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.
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:
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.
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!
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:
All Entries must be received by May 3rd.
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
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 :
This business/credit card holder is mine and I HEART it.
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!
Thanks for stopping by. This giveaway has ended.
Okay, are you ready for this? So Stylilized is offering an incredible giveaway-a custom blog design to one lucky winner.
Yep, that’s one custom blog design which can be a 2 or 3 column layout- you choose! This is for Blogger and Blogspot platforms only.
So Stylilized is gaining momentum and is all booked up for 2010 and is currently taking orders for 2011. But if you win this giveaway, you are golden!
To enter the giveaway visit So Stylilized and be a follower. If you are already following via Google Friends Connect, subscribe via the form on the website. Then come right back to Small Burst and let me know if you are now a follower of So Stylilized and if you have a color scheme in mind.
All entries must be submitted by March 11th EST. Small Burst will contact the winner on the 12th.
Best of luck everyone!
I am so very happy to announce this next giveaway (all smiles from ear to ear)! Do you remember the SB feature of creative ways to use mason jars featuring Etsy Shops? One of those shops was Midwest Finds. I am just crazy about this shop and the awesomeness that is their mason jar soap/lotion dispensers. They’re so simple and so unique! I purchased one and I absolutely L.O.V.E. it! Jena, from Midwest Finds is graciously offering this little gem- the Half Pint Rounded Soap or Lotion Dispenser. Isn’t it divine? Sigh….
To enter, head on over to Midwest Finds then come back here and leave a comment to let us all know which item you’re crushing on. For more chances to win tweet , Facebook, or post this giveaway on your blog. Not so hard, is it? You’re welcome! All entries must be submitted by February 24th.
This one is my little beauty.
I am loving terrariums right now so I am extremely excited to announce our next giveaway . Shelly from Serenity Mosaics is giving away this lovely terrarium. Don’t you just love the glass planter? Comes complete with 2 6/8 ” glass planter, dried and treated green moss, river rocks, and 2 miniature clay mushrooms. Mushrooms are red with white polka dots. This would look great in your office or in your home. It will surely add a little sunshine to your wintertime blahs. Please, please visit Serenity Mosaics for all things creative, terrarium and fun!
How do you win? There are a few ways to enter; blog, Facebook or tweet about the giveaway (make sure to pingback to Small Burst) OR comment to let us know where you’d love to place this lovely terrarium. I want it for my office!
All entries must be submitted by January 30th. The winner will be announced on January 31st.
Thanks, Shelly!
