Sunny Side Up

It's Funny - Traveling

2011-04-13T16:30:00.000-07:00

When you travel a lot, and for long periods at a time, you begin to learn a lot. One thing that I realized on our two month "vacation" to California - from the ocean by LA and Sand Diego - to the middle of the desert - to the top of the snow peaked mountains, and to stunning San Francisco, we experienced a lot, I learned that it isn't necessarily the big experiences that make the trip memorable. Rather, it's the little things. Disneyland? Ha, that was fun but nothing compared to being stuck out in the middle of the desert in the middle of no where, with night falling upon you. Or how about coyotes howling right outside you camper door in a campground in the mountains while you are the only camper there? Or raccoons climbing up the steps and the camper trying to get in!

Another something that I love about our camping trips is probably want my friends would put in their least liked lists....driving. Driving to and fro, from La to the peak of a mountains how ever many hours away. Goodness, even driving the many miles from home in Minnesota to California! It may be a crazy long ride, but you see a lot of amazing things, have a lot of great conversations, and learn to embrace not taking a shower for three days (ok, I didn't grow attached to that one).

When it comes to food and camping - one of the first things that come to mind is Coca Cola. See it's an ongoing disagreement in my family - some like Coca Cola others like Dr. Pepper. They are so different! Agreed? Well, to settle that we bought regular Coke and Cherry coke. Few. Satisfying for both sides. Anyways, Coke played a part in our trip because it was always the perfect thing to throw in the bag to go with the many sandwiches we ate on the many days on the road. Or, for the campgrounds that's water was "a la gris".....(gray) Divine, eh?

Well, for those days when you really want to spice things up and are extremely sick of the usual sandwiches and want something special, here's an extremely easy "recipe" that uses Coca Cola - Cherry.

Cherry Coca Cola Floats

1 can of cherry coca cola
2 - 3 scoops of vanilla ice cream
a spoon and cup
And of course, fabulous you waiting to indulge yourself in this great concoction!

Now, to even add more deliciousness to the mix....my friend taught me this little trick. Stir the float until it's all smooth and turns into a float shake, absolutely delicious indeed!

“I wrote this blog post while participating in the SocialMoms and Coca-Cola® blogging program. If I am one of the first 100 blogs received by SocialsMoms, I will receive a $25 gift card. For more information on the program, click here."

Image Via Sarah Klassen Image Vogue Russia April 2011

Gotta love Movie Nights

2011-03-10T09:33:00.000-08:00

H-I-G H

I have a confession to make....

....I rarely will rent a Redbox movie unless I have a free code. *Blushes.* Nope, I didn't miss that they are only $1. I don't know, I guess it's a physiological thing!

After reading tweets on Twitter, laughing along with other people, I found out that I'm not the only one! If your like me, your going to feel lucky with the Redbox Lucky to be friends with you promotion going on right now!

I've been really wanting to rent "The Romantics" and "Life as we Know It." Any movies that you are looking forward to?

Here's the deal....

First, you sign up on the Redbox website, here: www.redbox.com/luckymoms
Redbox will then email you with a personal web address link...
You'll then share the link with your friends....
And every time someone reserves/rents a movie using your link, you'll receive a free code to get one yourself!
Plus - if it's your friends first time reserving a movie, they'll also receive a free one!
You can tweet, Facebook, email or blog to spread the word and luck!

Disclosure: I am entering a giveaway at Mom Bloggers club to win free snacks and two free movie rentals.

Its a Charmed Life

2011-03-09T18:06:00.000-08:00

You know the feeling? The feeling when you feel absolutely, fantastically, giddy? High on life? Charmed in every way? I love the feeling. Maybe we can narrow and pin the feeling down to "lucky." I don't know - I think it's a mixture. A mixture of all of the above and more. So much more.

Many times, I will listen to a song, and feel ecstatic after wards. I feel so amazingly lucky that the lyrics from the song explain my life.

Now...that's just one time that I ever feel lucky.

There are a hundred more times, every day, every hour, every minute. Sure, there are times when I feel down, angry, frustrated, and just plane kap-poot. I'm so happy that most of the time, it's the other way around though!

I can't even begin to list all of the things that I feel "lucky" about. I am happy that I have a wonderful family, friends, animals, dreams, goals, a warm house. A lake that I can walk to and a friend and a brother that loves to swim at that lake with me.

I am lucky to have you guys! Leaving comments, supporting this blog! I also feel overwhelmingly lucky to all of the blogs out there that are at my fingertips to read. I love the inspiration that I have found and the person that I have become because of it! Isn't it amazing that others, people that you don't have know in "real" life, can inspire you so much? Amazing indeed!

