Whooo's 100?
I am! This is my 100th post!
To say I am astonished and humbled by the incredible support of my blog from fellow bloggers, friends and family would be an ginormous understatement! I am truly, deeply grateful that ya’ll stop by and visit me! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!
(I had this scheduled to post at midnight, but for some reason, it didn't! I got up to check it about 1:30 am and discovered blogger's mischief! Sorry if you came by then!)
All righty then…do you have a cup of coffee, hot cocoa, tea, martini? How about a masseuse? You’re gonna need it! It’s my 100th post and by the time you are done reading it, you’ll probably feel as old and tired as Rip Van Winkle! You know me and my long winded rambley-ness! (....the giveaway is here..I promise!)
So, this is what I’ve come to know about blogging in the last 100 days….
Blogging is like taking a vacation to a place you never knew existed, but once you arrive, you never want to leave. There’s a new language, customs of the natives to learn, and amazing treasures to discover! (who can resist all of those cupcake blogs!?) Inspiration and creativity abound in the Land of Blog!
I love getting my words on a page to share with others. I decided to blog to honor that creative part in me that no longer wanted to be silent. I wanted to set an example for my kids to follow their dreams. In order to do that, I needed to start following my own.
I recently shared with a very sweet bloggy friend that each morning, I love to grab my coffee, power up my computer and begin my travels through the blogs to visit old friends and meet new ones along the way. For me, blogging is about connecting with others as much as writing now. (although with this stupid limited gigabyte deal with Verizon, my comment love to you all is not what I want it to be…boo hiss boo…)
I also shared with this same friend that not so long ago I was feeling very overwhelmed coming to terms with the reality that my kids will probably lose their father to his illness while they are still very young. Normally, I’m a pretty upbeat girl, but I was starting to feel really depressed. I started to cry…you know, one of those big ugly cries. My darling daughter asked me why I was sad. I hugged her close, but was unable to speak. She cupped my face in her 6 yr old hands and said, "You should go make people laugh on your blog, Mommy. Laughing always makes me feel better."
I was amazed. She continued, "Remember when we took our wagon to the park for that little girl who lives in Heaven? I bet she was happy her mom had a blog to tell everyone to take their wagons to the park." In that moment, the grace of God came through my daughter and poured into my heart.
I suddenly realized blogging provides a place for a voice no matter how small to be heard. It's a place to share our joyful times, our a-ha moments. Voices that are sad, afraid, lonely also have a place in this land of Blog. It's a place to gather support and feel helpful when things seem helpless. As I shared with my friend, I may not have thousands of dollars to donate to a cause, but I can write about it. Maybe my words will reach someone who can.
I have met the most amazing, creative and awe-inspiring people during my short bloggy life! I LOVE you all!!!
(If you’re new here, I am normally pretty ornery, but since I’m 100 today I am a bit reflective. Old age does that to you. Ornery-ness will re-commence tomorrow!
And now…..drumroll please…..to show you how grateful I am, I am hosting a MONSTER giveaway! I will be breaking up the giveaway into lots of groups of goodies so you have lots of opportunities to win!
And away we go!!! Remember, it’s HUGE and I LOVE owls!!! You’ll probably notice some old blog post themes too!
Prize #1
~Wise Owl Necklace by Kristen’s Custom Creations!~
I LOVE Kristen’s jewelry! She has so many fabulous designs to choose from and her blog is fantastic! Please go visit her Etsy shop here and her blog here!
Prize #2
~Philosophy’s Amazing Grace 3-in-1 Shower Gel, Shampoo & Bubble Bath (full size!)~
Prize #3
~Dirty Pretty Silhouette & Owl Magnets from Dirty Pretty Things!~
Winner will choose silhouette gender and angel or devil. I LOVE these! Raven’s shop, Dirty Pretty Things has lots of lovelies! These cute little owl magnets are from her shop too! Head on over there and browse around! Stop by her blog while you’re out and about!
