Enter to win a fantastic Wind at My Back prize pack

In John Steinbeck's unendingly classic book The Grapes of Wrath, which delves into the heart of life and all its hardships during the Great Depression, there is a line that always springs to mind for me when I think of the excellent Canadian television series Wind at My Back, itself also set during the heartbreakingly hard years of the dirty thirties: "How can we live without our lives? How will we know it’s us without our past?"

For those who are not acquainted with this show from Sullivan Entertainment (the same production company that created the beloved Anne of Green Gables movies and the Road to Avonlea TV series, amongst other excellent works), it was a wholesome Canadian television series that focused on the lives of the fictional Bailey family, who were indeed struggling to keep their lives, memories, and the family itself intact despite the overwhelming odds against them.

The series was set in the (also fictional) little town of New Bedford, Ontario and has at times been likened to a Canadian version of The Waltons, though there are a good many differences between the two shows.



{Many of the key characters from Wind at My Back, some more lovable than others certainly, but all equally important to the dynamics of this wonderful Canadian period drama series.}



Loss and hardship, death and separation, sorrow and triumph all ring loudly through this family friendly show, which followed on the heels of (but wasn't tied to) Sullivan Entertainment's beloved Road to Avonlea, which wrapped up regular series filming the same year (1996) that Wind at My Back was launched. Running for five seasons of thirteen episodes a piece (followed by a made-for-TV Christmas themed movie), this series, like everything Sullivan Entertainment creates, was incredibly endearing, enjoyable and beautifully done.

From the period appropriate vintage and vintage reproduction clothing that was used throughout all five seasons (some of which, worn by cast members themselves, is now available to buy in Sullivan Entertainment's terrific online store called Shop at Sullivan, along with pieces from some of the company's other movies and TV series) to the soulful, gripping acting of the characters, especially the character Honey Bailey who endears more than her fair share of hardship right off the bat, Wind at My Back speaks to history fans and admirers of great family programming alike.

If we take whodunit mystery series out the equation, objectively, there haven't been a huge number of 1930s themed TV shows over the years, let alone ones set in Canada, and that element too is sure to appeal to many. Though Wind at My Back ceased production thirteen years ago now, its stories and themes are as a timeless as the day is long and filled with the sort of hard hitting, earnest struggles that Steinbeck himself would have instantly been drawn to.

Today, on what just happens to be my darling husband's 34th birthday, I'm immensely happy to let you know that I've teamed up with Sullivan Entertainment for a second (the first, which took place last October, was Road to Avonlea themed) stellar prize pack giveaway for one lucky North American winner. The winner will receive all four of the following items from Sullivan Entertainment's online shop:


-Season 1 of Wind at My Back



-The Wind at My Back soundtrack


-Wind at My Back cast photographed signed by series creator and producer Kevin Sullivan himself!


-Edwardian Style Clear Rhinestone Necklace and Earrings Set



How to enter:

There are five ways to enter this great giveaway. Please leave a separate comment for each way in which you enter so as to increase your chances of winning (five comments, for example, give you five times the odds that just one comment would).


1. Leave a comment on this post letting me know about one the things you most love or admire about the 1930s.


2. Like Sullivan Entertainment on Facebook and share about this giveaway there.


3. Follow Sullivan Entertainment on Twitter and tweet about this giveaway including including @sullivanent in your tweet.


4. Pin any image you'd like from SE's shop to any of your Pinterest boards. Leave a comment here with a link to your pin.


5. Subscribe to Shop at Sullivan Entertainment's newsletter.



Giveaway details


This giveaway is open to participants from North America. It will run from today's date, August 6th, until Wednesday August 13, 2014 at 11:59 PST. The winner will be selected using a random number generator and announced on Facebook and/or Twitter, as well as contacted directly by email or Facebook private message, if such contact information is available to me.

Once I've been in contact with the winner, I will pass along your information to the lovely folks at Sullivan Entertainment who will then mail out your prize package consisting of the four items detailed above. If you have any questions about this Wind at My Back giveaway, please don't hesitate to email me.

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Whether you've seen every episode of Wind at My Back, have never so much as even heard of it before, or fall anywhere in between, this giveaway is for you. As lovers of all things mid-twentieth century, Wind at My Back speaks to us on so many levels and warrants watching time and again, including with your children (youngsters who are fans of the 1930s themed American Girl dolls Kit and Ruthie are bound to especially adore this series).

From the Depression era fashions and hairstyles to portrayal of the kind of difficulties so many of our own relatives faced during these harrowing years to the heartwarming relationships between the Bailey family members and their ability to ultimately make it through no matter what, this series is ideal for vintage fans fan everywhere.

It is a sincere pleasure and honour to be collaborating with Sullivan Entertainment again for another wonderful giveaway and I want to sincerely thank for the opportunity to do so this month. Many thanks as well to everyone who enters. Best of luck to one and all!

Enter to win a wonderful Road to Avonlea prize pack

Like maple syrup, snowy winters, and the game of hockey, Anne of Green Gables - and by extension all of author Lucy Maud Montgomery's work - is a beloved part of what makes Canada the endearingly terrific country that it is. Yet the tale of the spunky little redheaded orphan Anne's popularity isn't limited just to Canadian soil, no, she has become a widely adored character the world over since her story first debuted more a century ago.

{Image source}

As much as I love Anne (and Gilbert), it was another quartet of books from Montgomery (The Story Girl, The Golden Road, Chronicles of Avonlea, and Further Chronicles of Avonlea, respectively) that lead to the creation numerous decades after they were first penned of a Canadian television series called Road to Avonlea, that I most adore, because without them, said series would never have come to be, and I can scarcely imagine my childhood without it.

