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‘tiny happy’ was a journal of my handmade life from 2006-2025.

friday giveaway

Giveaway

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Hello! Hope you are well today. I thought I might have a little giveaway here because I haven't had one in a while, and it's fun. Also, I turn another year older tomorrow and I always like to give stuff away on my birthday. I have made up two packages to send (to anywhere in the world) and each has a digital print of a collage I made back in the wintertime, a couple of fat quarters from this fabric collection, and a set of watercolour postcards. 

For past giveaways, I've suggested leaving a comment telling us about your latest favourite record or film, and I still go back to those posts to find new things to listen to and watch! So if you wouldn't mind doing the same this time, that would be fabulous. What are you enjoying listening to/watching/making? 

Thanks for visiting my blog and being generally awesome, lovely readers.

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266 responses to “friday giveaway”

  1. Thouraya Avatar
    Thouraya

    have been and HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!! Have an awesome day!!!

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  2. ak in sweden Avatar
    ak in sweden

    Happy birthday tomorrow!
    I am currently watching the 5th series of Six feet Under, an old thing that I somehow never saw when it was first shown – too busy with studies, work, babies? Relishing it now, probably more than I would have then, probably because I connect with life, death, experiences in a way that I could not 10 years ago. Listening to PJ Harvey’s Let England Shake, actually going to see her live in Stockholm next week 🙂

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  3. shannon Avatar
    shannon

    happiest birthday wishes to you. We watched a DVD last Friday called Paul, about a very funny (and very rude) little alien. Made me laugh out loud many times, silliest thing i have watched in a very long time.

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  4. Elisa Avatar
    Elisa

    listening: ‘dance me to the end of love’in three enterpretation: Leonard Cohen, Madeleine Peyroux and The civil wars (everything on you tube)
    🙂
    elisa

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  5. Eva Avatar
    Eva

    Happy Birthday Melissa. Hope you have a lovely birthday weekend. After reading ‘The Boy in Striped Pyjamas’, I watched the film recently, they are both wonderful, and most definitely tearjerkers. I listen a lot to Zane Lowe on BBC Radio 1, he is a New Zealand dj who is very cool over here in England, listening to his show you listen to all types of music. And I’ve recently had a Primal Scream renaissance in the car. And one for the school holidays – Spirited Away, a lovely Japanese film for children and adults alike.

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  6. Jennifer Lin Avatar
    Jennifer Lin

    Happy Birthday Melissa! May you have a wunderbar day! How lovely of you re the give-away….Am now playing David Guetta & Usher’s latest hit “Without You”. Also, listening to Guetta, Chris Willis, LFMAO & Fergie’s “Gettin’ Over You”. Also, Del Amitri’s ‘Always the Last to Know”. As you can see, am in a disco/clubbing mood recently…. must be the hangover vibe from the F1 Grand Prix hosted in Singapore recently…. ;o)

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  7. Laura Avatar
    Laura

    Happy birthday! Mine is coming up in a couple days too. The last movie I went to see was Moneyball which was much better then I expected! I would recommend it. Thanks for the giveaway!

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  8. tinyhappy Avatar
    tinyhappy

    hei! i am also watching 6 feet under from the start, and loving that album by pj harvey- have fun seeing her live 🙂

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  9. Raluca Avatar
    Raluca

    I’m spending these days watching “Men in Trees”, as I have a couple of days off and I could use some laughs.Also yesterday I made some home-made tagliatelle which are waiting to be “baked”.
    So…It’s going to be a fun Friday! Have a great weekend 🙂

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  10. Sarada Avatar
    Sarada

    Hello there,
    I just wanted to say Happy Birthday really, I just love visiting this calm and creative space, so thank you. I’m listening to Gillian Welch and Wilco at the moment and enjoying re-watching Deadwood, did you ever see that? it’s such a shame it got cancelled. Hope you have a really lovely day, all the best,

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  11. tinyhappy Avatar
    tinyhappy

    happy birthday to you, too! 🙂

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  12. dee Avatar
    dee

    What a lovely give away. I do enjoy a daily look at your blog. I m writing this whilst listening to PJ Harvey and Money Mark. It surprises me how much I am enjoying the latter- really good for a dance around the kitchen with children! I am doing lots of natural dying inspired by India Flint’s book ‘Second Skin’ which is in my head all the time and a truly inspirational read.