Prize#4
~Massive Sunshine Bag from Jen Sue Wild! ~
This gorgeous bag is made by fabulous blogger, Jen Sue Wild, who is an amazingly talented seamstress! I fell in love with this bag the very moment I saw it! You can meet the wonderful Jen Sue here!
Prize #5
~UGLYDOLL Bop & Beep!~
You get two Uglies in one 14” huggable doll! I sell these through my shop Black Crow Boutique (online store re-launch coming soon!) We always sell out of these! Very soft and cuddly!
Prize #6
~Forest Friends Fun!~
This adorable group includes fabulous Forest Friends Domino Magnet Set, Folkmanis Mini Owl Finger Puppet, and Owl Stickers by Paperchase! Jamie over at Stampin Mom is the designer of these darling domino magnets! I love her magnets and all her goodies in her Etsy shop (here.) Stop by her blog too!
Prize #7
~Boo-boo Trio!~
Make it all better with fun boo-boo bandaid strips! You get Crime Scene, Kissy Lips and Devil Duckie designs!
Prize #8
~”Dreams of the Every Day Housewife” Package!~
This fun prize includes a Good Eats Recipe Card Binder, Retro Housewife Magnet and 2 Owl Tea Towels from Paperchase!
Prize #9
~Decorative Owl Plate from Anthropologie!~
Umm...yeah...Anthropologie and I go way back...
Prize #10
~Birthday Party Game by eeboo!~
This was chosen by my 6 yr old daughter! We LOVE this game! ! Eeboo makes fantastic children’s games! We offer wonderful things like this in our ebay store, Monkey McNoodles!
Prize #11
~That’s Queen Bitch to You! Display Book!~
This book is hilarious! You can actually display a new page every day because it has a display stand! Filled with retro images with a dose of bitchiness!
Prize #12
~Green M&M Computer Screen Cleaner!~
This little cutie has a soft chamois back that wipes away dust, dirt and smudges without scratching your computer! You can use it again and again! Comes new in the box!
Prize #13
~Anne Taintor Retro Office Fun Stuff!~
Includes *2 packages of Sniff Tissues (purse size!) One says “Has anyone seen my hormones?”..the other says “She liked imaginary men best of all..”
Also included is a package of sticky notes that says “the day was in dire need of a Ctrl-Alt-Delete” and a note pad that says “more paperwork please.” I love Anne Taintor’s vintage office products!
Prize #14
~Good Fortune Feel Good Stuff!~
Includes a set of 5 fabulous Fabric Fortune Cookies from the amazing Claire, owner of Etsy shop, Laurora! Get on over there and see all the fabulous goods she has up! I went bananas over these fortune cookies! They are perfect for gifts, party favors and more!
Also included is Smith’s Rosebud Salve from Anthropologie. (You can also get this through Sephora.) You can use this for chapped lips, diaper rash, blemishes, cuticles and more! You will love it! I’m throwing in a Burt’s Bees Chapstick too! (There’s your Bee and Rose stuff!)
And you will also receive two little keys (not shown)….the keys to love and prosperity!
Prize #15
~”Owl” Remind Ya’ Kit~
Includes a Vinyl Catch-all Bag and Journal from Paperchase in one of my favorite designs..owls! Bag is a perfect place to keep pens, post-its, band-aids, gum, etc. I keep mine in my car. I LOVE it! Journal is great for shopping lists, reminders and more! Also included is another awesome domino magnet from Stampin Mom! It’s a cute vintage cowgirl! (I do live in AZ, doncha’ know!)
Prize #16
~Whooo loves Vera Bradley?~
I do!!! This is so fantastic I had to include it! It’s Vera B’s owl design!!! You will win a clip zip id purse and 24 matching pencils in VB’s awesome owl print! This rocks my socks off, people!
Prize #17
~Bobby Boo Bag and 3 packages of Skull and Bones Paper Garlands from my shop, Black Crow Boutique!~
I realize Halloween is down the calendar a little ways yet, but it is my favorite holiday and I do happen to own a whimsical Halloween boutique! (whew, that sentence was almost as long as this post!) I want to share some of our best sellers with you! (ummm…maybe you can come and visit me when you’re ready for Halloween?)
