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Friday, February 26, 2010

Flower Girl Power

Let’s just say it: flower girls are often the “awww” moment at your wedding. They make your guests smile. You can make that moment even more meaningful with the right accessories that reflect your style.

Here are 4 handmade style ideas for your flower girl from the Etsy Wedding Team.

Floral Wear. Beautiful floral hairpieces, corsages and necklaces in your wedding colors can make an adorable impact. {handmade by www.MGMart.etsy.com}


New Flowers. Looking for something a little different? Try unusual types of flowers, or even leaves. {handmade by www.Spoccdesign.etsy.com}



Flower Keeper. When your flower girl is too young to drop petals, or you simply don’t want to, flower balls, mini bouquets or baskets with attached flowers can substitute. {handmade by www.MackensleyDesigns.etsy.com}

Beyond the Basket. Try unusual shapes to carry petals. {handmade by www.NutfieldWeaver.etsy.com}

For more flower girl and handmade wedding ideas, browse the Etsy Wedding Team on the left.

Friday, February 19, 2010

Beach Ceremony and Reception Style

The ceremony and reception are often the result of months of preparation. For beach and destination weddings, it can be a fun challenge to blend your style and theme elements into one cohesive day.

Here are five Cs, illustrated by handmade designs by the Etsy Wedding Team, that can help you bring it all together.Color. Not every style choice has to be exactly beach, tropical or water themed. Find beautiful things you love in your color palette and it will still tie together, plus reflect your style. {handmade by www.TheBloomingSouth.etsy.com}


Casual. One of the big reasons couples choose a beach theme is the desire for a relaxing, personal wedding day with family and friends. To have that wish come true, reinforce it with signs and cues to your guests to relax and enjoy. {handmade by www.SignsByDiane.etsy.com}


Comfort. Warm, sunny days can be perfect wedding weather. Providing water, fans and other comfort items will help guests enjoy the day as much as you. {handmade by www.printyourparty.etsy.com}


Clean. For a very modern, timeless take on a beach theme, look for iconic, clean accessories. {handmade by www.maidavale.etsy.com}


Consistent. Including your theme on special touches or unexpected details can tie the overall wedding design together much more. You can often find beach or tropical versions of almost any wedding accessory. And with Etsy, special requests are often welcomed. {handmade by www.Beadz2Pleaz.etsy.com}

For more beach wedding design ideas, browse the Etsy Wedding Team members on the left.

Thursday, February 18, 2010

Ceramics for your Home, Life & Wedding: An Interview with Dawn Dalto

This weeks interview features Dawn Dalto of Dawn Dalto Ceramics. Dawn is located in Asheville, NC.

Tell us a little about yourself.
I am 43 and live with my sweetie, Les, and 2 cats and a hound dog. I come from a long line of needlewomen and my first passion was beadwork. I was in my 30’s before I discovered that I really wanted to be an artist. My current medium is ceramics though I still dabble with some jewelry and beads at times (mainly for fun). I turned in my notice to “Quit My Day Job” in January and today is the official 3 day freedom mark. I am blogging about the experience as I go along too.

What special things do you create for weddings?
My main directly wedding related products are Ceramic Ring Bearer Dishes and a hand carved tree tile that features the couple’s initials in a heart on the trunk and their full names and wedding date on the back of the tile. I also create dinnerware and offer a wedding registry for couples.

Who or what sparked your interest in making wedding-related items?
My sister did. She has been quite successful on Etsy (http://meandmatilda.etsy.com) and is very good at marketing her work. My desire at the time was to go back to being a full time self supporting entrepreneur. My day job was making me sick! After one of our long sisterly chats she encouraged me to take a look at some markets that were basically recession proof. More of my thoughts on that are on my blog The post is called “Married, Buried, Barking or Born”

What is a little known fact, or something unique about your work that is interesting?
The culmination of all of the various art and craft mediums that I have experienced that are included. I was a jewelry artist who did fine seedbead work (http://bluebearbeads.com) and that translates into the fine detail that is necessary for the hand carving, stamping, painting or image transfers that I use in my ceramics.

If you are married, what’s the one thing you wish you had for your wedding that you didn’t?
I have been married once before, but not now. Though we may have to consider it for insurance! My ceremony for my first marriage was small. Just friends and family. The things that I wish I could have changed was not trying to do it all myself. I couldn’t enjoy things and don’t remember most of it. I wish I had worn a veil and that we had a videographer. Remember…I was married in 1986. Having a videographer was sort of new then!

What is your favorite wedding song?
I don’t have one. I didn’t have music at my first wedding. It was outside beside the beach and the waves were the music. Or was it the scurrying feet to get further back on the deck. It was high tide!

What is your favorite part of the wedding journey?
Falling in love.

What advice can you share for all the brides getting married this year?
Don’t let “perfect” overpower the fun of the day. It’s the things that don’t go right that you will remember most and laugh about in the years to come. You won’t remember it if there aren’t flub ups. It is a whirlwind day, take in what you can and if the heel of your shoe gets stuck in the deck, just go barefoot!

What is your perfect honeymoon spot?

I haven’t traveled much and have a dream of going to Ireland and Scotland. Of course, any quiet beach and a hammock would be fine too.

If you could pick anyone famous that would purchase your items for their wedding, who would they be?
Famous doesn’t make any difference other than in getting me more publicity to keep doing what I love. Every bride that I work with is famous. They have given me the honor of being part of their day and creating an heirloom to treasure.

If you could choose 1 item from your shop that you wish every bride could have, what would it be?
I make a small trinket dish that has the saying on the front: “Put On Your BIG GIRL Panties And Deal With It!” I think every woman needs one.

