{Feature + Giveaway} RedBracelet's LuckXury Collection

Tali is the founder of RedBracelet on Etsy, which is based in Tel Aviv, Israel. She is currently 38 years old and a mother of two children, Shelly (11 years old) and Alon (6 years old). She has an MA in political science and communication. Her Luckuxy collection combines 'Luck' and 'Luxury', as you can see below:

LuckXury fashion welcomes good energies ♥ ♥

LuckXury jewellery collection is an original combination of good luck & wishes, fashionable, trendy design & a comfortable feeling. Luckxury can be part of your daily life - there's no need to take it off thanks to the durable & water proof materials used in creating it. Well... let's face it, who wants to take off a vital jewelry that has the power to give you luck, joy, success and protection against the evil eye?

LuckXury is handmade and designed by Israeli designer, Tali. Each piece of jewelry combines hand knitting and sculpturing. The turquoise amulets are being sculptured from a special blend that is developed exclusively for this collection in order to have a durable and washable product.

All LuckXury collection is shipped with a gift from Tali (RedBracelet.etsy.com) in a festive wrap with a gift from her: A designed blessing card – empty, for buyers personal use, in a great smelling envelope.

The "LuckXurys cameos" are unique and specially designed with Kabbalah motives and spiritual folklore amulets that protect and use against Evil Eye. The "LuckXury" collection and cameos is certainly the Best Gift for yourself or your beloved, whom you wish to be safe, healthy and happy!!!

* INTERVIEW *

How did you start your art/craft?

As all good things in life are accidental, I designed and created a unique turquoise hamsa-hand necklaces. One pair. For myself. For years I thought that turquoise is a vital color, so I designed lots of jewellery from metal and sometimes combined with turquoise components. My love for this color is mostly in the jewellery field, not connected to folklore believes, but to fashion taste. I think this powerful color is well-suited with almost every color.

I have all materials because I need to add some products in a shop to get to a certain sum for credit card transaction. I use calcium, polymer clay etc.

I also have some stones I bought 3 years ago during a vacation abroad and used only few of them since. And of course, I already had crafting tools. It all combines together to produce a wonderful, strong and unique look. Many people were asking me to make a few for them. I was used to such requests since I had crafted jewellery as a hobby for more than 10 years. But this was different. It looked like no other... So I decided to respond and accept the orders. After a few months of marketing to shops, online marketing piqued my interest. This was really cool because it suited my lifestyle as a career pr woman.

Who / What is your biggest inspiration?

When I got married, my grandmother, which came from Bulgria to Israel a long-long time ago, put [A GARLIC!] inside my bra, on the morning of the wedding day. She said that it will protect me from the evil-eye and will assure that only good energies are around me. That strong memory was in my mind when I first created this turquoise-turquoise… which is another belief of my grandmother. This family tradition gives the concept a real meaning.

I've just started the LuckXury collection for more than a year. It is a unique advancement of the usual jewellery I used to make. It has a fashionable look and a marketing concept, which is an interesting combination of something the eye can’t see - believe, spirituality and fashion - material and design innovation and true wishes.

According to Tali, people who can enjoy her work are ones who are...

optimistic, believing in the good, hoping for the best, feeling the joy of color and remembering good energies each time he/she looks at the LuckXury jewellery collection.

Do you have any advice for amateur crafters out there?

Yes, my advice for them is to...
* find a suitable field / category and have friends connected to it

* be friendly to others

* be a giving person – customers will come back!

Tali will include a small gift with every purchase, which is a pretty greeting/blessing card (blank for the customer's personal use.)

Oh, and try to snap good pictures for your items / products.

TRY TO CREAT A SOLID CONCEPT AND FROM THERE TO PATH THE VARIETY.

Besides handcrafting beautiful accessories, is there anything else you are passionate about?

