Update: I’m now offering three separate prizes: 1 person gets $100 Google Adwords and the Flickr Pro account.  And then 2 other individuals will receive $100 Google Adwords each.

To try something different this week, I’m giving away two things related to growing your business online.

1. $100 credit for Google AdWords – use the $100 to setup advertising through Google promoting your online store or simply driving visitors to your blog.  Its your choice how you use it.  Disclaimer: this is for new ad accounts only.
2. A one-year Flickr Pro account subscription – easily one of the best photo management tools online.  Upgrade to unlimited image uploads, sets and collections plus get all the juicy stats related to your profile.  $24.95 value.

In order to win, you must:

• be a resident of planet earth.
• visit the Handmade in PA group photo pool on Flickr and upload at least one image.  If you’re not a member of the HiP group now’s the time to join.  Then leave a comment below about what you posted.
• OR comment below what you would do if you win.
• to receive 1 extra entry, use the “Share/Save” button below – or other bookmarking tool – to share the giveaway on your favorite site. HiP’s favorites are Facebook, Twitter, and Stumble Upon.

This giveaway ends Friday, January 22 at noon EDT. The winner will be chosen at random and notified by email on Monday, January 25.

This week I’m featuring emerging * undiscovered * up & coming illustrators and stationers on Scoutie Girl who have been gracious enough to offer a piece of their work for a giveaway. I just love finding new people to shed a little light on.

Strangely enough – many of the illustrators being featured are Pennsylvanians! I didn’t even try that! Though not so strange since we all know how awesome PA is.

Enter to win prints from: Stephanie Corfee, Loop, Nicole Duquette, and Paisley Dog Press.

Stephanie Corfee, known for her intricate line drawings & misty watercolors, is now offering free “You Color It” downloads on her blog. Every so often, readers will have the chance to download full size digital files of Stephanie’s favorite illustrations! Then choose your weapon – markers, gel pens, colored pencils, crayons, etc… – and get to work! Click the image at the left to view the first download.

This week, you have a chance to win Knit One, Embellish Tooby Pittsburgh’s own Cosette “Cosy” Cornelius-Bates. Read on to find out how to win!

Cosy is an active member of the Pittsburgh Craft Collective and quite a prolific crafter! I had to know how she got started knitting, spinning, and dying her own yarn. She says:

Knitting came first. I saw a friend knitting for the first time right after I graduated from University. But – she knit left handed. So I taught myself how to knit out of the ‘Knitting and Crochet for Dummies’ book.

Spinning and dyeing came simultaneously when the wool shop closest my home in Vancouver BC was an old school wool shop with spinning wheels and fluff everywhere. I found out they offered classes and learned both spinning and dyeing there.

If someone wants to start spinning their own yarn, how should they begin?

I’d suggest a lesson of some sort. However, nothing can be hurt by playing around with a drop spindle and some fluff. Some people get very frustrated with drop spindles and go straight to a wheel.

What inspires you when creating new work?

I’m inspired by all sorts of things. Creation, colors, experiences, memories…

What are your crafty goals for the rest of the year?

Oh my. I’m currently pondering applying to Renegade Chicago, so I guess big craft fairs. My ultimate goal being the business getting bigger and bigger each year (within reason). It looks to me that the demand is for dyeing, so I’m doing a lot of that right now.

Don’t you love handspun yarn? Even if you’re just a newbie knitter or crochet addict (like me!) your projects will look fantastic! The color variegation, the texture… yum!

If you’re looking to purchase Cosy’s yarn – or her hand-dyed roving to spin your own – check out the CosyMakes Etsy shop. You can also find patterns so that you can play with your new yarn!

Now for your chance to win! In order to win a copy of Knit One, Embellish Too! by Cosy, you must:

• be a resident of the US.
• visit the CosyMakes Etsy shop and pick out your favorite yarn, roving, or pattern.
• for a second entry, share this giveaway with your network! Use the Share/Save button below or share the giveaway on your favorite networking site. Our favorites are Facebook, Twitter, and StumbleUpon.

This giveaway will end Sunday, June 21, at noon. The winner will be chosen randomly and notified by email. Thanks for playing & good luck!

In the spirit of helping you learn a new craft or hone your techniques this summer, the next batch of giveaways on HiP is all about YOU & CRAFTING!

Abrams Books and its imprint, STC Craft, were so generous to make FOUR books available to HiP readers this summer as giveaways. The first one I’ll review is Material Obsession by Kathy Doughty and Sarah Fielke.

