Celebration Giveaway #5

**GIVEAWAY HAS ENDED**

Welcome to the final giveaway of this week!  If you haven’t entered the previous four giveaways, make sure you go back and enter.  I’ll have a link to each of them at the end of this post.  All the giveaways end tonight!

Our final giveaway comes from the very generous and talented Michelle Palmer of Petals & Palettes.  Michelle is sponsoring this giveaway with two of her beautiful original art illustrations of strawberries on vintage linen.   The first picture is one of the pieces and the other two pictures are of the second piece. 

I’m sorry the pictures don’t show these pieces off to their best advantage, but I don’t want anything to happen to them, so I did not want to remove them from the packaging.   I own a few of Michelle’s pieces and I just love her work!  Each illustration is so original, creative, detailed, and amazingly beautiful.

All the giveaways will run through until Friday, December 31, 2010, at midnight EST.   This means that this giveaway ends tonight! 

To enter, visit Michelle’s Etsy {link here} then come back and tell me which one of her other pieces you like.  That is the only requirement!

• You can gain an additional entry if you blog about this giveaway OR put this giveaway on your blog sidebar.
• You do not have to have a blog to enter, but you do need to leave me an email address so I can contact you if you win. 
• Winners will have 72 hours to claim their prizes or a new winner will be chosen. 
• Winners will be selected via random.org during the New Year weekend and announced by Sunday night, January 2, 2011.

Here are the links to the previous giveaways:

Celebration Giveaway #1

Celebration Giveaway #2

Celebration Giveaway #3

Celebration Giveaway #4

Celebration Giveaway #4

**GIVEAWAY HAS ENDED**

Welcome to Celebration Giveaway #4!  You may recall that I shared with you {here}, not too long ago, a necklace that I purchased from Debra at Common Ground.

Today’s giveaway is sponsored by Debra who has an Etsy shop called Petite Boutique.  Debra is offering this wonderful necklace to the winner of this giveaway!

Gorgeous!  I love the silver tone to this one!

All the giveaways will run through until Friday, December 31, 2010, at midnight EST.   This means that some of them will be over quickly and Friday’s giveaway will only have that day to enter. 

To enter, visit Debra’s Etsy {link above} then come back and tell me which one of her other pieces you like.  That is the only requirement!

• You can gain an additional entry if you blog about this giveaway OR put this giveaway on your blog sidebar.
• You do not have to have a blog to enter, but you do need to leave me an email address so I can contact you if you win. 
• Winners will have 72 hours to claim their prizes or a new winner will be chosen. 
• Winners will be selected via random.org during the New Year weekend and announced by Sunday night, January 2, 2011.

If you’ve missed entering the other giveaways, make sure to go back and enter!

Giveaway #3

Giveaway #2

Giveaway #1

Celebration Giveaway #3

**GIVEAWAY HAS ENDED**

Today brings us to Day 3’s giveaway.  I hope you’ve entered the previous two!  You have until Friday to enter all the giveaways posted this week.  I have links to the previous two below.

This giveaway is sponsored by my friend Paula at Castle and Cottage.  If you are not familiar with Paula, she makes beautiful signs ~ all different shapes, sizes, colors, wording.  Here are a few examples of Paula’s work.  Paula sells these wonderful signs in her etsy shop here.

Beautiful, yes? Paula has graciously offered her French Chic Je t’ aime {I love you} sign to the winner of this giveaway!  Ooooh, la la!

I love how Paula makes them look old and she has a variety of price points in her shop.

This week’s giveaways are running a little different.  All the giveaways will run through until Friday, December 31, 2010, at midnight EST.   This means that some of them will be over quickly and Friday’s giveaway will only have that day to enter. 

To enter, visit Paula’s Castle and Cottage shop {link above} then come back and tell me which sign you like.  That is the only requirement!

• You can gain an additional entry if you blog about this giveaway OR put this giveaway on your blog sidebar.
• You do not have to have a blog to enter, but you do need to leave me an email address so I can contact you if you win. 
• Winners will have 72 hours to claim their prizes or a new winner will be chosen. 
• Winners will be selected via random.org during the New Year weekend and announced by Sunday night, January 2, 2011.

In case you missed them, Giveaway #1 is here and Giveaway #2 is here.

Top Projects 2010

I am joining in on the Top Projects 2010 linky party that Rhoda from Southern Hospitality is hosting.  I knew that it was going to be a daunting task to look back over what I’ve done this year and I certainly have more to share than I did in last year’s post on this topic.

Starting back in January of this year, I made this cookie sheet memo board.  I use this in my crafty area.

