Winner, Winner, Chicken Dinner!!!

 I've been a lucky girl feeling a lot of blogland love lately and I wanted to share some of things that have arrived on my doorstep.

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Gwen, at The Bold Abode, was showing off her gorgeous new blog design and celebrated with a giveaway from Three Little Monkeys Studio and I won!  Here's an awesome party pack that I'm considering.


 
Gretchen has a ton of really cute stuff in her Etsy shop - you'll have to check it out - and I just found out that she actually lives less than 20 miles from me!  Crazy, huh?

I also won a beautiful bracelet from Homage Style and Charming Darling!
It's so pretty I'm almost afraid to wear it!  (It'll just end up with paint on it!)

I also received 3 cans of Valspar spray-paint from DIY Show Off.

I love the new 'locking' nozzle on these cans and who can't use more spray-paint!?!?!

Then, my blue and ebony sideboard (read about it HERE) was featured by Clydia at Three Mango Seeds!  If you haven't been to visit her, you really should!

I also received The Versatile Blogger Award from Heather at Setting for Four!!  Heather is a friend who's always supportive of me when I need it most!  Thanks Heather!

Told ya I was lucky!  Thanks to all of you!!!

 

I Dig Your Chili Week 2 and some other stuff...

  There's been a lotta love in blogland this past week and I intend to keep it up!
(There is the exception of one meanie's comment at Apartment Therapy, but we won't go there)

Anyway, here they are!  Go check out the good stuff for yourself!
And if this is you, please know that I Dig Your Chili!!

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In addition to an amazingly impressive chimp imitation, Gwen from The Bold Abode has chops.
(I may or may not have borrowed that from C. Aguilera)  She has woodworking skilz and apparently can do this... (nice legs Gwen)


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Gwen is funny and serious and real and all of those attributes we love about good blogs!

The next good read you should check out is Three Mango Seeds.  Clydia has some beautiful furniture makeovers (especially THIS swoon-worthy frenchy one) and writes in a way that make you feel like old friends!!



 

I want to buy one of those awesome signs from her shop, too!!!

And last, but not least is Karianne at Thistlewood Farm!  She's warm and funny and positive and entirely too self-deprecating for as good as her work is!  Make sure to check out her bathroom makeover while you're there!



Once you've visited, head on over to Apartment Therapy to vote for her in the Homies - Best Home Design Blog category!!!  She's probably way too modest to ask you to, so I'm doing it!  Go!

Okay, and now for the other stuff
 As I said, last week was apparently "whole lotta love week"!  On top of the attention my racing chest received, I was also awarded the Versatile Blogger award from Jen at The Consigner Designer.  So, as a thank you to her, please stop over and visit her as well!  Thanks Jen!


See? Told you there was a lotta love!

Happy Happy Joy Joy!!!

Remember these?

(read the original post & how to here)

They won this!!! 

I'm pretty much feeling like I just won an Oscar! It's way better than a Leg Lamp!

I especially want to give a shout-out to Amy at WhisperWood Cottage, THANK YOU AMY!!
Go visit her now!

Thanks also to Rockler, Canvas Corp, and Cottages & Bungalow Magazine for the awesome prizes!!!

It's a Major Award! (better than a leg lamp) The Liebster!

  I hope you all had a relaxing Thanksgiving holiday!  I really enjoyed mine but it went so fast!!!  On your mark, get set, race to CHRISTMAS!!  (Already?)

I was trying to slow down and really focus on all of the things I was thankful for when I found out that I had something else to add to that "thankful for" list.  I was overjoyed to find out I'd been honored with a Liebster Blog Award, by Kelly at Hooked on Home Decor!!!

I am SO excited to be recognized by one of my peers in the blogging world.  This is what Kelly had to say about me... "Her personality really comes out in her writing, her DIY skills are apparent in her projects, and she has an awesome blog title!"  What a BIG, LARGE, HUGE, AWESOME compliment! Thank you Kelly!!!  (I told you it was better than a leg lamp!)

I couldn't wait to learn more about the award itself.  Liebster is a German word meaning "dearest or favorite", and the award itself is meant to showcase up-and-coming bloggers with fewer than 200 followers.  The acceptance of the award requires a few things of the winner:

• Thank the person that gave you the award and link back to their blog
• Copy and paste the award to your blog
• Reveal 5 blogs you have chosen as worthy to receive the award and notify them by commenting on their blog
• Request that those 5 bloggers will pay it forward by awarding the Liebster to bloggers they would like to honor

 It always amazes me how much kindness, support and friendship there is amongst bloggers that focus on home decor and DIY projects!  So, I'm passing this award on to these bloggers so they can also feel the love!  

Here you go....

• Jill from Junky Vagabond.  I had to laugh when I found Jill's blog; clearly we're kindred spirits.  I completely love her makeovers!  She paints everything and has a to-do list a mile long.  (I WILL borrow this idea)  And who isn't looking for balance, right??

• Sarah from Hallway Happenings.  Sarah is doing what a lot of us are doing, learning about design and about herself all at the same time!  The best part is that while a lot of other bloggers are posting about their Thanksgivings, Sarah was posting about her outdoor furniture - because she's in Australia!  I love the idea of getting a slightly different viewpoint from someone across the globe!

• Rebekah from Potholes & Pantyhose.  I chose her blog for several reasons, but mostly 1) because her tutorial on canning jalapano jelly was far more detailed than mine, and 2) are you kidding, she has a photo of herself with a sledgehammer in hand - awesome!!  Far more than a DIY blog, her's is more a life adventure blog.

Okay, I had to save this one for last.  I have been reading this blog since the beginning of my blogging days AND JUST REALIZED THAT I HAD YET TO "FOLLOW" HER!  Um, duh.  We all know what followers mean to a blogger!!!!  I will admit that I also assumed she was one of those big-time bloggers that have about 15 thousand followers (we can all dream)!  So, here it is...

•  Amy from The Salvage Collection.  I love Amy's humor, lack of capital letters and occasional self-deprecation.  She is talented with a capital T, has one thing I'm really envious of (a design degree), and taught me how not to buy furniture with worms or termites!  What more could ya ask for?

(Okay, you caught me, there are only 4.  I promise to update this post when I encounter another worthy of the love!)  

I hope you'll visit all of these blogs.  While you're there, leave a comment and become a follower.  I know from experience that it will make their day!

***Update 12/1/11 - As I was finalizing my picks for passing along the Liebster Award, I received an email from Julia at ShoeStringBean that she had also awarded me the Liebster Award!  So, thank you Julia for making me a two-time winner!
Please visit Kelly and Julia's pages!!!