It’s March (wow, already?), it’s my 25th post, and that means it’s time for my first giveaway! 🙂 I first met Janie at a summer camp in Taiwan back in 2002. From the first day I met her, she has been nothing but a sweetheart. It wasn’t until recently that I discovered that Janie was a talented jewelry maker. I’ve actually dabbled with jewelry making myself and let me tell you, trying to get those head pin loops perfectly round and closed takes patience and an extreme attention to detail. I’m so honored to be able to share Janie’s jewelry making passion with you, so let’s get to know her a little bit better by starting with a…
{Meet the Artist}
Tell us a little bit about yourself. Hello! I’m Janie, the designer behind janie liu jewelry. I have been designing and hand crafting jewelry for about 7 years. Currently, I live in New York City with my super supportive fiancée (we’re getting married in April!), a slightly neurotic but lovingly sweet Lhasa Apso and a tiny Shih Tzu who knows she is too cute for words and thinks she rules the household.
How did you get into jewelry making? I have always been fond of artistic pursuits: music, dance, arts & crafts. My discovery of jewelry making was quite serendipitous. I was out wandering through Manhattan when I stumbled into a bead store. In a creative frenzy, I quickly purchased everything in sight, ran home and plundered my father’s toolbox. I used his bulky wire cutter and clunky pliers for months while I slowly taught myself how to wrap wire and secure beads. (Note to all aspiring jewelry designers: learn with jewelry pliers and wire cutters – they would have made my learning process incredibly easier.) I guess the rest is history!
What piece of jewelry do you think every woman should have? I think every woman needs a pair of hoops in their daily accessory arsenal. Whether they’re big or small, simple or gaudy, hoop earrings always look fantastic and compliment the wearer.
What inspires you? My wonderful friends and family serve as my greatest inspiration. A lot of my pieces are designed with someone’s personality, style or favorite outfit in mind. Inspiration can also be found in movies and books, at the park or local coffee shop, and even from watching little miss Zoey, our Queen puppy, prance around her kingdom.
Janie’s jewelry shop can be found on etsy – janie liu jewelry.
She is also the designer and owner of we heart paper – a luxury paper goods company.
And don’t forget to show her blog some love.
{Giveaway Details}
And the part you’ve all been waiting for, the giveaway includes two beautifully handcrafted items from janie liu jewelry:
the renee – Stunning vermeil pendant hung on a simple 18″ 14k gold fill chain. It’s a chunky pendant, very substantial. It would perfectly accent any outfit.
fleur de lis – Chic, fun and flirty. These dainty earrings are perfect for every day wear. They’re super cute and measure about 1/2 of an inch.
You guessed it! Two pieces of jewelry means that there will be TWO LUCKY WINNERS!
Please visit janie liu jewelry to see more of her amazing work, and to enter the giveaway, make sure you leave a comment at the end of this post.
You can say anything, but if you’re stumped, you could leave Janie some wedding advice or wishes as her big day is coming up real soon!
(Only one comment per person will count as an entry.)
The giveaway ends on Sunday, March 7, 2010 at 11:59PM CST.
We will be using Random.org to pick the two winners and they will be announced on this blog on Monday, March 8, 2010.
{Cherry on Top}
Janie is also offering a 15% discount off your entire purchase from janie liu jewelry from March 1-5, 2010.
Make sure to type SANDYALAMODE in the Notes section to receive the discount.
You will need to check out and pay the original price – and you will receive a refund via Paypal for the 15% off within 24 hours.
Entries for this giveaway have been closed.
Hi Janie Liu! I just looked over your etsy page and um, this is not good! There’s way too many cute things and now I’m going to go broke. teehee. I particularly love the sapphire pendant. So pretty!
Best wishes on your wedding day!
Congratulations and best wishes for your life together! The jewelry is stunning.
I was just looking at your Etsy shop the other day! I was admiring the Lavender necklace and have the Chirpy Bird one in my favorites! What a surprise!
Best wishes on your wedding day. Savor the moment, itll fly by and try not to stress out about the little things everything will come together as it should no worries.
to the two talented girls i also met at that same summer camp- great work to both of you! i have some janie liu jewelry and ALWAYS get compliments whenever i wear them 🙂 janie also printed my wedding invitations and they are just gorgeous! wedding countdown is alllllmost there!! 😀 so excited for you!!
Beautiful stuff!! Congrats on your upcoming nuptials!! What a fun day!
OMG her stuff is so beautiful! Such a great balance of delicate and substantial 🙂
Her stuff is so cute! So many things I would want to order – thanks for sharing! 🙂
And *so excited* for you, for your first giveaway!! yay!
