Showing posts with label Giveaway. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Giveaway. Show all posts

Wednesday, January 26, 2011

And the winner is...

Happy Wednesday, everybody! Hope you are having a good week so far. We're almost to Friday!

Well, it's that time. Time to announce the winner of my second-ever giveaway. Thanks so much to everyone who entered! And a special hello and thank you to new readers who played along, too!

Ok, without much further ado, the winner of my giveaway (as chosen by the classic names-on-slips-of-paper, put-em-in-a-cup, shake-shake-shake method) is...


..........
......
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The lovely and fabulous and always inspiring Amber, of The Girl With The Red Hair!! Congrats girl!


I seriously couldn't believe my eyes when the paper was pulled. Amber was my very first commenter. My very first! But I promise, there was no funny business. My dad actually did the honors of pulling a name out of the plastic cup. My first words were, "Are you serious!?" Haha. It was meant to be.

Amber, I think I already have your correct address, but maybe shoot me an email just to confirm? Thanks, love! I'll put those goodies in the mail to you asap... I hope you enjoy!

And thanks again to all of you! If you didn't win, don't worry. Giveaways are just too much fun; I may have to host another one before I hit my third blogiversary :)

xoxo,

Thursday, January 20, 2011

Two years + a Giveaway!

Big balloons for my blogiversary :)

Why, hello there! Life has been sooo busy lately! So busy, in fact, that I let my two-year blogiversary slip by on Saturday with nary a mention!

It's not that I forgot about it though. I most certainly knew it was coming and even marked it on my planner. I just didn't have the time to properly prepare to celebrate it. And by "properly prepare" I mean go out and get something to host my second-ever giveaway! Yay! I'm so excited and I hope you will be too when you see what goodies I have in store. (More on that in a minute.)

I just wanted to do something to thank all of you who stop by here regularly (despite my irregular posting!) to say hello and give such kind, supportive, insightful, encouraging and sometimes laugh-out-loud funny comments. Your little notes really do make my day so I'd love the chance to make one of yours by putting a sweet little gift in the mail to you.

When I began blogging two years ago, I never imagined what a welcoming and wonderful community I'd find. Many of you I consider friends and some I've even met in real life! And I look forward to meeting even more of you through your blogs. There are so many talented, creative and simply fabulous people out there... the blogging community is like an never-ending fountain of inspiration! I feel so happy and even blessed that I am a tiny part of it.

Ok, now onto the prizes :)

Yesterday, after laying out the newspaper, I got a moment to breathe and go to one of my favorite stores: Paper Source! There I picked up...



... an adorable, accordion-style mini desk calendar! This would add a bit of color and cheer to anyone's workspace, don't you think? It can be displayed stretched across a table top, as above, or it comes with a little easel to show one month at a time. And February is just so cute!


... a cheeky retro coaster set. When I saw these I couldn't help but laugh. They would be perfect for setting Cosmopolitans on, say during a girl's night in? My favorite: "I'm so happy it's happy hour." 


... and finally, a Parisian notebook. When I saw its vintage-style map cover, featuring little pictures of landmarks placed on the crooked streets, I snapped it up off the shelf.  I've never been to the City of Love and Lights-- but oh how I'd love to go! I figured this notepad would be a winner since bloggy people adore Paris. But really, who doesn't?

So, what do you think? Would you love to win? I kind of want to keep them for myself but don't worry, I won't. I know one of you will give them a lovely home :)

To enter:
 All you have to do is leave a comment on this post! Easy peasy. Maybe tell me what you've been up to since work has kept me out of the loop for a week or so... Oh, and international readers: you can play too!

My only rule: 
Since this giveaway is to thank my friends and readers, you have to be a follower. But it's so easy! Just click follow and--yay!-- you're done.

Deadline:
To give everyone ample time to enter, I won't pick a winner until next Wednesday, Jan. 26. And then I'll ship the prizes Thursday!

There you have it. My second-ever giveaway! I hope you'll play along! Before I go, one more time, thanks again for being here. Blogging simply wouldn't be the same without you.

xoxo,


Balloon image via we heart it

Wednesday, January 20, 2010

We've got a winner!

Oh, my! What a long day. Woke up early, worked worked worked, and just got home from a planning commission meeting about a half hour ago at 9:30! And I still have a story to finish and facts to check...

