Tuesday, July 21, 2015

House Helper GiveAway!


If you've been around My Messy, Thrilling Life any time at all, you know: folks around here adore handmade. 

One of the things that's stayed consistent throughout the 10 years of this blog is the popularity of the handknit cloth. We can't get enough! (I'm secretly afraid that the one thing I'll be remembered for after I die is handknit dish cloths. Really. *sheepish grin*) No matter the color, shape, or style, we just can't seem to get our hands on enough of these handmade goodies.

That's one reason I'm excitedly happy to announce that my beloved shop, Balm and Honey, has reopened! I have many cloths already knitted... and piles of yarn ready to knit... into these special cloths that have made dish washing, bathing, and chores so much more pleasant.

If you haven't had the pleasure of using these beauties around the house, I want to give you a chance to see what the fan craze is about. On Friday, I'll give one lucky reader a cloth of their choice from my shop. Simply comment below and tell me your favorite handmade item in your house, and you'll be entered to win! Tweet, Pin, or Instagram this post, and comment again to have your name entered twice.

Don't want to wait, or see a cloth you want before it's gone? Bring home some of this happy knitting for yourself by clicking here and entering promo code SWEETSUMMER15 for 15% off your purchase through the end of the week.

 I appreciate your readership and presence here more than I can say. Thank you for meeting here, for sharing my life, and supporting this home renovation. 

Thanks, and happy shopping. Good luck! -Brin

33 comments:

Heidi said...

My favorite homemade items are quilts that I have made. I would love to try one of your clothes. I have never used one before.

Arwen said...

Dish and hand towels are amazing. However, I love my yoga socks.

Kaizen Fashion Project said...

My favorite handmade item in my house are paintings my kiddos made when they were young. There are actually several of them. I had them framed and hung in a gallery in our home. They're my most favorite!
heatheranne99 at gmail dot com

Kaizen Fashion Project said...

I shared on Twitter too :)
https://twitter.com/bohofoxbabe/status/623548646731034625

heatheranne99 at gmail dot com

Missy K said...

I love a handmade pottery bowl an old friend made for John and me. The colors are so pretty, and just holding it in my hands reminds me that making something a beauty is always worthwhile.

MrsReaux said...

My favorite handmade item in my house is a bookshelf my Dad made for me while I was in college, its not very big but solid. It is now in my daughters room. And I confess to loving the house helpers. I still have one (a gorgeous pink) I bought from you when you were still in Freeman house, it just didn't seem right to use it just yet.

Anonymous said...

My favorite handmade item are my flour sack dishtowels - embroidered by my grandmother many years ago.

Sherry said...

handmade...

* i've a memory of a handmade 'item', that of my great grandmother's blackberry jam. she won awards at long ago fairs in northern illinois. she was known for her gentle ways.. and jam.

* equally precious are the tatted gloves and handkerchief my great grandmother made for her wedding in the late 1800's. and her bible, filled with ephemera and notes.

* my daughter's sketches which grace a wall, as bookmarks in my bible, and my heart. we miss her.

{i'll pin this post as i'm not on twitter or instagram} :)

Mona Rigdon said...

My daughters' and son's artwork through the years. I love to go back and look at it, and see the amazing changes and the development of their artistry.

Living Life in the Lowcountry said...

My favorite handmade thing is the quilt that my husband's grandmother made for us as a wedding gift! She is no longer with us, so it is extra special!!
Love those knitted cloths!

Living Life in the Lowcountry said...

I pinned this post too! I think my user name is nancybinsc.

Rebecca said...

I have a couple of handmade quilts that my grandmother made for me, back in the 70's. I feel lucky and blessed to still have them, and that they survived my crazy teenage years. I also have a few aprons that were made by my grandmother and great grandmother, a couple of small ones for us when we were little girls and a couple of big girl aprons. My grandmother was also a painter, so I have a few of her paintings that she did in the 50s and 60s.

Brin...I have a set of your house helpers, a set of the triangle bookmark thingies you did for a while, and one of your little toolbelt aprons that you did a few years ago. I love the little "tool belt" and its almost worn out. The house helpsers are too. It may be time to order more! :)

Jan Reed said...