I also feel lucky to travel a lot. Our family and I just got back from a two month vacation in California. Previous years, we've spent months in Texas and Florida. So many crazy experiences! Very crazy experiences that are unforgettable - like the fish hook getting stuck in the dogs belly, getting stranded in the middle of the desert, camping at a campground that smelled very strongly of sewer, and coming across a camel on a bike ride with some friends that we met.

While traveling, sitting in the camper away from our friends and family, I have to say you get a little lonesome for normal things. Not to mention bored at times (for example...when brother and dad go hiking for three days in a row leaving the girls to sit around in the camper in the middle of now where....). However, I was lucky enough to find free Redbox codes to rent a movie and escape from it all and get a little imaginary socialization! Redbox is seeming to give us the luck of the Irish, and is offering a promotion, Redbox Lucky to Have Friends Like you, where when you refer friends to rent a movie, you'll get a free code for a night of a great movie to watch! I'm really wanting to watch "Life as we Knot it" and "The Romantics" right now, how about you?

Image

“I wrote this blog post while participating in the SocialMoms and redbox blogging program, for a $25 Walmart gift card from redbox. For more information on how you can participate, click here.”

J'Taime Love Notes...

2011-02-26T21:20:00.000-08:00

How darling are these note cards that are available as a free download over at Eat Drink Chic? Love! And, I think that they are perfect for year round greetings - not just Valentines day!

DIY J'Taime Mini Card Set - Eat Drink Chic

Shipping of to COLD Wisconsin!

2011-01-29T17:55:00.000-08:00

One of my favorite things is sending and receiving blessed little gifts that I didn't know where coming. I think it's so fun to open up something and know that someone else put the time and thought in it, thinking of you all along the way! It makes me smile.

Seeing this idea, I'm planning on making one for my little cousins who are stuck in the snowy cold weather!

I can just imagine how excited they'll be to receive this little delight!

And on the way, learn the joy of giving.

Images and idea from Katherine Marie

Carnival Umbrella

2011-01-19T16:34:00.000-08:00

Thought I'd share this sweet little yellow umbrella to make your day happier! Plus, it's on sale for $15!

Turning a fantasy into a reality

2011-01-12T10:00:00.000-08:00

Floaty dancing

So I have this fantasy dream...

...I am soaring across the ball room floor, a stunning dress floating, swirling around my ankles. Everything oblivious except for the next move to make and Mr. Darcy following every movement.

Dancers

Every piece of everything, out of my thoughts, except for the movement of my feet on the still floor. The trust that my partner will keep up and follow along.

I would love to learn ball room dancing. My Grandma and Grandpa have been ballroom dancing, waltzing, somba, and other dances, for years and they are great at it, and love it! I would love to follow in their footsteps laid out to learn ball room dancing. It would come in handy for that ball I plan on attending.....

My 2011 resolution is to start to learn Ball room dancing.

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Stolen Summer Kisses

2011-01-11T11:00:00.000-08:00

I came across these lovelies from Cath Kidson, they are making me want to buy an Iphone - to bad they cost $800 on Amazon! I wonder if it would fit a Ipod touch?

I mean, if I had an iphone case like this, I'm not sure I would be able to ever put it away, not because of the apps, but rather because I'd be staring at the beautiful case!

I decided to explore their lovely shop some more and discovered this material that I immediately fell in love with! Vintage circus Anthro inspired dress anyone? I'm in!

I also love these fabrics:

And this one, which reminds me of something that would be used in a stunning 1890's dress:

Which are your favorites?

Mockingbird Blue Bloomers

2011-01-10T08:10:00.000-08:00

One of my favorite colors....

Leggings.....

Dainty ruffles.....

The most adorable little girl bloomer/leggings! I just love these! Aren't they the cutest? I am excited to find some material to make a pair soon!

You can find the full tutorial over at No Big Dill.

Stunning Anthro Inspired jewelry Tutorials

2011-01-06T21:53:00.000-08:00

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Playing around on pinterest today, I came across a great tutorial for an adorable Anthropologie bow necklace, and then I decided to take a peak at the rest of the blog and found a bunch of gorgeous tutorials, I am so excited to get working! I am also looking forward to using some of these ideas in an upcoming 4H FACSY camp were I am teaching a Fashion Revue class!

Bow Tutorial

Lace and Bow Necklace

Potentilla Bib Necklace

Pretty in Pinking

Which necklace is your favorite? Do you think you'll be making any? I can't decide on my favorites, but I really love the pretty in pinking and potentilla necklaces!

Greetings in Velvet

2011-01-05T20:50:00.000-08:00

Found

Something about these little cards just makes me love them. They are whimsical, but remind me so much of Mr. Darcy! Quite charming indeed.