Included is our Bobby Boo Trick or Treat Sack with our hottest selling design! My son uses this to cart his video games and stuff around. It can be used year round! Also included are 3 skull garlands from Bethany Lowe Designs! (Fun to use for pirate parties too!)
Prize 18
~Custom Handcrafed Whisk Broom~
Another very popular item at Black Crow Boutique! The artisan who makes these is in very high demand and we are always fortunate when we get them in! (You may remember that cute little broom with the face in my “Cleaning the Witch’s Cottage Post”…we sell those too!)
Prize #19
~Too Faced Chocolate Bunny LipBalm!~
I use this every day! It’s creamy and the pinky brown color is fabulous! It tastes like chocolate too! (not that I eat it or anything…cause that would be weird!)
Prize #20
~Tattoo Rubber Duckie~
From my special duckie to yours!
UPDATED! To see the additional six prizes added, go HERE!
Whew! There you have it, my sweet bloggy friends! Twenty fabulous prizes! All you have to do to enter is the following…
*Leave a comment on this blog about what you like in the giveaway...
and/or
*Follow my blog (only if you really want to..I love lurkers just as much!) I have no shame anymore…I enjoy having followers! (If you already do follow, just leave me a separate comment that you do...) ***This must be a separate entry to count in the giveaway so Random Generator can count it as two separate entries***
and/or
*Blog about my giveway and link to it... (Be sure you tell me when you do it!)
and/or
*Each day over the next 10 days, I will post other ways to enter! Be sure to check back! There will be lots of opportunities to enter multiple times!
Make sure you leave a separate comment for each type of entry because I am using Random Generator to choose the winners. Thanks!
Giveaway entries will be accepted until 11:59pm on Friday, April 17. Giveaway winners will be announced on Monday, April 20. Please add your email address in your comment if it’s not available on your blog. I want to be able to notify the winners by email.
Contest is open all over the world! Shipping outside US will be first class post. Please note I cannot be responsible for lost or damaged shipments outside the US.
Let the fun and games begin!!!!
Comments
Phew, what a giveaway! Love it!
First of all, I loved your writing and the story you shared about the abundance that blogging can bring to your life.
I seriously would love any of these prizes. They are all awesome! I'm a huge vera bradley fan, but that rubber duck has to take the cake!
Hey- My hubby comes home today!!!! We got a surprise last night he called to tell us the good news. Just had to share that with you.
Kelly
I'll happily take any of these goodies off your hands, although the Sunshine Bag is my favorite.
Happy 100th!
http://theadams7.blogspot.com/2009/04/go-check-out-this-giveaway.html
I think all the prizes are great, but my faves are ~”Dreams of the Every Day Housewife” Package!~ and ~Good Fortune Feel Good Stuff!~
Love the purse
the vera stuff
anything with those retro women on it
anthropologie stuff.
good times.
I will whore you out tomorrow since I already posted today
and happy 100!! Im happy to have been friends with you on this journey!
I just found you a few days ago and I'm so glad I did, I love what I have read so far, keep it up.
So many cute things to pick from...I like the doll #5 and the bandages #7 and the bag and garland on #17, awe, it's all good!!!
I love you and I am so excited for you today! Enjoy all your comment love.
I love all your wonderful giveaway gifts. WOW!!
You are an original!
xox
I want it all. :^)
The part about your children losing their father made me cry. I don't know your story yet, and I'm determined to find out about that statement. I look forward to getting to know you.
I'm pretty much in love with prize #8 and prize #9! :D
I love all the stuff you are giving away. I am especially fond of any and all of the owl stuff. They are just so darn cute. My boys would go gaga over #5 though. Seriously!
Congrats again, you fabulous lady you!
Please enter me, I love the stuff!! I'll blog about it tomorrow :D
xoxox,
Jess
www.nerdyjess.com
And you made me tear up with your daughter talking about Tuesday's waggie ride. What a tender heart she has.
What I like....Hmmm...
LOVE the fun boo-boo bandaids!
