O2 Designs Review: Origami Crane Earrings!

Blue Beaded Origami Crane Earrings - $12

I am pretty convinced that Shayna from O2 Designs would make a pretty good surgeon if she wasn't busy making jewelry!  The attention to detail in her work and the miniscule origami folding in her Crane Earrings set shows her talent!

O2 Designs has recently added a number of items to their Etsy shop.  Many are holiday themed items like:

Small Holiday Barrettes - $4

 

Silver & Gold Post Earrings - $4

Head on over to O2 Designs to get the full scope of the holiday item offerings - there are over 35 and perhaps you could still get in an order in to be fulfilled before Christmas!

However holiday items are not all the O2 Designs have, and new items are being added all the time!  Here are some of the newest additions:

 

          Pink Button Necklace - $15

 

  Grey & White Freshwater Pearl Star Necklace - $35

O2 Designs provided me with a pair of blue recycled paper origami crane earrings to review!  I received them in a sturdy white cardboard jewelry size box via US Parcel Post.  The box was wrapped in white butcher paper, so the items were completely secure and there was no risk of the packaging opening up during transit. 

The earrings were nestled in between two large squares of cotton padding.  This definitely helped protect these earrings, though as is indicated on this product description in the O2 Designs shop, these earrings are delicate.  Shayna, the designer, indicated that they may need some slight reshaping after arrival.  They did need a very small bit of reshaping after being jostled in the box during shipping - but the adjustments needed were very minor.  However it is recommended that these earrings be kept in a separate box during jewelry storage rather than being thrown together with a bunch of earrings.  I believe that would cause these crane earrings to lose their shape. 

Upon opening the package with the earrings, I was pleasantly surprised to discover that the earrings were much smaller than I had expected from the photo.  They were actually the perfect size...large enough to be noticeable, but not so large that they are cumbersome or overbearing.  In fact, I felt no weight or pulling when wearing these earrings...they are incredibly light! 

I like that O2 Designs uses recycled paper for these products and other products in the O2 Designs line.  I love encouraging the use of reuse!

The prices at O2 Designs are very reasonable and the earrings I reviewed retail for just $12 - a great price for a unique design! 

These earrings would look great as a feature piece in an understated outfit of black or white top with jeans...or to pair with a coordinating dressier outfit.  I think these earrings would be a fun gift to an older child - my daughter is enamored by them! 

Customer Service:  Good - vendor was able to respond to e-mail requests within 2 days typically.

Packaging and Presentation:  Very good - well packaged for travel.

Quality Construction:  Excellent - I was amazed by the attention to detail and fine craftsmanship for such tiny little creations!

Quality Items:  Very good - These earrings are delicate, but with proper care and storage, they will make a great addition to any jewelry collection.

Thanks Shayna & O2 Designs for the opportunity to review this product!

Baby Peas & Bees Review!

You may remember Baby Peas & Bees from the giveaway hosted during Launch Week HERE.  Missyt_2000@ was the winner of that one.  However Linda at Baby Peas & Bees provided me with a "Rose Cupcakes" product to review!

I was excited to receive the 'cupcakes' in the mail.  This is the box I received.  It came very promptly!  Baby Peas & Bees used reliable Priority Mail for her shipping.

The real treat, however, came when I opened the box.  The presentation was wonderful!  So great that I would feel completely comfortable ordering a gift item from Baby Peas & Bees for a new mommy friend and have it shipped directly to her if needed.  And it was packed solidly with packing peanuts cushioning the interior contents, as well as protective cellophane around the actual box of 'cupcakes'.  What a treat for that new mommy to open!  Here's some of my first glimpses at the "Rose Cupcakes"...

 

First Glimpse

 What a treat!

Love the colors - the box, ribbon, flower detail & 'cupcakes' inside all coordinated...and gave the feel of a real gourmet cupcake treat!

 

By this point I was thoroughly pleased with the presentation and was thinking of all of the new mommy-to-be's that I know that live in various places throughout the nation...what a great gift to send directly to a new mommy, especially if you can't travel to be at her baby shower or to visit her and the new one in the hospital after the birth.  Baby Peas & Bees offers all of their products in either boy, girl or gender neutral colors.

