Tuesday's Tip

I wanted to share with you a couple of sites that are great for checking out the latest in hair, make-up, fashion tips, and diet & exercise.
Fashion Flings
Posh Mama
Bookieboo

Enjoy!

See you tomorrow for Win It Wednesday! There are 22 entries as of Tuesday morning...still time to enter! Click here to enter now.

Make It Monday...or not?

Okie dokie. It's 10am Monday morning & I am just now sitting down to the computer. I've been out of town so....gasp!....I haven't come up with a darn thing for Make It Monday. I know you all will understand if I don't give you something fun to make today! However, if you are looking for ideas, look at my past Make It Monday postings & last Tuesday I featured an awesome family Notebook to get your home organized. Check it out!

So in honor of my laziness today I am accepting an award from my sweet friend, Angie, over at Nana's Box.

She has bestowed upon me the Brilliant Weblog Award...how sweet is that?

To read a feature I did on her a while back please click here. She has a wonderful non-profit site for Cancer patients. ;)

Here is how the Brilliant Weblog Award works. The person giving the award chooses blogs that they consider brilliant in their content or design. In return, the recipient is expected to choose a minimum of seven blogs that they like. They leave comments on these blogs to notify the winners. They then post about receiving the award on their blog (like this) and list their choices with links. They also include a mention of whom they received the award and include a link. Pictures are great, but not necessary. Here are my seven: Tip Junkie, Sweet Cheeky Designs, What's That Smell?, Mom Dot, Centsible Mommy, A Blog of Goodies, and Barter Boutique.

Thanks again Angie for the award!!!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
See you tomorrow for Tuesday's Tip!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Only a couple of more days to enter to win my current giveaway...Win It Wednesday!

Friday's Feature

I've had a lot of people asking me about my new blog design so I would like to share with you a little about the sweet lady who created my current background and design at The Gift Closet.

Her name is Traci Rutledge and she designed my friend Jennifer's blog. I fell in love with it, contacted her, and hired her to do The Gift Closet blog for me. She did an awesome job and was so great to work with. If you have a website of any kind that you are wanting to re-design, or know someone who is looking for a designer, please check out Sweet Cheeky Designs.

When I asked her what inspired her to start web design here is what she had to say:

"My inspiration for doing web design is my little boy, Riley. Riley has autism and attends special schools to help him communicate with us better. Our family desperately needed a second income to pay for therapy and schools but since I was on the road taking him here and there, I couldn't possibly get a regular job. So when my brother gave me a book on web design for my birthday, I studied in the car while Riley was in school. I immediately fell in love with how to put a page together on-line. I realized that I could make my blog look a lot better and asked some friends if I could experiment on their blogs. They were kind enough to trust me not to lose their on-line scrapbook!

I LOVE fonts, colors, and making blogs go from simple to fabulous! I can make your blog look trendy or professional, you set the bar. A lot of people like to use digital scrapbooking kits to dress up their blog but I can also make one that is unique and one of a kind without using a kit. The good news is that 100% of the proceeds go towards helping Riley with his education and therapy. I am doing something that I love, and in return, you are helping my son live the best life he possibly can!

To read more about our family and Riley, visit A Mile In Our Shoes. (www.tracitellsall.blogspot.com)

If you would like a sweet and cheeky blog, visit Sweet Cheeky Designs (www.sweetcheekydesigns.blogspot.com) to look at my portfolio. Click on Contact Me to ask any questions or to have me glamorize your blog today!"

So hop on over to Sweet Cheeky Designs and tell Traci I sent ya'!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
See you tomorrow for Savin' on Saturday!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Get up to $500 for referring friends...no strings attached...I checked it out with other friends before signing up! It is basically Paypal's new competition and they are trying to build their business and are paying $10 for each referral right now just for signing up. It's worth looking into!! Check it out for yourself...https://www.revolutionmoneyexchange.com/ is the website, but if you decide to do it please click the link below...Thanks!!

Thoughts for Thursday

Have you "Gone Green" yet? Well, I started going green about a year ago and have slacked off a bit. We did things like started using the new light bulbs, recycling, unplugging appliances and other items when not in use, bought a new front loader washer & dryer, bought some organic sippy cups, started using sandwich mats instead of plastic bags for sandwiches, and making some of my own cleaning solutions using tea tree oil.
I am sure everyone has heard about the danger of plastics, especially heating food in the microwave in plastic and drinking from plastic water bottles that have sat in the car in the heat. Well, in light of this email I got from a friend yesterday, I am going to further purge my kitchen of plastics. This is enlightening and frightening at the same time!

