Weekly Giveaway~ Handmaiden Canada!

March is winding down and so is National Craft Month! We've enjoyed this month's features and sales and hate to see it end, but don't let it stop you from enjoying the art of Crafting and all of our wonderful Upcyclers! This week we're featuring one of the original members of our team~ Becky! She is the creator of Handmaiden Canada~ and her beautifully crafted "Luvkins" are just one of the many items she sells on Etsy! She also creates plush upcycled toys like this one she is giving away to one of our lucky readers~

Adorable and perfect for the Spring season and especially Easter~ You can just imagine how excited a little one would be to receive this bunny to love! And I know the winner of last week's giveaway will be just as excited to receive their Pwark Monster Doll, too! We had lots of entries and everyone had a favorite Pwark, I wish we could have given one to all of you, but only Sarah, author of a wonderful blog, Journeys of the Zoo, will be giving the Pwark we gaveaway a new home! Our thanks to all who entered and especially to Tiwi from Pwarkland for sponsoring the giveaway!

Sometimes life throws us curves that turn our lives to a new direction, that was the case for Becky! She turned her husband's illness into an opportunity to help support her family but still stay home. That's the beauty of crafting and online selling venues like Etsy!

Coming from a family of artisans and craftsman, Becky had the skills necessary to find her "brand"~ she had learned early on the importance of reusing and upcycling the materials you have on hand and to approach her craft in an organic method. Handmaiden Canada evolved from knitted and felted wool bags to products upcycled from wool felted sweaters, then Becky discovered 'Waldorf Dolls'! For those of you (like me) who aren't familiar with the term Waldorf Doll, Wikipedia explains it like this:

A Waldorf doll (also called Steiner doll) is a form of doll used in Waldorf education. Made of wool and cotton, using techniques drawing on traditional European dollmaking, its appearance is intentionally simple in order to allow the child playing with it to improve or strengthen imagination and creativity. For instance, it has no facial expression. Its legs and arms are flexible, allowing natural postures.

Traditional Waldorf dolls are made from cotton interlock knit fabric and wool stuffing. They are often entirely natural. Typically the trademark long hair of a Waldorf doll is made of mohair or boucle. Some doll makers use alternative hair material such as wool, rayon, and cotton. The facial features of a Waldorf doll vary with the maker. Most Waldorf dolls have small suggestions of noses, their eye and mouth colors are generally varied with each doll.

Luvkin Waldorf Doll from Handmaiden Canada

Becky has always loved dolls, so this turned out to be the perfect fit for her~ and for her family! Handmaiden Canada has become a family business, with each member of Becky's family finding their niche in the creative and marketing process. She has truly continued a tradition from her childhood!

Tessa~ 12 inch Luvkin by Handmaiden Canada

You can find adorable "Handmaiden" clothing and accessories for the dolls in Becky's shop!

Rainbow Sweater for 15" Waldorf Doll

Rustic Twig Bed for Waldorf Doll

You'll also find lots of other wonderful heirloom quality treasures in Becky's shop! She creates upcycled plushies (like the one she is giving away), children's clothing, knitted hats, sweaters and ponchos and she still creates her felted wool bags!

Baby Fringed Poncho

Pink Felted Wool Purse

Upcycled Wool and Cotton Red Dress

You get a glimpse of the idyllic setting of Becky's home in the "backwoods" of the Ottawa Valley, where she lives with her husband and nine children (yes, I said nine!) No wonder she says she never runs short of beautiful models for her products!

So now I know after getting to know more about Handmaiden Canada, I know you can't wait to check out Becky's shop! And you can do that as one of your entries!

But first, be sure you are a follower of this blog! Then choose from 4 of the 5 methods to enter listed below. Remember, only four entries count and each one must be left in a separate comment! Be sure to leave your email address in one of the entries so we can contact you if you win~ we won't email you otherwise, we promise!

1. Browse and favorite Handmaiden Canada on Etsy, then tell us here which item is your favorite!

2. Become a fan of Handmaiden Canada on Facebook or Follow Handmaiden Canada on Twitter!

3. Follow Becky's blog~ Heartfelt Mama!

4. Follow Becky's boards on Pinterest and pin one of her Luvkins!

5. Tweet or Share this Giveaway with your fans, friends or followers!

That's it! Don't forget~ only four entries count! Deadline to enter is Midnight, April 1st (Don't be a "fool" and miss it, lol!)

