Friday, August 19, 2011

anniversary giveaway...

happy weekend! we are headed out to the west coast of the island tomorrow morning, for a little getaway just the two of us. unfortunately, despite the sunshine today, the forecast implies mother nature is a bit adamant about the "rain" in raincoast, but nonetheless i'm sure it will be a good trip, as all trips out there tend to be. a bit of camping, surfing, beachcombing, forest walks, and small town wandering.

but! now to what i'm sure you came here for, not just my week-end rambling. august 23 marks the one year anniversary of the fog and swell shop! also, a quick check tells me that the end of august is the five year anniversary of this here blog - who knew? as a thanks to all those who have checked out my shop, and all of you who stop by here to visit me, i hope you will comment below and enter to win:

a (nearly) rainbow of sea stars

six happy starfish! it's not quite a rainbow, because as far as i can discern there are no green sea stars, at least not on this coast, but nearly. annie's teal one is the closest i have seen, although my approximation of it is a bit more blue, since that is what i had on hand. so there is a blood star (red), ochre star (orange), cookie star (yellow-orange), unknown seastar (teal), bat star (blue), and another ochre star (purple). all are hand stitched from hand dyed linen), and stuffed with local alpaca fleece.

sea stars

to enter to win this little collection, please leave a comment below sharing what your favourite ocean creature is, big or small, mammal or fish, invertebrate, etc. the draw is open until monday evening, and i will announce a winner on tuesday. wishing you all a wonderful weekend, with some exploring in the outdoors, at the beach or wherever you like to wander!

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ETA: comments are now closed. thanks to everyone who entered and i will announce a winner tomorrow!

54 comments:

Sea Gypsy said...

Adorable, colorful, happy starfish!!! I would love to win these precious creations. I am smitten with all of your work.

As for my favorite denizen of the deep, there are so many that I love, but I am especially fond of the cuttlefish. I had a lovely encounter with one in an aquarium many years ago and the little darling stole my heart. So very expressive and friendly was he.

Thanks for the chance to win! :)

Krista Morris said...

Your work is so beautiful. I'd be so excited to hold one in my hand. Thanks for the most generous give-away.
My favorite ocean creature since childhood has been the bowhead whale.

SaylorMade said...

I discovered your blog & shop via poppytalk and have been enjoying it for a bit now. I am new to Vancouver island and I love the pictures of nature that I can recognize from my own walks in the forest & along the beach.

My favourite ocean creature is a stingray. I have only seen them in person at a zoo where they were playful and energetic (Popping up to spit water on me). Seeing them swim on TV or in documentaries they look like butterflies in the water.

arounna said...

a lovely giveaway
enjoy your trip and happy anniversary

Jbean said...

Very beautiful creatures made with care! My favourite is the octopus. Their intelligence amazes me and their beauty surprises me.

Tamara said...

When I try to think of my favourite sea creature, I immediately think of something else and can't settle on a favourite. If forced, I might just go with an octopus because they are beautiful and also kinda creepily smart for something with no bones.

Muhku said...

Ever since I discovered your blog I've been in love with your work! :)

It was hard to decide which sea creature I like since there are so many wonderful creatures in the seas. One of my favorites is Manta ray (also known as devil ray). I like stingrays in general because they look like they are flying in the water.

leFiligree said...

five years is awesome!

i think the mimic octopus is cool, but my favorite find has been one of those critters that makes the small fan shaped shells.

i think there's such thing as a green brittle star, but not in PNW

kate said...

Happy Anniversary! Tomorrow I think will be lovely at least. Tonight at the beach was stunning.

My favourite sea creature? Close to home I'll say nudibranch - I used to love seeing them when snorkeling at Hornby every summer. One I've never seen but love the look and biology of - a sea horse.

Sam Lawson said...

Love your work and your little corner of the world... my favourite is ocean creature is the leafy seadragon

Deborah OHare said...

I adore the creatures you make and it would be lovely to win this collection.
I am afraid I cannot choose between the majestic grandness of a whale (any, I love them all) or the fragile beauty of the sea horse.
Deborah

Storebukkebruse said...

OH, I want to join this :-)
Being so far away from the sea as you can almost get - you bring it closer to me :-) Thanks!
A favourite sea creature is flatfish - used to catch them as a kid, out fishing with my Dad.

elisa.b said...

Happy anniversary!

