Friday's Feature

The winner of the Bethany Tramel Necklace is #24 Mogrill. The winner of the Pink Stroller Liner from Spunky Monkey is #44 Good Witch Glinda. Congrats ladies!!

My feature today is Jessica from Jessica Robert's Designs. Jessica creates personalized children's art products. Everything from name plaques, wall frames, picture frames, & more!

Love her work!!!!


Jessica's inspiration:

"I'm a stay at home mom of two crazy boys who's always been involved in some form of art all my life though I've had no formal training. When a friend of mine advised me to not buy her daughter anymore toys for her birthday, I came up with a personalized plaque that matched her bedroom decor. It was a hit and soon other friends were commissioning me to do the same for their children thus leading me here, to Jessica Roberts Designs. I decided to create fun, one of a kind art to help express the personalities of the little ones I paint for. I love to create something that brings a smile to someone's face and am grateful to have the love and support from my family to be able to venture out and do just that. I hope that you enjoy every piece as much as I enjoy painting it. Plus, it's my therapy, so thanks for helping keep me sane! "

Want It? Click here to shop. Gift Closet readers will receive 10% off your order when using the coupon code"gift closet" @ check out through September 30!!

Thoughts for Thursday

In my year of blogging on The Gift Closet I have managed to get by with writing every single post myself. I have never had a "guest blogger" before. I have been talking to my friend & neighbor, Emily Farmer, about possibly writing some devotionals for my Thoughts for Thursday posts & I am so excited she has agreed to!!

Emily's love for the Lord has grown stronger over the years. She has a passion to learn HIS word and teach others what she has learned about His word. She is excited to see others learn about God & loves to do bible studies. Emily introduced me to some Bible studies at her church this year. I think I have learned more from those studies than in my entire 33 years of attending church.
Her motto is "Love God, Love Others, Press On". She believes if you love God you can love others with his help. Loving God and others will help you press on into day to day life. Emily believes the only way to press on daily is to have God as the very center of your life. Emily is also a Stay-At-Home-Mom of 3 very active boys!

So, without further delay, here is Emily's first devotional she would like to share with you on The Gift Closet.
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Stop to smell the roses
by Emily Farmer

Do you stop to smell the roses that life has to offer? Are you REALLY aware of things that go on in front of your eyes day to day? When my third child was born I made it a goal to enjoy each and every milestone. Each smile, laugh, first words, first walk, funny sayings...you get the picture. I missed some of these things with my first two children because they were so close in age. It's sad but, true. We as mothers get so caught up in "doing life" and caring about every ones needs that we forget our own needs, like enjoying motherhood. And really taking in the moments that should be treasured for life. It brings to mind the verse in Luke where it talks about Mary, Jesus' mother. Luke 2:19 (NLT- New Living Translation) "but Mary kept all these things in her heart and thought about them often". The (NIV -New International Version) uses the word "pondered them in her heart". She treasured all the things in her heart that had to do with the kindness shown to her child Baby Jesus. She pondered or thought of them often. Can you honestly say you are doing the same these days? I hope you can. I can honestly tell you that I have reached my goal. I have enjoyed my 3 year old who will be turning 4 next month. He has cute little saying and motions. He loves to sing and dance with his toy guitar. He knows his abc's and numbers. He loves to give hugs. Those are the things that are worth treasuring and pondering to me. How about you? I want to challenge you to take the time to stop and smell the roses of life today. It's so worth it and I promise you won't regret it not one minute of it. Here are a few things you might consider.

Challenge:
Take the time to sit down and read a book with your child or better yet, if they are old enough, let them read to you.
Get out the paints,crayons, or markers and draw a picture together.
Go on a walk.
Start a new routine of reading a bible story at bedtime. What precious memories you can store up in your heart and mind if you will only take the time to do so.


Ponder these verse:
Job 23:12 (NLT) "but have treasured his words more than daily food."

Matt. 6:21 (NLT) "Where your treasure is,there the desires of your heart will also be."

Deu.7:6 (NLT) "the Lord your God has chosen you to be his own special treasure."


Thank you for sharing with us today Emily & I look forward to your post next week!
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Click here to view all the giveaways going on @ The Gift Closet now!

