Evaluating dreams is the most difficult thing I have ever done on Oh My! Handmade yet. All the entrants to our New Biz for the New Year giveaway showed creativity, inspiration and the passion to make 2012 the best year for their business and their dreams. How do you say no to someones heart? It is no easy thing. I am excited to announce the winner but before I do I have to say that you are all winners! Everyone who took the time to create an entry and reflect on where they have come from and where they are going reached into my heart and inspired me beyond belief. I adore each and every one of you and believe in the power of your creativity!
But there can only be ONE grand prize winner.
This entrant’s sweet humility, young spirit and entrepreneurial drive made a big impression on myself and the other contributors to the giveaway. She was the first to comment on the giveaway and spent the entire month of December connecting and sharing with the #omhg community. With support and guidance we are sure we will see her in the pages of Seventeen Magazine and supporting herself with her dreams. Leeana of Lovelee Soaps congratulations on winning the GRAND PRIZE!
This entrant was chosen unanimously! All of us relate in someway to needing to praise and make room for our inner goofball. We need to stop taking ourselves so seriously so we can be serious about joy. With our support and love her business will grow and thrive and help her get to the place she needs to be to open a brick and mortar store so she can share her love of handmade with her community. Tania of ManusMade you have won 2nd Prize!
Her enthusiasm and warmth leapt off the screen and right into our hearts. She took the time to connect with almost every entrant to the contest on Twitter and Facebook. Her video entry was creative and inspiring, her optimism contagious. While her business is newer and in need of support and direction she has all the pieces of a successful business she just needs the tools to help her put the puzzle together. With our support and skills her business will go from fledgling to full on in 2012! Congratulations Adriana Willsie you have won 3rd prize!
Hooray for all 3 of you, 2012 is going to sparkle and shine, your businesses are going to thrive and you are going to make amazing new friends. I am thrilled to adventure along with you and celebrate your success! Please contact me by email at editor@ohmyhandmade.com to claim your prize!
Honorable Mentions
But wait! There’s more!
I was impressed and moved by almost all of the entries so I am choosing a second list of winners. 12 entrants will have their submission featured on Oh My! Handmade as part of our Meeting the Makers series. One each month until 2012 leaves us! I think these stories need to be read, shared and appreciated so I will showcase one entrant a month. The featured business will have an ad run in the sidebar of Oh My! Handmade for the month their post runs. I will also open it up to the community to offer support, suggestions or to collaborate (trades are good!) on the missing pieces each business needs to work on. Designers get your creative juices flowing, I’ll be calling on you to design logos or other materials in mini-contests each month!
- Laura Clempson of Cupcakes for Clara-All of us were impressed by Laura’s (oh, excuse me-Clara’s) sweet entry and her business concept. We think she is already doing everything right but will benefit from some OMHG community loving. Virtual cake coming your way!
- Christine Haynes of Christine Haynes-Christine is at a crossroads, she has invested the time and finances to grow her business to where it is now but now her dream is shifting and it is time to align the old brand with the new future awaiting it. I deliberated long and hard about this one! But we feel that Christine is firmly set on the path for success and realizing the full potential of her dreams in 2012. I can’t wait to showcase her awesomeness for you all!
- Corinna Buchholz of Piddix-Corina is one of Etsy’s top 10 handmade vendors! Her business would benefit from an updated logo and unified branding but she is already well on the way to world domination. Her entry was exquisitely written and engaging and I feel deserves to be shared in a post of its own to inspire others in the same position.
- Karen Berman of Moment of Focus-Karen was a superstar connector during the contest, making a Twitter list so entrants could stay in touch and working hard to build community among the participants. Her jewelry is unique and incredible and poised to be the next big thing!
- Lakshmi of Studio Lakshmi-Lakshmi pushed her comfort zone to make a beautiful video for us where we could connect and meet her true self. Her honesty and creativity in sharing her journey made my heart sing and should be seen by all of us struggling to make our dreams reality while also juggling motherhood.
- Nanako & Deb of Pig & Fish-These ladies are just lovely! Their kindness and support of other creatives radiates from their entry and the supportive comments they shared on Twitter and the giveaway post. I can’t wait to introduce them to you and share their story on OMHG.
- Mary Craig of Clutch Jewels-this fashionable sister made a great impression on me with her video! You don’t get much sparklier and fabulous then Mary! I can’t wait to connect further and share her awesomeness and successful business with OMHG readers.
- Stefanie Nieves of The Petite Soiree-Stefanie’s story is incredible, despite opposition to her living her dreams she is fighting to make them reality. Her determination, passion and creativity are awe-inspiring, this is one supermama to watch out for!
