Grow Your Blog 2013 Party -- and a giveaway

Thanks, everyone for entering!  The giveaway has been given away!

Welcome all, especially those visiting for the first time today as a part of Grow Your Blog 2013, a blog party sponsored by Vicki at 2 Bags Full .

Be sure to visit her blog here for a list of all the sites you can visit beginning today who are participating in this party.  Many are having giveaways, as I am -- more on that at the end of this post, so please keep reading!

My name is Laurie and I've been blogging here for more than four years. My motto is, I've never met an antique or thrift shop I didn't like, so if you visit me you'll most likely see what I've been finding on junking outings and creating from vintage paper and fabric (and more!)

one of my altered boxes

I have a weakness for vintage and antique lace...

and linens.

a fabric book page/pocket I created

a valentine I stitched

a "3 inchie" I created

a shade I stitched from vintage fabrics

I also LOVE antique china...

especially transfer ware...

and McCoy pottery.

Antique paper ephemera is another passion of mine...

A journal page I created

one of my handmade tags

one of my journal covers

and, really, anything else that is old, funky and fabulous!

I have two Etsy shops that you can find by looking on the right sidebar -->

and keeping them stocked is a joy of my life.

I also blog about vintage markets, art retreats I attend, my crafty and creative friends, my family, my pets, and anything else I feel like gushing about.
I would love it if you would follow my blog and visit often!

I have another passion which I share on a second blog I write with more than 70 others; it's called Button Floozies and it's all about, you guessed it, buttons

-- especially antique buttons.  You're welcome to visit there anytime, too -- we'd love to have you!

I live with my husband, teen aged son, and two dogs in Colorado, but I'm a native of San Francisco, CA and have also spent time living in Germany. In real life, I'm a writer.

Most of what I've had published over the years is non-fiction, but eventually I'd love to be successful with my fiction.  I am an avid reader, fan of Jane Austen and contemporary literary fiction, and have more than one as-yet unpublished novel written...and waiting.

In the meantime, I write a column on examiner.com and have lately contributed/written for a few books, like this one.  My dream is to be able to make a living by writing so if you have any leads for me, I'd love to hear them!

So, I know you want to know about my giveaway!  I picked up this lovely new book for you, The Kitchen Linens Book, and I'll be sending it to you along with a wonderful example of a vintage kitchen cotton towel.

It is the sweetest, colorful book with loads of mouth-watering photos of lovely vintage linens!  Plus, tons of great information to help you identify them, and even some recipes!
Here's a sneak peek:

And, as I mentioned, I'm including a piece of vintage kitchen linen from my own extensive collection:

It's a lovely vintage example, depicting vegetables in a rather interesting color palette!

It's ca. 1955, in very good vintage condition.

For a chance to win the book and the vintage linen towel, please comment on this post only and tell me what you love about vintage linens.  If you have a blog, please make sure that your comment links back to it and/or that your email address is just one click away on your profile.  Otherwise -- leave me your email address in your comment to be eligible to win.
One comment per person, and all comments must be left by no later than midnight Mountain Time on the night of January 31, 2013.
I will choose a winner using Random Number Generator and announce it here on February 1, 2013!
At the same time I will email the winner who will then have 24 hours to get back to me; if I don't hear back with a mailing address for the winner by February 2, I will choose an alternate winner who will also have 24 hours to get back to me.  So: be sure to check your email on February 1!
I can't wait to meet all the new visitors during this blog party.
Again, welcome, and
Thank You for stopping by!
Visit the rest of the participating blogs via the list here!