Hey there! Happy Thursday! You’ll be glad to know that I can actually stand fully upright today. Woo! I’m looking forward to a long and (hopefully) productive weekend with the kids, who have no school tomorrow. If you haven’t already, go enter to win one of 3 pillow patterns from my neighbor Kirsten. That puppy could close down at any second!

Have you heard about GiftCardRescue?

The premise is simple…you sell your unwanted gift cards and get cash in return (or an Amazon credit, if you’d rather, get all the details here). This idea really appeals to me.

Why?

I seriously just pulled all of those out of my wallet.

Yikes.

Some of them have been there for three or four a couple of years.

And the best part about GiftCardRescue? Many of the cards sell for up to 30% off face value!

So, what’s in it for you?

A $50 credit to GiftCardRescue, that’s what! Cool, right? $50 to pretty much anywhere!

TO ENTER:

Click on over to check out GiftCardRescue’s inventory. Have a look around. (Seriously…click over and look at their list. I see some people posting stuff that’s in my picture and NOT on GiftCardRescue at all. They’re offering you $50! You can make one click, right?) See which card looks the best to you. Come back and leave a comment ON THIS POST (not on Facebook or in response to your email subscription) saying what card you’d get with your credit.

Giveaway is open to US residents only and will run through the weekend.

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I’m glad relieved so many of you have craft room issues, too! I swear to you I’ll finish, but not today. My back’s out and even pushing the accelerator to drive my kid to preschool made me wince and curse.

So, Neighbor Kirsten to the rescue!

I’ve mentioned before that some of the best women on Earth live in my neighborhood, right? Remember when I was on TV and a whole bunch of them showed up wearing “CRAPPY FRIEND” shirts?

Pretty great, right?

I want you to meet another one of my neighbors!

This is Kirsten:

The one on the right…obviously.

Aside from being one of the happiest and most pleasant people I’ve ever had the privilege of meeting and a SUPER mom of 5, she’s INSANELY talented! Her kitchen cabinets are green and her piano is red. She LOVES fabric and is “semi new-ish” to designing patterns. She also works a little at her (and my) favorite quilt shop, Material Girls, to get her fabric fix in.

Want to see some of her stuff? Of course you do!

And, my personal favorite, her Mongo bag:

I’m leaving this next part in Kirsten’s own words, because it makes me giggle:

I’m giving away 3 “Lucky” burlap pillow patterns (a greenishly embellished burlap pillow, to be exact)–it is a fun and festive pillow that uses burlap, green fabric scraps, torn cream satin, a variety of green buttons, a big blingy dangling gem, and my favorite ginormous green pom-pom trim. (Any excuse to use what may be the best fabric of all time, the Amy Butler geen dot, has got to be a good thing.)

Kirsten is giving away THREE patterns to make her LUCKY pillow.

These are actual paper patterns, which will be mailed to you. So, for that reason we’re keeping it brief (actual giveaway end date will be plugged in here once I confirm with Kirsten) and US residents only, please.

TO ENTER:

Click on over to Kirsten’s (work in progress, she’d like you to know) site, Pieceable Pear and have a look around. Come back and leave a comment on this post saying which of her patterns is your favorite.

That’s it!

Ready? Set? Go!

If you want to buy the pattern ($6) or a kit to make the pattern ($28), you can pick that up locally at Material Girls, along with burlap, jumbo ric-rac and pom-pom trim, giant flower buttons, and all other manner of fabulousness.

And, $50 value giveaway that EVERY single one of you can use coming your way tomorrow.

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I’m excited to welcome a new sponsor to Crap I’ve Made!

Amy Peters has been designing jewelry since she was 8! (Tangent: just the thought of Keller attempting that has me giggling like an idiot. We all come with different talents, right?) She’s been designing as Amy Peters’ Studio, since 1995. Amy says “I want the designs to be inspirational and to be keepsakes and talismans for everyday life. I especially love the time in a girl’s life when she is just finding her voice, My hope is that my designs can help them along their voyage.”

Let me share some of my favorites with you!

This is the family tags necklace. I love how personal it can become.

And these stacking rings are so simple and pretty!

The Pewter Simple Secrets bracelets are great, too.

So, what’s in it for you?

A $75 gift certificate to Amy Peters’ Studio, that’s what!

TO ENTER:

Click on over to Amy Peters’ Studio and have a look around. Come back and leave a comment ON THIS POST (on the blog, not on Facebook) saying what you’d buy with your gift certificate!

BONUS ENTRIES (Leave a separate comment for each entry):

Follow the Amy Peters’ Studio Blog.

Subscribe to Amy Peters’ Studio newsletter.

Like Amy Peters’ Studio on Facebook{leave a wall comment that I sent you!}.

Tweet about this awesome giveaway: “I entered to win a FREE $75 gift certificate from @AmyPetersStudio you should too!

