11/06

Win a Custom Illustration from Ashley Jayne Illustration

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First off, congratulations to Erica C. & Randi S. for winning last week’s giveaway for a pre-made template from Kotryna Bass Designs. Don’t forget, if you aren’t one of the lucky winners, you can still use the code SARAHBLOG to get 5% off your purchase from her Etsy shop.

I have another exciting contest for you this week. One reader will receive a custom illustration from Ashley Jayne Illustration. Use it to spruce up your blog design, add a little flair to your business cards, or just put it in a pretty frame on your dresser. The winner will get to choose between a head-to-shoulders portrait or a full-length illustration.

ashley-jayne-illustrationAshley is an illustrator in a second year at UCLan. She’s cultivated a defiant illustration style using her trusty watercolours and fine liners. She fell naturally into the world of fashion illustration and that’s where she plans to say, which isn’t really surprising given her unhealthy addiction to buying fashion magazines.

Enter below for your chance to win a custom portrait from Ashley. You can enter daily until midnight EST on November 13.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Good luck!
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10/29

Win a Premade Blog Template with Kotryna Bass Design

kotryna-bass-designsHappy days: I finally have WiFi in my flat again! To celebrate, how about kicking off this Tuesday with a giveaway?

KotrynaBassDesign is a small graphic & web design company currently specializing in custom and pre-made designs for WordPress and Blogger platforms. We offer simple and funky pre-made Blogger templates, WordPress themes, custom design work, social media and business branding services for very affordable prices. And when she’s not busy making other people’s Internet homes more beautiful, Kotryna blogs about her adventures by the seaside on her own blog, Girl with a Movie Camera.

Two lucky winners are going to be able to give their blog a makeover when they win a pre-made design (of their choice) from Kotryna’s shop. Don’t have a blog yet, but have been thinking about starting one? This is the perfect chance to get started in style!

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“We believe that less is more and so do our customers. KBD was born in cold winter of 2012 and blossomed during the springtime. Currently, our clean, professional designs with a hint of cuteness attract more and more people everyday and we hope this is just a beginning. At the moment we are residing in Brighton, UK and yes- sometimes we bring our laptops to the beach and do work from there. This is the secret why we always finish our work on time!

With educational background in Media and Computer Science we understand the importance of technology and branding and if you use our services, you’ll not only get exceptional work that you are happy with, but we can guarantee that every piece of work we do for you will be consistent and tailored for your brand.”

The giveaway will run until midnight EST on Tuesday, November 5th. You can enter daily until then. And if you can’t just wait or you aren’t one of our lucky winners, or if you’d like to hire KBD for your custom design needs, use the code SARAHBLOG to get a 5% discount from her Etsy shop.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Good luck!
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08/02

Introducing The Self-Love Book Club

SLBCThere’s an interesting story about one of the Dalai Lama’s first visits to the United States. After one of his lectures, a member of the audience put up her hand and asked for his advice on dealing with self-hatred. Apparently it took quite a lot of discussion between this woman and the Dalai Lama’s translator before he understood the question. Eventually he replied: “How could they feel that way about themselves when everybody has Buddha nature? I thought I had a very good acquaintance with the mind, but now I feel quite ignorant. I find this very, very strange.”

Although it’s not talked about often, I think most people I know struggle with self-hatred on some level. Comedian Amy Schumer recently released a tongue-in-cheek videos about how notoriously difficult it is for women to accept compliments and rely own their strengths. It’s a hilarious sketch but the underlying reality it riffs off of is utterly tragic. Self-loathing is an epidemic.

Whether it’s hating the way our thighs look in shorts or a deep seated belief that we’re not genuinely worthy of love, we’re literally driving ourselves insane. But the crux of the Dalai Lama story is that this is optional. There is another way.