And who wouldn't want a Queen Bitch display book!!
We love us some games around here, so the birthday party game would delight baby chicklet!
If you feel the need to let me win something, which you should know that no one ever does, I need 5, 7, or 9. NEED, not WANT. There's a difference, and you can sustain my existence with any of those items.
http://litflcheckitout.blogspot.com/2009/04/mother-of-all-giveaways.html
i love all these prizes and would love any of them!!
http://jodibee.blogspot.com/2009/04/bee-and-rose-100th-post-giveaway.html
Congrats again Dawn!
cooparkes at gmail dot com
http://princesscooparkes.blogspot.com/2009/04/20-prizes-ends-apr-15.html
cooparkes at gmail dot com
I'm a new follower, and look forward to lurking on your blog :P
The giveaway is the biggest I have ever seen, you are very generous! I would love to win anything, my favorite is the queen bitch to you book though. :)
my e-mail is: starry943@yahoo.com
this is a totally AWESOME give-away...you have raised the bar for the rest of blogland!!!!!!
heading4heaven@yahoo.com
Congrats on 100!
heading4heaven@yahoo.com
Congrats on 100 posts!
First and foremost... you are awesome. I heart your blog and heart you and am so glad I have gotten to know you through your blog. You are such a blessing in my life and I look forward to reading your posts daily. Thanks for becoming my momma hen.
With that...
I love love love the Owl necklace {for me} and the ugly doll {for Baby J} and the Owel remind you kit... And the owl plate... I think you've created a monster and I'm now loving all things Owl. {{get it, I love the monster and owl stuff!!???}}
I LOVE our Blue Ray, but I must say, that I've only watched one Blue Ray DVD thus far. Hubs & I both said we could tell an immediate difference in the quality. We just bought a HDTV a few months back and this definitely is a great addition to that! I'm glad we bought it. :)
I like it all goodness what a giveaway!
Love the amazing grace and sunshine bag
I'm seriously in awe of how big your giveaway is. Insane! It absolutely puts the one I did to shame. But that's okay! And I'm glad to hear that people like the fortune cookies. I just had my first official order for a set over the weekend.
THat is a crazy giveaway chicky WOW! and I don't think I could pick...they are all pretty cool....
Look forward to getting to know you better... :)
First, your daughter, aw, so sweet! And you're correct. This bloggy world is an awesome place.
Second, I want #11. Now, I know you can't throw it, or anything, but I'm just saying - I'm thinking this is right up my alley.
Happy 100 post my dear!! Here's to at least 1,000 more.
Em
Uh, do you know how bitter I am that there are too many things that I want here? I'd better win something! Owls have a special place in my heart too because of my grandmother, who raised me.
How fab would my daughter's boo-boo's look?
And you know what? It's okay to not be ornery every day.
You just gotta be honest, real, and true to yourself. Which you are. ;)
Congrats to you.
Oh, and Wednesday I'm having a giveaway for my 200th post. I'm just sayin'.
http://simply-b.blogspot.com/2009/04/great-weekend.html
(your blog doesn't like to let me comment... sniff sniff)
May the force be with me!
I really like the sunshine bag. Big and beautiful.
http://vickiesscrapbookingandtidbits.blogspot.com/2009/04/fantastic-giveaway.html
Congrats on your 100th post! I'd love to win the Wise necklace!
xxx
What great prizes!!! I don't know how to choose which I like best... I have some serious Ann Taintor love, and who wouldn't want the Queen Bitch book??? I ask you! But then there's those band-aids... and the owl journal... good golly!
My comment should be first! I checked on your contest last night at 12.01 a.m. It isn't my fault you hadn't posted yet.
This is the hugest, cutest, funnest giveaway from one blog ever!
I would gladly trade my prize in for the chance to hang out with you for the day!
Have fun with this!!!!!
noelle
Jamie :-)
Jamie :-)
I would go gaga over any prize, truthfully, but the kitchen items are a hoot! *groan...I suck at puns!*
Congrats on 100!
