Disney Bound!

We are headed to Disney World! I'll be back the week of June 6th. I hope you all have a great kick off to your summer and I'll see you then! :)

Thoughts for Thursday

Becoming Wiser
by guest blogger Emily Farmer

There is a book in the Bible called Proverbs. Proverbs has 31 chapters. If you read one chapter a day that's a month worth of reading. Our pastor mentioned this in a message he did a few weeks ago. So I took it as a challenge and decided to read through the book or Proverbs. I want to become wiser in being a wife, mother, friend and follower of God. What could it hurt? We could all stand to be just a little more wise. Right? Proverbs is known as the book of wisdom. It was mostly written by a wise man named Solomon. Solomon wrote this book to teach the people of Israel how to live Godly lives through repeated thoughts. I know that's how I am. I need things repeated over and over again before I catch on to it.

For the past week and a half I have been reading Proverbs and things have been leaping off the page getting my attention. Proverbs is packed full of wise advice some of it new to me and so of it repeated and a reminder I have already read it before and should be applying it more. A few of my favorite Proverbs follows below. All are taken from the New Living Translation.

Prov. 11:15 "The generous will prosper; those who refresh other will themselves be refreshed."

Prov. 13:20 " Walk with the wise and become wiser; associate with fools and get in trouble."

Prov. 15:30 "A cheerful look brings joy to the heart;good news makes for good health."

Prov. 16: 3 "Commit your actions to the Lord, and your plans will succeed."

I could go on and on with verses but, I will let you to read Proverbs for yourself and find verses that are meaningful to you.

Have a great and safe Memorial Day weekend! Make a point to "thank the Lord" for all you have.

Winner Winner Chicken Dinner

I won't be starting a new giveaway today cuz I'm headed to Disney World in just a few days...yay! So, be sure to hop on over and check out my current giveaway, which ends tomorrow at midnight.
Click here to enter to win a Black Vinyl "Welcome" Design!

The winner of the Personal Charms giveaway from last week is #44 Fine Insanity . Congrats!

I love to feature Mom-prenuers here at The Gift Closet! And according to a survey I conducted, these features are one of my readers' favorite posts to visit on The Gift Closet. I'd love to feature you & your business, so email me today to secure your spot for my next Fridays' Feature! heatherldt@ bellsouth dot net

Tuesday's Tip-Work From Home

Last week I shared a great site to find work from home jobs. Here is another one you will want to check out:
5 Minutes For Mom

P.S. Interested in promoting your site by hosting a giveaway on The Gift Closet? Please email me at heatherldt @ bellsouth dot net to secure your spot for my next available Win It Wednesday post!

End of Year Teacher Gifts & a Giveaway!

It's the last week of school here & I've got some really cute & affordable End Of Year Teacher Gift Ideas to share with you today....and a giveaway!

I have a very creative & talented friend, Kelly Smith, who has given me some great ideas over the years. This year she has lots of cute ones for Teacher Gifts.

She purchased these glass vases at the dollar store, and the letters @ Michael's. On the jar with the pencils the tag said: "Thank you for helping our children write the future". On the one with the candy ( Hershey's Hugs & Kisses) and the tag said," Thanks for all you do, Hugs & Kisses." How cute is that? I tried to re-create it, but my version was not near as cute.

I filled mine w/ candy. I emailed my kid's classmates' parents & asked them to ask their child their favorite thing about the teacher, or favorite memory of their teacher for the year. I then typed the replies & printed them on a pretty piece of paper, rolled it up, tied it w/ a ribbon, & stuck it in the center of the candy in the vase. On that ribbon I attached this little tag...I also bought a 100 Grand candy bar & tied this little tag on it for the bus driver that says, "Thank you for being such an awesome bus driver Mr Davis! You deserve "100 Grand"! Love, Gracie".

Being the chocolate lover that I am I have to share this. I got the huge bags of candy on sale at Publix, buy 1 get 1 free. I had enough for all 3 teachers, and still had lots left over. I was very excited to add this.....to my candy stash! ~wink~

More of Kelly's creations....
These jars were purchased at Wal-Mart & spruced up w/ her vinyl letters from Uppercase Living. The letters are a 4" and they are $1.30 each.The jar with the black top was $8.97 and the one with glass top was $6.97.