Now, how to make them! I think that you would need quite a thin layer of velvet, very thin, and then cut it out to fit a gift tag shape from a cricuit, or even designed and then printed from Photoshop. Do you know where I could find super thin velvet that would work for a project like this?

Otherwise, you can buy them here!

3 Ways to Use Social Media to sell your product

2011-01-05T16:33:00.000-08:00

Siren Song Dress - Etsy Seller Claire La Faye

You've spent days developing your product. You have your Etsy or BigCartel shop all set up and ready to go. You're addicted to checking your email to see if you have any orders...1 day...2 days....3 days turn into 4, and you still don't have any orders? Here are some tips to help you learn how to use social media in a way that will help build your sales!

1) Develop a readership. Whether its through your blog, Twitter, Facebook, or all (the most effective) you will want to develop a loyal readership. Make sure that every time you post something, or update a status, it is the highest quality as possible. The goal is for your following to learn to trust you, and if they trust you, they will be more interested in purchasing from you!

2) Find others that share the same interests as you. Read a lot of blogs, especially ones that relate to the products that you are selling. Comment (high quality, meaningful posts of course! You already knew that though,right? ;)) on these blogs frequently and follow them on Twitter and Facebook.

3) Use Twitter and Facebook effectively. Talk to others, ask how their day went, if they are enjoying the snow, or comment on a tweet or message they sent out. You will seem more "human" and soon you will develop a following back!

4) Don't be spammy! On Twitter, if you send out a tweet about a new blog post or item you put in your shop, only tweet it once, not 10 times, and if you do start tweeting 10 times a day, don't be surprised when your 300 followers drop down to 3!

Do you have any more social media advice that you've been successful with to help you sell your products?

Next Years Halloween Costume

2010-11-23T18:29:00.000-08:00

Source

Is it to early to start planning my Halloween costume for next year?

This year for Halloween I was Riveting Rosie, everyone asked me who I was (LOL), I really liked how the costume came together, especially since it was warm for working in the non heated 4H carnival!

However, next Halloween I am going for the cartoon character look! Isn't this idea clever? I can hardly wait! I wonder if I'll have an excuse to wear it sooner? Hmmm..brainstorm time.

Oh, and these pumpkins are also on my 2011 to do list! Another fabulously clever idea!

Source

My Favorite Vacation

2010-11-23T17:21:00.000-08:00

On this trip, we got to go canoeing!

When given the prompt for what to right this sponsored blog post on, I had to think for a while. Not on coming up with something to write, but rather what to not write! I have so many crazy traveling stories from the months (yes, months!) I've spent traveling! However, one big one comes to mind.

It was the Winter that I was 14 (until February 17th, when I turned 15). My family and I (including little brother who at the time was 13) all found ourselves down in sunny Florida for the Winter (who wants the negative 50 degree winter's of MN?). For the first two months, we stayed in a private campground about an hour south of Disneyworld. Now, the town that we stayed in had hardly a thing to do. A little flea market, a library, a small antique shop with a crabby lady working in it, and that was about it to do there activity wise! Oh wait, there was a country club that we could go to for free because of the deal the campground we were staying at had made with the club - however, the country's club had an unheated outdoor pool that was 60 degrees - believe me, it was freezing (yup, we swam in it many times!). The campground that we were staying at also didn't have much to do....unless you count Bingo and shuffle board (Adam and I made friends with the greatest elderly man who was 70 something going on 17, and we played hours upon hours of shuffleboard). Pretty soon two teenagers living in a campground in a camper for months on ends, get a wee bit (ok, more than a wee bit) stir crazy!

Meet Jim (or Jimbo) the camp owner. We soon made friends and when his son, who was around 7 or 8, came to the campground from New York, the fun began. Jim, his son, and his little girl Ali (who I babysit a lot) Adam and I learned how to disk golf with them. We also bikes miles upon miles with them, and we even petted a giraffe that a neighbor had as a pet! Spending time with them made time go buy much quicker. It was sad when we left the campground, however, we were looking forward to spending a few more months farther down south in Florida.

This Winter we spent in Florida was wonderful, we had so much fun (despite going a bit stir crazy!) and I'm looking forward to visiting Florida again some day!

I wrote this blog post while participating in the TwitterMoms and Discount Tire blogging program, making me eligible to receive a $50 gift card and be entered for a chance to win a prize valued at $1,000. For more information on how you can participate, click here.

I'll Be There, will you?

2010-11-01T14:46:00.000-07:00

Image Unknown - Found Via Drifter and the Gypsy

I'm looking forward to the first Double Duty Diva's Twitter party! There will be loads of great giveaways and more!