Over the past few years I’ve been following the work of radical self-love revolutionaries, like Gala Darling and Marie Forleo, and writing my own love story with myself. Most days, it feels like an uphill battle. Dismantling limiting beliefs and negative thought patterns you’ve held on to for your entire life is anything but easy. But being a happier, vibrant, more authentic version of myself is always worth it.

artjournalYet it’s something that, up till now, I rarely talk about. Probably because the whole concept of “self-love” smacks of being too ‘New Agey’ (read: flakey). But why is that? It’s probably telling that in the thesaurus self-love is lumped in with other words for “narcissism.” We live in a society that tells us loving ourselves is wrong. And I’m calling shenanigans.

But as I create more content about my journey to fall more and more in love with myself, I want to create a space to talk with kindred spirits who are going on their own vision quests of self-actualization. I want to connect with the urban pixies becoming their own darlings, the dynamo rockstars that show how bad ass self-love really is, and the renegade sprites whose audacious choices are acts of rebellion in a society that tells them to play small. That’s where the idea of a virtual book club came to mind.

Delving into some of this work can be daunting, especially when it makes some people in your life roll their eyes. So, let’s start our own tribe of self-love warriors, supporting one another across the Internet.

Here’s what I’m thinking:

We’ll read one book each month that is somehow closely related to the theme of self-love. As the host, I’ll make the final decision as to what to read but I’d really love and welcome any suggestions. You’ll have a month to get your hands on the book (ie. the September book is announced today, August 1) and we can chat about the book via Twitter and Facebook as we go. At the end of the month, everyone who participates can blog about their own reading experience – whether it’s a review or some personal revelation, and we’ll have a link-up. If you don’t have your own blog, you can always participate in the comments.

So, what do you think? Do you want to take the plunge and read along with us?

redhotandholyFor the first month (September) I’ve chosen a book that I’m really excited about. As a former atheist who’s come to have a more complicated view of spirituality, I love the way this book seems to weave divinity and self-love together.

Red Hot and Holy is described as a “a provocative and intimate view of what it means to get up close and personal with the divine in modern times.”

“With a rare combination of audacious wit, scholarly acumen, and tender vulnerability—vibrantly mixed with red wine, rock songs, tattoos, and erotic encounters—Sera candidly chronicles the highs and lows of her mystical journey. From the innocence of her childhood crush on God; through a whirlwind of torrid liaisons and bitter break-ups with Christianity, Buddhism, Sufism, Hinduism, and the New Age; and finally into committed monogamy with her own Red Hot and Holy Goddess, Sera shares transformative insights, encouraging us all to trust our unique path and ignite our own spiritual love affair.

Sera Beak’s luscious writing and renegade spiritual wisdom that slices through religious and new age dogma made her debut book The Red Book a breakout success. With Red Hot and Holy she offers a far more personal book—an illuminating, hilarious, and above all utterly honest portrait of the heart-opening process of mystical realization. This hot and holy book invites you to embrace your soul, unleash your true Self, and burn, baby, burn with divine love.”

I mean, I’m hooked already – how about you?

And Sounds True Publishing has generously offered to give one lucky reader a copy of the book. The giveaway will run for one week and you can enter daily to win. But if you aren’t the one who’s chosen, or you just can’t wait to get your hands on the book, you can grab a Kindle copy for less than $9.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

I’m really excited about this project and I hope you’ll join in!

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P.S. I’d love to co-host with a different blogstress each month, so if you’re interested in getting in at the ground floor, drop me a line.

And, if you’re thinking of joining the book club, why not slap a button on your blog and spread the love?

