I am jumping on the band wagon and hoping to grab the tail of someone elses star. March is officially Indie Wedding Month. Along with VintageIndie and Eco-Chic Weddings I am throwing a small party in March, but my party involves another fun art contest. Tell your friends!

Prize(s): $100 Gift Certificate from Charming Sam - http://www.charmingsam.com/ .

$25.00 Gift Certificate from 5th Avenue Bath Co - http://5thavenuebathco.com/

$25.00 Gift Certificate to the store of your choice at Marmalade Pink - http://www.marmaladepink.com/

How to Win: Keeping with the theme of Indie Wedding and Eco-chic your entry must be a wedding favor. An item that can be given to guests in thanks for attending the wedding of the lovely couple. Your wedding favor can be anything BUT it must be made from recycled materials.

Recycled doesn't necessarily mean digging around in the trash for an old coke can (unless that is what you want to do). Instead recycled can also mean vintage, antique, refurbished and altered. This must be an original piece of art, assemblage, etc. done by you and owned by you. Please do not submit anything you wouldn't want your grandmother to see and I reserve the right to reject any entrant at my sole discretion.

Photograph & Description: A scan or photograph of your art along with a short description of the materials used must be received via email no later than March 19, 2008 to information@charmingsam.com at 11:59pm, PST. High resolution photographs or scans are encouraged.

Voting: Each entry submitted will be posted at http://www.charmingsam.blogspot.com/ on March 21, 2008 with the capability for site visitors to vote for individual pieces. Tell your friends, co-workers and anyone else you know to stop by and vote for your piece.

Which ever piece of work has the most votes by March 26, 2008 at 11:59pm, PST will be considered the winner.

Winner: The winners entry will be posted at http://www.charmingsam.blogspot.com/ on March 27, 2008 along with details about the artist including a short bio, links to website, store, etc.

Yada-Yada: Each prize cannot be exchanged, resold, redeemed for cash or transferred with out the express permission of Charming Sam Studios.Charming Sam Studio is operating this contest with prizes offered as of February 27, 2008. NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. A PURCHASE DOES NOT IMPROVE YOUR CHANCE OF WINNING. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED.Eligibility: Entrant must be eighteen (18) years of age or older and a legal resident of the 50 United States and the District of Columbia as of December 31, 2007. Employees of Charming Sam Studio, parents, subsidiaries, affiliated companies, and agents and the immediate family (defined as parents, spouse, children, siblings, grandparents) of each such employees, and all those with whom such employees are domiciled, are NOT eligible.

Timing: Contest begins at 12:00:01 a.m. PST on Friday, February 29, 2008 and ends at 11:59:59 p.m. E.T. on Wednesday, March 26, 2008 at 11:59pm, PST.

I think that is it. If you have questions please post them as comments to this post so I can answer for everybody. Good luck!

O.k., I'm getting back to my tag from my favorite blog, Cherry Coloured

Rules of “tag”:
1. Link to the person that tagged you and post the rules on your blog
2. Share 7 random and/or weird things about yourself
3. Tag 7 random people at the end of your post and include links to their blogs
4. Let each person know that they have been tagged by leaving a comment on their blog.

MY RESPONSES:

1) Cherry Coloured - Love this blog!

2) Seven random or weird things about me. uhhhhh.........

* I once did a voice over for a Monty Python Game. I was the voice of a Virgin in the Spank the Virgin part of the game. I think voice would be a "gross" exaggeration.

* I lived in Hawaii for almost 7 years. The first three were spent using a fake I.D. to get in to the bars. I had fun.

* I use to be in the software business. My last job was the VP of Technical Support, I was suppose to be able to answer technical questions. Now I can't find my way out of a computer box so I ask my husband for tech support.

* I can only draw stick people.

* My husband SWEARS I told him I was a great softball player. I NEVER said that and to this day I still close my eyes when a ball is coming in my direction.

* I once had a cat that climbed a power pole and got electrocuted. I was like 9 or 10 and instead of humanely putting him to sleep we had one front leg amputated, 1/2 of a back leg amputated, one ear amputated and I think he never grew whiskers back. He was an angry cat after that.

