Shinning Stones: Review and Giveaway!!!!

Shining Stones is an amazing etsy shop that specializes in what else…shiny stones. Creator Ellie was kind enough to send me the amazing Room for Squares Ring to review, which is an amazing aqua blue glowing hemimorphite square which is wrapped with permanently dyed, anti-tarnish gold coloured wire. It is easy to see why this ring is Ellie’s best seller because the colour alone draws you in. I loved the great combination of blue and gold and really felt that the gold brought out the warm undertones of blue within this ring. I have worn this ring for about two weeks now and I have received many compliments on the ring and its unique colour and shape. Doesn’t it remind you of a piece of gum? I have not only worn it dressed up, but dressed down as well and it has survived the hectic nature of my life. It is a ring that you don’t have to worry about banging up, because trust me it is so durable! When I first got the ring, I would always be wary when I hit it against something, always checking to see if it has caused the ring to chip or to be scratched but it has not yet. If gold is not your thing or you have a lot of silver jewelry in your collection, this ring can also be made in sterling silver wire. Even though most of my jewelry is silver, I want to branch out and try new things so that is why I went with the gold. Plus it looked pretty good mixed in with my silver pieces and other silver rings that I wore alongside it.

I love Ellie’s great selection of wire wrapped rings and it has been so convenient for me since I have such a hard time finding rings that will fit. Most rings are way too large and it really makes me sad, so having a ring personally made to fit your finger especially if you have a less than conventional sizing is great. Ellie really utilizes amazing looking stones and the selection and variation of designs (233 items up for sale!) she has stocked is truly mouth watering. Although she has 145 rings up for sale on her etsy site that is not the only thing she designs, she also makes yummy bracelets, earings and necklaces but really she has the most selection of wire wrapped gemstone rings I have seen on Etsy, so she is your go to girl for rings!

Here is her interview:

Name: Ellie Schoenberger

Name of shop: Shining Stones

Location: Hanover, MA

Favourite item from your shop: This is like picking a favorite child. I would say I have a favorite style - I love the 'bird's nest' rings and necklace - they are fun to make and there are so many possible variations.

Tell us a little bit about yourself: I am a Mom to two kids, ages 6 and 3. I'm a former corporate executive and now a proud stay-at-home Mom. I have been making jewelry for a long time, but started my Etsy shop a little over a year ago. I am also in recovery from alcoholism - I started by making jewelry for the recovery community, and it grew from there. In addition to making jewelry, I love to read, do crosswords and write. I recently started a blog (www.onecraftymother.blogspot.com) and I find writing for this to be very therapeutic.

What do you consider to be your greatest accomplishment? My kids, without question. Being a parent has been the most challenging and most rewarding thing I have ever done.

When and what made you want to open up your shop? I opened it on a whim - my brother told me about Etsy and I thought I'd give it a shot. Before Etsy I made jewelry for friends and family, and people were always stoppoing by my house to buy stuff. It has been an adjustment to make jewelry as my "job" - before then I just did it because I love it and it brings me peace of mind. The support I get from the Etsy community and my customers is amazing. Now I can't imagine my life without it!

Tell us a little bit more about your creation process: I draw a lot of my inspiration from nature. I love the beach, and many of my pieces are inspired by the beauty of the ocean. I love knowing about the meta-physical properites of stones - each semi-precious stone carries a different meaning, and I often draw my inspiration from that, especially for pieces for people in recovery from addiction, loss, divorce or any other challenge in life.

Where do you draw inspiration for all your amazing designs? I don't alway know. Sometimes I'll wake up in the middle of the night with an idea for a piece -and I'll have to run downstairs to my studio and play around with the idea until I figure out what I was after. Other times it is my children, or a beautiful color scheme I'll see in nature.

If you could be an animal what would you be and why? A dog. Boring, I know. I have a big white dog and I always look at her and think she has a pretty good life. I'd like to be able to nap whenever I felt like it... :)

If you could have one super power what would it be and why? Invisibility. I would love to be a quiet, invisible observer of human nature.

The Giveaway:

Ellie was so kind to offer the exact same ring that I reviewed to one lucky reader!! That is a $16 value!

How to Enter:

1) Go to Ellie’s etsy shop, Shining Stones and comment on your most favourite item for one entry!

2) If you favourite her shop you get two extra entries leave me your etsy name please!

3) Visit Ellie’s blog and give her some blog love by commenting for three entries (please let me know what post you commented on!) And as an added bonus she always has bi-weekly giveaways going on! So you can sign up to win even more of her lovely pieces!!

4) If you become a new follower you get four more entries

5) If you are currently a follower you get six more entries (Yay for being loyal blog followers!)

6) If you post my button on your blog you get five extra entries

7) If you blog about this contest and include a link you gain five more entries

8) If you buy anything from her shop you get ten additional entries (Make sure you let her know as well as myself!)

9) If you enter any of my current giveaways held on my blog, you can get one entry for each contest you enter! Make sure you let me know which ones you entered!

Wow that’s a lot of entries you can receive! And please have a way for me to contact you!! If your email is on your blog profile that will also work! If you are entering more than once you only have to give me your email in one comment...that way you don't have to put it on all of them, to save you a bit of time! =)

The contest will run until August 2nd!