I have been having so much fun hanging with Josh and my kiddos with all the holiday madness upon us. We have been spending time with family and friends, hitting up Christmas happenings and just enjoying being together. I’m still crafting, but it has just been for friends and family at this point…not the order list I’m accustomed too. But it’s good for me to take a small break and just have some fun.
One project I have been hard at work on was an elf costume. Yes, you read that right. One of my friends, Susan, celebrates her birthday by having all her friends dress up likes elves and paint the town Christmas colors. We even all have jobs and name badges…crazy? I think not. Fun? I think totally YES! My elf job is being the keeper of the naughty and nice list, so I had to make my costume match appropriately. And here is what I came up with.
Your jealous aren’t you? And what about those shoes? You know you want a pair. Harper was totally in love with my costume, so I had to make her at least a hat.
The boys enjoyed rocking the hat as well.
So Friday night all the elf ladies got our elf fun on. We dressed and then doused ourselves in glitter and Christmas magic and we were ready to go celebrate Susan’s birthday.
One of our friends Tanya is a photographer so she snapped a bunch of pictures at her home studio before we headed out to Opryland Hotel.
Opryland was probably my favorite part of the night. It was totally decked out for Christmas and super busy.
Everyone thought we worked there and everyone wanted us to stop and take pictures with them…of course we obliged. And taking pictures with the kids was the BEST. They really thought we were Santa’s elves…too much fun.
So if you have ever wanted to dress up as an elf and go out in public, I highly recommend it. You will have a great time!
And here are some orders for some friends and family I have been working on. More key fobs…as always. One of my aunts and my friend Melody wanted some key fobs. I must say, I really do not get tired of making these. They are just fun. Thanks Auntie and Melody!
And another friend, Amanda, wanted a special Christmas ornament for her new little girl Macy she just brought home from Ethiopia. Wasn’t sure just how this was going to turn out, but I am really happy with the end result and hope Macy will love it for years to come. Thanks Amanda.
Okay now for the GIVEAWAY. So yesterday I ran out to the mailbox (as I do everyday because I HEART mail) and I had a package all the way from Australia. What??? Well I immediately tore into it when I got in the house and it was the sweetest package I have received in a long time. It was from a customer in Australia, Sara. She is simply amazing. Inside were 4 beautifully pottered Africa ornaments,
the sweetest card and some totally delicious Aussie cookies. Imagine an all chocolate Kit Kat. Yes, they are divine.
I can’t begin to say what this package did for my heart. Sara did this all on her own, for absolutely no reason. We don’t know each other except that she has ordered from me before. This was just a pure kindhearted deed and I feel that is one of the best examples of kindness.
In the package Sara included 4 ornaments and of course I had to immediately add one to my tree. She said I could sell the others to help add to our adoption fund, but when this sort of kindness is shown to me, I try to do something kind in return…some how. So up for grabs are the other three ornaments. I will draw 3 winners. This would be a great addition to your tree or a wonderful gift.
They are handmade from pottery and they are just gorgeous. Each one has a pottered heart in the middle as well with the word “adopt” stamped in the middle. They are really, really amazing.
You can enter lots of ways:
-Leave a comment, just any old comment will do or you can make it about a Christmas favorite
-Blog about the giveaway
-Facebook about the giveaway
-Twitter about the giveaway
–Become a fan on Facebook HERE
Please do leave a separate comment for each entry. Remember, I am a “write every entry down on a slip of paper” kind of person and separate comments makes it easier for me to keep up with. Giveaway will end Wednesday, December 15th at midnight. And all 3 winners will be announced Thursday morning. I asked Sara for any additional information she may want for me to add and here is what she said:
“I am still just a novice potter, no website or anything like that, I do it because I love it and love to bless others. I’ve actually never sold any of my pieces, I mainly give them away. I guess if anyone is interested they can send me an email at dazed4messiah@gmail.com Please have them put in the subject line: adoption ornaments so I know it’s not spam :). As far as prices go I would say $12 for small and $15 for large plus shipping cost.”
So if you want to order some please contact Sara. And Sara…thank you for being such a kind and sweet person. Really! You blessed our little family more than you will ever know. Happy Sunday!
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So with those tim tams, you MUST do a tim tam slam. Bite off two corners, to an angle, then you put one corner in hot coco and with the other suck it like a straw. Then let it melt in your mouth! AMAZING!!!!! 🙂
i would love an ornament!
Here is entry #1. My wife still needs Christmas presents. I will be doing the other options….but I’ll post for those…this is only entry 1
This is entry 2. I just Facebooked this bad boy too.
