a gorgeous giveaway with artist darrin davis of crazy uncle art studios!

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have i got a treat for you today, nicies!

it's with great pleasure that i celebrate the launch of a wonderful new handmade fine art shop that's very near and dear to my heart.  hip hip hurray! & three cheers for one of my favourite folks in the whole wide world, my fabulous & talented brother, darrin davis, and the opening of his boutique Crazy Uncle Art Studios.

darrin says it best: "Crazy Uncle Art Studios "Balances Fine-Art Snobbery & Greasy Kids Stuff!"  - i create handmade art from the heart, ranging from vibrant, engaging fine-art Nursery Paintings and Prints for the kiddies to dramatic, breath-taking Black and White nature photography for the non-diapered! :)  This shop is like a favourite family diner for the eyes, providing nourishing treats to young and old, with the added bonus of a 100% no-heartburn guarantee!"

indeed, this shop is a veritable wonderland of fabulous gifts for everyone on your Holiday list!  

• how about an adorable personalized animal painting on canvas for your favourite little ones?  
• or a giclee print from his evocative "men wearing hats, crying" series for a favourite art-loving friend?  
• or ordering a few sets of his ever-expanding & mesmerizing "wanderlust" nature photograph notecards as the perfect everyone-will-love-them gift for co-worker gift exchanges, teachers, neighbours and more this gift-giving season!

on a personal note: darrin is the gosh-darn best brother around. his amazing talent in so many creative spheres always inspires me - among his many talents he's also a brilliant musician - isn't almost home so lovely? and remember his fabulous canadian playlist here?  

and... he's a true nicey! he's the most hilariously fun & funny person in the world and i love how you can sense his fabulous being in every piece of art he crafts from his amazing eye for colour-play to his captivatingly rich photography. love you, brother!

so be sure to visit darrin around the web, and read on to
WIN a $50 gift card to crazy uncle art studios! woohoo!

darrin davis
crazy uncle art studios shop | facebook | twitter | the darrin davis band
 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

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one way to enter is to grab one of my rikrak studio buttons,

like this one for YOUR BLOG! here they are!

<center> <a href="http://rikrakstudio.blogspot.com" target="_blank"><img alt="the rikrak studio" src="http://i834.photobucket.com/albums/zz267/rikrakstudio/therikrakstudiorectangle.jpg" /></a></center>

<center> <a href="http://rikrakstudio.blogspot.com" target="_blank"><img alt="the rikrak studio" src="http://i834.photobucket.com/albums/zz267/rikrakstudio/therikrakstudiosquare.jpg" /></a></center>

and add it to your blog!

{ ... just copy & paste the text in the box above onto your blog sidebar! thanks! }

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

 

:: RULES ::

a) it is possible to have numerous entries total per person.
b) please make sure to leave each entry as its own comment. thanks!
c) using random.org, 1 winner of this  giveaway will be chosen on nov.8th @ 12:01 am EST.
d) open to contestants worldwide.
e) please be sure to leave me an email where i can reach you if your account doesn't link to one. thanks.

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a playlist & a giveaway with a fabulous gold medal winner: ReComputing!

what a treat we have for you today, nicies!
not only a gorgeous giveaway with one of the 2012 handmade olympics gold medalists, but also a fabulous & fun playlist that'll have you dancing up a storm in no time!

don't you just adore ReComputing, a self-proclaimed *handmade geekery jewelry & accessories shop*, featuring goodies made from recycled computers? i love the clean, modern designs, with everything from cuff links, tie tacks, pendants, necklaces to earrings, clocks, rings! {and ps: owner natalka ALSO handcrafts some of my VERY favourite embroidered jewelry in the whole WORLD, too, in her gorgeous skrynka shop! *swoon!* what a talented superstar!}
  

so be sure to visit natalka around the web, and read on to 

WIN a $25 gift certificate to the ReComputing shop! woohoo!

natalka

ReComputing shop | Skrynka shop | blog | twitter |facebook

newsletter

first up, natalka's fun PLAYLIST. she writes: "So, my theme is inspirational songs. These songs always lift my mood and they never bore me!"

