and the winner is....

Brandi!!!

Thank you to everyone who entered my little giveaway. To the first 15 to leave a comment, I will be contacting you shortly for your mailing address. I have a little something to send your way!

I immensely enjoyed reading everyone's most favourite birthday and or anniversary gift.

My most precious birthday gift was for my 27th birthday. Rewind a few months before my 27th birthday (almost 10 to be exact). I am sitting in my doctor's office and she is telling me the due date of my first born.

My doctor: "Your due date is July 30th..."

Me: "Really? Well I hope she/he comes on time because my birthday is August 4 and there is no way I am sharing my birthday!"

The wee hours of August 4th, my 27th birthday...

Me: "I think I am in labour.... wait, isn't it my birthday today?"

Fast forward 36 hours....to August 5, sometime in the afternoon...

My doctor: "Congrats!! it's a girl!"

Me to my first born Zoe: " Of course, you didn't want to share your birthday with me either... but did it really have to take that long?"

one

It's been exactly one year and 200 posts since I started my blog.

Over past the year, I have met some amazing bloggers, made some dear friends and (the biggest surprise of all) discovered a few things about myself.

I use to think I was shy. But I guess blogging about my every day life and family (for the whole world to read) doesn't make me so shy any more.

I use to think that I was boring and nerdy. But when I have readers commenting daily on my posts and the fact that they are interested in the same things I am. I start to think, "Hey, maybe I'm not as nerdy as I think!"

I use to think that I had to be "super mom" all the time. But reading other moms' blogs (and even those who are not moms) out there, I started to realize, hey it's ok if the laundry sits unfolded for one day and it's ok for the girls to eat fast food once in a while.

So, as a thank you to everyone who reads my little blog I have a few of my favourite things up for grabs.

I love vintage inspired and whimsical necklaces. This necklace from Bee 23 made by Bing Bang is just that. Whimsy and charm are wrapped up in one lovely necklace.

I am a lip balm junkie. This lip balm from Oiseau is one of the best lip balms I have ever tried (and trust me I have tried a lot!)


I love cute little pouches. I use them to house spare change, sewing notions, lip balm, plastic dinosaurs, anything really. This lovely little coin purse is pink and from my favourite store.


All 3 of my favourite things can be yours simply by doing 3 things:

1. Being a follower, since this a thank you for those who read my blog (but don't fret if you are not a follower, it's not too late! just click follow on the left side of my blog)

2. Leaving a comment with your email address so that I can contact you if you happen to be the lucky person to win!

3. In the same comment tell me about the best birthday/anniversary gift you have ever received.

Oh, and since I love comments so much, the first 15 people to leave a comment on this post gets a lovely little gift from me!

Giveaway will run for one week and a winner will be chosen at random and announced here on Tuesday June 15th.

Thanks everyone and good luck!!

thank you

A BIG thank you to everyone who participated in my first giveaway!

All the pretty mum pins have been made and I have emailed the first 15 people who left a comment. I'm just waiting for your mailing addresses so I can mail your hair pin out!



If you didn't get an email from me, and you were one of the first 15 people to leave a comment, please send me an email jozpascual(at)hotmail(dot)com with your mailing address.

and the winner is....

Dena!
Gracie!
Rubyellen!
Cheryl!

You might be wondering why there are 4 winners instead of just 2 (like I had originally posted).

Well it's because there were so many lovely comments (114 to be exact!) about what you were all thankful for, it was so hard to choose just 2 winners, so I decided to make 2 more necklaces!

So, my hubby chose one: Gracie (He actually asked me if he could help pick a winner, and he told me he thoroughly enjoyed reading each and every comment!) who said:
I'm thankful for having fun in Ikea with my hubby. We love going there just to check out the displays and we like 'riding' the trollies.

Such a lovely giveaway


I chose one: Dena who said:
Oh my the necklace is so stunning and so is your little one.

