Happy New Year to everyone. Welcome to 2014. I hope you all had a good break and are rearing to go and make this your best year yet!
This is a special year for me in so many ways. To start with, this here is my 200th post. Today I’m also celebrating my 2nd Blogging Birthday and to top it all I am turning the big 5-0 this August. Phew!
I’ve been thinking long and hard about how to mark these celebrations! How do I envisage my 50th Birthday Bash? Although I threw fantastic parties for both my 30th and 40th, I don’t really fancy a big party this year. What I do fancy is to celebrate ALL year round instead! This will be an epic year, full of celebrations, festivities, get-togethers, travel, new projects and much more.
So, we’re starting right here, right now! To mark my 2nd Blogging Birthday I’ve organised a FABULOUS giveaway. As it’s 2014, there are 14 products and 1 winner! Yes, you read correctly. Now, c’mon, that’s quite an epic giveaway, would you agree? The lucky winner will receive 14 individual packages arriving at their home sometimes in February! Honestly, I wish I could enter myself!!
Of course, these are not just any products. I’ve carefully curated 14 products from people and businesses that do great work and I personally chose to help me celebrate. They all embody the Colourliving mantra of ‘born out of passion’. They’re certainly all inspirational. Thank you to all for your generous and kind donations for this giveaway! I’m seriously touched and honoured!
So, dear readers, are you ready for this extravaganza? Ok, then let me show you the loot!
From top left:
1. An inspiring couple with a great eye for the quirky and unusual. They opened their first shop in London in 2012 and started Tusch & Egon online to share limited editions of beautiful things by contemporary artists from around the world. For those of you that speak German, ‘Tusch und Egon’ is an Anagram of the German words ‘schoen und gut’ which translates to ‘beautiful and good’. I LOVE all the Dürer sculptures they sell!
Tusch und Egon – Duerer Hare Sculpture in White
2. I first met the lovely people of The Journal Shop when they first started out and it’s thanks to them that I was introduced to the amazing Japanese Midori stationery! If you want the best selection of the world’s designer stationery, you found the place! I certainly can’t live without my Midori fix! The Midori Travellers Notebook is a very sought after gem!
The Journal Shop – Midori Travellers Notebook in Brown
3. Cavaliero Finn sell affordable work from both emerging and internationally recognised artists and designers. Their online shop showcases a constantly evolving contemporary collection throughout the year and I met the wonderful Debra and Juliana at one of their home-cum gallery exhibitions in South East London. I very much liked, amongst many others, Alice Mara’s work.
Cavaliero Finn – Affordable Housing Salt & Pepper Pots
4. The discovery of the Artefact cards and meeting John, who designed and developed them, has been one of my highlights of 2013. You can read about some of the ways I use them here. I recently used my yellow ones as tags on my hand-made Christmas cards. The possibilities are endless. Having a dislike for post-it notes, the Artefact cards will/must surely one day be their universal replacement. You read it here first!
I’m touched and humbled to have been asked to pick my own colour for a special limited edition run in honour of this giveaway.
Artefact ‘Tina Bernstein’ Special Limited Edition
5. Yumalum, an Etsy shop selling retro and midcentury inspired colourful poster prints, is the creation of talented graphic designer and fellow blogger Mark Griffiths. I would be happy to own each and every print Mark designs. I adore this Polaroid inspired print!
Yumalum – Polaroid Poster Print – Instant Rainbow
6. Susan Gaston of White Dove and Wonder, the formidable art and antique dealer and a gem of a woman, has preserved her three generation family trade by creating hand-made pieces for the home with Vintage 1930s wooden shoe lasts. The end products are beautifully crafted and I’m tickled by the Loo Roll Holder (also Doorstop)! When clicking on the link, please scroll down until you see the Loo Roll Holder.
White Dove and Wonder – Loo Roll Holder
7. Mathmos, named after the lava-like substance which features in the cult film Barbarella, celebrated 50 years in September 2013. Edward Craven Walker was the founder of the iconic Lava Lamp in 1963 which are, to date, still made in Britain. In 1964 (my birth year) he invented the Astro Baby Lava Lamp. I wish had kept mine which my parents bought for us when we were little.
Mathmos – Astro Baby Lava Lamp
8. Volpe and Volpe, founded by the lovely Trish, wanted to bring a slice of ceramic Heritage back, put them into a modern context and make them relevant again. Her products are practical, beautiful but are fun and modern as well. I love the Bronze Swan Vase, hand-made in Stoke On Trent. It’s a modern representation of the classic, mid century swan vase planter.