1.      Depeche Mode - Enjoy The Silence

2.      Kylie Minogue - 2 Hearts

3.      Muse - New Born 

4.      Natasha Bedingfield - These Words 

5.      R.E.M. - Love Is All Around 

6.      Queen - Don't Stop Me Now

7.      The Beatles - All You Need is Love 

8.      The Rolling Stones-  Rain Fall Down

9.      The Verve - Bitter Sweet Symphony

10.     Zaz- je veux 

"Most of these songs are not only my favorite but also my husband’s. It’s very important for me to have a partner with similar tastes, as they're the person I want to live life with! You can see, we are vintage folks when it comes to music. I can barely name 1 or 2 songs from the last year that I like. Zaz is the youngest in the list. 

Well, I thought about Adele but it had to take some time for the song to jump here.

All of the songs are confirmed by our little 2 years old son. He's enjoyed them since he was a baby. And when he learned to walk he started to dance and sing, too."

thanks so much, natalka! love your fun playlist! now for the superfun GIVEAWAY!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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

one way to enter is to grab one of my rikrak studio buttons,

like this one for YOUR BLOG! here they are!

<center> <a href="http://rikrakstudio.blogspot.com" target="_blank"><img alt="the rikrak studio" src="http://i834.photobucket.com/albums/zz267/rikrakstudio/therikrakstudiorectangle.jpg" /></a></center>

<center> <a href="http://rikrakstudio.blogspot.com" target="_blank"><img alt="the rikrak studio" src="http://i834.photobucket.com/albums/zz267/rikrakstudio/therikrakstudiosquare.jpg" /></a></center>

and add it to your blog!

{ ... just copy & paste the text in the box above onto your blog sidebar! thanks! }

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

 

:: RULES ::

a) it is possible to have numerous entries total per person.
b) please make sure to leave each entry as its own comment. thanks!
c) using random.org, 1 winner of this  giveaway will be chosen on
october 12 @ 12:01 am EST.
d) open to contestants worldwide.
e) please be sure to leave me an email where i can reach you if your account doesn't link to one. thanks.

 

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the art of the bath: with the spa goddess

breathe in.

breathe out.

walk to bathtub.

turn on water.

indulge!

is there ANYTHING more relaxing then a quiet, peaceful, hot water bath?! good heavens no.

so i've invited a bathtime guru to join us today on how to craft the perfect bath. welcome welcome to  the talented jessica of Spa Goddess /  Angel Face Botanicals. i just adore jessica's gorgeous nature-inspired shop - filled with eco-friendly aromatherapy bath & beauty creations! luxurious scrubs, organic facial care, yummy butters, lotions & delightful fizzes  inspire the imagination & senses! Spa Goddess is a handmaking superstar, and has the testimonials, reviews and mega press features to show for it!

it's a real treat to have such an eco-forward handmaking wonderwoman with us... and i hope you'll read on to see you YOU can WIN a Spa Goddess gift voucher! {FUN!} 

spa goddess

shop | site | twitter | blog | facebook

but first... let's hear a glorious, invigorating yet relaxing playlist by our artist to help craft the perfect bath!

......

i just love a great playlist. i think it stems back to those glorious mixed tapes days where i'd either make, sometimes receive and always always covet a fabulous collection of tunes by various great artists! for me, a personal playlist is a magical grouping of songs. *bliss!* ... so i've asked some wonderful artists if they'd make up a little playlist on a theme for this rikrak studio series. i thought we might get a glimpse into what musically inspires these fabulous folks... i'm thrilled to present the next: playlists with Spa Goddess. and check out the other great playlists here.

.........

bath art  

:: top :: istanbul print by stephanielevy

:: bottom :: bathtub fine art print by janeheller

jessica writes: My products are quite sensory engaging many of our senses: smell, touch, sight, and somewhere in there, also mood, emotion & inspiration. I do a regular theme on my blog  called The Art of the Bath  where I feature a photo/painting/illustration of an amazing bathtub: modern, outdoor, cozy, luxe, rustic, candlelit, humorous, etc. Often I will describe a real or fantasy bathing experience involving a collection of my products whose scent/function complete the mood created by the photo.

