Featured Etsy Designer -- Mandy of MandolinGoose PLUS a giveaway!

Mandolin Goose is one of our favorite shops for our home on Etsy. Filled with upcycled goods we just love - from mirrors to frames - the designer loves to re-vamp her vintage finds and we love her for doing it. 

Meet Mandy of Mandolin Goose & fall in love with her Etsy shop!

{Mandolin Goose on Etsy}

{We paired this blue mirror with our collection of milk glass vases}

{1} What made you begin your shop?

Initially, my Etsy shop was a way to whittle down some of the many, many vintage items I've collected over the last 20 years. Then I found myself collecting more (it's an addiction!), and would often spot an item that could use some sprucing up, with some paint, or another alteration, and ta-da! It was new all over again, but still with some of the original character. I certainly can't keep every item I work with, so I sell them, and it helps support my collecting habit.

{2} What is your favorite item to upcycle? 

The frames are probably my favorite, because there are so many different styles and shapes, and once they've been dressed up, or painted and distressed, they're so versatile. They look great in a grouping with similar items, or mismatched for a more eclectic feel. I like to place them on the mantle with an assortment of candles for a look that can easily be changed... seasonally or for a particular theme.

{English Tin, $10}

{3} What are some of your other favorite Etsy shops? 

Wow, there are so many! I really like waterpath, vintagespecial, yystudio, sushipot, WearableArtz, and poordogfarm... and 1000 more! I bought a great netbook case from freemoment. There are so many talented Etsians. Personally, I love textiles, knit items, original art, vintage anything, and so many sellers will do custom work, which makes the Etsy experience even more amazing.

{Vintage Faux Wicker Mirror in a super-FAB pink, $14}

{4} What inspires your work? 

My inspiration depends on what I'm working on, really. It may be the shape of the item, if it's to be upcycled, and pairing that with a modern color will really make it pop. I'm often inspired by textures, color, character, or the "personality" of the piece. When I work with paper, I tend to choose vintage illustrations, and unusual text, often in a foreign language. I love mathematical text, too, as I'm a bit of a math geek. I've been a casual artist all my life, and always have at least a few projects going on at once, and there's still so many crafts I want to try, and media I'd like to work with. I've also got The Sillymobile, my car, that's an ongoing project that I hope is never finished. In addition to my many hobbies/crafts, I'm fortunate to have a profession (chef) where I'm able to express my creativity.

{Mandy's car, otherwise known as Sillymobile}

{5} What is up next for you?

I've started making jewelry, and have an Etsy shop for that at SplendidLulu.Etsy.com. It's a small collection so far, but I'm having fun! I'm also getting into doing more work with vintage ephemera, another passion of mine... Etsy shop for that soon to follow. I have too many hobbies!

{We also added in a set of Mandolin Goose vintage scones for  a slash of color}

Lovin' Madolin Goose? Check out their shop on Etsy and make them a favorite. In the meantime, check out the FABulous giveaway below. We are giving one cupcakeMAG reader a chance to win our current favorite in the shop! 

{WIN THESE BELOW!} currently our fave in the shop!

Giveaway: Pictured above, The Moderne Farbe Candlestick Collection, 5 piece set, Retail Value of $42. 


Head over to Mandolin Goose and tell us what item you just LOVE. This comment is mandatory. You also MUST be a follower of cupcakeMAG and cupcakeMAG for Littles.


For extra entries please do the following and make sure to leave your email in at least one comment. Good luck!

1. Follow cupcakeMAG on Twitter.

2. Make sure you "Like" us on our Facebook page.

3. Subscribe to our updates (top right corner above) - just sign up with your email!

4. Tweet about this giveaway and include @cupcakemag -- you must tweet, not just follow.

5. Make Mandolin Goose a favorite on Etsy. 

6. Write a blog post about this giveaway on your blog and send us the link.

We will select a winner via random.org on Friday, May 6th at 11pm! Please make sure you enter the mandatory comment first before doing the extra entries.

Featured Etsy Designer -- Ashley, The Vntage Queen -- Plus a giveaway!

Coming across this Etsy shop changed our life. Okay, maybe it didn't really change our life but it certainly made it just a little bit more amazing! Ashley, the super-sweet Queen of Vintage is one of the nicest people we have ever worked with and we just can't stress that enough. She adores her customers and wants everyone to be happy when they shop at the Vntage Queen. We are so excited to share this shop with you and the beyond FABulous lady behind it! Read on to get all the details on the shop we have fallen in love with -- plus, win $50 to get your shop on! 

