Giveaway Time!

It's time for another Giveaway! I tried to get one out a few weeks ago, but I have been very busy with the Christmas rush and trying to get every order out the next day. To celebrate the holidays and me getting to my 500th sale this year, I will be giving away two necklaces.  Each necklace has a unisex quality about them, so if you are the winner it doesn't matter if you are male or female. The first necklace is an English Flint Arrowhead that will come on a silver plated chain. The second is a Chalcopyrite peacock ore wire wrapped stone pendant. The winner will choose their chain lengths. Enter more then once, and the more you spread the word the greater your chances are of wining. The winner will be announced Dec 27th in the evening. This Giveaway is open to everyone.

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MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Merry Christmas to you and your families, enjoy and be safe!


~ Sil      
 LOVE n LAVISH

ICE ICE BABY?

Toronto, Canada

I had something else in mind for todays post. This Ice thing all started last night, and I really noticed it when I was leaving work around 11pm last night and it was super slippery. Then K went for a smoke before bed and told me to check out the trees. Even at night they look really pretty, and I was reminded of the time my family went to Niagara Falls in the winter of 2004 and saw how everything by the falls is ICED up because of the cold and the constant mist from the falls. Just as I was drifting off to bed I heard a crack and a thud and realized that a branch must have fallen from the weight of the trees.

This morning I decided to bring my camera with me while I walked the dog. Trust me, if I did not own a dog I would have just stayed in. But thankfully I got out and took these cool pics. Everything is coated in ice, the trees, the sidewalks, any foliage and even the roads which is pretty dangerous. There are many fallen trees that just can't take the weight of the ice. I feel really bad for the small tree I took a photo of because it was just planted a year or two ago and obviously can't take the weight. If there is a small breeze or a tree can't take the weight you can hear a crackle noise. Anyway, I am staying in and staying safe. I am also lucky to have hydro, my mom has none. No heat and no electricity where she is, so she went to the near by mall to live for a bit.

I think this makes for a great 100 blog post? I do. Yup, I finally made number 100. Blogging has been an interesting thing for me. I still haven't figured out what makes a great one that gets lots of authentic followers. I can't see myself ever writing every day since once a week can be hard at times. But I plan on sticking with it, evolving and improving my blog in the next year. My goal for this blog would be to have some more personal posts, and I would love to find a flow that feels right.

Happy Holidays and I will be posting some cool info on December 26, so stay tuned.

ICE ICE BABY!

The Process of Creating

I was asked to do a write up on my shop Fauna and Forest for Storenvy, and a part of me hesitated. I hate to talk about myself, I really do. I am a pretty privet person who is really modest and I hate to go on and on about myself. But I know as a buyer of online products that I love to read about other shops and their process, so I put on my head phone and listened to some Lana Del Rey and wrote. I wrote about creating, my process and what inspired me to run both shops Love n Lavish and Fauna and Forest.  Here is a little clip from the page, which will at some point be on the front page of Storenvy.

My Canadian nature shop was created about a year ago because I was looking for a way to share more of my Botanical Resin Necklaces. I am drawn and inspired by the beautiful colors and textures found in flowers and plants and I love to collect and press flowers and leaves. I walk a lot, and I love that I really am able to appreciate and be in the present each day of my life. A walk in the summer and springtime has me examining lots of the beautiful flowers,foliage and ferns that are blooming, and Autumn is a time for me to enjoy the beautiful shades of red, yellow and orange that Fall can bring. I pick plants and flowers that I am drawn to, and what I think would make for a beautiful piece.The resin preserves and showcases the beauty of a simple yellow flower petal or a red leaf that has a bit of yellow in it from the changing of seasons. These resin pieces are very special to me because they are truly one of a kind. Nothing in nature is the same, no leaf is exactly the same as the next and no flower looks exactly like the one beside it, and that gives each customer of mine something really special to own. 

Yup, that's my desk area! It's pretty small and usually more messy. I also have this really great organizer with all of my beads, but it's not photogenic. Feel free to read the whole write up too. In the end I did enjoy writing about what inspires me. Storenvy is featuring many shops this week that are having a 20% off in their shops. I am participating in that sale with other shops and you can check out the sale selection here.

