{ uppin' the ante: adopt a critter }

My Playdoh critters are in need of new homes! So I'm putting them up for "adoption". 10 printable sets ( pick your critter ) will be given away to 10 lucky followers, old and new, for three consecutive weeks. First let me introduce you to them, my adorable little Playdoh critters:

Bird, Cow, Sheep, Elephant & Turtle

How do I qualify to adopt? (Do one of these mechanics or all)

• Become a follower of this blog (via Blogspot or Google Friend Connect). Comment here or on my fan page wall so I can verify if you are joining this giveaway. (+2 entry)

• Become a fan of my Facebook fan page at facebook.com/kokopinto . Comment here or on my fan page wall so I can verify if you are joining this giveaway especially to those who became Facebook fans before this post. (+2 entry)

• Tweet about this on Twitter (+ 1 entry) Copy-paste this sample tweet I have here or make your own just include @kokopinto so I can find it, here's my sample tweet:
  
  Do you want to win a Playdoh critter printable stationery set? They're pretty awesome! Join here: http://bit.ly/qQEAA @kokopinto #handmade

• Go to my Etsy shop and add to your favorites the items you like (printables, paintings, recyclables) then tell me why you like it by commenting here. If you don't have an Etsy account, just leave a comment here and/or a comment on my Facebook Fan Page instead telling me why you like it. (+1 entry)

• Each retweet earns you another entry. each entry will be assigned another number to draw from Random.Org (thanks Kikay Designs). The more you retweet, the more chances of winning!

First draw: Sunday, July 5 (ET), July 4 (ET). 3 winners
Second draw: Sunday, July 12 (ET), July 11 (PT), 3 winners
Last draw: Sunday, July 19 (ET), July 18 (PT), 4 winners

No one will end up empty handed. To those who won't be so lucky, you still get a giveaway of my printable bookmarks, they're pretty awesome too. So come on now, get following!!

{ advertise here for free }

Let this be one of those things you'd treasure! if you're an artisan like me. FREE AD SPACE! Aside from featuring my favorite finds around the world wide web, I thought why not utilize that extra sidebar space as well. So for the specs:

• 190 x 80 pixels, JPG, PNG or GIF: If you're NOT a graphics-slash-photoshop-slash-html person, you needn't fret. Just email me regarding this issue so we can work something out. Yes, I can also make this 190 x 80 pixel banner for free. But if you can do it on your own, then that's also okay. As long as you stick to the size and file format. No animated banners please. I also have to approve the banner designs first, I'm quite particular with typography. Again not to worry, if I think your banner could use a little tweaking, let me tweak it and next thing you'll know, it's up and runnin'.

I have two kinds of free ad space:

• 60-day ad space: To keep things simple, I've decided to just keep your ads for 60 days. I will notify you when I'm about to remove your ad, just let me know by then if you want another round of 60 days of banner exposure, much like you would with classified ads spaces.

• Ads trade: You keep my ad for as long as you like and I will keep yours. So basically if you want your ad to be permanently up on my blog, you should try out this option. If ever there will be updates on the design of your banners, just tell me and I'll gladly upload the new banners. Hopefully you'd do with mine too. Just grab any of these banners I have here and link it to this blog http://kokopinto.blogspot.com . If you need a particular size, just let me know. I'll be adding more sizes, square and bigger and button sizes.

An image (yourbanner) that would link to (yourwebsite) when people click it. The banners will appear at the right sidebar of this blog. And you don't have to pay per click! So if you are interested in the free ad space, just email me at kokopinto@gmail.com so I can answer any more of your questions, or make any suggestions or we can just get on with the uploading of your banner!

{ who's excited to meet the teachers? }

It has been a hectic 2 days, first 2 days of school for my brother Jak. He is now in 1st grade in Woodridge (a very huge on discipline and character building and very clean and very much green school) was also my school then from 1st grade through high school, should explain why I'm a very disciplined and environmentally aware being ;D

His teacher said he's too young to be in 1st grade because he's only 6 but too big that he could be admitted for 2nd grade. :D Had to go and stay with him for 3 hours, we woke up at 5AM and got ready just in time for the school bus that arrives at 5:45 sharp. But tomorrow he goes on his own and would be home hopefully not later than 3PM. Man, that's 9 hours of no Jak, no annoying but can't help to be adorable little brother, no ambush kisses and hugs. But then it's good that I can focus on my work. 9 hours should be enough. Then when he gets home, I'm all his again until doze off time at 9pm. This should really fix my body clock now. Now for more documentation of discipline and green.

