MADE Reviews and Giveaways

Sweet Confections book GIVEAWAY (CLOSED)

2012-02-02T08:00:00.002-06:00

Today we're giving away 2 copies of the scrumptious book Sweet Confections: Beautiful Candy to Make at Home.
Read my full review of the book HERE.
HOW TO ENTER/Rules:
* Leave a comment in this post, that's it!
* Leave your EMAIL ADDRESS in your comment, which may be written as: dana (at) hotmail (d0t) com, if you're worried about leaving your real address in cyberspace.
* Only One entry per person.
* If you forget something and need to leave a second comment, go back and DELETE your first comment (click on the little trashcan icon in the corner of your post).
* Open to US and Canadian Readers (sorry about that)
* TWO winners will receive a copy of the book Sweet Confections
* Giveaway ends, Friday 2/3/12 at 10pm (Central Time).
Winner will be announced on Sunday.

Pink Chalk Fabrics Giveaway (CLOSED)

2011-12-16T18:30:00.005-06:00

Pink Chalk Fabrics is a wonderful go-to shop for fabric, patterns, books, magazines, even thread. Read my full post about them HERE.
Today they're giving away FOUR $50 gift certificates to the shop!

Giveaway Rules:
* Leave a comment, that's it!
* Leave your EMAIL ADDRESS in your comment, which may be written as: dana (at) hotmail (d0t) com, if you're worried about leaving your real address in cyberspace.
* Only One entry per person.
* If you forget something and need to leave a second comment, go back and DELETE your first comment (click on the little trashcan icon in the corner of your post).
* Open to ALL Readers
* FOUR winners will receive a $50 gift certificate to the shop and will be picked via random.org
* Giveaway ends, Sunday 12/18/11 at 11pm (Central Time).
Winner will be announced on Monday.

Violette Field Threads pattern GIVEAWAY

2011-12-16T11:15:00.006-06:00

Violette Field Threads sells instant download PDF patterns for girls and women.
And today they're giving away THREE $50 gift certificates to their shop!
Read my full post HERE.

Giveaway Rules:
* Leave a comment, that's it!
* Leave your EMAIL ADDRESS in your comment, which may be written as: dana (at) hotmail (d0t) com, if you're worried about leaving your real address in cyberspace.
* Only One entry per person.
* If you forget something and need to leave a second comment, go back and DELETE your first comment (click on the little trashcan icon in the corner of your post).
* Open to ALL Readers
* Three winners will receive a $50 gift certificate to the shop and will be picked via random.org
* Giveaway ends, Sunday 12/18/11 at 11pm (Central Time).
Winner will be announced on Monday.

Modern Fabric Studio GIVEAWAY (CLOSED)

2011-12-15T18:43:00.004-06:00

* Modern Fabric Studio is offering THREE $25 gift certificates to their shop!
* They're also running a Christmas sale, with 20-30% off everything.
* And for the weekend they're offering MADE readers an additional 10% discount. Just enter MADE at checkout.

Read my full post about it HERE.

Giveaway Rules:
* Leave a comment, that's it!
* Leave your EMAIL ADDRESS in your comment, which may be written as: dana (at) hotmail (d0t) com, if you're worried about leaving your real address in cyberspace.
* Only One entry per person.
* If you forget something and need to leave a second comment, go back and DELETE your first comment (click on the little trashcan icon in the corner of your post).
* Open to ALL Readers
* Three winners will receive a $25 gift certificate to the shop and will be picked via random.org
* Giveaway ends, Saturday 12/17/11 at 11pm (Central Time).
Winner will be announced on Sunday or Monday.

Christmas Prints by Sparkle Power GIVEAWAY (CLOSED)

2011-12-15T14:30:00.007-06:00

Today Sparkle Power is giving a set of Holiday Prints to TWO people!
That's Santa, Frosty, and Rudolph (frames not included)
I love these prints!
Read my full post HERE.
Giveaway Rules:
* Leave a comment, that's it!
* Leave your EMAIL ADDRESS in your comment, which may be written as: dana (at) hotmail (d0t) com, if you're worried about leaving your real address in cyberspace.
* Only One entry per person.
* If you forget something and need to leave a second comment, go back and DELETE your first comment (click on the little trashcan icon in the corner of your post).
* Open to ALL Readers
* Two winners will receive a set of 3 prints and will be picked via random.org
* Giveaway ends, Saturday 12/17/11 at 11pm (Central Time).
Winner will be announced on Sunday or Monday.

Heavens to Betsy WOOL fabric Giveaway (CLOSED)

2011-12-15T11:59:00.003-06:00

Today the Heavens to Betsy Wool shop is giving away (3) $25 gift certificates.
That means THREE winners!
Read my full post HERE.

Giveaway Rules:
* Leave a comment, that's it!
* Leave your EMAIL ADDRESS in your comment, which may be written as: dana (at) hotmail (d0t) com, if you're worried about leaving your real address in cyberspace.
* Only One entry per person.
* If you forget something and need to leave a second comment, go back and DELETE your first comment (click on the little trashcan icon in the corner of your post).
* Open to ALL readers
* Three winners will be picked via random.org
* Giveaway ends, Saturday 12/17/11 at 11pm (Central Time).
Winner will be announced on Sunday or Monday.

Fat Quarter Shop Giveaway (CLOSED)

2011-12-06T14:29:00.005-06:00

The Fat Quarter Shop is giving away FOUR $50 gift certificates! (open to international readers too)
Check out my full post HERE.
Giveaway Rules:
* Leave a comment, that's it!
* Leave your EMAIL ADDRESS in your comment, which may be written as: dana (at) hotmail (d0t) com, if you're worried about leaving your real address in cyberspace.
* Only One entry per person.
* If you forget something and need to leave a second comment, go back and DELETE your first comment (click on the little trashcan icon in the corner of your post).
* Open to ALL readers
* Four winners will be picked via random.org
* Giveaway ends, Thursday 12/8/11 at 11pm (Central Time).
Winner will be announced later in the week.

The Colette Sewing Handbook GIVEAWAY (CLOSED)

2011-11-29T09:30:00.005-06:00

The Colette Sewing Handbook is a unique book, teaching women of all body types how to sew lovely garments.

Read my full review HERE.
Would you like to win a free copy?

Giveaway Rules:
* Leave a comment, that's it!
* Leave your EMAIL ADDRESS in your comment, which may be written as: dana (at) hotmail (d0t) com, if you're worried about leaving your real address in cyberspace.
* Only One entry per person.
* If you forget something and need to leave a second comment, go back and DELETE your first comment (click on the little trashcan icon in the corner of your post).
* Open to US Residents only (sorry!)
* ONE winner will be picked via random.org
* Giveaway ends, Wednesday 11/30/11 at 11pm (Central Time).
Winner will be announced later in the week.

Thanksgiving Giveaway (CLOSED)

2011-11-23T11:17:00.005-06:00

How bout a ONE-day Giveaway?
Ends tonight!

EIGHT winners pick a free pattern from The SHOP.
Click on an image below for pattern details:

And if you feel like by-passing the giveaway, all patterns are on sale this weekend:
Giveaway Rules:
* Leave a comment, that's it!
* Leave your EMAIL ADDRESS in your comment, which may be written as: dana (at) hotmail (d0t) com, if you're worried about leaving your real address in cyberspace.
* Only One entry per person.
* If you forget something and need to leave a second comment, go back and DELETE your first comment (click on the little trashcan icon in the corner of your post).
* Open to anyone in the world!
* EIGHT winners will be picked via random.org
* Giveaway ends TONIGHT, Wednesday 11/23/11 at 11pm (Central Time).
Winners will be announced some time this weekend.

Giveaway DAY - FIVE photo ebooks with Katie Evans (CLOSED)

2011-10-06T17:00:00.004-05:00

* Please NOTE: This giveaway is now closed *

We're giving away today:
* FIVE copies of the e-book, The Key To Taking Pictures like a Professional Photographer.
* 20% off discount for all ebook purchases. Enter MADE at checkout. Discount good until October 20th.
* 20% off discount for all printed book purchases. Enter dance305 at checkout. Discount only available till tomorrow, October 7th.

Read my full review of the book HERE.
Giveaway Rules:
* Leave a comment, that's it!
* Leave your EMAIL ADDRESS in your comment, which may be written as: dana (at) hotmail (d0t) com, if you're worried about leaving your real address in cyberspace.
* Only One entry per person.
* If you forget something and need to leave a second comment, go back and DELETE your first comment (click on the little trashcan icon in the corner of your post).
* Open to anyone in the world!
* FIVE winners will be picked via random.org
* Giveaway ends Friday 10/7/11 at 11pm (Central Time).
Winners will be announced on Sunday or Monday.

- Good Luck!

Giveaway DAY - The Ingrid Dress by Little Ticket (CLOSED)

2011-10-06T15:00:00.007-05:00

* Please NOTE: This giveaway is now closed *
We're giving away the Ingrid Dress by little ticket.
Click here to read more about it.
Giveaway Rules:
* Leave a comment, that's it!
* Leave your EMAIL ADDRESS in your comment, which may be written as: dana (at) hotmail (d0t) com, if you're worried about leaving your real address in cyberspace.
* Only One entry per person.
* If you forget something and need to leave a second comment, go back and DELETE your first comment (click on the little trashcan icon in the corner of your post).
* Open to anyone in the world with a normal address.
* ONE winner will be picked via random.org
* Giveaway ends Friday 10/7/11 at 11pm (Central Time).
Winner will be announced on Sunday or Monday.

- Good Luck!

Giveaway DAY - Zip it Zippers (CLOSED)

2011-10-06T13:00:00.007-05:00

* Please NOTE: This giveaway is now closed *

We're giving away FOUR, $15 gift certificates to the Zip it zipper shop.
Read more about it here.
Giveaway Rules:
* Leave a comment, that's it!
* Leave your EMAIL ADDRESS in your comment, which may be written as: dana (at) hotmail (d0t) com, if you're worried about leaving your real address in cyberspace.
* Only One entry per person.
* If you forget something and need to leave a second comment, go back and DELETE your first comment (click on the little trashcan icon in the corner of your post).
* Open to anyone in the world!
* FOUR winners will be picked via random.org
* Giveaway ends Friday 10/7/11 at 11pm (Central Time).
Winners will be announced on Sunday or Monday.

- Good Luck!

Giveaway DAY - Crafternoon Papercraft Book (CLOSED)

2011-10-06T10:00:00.005-05:00

* Please NOTE: This giveaway is now closed *

We're giving away ONE copy of the book Kid's Crafternoon Papercraft edited by Kathreen Ricketson. Read more about it here.
Giveaway Rules:
* Leave a comment, that's it!
* Leave your EMAIL ADDRESS in your comment, which may be written as: dana (at) hotmail (d0t) com, if you're worried about leaving your real address in cyberspace.
* Only One entry per person.
* If you forget something and need to leave a second comment, go back and DELETE your first comment (click on the little trashcan icon in the corner of your post).
* Open to US and Canadian residents only (sorry, it's a heavy book)
* ONE winner will be picked via random.org
* Giveaway ends Friday 10/7/11 at 11pm (Central Time).
Winner will be announced on Sunday or Monday.

- Good Luck!

Giveaway DAY - Showoff Bag Patterns (CLOSED)

2011-10-06T07:05:00.004-05:00

* Please NOTE: This giveaway is now closed *

We're giving away THREE copies of the Showoff Bag PDF Pattern from Made by Rae.
Read more about it here.
Giveaway Rules:
* Leave a comment, that's it!
* Leave your EMAIL ADDRESS in your comment, which may be written as: dana (at) hotmail (d0t) com, if you're worried about leaving your real address in cyberspace.
* Only One entry per person.
* If you forget something and need to leave a second comment, go back and DELETE your first comment (click on the little trashcan icon in the corner of your post).
* Open to anyone in the world!
* Three winners will be picked via random.org
* Giveaway ends Friday 10/7/11 at 11pm (Central Time).
Winners will be announced on Sunday or Monday.

- Good Luck!

Sewing for Boys--3 book GIVEAWAY (CLOSED)

2011-09-19T09:52:00.005-05:00

* Please Note: This Giveaway is now CLOSED *

Shelly Figueroa and Karen LePage of Patterns by Figgys have compiled a fabulous apparel book with 24 patterns/projects for BOYs.

It's called Sewing for Boys.
And today we're giving away THREE copies!

Read my detailed review HERE.
Check Made by Rae's review, paired with fabrics she'd use for each project HERE.
And read a Fabric Fives interview with the authors on True up.

Okay, on to the details....
Giveaway Rules:
* Leave a comment, that's it!
* Leave your EMAIL ADDRESS in your comment, which may be written as: dana (at) hotmail (d0t) com, if you're worried about leaving your real address in cyberspace.
* Only One entry per person.
* If you forget something and need to leave a second comment, go back and DELETE your first comment (click on the little trashcan icon in the corner of your post).
* Open to US residents only (sorry)
* Three winners will be picked via random.org
* Giveaway ends Tuesday 9/20/11 at 11pm (Central Time).
Winner will be announced on Sunday.
Good luck!

Sewing with Oilcloth BOOK GIVEAWAY (closed)

2011-08-31T22:48:00.005-05:00

Want to learn more about sewing with Oilcloth and Laminated Cotton? Then you'll love this book! See my complete review HERE.
Sewing with Oilcloth is fun and unique. I've used it for barstools, tote bags, note cards, and I've got a fabric stash just waiting to be used.

If you're feeling lucky, today we're giving away one copy of Kelly's book.
It's very simple to enter.....