Good Luck!

Want to be featured like this? Sponsor a Giveaway! Just send an email to Teamupcyclers@gmail.com for details!

Weekly Giveaway: Rescued Goods!

Say Hello to Vanessa of Rescued Goods~ this week's sponsor of our Weekly Giveaway! And thanks to Elyse from The ReGiftables, you can also say Congratulations to #45~ Marina, the winner of last week's Giveaway!

Our generous sponsor this week is offering a large beach tote she upcycled from a 100 lb. rice bag! It is extra roomy for all your towels and beach gear plus it has 35" inch long handles so you can throw it over your shoulder!

One of Vanessa's earliest memories was of her grandmother's friend, Lucille, calling across the fence to her Grandmother as she hung out her laundry, "Are we going sailing today?". Sailing meant yardsale~ing and yes, they'd be going! She recalls many Saturdays spent with her Gram hitting sales around her small New England town. Those days of "sale~ing" are still with her today, as Vanessa searches for lost goods waiting to be rescued and brought to a new home. She also loves to upcycle pre-loved goods into new treasures. She says that is the "spirit of Rescued Goods"...

Vintage Quilt Blocks

Tactile Tag Blankets for Babies

Besides the post consumer rice bags, Vanessa also uses vintage fabric, and found objects to create her Rescued Goods.

Vintage Fabric Burp Clothes

This month is National Craft Month, and we are featuring sellers who carry supplies in their shops every Thursday, so we'd also like to share some of Vanessa's craft supply items!

Vintage Nautical Trim

Vintage Squirrel Print Fabric~ Fat Quarter

I adore squirrels, so this tops my favorite list! You can tell us about your favorite item when you enter! I especially loved the fact that Vanessa shared an Etsy eco-tip in the listing of the fabric about using gift bags for giving, since they are reusable!

Not only will Vanessa barter for other Etsy listings you might have, she also donates to various organizations. Each month a percentage of profits (more like all the profits & more right now!) is donated to a non-profit organization for children, animals, our environment, soldiers in harm's way, or veterans. She says, "Every bit can help!" Previous organizations she has supported include; the local Animal Refuge League, soldiers in harm's way, families in need during the holiday season, the local food pantry, and a local play-based non-profit preschool. We're proud to feature Vanessa's shop and support her efforts to help others~ including Upcyclers!

If you'd like to enter the Giveaway it's easy! First, be sure you are a follower of this blog, Love 2 Upcycle~ not a follower? Just look to the left and click. Voila! You are a follower. But you haven't entered yet.
Now, you can choose 4 of the following ways to enter, up to 4 times!

1. Visit Rescued Goods and favorite the shop!

2. Add Vanessa to your circle and tell us here about your favorite item!

3. Like Rescued Goods on Facebook! 

4. Tweet this Giveaway on Twitter or Share it on Facebook!

5. Pin one item from Rescued Goods on Pinterest! 
 
Remember, only 4 entries count, and each one must be left in a separate comment! If you don't have an email listed on your bio, leave it here in one of your comments. Deadline to enter is Midnight, March 11th!

Winner will be randomly drawn using Random.org's generator.
 

Good Luck!
 
Would you like to Sponsor a Giveaway on Love 2 Upcycle? You don't have to be a member of Upcyclers to be a sponsor, all Etsy sellers of upcycled or eco-friendly products are welcome! But of course, we'd love for you to join the team!

Weekly Giveaway: Groovy Green Glass!

This week's Giveaway is really Groovy~ Literally! We are so excited to partner for this giveaway with Groovy Green Glass, one of our innovative members of Upcyclers!

But before we get started telling you more, let's talk about last week's sponsor and the winner of our giveaway from  Yellow Trailer! 
Congrats to #24~ Dena and Adriana! Members of Upcyclers and the creative owners of Spin A Yarn, they also write a whimsical and informative blog focused on fiber arts called~ Everything but the Oink!