Here is a water bottle, with a cardstock paper holder on it and a crystal light drink mix. On it she wrote, "Thanks for "quenching" the "thirst for knowledge".

Check out these adorable jars!


The gumball jars tag reads, "Thanks for "Chewsing" to share your talent (or to teach) at ( your school name). (your childs name) had a "ball" this year."

Love it!!!

How cute is this set??The bucket, pitcher, cups, plates & bowls all came from Wal-mart. The letters are from Uppercase Living....which Kelley sells and is offering a giveaway today from!!!


GIVEAWAY:

As I said before,Kelly sells Uppercase Living. Uppercase Living offers tons of vinyl art designs.

Kelly is giving away this Black "Welcome" design! Please forgive me, I can't get it to turn!

Want It? Gift Closet Special: Customers will receive a FREE expression for every one they purchase! All Uppercase Living accessories and gift kits from the Celebrations catalog are available at 20% off!!

Win It! How to enter to win:
1.Leave a commet here to enter & be sure to include your email address if it is not on your profile.
2. EXTRA ENTRY: Tweet this giveaway on twitter. Come back here & leave an additional comment letting me know you did so.
3. EXTRA ENTRY: Link to this post Facebook and come back here leaving an additional comment letting me know you did so.
4. Contest ends Thursday May 27, 2010 @ midnight & is open to US residents only.

GIVEAWAY CLOSED - winner selected by random.org is #12 lopez1. Congrats!

See you tomorrow for Tuesday's Tip! :)

Discount Eye Wear

I still remember when I was a little girl the first time my vision started going bad. We were on a road trip & I was playing a letter game w/ Mom. I couldn't see any of the signs, they were quite fuzzy. A trip to the eye doctor, & I was in a pair of eyeglasses before I knew it. I started with hideous blue & pink ones, and was so excited when in the 5th grade I got Red Sally Jessy Rapheal ones! LOL.....

I wore nothing but prescription glasses until I was around 20 years old. I tried contacts several times, and finally was able to wear them...yay! What a difference!

I now have 2 pairs of glasses that I wear at night & I wear contacts during the day. I have had many problems getting eye doctors to just give me my prescription so I can just get them at a discount place online. How ridiculous is that? I have gotten great deals on my contacts at both Vision Direct & 1800Contacts online. Of course, I have astigmatism & dry eyes, so I have ended up wearing just about the most expensive ones on the market! Ugh!

If you are looking for glasses online a great place to check out is Glasses USA. You can shop by brand, material, gender, and the list goes on! Gift Closet readers can get 10% off your next purchase at Glasses USA! Simply use the code mommy10 when prompted during your next purchase of prescription glasses!

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Would you like for your product to be reviewed on The Gift Closet? Email me today at heatherldt @ bellsouth dot net.
Have a great weekend!! :)

Thoughts for Thursday

Character
by guest blogger Emily Farmer

What are you made of? What do you value? Have you ever experienced a life journey that just totally tested your character. I, not too long ago, did. I shared some of it with you in a past post. As I look back now, I can thank God that I handled the situation very well. I knew he was in control and would take care of my family. I had no doubts that we would be okay. I did however doubt and question "why" is this happening to my family. My husband and I held our heads high and after awhile we just laughed. And said,"what next." I hope our boys were watching and taking note and will one day be able to act with the same character that my husband and I had during our rough time.

If you think about it that's what life is really about. Teaching your children and others around you to have the character that God portrays. What does that look like? For me it looks like this... You help a stranger just to show kindness. You serve at church or in the community with a joyful heart. You can tell another person "I love you" and really mean it. When you say I am here for you no matter what, and you really are there. This past weekend our pastor taught a message on integrity and doing what you say. He used the verse from Prov.20:6 "Many will say they are loyal friends,but who can find one who is truly reliable?" This tells us to make our talk match our walk or let your words mean something. He also gave the reference in Prov.2:7 "He grants a treasure of common sense to the honest. He is a shield to those who walk with integrity." When I read that I thought to myself I just experienced God being our shield. The last verse my pastor gave was Prov. 10:9 "People with integrity walk safely, but those who follow crooked paths will slip and fall." Integrity is such a big word but, so worth having it listed under your character.