Beauty , fashion and aesthetics… and vegtables

****************************

Madonna Kabbala Red String Hamsa Good Luck Evil eye protection Double turquoise eyes ($2.50)

"Hamsa" is believed to be a power of protection from Evil Eye and for good energy, prosperity, health and happiness. All these good things will happen to the one who hangs Hamsa in his house, car, on his body etc. This is the reason for hanging small Hamsa ('Hamsika') on baby's strollers. Hamsa is the most popular and ancient protective symbols of many religions all over the world but it came first from Arab traditions. "Hamsa" means "five" in Arabic, a number who reminds the five fingers of the human hand and its physical abilities to fight, change situations and to protect. The number Five has, according to the common believes, magical power to gain fulfillment and it symbolizes the creators protective due to the analogous to god's name in Hebrew and Jewish mysticism.

LuckXury Brown bracelet - multi Kabbalah for fashion and good energies
($50.00)

Turquoise is the traditional color of the Hamsa that suits her thanks to its strong energy against Evil Eyes. It is a strong color that leaves no one indifferent, and it is always fashionable too!

luck charms ivory-gold mustard wild bracelet turquoise cameo bohemian fashion hippy so long with an indian button ($100.00)

Garlic is a symbol for mystical powers that can protect the wearer from negative vibrations of the evil eye, jealousy and law energies. These believes were created mostly at the Balkans countries due to its strong smell that can keep the demons of the evil eye away.

Sweety girly bracelet blue and golden pair turquoise red and pink hearts decor ($25.00)

Eye symbolize the fight in the evil eye. The ancient Greek seafarers painted eyes on the prows of their ships as protection against the evil eye power. According to the traditional story, the evil eye runs away as soon as it meets the Jewelery eye. Evil eye tend to think it is a real eye that catches her worst behavior.

Red bracelet eye cameo luck evil eye keeping away Kabbalah faith ($35.00)

Red string According to the Kabbalah wisdom colors have specific frequencies and energies. Red is the color of danger associated with blood but also the color of love and passion. Thank to those associations it is the most powerful symbol and color for evil eye protection, as the Kabbalah wisdom recommended

Tali has offered a lucky reader $20 to spend at her shop. The winner can use the gift certificate to redeem product(s) which sums up to $20 or use it when purchasing from Tali's shop to get a rebate. All readers can get a 20% discount when they mention "Aik" in the "Note from buyer" when making a purchase from redbracelet.etsy.com.

You have to do ONE of all the ways stated below to enter. It is not mandatory to complete all of them. Each one that you completed apart from your first entry will be counted as an extra entry. Please leave separate comments for every (extra) entry and leave all the usernames / links so that I can verify your entries. Most importantly, don't forget to leave your e-mail address!

1. "Like" Tali's Facebook Fan Page

2. Send Tali a Friend Request on Facebook

3. Follow Tali on Twitter

4. Visit Tali's shop, find your favourite piece and "write" on Tali's Facebook wall what you love the best from redbracelet.etsy.com + a link to the piece
5. Post it on www.facebook.com/luckxurys too (Refer to 4)

6. Heart your favourite piece from Tali's shop on Etsy
7. Heart Tali's shop on Etsy

Giveaway is open worldwide and will end on 15th November, 2010 @ 6 p.m. Malaysian time.

Contest : Win A Signed Copy of Sophia's Secret by Susanna Kearsley

Susanna has decided to giveaway 2 signed paperback copies of Sophia's Secret. A book will be given away on Friends & Family, and another one will be given away on The Bookaholics. You may enter on both blogs to double your chances of winning. However, if you are already selected as a winner on this blog, your entries on the other blog will be automatically deleted so that other participants can have a fair chance of winning.

To enter, please leave a comment with your e-mail address.

+1 Tweet this giveaway (leave link)
+2 Follow Susanna Kearsley on Twitter
+2 Be a follower of The Bookaholics
+2 Be a follower of Friends & Family
+2 Comment on my review
+2 Link to your blog sidebar (leave link)
+3 Make a blog post (leave link)
+1 Add up your entries (including this one)

* The most you can get is 15 entries. Please leave all your entries in ONE comment.

You may copy this sample tweet:

Contest on Friends & Family: Win a SIGNED copy of Sophia's Secret by Susanna Kearsley http://bit.ly/clGHSZ Ends 6/18, open worldwide

For another chance to win, visit The Bookaholics. Giveaway ends 6/18. Open worldwide.

