Well, the voters have spoken and it was so very interesting to see where your hearts went.
Thank you to everyone who took the time to read and vote and to those of you who reflected back to me their thoughts and feelings both via the blog and in private emails. I was touched, not only by the stories themselves, but also by your thoughts about the stories and the thought you put into making your selections. I so loved Boomdee’s comment about hope – did you catch that in the comments section of the last post?
In the end voting was very close between two stories. And very close between the next five. So close that there was only one course of action left to me – and that was to make everyone winners.
Here’s what has happened:
The story you voted for the most was C. This is the story of Melanie, submitted by her father, Colin. I do not know Colin or Melanie and have no idea how Colin found out about the giveaway. But he did and he wrote a beautiful precis of his daughter’s life and we all thought it was worthy of a light catcher – so it will be sent to her as soon as her address is received.
Extraordinarily close behind was story A. Norah’s friend Robin touched our hearts and so nearly won it would be a shame not to send her something – so she will receive a light catcher also.
Then there followed the middle runners [it’s sounding a bit like a horse racing event isn’t it ….] These stories were all close together in terms of votes, you all liked them equally it seems causing a split vote situation. Nothing for it then but to say all the people featured in these stories are also receiving light catchers:
B, D, F, H, J and K.
I took some time out of life for several hours and with intense purpose made several versions of a simpler, single strand Christmas Light Catcher to be given to the runners up. Each catcher is made with one AAA crystal ball, either of 30 or 40 mm, a random amount of AAA crystal octagons, a random amount of crystal faceted beads, various glass, acrylic or semi precious beads and finished with several charms. They are all different. My plan is to wrap them up, package them and randomly write on the addresses as you send them to me. Which light catcher anyone gets will be the outcome of random choice, pure good fortune or the will of the Christmas Fairy – whichever way you choose to look at it.
This is a shot of several of the single strands, all mixed up together
And as another added extra, today I threw all the names of the commenters from the last post into my favourite coffee cup and drew one out.
Sharon, aka ‘Gentle Stitches’ will also receive a simple single strand Christmas Light Catcher.
Here’s a few more of them just lying around waiting to be parcelled up
Although these catchers made as extra giveaways are much simpler than the major giveaway, they will I hope, spread just a few more light rainbows around the world and remind the recipients that they are in the hearts of the people who submitted them and their stories touched the hearts of the people who heard them.
Please make sure to send me the address of your nominee if they are a prize winner – instructions are in the previous post. .
Thank you again for your participation and encouragement of this Advent activity.
To finish, especially for his fans, here’s a shot of Siddy admiring his new front door:
Thanks for coming by today, I’m so happy that you did!
This is where you, my favourite global blogging community, get to decide who you would most like to see receive the Christmas Light Catcher.
There are eleven nominations.
It’s really simple – the stories each have a letter at the top, you just select your favourite two as a first and second choice. The story that receives the most votes wins the light catcher. But this is the hard part – It’s really hard – each nominee is worthy, every little story is wrapped around a wonderful human being, how do you choose? [Left to my own devices, I’d probably just send them all a light catcher! I’m glad it’s not me choosing!]
Remember, you may select two only and the poll will only let you vote once. There are no rules, no right or wrong – just your considered opinion, or feeling for or gut response – whichever one you go by – then simply select the two nominees who touch you the most and mark the corresponding alphabet letters in the poll box at the bottom of the post.
Thank you for your participation and for joining with me in this somewhat experimental attempt to spread a bit of unexpected rainbow filled light out into the world.
The poll will be closed and no further votes will count after 6 pm [NZ time] 3rd December.
In the interests of getting the package sent off as quickly as possible to the winner [mail slowing down horrendously from this point on of course], if you entered someone in this giveaway could you please contact me privately via the email address on the ‘Contact Me’ page with the postal details of your nominee just as soon as possible.
I have a wonderful friend for whom this beautiful light catcher would be a perfect gift. Each of its strands holds a special significance, as if Pauline had her in mind.
She gifted her friendship to me more than thirty years ago and, thanks to a miracle and the protection of angels, it is a gift that continues.