- Sarah Lee of Sarah’s Silks-Sarah has been an inspiration to me for years. I first found out about her playsilks when I was a new mother almost 8 years ago! For over 20 years Sarah has been building a family run business based on ethics, community and creative play. Now she is faced with bringing her business into a new more visual age and connecting with her market in innovative ways. I know she will do it with grace and creativity and want to help where I can!
- Faith Raider of Faith Simplicity-Faith’s was our first entry to the contest and I found it as moving on the 3 reading as the first. Faith’s honesty and authenticity shone through in her entry as she talked about developing a business that allows her to be gentle with her depression, balance motherhood and find hope in struggle. I can identify with her story so deeply and know that other women will be inspired by reading her journey. Sorry we can’t help you with your rebrand this time around but we will be here to celebrate you as you embark on it!
- Kites and Crows-This family run creative adventure is a beautiful thing! Combining music, art, handmade and entrepreneurial spirit Mysha and Jessica Lee are involving their two children as they live their dreams. I think theirs is a story we can all be moved by and their music is a treat for the ears. Keep dreaming lovely family I can’t wait to see where the journey leads you!
- Michelle Benkso of Cloud 9 Fabrics-Michelle’s business is simply amazing and I have been a fan of their fabrics for a couple years now! Her entry shows us that you can have a brilliant business concept, all the right pieces, and everything on the way up but still need a little help scaling the mountain. I hope Michelle is able to connect with our thriving design community to get the support her business needs to achieve supernova status in 2012! And I get to share my fabric lust with you all in a feature post-yes!
- Sarah Hart of Hart to Heart-Did I say 12? How about one more for good luck? This last sweet and creative entry snuck into my brain and I am choosing her for a Spring feature in our Handmade Here series since she is a local lovely and I am excited to connect and help her grow her business in 2012.
I can’t let the rest of you walk away empty handed, so many other entries made an impact on me and all of you deserve to be celebrated for your creativity. The remaining entrants to the contest will all receive copies of my Cultivate Your Creativity workbook and a discount on advertising if booked before the end of January. You will receive an email tomorrow with your book and more information. In order of entry not of awesome here are the rest of the participants:
Caitlin Abshier of Revive Your Bath
Jen of Never Felt Better Vegan
Bridgett Edwards of Perideau Designs
Holly Priestley of Silly Little Lady
Gabbie Arias of missevilkitty.com
Jennifer of Miss Maggie’s Place
Bianca Pettis and Jacob Roske of Beatrix*JAR
Stephanie Doyle of silverandhoney.com
Kelly and Joann of kandrac-kole.com
Roxanne Coffelt of Shanghai Tai LLC
Eloise Pare of TheGreenBunny.etsy.com
Nicole and Jen of Two Sisters, Anytown
Paula of The Frog Prince Paperie
Tracey Rediker of Tracey Knits
April of Anointment Natural Skin Care
Lorrie Brown of jandlcreations.com
Kathryn of Big Twig Design
Rachel Low of pinsandneedlesnyc.com
Diana of Not Your Every Day Cards
Jamin & Natalie of Re-Wood Toys
Thank you all! You make the world a brighter, more beautiful place to live and give me hope for all the goodness 2012 holds. Please stay in touch and keep this new community vibrant by taking part in our weekly #omhg Twitter chats that resume on Thursday from 1-2EST. I will be running a similar contest next year (of course even grander then this one!) so keep your pencils sharpened and your hopes bright!
Thank you to our generous contest sponsors:
Aeolidia, Ahoy Graphics, Tracey Selingo, Moxie Pear, Allisa Jacobs, Erin Giles and Meagan Visser. You are the most awesome community an editor can dream of, thank you for everything and for making this possible!
Know that you are all deserving, that your dreams are worth following and that there is a community here to celebrate your wonderfulness all year long!
Virtual hugs and consolations and celebrations from my heart to yours. Now go on and grab 2012, invite it for tea and make some more grand plans. I’m right there with you.
congrats to all of the winners!!!
http://www.etsystalkers.com/
It was so hard! Julie I loved your entry, made me laugh out loud repeatedly! May 2012 be full of pencils and insults and goodness!
Yay! Congratulations to everyone- so many fabulous entries!
And yours was one of them Jenelle! I love your shop and watching your business grow, sending all sorts of good wishes your way lovely!
Congrats to Leeana, Tania, + Adriana!! What an amazing gift you’ve just been given – we hope that you SOAR this year!! And Thank You Jessika for including us in your list of honorable mentions – what a thoughtful bonus!! Here’s to a job well done – we’re grateful for the opportunity + feel inspired for 2012!!
I know that you will soar this year Nanako, your business is set for grandness! I am looking forward to sharing your journey with our readers in the coming months.
