February is for Finishing - Contest #2

So this Feb is for Finishing is going great so far!  I"m loving seeing all of the projects you guys have been finishing!  Totally inspired by your work.  Now if only I could get it together to finish something more substantial than some paper flowers.... Anyways I"m actually in Florida right now so I'm going to announce last Friday's winner on Monday when I get back.

On to this week's Awesome:


February is for Finishing Fabulous Prize Package #2:  Cleveland Craft Coalition.

So this week's theme is the Cleveland Craft Coalition.  I was inadvertently a part of one of their events once and think that what they are doing is just fantastic.  So I reached out to a few of their members and they donated some truly fabulous prizes for this giveaway.  And if you want to check out their wares in person they will be in Lakewood tomorrow for their  Valentines Day Show.

First up is Enola's Enchanted Grove:

Liz donated a gift set of herbal soaps.  They are handmade with a gentle base, botanical and essential oils, no dyes, no artificial coloring no 'fragrance' oils. They sound like a great way to pamper yourself!

Next is from Jenbuza Bags:

Her tagline is fun. funky. fabulous.  And I think that about sums it up!  I'm not sure what specifically she's donating just yet  (will update after I pick up the prize) but I love both of her styles of bags... the up-cycled man's suit into bag is crazy cool. 

Finally is the Bonsai Tree from fOUR fISH iNK:

This is a hand-pulled linoleum print, meaning that every part of the process: drawing, carving, inking and printing were all done by hand!  I don't know much about that process but wow do I love the end result!

Here's the linky to enter (full list of rules and additional ways to enter are at the bottom of the post):

Happy Finishing!!!



Full Entry info and Contest Rules:

Every project that you finish in the month of February can be a new entry into one of these contests!  It doesn't have to be knitting or sewing related.  Anything creative that you started before February will count.

To enter post a picture of something you finished in February to the linky in this post.    It doesn't have to be on a blog - flickr, facebook (hint you can find a link to share a gallery if you go to that gallery page), ravelry, will all work.  If you leave the url portion of the linky blank it will give you an option to upload an image from your own computer.  That's fine, too.  You must also include an email address so that I know where to contact you if you win.

If you finish something made out of Destination Yarn you receive an additional entry per project.

To receive an additional entry per project:  Link back to this site wherever you post your picture.  (again blog, facebook, flickr, ravelry, wherever.)

To receive another entry per project:  Tweet the project and a link back to this page.  Include @Sourire11 so that I know that you tweeted it.

So for every project that you finish you can earn up to 4 entries into a contest! 

The linky will be live until next Thursday at midnight when I will close it out and pick a winner.  Then the next day I will post the contest for the next week with it's own linky.

Happy Finishing!!!

My kid's thoughts on Project Runway Plus a Story.

Just a reminder that today is the last day to enter the first February is for Finishing contest!  There's not too many people entered yet so your chances to win some fabulous prizes are pretty good!

So.  I have NO choice in my daughter's clothing.  Haven't for a long time.  Every morning I tell her to go pick out what she wants to wear.  And she goes to her room and lays out an outfit complete with underpants and socks just like a stylist would do.  Sometimes she even adds accessories - sunglasses b/c it's pretty bright out.  Or a neck-a-lace b/c it's very sparkly.  And if I leave her to her own devices for long enough she'll head into her brother's room and do the same for him.



If I really get distracted by something this happens:

Dressing her kitty.  I can't make this stuff up.

Anyways tomorrow we leave for our annual trip to Florida (don't worry I have my prize post for this week ready to go up tomorrow!).  And my kid has been... hesitant.  And by that I mean saying things like I'M NOT GOING TO GO.  I finally got it out of her that she's afraid of the plane.  Well then.  Makes sense.  So today I got out a giant bag of summer clothes that Michelle gave us hand-me-down.  I told her that it was too cold out for them here but she could wear them in Florida.  And that her Nonni would probably love to see her new clothes.

She then spent the morning doing this:

Running commentary:  "It's warm in Florida so maybe you could wear this?  Or maybe that looks better.  That looks so good on you!  It matches.  Oh that's too many things.  We have to try something different.  That looks much better.  I think you need a neck-a-lace.  That's so cute!"

And she told me "I want to go to Florida NOW and maybe we could just leave so that I could wear My sparkly flamingo shirt."

I guess all she needs to get over a bit of anxiety about a new situation is some new clothes.  Got it.

Anyways!  On to what you're really here for.  Her views on Project Runway:

I'm trying to decide if she has pants or a skirt.  Ooooh she has a ball on her head.

Oh I like that because it has sparkly parts.

I don't see a shirt.  Mommy, why she doesn't have a shirt on?  Maybe her daddy didn't tell her that she has to wear a shirt.

What's that?  Is that a cape?  Why she wants to wear a cape?  Oh it has pockets.

 WOW.  She has ALOT of chapstick on.  

I can see her panties!  It kindof looks like a Sleeping Beauty dress but she forgot the skirt part.  Maybe she'll put it on later.