As I told my son tonight when life is tough stand up and face it head on and believe God is in control and he will take care of the situation. He gives us second chances and do overs. Be Thankful! 1 Cor. 16:13 says it best " Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be men of courage; be strong."

Have Faith, Be Strong and know God will handle the rest.

Win It Wednesday

The winner of last week's giveaway from Organic Island is #37 Miss Potential . Congrats!

This week I am giving away these Hammered Sterling silver earrings with pearl dangles from Personal Charms!

Ashley is the Mom-prenuer who creates this unique hand-stamped jewelry.

Her inspiration:
"I have always enjoyed being creative, but never thought I would make it into a business. In 2008 I had my first child,and I saw some hand stamped jewelry on a website. I really wanted one but it was too expensive. .I knew that I could make it for much cheaper. Once all of my friends saw mine they wanted one too. It just seemed right to start Personal Charm. It has been such a blessing for my family. I have been able to stay at home and still financially contribute to the family."

Want It? Click here to visit Personal Charms on Etsy.

Win It!
How to enter to win:
1. Leave a comment here & be sure to include your email address if it is not on your profile.
2. EXTRA ENTRY: Leave a 2nd comment telling me your favorite Summer activity! :)
3. Contest open to US residents only & ends Tuesday May 25, 2010 @ midnight.

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

Tuesday's Tip-Save Money on Meds

Tell me I'm not he only one who has done this before. I, or one of my children, are feeling under the weather so I call the Dr and make an appointment. I drop the $20 co-pay, plus a ridiculous amount on meds to get well. Come home & realize you already have that same medicine in your cabinet, or something that would have served the same purpose. Ugh!
Well, I finally got tired of that, so now when I go to the Dr for a sick appointment, I try to take a list of any meds (old prescriptions or OTC stuff), with me to see if I can use anything I already have on hand. Saves you money and saves you from having 5 decongestants on hand that you end up throwing out cuz they expire before getting used!

Click below to follow The Gift Closet on Twitter! :)

Re-Decorating Your Home

I'm not one to want to change my house around a lot, but beware, cuz blog hopping can get a girl to thinkin'! I have seen some super creative ladies do some fabulous re-decorating jobs. I wanted to share a few I have come across. Some I've had bookmarked for quite a while. In the event that some day, I might actually take some of these ideas on myself. A girl can dream, right? ~wink~

I love a Shabby Chic bathroom & would love to have a vanity like this! I found this and other bathroom vanities over at Just Vanities.

Would you believe I've had this bookmarked since 2008? Yup, I sure do love this one. I have white cabinets in my kitchen. I think would be a nightmare to change the color. Also, I heard white cabinets never go out of style, so I'm off the hook for that one. I just love the fresh, clean look of this kitchen that I found over at Holly Doodle Designs.I am drooling over this vintage stove!!

Another I had saved for a long time is the kitchen makeover I found at Tom Kat Studio blog.
She went from this....

To this....


Why can't I be that talented...and patient? You know something like that has to take tons of time & patience! Gorgeous!

Well, enough of my daydreaming. Back to changing diapers, wiping noses, and listening to the non-stop chatter of an inquisitive little 4 year old boy. :)

So, tell me, if you could make over one room in your house, which would it be? Or, if you've posted about a makeover, do share!

Have a great weekend ya'll!! :)

Lubies

Wondering what a Lubie is? Well, you're not alone. I had never heard of Lubies until a few weeks ago.

Lubies are cute little ball-shaped stuffed animals. These uniquely shaped balls’o’fun were introduced in early 2009 with 8 styles and have since grown to include over 60 styles. A creative brainstorm of Joy Michel (former VP of Creative for Ty who was responsible for designing 1000’s of Beanie Babies™ up until 2007) and Michael Perry (founder and CEO of Rocket USA), the Lubies are safety tested and boast a 0+ age rating.

