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Thursday, April 12, 2012

Giveaway Time!

Wow, over 100 followers, I am speechless!  I never even dreamed that could happen back when I started blogging on New Years Day 2011.

Thanks a thousands of times to all of you for following this "just-for-fun" blog!  I am so glad to have met you and I appreciate each and every comment you leave for me!  I get inspired by you every day - I try to keep up with all of your blogs and take a peak at what you are crafting, how you are doing and what is going on in your lives.  Even though I may not always leave a "hi and hello" for you, I am there and I know that the same is true for you!

I may have written about this before, but I am not a real super-duper-happy person in real life.  Don't get me wrong; I would not label myself as a pessimist as much as a realist (spoken like an engineer, I know...).  BUT, I have noticed that since I started blogging, I have gotten happier.  I may even have gotten up-graded from realist to "cautious optimist"... LOL.

Just as stitching has, blogging has pulled me through a couple of less than fabulous times, but even more importantly; it has also given me the opportunity to share thoughts and ideas, joys and wonderful events, content and general silliness (oh, and 15 parrots, 2 bunnies and 1 alpha bunny).  
By writing down and sharing, I have discovered that these positive and fun experiences get reinforced and thus their impact on my life gets even larger. 

The difference between stitching and blogging seems to me that the former is a "solo flight" while blogging is a gigantic cruise with thousands of huts,  each one with it's own party but you are welcome to all of them.  I think that is really cool! 
I believe that this entertaining and interesting TED talk by psychologist Shawn Anchor may explain why I have noticed some positive side-effects from blogging.  Blogging can help cover two out of the five suggested tools to a more positive outlook on life; give three thanks a day and keep a diary.  (Thanks to Hip*Hip*Happy for sharing the video with me!)  However, I do believe that one important tip was omitted; crafting!  I know that for the vast majority of us in the stitching community, stitching has played a major part of our well-being, or what do you think? 
(Oh also, I stopped watching the news years ago.  I may now be a lot more ignorant now than I was in the past, but I am more filled with bliss...)

While we are going down the life philosophy and development path, I have to tell you about a really interesting statement that was made to me a couple of years ago and which I have carried with me ever since. 
One of my colleagues has a girl-friend who works as a life coach.  (I have not really asked her a whole lot about her job, since every time we meet seems to be a formal event, but I am real interested to learn more some day.)  The thing she told me that really stuck a chord is that "we work on developing our strengths during the first half of our lives, while we work on improving our weaknesses during the second half."  I really do believe that this is true!   What do you think?

Well, 'nuf with the blah-blah-blah and let's get on with things - we have much more important items to cover today - giveaway time!!!!
Just yesterday, I stumbled across this really cool design to drool over.  This adorable little piece is called Sit and Stitch and was designed by Brenda Gervais from With Thy Needle and Thread (click for a larger view):
This is what Brenda writes on her blog: "SIT & STITCH is a cross stitch chart for a fun little sewing box chair that you construct from linen-covered cardboard.   The seat cushion lifts up,  revealing a little box  to keep all your sewing needfuls in!  This 9" chair  has a crisply box pleated ruffle and her little wooden legs are old wooden thread spools... how cute is that?   All letters of the alphabet are included so you may personalize your chair!  Also included in this pattern is a sweet coordinating pincushion, complete with cross stitched motifs, old mother of pearl buttons and antique ticking."

I have decided that this chart together with the thread pack from Anita's Little Stitches will be our first prize.  If you are intimidated by finishing work, I will be happy to do it for you (you will have to scrounge up and send over the finishing materials though)!  I have ordered one chart and one thread pack for myself too, so it may be a tandem finish...

The second prize is another With My Needle chart; April Word-Play - the bunny in the cart is just too cute to say no to.
Again, I ordered one for myself too. That bunny needs to live with me!

I hope that all of you find these charts as adorable as I do!

Oh, and give-away rules:
1)  You have to be a follower
2)  You have to leave a comment on this post before the end of Sunday May 29th
3)  In your comment, you have to share 3 things that made you happy today - we wanna' share your joy!