As Most of you know, I have suffered from migraines for many years. My search for help led me to some testing which shows that I have toxic levels of BPA/Polystyrene in my system. I do not yet know if this is a major contributor but it very likely is. As I am undergoing a fairly dramatic detox right now (just started today), I wanted to know more about how these toxins got there to begin with. The information I have found is frightening!! This is just an example of an article that is easy to read and understand. I can tell you that heated plastic releases the worst toxins (even the plastic splatter proofer that you cover your food with in the microwave). Do not drink from water bottles that have been left in the car or drink coffee out of Styrofoam cups. Please do some research of your own when you have the time. I won't be surprised to see some restrictive laws passed on this matter in the next few years.



The Truth About Plastics
Echo Newspaper, November 2007 Charlottesville, VA
Written By Paige Mattson

If you are like me, you have been having headaches over the research that came out this summer on plastics. The miracle material is no longer the safe substance we all once believed it was. And in fact, it could be harming us.

Now that the researchers have our attention, what should we do about it? Purging your kitchen of all plastics seem s rather drastic, but it’s a step in the right direction. All of my plastic water bottles went straight into the recycling bin. My plastic measuring spoons and cups went with the water bottles. I fortunately didn’t have much else in my kitchen that was plastic. I stopped using the plastic water pitcher I had in my fridge and now use ice to provide me with cold water. And I completely stopped using plastic wrap all together. I also shop differently now. When buying food storage containers, I steer to the safe glass containers.

There are several safer options out there for our water bottles, baby bottles and food storage containers. Many bio-based plastics are emerging onto the market. These use corn, potatoes, rice or a myriad of other natural ingredients to make the plastic rather than using petroleum. Also opting for non-plastic, such as the aluminum SIGG water bottle with their patented anti-microbial inner-lining or a stainless steal bottle for your water. For the youngest members of our family, many people are switching to glass baby bottles or Bisphenol-A (BPA) free plastic bottles. The brand Born Free was one of the first baby companies on the market with a safe plastic baby bottle and children’s drinking cups. SIGG makes a safe children’s ‘sippy’ cup too. Also choosing cloth teethers rather than plastics are a safer alternative. And don’t forget about Fido! Choose ceramic food and water dishes for our furry friends.

This summer, government-funded and industry-funded studies (including the EPA) released information on testing they each did on plastics; specifically which types of plastics are leaching toxins into our foods and beverages. The results were staggering. The types of plastics shown to leach toxic chemicals are polycarbonate, PVC, and styrene. My non-breakable, highly-durable plastic water bottle has been secretly leaching Bisphenol-A or BPA into my body over time. Water bottles aren’t the only issue. Baby bottles, Tupperware, ‘sippy’ cups, cling wrap, large water cooler jugs, essentially most of the plastics our food and liquids come into contact with each day.

Plastics with numbers 3, 6 and 7 are all culprits. Over time and use, including dish washing, heating, scratches and general wear, the plastic breaks down and releases toxic chemicals including BPA, diadipate (DEHA) and styrene. When in contact with liquids, sauces, fatty greases, etc., and more so when heated, the toxins leaches into the food or liquid and we ingest it.

The newest information was on the polycarbonate plastics (#7). Polycarbonate plastics have been found to leach BPA. Once in our bodies, BPA mimics the action of the human hormone estrogen. This is extremely dangerous as BPA has been found to stimulate prostate cancer cells and causes breast tissue changes that resemble early stages of breast cancer. One study even found an association between ovarian dysfunction and higher levels of BPA in urine.

The research didn’t stop there either. Results found that early-life exposure to BPA can cause genetic damage and can lead to spontaneous miscarriages and birth defects. Of the 115 published animal studies, a majority (81%) found significant effects from even low-level exposure to BPA.

DEHA, which can be found in plastic cling wraps (#3), is leached when heated and comes in contact with foods or oils. DEHA exposure was linked to negative effects on the liver, kidney, spleen, bone formation and body weight. And styrene, which leaches from polystyrene plastic (#6), is toxic to the brain and nervous system. Styrene leaches from food containers, but also can be inhaled through off gassing of certain plastics in building materials.

These results can be overwhelming, but they don’t have to be. Once I made the move away from plastics, the alternatives seemed to jump out at me. I can bring my own take-home containers to restaurants that ensure my leftovers are toxin free, I carry my own safe water bottle to ensure I’m always drinking clean water, and I use glass storage containers at home.

