Thursday, April 29, 2010

Giveaways and the LAST week of Planting Chums :: Four FUN Facts

It's the last week of Planting Chums. I can't believe there's already been (almost) a month of them! Since it is the last one, I wanted to make it super fun. Sooo...it's gonna be just four fun facts about you, and there are a lotta giveaways.

For the giveaways...(scroll down for the Planting Chums link up)

First off, we've got this super gorgeous Dahlia Necklace Yellow by Offbeet. I know. Uber cute, right? There were several different colors for this necklace, but I really love that yellow. Vivid, cheery, bright and SUMMERY. Says it all there. Offbeet has some seriously cute jewelry...I would definitely check her shop out!

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Then another necklace, Continents, by ThisMuchLove. She's a sweet lady who incorporates her faith into her jewelry (look at the shape of that necklace? Is that not creative?) I love the different stones that shes for her jewelry...yet she still ties it all together. A simply gorgeous necklace. Again...there's some yellow in there (along with green and blue--some of my favorite color combos.) so it's another summery necklace for you! :-)

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Okay. I fell in love with this hat. I know that it's nearing summer, but seriously...come winter time, this is something I would be wearing. Quirky, cute and it looks soooo warm. Hmm...in fact...be a rebel and wear it in the summer! HA! The therosenhoffs are giving this super cute hat away...check out their shop, they've got some more cute hats! (and some awesome photography). Oh, and Charlotte from therosenhoffs has an aaamaaazing blog on blogger. Very inspiring and such a cute layout. Check it out here!


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Then, Joom is offering readers any mini pillow from his/her shop. Aren't these super cute?! (seems like I'm using the word "cute" a lot lately...but it's definitely needed to describe all of this etsy stuff!) The floral and bird patterns on the pillows are just darling, and I love the colors. Very, very vivid. And you know that I love vivid. (psst...the blue one's my favorite. In case anyone wanted to get me one. Y'know...Lol. ^_^) Aren't they just so fun? I really want to get a bunch of them and throw them all over my bed. Seriously, check out Joom's shop--definitely worth it.

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Katie Daisy at thewheatfield is giving away any 8.5" x 11" print from her shop. Okay...if anyone wants to get me one of these, I'd be happy too. The lettering, colors and graphics are just incredible! Inspiring, dreamy and whimsical...her prints are what I would be hanging on my walls, let me tell you. Look at that one on the far left. Isn't that LIVE lettering just super awesome? Uhhh....oh, gorgeous, gorgeous, gorgeous.

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Skeldesign is giving away a "what's the buzz" notepads. Skeldesign's store is just a fun, funky place to shop at for all sorts of stuff, such as...
A bright modern paper goods studio specializing in notepads, greeting cards, note cards, invitations, thank yous, personalized items, gift tags, t-shirts and so much more! (taken from the etsy shop)
Really though? I'd love to put this cute notepad up. What's the buzz with YOU?

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Lolasroom is giving away any 8x8 print from her store. I have a few words for her photography...I'm in love with it. The soft colors and vintage look are incredible..really, her stuff is so gorgeous and I wouldn't mind any of it either. Some of my favorite pictures are her sky ones, and I love those spools of thread. The ordinary seen as beautiful...that's what I'm talking about!

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Colorido Beaded Hoop Earrings by Zeijlon. Zeijlon has some really gorgeous jewelry, but I especially love these earrings because of the colors. Soft and cheery. (oops! I typed CHERRY at first...well...they are a little red. Hee hee...) Aren't they simply fab? Loooove them. These would be so cute to wear--definitely. All of her jewelry is really insane in the level of quality and detail that goes into it all. Simply mah'velous.

