Hand Crocheted Bag Give Away

AND THE WINNER IS:
THAETER7!
CONGRATULATIONS!!

My name is Sherri. I live in Delaware, I started crocheting years ago, oh I would say about 30 years ago. I had just gotten married. And my mother was crocheting an afghan. I had her show me how she done that, and from then on these fingers have not stopped. I have 3 kids that I made blankets for when they were 2 years old. They cherished them, my oldest is now 32 and my youngest is 23, and they all 3 still have their blankets. Now I have 9 grandchildren that I have made blankies for. When they were first born, I made a little baby blanket for them and when they turn 2 years old, for their birthday I make them a big blankie. I have always made clothing and other things also. I have also always loved creating my own patterns rather than using other patterns. Or sometimes, I take a basic idea and change it up just to make it my own. Although, I do use patterns for a lot of things. I have recently started making purses, which are my own creations without a pattern, which I am loving very much. I believe that crocheting and crafting is just something that I was born to do, with the help of my mom being so crafty herself, she was always making something. Anyways here I am now also. And loving every minute of it.

My grandkids all call me Grammie. When I decided to create my online shop, I had my oldest granddaughter here with me. I had in my mind that I wanted to call my shop “The Crafty Cabana”. But it sounded alittle boring to me. I wanted to make it a little different. So I changed the “C” to a “K” My Grandaughter, who I thought, was paying no attention to me blurted out “Grammie’s Krafty Kabana”. It hit me right then and there, that is what I am going to call my shop. It has stuck ever since.

I have been selling online for about 2 years now. It has been very time consuming, but on the other hand, it has been very rewarding. It is rewarding not only in sales, but also in creating and meeting all the new and wonderful people out there, that love creating new and wonderful handmade merchandise. Crocheting relaxes my mind.

I am very passionate about crocheting, although I do love other crafts and woodwork. I guess I would say my first passion is family and friends, then crocheting and woodwork. I do have an addiction though, I love purses. So my newest addiction is crocheting purses. Baby items and kitchen items are also a lot of fun to make. I make a variety of items for my store, anything from baby blankets to kitchen and bath accessories to games and toys. Selling online is exciting, but sometimes when I make a handmade item, it is hard to part with.

I would have to say that my favorite online shops are those that create lovely jewelry and handmade clothing and accessories. Although there are many very talented and creative people, I tend to gear towards those that I can sense have put a lot of time and passion into their work.

I would like to invite everyone to visit my blog. I don’t only blog about my shop, but love to boast about others selling online. Sometimes I have free recipes, puzzles, news articles, or something that just seems very fascinating to me. Visit my blog at www.chiffonsherri.blogspot.com

Happy crafting and creating to everyone.

NOW FOR THE GIVE AWAY!
Someone will win this wonderful hand crocheted purse!



Handmade crocheted medium size hobo style shoulder strap purse,
dark teal and off white.
Snap is used as the fastener on this purse with a large
decorative button in shades of off white, beige and
light brown accenting the purse.
Gold rings are used to hold shoulder strap in place on the purse.
Purse measures 13 inches wide and 7 inches high without strap,
17 1/2 inches high including the strap.

THIS GIVE AWAY IS CLOSED!!

Snorg T-Shirt Give Away

AND THE WINNER IS: SOCIALSTUDIESSOUBRETTE!!
CONGRATULATIONS!!

Everyone loves t-shirts with cool or funny sayings on them :) But sometimes it's hard to find good ones, or a decent selection. I finally found a site with so many to choose from it's takes hours to pick one! Snorg Tees is that site.

I was given the opportunity to review a t-shirt but there was no way I could pick a t-shirt to review, so I sent an email to Son 1 (Luke) and let him pick. This is the one he picked for me to review:

(Pirate Encyclopedia)

The t-shirts are US made, and we were really impressed with the quality. So often the boys t-shirts start to come apart on the shoulder seams, but these are stitched in such a way that it won't happen. The material is nice and soft, and Luke thought the t-shirt was quite comfortable.

