etsy wedding giveaway! custom watercolor wedding map REVISED 10.12.10

{ UPDATE 7.march.11 -- custom wedding maps and illustrations by nattymichelle }

**UPDATE 7.march.11: the kind etsy soul who stepped in and volunteered her services: natalie of nattymichelle. more on her shortly. fantastic!

**UPDATE 12.oct.10: all, i'm leaving this post up because of all your wonderful comments and suggestions, but madison-claire never came through with the prize after multiple attempts to contact them, and i'm having to scramble to find a kind etsy soul to put together a wedding map for the winner. not cool.

if you're looking for lovely watercolor wedding maps, check out this search for current shops.

your long-awaited giveaway -- xxxxxxxx at madison~claire designs wrote with a generous offer: a custom watercolor wedding map, personalized and one-of-a-kind. so neat! they also do custom illustrations for programs, etc.

what do i need to know this time, you ask? to enter, in comments tell us about how you're putting together your invites -- letterpress? DIY? online resource? keeping it simple or personalizing? or any clever invitation resources.

shop local: chicago etsy wedding glory

 
{each photo links to its shop}

well damn. am in chicago for work this week and checked in to see how the giveaway was going... um, what giveaway, jen? i sense you thinking -- you see, i logged out last weekend so i could use my new google docs wedding templates (they are great, thanks for the recommendations!) through my personal gmail... and then traveled -- and just logged back in as etsywedding...

and holy mama, i thought i'd scheduled it for friday and it is not up. doh. must not have pressed the big obvious orange "publish" button. bad blogger.

let's try this again. first, here's my shop local chicago post -- feel free to add yourselves in the comments, chicago etsy brides and artists -- and i am hereby scheduling the giveaway to post FOR REAL this friday, with my apologies for the delay!

catching up with the inbox

{ tree with leaves and birds cake topper by lintandlavender

tonight i went to an incredibly more-fun-than-expected papersource workshop (i recommend!) and learned how to do crafty things with recycled paper. i now own a bone folder. life is very good.

catching up with my overstuffed, under-replied-to inbox, we have:

clever:

• brooklyn-based jezebel stationery, charming "correspondence for the vagabond heart," reports she now makes custom invitations. unique and lovely. (this post on her blog caught me off-guard -- i feel the same.)  

•  staggered -- john writes from the UK's '"number one men's wedding website -- we know this for a fact because we're the only one," charming in an entirely different way than jezebel stationery. news you can use, like rated iphone wedding apps, all in delightfully accented prose.

perhaps of interest:

• TLC writes to let us know friday is "thank god it's bride day" on TLC. i don't have tv (only internets for procrastination in this house, missy) and have never seen say yes to the dress (5th season premiere 9ET, per email) but i could use some popcorn+couch hours.

• Better Homes and Gardens writes to say check out their new free "wedding planning made easy" weekly newsletter, which i am damn sorely tempted by. plus i just discovered their do-it-yourself wedding stationery ideas. papersource, here i come again.

local:

• chicago-area folks: check out creamcakechicago.com -- i never understood the purpose of fondant icing (eat it? peel it off? ball it up and throw it at your siblings?) anyway. why does dessert have to be immobilized in a sheet of sugar-candlewax? cream cake co. bakes from scratch and only uses sweet cream icing. mmm.

• in NYC, via the wedding library, look for the Brides magazine/Ikea–sponsored newlywed nest, april 24–may 22 on sat/sundays, 311 E. 11th, see the save the date for more info.

contests:

• TLC's Perfect Day Giveaway, starts Friday for 4 weeks, grand prize = Kleinfeld VIP NYC experience, see this clip for more info.

• Hearts on Fire's The Perfect Moment (notice theme of perfection, yes?) giveaway -- is a facebook contest through june 20th to win $10k diamond jewelry, info and entries here

and etsy delights:

   

{ hand-painted ceramic plates by aedriel }

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{ hand-stamped glassine bags, candles, and silk flowers: french country 1908 by teacupdesign }

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{ fancy purses by sherri weese designs }

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{ wonderful felt and button cake toppers + flowers by lint and lavender }

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more to come!

bonzie bridal giveaway results! and more

{ all from bonzie.etsy.com }

dear patient readers, i have good news for one and all!

the good news for one, as chosen by random.org: jessica, all lower-case, who uses martha stewart weddings for planning, with the wedding date 7/31/10, the ethereal bridal wrap is yours. please get in touch, etsywedding@gmail, and i will connect you with our lovely irish friends.

the good news for all who entered the contest and are in love with bonzie's wraps: a spectacular deal! for everyone who left a comment on the giveaway, bonzie will give you free shipping (from ireland) (!!!) on the gorgeous shrug/bolero/wrap you want most.

to get this discount, send them a note (click on "contact seller") subject "I LOVE ETSYWEDDING BLOG" (bonzie's suggestion, i swear) and include the item you want to purchase, and they will adjust the listing and reserve just for you.

hooray!

please join me in thanking bonzie and ger for this amazing giveaway. i am seriously considering one of these myself. and i *encourage* you to go to their store, check out their blog, flickr, youtube, twitter... truly amazing work.

next giveaway: this friday!
xoj

to have and to... please hold...

 



{each photo links to its shop}

apologies for my disappearance. {please hold while i connect your blog} --

i have been (in order):
birthdaying
multimedia-encoding
tax-figuring
oh-no-ing
magazine shipping
tax-extension-filing
not sleeping
sleeping
poem-rescuing
more magazine shipping


i have a good number of emails to get back to, thank you for your patience! and the bonzie winner to announce, i know!

more soon.

in the meantime, enjoy this poetry feature i've been working on every day this month:
Stanley Kunitz, "King of the River"
(see also the lovely introduction by David Barber)

please excuse. birthday fuss underway.

{each photo links to its store}

forgive the absence, all -- today was a Milestone-Birthday-That-Must-Not-Be-Named for an important person who must not be identified. that i may or may not be marrying. it's all very hush hush. tomorrow we're embarking on a mystery weekend that i have been preparing for a month. WAY more fun than planning a wedding.

i will return with giveaway news monday. for anyone thinking of breaking into our apartment, a) we haven't gotten any gifts yet and b) the rottweilers are VERY ANGRY we'll be gone. all seven of them.

xox!
j

last day! enter the bonzie bridal wrap giveaway

bonzie is giving away one ethereal bridal shrug to a reader -- don't forget to enter by midnight pacific time tonight!

and check out the helpful wedding planning tools/website tips in the comments -- was so happy to find the google docs wedding templates, am trying them out first... thanks everyone!
xoj

blue + white sampler

 

 

{each photo links to its shop}

forgive me, i thought i had posted this monday. now it can be a game -- a pair of freshwater pearl earrings to whoever guesses what this is related to.