Winner Winner Chicken Dinner!

Prize #1.

for Miss Kathleen Williams.

a set of pebble studs,

and 50% off in the shop!

Prize #2.

This beauty.

to a Lucky Miss Karen Minton.

And the last....

certainly not least.

the Grande Prize.

#3 goes to Miss Rebecca Avrett-Ulizio.

Congratulations ladies.

Merry Christmas.

and Thank YOU ALL...

 for your love.

this was fun.

lets do it again soon.

winners....give a shout.

You have goodies coming to you!

Prize Number Two

The Holiday Giveaway ends Thursday at 11:59pm...

(supposedly the world ends then too. We shall see, mayans...)

This is Prize Number Two (of three possible)

Just wrapped it up in the studio today...

A Tibetan Turquoise Pendant...

with a solitaire feather cut out of the back.

for flying.

That'd look good dangling on your neck, yeah?...

Haven't entered yet?

Check out the last post for details.

and Happy Holidays!

Merry Christmas! 

Good Luck!

Rag and Stone Holiday Giveaway!

This year, 2012...

I've found something this year.

I've found a lot of myself... in the act of MAKING.
Building a business.
Building me...
an artist.
a word I used to hide from.
Putting the unanswered parts of me into metal and stone.

sometimes finding the answers there.

Sometimes creating more questions.

But always, I've found comfort in my craft...

This year I found myself 

Putting on my big girl panties.

and running.

fast.

the start of this year I brought to the table a lot about 

building.

a business.

a future.

and to do this without the love, support, and hurraw

of you.

well that's just crazy.

There's so much I could say about how my life has changed this year, 

about how my attitude has shifted...

about how I have grown.

As a person, an artist, a business owner.

About this never really could happen without your support.

financially, yes.

but in other ways too...

I could say I owe you one.

Thank you. 

Because...

Art is hard.

And if you don't have the people around you who believe in what you do,

it is damn near impossible.

This year.

2012 boils down to the support and foundation

of my customers, many of whom are friends too.

period.

so again, THANK YOU.

here's what I want to give you.

a token of thanks and gratitude.

A Merry Christmas to you.

There's 3 gifts I'd like to give.

The first,

a coupon...

50% off anything in the shop!

and a set of pebble studs...

the second,

a pendant.

made with tibetan turquoise.

because we all know how I've been 

loving the turquoise lately.

A solitaire feather.

something like this on the back...

for flying.

for building your path.

for keeping close to your heart.

(I haven't picked the stone yet,

but I will. and I'll get her up on the blog asap.)

and the third...

A Rag and Stone Care Package.

All the things I love.

for you.

for a happy new year.

***One package of Farmers Market Blend Coffee, whole bean. 

because there is nothing like good, locally-roasted coffee.

***One 24 pack of Montana Gold Rooibos Tea.

My favorite.

***A Heidi Haugen Mug to drink your tea/coffee out of...

(a dear friend and potter whose work is dyno-mite!)

***One paper star lantern...like the ones in the bungalito.

***A set of Pebble Hoop Earrings.
I wear mine every day.
***NOW IS THE RIGHT TIME, sticker. Mantra.

And...

***the piece you've been eying in the shop.

whatever it is.

you name it.

Merry Christmas, ya'll!

...

TO ENTER!!!

EACH of these is WORTH ONE ENTRY,

so go ahead.

DO IT ALL...

it up's your chances : )

6 ENTRIES POSSIBLE!!!

#1) Leave a comment here on this post.

#2) Follow my blog (if you already are, just say so in your comment, I will count it as two entries)

#3) *LIKE* my facebook page (if you already have, just say so, I'll count it as an entry)

#4) Post a comment on my link to this Giveaway on Facebook.

#5) Share this giveaway on Facebook or on your Blog
#6)Subscribe to my Newsletter

I'll probably end up using a random number generator to choose these three winners : )
Giveaway ends 11:59 pm Dec. 20th!

I'll tally entries on the morning of the 21st.
I'll post winners the morning of the 21st...

'cuz we gotta get these in the mail for Christmas!

Handmade Holiday!

 There are times where it seems appropriate.

to step outside your comfort zone.

to challenge yourself.

to embrace this "artist" thing, this "entrepreneur" crazy hair.

and take your future,

in your own hands, 

mold it into something you like,

and then...

throw it out into the world.

just to see what happens.

....

The Handmade Holiday was just that.

an idea. snowballed.

into something I liked.

Into something a band of artist friends can be proud of.

Into something I am proud to have made possible.

....

Weeks before, here are some prep shots of studio time.

Cuz I lived in the bungo for at least 2 weeks before this thing happened : )

hammering, bending, banging, printing.

a sort of santa's workshop!

I sewed bunting, made signs, cards, postcards, tags...

banged away at bracelets, silver stacker rings, and other awesomes.

And the beautiful sign hand-painted by the lovely Callie Cooper.

(born-again jewelry designer/ should-be florist and martha stewart re-incarnate)

a fellow founder. 

I don't know what I'd have done without her.

And Miss Heidi to give the thumbs up on the sign..

another founding gal whose hard work and bad-ass pots brought so many folks to this thing...

another martha-stewart...only way cooler.

The friday evening reception was a stinkin' blast...

and the goods were so freakin' cute!

8 artists together in one old cabin...

a photographers dream..really.

screenprinting.

fiber.

quilts.

stone and silver.

gold and coral.

ceramics.

painted pieces.

hand-bound books.

prints.

cards and paper goodies...

My stuff all set up and ready to go...

I'd say that was a hit.

and an annual thing to come.

....

It's amazing what a little snowball can do...

...

Not far from where I am...

there is a place....

built with warmth and love.

a place where stress isn't allowed.

 the only real *job* ...

 is picking where to sit.

 a weekend of antics.

 Some of my best people

In the best corner of MT.

Hope your weekend was wonderful, too.