Red Letter Words Winner

The winner of the Red Letter Words giveaway is....

Melissa of Four the Girls!

Melissa lives in New England with her husband (and best friend) Scott. They've got three beautiful daughters and they're smack dab in the middle of renovating their gorgeous, old two-story home. Melissa just started blogging this past summer, and her blog is absolutely delightful, so stop by and welcome her to Blogland if you get a chance!

I love this photo of her husband and daugters cooking in the kitchen they're re-doing...

Too cute!

Congratulations Melissa, and thanks to everyone who took the time to enter.
We'll be back later today with another post, and Kevin is desperately trying to finish the bathroom door project so that we can blog about it tomorrow. If not, we'll do another giveaway to give him an extra day! :-)

Layla

Holiday Greeting Cards from TLC

Greetings!

As October winds down, Kevin and I have already started to think about the type of Christmas card we'll send our families and friends this year.

This is the card we sent out last year:

That's the ocean in Pensacola, Florida we're gazing at. Watching it move is intoxicating. Like blue-green glass, reflecting God.

So yesterday Kevin took some time to come up with some ideas, and he had so much fun creating them we thought we'd make them available here on our blog as well!

All of our cards feature our "Lettered Cottage Art" photography, and can be personalized with your names.

You can choose between 5x7 FOLDED, or 5x7 FLAT cards.

The FOLDED cards are $59.99 per box of 25 cards. ($2.40 per card)
The FLAT cards are $39.99 per box of 25 cards. ($1.60 per card)

Your cards can be printed on the following types of cardstock-

• Standard Semi-Gloss (smooth, semi-shiny finish)
• Art Watercolor (textured like watercolor paper, but heavier in weight)
• Art Linen (textured much like linen fabric is)
  

If you're interested in ordering, please read all the way to the bottom of this post so that you'll know exactly what information we'll need from you.

Here is our selection of horizontally-oriented cards...

"Starfish Season"

Kevin took this picture right in our backyard. While rummaging around an abandoned house near my Mom's place earlier this year, we found the white, chippy old door and thought it would be the perfect backdrop for our starfish.

(message on the front reads: "The joy of brightening others lives, bearing each others burdens, easing each others loads and filling each others hearts with generous gifts becomes the magic of the season")

To order this card, click on the "add to cart" button below. Choose whether you'd like a FOLDED or FLAT card, then specify which INSIDE or BACK you'd like to use in the "message to seller" or "order notes" section once you're logged in to Paypal.

Style

FLAT $39.99FOLDED $59.99

"Starfish Christmas"

(message on the front reads: "Love came down at Christmas. Love all lovely, love divine; Love was born at Christmas, stars and angels gave the sign")

To order this card, click the "add to cart" button below. Choose whether you'd like a FOLDED or FLAT card, then specify which INSIDE or BACK you'd like to use in the "message to seller" or "order notes" section once you're logged in to Paypal.

Style

FLAT $39.99FOLDED $59.99

Our "Starfish" cards can be personalized on the front and the inside or back (depending if you choose the FLAT or the FOLDED style). Scroll down to view the three message options available for the inside or back of this card.

The large blue cursive initial on the front will display the first letter of your last name. When ordering this card, be sure to include what letter you'd like to use on the front of the card in the "message to seller" or "order notes" section when checking out.

List the names you like for us to print on the inside or back of the card in the "message to seller" or "order notes" section as well.

(Double check your spelling!) :-)

(Message and names will be listed on the inside if you choose the FOLDED style- and on the back, if you choose the FLAT style)


"Red Door"

I shot this photo in Charleston, South Carolina while visiting the seaside city this summer with my Mom. All the architectural details and painted woods were so delightful!

To order this card, click on the "add to cart" button below. Choose whether you'd like a FOLDED or FLAT card, then specify which INSIDE or BACK you'd like to use in the "message to seller" or "order notes" section once you're logged in to Paypal.

Style

FLAT $39.99FOLDED $59.99

"True Spirit"

Kevin captured this beautiful image while we were out walking one morning. We are so drawn to images of nature. This gorgeous green specimen reminded us of stars.

To order this card, click on the "add to cart" button below. Choose whether you'd like a FOLDED or FLAT card, then specify which INSIDE or BACK you'd like to use in the "message to seller" or "order notes" section once you're logged in to Paypal.

Style

FLAT $39.99FOLDED $59.99

Here are the messages you can choose from to use on the inside or back of any of the horizontally-oriented card fronts above.

Inside #1:

Inside #2:



Inside #3:



When ordering, be sure to specify which card inside (i.e. "INSIDE #2) you would like to use on the inside of your card. Also, don't forget to list the names you'd like to use across the bottom. (Double check your spelling before you hit the send button!) :-)

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Here are our vertically-oriented cards...

This pretty red mailbox was on the front of an extremely old home in Charleston, South Carolina. I snapped this photo of it while strolling down the cobblestone streets with my Mom last June. In "real life" the mailbox actually displays the word "POST", but with some creative photoshop work, you can choose between "Merry Christmas" or "Seasons Greetings"!

"Merry Mail"



To order this card, click on the "add to cart" button below. Choose whether you'd like a FOLDED or FLAT card, then specify which INSIDE or BACK you'd like to use in the "message to seller" or "order notes" section once you're logged in to Paypal.

Style

FLAT $39.99FOLDED $59.99

"Greetings Mail"



To order this card, click on the "add to cart" button below. Choose whether you'd like a FOLDED or FLAT card, then specify which INSIDE or BACK you'd like to use in the "message to seller" or "order notes" section once you're logged in to Paypal.