I received a Lubie Cat & A Lubie Dog to review. Here are my thoughts:

What I liked about the Lubies:

1. These little critters are too cute & super soft.

2. I like that they are shaped like a ball. It makes them unique & fun to throw around too!

3. Each Lubie comes with a little hang tag that not only illustrates the environment from which the animal comes from, but opens up to reveal a “Did You Know?” fun fact about the animal as well.

4. Tons of different animals to choose from as well as sports themed Lubies too!

5. The Lubieland website has lots of free downloads and games for kids to play.

6. I like that my 5 month old could play w/ it, as well as my 4 & 7 year old kids too!

What I didn't like about Lubies:

1. Nothing really. Kid-tested & friendly.....couldn't keep my 4 yr old son away from them! :)

Want It? Click here to visit Lubieland. And click here to visit Rocket USA, where you will find Lubies as well as other unique toys & gifts!

Interested in a link exchange? Email me today at heatherldt@ bellsouth dot net.

Thoughts for Thursday

Salvation
by guest blogger Emily Farmer

Today's devotion will be straight to the point. Have you accepted Jesus Christ as your personal Savior? For some this is an easy question to answer, for others, not so easy. I feel it heavy upon my heart to share with you today that Jesus loves you so much, more than you will ever know or understand. What is true salvation you might ask? Salvation is being saved by another. Jesus wants you to believe in your heart that HE is the one and only Lord and God of your life. He wants you to have faith in your heart that you believe in HIM enough to live your life for HIM. Heb. 11:1 says "Faith is the confidence that what we hope for will actually happen; it gives us assurance about things we cannot see." HE forgives you of all your sins (or wrong doings). HE asks that we trust him in a faith that is unseen but felt in a powerful way.

You can not touch HIM but, HE is there right beside you. He guides us, leads us and cares for us. He knows our every move. He is on your side no matter what situation or circumstance you are going through.

So one question you might have is this. Did Jesus really die and rise again like all Christians claim he did? Yes, that is true. There is a verse that is very clear on this it is 1 Cor. 15:4-5 "He was buried, and he was raised from the dead on the third day, just as the Scriptures said. He was seen by Peter and then by the Twelve."

God's word is true. God's word is written and recorded in the Bible. The Bible is filled with all kinds of promises that we can cling too. John 14:6 says "Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me."

If you haven't taken that step of faith in trusting Jesus to be your personal savior I ask you pray these verses below and do it today. Its as easy as ABC.

A-Admit you are a sinner-

Rom. 6:23 "For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord."

B-Believe by faith Jesus died on the cross for your sins-

Rom. 10:9 "If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved."

C-Confess or Call on Jesus to forgive you and to be the Lord of your life-

Acts 2:21 "But everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved."

Rom. 10:10 "For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by confessing with your mouth that you are saved."

Win It Wednesday

Welcome to the original Win It Wednesday! The winner of the My Precious Arrival giveaway is #19sweetsue. Congrats! This week I'll be giving away a '3 Pack' of Shell Lip Balm, including your choice of a Small, Medium or Large Shell. Included with each Shell is a Shell Purse Bag, to store and protect it whilst out and about at the beach, shopping, dinner or a night out on the town. Giveaway hosted by Organic Island.

Organic Island offers 100% natural lip balm packaged in real beach shells! Their lip balm contains a luxurious blend of 100% natural & organic Australian oils, plant & fruit extracts, fruit butters, & Vitamin E.

The inspiration behind Organic Island:
"Organic Island is the concept of two university students, Mark Power and Alana Lindsay, who say the idea behind the business stemmed from their desire to create a uniquely Australian product to create a buzz in foreign and local markets. Centering around a product which is 100% Natural and Organic without chemicals and without the typical plastic packaging.
"Organic Island lip balms were born from global trends in eco and carbon conscious packaging, not to mention being a wonderful Aussie export success,” said Mr Power.
“The use of recycled shells is the ultimate way to meet this environmental trend as shells are naturally bio-degradable.
“The lip balms also double as being an exclusive and premium Australian icon which is very much synonymous with the beach culture of Australia.

Each shell is completely individual in its shape, size and colours which range from earthy tones to rich turquoises and pearly whites. This is enhanced by the shells being straight from a naturally recyclable environment and not man-made in any way."

