isavirtue

15.11.11

what i made | adorable deer & diy

if i could put this super adorable deer on every form of stationery - i would. and i just might! for now, here are a bunch of pictures of the same product for your viewing pleasure (seriously, tell me he isn't the cutest thing since bambi!).

also, i've begun making some simple do it yourself note card kits. they're great because after you complete the project in the kit, you can still use all of the tools including the envelope template, the stamps and the ink!

see more diy kits here

mail art...tuesday? | package pals

remember this? that was the package i sent to my pal in florida. we are participating in gentri lee's package pal project and i received mine today! see below for fun images :)

i'm a little scared to try the combo (she knew i would be!) but i sure am excited about the chocolate/english toffee heath bar! and that mustache card is awesome - i think i'll write j a card since he shaved for me last night...in the middle of movember!

14.11.11

mail art monday | jen g

okay - so check this out: a couple weeks ago i was at a party and my best friend reached in her purse and pulled out this. she said she thought it was materials from my mail art challenge and sure enough it was! i'm totally amused by the fact that one of her friends put in an order at my etsy shop, had it delivered to ontario, created this mail art and sent it back to my friend who lives in british columbia with me - all without mentioning the connection to either of us! how cool is that? presenting...jen g from kitchener:

13.11.11

sunday sins | elevator

don't we all want to be a better person? learn how to handle our vices? well, i'm going to take a stab at it and i'm going to do it in a unique way. for my 26th year, i am going to give something up* every two weeks. when the two weeks is up, i can have it again.

now, this might totally backfire right? but here's my theory. people say that if you stop eating sugar for a week or two, your body doesn't really crave it as much after that. and in fact i did that one time and found it to be true. so, for that reason, and out of simple curiosity i'm going to give up the following (in alphabetical order)

buying craft supplies

car

carbs (ack! forewarning, i might literally die from shock)

checking email more than once a day (try every fifteen minutes!)

chocolate
dessert (this includes any sweet treat after any meal)

diet pepsi (soda pop is on this list but diet pepsi is my disturbing addiction so it needs its own category...)

elevators (ahhhh!)

etsy forums

facebook

fast food (including the "good ones" like tim hortons and subway)

meat

microwave

miscellaneous spending

late night snacking

online more than once a day

paper towel

processed food (oh my gosh, i find this hard to believe it's even possible nowadays!!)

saying no or i'm too busy when j wants to kiss/cuddle

second helpings (or double first helpings!)

snooze button

soda pop

sugar

television (whatever will i do with my time?)

trans fat (i don't know what this is but i hear it's bad for ya...)

whining about work/gossiping

this list is so very daunting to me so i'm going to start with one that is...not too easy and not too hard - elevators.

m.c. escher. relatvity. etching? (this will be me for two weeks - endless stairs!)

both of the galleries i work at are on ground level so it shouldn't be too trying. on the other hand, i live on the third floor (fourth when we park in the garage which is always!) of my apartment building...and i bring lots of bags with me when i go out...and i often forget things and have to go back up.

wish me luck, there will be a lot of wheezing this week!

*something that i really really love...

11.11.11

thoughts on | stress

stress. i love it. i mean that! i love endless to do lists - i love adding to them as much as i enjoy crossing things off of them. i don't mind when things are due the next day because it gets me moving, and gets my heart pumping. i feel alive - and not in that dangerous "i'm going sky-diving" way. just in a simple, "i'm human and i thrive on tasks, results and future events" kind of way.

there's downsides of course.

downside one | i don't like stress that makes me cry. i'm talking: about to fail grade nine math, interview so important you want to toss your cookies, or up at four am footnoting a twenty page essay. i don't like the feelings that those type of situations come with. but i do like to have a purpose.

downside two | sometimes i create things for myself to do and i don't even realize that they aren't priority. they are simple extra things that i do to pass time or go the extra mile. this causes me to make things more important then they actually are. let's say my husband wants to go for a walk or see a movie. i say i can't because i'm just too busy. but am i really? are the things i'm doing literally on a deadline or did i invent it myself?

downside three | moving through life like this has given me a case of multi-task-itis. so you are probably imagining me talking on the phone while ironing...or sending an email while riding the bus. nope - my disease is a little more serious than that. i will literally be sitting on the couch,* watching television,** reading a blog update,*** cutting out an envelope template,**** talking to j.***** and intermittently i will just pick up my phone and play a thirty second game of tetris.****** oh, and i'm likely eating something throughout all of this. what is that??? i have no idea while i feel the need to do all of these things at once. partly because if i only do one, or two, or three, i'll feel like i'm not getting enough done. and partly i suspect i've developed some form of add in which i can not longer concentrate on one activity at a time.

i should probably tone it down. learn how to do one thing at once. enjoy life. relax. when i think of the three days after our wedding, when j and i went up to my parents cottage, it feels like heaven. we didn't do anything, and we didn't have to. time was irrelevant and we were sad to go. but i don't know how to get that feeling back - and i'm not sure i want to! when we went to hawaii a month later, i brought my lap top and i did a lot more than just lounge by the pool.

stress is kind of like a a drug. it's a motivator and it keeps me feeling high energy. so i don't have to give it up do i?

* sitting/relaxing on the couch. that is something people do all by itself so it counts as an activity.
** watching television is another activity people do solely by itself.
*** yup, another activity that doesn't need accompaniment
**** something that really should be done with one's whole attention
***** another activity.
****** you get the gist.

