Saturday, August 29, 2009

Ash Paints Give Away

THE WINNER OF THIS AMAZING POLYMER CLAY PEN IS:

"49 8/31/2009 16:56:33 janil
I have you button! "

CONGRATULATIONS JANIL!!


Ash Paints is an amazing polymer clay shop on Etsy. Arlene has had her shop since March of 2007! She has the most amazing Ornaments, Items for the Office, Garden Stakes and more. Arlene was born and raised in the Piney Woods of Central Mississippi. In addition to her Etsy store, she also have a blog that gets updated frequently: Harrison Hollow Designs. She is also a member of the Polymer Clay Association, the Polymer Clay Artists Guild of Etsy and the Central Mississippi Polymer Clay Guild, where she serves as Secretary/Webmaster (http://www.cmspcg.com )
Arlene can also be found here:
http://www.picturetrail.com/ashpaints and
http://www.flickr.com/photos/harrisonhollowdesigns/
.


How did you decide on your shop name?
My husband was retired Navy when I met him. When he retired from him civilian job in 1997, we planned to live fulltime in a motorhome and work/camp across the USA. He had been to many places outside the US but had not spent much time traveling stateside. Not too long before this, we had the opportunity to buy some land in the country close to my parents and figured eventually we would settle there. In the meantime, we built a storage building on the land to put all the "stuff" in that we just couldn't part with but that would not fit in the motorhome. We named it Harrison Hollow because to get to our homeplace, you have to go down through a hollow then up a hill. Even the road to my home is Harrison Hollow Road. We discovered that if you build your own road, you can name it whatever you want to! As fate would have it, we were only able to travel briefly before health issues forced us to return home. JD was very instrumental in pushing me to explore my creative side and try new things so, after his passing in 2001, I renamed my business Harrison Hollow Designs in his memory.

When did you start crafting/painting?
My grandmother taught me to embroider before I was old enough to start to school and that was the beginning of a life-long “need” to create. I emphasize need because that is what it is. If I go too long without making something, I get antsy and irritable! My husband used to joke about me having to have acrylic [paint]under my fingernails!

I’ve tried a lot of things over the years - woodworking, thread-count embroidery, crewel embroidery, sewing clothes for my sisters (and our dolls), knitting, crochet, quilting, even made concrete stepping stones at one point, and finally found my niche in decorative painting, which I did for more than 25 years until I discovered polymer clay.

The woodworking is a funny story. I had gotten into decorative painting back when cutouts were popular so I bought my
husband a relatively inexpensive scroll saw for Christmas so he could cut things out for me to paint. Instead he taught me how to use it, then bought me a RBI Hawk, which was one of the better scroll saws, because I got so frustrated with changing blades when they broke… and I broke quite a few in the learning process! I am now proficient with a table saw, miter saw, skill saw, jigsaw and, of course, my scroll saw. My favorite thing in my workshop is a toss-up between my pneumatic nail gun and my drill press.



What is your favorite creative outlet?
For many years it was painting anything that didn't move too quickly (grin)! But I have to say that my favorite creative outlet today has to be polymer clay. My adventures in polymer clay began about three years ago when I had gotten burned out on painting. I had done a bit of work with paperclay in adding dimension to gourds and had watched the polymer clay artists on the Carol Duval show and figured I could do this — and I had picked up some Sculpey in holiday colors for pennies at Hobby Lobby’s after-Christmas sale. So I dove right in. I’d love to say that everything I did was an instant success, but we all know that’s not how it works. Every day is an adventure and the versatility of polymer clay has captured my imagination and held it for several years now. I learn something new every time I sit down at my worktable.


Are there other crafts you would like to try?
I'm working at becoming a better beader. This is something that I had not seriously worked at before the polymer clay, but with the ability to make my own beads, I need to know better how to put them together in interesting and different ways. I am slowly learning to work more gracefully with wire beyond the simple pre-made jewelry findings. I see so much being done in this area that is so creative but my "can do" hasn't caught up with my "want to do" yet!

