I found a website that will build a cool blog content widget for you for free– Wowzio. The widgets are by invitation only, which means you send an email request to them and in all likelyhood, you receive a reply the next day with a link to start building your own. There are several different widgets to choose from and customize and then it’s a simple click and the widget is dropped into your side bar. Really, really easy. I chose the photo gallery for my left column. Click HERE for more information on getting yours! You can also feel free to grab the JSIM content widget for your blog by clicking GRAB THIS in the lower left corner of my widget. Let me know if you place one on your blog, I’ll come check it out!
It’s due time I gave something away, don’t you think? You may or may not know that I am a graphic designer by trade, specializing in logo design. Therefore, I have an extensive reference library of related material, but one of my favorite collections of books are my volumes of vintage monogram designs. Monograms are essentially personal logos, after all, and I love any chance I get to use them.
A few months back, a JSIM reader asked about the CH monogram in my blog header and where it came from. I told her I collected monogram books and to email me her initials. I went through all my books, scanned and scanned, and sent her a sheet of monograms containing her two and three initials, as shown. I can’t possibly do that for everyone, but I can do it for a giveaway winner, right?! So let’s have a giveaway!
If you are the winner of the Vintage Monogram Giveaway, you will receive from me: One digital sheet of various monograms of your very own two and three initials. I will scout through all my monogram and cypher books, scan any that apply, throw in your name in some fabulous script typefaces- (why not!), and create a personalized sheet just for you. I will provide the art in various digital file formats for print and web. You can use your monograms for stationery, rubberstamps, pattern design, blog design elements, avatars, Etsy shop logo, signatures, and more! And, unless you plan on changing your name, you can use these forever!
To enter the giveaway, all you need to do is follow my blog (see link in right column), and post a comment letting me know you’re entering. If you already follow my blog, thank you, just comment that you are entering, (so easy!) You MUST leave a way for me to contact you in case you win. DEADLINE TO ENTER IS Midnight, Saturday, May 16. I will pick a winner and post their name on Sunday. Good luck!
UPDATE: Deadline extended one extra day! CLICK HERE for more info and great monogram eye-candy!
Last Saturday was the long awaited Petaluma Vintage Spring Boutique. I didn’t sell at this one, but couldn’t wait to shop it. Extremely charming as expected and what a wonderful group of women! I took some photos of the great handmade and vintage items and displays -as such things are always inspirational, and if you do shows it’s great to see how others display their goods. CLICK ON IMAGES TO ENLARGE The weather was balmy but traffic for the sellers a bit slow. Apparently spring is a tough time of year for shows. The booths were so wonderul, and the merchandise fantastic. I found some really fun vintage goodies to craft with and a couple of great little gifts for a mom-to-be and a teacher. My big buy was this fantastic HUGE biscuit box that how sits atop my dining room hutch. The photo doesn’t do it justice. Just look at those labels and the typography, can you stand it?! I couldn’t, so it was my Mother’s day gift to me. (I try to work the most current holiday to my shopping advantage.)
A few of the VSB vendors have an online presence, please give them a visit:
