Hi, I am "Super Bake Girl," a character creation from the mind of Vanessa Valencia. Today I am in my Owl costume, as I had some delicate business to attend to. You see, it is about Vanessa…I saved her from the trenches of the real world, long enough to get a blog post out of her…Cake. It works. Oh, and to get some treasures out of her, for you…in the form of …
A snippet of the treasures. Yes, I know. Unreal. Some of you already know what it is…I am using it as a GIVEAWAY/SWAP. Details to follow, way way way at the end…
Now for Tales From the Nutcake:
HI! It's me, It's me! I can never begin to explain the details of my real world or what craziness occurs from day to day. I basically am running 3 businesses and my life sometimes feels like it is slipping from my own hands. Friends get angry, wonder why I have no time for them, family members start sentences with "if you are not too busy…" and I am left spiraling…
However, I have huge plans to reign in some of these things & create a bit more sanity for myself. It is not always like this. But when it is….Oh, the hoopla. I am sure many of you feel like this too. It is only natural that sometimes life gets busier than others. Right?
I am trying to reclaim it, trying trying trying…
Before the guests and all of the other mess… I had intended to share a new love of mine with you… A secretaire bookcase. The story goes something like this…
A year ago I saw this book case in a person's home. They were moving, having a sale, but this piece was sold to someone they knew for 50 USD. Sooo, I went on, lamenting my loss, and completely forgot about it.Yesterday (This was actually a week ago), The artist (Dino D'Taos) and I ventured into the world. Had a truly sinful lunch…And then, we noticed a wonderful antique and consignment furniture store. There were chairs from Persia that I had to be peeled off of…But there was "That desk/bookcase." The one I had seen in that house. It had been sold to this shop. The shop had priced it at $798.00, but it had a red line going through the price tag, saying it had been marked down by half. Of course, being the negotiator, I got it down to a tender little steal…
TA-Da! I love it.
It has all of these little hidden compartments. And, even though all my favorite books are at my home that I never get to visit…I am loving having a place to house some runners up here at the loftish space/studio…
Okay, enough of that, now for the best part. I am having another giveaway. Only this time, it comes to you from a purchase I made. You see, yesterday, I was at an appointment when my sister Kandeedo called. She said, "Can you talk?" I said, "No, with clients." She said "One thing, Trader Joe's, you must see the reusable bags, SHIP!!" Sooo, after a long day I went there, and YES YES YES!!!!! I had Miss Foxling on the phone, I asked would you like one, thinking I could only buy two??? She said, YES! But, when I saw the price, which was unreal, I had to buy TONS of them.
So, here is how the game goes, You can have one of these amazing Reusable Double Sided Totes (6 gallon Capacity) from Trader Joe's, the most wonderful grocery shopping place on the planet! By doing the following…
Yes, it is true, you do not have to choose as Miss Foxling was concerned about this, because the photo above and the photo below are of the same bag!!!!!
I have no idea who Trader Joe's artist is, or maybe there are several? But I must say, I can't help but notice the encompassing of many styles I see from our fellow blogging artists…Very Very interesting…
Anyhow, back to how you can have one of these totes? Let's SWAP!
All you have to do is leave me a comment with the reasons why you love this bag and why you must have it. I will then put every participants name in one of the totes and draw 6 names on the evening of Sunday the 29th of April.
I will swap with 6 of you for anything you think I should have in life, for this bag. You can send me anything – From a 5 cent item to a hand made item, to anything you want. I will share the item on my blog! I will ship anywhere, so far away people, please play!!
I would appreciate if the paticipants would be people who do not have a Trader Joe's really really really close to them. You be the judge of that.
This will be sooo much fun!!!! Missed you!!!
oh Miss V I love those recyclable bags and you know Id love to swap with you…I think I need this bag because….
* Im so faraway on this island called Oz
and I doubt I can get to Trader Joe’s anytime soon
* Think of all the comments I’ll get when Im at the grocers
with my new bag
* I love collage artwork and these are too cute….
* because Im begging?
Loving your bookcase!!!
Ok, so your bookcase/desk thing is super cool.
As for reasons I need that bag: OMG! First, we live out in the boonies on the coast of Oregon–and despite the pleas of the local mommy group to Trader Joe’s headquarters, corporate refuses build us a store out here. So, if we want Trader Joe’s loot, we have to drive into Portland (2.5 hours away). So, yeah, I’m going for the sympathy vote here. Heh.
Oh, and having it, I would drive all the locals absolutely mad with jealousy — and they’d all be wondering if a TJ’s is coming our way! In fact, they might be so motivated, that they too would start to bug corporate and the mass of demand might change corporate’s mind… and BOOM: Your bag would be responsible for bringing TJ loveliness to the coast of Oregon.
