Here are the souvenirs for the "Vietnam Stuff Giveaway" at Charlie's Place
Charlie Pryor
<![CDATA[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-cS5GLZFCdU
Hey everybody, and thanks for checking out the site. Today, I'm happy to announce the souvenirs that are available in the Vietnam Stuff Giveaway that was announced a month ago. While there were hundreds of "likes and tweets", very few people actually followed the steps needed to qualify, sadly. It's unfortunate that so many people showed appreciation and interest, but not enough to actually follow the instructions to qualify.
As a result, few people are eligible in comparison, and that's no good. I perhaps made things a bit difficult to understand, and I want people to really get it instead of missing out. Therefore, I've decided to extend the time in which you can get qualified for this giveaway until the end of the month. Please READ and UNDERSTAND what to do to get qualified. There is a video embedded there as well which explains things visually without you needing to read much.
[charliead]
There are plenty of souvenirs to choose from here though, so at least the odds are good that you’ll win something if you manage to qualify by the end of this month (of course, the more people qualified, the less chances of winning).
So, what’s available? Check out the video above to get details on each set of items, and view the image gallery with the button below to get a closer look at each item.
[button link=”https://charliepryor.net/souvenirs-vietnam-stuff-giveaway/2″ size=”large”]SEE THE ITEMS[/button]
Bamboo Drink Coasters
Here we have two sets of drink coasters made of Bamboo. Like every item you’ll see here, these coasters are made of Bamboo, and are very high-quality as a result. The tough and rigid nature of this very tough material makes these coasters very durable, and give it a unique look and stylistic feel for the right room or outdoor setting.
[gallery link="file" columns="2" ids="4096,4097"]
There are two sets here, which are available as separate prizes for this giveaway. They will be available for people in the order in which they are selected (which is random). You can choose square and brown, or round and yellow.
[charliead]
[caption id="attachment_4103" align="aligncenter" width="648"] High-quality, handmade of Bamboo[/caption]
The title pretty much says it all. These are bookmarks made of Bamboo (again, handmade). The bookmarks feature different designs, showing the various parts of Vietnamese culture and the different parts of life in Vietnam. The one on the far left (in the photo) shows fishing in the country, the one in the middle shows a variety of things including rice farming, boats on the water, and more scenery from the Vietnamese countryside. The last one, on the far right, shows a woman wearing an Ao Dai, well-known as traditional Vietnamese clothing (my mother wore this for our wedding in Vietnam. You can see her wearing it if you want by clicking here.
These bookmarks are meant to be given away as separate gifts for this giveaway, and they each are accompanied by one of the following three items: The turtle, the bracelet, and the shot glass. Continuing through this gallery will give you a good look at these things.
[charliead]
[caption id="attachment_4098" align="aligncenter" width="648"] This turtle comes with one of the bookmarks featured previously[/caption]
This little wooden turtle is actually pretty darn cool, and if I didn’t already have a stone turtle for myself (also bought on this same trip), I probably would have kept this one. Unlike the previous gifts showcased in this gallery, the turtle is not made of Bamboo, and is instead made of wood. It features Chinese zodiac around the outside of the shell, surrounding more artwork at the top of the shell.
Turtles have special significance in Vietnam, traditionally. They are the symbol of longevity, and with their long lives comes the wisdom that old age pairs with. I’ll be covering the significance of the turtle in a later article, including a legend about them from Hanoi. For now, just know that they are lucky because of their longevity and they are a symbol of wisdom in Northern Vietnam.
[caption id="attachment_4099" align="aligncenter" width="648"] The inside of the turtle. Note that the compass doesn’t actually work[/caption]
The shell of this turtle rotates about the tail end of it, revealing more Chinese symbols within, and a compass in the middle. It’s important to note here that the compass doesn’t really work, but it’s a nifty little addition on the inside that does tend to add to the aesthetic of the piece. It’s fairly lightweight, but feels like good handmade quality nevertheless.
[charliead]
[caption id="attachment_4100" align="aligncenter" width="648"] This bracelet comes with one of the bamboo bookmarks featured previously[/caption]
Another nice souvenir that presents the uniqueness of the Vietnamese people’s commitment to handmade items, this bracelet is decorated and designed with eggshells! I’ve seen woman all over the place wearing similar bracelets, but how many have their look created in such a way?
