I am pleased to introduce to you my lovely sponsor
If you are a fan of fabric covered buttons and all things lovely, then I’ve got the perfect shop for you! snnewt opened up shop just less than a year ago with custom glass ornaments and picture frames and has since added accessories, bookmarks and clothing. Another cool thing about her shop is that 10% of all the sales are donated to Doctors Without Borders. Samantha, the beautiful designer behind this shop is an absolute sweetheart and you will love her tweets! oh and i totally had a hand in convincing her to join twitter, so please follow her to get the latest updates on her shop! And if you haven’t guessed from the title, there’s a give away going on here… but let’s get to know Samantha just a little bit better first!
{MEET THE ARTIST}
1) Tell us a little but about yourself.
I’m just a 23 year old Benjamin loving, bike riding, mountain adoring, Jack Russell owning, stress crafting, nursing student who is trying to get by. I can’t wait to graduate in May, and I already have a job lined up in the Surgical ICU at the University of Louisville Hospital. I have a passion for traveling, and want to combine that passion with my future career. Right now, Doctors Without Borders is a front-runner, but I have to wait for Ben to get done with his medical school residency. Needless to say, we have about eight years to wait on that. But, hey, a girl can always dream, right? It’s never too late to start planning. After a surgical mission a few summers back to the Dominican Republic, we both knew our lives would take us down a road very similar, and are very excited to see where, when, what, who, how it will all pan out.
2) What inspired you to start your shop?
When I was in undergrad, I worked with another student as a nursing assistant at the University of Kentucky Hospital. Afton and I were practically identical, in every way a person could be. We both were in difficult majors, we both stressed way too much about those majors, and we both loved to “stress craft”. Stress crafting is when you have given up on everything at the moment and take an hour out of the day to do something you love. Afton and I would get together once a week to do our crafting, finding inspiration from online tutorials, or from things we saw when we were out and about. Well, we found out that one can only craft for so long, until you realize you have run out of room for your creations!! By that time, I had really fallen in love with covered buttons. I had a box of old scrap material from my grandmother’s house and began to make button earrings. I think I grasped onto the buttons because no matter how many times you use the same fabric for a pair, they never turn out identical as the set before. Each is unique, and individual, and that simple charm is what won me over. And, BOOM, snnewt was born!
3) What do you like to do in your free time?
Since I am finishing up school, when I do have free time (which is hard to come by these days), I enjoy my crafting. I am also a big outdoors girl. All seasons involve camping for me. I’m not talking “Troop Beverly Hills” camping, either. I want “outdoors, away from modern commodities, have to hike 14 miles with your gear on your back, eating everything over a campfire in the heart of the wilderness” camping. If it is summer, I pack my kayak on top of the car. If it is fall or spring, I tote along my rock climbing gear. There is a beautiful place in Eastern Kentucky called “Red River Gorge”. If I could, I would pack up, be a hippie and live off of the land in that area forever. There is something peaceful about that place; I just haven’t been able to put my finger on it quite yet.
4) Any advice for new shop owners?
Don’t give up. It takes time to find your niche or “place” in the Etsy world, but once you do, it will feel right. Never copy another owner’s design, even if it is unintentional; it just isn’t worth it. If sales aren’t coming, don’t sweat it. As long as you are doing what you love, that is all that matters. Also, Twitter is your best friend. I never believed it, but once I got on, I realized what a great tool it was for networking and getting the word out on your product. Try a sponsorship on blogs as well; it is a great way to get traffic into your shop!!
{DISCOUNT}
Guess what? Samantha is offering 10% off her shop just for Sandy a la Mode readers from October 20, 2010 to November 3, 2010, that’s two weeks, sweet! Just enter “Sandy a la Mode” in the Message to Seller box to receive the discount!
{GIVEAWAY}
One of you super lucky readers will win the following bracelet and earring set made out of the lovely fabric of Joel Dewberry, LOVE IT!
The earrings are 1/2″ and are mounted on hypoallergenic, nickel-free posts. The bracelet is made of 8- 3/4″ covered buttons and is 7.5″ around.
TO ENTER:
1. Visit snnewt and leave a comment with your favorite item!
For additional entries (please leave comment for each action):
2. Heart (add to favorites) snnewt on etsy (if you already do, please let me know)
3. Follow Sandy a la Mode through Google Friend Connect (if you already do, please let me know)
4. Spread the word via facebook, blog post, twitter (make sure to follow and use @snnewt and @sandyalamode in your tweet)
Feel free to use this tweet:
I just entered @sandyalamode’s GIVEAWAY for a fabric covered button bracelet and earrings made by @snnewt! http://bit.ly/a6mLzy
This giveaway is open to U.S. and Canada readers and closes on Tuesday, October 26 at 9PM CST. Winner will be announced shortly after.
