Two Year Anniversary HUGE Giveaway!!

This is a very special week here as I am celebrating AquaSeventy6's TWO year anniversary!  AquaSeventy6 would not be what it is without all of you, so as a special thanks, I am hosting an AMAZING giveaway!

Ten of my wonderful fellow handcrafters and bloggers have joined in on the fun and have offered up some unbelievable prizes totaling almost $300!!

To make this giveaway even more special, I will divide the prizes up among 3 winners, so that you have an even greater chance of scoring something special!

Here is what you can win:

Prize Package #1 ($103 value)

Two custom throw pillow covers by yours truly! These have been my biggest seller this season,and now you can have your very own set!

Adorable Pocket Wristlet by Tween Queen Designs -  Handmade Handbags, Accessories, and more.  Made for Tweens by a Tween...and her mom!

Mommy and Me Apron Set by Stitched by Jones.  Autumn is a former AquaSeventy6 blogger and designer.  She continues to write and design lovely things on her blog Stitched by Jones!

Prize Package #2 ($87 value)

Custom Designed Skirt by kaiya designs.  Marcy designs everything from kid's wear to mommy wear, including layette, accessories and home goods.

Spiced Apple and Salted Caramel Candle by Seventh Avenue Apothecary. Seventh Avenue Apothecary is a family owned & operated company pouring small batches of candles in Tampa, FL.  Their signature scents are reminiscent of the historical, cultural and culinary legacy of Ybor City and their own Cuban and Italian heritage.

Handmade Tree Domino Pendant with Necklace by Sweet Whimsy.  Sweet Whimsy is the way one stay at home mom shares her love of art, crafting and jewelry with the world. Jan creates most of her pieces using upcycled game tiles and adorns them with beautiful images. Love and care is in every item created.

$10 Shop Credit to Rustic Living. Ashley has an adorable shop filled with rustic inspired pillows, handbags and home goods.

Prize Package #3 ($106 value)

Handstamped and Personalized Sterling Silver Washer and Heart Necklace by R&E Avenue,  Jasmine makes a wide array of beautiful and original handstamped jewelry and accessories. 

Black Raspberry Vanilla Candle by Simply Vintage Candles.  Kara and Kathy are a mother-daughter team who are passionate about life, family, friends and their thriving business.  Their hand-poured soy candles are decorated with beautiful early-to-mid-century labels and prints and come in a variety of amazing scents.

Stylish Wristlet by Thirty-One is offered courtesy of Amy Saumell.  Amy uses her Thirty-One business to help in her community with fundraising efforts and also help empower women. The company is based on Proverbs 31, which talks of the virtuous women, with celebrating, encouraging and rewarding others.

XL Ad Space at Ma Nouvelle Mode.  Natalia and Christie encourage, motivate and inspire women of all walks of life to discover {or rediscover} their own fabulous panache.  They want to see women build the confidence to embrace who they are through the modes of fashion, beauty, home décor, travel and other creative passions.

Now that you have learned a little more about the prizes and the lovely ladies providing them, use the Rafflecopter widget below to enter for your chance to win one of the THREE amazing packages above!  Good luck!!


a Rafflecopter giveaway
Rules:
Winners will be notified by email.  Winners have 48 hours to respond to the email in order to accept prizes.  Prizes may be forfeited and a new winner chosen if a) the winner does not respond to the email within 48 hours, b) the winner has not "liked" the Facebook page(s) owned by the shop/blog(s) offering the winning prize package (as applicable).

AquaSeventy6 50% Off Sale!!!

I'm having a HUGE sale over on my Etsy shop!  EVERYTHING is 50% off when you use code COLUMBUS12!! 

The sale expires in 24 hours, so don't wait!  This is a perfect time to stock up on some Christmas gifts.  Starting next week, I will be revamping my shop and adding all new items, so I need you to help me clear out all of my existing merchandise!

Visit my shop and take advantage of this great sale!

Favorite Month, Anniversary, Giveaways and More!

It's finally here!  My favorite month of the year!  Ever since I was a little girl, I have LOVED the month of October.  The weather in Tampa cooled off, my mom would make me a Halloween costume, and my elementary school had its yearly Halloween Carnival.  Those were the days.

There's another reason why I love October...it's the month that the idea of AquaSeventy6 was born.  This year, AquaSeventy6 celebrates its 2 year anniversary, and I have SO MUCH in store for you! 

