Mockingbird Hill Cottage

Mockingbird Hill Cottage

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A New Etsy Shop and a Special for My Readers

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Have you noticed my new sidebar labels? I love them! A couple of weeks ago I won a giveaway from Mandy at a la parisienne. Many of you already follow her blog and her French Lesson Fridays. This giveaway was for custom sidebar buttons, something I had been wanting for a long time. Look on my right sidebar – aren’t they wonderful? I couldn’t have been happier with the process. Mandy is wonderful! She asks questions about your blog, your style, and how you would like your blog to look. Then she sends a variety of font styles from which you choose several that represent your blog’s style. Then, as if by magic, something appears that, in my case, was absolutely what I had dreamed of.

After my sidebar buttons were designed, she also designed a customized button (scroll down to see my ASPCA button) that fulfilled my need to link to a cause I deeply believed in but stayed true to the style of my blog.

The good news is this: Mandy is opening her own Etsy store! She will be offering sidebar labels and Etsy store buttons/links. She will also design customized buttons like my ASPCA button. All of these offerings can be customized however you want – you get to pick titles, fonts and the color scheme. Her Etsy address is: www.alaparisienne.etsy.com.

Mandy would like to offer a special for my readers. Anyone who purchases a set of 5 sidebar labels by Tuesday, June 9th will get 8 labels for the price of 5. What a great deal!

Truly, the process was a delight from start to finish and I couldn’t recommend her more highly. She is a fellow blogger with wonderful taste. Go visit her shop and tell her I sent you.

My 1st Blog Anniversary and a Giveaway!

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Happy February 17th to you all. One year ago today I shoved all my trepidation aside and started this blog. Like many who start blogs, I spent a lot of time lurking on other blogs before I finally felt I had to start my own. I wondered what I would possibly have to talk about that would be remotely interesting to anyone out there in blogland. My husband, gem that he is, strongly encouraged me to go ahead and do it. I’m so glad I did.

Blogging has opened a door to a new world for me. I am continually impressed by all those I meet in blogland ~ by your warmth, generosity, kindness, humor and creative spirit. I am amazed at the creativity I see out there! I have been allowed to peek through the windows of your ‘homes’ and am delighted by what I see. Thank you for sharing your lives with me, the joys and the sorrows. Thank you for all of your wonderful, supportive comments ~ they make my day!

I am still shy about my blog. Yes, I know I am in theater, but the fact remains that I am basically a shy person. It took me several months to tell anyone but my husband about the blog. Gradually I told my sister, my parents and a few of my friends. I know I don’t have a huge following, like many blogs I read, but I do seem to have some loyal followers. For that I am grateful.

I’ve found a few things in my trips to my favorite shops that I have assembled for a giveaway!
I find them charming, and I hope you do, too.

This pretty magnet is by PaPaYa designs: Victorian Bird by Anahata Joy Katkin.

I found this lovely hand crocheted pot holder in one of my favorite shops. The color is actually closer to the rose in the first photo.

This soap smells so wonderful! It is a shea butter soap, made in France, and smells like, you guessed it ~ the ocean. Heavenly.

A lovely vintage valentine I found at Vignettes.

A sweet little frame from another of my favorite shops.

And a lovely brown transferware plate – from Vignettes.

Just leave a comment anytime between now and Friday at midnight (California time) and I will put all your comments in a hat and pick one. If you don’t have a blog, be sure to leave your email address so that I may reach you if you are the winner.

More later.

An award!

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Today I received my first award from Tam at The Gypsy’s Corner. Thank you, Tam! I am honored. Tam’s blog, by the way, is wonderful and I urge you to visit.

The rules are the following:
1. Put the award up on your blog.
2. Add a link to the person who awarded it to you.
3. Nominate at least 7 other blogs.
4. Add links to these blogs.
5. Leave a message for your nominee on their blog.

So here goes, (There are so many to nominate, but I tried to choose those blogs that inspire me daily and, in some cases, inspired me to start a blog.) I nominate:

1. Liz at Mabel’s House. Liz writes beautifully and is also very funny. Please visit her and Mabel, her dog.

2. Rachel at A Romantic Porch. Rachel’s was one of the first blogs I visited, and she has always been supportive and encouraging. Please visit her.

3. Sara at Sadie Olive. Beautiful photography, inspired decorating – Sara’s blog was one that I read when I first discovered blogging and it inspired me to start my own. Visit her.

4. Donna at An Enchanted Cottage. I love Donna’s blog and we have become good blogging friends. She loves animals as much as I do and her cottage is charming. Please drop in.

5. Melissa at The Inspired Room. Melissa has tons of decorating ideas and generously shares them with her readers. She sent me a welcome message soon after I started my blog. She does all this in the midst of moving to a new house! She has a large readership – stop by.

6. Maryjane at The Beehive Cottage. I love her blog, it is absolutely charming and she has the neatest little trailer that she has decorated. Go and see her.

7. Michelle at Michelle Palmer. I just met Michelle through my blog. She is a wonderful artist and I am in awe of her work. Go spend some time at her charming blog.

Well, there are many more that I could have nominated, believe me! I have a few blogging friends who are shy. I thought about nominating them, but then thought they might be uncomfortable with the award and the obligation of nominating other blogs.

I do want to steer you over to my sister’s new blog, Mereknits. She has just started blogging and is a wonderful knitter, as well as the best sister in the world. I could nominate her for every award in the world and it wouldn’t be enough.

Have a wonderful day and weekend ahead.

Lambs Like to Party

Lambs Like to Party

A Note

Thanks for visiting! Feel free to browse, read and enjoy. All content is my own; including photos and text. Please do not use anything on this site without permission.

Disclosure/Privacy Policy can be found in the Navigation Bar under ‘About MHC.’

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