Where do you craft?
I have a home studio and a separate workshop for my big tools. The story of where I live and why is way too long to go into, but let's just say that we moved out of a perfectly good 3 bedroom home in a subdivision and moved into a 35' motorhome! We build a storage building on land in the country to store the stuff we couldn't part with and hit the road traveling. Unfortunately back surgery, then cancer halted our travels. After losing a fair number of plants (his green thumb, definitely NOT mine!) after his first cancer surgery because of the cold, we started building a 36×16 greenhouse/bunkhouse for visitors. When my husband died, I sold the motorhome, modified the greenhouse and moved in. It was one large room with a 8 foot porch all the way across the front and across the back with a bathroom and very rudimentary kitchen. Talk about getting back to basics!!!

After a couple of years my brother and his crew enclosed the back porch and added a 20×18 "bedroom" on the back for me. I had my painting studio in the 16'×8' back porch area and my bedroom in the large room. After about six months, I switched it around, moving my bed and dresser into the 16×8 room and using the nice big room for my studio!

I pretty much live in there now. I have my big comfy recliner, my computer, tv and nice big windows for plenty of natural light. To correct a problem with a leaky roof (which is what spurred the addition), my brother put on a metal roof (which I LOVE) and changed the pitch of the roof. I had him leave the room open all the way up, so on the house side of the room, the wall is 12 feet high, sloping down to 8 feet at the window wall. It makes the room feel HUGE! I still don't have my work space set up exactly as I want it since I've added polymer clay as my primary art form instead of the painting that I had done for years. But slowly I'm getting there.


What does your space look like?
Right now my workspace is a horseshoe shape with my worktable on the front - facing the door and the tv - the rolling table that I have my pasta machine mounted on as well as some bead storage is across the bottom of the horseshow and my cool new storage unit is on the other side of the horseshoe.
(Arlene has two posts on her blog that show what she has done in her craft room.
Post #1, Post #2)

What would you love to add to it?
If I could add anything to my studio, I would add a workshop on the back. Right now I have to walk over to the storage building/workshop to use my drill press and buffer. I would also like to have a spray booth set up in the workshop for my airbrush. I rarely use it now because I don't have a "perfect" spot to use it in. Much of the work that I do is done at night so it's too dark to spray outside and I'm way too messy to spray inside!.

What or who inspires you?
I don't know that I can narrow it down to a specific who. It depends on what day you ask me! There are so many great jewelry and polymer clay artists doing such amazing things with this medium. My favorite thing to do is make flower canes, so my most recent inspiration was a polymer clay artist from Israel, Yonat (Art by Yonat), who made a video of a technique using a water-soluble clay to pack and reduce flower canes. She credits the initial inspiration for this technique to Idit Zoota, a fellow clay artist. It has made a world of difference in the way I make flower canes. I have a post on my blog – July 20th I believe -- that tells more about how this works along with a link to the video.

What is the item in your shop you enjoyed making the most and why?
I'd have to say the Funky Chicken Plant Pokes – just because they were so much fun! The dangly legs added character and I could go pretty wild and crazy with the colors. For pure relaxation, I'd have to say the polymer clay pens. This is something that I can do when the stress of the day and life in general is getting to me and it just sooths my soul
.



NOW FOR THE GIVE AWAY!

Arlene has made this amazing pen for the lucky winner of her give away!! The polymer clay pen is crafted by hand using a combination of marbled clay as a background and polymer clay “canes” which are made by hand in her studio. There is NO paint used in covering the pen, although a gloss sealer is added to protect and enhance the design.


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Here are the Rules to enter the Give Away.
Please leave a SEPARATE comment for each Entry!


* For the first entry - Go to: Ash Paints
Pick your favorite item and come back here with the link.
* 1 extra entry - blog about the give away, and leave a link.
* 1 extra entry - grab my button on the sidebar and add it to your blog, let me know
* 1 extra entry - twitter about this contest with a link, let me know where
You can twitter this:

@audreyscrafts Win a Handmade Polymer Clay Pen:
http://audreysgiveaways.blogspot.com/2009/08/ash-paints-give-away-aug-29-sept-5.html

*1 extra entry for each of my other give aways you enter - just comment telling me which one you entered.
* 1 extra entry for every time you do this - twitter about your favorite item in the shop, leave me a link
* 5 extra entries - purchase something from the shop - leave me a comment telling me what you purchased and a link to the invoice.