Again, thanks bunches for visiting me today!  That is definitely one of my 3s...   :-)
Happy Stitches,


20 comments:

  1. Congrats! on 104 followers
    I believe that statement is true, never looked at it that way.
    Please enter me in your fun give-away
    The three things that make me happy today are
    zumba class with my best friend, garlic mash potatoes and of course stitching

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  2. Ah yes, me too. I don't watch the news anymore. Just can't. Anyway, congrats on all the followers! I'm glad that blogging is good for you -- I think it's good for me too, for the same reasons as you. Hmmm. 3 things that made me happy today. Starting a new habit of getting up in intervals if I'm sitting for too long and just getting my limbs moving. Finishing the green of the border I'm stitching and finding that the two ends match perfectly. Whew! And finding out that my heating bill is smaller this year. Whew again! lol! Is that too sad? Well, I'm also happy whenever I look at the luscious colors involved in my stitching. :D

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  3. ohhh wow well done on the followers :)and I don't watch the news either ..lol
    mmmm I am a follower as you know ... love your tales of the feathered and furbabies and the stitchings not bad either ROFLMSO !!!!!
    ok three things that made me happy today ... a cuddle off my furbaby Bentley , a lovely RAK of some fabric so that I can stitch for others :) and the good company of fellow stitcher's who also bribed me with tea and a cup cake hehehe ...
    there think that's it :)
    fingers and paws are crossed for every one :)
    love mouse xxxxx

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  4. Congrats on all your followers! I am glad you have found yourself feeling happier. It is true I think, that the more we acknowledge our own accomplishments and share the joy in others accomplishments, the happier we are. Sometimes, writing things down in a blog, or journal, or wherever, really does make you realize how much you have to be grateful for.
    My three things for today:
    Making a blog post that may be perceived as a tad bit naughty made me chuckle and smile.
    Having enough leftovers from last night for dinner tonight so that I didn't have to cook.
    Getting my house all to myself for a couple of hours after work today. Ahhh, peace.

    What a wonderful and generous giveaway - especially the offer to finish-finish that adorable chair!

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  5. I have been stitching and thinking of you. I will have to show you pictures on Monday. We missed you at lunch.
    I have to go for the giveaway, although it does look crazy hard for me.
    Three things that made me happy today...
    1. Beautiful morning run
    2. Sunny walk back from a meeting in another building.
    3. Manager told me to go home early and take the girls out for ice cream. (at 4:15)
    4. Kaiya getting her homework done in record time.
    5. Both girls want to start stitching. I guess I will need to find some beginners kits.

    I'm a cheater. I couldn't stop at 3. :o)
    You don't call me Hip Hip Happy for nothing.

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  6. Wow, it was very interesting post - thanks for sharing your thoughts and ideas!
    Congrats with your followers - lovely giveaway!
    Three things that make me happy now are - our moving to Australia for some time (wonderful country!), my new stitching start - Rose Quaker Sampler, and blooming rose in my garden :)

    Hugs,
    Tatyana

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  7. I would love to be entered into your drawing. I am a follower. The three things that made me happy today are - my mom had a good day, my two dogs, Kody and Allie, and our two kitties, Peyton and Sprinkles.

    Terri

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  8. What a lovely giveaway! I have been drooling over both of these patterns so please enter my name in the drawing. My happy things for today include finishing up a big queen-stitch flower on my current sampler, enjoying the stars while I took my evening walk, and rubbing the tummy of my little dog Abby who is just a joy in our lives. Thank you for your generosity in hosting a giveaway. :)

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  9. Congratulations on reaching 100 followers!!!!

    What made me happy today .....
    Enjoying a movie with my husband-
    sharing time with my children while stitching on a new project &
    Catching up on some chores (cleaning out the garage !! - We have needed to do that for quite some time)

    Thanks for the wonderful Giveaway - That chair is just awesome !!!

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  10. CIAO JENNY, COMPLIMENTI PER ESSERE ARRIVATA A 100,IO NON SO SE POSSO PARTECIPARE,COMUNQUE IL MESSAGGIO TE LO LASCIO COMUNQUE,LE COSE,CHE MI HANNO RESO FELICE OGGI,CHE DENISE HA SUPERATO ESAME UNIVERSITA',BOMBONIERE RICAMATE FINITE!!! E CHE IL MIO BIMBO MATTIA,NON VOLESSE ANDARE ALL'ASILO,PER TENERE COMPAGNIA A ME CHE HO L'INFLUENZA,CIAO UN ABBRACCIO GRANDE GRANDE,TI VOGLIO BENE JENNY.

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  11. Hey Jenny!
    Congratulations on 100 followers. I love your blog and what you had to say in this post.
    I would love to be in the Wordplay giveaway.
    I am going to tell you 3 things from yesterday that gave me joy.
    1. I saw the first hummingbird of the season
    2. I had some time in the evening to stitch and have Binx sleep on my lap
    3. My husband, my best friend :)

    Thanks for the chance.
    Have a great weekend.

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  12. Hi Jenny! Congratulations on reaching the 100 follower landmark :) I loved reading your comments on the meaning of blogging in our lives. It sure has opened up a whole new world for me! Three things that have made me happy today: the sound of my dear mother's voice greeting me this morning (she is here visiting for a week), a lovely long email from a blogging friend, and the sight of my yellow tulips blooming in the garden :)

    Thanks for the fun! Enjoy your weekend...