We want to thank all of those who entered and, especially, Mary from Yellow Trailer for giving away her industrial chic Wine Cork and Hardware Necklace! Now all we want to know is which one of you two will wear it~ or will mom and daughter share???

Now let's get back to Groovy Green Glass~ coincidentally, owned by another creative genius named Deana! (different spelling, hah!) After learning of the massive amounts of wasted glass in the Myrtle Beach area landfills, Deana became "passionate about glass"! Driven by the fact that glass takes over 4000 years to break down in a landfill, she decided to partner with several area restaurants to rescue what she considered bottles too beautiful to waste. By cutting the glass and sanding the edges, she has created a line of glassware, unique and innovative, and very popular. You can actually 'Drink Straight From the Bottle!', as her company tagline states! 

Jameson Shot Glasses

Grey Goose Glasses

Captain Morgan Table Lamp

Aside from her Etsy shop, Deana also has a company website that breaks down the hardcore facts about the impact that Groovy Green Glass is making:

"Based on an online energy calculator, for every 50 cases of glass that we keep out of the landfill, we are saving:
* 2.7 cubic meters of landfill space
* 328 kwh of energy (enough to light 1.1 houses every month)
* 1, 660 liters of water
* and permanently removing the impact of 1.2 cars on the road. 
This is currently what we save every three weeks!"


Amazing to think what a difference just one company with one brilliant idea can make!

In addition to glassware, Deana has expanded her line of Groovy Green Glass to include planters, home decor and jewelry! 

Jaegermeister Pendant Lamp

Etched VinoPonic Planter

Fireball Whiskey Pendant

And best of all, the earrings that Groovy Green Glass is giving away!

Green Wine Bottle Earrings

It's easy to enter and if you love them you'd better hurry!


First, be sure you are a follower of this blog, Love 2 Upcycle~ not a follower? Just look to the left and click. Voila! You are a follower. But you haven't entered yet.

Now, you can choose 4 of the following ways to enter, up to 4 times!
 
1. Check out Groovy Green Glass on Etsy and favorite the shop! And tell us here about your favorite item in the shop!
2. Check out the website Groovy Green Glass and tell us here one of the five restaurants that 3G collects glasses from!
3. Become a fan of Groovy Green Glass on Facebook!
4. Tweet or share this Giveaway!
5. Pin one item from Groovy Green Glass on Pinterest!
Remember, only 4 entries count, and each one must be left in a separate comment! If you don't have an email listed on your bio, leave it here in one of your comments. Deadline to enter is Midnight, January 26th!
Winner will be randomly drawn using Random.org's generator. 

Good Luck!
 
Would you like to Sponsor a Giveaway on Love 2 Upcycle? You don't have to be a member of Upcyclers to be a sponsor, all Etsy sellers of upcycled or eco-friendly products are welcome! But of course, we'd love for you to join the team!

Weekly Giveaway: Yellow Trailer!

After a bit of a hiatus, and after the hullabaloo of our Countdown to Christmas Giveaway Extravaganza, we are excited to get back to our Weekly Giveaways for the New Year! We have several lined up already, but welcome all of you to sponsor a Giveaway in 2012~ especially since we are averaging over 5000 views a month on our blog~ Love 2 Upcycle!

A while back, Mary from Yellow Trailer sponsored a giveaway for us with one of her custom typewriter key pendants. Now she is, once again, generously offering another unique, upcycled piece of jewelry to our fans! This time it is made from a chardonnay wine cork and elements from a coffee can of nuts, bolts and screws that she had in her garage!

I asked Mary for an update on her shop, named for the little 'Yellow Trailer' that hauls her goods to markets and fairs, and life in general~

Mary chose her path as an artist and jewelry designer when, after 20 years, her position was eliminated because of downsizing. She also discovered a passion for antiquing and vintage treasures which she resells in an antique booth and also at fairs. Mary told me she loves being an Etsy seller because it provides an outlet for all the creative juices flowing through her head! She's quick to say though that if you want to have a successful shop you have to work at it since "nothing comes from nothing. If you just sit on your fanny and watch time go by, you'll grow 'old' in a hurry!" When asked if she had any advice for others leaving lifelong jobs or retiring, she replied, "You've worked hard all your life, now it's time to do what you love. Find the joy in what you do, otherwise it's not worth the time!"