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Okay. Aren't these just fun?! I thought that it would be fun to give these away...because they're so quirky! And I do like quirky! The black and white is so striking and, well, let's face it...that pattern is so fun. Wouldn't it be cute to have them? Really--they'd look so adorable tossed on a couch or bed. Looove them. tilly2shoes is giving them away...and aren't you glad? :-)

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And lastly, Lilybaubles is giving away this Keep Calm Carry on Glass Soldered Charm. This is so cute and so vintage. As a font junkie, I love the font used for the Keep Calm etc...All of her charms are adorable and I'm so glad I was able to give this away. It's probably my absolute favorite out of her shop. I don't know about you, but I'd be wearing this on a chain for a necklace!




Now for Planting Chums, week four...all you have to do is put four, random, fun facts up about yourself, your family, etc. Silly, quirky, funny...I'm sure we'd love to hear about them! :-)

So here are my four fun facts:

1. I can do the splits. I can. Honest. Don't believe me...check out these pics!

It's taken me soooooooooo long to get there though. But I'm so glad I can. Although...I'll admit...it's only on my right side. I'm THIS close to being able to do it on my left.

2. I stepped on a pin tonight. Alright. So my dad was on a business trip and he got home tonight so I was tidying up a bit. Well, one of my mom's dreaded adorable (no, really. They're super, super cute) pincushions was on the floor. I smartly stupidly decided to pick it up with my foot (considering I had a couple more in my hands). Big. Mistake. I would advise you to never do it. Very painful. I literally screamed. 

3. I have never ever, ever, liked macaroni and cheese. I know. I'm weird. Not even as a baby...to me, it's double yucko. Yet I like noodles with butter and Parmesan. o.O

4. (okay...so it's not about me...but this picture is too cute not to share)We got dairy queen tonight and Eli decided to make a "HUZZAH!" sound and do this.
 

It was a small vanilla dip cone...not a kid cone. And I got to help him with it (aka, eat off most of the chocolate and lick some of the icecream so it didn't drop all over him. Hee hee...pros to being a big sister there, baby!) Admit it. I've got some cute sibs. :-)


To be entered in the giveaways, all you have to do is write a post with four fun facts about yourself, and link up below. Simple, easy and fun. 
Get quirky, friends! ;-)

This week's WINNERS!!!

 
TADAH! Congrats to the....
Okay, that doesn't tell you much. That was just for proof. (I would've taken pictures, but I again forgot to charge my camera). 

So the winners are...

The winner of the Yellow Flower Zipper Pouch by Charm Design is...
CARISSA (#180)

The winner of any 8x8 print in bomobob's store is...


The winner of any pair of Amusemints' Vintage Sunglasses is...
KATIE (#113)


The winner of the Scrapbook Deco Sticker set by Prettytape is...
ANN (#33)


The winner of the Keys Please Pillow by Olive is...
HOPE (#74)


Again, congrats to ALL the winners! (they really were drawn at random...but those who entered in the link up had a better chance of winning. ;-)

You can email me at aspireblog[at]hotmail[dot]com with your mailing address. (also, for Rachel Danielle and Katie, make sure to tell me what print/pair of sunglasses you'd like.)

Also, stay tuned. The giveaways for this week will be up shortly. Let me tell you...it's gonna be a blast!
EDIT: The giveaways will be put up tomorrow along with the last Planting Chums. Get your Four Random Facts ready! :-)

Wednesday, April 28, 2010

Check out my Blog Design Business! And an update on Bekah...

I did it. I took the plunge. I've created my blog design business. I'm super excited for you to check out Vivid Design Studio...and I'd love to see some of your smiley faces over there too! After all....I can't keep switching my look up 24/7. What can I say? My fingers keep twitching--I gotta keep creating! So hopefully I'll be able to create your design for you. And code it...Have I ever mentioned that CSS is aaamazing? No? Well, now I have. That and HTML make a perfect pair. What can I say? I'm analytical and artistic...an oddie. That's fine by me. :-)

So what are you waiting for?! Go check it out!
Vivid Design Studio - Custom Designs by Hannah Nicole

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And an update on Bekah...I talked to her earlier on the phone and she seemed a lot better. Very tired, but definitely not feeling as yucky as yesterday. She received her first blood transfusion at midnight, last night, because she has a rare blood type so it took a bit for it to get there. Her last transfusion was around three, and she is now HOME! Thank you all for your prayers! She has a checkup on Friday but she should be all right...for now, she's resting herself up. Head over to her blog and give her some love--she's had a rough few days and I'm sure she'd really appreciate it. I know that she felt so encouraged and touched by all of your prayers...she told me so herself. :-)

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Side note...giveaway winners as well as next week's giveaways will be announced/posted tomorrow. Stay tuned!

