Awesome Giveaway (…with a catch?)

October 23, 2013 | leftylex

Lately I’ve been sharing a little more about my personal life and adoption rather than crafting and embroidery (and theatre geekyness) . So, if you’re here for the crafts and are getting bored of my personal life, I apologize because I only anticipate that it will get worse the further along in the adoption process we get. BUT, I promise that I will also continue blogging on things related to the indie craft world.

And check this photo out, the best of both worlds: embroidery and adoption! This was one of my favorite photos taken at our pre-adoption photo shoot last month. And yes, I made that giant hoop the night before! Please ignore the giant veins in my hand and arm. (The funny thing is that my hands now look exactly like my aunt’s and I always thought that her hands looked scary/gross when I was a kid… I hope that my niece doesn’t think like this!)

But I digress, as usual! The adoption is going to cost us oodles of money ($32K in oodles to be exact). So, I need your help. It’s true. But, I’ll offer you the potential to win something cool in return; how does that sound? Husband and I have created an online fundraiser through YouCaring.com and we’d LOVE for you to help us get the word out about it (or even donate yourselves!). Our site can be shared via Facebook, Twitter, Google+, Pinterest OR by grabbing our widget and adding it to your blog/website! You can find our site here: http://www.youcaring.com/adoption-fundraiser/melendez-family-adoption/96257 ( www.youcaring.com/melendezadoption)

Now comes the part where I tell you what you have the possibility of winning! For every single share or donation made by you, I will write your name on a raffle ticket. And at the end of November (which so happens to be National Adoption Month) I will hold a drawing for a $50 Etsy gift card. Woohoo! Think of the wonderful handmade goodness that you could buy on Etsy with $50! And if the fundraising goes particularly well, I will even consider doubling it!

Thank you so much for reading this post and please, please, please share our adoption journey on any/all of your social media outlets. And make sure that you tag me so I know that you’ve done so! Here are my handles:

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/LeftyLexCreations
Twitter: @LeftyLexTweets
Instagram: @LeftyLex
Google+: Lefty Lex (just started that one yesterday)

We’re ‘hashtagging’ this campaign #HelpLexAdopt. So long as you use that hashtag, I should be able to see your postings. And if you have been SOOOO kind as to add our little widget to your blog, then please let me know that you’ve done so by commenting below or by sending an email to me at << leftylex@gmail.com >>.

Again, thank you in advance!

An Ode to Instagram

August 14, 2013August 14, 2013 | leftylex

I. Love. Instagram. Like an insane amount. While I’ve fiddled with other forms of social media, namely Facebook and Twitter, neither have yielded the same results as Instagram. As of this morning I have nearly 400 followers and less of 10 of those are actually friends and family members, the rest are strictly Lefty Lex fans. Amazing!

Let me share with you a few of the awesome things that have resulted from my IG love:

I’ve been able to connect with a bunch of adoptive mamas-in-awaiting and have been blessed to contribute some Lefty Lex goodies towards their adoption fundraising efforts. (Due unto others…)
I’ve been able to connect with an insane amount of crafty biz chicks and watch the beauty of this community as everyone supports/promotes one another. This connection ultimately brought me to my next upcoming fair, Penelope Lane Boutique! (SoCal mark your calendars for 9/28 and take a trip to Seal Beach; more info to come).
I found my new most favoritest product ever… the teeny tiny hoop pendant by Dandelyne!!! I can’t even put into words how completely head over heels in love I am with these hoops. Seriously. I received my first shipment (of many to come) two weeks ago and have been in love ever since. Sorry Husband.
I had an insanely successful Instasale with the support of my fabulous IG followers! I plan on doing a full length blog on this experience alone in the near future. But it was a fabulous experience and I plan on doing many more to add funds towards our adoption.

5. I have been able to share bragging photos of my adorable niece! Yes, I am officially an auntie! My sister-in- law gave birth to our first niece, Emersyn Lucille, one week ago today and little Emery has stolen our hearts. I know that I’m biased, but is she not the cutest little niece to ever grace the planet? I can’t wait until she and her parents move back to San Diego so I can teach her to be the youngest crafter ever!

In closing, if you’re not yet on Instagram, get there! And once you’re there, follow @LeftyLex. Then you can keep up with all of my shenanigans in real time! I wish you all a very merry Tuesday and I’ll speak with you soon. Cheers!

*Disclaimer: I will do my very best not to include photos of the above child in every single post from here on out, but no promises can be made. You have been warned.

Happy Bastille Day!

July 14, 2013 | leftylex

Bonjour! Apparently this Sunday is Bastille Day in France, which celebrates the storming of Bastille on July 14, 1789. I’m not going to pretend to be an expert on French holidays so, by all means, click here if you want to educate yourself further: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bastille_Day.

I bring this up only because I am super excited about the amount of traffic that I have been receiving on my Etsy page and all of this due to this little guy below!

While I have made several country hoops in this fashion, Mr. Vive la France is my most popular. This little guy was featured in several treasury lists over the past 36 hours. My favorite of which being: http://www.etsy.com/treasury/MjU5NTExNjF8MjcyNDcyMzAzMA/bastille-day?index=1&atr_uid=, http://www.etsy.com/treasury/NjEzMTkwNXwyNzIyMTU4MTU5/joyeux-fete-nationale?index=3&atr_uid=, and http://www.etsy.com/treasury/NjEzMTkwNXwyNzI0NzI0MzQw/bleu-blanc-et-rouge?index=0&atr_uid=. I love being in Treasury Lists and seeing how my work has been curated along with other handmade artisans. And due to these treasury lists I have acquired at least 20 new French followers of Lefty Lex Creations on Etsy! Woohoo!

I have made no secret in hiding the fact that Spain (France’s neighbor to the West) is my favorite country to visit. I will, however, say that France is the most beautiful place that I have ever been to! I always like to follow this by saying that that is a pretty big compliment seeing as I grew up in Hawai’i and live in Coronado, California. France is literally jaw-dropping. I’ll share just a few photos then send you on you merry little way to enjoy the weekend.

I guess I should explain the “Hi Sam” photo. Sam is my former co-worker and best guy friend who always seems to live hundreds of miles away from me. Over the past several years, whenever either of us travel we say “hi” to each other on slips of paper, in the sand/dirt, etc. It has become a fun little to-do between the two of us and our photos now span several countries and States… and now you’re in on our secret too! Sshhh… Au revoir!