Taking a Break ~*~ En pause

Hello!

I obviously haven't been posting to my blog very much, as of late. The truth is that I don't think I've gotten the hang of blogging yet. As such, I'll be taking a break from worrying about it and will let this blog just be for the near future.



Bonjour!

Ça fait très longtemps que je n'ai pas mis mon blog à jour... La vérité est que je n'arrive pas vraiment à en prendre l'habitude. Ainsi, j'ai décidé de ne pas m'en faire pour l'instant et de laisser ce blog de côté pour quelque temps.

See you soon! ~*~ À bientôt!

Please note that I'll be away from my computer, shop and blog from April 14th to the 30th.

~*~

Veuillez noter que je serai absente du 14 au 30 avril.

Easter Egg Hunt with the Trans-Canada Etsy Team

*** Congratulations to jimjims.etsy.com! Jimjims is the winner of a $15.00 coupon to any of the participating shops.***


Spring has sprung and the Easter Bunny hopped over to the TransCanada Etsy Team and left some eggs behind!

So we decided to host the first ever TransCanada Etsy Team Easter Egg Hunt!

29 shops are hiding 20 eggs and one person will win a $15.00 coupon
to redeem at any of the participating Etsy shops!!!

Join the fun, check out all the details at our team shop!

And while you're at it, have a look at Miel Designs...

In Time for the Holidays...

Miel Designs is now offering Canadian currency at par to all Canadian buyers.

As many of you know, Etsy operates exclusively on an $US basis.
A few months ago, that was fabulous for we Canadians! But now, not so much.

So until Janurary 31, 2009, $CND =$US at Miel Designs!

Before finalizing your payment with Paypal,
please convo me to let me know you'd like to pay at par.
I'll then send you a revised Paypal Canadian currency invoice.


-:¦:-•:*¨¨*:•.-:¦:-
Mention this blog post or my Facebook page
and get shipping for free!
-:¦:-•:*¨¨*:•.-:¦:-

Pour les Fêtes...

Cette année, Miel Designs vous offre tous ses bijoux en devise canadienne!

Comme Etsy fonctionne uniquement avec la devise américaine pour l'instant,
les prix chez Miel Designs sont habituellement de même.

Mais pour un temps limité, et ce jusqu'au 31 janvier 2009,
$CAN = $US!

C'est donc dire qu'un item marqué 25,00$ US chez Miel Designs vous sera offert à 25,00$ CAN.

Vous n'avez qu'à effectuer vos achats comme d'habitude, mais attendre une fois arrivé à l'écran de paiement. (Là où il faut cliquer "Paypal".)
Je vous enverrai par la suite une facture révisée en dollars canadiens.


-:¦:-•:*¨¨*:•.-:¦:-
De plus, mentionnez ce blog ou Facebook
dans la section commentaires de l'écran de paiement
et je paie pour vous les frais d'envoi!
-:¦:-•:*¨¨*:•.-:¦:-

Crochet Zen

Well, it certainly has been a long time since my last update, hasn't it!

A few new things since then: I've added new items to my shop and I've taken up crochet!

Yes! My grandmother would be proud! She had originally taught me to knit, when I was little, but I never really stuck to it. More recently, I found out that to knit properly, I'd at least have to learn how to purl. That didn't work out so well. I just couldn't get the hang of it. So, still wanting to play with yarn, I decided to try something else. Crochet! If I couldn't make knots into fabric with two sticks, I might be able to do it with one! And I was right! Or rather, I took the time to learn properly. With a kid's kit. The best way to learn! Klutz's Learn to Crochet in Six Great Projects really did the trick for me. The instructions and illustrations are very, very clear. With a bit of practice, I just couldn't go wrong. Yay!


I'm now making everyone crocheted gifts for Christmas! Finding affordable, quality, natural fiber yarns has also been an education in itself. Luckily, I have the good people at Ravelry to thank. Their user yarn ratings, among other features, are very useful.



