Entries for this giveaway have been closed, thanks for entering!

{main shop} {etsy} {twitter}

Happy June, friends!  Can you believe how fast this year is flying?  So crazy!  To welcome what will sure be a beautiful summer month, I wanted to share this awesome new sponsor of mine with you all!  I’m definitely a regular shopper at Cute Tape and one glance and I’m sure you will be too.  Cute Tape has all your packaging and stationery needs covered, it’s a dream shop for handmade shop owners, I tell ya!  My favorites are the Japanese washi tapes with a variety of colors and designs, so perfect for closing up boxes or bags or just to use as decoration on packages.  Read on to learn more about Glenda (shop owner) and this wonderful shop!

{MEET THE SHOP OWNER}

1) Tell us a little bit about yourself and how you decided to start up shop?
What you are looking at is how it all started…basically a website. It wasn’t the products in it, it was a design. I’m actually a designer and I love design. I love to look at great design and at times when not working on client projects, I like to come up with my own stuff, since honestly client work can be a bit restricting…ok sometimes, it can be really restricting.
I just enjoy creating something just for myself. Once I had a design, I didn’t exactly have anything to sell. The site changed and evolved day to day of course and at one point I research about organic stuff and while researching, somehow stumbled upon Japanese Washi Tape and a whole world of cutely designed stationery.
The thing is, there were no planning, not much thoughts – I just started doing this and here we are. It fits into what I love – great design, colors, pattern, anything creative. I love meeting creative people through this and has been a pleasure…with the exception of shipping =P

2) What are your favorite color combinations?
I really like the bright colors in terms of washi tape…such as orange, yellow, greens. But if you are talking about in general, I’m
into modern – so black, white and grey.

3) What is your most popular shop item?
I can’t say one is more popular than another, since every customer seem to have different taste. I personally like the sweets edition – franc boise. They look like little pastries and every time I see them, I want to eat them up…or I wish I can eat them up!

4) What is your favorite ice cream flavor?
I tend to go for coffee flavor or mango flavor when it comes to ice cream. Once in a while during summer, I’ll crave for a banana split because I like the way it’s all decorated!!

{GIVEAWAY}

Win $30 credit to Cute Tape!

You know how much you could buy with that?
6 sets of washi tape…
1 stamp and 4 sets of washi tape…
1 set of baker’s twine and 4 sets of sticky notes…
…possibilities are endless!

To enter:

1. Visit Cute Tape and leave a comment with your favorite item!

For additional entries, leave a separate comment for each action.
2. Be a Google Friend Connect follower of this blog
3. Follow @sandyalamode and @cutetape on Twitter
4. Blog, facebook, or tweet about this giveaway (make sure to include @sandyalamode and @cutetape in your tweet) and include the link (one entry each)

Feel free to use this tweet:
There’s a super awesome #GIVEAWAY on @sandyalamode! Enter to win $30 credit to @cutetape! http://bit.ly/lXntDn

This giveaway is open INTERNATIONALLY and closes on Tuesday June 7, 2011 at 12PM CST. Good luck!

Entries for this giveaway have been closed, thanks for entering!

Hey friends!  How was your Memorial weekend?  For those that got an extra day off, did you enjoy it to it’s fullest?  Did anyone make it out to the beach or pool (lucky ducks)?  I’m so happy that the unofficial start of summer is here… summer is definitely my favorite season as long as the weather doesn’t get too hot and humid.  Marvin and I spent our 3 days weekend going to a grill party with friends, cleaning, grocery shopping, and we watched the good but disturbing Black Swan.  And of course, we definitely took some time to walk around the park and relax as well!

Today, I’m excited to share with you a few photos that I took when we were in Vegas a month ago.  After my friend’s beautiful wedding, we decided to take a mini road trip (only about 35 minutes from the strip) to Red Rock Canyon.  We don’t have anything like it in flat Kansas City.

Into Red Rock Canyon we go!

The rock… is really red!  Haha!

Loving these little flowers in the foreground.

Yay, we got someone to take a picture for us!  You don’t want to see the self portraits, no good.

Yellow flowers always make me smile!

Our car totally got stopped for a good 10 minutes as this helicopter landed right next to us!

I hope they were able to help whoever needed the help!  We didn’t stick around to see what had happened.

Loving the contrast of the white and red rocks.

All I gotta say is OUCH!

And finally linking this photo up to Sweet Shot Tuesdays!

I love taking little trips like this and discovering nature’s beauty all around us.  I swear it’s time for another mini-trip already!

What’s the last mini trip you took??

It’s finally (almost) the weekend, woohoo!  And not just any weekend, it’s the weekend before a much needed long weekend!  This week in Ohio has been an interesting one.  I was planning on writing this post on Wednesday night but the power went out at our hotel from about 9PM to midnight so I ended up going to sleep early since there was nothing to do.  I was sad to miss the American Idol finale and then kind of sad to find out the result afterwards (I’m a Lauren fan) especially since I voted incessantly for Lauren too!  Who were you rooting for?  But at least Hines won for Dancing With The Stars so at least that made me happy! 

For this week’s Flavors To Follow… I wanted to share my latest obsession of maxi dresses.  They are just the perfect summer outfit, matched with a chunky necklace, sandals and a fedora hat.  That just spells perfection, doesn’t it?

