Baby Tea Leaves: Bloggy Carnival

Showing posts with label Bloggy Carnival. Show all posts

Tuesday

Yay! Another Bloggy Carnival!!

I love the Bloggy Giveaways!! I'm so excited, I always meet such wonderful new bloggers when the giveaways are going on! So if you're here from the carnival, welcome!

I'm all about maintaining motivation for things in my life and surrounding myself with positive messages and happy thoughts. If you've been here before, you know that I've spent the last year trying to lose the baby weight and trying to gain and happier and healthier me, for every reason stated in the universe: from having confidence to being able to sit on the floor and play with my babies, wear tanktops in the summer without being embarrassed about "fatarm" or wearing a hot dress to my husband's company holiday party (size 8, baby! From a 16 the year before! Woohoo!)

And I won't lie, it's been a rollercoaster ride and I've taken with me anyone who would listen. Right now, I'm training for a half-marathon and it's getting a little funscarypainfulhappy. It feels like I'm in a constant state of "training" and even if it weren't for some sort of athletic event, I think it would still remain true. Because everything in life is an event and training for something else to come.

So since I'm all about the self-motivation and self-improvement, I'm gonna give away a two things here (again to anyone who'll listen):

Giveaway #1: Any necklace or bracelet in my Etsy shop, Inspire Me Chic. Go ahead, head on over and browse around, then come back and leave me a comment about which piece of jewelry is your favorite.

Giveaway #2: My all-time favorite in the shop and the reason why I started making inspiration jewelry, the "Discipline" necklace. The necklace itself is a 16'' leather choker and the Discipline affirmation ring is sterling silver. I wear this one daily as a reminder to stay true to myself and focused.

So yes, there will be not one, but two winners, and both winners will get this:

My other favorite thing that I wear daily, a baby blue silicone bracelet that says, "Strength, Focus, Discipline". (I'm a bit of a nut when it comes to surrounding myself with the positives...)

Rules: Please leave me a comment any time before 8 p.m. et Friday night. I'll draw the first winner at random and that winner will receive prize #1. I'll draw a second winner who will receive prize #2. That's about it! I'll ship anywhere -- and each one comes in its own unique packaging, so it'll make a great gift in time for Valentine's if you don't keep it for yourself! Make sure you bookmark my shop, 'cause I'm always adding new creations and messages!

I wish you well on your journey and in your "training" and feel free to stop by any time! The door's always open! Thanks for stopping by!

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For more giveaways, head on over to Bloggy Giveaways! Or click the button up at the top of this post!

Sunday

Bloggy Carnival Winner

Congratulations to Brooke at Oh My Seven for being picked by Mr. Random Number Generator in the Bloggy Giveaway Carnival. She's gonna take home a Tea Mug that brews loose tea on the go (pretty much the coolest invention I've ever seen). Along with some tea from Teavana (my new favorite -- Snow Geisha).

A few people asked me where I got that mug, and believe it or not, it was hiding on a shelf at Target, where they have to-go coffee mugs near the dishes and coffee pots and all of that. I couldn't believe my eyes! It's called "Tea-Zer" and I've also seen it online if you're looking.

Thanks to everyone for stopping by, I loved meeting so many new bloggers who are out there! (I'm totally gonna do this next time -- how much fun was this??!!) Who knew there were so many tea-addicts out there! Feel free to stop by and say hello (I love me comments -- so come on out, lurkers!) and let's talk tea -- who knows, there may be another tea giveaway in the near future. (I've got my other two favorite teas in mind). Happy Carnivaling!

Monday

I Have a Dream (And another Giveaway--this time open to everyone!)

I have a dream that one day I might walk into a little tea room and when I unlock the door and swing it open a little bell will clang.

My feet will hit the wood floors and make that clacking sound that girly shoes on wood floors make and the floors will creak just a little because they're old. Refinished, but retaining their character.

I'll walk into the kitchen, put down my newspaper and begin the morning preparing hot fresh scones and brewing hot water. Because the tea room would belong to me and my mom. It's our dream. We don't have a name yet, but it will be quirky. Because we are quirky.

The kitchen will be quaint, with an island, and I would be sitting on a barstool at the island, drinking my morning cup of something caffeinated, with flour already on my apron, and my mother fluttering around the kitchen, flour already on hers. The music is on in the background and we're chatting. I found the cutest little cups and saucers, she would say and before we knew it, the conversation would be about a comfortable new pair of slippers I got on sale at Bealls or the penne pasta with spinach and white sauce and garlic she made, but of course without the weeds, she would say, which is what my father calls her herbs. He hates herbs.

We would make these delicious little homemade desserts that we already have recipes for, they are just waiting for a tea room to be made in. And the smell of the scones would fill the air. And I'd be putting together my chicken salad sandwiches with dried cranberries and walnuts. All before 9 o'clock. This is our dream.

My mother and I have been to many tea rooms, but none have lived up to what we imagine ours to be. We'd come to know our customers and love them. Because we don't just give them tea, we give them an experience. And people need more of that in their lives. Experiences. That is our dream.

I love tea. And I love giving things away (bonus!). So that's why I'm giving it away in this bloggy carnival. I love it! It's a two-fer, a Tea-zer Travel Mug for Tea, which comes with its own filter for loose tea.

And of course, some loose tea! But not just any tea. White tea from Teavana -- (white tea is made from what else, but baby tea leaves). It's called "Snow Geisha White Tea". It has super-antioxidant power and it's made of white tea, cherry, cranberry and rose petals. It certainly sounded interesting to me (I did of course buy some for myself) and it was delicious. Much more delicate than I would have thought. It smells very strong of cherry, almost cherry popsicle-like, but the taste does not overpower you with cherry. Instead, it's a nice mellow blend, with just a little sweetness, with a clean finish, very mellow. And very little caffeine, so it's nice at night.

Just leave me a comment to enter the drawing and that's it! Bloggers and non-bloggers alike! Comments close at 8pm Eastern Time Saturday, the 26th and I will announce the winner on Sunday, the 27th. Good luck! Cheers!

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