Monday, September 20, 2010

Birthday Week Giveaway: Day One...

I thought of the different ways I wanted to celebrate my birthday and felt that I'd like to give back to the readers who make it a pleasure to blog. I feel particularly lucky to be apart of a creative community that is so supportive and encouraging.

So, today begins the week of daily giveaways! Each day I'll post another giveaway of some truly wonderful things. All you have to do to win, is to leave a comment on the giveaway of your choosing. Feel free to enter as few or as many of the giveaways as you like. The winners of all of the giveaways will be drawn on Monday (September 27th) at midnight EST. Please remember to leave your name and email address if it doesn't already appear next to your comment. The giveaways are open to everyone, including international readers.

Without further ado... here is the first giveaway:

One lucky winner will claim the prize of this beautiful polymer clay pendant. Robin's egg blue with a Havana brown patina, this pendant hand-stamped with, "If my words had wings" comes courtesy of Heather Wynn-Milican of Swoondimples. It has three bail-loops on the bottom for multiple dangles or unique stringing options. Heather, who recently gave birth to a little boy named Graham, is one of my favorite people in the beading world. She is genuinely one of the nicest people I know and makes really stunning jewelry. Her work is poetry... sometimes literally!

Years before I knew Heather, I was in a summer residency program with a supremely talented artist named Monica Cook. Monica, another one of the sweetest people on the planet, hailed from Savannah, Georgia and had aims of moving to the City. Eventually she decided to make the leap and migrate to the North. I helped her look at apartments and artist studios. After much searching, we found a place on Hope Street off of the Lorimer stop in Brooklyn. Monica was smitten with the place and revealed to me later that part of the reason she decided on the place was that her bracelet, a stamped copper cuff, had the word "hope" on it and it was like a sign that this was the place.

Fast forward to a car ride with Heather at a bead show in Charleston a few years later. After talking for hours, all the dots aligned and I realized that Heather knew Monica and was the one who had made the bracelet Monica was wearing that day. Such a small world.

Heather really is a talented jewelry maker. To check out her designs, visit her website or swing by her blog. You can see more examples of the fantastic work she does with polymer clay in her Etsy shop.

59 comments:

peacockfairy said...

Ohhh, I love Heather's work! Count me in for this prize! What a great way to celebrate your birthday!

DK said...

Happy birthday and thank you for the links. Really awesome work she does!

Lorelei Eurto said...

Love you, and love Heather's work! Thanks for such a great giveaway, I'm looking forward to seeing what else is in store for us!

Gidget said...

I would love to win the polymer pendant, 'If My Words are Wings'. I'm an amateur writer, trying to get 1 work published, so I would love to make a fine piece of jewelry for me with that pendant!

Beverly Herman said...

Heather's pendants are just gorgeous.
Thanks for letting us celebrate your birthday with you.

Alice said...

Heather is indeed a talented artist and makes gorgeous jewelry and components.

I'd love to win this pendant!

Happy Birthday!

Alice
thepetersons13@mchsi.com

Doreen said...

Happy birthday, Andrew! Please enter me in this giveaway. I adore Heather's work!

TesoriTrovati said...

Happy birthday week, Andrew! What a generous soul ou are.

I love LOVE Heather Wynn. She is a a true delight and such a talent with a distinguishable style. I would love to win this.

But more than that, I want to say that this is a great place to come and I appreciate and celebrate you!

Enjoy the day!
Erin

Erin Strother said...

I love Heather's work and would love to own this pendant. Happy birthday week, Andrew!
Erin S

Lois Moon said...

Happy birthday week! How generous to offer up gifts to your readers. What a pretty pendant. Thanks,

moondepadilla@gmail.com

Unknown said...

You are Really generous Andrew! And a very Happy Birthday week to you! Heathers pcs are really wonderful. Luckey duckey will Win that or may I say Blessed! Thanks for the gracious opportunity.

Ann said...

What an excellent way to celebrate! Happy birthday. I hope you have a really great week.

Ann
http://www.mycriticaleye.com
annrishell@gmail.com

mamipdx said...

lovely color and phrase.
thanks!
shenais
divertida(at)fastmail(dot)fm

SueBeads said...

Happy Birthday Week, Andrew, and that's for sharing by having a giveaway!

Shannon Chomanczuk said...

I love Heather's work, count me in on this giveaway!
Happy Birthday!!!
Shannon
formysweetdaughter@hotmail.com

Anonymous said...

Heather is an amazing artist! Happy birthday week Andrew!!
meganoconnell@yahoo.com

Yeli said...

I love Heather's work. Thanks for this wonderful week of giveaways.


Happy birthday week! I will congratulate you again on the 25th.

Enjoy your week!

Michele P. said...

Happy Birthday! this is gorgeous...blue is my favorite color...

micaela6955 at msn dot com

Regina said...

Happy Birthday week! Thank you for the introduction to such amazing artists.

Paige said...

What a gorgeous pendant!! What a way to celebrate your birthday. :) I hope it's a great one for you! And hey--my birthday is Saturday as well.

knitster23 @ gmail . com

SummersStudio said...

