We Have A Winner!

First I want to thank all of you for stopping by and entering my CSN Giveaway.  I really appreciate each and everyone of you.  I used the Random.org for the winner.  Sorry I am no computer genuis so I cant figure out how to show a picture of the Number generator doohickey.  Out of 39 entries the winner is #11!  YAY!  Congratulations to Kim of Millie's Mats! 

Kim said," I love CSN - you can find anything! I would buy something pretty for the backyard - if all the snow ever melts!" 

Kim I will email you with the details shortly.

Thanks again to everyone who entered.

CSN Giveaway

Well Tomorrow my CSN giveaway ends.

If you have not already entered you can do so 

{HERE} 

At this point you have great odds.  

I will be back this week with the winner and a couple pretty posts!  Have a lovely Sunday!

200 Followers deserves a CSN Giveaway!

~ GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED ~

  I was contacted by CSN to do a giveaway and it came at a perfect time!  I decided to do the giveaway in CELEBRATION of hitting 200 followers.

The Giveaway is for $35.00 from CSN they haveOver 200+ Stores online and I have 200 followers!  See how I am tying this giveaway in??  lol

CSN has an incredible selection of products, from dinnerware to shoes and everything in between.  I was browsing and found myself looking at
flat panel tv stands

I found the one I purchased for my living room

 Pretty huh?  I also bought the hutch part for mine.

 Lovin' the detail and the green on this one.

 Really??  A nice corner unit with fireplace. Makes me warm just looking at it.

 I was excited about this one.  A sturdy base that would look great in a bedroom!

As you can see CSN has lots to offer! 

Okay enough gushing, on to the giveaway.

  Four ways to enter:

1. Leave a comment telling me what you would love to buy from CSN.

2. For a second chance to win, post the giveaway on your blog. 

3. Become a follower and let me know in a comment.

4. If you currently are a follower leave a separate comment telling me.

This giveaway is open to US or Canadian residents only, as this is where CSN is able to ship.

Giveaway ends Monday February 28th at 5:00 pm.

Good Luck and happy shopping!

200 Followers!

It has been a busy few days for me and I noticed today I am at exactly 200 followers!  

WOW!  

I never even thought I would have that many people who would want junk from me in their reader!  Well thanks to you all!  Stay tuned because I will have a giveaway to post tomorrow evening in celebration! 

See you All Then!

how to NOT have a relaxing evening

#1  Start your bath.

#2  Light a candle

#3  Go check email

#4  Browse some lovely Blogs

#5  Read Devotions with your family.

#6  Remember you started the bath

#7  Yell "Oh Shoot!" & run down the hall

#8  Continue yelling tell husband to get the shop vac!

#9  Turn tub off and submerge arm to open drain.

#9  Start souping up the water with towels.

#10 Vacuum up the estimated 10 gallons of water from the floor.

Yes, I flooded my bathroom tonight.  Oh no, not just a little water.  There was about a half inch of water on the floor.  The only lucky thing is the floor is obviously not level so it had only gotten about 8 inches into the carpet in the room.  Lets just say tonight was not the most relaxing evening I have had.

{Photo Credit}

 

I would like to say a BIG thanks to the worlds best Hubby.  He did not get mad at me.  He just got the shop vac and let me clean the most of the mess up then helped me.  

I think I will stop complaining about him getting the floor wet after his showers.  I may even forget about him leaving the toilet seat up! (for a little while)

How do you choose to NOT relax?

An Award For Me!

Jessica over at Take Two Designs was so very kind to think of me and give me this pretty award.

Ain't it pretty??  Thanks Jessica!

The rules of the Stylish Blogger Award are:
Thank the person who gave you the award and link back to them in your post.  
Share seven things about yourself.
Award seven recently discovered new blogs.
Contact these bloggers and let them know they've received the award. 

Here it goes

#1  My Natural Strawberry blond hair is turning more blondish as I get older. 

(hoping it is not the grays creeping in)

#2  I have never lived outside of California although I have moved over 16 times in my 32 years.

#3 My sides are rather ticklish & my punk of a son has discovered this.

#4  I am NOT a neat freak.

#5 My Husband vacuums way more than I do.

(refer back to #4)

#6  I have not scrapbooked since 2003 but still bought supplies all the time till last year.

(drove my hubby crazy!)

#7  I would LOVE to race stock cars!

Oh and I am throwing in a 

#8 I LOVE Pepsi!

(& yes I know It is not good for me!)