Sing Me To Sleep Blog Tour + Contest!

Hi readers, Angela's latest novel, SING ME TO SLEEP is going to be released on March 4, 2010! I'm sure you're as excited as I am! SING ME TO SLEEP is a sad, beautiful love story that is sure to touch your heart. I love this book! You can read my review for Sing Me To Sleep to know my thoughts about it. You can pre-order the book at Amazon US or Amazon UK.

INTERVIEW

1. How did you come up with the characters and storyline?

When I write a novel, it's like a giant tidal wave hits my life. It takes all the people I've known, places I've been, books I've read, movies I've seen, news I've watched, history I've poured over, and breaks all this experience up into tiny pieces. I sift through them until one gets stuck in my brain--starts to haunt me. I ask myself what if? The answer to that question emerges as a voice that becomes a character. Sometimes the guy arrives on the scene first. Sometimes the girl does. When I get them both, they start talking in my head. I jot down those conversations.

The storyline emerges from their whispers to me and is shaped by the hero's journey archetype. My characters have to do more than fall in love. They are always on a coming of age journey, so they must face tests, overcome obstacles, learn to trust each other and themselves. And they usually have to come to grips with what love really is.

2. The story takes place mostly in Lausanne, London and Michigan. Are any of these places special to you in some way?
We lived in London, Ontario, Canada. While we lived there, my daughter sang with the Junior Amabile Youth Singers--a girls choir. I got to travel with them and loved the competitive choir scene. It was great to get to use that setting. And their boys choir is every bit as amazing as I portray them in the book.

When we moved to Lausanne, Switzerland, my daughter was fourteen and heartbroken. Her friends in Amabile kept in touch and kept her sane. It was great to get to use some of my favorite places in Switzerland for SING. We actually stayed in the mermaid hotel Beth's choir stays in.

I put Beth in Michigan so she'd be close to Derek. We used to shop in Port Huron and fly out of the Detroit airport, so I'm familiar with the area, but I had to do research to be able to write about it convincingly. YouTube was my best friend. You'd be amazed at what people post. I also went on real estate sites and found Beth's house and researched the local high school. I call it "Port" in the book to make it fictitious--I like how that sounds better, too.

3. Derek's secret is very serious. Why do you choose to write about that particular difficulty?
Derek was inspired by my daughter's dear friend, Matt. He was one of those London friends who kept her going when she was so miserable in Switzerland. SING is dedicated to him. His mom is a good friend and helped me so much with this book. I can't let you know too much about Matt or it will wreck Derek's secret. After you read SING, be sure to read the Author's Note in the back. I will have more about Derek's secret posted on my website after SING launches. But I promise to mark it with a great big SPOILER ALERT. I hope SING generates a lot of conversations about this issue--AFTER readers have read the book.

4. Is there a message in your novel that you want readers to grasp?
I want readers to find their own messages. I don't think about theme and message when I write. I'm always touched when readers tell me they feel love and hope as they read my work. That experience is what I want them to grasp.

5. Is there anything you find particularly challenging in your writing?
I am awful at plotting. My editor is amazing at it. Working with her has helped me grasp it a lot more.

6. Please tell us about your next book and when will it be available.
This fall I wrote the sequel to TAKEN BY STORM, my 2009 debut novel. It's called UNBROKEN CONNECTION. Penguin hasn't signed it yet, so I can't tell you when it will be available.

SING ME TO SLEEP is out March 4, 2010, and the paperback for TAKEN BY STORM launches February 4, 2010.

I also have a romantic coming of age historical novel about a Scottish coal miner, who has to leave the love of his life to emigrate to North America that my agent is marketing called, MY ONLY LOVE.

Check in with me on my ChatSpot blog on my website for updates on both UNBROKEN CONNECTION and MY ONLY LOVE.

7. Do you have anything special that you want to say to your readers?
Only that I love writing for them and love hearing from them. I hope they all know how wonderful and amazing they are. Protect and cherish that. Don't let anyone stomp on you and your dreams. If they do, pick yourself, bandage your wounds, and keep going. You are a gift--remember that!

Thanks for taking your time to answer my questions, Angela! I hope Sing Me To Sleep will be a huge success!