Tuesday, April 27, 2010

URGENT Prayer Request!

My dear friend Bekah is in the hospital at this moment, getting a blood transfusion. In her last post, she was talking about her hemoglobin levels being lower, and causing her anemia. I don't know all the details, but I do know that the levels are a lot lower. The normal level for hemoglobin is about 10-12. Her's is/was down to a 5. This is very severe, so I know that she would really appreciate all of your prayers in this difficult time. Please lift her up tonight.

I'll try to keep you updated...and thank you for praying. I know it will mean a lot to her.

Meet Jok, a HUGE giveaway for you, and Updates on my blog design business

I'd like all of you to meet Jok. (that's JOK--no fancy French here)

He's fondly named after a character in my favorite book, Goose Girl, by Shannon Hale.

Isn't he handsome? Quite a stud...and that's saying a lot for a gander!


Look at the graceful curve of his neck...


And have you ever seen such fine detail?


That's Jok. My Goose. My Paper-Mache goose, I might add. He was for an art class...but I've grown to love him, silly as that sounds. I think he's one handsome gander. 

But don't think I've gone completely insane...because there's a difference between weird and insane. Today, I'm weird. Tomorrow...well, that's another story.

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Any book lovers out there? Any Chronicles of Narnia lovers out there? Anyone who's looking for another giveaway? Then I've DEFINITELY got one for you.

My friend Seth, over at Scribblings of a Scholar is giving away the entire Narnia series.

The Chronicles of Narnia Entire Series Giveaway

Head over to his blog and enter...it's the entire series.

Just wanted to let you all know. ;-)

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So...awhile back I told you my blog design business was gonna be starting up soon. Which it is. I haven't put up the site yet (still working on some jobs) but I will be very soon. However, if you don't want to wait until then, you can email me at aspireblog[at]hotmail[dot]com for pricings, info and all the nitty-gritty stuff. 

However...when I open it up, there's gonna be a giveaway. Just thought I'd let you know. Stay tuned until then!

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Tomorrow is the last day to enter the giveaways for this week! You can enter here and post your link-up here. See you around, friends of mine!

Thursday, April 22, 2010

Planting Chums :: Week Three :: Family Fotos (MEMORIES)

Remember, follow me and you'll be entered in this week's giveaways! Let me know that you do so HERE. Link up below and you'll be entered in an extra 5 times. :-)

This post is gonna be short (and hopefully) sweet. there's so much I could say about my topic, that I could fill a book with it. so I choose one of the sweetest memories I have for it. :-)

Okay, so this week for Planting Chums, we've obviously got the memory thing working with all the family fotos Right? Am I right? I think I am...because you can't hardly look at a photo and NOT remember some quirky fact or fun detail.

So, trying to find some good family fotos, I turned to the ever-reliable stock-piling of pictures...

Basically, facebook albums. (don't judge me...you know it's a good idea) But I found something good (and something that should've been obvious to me, but my poor tired brain was going "Uhhh....")


Woodland. 
click here for more pictures
Woodland...how do I explain Woodland? (I wrote about it awhile back here) It's like the symbol of my family--the event that we await for all year. It's this resort up north that's by Leech Lake. This resort is old and holds so many memories...and we love it. (We end up knowing pretty much all of the campers there as well, because its the same people year after year after year after year...)

This is one week where we spend time together as a family and enjoy each other. Whether we're doing something or just sitting around watching a bonfire. This is our time to get together and refresh ourselves. It's a break from the everyday ordinary, and its saying hello to life again. It's a time where we can spend our days with each other, and loosen up a bit. Laugh a little. Get a little crazy. Hey, we may be the loudest campers, but I'll bet we have the most fun.