Hmm... just one favorite? That's a toughy. It would have to be a tie between a bowhead whale, a sea otter, a penguin (do they count?), a sea urchin, and a lobster. :)

Sabine said...

hello, I discovered your blog and crafts only a few days ago and I follow it with real pleasure since then.

One of my favorite ocean inhabitant is the sea otter ...

Have a nice day and wish you an happy bday

Jacky said...

My favourite sea animal is the sea horse....so beautiful and fragile and shaped so beautifully.

Congratulations on your blog anniversary.

Jacky xox

Anonymous said...

I love your creations! I would have to say my favourite sea creature is the crab, being the crabby Cancer that I am!

Margie Oomen said...

oh the giant pink sea snail , real or fantasy,

Anonymous said...

What a wonderful bunch oh my goodness ! Thanks for the chance to win, K, that's very generous!
I must say that I love all sea creatures, sea horses for instance, but the pink sea snails are my favorites ;-)
xoxo Have a great weekend !

RaeA said...

I have just recently happened upon you and your work. I am in love with your creations! A favorite sea creature? That's tuff, I have several..hmmmmm Moon Snail, Sea Dragons and sea urchins, but really my list could go on.....
Happy Anniversary!!!!!

Lucie said...

I have fond memories on playing on the beach by the Indian ocean as a girl and watching the crabs scuttle sideways near my sand castles.
Your starfish are lovely, thanks for such a generous giveaway!

Elegans said...

Congrats on your Milestone! I have just recently found you on ETSY and I'm in awe of your creations, they are just beautiful. You have a wonderful talent!

My favorite sea creature has to be the Orca whale. I lived in Seattle for 10 years and loved being able to see them in the Sound. I think they are truly majestic!

Unknown said...

Happy anniversary. I love your blog and looking at all of the beautiful creations that you have made. They put a smile on my face!!
My favorite creature is the beautiful manatee. Their sweet, gentle nature melts my heart.
Thanks for such a lovely giveaway.

Anonymous said...

K..Since I first found you on Flickr I have enjoyed your work and your blog immensly!!! You are such a creative and joyful person! I would treasure this little collection if I win:) Such a generous giveaway! Have fun on your getaway!

Caitlin said...

Yay for camping! What's a little bit of rain anyway? The animals put up with it all the time :)

When I saw these photos I immediately thought they were christmas ornaments.

My favourite ocean animal is definitely the octopus~ I watched a documentary on them and I was amazed at their transformative bodies. They can change their colours and texture~ so bizarre!

Have an awesome weekend!
Caitlin

Tara said...

Oh, such a tough decision to make. I do love sea horses but while taking an invertebrate course in university, I remember being fascinated by the cuttlefish. The way them move through the water, their expressive eyes, their colour changes -- all of it intrigued me. Have a great weekend, k.

Elizabeth S said...

Happy, happy anniversary! Your starfish are just beautiful.

I admire so many sea creatures. I am particularly drawn to the octopus and squid for their quirky, yet strangely beautiful appearance and clever ways.

ericaB said...

Congratulations on the 5 year mark, here's to at least another 5! :) Love your Etsy shop, as well. I check your items all the time and squeal over each new addition.

As far as choosing my favorite creature, I simply couldn't choose between my top two: the blue whale and the great white shark. :)

Geninne said...

Happy Etsyversary K! :-)
Thank for the chance to win this super awesome starfish collection!
Narwhals are my favorite!

Flaming Nora said...

Well it must be said I think the Manatee is my favourite. Wonderful giveaway.
Have a great trip

Edamommy2 said...

Happy anniversaries! ^_^

Your work is lovely - I'm always happy I dropped in - found you recently via resurrection fern.

My favorite sea creature? Hmm - hard to pick one. When I was young it was all cetaceans - whales, dolphins, porpoises. Now my favorites are the glittery, glowy, often-transparant creatures of the deep. And all things molluscs - octopi, squid, and so on.

All my best!

PeregrineBlue said...

have a wonderful trip. we just came back from baja california and had a blast. got to enjoy the deliciousness of some of those sea creatures.

as for my favorite, the sea otter for it's friendliness and playfulness
as for its taste uni, sea urchins which are abundant in chile, my country.

Rendell said...

Congratulations on your anniversary, I admire you for your creativity and for bringing your creations to us. The starfish are wonderful and I would love to have them live with me here in Vancouver. My favorite ocean creature is the Seahorse.

Purple Fuzzy Mittens said...

Happy, happy anniversary!!

