Mandala kit winners, and free coloring pages

Thanks so much for your fun comments on my mandala kit giveaway post last week. I loved reading your answers to the question, "What was your first community?"

One of the perks of being me is that I have the good fortune to be part of many communities - groups of people with shared interests. My yoga community. My scrapbooking/crafting community. My blog community. My family. My co-workers.

 

My first community was in the small town where I grew up: Dos Palos, California. How fortunate am I to have that small town community as part of my history, and to have all of these wonderful communities to love and support my adulthood now.

 

The word mandala is a Sanskrit term for "circle." It also encompasses groups of people, and when I teach yoga/mandala workshops, we practice as a community. I drew three names at random for the purpose of gifting a mandala kit saved from my last workshop. The three winners are...

 

Linda, Mary-Lou and Alexa! Congratulations, ladies! Please email me with your snail mail info and I'll send the kits your way. {Alexa ~ I have your address already. :o) }

♥ ♥ ♥

And! I've also had several requests for coloring pages, so today I'm offering two of my designs for you to print and color.

Download and print my swirly mandala by clicking here.

And my turtle mandala by clicking here.

 

If you post a photo of these colored pages I would love to see them! Do tag me (@paperturtle) and if you are so inclined, use #MyYogaFriendDeb as well.

 

Happy Thursday to my sweet blogging community.

♥

Mandala workshop and a little giveaway

Ahhh ~ this is a much happier way to start a blog post compared to my surly attitude in Monday's ramblings. :o) That's a photo of me (thanks, Carrie!), right after the yoga/mandala workshop I lead last Saturday afternoon.

Just look at my lovely students immersed in their own mandalas. Makes my yoga heart so happy! What an honor to be able to share something that brings peace and serenity to others. I treasure this part of my life beyond words.

As with all of my workshops, we created a mandala using yarn in the center that connected our mats. This is one of my favorite parts of the workshop - a chance to get to know each other before we begin our yoga practice as a community. A circle (mandala) of yoga friends practicing together. Just so beautiful. ♥

I had kits available for each student, and as usual I had extra kits just in case there were late sign-ups. The kits include an instruction sheet, a mandala template, a yoga quote printed on a strip of paper to be used as a ruler, some stickers made with my own mandalas (uploaded and printed via Moo.com), and a yoga towelette.

I have three little mandala kits to give away. :o)

We practice as a community in my mandala workshops, and one of our get-to-know-you questions is "Where was your first community?" If you'd like a chance to win a mandala kit, just leave me a comment either here or on Facebook and tell me where on this planet did you feel your first sense of community. I'll enter your name into the drawing and draw three names at random. Winners will be announced next Wednesday.

Sending mandala love to all who read this.

♥

Seeds of Hope Bracelet Winner

Many thanks to those who entered the drawing for the Seeds of Hope bracelet giveaway, and also to those of you who shared my link on Facebook. Seeds of Hope is an organization committed to saving girls from sex trafficking, a worldwide problem far greater than I ever imagined, and described by my cousin Dana on my blog last Monday. If you missed it you can read it here. And if you missed my post, you also missed out on being able to enter the drawing for this pretty bracelet...

 

I put all the names in a bowl and then emptied it over the top of this rock. The name that fell the closest to the bracelet is the winner... 

Hooray for Audrey! :o) Congratulations!

{I have your address so I'll put this little lovely in the mail for you this week.}

 

 

Thanks to Dana for taking the time to join me on PaperTurtle with her thoughtful answers to my questions, and thanks to Seeds of Hope for the amazing work they continue to do in Costa Rica.

Visit the Seeds of Hope website by clicking here.

You can check out more of the jewelry for sale by clicking here.

♥

Seeds of Hope ~ Guest Blogger and a Giveaway

My cousin, Dana, works with an organization called Seeds of Hope, and today I'm sharing information about them by way of an interview with her. At the end of this post I'm hosting a giveaway, so be sure to read to the end to find out how to enter to win the prize.

Deb:  What is Seeds of Hope?

Dana: Seeds of Hope exists to eradicate the sexual exploitation of children in Costa Rica. 