THIS GIVE AWAY IS NOW CLOSED!! THANK-YOU TO EVERYONE WHO ENTERED!


The draw will take place on:
September 12 at 6am!!
Good Luck Everyone!!


***********************************************


Audrey's Country Crafts is in no way responsible for the mailing of the prize. After the name is drawn I will contact that person. They have 3 days to respond before another name will be picked! The name and address will be forwarded.
Thank-you for entering!!


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DO NOT COMMENT HERE TO ENTER!!!
ENTER ABOVE!!

Friday, August 21, 2009

Love For Earth Give Away (Ends Sept 5)

And the winner is:


Suanne!!

Congratulations!



Love For Earth is the shop to go if you need reusable produce bags!! What an amazing color and size variety Kara has in her shop!! She also carries napkins, snack & sandwich bags, stuff for your dog, and reusable give bags. Kara lives in Virginia Beach, VA. "I am originally from a small town in the Texas desert full of tumbleweeds and scorpions named Midland.I ended up in Virginia by my first husband being in the military. I love Virginia Beach and plan on staying here!".



How did you decide on your shop name?
Truthfully, it came to me in the middle of the night around 4 am, and I am not one of those people that wakes up and jots down their dreams and thoughts, but I did that particular time. I had envisioned the logo to a certain extent, but it really blossomed into something I really love after I contacted Etsy sellerZen Design Studio with my concept and she brought it to life, I think pictures can sometimes speak a thousand words .

When did you start crafting? What is your favourite creative outlet?
I’d have to say it all started in early childhood with my obsession with coloring books, which extended beyond the coloring books and I remember getting in big trouble for coloring on my bedroom walls, my love of art just blossomed into many things after that. I have dabbled in many crafts, scrapbooking, painting, floral design, photography and others, but the one that really stuck was sewing, so I’d have to say that sewing is my favorite creative outlet, whether it is making a bag or a dress, I love the creative puzzle process of putting things together, and I am fascinated with the concept of turning a plain flat piece of fabric into something with shape, function and beauty. I have taught myself how to draft patterns and that has been a real catalyst in designing for me. I have a whole library of patternmaking books and sewing books, I am collecting them just like I am collecting sewing machines .

What made you decide to recycle and when did you start?
I would say it is a combination of a few things. I have 7 kids (a Brady Bunch type of family) I have 3 kids from a previous marriage and my husband has 4. We can go through a whole bunch of paper towels and ziploc bags. It was making me cringe at the mere fact that these things are only used once and then thrown out. As far as the produce bags, I was inspired to make those from one of those Discovery/National Geographic type shows that was about how plastic waste was killing our sea life and taking over our oceans. I just knew there had to be a better way and began experimenting with fabrics and techniques, but at the time it was mainly for personal use, I really didn’t start thinking about selling them until I began to realize other people wanted them too and I couldn’t get out of the store without a few offers to buy them and/or people telling me “you should sell those!” I do love that I am making things that really make a difference. As corny as it sounds, I like to think that the bags I sell may save some fish from suffocation, leave less plastic ‘waste’ on our planet for future generations and make our world a more beautiful place for them, less trees cut down for paper napkins, etc. One person can spare using hundreds of plastic bags over the course of a lifetime with a set of reusable produce bags, and save a tree from being cut down for paper napkins and other disposable paper items.

What or who inspires you?
I think inspiration can come from anything or anyone, I like the beauty of nature, rainbows, for example! Things people say, the way my dog wags her tail, the clouds moving across the sky, my favorite fuzzy blanket! Inspiration can just come from anywhere, but we have to be receptive to it.



Where do you craft? What does your space look like?
I craft in a spare room/office that I share with my 13 year old son. The family computer is behind me and he is often there playing Call of Duty or other interactive games, he keeps me company sometimes. I have a long table with 4 machines on it (sewing machine, coverstitch machine and 2 overlock/sergers, I also have a spare sewing machine upstairs) my sewing area gets cluttered quickly, I have to make myself clean it on Tuesdays and Saturdays or else it would be a total disaster and a few months ago I built shelves in the closet to help store things, but I still need more room! I think when my kids all go to college, I am going to convert their bedrooms into one big sewing studio! I just haven’t told my husband about it yet! That is quite a big ‘honey do’ list.