OR–I could just tell you I that love, love, love it! 😀
Here’s to life getting less busy. 😀
How I love the way your mind works! While I’m not entering my name in this swap-atition of sorts (I bet my dear mother already grabbed a bag for me, knowing her), I absolutely love the concept. You’re too much! Can’t wait to see where this goes…
At least when you are upside down in a swirling whirlwind, you have cute underthings to show off! I feel so decadent, knowing that I don’t have to fight for a bag of ultimate wonder! I hope things calm down a bit for you. I’ve come up with the most FABOO idea for some new plush. I’ll tell you about them when I have time. Maybe I’ll call after CSI. Love you!
Man talk about coming back with a bang! Now I am looking aroung here trying to decide what it is I have that you should have in your world! I am going to come up with something good! How crazy but I am trying the giveaway thing this week too. Love, love, LOVE the desk. It looks like the kind of thing that makes you happy just to walk by it! Congrats! and welcome back!
Oh oh oh….love these bags!!! Where do I begin??? Turquoise…lime green….kiwi’s and strawberries. Those salt and pepper shakers, the ship on the beautiful blue waves!!!
Trader Joe’s??? no where near here……
I don’t win things but I am hoping, hoping, hoping….crossing my fingers……
I’m sure I could find something delectable to trade!!!
what a great idea!!!!
Oh My Word where can I buy that bag because what would happen is that I might be chosen to send something out and then I would just stress somuch about it having to be the best and the most WOW thing that I would never get anything done so I will the chance to someone that would do what they are to do. So PLEASE PLEASE hook me up with where I may purchase one of these great bags. I live in KC MO and have never heard of Trader Joes and now I am thinking that I must find one and travel. Please hook me up with the purchase —Thanks
I love love love the bookcase! Oh-so-elegant! Great find!
Believe it or not, I’ve never even been to a Trader Joe’s. I don’t know of one anywhere near me at all but that is okay. I have far too many totes anyway so I will let others participate and get one of the fab-o bags.
I love swaps though so I hope to be able to get in on your next one. xo, dearie! 🙂
okay. i will play because i was a pirate in a past life and if i can no longer sail on my ship i might as well carry my groceries in one. don’t you think? plus the bag will match perfectly with the blue and green eyepatch i still wear for old times sake and my tattooed wooden leg. (damn alligators!!!) but i’m already sending you some small surprises in the package for your sister. so either way you win. and i do too because i get to be your friend. and maybe your captain???
ps-i looooooooooooooooove trader joe’s. i hope, hope, hope they open one in denver soon. if not, i’m going to have my mom send me packages filled with trader joe goodness. yum.
Ok, I’m gonna play!
I must have this bag to match my nearly newly painted living room – one wall is already green, and recently we picked a blue to do another two walls – I live by the adage that blue and green should definitely be seen!
I had never heard of ‘Trader Joe’s’ until just now!
I could see me skipping down to my local grocery store to pick up a few essentials with my oh so chic american label (hehe) bag to stack my purchases in. I would be the talk of the suburb – ha!
I love the new book nook – how pretty and perfect! Oh, and about life getting away from you – I hope it all settles down for you soon – you sound as though you need some time to relax and pamper the inner princess. 🙂
Oh yes count me in please!!Love the whole idea as usual!
MMMMM now I will have to come up with a good reason,well I think Holland is just about ready for a bag like this one,we have far too many tulips and way to little pirates!xoxo D
PS Love the cabinet,so Alice in Wonderland like!
little miss fanciful…x x x x x x x
U are a little teeny weeny thing- you must take care of yourself and not over do it…
U must give yourself, love, care and alot of pampering and spoiling…CHOCKIES- YAY YAY!!
i loved the book case/desk—-sooooo cooool and soooo beautiful…and ur drawings a joy to see as always….just LOVE it!!!!.
How fabulously creative and the stunning design on those bags are!!!!!!!!!!!!!
TRADOR JOES???? ive never heared of one here in the sticks of Devon…or the whole of the united kingdom to be honest….but i would soooooooooooooooo love one to flash in honour and show the united kingdom what a treasure they truely are!!! and when these britons and the Queen come up to me i will tell them my little miss fanciful has amazing art u must see her etsy.com!!!!
i will feel a hot mummer with one of those beauties!!! i could carry my baby around in it???…ooooo’ maybe abit risky…but she would love the bright colours!!(if i was lucky enough to win).
i would draw u the most fabulous drawing!!!
(and other goodies)
but anyway…..whoever wins deserves it anyhow.