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  13. Rachel Denee Avatar
    Rachel Denee

    Happy birthday Melissa! I guess I am a few minutes late for New Zealand Friday but it’s still Friday here in Canada so I’ll share with you anyway and cross my fingers… I am listening to Sufjan Stevens’ album Illinoise (addictive!) and I am making bread, yoghurt and pillow-case dresses for my girls (fabulous orange and yellow floral ones). All delicious. We just moved to Toronto from Wellington and I am in awe of the Autumn leaves here- spectacular and very inspiring… I’m learning the names in this beautiful book: http://www.amazon.ca/Native-Trees-Canada-Leanne-Shapton/dp/1770460322

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  14. Isidora Avatar
    Isidora

    I must join this. 🙂 These days I’m listening to Coldplay. I don’t remember when was the last time when I watched TV, but I’m about to borrow a DVD of Les Miserables… Happy birthday!

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  15. adriane Avatar
    adriane

    Happiest of Birthdays to you! Right now Adele is fueling all of my sewing escapades and I have been listening to the whole Little House audio book series with my daughter.
    I really love all your creative energy, it inspires me every time I read your blog!
    Wishing you well from the East Coast of Canada!

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  16. Margaret Oomen Avatar
    Margaret Oomen

    well it isn’t a record or a film
    but a youtube video that I watched last weekend
    that just made me feel so happy
    it is what “live” music is all about
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lus8OTnLo7w

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  17. Regina Avatar
    Regina

    Happy Birthday Melissa! So my current favorites include listening to Mat Kearney and his latest album “Young Love”. I’m slowly -and I do mean slowly- knitting Current by Cecily Glowik MacDonald, and waiting for the last season of “Chuck” to begin. 🙂

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  18. Mel Avatar
    Mel

    Happy Birthday Melissa! I’m currently enjoying watching ‘Pan Am’ and knitting the Cooke cardigan from knitscene fall 2011 (ravelry page http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/the-cooke-cardigan)
    Listening to whatever my teenage daughter has on her ipod, usually the latest songs from Glee …

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  19. By Night Avatar
    By Night

    Joyeux anniversaire! How generous of you of giving something away when you should be the one we give presents to! Lately, I’ve been listening to this super cute and young Belgian singer (singing in English): Selah Sue. I think you might like her beautiful voice: http://www.myspace.com/selahsuemusic

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  20. essie Avatar
    essie

    ooh, fun!
    musically, i am currently loving laura marling’s new album, ‘a creature i don’t know’. i also love jacke oats’ recent one ‘saturnine’.
    tv-wise, i’m revisiting old series of qi, with stephen fry who always makes me laugh.
    🙂
    i hope you have a lovely birthday with plenty of cake!

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  21. Leanne Avatar
    Leanne

    Happy birthday!
    Those postcards are lovely, I’m reading a biography of Captain Scott at the moment, which is really interesting and I’ve been doing some cross stitching!
    x

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  22. Nicole Avatar
    Nicole

    Happy birthday, sweet Melissa!! You can leave me out of the giveaway, seeing as I’ve been a lucky past winner.
    Listening to: the new St. Vincent record has been on HEAVY rotation here. You should check it out, I think you would like it.
    Watching: the leaves turn colour. Better than any movie or tv program.
    Doing: knitting, of course, and a lot of running. I’m training for a 10k later this fall.

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  23. Christina J. Avatar
    Christina J.

    Happy, happy birthday! Right now I am listening to Adele’s “21” album. I also just finished watching the “Camelot” television series, which I enjoyed. Next up is the “Robin Hood” television series. I just finished making concrete mushrooms–so cute!–and am thinking about starting a stitching project … something that includes beads.

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  24. Merruli Avatar
    Merruli

    Thank you for being there and inspiring us with your lovewly work! And happy birthday.
    I love to listen to Anna Järvinen who sings in Swedish. I would say she has nordic silence living in her music.

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  25. carol wills Avatar
    carol wills

    Happy birthday, Melissa. I read your blog daily for inspiration and love all the things you do. My favorite movie of all time is “The Last Waltz,” a documentary about The Band that played with Bob Dylan decades ago. Love the music, love that Robbie Robertson. I’ve been making lined tote bags for my daughters with matching tissue holders.

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  26. betty Avatar
    betty

    hello & happy birthday to you…
    I’ve been making lots of bunting lately (17th is the other halves 39th birthday & we will also have been married for 10 years – see what I did there – he will never forget!) so yeah been making lots of bunting & little bird decorations too!
    Also enjoying the new Liberty Sewing book & drooling over the great british bake off book too.
    have fun, Beth x

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  27. amber reece Avatar
    amber reece

    I am currently loving Florence and the Machine and watching Friday Night Lights on netflix… Good Stuff! Happy Friday : ) and Happy Birthday!!!!!

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  28. Liz Avatar
    Liz

    Happy Birthday! We’ve been in documentary mode, watching a new series on public television in the States about prohibition and another by the same director (Ken Burns) on the Civil War. Beautifully done. All the while, I’m knitting knitting knitting. A hat for my husband, legwarmers for friends, a scarf for my dad. On replay at present: new Gillian Welch, new Feist, old Paul Simon (Graceland).