It is tough to keep up with the industry and the new reports that come out. All of these safer alternatives, as well as more information on plastics, can be found in Charlottesville at the Blue Ridge Eco Shop located in the Preston Plaza. It’s their job to stay on top of the research and they provide, not only safe products, but up-to-date information on the industry and the health effects of products.

Resources:
www.EPA.com - Integrated Risk System
Institute of Medicine. “Dioxins and Dioxin-like Compounds in the Food Supply.” National Academies Press
Environmental Health Perspectives
The Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy

---

Would you like to be my next Friday's Feature? Please email me for a chance to get your products in front of hundreds of readers every day! Simply click on the "Email Me" button on the right sidebar.

See you tomorrow for Friday's feature!

Win It Wednesday

~ CONTEST CLOSED~

The winner of last week's giveaway, my handmade Soy Linen & Body Spray, is:

#69-Tammy

Congrats Tammy!
There is no email address for you Tammy so please email me asap to claim your prize!Feel free to grab my "I won at The Gift Closet" button from the side bar and wear it proud!

You can order your Soy Linen & Body Spray today by clicking on my "Shop" button on the sidebar.

~~~~~~~

This week's giveaway is for an adorable pair of Crocheted Beaded Socks from Simple Beans!

I have already ordered some cute Orange & Black socks for Halloween and Red & Green w/ jingle bells for my daughter for the Holidays.

Jenni has an adorable little shop at Etsy called Simple Beans. She makes handmade notecards and the cute little beaded socks in a variety of colors. I asked her what inspired her to start making these and here is what she had to say:

"I have been making crocheted beaded socks for 9 years. I learned how to from a sweet lady that was a patient in the physical therapy office I worked in. I had never crocheted before but had a cute little niece that needed these socks. She spent just an hour teaching me the ins and outs. After 9 years, I have experimented with different designs, threads, and buttons. For this giveaway, please see my Etsy shop (www.simplebeans.etsy.com) or Simple Beans Blog for colors and combinations that you would like me to make you. Also include the sock size (below).

The beads and buttons are crocheted directly onto the sock. These are completely safe in the washer and dryer. The beads can get scuffed edges in the dryer so if you prefer put them in the dryer for 10 minutes to soften then lay them out to finish drying.

After winning, please indicate size: 3-12 months, 6-18 months, 12-24 months, 18-36 months, small shoe size 6-10½, medium shoe size 10½-4, or large shoe size 4-10.

CONTEST IS CLOSED



If you are interested in giving away one of your wonderful creations on The Gift Closet please email me by clicking on the "Email Me" button on the sidebar. Thanks!

Tuesday's Tip-Family Notebook

Need to get organized? I have just the thing for you today! A friend of mine made me this awesome Family Notebook a few weeks ago and it has been a lifesaver for me and all my random papers laying around! She found the idea off a blog somewhere and you can probably find others by doing a google search for them.
It is a 3 ring notebook with pockets in the front and back.
When you 1st open it up there is a clear bag with pens, sticky notes, & highlighters, a 3 ring hole puncher some blank notebook paper behind it.
The 1st section is for Family & Emergency Info, great for sitters, etc. She bought some scrapbooking supplies to make each page different and incredibly cute if I do say so myself!
The next section is for Medical. You know, Dr appts, insurance info, bills, etc. Of course, you can add new folders based on your family's needs and customize it for your family for sports, etc.
This section is for my kids school related items, birthday party ideas, etc. Anything relating to the kids. She also put pockets behind some of the tabs to put things in that are too small for the hole punch.
This is the manly page for my hubby.
Now what Family Notebook wouldn't be complete w/o a "Blog" section. A place to file all those great ideas you have for your blog!

And here are some others I have in my notebook:

Now don't you all wish you had a crafty friend like her? If you decide to make one for yourself, I'd love to see pics!

See you tomorrow for Win It Wednesday!

Also, be sure to see my new addition to The Gift Closet.... Savin' On Saturday!

Make It Monday

Hope you had a good weekend!

Fall is certainly in the air here in GA & I am lovin' it! I love the cooler weather, the pumpkin patches, trick-or-treating, etc......everything that comes along with Fall.

What I don't love right now is the state of our economy. Can I get an Amen on that?? Here in my small corner of the world, our gas is mostly supplied from the Gulf & thanks to Hurricane Ike we are suffering from a gas shortage here. A friend of mine said she had 1/8 tank of gas left and passed 4 gas stations on the way to church yesterday morning that were out of gas! And if you are lucky enough to find a gas station with gas around here, its over $4 per gallon! Now that is getting a little bit scary if I do say so myself!