Win It Wednesday

Thanks to all who stopped by & helped me celebrate the 1 year birthday of The Gift Closet! Hope you enjoyed all the giveaways & thanks for all the "Happy Birthday" wishes! {{Hugs}}

The winner of the $30 Gift Certificate to the Andean Collection is #65 Jinxy and Me. Congrats!!

Today I am giving away the winner's choice of a Hair Bow from So Bella Creations! At So Bella Creations you will find bows, headbands, clippies, and pony o's. I recently received some of her hair bows & a clippie to review. I loved the hair bow so much & just bought another one! My daughter has fine hair & So Bella's Bows are the only ones that will stay in her hair & hold it back.


Here is what inspired this Mom-prenuer to start her business:

"My daughter Isabella. Who at the time was 1 1/2. We started buying hair accessories at a local boutique. The only bows I could find were solid colored bows. And all the bows were attached to alligator clips. Which we lost all the time. In all of my shopping I couldn't find any stripes or polka dots. And lets face it you can only use so many shades of solid pink bows. So I started checking out ribbon places online. I started out by making the bows just for her. Then a lot of people were asking me where I bought the bows. From their interest in the bows when Isabella would wear them is what started the business. I didn't open up a online shop until after my second daughter was born. "

Want it? Click here to shop.

Win It! How to enter to win the Hair Bow of your choice from So Bella Creations:
And by the way, if you need a custom bow for a smaller child she will do that. And if you don't see a ribbon in her shop that you like she has others to choose from.

1. Leave a comment here & be sure to include your email address if it is not on your profile.
If you are NOT a blogger, you can email me your entry & I will enter you in!
heatherldt @ bellsouth dot net
Just let me know what contest you are entering & your name.
2. Contest ends Tuesday September 1, 2009 @ midnight & is open to US & international addresses.

Would you like to be my Friday's Feature? I don't charge to feature you so email me today! heatherldt @ bellsout dot net

Day 5 Blogaversary Giveaways

Today I will be giving away a "Naptime Classics" CD from Music To Grow On.


This CD offers classic lullaby tunes for your little one. It has over 70 minutes of relaxing music designed to sooth infants & toddlers to sleep. Some of the songs include "Itsy Bitsy Spider", "London Bridge", "Mary Had a Little Lamb", and more!

Want It? Click here to shop.

Win It! How to enter to win the Naptime Classics CD:
1. Leave a comment and be sure to include your email address if it is not on your profile. If I can't contact you via email, I will re-draw. :)
2. For an EXTRA entry, add me to your blogroll, or snag my button for your blog. Leave me an additional comment with a link to the page on your blog that has my button or The Gift Closet on your blog roll. Thanks!
3. Contest ends Monday August 31, 2009 @ midnight & is open to US residents only.

Interested in hosting a giveaway on The Gift Closet and possibly adding traffic & revenue to your site? Email me today to secure your spot! heatherldt @ bellsouth dot net

Day 4 of my Blogaversary Giveaways!

Good Morning! I hope you all had a great weekend. It has been Fall like weather here the past couple of days & I wish it would stay this way! But, it being August in the South, I know that is only a dream! HA!

Last Wednesday I started a week's worth of giveaways here @ The Gift Closet to celebrate my 1 year birthday! Today I will be giving away......school supplies!That's right! Who doesn't need school supplies this time of year? I know some of us have already been in school 2 weeks, but for those who are just starting, or if you want some super cute & fun school supplies, check these out!

A couple of weeks ago I reviewed these new School Supplies from Office Max. Well, I have some extras, so I thought I'd share them with you! I am giving away the Von Hoolio Drawstring Bag in Hot Pink, a Purple & White 7 pocket Expanding File, Green Folder, Composition Book, & 13 Count Pencil Set!I'm sorry my camera doesn't take the best pics, but these school supplies are too cute & colorful!

Want It? These can be purchased at Office Max stores nationwide.

Win It! How to enter to win these School Supplies:
1. Leave a comment here and be sure your email address is on the comment if it is not on your profile. Winner will only be contacted via email.
2. For an extra entry, add me as a Technorati favorite by clicking below. Then, come back here, and leave an additional comment letting me know you did so.
3. Contest ends Sunday August 30, 2009 @ midnight & is open to US residents only.

See you tomorrow for another great giveaway!!

Friday's Feature

I'm a sucker for skin care & beauty products! How about you? I used to own my own Soy Bath & Body Line, so I especially love to try new things. I came across a site called Wonderful Wonderbar to share with you.