I don't know how we manage to do so much in just one week...and without out it seeming crowded. I'm not sure how it seems to be so long, and then suddenly we're home. I just know that Woodland is our place. We love it. And it's a lot sad when we have to say goodbye. But this little something makes it a little better...

Every year, at the end of the week, we head down to the dock for one last moment of quiet. One last moment of peace and reflection and solitude. The whole week is fun filled and jam packed with memories and happiness. This is our goodbye until next year.

And those photos remind me of that. These are memories that I'm always gonna have. Someday, some of my family will be gone. There'll be holes. But I'll have those pictures. I'll have those memories...all those memories from Woodland. My grandparents and aunts and uncles and cousins all come up...all to spend one week together. Woodland is our symbol--Woodland brings us together as who we are...one big, crazy, family. And I wouldn't want it any other way.

So what are some of your favorite family foto memories? Are they funny? Sweet? Bittersweet? A little melancholy? I'd love to see and hear about them...link up below, and remember to bloghop around a bit! :-)

Remember, if you enter in the link up, you'll be entered five extra times for these giveaways!

Who wants to see the giveaways for this week?!??

last week's giveaway winners announced on this post
For the third week of Planting Chums, we've got some MORE fabulous giveaways lined up...

First of all, Charm Design is giving away this [extremely] GORGEOUS pouch. All of her stuff is amazing, and she's incredibly talented. I'm literally drooling looking at it...I love the colors of it. Soft and earthy, yet soooo springy. This would be an adorable addition to any outfit....hmm....am I beginning to sound like a commercial? Because if I am, it's unintentional. I've seriously fallen in love with her stuff...

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Then, bomobob has generously offered to give the winner any 8x8 print from his shop. His photography is definitely my style. The vintage feel is amazing--and look at the sky in some of his pics! Gorgeous. Don't you just love the incredible feel to these pictures? Uhhh...! I just love his prints....if I could win, I'd definitely pick that Ferris wheel one...it'd be the whole centerpiece to my room. Beeeeeautiful.


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Since summer is coming up, I'm sure that you're gonna be needing some SUNGLASSES, baby. And have I got the pair for you! Amusemints is giving readers a choice of any pair of sunglasses in her store. Vintage sunglasses are my fave....and the ones she sells are completely and utterly irresistible. They would be my favorite pair of sunglasses EVER. I have literally never seen any as cute as hers.


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And for all of you scrapbookers out there, can you imagine using THESE super cute stickers? Prettytape is giving away her pretty deco pack and her scrapbook diary deco pack. I'm not a big scrapbooker (yet) but just looking at these gives me the ITCH to create.Those soft, pretty colors are just making me love her stuff more. Ohh.....another thing to add to my wishlist.


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Lastly, this super cute and funky pillow from Olive. Is that not adorable or what?! The red strings around the keys ties this whole pillow together. Quirky, cute and fabulous. Definitely a must-win. Olive has a lot of fun pillows at her store--ranging from vintage to retro to downright adorable! (I'm rooting for some of those pillows for my birthday)



Here's how you can enter to win these FABULOUS prizes...

Mandatory entry:
1. Follow Aspire (make sure to leave me a comment on this post telling me that you do!)

Extra entry:
1. Post about the Planting Chums topic tomorrow and link up (linking up is worth five entries...after all, that's what planting chums is about.)


Hope to see you all tomorrow! I'm looking forward to seeing your Planting Chums post...I'll give you a heads up. This week, its on family fotos (aka, memories) so start searching through your pictures and maybe, throw in a few family photos that didn't quite make the cut. ;-) 

aaaaaaaaaand the WINNERS are....