Giveaway Rules:
* Leave a comment, that's it!
* Leave your EMAIL ADDRESS in your comment, which may be written as: dana (at) hotmail (d0t) com, if you're worried about leaving your real address in cyberspace.
* Only One entry per person.
* If you forget something and need to leave a second comment, go back and DELETE your first comment (click on the little trashcan icon in the corner of your post).
* Open to anyone in the world!
* One winner will be picked via random.org
* Giveaway ends Saturday 9/3/11 at 11pm (Central Time).
Winner will be announced on Sunday.

Good luck!

GIVEAWAY: Lime Ricki Swimwear (Closed)

2011-08-04T15:08:00.009-05:00

Two months ago, I got a new swimsuit from Lime Ricki. And I've been loving it!
I took it to the beach in Calif and here in TX, I wear it every day to the pool. People often ask where it's from. So, here you go (along with a chance to win your own suit!)
Lime Ricki is a site with cute, colorful swimsuits for women, men, and even girls. The pictures alone make you want to jump in a jeep, drive along the sand, jump in the water, and roast hotdogs with friends till the sun goes down.

For women...they carry one-pieces, tankinis with a variety of bottoms, and some maternity suits. But they also have men's trunks and girl's suits too.
Personally, I love one-piece suits cause they're so timeless. But it's hard to pass up the ease of tankinis. Especially when they're so cute.
What I love about my suit, The Delancy....
It's modest, while still cute and stylish. The front doesn't dip too low and the legs don't hike up too high.
There's ruching on the sides which I like because it accommodates a variety of body shapes and sizes. The straps are also adjustable.

As far as sizing, I'd say they're pretty true-to-size but also fit snug, and hold you in. I typically wear a size 5/6 in pants and dresses and I ordered a MEDIUM. It fits perfect. A small would have been way too tight.
Ready to shop?
If you're not in the market for yourself, make sure you check out the girl's suits too. I love those stripes!
Today we're giving away TWO Lime Ricki Swimsuits (2 winners pick their style).
Giveaway Rules:
* Leave a comment, that's it!
* Leave your EMAIL ADDRESS in your comment, which may be written as: dana (at) hotmail (d0t) com, if you're worried about leaving your real address in cyberspace.
* Only One entry per person.
* If you forget something and need to leave a second comment, go back and DELETE your first comment.
* Open to anyone in the world!
* TWO winners will be picked via random.org
* Giveaway ends Saturday 8/5/11 at 11pm (Central Time).
Winner will be announced on Sunday.

Happy Summer!

the Vintage Pearl GIVEAWAY

2011-06-23T00:33:00.010-05:00

I have a silver handstamped necklace with the kids name's on it, and I wear it almost every day. It's a simple circle, simple font, simple names. I love it.
Every once in a while, Lucy asks if she can try it on.
So when she turned 5 back in February, I thought it would be fun to get her her own necklace. I hopped on the Vintage Pearl site, and the ball was rolling.
But I had no idea what to write on the necklace and what style to get.
So I asked Lucy.
She said, "a heart with 'I love my family' ".
Such a sweetheart.
I interpreted her words a bit and decided to write "lucy, owen, dad, mom"....all the members of our family.
It turned out really cute. And Lucy really loves it.
She felt so grown-up trying it on and couldn't believe she could wear it all day.
The chain is the 14-inch size for girls. Part of me wishes it was a few inches shorter (photo below) but I've realized that she'll be able to wear it for years to come!
If you've never been there, The Vintage Pearl is a lovely shop. The silver is gorgeous and the designs are simple. But what I really love most is that they have something for everyone (even the boys)! These photos below only skim the surface of what's available. There are so many styles to choose from.
And if jewelry's not your thing, check out their unique keepsakes:
Browse around and pick out your favorite.....cause today we're giving away a $50 Gift Certificate to the Vintage Pearl!

Giveaway Rules:
* Leave a comment, that's it!
* Leave your EMAIL ADDRESS in your comment, which may be written as: dana (at) hotmail (d0t) com, if you're worried about leaving your real address in cyberspace.
* Only One entry per person.
* If you forget something and need to leave a second comment, go back and DELETE your first comment.
* Open to anyone in the world!
* ONE winner will be picked via random.org
* Giveaway ends Friday 6/24/11 at 11pm (Central Time).
Winner will be announced on Sunday.
Good luck!
Oh, and if by any chance anyone's wondering about Lucy's little yellow top....isn't it sweet? It's actually an 18-month-old dress from Target but works great as a shirt on Lucy. Found it at Goodwill!

Pink Chalk Fabrics GIVEAWAY - Round 2! (CLOSED)

2011-05-16T11:22:00.008-05:00

Okay, with the Blogger debacle of last week, you guys are in for an extra special make-up treat...

Pink Chalk Fabrics said they would give away FOUR more gift certificates to their shop! Hip Hip Hooray!
More fabric? Yes please.

So this is Round 2 of the Giveaway. If you entered the last one, you can enter this one too! (but only one entry here please)
If you need a refresher on how fabulous Pink Chalk Fabrics is, click on the other Giveaway HERE. And if you want to see more pretty fabrics, then scroll on down.

I did another search by color (that's my favorite option).

Making a green quilt?
Ppurple inspiration?
You know I love yellow...
Mmmm, all so pretty.
Okay.

FOUR winners will get a $25 gift certificate to the Pink Chalk Fabrics shop!

Giveaway Rules:
* Leave a comment, that's it!
* Leave your EMAIL ADDRESS in your comment, which may be written as: dana (at) hotmail (d0t) com, if you're worried about leaving your real address in cyberspace.
* Only One entry per person.
* If you forget something and need to leave a second comment, go back and DELETE your first comment.
* Open to anyone in the world!
* FOUR winners will be picked via random.org
* Giveaway ends Wednesday 5/18/11 at 8pm (Central Time).
Winners will be announced on Thursday.

Good luck!
And thank you to Kathy and Pink Chalk Fabrics for the special treat!

Pink Chalk Fabrics GIVEAWAY (CLOSED)

2011-05-11T11:54:00.007-05:00

Ready to sew more pants....or skirts....or shorts.....or simply add to your (ever growing) fabric collection?
Then you're going to love today's huge giveaway.
FOUR winners will get a lovely prize from Pink Chalk Fabrics!
Pink Chalk Fabrics is run by Kathy Mack, who has an eye for great textiles and years of sewing experience. If there's a fabric you've seen somewhere before...chances are it's here at Pink Chalk.
And you're not just limited to fabrics...
Pink Chalk has tons of patterns, books, magazines, even thread!
And I love the way the online shop is set-up. You can navigate by Designers, Stacks and bundles, and fiber content.
But my two favorite searches are....

by COLOR! I searched under ORANGE and found these:
Then I searched under Style, and DOTS and found these:
So easy!
Kathy also has a blog called Pink Chalk Studio where you'll stay updated with new fabrics, sewing projects, and free tutorials.
Ready to win some pretty fabric?

FOUR winners will get a $25 gift certificate to the Pink Chalk Fabrics shop!
More info....
Giveaway Rules:
* Leave a comment, that's it!
* Leave your EMAIL ADDRESS in your comment, which may be written as: dana (at) hotmail (d0t) com, if you're worried about leaving your real address in cyberspace.
* Only One entry per person.
* If you forget something and need to leave a second comment, go back and DELETE your first comment.
* Open to anyone in the world!
* FOUR winners will be picked via random.org
* Giveaway ends Friday 5/13/11 at 8pm (Central Time).
Winner will be announced on Sunday.

My fingers are crossed for you.
And yes, I mean YOU.

Fashionable Fabrics GIVEAWAY (closed)

2011-04-14T08:57:00.006-05:00

Need new fabrics for your spring and summer sewing?
Silly question.
When don't you need more fabrics?

Well today we're giving away a jackpot to three lucky winners!
It's all from the awesome site Fashionable Fabrics.
They've been around since 2004 and their selection is amazing. You can browse and browse for an hour, falling in love with textiles galore. But the site is categorized well too. So if you're not in the mood for window shopping, it's easy to jump in and find what you need. Search by designer, type of print, new arrivals, novelty, etc. Love that. And their Facebook page keeps you updated with all the latest arrivals.

A few of my favorites:

(Here, Here, Here, Here):

Fashionable Fabrics also sells trims, notions, patterns, and books. And they have a fabulous flat shipping rate right now!

If you're ready to shop....here's what we're giving away for FREE today:
THREE Winners will each get a $25 gift certificate to the shop!
Think of all the Simple Skirts and Summer Dresses you can make with that!!
Yipee!!!

Giveaway Rules:
* Leave a comment, that's it!
* Leave your EMAIL ADDRESS in your comment, which may be written as: dana (at) hotmail (d0t) com, if you're worried about leaving your real address in cyberspace.
* Only One entry per person.
* If you forget something and need to leave a second comment, go back and DELETE your first comment.
* Open to anyone in the world!
* THREE winners will be picked via random.org
* Giveaway ends Saturday 4/16/11 at 6pm (Central Time).
Winner will be announced on Sunday.

Simplicity Bias Tape Maker and finished bias tape GIVEAWAY (CLOSED)

2011-03-17T20:29:00.015-05:00

Have you been itching to try out the Simplicity Bias Tape Maker Machine? I have too! So I gave it a whirl and wrote a detailed Review of the Pros and Cons HERE.
And if you'd like to try it out too, you're in luck because today we're giving one away!...plus a bonus consolation prize for the runner-up winner.

In my product review, I'll show you how to go from this:
and this:
how to wind and feed your fabric into the machine....
and how turn it into this!
9 yards of beautiful bias tape, ironed and folded by the machine in minutes. Yummy.
Today we're giving away the Bias Tape Maker, plus 4 yards of the polka dot bias tape (made by me) to one lucky winner!
And for a second winner...we have another little package of my polka dot bias tape! Sorry, not as exciting as the machine. But I love items that are handmade by others. And I love having a handy stash of trims, ready for any sort of project.
Here's all the info....

Giveaway Rules:
* Leave a comment, that's it!
* Leave your EMAIL ADDRESS in your comment, which may be written as: dana (at) hotmail (d0t) com, if you're worried about leaving your real address in cyberspace.
* Only One entry per person.
* If you forget something and need to leave a second comment, go back and DELETE your first comment.
* Open to US residents only.
* TWO winners will be picked via random.org. One winner will receive the Simplicity Bias Tape Maker, plus 4 yards of handmade polka dot bias tape from me. The second winner will receive 4 yards of handmade polka dot bias tape from me.
* Giveaway ends Sunday 3/20/11 at 6pm (Central Time).

Mod Tots ART GIVEAWAY (Closed)

2011-03-11T10:03:00.009-06:00

Do you remember the cool painting of Lucy and Owen that I shared in November, made by Modern Bird Studios? It now hangs on our family room wall, so I can smile each time I walk by it.
And...the Modern Bird folks are at it again!
They've opened a whole new line/addition to their site called: MOD TOTs, aimed at specifically at kid's decor.
And seriously, their designs are really cool. Totally my kind of kid art. They sent me a few pieces to try out and I had the hardest time choosing only 3! Robots?? Animals?? I didn't know which I loved more.
But today we'll let you decide, so YOU can try them out as well.
These Mod Tot pieces are the same quality as the Modern Bird painting, created on pieces of wood with beautiful paint colors, signed on the back and ready to mount on the wall.
Mod Tots currently has three lines to choose from, but many more are in the works! Choose from Animals:
Robots, and Monsters
(and stay tuned for Bugs, Dinosaurs, Sweets & Confections, and Mystical Creatures, coming soon!) You can always stay updated with them through these Twitter, Facebook, and blog links.
Their site is really easy to use. Just click on an character you like and then you can choose ANY background color you like. Pretty cool. I like options.

And the other thing I like....the paintings I chose are smaller than you might think. But in a "good/small" kind of way. There's Owen's hand with the zebra.
The small size--6x6 inches--adds a subtle colorful touch without overpowering the room, especially with a few of them hung together. Of course you can also order the paintings in larger sizes as well.
Ready to try them out?!
Here's what Mod Tots is offering today...

* 10% off everything in the shop to all MADE readers. Just enter "MADE" at checkout! (offer expires 3/18)
* $100 Gift Certificate to one lucky winner, so you can pick out exactly what you'd like from the shop.

Giveaway Rules:
* Leave a comment, that's it!
* Leave your EMAIL ADDRESS in your comment, which may be written as: dana (at) hotmail (d0t) com, if you're worried about leaving your real address in cyberspace.
* Only One entry per person.
* If you forget something and need to leave a second comment, go back and DELETE your first comment.
* Open to US and International readers, HOWEVER, an International winner will need to pay for additional shipping costs (if the $100 gift card does not cover it)
* ONE winner will be picked via random.org
* Giveaway ends Sunday 3/13/10 at 6pm (Central Time).

Sewing School BOOK GIVEAWAY (Closed)

2011-03-09T17:34:00.008-06:00

Yesterday I shared Big Little FELT Universe.
Today Rae shared Sewing for BOYS.
And now I've got one more for you! Books are in the air!
If you have kids, if you love to sew, if they love to sew, if you want to teach them to sew, if you just want cool projects to do with kids....well, this is the book for you! Seriously, it's awesome.

Amie and Andria are two moms who teach a sewing school for kids in Memphis, TN. The school has been such a hit with the community that they turned it into a book, called....Sewing School. BRILLIANT.
I ran into the two of them at the Quilt Market this fall where they were signing books. So I got a special copy for Lucy (which will make a great Christmas gift in a year or two). I wish I had this when I was younger! And I asked them if they'd like Celebrate the BOY by giving away a few copies to you.
The topic about when and how to teach your kids to sew often comes up in our blogging circle. And if you're itching to get your kids involved, this is the perfect place to start....with a book aimed at kids themselves.

