Giveaway Winner and my dress for the ball!

After counting all the comments and omitting any duplicates, there were 45 comments total. I used random.org to generate a random number... # 23!


Congratulations to one of my long-time readers, TMWAY! You've won my giveaway! I sent an e-mail to you for further details so be on the lookout for that!

In regards to the ball - thank you guys so much for commenting on which dress you think I should choose. The majority of you said the red velvet dress... so I, in typical Steph fashion (just ask my husband), went with the green dress. lol. I just couldn't get the image of Mrs. Claus out of my head with the red velvet.

After receiving the green dress, I am thrilled with it. It is beautiful in person - the stock photo truly did not do this dress justice! It's amazing! The beading detail on the shoulder is gorgeous and the fit is perfect. The green velvet is rich and luxurious looking... I couldn't be happier with my choice!




The ruching (on the right side in the picture) makes for a very flattering fit.

I'm planning to do my hair like this... large waves/curls with one side pinned back (to see the shoulder detail!)


I'll post pics after the ball. It's still not for a few weeks!

Pictures from my last trip still to come - Guizhou Province, and Guangxi (Guilin, Yangshuo).

Steph

What, a giveaway?! Not Just Another Blonde in Beijing's China Treasures Giveaway!

School children walking down a street in Lijiang, Yunnan Province

HI everyone! Right now I am in Yunnan Province, China, and having an absolute blast. Everywhere I turn there is something beautiful to see! Yunnan Province is home to about 25 minority groups, and their influence is seen everywhere I turn. One of the things that has caught my eye the most here are the beautiful scarves being sold on every street. Weaving and dying is a tradition among the ethnic groups here, so the scarves here are really one of the area's special products.

According to an article I found online, "the embroidery and dyeing consists of many processes, such as brushing patterns, twisting and tying, soaking, dyeing the cloth, steam boiling, atmospheric drying, taking out stitches, rinsing and grinding the cloth, among which the knotting and dip-dyeing are main processes." From what I have read, all the dyes are naturally occurring and found in different plants and berries.

After walking through stall after stall of these beautiful, colorful scarves, I decided that because this area of China is so beautiful and unique, I really want to share part of this with one of my readers.

For this giveaway, I can't really say exactly what will be in the "treasure box" I send, because as of right now, I'm not entirely sure. I DO know there will be one of these beautiful scarves, dyed by a woman part of China's Bai ethnic group. There are also going to be other goodies, all of which are a surprise, and will be hand-picked by me. Think of it as a care package full of unique items handmade (mostly) in China.


There is more to China than the cheap manufacturing and crappy products so many of us associate with the country. China is really a special place and I am hoping to show that through this giveaway! I am hoping whoever wins this giveaway will walk away with a greater appreciation for this country.

Giveaway Rules

1. Must be a follower
2. Must live in the United States or Canada
3. I WILL ship to APO/FPO addresses
4. Tell me what colors you would want your scarf to be. I can't promise it will happen, but I can try!
5. Leave me your e-mail address, or another way to contact you

Deadline to enter this giveaway is Halloween, October 31st!

Good luck!