I hope you enjoyed reading my write up, and if you have a shop of your own, what is the best thing about running it? How long have you run your shop and what is the best thing about doing it for you?

Have a great weekend!

Holiday Home Decorating Ideas

I gathered a few of my favorite Pinterest photos today that I wanted to share. These great photos should help you get ideas on what you could do to decorate for Christmas. I personally love all the woodsy woodland themed items, and I'm sure some of you love the traditional look. I've tried to add a few of the different looks that everyone would like on my board so check it out and feel free to repin them from my Pinterest board.
 

 

Don't forget I am having my BLACK FRIDAY SALE in my ETSY shop. Once a year I have a 20% off coupon code for Black Friday. I hope you find something you love and can take advantage of my sale. Shop this weekend because the postal time for items bought online and that need time to be shipped can take a few weeks. To get the discount you MUST apply this coupon code at checkout to get the 20% off: CYBERSALE2013. ENJOY!

HAPPY NEW YEAR! WELCOME 2013!

Happy New Year! I hope you all had a safe and wonderful holiday with lots of goodies and a great time.

My Christmas was less hectic then I originally thought it would be. My mom was sick with a flu on the 24th so she cancelled. Then for Christmas K and I woke up late, took the dog to this large field near by and let Coffee get a good run for the day. Then we headed down to K's parents place for a pre drink before going over to K's brother's house. Dinner and snacks were wonderful and the kids had a great time opening all of their gifts. It ended up being just the close family members invited,so it did not seem so crazy. Then around 9pm we headed home.

I did not plan much for Boxing Day, except I went to the gym for a good workout session and later that day K and I watched 3 or 4 episodes of Spartacus season 3. When I originally heard of Spartacus I was not interested in watching a TV series about Gladiators even though I did love the movie 300. But I watched the prelude of Spartacus and fell in love with all of the characters and especially loved Lucy Lawless and the guy who was in Sliding Doors and 4 Weddings and a Funeral. The show has lots of action/fighting, swearing, blood, and sex. It's the perfect show for both my husband and I.

New Years Eve was spent with an old friend of ours. K and I met in college, and we were in the same class. Our friend was in that same class and K stayed friends with him and from time to time we all get together. So we went over to our buddies place for drinks and to meet his new "boyfriend". I had a lot of lovely red wine and we snacked and chatted till 10pm.There is this awesome Japanese bar in Toronto and that is were we ended up. All we needed for New Year's Eve was lovely champagne and seafood and good company.

I have been thinking about New Year's resolutions..... and I think I will post them next post just to keep me on track.


Happy New Year! Cheers to 2013!

Wishing you a Happy Holidays!

Here are some winter themed pieces of artwork to love:

1. Original Painting of a Bear: by Shelli Walters

2. Cedar Lake Cattails: by Scott Lloyd Anderson

3. Winter Landscape photos: Finnish photographer Kari Liimatainen

4. Oh! the Snow photo by: Nick Kenrick





So Christmas day is almost here! We haven't had any substantial snow yet, which is fine by me because I hate having to deal with it. It actually looks really pretty,but is a pain to deal with as the days go by. So a Christmas without snow is great in my books. Actually, last Christmas morning my mom came by, we picked up Starbucks and went for a long walk, because that is how mild it was.

This Christmas Eve I am spending with my side of the family, which is pretty small. My brother is newly married, so we have one extra person this year. My husband has a small family, but his brother's wife has a large Italian family and there are lots of kids, so that will be chaos. We are heading to their home and I'm sure I'll be accepting all of the liquored drinks coming my way. Because I grew up with such a small family and we are all kind of on the quiet side, I always find these loud big gatherings stressful. But it is only once a year, so I will suck it up.

What is my favorite part of Christmas?

1. I love the good food and the wine served with it.
2. I love watching my nephews open their gifts and how excited the kids get over the whole thing.
3. I love Christmas crackers and the funny lame jokes that come with them and the silly paper crown hats.
4. I love watching a Christmas movie, especially The Christmas Story.
5. I love going home and knowing the whole thing is over!

I'll most likely post again on Boxing Day,oh and I am also having a Boxing Day Sale in my shop, so see ya all then! I hope you all have a wonderful Christmas, and enjoy the next few days off. Merry Christmas!