To RSVP and get more information, sign up here!

On another note, have you seen the gorgeous new line that Free People has started? Wee People! Clothes from our favorite designers, scaled down to fit little ones! So adorable!

Look to the Skye Flower Belt

2010-10-27T10:44:00.000-07:00

Look to the Sky Flower Belt DIY Project

"i like being silly with you.

you make me laugh and smile, and when i am feeling like that, i feel like i can do anything." ~ I am blessed

I was inspired by this Down East Basics belt:

And so I decided to create one of my own!

Crafting 5 little flowers by taking sets of 5 squares of chiffon, cutting them into circles, stitching and bending them in different ways so they looked like flowers.

I then added little diamonds to the center, added 3 pleats on each side of the where I was to add the flowers, hot glued the flowers onto a wide piece of white satin ribbon....

And am having the best of time wearing it!

Originally posted on http://outofthenotebook.blogspot.com

Autumn travels Skirt

2010-10-14T11:51:00.000-07:00

This must be one of the most comfortable skirts I own. Actually - I think it is the most comfortable skirt I own!

I finally used one of Disney's (from Ruffles and Stuff blog) great tutorials, and I love how it turned out! I used the 20 Minute Skirt tutorial, it was so easy and a lot of fun to make. Mine took a little longer than 20 minutes, but I haven't sewn for awhile!

I usually tend to sew and wear dresses more than any other pieces of clothing (other than riding breeches, but I can hardly wear those out shopping!) I just think they're more comfortable and there are so many different ones to choose from! Even so, I think it's good to have a few cozy skirts like this one for running errands, attending one of the many 4H meetings that come up every few days....

10 ways to keep your kids having fun during the day!

2010-10-12T14:00:00.000-07:00

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Some days, you wonder what to do....bored kids, frazzled Mommy, and of course, on top of it all, you can't think of anything fun to take yours and your kids minds off of everything else that's going on in the world. What to do? Take the ideas in this list and use them to help turn that boring rainy day into one that's worth remembering! Not just activities - but things to make everyday activities more fun!

1. Brushing teeth - can be fun!
Little kids always seem to see brushing teeth as something that is much more of a chore rather than something fun to do. Actually - don't we all? The difference is, is that we get used to it and figure out it truly is good for our teeth, as we get older. So, how to make this boring "chore" more fun for your kids? First, using the tablets that you chew first and they leave a little stain our your kids teeth to know where they've brushed, have your kids sing a song while they're brushing their teeth, see who can sing the longest and beware - your bathroom mirror and counter will need a cleaning after wards!

2. Raking leaves - Building arm muscles isn't always so bad
Its fall, and gorgeous golden leaves are everywhere. Including in your lawn! To make raking leaves more fun, before bagging them, jump in the piles! Your kids will love it, plus, its a great time to get adorable photos!

3. Setting the table
While having your kids set the table for lunch, have them think of meals to make for the menu.

4. Preparing the food
A great way to get your kids more involved is to teach them how to cook. Have them pretend that they are Chefs, to make it even more fun, let them wear a chef hat and apron!

5. Bringing dirty laundry downstairs
To make bringing dirty laundry downstairs more fun, well, that's a hard one, but it can be exciting to your kids if you make a game out of it - pretend your are maids at a fancy hotel!

6. Putting away clean laundry
Don't let that pile of clean laundry sit on your kiddos bedroom forever! Instead, encourage them to put it away themselves, by making it fun for them! Let them organize their drawers how they would like them - maybe their prefrences are by colors, or tshirts seperated from tank tops. There are so many different ways, let them switch it up to make it even more exciting!

7. Car rides
Those dreadful car rides - to the grocery store - to the library, so many different places! To make the trip a little less dreadful, bring coloring books and crayons along to keep the kiddos entertained along the way!

8. Short trips
Instead of driving, your kids, and yourself, will have much more fun biking or walking! It's always good to get fresh air as well!

9. Cleaning the bedroom
One chore that seems almost impossible to make fun! One way to make it more appealing to your kids, is to have them take their own before pictures of their rooms while they're dirty, and challenge them to clean it up as fast as possible and take an after picture. Have them compare the two pictures - they will feel proud of what they did!

10. Going to bed.
A common reason that many kids don't go to bed right away is because they are afraid of monsters in the closet - or under the bed! To banish they're fears and to get a few giggles out, fill a bottle up with water and label it "monster spray" and have them spray it wherever they think the monsters are. Peaceful dreams!

I wrote this blog post while participating in the TwitterMoms and The Hub blogging program, making me eligible to get a $50 gift card. For more information on how you can participate, click here.