She looks pretty neat.

....  She had nothing to say about this look until it was shown side by side with the dress that inspired it.  Then she said:  Oooh I like that dress much better.

I don't like those shorts because them don't have flowers on.  I have shorts with flowers on.

 And her overall thoughts on this week's Runway:  Why didn't they make any pretty dresses?  They should make some more dresses.  With lots of sparkles.

Agreed.

Valentine Flowers

First of all let me say that I am loving your February is for Finishing submissions!  I'm super excited that everyone is as into this as I am.  And just a reminder - this week's contest closes tomorrow so get your projects in if you want to win those fabulous prizes!

So waaaay back in December the Girl and I made these awesome flowers from the Made Tutorial:


I loooved them.  They were simple and cute and she had so much fun helping me make them:


she loves a good craft project:



So we hung them up as Christmas decorations.


or for the full perspective including a sleeping dog and a humidifier in the background b/c when I took these everyone in our house had a cold:

I especially liked the side view:



But!  I didn't really like them as Christmas decor so much.  Yeah they were the right colors... but... they seemed more like Valentines Day to me.  I pictured them as a bunch of carnations.  Perfect for V-day.  So way back when I made a few plain red and white ones and bought a bunch of random napkins with the intention of filling our house with paper flowers:

And then Life happened.  And I never got any further than that.  But!  It's February is for Finishing!  So the other day my girl and I did this:



We didn't quite get a house full of flowers but oh do I love the finished bouquet:



Again the full shot - no dog this time b/c she was napping with the Girl in her room.



I especially like the polka dot and stripey flowers:



And the view from my spot on the couch makes me happy:



Yay for finishing something I started!  And double yay for decorating that is seasonally appropriate and crazy cheap!

Superbowl Chili Dip

So I didn't really have a dog in the Superbowl hunt this year.  Unlike last year when as a Clevelander I had big opinions on the situation.  This year?  All I wanted was chili dip.  And since it's the easiest recipe ever I thought I'd share it with you:


That's it.  Done and fantastic.  I used canned chili which while grosses me out at all other times is DELICIOUS in this.  I used to use Skyline but now that I don't live in Cincinnati I feel no obligation to do that anymore.

In other news the dude said his first word kindof today:


It's sketchy since he's been saying BA for awhile... but not while holding out a ball.  Anytime he saw the ball he said the word so I think it counts.  We'll see if he repeats it tomorrow.  But saying Ball on Superbowl Sunday is a pretty sweet first word story so I'm going with it.

 Meanwhile my daughter LOVED the Madonna halftime show:



Spent the whole time prancing around on he tippy toes pretending to be wearing "tall shoes" while flailing her arms about trying to vogue:



I couldn't be prouder.

February is for Finishing - Contest #1

Ok!  So!  Yay!  We're doing this!  February is for Finishing is just shaping up to be way more amazing than I ever planned it to be.   Check out this week's Fabulous Prizes:

February is for Finishing Fabulous Prize Package Week #1:  Knitting Notions.

First up is this adorable project bag:

Seriously cute.  I can't even handle how much I love the colors.

From the fantabulous Lisa of the Etsy Site Sunshine Walks.  Her store is full of notions bags and box bags every bit as cute as this one.  She has a great sense of color and style and I'm thrilled she wanted to donate a prize!

The second part of this prize package is "something special" from Pam of Pretty Knitty Jewelry:

Just a small sample of the awesome that is Pretty Knitty Jewelry. 

Her 100 row knitting counters are straight up genius.  I've never seen another counter like this out there - you can keep track of 100 rows of knitting!  Crazy that.  And the charms at the end are hand sculpted -no paint, no molds.  She's working to create something specific for this contest and I'm sure whatever it is will be fantastic.

Here's the linky to enter (full list of rules and additional ways to enter are at the bottom of the post):

Happy Finishing!!!



Full Entry info and Contest Rules:

Every project that you finish in the month of February can be a new entry into one of these contests!  It doesn't have to be knitting or sewing related.  Anything creative that you started before February will count.

To enter post a picture of something you finished in February to the linky in this post.    It doesn't have to be on a blog - flickr, facebook (hint you can find a link to share a gallery if you go to that gallery page), ravelry, will all work.  If you leave the url portion of the linky blank it will give you an option to upload an image from your own computer.  That's fine, too.  You must also include an email address so that I know where to contact you if you win.

If you finish something made out of Destination Yarn you receive an additional entry per project.

To receive an additional entry per project:  Link back to this site wherever you post your picture.  (again blog, facebook, flickr, ravelry, wherever.)

To receive another entry per project:  Tweet the project and a link back to this page.  Include @Sourire11 so that I know that you tweeted it.

So for every project that you finish you can earn up to 4 entries into a contest! 

The linky will be live until next Thursday at midnight when I will close it out and pick a winner.  Then the next day I will post the contest for the next week with it's own linky.

Happy Finishing!!!