Much like the tales of Anne Shirley, Road to Avonlea (RTA), was set in the maritime province of Prince Edward Island, in a close-knit town called Avonlea. The series, which comprises seven seasons and was shot between 1990-1996, spans the Edwardian years of 1903-1912, and follows the life of Sara Stanley (played by well known Canadian actress Sarah Polley), whose mother has recently died and in the wake of this tragedy, has been sent to live with two her (then single) aunts, Olive and Hetty King, both sister's of her late mother, by her father.

While Sara was certainly a central character throughout much of the series (especially the earlier seasons), the show was not strictly about this bright, caring, charming young girl. It focused heavily as well on several of her relatives, including her Uncle Alec King, his wife Janet, and their children, as well as various other King relatives, Avonlea residents, and the occasional exciting out-of-town visitor (often played by a well-known guest actor or actress).

{Image source}

Alec and Janet King had four children (Felicity, Felix, Cecily, and youngest son Daniel, who joined the family during the second season) and much of the series centered around the lives of this loving, hard working farming family. As the older children grew up, love interests entered their lives, including an on-again, off-again romance for Felicity with a young seafaring sailor named Gus Pike (to the great pleasure of many of RTA fans, though there were some epic ups and downs, Gus and Felicity's tale has a wonderfully happy ending, which wraps up the final episode of series seven).

To describe the basic premise of this show scarcely does it justice though. Created by award winning Canadian production company Sullivan Entertainment, RTA was just about as close to being transported back to the Edwardian era viewers could ever hope to get, and for me as a young girl, this family-friendly program (which aired weekly on Sunday evenings) was an enchanting, beautiful glimpse not only of Canada's past, but of the kind of wonderful family (the Kings) that anyone would be proud to be a part of.

Like every one of the movies and TV series (such as Anne of Green Gables and Wind at My Back) that Sullivan Entertainment release, Road to Avonlea was exceptionally well crafted, skillfully produced (by renowned Canadian director/producer/writer Kevin Sullivan), and rich with historical accuracy and incredible period costuming, all of which further helped adhere RTA to my young heart and turn me into a fan of all of SE's work to this day.

It was with absolutely no small about of happiness and honour than that I received a message recently from one of the lovely folks Sullivan Entertainment asking me if I'd like to host a giveaway for some of their products. Once I'd picked my jaw up off the floor and done at least a few double takes, I couldn't say yes quickly enough.

Road to Avonlea was, bar none, my absolute favourite television series as a child and it will forever hold a very special place in my heart, which makes it all the more of joy for me to get the opportunity to offer one lucky winner the chance to win a Road To Avonlea prize pack consisting of the following items from Sullivan Entertainment's online shop (which is devoted to products relating to their TV shows and movies).


The Prize

-Seasons 1 & 2 of Road to Avonlea on DVD

-An Avonlea Album (a collectors book containing over 100 images from Road to Avonlea)

-A Vintage scarf from one of Sullivan Entertainment's productions

-A beautiful vintage style pocket watch necklace with a picture of an owl on the front





How to enter

There are seven possible ways for you to enter this giveaway, the more of them that you do, the greater your odds of winning will be.

1.) Go to Sullivan Entertainment's online shop, have a look around, and tell me what your favourite item for sale there is and why it caught your eye in particular.

2.) Like Sullivan Entertainment on Facebook.

3.) Comment on Facebook about this giveaway, including a link back to this Chronically Vintage post. Leave a comment here with a link to your FB post.

4.) Follow Sullivan Entertainment on Twitter.

5.) Tweet about this giveaway on Twitter, including @sullivanent in your tweet. Leave a comment here with a link to your tweet.

6.) Follow Sullivan Entertainment on Pinterest.

7.) Pin any image you'd like from SE's shop to any of your Pinterest boards. Leave a comment here with a link to your pin.

Please make sure to leave a separate comment specifying each of the ways in which you entered this giveaway, so as to increase your odds of winning. 

Giveaway details

This giveaway is for one Road to Avonlea prize pack that includes the items listed above. It will run between today and Monday October 7, 2013 (closing at 11:59pm PST), with the winner being drawn by random number generator the following day and announced in a blog post here shortly thereafter. Please note, that this giveaway is only open to North American residents.

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I first caught wind of SE's website a few months ago on Facebook, and was especially enamored by the fact that, in addition to their array of wonderful movie and TV show related merchandise, the site sells actual clothing that was worn by cast members in various SE productions.

These skillfully crafted garments are an incredible way for fans to own a special piece of their favourite Sullivan Entertainment show or movie, with new pieces being offered routinely (for fans of the 1930s, the site currently stocks an especially good sized selection of thirties reproduction pieces which were worn on the television series Wind at My Back).

Whether you've been a fan of SE's beautiful, heartwarming programming for more than two decades now as well, grew up adoring books about Anne, or simply enjoy early twentieth century history, today's prize pack and SE's online shop are such to tickle your fancy.

Looking back to my childhood days, when I would sit on the sand hued carpet at the foot of my parents bed and gaze up at the television screen each Sunday evening, my mind enthralled and entertained to the highest degree by Road to Avonlea, I never would have imagined then that I would grow up to pen a vintage website which in turn would one day lead to receiving an email from the very company that created this beloved show of mine.

Seven year old me would have squealed with delight so loudly had she known, that I bet you could have heard it all the way across the country clear to Prince Edward Island! And it is precisely that kind of happiness that I hope this terrific Road to Avonlea prize pack will bring one lucky winner.

From the bottom of my heart, I want to thank Sullivan Entertainment for their generous giveaway prizes, as well as for allowing me the opportunity to express just a small bit of the unending love I have had all my life for their incredible, endearing popular Canadian shows and movies.

I know in my heart of hearts, that part of the reason Chronically Vintage is here today is because of their superb programming set in days long gone, yet far from forgotten, and the impact it had on me during my formative years.