{Giveaway}

Hey everyone! I'm doing my first photography giveaway!

For your first entry, comment on this photo and let me know where you'd like to have your photoshoot, if you win!

For a second entry, become a follower of this blog.

For a third entry, "like" Classic Couture on Facebook. Click HERE.

For a fourth entry, tweet about this giveaway.

For a fifth entry, share the giveaway on Facebook.

*Winner must be in Utah. (Anywhere from Davis county to Utah county.) Unless you want to pay for my travel to where you are. ;) If you did that, I'd give you a free shoot anyway. lol!!

Winner will be announced April 2nd.

Good luck!!

GIVEAWAY!

 I've sent you an email. Reply back to it with your info and I'll get your prize sent out to you! -Brie

Perfectly Posh released their NEW CATALOG on Friday! I am so excited about all the new products and for how they've updated their base products. It looks so amazing, I can't wait until March 1 to order some. You can download and view the entire catalog by clicking the arrow button below:


To celebrate the catalog release, I'm giving away an entire set of Lovey Dovey, the limited edition set for February! (Click the picture below to see it larger.)

To enter, share this giveaway on your facebook page, on your blog, on twitter or wherever! Make sure you link it back to here. Post a comment letting me know you shared.

For ONE extra entry, "Like" my Perfectly Posh facebook page. Click HERE. Comment on this post letting me know you're following me there.

For FIVE extra entries, book an online party with me between now and March 31st. Online parties are SO EASY. But you earn hostess incentives like a regular home party. Those incentives include free products! Who doesn't want free things? For more information about hosting a party, feel free to email me at poshbrie@gmail.com. Good luck, everyone! Winner will be announced February 14th. Happy Valentines! :D

Brave Girls Giveaway!

Welcome to my blog, fellow Brave Girls!! I am so happy and excited to have you here! And to my current followers, if you haven't heard about the Brave Girls Club, you DEFINITELY need to check it out. It's an amazing place full of love, hope and encouragement. They have a class called Soul Restoration, which I've been wanting to take since I saw them debut it. I can't believe I haven't taken it yet, because it looks like a truly incredible experience. If you want more information on it, click the image below:

They also have a Brave Girls Camp, that I would seriously consider trading one of my kids to go to. Just sayin'. ;) hahaha!! I'm kidding, of course. But you get the gist of how badly I want to go. lol

And even though I haven't taken the SOUL Restoration classes yet, I still feel such a connection to the Brave Girls and to pretty much everything they do over there, that I wanted to be a part of it even if I'm just doing a giveaway on their page. I would love nothing more than to send this:

to one lucky Brave Girl! This, I think, by far is one of my most favorite pieces that I have created. I love all the colors, working together, shining and sparkling in the light. There are so many yummy beads in here, it's like having a different necklace every time you move with how they move around and shift.

Here's some close ups:

And, if you'd like instructions on how to make it, so you can make one for yourself, check out this blog post I did a few weeks ago: http://vintage53.blogspot.com/2011/05/blingity-bling-ribbon-rhinestones-blog.html

Also, while I have your attention here, check out the purple box on the lower right hand side of my blog. I was involved in an amazing blog hop earlier this month, and we're working to raise money to send to a women's shelter to help families who have been victims of domestic violence. There are some really amazing prizes you can be entered to win by sending cards with messages of hope to our sisters out there. To count for entry, cards need to be postmarked by June 30, but if you can, please send a card. It'd be amazing to be able to share messages of hope and strength to as many women as we can. :D

Ok, back to the giveaway here! To enter:

Leave a comment on this post. Tell me one amazing thing that you love about yourself that you have learned from being a Brave Girl. Let's get some positive mojo going!! I'll start: One thing I love about me is I know that no matter what life throws in front of me, I can and WILL make things work out. :) I'm definitely an "it doesn't matter if the cup is half full or half empty, because I know how to fill it up" kind of person.

Your turn!

