Painted Pumpkins and giveaway announcement!

Well - I did it.  I made myself sit down and make something this week.  Actually, I made a few things.  I've been missing my paint brushes, fabric and tulle (oh my!).

I hadn't painted pumpkins in a while.  And I needed something to do last week with my kiddos for family night.  You can see their pumpkins here (as part of my photography post at Brown Paper Packages).   My porch this year is predominantly black and white, so this is what I came up with for my own this year:

The striped one was easy... I just followed the lines of the pumpkin. For the chevron pattern I actually used electrical tape. Trying to decide if I think it looks good that way or if I should paint the pattern. The polka dots are painted. And the damask pattern I found on google images. I printed it out and copied it onto the pumpkin. All 3 pumpkins took me about 30 minutes to finish. And I used craft paint, which dries quickly. So it was a fast project.

Here's the rest of my porch... tutorial for the wreath coming up in a few days!

{Just love my big ole spider!!!}

One more thing - there will be a great giveaway here Tuesday!  Let's just say that if you have a little girl age 4-6 yrs. you are definitely going to want to enter!

See you then!

Happy Monday! Win $45 with CSN stores!

Gah, it's Monday.  I need a pick-me-up, do you need a pick-me-up?  I thought so.  Let's kick off the week with a giveaway shall we?  I think we shall. 

CSN stores is offering a **$45 gift certificate to one lucky My Many Colored Days follower!  Woohoo!  I love the CSN network of stores.  Lately I've been on a modern furniture kick (a new kitchen table reveal is on it's way!) - so my eye was immediately drawn to these modern bar stools.  But have fun browsing through everything CSN has to offer... with over 200 stores there is something for everyone of all tastes and likes at CSN stores!

There are 3 ways to enter this giveaway:

1) leave a comment
2) become a new follower of My Many Colored Days.
3) announce the giveaway on your blog

I need a comment for EACH entry, as I only enter the number of comments into the random number generator.  Please also leave a LINK if you've announced the giveaway on your blog.

This giveaway will close on Friday, February 12 at midnight CST.  Good luck all!!!

** does not include shipping and is open to US entrants only.

Drumroll, please!!!

The winner of the capelet of their choice is...

#39, Cara F., who said "I love the knotted jumpers!"

Congrats Cara!  Email me your color preference, size and address please! 

If you didn't win, don't be sad!  Remember that My Many Colored Days readers get 20% off using the code LEI2010. 

Giveaway with Embellish Kids!!!

Happy Monday everyone!  I hope you all enjoyed your holiday festivities.  I ate myself into a coma and just woke up this morning to real life going on all around me.  What's up with that?

One thing that did help get me out of bed this morning was the chance to tell you all about a great boutique I was introduced to a few weeks ago.  Lisa of Embellish Kids had a fashion show a few weeks ago to launch her line of handmade children's clothing, and my daughter Sasha got to be in it!   Lisa's clothes are made so well, and they are so darn cute, that I practically tackled her about doing a giveaway on my blog!

Have a looksie at a small sampling of the goodies she's selling in her Etsy store:


She even makes things for little boys!  Don't you love this vest?

And here's what she's got whipped up for the holidays!


Now for the exciting part.  Lisa is giving one My Many Colored Days reader one of her delicious capelets!



Aren't these yummy? I was in love with them the minute I saw them!!! So, so, so cute. They are available in sizes 2T-7 and come in a giraffe print with burnt orange pom pom fringe, zebra print with bubble gum pink pom pom fringe, or leopard print with red pom pom fringe.  The inside of the capelets has a funky yet well coordinated fabric to match.

You get to choose which one you want!  I'm serious!  Here's all you need to do to enter (leave a comment for each one!):

FOR 1ST ENTRY:  Go visit Lisa'e etsy store and come back and tell me what your favorite item is!

FOR 2ND ENTRY: Add her shop to your favorites!

FOR A 3RD AND 4TH ENTRY: Become a My Many Colored Days follower if you haven't already done so!  You don't want to miss future giveaways, do you?

FOR 5TH ENTRY: Buy something!!!  Because all readers get a 20% off discount using this code - LEI2010


FOR 6TH ENTRY:  POST ABOUT THIS GIVEAWAY ON YOUR BLOG, FB PAGE, OR TWEET ABOUT IT!!!


6 ways to enter, and you especially can't go wrong if you use that discount code!  Lisa's prices are already so reasonable, so shop away and get a head start on Christmas gifts!

This giveaway will close Friday, December 3 at midnight CST.  Open to US residents only.

Good luck!!!

And, the winner is...

