Enter to Win My Cottage Charm Giveaway: A Twice Remembered Sampler






Congratulations, Texasaggiemom! You're the winner of my Cottage Charm Giveaway this year! I will be contacting you via email and look forward to hearing from you! Many thanks to you and all the others who dropped by to enter!




I am so excited about my offering for the Cottage Charm giveaway this year! For those of you who don't know, my giveaway here is just one giveaway of many that will be held the entire month of May as part of the blogwide 4th Annual Cottage Charm Giveaway event. Last year, there were almost 70 giveaways added by bloggers by the end of May! So to see other giveaways added so far this year, or to learn how to add your own, please click the banner below!


Now on to my giveaway! I decided to make it kind of a theme and include the types of things that you might find around our cottage home. Granted, my style and color choices aren't for everyone, but if you find yourself drawn to red, dark brown, and white, these items would be lovely in your own cottage style home.

Some of these items I bought new or made especially for this giveaway, and others have been stored in my attic as "extras". In my quest to pair down, I'm thrilled to "recycle" unused items in such a fun way.

So come along with me while I share with you all the Twice Remembered items one special person will win on May 29th. {Scroll down to see instructions on how to enter to win this big giveaway.}

Included in this giveaway is:

{1} A new framed art piece {exactly like the one in my kitchen - a major inspiration for my home's color scheme and style}


{2} A black wire "urn" filled with a few pieces of antique silverware


{3) A red lamp similar in size to the one on my kitchen countertop {this does not include the shade - I'm sorry. I only had my own small shade to "model" what a shade would look like on this sweet little lamp.}


{4) Two red "antiqued" trivets


{5} A charming collection of old photograph reprints


{6} A medium sized glass cake plate and dome filled with five faux apples


{7} A vintage cotton and lace curtain valance {similar to mine}


{8} One of my faux "cream filled cookies"


{9} A vintage cup and saucer set, 2 scalloped ironstone plates, and a vintage doily


{10} A small framed magnet board with a few vintage scrabble tile pieces {a smaller version of one I made last year.} The paper in the frame is a page from a book on roses dated 1883.


{11} A cute little white pitcher


{12} A red word stone made by me


{13} Magnetic chipboard letters


{14} Two new copies of my favorite books: Mrs. Dunwoody's Excellent Instructions for Homekeeping and Betty Crocker's Kitchen Gardens


A couple of shots of the inside of Mrs. Dunwoody's Excellent Instructions for Homekeeping. I've given this book away each year, I think. Lots of old-fashioned tips and advice!



...And then Betty Crocker's Kitchen Gardens. Sooo charming - you'll love the illustrations and garden poems and quotes especially!



So that's it!

How to Enter This Giveaway:

- **Due to shipping costs on such a large package, this giveaway is only open to those living within the continental United States.**

- You do not have to have a blog to enter this giveaway.

- Please, just one entry.

- Just email me and put "Twice Remembered Sampler" in the subject line {this filters all giveaway entries into one folder in my inbox}.

- Please, please, please provide the correct email address so that I can contact you when you win. If I cannot contact the winner or don't hear from the winner within two weeks of the drawing, I will need to draw another name.


I'll draw a name on May 29th and post it at the top of this post.

If you really want to make me happy, let me know which part of this giveaway you are most excited about {I just get curious about things like that, hehe}

And if you really, really, really want to make me over the moon thrilled, please help spread the word about the 4th Annual Cottage Charm Giveaway by blogging it about it or posting the banner code below in your sidebar for the month of May. I'm sorry, this doesn't earn anyone any extra entries, simply because I won't be able to take the time to sort through multiple entries from the same persons. But it sure would be nice to have as many people as possible participate in this blogwide giveaway.





Thank you - I hope you win! And be sure to check out the other giveaways {added daily!} after you enter to win A Twice Remembered Sampler!

1 comments





4th Annual Cottage Charm Giveaway Event - Now thru May 29th!


This year's 4th Annual Cottage Charm Giveaway has come to a close. What a fun and exciting month it was! We had 68 bloggers participate by hosting giveaways on their blogs...none of this would not have been possible without them and their generosity! Thank you so much to all of you who participated and I'm looking forward to another great event next May - year 5! I hope you can join us!


The 4th Annual Cottage Charm Giveaway has now officially begun! This special, annual May event will last from now until May 29th, 2010. Will you be joining us? Just scroll to the bottom to see the list of giveaways added so far or keep reading for more information on how to join in on the fun!