Most people don't realize the breadth of human trafficking. There are an estimated 27 MILLION people trafficked world wide.

In fact, it's the second largest criminal industry behind drug sales.

- 80% of victims have been sexually trafficked

- 800 to 900 thousand are trafficked across international borders every year

- Average age: 12-14 years old

- Average cost of a slave 90.00 world wide

- Top 3 States: California, Texas, New York

Deb: Why is human trafficking such a problem in Costa Rica?

Dana: Although Costa Rica is the most developed nation in all of Central America, the poverty there can be staggering in smaller villages. Children there are trafficked by their mothers out of necessity and as a generational occupation because no one has offered any other way of life. Seeds of Hope steps into to these disadvantaged communities and provides a way to freedom.

Sexual exploitation exists in Costa Rica due to the fact that it is a popular tourist destination. Prostitution is legal over the age of 18. The average age of a sex tourist is 55 and older and generally American due to Costa Rica’s proximity to the US.


Deb: How is Seeds of Hope helping girls in Costa Rica?

Dana: When Seeds of Hope was first founded in January 2012, our sole goal was to open a safe house for girls caught in trafficking, but it quickly became apparent that the need was far greater than those we could house. We did open a safe house in June 2013 and are fully licensed. We housed four girls at a rate of $6,000 per month. The girls eventually ran away in November 2013. We closed the safe house but maintain our licensing for emergency situations. Children in Costa Rica, unlike the US, are given the option of staying with their mothers who are trafficking them, or moving into what is considered foster care. Most children, although they hate the lifestyle, choose to live with their mothers. This is where Seeds of Hope comes in.

We started a clubhouse program in a high risk/exploitive village. We offer classes 6 to 7 days a week in various subjects such as: vocational training, English, spiritual classes, creative arts, wood working, and group counseling. In the past we’ve partnered with Love and Scissors, who spent three months in our program teaching our girls the art of hair styling. The girls are then given a certificate and are able to apprentice in local salons.

A number of our exploited girls make jewelry in return for food and utilities. No money is exchanged. Groceries are purchased and distributed on Tuesdays. Bills are paid directly as they are due. We’ve expanded since our first clubhouse opened in April 2012. We now have three clubhouses in Costa Rica with a third and fourth opening this November and February of next year. We’ve also started a boys program offering the same classes mentioned above. 

Deb: How can we help?

Dana: Since we are expanding based on need, we are in desperate need of long term volunteers, fluent in Spanish, who can raise support to live in Costa Rica for a minimum of 9 months or more. Of course, we are solely funded by private donations and would love financial support even if it is $10 a month. Our average donor gives $25 a month. Please SHARE our website and Facebook page with everyone you know! Purchase our jewelry as 100% of the proceeds goes back to those making jewelry. Spread the word!



I'm hosting a giveaway in connection with today's post. I own a couple of Seeds of Hope bracelets and wear them all the time ~ my favorites!!! If you'd like to enter for a chance to win the bracelet shown in the photo above, please leave a comment either here on my blog, or under my post on Facebook. If you share about this giveaway on any other social media, let me know and I'll give you an extra entry. I'll announce the winner, chosen in a random drawing, on my blog next Monday, November 10th.

♥

Visit Seeds of Hope's website by clicking here.

You can check out more of the jewelry for sale by clicking here.

You can read Dana's bio here, and watch a video with lots of interesting information by clicking here. (Dana's interview begins at 20.00.)

A Quilt Square for Jo C.

It's time for another installment of Fiona's Friendship Quilt Square Exchange.

This month, we all made squares to send to Jo C.

♥

I wanted to make Jo's quilt square with a traditional pieced design and I have always wanted to try my hand at stitching hexagons. These hexagons were the perfect stitching project for a road trip we took back in July.

I'm making two of every square so I can have one to keep for myself, and the photo of the square in progress is the one I actually kept for myself. I made that one first so I could practice, and by the time I got to stitching Jo's (on the road trip back home) I forgot to take photos.