I love to see the many blessings that happen at Christmas. They are awesome throughout the year, but just seem a little more special during Christmas time. Blessings to you and your family! 🙂
LOVE the ornament!!!
Following on twitter:)
This is Entry 3. I just rocked Twitter’s world with this news! I’ll blog later tonight…..but this is only entry 3
posted on fb! can u tell i really want to win?!
love it
Cute elf costume. 🙂
These ornaments are AWESOME! I would love one!!!
I’m just so happy to see the elf costumes. I was not prepared for the elaborateness! Fantastic. Ps. Love your eyelashes!
I am a fan on FB
I adore those ornaments!!! Would love to hang one on my tree!!
Those ornaments are absolutely beautiful!! What amazing abilities to be able to make them!
So beautiful and simple, thank for sharing.
Beautiful!!!
I am posting on face book about this!
I love the ornaments!! So beautiful and precious. Please don’t count me in the giveaway as this is my amazingly wonderful sister how made these. She sent me photos of them about a week ago, but didn’t say what they were for! Glad you enjoy them so much and I’m sure the three winners will also. I have to say I’m very lucky to have such a talented and kindhearted sister. Merry Christmas.
Also posted on facebook.com 🙂
AND now, I’m following on twitter. (=
I love those ornaments! Also, I’m sure your friend knows this, but Bereket means blessing. It’s my brother’s name 🙂 Love it!
What beautiful ornaments! I would love to win one!!!
I am a facebook fan! 🙂
love these ornaments!
I would love to have one of those ornaments for my niece and her family who are in the process of adopting. It would be rather special.
Oh, I would love to win an ornament. Beautiful!
Just fanned you on FB for entry 1, here’s #2 – I love these ornaments! I have 3 former students currently working in Africa (2 missions, one Peace Corps), and I’d ♥ one of these as they’re pretty much adopted family!! 🙂 the sentiment is perfect!!
I have passed along your post on Facebook.
How can I re-like your site?:)
Love the ornaments and your elf outfit!!
I’m a fan on facebook!
LOVE LOVE THE ORNAMENT!!! I love ornaments and I love adoption so this is totally wonderful!!
I would love to win this ornament! We are in the process of adopting our son from Ethiopia. What a great piece to hang on our tree. 🙂 I just became a fan on FB.
I’d love this ornament for a sweet friend waiting patiently to pick up her little girl in Africa…
I’m a fan on facebook too 🙂 .
I want to win one 🙂
I’m a fan on FB as well.
These are ADORABLE and I would love to add one to my tree!!! Thanks for the giveaway!!!
If I win I will give the ornament to my friend who adopted from Africa.
She would love it. Thanks for sharing.
Love the ornament! Would love to blog about the giveaway, but I’m not sure how to create a link. Can anyone help me with that?
I love it! I love Christmas and everything about it. I really love cool ornaments, but I know a family I would give this one to. 🙂
Cute stuff!
Entry 4. I’m now following you on Twitter
Super cute… you are so sweet sharing the love you’ve been given. Reading about generosity helps right now since we are grieving through a lost adoption. I’m happy to see that you’re having fun with your darling family this holiday season! Take care, and I look forward to sending you orders someday when one of out adoptions go through! (and probably earlier:)
~Erin Carson
http://www.eecarson.wordpress.com
I would love to get one of these! They are beautiful!
I love these Christmas ornaments! My sister and brother-in-law are adopting from Ethiopia and have been waiting 18 months now for a referral, we cannot wait to meet Baby “E” when he/she comes home!
I would love one of those ornaments! I wanted to add an Africa ornament to our tree like we did last year, but I haven’t had a chance to order one yet! I just love these!!!
I follow on twitter
I’m a facebook fan
i so want one of these ornaments for my tree!! i know that one day i will adopt from africa, but my husband just isnt as convinced as myself, yet. all of our ornaments on our christmas tree have meaning, and i know that this is the one that is missing. i’ll just wait till its time, but in the mean time the ornament would be a great reminder for our whole family.
MUST HAVE ONE.
I love these!
facebooked
follow on twitter already!
follow on facebook already!
I shared on facebook!
I shared on twitter!
Oooh LOVE it!!
I’m a fan on facebook!
I can’t wait to get Macy’s ornament on the tree! And you girls dressing up with Susan – totally cracks me up! I am going to eventually figure out how you two know each other. We taught together at MCE, and she lived with me for a while. Small world!