Being a SAHM on a single family income, we are trying to live on the "conservative" side right now. You know, carpooling, combining trips, staying home more...argh! I am a people person and staying home a lot does not work well for me! Maybe that's why I've turned to blogging so much...that's my way of "getting out" and seeing what's going on in the world around me. Anyone else in the same boat?

Speaking of the blogging world, I am sure a lot of you have read on various blogs about Nie Recovery. You can read about their story here: Nie Recovery . Long story short, at church today another friend of mine who doesn't do a whole lot of blogging mentioned this story and how she heard bloggers had raised over $100,000 for this family. Now what kind of amazing community of bloggers is that! Makes me proud to be a part of the blogosphere, that's for sure! My thought & prayers continue to be with this family.

So, what does all this rambling have to do with Make It Monday you ask? Well, my question for you is this. I want to know what you are doing to "make it" in the current state of our lovely economy right now? Please show me some comment love and share with us any money saving, frugal-living tips you may have. Considering I currently have over 100 entries on my current contest, I know someone is reading my little blog here, so go ahead and share your tips!

And as always, if you have something you'd like to give away on Win It Wednesday, please send me an email by clicking on "email me" on the right side of this page.

Have a Happy Monday & see you tomorrow for Tuesday's Tip!

Savin' on Saturday!

I am starting a new post called Savin' on Saturday! This will feature a sale at The Gift Closet, or an awesome sale I have stumbled on every Saturday.

I know not many people are surfing the web on the weekends, so typically the sale will run a few days.

So without further ado, here is the first Savin' on Saturday sale!!

Purchase $25 from my "shop" page and your name will go in a drawing to get your next order half off! This sale ends Tuesday 9/23 at midnight.

If you are having a sale at your site that you would like to have featured....or have a product you'd like for me to host a sale for please email me!

And thanks again to all my readers!! :)

Friday's Feature

Friday's Feature is my sweet friend, Kelley, who owns Kelley Sue Photography.
We first met at the preschool my daughter attended, where she was my daughter's teacher. We later became Bunko buddies, and still stay in touch. She is a wonderful photographer and the proof is in her pics...



I asked Kelley what inspired her to become a photographer and here is what she had to say:

My inspiration in starting my business was my family. Becoming a first time mother, the closeness I shared with my grandfather before he passed, the birth of both my children and 'life' in general. Everyday, I strive to take in all of lifes simple pleasures. Through photoraphy I am able to keepsake every cherished moment. It amazes me how a camera can stop time and capture life. I think it is awesome and I enjoy giving to others what I so cherish as a mother. I have always been knee high in art. I took my first photography class my sophomore year in high school, continued in college and shot my first wedding when I was 21. During the birth of my children my husband documented the entire experience. I am so extremely thankful for him doing that because I have those photos as keepsakes forever and we can pass them on to our children. My husband, Wally is my right hand man. He is the editor and the assistant photographer. One thing we feel is most unique about Kelley Sue Photography is our style of photography. Best described as Lifestyle Photography. According to the American Heritage dictionary, one's lifestyle means "a way of life that reflects the attitudes and values of a person or group." The joy of Lifestyle Photography is that I am welcomed into a family's home and allowed to capture their true way of life. We photograph newborns, maternity, children, families and weddings. Please check out our website at http://kelleysuephotography.com. We are currently booking for October, November and early December.

Is this the sweetest picture or what? Kelley does amazing work...hop on over to her site and check out her Christmas cards and new products. Enjoy!

Thoughts for Thursday

The winner of my Scrabble Magnets yesterday emailed me her choice of phrase. The phrase she chose is "I choose joy".
What a great phrase! What a great reminder that each and every day we have so many choices to make. And one of those is what kind of mood we will be in, what kind of outlook we will have on life, on our day, etc.
So today.......I choose joy...what about you?




If you would like to be my Friday's Feature or have a product you would like to get some exposure for by giving it away on Win It Wednesday please email me.

Win It Wednesday

CONTEST CLOSED



Congrats to the winner of the Cute Little Scrabble Magnets!

#3 - Rox130

Please send me an email with your contact info & thanks for entering!

Feel free to steal our "I Won at the The Gift Closet" button on the right hand side of the page & wear it proud!

~

This week's giveaway is my hand poured and hand mixed 4 oz. Soy Linen & Body Spray!

