The winner of our Humans of New York Stories giveaway is Sara Kitchen, who said:

“This reminds me of another wonderful and touching book that featured the cowboy and western way of life along with photos and stories which I can relate to. All so piquant, heartwarming, beautiful, poignant, and yet nothing flowery woven into the fabric of our daily lives is something full of shared life experiences with the understanding of how individual lives can bring to gladden and lift ourselves through a book such as HONY. It helps us see the goodness in people.”

Congratulations, Sara!

And the original post was:

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Have you heard of Brandon Stanton? How about Humans of New York, or HONY, as people like to call it in these modern days of BFFs and LOLs? HONY defines the most beautiful aspects of our current social media craze. A year ago, I shared a glimpse of Brandon’s story. Brandon spends most of his time on the streets of New York, photographing and telling the stories of people he meets there, which he then shares on his blog and Facebook.

What began as a photo census in 2010, whose purpose was to chronicle neighborhoods and communities through the faces of people who lived there, has now grown to a well-known presence on the Internet whose posts reach more than 15 million followers each day. Last year, Brandon traveled to 12 different countries in collaboration with the United Nations, was invited to the White House to interview President Obama, spent a month in Europe documenting and sharing the story of Syrian refugees, and was named as one of the 30 most influential people on the Internet by Time magazine.

It seems that people are very interested in hearing compassionate tales about the lives of their fellow people. I know it’s my favorite snippet that passes through my Facebook newsfeed. And even though the posts are often short and sweet, I am usually in tears hearing the personal stories of so many. It is always good to be reminded of different perspectives and what people are surviving and accomplishing each day. So, I’ve been so looking forward to Brandon’s latest compilation of beautiful photos and stories of his subjects in book form! Once I’ve read it front to back and then back again, I plan to adorn my coffee table with it for all others to peruse, should they have a few minutes.

And since I can’t have you all over for tea alongside my coffee table and copy of HONY, I’m giving away a copy. Tell us in the comments section below what touches you most about the HONY story and we’ll randomly choose a winner sometime soon.

For a chance to win a FREE copy of the book, Origami Farm, tell me about your experience with origami in the comments below. I’ll toss your name into a hat and draw a lucky winner sometime mid-August.

Read our article about Farm Origami and learn to fold a cute little chick in the Aug/Sept issue of MaryJanesFarm. Stay tuned for more magazine-related giveaways. If you’re not yet a subscriber to my magazine, MaryJanesFarm, subscribe here for $19.95/year.

For a chance to win a FREE copy of the book, Creative Lettering and Beyond: Inspiring Tips, Techniques & Ideas, tell me about your favorite creative endeavor/passion in the comments below. I’ll toss your name into a hat and draw a lucky winner sometime mid-August.

Read more about calligraphy in the Aug/Sept issue of MaryJanesFarm. Stay tuned for more magazine-related giveaways. If you’re not yet a subscriber to my magazine, MaryJanesFarm, subscribe here for $19.95/year.

In the June/July issue of MaryJanesFarm, “Fresh Egg Overture,” I led you here to my daily journal for a chance to win some special giveaways. Following, you’ll find the winners of all three giveaways. Thank you to all who participated by leaving comments, and stay tuned for more giveaways in each issue of MaryJanesFarm. If you’re not yet a subscriber to MaryJanesFarm, subscribe here for $19.95/year.

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The winner of my “Shuttercraft, Fresh Egg Overture” giveaway (for a gorgeous pair of FREE robin cutout painted wood shutters from Shuttercraft) is Sandy Worley, who left this comment in response to “Tell me about your favorite bird.”

“The shutters are wonderful! I’m making curtains for my sewing room that have all types of lovely birds that would be perfect with those shutters. I have jars and jars of buttons around my bird decorations to enjoy while I’m sewing/quilting. Cardinals have always been my very favorite, but we have darling little sparrows that nest on our patio … and we treasure their devotion to their babies.”

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The winner of my “All American Clothespins, Fresh Egg Overture“ giveaway (for 20 FREE beautiful, handmade clothespins from All American Clothespins) is Christina Pierce, who left this comment in response to “Tell me how hanging laundry on the line makes you feel.”

“We live as grid free as we can, so hanging laundry is one of my luxuries I enjoy. I don’t own a dryer, so hanging laundry is all I have but I don’t mind, and I wouldn’t trade it for a fancy dryer for nothing, because I love the smell of the clean laundry in your hands and the chance to reconnect with nature as you’re outside … even in the winter months, although I do have a indoor line for rainy days. I couldn’t imagine doing it any other way.”

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The winner of my “Simply Stitched, Fresh Egg Overture” giveaway (for a FREE copy of the new book, Simply Stitched (featuring 20 beautiful, original embroidery motifs, plus projects and instructions), is Marion O’Neill, who left this comment in response to “Tell me about one of your favorite needlework projects.”

“I like embroidering kitchen towels. I love the designs from the 1930s through the 1950s. I especially like the bluebird and chicken designs, but I was happy to find an old World War II aircraft mechanic pattern that I made for my friend Anna, who is an aircraft mechanic. It featured a cat in overalls with a tool box, and it said ”Keep ’em Flying.”

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The winner of my “Liberty Quilt, Fresh Egg Overture” giveaway (for a FREE beautiful MaryJane’s Home Liberty Quilt is Debra Byam, who left this comment in response to “Tell me your favorite place to take a nap.”

“I don’t take naps very often, but when I do, I like to take one on our porch in our swing, or if it’s in the winter, I usually end up in the recliner. This is my last magazine and I love it so I have to renew again. Even my husband will read this magazine and likes it. We live in town and are trying to move outside of town. We have bees, so we sell honey and I make other stuff with the honey and I am looking a getting some chickens. I love them. Anybody have any advice about what are the best and so on? I live in southwestern Minnesota.”

To our winners, make sure you check your emails for one coming from MaryJanesFarm.