Want It? Click here to visit Organic Island.

Win It! How to enter to win:

1. Leave a comment here to enter to win. Be sure you include your email addy if ti is not on your profile.

2. EXTRA ENTRY: Leave a 2nd comment telling me (briefly) what the inspiration behind Organic Island is.

3. Giveaway ends Tuesday May 18, 2010 @ midnight & is open to international residents.

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>

Tuesday's Tip-Work From Home

As a SAHM I've had my fair share of Work-At-Home Jobs & even had a few businesses of my own. I know there are lots of people in general looking for jobs right now, and seems like there is always a Mom looking to bring in some extra dough for the family. I wanted to share this site w/ you that I've had bookmarked for a while, called Work At Home Mom Revolution. You can check it out by clicking here.

P.S. A little tip for ya...did you know you can email this post easily to a pal by clicking on the small white envelope below? :)

Make It Monday-Breakfast for Dinner

I hope all you Moms out there had a wonderful Mother's Day weekend! I came across a new recipe site I had not heard of before on Saturday & got caught up in reading & printing some yummy recipes! I know how we women love recipes, so I want to start sharing more of those w/ you. Instead of you having to scour the internet for recipes, I'm going to do some of that work for you!

I'm a big menu planner. I've found it truly saves money for our single-income family. One of my kid's favorite things to hear me say is, "It's breakfast for dinner tonight!" I usually transform myself into a short order cook & fix pancakes & bacon, or waffles & bacon, or eggs, grits, bacon, etc for the hubby. However, sometimes I'm a little more specific & just fix one main thing. I thought some of these menu ideas might work on those "Breakfast for Dinner" nights.

French Toast Sandwiches from Taste of Home

I don't have a picture for you of these, but they are basically french toast bread w/ a banana & peanut butter on them & honey for dipping! YUM! And I love that we get our fruit & protein on these. I'd have to leave off the banana for my hubby & prolly fix a side of grits , cuz he's a big eater, but I think these would especially be a hit w/ the kids.

Gooey Marshmallow Chocolate Chip Pancakes...ummm...yeah! Whose kids wouldn't love these? What a treat! Click here to get the recipe for these yummies over at Picky Palate. To be quite honest, I would prolly use a box mix for the pancakes & throw on the chocolate chips & marshmallows. But for you Moms (that I wish I could be more like), that would take the time to make them homemade, this recipe looks great!

"You can be thin & wrinkly, or you can have another bowl of banana pudding and fluff that stuff out! "
Found that little tidbit over at Deep South Dish. ~Grin~ Being born & raised in the South, this is my kinda cookin' ladies!
"The Secrets to Perfect Southern buttermilk Biscuits". MMM.......

Speaking of eating, I have to share this tidbit. My 7 year old daughter has always been a super picky eater. I mean PICKY girls! Since she started eating table foods she has pretty much lived on yogurt, fruit, peanut butter, & fried (only) chicken nuggets. Oh and waffles & bacon. No veggies, no other meats besides fried chicken. Gramma & Nana have worried about her, I have tried numerous tactics to get her to eat. Notta worked. Then....all of a sudden....it was like a light bulb went off a few weeks ago & she decided she wanted to try pizza again. And she LIKED it!!!!!! Then I gave her fish sticks one night & told her it was chicken(shame on me), and she loved it! So I then told her it was fish sticks & she now requests them! She also has eaten a taco & a hot dog in the past week. HALLELUJAH!!! This is so huge for our family. Now, I know these are not really healthy things she's eating, and we'll get there on the veggies, but this is a major break through & we are so happy! So, for those of you w/ picky eaters, remember....there is hope!!! :)

Ok. It's 12:33pm & I'm absolutely starving after writing this post. So I'm off to fix lunch for the little one & I. Hope you enjoy these recipes as much as I do & have a blessed day! :)


He who is of a merry heart has a continual feast.
(Proverbs 15:15b)

~Spring Special is in effect to advertise on my Right Sidebar. Email me today for details! ~

Trendy Traditions

I'd like to introduce you to one of my newest sponsors, Trendy Traditions. Melanie is the owner of this inspirational online biz.

