Enchanted Leaves & Paper Gift Boxes

I love browsing Etsy to find new shops to follow. One of my absolute favorite shops is Enchanted Leaves. Find their Etsy shop here or view their website here. Since I had the opportunity to order a couple of gifts from them recently, I wanted to give them a little love by sharing my thoughts here!

The first thing that I found from Enchanted Leaves that I fell in love with is their Lord of the Rings "geekery." If you're looking for a gift idea for me, here it is! They have jewelry celebrating many different books, movies, and shows, including The Hunger Games, Arrested Development, and Harry Potter. If you're looking for a unique gift, this is a great place to start. Who doesn't want a Bluth banana necklace or Dirigible Plum earrings?

My absolute favorite: Hobbit Door Locket

Another favorite: Twilight Chess Piece Necklace

Of course, the geekery just reeled me in. I couldn't stop myself from exploring the rest of the site. They also have some beautiful items "inspired by the land, sky, and sea."

Cherry Blossom Necklace

Brass Owl Earrings

Saffron and Copper Acorn Necklace

I've been waiting for an reason to order something from Enchanted Leaves. The opportunity finally came and I was so excited to get gifts for my Mom and Grandma for Mother's Day (don't worry... they already got their necklaces, so I'm not spoiling their surprise).

My great-grandparents, then my grandparents, ran an orchard in eastern Utah. My Grandma grew up there and my Mom grew up there. I spent many weekends of my childhood and teenage years there, sorting apples and thinning peaches. So when I saw these beautiful apple necklaces, I knew it would be the perfect gift for my Mom and Grandma. 

My items arrived very quickly and they are beautiful and very well made! They came individually packed inside a tiny tarnish-proof plastic bag inside a larger tulle bag, along with instructions on how to care for the jewelry.

Since I wasn't able to deliver the necklaces personally (but had to send them with my brother), I decided to make some card stock boxes for each of them to keep them safe. I used a template I found on Easy Paper Crafts to make this 6-sided box. I used Stampin' Up card stock to make them pretty and feminine.

The flowers on top were made using a tutorial found on Whimsical World of Laura Bird.

{Linked on The DIY Dreamer, Funky Polkadot Giraffe, New Nostalgia, My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia, Our Delightful Home, Ladybug Blessings}

My Reading List

I am always on the prowl for good books to read, and I usually try to mix things up so that I don't get suck in one genre. Here is my to-read list for the Spring:

Coraline by Neil Gaiman

Honestly, I hated the movie Coraline... mostly, I think, because it was creepy and scary when it was supposedly a kids' movie. Luckily my hubby and I watched it ourselves before letting our son watch it. It surely would've given him nightmares. And now, thanks to Coraline, I find Lalaloopsy dolls a little extra creepy. That said, I find that I generally like books better than their film interpretations, so I think I need to give this one a try.

One Crazy Summer by Rita Williams-Garcia

This one has been on my list ever since I had my Children's Lit Book Club. We never got around to reading it before the book club died, but I think it sounds like a fun read. I love high-quality kid lit, so hopefully this one won't disappoint.

Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail by Cheryl Strayed

I love books about self-discovery, which is what made me add this one to the list. And I think everyone has times when they feel like doing something completely crazy in their journey to self discovery.

Bury Her Deep by Catriona McPherson

I recently discovered the "Dandy Gilver" series by Catriona McPherson. I started reading them out of order, but luckily, it doesn't seem to be making too much of a difference as they stand alone pretty well. So I'm just reading them as I can get my hands on them. The next for me is #3, Bury Her Deep. I love a good mystery and these are pretty fun despite their dark subjects.

Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption by Laura Hillenbrand

Every reading list needs some non-fiction, and I have several on mine. I have enjoyed reading many books about the World War II era, and I imagine this one will be no exception. Survival stories are always inspiring, too.

Divergent by Veronica Roth

I love a good dystopian future novel, and this seems to be a popular choice these days. I figure I need to read the book before I see the movie, so I'll be reading this as soon as I can get it from the library. I hope the hype isn't too much for the reality.

The Invention of Wings by Sue Monk Kidd

I've read most of Sue Monk Kidd's other books and especially enjoyed her non-fiction. Now she's back with another novel. The cover is so beautiful that I had to add it to my list. I can't wait to see if the story is beautiful, too!

I Will Plant You a Lilac Tree: A Memoir of a Schindler's List Survivor by Laura Hillman

There are a lot of Holocaust stories out there, but I never shy away from reading them. Yes, they are horrible in the atrocities these people suffered, but they are also inspirational in the strength and  resilience shown in the worst situations imaginable.

Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore by Robin Sloan

I love mysteries. I love book stores. So this sounds right up my alley. Plus I might need a pick-me-up after some of the more serious books on my list.

So what books are on your reading list this Spring? I would love to hear your choices!

Inspiration for Your Week

I'm spending this weekend watching LDS General Conference and hearing many inspirational messages. Here is one of my favorite quotes so far, in printable form.

Click picture for free 5x7 printable

Ultimate Blog Party 2014 - Meet Me!

I am joining up with tons of other bloggers for the Ultimate Blog Party 2014! If you're a fellow blogger, go check it out. The link-ups start tomorrow, so sign up now.

As part of the Ultimate Blog Party, I am writing this intro post. Here, you can read a little bit about me and my blog. Here goes nothing:

That's me -- Krissy.

Who am I?

Wife. Mom. Crafter. Blogger. Fabric Addict. Literature Lover. Wannabe Yogi. Reluctant Cub Scouter. Occasional Exerciser.

What do I do?

I love sewing things for my kids and all sorts of other people. I'm currently working on making feminine hygiene kits for Days For Girls International. If you don't know what that's about, click through and see... it's a great cause.

When I'm not sewing or blogging, I'm usually reading. I studied English Literature in college, and though it wasn't the most lucrative choice, I still loved it. I love reading classic fiction, fantasy, mystery, and some sci-fi.

I also spend a large portion of my time changing diapers, cleaning up messes, and mediating childish arguments.

What do I love?

Of course I love my little family. I also love the smell of books, the feel of fabric, and the sound of falling leaves. I love good apples, dark chocolate, and salami (though probably not in combination).

What do I blog about?

I started my blog initially as a way to market my Etsy shop. Then it took on a life of it's own. I create a lot of printables, post occasional tutorials, and share my musings on life.

Wordless Wednesday

Cutting fabric for "Days for Girls International"