Giveaway Time!!!

It's been a long time coming! I can't remember the last time I had a giveaway so I figure what's better than one on Love Day? and... one with 10 winners!!!!! EEEK!!!

Let's get started!!!

Winner 1 

 This gorgeous crocheted Hello Kitty Hat made by Val from StinkerDoodles (can you tell she had fun modeling it for me?)

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Winner 2

 Your very own monster. You get to pick colors/name and gender :) Made by ME :)

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Lots of pampering goodies from Sandi of Nioi. 4 lip butters, soap and the newest discovery of amazingness.... EZ butter... butter for your whole body!!

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Winner 4

 Beautiful garlands and a cute clutch from Valerie at Pareltje

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Winner 5

 A chunky Infinity Scarf Cowl made by Tiffany from thatgirl1223

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Winner 6

 Pretty headbands with interchangeable hair-clips from Val at Stinkerdoodles

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Winner 7

 An up-cycled Moleskine journal covered in pretty fabric and felt made by ME :)

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Winner 8

 Pretty hair accessories made by Valerie of  Bloempjes

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Winner 9

Lots of scrapbook goodies and a felt cozy cover for your pen

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Winner 10

 Pretty thrift store tea cup finds from Val

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Entry Guidelines!!!!

 Required ** Comment on this post- 1 entry

For *Extra* entries (not required but gives you more chances to win win win!!)

**Become or be an existing blog follower via Google Reader - 1 entry

**Tweet this giveaway- 2 entries

**Blog about this giveaway- 4 entries

**Facebook status this giveaway- 3 entries

(that's 10 extra entries!!!)

Make sure to leave separate comments for each, along with links so they will be counted!!

Winner will be picked next Monday, February 21st!!

xoxo

Feature + GIVEAWAY!!

  

I am super excited to feature my friend Valerie, she is the queen of all things paper. I can't even express how happy I am to have met so many fun, crafty ladies here on base. I have been really blessed with great, new friendships lately. I love love this feature and hope you do too!! There is even a fantastic giveaway at the end!! Enjoy :)

1. What is your name, tell us a little bit about yourself, and what you do.

My name is Valerie Jordan, I'm 32, a stay at home mom (to a little boy, Benjamin, turning two in January) and paper crafter. I currently live on base here in Minot, ND, my husband is active duty in the Air Force.

I grew up in The Netherlands and moved here to America when I was 18. My mother is American, and my father was Dutch. They met on an airplane, it's such a romantic story: they sat next to each other with the aisle between them, the person in front of her put his seat back too quickly and her coffee spilled all over her. The rest is history.

I graduated from an International American school, so I don't really have a Dutch accent, but I can put one on (sort of like Gold Member from Austin Powers...but more authentic). I used to be able to speak Dutch fluently, but I'm starting to lose it, unfortunately. I can still read and understand it, I just have a hard time searching for words when I'm conversing. I'm trying to teach it to my son, but I don't want to confuse him! After graduating from high school, I attended a community college in California, got two associates in English and Liberal Arts, met my husband, then moved up to Spokane Washington (where we married). I attended Eastern Washington University and have a BA in Visual Communication Design.

I had a lovely childhood in Holland, we had a quaint little woods behind our house. My father (who was Dutch) was always trying to convince us that fairies and gnomes lived in our backyard. He died from a massive heart attack when I was 15, it was sudden and shocking. My mother was an amazing force, and it's because of her that we all made it through.

I have an older brother & a younger sister. Our family is known for being spread out all over the world, my mom is currently living in Berlin, Germany, working as a teacher for 3 year olds. My brother lives in Paris, France, working for Hilton Hotels. My sister lives in Sydney, Australia, working for Boston University's study abroad program.

2. Where can we find you? (Blog, Shop, Facebook)

My Etsy 
My Blog

My Facebook

3. What's your obsession right now?

Paper garlands! I've been crafting like crazy, trying to get ready for Halloween and Sandi's open house.

I am also obsessed with old things, I have a huge collection of rusty skeleton keys! I love that I can hold a piece of history in my hands and imagine that the key I'm holding opens some old forgotten mansion in Provence, France.

