Handmade Feature and Giveaway - Beautiful Bridget

You guys probably know by now that I turn into a whiny puddle of mush when the mercury sinks past ooohhhh, about 60. That's why I have about a thousand reasons to love Beautiful Bridget. If you're going to freeze your tail off, you might as well do it in style. From the massively thick, chunky cowls to the dainty little fingerless mittens, you're certain to find something to cozy up with in a rich, brilliant range of colors.

Q. What's the story behind Beautiful Bridget? A. Here's the story behind the name: I could not for the life of me come up with a name and so my daughter (missindie) and I took the name from a line in one of our favorite Bridget Jones movies...Renee Zellwegger is dancing in a lake, spinning in a circle with this goofy look on her face (she's ingested something she shouldn't have haha!) and she says "Beeaaauutttifffullll Bridget"...and viola, I've found the name!

Q. What's your favorite aspect of your art?

A. I absolutely love that I can create something and have someone fall in love with it....and it's so thrilling to know that my pieces are being worn all around the world!

Q. How about your least favorite?

A. My least favorite is that I can't move quickly enough to produce all of the ideas that go floating through my head! I have a little notebook I carry that is just filled with ideas but I never can find the time to make them all....

Q. Where do you get the inspiration for your designs, from your epic, cozy cowls to your delicate little summer scarves? A. I take things I see around me and try to put a twist on them...the colors around me, the different textures when I go into fabric and craft stores, things I see others wearing...and I do have an addiction to big chunky yarns so anything I can make with those is a huge bonus (hence, the huge cowls!)

Q. What advice do you have for the Etsy newbies?

A. Don't just list your items to Etsy and then sit back and wait, you have to participate in the forums and get your name and face out there so everyone gets to know who you are.

Q. What's your favorite feedback that you've ever received?

A. It's actually one I recently received, I just laughed my butt off when I read it:

"I purchased this scarf for my roomies birthday present, so of course I could not unwrap it before she opened it. I was remiss in explaining it all to the artist, so the gift arrived with my name on it. Unfortunately, I just had to remove the very darling gift tag, but that really was okay. She LOVED, AND I DO MEAN LOVED the scarf. It really did match the color of her eyes, which is what I was going for. The craftWOMANship was just wonderful. I really do recommend this Etsy artist. She is sublime!!!"

Q. Pixar has just commissioned you to come up with their next blockbuster. What's your movie called, and what is it about?

A. Oh boy....okay....hmmmm......this story is about a little girl (think "Boo" from Monsters Inc.) who has a fight with her mom while in the mall and hides in one of the stores...she ends up getting locked in the mall after it closes and at first she's having a blast running through all of the stores and playing with all of the toys (that happen to come alive at night) but soon realizes how much she loves and misses her mom and....wait a minute, I can't give away the ending cause it wouldn't be fair so you'll just have to go see it ;}

Q. What is your fondest fall memory?

A. I don't really have just one fond memory of Fall, it's my favorite season and I love everything about it! My family and I always go the Silver Dollar City (a local theme park) in the Fall and have so much fun, it's one of my best Fall memories :)

Q. You were out somewhere in the wilds of Whoknowswhere and stumbled upon a never-discovered animal species. Tell me about it and what you'll name it.

A. It's a cross between a kangaroo and a bunny....so it's a HUGE rabbit! Technically it's called a Bunnyroo but I would call mine "Mr. Stimples" ;]

Q. What's the number one item on your 'bucket list?'

A. Getting back to Ireland/France/England.....my daughter and I took a 2 week trip there last year and it was the greatest experience of my life!

Q. What's your favorite Etsy shop and blog? {include links}

A. Wowzer....to be honest, I have SO many Etsy shops I love and SO many blogs I adore that it wouldn't be fair to just pick one :]

Beautiful Bridget Shop

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The Giveaway

One of you lucky readers will win your choice of any hat from Beautiful Bridget, shipped right to your door absolutely free of charge! With this great range of colors and darling cloche styles, you're sure to find something you like! The giveaway will end at midnight Pacific time on Sunday, November 1st {Already November?}, and the winner will be announced the following day.

• To enter, you must visit Beautiful Bridget and choose a favorite item. You can also suggest something you'd like to see in the shop. Leave one comment here with your answer. This step is mandatory before earning additional entries. Feel free to heart the shop as well! Make sure that you leave your e-mail address in at least your first entry.

Additional Entries

• Become a follower of Shrimp Salad Circus using the 'subscribe' options on the left sidebar. Leave one comment telling me you did so.
• If you're already a follower, then you're absolutely fabulous, and thank you! Leave two comments telling me such.
• Follow Shrimp Salad Circus on Twitter, and tweet about this giveway for one extra entry. Leave one comment with the URL from the tweet.
• Put a Shrimp Salad Circus button {Vintage Musings} on your blog sidebar for two extra entries. The button is located on our right sidebar. Leave two comments with a link to your blog after adding the button.
• Publicize this giveaway on a giveaway site or Mr. Linky for one extra entry each. Leave a link to the site(s).
  
• Stumble or Digg this post or favorite me on Technorati for one extra entry each. You can use the 'Share' button immediately below the post signature. Leave one separate comment for each action with your username or a link to the page.
  
• Blog about this giveaway and include a link and the photo of the giveaway item from above for three extra entries. Leave three separate comments with a link to the post.
  
• Purchase something from Beautiful Bridget for five extra entries. Leave five separate comments telling me what you bought. You could end up with something great for you and a friend!