Seven recently discovered blogs I enjoy are

This Old House in New Liberty

Living In  A Creative Bliss

Pieces Of Molly 

Whimsical Words

My Potpourri Patch

Blooming Mommy

Sunshine & Lollipops

Go check these ladies out!  You wont be disappointed! 

 

Mystery, detective, book birthday.

Well we had Sunshine's party and the kids all had so much fun!  First we ate then and watched a bit of the Nancy Drew movie.  then we played games.  One game was where they had to decode a secret message.  I gave them a key that had symbols matched with letters then they got a sheet of paper with the message written in symbols.  These are some pretty smart kids they decoded rather fast.

We played a game where I had pieces of paper in balloons they had to pop the balloons then put the pieces together like a puzzle to reveal a giant fingerprint.  

 It is kinda hard to pop balloons by sitting on them if you don't hold them down.  Guess the kids did not like the loud popping.

Did you see me in the top left corner?  Did I mention I am afraid of balloons??  Yeah!  Who's the dummy that came up with the game?  ME!

For the next game I gave the kids a paper with numbers on it and they had to use the birthday banner to get the letters and unscramble them to make a word.

I used 10-3-15-4-11

they would be

R-A-Y-T-P

Unscrambled it was PARTY!

Then it was time for cake.

I forgot to take a photo of the cake when it was cut.  I made it 3 layers there was green then chocolate then blue.

We had blue and green candy and drinks.

Here is just a jumble of photos so you can get an idea.

 the white stuff is just white cotton candy in muffin liners.

The kids each got a detective notebook.

 

 Sunshine's lava lamp fit right in!

Next time I will remember to iron the backdrop!

Note to self wrinkles look BAD in photos!

I used two vases for the drinks.

 The best part is that Sunshine had a great time! 

She even matched her party.

My beautiful daughter is growing up.

Birthday Dcorating With Books

Did I mention Sunshine LOVES books!

 

 These are just a few of the ones she owns

We did a little decorating for her birthday with some hard cover books.  I purchased some nice big books at the thrift store for .25cents each.

I felt kinda guilty taking reading material from others because these are novels I will never read.  In fact my Uncle took a gander at one and let me know I was probably lucky none of the kids at the party read it.  Guess it was a bit "steamy".  So maybe next time I will look a little closer before purchase.  These were not the best reading material for 10 and 11 year old's but they made good props!

We used the same green and blue spray paint that was used for the 3 tiered platter. 

We piled the books up and used them to place items on.

For our Family party we put the cake on the books.   I think it really turned out cute.

Kid Party pictures coming next.

Birthday Party Invitations

This an genus Idea which I can not claim as my own.  I saw the idea over at My Insanity.  Kendra made these amazing invites Check them out {HERE} 

I  used a photo of Sunshine I had and made my 

own book invitation.

I took a photo of a actual Nancy Drew book and worked with it.  I made it book #11 because Sunshine was turning 11.

I kept the back looking realistic with the bar code and price.  Then I replaced Nancy Drew with Sunshine Dahl. 

On the inside I printed the party information very small and each child received a magnifying glass to read it with.

They were inexpensive and they were a hit with the kids and parents!  Thanks for the idea Kendra!

What do you think? 

My Red White & Blue Blankie

I am sure you all have some items that are special to you or bring back memories of the days gone by.  This blanket is one of those to me.

When Joe and I were dating we would sit at my parents house and cut out pieces of fabric one at a time.  I had found a quilt pattern I was excited about and as we were just dating he agreed to help cut fabric.

(I am thinking he would say no to the fabric cutting now.)  Seems like we sure do a lot to be with each other when we are dating but after 12+ years of marriage not so much of me watching him work on cars or him playing quilter!

Maybe it is just mostly not having the time for each other like we used to.  We do have two children who like our attention.

Well this was a trip down memory lane!

Linking to The Idea Room

Some great blankets are being shown over there go check them out!

Do you have something that brings fond memories

back to you?

Eying Etsy #3

 I was eying Etsy again!

I checked out Kathy's sweet little store
Expressive Creations.  She has some really cute items in her shop.   Lets have a look. . . 
 

This nest plaque she made is just adorable! 

She has a few different books for decoration.

Love the hot air balloons!

And this cute frame made for bloggers and lovers of blogs alike!  Such cute things!  Kathy is a designer and crafter with talent!  Go check out Kathy's Blog {HERE}  Then go see what she has in her shop {HERE}


 Once you visit Kathy's blog Creative Home Expressions you will want to check back often.