The winner of the 9x11 binder, pocket folder, bookmark and pencil from Crown Bindery is:

#20 luckyduck Cheyenne, who said "I love the clipboards! Ordinary items look so cute when you dress them up in pretty paper."

I guess you are pretty lucky, Cheyenne!  Congratulations!!!  Look for an email from me!

Don't forget!!!

Don't forget to enter the Crown Bindery giveaway!  I'd love to get over 50 entries. :)

It ends tonight at midnight EST!!!

Giveaway with Crown Bindery!

THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED!!!

Over the summer I went to the Renegade Craft Fair in Austin.  Had tons of fun strolling around, spending too much money, and admiring the talent of others.  I met a few gals who I thought had some pretty genius creations.  One of them was Carla from Crown Bindery.  She sells these amazing laminated binders in all sorts of fun, fun colors.  After finally deciding which delicious binder I wanted, and going home and getting FABULOUS use out of it, I contacted her about doing a giveaway on my blog.  She was so generous... she sent me not only a 9x11 binder, in the most scrumptious fall colors and patterns, but a pocket folder and fun bookmark and pencil as well!  **For one of you lucky readers!  Yeah!

Here's just a few pics I snagged off her etsy site so you can see how fun organization can be when you buy one of these babies for yourself!

It really will make you want to be more orderly.  Promise. Especially with all there is to choose from: three ring binders, notebooks, journals, notecard binders, bagtags, and bookmarks created using beautiful papers, heavy duty laminate pouches and book rings. Crown Bindery also has accessories for your notebooks... cardstock pockets, dividers and printables.

And that's not her only shop.  Check out The Crown Paperie , where she sells papered clothespins, clothesline kits (clothespins plus hanging wire, hookeyes), clamp hangers, children's hangers and clipboards which provide colorful options for organizing paperwork in the handmade home office.

There's also The Paper Crown as well: paper chain DIY kits, paper packaging pockets and paper stacks created from the cutting room floor of the back workroom at CrownBindery.etsy.com.

Love that she uses every scrap of paper she can.  So very green and resourceful. Says Carla, "Paper scraps from Crown Bindery (my primary Etsy venue) head in two directions...  Smaller pieces end up at Crown Paperie as paper chains and paper pockets.  Larger paper pieces mix with decoupage medium and end up at The Papered Crown."

Oh, and if that weren't enough... Carla also has a blog!  It's called Homemade Office  and she highlights all sorts of fun stuff there.  You all should follow!  Ok, lest I sound like I've developped a girl crush...

To be eligible for this giveaway, you can:

1.) become a new follower of My Many Colored Days

2.) visit one of Carla's shops and leave a comment telling me what your favorite product is...

3.) blog about this giveaway

AND/OR

4.) *heart* Carla's fun shop(s)! (That's a given, right? I mean... how could you not?)

{Leave a comment for each thing you do, for a possibility of 4 entries per person.}

The winner will receive the previously mentioned 9x11 binder, pocket folder, bookmark and pencil. :)

**This giveaway will close Tuesday, Nov. 23 at midnight EST.  Winner will be announced Wednesday, Nov. 24.  This giveaway is open to U.S. residents only.**

 THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED!!!

And the winner is...

Thanks to all who entered the giveaway for CSN Stores!  Looks like several of you who said you followed didn't actually register as new followers (it's a 2-step process, and many forget to click through the 2nd step), but I counted your entry anyway because I'm nice like that.  But if you really want to follow my blog - I would be delighted if you tried again!  There will be more giveaways in the next few months and it would be a great way to be informed of those, plus who doesn't love making new bloggy friends?

Without further ado, the winner of the $45 gift certificiate (via random.org) is...

#67, Felicia K.  who said "I love CSN and searching through their baby selection!"

Congrats Felicia!  Enjoy picking out something fun!  Look for an email from me soon. :)

Giveaway with CSN Stores!

~THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED~

Let's cut right to the chase, shall we?  CSN is giving one of my readers a **$45 gift certificate to use on any product from any of their stores!!!   I wish travel were in my future because I would love an excuse to buy a new suitcase from them.  Their polka dot and giraffe prints are so fun and girly!  (Who else is stuck sharing gender neutral luggage with their hubby?)  But that's not all CSN sells.  You may remember another fun giveaway I had with them for a chalkboard wall decal and some very artsy toy wooden blocks...  Aside from darling home decor and baby/kids items like those, they sell furniture, kitchen and dining, bed and bath, home improvement, patio and garden, lighting, heatlh and fitness, pet, office, and school supplies!  So be sure and browse thoroughly through all their sites - Luxe by csn, All Modern and Cookware - are a few to look for).