4. What is your shop's name and what do you sell there?

My shop name is Valerie Paperie. I sell all sorts of paper items, mostly garlands. I recently discovered gummed kraft packing tape! I think the possibilities with it are endless! I have a few listings for label packs (great for scrapbookers) and envelope seals. My love for kraft paper is all over the shop, I just can't get enough!

I also came up with two things you won't see anywhere else: (at least, they haven't been copied yet, as far as I know) teeny tiny itty bitty thanks tags, and paper ribbon banners.

I am working on a few new items: paper mobiles using vintage papers, and party packs with coordinating decorations- garlands, banners, etc.

5. What is your favorite item in your shop?

That would have to be my new Halloween pinwheel garlands. They are very time consuming, but so worth it!

6. What made you open up an Etsy shop?

I was getting really bored during the day with my little boy. Don't get me wrong, being a mom is great, but I wanted something of my own. It's really become a passion, and I love it when the UPS man drives up with more goodies for me to play with! I love making things for other people.

7. What shop goals do you want to accomplish by the end of the year?

I'd like to list some new things for Christmas and start making my paper mobiles. I plan to try to list a new item every week, if I can! It's the one way I've learned to get new visitors to the shop!

8. Do you have any hidden talents?

I'm double jointed in my right hand, and my right thumb bone is constantly cracking. I can crack an egg with one hand. I make a delicious shepherd's pie. I think my husband is getting sick of it, I make it very often!

9. List 5 goals on your life's to do list

1. Go to Holland with my husband and son, show them were I grew up

2. Raise a happy, healthy boy who is respectful for others and can follow his heart

3. Start my own graphic design business, with a focus on printed items, business cards, stationery, etc. Never have work be "work", love what I do.

4. Save lots of money for retirement so there will be no money worries

5. Learn to speak Dutch again :)

10. Where do you get your inspiration and what keeps you motivated?

I get inspiration from the many blogs that I read. Some of my favorites are: Design Sponge, Just Something I Made, How about Orange, and Under The Sycamore.

I also get inspired by all the wonderful artists and crafters on Etsy! I love Etsy so much, it's the greatest!

Also, I get inspired by magical things, fairies & gnomes. My father really instilled a sense of wonder about that for me. I have many books all about fairies and gnomes. My favorite is the one I grew up with, by Rien Poortvliet, (also Dutch) it's simply called "Gnomes". 

11. If you could only use one crafting supply the rest of your life, what would it be and why?

Paper! There are so many lovely things you can make with a single sheet of paper.

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Giveaway!!!

One of Valerie's "Boo!" Garlands is up for grabs!

All you have to do is answer this question on this post, for your chance to win!! 

 

gnomes or fairies?

I'll pick a winner this Tuesday, October 12th.

xoxo,
Lindsay

Super Cute Giveaway!!

My cute friend Christen just opened up her adorable shop, and in honor I'm hosting a giveaway to celebrate! What do you win?? A 15$ Shop Credit to anything in her shop!

She makes the cutest dolls and I even had one custom made to guard my crafts :) Her name is Pixie. She used my most favorite fabric (same fabric I had my quilt and hoops made from). One thing I find very special about her dolls is the uniqueness. They all come with a special name and a list of their loves on a cute name tag. You can have them custom made to whatever your little heart desires!

All you have to do is answer this question, on this post:

What is your favorite Fall drink?

If you want to tweet or blog about it, I'll give you an extra entry. Just make sure to leave a separate comment for each. I will pick a winner this Friday, October 8th.

Happy Monday!!

Feature + GIVEAWAY!!

I haven’t done a feature post in a very long time and thought now would be a great opportunity to feature a lovely lady who I met through Etsy. She found me through the local sellers and we met up for tea and scones with another Etsian (who I will be featuring soon too). Sandi specializes in soaps, lip butter, and candles. I personally have tried out the lip butter and can tell you it is amazing (so much I bought 40 tubes!!!). You can also find her here (blog) and here (shop).