My Soy Linen and Body Spray is specially formulated to refresh the body and your linen with natural soybean proteins and a hint of soybean oil. The natural ingredients refreshes, soothes and adds calmness to your life.

As a Body Spray: Soy protein adds nutrients to your skin without harmful chemicals or by-products. Our special protein contains more than 17 types of free amino acids, which help to build, maintain and repair the body. Amino acids have been found to assist with cell regeneration and minimizing wrinkles.

As a Linen Spray: Soy protein adds strength to the finest linens without any harmful chemicals or by-products. With just a hint of soy oil, our spray will not stain or color your linens but add a wonderful aroma to improve sleep and add calmness to your life. Spraying your closest will bring new life to stored linens.
It also can be used as a room spray.

It is available in the following scents: Plumeria, Victoria's Secret Love Spell, Victoria's Secret Heavenly, Eternity, Juicy, Lavender Vanilla, Sweet Pea, Chanel's Chance, & Olive Blossom.

You can also purchase any of my products by clicking on the "shop" link on the right hand side of the page.

CONTEST CLOSED

If you have a products you would like to giveaway on The Gift Closet please send me an email. If you would like to be featured or know someone who would make a great Friday's Feature, please email me. Thanks for looking!

Tuesday's Tip

For Tuesday's Tip I'd like to "tip" you on over to a giveaway going on at Handmade Showcase.

Cherie of StudioCherie designs innovative and fashionable baby gear as well as luggage quality hand bags. Many of her products would make delightful baby shower gifts.Now Cherie is sponsoring a breathtaking giveaway. One lucky winner will receive this high end "Change Cube" diaper bag, a $178 value.This bag features luggage quality construction, is made from moisture- and bacteria-resistant Crypton fabric, and is fully washable. The bag is full of innovative and highly useful features such as a built in wipe dispenser that is accessible from the outside of the bag (no more changing table balancing acts!), a pocket for empty disposable bags plus a bag hanger to keep the bag handy while you work, and construction that allows stuffed pockets to poof inward rather than outward, to keep the bag looking sleek.

Hop on over to Handmade Showcase to view the contest rules and enter to win!

Another contest Handmade Showcase is offering right now is for a nursing cover or a $20 gift certificate from Chey Lo Creations.Click here to visit the contest rules & enter to win!

See you tomorrow for Win It Wednesday where we will announce the winner of the Scrabble magnets as well as our new contest for the week!

New Blog Design!

Don't worry...we're still the same Gift Closet, just with a new look! Don't you love it? Traci over at Sweet Cheeky Designs gave my sad little blog an awesome new face lift and she did a wonderful job if I do say so myself. ;) Be sure to check her out at Sweet Cheeky Designs. She was so sweet and a pleasure to work with. On the right column you now have a place where you can buy a unique handmade gift, grab a Gift Closet button for your blog or site, and if you are interested in advertising we now have a space for that as well. Show me some comment love and let me know what you think!
Also, Win It Wednesday is still here..scroll down and enter to win my re-furbished Scrabble magnets.
Make It Monday will return next week. :)

Under Construction........

If you notice some things "off" this weekend, bear with me. We are updating The Gift Closet. And be sure to see my Friday's Feature below!

Friday's Feature

Love My Baby Jewelry


Today's feature is my friend, Courtney Wells. I featured her Mom, Randi, a few weeks ago. They are some of the most creative & talented ladies I know!
Courtney has her own line of hand-stamped necklaces & beautiful earrings. Each piece is made by hand and very unique.
I asked her what inspired her to start making her jewelery & here is what she had to say....

"Okay, what inspired me...

I have LOVED jewelry forever. Growing up I don't think there was ever an occasion - birthday, Christmas, Valentine's Day - that I did not ask (and usually get) jewelry! I used to even check out books on gemstones in the 4th grade and spend hours looking through the Service Merchandise catalog at the pages and pages of jewelry!

I really got the bug to start making jewelry when my husband and I went to Australia (for his job) for two months a few years ago. They had all of these great outdoor markets on the weekends that we would go to and there was so much great jewelry! In several of the booths you would pick your beads and these Asian men would just whip out a necklace for you! I thought - I can do that!!! So when we returned home I began making jewelry. Mostly earrings and necklaces with beads and chain. Then I learned how to use precious metal clay and that is how Love My Baby Jewelry came about. I am dying to learn metalsmithing, setting stones, etc., but there is only so much time in a day!!!"Her hand-stamped pieces are so cute & I have seen a lot of people wearing them. I have some of her earrings that I get compliments on every time I wear them. She uses such unique beads & sterling silver necklaces.Her website is Love My Baby Jewelery. Head on over to check it out.