For my playlist, I’ve chosen some of my favorite music to create a decadent bathing experience and take The Art of the Bath to the next level with another of our senses: sound. These are the complete albums so the different moods created by each artist/compilation will flow consistently through the entire bath. 

theme: the art of the bath

dj: jessica of spa goddess

1. Miles Davis, Ascenseur pour l'echafaud  

2. Nick Drake, Pink Moon 

3. Bon Hiver, For Emma, Forever Ago

4. Zero 7, When it falls

5. Café del Mar - Volumen Siete

6. Dead Can Dance, Toward the Within

7. Bach , Brandenburg Concertos

8. Air, Moon Safari

9. Chet Baker, Jazz Around Midnight

10. Band of Horses, Cease to Begin

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and now... ONE lucky rikrak studio reader will WIN...

---> a $30 spa goddess gift voucher <----

1. visit the lovely spa goddess shop. 

...  tell us about your favourite goodie & why you love it!

=   1 entry

2. heart/fave the spa goddess shop on etsy.

...  & tell us.

=   1 entry

3. follow jessica's blog. 

...  & tell us.

=   1 entry

4. join the spa goddess facebook group. 

...  & tell us.

=   1 entry

5. follow BOTH the spa goddess (she's  @spagoddess ) the rikrak shop (that's me! twitter.com/therikrakshop)  on twitter

... & tell us.

= 1 entry

6.  follow or subscribe to the rikrak studio blog

... & tell us.

= 1 entry

7. share a favourite song that fits jessica's fun *songs for a great bath* playlist!

= 1 entry

8. tweet on twitter

... about this giveaway and come back here and tell us! be sure to include @therikrakshop so i can find you! 

= 1 entry

9. blog about this giveaway

... come back and tell us.

= 1 entry

10. grab one of my NEW rikrak studio buttons,
like this one from the left hand sidebar, for YOUR BLOG!

<center><a href="http://rikrakstudio.blogspot.com" target="_blank"><img alt="the rikrak studio" src="http://i834.photobucket.com/albums/zz267/rikrakstudio/therikrakstudiorectangle.jpg" /></a></center>

<center><a href="http://rikrakstudio.blogspot.com" target="_blank"><img alt="the rikrak studio" src="http://i834.photobucket.com/albums/zz267/rikrakstudio/therikrakstudiosquare.jpg" /></a></center>

and add it to your blog!

{ ... just copy & paste the text in the box above  onto your blog sidebar! thanks! }

11. :: PLEASE NOTE: 

each entry must be it's own comment.

thanks! ::

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

:: RULES ::

a) it is possible to have a maximum of 10 entries total per person.
b) please make sure to leave each entry as it's own comment. thanks!
c) using random.org, 1 winner of the spa goddess giveaway will be chosen on friday october 15th @ 11pm EST.
d) open to contestants worldwide.
e) please be sure to leave me an email where i can reach you if your account doesn't link to one. thanks.
 

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

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giveaway & a playlist: with nesting emily

what is an artist?

a creator? a visionary? a creative powerhouse that can effectively articulate emotion + ideas into inspiring expressive form?

for me, the  mutli-media superstar emily jull of nesting emily embodies all of these truly admirable attributes (and more!)  ... i love emily's art!

as a longtime admirer of her work, i'm constantly amazed & inspired by the fantastical ways emily creates beautiful & functional new works in ceramics & textiles. 

it is delightfully mesmerizing for me to see her art so brilliantly marry kntting or fibres or felting,  & porcelain forms in such invigorating, organic ways. a trip to her amazing gallery of a shop is a breath of inspiring fresh air ... just like a gorgeous autumny walk!

so i hope you'll read on to find out how you can WIN one of emily's gorgeous works from her fabulous new knit obi vase collection!

but first, a delightful autumny playlist from our artist!

nesting emily

shop | flickr

......

i just love a great playlist. i think it stems back to those glorious mixed tapes days where i'd either make, sometimes receive and always always covet a fabulous collection of tunes by various great artists! for me, a personal playlist is a magical grouping of songs. *bliss!* ... so i've asked some wonderful artists if they'd make up a little playlist on a theme for this rikrak studio series. i thought we might get a glimpse into what musically inspires these fabulous folks... i'm thrilled to present the next: playlists with nesting emily! and check out the other great playlists here.

