How do you like the new layout? It is a design from AllieBrownslayouts.blogspot.com

I don't know much about computer stuff.

Took just shy of forever to figure out how to load a new design,

so it's probably here to stay. I'm glad I really like the way it turned out!

As you can see the computer is home from the doctor. Came home with some new medicine (new antivirus software)

and instructions (I have to actully update it and run a check every once in a while for viruses ! hee, hee)

The giveaway is over tomorrow night so enter now! And visit Angie's shop! Really cute designs there!

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GIVEAWAY EXTENDED...

My computer is going to the doctor....

It will be back  on Sunday evening...

This means you have 2 extra days to enter the giveaway!!!!!!

Visit Angie's shop and don't forget to enter the giveaway (scroll down 2 posts for details)!!!!

Scroll down to the next post to read about my featured seller and a fantastic giveaway!

Why is Lucas huddled up on the couch hiding you ask?????

Because yesterday I got "Frank" out

Yes, my children have named our vacuum cleaner "Frank"

and

yes, Lucas is scared of it.

Why?

Perhaps because he has encountered "Frank" too few times in his 2 years.

When you only encounter a loud machine on rare occasions, I guess it can be quite scarey.

Let's face it, I try to keep the house relatively clean and picked up, but it is difficult with 2 little ones around. Seems like I clean something only to find it dirty again within the hour. But I really want to do better.

SO.....

I decided to set my kitchen timer to go off every 3 hours throughout the day. When the alarm sounds, I will clean for 15 minutes. It can mean sweeping the floor, cleaning the bathrooms, etc ( regular household chores like washing the dishes and doing the laundry don't count). I'll let you know how it works in a few days.

You won't believe this timing, but the alarm just sounded!

Off to scrub a toilet!

By the way, if you don't know who Frank is, you probably don't have a little boy (or girl) in your house. You'll have to rent Disney's Cars...it's actually really cute!

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ANOTHER WONDERFUL SHOP!

Expecting?

Moving?

Graduating?

Wedding?

Celebrating?

Meet Angie of Bear River Photo Greetings~

Her creations are lovely!

You can purchase a design, send her your text and photos and she will customize it for you.

Print as many as your heart desires!

There are tons of designs and occasions in her shop.... Please check it out!

I asked her a few questions to help us get to know her better~

Tell us a little about you and your family~

I am a Christian work-at-home wife and mom. I met my husband on eHarmony in 2003 and we married in 2004. I am really blessed that God chose to give me such an amazing man! My husband and I have two boys--one who is 15 and is a special needs kid, due to being born with 1/2 a heart and having 5 strokes at age 2; and one who is 2 and is a precious little boy who came to use through foster care. We are in the final weeks of the adoption process; everything will be final on March 12. As a family, we really enjoy spending time together, and we especially enjoy taking the short trip to Monterey, CA. We like to go fishing and camping. As for me, I enjoy many things: Creating on the computer, singing, reading, baking, fishing, going on dates with my hubby, travel, scrapbooking, and more.

How long have you been selling on Etsy and what drew you to that market?

I have been selling on Etsy since November of 2006. I found out about Etsy from another crafting forum that I belonged to. I started out selling the jewelry that I made. Soon I realized that I could create banners and avatar for Etsy shops, and so I opened a "banner shop". Then, I wanted to do the photo greeting cards, so instead of cluttering up the banner shop, I opened Photo Greetings. I am always looking for ways to supplement my husband's income, and Etsy seemed like a natural fit for me.

I noticed your shop donates 10% of your profit to "Hands At Work Africa." Please tell us a little about that great organization~

We do donate 10% of our proceeds to "Hands at Work in Africa". Thank you so much for asking about this organization. I found out about it through our new church that we are now attending. Hands at Work in Africa is Christ-centered, community-based, committed to the poor and striving boldly to reach 100,000 orphaned and vulnerable children in Africa by 2010...one by one. There are so many orphaned and vulnerable children in Africa because of war and disease. So many children are considered "head of household", and are "parenting" their younger siblings...including sometimes walking for miles to get food for the family. This is a tragedy. It is so easy for us to remain "detached" from what is going on in Africa, because it's a bunch of "nameless faces". But because of the Gospel of Christ, there is no way that we as a family can NOT do something to help. We may not be able to travel there in the near future, but we know that God can take what we give and put it to good use, allowing it to reach those in need. Here in America, we may be considered "low income" the area where we live, but comparatively speaking, we are rich. God has given us all that we have, and we want to give back, to help others. If you would like to know more about Hands at Work in Africa, please visit their website at http://www.handsatwork.org/.

Thank you Angie for sharing with us and letting us get to know you!

Guess what, guys????

Yep, she has provided a giveaway!!!!!

ANY design in her shop!

Visit her shop and come back here leaving a comment on which design you like best and why. Be sure there is a way to contact you in your comment! I will draw a winner on Friday evening! Good luck! And thanks, Angie!

