Baby Shower Pinwheels

Know someone throwing a baby shower?  Need some theme and decoration inspiration?  Try my pinwheel cupcake toppers and centerpiece decorations.  Here's a few you can find in my shop:

Wedding Trends 2011

My shop has a variety of items with many great gifts for everyone.  However, a good portion of my work is dedicated to weddings with bouquets, boutonnieres, jewelry, and hair accessories.  Weddings are a so much fun, such an amazing celebration of love and life, and a great place to add individualization and personality.  Taking the advice one of my fellow bloggers, I've started to think about the importance of knowing my target clientele and also the purpose of my blog.  So, today I've decided to share some wedding trends for 2011.   Here's 5 trends  I found at the BeautyBridal.com

Vintage touches

Eco-friendly weddings

Modern choices

DIY weddings

Social media influence

I'll be sure to try to keep these ideas in mind as I develop new products for my shop.  Here's a few items I currently have for sale in my shop that fit in with some of these themes:

Fun Wedding Photo Props and a Princess Party Pack

Check out these great new wedding photo props and a princess party pack that are new in my shop:

New items, take a peek...

Here's a few new items I posted today, take a peek....

Treasury Beauty

Here's a couple treasuries I made in the past few weeks.  I love the beauty of all the wonderful creative items found on ETSY all coming together to create a collection...

MIA...but still in action!

SO, I cannot believe I haven't posted anything since June 15th.  Time flies when you're having fun...being a mom!  While I haven't been blogging, I have been busy filling some custom orders and making some origami bouquets for a local gallery gift shop.  Here's some examples of what I've been up to:

Presenting Origami Roses and Bouquets by Deborah Loya!

I have a wonderful sister (I actually have more then one but lets talk about just one of them today), named Deborah Loya.  She is a stay at home mom of 3 who home schools, manages a household, helps out friends in her church & community, and more!  She is devoted to God, her family, is talented, and is just an absolutely WONDERFUL person!  She is also very crafty and was recently inspired by my origami bouquets to begin making some blooms of her own.  Her work is gorgeous and now for sale at my shop in the form of rose bouquets and mixed floral origami basket bouquets.  Either would be a perfect gift for someone you love "just because," for a birthday, holiday or special event.  Price discounts are available for bulk orders.  Please stop by my shop and take a look today.  We would love your feedback on selection, price point, and of course purchases and referrals!

Mixed Floral Bouquet Sample

Roses

Mixed Blooms

Bookmark Mania

I'm a fan of the paper, in my hands book....I haven't been sold on kindle yet.  And with the traditional book, there is always the need for a good bookmark.  Here's a few that I've added to my shop recently.  They make a perfect gift for the avid reader in your life. Check them out!  

To Deal or Not to Deal

Some of you are familiar with the site HEARTSY where various ETSY shops are featured offering exclusive limited time voucher deals.  I tried it out for the first time recently, purchasing a voucher that I used to order custom muslim bags for my merchandise.  I can't wait to get them!  It got me thinking, at the discount offered by most of the shops, is it truly worth if for the shopowner?  It is definitely a great way to get traffic to your shop if you are featured, and although it is not the best way to make a huge profit, hopefully it will bring back repeat customers.  So to deal or not to deal?  I've decided to give it whirl and see if I can get featured.  Help me out by voting "definitely yes" here:

https://secure.heartsy.me/deals/2559/like

And here's some work found in my shop, both new, renewed & updated:

Thursday Shout Out: Wedding Season is Here...






Origami Bouquet & Pinwheel Boutonniere Set, $74

 Thursdays are usually for a SUPRISE SHOUT OUT to another ETSY shop that I have done business with for product and service review.  This week I decided to break from the usual and give my shop, designs by Leah R. Hood a SHOUT OUT, something I have not done since starting this blog. 

Spring is upon us and with spring comes wedding season, which per the linked CNN article starts Memorial Day weekend and carrys through September.  I have developed a true love for everything wedding; I was a do-it-yourself bride from the invites, programs, veil, to my own fresh floral arrangements, bouquets, & boutonnieres.  Weddings cost most of us a small fortunate, and I like to find unique and clever ways to not only help make these wonderful occasions more cost effective, but also add some unique personal touches.  Over the last year, I have been developing off-beat and alternative bouquets and boutonnieres for my store and today I would like to share some of the items that are currently for sale or that I have recently sold.  These are perfect for a more traditional wedding, destination wedding, pretty much ANY wedding! 





Set of 5 Rustic Steampunk Boutonnieres $40



       

Romantic Pink Origami Bouquet $48

  

To the left and below are pictures of a recent custom bridal party order in Lemon Meringue Pie for a destination wedding in Las Vegas.  The bride has a gorgeous 8 flower origami bouquet with pinwheel accents, and the party each has either a pinwheel bouquet or boutonniere.  I love the color as it will pop in photos, especially against the kelly green dresses of the bridal party!   





Groom's Boutonniere



 

Set of 4 Rustic Fairytale Boutonnieres $36



Last but not least, I decided to share a few jewelry, favor, and accessory items from my shop.  Please be sure to visit my store today for many other great wedding and non-wedding ideas! 

Click below:

designs by Leah R. Hood

Wedding Section

Favor/Gift Section

Convo Leah R. Hood