5

today is my blog's fifth birthday : ) to celebrate i am giving away a onestep polaroid camera! to enter to win, simply leave a comment below letting me know what you like about the blog &/or what you would like to see more of. make sure i have a way of contacting you if you are the winner & i will randomly choose a winner in a week. thank you for reading my blog  & have fun entering!

winner!

the winner for my camera giveaway is liska cole!! congratulations!

thank you to everyone who participated!! : )

400th p o s t g i v e a w a y !

hello! this is my 400th post! woo hoo! & i completely missed my blogs third birthday in september of last year, so i am having an extra special giveaway to celebrate : )
to enter, just leave a comment below answering these questions:
1. what movie do you recommend for me to watch?
2. if you were to make a zine, what would you make it about?
3. why do you blog?
all are welcome to enter!
you are entering to win a vintage smena (cmeha in russian) 35 camera! this camera was manufactured by the soviet union by lomo. it takes 35 mm film. it will come with a lens cap, camera case, original box, & instruction booklet (in russian though!). as far as i know it works fine! here is an example of photos it can take.
the winner will be chosen on friday june 3rd!well, sorry i haven't been posting much! my trip to see my sister was nice : ) the power in my house is out for a few days :/ so, right now i am at a coffee shop so i can check my email & post on my blog! & i'm having trouble leaving comments on blogs right now...so you may not hear from me on your blog :/! but i'll be leaving tomorrow to go camping for the weekend! hope your weekend is superb : )

replies:
dandelionkisses: haha i know right?? she looks awesome!

natalie: : ) that's my sister's dress! haha.

pauline: extravagant is definitely a good word for it! thanks pauline : ) means a lot!

nicola: hehe she does : ) yay!!! thanks!!

linda: yup yup! :o)

danica: it was inspired by a parrot! & has real feathers sewn on the bodice! & thank you!!

hairbows, diana, & manga

the party was really fun. we played our favorite board & card games. then we visited the used bookstore where i found exactly what i wanted! oishinbo & solanin. solanin has a japanese film that was based on the manga that i want to see soon, but i'm having trouble finding it with english subtitles...check out the trailer here. (in japanese!)

missa made me some handmade hair bows! aren't they so cute?? she is thinking about perhaps starting an etsy. i think she should! what do you think?? oh boy...these photos are pretty goofy looking. i laugh at myself when i look at them. but the bows look nice!! thanks missa!i'm hoping to go thrifting tonight...we shall see how the day goes though. i seem to have a lot of homework...even on spring break!! :/

one last thing! the dainty squid is having a giveaway of a DIANA MINI!!! it's so cute! it is called "love is in the air," isn't that adorable?? go & enter to win here.replies:

liz: hello! yes i have seen sunshine cleaning & i LOVE that movie. it's such a good one. my sister & i love love that movie : )

em [the writer]: it is : ) definitely check it out.

amy: ooo! i'll be sure to check out nana! thanks amy! & i'll also have to check out the comic it's based on. oh yes, i noticed emily's ballet part & wondered about if she did training for the role or what. she's such a good actor! i haven't seen any japanese dramas. they are probably good too!! i should check some out... mmm...i want boba again now. haha. & i'm going to look up these chinese pancakes now. yum sounds good. & thanks for being there for me, amy. i'll keep your offer in mind : )

dandelionkisses: yes you must. & then text me!

my-my: oh gooood! yes, & tell me how you like it! : ) so you watch korean shows too?? which ones have you seen? my mom is really into it too haha.

shelbyisms: thank you shelby : ) means a lot. haha. i wish i could take you to the asian mall : )

blackbird fly & bell & howell

i got some film developed yesterday from my blackbird fly (top square) & my bell & howell (bottom rectangle) plastic cameras. i really like the results!

after a suggestion from a blogger (i can't remember who it was! if it was you, please let me know so i can link & thank you!), i am currently watching ramen girl while still being sick on the couch. (thanks for your well wishes!)

not too much else going on right now...just ordering school books online & writing in my moleskine...

p.s. check out this awesome giveaway!!

replies:

to everyone: thank you so much for thinking & praying for my grandmother. the truth is that she is very old (93) & her time may be coming very soon. i just want everything to go smoothly & her to be comfortable. thank you again!

amy: i've been drinking multiple cups of tea a day! & after watching ramen girl i have a feeling that i'm gonna want some ramen : )

brit: i really love my thrift finds too. i hope i can make the totes before i go back to school!

natalie: hehe nice! & yes! 11:11 on 11.11.11 is gonna be crazy!! i can only imagine.