CONTEST

To celebrate the release of Sing Me To Sleep, Angela has decided to giveaway a SIGNED hardcover copy of the novel to a lucky reader! Everyone can enter, no matter where you reside! In other words, this contest is international!

To enter:
Please leave your name and e-mail address in a comment.

Extra entries:

+1 Name Angela's debut novel
+1 RT this contest (sample below)*
+1 Link this giveaway anywhere else (Facebook, Plurk, etc.)*
+2 Comment on my review for Sing Me To Sleep
+2 If you are a new follower
+3 If you are a old follower
+3 Put the trailer on your blog. Here's the link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ivJoBStwJhM*
+5 Blog about this contest*
+10 Pre-order a copy of SING ME TO SLEEP

Sample tweet:

"Sing Me To Sleep Blog Tour + Contest on Friends & Family! Contest is open worldwide and ends 23/2 http://bit.ly/70tiYd"

*Links should be included in your comment or else it won't count.

Notes:
All the entries can be left in one comment, since I will jot down every entry. A winner will be chosen via Random.org. Remember, please leave your e-mail address or you will be disqualified. You can use this format to prevent spammers: aikychien at yahoo dot com

Contest ends 23rd February, 2o1o @ 8 pm Malaysian time. (Open internationally)

Lovely links:
Angela's Website :: Angela's Facebook Page

I'm also having another giveaway on my blog:
Coffeehouse Angel by Suzanne Selfors (US ONLY)

Giveaway : Coffeehouse Angel by Suzanne Selfors

Synopsis:

When Katrina spots a homeless guy sleeping in the alley behind her grandmother's coffee shop, she leaves him a cup of coffee, a bag of chocolate-covered coffee beans, and some pastries to tide him over, never expecting this random act of kindness to turn her life upside down. The adorable vagrant, Malcolm, is actually a guardian angel on a break between missions, and now he won't leave until he can reward Katrina's selflessness by fulfilling her deepest desire. Fame and fortune seem like the obvious requests, but after two botched wishes, Malcolm knows Katrina is hiding something from him. But how can she tell him the truth, when her heart's desire has become Malcolm himself?

*****Giveaway*****
{Open to US residents only}

Suzanne Selfors has decided to giveaway a signed hardcover copy of Coffeehouse Angel to a lucky reader of mine! To enter, you just have to leave a comment with your e-mail address.

Extra entries:
+1 Tweet this giveaway (link)
+2 Be a follower of this blog
+2 Comment on my review
+3 Link to your blog sidebar
+4 Make a blog post (link)

Sample tweet (You may copy and paste this):
Win a SIGNED Hardcover Copy of Coffeehouse Angel by Suzanne Selfors on Friends & Family! {US only} Ends 1/28 http://bit.ly/7Uvt09

A great THANK YOU to dear Suzanne for sponsoring this giveaway!

Giveaway ends on 28th January, 2010 @ 8 pm Malaysian time. Open to US residents only. International readers may enter if you have a friend in US to receive the book on your behalf.

Buy Coffeehouse Angel on Amazon
Read more about Coffeehouse Angel
Coffeehouse Angel Facebook Fan Page

Grab This Book! First Person Wins!

I won a copy of Hot for the Holidays by Lora Leigh, Angela Knight, Anya Bast and Allyson James on Book Bound. This book is a paranormal romance. Since I'm not reading erotica novels, I decided to giveaway this book to one lucky reader of mine. Anyone can enter, no matter where you live.

This is how it works:
The FIRST person who e-mails me his/her name, address and contact number at aikychien at yahoo dot com will get this book. E-mail title: Hot for the Holidays Contest

Requirements:
You must be 18 and above to enter. You must be a follower. Non-followers, please click the "Follow" tab on the right sidebar first before you enter. The first person must leave a comment in the "lovely thoughts" column under this post so that others know this book is already claimed. That's all!

Book Contents:
Vampire's Ball by Angela Knight, A Little Night Magic by Allyson James, Sweet Enchantment by Anya Bast, and A Christmas Kiss by Lora Leigh

*I will be having more first-come-first-serve giveaways like this one in the future on my blog. So, be sure to check back when you're free! Have a happy new year! :)

And the winner is...

