Babypalooza Giveaway Winners

I'm sorry to everyone for not posting the winners. With everything that has happened since I started the giveaways its just been hard to face posting this. But you all deserve a winner. So here I am, announcing the winner to both giveaways!!

The winners were picked using random.org.

The winner of Giveaway #1 with Amanda Simpkins is:

Angie Alford

The winner of Giveaway #2 with designs by maya is:

deanna

Congratulations to the winners! I will be emailing you today. Please respond within 48 hours or I will have to pick a different winner. I hope you love your prizes!!!!!

Babypalooza Giveaway #2 Design By Maya

This giveaway is now closed.

Here is the second giveaway. I am so excited about this giveaway as well. I found this shop while looking for nursery ideas/art. I found the prints so cute,and sweet. I fell in love with everything.I really wanted to share this with all of you, my dear readers. I asked Maya if she would be interested in having a giveaway on my blog and she agreed.

Something she told me about her prints is that she uses only the best ingredients in making her art. The paper is not just typical card stock, but instead high quality paper.The colors she uses are also high quality. And you can see it in her art. They are so beautiful! She also matches art to the nursery bedding!

Maya has offered to give one of her beautiful 8x10 prints to one of you, my dear readers. YAY I am jealous (as I usually am with giveaways) because I am in love with her sweet art.

The giveaway ends January 21. Please make sure your email is visible in your comment or blog. Also. make sure to post each entry as a separate comment to count as different entries. This giveaway is open to those in the United States (I'm sorry to those of who are international). The winner must pay for shipping for their prize.

Mandatory Entry: 1. Give one thing you wish you knew before you were pregnant, or one story you know of your pregnancy, or someone else. 1 entry

Extra Entries: 

2. Follow my blog publicly on GCF. 1 entry 

3. Heart Design By Maya1 entry

4. Buy something from Design By Maya. 3 entry

5. Blog/tweet/faceboo/post to giveaway site (or somehow get the word out) and post link for verification. 1 entry per post

6. Vote for my blog on the fence (see side bar). This can be done daily. 1 entry per day per vote

Babypalooza Giveaway #1 Amanda Simpkins

So my dear readers, because of my wonderful blessing from God of my pregnancy I wanted to give back and get you all excited about something. While I can't give you all a baby (not sure if all of you would want that anyway hehe) I can do not one but two giveaways. I'm calling it babypalooza. They are baby themed, but definitely not just for mamas (or daddys) because these giveaways are great for everyone!

I'm so excited to introduce you to this first shop. I found her shop and I instantly fell in love with all her products. Then I started talking to Amanda, and wow I just absolutely love her already. It was one of those times when you just know she is a kindred spirit as Anne Shirley would say. Her sweet personality and obvious love of God was neat. I could tell that God was so important to her and just Everything in her life, which you know is something dear to my heart. 

Her shop is so special because she is using to money to fund her adoption (you will hear more from her later) but I thought that was so sweet. Adoption is so special to me, and I was so excited to feature her shop. I don't normally do this, but Amanda is so special and her shop is so special that I really want to encourage you, my dear readers, to help support her adoption and buy something from her shop. 

Her shop features bandanna dresses for girls, and art that is personalized. I love her art. She writes whatever you want, and uses the colors you want. Its such a neat idea. I am looking forward to ordering from her when I set up my nursery for the baby.

I wanted to help you, my dear readers, to get to know Amanda a little better so I asked her some questions and asked her to give you all some information about her life. I know you will love her too.

"I started my shop for one simple reason: to fund our adoption from Ethiopia. When my husband and I decided that we would for sure pursue adoption, I immediately went into money mode. I am a teacher, and he is a self employeed landscaper. We do fine, and we are content with what God has blessed us with; however, to try and come up with an extra $30,000 and still raise our 4 biological children was going to be a challenge. We are taking it in small increments, and we pray specifically for a certain amount. When we get that goal met, we move on to the next amount. I decided to begin painting these canvases just to see if they would sell. Any little bit helps. All of the money, every bit, will go straight towards our adoption expenses and help literally save the life of an infant boy somewhere in Ethiopia. 

