anna's trunk

Summer Giveaway is Back!

2010-07-30T14:34:00.000-07:00

In these last couple of days of July and all through August, I've decided to offer a summer giveaway! Nothing says "summer" like a beautiful piece of PIE!!! So....the summer giveaway prize for August will be a set of "Cherry Pie" sachets from the "anna's blue ribbon pie collection" on my etsy shop...small enough to tuck anywhere, the delicious cherry scent will freshen any space in your home...even the kitchen!

To gain an entry into this month's giveaway, just stop by the blog and share what your favorite pie is (I'm looking for some new baking ideas!)...

Giveaway is open to everyone, whether you live down the block from me or half way 'round the world! Good Luck...Benjamin will be back again to perform his giveaway drawing duties! The winner will be drawn randomly on September 1st.

Hope you're all having a great summer! ... or winter, I guess, depending where you are!

Battle of the Wentworths!

2010-05-11T09:09:00.001-07:00

I know, I know...it's been quite a while since I've posted! I hope you all have been well and remain completely obsessed with all things Austen!!

So here's today's post...Which Wentworth is the best Wentworth? Now for me, this is a tough, tough call. I mean, you can't argue with Mr. Rupert Penry-Jones' good looks but on the other hand, Mr. Ciaran Hinds' Wentworth has a slightly more rugged look (which, I might add, is NOT a negative!). Putting their appearance aside for a moment, which one do you think conveys the anguish of the separation from Miss Anne Elliot best? I'm not going to weigh in on that because I really would like to hear what you all think!

I know that there may be less "Persuasion" fans out there than, say, "Pride & Prejudice" but fear not! We'll be pitting Darcys against one another soon enough!

Did Anyone Catch "Persuasion" on PBS Last Night?

2010-02-22T17:04:00.000-08:00

I was glued to the encore presentation of "Persuasion" on Masterpiece Theatre last night! This is my favorite Jane Austen novel! I just really love the "dance" between Wentworth and Anne once they are in contact with one another again. I own the previous 1995 version with Amanda Root and Ciaran Hinds...and now the only debate is...which one do I like better?? That's tough! I love elements of both and I'm able to enjoy both without really comparing. What do YOU think? Which adaptation do you prefer? Why?

Glad to Be Back!

2010-02-21T19:44:00.000-08:00

I know it has been a while since my last post...the holiday season was a busy one! But now, I will honor my New Year's resolution for 2010 (I really only made one!)...and I'll be blogging a bit more here at anna's trunk.

So here's a new quiz for you to get the ball rolling! Enjoy and don't forget to vote!!

Best! Christine

And now for a bit of news...

2009-10-21T12:35:00.000-07:00

I've decided to suspend the monthly giveaway drawing for November and resume it with a larger "holiday" giveaway for December (multiple items, perhaps!!)...

Would anyone be up for a swap for the holidays? I'm open to suggestions on a theme...of course, I'm always happy to do anything related to Jane Austen, but I realize that not everyone *gasp* has the same obsession that I do!

Post any and all suggestions! It could be fun and I would be happy to organize it!

A Change Of Tack!

2009-10-21T12:32:00.000-07:00

So, I've been taking a look at the blog and well, I think it's time for a change. A little more about more topics that everyone can participate in and a little less about me and my family...not that we aren't fascinating (just kidding-lol!), but I'd like to take the blog into uncharted waters with discussions about historical fashion, classic literature, and whatever else suits our fancy!

Congratulations to Marian! October Giveaway Winner!

2009-10-21T12:12:00.000-07:00

Congratulations to fellow follower, Marian for being this month's winner! I'll contact you Marian with the details and your poll suggestion will be featured this month!

A Purrrrfect Name?

2009-09-14T06:07:00.000-07:00

The big news in our family is that we are getting a new cat! We have filled out our paperwork with our local humane society to be able to adopt a new kitty-hopefully sometime this week! We're pretty excited about it, especially Benjamin. We lost our "Cinder" about a year ago to liver failure-my husband brought her home as a wee kitten in his shirt pocket one day eight years ago, so it was tough for us to think about having a new furry friend-but I think we're ready now. Well, actually we got ready fast when a baby mouse made its way into our mud room in the basement (I will have to do a post sometime about my absolute terror for these creatures)-time for a cat!

The kitty we have our eye on is a butterscotch colored cat, very playful (he's a year old) and Benjamin has already decided that they will be best friends and play pirates. Sarah is also looking forward to having a companion while she tackles homework and I will end up taking care of the kitty blissful in the knowledge that hopefully he will be "on the job!"

I'm looking for suggestions for a kitty name! Sarah wants to go with "Chester" and Benjamin is thinking "puppy," and my husband will just be grateful if the cat isn't named after any of the characters in Jane Austen's novels!

Help me out and post your ideas for the kitty's name! "Red #204" is his name now at the shelter-is that any kind of name ?? Thanks!!

Power to the People!

