art | trade it

fabulous painting + photo by erika.

hello, hello! back in december we had a giveaway for the 2011 calendar i made and erika was a winner. we sent her a calendar plus some goodies from nyc and she offered to send us something in return. never could i have imagined she was going to create a painting just for us and it is wonderful! since she mentioned a trade, i extended the offer you guys and thankfully a few took me up on it.


jane sent us a pair of her beautiful photos from spain.


asiye sent a selection of her gorgeous photos from cape town.


although i asked her if she wanted to trade polaroid film + a calendar, jen sent a favorite print from the midwest.

and, krissy sent some of her stash of paper, which will likely be used in a butterfly garland or two. the phrase give and you shall receive is certainly in play here, although i think we ended up on the better end of these trades. the summery feel of the pieces also seems to be perfectly timed because we're experiencing another winter storm, today. since it seems to be covering a good part of the country, safe travels to those of you who are being affected. to those of you who are enjoying warmer temperatures, catch some rays for the rest of us. we could use some extra vitamin d!

xo, cindy

fun | calendar+ giveaway

hello, hello! i made a 2011 calendar using some of our favorite photos this year and would like to give one away. it's printed on a nice linen card stock and measures about 4" x 5". to sweeten the deal, i'll add a little something extra to the package depending on what i think the winner might like. all you have to do is leave a comment below before december 18th and we'll announce one winner on saturday. ho-ho-ho!

xo, cindy

fun | W O R D up ...

canon powershot + fujifilm instax | kate spade

hello, hello! the recipient of the W O R D giveaway is nicole of three by sea who loves blue. jen of painted fish studio will be contacting her for mailing information and congratulations! thanks for sharing your favorite colors (blue was the most popular followed by gray, which is my current fav) and to the jens, aka polaroid sisters, for the wonderful book.

i'm going to be spending the day with julia of red otter who is taking the train from philadelphia to nyc for her first trip here. visiting martha stewart's craft sale is at the top of the list along with seeing some holiday windows, rockefeller center and a magnolia cupcake or two. enjoy your weekend!

xo, cindy

ps loving the band summer fiction i learned about on the chance site. the video for chandeliers is so sharp as is chance. oh, and the band, which is actually one guy, is from philadelphia. what a coincidence!

craft | W O R D giveaway

hello, hello! the handmade community is not short of wonderful artists who are blessed with a perfect combination of talent in art & business. i first connected with jen of painted fish studio through aimee's blog artsyville and couldn't be happier. i've been lucky to meet jen in person a few times during her visits to new york and she really gets me thinking about the possibilities.

jen's wonderful handmade prints, journals, cards and magnets are available in her shop (sale this week) and she has just self-published a book of polaroids from her two-year collaboration with another fabulous jen of scissors paper glue. the book is called W O R D and available through their site and amazon.

now, the good news for you guys is that the jens have offered a copy to give away right here and you will love this book. just leave a comment telling us your favorite color before 12.4.10 and we'll announce one winner on saturday (be sure to include an email address so we can contact you). good luck!

xo, cindy

ps it's not about me, but you'll see one of my butterfly garlands in the book ;)! how cool is that? word.

pics | b&w

hello, hello! thank you for sharing some of the things you're enjoying these days. they were great and other than photography many involved food, which is probably to be expected as the temperatures get cooler and we head indoors. i also loved the stories of your childhood haircuts - my mom liked baby bangs - yikes!

something new i've been enjoying is fiddling around with using black & white in my photos. i like how it seems to give an image a more vintage feel, but i do like my colors. well, the winner of the expressive photography book is line who is quite the shutter bug herself. congratulations and please send me your address!

xo, cindy

ps the bottles are from charlie's collection. he sold most of it before i got into photography, but there are still some cool bottles. clearly marked poison, one contains coffin-shaped tablets to be mixed with water for use as an antiseptic. more b&w here.