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  13. Hi Jenny, congratulations on reaching the 100 follower milestone. Please throw my name in the hat for a chance at the great giveaway. As far as what has made me happy today...first, the smiling face of my four year old granddaughter telling me how brave she was at the dentist today. Second, is that we are finally getting some rain in time for farmer hubs to plant some corn. Third is that God is in his heaven and all is well with my family.

    Have a great weekend!

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  14. Congrats on the Century of Followers! I've been one of them since the beginning of my blog-stalking career early in 2011!
    I do agree with what you're saying in the post. Since the last General Election I cannot watch the News as it's a rented TV and they get upset when I put a brick through the screen LOL.
    My three things which make me happy are: My Boys, my online stitching pals and shiny pennies. I work in a bookshop and I love it when we get a new bag of pennies from the bank and they're all shiny and pretty.
    I told a male colleague this and he said "you won't last long here", then I told him that I tell the Large Boy that shiny coins are worth twice as much as dull ones and he said I was wicked enough to work there LOL.
    Now off to read Terri's "naughty post", she's intrigued me LOL.

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  15. Congrats on so many followers!!!!!! Weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!!
    It's still pretty early today my three happy things for today involve:
    *a really great cup (or three) of chai that I brewed in my Breville Tea Maker
    *a really great sunny and pretty spring-like start to the day (it's been rather chilly here so this is a nice change)
    *and I'm happy I caught Mooshie struggling to jump into the picture window so I could help him and he could catch his morning nap there per normal. (Sounds strange but I hate the fact that I'm not always around to help get him where he wants to go, now that his back legs are wobbly all the time. It makes me happy when I do catch him and can make his day a little easier/better.)

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  16. Congrats on 100 followers, Jenny! WOOT WOOT! And thank you for holding such a wonderful giveaway! I do have to agree with the quote in your post about spending the first part of our lives working on our strengths and the last part working on our weaknesses. So true!

    I would love to enter your giveaway so here goes with my "happy list":

    1. Waking up and finding both of my kitties curled up together on the couch. Simon pretends to not to like his sister but I have always known otherwise.

    2. Listening to the birds chirping in the warm, Sunday morning sunshine.

    3. Reading your post :-)

    4. For the first time in weeks my husband and I have a day off together. I love spending Sunday mornings with him, drinking coffee and discussing CBS's Sunday Morning show. One of my favorite things!

    5. Reminding myself to be thankful for all of the blessing that I have. I am truly blessed!

    6. Listening to my husband and my siamese, Simon carry on a "conversation." This from a man who used to hate cats. Now he and Simon are inseparable. THAT makes me very happy!

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  17. I am a follower and would love to take part in your giveaway! My 3 things:

    1. I am working, and the ER is NOT busy.

    2. I live in central Kansas...and my little town did NOT get hit by the many tornados. And I have heard from friends and family in places that did get hit, and everyone is safe!

    3. I actually had time to read this blog and enter. Such was not the case a couple of days ago, as our ER got slammed with seriously ill people. All of whom are transferred to bigger places and have survived so far.

    Debbie in Kansas

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  18. Hej syster!
    Vad glad jag blir av att läsa att det ger glädje och energi att blogga. Älskar att du skriver, så himla mysigt att läsa! Jag behöver inte vara med i utlottningen men vill gärna dela vilka tre saker som gjorde mig glad idag.
    1. E-mailet från dig.
    2. Att cykla i solen.
    3. Att ha en intressant konversation med Jens vid middagsbordet
    Pusspuss älskade syster!
    PS. Redan 109!! DS.

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  19. Hi Jenny. I've been reading your blog for quite some time. I just now joined as a follower. We both began blogging around the same time. I enjoy it as well. Visit my blog if you haven't..bookwomanstitches.blogspot.com. I like your request for the giveaway entry.
    1. my husband and children
    2. Annie, a special cat
    3. a clear blue sky on a beautiful day
    Thanks for the great giveaway, and congratulations to you on your blog accomplishments.

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  20. I also stopped watching the news many years ago! Decreases my stress level quite a bit! OK, both those charts are adorable! Thank you for the giveaway!! Here are my three things:
    1) Walking outside on a clear, sunny day underneath flowering trees, with a light breeze
    2) Fresh tomatoes from my deck
    oh wait...they have to be from today...ok, i'll start over!
    3) I have the day off tomorrow!!
    4) Work stress is letting up a bit
    5) I get to have dinner and stitching with friends tonight! And actually stitch!!! It's been FOUR DAYS OMIGOSH *faint*

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