my girl thursday

CRAZY CAKE: A BAKING SHOW (A VLOG WITH ♥ELYCIA)

noreply@blogger.com (thursday) — Tue, 29 May 2012 16:00:00 +0000

It's another vloggy Tuesday with me and Elycia but this time we're doing things a little bit different. Awesomely different if you ask me (evil laugh goes here).

When we ended our first round of vlogs we asked if there was anything in particular you'd like to see us do. Now I forget who said it (and I can't find the comment) but some genius reader suggested a cooking show. Replace cooking with something sweeter and ladies and gents welcome to our very first BAKING SHOW!!

We filmed this at night so you'll notice that we have a nice vampire tone to our skin. Vampires are still on trend, right?

Okay, so I see a few things we can do differently next time. Oh, there will most certainly be a next time. Any particular recipe you would like to see? Make sure to leave links or directions in the comments below.

Oh! And for those wondering - the cake was okay. Not my absolute favourite, not the absolute least favourite. If I make it again I'll probably add a chocolate frosting. I'm not usually a fan of chocolate on chocolate cake but this batter wasn't quite chocolately enough for me. Also, the word chocolatey disgusts me.

Crazy cake girl OUT!

♥

ADVERTISE YOUR BLOG OR SHOP FOR FREE IN JUNE

noreply@blogger.com (thursday) — Tue, 29 May 2012 14:28:00 +0000

Exciting news all! As a token of my appreciation for all of the love and support this little blog receives, for the month of June I will be offering free ad space to anyone and everyone who'd like it (common sense restrictions apply, you know what I'm saying)!! Woot wooooot!!

To get on board you can visit my sponsor page and reserve your spot. This month marks the beginning of my partnerships with Passionfruit ads and I honestly could not be more stoked. In the past I've done ad management for my blog and for another dear friends blog. It wasn't an easy decision for me to pass the work on to someone else; especially since I had a rather tidy and organized system, but in an effort to be on the computer less I've decided to just let the selling and coding part go. I'll still have lots of email contact with my advertisers and I'm always here for questions and chatting but I'm going to let Jason take care of the other end of it from now on. Can I get a whoop whoop for more free time? Ahhhhhh yeah!

Note: I will be opening up two large feature ads beginning in July but at this point they are not officially for sale. If you would like to reserve one of those spots please email me at thursday@mygirlthursday.com. ♥

giveaway monday: custom wood notebook from nerd nest

noreply@blogger.com (thursday) — Mon, 28 May 2012 14:12:00 +0000

Happy Monday friends! (If you are one friend in particular what I actually meant to say is HAPPY BIRTHDAY!) I have big plans to get stuff done today and I'm just hoping that a thrift store doesn't get in the way and mess everything up. Or wait, is it the other way around? Either way stuff will happen. The first stuff to happen is a fantastic giveaway from the lovely folks over at Nerd Nest! They have kindly offered to send one of my readers a custom faux bois wood notebook. Wooohooo!!

The Nerd Nest is a family blog and shop run by Megan and Jake, who write about a kitchen sink of topics, from recipes to tech to books to craft DIYs. Their shop is prefect for the nerdy nostalgic, specializing in and eclectic mix of vintage and handmade goods.

You may recall that Megan and Jake were nice enough to send me this journal customized with Ms Georgia Grace's initials. I bloody love this thing and so does she. I think she probably believes she's famous because her monogram is on the cover of a book. I know I would have thought that as a child. Then again back then just about anything was a sure sign of my famousness.

Would you like a chance to win some handmade journal sweetness? Here's how...

(Mandatory entry)

Visit the Nerd Nest shop and have a browse. Come back her tell me your favourite find (besides the notebook) in the comments below. Please be sure to include your email address so I can get in touch with you if you win.

(Additional entries - be sure to leave a separate comment for each entry)

Follow Megan on Twitter and tweet about this giveaway. Be sure to include @mygirlthursday and @Megan_NerdNest so both of us can see your message. If you need a little help in the tweet department you can use this:

This week I want to win a custom wood journal from @Megan_NerdNest on the @MyGirlThursday blog! http://www.mygirlthursday.com

Subscribe to the Nerd Nest blog via Bloglovin, email, feedburner - whatever works best for you.

