Blog Button Disaster

Hi friends!

Just a quick post to let you know that Flickr somehow "lost" my old blog button, so those of you who graciously were sporting it on your sidebars probably now have a really large, really ugly stock photo from Flickr that says "This image is not accessible at this time."

So if you want to fix it, here's the new html:



Grab the FW&MP Button!

<center><a href="http://foodwineandmodpodge.blogspot.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5248/5333560940_058fce7b82_m.jpg" /></a></center>

So sorry for the hassle!

Don't forget to enter the giveaways from last week that end today!

Birthday Week Giveaway Party!

*whew*

We made it!



The birthday celebrations this week have been rockin', and we're finally at the weekend! And to kick off the weekend, I have one more giveaway to share!

But before we get to that, I first want to thank you all who have been wishing me a happy birthday this week! It means so much that all of you -- both old readers and new ones that have found me this week -- were here to celebrate with me. And I'm excited to share another year with you all!

Ok, enough stalling...

Today, my final giveaway to celebrate my birthday and the weekend, is:

A $50 CSN gift certificate!!

We all know how you can buy just about anything you can imagine at CSN Stores, and with a $50 gift certificate you could really have some fun!


How to enter:

{You must be a follower of Food, Wine, & Mod Podge to be eligible}

Comment on this post and tell me the best birthday gift you ever received!

For additional entries (leave a separate comment for each):

2. Tweet it, blog it, or share it on Facebook (include link -- separate comment for each)
3. Follow @foodwinemodpodg on Twitter


This giveaway closes at midnight on Wednesday, March 9th. Winners of this and all the giveaways this week will be announced on Thursday, March 10th.


Thanks everyone for helping me celebrate this week! It was a blast!

It's Friday of Birthday Week + Hiya Luv Giveaway!

We've made it to Friday! Hooray! Four whole days of giveaways down, and two left! And away we go!

The next birthday week giveaway host is a super cute, super nice handmade crafter, Gina from Hiya Luv. I seriously think she is one of the sincerely nicest bloggers I've ever met!

{Meet Gina!}



Tell us about yourself!

My name is Gina! I am a full-time student affairs professional, blogger, crafter, doggy momma, busy bee. I am engaged to the love of my life and we are always traveling or doing something. I rarely sit still and enjoy tweeting, blogging, and etsying more than I would have ever imagined.

While in college I spent 6 months studying abroad at the University of Reading outside of London. I had a great time and traveled to many places and experienced many things in Europe and the United Kingdom. It was during my time in the UK that I fell in love with the moniker that many gentlemen {or blokes} use towards ladies, "Hiya Luv" and have since used it as my AIM, Yahoo Messenger name, emails; or for anything and everything!



What made you decide to open up shop?

I decided to open up shop because I have always loved to sew and create. As long as I can remember I have been sewing, cross stitching, crafting, and doing anything that involved making something from scratch. I get such joy and pleasure out of taking something and molding it into something unique and one of a kind. No two items in my shop are the same. Every stitch is unique and different and that is so special.



Where do you get your inspiration?

I find inspiration in everyday beauty. I am a girlie girl at heart so I love to make my handmade wares have a feminine flare or delicate glamour to them. Bows, flowers, pretty colors, and whimsical patterns make my heart skip a beat-and that is what you will most likely find in my shop!


Where is your dream vacation spot, and why?

My dream vacation spot is anywhere in London. I adore London so much; particularly in a British museum, pub, or at the Ritz for a spot of tea and scones.



Time for the fun!

Gina is generously giving away a $25 gift certificate to her shop, Hiya Luv!


How to enter:

{You must be a follower of Food, Wine, & Mod Podge to be eligible}

Visit Hiya Luv and let me know what you would buy with your gift certificate!

For additional entries (leave a separate comment for each):

2. Become a follower of Gina's blog
3. Tweet it, blog it, or share it on Facebook (include link -- separate comment for each)
4. Follow @hiyaluv and @foodwinemodpodg on Twitter
5. Heart (follow) Hiya Luv on Etsy

This giveaway closes at midnight on Wednesday, March 9th. Winners of this and all the giveaways this week will be announced on Thursday, March 10th.

And please make sure to leave your email address so I can contact you if you win!

Thanks Gina!


Don't forget to stop by again tomorrow for the 6th and final birthday week giveaway! And if you're just joining us, feel free to look back and enter one of the other giveaways from this week!

Oh, Sweet Joy -- It's Party Time!

Time to keep the good times rollin'! If you're just joining us, this is a week-long celebration for my birthday -- and the giveaways are going strong!


My next lovely lady sharin' her wares is Kim of Oh, Sweet Joy.

{Meet Kim!}



What made you decide to open up shop?

After graduating from Texas A&M University in May of 2009 with a degree in Recreation, Park and Tourism Sciences, Chase (my husband) and I moved to Colorado. I was perfectly content working retail in our cute little mountain town. However, I got tired of that rather quickly and needed to fill this "creative" void that I felt. I started nannying for a family and made the boys cute little felt owls. It all snowballed after that! I started making headbands for myself and quickly had people begging for them. Later, I revisited my love for sewing apparel and designed a line of dresses for Spring/Summer 2010. After Chase & I spent some time doing overseas missions, I re-opened up shop and am doing this "handmade thing" full-time...and I.LOVE.IT. :)



Where do you get your inspiration?

I live in a beautiful place (Boulder, CO) and I am constantly inspired by the beauty of God's creation. Mountains, vast & gorgeous blue skies, sunshine, and open land...I love to just take it all in and get inspired. Second to that, I get inspired by designer fabrics. When I shop online or go into fabric stores, I look at a fabric & know if a fabric says "skirt! dress! or coffee cuff!" I love finding unexpected color combinations and working them into a beautiful handbag or skirt.



What is your most popular item?

Right now it's a three-way-tie between my carry-all totes (more specifically, the Arianna), the doubled-up rosette headband, and my coffee cuffs. I finally started thinking outside the box and am making my coffee cuffs more "boutique" style. Every month I come up with new designs and discontinue the previous month's designs. It's so fun to keep my mind working and coming up with new ideas.


Where is your dream vacation spot, and why?

Chase & I are blessed to have seen some really awesome places in the world. I've been to Paris, Africa, Malaysia, the Maldives, Sri Lanka, and we honeymooned in New Zealand. I think that New Zealand is the most beautiful place in the world and I'd go back in a heartbeat, but I'd love to see what Iceland has to offer. Greece would be second to that. I love travel and I think it's all about going to places that are unexpected.



Let's get to the good stuff!

Kim is generously giving away a $20 gift certificate to her shop, Oh, Sweet Joy!


How to enter:

{You must be a follower of Food, Wine, & Mod Podge to be eligible}

Visit Oh, Sweet Joy and let me know what you would buy with your gift certificate!

For additional entries (leave a separate comment for each):

2. Become a follower of Kim's blog
3. Tweet it, blog it, or share it on Facebook (include link -- separate comment for each)
4. Follow @ohsweetjoy and @foodwinemodpodg on Twitter

This giveaway closes at midnight on Tuesday, March 8th. Winners of this and all the giveaways this week will be announced on Thursday, March 10th.


And wait, there's more!

Kim is also giving away a 10% discount to all FWMP readers at her shop! Just enter foodwine10 at checkout!

Thanks Kim, you rock!


Don't forget to stop by again tomorrow as we keep the giveaways coming to celebrate my birthday!