Over twenty years ago, on my birthday, she was involved in a serious car accident. My birthday became her life day, a constant reminder that life and each passing year is a precious gift.
Her many injuries, requiring numerous surgeries over the years, did not injure her bright, cheerful nature and positive outlook on life. Although she lives with constant pain you wouldn’t know unless you asked, and then only if she chose to tell you.
She has an enormous generous and loving heart, and her home is warm and welcoming. Family, especially her two grown daughters and her dear Mum who passed this year, is important to her. She loves to bake and craft individual gifts for her family and friends. She is always busily thinking of others.
She is a gifted musician and amazing music teacher. She plays the flute and sings like a Robin. She incorporates music and fun into classes for children and lessons for adults learning English. All come to her classes eager to learn and leave singing with joy and acceptance.
At Christmas the family gather round to decorate the tree and “remember the moments” marked by ornaments made by smaller hands, collected on travels, or signifying achievements and occasions like graduations and engagements.
I know my friend would treasure this beautiful light catcher as another reminder of life’s precious gifts and moments that make it magic. Thank you Pauline for the opportunity to express openly how much I value her friendship.
I would like to nominate my friend Angela. she is a true angel and particularly at Christmas time. She helped me and my fiancee as he left this world, delivered my baby, is a nurse manager of a busy city hospital and looks after her three children in her spare time. She also helps organize her hardworking husband, two dogs, has a garden and has THE most wonderful Christmas dinner every year for multiple people. She’s just another unsung hero is my friend Angela, who loves Christmas and quite frankly MAKES Christmas for all of us.
Melanie (my daughter) was diagnosed with a brain tumor a few years ago now and, while her 5 yr survival chances were estimated at 50/50, she is still “with us”. Because of the tumor, and so much residual damage from numerous radiation and chemo treatments, she is unable to hold down a regular job. Her focus is very good, but her memory less so. She has internal damage; nausea is quite common and she loses her balance periodically however, her church has employed her regularly a couple of days a week but, other than that, her income is totally from government allowances. She lives a spartan existence. Prior to the diagnosis, she was a single Mum and a very competent kick-boxer!
Her daughter is now independent, and Melanie is still going to kick-boxing classes albeit on a non-contact basis. Given her balance issues, any move that involves a spin is a delicate movement for her but she soldiers on.
I would like her to be considered because despite her circumstances, she is always befriending less fortunate people, is always volunteering for something but, most importantly, is very content and appreciative of her life. I recently spent 2 weeks with her in her little apartment and was so proud of her because she had little more than the basics (no tv and no internet), but couldn’t think of anything she really wanted for Christmas. From her perspective, she has a little apartment; a daughter that she is proud of; lots of friends; and a family who love her. From her perspective, she has it all!
Your display would not only be appreciated because of the nature of it, but she would think that she had won the lottery!!!!
Perhaps it was love at first sight. I didn’t quite know it then. Almost fifty years ago, till grieving for my late wife, I was cajoled by my brother to attend a twenty-first birthday party. Standing in a room full of happy young people, I didn’t know where to put myself.
I was rivetted to the floor. Then. Across the room I saw her. My soles were freed. Over I went, and we stayed in each other’s company for the rest of the evening.
We made a date. I waited for over an hour on Victoria Station, until she came running towards me. We sat in St. James’s Park. A pigeon pecked at the remains of a boiled egg on the tarmac. Simultaneously we each said: ‘Cannibal’. That was it. It was love. Love for life.
The marriage ended abruptly six years later. The light she had brought to my life went out. The love did not.
After almost forty more years during which we each remarried and led separate lives; and I was widowed again; we met once more at our son’s fortieth birthday party. We talked once more. At one point I realised that the rest of the chairs around the table at which we sat had been tactfully vacated.
Within weeks we were back together. The light had returned. Six more years on, it does not wane.
My nomination is a fellow blogger, Marlene. I know, a bit odd, since I don’t know her, except through her blog, and her comments on other blogs we jointly follow. She came to my mind straight away, and even though I sifted through my nearest and dearest, my thoughts kept returning to Marlene, so Marlene it is.