Facebook about this giveaway and be sure to @AmyPetersStudio in your status.

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Have you heard of Elk Dresses?

They make cute and comfy (100% cotton jersey) dresses for the littlest girls (birth to 3T).

I spent some time browsing their Etsy shop (you can also keep up with them via their blog and on Facebook) and picked out a few of my favorites to share.

First of all, you KNOW how I love me some ruffle butts:

Look at all that ruffley goodness!

Are you loving gray and yellow together as much as I am right now?

And how do you feel about fluttery flowers?

I think I’ve save the best (or at least the most hilariously awesome) for last.

So, what’s in it for you?

Well, ALL of you can get 15% off anything in the Elk Dresses shop using code “CRAPPY”!

And, Elk Dresses is giving one lucky Crap I’ve Made reader a $25 shop credit!

TO ENTER:

Click on over to Elk Dresses on Etsy and have a look around. Come back and leave a comment ON THIST POST (on the blog, not on Facebook or email) saying what your favorite item in the shop is!

Giveaway will run through Friday at midnight MST.

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Let me introduce you to Peachy Chic Boutique.

They sell DIY jewelry kits as well as ready to wear jewelry.

Do you love owls? How about this?

Feeling Valentiney?

And my personal favorite:

How cute is that necklace?!?!

So, what’s in it for you?

Peachy Chic Boutique is giving one lucky reader a DIY watch kit with a watch face AND a DIY dangle kit with a chain ($35 value)!

TO ENTER:

Click on over to Peachy Chic Boutique and have a look around. Come back and leave a comment ON THIS POST saying what your favorite item is!

To make up for my suckyness this week, I’ll leave the giveaway open until bedtime Sunday night. I’d say that means you’re good until at least 9pm MST.

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You guys like free stuff, right?

I like giving moms a place to promote their businesses,

and I like sharing stuff I love with you guys,

BUT

(there Char goes again with her big old but)

I need to do something about the way giveaways have been happening around here.

You see, doing a giveaway takes time. A LOT of time.

First there’s the initial email exchanges and calendaring and re-calendaring (I’d say about 50% of the people that contact me for giveaways are never to be heard from again). Time. Then there’s posting. I have to search through Etsy shops and websites and save pictures and write and rewrite and edit. More time. And then I have to remember to shut down the giveaway and pick a winner. Still more time. I have to post about that and take screen shots. Even more time. Then I have to try to contact the winner and contact the sponsor. TIME!!! Then I get emails from people who never received their prizes, and emails from people who are mad that there weren’t very many entries in their giveaway…See where this is going?

And (not to get all greedy here, but) what’s in it for me?

Usually nothing.

I heard from someone a few weeks ago that was under the impression that I got to keep one of whatever it is I giveaway.

Nope.

And when I do get a “perk” for doing a giveaway, you’ll see it clearly spelled out in the post. I disclose.

So, I’ve decided that things need to change. I can’t spend hours each week doing something I don’t love and “endorsing” (can’t think of a better word here) products I don’t believe in and have no experience with.

I DO, however, want to continue to give away good products. Especially from my sponsors. They support this blog and I’m happy to support them in return.

Here’s where you all come in:

Let’s talk about giveaways. What do you love? What do you hate? What do you want more of? What do you want less of? How often do you like to have a giveaway? Does the retail value of the product being given away matter to you? What else do you want to tell me?

***Because I know some people are going to wonder if I’m talking about any giveaway in particular, NO. It’s not a single event/person/product that’s provoked this. The majority of my giveaway experiences have been good ones. I just feel like things need some changing.***

The End

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The winner of the Cozy Toesies pattern from abbiesolutely is…

#57, aka Tania on the hill, who said:

“I’M DONE WITH MY CHRISTMAS SHOPPING, BECAUSE WE ONLY HAVE MONEY TO BUY MY BOYS GIFTS, NOTHING FOR THE ADULTS THIS YEAR.”

And the winner of the Cozy Toesies made by abbiesolutely herself is…

#65, aka Randi, who said:

“Still left to do – finish baking cookies and brownies, create fabulous stockings (we let each girl make a new one every year, this might be passed over this year though), wrap a few presents, take my mom shopping (she doesn’t drive so I have to take her) and ship a box to the out of state family. Oh and I’m working non stop right now……..we’ll see what actually gets done.”

And, because the original MollyGear winner didn’t claim her prize, the new winner is…

#119, aka Stephanie, who said:

“I haul some of my crap (diapers, nursing cover, toys) in an ugly black diaper bag that I got when my oldest daughter was born. Stuff that doesn’t fit in there (primary song book, extra music, DH’s lesson manual) gets stuffed into a canvas tote that I decorated at girls’ camp years ago.”

Shoot me an email to [email protected] ASAP to claim your prizes!

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