One of the things I was very interested in reviewing was the quality of the items used in the design of these gifts.  The gifts looked great, were creative and thoughtful - with attention to detail - but the real question I had now was how would the items used in the design hold up to regular use?

My apologies - I helped myself to a cupcake before getting a picture of all four in the box.  They were irresistible!  

Each rose cupcake is created with a baby washcloth and a baby sock.  So the box of four 'cupcakes' results in 4 baby washcloths and 2 pairs of baby socks.  The baby washcloths included with my baby cupcakes were "Especially for Baby" brand, a brand carried and distributed by Toys R Us.  I was pleased to discover that they were brand name items, carried by a major manufacturer and not cheapo knockoffs from the dime store.  The washcloths have a soft jersey side to them and a terry cloth side.  They are thick enough to hold up to sudsing and using to wash baby, but they are soft and gentle enough for baby's skin.  I checked the seams on the washcloths too - quality construction throughout.  After a few review (including using for washing, sending through the washing machine and dryer, and full inspection of the item, I can confidently say that these baby washcloths are quality items that not only look good when designed as a baby cupcake, but will be put to good use for baby too. 

 

What about those socks?  They were a tiny new baby size...and I was pleased to find out that they weren't all just one color - they had a design to them!  They were the thick, cushiony kind - perfect for keeping baby's feet warm and cozy, especially during these cold months!  The only seam on these socks was in the toe, and I checked those over thoroughly.  The seams were strong and reinforced and would hold up to regular infant wear as well as washing!  I put these socks through the washer and dryer a few times and they came out looking bright and fine!

In conclusion, I would highly recommend Baby Peas & Bees as a vendor for all your handmade, unique and baby gift needs!  You can purchase her items to use as a display and gift at a baby shower, as a unique gift at any baby occasion, and even to send to a friend or family member across the country with confidence that they will be receiving a wonderfully packaged original gift!

Customer Service:  Excellent, timely, easy to get ahold of the vendor

Packaging and Presentation:  Excellent - well packaged for travel, used a reliable mailing service, beautiful presentation.

Quality Construction:  Excellent - These 'cupcakes' were put together well, with attention to detail.

Quality Items:  Excellent - The items used in the construction of these 'cupcakes' were of quality material and are recommended for regular use.

Head on over to Baby Peas & Bees today to get an idea of what you can order for yourself or your favorite new parent/parent-to-be!  Here's a few other items from Baby Peas & Bees online shop:

 

Jungle Theme Diaper Cake - $45

 

Teapot Bouquet - $45

 
 

Pea Pod Washcloths-$10

Thanks Linda at Baby Peas & Bees for the opportunity to do this review!

(For the purpose of this review, I was provided with the product described free of charge to review.  However I was not monetarily compensated for this review and all feedback are my own honest opinions.)

 

Mailbox Bliss Review (and Winner #3!)

We have a winner on the O2 Designs Beaded Origami Earrings Giveaway!  Congratulations Karol (turtle710@), you have won these beautiful handmade earrings!
Respond to the e-mail I sent to you and we can get your prize on its way to you!

THERE IS STILL TIME TO ENTER THE GIVEAWAY FOR TTOZ BABY LOUNGEWEAR SET!  CLICK HERE TO ENTER (giveaway closes at 11:00 PM CST TONIGHT!)

Marcy from Mailbox Bliss understands the importance of communicating with loved ones across the miles.  This is why she began creating digital cards, annoucements, scrapbook pages and more - to chronicle the life of her family AND to be able to keep in touch with loved ones far away.  She found that her creations were not only personal and original, but also cost-effective!

So Marcy began Mailbox Bliss to share her creations with the masses!  And what wonderful creations they are!  Mailbox Bliss shop has only been open on Etsy for a few months, but she already has a very wide selection of options!  And the beauty about each option is that every one is customizable.  Customers can change the text, colors and other elements on nearly all digital card designs.  She also has a design-your-own option for an entirely custom created announcement.


