GRAND PRIZE Giveaway – Cheers My Darling Canvas Art

What better way to wrap up four wonderful weeks of free prizes than to give away to ONE lucky winner – a piece from my very own collection?!

In honor of our 4 year Anniversary Celebration at Sugarluxe, I am thrilled to offer (for the first time ever) a FREE giclee canvas.  For those of you who have joined me all month long for our giveaways – I hope you’ve enjoyed our brand new items, the chance at winning these goodies, and the anticipation of seeing what comes next. I’ve had so much fun and I sure hope you have, too.

Week #1 – Sugarluxe Art & Soul Mirror Compact Winners
Week #2 – Sugarluxe SMART Collection Cufflinks Winners
Week #3 – Sugarluxe Decor Vinyl Big Wall Graphics Winners

So, let’s talk a little bit about this week’s Grand Prize…

You already know that I work on so many different things at once and I have a multitude of projects underway at any given time. That’s why it made it kind of hard to figure out exactly what I was going to do for the Grand Prize.  When I started this 4 weeks ago, I knew I wanted to give away something BIG…I just didn’t know what!

More importantly, as the clock was ticking, I realized I also wanted to offer something that is unique and meaningful to me.  When it came right down to it – I couldn’t think of anything better than this.

And here she is folks:  Ruby Moon in Cheers My Darling

But why is this piece so special?  After all, you can find Ruby Moon on our website and also a derivative at Z Gallerie.  You can even get a mini print version on our archival paper prints.

HOWEVER – there is ONLY ONE like the photo you see below.  This is a canvas like no other. 

So, this week – for our BIG GRAND PRIZE GIVEAWAY – someone will win this one of a kind:

• 40″ x 40″ Gallery Wrapped Canvas Art by Sugarluxe
• Signed & Numbered – AP 1/1
• Embedded with 10 Genuine Swarovski Crystals
• With a Personal Note to Winner on the Back
• Also Includes a Certificate of Authenticity

And like all of our prizes, this too, includes FREE shipping. 

If you were with me last year during our benefit to help raise money for the Austin Children’s Shelter – you may have seen the Cheers My Darling art before.  It had the honor of being on public display for two months.  But this particular piece was NOT for SALE. 

Why am I finally giving this canvas away now?  Well, it’s simply because:

1. I want it in the home of someone who I’m sure will love it like I do.
2. It’s valuable to me because it’s long been part of the Sugarluxe Studio.
3. I want the winner to receive a gift that NO ONE else will ever have. 

Ruby Moon will be around for years to come…but this is a version that I had made just for my studio.  The “my darling” part is so exquisitely old school and I just can’t wait to share it with you.

Do you want to win?  Do you?  Do you want this REALLY BAD???

If so, make sure you are familiar with the Official Rules.  You must subscribe or have already subscribed via email. 

Plus, even if you’ve already commented elsewhere, remember – you need to leave a comment on this post telling me how much you love me would love to have this canvas…and STUMBLE IT, you can BLOG ABOUT IT, or POST the LINK ON FACEBOOK (and tag me so I know about it) to earn extra entries into the Grand Prize Drawing.

Retail Value?  Priceless.

——————————————————–  WINNER ANNOUNCED ——————————————————–

UPDATE March 2, 2009:

Little did I know that last Monday would set off what would end up being both the most fun, and the most gut-wrenching giveaway to date.  With each remarkable comment, my heart sank.  I was so excited for who might win, while I often felt like I would be letting down at least 50 other people.  As someone who doesn’t much like to disappoint…it’s been tougher than I thought it would be. 

Everyone brightened my days, many people made me laugh out loud.  But in the end…this past week’s contest really came down to who could spread the word about Sugarluxe the most.  Not in a spammy, click the site all day kind of way…but by being someone who brought in MORE unique visitors, turned on MORE people to Sugarluxe, and introduced my art to MORE people than anyone else - and that person is…

wait for it

wait for it

Stean P. – YOU are the GRAND PRIZE WINNER!

You were relentless, involved, fun, relentless (did I already say that?) and you sent the MOST pageviews and MOST unique visitors to both Sugarluxe and the Sugarluxe Blog!  You did an amazing job and you certainly deserve this piece.  As much as I never thought in a million years that it would end up in the man cave we’ve all heard so much about – you definitely earned it.  You are a genuine FAN, a true FRIEND and a FANTASTIC commentator.

CONGRATULATIONS!!

