I thought I’d have a little giveaway to add some sunshine to the February blahs! The giveaway includes two of my wishlist/favorite things here… I’m sure you’ll guess by the end of the post which ones they are.
A clue; sorry, it’s not a Oprah-esque giveaway! 😉
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This post isn’t really sugar related, but I do have other things I love besides my sweet hobby; a few of which I’ll share with you:
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1. Anne Taintor Products

Her name is Anne Taintor and she runs a humorous business selling greeting cards, notepads, magnets, purses etc., which, to quote the words on her site, “…give voice to modern women’s secretly subversive thoughts.”

I just knew that when I found this charming Anne Taintor I Don’t Recall Asking notepad, it would be a perfect gift for my female colleagues studying Culinary Arts in Kingston this past summer. We definitely did enjoy some interesting, insolent humour together. (That’s Liz and Delia below):

They did get a kick out of their parting gift from me. (Notepad above). You can find Anne Taintor’s hilarious items on her site here or if you’re an Amazon fan, at my affiliate link here.
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2. Kindle

This one’s on the wish list. Ever since I used a Kindle (a wireless reading device), at a friend’s place over the Christmas holidays, I’ve been thinking of getting one. If you have one I’d love to hear what you think of it in the comment section.
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3. iPhone

The iPhone… Also don’t have one of these yet, but I’ve certainly looked at them longingly a few times. I’ve pledged not to get one until my old phone dies, but I’m really looking forward to that day.
You should see my phone. My students think it’s so old and retro that it’s ‘sick’. Here’s a pic:

Pretty battered huh?
I’m glad this pic is in my favorite things after all. This phone has lasted me a long time, and (my DH will laugh at this), it has great reception. Let me tell you, there’s been many a time that all the BlackBerries in the room didn’t get a signal and I did. It is analog-digital after all.
Ahem… on to another favorite thing. This one is a gadget as well – seems like I like a lot of them.
This one has helped me take better pictures this year.
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4. Canon Rebel Xsi Camera

The Canon Digital Rebel XSi is what I use. I’m still learning lots on how to use it, but even on the automatic settings it does a great job!
I really do dislike getting my picture taken – it rarely works out. So, only because I wanted to post a pic of the camera and needed a mirror to take a its snapshot, I’ve put a photo of me in here with it. (Okay, and because I actually paid some attention to my hair this day I was out with my friend. I was waiting in change room for her to try on some clothes and I had recently acquired the camera).
Anyways, on to the next item.
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5. MACRO LENS

With this Canon Macro Lens you can easily get great close-up shots; I used it to take this next photo:
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6. Cupcake Charm

Of course something sweet related had to sneak in here. I gave this cupcake charm to my friend Kim earlier this year… she’s a sweet-nut as well. I don’t have one yet but might just head over to Amazon to order one. They’re $17.99 (Guess you know now Kim. Actuuuually, really they were SO expensive when I went to buy one. They’re on sale now).
Ahem.
The next fave is, alright, another sweet related item.
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7. KopyKake Projector

Not a very pretty looking thing, is it?
It’s big, it’s awkward-looking, (although it doesn’t look quite as bad with the table clamp option), but I know I couldn’t have created many of the cookies I did this year without this Kopykake Projector . If you’re new to visiting Sweetopia, you can find some examples of cookies I made using the projector by clicking these links:
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8. My Winter Coat
What is there to say? I love it! I have to wear it every day in the climate I live in and never get tired of it. (I don’t think I look like her in it though!)

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9. EMU Australia Winter Boot 
These boots keep me so snuggly warm! Enough said!

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10. Martha Stewart’s Wedding Cakes Book
I’d like to practice more of my cake skills in 2010 and am going to use this inspiring cake book by Martha Stewart and Wendy Kromer. Here’s a small sampling of what you’ll find inside:

Excuse the crooked images; I took actual pictures of my book.