They have t-shirts geared towards Men, Women, Kids and even Hoodies.

So if you love funny t-shirts, or know some one who does this is the place to go! There is just an amazing selection to choose from.

NOW FOR THE GIVE AWAY!
Winner's choice of t-shirt from Snorg Tees!



THIS GIVE AWAY IS CLOSED!!

InnoFresh FRIDGE IT Give Away

AND THE WINNER IS:
JENNIFER!
CONGRATULATIONS!!

Do you have a smelly fridge? What about a garbage can that smells even when it's empty? Does your vehicle smell musty? I have often had to listen to hubby "mention" that there are funny smells in the fridge or that the kitchen garbage smells, even though I just emptied it and cleaned the container. During the winter he often mentions that the truck smells musty. Are mens noses that much better than ours or do they smell things we don't because they don't have to clean them? :)

I saw Fridge-It Activated Charcoal Odor Absorbers reviewed on another blog and just had to contact them to see if they would be interested in a review/give away on my blog. They got back to me with a "YES"! Two weeks ago the package arrived. Inside were Fridge-It Activated Charcoal Odor Absorbers in the cube form and wafer form. After reading about their products on their site & reading the instructions on the packaging I put a wafer FRIDGE IT in the garbage container and 2 of the cubes in my fridge. The instructions suggest 2 in a large fridge, which I have.


A bit about InnoFresh:

Since 1992, our trusted brands have been available at popular retailers, but now also we provide our full line of activated carbon odor absorbers on line direct to consumers. Our eco-friendly, chemical free, fragrance free line of activated carbon odor absorbers are extremely effective in eliminating odors rather than cover up odors with another smell which is what most other "air fresheners" do. Unlike other products that just mask odors, our activated carbon odor absorbers actually eliminate the odors by absorbing and neutralizing - so the odor is permanently eliminated. This is also very practical for those with allergies to fragrances and also chemical sensitivities. Our activated carbon odor absorbers are available for use throughout the home with FRIDGE IT Cube and Wafer, but also for specific areas such as litter box and other small animal cages - Innofresh PET odor absorber, or in car - use Innofresh AUTO, or in smelly gym bags and lockers, etc - Innofresh SPORT.

Where ever there is odor, we can solve it. Under sinks, near trash, diaper pails, musty cabinets, basements and even really smelly dorm room closets. FRIDGE IT cube even is strong enough for "Dead Mouse Odor" which is one of the most searched odor problems. - common problem of dead mouse behind wall. And FRIDGE IT cube is great for this. All without chemicals and without fragrances that just cover up smell. Our products are all manufactured in the USA and all our components are also sourced from US suppliers. This is an important core value of mine. Also, FRIDGE IT has been featured on The Food Network - (The Food Detectives episode that showed how much better activated charcoal is than baking soda in eliminating fridge odor). Also, FRIDGE IT cube received highest ratings from NBC affiliate station in TX on "Does It Work" TV segment. These links can be found on my website as well as on Innofresh Blog. Also, check out new:60 sec tv spot featured on my blog.

We grow our own onions in the garden & they tend to be stronger than the onions you buy at the grocery store. As luck would have it, the day before the Fridge-It Activated Charcoal Odor Absorbers arrived, I had cut up an onion and only used 1/2 of it. The unused 1/2 went into a ziplock bag and into my "onion drower" in the fridge. My whole fridge smelled like onions! It was quite strong. This would be a good test for the cubes. I placed on on a shelf in the door & one in the onion drawer. After about 6 hours, when it was time to make supper, I opened the fridge for the first time since adding the cubes. I was pleasantly surprised to have no smell in the fridge! The Charcoal Odor Absorbers worked amazingly well on getting rid of the onion smell as well as any other smells that were in there. They last for up to 6 months & and wafer ones last for 4 months.

These are definitely products I would recommend to anyone with a fridge or garbage can! You can purchase these online at InnoFresh.com. They are offering a 10% discount to all my readers! Just use this coupon code BK409B during checkout!

