Do you know I am Canadian? Proudly so :-) There are probably lots of things you know about Canada. We boast some beautiful mountains, lakes, wilderness and wildlife such as beavers, moose, loons and polar bears. Our national police are called Mounties, though they only wear the red uniforms and ride horses for ceremonies! We say "eh" and are super polite. We are friendly, if a bit reserved. We apologize all the time. Oh, and hockey. We are pretty passionate about that. Good thing we are so awesome at it (Olympic double gold, Baby!! Sorry, U.S.A.).
Some other things you may not know. We are pretty smart, I think (sorry if that sounds like bragging). Did you know it was a Canadian who discovered that diabetes could be treated with insulin? Canadians can also be credited with the invention of the light bulb, the telephone, pacemakers, zippers, the sport of basketball, and the Blackberry. Not bad, eh?
What I love about the blogosphere is that it makes this great world of ours so much more smaller and accessible. I have a live traffic feed on my sidebar, and I love to see the visitors from all over! I have made some awesome new international blogging buddies!
I have been lucky enough to have done a good deal of travelling, and as you may recall, my hubby and I are headed to Italy (!!!) this fall for a short trip to celebrate our 10 year wedding anniversary. One Italian lady, a massage therapist we booked with, went above the call of duty recommending hotels, restaurants, sending me train schedules and the like. I was moved by her kindness, and thought I would make her a little present in thanks.
I made these pouches as a nod to Canadiana, using our national colors of red and white on a chocolate brown linen. One style is the gathered clutch, with a couple vintage wooden buttons that I found thrifting, and for the other I modified the gathering design, and embellished it with a few yo-yo flowers. Inside, I have stashed a variety of Canadian goodies :-) Some organic tea made from local herbs, some maple sugar fudge and more.
So, I thought I would do a giveaway, where everyone would get a chance to do a shout-out for the places they call home.Here is how you enter:
Leave a comment, in which you say where you live, and something you love about your country, city or town. Or, tell me an interesting fact about where you are from. Be proud! Brag a bit!
The prizes! TWO winners!
Pink Panda Fabrics, which I have often mentioned as my FAVORITE online Canadian designer fabric store (plus free and FAST shipping in Canada, whoo hooo!), has offered a $30 gift certificate to her shop, for one of my Canadian resident readers. Awesome! Thanks, Cheryl!Not to leave anyone out, I will send one of the above pouches (winner's choice), filled with Canadian goodies, to one of my "non-Canuck" readers!
AND... Pink Panda is also offering a 3 % discount on purchased fabric to my readers until October 31, 2010. Just enter the coupon code "CRAFTER."
So go ahead, leave me a comment and tell me something special about your little corner of the world! Giveaway closes on Tuesday, October 5 at noon Central Standard Time.
(Note- In order for me to contact you, please make sure your Blogger account is set to accept emails. If it says "no-reply", I am sorry but I will choose again. Click here for easy instructions on how to change from no-reply).
Hmm, I'm not really sure what my hometown is right now! I'm originally from the Chicago area, which is probably the most comfortable place for me. Right now I'm living about 3 hrs south of Chicago, and every time i drive up to see my mom I feel so much more relaxed when i hit the crowded suburbs. Silly, huh?
ReplyDeleteWe are in the process of moving to Seattle, WA which I am also really excited about. :D
I live where you live - Winnipeg. But I'm originally from Lethbridge, Alberta (land of the chinook wind). Actually, on days like yesterday when it gets gusty outside I kinda miss the wind. ;)
ReplyDeleteI'm from the Flint, Michigan area... home of General Motors, Michael Moore and Diplomat Specialty Pharmacy. Flint is in the heart of the "mitten state," lower peninsula. Love your little pouches. I could use one in a few weeks when I go in for surgery!
ReplyDeleteI'm from Cambridge, Minnesota. Just about 40 miles north of Minneapolis/St Paul. And the thing I love best about Cambridge is that my family is close by. I'd live anywhere really.
