EtsyMom Street Team: gifts

Beginning to day at 6 pm EST, Check out all of the fabulous holiday-themed projects, gift ideas, and more from our wonderful EtsyMom Blog Hop Contributors from around the world!! HOP ENDS TONITE, DEC 11TH AT MIDNITE PST!

www.crazyadorable.blogspot.com/
http://www.thecountrychiccottage.net/2010/12/etsymom-blog-hop-giveaway-with-ornament.html

http://signature-sterling.blogspot.com/2010/12/holly-day-blog-hop.html
http://allyouneeddesigns.blogspot.com/2010/12/holly-day-blog-hop-with-etsymom-street.html
http://tctliebel.typepad.com/life_as_we_live_it/2010/12/its-a-holly-day-blog-hop.html

http://rikrakstudio.blogspot.com/2010/12/etsymom-blog-hop-sweet-salt-dough.html

http://caramagic.blogspot.com/2010/12/etsymom-holly-day-blog-hop-pleated.html
http://onlyterrastreasures.blogspot.com/2010/12/tutorial-make-your-own-chinese-takeout.html
http://silverrosedesigns.blogspot.com/2010/12/lets-do-some-holly-day-hopping.html

http://quirefly.blogspot.com/2010/12/holly-day-fun-cranberry-pudding-with.html
http://cinnamonspicecrafts.blogspot.com/2010/12/come-blog-hop-with-etsymom-team.html

http://handprintlady.blogspot.com/2010/12/holiday-tutorial-gift-from.html

Here's how it works:
1. Hop through each of the blogs listed above to get fabulous holiday inspiration and leave a comment. If you are starting at a blog in the middle of the Hop, start back at the EtsyMom Blog. You may have to scroll down a bit on the blogs to find the Blog Hop posts as the week progresses.
2. Leave a comment on the EtsyMom Blog post between now and December 11, 2010.
3. Enter to win our giveaway by doing any of the following. For each thing you do, you will be entered into the drawing one more time:

~Leave a comment on the EtsyMom Blog post between now and December 11, 2010.
~Leave a comment on the Holly Day Blog Hop posts for any of the blogs listed above between Dec 5 and Dec 11, 2010.
~Join the EtsyMom Blog email list (fill out the form in the right hand column).
~Become a follower of the EtsyMom Blog! Just click the "Follow" button in the lower right column.
~"Like" the EtsyMom Facebook Page.

Share about this Blog Hop on your own blog, posting a link to this page.

Share about this Blog Hop on Facebook, posting a link to this page.

Share about this Blog Hop on a message board or forum, posting a link to this page.

To let us know you've done these things, please come back to the EtsyMom Blog post and leave a comment for each thing you did, i.e. one comment for posting on your blog, another comment for posting on facebook, and another comment for joining our email newsletter. If you post it all in one comment, it will count as one entry.On December 11, 2010 we'll choose a winner using the Random Integer Generator from random.org. The winner will receive this super sweet gift basket full of handmade holiday goodies, including

a pair of Turquoise Earrings from http://www.stoneymistdesign.etsy.com/

a greeting card from http://www.homemadebyamanda.etsy.com/

a lampwork bead bracelet by http://handmadewhimzy.etsy.com/

sterling silver and Swarovski pearl/crystal holiday earrings by

http://www.etsy.com/shop/signaturesterling

a cream colored cotton scarf given by http://www.zoegirldesigns.etsy.com/

a raincloud ornament from http://www.etsy.com/shop/babyjives

a matching splat mat and baby bib from http://www.babysindulgence.etsy.com/

two pair of earrings from http://quirefly.etsy.com/
a gift pack of over 30 pages of vintage paper ephemera by http://www.etsy.com/shop/countrychiccottage

a lovely sustainable stocking from http://www.rikrak.etsy.com/

a set of holly jolly gift tags from http://cinnamonspice.etsy.com/

a set of toddler pajamas in a style of the winner's choice from http://heatheregley.etsy.com/

a $15 gift certificate from http://camelotstreasures.etsy.com/

A gift certificate from http://babyswank.etsy,com/
A Custom copper heart necklace from http://www.etsy.com/shop/ct2designs

Winner's choice of a custom digital design from http://allyouneeddesigns.etsy,com/

Today we're sharing a yummy molasses cookie recipe, brought to you by zoegirldesigns.etsy.com

This recipe was given to me by my friend of many years, Emily. Her Mother and Grandmother both have used this recipe during the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays. It has now become one of our favorites! I hope you enjoy it as much as we do!

Molasses Cookie Recipe

¾ cup shortening

1 cup sugar

¼ cup molasses

1 egg

2 cup flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

¼ teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon cloves

1 teaspoon ginger

Mix ingredients together in a bowl. It works better if you use your hands to mix. Roll dough into small balls and then roll the balls in a bowl of sugar. You can use white sugar, or the pretty colored decorating sugar, whatever you prefer. Grease cookie sheets and place cookies on sheet. Bake at 375º for 7 to 9 minutes. I prefer my cookies chewy so I bake for 7 minutes. Enjoy!

Now, please take the opportunity to visit the next blog in our hop: http://www.crazyadorable.blogspot.com/

This month's featured shop is jenspens.etsy.com. Shop owner Jenni creates hand-turned pens and other woodworking gifts. After watching an episode of New Yankee Workshop during which Norm was performing wood turning, Jenni wondered if she could do it, too. Practice makes perfect for Jenni, who is a self-taught wood turner. She bought her first lathe at an estate auction for a dollar. Acrylic pens take a bout a half hour to do the actual turning; wood pieces are done a little faster because wood turns easier than acrylic. Jenni typically draws inspiration for her finished project as she is turning it. Woodworking magazines offer some inspiration, but most of her pieces are trial and error and a little bit of luck. She has been turning regularly for approximately two years.

Jenni discovered Etsy about a year and a half ago. Although she has a shop on Artfire.com, she focuses primarily on her Etsy shop, where she enjoys all the people she has met and continues to meet. The biggest challenge she faces is advertising as well as the actual business management aspect of having an Etsy shop. Admittedly, she hasn't found a way to completely overcome those challenges, but keeps working on improving her business skills and conquering that obstacle. Giving up doing what she loves is not an option. Most of Jenni's creations are born while her daughter naps during the day and after she goes to bed at night. Finding balance between creating and family is also a challenge at times. Jenni is a full time medical biller which sometimes limits her time to craft.

Jenni has a beautiful 2 1/2 year old daughter named Payton that she loves spending as much time with as possible. She has been married to her husband Matt for 7 years. Together, the family lives in Northwest Ohio where they have lived all their lives. Matt loves to farm and hung in his spare time. Jenni also enjoys a little hunting but finds spending "hunting time" with her daughter instead to be much more preferable to standing in the cold water hunting. Currently, she is looking forward to the possibility of going back to school to learn more about computers and technology which she loves.
"I am very excited to see what the future holds for me and my family and am enjoying the ride there!"

Sunday, December 5, 2010

Holly Day Blog Hop!!!!

Saturday, November 14, 2009

November's Featured Shop: jenspens.etsy.com