Isn't it funny how in each society different ages hold different meaning and landmarks for us. As a teenager turning thirteen is a big deal because in your mind you are no longer a "child". At sixteen you are definitely cooler than you were at the coveted thirteen. At eighteen you have the legal right to do whatever you wish with no need for parental consent or approval. The oh so popular twenty one where alcohol flows forth endlessly and "freedom" is a consolidated word phrase for "it just loosens me up and makes everything easy?" Then it starts to get serious around twenty five. You are either happy with the path you have chosen and are embarking on ever more present responsibilities and goals with the tools and wisdom you have gained, or you are slightly freaking out because you still have no direction and you wonder if you are the only one stuck in time with no defined rhyme or reason as to why you are doing whatever it is you are doing. Yeah, the later would be me, and here is where I insert the customary "LOL." But, at twenty five I was NOT "laughing out loud", more like SOL, and I no I don't mean "*!&# out of luck"! More like "sobbing out loud." I look at that moment now and I laugh. My parents and wiser friends consoled me and made me realize that while society provides us with predetermined lines of what success and accomplishment are, only I can measure what my success is.
Now I can't comment on thirty (steadily approaching) or forty, fifty or sixty. But I look forward to reaching those "landmarks" with ease and the unwavering confidence that no matter what happens, as long as I have faith, patience, love and understanding, they will be greater than the landmark that came before!
So, after your patience during that rambling, I would like to reward you with a giveaway. From today until June 9th at midnight I am holding a Birthday Giveaway! For this giveaway the winner will receive a pair of my Hammered Hearts SS earrings and, AND, a $10.00 gift certificate to be used in my shop Shaped By Hand!
To enter:
Mandatory entry:
Visit Shaped By Hand on Etsy and leave a comment here telling me your favorite item. Please include your email address in your comment so that I can contact you if you win! Additional entries (please leave a separate comment for each). Current followers are eligible!
1 entry: Follow my blog publicly and leave a comment here letting me know.
1 entry: Heart my Etsy shop and leave a comment here with your Etsy username. 1 entry: Blog about this giveaway and leave a link here.
1 entry: Follow Shaped By Hand on twitter and leave a comment here with your twitter username. 1 entry: Tweet about this giveaway and leave a link here. You can tweet once per day and each tweet will count as another entry. Feel free to use this tweet or something similar:
RT @shapedbyhand Win earrings & a $10 GC! #giveaway ends 6/9/10 #jewelry #etsy http://shapedbyhand.blogspot.com/
1 entry: Feature Shaped By Hand on your blog and leave a link here.
5 entries: Purchase an item from my shop and leave 5 comments here. Please include your Etsy user name.
The Giveaway will end midnight on June 9th. The winner will be chosen on June 10th using random.org and his/her name will be posted here and on my Facebook page at 5pm EST. The winner will have 48 hours from the time I post his/her name to claim their prize. If the winner does not claim their prize and attempts to contact them are not responded to, a new winner will be drawn on the 49th hour.
Shipping will not be charged for the individual who wins this Giveaway!
Please, make sure each of your entries has a separate comment!
Thank you again and good luck!!!!