P.S.  There are four other people who followed close behind Stean and deserve credit too.  Want to find out who they are?  Read more about the BONUS PRIZE in this week’s newest post.

Win Weekly Giveaway #3 – Introducing Sugarluxe Big Wall Graphics

That’s right my friends!  The Sugarluxe Big Wall Graphics have finally arrived.  And NOW I am ready to introduce them to you this week as part of our 4 Year Anniversary Celebration.  Just imagine this 4 foot long Sugarluxe Girl on one of your walls! And you actually get a whole bunch of extra goodies for FREE.

Plus, we are not just giving away this gigantic graphic – we are giving away TWO.  So, there will be two lucky winners who will have their choice of the brunette or the blonde!

I’m so excited about the giveaways this week because this particular product has been part of my secret Sugarluxe plan for some time.  It took almost two years to find the right partners.  At the onset of the vinyl wall applique craze, you could find cheap wall stickers from every sign printer on the planet.  I was asked by a handful of these big manufacturers if I would license some of my work.  But I just wasn’t compelled to jump on the bandwagon for three simple reasons:

1. I like to work with companies who appreciate art.
2. I wanted my work to be on the absolute BEST material available.
3. The color output had to be as close of a match to the original artwork as possible.

Most vinyl graphics companies gravitate toward one type of vinyl because it costs less and is easy to find.  But I wanted to work with a higher quality material so that I could be sure it was top quality like our other product lines.

Sugarluxe Big Wall Graphics are:

1. Printed on Top of the Line Premium Media – Removable Adhesive Fabric
   
2. Printed with environmentally conscious, but still totally vibrant Eco-Solvent Inks
   
3. Truly Repositional + Will Not Harm Walls  (check it out below…I just put one up in my studio)
   

This week’s BIG GIVEWAY PRIZES are brought to you by my excellent partners and producers of this super cool product – John and Tavia Doffing of START Moving Pictures and Jason Weisenthal of WallMonkeys.

But get this…

While working on the test phase, John realized that there was extra space when we did the layouts. Instead of being wasteful with the materials…the team decided to utilize that space to give customers more for their money.  That’s where the additional FREEBIES come in.

If you check around online…you will see vinyl laptop and iPhone cover art pieces often sell between $30-$40 just by themselves.  But with the purchase of Sugarluxe Big Wall Graphics (or this week – when you win) you get these extras for FREE.

I love that.

I love adding value and I love being able to create things that you might purchase for yourself…but then you also get a little extra goody you can give as a gift!

Those of you who were with me on Facebook during our final layout phase will remember our night of online design collaboration.  That was fun!

We went through a series of uploads and a few design choices for the iPhone covers specifically.  After tons of awesome feedback…we finally decided to give away three different iPhone covers (thanks to everyone who participated and gave such wonderful input to help finalize the process!)

So, here’s what you WIN on your big 50″ x 36″ sheet:

• One Superstar Sugarluxe Girl Graphic (48″ x 32″)
• One Laptop Cover Graphic (10.4″ x 8.5″)
• Three iPhone Cover Graphics (4.5″ x 2.4″)
• Small Sugarluxe Flower Graphic (3″ diameter)
• Medium Sugarluxe Flower Graphic (5″ diameter)
• Large Sugarluxe Flower Graphic (7″ diameter)
• One Sugarluxe Logo Graphic (5″ x 7″)

Plus, I added the flowers so that you can put them in her hair or maybe on your bathroom mirror.

And here’s a close up of the iPhone graphic decals so you can get an idea.  They won’t stick forever and they aren’t shiny (because I didn’t want shiny for your walls)…but I think they might be a fun, free way to dress up your iPhone.

And – I get to show off two designs that we don’t currently sell anywhere else:  Seafoam Seaweed and Mushroom Lava!  You like?

In a few weeks, these two lovely Superstar ladies will be available for purchase on the Sugarluxe Shop Website. But for now – you can win them here this week!  Or if you can’t wait to see if you win…you can head on over to visit my fabulous partners at WallMonkeys and START Moving Pictures.

If you go over to their sites, you will see that for the initial launch…they chose two additional artists  who also happen to be really amazing guys that I totally respect.

Legendary Spray Can Artist – Vulcan

and

Famous Urban Artist – Justin Bua.

So, there you have it…

I know my post is much longer this week than in the giveways for Week 1 and Week 2 – but I was just so pumped to share the story behind how these things come to be.  I hope you are pumped about the possibility of winning!

