Thursday Giveaways Part 1 - And The Winner Is.....

Hey there! Computer troubles slowing me down (again) so will be doing this post in 2 parts.

Make sure you check back later today for this week's New Giveaway. I'll give you a hint, the next prize has been donated by the talented jewelery designer & Etsy Seller SlyViolet.

Now, the moment you've been waiting for. The True Random Number Generator over at random.org has spoken. The winner of Penny Black's book The Scented House is...

LadyTink534!!!

Woo-Hoo! Congrats, LadyTink! I'll contact you for your shipping info.

Many thanks to all who entered. Please be sure to check back later today and sign up for the next giveaway. You don't want to miss out on this one!!

Almost Random But Not Quite - RTT

After a weekend of play & no internet EEK! I'm catching up with some of my favorite blogs today. Since it's Random Tuesday Thoughts, figured I'd share a few:

I'm crazy about all the prints in the etsy shop, This Year's Girl. Visit January Wish & find out how you can win a print of Sparrow:


Special Thanks to Cephalopod Tea Party for pointing out the cool site Pouple Pulps. The gallery rocks & the links will keep me busy for a while!

Run, don't walk, to Vintage Paperbacks & Digests !

Anybody remember Doc Savage? Now don't make me feel old, people, just nod your head politely .....

If like me you are lusting after Little Robot's prints & toys, pop over to indiefixx & download a free Lindsey Carr piece while you read the interview. I may have mentioned this 1 before - memory's starting to go. Again, just nod your head at the crazy lady & maybe she wont bite

For you eloquent types, the insanely creative Tom Banwell is running a steampunk writing competition. If you're no wordsmith, go check out his blog & Etsy shop anyway. C'mon, take a few minutes ... it is well worth it, I promise!

Tom, Totus Mel and many other fabulous Etsy Steam Team members will be selling their wares at Maker Faire 2009 later this month. If you're in the Bay Area I am sooo jealous, make sure to mark your calendar!

Speaking of all things Steamy, I am totally digging this poster from ArtFreebies

One last note (again): Don't forget to enter this Thursday's Giveaway. Just leave a comment & you're in! For more details on this random drawing & prize read HERE

Now, Grab a button & go get random! Be sure to visit The Un Mom, high priestess of the cult of chaos, and see what wackiness is happening over there today

Monday is a Work In Progress

Hey there! How've you been? Just got back into town. Fun weekend at the beach with friends & family. But, now I'm feeling a little behind the 8 ball this week. Determined to pull it together after a good night's sleep.

Listening to the soundtrack to Wim Wender's Until The End Of The World tonight. Just now playing Last Night Sleep by Can. The only YouTube version I found to share is accompanied by some silly bits from the 1930s flick The Mummy...ahh well..

Musical Monday. Grab a button & play along.What are you listening to?

Over at Maternal Spark, Monday's Muse shares a thought provoking quote : A new idea is delicate. It can be killed by a sneer or a yawn; it can be stabbed to death by a quip and worried to death by a frown on the right man’s brow.- Charles Brower

It can also be ground down by the day to day distractions, the constant interruptions & become simply a wish before disappearing into the ether. I stumbled onto an old sketchbook from 16+ years ago & have been thinking about jumping back into some of those old ideas. Here's an odd lass; I think she wants to turn into a tree or something...

Decided tonight to sketch something out for last week's Melange Lace Challenge. But as usual the piece had a mind of it's own & is calling itself My Sister's Ghost. It still has a way to go & keeps reciting the 1st line from Daphne Du Maurier 's Rebecca: Last night I dreamed I went to Mandalay again and as I stepped through the iron gates a strange power become me and I passed through them, as surreal as all dreamers are....

Tough to see in the scan but the negative space has a reflective silver finish. Also hard to see is the second sister working her way to the surface. You can just make out her hands on the left, arms extended and if you look closely a profile facing your left (her eye is overwhelmed by her siblings mouth just now).


Well, it's getting late & this piece wants some more attention. Til next time, here's another tune from UTEOTW:



By the way, don't forget to enter this week's Thursday Giveaway. Just leave a comment before noon on the 21st to be entered in the random drawing. For details & info on this week's prize click HERE

Art On The Darkside Challenge - Ghosts of the Sea

Beneath The Waves Of Memory - Mixed Media

I made this piece to illustrate a collaborative poem created with some of my fellow ZNE members. I think it fits the eerie Art On The Dark Side prompt too.In a collaborative poem, one person writes a line and then someone else write the next & so it. Keeps rambling around for a week or so until it feels done. Sometimes it's good, sometimes doggerel but always fun to play with. Here is the poem we created last April:

Beneath the waves of Memory
lies a continent of Fear
forged from an Existence
In the past, yet so near.

Islands made of foolish dreams,
Mountains forged in Pain-
Some memories melt then disappear,
but others stay far too near

Remembering when I loved you,
that seems so long ago
diving floating rarely
surfacing for air.

Mists of memories linger
grasping fragments of the past
mixed with desperation
in a space that feels too vast.

Beneath the landscape of my pain
I try to drown you.
Why, oh why
do you always come up again
right to the surface of my heart?