We are using America World Adoption agency. We are in the very beginning stages, and we mailed off our paper application and first fee on Tuesday, December 27. We sat down Christmas night and completed the paperwork. We are requesting to adopt an infant boy ages newborn - 14 months. We have 4 biological children of our own. The two oldest are boys, and the two youngest are girls. Our new son will be our 5th child! WOW! I know...I would have never thought I would have 5 children!! :) My husband and I have been married 12 years. God is so good, he has been so good to us, and we want to extend that love to a child who needs it. I wish we could bring them all home with us! We wil llikely bring home a 7-10 month old boy...who will weigh about 10-12 pounds! That alone breaks my heart. Our youngest daughter is almost 11 months, and she weighs 24 pounds!

In my shop, one would find cute little handpainted name canvases for homes, little girls' rooms, hairbow holders, etc. I am expanding anytime something pops into my mind that I can make and make well. :) I have whipped out my sewing machine, giving myself a few refresher courses, and I am working on adding little girl bandana dresses in the mix. As soon as we get our adoption tshirts printed and ready to go, those, too, will be added in the store! I am excited to see those come! I try really hard to make each piece something I would want to have in my house. My favorites are probably the "Wash your hands. Use soap. love mom" sign and the initial letter canvas made with buttons. :)

In my free time, I love to read. I read all the time! (well, as much as one can with a full time job and 4 kiddos)

Who inspires me? Honestly, I am inspired by Jesus. The love he was able to show everyone amazes me. He willingly tolerated and endured so much. The strength, love, patience, kindness, understanding, etc that he displayed, and still does, is remarkable.

Excluding my family and my Bible, it sounds silly, but the one thing I couldnt live without is the sun. I love sunshine! I could never live in the Alaska or the state of Washington where there isn't much sunshine. We may even move to Florida, the Sunshine state, one day..who knows!

One random thing about me...hhmmmm, I am terrified of the dentist and snakes! Not that they have anything in common.:-)

I am excited to be a part of this announcement. Babies are wonderful in every way! Please pray for both Katie and I as we embark on the journey of motherhood, just in different ways! :) -Amanda"

Amanda has offered to the winner one 8x10 wrapped canvas in whatever colors and wording the winner wants. How exciting is that? I plan to order one with the baby's name and whatever colors the nursery ends up being when the baby is born, but one of you gets it for free!

The giveaway ends January 21. Please make sure your email is visible in your comment or blog. Also. make sure to post each entry as a separate comment to count as different entries. This giveaway is open to those in the United States (I'm sorry to those of who are international).

Mandatory Entry: 1. Tell me what wording and colors you would have on your sign, if you won. 1 entry

Extra Entries: 

2. Follow my blog publicly on GCF. 1 entry 

3. Follow Amanda's blog, The Family That God Built 1 entry

4. Heart Amanda's shop 1 entry

5. Buy something from Amanda's shop. 3 entry

6. Blog/tweet/faceboo/post to giveaway site (or somehow get the word out) and post link for verification. 1 entry per post

7. Vote for my blog on the fence (see side bar). This can be done daily. 1 entry per day per vote

My New Adventure

It has officially been a year that I have had this blog. This blog has seen me through some very low points this year, (2 miscarriages etc) and some high points (graduating, starting USF etc). So many people are using this time at the start of the year to look forward, and backwards at what last year held, and what we can look forward to this year.

So much has happened last year, and this upcoming year holds a lot of changes for us. This summer we are moving back to North Florida. We will be closer to our families, which will be nice, and Isaiah will be starting a new job. Isaiah graduates in May. But probably the biggest change in our lives this year will be a new addition to our family.

Yes, we are expecting a BABY!!!!!! Can you tell I'm excited? But yes, we are expecting in July. I have to say, its been hard keeping it a secret from you, my dear readers. But I can finally spill the beans, and spill I am. Right now I am 10 weeks, and starting to show!

We actually bought our first baby thing the other week. We found an adorable consignment shop near us, and they had the sweetest little rocking horse. We got it. I know its not one of those necessities, but it helped it all hit for me.

Its all starting to sink in. We are looking at nursery ideas, and name ideas. I am super sick well all the time. I am looking forward to moving past that! The sickness would be part of the reason I haven't posted much lately. I honestly haven't felt up to it.

I would ask that you all please be praying for us. Because of our previous miscarriages, its a little scary. I'm working on giving all my cares to God and letting Him handle them, but its been stressful.

