Tuesday, August 3, 2010

$30 Gift Cert. for Tracey Knits Giveaway

AND THE WINNER IS:
#22
TRACY!
CONGRATULATIONS!!

Many years ago my Grandmother tried to teach me know to knit. I just couldn't get the hang of it. The yarn on the needles was usually so tight, I could hardly get it off, and my scarves where never nice and straight. There is no way I would have been able to do any of the wonderful creations like those in Tracey Knits. What a really talented woman!

*Where are you from? Tell us a bit about yourself.
My name is Tracey Rediker and I have always been an artist. I was born and raised in New York City where my family indulged my creative side with classes and trips to museums. I currently have two jobs; number one being mother to 2 young children, the other being my online shops. i do both from the comfort of my home, now located on the Jersey Shore. i opened my first etsy shop several years ago to sell my fine art paintings, photography and illustrations. I opened my second a little more then a year ago exclusively to sell my hand-knit merchandise.

*How did you decide on your shop name? Why did you start your business?
I love knitting but it can be quite an expensive hobby. Several years ago i began doing projects for people around the holidays who did not have time to do it themselves. i wanted a name for my shop that clearly stated what I do, Tracey Knits just had the right ring to it.

*What or who inspires you?

I get most of my inspiration from my family. The golf club covers where first made as a gift for my Mother in Law; the football helmet was made for my son. i am just starting to include items that I have designed for myself.

*What are 5 things you want people to think when they see your product?
  • I have never seen anything like that before.
  • I have to have that.
  • I know someone who would love that.
  • What a great idea
  • I wish I had thought to do that

*What’s your supply addiction; is there a specific color or type of supply you just can’t pass up?
It is hard for me to pass up sock yarn. I love knitting them, though there are none listed in my shop. My preference is handspun or handdyed wool, but I have even bought red heart if I liked the colorway.

*What do you do when you’re not being an artist? What activities do you enjoy?
I have 2 kids that take up most of my free time, so a lot of my non-artistic activities involve amusement parks and chores. I am usually carrying along some knitting project with me on outings and pick up the needles whenever I get a free moment. i have a few guilty pleasures that i indulge myself in, mostly of the TV variety, including Project Runway, Ru-Paul’s Drag Race, America’s Next Top Model and Work of Art.

*Which item in your shop did you enjoy making the most and why?
The golf club covers are definitely my favorite item. The basic design can transform itself into so many things. Other then the football and baseball players I make the most of, I have done such diverse designs as teddy bears to military tanks. The possibilities are limitless!

*Are there other places on the net we can find you?
http://traceyknits.etsy.com
http://www.twitter.com/traceyknits
http://www.facebook.com/traceyknits
http://www.traceyknits.com
http://www.ravelry.com/designers/tracey-rediker


NOW FOR THE GIVE AWAY!
The winner will receive a $30 Gift Certificate to use at Tracey Knits! Wonderful hand knit hats, golf club covers, belts etc. to choose from!

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THIS GIVE AWAY IS CLOSED!!

The draw will take place on: September 17 @ 10PM Central
This is open to Worldwide!
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 2 days to respond before another name will be picked! The name and address will be forwarded. Thank-you for entering!!

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Eye Glasses

Do you wear Eyeglasses? I do, had to start when I was just over 40 years old. When reading my arms just weren't getting long enough :) I love to read so I knew I would have to get something. But picking a frame wasn't as easy as I thought.Glasses USA has some really wonderful frames to choose from. Wish I'd had the variety at the Optometrists that they have here. You can get your prescription glasses from them in these amazing frames, the selection is endless. My husband also wears prescription sunglasses, and Glasses USA has those too!! I found out that they also ship to Canada - might have to show this to Brad.

When I was picking out my glasses I really wanted the rimless kind. However they convinced me not to get them. I only have to wear my glasses for reading, so I leave them all over the house - they aren't as strong as rimmed glasses, so the worry was I would break them. Maybe they were right. The glasses I do have seem to have legs though. They are never where I leave them :) And I have two pair! I think they talk to each other and decide where they are going to hide next.

