Win One of my Laundry Day Aprons

Click on over to Cathy's adorable blog Cap Creations, 

and enter to win one of my child's laundry day aprons.

Giveaway Link.

I first met Kathy through her Thrifty Love link party and have joined in to celebrate her reaching 1,000 followers.  She is hosting a week of giveaways with multiple entries available on each item. 

 Cathy also has an adorable Etsy shop featuring hand stamped custom

 jewelry and vintage lovelies. 

Speaking of shops, I also gave Cathy a 10% off coupon code for my

  Etsy shop to share with her readers.  So, check it out!

Blog Friends~Old and New

My favorite part of hosting a giveaway is that I discover lots of great new blogs thanks to the nice comments left on my posts.  Before I reply to a comment, I like to click through to that readers blog and take a look around.  One thing leads to another and before I know it, I am clicking and clicking and clicking~wrapped up in the beautiful pictures, creativity and insights of my fellow bloggers.  This is my favorite way to make new blog friends.

This giveaway also brought me nice surprises from two of my old blog friends.  My friend Kim from Musings from Kim K surprised me by posting about my giveaway and has sent many new friends my way.   Kim was the first blogger I really made a connection with in my first months of blogging.  She replies to comments quickly and always has the nicest things to say.  We love all the same vintage collectibles and she has a passion for doll houses (what more could I ask for?).  Whenever I have some free time, I read her old posts to discover even more things we have in common like holding onto every Mary Engelbreit magazine ever printed!

Jane from Mary Jane's Tearoom posted a link to my giveaway on her sidebar and I have enjoyed meeting many of her friends.  This blog is beautiful inside and out.  A knitter and an illustrator, Mary Jane fills her blog with a beautiful mixture of pictures and illustrations in her soft color palette.  She hosts many giveaways herself and is always pointing me towards cute etsy shops as well as inspiring the crafter in me.

Free Graphics and PicMonkey

When I graduated from college in 1987 computers were something I was aware of, but they weren't a household item and nothing I cared to have to deal with.  I had used an electric typewriter for my school papers and only Senior year was I required to check into the computer lab to type a few assignments.  I was prepared to ride off into the sunset with my English major in hand and never have to deal with math, science or the computer lab again.  Within 2 years of graduation, computers were all the rage and one was planted on my desk at work.  As an assistant buyer for Montgomery Ward, I was handed a manual and required to learn WYSIWYG, to create spreadsheets, reports and draft memos.  Somehow, I figured it out  and even found the much dreaded computer to be useful.  Flash forward many years, and the computer has become my friend.  I look back and wish my eyes had been more open to taking a computer class in college.  A graphic design or photography major sure would have come in handy when blogging.  I am endlessly searching tutorials for tips on how to make my blog pretty and learning as I go.

Last night, I took my first stab at "creating" a graphic for my blog and it was super easy.  Thanks to the generosity of Keren at free pretty things for you I downloaded this cute free bluebird graphic.  Then I used the PicMonkey site for the first time to add text.  Super easy, super quick.  And, the little bluebird is giving you a hint as to what I have planned for later in the week.  Have you had any luck making unique graphics for you blog?  

Have you entered my giveaway?