What?! Another Giveaway! Le Creuset, you say?

Today is the first day of summer and the longest day of the year (as in the most hours of sunlight . . . not as in the day when everything goes wrong and you can't wait for it to be over, or as in the epic WWII movie The Longest Day!). And what better way to celebrate Midsummer than with Giveaways!

The Caro-Nan giveaway ended last night and the lucky winner (chosen by random.org) is Paula Michele! Congratulations!

And the good news is that I'm hosting another giveaway that starts right now! It's from the nice people at CSN. CSN's 200+ stores have everything you need, so whether you're in the market for indoor or outdoor lights, small appliances, or baby items, check them out. Our giveaway this week is from their cookware site and it's something I know you'll love:
A set of Le Creuset stoneware baking dishes! The larger dish is 10.5" x 7" and the smaller is 7" x 5" - perfect for summer meals. I'm imagining the larger one piled high with grilled corn on the cob!

These are available in many of Le Creuset's yummy colors: Caribbean, Dijon, Cobalt, White, Cherry, Kiwi . . . etc. Check out their site to find your perfect color!

The Giveaway Nitty-Gritty - The Giveaway ends at midnight June 28 and is open to readers in the US and Canada. To enter, simply leave a comment telling me how you would use these fabulous bakers.

For additional entries, do one or both of the following and leave a comment accordingly (the comments will serve as your entries).

• Blog about this giveaway, with a link to this post
• Follow this blog (if you're already following, leave a comment to let me know you want to enter)

The winner will be announced on Tuesday, June 29. Good luck!

Disclosure: I have received no compensation or merchandise from CSN.

The "I can't believe it's been a year" Giveaway!

Today is my blogoversary - or, more accurately, the anniversary of this blog! To celebrate the first twelve months of blogging bliss, I'm having a giveaway. I thought the most appropriate giveaway would be something that really had a connection to my blog - the most obvious thing would be cheese straws, but I know you can make your own, so . . . I'm going with the second logical choice. The search item that brings the most visitors to my blog is also what inspires the most e-mails. And that item is: Caro-Nan Bags!

Since blogging about them last August (click here to read that post), I've gotten at least one e-mail each week from someone who likes them, loves them, remembers them, wants them . . . or all of the above. This enthusiasm was catching and I confess I've added a few Caro-Nans to my closet since then!

So, to say thanks to all the friendly bloggers and blog-readers who welcomed me and my blog, I'm giving away a Caro-Nan Basket Purse! I've also found out a few things about Caro-Nan during the past year and I'll share those with you later in the week. The giveaway winner will have a choice between two bags - the first is shown today and the second will make its debut on this blog tomorrow.

The Details:

• The giveaway ends on Sunday, June 20 and the winner will be announced on Monday.
  
• To enter just leave a comment telling me which posts, or types of post, you liked most this year.
  
• You can also have a second entry if you're a follower - leave a comment to let me know.
  
• If you don't have a blog or profile with an e-mail address, please leave your contact e-mail info in your comment, or send it to me via email, so I can contact you if you win.
  
• Contest is open to those with US or Canadian mailing addresses.

Finally, please keep in mind the age of Caro-Nan bags - they're 40+ years old and have the wear expected from a well-loved, vintage item.

Good luck!

Vintage Handbags! The Caro-Nan Baskets

Are you familiar with Caro-Nan bags? These handpainted basket bags were made in the 1960s and 70s and sold in dress shops throughout the South (and maybe beyond?). My mother had a few Caro-Nans in the mid-70s and I had totally forgotten about them until I stumbled upon one on eBay. It brought back so many memories - they way things from your childhood can when you see or hear them for the first time in several decades. But, the bags aren't just nostalgic - they are also cute and practical. You can guess where this is headed - I found myself bidding on one, then another one, on eBay.

The Caro-Nan signature bag has buildings painted around the bottom - these are labeled with the names of real places in the towns where they were sold. My large bag was sold at a shop called 'Lady Jane' in Savannah, hence the Savannah landmarks: The Herb House, Colonial Dames House, Independence Presbyterian Church, etc.). It also features one of the cornerstones of 1970s crafting - decoupage. (Remember Mod Podge?) Many of the Caro-Nan bags also had a penny, from the current year, decoupaged on the top. I'm keeping an eye on eBay for one that has a penny from my birth year.

The bags have gingham linings and are very sturdy and roomy and are signed on the inside lid. There are bags featuring lots of different cities and towns, plus many other charming motifs (turtles, golf, tennis, flowers) - I'm sure there's one that's perfect for you! (And, in these lean times, these bags can be a great deal - much cheaper now than when they were new! Watch eBay for a few weeks and you'll see several in great shape for less than $30 - if you're not worried about the condition you may find one for under $10.)

I've used the 'Savannah' bag the whole summer and am using the 'Turtle' bag to store stationery in my office. I'd love to find out more about Caro-Nan, but there is very little information online. Was she a mom who painted purses as a sideline? Did she visit all the cities represented on her bags, maybe for signings? Did she start out to paint a bag for herself and end up with a successful business? We may never know, but we can enjoy her work.

If you're hooked on other vintage bags, I'd love to hear about them!