10.11.11

friday | giveaway winners

this is it! the winners of the week long big birthday are as follows:

monday | the winner of the pretty plane stationery is angela from simply simple me

tuesday | the winner of the sidebar spot is kaycie from redhead memories

wednesday | the winner of the free e-course is brittany from the first grade crush

thursday | the winner of the jackpot giveaway including stationery, a painting, mail art, scrap pack and an isavirtue stationery gift certificate is katherine from through my looking glass

ladies, please email me at patience[at]isavirtue[dot]net.

if i don't hear from you soon i'll try to get in touch with you through your blogs!

thank to everyone who participated and thank-you to those who took the isavirtue survey.

you can still take advantage of 26% off make art a part (of your life) and

26% off in the isavirtue stationery shop with the code BIRTHDAY26 until sunday.

thursday giveaway | the jackpot.

yay it's my birthday!

it's kind of cool and i think i'm officially more excited than scared to turn another year older. though to be fair i've actually always been fairly lax about getting older.* anyways, i've got great goodies today for you! it's the last giveaway of the week so i wanted to make it a special one!

first, check out monday's giveaway (stationery), tuesday's giveaway (sponsor spot), and wednesday's giveaway (free e-course).

and now, without further ado - the prizes! one lucky winner will receive:

one | all of the things that i crafted for my project contributions to the make art a part (of your life) e-course!

two | an amazing scrap pack of beautiful new and vintage papers, acrylic stamps, embellishments and more!**

three | a gift certificate for $26.00 to spend in the isavirtue stationery shop! i think you'll be amazed how much you can get for that amount...

and check this out! you can win even more by visiting my blogger friend pia - who is also having a big birthday giveaway, and today my stationery is the prize!

four different ways to enter | please leave a comment for each of the following

*multiple entries allowed

in order to complete any of the entries below, you must already be a follower of isavirtue blog

(this will not count as an entry, but you can choose one or multiple entries below)

one | take this survey about the isavirtue blog

(counts as two entries, leave two comments saying you took the survey!)

two | using some form of social media (email, your blog, twitter, tumblr, facebook etc), tell a friend about this blog and suggest they follow :) leave a comment telling me who you recommended it to.

three | visit my shop, and tell me what colour you think i should introduce next spring

(currently featuring black, white and various shades of pink)

four | "like" isavirtue on facebook,

if you already "like" it on facebook, then write something on the isavirtue wall for this entry.

five | follow @isavirtue on twitter

if you already follow, then tweet about this giveaway and mention@isavirtue for this entry

okay this is it! go crazy and don't forget the other giveaways!

* all giveaways will be open until midnight tonight

good luck ladies!

* how long do you suppose that will last?
** not exactly as pictures - but even better!

9.11.11

wednesday giveaway | e-course giveaway

welcome to the wednesday isavirtue giveaway! don't forget to enter monday's giveaway and tuesday's giveaway! all giveaways are open until thursday night!

and don't forget, all week long products in the isavirtue stationery shop are 26% off with the coupon code BIRTHDAY26 (to celebrate turning 26!). in addition, my e-course has been reduced by 26% as well.

i'm actually really excited about today's giveaway - the make art a part (of your life) e-course. the winner of the wednesday giveaway will be enrolled for free in my eight week e-course.

as a small side note, please only enter if you think the course is something that would interest you. it would be a shame to have someone win who say...is a super busy super mom, or doesn't have an interest in art at all! that being said, the course description is here and i think you'll love it!

four different ways to enter | please leave a comment for each of the following

*multiple entries allowed

in order to complete any of the entries below, you must already be a follower of isavirtue blog

(this will not count as an entry, but you can choose one or multiple entries below)

one | take this survey about the isavirtue blog

two | tell me which section of the e-course you suspect would be your favourite!

three | "like" isavirtue on facebook,

if you already "like" it on facebook, then write something on the isavirtue wall for this entry.

four | follow @isavirtue on twitter

if you already follow, then tweet about this giveaway and mention@isavirtue for this entry

* all giveaways will be open for entries all week (until midnight thursday pst)

good luck ladies!

8.11.11

tuesday giveaway | side bar spot

welcome to the tuesday isavirtue giveaway! only three more days* until my birthday so that means three more giveaways for you to enter! feel free to enter yesterday's giveaway as well, they are all open until thursday night!

as a reminder, all week long products in the isavirtue stationery shop are 26% off with the coupon code BIRTHDAY26 (to celebrate turning 26!). in addition, my e-course has been reduced by 26% as well.

now, i don't normally have sponsors, so when i put a button for another blog in my sidebar it's usually cause they are extra special. today's giveaway is for a button in the sidebar of this blog from november fifteenth - december thirty-first.**

four different ways to enter | please leave a comment for each of the following

*multiple entries allowed

in order to complete any of the entries below, you must already be a follower of isavirtue blog

one | "like" isavirtue on facebook,

if you already "like" it on facebook, then write something on the isavirtue wall for this entry.

two | follow @isavirtue on twitter

if you already follow, then tweet about this giveaway and mention@isavirtue for this entry

three | add isavirtue blog to your bloglovin

if you don't have a bloglovin blog reel, get one

(it's the easiest, most beautiful way to keep track of blogs)

four | tell me your favourite weekly isavirtue blog feature and why

there's a feature every day!

* all giveaways will be open for entries all week (until midnight thursday pst)

good luck ladies!

*two sleeps

**i still like to keep a particular aesthetic for my blog so i may alter the colouring etc. on your button to fit in.

6.11.11

monday giveaway | pretty plane stationery

i am so gosh darned excited about this week full of giveaways! i think you are all so wonderful and you deserve each and every one of the things i'm giveaway away and more! however, since i am only one person, i had to get creative.

for starters, from now until sunday november 13th, you can receive 26% off all products in my online shop by using the code BIRTHDAY 26. in addition, my e-course - make art a part (of your life), has been reduced by 26% for the whole week as well!

today, i am giving away this adorable little plane stationery set: five pink envelopes, five white sheets of writing paper and one white journal. see below for contest details!