What is the item in your shop you enjoyed making the most and why?
I really love making the produce bags, I enjoy trying new colors and mixing colors together, it truly is a labor of love for me!


NOW FOR THE GIVE AWAY!!
Kara is giving one lucky winner a set of 7 reusable produce bags, in their favorite color!! Dual layered nylon netting, easy-care, OVERLOCKED seams for the strongest finish, overlocked seams do NOT fray or loosen with time, soft and fluid like plastic, featherweight, not the stiff stuff...slight stretch. These bags are a perfect way to go green and say bye BYE to the wasteful plastic bags that are piling up and cluttering our environment.


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Here are the Rules to enter the Give Away.
Please leave a SEPARATE comment for each Entry!

* MANDATORY For the first entry - Go to:
Love for Earth
Pick your favorite item and come back here with the link. PLUS
Tell Kara and I one thing you do or could do to reduce plastic and paper.
(you must do both in the same comment or your entry will not count)

* 1 extra entry - blog about the give away, and leave a link.
* 1 extra entry - grab my button on the sidebar and add it to your blog, let me know
* 1 extra entry - twitter about this contest with a link, let me know where
You can twitter this:

@audreyscrafts Win a set of 7 Reusable Produce Bags from Love for Earth:
http://audreysgiveaways.blogspot.com


* 1 extra entry for every time you do this - twitter about your favorite item in the shop, leave me a link


*1 extra entry for each of my other give aways you enter - just comment telling me which one you entered.
* 5 extra entries - purchase something from the shop - leave me a comment telling me what you purchased and a link to the invoice.

The draw will take place on: Sept 5 at 6 am!!
Good Luck Everyone!!




***********************************************

Audrey's Country Crafts is in no way responsible for the mailing of the prize. After the name is drawn I will contact that person. They have 3 days to respond before another name will be picked! The name and address will be forwarded to Kara.
Thank-you for entering!!

THIS GIVE AWAY IS NOW CLOSED!!


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Saturday, August 15, 2009

Crazy Bliss Give Away Aug 15-29

AND THE WINNER IS!


TILT
CONGRATULATIONS!!




Crazy Bliss is a wonderful card shop!! All the cards, invitations, tags, prints & posters are original. They have all been designed by Jennifer Reid who is from Ottawa Ontario, Canada! The give away prize that Jennifer's supplying, is a set of 5 cards!! But first - lets find out more about Jennifer her shop.




How did you decide on your shop name? My shop's name is Crazy Bliss which came from how I originally described my illustration style. When did you start crafting/drawing?
I've been crafting most of my life and eventually developed the crazy bliss illustration style in 2004. My mom recognized a creative drive in me when I was a toddler and provided me with what ever supplies we could find for projects. I was lucky enough to have a very well stocked art room in high school and was able to sample most media readily available. When I need a break from painting, I usually dabble in some form of mixed media.






Are there other crafts you would like to try?
I would really like to try the metal clays. I'd also like to improve my woodworking skills. What or who inspires you? I get inspiration from a lot of different sources - lines in books, tv commercials or snippets of conversation provide comical images in my head. I'll also flip through magazines of all kinds to get inspiration for multi-media projects. When I run out of ideas from those sources, I'll just talk to my nutty mother who's also my assistant and she'll keep me more than inspired than I asked for!! Do you have a day job? I actually took a part time job at a restaurant and work there 1 or 2 days a week there to get out of my studio and be with physical people. It was getting lonely working at home and the restaurant is also a great source of inspiration and a lot of fun. What is the item in your shop you enjoyed making the most and why? I need to update my shop with my new products but I'd say that my favorite item currently is the cat on vacation series of cards. The series stars a little cat named benjamin who's fed up with the mundane and decides to travel the world. I have a lot of fun painting that series.



NOW FOR THE GIVE AWAY!!
Jennifer is supplying one lucky winner with 5 cards from her "Girls with Tea" series. These lovely cards are embossed on both front and back and each features the print of an original crazy bliss watercolor painting. The cards measure 4 1/4" x 6 1/2", have been printed with vibrant vivera inks and come with a matching white envelopes
.



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CONTEST IS CLOSED!!

Thank-you to everyone who entered!


