BLoG InC.

So last week, I was totally inspired when Felicia (of A Simply Raw Life) and I hopped on over to Joy's  book signing at West Elm in Los Angeles.  We had the opportunity to meet the darling author of the new book,  "Blog, Inc." Joy Cho, who's nothing less than a blogging Yoda for all lost and wayward bloggers looking for a beacon of light to navigate in this virtual maze!  Need I say more?  Check her out here and be awed!

It is my plan that after I read this book I will know all the secrets to captivate readers, seem more witty, and I may even stand a bit taller, or at least my posts may be a bit more regular :)

Thanks for stopping by!

xo

CURRENTLY SMITTEN WITH

Well hello There!

Well life certainly does have a way of keeping us busy.  As one who resists the changing of hot to cold, sandals to boots, I've found a few things that make the transition a bit more enjoyable.  Here are a few things I've been dreaming about from Pinterest...

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1.  A cozy bunny sweater for Z.  Bunny Sweater by Oeuf find it here.

2.  Love these funky hats that Jean-Marie introduced to me by Annie Larson.  She is one creative I'd love to be friends with.  Totally adorbs and found here!!!

3.  With these Oscar De La Renta scalloped suede pumps  I welcome Fall with open arms.  You can too here.

4.  Snuggling in fuzzy socks and perhaps one of those snuggie things writing some handwritten notes.  I love handwritten notes, especially when they are as pretty as these.  You can find some great stationary by Rifle Paper Company  here.

5.  A cool scarf for a new way to wear my hair would be fantastic.  Perhaps one like this one here.
A Rusty floral turban headband by the Etsy seller RaynaJaye.

6.  And then this is the humorous reality of my life!

Say What....it's Friday!!!!

Psssssst.....Coming soon to the shop!!! And if you want to see other shiny things hop on over to our shop here.

Greets & Deets!

Happy Friday To One & All.

     So I just couldn’t resist posting this picture of our littlest intern, I love his little chubby hands! And I couldn’t leave out our older inter Zion (she’s got 2 years on Liam).

     You know they say that kids end up like their parents; I am really hoping that we are able to set a fine example so that the things that are important to us will be important to them as well. For instance being healthy, helping others, and of course making jewelry <3>


Contest Deets

So this week we want to see you in action. Our friend recently went to China and posted some awesome pictures doing handstands across Asia. So do you run, swim, jump, pole vault (ok, sorry just hot off the heels of the Olympics)? Or do your kids? We want to see! So all you need to do is use the hash tag #BtanJerineinaction (remember its BtanJerine with a J) on Instagram or you can email us your photo if you prefer at btanjerine@gmail.com.


Contest ends Friday August 31, 2012 at 5:00PM (Pacific Time), and winner will be announced Monday September 3, 2012 at 8:00AM

     
     Oh and I almost forgot you could win these beauts! Meet Serenity, valued at $24. Simple and elegant, aquamarine baubles dangle on an unconventional copper wire. To see more pretties like these pop on over to our shop here.

Can’t wait to see your moves!

Cancer Update

Photo Courtesy of Ashley Gonzalez

     After being 100% RAW for one week Jean said that she felt mentally the most clear that she’s ever felt.  She mentioned that she has been working on learning French for the last 4.5 years, and she noticed that after being RAW for 1 week, she was able to study her lessons so clearly and much faster than usual, with amazing comprehension!  She noted that normally she has to use a dictionary, but this week didn’t have to use one at all.

     At first she thought that she was going to feel like she was starving, but was pleasantly surprised when she did not starve!   She says that she was ready for her next meal but it never happened that she was destitute.

     Fast forward a few weeks and Jean Marie has been doing really great.  She has been able to rest and recuperate, and has a positive attitude (which is a powerful healing factor).  I’m sure she will be doing cart wheels in no time!

Makin Magic

Fools Gold Necklace, Yellow Cloisonné Earrings
Turquoise Pendant, This & That Bracelet

Vintage Itty Bits (Personal Stash:)

Lately I have been taking advantage of a little extra ME time.  Here is a little bit of what I've been up to!  Look for these little beauties in our shop...coming soon!