Let's see who's the lucky winner! ^_^

True Random Number Generator
Min:
Max:
Result: 87

SandyM204!!!

Congratulations, Sandy! You've won a hardcover copy of The King's Rose! Please reply to my e-mail within 3 days with your name, address and contact number.

Thank you so much for entering, everyone!
You all are the BEST!

A great thank you to Alisa M. Libby for sponsoring this giveaway!
Merry Christmas, everyone!

Get your own copy of The King's Rose on:
Alibris
Amazon
Barnes & Noble
Better World Books
Powell's Books

Read my reviews for:
The King's Rose
The Blood Confession

Giveaway : The King's Rose by Alisa M. Libby

Synopsis:

Life in the court of King Henry VIII is a complex game. When fifteen-year-old Catherine Howard catches the king's eye, she quickly transforms from pawn to queen. But even luxury beyond imagination loses its luster as young Catherine finds her life and her heart threatened by the needs of an aging king and a family hungry for power. Will their agendas deliver Catherine to the same fate as her infamous cousin, Anne Boleyn sacrificed at the altar of family ambition?

Alisa M. Libby has offered to giveaway a hardcover copy of The King's Rose to a lucky reader.

Mandatory entry:

Leave your name and e-mail address.
(No e-mail address = no entry)

Extra entries:

+1 Spread the word on Twitter / Facebook or link to your sidebar. You MUST provide a link for verification. (Maximum = 3 entries)
+1 Follow The Bookaholics
+2 Leave a comment on my review for The King's Rose
+2 Leave a comment on my review forThe Blood Confession
+2 Tell me something you've learn about Alisa
+3 Blog about this giveaway (Leave Link)
+3 Be a follower.

Sample tweet:

Win a hardcover copy of The King's Rose by Alisa M. Libby http://bit.ly/7fFB32 on Friends & Family. Ends 12/21, US & Canada

Giveaway ends on Monday, 21st December, 2009. You must be a resident of US/Canada to enter. For international readers : If you have a friend who can accept the prize on your behalf, please feel free to enter.

Win A Signed Copy of Dark Time by Dakota Banks

Dakota has kindly offered a SIGNED paperback copy of Dark Time: Mortal Path Book 1 to one lucky winner. This giveaway is open worldwide and will end on 9th December, 2009.

To enter, just leave a comment with your name and e-mail address. You will be disqualified if you don't leave your e-mail address. Leave it in this form to prevent spammers :
aikychien at yahoo dot com

Extra entries:
+1 Spread the word on Twitter, Facebook or link to your sidebar. (Leave Link)
+1 Follow The Bookaholics

+2 Leave a comment on my review HERE
+2 Tell me something you've learn about Dakota.
+3 Blog about this giveaway (Leave Link)
+4 Be a follower.

Sample tweet:
Win a SIGNED paperback copy of Dark Time: Mortal Path Book 1 by Dakota Banks http://bit.ly/672gCp Open worldwide, ends 12/9

Good luck, everyone!

Win A SIGNED Hardcover Copy of Taken By Storm by Angela Morrison

Angela is offering a SIGNED hardcover copy of Taken By Storm to one lucky winner! And the best thing is, this giveaway is open to everyone!

Mandatory entry:
+1 Leave a comment with your e-mail address

Extra entries:

• +1 Tweet this giveaway (See sample below)
• +1 Leave a comment on either one of my November posts (excluding giveaways)
• +2 Leave a comment on my review for Taken by Storm or Sing Me To Sleep after this giveaway is posted
  
• +2 Link this giveaway to your sidebar
• +2 Tell me something you've learn about Angela
• +3 Blog about this giveaway
• +4 Be a follower of my blog
• +5 If you leave a comment on one of my reviews - either Taken The Storm or Sing Me To Sleep BEFORE 11/20

Sample tweet:

Win a SIGNED hardcover copy of Taken By Storm by Angela Morrison http://bit.ly/vrK4u Open worldwide, ends 12/4


Giveaway ends 4th December, 2009.

You may leave your entries in one comment to save time. I will jot down all your entries.

