Winner of Mega Giveaway Day 1 - Crafts by Alice

The winner of the Crafts by Alice Wonderland tea set is. . .

Melanie from Whimsical Creations! Congrats, Melanie! I'll be emailing you soon for your contact information.

Thanks to everyone who entered. Look for some more themed tea sets coming to my shop spring 2009!

Mega Giveaway Day 1 "Black" Cyber-Monday: Crafts By Alice

I'm sure that you've heard by now that something "big" was coming to the team blog this week. Here's the scoop... the NCTriangle Etsy team is jumpstarting your holiday shopping this week by hosting MEGAgiveaways. It's going to be an exciting week!

Today's the first day! Be sure to enter today's MEGAgiveaway and come back everyday this week to learn about the lastest giveaway!

Today's NCTriangle Etsy Street Team giveaway is sponsored by Crafts by Alice. Interested in finding out more? Keep reading!

Crafts by Alice brings Wonderland to life with handmade crocheted and felt items. Items available for sale include play tea party sweets, crochet and softie toys, scarves, ornaments, pins, and much more.

Prize: Prize is a Wonderland Tea Party Set. Set includes a crocheted tea cup, felt tea bag, crocheted unbirthday cake, and two Queen of Hearts tarts. Prize is valued at $28.00.

Who Can Enter: You do not need "Etsy" account to enter. US entrants only.

Deadline: The give away runs from December 1st to December 8th (12 noon EST). The winner will be announced here the following day.

How to Enter: Visit Crafts by Alice. Pick out your favorite item. Come back here and leave a comment about your favorite item in her shop. Be sure to include your email address in your comment too!

Eager to win? Earn up to 2 extra entries!

Here's how:
1. Publish a post on your blog about this give away
2. Make a purchase from Crafts by Alice!
Leave a comment to let us know that you earned an extra entry. Remember to leave the link to your blog post.

Fine Print:
- Your comment must contain your email address
- Contest winner will be chosen by random drawing
- The winner will be contacted by email. If the winner does not respond within 3 days then a second winner will be chosen.
- NCTriangle Street Team members can participate!

"My NCTriangle Christmas Gifts" by Lynnscrafts

Since joining the NCTriangle team I had wanted to put together some hand made Christmas
sets from the team. I am on my way and thought I would share it with you.

First I needed something to hold the items and I found Carolinaweaver when I saw her article on the blog. I purchased some hand made baskets from her, 8 in total.
Now to fill them I purchased from karenssoaps some of her wonderful foaming hand soap.
The picture shows "A Day at the Beach" and it is a wonderful scent. I also purchased the same
scent in her sample bar of soap and an cherry vanilla lip balm.
Some wonderful bulb ornaments came next from DinnerTimeChimes, this goes well with
the basket.
For my daughter who knits I purchased some stitch markers from Worldofmyowndesigns -aka-
craftsbyalice.
On the way is some hand lotion from HelloCrafty.
Baskets are getting full but I am always looking for more small items to fill them, have a lot
to fill. So don’t be surprised if you see me sneaking around all your shops.
Thanks for letting me share,
Lynnscrafts

--If you'd like to share your NCTriangle shopping fun, craft show experiences or other handmade goodness contact us... we'd love for you to share!

Team Treasury: Ohhhh, Yeah!

StartToFinish created this sweet pink treasury for the team!

Team Treasury: Blue 4 U

EmbraceableUrns created this blue team treasury!

Team Treasury: Behold the power of SUNSHINE

DinnerTimeChimes created this cheery yellow treasury filled with items from the team...

Supporting a Cause Through Etsy

Every spring and summer, animal shelters all over the country find their facilities overflowing with litters of kittens and adult cats. To bring attention to these loving creatures, the American Society for the Protection of Animals (ASPCA) has deemed June adopt a shelter cat month. Their goal is to “send hundreds of cats packing” out of the shelters and into loving homes.

How can you make a difference? Adopt a cat from one of our local shelters, like Safe Haven for Cats. Safe Haven for Cats was founded in 1994 and is a “no-kill shelter for stray and abandoned cats and kittens”. Since they opened their doors in 1994 in North Raleigh, the shelter has “rescued and adopted over 3,500 cats and kittens”. There are currently thirty-seven cats and kittens up for adoption.

As a mom of an adopted black cat, I am happy to support a shelter like Safe Haven for Cats. In my shop, Crafts by Alice, 25% of proceeds from all sales of my “Dinah’s Toys” items are donated to the shelter, as well as proceeds from a randomly drawn item.

Thanks to the support of my wonderful patrons, $15.00 has been donated to the shelter thus far. It might not sound like a lot, but if $15.00 from my crafting helps save a cat’s life, then it is all worth it!

Where We Create: Behind the Scenes of NC Triangle Etsiers

Behind the scenes of Etsy seller Crafts by Alice, aka Melissa Zbikowski












Describe the space in which you create:
I have two spaces where I create, my guest bedroom which has been turned into a craft/computer room and my bedroom. My guest bedroom is still a work in progress. While I finally got around to getting a craft table, I have yet to put up any shelves. I am working on that. My bedroom mostly serves as my crochet nook. I sometimes sit in my papasan chair to crochet, but it is usually full of skeins of yarn!

What is your favorite thing about your space?
That it is an actual room. Last year I moved into my first home from a one bedroom apartment, and I absolutely love the extra space I have. Plus, I was able to paint it the color I wanted, pink.

How do you keep your space organized?
It is bad, but I usually don't. I try to organize/clean both spaces at least once a month.

I do have a few plastic drawers for my felt squares, bottles for my buttons, plastic bins for my fabric, and a rack for my ribbon. I think once I get a few shelves up that will help too.

Do you have inspiration pieces in your space? If so, what are they?
My store is very focused on Alice in Wonderland, so I try to keep everything that I make centered around that theme. I have a few Alice related items in my craft space like my Mad Tea Party paperclip holder, Alice and Mad Hatter movie cell, and Alice photos. I draw inspiration from those, plus my black cat always inspires me as well.

Is there something else you'd like to share about your space?
I am just so happy that I have a craft space to call my own. I have so much fun opening up the windows, cranking up the radio, and crafting in there. I am truly blessed!

Team Treasury: 12 ways to seduce Kermit

RiskyBeads created this exciting green themed treasury for the team...

Team Treasury: OH BABY! It's hot outside...

LynnsCrafts had noticed the high temps in the triangle too...

Team Treasury: It's 105 degrees in the Triangle

KarensSoaps must've been thinking of ways of escaping the weather's heat when she created this treasury for the team...

Team Treasury: Circle the Wagon!

Lynnscrafts created this geometric treasury featuring fellow NCTriangle team members...