Oh yes, and this photo gives you an idea about the size:

Who wants to win?

Now look at my big, big smile…That’s because it’s so fun to hang your new wall graphic!   (Actually that’s me trying to keep it from falling on my head – you should have two people to do it right!)

If you want to win, make sure you are subscribed via email and that you leave a comment telling us what you think about the brand new Sugarluxe Wall Graphics.  Retail Value is $69.

Find out who the WINNERS were of last week’s FREEBIES.

Because I didn’t get this posted until today – entries will be accepted until midnight on Sunday, February 22nd.  And this week’s winners will be announced next Monday afternoon right before we post the final week’s grand prize giveway.

P.S. Even the top cool hunter in the country thinks these ROCK!  See what Josh Spear says about these new Big Wall Graphics.

——————————————————–  WINNER’S ANNOUNCED ——————————————————–

UPDATE February 23, 2009:

I hope everyone had a fabulous weekend!

This week’s winners were chosen by a computerized random number generator.  Every time you left a comment, blogged about Sugarluxe or promoted the contest to your friends, you earned extra numbered entries.  That means your name was entered once for each comment you left last week and up to ten times per any blog entry you’ve written this month highlighting the Sugarluxe Giveaways.

And with that – I’m pleased to announce this week’s lucky winners of the Sugarluxe Big Wall Graphics are:

1. Lisa M. of Tulsa, OK
2. Darby R. of Austin, TX

Please use our Contact Form to send your blonde or brunette selection and shipping information!

Your new Sugarluxe Girl will be shipped to you by our friends and manufacturers - WallMonkeys – based in Fanwood, NJ.

Thanks so much to everyone who participated. I hope you’ll check back later this evening to see our GRAND PRIZE GIVEAWAY.

Win Weekly Giveaway #2 – SMART Collection Designer Art Cufflinks

Win something for your sweetie or yourself for Valentine’s Day!  This week, in celebration of our 4 Year Anniversary – Sugarluxe is GIVING AWAY three, no wait, I’m feeling REALLY GENEROUS – let’s do four pairs of our designer art cufflinks. 4 Pairs for 4 Years.

In fact, if you’ve been to the Sugarluxe site recently, you’ll notice that two of the designs offered on the contest this week are NOT yet available for purchase.  So, you might be the very FIRST to sport our newest cufflinks.

All four winners selected will get one pair of Sugarluxe Cufflinks of their choice.  (Please see the image on this post for the choices available).  Offered are the two best selling pairs…and two not yet released pairs.

You get to pick whichever you like best.

It took quite a bit of time to design the perfect frame for these tiny little pieces of art. More importantly, and true to the brand, we work very hard to develop unique gift items that showcase our commitment to top quality craftsmanship with surprising affordability. No easy feat in these trying economic times.

Cufflinks are perfect for that someone who seems to have everything…

I know there won’t be enough time to get these out to the winners before Valentine’s Day.  But to help, I’m going to change it up just a bit.  This week, the contest will end on Friday the 13th at midnight.   The winners will be announced and posted here on Valentine’s Day.

As a way of thanking our super awesome friends…I thought I would do a weekly contest and give away some unique goodies that you can’t get anywhere else. No purchase is necessary to win.  And if you have any questions about HOW TO ENTER  – be sure to check out the official rules.

The cufflink artwork is created using our proprietary pro-formulated soft luster pigments and then carefully fired into a thick and durable glass-composite onto the base of a polished silver rhodium finish.

Your SMART cufflinks are presented in our custom black cufflink box with velvet lining and padded flip-top made specifically for displaying these tiny works of art.  Retail Value is $39 USD.

Find out who the WINNERS were of last week’s FREEBIES.

——————————————————–  WINNER’S ANNOUNCED ——————————————————–

UPDATE February 14, 2009:

Happy Valentine’s Day Everyone!

Because I hope you are off enjoying your weekend and not working online like me (plus I need to take a little time out today, too) – I thought I would make this week’s selection of winners as easy as possible.

This week’s contest winners, often like in life, are FIRST COME – FIRST SERVED.  If you were one of the first four to respond, you WIN!

And with that – here are the winners of the SMART Collection Designer Cufflinks:

1. Juli A. – Greenville, TX
2. Shannon C. – Barrie, ON Canada
3. Stean P. – Dallas, TX
4. Chic Gal (Beth A.) – Tulsa, OK

Please use our Contact Form to send us your cufflink design selection and shipping information!

