And the winner is........

Synder Central!  Send me your address via email (guinivere17@gmail.com) and your new leotard will be on it's way!

Thank you to all of you who entered the contest!  And just because no one walks away a loser from Camelot's Treasures, anyone who entered the contest can use coupon code "contest" to receive 10% off at Camelot's Treasures Etsy Shop.  This offer will be good for the rest of August.

Olympic Sportmanship

Watching the Olympics has instilled a lot of faith in me about the kindness of humankind.  All of these athletes have come together from all over the world, with different cultures and different walks of life, and yet they have found a common bond of sportmanship.

Grenada athlete Kirani Jones swaps numbers with South African double amputee Athlete Oscar Pistorius

 One of the stories of the London Olympics was that of double amputee Oscar Pistorius, racing against healthy two-legged athletes in the 400-meter dash for the first time.  Unfortunately he did not make it to the final against some of the fastest runners in the world (although he did make it through the preliminary round against 50 other athletes to the semi-final round).  However, at the end of the race, top finisher Kirani Jones, from Grenada, walks over to Pistorius and swaps numbers with him, in an inspirational act that will be remembered forever in the hearts of many.

And who knows, maybe Karma does happen; because Kirani Jones won the Gold Medal in the 400 meter. I'm sure Oscar Pistorius fist pumped for this humble athlete.

Sam Mikulak has an great vault, but excited to see the other gymnasts' vaults

As you know, gymnastics is my favorite sport to watch during the Summer Olympics.  And at a time, where the men have in a way lost their following, but continuously not doing so hot this year (finishing very low on the team finals, and only winning one medal thus far), I have found the men to be awe-spiring.  Last night, while watching the Vault finals on NBC, I saw Sam Mikulak have a pretty good vault.  Ok, it wasn't the best from last night, but it definitely better than others.  And you knew he thought he did well, with a huge grin on his face when he stuck his landing (with his butt only inches from the floor mats).  But the best part of the entire event is watching each gymnast come down after their vaults, either good or bad, and get cheered on by all the other gymnasts that weren't their team mates.  How when Korean Yang Hak Seon went up for his vault and Sam Mikulak, "all right I want to see this guy rage."  Then after Yang Hak Seon  "raged" (an almost perfect vault), he went up to him and said "Dude, give me a hug!"  

It's moments like these, when you forget all the war in the world, due to different skin colors or religion.  When countries can come together for 2 weeks, play nicely and all leave winners.  Wow.

Which reminds me, that I still have my giveaway going on to celebrate the Olympics.  So be sure to enter for a chance to win this super cute Leotard for your American Girl (maybe next time I'll make one that matches Sam Mikulak's :D).  You can enter here, on the original blogpost for it!

Mother's Day Giveaway with Homefront Team

Because there is NO such thing as TOO many giveaways, I have joined another one!  This time it's with Etsy Homefront Team for Mother's Day.  23 fellow homefronter's (a group of military spouses and loved ones) got together and donated $400 worth of awesome prizes to be awarded to ONE luck winner!

Anyone can participate (er, well except for me, which saddens me to no end!) and it's super easy to enter.  All you have to do is follow the Homefront Team blog and like them on Facebook (which I linked those for you here so you have NO excuses!); then you are entered!  Awesome right?!

Camelot's Treasures donated a lovely rose fabric basket, perfect to hold anything your heart desires.  What I like to use them for?  Holding fat quarters, CDs (what few I may still have), or the T-man's Super Hero Squad guys (Iron Man is partial to roses, while Thor prefers puppies I am told...).

(bows not included)

So check out the blog post here (just in case you didn't ALREADY click on the previous log) http://homefrontartistryteam.blogspot.com/2011/04/mothers-day-giveaway.html and get entering!  And be sure to search "homefront team" on your next venture on Etsy for some super awesome handmade items by military families all over the world!

Meet Your Egg Hiders - Kristin and Kim

This easter egg hunt has really given me a chance to learn a little more about some of my fellow Etsy Maine Teamers.  I'm amazed by the stories they have to share, and by their talents more and more each day.  Today is no different with the two featured Easter Egg hunt participants here.

First up is Kristin from Burnt Meadow Beads

 

Bluette Fairy Flower Pin



 When describing having a look around Burnt Meadow Beads the first word that comes to mind is: FRESH.  From the soft colors, to the floral-inspired jewelry, the feeling of spring fills my senses.  I just want to lay out in the grass, soaking in sun rays, and just...be.  I love when things give me that sense, and I know you will too once you take a look around her shop. 