You ready to find out who the winners are??
UHUH! I know I was. Believe me, I got all excited just by generating the random numbers...not so much writing the 245 names down. Okay, I'm kidding--it didn't bother me that much. ;-)

Sooo....the winners are:



The winner of Tricia Richner's Eva Journal is...
EVERGREENA

The winner of either any 5x7 print or any pack of cupcake toppers from Lauri is...
ANN

The winner of any print from Quirkandhappenstance is...
ELDARWEN

The winner of the two earring sets from Marchese Creations is...
MELODY

The winner of the bracelet from Marchese Creations is...
NANA



Congratulations to the winners! (and thanks to all of you who entered)
You can email me at aspireblog [at] hotmail [dot] com with your mailing info (and in the case of Evergreena, Ann, & Melody--also whatever your preferences are)
 
And stay tuned...the giveaways for this week will be posted shortly. :-)

Wednesday, April 21, 2010

Poetry, Giveaways (old and new), and meet the Sponsors

I've recently rediscovered poetry. I happened across the Maya Angelou poem I shared yesterday, Caged Bird, and felt that old familiar pulse energy surge through me as I read her words. It filled me with a longing to write again. And so, I've been writing poetry. Not much, and none too good, but it's been refreshing. It's as if I've had a buildup and by writing, I can let it all flow out in the form of words.

One that I wrote that I particularly like is called Between Silences. It's a young Jewish girl's telling of a concentration camp in World War Two. Morbid? Yes, but that time was morbid--those places were morbid. In order to try to give a glimpse into what I've heard and read of it, I had to journey into the darker, more agonized feelings of desperation and defeat the were so prominent in the camps. I tried to give the speaker a voice of pain and helplessness, as if she was trying to shut it all out. As I wrote it, I saw her leaning against a damp wall; the lighting dark and poor; water dripping down the sides of the cold walls and onto the concrete floors; her hair wet and limp and her whole body sagging in weariness...

Between Silences

Between silences
I can hear the cries
Of the dead souls
Who inherit the places
Of weeping

Between silences
I can smell the blood
That seeped through the
Cracks of this place
Of pain

Between silences
I can taste the fear
That lingered on
Everyone’s breath
And poisoned

Between silences
I can see the wounded
In soul and body
Crying out with
No answer

Between silences
I can feel the touch of
The dead on my skin
Begging me to help but
I can’t

Between silences
I can feel the horrors that
Plague this place
And know the pain
That’s here

Between silences
Is when I find out
I know what its like to
Be dragged off
To die

Hannah Nicole

More than anything, it made me sad.

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On a lighter note....the giveaway ends tonight! I know it initially said it would end on Friday, but tomorrow I'm putting up the NEW giveaways for next week, so I thought to end it tonight, in order to stop any confusion. There's still time to enter though! Head over HERE to do so.

And stay tuned tomorrow--lots more giveaways coming up!

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A little blip about all of Aspire's lovely sponsors and their shops...

A Heart Shaped Box features custom made and darling bracelets for you or your babies. They're super sweet and adorable...wonderful gifts considering Mother's Day is coming up. :-)

Bonny Blue Arts sells artwork, prints, historical clothing, needlecrafts, notecards, and, as they say, many other things! The dresses are gorgeous, and some of the artwork is incredible. A lovely shop.

Devon Baer Designs is an elegant, trendy, and totally chic etsy boutique. In her words:
Manhattan Based Designer Devon Baer brings her love for fashion and interiors to a new accessory line that bears her name. Inspired by antiques and the lovely world of interior design, her bold patterns and statement jewelry capture all things beautiful in the design world. With classic elegance and urban sophistication, Devon Baer's collection of preppy and whimsical handcrafted belts and jewelry reflect her personal style.
Which is definitely true. Her shop is lovely, and I love all of her items.

My Mimi Collection...a completely DARLING shop selling all sorts of cute and quirky items such as pillows, bags, belts, magnets, mirrors, hairclips, rings, and trays. All of them adorably sweet. Definitely a must see.


And last but not least, the lovely, the notebook doodles. More of an inspiration blog, tnb is a beautiful and inspiring site, complete with gorgeous photographs and graphics. A place that will make you smile.

