Giveaway Jackpot

I follow a lot of jewelry oriented blogs and they are very generous in their information and giveaways. This is a very active blog community. I do enter some of the giveaways, the ones that I find suit my taste and style. Generally all it takes is a comment or an answer to a question. Sometimes depending on content I comment just because I have something to say. It feels more like an actual conversation that way. I love when someone comments on something that I have said on my blog that interests them. That being said look at this awesome giveaway that arrived yesterday in my mailbox from Erin Prais-Hintz. She was interviewed on the Art Bead Scene Blog asked a couple of questions that I answered. She found these treasures at the Bead and Button Show recently.
She wrote me a very nice note and wrote notes for each group of items giving me more information about the contents.
Some Sari Silk, hand dyed ribbon and rolled silk cord. I have been wanting to try some Sari Silk, now I can.
This group just grabbed my heart, Raku leaf-Maku Studio, Porcelain-Splendid Loon Studios, Ceramic tube-Lisa Peters, Recycled glass-Loot!, Pewter-GreenGirl, Polymer-Humblebeads, Metal-Treasures-Found(Erin) and Vintaj. I follow a few of these artists but have never owned any of their beautiful creations. I will try to follow the others and am so excited about these elements. They are to die for. Looks like I will be sporting some new creations soon.
And as if that was not enough there was a third bag stuffed full of goodies. This bag was very thoughtfully chosen. It consists of glass, crystals, czech glass, filigree, brass, and pewter. These items had lots of pairs so they could be used in multiple ways.

Erin would not have anyway of knowing how far away a good bead store is from me. This was really like Christmas for me. In her note she states that it would be fun to be a personal shopper for someone that could not go to the Bead and Button show. She did an awesome job of picking these items out for me, I would recommend her to anyone that needs a creative shopper. I have never really thought about going to the Bead and Button show but I sure will now.

Thank you Art Bead Scene and Erin from Treasures - Found.

Vacation in OBX

Maggie, Penne and I spent a couple of days in the Outer Banks Area of NC. We climbed the 231 steps to the top of the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse and visited the beautiful Bodie Island Lighthouse. We enjoyed good food and the wonderful beach.

Penne did not really get the hang of the water though. She immediately went the other direction when a wave came. Maggie says she does the same thing when it is bath time. Cape Hatteras Lighthouse the view was just awesome.We stopped for lunch browsed a small Art Fair, found a very nice bead store and toured the grounds of Bodie Island Lighthouse.
We had a great time, we returned to Greensboro and spent a few days shopping, seeing a movie, and teaching Maggie how to use her sewing machine. We made her a new kitchen curtain. Sewing is probably not going to be her first love, but a necessary evil.
I really miss spending the whole summer with my girl, I guess this will have to do for now.