Sunday, November 4, 2012

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:

giveaway

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!

a Rafflecopter giveaway


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.

37 comments:

  1. I definitely miss my Aga the most- but Wensleydale cheese is a close second!

    ReplyDelete
  2. does Harry Potter count? 'cause I honestly don't know what my life [and my imagination] would be like without those books. outside of that, I've turned into a big fan of British musicians. Ellie Goulding has been one of my favorites for a couple years!

    ReplyDelete
  3. I love chocolate biscuits you can get in England - I wish I could remember what they're called!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Can I claim the Borough Market?? Love that place!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Congratulations on your 200 followers! That scarf is to die for!

    ReplyDelete
  6. digestives? you can get McVities in the States - they have them in my Giant!

    ReplyDelete
  7. La Chapstick FanatiqueNovember 4, 2012 at 7:04 AM

    congrats on 200 followers!! that is so awesome!


    http://lachapstickfanatique.blogspot.com

    ReplyDelete
  8. Everyday I miss the Solero ice cream bars. They don't have anything exactly like it in the states! I'm also a big fan of Smarties. M&Ms just don't compare. Ugh, I could go on and on... in Holland, the chocolate sprinkles and chocolate spreads you can put on toast take up an entire wall at the grocery store and that makes me happy.

    Is Ellie Goulding's new album as good as her last? I played that one to death, I just love her!

    ReplyDelete
  9. Congrats on your followers! I kind of live in both countries, does that count? :) Anyway I love Wensleydale cheese and real ale! :) xx

    ReplyDelete
  10. Congrats on your milestone love! You totally deserve it. Mine isn't so much an item... I love the music that has been brought to the US from the UK. Most specifically, Led Zeppelin, The Beatles, and The Rolling Stones :) (Does David Beckham count?? lol!)

    ReplyDelete
  11. or Chocolate Hobnobs - they are THE BEST

    ReplyDelete
  12. Congrats on 200 followers and lovely giveaway! Love the English things - i've always wanted to try Cowshed products, and never have even though I am English haha.


    Although not an "item" I really miss the good customer service in America! Every shop, bar, restaurant - everyone so friendly and attentive and some places here could do with a lesson or two in customer relations!

    ReplyDelete
  13. I lived in NYC for a year interning and I seriously wish I could snap my fingers and be back there rather than London (yikes I said it out loud!) but I seriously miss Swedish Fish sweets they're sooo good and hold such great memories.

    ReplyDelete
  14. I do love a good cookbook! :)

    ReplyDelete
  15. Wow, this looks amazing! Congrats on 200!

    ReplyDelete
  16. woo 200 followers! I'm excited about that cd- I need new music and British music hasn't yet let me down.

    ReplyDelete
  17. Congrats on 200 followers Betsy! And what a fantastic giveaway :) xoxo

    ReplyDelete
  18. So exciting!! Big fan of your blog

    ReplyDelete
  19. Yay for 200 followers!

    ReplyDelete
  20. So excited for this! Congrats on getting to 200 followers!

    ReplyDelete
  21. Her Late Night CravingsNovember 5, 2012 at 5:26 PM

    Charlie is our fave!! :-) We love your blog and are sending you a big congrats on not only hitting but going over 200! You are awesome!!


    Jayme & Mendi

    ReplyDelete
  22. Congrats! Very exciting and yay giveaways to make it even more so!

    ReplyDelete
  23. In love with Ellie Goulding and your blog! x

    ReplyDelete
  24. Such a fantastic giveaway idea Betsy!
    I'm like you, while I blog for me, mostly to keep my mind occupied during this strange housewife phase of my life, I'm also amazed and thrilled when I get new readers. I love 'meeting' all of the new people :)
    And my favorite transatlantic item from your giveaway is the cookbook, and then the cowshed, and then the scarf.... they're all fab! But my favorite transatlantic item full stop is Boots No.7 Tinted Moisturizer and Red Magazine. I can't live without them! Since Boots doesn't deliver to France (so dumb), I'm so lucky that my cousin was just back in London and picked up both for me. I'm a happy camper :)

    ReplyDelete
  25. I miss Robinson's fruit squash the most. I know that's pretty strange, but there's no other juice/cordial that does the job. Plus it's mostly sweetener so it's less fattening than soda. I grew up with that blackcurrant taste.

    Congrats on the readership lovely, long may it continue!

    ReplyDelete
  26. congrats! I miss my mums sunday roast!

    ReplyDelete
  27. i absolutely ADORE that scarf. and the spa products... & the cookbook... & ellie goulding. i can't pick my favorite - they are all equally lovely, in my opinion.

    congratulations on 200 followers. i identified with this post whole-heartedly. and, i love your blog :)

    here's to 200 more followers/friends! cheers!

    ReplyDelete
  28. My fave item in the giveaway - definitely the cookbook!! I'm somewhat of a cookbook addict. I'm born and bred uk, so I don't have a specific fave transatlantic item, I have visited the US several times however and I do miss the food, some of the places I ate at were just fantastic and everything so huge! :/

    ReplyDelete
  29. Has to be the scarf! Lovely scarf - perfect for a/w xoxo

    ReplyDelete
  30. That cookbook looks awesome - and the scarf is beautiful! Hard to choose a favorite :)

    ReplyDelete
  31. The cookbook of local/seasonal food looks fantastic! That's my fave.

    ReplyDelete
  32. That cookbook looks amazing! Although the scarf is gorgeous too!

    ReplyDelete
  33. that river cottage everyday book looks fantastic!

    ReplyDelete
  34. I realized I never commented/entered! Congrats on 200 followers!

    Now that I'm in England, I miss chicken wings. Like good, fried, unhealthy, spicy, chicken wings. I miss loads more things obviously but that's what stands out in my mind!!

    ReplyDelete
  35. my fav either has to be the scarf or music from Ellie Goulding:)

    ReplyDelete
  36. I love the Knackered Cow set :)

    ReplyDelete

I love reading your thoughts and suggestions! Please do leave a comment so we can get to know each other better.