 

What is your fondest memory of Easter?

My best memory of Easter is going on Easter Egg hunts with my sister Elizabeth and searching high and low for eggs that were really hidden well! Sometimes they were planted in bird houses, under our porch, in a pocket of a dress hanging on the clothesline and one time even in the mailbox. I think my parents loved watching us run around trying to frantically gather the most eggs.

 

Tweet Tweet Earrings


Do you and/or your family have special Easter? A Spring tradition in my family is starting our indoor gardens. My father and I are both avid gardeners and enjoy swapping seeds, starting them indoors. My favorite is our deep discussions about "this years tomato season" or "how to get bigger pumpkins this year" often times over coffee when there is still inches of snow left to melt!


How do you celebrate Easter?

Now that I have a home of my own I enjoy doing a Easter basket for my husband Josh who loves chocolate! We have a yellow lab named Sam and I always get him something special too :D

Next up is Kim from Winter Solstice Dreams

 

Tooth Fairy Pillow Blue Puppy

 Sometimes your battery needs to be recharged; a long day can be from chasing after a toddler all day or dealing with toddler-esque co-worker.  No matter what it comes from, or even if it's just because, finding some soothing scented items to help bring rest and relaxation is only a click away at Winter Solstice Dreams.  You can find eye pillows, draft blockers, sachets, bookmarks, etc all featuring scents straight from the natural surroundings of Maine.

Tell us a little about yourself:

My name is Kim and I am mother to an adorable toddler named Veronica and wife to a very funny, High School chemistry teacher named Walter, I myself am a former English teacher who left the field to stay home with Veronica once she was born. Winter Solstice Dreams was born in the fall of 2009 when I decided to get back into creativity and crafting. I have always crafted in some way shape or form (even when I worked in Radio ) and decided to do what I love. I have been working with herbs and essential oils for over 15 years and wanted to share that love and knowledge with others; sachets and eye pillows were born.



Patchouli and Lavender Pudgy Sachet

We live in rural, Western Maine on 4 acres of land. We continually strive to find ways to create, reuse, and become more and more self-reliant wherever and whenever we can. I absolutely love Maine and everything about Maine. I am a transplant but can't imagine living anywhere else in the world. Am very proud of this great state that I now call HOME.

What is your best memory from Easter?
When I was 6, I received my first REALLY big Easter basket, filled with peeps and other yummy treats. I remember waking up to it in my bedroom and being so happily surprised.
Do you and/or your family have special Easter?
We don't as of yet but plan on doing something really fun this year as little Veronica is just about two and would love an Easter egg hunt!
Do you actually eat the eggs you dye for Easter?

Yes, of course!

What do you get for Easter?

A card and some peeps but this year is going to be MUCH different!!! :)

How does the Easter Bunny bring all the baskets to everyone?

 OH I think he is really a good friend to Santa Claus. Santa gives him a list of names and addresses. It's a way to keep tabs on the good boys and girls. ;)

Have you found all the eggs and submitted your answer, yet? If not, what are you waiting for? Check out the blog for details if you need a reminder! And search "easteregghunt" on Etsy for an easy way of finding the eggs! Good Luck!

Meet Your Egg-Hiders - Mollie and Joe

Etsy Maine Team has several shop owners that are family with other shop owners.  Of course, you know that Mallory and I both have shops.  Today's featured shop owners are a married couple, with shops of their very own!
First up is Mollie from Rough Magic Creations (always ladies first :D)



Amber Glass and Copper Earrings

 I love taking a minute and reading profiles of the etsy shop owners, and I'll admit I'm a bit dissappointed when there is really nothing to read.  However Rough Magic Creations offers some insight on the story behind the name and pieces.  Of course, seeing all the beautiful pieces of jewelry and other hand created treasures can also lend insight to the beauty within the artisan herself.

What enticed you to join in on this Easter Egg Scavenger Hunt?

Being a scavenger at heart, I couldn't resist this Easter Egg Hunt. I've always enjoyed including found objects in my creations, and the state of Maine is a treasure trove of Nature's gifts - pine cones, birch bark, seashells, beach stones - all of which manage to turn up here and there throughout my shop.

What is your fondest memory of Easter?
My best memories of Easter are from my childhood - white patent leather mary janes with a matching wee purse, white socks trimmed in pink, a dotted swiss dress, a straw bonnet covered with tiny velvet verbena blossoms. And of course that pretty Easter basket of white straw lined with bright green faux grass. I can still taste those yummy marshmallow eggs!

