the rikrak *with thanks* giveaway!

gosh!
i just have the loveliest readers!
your warm comments. your fun support. & your daily followings
are so very much appreciated! please know that i read each and every kind comment, and am so thrilled that you're joining me on this handmaking path!

and i also superdooper appreciate all of the lovely handmaking folks who have joined me as sponsors along my new bloggy route here! their support and beautiful work means so much to me!

so... in honour i thought we'd have another little *thankful* giveaway!

:::::::::::: the prize: ::::::::::::
a fabulous $25.00 gift certificate from me to YOU to spend in
ANY ONE OF MY SPONSORS shops!

that's right... one lucky winner will get to spend the prize in any of my sponsors e-shops! i will also throw in free shipping if applicable* (*= up to $5.00 shipping) of your item worldwide! in the case of sponsors as blogs, you can use the gift certificate toward an ad spot with them! woowee!

............................................................................................

:::::::: here's how to enter: ::::::::::::

1. visit my lovely sponsors' shops / blogs
(as seen on the left hand column).
come back here and leave ONE COMMENT on what your favourite item is from their fabulous shop! = 1 entry per comment.

you can visit as many sponsor shops as you'd like, and comment once for each shop. = 26 possible entries.

{ in the case of my sponsors who are blogs, please visit them and come back and tell us your fave thing about their blogging!}


this month's sponsors are:

able mabel
adorn + cherish
alex keller
avril loreti
beads and bits
blacklotus design
blomma finds
bornagain purses
fluur
getreadysetGO!
iva art
kim's crafty apple
little bit of pretty
monko photography
my handbound books
open stock supply
phydeaux designs
prairie blossoms
random pretties
paper*cakes finds
suzies cards
tanis alexis
the empty nest
the scribble group
theme fragrance
tomate depingles

2. tell us something you feel *thankful* for
in your own life, and leave us a comment about it! = 1 entry

3. come follow or subscribe to my little blog
(please note: to win this particular giveaway you must be a rikrak studio follower or subscriber! thanks nicies!)
and join the fun everyday! = 1 entry
please leave me a comment about it.

4. you can also enter by twittering about the giveaway
= 1 entry
and coming back here and telling me about it. (i'm @therikrakshop on twitter!)

5. you can also enter by blogging about the giveaway
and telling me about it here
= 1 entry

6. you can also enter by doing a facebook update
about the giveaway with a link, and tell us here = 1 entry

7. please just make sure that each entry is its own comment!

..........................................
RULES:

a) it is possible to have numerous entries total per person.
b) please make sure to leave each entry as it's own comment. thanks!
c) for this particular giveaway, YOU MUST BE A RIKRAK studio follower or subscriber,
old or new! thanks!
d) the winner of this giveaway will be chosen from random.org on nov. 24th @ 9pm.
e) please be sure to leave me an email where i can reach you if your account doesn't link to one. thanks.
f) thanks so much everyone! and thanks for visiting the blog!

............................

i'm so thankful for all of you!

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let's celebrate: architechture! doors open ottawa

inside the wonderful national gallery of canada
photo by Intrepide98

i just love architecture.
i've been a longtime fan of amazing buildings & fabulous structures. and one of the many funfun things our lovely city of ottawa celebrates each year is the amazing architechture all around us with *doors open!*

yay!
so this weekend, throughout our lovely city, folks are celebrating *doors open* : a rare chance to glimpse inside some of our city's most amazing buildings.

the ottawa experimental farm by Lin-Na Tan via the doorsopenottawa photostream

first of all, it's free! wonderful!
2nd, doors open is a fabulous chance to see many usually *private* buildings from the inside out, just for one or two days a year! this year, there are 108 buildings opening up to the public in ottawa. in the past few years, the family rikrak has been amazed and thrilled to explore the Canada Post Mail Processing Plant (you know how i love mail! - it was AMAZING in there seeing the letters whirrr past as cyber speed!), the Brittania Water Purification Plant (seeing how that works was so fascinating!) , and various science labs, goverment buildings, embassies and places of worship!

many museums and art galleries are also free over the weekend, like my very favourite, the National Gallery of Canada! woohoo!

started in 1984 in France, the doors open movement has spread throughout Europe. in 2000, toronto was the first city in north america to celebrate it's heritage buildings with doors open toronto! and soon the fun spread throughout ontario. according to the doors open ontario website, numerous other destinations, including new york, denver, newfoundland & alberta celebrate doors open each year!

so check your local doors open calendar, OR maybe encourage your own municipality heritage group to think about it!

interior detailing of the Chateau Laurier by georgia.g

it's a wonderful way to see, up close, the amazing architecture of our hometowns and cities. and i think a wonderful way to garner appreciation for the beautiful buildings that are part of our everyday designerly lives!

does your city participate?
if you had the chance, what's a building in the world that you'd love to see inside? i'd love to hear!