2009-09-06T08:45:00.000-07:00

Since we're having regular polls here at anna's trunk, I thought this month's giveaway should be in keeping with this new tradition, so...the giveaway for this month will be YOUR CHOICE of any $5.00 sachet that I have in my shop at the time of the drawing (October 1)...that covers many of my Jane Austen and Victorian sachets...

To enter, simply post an idea for a poll you'd like to see here on the blog. Benjamin will be picking the winner again this month, and the winner will have their poll featured in the month of October (with all kinds of bragging rights!)...of course, I'm sure I'll be using many of your ideas (I really would like the blog to reflect everyone's interests!)...and hey, if you really can't think of an idea, enter anyway!

Good luck!!

September's Poll: Who is your favorite "scoundrel?"

2009-09-05T08:02:00.000-07:00

We all must admit that as much as we love to hate them, there's something charming about a literary scoundrel! Whether it's dashing good looks or irresistable charm, they manage to keep our interest-what WILL they do next? Here are some of my favorites-vote for yours! The winning scoundrel will be interviewed here at the conclusion of the vote (@ October 1)...feel free to campaign here on the blog for your candidate!

My Interview With Elizabeth Bennet...

2009-09-02T14:47:00.000-07:00

The winner of our "Favorite Jane Austen Heroine" poll was hands down Miss Elizabeth Bennet of "Pride and Prejudice!" I caught up with the delightful Miss Bennet on one of her famous walks to Merryton...

AT: Miss Bennet, it is my honor to talk with you today!
EB: I am excessively diverted!
AT: May I ask you a few questions?
EB: Of course
AT: I am not from here...can you tell me how you spend your days?
EB: Oh! Are you from London?
AT: Uh, not exactly... a little further than that...
EB: Ah...well then. Life here is pleasant enough. I live fairly comfortably with my parents and my four sisters, Jane, Kitty, Mary and *sigh* Lydia. I do a fair amount of letter writing, visiting, needlework and reading and I try to be useful to my mother and father when I can. We are fortunate to be able to attend an assembly every so often and even more fortunate when there are officers quartered in Merrtyon...fewer ladies are in want of a partner, you see.
AT: That sounds wonderful!
EB: It is...mostly. Sometimes I fear I do grow restless for ... more.
AT: More?
EB: Society for women is quite confined and we are so often subjected to what others decide for us. I often wonder if there will ever be a time when women will be able to choose the kind of life they wish to lead, whether it includes marriage or not...oh! I fear I may shock you with my views!
AT: Not at all, Miss Bennet. I understand you recently became acquainted with a gentleman by the name of Mr. Collins...your cousin?
EB: *groan* MUST we discuss Mr. Collins? Mr. Collins surely does enough of that all on his own!
AT: I believe your mother wishes for you to become MRS. Collins?
EB: Unfortunately, my mother becomes confused at times...her nerves you see. I can assure you that there is literally NO possible inducement for me to accept Mr. Collins...none...ever...
AT: But now let us talk of another gentleman...Mr. Darcy.
EB: *silence*
AT: Miss Bennet?
EB: Yes, Mr. Darcy.
AT: Your sister Jane confided to me that you did not like Mr. Darcy when you first met him...
EB: Jane is absolutely correct.
AT: But now I am hearing reports that your position may be softening a bit...
EB: *blushes* it is true that ... I may... have been severe upon Mr. Darcy. I was misinformed on some points regarding his character and he has since written me a letter addressing these points, which...makes me see him in a new light.
AT: A favorable light?
EB: *Slight grin* Perhaps...yes, perhaps.
AT: Thank you so very much, Miss Bennet for your time!

The August Giveaway Winner is...

2009-09-02T14:33:00.000-07:00

Ta Da! Alison Hodges! Congratulations, Alison! Please email me at annastrunk@gmail.com with your address so I can mail out your prize!

Please check out this photo of the extremely state of the art, super technically advanced way I choose the winners for the giveaways! Actually, Benjamin chose a winner from the bowl (in between painting masterpieces)...it's the only way I could think of to do it fairly-otherwise I'd be too tempted to send a prize to everyone every month and really, what fun would that be? LOL!

Please stay tuned for September's giveaway...it's a dilly!

Perfect Pears!

2009-08-27T14:16:00.000-07:00

Recently, my kids were exploring the property where we live and happened to find several pear trees, absolutely brimming with beautiful pears! Being the overprotective mom that I am, I talked to the property caretaker to find out about these trees and was told that yes, they really are pear trees and yes, the pears are safe to eat. I had the kids bring back some fruit to the house (they brought two HUGE basketfuls!), and now I've been scouring my cookbooks for dessert recipes that call for pears. I found one that sounded like a pretty good one to start with: pear crisp. How hard can that be? I'll let you know how it turns out and how it was received by my family...if they give it the thumbs up, I'll share the recipe here on the blog.

In the meantime, if you have any delicious pear recipes to share, please feel free to do so!

Don't forget to vote for your favorite Jane Austen heroine!