Sewing School walks kids through basic stitches, explains what should be in your sewing basket, teaches them to troubleshoot (in terms they understand), and has a wide variety of projects they can do on their own...both by hand and with a machine. And all the patterns needed are at the back of the book.
How happy does this photo make you? Two boys sewing!
The book is for boys, for girls, for anyone who likes to be creative!
And mostly, the book is just fun. I want to jump into the pages and sew along with them.
Would you like a book? Today we're giving away THREE copies!

Yea!

(all boy photos courtesy of Justin Fox Burks)

Here's all the info....

Giveaway Rules:
* Leave a comment, that's it!
* Leave your EMAIL ADDRESS in your comment, which may be written as: dana (at) hotmail (dot) com, if you're worried about leaving your real address in cyberspace.
* Only One entry per person.
* If you forget something and need to leave a second comment, go back and DELETE your first comment. To delete a comment, click on the trashcan icon next to your comment.
* Open to anyone in the world with a normal mailing address!
* THREE winners will be picked via random.org
* A copy of the Sewing School book will be mailed to the winners.
* Giveaway ends Friday 3/11/11 at 8pm (Central Time). Winners will be announced Sunday evening.

Big Little FELT Universe BOOK and Playset Giveaway (CLOSED)

2011-03-08T12:55:00.002-06:00

I know you guys like book giveaways and I've been excited to share this one with you! It's cute, fun, so creative, and makes the perfect playtime accessories for kids!
Felt is a wonder fabric. I use it for so many kid projects from costumes to playtoys. And making felt food is one of those totally fun, rewarding craft projects that everyone seems to love. Just peek into the online craft world and you'll see people sharing creations on their blogs. Of course having a simple pattern to walk you through the steps makes sewing even easier....which is why you're going to love this book! That's exactly what you're getting here.

The book is called Big Little FELT Universe and it just came out this week!
There are so many fun projects in here for boys and girls. Flipping through each page I think "oooh, that's so cute! Oh wait, that one's my favorite. Oh no, that is totally cool!". Seriously, you'll want to make everything in the book.
And you can! Each design has step-by-step photo instructions and the pattern is immediately following the photos (no searching in the back or enlarging on a photocopy machine. LOVE that).
There are treats, veggies + fruit, plants, tools, and so much more...
There's really something for everyone!
And we've got a fun surprise for you.
Not only are we giving away TWO copies of the book....
But we're also giving away the ACTUAL felt Laptop office set that was made by the book's author and creator! HOW COOL IS THAT?! Now you don't have to worry about your son trying to play with your laptop. He can have his own!
Woohooo!
I'm loving this giveaway and I'm not even entering! I mean, look at that laptop! The icons on the desktop are movable. It's all so cute!
So here are the details...
There will be THREE winners.
Two winners will get a copy of the book.
One winner will get the Felt Office Set. RAD!

Giveaway Rules:
* Leave a comment, that's it!
* Leave your EMAIL ADDRESS in your comment, which may be written as: dana (at) hotmail (dot) com, if you're worried about leaving your real address in cyberspace.
* Only One entry per person.
* If you forget something and need to leave a second comment, go back and DELETE your first comment. To delete a comment, click on the trashcan icon next to your comment.
* Open to anyone in the world with a normal mailing address!
* THREE winners will be picked via random.org
* Pattern will be emailed or mailed to the winners.
* Giveaway ends Thursday 3/10/11 at 8pm (Central Time). Winners will be announced Sunday evening.

FOUR Pattern Giveaway from the Magpie shop (CLOSED)

2011-03-04T15:55:00.010-06:00

If you're looking for an indie sewing pattern (something other than the big Mcall's or Butterick selections) then Magpie patterns is the place! It's a one-stop shop for ALL types of sewing, knitting, and crocheting patterns for kids and adults. Magpie patterns carries all the names you love: Oliver + S, Patterns by Figgys, Soule Mama, Penguin and Fish, Sweetie Pie Bakery, Sew Liberated, and many many more. Magpie carries books too!

Just browse around and you'll easily get sucked in....
Today Magpie Patterns is helping us celebrate boys by offering FOUR free patterns! This means there will be FOUR winners!

AND...Magpie Patterns is offering a 15% discount to everything in the shop from now until Monday morning, 3/7. Just enter "MADE" at checkout!

Okay, here's what we're giving away--
The Beach Bum Hoodie and Board Shorts from Patterns by Figgies:
The Sketch Book Shirt and Shorts by Oliver + S:
The Dapper Dillinger Pants by Patterns by Figgies:
Embrace Baby Shoes by Lindy Stice:
Each winner will receive one pattern. Once winners are announced it will be first come, first serve as to which pattern you would like.

Giveaway Rules:
* Leave a comment, that's it!
* Leave your EMAIL ADDRESS in your comment, which may be written as: dana (at) hotmail (dot) com, if you're worried about leaving your real address in cyberspace.
* Only One entry per person.
* If you forget something and need to leave a second comment, go back and DELETE your first comment. To delete a comment, click on the trashcan icon next to your comment.
* Open to anyone in the world with a normal mailing address!
* FOUR winners will be picked via random.org
* Pattern will be emailed or mailed to the winners.
* Giveaway ends Sunday 3/6/11 at 2pm (Central Time). Winners will be announced Sunday evening.

Houndstooth Quilt Pattern GIVEAWAY by V and Co. (CLOSED)

2011-03-03T11:55:00.003-06:00

Do you quilt? Do you wish you quilted? Do you like free stuff and really beautiful patterns? Then you'll love today's giveaway!
Vanessa of V and Co. is here to give away her latest pattern! It's totally boy and totally cute. Houndstooth has a special place in my heart. I think it's time I started quilting!
If you're new to V and Co. here's the quick rundown: Vanessa shares sewing and design ideas on her blog, sells pdf patterns in her shop, and most of all she's hilarious. Pop over and she'll have you laughing, ooo'ing, sewing, redecorating, and ready to make another quilt.
So let's get to it!
First, V and Co. is offering all MADE readers a 15% discount to her shop (excluding books) from now until Sunday. Just enter MADE at checkout!

Second, there will be FOUR winners for this giveaway! Each winner will receive a pdf pattern of the Houndstooth Quilt Pattern. Exciting!
And in case you're thinking, "that's too complicated for me", think again! Readers have been sending Vanessa photos of their houndstooth quilts--like this one below by Kelli. You can do it too!
Giveaway Rules:
* Leave a comment, that's it!
* Leave your EMAIL ADDRESS in your comment, which may be written as: dana (at) hotmail (d0t) com, if you're worried about leaving your real address in cyberspace.
* Only One entry per person.
* If you forget something and need to leave a second comment, go back and DELETE your first comment. To delete a comment, click on the trashcan icon next to your comment.
* Open to anyone in the world with a normal mailing address!
* FOUR winners will be picked via random.org
* Pattern will be emailed to winners.
* Giveaway ends Saturday 3/5/11 at 8pm (Central Time). Winners will be announced Sunday afternoon.

Craft Hope BOOK GIVEAWAY

2011-02-25T15:55:00.001-06:00

Earlier this week I posted about the baby gowns we made at church, using the Kimono pattern from the Craft Hope book.
I emailed Maya of Maya Made, who designed the pattern to let her know about it. And in return, she posted this lovely post about how happy it made her feel to see her pattern used to make a stack of 20 gowns. And she and I got all mushy exchanging emails and talking about Craft Hope.

So in keeping with the touchy-feeling spirit, I thought we should give something back to YOU.
How about TWO copies of the Craft Hope book?! Hooray!
As I've posted about here and here, the book is beautiful. It's filled with 32 project ideas from a variety of sewing/craft designers. And there's an even broader range of charities listed who are in need of those very project items.
The book makes it easy to get together with friends, pick a project, and send the finished items out. I'm in love with these very simple newborn caps from Soule Mama:
So there you have it. Craft HOPE, in a book. Okay, here are the details....

Please remember that there is only ONE entry per person. If you make a mistake and forget to leave your email address, PLEASE GO BACK AND DELETE THE FIRST COMMENT by clicking the tiny trashcan icon next to your comment.

Giveaway Rules:
* Leave a comment, that's it!
* Leave your EMAIL ADDRESS in your comment, which may be written as: dana (at) hotmail (d0t) com, if you're worried about leaving your real address in cyberspace.
* Only One entry per person.
* If you forget something and need to leave a second comment, go back and DELETE your first comment. To delete a comment, click on the trashcan icon next to your comment.
* Open to anyone in the world with a normal mailing address!
* TWO winners will be picked via random.org
* Giveaway ends Sunday 2/27/11 at 2pm (Central Time). Winners will be announced Sunday afternoon.

House 8810 GIVEAWAY

2011-02-25T11:55:00.002-06:00

Have you visited House 8810?
I stopped by a few months ago and never wanted to leave. It's like the really amazing house next door that has the coolest toys and the best dinners and the neatest stuff in every room. And you want to make excuses to hang out there and hope to be invited to a party in the treehouse. Well, from your computer you can! Any time! And you can bring their treasures home with you. Dreamy.

Remember those buttons I bought the other week and wished I could have the plates? House 8810 carries them!
They've got unique items for the house and some manly/boyish ideas for the kitchen:
And when it comes to little BOYS, I adore all the vintage games House 8810 carries:
And who doesn't love a sock monkey? In any shape or form?
If you're the new kid on the block, go ring the doorbell at House 8810 and then come back here to see what we're giving away....

There will be TWO winners.
One winner will enjoy the Roy Toy Log Building Set! Makes me want to be in the mountains right now, sipping hot chocolate, a crackling fire at my feet.
The other winner can snuggle with their boy on the couch in the chenille cowboy blanket. It's warm for the winter but lightweight for a summer night on the porch swing.
Giveaway Rules:
* Leave a comment, that's it!
* Leave your EMAIL ADDRESS in your comment, which may be written as: dana (at) hotmail (d0t) com, if you're worried about leaving your real address in cyberspace.
* Only One entry per person.
* If you forget something and need to leave a second comment, go back and DELETE your first comment. To delete a comment, click on the trashcan icon next to your comment.
* Open to anyone in the world with a normal mailing address.
* TWO winners will be picked via random.org
* Giveaway ends Sunday 2/27/11 at noon (Central Time). Winners will be announced Sunday afternoon.

GIVEAWAY: Min Me BOY doll (CLOSED)

2011-02-24T00:21:00.016-06:00

A year ago, I posted about Mini Me and their amazing paper dolls. Lucy has really enjoyed playing with them and until now, she was only allowed to get them out when Owen was taking a nap. In fact one day Owen wasn't even tired enough for a nap and Lucy politely asked if he could go sleep so she could get out the dolls.
But our little boy has grown up and he's a bit more graceful now than he was as a 2 year old. So we checked out Mini Me again and discovered that they now have BOY paperdolls with the same great customizable features!
So they sent a mini Owen over for us to try out!
Mini Me sent the ultimate boy doll and clothing set (I only wish the clothing were real. Hannah's illustrations are amazing. I'd like to see my Owen in all of them!) And they also sent the Fairy/Folk Tale Line. Now Owen has 12 darling (I mean, handsome and cool) outfits to choose from!
His little fingers carefully touched all the pages while I cut out clothing as fast as I could.
Then thanks to the amazing Sticky Strip, Owen easily placed clothes on his doll and swapped them out, without even worrying about the little tabs. For detailed info on the sticky strip and other Mini Me doll info, see my other post here.
Seriously, how cute are these clothes?
We took the doll and clothes out on our front porch to play with. We brought Lucy's doll along too so little paper Owen and Lucy could play together.They look like my real kids. It's really cute.
Owen was quickly attached to the "rainbow sweater" outfit for his doll and refused to take it off. Whenever I tried to change the outfit without him noticing, he'd turn back around and say " But Mom....he's supposed to wear the rainbow one!" I had no idea the kid had a fashion opinion.
The Lucy and Owen dolls played together, walked around looking for bugs,
had conversations with each other, and climbed up walls.
Lucy has always been an imaginative child but she often seems to overshadow Owen when they're playing together. So it was fun to see Owen 1-on-1 being just as creative with his toys.

I wanted to get a picture of him with his doll but he kept covering his face. So I said, "show me the real Owen." And he put his paper doll in my lens. "This is the real Owen Mom"
Funny little boy. He's got a good sense of humor too.
These dolls are a great gift idea--they're totally unique and remind you of the paper dolls you played with as a kid (with updated technology).

Would you like to try out Mini Me paper dolls too?

* For ALL readers, Mini Me is offering a 15% discount to anything in the store, from now until Monday 2/28 at midnight. Just type in "MADE" when asked for a discount code at checkout.
* For one winner, Mini Me is giving away the Ultimate Doll Package plus the Boy Fairy/Folk Tale line. This includes:
- Customizable doll
- 6 outfits
- Special "About Me" pages
- An extra set of keepsake clothing pages and doll (signed by Hannah, the artist)
- Pdf files of the doll/clothing so you can print them off if anything tears!
- 6 cool fairy/folk outfits such as Peter Pan, Cowboy, Johnny Appleseed

Giveaway Rules:
* Leave a comment, that's it!
* Leave your EMAIL ADDRESS in your comment, which may be written as: dana (at) hotmail (d0t) com, if you're worried about leaving your real address in cyberspace.
* Only One entry per person.
* If you forget something and need to leave a second comment, go back and DELETE your first comment. To delete a comment, click on the trashcan icon next to your comment.
* Open to anyone in the world with a normal mailing address!
* ONE winner will be picked via random.org
* Giveaway ends Saturday 2/26/11 at 8pm (Central Time). Winners will be announced on Sunday.