Happy Friday to One And All

Just a quick shout out to let you know that our little shop has got some new arrivals.  So stop on by and visit us here, and maybe even drop a little hello!  We’d love to meet you!

Itty Bits

Itty Bits, Gold Studs

Paris Bracelet

Pssssst!!!  And if you follow us on Instagram (btanjerine), Facebook, Pinterest or Twitter you can get a special discount code!

Thanks for supporting things handmade!

New Creative Outlet- Freeform Crochet

I've been creating like a mad woman. Since, having the baby I have been in search for a baby friendly creative activity. I used to love to bead as you can see from our Etsy store but well, now with Baby L, it is a little difficult to get out all those little tiny beads and make jewelry. So what's a girl to do?

This past winter I thought about pulling my crocheting out the closet and make a scarf or something. Well, that never happened because I discovered FreeForm Crochet. It is amazing!!! and I am in Love!!!
 I have a few favorite shops on Etsy that use this form of crochet. And let me tell you they all are super inspiring!!! All of them!!

So, now I would like to unveil my new works of art.

This is the first piece I started working on. So, I see all the flaws. But I love it anyway...

The big question: How would I finish them off? Would I use chain like everyone else or just a ribbon? I decided on crocheting a chain and added different size circles to the ends. The end result is one that I love. It adds a nice decoration to the back of the neck and it makes this still a very kid friendly art project because I don't  have to get out anything except for a few supplies.

This is the last one I made. I love the colors. One of my sister-in-laws picked out the colors. 

She hasn't seen it yet so I hope she doesn't see it here first. LOL

all images via  Natsukashii

And one last thing I have to say about these fun pieces are this: They are great addition to any wardrobe, They make you feel more put together without having a ton of jewelry on, & They are travel friendly. Imagine this LAX Airport and a cute chunky necklace... Not so cute when you are trying to get through TSA but oh so cute when its made of fabric and you don't have to remove it.

Have a great day creating today!!

We'd love for you to share with us what you use as a creative outlet. 

Do you Blog, Paint, Garden... or Freeform Crochet... We'd love to hear from YOU!!!

For all our Earth Savvy Friends out there

Did you know you can make your own cleanser? 

I knew that it was possible but I just never got the chance to look anything up on it. So, here I was today searching through Etsy looking at all the wonderful fun and exciting goodies they have when I 

happened upon this:

This All Purpose Cleaner Recipe sells for 2 Bucks!!! 

My mouth dropped as I was so excited to find such a great find on my favorite Website. 

I can't wait to try it and there are other recipes sold at this shop.

 I look forward to discovering more from  Wyldcat!!

Have a great day!!

The World of Cuff Links

Did you know that such a world existed?  Do you have cuffed shirts that are just sitting lonely in your closet just longing to be brought out into the world for that special occasion?  Sometimes it can seem to stuffy and formal to wear a cuffed shirt, but here are some great ways to show a bit of personal style, all the while keeping things professional.

There are cuff links for everyone...

The History Buff:

2nd Amendment US Constitution Tribute Chrome Cufflinks

If you would like to see more from Qacreate click here.

The Beverage Connoisseur:

Upcycled North Coast Brewing Company Beer Bottlecap Cufflinks

If you'd like to see more from Compass Rose Design click here.

And then there is us...

For the Artist:

by yours truly btanjerine.

And who says you have to be a businessman on wall street to wear cuff links?  Women can wear them too, and what a great way to dress up a cuffed shirt along with a pencil skirt!

We'll be putting our efforts toward making Cuff links for the next few postings at our Etsy shop. We've got quite a melange of different styles, from earthy tones to candy red to comic strips.  Its been fun making them and we hope that you enjoy them! 

Stop by our shop and say hello.  And if you don't see a color that suits you, let us know we would be happy to accommodate your artistic desires!

Have a great weekend All!

What Color Are You? 2011 Wedding Color Trends

The Unconventional Bride - Volume 3

For the Funky, Whimsical, or Tropical Bride you will be happy to know that all of your favorite colors are in this year!  All your favorite wedding things are in these vibrant colors which include but are not limited to apple green, lilac, hot pink,  and for the classic look, slate grey and aged gold. But a favorite of BtanJerine is: coral!


