*** GIVEAWAY: Wayfaring Magnolia *** (CLOSED)

Today's giveaway is from Wayfaring Magnolia, which is a great vintage clothing shop.

From the Shop Owner:
I'm a thrifter and vintage lover and I just love to share my finds on etsy for everyone.
PS: You can check her blog.

BUY IT: Dresses are between $148.00 - $10.00; shoes are between $50.00 - $22.00; tops are between $345.00 - $18.00; bags and purses are between $42.00 - $16.00; "for the guys" section is between $70.00 - $18.00; jewels are between $26.00 - $6.00. There are also miscellaneous items and "10 dollar clearance" section!

WIN IT: One (1) winner will receive a $30 Gift certificate to Wayfaring Magnolia on Etsy. (Value: $30.00 USD)
* Please leave your entries to the Rafflecopter form below.
** YOU MUST DO THE MANDATORY ENTRY FIRST AT THE TOP OF THE FORM, OR YOU WILL BE DISQUALIFIED! DON'T TWEET WITHOUT DOING THE MANDATORY ENTRY!

*** GIVEAWAY: Partly Sunny Studio *** (CLOSED)

We have a new Etsy giveaway after a long time! The prize comes from Partly Sunny Studio (US), which offers colorful original abstract modern art and impressionist paintings and prints.

From the Shop Owner:
I have always had my hands full of paint brushes and colored pencils, crayons and markers and charcoal... I love flinging paint onto canvas and seeing how each and every painting turns out in the end, when I can finally call it finished and say "ta-da"! :) I try to create bright and colorful artwork that will give a cheerful atmosphere to a room.
PS: You can also find her on Artfire.

BUY IT: The beautiful original paintings are between $995.00 - $40.00 USD; prints are between $59.95 - $18.95; and note cards are between $12.00 - $6.00.

WIN IT: One (1) winner will receive a set of 13 note cards with envelopes by Rachel Biggs. (Value: $25.00 USD)
* Please leave your entries to the Rafflecopter form below.
** YOU MUST DO THE MANDATORY ENTRY FIRST AT THE TOP OF THE FORM, OR YOU WILL BE DISQUALIFIED! DON'T TWEET WITHOUT DOING THE MANDATORY ENTRY!

*** GIVEAWAY: The Sylvan Horn *** (CLOSED)

Reading level: Ages 12 to adult
Paperback: 220 pages
Publisher: iUniverse (February 25, 2009)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0595484891
ISBN-13: 978-0595484898
Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 0.6 inches
Shipping Weight: 12 ounces

Before the days of men, there were elves. In a time they were great and powerful, the first dwellers, the brightest ray of dawn upon the earth. They brought light and music to the world and every breeze that stirs and wave that crashes still echoes with the wonder of the fair folk. But a foulness is brewing in the east, where men deal in sorcery. They summon dire forces, unleashing a terrible power into the world. And the elves, once immortal, now fade from the earth. But knowing that all sorcery comes from Runes that were carved ages ago, Efkin, a young elf lord, races to find and destroy the hidden Runes before all is lost. He sets out to recover the horn of his ancestors that long ago summoned the forces that shaped the world. Only the horn has the power to break the Runes. He journeys into the east, but comes too close to the heart of sorcery and does not dare blow the horn. If he is tainted by the poison of the Runes the horn will sound a ruinous note that could spell the end of the earth.

About the Author:
In his first novel, The Sylvan Horn, award-winning author Robert Redinger offers a fantasy epic that delivers much more than the usual sword and sorcery fare. There is plenty of magic and swordplay for genre purists, but there is also an intriguing narrative that does not merely take us down exotic paths, but moves our consciousness toward a new perspective. While the story deals in magic, it also touches on science, presenting a view of existence that resembles string theory, which states that our material world is made of vibrating strands of energy that produce all the elementary particles. A careful reader will also find an allegory that uses mysticism to explore the dangers of our modern era.

BUY IT: You can buy this book on Amazon for $15.95 and on Barnes&Noble for $14.67.

WIN IT: One (1) winner will receive a copy of "The Sylvan Horn" by Robert Redinger. (Value: $25.95 USD)
* Please leave your entries to the Rafflecopter form below.
** YOU MUST DO THE MANDATORY ENTRY FIRST AT THE TOP OF THE FORM, OR YOU WILL BE DISQUALIFIED! DON'T TWEET WITHOUT DOING THE MANDATORY ENTRY!

Souvenirs You Won’t Want To Give Away

Travelling is a fantastic experience, so why not remember your adventures by buying a selection of exciting souvenirs along the way? Choose something unique to the countries you have visited and purchase the most unusual and cultural items for your trinket box.

Here’s a selection of souvenirs that you certainly won’t want to give away:

1. Yukata – Japan

Yukata Image Credit

If you are lucky enough to visit Japan, browse the local stores for a yukata, a casual summer kimono made from light cotton. The perfect garment to show off to your friends back home, yukatas are a traditional form of Japanese dress and can be tailor-made. With straight seams and wide sleeves, yukatas are distinctive in style and are available in many different colours and designs. The ladies of this country often style there hair in elaborate ways when wearing a yukata, so it might be fun to ask a native how to create a stunning up do.