***********************************************

Audrey's Country Crafts is in no way responsible for the mailing of the prize. After the name is drawn I will contact that person. They have 3 days to respond before another name will be picked! The name and address will be forwarded to Jennifer.
Thank-you for entering!!



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Saturday, August 8, 2009

Radically Riley Give Away Aug 8-15

AND THE WINNER IS:



SUNNYVIEW!

CONGRATULATIONS!!


Radically Riley is an amazing jewelry shop on Etsy. Moyra has a wonderful selection of earrings, necklaces, bracelets, rings etc. She has a wonderful "Health and Harmony" collection, where she explains the story behind the healing properties of the stones she uses. The Give Away prize is from this collection. Moyra Riley in Prescott Ontario, originally from Saint John New Brunswick. How did you decide on your shop name?
To arrive at a shop name I just brainstormed ideas and let my thoughts flow onto paper without pausing to judge them. I probably had about 50 names at the end of that process. My husband and I then sat down and one by one eliminated our least favourites, until we were left with the winner: Radically Riley! It certainly suits my personality and the style of my jewelry.

When did you start making jewelry?
I first stumbled on jewelry making in the summer of 2007. I admired a friend's necklace, as it contained my favorite gemstone, turquoise. She offered to show be how to make one of my own, and once I picked up the pliers that first time I knew I had found what I had been looking for! I've been obsessed and loving it ever since.


Are there other crafts you would like to try?
I have done other crafts in the past. I did pottery for years, and some drawing. I think this all led to my niche in jewelry art. The skills I developed there certainly get applied in making my polymer clay components and just in general design principles. The other things I want to try center around more jewelry techniques. I definitely plan to train in silversmithing/goldsmithing. Precious metal clay, fused glass, lampwork...so many things to explore and so little time!

What/who inspires you?
I am inspired by music for sure. You will note that a lot of my pieces are named after songs. Sometimes the song comes first and inspires the piece, and other times when I look at the completed piece a song is brought to mind. Color is also a huge inspiration for me. I am really drawn to the sea, and you will sea this theme repeated in the colors and themes of my jewelry. Surprisingly, I am also really drawn to the desert area around arizona. I have never been there, but I feel I must have some ancestral ties. Again, you will see these earthy tones repeated in my work.

Do you have a day job?
By day I teach high school chemistry and math on a part time basis. Just prior to discovering jewelry, I fell ill with chronic fatigue. This also exacerbated a lifelong battle with depression. I was off work all together for a year and a half before returning part time. Now I have the best of both worlds. I get to maintain some balance and health by working a part time schedule, but I also get to work with some fabulous young people who feed my spirit by allowing me to help them get off to a good start in life.

What is your favorite piece in your shop?
It's really hard to pick one item that was my favorite to make! They all brought me pleasure and a good measure of frustration. Since I don't repeat similar designs very often, everything always presents new and unexpected design challenges. Resolving them, though, is ever so satisfying. One of my favorite designs was the Love Machine pendant. I actually did make two similar ones at the same time. One to sell and one to give away in a Valentines draw. This was my first experience working with resin. I really like the steam punky thing and had been wanting to use these watch parts I had on hand for some time. The photos don't show it well, but the words Love and Machine are also printed and embedded in the resin. Again the music theme. I had the idea to embed the watch parts in the heart, which made me thing of a machine. The heart is the body's central machine as well. Now of course my original idea for the heart was the Valentines theme of love. Putting these together made me recall the lyrics : "I'm just a love machine, and I won't work for nobody but you." Hence the name! The bezel is formed from textured polymer clay that is embellished with mica powder. This is always fun to do, and copper is my favorite metal to work with. I just love the warm tones.



NOW FOR THE GIVE AWAY!!


Moyra is going to give one lucky person a Mandala Necklace personalized just for them!! Isn't it beautiful?




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Mandala - a symbol depicting the endeavor to reunite the self (Carl Jung)

It is easy to allow life to spin us around. We must consciously focus our energies on those ideals, goals, activities and people that are most important to us. Your personal mandala will be a physical reminder to refocus in stressful times.

You will need to convo me for your preference of colour combinations and a list of seven things/people/ideals/goals/pets on which you desire to focus your energy. Shorter words work best.