Other places to find them:

Twitter - http://twitter.com/Innofresh

Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Innofresh-Products-Fridge-It-odor-absorbers/51250697052?ref=ts

Blog - http://innofresh.wordpress.com/
The blog has wonderful Quick Tips For Eliminating Odors.

NOW FOR THE GIVE AWAY!



One winner will receive a 6 pack of FRIDGE IT cubes! That's 3 years worth of odor killing cubes!
Fragrance Free Fridge-It® Cubes and Fridge-It® Wafers odor eliminators are ideal for even the worst odors in refrigerators and for providing fresher tasting and smelling ice in the freezer. Our activated charcoal works on all odors, not just the easy ones. Advanced air flow design and activated charcoal filter literally pulls odors into the filter and traps them. Fragrance free so odors aren’t covered up by irritating fragrances but instead eliminated by our advanced activated charcoal carbon filter.


THIS GIVE AWAY IS CLOSED!!

Soap & Body Butter Give Away

AND THE WINNER IS:26MAMA26!!
CONGRATULATIONS!!

We all know I LOVE handmade soap :) So when Pink Parchment Soaps agreed to a feature/give away I was thrilled! Trish has beautiful soaps. Take a look -

*Where are you from? Tell us a bit about yourself.
I am from Michigan. I was born and raised here. The one thing I like about Michigan is that we have rain, snow, ice and some really beautiful days. Fall in Michigan is so beautiful!

*How did you decide on your shop name? Why did you start your business?
Several years ago, we were on vacation in North Carolina and stopped in a small soap shop. They made the most beautiful soap we had ever seen. We also thought, oh these will make wonderful gifts for both my husband’s mother and my mother – both of whom are incredibly difficult to buy for! With both mother’s day and birthdays right around the corner, we stocked up. Once we returned to Michigan, I happened to get a flyer from a local college and they were offering soap-making classes. I took the class, and voila, we were hooked.


*What do you like about being a seller?
My favorite thing about being a seller is all the interesting people you meet. Etsy has such a wide variety of the nicest people you’d ever want to meet. I’d love to be able to meet everyone in person!

*Do you have a favorite scent?
Currently my favorites are peppermint and pink grapefruit. Both have such a refreshing smell and I love the invigorating cooling sensation of peppermint.

*What do you do when you’re not making soap? What activities do you enjoy?
In the winter I can be found reading books. Currently I’m reading about the art of perfume making and aromatherapy. In the summer, I love to be outside working in the garden. I have to admit that I am not a very good gardener, but I do enjoy it.

*Which item in your shop did you enjoy making the most and why?
Cucumber Melon soap! I can’t tell you how many times I’ve made this soap and it never, ever comes out looking the same. It always smells great, just never looks the same. I actually have over 25 pages of notes that have exact measurements, colorants, pouring temperature, temperature inside the house, outside the house, humidity level etc. It’s my current challenge…

*Are there other places on the net we can find you?
We have both twitter - http://twitter.com/pinkparchment
and facebook - http://www.facebook.com/pages/Troy/Pink-Parchment-Soaps/207600585330?ref=ts

NOW FOR THE GIVE AWAY!

The winner will receive their choice of one Body Butter and two Bars of Soap from the shop!!

THIS GIVE AWAY IS CLOSED!!

Sun Glasses Give Away

AND THE WINNER IS:TATTWO!!
CONGRATULATIONS!!

A few months ago I was asked if I would be interested in hosting a review/give away for Reading Glasses Shopper. I do need glasses for reading but my eyes are different, so I have prescription glasses. However Brad (hubby) had been talking about getting clip on sunglasses, and Affordable Style also happened to have prescription and non-prescription sunglasses at the SunglassWarehouse! So after emailing them back, we were given the opportunity to pick any sunglasses from their site to review.

