GIVE-A-WAY!
November 21, 2011 Happy Monday!
I know, I know what's to be happy about with no more quiltlets, is probably what you're wondering. Well, as a sort of olive branch offering, I have another giveaway for you. You're welcome. ;)
* * * * * * *
Ok. Do you remember what it was on Etsy that you had to have so badly that you became a member just so you could buy it?
I do.
It was this adorable set of pin toppers - impossibly tiny sewing notions ... IN PINK! (You may have noticed them in my banner photo up top.)
I've bought many pins from this artist since I discovered her 3 years ago. And I've even managed to keep a few for myself. But these pins have become my go-to gift for crafty family members, dear friends and very special people who mean a lot to me.
Now, I'm normally a little shy when it comes to introducing myself (I know, you're probably surprised - but it's true. My natural tendency is to be introverted.) But I was so excited about starting my blog I wanted to tell her that I'd included her pins in my banner. So I emailed her and a conversation started.
(Are you serious? LOOK at this little mushroom!)
This past summer, my family spent several weeks in California very near - it just so happens - to where she lives. So at the risk of making her think I was a crazy stalker person, I asked if she was interested in meeting. She said yes.
(I'm dyin' here ... now I need to make myself a pink tomato pincushion! You know I'm gonna. See what she does to me?)
We got together a few times - for breakfast, hanging out, burgers and yes, crafting. I begged her to come to our place with all her pin-making paraphanelia just so I could watch her work.
(Dude ... !!!!!!)
I gotta tell you, it was the absolute weirdest, out-of-body, "pinch-me-I-can't-believe-I'm-sitting-here-with-HER" time of my life. HER as in SHE MADE ME SIGN UP FOR ETSY HER! (Can you tell I'm a little excited?!)
(Can't you just imagine THESE in your pincushion?)
I mean, of all the merchants and crafters with shops on Etsy from all around the w.o.r.l.d, SHE'S here. Drinkin' my Pellegrino and hangin' out with me.
She's amazing. She is Gigi Minor of Pinks & Needles.
I am just SO HONORED (you really have no idea) to have this opportunity to share Gigi's fabulous talent with you because she's designed this exclusive 4-piece pin set especially for one of my lovely readers.
Gigi suggested making something that reflected my style. Naturally, it had to be pink. :) My favorite beverage is tea and I always blog with a cup beside me. So she started with this sweet little cup of tea, complete with a tag and string from the teabag! (Omg, can you beLIEVE her?)
A tiny pale blue blossom that she was inspired to make when she noticed the blue flower in the fabric.
A spool of thread because, well, you know ...
And then the piece-de-resistance, ARE YOU KIDDING ME??!! This rose - the quintessential symbol of pretty, romantic, shabby chic, flower sugar ... everything that makes my heart so happy. (I watched her make this rose and I still don't know how she did it, but to quote a very famous Vulcan, "Fascinating" - except I have to add these ... !!!! ... even though Vulcans don't have emotions.)
She even fashioned a pincushion out of a little pink egg cup and a scrap of fabric from my stash.
She makes every single pin - one at a time - by hand. Incredibly tiny, detailed and no-holds-barred ADORABLE! And let me tell you she is a perfectionist. She takes great pains to ensure all her pins are flawless.
So here's the deal (still with me?). To enter the draw to win this 4-piece pin topper set PLUS eggcup pincushion - all hand-crafted by Gigi Minor - go to her Etsy shop, have a browse, come back and leave me a comment telling me which are your favorite designs ... and I'm warning you - it's impossible to have just one!
I've already done some Christmas shopping myself ... and it's possible everything I bought will end up in my stocking from Santa, just sayin'. ;)
Comments will close Wednesday Nov 23 6:00pm PST (west coast United States) and I'll announce the winner Thursday Nov 24th.
PLEASE double check your email address to make sure it's spelled correctly when you leave it for me.
And now I'm going to try to calm down and hope no one enters so Gigi will send the pins to me.
Kidding!
Probably ...
:)
Reader Comments (264)
I didn't make it past the first page . . . I really like the polka dot tea party set. So freakin' cute! Thanks (I think) for sharing such a great Etsy seller. :)
Why oh why did you have to tell me about Pinks & Needles?! LOVE...LOVE...LOVE!! I just went christmas shopping...they are absolutely precious!! I loved the happy sunflower, tomato pin cushion, scissors and thread...seriously...can't wait to get them...1 for me, 3 for mom. :) Fingers crossed that I win that pretty little set of yours. :)
Cute stuff! I like the mini cupcakes.
I Love the Baby Hedgehogs!! So Cute!!!
I absolutely love all of them.
(You're banner is beautiful by the way.)
I live vicariously through you (that's my saying of the week... but it's true).
Beautifully detailed, all of them. My favorite is the Alice in Wondeland Limited Edition. Thanks for the chance to win.
WOW!!
Your history with the pin designer is like my devotion to checking your blog. I love your work, your colors, your attention to detail, and mostly your enthusiasm to inspire through sharing.
Thanks to you I get to add a very talented "pin" lady to my list. I love her designs so much that picking a favorite would hurt all the other pin's feelings! :0) All of them are my favorite!
OMG now I've seen it all!! All those gorgeous creations n soooooo tiny. This lady is very very talented thats for sure!! Mm now for favorite, that would be the pink lolly house, buntings, the teacup with the tea bag too cute !! Oh did I mention the sewing machine and spools etc etc etc....you get the picture. I love them ALL!! I'm drooling while I visit her etsy store. The range is nothing short of AMAZING!!!! Thanks for sharing her creations with us. Sara
Adorable! I like the black retro sewing machine and the silver thimbles.