dandelionkisses: haha! oh wendy. you crack me up. always. yeah i saw going the distance on friday (when did you see it??). it was pretty good. it was cute. & had it's funny moments, although i think they could have done more with it. what did you think?

allison: thank you allison! : )

christmas card maker

it's been a christmas card & envelope making factory on my bedroom floor for the past week. i've been making cards for the exchange i'm participating in. i got all the cards in the mail yesterday, so you fellow card makers will be getting them soon!
today i am off with petunia to the renegade craft fair! i'm so excited.

p.s. mel stringer is offering a free paper ornament on her blog! go check it out : )
p.p.s. cakies is having a neat vintage givaway!

replies:
linda: thanks! isn't it amazing? well i learned step by step from this blog. it took a while to make, but i think it's worth it. all you need is a thick magazine/catalogue & patience!
natalie: there should be more vintage finds this winter break!
shelbyisms.: : )
amy: yup! thanks again amy!!
dandelionkisses: hehe. you should make a tree too! for your room : )
pauline: no worries! aww. i'm so glad the diy kit got to you safely & that you liked it! ohhh & isn't broken english so good? mmm i think i want to see it again now... : )
brynna: good! make a tree & then post about it!
mckenzie mullen: haha! oh wow! how nice : ) it must have taken them a long time. because i was surprised how long it took to make my tree.
one of us: awww thank you for the sweet comment! & yay!! i'm so happy. you made my day : )
naomuack: hello! why thank you very much! i love the beatles : )
brit: oh thanks! at first, i wasn't going to get it. but my mom talked me into buying it. haha she's a great thrifting partner : )

we will have a thrill to sit still

photos: 1, 2

i couldn't keep quiet about this amazing giveaway i stumbled upon. ok, let me rephrase that - these many giveaways! 14 to be exact. all ending on the 11th. so hurry over to scissor quirk & check it out. i entered into like 10 of the 14 : ) so many to go around!!

ok, that's it. i'm working on my last paper & i am pretty stressed right now. i need some music therapy. hope all of you are well! i'll be back to respond to the comments as soon as all my school stuff is over with. until then, please accept this gift of giveaways!!

winner

congratulations to allison for winning the wendy helene giveaway! thank you for all of your encouraging words about wendy's work & thanks for entering! if you didn't win the dream catcher, there are plenty looking for a home above a bed in her shop!

i'm home at my parents for the thanksgiving break now. felix & i made the trip safely on the train (yes, i brought my fish with me to mom & papi's). now i have to clean my room out. they've been using it as storage...& now my sister & i will have to sleep in it...somewhere...haha.

photo from here

wendy helene giveaway

my cousin wendy has opened her etsy shop called wendy helene! she sells handmade dream catchers like the one she sent me. i am so excited to share her shop with you. here are a few dream catchers that are in her shop now:also, wendy has been so kind as to let me host a giveaway for her shop's grand opening! to have a chance to win this mini 1 inch dream catcher pictured below (purse not included : )), simply visit her shop & copy & paste the link to your favorite dream catcher in the comment of this post. a winner will be chosen at random on friday, november 19th. good luck!

replies:

pauline: thanks : ) rick rack is just like swirly trim for added decoration to clothes, but it is not elastic.

allison: thank you allison! & yeah, i've heard a few people say it reminds them of a walk to remember. more artsy is a good way to put it.

amy: thanks dear : ) & nicola packages are always awesome!

dandelionkisses: hehe. thought you would. & i am surprised that i was able to sew that laptop case! seriously.

liska cole: thank you berry much : )

this afternoon

i'm enjoying a relaxing sabbath afternoon visiting with my family. raquel made peanut butter & chocolate chip cookies & now she is making a collage. i am planning to get some crafting in this afternoon too.
i recently labeled all of my posts & i added some of the labels on my sidebar. but now i cannot figure out how to have them show up at the end of each post. can anyone help with that??
i'll leave you with some giveaway links!! brinja is giving away two lovely bird brooches here. & sarah is giving away the cutest little reversible drawstring bag here.
replies:
brit: thanks brit! & yeah...i can't decide if i want to buy it or not...hmmm : )
dandelionkisses: yes i do, & actually i didn't realize, but i like it with just the birds & not the rose photo. it looks neat!!
pauline: oh how cool! it's a real commitment. & part time would be the way to go if you have a job for sure. let me know if you do start the grad school thing. i'm studying sociology. i'm hoping to be a professor at a community college eventually. & my address is the same(ish) i will just get it when i visit my family again. i can send you my new one too (i just have to check with the lady i live with to make sure it's ok)! thanks : )
amy: hehe. yuuumm.
molly: hello! yes it is! are you (or were you) in grad school? what are (were) you studying?

