Giveaway! One World One Heart

UPDATE: ENTRY IS NOW CLOSED. THANK YOU SO SO MUCH TO ALL OF THOSE WHO ENTERED. I WILL BE DRAWING A WINNER ASAP and POSTING LATER TONIGHT.

THANK YOU SO MUCH & GOOD LUCK!

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My first ever giveaway! I'm so excited to be giving back to the community that has given me so much.

To My Followers:

This post is for the One World One Heart Giveaway. This is an amazing event that I only recently learned of...but am so glad that I did. This giveaway is open to everyone, regardless of whether or not you are a participant in the OWOH (One World One Heart).

Lisa (at awhimsicalbohemian.typepad.com) created this annual giveaway in 2007. (And what an awesome name, huh?! Gotta love those Lisa's.) It is open to anyone who wants to participate and is a way for bloggers to journey around the world, meet fellow travellers, possibly win some lovely gifts, and find CONNECTIONS...all while in one's jammies. Lovely, eh?

I ADORE her description of this event and am so thrilled to see so many people taking part. As she states, "If only it took a simple giveaway to create PEACE everywhere, in the mean time here we give from our hearts. We are not solving the worlds problems nor are we curing anything nor are we changing the world. We are merely generating a closer community between humans through blogging. "

EXACTLY! I'm sure that's what many of us hope to do with our blogs...simply find that community and those connections with others of open hearts.

I'm quite the procrastinator ...the deadline for joining the group has already passed (I got in at the last minute!). But I encourage you to go over and check out more about the event - and Lisa - at awhimsicalbohemian.typepad.com .

I plan this to be the first of many giveaways here. I love the feeling of creating something to be sent out to a lovely soul in the universe.

TO ONE WORLD ONE HEART Participants (and my followers who would like to enter!):

You are truly an amazing group. At the time of this posting, over 1000 strong!

As you've probably noticed, I'm one of the last few to jump on board...mainly because I had such a hard time deciding what to do for a giveaway. I've only recently discovered my inner artist and she's still a bit shy. A perfectionist-by-training, I'm still learning how to create while silencing the "shoulds".

So it is still hesitantly (but with the best of intentions to be confident!) that I offer up my first-ever altered book for my first-ever giveaway!

The story? Very simple...how one might learn to grow. Should, Could, Might, Will....AM. The book itself is about 8 1/2 inches x 5 inches in size.

I will post more about the history behind this book (and my plans to keep right on going with creating altered books, journals, and mixed-media poetry!) in a post to follow this one. (No need to make this post pages long!)

And to be honest, that little inner critic was a persistent li'l bugger ... she only now let me finish the cover. The book is in progress, but I promise it will be done and beautifully wrapped to send your way! I will continue to update THIS post with photos as it gets completed. (Finishing the cover has released some fears - it's full steam ahead from here.) UPDATE 2/9: New photos at the bottom of this post!

TO ENTER:

• Please leave a comment ON THIS POST by Monday, February 15th, 2010 before 6:00 p.m. (EST). If you've not been here before, I'd love to know a bit more about you - perhaps a fear of your own that you've recently overcome!!

• Be sure I have a way to reach you - include your blog or email address. (I can't send you the book if I can't get in touch with you!)

(I've had someone mention they were not able to leave a comment before. If you have troubles but still want to be entered in the drawing, email me at Lifeunity (at) gmail {dot} com and I'll include you.)

I will choose a winner by random number generator and announce the winner on the evening of February 15th . I will contact you if you've won (and have left a way for me to get in touch with you!). The book will be sent out the next day as long as I have a valid mailing address.

ABOUT ME:

I've seen a few OWOH sites where people have included some information about themselves and/or their blog for first-time visitors. What a great idea!

I am a "stay-at-home" mother of two young children, a registered yoga teacher, and an awakening creative spirit living in a college town in Southern Indiana.

My typical day-to-day activities include training for the Indianapolis mini-marathon and a triathlon (both of which I still can't believe -- a year ago the thought of running made me cringe and my hubby and I didn't even own bikes), getting our kindergartner to and from school, playing with our 2-year old, blogging, creating a myriad of projects, reading, laundry, and pondering the mysteries of life. Yeah, it's an interesting life I lead.

I love Anthropologie but can't afford most of their things, am far more addicted to chai than I'm comfortable with, and get annoyed when I end sentences or phrases with prepositions.

I am an avid (but not professional) photographer, get revived by the outdoors, practice yoga on and off the mat whenever I re-member my Self, and hope I am moved to start teaching again within the next year.

I am in my 30's and have followed a life indulged in Wonderment...not willing to let go of the idea of "something more" merged with the daily "to-do's". I like to challenge my own and others' views of reality, including questionning that darned phrase "that's just the way it is". I enjoy wine and diet coke, though I'm trying to drink a lot less of the latter. Neither quite fit into training, but we'll see how they work over the next few months.

I keep our house a controlled mess because there are more important things to do with my time (but am still embarassed if we have people over), am a vegetarian (but live in a household of meat-eaters and never judge other peoples' choices of what they eat), and value honest friendships -the kind where you never feel judged by the other person - quite highly (though I'm horrible about getting back with those wonderful friends I do have).

This blog exists to bring all of that - and then some - together. It is my attempt to radiate that which I've learned (and am learning) in hopes of connecting with others in the same boat and possibly inspiring some who are struggling with similar issues. It is my way of reaching out to the universe, constantly acknowledging who I am, and hoping to skip along with some fellow travellers and maybe learn some interesting songs along the way.

If this calls to you, please feel free to join me! Just click on the "Follow" button or send me an email at Lifeunity (at) gmail [dot] com. (You know the drill...gotta foil those spammers.)

Namaste - and good luck!!

--Lisa

UPDATES 2/9/2010:

I am finally almost finished! I plan to do a bit more embellishing, but here are some photos of the insides of the book...ya know, the actual story part?!

I am truly overwhelmed by all of the kind comments and the blogs and talent of the OWOH participants! Thank you all so much for sharing your worlds with me...