HanndmadeMN Giveaway - Created By Kristen M

By Michelle of Evie's Tool Emporium

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

This week Kristen of createdbykristenm is giving away these 10 assorted greeting cards.

This is an assortment of cards all made with similar styles and colors. Keep them for yourself, or the unified color scheme makes the cards a wonderful gift! Each card is blank on the inside, ready for your personal message. Included in this set are 4 birthday cards, a child's card, a baby card, a celebrate card, a thank you card, an anniversary card and a sympathy card. The cards measure 5 1/2" x 4 1/4" and include envelopes. All cards are made in a non-smoking home.

How to Enter:

Visit Kristen's shop, pick your favorite item and leave a comment on this post about it.

Open to US residents and Canadian residents.

Please make sure we have a way to contact you!

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 our 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 HandmadeMN Facebook Fan. Comment back here with your Facebook name. Existing fans just leave your Facebook name here.

7. Become Kristen's Facebook Fan. Comment back here with your Facebook name. Existing fans just leave your Facebook name here.

Contest ends Saturday, August 13th, at 12:00 noon Central. One winner will be chosen by Random.org.

Good luck!
HandmadeMN members are not eligible to win.

Friday Fun Finds ~ S'more Please!

By Mara Olden ~ Dragonfly Adornments

With National S'more Day coming up, my kids attending camp and our family camping trips, I have S'mores on the brain. When I was a Girl Scout I was told that our predecessors invented the S'more in the early 1900's. I don't know if this is true or not. What I do know, is that however sticky, however messy; I think the S'more is kinda pretty. Think about it. The creamy white marshmallow, the dark, rich chocolate and the crispy, crumbly golden graham cracker are all gorgeous. (Okay, maybe my diet is getting to me). These are the fun finds that have me saying, "S'more please!"

Visit these HandmadeMN shops to see more:
Click on any of the names below
First Row (Left to Right):WarmHugsCornBags,MaryFosterCreative,CindyLindgren,redshoes26design
Second Row (Left to Right):LollyBopBaby,palettepassion,Crafterall,MaviHandmade
Third Row (Left to Right):sacredsuds,XOHandworks,ALineofHerOwn,mirasolfarm
Fourth Row (Left to Right):denmark55033,harvestmoonbyhand,SugarAndSpice,JenniferLynnJewelry

Come Write With Me

So. The hubs is out of town. With the son. They left this morning. I have never been away from him (son, not hubs) for such a long stretch before (almost 2 whole weeks!) and he could not understand why I totally got choked up saying goodbye to him. I loves my boy! I am so going to miss him!

That said, I have deemed this: THE WEEK OF AMAZING PRODUCTIVITY. I am currently working on three projects. One of them is Book 3, which is getting the lion's share of my attention. The other two. . .well, I can't tell you about those right now. But they are super exciting and I hope you'll get to read them someday.

Three projects. I know. I am officially insane. But one thing I am definitely liking about this multiple projects thing is that if I get burned out on something, then I can just switch and work on something else for a day or so. Which is great. There is no real sense of inertia. I am always moving forward on SOMETHING.

Can I just say, my job is awesome! I was channel surfing earlier this afternoon and hit on Millionaire Matchmaker, where I caught Patti saying something like: "if I made millions of dollars and didn't need money, I would totally be hooking all these people up for FREE." That got a chuckle out of me. Way to love your job, Patti. Now go tell a girl she dresses badly, needs to get her hair straightened (since guys only really like straight hair), and lose ten pounds by the mixer on Saturday.

I clearly do not watch that show.

ANYWAY, the point: I love my job so much, even if I made millions of dollars I would totally be hooking up all you people with new stories for FREE. But for now, it pays the bills, so I just get to feel extremely lucky that I have this awesome job. Writing rocks.

And this is THE WEEK OF AMAZING PRODUCTIVITY! I am going to work every day this week! A lot! Oh yes, I am. I am going to get my dear sweet little daughter into a regular napping schedule this week. Sometime around 10ish to 12ish and 3ish to 5ish. God willing.