{1} Tell us a little about yourself, the true Vntage Queen. 

My name is Ashley!  I am a mother, full time college student, girlfriend and Etsian. I am a US Navy Veteran!  I served 4 years and was aboard two Destroyers, USS Stout and USS Gonzalez.  And yes did the whole 6-month out to sea bit! I am back in school for a second time!  It is quite a bit different being older (and yes wiser) and being a mother!  I originally planned to become an Earth Science teacher.  With all of the nation wide cuts lately, I have decided to follow my dream and become an Interior Designer.  Thanks to my Etsy shop, I now have the confidence to know I can do it and be great! 

I have always loved Interior Design.  I used to play Sims just so I could create and decorate the house!

I am a mother to Brianna (who I call Boopy), a cute and sassy little 4 year old!  She is amazing and a genius, literally.  My favorite part of the day is taking her with me on errands and she asks the most random person if they want to talk about dinosaurs.  She then will go on about every detail she knows (which is quite a bit).  She amazes me!

I am a girlfriend to my soul mate, Jeffrey.  He is so amazing!  He too is a veteran, Marine Corp.  Which I think helps us click better. We just get one another!  He is also a full-time college student and is Civil Service for the Air Force.

Jeffrey is super supportive and expects nothing from me.  He puts no pressure overhead just gives me room to grow.  I couldn’t ask for a better partner! 

{2} Where do you find the items in your shop? Flea markets, yard sales? We are dying to know where you score such awesome vintage treasures? 

I travel all over the state to find my goodies (as I call them).  I have three favorite places that I frequent each week.  Two are thrift stores and another is an antique shop.  The key to finding great vintage is staying away from big name and over browsed thrift stores.   It’s the hole in the wall, maybe in a not so great part of town places that have the treasures! 

I also love flea markets.  The flea markets in the country are the best!  You usually have the sweetest little lady that call you sugah, or honey! 

{Ashley's own wall of art collection}

{3} What made you decide to start a vintage shop on Etsy? 

I stumbled upon Etsy one day when I was researching an item I purchased.  Checked out a few stores and said, wow I can do this!  I have a collection of vintage items at home that all of friends have asked, “where in the world did you find this?” So I knew I could find great vintage pieces for a shop.  It was perfect timing too with being in school.  I didn’t want to work, but wanted a little extra spending money and voila, there you have Vntage Queen. 

{4} Do you have any personal faves in the shop currently? We do! All of them! 

Oh goodness, where do I begin?  Hold on, let me browse….

I absolutely love my goddess cocktail glasses.  I just think they are so different and amazing!  And my Moschino Cheap and Chic velvet skirt!  The pictures just do not do that piece justice.  It is amazing!

My two all time favorite pieces have sold though, the Lucite Pyramids and the Mid Century Horse lamp. Those are the two that I second-guess myself about selling. 

{cupcakeMAG fave: Fabulously Ornate Brass Candle Sticks, $38}

{5} What are your favorite Etsy shops?

I just recently ordered a bracelet from monpetitchouboutique.  It is super cute, nicely made and was packaged in the cutest box.  I also have a dinosaur necklace (thanks to my daughter and boyfriend) from ANORIGINALJEWELRY.  It is super cute!

My favorite vintage shops would be AMradio, fabulousmess, experimentalvintage, shavingkitsuppplies, and littlebyrdvintage.  And many more!  There are some really great Vintage shops on Etsy. 

{You may notice this Milk Glass Vase from our Birthday Feature on Pizzazzerie.com, $12}

{6} How would you describe your own personal decorating style at home? 

I like a neutral background with pops of uniqueness.  I want to be able to change with the seasons, with my mood or if I find a piece that is so amazing I need to redecorate to build around it. And I love pops of color!  I lean more towards Hollywood Regency and Oriental pieces for myself.

{All Things Vntage Queen}

Etsy Shop

Twitter

Now, it is your lucky day! cupcakeMAG readers have a chance to win $50 to the Vntage Queen. Read on to enter and start marking your favorites now! 

Giveaway: Enter to win a $50 Gift Certificate to the Vntage Queen!

Enter now! Head over to Vntage Queen on Etsy and tell us what would fill your cart. This comment is mandatory. You also MUST be a follower of cupcakeMAG and cupcakeMAG for Littles! 

For extra entries you can do the following below and leave us a separate comment for each letting us know. The more you comment the better chance you have to win!