Do you like the glasses in the photo's? These are a few of my favorites. I was looking for glasses with either green frames or red ones - have to pick my favorite colors after all :) If you are looking for prescription eyeglasses you really should check out Glasses USA. I'm convinced they will have a pair you would really love.

All my visitors have the chance to purchase a pair at 10% off!
Just add the code mommy10 when prompted at purchase. Also be sure to join their Facebook fan page at: http://www.facebook.com/GlassesUSA.


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Fireplace Mantels

A dream of mine is that one day I am going to own a log home with a fireplace or maybe two :) I love log homes and where I live with the really cold winters - a fireplace would be wonderful! Though I think one in the livingroom and one in the bedroom would work wonderfully. I could curl up on a really comfy large chair with a good book in front of the warm fire, or maybe have a nap. Now there's an idea!

One of the great things about a fire place is the fireplace mantel. Just imagine all the decorations you could put on it at Christmas or for any holiday. It's a wonderful flat surface for all my snowmen, candles, greenery etc. I can just see it now, can't you? LOL

Fireplace Mantels has some really beautiful fireplace surrounds. Since my house is a log one I'll go with something a bit simpler, don't want anything to fancy. How does this one look?
Yep - it will work.

The one thing that I'm a little concerned about when it comes to fireplaces is carrying the wood in and where to put it, but they have such wonderful decorative Log Racks I think I could convince myself it's not so bad :) Besides, the smell of the burning wood would make up for the carrying. This one would look great next to my fireplace.

Oh wait - I'd also need a Fireplace Screen! Don't want the future grandchildren deciding to crawl into the fireplace and getting all dirty! Can just imagine what the daughter-in-law will think about that (once I have one). I love the look of wrought iron, so that's what it would have to be. This one is my favorite:
Now all I'll need is a wonderful big dog to lie in front of the fireplace on a hearth rug and we'd be set :) Since my kitchen counter and accents will be green - I think I'll go with this one.

Can't you just imagine it? Well - it wouldn't necessarily have to be a log house - but it is my dream after all :) Do you have a dream house? Does it have a fireplace or two?

Monday, August 2, 2010

Lotion/Soap Set Giveaway

AND THE WINNER IS:
#892
CHARLIEGURL!!
CONGRATULATIONS!!

Is there anyone who doesn't like handmade B&B products? I thought not! :) When I was contacted by So Stinking Sweet about a feature/give away on my blog, I first said "YES" then proceeded to do some shopping in her shop. I just couldn't resist! What did I purchase? Well - Fluffy Almond Icing Shea Butter Soap, Coconut Buttercream made with Shea Butter Bath Soap, Pink Grapefruit Whimsy Heart Handmade Shea Butter Soap and Cucumber Melon Shaving Soap. Don't they look amazing!! Can't wait for my package to arrive :) Let's learn a
bit about So Stinking Sweet and then on to the amazing give away!

*Where are you from? Tell us a bit about yourself.
Hi! My name is Dee. My husband and I live in a small town in upstate NY. We have two terrific daughters and two of the most beautiful granddaughters ever, who I am totally in love with!

*How did you decide on your shop name?
I have this strange fascination with anything miniature. One example, I was grocery shopping with my mom and found
these teeny tiny little ketchup bottles. They were like a serving for one, but in a bottle! So cool! I thought they were "so stinking sweet" I had to buy it. So anyways, its one of my favorite sayings. When I decided to go into business, "So Stinking Sweet" just seemed logical. It's perfect, don't you think? Stinking sweet... pun intended :)

*Why did you start your business?
Years ago my husband turned our family onto organic and/or natural foods. Eventually that led to more natural products that we used on a daily basis. The organic soap that we used was really
expensive. So I decided to try making my own. Although my soaps are not organic, they are a much healthier choice over the soaps that you purchase in your grocery store. All my soaps are made with an all natural vegetable soap base which contains no harsh chemicals or detergents.
About a year or so ago, my mom encouraged me to sell my soaps "because they are so pretty" Moms, don't you love them!
And that's how "So Stinking Sweet" came about :)