Wonderful Wonderbar is a revolutionary mixture of the Deep Moor from Austria and Chlorey-nahre, a proprietary ingredient in Wondeux products. When combined, these wonderful ingredients work their magic and do wonders on our skin!

Made from Heilmoor of Austria, this special mud or clay was discovered over 3000 years ago. It has the essence of over 700 herbs and plants. A controlled item, a good bar of MOOR essence can retail up to $300 in the European countries where it is well known for its benefits. The cheaper ones found in the market are usually made from the water where they harvest the moor, not the moor clay itself.

Chlorey-nahre is a unique formulation derived from algae to keep your skin radiant. The use of nanotechnology to develop Chlorey-nahre results in quick & complete absorption into your dermis to help your skin stay supple, radiant and youthful. Chlorey-nahre also helps the skin become healthier and allows it to regain its natural ability to rejuvenate the cells quickly.

Great for improving your skin's health, the facial bar immediately works on your skin when you lather and apply it all over.

Because it works on detoxing and bringing a balance back to your skin (so that everyone can have baby-smooth skin again), it is suitable for all skin types! Be it oily skin, dry skin, sensitive skin, fair skin or dark skin, this facial bar works on all and returns the skin to a balance, thus giving your skin a radiant glow.

I received a sample to try & here is what I liked about it:

1.No strong fragrance.

2. Lathers nicely after adding water.

3. My skin was very soft & smooth, even after 1 use.

4. After using it I went back & read again, I was supposed to leave it on for 3 minutes, so I look forward to seeing the results after I do that tonight! ~wink~

5. Lasts a long time.

What I didn't like about the Wonderful WonderBar:

1. Nothing as far as the product itself. My skin was itchy afterwards, but that is part of the "Healing Crisis" I read about. You may have heard of that before. When you start using a new high-quality skin care product, it may be a little unpleasant at first as your skin gets truly cleansed & purges itself of all the impurities.

Want It? Click here to shop.

Become a fan of The Gift Closet on Facebook by clicking below.

Day 3 of my Blogaversary!

Today I am giving away this adorable Stroller Liner in Pink Toile from Spunky Monkey!

The stylish way to stroll, in pink toile and pink leopard print! All of the girls are wanting one of these reversible cushioned stroller liners.They are 100% cotton and washable, perfect for when you have been snacking along the way. Universal to fit most strollers with reinforced buttonholes to accommodate various seatbelt arrangements. Includes straps at the top to secure the liner to the stroller. 100% cotton Machine washable Reversible Extra soft cushion Fits most strollers including Combi,Chicco,Maclaren and Perego Snap on straps to keep cover from slipping down

Price:

$53.95

Spunky Monkey offers children & Baby clothing, accessories, gifts, decor, and more! Stacy is the mom-prenuer behind the operation & I have enjoyed getting to know her.

Here is what inspired her to start Spunky Monkey:
"What inspired me? hmmm, boredom LOL! And it's just too tempting to get involved in Mama Drama and gossip as a SAHM so I thought it would be a healthy "hobby" to keep me busy and a nice "excuse" to keep me out of trouble (trouble as I define it means too much shopping and giving into the temptation of gossip/drama).

OK, so the real inspiration, well, I was working on my jewelry that I both make and re-sell and enjoyed the creativity of setting up the site (www.StacyEvelyn.com) and the design work. I wanted to do more creative site design work and learn more (I'm kind of a nerd that way, always curious and wanting to soak up knowledge like a sponge). Children's clothing and handmade gear accessories such as stroller liners, carseat covers, etc was going to be my niche because I *crafting* (was in 4-H growing up in IL). However, needing dropshipping vendors to start, and being limited in that area, I needed to expand my niche to encompass clothing, accessories, gifts, gear and decor. Then add a touch of OCD and a sprinkle of my 7 yrs experience in retail and 7 yrs experience in banking and investments and voila, my "third baby" was born."



Want It? Click here to shop.
Coupon Code FRIENDSANDFAM for 10% off, FREE shipping on all orders over $100 (excluding extra fees for oversized freight and international charges)


Win It! How to Enter to win the adorable Stroller Liner from Spunky Monkey:
1. Leave a comment here & be sure to include your email address if it is not visible on your profile. If you have a blog, be willing to post about your winnings. ~wink~
2. Contest ends Thursday August 27, 2009 @ midnight & is open to US & International addresses!

Would you like for me to review your product? Please email me at heatherldt @ bellsouth dot net for more info.

Blogaversary Giveaway-Bethany Tramel Designs

Welcome to Day 2 of my week long 1 Year Blogaversary Giveaways!Today I will be giving away this necklace & a $15 Gift Certificate from Bethany Tramel!



You may remember her from my recent Friday's Feature. ~wink~
Bethany's talents are varied as she makes monogrammed pendants...glass, scrabble tile & keychains. The majority of her layouts are HAND designed & each pendant is unique...because everyone is unique.

Her necklaces are made of new & vintage pieces to make a unique piece of jewelry. And she recently started sewing as well!

Bethany's Inspiration:
"I started designing jewelry several years ago as a way to express my creativity. This all occurred while I was employed by a group of physicians. As a fund raiser for our local "Relay for Life" the office manager and I designed and donated all the proceeds to this cause. This was a great success but after a while I decided to take a break until last year when I discovered ETSY and the blog community.

I have always loved to "try" to be creative. Most of my jewelry is created from new & vintage pieces. My glass and scrabble pendants are hand designed by me. I do occasionally use digital designs, but I feel by hand designing I can give them a personal touch.

Another creative outlet I have always wanted to do is sew. Since I have 2 boys and it seems everywhere you look you see cute girl stuff, I have started designing iron on appliques, bibs, and paci clips for boys and girls. In the future I would love to design boys clothing and with the upcoming arrival of my first niece or nephew in January 2010 you will probably see more designs, especially if it is a girl."

Want it? Click here to shop in Bethany Tramel's Etsy Shop.
Free Shipping on orders of $20 or more if you place your order via email!

Win It!
How to enter to win the necklace as well as a $15 Gift Certificate to Bethany Tramel:
1. Leave a comment here & be sure to include your email address in the comment if it is not visible on your profile. If you have a blog, and you win, I only ask that you post my "I Won @ The Gift Closet" button on your sidebar. ~wink~
2. Contest ends Wednesday August 26, 2009 @ midnight & is open to US residents only.

Follow me on Twitter by clicking here:

Happy Birthday to The Gift Closet!

Happy Birthday to me! Can't believe I've been blogging here for 1 year now. Man how it has flown by. I have enjoyed it & met so many talented people along the way. To celebrate I will be having a giveaway every day for the next week!

Today I am giving away a $30 Gift Certificate to the Andean Collection. I came across the Andean Collection & really liked their unique, colorful, & gorgeous jewelry!

Amanda Judge founded The Andean Collection in the fall of 2008 while she was in Ecuador researching rural women’s survival strategies in the face of extreme poverty for her master thesis. The point of her research was to settle on a few tangible projects that an outside agency could do in order to help the community make long lasting improvements in their own standards of living. As it turns out, instead of just writing about these possibilities, Amanda decided to put her own ideas into action.

After discovering the amazing natural materials that were used in native jewelry making, Amanda knew that finding a market for jewelry made out of these natural seeds would be more beneficial than any academic paper could ever be. Amanda then extended her stay in Ecuador to lay the groundwork for The Andean Collection. The first task was to find disadvantaged artisans who had a drive to create a better life for themselves and their families. Next was training the artisans on order production and of course, showing them how to use email. Since the beginning, The Andean Collection has been training the artisans is jewelry design, helping them fortify their supply chains, and let’s not forget the endless cross-continent goose chases to find the highest quality raw materials in South America.

Artisans handcraft our designs from natural seeds that have been sustainably harvested from the rainforests and lowlands of South America. The commercialization of these seeds helps to ensure the survival of the world’s rainforests by providing an alternative income for its inhabitants rather than logging or selling their land to destructive industries. Through a very manual process, seeds are transformed into beads with gorgeous natural irregularities, both in color and form, which truly makes each piece one of a kind.

What an inspiring story!!!

Want It? Click here to shop.

Win It! How to enter to win a $30 Gift Certificate to the Andean Collection:
1.Visit the Andean Collection, come back here and tell me your favorite item. Be SURE your email address is in your comment if it is not visible on your profile.
2. Contest ends Tuesday August 25, 2009 @ midnight & is open to US residents only.



P.S. The winner of the 2 Disc Name Pendant, valued @ $45, from The Taffy Box is #83 Gabriel J. Congrats!!