I’m sure my mom isn’t the only person reading who has an obsession with fabric! Material Obsession is actually the Sydney, Australia quilt shop of co-authors Kathy & Sarah. They are known for combining a traditional inspiration with a modern aesthetic.

(note: this quilt isn’t in the book – but I found the pic on the Material Obsession blog and I couldn’t help myself!)

Each quilt featured in the book would look equally at home on an antique bed frame or Ikea floor bed. Each quilt is a beautiful piece of art and also a functional piece of home decor that is meant to be used.

If you’re new to quilting, you will find the first two quilts of the book delightfully welcoming! As the book progresses, so does the difficulty of the projects. However, even for a newbie, the more difficult quilts provide inspiration and ideas for the future.

The book includes two appendices: a section on quilting basics and a glossary & index.

So how can you win?

• You must be a resident of the US.
• Take a look at the current book offerings from STC Craft, an imprint of Abrams Books, and let me know what book might inspire you to learn a new craft! Leave a comment on this post with your favorite book from the list.
• To earn 1 extra entry, share this giveaway on your favorite social network or bookmarking site. HiP’s favorites are Stumble Upon, Twitter, and Facebook! After you share the link, please come back here and leave a second comment.

This giveaway ends Sunday, June 14 at noon (EDT). A winner will be chosen at random and notified by email.

If you’d like to purchase Material Obsession, please use the link to the left and help support Handmade in PA!

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When I think about Pamela Kucera’s (Royersford) jewelry shop, Penelope & Anastasia, I think: COLOR! She has simply the best eye for combining bright, saturated colors into combinations that walk the fine line between hopelessly chic and fabulously funky.

Here’s what Pamela has to say about her craft, in her own words:

I’m a Jewelry Girl! All things that can be strung, hung or attached, grab my eye and make my wheels start spinning. In 2004, after getting frustrated with the high cost of high fashion…I started making my own jewelry for myself. When people started asking where I sold my baubles…Penelope & Anastasia was born.

Her business goals are simple: “to sell a little bit more than 2008, but to never get too big. Just enough to be happy in my own little bubble as wife, mom, and crazy jewelry lady!!”

This week, I’m excited to let you know that Pamela will be giving away a pair of her Czech glass bracelets – her favs! And just for good measure, she’s throwing in a coordinating pair of earrings. She’s calling the set “Pinks & Purples.” A total value of $44!

Her description:
“A pair of my sparkly Czech Glass & Rhinestone Rondelle bracelets…and in an earthy contrast a Pinky pair of earrings of shell hoops filled with Swarovski Crystals and a Veined Marble round ~ all on Sterling Silver.”

To enter, you must:

• be a resident of the US.
• visit Penelope & Anastasia and leave a comment on this post with your favorite item from the shop!
• to gain 1 extra entry, share this post with your friends & social networks. HiP’s favorite sites are Stumble Upon, Twitter, and Facebook.

This giveaway ends Friday, May 29, at noon, EDT. The winner will be selected at random and notified by email the following Monday. Good luck!

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Let me tell you why I love girlscantell:

• Sara creates awesome housewares with an artist’s aesthetic and an architect’s love of detail.
• She is super active in her community (Philly) and works to promote the arts all over the city!
• She’s a former Etsy employee, full-time creator, and uber-knowledgable about all things handmade business. And her blog reflects this.

By a supreme twist of fate (actually…I don’t believe in fate.), I decided to click on Sara’s blog before I sat down to write my nightly post. She has a new product line and is hosting a giveaway to celebrate!

A few weeks ago, Sara put out a call on her blog for crafters who were interested in collaborating with her in some way. Caitlin from Rebound Designs (not from PA, but we’ll forgive her) answered the call and provided Sara with an armload of vintage book pages leftover from her crafting.

The result…



Love this!

Anyhow, you can read the rest of the info on Sara’s post and enter to win 2 prints of your choice! Good luck!
And don’t forget to enter the giveaway from AMTextiles right here!

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Looking for something that says, “wow!”?

Amber, from Amber Mayhem Textiles, specializes in creating striking hand-dyed accessories in the Japanese Shibori tradition.

Amber explains:

Color, texture and fabric are the main ingredients in my creations. Currently, these elements come together in my line of Amtextiles hand-dyed silk accessories named “Bubble Wraps”. Each accessory has permanent three-dimensional texture created using contemporary Japanese shibori fabric dyeing techniques. Marbles, bicycle parts, wire, toys and many other objects are used to create the texture. Thanks to the shibori methods, the shape of the object remains even after the object is taken out of the cloth! Bubble Wraps come in many sizes from Large Wraps and shawls for weddings, proms and other formal occasions to Bubble Necklaces for more casual events.