The big sailing boat has given me lots of inspiration today….im thinking of drawing something similar and having mystical mermaids all around it.
thanks for the inspiration miss fanciful (the missing triplet…hee hee x xx x)
love kazzy x x x x x x x x x x x x x x
you are such a good egg!!
and hooray for someone [yay trader joes!] for finally making an ATTRACTIVE re-usable bag!
{i hope to hear the day of no more … if you aren’t too busy}
I swear there must be something in the air. Hi welcome back – blogging is my full time job. Even though I would swap with you ANY DAY OF THE WEEK – I have two Trader Joe’s close by, so I recuse myself from the swap. That doesn’t mean that I wouldn’t send you something lovely in return for the beautiful package you sent me and by the way, show me a shoe photo already!!
You’re lovely! I wish they had a Trader Joe’s in Canada, I hear good things about their conditioner!
Anyways, I love the bag because I recently decided to do collage and the design on the bag is exactly the kind of juxtapositional stuff I’d like to do. If we swap you get my first collage (not sure yet if this will be a good deal for you!)
Oh Vanessa, I love your new desk!! Your drawings are a delight as always 🙂
Now for the bag, I’ve never heard of Trader Joe’s..I doubt there is one in Florida. so imagine how cool it ould be to be the only perosn with a totally cool bag that is not only practical but is done in the latest art style too? Nobody else around here would have one and I would be aheaad of the trends…
{Florida really is behind when it comes to this sort of thing}. ha ha
Vanessa,
You won’t believe this, but my mom has had that exact, EXACT secretary piece for 20 years in her living room. I love it! I don’t know if I should let her see this post because she might have a heart attack over the price you paid for it. LOVEly!!!! I am so excited for you. That thing is so wonderful and it will last forever. That is grown-up furniture you know!
Let see now the bag… hmmmmmmm. I have a collection…:)
Oh Vanessa – grab your life back – rescue it from the edge – you must!!! The bookcase is divine and clearly meant for you to find after all this time.
Oh my word – that bag is just the best!! It is beautiful and artistic and adventurous and made to be paraded around the sometimes gloomy UK in all weathers!!! I would love to be put in the bag (my name of course) and given even the slightest opportunity of owning one as
1) This would be my only hope due to the lack of trader joe’s here in the UK
2) The brits in their sweat pants and goth clothes would surely learn a thing about glamour and style with me hopping and skipping around the country side with my petticoats billowing and my crocheted ribbon collars matching perfectly with the pounding waves and billowing sails and the general old fahioned but adventurous nature of the beautiful bag
3) I would swap it from a version of any beauty from my store – a corsage/ribbon bracelet perhaps or a beaded flower cuff – you would have to choose!!!
So glad to have you back – how I have missed your spectaculor adventures!!!
xxx
You came out to play!!
Oh girl. I must go to Trader Joes today and “gits me one!” It’s just right down the road. I try my durndest to stay away from there ya know… too many temptations. That place and World Market. Tsk tsk tsk.
Luv the desk! Moreso, love the display of extra hands you have in there.
Enjoy your wkend – smoochies
I am completely in love with the desk/bookcase! Sneaky little compartments are the best. Lucky you!
And what a fun idea for a swap–Trader Joe’s is always a treat. I agree with Risa, I wish one would open in Denver, since that would probably be the place closest to me to have one. In the meantime whenever a co-worker goes on a trip to somewhere with a store, we all submit our orders to her so she can bring them back to us (my order is usually wine and cake mix 🙂
So, because Trader Joe’s is great, that bag is wonderful, and because I’d love to swap with you, please count me in!
Thanks for the lovely giveaway!
I’d love to own this bag because I don’t know that you could get someone further away from a Trader Joe’s than someone in Melbourne Australia!!! (well probably Adelaide, Perth, Darwin…..) Certainly not a drive to you guys and the plane ticket is a bit expensive!! It’s so cute, wish we had stuff like that here!
You’re also welcome to join my giveaway on my blog, stop by and visit if you get a chance!
Natasha
No Trader Joe’s here in the sticks of Ky. either! Thanks for your visitidad a mi casa hoy.
Fun swap, but I do own a TJ’s bag already. I just wish we had a store nearby, I load up everytime we are traveling and go near one.
Hope you’ll show your trades when they come in?
what a great desk! i wanna play too! i have only participated in one blog swap so far! but i love this bag, cool colors and a pirate ship too! they are so cute! and i am a total ‘bag lady’! i have a closet door covered in handbags, sort of a work of art in progress. ;] i should have one of these, because the last time i went to TJ’s, i bought a bottle of wine and ended up sticking it in my purse after i left the checkout line! (yes, it was a really big handbag that day!) i love trader joe’s…i live pretty close to one, and my favorite dinner, when i get left alone on friday nights, is trader joe’s hummus, pita bread, kalamata olives, and a bottle of red wine! mmm!
oops, i just noticed the “not have a trader joe’s really, really, really close” part…i do have one really, really, really close. not walking distance close, though! hee, hee!