1. Love You Cufflinks (black and white floral)
2. Cocktail Cufflinks (blue martini)
3. Celebrity Pin-Up Cufflinks (sexy blonde)
4. Rock Candy Cufflinks (guitar girl)

Please allow time for the production of your new cufflinks – as they are made to order.

Thanks so much to everyone who participated. I hope you’ll check back on Monday to see the NEW PRIZES for next week’s GIVEAWAYS.  More winners to come…

Best Friends Forever: My Very Own Personal Care Bear, Karen Scott

This morning, I woke up early.  Weird.  Because it’s the weekend and I would normally sleep in until at least 8 a.m.  Of course, I remember the days when sleeping in on Sunday meant getting up at noon – but those days are definitely behind me.

Today, I was excited to get up because it’s the day that 3 WINNERS will be selected for our weekly giveaway! I’ve never done a drawing like this, so I’m pretty psyched to see who wins the first round.

After getting my coffee, I went into my home office.  Weird.  Because Sunday is the only day I usually watch a little TV first.  Some news, The Soup, and whatever trash happens to be on Vh1, like Rock of Love Bus.  But today, I wanted to get up and get online.

Checking email, I usually start with the latest and make my way down through the list.  This isn’t a great strategy and might be why I typically have over 3,000 unread emails at any given time.  But once in awhile, a subject line will catch my eye and I gravitate to it first.

Today’s attention getter?  It just read:  Post??

It was from my best friend, Karen.  Weird.  Because I thought she was at her parent’s house on vacation in Florida with her family.  I wouldn’t expect to see an email from her this morning.

I did have other emails filling my box before Karen’s:

Pavlina at Bobbi Marcus PR in LA sends out a request on behalf of the ASCAP Event Season 2009. She asks if Sugarluxe would donate work to the Pop Music Awards Show, April 22nd, at Kodak Theater / The Renaissance Hollywood Complex in Los Angeles.  I’m already overbooked on donations this year, but maybe you’d like to learn more about some of the cool things going on in the Hollywood Celebrity circles.

Jessica at Shecky’s in New York announces that their next big Girls Night Out event in Dallas has over 6000 women registered to attend.  I’ve never participated in one of their events…but if I were ever going to do a designer trade show event…this would be the one.  These girls are really awesome.

Tricia at Avalon Communications in Austin confirms high profile media outlets, like The View and E!, will feature her company’s Gift Bags.  I haven’t done Celebrity Gift Bags since I first started my company…but if I were to ever do it again, I would consider Avalon Communications because the Founder, Kristyn Hutzell is a graduate of University of Texas.  I like to support fellow alums as much as I can.

But those are the kind of emails I get every day.  So, sorting through the opportunities, I am pleased to spot something from a friend.  Weird.  Because I am a workaholic whose living depends on identifying great opportunities. But without my friends, and particularly my best friend, there would probably be no Sugarluxe.

When I opened Karen’s email, I did exactly as I do every time I read anything she writes.  I laugh.  She always makes me laugh.

Karen decided to write a blog post on the Sugarluxe Giveaways.  That’s the first part that cracked me up because she wanted to earn extra entries into the drawing with a blog post about it – ala  THE OFFICIAL RULES.

Based on how much I talk about Karen…you probably know I would do anything for her.  Including giving her anything I ever make for FREE.  Perhaps that sounds unfair…but she’s my best friend.  And that’s why I am blown away every time she buys something; she has never expected anything for free from me. She has supported my vision for years.  Long before I ever launched my company, long before anyone else knew what I really wanted to do with my life, and long before most people even knew how to pronounce my first name.

I sure hope she doesn’t mind me sharing. Here’s how her email started out…

Karen to Chandra: So, I have been wanting my 15 extra entries and have been pondering my blog post/FB post.  This is what I have come up with, and since these are details about you, I wanted to give you post approval.  Let me know if there is anything you want me to strike from the record (like the pop music crack).

Title: 25 Things Redux: Sugarluxe Edition

So this thing has been around the world and back, even garnering a snarky article in Time Magazine.  Whatever.  I find it gratifying to know details about people, no matter how inconsequential, and enjoy the order and conciseness of lists…so different from the way I actually live my life.

I am changing things up just a little here by posting a 25 Things list about someone else, specifically Chandra Michaels, the artist behind brand Sugarluxe, and a BFF from way back.  Sure, she’s done her own FB list, but this one will show how she looks through my eyes.