pics | home & giveaway

hello, hello! i never cut my hair as a kid, but did so on my mom's raggedy ann doll. neither was happy even though my mom loved the asymmetrical look in design. these photos were taken for the picture fall class i'm taking after winning a spot on shutter sisters. i'm enjoying the indoor assignments as i've realized styled shots have been lacking around here.

i also won a copy of expressive photography and now have two, so i'm going to give one away. just leave a comment before october 18th telling me something you're enjoying these days and be sure to include an email address so i can contact you. i'll choose one winner using random.org and announce it next week. good luck!

xo, cindy

ps i forgot to say that i prefer symmetry and find myself giving that doll the eye with scissors in hand from time to time ;)!

life : the winners are?

hope you all had a nice weekend! thank you so much for sharing your ideas about white vs. pattern (white won) and your words of encouragement. also, a big thank you for sharing the moments you're looking forward to this holiday season. it was so nice to read them and it seems spending time with family is the at the top of your lists. sounds good to us and what the holiday is really all about.

choosing one winner of the garland was super-hard, so we've chosen two. a click of the mouse using random.org says the winners of the butterfly garlands are deb and meg. happy monday!

xo, cindy

ps to respond to michelle t's comment (couldn't find your email), i mostly use a 35mm prime lens. there is no image stabilization or zoom in the lens, so it's not great for everything, but it's really light, compact and allows in a lot of light. i love it!

pics, craft, work? : oy, beta giveaway!

as much as i try to fight it, i need to have all my ducks in a row, or i'm stressed out. not eating breakfast, lunch at 3 pm, and a shower at 4 pm leads to quack, quack = not good. they're not all lined up with my little shop, so i'm going to put off opening with a big bang until january 2010. i don't have all the things ready i'd like to as i'm getting new ideas as i go along and dribbling them in one at a time in the beginning doesn't sound like a good idea. photographing some of these little darlings has also become the hardest part!

but, i do want to hold a giveaway as promised. think of it as a 'beta giveaway' in the research and development department. so, just leave a comment before december 7th telling us something you're looking forward to this holiday and be sure to include an email address so i can contact you. i'll choose one winner using random.org for the butterfly garland of her choice. i should have four different versions by then, i hope. definitely, two & a half. see what i mean ;)? enjoy your weekend, y'all!

xo, cindy


this one is called lilly after lilly pulitzer - see the bright colors? they're made from vintage wallpaper backed with colored paper. i'm going to have them using vintage maps and music sheets, too.


this one is tasha, after tasha tudor. soft blues, reds & yellows. the doily in the center is specially treated and meant to resemble a petticoat. two clothespins adorned with butterflies are included for display.


how to photograph these so as not to be confusing about exactly what you're buying?


on white or a pattern or canvas or linen? scott says white. what do you think?


i'm almost there, but not quite. sorry for the false start :(.

craft : butterfly garlands

congratulations to Joyce who is the winner of our giveaway! thank you all for sharing your summer/winter highlights with us. it was interesting to read how just about all of you enjoyed spending time with your families and we're no different. we also learned about some nice trips people took, too. good to know since we're such terrible trip planners.



after watching the summertime swing video from coldplay i mentioned last week, i made these garlands. i just couldn't take it anymore! they're always featuring butterflies and release paper butterfly confetti during their concerts, which must be so cool!



except for the butterfly craft punch i picked up at michael's with a coupon, i figured i could make my own butterflies using things i already owned. i used vintage wallpaper, scrapbook paper, brown paper bags and doilies for petticoats (inner wings). then, i strung some together using waxed or baker's twine and glue. i'm not quite done with them and sure there will be a few extras for a future giveaway. thanks again for visiting and spending some of your time with us, everyone!

note : after some searching, i found the waxed twine at the caning shop.

xo, cindy

ps you can download a free live album from coldplay on their site. it's really good. i would like to hear more songs like no.7. i write about them, a lot. they should send me some butterflies ;)!

fun : giveaway!

i hope you all had a nice weekend! since i've been so fortunate recently in the giveaway arena, it's time to give a little something back to our very dear readers. so, leave a comment telling us a highlight of your summer or winter depending where you live before september 2nd for a chance to win this back-2-school inspired giveaway -

1. heather smith jones jotter - i have two.
   