So far, I'm pretty happy with my work. Really, I think I may have a knack for this. And I'm finding the whole thing immensely enjoyable and zen.

On the jewellery front, I've slowly been adding new pieces to the shop:

Moreover, and this is the main reason for this post I admit, I've decided to offer Canadian currency at par to all Canadian buyers. As many of you know, Etsy operates exclusively on an $US basis. A few months ago, that was fabulous for us Canadians! But now, not so much. So until January 31, 2009, $CND = $US at Miel Designs. Good, eh?

I still have a few more items to add and am always happy to take up a custom project. Send me a note and we'll talk!

Arrr! It be International Talk Like a Pirate Day!

In honour of International Talk Like a Pirate Day, I be havin' a shop-wide 20%-off sale*! (Er, or should that be sail?) This beauty of a bargain will be takin' place from Friday, Sept 19 to Sunday, Sept 21 2008.

So, come one, come all, be ye pirate or land-lubber, and smartly find yer way to Miel Designs for all the glorious booty t'be had! Enjoy yer shoppin'!

*Except for those items already in the Clearance section. But that be reduced a good 50% already...

Parure de mariage ~*~ Wedding Set

Voici quelques images d'une nouvelle parure de mariage créée pour une amie. L'ensemble comprend un collier, un bracelet et des boucles d'oreilles, tous trois fabriqués avec des perles de cristal Swarovski marron, rose pâle et claires (Mocca, Silk et Crystal Moonlight), d'apprêts en argent 925 et de pétales d'hortensia en soie.

~*~*~*~

Here are a few photos of a wedding ensemble I made for a friend. The set includes a necklace, bracelet and earrings, all made with Swarovski crystals in Mocca, Silk and Crystal Moonlight, sterling silver findings and accents and silk hydrangea petals.

Now available at Miel Designs! ~*~ Maintenant chez Miel Designs!

For more informations, please see Miel Designs' Etsy Shop.

Pour plus d'informations, rendez-vous à la boutique Etsy de Miel Designs.

Coming Soon! ~*~ Bientôt!

New bracelets will soon be available at Miel Designs's Etsy shop...

De nouveaux bracelets seront bientôt disponibles dans la boutique Etsy de Miel Designs...

Now available at the Tea Biscuit Café and Studio!

A selection of my wire-wrapped rings is now available for purchase at the Tea Biscuit Café and Studio in Metcalf (Ottawa South), Ontario.

Tea Biscuit also offer a delicious selection of teas and tasty treats, as well as lovely items by other local artisans. Be sure to make time to stop and say hello when in their neck of the woods.

The Boss of You

So you're thinking about starting your own small business and you need some good information to get you started? Maybe you're already a business owner, but need a few pointers?

Head on over to the Trans Canada Etsy Team blog where Laura Bucci has just posted a very positive review of The Boss of You: Everything a Woman Needs to Know to Start, Run and Maintain Her Own Business by Lauren Bacon and Emira Mears, published by Seal Press (April 2008).

You could also win a copy of the book by leaving a comment about how you chose your business name or why you'd like to start a business. Best of luck!

Looking for something to do on Saturday? ~*~ Vous cherchez-vous une activité pour ce samedi?

I'll be at the Westend Artisan Crafters Market in Ottawa, on May 10 from 9 to 4.
Come and say hello!

~*~

Je serai au Westend Artisan Crafters Market à Ottawa, le 10 mai de 9h à 16h.
Passez me dire bonjour!

Handcrafted Goodness at the Trans-Canada Etsy Team Shop

So, it is finally spring! Well, according to my calendar, it is...

Should you decide to celebrate a little, check out the Trans-Canada Etsy Team's new shop. It's just starting out, but you can already find all kinds of neat, handcrafted stuff, including my Ebony and Garnet necklace and earring set. Be sure to tell them I sent you! :-)

*Image by dvehwt at stock.xchng Thanks!

The very latest! - Tout nouveau!

Soon available at Miel Designs. ~*~ Bientôt disponibles chez Miel Designs.

