Saturday, May 7, 2011

Giveaway week! {Ida & Mae}

**This giveaway is now closed. The winner is Traci Michele!  Congrats!**

I am ending my week of giveaways with one of my own.  I want to thank all the talented ladies who so generously participated in my giveaway week.  I hope you all enjoyed their work and will continue to follow their blogs and Facebook pages.

For those of you who may be new to my blog, you can read the story behind the name Ida & Mae HERE.  As for me, I am a sinner saved by grace, wife to my best friend Ron, and SAHM to our two blessings Ronnie and Elise.  Ida & Mae is my little side business to allow me a place to be creative with jewelry and share it with others.  It has been a fun adventure and I am excited to see where God leads it.

I am giving away a choice of one of my three newest pieces:




To enter, visit  my shop and leave a comment telling me which item is your favorite.
For additional entries (please leave a separate comment for each):

  • Share this giveaway on Facebook
  • Become a fan of Ida & Mae on Facebook
  • Follow Ida & Mae's blog


This giveaway ends at midnight!

Friday, May 6, 2011

Giveaway week! {Our Daily Chocolate}

**This giveaway is now closed. The winner is Jenny Gale again!! Congrats!**


Today's giveaway is by a very talented crafter named Ashley.  We have not had the chance to meet in person yet, but we have been able to get to know each other through our blogs, email, and Facebook.  I do hope that one day we can meet in person, that would be fantastic!  Here is a bit about Ashley and her business Our Daily Chocolate:




I’m a craftaholic who is addicted to chocolate, shopping and my hubby! :) I own Our Daily Chocolate and am the maker of rosebud earrings… I’m a terrible procrastinator and I always have at least 4 different projects going at one time and the motto I live by, “a clean home is a sign of a wasted life”.

I am a homeschooling SAHM of two, boy and girl ages 8 and 4 {with one on the way!}. I’m a Cali-Girl transplanted to Baltimore. Shortly after moving {14 yrs ago} I met a boy, we went on a date, which lead to love, which lead to a kiss, which lead to a family.




Of the several things I make, my most popular by far, would be my rosebud earrings. I started making them about a year ago. I was looking for a sweet pair of earrings for an outfit and just could not find any, anywhere. So, I decided to make my own.

My blog, Our Daily Chocolate is my place for me to a keep record of all my randomness with some craft ideas thrown in. I love to create and I love sharing my creations. You can also find me at Twitter and Facebook.   












Ashley is giving away this blossom necklace!




To enter: visit Ashley's main shop or paper shop and leave a comment with your favorite item.
For extra entries (please leave a separate comment for each):

  • Become a fan of Our Daily Chocolate on Facebook
  • Follow Our Daily Chocolate's blog
  • Share this giveaway on Facebook
  • Become a fan of Ida & Mae on Facebook


This giveaway ends at midnight!!

Thursday, May 5, 2011

Giveaway week! {Frostings}

**This giveaway is now closed.  The winner is Zoe!! Congrats!!**

Before I actually met Natasha, I saw her and her beautiful jewelry at some craft shows last year.  I grabbed one of her business cards and found her blog.  We began chatting via email and getting to know each other. She had a giveaway week in February on her blog, and I participated in that.  She had shared with me some of the area craft shows she attends, so in April, I attended my first craft show with my jewelry and we got to officially meet in person!  She is such a sweet gal, I hope to spend more time with her in the future.  Here is a bit more about Natasha and her business Frostings:



My name is Natasha Vaughn and I am the person behind Frostings.

 I am a work at home mother of 2.  My son is 22 and my daughter is 6.  My husband and I have been married for 23 years and we live in Middle Tennessee in a town so small that there are NO traffic lights.  

One day I was online and discovered Hand Stamped jewelry and I fell in love.  The necklace I wanted, however was $75 which was just a little bit much for my budget.  I did some research on hand stamping and soon had ordered some supplies to make one for myself.  I decided that would be a great thing for me to give as gifts.
In 2009 interest started peaking in my jewelry and Frostings was born.  I really enjoy the creative process of making my jewelry.  I find inspiration in so many things.  From things that are soft and natural like a flower to something totally industrial like an automobile.
I love doing craft shows and meeting people.  It really makes me happy for someone to  come up to me and tell me that they follow my blog and love my jewelry or if I’m out and see someone wearing one of my creations.




I offer my customers a great way to earn free jewelry by hosting an ONLINE PARTY.
An online party is the easiest party you will ever host.  Basically to host a party you send out an invitation to your friends and invite them to shop on my website.  They buy and you earn beautiful jewelry.  Parties can run for up to four weeks.


I hope you’ll take time to look at my website and I hope you find something that you love there.  Please remember that everything can be customized and I am happy to work with you to create something completely unique for you.


My designs aren’t limited to necklaces.  I also create ringskey rings and bracelets, all customized for the individual.