Even though I used to study marine fish, my favorite sea creatures are probably jellyfish, followed close behind by echinoderms of all kinds. The intertidal counts as my most magical place. I now live in the high desert, woefully short on tide pools.

Sandiana Jones said...

The starfish are beautiful! I would have to say my favorite sea creature of all time is the sea turtle! I love to swim with them when I get the chance

Stephanie R. said...

happy anniversary! my favorite ocean creature is the octopus. they're just amazing.

Texanne said...

Happy Anniversary! Your creatures are so lovely! I like jellyfish-so fascinating, and sea otters-just plain cute.

Lisa at lil fish studios said...

Love the sea stars!

Oh my, I don't think I can pick just one... cowfish, horseshoe crabs, manatees, sea turtles, sea dragons, walruses... love them all.

Honeysuckle Handmades said...

What amazing starfish. I believe there are starfish they call green, but definitely more of a saturated teal color.

My favorite sea animal is definitely the sea otter. I think I could choose many more favorite to look at pictures of, but in real life, my favorite to watch are these cute, smart puppies of the sea.

Alicia said...

I just recently discovered your blog. Your creations are wonderful!

I love marine invertebrates; I can't even pick a favorite category, let alone individual organism, but jellies and tiny colonial tunicates are at the top of list.

Happy anniversary and thanks for the chance to win.

Anne B. said...

I have had a thing for whales for quite a while now. Not necessary real whales but cute Etsy whales in different shapes and forms. :)

Thanks for a great giveaway!

julie schmulie said...

i was in clayoquot sound this spring and there was the most beautiful bio-luminescence that lit up and sparkled with every paddle stroke. beyond magical.

dawn said...

nudibranchs. I saw my first live and in person baby nudibranch earlier this summer and it was everything I knew it would be.

love your work so much!

terri said...

love all your work, happy anniversary. Hard to believe that it is a year.
have a great time away.

Sherry said...

I love how real your creations look from such diverse materials! My favorite sea creature right now is the Sea Otter. We have a momma and baby that entertain us daily and they are such sweeties to each other. Thank you for this generous offer and for all that you share. Hugs to you and yours. Sherry Harmes

Jenni C's said...

The Humpback whales are back in the bay...so they are my favorite..at the moment...they mark the coming of Spring for us...Congrats on this special month for you..i am also celebrating my first year of blogging this month!

Iain said...

blue whale, no contest.

Love your work and the blog; particularly the new bears.

Iferia said...

Amazing, 5 years! Happy anniversary! You're doing a great job. I love your blog and your work.

My favorite sea creature is the dolphin because for me they symbolise the "kid" inside each of us. And I love to keep that part of me very much alive :-)

Ivana said...

Your work is simply amazing. I would be more than happy to win these beautifull starfishes. As for my favourite sea animal, it is probably the sea turtle but many, many others as well...Thank you for a wonderful giveaway and happy anniversary!!! Ivana, Croatia

Christy on the Craggy Moor said...

Hi!
I just discovered your work through another artist I love. I love the detail and care you put into each inspired piece! The humpback whale in your shop window is beautiful!

I'd have to say my favorite sea creature is the sea horse. :0)

kate said...

I am full of regret that I didn't snatch up your "Shore Fragments" piece that was in your shop. I do hope you would consider making another!!
I grew up on Cape Cod (Massachusetts) and I would need to split my favorites into two categories:
Shore: Piping plover
Sea: Humpback whale

Laura said...

I'm a new follower, but I love your stuff. I'm moving away from the ocean next week. I grew up in so Cal, went to the beach often, and I'm going to miss it, being 200 miles away. I love your pictures, and the little creatures you make! Keep up the good work!!

Jacey said...

It's hard to pick a favorite, but I have always loved octopi! Your collection of starfish is lovely, and congratulations on two milestones! I'm happy I've found your corner of the blogosphere. I enjoy seeing what you've been up to, and living vicariously through your outdoor adventures. :)

Myriam said...

Your starfish are gorgeous!

My favourite sea creature is a toss-up between the orca and the sea otter. Predicable, I'm sure, but I feel a real connection to them.

Jasmin said...

I have recently discovered your blog and shop via Poppytalk and now I look forward to all your lovely photos and seeing what's new in the shop.
We recently moved to the PNW and live a block away from Puget Sound. My children love all sea creatures but especially starfish and moon snails (the shells anyway). It's hard to decide on one for me but for the moment I will say seals.