It's About Dallas, But It's Not About Dallas!

     I think I love Dallas!...The city of Dallas is the 3rd largest city in Texas and the 9th largest city in the United States.  Dallas is home to the 3rd largest concentration of 'Fortune 500' companies in the nation!
    But that's 'not' the Dallas I think I love!! This is the Dallas I think I love...

        She is the owner of the Etsy shop called designedbydallas. In her Etsy profile she says: "My name is Dallas,  and I am from Texas, but not from Dallas ;)..." Too funny! ^_^ I think with a name like Dallas, and living in Texas, maybe you 'should' be required to be from Dallas!! But that's just me! 
       And besides, she has so many other things going for her...not the least of which being that she is a 'fabulous' designer...that I think it can be forgiven that she doesn't live in the city of her name!! ^_^ I'll tell you some more about her in a minute.
      I met Dallas recently when I was putting together a post about one of my Friday 'Date Nights'. She very generously let me share a photo of her drink coasters. I was so thankful to see such beautiful coasters with little maps of places I definite want to visit on them!
     Cut to a few days ago when I got my mail!!! :-]

        I thought to myself: "WOW! Did I order something?!" And then I remembered that 2 people recently said they were sending me something!!....So exciting!!!! :-)

         "What's this?! It's got such pretty colors?!"...I flipped it over......

       "Ohhhhhhh! It's from Dallas!!!!".....Not the city of Dallas, but the other Dallas! :-)) ... She had convoed me on Etsy and asked what countries I loved best, or would like to visit. And you know 'Yakky Mama Me'!! "Well, I could talk about this all day!...I'd really like to visit---. But I also love---! Of course, one day I'm definitely gonna go-----. That's if I can.......!" ^_^
        It might have been just to shut me up,....Nahhhhhhh!....but she said she was going to make a coaster and send it to me as a thank you for sharing her coasters on the blog. I was really flattered, but I told her it wasn't necessary. In fact, I loved sharing them so much....and they were so perfect for my blog post!...that I should have been the one sending her a thank you gift!! 
      But she wasn't letting me deter her generosity!....When I opened the box I could see how wonderfully it was packed...

           With all of the Styrofoam 'packing peanuts' removed, I had bubble wrap to take off too!...And when I opened the first package with one of the stone coasters in it...which was substantially heavy..."Ahhhhhhh!" ... I was looking at a map of Ghana Africa, and thinking: "I think I love Dallas!" :-]

      In her description of her coasters she explains how she first started making them: "I designed my first set of these beautiful coasters as a travel memory gift for my boyfriend right after we returned from a long journey across the world. Wanting to keep our travels freshly imprinted on our minds, I created colorful map shots of our favorite countries, and melted the image onto stone tiles. They help stir up tons of conversation when we have guests over for drinks – it’s always fun sharing our travel experiences with our friends, and they do the same with us."

         I couldn't believe how beautiful they were in person!

         And they're not some thin thing either!

        I could hardly wait to see what country was on the other one!!! :-))

         Australia!!! :-)

        WOW! How fabulous!! :-)

          And even though they're not designed to put your drinks on the back of them.....

        ....I love the backs almost as much as the fronts!! :-) They show something about  the maker and designer of them...They show that she cares about detail and good workmanship! And, just for you blog readers, she is offering you a 2 week, (from now until August 15, 2011), 10 percent' discount on any purchases from her shop! Just enter the coupon code TENOFF4DEB in the comment box at checkout!

        Something else about her, from her Etsy profile, is that 'she loves to create. Her hobbies are photography and fashion design. She studied theatre and photography in Austin. And after spending 5 years in New York City, she traveled around much of the world taking some of the photos that you'll see listed in her shop HERE!' 

          I like her Etsy shop name too! designedbydallas....It says it all!

         What a wonderful and generous gift! I love my new coasters!!! I can hardly wait to go to these countries for 'Date Night'! In fact Ghana is our destination next Friday night. This Friday night it will be Brazil. {The coasters didn't get here in time for us to make travel plans for one of these countries! LOL ^_^} All things considered, I think Dallas might go on our Friday night 'Date Night' list too!...The city....not the other Dallas. ^_^

       Thank you Dallas!!!....And this time I mean the Etsy shop owner Dallas. Not the city of Dallas! :-)) .... Well, thank you city of Dallas too! I mean, I did find out that the city's economy is primarily based on banking, commerce, telecommunications, computer technology, energy, and transportation. Those are all things I can applaud and appreciate,......and would be nowhere without!! :-) And also there seems to be more fun you can have there than you 'shake a stick at'!!! LOL

      By the way, I did say I got 2 packages. I'll share the other one with you tomorrow!!!!....Have a good day everybody! :-)

Virtual trip

I really like to travel,
See the world, expand my mind.
But not getting on an airplane,
or hunting luggage I can't find!

I like a 'good ole' virtual trip.
Computer details. Music too.
Where you don't need a stinking passport,
or have to wear a stinking shoe!

And this is a little extra...just because!.....I saw him on 'Good Morning America' this morning'. Enjoy!! :-)