Also in January, I got my finished white slipcover for my living room sofa and in February I painted my coffee table black.

I finished up February and my living room with some stationery roller shades made out of wrapping paper tubes, fabric and ribbon.

Then, in March I painted a plain pine armoire black and, besides dressing up the doors with some decorative wood pieces, I replaced the wood knobs with glass ones.

I think that knocked out most of the furniture I was redoing for this year.  In April, I pulled out my sewing machine and dusted it off to make this simple table runner with some scrap fabric I already had on hand.

On a smaller scale, I wanted a cloche and wasn’t willing to spend a lot of money.  I had a vase that I turned into a cloche and with the help of a pillar candleholder from the PB outlet, it works.

And then because one wasn’t enough, I made this one out of a clock! 

In October I painted my front door from white to black, and lucked out with a can of  “oops” paint from Home Depot for $1.00!

Finally, I’ll end this post with a Goodwill lamp I redid for my daughter.

I have to say that putting this post together had me feeling really good about all these projects again {plus all the little ones I did in between}.  I think 2011 will be a little lighter on the major projects as we do hope to downsize.  It will be fun to decorate a new home when the time comes!

You can click here to get to Celebration Giveaway #2 {or just scroll to the post below this one}; and click here to get to Celebration Giveaway #1.  All the giveaways will be running through to Friday, December 31st!

Celebration Giveaway #2

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Day 2 of my Celebration Giveaway is sponsored by my friend Debbie from Love The Decor.  Debbie and I became grandmothers for the first time this year {along with some other blog friends} and we enjoy “chatting” about our grandchildren ~ just like real-life friends!

Some of you may not know that Debbie also sells Willow House, which has some wonderful and reasonably priced home items.  Debbie has generously offered this cookbook holder as our Day 2 giveaway!

 

Isn’t it great?!  Can you not imagine this sitting on your kitchen counter holding a great looking cookbook?  I don’t even cook and I can imagine it!  I love the scrolly front legs, the weighted page holders and the front lip to keep the book or magazine from sliding off as you read the recipe.

This week’s giveaways are running a little different.  All the giveaways will run through until Friday, December 31, 2010, at midnight EST.   This means that some of them will be over quickly and Friday’s giveaway will only have that day to enter. 

To enter, visit Debbie’s Willow House shop {link above} and come back and tell me another item that you like.  That is the only requirement!

• You can gain an additional entry if you blog about this giveaway OR put this giveaway on your blog sidebar.
• You do not have to have a blog to enter, but you do need to leave me an email address so I can contact you if you win. 
• Winners will have 72 hours to claim their prizes or a new winner will be chosen. 
• Winners will be selected via random.org during the New Year weekend and announced by Sunday night, January 2, 2011.

In case you missed it, Celebration Giveaway #1 is here.

 

Celebration Giveaway #1

**GIVEAWAY HAS ENDED**

Today begins the week of Celebration Giveaways to celebrate my 500th blog post and my 3-year Blogaversary!  Woo Hoo!

This first giveaway is sponsored by my friend, Tara from Just Devine Style.  Tara recently opened an online store called Printed Memories.  Tara has always very generously shared printables on her blog, and is offering one of her printables for this giveaway.  Here is just a sampling.

This week’s giveaways are running a little different.  All the giveaways will run through until Friday, December 31, 2010, at midnight EST.   This means that some of them will be over quickly and Friday’s giveaway will only have that day to enter. 

To enter, visit Tara’s Printed Memories shop {link above} then come back and tell me which printable you like {don’t worry, you won’t be held to that choice if you win}.  That is the only requirement!

• You can gain an additional entry if you blog about this giveaway OR put this giveaway on your blog sidebar.
• You do not have to have a blog to enter, but you do need to leave me an email address so I can contact you if you win. 
• Winners will have 72 hours to claim their prizes or a new winner will be chosen. 
• Winners will be selected via random.org during the New Year weekend and announced by Sunday night, January 2, 2011.

Let the celebration begin!

Have a Merry!

Nothing to post today except to wish you all a very Merry Christmas!

I probably won’t be posting anything now until after Christmas, so I hope you enjoy time spent with family and friends; good food and good drink; and get everything you wanted on your Christmas list!

Don’t forget I have my five days of giveaways coming up on Monday, December 27th!  I’ve got a button on my sidebar if you’d like to take it as a date reminder.

Christmas Table Place Cards

Me and The Graphics Fairy have been “like this” the past few days.  I have a third post in as many days that involves an image from her site.  If you haven’t visited Karen’s blog before you will love all the images she offers for us all to download.  This project is for my Christmas Day table.