Tell us about yourself and what you like to do for fun.

 My name is Sandi Solis. I am 33 and currently living on Minot AFB, ND with my husband who is active duty in the Air Force.

I like to do just about anything that is interesting or brings forth creativeness, challenges, or inspirational thought and way of life.

One of the more random old-pieces of fun for me as a teenager and young adult was to drive on a road that I had never traveled before (like hours) then find my way back with no map. I found such freedom and exploration in this!

What is your shop's name & url? What do you sell there?

 My shop is Nioi. Recently, I am into cold-process (CP) soaps and it is a rather new craft for me. I also sell candles, lip butter, incense, room sprays, perfume oils, and bath salts.

How did you get your shop's name?

My shop’s name is quite boring if one understands the Japanese language! The word “nioi” means “smell” or “scent” in Japanese. And why Japanese you ask? Well, I love Japan, my husband is half Okinawan, and my minor in college was Japanese! Things of Japan pretty much consume my life and my mind.

 What is your favorite item in your shop?

I’m gonna have to say the lip butter! It took a few tries to perfect a homemade recipe, but I think the outcome makes for something incredible. I love how natural the product is. It’s fun to make and very versatile. The lip butter labels can be customized for any occasion! So cute!

Any funny mishaps when you started creating your products?

YES! At one of my very first candle parties in England, I mislabeled the scent “Sweet Pea”. Yeah, it was brought to my attention that I called the scent “Sweet Pee”!! Yikes.

What shop goals do you want to accomplish by the end of this year?

 I aim to have an actual open house at my home to showcase some of the products that have accumulated during the past months! I think around the holidays would be an excellent time to share. Perhaps I can start a network of wonderful homemade crafters to join in and offer our lovely products to the families on base… especially during the dreaded winters we have here, it will be very uplifting for all involved.

 What's your blood type? (inside joke, I'm not hoarding blood)

A- This means, according to a Japanese societal belief, that I am calm, patient, sensitive, responsible, overcautious, stubborn, and unable to relax. That pretty much sums me up!

Ninjas or pirates?

Ummm, Ninjas! My husband is part ninja. And so are my sons. Me? I’m related by marriage, so the bond is there. I do know some kickin’ cool pirates, but they are louder than ninjas and stinkier… Yes, definitely ninjas!

 What is usually your first thought when you wake up?

I need coffee. You know, this is actually a thought at night, too. Is it weird to crave coffee right before going to sleep at night? It’s almost like I’m excited to wake up because I know there will be coffee.

List 5 goals on your life’s to-do list:

1) Raise happy, healthy boys and family.

2) Live in Japan for a few years.

3) Regain my language ability in Japanese

4) Learn Tai-chi.

5) Get a teaching license (I want to be an International Peer Advisor).

 Have any hidden talents?

I can blow smoke out of my eye. I have faulty tear ducts and they are more open than they should be (caused by a bad surgery) so my eyes water uncontrollably sometimes. The cool thing is that when I smoked I could blow smoke out of my eyes! Probably not the smartest thing to do!

 

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GIVEAWAY!!!!

 

Here's the deets...

 

**3 winners** will get a 4-pack of Sandi's Halloween-themed Lip Butter.

 

Flavors include:

-Pumpkin Cheesecake

-Vampire Kiss

-Ghost Biscuit

-Caramel Apple

All you have to do is answer this question, on this post...

 

Vampires or Werewolves?

 
I will pick a winner this Sunday, October 3rd

gogogogo!! :)

**EDIT** This is open to my International readers as well :)

Craft Room De-Stash GIVEAWAY!!!

This is definitely the biggest giveaway I have EVER had. I decided to clean out my craft room to make room for new supplies. Most everything I am giving away is brand new. Very little is lightly used. I thought a giveaway was a great way to share and spoil a lucky reader with a MASSIVE amount of crafty goodness.