For EXTRA entries you can do the following, and please leave a separate comment for each thing you do. If you lump it all together into one comment, it will just count for one entry unfortunately. So be sure you get your extra entries!!

• Be a follower of my facebook page HERE

• Be a follower of the blog

• Share the giveaway by posting it to your own facebook

• Share the giveaway by posting a link in your own blog

• Tweet about the giveaway

So that's SIX entries you could have! Entries must be in by midnight on Tuesday June 28th. I will post the winner on Wednesday June 29th.

Good luck everyone!! And thank you for taking the time to visit my blog, I am so grateful to have you here.

Have an amazing day! -Brie

It's My Birthday!

Congratulations Heather!! I've sent you an email. Reply back to it with your address and I'll get your prize sent out to you. 


Thanks, everyone, for entering and sharing your stories and birthday wishes!! I just posted another giveaway today, if you'd like to enter that one. :) Good luck!!


http://vintage53.blogspot.com/2011/06/brave-girls-giveaway.html




UPDATE!!
I won a Cricut cartridge today at work, but since I don't own a Cricut, I thought I'd pass it on to the winner of this giveaway! YAY!

I wanted to take the opportunity while I had y'all's attention with a GIVEAWAY!!! to introduce a new thing I will be incorporating to this blog. In my "About Me" page, I mention that I had been really into training and healthy living. And if you've followed my blog for a while, you'll know I've done things like post weekly meal plans and fitness tips. WELL. I'm going to expand upon that! I've been supremely slacking the last two years and my waistline is hating me for it. :( I came across a picture of me from back then, and while I still had a good 30-40lbs to lose at the point the picture was taken, I looked GOOD! I'm going to work hard to get back to that, and I'd love for anyone who wants to join me to follow along! My goal is to get back to where I was by Christmas this year, and down to my original goal for my birthday next year!

Here's me, two years ago, at the Scrapbook Expo in SLC, UT. My work, Roberts Crafts, had a booth there and I got to go play. That was a FUN day! :) Look at me! I had a defined chin and collarbones!! hahahaha

So here's the plan.

I met with the man who helped me get started on my weight loss journey two years ago, my old trainer and good friend Raleigh Campbell, and he's going to help me with this new feature on the blog. He and I are going to film different exercises and show how you can adapt them for either a gym setting or for at home. I know not everyone can make it to the gym. I know not everyone has time for extensive workouts. BUT We do all have time for being healthy and we owe it to ourselves to be so! :) So we'll have weekly videos and blog posts with exercise and healthy living tips, advice and whatever else we can think of to help us all out. And I'm going to start up my weekly meal plan posts again. I know how I do it isn't going to work for everyone. But I hope that someone can find something within what I post that can help them. You don't have to follow my meal plans, but maybe they'll give you an idea for dinner one night. :) Or something like that. lol

NOW ON TO THE GIVEAWAY!!!

Since it's my birthday, I'm going to celebrate by giving YOU the opportunity to win this:

Rhinestone charm necklace, made with a gear from 7Gypsies.

AND THESE!

 

• Enter a comment to be counted for your first entry. Tell me what your fitness goals are, and what you'd like to see in the videos and posts we do. I'd love your feedback, and I want it to be something beneficial for all! :D

For additional entries:

• Be a follower of this blog - leave a comment on this post telling me you are a follower.

• Go and "Like" Vintage 53 on facbook. Click HERE to go to the facebook page. Leave a comment on this blog post, letting me know you are following me there.

• Share this giveaway on your own facebook pages. Leave a comment on this post letting me know you shared.

• Share this giveaway on your blog. Leave a comment on this post letting me know you shared. I'd love to see your own blogs as well! :)

• Tweet about this giveaway. Leave a comment on this post letting me know you tweeted.

So you'll have 6 chances to enter! Remember to leave a SEPARATE comment for each entry. I'll pick a winner on Tuesday of next week, which is June 21.

Thank you all for the support and for sharing the page! I really appreciate it and am grateful for each of you. :) Have an amazing day everyone! And good luck!

