'Sweetness' illustration for my Basket GIVEAWAY!!

Basket will include this small 4"X6" print on matte photo paper and signed by me. I just did this watercolor illustration last night for the lucky winner of my April 4th Giveaway! I hope you all like it!

I tweaked it in photoshop after it was done, hence that weird effect in the icing.
Anyhoo, I've had such a great time preparing for this GIVEAWAY and appreciate everyone's support. If you're interested in WINNING the basket please be sure to read the rules of eligibility (which-BTW it's open to all!) in the GIVEAWAY post.

I've also been working on illustrations for my new penpals from my Indie 2.0 class - I'll show you those soon!

-Ciao Amarettogirl

Lucky for you all, I found some pretty great stuff discounted but the estimated internet value of all this stuff is roughly $75 USD!!

One of the great things I found is this WONDERFUL Jun Planning (the Japanese Co. makers of the pricey and collectible Pullip and Dal dolls) Angel Dal named AMY which can currently be found only on Ebay and Amazon books beginning at $15 and from Japanese Toy distributors for $20 - $30 USD.

It may seem like a 'little' girl basket but uh, I'm a pretty big girl and I was sure to prepare a basket I would LOVE to win! And that's not all - I also found some other great stuff, so scroll down check it all out and see the list of items included in the basket and HOW to win it!

My First Easter GIVEAWAY!!!

detail shot of GIVEAWAY basket!

From Jun Planning comes this sweet new offering: the poseable, portable Angel Dal! Brown-eyed Amy sports a big red bow in her black hair to match her cute cotton black-and-red dress. Her head turns, she's jointed at the shoulders and hips, and at 14.5cm tall (that's almost 5 3/4 inches), she's the perfect size to carry along!

Jun Planning Dal Amy in box

The doll (I had to buy one for me!)

Other Gems in the GIVEAWAY basket!

Cute bunny Molds!!

Ok so here is the list of other fantastic stuff you'll get in the basket:

2. One MEGA Hello Kitty 288 page Coloring and Activity book

3. One Pink polk-dot lanyard for your keys

Super Fun QUIZ me book! Click to see!

4. One TY Beanie Babie Boo Koala with Extra big Eyes!

5.One silicone tray of mini Bunny face molds for Gelatin, makes 12 tiny 1" bunny faces. Easy-release tray is freezer, fridge, and dishwasher safe. 1" x 3 3/4" x 9" Check out the two pics!

Check out how cool!

6. One Jelly Belly Blooming Bottle of Jelly Beans

7. One Quiz Me Scrap Book/Journal going for $12.95 on Amazon right now!

8. Two Mystery Eggs One large green and one small pink(and NO I won't tell what's inside - it's a mystery!

9. Hello Kitty Sour Apple candy tin

10. SNIFF pack of Hello Kitty tissues (Sniff Tissues are pre-printed designer paper handkerchiefs. Invented in 1996 by Paper Products Design (Germany) they have gone on to be a worldwide best seller for the company. They are especially popular in the U.S.A. Designs range from seasonal ideas like Christmas tissues to more unusual designs like Pink Skulls n Hello Kitty!

11. Lollipops (including watermelon!)

12. Lets not forget the awesome lime green basket with gingham lined fabric!

13. T.B.A. I am including a signed print from either one of my photographs or illustrations - check back in to see an update later!

WHO,HOW and WHEN does one go about trying to win this basket??

Eligibility:

One way- If you have a blog, post about this giveaway and link back to this site, comment here and leave a link to your post and become a follower of this blog (Subscribe to this RSS feed).

If you don't have a blog no worries you can still do the following:

Second way- Become a follower of this blog and Comment on every post from here until the Easter Day Giveaway, April 4th- don't worry I don't post everyday!
(I'm shameless I know - but my blog is like a caged animal at the zoo and when you come to visit, it really wants you to FEED it with a comment! :)) Comments are YUMMY!

LASTLY, required by ALL PARTICIPANTS - be HERE on April 4th and comment on my most recent post with a favorite NUMBER and WHY you want to win this basket! Comments should be thoughtful - computer generated comments or spam will will be routinely removed.

This is how the winner will be chosen:

Bingo Numbered Balls for selecting the WINNER My Random Number Generator (a Bingo Cage)

On April 4th Easter Sunday My hub and I will wait until 9pm Eastern Standard Time at which time we will pull out the Bingo cage and spin the numbers ten times!