Natasha is giving away your choice of one of the three necklaces shown here!  By Grace Alone, I Love you to the Moon and Back, or Faith not Fear.  To enter: visit Nastasha's shop leave a comment with your favorite item.

For additional entries (please leave a separate comment for each):
  • Share this giveaway on Facebook
  • Follow Frostings blog
  • Become a Facebook fan of Frostings
  • Become a Facebook fan of Ida & Mae
  • Follow Ida & Mae's blog

This giveaway ends at midnight!!

Wednesday, May 4, 2011

Giveaway week! {Livi Lou & Co}

**This giveaway is now closed. The winner is Jenny Gale!! Congrats!**




I met Mary Jo through an internet group years ago.  She is super talented at sewing, and started her own online business.  Here is a bit about her and her company Livi Lou & Co:







I have been sewing since I was a very little girl.  I can remember sitting on my Grandmothers lap while she made me dresses helping to guide the fabric through the machine.  Then I was given a little toy chain stitch machine and my creativity took off.  I remember making a table cloth and napkin set from an old set of curtains with that little machine and I’m sure I made much more.  Within a few years I was a master at using an electric machine, making clothing and jean quilts on my Great Grandmas singer 201.  Patterns and in style fashion began to bore me and I ventured into making up my own style and patterns to go with it.  I was into civil war reenacting at the time, my many creations included a flounced day dress with bell sleeves. 





When I reached high school I put sewing by the wayside, opting for cooler things like shopping and working at the local Dairy Queen.  Looking back I would love to tell my past self to keep at it.  When I married I started getting back into sewing, starting with my wedding dress, I fell in love with formal wear at that point.  I love to make ball gowns and have made wedding dressesfor a few friends. I have had an alterations buisness on the side for several years which helps pay for my fabirc addiction but can leave little time for using the fabric

When daughter Olivia was born in 2007 I left the full time work force for the adventurous life of a SAHM, I found nap time to be a great time to let my creative juices flow.  I dabbled in selling some of my creations for a few years then in the spring of 2010 I took the leap to really start marketing my goods by attending local shows and branching out in my online ventures.




At this time the things I create focus on items for babies and children with the odd thing for grown ups too.  What I create tends to change with the interest that I have at any given time, so you never know what might be in my shop.  I also carry some items that are not made by me but that I love and want to share with others, amber teething necklaces are one example, if you have a baby then you NEED one of these.

I live in the UK with my husband who is in the US Air Force and two children Olivia (the Livi behind Livi Lou & Co.) and Erik.  I love my little business which allows me to stay home with my little ones and have the flexibility to travel when my husband has time off.  The added bonus is that I can take it with me when the Air Force sends us to new locations.  When I'm not creating I spend time volenteering in our comuntiy, spending quality time with the family, and reading the occasional blog.

You can find me at:
www.livilouandco.com- my all too often negleted blog

www.lvilouandco.hyenacart.com-here you will find the "crunchy" side of my creativity as well as teething necklaces and laundry products to naturally strip build up from your laundry.

www.livilouandco.etsy.com- everything else

I'm also a memeber of the following teams
SAHM of ETSY
Homefront
www.hiddenelement.hyenacart.com- a Hyena Cart congo I am a part of
on 
Facebook, search Livi Lou & Co



Mary Jo is giving away a $25 shop credit!  To enter, visit her shop and come back and tell us what items you like.  For additional entries (leave a separate comment for each):

  • Become a Facebook fan of Livi Lou & Co
  • Follow Livi Lou & Co's blog
  • Share this giveaway on Facebook
  • Become a Facebook fan of Ida & Mae


This giveaway ends at midnight!

Tuesday, May 3, 2011

Giveaway week! {Salt of the Earth Apparel}

**This giveaway is now closed. The winner is Yara!  Congrats!**


I met Gwen at the craft show I attended in my town a few weeks ago.  We were set up right across from each other.  I fell in love with her shirts!!  Very fun, trendy designs with scriptures on them.  So I was very excited when she agreed to participate in my giveaway week.  Here is a bit about Gwen and her company Salt of the Earth:



“To be as Salt of the Earth, we must remain culturally relevant without becoming spiritually irrelevant. Our shirts were designed to provide an opportunity to share the message of hope through fashion.”

Gwen Stachura is the founder and designer of Salt of the Earth, a unique line of apparel that combines hip, trendy styles with a message of faith. After graduating from O’more Design School in 2000, Gwen landed a job designing shoes for Dockers Footwear where she spent over eight years learning the process of line development. Although her heart has always been in fashion, God used her experience with Dockers as training ground for a greater purpose. In 2006, while working on a collection of graphic flip-flops for Dockers she had a vision of developing a line of graphic tee’s that combined two of her greatest passions – fashion and faith. Today Gwen is developing exclusive designs through a China contact she made through her job with Dockers. Salt of the Earth is currently sold through over 50 boutiques throughout the US, with hopes to expand throughout all states as well as International markets.