Thanks for playing!

Little Lark GIVEAWAY (Closed)

2011-02-18T11:43:00.001-06:00

It's hard to make child pastimes look cool and boyish without being cutesie. But when I stumbled on the I Scream image below by Little Lark, I couldn't start clicking around fast enough on their site...just soaking in all the designs.
From baby onesies to kid shirts to fridge magnets and even letterpress cards, everything they do is just...cool. Seriously. Browse around and you'll want to buy it all (and wish you were eating that chocolate cone while walking the beach boardwalk).
So I asked Little Lark if we could host a giveaway from their shop.
And along with saying yes, they sent me these cool fridge magnets.
When I pulled them out, Owen was totally excited, "Mom! You got some cute little magnets!!" Then he immediately lined them up vertically (like a rocket) and yelled "blast off!"
So if you've never been to Little Lark, head over and browse through the fabulous items they offer.
And then enter their giveaway!

There will be TWO WINNERS:
Winner #1 will get their choice of an infant bodysuit or a children's t-shirt.
Winner #2 will get a small journal with a set of 3 rainbow pencils and button.

Giveaway Rules:
* Leave a comment, that's it!
* Leave your EMAIL ADDRESS in your comment, which may be written as: dana (at) hotmail (d0t) com, if you're worried about leaving your real address in cyberspace.
* Only One entry per person.
* If you forget something and need to leave a second comment, go back and DELETE your first comment. To delete a comment, click on the trashcan icon next to your comment.
* Open to US and Canadian readers only.
* TWO winners will be picked via random.org
* Giveaway ends Saturday 2/19/11 at 8pm (Central Time). Winners will be announced on Sunday.

Thanks for playing!

2-for-1 Giveaway (CLOSED)

2011-02-16T13:39:00.009-06:00

Let's get the BOY celebration started by giving away free stuff!
We've got two boyish shops for you. Finley and Oliver is whimsy; The Rice Babies is funky.
Have you always wanted a cool crown for your son (so he's not jealous when sister is prancing around in pink tiaras?). The Rice Babies have some of my favorite boy crowns around. They're clever, and well, unique!
Superman, the Very hungry Caterpillar, Good Night Moon....just head over and take a look.
And the boy fun doesn't stop there, Rice babies also has boy dolls and wooden play toys.
When you're done playing, lay down in the warm sunshine and enter the light-hearted shop of Finley and Oliver.
They have cool shirts for boys and girls, with modern yet playful styles. If I could, I'd hop into those photos right now. I'm pretty sure that circus has kettle corn...
Here's what we're giving away today...
There will be THREE winners
Winner #1 - $30 Gift Card to Finley and Oliver
PLUS, Crown of choice from The Rice Babies
Winner #2 - Crown of choice from The Rice Babies
Winner #3 - Crown of choice from The Rice Babies

Giveaway Rules:
* Leave a comment, that's it!
* Leave your EMAIL ADDRESS in your comment, which may be written as: dana (at) hotmail (d0t) com, if you're worried about leaving your real address in cyberspace.
* Only One entry per person.
* If you forget something and need to leave a second comment, go back and DELETE your first comment. To delete a comment, click on the trashcan icon next to your comment.
* Open to US and Canadian readers only.
* TWO winner swill be picked via random.org
* Giveaway ends Friday 2/18/11 at 8pm (Central Time). Winners will be announced on Sunday.

Thanks for playing!

Silhouette SD GIVEAWAY(CLOSED)

2011-01-17T07:59:00.014-06:00

*Please Note: This giveaway is now closed but please feel free to read our product review*

A while back I heard of the Silhouette cutter and decided I didn't need one cause, well, I'm not a scrapbooker. But then I noticed my sewing and crafting friends hosting Silhouette giveaways and showcasing the cool stuff the cutter can do. It's not only for scrapbook pages and paper crafts afterall.....the Silhouette also cuts vinyl, etched glass designs, and most exciting of all to me--freezer paper. And guess what? You don't need to buy any cartridges, like the Cricut. It hooks up to your computer!

So over the weekend, I hung up my scissors.
and opened my new box.
Today we're giving a Silhouette cutter away to one of you!...and discounts to everyone else!
So let's see what's in the box and how simple it is to use.
The Silhouette SD is a small machine that looks similar to a ink-jet printer. Plug it into the wall (for power), plug it into your computer (so the two machines can talk), and watch it cut away for you.
In the box you'll also find, an easy-to-read instruction manual and a CD of software. If you purchase this week with the MADE promo (info below), they'll also throw in the CD of Home Decor designs.
There are two different cutting mats for different types of paper and vinyl. Both mats are slightly sticky so that they hold your paper in place as the machine cuts.

Just for kicks, I tried cutting a piece of paper without using the sticky side of the mat (I put it through the machine with the slick side of the cutting mat) and as the paper cut, little ends of my design curled up and the whole thing got munched up. I don't recommend it. Use the sticky instead.
You'll also find different caps for different paper thicknesses. If you unscrew that yellow cap below, there's a tiny cutting blade inside similar to a craft knife. The different caps determine how far into your design the blade is lowered. For thick papers the cap opening is wider so the knife can get a thicker cut.
They're super easy to swap and they plug into the machine in seconds.
Silhouette also has an online store for purchasing vinyl (in an array of colors and frosted finishes--cool for windows and mirrors). And this week, you can get it all at 25% off!

If you're looking for a new design (other than what comes with the software), the shop is like the an iPhone apps library, just scroll through the tons and tons of designs and download what you want.

But what I love MOST about the Silhouette, especially compared to similar products such as the Cricut, is that you're not limited to cartridge attachments for each font and style. With the Cricut, you have to purchase a separate cartridge box for each font (and you have to find a place to store them all). But with the Silhouette, you hook up to your computer and can freely use and manipulate ANY font that's on your own computer! You can also make boxes, circles, other shapes, and even outline a photo silhouette like Ruffles and Stuff shows here. It's a really, really cool feature.

And if you're curious about the other ways it compares to the Cricut, check out the side-by-side comparison HERE.

So what can you do with the Silhouette?
You can etch designs on glass, vinyl cutouts for mirrors, you can create art, clothing, temporary tattoos, freezer paper stencils, paper crafts, and whatever else your creative mind comes up with.
For my first round with the machine, I tried something simple.
I cut out MADE on a piece of vinyl, to us as a wall decal for my sewing room.
Here's how easy it was. I hooked up to the Silhouette to my computer (the machine is compatible with PC or MAC).
Next, I opened a new Drawing, selected a round rectangle, and typed MADE inside. Then I pulled the font around, created another border around the word and in a couple minutes, I was ready to cut! Simple, simple.
Now, to give an honest review here, I have to state that it may take some trial and error to figure out which papers work best on the various mats. I first placed a piece of heavy paper, similar to cardstock, on the heavy-weight green mat. After cutting the image, I tried to peel the paper off the mat and it tore to shreds. There was no way to get it off the mat--like trying to pull a shredded price tag off a box--impossible:
Now it is possible that I used a fluke piece of cardstock that was just too weak for that mat. I've talked to others who have used this machine and they have not had such problems. Sadly though, I had to toss the green mat in the trash. But I pressed on....

and placed a small piece of vinyl on the other sticky mat,
inserted the proper cap on the blade,
and watched it cut!
The vinyl pulled away from the sticky mat without a problem. And seriously, how great are those cuts? Would have taken me a 1/2 hour to cut by hand and the cuts would have been far inferior.
voila!
The leftover, reverse image was kind of cute too.
And then I got busy with freezer paper. But I'll share that with you later in the week...
So there you go! Are you sold on how easy it is? And how great the options are? And how it does NOT use cartridges? Then let's talk GIVEAWAY.

This week we're giving away the SILHOUETTE SD Machine to one lucky reader. It comes boxed up with all the same goods I received above.

For EVERYONE else we have two great promotions:
1 - This week any MADE reader can purchase the Silhouette Machine for only $225 (they retail for over $300). This will also include 2 rolls of premium vinyl, 1 roll of transfer, and the Home Décor CD. This is $395 value for $225!

2 - MADE readers can also purchase premium vinyl at 25% off.

Simply enter the word MADE as your promo code when checking out.

Giveaway Rules:
* Leave a comment, that's it!
* Leave your EMAIL ADDRESS in your comment, which may be written as: dana (at) hotmail (d0t) com, if you're worried about leaving your real address in cyberspace.
* Only One entry per person.
* If you forget something and need to leave a second comment, go back and DELETE your first comment. To delete a comment, click on the trashcan icon next to your comment.
* Open to US and Canadian readers only.
* ONE winner will be picked via random.org
* Giveaway ends Friday 1/21/11 at 8pm (Central Time). Winner will be announced on Saturday

Slovly Giveaway (CLOSED)

2010-12-15T14:29:00.000-06:00

that I made for Lucy?
Well in the mail a month ago, a sweet package arrived.
From Slovly.
A handpainted image of Lucy and Owen in their Put Me In the Zoo outfits.
How completely sweet, endearing, and totally thoughtful. I absolutely love it. And the resemblances are right on. Thank you Sabrina!! You made my day, my month, my next 3 months!
What an interesting chain of creativity. I was inspired by the book to sew clothing; Sabrina was inspired by my clothing to paint art. Inspiration hits us in such different ways.
So, with giving in the air, I asked Sabrina if we could host a giveaway of some of her prints. Here's a Slovy Christmas gift for you!

First, you really need to check out her shop and blog. She has the most endearing, whimsy characters, with unique names. Some of the items in her shop are original art work and some are prints. All are done with very quality paper and printing.

For this giveaway, there will be FOUR winners. Each winner gets to pick one of the prints below (on first come first serve basis. I will email all four winners and whoever gets back to me first will get their pick). Here are the prints:

Christa and her Magic Sewing Machine:

Phoebe:

Professional Hat Knitter:

Two Owls:

Giveaway Rules:
please only leave ONE comment. I have noticed some people with multiple comments. If you leave more than one, and random.org picks your number, I will cancel it and pick a new number. It's only fair.

* Leave a comment, that's it!
* Leave your EMAIL ADDRESS in your comment, which may be written as: dana (at) hotmail (d0t) com, if you're worried about leaving your real address in cyberspace.
* Only One entry per person.
* If you forget something and need to leave a second comment, go back and DELETE your first comment.
* Open to ANYONE in the world with a normal mailing address!
* FOUR winners will be picked via random.org
* Giveaway ends Thursday 12/16/10 at 10pm (Central Time).

Have a Slovly Day!

Modern Bird Studios, Original Graphic Image Painting GIVEAWAY (Closed)

2010-11-12T10:20:00.012-06:00

I'm always looking for interesting ways to bring unique art into the home. So when Modern Bird Studios contacted me about their clever paintings, I jumped on it. Yes! I need one of those!..of my kids!....for our house! Seriously, I really did need one. I've been dreamy about these paintings for a couple of years now.

And today we're giving an original painting to one of you too!

If you're new to Modern Bird Studios, here's how it works:
You send them a photo and they turn it into a beautiful graphic image painting on wood. I was so surprised by that. I thought it would be canvas but the wood makes it even cooler and more interesting.

There are various image types to choose from.

Two-tone color process:

Multi-Colored process:

Or even acrylic mounted on wood:

Check out all their products here and their Portfolio here.

For the image of my kids, we used a multi-color process with lots of grays to go with our house.
The image was created from these two photos below, to capture the best expression from both kids.
These photos really make me smile because they take me right back to the day they were snapped. Grandma and Grandpa were in town so we drove downtown to check out the Congress Bridge bats. Of course waiting for the unpredictable timing of bats can be long and boring for kids. So to keep them entertained, we ran to the nearest quicky mart and bought colorful, messy lollipopss. Our two hour bat-wait on the grassy lawn was way more fun that I would have thought. And the kids had everyone around us laughing too.
The back of the painting has two mounted pieces of wood, to make the painting extend from the wall, adding depth. Love that. It's all about the little details.
The only problem is? Where to hang it....?
(and how to take a photo without Lucy jumping in). It will likely go in our living room where I can see it the most. But it would really look great anywhere in the house. It's so much cooler to me than a framed photograph.
For now though, I like seeing dirty knobby knees next to that smiley face. It's almost like she's at her own art show...."real life kid meets beautiful impression of kid".
Would you like to win one? Just in time for the Holidays??!
Today we're giving away a $250 Gift Certificate to the Modern Bird Studios shop, so you can pick out exactly what you'd like.

Giveaway Rules:
* Leave a comment, that's it!
* Leave your EMAIL ADDRESS in your comment, which may be written as: dana (at) hotmail (d0t) com, if you're worried about leaving your real address in cyberspace.
* Only One entry per person.
* If you forget something and need to leave a second comment, go back and DELETE your first comment.
* Open to US and International readers, HOWEVER, an International winner will need to pay for additional shipping costs (if the $250 gift card does not cover it)
* ONE winner will be picked via random.org
* Giveaway ends Sunday 11/14/10 at 8pm (Central Time).

Head over to Modern Bird Studios to check out their stuff. The deadline for Christmas orders is the first week of December.

And don't forget about the Tamron Lens Giveaway below. If you haven't already entered, it goes till the end of November.

Tamron AF 18-270 Zoom Lens GIVEAWAY! (CLOSED)

2010-11-04T09:00:00.010-05:00

This is a sponsored review from BlogHer and Tamron.