Great Low Sodium family meal ideas

2010-08-26T14:08:00.000-07:00

Looking for a way to make your meals healthier, but still have the taste as what you usually eat? Here are some great tips to help you eat healthier, without even knowing the differences! Your dinner guests and family won't even know the difference!

One thing that you should do to make your meals healthier, is to eat less sodium! I have never eaten a lot of salt in any of my foods - usually none, but most people think their food is tasteless without it! My aunt absolutely loves salt and always asks for it when she comes over, but we don't even know where are salt is located! That's how much we use it :) If you are one of these people, that loves salt, then you should for sure take a peak at the wonderful Mrs. Dash Products!

Speaking of Salt and my aunt, one time on a Winter vacation to Florida, we went to an antique store and there was a huge antique container that said Salt on it! Usually it would be common to put "Flour" on it but this one had "Salt!" It was crazy! We thought it would be a great idea to buy it for my aunt ;) Fill that with Mrs. Dash's wonderful seasonings and she'll be just as good off!

One thing that I love to eat are delicious Lemony Sugar Cookies! They are the perfect summer treat with their delicious lemony goodness and the light powder on top! Perfect for a picnic, a day at the beach, or just as a snack during a busy schedule that seems to happen to everyone during the summer!

The recipe is as follows:

1 st. butter
3/4 Cup Sugar
1 Egg
1/2 Teaspoon of lemon
2 teaspoons of grated lemon peel
1 Teaspoon of Milk
1 and 1/4 Cup of flour
1/8 teaspoon of salt
1/4 teaspoon of baking powder

Beat butter until fluffy. Slowly add the sugar. Then add the egg, lemon, and milk. Beat until smooth. Combine the flour, salt, and baking powder and then add to sugar. Beat smooth.

Bake at 330 degrees.

This recipe does have salt in it, but you can make your main meal healthier by adding some delicious Lemon Pepper Seasoning blend to your fish or chicken and have the bars for dessert! It would also be delicious in this wonderful fish chowder recipe straight from the Mrs. Dash website!

There are so many great flavors of Mrs. Dash's seasonings, that there is sure to be one for all of your needs - plus you can be assured that they are healthy and low in sodium! They are a great way to help you eat healthier but still have the taste that everyone adores!

“I wrote this blog post while participating in the Mrs. Dash and TwitterMoms blogging program for a chance to get a $50 gift card. For more information on how you can participate, click here

Keep those smiles bright and pearly white!

2010-08-26T13:59:00.000-07:00

We all know how important our teeth are - we can't eat without them!

Here are 5 simple tips to keep your child's teeth healthy, beautiful, and pearly white!

1. Have them brush twice a day, after breakfast and before bed

2. Teach them to get in the good habit of flossing daily

3. Use a sand timer to teach them how long to brush their teeth

4. Let them pick out their own tooth brushes to keep them excited about brushing their teeth!

5. Bring to dentist for a checkup and clean every 6 months!

“I wrote this blog post while participating in the TwitterMoms and Trident blogging program, making me eligible to get a $25 gift card. For more information on how you can participate, click here.

Most Triumphant Outlet Shopping Experience

2010-05-04T07:49:00.001-07:00

My most triumphant outlet shopping experience was when I found the perfect shirt at Tommy Hilfiger. I was shopping a long and decided to stop at Tommy real quick before I left. Thats when I saw it. The perfect button down shirt with little ruffles going up it. I had just recently seen one so very similar in a magazine and loved the look, so when I saw it on sale, I new that I had to have it! It was one of the only ones left, and it was in my size, plus, it was in my color - blue! That was an exciting purchase for me!

Have you found any great outlet shopping deals?

“I wrote this blog post while participating in the TwitterMoms and Gap Outlet blogging program to be eligible to get a $20 gift card. For more information on how you can participate, click here.”

See other posts like this here

I just thought that this was lovely....

2010-04-27T21:18:00.000-07:00

Pretty little hair piece for a precious baby girl! Pictures from Ashley Maxwell.

Guess what I bought today?

This gorgeous dress from Urban Outfitters!

My mom and I went to Mall of America today for the Debbie Bliss tour stop (which was fun! Be sure to check out her contest here where she is giving away I think 4 signed copies of her books! She'll be posting it tomorrow - the 27th) and we hardly ever go, since we live quite a far ways away, and Urban Outfitters is only at MOA and a little spot in Saint Paul - so its always fun to go! I had fallen in love with this dress when I got the catalog a couple of months ago and I read the reviews on it online, but most people were saying that it fit them funny and they didn't like it. Well, it was on sale at the store, so I decided to try it on, it fits perfect! I am so excited! Its super cute.

