Giveaway: Bluebird Earrings from tothemetal

NOTE: This giveaway has ended. Please check for more recent giveaways here!

“Exciting” doesn’t begin to describe this post.  After a five-week dry spell, our famed Westervin giveaways (famed only in my mind, probably) are back in action.  I won’t fawn too much over these sterling silver and titanium “Blue Bird Oval Hoop” earrings from tothemetal, because you can see for yourself how well-crafted and downright darling they are.  But I simply must insist you read the interview with Marina, who is donating these endearing earrings.  She lives in Greece and has talent oozing out of her fingertips!  I for one couldn’t wait to read about her inspirations and the backdrop of jewelry studio.

Read the rest of this entry »

Giveaway: Summer Lapicitos Necklace from Corazón de Galleta

EDIT: This giveaway has ended.  Enter our current giveaway here!

Do you dream in color?  Well Ariadna Mateu, the designer behind this week’s giveaway, lives in a more colorful world than we can even imagine.  To her, “Wednesdays are soooo orange.”  And since she is terribly more interesting than I can ever hope to be (why can’t I be a beautiful artist in beautiful Barcelona?), I’ll jump right to the lengthy but delightful interview that Ari so kindly took the time to answer.  Afterward, be sure to leave a comment for a chance to win this Summer Lapicitos Necklace from her shop Corazón de Galleta.  It’s made of “cut wooden pencils, nylon recovered wire, colors, stories not yet written and lots of love.”  How could you resist?

Read the rest of this entry »

Giveaway: Magnetic Necklace from Colorblindsmarties

EDIT: This giveaway has ended.  Enter our current giveaway here!

I bet you thought we were out of giveaways.  Well, think again, lucky buddies!  We’ve got more than sun-starved skin up our sleeves… we’ve got one heck-of-a necklace for one of you beloved readers to win.

Read the rest of this entry »

Giveaway! Amethyst Chunk Necklace

EDIT: This giveaway has ended.  Enter our current giveaway here!

It’s that time again, folks.  For this week’s Freebie February giveaway, the endlessly sweet Tawni Wold is giving away this ga-ga-gorgeous necklace to one lucky Westervin reader!  We’re hoping that you will spread the love and visit her shop — she has a beautiful collection of jewelry made from rare and unexpected gemstones, crystals and reclaimed vintage pieces, the sale of which go to pay her doggie’s medical bills.  Read my mini interview with Tawni below, and then leave a lovely little comment to enter the giveaway.  The winner will be notified via email in one week.

To enter:

1. Leave your first name and last initial (full names are encouraged).
2. Leave a working email address (this will not be published).
3. You have one week to enter.  This giveaway ends Sunday, February 28th at 11:59pm CST.
4. Increase your chances of winning by telling someone else to enter!  You’ll get an additional entry (up to 20) for every person you refer — just ask them to leave your name in their comment.  It really works — last week’s winner had an extra entry!

On this necklace, a faceted piece of amethyst hangs from a unique silver chain, measuring 27 inches.  Retail price: $38

What types of materials do you use?

A lot of my jewelry is made from reclaimed pieces. Lots of vintage! I also use lots and lots of gemstones and crystals! I love anything with a bit of druzy and with a sort of rough/raw shape. Hehehehe, rough! raw! Sounds sort of dirty…!

What inspires your beautiful designs?

My mood has a lot to do with how the pieces turn out. My newer pieces are more romantic and feminine, at least I think so. I am almost positive that has to do with my boyfriend finally returning home from Russia. I suddenly want to wear lots of lace and highlight my cheeks with blush. The new jewelry is a result of that, feeling pretty and in love! Really lame sounding, I know, but the same goes for my darker pieces; I was probably depressed when I made them. Or, at the very least, hating all the dark and dreary winter days here in Sacramento.

What’s this little guy’s name?

My doggie’s name is Ren Oir. His last name is Oir as I used to bring him to my classes and one of my professors thought it very wrong that Ren did not have a last name. She said that I MUST give him a proper last name! All I could think of was ‘Oir’. My little brother gave him his first name, after ‘The Ren and Stimpy Show.’

How did Ren get sick?