I’m always touched and impressed by her soft, gentle positivity in her blog posts, and comments on other blogs and a recent one on The Kitchens Garden where she said she keeps her vibration as loving as possible so each encounter in the world reflects that. I do like that sentiment.
I think she deserves this beautiful gift of light and joy.
My friend, Amy, is someone who is most deserving of an unexpected gift out of the blue! She is a woman who has been challenged by the loss of several loved ones, and been disappointed by the actions of others. She opens her heart, make herself vulnerable, and in the process is sometimes taken advantage of. She never quite realizes that she is deserving of love and goodness. Yes, she has been blessed with good health, a steady income, and the love of one who means much to her, but those things don’t negate the fact that she needs reassurance, support, and love. She works hard, every day. She loves passionately, every day. She grieves deeply, every day. She deserves goodness, every day.
My mind went immediately to someone I got to know through blogging, my friend Crystal. We have met a few times to get to know each other though she has moved farther away and works longer hours now. She’s been raising her daughter pretty much all alone all these years and done a very good job of it. She is also a veteran having served in the military state side. Having just purchased and moved into her new (quite old, in much need of love) home, the dangler would be just the thing to bring good Chi into her space. With her kind heart and great photographic talent, and her Native American heritage, I can see the dangler hanging on her porch outside her front door. I’m sure she would appreciate it. How could someone not.
My friend Harry would never put this light catcher away with the Christmas decorations. He would give it a prominent place in his house—after much experimenting for the very BEST place, (Harry can be a bit artsy fartsy)—-making sure the sunbeams would strike it just so, then he and his dog and cat would dance with all the rainbows on the floor and walls in the same spirit of joy and fun he spreads like a tonic wherever he goes. He has lived many years and well knows the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune, but still, like a child of the light, seems to carry Christmas in his heart every day of the year. You might say he himself is a light catcher. Since he is much more accustomed to giving gifts than receiving them, he would be flabbergasted to receive this beautiful one, out of the blue, for no reason at all.
I would like to nominate a friend of the past 25 years, Sue. She is gentle and kind but with a core of steel. She has had a difficult 18 months, having lost her father some years ago at a comparatively young age, and now having had a very ill mother who nearly died countless times because of an abscess on the brain. Sue works at a responsible job for a Big 6 accountancy firm 4 days a week. She has a school age daughter. Her mother lives some distance away but was fortunately able to be treated in London at a hospital near Sue, and now lives with her and the family for some of the time. Sue made it clear to her employers that her mother was her priority and stuck to that, despite the veiled job loss pressures the firm put on her, as these places do, and the general volume of work, and spent as much time with her as possible and beyond, sleeping in all sorts of awkward expensive and cheap places. And yet whilst all this is going on she has never once complained and is still always unforcedly cheerful and amusing and caring about her friends, asking about them and remembering details. She is a bright, funny and loving person and I always come away from time with her with a lightness of heart, despite her peculiar loyalty to Shrewsbury Town FC! She considers time spent with her friends a privilege for her but the privilege is for us, even though she would never understand that!
This person had a particularly difficult start to life through an abusive family. Finally free and eventually with a trustworthy man, a veteran with his own challenges she was defrauded of her home and the legal system let her down. But she fights for her family and has pressed for fair treatment for her husband while rebuilding her life. She works for a large number of not for profits. Since I met this person blogging and have come to know and admire (maybe a little adoration too) her through her blog it is the community on line that she has created that speaks volumes. She helps people fulfill dreams – I read countless testimonials to how people start writing because of her encouragement, finding outlets where none existed before. Now she is running a competition to raise money for a sensing dog – yet another small but significant addition to an extraordinary portfolio. And boy will she adore the light catcher and keep it out all the time.
