Celebrating 3 years plus a giveaway

I think a celebration of sorts is in order. It is not every day that you find yourself celebrating 3 years in the "blogging" world. First I must admit the past year has been an on and off, love/hate relationship with this blog. But aren't all relationships like that?? Don't they all have their ups and downs, happy and sad days? Rewarding and not so rewarding?

It is no different with this blog. Sometimes I like it, even love it. I feel ideas, and words pouring out of me like an open faucet, at other times, I'm as dry and bitter as the driest desert -which btw is the Atacama desert in Chile (according to wikipedia).

But all in all, I like it more than I do not. So I keep at it, not as much as I did before, but I still do it because I like sharing my thoughts and my images, and also because every once in a blue moon I get an email or a letter from an unknown person telling me how much they like what I do, and that has meant the world to me.

Since I couldn't participate in my swap (even numbers), and I was really wanting to swap, I thought I would go ahead and make one for an unknown person. The packages shown here are the guidelines from the swap, and probably a bit more :) and the colors chosen for the packaging are my favorite at the moment.

If you want a chance to win this, without having to send one in return, all you have to do is;

1. Leave a comment telling me which is your favorite post from this blog, and why you liked it.

2. And also what you would like to see more of, in this blog.

3. Follow if you like, not obligatory (as I usually don't like it when they make me follow a bunch of things). Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram.

*Open to everyone, everywhere
THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED!!!

Good luck, and have a beautiful day,
Giova

A Grateful Giveaway

It is that wonderful time of the year again.  I really can't say why it is that I like November so much, and when this love really started. What I do know,  is that my favorite adopted holiday falls here - Thanksgiving is something I'm always looking forward to. This year (so far) has not been an "easy" one for me, but that does not mean I don't have plenty of things to be thankful for, so as it has become a sort of tradition here in this blog, November starts with a giveaway.

Thank you for sticking around, for your comments and liking what I do.  It really means the world to me!

Here are the few things I've gathered and hope you like them, as much as I do! One more thing is missing, but that will come out on thursday's post.

1. A print by Joseph Segaran. You can see the crafty series here or jump over to his site. I think his work of the buildings of Amsterdam is phenomenal.

2. A 3D ring designed by jeweler Patricia Thomazo. The crafty series is here and her site here. I've seen one of these rings already put together and is quite impressive.

3. A coin purse from leather artist Melissa D'croz. The crafty series is here and her site here. This little leather purse will make a great gift or keepsake.

4. Two flat cards from Miplusdesign. I'm a big admirer of her work and thought the cards would be a great addition to the giveaway.

5. Two rolls of Maste washi-tape, simply because everyone needs washi-tape in their life.

6. A 'fabric scraps garland" made by yours truly.

7. Something that will be appearing on thursday's post but I have the feeling you'll love it, if you like paper that is (wink,wink).

So now for the nitty gritty; THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED!!!

-I still don't understand what all the following is about, especially since you can follow one day and un-follow the next. So follow if you really feel like doing it.  I'm here: Bloglovin, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest and Etsy.

-Leave a comment here or on the Facebook page telling me what is the one thing you are wishing for this Christmas. I know we all want health, love, happiness, etc… But what I really want to know is this, here is my example; I really, really want this and this. I have been wishing for this since last year, so I'm hoping maybe I get it this year!!

-You can leave a comment until the 12th of November 10pm (Amsterdam time). I will be announcing the winner on thursday the 13th! Oh, and it is open for all!

Thank you so much for playing along and stay tuned for thursday's post where you will be able to see gift #7,
Giova
fun fact: Both of my kid's first words were "Gracias." This really happened, when they both decided to speak, this is the first word they uttered. Gracias means thank you in spanish!

Snail Mail Giveaway

As promised the second annual giveaway is here! Bigger and better, but with a catch. It is a surprise!!
Basically it is many things related to snail mailing or letter writing, like; letter sets, washi-tapes, pens, stickers, labels, tags, even some notebooks and other surprise things. Noticed how I'm writing in the plural??

