the july give-away winner is…

Thank you for making our steamy summer day giveaway a great success!  I needed to quench my thirst after reading through all your favorite cool drinks (and am tempted to try out some of your recipes too)!   Also, thanks for spreading the news to your friends through facebook and email forwards.  Word of mouth has always been our best form of advertising and we couldn't do it without YOU! 

Out of all our entries,  Laura Vavrek is July's giveaway winner because she forwarded our email to her friends.  And after looking up her info, it turns out she also shared her favorite drink on the blog:

My favorite frozen drink recipe came from a close friend and is…

4 Cups Cranberry Juice
2 Cups Sparkling Water
2 Cups Vodka
1 Can Frozen Limeade Concentrate

Freeze for several hours or overnight, if possible.

Scoop out into cups and top with 7UP or Sprite.

Yummmmmm – sounds so refreshing! 

Congratulations Laura.  We hope you enjoy using our summer-inspired goods to enjoy your tasty drinks.

Stay tuned for another fantastic giveaway in August.  You never know when it'll be you lucky day!

Don't want to miss out on future fantastic firefly giveaways?  Then be sure to get them delivered to your email inbox by signing up here!

steamy summer day give-away

Now that summer is in full swing, we've got some great ways to stay refreshed on steamy evenings… 500 smoothies & juices recipe book, funny cocktail napkins, an amusing gurgle pot and ice kabobs  ($70.35 value!)

So how can you get these fabulous summer goods for free?

There are 3 ways to enter – you can do 1,2 or all 3 to better your chances.

1. Comment at the bottom of this post and tell us what is your favorite summer drink?  (no registration or sign-up required)

2. Spread the word about our giveaway on your Facebook page by clicking the Share on Facebook link below then send us a message via Facebook saying that you did. *

3. Post our Summer
Day giveaway on your blog (Feel free to copy our photo & info) Then
leave a comment on this blog post so we know that you did. *

* just let your friends & followers know if they happen to win, you get some of the goodies too :-)

We'll draw the lucky firefly fan's name on Wednesday, July 15, 2009 and post it on the blog.

Have fun, good luck and thanks for playing!

Don't want to miss out on future fantastic firefly giveaways?  Be sure to stay in the loop  by signing up here and we'll email our fun-filled blog posts to your inbox!

an art filled weekend

Our holiday weekend was a-buzzin' with art fans from Illinois, Indiana, Ohio & Michigan.  I finally had a good reason to wear my circle-sequin skirt I bought on clearance a few years back… but I wasn't the only festive one in Saugatuck on the fourth. 

About halfway through the day, I thought it'd be fun to capture some of the patriotic flavor of the afternoon. (you should have seen the ones I missed in the morning!)

My art booth neighbor, Kristin Perkins had fantastic jewelry… doesn't it look good enough to eat?

And these sweet bags from the Poppy Bag Company were just an aisle over.  It was their first show… you'd never know it though- their work is just wonderful.

At the South Haven show we bumped into our long lost art buds, Paul & Lisa from The Art Farm in Fort Wayne, IN.  These guys are a riot (if you couldn't tell that from the photo:)  You can't read Lisa's shirt, but it says – Original … which couldn't be more true.  Their art fair booth is filled with a large variety of fabulous finds – many of them made from old treasures.  I indulged in a pair of earrings and even Gus scored some bling!

And I also discovered a new artist that we're going to be carrying at catching fireflies.  Her jewelry pieces caught my eye immediately.  They're made out of Tagua which is an ivory-like nut harvested from palm trees indigenous to the South American countryside.

The colors, shape & composition of her designs look stunning on.  They easily will dress up any tank top in your summer wardrobe.  Look for them at the Berkley & Rochester stores in a couple weeks!

beacon of hope feature

This
little guy will keep your brown sugar from going hard! And IF it
already has become a job for only Popeye to bust through, then this
cute bear will soften things up real nicely for you. You just soak him
in water for a bit and place inside your brown sugar container and
VIOLA! Soft and workable brown sugar just in time to make those luscious Chocolate Chip Cookies to give to your bloggy friend Jodi, who just shared with you such an amazing little gadget!

Thanks Jodi for spreading the word about our helpful bear!

off to lake michigan

Steve and I are dusting off our art fair tent and headed west to Saugatuck & South Haven this weekend to sell our handmade paper wares.  And as I was sprucing up my itunes library for the road trip, I came across this catchy tune by Rogue Wave.

I can’t say the lyrics make much sense to me and these Oakland, CA boys only mention Lake Michigan twice in the song… however I’m still digging their sound.

Wishing you a wonderful 4th of July!

barkability feature

You're secret is safe with us, Charlie.

Sniff around @ Catching Fireflies. ($6)

Thanks Barkability for digging around our site and finding this treasure!

mixed handbag feature

Little appetizer
plates for the top of your wine glass. Brilliant. Now you aren't stuck
grazing by the food table because you don't have a free hand. Bonus:
They are made out of Acacia wood. Which, I had never heard of, but just
googled and it is environmentally friendly. So funny. I know some boys
that might need to be gifted a set of these at Christmas.

Thanks Mixed Handbag for chatting up our terrific tapas plates!

thank you for the birthday goodies!

You know who you are:)  What more could a girl ask for… fresh flowers, funky beach bag, hip belt buckle, oh-so-sweet handmade clutch, a house that smells like Hawaii, homemade chocolates and more!  Who says it hard to buy a gift for a girl who owns a gift shop?  I love it all – thank you * thank you * thank you!

terrific tortilla tower

If you have left-over chicken after your 4th of July BBQ, consider using it to make a few of these tasty tortilla towers for lunch the next day.  I found this quick & simple recipe in the Six O Clock Scramble Cook Book.

1 can 15 oz black beans (drained and rinsed)
1 can 15 oz corn kernels (drained)

2-3 grilled chicken breasts – chopped in small pieces
8 fajita sized flour tortillas
2 cups shredded colby-jack cheese

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  Spray a cookie sheet with non-stick cooking spray.

In a medium bowl, mix together beans & corn.

Make the tortilla tower by alternating layers start with one tortilla and top with beans, corn, chicken & cheese.  Continue stacking 2 more layers and top it off with a plain tortilla.

Bake the tower, covered with foil for 10 minutes.  Remove cover and bake for 5-10 more minutes.  To serve, allow it to cool and few minutes, then cut in wedges and serve with salsa, guacamole & sour cream.  Makes 8 servings. Enjoy!

Like to try new dishes?  We love finding & sharing scrumptious recipes. Don't miss out on our future finds… simply sign up to receive these blog posts in your email in box!

the long and short of it feature

Thanks to Lucy Dog Designs for sending in the link to this little gem of a pair of hugely popular Dachshund salt and pepper shakers: A
tiny magnet holds these two dachshund hounds in a big smooch. What a
cute pair they make with their lips locked together! And as every
dachshund-lover knows, these lively playful pooches may be a little
stubborn but they are always there for you in a pinch. (…of salt that
is!).

Thanks Dachshund Lovers for sharing the love by spreading the word about our cute pooches.