Anyway – I’m gonna facebook right now – so put me down for the pottery ornament!
Gonna blog about it too! Put me down again!
oh the ornaments are so amazing!! love them!
First of all, I want an elf costume!
Secondly, those ornaments are adorable.
Love, Love, Love your stuff Laura!! Please put me down for the drawing! Trying to figure out how to post your site on my FB page! I’ll try to post it!
Oh yeah, and I’m a FB fan! Does that count for 2 entries???? lol
Ok….shared your website on my FB page! Is that 3 entries??? Can you tell I want to win??? lol I will be sharing more of your stuff now in the future….now that I have access! 🙂
Those are beautiful! I would love to win one! Thanks a lot!
I became a fan on facebook!!
I love these ornaments!! So nice of you to give them away 🙂 We are in the process of adopting- sounds like we are at about the same point in the process as you guys!! Here’s hoping I get lucky!!
I have a niece and a nephew from Ethiopia and their momma would just love one!
Entry 5. Blog post completed.
Absolutely beautiful!
These are too cute!
Love the ornament. I definitely am interested in the giveaway.
Also, this post brought back memories of Opryland Hotel…. very nice. I may need to go back there once Christmas.
First of all, those elf costumes were amazing! Secondly, Merry Chirstmas!
Just facebooked about it! LOVE these ornaments and all of your work!
LOVE the elf costumes…so stinkin cute! And I also would LOVE to win one of those cute ornaments! Blessings to you 🙂
Just blogged it!
I am a facebook fan!
Already a fan on facebook!
Love the ornament! So precious!
Love the ornaments and your work! Hoping to order in the new year. I was too late for Christmas!! Our tree would be happy to host an ornament while we wait on our Rwanda adoption.
Love it!
I meant to add that I blogged about it! Check it out here http://yestoadoption.blogspot.com/2010/12/new-numbers-and-giveaway.html
What a fun costume! All of you looked amazing!
I love these ornaments! Our documents were just submitted to court in Ethiopia, so this would be an awesome addition to our tree this year as we wait to bring our children home! 🙂
I am already a fan on facebook and am going to post on facebook as well! Pick me pick me!! 🙂
Love them, does she have a blog? Thanks!
LOVE the ornaments! What an awesome giveaway!!
You and your friends are HILARIOUS! Love the ornaments!
I LOVED the ornaments. My daughter and son-in-law are patiently waiting for their court date to be assigned in Ethiopia so they will be one step closer in bringing their son and daughter home. Would love to hang one on their tree for xmas.
Beth
I would love to have one for the tree for Christmas!!
OH my goodness you ladies are fun! Would love to be entered into the drawing and if I win, bless my friend who is adopting from Ethiopia!
Jenny
Entry #2 for being a facebook fan. 🙂
Jenny
I just did one of my favorite Christmas things with my baby girls– make and decorate Christmas cookies.
Love the ornaments. They are beautiful!
I follow you on facebook, too! 🙂
I blogged about it, too!!
WOW Those elf costumes are ridiculously awesome! Did y’all all make your own? so crafty!!
I liked you on Facebook! 🙂
I am now following you on twitter! yay!
entry # 1.
…. and in the christmas spirit of ole Charlie Brown i will leave this comment about our homemade CB tree we just put up last nite, can check it out on our catblog: http://www.whatloknows.blogspot.com/ .
entry # 2 !!
just linked to your blog via our sidebar to come and see your ornament giveaway 🙂
Love these ornaments! They are amazing.
I “like” Pitter Patter Art on Facebook
I follow Pitter Patter Art on Twitter (rachel09)
I am a FB fan! and just love all of your artwork!
Love the ornaments….from Australia—AND Yours for Amanda! Praying for your family as you work to rescue another of God’s Little Ones!!
and our final entry!
entry #3.
linked to your blog giveaway via our sidebar on our ‘2nd’ Blog @ http://whatloknows.blogspot.com/.
Good luck everyone : )
My Christmas favorite is spending time with family. We live in different states/cities, so it’s fun when we’re all together.
P.S. Love those elf costumes and ornaments!
What lovely ornaments!!! We would LOVE to win one!!! 🙂
Laura,
Love your work and this awesome giveaway. An ornament would be the perfect way to celebrate our daughter’s first Christmas home. I became a fan on facebook.
I also shared about your give away on facebook. Thanks!
I LOVE the ornaments! Hope I win.
I followed you on twitter.
I tweeted about the giveaway.
I facebooked.
Gorgeous ornaments…will be ordering from Sara next year for our tree and for friends with little boys coming home in the spring from ET!