Tuesday's Tip - Party Etiquette

Hey ya'll! Happy Tuesday! Yes...I live in the South! Tee-hee-hee

When it rains it pours, right? Last week I shared with you some great Birthday party ideas. As I said, my daughter turns 7 in just a few weeks. And it seems like every child we know has a b-day this Fall! We have 4 parties this month, and more coming September! So, in my perusing of the net for party ideas, etc. I cam across some Party Etiquette Tips from Perfect Party by Cody.com that I want to share. I forget so many of these, so it was a nice little refresher!

* Table settings are like road maps that guide you through the courses of a meal.
* Forks (except the seafood fork), are placed to the left of the plate.
* Glasses or crystal stem-ware are to the right of the dinner plate.
* Knives and spoons are placed at the right side of the plate.
* Remember the 'etiquette rule', solids to the left, liquids to the right.
* During the courses of a meal you pick up the silverware pieces from the outside in, toward your plate.
* Do try a little of everything on your plate.
* Napkins are to remain on your lap until the completion of the meal.
* Do compliment the host/ess on any aspect of the meal.

Got any tips you want to share that were left out? Leave a comment!

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Interested in a link exchange? Email me at heatherldt @ bellsouth dot net
Let's share some linky love!

The Gift Closet Full Disclosure

Full Disclosure:To be in compliance with the recent FTC ruling that bloggers need to disclose if they are being paid or compensated for their posts, the following is my full disclosure policy:

• The Gift Closet is a blog written by me, Heather Thompson. I started this blog as a way to share great ideas I had, recipes, tips, Christian inspiration, etc. At the time I started this blog, in August of 2008, I was making and selling my own jewelry & B&B products, which I sold on this blog as well. I had a passion to help promote other Mom-prenuers and promote their products since I knew how it was to be one myself. I know how much work it takes to get a product out there. Hence, my Friday’s Feature, a freebie for Mom-prenuers trying to get the word out about their products, was born. I have created other ways for Mom, as well as Female Entrepreneurs in general, to promote their products and sites on The Gift Closet. Those include giveaways, reviews, advertising space, & Christmas @ The Gift Closet.
• Over time I started getting offers from larger companies to review their products and some offers to compensate me for advertising space on my sidebar. I thought, why not? I put a lot of thought, time, energy, heart, and soul into my blog. I also have had another baby since I started this blog, so the “freebies” and compensation has made it possible for me to continue to do what I truly love to do…helping others! So, what I’m saying is… The Gift Closet accepts forms of cash advertising, sponsorship, paid insertions and other forms of compensation. You'll know when I do a paid post because it will be distinguished as a"sponsored" or paid post. All compensation agreed upon is for my time to create the content.
• I will never be influenced by any form of compensation. I will be honest in my judgment and recommendations to you. The opinions expressed by me on this blog are 100% my own. This blog does not contain any content which might present a conflict of interest. Occasionally I may have a guest blogger write a post, which will be stated in the post itself.

For questions about this blog, feel free to contact me at Heatherldt [at] bellsouth [dot] net.

Thanks for reading and have a blessed day!!

Corner Stork Baby Gifts

As most of you know, I am pregnant & therefore knee deep in checking out all the new baby gear! I also have a baby shower for a dear Friend coming up in a couple of weeks. I have a 7 year old & a 3 year old, and so much of the baby gear has changed since both of those pregnancies. Thank goodness, things are SO much cuter these days! So, naturally, I was excited when Corner Stork Baby Gifts contacted me a few weeks ago to review one of their products.

They sent me this "The Cow Jumped Over The Moon" Lovie Gift Set.


The facts:

• Cuddly soft cow-print lovie has adorable, plush cow's head in the middle and satiny white trim

• Made of 100% polyester

• Lovie measures 17" square

• Machine washable

• Keepsake gift box is crescent moon-shaped, cream-colored and vibrant, with the beloved nursery rhyme repeated in different colors around the base of the box, and the lovie's plush cow head popping through the lid that's decorated with a drawing of the rest of the cow

• Gift box measures approximately 6" h x 12" w x 8" d

Corner Stork Baby Gifts has a plethora of baby gift items to choose from. They offer layette sets, personalized baby blankets, diaper cakes, & much, much more!