I love the name bunting and the mad hatter. Sorry I couldn't just choose one. lol :)
oh my.....delightful, delicious and so sweet my heart is smiling. thanks for the chance to win such a cute gift. happy holidays. XXXX
granny's sewing basket is just so darn cute!!!
Love the little spools of thread and the sewing machine (and just about everything else).
Well the mini snowman because........well just because :)........I have a snowman thing. But if I had to choose a second, hands down. I could literally move into the buttermint gable gingerbread house I mean seriously beautiful, beautiful beautiful :)
I love the Buttermint Gables Gingerbread Pin, such sweet colors. Thank you for the wonderful opportunity in you giveaway!
Oh wow, I can see why you were so excited! I have often drooled over her pins and would die to win some. My favorites are the tea cups, the pink sewing mahcine, and the personalized bunting she makes. Thanks for the chance to win.
I have to say that the Buttermint Gables gingerbread house and the sugared lollipop swirls are my favorites! I just love looking at candy in pastels!
Her pins are fabulous. So tiny. So perfect. So fun. My fave is the Polka Dot Tea Party. Exquisite! And the teacup in the set she made for your giveaway is adorable. However, it would be way to dangerous to sign up for Etsy ...
What a generous give away. My favorite would have to be the Alice In Wonderland pins.
Yes , it was hard to choose until I saw the Retro Vingate Inspired Sewing Machine.
I have my Featherweight that was given to me by a dear friend when I got married 44 years ago. I still use it as much as possible. She is "Eveyln."
So, I hope I win that darling pin!
Thanks,
Mary
So difficult to choose just one! But I really like the buttons on button cards.
I have admired Gigi's website since I read about it in a quilting magazine but have never been able to afford the splurge with two kids in college and a third to begin next year! I love all of the pins -- especially the pink sewing machine!!! I would be so thrilled to win -- such an adorable set of pins!!! I thought those might be Gigi's pins on your home page. How lucky you were to be able to get to meet her and watch her create!!!
My favorite for today is the darling little snowman. I think I might have to have it!
I am so excited I live in Palm Desert 10 miles from Palm Springs. I didn't know she was so close. I love the pink sewing machine the sewing basket and the candy cane. Oh I could go on. Thanks.
oooooh....I also LOVE the Alice in Wonderland set!
I love all her pins I have brought a few for friends and family. I just love the tea cup and I also love the retro sewing machine. There is just so many to pick from.
I like the mushrooms, oh and the polka dot teaset.....but then I like the gingerbread houses too ...... and the sewing machines, sorry, can't do it, I can't pick just one!!
I love the buttermint gingerbread house. It is so sweet. Thanks for sharing the beautiful designs. K-
How wonderful are they all, but the teeny tiny hedgehog stole my heart
Woh - all your Pintoppers are sooooooo beautyful!!! I love the Polka Dot Tea Party and the Apples Pincushion Pin and the Buttermint Gables Gingerbread House and and and..... but mostly your giveaway. It it so cute!!!!!
Many lovley greetings from Germany ...... and now i must to pressing my thumbs to have a lot of luck :-)
Wow too many to choose from, but it would have to be the polka dot tea party as i collect pretty hina. How lucky for you to be able to spend crafty time with this amazing lady. Thank you both for the giveaway.
Just one??? Okay Alice in Wonderland. I've bought presents for crafty friends for this year but I'll keep these in mind for next year.
I love the Gum drops. They are so pretty!!
I loved the Candy cat and the bluebird. Will definitely be going back for another look!
Thanks for the chance to win!
Wow what a great find! Thanks for sharing, I just love the thread spools. They are so adorable. Thanks for the chance to win the pretty set.
I love the pink sewing machine. The pins are so cute!
You are SOOOO right!!!!! Impossible to pick just one favorite!! But I am drawn to the retro vintage inspired sewing machine pin....silver thimbles topper!!!! Ugh...couldnt list just 1 :) Thank you for introducing her to me!!! New gift destination for sure!
Being a corn farmer's wifie.....I'm going with the sweet "Sweet Corn!"
I am a pink girl too! So I am so in love with the pink gingerbread house and the pink sewing machine! But in the interest of being far...I LVOE THEM ALL! The set she made for you is gorgeous!
Holy Moly! I have put that site in my favorites and will be back after Christmas. My Mom was a pastry chef and made gingerbread houses. I am now making those houses each year, so the pink gingerbread house is so at the top of my list. I also love the polka dot tea set which matches the one in my kitchen! Very impressive. Thank you so much for sharing that esty site.
I was hard to pick just one that I liked best. But maybe the Alice in Wonderland ensemble or the gingerbread house or maybe the sewing basket....Do I have to pick just one???
Oh goodness! I like so many! My favorite is probably the sugary swirly lollipops.
It's SO hard to have one favorite, each one is something to marvel at...but for me
I LOVE the pitzy-putzy detail
Thank you for sharing this site.
Yeah that was way too hard! If I HAD to choose I would pick the Alice in Wonderland pins :)
Oh my! They're so cute! I love the little pink sewing machine...and the gingerbread houses :)
I love the mini thread spools.
So cute! My favorites are either the Alice in Wonderland set or the tea party set.
They are all adorable! but I love the soft colors of the shabby rose teapot (spent a summer in England during college so also love tea). Also, the buttermint gables gingerbread house - for years I have made gingerbread houses with my children.My mom goes by "Gigi" because she loves that name. Thank you, Kristyne, for the opportunity. LOVE your blog (I think you & I have the same favorite colors).
~Debbie
I love the shabby rose teapot. too cute.
I just love the little mushrooms and treadspools....so adorable. Thank you for the giveaway!