Contest : A Circle of Souls by Preetham Grandhi (SIGNED)

Giveaway is now closed.

“A fascinating debut - this novel takes the reader to the darkest places in the human soul, from a writer with the authenticity to lead us there. A stunning thriller and an important read.” --- Linda Fairstein The New York Times Best selling Author of “Lethal Legacy,” “Killer Heat,” “Bad Blood,” “Death Dance”& “Entombed.”

Synopsis:
The sleepy town of Newbury, Connecticut, is shocked when a little girl is found brutally murdered. With the murderer on the loose, the police desperately look for any clues to lead to his identy. Meanwhile, a psychiatrist in a nearby hospital is also in a desperate search to find the cause of seven-year-old Naya Hastings s devastating nightmares. Afraid that she might hurt herself in the midst of a torturous episode, Naya s parents have turned to the bright young doctor as their only hope. When these two situations converge, they set off an alarming chain of events. In this stunning psychological thriller, innocence gives way to evil, and trust lies forgotten in a web of deceit, fear, and murder.

*** Giveaway! ***

Preetham Grandhi has offered a SIGNED paperback copy of A Circle of Souls to a lucky reader! You have to complete the mandatory entry before the extra entries can count.

Mandatory : Leave your name and e-mail address.

Extra entries:
+1 Link to sidebar
+1 Enter other current giveaways on my blog
+2 Tweet about the contest
+3 Blog about the contest
+4 Be a follower of my blog

Giveaway ends 21st November, 2009.

*Open to US residents only. However, if you've a friend who can receive the prize on your behalf if you win, then please feel free to enter! Thank you!

You can also enter to win a copy of A Circle of Souls on Preetham's Website! Open to US residents, ends November 29th, 2009,

Win Some Souvenirs From Egypt!

Great news, dear readers! Now you can win some fabulous goodies from Egypt on my blog! Tracy has offered to sponsor a package of souvenirs from her travels in Egypt to a lucky winner!

[Please note: Giveaway is open to US/Canada residents only.] Sorry, international readers! If you've a friend in the US who can receive the prize for you if you win, then please feel free to enter!

To enter, just leave your name and e-mail address.

(The items in the picture is not the prize you will win. Tracy is on a trip now, so she cannot send me a photo of the exact prizes. But I assure you, it will be GREAT! Too bad I can't enter!)




+1 Name the first book in T. L. Higley's Seven Wonders Series.
+1 Tweet this giveaway and/or link it to your sidebar. (Do both = 2 entries)

You may copy and paste this message:
RT Win some cool souvenirs from Egypt on Aik's blog! US & Canada ONLY! (Ends 11/18) http://bit.ly/38wYef

+2 Be a follower of my blog.
+2 Leave a comment on my review HERE.
+3 Visit the author's website and tell me something you've learned about her.
+3 Blog about this giveaway and leave the link.

Giveaway ends 30th November, 2009 at 8.00 pm Malaysian time. A winner will be selected via Random.org. US/Canada residents only.

Get your own copy of City of the Dead now from
Amazon / B&H / Barnes & Noble / Better World Books / ChristianBook.com / SignedbytheAuthor.com

Win A Signed Copy of Once Upon A Nightmare by Lee Moylan

Book Details:

• Pub. Date: October 2008
• Publisher: Crystal Dreams Publishing
• Format: Paperback, 280pp
• ISBN-13: 9781591461968
  
• ISBN: 1591461960

Read The Synopsis here

How To Enter:

• Just leave a comment with your name and e-mail address. - Mandatory
  
• Tell me why you want to win this book. +1
  
• What's your worst nightmare? +2
  
• Leave a comment on my review HERE. Then, come back and leave a comment on this post saying you've done that. +2
• Visit Lee Moylan's Website and tell me something you've learned about her. +2

I will jot down all the entries, so you can either put all the entries in one comment or separate them - it's up to you! :D

*If there is no sign of your e-mail address, your entry will be disqualified.

Giveaway is open to everyone and ends on 31st October, 2009 at 8.00 pm Malaysian time.

