Hangin' with my Gnomies

How cute is this???

I have been truly blessed with some of the best blogger friends!  Yesterday a package arrived from Cathy over at Stitchfork Designs.   A lot of you are familiar with her blog and her beautiful work.  She also did a cute guest blog for me here.  When I opened the package I found this totally unexpected gift - a hand towel with this adorable little gnome on it and my initials.  Isn't Cathy creative?

We have lots of holidays on the horizon - Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years.  Now's the time to start thinking about unique gifts and Cathy has the creative mind to design something for everyone.  Visit her website and her FB page.  I can promise you that you will fall in love with her products.

Cathy even posted this photo on her blog of my towel with a pair of hiking boots - how well does she know me??  Cathy, thank you again for such a lovely gift - I love it!

(photo courtesy of Stitchfok Designs.  Do not use without permission)

                        LIGHTLOAD TOWEL GIVEAWAY IN PROGRESS!!

Lightload towels is sponsoring another giveaway of their amazing towels.  Click on this link to leave comments under the original giveaway post to be entered.  The giveaway runs thru Saturday August 4th and you have multiple chances to enter and win!

Thank You Della

Today when I got home there was a package laying on my kitchen counter.  I saw that the return address said "Della" and I immediately knew it was from my sweet friend Della over at Del's Shells.  I stopped and thought for a second, trying to remember if I had ordered something from her recently.  Then I tore open the package and had such an unexpected and pleasant surprise!

Inside was a beautiful handwritten note, a large sand dollar and a gorgeous necklace that Della created just for me!  My favorite shell is a Sharks Eye, so Della used a perfectly formed Sharks Eye and attached 2 colored beads, each one representing my children's birthstones.....

Isn't it divine?  Here's another shot, although I admit I look pretty bad in this photo, so just concentrate on the necklace.  I don't know how she did it, but the necklace is the perfect length too.....

Della has a real flare for decorating and I have to show you how she wraps her treasures.  The necklace came wrapped inside this cute little blue, gauze bag.  Everything was bubble wrapped and placed inside a white sleeve that she had hand stamped and then wrapped with the blue ribbon.  I have to tell you, it's a lovely presentation.

While I'm on the subject of Della, let me show you some of the new items she's created for her Etsy Shop in the past few weeks.  She's been one busy lady!

An Olive Bolo.....

Leather & Olive Bracelet.....

Scotch Bonnet Necklace......

Limpet Barrette

This leather, seashell & pearl cuff has a special history, and you should read about it here. Isn't it dreamy?  The leather looks so soft that I just want to touch it!

A barnacle & pearl ring set....

Della is so talented and I fall in love with practically everything she makes.  With Mothers Day just around the corner, you should go check out her Etsy Shop and order a treasure of the sea for the special woman in your life.

Della, thank you again for such a generous gift.  You gave from the heart and I will treasure it!

Unexpected Gifts!

Sometimes I think the best gifts are the unexpected ones!

Today a package arrived for me in the mail from one of the sweetest people I have had the pleasure of meeting through blogging - Della over at Del's Shells.  If her name sounds familiar to you, it's probably because she did a fab guest post for me a couple of weeks ago.  If you missed it, go back and read it here.

Anyway......  Della sent me the prettiest shell earrings that she hand made.  Aren't these beautiful?  I love the color and design of the shells.

Della knows how much I love the sea and seashells and now I can carry a piece of them with me at all times.   The photos don't even do them justice - they are too pretty for words.  Let's just say that when I walked out into the front room wearing them, Chablis jumped up and said she would definitely be borrowing them sometime soon!

FYI - Della also has an Etsy shop, Orange Blossom Crafts, and with Christmas right around the corner, you should go check out her shop for beautiful jewelry like this.......

Unexpected gifts, like unexpected friendships, are something to be treasured.  I'd like to thank Della again for her generous gift - I will treasure it always.

Tervis Tumbler Contest

I love my Tervis Tumbler.  If you don't know what a Tervis Tumbler is, then you need to check them out.  I bought my first one a couple weeks ago when we were in Kentucky and since then I've bought 4 more.  They are the best!!!  They keep cold drinks - cold and hot drinks, well, hot!

Anyway, a couple of weeks ago I did a post on the anysoldier program.  Maybe you remember it.  If not, or if you might have missed the post, please go back and read about it.  Our military does not get the proper support that it should.  Don't get me wound up on this issue because I get nuts.  I find it hard to believe that in this day and age, that our soldiers, who are putting their lives on the line every day, can not get basic supplies in a lot of cases.  Supplies like soap, shampoo, deodorant, socks, books, magazines, gum and snacks.  Hello!!!  Seriously??    The anysoldier program lets us donate much needed items to our guys and girls in the military who can really use them.  Go here to read about it thru their direct website.

Anyway, that kind of leads me to todays post in a very roundabout way because you are probably wondering what Tervis Tumblers and the anysoldier program can possibly have to do with each other.  Well, I'm gonna tell you.

Tervis is having a "Smart Cup" contest.   They are inviting anyone to come up with a good alternative use for their cups.  Since we are sending monthly care packages to our soldiers, I had the idea of Tervis making either a "Support our Soldiers" cup that anyone could buy and fill with candy and drink items and send to the military.  OR...  Tervis could actually make a gift pack that comes pre-made with candy and drink packages for purchase for the soldiers.  This is a rough mock up of what I came up with and sumbitted...

You can click on this link to go to the Tervis FB page and vote.  Hopefully you'll vote for MY design but there are lots of other submissions, so check them all out.  The contest runs for 4 weeks.  The grand prize winner will win a trip to Florida and a tour of the Tervis factory.  I want that trip!  If I go I'd have a good chance of promoting this great idea for our soldiers.  At the very least you might come up with an idea of your own to submit.  So go check it out!