Eep! Congratulations to everyone and big kudos to you Jessika for the vision, the inspiration and the channels to help everyone make their dreams come true!
Oh Tracey you are too lovely! I have loved indulging my fairy godmother complex and seeing this community open up to share their hearts and dreams. I think in the long run I win more then anyone!
What an excellent list of winners! I am SO thrilled for Leeana and really think she will do amazingly this year.
Thank you so much for honorably mentioning Cupcakes for Clara – I’m very excited! What an amazing competition, and I think I can speak for all of us when I say we’ve benefitted so much just by entering.
I am so happy to hear that Clara! I adored your entry and your grumpy little friend, you are absolutely going to achieve all your goals this year and then some! Can’t wait to show off your girls on Oh My!
Congratulations to all the winners. I’ve been watching with interest and so look forward to checking out all the talented people you’ve listed. Happy New Year all. Xx
Congratulations to all of the winners + honorable mentions, they were all such deserving people. All the best for 2012.
Hannah your entry was also beautiful and moving, you are deserving too! Thank you for entering and sharing your story, hope to continue to get to know you and your business:)
congrats to you all! i look forward to checking out everybody who entered, too 🙂
I am so excited for the winners! They truly reached out to others (like me) to give the warm fuzzies! I was moved by Leena!
(and Clara’s cupcakes made me laugh o ut loud!)
I have been much inspired by this opportunity. Thank you talented ladies!
Jillian your entry was so fabulous, I loved your kiddos! You definitely need a new logo and fonts but I bet you that if you come join our #omhg chats or reach out online that you will be able to barter or trade to find the support you need. Best of luck expanding and rebranding in 2012!
Congratulations to all the winners! And everyone who entered, too… this has been a wonderful opportunity to share our stories and build our little community 🙂
And thanks to Jessika and all the sponsors who helped put this all together 🙂
Thank you so much, Jessika! It’s been such a joy to participate and to get to know everyone. What a gift! I feel like I’m starting 2012 with a whole new group of online friends 🙂 I look forward to keeping up with everyone as we grow our businesses in the new year!
You are SOOOO welcome Adriana! Your entry spoke to a number of us and your optimism is contagious. We are looking forward to supporting you and your art in 2012!
Aw, thanks Jessika- this is my catalyst. I will be looking for some partners in crime very soon!
A stellar list! Congratulations to everyone – I can’t wait to visit the winners and all participants 🙂 Happy New Year, indeed!
Thank you for being such an awesome champion of handmade and such a great friend Sarah-you are a superstar too!
Congratulations to all the winners!! May your businesses flourish this year!
Ack! It was so hard Bridgett-harder when I know and adore you! I think your brand and your family are going to have a stupendous 2012 and I am going to be there cheering you every step of the way!
Congratulations to all the winners. I hope that everyone uses their gifts wisely and has an amazingly awesome 2012 as a result!
I loved your entry Diana! Thank you so much for entering and I hope 2012 is full of adventures and growth for you and your business:)
Congratulations to all that won !! – Miss evil Kitty!!!
I am so glad you entered Gabbie! Great things are in store for you and Miss Evil Kitty in 2012!
Congratulations all around!
Way to go Leanna! You’re a superstar & so deserving of this wonderful opportunity.
Tania- I’m so excited to work with you & see your brand grow in the new year!
Adriana- Your pet portraits caught my eye and I look forward to seeing all that is in store for you 🙂
I’m excited to get to know more about all of the honorable mentions throughout the year. So much incredible talent & passion out there!
Jess- a big thank you for putting this amazing giveaway together and giving us contributors a chance to share what we love to do as well. I’m thankful for being part of this community and seeing all of this talent is inspiring to us all. You’re one in a million, you are!
xoxo
What an amazing group of talented folks. I can’t wait to go back and re-read all the winner’s entries. I think it’s a real gift you’ve given to all the entrants. The time to think and reflect on goals for the new year doesn’t always come easily.
And thank you so very much for your kind words about piddix, and for choosing my business as one of the “Honorable Mentions.” I can’t wait to continue the conversation in 2012. Now go get some sleep!
sweet ! Thanks everyone …that was fun!
happy new year….
love, Kites & Crows
http://www.kitesandcrows.net/ohmyhandmade!
thank you so much and congrats to the lucky winners very well deserved<3. wish you all the absolute best in 2012 and beyond. thanks jessika for such a great opportunity and your super kind words im glad you enjoyed my submission.. truly came from the heart. you're very kind in featuring us 🙂
You are so very welcome Stefanie! Your submission obviously came from the heart and showed the incredible journey you are on. I know many of our readers will be inspired by your story:)
Congratulations to all of us! Each business entry is so interesting and unique!!!
I am truly inspired by Leeana and many of the other makers here.