winner

hello! this is just a quick note to congratulate the winner of the giveaway!
congratulations laura! you won the lavender sachet!

thank you to everyone who entered & answered my questions. & the awesome song suggestions!

if you didn't win, you can always go to my shop & pick up your own lavender sachet : ) i'll be making some more soon!

surprise surprise

i've been quite busy these last few days! remember the lavender i picked? i harvested the buds & sewed little sachets with them. i've been making many little handmade things to sell in...

my new shop!
i've opened a shop on etsy to sell vintage finds & handmade things like lavender sachets & books with pockets.
i'm really excited! i'll be posting the link to it soon (i just have to get it all ready), but until then, i'll be hosting a giveaway for my 300th post (!!!) & for my shop opening. i am giving away one of the lavender sachets i made. all you have to do to have a chance to win it is comment below & answer these questions:
1) what would you like to see more of on my blog? (recipes, thrifting finds, food, adventures, ...etc.)
2) what is your favorite song right now?

below is the sachet one of you will win! i'll be choosing the winner on monday, july 26th. hope you enter!in other news, i just got back from seeing eclipse. it was pretty good. (i mean, you gotta love the wolf pack : ))replies:
dandelionkisses: yeah... something like that. & yeah they are cleaning blood lol. their job is to clean up crime scenes & places where people die & leave a mess.
yellowblue: me too! pumpkin is simply a secret ingredient.
amy: loved the royal tenenbaums! sunshine cleaning was not bad either : )
g: hello! i'm so happy you like it : ) i just discovered mumford & sons & am in love with them! they are really, really good. thanks for following :o)
allison: thanks! it turned out better than i thought it would.
broom people: wow! that is super exciting. the bag is the one i saw in flight 001 here! i really want to get one now : )
rachel / red lips vintage: they are very delicious : ) & if we are ever in the area we would totally make you some!
make it easy: the royal tenenbaums was great! i still have to see me and you and everyone we know.

clouds of gold

originally i was hoping to get this post out on sunday...that didn't happen. but it's ok!
thank you for all of your sweet comments! i seriously get all excited when i see i have a new comment. well, on sunday i had grapefruit for breakfast. it seemed especially pretty so i took a photo : )
also on sunday, i got a package in the mail from mette. a few weeks ago i had entered a giveaway she was having on her blog ungt blod. i had no expectations of winning since over 200 people entered....but i won! it's still hard to believe! i won a 24k plated gold cloud ring made by french jewellery designer adeline affre. a big thank you to mette for hosting the giveaway! in other news, i am a guest blogger at blogivation! go check it out : )

ok so right now i am a tad obsessed with this song. silly me.

also, since my father watches american idol every night it's on, i have caught a few episodes & i am in love with this guy's voice. check him out & you won't be disappointed : )

i'll leave you with this golden thing:

replies:

dandelionkisses: yes you must try it! i think you would like it. ahaha! we are like twins! yes i think i do need picnic gloves. & we need to have a picnic during spring break! the melting pot sounds sooo fun.

puline: yes i do! after i saw you post about your speedball, i knew i needed one too : ) i think i'm going to try the erasers next, because the rubber speedball provides can get pricey.

coleandjosephine: it was very fun! & lizzie, who created the glasses, is so creative!

amy: ooo cork! hmm sounds like i should try that too! thanks.

inside the cabinet of wonder: aren't they?! i tried to make a mustache...but it looks more like a swirly design. hehe.

dhu: hello! oh i am so flattered! i'm happy we have the same taste in music. i'm pretty picky when it comes to what music i put on my blog : )

diya: hello! oh yes potatoes! when i was younger, i used potatoes, apples, & star fruit!

maria: my girls had a blast : )

schanette: hello! i saw your stamp. it's really good! it must be hard to get all of that detail carved out!

gracia: hello! : ) i know! i think i need to make some more soon!

kait: aw : ) i think i have more fun than they do! hehe.

handmade

petunia had her birthday on monday! i made her this book complete with a pocket : )also, back in november i won a giveaway of art work by madelynn holmes on her blog! the art work just arrived & i love it! she even sent stickers of her art work too! thanks maddy : )
sorry i haven't been blogging regularly. i've just been pretty busy getting ready for school & everything together for graduation in may. also i have a few essays to write this week for my graduate school application. sometimes i'm too much of a procrastinator....not good!