This giveaway is open to all US and Canadian residents (yay!).  The giveaway will end this Friday, November 12th, at midnight EST.  Winner will be announced Saturday morning.  To be eligible leave a comment and include your email address if it's not otherwise accessible.  FOR ADDITIONAL ENTRIES:

- become a follower of My Many Colored Days
- announce the giveaway on your blog

That's 3 chances to win!!!  Good luck!

**Gift certificate does not cover shipping.

Linked up here:




 ~THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED~

Winner! Winner!! Winner!!!

Woot!  Here are the winners of the Scentsy Giveaway!

Our first winner gets the Scentsy Buddy of her choice...


Congratulations to #10 - Rachael


And our second winner gets the Plug In and 3 bars of her choice...

Congratulations to #57 - Nancy's Couture

Enjoy, ladies!  You will hear from myself or Emily very soon!!  Thanks for entering!!!

Scensty Giveaway ends TONIGHT!

Hey everybody, TONIGHT at midnight EST, my Scentsy Giveaway closes!  So if you haven't entered yet, you really must.  These two fun products are too good to pass up!  To jump right in and enter go HERE!  DO NOT leave comments below, click HERE to enter your name into the drawing.

Try the new Scentsy Buddy.  There's Lenny the Lamb, Mollie the Monkey, Ollie the Elephant, Penny the Pig, Ribbert the Frog, and Roarbert the Lion to choose from... HERE.  We have Mollie the Monkey, and let me tell you, she sure smells better than that other thing by daughter has been dragging around for years.

How about a Plug-In and 3 bars - of your choice!  Here's the Grotto pictured below, but again - there are tons to choose from.  Did you know they have one named after me?  Yes, it's called the Lei... see HERE!  I have the Dandy Tangerine and the Dandy Turquoise... they are on close-out so hurry fast if you prefer simple, soild colors like me. Just like your favorite shade of lipstick, I doubt they'll last long! (Although, you should check out the new black and white collection... I could grow to love it, as well...)

Thank you for participating and thanks to Emily for providing the goodies!!!  Go enter right now, right HERE!  DO NOT leave comments on this post, your comments must be left HERE.

Scentsy Giveaway!

THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED

I have got a really sweet giveaway for you guys, courtesy of my fine friend Emily!

This is the perfect time of year to add some scentsy to your home.  The holidays are just better when you've got something great-smelling wafting through the house!!!  It also makes your home more warm and inviting to others, and with all the entertaining you've got coming up, you need all the help you can get to make your gatherings special!

What do I love about Scentsy?  I love their scents... there is something for every kind of person.  Floral, Spicy, Musty, Fruity, Perfumey... ok, I am just making up words now.  You can buy them big (brick size) or small (bar size).  There's a wide variety of warmers for even the pickiest home decorator (that's me!).  There are also other ways to enjoy your favorite Scentsy scents.  They sell packs (like saches), circles(deoderizers, such as for a car), room sprays and antibacterial lotions.

I recently tried one of their Plug In warmers for my kids' bathrooms.  They needed a nightlight and I needed it to smell better in there.  Lol.  The Scentsy Plug In works perfectly for us!  Love it.

We also got a Scentsy Buddy.  Aren't these the cutest things?

Yep, Mollie the Monkey is now Sasha's constant companion.  Replaced the ratty old pig she's had since the day she was born.  Not kidding.  She loves it that much.   A soft friend that smells good, too?  It doesn't get much better than that.

So what's in it for you?  Well 2 of you lucky readers won't have to take my word for it!  You'll get to try your own Plug In (with 3 scentsy bars) or Scentsy Buddy of your choice!  Here's more info about these 2 fabulous products...

A Scentsy Buddy: A cuddly companion for children of all ages. Each Buddy features a zippered pocket to hold delightful Scentsy fragrance. Just insert a Scent Pak and watch him (or her!) come alive with scent. From Roarbert the Lion to Penny the Pig, every Buddy needs a friend! Adopt a Scentsy Buddy for the child in your life (or the child in you). For children ages 3 and up.

You can adopt your Scentsy Buddy at http://scentsybuddy.com! They also have some fun games and downloads for your child. So cute!

A Plug In Warmer and 3 pack of Scentsy Bars of your choice: Plug in warmers have style that fits anywhere! Great for rooms with limited counterspace. Perfect for bathrooms! With no flame, soot or wick the Scentsy wickless candle system is a safe way to enjoy more than 80 Scentsy Fragrances.

HERE'S HOW TO WIN.  LEAVE A COMMENT FOR EACH ENTRY, INCLUDING YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS.

1) Post a comment.  1 entry.

2) "Like" Emily Anderson, Independent Scentsy Director on Facebook.  Then leave a comment.  1 entry.

