Blogoversary Gift Winners

The following people will be receiving my Blogoversary gifts:

Tablecloth - Katherine
 I've been visiting your blog since pretty early on and I have learned so much about my Cricut and how to do what I want to do - I don't do it very often but I know how because of you! How's that for complicated? I just officially followed your blog but I've been getting the Rss feed through Google Reader and I visit pretty much every day. I'm thrilled to read new 'how to's but it doesn't matter to me when you post stuff - I'll keep reading. : ) I do want to say that I visit your blog if I get stuck doing something on CDS before I visit anyone else's!  
Thanks for sharing all of your lovely designs over the years, too. I have enjoyed them very much! 
Congratulations on your 2 year Blog-aversary!!!

Bracelet - Scraphappyana Creations
wow, that's a very nice piece of glass etching it is beautiful. You are a very talented lady Diane. And thanks for sharing everything with us.

Cards in folder - Jean
Diane,
Congrats on 2 years of blogging!!!!
It certainly doesn't seem that long. 

Marbled paper - Sheila 
What a wonderful way to celebrate your 2 year blogaversary! Congratulations once again. And I thank you for your willingness to share with us your talent.   

Ribbon Box  - mahuntington 
I enjoy your daily posts, but I know first hand about "burn out" and I'm afraid if you keep this up you will soon be heading there. You have an amazing talent, but trying to come up with a new idea daily is too much for anyone. None of us would mind if you skipped days now and then. I love your surprises and even though some sites have special days set aside I like your site done the way you do it now. Congratulations on your anniversary.
Mary Ann (pixie grammy)

Scrap-Ma-Bob - chriswooten57
congrats...and thank you for letting enter to win a prize...i would love to have a scrap ma bob. 
i love your blog...your projects are just beautiful....you are so sweet to share and teach us.....how to use our gadgets..
i am nothing without your help here...
you are so sweet, thank you....

Design Studio Private Consultation - Colleen Kramer
You are super generous!! (What most excited me was the hour of private help - oh the joy!). I will start my list of questions immediately. :) 


If I had an email address for you I have sent a message asking for your mailing information.  Please contact me as soon as possible so I can send out the gifts.
Thanks to everyone who commented and helped me celebrate two years of blogging.


UPDATE ON THE FIRE:
I am sorry that this announcement was delayed.  I spent the day helping our neighbors as they try to put their lives back together. With four children (five, three and twin babies) it is an enormous task to try to keep some sort of normal routine and deal with all of the practical concerns.  They appreciate all of the messages of comfort and hope you have sent.  A few people asked about a fund to help.  Our neighborhood and our town have rallied around and we will be able to take good care of the family.  Food, clothes, toys, baby equipment and offers of housing and more poured in all day.  They do have insurance and will be able to replace most of what was lost but it will take a long time to rebuild.  Thank you all for your concern.  If you'd like to send a card you can contact me for more details.

Second Blogoversary Celebration Gifts!

 

Thank you to everyone who has taken the time to comment about my two years of blogging.  I have been feeling the love while reading your encouraging words!  There have been some questions and I am trying to get back to everyone so thanks for your patience.  I am still happy to receive any feedback on my blog format if you are just catching up with reading the blog now.

It took me all day to get the celebration gifts sorted out while I was also working on other things.  Now I can post my blogoversary gifts to thank you for your support.  You can comment on this post or any post to be included - I will draw some random names from all of the comments left this week.  If you would like to become a follower or subscribe, please do - but it is not required to be included in the celebration.  If there is a gift you would not want to receive (because you have it or just don't care for it!) please be sure to let me know in your comment.

Last September, my husband and I went to Italy (along with the Gypsy!).  I made a few posts about the trip and our adventures.  While I was there, I did a little shopping with the idea that I'd have a chance to offer some token gifts to readers when I returned. I am finally getting the chance to do this!

  

Gift #1 is a typical Tuscan tablecloth from the market in Lucca.  These are seen everywhere and this is a common design and color scheme.  The tablecloth will fit a 6-8 seat table.

 

  

Gift #2 is a bracelet made from Murano glass beads.  I found this in a shop in Lucca near the square where we had the best ice cream ever.  It has an elastic base which stretches to slide over your wrist (you could also take it apart and use the beads as you like).