And that's what Mary has done~ her favorite thing about creating jewelry is seeing the joy and happiness on others' faces when they find one of her pieces and make it their own. Her Etsy shop works hand in hand with the one on one connection she gets selling at the local farmers market, since many will browse for her latest items online as well!

Mary's latest passion is for wine cork jewelry~ she discovered the beauty of wine corks while taking an Italian cooking class! Her latest creation was for the chef who taught that class, and whose favorite wine happened to be Savigny, for which Mary combined the cork from a bottle and sterling silver to create a necklace and earring set. The chef had also previously purchased several pieces from Mary for her employees! She loves working with the corks, since they make such lightweight jewelry and are easy to work with.

Custom Cork Necklace & Jewelry Set

Custom Cork Jewelry

Suncatcher

Canned Sunshine in Canning Jars

Pet Collar Charm

We know you'll love getting to know Mary~ and be sure to remember that she'd love to create something special just for you! And now for the Giveaway!

Entering our Weekly Giveaways is easy! Here's how:


First, be sure you are a follower of this blog, Love 2 Upcycle~ not a follower? Just look to the left and click. Voila! You are a follower. But you haven't entered yet.

Now, you can choose 4 of the following ways to enter, up to 4 times!
 
1. Check out Yellow Trailer and favorite the shop!
2. Add Mary to your circle!
3. Tell us here in a comment about your favorite item!
4. Tweet or share this Giveaway!
5. Pin one your favorite items from Yellow Trailer to Pinterest!
 
Remember, only 4 entries count, and each one must be left in a separate comment! If you don't have an email listed on your bio, leave it here in one of your comments. Deadline to enter is Midnight, January 18th!
Winner will be randomly drawn using Random.org's generator. 

Good Luck!
 
Would you like to Sponsor a Giveaway on Love 2 Upcycle? You don't have to be a member of Upcyclers to be a sponsor, all Etsy sellers of upcycled or eco-friendly products are welcome! But of course, we'd love for you to join the team!

Weekly Giveaway: Time & Again Shop!

It seems perfect that this week's Upcyclers' Giveaway is something for a child to wear, considering they are all back to school now! So thanks to Allison from Time & Again, one lucky girl will be absolutely adorable in her little handmade (and upcycled!) pillowcase dress!

But 1st! Our lucky winner of MOTHERBORED's giveaway from last week was~  Elyse of Elyse Hutchinson Designs!

Congrats to you, Elyse! Michelle will be in touch to get your address for shipping! We'd also like to congratulate Rebby, who was the alternate winner of our giveaway from Beach Glass Shop We love our fans and hope all of you who have been entering will be excited about all the giveaways we have lined up for the coming weeks! And now for this week's~

Told you it was adorable!

It’s a vintage c.1970’s pillowcase with harvest gold roses and blue, white and brown stripes in a 4T that would look great year round either as a dress or it would look really cute through the cooler months with jeans or brown leggings and a long sleeved t-shirt underneath.  When they outgrow it as a dress, they can wear it as a top!  Allison's daughter is 7 1/2 and can still wear her 4T’s as tops.  They are very versatile, super soft and wash very easily like regular linens.

Allison loves vintage linens and loves finding uses for them, so she started making these cute dresses which she creates from vintage and antique pillowcases! You can find many of her designs in her Etsy Shop, Time & Again. She has since expanded her line to include aprons for adults & children (sometimes even matching sets!) and "lovies" for babies. Now she even uses tea towels and dresser scarves to make half aprons and she also creates 'I-Spy' Bags! You can find her entire line of products with a huge variety of sizes and styles and even a line of Christmas dresses on her website, Time & Again Shop!

You'll love how easy it is to shop online at Time & Again! And you'll want to be sure to have your holiday shopping list handy when you start browsing!


NOW to enter the Giveaway!

First you must be a follower of Love 2 Upcycle to enter~ not a follower? Just look to the right and click on the 'Follow' button! But don't leave a comment for doing that!

