Wednesday, September 8, 2010

giveaway + a recipe with sara thomas


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




 yay to september!
cooler evenings. 
warm + cozy sweaters.
beautiful foliage.
gorgeous new handmade collections launching.
and apples apples everywhere.

so i'm especially delighted to have the talented jewelry artist sara thomas with us today, sharing both a yummy apple pie oatmeal DIY recipe + offering a beautiful autumnal giveaway from her simply gorgeous fall 2010 jewelry collection! you're gonna love it!


sara writes: i made up this recipe a couple of years ago. i love fall and always have lots of apples because my uncle is an apple farmer. when the weather starts to get cooler, i want a yummy hot breakfast that will keep my full! oatmeal is so healthy and it's not hard to make the "real" kind yummy so you dont have to eat the processed instant stuff!

:: apple pie oatmeal ::

1 1/2 cups water
1/2 cup rolled oats (organic if possible)
1 small apple, peeled and chopped
3 Tb. (real!) maple syrup- you could also use turbinado or brown sugar
1 Tb. butter
1 tsp cinnamon
nutmeg to taste
1/4 cup milk

Bring water, oats and apples to a boil over med. heat uncovered. Stir frequently to avoid burning! Once water has been soaked up and oats are cooked, remove from heat. Add the maple syrup, butter, cinnamon, nutmeg and milk and stir until mixed through. 
..............
good golly - that sounds delicious, sara! thanks so much!
and just as delectable is her beautiful work as an eco-friendly jewelry artist!

i just love sara's new fall 2010 collection: inspired by nature, capturing the hues and feel and emotions of our delightful new season! the pieces are unique, charming, engaging, inspiring, & wonderful - just like sara herself!

aren't they gorgeous? 
sara thomas designs
shop | blog | twitter | facebook


 

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

and now... one lucky rikrak studio reader will WIN...
an autumn bird's nest necklace
{valued @ $33.00} 
designed by sara thomas

sara writes about the piece:  This unique and gorgeous necklace features a rustic bird's nest made of pure copper and glittery gold stone eggs. Gold stone is truly beautiful, flecked with golden sparkles throughout its cinnamon-colored finish. The nest is oxidized to a chocolate brown, finished by hand with a fine steel wool to achieve a weathered look and tumbled to smooth and shiny. The bird's nest hangs from an antiqued copper chain that measures 18-inches and closes with a claw clasp and handmade link embellished with a matching gold stone bead. *This item is a LIMITED EDITION piece of the Fall 2010 collection!

 

 
1. visit the lovely sara thomas designs shop!
...  tell us about your favourite goodie & why you love it!
=   1 entry
2. tell us  your fave breakfast recipe {OR apple recipe!}  to make!
=   1 entry

3.  become a follower of the beautiful sara thomas blog
...  and tell us
=   1 entry

4. follow BOTH sarathomas  (she's http://twitter.com/SaraTDesigns )
and me (i'm http://www.twitter.com/therikrakshop) on twitter.
...  and tell us
=   1 entry

5.  become a facebook fan of sara thomas designs.
... & tell us.
= 1 entry

6.  follow or subscribe to the rikrak studio blog
... & tell us.
= 1 entry

7. 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

8. blog about this giveaway
... come back and tell us.
= 1 entry

9. :: PLEASE NOTE :: 
each entry must be it's own comment.
thanks! ::


..........................................
:: RULES ::
a) it is possible to have a maximum of 8 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 sara thomas designs giveaway will be chosen on thursday september 16th @ 11 pm 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.


................................................
yay fall!
Pin It

Tuesday, September 7, 2010

that favourite pencil case

pencil zipper pouch by allisa jacobs

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

did you ever have a favourite pencil case?
a favourite backpack or lunchbox or glittery pen that you  cherished, perhaps cherish fondly still as part of your schooldays?

my forever-loved-shortlist of school supplies would have to include: mr. sketch smelly markers + a well loved red + turquoise canvas zipper pencil case, that, over the years, was covered with friends' signatures, goofy doodles, you know the scene.

*sigh*

today little rikrak headed off to his new school.

me: nostalgic, excited, photograph-ee, teary-eyed.

him: excited, thrilled to meet new friends, his already favourite pencil case tucked into his backpack along with sharp new pencil crayons, way-too-much lunch and enough school supplies to fill 2 desks. 

hope him + that pencil case have such a great great day.

and you? 
have a favourite school supply you still think fondly of?

back-to-school tales at your home these days?

here's to a great year ahead for all our little ones.
{and big hugs to the mommies + daddies waving goodbye for the day ... GOOD GOLLY.. i was a FONT-o-tears! }


fun handmade school supplies!
.............
1.  chalkboard calendar by somethingshidinghere
2.  crayone fine art photo by twovegangirls 
3. hello snack sacks by beethings 
4. woodblock print by 1canoe2 
5. mini blank book by bangbangyourethread
6. mars staedtler pencil box by wolfhouse  
7. pencil zipper pouch by simbiosisbyjulia 
8. bookplate stickers by scribblingclub
9. messenger bag by mediumcontrol 
Pin It

Monday, September 6, 2010

change

personalized bus scroll/ destinations canvas by TransitDesign

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

welcome welcome to transition day where i live.
we're celebrating the labour day long weekend. 

behind us summer. 
ahead of us autumn.
tomorrow school starts + new routines + another new journey continues. 

where is your next adventure taking you these days?
how are you feeling about the transitions of life?
how are you feeling about tomorrows these days? 

refreshed? nervous? excited? invigorated? scared?
all of the above?

happy change to those of you embracing it/ within it /emerging from it.

change can be such a scary + wonderful thing all at once, can't it?
here's to things new, nicies.