I’m not exactly positive why/how Ren got sick, as my vet lost his stool sample. How a vet loses a ziplock container entitled ‘REN OIR’S STOOL SAMPLE’ is beyond me, but because of this I never got a definite answer. I suspect Ren may have drank some contaminated water at the river park I’d brought him to the day before… but I honestly cannot say for sure. The poor boy had to be pumped full of fluids and medication for the next few days. I actually had to hook him up to an IV three times a day for a week after he came home from the vet, the poor thing. But he is recovering well, and I am so so so broke because of it! I’ve got ‘pet insurance’ Google results on another tab as I type this, lol. …Don’t want to get into this kind of expensive crisis again.  It was completely worth it though, as I love my little boy

And a big thanks to free!grechen for featuring this giveaway!

Giveaway: Intersect

EDIT: This giveaway has ended.  Enter our current giveaway here!

We’ve got another giveaway for you, kiddos, and boy is this one a doozy!  Shannon Rankin and Justin Richel, the artists behind our last two giveaways, have teamed up to create some stunning artwork.  Intersect is the name of their collaboration project.  Pass is the name of the print (below) that you can win.  WOW is the only word I have to describe it all.  Just leave a comment to enter, but don’t forget these easy-peasy rules:

1. Leave your first name and last initial (full names are encouraged, but not required).
2. Leave a working email address (this will not be published).  How else will I contact you if you win?
3. You have one week to enter.  This giveaway ends Sunday, February 21st at 11:59pm CST.
4. You can increase your chances of winning just by telling someone else to enter!  You’ll get an additional entry (no more than 20) for every person you refer — just make sure they leave your name in their comment.

Final print size:  11″ x 11″ (including a small white border)

Retail price: $25

Giveaway! Love, Heal, Seek & See

Note: This giveaway is closed.  Checkout our latest giveaway here!

Are you sitting down?  Because we’ve got another giveaway!  Starting.  Right.  NOW!  You could win this set of four (count ‘em, four!) mini prints (ACEO) from Shannon Rankin, titled Love, Heal, Seek and See.  Just leave a comment on this post to enter, but please read these simple rules first:

1. You must leave your first name and last initial (at least — full names are encouraged, but not required).
2. You must leave a working email address (this will not be published).  How else will I contact you if you win?
3. You have one week to enter.  This giveaway ends on Sunday, February 14th at 11:59pm CST.
4. You can increase your chances of winning just by telling someone else to enter!  You’ll get an additional entry (no more than 20) for every person you refer — just make sure they leave your name in their comment.

Some details about these prints: Each one measures 2.5″ x 3.5″.  They are signed and dated on the back, and are guaranteed to last up to 108 years.  The originals are made from cut vintage map and embroidered with thread.  Perfect for National Embroidery Month!

Some details about the artist:  Shannon Rankin is partners in crime with Jusin Richel (from our last giveaway).  She’s so sweet, she’ll give you a toothache.  You can see more of her beautiful map collages in her shop Selflesh, and you can become a fan on Facebook here (she has lots of giveaways there, too).

Freebie February!

Yesterday afternoon, we came home from a relaxing weekend with the ‘rents to find the most joyous of surprises waiting for us — MAIL!  (Don’t worry, I won’t start singing the Blue’s Clues mail song… out loud.)  More than a handwritten letter from one of our sweet grandmas or a postcard from a traveling friend, this piece of mail was particularly exciting.  In it, we found not one, not two, but THREE beautiful art prints, generously donated to the Westervin blog by two of my new favorite artists, Shannon Rankin and Justin Richel!  Have you figured out why yet?  GIVEAWAYS!  We’re ushering in our very first round of giveaways, and you, our faithful readers, will have a chance to win a little piece of joy!  Check back next Monday, February 1st for giveaway numero uno — all you’ll have to do is comment to enter.  AND we’ve got a fun, easy way to increase your chances of winning.  Until then, check these shops to see if you recognize the prints we’ll be giving away: Shannon Rankin’s shop; Justin Richel’s shop; their out-of-this-world collaboration shop.

Befriend us on Twitter, Flickr or Facebook to be notified for each giveaway!