2. muji 5-color ballpoint pen with mechanical pencil.
3. shanna murray & pistachio press limited edition letterpress card.
4. a very special surprise or two made by yours truly. think a butterfly garland.
   
5. all wrapped in a wonderful sewn mailer from pickalapoopa.

we'll announce the lucky recipient on september 2nd. good luck!

xo, cindy

ps in the meantime, here's a new band that everyone can enjoy, now - the drums. based out of brooklyn, their retro-surf inspired sound will certainly extend the last days of summer, especially since their new ep is called summertime. love the song let's go surfing. enjoy!

giveaway : tusk & coco + kelley

Hi Everyone -

I just wanted to tell you about the Tusk giveaway over on coco + kelley through Sunday, April 26th. Please visit coco + kelley to find out the details about how you can win a Cross Body Bag from the Acapulco collection in the color of your choice. Good Luck!

xo, Cindy

blog : the winner is!

These photos gave me fits because I just learned how to adjust the depth of field, but I'm not exactly sure what I'm doing.

Hi Everyone -

Thanks so very much for visiting us and your lovely comments relating to Quaint's birthday. We said there would be one winner in the giveaway, but we lied. There will actually be three. A spin using trusty Random.org says that the winner of the $25+ wish is -

Aimee

The other winners are two lovely ladies who said they would contribute their winnings to charity -

Deb mentioned The Food Bank of New York
Courtney mentioned The Muscular Dystrophy Association

We can't let those sentiments go unrecognized, so we will make $25 donations to each charity in their names. Congratulations! Thanks again, everyone! Here's to year no. two!

xo, Cindy

blog : happy birthday!

Magnolia Cupcakes : Pretty Little Things Card

Hi Everyone -

Well, this is no April Fools' Day joke, Quaint is celebrating its first birthday! Wow, that went fast and we honestly can't believe we're 12 months old. Since you all make it a lot of fun and give us so much, we're going to grant one lucky winner a wish - $25 US + $5 for shipping to spend as s/he wishes. Aren't the best presents those you actually want to receive? Here are some ideas for things we can get for you -

1. One of your favorites on Etsy.
2. Souvenirs NYC-style.
3. Music or book from Amazon.
4. Japanese craft book from Kinokuniya in NYC.
   
5. Donation in your name to your favorite charity.

Simply leave a comment mentioning something making you happy before April 5th and we'll pick a winner and announce it on April 6th. Really! We do reserve the right to decline any crazy wishes like things that are illegal, perishable, alive, heavy, large or if we just can't get it for you. Good luck!

xo, Cindy & Scott

PS Please join Cindy over on Poetic Home for some of her favorite vintage things. The group she selected is particularly special because they were all her Mom's.

giveaway : the winner is crowned!

I wasn't able to include the note cards because I don't have them, yet.

Hi Everyone -

Thanks so much for visiting us and your lovely comments relating to the Fifi Flowers + Quaint giveaway. A spin using trusty Random.org says that the winner of the note cards & photos is #5 -

Suzanne from An Open [Sketch]book
She said, "Oooh, please sign me up. Such a post of loveliness!"

Congratulations! Thanks again everyone, especially Ms. Fifi Flowers who came up with the idea! I hadn't printed any of my photos before and it really shows them in a whole new way. Collaborating has been an incredible experience and a highlight of blogging. I'd love to do it, again!

xo, Cindy

PS Later today we flip the coin and reveal some of the things around our place that might not be so pretty just to keep it real. Yikes!

giveaway : fifi flowers + quaint

Hi Everyone -

I'm so excited to show you the wonderful paintings Fifi Flowers created using my recent photos from the New York Botanical Garden. It's thrilling to think that my work inspired another artist and one that I admire so much. I love Fifi's work as it is so creative, lively and colorful.



Fifi suggested that we do a giveaway of 8 frameable note cards from her shop, which sounded great! As as added bonus, I'll include a 5" x 7"photo of each one, too. All you have to do is leave a comment by Sunday, March 15th and we'll announce the winner on Monday, March 16th.