Then you can submit up to 4 entries, each must be entered HERE in a separate comment for each entry. 
If you don't have an email listed in your profile, please leave it in one of your comments!

1. Browse, Like and Favorite Time & Again on Etsy!

2. Check out Allison's website and sign her Guest Book. Then tell us you did and what your favorite item is here in a comment!

3.  Become a fan of Time & Again on Facebook!

4. 'Tweet' or 'Like' this Giveaway using our Like or Tweet button or Share a link to our Giveaway on your Facebook fan page. 

***One more new option: You can pin one item from Time & Again on Pinterest with the description "Time & Again Shop"! But remember you still can only enter 4 times!

Deadline to enter is Wednesday, September 14th at Midnight.

The WINNER will be randomly drawn and announced with the next Giveaway!

Good Luck!
 

Would you like to Sponsor a Giveaway on Love 2 Upcycle? You don't have to be a member of Upcyclers to be a sponsor, all Etsy sellers of upcycled or eco-friendly products are welcome! But of course, we'd love for you to join the team!

Weekly Giveaway: MotherBored!

Unfortunately, we have not heard from Mila yet, the winner of the Beach Glass Shop Giveaway. If we do not hear from you by midnight, Monday, 9/5, Mila, we will be forced to select another random winner! Please contact us at teamupcyclers@gmail.com
Thank you!

We love the play on words this week's sponsor used for her Etsy Shop: MotherBored! But don't be fooled her designs are anything but boring~ you will love her innovative jewelry and accessories!


First, we'll announce the winner of last week's giveaway from Yellow Trailer!

#12 ~Amber!! Congrats to you! Mary, our generous sponsor from Yellow Trailer, will contact you at your email address to get your shipping information! Thank you to everyone who entered! One note, please remember that you can enter up to four times and that each entry should be left in a separate comment! Many of you combine your entries into one comment and sadly, it only counts as one entry! Also be sure to have an email address on your profile or leave that in a comment too.


Now onto this week's Giveaway from  
MotherBored by ShellyMac Designs! 

MOTHERBORED believes there's beauty beyond that nasty bug or virus computers can catch. Saved from their death at your local landfill, she recycles and upcycles desktop-laptop computers and other electronic components. They all have colorful motherboards and gadgets awaiting her discovery! Using as much as possible from the computers, she leaves little to no scrap trail behind.

ShellyMac is a full time student working towards her R.D.H. (dental hygienist) degree. She considers herself a passionate student, as much as a creator of her visions. Creating these little one of a kind masterpieces gives her an escape that she enjoys and looks forward to!

MotherBored is giving away a set of darling upcycled barrettes that started life as button covers and are now home to capacitors and computer components. Both conversation pieces and a fashion statement, we are excited to offer you a unique and clever eco-chic prize this week!

Other items you'll find in MotherBored designed by ShellyMac can be worn by anyone because of the wonderfully unisex nature of the pieces. She also has accessories like cuff links and key chains, as well as stunning pendants that will cause you to doubt the origin could be so industrial or ever have been considered 'e-waste'!

MotherBored jewelry and accessories are one of a kind designs and most findings and bases are sterling plated and lead free. You can feel confident in the knowledge that these pieces have been created with utmost care and concern for both the planet and you!

So now to enter~

First you must be a follower of Love 2 Upcycle to enter~ not a follower? Just look to the right and click on the 'Follow' button! But don't leave a comment for doing that!

Then you can submit up to 4 entries, each must be entered HERE in a separate comment for each entry. 
If you don't have an email listed in your profile, please leave it in one of your comments!

1. Browse, Like and Favorite MotherBored by ShellyMac Designs on Etsy!

2. Tweet or Like your favorite item in MotherBored and tell us here which item it was.

3.  Become a fan of MotherBored on Facebook!

4. 'Tweet' or 'Like' this Giveaway using our Like or Tweet button or Share a link to our Giveaway on your Facebook fan page. 

***One more new option: You can pin one item from MotherBored on Pinterest with the description "MotherBored on Etsy"! But remember you still can only enter 4 times!