What is the Cottage Charm Giveaway?: This is a multi-blog, month long event beginning Saturday, May 1st where bloggers give away on their blogs items they feel exhibit "Cottage Charm". Anyone can join at any point in May before the 29th. On May 29th, all participating bloggers will announce their winners and post it to their blogs. An ongoing list of ALL the giveaways and participating bloggers is maintained here at Twice Remembered {down below} during the entire month of May. The list grows and grows the whole month of May as bloggers add their Cottage Charm Giveaway to their blogs.

How do I give away an official "Cottage Charm Giveaway"?: To join, you simply follow four easy steps:

1) at any point in May post on your blog what you are giving away - your "Cottage Charm Giveaway", and also post your own rules for winning the giveaway {for example, the number of entries allowed, how you want your readers to enter your drawing, where you are willing to ship, etc.}. It would be helpful and advantageous to include photos and to mention "Cottage Charm Giveaway" in your post title. You can offer as many Cottage Charm giveaways as you like.

2) include *within your giveaway post* a link back to this post. The more people who know about this event, the better! Here is the link you will need to use:

http://twiceremembered.blogspot.com/2010/05/4th-annual-cottage-charm-giveaway-event.html

3) come back here and add your giveaway post link to the list of giveaways below. Giveaways added below without having the proper "link back" to this post will be deleted, but you can try again after the link has been added.

4) announce the winner of your giveaway on your blog on May 29th. It is helpful to post the winners at the top of your giveaway post. {**If you want to end a giveaway earlier than the 29th, please do not participate in this event.}

Is there a Cottage Charm banner that I can use for my blog and/or giveaway post? Yes, feel free to copy and paste the code below anywhere on your blog. You don't have to use the banner, but some kind of link {text or banner} needs to be included *within your giveaway post*.





What should I give away? Feel free to use your own definition of "Cottage Charm" for this giveaway- the possibilities are endless! You can give away books, your own crafts, custom goods and clothing, thrift store finds, new items, yummy treats, gift certificates to your shop, vintage goodies...whatever to you represents cottage charm. Don't worry - you don't have to live in a cottage or personally decorate in cottage style. However, if you would like to give away something to those that do, please join in!

Where are all of the giveaways and how do I enter to win them? Down below is the master list of all Cottage Charm giveaways. This list will grow and grow throughout the month of May, so come back daily to check for newly added giveaways. Just click on the links to go to the blog hosting the giveaway and follow their rules for entering.

When I enter to win any {or all} of the giveaways below, how will I know if I won anything? More than likely, the giveaway host will contact you if you won. But during the day or evening on May 29th, just visit the blogs whose giveaway you entered and look for their "winner" announcement. I won't be posting the names of all the winners here at Twice Remembered with the exception of the winner of my own Cottage Charm Giveaway.

Do I need to have a giveaway to enter to win the other giveaways? No, not at all.

I'm still confused a little bit. Now what? If you have any questions about the 4th Annual Cottage Charm Giveaway, please feel free to email me. I'll look forward to hearing from you!

I hope everyone has a blast this month discovering new blogs and entering to win some really special gifts! Now...let the giveaway begin!

2010 4th Annual Cottage Charm Giveaway Participants

{To be updated daily until 11:59pm, May 28th. If you haven't already, please read the above information on adding a giveaway to this list before doing so. If you have have posted a "Cottage Charm Giveaway" on your blog and have linked back to this post, please enter the link to your giveaway below. }





Thank You, Romantic Homes & Cottage Charm Giveaway Reminder



I am so honored that Romantic Homes magazine featured Twice Remembered in their "site seeing" section in the June 2010 issue. Though this blog has been featured once before in the first addition of the Cottages and Bungalows magazine {back when my blog was called "One Woman's Cottage Life"}, this is the first time any photos of our home were included. I'm truly thankful for this privilege - and will cherish this issue for a long time to come!


If you've discovered Twice Remembered through Romantic Homes, I'd like to welcome you to my little corner of the world. I apologize that due to time constraints, I no longer host the weekly Make Your Monday craft/project event, but feel free to browse hundreds of past projects. Also, there is a pretty comprehensive list found at Paper, Glue, etc. that includes many, many other current "link parties" held each day of the week. You are sure to be inspired by them and just may decide to join in by submitting your own project!