.........

theme: Songs for an Autumn walk

dj: emily jull of nesting emily

September- by Pomplamoose 

(Maybe the best, happiest cover of all time!) 

The Shape of My Heart- by Noah and the Whale 

(Oh so sweet, these boys are)

 

Echo Beach- by Martha and the Muffins 
(I am a child of the 80's and this in a fav)

 

My Moon My Man- by Feist

(Simply too good not to include)

You're a Wolf- by Sea Wolf 

(My favourite walking song) 

St. Francis- by Ohbijou  

(My favourite Canadian band- they are amazing live!) 

Mykonos- by Fleet Foxes 

(Not since Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young have a group of men sung so beautifully) 

Devil Spoke- by Laura Marling  

(I love her voice so much!!!) 

Heartbeats- by Jose Gonzalez  

(Maybe the other best cover of all time- so pretty.) 

Undertow- by Warpaint 

(these gals are my newest musical find & I am so smitten!) 

.........

thanks so much, emily! what a fabulous playlist!

and now... one lucky rikrak studio reader will win... 

---> this amazing emily jull original knit obi vase <----

valued at $40.

emily writes about the giveaway item:  I am premiering this line on the rikrak blog. This is a knit obi bottle/vase. It is my ode to the great knitters and spinners of our craft community. It comes with a removeable obi (scarf, sweater) of hand spun yarn (this one is by funky caroline) that way it can be enjoyed with it's obi, bare or someone can add their own (knit, sewn, etc). This one is about 7 inches tall by about 4 inched across. It is lined with moss green glaze and can hold water or other liquids (could add cork to have it hold oil etc).

 

1. visit the lovely nesting emily shop.

...  tell us about your favourite goodie & why you love it!

=   1 entry

2. heart/fave the  nesting emily shop on etsy.

...  & tell us.

=   1 entry

3. follow emily on flickr.

...  & tell us.

=   1 entry

4. share a favourite song that fits emily's fun *songs for an autumn walk* playlist!

= 1 entry

5. share a link to a fabric/yarn that you would use to create your own beautiful obi

= 1 entry

6.  follow or subscribe to the rikrak studio blog

... & tell us.

= 1 entry

7. follow  the rikrak shop (that's me! twitter.com/therikrakshop)  on twitter

... & tell us.

= 1 entry

8. tweet on twitter

... about this giveaway and come back here and tell us! be sure to include @therikrakshop so i can find you! 

= 1 entry

9. blog about this giveaway

... come back and tell us.

= 1 entry

10. grab one of my NEW rikrak studio buttons,
like this one from the left hand sidebar, for YOUR BLOG!

<center><a href="http://rikrakstudio.blogspot.com" target="_blank"><img alt="the rikrak studio" src="http://i834.photobucket.com/albums/zz267/rikrakstudio/therikrakstudiorectangle.jpg" /></a></center>

<center><a href="http://rikrakstudio.blogspot.com" target="_blank"><img alt="the rikrak studio" src="http://i834.photobucket.com/albums/zz267/rikrakstudio/therikrakstudiosquare.jpg" /></a></center>

and add it to your blog!

{ ... just copy & paste the text in the box above  onto your blog sidebar! thanks! }

11. :: PLEASE NOTE: 

each entry must be it's own comment.

thanks! ::

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

:: RULES ::

a) it is possible to have a maximum of 10 entries total per person.
b) please make sure to leave each entry as it's own comment. thanks!
c) using random.org, 1 winner of the nesting emily giveaway will be chosen on monday october 11th @ 11pm EST.
d) open to contestants worldwide.
e) please be sure to leave me an email where i can reach you if your account doesn't link to one. thanks.
 

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

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