My friend Puwen is an idea machine with the ability to move beyond ideas into action. A number of years ago, I came back from a visit to California with an idea for gardeners to donate vegetables to food banks. The outreach coordinator at my church put me in touch with Puwen, who she said was trying to get more fresh produce into the Arlington Food Assistance Center (AFAC). When we finally connected by phone, we talked for a couple hours. I connected her with a farm network that donates food from fields that can’t be harvested, talked about gardens, church gardens and then school gardens. We talked about getting donations from the farmers markets and community gardens. We talked about advertising gardening as a healthy way to get food. We threw around a lot of ideas. Then Puwen went into action. She got space at the local library for a garden, arranged pickup of left-over vegetables from farm markets and started talking with the schools about the amazing lessons that could be built around a garden: math, science, history, biology, botany. The first year, we hauled in 10,000 lbs of fresh vegetables to AFAC, some of it delivered to Puwen’s house. Now the take is more than 200,000 lbs. Unfortunately, the need has grown as well. But we’ve got people donating, being educated about plants and gardening, and just enjoying the way gardens look. And that’s not bad. Feeding people is good. Feeding people well is even better.
As my American friends celebrate Thanksgiving, and as Advent approaches it is time to not only be grateful for all we have, it is also time to think about those who maybe have less or maybe need a little brightening moment in their lives. In keeping with the true spirit of the season, this is the time for giving.
Let’s join together and bring back a little of the giving spirit here in Contented Land and see what we can come up with.
I’ve made a traditionally coloured Christmas Light Catcher – one that can be kept especially for this time of the year or, if the winner is so inclined, to hang up all year round.
I love making these light catchers, to me they are a really special combination of textures, light and colour – they are always woven with the magic of intent and good wishes for the person for whom it is destined and time and thought goes into each one.
I don’t have much I can give, but I can give this. I want to make a giveaway that is absolutely altruistic – no-one can enter for themselves, each must think of someone else and put in a little effort to share what that person means to you and why you want them to own this light catcher.
I know it means a bit of thought and effort – different to a usual blog post – but I do hope you will be willing to take part.
Anybody, any where in the world is eligible.
This is a giveaway with a difference andevery reader of this blog who wishes to take part gets to nominate someone to receive the gift and gets to be a voter for who will finally receive it.
Here’s the process:
In a private message to me, details found in the ‘Contact Me‘ page, please share a little about what your nominee means to you and why you want them to be gifted this light catcher. Names and other identifying factors can be omitted if you choose – after all, they are not necessary, just tell a little story about why you would like them to receive this special gift. You have seven days from the date of this post to share your story – approx 300 or so words only please. (I’d be really grateful if you didn’t wait til the last minute to get your story in too, but that’s just a timing thing.)
At the end of the seven days another post will be made where I will cut and paste all the stories minus your identification and a poll will go up. You will be able to vote for your first and second choices from the stories. The story with the most votes gets the gift.
The poll will close three days after it opens.
I will send the catcher directly to the person you have chosen in time for Christmas.
What do you think? Do you know someone who deserves an unexpected gift?
Now here’s a little about the light catcher.
It is a three strander with three AAA crystal balls and several crystal rondelles threaded through out. The main strands are threaded with red and green beads of crystal, glass and acrylic, many hand made. There are twelve charm threads with more crystals holding the different charms. There are many, many charms on this catcher and more can be added when the winner is known, especially for that person!
The right strand includes a sun; a heart; a house with two children and a cat and a dog and a pentacle for protection. Beneath that hangs a disc with ‘Remember the moments’ written on it. This strand may represent past or present Christmases – it is for the child, whether it be within or actual.
The centre strand holds the archangel Gabriel; a bell and a musical semibreve and a book. This represents the spiritual content of the season – the magic, the stories, the music. It celebrates the message ‘Peace on earth and goodwill to all’ It is for making memories old and new.
The left hand strand holds a Buddha; a bird, a butterfly, a holly leaf and a flower; a lantern and finally a small disc with the word ‘miracles’ engraved into it. This strand reaches out to include all the world in the spirit of giving. This includes all ethnicities, all religions, all nationalities, all kinds of beliefs and all ways of life. It includes the wonder of nature and reminds us that we are all, every one of us, united on this fragile blue globe that hangs in the darkness of space and each of us is a light that shines into the world if we so choose to be.
For those of you interested in monetary value, the Christmas Light Catcher is valued at $NZ75.00
I hope you will share your special people, I hope you will come back to help choose the winner. I hope you will enter into the spirit of this Season of Giving.