Items include:

-26 8x10 chipboard sheets of multi colored alpha letters
-7 various wooden block stamps
-pack of 24 mini clothespins
-16 foam sheets
-Popsicle sticks
-floss organizer
-binder rings in various sizes
-several packs of vintage ephemera
-several notepads and sticky notes
-10 ribbon spools
-MASSIVE amount of ribbon scraps
-several cello bags
-4 Binder clips
-13 crazy cut scissors
-lace tape
-fabric
-leaf cut out
-erasers
-28 packs of stickers (lots of Christmas/winter ones)
-4 packs of photo organizers
-brand new nail file

Rules are Easy Peazy Lemon Squeezy!!!

**Be a follower of this blog (via Google Reader on the left sidebar)

**Sign your name to this post

That's it!!!!

and of course..

If you want to tweet about it and/or blog about it, you will get EXTRA entries!!

**Just make sure you leave a separate comment with any twitter or blog links so the extra entries are counted :)**

I'll pick a winner this Friday (night), September 3rd.

 

xoxo,

Lindsay

P.S. Yes, this is open to my International Readers too :)

Katie- DIY Silky Flower and GIVEAWAY!!!

Hey everyone! I am Katie from SmileyEyes.

I wanted to share a really easy way to make some cute poppy flowers. I think they are so perfect to wear in your hair, as a brooch, on a necklace, or even as a cute summer ring.

These are super cute and super easy to do. All that you need is a silky fabric (does not have to be real silk, but just something that is shiny and has some stretch to it), a candle, scissors, needle and thread (or hot glue), and some cute buttons. You might also want to buy a headband, hairclip, pin backing, or necklace that you may want to add the flowers to.

Once you have your materials… then cut 5-7 circles of increasing diameter out of the fabric:

Next carefully light your candle and hold the edge of the silky fabric up close to the flame. The edges of the fabric will curl and shrink when the flame gets close. Go slowly, and with one area at a time, because the fabric can melt very quickly!

Continue all the way around the fabric rounds till they look like this:

Then stack the new petals on top of each other:

Once the flower is made, secure the middle of the poppy with your needle and thread or each layer with a hot glue gun. You can add a button, bead, or pearl to the middle to complete:

And ta-da! Pretty flowers all ready to attach to anything!

I hope you enjoy!!! These take no time at all and look so pretty! If you want more Do It Yourselves, you can check out my DIY section on my blog! Thanks Lindsay for letting me be part of your fun blog party!!!

As a treat to all of Pixies and Bears readers... I want to share a giveaway with you guys! Giveaways are about my favorite thing ever, and I made one for you!

I am giving away a package of goodies that include:

 a mini scrapbook,
 two rosette headbands,
two silky flower hairpieces,
and a couple purple pompom flowers.

Oh so cute!
All you need to do is go to smileyeyes.wordpress.com and leave a comment telling me your favorite flower! Get extra entries if you become a subscriber of both our blogs and leave a comment telling me that you did! Easy huh? For even more extra entries, you can blog about this blog party giveaway! Hope you all have just the most amazing Friday!!
-Katie

Amber- Feature and GIVEAWAY!!

First off I want to say Thank You to Lindsay for allowing me to be a part of her blog party!! Happy Birthday, Lindsay! I know this year will be a magical one for you! Well...My name is Amber and you can read all about my hubby and I's adventures over here. We call each other "Two Poots" and we love to get out and fun as much as possible!

In my spare time you will find me crafting. I love to knit, sew, and scrapbook. However, most nights I am consumed with crocheting. I can't get enough of it!! I have recently cleaning out the ol' craft room and thought it would be great to giveaway some supplies I no longer need.

So in honor of Lindsay's Blog Party I am having a giveaway!!

Up for grabs:

 (4) adorable fat quarters in pink

 a Sugar and Cream Stripes skein of yarn

 a super soft skein of Bellezza yarn

 Creative Memories Mini album

 a Country Living Crafting Vintage Style book

a granny square

and granny square earrings.

All you have to do is leave a comment here on this post telling me what your favorite craft is. I will randomly select a winner on Monday, August 16.

And please stop by and say hello at Hoot-N-Annie. I would love to meet you!

XOXO,

Amber