I thought of showing you what everything was, and then I thought I won't show it, so that it will be a surprise package for whoever wins.

I know I'm taking a risk here, and I really hope that you join just because, 1) you trust me,  2) you love surprises or 3)you love snail mailing so much, what ever comes your way will be well received. Maybe one or all of the above??

This is what you'll have to do:

1. Like this page
2. Leave a comment telling me what has been the best gift you have ever received (either here or on that page you just liked)
3. There is no 3, but you can follow me here or here if you like

-open to all
-this giveaway closes Tuesday May 6th (sometime during the night), and will be announced wednesday morning- Thank you for participating!

Wishing you a wonderful weekend,
Giova

Favorite Things GIVEAWAY

My favorite holiday - Thanksgiving -  is approaching soon, and I wanted to take this opportunity (today 1st of November) to thank you for being here, so... THANK YOU!

This giveaway has many of the things I love and own myself so I thought it was a good idea to share them with you. And here is why:

-Uppercase magazine - it is the best magazine in the planet (this planet, I can't vouch for the other ones).

-SMILE print from Heartfish Press - if this doesn't make you smile when you look at it, then you're in
 deep trouble.

-Mt tape, no explanations here, washi tape is just great!

-Masaaki's rubber stamps, I think his work is impressive.

-Giannina's print- ok maybe I'm biased here - she is my sister after all- but I love what she does, and she was so kind to donate this print. I love looking at her work and I'm sure you will too.

-Maria's necklace- my mother just makes the most beautiful things in the world (ok I'm biased here too), but I promise you'll love it.

-Moglea's Letterset - the nicest letterpress writing set I've seen so far. I own one so I know.

-Doeke's illustrated book - Even if you don't understand Dutch you will love this little book.

-Atelier Giannini & Kuwata's notebook and sticky notes - the best notebook I've found so far, the quality of the paper is just perfection.

1. As always it is open to everyone. 
2. This is the important bit;  I would love to know what you're most grateful for (apart from family and all the normal things we humans are grateful for), I want to know a simple thing that makes you say; THANKS!
3. You don't have to follow me here or there, but share this very awesome giveaway if you like.
4. It will be open until the 10th of November right before I go to sleep (so somewhere around 10pm).
5. Don't forget to leave your email with your comment, otherwise how are you going to know when you win?

Have a wonderful weekend.
Giova

Snail Mail Goodness

I want to thank you all who participated and left such wonderful comments. Reading why you like snail mail so much made this past few days so much brighter! And for this, I've offered to write a letter to each and everyone of you! You don't have to write me back, just leave me your address on my email and I promise a letter will be sent!

It is really amazing how one letter in a mailbox can make a day brighter, cheer up, inspire, and just for the minutes (or maybe hours) you're with a letter everything is simply "much better."

When I was little, some 30 years ago, I used to wish for a pen pal,  I waited and waited for that someone who would write me letters. Boy did I have to wait!! I was 17 when I finally met someone who loved writing letters and beautiful papers as much as I did. She lived in the UK and I in Colombia. Those letters took a month, sometimes more to reach its destinations, but we kept at it. That is the trick to a good pen -palship, I think; "to keep at it."

O.K, the reason why you are here, (drum roll please.....)

Congratulations mi+ed, these two packages will be on your way soon!
P.S: Also Dinastia Chow Fan, I have an extra set of cards and I will give them to you so you can win that girl. A man does need nice paper to write poems to his loved one, I think!
P.S.S: Please if you would like for me to send you that letter that I promised, send me your address (my email is on the right side of the blog).