Style

FLAT $39.99FOLDED $59.99

Here are the messages you can choose between to use on the inside or back of your vertically-oriented card...

Vertical #1:



Vertical #2:



Again, when ordering, be sure to specify which card inside or back (i.e. "VERTICAL #1) you would like to use- and don't forget to list the names you'd like to use across the bottom. (Double check your spelling before you hit the send button!) :-)

Card messages and fonts are not customizable.

Shipping is $4.95 per box of 25 cards.

We will be taking orders between October 21st and November 15th to ensure delivery by December 1st.

Last but not least, be sure to specify which type of cardstock you'd like in your order notes:

• STANDARD SEMI-GLOSS
• ART LINEN
• ART WATERCOLOR

Thanks for looking, and let us know if you have any questions at Mr.LetteredCottage@gmail.com!

Red Letter Words Giveaway

This giveaway has now ended! We'll be back soon to announce the winner! :-)




Dee from Red Letter Words creates some of the most beautiful faith-inspired art on the web.

She believes "art should be personal and meaningful".
Her motivational works of "heart" each display a sweet, simple phrase meant to inspire and encourage. Dee says, "I think that everybody needs to be reminded just how much God loves them and cares for them."

Today, Dee is giving one of our readers her "Let Your Dreams Set Sail" canvases.



Isn't it lovely!? I think Kevin and I definitely need to get one of these too!

You can read more about the "Let Your Dreams Set Sail" canvas
here.

And make sure you stop by her blog too!

To win the "Let Your Dreams Set Sail" canvas, leave a comment on this post. Be sure to include your first name, or a link to your blog so that we can contact you if you win! The giveaway starts today (Tuesday, October 20, 2009) and ends at noon on Thursday. (October 22nd, 2009) Don't forget to check back with us on Thursday afternoon to see if you have won!

Thank you Dee, and good luck readers!

Kevin and Layla

True Value DIY Blog Squad - Project One

We're so excited to blog about our first True Value DIY Blog Squad project!

A while back we blogged about wanting to use an old door on our guest bathroom. Well, fortunately for us, we just happened to have an old solid wood one out back that fit perfectly! It was original to the house (it used to be on the reading room), but it was covered in three layers of paint and didn't have the frosted glass window in it that we had envisioned...



So we set out to our favorite True Value hardware store and picked up a jug of Citristrip Stripping Gel: (try saying that 3 times fast)



We also got a scraper to remove the paint residue as it loosened:



And we even got some paint stripper "after wash", to clean up the mess:



Of course we also got some hardcore rubber gloves:



Safety first!

Once we arrived back at the house, we set the door on top of a table out back, and applied the Citristrip with a paintbrush:



Within a few minutes, it started to eat through the old paint:



We even put some Citristrip on the original doorknob, hoping to restore it too:



After a few hours (an Auburn football game to be exact), the top layer of paint had really bubbled up:



We started to remove the loosened paint with our scraper:



After we had removed the entire top coat of paint, we repeated the process two more times to take off the two layers underneath. After lots and lots of scraping, it was amazing to see the gorgeous raw wood that had previously been covered up:



Here's our pretty, old door all clean up thanks to our bottle of Citristrip Paint Stripper After Wash:





Once it was dry, we sanded it down a little, to really make sure the surface was good and clean:



Next, we drew guide lines on the top panel of the door so that we could cut out the opening where we wanted to add frosted glass:



The reason we left an inch all the way around, is so that our plexi glass would have a place to rest against and adhere to. (This will eventually be covered by decorative moulding)

Using a spade drill bit, we made a hole so that we could give our jig saw a place to start:





Ta da! Here it is all cut out:



Next, we laid down our pre-cut piece of high-quality plexi glass to check the fit:



We got the plexi glass from a friend, but our True Value does sell and custom cut it, as well as lots of other things too:



We used 5 minute epoxy to hold the plexi in place:





Here's a close up shot of how it looks. The epoxy dries clear:



For additional privacy, we're going to add a second piece of plexi glass to the other side of the door as well. Once their both frosted, you won't be able to see through them at all, but the light will shine through and illuminate the hallway. Pretty, pretty!

Our next post will cover adding the decorative moulding and preparing the wood for stain, as well as staining the door a pretty "Special Walnut" color.

We're really having fun with this project, and can't wait to see how it looks in the hallway! We want to thank True Value for allowing us this opportunity, and if you haven't entered their DIY Drama Contest, head on over right now for a chance to win $5,000 to spend at your local True Value!

Good luck!
Kevin and Layla

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We were one of five bloggers selected by True Value to work on the DIY Squad. We have been compensated for our time commitment to the program and our DIY projects as well as our posts about our experiences. We have also been compensated for the materials needed for our DIY projects. However, our opinions are entirely our own and we have not been paid to publish positive comments.

"I'm a Flea Marketeer" Linky Party

It's show-and-tell time over at the Flea Market Style blog!

Make sure to visit their fantastic blog to join their "I'm a Flea Marketeer" blog link party. I just joined by posting a link to one of my favorite flea market finds- our antique schoolhouse table. I'm excited to see what everyone else posts!
The gracious gang at Flea Market Style are also giving away this awesome bag, made from recycled coffee bean sacks, to one lucky flea marketeer:



So if you've got a great flea market find you'd like to share, head on over to the Flea Market Style blog to join the party today!

Layla