From September 6 – 10, 2011, participating Chick-fil-A® restaurants are giving away a variety of FREE breakfast entrées to customers who make a reservation online!Just go to Chick-fil A Breakfast to get your reservation made today! :)
Monday, August 29, 2011
FREE Chick-fil A Breakfast Item!
From September 6 – 10, 2011, participating Chick-fil-A® restaurants are giving away a variety of FREE breakfast entrées to customers who make a reservation online!Just go to Chick-fil A Breakfast to get your reservation made today! :)
Thursday, August 25, 2011
You Can Make This (YCMT) Coupon!
Yay!! You Can Make This has just issued another coupon code! If you've been thinking about purchasing a pattern (or two or three), now's a great time to do it. Just use the coupon code SCHOOL20 to receive 20% off your order.
This coupon is good through September 7th.
And don't forget, you can get $75 worth of free patterns and downloads when you sign up for their e-mail newsletters.
This coupon is good through September 7th.
And don't forget, you can get $75 worth of free patterns and downloads when you sign up for their e-mail newsletters.
And the Winner Is...
I am excited to announce the winners for the two giveaways that ended last night. For both of these ladies, perserverence paid off and one of their daily tweets earned them their prize! :)
The winner for the Starry Home Crafts giveaway is comment #40 out of 77. "Anonymous said... daily tweet http://twitter.com/#!/emilydpiff/status/104527775586721792"
The Frito Lay Prize Pack was won by comment #157 our of 180. "Owen's Mom said... tweet
http://twitter.com/#!/notimeMom/status/106435439803629568
Congratulations, Ladies! You have both been e-mailed and have 48 hours to send me your mailing address, or a new winner will be chosen.
Thanks so much to all of you who entered the giveaway, and welcome to all of the new GFC followers!
The winner for the Starry Home Crafts giveaway is comment #40 out of 77. "Anonymous said... daily tweet http://twitter.com/#!/emilydpiff/status/104527775586721792"
The Frito Lay Prize Pack was won by comment #157 our of 180. "Owen's Mom said... tweet
http://twitter.com/#!/notimeMom/status/106435439803629568
Congratulations, Ladies! You have both been e-mailed and have 48 hours to send me your mailing address, or a new winner will be chosen.
Thanks so much to all of you who entered the giveaway, and welcome to all of the new GFC followers!
Monday, August 22, 2011
New Items & Giveaway Reminder
I just got pictures back from one of my photographers, and I thought they were so cute, I thought I'd post a few of them here. :)
And just a reminder that I have two giveaways going on that end on Wednesday. There's still time to enter to win a package of Lay's Regional Flavor Chips and a Handmade Reusable Lunch Bag!
Thursday, August 18, 2011
Free 8x10 Collage Print at Walgreens
Yay! Here's another FREE 8x10 Collage Print from Walgreens!
Just use the code PRINTONE at checkout to receive your free print. Choose in-store pickup and your order will be completely FREE! These make great gifts!
This coupon expires Saturday August 20th.
Just use the code PRINTONE at checkout to receive your free print. Choose in-store pickup and your order will be completely FREE! These make great gifts!
This coupon expires Saturday August 20th.
Wednesday, August 17, 2011
Lay's Taste From Home Recipe and Giveaway (US)
If you've done much traveling around the US, or even if you've just met people from different parts of the country either in person or from blogs, I'm sure you're aware that each part of the country seems to have it's own flair when it comes to cooking. Each region has it's own unique flavors that separate it from the rest of the country.
Of course as people move around, these cuisines mix, combine, and adjust as families bring their recipes to their new homes. But for all that, there are still certain dishes and remind you of home no matter where you find them.
Frito Lay is hosting a Taste From Home Recipe Contest in which I was invited to participate. They want to celebrate the unique flavors and cuisines from all across the country, and have asked for a recipe that reminds me of home.
I live in the Mid-west, and as I was considering what specific kind of food our region is known for, I couldn't come up with anything specific. We're right here in the middle of the country and seem to enjoy the flavors gathered from many parts of the country. I kept thinking. When I think of home, what kind of food do I think of.