Brad picked the Rectangle Flip-Up Polarized Sunglasses in copper. Brad does wear prescription glasses, and also has a pair of prescription sunglasses, but he was getting tired of carrying both pairs and having to switch every time he was in the vehicle or in a building. So he thought if he had clip on sunglasses, that would take care of the need to carry two pair with him all the time.

The pair he chose flip up so that they can stay on his glasses all the time. It's taken a little while to get used to the extra weight on his glasses. When you hold them in your hand it feels like they don't weigh anything, but apparently it's different when they are on your face :) But he really likes them. They cut down on the glare you get sometimes while driving. Brad thinks they will be really great here in the winter, when we have all that white snow that is really really bright when the sun is shining.

SunglassWarehouse has an amazing array of sunglasses to choose from! So many styles and different colors, you will definitely find something for you or any member of your family!

NOW FOR THE GIVE AWAY!
One person will win their choice of sunglasses from SunglassWarehouse!






THIS GIVE AWAY IS CLOSED!!

b.happybag Give Away!

AND THE WINNER IS:
MICHELLE!
CONGRATULATIONS!

For the last couple of years I have been trying to remember to take my re-usable shopping bags with me every where I go. It's been a bit of a struggle, but I'm getting there :) I prefer larger bags so that I don't have to have 10 bags full of groceries, but so far had only found medium sized one. b.happybags has wonderful LARGE re-usable bags.

b.happybags is located in Arizona! Here's some information about b.ahppybags:

As long time proponents of “just saying no” to paper or plastic, we know the value of a good shopping bag. Unfortunately, the ones we had had ripped, frayed or shrunk to a size fit for one half gallon of milk and a pack of gum. Necessity is the mother of invention — a happier reusable bag was born. After a few trips to the grocery, farmers markets and even Costco, we knew we had to share the joy.

Our goal in producing these reusable bags is to appeal to the people that think you have to don your Birkenstocks to make a wise post consumer decision. Not only does it save a tree or a barrel of oil — it makes your shopping trip a hell of a lot easier. And — it’s much more fun to carry home your cantaloupes in a zebra print bag. We sincerely hope that our bags will help to eliminate the destructive overuse of disposable bags

Worldwide, hundreds of billions of plastic bags are consumed each year. Less than 3% are recycled; the rest are clogging landfills, blowing down our streets and threatening wildlife. Because of their negative environmental impact, from manufacturing to disposal, many countries are banning or taxing plastic bag use (as much as 20 cents per bag!). As petroleum based products, the cost of plastic bags will continue to rise, being passed on to consumers. As tax payers, we are also bearing the staggering costs of clean up and disposal, estimated at 5.2 cents per bag.

Their selection of bags to choose from is amazing. The Shopping Totes & Dry Cleaning Bags are a wonderful size. Each measures 15" x 12" x 8". The come in two different types of material: 1) 100% upholstery weight cotton prints or 2) Solid color recycled (water bottles) fabric.

They carry Wine Bags (that hold 6 bottles) in 4 amazing patterns and Yoga Bags in 4 wonderful patterns.

I was given the opportunity to review my choice of bag. I picked the Jane Shopping Tote because it's made from canvas woven from recycled plastic bottles and it's RED! :) The thought that they could make fabric from plastic bottles intrigues me and I wanted to see what the material would look and feel like.

When the package arrived - it included two wonderful bags! I LOVE them!! The fabric is very soft and durable. They are easy to fold into a smaller size to fit into my other bags or my purse. They are HUGE! Just seeing the measurements in the listing didn't prepare me for how much they would hold. The few days later I had to do my grocery shopping for Easter Weekend and obviously took these bags to see what I could get into them. This is what all fit into ONE bag!:

My other bag had heavier items in it, but was still easy to carry. The handles are quite comfortable. Obviously the bags and strong enough to carry anything you would put into them. If you are looking for a bag that is made from recycled materials, looks amazing and hold "tons" of stuff - these are the bags for you!

NOW FOR THE GIVE AWAY!
b.happybags will be sending one winner their choice of 2 bags from the site!