Because I'm so excited I wanted to do something historical (well historical for Kady Did). I am doing not one, but two baby themed giveaways (but these giveaways are great for not just mothers etc, but everyone!).I'm calling it Babypalooza. I am so excited. These women helping me announce my pregnancy are awesome, and have some great stuff to offer.

Now I promise that my blog will still feature things God is teaching, and random stuff about my life. It probably will focus on baby T some, but I don't want it to just become a mommy blog. So here is working on making it relevant to others, and God focused!

God has blessed our family in a huge way and we are so excited! Dear readers, come join me in my new adventure!

Giveaway Winner - Carissa's Silver Lining

I haven't died. I am here. I am have been having some computer issues which have kept me away, but I am thinking they are mostly fixed now and I can get back to blogging yay. Now for the Carissa's Silver Lining giveaway winner. There were 94 entries in the giveaway. Unfortunately I can only pick one. I am using random.org to pick the entries.

Before I pick I would like to say a big 'thank you' to Carissa for making this great giveaway possible. Her work is beautiful and amazing and I am so thrilled to be giving it to someone,

The winner is:

Katy-The Country Blossom

Her comment was #7. Congratulations. I have sent you an email and you must respond in 48 hours or I will pick another winner.

Giveaway! - Carissas Silver Lining

This giveaway is now closed.

With all the moving, graduating and everything that has been going on lately, I know that blogging has been severely lacking, but I wanted to take a minute from my packing to post this awesome giveaway. I love giveaways; I love winning giveaways, but more than that I love hosting them!

I'm super excited about this giveaway. I know I say that with every giveaway, but I am really excited about this one. I met Carissa from Carissa's Silver Liningwhen I won a giveaway from her shop. I really loved her wire written necklace, and I had a vision for what I wanted. I emailed back and forth with Carissa and she made my vision a reality. Not many shop owners would be willing to customize something for you, and be super sweet about it.

Isn't it a great necklace? I wanted a necklace that reminded me to pray throughout everything. Carissa worked with me and made a necklace that says "pray". She even worked with me on what chain I wanted and what length I wanted. She was so great. 

I emailed her and asked her if she would be interested in doing a giveaway on Kady Did. I was super thrilled when she agreed to do it!! I think you will love her shop as much as I do.

I wanted to help you get to know Carissa and her shop so I asked her a few questions. Enjoy getting to know her better.....

1. What is the story behind your shop?
I love taking photographs and I love handmade things! One day I decided to take a few photos and make a few things, open a shop, and see if anyone else liked them. My husband came up with the name Carissa's Silver Lining. I loved it! I'm quite the pessimist so it's kind of a joke against me never being able to see the silver lining in things and a reminder to myself to always try to. 

2. Who inspires you in life?
I don't think I really have one person that inspires me but more a bunch of people. Anyone who is honest and genuine. And who strives to make the world a better place by doing something, no matter how small, for someone else! 

3. What is something you couldn't live without?
I don't think I could live without my sight. I am a huge visual person and it makes me happy to see beauty in the little things like the colors of the flowers in my garden, or stillness of the lake in the morning. 

4. What can be found in your shop?
I'm often trying new projects so some of the items in my shop can change from time to time. But you'll find photographs, jewellery, and other handmade items. 

5. What is your favorite thing to do in your free time?
I have a love/hate relationship with hiking. I hate how hard it can be. But I love the feeling when I get to the top or the end and realize it was totally worth it. We bring our dogs with us, I take a lot of pictures, and we find a geocache or two along the way. 

6. What is your favorite thing in your shop? 
That's a tough one. I won't sell anything I don't love. But if I had to chose one thing it would probably be the photograph called Enjoying the Sun. It's of a pink gerber daisy. 

7. Tell me one random thing about you, or your family or anything. 
My husband and I LOVE board games. We love to play them together, with other couples and friends, or at family gatherings. We currently have 15, but one day we hope to have a whole bookshelf full (we have half a book shelf now, so maybe one day a lot more!)

As you can see from various pictures I've posted her, her shop has all kinds of fun things, like the necklaces and the beautiful photography. The pictures are some of my favorite things in her shop. 

Now to the giveaway YAY Carissa has offered a #10 gift certificate to anything in her shop. How exciting is that? I would say I wish I could win this, but I did on another shop. 