Simple, comforting, easy to prepare. This is what I think of. The people I know here in the Mid-West seem to like simple, homely, comforting dishes. We don't do lots of frying like those in the South. Our specialty isn't sea food, or spicy cajun food although that's not to say we don't like those things and serve them on occasion. For us here in the mid-west, I'd say our specialty is just down home simple dishes like these potatoes I created for our family.
Cheesy Cheddar Potatoes
7-8 medium red potatoes
1/4 cup butter
1/2 cup flour
2 cups milk
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
Scrub potatoes and cut into bite size pieces. In a medium/large pot, steam potatoes until tender.
Meanwhile, melt butter in a saucepan. Whisk in flour until smooth. Add milk and stir. Cook on medium/high heat, stirring constantly, until mixture begins to boil. Add salt and pepper. Continue cooking and stirring until sauce thickens. Turn heat to low and add cheese. Stir until cheese has melted.
Once potatoes have cooked, spoon then into a greased 1 1/2 quart baking dish. Pour sauce over potatoes and stir to combine. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes or until top begins to brown and bubble. Let sit about 10 minutes before serving. Enjoy!
In addition to the Taste From Home recipe contest, Frito-Lay has also celebrated the regional flavors from around the US with 5 special flavors of potato chips!
These chips were inspired by popular American regional cuisine and include:
Northeastern U.S. – Lay’s Honey Mustard
Midwestern U.S. – Lay’s Creamy Garden Ranch
Northwestern U.S. – Lay’s Balsamic Sweet Onion
Southwestern U.S. – Lay’s Chipotle Ranch
Southeastern U.S. – Lay’s Cajun Herb & Spice
All of the Lay’s Regional Flavored potato chips are made with all natural ingredients, and are cooked in healthier oils so they contain 0 grams of trans fats per serving! There’s also less sodium in them than you might think – a 1-oz serving of our Lay’s Regional Flavored potato chips contains less salt than a plain bagel!
How would you like to win a bag of each of these five flavors? Frito-Lay is generously offering one of my readers their very own variety pack of these regional flavors! Don't they all look yummy?! I would especially love to try the Cajun Herb & Spice and the Chipotle Ranch flavors.
Extra Entries (please leave a separate comment for each one and don't forget to leave me your e-mail address!):
*Follow me on Google Friend Connect (1 entry)
*Blog about this giveaway (2 entries)
*Tweet this giveaway (can be done once a day - 1 entry each)
*Share this giveaway on Facebook (1 entry)
*Share this giveaway with friends through e-mail and let me know you did (1 entry)
*Comment on any non giveaway blog posts and tell me which one (1 entry)
*Enter the Starry Home Crafts giveaway (1 entry)
Of course as people move around, these cuisines mix, combine, and adjust as families bring their recipes to their new homes. But for all that, there are still certain dishes and remind you of home no matter where you find them.
Frito Lay is hosting a Taste From Home Recipe Contest in which I was invited to participate. They want to celebrate the unique flavors and cuisines from all across the country, and have asked for a recipe that reminds me of home.
I live in the Mid-west, and as I was considering what specific kind of food our region is known for, I couldn't come up with anything specific. We're right here in the middle of the country and seem to enjoy the flavors gathered from many parts of the country. I kept thinking. When I think of home, what kind of food do I think of.
Simple, comforting, easy to prepare. This is what I think of. The people I know here in the Mid-West seem to like simple, homely, comforting dishes. We don't do lots of frying like those in the South. Our specialty isn't sea food, or spicy cajun food although that's not to say we don't like those things and serve them on occasion. For us here in the mid-west, I'd say our specialty is just down home simple dishes like these potatoes I created for our family.
7-8 medium red potatoes
1/4 cup butter
1/2 cup flour
2 cups milk
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
Scrub potatoes and cut into bite size pieces. In a medium/large pot, steam potatoes until tender.
Meanwhile, melt butter in a saucepan. Whisk in flour until smooth. Add milk and stir. Cook on medium/high heat, stirring constantly, until mixture begins to boil. Add salt and pepper. Continue cooking and stirring until sauce thickens. Turn heat to low and add cheese. Stir until cheese has melted.