Deadline to enter is Wednesday, September 7th at Midnight.

The WINNER will be randomly drawn and announced with the next Giveaway!

Good Luck!
 

Would you like to Sponsor a Giveaway on Love 2 Upcycle? You don't have to be a member of Upcyclers to be a sponsor, all Etsy sellers of upcycled or eco-friendly products are welcome! But of course, we'd love for you to join the team!

Weekly Giveaway: Yellow Trailer!

No, we are not giving away a Yellow Trailer, lol! That's the whimsical and intriguing name of the Etsy shop that's sponsoring this week's giveaway! But before we reveal our fantastic item~ Let's announce last week's winner: {sound of drum roll and fanfare here}

#79~ MILA Our thanks to Random.org for choosing for us, so we don't have to!
We don't have your email, Mila~ so please contact Beth by sending a convo to her
Beach Glass Shop as soon as possible to claim your prize and provide our very kind and generous sponsor with your shipping address. Our thanks to all of you who entered~ and there were MANY of you!

And now we will show you this week's giveaway: You can win your choice of any keyboard letter handcrafted into a necklace from Yellow Trailer!

I know, AWESOME, right?? I love typewriter jewelry and was so excited when Mary offered one to our readers! Her profile is such a hoot that I realized I couldn't describe her any better than she already has, so here, in her words is "Something about Mary":

"Yellow Trailer is the result of being downsized from my employer of 20 years. I'm too young to retire, too old to hire, had both knees replaced and I'm still discovering the artist hidden in my bones. I work with silver, old typewriters, glass, copper, fabric, shovels, pvc pipe, big hammers and dirt. I make items from recycling everyday utensils and tools. The yellowtrailer hauls all my 'stuff' to markets and fairs.
I also discovered my talent for finding and selling, vintage... anything, which I also do at markets, in an antique booth at a local mall and on eBay. 
That's how I eke out a living and for the first time I actually enjoy my work. I also enjoy fishing all the Great Lakes of Michigan with my husband of 40 years.We've been best friends, forever. And of course I can't forget the cats Amos & Andy who so generously allow me to cater to their every whim, clean their poop box and live in their house. :)
All the artistic jewelry - bracelets, garden art and windchimes are made exclusively by me. I'm not looking to get rich, just an unemployed Grandma enjoying life and getting by."

Don't you just love it? I've been up to that area and can imagine how amazing her life must be, except of course I don't envy the winter, lol! Here's a little peek at her shop:

I love the upcycled Solar Powered Mason Jar lights, recharged by the sun and easily carried anywhere, they can create enchanted lighting in your garden or be used for practical purposes. Mary said they came in handy recently during a power outage!

You can order custom typewriter key jewelry and other creations from Yellow Trailer as well, so if you don't see quite what you want, just ask Mary and the two of you might just be able to conjure something up especially made for you! She will even create jewelry from your own pieces of heirloom or cherished silverware.

So now to enter~

First you must be a follower of Love 2 Upcycle to enter~ not a follower? Just look to the right and click on the 'Follow' button! But don't leave a comment for doing that!

Then you can submit up to 4 entries, each must be entered HERE in a separate comment for each entry. 
If you don't have an email listed in your profile, please leave it in one of your comments!

1. Browse, Like and Favorite YellowTrailer on Etsy!

2. Tweet or Like your favorite item in Mary's shop and tell us here which item it was.

3.  Become a fan of Upcyclers on Facebook and leave a comment with a link to Yellow Trailer on our wall!

4. 'Tweet' or 'Like' this Giveaway using our Like or Tweet button or Share a link to our Giveaway on your Facebook fan page. 

***One more option: You can pin one item from Yellow Trailer on Pinterest with the description "Yellow Trailer on Etsy"! But remember you still can only enter 4 times!

Deadline to enter is Wednesday, August 31st at Midnight.

The WINNER will be randomly drawn and announced with the next Giveaway!

Good Luck!
 

Would you like to Sponsor a Giveaway on Love 2 Upcycle? You don't have to be a member of Upcyclers to be a sponsor, all Etsy sellers of upcycled or eco-friendly products are welcome! But of course, we'd love for you to join the team!