* In high school my dad bought me a motorcycle instead of a first car. I LOVED it.

3) Tag seven random people -

Sparkletopia

Secret Leaves

Dreamy Giraffe

Abigail Percy

VintageIndie

When I think of others I'll add to this.....maybe.

December 10 - Style Lounge @ Bentley Reserve - San Francisco (confirmed)

December 11 - Appel & Frank - San Francisco (confirmed)

December 13 - Feria Urbania - Oakland (confirmed)

December 13 & 14 - KPFA Crafts & Music Fair - San Francisco (confirmed)

Want to come to a show and want FREE tickets? Email me at information@charmingsam.com and I'll get you free tickets. :-)

One of the BEST places on the planet is Tinsel Trading in NYC. While they have lovely things on the website it is really worth a trip to the city to spend a day just at Tinsel Trading.

Last night while checking to see if they had anything new I ran across the "Craft Club Collage Collection - Vintage Variety". These little craft kits are $30 each plus shipping and look to have all kinds of amazing finds. I can't decide which is my favorite though....

It has been so long since I did anything on Etsy I thought today would be a good day to do a little shopping.

I've found some new things and added to my Favorites

Etsy: Your place to buy & sell all things handmade amysteinberg.etsy.com

I am working on two new series of art. The first being about Venice and the second about Provence. I have found that sticking with my travel themed art is much more enjoyable. The first in the Provence series is really a concept piece at only 8"x10" and I submitted to a magazine for review. I've sketched out about 8 more Provence pieces and probably the same number of Venice. I'll post the Venice in a week or two. In the meantime I hope you enjoy this.

Also, I've been tagged by my favorite blog, Cherry Coloured. (Yeah!) so I will be working on that in the next couple of days too (Think "Monty Python".)

I am also working on a bunch of jewelry pieces after spending this last weekend organizing bits and pieces.

Not much better then being on Cloud9 and that is how you will feel about Amber Bartek and her lovely design work at Cloud9.

Amber has her Etsy shop where you can grab yourself a quick t-shirt or if you need some design work for business cards, website, tags or whatever then she also does design work at http://www.cloud9designonline.com/. Be sure to check out her MySpace with even more stuff at http://www.myspace.com/cloud9_design.

Dawn of the Feathered Nest is the winner of the Charming Sam Valentines Day Contest. Be sure to visit her lovely blog at http://the-feathered-nest.blogspot.com/ and she has a wonderful Etsy store at http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5080161.

A total of 686 votes were cast during the Charming Sam Valentines Day contest. And the winner is.... "Dawn E." with this lovely entry.

Thank you to Dawn for her entry and to all the other wonderful entrants. I cannot tell you how much I've enjoyed this, I hope you have too.

Dawn will be notified via email to claim her prize(s) and all the other entrants will get prizes for entering.

I'll have a new contest before the end of the month so stay tuned for more art fun AND even MORE great prizes!

Thank you!!!!
Amy

It's official, we've received 9 entries in the Charming Sam Valentine Contest. Each entrant has done a beautiful job and I hope you will take the time to cast your vote for the single winner of the following prizes.

Prize(s): $100 Gift Box from Charming Sam - http://www.charmingsam.com/ - You'll get collage sheets, papers, ephemera and jewelry as part of your prize.PLUS: $25.00 gift certificate from Savvy Skirts, http://www.savvyskirts.com/PLUS: $25.00 gift certificate from Above the Mark,http://www.abovethemark.com/PLUS: $25.00 gift certificate from Sadie Olive,http://www.sadieolive.com/

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There are times I wish I could speak and read another language. This is one of those times but luckily Google has translation available. Check out le Divan Fumoir Bohemien for all kinds of lovely inspiration. Included was this print Alfred Saint-Ange Briquet.Alexis Godillot. Campement, équipement, coiffure, chaussure, ambulances. Types de l'Armée française" : "Équipement pour la cavalerie" - 1862

Thanks Mom!