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Sales for little Cora's Memorial Playground are going strong with over $5,000.00 being donated so far and over 2 weeks left to go. Please click the Cora button on my sidebar to go straight to the Etsy listings that benefit the playground fund. Thank you for your help!

To learn about Cora's story click here or here.

Yesterday was so nice. I took Lucas out for a shopping trip to Old Town Spring. It is a part of town that is filled with antique and specialty shops and wonderful cafes/bakeries. (There are even "Barkeries" for our canine friends). I happened into one shop in particular that sold Beanpod candles. Guess I've been out of the candle loop, but I had not heard of the Beanpod candle before, but now I am hooked!

I purchased some of their soy beads ~ the vanilla and oatmeal cookie scents. These are wonderful soy "beads" that burn in a regular tart warmer. You only need about a tablespoon of "beads" and the scent lasts so long and is very strong. I am a huge tart fan and I burn them all the time, but these beads have won me over. The great thing about them is you can combine scents to create new scents. For instance you can combine the apple scent and some of the spices and have an apple pie scent. There are "recipes" available on the website. If I can find a good deal on these, there may be another giveaway soon! :)

By the way, I took Lucas to lunch at one of the little cafes in Old Town and he was such a little gentleman. I really enjoyed our day together. He waved at all the older women that passed by, then turned and informed me that he "likes to wave at girls."

Josh purchased Shrek in 3d to take to Mexico next month to show the little children there.

The boys enjoyed a preview a couple of nights ago!

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One day I will have a pink kitchen.

In a house full of boys, I think I deserve a pink place to call my own.

I'm dreaming about what I will include in it.

You've already seen my little girl that I am thinking of including.

Maybe a little pink kitchen towel dress.

Or a pink pot holder from this great shop.

Definitely a new apron.

These towels would be amazing!

These handmade rugs are crafted on an antique loom by the nicest seller!

I think one of these whimsical teapots would be so eye catching!

Until then, I'll keep looking and dreaming.....

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~Fundraiser~

Please notice the new pink button below and to the left on the sidebar.
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A group of Etsy sellers have teamed up to raise money for the Cora Paige Playground Fund. This playground will be built to honor Cora's sweet life. Please read more about Cora here and here.

Click on Cora's button to go straight to the fundraiser listings on Etsy.

Thanks so much for your support!


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Thank you, Kristiana for providing the adorable bib for the blog giveaway! Your shop is amazing and I wish you many, many sales!!!!! We have enjoyed seeing your creations!

Congratulations to:

You are the WINNER!!!!!

Thanks to all who entered the giveaway! Check back often, as there are more giveaways planned in the following weeks! Please mark Kristiana's shop as a favorite and check there often for all her latest listings!

Scroll down for a great giveaway and feature on a fantastic etsy seller!

My newest card listed in my shop .... and one of my all time favorites to make!

I've been so excited to share this with you!!!!

Let me introduce Kristiana of krispy banana kids! (www.krispybanana.etsy.com)

If you have a little one, are expecting or know someone who is, you MUST take a look at this shop!

From bibs to blankets and everything in between, you will find it in her wonderful shop!

I asked Kristiana a few questions to help us get to know her better:

Tell us a little about yourself and your family~

I met my husband my first day at Baylor and we have been best friends ever since. We'll celebrate our 10 year wedding anniversary in July. We have one son, Jack-3, and one daughter, Elizabeth-9 months. We live in Waco and love it here.

What are you favorite fabrics or colors to use in your designs?

Do you have a fav. fabric line or designer?

I have such a weakness for fabrics. I keep telling myself I need to use what I have on hand (since I have so much!) but just can't stop buying new fun prints. My favorites are Amy Butler, Denyse Schmidt, Alexander Henry, and Michael Miller, just to name a few.

What made you decide to start selling on Etsy?

I started my business 3 years ago when my son was born and I quit teaching. Friends have pressured me to do Etsy since I launched my website http://www.krispybananakids.com/, and after having babies and being a little too busy, I finally had a little extra time after Christmas to set up shop--and it's been so fun! I love that I can list things I have on hand and have just made-it's so much more current than my website. And I love the friendly and helpful Etsy community!

Any goals for your business or where you would like to see things go business-wise? Or is your shop simply a fun hobby?

It started as fun, and my friends made it into a business by buying from me, and now that I've been out of the full time workforce for 3 years and had 2 children, we actually need the money, so as much as I love it and would like for it to just be a hobby, we actually need the money!

What item in your shop do you have the most fun making?

The fun appliqued bibs! I feel I can get the most creative with those.

Kristiana's shop makes me want to have another baby! Well, maybe just have a friend who is having another baby so I can SHOP!

AND....

She has graciously agreed to give one of her lovely bibs away to one of you!!!!!!

Wouldn't you love to win this gorgeous bib featuring Joel Dewberry fabric!

Visit Krispybananakids

Then come back here and comment about your favorite item in the shop. In your comment, be sure and post a way that I can contact you (email address, etsy shop, etc)!!!!