Pin It

Friday, September 3, 2010

cakes + cakes + cakes!


 amazing cake artistry by:

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

 yay birthdays!
well i'm excited to say it's my birthday this long weekend. 
thanks so much for the lovely well-wishes, nicies!

thought we'd finish off the week with some delicious + beautiful cakes to take us into this celebratory few days!

i went with a pretty floral + lacey + ruffley theme this year.
can you believe all of these artisanal cakes are handmade? that all of those flowers aren't real live flora but made of sugary goodness? amazing!

i know most of these are to be wedding cakes, but i think a beautiful cake is perfect for ANY occasion!

what's your favourite kind of cake? 

i adore my mom's famous upside down peach + brown sugar cake + pretty much anything with chocolate! 

have a celebratory-great-weekend, nicies!

woohoo!

 .......................


 amazing cake artistry by:





Pin It

congrats!



happy friday, lovelies!


and ... congrats today goes out to random.org's #8!.... shelley / freeindeed, who has won the bkd signature gift certificate giveaway! yay shelley (a faithful rikrak studio follower indeed!)

thanks so much for playing, everyone!

and i'll be back in a bit with some yummy treats for the weekend! stay tuned.
Pin It

Thursday, September 2, 2010

the ekphrastic challenge *revealed* : part five


:: row 1 :: larimeloom + mojospastyle




wonderful imaginings, nicies!
love the tones and hues you all incorporated in this round of the ekphrastic challenge!

here's what you all came up with, inspired by Paul Signac's pointillist superstar Sandy Seashore. 


gorgeous! just gorgeous!

AND as an extra special thank you, cheers go out to 2 wonderstars: the wonderful vadjutka + the amazing fleurfatale - who each created a piece especially for the challenge! woohoo!

wonderful, inspired work, nicies!


by vadjutka







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

by fleur fatale
Pin It

Wednesday, September 1, 2010

the MEGA birthday bash giveaway!




welcome welcome september!
my favourite month.

wanna know a little secret?
it's my birthday pretty soon, nicies! woohoo!

so let's have a party!
i've asked some wonderful handmakers & vintage finders & cratfy supply creators to join me in a MEGA birthday bash-of-a-giveaway! { thanks so much for your kind kind generosity, nicies!}

there are THREE (that's right, 3!)
amazing prize packs up for grabs! each prize pack will have a different funfun winner!

here we go: 


:: prize pack A ::
valued at over $100!

:: a gorgeous pink + creme In a Knot recycled t-shirt scarf | ragsbysockmonkey + petitedancer25
:: winners' choice of TWO beautiful 8 x 10 prints | candace jean
:: fabulous prize pack of amazing paper embellishments | {embellish*ology}
:: lovely raspberry + brass lucite teardrop earrings | michabella



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



:: prize pack B ::
valued at over $100!

:: funfun *be happy* vintage wooden blocks set | vintage by alex keller
:: beautiful Eva necklace | alex keller
:: lovely mrs. cow ice blue tshirt in YOUR size | Strand ReDesign
:: amazing supplies pack {including RICKRACK!, ribbon, novelty tapes, buttons and more!} | titchables

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






:: prize pack C ::
valued at over $100!



:: 3 gorgeous photographic prints of YOUR CHOICE| kristi mcmurry 
:: lovely wrapped mystic quartz earrings | nansglam
:: fun ferris wheel necklace | karamae
:: 3 nifty iron-on vintage fabric birdies | rikrak


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



1. visit my birthday bash giveaway sponsors' shops.
come back here and leave ONE COMMENT on what your favourite item is from their fabulous shops! = 1 entry per comment.

you can visit as many shops as you like
and comment once for each shop.
this giveaway's sponsors are:
....................

2. tell us something YOU'RE celebrating these days!
= 1 entry 
3. heart each of the following shops!
= 1 entry per shop!

4. come follow or subscribe to each of the following BLOGS.= 1 entry for EACH blog you follow.



5. tweet about this giveaway
= up to 2 entries (one for each tweet!)
and come back here and tell me about it. please include my twitter account in the update: i'm @therikrakshop on twitter!)

6. follow each of the following on twitter
= 1 entry PER person you follow.



7. blog about the giveaway and tell me about it here.
= 1 entry

8. friend each of the following on facebook. 
 = 1 entry PER friend-ing! :)

9. do a facebook update
about the giveaway with a link, and tell us here 
= 1 entry

10. 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, to WIN! thanks!

d) there will be 3 winners of this giveaway chosen from random.org on
wednesday, september 15th @ 11pm EST. the first # drawn will win prize A. the 2nd # drawn will win prize B. the 3rd # drawn will win prize C.

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!

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



Pin It