Wendy Kromer, the creator behind many of Martha’s cakes, is coming to the Bonnie Gordon School in April. I’m so excited to be signed up for one of her classes and will keep you posted on that!
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Now that I’ve shared my current 10 favorite items, it’s time to have a giveaway for TWO of them!
Wish I could be like Oprah, but even though they aren’t a KopyKake Projector or a Kindle, they are FREE! (If you win!)
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Martha Stewart Wedding Cakes and Cupcake Charm Giveaway!
If you’d like the chance to win a copy of Martha Stewart’s Wedding Cakes & a Cupcake Charm Necklace
, leave a comment below, maybe sharing one of your favorite things or whatever you’d like to write! CONTEST CLOSED


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- Another way to enter is to retweet this post on twitter. You can tweet as many times as you choose; they will be added to the draw! CONTEST CLOSED.
- The contest is international
- The draw will be held on Sunday, February 7th, at 7 pm EST
- I’ll be using www.random.org to draw the winning comment.
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Good luck!
xo,
Marian



marian,
thank you for including me in this lovely giveaway!
i certainly love your favorite/wish lists…
i am seriously thinking of a kindle & doing some research over the past several days…kindle, nook …
nook, reader…kindle looks like it is topping the list!
i also love paper & found a very lovely etsy site that i would like to share with you…
http://www.etsy.com/shop/rubypress
ruby’s mini note cards & her philosophy on the environment is truly great.
all the best.
Marian,
I don’t know why you wouldnt like taking your photo…you’re absolutely lovely! If I had a nose like your’s I’d be in heaven! Cute little turned up pert nose!
oh my gosh that cupcake charm could be one of my favorite things 🙂
Hello,
Yay, another give-away! Thank you so much.. and now that the Ipad has come out, I think thats something to add to my wishlist 😀
I recently started getting into the baking thing and i LOVE reading your blog. This list is fun! I’d love to learn how to make fancier cakes like in the Martha book!!
Love this giveaway… almost as much as I love your site 🙂 I have dreamed of a Kopycake for soo long, I bet it is so neat!
I love your site,its great I found it through bakerella’s blog. I also love your wish list especially the camera.
I like your favorites list! I want a Kindle too… someday. One of my things is my Kitchen Aid mixer. I bought it when I was just a teen getting into baking and was so excited.
Some of my favorite things are making beautiful and tasty desserts, flowers and jewelry.
I just stumbled on your blog yesterday…love what I have seen so far!
everytime i see your cookies, i am blown away! you do such an amazing job! i am jealous.
I LOVE reading your blog. Your cookies are beautiful. Normally when I feel like baking, I make cupcakes, but you have definitely inspired me to start making cookies and try my hand at using royal icing. I’ve printed out your tutorial and will be testing them out this weekend!
I love anything has to do with kitchen stuff…and that k-projector would be cool! I would like the i-phone or i-pad for the kitchen too…my list could go on and on. 🙂
I’m with Jenn – LOVE my kitchen aid mixer! I dream to own a kopykake projector, though! I aspire to try some of the amazing cookies you make! Thanks for sharing your list!
Kim
[email protected]
http://frostmeblog.blogspot.com
I just found your blog a week ago and love it! I am very into crafty things and am trying to improve my cake decorating skills after a long hiatus. And by the way, you are absolutely gorgeous! I had a very different picture in my head… :O) I have the same canon rebel and love it. My sister-in-law also has it and has been buying many accessories. Check out her blog for details and examples of this camera’s potential: marisafaatoafe.blogspot.com
Hi i just want to say that everything you do is simply fantastic and i love your site. I´ll return many times.
Best regards Pehrnilla
I just love your blog! You are so very talented! My friend actually has a KopyKake projector that she said I may borrow! I can’t wait! Thanks for the giveaway! I’ve got my fingers crossed!!!
My favorite things are definitely my iPhone- it has a Kindle app, don’t know if you know that. I’ve easily read books on the iPhone. I guess there are some advantages to having the iPhone as a reader- you should look it up! But having a Kindle would be sweet!
One of my other favorite things is Martha Stewart’s Cupcakes book. I have the Cookies book too but haven’t made too much from it. You can’t go wrong with Martha!
Hi! I’m fairly new to your blog and I love it! I’m excited to try the flood cookies. Anyway, I’m up for a giveaway! Thanks!
Oh! I need that book. And the charm is so cute too!
I’ve wanted a kindle for some time now, but i don’t know if i should really get one. How do you like it? Compared to a paper/hardback? For me personally, there’s just something about buying books and reading it over and over again til the pages get a little crinkly.
