Sand & Starfish + a giveaway!

I've recently connected with Stephanie through twitter + instagram,

and I have to say, she is just the sweetest!

Keep reading to learn more about her story & to win an adorable garland!

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I am captivated by the beauty of the emerald colored waters that roll in on this beautiful white sand that is 3 blocks from my house. There is this little bundle of love and joy and creativity that runs around my house. She's imagine she's everything wonderful and beautiful that God could have blessed me with in one amazing package. My heart still feels the little fluttering butterfly wings when I hold my husbands hand... and we've been together as a couple for almost 8 years now! I garden, I sew, I cook, and I clean... my name is Stephanie and I am the owner/creative designer for the blog and shop Sand & Starfish. When I first opened my shop back in April, 2010, I didn't really have a clear vision of what I wanted to achieve with the products that I sold. It was a hodge podge of things... fabric covered composition books, appliques, reusable snack bags, appliqued towels... just things I loved to make all put together in one place. I loved what I sold individually but as a whole, there was no connectivity and it was very much a mirror of what was spiritually going on in my life at the time.

   

 After being open for a little over a year, I had a life changing experience that really opened my eyes to the world, my world, and my shop's world, that surrounded me. I was baptized! After that experience, my eyes opened and I started to realize that this shop, this thing that I was trying to pour my heart into and yet feeling no real connection to, was missing the biggest ingredient of all... the Lord! My beliefs and love for the Lord have always played such a big part in my life so it was astounding to think that I didn't carry them over to my shop! So after lots of prayer, I decided to close the shop and reopen with a new vision that was directed from Him. So I took the old, and made something new and it felt wonderful! I was making and creating things that I didn't plan on making, with things I didn't plan on using. The love that I have for the things I do create is is passionate and my heart just overflows with joy for them. And I honestly believe that it's because I do them for His glory.
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One of the first things I started to sell after I reopened was carefully constructed. After weeks of sketching while at the beach, praying and sketching some more, and then putting together my first ever design... I knew it was meant to be, and the Vintage Dresden Clutch was born! After that, I started to branch out and added purses, totes, pleated pouches, and the vintage fabric garlands. Total connectivity, total love and passion, totally me! Optimistic, gentle-hearted, daydreamer are definitely 3 of the best words that can be used to describe me and I use the most every day as well! I really pull from a lot of different inspiration when I'm creating new things. I think about the beach, the colors that are on beach towels, beach balls, the sky and water mixed. I think about flowers, the different levels and layers that each one has. I think about favorite memories and the colors that stick out in my mind. All those things are such a big part of my life that I really like to tap into those first before I move on to other sources... and normally those do the trick. I'm so in love with the Vintage Dresden Clutches that are in my shop. They're so bright and colorful and are perfect for running those quick errands or for giving your larger purse a little more organization. A seriously close second place would be the Vintage Ruffle Bags. I made one for myself and it completely captured my heart. The ruffles mixed with the vintage fabrics make my heart melt! It's so roomy and has a couple pockets on the inside for my phone and keys... it's been my "go-to" bag and I get compliments on it every single time I go out! Let's connect and be friends!! I blog here, and I'm on twitter and facebook as well! I'd love to connect with you, even if it is just through a screen! Thank you so much Jacky for allowing me to share a little bit of what makes me, and Sand & Starfish, special!

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Jacky here again!

I got a package covered in washi tape earlier this week {we share a love of that, hehe!}

& found a sweet mini fabric garland. I hung it up in the corner over my piano right away,

and I love the cheerful color it adds to our living room. Even the Mister likes it!

Plus, unlike the DIY garlands I've seen, she actually sews each piece so they're extra sturdy.

And...Stephanie is giving away a mini garland, too! Hurray!

enter using the Rafflecopter widget below;

feel free to email me if you have any problems.

a Rafflecopter giveaway