For the Cake:

Wedding Cake Topper: Look at that happy couple just swinging away

For the Ladies:

What a fun way to bring Apple Green into your wedding!!

And we never want to Leave the men out...

We love the classic grey & white with a splash of orange. And just think ladies after he's done using these for your wedding day you can use them on one of your favorite cuffed shirts as well. What an awesome way to keep your wedding day alive!

We'd love to hear from you: What colors do you love for this 2011 wedding season?

Where to find today's hot picks:

Tree Swing Cake Topper- www.etsy.com/shop/WeddingsAndWire

Green Garter- www.etsy.com/shop/hellodesigncrew

Cuff Links- www.etsy.com/shop/taragilchrist

The Unconventional Bridal

Volume 1

Bridal season is just around the corner. And there are some great trends in store for 2011! There is so much to talk about when it comes to Bridal... really so much... So we are going to start with one of the most important parts of wedding planning: THE DRESS!!!

Courtesy of Jaclyn Fisher, wedding consultant and co-owner of Two Little Birds Planning, for her expert advice on the hottest wedding trends of the year via www.thebeautybridal.com we found out that "Vintage or retro- inspired with a modern twist is in. What's old is new." Hummm, we like that! Using vintage apart of your wedding will definitely give your wedding a unique feel. As with most vintage,  anything you use that is vintage can tend to be one of a kind. 

So what would a funky slightly off beat bride like?

Check out these wedding dresses we found on Etsy, (yes you can find all things handmade and VINTAGE on Etsy)! 

The Peppermint Pretty

this little number is entitled, "hey little lucy"

Pictures of Lily

See more of the peppermint pretty here: http://www.etsy.com/shop/thepeppermintpretty

All photographs courtesy of the peppermint pretty website.

and another shop we found 

Porshes Place

             CLASSIC VINTAGE SCOOPNECK DRESS and SASH

See more of the porshesplace here: http://www.etsy.com/shop/porshesplace

All photographs courtesy of the porshesplace  website.

Arn’t these great dresses?  Stay tuned for eco friendly ways to make your wedding green.

Is there something that you’d like to see us cover as far as weddings? Please, we’d love your feedback!

New Year New Beginning

     WE love new beginnings, fresh haircuts, and just an overall revamping to ones life and purpose. It’s like an opportunity to start fresh, be positive, and say, “why not be great”! A new year brings new possibilities, hopes, and goals. I recently was listening to a spot on NPR about a new book, “365 days of thank you’s”. In which a lawyer who had an unfortunate string of events decided to turn things around in the new year and write a hand written thank you note everyday of the year to somebody in his life. He was inspired by the repercussions of such a simple act. We love to write cards and letters to friends, but I thought how could I do this more fully? How can I be more thankful, and just a better mother, daughter, co-worker, friend, and person in general.


So for 2011 I want to be different… I want to be a better version of myself. So here are a few of things I will be working on in 2011 (among others):

1. Commit, and stick to the promise to myself to take better care of myself with proper rest, water, exercise, and cooking more at home.

2. Always express my gratitude for all the good in my life. A friend’s listening ear, a smile, etc…

3. Also I want to change my perspective on the things that I have no control over, and find a way to look at it from a different point of view.

Jean-Marie feels the same way. She's ready and can't wait to embrace 2011 with:

1. I want to be commited to saving money where ever possible. Which will also reduce waste, create a more relaxing family life, and allow us to enjoy the things we want to do.

2. Reducing waste where ever possible by re-using, recycling, and up-cycling. I have just discovered a new way to wrap gifts so stay tuned for a blog post about that. Hopefully you can incorporate it into your life.

3. By being commited to my garden come the spring/summer. I think this will be such an amazing way to eat REALLY good food, REDUCE our carbon foot print, and SAVE a lot of money on our grocery bill. I can't wait to get started!!!

And we as BtanJerine also have our goal list:

We want to give you some NEW and AMAZING acessories that will make you feel like a better version of yourself in the new year.  And hopefully reflect something fresh, positive, and upbeat.  We also want to continue to give you great tips on how you can help save our planet by recycling, reducing and up-cycling.

stop by our shop and see what's new:

www.etsy.com/shop/btanjerine
We hope your year starts off with a bang!!!

