200 Follower Giveaway!

You know, I remember those first few months of blogging back in spring 2010.  I felt like I was writing for a little circle of friends - the idea that strangers would read my blog was unconceivable.  Then, as the expat aspect of Betsy Transatlantically picked up steam, I gained some Anglophile followers and I began to appreciate the wider doors that blogging can open.  Still, though, I vividly remember counting up my 36 followers and being shocked that I only actually knew 11 of them in real life.

In the past year, I've expanded the scope of Betsy Transatlantically and started to devote more time and energy to my posts.  I've come to understand what goes into the big blogs - and I've changed my definition of what a big blog is.  And, at the same time, I have made more of an effort to gain followers.  I'm not ashamed to admit that; we all should blog first and foremost for ourselves, but it's unquestionably ten times the fun when you can engage with readers from all over the world.  However, I hope that I never lose the wonder I first felt when I saw that 36 people had chosen to spend time with me.  I hope that I keep getting a little tingle of being complimented every time I think about that little number on the dashboard for as long as I blog.  I hope that the sense of family continues to grow with each first-time commenter, and I hope that I never take the gift of this wonderful community for granted.

And I know that, for a lot of blogs out there, 200 followers is nothing.  Many of you reached that number in a few months, I'm sure.  But this is a big deal for me, and I want to thank each and every one of you for following along on this adventure of mine.  So let's have a giveaway to celebrate, shall we?  I've selected a few of my favorite things from England, and I have to say that I'm totally jealous of whoever wins them!  Here's what we've got:

If you're a foodie, you know that River Cottage is to England what Chez Panisse was to America, sort of.  Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall was one of pioneers in championing local, seasonal, and sustainable food and cooking in the UK.  His River Cottage Every Day cookbook has tons o' delicious and easy recipes for every occasion - the chicken and mushroom casserole is at the top of my list to make for a cozy evening in!

Last year, I bought Jon's flatmate a few Cowshed products for Christmas.  She may have wondered why, after she put them in the communal bathroom, they seemed to disappear more quickly than she thought they should.  I'll admit that it's possible that I was using them.  They're just that good!  This Knackered Cow set is perfect for unwinding after a long week.

Hobbs is one of my favorite clothing stores in London.  It's pricey, but I feel polished and poised every time I put on one of their dresses - they make ideal interview outfits.  They recently launched a sister line called NW3, which has slightly more relaxed and trendier collections.  This silk scarf caught my eye as soon as I clicked onto the website!

And, last but not least, I'm throwing in the new Ellie Goulding album, Halcyon.  (Actually, I'll gift it to the winner from iTunes - do people still listen to CDs?)  The folk-pop singer broke out in 2010 with the annual John Lewis Christmas advert, for which she sang a haunting cover of Your Song; she then sang at the Royal Wedding in April 2011.  I don't think you can get much more British than that!

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A winner will be announced on Sunday, November 18, so you have until 11:59pm EST on Saturday, November 17 to enter - good luck, dear readers!  And thank you for everything.