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Happy December, friends!!  Are you just loving rosettes as much as I am this year??  I honestly didn’t even know what they were until I started blogging this year, yes, I lived under a rock!  😉  Anyhow, for today’s sponsor love post, I wanted to introduce Jessica, the super sweet, funny, and crafty gal behind Allora Handmade shop and blog!

Allora Handmade is full of necklaces, bracelets, earrings, shoe clips, and headbands, all made of rosettes, in any color you could ever want, foreals (my favorite being the modern pearl rosette statement necklace in mustard of course)!!  You can add a punch of color to your wardrobe with any of her pieces!  So I’ve asked my fabulous sponsor to answer a few questions so we could get to know her a little bit better… and at the end there might just be a GIVEAWAY (if the title of the post didn’t give-it-away HA)!  🙂

{MEET THE SHOP OWNER}

1) Tell us a little bit about yourself.
I am originally from sunny, beautiful San Diego but currently find myself in  freezing, SNOWY (but also beautiful… sometimes) Utah. I have been married for about 5 1/2 years to my very own Wyoming cowboy turned Californian, and we are now here in UT so my husband can finish school. We started the back to school journey just over 2 years ago, and it has been both the longest and the slowest 2 years of my life. We are proud parents of 2 crazy (seriously, CRAZY) little boys. Owen is 3 and Henry is 18 months. I love being a mom, though it is the most challenging thing I’ve ever done. I am always hoping that I am “enough” for them and hope and pray to be the mother they deserve. I am addicted to ice cream and hate chocolate. Mindy Gledhill and Sara Barreilles are always on my ipod. Yellow makes me happy.

2) What inspired you to start your shop?
Last summer I was searching for a way to contribute to the starving student fund. I was at home with my two boys, and my husband was out of a job and in school full time. I  really wanted to be able to do something that would still allow me to focus on my kids. I had been making things for myself and family and friends for a while, and just decided on a whim to open up an etsy shop. Without giving it a second thought, Allora Handmade was born. Sometimes desperation is the greatest motivator! Now, I can hardly believe how much it has grown and am proud to be able to support our family while my husband finishes up school.

3) You are the co-owner of The Queen Bee Market, can you explain a little bit about what it is?
The Queen Bee Market is a handmade event held in the San Diego area. My sister and I just wrapped up our second show, and it has been amazing to see a dream of ours come true. The Market showcases over 50 vendors for a shopping event unlike any other. Think of it as a way to shop etsy in real life. We love to have the opportunity to support local handmade artists and give them a venue to show off their talents. It’s a ton of work, but so rewarding and so much fun!

4) What one accessory can you not live without?
Other than my wedding ring? A Modern Pearl Necklace. As you can imagine, I have one in pretty much every color, and I feel pretty naked without it. Mustard is by far the most used and abused, but that may have something to do with my yellow obsession 🙂

5) What is your favorite ice cream flavor?
Um, any. Well, any without chocolate. If I had to choose one food to eat for the rest of my life it would be ice cream. My favorites change often, but right now I have haagen daaz pineapple coconut in my freezer (thanks to a thoughtful hubby) and it is pretty heavenly.

{GIVEAWAY}

Jessica is giving away $25 credit to her shop!  Imagine all the rosette goodness you could buy with that!!

How to enter:

1. Visit Allora Handmade shop and leave a comment with your favorite item!

For additional entries (please leave separate comment for each action):
2. Follow this blog with Google Friend Connect on right (if you already do, please let me know)
3. Follow Allora Handmade blog with Google Friend Connect (if you already do, please let me know)
4. Tweet about this giveaway (make sure to use @sandyalamode and @allorahandmade in your tweet)

Feel free to use this tweet:
I just entered a #GIVEAWAY to win $25 credit to @allorahandmade’s rosette accessory shop on @sandyalamode! http://bit.ly/h4QXI7

This giveaway is open to U.S./Canada readers only and closes on Monday, December 6, 2010 at 9PM CST.  A note for the winner – since the giveaway ends after the December 1, 2010 Christmas order deadline, if you want to receive your item before Christmas you will have to order a ready to ship item.

Entries for this giveaway have been closed!  Thanks for entering!