P. Kelly Smith
Welcome to Freebie Friday! I hope everyone has enjoyed this exciting week on our blog. From Gallery Idol voting to Go-to Gal spotlighting, there’s been a huge outpouring of love and support for our designers. And at the end of the day, isn’t that what makes this addiction hobby so great?
Thanks so much for embracing Kim Kesti and Kim Hughes as our next Go-to Gals. The “Kims” are full of energy, creativity and their own special brand of magic – just like the four other ladies we have yet to announce. Make sure you check back here next Tuesday and Thursday for the next set of Go-to Gal spotlights!
Should we get to the results of the first round of Gallery Idol? It was definitely a close race, but these 15 gals received the most votes in our wedding-themed card challenge. Here they are in no particular order:
Finalist 1: Jo Kill's Best Wedding Wishes Card
Finalist 2: Lizzie Jones' So Happy for You Card
Finalist 3: Ashley Newell's Newlywed Monogram Card
Finalist 4: Heidi Van Laar's Always & Forever Card
Finalist 5: Tessa Wise's Fairytale Wedding Card
Finalist 6: Belinda Chang's Happily Ever After Silhouette Card
Finalist 7: Laura Craigie's True Love Card
Finalist 8: Carla Peicheff's Mr. & Mrs. Card
Finalist 9: Shanna Vineyard's I Do... Always & Forever Card
Finalist 10: Rae Barthel's Wedding Cake-Shaped Card
Finalist 11: Chris Severs' Live Your Wedded Bliss Card
Finalist 12: Beatriz Jennings' Our Special Day Card
Finalist 13: Debbie Nicholas' Happily Ever After Card
Finalist 14: Vanessa Menhorn's Wedding Cake Card
Finalist 15: Candice Cruz' Laughter Wedding Card
Congratulations, ladies! By making it into our Top 15, you’ve each won a free special issue and this fantastic prize package, courtesy of American Crafts:
Top 15 Prize Package: American Crafts' Craft Fair collection, plus free special issue.
Top 15, are you ready for the next theme? Round 2’s theme is… incorporating household items! So we want to see cards featuring chairs, frames, bird cages, lamps, kitchen utensils, pillows, chandeliers, teapots, appliances, dishes, tables, etc. The deadline for submissions is next Monday, July 13 at 9 a.m. (MST). All “Around the House” cards must be posted to our gallery by this time. Voting for Round 2 will begin at noon!
Best of luck, Top 15!
Kelly
P.S. Since it’s Freebie Friday, I’m contractually obligated to give away free prizes. 
To go along with Gallery Idol’s next theme of household items, I’m giving away three sets of Cosmo Cricket’s Early Bird Crafting Kit and Ready-Set-Chipboard, which features cute toasters, kitchen utensils, etc. To be entered to win, leave a comment telling me your most cherished household item. All comments must be received by midnight (MST) on Sunday, July 12. I’ll announce the three winners on Monday’s blog.
Three lucky winners will take home this prize package!
P.P.S. It’s time to announce the three winners from Alisa’s Dimensional Technique post! Here they are in no particular order:
1. Bev (July 8, 9:49 p.m.)
2. Maureen W. (July 9, 2:27 a.m.)
3. Pam K (July 8, 12:19 p.m.)
Congrats, winners! You’ve each won a copy of Paper Crafts 101! I’ll be contacting you shortly for your mailing addresses. Thanks to all who left comments!
Oh, love this Cosmo Cricket stuff!!! My favorite household item is my griddler – it is so versatile and I love all the food that comes off it:)!!
my most cherished item?? let’s see.. I wud have to say embroidered dishtowels.. I love those!
It’s a toss-up between my iron (ironing is a great stress reliever!) and my KitchenAid mixer – purchased at a yard sale for a mere $25.
I’d have to say that my favorite household item is my new front loading washing machine. I love that thing and I actually love doing laundry because of it!
ALL of the cards are SO BEAUTIFUL!!!
My favorite household item would have to be my microwave. It would be hard to live without it.
My crockpots…yes plural I have 5 in different sizes and shapes and use them ALL the time! Can’t imagine being a busy Mom and not having at least 1.
My favorite household item is shabby china hutch I have! I LOVE it
kitchen aide stand mixer. simply couldn’t live without it.
Congratulations to the Top 15! Well deserved, ladies!!!
My most cherished household item – my bed and more specifically my mattress. It’s a “Sleep Number” bed so my husband can have his side soft and squishy (like he likes) and I can have mine firm and hard as a rock (like my back needs!) – or when I’m pregnant I can have it softer (like my hips need!). Love, love, love my bed!!
Well, I don’t know if I treasure anything, but I couldn’t live without Mr. Coffee!
That is really hard to decide. I have to go with two. My Hutch which was the first piece of real furniture. It is kind of an updated hoosier, with a glass cabinet instead of a slide up cabinet. And the second would be my Kitchen Aid Mixer, the year i got it i gave my family 5×7 photos of me with my new “significant other”.
Definitely could not LIVE without my coffee machine!!
I think it is my dishwasher. I HATE washing dishes and this wonderful machine makes me happy!
All these cards are amazing! So much talent.
Hmmm…so hard to choose, there are those that make my domestic life easier, those that are practical, but the one that I really love to use and always reminds me of happy family meals is my Le Creuset cast iron enamel casserole pot. LOVE it.
I love my kitchen aid mixer too!
My most cherished household item is my Nescafe Dolce Gusto machine. I can have latte, a cappucino, and now a mocha within 90 seconds of my craving. It’s great, no mess and little effort. Of course, caffeine is my addiction. . .
my favorite kitchen item is my vintage foos scale, love it!