On another note, everyone is welcomed to participate in the 4th Annual Cottage Charm Giveaway event that begins Saturday, May 1st! I will have my own giveaway posted probably closer toward the

I'm looking forward to another great month long blogwide giveaway!
beginning of next week, but if you have one that you would like to go ahead and add {or if you would like to start entering your names to win giveaways on various blogs}, just stop in here Saturday morning to see the latest. For those that are interested in participating by hosting a Cottage Charm giveaway, please make sure you read the few participation requirements first. Thank you, and I'm looking forward to another great month long blogwide giveaway!





Red Cabinets - Taking the Leap



I just want to send out a huge round of 'thank you's' to all of you who emailed me regarding my white vs beige paint decision in my last entry, "Tell It to Me Straight". There was an outpouring of honest thoughts and opinions, and they've proven to be invaluable in helping me make the right choice. I've been able to respond to all of Sunday's and a few of yesterday's comments and am eagerly looking forward to replying to the others today. I'll fill you in on what I'm going to try because as of last night, I think I've finally figured it out.;)

By the way, this is one of the reasons why I am loving the private commenting feature: You get to tell or ask me what is really on your mind without worrying about what others may think. I've enjoyed hearing from long time readers who have never commented before as well. And I love being able to give personal responses - something

There was an outpouring of honest thoughts and opinions, and they've proven to be invaluable in helping me make the right choice.
that was lacking with the older format. I know private commenting may be weird and out of the norm for blogs, and I can appreciate that some do love to read the comments of others. Thank you all so much for your support with this, well, kind of major change to Twice Remembered's blog format. Feel free to tell me what you think about the changes - and it's ok if you don't like some of them. Also, I would love to hear what you do and don't like in blogs in general. From time to time I do like to take a step back and reevaluate by site and figure out what is working - and what is not.


Speaking of private commenting, I received an email the other day that I would like to share with you {I know...the irony!}. I thought it was interesting because I think it really states what many of you may be feeling regarding painting your cabinets red. Some may worry if taking the leap by going red would make it harder to sell their home in the future. I've added this question to my FAQ page as well because I'm sure it is a common concern.

I have been inspired by your red kitchen cupboards but am still frightened to take such a leap. Currently mine are plain old white. A friend...has said that it will take at least 3-4 coats of paint and if we decide to sell our home in the next 2 or 3 years no one will want to buy a house with a red kitchen. Do you have any words of encouragement?? -C.

C., I can certainly understand your hesitation with the red. It is a very bold color choice and one of your friends was right in that it does take many, many coats to cover properly. Mine took four, maybe even five on the doors, and that isn't counting the primer coat. So it is quite a time commitment to say the least! Resale could certainly be a consideration as well, but I don't think red cabinets would be quite the deal breaker as some might think. It really depends on the way you look at.


For me personally, I feel that by the time we are finished with our remodel, our home may just be completely out of the norm/unusual compared to other homes on the market in my area. It won't really be the "neutral blank slate" contemporary home that many are searching for.
Our house and red cabinets will fit just the right person, and I'm willing to wait for them to come along.
It will have {one of these days!} a very distinct style that folks will either love or hate depending on their personal taste. The person that I want to own the house after us is the person that falls head over heals over it and the red cabinets. The way I see it - and maybe it's an odd romantic approach - is that the red cabinets are like Cinderella's missing glass slipper. When and if we ever sell, our house and red cabinets will fit *just the right person*, and I'm willing to wait for them to come along.

I know I'm just biased, but I feel that if the cabinets are painted red and painted well {and the right shade is picked...a red that isn't too garish}, it will not detract from the beauty of the home. In fact, a red kitchen will be one that buyers will remember while they are out searching for homes. It will stand out in their mind. Incidentally, the other day I was watching one of those 'designed to sell' kinds of shows on HGTV...the ones where professionals come in and spruce up a house to get it ready to sell, you know? Well, in the episode I saw, a huge shelving unit in a wide hallway {or maybe it was the passage way from the mudroom?} was painted. Do you know what color they painted it? Red!


I think red is just one of those colors where the "concept" of it is scary - the idea of actually going through with it in our own homes can be terrifying. And especially so if it is like nothing we have ever done before or like nothing our friends and family have ever done. It may just sound like a foreign concept! But I don't think folks in general get that horrified feeling when they see other kitchens or things painted red. Instead they may feel "I would have never thought to do that but it works! It looks nice! I love it! Pretty! I like it better than I thought I would!" It's only when they consider doing it in their own spaces that they may hesitate or worry if it's the right decision.