The pink cupcake is the best one 😀
Thank you for being awesome 🙂
One of the things on my wish list is a sommerset fondant machine roller. Just thinking about it makes me drool.
Thanks for the giveaway!
I love reading your blog! I check almost every day to see if you have upated it 🙂
I would say an airbrush machine is at the top of my wishlist.
You’re younger and hotter than I imagined.
Ooh! I love your favorite things too. I’m a Nikon girl, but I would love to get a macro lens this year. That cupcake charm is too cute!
Right now, I have to say one of my favorite things is my down comforter. But maybe that’s just because I’m sitting under it avoiding the cold Minnesota weather outside!
I, like many others, would love to get a Kindle someday. It’s definitely on my wishlist.
Thanks for the giveaway! Love your blog. 🙂
Top of my wishlist is a vintage aluminum Christmas tree. They’re so expensive though…
I just purchased that camera myself, and it is definitely near the top of my favorite things. And I think I need one of those kopykake machines…though I have no idea where I’d store it.
I love your blog!
My current favorite thing is my stand mixer, I’ve had so much fun making cakes and cookies in the last year, I don’t know how I lived without it!
Thanks for posting! I love to check in on your blog every day! My favorite things are definitely cupcakes!
I love making cakes and cupcakes. My favorite thing is to bake with my daughters. One daughter said she would even like to be a chef. But then she also wants to be a CSI person so maybe she can be a CSI baker. Hmmm. My second favorite thing is decorating birthday cakes for my daughters. Every year, they pick their theme and I come up with some kind of design. That’s always fun.
Love the list – but those cupcake charms are so cute. Want one =)
Cupcake charms… Where to find such a delight-
And that Martha book looks SWEET
I just stumbled across your site today & I’m loving it! Thanks for hosting this giveaway<3
I love your list! I was actually looking for iphones online, what a coincidence! I’ve also been wanting a macro lens. Oh and the book, that has been on my list too! The cupcake charm is so gorgeous, I want it on my neck, hehehe.
Thanks Marian for this giveaway!
Oh my goodness, I loved everything on your list…I could just use your list as mine!! LOL The Martha Stewart book is so great, I have to go through it every time I’m at the bookstore and that charm is so cute…..just pick me. PLEASE!! hahahaha
Thank you for your site, I love all your work and am excited everytime I go to my email and see something from you there. You are so very talented!
Marian-
One of my favorite/wish list items is also the Martha Stewart book! Actually and book that has wonderful pictures of awe inspiring cakes in it!! Those cupcake charms are adorable as well.
Thanks for sharing!
Jennifer
I am a new follower. I love to bake and am learning new techniques. I need to take some classes too. My wishlist includes my husband finishing Pharmacy school so that we can move. That would get me a much larger kitchen… I can’t wait.
One of my favorite things is my stand mixer…some great friends of mine bought it for me as a bithday gift in college and though they had ulterior motives (they knew I would bake more for them) I really enjoy it and still use it today. I’ve been inspired by your cookies but have no artistic ability…I wish I had one of those Kopycake thingamagiggies. That would be my new favorite thing! You’re amazing…please keep the posts coming!
I love your winter coat. Where did you get it? I would love a IPhone also.
Love your blog.
I’d love to have your camera but, a Martha Stewart Book will be a nice win. I agree,we all need a little extra help to get through February!
My favorite things are cake decorating books and diamonds. Girls best friends.
Thanks for the great post.
Kathy
My wish list will definitely include a Kopykake projector, a gift certificate for all Bonnie Gordon’s classes – they are amazing and a unlimited gift card for Chapters Indigo 😉
I would love to win. Quite a few of these are on my wish list too!
Hi Marian,
I just love your wish list! The Kopykake projector is on my list too! Thanks for this great giveaway. I’m hoping I win. Please, please, please (ok, won’t beg anymore, I know it’s not becoming!) 🙂
I love CUPCAKES. Anything cupcake. Actual cupcakes, fabric with cupcake, a cupcake carrier, etc. You get the idea. Uggs! I get a new pair with my extra Christmas money each year. I love my pink “Love” Stainless Steal Nathan water bottle. My kids and husband, I am sure the list could go on and on, but by son is beckoning from the bathroom to go and “wipe” him!!! :o)
Omg. I love everything on you list.
I’m convinced I NEED an iphone. If only they would use Verizon so I could use my discount. I’m sure I also need a Martha Stewart book and a cupcake charm.
Your cookies are gorgeous!! I have invested in a ton of disco dust because of you. Now I think I need one of those kopykake machines!