Love that ornament!!!!
And I follow you on FB!
These Africa ornaments are amazing…and I love your new fabric ones too! I would love to win one! Thanks.
Posted on fb.
Tweeted it!
Fan on fb too.
Now following you on twitter!
I love the ornaments and would love to be included in the giveaway! I plan on ordering some of your wonderful art once you begin accepting new orders!
I am also a fan on facebook!
Love the ornaments and the elf costume. I am so thankful for more Ethiopian Adoption items out there. Three years ago when we brought home our first two there was nothing.
I posted your link on my FB. 🙂
I would love to win one of these. I have the perfect family to gift this to 🙂
I LOVE the ornaments!
I follow you on facebook 🙂 Shay Rotunda Potter
I follow you on Twitter 🙂 Pottermamma
I just facebooked the giveaway 🙂
I tweeted about the giveaway! Pottermamma
I just tweeted the giveaway! 🙂
I am a facebook fan 🙂
I am a follower on twitter 🙂
Your Elf outfit was just beautiful!
The ornaments are beautiful.
Cute cute ornaments!! I want one 🙂
I would so love one….We shall wait and see! I am a facebook fan too!
This year a friend of ours teenager asked that instead of gifts for her birthday party yesterday that everyone of her friends give the amount they would have spent and make a donation to ChristWay, a friend of ours that cares for 300 orphans in Kenya…What a great reminder that would be of a young persons heart..I would love to give her the ornament for her tree
love your talent! (elfing and pottery!)
I’m hoping to win!
Maria
Posting this on my blog too.
Maria
posting to FB! WHY NOT – More chances to win!
ok, I’ll stop here…. posting to my FB status…. b/c these are so precious! And you deserve the publicity.
Love the ornaments, and your costume is over-the-top fabulous!
I’m a fan on fb.
These are o so cute!
I’m also a fb follower of your page:)
Maggie B
pick me, pick me. i would love one of these ornaments as we hopefully head to africa in february for our two little ones.
Love these ornaments and sweet Aussie friends. The elf evening looked like so much fun!
Entry 2: just tweeted about this giveaway.
Love these! Thanks for the chance!
LOVE THESE ORNAMENTS!!!
Following on Twitter
Fan on Facebook
Tweeted about the giveaway!
I also FB’ed about the ornaments!
Darling ornaments! Did you know that Pepperridge Farms makes Tim Tam cookies? Yeah, chocolate and carmel. at Target. OH MY!
Merry Christmas!
I would love one of these to give to our dear friends who will hopefully have their little one home by this coming spring.
I also shared on Facebook.
Would love one of your lovely ornaments.
Beautiful! would love to have one as a gift to my friend.
We are waiting for a court date for our incredibly handsome Ethiopian two month old baby boy and would love to have this ornament to hang on my tree this Christmas!! Please entire me in the drawing. I am already a fan on facebook!!
Beautiful ornaments!
Became a fan on FB, too. 🙂
I’m a bit awe-struck by your elf costume and adventure! I can’t say enough how much I love your work. I’m already a fan on Facebook, so I just raved about you on my Facebook page status update! Blessings.
Entry 1! Wpould love an ornament
Entry 2 left message on facebook!
Beautiful ornaments! We actually just started the adoption process to Ethiopia and in my adoption-blog travels, I came across yours. 🙂
Pick me!
Love them
LOVE it! We just received our referral for an amazing little guy last Wed. What a great Christmas gift!!!! I might ordering whether I win or not 🙂
Follow u on FB. Awesome stuff!
I posted on my facebook. As always…so inspired by your stuff.
love these. pick me, pick me!
love this ornament and the cloth one too!! 🙂
Any girl that’s a “Sparks” has got to be talented! Ha! That’s my maiden name! I love, love, love the ornaments!
I also became a fan on Facebook! : )
Oh, I do hope I win an ornament…Karen would love that!! Thanks for the drawing…
OK…Laura, I put it on facebook. Entry #2, please!! Thanks so much. I love the elf outfit…you amaze me!!
love all your artwork.. thanks so much for all your give aways …always so excititing to read your posts…blessings to your and yours, Merry Christmas.
you areso not going to believe this but my bff is coming home onfriday with her brand new daughter from Burkino Faso, Africa. She is the first child adopted by anyone in the US from that country. Praise God! So how cool would it be to give her her first christmas ornament? awesome right?
Those Elf costumes are so cute!!
And I love the ornaments! ( and key fobs and tees and art pieces and…)