The giveaway ends August 27. Please make sure your email is visible in your comment or blog. Also. make sure to post each entry as a separate comment to count as different entries. This giveaway is open to those in the United States (I'm sorry to those of who are international).

Mandatory Entry

1. Visit Carissa's Silver Lining and tell me your favorite item in her shop. 1 entry

Extra Entries

2. Follow my blog publicly on GFC. 1 entry

3. Heart Carissa's Silver Lining on etsy. 1 entry

4. Follow my blog via Networked Blogs. 1 entry

5. Follow Carissa's blog kissed a frog publicly. 1 entry

6. "Like" Carissa's Silver Lining on facebook. 1 entry

7. Blog/tweet/post on facebook/add to giveaway site etc. this giveaway. 1 entry per action

8. Vote for my blog on On The Fence (see below). 1 entry

So lots of ways to enter (my favorite kind of giveaway). Enjoy!

Fairyshadow Giveaway Winner

We have a winner! I love this shop, and the owner. She has been so sweet and so helpful to work with. The winner gets a $15 certificate to the shop, fairyshadow. Thank you Tania for hosting this giveaway.

So finally, the winner is comment 64. Jesselyn won with her comment:

"Follower via networked blogs, Jesselyn"

Congratulations to Jesselyn. Jesselyn, you have 48 hours to respond to my email or I will have to repick a winner, which would be super sad.

Giveaway - Fairyshadow

This giveaway is now closed.

I'm really excited. I have another awesome giveaway. This time its from the shop fairyshadow. I love etsy, and I found this shop through etsy randomly. When I saw the items in the shop I fell in love immediately. I really wanted to introduce it to you so I contacted Tania (creator of the shop) and she was excited too. Something I've seen on other blogs that I wanted to start doing for my giveaways is interviewing the shop owner/creator so you (and me) can get to know them. I asked Tania questions and she sent me some information about her and her shop. Her life sounds really neat, I am sure you will think so too.

I have enjoyed looking at Etsy for years and from time to time considered setting up a shop but I did not have internet access that would allow for all the time required to work with internet sales. Our family decided to install a satellite and now we have high speed service so that block was no longer in place. But still I held back. Last year my 16 year old daughter was diagnosed with cancer and went through surgery and chemotherapy. She has proved herself to be a courageous and strong young woman and is free of cancer. We are so proud of her. As pleased as we are with the work of her doctors and hospital we are still faced with the bills the insurance did not cover. I was motivated to find additional income and decided if my daughter could face the challenges of cancer I could very well get over my own insecurities about working online. 


My children inspire me to push passed my own fears. Yay for the blessings of children. The favorite thing in my shop is photo of my daughter wearing a blue flowered garland. It reflects the sparkle of her bright blue eye and the spirit that shines through it.

So what can I make without spending much while building inventory? I began sorting through the resources available and started making flowers with felt I had left over from my days as a production dollmaker. Then I turned to our closets and the abundance of t-shirt that overflowed the drawers and the upcycled cotton flower barrette was born. I now collect material and buttons from a local shop which benefits the senior center and sells donated craft supplies. Friends also pass on clothing they no longer need. I love the rich diversity of colors I have to choose from. It makes for truely unique pieces. In my shop you will find the results of my flower making mounted to a variety of hair accessories as well as some of the dolls I have made.


Our family raises sheep and cattle. I sometimes call myself the electric shepardess because we use a portable electric fencing system to protect the lambs from the coyote who find lamb especially delicious. This means that three or four times a week we must shift the fences to allow for fresh grazing for the mammas and babies.


You ask the one thing I couldn’t live without? I know its basic but I would hate to without running water. I can look down our valley when I wash dishes and see the old brick lined well about ¼ mile away. Whenever I feel crabby about the unrelenting chore of dishwashing I remind myself there are millions of women who must carry the water from the well before they can begin the unrelenting chore of washing dishes. Keep your 
blessings close to your heart. In my spare time I garden, knit, and paint. All these occupations sooth me.




Isn't the picture of the stuff she is making really neat? I haven't seen that before and I thought it was so pretty and so brilliant. Here's some more stuff from her shop:

Isn't it just the cutest stuff?


