Girl In Gear Studio Giveaway

It’s giveaway time!  This giveaway is special to me because it involves Girl In Gear Studio. Earlier this year, the lovely and talented Stacie from Girl In Gear Studio offered Small Burst’s first giveaway so I’m happy to have her here again.


Today Girl In Gear Studio is offering one super fabulous 2011 sustainable desk calendar to one lucky reader. The desk calendar is not only beautiful but they’re plantable.  They’re printed on wild flower seed-embedded paper. You can plant each sheet in a pot or garden. Genius, right? Comes with a display easel and is packaged in a kraft envelope with gift tag. Just in time for Christmas gifts and for the New Year.
Not only is Girl In Gear Studio offering this giveaway but a 20% discount to SB readers too trhrough December 31st.  Enter the code SMALLBURST at check out. Did I mention shipping is free!  Didn’t I tell you Stacie was fabulous?


Here are some calendar features:

*Includes major holidays and a place to write your own important dates

*Includes a compostable recycled display easel that can be composted or repurposed to display 5×7 photos at the end of the year

*Easel dimensions: 7-3/4″ x 8-1/2″ (19.7 cm x 21.6 cm)

*Calendar dimensions: 5-1/2″ x 7-1/2″ (14 cm x 19 cm)

Here’s how you enter:

GOOD LUCK!

***Please note, entries must be submitted by Friday, December 17th, not Wednesday. I clearly didn’t have enough coffee this morning:)*****

Es and Es Winner

Congratulations Allyn! She’s the winner of the Es and Es $30 on-line gift certificate. Check out Ally’s blog, All Things Ami.  She’s got a super blog-food, photography, family and everything in between. Woo-hoo!  So many cute things to chose from at Es and Es.  Thanks to all who participated and a big huge thanks to Mallory for this wonderful giveaway.

Es and Es Giveaway

Ever seen couture clothes for kids? Well, clothes from Es and Es are exactly that. Aren’t they gorgeous? Es and Es offers heirloom quality children’s clothes you can cherish through generations. Silk, ruffles, brocade-so luxurious, so stylish, and yet so fun and playful.  All the reasons why Es and Es has received highest of accolades from the press .  Their Once Upon A Time  Dress has even graced the Cannes 2010 Red Carpet!

I am so extremely happy to announce that Mallory over at Es and Es is offering a $30 on-line gift certificate to one lucky winner of the Small Burst Giveaway.  Here’s how to enter:

• You must visit the Es and Es website or Etsy Shop, come back to Small Burst and leave a comment on your favorite item(s).
• Optional additional entry:  follow this blog and make a separate comment that you’re now following.
• Optional additional entry: Tweet about the giveaway and post a separate comment for this. Simply cut and paste this to twitter: Es and Es $30 gift certificate giveaway. Gorgeous, Gorgeous heirloom children’s apparel! visit SB to enter http://fb.me/HcbOw6Gi
• All entries must be submitted by Sunday, October 17th. SB will randomly chose one lucky winner. Winner will be notified on October 17th and will be given 3 days to respond. Learn more about SB Giveaways here.

Do you know what this flower is?

My friend, Stacie, from Girl in Gear Studio just purchased this flower and needs a little help identifying it. Visit her blog and comment  and you will be entered in her $30 gift certificate giveaway from her lovely Etsy shop.  She makes lovely paper products and her halloween invites are now available. Make sure you check them out!  Stacie’s company is also available if you need help with logo, identity, or web design.

Topiary Tutorial/Challenge/Giveaway

Ok, due to popular demand, here’s the topiary tutorial. My kids made it for the most part. I haven’t made one of these in years so I’m glad you pressured me into it. I love the smell of eucalyptus wafting through the kitchen-ad added bonus.

NOW THE TOPIARY CHALLENGE AND GIVEAWAY

I hope you make one for yourself and share your pictures with me.  I’m sure you’re all going to make it your own and they’ll be amazing. Yes, this is a challenge!  A fun one, at that!  Send me a picture of your topiary and I’ll post them in a future post!   Please send them by July 12th, okay?  If you submit a photo of your topiary, you will be entered in a giveaway.  One person will be chosen by random and will receive a lovely package from Small Burst.

Oh, now here’s that tutorial….

What you need:

• 4 oz. Dried Eucalyptus branches- 3 of them
• 4 inch green Styrofoam ball
• Thick branch as the the stem.  Found mine in the yard.
• Planter (I have lots of planters laying around from garage sales.  You can get them for 25 cents!)
• Large rocks
• Newspaper
• Glue gun
• Deer moss

1.     Cut the eucalyptus in 3 or 4 inch pieces. If you want a more compact topiary, cut the eucalyptus shorter.

2.     Strip the leaves off of at the bottom approx. 1/2 in.  Set the leaves aside and and use for potpourri. I just placed all the left over pieces in a nice bowl in the bathroom.

3.    Insert the stripped side into the styrofoam ball. Work your way around, insterting branches 1/4″ apart.

4.      Leave a small area on the bottom clear for the stem. My kids found a great branch in the yard. Insert stem and glue in place.

5.     Fill in the empty spaces with more branches. You can use the imperfect branches for the underside.

6.     Place the stem in your planter.  I used large rocks found in the yard to hold it in place and used          newspaper/scratch paper to fill in the pot and to further stabilize the stem.  You can also use floral dri-foam instead of the rocks which I’ve done in the past.  Cut the dri-foam to fit in your planter and instert the stem.