If you or someone you know would like to be my Friday's Feature, or have a product you would like featured in our Win It Wednesday, please let me know. I will not ask you to send me a sample first. :)

Have a great weekend!

Thoughts for Thursday

Leaving a Legacy

A while back my 5 year old daughter & I were driving down the road at night & she was looking up at the moon. She was asking me some pretty deep questions when all of a sudden she came out with, “Why does Daddy have those lines (aka wrinkles) on his forehead?” The laughter that ensued could not be helped. A few months later she proceeded to speak of an older person and how their skin was “loose”. I’m always interested & amused to see how kids perceive us “old folks”.

I know we have all heard the phrase, “Leaving a Legacy” at some point. That phrase came to life for me when my Dad passed away almost 3 years ago. My son was only 2 weeks old & my daughter was 3 when we got the news. Not long after Dad died I remember sitting at my kitchen table & all of a sudden it hit me that after 29 years with him, now all I had were the memories. I can’t see or talk to him anymore, just remember our times together & things he told & taught me. I realized right then & there that when my kids grow up they too will have memories of me. What kind of memories will they have? I want my kids to have good memories of me, of the good times we had, and the good things my husband & I instilled in them. I don’t want them to remember me as a Mom who just cleaned house & never played with them, who gave spankings more than hugs, or didn’t say I love you enough. So I try each & every day to make good memories for them. I don’t know about you, but some days I lay my head down at night & wonder if I could have done a better job that day. Did I handle that situation correctly? Did I set a good example? Well, in the end I just pray. I pray I can be all of those things God wants me to be to my children.

I had already been thinking of writing about Leaving a Legacy when at a friend's Father's visitation I was speaking with someone about how many people were there & how amazing that was. I don’t remember who I was speaking with, but they said, “That just tells you what kind of legacy he is leaving behind.”

I hope my children’s memories of me are not just of the “lines on my forehead”, or the loose skin I have to look forward to, but of a Godly, loving Mom who they enjoyed trips to Disney with, bedtime stories, and lots of yucky vegetables I lovingly forced them to eat.

What kind of legacy will you leave behind?

P.S. Remembering the families left behind from 9/11 in my prayers today. May God bring you peace and comfort.

If you would like to be, or know someone who you would like to see on our Friday's Feature please let me know! Do you have a product you'd like to giveaway on Win It Wednesday (aka inexpensive advertising) please let me know!

Win It Wednesday

Welcome to Win It Wednesday! Last week I let my 6 year old draw a number cuz it was her birthday. She really enjoyed it and has been asking when she can "draw a winner" again, so that will be my official way of drawing.

The winner for the Scrabble Pendant is Paige
Congrats to Paige!

This week I will be giving away another re-furbished Scrabble tile creation of mine. The Scrabble magnets. They really are too cute & make a very unique gift. Below are some samples of some things you can order for them to say...
I've also had people order their names to go on their file cabinet at work, a newlywed couple to say, "Katie Loves Sean" for their frig, or you can order your kids names to help them learn how to spell. They are only $7 per phrase, unless they are over 10 letters it is $10. You can order by leaving a comment on this post & I'll get in touch with you.

Or......you can simply leave a comment on this post and what phrase you would like to enter to win!

Contest open to US residents only. Contest will run through Tuesday 9/16/08.

BTW......if you have a product you would like to giveaway, please leave a comment on this post & I'll be in touch.

Thanks & good luck!

Tuesday's Tip

If you are a friend of mine then you may have already heard me talking about this. I, like most women out there, have tried my fair share of skin care products over the years. I have even made some of my own! What I am using now for a moisturizer has to be the one of the greatest discoveries I've ever made as far as skin care goes.
My sweet Aunt Anne had skin cancer removed from her face several years ago. Her dermatologist told her to go to Vitamin World and buy their Retinol Cream.
He told her it has 100,000 IU of Vitamin A per ounce and would be the best thing for her face as far as healing for her scars goes. He also told her what all these people who are spending hundreds of dollars on face creams don't know is this is just as good, if not better, than all those face creams. Don't believe me? Give it a try. The best part of all? It's less than $5 per jar! Yup, you heard me, less than $5 a jar. You simply can't beat it...........

Tune in tomorrow for Win It Wednesday!!!