[caption id="attachment_4101" align="aligncenter" width="648"] It won’t fit over my hand, but that doesn’t mean it won’t fit yours.[/caption]
As mentioned previously, this bracelet comes with one Bamboo bookmark. It’s got a wood construction for the most part, with eggshells only being used on the exterior for the design.
[charliead]
[caption id="attachment_4102" align="aligncenter" width="648"] Everyone loves location-labeled shot glasses! :)[/caption]
Of course no souvenir showcase would be complete without the location-labeled shot glass! Made just like any other shot glass you’ve had before, this one is labeled Vietnam with a few bits of art signifying the country of which it originated, including the Vietnamese countryside. It’s quite colorful, and I’m sure it’ll be a cool thing to take to your next party.
As previously stated, the shot glass comes with one of the bamboo bookmarks featured previously in this gallery, so they are shown behind the item as well.
[charliead]
[caption id="attachment_4106" align="aligncenter" width="648"] Two pictures shown, but only one will be given away. Winner chooses which.[/caption]
You’ve likely seen simple works of art like this before, but they were likely drawn on paper, or painted on canvas. Rarely do you see this level of detail applied in a picture that was hand-stitched. These works of art here took an incredible amount of work to create, and one of them are being given away here at Charlie’s Place. You choose which you’d like.
[gallery link="file" columns="2" ids="4107,4108"]
As you can see by these closer looks, the stitching was one with care to the detail of the flower, and because this is hand-stitched, it’s unlikely to fade or change much while it sits on your wall or desk. It’s not all that small either, as it measures slightly larger than a standard 8.5″x11″ sheet of paper. Frame is included, obviously.
[charliead]
[caption id="attachment_4104" align="aligncenter" width="648"] Great quality, handmade tie[/caption]
Those of you who wear ties often may like this one. It’s a really interesting handmade tie, made personally by a woman who set up shop at a Buddhist temple in the Vietnamese coastal city of Nha Trang. The pagoda, which had been around since the year 1010, features a variety of old structures for meditation and a few somewhat ‘retired’ structures that exist to showcase the history of the people and the Pagoda.
[caption id="attachment_4105" align="aligncenter" width="648"] The level of quality and detail unseen in mass-produced Chinese factories that ship to the USA.[/caption]
As you can see by the photo above, the level of detail in the weaving is very nice, although this tie you see in the second picture is actually a gold-colored one that isn’t included in this giveaway. The two ties are very similar though, and both made in the same way (with slight variances in their design). If you choose this one, you’ll have a one-of-a-kind tie that is unique from all others (as all handmade stuff is), and you’ll have a short story to tell as to where it came from.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=O1MXntz8QFM
But it’s not really enough to tell you where it came from, because I find the process of its creation to be very fascinating. How it was crafted is just as awesome to me as where it was crafted, so I’ve gone and uploaded a video of how it was made, and embedded it above for you to see. It takes so long to make stuff this way… but they do it. This video is the exact place and people which created this tie.
[charliead]
[caption id="attachment_4093" align="aligncenter" width="648"] Made of wood this time, but still great quality[/caption]
This handmade jewelry box features a rather unique Asian design, and is made of wood. The smaller circular designs are Chinese in origin (I believe), and the image in the middle is more of the Vietnamese feels you’ve been looking for. There are various flowers and such around the outside of the box, which I believe represent various parts of the year (seasons and such) as well as other things.
[caption id="attachment_4094" align="aligncenter" width="648"] Red felt. Good hinges[/caption]
On the inside of the box, red felt is laid out for a nice classic feel. There’s no lock or anything on the box though, which may make it a deal breaker for a “jewelry” box particularly… but maybe not. It’s nice anyway.
[charliead]
[caption id="attachment_4092" align="aligncenter" width="648"] Place settings made of bamboo. Comes as a set of 4[/caption]
The final set of items I have to share with you all, are these bamboo table place settings. There are a variety of designs here, and you’ll get all four if you choose these. They come as a set. Would work well for your outdoor or patio table, or if you have a festive setting in your home which would fit with these.
I hope you’ve enjoyed this gallery. Let me know which are your favorites in the comments section down below. The comments section is the same no matter which item you are looking at, so be sure to point out your favorites, and stay tuned for the winners to be announced after February 1st.
If you haven’t gotten yourself qualified for this giveaway yet, or you aren’t sure if you did it correctly, the official instructions will help you. CLICK HERE to check out the giveaway, and get yourself entries to win! Thanks for stopping in, and I hope to share some more great stuff with you soon!
[charliead]
