Create-Celebrate-Explore

Holiday Bake, Craft and Sew Along {and a giveaway}

I am over According to Kelly guest posting today for the Holiday-Inspired Bake Craft Sew Along.

As part of the Holiday Bake, Craft and Sew Along I have two special treats for you.  To begin with, I get to help start the holiday season off with a bang, & treat you to an absolutely amazing giveaway as part of our crafty series (details below).  Once you have entered the giveaway, head on over to Kelly's blog to check out my tutorial for DIY reindeer tea towels, which make a fabulous handmade gift this holiday season.

We are giving away a fabulous Prize Package worth more than $700!

One lucky winner will receive...

• Silhouette Portrait: this is Silhouette's newest electronic cutting tool for personal use. Like a home printer, it plugs into your PC or Mac® with a simple USB cable. However, instead of printing it uses a small blade to cut paper, cardstock, vinyl, fabric and more up to 8" wide and 10 feet long. The machine also has the ability to register and cut printed materials.
• DecoArt Glass Paints & Stencils: non-toxic and enviromently-friendly, DecoArt has one of the widest selection of paints and finishes for arts, crafts, and home decorating, which includes over 25 brands of paint and finishes.
• $100 Michael's Gift Card

Simply wait for RaffleCopter to load and enter there! Be sure to check out all the fabulous craft projects shared this month for this Holiday-Inspired Bake Craft Sew series going on all month long. & don't forget head on over to Skip to my Lou & A Southern Fairytale for more chances to win!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Blissfully Domestic: Holiday Planning & Checklists

Are you prepared for Thanksgiving?  I haven't even started, but luckily we are joining friends at their house and apparently I am in charge of decorating, not cooking.

If you are hosting, I have lots of tips for you starting with a Thanksgiving Meal Plan and then a Thanksgiving Checklist which will help you plan ahead to ensure nothing is left until the last minute, or forgotten about.

Also, if you know someone who loves to stay organized and loves meal planning (or wants to start), I have put together a round-up of holiday gifts that they are sure to love.

Craft Hope: The Red Scarf Project

Craft Hope partnered with The Orphan Foundation of America and Vickie Howell (who donated a pattern) to provide college bound teens with a hand knitted or crocheted red scarf.

I hope whoever receives my scarf feels the love in every stitch as it warms them.

I only wish I'd had time to knit a few more.

Details:

Pattern: Vickie Howell's Star Stitch Pattern

Yarn: Lion Brand Vanna's Choice Cranberry

Needles: Clover Takumi Bamboo Knitting Needles - size 9 5.5mm

Note: pattern amended slightly to account for different needles and yarn. I cast on 33 stitches and instead of counting rows, I continued pattern until the scarf reached 60" long.

Celebrate Chocolate

 

If you are looking for a great gift, I suggest this one.   Especially for somebody like me who is a chocolate lover, but is after a healthier alternative.  So when I was given the opportunity to review the above  Celebrate Chocolate Truffles and Cocoa Almonds I was NOT about to pass up the opportunity.

Celebrate Chocolate Truffles are 100% natural.  They claim to satisfy your hunger and cut your cravings as well as maximize your nutrition, increase your Omega 3/DHA and boost your antioxidants.

To control your appetite it is suggested to eat 1 or 2 pieces 15 to 20 minutes before a meal.  Now I’ll be honest, this doesn’t work for me.  Why?  Well I’m a chocolate hog.  I really am.  You can ask anyone.  I normally devour piece after piece before it’s even hit my stomach.  I have not an ounce of willpower.  That’s not to say I didn’t try it this way, because I did for the first couple of days, but all I ended up with was a little taste of frustration as I waited for my meal because I wanted to eat more truffles.   So by day 3 I took a new tactic.  Instead of having 1 to 2 pieces before the meal, I decided to try and have 1 piece after my meal.  Go on laugh all you want, it kind of defeats the purpose for most, but not for me.  You see I’ve grown up eating dessert after every meal.  It’s how I was raised.  However, instead of eating a big bowl of ice-cream with topping and sprinkles, lemon meringue pie, or some other yummy fattening dessert I had just one chocolate truffle.  Just one was all I needed.  I was reasonably full from dinner and this one piece gave me the sweet fix I craved.

I always worry about chocolate being sent in the mail.  I fear that it may melt, especially if I don’t pick up my mail quickly, however these were delivered with cool packs and arrived in perfect condition.  I refrigerated them straight away. I do love my truffles chilled.

Giveaway

One person is going to be lucky enough to enjoy these truffles too.  Celebrate Life Nutrition will give one winner the boxes you see pictured above (which is exactly what I tried) plus samples of the new products.

To enter my giveaway please do the following:

Visit and bookmark the new Celebrate Life Nutrition website.   Let me know in the comments that you have done this and also something you think you would love about this product.

Of course I’ll give you bonus entries for doing any of these things too:

• If you use Blogger, become a ‘follower’
• Subscribe to my blog
• Follow me on twitter
• Place my button on your own site
• Promote this giveaway – blog, twitter, stumble etc.  Leave me a link.

This giveaway is open to all residents of the United States and ends at 10pm PST on Friday 19th June, 2009 when the winner will be drawn by Random.

MOTHER ’S DAY GIFT GUIDE

Supporting Etsy crafters

APPAREL & ACCESSORIES

Polyhrt – custom made short and long-sleeved t-shirts for moms and grandma’s. 

rainbowswirlz – pretty bird babydoll tee

modest maven – poppy pins

French Press Knits – felted slippers

Peaches 4 me – Headband

mygreatgifts – apron (free shipping for Mother’s Day)

JEWELLERY

world of beads – two peas in a pod necklace

starry designs – rings, earrings and pendants especially for mom.

minty fresh – custom Mother’s pendant

Steinvika – LOVE. Fine silver enamel double disc pendant with rubber cord

santanartist – Wild Wacky Wonderful Mom glass pendant

Rose’s designs – mother and daughter bracelets

BAGS

John met Betty – plain Jane mini clutch

The craft pantry – recycled tote

Matey Couture – scrappy wallet

Thumperlove – re-useable produce bags

Shnury – eyeglasses case

Downstairs Designs – Little Red Riding Hood snap pouch

KNICK KNACKS

truLuxe – posies in moss

sjENGRAVING – Mom’s Nest.  Engraved rocks

wise impressions – handmade ceramic magnet

foryoo – personalized stamp

Alchemic Muse – handmade natural trio of soaps

Mud Hutt Studio – day dish

ecogeneration – recycled felt embroidery frame

CARDS

smockpaper – letterpress card on bamboo paper

Michelle Brusegaard – tulips Mother’s Day card

Ginger dead shoppe – Mummy’s day card

KittyKatKards – origami dress

cutiepie company – vintage card

Seasonal Delights – vintage Mother’s Day card

* FEATURED ON: Type-A Mom

Host a Girls Night In

Who: Girlfriends

Where: Your home

Dress code: Pj's

Entertainment: Movies

What to bring: Potluck snacks

Being provided: Bailey's and hot chocolate

You are only missing one thing ...

a gift for your girlfriends to thank them for coming.

Aren't these fun?

An absolutely perfect gift for your girlfriends to not only wear during your girls night in, but also to take home.

KN Karen Neuburger Cupcake Feet Treats are available from Karen Neuburger. They are available in champagne, heather pink, blue bell, green and lavender and are the softest chenille socks I've ever worn ... yes I'm wearing a pair right now:

While you are visiting the Karen Neuburger site, be sure to enter their Valentine's Day contest. The grand prize is a $335 his and hers gift pack complete with pj's, robes and lounge socks as well as a deluxe Ghirardelli chocolate box.

UPDATE: The site karenneuburger.com appears to no longer be working.

Disclosure: Product for review provided by Skirt PR