Pre-Spring Cleaning Sale! - Grande vente pré-ménage du printemps!

Come one, come all!

Many Trans-Canada Etsy Team members will be holding

amazing sales

beween February 18 to 24.

Jewellery, paper goods, knitted and crocheted items, original art and photography, handcrafted books and journals and more will be available at great prices!

You don't want to miss this!

As for myself, I'll be offering a fantastic 20% off all my regularly priced jewellery.

For more information, please see the Trans-Canada Etsy Team blog...

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Oyez! Oyez!

Du 18 au 24 février,

plusieurs membres du Trans-Canada Etsy Team vous offrent

des ventes vraiment avantageuses!

Vous trouverez bijoux, papeterie et livres faits à la main, articles tricotés et crochetés, tableaux, estampes et photographies, et plus encore!

Ne manquez pas ça!

Quant à moi, je vous offre un rabais fantastique de 20% sur tous mes bijoux à prix régulier.

Pour plus d'information, visitez le blog du Trans-Canada Etsy Team
(en anglais)...

Prisms & Pendalogues ~*~ Prismes et pendeloques

Just before the holidays, I completed a very special project. A friend of mine asked me to prepare the multiple strands of crystal drops, prisms and pendalogues needed to decorate a handcrafted chandelier. The fixture was machined by her brother, and once installed, my friend and I met to hang the crystal strands upon the chandelier. I have to say I was very happy with the finished product. See for yourself!

~*~

En décembre, j'ai eu l'occasion de compléter un projet très spécial. Une amie m'avait demandé de préparer une multitude de rangs de cristaux, prismes et pendeloques qui serviraient à décorer un nouveau lustre de fabrication artisanale. Son frère en ayant usiné l'installation, et une fois cette dernière bien installée, mon amie et moi nous sommes rencontrées afin de pendre tous ces rangs de cristaux sur le lustre. Je dois dire que je suis bien satisfaite du résultat! Voyez par vous-même!

Nouveautés ~*~ New stuff

Voici ce à quoi je me suis occupée cette semaine...

Here's what I've been up to this week...

Collier pour hommes fait sur mesure (pyrite et hématite)
Custom men's necklace (pyrite and hematite)




Broche (perles, cristaux Swarovski et zirconium cubique)
Brooch (pearls, Swarovski crystals, CZ briolettes)
*Based on a design by Brenda Schweder*




Custom amber necklace
Collier d'ambre fait sur commande

My earrings on flurrsprite's blog! ~*~ Mes boucles d'oreilles chez flurrsprite!

I recently donated a bunch of earrings to my Etsy team, to be given away as loot for contests and such. Yesterday, flurrsprite, our last winner, wrote to say she had taken pictures of everything she had won, including a pair of my earrings. So gracious of her, don't you think?

You can see her blog entry here. Just scroll down a little and you'll find the photos of the earrings. And while you're at it, have a look at everything else she won. It's really worth it! You can also check out her own Etsy shop. I highly recommend it - she handbounds books, among other cool things.

~*~

Dernièrement, j'ai donné quelques paires de boucles d'oreilles à mon équipe d'Etsyeurs, afin qu'on puisse les remettre comme prix lors de concours. Hier, la dernière gagnante, flurrsprite, m'a écrit pour me laisser savoir qu'elle avait photographié les articles gagnés, dont une paire de mes boucles d'oreilles. C'est gentil, non?

Vous pouvez lire son blog ici. Vous n'avez qu'à faire défiler vers le bas pour trouver les boucles d'oreilles. Prenez aussi le temps de regarder tous les autres items. Ils en valent la peine! Vous pouvez aussi visiter sa propre boutique chez Etsy. Vous y trouverez, en autre, des livres faits à la main!

It's winter... Stay cozy!

Snow is covering the ground from coast to coast, or very nearly, and it definitely looks like winter is here to stay.

To help keep you and yours warm, here are a selection of cozy items from our very own Canadian crafters.