Oh, Andrew, Happy Birthday. This comes at such a strange turn in my life as I add my son's wedding on the 18th, my new daughter's birthday on the 16th, and my beautiful granddaughter on the 27th. September is a new month of blessings and I'll add you to that list!

Karyn said...

What a wonderful story of world's colliding.

Count me in to win this gorgeous pendant.

Karyn
kariony at yahoo dot com dot au

Janice said...

Happy Birthday!

This is so neat!

jbabbagirl@aol.com

Cristi Baxter Clothier said...

I so enjoy Heather's creations. What a wonderful giveaway! Early birthday wishes to you, Andrew.

2ifbysea1067@bellsouth.net

moonlitfantaseas said...

I hope your birthday week is truly
wonderful!..I love the pendant!
normaturvey@yahoo.com

LiliKrist said...

Happy Birthday Mr. Thornton =) I'm a newbie in the beads world. So when I found your blog, I was so happy. I hope I can win your first giveaway, cause I have already had 'picture' on my head how to turn your giveaway become something eye-catching =)

Here my email :
heritage_indonesia@yahoo.com

belinda in oregon said...

Happy Birthday, thanks for sharing the celebration! A chance to win this wonderful pendant, thanks!

Barbara said...

Wishing you a Happy Birthday Andrew. How sweet that you are the gift-giver when we typically shower the birthday person with gifts!

Please include me among the many who would love to win this lovely pendant! Heather rocks!

Christine said...

Happy Birthday!! Love your blog!
Heathers work is so beautiful & inspiring~!
Thanks for the fantastic giveaway

cstonefield6 at gmail dot com

Jennifer Mathis said...

Happy Birthday !!! That a beautiful pendant

meandi09@yahoo.com

Joanie Hoffman said...

What a nice thing to do in honor of your birthday! Thank you!

swopemelmel said...

It is very generous of you to grant US such wonderful gifts on YOUR birthday. You are soooo sweet. swopemelmel

Shai Williams said...

Happy birthday Andrew! And thank you so much for your generous giveaway :)

Janice said...

Happy Birthday! What a beautiful pendant. Heather does fabulous work.

Create With Joy said...

Dear Andrew,

I know it's a few days before your birthday but you've been on my mind so I wanted to extend birthday wishes to you now in anticipation of your special day! :-)

I love this piece. Not only is it in my favorite color, but as a writer, the words have special meaning to me. Please include me in the drawing - and thanks for sharing the background!

Hugs
Ramona
http://create-with-joy.blogspot.com

Hannah said...

This is a beautiful piece in one of my favorite color combos- turquoise and brown!

Digital Misfit said...

Happy Birthday!
That pendant is so beautiful. I can think of many ways to use the triple bails. Please count me in!

heidig@gmail.com

Coty said...

Lovely pendant! :)

csageconn@gmail.com

Suzanne said...

Happy Birthday to youuuuu! (You really don't want to hear me sing.) Happy, happy day to you.

Anonymous said...

Happy birthday! What a lovely and generous celebration!

Mei Tan said...

Happy Birthday! Can't resist and would like to try my luck.

Malin de Koning said...

Hello Andrew, I would very much like to win this! :-)

Bella Vita Jewelry said...

I love Heather's work!
Happy Birthday~

K said...

That is just beautiful! Happy Birthday, and what a lovely way of sharing it :)

K
blackangel(at)blueyonder(dot)co(dot)uk

Unknown said...

I would love more swoondimples pieces - so nice. Have a very happy birthday week!
~ Laura (Moags)
moags.and.smeet(at)gmail.com

Nancy Markosky said...

Happy Birthday- I love the way you choose to celebrate.

April Yedinak said...

happy birthday, love the giveaway

Marsha of Marsha Neal Studio said...

Hope your birthday is grand! Thanks for the chance to win...

Rebecca said...

PLEASE count me in - I adore Swoon Dimples. Thanks for the giveaway Andrew!

Cheeks said...

First of all, Happy Birthday to you! :)
Thanks or the opportunity :)

fakemirrors said...

Really stunning, simply great.

Magali Vaz said...

Not only is it beautiful, but so meaningful too!
funkyblogger(at)gmail.com

Edie said...

Happy birthday to you, and thank you for being a Hobbit!

edie
purpleone@gmail.com

Unknown said...

I adore this charm!!! She is so talented. Thanks for sharing your birthday with us.

Lynda said...

Great pendant. Please enter me!

Raida said...

Love this pendant! Would love to win. Thanks!!!

Debby B. said...

Happy Birthday! What a kind idea to give back in celebration of all that you have received! You are a blessing!

Rosalynn said...

Happy Birthday Andrew! What a thoughtful and generous way to celebrate the event. Thank you for sharing!

cw whitedogjewelry said...

Happy Birthday September is such a great time of year, especially for a birthday. New season, new beginnings, also a time for gathering and taking time to enjoy the colors of autumn.
Thanks for the fabulous give away all week long.

Chris
khakit@verizon.net