ReplyDeleteLinda from the Netherlands. Deventer, to be more specific. It is an old town, founded in 786. I live in the new part, unfortunately, as old housed tend to be too small for families with children. Deventer is near a river, an old trade city, (because of the river of course), especially trading dried fish (!?) and textile. Textile used to be a main trade untill some decades ago. Now, Deventer is famous because of 'Deventer koek' which is honey cake which I don't like at all, but what I do like: the 6 km long bookfair that is held every summer, along with several antique fairs. Also, just before Christmas a Dickens festival is held in the medieval centre. Approximately 100.000 visitors come to see that every year. Well, enough blabbing about Deventer. More to find on the wiki page: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deventer
ReplyDeleteLinda (aalderinklinda at yahoo dot com)
PS. I do not have a blogging account so I can not change the non existent settings. ;-)
I'm Jamie from Idaho, Utah, and Portugal. I claim all three. Let's see. I was born in Idaho and am living there now. However, I've lived most of my life in Utah and plan on returning someday. I also lived two years in Portugal. I left a big part of my heart there when I moved back to the US. Thank you for the giveaway!
ReplyDeletefragrantblissoils@gmail.com
I am from Finland :) I don't have to say anything, just follow this link to Newsweek, they found out, what is the best country in the world!
ReplyDeletehttp://www.newsweek.com/content/newsweek/2010/08/15/interactive-infographic-of-the-worlds-best-countries.html
I won't change my settings, because I would forget to change the back, and I like my settings ;) so legotera at gmail.com is my email.
Though I never win anything :D But I do like Your blog!
I live in West Newbury, MA and here is a snippet about my town: "West Newbury and its residents were the models for Popperville, the setting of Virginia Lee Burton's children's story Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel. The town hall where the story ends is patterned after West Newbury's Old Town Hall.[4] West Newbury also provided the geographical inspiration for the Mad Scientists' Club series of stories by Bertrand R. Brinley. Portions of John Cena's music video, "Right Now", were shot in West Newbury, with the remainder filmed at Hampton Beach, New Hampshire. In the late summer and fall of 2008, various scenes from Mel Gibson's film Edge of Darkness were shot on Church Street."
ReplyDeleteI'm originally from the Okanagan and I've also lived in Whistler and Vancouver. I'm currently in Ottawa and here to stay. Yea, Canada! thanks for the giveaway.
ReplyDeleteCreative variation on the gather!
ReplyDeleteI'm in Atlanta, where we like peaches so much that we have 71 roadways with some variation of "Peachtree" in the name. Makes it pretty hard for newcomers to find their way around :).
I'm originally from the great state of Illinois but am currently residing in the pretty cool state of Indiana... no idea where I'll end up next, as I'm finishing grad school next July and will be moving wherever the job is! :)
ReplyDeleteI'm from Irvine, CA, voted one of the safest cities in the US.
ReplyDeleteI'm from Phillipsburg, NJ - no one from NJ really knows who we are except that we are big on football =P I live in a little part of Phillipsburg and it's quite suburbany - but there's nothing to do there! I would much rather be where I am now, an hour away at college (although I don't have my sewing machine :( )!
ReplyDeleteI live in the sunny state of Florida! I love the sunshine state. We enjoy year round warm weather and tropical flowers :-)
ReplyDeleteI live in Woodbridge, Ontario... aka Little Italy. Currently all my neighbours have their garage doors open and they are canning bushel upon bushel of tomatoes. I love the sight, smell and conversation that ensues when I walk down the street. I love my Canadian neck of the woods....and it would be even more perfect if Kristie was my neighbour again!
ReplyDeleteI was born in CanCun, Mexico and at age 6 moved a few hours away from CanCun into a small Mayan town in the jungle =D The simplicity of life down there still run's in my families veins even though we all live in Arizona now. It's the kind of memories we will never forget and my siblings and I all love the qualities we got from life there.
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for sending me over here! I'm following you now! As for me, I'm from Seattle and a PNW girl through and through. I love our cloudy days! I am absolutely loving your little pouches and I love tea too so count me in for you sweet giveaway!
ReplyDeleteI have lived in Manitoba all my life. Although I sometimes dream of living somewhere where there is slightly (please insert sarcastic tone) less snow in the winter I do love the summers and the great fall time we can sometimes have, such as this year. We also have some great festivals that we can enjoy as a family. I have also travelled to so many great places within Canada and look forward to seeing so many more!
ReplyDeleteNo blogger account here, so if I win please contact me at sfolbert@shaw.ca
Thanks for the cool giveaway! I'm in Alabama, but I grew up in Indiana. My favorite thing about living in the South? It hardly ever snows!