Giveaway closed Friday, June 1st. Contest is open to everyone.

Good luck!

PS
Congratulations to the winner of the Chantilly Songs giveaway!

MAKE IT YOURSELF: SCALLOP TOTE BAG

noreply@blogger.com (thursday) — Fri, 25 May 2012 14:46:00 +0000

This is a project I've been dreaming for ages and I am so stoked to share it with you all today! If you have been reading this blog for (quite) a while you may remember when I introduced my white scallop photo backdrop. I still love that backdrop as much as I did the day I made it but unfortunately it doesn't get to come out and play as often as I would like. (It also lost a war with printer ink and has a few blood red accents. Don't ask.) So I've been wondering how I could bring this scallop into my everyday life and here's the first project I came up with (clearly I have an affinity for the tote bag)...

This project is based on my basic tote bag template so you'll have to excuse some of my copying and pasting of directions. First you'll want to gather your materials. As always I failed to include some pieces in the group shot.

What you'll need...

2 pieces of the shell fabric - mine are approximately
2 pieces of canvas for lining - mine are approximately
14 - 16 strips of fabric - measuring at least 16" x 2 1/2"
2 pieces of cotton webbing for handles - measuring 16" each
print out of scallop pattern
sewing pins
scissors
sewing machine
disappearing fabric marker (or a pen in you're cocky like me)

First things first you'll want to line up your two shell pieces right sides together. Pin along the bottom edge.

Sew along the bottom edge and then press out your seam.

After sewing your shell pieces you'll want to plan out your scallops. For this project I decided to cover just one side of the bag in scallops. If you want to do both I say go for it - however these directions are very one sided.

Next we're going to focus on laying down our scallops. Lay out your shell fabric right side up. Remember that we are going to concentrate on just one half of this long piece of fabric. Now is the time to begin cutting out your scallops using this template as a guide. As you cut out your lines of scallops place them on this piece of fabric in order to see how many lines you will need. My bag needed 14 lines of scallops to cover the one side. Make sure you are placing your scallops from the bottom up. The bottom edge of the first line should be place about 1/4" above the bottom seam (as pictured).

Pin the scallop in place and sew along the top edge.

Continue placing your scallops and sewing them in place. I would advise you to cut your pieces and plan out placement in advance so you're sure you're happy with your fabric placement/choices.

Make sure you shift the placement of the scallop strip each time so that they are not perfectly aligned. This will fill in any gaps that would happen otherwise.

Keep sewing!

See - there is an end in sight!

Next you'll want to trim off the excess scallops.

I laid down a straight stitch along each side of the scallops to make sure they stayed in place during the rest of the making process.

Now you will fold the other half of the shell so that the right side will be on top of the scallops. Make sure everything is laying flat and lined up nicely. Pin the two long edges in place and sew. (My apologies, this image is at a weird angle. This is just one of the long side edges.)

Trim edges and square off corners.

Turn your shell inside out and press seams flat.

Shell is complete yo! Now we're going to assemble the super easy canvas lining. Put your two lining pieces together, pin along three edges (leave one short edge open) and sew along those edges. Trim edges and square off corners.

The shell AND the lining are now complete. You're awesome!

At this point your lining fabric should still have right sides facing while your shell piece is right sides out. Next you will place your shell pocket inside the lining pocket. Make sure your bottom corners line and and that everything is laying flat.

This next step is optional. I wanted to have a fancy strap on this bag so I ended up adding this pretty ribbon with a single long row of stitches.

Now you will shape your handle. I lay the strap on a flat surface, grab each end and fold it towards myself. This creates a U shape that will sit nicely on your shoulder. FYI: If you have decorated handles please do not follow my exact placement. The way I laid down my handles made them turn out inside out. Do the same U shape but lay the decorated side down the other way.

