An Etsy Giveaway with Knuckletoes!

My friend Katie is a long-time crafter and Knuckletoes Etsy shop owner, and she wants to give you free stuff! Or, to be more specific, she wants to give one of you a free item of your choice from her shop. I'm a personal fan of her kitschy notebooks.

But first, meet the crafter herself. She's pretty keen.

This is going to be that boring question that asks you to tell me about yourself, so tell me about yourself! Why "knuckletoes"? From whence do you hail? Did you know that otters, while cute, become vicious when they hit adolescence?

I am Katie! Although there are many things one could say about me, here are some random facts: I sell shoes, and I can't imagine ever not doing so. I really enjoy cooking, even if I rarely venture out of my shell and try recipes that sound fancy or difficult. At 22 years old, I moved from the Canadian prairies to the West Coast. Knuckle Toes is a handle that has been with me so long (since I was 11) that I don't really remember its original meaning. I sometimes need to explain to people that it actually has nothing to do with my feet.

I think otters, like angsty teenagers, put on a facade. They may be vicious, but did you know that they sleep holding hands? They do it so that they don't drift apart from each other in the water.

Why do you craft? What's up with all the making?

I craft because it's something to do with my hands, and I like to create unique, eye-catching pieces. Recycled materials have always been part of my crafting, because they create a one-of-a-kind item and allow me to sell for reasonable prices. I have always refused to sell an item for what I wouldn't pay myself, and I haven't always had a tonne of money to throw around on cool jewellery or fridge magnets.

If you could, would you do this crafting thing full time? Or would the glue fumes be too much for you?

I sometimes daydream about crafting full time. I often feel like I am a crafting juggernaut, because once I start making a series of items it's almost impossible to stop me. Eating? Sleeping? Who needs these things? I have a brainchild to birth! I think in the end, though, a nice combination of working part time and selling part time (online and at local craft markets) would be the system for me!

Do you like doing craft fairs and festivals? Tell me about the dirty hippies. What's a favourite memory from your craft tent?

I do like doing craft fairs, and festivals! Sometimes it takes some moving around to find your niche, some festivals are geared more towards entertainment and the craft market section seems like an afterthought. Many of the music festivals I have vended at have large arts markets and when people attend, they are prepared to shop. "Dirty hippies" are great, and there are many of them on the West Coast. I find people with a unique sense of style, and an eco-conscious attitude are the perfect customer base for my products. Many people here also have a stronger passion to support local businesses and crafters, so they create a lot of opportunity for independent artists.

Favourite memories from a craft tent? One of them would definitely include being recognized by people who had bought products from me at the same event the previous year. I haven't always had a strong profile or branding, as my product is always changing. It was nice to be recognized, not by logos but by the product itself. Craft fairs in general are just a great way to visit with a various rotation of the many friends and family who came to help support us by bringing us food, drinks, and entertainment.

What's your favourite item in your shop right now?

My favourite item in my shop is a tough one. There are so many things that I want to hoard and keep for myself, but how many Wonder Woman necklaces does a girl need? Currently, I am feeling much love for the Where's Waldo? magnet sets. You get all of the good things; a functional magnet set, a game (I have included Waldo somewhere in each of the sets) and a bunch of silly things to look at. The magnets and the necklaces were all fun for me to make, because there is so much stuff going on in the Where's Waldo? books that I had a hard time picking and choosing which images I wanted to use.

Now it's time for Katie to give one of you an item of your choice from her Knuckletoes Etsy shop!

If you would like ONE chance to get your hands on an item from Katie's shop, do one of the following. If you would like TWO chances to win, do both of the following:

1. Leave a comment on this post. You can tell me what item you want or tell us about your day or give me a good mug cake recipe. I need a good mug cake recipe.


2. Post the following tweet on Twitter, complete with hashtag:
   

   I want to win a @knuckletoes creation with @schmutzie - http://tinyurl.com/knuckletoes #knuckletoes

I will pick one lucky person at random on Wednesday, October 17th at midnight using random.org, and then I will announce the winner both here and on Twitter.