Certainly, Amber’s work is not for the faint of heart. But I truly believe we all could take a few more fashion risks – and, really, when is beautiful textile art a risk? – on a regular basis.

To this end, I’m excited to let you know that Amber has offered one of her organza bubble necklaces for this week’s giveaway!

Amber gives this description for her hot pink organza bubble necklace:

Dainty, but still full of pizzazz!

This hot pink hand-dyed silk organza Bubble Necklace by amtextiles is a perfect addition to any accessory lover’s repertoire! The hand-dyed silk was manipulated using Japanese shibori fabric dyeing methods which make the 3D fabric bubbles. Tie a bow around your neck in the front, back, or side using the attached silk ribbon. This can also be a really cute, bubbly headband, or wrap it around your wrist for an extra cool arm cuff!

In order to win, you must:

• be a resident of the US.
• visit AMtextiles and let me know what you’re favorite item is by leaving a comment (below) on this post.
• to receive 1 extra entry, use the “Share/Save” button below – or other bookmarking tool – to share the giveaway on your favorite site. HiP’s favorites are Facebook, Twitter, and Stumble Upon.

This giveaway ends Friday, May 22 at noon EDT. The winner will be chosen at random and notified by email on Monday, May 25.

Good luck!

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This week’s giveaway is sponsored by Janell, from J Almodovar – Lancaster.

Janell creates handbags and wristlets from both new & vintage fabric, as well as found materials such as bulk coffee sacks. quality is a huge deal for me…She says, “I love to mix designer with vintage using lots of texture and color. I want my bags to last a long time, so quality is a huge deal for me.”

Janell explains how she started:

I made my first handbag in high school out of patches from old jeans (yikes!). At that time it was just for fun, but about 2 years ago, after getting a few wholesale accounts with boutiques and setting up my etsy shop, I was able to quit my day job and make handbags full time.

Enter this week’s giveaway to win the bag pictured directly above. It is 15″ wide at top, 17″ wide at bottom, 10.5″ high and 2″ deep. The shoulder straps measure 23″ long. It has, “2 inside pockets, one penslip and a key clip to cut down on digging time when you are in a rush. The liner is constructed of a sturdy unbleached natural cotton for extra durability and the top of the bag closes with a magnetic snap.”

To enter:

• you must be a resident of the US.
• visit J Almodovar on Etsy or Janell’s gallery and pick out your favorite bag. Leave a comment here letting us know which you like!
• to receive one extra entry, use the “Share/Save” button below (or on your own) to share this giveaway with your friends. Leave a second comment here when you do.

This giveaway ends Saturday, May 16 at 11:59pm EDT. The winner will be selected at random and notified by email.

Good luck!

Not only did Sarah, from Lilith’s Apothecary, write this amazing post on the joys & difficulties of balancing a full-time job, successful handmade business, and beautiful family, but she is offering this Chamomile Eye Cream for this week’s giveaway!

This eye cream boasts many fantastic properties!

• highly anti-inflammatory, because of the chamomile & green tea infusions
• antioxidants combat free radical damage
• chamomile helps with dry skin conditions such as eczema — very soothing and calming to tired, puffy eyes
• nutritive ingredients include sea buckthorn berry oil, carrot seed oil, helio carrot root CO2 extract, wheat protein, evening primorse CO2 extract, and blueberry seed oil
• the addition of high quality facial oils such as meadowfoam seed and rosehip seed add regenerative characteristics to the cream, while avocado butter provides additional emollient protection.
• protects facial skin against the signs of aging – first to show around delicate eye tissue.

You can read more about Lilith’s Apothecary, its goals, purpose, and philosophy on this post featuring Sarah and her business. But in short, Sarah is motivated by the needs of her family and informed by years of training, both as a medical anthropologist (her day job) and as an herbalist.

Sarah is also available for individual consulting for your specific skincare needs.

For a chance to win the Chamomile eye cream (pictured above):

• you must be a resident of the US.
• visit Lilith’s Apothecary and report back here (leave a comment below) with the product that you need the most!
• for 1 extra entry, use the “Share/Save” button below to spread the word about this giveaway (no, you can’t keep it a secret!) on your favorite site. HiP’s favorites are Facebook, Twitter, and Stumble Upon! Leave another comment when you’re done.

This giveaway ends Saturday, May 10, at noon EDT. One winner will be selected at random and notified by email. Good luck!

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