*What or who inspires you?
Color! I love fun bright happy colors. Which is kind of sad, because I took my dad to the doctors today and picked up a magazine and just learned that bright neon colors are no longer "in" Neutrals and beiges are the new "in" Although I am sure its not going to hurt my little soap business any. I mean I'm pretty confident your not going to see "So Stinking Sweet' in the next Vanity Fair magazine in the "Top Ten Things Not To Wear or Use" but it could be a huge impact on my wardrobe, which mainly consists of pinks. I just keep hoping that it was last years magazine that's been floating around the office.

*What are 5 things you want people to think when they see your product?
I don't know if I have any 5 specific things I want people to think when they see my product. I do hope that when they use my product, that they know how good they are treating their skin, because there are no harsh chemicals! And of course, leave them just feeling good! How can fun happy soap with natural ingredients and all those yummy fragrance not make someone smile and feel great!

*What’s your supply addiction; is there a specific color or type of supply you just can’t pass up?
Fragrances! Every time I think I've found my favorite another takes its place!

*What do you do when you’re not being an artist? What activities do you enjoy?
I play golf and lots of it! Wednesdays with my girlfriend, Fridays with my dad and the entire weekend with my husband.
I'm not a huge fan of winter, I hate the cold. So I am usually snuggled up reading a book or playing pogo on the computer.

*Are there other places on the net we can find you?
You can find me on twitter - http://twitter.com/SoStinkingSweet
and facebook: http://www.facebook.com/SoStinkingSweet
But I have to confess, I am not that great at it, lol. Social networking is hard work! But if you pop in, I'd be happy to give it another try!


NOW FOR THE GIVE AWAY!
The winner will receive a wonderful lotion and a bar of soap in Red Grapefruit Scent!
Luscious ruby red grapefruit with a sprinkle of pure sugar! Oh yea, Juicy Baby!! It's so sweet, its perfect for all the girls.

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THIS GIVE AWAY IS CLOSED!!

The draw will take place on: September 17 @ 10PM Central
This is open to Worldwide!
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 2 days to respond before another name will be picked! The name and address will be forwarded. Thank-you for entering!!

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Barefoot Books Giveaway

AND THE WINNER IS:
#205
VICTORIA!
CONGRATULATIONS!

Do you have a child that loves to read? When our boys were little I would read to them all the time. The oldest is still an avid reader, the youngest - not so much. But I tried :) My 7 year old nephew is crazy about books, but it's sometimes hard to find books geared for his age group. While looking
through a book store, they aren't always labeled in age categories. Lucky for us Barefoot Books has them separated into age groups and has books for every taste.

A little bit about Barefoot
Books:
Barefoot Books began with two mothers who wanted their children to have books that would feed the imagination, while instilling a respect for diversity and a love of the planet. Today, we are a world-wide community of writers, artists, storytellers, musicians, and others who are committed to providing timeless stories and captivating art that can help
children become happy, engaged members of a global society.

I was sent this wonderful package with 2 amazing books and these really cool recipe cards also geared for young children. The books are beautiful and the stories are really great for a 7 year old. I received Tales of Wisdom & Wonder, a book with great short stories and a CD. The second book is The Boy Who Grew Flowers, another beautifully illustrated book (hard cover).

The recipe collections consists of 40 easy-to-do recipes with great instructions. They are divided into sections: Eggs 'n' Beans, Fantastic Fruits, Milk 'n' Dairy, Spuds 'n' Grains, Vital Vegetables

The recipe cards are coated for easy cleaning, with and ingredient list, list of utensils
etc you will need, and great instructions.

If you aren't sure which book to get, check out their Best Sellers list, or the What's New section. If you are looking for some gift ideas, they have a sections devoted to Gift Sets in all price ranges. You can purchase books according to age or subject matter. They also have a section of books that Give Back.