I got these ornament place card holders from the Michaels dollar bin.  The selection was basically limited to green and red, but for $1.00 for two I’m not complaining.

Now I needed place cards.  I used this wreath image from The Graphics Fairy, opened it in Photoshop and added the names with the text function {in Edit}.

I used the same font I used for the Santa key tag {Open Classic} and printed them on my always favorite brochure paper.   I cut them out and I have place cards!

I had also looked through my gift tags to use as place cards {and you could handwrite your guests’ names}, but the tags I have on hand weren’t grabbing me.   Of course, you can also make your own using scrapbook paper, card stock and embellishments, but this was the quick and easy route for me.

Now I just have to get the dishes washed up and I’ll be ready to set my table!

The Mamie Jane Book Art Brigade

I saw a post this week that Jane over at Mamie Jane’s did with a couple of old books that I just loved.  I knew I could do this at home without having to buy anything and so I set about locating a book to rip the covers off of.  I have never in my life ripped covers off a book.  Never.  Ever.  I love books and didn’t think I’d be able to do it.  But, hey, living on the edge is my life.

I had this book laying around to be used for a craft project of some kind at some point.  I had bought it as a reference book for the day job, but was finding a lot of missing pages and wound up getting a new one from the publisher.  So this book’s value as a book was nil.

Because the first inside blank page was attached to the cover, I used a blade to cut it from the cover.  I then pulled on the cover until it came off.   I used Jane’s suggestion of printing the image first on regular paper {in my case I used the brochure paper I like to use for projects} and then taped the inside book page over it with temporary double stick tape, so that the image would be aligned properly on the page.

I reattached it to the book portion with some craft glue that I ran down the side edge.  I finished it off with a sheer red ribbon tied in a bow.  I put the bow toward the binding side because I only have the one book right now.

That’s right.  I’m already looking for other books to rip apart!  Thanks to Jane, I feel like the Incredible Hulk!  Plus, I still have the image I originally printed on my brochure paper to use for another project.

This image is from The Graphics Fairy. I love all her vintage Christmas images.  It was hard to choose which one to use, but I’ve really liked this one since last year and am glad I finally got to use it.

Thank you, Jane, for a “novel” idea and your instructions!  {And no, I will not apologize for that pun.  It is perfect for this post and you know it!}

Linking up to:

Brag Monday at The Graphics Fairy 

Metamorphosis Monday at Between Naps On The Porch

All Things Merry and Bright at All Things Heart and Home

What I’m Not Supposed To Be Doing

I’m supposed to be wrapping presents.  I got the last of my gifts this morning, as well as gift boxes and gift bags.  I’m not supposed to be doing this, but when inspiration strikes, I’m finding it’s best to go with it!  Plus, it gave me an opportunity to play with my new camera.

I had everything here and just had to print out the sheet music.  First, I opened the sheet music up in Photoshop to add text.  I added the word “Santa” and wanted an old style looking font.  I found what I liked with a font called Open Classic.

I cut out the paper to cover both sides of the tag {which I had traced on the paper first}, then Mod Podged it onto the tag.  When both sides were dry I added Mod Podge to the top, allowing one side to dry at a time. 

Then I just threaded the seam binding through the tassel, tag and key, and tied it off in a loose bow.  This would be a great project if you happen to have those Pottery Barn keys and are looking for something to do with them. 

Love it!  Now, back to wrapping.  You people really need to stop distracting me!

Key from Tobi at The Pink Pixie Forest;

Seam binding came from the wrapping Carla at CosmoGirl’s Emporium sent me an ornament in for a swap;

The tassel came from Tara at Just Devine Style;

The sheet music came from The Graphics Fairy site and was something I had saved last year.

Linking up to

Brag Monday at The Graphics Fairy

All Things Merry & Bright at All Things House & Home

Celebration = Giveaways

Edited. This is more of a “heads up” post than anything else.  My last post made my 500th blog post.  A few more days and I will be celebrating my 3 Year Blogaversary.  Woo Hoo! This calls for a celebration. 

Not just any kind of celebration though.  I’m going to be doing a week of giveaways ~ Monday through Friday, starting on December 27th! This is my way to thank all of you who read, comment and follow my blog.  If it wasn’t for the encouragement and support I have received along the way, I might not have a blog at all.

Edit: My friend Tara from Just Devine Style just made me a button!  How sweet is she?!? 

Please feel free to take one for your sidebar as a reminder to come back here starting on December 27th for five days of giveaways!  I would also love to see some of you that have been very quietly in the background.  You deserve to enter, too!