I don't know if y'all know this, but I wrote a lot of Unearthly while logged into Second Life. I am revealing my inner geek, I know. At the time I was stuck home without means of transportation, so Second Life was my way of getting out of the house and interacting with people, and it also has a thriving writers community, which was great. There I met my amazing and talented friend Alas Zerbino (Joan Kremer in real life) and we bought this little scrap of land in Second Life (for those of you unfamiliar with Second Life, yes, you can buy land there, yes that is crazycakes, yes, I know) and we set up a writing center there called Story Mountain, where I would occasionally teach some introductory fiction courses. And we set up a writing time during my son's naptime, and we both logged into Second Life, parked our avatars at our virtual offices, and worked for 2-3 hours a day, then shared what we wrote. It was like we were able to meet up and write together, even though we were 2000 miles apart.

Yep folks, that's me, as a virtual person, writing my virtual book, which became a REAL book. . .

 Accountability is a wonderful thing. Alas was the very first person to read the very first pages of Unearthly, and I was so grateful for her shrewd comments and cheerful encouragement! (Thanks, Joan--HUGS!)

So, this week, wanna come write with me? If so, I'll be in my office in Story Mountain, sometime around 10ish to 12ish and 3ish to 5ish, PST. You call pull yourself up a virtual chair and write like a mad-person, and I will be right there with you. My avatar is Clarissa Tolsen, and a search of either me or Story Mountain will get you where you need to be. If you are not into Second Life (teens, please see my disclaimor below), send me a Tweet (CynthiaHand) or post on my Facebook wall and I will check in at the beginning and ending of my writing times to cheer you on!

(Clarissa Tolsen, the slightly blonder, slightly skinnier, WAY better dressed version of myself)

****Disclaimor. Second Life can be entertaining, and there are cool things to see there (the Sistine Chapel! The Emerald City! Mars!) and awesome ways to connect with other writers, but it is also a place where (like the real world) some pretty messed up stuff can go down. I don't recommend Second Life to teens, as I think there is a higher-than-usual proportion of really creepy creeps in Second Life, and people there are often not who they seem. Which sucks, but there it is.

So if you're a teen writer (yay you, I love teen writers! I used to be one, not so long ago!), from Wednesday to Saturday (and possibly next week, we'll see how it goes)touch base with me on Facebook or Twitter! Tell me your word count today! Tweet to me about what you worked on! But please don't create a Second Life account for my benefit. (shakes head)

We'll write together, you and me. Writing. Making the magic happen. Following our characters. Woohoo, I am stoked already!

Also, before I forget, today is the launch of two sequels I have been waiting for: Andrea Cremer's Wolfsbane and Kiersten White's Supernaturally! I am so excited to find out what happens to both Calla and Evie!

Heading off to read now.

Tomorrow: WE WRITE!

Rock and Roll (Led Zeppelin)

If there is one thing that I love in this life it sure is ROCK music. I am a huge rock fan, I gave my heart and soul to Jim Morrison (if he was alive I would give my house for a ticket to one of his concerts- soooooo true haha)!!! I adore classic, alternative, indie and garage rock. My most favourite bands are The Doors, Led Zeppelin, AC/DC, Radiohead, Interpol, 30 seconds to Mars, The Killers, Kings of Leon, Placebo and so many many many many more (and no time to count them all!!!). While I was listening to a few songs of LZ, I had an idea today. I made some sets to get inspirations for rock looks, Ι seriously need some cos I often attend to my bf's band concerts. You can see all of them above. So if you are rockers or not, send me your lovely thoughts about them! Kisses to all and don't forget to ROCK ON!!!

Fashionably yours

Despina

Getting to Know You: XO Handworks

by Anna of Seedling Design

This is a chance to get to know some of the members of HandmadeMN and a little bit more about what they make and do in their own words.

