Go Enter to win some Etsy.com gift cards.

“You’ve all been patient with me while I’ve been planning the conference and because you’re all so neat I’m giving away TWO $20 gift cards to Etsy.com. You have until May 14 to enter by leaving a comment {on the facebook page} and tell me one of your favorite things to do in the summer. (Be creative) If you get someone *new to LIKE this facebook page, go ahead and enter again, but be sure to let me know who’s the new Liker.”

Alice in Wonderland party via Hostess with the mostess

Gorgeous, no? So many beautiful ideas.

See also this Alice In Wonderland party:

Complete with downloadable party planner. Awesome.

Let’s just round this out with some great ideas for food and decoration for the outdoor tea party:

Edible Centerpiece from Hostess with the mostess again, she’s got it going on.

And then there’s this fabric banner you can make from V and Co.

Now without further ado the winner of the Etsy print giveaway goes to:

Congratulations Donielle! Look for an email from me shortly!

I want to say a huge thank you to Red Bird Ink for sponsoring this giveaway in conjunction with the cooking demo. I had a blast and am so thankful for the friends and opportunities this site has brought to my life. And Letterpress. Can’t forget to thank the Letterpress.

I came home exhausted and completely full of good food but even better – full of good life. Good conversations, good friends, good experiences.

I was a little worried about doing something like this at first – once everyone was there they kind of just sat there looking at me waiting for me to start. Which is when I said – uh … please don’t stop talking. I have no idea what I’m doing!

But I think it went good. We kept the conversation going, I hope I said something that made sense during the whole time. It was so very nice that I knew most of ladies in attendance ahead of time. Made me WAY more at ease about acting like I have anything important to say.

I wasn’t sure if I should narrate everything I was doing ala Rachel Ray on TV or if I should just whip stuff out and answer questions as we went along. I didn’t know if I should focus on what I think about being in the kitchen (Keeping things simple, use substitutions, get creative!) or if I should focus on what the ladies knew and felt and go from there.

All in all, it was a fun time. I would totally do it again. In fact, I’m already planning the next one. I think instead of going through a whole meal I’ll pick something (like fish or desserts – but not together!!) and focus on that.

I felt like most of the attendee’s were really interested in the fish yesterday, what I did with it, how I did it and how I went about cooking it. Which didn’t even cross my mind when I was planning it – thinking that I should focus more on one thing than another.

I also didn’t man the camera very much and many thanks go to Rebekah for taking some photos along the way. I’ll have to be better about getting in there and taking some photos next time.

And like I said yesterday we had some pretty awesome sponsors to help it go that extra mile:

Kitchen Stories offered me a wonderful discount so I could send my attendee’s home with a little something-something. I just love her quote right off the bat – “I never worry about diets. The only carrots that interest me are the number you get in a diamond.” - Mae West I mean, how can you not want to hang out with this wonderful lady?

I didn’t have the budget to gift an apron to each of my guests … but you have to see these. The Pretty Ditty etsy shop is to die for.

Those aprons would have come in handy while I was mixing up the guts to the cake …

Which we devoured.

Like I said, though, it was fantastic. I felt comfortable (once I got over myself) and I can’t wait for the next one. I think I’ll wear a wig though … then I can pretend I’m PW or something and maybe I’ll feel more comfortable being all “And then you add some salt, just a pinch.” Weird. Weird weird weird.

Let’s meet the attendee’s:

Donielle came along with one of her Peanuts. Isn’t she adorable? I got to hold her for about 45 seconds while Donielle strapped on her trusty carrier for her Peanut to rest in while she demonstrated Kefir to the group (and let us try it!) and my uterus started screaming at me.

You can see why, no?

Rebekah came after spending the morning antiqueing with Michelle (another attendee) in Saugatuck. SO FUN!

And here’s Michelle – Hi Michelle! Love your name

I was going to have all the recipes written out for each girl and wrapped all nice but then I had a sick husband, remembered that I have 2 kids and had a broken car in one week … so … you know. They had to transfer them over to a recipe card themselves, but I think they forgive me.

I didn’t capture a great photo of Candace, but you can see her here:

Candace and I go way back. I’ll just leave it at that. She’s a texture girl, just like me, as far as food goes. She wasn’t too hip on the Salmon but that’s ok – she tried it! They all did, which was the best part for me.

Sitting down with everyone after making all the food and just getting to know each other. That’s what this is all about for me. You. All of you.

While we were all standing in the kitchen Donielle demonstrated Kefir to us …

It was so interesting and I took some home to try out on my kids … they both LOVED it. It’s like fizzy juice, or pop … which is exactly what Jessica called it once she tried it. I was starting to look at doing this so now I’m glad I know what it’s supposed to look/taste like and I think I’ll go ahead and give it a try.

What a day! But it’s not over.