Tania is also looking for some wholesale opportunities. If you are interested (or know someone who would be interested) in this opportunity you can contact Tania through the shop.


So now for the giveaway. Tania has generously offered a $15 gift certificate to her shop to the winner of this giveaway. I am super jealous. There is so much from her shop that I want. But I'm giving it to you. 


The giveaway ends June 25. Make sure your email is visible in your blogger profile, or in your comment. Also, make sure each entry is in a different comment to count.  This giveaway is only open to those in the United States (sorry those of you worldwide).

Mandatory Entry: 

1. Visit fairyshadow and tell me what your favorite item in the shop is, if you can pick just one. (this must be done for other entries to count)

Extra Entries:

because everyone loves extra entries!!

2. follow my blog publicly via GFC. 1 entry

3. Follow my blog via networked blogs on facebook. 1 entry

4. Vote for my blog "on the fence" (see below for link). 1 entry

5. Heart fairyshadow on etsy. 1 entry

6. Buy something from fairyshadow. 5 entries
7. Blog/tweet/post on facebook. (post link) 1 entry per action
8. Post this giveaway on a giveaway site. (post link) 1 entry

Enjoy! 

Birthday Giveaway Winner

Well, we have ourselves another winner. Our winner will get a $15 credit to UUPP. How exciting. I really, really love basically everything in her shop. I have to say, I'm pretty jealous. I would like to say thank you to Carrie for hosting this giveaway. I appreciate it.

The winner of this giveaway (picked at random from random.org) is Lucky Luna from Luckys Luna. She won with comment #39:

"My favorite item is the Every Woman Should Have a Blowtorch - Julia Child quote, so funny and cute!!".


I will be emailing you, please respond within 48 hours or I will pick another winner.






P.S. If you are interested, or know someone who would be interesting, in hosting a review/giveaway, please shoot me an email at katietamblingson at yahoo dot com. I'm always looking for something fun to giveaway to my readers. 

Giveaway Winner - Laurelleecreativity

Folks, we have a winner! We are on vacation this weekend (pictures and post to come later) but I wanted to post the giveaway winner. I have to say again, I'm super jealous. The giveaway was for a headband from Laurelleecreativity. I really encourage you to check out her shop, and buy something. Her blog, Create, is a lot of fun to read.

The winner was picked using random.org and the winner was #8, Marija with, "following you via GFC". Congratulations. I am emailing you today. Please respond within 48 hours or another winner will be picked.


P.S. I love hosting giveaways/reviews, especially for etsy or handmade items. If you have an etsy shop, or any kind of product and would be interested in doing a giveaway/review on my blog, please let me know. Email me at katietamblingson at yahoo dot com.

First Giveaway - Petunia Blooms

I am so excited. I am doing my first blog giveaway. I have been wanting to do one for a while and now I am. I am hosting a giveaway from Petunia Blooms. I have posted one of her blooms on my Things I Love post. I wear her blooms, or her bows, in my hair almost every day. I am so excited.

She has recently posted quite a few new items to her shop.

The zippered pouches are perfect as a clutch when you do not want to carry your whole purse, or to put those little things like chapstick and lotion that get lost in your purse in.

The blooms are her signature item. You can get them as a clip, or with a hair clip. I love to put mine in with a hair clip. 

Jacky, the owner, and creator of all the items, has offered a discount to my readers of 10% of your entire order. Just put in KADYDID when you order.

And, now the giveaway. Jacky knows my favorite color is blue and she has offered two beautiful blue blooms as a giveaway to one of you. I have to admit, I'm jealous. They are beautiful and I wish I could keep them. But I am giving them to you. 

Aren't they so pretty? Jacky will let you decide if you want them as a hair clip, or a pen (which is really neat). The giveaway ends April 8. Make sure your email is visible in your blogger profile, or in your comment. Also, make sure each entry is in a different comment to count. 

To Enter:

Mandatory First Entry: (this must be done before any other entries)

1. Visit Petunia Blooms and tell me what your favorite item from her store is in a comment. 

Extra Entries:

2. Buy something from Petunia Blooms and tell me what you bought. 2 entries

3. Follow my blog on Google Friend Connect. 1 entry.

4. Follow my blog via Networked Blogs on facebook. 1 entry

5. Vote for my blog on "On The Fence". 1 entry

Enjoy.