Kisha
My most treasured household item is an egg timer my mom had had since I was a little girl. It is made of clear resin with shells, sand, and a seahorse, and tiny hour glass in it. After i got married and was moving from Virginia to California she slipped it in one of the moving boxes. I was delighted (and homesick) when I found it in the box.
My favorite household item is the fan in my room. I can’t sleep without it’s sound lulling me to sleep.
Growing up, my mom had a hand sifter that used to be her mom’s. Something about it reminds me of warmth and home. When I moved across country last summer – my mom sent the sifter with me. It’s amazing how much a metal bowl can bring comfort!!
Hmm. favorite? Kitchen-aide mixer makes me want to make cookies…
Also would be sad without the microwave, along with various other utilitarian appliances (fridge, washer/dryer, etc!)
I *adore* that cosmo cricket goodness- thanks for the chance to win!!
I love those wedding cards. I would have to say that my most cherished household item is my microwave. I don’t know how my kids and I would live without it.
What wonderful cards and wonderful inspiration! My most cherished household item (other than the people that live in my house) would probably be my Nutrimill grain mill and my Bosch mixer (it’s a combo deal).
Have a beautiful day!
My niece gave me a 1950s egg beater with a turquoise handle for my 30th birthday. I have my kitchen decorated in 1950s so it was the perfect gift. It has been proudly displayed on my wall ever since. I wish I were participating in this challenge. I could do so much with kitchen utensils!!!
Blessings,
Christine
Wow! Congrats to the winners. Fabulous cards! What a fun give away. My fave household item is my Fiskars paper trimmer.
Congrats to the Top 15! I don’t own my own home yet but I must say my honeybees are very useful around the house.
After ooohhhing and aaahhhing over the top 15 cards I had to struggle to recollect my favorite household item. Of course it did not take me more than 15 seconds to remember my shower because I love the water pressure, lighting, and size of it! only thing I don’t like is cleaning it every week.
My favorite household item would be my Keurig coffeemaker….easy to use, no muss, no fuss…and best of all, great tasting coffee! Beautiful cards so far…can’t wait to see more!
Congrats to the top 15!!! I would have to say my fav household item is my COFFEEMAKER!!!! Simply can’t live without it!
Great JOB Top 15!! Way to GO!!! I’d have to say my favorite household item is my KitchenAid Mixer! I love, love, love to make TONS of amazing items in it…from fresh bread to a yummy batch of cookies and SOOO much more! Thanks for the chance to win some goodies! ;o)~ Best of Luck to those in the contest!
My fave household items are..please don’t laugh at me…are 1) a one piece spatula, just like my Mom’s and 2) the hand mixer that my baby brother gave me..many moons ago…lots of sentimental value there..as you have to hold the cord *in* while you’re using the mixer or it falls out…Yummie give away!
and my CONGRATS to all the winners!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
my favorite household item would have to be the mantle. You can display anything there from holidays to birthdays to everyday stuff.
My favourite household item is a teaspoon. I do not remember how it came about but we it seems like we have it forever. It not special looking or what. Just an ordinary teaspoon. We have other teaspoon but I jsut have to use it when I have my tea for stiring or to have eat ice cream and this and that. I will actually feel disapponited on some occassions when I cannot find it or some else is using it when I want to use it. Funny. To think it just a taspoon. Ha!
My most cherished kitchen item would be my oven – totally necessary for my baking cookies, cupcakes, and muffins
Mine is definitely my Senseo – I use it to make the perfect cup of tea every morning!
My favorite kitchen item is my mothers old, hand crank food chopper. She was married in 1924, me, 1955. Its been in use all those years. It creates a texture that I can’t seem to do with a food processor. Sadly, I have no place to attatch it to the counter at my present (Senior) apt. , the edges aren’t deep enough. But I will not part with it. Love that thing !
most cherished household item…hmmmmmmm…does my 24-year-old microwave count??! i don’t know that i *cherish* it, as such, but certainly it has served my husband & i well for our entire marriage!!!
hmm… probably my sewing machine or my bosch mixer. so glad to live in the age of appliances!
Wonderful cards ladies! Congratulations!
My favorite household item is our stove top oven. I love to cook and bake so that’s really one of my must haves in the house.
Congratulations to the top 15! Great cards!
My favorite household item is a toss up between my coffee maker and my grill. I do HAVE to have that cup of coffee in the morning, and I use our grill almost every day. Even in the winter! I’ve been known to brush off the ice just so I can grill a hamburger! After all, a hamburger any other way just isn’t ‘right’!
Congrats to the top 15, some wonderful cards!
My most cherished household item would have to be my fridge freezer – love the space, love having the ice maker…
I cherish my Kitchenaid mixer. I would be very upset if I didn’t have it!
I love my kitchen aid mini chopper I use it all the time.
My most cherished household item is the microwave. Because I’m not a great cook, being able to just heat up leftovers and previously cooked meals from the freezer is a godsend.
Terrific top 15 projects!
My favorite household item is my super-capacity washing machine – means I’m doing far fewer loads.
my rainbow vacuum!
pamsparks@mahaska.org
Those are beautiful cards! I can’t wait to see the next round. My favorite household item has to be the dishwasher, because I do not like washing dishes by hand! Would love to have that Cosmo Cricket kit to see what other favorite household items I have!
My mixer and Tea kettler! I love to bake and I am a big tea drinker.
Hmmmm… my favourite household items are my dishwasher… and my fridge. What would I do without them? Clean dishes and cool drinks and popsicles!
First, congrats Gallery Idol finalists! Beautiful cards. Second, those Cosmo Cricket products are squeezeably cute! And third, I love my tongs. Once I started using tongs for cooking, I loathe to use anything else.