Monday, January 30, 2012

Free Amazon Kindle Download: Quick and Easy Family Dinners



Here is a fun little freebie if you own a Kindle. Amazon.com has the ebook Quick and Easy Family Dinners for free for a limited time. Click here for the free download. It can't hurt to brainstorm your dinner menu for the week while you are waiting in line at the bank or just relaxing at the park.

Friday, January 27, 2012

Bye Bye January

It seems like we just rang in the New Year, however, yesterday while I was out in town, all of our local stores are swarming with red and pink hearts, big plush teddy bears and boxes of chocolate! It hit me that January is almost over and Valentine's day will be here in just a few short weeks. For those of you who have small children that will be passing out Valentine cards here are a few super cute ideas for a unique little treat.


Thanks to http://www.dandee-designs.com for this awesome idea.

A while back I saw a super swanky pacifier on Pinterest that had a mustache glued to the top of it. Of course with a 7 month old baby boy, I ran down stairs to my sewing room, grabbed some felt, cut out a mustache and made one for Mason.


This morning I found this cute idea with the lollipop.


After searching cute sayings for the mustache valentines I think the paper attached should read. "I mustache you a question. Will you be my valentine?"

Hope you enjoy! Email me with any fun Valentines that you come up with and I will post them.




Thursday, January 26, 2012

Bringing Sexy Back.........

Dresses and shirts with low plunge neck lines are out. Demure necklines with back baring cutouts are classy but still retain that sizzle factor. Whether peekaboo lace, keyhole cutouts or a super plunge back like the pictures below, I am going to let this be a model of inspiration for projects in 2012.

Keep in mind that the key to pulling off a great backless top is to keep other areas covered.







Tuesday, January 24, 2012

A Is For Apron


It's always fun to look through old patterns and look at the evolution of the Apron. Aprons were used to serve multiple purposes and today they are still widely used but almost as a fashion statement first and a handy kitchen tool second. I have just recently started to wear aprons while cooking and they really do alleviate the need to always know where your dish towel is because you can just wipe your hands on your apron. In addition, you have pockets to place an egg or something small in. I am sure we can all relate to setting an egg on the counter and walking to the other side of the kitchen and hearing the egg splatter on the floor :) Here is a fun little poem on the handiness of an apron. Enjoy!

The principal use of Grandma's apron was to protect the dress underneath, because she only had a few, it was easier to wash aprons than dresses and they used less material, but along with that, it served as a potholder for removing hot pans from the oven.

It was wonderful for drying children's tears, and on occasion was even used for cleaning out dirty ears.

From the chicken coop, the apron was used for carrying eggs, fussy chicks, and sometimes half-hatched eggs to be finished in the warming oven.

When company came, those aprons were ideal hiding places for shy kids.

And when the weather was cold, grandma wrapped it around her arms.

Those big old aprons wiped many a perspiring brow, bent over the hot wood stove.

Chips and kindling wood were brought into the kitchen in that apron.

From the garden, it carried all sorts of vegetables. After the peas had been shelled, it carried out the hulls.

In the fall, the apron was used to bring in apples that had fallen from the trees.

When unexpected company drove up the road, it was surprising how much furniture that old apron could dust in a matter of seconds.

When dinner was ready, Grandma walked out onto the porch, waved her apron, and the men knew it was time to come in from the fields to dinner.

It will be along time before someone invents something that will replace that 'old-time apron' that served so many purposes.



This poem Grandma's Apron is listed as "Author Unknown" 

Sunday, January 22, 2012

Creating A Clean Home

About two years ago, if you would have looked under my kitchen or bathroom sink, you would have found Clorox, Raid, and several other toxic chemicals. In November 2010, I found out that I was expecting my first child and decided that I needed to be more careful of the things that I put on, in and near my body. I started by buying one bottle of Seventh Generation Glass and Surface Cleaner. After one use I noticed that I was not holding my breath while cleaning to avoid the inhalation of harsh smells, I didn't feel the need to scrub my hands from chemicals when finished cleaning and the scent was very refreshing. Within a week, I replaced all of my chemicals with Seventh Generation cleaning products. My favorite product is probably the Lemongrass and Thyme scented disinfecting wipes. They are so handy in every room that has a surface to be cleaned.
Overtime, I have learned there are several natural ways to clean your home. Many herbs have antibacterial, and antimicrobial properties that can assist in the chemical free cleansing of your home.


  • White vinegar is a great glass cleaner. Just put 1 cup vinegar and 1 cup water in a clean, empty spray bottle and clean glass and mirrors as usual.
  • Mix about 15-20 drops of lavender oil in 1 cup of water in a clean, empty spray bottle. Give a good shake, spray on surface and let sit about 10 minutes and then wipe off.
  • In place of harsh scouring chemicals, make a paste of baking soda and water and scrub the surface with some of this mixture and a sponge.
I encourage everyone to try at least one or more of these green cleaning tips for a safer and healthier environment at home.

Crazy Facts: In 1989, the EPA estimated that the fumes produced by common household cleaners were three times more likely to cause cancer than other air pollutants.

A 2007 study published in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine found that exposure to cleaning products accounts for 15 percent of all asthma cases. Again, these effects are minor compared to the damage such products cause the eco-system.

Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,318832,00.html#ixzz1kNw09NUV



"Be the change you want to see in the world." Mahatma Gandhi

Friday, January 20, 2012

Swimsuit Season

It's the time of year that most women dread. Mainly because she wants to be tan and sit poolside. However, there is an annual battle of trying on swimsuits and finding the perfect one that hugs all of your curves, lifts things that are falling and makes you look like the sun goddess you are!

This spring, I plan on trying my hand at some semi-seamless swimwear like some of the styles for the Spring 2012 Apthropolgie Collection.

Warmer Waters Bikini


Crimson Lake Bikini