Tuesday, April 20, 2010

Freedom.



The free bird leaps
on the back of the wind
and floats downstream
till the current ends
and dips his wings
in the orange sun rays
and dares to claim the sky.

But a bird that stalks
down his narrow cage
can seldom see through
his bars of rage
his wings are clipped and
his feet are tied
so he opens his throat to sing.

The caged bird sings
with fearful trill
of the things unknown
but longed for still
and is tune is heard
on the distant hillfor the caged bird
sings of freedom

The free bird thinks of another breeze
an the trade winds soft through the sighing trees
and the fat worms waiting on a dawn-bright lawn
and he names the sky his own.

But a caged bird stands on the grave of dreams
his shadow shouts on a nightmare scream
his wings are clipped and his feet are tied
so he opens his throat to sing

The caged bird sings
with a fearful trill
of things unknown
but longed for still
and his tune is heard
on the distant hill
for the caged bird
sings of freedom.
Maya Angelou

Freedom. That is one of the main things that we as humans long for desperately. One is love—to be accepted as who we are and loved for being that. Another is beauty—beauty is God-given and no words can describe how much our souls long and hope and live for beauty. We find hope and joy in what is beautiful, and we can praise God for the beauty that He places in our lives— each loving and and seeing beauty in a different way.

But one of the things that we strive for, agonize after, is freedom.

As humans, we crave freedom. We want it so bad that we go to lengths to obtain it. We don’t want to be weighed down by anything—we don’t want any burdens on our backs. Our goal is to go running in that field, flying over those grasses and being weightless—lifted up by the pure joy of our liberty.

But so often, we don’t know how to obtain that freedom. Mainly, the freedom of our mind.

The mind is a tricky thing. You have to learn to master your own mind and your own thoughts—something that you’ll have to work on your whole life.

One of the most important things that I’ve learned is that you are not your emotions. When you’re mad, you as a person are not mad. You are simply experiencing an emotion of anger. When you can learn to control these emotions, you’ll learn to have control over yourself, and then you’ll find freedom. Freedom in not being controlled by your emotions or feelings.

In Hebrews, it talks about this:

Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us. Hebrews 12:1

Let us throw off everything that hinders us—let us rid ourselves of that is sin. We need to cleanse our spirits and our minds with what is pure and God-given. To lay aside every weight—the burdens of sin, and all that is unclean—that clings to us and drags us down. That clogs us in our walk with Christ so that we’re stuck and passive.

My favorite verse, and one that is very meaningful to me, Romans 12:2, says a lot about that.

Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

The renewing of your minds…that’s ridding yourself of all that junk. That’s taking a moment and taking control over your emotions and thoughts. That’s letting go of all that bogs you down and clogs you up.

And after that, you can experience freedom.

Freedom in self-control. Freedom from the world and sin.

Freedom in Christ Jesus.

Take a moment and let go of all that is of this world, and give it to Jesus. He died on that cross so you could live--vividly. Let go of all that's bogging you down and clogging you up...all that's keeping you buried under the weight of your sin.

Give it all to God, and then let yourself experience the freedom that comes from that. Freedom so that we can live vividly.

Don't let yourself be caged any longer. Go out and sing and dance in that blessed, marvelous, God-given freedom.

Go out and LIVE.

Saturday, April 17, 2010

SURPRISE!

I've wanted a tablet for a long time...and since I've had several jobs recently...I was able to buy it...(I've been playing with it pretty much all day...) It's super easy to use too. It was a little funky first as I learned how to work it, but after a little bit, I got the hang of the flow of the pen.)

The first picture I attempted with it:

And one I'm working on right now...

I really love this tablet...if you're looking for a really good one, try the Wacom Intuos4 Medium. Perfect size and great functionality. Too bad I can't give away one of those on here...;-)

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Side note, remember to link up your fun games post & enter here

Thursday, April 15, 2010

Planting Chums :: Week Two :: Fun Games

4 - Four Fridays of CONNECTIONS (forging friendships)
If you missed last weeks topic, click here
for info on Planting Chums, click here (as well as here)


If you missed it, last weeks topic was Food Loves...this week's is, as you can see by the title, Fun Games. Okay. Don't leave yet. It won't be that bad--trust me.