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local craft shows: {the may/june edition}

sugared violet perfume by sweetanthem

grey dangler earrings by MountainManCreations

jiggity jig unisex tee by mchen

4 knit stitch pdf patterns by MissMotleys

bird nest flower necklace by MothHouse

white heart stitch earrings by thepinpals

guitar string big boy hoop earrings by cheapdatejewelry

Maine cityscape painting by Cityscapes by Breton

tie Pendant by MollyStuff

mittens photo notecard by SheShootsSheepSheepShots

silk star stitch porcelain vase by nesting emily

pair of tumbler cocktail glasses by lure arts

..................

it’s that wonderful time of year again. spring has sprung and there are wonderful handmade festivals and shows and craft sales in every township and city! i asked folks to let me know here in this thread of any art & craft shows they’d be participating in for may & june – and here’s a roundup of wonderful spots where you can shop local and see your areas' finest artisans in action!

(sorry no folks from outside north america have dropped in on the thread yet- so please feel free to add your shows from everywhere here!)

in the US

boston, MA

May 16 to 17

SOWA art walk www.sowaartwalk.com.

come see: Cityscapes by Breton

Cambridge, MA

June 7^th

Design Hive Indie Market

visit: cheapdatejewelry

Claire, MI

May 15 & 16

Yoder’s Quilt Auction

visit: Mulchandmore

Central MI

May 9 & 10

Uncle John’s Mother’s Day Art & Craft Show

see: teresaceramics

South Sutton , NH

May 9 & 10

New Hampshire Sheep & Wool festival: http://www.nhswga.com/content/view/36/33/

stop by and see: SheShootsSheepShots

Jacksonville, FL

May 16th

Riverdale Arts Market

Moth House

Phoenix, AZ

First Fridays Art Walk (happening the 1^st Friday of every month)

visit crochetgal 's booth!

Columbus, OH

May 16-17^th

Eco-Chic Craftacular http://www.columbuscraftacular.com/

check out:

MissMotleys & MollyStuff

Kenosha, WI

June 7

Good Old Summertime Art Fair

stop by and see: MadeByMarni

Seattle , WA

May 9^th

Who’s Your Mama @ SPACE

visit:

SweetAnthem

................

in Canada

Ottawa, ON

May 9^th

Tarts n’ Crafts @ Jack Purcell Community Centre

so many superstars:

like Emily Chen design

the pinpals

loot by stina B

and 3^rdlife

to name a few cuties!

Gabriola, BC

Saturday Markets

visit:

Mountain Man Creations

Brandon, MB

May 15^th

Brandon Farmer’s Market Co-op – the Town Centre

visit:

WillowTree Designs

Toronto, ON

May 16^th

A Spring Handmade Market http://www.handmademarkettoronto.blogspot.com/

come by and see more Ontario superstars, like:

nesting Emily

minouette

flyball bags

lure arts

so check out your local listings and find out about all of the great LOCAL handmade shows & festivals happening in your area this season!

please post links & dates & festivals

YOU’LL be selling your handmade goodies @ in May & June below,

so everyone can see!

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the winter blues ( & whites)

the message in a bottle: make a wish for the planet project by professor Jennifer Macklem @ winterlude ottawa 2009. photo by rikrak

oh heavens... winter continues.
seems like in general, folks around these parts are ready to say goodbye to the long cold winter for another year. but winter just loves us too much for that! winter just wants to extend it's visit and stay. and stay. and stay. feels like there's a few more weeks of courtship left! (it's soooo cold out today! brrr!)

but ... i have faith.
eventually, the lovely lovely long-awaited spring will come! so til then, thought i'd bypass the winter blues & revel just a bit more in one of my favourite things about winter: the beauty blue of the winter sky and the wonderous white of the snowy world.

cause hey - it really will be spring.... soon.... right? won't it?

mr.rikrak & little rikrak skating on the pond. photo by rikrak.

the boys on the winterlude snowflake kingdom ice slides! photo by rikrak

mr. rikrak & little rikrak skating on the pond. photo by rikrak.

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