The End - blogtoberfest 2013. And a giveaway.

It's the last day of Blogtoberfest.
How did I go?
I managed 20 posts (0ncluding this one).
I passed a total of 800 posts. I never knew I had so much to share!
I planned to have a giveaway for the 800th post, but I just wasn't organised enough - what with the bushfire distractions and all. (see below)

I have visited some lovely new blogs and replenished other connections.
I'd like to have visited more, but I still can!

I want to thank everyone who has visited my blog and left kind and thoughtful comments - I totally value them.

I'd like to thank Michelle from Shells in the Bush for hosting blogtoberfest this year and doing a wonderful job.

What now?

I'd like to be a bit more structured with my blogging or a bit more organised maybe.
I'm going to run a series of posts about some of my arty and crafty friends, seeing as I know so many!
Starting tomorrow.

It's never too late - right?
so I'm having a giveaway now!

This is the prize - 

A pretty and feminine shell necklace decorated with roses and connected by a silver-plated chain.

Here's what you need to do.

1. Follow my blog.
2. Follow me on facebook. https://www.facebook.com/planettreasures
3. Follow me on pinterest http://www.pinterest.com/tesscarrad
4. Visit my shop and tell me which piece of jewellery is your favorite. https://www.etsy.com/shop/planettreasures
5. Leave a comment here when you have done any or all of the above.
Remember to tell me how I can contact you if you should win.

Closes midnight Monday 11th November.

ps if you have trouble leaving a comment  hop over to my facebook page and leave it there and I'll be sure to count it.

Thanks so much for visiting and good luck!

And the winner is....

The winner of the necklace giveaway is AC of Anastasia Drawing and Dreaming!

Congrats Anastasia.

The next giveaway will be a grab bag of a ring, a keyring and a brooch!
The brooch will be a fabric brooch from my Boos Tees shop something like this one.

Please leave a thoughtful comment on any post to go into the draw to win the grab bag.

You can find more blogtoberfest participants on I saw you dancing's blog.
And you can find more giveaways over at Ms Curly Pop's page.

A winner and another giveaway

The winner of the earrings giveaway is Dani! Yay! for Dani!!

This week's giveaway is a sweet glass beaded necklace set on a chain.
Like the one shown here.

All you need to do is leave a comment on any post this week and I'll draw a winner next Tuesday 16th October.
For more blogtoberfest giveaways pop on over here.

Winning and giving

A few weeks ago I won something!
A custom brooch by the lovely Miriam over on Create Hope Inspire,

I got to chose the word on my brooch - tough decision, but having just come back from some travels I decided that I'd like to explore the world some more. And then she made this brooch especially for me!
Now that is special/

Who doesn't love a freebie?
I love that every Friday Kelly over at 74 Lime Lane has a friday freebies feature, where she selects a great swag of free printables from around the webs.

She is a fabulous photographer and has so generously made some of her photos available for bloggers etc to use.

There are more images that Kelly is sharing here.
Isn't that great?

The lovey Sissy Sparrows on their One Story Down site have some digital downloads too. Here.

On the subject of free stuff, did you know that a number of blogtoberfest participants are having special giveaways.
Go and check them out here.

Remember I'm having a giveaway too.
To have the chance of scoring a pair of planettreaures earrings leave a comment.
Then I'll draw the winner next Tuesday.

Why blog? and a giveaway

Why blog?
Wow! I really opened a can of worms in my head when I asked myself that question.

Because I can?
Because it's there?
Because everybody else is?

I lead me on to think about the many billions of blogs out there. Most of the blogs I am familiar with are to do with crafting, art or creating stuff.
But there are all sorts - travel blogs, foodie blogs, political blogs, financial blogs etc etc and many more, I'm sure that I have no idea about.

There are more blogs out there than we will ever need!

So why me? And why you?

I guess I started blogging as an extension of my on-line business.
Over on etsy (where I have 3 shops now!) we're told that you can't just load you items in your shop and expect them to sell - oh, no - you have to promote yourself.

"Have a blog", they said - those gurus of the etsy forums.

