The Mother's Day #giftguide is coming!

Looking to promote your business? Here's a great way to reach 7900+ subscribers, and offer something sweet to the mama's out there!

I am looking for companies in the following industries to feature in the gift guide!

Jewelry
Beauty and Skincare
Hair Products
Clothing and Accessories
Cleaning
Home Decor

If your company is in one of those areas, and your target market is moms between the ages of 28-40, let me know! I'd love to feature you!

Previous Editions:
2013 Holiday Gift Guide
2014 Valentine's Gift Guide

Canvas Prints...the new wall art

Looking for the perfect gift to give this holiday season? Look no further than a custom canvas print by Elephoto, powered by The Printing House {with over 50 years experience in custom printing!}

When I first learned about canvas prints through Elephoto, I was absolutely blown away. With 11 different sizes to choose from, starting at just $36.00, it's a great way to show off those spectacular photos that you've taken on your digital camera, had captured by a professional photographer, or even snapped on your iPhone!

I have to admit, we're one of those families that doesn't have family photos around the house. Being an artist, canvas and paint are always up on the wall and I so often yearn for the amazing photos that we've had taken of us over the years to be out on display. Canvas prints are the perfect balance between art and photography, and look stunning up on your wall.

Beautifully displayed in a nursery, as the start of your family photo wall going up a flight of stairs, or given as a gift, canvas prints are an amazingly personal gift to give. Just imagine the look of delight and perhaps a tear on a friends face, whose just had a baby, when you present her with a canvas print of her maternity or newborn session. Amazing!! I get all giddy just thinking about it!

Stunning...personalized...and perfect.

Save 15% off your Elephoto order with code sweetstellas15 (valid until the end of December 2012)

Wedding Wednesday: Bridesmaid Gifts

If you're like me, you want to make sure that your wedding attendants {in most cases your absolutely bestest of best friends and your closest of close sisters} have the absolute best time at your wedding...right down to the personalized gift that you give them for the big day.

Incorporate their sense of style with your wedding colours, and give them a handsculpted ring on an antique adjustable ring base.

2" pebble cocktail ring

2" pearl Dahlia cocktail ring

Have your wedding flowers all picked out? Let me sculpt them, and create a one-of-a-kind design that will match your wedding beautifully!

double rosette ring

2" teal and white marbled Pansy ring

These statement rings pack a punch, but can be custom made to order and sized appropriately so they blend with your wedding and don't overshadow the beautiful elements of your big day!

Wedding Wednesday: Brooches for Mom

Have a gift for the mother of the bride or groom yet? Stumped on what to give?

Brooches make an excellent gift, and can be personalized in a number of ways by incorporating their favourite colour or flower! Delicate petals, all hand sculpted, are layered to create magnificent one of a kind pieces...just like your mom!

2" lilac sprig brooch

They make amazing corsages for weddings - no allergy concerns and they can double as gifts for mothers and grandmothers, helping with your overall budget

2" blue rosette brooch

Have your wedding flowers already picked out? I can match the style and colour to make sure that the sculpted pieces flow seamlessly with your real flowers!

Special Post: Mother's Day Crafting with Shizz

So its the day before Mother's Day, and did you get anything for Grandma?  No?

Well, here I am to save your day :)

This super easy craft is cute, quick (30 minutes tops) and definitely something any grandmother/mother/aunt/sister/friend would love!

Supplies:

small flower pot

hole punch

craft knife

scissors

colored cardstock

green pipecleaners

small block of floral foam

self-healing cutting mat

1 more supply item:

Toddler for tracing :)

Cut our your hand template.

I labeled mine with his age, because I plan on using it again in the near future.

Pick out your colors of cardstock, trace out the number of hand "flowers" you want.

Using your craft knife on your self-healing mat, cut out your flowers.  Make sure to cut ever so slightly inside your traced line, so that you don't have a line that shows up on the flowers.

Next (not pictured) punch holes in the bottom of your flowers, about 1/4 inch from the bottom of the flower.

Then, fold a pipecleaner in half.  Insert the folded end through the hole in the flower, and fold down the tip about 1/2 inch and pinch flat.  This allows your flower to stand straight, and not flop over.

Now twist the ends of your pipecleaner together to make it more sturdy.

Using a bread knife (don't worry Mizzle, I used the cheap one), cut a small cube of flower foam that will squish down in your flower pot.

Then, using scissors to first poke holes in the foam, insert your flower stems and arrange to your liking.

I added a little bit of brown shredded paper "dirt" in the bottom, which also helped to make the flowers stand better.

Now give it to Grandma!

This is a super easy craft that can be used for almost any holiday.  Birthdays, Easter, Mother's Day, Teacher Appreciation (use a handprint from each child in the class), Grandparent's Day, etc.

Enjoy, Happy Crafting!

Special Post: Emmaline Bride

Have you heard of Emmaline Bride before?

I was first introduced to this amazing handmade haven by the photographer that we used when I was pregnant, and then for our newborn and 1st birthday photo shoots - Rosina di Trolio...probably going back 2 years now?

Anyhow! You're looking at one of the newest preferred handmade artisans in The Marketplace on Emmaline Bride!

I'm absolutely thrilled and have been sitting on it over the weekend, just waiting to announce to you all!

What can you expect to find?

Beautiful handmade rings for your bridesmaids

Delicately hand sculpted corsages and brooches for the mothers of the bride-and-groom

Gorgeous handpainted guestbooks

Hilarious and handmade photo booth props

I'm so proud to be included as a preferred handmade artist, and look forward to working with all of you inspired brides to make your wedding extra special!