We Have A Winner!

What a crazy, wonderful week it's been!  New followers, old friends, and such an outpouring of support for this blogger's first blogiversary!  Thank you all so much for your kind words and sentiments.  I know that in my last blog I said you had to post to be entered.  However, you need to know that I have dear friends and supporters who, for whatever reason, find themselves unable to post and therefore send me email on a weekly basis to comment on my postings.  Then there are the friends who faithfully comment on Facebook, or mention my blog when they meet me out and about.

How can I possibly exclude those dear people?  I know you bloggers would agree with me that they need to be included!  So include I did, and wound up with a list which combined all of the above. Names were added to the list in the order received.

1. Trisha G
2. Nancy R
3. Linda S
4. Roberta S
5. Lynn L
6. Sandy B
7. Judy H
8. Judy H - FB
9. Nancy W.
10. WW
11. Mary K
12. Karen F 
13. Kasia
14. Kasia
15. Lorraine - FB
16. Martha
17. Soccer Mom
18. Incipient Wings
19. Denise
20. Karey-Ann
21. Karey-Ann - FB
22. Tee
23. Tee
24. tmc480
25. Fran
26. ryanac32
27. Kathy
28. Valarie
29. Sandra K 
30. Elysia
31. Ashley T 
32. Anonymous
33. Terri
34. Judith
35. Laurie

Daughter Melissa hit the RNG button

So, without anymore blathering....our winner is the sweet KASIA.  Congratulations, Kasia...email me as soon as you can with your snail mail addy.   I've posted the RNG at the end of the blog since it's format is creating crazy things when I type.

This giveaway was so exciting for me and I'm so thankful for ALL of you.  I wish I could send each of you a gift, but instead I will have more giveaways...hmmmm, this one generated more followers, and I think "100" is a great benchmark number, so maybe that would be a good time to have another!  Spread the word and let's get to 100!!

In the meantime, I've got some swaps to share with you...
Tee is having a lot of great swaps on her blog.  The first is a Tag A Month and here's the sweet January tag I received from Denise

And here's the one I sent to Denise...

Tee's next swap was Vintage ATC and I received this charming one, and all those goodies, from Elysia

And the one I sent to Elysia....

Tee offered a Stick Pin Swap with holder and, sadly enough, I was so excited to send my pins and holder off to Elisabet, that I forgot to take pictures of it!!  But, here's what dear Elisabet sent to me...

3 lovely stickpins with a tag holder...

and goodies to boot!

Wendy holds a monthly swap and January's theme was World of Jane Austen.  I received a darling Jane Austen ATC from dear Laura, and look at those darling altered pins she gifted me...

Here's what I sent to Laura...

I'm sending off some swaps this week (and I've taken pix of them!!) but I can't reveal yet as they have to get to their new owners.

However.....if you're still with me, let me share with you the FANTASTIC swap our Tucson Swap Queens shared this past Tuesday night.

Queen Debbie hosted for us at her beautiful home

isn't she the cutest grandma Queen you ever saw?

the remaining Queens brought yummy dishes to share and we had a royal feast!

see the cards on the table?  Explanation to follow!

But the best part of the evening was really our swap.  The challenge was to decorate a 6"x9" white envelope and stuff with lots and lots of good stuff.  Everyone was assigned a number and you had to represent your number in some way, on the outside of the envie.

After dinner, Debbie took those cards from the table (each had a number) and we got to choose the appropriate envelope....

amazing!!

I created envelope number 4, which Geri chose...

front

 fabric covered back

And here's some of the goodies inside!

of course I had to put the littles in envies too

which held these....

and these....

and these!

I chose...

which was the creation by the lovely Laura, who was sick...poor baby....and couldn't attend

bursting at the seams!

had to show you first this gorgeous fabric!!

vintage post cards

dates ranging from 1909 - 1951....and still just needing a 1 cent stamp!

Well, sweet friends, that about does it for me this week.  Next Monday I will be in Anaheim for the CHA Winter Show, so I won't be home to visit with you.  I promise a smashing post the following week with lots of pix from the show and all the latest and greatest being launched in the craft, hobby, and art industry.  I'm a newbie, never having been before, so it should be a blast.  More to come....

Thanks again for the most wonderful year.  I will officially begin my "new year" on January 28th and I know it will be fahbulous!!
Be good and keep the blogfires burning!
xoxo
Karen

True Random Number GeneratorMin: Max: 

Result:

13Powered by RANDOM.ORG

Countdown For The Giveaway

Be sure to visit and post a comment to be entered in my First Year Blogiversary.  Mention the giveaway on YOUR blog and post again to let me know, and you'll have a second chance to win.