A while back my friend, Becky, shared this scrapbook page she'd made with hexagons and I was instantly inspired when she mentioned that she had cut the shapes with her Cricut. I emailed her right away to ask what cartridge she'd used and kept my fingers crossed that it was one I already owned. I knew that stitching hexagons required precision, so having the shapes all cut from the same source would be to my benefit.

Becky's reply made me happy, as the cartridge she'd used was one I had in my collection (Accent Essentials) and she also told me about this this website she uses for searching for shapes. It's cool - you type in the shape/item in the search field and it brings up a list of cartridges that contain that shape. Very handy!

I cut 2" hexagons from some scrap cardstock I had and they worked perfectly for my templates, and I used this tutorial for stitching my pieces. I have to say that I really loved sewing these hexagon squares. A bit time consuming, it gave me a real appreciation for quilters who have the dedication to stitch enough hexagons together to make a full quilt top!

I loved stitching this hexagon quilt square for Jo. :o)
♥

You can see the other squares I've created for this project by clicking here.

 

Blog Party Restaurant Review at Chick-fil-A

This past weekend Carrie and I had the pleasure of attending a "Chick-fil-A Grilled Chicken Blog Party" at their store located at Camelback Road and 16^th Street in Phoenix. We got to taste their new grilled chicken product that's coming out this month. Yum!!!

My post today includes a review of the restaurant and the delicious food we were served. And I also have a fun giveaway and some coupons for free food! Details are at the end of this post.

My sister-in-law, Liz, is a local marketing rep for Chick-fil-A, and she invited us to be her guests as we learned about Chick-fil-A’s menu and had an opportunity to sample their new grilled chicken product.

Assuming that Chick-fil-A was a fast food place, I've managed to avoid it and the other quick lunch options around my office. But you know what really surprised me after our time there on Saturday? These guys are not a “fast food” place! Everything is made fresh and the quality of the food is not fast food-ish at all.

Our visit that morning was for the purpose of sampling a new grilled chicken product that will be in their stores on April 14th. Chick-fil-A spent a considerable amount of time researching and building a special grill for their grilled chicken products, and I’m here to tell you – it was worth it! Moist, flavorful, and really delicious. I’m going to be in line to have this sandwich again on April 14th!

I had no idea that Chick-fil-A receives their chicken fresh. We learned that they only use quality skinless, boneless breasts that are hand filleted and breaded right there in their kitchen. They really take the time to make a quality product, and the taste confirmed it – SO delicious!

We also sampled their grilled chicken market salad and learned that their salads are made fresh every day. They use fresh vegetables that they chop and dice right there in the store – not those pre-bagged salads that many other chains rely on. And it was really cool that their Camelback store has this great big window so you can see what's going on in the kitchen...

And their lemonade? Made fresh every day too with only three ingredients: lemons, sugar, and water. Yum!

Perhaps the biggest surprise of the morning came in the form of an iced vanilla coffee. Even Carrie loved it, and she is not a coffee drinker! As we were sipping and oohing and ahhing I asked how many calories it had and I was shocked to hear that there are only 120 calories in the small size. And at $2.45 it’s a delicious bargain!

You know what else? They roll and cut their biscuits and bake them fresh every day.

We also had an opportunity to tour the kitchen, and to interact a bit with their employees. I have to say that I was very impressed with the way we were treated. It felt like we were very special guests at a five-star restaurant. The manager of the Camelback store, Phil, mentioned to us that they are a hospitality business - they want their guests to feel welcome. They did a great job of that!

I was also happy that their mascot, the cow, was present for part of our tour. I was really hoping that the little person inside that suit was my niece Savannah {her mom is my Chick-fil-A SIL} but it wasn’t. Poor cow. I kept asking, “Are you Savannah?” “Are you going to take your head off at the end so we can see who you are?” “How do you see from inside of there?”

Anyway! It was a great experience and I'm totally a fan of Chick-fil-A now! I have some coupons for a free grilled chicken sandwich to pass along to my readers, so if you want one let me know and I'll send one your way. You can either email me at djturtle{at}cox{dot}net, or message me on Facebook with your mailing information.

