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:)*****

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.

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.

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.

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.

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!

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.

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

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.

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!