2009-08-16T21:37:00.000-07:00

Show some love for your favorite Jane Austen heroine! Whether it's Emma Woodhouse, Lizzy Bennet or Anne Elliot, please take a moment to vote in the poll-you'll find it on the left side of my blog page. The winning heroine will be interviewed here at the end of the voting period (August 31st!)...

Gratitude...

2009-08-13T09:41:00.000-07:00

Sometimes, it is a good thing to take a breath, look around and process all we have to be thankful for. Some days, we feel on top of the world-everything just seems to go our way and it's pretty easy to be able to count our blessings. Some days, not so much. Still, there is an opportunity EVERY day to find something...even if it is one tiny thing...that we can be grateful for. It could be family, friends, health, wealth or even simpler things like being on time for work, our children finally sleeping through the night, a green light in traffic when we really needed one, or not bouncing a check at the grocery store...if you look, you can find your gratitude.

A friend of mine, Sue Donaldson, has taken this concept and turned it into a fantastic idea called "The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pillows." She has created a "gratitude starter pak" of sorts-a beautiful journal together with a sachet pillow with matching artwork that reminds us to "give thanks!" The idea is to record a list of 10 things you're grateful for in your life, and send your pillow and list on to a friend where he/she will do the same and so on. They come together in a clear bag tied with a ribbon and tag-offered for sale on her website (see link) and also through Big Cartel.com She even has a facebook fan page dedicated to the Sisterhood of the Traveling Pillows (see link)...

to order you can visit Sue's site: http://welcomeheart.com/traveling-pillows/
or http://sisterhoodofthetravelingpillows.bigcartel.com/product/sisterhood-of-the-traveling-pillows

To become a fan on Sue's facebook page:
http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#/pages/Sisterhood-of-the-Traveling-Pillows/88846522139?ref=ts

August Giveway !! Here's the buzzzzz....

2009-08-11T08:42:00.000-07:00

It's been a crazy few weeks!! My father had surgery and so I was in Madison helping him recover (he's fine) and now I'm back in my routine when I noticed I hadn't selected a prize for this month's drawing yet!! So without further fanfare, the giveaway drawing prize for August is a set of one of my newest creations: My Honeybee Sachet Gift Set...It's lavender scented and there are three petite sachets in the set...

For a chance to win the Honeybee Sachet Set, simply leave a comment with your facebook or twitter or blog address... I'd like to see everyone's pages so I can follow!

Good luck!!

We're going "hi tech!"

2009-08-11T08:35:00.000-07:00

My teenage daughter, Sarah, loves her Facebook page! After months of trying, she finally got me to start a page for our family...many of my husband's family live quite a long distance from us so we thought we could stay in touch better...and it HAS made all the difference!

Proudly I say that Sarah is one of my biggest fans and encourages me with my little etsy shop as much as she can! She kept saying "Mom, you need a page for anna's trunk on Facebook! Seriously..." Well, when a teenager adds the word "seriously," there must be something to that!

So please visit anna's trunk online at Facebook (I'd post a link, but sadly I don't know how to do that yet!!)...there is info about the shop as well as photos, comments and I've started giving a shout out to other shops that I admire as well...

Oh and since I was taking the "techno plunge," I'm also on Twitter!! (annas_trunk is how you'll find me)...

Congratulations to...

2009-07-31T12:22:00.001-07:00

Emily! She's the winner of the "Night at the Opera" sachet for July!! As you know, Benjamin has been on "vacation" from his prize/name drawing duties, so my husband Sean took over and pulled Emily's name out of Ben's hat...quite literally!! Thank you to all who participated! Please be on the lookout for next month's giveaway...if you haven't won yet, please don't give up! I don't have that many followers, so your odds are pretty good!! :)

I do so enjoy hearing what everyone has to say with the "question of the month!"

Enjoy these summer days!!
Christine

My Battle Royale With...of all things...Saran Wrap!

2009-07-30T18:41:00.000-07:00

I'm a pretty easy going person...really. I try to shrug off life's little annoyances most of the time and try to focus on the big picture. However, I'd like to say a few words about Saran Wrap...or as I like to call it "wrap of evil!" Now I apologize in advance if you or any member of your family invented or profits from Saran Wrap...this vent is surely not directed at you!

All I wanted to do was re-wrap a plate of the best bbq ribs ever (ok, that's a different story). I grabbed the saran wrap...20 minutes and half a roll later I gave up and just used aluminum foil (yeah, I know-I just should have used that to begin with)...it seems that if anything goes awry-you sneeze, move at all, or are exposed to the slighest breeze, it's over...the saran wrap has gone from a glimmering, smooth sheet of useful plastic to a mangled ball of garbage. Thankfully, I was able to recycle all of my little mishaps...

I know this doesn't have anything to do with Jane Austen, etsy, historical costuming or anything else really, but I just needed to get this off my chest.

Have YOU ever had a run in with ... Saran Wrap?

Photo attached (and if you look closely, you can see the plastic wrap actually laughing at me!!)

July Giveaway Drawing...

2009-07-30T18:40:00.000-07:00

This month's drawing will take place on July 31st and the results will be posted that day (I need to reign this in a bit!)...good luck to all!!