Thank you again everyone for such cool comments.
Have a wonderful day!
Giova

A Snail Mail Giveaway

I've been thinking of doing this giveaway for awhile now - not sure why I didn't. But in any case here it is; mostly it's things I got at Target (my favorite store in the US), and a note card set I got from my other favorite store, Anthropologie. The washi-tape and pens are from Hema (my favorite store here in Amsterdam).
Things for snail mail are the best. Even if you are an avid and long time snail mailer or just joined in the fun, I'm pretty sure you'll want to add this to your collection.
I will also send the winner a surprise package of things I've made for the Flat Project.
If you are looking for pen pals these are good places to start: Letter Writers Alliance and Postal Society.

Alphabet stickers and rubber stamps, tags, post-it notes, pens, wash-tape, ribbons, and 2 sets of cards with envelopes, plus a surprise packet with handmade things by me!!

• Open to all
• Until May 21st, 2013, 9:00pm (my time, european something, something)
• Leave a comment saying why snail mail is so very cool (you could also just leave your name and email, so I can contact you in case you win).
• Share it if you like, that would be kinda nice.
• And that's about it, you don't have to like us here and there, but it would be kinda nice as well.

Have a brilliant day. Happy mailings and to infinity and beyond!!
Giova

KRUIDNOTEN

Not to be confused with pepernoten, says Wikipedia. Last year I didn't dare go near this things (they looked like dog food to me, and they had them in every counter of every store). Now I can't contain myself and I'm eating them as if they were pop-corn, and no, there is no vegetable involved in the making of this hard little cookies. I didn't want to add more foods to my repertoire of Christmas traditions.
So here I have another bag in case you are curious as to how this cookies taste.  Leave a comment and where to reach you so I can send this along with a surprise present. How does that sound? Do leave a comment otherwise I will have to eat this bag too!

They taste better than they look. I don't promise you will love them. But do tell me if you do?
OK, so that is it. Oh, and randomly I will choose 1 persons on friday the 7th! Oh, and yes I will send this anywhere. Madagascar? Yes!

Have a good one!
Giova

GIVEAWAY

I'm really happy to say that I have two copies of Uppercase Magazine #15 for any of you guys out there who leave a comment below.
The first magazine was part of the goody bag at the Hello Etsy conference, the second one was given to me by Janine (the editor-creator) of the magazine.  Since I'm a subscriber to the magazine, I wanted to share with you my love for Uppercase! I assure you that this is really one of the nicest, most inspiring magazines out there. If you are creative and curious you are going to love this!

Leave a comment below. Two winners will be picked at random next sunday November 4th.
Unfortunately because of the really high cost of shipping it is only open to participants in Europe.

Giova.
***GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED!!!

Oh Maps!

I have a passion for maps! I always manage to find cities and far away places in shadows, sunsets, water puddles...the list will go on and on. I used to have a blog, were I started sharing this "subway gems"- thats how I called them; they are basically just rust and paint over paint and somehow they really fascinate me! Like finding an island in the middle of nowhere!
Lately my paintings are loosely based on this magical things I encounter by chance and my mind turns them into a city I would love to visit.

Like the wonderful Google Earth, the aerial views and satellite views of this entire planet inspire me to paint accessible places- the ones you can go to by just looking and having a mental vacation.

There is still time to win a sketchbook painted by yours truly!

Giannina.

There is still time

We were thinking of giving away two tickets for an exotic location, but then we thought better and harder.

And we came up with 3 chances to win a really cool, one of a kind moleskine sketch book!!
Isn't it a millions times better? Mosquitoes won't bite you here or pouring rain won't disturb your perfectly styled hair! See? Just play along, leave a comment with your dream destination, or if you have already been there then tell us your favorite city in the whole wide world!