If you haven't been to Fifi's place before, please have a visit and enjoy her trips to far off places in the most elegant-style and all things fashionable. You can also purchase the original paintings and others in her Painting Gallery and Etsy shop, which also includes wonderful stationery.



Good Luck! Thank you Fifi!



xo, Cindy

the winner & a surprise

He: "I thought those independent auditors from a top 5 accounting firm would never leave!"
She: "Oh brother, we used Random.org, which is probably more reliable. Ok, you say it while I make the drum roll sound."
He: "Megan is the lucky winner of our 100th post giveaway and she is Queen of the Day!"
She: "Sweet! Thank you to everyone for your lovely and encouraging comments, and for joining us in our barrel of monkeys."
He: "We're heading off to the beach for one last summer fling and will be taking a brief interlude from quaint handmade as we're kind of sick of ourselves and our stuff. Having said that, our plan is to have some creative self-portraits when we get back as we're still searching for props."
She: "Ho ho ho ho ho ho - HOLD IT!"
He: "What?"
She: "You know what I would think if I just read that?"
He: "Tell me [can I stop her?]."
She: "Two words - Plastic Surgery! That's what people do, they go away for a week."
He: "No way. [thinking] We better offer up some proof so people can compare down the road."
She: "No! I don't have anything interesting. I wanted to do something like Tim Walker (link goes to his amazing portfolio). Mysterious, so the blogarazzi doesn't get us. See?
He: "Whoa, I'm not dressing up that much. Come on, it's just like pulling off a band aid."
She: "Well, o-k. Here are some photos of us to use as a benchmark in case everything on our faces suddenly shifts upwards. Just keep in mind that these are "natural" shots. I only had under eye concealer beneath one eye and Scott was sleepy, all day."


He: "It's hard to see, they're so small."
She: "Really ;)? Wishing y'all a happy weekend, Monday, Tuesday ... you get the picture. See you on the other side of our little break, but I'll be checking your blogs - can't get rid of me that easily."

Props : Crown, Bellochio + Rose, Suili

97, 98, 99, ONE HUNDRED!

She: "Do you know what today is?"
He: "Monday?"
She: [Gives stink-eye.]
He: "I know, it's our 100th post!"
She: "Final answer?"
He: [Gives stinkeye.]
She: "Hahaha. Yes, it's our 100th post!"
He: "That is really amazing! Remember we thought we were going to be kicked off the web after the surfing post?"
She: "Yeah, that post was so silly. In the beginning, we started out with the intention of keeping an online journal of our comings and goings because I was concerned that we didn't have scrapbooks and such."
He: "Right, and it's a way to keep track of the things we like, but mostly your stuff."
She: "True, you are my muse. Hehehe."
He: "I know - lucky me! But, to be serious, I like the blog because it makes you really happy as you've met people who like the things you like."
She: "All together - awww."
He: [Gives stink-eye, again!]
She: "Just kidding. But yes, the best part of this adventure is the people we've met."
He: "That has been nice because we really are low-key and don't talk too much about ourselves in the "real" world, believe it or not."
She: "True, we're generally active listeners ;). So, when a blog hits a milestone, it is customary to offer a give-away as a thank you."
He: "One of us?"
She: "No, something that people might actually find useful!"
He: "Phew."
She: "I came up with a giveaway that I think our friends here might like. Here goes -

• Pamela Barsky Journal made from a vintage scarf
• Kate Spade Note Cards that say "watch less. write more."
• Quaint Handmade Lavender Sachet

He: "Cool. What do people have to do to get it."
She: "Just leave a comment no later than August 21st and make sure there's contact info if they win."
He: "Sounds good to me."
She: " We'll announce one winner for the entire haul on August 22nd and mail it to anyplace on Planet Earth. And, thanks everyone for visiting us in our little neck of woods. It's been the highlight of the summer."
He: "Yeah, what she said."
She: "Copycat!"

Photo Credit : Cindy