THIS GIVE AWAY IS CLOSED

Jewels by Jane Give Away

AND THE WINNER IS:JINX!!
CONGRATULATIONS!!

A while back I did a swap with Jewels by Jane and was sent this amazing button art piece:

I absolutely LOVE it and it will hang proudly in my craft room as soon as the room is finished :) Jane was kind enough to offer to do a give away on my blog! She will design a custom piece for the winner in their favorite colors! But before we get to that - we need to find out about Jane.

Where are you from?
I live in Chattanooga, Tn. I've been here for 18 yrs but I'm originally from Georgia, and I sound like it, LOL!

How did you decide on your shop name?
I actually signed up to buy on Etsy before I started selling, so once I opened my shop the name was already done!

Why did you start your business?
I had been a party plan direct seller for a number of different companies for many years. With the kids schedules and my husband never knowing when he would be called in to work, it just got impossible scheduling parties. So I quit that but wanted to "do" something. I started out by making wreathes from grapevines and ceiling medallions and then I added buttons to a few wooden wreathes and knew I had found my niche..Button Art!!

What types of items do you have?
During the fall I will once again have the button wreaths and during Christmas I will add the button ornaments...both of these items are also made from wood and buttons. But year round, I will have my art...I call it "Feel-Able Wall Art". I do some abstracts, a few of which I stack the buttons for multi layers, as well as "picture" works...just whatever strikes my fancy at the time. I also do custom work, it can be based on a piece I've already done or something different. I especially like doing different sizes...big and little, 14x16, 12x12, 7x7, 5x5...they're all fun.

Do you have something new you will be adding?
Oh yes! And I'm very excited about it. Generally I have my husband or one of the boys cut the wood, I sand it and then another son paints it. But now, I'm starting to use scrapbook papers as the background.. like the one I made for you Audrey. And I'm doing more "stacked" pieces like the one I will do for the winner. I have 2 styles I use, "placed" which is where I glue each individual button for the 2nd and 3rd layer and also the "dropped" method where I cover the first layer in glue and just drop the buttons on it! In my Etsy shop "Ebony and Ivory" was made using the placed method, and "Broken Glass" is using the dropped method

Do you have a blog?
I actually have 2. I have my "everyday life" blog called Jumpin' In The Jungle. This is where I go and rant and rave about life, and I have LOTS of pics of my kids!! And I have just started another blog called MyArt, and it is for just my art work, I wanted a way to keep track of where I started and where I will end up some day!

What inspires you?
Sometimes the wood, sometimes the buttons themselves and sometimes just my own imagination!

Which item in your shop did you enjoy making the most and why?
It would have to be "BIG Tree". I call it my heart work. I had it sketched out since the late fall and had even bought the buttons for it, but just could never get around to making it. I asked hubby to bring a piece of wood home for me, I use 2X4 sheets of plywood, and the piece he brought me had a beautiful knothole in it. I knew immediately that I wanted it in my tree. I had him cut my wood and then I decided to stain it, and then I sketched it on the wood and completed it in just a few hours, easy to do since I've known for months how I wanted it to look.. a true piece of my heart!

NOW FOR THE GIVE AWAY!
One lucky winner will receive a stacked button 7X7 inch wall hanging, colors of the winner's choice and choice of stacked style, placed or dropped Custom made by Jane!


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

Design Dream Give Away

AND THE WINNERS ARE:
Candice
Elaine
Janel

CONGRATULATIONS!!

I found this amazing shop on Etsy. Jessica creates high quality custom logo branding and photo cards. She has amazing unique designs for birthdays, baby showers, thank you cards and more. Jessica will also custom design something just for you :)

My name is Jessica and I am a graphic designer based in Vancouver, Canada. I just started my Etsy store about couple months ago. It's called DesignDream for custom photo cards, invitations, announcements for every occasion. We are focused on providing fast, courteous service to our customers. I love doing custom photo cards, scrapbook pages, typography, beluga, cute babies, sneakers, and shadow puppet. My favourite quote “If I believe in any God, my God exists on design. I know this because design makes me happy and that’s the point of having God.”


