A dress for less



I know Christmas is only in two days but if you are a last minute shopper keep on reading!
So you also want to celebrate new year's day and you don't have much money to spend on new clothes???
Well, I have some amazing suggestions for you that could be your ideal solution.
Clothingloves.net is my favorite place for wholesale clothing in the best possible prices.
I have mentioned it many times ago in previous posts.
Just this morning I was looking for a burgundy dress for me (plus ideas for some family and friend gifts too) and I thought I should show you some of my personal choices for this holiday season for casual and formal looks.
You can find every dress from this post on Clothingloves in the wholesale womens clothing fashion dresses section.
Get inspired for your next dress purchase and visit clothingloves.net for more cheap and chic looks.

Fashionably yours,
Despina










Fun Friday Finds -- The longest night

By Sharon Parker
Arty Didact

The stars are lingering; the moon is waxing; the ancient celestial mysteries invite us to savor our vast and wondrous universe, on this longest night of the year.

And it's a Friday. So we found some evocative handmade objects from Minnesota Etsy shops to celebrate the winter solstice.

Enjoy the darkness. It won't last.

Cheers!


(Click on the image to view the treasury in Etsy.)

The gift of handmade love

Three years ago my good friend Bev asked me to make three Free Spirit dolls for her Grandgirls.  It was a fun project, and even now the girls still play with their Free Spirit dolls (which is the very highest complement a dollmaker can get!).

This year, Bev asked me to make some tops for the girl's Free Spirit dolls, that she could pair up with some skirts that she would make, to give them for Christmas.  Pictured above is the wonderful gift that Bev will give her Grandgirls this year.  The skirts are all separate, so they can be mixed and matched with the tops.  And then, Bev knit each doll a sweater/cap/mitten set! 

I love everything about this gift, and I wanted to share it with you.

 The Grandgirls Free Spirit dolls

If you are interested in making the mittens for your own dolls, the pattern is a freebie from the WEB's yarn site.  Here is a link:  doll size mittens

One last picture to share.   One of my little Bleue's went to live with Bev, and what a lucky little Bleue she is!  Bev has knit her several sweaters, caps, mittens, and the sweetest little bear muff.

 Bev's Bleue, little Beth Jane, with her snuggly knits made by Bev





Outfit-A Dress for Christmas Time



Sales haven't always been my favorite period for shopping.
The luck of variety and sizes can be really annoying.
Online sales, on the other hand, are the perfect chance for finding great deals.
This is how I purchased this dress from Asos.com for only $20.
It's the best choice for holiday season.
I love the red colour and the beautiful leopard print.
The oversized chain necklace is in my hands in courtesy of Ana Jeffrey.
Such a chic piece of jewelry! 
What is your Christmas dress??? 

Fashionably yours,
Despina









wearing
coat: tally weijl
dress: asos
stockings: calzedonia
shoes: tally weijl
clutch: gifted
necklace: ana jeffrey 
ring: topshop

Outfit Post+Giveaway Winners



One of my newest purchases was this see through black blouse that I have already shown you in a previous post with some of my newest purchases.
I really love wearing it.
It was actually so much greater than I even expected because I have had some serious doubts about how wearable sheer blouses can be.
Of course I was wearing a black top inside.
Also my Firmoo giveaway ended a couple of days ago.
The 25 lucky winners are already notified by email.
So check your emails, you might be one of them.
I hope you will enjoy the coupons!

Fashionably yours,
Despina










wearing
blouse: oasap
pants: bsb
top: intimissimi
shoes: firenze 
necklace: topshop

HandmadeMN Giveaway ~ Grandma Said Sew

by Monique Parent, Glass Garden Designs

Congratulations to our latest giveaway winner! Thanks to all who entered and we wish you good luck with this week's giveaway!

This week's giveaway is from Patti of Grandma Said SewShe is giving away this wonderful quilt pattern.
Follow this wallhanging pattern to learn a new and unique technique to create a wonderful work of art. Quick and Easy! Great pattern to work with. The colored fabrics of this quilted wall hanging are fused to a layer of black fabric, which then shows from underneath between the colored fabrics, and appears to be the "lead line" for a stained glass quilt. The matching stitches that finish the raw edges of the fused project serve as the quilting for the project as well. This design is quick and easy to construct. Measures approx. 32" x 44" finished.

Open to US Only.

Contest ends Saturday, December 29th, at 12:00 noon Central. One winner will be chosen by Random.org.

How to Enter:
Visit Grandma Said Sew, pick your favorite item and leave a comment on this post about it. (Scroll to bottom of post and click on Comments)

        Please make sure you include your email address
              so we have a way to contact the winner!

For Bonus Entries:
Please leave each in a separate comment, as each comment is an entry (To qualify for extra entries you must do step one above).