This is amazing jewelry for your first giveaway! Congrats to the bride!
Just visited her shop and her tie pendant is so unique and cute! Congratulations on your first giveaway!
Janie these pieces are soo lovely! I also love chirpie the bird and the teeny bow earrings!! Best wishes on your big day!
Congrats on your first giveaway Sandy!
lvoe the cheekiness of the tie necklace. congrats on tieing the knot!
Yay for your first giveaway! It’s a good one!
All her work is just beautiful!!! I need to work on my jewelry collection and some of these pieces might just HAVE to make an appearance.
I seriously have a ton of favorites from her shop! My extra favorite one is the best wishes necklace.
Oh my gosh you are so talented! Thank you so much for sharing your beautiful items! Good luck on the big day!
i think the key no 1 is one of your best items-i wish you luck and health to you and your futurehusband!
All of the earrings are so creative! I especially love the little bows and the wishbones!
Her jewelry is so pretty! I rarely ever find jewelry I really love, and I would buy lots from her site.
amandarwest at gmaildotcom
I love your jewelry! I wish I’d found you before I had my wedding in September! I bought all my bridesmaid gifts on Etsy. I’ll definitely be buying from you in the future
Gorgeous. Love the Fleur de Lis designs!
The best wedding advice is don’t sweat the small stuff….on your actual wedding day you will not care if everything is perfect! You will just have a good time!
Oh goodness, how pretty!!! I think if I don’t win the giveaway, I’ll have to purchase that necklace anyway…and maybe the teapot necklace as well…and the tie one…oh goodness!
Your stuff is so nice. But my fave is your Vintage Locket! Thank you so much for this giveaway!
Janie’s jewelry looks so good! Its nice of you to feature her on your blog! I love the necklace, so pretty!
awww, so pretty! the key necklace is too beautiful.
wedding advice from me: hire a d-day organizer if you can afford it, so you can truly enjoy the day without having to deal with this and that! 🙂
Those earrings are gorgeous! Good luck with your wedding too! Married life really is great.
I love your jewelry! It’s all so unique and they are great statement pieces!
The jewelry is gorgeous!
Congratulations and my best wishes, I hope your wedding day will be a dream come true 🙂
I love that necklace!
My wedding advice is to search through craigslist for wedding stuff – we probably saved about $3000 from patient craigslist searches!
Many congratulations on your upcoming wedding. Your jewelry is so pretty!
These are so great!!! Love them
I love Janie’s work, its so pretty and delicate, nicely understated. The little bird, whale and octopus are such cute critters, and the blue czech droplets necklace totally takes my breath away, just like water droplets! Its going on my wishlist for sure. Thanks for the giveaway.
I want to wish Janie the best of luck on her wedding day and in her marriage, and to tell her how much I love her work, especially inky the octopus!
the renee necklace. Beautiful jewelry!
Yay for your first giveaway! Such lovely items 🙂 I’d be happy to own them! xo
Stunning is right!! Beautiful and such a talented designer. Love the pendant and I think the Stranded on the Island hoops are calling my name! Nice giveaway~
Ok, i seriously LOVE your blog~~~and YAY!! Congrats on your first give away~ Your friend is very very talented! I hope I win because I hardly ever win lol pluss I absolutely love that chunky gold necklace~ sooo perrrty!!
a fabulous giveaway! i love the simplicity of this piece:
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=34233769
I like the berries and vine necklace.
That necklace is so fab! Wow!
I’m getting married in april too! best wishes!
OMG, Sandy, I keep seeing your blog on FB, and it’s gorgeous.
I am totally in love with the necklace up for the giveaway, but the Sarah and waterfall necklaces have my heart too.
Everything is so pretty!! I really liked the blue flower bauble earrings, thanks for the giveaway. I wish you the best for your marriage! Enjoy it! =)
Beautiful jewelry! And look how popular your blog is Sandy!!
I never thought about a sheep ring before. Super unique! Congrats on your nuptials!
Wow, Janie’s jewelry design is so elegant, simple, and stylish. Congrats on your engagement Janie!
Sandy, congrats on your first giveaway!
I love vitage jewelery. Please count me in.
Her jewelry just caters to my taste. I love everything!
her jewelry is gorgeous! 🙂
Congrats on the upcoming wedding! Enjoy your day..take time to breathe, smile, and share a quiet moment with your beloved and then let everyone else bombard with with pics and hugs and kisses. And congrats on absolutely amazing pieces of jewelry. It’s absolutely breathtaking.
These are gorgeous! Congrats on the wedding, mine is coming up so soon too (May!). We took the lazy way of planning and are eloping and splurging on the honeymoon.