Virginia Beach...

2009-07-04T08:38:00.000-07:00

I love the ocean...my husband loves the ocean, but sadly we don't live anywhere near the ocean...SO, we travel to it when we can! Every couple of years, we pick a coast and travel there to soak up our "beach vibe," get back in the car and pray it lasts til the next time! Last time was three years ago (before Ben was even born!)...we headed to Galveston, Texas (a GREAT spot-please visit if you get the chance!)

This time, we found a way to work in a couple of days at the beach on our most recent trip. We headed to Virginia Beach! Though I'm sure we were not able to see all that it had to offer, we were satisfied to sit in the sand and jump through the surf. As an added bonus, it was Benjamin's very first time seeing the ocean (he LOVED it!)... we'll see where the tides take us next time! Know any good shore points? Please share! Thanks!

Red, White and Blue and the July Prize Drawing Giveaway!

2009-07-03T12:52:00.000-07:00

Hope your summer is everything you hoped it would be! We're just settling down from being away for about two weeks...it's great to get out there and see wonderful things but it is also nice to be able to come back home!

This month I've decided to offer something as a giveaway drawing prize that is NOT related to Jane Austen (*gasp!*)... a sachet featuring a truly lovely vintage illustration. I called it "Night at the Opera..." I thought that had a certain ring to it. Anyway, please feel free to throw your hat in the ring for this one...

To enter, please describe some of your favorite hobbies! For example, I love to create memory books, sew, dig in my family tree, bake, knit (even though I'm not very good at it!), and oh, lots more!! What interests YOU?

Good luck!

Oops!

2009-07-03T12:46:00.000-07:00

Yes, it's time for me to offer a heartfelt apology! I am sorry that I didn't get a chance to post the winner of the June giveaway yesterday as promised...I can offer nothing except that well, life just got away from me a bit! But, I'm back on track now, and Benjamin says the winner is...

BillieJean! So, if BillieJean will contact me via email or here on the blog, we can figure out a way to exchange the necessary info (in a cyber safe way!) so you can collect your prize!!

Benjamin informs me that summertime is a very busy time for him, what with playing in the sandbox, chasing squirrels, riding his trike, etc. He has decided to take a leave of absence from his prize drawing duties for a while...he has handed them off to my husband Sean, who will be as impartial as little Ben was! So don't worry-the prize drawings will go on!

Such an honor!

2009-07-03T12:39:00.000-07:00

Thank you to Kerry and Sheri at Trendy Bindi's Bits of Bliss for this lovely award! Please check out their blog at www.trendybindisbitsofbliss.blogspot.com-it'll become a favorite to be sure!

Going over to check out the blogs I follow so I can pass this award on! There are some truly talented bloggers out there!

June Giveaway Winner Announced This Afternoon!

2009-07-02T10:00:00.000-07:00

The luggage has all been put away, the clothes washed, the photos uploaded...we're officially back from our vacation!

Benjamin will be choosing the winner for the June giveaway this afternoon (after his nap)...so please check back to see if you are a winner!

I've got some great pics from Williamsburg to share with you...I'll be posting those soon!

Hope YOUR summer is going great so far! :)

Ok...here's the June Giveaway!

2009-06-10T07:05:00.000-07:00

Finally some sun here!! I can hear the lawnmowers working wildly trying to beat the next rainstorm!

Even though I will be out of town for a good part of the month, I thought why not have a June Giveaway anyway!? So, here is June's giveaway item...a set of Jane Austen Sense & Sensibility notecards featuring illustrations from the novel, handmade by me! They are blank so you can customize them anyway you want to-it is a set of five with matching envelopes.

If you'd like to throw your name in the ring, please leave a comment-the question for June is: What has been your absolute favorite vacation destination and what made it so great? Of course, being with friends and family make any vacation great, but what was it about the locale itself?

Got to go finish packing Benjamin's suitcase now, complete with new sneakers and everything!!

Have a great June and I'll look forward to sharing photos and reading your responses when I get back!

More Pics From the BBQ...

2009-06-09T13:38:00.000-07:00

Thought I'd share some pics from the bbq we hosted a couple of weekends ago...really fun! My daughter's friends are so nice and they all had a great time, especially during the "Amazing Race" type game we had going!

The S.S. Fruit Salad

2009-06-09T13:32:00.000-07:00

Sarah asked if I would make some fruit salad for her bbq at the end of May. Sure! I said...she's my first born-fruit salad didn't seem like an outlandish request. She had kind of a tropical theme thing going...well I got to thinking how I could make the fruit salad display fit into that and I ended up carving the watermelon to look like a boat...then I hollowed it out and put the fruit salad back in. I took some muslin and a couple of skewers and made some sails. The whole thing sat atop a "sandbar" of brown sugar (which REALLY does look like sand, in case you ever need to know)...and made a little sign that read "SarahLiz Key" as if it had been "beached." The girls loved it and I had soooo much fun making it that I thought I'd post a photo here to share with you...

Almost Time for our Williamsburg Wonderland of Fun!!