Gwen is giving away a shirt from her "Salt" line. Her company is going through some revamping at the moment, so she only has smalls and mediums available right now. But even if that is not your size, you can still win one as a gift for a friend!!

Please visit her site and come back and leave a comment letting us know which design is your favorite.

For extra entries (please leave a separate comment for each):
  • Share this giveaway on Facebook
  • Blog about this giveaway
  • Follow Ida & Mae on Facebook
  • Follow Ida & Mae's blog


This giveaway ends at midnight!

Monday, May 2, 2011

Giveaway week! {31 Days to Clean by Sarah Mae}

**This giveaway is now closed. The winner is Jenny Gale!!  Congrats!!**




Today is May 2nd and it would've been my grandma Evelyn Mae's 89th birthday.  She lived through the depression and raised 5 children in the late 1940's and 50's.  Last September on my visit home, and the last time I was able to spend time with her, I asked her about her life as a mom during that era.  She told me how each day of the week had specific chores/projects to be done.  One day was laundry day, the next day she would iron the clothes after they had dried, one day was baking day, one was cleaning, etc.  And she did all that while raising 5 children without the modern conveniences we have today.  


Grandma with three of her five kids.


So I find it very fitting that today's giveaway is from another Christian stay-at-home mom who recently released an ebook about cleaning called 31 Days to Clean: Having a Martha house the Mary Way.  And her name is Sarah Mae, how neat is that? :)




About Sarah Mae:





Sarah Mae has a past that would be her present if it weren’t for Jesus; His wild saving grace and gentle leading keep her in awe. She is the wife of Jesse (her rock and super handy-man dude) and the mommy of two lovely daughters and one busy little boy. Her days are spent hanging out with her babes, indulging in dark cherry mochas, homeschooling, admiring beautiful words, dreaming of wild blue skies, creating the sweet aroma of home, and messing up (only to fall into the arms of grace). She would love to have coffee with you.
She writes at LikeaWarmCupofCoffee.com, and RaisingHomemakers.com. She is the co-host of the Christian women’s blogging conference, Relevant, and she contributes to the DaySpring blog,(in)courage. You can find her on Twitter at @sarahmaewrites.





The book: 

“Life-giving is about receiving from God in order to give to others.” Barbara Mouser, Five Aspects of Woman
31 Days to Clean is about loving others well.
It’s about the “why” and the vision and the heart for taking care of our domains (Mary) with some spring cleaning thrown in (Martha).
The heart of our homes is not in the ability to keep it perfect at all costs; the heart of a home is love. We live in a thing, a non-eternal structure that needs to be maintained. The thing is worthless without the life we bring to it and through it. This book is about bringing life to the mundane in order to love well.
Link: 31daystoclean.com


Sarah Mae is giving away a copy of her ebook!  To enter, leave a comment telling us why you would like this book.
For additional entries (Please leave a separate comment for each!):
  • Follow Sarah Mae's blog
  • Follow Sarah Mae on Twitter
  • Share this giveaway on Facebook
  • Follow Ida & Mae's blog
  • Come "like" Ida & Mae on Facebook


This giveaway will end at midnight tonight, I will post the winner tomorrow morning.

Sunday, May 1, 2011

Giveaway week! {Cloth by Kim}

This giveaway is closed!  The winner is Mellissa!


True Random Number Generator  5






I am so excited to be doing my first "giveaway week" on my blog!  The reason I am doing it this week in May is in honor of my grandma Evelyn Mae's birthday.  She would've turned 89 tomorrow.  So in sweet memory of her, since my business has her name in it, I wanted to have a fun week of giveaways for all my readers and Facebook fans.


I am starting this week off with a giveaway from a friend of mine named Kim.  We met through an internet group several years ago, and had the wonderful opportunity to meet in person in 2008. (photo below)  








Kim recently started her cloth business, so I am thrilled to have her participate with me!  Here is a little bio about Kim:








I started Cloth by Kim as a way to past time while we were waiting to be matched in our adoption process.  I also wanted to make diapers that are affordable so those that are just getting started don't have to break the bank :-)  As I got more into I discovered that I enjoyed it quite a bit and expanded my line to include not only cloth diapers, but also accessories to go with them, training pants, and mama pads.  Half of my profit goes to friends that are in the process of adopting internationally because I know how expensive that is and this is one way I can help my friends bring their babies home!

I have four children and am currently in the process of adopting from our foster care system.  We just moved so I am getting back into swing of making orders while juggling homeschooling and house work!






Kim is giving away a $10 shop credit!  To enter, please visit Kim's shop HERE and come back and tell me what item you would use the $10 credit for.


For additional entries:
  • Share this on your FB page
  • Post it on your blog
  • Become a FB fan of Cloth by Kim
  • Become a FB fan of Ida & Mae
  • Follow Kim's blog
  • Follow Ida & Mae's blog



Please leave a separate comment for each thing you do!


This drawing will end tonight at 7:00pm (Central time)