As many of you know, I love taking photos. I love looking at photos. And I love learning how to improve my photos.
I'm not a professional and my photography is an evolving process, as I understand more about my camera and how we can work together as a team. So when Tamron contacted me about reviewing their 15X Optical Zoom lens, I won't lie, I was super duper excited and said, uh YES!
In my FAQ's section you'll find detailed info about what camera I use (Canon Rebel XS) and my various lenses. I've typically stuck with the kit lenses (18-55mm lens, or the 75-300 telephoto lens). I dabble with my 50 mm prime lens from time to time as well. But because the range of shots I take is so varied...from a close-up on my sewing machine, to a long shot across the park....I'm constantly switching lenses back and forth to capture the best shot I can.
Well, I don't have to do that anymore!
This new Tamron 15x zoom lens is like BOTH of my lenses in one. It ranges from 18-270mm!
No more quickly swapping back and forth. No more debating over which lens to take with me as we walk around Venice. I can have it all! Seriously, life just got really cool. Okay, it was cool before, but now it's super streamlined and even easier. It's sweet like cookies and honey.
For this review of the Tamron AF 18-270mm lens:
* I've experimented with the lens, taking photos in different settings.
* I've read online reviews to see what other photographers think of it.
* I've gathered 2nd opinions from my photographer friends, who also tried out my camera and lens.
And we've all concluded that....It's GREAT!

So let me give you info on the lens, my Pros and Cons, and a brief slideshow (cause that's what you really care about, right? The photos!)

This is the Tamron AF 18-270mm Zoom lens:
The big official name is:
The Tamron AF 18-270mm F/3.5-6.3 Di II VC (Vibration Compensation) LD Aspherical (IF) Macro.
That's a lot to take in. I'll break it down for you.

It retails for $629
It's designed for Canon or Nikon Di II DSLR cameras
And today we're giving one away to one of you!

THE PROS:
* 15X Zoom Lens (18-270mm) and versatility
As I mentioned above, the thing I love most about this lens is the versatility. It replaces the need for me have multiple zoom lenses. Some photographers shoot mostly portrait stuff and so they stick with a 50mm prime lens a lot of the time. My photo needs have a very wide range. I'm often shooting close-ups of fabric for tutorials. But when I'm out with my kids I prefer a long lens so I can capture the natural moment; to get those candid shots (I enjoy playing paparazzi to my own family). So, with this lens, I can truly put away my other two lenses. I hate to go on and on about the point. But when we're on vacation, it's so hard to decide which lens I'll take out for the day (since I'm not going to lug two kids, 2 bags, AND multiple lenses around). So now I can have it all! The zoom range of this lens is amazing! Can I say it's changed my photo life? Probably dramatic but seriously, I love it.

* The VC (Vibrator Compensation)
Okay, this is cool too.
So, though I've enjoyed my Canon 75-300 telephoto lens, when I'm zoomed-in all the way there's much more room for camera shake. It's hard to hold your body totally steady, while zeroed in on a moving child that's 30 feet away....which means it's more difficult to keep your focus sharp. But the Vibrator Compensation on this lens is meant to compensate for that! It helps minimize your own body shake to give you crisper photos. When you hold the shutter button down, the camera focuses and then it sort of locks in place for a moment, keeping your picture focused. It's really cool. And now that I've been using this lens, it feels weird to go back to my other lenses, which don't offer this feature.

Would you like to the lens in action?
Excellent!

Most of my long lens photography is to shoot pictures of my kids in-action. So we did just that. The UPS man dropped the lens off at my doorstep, I opened it up, and we went outside to jump on the trampoline.

To really give an honest review here I'd like to NOTE: these photos are straight from the lens. No editing or touch-ups have been done. These were taken at dusk around 6pm, in lower light, with the AUTO Focus:
Of course a bit of brightening and other minor touches would improve the photos but you can see how crisp and beautiful they are, even though the kids are moving and I'm sitting 20 feet away.
This will show you the range of the lens....
I'm zoomed out as far as possible. I can focus on things in the distance,
But I can also focus on my own hand! I could never do that with my Canon 75-300.
And if I zoom in all the way from where I'm sitting, you get this. A nice wedgie.

More action shots and static hair:

Notice that the camera focused on the kids, even though they're behind the trampoline net. You can see small grid marks on their bodies and faces.
The next morning we took photos indoors.
Shown straight from the lens, no editing:
Touched-up slightly to increase the black levels and brighten the shadows:
and here's a photo comparison; Before and After slight editing.

Straight from the lens:

AFTER touch-ups (simply done in iPhoto with the "auto enhance" button. I don't have any fancy software; I do all my editing in iPhoto):
And finally Lucy picked up my old 18-55mm lens, looked closer at my camera and asked "How did your lens grow?" Observant girl (and no, my kids don't normally handle my lenses but I wanted to show her the difference in the two).
If you've never used Tamron before, they're a brand of lenses that fit on any Canon or Nikon camera for about 1/2 the cost of your brand-name lens but with the same quality. If you're looking for an amazing zoom AND standard lens combined, this is it!

As with any review, however, I would like to mention a few CONS (when it comes to Zoom lenses):
* Prime vs. Zoom lens
I often complain that my photos are not as sharp as I would ultimately like them to be. It seems that no matter how exact I am with my focus, they don't give me the really defined sharpness I see in professional photos. Now, this is not a complaint against the Tamron lens but just zoom lenses in general.

Prime lenses are fixed at a specific focal length. You can not zoom in or out. Instead, you move your own body to adjust the distance between you and your subject. Prime lenses are typically known to focus a bit sharper on their images, when compared to zoom lenses. Now zoom lenses are still amazing (I mean, duh, I'm in love with my new Tamron) but I don't think it will be as sharp as a prime lens is. And that's totally fine. It's still beautifully sharp (as the previous photos have shown) and I love the versatility more than anything.

* Lens Creep
This also isn't a complaint against Tamron but just something to be aware of with larger zoom lenses. Since this lens offers more range, it's heavier than my other lenses. But it's not too heavy. It's easily manageable and I hardly notice the increased weight now. However, it has tendency to "creep" down (or zoom in) when I'm shooting photos from straight above, such as close-up shots of my projects. I simply adjust for this by holding the camera tighter, so it's not a big deal. And when I'm not shooting, there's a lock on the lens to hold it in place. Again, nothing big just something to mention because it surprised me at first.
And with all that being said...

That's my review!
I've been using the lens for 2 weeks now and as I've said, I love it. I recommend it!
Here's a sampling of additional photos....
(Note, these final photos have all been touched-up a bit in iPhoto)
So, the big question left is....
Would you like a Tamron AF 18-270mm Zoom lens too???
Tamron has offered to give a lens to one of YOU!
Here are the details....

Giveaway Rules:
* Leave a comment, that's it!
* Leave your EMAIL ADDRESS in your comment (this may be written out such as "dana at hotmail dot com" etc).
* Only One entry per person.
* If you forget something and need to leave a second comment, go back and DELETE your first comment.
* Open to U.S. residents only.
* Entrants must be 18 years of age or older
* ONE winner will be picked via random.org and will the Tamron AF 18-270 F/3.5-6.3 Di II VC Lens
* Giveaway ends NOVEMBER 30th!

Official Rules HERE.
Roundup of other Tamron Giveaways HERE.
Tamron site HERE.

Ready, set, click!

Two Little Bugs Clothing GIVEAWAY (Closed)

2010-10-21T10:00:00.004-05:00

I love finding a clothing shop or blog that makes me want to jump right into their world and soak up the colorful fun.
Two Little Bugs is a whimsy land of beautiful clothing and carefree life.
You can't stop by without smiling and being inspired by cool ideas.
There are lovely photos,
Cute skirts on a line, a pretty sewing room,
and even clothing for mom!
The sewing machines at Two Little Bugs are always working, with new items added to the shop frequently. The fabric choices are beautiful and fun. And some creations are repurposed, because they know how much you:
And today, they're offering a sweet whimsy dress, custom-fit for your little bug's size.
Made of soft cotton and an upcycled "Love Your World" Tee, this dress is perfect for picking flowers,
Dancing around,
and having lots of fun doing it.
Here are the details....

Giveaway Rules:
* Leave a comment, that's it!
* Leave your EMAIL ADDRESS in your comment.
* Only One entry per person.
* If you forget something and need to leave a second comment, go back and DELETE your first comment.
* Open to anyone in the US and Canada.
* ONE winner will be picked via random.org and will win a dress just like the one pictured below, in the size of your choice.
* Giveaway ends Friday 10/22/10 at 10pm (Central Time).

Sam I Am Costume GIVEAWAY (CLOSED)

2010-10-02T08:00:00.005-05:00

Last Halloween the kids were dressed as Dr. Seuss characters. At the time, Green Eggs and Ham was Lucy's favorite book.
So, Sam she was! You can see the entire post about it HERE.
Well, we've got other themes in the works this year. So, would anyone like her Sam costume?

Here's what it comes with:
* Yellow dress (lined with soft cotton so it's not itchy against their skin, and a button closure in back so it's easy to get on and off )
* White shoe covers (they're a little dirty on the bottom now from walking around last halloween)
* Red hat
* Green Eggs and Ham platter with wristband attached (sadly, missing the fork but you can make one out of felt and stick it in the ham).
Here's the whole set (a pair of white tights will finish off the look):
It fits anywhere from a 2 to 4 year old and works for a girl or a boy.
Sorry, the Cat in the Hat hat is way too beat up to giveaway. But Sam is ready to go! If you're want to put your name in the "hat", here's all the info....

Giveaway Rules:
* Leave a comment, that's it!
* Leave your EMAIL ADDRESS in your comment.
* Only One entry per person.
* If you forget something and need to leave a second comment, go back and DELETE your first comment.
* Open to anyone in the world with a normal mailing address.
* ONE winner will be picked via random.org.
* Giveaway ends Sunday 10/3/10 at 10pm (Central Time).

I do so like Green Eggs and Ham! Thank you, thank you Sam I Am.

Oh Dier GIVEAWAY (Closed)

2010-09-17T16:19:00.003-05:00

My absolute favorite thing our house right now happens to be....yellow. And I really, really love it. It's simple and unique. It's the first thing you see when we open the door, a variation on the "Welcome" mat:
A couple months ago I was tipped off to this great shop, called:
And a short time after that, this showed up in my mailbox:
my husband didn't know what I was so excited about. So I quickly unwrapped it,
and hung it on the wall.
Perfect.
And in the late afternoon when the sun peeks through our front door, we get this effect:
Oooooooooo.
Of course I couldn't check out of their shop without picking up one of these:
My husband thinks I'm stuck in the 80s (and early 90s). And rightfully so. Please Hammer, don't hurt 'em. "2 Legit, 2 Legit to quit, Hey! Hey!"
Awesome.
I'm not sure where it'll go in the house but it will easily find a space. 2 Legit must be memorialized.

And guess what?? Today is your lucky day!
I loved our sign so much, that I asked Oh Dier if they'd join our Yellow Celebration by giving one of their signs to YOU. And they said yes!
So....let's do a giveaway!

ONE winner will get to choose a Recycled Wood Sign from the Oh Dier Shop . The winner can choose their expression and color.
And they've got plenty of good ones to browse through!

** To all MADE readers, Oh Dier is offering any FREE Graphic Print (your choice) with the purchase of a Recycled Wood Sign!
Just mention MADE blog when you check out! **

Giveaway Rules:
(Please NOTE: If you entered the Giveaway earlier today when it was first posted, please do not enter again. Only one entry per person. Thanks!)
Okay....
* Leave a comment, that's it!
* Leave your EMAIL ADDRESS in your comment.
* Only One entry per person.
* If you forget something and need to leave a second comment, go back and DELETE your first comment.
* Open to U.S. and Canadian residents.
* ONE winner will be picked via random.org. The winner will can pick one recycled wood sign from the Oh Dier shop.
* Giveaway ends Saturday 9/18/10 at 10pm (Central Time).

Thank you Dierly!

Sweetie Pie Bakery GIVEAWAY (CLOSED)

2010-08-18T17:03:00.009-05:00

Feeling hungry? Well, felt never tasted better!

Now serving....Breakfast in Bed:
Caramel Popcorn and Donuts:
Hey, we've even got a campfire for roasting marshmallows, hot dogs, and making s'mores!
And it's all found at the delicious shop... Sweetie Pie Bakery.

Seriously, I have never seen felt food this cute, with such attention to detail. Just browsing through Jessi's shop, I'm in awe at the finishing touches.

Cookies on a Cakestand?
Rock Candy?
One word for it all: DARLING.

Sweetie Pie Bakery is filled with pre-made felt food, all ready to ship to your house. And they also sell Patterns for the DIY-ers with very detailed and easy-to-follow instructions. This might become your favorite bakery shop. It's totally calorie free!

And the shop isn't just for your sweet tooth.
Need something savory? Yum!
If you're too full to eat, stop by Jessi's blog for other cool ideas like her popular Ruffled Shower Curtain Tutorial:

Okay. Would you like a sample from the Bakery? I hope so.
Here's what we're giving away....

One Winner will get THREE patterns from the Sweetie Pie Bakery Shop. You pick!
The other Winner gets a set of FIVE bright, colorful, yummy donuts. I'm seriously hungry. You know I have a weak spot for donuts....
Okay, here's all the info.....