P.S. The winner of the $20 gift certificate to ChicGeek Designs giveaway is {The Alternative Wife}! Congrats Dawn! I will have Lori contact you with details on how to claim your prize!
Entries for this giveaway have been closed. Thanks for entering!
sandy you sure know how to take care of business girl! 🙂
What a darling shop! I love the covered button bobby hair pins in cherry tomato!
Just tweeted! @AfterIDoBlog.
LOVE samantha! and love her adorable shop – in love with all of her fabric earring buttons. i also love her button-headbands. they are all so cute!
I love her Cascade Ruffle Skirt! I have always wanted to wear that color yellow but never could find the right shade for me – this pattern may be it!
I love the mini covered button earrings in orange blossom. Simple and sweet–I’d wear them every day!
I’m a follower!
congrats on your lovely sponsor!! i’m finding it hard to choose between the vintage chocolate bouquet earrings and the blissful blue ruffle tee =)
I follow you through FC 🙂
My favs are the ruffle tee and the covered button bracelets! Adorable!
I follow you on GFC. Congrats on reaching 100 followers!
I adore the ruffle skirt!
I also follow your blog with gfc
All of her stuff is adorable, but I really like her Vintage Harvest Moon headband!
I follow your blog
I love the paperclip bookmarks there — and with all the reading I do, one of those would come in really handy. Snnewt is such a cute shop, Sandy!
Love the ruffle skirt!
I’m loving all the pretty bobby pins.
I now follow you on Google connect 🙂
I love your blog — great giveaway!
oh my! That ruffle tee is darling! 🙂 I love all of her fabrics!
And I of course follow you on google connect!
Gorgeous shop, I love the pattern on the Colorful Leaves of Fall bobby pins!
I follow your lovely blog 🙂
…and I tweeted 🙂
I just love the ‘Button Headband- Vintage Harvest Moon’!! 🙂 such a cute idea to dress up your hair!
of course, i’m a follower of your blog! 😀
tweet-a-leet: http://twitter.com/SoNgDesigns/statuses/27934771389
have a great day, Sandy!
I LOVE Samantha!
She is such a sweetheart and I so enjoy talking to her on twitter!
My favorite item in her delightful shoppe is the Moonbeam Wishes skirt! 🙂
xo
Snnewt has already been hearted by me!
xo
I follow your lovely blog via GFC
xo
I tweeted!
xo
http://twitter.com/#!/moonbeamwishes/status/27938421412
I love the ruffle skirt:)
Kisses,sweetie
Ps: I am hosting a $50 gift certificate GIVEAWAY today, so please join in 🙂 …I bet you will love it!!!
I’m so glad I found out about this shop! I luv the Ruffle skirt, it is too cute!
Funny enough, I am a native of Louisville, KY that lives in Southern California. I wish Samantha lots of luck there.
I think Doctors without Borders is an amazing organization and it’s really thoughtful to help them do what they do!
Love! So adorable. I love all of the hair pins – I could wear them everyday!
*kate
LOVE love love the colorful leaves of fall bobby pins. LOVE.
hearted her (and those bobby pins) on etsy! (crafteemcgee)
following you on GFC. woooo hooo
aaaand for entry #4. tweeted! (@crafteemcgee) hooray!
cool!
I like the Covered Button Headband- All the Leaves are Changin’!
heart on etsy!
already follow you.. of course!
tweet tweet about the giveaway
http://www.twitter.com/scratchysniff
mmm, so cute! i love all of the covered button headbands, but especially the purple one on the second page.
great giveaway!
I love the cascade ruffle skirt!
And I follow your blog with Google Friend Connect.
Another great giveaway Sandy! I love that she has Jack Russells, I have one too! 🙂 Loooooooove mine! Squirt, hehe! The button earrings are SO adorable and I really love the skirt! I saw it on Ms. Megan’s blog earlier! Soooo pretty.
I’m following her on Twitter now! 🙂 And I just tweeted!
and I hearted the shop, haha! And am apparently posting comments too quickly! hahahah. And I am a follower of yours! 🙂
i heart the ruffle t!!
already one of my favorites on etsy!!
i follow with gfc!
i tweeted!
Thank you so much, sweetie!!! I am thrilled! You so made my week!!! Hope you’re having a wonderful day! xoxo
I love the button covered headband such a cute idea!
I added as a favorite!
I follow!!
aaand tweeted! 🙂 (@cotton_lane)
I love love love these earrings: http://www.etsy.com/listing/37912577/covered-button-earrings-banana-split
xo, Michelle
michellemlhuynh@gmail.com
http://michelle-esque.blogspot.com/
I follow Sandyalamode via GFC (Michelle-esque).
xo, Michelle
michellemlhuynh@gmail.com
http://michelle-esque.blogspot.com/
Eeeek That ruffle tee is SO ME! I love it!