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  29. Hello Sandwich Avatar
    Hello Sandwich

    Happy Birthday Lovely. I hope you have a gorgeous day and are super spoilt!
    I would just love to win something by the incredibly talented you.
    I am listening to Lullatone, a lovely couple from Nagoya who make the sweetest of music. They have just released the latest album too! It will be released on the 20th.
    I’m excited to watch Harukami Murakamai’s Norwegian Wood.
    And I am making all sorts of craft goodies for my new Japanese craft book! I hope you will like it.
    Have the most wonderful day tomorrow please!
    And thank you for your incredible blog.
    Love Love
    Hello Sandwich
    xoxo

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  30. melissa Avatar
    melissa

    happy birthday melissa!
    i hope you have a fabulous day tomorrow!
    thank you for the amazing giveaway!
    i’m currently listening to “battle for seattle” by reggae artist little roy – he sings amazingly chill versions of old nirvana songs. i’m finding it the perfect counterpart to the teenage-me who listened to the original nirvana albums.
    i’m not really watching any shows right now, but i did happen to see the new version of “jane eyre” on a plane recently and loved it.

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  31. ania.the.map.cutter Avatar
    ania.the.map.cutter

    ~ happy birthday! ~ may you live 100 years (as we say it in my home country, Poland). i just finished reading jeanette winterson’s “lighthousekeeping”. this is the second time i’ve read it, & it’s just as beautiful… (makes me want to move into a light house)

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  32. Katerina Avatar
    Katerina

    Happy Birthday!
    I’ve been listening to this song lately and i realy love it.
    THE LUSHLIFE PROJECT FEAT MARTINA – THE ONLY ONE
    LOVE
    Katerina FF
    Greece

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  33. Ariadne Avatar
    Ariadne

    Happy birthday Melissa! I hope you have a great time!
    I have watched two movies lately that I really liked. “El Greco” and “Bright Star”. They were both biographies of two excellent artists the Greek painter Dominikos Theotokopoulos the former and the English poet John Keats the latter. I loved them both!
    Here is my e-mail ariadnesky@hotmail.com
    Please include me in the giveaway.
    AriadnefromGreece!

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  34. Jenn Avatar
    Jenn

    Just saw the
    Sweet film restless. HapPy birthday!

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  35. Cyndi Avatar
    Cyndi

    I watched Dive! Living Off America’s Waste yesterday and found it very interesting. It is about dumpster diving a bit, but more about food waste, which is an issue in places besides the US, of course. I found it funny, interesting, and thought-provoking!

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  36. jenna Avatar
    jenna

    happy birthday! i hope you have a wonderful weekend. you are so sweet to give on your birthday. i love the print so much!!
    the last film that i saw was the new woody allen – midnight in paris. i quite enjoyed it. i have been trying to find new music lately; been enjoying the iron & wine station on pandora.

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  37. Anna Avatar
    Anna

    Hi!! Happy birthday!!
    I’m spanish, from Barcelona and I and highly recommend this cd “Las migas, las reinas del matute” fusion of flamenco and jazz, absolutaly lovely. I hope you like!

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  38. Leila Avatar
    Leila

    Happy Birthday! I do love your work so very much so thank you for offering such a fun giveaway! I’m with Xeniaroselonie on the Downton Abbey train. Which always reminds me of how much I love Gosford Park. But for something which hasn’t been recommended already and isn’t all that old, I’d have to give an album — Ben Folds’ & Nick Hornby’s Lonely Avenue is pretty fantastic!

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  39. MzTallulah Avatar
    MzTallulah

    Happy birthday and thank you! I haven’t seen a film in ages, but right now I’m itching to buy two DVDs which I’m sure I’ll enjoy: the French film Brodeuses (about embroiderers!) and the Western Meek’s Cutoff. Otherwise, it’s been animated films (Despicable Me is the latest favourite) or musicals (Mary Poppins, over and over again) in our house 🙂

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  40. Joan Avatar
    Joan

    Reading:Kevin Brockmeier’s Things that Fall from the Sky; it’s about ten years old, but wonderful (spooky, brainy, sad, awestruck) all the same.
    Listening: Typhoon. I noted that you like Bon Iver (Justin Vernon grew up 30 miles east of my town in Wisconsin.) Typhoon is in that vein, only a few more horns.
    Doing:We helped make apple cider this weekend. It was a great way to celebrate autumn in the upper midwest of the U.S.

