::CSN GIVEAWAY TIME!!!

Hey everyone!

I am so excited to share with you that I am hosting  a  CSN giveaway!   

If you haven't heard of CSN stores, you are missing out.  They have a variety of things to sell.  They have everything you need to accessorize your table for the holidays, home decor, cookware and more.  With Christmas just around the corner you will want to be sure that you have a beautifully set table.  Take a look at this beautiful drop leaf table they offer.

I love the finish and the styling of the legs.  Nice clean lines.  A great funcitonal piece of furniture that you can use anywhere in your home.

The folks at CSN have graceiously offered a $35 gift certificate for your shopping pleasure.  If you would like to enter for a chance to win, all you have to do is leave me a comment telling  me what you would buy if you won.


I will accept entries until midnight  November 2nd, Central time. I will announce the winner on November 3rd in the afternoon.

NOTE:  I am extending the time to enter.  I will accept entries until midnight on November 7th Central time.  I will announce the winner Monday, November 8th


 That's it!
Good luck!Pin It Now!

::A BOOK REVIEW::

Hi there!

I hope everyone is having a wonderful day wherever you are.  A big shout out to anyone living out in the midwest.  Hear they are having some awful storms out that way.  Y'all stay safe.

If you have never sewed before or have minimal experience and would love to learn more.  Than Deborah Moebes book is for you.  Sorry, the pick is not clickable.  It is the only pic I could find of the cover from Amazon.

This is the best well done begining sewer book I have ever seen hands down.  She covers everything from the basics of sewing to why we should prewash our fabric before we sew.  Each of the projects in the book is photographed every step of the way with welll written clear directions.  Ladies, this is a first for me to see in a sewig book with this many projects in it.  She starts with very small beginning projects and has you work up to harder things like sewing zippers, etc.

This is a must have for your sewing library if you don't already own it.  I am planning on buying the book next week.  I have also contacted Deborah in hopes of her possibly giving a signed copy away here on my blog.  So, hopefully that will pan out.  So keep your eyes peeled for that. 

Additionally, I have been chatting with someone from CSN and I will definitley be doing a giveaway here.  Just not sure when.  Hopefully soon though as it sure would come in handy to a lucky winner for Christmas gifts, wouldn't it?

I am working on a tutorial to share with you all.  It is of  a sewing/quilty nature. 

Enjoy your evening!Pin It Now!

::Handmade::

With having moved this year and done a bit of traveling with vacations and what not; the holidays will be lowkey this year.

I am planning on giving handmade gifts this year.  I have done this in the past and the family for the most part enjoys their gift.  If you too are planning on making it a handmade holiday season this year be sure she stop by http://sewmamasew.com/blog2/

During the month of November they will have 30 days of
 handmade holidays.

So, if you are looking for inspiration I am sure they won't disappoint.  They will be having giveaways as well, so go and be inspired!Pin It Now!

Another giveaway!!

Can you stand it?    Lots of generous blog gals out there in blogland.

Have you been to
http://thepaintedhive.blogspot.com/

Kristine is a sweetie and she shares so many wonderful projects that she has done for her home.  She has shared everything from redoing furniture to creating art to hang in your home.    If you haven't been by her blog you will have to stop by and enter her giveaway and tell her "hello."

Hope on over to get the details of how you can enter to win this

Photo by Kristine of The Painted Hive

She made this beautiful linen faux grain sack pillow. Click the link to read about her linen throw that she made for her masterbedroom redo.

http://thepaintedhive.blogspot.com/2010/10/diy-linen-throwand-grainsack-style.html

She got such a great deal on this linen that she had some leftover to share in  the form of this beautiful pillow as a giveaway.

In other news, I have had a busy week so wasn't able to post much this week.  I have lots to share and hope to post something for you all each day.  That will be a first.  I dont' ever do that.

Hope everyone is having a great weekend!

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A gracious giveaway.....

Head on over to




She won a $150.00 gift card from Lowes due to winning with her patio project at
Oneprojectcloser.com

She is so grateful to her readers for voting for her that she wanted to share her winnings.