2. Nyau Mask – Malawi

Nyau Mask Image Source

A beautiful country in Southeast Africa, Malawi is one of the most intriguing places on earth. While exploring this wonderful part of the globe, keep an eye out for a Nyau mask worn by a secret society of the Chewa tribe. Made from wood and straw the masks are traditionally used during rituals and have become a huge part of Central and Southern Africa’s culture. With many different masks available representing everything from white people to lions, these are hard to buy but are definitely worth the search – and the extra luggage charge.

3. Russian Dolls – Russia

Russian Dolls Image Credit

Russian dolls make a wonderful souvenir and consist of beautifully carved wooden dolls of decreasing size placed one inside the other. Available in many themes from peasant ladies wearing a traditional safaran jumper dress to Soviet leaders, Russian dolls have been around since 1890 and form a large part of Russia’s history. Like many souvenirs you can find the dolls around the world, however, they are often of poorer quality and consist of fewer dolls. Authentic Russian dolls can contain an impressive number of figures (sometimes as many as 50) and are special pieces of art you can cherish.

4. Shona Stone Sculptures – Zimbabwe

Shona Stone Sculptures Image Source

Despite its political problems, Zimbabwe remains one of the most stunning countries on this planet and is home to some of the most talented artists. Shona stone sculptures portray animals and humans in realistic and abstract form and are truly beautiful to behold. Hand crafted with love and care for centuries, each piece is unique and has the natural patterns of rock formed millions of years ago. Shona stone sculptures are elegant, different and look great in the home making them a wonderful buy.

5. Clogs – Holland

Clogs Image Credit

What better way to remember a trip to Holland that by taking home a pair of traditional wooden clogs? This extremely quirky type of footwear has become associated with the Dutch who still wear this incredibly durable type of shoe to work – especially in the fields. While clogs can be found in other countries such as Sweden and France, the design painted on them will mark them apart. Buy a pair with windmills painted on them, one of Holland’s most-famous symbols and enjoy a really special buy.

The next time you set off on your travels make sure you have enough spending money to buy some really wonderful souvenirs. You might want to buy a few unusual gifts for friends and family too, but watch out as you might end up keeping them for yourself.

This article was produced on behalf of Hotel Club; where finding hotels in Ho Chi Minh City is the only the beginning of your souvenir hunting adventures.

Some Innovative Celebration Ideas; Become The Party Guru

Some innovative celebration ideas for you to use

We all love a good celebration. Be it from a birthday, an anniversary, a special holiday, a hen or bachelor party to a wedding. Some of us love planning celebrations and have a knack for it but some of us are lost for ideas and would love to throw a memorable and amazing party but need help when it comes to celebration ideas.

Well do not stress, after reading this article, you will be the talk of the town and an infamous party guru. We are going to discuss some of the usual celebrations we need to throw for others or would like to throw for oursleves and we will inspire you with some amazing and innovative celebration ideas.

21st celebration ideas

This is the big one. This one and your 30th but at this age the world is still your oyster and all is fine. In our opinion, you can never go wrong with themed celebration ides. This is always fun, seeing everyone dressed up and attempt to dance in their costumes will keep you entertained for hours. Choose a theme you love and something you are passionate about. A sit down dinner is always nice to give the opportunity to be civilized before the celebrations commence and invest in a DJ that will play music for all the genres of the people attending. Make sure there is a steady flow of alcohol and if budget permits maybe offer beers and wine and spirits you have to buy.

New Year celebration ideas

New Years Eve always has so much hype associated with it and sometimes this breeds room for disappointments. A lot of us attend an overpriced club party where it takes an hour to get a drink and we cannot even have a decent dialogue with the good looking person at the bar. An innovative celebration idea is celebrating on a New Years Eve cruise. It is special enough for a New Years Eve celebration but intimate enough to have an incredible night with friends and literally rock the boat all night dancing, drinking and eating.

30th birthday celebration ideas

This is the other big one we were talking about. Also a lot of people opt for a themed birthday party in attempt to bring back nostalgic memories of their 21st celebrations. We have one of the more innovative celebration ideas for those of us that did not celebrate our 21st birthdays or loved their ones so much that they would want to re-live them. How about a 21st birthday celebration for your 30th birthday? Just an innovative birthday celebration idea you could use.

Hen party celebration ideas

So much emphasis is put on the wedding and the groom’s bachelor party but what about the hen party? Girls can party just as hard if not harder than our male counterparts so let us discuss some innovative and fun celebration ideas. You need to have the extremely wild and inappropriate costume, that is a prerequisite, then an awesome venue, delicious food and a steady amount of alcohol laced pink cocktails. The venue will set the mood and pace of the hen party celebrations and what better way to surprise the wife to be than with a once in a life time hen party boat cruise!

These are just a few innovative celebration ideas. Just think outside the box and do your research on the person having the celebration and you can’t go wrong.

Dave Tucker loves celebrations and had a great time giving away some of his celebration ideas.