This is a wonderful site with absolutely everything you need for your child to learn to read, puzzle, cook and more!






NOW FOR THE GIVE AWAY!

Winner's choice of One Book from Barefoot Books. Many children's books to choose from, pick from age group or subject!

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THIS GIVE AWAY IS CLOSED!!

The draw will take place on: September 10 @ 10PM Central
This is open to US & Canada Only!
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 2 days to respond before another name will be picked! The name and address will be forwarded. Thank-you for entering!!

Disclosure: I was provided a complimentary of this product by Tropical Traditions , for review and giveaway purposes. No monetary compensation was provided and opinions of the product are solely my own.


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ChicoBag Giveaway

AND THE WINNER IS:
#37
JEN!
CONGRATULATIONS!!

I'm getting really good at remembering to take along bags when grocery shopping. I have quite a few to choose from now :) But since son #2 is moving next week (21 hours away), I need to send some of my bags with him for when he goes shopping. But this isn't a bad thing - just means I get to purchase some new bags for me!!

I decided to get my new bags at ChicoBag. They have a wonderful assortment of sizes and colors and happen to hold lots of lbs. of groceries! This is important - that way you only have to make 3 trips from the vehicle to the house, instead of 8 trips with the small wimpy store plastic bags.

Two of the bags I purchased are from the Karma Collection, one from the Nature Collection and another two from the Original Collection.

The bags in the original collection (shown above) come in 11 wonderful colors. Sometimes when I go shopping I just don't need a really big bag, so I thought these would be perfect for those small shopping trips. And they are. The cost for these bags is $4.99 + shipping. I was amazed at how affordable they are and how strong they are even though they come in this tiny little pouch.
Here are the specs:

Materials: Made of durable woven polyester. Our fabric allows for easy opening and stuffing. No special folding is required.
Dimensions: Bag 18"x14.5" Pouch 3"x4" (approximately)
Capacity: 25 lbs. (One gallon of milk is approximately 7 lbs.)

The other 3 bags are quite a bit larger and obviously hold more items and weight. They sell for $8.99 + shipping. There are 5 different collections of bags, designs and colors all this size. One of the great things about these bags is the little pouch that they come in. It's actually attached to the bag. When you take the bag out - the pouch is inside the bag so you can't loose it!!


Here are the specs for these bags:
Materials: Made of durable woven polyester. Our fabric allows for easy opening and stuffing. No special folding is required.
Dimensions: Bag 19"x15.5" Pouch 3.5"x5" (approximately)

Capacity: 40 lbs. (One gallon of milk is approximately 7 lbs.)

If you are looking for some really light weight yet incredibly strong bags, I would highly recommend these. I've been using them for a couple of weeks now and I'm very impressed with them. They sent me an extra bag to give as a prize in a give away!! Woohoo!


NOW FOR THE GIVE AWAY!
One winner will receive this wonderful bag from ChicoBags Nature Collection.
Materials: Made of durable woven polyester. Our fabric allows for easy opening and stuffing. No special folding is required.
Dimensions: Bag 19"x15.5" Pouch 3.5"x5" (approximately)
Capacity: 40 lbs.


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THIS GIVE AWAY IS CLOSED!


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 2 days to respond before another name will be picked! The name and address will be forwarded. Thank-you for entering!!

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Tropical Traditions Coconut Oil Giveaway

AND THE WINNER IS:
#167
MELISSA!
CONGRATULATIONS

Have you ever used Coconut Oil? I didn't even know it existed until recently. Tropical Traditions has an amazing variety of products using coconut oil. They sent me a 32 Fl. oz jar of Coconut Oil to try. Why coconut oil? You can see an interview with the founder of Tropical Traditions HERE on youtube.