I guess in some ways, going red is just a leap of faith. Like I said, there are things to consider like finding the right shade {I love the shade I used - Waverly's
Going red is just a leap of faith.
Cherry but I still toned it down by wiping on and then wiping off some brown glaze}, wall color, countertop, backsplash, the colors of decorative items and fabrics you plan to use...all these things will either accentuate the red cabinets nicely or make them look like it's all too much. For me, I've decided to stay neutral with very little color elsewhere - white, off-white, and dark brown accents.

One last note about going red with your cabinets: Remember, it is only paint and can be repainted. Try painting one single cabinet if you have one detached from the others. I have a single cabinet on the other side of the sink above the dishwasher
Remember, it is only paint and can be repainted.
and that is where I started. I completely finished that one before moving on to the rest. So if you decide to take the leap, first paint that one cabinet completely and live with it for a while. It won't take you too long to know if you want to go with another color or not. If you love it, you won't hardly be able to wait to paint the rest. If you don't like it, you may feel like "Ugh!" every time you see it and will hardly be able to wait to paint over it!


I hope this gives you a few more things to think about before making your decision. I believe that when it comes to painting our homes, do what is going to make you happy - not what is going to make the future homeowners happy. If you do anything that you feel might be too "out there" when it comes time to resell, remember that it can be reversed if you are up to a little extra work. Don't not paint your cabinets red because you're worried about future buyers. It is your home now, so enjoy it - and if that means having white, red, green, or purple cabinets, then so be it!

-Kim


P.S. Just thinking about resale again...With our own house, we will never, ever get out of it what we've put into it so far, considering our neighborhood and the values of the homes around us. But it's just an example of doing what we love and what makes us happy.:)





Tell It to Me Straight



Usually I plan out my posts. Take photos. Spend lots of time trying to make those photos look pretty. Proofread my writings.

Not now. Consider this an impromptu blog post. My fingers are flying as I try to type this out while the chicken is being thawed in the microwave and before dinner needs to be made. And it's a school night - there are mountains of laundry to be done! But someone has to help me.

Don't worry. It's not a life or death situation. Well, it's not yet, but it could be if I don't once and for all pick a wall color and stick to it because let me tell you,

I've got it in my head that I want my walls to be white, too!
my sweet, wonderful, adoring hubs has just about had it with me changing my mind on paint yet again - after it has been bought and applied to the walls. I can understand that. We have "other projects we need to be spending time and money on". I completely get that - I do.

But...

"It just has to be right."

So will you help me? Hubs has agreed to let me choose a different color this one last time for years to come. The pressure!

Don't get me wrong - I love my current wall color. It's just the right shade of a soft, creamy beige and I've been very pleased with it. It's called Malted Milk by Valspar. I felt it would contrast nicely with crisp white beadboard.


But I've been bitten by the white bug. I know that our ceilings are white and our crown moulding is white and our beadboard is going to be white, but after being inspired by such beautiful interiors found at A Country Farmhouse
It's not a life or death situation. Well, it's not yet.
and many, many Swedish country style blogs, I've got it in my head that I want my walls to be white, too! I think it would just look lovely with the red cabinets and little red and dark brown accents. It would look fresh and clean and beautiful and...

Why am I hesitating? Why does part of me think I should stick with the creamy beige? Why am I still lured by the soft contrast and warmth of it? Why am I so torn?

I truly, truly love both. Creamy white and pure white. They both to me look equally gorgeous. This will be the color I carry throughout the whole house {with the exception of the kids' rooms}. I've decided I just want to keep it all the same - so it's a pretty major decision for me. The reason that I'm all fired up about it now is that after our beadboard and trimwork are painted in the studio, we will be putting on the final, final, final wall color in there. The first coat of paint was applied to the beadboard in there today, so the clock is ticking!

What would you do? What would you like to see in The Twice Remembered Cottage?

Crisp, super fresh white walls {floor to ceiling, though different sheens will be used on the woodwork}?

or

A warmer, contrasting soft beige?

Any and all opinions are welcome. It's kind of almost an emergency.

Tell it to me straight.

I'll be anxiously awaiting your thoughts!

Edited to add: If you haven't done so already, be sure to check out my last post containing the details about the upcoming Cottage Charm Giveaway.





Upcoming 4th Annual Cottage Charm Giveaway Information



One week. That's how much time is left until the 4th Annual {month long, blogwide} Cottage Charm Giveaway officially begins! Will you be joining this year?

