It's Tea Towel Calendar Time! Vote for Me!

Can you believe we're already approaching 2013? Holiday gift-making (and plans of gift giving) is in full swing, which means it's time again for the Spoonflower annual Tea Towel Calendar contest! This is my favorite contest, not just to design for and enter, but to see all the calendars other designers have created. Above is the design I am entering this year. If you like it, please vote for it by going to the Spoonflower Fabric-of-the-Week Contest page.

All you need to do to vote is click on the Vote in This Week's Contest link on the right, then find my design and click on it (a green border will appear around the image). Make your way through the remaining pages and click the Review My Votes button on the bottom of the last page. When you have reviewed your votes, you can click Submit...and that's it! You can vote for multiple designs, too! Designs that make the Top Ten are automatically offered for sale on the Spoonflower site!

Most of us probably need some amount of luck at times during the year, especially in a year that ends in the number "13"! The 2013 Lucky Charms Tea Towel Calendar features a chain of 12 charms considered to be lucky by most cultures around the world. May they bring you luck throughout the year!

The 12 charms are:

Shooting Star: Because they're relatively rare to see, and disappear so quickly, wishing on shooting stars can be difficult. According to legend, if you do see a shooting star and are able to make your wish in time, it should come true within 30 days.

Lucky Penny: Pennies have come to be known as lucky because of the popular Depression-era phrase, "Find a penny, pick it up, all day long you'll have good luck." May 23rd is Lucky Penny Day.

Four-Leaf Clover: This rare variation of the three-leaf clover is said to bring good luck to its finder, especially when found accidentally. There may be one four-leaf clover in a patch of 10,000 three-leaf clovers. According to legend, each leaf of the clover represents something: the first stands for faith, the second for hope, the third for love, and the fourth for luck.

Rainbow: Finding a pot of gold at the end of a rainbow would certainly be lucky! In western culture, the rainbow is considered something lucky to see, and has become a symbol of renewed hope.

Rabbit’s Foot: Most people around the world believe carrying a rabbit’s foot can bring good luck. This belief most likely originated with the Celts around 600 B.C. According to North American legend, it must be the rabbit’s left hind foot that is used as a charm, and in some cases it can only be from a rabbit captured in a cemetery, on a full or new moon, and on Friday the 13th.

Upside-Down Horseshoe: One legend says horseshoes are lucky because they are traditionally made with iron, which apparently keeps away mischievous fairies. Hanging them upside-down allows the horsehoe to hold the luck inside forever.

The Number 7: Considered by the ancient Greeks to be "the perfect number", the number "7" appears in many important places: there are 7 days of the week, 7 colors of the rainbow, and 7 planets visible to the naked eye. In addition, the 7th son of a 7th son is supposed to be gifted, and rolling the number 7 in many dice games wins big money.

Ladybug: Many cultures believe that if a ladybug lands on you, you will have good luck, especially if you do not brush it off. In Austria, they’re even called "Glueckskaefer", or "lucky bugs". Some believe that if a man and woman see a ladybug at the same time, they will fall in love. To some of the superstitious, the deeper the red and the more spots the ladybugs have, the luckier they are and the more prosperity they will bring.

Throwing Salt Over Your Shoulder: According to the Bible, throwing salt over your shoulder is supposed to be a way to keep the devil at bay. Traditionally, if you spill salt, use your right hand to throw some over your left shoulder and you will blind the devil from seeing your error.

Double-Yolk Egg: Approximately one egg in every 1000 has two yolks, so finding one can be lucky. According to legend, you will have even greater luck if you eat a double-yolk egg on Easter.

Wishbone: Though usually an American Thanksgiving tradition played after the turkey has been consumed, the two-person, tug-of-war-like game of pulling apart the wishbone began with the Etruscans, long before America was discovered, almost 2400 years ago. When you and an "opponent" grab each end of the wishbone and pull in opposite directions and the bone breaks, the person who ends up with the longest piece of bone will have good luck. The phrases "I can't get a break" and "I need a lucky break" come from this competition.

Nautical Star: The nautical star, or North Star, provides guidance, and is a good luck symbol among sailors. In biblical lore, it gave direction to the promised land.