1. Visit other HandmadeMN team members shops (listed in the sidebar here) and leave a comment(s) here with your favorite pieces.

2. Blog about this giveaway with a visible link back to this posting and comment here with a link to your post.

3. Tweet about this giveaway and leave a comment(s) with a link to your tweet(s).

4. Follow this blog (you want to do this anyway to learn about upcoming giveaways!). Leave a comment here letting us know you are a follower. If you are already a follower, leave a comment anyway, as each comment is an entry.

5. Follow HandmadeMN on twitter. Comment back here with your Twitter link. Existing followers just leave your Twitter link here.

6. Become a 
Facebook Fan of HandmadeMN. Comment back here with your Facebook name. Existing fans just leave your Facebook name here.

7. Become a Facebook Fan of Grandma Said Sew. Comment back here with your Facebook name. Existing fans just leave your Facebook name here.

8. Follow Grandma Said Sew on Twitter.  Comment back here with your Twitter link. Existing followers just leave your Twitter link here.

Contest ends Saturday, December 29th, at 12:00 noon Central. One winner will be chosen by Random.org.

Good luck!
HandmadeMN members are not eligible to win.

Some Frequently Asked Questions

It's finals week for me, so this is going to be brief, but I thought I'd post the answers to a few questions that I am receiving A LOT lately. So here goes:

About Radiant

Q: I plan to buy Radiant this week. Can I get that special autographed something you talked about in your last post?
A: Nope. That was last week only. But, fear not, I will be running an even cooler promotion for the pre-orders for Boundless, so check back soon.

Q: I don't have an ereader, so I can't read ebooks. Will Radiant ever be available as a real, physical book?
A: Um, no. The deal I made with HarperCollins is for the ebook only. But if you have a computer, you should still be able to read ebook files. Click here for Amazon's Kindle For PC information. Also, a lot of libraries these days are loaning out ereaders and ebooks, so check your local library.

Q: I live in the UK. Will Radiant ever be available for me?
A: Yes. I checked today and it still isn't up on AmazonUK, but my editor tells me that it should be VERY SOON. Keep checking.

Q: I live in Australia, same question.
A: I don't know yet. I don't think it's available now. But I do think that possibly stuff is in the works to make this happen. Sit tight and I will update you when I know anything.

Q: Why is Radiant so short?
A: Because it is a novella, not a novel. Actually, Radiant is what used to be the first two chapters of Boundless, supplemented by Angela's point of view. It's around 70 pages, which is about as long as a novella can be and still call it a novella. It's meant to be short! I like to think of Radiant as a little Unearthly snack, whereas Boundless is a three-course meal!

Q: Why isn't the hot guy I'm rooting for (insert Christian/Tucker here) in Radiant?
A: Radiant is about what happens between Clara and Angela during their summer in Italy. It doesn't have much of the hot guys because neither of the hot guys go with them to Italy. However, there is one entire significant scene in Radiant with Christian in it (a flashback) and a bunch of little flashes of Tucker all throughout. And there is a NEW HOT GUY in Radiant. And he strongly resembles Orlando Bloom. Is all I'm saying.

 

About Boundless

Q:When does Boundless come out, again?
A: January 22, less than 6 weeks away!

Q: I heard that Boundless is not being published in the UK. Is this true?
A: Sort of. The publisher who published the UK versions of Unearthly and Hallowed decided not to pick up Boundless, so there won't be a special UK edition with a different cover from the US like there was with Unearthly and Hallowed. However, you can still buy the US edition in the UK. (Click here to go to the UK Amazon page, for instance.) And my agent is hard at work finding a new UK publisher.

Q: What about Australia and New Zealand?
A: Yes! Boundless is being published separately in Australia! It's coming out even earlier than it is in the US, on January 2! Click here to be taken to the Boundless Australia page. There will also be a Boundless ebook available in Australia.

Q: Will Boundless be available as an audiobook?
A: Yes! It will! And it will be narrated by the lovely Samantha Quan again! I don't know when it will be available yet, but I am guessing shortly after Boundless is released as a hardcover. I will announce it as soon as I know anything!

Q: Goodreads lists Boundless as being 320 pages. Why so short?
A: Because Goodreads is wrong. Boundless is the longest book I've written to date--I think somewhere in the ballpark of 450 pages. It's big boned.