1. Follow cupcakeMAG on Twitter.

2. Follow Vntage Queen on Twitter. 

3. Make sure you "Like" us on our Facebook page.

4. Subscribe to our updates (top right corner above) - just sign up with your email!

5. Tweet about this giveaway and include @cupcakemag -- you must tweet, not just follow.

6. Tweet about this giveaway and include @vntagequeen -- you must tweet, not just follow. 

7. Write a blog post about this giveaway on your blog and send us the link.

We will select a winner via random.org on Friday., April 29th at 11pm. Please make sure you enter the mandatory comment first before doing the extra entries.

cupcakeMAG LOVES Heather of Chickabug!

When we came across Heather of Chickabug's Party Idea Blog we immediately fell in love with amazing inspiration and beautiful work! Heather's blog is the perfect place for all things party & pretty. 

We are thrilled to share Chickabug with our readers! Enjoy the giveaway too! 

{Heather of Chickabug}

{1} The Chickabug blog is just FAB! You could browse it for hours. What got you into blogging such great things?

Thanks, Casi! That means so much coming from you! : ) I actually started blogging a few months into running my Etsy shop so that I could post pictures of the things I was making. Back then I was so naive that I had no idea that party blogs were such a big deal. I just posted whatever party photos customers sent me, along with random things that caught my eye on Etsy or in the blog world. That's still what I'm doing, actually -- just on a larger scale! I also make sure to include LOTS of party photos and LOTS of details about sources since I now know that's what readers are looking for.

{DIY Easter Candy Celebrations}

{2} When you aren't designing  your uber-cute personalized goods on Etsy, what can we find you doing?

It's so basic, but my favorite everyday activity is just walking my dog, Charlotte. Spoiling the heck out of her is one of the simplest joys in life! I also love to cook -- I make banana-chocolate chip muffins that would knock your socks off.

{cupcake water bottle labels, personalized from Chickabug's Etsy Shop}

{3} Do you have a favorite party you have custom designed for?

My all-time favorite party is the Sweet Shoppe party that I worked on with Shelley from How Does She. Not only was the party STUNNING thanks to Shelley's amazing eye for detail, but more important, we became friends through working together. She's been a really positive presence in my life ever since then, and has cheered me on every step of the way. So, the Sweet Shoppe party has to be tops, just because of her!

{Invitations by Chickabug for the Sweet Shoppe party}

{4} Do you have a favorite party you have featured on the blog?

My most recent favorite was the sock monkey party that was put together by Susan Gentile for her one-year-old son, Alexander. I've been lucky enough to work with her on a few parties now, and they always gain a lot of attention thanks to her gorgeous photos! It's really such a compliment to her that people write me and request items straight out of the pictures.

{the cutest sock monkey party!}

{5} What other blogs/sites do you often frequent or just have to read?

Oh, there are SO many good ones out there! For parties, I love Birthday Girl, Kara's Party Ideas, Pizzazzerie, and Kate Landers Events, LLC. 

I also never miss a post by How Does She, Glorious Treats, or Mini Eco. And for comic relief, you can't beat Cake Wrecks.

{TONS of FREE printables on Chickabug!}

{6} Where do you pull inspiration from?

My customers! I've been a designer for a very long time but had no idea how sophisticated today's party scene is when I started creating invitations. So I really mean it when I say that everything I've learned about children's parties comes straight from my clients! Every theme I've designed and every item I offer has been developed on request. There's a story behind just about everything, and some of my most popular themes were actually designed with one specific child in mind -- so for me, it brings back great memories to browse my shop.

{Custom stickers you can find in the Chickabug Etsy Shop}

{7} Do you have any party tips you can share for making it a super success?

Plan well in advance, and plan with your guests in mind. Coordinate a few fun games or activities, and set up little areas so that guests can move around the party and have plenty to do. Adding lots of personalized, special details to the day is important, but it's even more important to make sure that everybody has a fabulous time -- the hostess included! 

{Under the Sea birthday party}

{8} What is up next for Chickabug?

Hiring help, definitely! Right now I work alone, so the next step is going to be finding someone to help out -- even if it's just to to tape up packages for me a couple of nights a week!

All Things Chickabug!

{Blog}

{Etsy Shop}

{Facebook}

READ ON TO ENTER OUR GIVEAWAY THANKS TO CHICKABUG! 

Giveaway: $50 store credit in DIY printable file from Chickabug! 

Enter now! Head over to Chickabug on Etsy and tell us what would fill your cart. This comment is mandatory. You also MUST be a follower of cupcakeMAG and cupcakeMAG for Littles! 