For those that may have never heard of it, this is a multi-blog, month long event beginning Saturday, May 1st where bloggers give away on their blogs items they feel exhibit "Cottage Charm". Anyone can join at any point in May before the 29th. On May 29th, all participating bloggers will announce their winners and post it to their blogs. An ongoing list of ALL the giveaways and participating bloggers is maintained here at Twice Remembered during the entire month of May. {I'll be using MckLinky this year as I have with past Make Your Monday link parties...so you may already know how easily this works. Participants will simply add their Cottage Charm giveaway link to the list.} The list grows and grows the whole month of May as bloggers add their Cottage Charm Giveaway to their blogs.

To join, you simply:

1) at any point in May post on your blog what you are giving away - your "Cottage Charm Giveaway", and also post your own rules for your giveaway {for example, where you are willing to ship and how you want your readers to enter your drawing}.

2) include in your giveaway post a link back to the Twice Remembered entry containing the master list of all Cottage Charm giveaways {I will post the entry on Saturday, May 1st @ 8 am central time}.

Use your own definition of "Cottage Charm" for this giveaway- the possibilities are endless!
The more people who know about this event, the better! Feel free to use the Cottage Charm banner above as well.

3) come back here and add your link to the list of giveaways {Again, I will have the list available on May 1st @ 8 am central time.} Giveaways added without following step #2 will be deleted}

4) announce the winner of your giveaway on your blog on May 29th. Please no exceptions to this unless you need to end your giveaway a day or two later due to scheduling conflict. {**If you want to end a giveaway earlier than the 29th, please do not participate in this event. If I made an exception for one person, out of fairness I would need to make an exception for all. This would change the dynamics of the Cottage Charm Giveaway completely. I hope you understand.}

Finally, use your own definition of "Cottage Charm" for this giveaway- the possibilities are endless! You can give away books, your own crafts, thrift store finds, new items, yummy treats, gift certificates to your shop, vintage goodies...whatever to you represents cottage charm. Don't worry - you don't have to live in a cottage or personally decorate in cottage style. However, if you would like to give away something to those that do, please join in! Above is a little collage that I put together of some of my past Cottage Charm giveaways and for more inspiration, check out the links below...

3rd Annual {2009 - 68 giveaways}
2nd Annual {2008 - 54 giveaways}
1st Annual {2007 - 40 giveaways}

If you have any questions about the 4th Annual Cottage Charm Giveaway, please let me know. I'm looking forward to hearing from you!





The Swing



How do you like to go up in a swing?
Up in the air so blue?
Oh, I do think it the pleasantest thing
Ever a child can do!


Up in the air and over the wall,
Till I can see so wide,
Rivers and trees and cattle and all
Over the countryside--


Till I look down on the garden green,
Down on the roof so brown -
Up in the air I go flying again,
Up in the air and down!

~Robert Louis Stevenson, "The Swing"


It has always been a goal of mine to build a good old-fashioned tree swing for our girls. But when we first moved into our house about seven years ago, hubs grandmother sweetly gifted to the children a brand new swing set complete with three little swings, a slide, and other delightful attractions fitting for an eight, three, and two year old. How they loved that swing set! I have photos of the three of them swinging, sliding, and dangling from it - those girls with their precious little hands, feet, and baby faces.

That same swing set, though once shiny, new, and exciting - has sat pretty much neglected for the last year or so. It has been showing signs of it's age for quite
The old swing set was simply forgotten...
a while, with it's rust and cracked plastic here and there...and it has shrunk significantly, it seems. With the baby of the family now nine years old, and my eldest being fifteen, the old swing set was simply forgotten along with Sesame Street and their once beloved Dr. Seuss books.

So this last weekend while the girls were away helping their grandfather make and sell kettle corn at a local event, hubs dismantled that old, rusty, memory laden swing set. In it's place he built the beautiful tree swing that I planned for the children many years ago. The children were thrilled and they've been having a blast with it...and I'm enjoying watching them play. I have a perfect view of the swing from our dining table, and well - my heart just swells knowing that such a simple, old-time play thing can bring them such delight. I believe Robert Louis Stevenson had it right when he said swinging was the "pleasantest thing ever a child can do"!


{You may have noticed a change in the commenting format here. In the spirit of simplicity, I'm now just using email to correspond with my dear readers. It is my hope that your comments sent to me directly via email will better get the personal attention they deserve. Just access the email form or direct email address by clicking on the link below that says "Questions and Comments". Thank you for continuing to graciously move along with me and these recent site changes!}




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