Best wishes on your upcoming wedding, your jewelry is gorgeous! Thanks for the giveaway.
gorgeous pieces of jewelery!! love her work!
Gorgeous jewelry! Definitely adding you as one of my Etsy favorites.
I wish her the best. I love the items in her shop! My advise would be to never let the MIL overstep her bounds.
This was really tough, but I think the Girlie Bow Necklace is my favorite! Good luck with all of the wedding planning!
My daughter would adore the fleur-de-lis earrings. I would give them to her just to see her smile. Good luck with your wedding. Enjoy every moment.
that necklace is so gorgeous! what a talent!
thanks for this giveaway!
DolphinV27@aol.com
Wow! Really gorgeous jewelry! Thanks for the awesome giveaway. I’ll be visiting the Etsy shop too. Congratulations on you’re upcoming wedding!
Congrats and try to take mental pics like Jim and Pam did. The day goes soooooo fast and you want to remember as much as you can. Loooooove the Madison necklace!
Beautiful jewelery I really like the smoky quartz coin necklace! Congratulations on your upcoming wedding 🙂
i love it! all your pieces are so delicate ~ i love the gold necklace…it would be really nice to layer it.
Congrats on your upcoming BIG day…just remember breathe in and breathe out…and enjoy every second of it….let nothing bother you because you will look absolutely stunning! It is all about you and your husband to be, who will wait for you at the end of aisle~
Oh wow, a free giveaway! Janie’s work is really beautiful. Love the Renee! Congrats on the upcoming wedding!
wowee! janie is so talented~! i love the pendant in the giveaway and I love the locket too. =)
Look at you, giving stuff away. The only thing I have to give away is high fives…
Oh wait, I just checked, I’m all out of those. :/
Keep up the good blogging!
awesome giveaway! congrats janie on your engagement! 🙂
Her jewelries on etsy are beautiful!!
Thank you for the wonderful giveaway~
Congrats and best wishes on Janie’s big day!!!
Best wishes on your upcoming wedding, your jewelry is gorgeous! Thanks for the giveaway!!
Barbara
ricettebarbare at gmail dot com
Try to take breaks during the wedding celebrations, and have fun as much as you can, Janie!
Oh, and have a pair of comfortable shoes to change into!
You have beautiful jewelry. I wish you all the best!
Beautiful jewelry!! I LOVE the pendant necklace!!
*don’t want to enter the giveaway, (even though they’re really impressive pieces) just wanted to comment =)*
first baking/cooking, then photography, and now jewelry giveaways like some home shopping network?! seriously sandy, i think you’re becoming the asian martha stewart, haha… remember me when you’re a billionaire!
What pretty jewelry! My advice is, hold onto this feeling, and it will help you get through the times you want to punch your loving husband in the stomach 😉
I hope you have a smooth beautiful wedding Janie!
Thank you for the giveaway Sandy!
So so so lovely! I love chunky yet refined gold pendants like that.
Oh and Sandy:
1. DO go for the wallpaper and be sure to take lots of pics to share with us!
2. Your nephew is famous: http://www.twigandthistle.com/blog/2010/03/sweet-safari/#comments
Great jewelry! Some advice: some people say marriage is a 50-50 proposition, but the best advice (and the hardest) that I got was that marriage is a 100-100 proposition. If I wait til my husband gives his part before I give mine, somehow we always end up at zero. Happy Marriage! : )
Definitely a conversation piece….too exquisite to not be! ~San.
Great giveaway.
I like the sterling silver hammered oval hoop earrings with droplets of amethyst.
Please count me in. Thanks.
avalonne83 [at] yahoo [dot] it
love the locket!
Loooooovely!
I love all the necklaces. Congradulations on your upcoming wedding!!
They are ALL beautiful! But the Madison necklace is my favorite!!
Best of Luck with the rest of your planning and Enjoy your big day! xo xo
I really love the chalcedony necklace!!! It’s gorgeous! I love the dainty bow earrings as well!
My biggest marriage advice is… make sure you each spend time alone doing things you love every once in a while! It makes the together time sweeter! xo
I love the etsy shop! my fave is the sweetheart necklace. thanks for the giveaway!
Best wishes for your upcoming wedding. I loved the necklace.
Best wishes and congratulations on your forthcoming wedding. Love the necklace.
Thanks for the giveaway! I love all the jewelry (especially the
double drop amethyst sterling silver necklace!)
Best wishes and may it be blessed with joy and happiness to come on that special day of yours.
