Something Special For A Blog Anniversary

It's been exactly a year since I wrote my very first post here on Something Ivory. That post was hard and scary to write, and hitting "publish" was even more difficult. It certainly made me feel vulnerable, and a little nervous that no one would be interested in what I had to say. While it still is sometimes scary to hit publish, and I certainly have so much more to learn, after a year of blogging I can safely say that I've loved every minute I've spent typing out the 237 posts I've published since last July 12. The writing has been so stimulating and has kept me thinking and creating, your comments have been so lovely to receive, and I've made some really dear blog friends. Writing this blog is one of the most rewarding things I've ever committed to, and it's becoming more fun every day.

As a thank you to you--all of my lovely readers who are supportive and kind, interesting and thoughtful, in your comments and your emails--I decided to put together a little giveaway of some of my favorite things. Each of these goodies is something I use and love, and I can't wait to see which lucky reader will win! I only wish I had a box for every one of you.

All you have to do to enter the giveaway is leave a comment at the end of this post. I will choose one commenter at random next Friday, July 19, first thing in the morning and I will post who the winner is that day. So make sure to leave your comment by Thursday night!

Now, for the contents of the box:

Green Tea and Aloe hand soap--the best-smelling hand soap around. This version is the foaming variety which somehow feels more luxurious, don't you think?

My favorite Aveda hair product. I put a dime-sized amount of the Smooth Infusion in my palm after the shower and run it through my damp hair. It helps to prevent frizz, keeps my hair soft and protected, and makes my hair smell heavenly (Aveda is known for their fantastic-smelling products--I look forward to the Rosemary Mint shampoo each time I get my hair cut).

Jasmine Green Tea. I love drinking this in the afternoon or evening after a meal, and it can be made into a delicious iced tea too. I find that both its taste and scent are relaxing yet energizing. And green tea is so good for us!

Polka-dotted cupcake or muffin liners. These liners make homemade cupcakes and muffins look extra special, and the blue color is really fun and lively!

Homemade lavender linen spray. I make up my own bottles of lavender spray using distilled water and lavender essential oil and I spray it on our freshly cleaned sheets. I know I've raved about this before, but it's truly wonderful. It helps to erase wrinkles and the scent of lavender is known to be calming and sleep-inducing.

My all-time favorite red lipstick (Dubonnet by Clinique in their long-lasting lipstick line). It's the color I'm wearing in my blog photo off to the right, and I'm convinced it's a universally flattering red. Whoever the lucky giveaway winner is, I may insist on a photo of you wearing this!

Evian Mineral Water Facial Spray. I brought a bottle of this with me on our honeymoon and it was a lifesaver for the long flight to California. My skin tends to get dry when I fly, so I sprayed this on my face once during the flight and once afterward. It made my skin feel refreshed and hydrated. It's also ideal for hot summer days when you just can't seem to get cool enough. It's fantastic!

Assorted note cards. I really enjoy sending mail and there's nothing better than using pretty paper and cards to write special notes on. These neutral cards have some fun textures to them, and they would be lovely for just about any occasion.


That's it! Good luck to everyone who enters. And truly, thank you to each and every one of you who reads Something Ivory. It's a pleasure to write for you. Here's to many more years of blogging.