Carefully place the handle between the lining and shell fabric. Pin in place. Repeat on the other side of the bag.

Sew around this open edge. Be sure to leave a 2-3" gap open so that you can turn out the bag in a minute. For extra strength and durability sew over the handles a couple of times.

Using the open gap turn your bag inside out and tuck your lining inside the bag. Use your iron to press the top edge flat.

Lay top a top stitch all around the top edge of the tote bed and you are...

I hope you all enjoy this project as much as I do! I'm fighting the urge to bust out a million bazillion of these because I want to make some other things. If you end up making a scallop bag of your own please be sure to let me know by leaving a comment, tweeting, Facebooking or @ messaging me on Pinterest. I'd love to see what you come up with!

Happy crafting!

tattoo giveaway winner's finished tattoo!

noreply@blogger.com (thursday) — Tue, 22 May 2012 15:21:00 +0000

Today I am so happy to share something very special with you all. A few days ago Miriam, the winner of the tattoo giveaway, emailed me photos of her tattoo! It made my whole entire day when I got to see the finished piece. It is so beautiful and I can't tell you how happy I am to have been a part of the process.

For those of you who don't know Miriam won my tattoo giveaway in March when she told us the story of her mothers passing and her daughters birth. It was so touching and I know it had me and probably many others in tears for quite some time. If you'd like to know more you can click here to read her story.

This is a photo of a much younger Miriam with her mama. I love the happy expression on her moms face. Also, is anyone else seeing how much alike baby Miriam and Miriam's daughter are?! I love that!

I was so happy when I heard that Miriam would be having my friend Sandi design her tattoo. I love Sandi's doodles but I'm also blown away by her more realistic drawing skills. Girl has talent!

Once her tattoo was fully healed Miriam visited her mothers grave for some photos. I think they turned out brilliantly and it was such a fitting tribute.

I'd just like to take a moment to thank Miriam. Thank you for being so brave and sharing her story with me, the judges of the giveaway and everyone who read the entries. I know it couldn't have been easy to put it all out there but I'm so happy that you did. It was so nice to have 'met' you and to have helped commemorate such a special lady.

♥

giveaway monday: two albums from chantilly songs

noreply@blogger.com (thursday) — Mon, 21 May 2012 14:43:00 +0000

Good morning, good morning and happy Monday to you all! We're finished up a holiday weekend here in Canada and I must admit that it treated me rather nicely. There were yard sales galore and lots of family time in the backyard. I'm always a tad worried before the May 2-4 weekend because the weather will sometimes do a sneak attack and throw down some hail on a seemingly normal summer day. But Mother Nature was good to us here and the skies were brilliant! But enough weather bragging, okay? Let's get on to the good stuff - a giveaway from Chantilly Songs!

Chantilly is your friendly neighborhood singer-songwriter has recently made a magical new set of recordings, available for listening and purchase on bandcamp. Today she is kindly offering up her newest EP Up To The Moon and a copy of the older Caught Light.

To enter for your chance to win this musical prize pack all you have to do is...

Mandatory entry:

Stop by Chantilly's bandcamp page and have a listen to her music. Come back here and let me know your favourite song. Be sure to leave you email address so I can get in touch if you're the winner.

Additional Entries:

Subscribe to the Chantilly Songs blog by way of Google Friend Connect, Bloglovin or any other RSS reader. Leave a separate comment for this entry.

Follow Chantilly on Twitter and tweet about this giveaway. Be sure to include @ChantillySongs and @MyGirlThursday so we can see your message. If you're searching for some tweetspiration you can use this:

This week I'm hoping to win a very musical prize pack from @ChantillySongs over on the @MyGirlThursday blog! http://www.mygirlthursday.com

Contest is open until Friday, May 25th. Everyone is welcome to enter.

Good luck!

unintentional collection: memory books

noreply@blogger.com (thursday) — Fri, 18 May 2012 13:00:00 +0000

While I was organizing the bookshelf in my office I noticed that I have a growing collection of memory books. Mostly empty memory books.