Links where we can find out more about your work:
http://dawndalto.net
http://dawndalto.etsy.com
http://dawndalto.1000markets.com
http://bluebearbeads.com
http://bluebearbeads.etsy.com

Tuesday, February 16, 2010

Rhinestone Hair Flower & Petal Lotus Flower Winners!

Congrats to
Abby who said...
Blue Topaz Teardrop Necklace is my fave from OWDJewelery

You have won
From OWD Jewelry, The Yvette Rhinestone Hair Flower




Congrats to
Dovile who said...
I'm already your Google follower

You have won
From MGMart, PETALS - LOTUS FLOWER - Satin Bobby pin in Golden Yellow.



Please respond to the email that you have received within 24hrs. Thank you to everyone who entered this giveaway!





Friday, February 12, 2010

Flowers for Haiti Relief

The Etsy Wedding Team has been running a shop to help in the Haiti Relief efforts. Today, February 12, is the last day to purchase some the over 60 beautiful items donated by team members, all of which have free shipping.

Flowers are a wonderful symbol of birth and renewal, what we all wish for Haiti. So on that thought, here are 5 flower-themed designs currently available. Get them before they are gone!


Under wedding accessories, these would make beautiful decoration for a bride and groom table.

These are actually made with hand calligraphy, now that's a really personal note. Under stationery.


This design can work for many bridal styles, from hip to chic. Found under wedding accessories.

The rose color palette and great shapes makes this necklace at home in a vintage wedding or funky wedding. Found under jewelry.

Under decoration/home, these clay flowers would make a beautiful permanent reminder of your wedding for a maid of honor.

For more wedding and non-wedding designs to benefit Haiti Relief, visit the www.EtsyWedTeam.etsy.com shop today. And for more handmade style for weddings, browse the Etsy Wedding Team members on the left.


Monday, February 8, 2010

We need your help!!!!



Help the Etsy Wedding Team help the people of Haiti. We have 60+ items in our shop right now available for sale, and we would really appreciate our loyal readers help in our fundraising efforts. Every dollar that is earned from our team shop http://www.EtsyWedTeam.etsy.com (less etsy & paypal transaction fees) will be donated to the American Red Cross Haiti Relief.

We have a variety of products available for sale from clothing & accessories, to tons of beautiful jewelry. All items have been graciously donated by Etsy Wedding Team members, and are all looking for new homes. If you have a moment, take a look see at our shop http://www.EtsyWedTeam.etsy.com there are handmade goodies available for everyone!

Thank you for reading!


Friday, February 5, 2010

Handmade Beach Wedding Invitations

Beach weddings open up so many design possibilities. There are various ways to announce your wedding in style. Here are some beach wedding invitation ideas from the Etsy wedding team. {handmade by www.KembaCelebrations.etsy.com}

Beach Your Envelope. You can start your theme from the envelope with beach theme address stickers or stamps, like this one. Using a color envelope in your theme would introduce your beach wedding from the start. {handmade by www.purplelemondesigns.etsy.com}


Go Tropical. Whether or not your wedding is in a tropical locale, your beach theme can include tropical elements, such as orchids, palm leaf and other tropical motifs. {handmade by www.GlitzyEvents.etsy.com}

Think Water. A beach wedding isn’t limited to starfish, shells and sand dollar designs. Feel free to look to other water-based icons. Designs that include pebbles, bubbles or nautical elements can fit your beach theme too. {handmade by www.appleberryink.etsy.com}


Try Travel. Your invitation helps to put your guests in the right frame of mind. A passport or boarding pass invitation sets the stage for a fun trip and wedding ahead. {handmade by www.anaderoux.etsy.com}

Design with Dimension. Beach wedding invitations offer great opportunities for embellishments. Using shells, starfish, raffia and other dimensional elements on your invitation can evoke the beach for guests months before your wedding. {handmade by www.BGDesignstudio.etsy.com}

For more handmade beach wedding designs, browse the Etsy Wedding Team members on the left.

Thursday, February 4, 2010

Rhinestone Hair Flower & Petal Lotus Flower Giveaway!




Our winter giveaways continue with new items from our team members.




First up from OWD Jewelry, The Yvette Rhinestone Hair Flower




And from MGMart, PETALS - LOTUS FLOWER - Satin Bobby pin in Golden Yellow.



To enter the giveaway you can complete any of the following tasks. Please leave your contact email address in your comment(s) so that we can notify you if you are a winner. Completing multiple tasks will get you multiple entries into the giveaway.

IMPORTANT
Each task must be added as separate comment in order to count as an additional entry. If you do not leave an email address your entry will be disqualified.


1. Follow the Etsy Wedding Team Blog by using the google friend connect tool.
2. Follow us on twitter http://twitter.com/etsyweddingteam
3. Tweet about this giveaway and leave a comment with the link to your tweet
4. Follow MGMart on twitter http://twitter.com/MGMarts
5. Post our giveaway button located on the right sidebar of this blog on your blog and leave your blog address for verification.
6. Tell us your favorite item from OWDJewelry's Etsy shop.
7. Tell us your favorite item from MGMart's Etsy Shop.
8. Add us as a friend on myspace http://myspace.com/etsyweddingstreetteam
9. Become a fan of the EWT on facebook http://facebook.com/etsyweddingteam

Hurry and enter, This giveaway will expire 02/10/10 @ 6:00pm EST.






good luck!

Monday, February 1, 2010

I do I do & Turquoise Wedding Treasuries!

Thank you Shell Scapes for creating this team treasury! Click the photo to access, expires 02/04/10 @ 12:42pm EST.



Thank you Nutfield Weaver for creating this team treasury! Click the photo to access, expires 02/04/10 @ 04:22am EST.