The number closest by 5 digits (greater or lesser) to one of the numbers in the comments WINS after we have checked that, the follower has posted on every post since this one and/or has linked to this Giveaway from their blog.

And though we considered limiting the shipping areas to the US only we have too many new cool friends in places like Holland and London so - we're going to leave that open!:))

Good LUCK and Ciao - Amarettogirl!

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Hot Cocoa Ring available at my ETSY shop!!

Nestles Abuelita Hot Cocoa Tabs

First, YOU WILL NEED:

2. Nestle's Authentic Mexican Hot Cocoa Tablets (I know it kills this little indie girl that a major American Co. (not a Mexican one) is the parent Co., but trust me, after I tried it I was converted and it is perhaps easier to obtain then actual Mexican hot chocolate depending on where you live. But hey, if you can get your hands on some hard-core Mexican Chocolate without Nestle - by all means do so!Abuelita tablets are FANTASTIC and are intended to be melted down into milk in a blender.

3. Four cups of your fave kind of Milk, I use fat-free (can use all the help I can get in that area!)
Note- It's a good idea to have at least four people you would like to serve some of this gourmet hot cocoa to lined up (sharing is always better) unless you want a mega-cup of hot cocoa all to yourself!

4. Some Amaretto coffee flavoring syrup ( I get my bottle from Whole Foods Coffee concession)

5. A capful of good Vanilla Extract

6. Pinch of cinnamon

7. Pinch of nutmeg

8. Pinch of Allspice

9. Pinch of chili powder

10. A small dash of salt

11. Optional: a small (like a tablespoon) amount of your favorite DARK chocolate ground up

Ok so now heat up your milk in a saucepan (I do around two cups which is what the nestle box states at a time. Then place the first two cups of HOT milk in a blender and add ONE of the Nestle Abuelita tablets. Blend carefully on low speed - then add in two additional cups of hot milk on low speed. Add in the cap full of Vanilla Extract and all of the pinches and dashes to taste (instead of sugar, which is what the Nestle box suggest).
Then Voila- serve immediately.

The Nestle box has a good reminder that

hot liquids may expand when blended - do not overfill blender- cover blender lid with a towel when blending and blend on low speed

Ok and as an added note- if you consider some magical, tantalizing thoughts while your concoction is blending it will be that much more phenomenal; who knows you may be able to influence love!So go off and enjoy an AWESOME cup of hot cocoa and create a loving memory.

-Ciao Amarettogirl

However, blogger, Yourstrulydear from Utah is one-upping the traditional giveaways to a whole new level! So here's what you get:

A 5'3 x 7'5 Zebra Print Rug from CSN!

So if you're interested these are the entry options and what you have to do:

TO ENTER

1. be a blog follower on YOURSTRULYDEAR and leave a comment saying so (1 entry)

2. leave a comment telling YOURSTRULYDEAR your favorite animal (1 entry)

3. blog about this giveaway [&leave the link] (1 entry)

4. tweet about this giveaway [@yourstrulydear] (1 entry)

**giveaway will close monday (march 15th) at midnight. us and canadian residents only

Hope you all enjoy and that someone I know gets lucky! ;) -Ciao Amarettogirl

I was in the chain, mega-shop, Target a few weeks ago browsing through the office supply section and along the notebooks/journals and blank books I ran across this little gem of a blank book.

It's nothing new for mass-marketed items to imitate hand-made. Still, it kills me that this particular book is a mass manufactured item and not handmade (especially when it looks so, so, so, so handmade and is ridiculously cheap). How can artisans compete?!

Aesthetically I had to get it- though I felt like a traitor in doing so!

I had to get it because when I held it I couldn't get over all of those buttons and it has this wonderful feel when you hold it in yours hands. I kept thinking what a great place for including all my sewing notes and that's exactly how I'm using it.

Still I feel so guilty. :(

blank journal from Target journal in use my own apron instructions]]>

-Ciao Amarettogirl

detail of Blythe illustration by m. diaz]]>Snow Blizzard 2010http://www.amarettogirl.com/blog/2010/2/27/snow-blizzard-2010.htmlAmarettogirl2010-02-27T20:01:47ZThoughts photography snow blizzard snowscapes snowstorm 2010 winter scenes Snowdays2010 photo by m. diaz Snowscape 2010 photo by m.diaz snowed in photo by m. diaz our road photo by m. diaz]]>