I really like the idea of baby record books, scrapbooks and photo albums but the problem is that I never get around to actually getting down to it. My biggest problem is with any record book that requires handwriting. I'm always worried that I'm going to have to scratch out a spelling error (a legitimate fear, it happens a lot) or do the always popular left hand smudge. Anyhow, I've gathered up my collection and I'm determined to have them all properly put together by the end of the month. The weather is lovely around here and I think this is a perfect picnic table project. I thought it might be nice to share the bits and bobs of my memory hoard.

I love this journal so much! It was sent to me by the very generous folks over at Nerd Nest and they were kind enough to customize it with Georgie's initials. It actually came with the stamp too and George absolutely loved it. I showed her how it was used to stamp on the cover and she spent the rest of the afternoon stamping whatever she could find (sans ink) and proclaiming "This is GG's!!" I plan on using this journal as a sort of scrapbook. I'm not much for full blown scrapbooking (the fancy layouts and such) but I would like a place to store important things like handmade Mother's Day cards.

I found this at a recent rummage sale and I couldn't leave without it. But if there's one thing in this collection that I'm afraid to actually put to use it's this diary. It is so flipping cute and old. It's going to be so sad when I have to white out a bunch of shit because I couldn't remember my daughters birth weight on the first go.

I was very happy to score this very cute photobooth album from the freshly relaunched Freckled Nest shop. Mine is named Veronica after my absolute favourite teenage detective. Jesse and I used to be much more strict about monthly photobooth visits. George was born on a 13th and that day each month we'd head to the mall for pad thai and photobooth. I think I just figured out an activity for the weekend. Cheeeeeese!

Lastly, I use an old photo album to store my Instax Wide photos. I thrifted an old clunky Instax over a year ago (maybe two years ago) and it is still one of my raddest finds. I don't use it as much as I'd like to because as soon as the kid spots it she wants to snap a million pictures of absolutely nothing. What the hell. Those photos costs over a buck a pop.

So that's it for my memory book heap. Do you have a special way that you like to record your history? Have you blogged about it? Be sure to share your story and link below. ♥

29 before 29 update: the collection

noreply@blogger.com (thursday) — Wed, 16 May 2012 15:24:00 +0000

When I first made my 29 before 29 list one of the things I was most excited to do was start a collection. Of course, when I decided to include that goal I failed to recognize that I subconsciously have many collections in my life but whatever - a new one is fun too. At first I thought I'd go with Pyrex because that's cool (not sarcasm, it's definitely awesome and very nice to look at). However, that quickly (very quickly) began to take up too much room and I had to switch gears and invest all my hopes and dreams into a charm bracelet. No jokes, I freaking love my charm bracelet. It's a slow going collection because it's not super inexpensive and they're not the easiest thing to find at the thrift shop but the other day I hit the mother load!

I thirfted this whole thing for only ten bucks! It usually costs that much for just one charm on Etsy. I won't be keeping every single charm but there are plenty that will make it to my bracelet. I'll probably eBay the others and swap them out for something more appropriate (maybe a Virgo rather than a Scorpio).

These are a few of my other recently(ish) acquired charms...

The boat opens up and there are some little people in there. It blows Georgia's mind every time.

Hey, and since we're on the topic of baubles, here are a few new pieces to my junky jewelry box that I'm liking.

This necklace is my new favourite. Sort of weird since I don't really believe in luck. The whole idea of superstition does make me smile though. I think it's a fascinating human behaviour.

Those giant rings are actually from Dollarama. Georgia likes to make me wear all three rings lined up on one hand. It's like a set of hippy brass knuckles.

Do you have a new collection on the go? Or an old favourite? Tell me all about it in the comments below.

dealing with self doubt (a vlog with ♥elycia)

noreply@blogger.com (thursday) — Tue, 15 May 2012 13:00:00 +0000

Well, well, well. We meet again. I brought a friend with me today. You might know her. Her name is Elycia.

This morning we're talking about how we deal with all those hurtful comments that come up in regards to our blogs. Nope, we're not talking about the always endearing anonymous commenters out there. Today we're talking about dealing with our own self doubt and the nasty little stories we tell ourselves about ourselves.