Okay this is my official enty:
I would LOVE to have this bag because
1-There is nothing nearly as awsome as a trader joes in utah, the best we can do is target.
2-I would look so much cooler carrying that than I do my old canvas bag that was a gift from davis hopital when I had my first child (seven years ago).
3-It is just plain gorgeous and I LOVE it!
So, what can I trade, I have thought about this all day long and am still having a hard time commiting. Items I am considering include: One of my bags, probably of the polka dot variety, a walnut wooden top turned on my hubby’s lathe, one of the cutest vintage barbie outfits, a hot pink elephant from gingham world or a lovely tatted item which my sister-in-law creates. So I guess if by some miracle I win I will just surprise you unless you have a preference! Oh what fun! Thanks so much!
Not Playing..Trader joes are all around me.. just stopping in to say hi and relate to not having enough time in the daze. And thanks for always finding time to come see me.. You rock.
The secretary is lovely…someone had one like it on her blog and painted it white…which was also very pretty!
Oh…I would love a tote! We do not have a Trader Joe’s anywhere around here and we did not get to visit the Joe when we were down in Phoenix…and now we are sad, especially since I’ve seen the tote and know what I’m missing. Sigh.
Is it too far away to go for just a tote and some groceries? New car or not?
Oh how fun, a swap!! Although being a baglady myself i don’t really need one even though it is super cool! I will skip this one though but maybe the next one….
That secretaire is just lovely Vanessa! That drawing of you and Mr.Lovee with paint on his jacket..fun..glad he encouraged you to get it! I love the way you dressed it up with objects, the flowers, old keys etc. and the secret drawers, how great!!
Oh and the chair next to it with the lobster print bag – i love that bag, btw!!
Love the owl disguise on Super Bake Girl!! hoot, hoot!
Oh you are darling, another giveaway? That bag is awesome and because I am far far away, I haven’t even heard of Trader Joe’s so would LOVE one (since I’m a bag girl)! Although I don’t think a girl deserves to win twice, so would it be possible to purchase one? Or I’ll definitely find you a whole bundle of lovelies from UK to swap with 🙂 Your bookcase is absolutely gorgeous too, isn’t it funny how things you want always come back? [*again, it was meant to be] I love your illustration of whirlwind girl and edge of the world, such a strong message -busy is good, but not when ‘life’ is rushing by, not being able to pause. I think this month’s word is ‘Simplify’. Take care Vanessa.xox
(swoon) Trader Joe’s…something that we just don’t have here in the South, tho’ i have heard tales of it’s marvelous bounty and long for a grocery store like it!!! The ship is wonderful 🙂
I LOVE the drawings, especially the whirlwind and edge of the world…i hope that your wold settles soon! xoxox
Darling girl, you realize of course that I must, must have one of these bags because I live on the other side of the world and only dream of things like Trader Joe’s you see. Please take pity on me…
With your busy schedule,you need a secratary!! ..and that amazing desk piece will do nicely!What I really want to know is,who came to visit and threw you even further off the ” by the skin of my teeth” bus!
Ok Dahling, i will play! You’re such a dear to coax me back!
Now, lets see, I love this bag because:
a) It’s mostly green, my fave color
b) Because i love Trader Joe’s products, even though i don’t have one near me, my sis in Boston sends me their hot cocoa mix in the cutest tin ever.
c) Cos, it would be a great bag to take to the Farmers Market where i buy yummy baked goods and fruits and veggies.
And I have to have it because:
I freakin’ love it! Where else could you find a bag with that has a rooster riding in a car with salt and pepper in the backseat, and says Mmmmmmmm!
It seems I’m too late for the swap, but LOVE THE DESK! Some things are just meant to be. 🙂
I just had to comment on this post even though it is an older one. I sold a secretary like that one 8 years ago when I divorced my ex-husband. It was his parents and I needed the money. sigh…I’ve been missing it ever since and here it is in your blog…well one like it anyway. Lucky you.
hahahaa.. guess i am late for this SWAP game. Interesting idea you go! infact, i just came back from Trader Joe and saw those bags.. i wanna buy one myself. however, i felt bad to have one as i already had other grocery bags. It is supposed to be envirnomentally-friendly action to have that bag, right?! so, i always struggle.. hahaa.. YUP. i am thinking too much to have that bag.
That’s why i checked this BAG online after my Trader joe’s shopping.. heheheee..
YAY, i love those graphics too!!!
does it deserve one? or.. guess you have no leftover. I will have some chinese style paper-cutting thing to trade! Guess you will love it too. i am at the east bay!!