Giveaway Rules:
* Leave a comment, that's it!
* Leave your EMAIL ADDRESS in your comment.
* Only One entry per person.
* If you forget something and need to leave a second comment, go back and DELETE your first comment.
* Open to anyone in the world with a normal address.
* TWO winners will be picked via random.org. One winner will get their choice of (3) patterns from the Sweetie Pie Bakery Shop. The other winner will get a set of 5 felt donuts.
* Giveaway ends FRIDAY 8/20/10 at 10pm (Central Time).

Yum Yum Yum.
Eat up!

Stitch by Stitch FIVE BOOK Giveawawy (CLOSED)

2010-08-12T00:01:00.008-05:00

Often you guys ask me, what's a great sewing book for beginners?
Well, let me tell you.

And then FIVE of you can try it out for FREE!

I highlighted it in my Four Favorites book post the other week. The title is Stitch by Stitch and it's a wonderful blend of info for beginner and intermediate sewers.
And just in case you missed the headline here....
We're giving away FIVE of them!

I really hope you win. Yes, you! (and you too). But if you don't win....there's also a consolation prize. Keep reading.
First, here's my review again of the fabulous book and why you're going to like it.
(Mmm, Pretty cover).

Okay, want to learn how to sew?
And in a language that you can understand?

Then you'll want this book. I've known Deborah from Whipstitch for two years now and I haven't figured out which I love more: her creative ideas, or her clever writing style. The lady has a gift for words, with a light-hearted punch. In this book, Deborah begins by talking about sewing, why it's popular, and her theory on "the Sewing Gap" (so very true). She talks about the Modern Sewist,
shares funny details, such as this sewing timeline. How I love that only 2 dates exist for the last century; one of those being: Project Runway. Priorities and realities.
and then.....Deborah walks you through everything, step by step.
She even shares detailed info on how to Thread your Bobbin! Now you never have to feel silly asking about that.
What I like is about the book is that it's built for beginners BUT even if you've been sewing for years, it's refreshing to hear the basics again from a seasoned veteran.

Deborah's goal with the book is to help you build knowledge from one project and then carry those skills over into the next one. So basically, all the projects are intertwined (and beautifully photographed).
Every project has those same detailed step-by-step photos. Lovely!
And in the back of the book is a CD full of pattern pieces.
A beautiful book and a very pleasant read.
Stitch by Stitch just hit shelves yesterday! And to kick it off, we're giving away FIVE of them.

FIVE lucky winners. I love it.

If you don't happen to win, however, the publisher is offering 20% off the already discounted cover price.
CLICK HERE to order and enter STITCH20 at checkout.
The discount is good till 8/31.

Okay, now on to the details....

Giveaway Rules:
* Leave a comment, that's it!
* Leave your EMAIL ADDRESS in your comment.
* Only ONE entry per person.
* If you forget something and need to leave a second comment, go back and DELETE your first comment.
* ONLY OPEN TO U.S. RESIDENTS
* FIVE winners will be picked via random.org and will receive a free copy of the Stitch by Stitch book.
* Giveaway ends FRIDAY 8/13/10 at 10pm (Central Time).

Good luck!

Mamachee Pattern GIVEAWAY (CLOSED)

2010-08-03T07:01:00.005-05:00

Do you crochet?
Do you love patterns?
Are you a sucker for pretty pictures?

Then keep reading.
We have a GIVEAWAY just for you!
I first found MamaChee when searching for Pirate ideas during Celebrate the BOY. I saw these Buccaneer booties and just smiled. How clever!

And as I started browsing her shop I was more and more amazed at her darling ideas....all of them made by crocheting!
Tara is the artist behind Mamachee. She loves all things CROCHET and she has a unique line-up of PDF crochet patterns in her shop. Page after page, there are darling creations! I couldn't stop clicking around (and I don't even crochet....well, not very well that is. But I'm sure some of you do!).

Need a clever diaper cover? How about three tree rattles?
There are flowers, slippers, hats, baby rattles, accessories, swaddlers and so many more.
and if the Mamachee shop isn't enough eye candy for you, Tara also has a blog called:
Mmmm. More pretty pictures and more cool ideas.
Tara shares free Tutorials:
and shows detailed pictures about crocheting, similar to the PDF patterns you find in her shop.
All in all, Tara is an artist with an eye for beauty. I like her colorful style.
and I hope you like her patterns! Because today.....

We're giving away THREE PATTERNS from the Mamachee shop!

That means there will be THREE WINNERS (each can choose their favorite pattern). All patterns are PDF files that are emailed to you within 24 hours.
Ready to play? Here are the details.....

Giveaway Rules:
* Leave a comment, that's it!
* Leave your EMAIL ADDRESS in your comment.
* Only ONE entry per person.
* If you forget something and need to leave a second comment, go back and DELETE your first comment.
* open to anyone in the world with a normal address.
* THREE winners will be picked via random.org and can choose their favorite pattern from the Mamachee shop.
* Giveaway ends WEDNESDAY 8/4/10 at 10pm (Central Time).

Shey [B] Camera Strap GIVEAWAY (CLOSED)

2010-07-20T09:41:00.014-05:00

I've had my camera for a year and a half now and for some reason, I've been using the boring old Canon strap. Not sure why? Too lazy to make my own strap? (probably) Mostly, I couldn't find anything that I liked....until I noticed the CLICK in the *Shey*[B] shop:
Yes! *Shey* [B] carries straps in my favorite Echino fabrics! I saw these fabrics at The Market and was bummed there weren't any camera/sunglasses prints in the fabric stack I purchased from the Sample Spree. But now.....my life feels complete.

Okay, that's a bit dramatic. But seriously, this is a really cool camera strap. And today, we're giving the Valentino strap away to YOU!
I've seen a lot of camera straps floating around the etsy, big cartel, blogging world. And I have to say, these are the most creative and best I've found. They're all from the fabulous shop of:
She has some basic straps in really cool prints (if you appreciate simplicity. Totally my flavor).
Or if you want to dress it up, check out these beauties. The Anthropologie inspired CHIC strap and Gray and Mustard Damask:
And how cool are these? So creative! Taste the Rainbow and Cherry Limeade. Great names on top of the color? This shop is cool.
And if you want something really unique, you can have your own Couture. Just beautiful.
It was hard picking which strap I loved best. But since you know that yellow is always up my alley, I went with the Yellow Click:
And in it's short life so far, it adds so much to my camera.
Not only is it cute, but there's a small bit of padding in there to make it more comfortable around my neck.
The strap is actually a cover that slips right over your existing strap. I was curious how well it would stay in place but it magically does, perfectly! *Shey* [B] straps fit like a glove and are very well made. To put the new strap on, I undid the old-strap on one side of my camera, used a safety pin to thread it through the CLICK strap,
and pulled the old strap through the new and improved case:
Three cheers for the CLICK!
If you're not an SLR camera person, no worries. By popular request, *Shey* [B] has created The Point and Shoot Clutch. BRILLIANT.
And she also carries a variety of other creations in her shop as well.
The Cell Phone Clutch:
The iPocket:
The iSleeve:
And other cool options too. Her shop is full of eye candy and great ideas.

So.....Today we're letting you guys try *Shey* [B] out!

a Prize for Everyone:
All MADE readers can get %10 off their entire purchase for this week! (from today, till next Tues7/27). Just enter the word MADE at checkout.

a Prize for One Lucky Reader:
The Valentino Camera Strap. Black and white Damask mixed with a red velvet ruffled top? Beautiful, timeless and chic:
Okay....
Giveaway Rules:
* Leave a comment, that's it!
* Leave your EMAIL ADDRESS in your comment.
* Only ONE entry per person.
* If you forget something and need to leave a second comment, go back and DELETE your first comment.
* open to anyone in the world with a normal address.
* ONE winner will be picked via random.org and emailed with additional info.
* Giveaway ends WEDNESDAY 7/21/10 at 10pm (Central Time).

and......click.
good luck!

Help me Paint Lucy's Room, HUGE final Valspar GIVEAWAY and WINNER from past Giveaway (CLOSED)

2010-06-30T07:00:00.008-05:00

This is a sponsored review from BlogHer and Valspar Paint.

Well folks Lucy's room is finished! Thank you for helping me along the way.

For the past month....
* You helped me brainstorm about the perfect color choice.
* You voted for your perfect color choice.
* I shared the colors we choose and showed you our painting progress.

And now......it's time for the big reveal!

But first,

CONGRATS to winner of the 3rd $100 gift card to Lowe's!......
#46 - Embily! who said: i love it! i think it's just perfect that you chose a few different colors to paint her room! -Emily F

Thanks Emily. I'm happy I went with multiple colors too. It adds so much..."fun" to the room.
Okay, enough chatting. Time for pictures.

But first, let's remember how dull and boring Lucy's room used to be.

The BEFORE:

and.......

The AFTER!

Using these Valspar paints colors from the Valspar color tool, we transformed a boring white room into something colorful, fun, and still girly:

I also chose accent colors for her furniture and other decor:
LUCY's NEW Room!

Come on in and I'll give you a tour.....
Here's what we used:
* ICY BLUE on the left side of the room
* TOP BANANA on the right side wall
* Accented the back wall with vertical stripes of CITY STORM and ULTRA WHITE. The white paint is a flat finish and the gray is semi-gloss so that the stripes pop out a little more when you're in the room.
Of course a beautiful touch to any room is nice wood molding. We added crown molding to the entire ceiling and framed the window with additional trim. All the moldings and doors were painted with ULTRA WHITE, semi-gloss.
Crown molding and other framing are not hard to do. You do need some tools and a simple "how-to" book or tutorial. But with a coat of ULTRA WHITE on there, it adds such class and pop to the painted walls. I absolutely love it and will continue adding it to more rooms in our house.
My favorite improvement to the room is Lucy's kitchen/dining area and the "outdoor" market. I repainted her old furniture with Valspar paints as well! I used ULTRA WHITE for most of the pieces and accented them with SCARLET SUN and RAPIDS:
We added a vintage mirror to the wall next to her door, with a shelf and cups for dressing up in colorful beads.
And guess what? I used my Valspar paints to create artwork too! I painted SCARLET SUN on a large canvas and used ULTRA WHITE to paint large dandelions over the top.
It's been a busy month. But I love the results.

Thank you for helping me go from......

To:

Lucy now has the best bedroom in the house. Lucky girl.

BUT WAIT....the fun isn't over yet! Now it's your turn to be lucky!

For the past month we've been giving away $100 giftcards to Lowe's Home Improvement store so that you can buy Valspar paints too. And today we have a grand prize to give away.
Are you ready??....

Leave me a comment, telling me what you think about our paint make-over and Lucy's new room.
And ONE person will win a $500 giftcard to Lowe's!

Holy Moly.
That's huge. Think of all the paint and supplies you can buy with that!
Winner will be chosen at random (via random.org) and results will be posted next week.
Good luck!

Giveaway Rules:
* Leave a comment. That's it! Let me know what you think of my color selection.
* Leave you EMAIL ADDRESS in your comment.
* Only ONE entry per person.
* If you forget something and need to leave a second comment, go back and DELETE your first comment.
* only open to US RESIDENTS, 18 years or older.
* Winner will be picked via random.org and emailed with additional info.
* Giveaway will run for one week and ends TUESDAY 7/6/10 at 11pm (Central Time).

And just wait.....I have a many posts to share about decorating Lucy's room. But that will come later this month!

Pop-Tarts Giveaway, Part 2 of 2 (CLOSED)

2010-06-28T06:53:00.005-05:00

This is a compensated review by BlogHer and Pop-Tarts.

Hello again Pop-Tarts friends. Okay, it was so much to read your comments from the last post. I can't believe how many of you have been eating these things your whole life! You made me feel right at home since I thought I'd share another secret with you.....

I love them too and having been a Pop-Tarts follower for years! There I've said it. They're yummy! Need a box? I've got 4....
Growing up in a family of 6, Pop-Tarts were sort of a luxury and we each got our own special box in our Christmas stocking. Dreamy.

So...when I got to college and could buy/eat whatever I wanted Pop-Tarts became part of my on-the-go lunch routine. Seriously, a package of Brown Sugar Cinnamon was the perfect thing to snack on during a boring lecture. And since that flavor was low-fat, I felt pretty good about the habit. Of course, if I wasn't careful walking to class with a bag full of heavy books and yummy Pop-Tarts, the poor pastries were munched up when I opened the bag.
And the same thing is true now when I throw a packet in my purse for the kids to snack on.
I'm always trying to protect the Pop-Tarts from getting smashed in my purse. Silly, I know. But these are things I think about!
So with this Pop-Tarts campaign in mind, I put my creative skills to use and created a better way for transporting your Pop-Tarts (or any fun treat).....
a Pop-Tarts pouch!
Made with Vinyl (for easy cleaning/wiping) I inserted plastic canvas into the pouch to give it support and protect the treats inside.
The patriotic colors were really fun to sew with and when I brought them out for the kids, it felt like a party. They were both excited to see what was inside their vinyl pouch.
it's......
Pop-Tarts! Thanks Mom!
They immediately started chowing.
The pouches were perfect for our favorite kid-time activity.....just hanging out around town or going to the park. Wherever we are, Lucy wants to stop and "have a picnic". And so, we did just that:
We ate our favorite Vanilla Milkshake Pop-Tarts,
inspected them to see which sprinkle colors we could find,
danced and jumped around,
and had fun being kids (me included). I got a pouch too, with a big red bow on top.
But I'll be sharing more about the Pop-Tart pouches, with a complete tutorial, later.
Right now, let's talk about you winning a $100 Visa Giftcard!

As stated in the previous Pop-Tarts post, this is a two-part Giveaway series. So the comments from this giveaway and the last giveaway will be combined for ONE big winner.