Royal Purple Blog Hop

I am so honored to be a part of this blog hop! This is definitely a worthwhile cause, and I'm happy to support it in any way possible. As Vintage 53, I donated some fun jewelry and products from my Etsy store to be part of the grand prize giveaway on Faith's blog. And as Roberts Crafts, I was thrilled to be able to donate scrapbooking supplies to Faith as well. (Including the purple 12x12 leather WeR Memory Keepers album, 4 Cricut cartridges and a ton of other fun scrapbook supplies!) We had a stash of kids art supplies in the Roberts office that I was able to send to pass along to the Bradley House.

Before I get to my card that I created, I wanted to include the text from the other blogs in the hop, for you to see the statistics, and to see what we are doing as part of this  hop. The goal is to raise money to send to the Bradley house to help the families there. 

About 4.8 million intimate partner-related physical assaults and rapes occur every year while many more assaults and rapes go unreported entirely. Over 3 million children witness violence in their home each year and those who see and hear violence in the home suffer physically and emotionally. These statistics are sad and overwhelming, but help IS out there for those that choose to break the silence.

Together we can make a difference! Help us instill some hope where very little probably exists and give 24 families a chance at recovery when we are able to donate $1000 dollars to the Bradley Angle House.  Your purple themed card(s) with a hope filled message inside could make all the difference, not to mention give YOU a chance to win the grand prize for this hop. 

Want more chances to win the grand prize?  Additional entries will be given for each $1 donation you include with your card.  Cards must be postmarked by June 30th for inclusion in basket drawings and can be mailed to the following address:

Royal Purple Hop

c/o Vicki Smith

P.O. Box 1496

Millbrook, NY 12545

To start at the beginning of the hop, or see all the blog candy being offered be sure to check out Faith's Blog. Next in the lineup is Erin. 

For my card, I wanted to include not only a handwritten note inside from me, but a strong message of hope on the front, as part of the design. I was walking through the Roberts Crafts store where my office is, and I found this paper with raindrops on it and a saying came to me:


"Through the storm hope will grow"


I thought it was the perfect message that I wanted to convey. That no matter what any of us goes through, no matter what trial, it will only make us stronger and more beautiful at the end of it. Stars shine brighter in the clear sky after a storm. Flowers grow after the rains fall. A candle flame shines brighter through the darkness. There is hope following trials. There is strength in overcoming obstacles. And there is love no matter what. 

(Forgive the bad lighting in the pictures. Normally I photograph in natural light, but I wasn't able to get the pictures done until after dark. The lighting in my room is horrible!)

Here is the message I wrote inside:

Thank you for stopping by my blog. I hope you are able to send in a card, not only to enter the seriously incredible giveaways going on at Faith's blog, but to send a message of hope to one of our sisters. And if you have a blog of your own, please use the button on the right sidebar that has all the information about the fundraiser we have going on. (Scroll down a little bit, and you'll see it.) Have an amazing day everyone!

In case you get lost along the way, here is the complete lineup:

Faith: http://faithfulecreations.com/
Raven: http://love4stamps.blogspot.com/
Linda: www.thefruitofmyhands.blogspot.com
Brie: http://vintage53.blogspot.com/  <-----YOU ARE HERE
Erin: http://www.spantastikreations.blogspot.com/
Tanya: http://www.ScrappyScavenger.blogspot.com/
Amanda: http://www.scrapanddash.com/
Kimmare: http://kimmarieskorner.blogspot.com/
Jackie: http://jackrabbitscrappin.blogspot.com/
Lori A: http://www.scrappinmystressaway.blogspot.com/
Gina: http://californiascrappin-gcinderella21.blogspot.com/
Monica: http://scraps2treasure.blogspot.com/
Anita: http://anitaandbugs.blogspot.com/
Sue: http://susanascorner.blogspot.com/
Gaby: www.gabycreates.com
Debbie W: http://craftydeb-ddscrafts.blogspot.com/
Jen R. http:/www.memorieswithjen.blogspot.com/
Deborah http://www.scrappingmamma.net/
Ellen: http://www.cardmonkey-business.blogspot.com/
Gill: http://creationsbygillm.blogspot.com/
Lori: http://lorisartsyobsession.blogspot.com/
Krista: http://www.kristaspapercafe.com/
Carol: http://www.cardstockscissorsandglue.blogspot.com/
Nancy: http://fancywithnancy.blogspot.com/
Vicki: http://paperandprims.blogspot.com/
Emily: http://www.createserendipity.net/
Kristal:  http://gettingcricky.com/
Amy:  http://amychomas.blogspot.com/