At Trendy Traditions you'll find handmade, able to be customized, Catholic & Christian gifts & keepsakes.

Melanie's inspiration:
"As my family was invited to Christian celebrations for friends and family, a constant frustration was revealed--a lack of modern-looking gifts honoring baptisms, first communion, confirmation, and weddings. I finally realized that God may be speaking through my desire to honor these celebrations with nice gifts. After much prayer, I decided to start a business making personalized gifts, beginning with Rosaries. Some of my products are Catholic, while others are not--but all are faith filled! Inspired by the theme of my products, my business's name was born, Trendy Traditions. Starting the business has enhanced my family's faith journey. It is my sincere hope that my products will help Christians celebrate and share their faith with their brothers and sisters in Christ."


Want It? Click here to visit Trendy Traditions. Gift Closet readers can enter the code thegiftcloset in the coupon code box and receive 10% off your purchase total! If you visit her etsy shop, trendytraditionsbiz.etsy.com, and write thegiftcloset in the notes to seller, she will refund 10% off your order!


Thank you to Trendy Traditions for being a sponsor & thank you to my Gift Closet fans for reading my posts & keeping me going!! {{Hugs}} Have a great weekend ya'll!!

Thoughts for Thursday by Emily Farmer

What a day!

You can say that again. A busy day of running around here and there. Our oldest son had a school track meet our middle son had a baseball game and as if something else needed to be added to our plate when we arrived home after the game a tree was uprooted and leaning against another tree just a few feet away from our roof. Are you kidding me? How did this happen? Did a tornado come through while we were gone? Why did this happen? Not to long ago last fall we had a terrible storm with strong wind and a tree fell on our trampoline and made it into a taco shape. Literally no kidding a taco shape. We didn't even hear it fall. I guess the spring of the trampoline quited the noise of its fall.

After surveying the damage we decided to not stay the night at home. It was better to be safe than sorry. I called a friend to see if our two older boys could stay the night with them. We got them settled and in bed. Then my husband our youngest son and myself were on our way to a hotel for the night when my husband got hit form behind by a motorcycle that couldn't stop or dodge him. Thank the Lord everyone was okay and the guy on the motorcycle walked away. But "good grief" as they say on Charlie Brown. How much more can my family take? Tonight, no more-- enough is enough! It's almost midnight and I'm still shook up by all that has happened in the last several hours.

When things like this happen we always look to the why and how comes? I can't answer that right now. I don't know. I am just thankful for good friends who are truly there when you need them. I am also thankful for God and all his promises that no matter how bad life gets or how bad things happen He is there for us. Tonight as I sit in a hotel room and type this I cling to all the promises that God speaks about in the Bible like in 1 Cor 10:31 "God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted. He will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it." There's also Heb. 13:5 "Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you." And then, Ps. 91:11 "For he will order his angels to protect you wherever you go." Another favorite is Isa. 40:31 "Those who trust in the Lord will find new strength. They will soar high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not grow faint." I am so thankful for this verse Matt. 6:8 "Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him." He knows our ever need. How can you not believe in God when he tells us all these things through His word the scriptures. His word is alive and true. So today in all of our disaster I stand on the promises of God.

"Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be men of courage; be strong." 1 Corinthians 16:13

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Click here to enter my current giveaway from My Precious Arrival!

Win It Wednesday

The winner of the Appleseed Gifts giveaway is #4 Sarita . Congrats!

This week one lucky winner will get to choose from the 2 following items from My Precious Arrival:

- A set of (2) waffle ice cream cups: Contains 2 receiving blankets, 2 washcloths, and 2 plastic ice cream cups.

or....

- A set of (3) ice cream cones containing 3 onesies!

How cute & unique are these little goodies?

Eliana is the Mom-prenuer behind My Precious Arrival. Here is her inspiration for her business:

"The idea began after the birth of my son in 2007. It all began with a cute stork that I designed and set up in her front yard to share the wonderful news with friends, neighbors, and family. Thanks to my son waking up pretty much every hour or so, I was able to design my own website and turn my hobby into a business.After a few months, I started expanding with baby shower gifts and favors, and now I'm even working alongside local artists with wooden letter decorations, custom frames and even murals!"