P.S. ;) If you or someone you know would like to be my Friday's Feature, or have a product you would like to offer in our Win It Wednesday Giveaway, please email me at heatherldt [at] bellsouth [dot] com.

Make It Monday

Three of my favorite things are food, friends, and family. This weekend I got to enjoy all 3 things. My daughter turned 6 last week and we had a Princess Tea Party Saturday night to celebrate. My friend, Jennifer, flew in from Texas, helped me with the party, and a big thanks to her for doing it! All in all, it was a great weekend. We took her to some of our favorite local restaurants and Sunday night we decided to take it easy & cook out burgers. These "Mozzarella Beef Burgers" are great, so moist, and very flavorful.

Here's the recipe for Make It Monday:

Mozzarella BBQ Beef Burgers

1 lb ground beef
1/2 cup Shredded Mozzarella Cheese
1/4 c. BBQ Sauce, divided
1/2 c. bread crumbs
4 hamburger buns

Pre-heat grill to medium-high heat. Mix meat, cheese, bread crumbs, and 2 tbsp. of the BBQ sauce. Shape into 4 patties.
Place patties on grill; cover with lid. Grill 4-6 minutes on each side or until burgers are cooked through, brushing w/ remaining 2 Tbsp. BBQ sauce during last 2 minutes of grilling time.
Fill buns w/ burgers & lettuce, if desired.
Makes 4 servings each, 1 burger each.

Enjoy!

Friday's Feature

Last week my friend, Paula Anderson, received news that her breast cancer has returned, after 7 years of being cancer free. Paula is not only our friend, but our preacher's wife, and has taught cradle roll class at church (ages birth to 2) for probably 20 years. She is one of those women that just has a way with babies. She can calm even the fussiest baby. She taught both of my children from birth to age 2 and they both love her dearly. Thanks to regular check-ups, they seem to have caught it early. Please keep Mrs Paula in your thoughts & prayers as she faces this battle that so many have faced, or have been touched by.

Oddly enough, last week, I also stumbled across a blog called Nana's Box.
Angie had entered one of my contests so I went to check out her blog. Nana's Box is a nonprofit service committed to providing a photo box to cancer patients who are undergoing treatment. Nana's Box offers this service to the individual patient with the help and support of families, and those volunteers interested in the emotional support of cancer patients.
Angie started this project in an effort to support and honor her mom as she battles Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. Her mom lives in another state which has prevented her from assisting her while going through her treatment. In an effort to comfort her as much as possible Angie made her a box full of pictures that had quotes on the back in hopes that it would make her smile, laugh and most importantly feel loved and supported. She absolutely loved it!!! The happiness this box gave her made Angie anxious to make them for others.

Angie is also hosting a contest right now for a Cancer Awareness Bracelet. So, hop on over and check out Nana's Box.
And most importantly, please keep our sweet Paula in your prayers. :)

These are some old pics from when my kids were babies, but you can see Mrs. Paula teaching away...

2 years later.....
2 more years later....

Thoughts for Thursday

I don't know about you, but some days I get so tired of saying, "No...not right now....just a minute....stop that....get that out of your mouth"... and the list goes on!

With 2 children at home, ages 6 and 2, I feel like my brain is totally fried at times! I just told my hubby the other day that I can't even seem to complete a thought or a task w/o an interruption or a request.I'm not complaining though, I wouldn't trade anything in the world for being able to stay home & raise my kids. It flies by so fast and I know I need to treasure it, I just hope my brain is still intact after it's all said and done!! ;)
It's a little trying at times, even for the most patient of us, which I am not! For example, at this moment I am trying to proof read this and in the past minute I have been trying to convince my 2 year old NOT to eat the fish food, and yes I will turn on the tv in just a minute, and no I don't know where the Thomas the Train Movie is. I think I feel more brain cells fading away as we speak...........

Sometimes at the end of the day, when I am totally spent (or sometimes at the very beginning of the day, let's say 9am!)....when I am tired of the battles...I get a little lazy in disciplining the little ones. Well, I stumbled across this verse the other day and thought it was a good reminder for me. Even the Bible tells us to discipline our children, and how they can be such a reflection on us!

To discipline a child produces wisdom,
but a mother is disgraced by an undisciplined child. …
Discipline your children, and they will give you peace of mind
and will make your heart glad.

Proverbs 29:15, 17

If you have a high energy little boy like I do, then I'm sure that "but a Mother is disgraced by an undisciplined child" scares you too! LOL....But if peace of mind & a glad heart are the rewards, then bring it on!
So as I hug & kiss them tonight, I need to remind myself not to "laze" out as a parent, but to work towards peace of mind (aaaahhhh!) and a glad heart. ;)

Please stop by tomorrow for a very special Friday's Feature!