Father's Day Ideas

So some of you may or may not know, but my full time "bill paying" job is working as the graphic designer for a Utah based scrapbook/craft store called Roberts Crafts. I do all their marketing and web design, and run the blog and facebook pages. We have a guy named Brett Lund who features projects using products we carry in the store on a local show called Studio 5. He was on today showing off some really REALLY fun and cute Father's day gift ideas. He had asked me to design some labels he could use to put onto the Jones soda bottles.

The giveaway he's talking about on the Roberts blog can be found by clicking HERE. Don't miss entering this one! I'll be drawing the winner for it on Friday. :) We're giving away the Life's a Party Cricut cartridge, an i•Top & magnet daddies from Imaginisce. YAY!!! ***REMEMBER*** Comments on this post are not entries to the giveaway. I'm just telling you about the giveaway on the Roberts blog. ;)

AND! If you'd like to download the soda labels I created, click the picture of them below. It will take you to where you can download them. Just download, print, then wrap around the bottles and adhere the ends together. Done and done! :)

Have an amazing day everyone!!

Winner!

Ok, we have a winner for the necklace!!

Which is . . . .

I sent you an email Diane. Reply back to it with your info, and I'll get your new necklace sent out to you!

Thank you everyone for entering and sharing the giveaway on your pages!! Don't forget, you can use the code BLOGHOP15 at my ETSY store for 15% off!! This necklace has been added to the store there, so you can order one for yourself, if you don't want to make your own with the instructions I posted. :D

Have an amazing day everyone!!!

Blingity Bling! Ribbon & Rhinestones Blog Hop Day 2

Day 2.

Project. Super bling jewelry.

Objective. WOW 'em with bling!

First of all, I want to extend a HUGE welcome to all the new followers! I am SO excited you are all here, and can't wait to show off some more fun things. I have a lot of exciting projects in the works! Second, a GIGANTIC Happy Birthday to Stacey, our host for this blog hop. I am truly honored to be included in this hop, and to count myself among so many talented women. I hope you've had a chance to check out all their blogs and projects. And good luck to you in all the giveaways!! So much fun blog candy! If you started with my blog and want to start at the beginning of the hop, check out Stacey's  blog at http://CreatingACraftyLife.blogspot.com/

Here is the complete lineup:

1. Stacey ~  http://CreatingACraftyLife.blogspot.com/
2. Kim ~ http://rickettscricuts.blogspot.com/
3. Gina ~ http://californiascrappin-gcinderella21.blogspot.com/
4. Janet ~ http://createatdreamscrapbooks.blogspot.com/
5. Tanya ~  http://ScrappyScavenger.blogspot.com/

6. Brie~ http://vintage53.blogspot.com/ <---You are HERE! :D
7. Cathie~ http://cathiescafe-scraphappy.blogspot.com/
8. Nicole ~ http://creationsbymommy.com/
9. Kristy ~ http://www.scraptasticalkreations.blogspot.com/
10. Martha~ http://pattisscrapingtime.blogspot.com/
11. Haidee~ http://created2bunique.blogspot.com/
12. Zoe ~ http://www.CraftyX.blogspot.com/
13. Kristal~ http://www.gettingcricky.com/
14. Raven~ http://www.love4stamps.blogspot.com/
15. Jess~ http://www.kinderstampo.com/
16.Deb~ http://craftydeb-ddscrafts.blogspot.com/
17. Esmeralda ~ http://noahsarktwobytwo.blogspot.com/
18. Karle ~ http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=1890631198460&set=a.1890626638346.104027.1621905895&type=1&theater

