This Is It!

I'm so excited. This is the day I get to draw and find out who receives my One World One Heart Giveaway. I wish it could be each one of you who have dropped by for a visit and left such kind words behind. It has also been great fun returning visits and seeing all of the friendship, creativity, artistry, and uniqueness that lies out there in the international community of bloggers. I will be taking time in the next weeks and months to revisit you at a slower and more savoring pace. Originally I had intended to use a random number generator to pick the winner, but then I felt I might like to do something more personal. So I have collected the name or identifying information from each comment and placed it in my son's magic top hat.....With pink blindfold in place, my youngest reaches in and pulls out a name...

And the Winner is:

Btw.... There were 179 entries altogether including Alice who left a post on my doll blog and HereBeDragons who chimed in just after 12 (duplicate responders were included only once and there were two of these).

You can still comment...

to be included in the "One World One Heart Giveaway" drawing (up until midnight February 14th EST).

One World One Heart post

cute New Year's packaging

One World One Heart Giveaway

This stop on your magic carpet ride brings you to Southwest China....

a world of beautiful mountainous landscapes & densely populated cities

smiling faces

&
colorful people

25 of China's 56 nationally recognized minority groups reside here. Representing unique cultures and traditions; many of these minorities have excelled in the creation of vibrantly embroidered handwork.

This year, Chinese New Year (which is based on the Lunar Calendar) falls on February 14th, Valentine's Day. The people here will be celebrating the arrival of the Year of the Tiger with fireworks, family meals together (which may or may not include spring rolls, dumplings, sweet sticky rice balls, and New Year's cake), and trips home to their loved ones. Some may also go on day outings. School children will have about a month or more of holiday and their parents a week off from work. Countless small shops and markets will close for 3-7 days. In remembrance of your visit, one of you will receive a silver Fú (foo) 福 charm which means "Blessing." Doors and windows all over the country will be decorated with red paper cuts, children & tiger figures, or banners containing this character. Some hang the 福 upside down encouraging the blessing to pour out. Red is the color of Chinese New Year and also the color of the envelops filled with gift money that the children happily receive (hóngbāo s 红包). You will also receive a locally made small hand embroidered purse.

As you depart southward on your carpet ride, please be sure to linger long enough to look down and see the lights of Hong Kong.

Remember to leave a comment to enter your name in the giveaway. I will randomly pick the winner around 12midnight EST and make the announcement on February 15th 2010.
Thank you for dropping in.
一路平安!