Merry swap show and tell

I want to thank Carrie and Monica for hosting this year's Merry Sister Swap.  Debbie was my partner and I must say Carrie & Monica did a wonderful job matching us up!  In fact I really wish Debbie and I lived closer together because we would have such a fun time crafting together.  She is such a dear, sweet lady!

I forgot to take a picture of the goodies I sent Debbie but here is what she sent me:

After I took the picture I realized a few items were missing such as the delicious hot cocoa mix, the most adorable card, and the inspirational book.  Don't you just love the notepads and crocheted flowers Debbie made!  I love making notebooks/pads and am always tickled to get new ideas!

It was truly a pleasure being able to participate in the swap and I am so blessed with the new friend I have now made!!  Thank you so very much, Debbie and I look forward to many, many years of friendship!

I WON!! BIG Time!

Okay I know I've been missing for a while but well by now you know thats how it goes with me.  Its usually a case of feast or famine.  But right now I want to give some folks a seriously big THANK YOU!  You see I won a giveaway recently.... and when I say it was big, well ya'll I am talking super duper BIG!  I mean we are talking I seriously squealed/yelled out "NO WAY!! Seriously?"  okay so I didn't exactly squeal but when I am super duper excited I do get a bit squeaky when I yell out "NO WAY!"  Don't ask.... and Mr. Lurker (yes I know who you are!!) do NOT give the guys a hard time about this.  (yeah I know you go on your mom's account and read my blog, ha ha! Didn't think I knew, did you? hee hee!)


So I want to thank the folks at Calphalon and Lauren from Laurens Latest!  You see I won the Calphalon 3-in-1 immersion hand blender and the new Bronze Edition 3 qt Non-stick saute pan in this giveaway.  To say I am in love is an understatement!  Now I am asking for utensils so that this lovely saute pan does not get scratched.  It is simply stunning in its performance and beauty!  And you know me, I LOVE to cook (ok maybe you don't realize that but I DO, I just don't photograph it or even talk about it too much!)!!  

Once again I would like to thank the folks at Calphalon and Lauren very much!!  And I was shocked at the turnaround!  Never and I never have a won a giveaway where I had the product in hand in such a quick time.  I mean it was under a week from the time I submitted my info to Lauren to the time Calphalon had it on my doorstep!  (it may be silly but I saved the box so the saute pan can be wrapped up and put under the tree for Christmas because as far as I'm concerned this is one of my Christmas presents!!)

6th Annual Freshly Blended Holiday Ornament Swap

This year I participated in the

                                                                                                                               

Well the pieced Christmas tree ornaments are completed!

Do you remember when I showed them to you here?

I just had to show you a few of the completed ones!

Do you see the adorable Canary yellow rickrack with the metallic zigzag running through it?  Well....

You know that I really like a bargain, right?  We are all on the same page here, yes?  Well last summer I found a cute little plastic 1950's basket/tray... for $.25 and..........it was filled with notions.  1950's to 1970's sewing notions!!  seam binding, unopened packets of rickrack, buttons, zippers, needle threaders, snaps, etc.  And in that sweet little basket was not one but TWO unopened packages of Canary Rick Rack.

(This is the actual label!)

Okay now that we have gone down that rabbit trail....  I really don't know the purpose but I just had to share.  I mean its not every day you find unopened packages of 19 cent rickrack and its definitely not everyday you end up having a use for said rickrack.  Yeppers, I was tickled pink!  Still am for that matter.  And do you know what?  I still have a package of pink metallic rickrack!  I am thinking my  niece might enjoy a pieced Christmas tree with pink metallic rickrack because you know she is all about the bling.  :)

Have a great day!

Linked up to:

Pieced Christmas tree ornaments

In our effort to downsize and organize I discovered something... containers of this

(scraps won in a giveaway last year)

and this

(remnants from the same giveaway)

which was turned into these.

All that is left to do is add the trunk (ribbing off an old sweater), snowflake bead for the star (part of yard sale find) plus a hanger and they are done!

I LOVE repurposing!

(all components in this project were either remnants won in giveaways,  part of "package deal" at a yard sale or a from an article of clothing that was no longer usable.) 

Total cost: $.50 for the entire yard sale package deal which included many other usable items such a a bin of embroidery thread, needles, beads, and various other notions.

Hope you are having a wonderful Thanksgiving weekend!!

Happy Thanksgiving and a giveaway winner!

I wanted to wish each and every one of you a Happy Thanksgiving!  

I am so very blessed to be able to spend the day with my loving husband and "man children"!  

A simple meal enjoyed by all!  

A mocha pie for dessert many hours later.

and my "new" holiday table cloth.  Thank you very much Goodwill!  I love a bargain!!

(wow it sure does need ironed...)

And do you see this young man?  He just got accepted to IU Bloomington!!

(isn't it just wrong that the "boy" can grow a beard in a week?)

And now for the My Memories Suite giveaway winner...

Congratulations Alicia@ eco friendly homemaking 

Please contact me and we will get you set up with your very own copy!  I hope you enjoy it!

Once again Happy Thanksgiving!

Don't forget... MyMemories Suite giveaway ends Tuesday, Nov 22

Hey there!  I just wanted to remind everyone that the MyMemories Suite giveaway ends tomorrow at noon, EST.  Stop by here to leave a comment for a chance to win your free copy of MyMemories Suite.

More craft posts later this week....

Mon Petit Ouiseau bleu (my little bluebird) ornament

I have a confession to make... Remember how I always say I am not a girly girl?  How my idea of sparkly is old mercury glass and chrome?  Well there is a teeny tiny bit of girliness to me... I LOVE glitter!  Especially Martha Stewart glitter!  It makes me swoon.  Yes you read that correctly, SWOON!   But do I use it... nope! Not normally.  It sits on a shelf it its teeny, tiny little canisters catching the light, sparkling until November.  Yes, each and every November I bring out my minuscule canisters of Martha Stewart glitter when the conditions are just right.  Its normally a cold, windy day where the sun shines brightly so that it will glisten and sparkle even more.  And I make birds.  Doves, bluebirds, birds from old Christmas cards, cardinals, jays, and birds from pretty papers that once lived their lives as shopping bags (thank you Starbucks and Panera for such attractive wrappings!)  Out come the jars of clear glass beads to adorn birds made from old linen skirts, cast-off Carhartts, and sweaters long ago out grown.

So today I give the first in 2011's bird series.  My little bluebird who hangs askew but makes my heart sing!

mon petit ouiseau bleu

Version deux of mon petit ouiseau bleu living outside our room.

And mon petit ouiseau bleu back lit.