun and spread the word please!
This giveaway is open to everyone, worldwide. Giveaway ends Wednesday April 6th at 5pm.

Dolce Dreams - A Collection of Delightful Gifts For The Women In Your Life

2011-03-26T13:30:00.000-07:00

Recently, I purchased a beautiful embroidered lavender sachet from Nathalie, the owner of and creator behind the Etsy shop DolceDreams. Nathalie and I have corresponded via our blogs for a while now and when I saw her post the turquoise sachet with MOM embroidered on it, I knew I had to purchase one for my mother for Mother's Day.

Well, Nathlie certainly did not disappoint. A short while later, I received my order, wrapped and packaged lovingly in an organza bag. However, an even nicer surprise was that Nathalie included an extra little gift just for me. A navy lavender sachet with a "J" embroidered on the front. I was so touched by this gesture. I placed it in my clothes drawer (but not before I photographed it so I could show you) and each time I open the drawer, the scent of lavender wafts out. Thank you so much Nathalie!

So if you're looking for a Mother's Day gift, don't hesitate to take a look at Nathalie's shop. There's a huge assortment of little quilts, sachets, lavender eye pillows and more...I know you will be pleased to have found this little gem of a shop...I was and I've made a friend at the same time!

The Jane Behind Jacaranda Designs - Getting To Know Me Better...

2011-03-22T07:27:00.000-07:00

My good friend, Lee Currie, writes daily (and sometimes more than once a day it seems!) on her BLOG Embrace Life. She has a wonderful way with words and an ability to describe things we take for granted everyday in such a enlightening, uplifting way.

Upon reading Embrace Life, you'll realize that Lee is also an extremely talented photographer and scrapbooker. I have learned more about the art of scrapbooking since meeting Lee than I have since I purchased my album 14 years ago!

Recently, Lee has started a weekly interview column. It's an interview style based on Proust Interview found in Vanity Fair magazine. It was a lot of fun answering the questions....try getting your friends to participate. You'd be surprised what interesting tidbits you may find out about them :)

Here is the link to Lee's interview with me. If you'd like to learn a little more about me, read on.....

Etsy LOVE!

2011-03-21T06:24:00.000-07:00

My weekly faves from Etsy. There's always such a wealth of creative talent on Etsy that it's hard to whittle my choices down to a mere few, but here goes....show them some love!

Supermoon

2011-03-20T08:03:00.000-07:00

Last night we experienced the first supermoon since 1993. It's when the moon is closest to the earth and appears even brighter than usual.

After having dinner at my parents' house on the lake, we went outside to take a look at the moon. Sadly, I had forgotten my camera at home but I managed to capture this photo with my IPhone. It looks almost like an oil painting.

The Promise of a Glorious Spring

2011-03-19T07:54:00.000-07:00

Beautiful Spring Irises

2011-03-15T08:50:00.000-07:00

This week is somewhat chaotic as the boys are enjoying March Break. I also have my in-laws visiting for the week so time to work on my jewelry and my blog is somewhat limited.

I was having some fun on the weekend practicing some photography tips I was given. I had bought these lovely irises on "special" at my local grocery store last week. They didn't look like much when I first arranged them in the vase, but three days later they were looking spectacular. Such a splash of color in this otherwise rather gray winter weather.

Project Simplify - Cleaning Out The Closet

2011-03-11T06:20:00.000-08:00

Last week I wrote a post about how I was going to take part in the Project Simplify challenge starting this past Monday.

The challenge for this week was to clean out our closets. Well, mine was long overdue for an overhaul. I put off the task until Tuesday afternoon and then got to work.

I was brutal. I got rid of dresses I hadn't worn in fifteen years and shoes that I hoped to wear again but I just don't. The strange thing is I'm no heavier than I was twenty years ago but after having two children, gravity has taken it's toll on my body and some clothes that I thought I looked really great wearing just don't compliment my figure anymore!

It felt really good the following morning to walk into my closet and see the order in there instead of the normal chaos.

And the local charity shop benefited from my efforts too. I managed to amass one very large black garbage bag of clothing and shoes!

Well, here's my before and after shots.

BEFORE....What a mess!

AFTER....hey, I can find things!

New Hair Accessories For Spring!

2011-03-10T11:13:00.000-08:00

Recently I've added to my line of hair accessories at Jacaranda Designs. They are available in a myriad of colors and make a lovely Easter gift. Pop them in your hair for a spontaneous splash of color.

Etsy LOVE!

2011-03-09T11:05:00.000-08:00

I always enjoy posting my Etsy faves for the week. I'm constantly signing onto Etsy (when I should be doing other things) as I enjoy looking at the creativity of other people. It's so inspiring. Enough of my rambling. Here are my picks for the week. Enjoy!