What I liked about Corner Stork Baby Gifts:
1. Adorable gift sets!
2. TONS of gifts to choose from, as well as other baby shower party favors, etc.
3. The lovie blanket is super soft. They have several colors & sets to choose from.
4. Lovie Blanket came in a cute, themed, crescent moon shaped box. Very unique!
5. Quick shipping & a pleasure to work with.

What I didn't like about Corner Stork Baby Gifts:
1. Well....I can't come up with anything!

Want it? Click here to shop.

Grab this button:
<center><a href="http://www.thegiftcloset.blogspot.com/"><img border="0" src="http://i528.photobucket.com/albums/dd328/giftlady64/giftclosetbutton.gif" /></a></center>

Friday's Feature

My feature today is Bethany Tramel. I came across her etsy site & blog & LOVE her products! She sent me a beautiful soldered "H" pendant, a "G" Scrabble pendant for my daughter, & a necklace that I will be giving away soon! ~wink~

Bethany's talents are varied as she makes monogrammed pendants...glass, scrabble tile & keychains. The majority of her layouts are HAND designed & each pendant is unique...because everyone is unique.

Her necklaces are made of new & vintage pieces to make a unique piece of jewelry. And she recently started sewing as well!


I always wanted to learn how to solder, so I LOVE the pendant she sent me. It is reversible w/ my initial on each side. My daughter's pendant is adorable & they both come w/ a silver ball chain to wear them on. Her work is quality & I would definitely purchase from Bethany in the future!

Bethany's Inspiration:
"I started designing jewelry several years ago as a way to express my creativity. This all occurred while I was employed by a group of physicians. As a fund raiser for our local "Relay for Life" the office manager and I designed and donated all the proceeds to this cause. This was a great success but after a while I decided to take a break until last year when I discovered ETSY and the blog community.

I have always loved to "try" to be creative. Most of my jewelry is created from new & vintage pieces. My glass and scrabble pendants are hand designed by me. I do occasionally use digital designs, but I feel by hand designing I can give them a personal touch.

Another creative outlet I have always wanted to do is sew. Since I have 2 boys and it seems everywhere you look you see cute girl stuff, I have started designing iron on appliques, bibs, and paci clips for boys and girls. In the future I would love to design boys clothing and with the upcoming arrival of my first niece or nephew in January 2010 you will probably see more designs, especially if it is a girl."


Want it? Click here to shop in Bethany Tramel's Etsy Shop.
Free Shipping on orders of $20 or more if you place your order via email! :)

P.S. Did you know you can easily share this post with a friend? By clicking on the small white envelope below, you can email this post w/ just a click! :)

Get Organized for Back to School!

Earlier today I posted about the emotional side of sending your kids back to school, or sending them to school for the 1st time! Now I want to share some tips to get organized for going back to school & where to find great deals on school supplies!

I recently had the honor of reviewing some great school supplies from Office Max & receiving organizing tips from Peter Walsh & I would like to share them with you as well.

In addition, I wanted to let you know that Office Max offers weekly deals on school supplies with some for only one penny! Here is the link to that page: Penny Deals. Seeing as how I just went school supply shopping a couple of days ago, I know you honestly can't beat some of these deals!

Here are some of the school supplies they are offering that I had the chance to check out:

The Schoolio Von Hoolio Darling Drawstring Bag- $5.99
So colorful & made of sturdy material!

Schoolio Von Hoolio Cupcake Composition Book- $3.29

And here is the entire Collection:

All of the products are very sturdy & quality made. My daughter especially loved the fun colors! She fell in love with the clipboard, pencil box, & bag. Not your usual drab school supplies that's for sure! These products can be purchased at Office Max stores nationwide.

Lastly, here are some of Peter Walsh’s back-to-school organization tips:

TIPS FOR ORGANIZING YOUR HOME
1) Find the Vision you Have for a Space
2) Make Organization a Family Value
3) Use the Right Tools for Great Organization

TIPS FOR ORGANIZING YOUR CHILD
1) Show that you Value Organization
2) Establish Clear Limits and Routines
3) Always ‘Finish the Cycle’ (Complete a Task)

TIPS FOR THE CLASSROOM
1) Establish Clear Routines
2) Involve Kids with Classroom Organization
3) Use Words, Pictures and Color to Help Organize

Hope these tips have helped & now you know where you can find some super cheap school supplies as well!