I am grateful for having my health, something we take for granted so often. A friend of mine was diagnosed with MS last year and since hear life has turned upside down. being by her side and watching her go through this, having to giving up on her dreams of having a family and the future has been a heart breaking experience. it has made me realize that we truly take our health for granted...until something happens to us. So every day I am going to be grateful for feeling well when I wake up, for being able to live an active life together with my loved ones.

And Zoe got to pick a name out of the bowl: Rubyellen who said:
i am thankful for my friends via blog world!!! those items are just lovely!

And of course Pia got to pick a name out of the bowl as well: Cheryl who said:
I'm thankful for all my fellow mom bloggers. So many of them are stay at home (or work at home) moms like myself. I had a really hard time transistioning but with their support and encouragement they've made my adjustment alot easier.

Thank you for the lovely giveaway Jozen!

And I can't forget about the first 10 people to leave a comment ( I have also decided to send hair pins to 15 people instead of 10!) I will be contacting you all shortly for your mailing address.

I had a lot of fun hosting this giveaway (and I hope you all had fun too). It was so much fun that I will have another one again soon!!

Thanks Everyone :)

P.S. If any of my bloggy friends are interested in having me host a giveaway for them, please email me at jozpascual(at)hotmail(dot)com. I would be more than happy to!!

with gratitude

Pia wants you to win this!

When I first started my blog it was because I wanted a place to write about my Etsy shop, sewing adventures, fabric obsessions and other crafty things. But alas, I got too busy to keep up with the sewing demands my Etsy shop required and had to take time off from my shop. Surprisingly, I kept up with my blog. I think it was mainly because of my hubby. My hubby would often tell me, "I liked your blog post today.." or he would say "I think you should write about this tomorrow..." (see he IS my biggest fan!)

And then eventually my blog evolved to become a place to record everyday moments of happiness that would otherwise go unnoticed in my day to day life.

Unexpectedly, others became interested in my little blog and what I wrote about. Even more unexpectedly, I made friends.

Thank you for sharing your life with me, thank you for allowing me to share my life with you.

So, with utmost gratitude I say "thank you".

In appreciation, two lucky bloggy friends will each receive this ruffled necklace I made. And because so many of you take the time to not only read my little blog but take the time to leave comments, the first ten people to leave a comment on this post will each receive a pretty mum hair pin (also made by me).

To enter:

1. You must be a follower (if you aren't a follower already, just click "follow" on the left side of my blog)

2. Leave a comment telling me what you are thankful for (don't forget to leave your email so that I can contact you!)

3. Blog, tweet or facebook about this giveaway for up to three extra entries! (please leave the link here)

Giveaway will run until Thursday April 1st. Winner(s) will be announced Friday April 2nd.

Good luck and I hope you like my "ruffle"inspired giveaway!

friends and free goodies

When I first started my blog it was because I wanted a place to write about my sewing adventures, fabric obsessions and other crafty things. Eventually my blog evolved to become a place to record everyday moments of happiness that would otherwise go unnoticed in my day to day life.

Unexpectedly, others became interested in my little blog and what I wrote about. Even more unexpectedly, I made friends.

One of my friends, Lita of Downtown Girl Designs is having a giveaway over at Cakies. She is the sweetest girl (and new mommy!). I swear we were separated at birth, we have so many things in common. Scoot on over to Cakies and check out her lovely giveaway.



My sister in law (and friend) is also having a giveway on her blog. I love these fortune cookies so much I bought two sets. Wedding season is fast approaching... so any brides-to-be out there... these would make great wedding favours or bridal party thank you cards!

See? isn't blog land great? where else can you make friends half way across the world and get free stuff?

fancy a spot of tea?

The uber talented Fallon of Olive is giving away (yes, you read that right giving away) this adorable tea time bunting.

If you are a tea lover like me, then this bunting was made for you!

So, scoot on over to her blog and enter her fabulous giveaway!

Thanks Fallon!

Want to win this dress??

Molly Lou Gifts is sponsoring a giveaway for me... that's right ANOTHER giveaway. Please check out her uber cool blog www.mollylougifts.blogspot.com for details.

Good Luck Everyone!!!