Right now Mailbox Bliss is stocked with a ton of holiday themed digital cards (all of the examples shown in this post are some of her newest designs).  However digital cards from Mailbox Bliss can be used for several different occasions, including graduation, wedding save-the-dates, baby announcements, party invitations and more.  Mailbox Bliss has a wide variety of styles as well - from the fun and offbeat to classic and traditional.  You are sure to find one that catches your eye!

I had the opportunity to check out one of Mailbox Bliss designs for the purpose of reviewing the product and the customer service. 

The Product:

For review I chose “Paper Holiday Ornaments” design in a 4x6 size.  I provided photos to be used in the photo slots and gave my requested text.  I was very pleased with the product.  I had no trouble opening it, nor did my e-mail have any trouble receiving the digital file.  I decided to check out printing it at a few different locations.  So I uploaded the file to KodakGallery.com, and the online photo sites for Wal-Mart and CVS.  Again there was absolutely no problem uploading the picture on any of the sites.  And true to the order, all sites said that a 4x6 size will print the very best resolution, but only gave cautions on printing sizes 8x10 or greater.  Mailbox Bliss does offer her digital files in 5x7 sizes as well.  I had a couple prints done at each of the above places and chose both matte and shiny to see what I preferred.  The digital photo card printed beautifully at all 3 locations, though I discovered my preference for the card was the shiny finish.

The cost was wonderful - printing at each of the 3 places varied from .09 cents (Wal-Mart) to .15 cents (CVS) per print.  This means that if you chose to print 100 cards to send for holiday greetings, your printing cost would be $15.00 max.  Mailbox Bliss Designs range from $6.00 to $16.00 in cost, depending on design.  This means that a total holiday card order for 100 cards could cost $21 to $31 depending on design selection.  Wal-Mart is currently advertising their photo design holiday cards for .40 cents a piece...which means an order of 100 cards would set you back $40!  And that wouldn’t include the total originality you would receive with one of Mailbox Bliss digital cards!  EVEN BETTER...many photo sharing sites offer free printing deals for new users.  I’ve already used this offer, but it appears to still be available...100 FREE 4x6 prints from SeeHere.com.  If you used this offer in conjunction with your Mailbox Bliss order, you could have wonderfully original and unique photo cards for less than $20 total!  (I’ve used the SeeHere.com deal referenced above - unfortunately I used it before I learned about Mailbox Bliss!  But the pictures printed great and I received my pictures only about 3 days after my order...so I can recommend using that offer!)

Customer Service

I can confidently say that the customer service I received from Mailbox Bliss was outstanding.  Miss Mailbox Bliss says “No creation is final until you give me your stamp of approval” and she means it!  My first draft came through looking great, but I decided to add punctuation in my text that I didn’t include before.  So I sent back those minor change requests.  And I got a new proof just hours later!  When first making my customization requests, I indicated that I wanted my children’s names and ages to be included below the main “Merry Christmas from the Dressels!” text.  But I wasn’t sure what font, size or color to request for that text.  So I asked Marcy to use her designer discretion with that and I love what she did with it!  I wouldn’t have thought of centering the text above each picture, but that works perfectly (see above)!  The time from customization request to first proof was less than 24 hours.  This time frame may vary slightly depending on when the order is made, but Mailbox Bliss has a great turnaround time...you will not be left waiting for your proof.

If you haven’t decided on holiday cards for this year yet, there is still time!  And I highly encourage you to choose one of Mailbox Bliss designs.  You can have a wonderful, original, unique and fun holiday card and pay less than the leading discount stores on photo cards.  Have your cake and eat it too!

Head on over to Mailbox Bliss and get your order started today!

(For the purpose of this review, I was provided with the product described free of charge to review.  However I was not monetarily compensated for this review and all feedback are my own honest opinions.)

Kick-Off is COMING!!!

Though it has been a long time coming, the OFFICIAL KICK-OFF to "Gonna Want This - Handmade" will be starting NEXT WEEK!

Expect to hear about a new handmade vendor DAILY, along with announcements of wonderful handmade giveaway contests to enter...ALL STILL IN TIME FOR THEY HOLIDAYS!

Stay tuned...KICK-OFF WEEK will...ahem...kick-OFF on Monday, November 23rd!