Once potatoes have cooked, spoon then into a greased 1 1/2 quart baking dish. Pour sauce over potatoes and stir to combine. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes or until top begins to brown and bubble. Let sit about 10 minutes before serving. Enjoy!
In addition to the Taste From Home recipe contest, Frito-Lay has also celebrated the regional flavors from around the US with 5 special flavors of potato chips!
These chips were inspired by popular American regional cuisine and include:
Northeastern U.S. – Lay’s Honey Mustard
Midwestern U.S. – Lay’s Creamy Garden Ranch
Northwestern U.S. – Lay’s Balsamic Sweet Onion
Southwestern U.S. – Lay’s Chipotle Ranch
Southeastern U.S. – Lay’s Cajun Herb & Spice
All of the Lay’s Regional Flavored potato chips are made with all natural ingredients, and are cooked in healthier oils so they contain 0 grams of trans fats per serving! There’s also less sodium in them than you might think – a 1-oz serving of our Lay’s Regional Flavored potato chips contains less salt than a plain bagel!
How would you like to win a bag of each of these five flavors? Frito-Lay is generously offering one of my readers their very own variety pack of these regional flavors! Don't they all look yummy?! I would especially love to try the Cajun Herb & Spice and the Chipotle Ranch flavors.
The Giveaway: Complete the mandatory entry below and any additional entries you want to, and make sure you include your e-mail address!!
Mandatory Entry:
Tell me what flavors or recipes remind you of home or tell me which flavor you'd be most excited to try AND leave me your e-mail address.Extra Entries (please leave a separate comment for each one and don't forget to leave me your e-mail address!):
*Follow me on Google Friend Connect (1 entry)
*Blog about this giveaway (2 entries)
*Tweet this giveaway (can be done once a day - 1 entry each)
*Share this giveaway on Facebook (1 entry)
*Share this giveaway with friends through e-mail and let me know you did (1 entry)
*Comment on any non giveaway blog posts and tell me which one (1 entry)
*Enter the Starry Home Crafts giveaway (1 entry)
This giveaway is open to the US only. The giveaway will close on August 24th, and the winner will be chosen by random.org and notified by e-mail. The winner has 48 hours to get back to me with their address or a new winner will be chosen.
Disclosure: This post is my entry into the recipe contest. Also Frito-Lay has provided the prize pack for this giveaway.
Sunday, August 14, 2011
Friday, August 12, 2011
Shutterfly Photo Books
Have you ever made any photo books? They are so much fun to make, and are such wonderful keepsakes or gifts! You can make them simple or elaborate depending on your creativity and your time frame.
I've used several different photo companies to make and order photo books and one of my favorites is Shutterfly! I've ordered photos, cards, calendars, and photo books from them for years, and have been pleased with the quality! I also love the sales and special offers they run throughout the year. :)
Recently, Shutterfly upgraded their photo book designer to create the all new Custom Path books, and just last month I had the opportunity to try it out. Wow!! It's SO much better than it used to be. Now you can do almost anything you want to with your book! Crop your pictures, turn them, place them exactly where you want them, add text anywhere, decorate your pages with "stickers", and so much more!! It's just like you're doing a scrapbook! You can now personalize your book just the way YOU want it!
There are LOTS of different styles you can choose between from everyday, to baby, to wedding, to seasonal, birthday, travel, and more!! Choose one theme for the whole book or make different sections of your book with different themes! You're the creator of this book and you can make it just the way you want it to be! No one else knows your pictures like you do!
If you're short on time however, you can choose one of their time saving helps. If you have some time but not a lot, let them place the photos you have chosen for your photo book project into your book for you. They'll place them in chronological order throughout the pages of your book. This saves a good deal of time, and if you decide you don't quite like the layout of a certain page, no problem. You can fix that one page and then go on. I did this method the last time I ordered a books since I only had an hour or two to complete the book!! :)
Then there is the Simple Path book where Shutterfly makes your book completely. If you're running really short on time, this method may be for you. These books won't be quite as personalized, but they'll still be a great keepsake filled with priceless photos!