When I think oil - I think liquid, so I was quite surprised when I opened the jar and it was solid! "Read label before opening" LOL. Apparently it solidifies at about 76 degrees F. - my house isn't that warm right now :) All you have to do to make it a liquid is warm it in a container of water. Easy enough. I'm not a very patient person, so I scraped some oil out of the jar and placed it in a microwavable container and melted it in the microwave. If you love the smell of coconut as much as I do - the scent is amazing!

Luckily Tropical Traditions has lots of Recipes to choose from using the oil. So I went through the list and picked two that I would do for the review. Will definitely be trying some of the others too. The two I decided on were the Energy Berry Smoothie and the Quick Banana Nut Muffins, minus the nuts as hubby is slightly allergic.

They are both amazing!! I was actually hoping the coconut flavor would be stronger, but it was still very nice. The muffins are really moist and yummy! Hubby doesn't usually care for Smoothies, but even he thought this one was really good :) I used Strawberries in the smoothy, but it would be good with any berry.


All my followers can acquire their own complimentary copy of the Virgin Coconut Oil book by taking part in their Referral Program: http://www.tropicaltraditions.com/referral_program.htm.
When you choose “Referred by a Friend” - enter this User ID: 6435359 on your first online order and the book will be automatically added to your order. Here is the web link to the customer service page:
http://www.tropicaltraditions.com/customerservice.cfm

You can email them if you need some help placing your first web order to capture the free book.


NOW FOR THE GIVE AWAY!
One winner will receive a 32 oz. jar of Coconut Oil from Tropical Traditions.

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THIS GIVE AWAY IS CLOSED!

The draw will take place on: September 10 @ 10PM Central
This is open to US & Canada Only!
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 2 days to respond before another name will be picked! The name and address will be forwarded. Thank-you for entering!!

Disclosure: Tropical Traditions provided me with a free sample of this product to review, and I was under no obligation to review it if I so chose. Nor was I under any obligation to write a positive review or sponsor a product giveaway in return for the free product.


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Organize It - Can Dispenser

AND THE WINNER IS:
#343
JODI!
CONGRATULATIONS!!

In early January I was reading one of my favorite blogs and she had a "Word of the Year". That got me thinking - what would mine be. It took me a few days to come up with one - Organize! I am definitely not the most organized person on the planet - just ask my husband. Ok - maybe don't ask him LOL.

I've managed to organize my craft
room, and other parts of the house slowly, but sometimes it nice to have some gadgets that help put everything in their place. I found this amazing site with everything you need to organize your home. Organize It is amazing! They have items to help me organize in a way I never would have thought about.

My kitchen needs the most help. So that's the section that I've been looking at the most. Where my pots and pans go is really quite a mess right now - but I think I've found a few items that will help me with that.

I also have a fair size pantry, but it's hard to keep everything organized in there too. The shelves are huge, but that just means you can stack more stuff on them and never see what's in the back.

Organize it sent me these wonderful Can Dispensers. One to give away and one too keep. They are amazing!! They will hold up to nine cans. I thought this would be a great help in my pantry, until my oldest son saw it and decided he needed it where he lives to help organize his little space. Hmmmm. Well - I had it long enough to take a few photo's :) It goes together very easily and is quite strong.
We are really happy with it.

So, if you need some help organizing your kitchen, or any room in your house you need to check out Organize it, I can guarantee they will have something you need!


NOW FOR THE GIVE AWAY!
Win a wonderful can dispenser to help organize your kitchen.
The Can Dispenser will dipsense cans as you need them in a neat and organized fashion. Great for all kinds of canned goods. Holds up to nine cans based on the diameter of each can.
Measurements: 5.5" W X 12.25" D X 7" H

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THIS GIVE AWAY IS CLOSED!!

The draw will take place on: September 10 @ 10PM Central
This is open to US & Canada Only!
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 2 days to respond before another name will be picked! The name and address will be forwarded. Thank-you for entering!!

Disclosure: I was provided a complimentary of this product by Organize It, for review and giveaway purposes. No monetary compensation was provided and opinions of the product are solely my own.


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