This topic is all-encompassing to your favorite game--dodgeball, monopoly, dutch blitz, you name it! What game is a tradition among you and your family? What game is special? What made it so? Why do you like it so much?

Alright. I admit it. When I first picked this topic when planning out Planting Chums, I immediately thought of scrabble. "That's what I'll do!" I thought, all planned out, all ready, pictures already taken...

...But not any more!

On my sister, Grace's, ninth birthday (which occurred on the 12th--aka, Monday), she received a game. A game which I originally scorned. A game that I laughed at. A game that, to me, seemed like no fun.

The game that I'm talking about, is the...



And I'll admit something else too. I was wrong. The game is fun. 

I wasn't very interested when she first got it...okay, I wasn't interested at all. My mom, Chloe, and Grace were all playing it, and (a surprise to me) were enjoying it. Laughter and a little competitveness drifted by me, teasing my nose with its alluring scent...

Okay, okay, I'm kidding. They were having fun though, and with my mom playing, you will have to play the game--there's a little competition. But I still wasn't wanting to play. It didn't excite me.

Until that fateful day--that fateful hour--that fateful moment...

Alright, I'll lay off with the corniness.

I wasn't going to play at all...but on Tuesday, Chloe and Grace, sitting on the floor with the game set up, asked me to join the game.

I did. And...I'm glad that I did.

Here's how it works. You put these cards...


Into this little thing...



And then you turn it on and it starts spinning cards around like a merry-go-round ride gone bad. Wellll...maybe not that fast. It might get stuck sometimes...but not too terrible...

Then, a little light goes on at the top of his head, either red and green, and the designated card holder takes these cards...



And reads either the green text, or the red text. (the penguin switches colors and makes a noise to let you know about every 20/30 seconds).

Then, it's a mad dash to find whats on the card. For example, the red text above reads, Some Hair, so any card with hair, you have to grab before someone else does/the color changes.


see the hair??

At the end of the game, the penguin blows a "blue raspberry" (pretty much your classic toot...er...excuse me...FLATULENCE). Then you tally up your cards to see who ended up victorious. (I'd like to mention that for some odd reason, I've never been in that #1 spot...perhaps its my great humility which prompts me to let others win instead of myself...HA HA HA!)

So what's your favorite game? Is it something funny? Serious? Classic? New? Active? Board? Card?

Link up and let me know!

If you link up, you automatically get +5 entries in these giveaways...so hurry up! The linky will run from this Friday to next Wednesday.

Link up and blog-hop around...and make sure to laugh a little bit too. Okay? After all...it's good for you. :-)

Tuesday, April 13, 2010

Look at Eli!!...and sponsors

If you've been following me for a bit, you know about my little brother, Elijah, who's two. He's a trouble-maker, chief of mischief, sometimes-naughty, cutie-patootie, little boy. And we love him to pieces.

Well, the other day, something happened to him. Something big. (bad? well, you'll have to judge for yourselves)

He was eating dinner and pretty content...

Then, he gave a gasp--he was changing!

My dear sweet little brother was changing into his very own Mr. Hyde!!

(scroll over and look at his cute face)
(none of these were posed, btw.)

Just had to share these darling pictures. Isn't he a funny little kid? Such a ham too...man, is he adorable or WHAT! (is it alright for me to say that? I'm his sister, but even if I weren't...he's a cutie-patootie.)

Okay...onto other things....

Some of you may have noticed the "Lovely Sponsors" bit on the sidebar...if not, well, go look. If you have, then I'll confirm it. It's true. I'm accepting sponsors for Aspire now.

okay. I'm not going to be all weird about it, but I'm doing it for a few reasons...
  1. It'll (hopefully) highlight some awesome shops/businesses
  2. It's a nice thing to have.
Basically, to promote your shop/business, I'll place a button on my sidebar for a small fee. Note the small. I'm not going to be charging $400 monthly...of course not. Only $399. See? I'm so generous. (I'm kidding, obviously.)

