Dreamland

Four Rules of Stuff + a giveaway.

If you're a regular reader of my blog, you know I've been working on going through my stuff.  Just need a little order in my life, I guess.  On Saturday morning I devised Gina's Four Rules of Stuff:

1. Use your stuff.  Make what you have work.  Repeat after me:  Necessity is the mother of invention.

2. If you won't use it, give it to someone who will.

3. Don't buy more stuff until you've tamed what you have.  (This one seems to be the hardest for me and I am repeating it like a mantra.  Especially difficult at the Treadle Yard Goods sale this weekend. I was only there to get more thread to finish a current project, I swear.)

4. When you need/want something, you don't have to add it to your own ever-growing list of stuff to make.  You can actually buy it from someone else.  Can you believe this is a relatively new idea for me?  I'm very proud of figuring this out.  Which leads me to the giveaway:

Melissa from Two Little Tots has graciously offered to give a crayon roll to one lucky reader of my blog.   In keeping with rule number four, Melissa is making four hooded towels for me -- two for my own kids (who have loved theirs since birth, basically) and two for long-overdue baby gifts.  See, I don't have to make them myself!

Enter before Wednesday night, and I will post the winner on Thursday.  Answer this question in your comment:  Do you remember having any special little thing of your own when you were a wee one?  I remember the plaid taffeta skirt my mother made me for my birthday.  It had a ruffle on the bottom, very fancy.  I love knowing that when I was four, that's what made me really happy.

Giveaway two.

I have been working on some calendar art for my etsy shop.  Leave a comment this week for a chance to win September and October in jpg or pdf format.

 

Last week's winner is Mary Kate:

Love that quote but it's even more beautiful in your handwriting.

Please email me: gina{at}sekelsky{dot}com with your mailing address.  Thanks for all the wonderful comments.  More quotes & handwriting tips on the way....

Five lovely papernstitch shops.

 

Nifty Kidstuff

 

PaperBling

 

Scarlet Fig

 

prettypennydesigns

 

Tobyboo

E-love: print*pattern*paper.

Love it:  the colors, the motifs, the commitment to doing what you love, what you're good at, and keeping the bigger picture in focus.  See more at print*pattern*paper and papernstitch.

 

photo credit:  print*pattern*paper

E-love: Alabama Chanin.

I am still being inspired by the style of Alabama Chanin, and have at least three projects in process at the moment.  I also like to peek at & be inspired by the creations of others, as seen on flickr.  Here's one from ramshackle solid:

E-love: Pickled Pear Lane.

 

Hoping to make a skirt yet this summer in the Laura Gunn fabric I recently received from Pickled Pear Lane on etsy.

E-love: eikcam.

 

Last month I purchased a couple of tea tumblers from eikcam.  (Mine were matte white and glossy celadon.)  Aren't these just lovely?

Anniversary Winner x 2

 

The winners are....

First, the stamp:

Soulemama definitely. A lovely mixture of seasonal rhthym and crafty goodness!

Posted by: Fiona

Second, the quotation:

I found your blog for the first time today as I'm hoping to do some letter press this summer for the first time. Congratulations on your anniversary -I love the idea that you celebrate by giving away.

What blog do I find time to read? http://finelittleday.blogspot.com/
It has such beatiful style and atmosphere of taking joy in small things.

Posted by: jo

Please email me to claim your prizes:  gina{at}sekelsky{dot}com.

Thank you so much to all who entered!  Especially Linda, who is an old friend from high school.  And thank you also for all the awesome blog recommendations, I have already checked out many of them & hope to see the rest in the next few days.  Lovely!  And by the way, in asking what blogs you like to read, I really wasn't fishing...but it's nice to know my little blog is appreciated just the same!

Have you been to papernstitch?  It's a sweet online shop of handmade goods, similar to etsy but LOTS smaller.  (It's curated, so more exclusive.)  I hope to continue my shop there through the summer.

One more quote tomorrow to finish out the month of June, then a holiday break, and back next week with Everyday Inspiration for July.

Lettergirl Giveaway x 2

To celebrate the start of my second year on etsy, I'm giving away treats to two readers today:

 

One winner will receive my brand spanking new Claudia Address Stamp in your choice of Wood Handle or Self-inking.

 

A second winner will receive one of my favorite quotes handwritten on a 5x7 card and ready to frame.  I have been doing a lot of remembering at odd moments over the past month, so this quote really speaks to me.

The giveaway ends Sunday evening with the two winners announced on Monday morning.  Please comment with your answer:  What blog do you wish you had more time to read?  (Or...what blog do you make the time to read?)  I plan to stay up late sometime and read mommycoddle from start to finish.  Good luck!

Anniversary Giveaway number five.

I am having so much fun with all the comments this week, I wish I had giveaways for the whole month of May.  Definitely something to consider for my next anniversary!  (Actually, just thinking that Dreamland might have another anniversary is enough to excite me...since I started this blog a year ago not knowing what direction I was heading.)

 

 

The giveaway:  a wood handled stamp with your family's names and sweet natural accents like bugs, leaves, and flowers.  This stamp is now available at lettergirl.

To enter:  leave a comment on today's post with the answer to the following question:

What is one of your favorite family traditions?

I will post the winner on Monday morning, so you have all weekend to enter.  Good luck!

Yesterday's winner is Kate:

Oh, so many books! I have to say that I LOVE to re-read the Harry Potter series. Every time I read it I feel like I am a student at Hogwarts, fighting against Voldemort, and growing up with Harry and Ron and Hermione...

Kate, please email me with the quote you would like for your stamp and your mailing address:  gina {at!} sekelsky {dot!} com.  I agree, the HP series makes you feel like you are young again yourself.

Chuck, I have received your emails but mine are being sent back to me.  I have your stamp in production!

Thank you to everyone who took the time to comment on yesterday's post.  I really enjoyed each & every comment.  So many books I have already read...I think To Kill a Mockingbird is the big winner of the day (and Pride and Prejudice, my personal fave).  So many books yet to read...I am embarrassed to admit I haven't read Anne of Green Gables.  But it is on my must-read list now thanks to all of your endorsements.  More about books next week!