My favorite handmade thing is a quilt my grandmother made. And of course, your House Helpers!

Patricia @ 9th and Denver said...

My favorite hand made item in my home... a 3ft by 6ft hand-crocheted rag rug. I made it about 25 years ago when my babies were still little. It has lasted and lasted. Machine washable and line dries...it has faded over time; but still it keeps my feet warm. It is versatile too- I've used it in the kitchen, the bathroom, the mudroom, near the hearth... I love that rug!

Patricia @ 9th and Denver said...

posted a picture of my favorite thing...and tagged you on Instagram.
@patriciagram65 ...THAT'S ME!

LindaSonia said...

My favorite hand made item in my home are the seasonal wreaths I make for the front door - always changing, always fun to create.

Rene' said...

My favorite are the quilts and quilt toops made by my grandmother. I have several of your household helpers and have given away some as gifts they are wonderful and clearly made with love.

shirleybarstool said...

My favorite homemade items in my house are my dolls that my mom made for me when I was little.

Melodee said...

My mom made a quilt for my daughter when she was born and my daughter is currently using that quilt for her own daughter. My mom died 9 years ago, which makes the quilt all the more special.

J said...

I've recently renewed my love of needlework, so I'm enjoying making handcrafted pillows right now.

Carissa Anne said...

Three of my favorite handmade items, because it is impossible for me to choose between them... ;-) One is a cookbook bookshelf in my kitchen that my daddy made for me, two is a handmade cloth doll that my great grandmother made for me when I was born and three would be my children's artwork, it is so special I save most everything they draw and love to look through their different pieces of artwork and see how their different personalities come through in it.

I have bought one of your dishtowels before when you were at the Freeman house and have always loved it, it is getting quite worn out now, but is always a favorite! :-)

I also wanted to mention that I loved the names you picked out for each cloth, SPOT ON BRIN! Good Job! :-) I love the names of paint colors and nail polish, so to read each name of these cloths was a simple pleasure!!!

God Bless!

Unknown said...

My favorite homemade things in my home are cross stitch pictures my mother made and sketches she drew. She is in heaven now but those things that she created keep her close to me.

TBarnum said...

Every year at Christmas my grandma would bring in these big bags with different names on them. She had many grandchildren and she made quilts for every one of us but only a few at a time. So we would hope every year at Christmas that the big bag had our name on it. When mine finally came it was so very special. A Dresden design with little animal patches in the center of each design. It is very tattered and worn, but my grandma quilt is still around and it is my favorite homemade item.

TBarnum said...

I tweeted this post! :)

Jenn said...

I actually have 2 handmade items that I absolutely treasure, both made by the same gentleman and given together as a wedding present. That means it counts as one, right? The first item is a wooden plaque with our last name and "established" date. The second item is a 4 foot wide wooden chest with a curved lid.

Both items are exquisitely detailed, and the plaque has been the first thing to get put up when we moved into both our apartment and our house.

Unknown said...

By golly it has been 10 yrs, for me too then since your blog was one of the firsts I got hooked on when I began ( Sue at Country Pleasures). Time flys! I'd love to own one of your handicrafts! My favorite homemade item is a apron from a dear friend, it just makes me happy!

Debbie said...

My favourite homemade item is a quilt I made for my husband. It took many years but I finally sent it out for quilting and wrapped it up for Christmas. He was thrilled and so was I!

Donnie said...

My favorite homemade item in my home, actually two of them, are the quilts my mother in law lovingly made years ago. She used cardboard (from cereal boxes) templates to cut all the squares and triangles out. They are bright, colorful and made with love.

Donnie said...

I also pinned this post on my Pinterest. (MartyW)

Betty said...

One of my favorite handmade things in my house is a lap afghan made by my g'daughter.

Michelle said...

Mine is a simple handmade piece of art, where I stenciled my wedding date onto a canvas.

Terri Steffes said...

My favorite handmade item are the cross stitched art pieces my mother-in-law stitched for our home. She's suffering from alzheimer's now, so it makes them even more special.

Mary Beth Hunt said...

I love the Christmas Stockings my grandmother made more than 50 years ago :)