Those of you who request coupons for a free sandwich will also be entered into a drawing to win a couple of prizes that I may include with your free food coupon. :o)

So tell me, have you ever been to a Chick-fil-A before?

What did you think?

♥

PS: I received compensation for this blog post by way of free yummy food and a couple of fun little prizes that I'm passing on to my readers. Big thanks to Chick-fil-A and my sweet SIL, Liz for a fun and yummy blog party. xo

Dishwashing Winner!

Thanks so much for all of your comments related to washing dishes last week, and for the entries to win my knitted dishcloth giveaway. It was fun to hear who does the dishwashing in your homes.

At our house I would say that I am the main dishwasher, but Doug is really great about helping out! Here's where my readers fall in the mix:

I also wanted to note that my local friend Judy is the one who graciously taught me how to knit these dishcloths, and in the event that any of you would like to make your own, I'm sure she wouldn't mind me sharing the pattern. Plus, my original piece of paper is starting to wear, so this way I'll have the pattern documented if I ever need to refer back:

Basic Knit Dishcloth 

* Use size 8 needles and cotton yarn
* Cast on 4 stitches
* To increase: knit 2, yarn over, knit to end of the row. Follow this pattern every row until you have 41 stitches.
*To decrease: knit 1, knit 2 together, yarn over, knit 2 together, knit to end of the row. Follow this pattern until you are down to 4 stitches.
*Bind off

These dishcloths can be washed and dried many times over - I just throw them in the wash with my dishtowels and they come out just fine.

And now for the giveaway part of this post!

 

I wrote everyone's name on a slip of paper and randomly drew...

 

Congratulations Mary Ann!

You are the winner of my dishcloth giveaway.

And I'm throwing in a hand-stamped tea towel too. Surprise! 

♥

PS: Thanks to everyone for your sweet comments. They made me want to knit a dishcloth for each and every one of you!
PPS: Mary Ann ~ Since you read my blog through Facebook, please message me with your address, ok? Congratulations! :o)

Washing dishes is fun {a giveaway}

Ok, maybe my post title is a bit of a stretch, but I am serious when I say that if I have to be washing dishes, I'd rather be washing them with a knitted dishcloth.

Have you ever used a knitted or crocheted cloth for washing dishes? A few years ago my friend, Judy, gifted me with a couple of her knitted dishcloths and I was an instant fan! I love the weight and texture of these cloths, and the little ribs on them make for quick work when washing gunk off of dishes.

For the Valentine crop that Carrie and I hosted this past weekend, we did our 5-favorites-gift-exchange again. Everyone brings five of one item they love (with a maximum price limit of $5/item) and we exchange our favorites. Items range from lip balm to candles to frames and notebooks. This year I knitted five dishcloths and bought bottles of my favorite dish detergent to go with them. It was so fun giving them to five of my sweet crafting friends!

And while I was knitting these dish cloths for our Valentine crop favorites exchange, I purposely made an extra one to give away on my blog. I won't be including a bottle of my favorite dish detergent, but I'd love to share a knitted dishcloth with one lucky winner.

A simple little giveaway, true, but I think you'll like washing dishes with this knitted cloth. To enter the drawing, just leave me a comment here on my blog or on Facebook and tell me who washes the dishes at your house.

I'll select a winner by way of a random drawing this weekend and announce the winner next Monday, February 17th, with my weekend recap.

:o) ♥

A selfie, the weekend, and a prize

Christmas is on, people. It is ON.

♥

A selfie for Helena  :o)

 

Me (calling up to the roof top): "Did you remember to plug them in before you started - just to make sure they all work?"
Doug: "Uh...no?"
Me: "Remember last year...one of the strands didn't work..."
Doug: "Eh. They'll be fine!"
And they were. We have Christmas lights on our house. :o)

While Doug was on the roof, I busied myself indoors. This cardboard reindeer is on year number three, and he got a new set of antlers this year {also thanks to Doug!}.