7.     Got this new unopened package of Pottery Barn premium deer moss from a yard sale for $1.  Place deer moss on top of paper and glue in place.  This time around, I didn’t glue them so I can use them later for another project.  I’ve had this deer moss for a year and used them to decorate throughout the year.

and viola!

Also tried it in this white planter (also from a yard sale for cheap ninety-nine)

What do you think-the terra cotta or white planter?  I may go with the white planter since it’s smaller and fits on the window sill. But I like the natural, rustic look of the terra cotta.

Check this project out over at My Backyard Eden.   Click on the link below.

I’m also struttin’ my stuff on Somewhat Simple.

Blog Winnings

Look what I got in the mail this weekend?  This gorgeous personalized necklace!  I won this giveaway from Write-Brained, one of my daily blog reads.  Christina is not only a wonderful blogger and writer, she’s also an artist creating hand stamped jewelry.   Please pay her shop, Tags-N-Stones, a visit.  Lots of goodies in there!

And not too long ago,  I won these LuShae earrings from Tina Lane’s blog, Florida Girl Meets The Midwest.  If you haven’t visited her blog, do so.  She’s “saving the universe one diva at a time”.

See kids, enter a blog contest. You never know what winnings will come your way.   Have you won anything from a blog giveaway? Have you entered in a contest this week? You have? Pray tell and include the blog!

Lulu Bowtique Giveaway

Did you know I once had an Etsy shop? It’s been on hold for a looong time since I went back to work but I reactivated my account this weekend. See the Etsy widget on the sidebar? That’s my shop. I was inspired by my daughter who needed hair clips at the age of 4 months. She was born with a full head of hair.  I fell in love with boutique hair clips but they were either too big for babies or they cost $10-$12 each! I would end up misplacing a lot of them and felt bad for spending all that money, thus the idea to make them myself was born.  I made a few which my daughter wore to playdates and toddler classes. Next thing I knew I was taking orders.


So, here’s the next giveaway.  The winner will get to choose any three items from my shop.  To enter:

1. Visit my shop and come back to comment on your favorite (mandatory)
2. Follow this blog and comment to let me know  -Optional
3. Tweet about this giveaway and comment to let me know- Optional

All Entries must be received by May 3rd.

An Homage To Spring Showers

I found some really adorable cloud and rain themed items on Etsy.  I was inspired by a new blog crush, Daily Suze to look for cloud jewelry and  because we had rain this week and because April showers bring May flowers. Spring rain is refreshing, cleansing, and beautiful especially when the sun peeks through. Everything always looks so crisp and clear right after the clouds give way. I am really digging the earrings by Lanyapi and the Rainy Day print.

Click on the image to to visit these lovely Etsy shops.

Cloud Cluster Necklace by A Little Lustre

Rain Cloud Earrings by Lanyapi

Rainy Day With My Umbrella by Lychee Kiss

Belle Clutch Bag by Red Ruby Rose

Rain Cloud Tee by Culture Consumer

Rainy Day Print by Carambatack

The Sky Is Falling Original Screen-print by Cricket Express

Apple Girl Waits by Bumblejack

Fine Art Giclee Print of Rainy Day Owl by Quirky Dame

Elizabeth Designs Wristlet Giveaway

Do you remember the Etsy shop I came across at Eastern Market?  Like a bug attracted to light,  I was drawn to vibrant colors of the Elizabeth Designs exhibit.  At closer look, handbags, wallets, and clutches in beautiful fabric happily greeted me and I smiled back. Elizabeth, the lovely woman behind this shop, uses chic fabric to create very stylish handbags and accessories so it’s easy to see why so many swarmed around her table. After I buzzed around for a bit, I finally chose a business card holder in very spring colors.  


So naturally, ME + CUTE ETSY SHOP = SMALL BURST GIVEAWAY. Elizabeth is so sweet to offer the Nikki Wristlet to one very lucky reader. I love the wristlet-they’re the perfect size and can hold the bare necessities. Don’t you just want to bring your phone, lipgloss, and cash to a coffee run or a quick trip to the store? Doesn’t everyone need one of these? It’s the perfect spring accessory!  

To win this polka dot  Nikki Wristlet :

• You must visit Elizabeth Designs, and come back to Small Burst and leave a comment to tell us which one is your favorite item.
• For optional additional entries, follow this blog and make a separate comment that you’re now following.
• All entries must be submitted by Friday, April 16th.  Winner will be notified on the 17th and will be given 3 days to respond. Learn more about SB Giveaways here.

This business/credit card holder is mine and I HEART it.

Jan designs

Drum roll please.  I am happy to announce Etsy Show Off Jan of Jan designs.  Jan designs business cards, greeting cards, place cards, stationary, logos, letterheads, together with custom calligraphic lettering and has been doing so for 30 years!  She in indeed an accomplished artist and has exhibited her work in banks, Fairs and libraries in Washington and Oregon as well as participated  in Juried art shows.  In addition, Jan also teaches art classes in Kailua, Hawaii. Sign me up, PLEASE!

She has embarked on new territory and recently opened up her Etsy shop in October 2009.  Jan is so sweet and is offering one lucky reader this beauty.

The Road Not Taken – a calligraphy and water color top mounted on olive mat

You can enter simply by commenting on this post and letting us know which item of Jan’s you fancy over at her Etsy Shop, Jan designs or on her official website.

All comments/entries must be submitted by Friday, March 26th.  The winner will be notified on the 27th.  Good luck!