So, have at it!

----------------------------

And the winner is... Redneck Mommy!

It's A Dansko 20th Anniversary Professional Clogs Giveaway!

Do you know what this shoe signals? Happiness.



Yep. It's real.



Oskar and I were thrilled to get this box of 20th Anniversary Professional Dansko clogs in the mail today not only because my feet love a new pair of Danskos and he loves a new box to nest in, but also because we get to give one pair of these fantastic shoes to one of you to help Dansko celebrate its 20th anniversary. Yes, you.



To commemorate the occasion, Dansko partnered with illustrator and typographer Jessica Hische to create a special limited edition Professional clog with a "...design [that] features words reflecting the Dansko 'way of life' — our core values and commitment to thoughtful, conscious living". They've done a gorgeous job creating a warm, rich-looking shoe patterned with words such as Breathe, Think, Dare, Share, and Live Boldly strung around it. Frankly, my feet feel inspired.



THESE COULD BE YOURS, but we'll get into that later, because there are two more reasons that this giveaway is a good one, aside from the fact that these babies might end up on your feet.

The first good reason is that Dansko wants you to help celebrate its 20th anniversary by giving back through their Share Your Way of Life promotion. When you submit your Way of Life, Dansko will donate $1 to one of the following charities of your choosing: The Conservation Alliance, Teach For America, American Red Cross, Action for Healthy Kids, Save The Children, or Heifer International. So, go share of yourself and give something back!

The second good reason is that, on top of entering this giveaway here, you can enter Dansko's drawing for a chance to win the limited edition print of the artwork by Jessica Hische that inspired the 20th Anniversary Professional. There will be ten prints given away to random entrants, and you'd better hurry, because the promotion ends Nov. 25, 2011.

Okay, now on to why I love Dansko's Professional clogs so much.



They have this great heel structure that makes their shoe fit with all the comfort and breathability of an open-backed clog while still having an enclosed heel. The heel is built solid and wide so that it still covers your foot while allowing your heel to move up and down freely within the shoe. If you've ever had problems with your heels blistering in new shoes, they won't do it with these, because your heel won't actually rub up against anything when you walk.



As you can see, they have a contoured insole that offers good arch support. I have a couple of older pairs of this style of Dansko, and the arch support has held up well over the years.



Believe it or not, Dansko clogs have excellent shock absorption, and I am a huge fan of their rocker bottoms. That curve you see along the bottom of the shoe allows you to walk with a more natural heel-to-toe motion that keeps your feet from getting tired, and there is also a roomy toe box. You can wiggle your toes up and down in your shoes! Toe wiggling is very important to a happy life.



They have pretty decent tread, as well. I wouldn't wear them out on sheet ice, but they keep me upright.

If you ever go try a pair on, they will feel a little strange at first because of that unique heel structure and toe wigglability, so keep a few things in mind when finding a good fit:

• You want to be able to slide at least the tip of your pinky finger between your foot and the back of the heel of the shoe. If your heel rubs, the shoe is too short.
• The Dansko clog is built to fit over the top, high part of your foot. If it feels looser all around than you are used to with shoes, that is because of the heel and toe fit. Your foot is meant to be able to move around at the front and back.
• Dansko clogs use European sizing, so make sure to check your size against their chart to find the correct size.

So, are you ready to win a pair of 20th Anniversary Professional Dansko clogs yet?



If you would like ONE chance to get your hands on a pair of 20th Anniversary Professional Dansko clogs, do one of the following; if you would like TWO chances to win, you can do both of the following:

1. Leave a comment on this post telling me why you want these shoes, and, if you are so moved, about your most memorable anniversary, be it romantic or otherwise.
2. Post the following tweet on Twitter:
   This pair of fab Danskos might be mine. Or yours. @schmutzie's got a giveaway: http://tinyurl.com/danskoclog  #danskoclog

I will pick one lucky person at random using random.org on November 29th at midnight and announce the winner here and on Twitter.

