Archive for 2008
What’s New with the Doggies
It’s been a while since I’ve mentioned our four-legged friends around here, and some of you might be wondering what’s going on.
Well the puppies have all been adopted out–the last one the day after Christmas. Sniff sniff. I definitely miss their energy but not so much the crazy hours and, ahem, the smell.
From about that time, I’ve been working hard on the blog and trying to juggle other work projects so other than our 5 walks a day, Luna and Stella have had to entertain themselves. Poverine, I know.
Don’t worry though because their Nana in the States hooked them up big time for Christmas. First of all, they’re keeping warm *and* stylish in their brand new sherpa jackets:
And they’ve had plenty to play with as well, including these adorable squeaky snowmen.
Indeed, this was a common scene around here over the past couple weeks.
But the snowmen have since surrendered.
welcome to bleedingespresso.com!
Ta daaaaaaaa!
I still have some tweaking to do, but please look around and let me know what you think. Be kind, though, because my eyes are literally crossing after many, many days of learning many, many new things in front of the computer.
Now the fun part.
To celebrate the move and new look, I’m going to give away a $30 (thirty US dollars) Amazon.com gift certificate to one lucky winner. If you win and can’t use an Amazon.com gift certificate, we can discuss an equivalent prize.
Here’s how to enter the drawing:
1. Link to me in your blogroll OR if you already link to me, update your link to http://bleedingespresso.com.
2. Subscribe to my new feed OR if you’re already a subscriber, sign up to the new feed; really you should be automatically transferred shortly, but you can never be too sure, right?
3. Comment and let me know that you’ve done either or both of the above by 11:59 p.m. CET Monday, January 21, 2008. You can comment as many times as you like, but only one comment will count for the drawing.
Along with a new look, I’ve come up with lots of exciting ideas for this year to be discussed soon, and I do hope you’ll come along for the ride.
As always, thanks so much for reading, and best of luck in the drawing!
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[tags]contests, moving to your own domain, new blog designs[/tags]
almost there
I hope you’re not worried that something is wrong or that my Internet service has cut out (knock on wood) or that anything else nasty has happened . . . I’m just taking some time to work on the new blog, which will be revealed on Monday.
Here’s a sneak preview of the new look:
Y’all come back now, ya hear?
Buon weekend!
[tags]blog design, new look, coffee beans, espresso beans, espresso[/tags]
bloggers’ generosity (plus more contests)
The other day I mentioned how kind the blogging community has been to me lately. Now I’m going to give you the details.
First, just before Christmas I received a care package of a crazy amount of cross stitch goodies from my friend Concetta of An Italian-Scot’s Stitching Journal.
Check out my favorite, “The Dreamer,” which some of you may remember is what “Sognatrice” means in Italian:
As I told Concetta, I think this would be gorgeous in a little girl’s room. Now I just have to get me a little girl . . . .
Grazie mille Concetta!
Then the Italian postal service continued to bless me with actual delivery when My French Life by Vicki Archer arrived just after Christmas. I had won this book in a contest over at Robin’s place My Melange.
This book is *gorgeous* and if I didn’t want to head to France to visit my expat Froggie bloggie buddies, I sure do now (although truth be told, I did before anyway).
And then I got news that I also won a contest over at Valerie’s 2 Baci in a Pinon Tree. I know! What did I step in, right?
Valerie was compiling a list of expat bloggers in Italy and offered up some fabulous prizes: a copy of Science in the Kitchen and the Art of Eating Well by Pelligrino Artusi (English translation) and–get this!–“hand-crafted chocolates from the best darn cioccolateria in Le Marche.” Woohoo! *So* exciting!
And then I read that Geggie of So…What Else? What Else? What Else? is having a contest giving away some Burt’s Bees goodies. Well I’m on a lucky streak, so of course I had to enter–and you should too!
CLICK HERE TO ENTER TO WIN BURT’S BEES GOODIES
But wouldn’t you know it? I’m already a winner! In the contest post Geggie asked for a little technical help and has now offered to send me some fun stuff as a thank you. Thank *you* Geggie!
Speaking of contests, head on over to Grace’s Sandier Pastures and leave a comment explaining why you need a new blog design–and you just might win one.
CLICK HERE TO ENTER TO WIN A FREE BLOG DESIGN
And finally I got a big ole virtual bacio from Jenn at The Verge. She wrote some truly wonderful, heartwarming thoughts about me which mean so much coming from a blogger who I just love visiting.
So I’m passing along this:
to Concetta, Robin, Valerie, Geggie, and Grace (and back at Jenn) for their generosity and kindness not only to me but to all of us who are lucky enough to have found them.
This blogosphere just keeps on giving I tell you, and I couldn’t be more grateful to be a part of it.
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[tags]cross stitch, contests, my french life, vicki archer, blogging awards, science in the kitchen and the art of eating well, pellegrino artusi, burt’s bees, free blog design[/tags]
Persian Girls by Nahid Rachlin
Persian Girls delivers on all accounts and has made me want to learn more not only about this intriguing woman but also about Iranian history and culture in general.
Read on...
Michelle Kaminsky is an American attorney-turned-freelance writer who lived in her family's ancestral village in Calabria, Italy for 15 years. This blog is now archived.
Calabria Guidebook
Recipes