The winner will be chosen Sunday night with a pre-Monday posting.  Good luck and thanks for your visit and support!
xoxo
Karen

A Blogiversary and A Giveaway!

I know that time passes quickly and really picks up steam the older we get...but seriously, a YEAR since my first post?  All I can say is this has been one of the most wonderful yearlong rides I've been on...Yep, right up there with the first year of marriage...

First baby...Amanda Leigh...

Second baby...Melissa Paula...

Graduating from the U of AZ

I'm able to celebrate because of YOU...my wonderful blog muses, friends, and family.  You've kept me going with the outpouring of support and recognition.  You have made me "stretch" my artistic muse...waking her from a "too long nap."

Now I want to giveback, to you my loyal friends and family, with a special Giveaway...to celebrate a year of many accomplishments ~ and most of all, growth!

Here it is...

a one-of-a-kind, handmade by me, vintage and vintage inspired, charm bracelet!

But wait...that's not all...you'll also receive a box of lovelies from me!

you'll get this charmer.....

a card for your Valentine wishes

4 little muslin bags hand stamped with a chicken theme

a yard of hand stamped muslin on a stamped tag, matching back to the bags

The winner will receive all 5 prizes!

Here's how it works ~ You don't need to be a Follower, but I would love it if you would join me.  Just click the "Join this site" button below.  I love my International friends, so this Giveaway is open to everyone.

Simply leave a  comment below. If you'd like a second try, mention the Giveaway on your blog, then come back and tell me you did with a second comment. So simple! Please remember:  if you don't have a blog you must email your address to me so I have a way of contacting you.  Click the "Email Me" button below.  You have until Sunday, January 22nd to enter. I will post the winner on next Monday's blog, January 23rd.  Have fun and good luck!

Thank you, sweet friends, for giving me this wonderful year!!  Here's to many, many more!
xoxo
Karen
P.S.  for those who are unfamiliar with posting...it's easy peasy and you don't need a blog to do so.  Just  look right below this message and you will see "# comments" in blue.  Click there and it will take you to the comment page.

Is It Because of the HEAT?

We've lived in this beautiful desert country for 34+ years and we are truly grateful that it's our home.  This is the season of the year when we cash in the dues we paid, enduring the summer extremes of July/August/September.  So, that being said, dh and I decided that this Epiphany we would de-construct everything Christmas...

and re-construct WINTER!  Now, I know many of you sweet blog friends must think we've lost it and are thinking, "Could it be that living with extreme heat does this to them???"
Here's a few of the Winterscapes we created...until Spring arrives.
Let me know what you think...

Since the holidays, I've been catching up with some dear friends who helped me with a late celebration of my birthday....

Debbie took me to a wonderful lunch at The Pita Jungle and gifted me with this amazing travel mug for my tea.  Along with all that, she put together two test tubes, one filled with Ginger Peach (long gone and test tube is out in the studio waiting for another assignment!) and one with Vanilla Spice.  These teas come from Maya Tea, a local merchant, which makes the tea even sweeter!

Dear friend Sandra and I spent an entire Monday together at her lovely home where she fixed a delicious Mexican lunch for me and gifted me with the lovely jewelry mannequin and some sparkly, pearly baubles for my art...

My sweet friend and teaching colleague, Nancy, treated me to lunch on Friday at Sauce and presented me with these lovelies...

this is the most amazing collection of poetry (I'm a poetry addict!)

and this gorgeous pendant..(actually a Christmas present)

So, not bad for a gal who had to share her birthday with the turkey this year!  I'm a dedicated believer in making that birthday last as long as possible!!

I've got a couple of creations to share with you for some upcoming swaps...so, I can't divulge the swaps    yet...

tag front - image from Patty

tag back

ATC - image from Paper Whimsy

ATC - image from Bumble Button

pincushion with altered stick pins ~ it reminds me of a Flapper's hat from the 20's!

And this is a domino order for a dear friend...

front - image from Patty

back

Friend Nancy collects nativities and has the most extensive collection I've ever seen.  I've made it a practice to gift her with one each year, but this year I decided to create one that would not pose the problem, "Now where will I put this?"  It's a domino and it can go just about anywhere!

So sweet! - image from Debrina

text from Paper Whimsy

Well dear friends, I thank you for taking your time to spend some time with me today...so much to look forward to this month and next...Right now I'm getting ready for a trip Anaheim, California for the fantastic Winter CHA!!  It will be my first time and I'll be in great company ~ Debbie, Sandra, and Rose.  We are SO grateful to Feather Expressions for this wonderful opportunity!

I'm working on a lovely, one-of-a-kind jewelry creation for my upcoming blogaversary giveaway.  Be watching for future announcements!  In the meantime, have a beautiful, blessed week and know that you are loved!
xoxo
Karen