Want It? Click here to shop.

Win It! How to enter to win:

1. Leave a comment here & be sure to include your email address if it is not on your profile.

EXTRA ENTRIES: (Leave a separate comment for each one)

1. Become a fan of My Precious Arrival on Facebook by clicking here.

2. Tell me your favorite thing about The Gift Closet. (Gotta make sure I'm making my readers happy! ~wink~)

Giveaway is open to US residents only. Giveaway ends Tuesday May 11, 2010 @ midnight.

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Would you like to be my next Fridays Feature? Email me at heatherldt@bellsouth dot net. so I can introduce my readers to your site! :)

Teacher Appreciation Gift Ideas

This week is Teacher Appreciation Week. My kid's schools are in full swing having breakfasts, luncheons, dessert bars, & flowers for the teachers. And in just a few weeks we'll be giving end of year teacher gifts! Can you believe it? School is almost out! For the 1st time, I'm really looking forward to this summer. I used to dread entertaining the kids during the long summer days & keeping them from tearing each other up! But w/ a new baby on board, I'm looking forward to a little R&R time. And...it's my last summer w/ my 4 year old before he goes to big boy school...all day every day!

Anywho-I'd like to share some Teacher Appreciation Gift Ideas w/ you. These would make good End-Of-Year Teacher Gifts as well! :)

*First, I found this post over at Accidental Mommies that shares places that are giving FREE meals to teachers this week! Yay for our teachers!

Found these cute little homemade reversible tote bags over at Mammalicious Finds.
Not sure how much you are spending on your teacher, but this would make a good Mother's Day gift too. I just love her custom vintage frames so I had to show you this from Sweet Lily Design. Ooh la la!!!
And what girl doesn't love a good candle? These soy candles can be found over at Caterpillarscandles. If you don't know all the benefits of soy candles, you can read about them at their site as well. I used to make and sell my own Soy &&B products & candles, so trust me, go soy girls!! :)
Well, I have spent way too much time browsing the internet to find these little lovelies, so I'm off to take care of my motherly duties! Have a blessed day!

P.S. A few more Mother's Day posts to share w/ you:

-Here is a link to a Mother's Day post I wrote last year about 10 Memorable Ways you can celebrate Mother's Day this year.

-And here's another for Handmade Mother's Day Gift Ideas

P.P.S Interested in hosting a giveaway on The Gift Closet? Please email me to get your name on the list! :) heatherldt @ bellsouth dot net

Mother's Day Gifts

I think just about everyone knows this Sunday is Mother's Day. I ordered some super cute Mother's Day cards on Shutterfly this year, and 3 were free w/ their current special. Check it out if you haven't already.

I got a really cute custom apron to review from Cafe Press, which would make a good Mother's Day gift as well. My hubby couldn't quite understand why I was so excited about an apron. I explained it's one of those things (along w/ jewelry & pedicures/manicures) that I don't really treat myself to, or wouldn't normally buy for myself. So this was a fun little treat for me!

You can find tons of unique and personalized gifts at CafePress – anything for anyone. They offer customized tee shirts, mugs, aprons, & much more!

What I liked about my Apron from Cafe Press:

1. It was fun to create it myself. They had several colors to choose from, many fonts, pictures you could put on it, etc. You can truly personalize it as you like. I chose a Navy apron w/ a Hot Pink "H" for Heather. ~wink~

2. It was a pretty quick turn around. I ordered it and had it within a week. I thought that was good since a lot of custom items take longer.

3. They have a huge variety of products to choose from.

4. Price points are good. The apron was only $20.

5. I wore it yesterday to make some Brownies & clean the kitchen. It was pretty comfy & covered my clothing quite well.

What I didn't like about my Apron:

1. Maybe I had it tied wrong, but the ties around my neck were pulling on my neck a little and I had to keep adjusting it. Otherwise, it was super cute!

Want It? Click here to visit Cafe Press & check out their great items for Mother's Day or graduation!

See you tomorrow for Tuesday's Tip!