International Women's Day

2011-03-08T07:49:00.000-08:00

I'm an avid collector of vintage cookery books and can literally spend hours paging through them. Just yesterday I was looking at my Mrs Beeton's Cookery and Household Management. I always have a little laugh when I do as some of the topics it covers are just so foreign to me.

Just to give you a sampling, here are some of the items listed in the Contents...

... The housewife and her home
... Domestic helpers and their duties (oh, I wish)
... The perfect hostess
... Etiquette - Meeting royalty - the London season

In one chapter, I quote " Although presentation at Court no longer constitutes part of a girl's debut, parents wishing to introduce their daughters to society still find a formal "coming out" somewhere between sixteen and twenty years old, the best means of effecting this. This can of course be a complicated and costly process, involving renting a London house or flat and engaging staff for the season...."

I love reading these excerpts as it reminds me how far women have come in many areas of the world.

There are so many talented, inspiring role models for women these days. A few of my personal favorites are Ellen DeGeneres, Michaelle Jean, Oprah Winfrey, Marina Nemat, Ayaan Hirsi Ali to name just a few. I could go on and on.

On this International Women's Day, which women have inspired and motivated you?

A Rainy Saturday - Games Day

2011-03-06T12:43:00.000-08:00

Yesterday was a wet, miserable, rainy day in Southern Ontario and I felt so unmotivated to do anything. So we went to the games cupboard and pulled out some boardgames and had a great time playing. We have a four shelves of boardgames and yet the boys always choose the same ones. I think their favorite ever game is "SORRY". The strange thing is, I used to love it as a kid too. I picked this one up at a garage sale about 10 years ago and it's certainly been played a lot.

I know it's a game of chance, but I always lose. Yesterday, I was close to winning against the boys for the first time ever. Somehow though, they still beat me - BOTH of them!

Do you have a favorite family board game?

Spring Cleaning - For Real This Time

2011-03-05T10:53:00.001-08:00

I always have such good intentions when it comes to spring cleaning. Somehow though, my plans always seem to get waylaid. Possibly because I'm a busy stay at home mom trying to run a business from home? Oh I could find all kinds of excuses not to spring clean. Of course, I do the regular cleaning every week (oh joy!) but it's the getting rid of clothes that no longer fit, sorting out messy kitchen drawers, getting some sort of organization into the front cupboard that I'm talking about - I'm sure you know what I mean.

Last night, I got together with a few crafty friends (we've decided to meet once a month and inspire each other, maybe take some courses, teach each other etc.).

Our fearless leader mentioned a blog called SimpleMOM that is hosting a challenge of sorts that involves spring cleaning over five weeks. It's called Project Simplify and over five weeks (starting March 7th) we're challenged to spring clean hot spots in our homes. Each Monday the hot spot is revealed and on a Friday we post before and after photos on our BLOGS. Sounds like a good challenge to me!

So I'm going to run with it and see what I can get done in this house of mine (with two boys and a husband probably sabotaging my efforts at every turn).

Are you up to the Project Simplify challenge. Check it out here and let me know how you fair.

Tsh Oxenreider (the genius behind SimpleMOM) has written a book called Organized Simplicity
which will be the foundation for the project and could help you on your way.

(Photo from SimpleMOM)

Don't forget to post your before and after photos and show us the links to YOUR blog.

Yes, we have a WINNER!

2011-03-04T11:25:00.000-08:00

Thank you everyone for entering my latest giveaway for the birds nest necklace. I have selected a winner using random.org and it is....

HANA!

I really appreciate everyone tweeting and blogging about the giveaway. I shall be hosting another one in a few weeks. Stay tuned.

Have a wonderful weekend!

Etsy LOVE!

2011-03-02T10:49:00.000-08:00

So many talented artists on Etsy it's often overwhelming. Here are a few of my faves from Etsy this past week!

A Silent Snowy Morning in Ontario

2011-02-27T04:35:00.000-08:00

I woke in the early hours of the morning and noticed that it had snowed more heavily than expected during the night. From our bed, if the bathroom door is left open, I have a lovely view out of the window. I lay in bed this morning, feeling very lazy, contemplating whether to get a little more shut-eye or not. Eventually the picturesque view from the window won me over and I grabbed my camera a took a few photos.

Happy Sunday everyone!

Jacaranda Designs Birds Nest Necklace Giveaway

2011-02-24T05:38:00.000-08:00

Spring is almost here and what better way to celebrate than to give away a birds nest necklace from Jacaranda Designs. It's a symbol of new beginnings, life and motherhood. A lovely Easter gift or surprise your Mom for Mothers Day....

It's EASY to enter. The rules are below.