Volpe and Volpe – Bronze Metallic Swan Vase
9. Will Taylor, all round charming, gorgeous and talented chap, authors the hugely popular interiors blog ‘Bright.Bazaar’. If you want colour inspiration, Will is your man and this April sees the much anticipated release of his first Book: Bright Bazaar – embracing colour for make-you-smile style! The title couldn’t be more apt and I’m so very proud of him and can’t wait to own my own copy! The lucky winner of this giveaway will receive one of the first UK edition copies that arrive at the Publisher’s offices (Jacqui Small LLP). I have it on good authority it will be way before April!
Will Taylor – Bright Bazaar: Embracing Colour for Make-You-Smile Style
10. Another highlight of 2013 was to come across Content – Beauty & Wellbeing. This boutique organic skincare store, naturopathic clinic and beauty salon is definitely London’s leading organic and natural apothecary. The customer service is outstanding and they specialise in emerging niche natural skin care. Their website is a resource centre in itself and it’s now my go to home for all things beauty and health. I love these 3 burning oils to suit all your emotional needs!
Content – Limited Edition Gift Box of Essential Oils
11. Mini Moderns are not only one of the most talented guys I’ve come across, but genuinely the nicest people with it. Their products, ‘made in the UK by nice people’, range from wallpapers and fabrics to cushions, rugs and ceramics. Their designs are inspired by mid-century British textiles, vintage toys, literature, childhood memories and travel. This year sees the launch of their bedding range in the widely popular Whitby fabric design.
The lucky winner will receive 2 pillow cases and a duvet cover size of their choice in what surely will become a bestseller!
Minimoderns – Whitby Bedding Set
12. Hunted and Stuffed, founded by the gorgeous Ellie Laycock, source original vintage textiles and upcycle them into beautiful new creations here in the UK. Products include utilitarian but quirky vintage towels to elaborate and painstakingly embellished vintage wedding Kimono silks, often woven with real gilt thread. All pieces are completely one-of-a-kind. I’ve chosen this fabulous and unique cushion for the giveaway!
Hunted and Stuffed – Vintage 1970s London Upcycled Cushion
13. Hole & Corner magazine celebrates craft, beauty, passion and skill. It’s about people who spend more time ‘doing’ than ‘talking’,
who put content above style, whose work is their life. Launched in May 2013, issue 2 went on sale last November. This biannual print magazine was definitely amongst my favourite of 2013 and I really like their regularly updated
digital platform, where they aim to promote local trade and talented
individuals.
The winner will receive a 1 year’s subscription to the magazine.
Hole & Corner Magazine – 1 year’s subscription
14. Alison Sye is an artist who scavenges the skips of London looking for abandoned treasures to resuscitate. I’ve been collecting Alison’s art, in the form of cards, for a while now. She’s as lovely a her art and for this giveaway the lucky winner will receive a selection of individual art cards in the most delicious stitched envelope. You have been warned!
Alison Sye – Pack of Eleven Individual Art Cards
I hope you’ll agree, these are unique products! ‘Ah, so tell me already what I have to do to enter and hopefully win this incredible lot, I hear you scream at your screen!’
The Rules:
1. If you don’t already, follow me on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest.
2. Tweet (or/and post on any other social channel mentioned) the following: I’ve entered @colourlivinguk fabulous 14 special gifts EPIC giveaway! (LINK to post) #tinasjubilee
3. Leave a comment here telling us what you most wish for in 2014?
4. For extra points to win, nominate a friend and notify them on social media with this message: Hey, @……….. I just nominated you to win in this fantastic giveaway by @colourlivinguk! (LINK to post) #tinasjubilee
Every friend you nominate counts as an extra point for you. (they can’t have already entered) Also be sure to leave an extra comment here naming your nominee to ensure their entry!
5. Please use #tinasjubilee for all your tweets, Re-tweets and Instagram postings!
The giveaway is open worldwide and will end at 6pm GMT on Friday 31st January 2014 where one very lucky winner will be randomly chosen. All donated gifts will be dispatched in February, unless they are not available yet, in which case they will be dispatched as and when they become available. Good Luck to everyone and thank you all for celebrating with me.
The post will stay live until Thursday 9th January 2013. You can of course still enter afterwards. See you all then!
WE NOW HAVE A WINNER!!!
Thank you to everyone that entered. Please watch out for further Giveaways coming your way on my #tinasjubilee
Congratulations to Lindsey @LostNCheeseland
The 14 individual packages will make their way to you in the next weeks.
@TuschundEgon
@TheJournalShop
@CavalieroFinn
@Artefact_Cards
@Obsessilicious (Yumalum)
@whitedovewonder
@Mathmos
@VolpeandVolpe
@Will_UK
@beingcontent
@minimoderns
@huntednstuffed
@Hole_and_Corner
@AlisonSye