Next up is Joe from Prosperos Bookshelf



The Magic Curtain

 One of the most treasured gifts given to me was an old copy of plays written by Henrik Ibsen (my favorite playwright).  The book was old and tattered, the cover barely hanging on by a string, the pages yellowed from age; yet it held a magic for me.  Prosperos Bookshelf holds a similar magic, although the books are in much better condition than my beloved Ibsen.  And super cool additive, I've learned that Joe is descended from a voyager on the ship that inspired Shakespeare's play "The Tempest"!

Tell us a little about yourself:
As a teacher of American and Asian dramatic literature, I accumulated 2,000+ books and countless theatrical artifacts over the years. Now that I'm no longer teaching, I opened my shop as a way of finding good homes for all the books, puppets, masks, and playbills languishing on my shelves. Now postcards, photos and other vintage items from Maine have found their way into my shop, and I always enjoy sending them to new homes too.

What is your fondest Easter memory?
My best Easter memory is the morning my brother, my sister and I awoke before dawn and, with other spiffed up members of our Sunday School, piled into our minister's big 12-cylinder touring car (Packard?) for the ride to a park on Portland's then ritzy Eastern Promenade. There we held a service, while watching the sunrise over Casco Bay.

Have you found all the eggs and submitted your answer, yet? If not, what are you waiting for? Check out the blog for details if you need a reminder! And search "easteregghunt" on Etsy for an easy way of finding the eggs! Good Luck!

Meet Your Egg Hiders - Hooper and Valerie

Want to get to know the "egg hiders" a little better?  I did!  This great group of etsians volunteered to join me in my madness, and I wanted to share some information about them and their shops on my blog.  For the next few days, during the contest, I will feature one or two of them, so we can all get acquainted with this fine crafters and their shops!

First up is Hooper from Slidviscous Jewelry.

 

Warning Signs Sterling Silver Earrings



Whenever I see metal, shaped into cool designs, I find myself wishing that I could do that too - I mean REALLY?!  Superman abilities or not, bending metal is super awesome!  And that's what you can find in Slidviscous Jewelry.  Sterling Silver, Gold, and natural gems are used in creating the lovely jewelry finds in the shop. 

What is a fond memory of yours from Easter?

My parents always used to go crazy with the Easter Egg hunt. We used to live in rural Maine with a big yard and a lot of woods, which means a lot of good places to hide eggs, but I think that my parents took it a little too far. All the easy to find eggs, those hiding in the grass or in branches, were the first to go. Next, the harder to check places were scoured; under the deck, in the wood pile, or hiding behind rocks. Try as we might, my sister and I could never find them all, and we would always find eggs throughout the year, down in an old stump or squirrel hole, sitting there like tiny pastel time capsules. 

Next is Valerie from Knit By Valerie.



Be Mine Hat and Fingerless Gloves

 If you need some beautiful handknitted hats, scarves, and gloves, Knit By Valerie is a good place to look!  The vibrant colors and fun, detailed patterns leave me in awe - I wish I had half the patience of her to knit up such lovely items!  And on top of that, she donates 10% of her proceeds to several charitable organizations that help animals!

How do you celebrate Easter?

my workweek is saturday through tuesday (overnights, too), so i rarely get to celebrate easter anymore. however, as a house rabbit advocate, i encourage people to give stuffed and chocolate rabbits rather than the real thing. while i love rabbits, they are a lot of work to keep properly and a lot of "easter bunnies" end up at the shelter soon after the holiday is over. i know from experience--i volunteered in the rabbit room at my local shelter for 3 years. 

Have you found all the eggs and submitted your answer, yet?  If not, what are you waiting for?  Check out the blog for details if you need a reminder!  And search "easteregghunt" on Etsy for an easy way of finding the eggs!  Good Luck!

Easter Egg Scavenger Hunt Contest

Call me what you will (obsessed, pathetic, crazed...), but there are 2 things that I am completely enthralled with. Holidays and FREE things. And when these 2 things are combined, the amount of enthusiastic bliss that emanates through me is well, mind blowing. Oh yes.

Enter: the Easter Egg Scavenger Hunt.

Remember last month, when I held my St. Patrick's Day "Follow the Rainbow" contest? I had so much fun with that, I knew I wanted to do it again but on a bigger scale. So I proposed this idea to my fellow Etsy Maine Teamers, and recieved a great response. 14 people (of course not including Mallory and myself) volunteered to join in on the festivities, donating 12 special handmade items to be included in a prize basket for one special winner. And let me tell you how amazed I am by the creative spirit from these awesome etsians; I wish I could just wrap these

all up and keep them for myself.