Thank you for coming by today, I love that you did! ❤
Thank you all so very much for the many and most helpful comments on the new shop window – I spent the ensuing days making changes as fast as I could and I think the perusing and information gathering is much better as a result. There are still a few additions and changes to be made, but nothing major.
I even made a sale which thrilled me no end – even though there ensued a most embarrassing postal misadventure as a result…… Do you want the whole story?
I was super busy and trapped at home waiting for the super-fast broadband installation scoping man to arrive – and surprise, surprise he didn’t…… [that’s a whole other post!]
I had a pile of mittens still waiting to get to the post office, the raspberry and yellow light catchers to get off to their new homes and a mounting sense of frustration that I was going to miss the post again……
Enter Stage R the most amenable and helpful Youngest Daughter, Official Photographer and newbie blogger, Danella Joy. Already stressed to the max with the health of her aged and ailing cat, an upcoming week away and what to do if dear cat’s demise and week away collide and needing to get to her night shift on time after a vet consultation, she still volunteered to visit the post office along the way and get my parcels sent off.
All but one of the packages were wrapped and addressed. One, a set of three mittens and a card from the last giveaway, needed it’s own postal envelope and the address to be written on said envelope.
Hastily I tore off the small pad page that had some addresses written on it, ripped off the unneeded address, threw everything into a handy tote bag and off she raced.
I didn’t realise that the small pad page had an address written both sides, both perfectly framed within the torn off seam.
You know what happened don’t you
Two days later DJ remembered to give me the pile of postal receipts and the card she had not seen in the bag that needed to go with the mittens until it was too late and as she handed over the torn pad page with the address on she froze, turned it over and asked “Where were the mittens going?”
Yes indeedy! Two beautifully written addresses – take your pick. There was a 50/50 chance I guess that the wrong one would be right side up when she scrabbled in the bag to find it and send the mittens away across the ocean. At least they ended up in the right country!
Now I have to get poor Jem to readdress and resend a package she should never have gotten and reimburse that as an added, extra postal cost….. sigh! And Jenny, dear, patient Jenny, you will get your mittens sometime soon 🙂
***************
But now, to happier times.
And what could be happier than a giveaway I hear you cry……….
The names were all written out on strips of carefully cut paper
Piled into my favourite drink dispenser
shaken
stirred
scattered
‘Can we go yet?’
and – chosen!
I’m exhausted says Orlando – these are all winners!
Finally dear readers and bloggy friends – we have the post you have just been hanging out for [yes? yes??]
Running behind I made my lists and checked them twice – eventually there were 78 strips of paper crammed into the coffee cup bearing names gathered from the comments section of the previous post and the beloved ‘followers’ of The Contented Crafter Facebook page.
Whilst engaged in this activity there was a petulant cat to try and mollify, pet, remind he was still my number one favourite, hand feed to prove that last statement whilst keeping a watchful eye on puppy as he stole my morning woolly socks from the bedroom, stole Orlando’s happy-bag from the basket, pushed his way between various barriers, chewed on the reading lamp cord and pulled a recipe book from the bakers rack and tore it to shreds.
The camera sat at the ready to take three pretty shots of all the names lined up neatly, piled into my morning coffee cup and the winning name proudly displayed for all to see.
I stirred and shook the contents of the mug as vigorously as possible, pulled out one strip, set it aside and tossed the rest while simultaneously scrambling to get puppy to his pee mat before he did it in the wrong place, then discovering uh-oh, not a pee, scrambling to get puppy outdoors for his imminent poo….. picking puppy up and cuddling him because once again he got stepped on due to his not-so-endearing habit of running between my feet every time I move.
I spent some further precious minutes mollifying Orlando who had only just deigned to re-enter the house and would stay BUT ONLY SO LONG AS THAT THING DIDN’T MOVE!
Eventually I started writing this post and realised – oh dear, yes, the camera is still sitting at the ready……
However, puppy is snoozing on my left foot, and cat is sitting on the back of the chair on his blankie for the first time in five days…. A MIRACLE HAS JUST TAKEN PLACE AND THERE IS NOBODY TO SEE IT!
So I write dear friends. A stillness has settled over the room broken only by the tap of my fingers on the keyboard and the deep, heavy breathing of Orlando who has not yet attained contentment enough to release his rumbley purr. But who may, if he gets a wee sleep undisturbed, find his mojo again.