A winner will be drawn on Wednesday, Feb 11.

Good luck!

And thank so much, Krisitana!

Something FANTASTIC coming tomorrow!!!!!

Check in then....you won't want to miss this!

Hint, Hint:

An introduction to an incredible Etsy seller and another giveaway!!!!

Attention Etsy sellers!!!!

Scroll down 3 posts to find info about the card swap!!!!

Etsy sellers:

Wouldn't you love to have an easier way to see you "hearts" you.

To see how many "hearts" each one of your items has.

To see how many views each item has....

without having to click on each individual item????

Check out this site!!!!

All you have to do is enter your username (etsy shop name) and all your shop stats will be right in front of your eyes!!!

:)

Mmmm! Lasagna and Apple Pie!

Scroll down 2 posts to read about the card swap going on!

I found this recipe online a few years ago and tweaked it to our family's taste.

Well, to my taste.

Lucas and Zachary do not like "basagna" and I think Josh tolerates it.

We had company over for the SuperBowl and I served lasagna and apple pie for dessert. That typically doesn't go together, but this recipe is actually called American Lasagna.

And what's more American than Apple Pie?

So it works! :)

If you are looking for a new lasagna recipe, try this one and see what you think!

~American Lasagna~

1 &1/2 lbs ground beef

1 Tbsp dried onion powder (You know my stance against onions! If you do not have the same opinion, then by all means add some diced onion)

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 Tbsp dried basil

1 tsp dried oregano

1 Tbsp brown sugar

1 & 1/2 tsp salt

30 oz can crushed tomatoes

12 oz can of tomato paste

(If you like a saucy lasagna add a small can of tomato sauce here)

12 large lasagna noodles

2 eggs, beaten

8 oz small curd cottage cheese

1/4 cup finely shredded parmesan

6 oz cream cheese

2 tsp dried parsley flakes

1 tsp salt

2 & 1/2 cups mozerella, divided

Brown beef, onion and garlic and drain. Add basil, oregano, brown sugar, salt, crushed tomatoes, and tomato paste. Simmer 30-45 minutes stirring occasionally. Preheat oven to 375. Boil lasagna noodles and drain. Mix together eggs, cottage cheese, parmesan, parsley, cream cheese, and salt. Layer 1/3 noodles in bottom of 9x13 pan. Cover with 1/2 cottage cheese mixture 1/2 mozerella and 1/3 meat sauce. Repeat. Top with remaining noodles and sauce. Sprinkle with a little additional parmesan. Bake 30 minutes.

You can assemble this ahead of time, refrigerate and then bake within 24 hrs.

This photo was taken before baking. I felt weird photographing the finished lasagna in front of the guests! Just picture the above photo "crispier" :)

Here's the apple pie:

~~~~Scroll down to the next post for card swap info!!!!~~~~~~

This may come as a shock to some of you.....

but I am not good at graphic design.

I know after yesterday's rainbow post you probably thought that I had spent years studying graphic art, but, alas I have not.

I just don't have an eye for it.

So you can bet when I read this, I certainly wanted to take advantage of it.

Angie has been wonderful to work with. I sent several "project" ideas her way since I didn't know what would work for her portfolio. One of the ideas was for her to design a fundraising letter for me to distribute to Zachary's kindergarten class. I am co-room mom and am in charge of collecting gourmet coffee donations for a class auction basket.

Here's what I had been sending out for the last several weeks:

Needless to say the donations weren't "pouring" in (pardon the pun).

Angie's design is far better!

Thanks, Angie, for all your hard work on this.

Pay her a visit in her Etsy shop and check out more of her great designs!

Come join the fun!

Love to make cards?

Love to receive cards?

Then come join the fun at the....

February card swap!!!!

All are welcome to participate. I will be taking "registrations" during the next week. You will receive the name of your card recipient on Feb.9 which should give you plenty of time to make (or buy) the card and get it to the recipient by the end of the month~

Here's all you need to do.....

1. Contact me by clicking the email link on this blog.

2. Please let me know these 3 things when you email me:

*Favorite color

*Choice of holiday or occasion

* Your name, email address and mailing address

3. On Feb 9 I will send you the contact info of the person who you will need to make (buy) a card for, along with their fav. color and choice of holiday/occasion.

4. It is your responsibility to have a card made for the recipient and in the mail to them by the end of the month. Try to fulfill the color/occasion request as best as you can, but this is not mandatory.

5. The card should be handmade and an appropriate envelope should be included with your card. IF YOU CHOOSE TO PURCHASE A CARD INSTEAD OF MAKING ONE, REMEMBER IT MUST BE HANDMADE! (CHECK OUT ETSY.COM, IT'S A GREAT PLACE TO MAKE A PURCHASE)

Remember!!! This is a card in new condition that is made to be used by the recipient. This is not a greeting card that YOU will write in!

Happy card making!!!! (and receiving!)