Can't wait to get the book?
Buy it now from Amazon / Barnes & Noble / Multimedia

Chic Infinity Feature and Giveaway!

"Indulge in gorgeous and unique jewellery from Chic Infinity. Featuring original designs, each piece is lovingly handmade by the designer herself. Made with quality materials, jewellery from Chic Infinity is bound to create a buzz."

Virginia, the owner of Chic Infinity and Quirky Infinity, loves to create modern art statements a.k.a gorgeous jewellery that is sure to catch your attention. Here are some of my favourite pieces:

Yellow Shell and Grey Square Seashell necklace $33

This beautiful necklace measures at 24 inches and is made with grey seashell squares and yellow seashell parts.

Silver Chain Harness with Gold Pearls $45

This extremely cool chain harness/vest is definitely a statement maker. With Japanese glass gold pearls and silver rings as decor, this piece of body jewelry is not for the faint of heart. If you are the girl who wants to get noticed, then this is the piece for you.

Silver Circles and Squares Charm Crystal Bracelet $25

This dazzling silver plated bracelet measures at 7 inches with a 1 inch extender chain. Dangling from the bracelet are small squares and crystals.

Silver asymmetric three hoop earrings $11

Measuring at 2 inches, these beautiful elegant silver-plated asymmetric three hoop earrings are sure to brighten up your outfit.

*** It's Giveaway Time! ***

One lucky winner will get this beautiful White Filigree Resin Grey Flower Ring worth $11 from Chic Infinity!

To enter, just go to Chic Infinity, find your favourite item and tell me what is it!

Want to increase your chances of winning? Here's how to earn bonus entries~

1 extra entry:

• Follow the Chic Infinity Blog.
• Follow Chic Infinity on Twitter. (Leave username)
• Follow Chic Infinity on Facebook. (Leave username)
• Be a NEW follower of my blog.
• Leave a comment on any of my October 2009 posts.

2 extra entries:

• Heart Chic Infinity on Etsy. (Leave username)
• Tweet about this giveaway. (Leave link)
• Share this giveaway on Facebook. (Leave link)
• Already a follower of my blog.
• Put a link to Friends & Family on your sidebar.
• Refer a friend to enter.

3 extra entries:

• Blog about this giveaway. (Leave link)
• Spread the word on other social networks.
• Write a post featuring Chic Infinity or Quirky Infinity. (Leave link)

Giveaway ends 31st October, 2009 at 8.00 pm Malaysian time.

Giveaway is open worldwide. You must be at least 13 years old to enter. The mandatory rules MUST be completed for the extra entries to count. Winner(s) will be chosen via Random.org. The winner will have 3 days to respond, or another winner will be chosen.

September Giveaway #4 ♥ Sleipnir Designs

Update : Giveaway is now closed.

Origami is the traditional Japanese art of paper folding. The goal of this art is to create a representation of an object using geometric folds and crease patterns preferably without gluing or cutting the paper, and using only one piece of paper.

Today's featured seller, Tracy from Sleipnir Designs expertise in the art of Origami. She is interested in folding various pretty paper designs. Now, she has converted her passion for origami into a little business of her own by selling her beautiful artworks on the Internet. She also owns an Artfire store, which has more wonderful Origami to explore. Here are some of my favourite items from her Etsy shop:

Small Origami Ruffle Box - Admire $2.00

These unique and beautiful boxes are folded from a single sheet of paper, with visually appealing ruffled edges. They are extremely lightweight, and a much better way of holding your small trinkets and items than just tossing them down on the nearest surface. Use it as a favor box, candy dish, or to hold little notes or scraps of paper. Place a small photo on the bottom and use it as a unique photo frame. What you choose to use it for can be just about anything!

Origami Star Ornament - Harvest $10.00

This ornament is small, and can be used or displayed in a number of ways. They can be made into ornaments. They can rest on your shelves. They can keep you company at your desk. Bunch them up in a bowl in your living room or dining room for a conversation piece - the possibilities are endless!

♥ MY ULTIMATE FAVORITE ♥

Origami Sea Urchin Kusudama - Pointed Multicolor $80.00

I know what you're thinking - "What on earth is a kusudama!?" A kusudama is a type of modular origami, meaning it is assembled from many similar or identical units to form one larger unit. Kusudama typically come in a sphere or half-sphere shape, and there are MANY different styles of kusudama.