Giveaway Rules:
* Leave a comment
* Leave your EMAIL ADDRESS in your comment.
* Only ONE entry per person.
* If you forget something and need to leave a second comment, go back and DELETE your first comment.
* Only open to US RESIDENTS, 18 years or older.
* Comments from this post and the previous Giveaway post will be combined for ONE winner.
* Winner will be picked via random.org and emailed with additional info.
* Giveaway will run for one week and ends SUNDAY 7/4/10 at 6pm (Central Time).

Check out how other bloggers are enjoying their Pop-Tarts HERE.
And you can see all the very official rules for the contest HERE.

Go browse the Sprinklings site and find your favorite Ice Cream Shoppe flavor. You'll feel like a kid again too.

Help me Paint Lucy's Room GIVEAWAY #3 and WINNER of Past Giveaway

2010-06-23T23:37:00.003-05:00

This is a sponsored review from BlogHer and Valspar Paint.

Well, the paint colors are IN! We hit up Lowes this week and the painting has commenced!
(if you're joining us for the first time, we're repainting Lucy's room and trying to find the perfect color for her walls (from Valspar Paints). You can see our process here and here)

Thank you for the design ideas and input. It's been so fun to read your comments. Some of us were thinking along the same lines. But before I share the results.....

CONGRATS to winner of the 2nd $100 gift card to Lowe's!......
#117 - Theresa! who said: I love the "Top Banana!" It's fun to say too!

I couldn't agree more Theresa. In fact, it was one of the colors I went with!!

Here's how it went down....

On Saturday, our whole family headed over to Lowe's where I picked out my Valspar Paints for Lucy's room. Yep, I wasn't content with only one color.....I needed 3! Variety makes life exciting, right?
Because I had used the online Valspar color tool, I knew exactly what color tones I wanted (and wished I had done something more to my hair. Oh well. Painting-day hair?)
I browsed these three sections in particular:
AND.....here's what I chose!
The perfect colors for Lucy's room!

The main colors for her walls:

I also chose accent colors for her furniture and other decor:
Am I crazy? It's going to be a colorful room! But I'm excited about it.

I set-up shop in our garage with gallons of paint:
a variety of painting supplies:
And we started painting! The whole family was involved again. Lucy and Owen did more cheerleading than actual painting. But they peeked in on us from time to time:
Yep! One wall is now TOP BANANA yellow!
Another wall looks lovely in ICY BLUE. We thought that crown molding would add the perfect touch, so we painted the molding in ULTRA WHITE and Casey did his handiwork at the ceiling:
And for the final wall, it looks something like this.....
Wonder what we're up to? You'll have to wait to see! BUT....in the meantime,
Would you like to win a $100 giftcard to Lowe's? So you can buy Valspar paints too? Just leave a comment here, letting me know what you think of my perfect color choice .

Giveaway Rules:
* Leave a comment. That's it! Let me know what you think of my color selection.
* Leave you EMAIL ADDRESS in your comment.
* Only ONE entry per person.
* If you forget something and need to leave a second comment, go back and DELETE your first comment.
* only open to US RESIDENTS, 18 years or older.
* Winner will be picked via random.org and emailed with additional info.
* Giveaway will run for one week and ends TUESDAY 6/29/10 at 6pm (Central Time).

The big reveal is coming soon!.....
Come back next Wed for a huge final giveaway.

--------------------------------------------------------------------

You can see the official giveaway rules here on the BlogHer site).
And check out what other bloggers are doing with their Valspar paint HERE.

Pop-Tarts Giveaway, Part 1 of 2

2010-06-21T06:00:00.004-05:00

This is a compensated review by BlogHer and Pop-Tarts.

Often you guys ask how I get multiple things done in a day. So I'll let you in on a small secret: Pop-Tarts.

I'm not joking.

Since I stay up way too late most nights, the morning routine usually begins with me sleeping-in till 8:30, the kids waking up and playing on their own, and dad handing a Pop-Tarts toaster pastry to each child.

They love it! In fact, they each have their preference: Low-fat Frosted Strawberry for Owen and Graham Cracker S'mores for Lucy.

So when Pop-Tarts contacted me about their new Ice Cream Shoppe flavors, we just had to try them.
Lucy loves anything with sprinkles on top. So she and Vanilla Milkshake were destined to be friends.
We popped open a box, smiled at the cute colors,
and started eating!
And then for the next week, the kids constantly asked for "Vanilla Pop-Tarts please!"
I'd say the new flavor went over well.
and it got my creative mind churning too.

Of course Pop-Tarts are yummy just on their own (we don't even bother with toasting them, though that's tasty too). But I'm a girl that lovvvves treats that are cold (which is odd since I hate to be cold). So why not go totally overboard and turn them into a summer-time treat??! Something for a 4th of July celebration? Totally kid friendly? (who am I joking, they're for me too).
all I had to do was mention "ice cream" and Lucy was at the table ready to help.

There's an entire line-up of yummy Ice Cream Shoppe flavors that would work well here (like Hot Fudge Sundae, which my kids are in love with now too) but we stuck with our Vanilla Milkshake packet:
First, you cut off the edges (snack on them later, while the kids aren't looking)
Cut each Pop-Tart into fourths (no rocket science here and really no need for step-by-step instructions, I just love an excuse to take close-up photos)
Grab your favorite ice cream. We went with a very home-made tasting Strawberry. Let it soften a bit so it doesn't crack your Pop-Tart and use one of those mini scoopers (also great for scooping cookie dough),
place it right onto the Pop-Tart pieces,
place another one on top,
and three cheers for Ice Cream Pop-Tart Bites!
Seriously, they're really good. I was being a bad photographer....going back and forth between ice cream Pop-Tart bites and melty-ice-cream-finger camera handling.
Totally worth it.
You can find some other fun recipes on the Pop-Tarts site, some geared toward the 4th of July coming up!
Now you'll need to get your own box, cause ours is empty.
OR.....
Enter our 2-part Pop-Tarts GIVEAWAY here to win a $100 VISA giftcard!
Think how many Pop-Tarts you could buy with that? Holy moly.

Since this is a 2-part blog series featuring Pop-Tarts, I'll be combining the comments from THIS giveaway post and also the NEXT giveaway post (coming next week) for one grand giveaway prize of....you know.....$100! So there will only be one winner. That winner will be posted after the next giveaway post has run it's course.

Giveaway Rules:
* Leave a comment
* Leave your EMAIL ADDRESS in your comment.
* Only ONE entry per person.
* If you forget something and need to leave a second comment, go back and DELETE your first comment.
* Only open to US RESIDENTS, 18 years or older.
* Comments from this post and the next Giveaway post will be combined for ONE winner.
* Winner will be picked via random.org and emailed with additional info.
* Giveaway will run for one week and ends SUNDAY 6/27/10 at 6pm (Central Time).

Check out what other bloggers are doing with their Pop-Tarts HERE.
And you can see all the very official rules for the contest HERE.

mmmm. Yummmy.

Cinnamon Sticks GIVEAWAY

2010-06-18T12:37:00.007-05:00

I can't look at the photo above without smiling. All those pretty colors.
And since I never tire of looking at cool jewelry....
Let me introduce you to a lovely place called....Cinnamon Sticks.
The name alone sucked me in. But guess what, they have tons of lovely, beautiful jewelry too. Yep, you knew that was going to happen.

These make me want to relax at a beach house (I think I'm always telling you guys that):
More pretty colors; more smiling over here (especially from this name) Paint Your World:
Cinnamon Sticks has a large selection of meticulously hand crafted, high quality, unique, personalized jewelry. They're all original designs, made by two hands, in a home studio.

I think the variety is what makes them unique. You'll find some detailed pieces in the shop, yet there's simple classic jewelry as well:
If you're not into jewelry, how about a keychain? Or maybe a simple ring?
These two earring sets are gorgeous. Dangling Circles (might need a pair of those) and Sun Beams (another lovely name):
and if color is your flavor, just pick your favorite jewelry and add a colorful charm:
Would you like your own Cinnamon * Sticks original?
Today we're giving away (2) $50 Gift Certificates to their shop.

The giveaway ends Saturday night! And there will be TWO winners!

Giveaway Rules:
* Leave a comment, that's it!
* Leave your EMAIL ADDRESS in your comment.
* Only ONE entry per person.
* If you forget something and need to leave a second comment, go back and DELETE your first comment.
* open to anyone in the world with a normal address.
* TWO winners will be picked via random.org and emailed with additional info. Each winner will receive a $50 Gift Certificate to the Cinnamon Sticks shop.
* Giveaway ends SATURDAY 6/19/10 at 10pm (Central Time).

Enjoy your weekend!

Help Me Paint Lucy's Room GIVEAWAY #2 (CLOSED)

2010-06-15T23:26:00.009-05:00

This is a sponsored review from BlogHer and Valspar Paint.

CONGRATS to Belle + Bee winner of the 1st $100 gift card to Lowe's!

If you're joining us for the first time, we're repainting Lucy's room and trying to find the perfect color for her walls. You can see our process here.

This painting project is a FOUR-PART series which means that every Wednesday for the next few weeks I'll be hosting a new GIVEAWAY. I'll show you my paint progress and you can win something big! So make sure you check back next week and the week after that as well.

-------------------------------------------------------------

Okay, thank you bloggy friends for helping me narrow down a paint color. You were all so detailed in your comments and pretty specific about the Valspar paints color you'd use. It was really fun to see what color schemes are on your mind. And some of those same ideas have been floating around in my head too! But since I seem to fall into similar patterns, you also helped think outside of the box as well.

I never tire of looking at colors and creating a new palette. So....here are a few of my favorites, from the colors you chose, using the Valspar Color Tool. Half the time I can't decide if it's really the color I like or the clever name that accompanies it! Wouldn't you like to live in a room called Lime Passion? Mmmmm.

Okay, here are some of my favorites:

TOP BANANA ** ORANGE FRUIT ** LIME PASSION

TANGY ** CHIMNEY SMOKE ** ULTRA WHITE

RAINFOREST MIST ** ICY BLUE ** POOL PARTY

So many beautiful tones; so many clever names! It'll be hard to choose. But have no fear! When redecorating a room, I often go to the internet for inspirational photos. And guess what, you can do that right on the Valspar Paints site. No joke. Just go to the design gallery (under "Project Ideas") and you can browse through hundreds of photos of finished (gorgeous) rooms. It's like thumbing through a magazine online. Brilliant.

Use the drop-down menu to select from your personal style: traditional, modern, cottage cottage, craftsman, rustic. Or select by designers.

I made a new discovery, I guess I'm a Traditional/Modern/Vintage type. It's something I've suspected (a mix of a few things) but looking through their gallery of photos helped me confirm that.

So....want to see what's on my mind? Here are photos of inspiration from the Valspar design gallery:
Is a paint color for Lucy's room becoming clearer?

Would you like to win a $100 Gift Card to Lowe's home improvement store?

Then help me again by choosing the perfect Valspar paint color from the colors that other readers have chosen. Leave a comment with your selection and a winner will be chosen at random.

Here are the colors again:

TOP BANANA ** ORANGE FRUIT ** LIME PASSION

TANGY ** CHIMNEY SMOKE ** ULTRA WHITE

RAINFOREST MIST ** ICY BLUE ** POOL PARTY

Giveaway Rules:
* Leave a comment (sharing the perfect color for Lucy's room, from the colors shown above)
* Leave your EMAIL ADDRESS in your comment.
* Only ONE entry per person.
* If you forget something and need to leave a second comment, go back and DELETE your first comment.
* only open to US RESIDENTS, 18 years or older.
* Winner will be picked via random.org and emailed with additional info (winner is totally random and not based on the color choice you provide. Of course, sharing your color helps me narrow down my decision!)
* Giveaway will run for one week and ends WEDNESDAY 6/22/10 at 6pm (Central Time).

I'll be heading to the paint store soon! Something fun is going to transform:
Curious to see what I come back with? Me too.....

Help me Paint Lucy's Room GIVEAWAY #1 (CLOSED)

2010-06-08T23:09:00.013-05:00

This is a sponsored review from BlogHer and Valspar Paint.

Our house is 5 years old, located in the suburbs, in a track of cookie cutter homes. It's a "starter home" and so, there are little frills, just the basics. We moved here 7 months ago and though we've done a great deal of work in the living areas and kitchen, nothing has been done in the bedrooms.

We're going to change that. And we're starting with:
Yes, Lucy's room is boring.

That's all there is to it. It's actually the best bedroom in the house as far as lighting, space, potential. But with the plain walls, lack of color and design, it's just......blah.
Here's how it looks right now:and here's why:
Ready to help me change all that?? Then let's paint Lucy's room!

For this project I'll be using a paint brand that I've fallen in love with: Valspar Paint. Available at all Lowe's, I'm impressed with its results. The paint is quality, goes on well, low odor (I've used other brands that have a funky scent), very reasonable prices, and there's a wonderful spectrum of colors to choose from.

Here's where you come in.
Help me choose a paint color......and you just might win a $100 gift card to Lowe's!

If you're like me, looking at paint colors just gets my wheels a spinning ("Think of all the cool projects to be done!") But there are so many colors to choose from that it can feel overwhelming.

Valspar Paint has made it easy. With all sorts of online tools, you can easily look at colors, find color trends, paint online, browse the design gallery. You don't even have to leave the house to get your project started. Then, when you go to the store (with two kids in tow) you can easily walk up to the paint counter, tell them what you want and you'll be out of there in no time (unless you're also like me and think it's fun to browse the hardware store.)

So....Help me choose the perfect color for Lucy's room!
* Find the perfect color HERE.
* Leave a comment and let me know!