Now on to my project! Which is also my giveaway. :D

I'm really excited about this necklace! Now I know it doesn't have ribbon or rhinestones in it, but it sure sparkles like rhinestones! And you can always weave a ribbon through the chain for some added fun. :) I love all the bright colors in here, it's the PERFECT unique summery/springy accessory. And one of you readers gets to WIN IT!

For the rest of you who don't win it, I will have it available on my Etsy site. AND I'm giving everyone who goes there a coupon code for 15% off your order! Use the code: BLOGHOP15 at checkout.

For those of you who'd like to make this for yourself, keep reading! I've got step by step picture instructions.

These are really the only tools I use for all my beading: needle nose pliers, flat nose pliers and wire cutters. You can also buy these with padding things on the pliers, to protect the metals you work with from getting kinks in them:

Here are the things you'll need for your bead charms: 1-3 beads, including a silver spacer bead (you don't have to use a silver on EVERY charm you do, but they look really nice spaced out among them), an eyepin and a jump ring. The other supplies you'll need for the rest of your necklace: a length of chain & a lobster claw, or whichever type of clasp you prefer.

First, measure your length of chain. I always just put it around my neck and figure out where I want it to fall, then I add a link or two. Attach a lobster claw with a strong jump ring. I actually used a link from a smaller chain to attach my lobster claw.

Then this is all you do for the rest of the necklace. Just repeat these steps a bunch of times, until you have as many beads and charms as you want on there.

String a combination of beads onto your eyepin. If the hole of the bead is too big for the eyepin and it slips off, add a smaller bead or a silver spacer bead first to keep your larger bead on.

Take your needlenose pliers and clamp onto the stem of the eyepin 1/8"-1/4" away from your top bead. Wrap the stem over the pliers until it is parallel to itself. (This is why I take pictures. It's easier to see sometimes. lol!)

With your flatnose pliers, wrap the stem around itself.

Continue to do so until it's wrapped several times around. This takes a little bit of coordination, it took me a few tries to get it done smoothly myself when I first started doing this. If the wire is too long, clip it with the wire cutters.

Next, you're going to attach a jump ring to the loop you've just made. Remember, always open a jump ring by separating it away from and towards you, like pictured above. Never open it by spreading it apart the other way.

Before you close the jump ring, attach it to the chain. Just repeat that over and over, with different bead combinations until you fill your necklace up to your liking. :)

Here are some close up shots of how I clustered the beads on this necklace:

I attached most of them to the chain itself, but there were a few that I attached to the loops of the other bead charms, just to give it added depth.

And the shot of the final project again:

Want to win it? Yes? Here's how:

• Enter a comment to be counted for your first entry.

For additional entries:

• Be a follower of this blog - leave a comment on this post telling me you are a follower.

• Go and "Like" Vintage 53 on facbook. Click HERE to go to the facebook page. Leave a comment on this blog post, letting me know you are following me there.

• Share this giveaway on your own facebook pages. Leave a comment on this post letting me know you shared.

• Share this giveaway on your blog. Leave a comment on this post letting me know you shared.

• Tweet about this giveaway. Leave a comment on this post letting me know you tweeted.

So you'll have 6 chances to enter! Remember to leave a SEPARATE comment for each entry. I'll pick a winner on Tuesday of next week, which is the 24th.

Thank you all for the support and for sharing the page! I really appreciate it and am grateful for each of you. :) Have an amazing day everyone! And good luck!

Giveaway fun!

Check out this blog Soulographer. I've been wanting to get this workbook for a long time. There are also tons of other vendors giving amazing prizes away, so if you are a photog, a photog wannabe or a mommarazzi, this is totally the blog for you! Go. Run! You'll love it. :)