These look wonderful sitting on a shelf, bookcase, desk, or coffee table! They make great conversation pieces! They are extremely durable due to the assembly process they undergo. A lineup of different-sized kusudama models is an eye-pleasing and unique piece of decor in your home or office!

***GIVEAWAY***

Sleipnir Designs is giving a lucky reader a pair of crane ornaments of your choice. To enter, you must complete the mandatory entry, before the extra entries can count.

Mandatory entry (choose one or both):
1. Visit Sleipnir Designs, then come back and tell me which 2 Crane Ornaments you love. (1 entry)
2. Visit Tracy's Artfire store and tell me your favourite item. (1 entry)

Extra entries:

*Heart Sleipnir Designs on Etsy. (1 entry)
*Fan Sleipnir Designs on Facebook. (1 entry)
*Follow Sleipnir Designs on Twitter. (1 entry)
*Follow Sleipnir Designs' blog ~ Creating - One Piece at a Time (2 entries)
*Visit SleipnirDesigns' Flickr page and tell me your favorite photo. (1 entry)
*Become a new follower of my blog. (1 entry)

*Already a follower. ( 2 entries)
*Tweet this giveaway and leave the link. (1 entry)

*Update your Facebook status and leave the link. (1 entry)
*Link this giveaway on your blog sidebar. (2 entries)
*Blog about this giveaway and leave the link. ( 3 entries)
*Post this giveaway on other websites/social networks and leave the link. (2 entries for each site)
*Refer a friend to enter. Your friend must state your name in his/her comment. ( 2 entries)
*Purchase an item from Tracy's Etsy shop or Artfire store. (10 entries)

Please remember to leave your e-mail address. You may leave it in the form (ex: aikychien at yahoo dot com) to prevent spammers.

Tracy's lovely links:

Creating - One Piece at a Time ♥ Twitter ♥ Facebook Fan Page

More treasures at - Sleipnir Designs -


Giveaway ends 2nd October, 2009 at 8.00 pm Malaysia time.

Giveaway is open worldwide. You must be at least 13 years old to enter. The mandatory rules MUST be completed for the extra entries to count. Winner(s) will be chosen via Random.org. The winner will have 3 days to respond, or another winner will be chosen.

What Are Your Favourite Books?

The PMR test is just around the corner! I really have to start studying!

Can you recommend me some of your favourite books? I'm going to add these to my book wishlist after the exam if I find them interesting. My all-time favourite genre is historical fiction, and I love ancient Rome and Egyptian stories! Here are a few of my favourite books.

In no particular order:
1. Cleopatra's Daughter by Michelle Moran. Read my review here.
2. Snow Flower and the Secret Fan by Lisa See. Read my review here.
3. Chinese Cinderella - A Secret Story of An Unwanted Daughter by Adeline Yen Mah. Read my review here.
4. Empress Orchid by Anchee Min.
5. Jantsen's Gift: A True Story of Grief, Rescue, and Grace by Pam Cope and Aimee Malloy. Visit the website here.

Image from uwsp.edu

My Wishlist:
♥ Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick

♥ Lies My Teacher Told Me: Everything Your American History Textbook Got Wrong by James W. Loewen

♥ My Splendid Concubine by Lloyd Lofthouse and Anchee Min
♥ Nefertiti by Michelle Moran
♥ The Last Empress: A Novel by Anchee Min
♥ The Lost Treasure of King Juba: The Evidence of Africans in America before Columbus by Frank Joseph
♥ The Memoirs of Cleopatra: A Novel by Margaret George
♥ The World of Juba II and Kleopatra Selene: Royal Scholarship on Rome's African Frontier (Routledge Classical Monographs) by Duane W Roller


If you've any worldwide giveaways going on your blog / someone else's blog, please leave the link below. Share the fun with everyone! Don't forget to enter my current giveaways :

September Giveaway #3 ♥ Orange Ink Studio

Book Review & Giveaway : Cleopatra's Daughter by Michelle Moran