BeadingByBawissa FUN Giveaway - After All, If Life Isn't Fun, Why Bother?

This week, Mystic Wynd is hosting a giveaway sponsored by Melissa of BeadingByBawissa at Etsy, a wonderful shop filled with fun and affordable beaded items like these ornaments, as well as a variety of whimsical and lovely jewelry, cell phone charms, pet charms, and pens, just to mention a few! This giveaway will run until 12 noon (MST) September 7, '09.

She is offering her "Beaded Snowflake Ornament Set - 2 large, 2 small" with a retail value of $7 (currently available for a limited time in her shop for only $5.50!)

Melissa has this to say about her giveaway item...

It is never too early to start thinking about Christmas. These snowflakes make gorgeous decorations. They aren’t just for Christmas trees. My friends hang them in all sorts of places around their houses. Many of them leave their snowflakes out all year long. They make great, inexpensive gifts for friends, family, and coworkers. I’ve also used them to adorn the package of a larger gift. Large Snowflakes are approximately 2.5 inches (6 centimeters) in diameter. Small snowflakes are approximately 1.5 inches (3.5 centimeters) in diameter.

To receive your first entry in the drawing for this beautiful ornament set, you simply must visit BeadingByBawissa, find your favorite item in the shop, come back to this post and list the item description along with your contact information for an entry in this giveaway.

Additional entries may also be obtained by a separate comment as follows:

• Receive one additional entry by becoming a new blog follower at http://bawissasetsyadvice.blogspot.com/ and/or http://mysticwynd.blogspot.com/ - post the date you began following in this posts' comments. (If you already follow either blog, that counts as well!)
• To receive 2 additional entries, make a purchase at BeadingByBawissa and post the item description (title) in this posts' comments.
• Receive one additional entry for following me at twitter http://twitter.com/mysticwynd
• Receive one additional entry for blogging about this giveaway (Post your blog link in the comments on this giveaway)
• Receive one additional entry for tweeting about this giveaway (Post the tweet url in the comments on this giveaway)

I'm sweetening the deal a little by offering additional incentives for entering this giveaway - see details here!

Now, let's learn a little bit more about Melissa and her lovely shop!

I asked Melissa to share a little bit about herself...

My name is Melissa. I live with my parents to help take care of my brothers. One is a disabled young adult and the other is eight years old. I've been beading and doing other crafts since I was very little. I started selling my stuff when I was thirteen, but I didn't officially start my business until 2005 when my snowflakes became a sensation! My snowflakes have been my most popular item ever since.

I asked Melissa to share a little bit about where she makes her Studio/Workspace:
EVERYWHERE! I work on my stuff all over my house, and I also make to-go kits to work on while I'm out.

And of course I asked Melissa for her answers to my "interview" questions - here they are!

Beading by Bawissa... hmmm...and your name is Melissa - I get the feeling there's a cute story behind the name - care to share? The story behind my name is indeed cute. Even though he's eight, he's still cute. My little brother, Jeremy, was only my cousin until a year ago when my parents adopted him. When he was still living with our grandparents half of the week and his dad the other half, I would babysit him for our grandparents. When he learned to talk, he always called me Bawissa because he hadn't learned how to say my name. He didn't start calling me Melissa until he was five and had lived with our family for over a year. I miss being called Bawissa, but having him safe as a part of our family means everything to me. He is my purpose in life. I love him so much!

Sounds like you have a wonderfully close relationship with your mother and co-crafter, Paula. Tell us one of best things about being such a close mother/daughter team! My mom and I are best friends! The best part of being a team is the exchange of ideas and techniques. One creative and talented mind is great, but two are sensational!

What did you want to be when you were 12? When I was twelve, I wanted to be a nurse or a veterinarian. That was before blood started making me queasy. As you can imagine, a lot has changed since then. Now, I have a job as a personal assistant, and I'm loving it!

Name one thing that not many people know about you. Most people don't know that I have Spina Bifida, a birth defect involving the spinal cord. Even those that know, don't believe me at first because I get around pretty well and don't usually have to use my wheelchair. Another thing that most people don't know is that I can play wheelchair basketball. My brother and I have been on various sports teams growing up. Wheelchair basketball was the funnest and most memorable.

What song always makes you happy when you hear it? You mean I have to pick just one!!! I love music, and there are about a million songs that make me happy. My current favorite song is "You Belong With Me" by Taylor Swift. It reminds me of a boy that I was best friends with in junior high.

What's your favorite flavor of jellybean? I don't really have a favorite flavor of jellybean, but I know that Jelly Belly makes the best jellybeans in the world! Starburst jellybeans come in as a close second.
Please be sure to stop by her lovely shop, pick out your favorite item, and come back here for a chance to win Melissa's lovely snowflake ornaments!