So, if you're starting to think about Christmas gifts or just have lots of photos that need something done with them, check out Shutterfly's photo books! You'll get high quality beautifully done photo books filled with precious memories. (Or if you're searching for another kind of photo gift, Shutterfly also offers photo cards, stationary, mugs, and many other gift options!)
Shutterfly currently has their photo books on sale. You can get up to 30% off through the 17th. You can also get FREE Shipping on orders of $30 or more. Plus, if you shop through E-bates, you'll receive 8% CASH BACK on your purchase!! :) I love combining cash back with sales!! :)
Do you have your own blog? Shutterfly is giving away 1,000 free photo books to eligible bloggers!
I've used several different photo companies to make and order photo books and one of my favorites is Shutterfly! I've ordered photos, cards, calendars, and photo books from them for years, and have been pleased with the quality! I also love the sales and special offers they run throughout the year. :)
Recently, Shutterfly upgraded their photo book designer to create the all new Custom Path books, and just last month I had the opportunity to try it out. Wow!! It's SO much better than it used to be. Now you can do almost anything you want to with your book! Crop your pictures, turn them, place them exactly where you want them, add text anywhere, decorate your pages with "stickers", and so much more!! It's just like you're doing a scrapbook! You can now personalize your book just the way YOU want it!
If you're short on time however, you can choose one of their time saving helps. If you have some time but not a lot, let them place the photos you have chosen for your photo book project into your book for you. They'll place them in chronological order throughout the pages of your book. This saves a good deal of time, and if you decide you don't quite like the layout of a certain page, no problem. You can fix that one page and then go on. I did this method the last time I ordered a books since I only had an hour or two to complete the book!! :)
Then there is the Simple Path book where Shutterfly makes your book completely. If you're running really short on time, this method may be for you. These books won't be quite as personalized, but they'll still be a great keepsake filled with priceless photos!
So, if you're starting to think about Christmas gifts or just have lots of photos that need something done with them, check out Shutterfly's photo books! You'll get high quality beautifully done photo books filled with precious memories. (Or if you're searching for another kind of photo gift, Shutterfly also offers photo cards, stationary, mugs, and many other gift options!)
Shutterfly currently has their photo books on sale. You can get up to 30% off through the 17th. You can also get FREE Shipping on orders of $30 or more. Plus, if you shop through E-bates, you'll receive 8% CASH BACK on your purchase!! :) I love combining cash back with sales!! :)
Do you have your own blog? Shutterfly is giving away 1,000 free photo books to eligible bloggers!
Thursday, August 11, 2011
Sneak Preview
A sweet new little model wearing one of the newest Joyfully Sewn Designs dresses. Don't you just love that pink and brown combination. :)
Wednesday, August 10, 2011
Starry Home Crafts Feature and Giveaway (WW)
I have another wonderful artist and handmade shop for you today! I first discovered this unique shop in the Artfire forums when Mary Ellen, the talented owner of the shop, posted a question about one of her items. I was interested enough to click over to see for myself what she was talking about, and my first thought was, "Wow!!" I was completely impressed, and now I'd like to share with you, Starry Home Crafts!
I learned to crochet, knit and embroider at a young age, thanks to my talented creative mother. I still love to do all of those things. I taught myself to quilt in my late twenties and that has become my passion. Hand quilting is a wonderful form of meditation for me. My main inspiration and teacher is Nature. Just like in nature, I like to put all the colors of the rainbow into my quilts. Some of my favorite work has been unique ideas that came from customers.
Aren't her creations beautiful! The items that had me saying, "Wow" were her quilted shower curtains! I've never seen anything like them before! Aren't they just beautiful?!
Now that you've had just a little taste of the wonderful creations you can find at Starry Home Crafts, you can browse around her Etsy and Artfire shops for yourself! You can also check out her Facebook, Twitter, and Blog to stay connected on the newest happenings!
Starry Home Crafts has very graciously provided a giveaway for my readers! One of you will receive their own handmade reusable fabric lunch bag! Add an extra fun touch to any sack lunch with this bright, whimsical bag!