~Cher
Congrats Janie! Beautiful jewelry 🙂
My advice for the day – get lots of sleep, don’t stress and take many “breather” moments. Stop and stare/stand for a couple seconds and take a mental picture. Those are the moments that you’ll remember because the day flies!!! Also if possible get alone time with the hubby… well if you are anything like us we were on opposite sides of the dance floor tearing it up haha but will def cherish our alone time forever!
gorgeous jewelry!
my advice? it’s for after the wedding…be sure to take lots of trips together. that is the once piece of advice my grandmother gave me. and it was the best piece of advice ever!
Ditto what Jeff said about you being so amazing =) Great job big sis!
Hooray for your very first giveaway! And it’s such a pretty one.
love the shop and congrats on the wedding. love the double drop amethyst sterling silver necklace!
I’m hearting the Sarah necklace right now. <3
I just got married August 2009 so Janis, a good advise is… B.R.E.A.T.H.E.
lol. Really. Do your necessary planning before but on the actually wedding day, just breathe and enjoy the day cos it will past before you know it. And very likely, you'd be in total daze for the week after. So, let your helpers help while you relax with your honey. Remember to keep drinking and eat a bit here and there. We don't want a blacked out bride, do we? 🙂
CONGRATS! Thanks for the chance. I like the Double Drop Amethyst Necklace.
I love your rainbow droplets earrings.
beautiful jewelry, love it!!
Thank you !!!
Wow….what beautiful stuff! I’m going to go check out her Etsy shop!
Sandy, great job on your site!
Janie, wow, I like all your jewelry designs!
Wedding advice- have fun! don’t stress the small stuff ( :
best wishes on your big day!
beautiful work. Best wishes on your upcoming marriage!
Gorgeous jewelry. Congrats on your upcoming wedding!
Wow – I love those fleur de lis earrings. Many congrats on your wedding day! Its just the beginning… 🙂
Congrats!! The best advice I got was from a school friend that said for her wedding day she kept saying tonight I’m going to be married-Mrs. so and so meaning not to sweat the small stuff that may go wrong on your wedding day and to remember the marriage. Also a good friend always reminds couples to prepare for their marriage as much (really more) then what they are preparing for the wedding day. There are great resources out there for marriage prep. The Catholic Church has great resources even if you aren’t Catholic. The FOOCus questionaire is helpful.
Congrats!!! I am in love with your jewlery – you do amazing work. What a great giveaway!
Best wishes on your upcoming wedding!
Wedding day advice: Remember, this day only happens once. Enjoy every bit of it! Don’t let little “problems” get in the way of your joy and love.
I think all of your jewelry is awesome! I’d love to wear any of the necklaces, but especially the teapot! 🙂
You are an amazing artist. Your jewerly is absolutely stunning. Would love to win a piece. 🙂
love your blog. congrats on your upcoming wedding. it is just the beginning of a long, wonderful journey!
love the blog sandy! and love the jewelry by janie! we need a reunion soon…it’s been too long…
ooooooooh i LOVE that necklace!
Very pretty jewelry.
Wedding advice: make sure you are on the same page financially. I recommend Dave Ramsey’s The Total Money Makeover.
that necklace is gorgeous! 🙂
Oh my gosh!! These are beautiful! Thanks so much! I wouldn’t be able to give them away.. haha 🙂 Stunning. xxx
yay for beautiful jewelry!!!!
Beautiful jewelry! Love the necklace!
Best wishes to you! I absolutely love your jewelry!
Congrats on your upcoming wedding! Beautiful work!
Awww, ok, I will comment on your blog! You know I love everything you’ve been doing. You’re on your way to becoming a really popular and perhaps profitable blogger! YAY!
Wow I’d love to win! her jewels are gorgeous!! I’m getting married in 3 months… my advice is.. to do list!!! x
The big day is coming up! So exciting 🙂 Dare I say, I <3 the renee? Best of luck in all your endeavors Janie, you're crazy talented!
I used We Heart Paper for our save the dates. They came out beautifully. Thanks for the giveaway, Sandy
I love her Sapphire necklace. Fabulous giveaway. Thanks!
s.mickelson at gmail dot com
beautiful. the perfect piece makes the perfect outfit!
loved girlie and sapphire
Those are gorgeous. Your friend is very talented. I wanna make my own jewelry!
I really like the waterfall trio lariat necklace – swarovski crystals and sterling silver. congrats on the upcoming wedding!
madison – amazonite and 14k gold fill layered necklace is just pretty. You have lots of lovely pieces!
Beautiful! Love the pendant. Congrats on your engagement!
I love the birdie jewelry. They’re gorgeous.
Congrats on your engagement and happy wedding planning.
So cute!
I can say, Best Wishes on the wedding, but I have no good advice on the matter…being unmarried and all!
Best wishes for your upcoming wedding!
so pretty!!!!