Now, I'm going to get to work on making a cute hair piece to go with it!

What have you been working on lately?

Just Because.

2010-04-20T20:13:00.000-07:00

“It’s not what’s happening to you now or what has happened in your past that determines who you become. Rather, it’s your decisions about what to focus on, what things mean to you, and what you’re going to do about them that will determine your ultimate destiny.”

— ~ Anthony Robbins

Inspired by Marie Antoinette

2010-04-12T12:34:00.000-07:00

I just finished reading "Bad Queen" which is a book in the Young Royals series, for young adults. It is all about Marie Antoinette and her life. It was a very good book, and so I was excited to see this Marie Antoinette inspired bedroom from Le Chateau blog.

I love the fresh but yet "historical" Marie Antoinette look to it!

Would you like a bedroom from the past?

Sweet Decorating Tip

2010-03-31T20:01:00.000-07:00

I came across a new blog the other day, Karin A Fotografi, and thought that this idea was sweet. Using vintage painted chairs to not only decorate your walls but for storage! Great idea!

Be sure to check out her blog, it is very neat and there are some very nice eye candy!

Have you heard of Soul Pretty?

2010-03-03T07:27:00.001-08:00

I just found Soul Pretty today, and wow does she have pretty stuff! Take a look:

And guess what? Shes giving away this lovely shirt!

Enter Here!

Delicious Dump Cake

2010-02-23T07:11:00.000-08:00

TwitterMoms asked us to learn about the Canned Food Alliance and to post one of our favorite recipes that involves canned foods!

Dump cake is a delicious and extremely easy treat to make! It consists of canned fruits along with a few other ingredients, and you have a delicious cake!

You need:
1 can cherry pie filling
1 can crushed pineapple
1 box yellow cake mix, dry
2 sticks melted butter

You need to dump everything in the ingredients list into your pan and bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour. Remember to put all of the ingredients in order so that you have a nice layered look, and so that it tastes good! Let me know how it turns out and enjoy!

Did you know that canned foods have been around for about 200 years? I learned that from the Canned Foods from Field To Tables youtube video! I also learned that vegatables and fruits are picked right when they are prime and are cleaned before they are canned! Watch it for yourself below!

Watch the Field to Table VideoCanned Food Alliance

YouTube - CannedFoodAlliance's Channelgreat free widgetsWidgetboxMore info

Friend Making Monday

2010-02-22T07:21:00.001-08:00

Good morning to all!

Have you entered my Gorgeous Hair piece giveaway? Its valued at $60, its gorgeous, and there aren't many entries! Click here to enter!

I thought that it would be fun to participate in Friend Making Monday!

This weeks question is, What did you do this weekend?

~On Saturday, it was B-Bop wear little 4-Hers came and the Ambassadors taught them animal projects. Kristi and I taught horse and helped the kids make these cute little vintage/rustic signs that they could choose to say either "Howdy" or "Ride" (pictures to come!)
~After B-Bop, we went to get our free pretzel at Auntie Annies and came home super tired, considering that all of us Ambies didn't get to sleep until 4:30, which resulted in 2 hours of sleep!

~On Sunday we slept in (B-Bop recovery!) and we brought my Great Grandpas desk into my room, I am hoping to refinish it, but it looks really nice in my room just like it is for now!

So that was my week! How has yours been so far?

Great place for free downloads

2010-02-18T16:38:00.000-08:00

See the Gorilla shirt? Jenny made it using a tutorial from the fabulous MADE and by using the gorilla stencil from Ottobredesign!

I just discovered this great place for downloading awesome graphics to use in your projects!

http://www.ottobredesign.com/en/print/index.html

I am thinking about using the Archery one, as my brother and I have been shooting Archery for years!

Colorful Fabric Braids

2010-02-14T14:30:00.000-08:00

Don't you just love the Spring 2010 Hermes Look book cover?

I love the fabric braid headband, wouldn't these look lovely for a photo shoot? Plus, they would be easy to make!

Let me know if anyone wants a tutorial!

My fingers are green. And blue.

2010-02-13T15:37:00.000-08:00

I have been working on a project today and am very excited to show you!

My fingers are a nice shade of green and blue because of it!

I think it might turn out really nice ~ it is drying right now!

If it dries fast, I will show you tomorrow!

See you then!

Sweetest Little Girl Shoes

2010-02-07T15:58:00.000-08:00

I have found some of the sweetest little girls shoes ever. Take a look for yourself!!

The line and her blog is called "Mia Joie," which is also the name of her daughter!

Her blog is a lot of fun to click through and look at all of her creations as well!

Gasp! These little boots!

These would be beautiful for a little flower girl!