Have anything you'd like to add to the conversation? Please leave a comment below. We'd love to hear from you!

PS
I have a winner for the Funk Off! giveaway. Congratulations go out to...

shop cool places here...

noreply@blogger.com (thursday) — Thu, 10 May 2012 15:00:00 +0000

In the second sponsor introduction of the day I'd like to showcase some of the rad shops that are supporting my blog in May. Look below and you'll even find a coupon or two. Woohoo!

What will you find in my little ol' shop? Anything from vintage home decor to retro swimsuits to 70s maxi dresses to high-waisted everything to purses and more!

shop >> blog >> twitter

COUPON CODE THURSDAY FOR 20% OFF

MungoCrafts makes One of a Kind Hoodies from Recycled Sweatshirts. All month long we'll be donating 3 cans of food to our local foodbank for each hoodie we sell!!

shop >> twitter

Hi, my name is Trisha and am the mastermind behind the vintage online shop, Veranellies. Merging the names of both my grandmothers, VeraNellies was born out of a love for mid century modern pieces, industrial finds and handmade treasures created by me.

shop >> blog

Your friendly neighborhood singer-songwriter has recently made a magical new set of recordings, available for listening and purchase on bandcamp.

bandcamp >> twitter >> blog

ADDITIONAL COUPON:

COUPON CODE MYGRLTHURSDAY20 FOR 20% OFF

meet cool people here...

noreply@blogger.com (thursday) — Thu, 10 May 2012 13:00:00 +0000

Today is a day for the kind people supporting My Girl Thursday in May. I encourage you to click some links and visit some lovely blog homes. Happy Thursday all!

Hi, my name is Trisha and I blog over at Veranellies. By day I work a 9-5 (actually 7-3:30) then I become a vintage hunter, crafter, garden lover, baker, crocheter, vintage shop owner and glass manipulator by night My blog follows my daily ventures and has fun weekly features. I love seeing new faces, please stop by and say hello!

blog >> shop >> pinterest

The Nerd Nest is a family lifestyle blog by Megan and Jake, a nerdy couple in love with books, technology, DIY projects, and their two mini nerds.

blog >> Megan's twitter >> Jake's twitter

I'm Chantilly- your friendly neighborhood singer-songwriter/ crazy cat lady. My my blog features style posts, music, and chronicles the life and times of a creative gal living in Brookyn, NY. Come hang with me and find out more :)

blog >> twitter >> bandcamp

giveaway: vegan bath & body trio from funk off!

noreply@blogger.com (thursday) — Tue, 08 May 2012 15:44:00 +0000

Good morning all! I'm so excited to be here today with a giveaway from my favourite indie bath and body shop Funk Off. I am in the midst of a mad love affair with their body sprays and lotions and I know whoever wins this giveaway will be feeling the same. Let's get to it, shall we?

__________________________________________

Hello friends of Thursday!

We're super stoked to be here and we're even more excited to host a giveaway on My Girl Thursday!

So spring is already here and summer is just around the corner and while we're sure you've already started enjoying the sunshine and warmer weather, we thought you might like a new scent to go along with your new seasonal vibes! We like to hook ourselves (and our peeps!) up with a fresh scent each season, it helps get us in the mood for a little change. Plus, we think that even on the cloudiest of days a cool summery scent can really perk you up! And so, to celebrate the freshness in the air, Funk Off! wants to give one of you a chance to win a few of our favorite products in the scents of your choice! A Peace, Love, and Soap Suds! shower gel (that can also be used as shampoo!). A Later, Gator! lotion to keep your skin nice and moisturized when the heat and dryness of the season kick in. A Kiss This! lip balm to soothe and smooth your lips and add just a touch of shine for your low maintenance summer face routine. And one of our super brand new (not even released for sale to the public yet!) and super awesome Bliss Bombs! for the bath, because a nice warm aromatherapy bath is fantastic any time of year! All natural, all Vegan, all incredible. Oh snap!