Your mission, should you choose to select it is to FIND all of the hidden eggs in these participating shops:

Burnt Meadow Beads

Camelot's Treasures

Eden Body

Emily's Original Beads

Handprinted

Knit By Valerie

Louisiana1966

Maddie's Devilish Sweets

Makings of Shanna Tice

Mallory Alisabeth

Mbrace Studios

Moon Dog Farm

Prosperos Bookshelf

Rough Magic Creations

Slid Viscous Jewelry

Winter Solstice Dreams

Unscramble all of the letters to make a phrase that will answer this question:

What is Maine's unofficial state motto?

(we'll even give you a hint, there are 4 words)

THEN either send me a convo via Etsy (you know go here and click on contact) OR you can send an email directly to me at guinivere17@gmail.com WITH your answer. If you are CORRECT, you will be entered into the drawing to WIN this fabulous prize basket!

Ok, so you want the details right? You want to get into this fabulous contest, so you too can check out the wonderful talents of these shops? Here they are:

1) The hunt begins on Sunday, April 3rd, at 12:00 am (EST) and ends on Saturday, April 9th, 11:59 pm (EST).

2) All participants that have a correct answer will be entered into the drawing on Sunday, April 10th, with a chance to win the prize basket.

3) Any answers that are left on this blog, will be deleted and automatically be disqualified from winning the basket whether the answer is wrong or right. (PLEASE keep your answer to yourself for all fairness sake!)

4) Prize basket will be mailed USPS priority mail the day after confirmation of mailing address from winner, in time to arrive before the Easter Bunny!

Want another way to enter the drawing? Share this contest on your Facebook, Twitter, Myspace, or any other networking site, then comment the link on this blog for another chance to win!

So, what are you waiting for? HOP to it!

And the winner is.....

Thanks to all that showed their support of Camelot's Treasures and entered our contest! It was a lot of fun and we were super excited to share a $10 Gift Certificate to the winner. Plus all that participated received a 10% off discount code for a future purchase - so everyone was a winner YAY!

St. Patrick's Day Contest

Happy St. Patrick's Day everyone; I hope you are all wearing greeen today :)

In honor of this fun holiday, and the fact that I've been meaning to do a fun giveaway for the past few months, I'm holding a one day contest for all to be in! And the winner will recieve a $10 gift certificate good towards any purchase at Camelot's Treasures. Awesome right?!

All you have to do is follow the rainbows to the pot of gold - totally cliche, I know. But still fun!

Here's the details:

1) Contest begins at 12:00 am EST March 17th, 2011 and ends 11:59 pm EST March 17th, 2011.
2) Find ALL of the rainbows in the listings in my shop - there are pictures of rainbows hidden in some of the listings that look like this:
3) Find the pot of gold in one of the listings - it looks like this:
4) Send me an email at guinivere17@gmail.com or a convo via Etsy with: the number of rainbows you found and what listing the pot of gold is in. Also include your name and email so I can contact you if you win :)
5) Have this info sent to me by the deadline or you won't be entered into the drawin.
6) Everyone that sends me the correct response will be entered into a drawing tomorrow (March 18th) to win the $10 Gift Certificate!

Sounds fun, right?!

**** SPECIAL NOTE **** Please do NOT post your answer in comment to this blog post or the facebook notice -that would be cheating :)

Feel free to share this contest on any forum, the more the merrier :) And have fun!

Check out all the listings at Camelot's Treasures.
Ciao Bellas!

Happy Halloween!

Halloween is my ALL-TIME favorite Holiday and this year is no different from the rest! Like most folks, the idea of being able to be whoever you want to be on one night, appeals very much to me. Maybe it's because I always wanted to be an actress - up until the day I graduated High School and realized that maybe that choice would not pay the bills. Maybe it's because Autumn is my favorite season, and the colors, the temperature, and the feel just rejuvenates me and gets me prepared for the long holiday season to come. Or maybe it's just because I'm a child at heart, and any chance that I can use my imagination to con people out sweets is the best idea EVER! But no matter the reason, Halloween is here (finally) and I'm ready for it!

This year, I decided to enter one of my carved pumpkins into a contest. I figured that I didn't have a chance, because by NO means am I an artist. HOWEVER, suprisingly, I took home the prize - a $25 gift card to Hannaford (a local grocery store chain). YAY for winning!


Anyway, enough of my ramblings...let the festivities begin! Happy Halloween!