Here are the ways you can be entered in this giveaway for a $75.00 gift card to Lowe’s:

1. Leave a comment telling her what you would use your gift card for…DIY project, Christmas gift to hubby. etc.

2. Tweet about this giveaway and go back and tell her in a separate comment. (leave your twitter name or link)

3. Share this giveaway on your facebook page and go tell her about it in a separate comment.

4. Mention this giveaway on your blog and go tell her about it in a separate comment.

That’s four chances to win!!!


The giveaway ends Friday. October 22nd at midnight EST.

She will announce the winner on Saturday from the Relevant 10 Conference in Harrisburg, PA.

Good luck!

P.S. You don’t have to follow her  or subscribe to her blog to be entered in the giveaway, but she sure would love it if you would anyway. :)Pin It Now!

FALL CLEANING AND DECLUTTERING

So, I mentioned in my last post that fall has me decluttering and deep cleaning so everything is ready to go before we head into winter.

I am so happy that my local Wal-Mart is finally selling these.

Ever since Andrea (over at  http://fadedplains.blogspot.com/ ) shared what she uses to clean her house.  I  had been on the look out for the product ever since.  I chose the lavender scent and love the scent it leaves behind after I am finished cleaning.

I also have been inspired by http://houseofsmiths.blogspot.com/2010/07/pantry-remix.html
Y'all have to click the link to see her pantry redo if you haven't already done so.  I am in the middle of organizing mine and will share it with you all later this week.

What do you like to do to your home during the autumn season?Pin It Now!

Autumn.....

Does it make you want to declutter and clean things out? Does it make you want to curl up by the fire with a warm cup of hot cocoa?  Does it make you want to whip out your recipes  of soups? 

 For me, it's all of the above.  One of our very favorite things about fall is looking forward to these.

They are Honeycrisp apples and we only get the chance to enjoy these in the Fall.  I plan on making some applesauce,  rustic tarts and some apple fritters with Honeycrisp this season.  They have a wonderful texture and flavor and my most favorite thing to do is slice one up and eat it raw.  The best thing about them is that if you slice them up and decide to eat them later, they won't have that brownish look on them when you eat them.  They flesh stays looking as if you just sliced it.

Below I am sharing my apple fritter batter with you.  I hope you take some time out and enjoy some apples this Autumn season.

APPLE FRITTER BATTER

3 to 4 large apples, peeled and chopped

1 C. flour

1 T.  baking powder

1/2 t. salt

   2    eggs

1/2 C. milk

1 T. melted fat

Combine flour, baking powder and salt.  Stir in milk and eggs.  Drop your chopped apples into the batter and combine so that all the apples are coated with the batter.  Then drop your a few spoonfulls of the batter in the fat and let it fry up and then turn.  They should be golden brown.  I like to place them on paper towels to drain them and cool slightly and then serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top or not.

Enjoy!

Tomorrow I will share some soup recipes I like to make during the Autumn season.

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WRAPPED IN LOVE.....

Remember a long while back I was given the opportunity to make a quilt for my friend who lost her mom to cancer???

She gathered some clothes...shirts,etc. that were her moms and some shirts that were her father's and asked me to make her a  lap quilt to give her father.

Well, after looking at all the many clothes and shirts she had given to me I came up with a pattern.  Her mom was a teacher for over 25 years.  She taught in the public school system; as well as  at church.  So, to me it was important to put her T-shirt that represented most of her life as a teacher in the middle of the quilt.  She was also a grandmom and alumni of Perdue.   Go Boilermakers!    My friend tells me she was a wonderful woman that loved the Lord, teaching and her family.

I recently sent off this quilt to my friend.  I titled the label "Wrapped in Love."  I sure hope her Daddy likes the quilt and finds comfort in it not only by warmth, but by the memory of his lovely wife. 

Here is the finished quilt which my daughter so graciously held up for me so I could snap a pic of it to share on the blog.

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Mini reveal of the masterbedroom...

Hi there!

Hope everyone had a wonderful weekend.  We did. 