ReplyDeleteI'm in London, Ontario where there's an excellent trail all along the river. I confess that I regularly read your blog *because* you are Canadian -- it's so helpful to hear about fabric/craft suppliers that ship to and even originate in Canada.
ReplyDeleteOriginally from Utah, currently living in Fairfield, California. I think there are many special things about Fairfield, but the most interesting thing is that it's the home of the Jelly Belly Factory. You can go to the factory and take a tour and learn how Jelly Belly's are made. Mmmm!
ReplyDeleteI live in Nottingham, England but am a proud Scot. Although I really like living in Nottingham, I miss Scotland A LOT - I miss talking fast and using scottish words and going out ot the pub late. I miss the sense of humour and even the minky weather (horizontal sleat in October anyone?). Working on persuading the other half to move home with me - it will be a long battle but I will be victorious in the end :)
ReplyDeleteHave lived in many places.....but my heart is always happiest when I am close to the ocean. Now we are as close as we can afford and I love the beach whether it is sunny or not. We are also close to Legoland....which will be even more fun when the Grandchildren are old enough to play there. XXX
ReplyDeleteI grew up in Louisville, KY, but live in Cicinnati now thanks to my hubby's job transfer. They are pretty similar cities, but Louisville is WAY cooler in my opinion.
ReplyDeleteloving your modified gathered clutch, I just might have to make one.
ReplyDeleteI am loving your blog and am your newest follower:)
Blessings,
Alisa
Hi! I'm Shannon and I'm currently living in Syracuse, NY. I love the Fall here, the leaves are spectacular and the air is crisper than anywhere I've ever lived!
ReplyDeleteshannoncarman at yahoo dot com
Those clutches are to die for cute, I love them....and your quilts are amazing, so glad I found your blog.
ReplyDeleteI live in Hanover, PA currently, but I was born and breed in Baltimore, MD....known in the states as charm city, home to John Waters of Hairspray fame......and.....Duff Goldman of charm city cakes (actually went to college with him and he is an amazing talent)
What a great clutch. I live in San Diego County, California in a town called Lakeside. San Diego is a great place to be with the ocean right here and a drive of only one-two hours to the snow in the winter. We are a navy town so the men outnumber the women, I have been told, lol. Married 35 years myself.
ReplyDeleteI wanna enter but I can't think of much to brag about???
ReplyDeleteUmm, our crime rate dropped by 6.4% last year.
Does that count : )
I'm from lovely Melbourne Australia : )
I've always lived in Eastern Ontario and currently live in Kanata, home of the Ottawa Senators. I'm always happy to find a fellow Canadian blogger, particularly if they can point me in the direction of great fabric. Oh, and are those Fluevogs I spied in the post before this one? LOVE!
ReplyDeleteI'm currently living in Utah. The thing I love most about Utah is our beautiful mountains. I also love that we have 4 seasons but I'm not a fan of the HOT summers and cold winters so I love spring and fall. Both great times to put the family in the car and drive through the canyon.
ReplyDeleteemilyannwilson@hotmail.com
I am from Michigan. I love our state because no matter where you are, you can drive 2 hours one way and be at the water. Michigan has so many beautiful beaches, sand dunes, and beautiful scenery. They make you forget about the crappy cold winters we get ;) I couldnt imagine living anywhere else!
ReplyDeleteI live in East Tennessee. We have the Smokey Mountains, a little slower pace and who can forget the huge NASCAR track?! haha Our city actually straddles the state line between Tennessee and Virginia, so we get to enjoy both!
ReplyDeleteI'm Jenn from Pataskala, Ohio. I love living in the middle of farm country, while being able to get downtown in 20 minutes for the conveniences of city life.
ReplyDeleteI am from Ojai, California. I love my small town. We have everyone from the artsy, cowboys, hippies, average people like me :) and well known actors that make up our town. We are about 45 min. south of Santa Barbara and north of Los Angeles.
ReplyDeleteHi from Ottawa! When I first moved here 5 years ago someone told me that during the winter you'll see everybody you know while skating on the canal. I didn't believe it until I randomly met up with two of my friends who'd moved to the states 6 months earlier, a friend from Japan who was here for a visit and 4 more people who I worked with all on the same afternoon. It freaked me out a little.
ReplyDeletemaget
littlefurymaget(AT)yahoo(DOT)ca
Heather from Utah. hmmm...utah has alot of crafters and quilters and quilt shops...that is what I am bragging about. thanks for linking up!
ReplyDelete