Lynn Minney Designs: Giveaway and Interview

I recently did a fun giveaway over at Lynn Minney Designs and Lynn kindly reciprocated by agreeing to do her own interview and giveaway here! I love Lynn’s upcycled designs, which you can find at her Etsy shop – it always makes me smile to see people finding ways to give an old item a new life.

So here’s what Lynn and I “chatted” about, and read on to find out more about the giveaway!

Tell me a little bit about yourself.

Hi, I’m Lynn of Lynn Minney Designs! I’m a wife, mom, graphic designer and crafter. My love of creating started at a young age while watching my mom, grandmas and aunts create beautiful things. I also love to garden and cook.

Tell me a little bit about your business. What green elements of your business make you proud?

I opened my Etsy store about 2 years ago. It all started from a magazine article about sewing felted wool sweaters into tote bags. I was hooked after making one! It’s been a lot of hard work, but it is so exciting! I’ve learned so much in such a short period of time. I am really hoping to start doing craft shows this fall. I’m really excited to get out there, meet new people & show them what can be done with re-purposed materials.

I sew accessories like bags, eyeglass/phone cases and brooches out of recycled & vintage materials. I truly love finding pre-loved clothing items and giving them a new life. I am proud to offer upcycled items that people will use for many years to come. I’m constantly working on making my items more eco-friendly. I’m constantly looking for ways to make my company more green whether it is using only re-purposed fabrics or recycled packaging.

What makes your business unique? How do you keep your creative juices flowing?

The most unique thing about Lynn Minney Designs is the unusual items I create from wool sweaters, jeans and neckties. My customers are always amazed that something so beautiful can be created from an old sweater or jeans that someone else no longer wanted. 

There are a many things that keep my creative ideas coming…

I view everything with my favorite materials in mind. I get inspiration from a bag that I saw in a store and turn it into a unique item with a history, more color & texture. I also carry a small sketchbook with me in my bag because I can’t remember all of my ideas Furthermore, I’m inspired by the clothing, fabrics & buttons that I’ve collected.

What makes someone truly beautiful, in your opinion?

I think beauty comes from the heart. An honest, open person is beautiful in my eyes.

What makes you feel truly beautiful (beyond makeup and hair care) and what does “true beauty” mean to you?

My husband & daughter make me feel beautiful. Seeing the love in their eyes is enough for me. True beauty has all to do with the person you are inside. I believe everyone is beautiful in their own way.

What do you think about beauty in today’s society?

Modern society’s perception of beauty is backwards and way too focused on external beauty. I think the world would be a much more beautiful place if it was the other way around.

What are your favorite natural remedies?

To be honest, I don’t know much about natural remedies, but now I’m really curious! I’ve been taking a probiotic for years to aid in digestion

And for the giveaway…………. Lynn is going to gift one of my readers with this beautiful, upcycled brooch:

Ways to enter:

::Visit Lynn Minney Designs and leave a comment here about your favorite item. (1 entry)

::Tweet about this giveaway. Make sure you include @5seed and a link to this post in your tweet. Paste the link to your tweet here in the comments. (1 entry)

::Subscribe to Lynn Minney Designs blog. (1 entry)

::Subscribe to Five Seed’s blog. (1 entry)

::Add Lynn Minney Designs to your Etsy favorites (or your “circle”). (1 entry)

::Add Five Seed to your Etsy favorites (or your “circle”). (1 entry)

::Follow @5seed on Twitter. (1 entry)

Please note: I have deliberately not included entries for following either Lynn Minney Designs or Five Seed on Facebook, as this is against their terms of service.

Each entry must be left as a comment here. Each comment counts as one entry (if you only leave one comment for all of the above, your comment will only count as one entry). Each person is eligible for seven entries, total. Only continental US residents are eligible.

This giveaway will end on Friday, June 10th, at 6 PM PST. The winner will be announced on June 11th.

Many thanks to Lynn for the giveaway! Good luck, everyone!

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