The sadness is so sinking,
but it's hope that helps you rise.
Waterfalls of feelings
empty into pools of languid thought.

Suddenly, out of the darkness
deep within my soul
the flames of hope start burning
like a fire out of control.

Even the good memories hold their own pain
For I know you will never be with me again.
My arms ache for your body pressed to mine;
forever gone, never to be again.

by Stacey Merrill, Gina Smith, Harvestorm, Kathryn Virello, Cathy Minerva, Bernice Wagnitz, Allison Berringerm Heidi Eberle & Shelly Sparks

More ZNE poems (some with illustrations) can be viewed HERE
----------------------------

Please note: I've stared taking entrants for a new giveaway. It is for the craft book The Scented House. For contest details & to see pictures from the book CLICK HERE. Just leave a comment on this blog before Thursday May 21 at noon (EST) to enter the random drawing.

We Have A Winner.... and a new giveaway!

Meant to post this sooner but my internet was down for some reason...grrr....talk about bad timing!

By the time the world came back online (just in time to stop my withdrawal symptoms), my faithful assistant was at his play date. So I popped over to Random.org. Thanks to Lisa Falzon for pointing this site out in on her latest giveaway post, by the way.

A hearty congrats to random pick # 23 - Rukshana Hooda ! !
I'll be contacted you today, Rushana for your mailing info.

I'm digging this Thursday Giveaway thing!

By the great response,I think you are too. So let's do it again!

I've decided to try & make Thursday Giveaways a weekly feature. While I'll be contributing prizes, I'm also looking for others who'd like to donate. I'd like to stick with either items you've made or supplies for creating anything.

What is in it for you besides that warm & fuzzy feeling that you've made some one's day? Well, my last 2 random giveaways had almost 100 entries each. I'm guessing that will continue to increase once Thursday Giveaway goes weekly. Thursday's Feature will be all about you as well as your generous prize. With links to your shops, blogs, websites & what have you. I will also be promoting your prize (plus your talented & generous nature, of course) through a variety of online venues.

The 2 jewelry designers who donated prizes earlier this year WillsOakStudio & CelticKnot saw an increase in traffic in their shops & blogs during the contests.

So, what do you think? If you are interested in participating just contact me (my email's on my profile or just leave a comment) and we'll set something up. Till then, here is the next prize:

The Scented House by Penny Black.

Recipes & techniques for "Creating beautiful & naturally fragrant accessories for every room in the house".

182 pages of how to make colognes,potpourri, floral waters, candles, pomanders, sachets, pressed flowers, garlands, stationary & soap

I bought this hardcover book a few years ago with heavenly scented intentions. But it is destash time! Was all set to list in my Etsy supplies shop.... but I do love making someones day so here we go: Just leave a comment on this blog sometime before noon (EST) next Thursday May 21. I'll post the random winner that afternoon. Give it a go, it could be you!

If you have any opinions or interest in the weekly contest idea,please leave those comments too!
As Always Thanks For Playing!

Hold Onto Your Hats!

The countdown is on - It is almost 2am (yikes- time for bed!) and less than 11 hrs remain to enter Thursday's Random Drawing. Just leave a comment & you could win a framed piece of art. Click HERE for details & to see the prize.

In the meantime, I'd like to share this silly little drawing

now available at ArtSnark on etsy

Random Tuesday Thoughts - yet again

Welcome back to another round of RTT!

Have a read, grab a button

& play along!

In a bit of a rush tonight so I'll just toss a few at'cha:

Why is it that I remember dead artists' birthdays but forget about my nieces & nephews?

Happy Birthday, Rosetti!!

Little Dude acted in a commercial today. By "acting" I mean danced around like a total spaz! He had a blast. Got to frolic with 2 older girls on a white set in beach gear (He's 5 & they're around 10). I guess they may be adding some beach background later? I dunno. One of the ad people for a local chain of sports pubs "discovered" him. My child is a conceited little ham ( I mean this is the best possible way) and may have found his calling. The best part was when the kids were told to laugh & he let out these wild whoops. The director told him "that's great- very Jack The Ripper....now LOOK AT THE CAMERA!"

My sister always had the acting bug & DH used to be a movie extra. I'll blame it on them. I was always the weird kid hiding in the corner with my nose in a book.

Dang! Gotta get the little guy to bed. We're reading from the Andrew Lost books each night. Highly recommended for inquisitive little minds. Silly science & full of words like "poop" and bad elephant jokes, regardless of subject.

Remember this one: What is grey, has 4 legs & a trunk? A mouse on vacation! ba-da-dum

If you haven't left a comment recently, please do. All comments placed before noon (EST) Thursday May 14 will be entered in a random drawing to win a piece of framed original art. To see details & prize, click HERE.

I just peeked at my dashboard & saw that Annette of Nut & Bee just posted the coolest little piece, Tempura House

I'll totally admit that I'm biased. I own a dozen of her prints & she has kindly loaned me her awesome octopus for my blog banner. That admission aside, run,don't walk , over to her website or etsy shop for the cutest "ooh" inducing selection of little critters

You can find at least one more little critter over at the Un-Mom today ("ooh" or "ick" ...you decide). There's also new neighbors and other wacky entertainment.....go check it out!