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Today’s Sponsor Love + Giveaway post is brought to you by the super talented Erin from Sunshine and Carousels!  She has a beautiful shop full of hair accessories, pins, shoe clips, jewelry, belts, headbands, and purses, oh my!  I happen to be a proud owner of the Ms. Charlotte fabric bow shoe clips, I’m kind of a fan of bows, in case you didn’t know.  😉  And yes, these are my feet and purple shoes.

Some of my other favorites from her shop are…

Oh, and did I mention her fabulous blog too?  She shares tons of fabulous tutorials like this DIY Christmas Tree Table Topper, DIY Fall Wreath, and DIY Party Invitation!

Erin will also be sharing another fabulous holiday tutorial on my blog next week, so don’t forget to come back and check it out!  🙂  I asked Erin to answer a few questions so we could all get to know her a little better, here’s the interview…

{MEET THE ARTIST}

1) Tell us a little bit about yourself.
I’m a wife and mother of one cute little red head.  My friends would say I live in ‘la la land’ but I call it carousel land.  I’m inspired by color, nature, vintage and sparkly things. I’m obsessed with coffee and I love reading fashion magazines.  I’ve always been in the arts, started as as an advanced fine arts painter at the age of 12 but now I am the proud owner of my own indie business Sunshine and Carousels where I make pretty little accessories and jewelry and I hope to soon start designing and making clothing.

2) How did you get into making such cute accessories?
I got started making accessories by fate.  Sounds strange but the story goes like this.  I started this huge New Years list of resolutions and one was to deep clean and organize my house.  This led me to go through my crafting and art supplies which I had the idea to start making cute fun things with the supplies I already owned (rather than toss them) and start an etsy shop.  My handmade flowers were a hit! I quickly began experimenting with fabrics and colors and one thing after another I have a full fledged business.  I absolutely love where life has unfolded, it has been the best year ever!

3) Have any advice for new shop owners?
If I could give any advice to those in the handmade industry or just starting out it would be this:
– Be yourself, don’t try to copy others really dig into yourself and let your personality show through the things you create. Do your research and be sure that you are making one of kind items that aren’t easily attainable at any given etsy shop or your local department store.
– Practice, practice, practice.  Continue making your handmade items over and over and over, I believe that being unique and having quality items are the most important selling point.
– Have fun, don’t stress and stress and worry about what everyone thinks or what everyone else is doing. Just do what makes you happy.

4) What’s your favorite ice cream flavor?
Mint Chocolate Chip.

{GIVEAWAY}

Erin is offering up a deep rose colored rosette hair clip/brooch (it’s both) and a pair of ‘Bringing Gift‘ bird earrings from her lovely shop!


How to Enter:

1. Visit Sunshine and Carousels and leave a comment with your favorite item!

For additional entries (please leave separate comment for each action):
2. Follow this blog with Google Friend Connect on right (if you already do, please let me know)
3. Follow Sunshine and Carousels blog with Google Friend Connect (if you already do, please let me know)
4. Tweet about this giveaway

Feel free to use this tweet:

Win a rose hair clip and a pair of bird earrings by Sunshine and Carousels on @sandyalamode! http://bit.ly/fvBnjx

This giveaway is open INTERNATIONALLY and closes on Thursday, December 9, 2010 at 5PM CST.

Entries for this giveaway have been closed.  Thanks!