To enter all we ask is that you visit the shop and let us know what products you would choose in the comments below. Also, please be sure to add the Funk Off! shop to your favorites on Etsy so you can see when we're offering up brand new products.

For an additional entry you can tweet about this giveaway letting everyone know they could have a chance to win too! Be sure to link to this post and include @mygirlthursday and @FreshNotFunky so we can see your message.

Good Luck you guys, may the force be with you!

Keep it Fresh!

"the Funk Off! crew"

Giveaway is open until Friday, May 11th. Everyone is welcome to enter. Good luck!

I just slapped my melancholy in the junk!

noreply@blogger.com (thursday) — Mon, 07 May 2012 13:00:00 +0000

Hey, remember when I was losing my nuts and I wrote this? Yeah, I was definitely not having a good time then. But I meant everything I said and I'm still happy that I published it too. It gave me the kick in the bum that I needed to change my blogging ways. More than that actually. It gave me the space to start making some happy life changes.

For a while I've been noticing small moments here and there that make me want to stop everything, be present and take it all in. But as soon as I have that thought it's immediately followed by a voice saying "NO! You have that email. The dishes. For the love of God check your phone!!" The voice, of course, is my own and I've been following its orders for years now. The compulsive side of me is determined and that's not necessarily a bad thing. But the behaviour is extreme and leaves me feeling like I lack dimension as a human being. Compulsive me does not get to be the boss any longer.

Lately my focus has been on making better use of my time, creating routine and turning away from influences that are polluting my mind (To some degree. I think I might cease to be me if I totally gave up crime dramas.) Right now I'm enjoying finding the small moments and giving them a space in my home and my life. For example, is there a kind of noise that makes me feel grounded? Then I look for it and take the time to listen. I'm blogging to this right now...

Something that has made me happier than I ever would have anticipated is this...

That hair is something I've fought for years. Every single time I visit a hairdresser they say "You should just let it do its thing." I immediately shoot them the Are you shitting me? Do you not see its thing right now? look. I've spent what would amount to weeks in the bathroom drying and straightening my hair and I've never been happy with what it looks like in the end. I've avoided the shower like the plague all in a desperate attempt to skip just one more day of hair-doing. I've felt ugly and boring in my dirty little ponytail but it was still better than plugging in my straightener. And now all of that is just gone. It feels SO GOOD! And hey, I know this sounds super dramatic but what I'm trying to say is that little changes can make a bigger difference than you might think. I get back an hour of my day, I feel less disgusting and I have some bouncy-bouncy hair. I just slapped my melancholy in the junk!

Other things that I'm doing to create more balance and peace in my daily life are:

♥ creating a manageable daily chore list and checking said chores of my to-do list early in the day

♥ spending more time outside in the garden

♥ nightly family bike rides and visits to the park (I can't even tell you how much I look forward to this each and every day.)

♥ finding warm scents that make me want to inhale constantly (this is my favourite right now)

♥ starting to listen to music again and having zero guilty feelings about none of it being current (former music snob speak)

♥ committing myself to fewer things and consequently messing up fewer deadlines

♥ moving my computer to my office and spending less time "working" in front of the television

and actions I plan to implement soon (like this week)...

♥ finding time to create things with my hands (as opposed to with my computer)

♥ a gradual decline in my sugar intake in the evening (I'm pretty good during the day but at night I go effing crazy on the sweet stuff)

♥ this seems like a good idea too

Do you have any small changes that you need to make to your daily life? Have you made some recently? Let me know your teeny-tiny solutions for a better day in the comments below. I can't wait to read what you have to say!

PS
What's a Monday without some winners?

Winner of the Everyday is a Holiday giveaway is...

Winner of the Pussycat Vintage giveaway is...

Congratulations ladies! I shall be in touch very soon.

shoe restyle with tera sue

noreply@blogger.com (thursday) — Wed, 02 May 2012 15:01:00 +0000

Today's post is brought to you by the one and only Tera of Tera Sue. I like this girl very, very, very much. I could be happier she's here today with this very thrifty diy. Enjoy!