Extra Entries (please leave a separate comment for each one and don't forget to leave me your e-mail address!):
*Follow me on Google Friend Connect (1 entry)
*Add Starry Home Crafts to your favorites on Etsy or your market on Artfire (1 entry)
*Blog about this giveaway (2 entries)
*Tweet this giveaway (can be done once a day - 1 entry each)
*Share this giveaway on Facebook (1 entry)
*Share this giveaway with friends through e-mail and let me know you did (1 entry)
*Comment on any non giveaway blog posts and tell me which one (1 entry)
Hi I'm Mary Ellen. I live in central New York with my husband, a dog or two and a couple of cats. We have three grown sons and plenty of time on our hands. There is a long list of things that I love to create. My first passion is quilting, and there are always hundreds of ideas rattling around in my head that involve colorful fabric.
I took an early retirement from the post office in 2009. I don't really think of this as retirement so much as a change in career paths. I have been quilting for 18 years and knitting and crocheting for closer to 40 years. These are my favorite things and I intend for my next career to include them.
My new workplace is my Starry Home where I create and market my quilts, ornaments, dolls, frames, postcards a whole smorgasbord of handcrafted goodness.
I learned to crochet, knit and embroider at a young age, thanks to my talented creative mother. I still love to do all of those things. I taught myself to quilt in my late twenties and that has become my passion. Hand quilting is a wonderful form of meditation for me. My main inspiration and teacher is Nature. Just like in nature, I like to put all the colors of the rainbow into my quilts. Some of my favorite work has been unique ideas that came from customers.I love the challenge of taking a theme and creating it in my own way, or using a familiar pattern and making it in a different colorway that I would not normally use.
A piece of advice for the beginning quilter, pay attention to the experts, but don't forget to play around a little, don't be afraid to break a rule now and then. I guess that advice can apply to a beginner at selling online too. There are many wonderful helpful friends to be found on the internet. Take their advice, but add a little of your own creative soul into the endeavor, and remember to have fun while you're at it.
Aren't her creations beautiful! The items that had me saying, "Wow" were her quilted shower curtains! I've never seen anything like them before! Aren't they just beautiful?!
Now that you've had just a little taste of the wonderful creations you can find at Starry Home Crafts, you can browse around her Etsy and Artfire shops for yourself! You can also check out her Facebook, Twitter, and Blog to stay connected on the newest happenings!
Starry Home Crafts has very graciously provided a giveaway for my readers! One of you will receive their own handmade reusable fabric lunch bag! Add an extra fun touch to any sack lunch with this bright, whimsical bag!
The Giveaway: Complete the mandatory entry below and any additional entries you want to, and make sure you include your e-mail address!!
Mandatory Entry:
Visit Starry Home Crafts, browse around, then come back here and tell me your favorite item AND leave me your e-mail address so that I can contact you if you win.Extra Entries (please leave a separate comment for each one and don't forget to leave me your e-mail address!):
*Follow me on Google Friend Connect (1 entry)
*Add Starry Home Crafts to your favorites on Etsy or your market on Artfire (1 entry)
*Blog about this giveaway (2 entries)
*Tweet this giveaway (can be done once a day - 1 entry each)
*Share this giveaway on Facebook (1 entry)
*Share this giveaway with friends through e-mail and let me know you did (1 entry)
*Comment on any non giveaway blog posts and tell me which one (1 entry)
This giveaway is open World Wide. The giveaway will close on August 24th, and the winner will be chosen by random.org and notified by e-mail. The winner has 48 hours to get back to me with their address or a new winner will be chosen.
$10 for $20 Worth of Photos from Shutterfly TODAY ONLY
If you've been busy this summer (or this year! :)) taking pictures and want to get some printed, today's Groupon deal is perfect for you!
Today (8/10) only, you can get a $20 voucher for Shutterfly prints for just $10. That's half price prints! I've ordered hundreds of photos from Shutterfly and have been pleased with the quality and the service. If you are a new Shutterfly customer, you'll also receive 50 FREE Prints just for signing up.
Here's how to get the deal:
Sign up for Groupon if you don't have an account yet.