Red Bird Ink etsy shop wants to give you a chance to win a letterpress print from their shop in the name of cooking. Amen.

They’re offering up one of their Cow Parts No3 Prints to one of my lucky readers!!

To Enter:

Click through to their shop and leave a comment back on this post telling me your favorite print, stationary or coaster they have listed.

That’s it! Please give them some love, I have an addiction to letterpress and I LOVE their shop.

***Contest ends Tuesday evening 10 pm EST March 2, 2010, winner to be announced Wednesday March 3, 2010***

In the madness that is cleaning out closets I lost the prints I was going to give away at first, ugh! So I’m moving on to another print I found that we’ve never hung. We’re terrible at this.

The print is unframed and measures 16″ X 23″ … go friend yourself to enter for your chance to win!

We bought this print from sfgirlbybay etsy shop owner. Love her stuff!

I’ve found many a things I’ve boughten over the years that I never ended up using or hanging so I’m just going to give them away. First up is some art I bought from millymollymandy’s etsy shop (which is now Belle & Boo) for Jessica’s bedroom … um like 2 years ago. Yeah, I still LOVE it but we’re just not going to hang it ever and I’m sure one of you would love to have it.

However, I’m giving it away on the facebook page so for a chance to win it (and those chances are pretty awesome right now) you need to friend yourself. DELURK!

This is all very selfish because I want to see your face and if emptying my closets with giveaways is going to bring you out – then I will.

Cue: Cackling laughter. (or is it Que?)

**Don’t forget about everything awesome that’s going on around here! Plus … baby.joy designs giveaway thru Mar 27 as well as the Steel Dreaming Designs giveaway also thru Mar 27.**
Michelle is amazing with the newfound talent of sewing and since our last post about her current giveaway’s she’s started making PACIFIER CLIPS, too. Where does she find the time to be so amazing? I’m guessing her baby slept through the night much sooner than mine. HA! But really, this lady is rockin’ it out with the baby items – and they’re to die for. I’m so glad Oliver likes pacifiers because I definitely need one (or 5) of these.

You know the drill, go check out her new stuff and give her some love – let her know what she’s doing right (what isn’t she??) and leave a comment here to tell me about it.
One entry per day until Mar 27 at 12pm – winner to be chosen via random.org and announced later that same night. Winner will get to choose the pacifier clip of their choice. And then buy 4 more.

So proud to be featuring Steel Dreaming Designs again! This week they’re happily sponsoring this giveaway with this little number:

Use this 9×12 horizontal board to display your child’s artwork, as a picture frame or as a basic memo board. Perfect for your kid’s room, but also perfect for that space that just needs some color and fun!
All you need to do to enter this giveaway is visit Steel Dreaming Designs etsy shop and leave comment back here with your favorite item!
And don’t forget about our other great giveaways this week!!
For extra entries (once):
# You can twitter this giveaway (and include me in the tweet @jodimichelle)
# Blog about this giveaway
# Follow this blog, RSS etc.
# You may enter once a day until Friday March 27, 2009 12pm EST
Then come back here and leave another comment for each additional entry – your comments are your entries. Open to US residents only.
You must have a valid email address when submitting your entries via comment, if you’re chosen as the winner, email is how I’ll get ahold of you and you’ll have 48 hours to get back in touch with me to receive your prize. If you fail to do so you forfeit your prize and another winner will be chosen.
Winners to be chosen via random.org and will be announced the night of March 27.

This weekend I’m featuring these beautiful baby items made by Michelle from baby.joy designs!

Michelle is a stay at home mom with a 7 year old daughter and a 9 month old son. After being a mom for 7 years, and again enjoying the baby stages of life, she has decided to make more time for myself and has taken up sewing. She loves creating new and unique things that babies need and hopes your children will enjoy her products as much as hers have! And, bonus insider information, she’s my cousin. Yay!!
Michelle has offered up these very blankets and one of her Joy-Toy clips for a giveaway. There will be 2 lucky winners. One will receive the 12X12 blanket while the other will receive the 12X6 blanket and the Toy-Joy clip.

To Enter this giveaway: Visit baby.joy designs and tell me which blanket or toy-joy clip is your favorite!
For extra entries (once):
# You can twitter this giveaway (and include me in the tweet @jodimichelle)
# Blog about this giveaway
# Follow this blog, RSS etc.
# You may enter once a day until Friday March 27, 2009 12pm EST
Then come back here and leave another comment for each additional entry – your comments are your entries. Open to US residents only.
You must have a valid email address when submitting your entries via comment, if you’re chosen as the winner, email is how I’ll get ahold of you and you’ll have 48 hours to get back in touch with me to receive your prize. If you fail to do so you forfeit your prize and another winner will be chosen.
Winners to be chosen via random.org and will be announced the night of March 27.