And her photography is beautiful!

And something not shoe related...a gorgeous hair flower for you!

The Scrunch Belt Tutorial

2010-02-07T15:51:00.000-08:00

I thought that I should share with you this fabulous tutorial that is over on one of my favorite blogs, Ruffles and Stuff!

It looks like it should be found in an Anthropologie store, but no, Disney made it!! And she shows us how! I say that that is even better!

Isn't it just darling?

Find the tutorial right here!

Amazing Cottonelle Contest!

2010-01-14T16:17:00.000-08:00

Do you like your toilet paper rolled under or over? That is the big debate!

Personally, I like mine rolled nicely over the roll!

Just by leaving a simple comment on this post you will be entered to win 1 of 10 gift boxes from Cottonelle, chosen from all of the entries! This contest will end on January 29th!

http://www.cottonellerollpoll.com

Disclosure: I am entering to win an entire months worth of Cottonelle Toilet paper over at Mom Bloggers Club! Thank you for the amazing chance!

DIY Scissors

2010-01-12T10:55:00.000-08:00

These DIY Scissors are so easy to do, and so much fun! Take a regular pair of scissors and spruce them up!

Materials used:

-2 pairs of scissors (one to cute to shape and the other to decorate!)

-Scrabooking Paper

-Beacon Liquid Laminate (I'm sure ModPodge would work just fine as well!)

-Pencil

1. Cut a rectangular piece of paper that is large enough to cover the cutting parts of your scissors.

2. Put the piece of paper face down on the blade part of the scissors, take your pencil and draw around the little circle or triangle part on top where the cutting part ends.

3. Cut out the part that you just drew

4. Take your Beacon Liquid Laminate and apply it to the blade part of the scissors, try not to get it on any of the joints!

5. Stick your piece of scrabooking paper on it.

6. Trim.

7. Repeat on other blade.

8. Finished!

{Enjoy!}

After you finish this tutorial, head on over to check out great blog designs!

Popping in to...

2010-01-09T07:11:00.000-08:00

I'm just popping in to let you know about a great giveaway going on at a new blog that I am following, "Small Bust!" The contest item is from an Etsy seller, and don't we all love etsy contests?

Enter here!

Frenchy Heather Bailey Headband

2010-01-03T17:56:00.001-08:00

Whew, that took a while to get this picture uploaded! I was trying to upload it to Flickr but it kept saying the file was to big! Eek!

I used Heather Bailey's great pattern that she posted for free here and I really like how it turned out! Perfect for a day when you want to pull your hair back!

Place Card Inspiration

2009-12-31T08:54:00.000-08:00

Today I found out about this blog, Blomsterverks, via Pure Style Home, and am enjoying looking at all of the beautiful eye candy! Even if I can't read most of the posts because they are in a different language!

I really liked her place card idea:

Isn't it pretty? It looks so put together and creative, but yet it is simple and a perfect addition to your table! I just love it! Imagine the table setting you could make complementing these!

Aren't these chair decorations just beautiful as well? I can imagine them at a fancy party or at a wedding.

I think that this is really pretty. I love how she decorated the pot up with the music sheets and a little bit of green and twine! And then the air plants in them!! So cute! I will be collecting air plants when we go to Florida now, I have to try this!

Wouldn't a centerpiece of peaches be adorable for a Summer dinner? So simple but sweet!

I will show you just one more before I make you go over to her blog and look for yourself!!!

Another darling centerpiece!!!

Now...go!! And if you happen to want to come back to my blog afterwords, let me know how much you liked it!

All images from Blomsterverks

DIY Christmas Gift Wrapping

2009-12-21T22:04:00.001-08:00

I had fun wrapping gifts for my Riding Instructors and thought I would share with you!

For C's gift, I used some snowflake paper and tied it with sparkly yarn then printed out a deer from Bambi and Venner found via Creature Comforts on white card stock and then got out my glitter and sparkled it up a bit! I am loving how it turned out...what do you think?

L's gift turned out super cute as well, I thought! I loved the Pear wrapping paper download from Creature Comforts! I then added a brown ribbon. I also added a little pair gift tag that was also in the printable set, I used green sparkles around the edges of the pair. It turned out really cute! One tip though - because the paper is printable it is somewhat difficult to wrap a large present with. So, before wrapping be sure to tape all of the pieces together very well! I didn't do that, and regret that I didn't! I did tape them together - just not enough! It was rather hard to maneuver! However, if you have a small gift, it would be perfect!

Tell me - how do you like to wrap your gifts this year? Are you in a certain gift wrapping style mood this year? I am loving the craft paper gift wrap, however, we ran out on the first gift!