{yesterday's photo...time's a wastin'...}

 

We had an awesome FOUR-day weekend, a nice quiet Thanksgiving this year, ate way too much food, decorated our house for Christmas, did a bunch of creating, and I have way too much left to do to be going back to work today!

Yes, I actually made stuff, and I have some things to share with you this week! I'm also throwing in a little giveaway:

 

These little foam stamps are perfect for stamping with ink or acrylic paint to make your own wrapping paper, cards, dishtowels... In fact, I made some stamped dishtowels that I'll share with you this week. Be the first to claim them and they're yours! Just tell me in the comment section that you want them and I will pop them in the mail for you this week. {Edit: Stamps have been claimed by Patty!}

 

Phew - scattered, huh? Or maybe it's just my brain that's scattered this morning.

But it's all good...all good...

I need to sit down and do some serious list making today!

Have a great week, my friends.

♥

Winner of Ryne's CD ~ This Tempered Tongue

Hey there friends ~

Thanks so much for the love and support you've shown for my nephew Ryne and his new solo CD. It's time to announce the winner of the autographed copy of "This Tempered Tongue."

Congratulations, Jo from Buckingham's Palace! You're the lucky winner of Ryne's new CD, This Tempered Tongue. Please email your mailing information to me at paperturtle(at)cox(dot)net and I'll send you some happy mail of the musical kind!

And because I want everyone to hear just a little bit of Ryne's music, I've included the song he wrote about my grandma in this post {thanks to Carrie for helping this old dog learn a new trick}. Just click the play button and enjoy. :o)

 

Download a copy of the CD from iTunes by clicking here.

♥

A bit of family history, my nephew, and a giveaway.

We grew up in Dos Palos, California. Life was simple then, and I have so many fond memories of growing up in that small town - rich with agriculture, a strong sense of community, and Grandma Bessie's house.

♥

Ryne @ 3

My "baby" brother Tim loved Grandma Bessie like I did, and he spent a lot of time at Grandma’s house with our two cousins, the Jones boys. They were my grandma’s younger grandkids, and by the time they were old enough to make their way to Grandma’s on their own, she was well seasoned in the art of grand-parenting teenaged boys. They lovingly called her Bess and she ate it up. Oh how she loved having those three boys pay her visits.

My nephew Ryne grew up hearing stories of Grandma Bessie as told by his dad, my brother Tim. He loved those stories so much that while he was writing songs for his solo CD he wrote a song about his Great-grandma Bessie.

Last year while we were all in California saying our final farewells to my mom, my brothers had their guitars out and Ryne played “Ole Bessie” for us for the first time. We loved it! I asked him right away if he had plans to include it on his CD and we were all really happy when he said yes.

In the past year I’ve heard Ryne play “Ole Bessie” a few times, but it wasn’t until I heard his recording, with my brother Tim singing harmony in the chorus that it really hit me. It was so amazing to hear my brother’s voice, blended so beautifully with his son’s in a song about our awesome grandma.

I sent Ryne a text and thanked him for that song. I thanked him because it’s just the perfect tribute to a really cool ol’ gal like Bess. I think she would be crazy about that song, and probably very tickled that Ryne would write a song about little ol’ her.

Today I’m hosting a giveaway, and the prize is an autographed copy of Ryne’s new CD, This Tempered Tongue, including the song “Ole Bessie” for your listening pleasure. I know you’ll love the other songs too – I have a few other favorites myself.

To enter the drawing, just leave me a comment here on this post, or you can leave a comment and/or like my post about this giveaway on Facebook. I’ll randomly select a winner and announce it on my blog on Monday, October 21.

If you don’t want to wait until you see if you’ve won my giveaway, you can download This Tempered Tongue on iTunes as of today.

I’m so proud of you, Ryno!

And I know that Grandma Bessie would be too!

♥

Announcing the Winner of Free Shoes!

Barbara! You won some cool new shoes!!!*

*My method for selecting a winner was very scientific, as you can see. I dropped the slips of paper with everyone's name and the one that landed closest to the end of the sentence won. :o)

Thanks to everyone who entered the contest to win shoes from OnlineShoes.com.

And congratulations to Barbara for being the winner!

♥