But first, the time has finally come to announce my giveaway winner! I know you guys have been waiting all. day. long. just wondering who it is, right? I sure have!

I did the drawing the old fashioned way-- I wrote each name on a slip of paper, folded them up and put them in a hat, er, plastic sorority cup. Same difference. The boy did the picking.




And the winner is...




Drum roll please...



(Remember Tracy? I recently met her at my first blogger meet up!)

Congrats, Tracy! You will be receiving a lovely calendar, cute jotter and pretty bracelet! Lucky girl!

And because I couldn't just pick one name, I decided to have a runner up. I know, color me generous.

Let's pick again.

Drum roll please... (you know you love it)



(Fun fact: Amber was my very first commenter! Yay!)

Amber, you will be receiving a special little surprise in the mail. Hint: it's from photographer Gabrielle Kai. If you liked the calendar, you'll love what I'm sending you!

Congrats again to the winners! Send me an email (carissanicole {at} gmail.com) with your address so I can send off your prizes post-haste!

And thanks to everyone for playing along and celebrating my one-year blogiversary. I was so glad to see some new commenters join in on the fun-- I love discovering new blogs! (If I haven't popped over to say hello yet, I will be soon.)

Good night,

Friday, January 15, 2010

Turning One + A Giveaway



Happy Friday! Aren't you glad the weekend is finally here? After the busy work week I've had-- full of late nights and early mornings-- I definitely am!

But let's not rush off into the weekend too fast, my friends. Today is a special day. Today, this blog turns one year old! Yes, it is my blogiversary! (Or is it my blogoversary? I can't decide.)

A year ago today, I started up the lovely dove. I had been reading and commenting on some blogs on Glamour and A Cup of Jo and a few others, so I decided to give it a go myself. As a reporter who primarily covers City Hall and the police department, I thought blogging would provide the perfect outlet to stretch my more creative writing muscles. And it has. But it has done so much more.

Sure, I knew there was a blog community out there, but I didn't know how amazing it is. And never did I imagine how connected I would become to other bloggers and the friends I would make-- some that I've met, but most that I haven't. The funny thing is, it doesn't even matter if we've talked face-to-face. I feel like I know so many of you, and you know me-- sometimes better than the people in my "real life."

I am so grateful for every person who takes the time to read this little corner of the blogosphere. I don't tell you enough, but each comment brightens my day. Each comment makes the world feel like a smaller place.

As someone who was never able to keep a journal or a diary for more than a few consecutive weeks, this blog reaching one year is quite an accomplishment for me. Yes, I am a bit irregular in my posting and will leave unannounced for days at a time but I always come back. I have to come back. Thank you for being here and coming along for the ride.

To celebrate and say thanks to all my fabulous readers, I am having my first-ever giveaway! This really is one exciting day, huh? I've put together a little package of treasures made by some talented Etsians. Since blogging is what introduced me to Etsy (and consequently made me obsessed with the handmade goods site), it only made sense to go to Etsy for this giveaway. All of the items I am giving away are from new-to-me shops that are worth a peek or two... or three.

Here's what you can win:




A 2010 desktop calendar from photographer Gabrielle Kai.
I stumbled upon Gabrielle's work last week and instantly fell in love with her ethereal and inspiring images. The calendar includes four of her whimsical images printed on linen cardstock. And since three months are printed on each card, you get to enjoy each image that much longer!




A cute jotter notebook from Olive Manna.
I love the unique design on this purse-sized notebook, which has 48 pages of blank white paper-- perfect for making to-do lists (you know how I love crossing things off!) or even doodling.




A handwoven navy cotton and gold bracelet from Dores.
I think I've hearted half the stock in Stephanie Renee's lovely handmade jewelry shop. Everything is simple but gorgeous, like this modern twist on the classic friendship bracelet. What better to give to one of my bloggy friends?


All this (and maybe a little surprise) will come to the winner in a pretty package worthy of its contents. So how do you enter? I'm going to make this simple, but first, you have to be a follower of this blog since this giveaway is for my bloggy friends. If you're new, welcome and don't worry! Just go click follow-- easy peasy. Other than that, just leave a comment below and make sure there is a way to contact you if you win! I will announce the winner on Wednesday.

Oh, and this is totally open to my international readers!

Good luck! And thanks again for being here.

xo,



balloon image via we heart it 


{Edit: If you follow my blog some other way, say on your blogroll or google reader, that's totally fine. Just let me know :) }