Let people see the person behind the goods, let them get to know you - "connect with your customers".

And so we all rushed over to blogger or wordpress or wherever and blogged our hearts out.
But was anybody reading our blogs?
Why would anybody read our blogs?
We networked and read other people's blogs and we commented like crazy!
We joined memes.
We joined blog rings and jumped through hoops!

Why do we continue to blog in this world of 140 character grabs, flickr photos, facebook friends, and tumblr (plus no doubt many more I have no concept of!)?

Here's what I have gathered.

1. Blogging can be the centrepiece of all your on-line marketing and your social media activities.

2. You can explain more about yourself and your creative processes. you can post works in progress and get those appetites whetted.

3. You can share.
You can share tutorials, display ideas, successes and failures.

4. The posts you write are enduring. Facebook and twitter scroll through pretty quickly and if you want to find something again is pretty much impossible.
You can refer back to blog posts or refer others to them.

5. You can use photos to tell your story - a picture tells a thousand words so they say.
" Ok, you say you can have photos on facebook too". But on your blog you can post several pictures, you can have a coherent storyline - or not, depending on what your post is about.

6. You can hold giveaways or competitions.

7. You can link to all your other activites - you on-line shop, your fabebook, your twitter, your flickr etc. They can all be in your sidebar or wherever you want to have them.

Do you blog?
Why do you blog?
What do you blog about?

Oh, and my giveaway!
Please leave a comment of you'd like to be in the draw for a beautiful pair of planettreasures earrings.
The winner will be drawn next Tuesday 9th October.

 thanks for reading : )

Huge giveaway! to celebrate my 500th post - blogtoberfest day 24

Who would have thought that I would reach the milestone of 500 blog posts?
Certainly not me when I started this little blog.
I thought "what will I find to blog about?"
"Who will want to read it?"
And all those other thoughts us beginner bloggers have!

But here we are.
And here we are nearly at another milestone - 196 followers!
I'd love to crack the 200 today and then go on to the next ton!

But first - to announce the winner of last weeks giveaway - this one.

The winner is......Belinda - Moonmum!!!!

Yay! for Belinda : )

This week something a bit different.
As a thankyou to you, my lovely readers - 
I'll give a pair of my many and varied earrings to the first 10 followers of my blog to leave a comment here.

So if you are already a follower just say that you are already following.
If you are a new follower, just follow my blog and leave a comment saying that you have done that.

When 10 people have left comments - that's it! and I'll contact you for your addresses and send your little (or large) earrings to you.

Thankyou one and all!

You can find blogtoberfest participants here.

Blogtoberfest giveaways are here.

And we have a winner...and another giveaway - blogtoberfest day 18

Thanks to everyone who took part in this week's giveaway!

The lucky winner is Nina! ra-ra! for Nina!


The next giveaway involves these sweet button earrings made from vintage shell buttons -

a stunning natural piece of polished chevron amethyst pendant -

and a beaded ring, this one has emerald, green and gold swarovski crystals.

Please leave a comment and I'll add you to the draw next Tuesday.

You can find blogtoberfest participants here.

Blogtoberfest giveaways are here.

A winner and a new giveaway - blogtoberfest day 11

And the winner is...................................

Tori!!!!
Let's hear it for Tori! ra-ra!!

And mega-thanks to everyone for entering.

Here is the next giveaway.

One of my handbeaded triangle pendants.

 A glass millefiori bracelet kit, comes with beads, findings and instructions. All you need are some pliers and wire cutters.

And from Boos Tees a versatile scarf, headband, bandanna.
You can wear this stretchy tube scarf in so many ways, and it is light and easy to wear.

All you have to do is leave a comment on any post this week and I'll draw a winner next Tuesday.

You can find blogtoberfest participants here.

Blogtoberfest giveaways are here.

A giveaway! blogtoberfest day 4

Today is giveaway day! yay!

I'll put together a little package consisting of -

1. One of Boos Tees fabric brooches chosen at random.

2. A little fabric business card holder that I made from some fabric printed by the wonderful Ruby Victoria.
I'm a little bit of a fan of Ruby Victoria! Can you tell? I also featured her tea cup print yesterday!