I dare not move!
The camera is on the other side of the room, the strip of paper is here beside me.
The strip of paper bears the name ‘Narf77’
I hooted with laughter when I saw that name – if you follow along with The Road to Serendipity you may be aware of the wonderful antics of the wonderful Fran when it comes to blog giveaways. I always love her comments on mine and others’ posts as they are always in depth, humorous and often longer than the original article. I’m not sure if Fran has won a giveaway previously, but I know that in recent times amongst the blogs we both follow, she has not, despite her fervent wish to do so. Fran’s recent decision to ‘let the Universe decide’ has obviously been a wise one.
The Universe, with a tad of assistance from Orlando and Sid-Arthur has decided.
Congratulations Narfie, drop me an email with your cover choice and we will get her underway!
To everybody else who took part, thank you and I hope you had fun too.
And because there is a lack of photos today here is one just to remind you of the new little cuteness:
The coffee cup was emptied. Washed. Dried. Refilled with names on paper strips. And the winner of our latest giveaway – sponsored entirely by our Anonymous Lovely Person is
Alys over at Gardening Nirvana.
Congratulations Alys, at your leisure do have a scramble through the Etsy Store, make your choice and contact me [details on ‘Contact Me’ page] 🙂
*************
I just want to take a moment to reflect on being the recipient of unexpected gifts.
I think that life gives us gifts all the time, but often it is not really appreciated – I know for me this is absolutely true. It has taken me a life time to move to a place where I am aware, am open, am accepting and choose to practise acceptance of what is on a daily basis. To see life as a gift rather than a chore…… and to realise that what I want may not be actually on the list of things I need or can have.
I have some days when I say to myself, I’m not getting out of bed until I feel grateful for something – anything. Some days I stay a longer time in bed than I should 😉
And I know each day is made up friendly asides, fortuitous events and serendipitous meetings. I know there are countless occasions when disaster has been narrowly avoided and even more countless occasions when a smile or friendly word has made someones day better.
Yet when, out of the blue, someone does something genuinely kind, caring and generous for me I am utterly blown away – I feel a ‘yes’ move through me like a soft breeze of awakening, my heart opens and expands beyond my physical body, my lips curve in a smile, first of astonishment and then of joy. I feel a sense of wonder and elation. It settles and I feel a gentle ‘wow’ that fills my body. I notice that the negative voice becomes still.
I have paid attention to my physical and emotional response to this gift. I wonder if it is the same for you all?
I have always been the person who gave and this is the first time I have been given to – in this particular manner. It has made me really aware of what an amazing thing it is to receive an unexpected gift.
My dear anonymous donor did far more for me than make this give-away possible – it has been a really lovely experience! Thank you xoxo
This cannot be – I think 1994 was just a couple of years back – who turned up the speed?
I finished yesterday with quiet introspection.
On a day to day basis it seems as if nothing much happens or changes and life just ticks along. If I want to get maudlin I could say none of my wishes have come to pass. But when I took a moment to step out of the forest in order to see the trees I saw a quite different vista.
I see that all my daily needs are easily met. I see that I have all I need and even some of what I want. I see I can meet my expenses every month. I see my friends and family. I see my neighbours. I see I started blogging. I see a community that has grown from that first unremembered step. I see I started painting again. I see I opened an Etsy Shop. I see I wrote 100 posts. I see I had a lot of fun. I see new laughter lines. I see that I love. I see that I am loved.
I see a vast landscape of serendipitous meetings, events and inspirations. And I remember to trust that no matter what I think I want, my life is happening even – as John Lennon said – while I am busy making other plans.
I see and I remember that I am a most fortunate person!
Look what I got in the mail yesterday
125 10.5 x 14 cm super shiny postcard sized prints from the good guys over at Vistaprint.
I ordered sticky back labels and business cards from them early in December and they arrived the day before we went off on our jaunt through Central Otago to Queenstown. [Click here for that post] I was really happy with the quality and the price. These postcards were an add on at a hugely reduced price and with free postage as a thank you for my order. At the time I thought why not – may as well give it a go – and it is absolutely a WOW!