Win It Wednesday

CONTEST CLOSED

Congrats to my very first winner on The Gift Closet! Rebecca is the winner of the Soy Whipped Body Butter! In the future I will use Random.org, but today is my daughter's birthday, so I let her choose a number and she chose #12's entry, which is Rebecca!Congrats!

This week's giveaway is a handmade, re-furbished Scrabble Pendant! I posted on Monday how to make one for yourself. And now, I'm going to give one away!





You can also choose to have it made into a lapel pin instead of a pendant.
All sides of the pendant.
Giveaway is open to US Residents only. Last day to enter is Tuesday, September 9, 2008. Winner will be announced/notified on Wed. 9/10/08.

To enter simply leave a comment on this post and let me know which one is your favorite!

Good Luck and feel free to click on the envelope at the bottom of this post to email to a friend. :)

Tuesday's Tip

Hope you all had a wonderful Labor Day weekend! Very reminiscent of Labor Day 3 years ago when I was "sentenced" to complete at about 20 weeks pregnant, celebrating my daughter's 3rd birthday, and Hurricane Katrina hit. Too weird that another hurricane is hitting those poor families along the Gulf Coast again...almost 3 years to the day. My thoughts & prayers are with them all.


Onto Tuesday's Tip!
I don't know about the rest of the country (tell me if you are getting hit with this too!), but here in Georgia, allergy season is rearing its ugly head. I never had sinus or allergy problems, until I moved to Georgia. My hubby has had issues with it his whole life, and my poor kids struggle with it as well. My husband, Chris, has recently been going to an Dr. due to all his asthma/allergy issues. This Dr recommended he start using a product called Alkalol. He told Chris to go to the pharmacist and ask for Alkalol. He said to pour a little in his hand, and sniff it up his nose 3 times a day. I know that doesn't sound very pleasant, but it has worked! Chris hasn't had a sinus infection or been sick since he's started doing it. I started waking up with a sore throat from drainage a couple of weeks ago, and after I sniff the Alkalol (just once a day), I'm all good! So, if you have any problems with allergies, sinus, scratchy throat, etc....go get some Alkalol and sniff away!! :)

Here is a bit about it from the company who makes it:

About Alkalol

ALKALOL is a scientifically balanced solution that includes purified water, a unique blend of alkaline and saline salts, and a refreshing mix of natural extracts and essential oils, including menthol, eucalyptol, thymol, camphor, benzoin, wintergreen, spearmint, pine, and cinnamon. ALKALOL is specially formulated to clean and moisturize the nasal passages, dissolve mucus, kill germs and bacteria, and provide daily drug-free relief from the symptoms of sinusitis and allergies. Preservative free and hypertonic (the type of saline recommended in many recent medical studies), ALKALOL’s original formula helps provide soothing relief from a variety of common nose and throat maladies. Nasal Wash: Use in an ALKALOL NASAL WASH CUP to help cleanse and clear blocked nasal passages and provide relief from the symptoms of sinusitis, allergies, head colds, post-nasal drip, and respiratory problems caused by mold, pollen, dust, pollution, and other allergens. Throat/Mouth Treatment: Use as a soothing gargle, oral rinse, or throat spray. ALKALOL’s cooling formula helps provide relief for sore and dry throats, laryngitis, tonsillitis, mouth sores, and throat irritation caused by allergies and post-nasal drip.

jpg" height="324" width="310"> ALKALOL is available in 16 oz. bottles and is recommended for use with the ALKALOL NASAL WASH CUP. Using ALKALOL with the ALKALOL NASAL WASH CUP is a quick, easy, and effective way to gently wash and cleanse the nasal passages. Used regularly, ALKALOL and the ALKALOL NASAL WASH CUP can safely rinse away dust, pollen, and mold, as well as other inhaled irritants that can cause allergies, nasal congestion, and sinusitis.

Tune in tomorrow for the winner of the Soy Whipped Body Butter. Today is the last day to enter to win! (See Win It Wednesday from last week & post a comment there to win). I will be announcing another product to giveaway tomorrow as well. See you then! :)

Make It Monday

I want to share how to make a Scrabble Pendant today. As most of you know, I started making them myself about a month ago. I've really enjoyed seeing the finished product. Anyone can make them, it's whether or not you want to invest the time, money, & energy into it. So, for those of you who are interested, here is the link: http://anniehoweskeepsakes.blogspot.com/2008/03/how-to-make-gorgeous-scrabble-tile.html

Here are a few that I have made:


Some of these are scrapbook paper, some are drawn by hand, and some are stamps.
This one was actually made into a lapel pin...This is a fun project, if you have the time and patience. If you don't, let me make one for you! I have brown or black braided satin necklaces for $7 & the pendants are only $6. Or, you can purchase a pendant by itself and place it on a key ring or a necklace that you already have. They make a great, personalized, unique gift.
If you do choose to make one, please send me a picture! Enjoy! :)