I have a tutorial almost ready about how to make these little fabric pouches - look out, I'll publish it sometime this month.

3. A pair of earrings again chosen at random from my planettreasures shop.

What do you need to do?
Just leave a comment here or on any post this week and include how I can contact you should you win.

This giveaway will finish next Tuesday 11th October when I will post a new giveaway.

Want to check out more blogtoberfest blogs or join in?
Pop over to {tinniegirl}'s blog.

Interested in more giveaways?
Then check out CurlyPops blog.

*bespoke* winner!!!!

*drum roll!!!!!*

the winner of the *bespoke* giveaway is va!!

Yay! for va!!!!

and thanyou to everyone who took part.

If you missed out why not head on over to *bespoke* and treat yourself to a copy of issue #2

Giveaway - Bespoke!

Would you like to win a copy of *bespoke*?

What is *bespoke* you ask?

Well it's sweet little full-colour Australian print zine (also available in digital download form!), published by Jessica Van Den (the blogger behind EpheriellDesigns.com) Issue 2 of *bespoke* features a huge array of Aussie and international crafty types.

Issue 2 includes articles such as:

- vintage crafts - rag ruggin'

- how to find your vintage era

- a tutorial on how to carve a sweet birdie stamp

- the stories of 3 women who gave up corporate careers to launch thriving creative businesses

- thrive - an interview with a crafty lady making a full-time living from her upcycled kimono jewellery

- and lots more :)

Issue 1 had a print run of 500 copies, which all sold out, and issue 2 has a limited run of only 1,000. Oh - and *bespoke* is written totally by the community, for the community - Jess is always on the lookout for submissions from artists, photographers, handmade and vintage biz owners etc.

How to enter - leave a comment here mentioning *bespoke* and I'll pop your name in the draw.

I'll draw the winner next wednesday.

Awesome blog award

I was thrilled to have had this awesome blog award bestowed on me by Laurie at kottagecreations - http://kottagecreations.blogspot.com/



So, I am supposed to tell you 7 things you do not know about me.

1. I dont like icecream
2. I have a bachelor of science degree in physics
3. I have a cat called ginger who is 16 years old
4. I used to be a potter
5. I have lived in 3 countries on 3 different continents
6. I love guinea pigs
7. I get terribly seasick

And now I am to pass this award on to 15 bloggers that I admire. I will try not to pick bloggers who have already won this award. Here they are in a totally random order.....

1. http://giggleberrycreations.blogspot.com/

2. http://zinniapea.blogspot.com/

3. http://maddabling.blogspot.com/

4. http://74limelane.com.au/blog/

5. http://mollythepirate.blogspot.com/

6. http://chunkychooky.blogspot.com/

7. http://danceinmygarden.blogspot.com/

8. http://daxdesigns.blogspot.com/

9. http://deliciousdesignz.blogspot.com/

10. http://handmadebitsandpieces.blogspot.com/

11. http://herlibraryadventures.blogspot.com/

12. http://wingbysea.blogspot.com/

13. http://pamdegroot.blogspot.com/

14. http://shonastudio.blogspot.com/

15. http://tigesandweince.blogspot.com/


Thanks for being here - now why dont you pop on over to a few of these blogs and check them out?
.....but before you go please leave a comment here - remember I'm giving one lucky commenter a pair of earrings this week!

What do you do with ....?

What do you do when something you have made, something you have spent many hours designing, gathering supplies, spending money, creating, displaying, listing, promoting - doesnt sell?