The postcard size cuts off a bit of the original painting, which was purchased by the sweet Alys over at Gardening Nirvana on the day I opened my Etsy Store – which kind of made my year really – but I think she still looks kind of neat 🙂
I’ll be sending some of these out as freebies with every order I think. And I’ll get the others made up this way too – who knew my paintings could look so great? Tra-lu, Tra-lay, Oh happy day! 🙂
[NB:- It appears I’m giving up modesty for 2014]
Now lets get on with the business at hand.
The first Give Away for 2014
is a signed print of your choice from my Etsy Shop.
Now should you be a person who ticks one or any or all of the following:
A person who likes whimsical art
A person in need of something to put on their wall
A person who forgot to buy a gift for a female friend/relative recently
A person with a gift needed for a female friend/relative soon
A person who likes free stuff
A person who supports my attempts to become an artist
A person who has previously won a give-away before
A bloke
………..then please feel free to enter into this New Year Giveaway – entirely sponsored by an anonymous, generous, kind, loving, thoughtful, patron of a would-be artist and
Hit the ‘Like’ button on the Contented Crafter Page on FaceBook
Hit the ‘Follow’ button on the Contented Crafter Blog
Hit the ‘Leave A Comment’ on this post and leave a comment
If you already ‘Like’ and ‘Follow’ I know – and I love you for it, just leave a comment.
If you don’t ‘do’ FaceBook, I absolutely understand, just mention that fact in your comment.
If you have stumbled onto this post through my cunning ploy of naming and tagging ‘Give Away’ and ‘Free Stuff’ go check out my Etsy Shop The Contented Crafter for a full list of the prints you could choose from should your name be drawn.
That’s it folks. You have until midnight on Twelfth Night – 6th January – and the draw will be made the following morning. We shall continue the age old tradition of my coffee mug, having emptied it’s early morning contents of delicious hot coffee into my eager being, becoming the receptacle for your various names. I’m hoping the coffee cup will be full and the ‘Likes’ and ‘Follows’ will therefore be quadrupled………..Ah well , we must have a dream for it to come true 🙂
Thanks for coming by today, I love that you did! 🙂
What made me laugh at these two names is that from the comments we all think we know what Christi will choose and we all know that Wendy has no idea and may take until next Christmas to make up her mind!!
Do you think the gods of random choice are having a laugh?
To those of you whose names were not the ones that leapt into my searching fingers, there will be more chances, I’m sure I will find an excuse early next year to do this again ………stay tuned!
Christi and Wendy, please email me with your choices and addresses.
No rush Wendy! 🙂 You know you can have all the same or all different, right?
I’m adding an addendum to this post – I forgot to say this earlier but was reminded when Christi offered to pay the postage on her prize – not necessary, but aren’t people amazing!! 🙂
A contribution towards the cost of postage for this giveaway was made by Linne over at A Random Harvest when she purchased some of my cards – I repeat – aren’t people amazing!! 🙂
Thank you Linne, thank you Christi, thank you everyone – sometimes I just feel like I know the best people in the entire world 🙂
Because the Christmas season is upon us, the lights are up and just because I can – there is another giveaway on offer. This time there will be two winners. …Happy, happy dances and big smiley faces!! 🙂
A signed print of your choice from one of these:
A 5 pack of cards of your choice from my Etsy shop
Go to my shop to view the full range and make your choice, this is just one example.
[and yes, you can choose 5 different cards if you want]
Of course, you have to do something to enter – well, two things actually, here are ‘The Rules’:
1] ‘Like’ The Contented Crafter Page on Facebook.*
2] Leave a comment on this post.
*If you have already ‘Liked’ on Facebook, just mention that fact in your comment here.
If you don’t participate in or on Facebook, please let me know that too.
This giveaway is open to all followers old and new – please don’t be shy, make it fun and interesting and exciting for us all – tell me what you think 🙂
The Giveaway Closes on 8th December 2013 at 8pm [my time]
Thanks for coming by today, I love that you did and I hope you will take part! 🙂
![A Gardener [c]](https://thecontentedcrafter.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/a-gardener-c1.jpg)
The Contented Crafter 