Q: Clara better end up with Tucker(/Christian) or else!
A: That's not really a question, is it? Of course, the second grader in me wants to say, "Oh yeah, or else what?" But here's the thing I really hope for you, as a reader: that you will judge the book, not by which guy Clara is smooching in the end, but by the person she is in the end of her journey. Yes, there is love she finds along the way, and there are choices she makes, but I'd like to think that the romance doesn't define her. (Also: please don't hurt me. . . )

Q: I'd like you to sign my copy of Boundless, but you aren't coming to my town. What can I do?
A: I am going a lot of places this year, and I'm sure there are more announcements on that front to come, but if I'm not doing any appearances near you this winter, you can buy signed and personalized copies of all of my books from Diesel Bookstore. Here's the manager's email, to make your request: cheryl@dieselbookstore.com. This is the bookstore email, not my email, just to clarify. You can also call Diesel at 310-456-9961. I go into this store regularly to sign copies, but please remember that I will be on tour this winter, so there might be a week or so between when Diesel gets the request and when I will be available to come in and sign, so please be patient.

Q: Will you do an interview/guest spot for my blog post?
A: I am doing an extensive blog tour this winter with Mundie Moms (yay!) and will probably also do a few separate interviews with people who request stuff through my publicist, not to mention the marketing stuff that HarperTeen has planned for the Dark Days. So, in January/February: probably not. Last year around the launch of Hallowed I wrote more than 20,000 words worth of interview answers. That's 1/4 of a novel, and it takes just as long. So, probably not. Although when things slow down for me a bit in March and April I might consider it. Try me then.


Wow. That was a lot of questions. Not so brief, then. But I hope it helps.

Now I must go back to grading papers. Please leave any further questions you have about Radiant or Boundless in the comments, and I will try to answer in a timely fashion.

Party Dresses



Holiday seasons are all about parties.
For most of us these days are going to be full of family gatherings and christmas parties with friends.
But in order to attend to all of these events you will need some party dresses.
Of course you can go for a different kind of outfit but dresses are the most usual and preferable solutions.
Luckily there are plenty dress styles you can choose and even more ways to style them.
This is actually the cool part.
It's a time that you will be able to try new things and enjoy various looks.
I was playing a little bit on Polyvore and these are some of the latest trends I will try out this christmas time.
Check them out and get inspired!

Fashionably yours,
Despina







Ten Days of Rosie, our Elf on the Shelf

Meet ROSIE!


Our Elf on the Shelf!

We welcomed Rosie into our home last Christmas...and, well, SHE'S BACK!

December 1..Reading her own story!


December 2...Checking herself and her new Couture Skirt out!


December 3...Riding a camel...all ladylike!


December 4...Chilling in the Christmas Tree...promoting PEACE!


December 5...Telling JOKES!
{PRINT your own jokes HERE}


December 6...Taking a rest!  
Must have been a long flight to the North Pole!


 December 7...Buckled up in the back seat of my car.  
Guess she wanted to go for a ride!


December 8...Joining the Willow Tree Family!


December 9...Playing Jingle Bells!


December 10...Planking!
{The 13 year old boy thought this was the coolest one yet!}


Stay tuned for more Elf on the Shelf adventures!

HandmadeMN Giveaway ~ Margaret Mousley Designs

By Mara Olden of Dragonfly Adornments

Congratulations to our latest giveaway winner! Thanks to all who entered and we wish you good luck with this week's giveaway! 

This week's giveaway is from Margaret of Margaret Mousley Designs. She is giving away these cute, cuddly Sleevies.

Margaret calls these finger-less gloves Sleevies. Bring a boho-style to your winter wardrobe with these cool gloves. They are soft and cozy and perfect for keeping your wrists warm and the snow out. They can be worn for work or play.
Open to US and International (some counties may not apply). 
Please remember to include your email address
so we have a way to contact the winner!

How to Enter: Visit Margaret Mousley, pick your favorite item and leave a comment on this post about it. (Scroll to bottom of post and click on Comments) Make sure you include your email address so we have a way to contact the winner! 

For Bonus Entries: Please leave each in a separate comment, as each comment is an entry (To qualify for extra entries you must do step one above by including your email address). 

1. Visit other HandmadeMN team members shops (listed in the sidebar here) and leave a comment(s) here with your favorite pieces. 

2. Blog about this giveaway with a visible link back to this posting and comment here with a link to your post. 

3. Tweet about this giveaway and leave a comment(s) with a link to your tweet(s). 

4. Follow this blog (you want to do this anyway to learn about upcoming giveaways!). Leave a comment here letting us know you are a follower. If you are already a follower, leave a comment anyway, as each comment is an entry. 

5. Follow HandmadeMN on twitter. Comment back here with your Twitter link. Existing followers just leave your Twitter link here. 

6. Become a Facebook Fan of HandmadeMN. Comment back here with your Facebook name. Existing fans just leave your Facebook name here. 

7. Become a Facebook Fan of Margaret Mousley. Comment back here with your Facebook name. Existing fans just leave your Facebook name here. 

Contest ends Saturday, December 22nd, at 12:00 noon Central. One winner will be chosen by Random.org. 

Good luck! 
HandmadeMN members not eligible to win.