Do you -

1. Move it - to another selling venue

2. Reduce it - give it a price cut?


3. Gift it - give away as a birthday/christmas/wedding/etc present?


4. Give it - run a giveaway on your blog, website, whatever and offer it as the prize?



5. Donate it - give it for some other fundraising/school raffle/ trivia night prize....?


6. Keep it - use/wear/display it for yourself?

7. Stow it - put it in the back of the cupboard to be brought out several months or years later?



8. Renovate it - polish it up, give it some new bits, or package or display it differently?

9. Restyle it - Make it longer or shorter, bigger or smaller?

10. Remodel it - take it apart and make something completely different?

11. Forget it!!?


Please leave a comment - you'll have a chance to win a surprise!

images from the web

This week's winner and thanks to my geek

First of all, ladies and gentlemen (well all ladies actually!) I must apologise for being late with this week's prize draw.

image from royalpingdom

My computer was having a hissy-fit and wouldnt start. My clever hub got it working in safe mode but the size was really big and it was so hard to use.
The type was really easy to read for a person of my age! It became the old-persons-interweb!!

Anyway, the afore-mentioned clever hub fixed it!
What he did was use his computer to google "start up problems for windows xp" or something like that - and lo and behold there is a wealth of information out there to help you fix it!
There are blogs and forums and all sorts - mind you not all of it is right. It took him a while to work out what to do.
I'm afraid I cant share with you what he did, but it did not involve a complete re-install, thank goodness.

geek necklace by morphologica

Albert Einstein tshirt by vortextradingcompany

I love my geek from ThinkGeek

And the winner is -

*drum roll*

melanie!!!!!

yay! let's hear it for melanie, "rah"!

And don't forget a new giveaway starts today.

Wildflowers and a Weekly giveaway

Today I thought I would share some lovely Australian native flowers, some from our garden and some from the bush roundabouts.

bush pea

pink spider flower

boronia

grevilliea

hardenbergia

And announce that from today I will be having a weekly giveaway.

All you have to do is leave a comment on any of my blog posts and every Thursday I will draw a winner at random.
The prize will be - a surprise!

You an have an extra entry if you tweet about my blog, or mention it on facebook, or mention it on your blog (one entry for each thing)

Happy blogging!

Giveaway! #5

This giveaway is now closed!
Many thanks to everyone who took part.


Hurrah! for Caitlin. She won the crystal earrings!

This one is for Australia only! Due to very large earrings and enormous postage!




Large balls of coral and black czech glass beads.
Balls are nearly 2.5cm (1") across, drop is 6cm so they are not for the faint-hearted!

Please leave a comment here including a way to contact you if you win.
Closes 6pm Sunday 25th July.

Giveaway! #4

this giveaway is now closed.
Thanks to all who entered.

Yesterdays winner is Kottage Kreations!

yay! for Kottage, thanks so much for taking part.

Today's giveaway is for girls who like a bit of sparkle in their life!
and who doesnt?


Clear, red and amethst crystals dangle gracefully to 6.5cm.

Please leave a comment here.

This giveaway closes @ 6pm Saturday 24th July.

Giveaway! the third

Tada! Yesterday's winner was Carmel!

congrats to Carmel.

Todays earrings are somewhat bold.
But they are not bold in colour, they are neutral, earthy colours - but not beige!

They are rectangles of stone, a type of jasper with balls of citrine on the top.
They dangle down 7cm (2 3/4")

They were originally a partner for a necklace but there was a divorce and the necklace went overseas to a better life.
So if you would like to give these poor lonely earrings a good home please leave a comment.


Closes 6pm (Australian Eastern time) Friday 23rd July.

Giveaway! #3

This giveaway is now closed.
New one opening any minuye now!

Tada! Yesterday's winner was Carmel!

congrats to Carmel.

Todays earrings are somewhat bold.
But they are not bold in colour, they are neutral, earthy colours - but not beige!

They are rectangles of stone, a type of jasper with balls of citrine on the top.
They dangle down 7cm (2 3/4")

They were originally a partner for a necklace but there was a divorce and the necklace went overseas to a better life.
So if you would like to give these poor lonely earrings a good home please leave a comment.

Giveaway! the second!

This giveaway is now closed.
there will be another one shortly.....

I am very pleased to announce that the winner of yesterdays giveaway is Del! RAAAAA!


These earrings were for sale for $20.
They are sterling silver with czech glass leaves and flowers.
Measure 3.5cm across.

Pretty? yes?

Leave a comment here to have a chance to win them.
Make sure I know how to contact you.

closes 6pm Australian eastern time Thursday 22nd July.