I always provide excellent and fast service and no matter how hard the project is I am always up for a challenge. I have been trained at The Art Institute of Vancouver with a diploma in Graphic Design and have experience dealing with a variety of clients including Walmart, Re/Max, Cottonwood Mall, Inspire Health, Costco, etc. This allows me to understand their needs and ensure that clients are satisfied with the results that I deliver in a period of time that is given.

My biggest inspirations are the things that I see in everyday life and because I am a pretty random person, so inspiration can strike me from the skytrain to the kitchen, when I am lying in bed in the dark before I go to sleep to when I am listening to some music, sometimes it just pops into my head. For me inspiration is often random and surprising.

I love white space and nice simple illustration. I also tend to use bright colors like orange, purple and green. I believe good design should have great readability so I love to play around with typography, pick up some cool typefaces and start doing my design.

Links:
My etsy store: www.designdream.etsy.com
Flickr: www.flickr.com/photos/designdreametsy

NOW FOR THE GIVE AWAY!
Three lucky winners will get their choice of item from Design Dream worth $13 or less!


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

Leaf Charm and Red Czech Glass Flower Necklace

AND THE WINNER IS: ANNIE!
CONGRATULATIONS!!

Earrings Nation isn't a shop with only earrings! Eaindar has the most wonderful necklaces too! So when she offered to do a give away on my blog - well - I just couldn't say no :)

*Where are you from? Tell us a bit about yourself.
My name is Eaindar. I live with my husband and son in Beautiful Sunny Singapore. I’m 30 yr old stay at home mum who is taking care of cute 19 month old baby boy.

*How did you decide on your shop name? Why did you start your business?
When I started out at ETSY, I only planned to sell Earrings in variety. That’s the reason I give my shop name as “Earrings Nation”. Along the way, I’ve added Necklaces to my shop and decided not to change my shop name. I was selling my creations on Blog Locally since 2004 and I wish to expand my business into Worldwide. Last year I found out about ETSY and decided to open “Earrings Nation”.

*What or who inspires you?
Everything in my daily life inspired me to create beautiful things.

*What do you like about being a seller?
I love to communicate with people. When I received beautiful feedback from my customer, I really feel that someone appreciate my talent and that make me feel very happy.

*What’s your supply addiction; is there a specific color or type of supply you just can’t pass up?
I love fuchsia, red and dark pink color stuffs. I also love flower cabochons, vintage and one of a kind type of charms.

*Do you have a blog?
I have a blog http://craftydream.blogspot.com which is featuring beautiful items from around the world daily (mostly from ETSY). I started this blog because I found out that ETSY have many talented artists who never appeared on ETSY blog, Treasuries or Front Page. Therefore, I started this blog to feature those artists as many as I can.

*What do you do when you’re not being an artist? What activities do you enjoy?
Most of my time is spent doing house work, taking care of my son and going out as a family once every week. I enjoy going out with my husband and son to the park for a walk.

*Which item in your shop did you enjoy making the most and why?
I love flowers and feminine stuffs. The item I enjoy making the most is “Love Messenger - Antique Brass Flying Bird Charm, Envelope Charm and Turquoise Flower Cabochon Necklace”. It is vintage look and yet romantic and feminine piece.

*Are there other places on the net we can find you?
ETSY : http://www.earringsnation.etsy.com
My blog : http://craftydeam.blogspot.com
Twitter : http://twitter.com/craftydream
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/people/Eain-Dar/100000748856887
Flickr: http://www.flickr.com/groups/craftydream

NOW FOR THE GIVE AWAY!
One lucky winner will receive this amazing Necklace!

Antique brass Leaf charm and Red Czech glass flower Necklace
Made of Antique brass Leaf charm and Red Czech glass flower.
It comes with a delicate antique brass chain.
Necklace Length : approx 17 inches Leaf charm size : 1 x 1 inches

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