The winner will get a $100 Gift Card to Lowe's.

Giveaway Rules:
* Leave a comment (sharing the perfect color for Lucy's room)
* Leave you EMAIL ADDRESS in your comment.
* Only ONE entry per person.
* If you forget something and need to leave a second comment, go back and DELETE your first comment.
* only open to US RESIDENTS, 18 years or older.
* Winner will be picked via random.org and emailed with additional info.
* Giveaway will run for one week and ends WEDNESDAY 6/15/10 at 10pm (Central Time).

You can see the official giveaway rules here on the BlogHer site).
And check out what other bloggers are doing with their Valspar paint HERE.

Okay, off to get the room prepped. Good bye white walls! Hello, (fill in the blank)......

Maisonette GIVEAWAY (Closed)

2010-06-02T00:33:00.010-05:00

Please NOTE: This Giveaway is now CLOSED.

Need fabric? Enjoy pretty things? Wish you were in Paris....or at the beach? Then welcome to Maisonette.

Oh my.
I honestly don't know where to start.....other than.....
Every time I click on the Maisonette site I feel like I'm sitting at a Parisian bistro, hanging out with sewing friends and chatting about fabric. Care to join me?

First we'll start in this room:
and work our way over to the vintage hutch for interesting trims. Are you hearing this music by the way? Perfect ambiance.
We'll head over here next:
and in case we've forgotten anything, we'll get it it all online!

They have Patterns, Books, Art, Jewelry,
Fabrics by Designer:
Fabrics by Style:
and all sorts of sewing candy for you to take in.
You will easily be sucked in to the Maisonette charm. Believe me, it's addictive. And here's why....
Maisonette is a boutique shop, housed in an old 1924 bungalow, and located right near the beach in Oceanside, California (and virtually on their site too). Mmmm. Dreamy.

It's run by Ava and her two daughters. Natalie is the photographer and Madeline is the seamstress. And together, the three woman have created a complete oasis for sewers or anyone with a creative flair. Maisonette can be summed up in one word: charming.

They have:
* a wonderful fabric selection from the latest designers
* Books and Patterns
* Notions, trims, threads, etc.
* In-house photography studio
* local Art and handmade Jewelry
* Sewing room for their classes
* a deck out back where you can sew outside!

Of course you don't need to live near their shop to enjoy the benefits. Their online site has everything you need!

And while you're there, check out the Masionette blog and even their small etsy shop with ready-made clothing and trims.
And to really give you the Maisonette welcome, today we're hosting a giveaway!
And here are the details!

There will be TWO winners.

Winner #1 - Pretty Ditty Apron Pattern PLUS 2 yards of fabric (you can choose from their shop)

Winner #2 - Anna Maria Horner's new book Handmade Beginnings. (and for a great conversation with Anna, check out Meg's interview on Sew Liberated.)

Winner EVERYONE - Right now Maisonette is offering a 20% discount to MADE readers
All you need to do is enter: EXTRA20 in the discount code spot at checkout. for the duration of the giveaway. TWENTY % off!
Giveaway Rules:
* Leave a comment! That's it.
* Leave you EMAIL ADDRESS in your comment.
* Only ONE entry per person.
* If you forget something and need to leave a second comment, go back and DELETE your first comment.
* Open to anyone with a normal address in the world.
* There will be TWO winners.
* Giveaway ends THURSDAY 6/3 at 10pm (Central Time).

Come play with us!
And if you're ready to shop, head over and snag 20% off your entire purchase!
(enter EXTRA20 in the discount spot at checkout)

Lily & Thistle, mini Me GIVEAWAY (Closed)

2010-05-13T03:03:00.001-05:00

NOTE: This giveaway is now closed. Please feel free to leave a comment though. We love to hear from you!

Once upon a time (or last week), a beautiful package arrived in the mailbox for a little girl named Lucy.
It was so very pretty, had a flower on top, and was from the lovely land of Lily and Thistle.
Lucy was beaming with excitement. A package for me??! she exclaimed.
It was almost too pretty to open, so Mom made her wait for a moment while she took pictures.
Then.....Lucy pulled off the ribbon,
She opened the box; gasped; and laughed. What to her wondering eyes should appear?
But a miniature version of herself! Her very own mini Me paper doll, customized and personalized to look like...Lucy!
She came with the most beautiful dresses, gowns, tops and leggings, balloons, hats, and of course, princess crowns.
Lucy quickly asked her mom to cut out every outfit. She couldn't wait to see what they looked like on "her".
She picked her first ensemble, placed it on mini Lucy,
and admired herself as a beautiful mermaid!
Then she meticulously lined up all the pretty clothes, so she could pick out the next outfit.
Her mom oooo-ed and aaaahhh-ed over the everyday clothing because it looked something from a boutique children's line.
There was even a can-can skirt in there! Her heart melted.
Lucy and her mom tried on crowns,
Alice in Wonderland bows,
and played together because, Mom had her own mini Me doll too!
It was a happily ever afternoon.
---------------------------------------------------------------
Okay...have you heard of Lily & Thistle and her new boutique line of Mini Me paperdolls?
Wow. I was blown away. I've seen some paper dolls in my day and played with plenty when I was 5. But these are far beyond the grocery-store variety I remember. Hannah (the artist and creator of mini Me) is a genius. She's created beautiful, timeless, clever, cute paper dolls that are customizable for little girls (or even for you!)
When you go to her SHOP, you choose from 8 different Hair Styles:
Then you choose a Skin Tone and a Hair Color (you can also choose freckles, glasses, eye color, etc):
Then, mini Me prints it to high-quality textured art paper and creates your personalized paper doll, with your name on the bottom. The quality and design of these dolls are impressive. You can even see the slight coloring in the shadows on the doll legs and in the clothing. Hannah is a true artist.
Then mini Me packages it up with a darling line of clothing. Her Spring Line is my favorite right now. Of course, Lucy couldn't get enough of the Fairy Tale Line. And everything is lovely, full of amazing designs. Hannah, can you create real clothing from your images please?!

Depending on which doll package you chose (the Standard or the Ultimate), mini Me creates the whole experience into a keepsake for you and your little girl. The Ultimate package comes with an additional doll set, personally signed by the artist, Hannah. So your little girl can play with one doll set and hold on to the other set as a beautiful keepsake or piece of art.
Also included are journaling and Family History pages, such as All About Me and My Family Tree.
And just when you were wondering:
* what if my daughter tears the tabs off?
* what if she's too young and gets frustrated with the tabs?
* what if baby brother tears her Gretel outfit to shreds and my little girl starts bawling?

Hannah has it all figured out!
Included in your doll set is a clever little STICKY STRIP. So you can cut all the tabs OFF if you want to and play without them! It's a double-sided sticky strip that you can stick on to your doll and then stick the clothing on and off without them tearing! And if your sticky strip starts to lose it's stick, just wipe it with a damp towel and you're back in business (if you ever need additional strips they can be purchased at office supply stores).

Lucy was having fun with her dolls from the get-go, but once we discovered the Sticky Strip she completely lit up and the playing took on a new level. She could now do everything all by herself.
If you're ever worried about losing an outfit or something getting torn, also included is a CD of all the outfits and your doll so you can reprint anything at home! BRILLIANT.
And finally, on the Lily & Thistle blog Hannah shares FREE downloads, such as the Mable Doll (every girl needs a friend to play with) and the Mother's Day outfit. More clothing lines and FREE downloads to come in the future!

All of it is just darling. I want to invite you over to our house so we can play paper dolls together.
Or better yet, throw your own Printed Paper Doll Party with your friends! (for less money, you can Print Yourself from home).
The options and ideas just keep coming from mini Me. Purchase a doll for your grand-daughter, give a gift certificate to a friend on her birthday, buy an extra doll a la carte, join the Outfit of the Month club!
There are so many ways to enjoy a mini Me.

And today, we want you to try them out! So we're having a GIVEAWAY!
One lucky winner will get a $50 gift certificate to the mini Me SHOP.
Here are the details...

Giveaway Rules:
* Leave a comment! That's it.
* Leave you EMAIL ADDRESS in your comment.
* Only ONE entry per person.
* If you forget something and need to leave a second comment, go back and DELETE your first comment.
* Open to anyone with a normal address in the world.
* There will be ONE winner for a $50 Gift Certificate.
* Giveaway ends SATURDAY 5/15 at 10pm (Central Time).

Thank you mini Me. We played with your dolls again yesterday and Lucy was happy for almost 2 hours straight. Heaven.

the vintage pearl GIVEAWAY (CLOSED)

2010-05-07T23:04:00.001-05:00

Please NOTE: This giveaway is now CLOSED
We've been talking a lot about flowers this month. So let's talk about our other girly sides.

The quickest way for me to feel a bit more feminine is simple: a piece of jewelry. It doesn't need to be elaborate. It doesn't need to be fussy. And that's why I love the vintage pearl. She actually has a category on her blog called: Simple. And it's full of gorgeous creations:
the vintage pearl has beautiful necklaces, in all shapes and even unique expressions.

And her site is, well....just so pretty to look at. And very easy to navigate through. I wanted to copy every photo on there and post it here. But I'll try to share the highlights....

If your girly side prefers the wrist, there are plenty of gorgeous bracelets to choose from:
Want to add a charm to your existing jewelry? You can buy items a la carte (brilliant):
Or browse through the vintage pearl keepsakes. Such beautiful gift ideas:
the vintage pearl is simple, beautiful, creative, and would look lovely around your neck.
Wish you had one? Today the vintage pearl is giving away a $50 gift certificate to her shop for ONE lucky winner. Come join the party!

Giveaway Rules:
* Leave a comment! That's it.
* Leave you EMAIL ADDRESS in your comment.
* Only ONE entry per person.
* If you forget something and need to leave a second comment, go back and DELETE your first comment.
* Open to anyone with a normal address in the world.
* There will be ONE winner for a $50 Gift Certificate.
* Giveaway ends MONDAY 5/10 at 10pm (Central Time).

Thank you vintage pearl!

MADE Reviews and Giveaways

Sweet Confections book GIVEAWAY (CLOSED)

Pink Chalk Fabrics Giveaway (CLOSED)

Violette Field Threads pattern GIVEAWAY

Modern Fabric Studio GIVEAWAY (CLOSED)

Christmas Prints by Sparkle Power GIVEAWAY (CLOSED)

Heavens to Betsy WOOL fabric Giveaway (CLOSED)

Fat Quarter Shop Giveaway (CLOSED)

The Colette Sewing Handbook GIVEAWAY (CLOSED)

Thanksgiving Giveaway (CLOSED)

Giveaway DAY - FIVE photo ebooks with Katie Evans (CLOSED)

Giveaway DAY - The Ingrid Dress by Little Ticket (CLOSED)

Giveaway DAY - Zip it Zippers (CLOSED)

Giveaway DAY - Crafternoon Papercraft Book (CLOSED)

Giveaway DAY - Showoff Bag Patterns (CLOSED)

Sewing for Boys--3 book GIVEAWAY (CLOSED)

Sewing with Oilcloth BOOK GIVEAWAY (closed)

GIVEAWAY: Lime Ricki Swimwear (Closed)

the Vintage Pearl GIVEAWAY

Pink Chalk Fabrics GIVEAWAY - Round 2! (CLOSED)

Pink Chalk Fabrics GIVEAWAY (CLOSED)

Fashionable Fabrics GIVEAWAY (closed)

Simplicity Bias Tape Maker and finished bias tape GIVEAWAY (CLOSED)

Mod Tots ART GIVEAWAY (Closed)

Sewing School BOOK GIVEAWAY (Closed)

Big Little FELT Universe BOOK and Playset Giveaway (CLOSED)

FOUR Pattern Giveaway from the Magpie shop (CLOSED)

Houndstooth Quilt Pattern GIVEAWAY by V and Co. (CLOSED)

Craft Hope BOOK GIVEAWAY

House 8810 GIVEAWAY

GIVEAWAY: Min Me BOY doll (CLOSED)

Little Lark GIVEAWAY (Closed)

2-for-1 Giveaway (CLOSED)

Silhouette SD GIVEAWAY(CLOSED)

Slovly Giveaway (CLOSED)

Modern Bird Studios, Original Graphic Image Painting GIVEAWAY (Closed)

Tamron AF 18-270 Zoom Lens GIVEAWAY! (CLOSED)

Two Little Bugs Clothing GIVEAWAY (Closed)

Sam I Am Costume GIVEAWAY (CLOSED)

Oh Dier GIVEAWAY (Closed)

Sweetie Pie Bakery GIVEAWAY (CLOSED)

Stitch by Stitch FIVE BOOK Giveawawy (CLOSED)

Mamachee Pattern GIVEAWAY (CLOSED)

*Shey* [B] Camera Strap GIVEAWAY (CLOSED)

Help me Paint Lucy's Room, HUGE final Valspar GIVEAWAY and WINNER from past Giveaway (CLOSED)

Pop-Tarts Giveaway, Part 2 of 2 (CLOSED)

Help me Paint Lucy's Room GIVEAWAY #3 and WINNER of Past Giveaway

Pop-Tarts Giveaway, Part 1 of 2

Cinnamon Sticks GIVEAWAY

Help Me Paint Lucy's Room GIVEAWAY #2 (CLOSED)

Help me Paint Lucy's Room GIVEAWAY #1 (CLOSED)

Maisonette GIVEAWAY (Closed)

Lily & Thistle, mini Me GIVEAWAY (Closed)

the vintage pearl GIVEAWAY (CLOSED)

Shey [B] Camera Strap GIVEAWAY (CLOSED)