Sorry to have postponed the bedroom reveal a couple of times.  I didn't want to reveal until it was TOTALLY done.  Unfortunately, I have come to realize it will be a work in progress.  So, I will share what I have so far.

So far I have only spent $74.74   My greatest find that was at the most phenomenal price you wouldn't believe were these lamps.  Here is a view of  it on my hubby's nightstand.  I really wanted new lamps for this room and I was looking for glass based lamps.  I found these at Target.

   Look at that glass.  Don't you just love it?  It's the kind that has a crackle look to it.  If you click on the picture you may be able to see it better.  And are you ready for this???  Doesn't this lamp look like it could be pretty pricey???  I thought so too until I picked up the lamp base and looked at the price tag.  They were $8.74 a piece!!  Can you believe that?  I thought y'all might not, so I took a picture of the clearance price tag.

 Next up is the bed.  I was looking all over for a white ruffled bedskirt.  I have to tell you though I was not about to pay $89.00 for a bedskirt!  That is how much they were for  a queen sized bed.  I already had this natural linen tailored one so I used this. I also already at this alternative comforter as well.  So, no money spent there.  FREE!!  Love it.

 Not sure if you can see the shams too well in this pic, but they are Battenburg Lace shams.  I also have a bed skirt to match it, but it doesn't quite go all the way to the floor, so I didn't use it. Since I already had these, they were free as well.  Don't you love when you are able to use what you have already?

       Here is a better view of the bed with the linens on it.

Here is a closeup of our cedar waterfall chest.  It is one of the few pieces of furniture we bought when we were first married.  It has served us well.  It is a very deep chest and I store lots and lots of blankets in it.  That blanket on it is the most soft blanket.  It is my fave and I occassionally curl up with it on the sofa next to hubby to watch movies.

One thing I didn't take a pic of is the one splurge I made....and that was on the sheets.  Y'all, I have never had 400 + thread count sheets before.  They are the softest, most comfortable sheets I have ever slept on before.  They even have a tag at the bottom of the sheet to let you know that that end goes at the foot of the bed.  So fancy.  I love them.  They seem to get softer each time I wash them. 

So, the grand total spent so far is:

Sheet set          44.00
Lamps             16.74
Shades             14.00
       Total         74.74

Not bad, eh?  Tomorrow I will show you the seating area and hopefully my version of the Bonne Nuit  pillow.

Let me know what you think so far.  Do the glass lamps look okay with our furniture?  Do you like the bedding?  Is there anything you can suggest to add to the bedding?

Enjoy your day!Pin It Now!

Update on the masterbedroom

My back is feeling much better and I am hoping to do a mini reveal on Friday.  I have been having the hardest time finding drapes for our room. I have been looking for white ones and long ones at that.  We have odd sized windows that either require custom drapes or spending the extra money to purchase the length we need.  I found some beautiful Shabby Chic ones at Target, but they weren't the correct length.  Been looking online and it seems I may have found some at IKEA.  Only thing is that this room redo is on a major budget and I will need to save up to purchase these drapes.  I think they will finish of the room and give it the softness and airiness that I am going for.  Until then, I will share with you what I have so far and you all can give me tips of what I can change or add or whatever.

In the meantime, you must go take a look at Tina's blog.  She posted recently about some hemstitch pillows she made for her bed and I gotta tell ya, I was just in awe of them.  So beautiful....and all done by hand.  You must go take a look see.
http://therubieplace.blogspot.com/2010/09/spring-fever-some-diy-linen-pillow.html

She has inspired me with her beautiful handwork to make a runner for my dresser.  I am going to give this project a go and if I am successful I will share with you all.

Summer has drawn to an end and Fall is upon us ...well, not here in Louisiana cause it's still stinking hot, but in other parts of the states crisp cool days are ahead.  I love them and will miss the changing of the leaves and the crisp, coolness in the air.  This time of year always had me reaching for a warm cup of hot chocolate or tea and making lots of hearty soups to warm our bellies.  It has also gotten me thinking that Christmas is not too far off.  I like to give handmade to our family around the holidays and I am in need of some inspiration.  Are you making handmade for the holidays this year?  If so, please share.

Have a great day!Pin It Now!