You can contact me HERE to talk about sponsoring/prices.

Just a little blip to let you  know. ;-)

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Remember to enter the giveaway! Click here to win some FABULOUS prizes! :-)

Saturday, April 10, 2010

Revamping Four :: Planting Chums :: You're gonna wanna check this out...

First of all...a new name. Planting Chums seems to be a much better title...it's way better than just plain old FOUR.

Secondly, a new button. (for those of you who already had the button, it should switch automatically)

Thirdly, for the last three weeks, there are gonna be some sweeeet giveaways. Did I say sweet? Because I meant it. I'm tempted to enter myself into these giveaways. (just kidding. I won't, but man, I wish I could.)


For this week (16th-23rd) we've got these awesome items...

Tricia, over at Tricia Richner, has offered to give away this fun journal--personalized with whatever name you want. Her stuff is super cute and I'm really loving the fun colors of this journal--definitely says VIVID to me. (and can that bow be ANY more darling?)
Her products are hand-made, unique and incredibly adorable. You can purchase monogrammed note-cards, special greeting cards, journals, diaries, and other misc. And, she has very reasonable prices for such incredible items!


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Then, Lauri at Photography and Cupcake Toppers is giving readers a choice of winning any 5x7 print in her store OR a set of her ADORABLE cupcake toppers.

Look at those gorgeous colors! Can you imagine putting that up on your wall? Those flowers are speaking to me...mmmm...so clean and beautiful. Her photography is fresh and gorgeous. The details you can see in the flowers is incredible, and her colors are very distinct and bright.

Some of my favorites
These things are super cute! How much fun would it be to have those at a birthday party? The little scalloped edges add a distinct, unique touch to these creative and adorable toppers. Perfect for a party--vintage and fun, baby. :-)

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For some more photography goodies, QuirkandHappenstance is giving readers a choice of ANY print in her shop. I'm loving both of the ones below. Vintagey and beautiful. She's somewhat newer on etsy, and doesn't have as many products yet, but the ones that are there are lovely. The soft feeling to her photos gives them an added boost of interest.


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Lastly, leopard33 from Marchese Creations, has offered to give away THREE of her gorgeous jewelry products. Her handmade items are super lovely and perfect for any occasion. You can either win two sets of earrings or a gorgeous bracelet.

Her work is detailed and intricate and the colors are soft and dreamy. The cute little green earrings add a little quirkiness, while those blue flowered ones are downright lovely.

This bracelet is another of her gorgeous and unique designs. The beads on one side and the chain on the other give it a funky, yet still elegant feel, while the flower and its adornment complete the piece. What can I say? It's darling. 

I love all of these gorgeous items!


So here's how you enter to win them...

MANDATORY entry:
  1. Follow Aspire and leave a comment saying you are (or already do)

EXTRA entries:
  1. Put my button on your blog
  2. Put the Planting Chums button on your blog
  3. Tweet about this
  4. Put a blip on Facebook
     
    BONUS (+5 each) entries:
  1. Post about these giveaways & Planting Chums on your blog
  2. Post about the weeks topics and add your link to the mclinky (this only applies to this COMING weeks topic. The food one does not entail giveaways. The topic will be posted on the 16th, and you can post about it and link up anytime from then to the 23rd. Make sure to LEAVE a comment on THIS post saying you did.)

For each entry of the above, tell me what you did in a SEPARATE comment. That way I can make sure I get down all that you did. (make sure that you comment for each one that you do--and make sure that its on THIS post!)  Logistically I want to make sure that I've got it right.  :)  Thank you!


Make sure to visit each of the generous Etsy sellers and check out their products.  They're amazing!  Let's up their traffic and thank them!  See? Told you the giveaways were sweeeet. And you could win easy-peasy. ;-)