For extra entries you can do the following below and leave us a separate comment for each letting us know. The more you comment the better chance you have to win!

1. Follow cupcakeMAG on Twitter.

2. Make sure you "Like" us on our Facebook page.

3. Make sure you "Like" Chickabug on Facebook.

4. Subscribe to our updates (top right corner above) - just sign up with your email!

5. Tweet about this giveaway and include @cupcakemag -- you must tweet, not just follow.

6. Write a blog post about this giveaway on your blog and send us the link.

We will select a winner via random.org on Friday, April 29th at 11pm. Please make sure you enter the mandatory comment first before doing the extra entries.

Featured Etsy Designer -- Jill of Marie Carleton! Plus a giveaway!

We have another FABulous Etsy designer on our hands. When we first came across the Heart Charm Bracelet in Red -- we fell right in love with Marie Carleton Jewelry on Etsy. Jill designs perfect little arrays of handmade jewels and custom creations. We look forward to sharing Jill with our readers and thrilled to be giving away the Editors' Pick from Marie Carleton! Read on for details and to see why we LOVE her shop. We think you will too!

{the beautiful designer herself, Jill of Marie Carleton}

{1} What made you begin your shop? 

I’ve been making jewelry for as long as I can remember – I have memories of stringing necklaces in my aunt’s basement as a kid, learning how to work with sterling silver wire when I was in high school, hitting up the local bead shop with my sister when I was home for summer break from college… and it’s a hobby that I’ve always come back to whenever I’ve had some spare time.

It was just about a year ago when I found myself with some extra time on my hands and a great deal of inspiration, so I got to work.  My friends and coworkers loved everything I was making and before I knew it orders started rolling in.  

I kept hearing that I needed to be on Etsy, so I decided to check it out and I’ve found it to be a brilliant forum for artists to connect with shoppers looking for unique goods!

{A fave of the designer Jill, the Gemstone Cascade Earrings, $65}

{2} What are some of your other favorite Etsy shops?

I find at least one thing on Etsy every day that I love.  These are just a handful of my favorite shops:

SealedwithKS: This is my sister's shop (jewelry must be in our blood).  She has an awesome eye for color and makes unexpectedly beautiful pieces. 

ElizabethKelly: Amazing leather belts!

LaPlumeEthere: FABULOUS shoes that I've been eyeing for awhile now.  I'm definitely buying myself a pair soon!

Bluebirdheaven: Every girl needs one of these jewelry organizers!

{We LOVE the color of these Carnelian Hoops, $39} 

{3} What is your favorite item currently in your shop?

There are a couple of pieces in my shop that I’m really into these days. I love the heart charm leather wrap bracelets and the gem encrusted heart necklaces. However, I think my all time favorite pieces are the 

gemstone cascade earrings!

{cupcakeMAG pick: Amethyst Wrapped Heart Necklace in the perfect Spring color, $45}

{4} What is up next for you?

Looking forward to the spring and summer, I’ll be working on some gemstone flower pendant necklaces in all different styles and colors and also some colorful and asymmetrical gemstone necklaces.

One of my goals for the upcoming year is to learn some new jewelry making techniques; I’m especially interested in metalsmithing and am currently looking into workshops.  So, look for some really different pieces around summertime!

{cupcakeMAG Editors' Pick: the Heart Charm Bracelet in Red}

See why we adore Jill and her jewels? 

Now, you can have a chance to win the cucpakeMAG Editors' Pick! 

Read on to enter the giveaway!

Giveaway: cupcakeMAG Editors' Pick is a bracelet we are obsession over! The Heart Charm Bracelet in the color of YOUR choice! 

How to win: Visit Marie Carleton and tell us what color Heart Charm Bracelet you would choose. This comment is mandatory. You also MUST be a follower of cupcakeMAG and cupcakeMAG for Littles. 

For extra entries you can do the following below and leave us a separate comment for each letting us know. The more you comment the better chance you have to win!

1. Follow cupcakeMAG on Twitter.

2. Make sure you "Like" us on our Facebook page.

3. Subscribe to our updates (top right corner above) - just sign up with your email!

4. Tweet about this giveaway and include @cupcakemag -- you must tweet, not just follow.

5. Write a blog post about this giveaway on your blog and send us the link.

6. Make Marie Carleton a favorite on Etsy. 

We will select a winner via random.org on Friday, April 1st at 11pm. Please make sure you enter the mandatory comment first before doing the extra entries.