Giova & Gianni

2nd GIVEAWAY

This week is a very special one! Our 100th post together with our sixth month of blogging is this week so to mark this special occasion we've decided to celebrate and share with you our second giveaway!!!
The first one was something my sister made, so it was only natural that it would be my turn to make something. We are giving away 3 moleskine notebooks (13x21 cms)- one per person- painted by me, with a special sketch inside. We really like notepads and all office supplies in general, and we think there is nothing quite like a new sketch book/notebook!
______________

Esta es una semana bien especial! Hace seis meses empezamos esta maravillosa travesia de tener un blog y ya viene en camino nuestro post numero 100!!! Para celebrar hemos decidido hacer nuestro segundo regalo/rifa... Como el primero fue algo que mi hermana hizo, esta vez me tocaba hacer algo a mi! Estamos rifando 3 cuadernos moleskine (13x21cms)- uno por persona- todos pintados por mi y con un dibujito en la parte de adentro. Nos encantan tanto las libretas y cuadernos que quisimos compartirlo con ustedes de esta manera!

To win one of this cool notebooks you just have to:
-Leave a comment here or on our Facebook page telling us which city would be your dream destination, or favorite city in the whole wide world (we're just curious).
-Like our Facebook page if you haven't yet.
-You have until friday 8pm (Amsterdam time).
-Open to all countries.
-Don't forget to leave your name!
We'll randomly pick the 3 winners and also which sketch book you'll get!
___________

Para gana solo necesitan hacer lo siguiente:
- Dejar un comentario aqui o en nuestra pagina de Facebook donde nos cuenten cual es la ciudad de sus suenos, o la ciudad que les encantaria visitar (tenemos curiosidad de saber)
- Poner me gusta en nuestra pagina de Facebook si todavia no lo has hecho
- Tienen hasta el viernes a las 8pm (hora de Amsterdam)
- Abierto a todos los paises
- No olvides dejarnos tu nombre
Nosotras escogeremos al azar los 3 ganadores y que cuaderno ganaste!


Good luck/ Buena suerte
Have a Great Day!
Gianni

A DeliGrecious Package

In the middle of July I won a giveaway, my first! Nothing like having a nice package waiting on your doorstep upon your return from vacation. Olive oil, honey, sage, rosemary, mint and Raki from Greece! What a delight to have so many grecian goodies wrapped in beautiful packaging to savour the last days of summer. 

...

A mediados de Julio me gane una entrega de un blog. Mi primera vez ganando algo. Nada como un buen paquete que te este esperando en la puerta de tu casa al regreso de las vacaciones. Aceite de oliva, miel, salvia, menta, romero y raki de Grecia! Que maravilla recibir un paquete tan lindo y tan bien empacado para saborear los ultimos dias del verano.

Thank you Eleni from My Paradissi and Giorgos from DeliGrecious for such lovely treats!

My oldest won a cell phone from a fair recently, he was sooo excited, but bummed at the same time (he was really aiming for the play station!!)
Have you ever won anything? A raffle from a fair, a lottery ticket, perhaps a trip, something exciting or not so? I'd love to know!
...
Mi hijo mayor se gano un celular en una feria recientemente, y a pesar de que estaba muy emocionado, tambien un poco decepcionado porque lo que en realidad quería era un "play station".
Y tu, alguna vez te has ganado algo? Una rifa, un tiquete de lotería, de pronto un viaje. algo emocionante o no tanto? Me encantaria saber!

A giveaway is coming soon, be sure to check in!
Giova

The Word that Won!

Do you remember some weeks ago we had a giveaway? Well, the word that won was "ALIQUINDOI," and what an interesting word it turned out to be! A bit of where it might come from.
"It is a common word used in Malaga y Cadiz, Spain, to tell someone to be aware of something, to be vigilant. About its origin, it seems that in 19th century industrial Malaga a lot of english ships arrived at the dock, the crew from the ships told the dock workers from Malaga to "look and do it",  and from that phrase aliquindoi was born."


...
Se acuerdan que hace unas semanas hicimos una rifa? Pues la palabra ganadora fue "ALIQUINDOI," y que palabra mas interesante resulto ser! Un pedazo de información de su posible origen.
"Es una palabra que en Málaga y Cadiz se utiliza mucho para decirle a alguién que esté pendiente de algo, vigilante. Parece ser que en la Málaga industrial del siglo XIX, llegaban muchos barcos ingleses al puerto. Los ingleses no paraban de decir a los estibadores malagueños \"look and do it\" (mira y hazlo) y de esa frase derivó \"aliquindoi\".