If it helps, my bday is in 3 weeks and I'm in desperate need of bubble bath, I also collect m & m's figures and I wear the Burt's Beeswax lip balm
Second... when you said you were having a big giveaway... you weren't kidding! Whoa!
These are all great prizes!
My 2 youngest boys would love those ugly dolls #5
This is a great celebration you have here!!
And your opening story made me cry!
Thanks so much for sharing your heart with the blogosphere...
Cygnus
I gotta say you've got some way cool prizes. I love the band-aids. And the bubble bath. And the necklace. And the doll. And the game. And really do you need me to go on? ;)
Thank you for the chance and Happy 100 Posts!!!
Halloween is my favorite holiday too!!
Congrats on 100 posts!
Cole would love the ducky ...
But I would love Queen Bitch is hard to pass up ....but I think the ~”Dreams of the Every Day Housewife” Package! is right up my alley ... :)
STephenie
Id love prize number 7 or 15.
My email adress is
silje DOT nordanger @ gmail DOT com
remove the spaces and replace DOT with .
katch05 at gmail dot com
I'm following, too!
I DO want to say though, that your daughter is a beautiful soul.. wise beyond her years and you are lucky to have her (duh you know that) her words made me cry.
Congrats again!
I'm in :)
And I love the comments you made about blogging and having a voice. Well said.
Second, I love what you wrote about the Land of Blog. It is so true. I feel the same way. And I think you are so awesome.
Third, Holy Crap! What a monster giveaway. I will FOR SURE blog about it -- in fact, I will put it in my 100th post on Friday. My crappy, measly prizeless 100th post.
Fourth, how much do I want everything ... but my favorites are the ducks, the band-aids, the #8 housewife package, #10 birthday party game, #11, #12, #13... too hard to pick! oh...and Vera Bradley too.
You are going to get SWAMPED with stuff for this! Have fun! And you can be sure I'll be leaving another comment to tell you I'm a follower.
Happy 100th
And she has some fabulus stuff over there!
I'm in - yay!!!!
I will put you up on my sidebar and shout to the tops of the moutains...
I am a follower too!!
Everything is fabulous but I especially love the birthday party book, love that rosebud salve (I use to use that but it's hard to find!) and I know my boys would love those ugly dolls! lol
Besides all that, your post was incredibly moving. I love that you shared what blogging means to you and how it has impacted you and my, what a beautiful heart you have. :) Your children are so blessed to have such an amazing mommy and daddy...your daughter is so wise and tender-hearted. :)
I was cracking up over the whole hooters thing, seriously that picture left me speechless! lol
You (and your husband) have blessed those children with an amazing sense of humor!! :)
Have a great rest of the week and a great Easter holiday!
Thanks!!
You know I follow you and always will...this is just over the top..
I'd better stop now cause you have me speechless....well almost
Congrat's on post 100
p.s. pick me, pick me (hand raised high)
tanyainjville@yahoo.com
Congrats on your 100th post. I am new to the blogging world too, so it must feel awesome reaching the 100th mark :)
I love the giveaway. And I am a huge fan of vera bradley. But I like the sunshine bag a lot too!
I like prizes 20, 19, 17, 14, 13, 12, 11 (I have a tiny magnet that says "that's Queen bitch to you!", but I have always wanted something bigger and more prominent! LOL), 8, 7, 5, & 3.
=)
Congrats woman! I love your blog and I agree, there's nothin like sitting down and bloggin with a cup of coffee. Although right now I'd prefer a martini :)
So enter me woman! Please? There is so many things to choose from and all are just scrumptious prizes!
If you've read a few of my posts about me I LOVE notebooks and pencils and pens so prizes 15 and 16 are my favs, those along with the bag and hello? I love prize number 1!
Thanks!
Thanks for the opportunity for such a great giveaway!!!
I'd love the Philosophy’s Amazing Grace 3-in-1 Shower Gel, Shampoo & Bubble Bath (full size!)~
Congratulations on your 100 POSt. Hope to see you make 100 more.
Luv luv luv the Wise Owl Necklace. Too cute TOo me.
#1 or #8 .