First I will be holding weekly FLASH GIVEAWAYS on my Facebook page!  What is a Flash Giveaway?  Without prior notice, I will announce that a giveaway is in full swing and how long you have to enter.  FB fans have to do something simple to enter ("like" a particular update, post a comment, share the page, etc.)  The following morning, I will list everyone who has followed the rules (making sure they are a follower, of course) assign them a number, and have Random.org choose the winning entry which will be announced on my FB page.  Easy peasy!!

On the last week of October, I will be holding a HUGE giveaway...more details will be announced soon, so make sure you follow me on Facebook for the most up-to-date information.

..............

I wanted to share some items I've created in honor of my favorite month of the year...

Even though I don't normally create many holiday-specific items items, I can't help myself when it comes to Halloween!

There is more to come, so stick around! xx


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Working Through the Pain

Gosh...I don't know how to begin to tell you how sorry I am that I've been lagging on this blog.  I've been very busy with orders, which is so amazing.  I love, love, LOVE what I do!!

Unfortunately, I somehow aggravated my back injury on Monday (unloading the dishes, of all things) and I've been in excruciating pain ever since.  I can't tolerate pain killers other than basic ibuprofen or acetaminophen, so it's been a rough week.

How did I injure my back?  7 years ago my husband, kids and I were hit by a drunk driver who ran a red light.  Our SUV spun around and rolled over. I was driving.  By the grace of God we all walked away from the accident, but my back was never the same.

I go through this every few months...but this has been the longest I've been in pain...ever.  I think I may have to see a doctor soon. :(

I probably should have relaxed my back much more than I have this week.  After I finish this post, I promise I will go upstairs and stay in bed until Sunday.  Maybe my fairy Godmother will appear and do my laundry this weekend.

Here are some photos of what I worked on this week, pain and all...tell me what you think:

20" x 20" Chevron Throw Pillow

Elephant Karavan Applique Pillows

Scrappy Scarf Necklace

Boho Cuff Bracelet

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Elephant Applique and Patchwork Throw Pillows

My friends and family are the inspiration for most of my projects, and I am so grateful to them!  It takes so much creativity just to figure out how to run a multifaceted business from home with kids on two different bus schedules, all the while having to plan dinner, do housework, worry about bills AND try to find a way to have a fulfilling life on a budget. It's no wonder my hair is falling out...seriously, it is.  I could make a wig out of what gets trapped in the shower drain!

Even so, nothing has fulfilled me creatively than creating items to share on AquaSeventy6.  So, thank you again!

The following project was inspired by some fabric I came across while mindlessly browsing the web.  It was so beautiful that I had to share it on my Facebook page.  Minutes later, my friend Natasha asked if I could use the fabric to make her some throw pillows....OF COURSE!

I ordered the fabric from a trusted shop on Etsy (small business supporting small business!) as well as some coordinating fabrics for the backside.  When the main fabric arrived, I decided to cut out the print and applique it on another fabric.....and here is what was born...

Isn't it beautiful?!

Here are both sides.  What you can't see is the zipper I added to each pillow so that my friend can toss the covers in the wash whenever she needs to.

I love this pillows so much, that I am planning to recreate them for myself...if I ever make time!  I hope you all enjoyed today's bit of eye candy! xx

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Featured on DisneyBaby.com!

I am so excited to share that the Necktie Capia Pin that I shared a few weeks ago was featured on Disney Baby!

Check out the article!

The Coolest Goody Bags on the Block

I totally dig party planning!  When my son turned 1, I spent weeks creating center pieces, choosing the right menu, designing the perfect cake, and choosing just the right outfit for him to wear.  Over the years I've planned baby showers, baptisms, birthday parties and more.  It's just something I do for fun, but maybe one day I will take it to the next level.

One of my favorite things to work on for my kids' birthday parties were the goody bags.  I loved personalizing them and filling them theme specific treats. But, as my kids grew and started to go to parties themselves, I realized a lot of those toys and candies were soon forgotten, and most ended up in the trash. (You mean they don't actually write on a mini notepad with mini pencil?) What a waste of effort and money!

Recently, as I was making some of my sandwich-size mini wet bags, I thought of a great idea!  These would make perfect birthday party goody bags!  With all of the fabric selections available, they can be easily made to match almost any party theme. They can be filled with mini bags of goldfish, pretzels or other healthy treats, and the parents can reuse them later for snacks or in their lunchboxes. No more throwaways!  You can even personalize them with a little tag tied to the zipper!

Here are some super hero bags I made for my friend, which would make a perfect goody bags for a super hero themed birthday party:

My daughter's 7th birthday party was Pink Cowgirl themed...too bad I didn't have this fabric back then!

 Having a football themed party?  Even dads will love these bags!

Check out my Facebook page for more information on mini wet bags.  (Need 10 or more? Email me for special pricing!)

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