Creative and Unique Christmas Trees

2009-12-21T10:50:00.000-08:00

Tis the season for Christmas Trees! There are so many unique ideas and I have seen a few trees that have swayed from the traditional path, but still look lovely! Take a peek:

I will admit - I usually think pink Christmas trees are somewhat cheesy, however, for some reason it "works" nicely in this room! From Making it Lovely

Why not a Christmas Tree out of ornaments? Found via automatism

A stick tree instead of a traditional Christmas tree! Again, it really works for this room! And it is very unique! The next picture is a view of it during night:

See it reflecting on the ceiling? This tree is from Made By Girl

This is lovely....

A very green and original Christmas tree! Plus - I love the purple! LotusHaus Blog

And last, but definitely not least... Dottie Angel's lovely tree!

This is another one I found VIA LotusHaus, however, it is Martha Stewarts fab idea!

Which tree is your favorite? I think that Dottie Angels tree might be mine!

Spool No. 72

2009-12-18T09:10:00.000-08:00

Applewood Dress , Aspen Stripe blouse , Whiterock sweater coat , Bubble image from Polyvore ,Black Hawk Ring

Thanks to Tonya from Kotori blog I found out about an amazing shop called Spool No. 72! My oh my! They have some beautiful pieces! I hope you enjoy :)

Peppermint Stick Holiday Frock GROSGRAIN GIVEAWAY!!!!

2009-11-29T20:09:00.000-08:00

I would LOVE to win this dress, and I suppose I'd better let you know about the contest as well.....

Peppermint Stick Holiday Frock GROSGRAIN GIVEAWAY!!!!

Win some Fabric!

2009-11-23T07:48:00.001-08:00

RetroMummy is giving away 12 fat quarters of his gorgeous retro fabric! Be sure to go check it out! Here is a link!

Perfect For An Outing

2009-11-20T18:57:00.000-08:00

Bonsoir!

I just had to show you this simple t-shirt that Dear Lizzy embellished and turned it into something gorgeous and perfect for a day out!

Be sure to read her tutorial on how to make it!

Ruffle Shoe Tutorial

2009-11-17T09:08:00.001-08:00

Ruffle Shoe Tutorial

I've been seeing these adorable ruffle shoes all over, Delias, Jcrew, and other stores. They are so cute! However, at Delias they are priced at around $44, kind of pricey for my budget. So, I decided to make my own! I used plain black shoes that had a hint of sparkle to them from Target and black with white polka dot material for the ruffle. They turned out even better than I had expected and I LOVE them! So, I will share a tutorial on how to make them for you! If you make a pair, please email me so I can see how they turned out!

Oh, and I'm sure you wouldn't do this, but please do not resell the tutorial or the shoes that you created! Thanks!

Also...

I forgot to take pictures for the tutorial after number 16, I guess I was too excited to get it done! All you do after you complete the steps below is hot glue the ruffle to the shoe, let dry, and repeat the process on the other shoe, oh, and enjoy wearing them! Don't forget to take a picture so I can see!

Enjoy

Click on Images to see better detail

Sewn Jean Dress

2009-11-15T17:09:00.001-08:00

I finished sewing this dress a while ago, I think about a month, actually, but here are the pictures!

It is a jean dress, it turned out very cute! The one thing that I am sad about is that it turned out sort of short, I'm thinking about adding a ruffle of sort under it so that its longer.

As you can see, I haven't put the eye hook in the back yet, so it is not closed at the tip top yet....the rest is a zipper.

Do you like how it turned out? If you would like the pattern number, let me know!

DIY Wall Decals

2009-11-15T17:08:00.001-08:00

Have you ever thought wall decals like these:

PBTeen

Dali Decals

Are very pretty and maybe even dreamed of having one in your own house, but then started having second thoughts about it all when you saw the price tags on them?

You can make one yourself. Yup, I'm not lying! Out of felt! Compare this:

Dali Decals - $85.00

To this one:

Handmade

I actually think I like the handmade one better!

DIY Tutorial can be found here!

If you make this, please let me know, I would love to see how it turned out!

Turn a Tank Top Into A Purse

2009-11-15T17:07:00.000-08:00

Aren't these adorable? I especially love the one to the left with the flower on it! Cute! Would you believe they were made out of old tank tops? Tomorrow I'm going to the thrift store to find something that I could use to make one similar! Tutorial here!

Advertising

2009-11-10T16:27:00.000-08:00

Follow what you heart is telling you to do.....

....Advertise on Sunny Side Up!

If you have a business that crafty DIY readers would love to know about, then Sunny Side Up is the place for you! Email me at countrystars95@yahoo.com for more information!

Image by Curlytop