Today we are getting to know Tam Helmin from XO Handworks who lives in Osseo. 

 What do you make and why? Soldered pendants using maps and other vintage bits, letter pendants and accessories using wooden game letters.

Where do you do your making? All over my house, garage and yard.

What is your favorite material? Vintage papers, game pieces and other ephemera.

What do you listen to or watch while you are working? Public television cooking and travel shows

Tell us something else that we don't know about you. All of my pendants, pins and magnets are made from original ephemera -- NOT photocopies, scans or computer-generated images. After all, finding and owning a unique image is what makes these so fun.

Guest Crochet Dollmaker - Joyce Yearsley

It is my pleasure to introduce you to Joyce Yearsley, also known as Dutzie on Flickr.  She is a wonderful crochet dollmaker, and Melanie, above, is the latest example of her lovely work and crochet innovation.   Check out her photostream and see what I mean; a creative whirlwind of crochet dolls :-)

Melanie has the most delightfully curly hair, made from crochet roses attached to a wig cap!  Simple as that, and yet so cute.  Joyce has shared a tutorial for making this wig cap on her Flicker site, and has also graciously allowed me to share it with you on my blog.  Click the link, curly wig cap, or find it on the left hand sidbar under Tutorials by Joyce.

This delightful doll also has another cool innovation...ball jointed arms and legs!  This is a technique you can apply to almost any crochet doll you are making; Joyce shows you how in her tutorial Ball Jointed Arms and Legs, also shared here.

I am truly fortunate to know such a gifted and generous dollmaker.  Thank you, Joyce, for sharing your talents with us!

My latest Teacupsie Spirit used Joyce's curly wig cap tutorial to make her cute wig.  Crocheted from size 10 crochet cotton, I just made the unrolled roses a little longer for sausage curls.  What a great idea :-)

Enjoy the crochet!

HandmadeMN Giveaway - Jennifer Inspired

By Jessica of Clay By Clay

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

This week Jennifer of Jennifer Inspired is giving away this colorful art journal.   

This giveaway is for a handmade and hand painted art journal/sketchbook.  The cover artwork is an original Jennifer Inspired painting, in acrylic paint and india ink on Hahnemühle Ingres Antique Paper.  This journal was constructed by hand from book board, book cloth, glue, cover paper and a lot of patience and love. Each book Jennifer makes is numbered and signed on the back page.  The book is 7" x 11" and contains 68 pages with a soft spine and case bound covers.  The heavy paper pages will handle a Sharpie marker or Copic marker without bleeding through to the other side.   

Open to US and International residents.

How to Enter:

Visit Jennifer Inspired and 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 we have a way to contact you!

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 our 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 Jennifer's blog.  If you are already a follower, leave a comment anyway, as each comment is an entry.

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

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

8.  Become a Facebook Fan of Jennifer Inspired.  Comment back here with your Facebook name. Existing fans just leave your Facebook name here.

Contest ends Saturday, August 6, 2011, at 12:00 noon Central. One winner will be chosen by Random.org.

Good luck!

HandmadeMN members are not eligible to win.

Indian Summer (The Doors)

When I was a little girl I had a thing for Disney movies (who didn't????). My most favourite was and still is Pocahontas. Of course I was so into this movie because of the romance between her and John Smith, but also I adored her flawless appearance, her long hair, even the fringes on her clothes and the indian spirit full of love for nature. Lately, I remembered that movie when I noticed that there is a huge come back of the indian style in accessories (especially jewelry) concerning feathers, fringes, tribal fabrics and braids which they all became great trends. Personally I'm kind of experimenting with some of these, since I have a crush for feathers and braids in summer, in order to make a few changes in my style. For more successful results I checked out some photos to get inspired. They are all above for you to see them. So what do you think my lovelies??? Do you like indian style looks??? Send me your thoughts!!! I hope you are having a relaxing and fun weekend. Kisses to everyone!

Fashionably yours

Despina