2009-06-09T13:22:00.000-07:00

We are almost ready to embark on our nearly two week road trip odyssey to Virginia...I've got the latest issue of "Seventeen" magazine and the latest issue of a Handy Manny coloring book for the kids...just so there's no confusion, my teenager daughter gets the Seventeen magazine. I've been wanting to visit Williamsburg for years and now, finally, I have my chance to go! I'm really excited!! It's like DisneyWorld for history buffs-I am hoping that they may have some exhibits about clothing from the era. We also plan to visit Monticello (Thomas Jefferson's home) and all kinds of other good stuff.

So, road trips can get pretty dull...I bought a whistle and a bag full of weird, campy little prizes. I figured that once in a blue moon, we'll have a prize drawing...plus we have the obligatory contest to see how many vans we see like ours and the quintessential "license plate" game.

If anyone has any good road trip stories or tips, hey, feel free to share them!!

*Note the photo: Sarah and I at Colonial Mackinac (Michigan)...hopefully there will be cheezy cut outs like this at Williamsburg!

Ta Da! And the May Giveaway Winner is...

2009-06-04T06:44:00.000-07:00

Well, after rooting around in the "giveaway drawing bag," Benjamin finally pulled this month's winner out and it is.....drum roll please....

Sisterly Love! Congratulations Genevieve! I'll be sending you the Pride & Prejudice spiral sachet shortly-enjoy!!

I really enjoyed everyone's responses to this month's question-in fact, I always enjoy reading responses to EVERY month's question!

Stay tuned for details on the June Giveaway!

*Please note photo above-Benjamin feeling a little disappointed that he couldn't pick EVERYONE!!

You Just Gotta Have Something to Look Forward To!

2009-05-26T13:41:00.000-07:00

I am a self-admited party planner. Give me an event, ANY event and I'll create a party around it...I think it dates back to high school when I was dumped three weeks before my senior prom. Determined not to let that fact depress me, I put on my prom gown and turned a kitchen broom upside down and put a bow tie on it (to simulate the jerk that should have taken me) and took prom pictures anyway...weird? probably.No wait, definitely!! But it taught me that you can't always wait around for a big momentous occasion to occur before you take the time to celebrate! I am approaching my 22nd wedding anniversary and so I decided to do something different this year and plan something special. Now, usually, "special" means leaving the kids at home and having dinner at a place that DOESN'T have a drive through window where we sit and talk about the kids we left at home. But not this year. This year, I let my imagination run wild so I decided to have a Great Gatsby themed picnic on the beach. Nothing too fussy, but definitely with a slant toward the twenties (since it IS our twenty second anniversay)...I have NO idea what I'm going to incorporate, but hey-that'll be half the fun. And I'm sure I will be providing updates here on my blog.

I might add that I'm very grateful to be married to a man who is VERY good natured and tolerant of my little party fetish! He goes with the flow and doesn't care too much about what kind of "outfit" he has to wear...although he did draw the line on this one and categorically refuses to wear one of those twenties style swimsuits! I'll let that one slide, I guess.

Remembering Memorial Day...

2009-05-25T08:45:00.001-07:00

I wanted to take a minute from the barbequed chicken, hot dogs, sprinklers and family fun to remember all of the brave men and women who have served our country in whatever capacity and their families on this Memorial Day...your service is very much appreciated by so many, my family included...thank you!

On a personal note, I'd like to honor my Uncle Don who lied about his age so he could enlist in the Navy shortly after Pearl Harbor. He saw action in the Pacific at Okinawa (he never talked about it much, but I don't blame him); My Uncle Jim who served as a medic (and who probably had enough knowledge to become a doctor!) in the Pacific Theatre of World War II, Korea and Vietnam; my grandfather Guisuppe who served in the Italian army during World War I and also my husband Sean, who did a six year hitch in the Navy and was deployed during the First Gulf War.

Whatever your political or personal views, one thing is certain...Memorial Day is a time to take a minute to quietly honor all those who have served.

Deadline Approaching!

2009-05-23T23:10:00.000-07:00

Hello Everyone!
I hope that you are enjoying the Memorial Day Weekend! We're headed to a bbq this weekend...that's about the extent of our merriment!

Just a reminder: don't forget to enter the May Giveaway Drawing!! This month's prize is a Pride & Prejudice Spiral Sachet featuring many of the character names from Jane Austen's classic novel...Benjamin is warming up so he can reach deep into the hat to pull out the winning slip!

Good Luck to all!!

The Countdown is On!

2009-05-19T12:42:00.000-07:00

Well, we're in party prep mode here! My daughter is having a "thank goodness we all passed geometry, chemistry, english, whatever else and it's finally summer party!" in a couple of weeks. We got the new grill yesterday (an early Father's Day present for my husband) and the rest of the prep continues: we've made tissue paper flowers, place cards, etc. Sarah is planning several activities like badminton, "cheap beach ball volleyball," and a clever Amazing Race style game-I hope it will be fun!

