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It is time for a new home!

Mad Dream Design >>>>> Folk Dreams

I have had so much fun on this blog! And I will continue to blog - just in a new home.

You can now find my new blog at folkdreams.com!

I am so excited to be on tumblr...I mostly like to post photos on this blog here, so tumblr makes it super easy for me to share all my photos (and travels) with you! I will one day have an official wordpress site, but for now tumblr will be home.

I hope you will come and join me there and follow along. You can find me and Folk Dreams (read more about my new business name here) at all the following places:

Maddie Spoto
www.maddiespoto.com
www.instagram.com/maddiespoto
www.twitter.com/maddiespoto
www.pinterest.com/maddiespoto
plus.google.com/+MaddieSpotoFolkDreams

Folk Dreams
www.folkdreamsjewelry.etsy.com
folkdreams.com (NEW BLOG!!!!)
www.facebook.com/folkdreams
www.twitter.com/folkdreams
www.instagram.com/flkdreamsjewelry

Follow Folk Dreams via Bloglovin'!

Happy travels!

What's New?

Lots of crazy fun things happening over here, so stick with me!

First, just a little over a month ago I married my best friend! It was rad, and I am seriously in dreamland - as in I can't believe it is over, and that it went by so fast! Everyone tells you that...but holy cow it went so fast. I was seriously depressed once the magical weekend was over. I mean, it was just a little over a year of planning and it was all over in a matter of hours...
But it was pure bliss.

Here is a little sneak peek of some photos taken by some of my beloved friends...pro shots coming soon (but these are pretty awesome to start with).

Loving Lately // Gifts that give back!

Happy Friday Friends!!

Who has their Christmas shopping done, yet? I have to say I am getting close, sort of...there is light at the end of the tunnel. Anyway, if you are looking for ideas, here are a few places to find fun, fresh, and charitable gifts for the ladies in your life.

Leith x Warby Parker
Have you seen the latest collection Warby Parker has been working on?

This week Warby Parker launched Leith x Warby Parker, a collection of five feminine frames brought to life in collaboration with Leith Clark of Lula Magazine. You may recognize her singular style from her work with Harper’s Bazaar U.K. and Italian Vogue. Inspired by smart-looking and smart-thinking individualists, each set of frames exudes ultra-ladylike and spirited charm.

Of course, these five frames could not be anymore chic then when modeled on Zoe Kazan and photographed by noted fashion photographer Pamela Hanson. These photos capture that exact 1960's nerdy library girl look that Leith, along with most girls, love.

Photo c/o Warby Parker

Now that you have seen the fab five, all available in optical or sunwear, which is your favorite? My favorite....the Willow Aldabra, what is not to love about petite frames and tortoise shell?

Photo c/o Warby Parker

But I do have to say, hands down my favorite thing about Warby Parker and all their frames is the fact that for every pair of glasses sold, a pair is distributed to someone in need. AND a percentage from each sale will also go to Girl Up, a United Nations Foundation campaign mobilizing American girls to raise awareness and funds for UN programs that provide life-changing opportunities to girls around the world.

As a company that gives back, Mad Dream Design is a huge fan of those who do the same. So, if you have not checked out Leith x Warby Parker, head on over, the frames are available online and at Warby Parker stores and showrooms for $145 each.

A Holiday Gift Guide for the ladies from Eat.Live.Make
This gift guide is chalk full of good stuff and it features a few shops that love to give back.

Check out her full gift guide on her blog!

These shops are giving back with each purchase:

BGlorifiedBoutique - Fun knits, scarves and headwear. 10% of proceeds goes to teen challenge around the world. Super cute stuff!

fashionABLE - amazing scarves and quality leather goods. Your purchase of a fashionABLE scarf creates sustainable business in Africa. I have a special lady on my list receiving one of their scarves.

Mad Dream Design - Jewelry to go with your new knits, scarves and sunglasses, we are dedicated to donating 5% of each purchase to animal and earth friendly non-profits, such as Ocean Preservation Society, BlueVoice, The Marine Mammal Center, Falcon Ridge Equine Rescue, Boon Lott's Elephant Sanctuary, and Barks of Love!

A little sneak peek at a few new products that will be launching in the shop this weekend:

Photography by Amber Mozo Photography

Enjoy and Happy Shopping!

Happy Thanksgiving and a not so black Black Friday!

Hi Friends!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving to you and and I hope you enjoyed your friends, family and a ton of amazing food! It is one of my favorite holidays, because the spirit of this holiday is one of the best. I hate that is shadowed by Christmas (don't get me wrong...I love Christmas), but the message of Thanksgiving and the food are just simply the best. Being thankful for this life. It is something I try to live every day, even though I am not successful at it every day.

Not so black Black Friday!

I am not a huge fan of Black Friday...as I love to enjoy Thanksgiving in full...with no shopping involved. Not to say I have not done it...but I have tried it, and it is just not for me. So rather than having a sale today, I am just here to keep you posted on what is happening here at Mad Dream Design during the holidays!

Today!
No sale happening (unless you have subscribed to my newsletter...wink, wink). If you would like to get special discounts and be the first to know all the happs, then click subscribe! It is easy and I promise, it is only fun stuff, that comes a few times out of the year.
I will make it worth your while.

SUBSCRIBE!

Small Business Saturday!

Oh how I love this day as it celebrate amazing people and the businesses they have created doing what they love! To celebrate I have some exciting news....