{ obsession: fleurografie by ronald ceuppens }

I don't understand Dutch (Belgium right?) but I do understand process art. Etching is a very old printmaking process (dating 500 years) but a very sophisticated yet quite a fun process indeed. I have tried my hand at printmaking using rubber panels and we "etched" designs on it using cutters and carving tools. When the design was finished, we put ink on the rubber and pressed it against the paper. Talk about instant gratification, much more with this type of etching at this level of detail and layers. With the use of a metal plate and acid, the possibilities are endless! A new Etsy shop keeper, Ronald Ceuppens (Fleurografie), also on the verge of making his first Etsy sale, offers us the most intriguing etchings. You can also check out his own website offering larger prints at ronaldceuppens.be/

{ obsession: rachel marsden photography }

Did you dream something so beautiful last night and yet you couldn't remember it? Well, Rachel Marsden did a long time ago but the dream stuck and now she shares it with us with the dreamiest photographs I've ever seen. She did everything she can from planning how to make a mattress float to actually try making a mattress float with balloons tied to it. Well Rachel, leave the mattresses to us and just keep on making these dreamy balloon sets for us to put under our pillows (or well on frame by a bedside table). Her shop | website | twitter.

{ obsession: monograft by gladys phan }

This plush maker caught my attention when we were all just chatting away in an Etsy chatroom yesterday. She has still to make her first sale so visit her shop now. Her plushies are ridiculously adorable and man the dude in the 3rd pola, looks a bit stern. Huggably stern. Hahaha! I know by now you are a fan so join her Facebook fan page now!

{ much ado about sophia }

.. my puppy Sophia, 5 months and counting. She's a Lab-Pitbull-Shitzu mix, so I guess she'll be a medium sized pitbull. She became part of the family when she was just 2.5 months old. She's what we call a runt. Her mother didn't like her, kicks her during breast feeding. Well that was a lucky strike or else they wouldn't have given her to us.

She's one nibbling machine (nibbling, not biting) but her teeth are just really sharp and rough, so I've got scratches all over but thank goodness she's not rabid although she still hasn't got her rabies shots, I've just maintained a really sterile environment for her. No much contact from visitors, when they come, I'm like the mopping machine, following their tracks, and those curious stray dogs, not so curious anymore and vitamins! Very important, her vitamins!

{ we're back }

So I have been gone in a very long time. Thought I'd give this blog another shot. I have been just updating my Tumblr blogs because they're really easy to use. But with the custom layouts there, I couldn't install Disqus and without that, people can't comment. Hopefully Blogger would be able to adapt Tumblr's uploading ease or maybe integrate the two sites so that everybody will be happy-er.

Anyhoo, it has taken me this long to repair this relationship with this blog. Why, you might ask. It's because of this! I've recently launched my new product line, printable stationery, on my Etsy shop! The designs are made from PlayDoh. Yes, (read that again) PlayDoh. I have been surrounded with PlayDoh for 5 years now, thanks to my brother. Took that long to have the idea catch up with me. Haha, oh well things like this don't pour on us like rain. I'm really glad I was out with nothing but a thinking cap on when inspiration struck. Or rather I was fed up with cleaning up all those PlayDoh muck on my desk. Might as well join in the mess and I couldn't have had more fun. Here they are!

The First Four! They're Birdie, Baaa, Turtloo, and Ooglephant. They're the oogliest critters in the world, with their most beady peepers and the brightest colors! I'm now working on new critters so look out for them. The stationery set includes gift tags, flat and folded notecards, letterhead or rather letterfoot and available in US and European (A4) templates. So drop by the shop and oogle on this critters.

PS: I know it's ogle, I just can't help to not add that extra Ooh hence I say it 'oogle' so please bear with me. ;D