Love,

BtanJerine

Free Shipping Around The World!

Well there's been a lot of talk about supporting small businesses.  And in an effort to make the experience all the more sweet we are including free shipping through cyber Monday!  And as an added bonus use coupon code: BLOG2010 to receive 10% off your purchase. So shop on!!!


www.etsy.com/shop/btanjerine

Featured Etsy Store: Brown Bag Bakery

  "..Death by chocolate is a myth...this I know because I live..." -Sia

Brit loves quotes and this is one of her favorites. "Chocolate has helped me through some pretty dark days and nights!  And I feel that the older & wiser I become, the more I appreciate chocolate and it's roll in my life", brit says.  I know she speaks of chocolate as a friend, and I think as women chocolate is a friend.  If a girlfriend is feeling down having someone to talk to, some chocolate, and perhaps some wine (if it's really bad) is just what the doctor ordered in most cases!

So with that being said, we introduce our newest favorite Etsy Store:

Brown Bag Bakery

chocolate covered caramel lollys

Death by Rum Roll

( I love this title)

orange flavored nanaimo bars

peanut butter and jelly butter caramels

And here's their divine description:

this caramel is ridiculous. the bottom layer is peanut butter caramel.  middle is classic butter caramel.

on top is a layer of jelly caramel.  and then its all coated in chocolate.  told ya it was ridiculous.

for this purchase you will be receiving 1 pound of these chewy pbj & caramels.

you choose the flavor for the jelly layer, from:

grape, strawberry, blackberry, raspberry

So are you drooling yet?  Check out their host of other savory & sweet offerings at:

www.etsy.com/shop/brownbagbakery

p.s. We also love that she's a busy mom too.  We love supporting fellow moms!

Featured Etsy Store: Parlene's Closet

When Brit and I started BtanJerine one of the things we wanted to do was to have featured artist on our website. When we discover something new we always want to share it with each other and our girlfriends. We love "discovering" new people and there talents! Now that we are a part of the Etsy community we have decided to feature different Etsy Stores on our blog. Hopefully this will help you to "discover" someone new and branch out!

This week we feature a fellow Etsy friend of ours, Parlene's Closet.

Parlene has been an Etsy entrepreneur since 2007. In the past, she has sold her original handmade jewelry, hats and stationary.  Currently Parlene is focusing on things Vintage!  Check out this outfit I totally heart! 

Audrey Hepburn  would be so envious of this lovely frock!

            Vintage 1960 Wool Anthropologie styled coat

Vintage Breakfast at Tiffany's Black Handbag Circa 1950

Little Black Vintage Suit Circa 1950

Thanks Parlene for these great vintage finds! Don't forget to check out her blog.

What I've learned

The last few days have been fun. I've worn my new earrings everyday. And so what I have learned is that anything can be my style... if, I am willing to rock it. When I first found these vintage hand beaded earrings I really didn't have that high of expectations for them. But now I view them so differently. I can't wait to send them to our 4 winners. And I will be popping those in the mail on Monday. Next week you will be finding a little present in your mailbox.

The giveaway was a success and it was a lot of fun. We plan on having many more give away's. So, please check back frequently. I don't want you to miss out on the next hot find!!!

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Check out BtanJerine's newest design...

Heavy Metal II

Nature is inspiring!!!

I love nature and I know Brit does too. She loves exposing her Lil Z to new things all the time. For instance, last month she took her to the San Diego Zoo. Ever since I have had Baby L, I have become more and more aware of whats in our backyard. I am constantly trying to find more things for the backyard that can be exciting to play with, watch or observe. Well, today I got to experience something cool. The birth of 2 Monarch Butterflies. It was amazing. I can't wait for Baby L to experience it and learn from these beautiful creatures.

The first to emerge.

I got this one last photo before the first one flew off for good.

This was truly inspiring... the colors, the patterns, and the process.

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On a side note, we sent out our first item that was sold on Etsy today. It was sold to a fellow Etsy friend. Thanks Raychel for your purchase and for being so inspiring to us. We hope you enjoy your Vintage Button Ring.