Aliquindoi in it's new home! Thanks Fati for sending me a picture!
Aliquindoi en su nuevo hogar! Gracias Fati por mandarme una foto!

We had a lot of fun doing this giveaway, so stay tuned for another one coming up soon!
We joined the masses by creating a page for the blog on Facebook. Give us a chance, press LIKE!!
...
No la pasamos bien haciendo esta rifa, así que estamos preparando otra prontamente!
Nos hemos unido a las masas creando una pagina para el blog en Facebook. Danos un chance y presiona ME GUSTA!!


Have a wonderful day,
Giova.

And The Winner is...

Thank you all so much for participating in our first giveaway. We've had great fun doing this, reading all the comments and the interesting words you have all come up with!
We have learned certain things like for example: having an exact closing date would've been really nice and letting you all know that anyone could participate regardless of their geographical location.
We have enjoyed doing this so much that we are already planning our second giveaway, so stay tuned!
...
Mil gracias a todos por participar en nuestro primer sorteo. Nos hemos divertido mucho leyendo los comentarios y las palabras tan interesantes que nos han enviado!
Hemos aprendido algunas cosas como por ejemplo: hubiera sido bueno establecer una fecha exacta de cierre para el concurso, y debimos haber especificado que cualquiera podía participar sin importar su ubicación geográfica.
Nos ha dado tanto gusto organizar este evento que ya hemos empezado a preparar el siguiente, no se lo pierdan!

The randomly picked word was.... ALIQUINDOI. So Fati please get in touch with us before Tuesday otherwise another word will be chosen!!
...
La palabra ganadora y escogida al azar ha sido... ALIQUINDOI. Asi que Fati por favor ponte en contacto con nosotras antes del martes, sino tendremos que escoger otra palabra!

Have a great weekend!
Giova & Gianni.

There is still time...

FOR THE GIVEAWAY!!!
Remember to leave a comment with your favorite word. We will ship anywhere in the world!
...
Acuerdate que todavía hay tiempo para el regalo. Dejanos tu comentario con tu palabra favorita! Lo enviaremos a cualquier parte del mundo!

Happy Commenting!
Giova & Gianni
*GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED*

1st GIVEAWAY

So we've decided to have our first -muy pequeña-very little- giveaway just because we are together. And also a bee at the hive recommended giveaways as the route to get comments!! Don't we all love free things? We have a second one already planned, this is just a way to break the ice, so don't be shy!
Considering the very recently opened Etsy shop, we thought of one crocheted square with an embroidered word.  Just visit the etsy shop and tell us what you like, and your favorite word. Leave us a comment below with your email so we can get back to you (in case you win).
Oh, and although I personally like this word, please no supercalifragilisticexpialidocious!!! I'll be the one doing the embroidery, so just imagine!
...
Hemos decidido hacer nuestra primera "rifa" o entrega simplemente porque estamos juntas, ademas fue sugerido en la conferencia que el camino hacia los comentarios es regalar cosas. Al parecer a todos nos gustan los regalos. Ya tenemos otro planeado, así que no sean tímidos y comenten!!
Hace poco abrimos una tienda en Etsy, y pensamos que un cuadrado en crochet con tu palabra favorita bordada seria una buena idea. Asi que visita la tienda y dinos en el comentario lo que te gusto, también la palabra que escogiste y tu email (por si eres el ganador).
Ah, y aunque personalmente me gusta esta palabra, por favor que no sea supercalifralisticexpialidocious (se acuerdan de Mary Poppins?)!! Ya se imaginaran por que!

A winner will be picked at random and announced this Friday.
Good Luck!
Giova & Gianni
*GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED*