Puck Seated on a Spider’s Thread

22 Feb, 2010 by in etsy 13 comments

Today’s giveaway is this amazing pendant “Puck Seated on a Spider’s Thread” by Etsy seller ThimbleNina

Welcome to Madam Nina’s Pirated Pendants
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These charming pendants are handmade in Texas by Madam Nina. All are 100% lead-free and come with a necklace and gift bag.

I can make custom pieces to fit your personality or gift giving needs. I have made pieces that featured family photos, pets, company logos, school mascots, movie and band posters, wedding invitations, birth announcements, burlesque photos, religious icons and event logos.

Don’t limit yourself to using these as pendants! they also make fantastic ornaments, wedding favors, ceiling fan pulls, rear-view mirror dangles…just about anything you can think of! I just don’t recommend larger pieces for key chains. They -are- made out of glass, after all.

Member of: Dachshund Team, Burlesque Beauties Team, Etsy Texas Crafters, Big Damned Crafters
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Madam Nina is a lifelong “artsy craftsy” person. She had the honor of serving as a costume coordinator for the Texas Renaissance Festival Performance Company for 5 years. She designed and built numerous historically accurate and theatrically inspired costumes.

She is now a full time sword selling pirate and Co-Owner of The Pirates Cove Sword shop in Plantersville, Tx. The shop is only open during the Texas Renaissance Festival in October and November.

To enter: Simply leave us your name and email address in the comments below!

Additional entries

+2 go to her shop and comment on your favorite item by pasting the link
+2 go to Etsy and heart her shop http://www.etsy.com/shop/ThimbleNina
+2 visit her website and leave a comment www.madamnina.com
+3 tweet this contest-leave the link
+5 post it on your blog or facebook- leave the link
+5 add our button to your blog
+3 follow us on twitter @FireIcePhotos
+3 follow our blog
+3 become a fan of Fire and Ice on Facebook

Add your entries up and leave the total in your comment Contest ends March 21st and is open to International Entries. Good Luck!

Deadly Little Secret

21 Feb, 2010 by in book review, touch series, YA supsense 5 comments


Deadly Little Secret by Laurie Faria Stolarz
Reading level: Young Adult
Paperback: 272 pages
Publisher: Hyperion Book CH (November 10, 2009)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1423111982
4 stars

Some secrets shouldn’t be kept…
Up until three months ago, everything in sixteen-year-old Camelia’s life had been fairly ordinary: decent grades; an okay relationship with her parents; and a pretty cool part-time job at the art studio downtown. But when Ben, the mysterious new guy, starts junior year at her high school, Camelia’s life becomes anything but ordinary.

Rumored to be somehow responsible for his ex-girlfriend’s accidental death, Ben is immediately ostracized by everyone on campus. Except for Camelia. She’s reluctant to believe the rumors, even when her friends try to convince her otherwise. She’s inexplicably drawn to Ben…and to his touch. But soon, Camelia is receiving eerie phone calls and strange packages with threatening notes. Ben insists she is in danger, and that he can help–but can he be trusted? She knows he’s hiding something… but he’s not the only one with a secret.

From the best-selling author of Blue is for Nightmares comes a story of paranormal romance that’s sure to be a thrilling and chilling teen favorite.

One benefit to having the flu, I can stay in bed and read a whole book in one afternoon. Coming from a woman who loved Encyclopedia Brown and Christopher Pike series when I was a little girl this was a fun thriller. It kept me on the edge, trying to figure out who is stalking Camelia. Once I picked up this book I never put it down until the case was closed and mystery solved.
Camelia and Ben have a chemistry that is undeniable and wonderfully selfless. I enjoyed that Camelia seems to have all of these boys flirting with her and is oblvious. She is down to earth and in touch with who she is. Ben… well I adored him! Just wait until you read the scene in her pottery studio/ place of employment! But I will say no more! The book is written from two perspective’s…the main female character Cameila and notes from the person who is watching her. LOVED this book. I am fascinated to see what happens next in Deadly Little Lies. Going to read it, now I have to!

Affiliated Contests

21 Feb, 2010 by in etsy, maggie stiefvater, shiver, suzanne collins 1 comment


Two other YA ficiton fansites are running contests with jewelry from our etsy store. The first is mockingjay.net, the fansite for Suzanne Collins Hunger Games series.

Here’s how to enter to win the caged bird necklace : “This necklace, sent to us by Heather Zahn Gardener features a little mockingjay in a cage. We’re giving it away via a trivia contest on our twitter when we reach 800 followers. All you need to do to follow us on our twitter (@mockingjaynet) and you’ll be eligible to win.


The second contest is from The Crooked Shelf for fans of Maggie Stiefvater. http://thecrookedshelf.com/2010/02/were-having-a-twitter-contest/

here’s their contest: 500 followers: Shiver Book Giveaway
550 followers: Shiver Bracelet Giveaway (sent to us by Heather )
Follow them on Twitter @thecrookedshelf

Utah Author Interview- Aubrey Mace

19 Feb, 2010 by in my fairy grandmother, utah authors 23 comments

Photo by Heather Zahn Gardner

Today’s Utah Author Spotlight is Aubrey Mace, published author x 3
What are your favorite all-time books?- The Angel’s Game, The Shadow of the Wind, Bel Canto, Cold Flat Junction, Persuasion, Gilead, Atlas Shrugged, Anna Karenina, Bridget Jones’s Diary, and The Sun Also Rises.

When did you start writing your book and how long did it take to get it published? I started writing my first book, Spare Change, in 2006. (It was actually my second book, but my first one is still in a drawer.) I submitted to five or so publishers before it was picked up by Cedar Fort after completing their requested edits. It was on the shelf in April 2008.

Who is your hero/ mentor?- I think I would have to say Jane Austen, for helping to pave the way for other women who wanted to write.
What suggestions would you give young writers? 1) Grow a thick skin. The submission process can be brutal, and getting published doesn’t happen overnight, so learn to put those rejections behind you and KEEP SUBMITTING! 2) Read as much as you can. Time spent reading is never wasted– it only makes you a better writer.
Where did the inspiration for your books come from?- I get my best ideas when I’m doing mundane, repetitive tasks like weeding the yard or shoveling snow. And I seem to get a lot of ideas in the shower for some reason.

Are you working on any books right now? I’m working on two novels right now: my NaNoWriMo novel from this year is almost finished– it’s about pudding (of all things), and a novel about heaven that’s about halfway done.

Who is your favorite author? That’s the hardest question! I could never narrow it down to just one, but I love Carlos Ruiz Zafon, Martha Grimes, Jane Austen, Raymond Chandler, Ann Patchett, Helen Fielding, Stephenie Meyer, Suzanne Collins, Marilynne Robinson, Sarah Eden, and Diane Setterfield.

What was your road to being published like? The story of my road to being published was a lot shorter than some I’ve heard, but it seemed long to me! I still have two finished novels in drawer that I haven’t been able to find a publisher for. the more I talk to other writers, the more I find that to be the case.

Aubrey was super generous and donated three signed books for us to giveaway! Two of them you can win here, the third, “My Fairy Grandmother” we are giving away to one lucky participant of our author chat with her on Wednesday February 24th, 2010 at 7:30 PM MST. Come chat with Aubrey and win her third, most recent book!

To win “Spare Change” and “Santa Maybe” author signed set:

Leave us your name and email address
+2 visit her blog at http://www.aubreymace.blogspot.com/ and leave a comment
+2 become a fan of Aubrey Mace on Goodreads
+2 follow her on twitter @aubreymace
+3 tweet this contest
+5 add this contest to your blog
+3 Follow our blog

Giveaway ends March 18th and is open to International Participants. Good luck!

My Fairy Grandmother by Aubrey Mace

19 Feb, 2010 by in book review, utah authors, YA ficiton 1 comment

Product Details
Reading level: Young Adult
Paperback: 270 pages
Publisher: Bonneville Books; 1 edition (March 15, 2009)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1599552175

Product Description from Amazon
Descended from fairies? It sounds unbelievable, but according to Kaitlin’s grandmother Viola, it s true. In spite of her initial reluctance to visit Viola, Kaitlin finds herself being drawn into Viola s stories of elegant castles, evil counts, and exciting escapades. But as Kaitlin learns more about her family, Kaitlin s mother becomes increasingly concerned about Viola s mental health. Good thing Kaitlin knows better! From the author of Spare Change, this enchanting tale shows how a good story can bring a whole family together.

quote from the book…”Everyone comes to this earth and lives their life. It might be a long life or it might be short, but most of the basic details are uninteresting. We go about our daily chores, we might marry, we might have children, and we die … Each of us has one story worth telling, one moment of glory and triumph or pain and despair; something that defines us. It might be one second, or it could extend over several years, but for better or worse, it is the most interesting part of who we are.”

I bought this book at the Utah Atuthorpalooza because I love fairies and the cover was even glitttery! Cheesy, but oh so true for me…I judge a book my it’s cover! I got to page 66 and almost put it away because the main villain of the book Count Diavolo is just so evil. I asked Aubrey about him and how she came up with his character, she responded “Count Diavolo was a really fun character to write. I don’t get a chance to write the really evil characters in chick lit, so it was a refreshing change for me. I can’t say that he was really based on any one character in fiction– just bits and pieces of the scariest guy I could imagine!” that pretty much sums him up!

Plowing through all of this evil ways I came to really enjoy the story and wanted to find out what happened! The tale is spun into t a little fishing net that pulls you in and makes you have to keep reading!

Set in the modern day, the books is mainly written as told by a grandmother to her 10 year old granddaughter about her heritage. Much like a fairytale, there are heroes, morals and a little bit of magic. It is a message of courage and hope in the midst of absolute loss. The end leaves me wondering if there will be a sequel? Who is the other fairy?

But, I guess I will have to ask Aubrey at our upcoming online author chat next Wednesday. We are giving away a signed My Fairy Gradnmother” to one lucky participant of our author chat with her on Wednesday February 24th, 2010 at 7:30 PM MST. Come chat with Aubrey and win her third, most recent book!

Freebie Friday by LemonTreeStudio

19 Feb, 2010 by in russian nesting dolls 16 comments



Today’s Freebie Friday is from a super colorful and happy Etsy shop. It is summer there now and all year long! Hi and welcome to Lemon Tree Studio!

Thanks for stopping by…I’m a stay at home mom with a passion for fabric & paper (and other yummies)! I love scrapbooking, card making, sewing, painting, jewelry making and crocheting.

Check out my other shop for vintage yummies: LemonBlooms.etsy.com
Say “hello”: http://mylilyeden.blogspot.com/

♥Convo me and request to be added to my {Lemon News} mailing list…where you will receive EXCLUSIVE discount codes, offers & upcoming info on Studio Sales

♥I heart my fabrics from MaterialGal.etsy.com

♥I heart CherryDelightVintage.etsy.com
♥Visit JaneSays.etsy.com for fresh and fun stuff!

Female, Born on August 25

Enter here to win: A Darling set of Russian Nesting Doll tags, made with Japanese import fabric….so cute!

You will receive 3 tags total, each measuring in at 4.75 x 2.5 inches.
{Each doll is unique and different and may vary from the exact ones pictured (but still equally CUTE!)}

Simply leave us your name and email address in the comments below!
Additional entries
+1 Tell us the name of your favorite fairy tale
+2 go to her shop and comment on your favorite item by pasting the link
+2 go to Etsy and heart her shop http://www.etsy.com/shop/LemonTreeStudio
+2 visit her blog and leave a comment http:///
+3 tweet this contest-leave the link
+5 post it on your blog or facebook- leave the link
+5 add our button to your blog
+3 follow us on twitter @FireIcePhotos
+3 follow our blog
+3 become a fan of Fire and Ice on Facebook

Add your entries up and leave the total in your comment Contest ends March 19th and is open to International Entries. Good Luck!

Introducing Illustrator Asja Boros

18 Feb, 2010 by in photography 13 comments

Our spotlight today is on Children’s Illustrator Asja Boros. I found her art on Flickr where she posts book pages and photos as part of the 365 project to post a photo a day. It is whimsical and detailed…I would love to live in her imagination for a day because her work is stunning



Here’s what she had to say in our interview...

“I was born in Vukovar , small town in eastern Croatia.
I’ve graduated from Academy of Fine Arts in Zagreb, Croatia, and I majored in animation.
Right now, I don’t have much time to pursue any hobbies, but I love being outdoors , so whenever I can, I go hiking or at least go for a long walk.
I know this is not a very original answer but my all-time favorite book would probably be The Lord of the Rings by J. R. R. Tolkien.
I started drawing more seriously when I was 18, and I first got published when I was 21, one of my illustrations was published in Croatian daily newspaper, Jutarnji List.
Some suggestions I would give to young illustrators are to draw a lot, whenever and where ever they can, not to be too critical of themselves and to have as much fun as possible.
I’ve been full time freelance illustrator since the beginning of this year, although I occasionally work as a photographer. too. So I guess photography/photo retouching is my another day job 🙂
Alternative rock would probably be my favorite music genre , although I enjoy all kinds of music. I love both music and art but I find the biggest inspiration for my work in nature , in patterns and shapes occurring in nature and since I love drawing animal characters, in animal world.
Currently I’m working on a picture book about a little fox and his friends.
My all time favorite children’s book would be Ježeva kućica by Branko Ćopić. It’s a story about a hedgehog who loves his home. I learned how to draw by practicing a lot”

She asked us to donate four 4×6 autographed prints of the seasons to one lucky blog reader.

To enter to win: leave your name and email address in the comments

+2 for visiting her photostream at http://www.flickr.com/photos/25102254@N03/and commenting below your favorite photo
+2 for visiting her blog at http://threelittlecameras.blogspot.com/
and becoming a follower
+3 for sharing this contest on facebook-leave the link
+5 Share this contest on your blog
+3 Tweet it on twitter- leave the link
+5 add our button to your site
+3 become a fan of Fire and Ice on Facebook
+2 for following us on Twitter @fireicephotos
Total your entries and leave them in the comments below

Giveaway ends March 5th, 2010 and is Open internationally

Gnome Bracelet by Flirtbuttons

17 Feb, 2010 by in Uncategorized 14 comments

It is no secret that I absolutely adore gnomes.
So when I ran accross Flirtbuttons shop on etsy it was instant love…
She says “I have wanted a button maker since I was in elementary school. I just love the concept. So I took my birthday money and bought a professional machine. I now make buttons, pocket mirrors, bottle openers and magnets. All are 2.25 inches. I am doing paper and fabric coverings, and of course I accept wholesale and custom orders. Then I bought a one inch machine and make magnets, buttons, pendants, earrings, bobby pins, jumbo paper clips, rings and bracelets.”

Twitter: www.twitter.com/flirtbuttons
FB: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Flirtbuttons/95434339022

To Enter to win the gnome button bracelet simply

leave your name and email address below:

Additional entries
+2 go to her shop and comment on your favorite item by pasting the link
+2 go to Etsy and heart her shop http://www.etsy.com/shop/flirtbuttons
+3 tweet this contest-leave the link
+5 post it on your blog or facebook- leave the link
+5 add our button to your blog
+3 follow both of us on twitter @FireIcePhotos and @flirtbuttons
+3 follow our blog or hers
+3 become a fan of Fire and Ice or Flirtbuttons on Facebook

Add your entries up and leave the total in your comment

Contest ends on St. Patrick’s Day March 17, 2010

Good Luck!

WOW- Bitterblue by Kristin Cashore

17 Feb, 2010 by in penguin USA 35 comments

Bitterblue (The Seven Kingdoms Trilogy, Book 3)
by Kristin Cashore

published 2011 by Dial

details Hardcover

isbn 0547248059

Not quite sure how long we will be waiting for this one, but it will be WELL worth the wait…Taken from Kristin Cashore’s blog “Book 3, tentatively titled Bitterblue and currently in progress, is a companion book to both Graceling and Fire and takes place in the seven kingdoms six years after Graceling. As you may have gathered, the protagonist is Bitterblue. Yes, Katsa, Po, and others from Graceling whom I’m not yet willing to name do appear in the book. I don’t know yet when it’ll be coming out, and heartily invite you not to ask ^_^. That’s all I can say about it at this point.

EDIT 3/9/09: If you notice on Amazon that Bitterblue is cancelled, don’t worry! The Harcourt edition is cancelled, but only because the book has moved to Penguin. Once Bitterblue is written, it’ll be published by the Penguin imprint Dial Books for Young Readers.

In the meantime enjoy her first book Graceling on us…
You will fall head over heels for Po!

To enter to win the hardback: Simply leave us your name and email address!

Open Internationally and contest will end March 3rd, 2010

Teaser Tuesday-Dead Tossed Waves

16 Feb, 2010 by in Uncategorized 5 comments


The Dead Tossed Waves by Carrie Ryan
to be published March 9th 2010 by Delacorte Books for Young Readers

details Hardcover, 416 pages

isbn 0385736843

synopsis from Goodreads: Gabry lives a quiet life. As safe a life as is possible in a town trapped between a forest and the ocean, in a world teeming with the dead, who constantly hunger for those still living. She’s content on her side of the Barrier, happy to let her friends dream of the Dark City up the coast while she watches from the top of her lighthouse. But there are threats the Barrier cannot hold back. Threats like the secrets Gabry’s mother thought she left behind when she escaped from the Sisterhood and the Forest of Hands and Teeth. Like the cult of religious zealots who worship the dead. Like the stranger from the forest who seems to know Gabry. And suddenly, everything is changing. One reckless moment, and half of Gabry’s generation is dead, the other half imprisoned. Now Gabry only knows one thing: she must face the forest of her mother’s past in order to save herself and the one she loves

I read the Forest of Hands and Teeth a couple of months ago and can’t wait to read the sequel!Visit Carrie’s website to learn more: http://www.carrieryan.com/books.php