Category: Filing Cabinet

Giveaway! A Watercolor Palette and Sketchbook

I’ve been enjoying my new watercolor hobby, since posting to that time-lapse video I found so inspiring. It’s only been about a month since I started, during which I’ve probably painted four times, but I’m proud of how I’m progressing. I’ve missed making art, even if I’m just painting what amount to cute spot illustrations.

I’ve been experimenting with different paints (tubes vs. pans, student grade versus professional quality), and I’m still finding what I like. You know what turned out to be great though? The inexpensive 36-color watercolor palette I had initially picked up on a whim at Michael’s. I’ve heard from more seasoned watercolor artists that they love it too!

Want to give it a go for yourself? I went back and bought five more palettes, along with some better quality paintbrushes (don’t bother with the one it comes with) to give away to five readers. I also bought five Moleskine Watercolor Notebooks to include as part of the prize for each winner.

(I painted this illustration of the prize using only watercolors from that 36-color palette.)

This giveaway is open to everyone, worldwide. Just leave a comment below by midnight CST, Monday, January 27 to enter. After the giveaway ends, I’ll randomly draw five winners and ship off a palette, brush, and sketchbook to each. It’s a small way to share a little bit of what’s making me happy these days!

January 21, 2014
My eBay Collections

Sponsored by eBay

I’ve been doing a lot of online window shopping lately, like it’s my job. (Oh, wait a minute…) I sometimes get it in my head that I need to find a very specific item, like an antique blue and white vase with brass trim similar to the one I used in this room design, so I keep popping over to eBay every so often to see what’s available. Have you noticed their new eBay Collections feature yet? I’ve been spotting them alongside some of my searches, and finding some fun things I may not have thought to search for otherwise.

I’ve been creating my own eBay collections over the past couple of weeks, too. Here’s a sampling of what you can find in them.

You can visit and follow my collections on eBay for direct sources, and also to keep up with new additions. I’ve mostly been looking at stuff for the house, like the aforementioned blue and white vase. I’m also perpetually on the lookout for an antique runner rug, weird old art, and some Milo Baughman (or Baughman-style) chairs. I’m taking my time and enjoying the browsing process while I hold out for just the right items to show up. Of course, sometimes the searches wander over into fashion with boots and purses and the like too.

I’m definitely in research mode more than acquisition mode right now, but I am pretty sad that I hesitated to bid on that awful/amazing lion rug. You know, that frightening orange guy up above, in the circle? It could have been living it up in my entryway by now had I just gone for it! I mean, I know it may not be to everyone’s liking, but I love it. Besides, we all need to indulge a little bad taste every now and then, right?

Enter to win $25,000!

There is a $25,000 Share it Win it Sweepstakes going on over at eBay right now, with additional $1000 weekly prizes (complete rules and details are here). You can win just by logging in sharing your favorite eBay collections via social media! I’ll be continuing to add to my collections for the duration of the sweepstakes and beyond, and you can follow me on eBay right here.

December 17, 2013
Win an Entire Holiday Tabletop

Oh, you guys. I wish I could enter to win the Design and Dine giveaway, but seeing as how I write for The Interior Collective and am working with them to share this with you, I’m probably ineligible.

The tabletop was designed by Brittany Jepsen, of The House that Lars Built, and photographed Cassidy Tuttle. Brittany was inspired by Caesarstone colors, and she kept the decor neutral so that it would work for whomever wins. That one lucky winner will receive everything you see on the table, save for the pomegranates! (We’re hosting brunch on Christmas Eve and then a dinner on Christmas, and I’m tempted to add them to our shopping list just because they look so pretty as decoration.)

Visit The Interior Collective to enter, and to see complete rules and details. You have until December 15, and the winner will receive their prize in time to use for Christmas. Good luck!

Sponsored by The Interior Collective

December 11, 2013
Artfully Walls Giveaway

I’ve written about Artfully Walls before (on Babble), and now we’ve teamed up for our 24 Merry Days giveaway! Artfully Walls does a fantastic job of creating cohesive gallery walls that are ready to go, but you can also buy individual pieces or create your own collection. For today’s prize, I created two collections (a $500-600 value), and chose the print sizes, framing options, matting, arrangements, and even the backing wall color (Symphony Blue and Sparrow, both by Benjamin Moore). All the winner has to do is choose a favorite and then hang ’em up!

The first grouping I put together features an abstract print by Britt Turner framed in black, a photo by Catherine McDonald, also framed in black, and a stretched canvas portrait by Tali Yalonetzki. Feminine, with plenty of pink — you know I want this one, right?

Ah, but I also love my second arrangement. The frames are a little glitzier here in gold, with a grouping that includes an illustration by Anat Maoz, a photo by Catherine McDonald and another by Sivan Askayo, and a stretched canvas print by Emeline Tate-Robertson.

Either collection, in full and framed, is up for grabs to one lucky winner to be chosen randomly. The giveaway is being run via Rafflecopter and is open to US residents only, so follow the instructions for multiple ways to enter below. Good luck, and remember to check 24 Merry Days for new prizes each day from now until Christmas!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

December 5, 2013
24 Merry Days of Giveaways

I’m taking part in 24 Merry Days this year! It’s a collective of awesome giveaways organized by Audrey, of This Little Street, with a site designed by Gloria, of Little White Whale. Audrey envisioned an online advent calendar with 24 days, 24 bloggers, and 24 giveaways full of amazing prizes — and then made it happen.* Up for grabs will be a table from West Elm, a bicycle from Public Bikes, a gallery of art from Artfully Walls, and gift cards to Anthropologie, Rifle Paper Co., Poppin, The Land of Nod, and more.

I’ll be hosting one of the giveaways on Thursday, so come back then to see which one (because shhh, it’s a secret). And be sure to visit the other participating blogs to enter each day. You can also follow 24 Merry Days on Facebook to keep up.

Happy merry days, and good luck!

* The whole thing reminds me a little of Indie Finds! I should write about that here some day; I can’t believe I haven’t before.

December 1, 2013
Which Chandelier for Eleanor’s Room?

The dark blue walls and ceiling in Eleanor’s room look great, but the room definitely needs more light. The fixture hanging in there now only houses one bulb. She has a bedside lamp, one on her bookshelf, and a rabbit light on her dresser, but she’s a kid. She walks in and flips the light switch — she doesn’t look around and think “ooh, some ambient lighting over in the corner would really add to the space!” So I’ve been looking for a nice chandelier for her with more light output. Ideally, I would have liked it to be either brass or a fun color, and I’ve found plenty of fixtures that I like. But I have expensive taste in lighting, and some of my favorites were thousands of dollars. Thus, two bronze options from West Elm, both bought during their 20% off lighting sale.

When I ordered them, the Mobile Chandelier was on backorder, supposedly until May. I bought the Industrial Chandelier at the same time, figuring that it might look OK and that I wouldn’t have to wait six months for a light. They both shipped out right away though, and I’m not sure which one would be better in E’s room.

They both take on different looks, depending on which bulbs you pair with them (they don’t come with any). I had that frosted white globe in August’s sconce, and I think I like the look of it for E’s fixtures more than I would an Edison bulb, but smaller round bulbs could be cute too. And I would love to add some detail to whichever light I choose by adding brass tape* around each socket, but Kathryn wisely cautioned me to see how hot they get first.

What do you think?

* Or maybe gold adhesive vinyl? It hasn’t arrived yet, but I ordered some for Eleanor’s starry ceiling since a few comments mentioned some potential issues with covering painted stars later.

November 25, 2013