giveaway times two!

i'm celebrating!  this past weekend i wrote my 200th blog post and reached over 200 "favorite hearts" in my etsy shop!  i'm not quite sure how both of these things happened at the same time...all i know is that i think it calls for twice the fun!  and what could be more fun than a give-away?  so, give-away #1:  i tried to think of a way that i could show you how much i appreciate all of your sweet comments and words of encouragement...especially with my new obsession of carving stamps!  i received so much positive feedback about my "wish" stamp, that i decided to carve another one...just for you (and i think that this one is much better than the first!)!

and since we're having twice the fun, we've got to have twice the give-away, don't you think?!  so, give-away #2 is a new stamp that i carved...specifically made for you, my artsy blogger friends!  created like the "wish" stamp, i wrote out the word "art",  gave it a faux postage stamp border and then carved it into a staedtler mars plastic eraser.  

if you'd like to participate in this double give-away, just leave a comment before this thursday, midnight, east coast time.  please make sure that i can link back to your blog, or leave your e-mail address so i can contact you.  i'll be drawing two names (one for each stamp) and announce the winner on friday!  

thanks for helping me to celebrate...and thank you so much for your support and encouragement over these past 200 posts!  you'll never know how much i've enjoyed getting to know you...and how much i truly appreciate you!  :)

edited: two names have been drawn and will be announced on friday!  thanks for helping me celebrate!

have a heart

just wanted to give you a peek at what i've been working on today.  i love taking a shape (hearts are my favorite) and playing with different patterns.  i think that this carved trio looks really cute in my little stamp journal!  

i hope you have a great weekend!  i've got some celebrating planned for monday...maybe even a give-away?!  more details coming on monday!  see you then!

p.s.  members of the Bookbinding Etsy Street Team have the honor of being interviewed as a way of getting to know each other better.  i'm a relatively new member, and you can read my interview here on the BEST blog!

passion for creating

the very sweet lauren over at lauren's paint palette gave me this award!  admittedly, i don't paint in the traditional sense, but i do have a passion for creating lots of different things using paint!  i also definitely have a passion for lauren's paintings!  she creates the most beautiful watercolors...please treat yourself and take a peek, you won't be disappointed!  thanks so much for thinking of me, lauren...i really appreciate it! 

signs of spring

i took a stroll through the neighborhood this morning.  signs of spring are everywhere...like this bright green lizard settling in on our front porch.

or this turtle swimming in the pond looking for breakfast.

or this baby alligator floating by, uh, also looking for breakfast?!  yikes!!

(allow me to take this opportunity to express my sincere gratitude for the very sturdy, metal fence that served as a barrier between me and this glorious beast of nature!)

make a wish

i've been itching to get back to my stamp carving.  i'm SO loving it, and kind of wondering how much longer before i go from addiction on into obsession!  today i wrote out the word "wish" and started carving away...i'm still very much the beginner, but having oh, so much fun!!