I absolutely love restyling items I find at the thrift stores, clothing I never wear, and shoes that I can't bring myself to get rid of even though they've fallen apart.

If you're like me, then it's hard to find cute flats that are actually comfortable. When I do find a pair I never want to let them go and will wear them until they disappear into thin air, one sad hole at a time. I decided that I was going to save my sad little shoes the day my co-worker saw the huge hole in them and said, "uh, you got a little shoe problem there". Red faced, I went home and devised a plan to solve my shoe problem.

First thing I needed to do was sew up that pesky hole. Simple enough, right? I could have stopped there, but I decided that these shoes deserved a new look too. Mixing Mod Podge and loose glitter, I painted the toe of the shoe and left the rest black. I let the first coat dry and added a couple more coats to achieve the desired look.

Next I added a bow using faux leather similar to the original shoe material. I used an 8 x 4 3/4 inch rectangular piece for each bow. I was stuck with such a random size because I was using up some scraps I had left over in my crafter's hoard.

For those of you who have never made a bow, here's how I created mine:

1. Fold in half lengthwise and sew or glue in place. Press so that your seam is in the center.

2. Fold in half the other way and sew or glue in place. Press so your new seam is in the center.

3. For the knot I usually decide how thick I want it to be after the bow has been created. When you find your desired knot size, fold in half with right sides together and sew or glue in place.

4. Flip your knot so that your seam is on the inside and carefully slip over the bow until it is in the center (covering your centered seam).

Finally, I sewed my bows to the top of my new/old shoes and voila! You'd never know that these shoes were almost in the toss pile!

The great thing about restyling is that when you start with a discarded, broken or unwanted piece there is nowhere to go but up! I messed up at least three times while I was restyling these shoes. At one point my boyfriend asked, "do you want me to throw these away?", but I did not give up on them and I love how they turned out.

Thank you so much for this Tera! Shoe problem SOLVED!

what can I vlog about? (a vlog with ♥elycia)

noreply@blogger.com (thursday) — Tue, 01 May 2012 13:00:00 +0000

We're back and I honestly could not be any happier about it. I think it's pretty easy to tell that I love filming vlogs with Elycia. It's fun to think of things to talk about, it's fun talking about them and it's fun eatting vlog cake (oh, you didn't know you get cake when you vlog?!).

In this video we're offering up some topic ideas for vlogging. We get a lot of readers saying that they really want to try video blogging but they can't think of anything to say. Consider your problems solved!

Again, if you use any of these tips please leave a link to your vlog in the comments below. I'd love to hear what you have to say!

giveaway monday: 2 instagram inspired prints from everyday is a holiday

noreply@blogger.com (thursday) — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 16:30:00 +0000

I'm back with more stuff to give away! This time Jenny, from Everyday is a Holiday, is generously offering two Instagram inspired wood mounted prints of the winners choice! Sweet! (you'll see what I mean in just a second)

Every artist should bow to the advent of the Instagram...a tool that essentially turns the everyday into Art. More than just photography...the Instagram captures an image in a frame, a setting...gives it a feel, a mood, and often...a vintagey glow. And in an instant...the "art" is available to everyone.

As artists we wanted to pay it forward...paintings inspired by the Instagram. These 8" x 8" prints of our original paintings are mounted on 1/2" boards. Signed, sealed, ready to hang.

Seriously, just looking at those make me hungry. It's a good thing there's a whole cake waiting in my kitchen otherwise writing this giveaway would be pure torture. Sorry. Babbling. Hungry.

So how can you win?

Mandatory entry (please leave your email address in your comment):

Stop by the Everyday is a Holiday shop to have a look. Come back here and tell me what caught your fancy.

Additional entries (please leave a separate comment for each):

Like Everyday is a Holiday on Facebook. If you could say a quick hello that would be wonderful!

Subscribe to the Everyday is a Holiday blog via Feedburner, email, Bloglovin, whatever works best for you. Just be sure to tell me how in your comment.

Giveaway runs until Friday, May 4 and is open to everyone.