The Laughing Medusa // The Self-Love Book Club
<div align="center"><a href="/the_self_love_book_club/index.html" title="The Laughing Medusa // The Self-Love Book Club" target="_blank"><img src="http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y19/xrawkfaeriex/selfloveBC_zpseadfe2f6.jpg" alt="The Laughing Medusa // The Self-Love Book Club" style="border:none;" /></a></div>

 

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Filed Under: Books & Magazines, Giveaways, Self-Love, The Self-Love Book Club
04/15

You’re Invited to Em’s Birthday Bash

Em1Emily is the sweet face behind Emma Deer (formerly Tea Tree Vintage). She was the lucky winner of my birthday giveaway and now she’s gearing up to celebrate her 27th in style with a giveaway of her own. 27 ladies from across the interwebs have come together in celebration of one of our favourite bloggers. I’m offering up a handmade amethyst ring (your choice of silver-plated or gold toned ring back) and a large ad space on the blog. Check out all of the amazing prizes up for grabs (listed below). I’m sure you’ll also find a few new blogs to read and shops to lurk, and there are lots of ways to enter at the bottom of this post.

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C/O Emma Deer // Grits and Moxie // Gypsybeee //  Emphatically Elle // Ramsay Grace
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C/O My Dearest Friend // East 80 // Young Mommy Memoirs
Em4
C/O Hopeless Notebook // Three Inch Stitch // Live Well and Breathe
Em5
C/O The Wandering Deer // Dear Sweetlings // Acute Designs
Em6
C/O Okay, Allison! // Ilaria Ruggeri // The Pepper and her Pups
Em7
C/O The Laughing Medusa // Bamboo Blossom // The Cottage Diaries
Em8
C/O Arrow in the Eye // Oh So Pretty // Pony Chops
Em9
C/O Lulu’s Wonderland // Pretty Confused // Chane
Em10
C/O Zakka // Anchors & Honey
… and remember, you can tweet once a day for more entries! :] 

Emily is truly such a cool lady; so I’m happy I could do a little something to celebrate her birthday!

Wouldn’t it be overwhelming to win such an incredible collection of goodies? Which prize would be your favourite? I’d love to hear!
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03/08

A Belated Birthday Giveaway!

giveawayI’m so excited to be … dun dun dun … hosting my very first giveaway! It was actually supposed to go live last Thursday in celebration of my birthday. I was being spoiled, so I wanted to sieze the opportunity to spoil one of you! Unfortunately technical difficulties prevented me from getting it up on time (hence why it’s been so quiet around here), but I am notorious for stretching my birthday out for as long as possible so a late start is actually rather fitting. And hey, it’s almost spring, so what’s not to celebrate? With the help of some of my wonderful sponsors, I’ve put together a delightful package of treats to giveaway. Check out these great prizes, because one lucky reader is taking them all home…

superstitionAdrian is the mastermind behind the blog Adrian Loves Owls. She also offers pretty vintage finds for sale on Etsy and today she’s giving away a $25 gift certificate to her shop!

starryeyed copyTaraLee is a fellow Canadian and an amazing small business owner. I discovered her shop, Starry Eyed Bowtique on Instagram and was instantly smitten. She offers something for everyone, from traditionally feminine bows to PVC pieces with an edgy twist. If you’re our lucky winner, you’ll get to select two micro hair bows in the colours of your choosing.

caraCara isn’t just an inspiring blogger; she’s also a published author! Her debut novel, Elegantly Wasted, is a chilling thriller that will leave you guessing until the very last page. Cara is giving away an electronic copy and a poster of the book’s sinister cover. Wouldn’t it look amazing in your home framed with black matte?

ringI’m kind of obsessed with crystals lately – adorning myself with them, reading about them, holding them in my hands. Whether you believe in their powers or not, (I’m on the fence, but prefer to see the magic) this oversized sparkly cocktail ring is sure to put a smile on your face. (Stone will be similar but not identical to the one pictured. You will have your choice of silver plated or gold tone ring back. Ring is fully adjustable.)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Giveaway is open internationally. A winner will be randomly selected a week from today (Friday, March 15) and you can enter daily until then. Good luck!

Thanks so much to my sponsors for making this giveaway possible and thank you for supporting my little blog!

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P.S. Can you tell I got a tablet for my birthday? I’m in love, so excuse me while I practice with it by writing on every single photograph I post. ;)

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