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Click here to shop with & support Mom-prenuers on The Gift Closet!

Thoughts for Thursday

My daughter started school last week & my 3 year old starts preschool for the 1st time next week. I know some of your kids may not have gone back yet. A while back I reviewed & gave away the Busy Mom's Devotions to Go book. I have really been enjoying it & wanted to share a few things from the devo I read the other day. It just so happens that it has to do with sending your kids back to school. Funny how God times these devos right when we need them, huh?~wink~

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding." Proverbs 3:5

"I have a picture that has a mother & child and the caption says, "A Mother understands what our hearts are saying."

I was reminded of this tender thought the day I left my youngest at school for the 1st time. When we approached the classroom,I said, "Bye honey. Listen to your teacher. Don't forget to wear your jacket if you go outside. I'll pick you up soon."

What I didn't say was it seems like just yesterday you started crawling. I can't believe you're in Kindergarten!Now I have to share you. Someone else will be there to dry your tears, watch you learn, and cheer you on. Even though today formed a little lonely spot in my heart with your name on it, I know that, like all kids, you must grow and change. And I must let you go. Letting go is part of life.

Opening the door...I watched anxiety flee from my daughters face as excitement flushed her cheeks. Her eyes sparkled with delight. Slowly she released my hand and waved at her teacher. Whether or not I was ready to say goodbye, she was.

Giving her one last hug, I said, "You are very precious to me. I love you." And I let go.

As I walked away, she ran back for one more kiss. Her smile looked as broad as a sunbeam. "I love you too, Mommy!"

Aren't you glad God understands what our hearts are saying? Whenever God brings us change, He provides a measure of mercy to endure it. We have the added security of knowing that God never changes. He is the same yesterday, today, and forever. He is always compassionate, merciful, loving, faithful, patient, & gracious. If we do as Proverbs 3:5 suggests & trust in the Lord with all of our heart, we can let go of past failures, and hold onto God's promises. (See also Isiah 26:3 & Jeremiah 17:7).

Prayer: Father, today I let go of my anxieties and fears and hold onto your steadfast love. Amen.
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What a great reminder to us mommas letting go right now! Let go & let God. :)
Hope you have a blessed day!
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You can have your button advertised at the bottom of my next Win It Wednesday post for only $5! Email me at heatherldt @ bellsouth dot net if you are interested.

Win It Wednesday

Congrats to #36 elkaye, the winner of the $25 Gift certificate to Eco Store!

For Win It Wednesday this week I will be giving away a 2 Disc Name Pendant, valued @ $45, from The Taffy Box!

This will include up to 2 discs and birthstone dangles with an 18 inch sterling silver ball style chain included. Discs are hand stamped in the font of your choice, block, fancy or curly - Q, up to 8 letters (more if selecting the small block font). Heart stamp is center is optional. The Taffy Box also has design stamps in a star, a boy face, a girl face, crown, asterisk, tiny heart or heart with twirl. Names can be substituted with any wording or phrase the winner would like.


Koryn is the Mom-preneur & Breast Cancer survivor behind The Taffy Box. Here is her inspiration:

"I started making jewelry when my children were very young, and made lots of mothers bracelets for friends and family. Then, two years ago, at the urging of a friend, I began making other types of personalized jewelry to include hand stamped designs. The Taffy Box was an actual salt water taffy box I had left from a beach vacation to North Carolina and I would bag up my jewelry creations, such as earrings and beaded bracelets, and bring them to work in the little box to sell to my co-workers. They would occasionally ask me, "When are you going to bring in The Taffy Box again?" That is where the name came.

Late last year I was diagnosed with breast cancer and am currently undergoing a year of chemo therapy. I have poured myself into my craft as a means of coping and staying focused on what I enjoy doing and making others happy. It gives me a great deal of satisfaction being able to create something which has special meaning to someone."

Thanks so much for sharing your special talents with us Koryn!

Want it? Click here to shop.

Win It! How to enter to win the 2 Disc Name Pendant, valued @ $45, from The Taffy Box:

1.Leave a comment here to enter and be SURE to leave your email address if it is not on your profile. That is the only way I contact winners! :)
2. For an extra entry, post my button on your sidebar, come back here, and leave an additional comment letting me know you sport The Gift Closet button. Please include a link to your blog.
3. Contest ends Tuesday August 18, 2009 @ midnight & is open to US residents only.