 

  

Gift #3 is a small folder with 10 correspondence cards and envelopes in the typical Florentine style with touches of gold.  The cards are flat single sheets with a lovely border and could be used as journal boxes or layered on a card that you create.  The envelopes have a printed lining with gold accents.

  

Gift #4 is three sheets of handmade marbled paper that I bought in a shop in Siena.  The blue and orange sheets are about 8 x 11.5 inches and the red sheet is 6.5 x 7.5 inches.

  

I was asked to participate in a blog giveaway for the Original Scrapbox Company while we were on vacation.  I agreed because I hoped that one of you might win the fabulous prize they were offering.  I was sent a few items as a thank you for acting as one of the hosts for the giveaway and I'd like to share these with some readers.  Gift #5 is a Ribbon Box.  It holds 27 spools of ribbon and keeps them clean and untangled.

  

The other very handy item they sent me was a "Scrap-Ma-Bob" which clamps to your table and holds a drink and a small scrap bag.  I have one of these to give away as Gift #6.

 

  

Many of you have lots of Design Studio questions and are sometimes shy about asking them - so the final Gift (#7) is a one hour private Design Studio help session.  This will be done online so you do need to have a good internet connection but you can be anywhere in the world - we will just have to set up a convenient time.

I will draw seven names from the comments I receive this week.  If you have left contact information, I will send you an email.  I will also post the names and comments that are chosen on Sunday.  If I don't hear from any of the people chosen with their mailing information within three days, I'll choose another name.

The rest of the week will probably be crafty posts, however, I have learned from the comments left that a lot of you don't mind the element of surprise - so something else may show up too!

Two Years of Blogging...

It's hard to believe, but two years ago today I started this blog.  I actually posted this doily design on February 1, 2008.  I had just begun to use the Design Studio software and I wanted a place to share my designs. When I look back at some of my old posts they make me realize what an interesting experience this has been.  I certainly have learned a lot about so many things - when I started I didn't even know that there was a way to make a "clickable" link.  I also had a cleaner house and a fatter wallet!

I have enjoyed getting to know many people who share my interest in design, photography and all sorts of papercrafting.  I never guessed when I bought my first Cricut that I would become totally immersed in this world.  I have spent so many hours working with the Design Studio program that I create designs in my sleep and I have worn out a brand new wireless mouse.  As program updates came out, I figured out new ways to do projects and I was happy to help teach others how to make the best use of the software.  I am flattered to see how many people subscribe to or follow my blog and I am always happy when they stop to leave comments or ask questions

Since January 1, 2009, I have posted something on this blog every day .  It has been challenging to keep it up and at times I have considered stopping (or at least reducing the frequency of posting) but I do feel a sense of accomplishment from making a resolution and sticking to it.  There have been many late nights involved and I need to make some changes to my night owl status.  (I hardly ever schedule posts in advance - I have done this occasionally to cover times when I may be away and unable to get online for a few days).

I'd love to have some feedback as I make my plans for the next year or so.  I am working on a couple of big projects that will take a great deal of time in the near future.  I think you will be excited to find out what they are but my lips are sealed for the time being!

I have wondered  if it would be better to have some sort of predictable schedule for the types of things I post.  I know that many blogs follow a schedule format (cards on one day, videos another, etc.). On the other hand, it seems that a lot of you truly don't mind checking in each day and finding a surprise.  It could be a lengthy and somewhat technical Design Studio tutorial one day, a simple card another, a recipe, a video, a family or travel story, a cartridge or other product review, a digital project or just some photos that I'd like to share.

So, if you don't mind, leave me a comment and tell me what you really like to find here.  Is there something you'd like to see more of?  Some things you feel disappointed about when you see the type of post for the day? Is it really important to you that there is something new every single day?   I'll take it all into consideration as I decide what to do next.

It is very early in the morning (I am up too late again!) so I will make a second post later today.  I think two years is the sort of milestone that deserves to be celebrated!  I checked the hit counter while I was writing this and it is well over 540,000.  There are over 2,000 people who either subscribe to or follow this blog and, I stopped counting months ago, but at that time there had been over 120,000 downloads of my designs.  I am not trying to boast - I am just amazed to know that so many people are interested in what I do!  So...there will be some thank you gifts!!!!  

Thank you all so much and please do leave some comments to help me in my planning for the future.