I think the most excited one of all is Benjamin, who is thrilled to be invited to hang out with his big sister and all her "cool" friends (who all adore him, by the way!)

Anyone else having a party? * Above is the invitation she sent out!

Hey! Let's Hear it For the May Giveaway!

2009-05-07T11:54:00.000-07:00

Good Afternoon All!

Well, it's May and with it comes some warmer temperatures! I was shocked to see my strawberry plants had made it through the winter and my lavender seems to be coming back too. My son, Benjamin, likes to check the garden daily-he is anxiously awaiting the strawberries to bloom! I haven't got the heart to tell him it's going to be a while. But enough about me!! How are all of you? How are you celebrating your spring?

The Oxygen Channel has been showing the latest version of "Pride & Prejudice" lately so that is the inspiration for this month's giveaway: A Simply Jane Character Swirl Sachet featuring the characters from "Pride and Prejudice."

To enter, simply comment on the following question:
If you could trade places with any literary character for a day, who would it be and why?

Hmmmm, I'm going to have to give this one serious thought myself! :-) Good Luck everyone and thanks for participating!

And the winner is...

2009-05-04T17:23:00.000-07:00

Hello Everyone!
Please forgive the delay in announcing the winner for the April giveaway...before Benjamin could choose the winner, I had to catch him...and that's been pretty hard to do lately! :)

And the winner of the toile sachets is... beadinbabe31! Congratulations!

Please stay tuned for the May giveaway...coming tomorrow morning!

Don't Forget to Enter the April Drawing Giveaway!

2009-04-26T07:27:00.000-07:00

Just a reminder that April is drawing to a close...where did the time go?? And that means it's almost giveaway drawing time! Benjamin is practicing his "name drawing" skills for the April Giveaway, so don't forget to enter by April 30 with your favorite springtime tradition. Winner will receive a set of blue toile sachets (you can take a look here on the blog)-good luck!!

Happy Easter!

2009-04-11T21:47:00.000-07:00

Just want to wish a very happy Easter to everyone in whatever capacity you choose to celebrate this springtime holiday! :)
My son, Benjamin, is fast asleep with dreams of chocolate bunnies and peeps dancing through his head and my daughter, Sarah, is probably wondering which dvd the "easter bunny" brought her...pssst, it's "Becoming Jane!" She is sixteen but would be gravely disappointed if she did not wake up to at least a chocolate bunny. That's the great thing about being a teenager...once in a while, you get to go back and enjoy being a kid.

We waited til the last minute (mainly because I'm down with the flu), so my husband is on a nocturnal official "Easter Bunny" mission to find jelly beans...ha! Good luck. Every store we went to looked a little worse for wear!

So however you choose to celebrate Easter, have a very happy day! :)

Let's Hear It for the Boys...The Scoundrels, That is...

2009-04-07T12:45:00.000-07:00

We all have our favorite Jane Austen heroes...you know, the honorable, sweet guys who sweep Lizzy, Emma, Anne, etc. off their feet at the end of the story (mine is Captain Wentworth), but what about Miss Austen's "less than gentlemanly" gentlemen? Do they really get the credit they deserve? While they do break hearts, they do make the story so much more interesting...don't you think?

I've included a poll at the bottom of the page-please feel free to vote for your favorite Austen scoundrel-the winning scoundrel will be featured in a future blog post (there has to be some perk for him, no?)

Happy Voting!

Leap of Faith...

2009-04-06T12:35:00.000-07:00

Good Monday to all!

Have you ever tried something that made you nervous as all get out? Sometimes it is just the doing that is the important thing and not whether you win or lose. Someone wise told me once (or I may have read this, I'm not sure!) "Feel the fear and do it anyway!"

So today I took my own advice. I entered a sketch in the Brides.com Wedding Dress Design Contest. The winning look will appear on the cover of Bride's magazine, plus a trip to New York, etc. etc. Honestly, I didn't do it for the prizes (no, really-girl scout honor!)-I did it so I could say I did it-that I tried, no matter what the outcome (which let's face it-the odds aren't exactly in my favor here).

Well, the lesson here, is GO FOR IT! At the end of the day, this life is the one we get-there's no second try and you just never know what might happen...and that's what makes it so great! :)

No April Foolin!

2009-04-01T19:22:00.000-07:00

On the heels of the excitement of the March Giveaway, April's giveaway drawing proves to be just as thrilling! Generally speaking, I like April! April 22 marks the anniversary of my first date with my husband (yes, I keep track of lots of little anniversaries!)~April also marks the birthday of my adorable niece Gabriella and April also seems to be the time when you can really get hold of the idea that spring could really...finally...show up!

In honor of all these great "April" things, this month's giveaway will be a set of blue toile sachets...I really LOVE toile and I especially like this very light blue pattern-very spring like, I think. These are perfect for tucking in someone's Easter basket or keeping all to yourself!

Ok, so this month's giveaway question is: Do you have any springtime traditions? If so, please share your favorite!

Good Luck! :)

Benjamin has spoken! Giveaway winner announced!