Good luck!

giveaway monday: $40 shop credit to pussycat vintage (+ giveaway winners)

noreply@blogger.com (thursday) — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 13:41:00 +0000

Good morning all! This morning I'm here to present you with the first of two Giveaway Monday posts. To start things off my friend Nicole, from Pussycat Vintage, is offering a $40 shop credit! Whoop whoop! You can't definitely get yourself something pretty with that!

It's the perfect time of year to add a new dress to you wardrobe and there are some cute ones over in Nicole's shop. I think this pink plaid number is exceptionally sweet.

Here's what you can do to qualify for this giveaway:

Mandatory entry (please leave your email address in your comment):

Stop by the Pussycat Vintage shop to have a look. Come back here and tell me what you'd spend the shop credit on.

Additional entries (please leave a separate comment for each):

Follow Pussycat Vintage on Twitter and tweet about this giveaway. Be sure to include @PussycatVintageand @mygirlthursday in your message so we see it. If you're needing some twitspiration you can use the following message:

I want to win a $40 credit to @PussycatVintage so I can add some oomph to my wardrobe! See @MyGirlThursday for more... http://goo.gl/95L8h

Subscribe to the Pussycat Vintage blog via Feedburner, email, Bloglovin, whatever works best for you. Just be sure to tell me how in your comment.

Giveaway runs until Friday, May 4 and is open to everyone.

I also have some winners to announce!

glam.spoon recycled kimono tee giveaway winner is...

and the NerdJERK prize pack giveaway winner is...

Congratulations to the winners and many thanks to everyone who took part. ♥

crafternoon bike bag pattern

noreply@blogger.com (thursday) — Fri, 27 Apr 2012 13:00:00 +0000

Heyo! As promised I'm back today with the pattern for the bike bag that Elycia and I will be showing you how to make during the Sunday afternoon Crafternoon. Now, when I say pattern I mean not really a pattern. It's more like I have some measurements for you. You can wait until the actual broadcast begins but pre-cutting your pieces will save you some frenzied moments if you're hoping to keep up with us fast crafting broads. (That might not be true. We've been known to gab.)

As mentioned in the previous post you'll need to collect the following materials:

1 yard weather resistant fabric (or if you plan to mix patterns 1/2 yard for shell and 1/2 yard for lining)

1/2 yard 3/4" velcro (strong hold if possible)

3/4 yard 1" cotton webbing (for back loops so make sure it's sturdy)

complimenting thread

sewing machine

iron

I will warn you that I'm definitely over-estimating the amount of fabric needed but I like to have a bit extra in case of screw ups or previously unnoticed flaws in the fabric (ahem, thank you Fabricland).

From the fabric that you would like to use for the shell you will need to cut:

2 pieces measuring 12" wide by 8" tall

1 piece measuring 11 1/2" wide by 7" tall

From the lining fabric you will need to cut:

2 pieces measuring 12" wide by 8" tall

1 piece measuring 11 1/2" wide by 7" tall

2 pieces measuring 5 1/4" wide by 3 1/4" tall

That's it! The rest we'll do together on Sunday.

To take part in the fun you'll want to tune in to our UStream channel at 4pm EST on Sunday. Also, be sure to follow me and Elycia on Twitter for live updates. UStream also has a chat option but for some reason it didn't work for the majority of the evening.

meet cool people here...

noreply@blogger.com (thursday) — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 13:00:00 +0000

Heyo! This morning I would like to introduce you to some of the kind souls supporting My Girl Thursday this month. If you have a moment please be sure to stop by their blog home and have a look-see what their world looks like. ♥

My blog is an online journal of the adventures of a "quirky" girl. I share photos of my crafting and art projects, DIYs, stories about my life, and anything else that catches my interest that week. I love meeting new blog friends with common interests so stop by and say hello!

blog >> shop >> twitter

Newfoundlander at Heart is my little corner of the web where I share my daily adventures in food creations, crafting, gardening and babe preparations. Only 3 weeks to go for this mama-to-be!