So, here goes:

I know.  Denied.  No outbound link.  Right now, I’m still trying to decide whether or not to link to Karen’s list.  It’s not like she needs visitors to her blog, it’s totally a personal space.  And…I feel quite conspicuous about sending anyone to see how fabulous my best friend says that I am.  I mean, clearly, there’s a bias.  So, I’m a happier person today just knowing that she feels this way.  If she REALLY wants me to link – I will.  But for now, I’m simply reveling in the sweetness by myself.

And here’s my reply…

Chandra to Karen: I have started typing this line for 45 minutes.  Erasing it every time because I just didn’t know what to say and couldn’t possibly write anything that would even come close to conveying how this made me feel.

Even with your innate talent for writing, even though you are so hilarious that funniness can’t help but be attached to whatever you say, and even though you could make a turd seem trendy and cool – I will ignore all of that and just hope for a moment that I am half as great as you make me sound.  I will keep these statements with me for the rest of my life.  I will read them every time I feel down and I want to giggle again.  I will never ever forget that you remember so much and that is a gift, in and of itself.

You need to write…all the time.  I know you’re so busy with two little ones, but I hope one day…you start writing your series of books.  The kind our girls would grow up on.  Some kind of Flowers in the Harry Potter Twilight Attic.

As a girl who knows me better than any other, this is an example of friendship at its best.  And you are always best.

My wish for every woman in the world is that we all have at least one friend in our lives like Karen.  Friendships with females aren’t always easy and seem to be more difficult to maintain the older we get. But there is just nothing that can compare to finding, keeping and loving your Best Friend Forever.

Win Weekly Giveaway #1 – Art & Soul Swarovski Crystal Mirror Compact

WIN this dual mirror compact for yourself or your girlfriend - just in time for Valentine’s Day!

This design, originally created for the Art & Soul Showcase to benefit the Austin Children’s Shelter, has never before been offered on one of our Sugarluxe Compacts.

I have ONLY made THREE of these compacts for this very special occasion…and these pretty little accessories will go to THREE LUCKY WINNERS in this week’s current giveaway contest to celebrate our 4th Anniversary at Sugarluxe.

Sugarluxe launched on February 14th, 2005 and it sure has been a wild world filled with sweet surPRIZES ever since.

As a way of thanking our super awesome friends…I thought I would do a weekly contest and give away some unique goodies that you can’t get anywhere else. No purchase is necessary to win.  And if you have any questions about HOW TO ENTER  – be sure to check out the official rules.

This week’s FREEBIE is a Limited Edition (of 3).  How do ya like that for super limited – Hot Pink Tattoo Heart Mirror Compact.

Each compact is made right here in the Sugarluxe Studio and is meticulously crafted and dipped in silver.  The double mirror cosmetic compact is then coated with a protective layer of lacquer to help prevent tarnish.

The artwork is created using soft luster pigments and fired into a durable glass-composite.

Your FREE PRIZE will arrive wrapped in tissue, placed in a plastic sleeve, inserted into a white Sugarluxe Logo gift box with a velvet drawstring pouch for safe keeping.  Retail Value is $34 USD.

Made just for you – with all my Art & Soul.

Oh yes – and be sure to subscribe via email and leave a comment if you’d like to win.  This week’s contest will end at midnight on February 7th.  Winners will be listed on this post on Sunday.  THANKS!

——————————————————–  WINNER’S ANNOUNCED ——————————————————–

It’s Sunday night and the Winner’s Names have been drawn!

But first, I had to make my way over to my Facebook page.  I made a wall post and requested that someone (who did not enter the contest) pick three numbers between 1 and 93.

1. That’s officially the number of entries we had including comments here, extra credits for blog entries and facebook posts.
2. Thank goodness my diplomatic friend, Melanie Spencer, who just left the Austin American Statesman last week for her new job as Press Secretary to Texas First Lady, Anita Perry – responded to my request and posted three random numbers on my Facebook Wall.
3. Here’s what she wrote:  2, 6, and 60.

And with that – here are the Winners of the Art & Soul Compacts:

1. Elisa B. – Austin, TX
2. Stacy C. – New York, NY
3. Deb D. – Dublin, OH

Please use our Contact Form to send us your shipping information!

Thanks so much to everyone who participated. I hope you’ll check back tomorrow to see the NEW PRIZES for this week’s GIVEAWAYS.  More winners to come…