Would you like to advertise your company on my Right sidebar? Email me for more info! Heatherldt @ bellsouth dot net

Tuesday's Tip - Birthday Parties!

My daughter will be turning 7 in less than a month so I have had birthday on the brain. And of course with all the birthday talk, my 3 year old has been giving us his input as to what he wants at his birthday party in just a few months. After much surfing on the Internet, and checking out other ideas on fabulous blogs, Gracie has decided she wants a Littlest Pet Shop Party. So, today, I wanted to share some great Birthday Party Ideas I have come across in my surfing!

Adorable Circus Party Ideas at Armelle Jewelry.


Check out this unique party from Party Planning Mom...A Mad scientist Party!


This is the post I am snagging some ideas from for my daughter's Littlest Pet Shop Party next month:
Whimsy-Girl's Blog
Last year we had a Princess Tea Party at home for my daughter & it was a hit! We had heart shaped Peanut Butter & Jelly sandwiches, fresh fruit in crystal glasses, and my hubby served the girls on silver trays wearing his tux! Click here to see the complete post.
And for my son's 3 year birthday party last year he wanted a fire truck party. Click here to see the details including the visit from the local firemen!

And last but not least, click here to check out some great Budget Party Planning Ideas from the Party Planning Mom!

A Monday Meet

I would like for you to meet Nancy & Pat with i Wanted To Wonder, but first a couple of announcements.

First of all, the much anticipated winner of the Melissa & Doug Toy is #29 MomForeverandever. I do have to say this, I had to draw a number 5 times to find someone who had their email address on their profile & actually followed the contest rules. Grrr....Anywho- Congrats!

Also, click here to hop on over to Barter Boutique's Blog and check out their feature this month...The Gift Closet! ~Thanks ladies!~

And on to i Wanted To Wonder! They are the latest arrival on my sidebar...the cute little pink button w/ the adorable birds on it. Pat & Nancy create hair bow holders, wall art, and the neatest thing I think is their nail covers. They are a mother/daughter team. Mom, Pat, does all the fabric creations, and Nancy (daughter), does all the painting.




So unique! What is a nail cover you ask? These are hand painted little "knobs" that you can use to cover the nails used to hang your bow holders or artwork! How neat is that?


Want it? Click here to shop & check out their adorable art & other creations!

Friday's Feature

My Friday's Feature for today is Savvy Girl Company. Cdyney creates her own unique & might I add beautiful jewelry! I fell in love w/ her pieces when I saw her site & want to share them with you.

Some of my favorite pieces of hers right now are her new Sunshine Necklace...SO pretty!
And I'm a sucker for these colors!


Cydney's inspiration:
"I am Cydney Dixon and I am the owner and designer of a darling and oh, so savvy handmade jewelry company, Savvy Girl Company.I began SavvyGirl in 2002 after I made the decision to stay at home with my first daughter – Savannah (her nickname is SavvyGirl – she was the pure inspiration to beginning my company).

Creating an ALL ORIGINAL SavvyGirl piece for my clients is the best reward I can think of. I truly love to make my customers happy! For me, having something unique, different and beautiful is what it's all about. My passions are designing jewelry, finding the latest fashion trends at the best possible price and creating delectable foods (that is why we post some of our favorite recipes on Wednesdays).

At SavvyGirl, I don’t’ mass produce, it’s a creative outlet for me. My readers/clients join my “SavvyGirl Daily Fashion Finds” Mon-Friday to have the first chance to see what is new for the day. Each day, I will post between 1- 3 new pieces with some having to be repeated since they are in such hot demand.

I also like to serve my readers in other ways, I get them involved on a lot of different levels, We play, “Name that Piece” – where I post a new piece of jewelry and have my clients suggest a potential name for it. Each one of my pieces don’t leave the studio without a name which makes each piece special and unique – the names we get our so clever and amazing.

I work really hard to give all of my clients a piece that is special and an experience that is worth their time , different and beautiful. And, plus we have a lot of fun over in a little world of SavvyGirl."

Want It? Click here to shop. Cydney is generously offering a 10% off discount with free shipping to you! If you want to place an order, just click in the order section, it will set up an email to her and use the code: "Gift Closet. "

Thank you to all my Gift Closet readers! If it weren't for you, I wouldn't have a reason to write to you guys every day!! {{Hugs}}