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  41. Barbara Avatar
    Barbara

    Best listening… anything by Blue Rodeo (awesome Canadian folksy/rock band)
    Best watching… Modern Family tv show and the movie Love Actually
    I’ve been reading your blog for a couple of years now and have really enjoyed it. Happy Birthday!

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  42. Maggie Avatar
    Maggie

    Watching, listening, making.
    I am slowly watching Micheal Palin’s travel documentary, Full Circe. Most of the things I do require my eyes so I haven’t been watching all that much lately. But I’m a big fan of his — both in Monty Python and beyond — and there’s something very charming about his journeys. I received this latest one for my birthday and have been savoring it.
    I am listening to James Herriot’s All Things Wise And Wonderful for the millionth time. I clean houses for a living and illustrate for books and websites and such, so there is a LOT of my time that can be filled up with audiobooks. Herriot’s are particularly good because they read like short stories (i.e., stand up to fragmented and multiple listenings) and they are read by the actor who played James Herriot on the BBC series who does different voices for all of the characters. (In a natural way, not in a campy way).
    I was also listening to polka the other day. Just a collection of anonymous (to me, as I have no album information) polkas. It’s part of a Reader’s Digest 6-LP set, burned onto CDs and shipped to me by my mother and I wish I could tell you more than that. I can tell you that out-of-context polka music is VERY jolly and makes mundane things seem lively.
    Making. I have yarn ready to make a sweater. I am working on three paintings showing how the recycling crew at the Oregon Country Fair works. I have fabric cut and ready to be edged with a gentle rolled-hem to be handkerchiefs.

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  43. Sherrie Avatar
    Sherrie

    Happy, happy birthday! I’ve been watching Murder She Wrote (I know!) on Netflix, listening to Lisa Hannigan’s new album Passenger (LOVE) and drinking ridiculous amounts of tea (Zhena’s Coconut Chai (black) with a tidge of cream is heavenly). Have a wonderful, perfect birthday!

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  44. Karen Avatar
    Karen

    Happy birthday for tomorrow – hope it is a happy one! What a beautiful give away.
    Recently I have been listening to two albums a lot, both recommended to me by my 16 year old son who has great music taste. You probable are way ahead of me on this one. The first is Tallest Man on Earth ‘Shallow Grave’ and the othe ris Sufjan Stevens ‘Michigan’ is my favourite. Just scrolled up to check – you already have that on your side bar!
    The best new film I saw recently was ‘Tinker Tailor’ & I recently managed to catch ‘a single man’ which I loved. It is a retro drama thing.
    Finally I am totally in love with my ripple blanket I am making at the moment. Crochet has become a total passion in the last 18 months but my new years resolution is to make my first patchwork quilt. Just need to clear the decks and get Christmas present makinhg out of teh way first.
    Again best wished for tomorrow & good luck to the All Blacks on Sunday. My sons were born in NZ & will be yelling for them loud enough to be heard in Eden Park!

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  45. Laura Clark Avatar
    Laura Clark

    My husband and I just love watching all the old Columbo shows.I currently am knitting a sweater made from yarn I spun from my pygora goats fiber. I call it “goat to garment”. I just found your site and I am loving all the inspiration.

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  46. Char Avatar
    Char

    Since it’s fall, I’ve been making a lot of crockpot applesauce and listening to Adele and Ingrid Michealson. Recipe: chunk up 8 large apples, put in crockpot with 1/2 cup water and 1/2 cup sugar (either white or brown works), 1 tsp cinnamon. put in crockpot on low 8hrs, or high 3-4 hrs. Makes the house smell wonderful!

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  47. Kelly Avatar
    Kelly

    Happy Birthday! And thank you for this blog. It is always such a joy. As for listening, I’ve been stuck on the bands Naked and Famous, and Foster the People. And somehow David Gray always manages to make it into the mix by October each year. Two movies I really liked lately were Win, Win, and Scott Pilgrim vs. the World. Ok, have a happy day!

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  48. caireen Avatar
    caireen

    the most amazing and moving things I have seen/read this year are: “the Unmistaken Child” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gy9AFwvzmok which documents a process of reincarnation! and the book ‘A Time to Dance No Time to Weep’ by Rumer Godden which is her autobiography and much of her life in India/UK /becoming a writer which timeless. “Simple Abundance” by Sarah Ban Breathnach is also much deeper than on first impressions, and full of coincidental daily observances. Enjoy!! Cx

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  49. caireen Avatar
    caireen

    OH! ps Happy Birthday! XX

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  50. elizabeyta Avatar
    elizabeyta

    The most recent Pride and Prejudice with Keira Knightley. I like the music in this one too so it is a watch and listen.
    The most recent Sense and Sensibility from BBC (Acorn Media). Again, the soundtrack is lovely.
    The most recent Battlestar Galactica soundtrack is very good.

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