3) Become a follower of My Many Colored Days.  Then leave a comment.  1 entry.

4) Sign up for Emily’s monthly Scentsy e-Newsletter by going to http://emilya.scentsy.us . Click on “Get My Newsletter” under Emily’s name. Fill out the info and submit it.  (Email will be used strictly for the monthly Scentsy newsletter and you can unsubscribe at any time)  Then leave a comment.  1 entry. 

5) Post about this giveaway on your blog!  Then leave a comment.  1 entry.

5 different and easy ways to win you guys!

THE GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED. 2 WINNERS (ONE FOR EACH FEATURED PRODUCT) WILL BE ANNOUNCED MONDAY MORNING!

P.S. - I'm participating in:



... and you should, too!

This giveaway linked up to:

And the winner is...

Wow, not a huge response but that only made the odds higher for the entries!  The winner is Jane!  Jane has good luck round these parts, it is the second giveaway she has won at My Many Colored Days!  Jane, look for an email from me. :) :) :)

Bella Sara Giveaway!

You may have seen Bella Sara™ products make their debut last month at stores like Target and WalMart.  Their marketing manager, Johanna, contacted me about reviewing one of their products  - the Moonfairies card series.  Each card pack includes a secret code, that when activated at BellaSara.com, unlocks magical adventures for you to play.

Since I have an 11 year old daughter who loves this fantasy world type stuff as well as horses, I jumped right on it.  Adriana's review was that it was user friendly.  She thought the online game was "cool".  She liked being able to take care of her horse - brush it's mane, feed it.  And as I watched her play I thought back to the unicorns and pegasuses I was obsessed with when I was 8-10 years old.  And I would have LOVED this kind of thing!  Also, for what it is worth, it is a "safe" virtual environment for your child.  I worry about games where there are chat options and that kind of thing because anybody can pose as a kid on those sites and prey on your children.  We did not notice, or that at least was not a prevailing feature of the game.

More About Bella Sara™ (from the manufacturer)


Bella Sara™ is a magical world of horses where girls can expand their imaginations through play. Originally launched in Denmark by Gitte Odder Braendgaard, Bella Sara inspires and empowers girls with positive messages and the magic of North of North. First introduced to the North American market in 2007 by Hidden City Entertainment, Inc., Bella Sara quickly expanded into an international entertainment property. Since its introduction, Bella Sara has broadened its family of products from trading cards and a virtual world (BellaSara.com) to DVDs, toys, books, video games, arts and crafts, games and puzzles, apparel, and back-to-school items in the North American and international markets. Select Bella Sara products include secret codes that expand girls’ imaginations with play while unlocking a magical experience into the world of North of North. By entering secret codes at BellaSara.com, girls can discover the world through fun games, adventures, and adopting their own horse.
 
Bella Sara has given me one card pack to give away.  If you have a little girl that is into anything like this - Free Realms, the Warrior Cats book series (both of which my daughter also enjoys) - all you have to do is leave me a comment below and you will be entered to win one of these fun card packs!
 
Winner will be announced Monday, July 12!

And the winners are...

Oh, did I forgot to mention that I would be out of town Friday and Saturday?  Whoops.  Sorry to have increased the suspense for everyone.

The winners drawn at random, are Celeste Louise, who won the Wall Candy Arts removeable decal!

And Laura Smith, who won the notNeutral Wood Bock Set!

Congrats ladies, and Merry Christmas!!!  Look for an email from me!!!

Wall Candy Arts RoCoCo Decal and notNeutral Wood Block Set Giveaway!

I get so swept up in Christmas... I love to shop and I love to give.  And I use the excuse of giving to shop more than I should.  Lol.  But this time I didn't have to do any of the work.  Which is lovely!!!

I've got 2 really fun, unique products featured here, courtesy of http://allmodern.com.  All Modern sells tons of great stuff - for home, for office, for baby and children.  Some of their baby cribs and online toys are just fab.  And of course (drumroll, please) you must check out what they offered to let me give away to one of you lucky folks...

Zees removeable wall decal by Wall Candy Arts, which works like a chalkboard I might add (how cool is that?):

That would look fabulous in my kitchen.  Or my bathroom.  Or the play room.

OR zees awesome set of wood blocks, by notNeutral:

Artsy enough for even the most discriminating of tots, no? 

So here is the drill... leave me a comment (don't be shy) and you are entered to win ONE of the above.  That means I will randomly select 2 commenters, and each of you will receive one of these products. And here is the fine print: due to shipping costs, this giveaway is only open to my U.S. readers.  Sorry 'bout that!!!

Giveaway closes Friday so hurry, scurry!