Thanks Jessika and all the other business donors for a wonderful contest!
And for choosing Sarah’s Silks as an honorable mention.
Yes congratulations to you all Sarah! I am excited to share your business again on OMHG and see where 2012 takes your beautiful business!
Congrats to all the winners! And best wishes to everyone in 2012. A big thank you to OMHG for the amazing opportunity!
Thank you for entering Jenn! Best of luck to you and your newly rebranded business-be sure to stay in touch!
huge congrats to the winners!!! I’m simply thrilled to be included in the honorable mention group! fantastic company and thanks to Jessika for the kind words and AMAZING giveaway! and it is great to get to know all the other entrants as well! let’s go get 2012!!!
Congratulations everyone!! We are all winners and may 2012 be a year of growth in business and friendship!
Woow! Congratulations to the winners, well deserved … And congratulations to all, because all of you lefts as winners of 2011, and will entered certainty to a 2012 full of success:)
Thanks so much for this wonderful contest!
I am so excited for each and every one of you that entered. I know your businesses will flourish and grow with the support of the Oh My Handmade community! I feel blessed to have been able to get to know you all through your stories and dreams. I can only imagine how hard this decision must have been for you Jessika. Thank you so much for putting your heart into this community and giving back to such a wonderful bunch of people!
I’m thrilled I get to work with Leeana through my work with Aeolidia! Whoo, what an exciting day!
Congrats to my fellow student soap maker! I am excited to see your business take of and how this helps everyone out for the future. Congrats again!
Caitlin
WOW! WOW! WOW!
I am so excited I can’t even put it into words!
This has been such an amazing accomplishment and prize that I have been given and will never ever forget it. I want to thank all of the contributors for the opportunity and everyone that entered. You have all inspired me more than you will ever know. I am so thankful for all of the new friendships that I have gained through this contest. I look so forward to making 2012 the best year yet and invite you all to share this journey with me.
Happy new year!
Leeana Provan
jess, what an amazing community you have built here. i am so impressed by all the passion that you bring out in everyone whose lives and businesses you touch!
i can’t wait to look through all the entrants, i know it will be super motivating and inspiring. next year i hope to get my own little video in there!
xo thanks for all you do 🙂
Weeee! Thank you so much! I am thrilled beyond bits about this opportunity! I love the community here at OMHG and once again am bowled over by the love and support in this handmade community. I read through many of the entries yesterday and was left laughing and crying and just plain proud of everyone. Here’s to a fabulous 2012 for all of us!
xoxo
Congrats to the winners!! You all had awsome entries.
Congratulations everyone! & thank you Jessika for coordinating such a great giveaway. There were so many intriguing stories, and the passion everyone had for their business was overwhelming. Happy 2012!
all such wonderful talents!
Congrats to all the winners!
Huge congrats to everyone who participated! So excited to see how the winners’ shops evolve over the course of the year. What an amazing opportunity 🙂
Wowee!! Amazing – I was hoping to catch the results when I checked your site today. How very exciting for the winners and all – congrats to everyone. It’s inspiring to witness the kudos, support and just an all around amazing spot here. cheers!
Congrats to all the winners !!! Leanna , you deserve the grand prize !! Adriana , congrats , I’m so delighted a fellow artist is a winner 🙂
Thanks , jessika for including me in the honorable mentions !! I’ll make the most of it :))
I hope 2012 brings peace ,
happiness , joy & fulfills everyone’s dreams !
Thank you jessika for pushing to dream !
My name was not in the list of participants. I wonder if my entry was ever received 🙁
Congratulations to all! I look forward to seeing how winning this contest changes the lives and businesses of the winners. And how wonderful to hear that there will be another contest (even grander, Oh My!) at the end of this year.
Tania
Congratulations to all the winners! You totally deserve it…
Have a great 2012 with the wonderful beginning 🙂
Congratulations to all of the winners!
Jessika – Thank you so much for putting on this contest! I hope we will all get to participate in the transformations! I know that I can learn a lot from watching these new businesses bloom.
Congratulations to the worthy winners – what a fab contest that really captured the imagination of the OMHG community.
Well done to all and looking forward to a happy and successful 2012, Lucy x
So awesome! Congratulations to all of the winners! Wishing EVERYONE lots of success in 2012!
Congratulations to the winners and to all of the people who entered.
I look forward to seeing all of the businesses grow in 2012.
Congratulations to the winners! What amazing people and businesses!!!! 🙂
And thanks so much for holding this and for being so awefully generous to give something to everyone! I am so curious about that book “Cultivate your creativity” … can not wait! 🙂 It sounds amazing and I will put it to good use … and be back to enter at the end of the year! 🙂
Oh, of course I will be back every day to read your posts, too!
Thanks,
Ursula