2009-03-31T14:42:00.000-07:00

Though probably not aware of the full significance of his office, Benjamin reached into my husband's baseball cap and chose the name of the March giveaway winner...

Congratulations to Trendy Bindi!! Your Jane sachet will be sent out as soon as you contact me with your address (annastrunk@gmail.com). Hope you enjoy it! Thanks to everyone who participated-it was great reading everyone's thoughts on the different eras of historical fashion!

The April Giveaway prize will be announced on April 1st, so if you didn't win this one, please try again next month! :)

Giveaway Deadline Approaching!

2009-03-29T21:54:00.000-07:00

Hello Everyone!
Just a reminder that the deadline for entering the anna's trunk giveaway for March is Monday, March 30. I'm very excited to see who the winner is and I've enlisted the help of a completely impartial helper to choose the name for me...my little guy, Ben! So be sure to get your entries in this Monday and good luck!!

Even though he does help me with taking my packages to the post office (he works for jelly beans-literally), he has promised not to let that sway him in this important task!

anna's trunk~ First Giveaway!!

2009-03-18T07:16:00.000-07:00

Good Morning!

Who doesn't love a giveaway?! I've decided to try a monthly drawing giveaway here on my blog...it's always fun to throw caution to the wind and see if today is the day fate smiles on you and you win something! :)

To enter this month's giveaway drawing, just leave a comment sharing what your favorite time period in history is. That's it! Winner will be drawn and notified on March 31st...good luck!

The giveaway drawing prize for March is the Simply Jane-Simply Fabulous Sachet/Mini Pillow from my etsy shop: Rose scented and featuring an image of Miss Austen herself surrounded by all of her masterpieces! (see photo above)

At this posting, I have six followers on the blog-so your chances are pretty good!! :) Good Luck!

Pride and Prejudice Production Positively Perfect!

2009-03-15T18:30:00.000-07:00

We're back from our adventure in Milwaukee seeing the Rep's production of "Pride and Prejudice!" What a treat it was! The acting was very good on all counts and we had great seats to boot. The costumes were beautiful, though there were not that many changes...the characters stuck with the same costume pretty much throughout but it worked quite well. They were very reminiscent of the 2005 film version of P&P, but had lovely lines and they enhanced the show greatly! If you have an opportunity to see this production, I highly recommend it.

Now, of course, I have to go back and watch the 80's version, and 2005 version of P&P...for some mystical reason I don't own the DVDs from the 1995 version (my personal favorite)...hmmm, I wonder how that happened!

Off To See Miss Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy!

2009-03-10T21:47:00.000-07:00

I'm very excited today because my daughter and I are going to attend a performance of "Pride and Prejudice" at the Milwaukee Rep Theatre! It has been a while since I've been to the theatre but it should be an adventure...my husband is actually the one who discovered that the show was playing in Milwaukee and ordered the tickets...yeah, hubby!! So we're off! I'm a little nervous driving in Milwaukee but I've got AAA and the cell phone, so we'll keep our fingers crossed! I shouldn't be nervous since I grew up 20 minutes outside New York City, but that was many moons ago!

Will give a full report when we return!

Tulle...The Crafter's "Duct Tape!"

2009-03-06T09:57:00.000-08:00

Don't ask me why but as I was watching out my window this morning, overjoyed that I could actually see the GROUND, I started thinking about tulle. Maybe Easter baskets were dancing across my imagination...I couldn't say. Anyway I was thinking about how fabulously versatile tulle really is. Like duct tape is to men, so is tulle to women, particularly crafters! Here are 10 things you can do with tulle:

1. As a gift bow on a package for someone special
2. As a way to keep the hair off your face as you do some heavy cleaning
3. Snarl it up and make a friend for your child to drag around behind him (for kids who won't put it in their mouth and choke, please)
4. Drape it over a couple of hooks above a bed for a faux canopy wispy kind of thing
5. Use it as a Christmas tree skirt
6. Party decor-use it everywhere
7. Makes a great last minute belt for a homecoming or prom dress
8. Tie a tulle bow on a bouquet of flowers from your garden
9. Use it as "stuffing" for a gift bag
10. Put some potpourri in a circle of tulle and tie it up with...more tulle!

Please use common sense when using tulle-it's not for the faint of heart! Got any more suggestions?

Well, here goes nothin'!

2009-03-04T13:53:00.000-08:00

I've finally made some progress on my project-18th century stays- for my daughter. The pieces have been cut out and after a long, drawn out battle with the directions (I'm still not sure who won), I'm beginning the process of putting the channels in for the boning. It's not that bad really, just repetitive but hopefully practice makes perfect. I just keep telling myself that as long as I make more progress than the day before, it's a good sewing day! :)

So I've got some photos of how things are going so far. If it's all wrong, please don't tell me! No, I'm just kidding!

I'm also posting a photo of the beautiful fabric we found to use as the "fancy top layer." My daughter fell in love with this brocade type fabric and well, she's my favorite daughter (I only have one!), so what else could I say? See what you think...I think it will lend itself to the 18th century quite well.