You can now purchase Mad Dream Design jewelry at A Little Known Shop in Anaheim, CA. We are so excited to partner with A Little Know Shop as they promote amazing crafters and makers. They are also apart of the The Community, which if you are an Orange County local, it is a must check out for shopping handmade and local for the holidays!

Here is a little info about A Little Known Shop, stop by and say hello and check out the Mad Dream Design inventory they have in stock!

A Little Known Shop
423 S. Brookhurst St. #M,
Anaheim, California
Tues - Sat: 10am - 7pm
Sun: 11am - 6pm

"A Little Known Shop is a one-of-a-kind retail shop that helps support local artists and crafters. Our shelves are stocked with unique, fun items including soaps, jewelry, scarves, original art prints -- to name just a few. The best thing about the shop is that all of the merchandise is from local makers!"

What's New Around Here?!

Hello November and Happy Friday!

Are you ready for some fun news? I was MIA on the blog for about a month, but I promise I have been busy! Lots of fun things getting done, and I am excited to finally share it all with you.

Photo via Spark Collaborative

You were born to Sparkle!

In September, I started SparkleBee University with the Spark Collaborative community. It is a 6 week course on your own business! Each week is a new topic to focus on with all the info you need to make your business (and you) awesome. Going through this course has been really eye opening, and you will for sure be seeing some changes going on around here in the new year. More to come on that later, but if you are starting a business or want to tidy up your business practices this is a great course, that I highly suggest.

Mad Dream Design Fall/Winter 2013 Line: Folk Dreams.

I have also been working really hard to bring some fun new designs to the shop for the holidays! I am happy to announce I will be rolling out these designs over the month of November for my Fall/Winter line! This line includes a lot of my Spring and Summer designs, along with some great bracelets and hoops for Fall/Winter! I will have a lot of sets, which will be great for gifts this holiday season. The fun thing is that I have started to incorporate beads and stones into my designs with copper and silver wire. I have been having a blast learning how to wire wrap over the past month, so Fall/Winter will is going to be a bit more diverse. I can't wait to share with you!

Inspiration

Photo via We Are Wilderness

Inspired by the hunter-gatherer, the collector, the wanderer and adventurer - this line is all about getting outside, going somewhere and not having your jewelry slow you down. Using stones and beads I have collected to create fun pieces that are durable, yet fun. You can dress them up and dress them down, plus you are still able to keep up with your active lifestyle.

Sneak Peek

Love Hoops

Gatherer Bracelet

Fall Patchwork Show

Photo via Patchwork Show

Save the Date! Mad Dream Design is so excited to be accepted into the Santa Ana Fall Patchwork Show on December 1st. If you are local to Orange County, this is a fun day to attend. Get a chunk of your Christmas shopping done in one day by shopping handmade and shopping local.

Patchwork Show - Modern Handmade Festival

What: Santa Ana Fall Patchwork Show
When: December 1st, 2013 11am-5pm
Where: 125 N Broadway, Santa Ana 92701
(2nd & Sycamore intersection and section of 3rd St.)
Who: Mad Dream Design and a bunch of other great artists, makers and vendors all in one place
Why: Support and shop local handmade and a great way to spend you Sunday!

I will fill you in on booth information soon! This is a great chance to come see my work in person. I love my online shop because I get to reach out to people across the world, but nothing beats seeing handmade items in person.

For quick updates, new arrivals, holiday shop details and show info - sign up for my newsletter here! Or follow along on our Facebook page!

Wanderlust Wednesday
I have been having some fun travels lately, and since Folk Dreams is inspired by the adventurer and the wanderer, I will be sharing my travels every Wednesday! Stay tuned...the first one is coming up this Wednesday!

Enjoy!

xo,

Create Every Day // Custom Designs

I have been working on a few custom designs over the past few months and I thought this would be the perfect place to share them with you.

These projects are something you would not usually see in my shop as they are extremely time consuming, but they are so much fun to do. To really liked working on both of these projects, with an open deadline that I can really just get lost in the design of them.

The first design is a letter opener I made my sister (for ahem...Christmas...). I was inspired by the copper designs coming out of the Arts and Crafts movement, particularly designs originating from Roycroft School of Design (circa early 20th century). Such timeless and simply gorgeous pieces were created during that time period.

When designing this piece I knew I wanted it to be copper and to be personalized. I also wanted it to be different and one of a kind that spoke to my sister's timeless and classic manner. Here are a few shots I got of it at a vacation house in Palm Springs...loving the light.

Here is a shot for our room in Palm Springs (loved it)!

The second is a bracelet I made for my cousin's birthday. She just turned 10, so talk about a fun project! I could be totally youthful and I was able to use one of her chalk drawings as inspiration for the piece. I decided to combine a different element into this piece that I don't normally work with, leather. My Dad is a pro with leather, so we got collaborate on this piece together which is always fun.

Here is a shot I got of it in the studio. I love the copper and leather together!

Enjoy!

Exciting News!

Mad Dream Design has exciting news.

This coming weekend, I will be closing my Etsy shop for just one day, Saturday, July 21st, 2013.

Why is that good news? I will be debuting and selling my Summer 2013 Line: Wild Hearts in person!

I am so excited that Mad Dream Design will be a vendor at the SBOCC State Sprints at Leadbetter Beach in Santa Barbara, CA. If you are in the area, stop by and say hello! My Etsy shop will be closed this coming Saturday, but will be reopening on Sunday, July 22nd with all brand new items from my Summer line.

I will be rolling new items out all of next week. If you would like to be apart of a special offer, and be the first to know. Join our mailing list here! I promise it is only fun stuff!!!

Sneak Peek from Wild Hearts // Summer 2013