Use this link to purchase your Shutterfly voucher.
Go to the Shutterfly website, upload, and order your prints!
Although you must purchase this voucher today to get the deal, you do NOT have to purchase your prints today! The voucher never expires, so you'll have just as much time as you need to get your photos ready to order!
Fine Print: Limit 1 per person. Limit 1 per order. Online orders only, not valid for in-store pickup. Valid only for offer listed. Must use in 1 order. Tax and shipping not included. Non-transferable. Must have Shutterfly account.
Note: The Groupon link is my referral link. Thank you for supporting this blog!
Today (8/10) only, you can get a $20 voucher for Shutterfly prints for just $10. That's half price prints! I've ordered hundreds of photos from Shutterfly and have been pleased with the quality and the service. If you are a new Shutterfly customer, you'll also receive 50 FREE Prints just for signing up.
Here's how to get the deal:
Sign up for Groupon if you don't have an account yet.
Use this link to purchase your Shutterfly voucher.
Go to the Shutterfly website, upload, and order your prints!
Although you must purchase this voucher today to get the deal, you do NOT have to purchase your prints today! The voucher never expires, so you'll have just as much time as you need to get your photos ready to order!
Fine Print: Limit 1 per person. Limit 1 per order. Online orders only, not valid for in-store pickup. Valid only for offer listed. Must use in 1 order. Tax and shipping not included. Non-transferable. Must have Shutterfly account.
Note: The Groupon link is my referral link. Thank you for supporting this blog!
Monday, August 8, 2011
Small Biz Expo Giveaway
Would you like a chance to win $50 to one of a variety of small businesses plus $150 cash? There is a Small Business Expo going on right now over at Makobi Scribe.
Joyfully Sewn Designs is one of the Gold Listed Businesses, so this is your opportunity to possibly win $25 to spend in my shop! :)
- FIRST PLACE-$50 Store purchase from an Elite listed business and $150 cash.
- SECOND PLACE-$50 purchase from an Elite listed business.
- THIRD PLACE-$25 purchase from a Gold listed business.
Joyfully Sewn Designs is one of the Gold Listed Businesses, so this is your opportunity to possibly win $25 to spend in my shop! :)
Saturday, August 6, 2011
And the Winner Is...
We have a winner for the Stitches and Scraps giveaway!! Comment #40 Holly Craft Originals (chosen by random.org) said, "I am a fan of Stitches and Scraps!! I can't help add her cards when I do up my EtsyGreetings treasuries...Love all of them! But of course, my favorites are her owl cards...:D"
Congratulations, Holly! I'm sure you will enjoy using those cute little Hedgehog Cards!!
The winner has been e-mailed and has 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen.
Thank you to all who entered the giveaway leaving a total of 87 comments! :) Stay tuned for the next giveaway coming up soon...
Congratulations, Holly! I'm sure you will enjoy using those cute little Hedgehog Cards!!
The winner has been e-mailed and has 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen.
Thank you to all who entered the giveaway leaving a total of 87 comments! :) Stay tuned for the next giveaway coming up soon...
Friday, August 5, 2011
Hummingbirds
After the intense heat of the past month, yesterday morning was simply delightful! We had a little bit of rain Wednesday night which brought a much appreciated drop in the temperature. Nearly the whole morning, the temperature was in the 70's!! It was wonderful to be able to go outside without feeling like you just stepped into an oven!
I've been wanting to try to get a few pictures of the little hummingbirds we have in our yard, and yesterday I was finally able to do it. With the cooler temperature, I was able to take the time necessary to wait for these swift little birds to come to the feeder.
I've been wanting to try to get a few pictures of the little hummingbirds we have in our yard, and yesterday I was finally able to do it. With the cooler temperature, I was able to take the time necessary to wait for these swift little birds to come to the feeder.
It was so fun watching them up close and listening to them. There were two birds - one was a female Ruby-Throated Hummingbird and we're guessing the other one may be a young one.
Neither of them would let the other one anywhere near the feeder while they were drinking! :) They were too quick for me to catch them both at once though. :)
What beautiful creatures these tiny birds are, and what a testimony to our great Creator!
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