Later tonight, I'll be working on this again. A jar of jellybeans (no chocolate fingers) in one hand, and needle and thread in the other...ahhhh, bliss!

When it comes to Jane Austen, I just can't help myself...

2009-02-12T15:08:00.000-08:00

I guess I should explain my adoration for all things Jane! I discovered Austen while attending grad school and I was well, broke...reeeeaaaally broke-can't afford cable broke. Of course there was nothing I could get on tv with rabbit ear antennas, so I headed over to the library (across the street-thank goodness!)...I love classic film, so once I worked my way through the entire film noir section and MGM musical stash, I picked up the 1985 BBC version of "Pride and Prejudice-" it was love at first sight! It was so calming and it was something I could watch with my daughter (7 at the time)-I watched that thing over and over and over again. I found "Persuasion" next, then "Sense" and finally "Emma" and the rest. I just can't explain it-from the clothing to the scenery, it's just pure bliss. I've read the books too, because you can't NOT read the novels!! Often, I am doing my sewing while something Jane is on the DVD player...if for some crazy reason, Jane is not available, I will happily settle for anything Bronte...since starting my etsy shop, I just can't seem to stop creating things that are Austen inspired-it has been so much fun!!! I've met a lot of really devoted Austen fans just like me, so it is good to know that I'm not alone! :) Here is my latest project-a departure from my sachet line-an ephemera collage featuring little treasures from "Sense and Sensibiity"...I hope you enjoy taking a peek. Please feel free to share any Jane stories!!

New Pair of Victorian/Civil War Undersleeves...done!

2009-02-10T12:41:00.000-08:00

I've been working on this particular pair of undersleeves for a while. It took some time to create the ivy vine embroidery pattern and then I had some household things to do which took me away from my costuming for a little while. But I did get these undersleeves done last night and got them listed in my etsy shop this morning. I had actually made another pair like this for my daughter, as she wants to return to the Athenaeum 1861 Girls' School (summer camp) next summer. They look very nice under her pagoda sleeve bodice! And the fabric is light enough that they should prove to be very cool in the Tennessee summer...

In the meantime...

2009-02-06T13:33:00.000-08:00

While I'm waiting to post progress on my 18th century stays (the pieces are almost all cut out), I thought I would share some pics of the Regency gown I made for my daughter last fall. She wanted a Jane Austen inspired dress for her homecoming, so what could I say? She chose fabrics that had a little bit of a modern twist but still worked with the style of the gown....a beautiful royal blue satin for the main portions of the gown along with a matching blue organza with scattered crystals for the overlay fabric. If you have ever worked with organza, then you can appreciate it when I say that it was "interesting" working with such a slippery fabric! But, fortunately, my daughter is worth it! :) She was so happy with the end result...see what you think!

It's a stare down!

2009-02-04T06:44:00.000-08:00

So this is the pattern that I'll be using for the 18th century stays (corset)... I've got the pieces cut out and I'm ready to start...just as soon as I figure out WHERE to start! If anyone has actually used this pattern, feel free to comment!! Well, here goes nothing!

About to start a trip back to the 18th Century!

2009-02-03T20:19:00.000-08:00

Since I was a teenager, I've always loved historical fashion. Until recently, my passion for fashion went about as far as my sketchbook could take me, but in the last few years, I've really gotten down to the business of learning how to sew these confections of the past. I've made costumes of one sort or another (Titanic, Medieval, etc.) and even made a Civil War era wardrobe, complete with ballgown for my daughter as she attended a living history camp in Tennessee. Now, I have my sights set on making an 18th century ensemble. Why? Why not?? Even though I have no real place to wear it, I think I like the challenge of the sewing of it and imagining what the finished product will look like!

The ensemble will be for my daughter. She already has the chemise (the innermost layer of clothing) so now we are on to tackle the corset. I've made a Victorian corset and actually it wasn't that bad-you just have to take it one step at a time! However after reading the instructions for the 18th century corset, I'm thinking I'm going to need a LOT of chocolate to get me through this one! Still, I am determined!! Stay tuned for updates!!

A Big Thank You to Fellow Blogger!

2009-01-17T13:42:00.000-08:00

I'd like to take this opportunity to say a very big "thank you" to a fellow blogger, carilyn, of shabby-things-by-carilyn (here on blogspot)! She made a new banner for my little fledgling blog and I have to say that I absolutely LOVE it! ...yes, I now check my blog every hour just so I can see how great the banner looks!

Please check out carilyn's blog-she is a very talented artist with a shop on lollishops.com!

Thanks, Carilyn!

You've Got To Start Somewhere!

2009-01-13T07:09:00.000-08:00

This is my first actual blog, so you'll have to bear with me. I have a mini blog on MyCraft.com, but I wanted to try this site as well. So...hi...I'm Christine...and I have a shop on Etsy that I love! It's www.annastrunk.etsy.com I started my shop in November 08 and am so glad that I did! It gives me a creative outlet...and in the winter in Wisconsin, that's a good thing! Well, I'm off to get my day started...hope yours is going great!