1 Smocked Strapless Maxi from Threadsence
2 Sandbar Sunrise Dress from ModCloth
3 Smocked Waist Maxi Dress from Yesstyle
4 Amare La Vita Paisley Maxi Dress from Shop Ruche
5 Floral Maxi Dress from Yesstyle
6 Eden Maxi Dress with Belt from Forever 21
7 Gorgeous at Game Time Dress from ModCloth
8 Windswept Wonder Dress from ModCloth

*SWOON*  Can I please just buy them all or can someone buy them for me?  *wink wink*  What do you think?  Are you obsessed with maxi dresses like I am or are you not really a fan?

Lastly, it’s time for me to announce the Sew Ewe-Nique Designs giveaway winner.  Drum roll please… the lucky Tiffany from Dancing Branflakes is the winner!  Congrats lady!  Please email me at sandyalamode(at)gmail(dot)com with your mailing address so I can get you hooked up with your clutch and matching earrings! If you didn’t win, don’t forget that Sew Ewe-Nique Designs is offering 15% off her shop with code “SANDY15″ through June 1, 2011!

Don’t forget to enter the My Little Buffalo giveaway if you haven’t already!!

What are your Memorial weekend plans?

Entries for this giveaway have been closed.  Thanks!

{shop} {blog} {design} {twitter}

Ever since I started blogging, my appreciation for designs and designers has grown.  Oftentimes I find myself trying to dabble in creating buttons or cool photo layouts for my blog, but it just ends up being very plain since I don’t have a clue what I’m doing.  Lisa from My Little Buffalo is a crazy talented, she does web design and print design and I’d be surprised if you hadn’t seen her work around the blogosphere.  In fact, she’s even created designs for Oh Sweet Joy! and Pretty Things By Meg , two of my very lovely sponsors.  Her style is very adorable, colorful, whimsical, and quirky and I just love it so much!  Read below to get to know this soon-t0-be mama a little better, enter yourself for a rad giveaway and even get yourself a discount to her design work if you’re interested!

{MEET LISA}

1) Tell us a little bit about yourself and how you began your shop?
Hi! I’m Lisa Nelson, and I started My Little Buffalo, a design, illustration and stationery studio back in 2008. I live and work in the quirky yet lovable city of Portland, OR. I didn’t go to art school or pursue a creative degree, but once I met Adobe Illustrator, I was in love and have been since. Year after year I discover new things about design and illustration, and I love creating the imaginative brainstorms that come from my clients. Portland is an artsy city and I love being pushed into greater creativity everyday!

2) What are your plans for the summer?
I plan to prepare for the arrival of our little nugget! In Lisa lingo that means that I am expecting a little girl in August. We’re moving, saving, cleaning, learning, praying that we’ll do a pretty good job as parents. When I’m not doing all of that, I hope to get away for some camping adventures if at all possible.

3) What are your favorite color combinations?
I used to take the same route that lots do, mustard yellow, robin’s egg blue. Lately though, I have been really drawn to persimmon and brighter colors that go with it. And gray, always gray…

4) What is your favorite ice cream flavor?
Its a constant battle for which is better inside my head… chocolate peanut butter, or mint chocolate chip. I still have yet to come to a conclusion

{GIVEAWAY}

Win $20 credit to My Little Buffalo!

To enter:

1. Visit My Little Buffalo shop and leave a comment with your favorite item!

For additional entries, leave a separate comment for each action.
1. Be a Google Friend Connect follower of My Little Buffalo
2. Be a Google Friend Connect follower of this blog
4. Follow @sandyalamode and @mylittlebuffalo on Twitter
5. Blog, facebook, or tweet about this giveaway (make sure to include @sandyalamode and @mylittlebuffalo in your tweet) and include the link (one entry each)

Feel free to use this tweet:

Win $20 credit to @mylittlebuffalo’s greeting card and print shop on @sandyalamode! #GIVEAWAY http://bit.ly/ltroVw

This giveaway is open to U.S./Canada readers only and closes on Wednesday June 1, 2011 at 12PM CST.  Good luck!

{SPECIAL READER DISCOUNT}

If you are interested in a new blog design, Lisa is offering 15% off any of her design packages if you mention “ALAMODE”!  This offer is good for June 4, 2011. Feel free to contact her here.

Entries for this giveaway have been closed.  Thanks!

Tube top: Made by me from Joann’s fabric | Cardigan: Target | Jeans: Express | Belt: Don’t know from where | Shoes: Passed down from SIL | Headband: Whippy Cake

You recognize that Whippy Cake I’m wearing?  I’m sad that I’m going to have to part with it this week… but happy that it will be moving on to either Kim, Moriah, Ilene or Lindsay.    You’ll find out who in a few weeks, teehee.  We like to keep you guessing.  And the best part, I’ll be getting a new Whippy Cake to model myself, heck yea!

But what do I love about this outfit the most?  The fact that it has colors, a lot of them, all over my handmade top, my headband and fun shoes!  Anything colorful just reminds me of that time when Spring is heading into Summer, when flowers are blossoming all over, and the weather is getting warm to stay warm!  But unfortunately, with that, also comes some horrible weather as well.  My heart seriously goes out to all those in Joplin, MO (it’s two hours from my house) and anyone else who has been affected by severe weather this year.  It’s really a scary thing especially since we don’t have any control over it.

On a happier note, did you happen to notice that I made this top?  Yup, sewing machine and all!    I made it on the same day that I made the dress I blogged about a few weeks ago.  I wish I had more time to make clothes for myself, I really do.

Are you a fan of all things colorful like I am?