In the meantime, you can head on over and become a fan of Dansko on Facebook and follow Dansko on Twitter, because it's the friendly thing to do when you're trying to get free stuff from them, yes?

Now go out there and win this thing! And don't forget to give a little something back.

----------------------------

UPDATE: The giveaway is now closed to new entrants, and a winner has been picked at random using random.org, and that winner is PsychMamma! Congratulations!

And thank you to everyone else who entered. I wish I could give away one hundred pairs of these fantastic shoes and make all your feet happy.

A Blundstone Boots Giveaway? I Don't Mind If I Do!

I'm a fan of Blundstone Footwear, so when the opportunity came up to give a pair of their boots away to my fellow Canadians, I said WOO-HOO!

I also yelled WOO-HOO! at the mailman this morning when he delivered my new Blundstones. He actually leapt backward into the hallway. Stop yelling at the nice mailman, Schmutzie. Oops.



I've been wearing them all day, but I didn't put them on until I had put my own, personal stamp on them.

There's nothing wrong with The Original Blundstone in brown. It's a beautiful boot, and it's one I've coveted for quite some time, but I had this pot of burgundy shoe polish in the hall closet, and it was beautiful, too, so what could I do?



After sullying my perfectly good looking pair of Blundstones, I took them out for a walk.

They hung out with some flowers.



They helped me to carry three skillion pounds of cat food and cat litter over several blocks in 31°C (88°F) heat while wasps pelted me with their bodies. I don't know what is up with the wasps this year, but they're hyper-aggressive and seem to have evolved from being mere scavengers to being straight up predators.

Let me tell you, it's really hard to flail and run with three skillion pounds cat food and cat litter.



I should probably tell you a little more about the specifics of the Blundstone boot that makes it so loved by me:

Their oiled leather keeps out inclement weather and road salt.

The sole and leather upper are joined together without stitching, so grit can't get in between the two.

The patented Shock Protection System reduces foot strike shock by 33%.

They have TPU (thermoplastic polyurethane) outsoles that are not only slip resistant but are also oil and acid resistant and won't break down at colder and hotter temperatures.

They last for years.

Also? They hang out with terrific sandwiches (which, if you are in Regina, Saskatchewan, can be had at the Italian Star Deli).



Oh, and they have removable insoles, which I find is always a bonus if you've got orthotics to fit into the boots or if you want to slip in an extra set of insoles for more cushioning, although, after running around in my Blundstones all day, I can't imagine that you would need any more. The soles on these babies are fantastic.



I don't know if all Blundstone boots come with a hat, but mine did, and let's just say that my head and hats are not a match made in heaven.



Not to oversell these Blundstones or anything, but I even went so far as to shoot video of myself doing a terrible soft shoe in a public parking lot after walking around in them all day just to show you how much I really mean it when I say that these boots are comfortable:



I don't dance for just anybody.

So, without much further ado, I'd like to give you guys a chance to win a pair of these! And, actually, I'd like to give you two chances to win.

If you live in Canada and you would like ONE chance to get your hands on The Original Blundstone, do one of the following. If you would like TWO chances to win, do both of the following:

1. Leave a comment on this post. You can tell me why you want/love Blundstones, or you can just talk about your day or your kids or whatever.


2. Post the following tweet on Twitter, complete with hashtag:
   I want to win a free pair of Blundstone boots, because @schmutzie tells me they're awesome - http://tinyurl.com/FreeBlundstones  #FreeBlundstones

I will pick one lucky CANADIAN (sorry, all you non-Canucks) at random on Tuesday, September 13th at midnight using random.org, and then I will announce the winner both here and on Twitter.

Good luck!

----------------------------

UPDATE: The contest is not closed, because the free pair of Blundstones has been won by nowlansgirl!