Your mandala will be handcrafted from polymer clay, and will be about 2 inches in diameter. It will be strung on silk or leather to complement the mandala's colors. Findings will be sterling silver, with a Tibetan silver toggle clasp closure. In your convo please indicate either leather or silk and a desired length of the necklace.



**Here are the Rules to enter this amazing Give Away. **
Please leave a SEPARATE comment for each Entry!

* For the first entry - Go to:
Radically Riley
Pick your favorite item and come back here with the link.
* 1 extra entry - blog about the give away, and leave a link.
* 1 extra entry - grab my button on the sidebar and add it to your blog, let me know
* 1 extra entry - twitter about this contest with a link, let me know where: you can tweet this:


@audreyscrafts Win a Beautiful Handmade Personalized Necklace from Radically Riley. http://audreysgiveaways.blogspot.com



* 1 extra entry for every time you do this - twitter about your favorite item in the shop, leave me a link
* 5 extra entries - purchase something from the shop - leave me a comment telling me what you purchased and a link to the invoice.


The draw will take place on: August 15
Good Luck Everyone!!



***********************************************

Audrey's Country Crafts is in no way responsible for the mailing of the prize. After the name is drawn I will contact that person. They have 3 days to respond before another name will be picked! The name and address will be forwarded to Moyra.
Thank-you for entering!!




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CONTEST IS CLOSED!!

Saturday, August 1, 2009

JPAT Purses Give Away CLOSED!

AND THE WINNER IS:
RENEE' SIMMONS!!
Congratulations!!







JPAT PURSES is a wonderful shop on Etsy. She has the most amazing wallets, purse organizers, bags and pouches, in the coolest colors and fabrics. She also has a wonderful BLOG where JPAT is having another give away! You could win 2 of her pouches!! (one here, and one on her blog!)


When did you start crafting?
I have always enjoyed crafts , when I was kid I always had a craft project going. I learned to sew when I was about 10 years old.

Where do you craft? What does your space look like?
I have a very small room in my house (dining room) that is my work sewing studio. I do everything in this one room. Cutting, sewing,inventory, shipping, computer -- everything :)

Are there other crafts you would like to try?
I see things all the time that I would love to try, but time seems to be the issue. I won't start on a new craft unless I can give it a 110% .

What or who inspires you?
Fabrics are my main inspiration, but I am always trying to create items that would make a womens busy life more organized.

Do you have a day job?
Yes, this is my day job!!! I was an accountant for over 25 years so after over 25 years in the corporate world it was time to explore my more creative side

What is the item in your shop you enjoyed making the most and why?
I enjoy sewing in general, so I could never pick just one item. What I really enjoy is making new items when I get new fabrics. I am super proud of my zip-it around wallets- they are very difficult to make and no other seller on Etsy has yet designed one like it.


NOW FOR THE GIVE AWAY!!


JPAT has graciously offered this lovely pouch as the Give Away Prize. I love the fabric!! This little zip pouch has so many wonderful uses. Great as a coin purse, small cosmetic case, or even for your ipod or cell phone! Many of my customers buy them for their electronic gadgets because of the extra padding it has due to my unique bat quilt interfacing technique which provides extra strength yet still soft and comfortable to use, and a zipper close for extra security. Size:4 1/2" x 3 1/2"




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Here are the Rules to enter the Give Away:

* For the first entry - Go to: JPAT Purses
Pick your favorite item and come back here with the link.
* 1 extra entry - blog about the give away, and leave a link.
* 1 extra entry - grab my button on the sidebar and add it to your blog, let me know

* 1 extra entry - twitter about this contest with a link, let me know where
You can copy and paste this: Win a lovely Zippered Pouch from JPAT Purses:
http://audreysgiveaways.blogspot.com/


* 5 extra entries - purchase something from the shop - leave me a comment telling me what you purchased and a link to the invoice.


PLEASE HAVE A SEPARATE COMMENT FOR EACH ENTRY!!

The draw will take place on: August 8th!
Good Luck Everyone!!




***********************************************


Audrey's Country Crafts is in no way responsible for the mailing of the prize. After the name is drawn I will contact that person. They have 3 days to respond before another name will be picked! The name and address will be forwarded to JPAT.
Thank-you for entering!!

THIS CONTEST IS CLOSED!!

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