I heart them on etsy!
I love following you on Google Friend Connect!
AND I tweeted!
http://twitter.com/#!/AHastyLife/status/27980672982
P.S. Fingers crossed on this one! 😉
how pretty. The covered hair pins are lovely!
What a beautiful shop! I love the ruffled tee…it’s so cute!
http://www.etsy.com/listing/44226707/mini-covered-button-earrings-vines-all my fav.
added as a fav on etsy.
following you.
tweeted. gangsterpixie2
I love the ruffled T! I love ruffles 🙂
I love the yo-yo necklaces, but I have to say the fabric covered button paperclips would really make the piles on my work desk much cuter!
And I am now an official follower–although you were always in my reader 🙂
I’ve been looking for a necklace with ruffly flowers that are not huge for a while. The Satin Slik Yo Yo Necklace in The Grass is Always Greener is exactly it!! I will be buying this soon!
I follow Sandy a la Mode!!
I love these! http://www.etsy.com/listing/58592034/deep-in-the-heart-of-texas-earrings-the
Follow on gfc 🙂
I love the Cascade Ruffle Skirt – Moonbeam Wishes!
Snnewt is a favorite on etsy!
I tweeted about the giveaway (@shelltonbelle)!
I like the Spring Fling covered button bracelet A LOT!
My favorite is the Ruffle Tee – Top in Blissful Blue with Lemonade Fray, Short Sleeved
Covered Button Headbands – how cute!!
I am a fan of the Cascade Ruffle Skirt in Moonbeam Wishes pattern–the colors are lovely!
Thanks for the awesome giveaway! foxsquirrelrabbit at gmail dot com
Hearted Snnewt on Etsy (Oonamoon)
Thanks for the awesome giveaway! foxsquirrelrabbit at gmail dot com
Follower with GFC (oona)
Thanks for the awesome giveaway! foxsquirrelrabbit at gmail dot com
Tweeted here:
http://twitter.com/glasscastle/status/28455019455
Thanks for the awesome giveaway! foxsquirrelrabbit at gmail dot com
These earrings are adorable
http://www.etsy.com/listing/58592034/deep-in-the-heart-of-texas-earrings-the
Mallory1031 at gmail dot com
“hearted” on Etsy
Mallory1031
Mallory1031 at gmail dot com
GFC follower
Rich and Mallory
Mallory1031 at gmail dot com
tweeted!!!
http://twitter.com/#!/malloryrobinson/status/28457655060
Mallory1031 at gmail dot com
I love the Satin Silk YoYo Necklace.
i follow you.
My favourite item would be the Satin Silk Yo Yo Necklac Lemonade under a Blue Sky ^__^
I am following Sandy a la Mode through Google Friend Connect ^^
I spread the word through my twitter: Mystrillium
http://twitter.com/Mystrillium/status/28465135020
Love the Cherry Blossom headband!
following on gfc as jhb
ms(dot)verymarried(at)gmail(dot)com
I totally want to win this! And love this from their site:
http://www.etsy.com/listing/56338740/ruffle-tee-top-in-blissful-blue-with
I like the Covered Button Bobby Hair Pin – Colorful Leaves of Fall a lot
I really like the Mini Covered Button Earrings- Vintage Flower Garden! So pretty!
Following you via gfc – ktkatherine
Tweet! http://twitter.com/ktkatherine/status/28561293532
It’s all so cute but I love the Cascade Ruffle Skirt – Moonbeam Wishes
And I <3ed the shop 🙂
Oh I love this set its so pretty. This giveaway ends on my birthday too, so maybe I will have some extra luck 🙂
I visited this fab shop on etsy and I also really love the Covered Button Bobby Hair Pin – Colorful Leaves of Fall fabric,
Thanks
I follow your blog as well as meangreenmom
love the ruffle tee!
hearted sneewt on etsy!
following Sandy a la Mode
tweeted by @bbgoad
Everything is so cute, but I especially love the satin silk yo yo flower headband!
I also follow your blog via google friend connect.
I LOVE this!!
http://www.etsy.com/listing/43303570/covered-button-headband-magenta-garden
I <3'ed the etsy shop! (MommyTrenches)
I follow via GFC! (MommyTrenches)
Tweet!
http://twitter.com/MommyTrenches/status/28713368066
I favorited Snnewt on etsy!
I follow Sandy a la Mode via GFC.
I love the Covered Button Headband – Midnight Blue Garden!
So so cute!
Etsy Favorite – Check!
We’re friends 🙂
Tweet Tweet (a few times)
http://twitter.com/#!/Danielle_Jeanne/status/28818335731
I love the Ruffle Tee! Perfect for fall!