Translate

Monday, May 26, 2014

Memorial Day

Hello Everyone,

Most people (and I used to be one of them when I was younger), considered Memorial Day, which falls on the last Monday of May, as the unofficial start to summer. There is so much more to this important national holiday. It’s our country’s remembrance and tribute to our fallen heroes, the men and women who died defending our country while serving in the American military. Because of these brave American Soldiers, we are able to live as a free nation. Good and bad, America is still the best country in the world, thank you to those who gave up their lives to defend its freedom.


Originally known as Decoration Day, it originated in the years following the Civil War and became an official federal holiday in 1971. Today, honoring Soldiers on Memorial Day often takes the form of special ceremonies, speeches, and laying a wreath on the Tomb of the Unknown Soldiers at Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia. Many Americans observe Memorial Day by visiting cemeteries or memorials, holding family gatherings and participating in parades.


Thank you to all the Military men and women who have served and are serving our country, sacrificing their lives for our freedom. Thank you E for all you have sacrificed and for keeping our country safe. I love you so very much!!

E in Iraq 2004-2005

Tuesday, May 20, 2014

Wake Up Wednesday Linky Party #17 and Giveaway!!

Hello Everyone,



Welcome to the 17th week of 

 Wake Up Wednesday "Linky" 

28 Blogs  -  1 Party
and 
 Giveaway


We are so excited to have you all party with us.
Thank you so much to all those who participate in our party.
Last week we had  325 awesome linkups!   

 Wake Up and be happy, get excited and have fun with us! 
We want to be inspired, entertained, laugh and have a good time!

 The hop is hosted and posted on 28 different blogs



Your link will appear on the blogs of

 
     Euchre Fun                 An Alli Event                     Decorating Chica                Fiber Artsy
 Facebook                 Facebook                             Network                            Facebook
               Pinterest                    Pinterest                                  Pinterest                            Pinterest  
              Bloglovin                 Bloglovin                                     G+                                      Twitter



Interested in Co-Hosting Wake Up Wednesday?
Fill out this form and Angel will be in touch with you?


This weeks 
Featured Bloggers


There are many different recipes and methods to make pie crust, but this one's my favorite! It's the perfect all-purpose crust recipe to have on hand for pies, quiches, and cobblers.



This weeks question to the Farm Girl (that's me!!) comes to us from Rebecca. She want to know: Do you eat your chickens? If so what do you tell your kids when they ask where is (fill in the blank)?



I'm going to show you the "after" picture first just because I don't want the 
really horrible "before" picture being seen in every feed all over the
place.


DIY Summer Activity Mason Jar Décor 

DIY Summer Activity Mason Jar Decor with Upcycled Pallet Wood by My Paper Craze www.mypapercraze.com

When I read this month’s challenge theme, I knew just what I wanted to do: a summer activity jar.  With school letting out right around the corner, it’s always a challenge keeping the kids occupied with meaningful activities, both on their own and as a family.  Then when school begins again, we all sit around and wonder where the time went, realizing that we blew through three months of quality time—yikes!  So this year, we decided to utilize our summer time and create an activity jar!

DIY Garden Seed Storage Box 
from Mother's Home


DIY Garden Seed Box
 I am usually itching to get out in my garden even before all of the snow is melted, and this year is no different. On a recent trip to the store I found myself with more than a dozen packets of vegetable and flower seeds in my cart. The only problem with this is that when I got home, I had to figure out where to put my seed packets for a month while I wait for the soil temperature to rise.


Chocolate Chip Cookie in a Mug
 from In The Kitchen With Jenny

Most people crave a little something sweet now and then.  The bad part about making your own goodies is that the recipe makes either a whole cake or 2 dozen cookies.  This little treat in a mug will satisfy your sweet tooth, makes a minimal mess, and controls your portion. 

from Baby Doodah!

blogging and Why Im Frustrated - Baby Doodah
Blogging is a second job, no question. I put in nearly full-time hours, between weeknights and weekends. The difference between this second job and your typical second job, is that I really love doing it.

Yard Sale Junkie 
from Penny's Vintage Home

I'm a yard sale junkie!    I love going to them and I am so excited that winter is over and yard sale season has begun!  We went to a bunch of yard and estate sales Saturday and  found lots of treasures!  


My blogger friend Ally from Ally's Sweet and Savory Eats is having a baby! My fellow Iowa Bloggers and I are throwing her a virtual baby shower.  I made sunflower cupcakes.

5-frugal-ways-to-get-your-yard-ready-for-spring
With the changing seasons comes yard work, as the snow melts away and reveals the grass and landscaping underneath. Spring cleaning your yard does not need to be expensive, in fact you can make your yard nice and green without spending a lot of green! Take a peek below at 5 frugal ways to get your yard ready for spring, so you too can enjoy a yard that is neat and tidy. It is easier than you may think!

DIY Chore Chart
Around our house, handling chores has been a tricky thing. One, they’re never ending, and two, I was conflicted on how to handle them.  I wanted to give our kids a way to earn money so they can learn how to save, give, and responsibly spend, but I didn’t want to just give them money for existing. (Though if someone wants to pay me for simply existing I’d be happy to oblige.) I also wanted some chores to be done without payment because they live here and should contribute to the family so I came up with this work for hire diy chore chart.


Paper Flower Art 
from Mini Monets and Mommies



It’s spring! Or, it’s still chilly outside, but you’re wishfully imagining the birds singing and flowers blooming. Regardless of the weather outside, isn’t a bouquet better when it comes from your little love’s creative hands than from the overly-expensive florist in town? I mean, you can chop down your freshly sprung garden – but do you really want to look at ragged stems all summer? A few years ago I started making teeny tiny paper flowers. They were so sweetly delicate and made the perfect adornment to baby shower gift wrap or just about anything else that I could glue them on. Over-sizing the flowers (taking up a standard-sized piece of printer paper) makes for an easy kids’ craft that your child can turn into a Mother’s Day present or simply make just for art’s sake.

Gluten Free Cupcakes with Chocolate Chips
 from Food Faith Fitness

Single Serving Skinny Chocolate Peanut Butter Cupcakes - Food Faith Fitness | #glutenfree #healthy #cupcake #recipe

 This quick and easy, gluten free cupcake is packed with chocolate chips and has a peanut butter and Greek yogurt frosting! The perfect recipe for those times when you want one cupcake, but still want to keep it healthy!

Have You Given Thanks Today
 from Women With Intention

Have You Given Thanks Today

This past weekend was a weekend of ups and downs for our family. It was a typical, busy weekend just as most of our weekends are.  Along with the hustle and bustle of life, sometimes we forget how truly blessed we are and to give thanks for the real blessings in life, our family, friends, health and wellness.
----------------------------------------------------

You can enter our Rafflecopter  
Win $222 in Cash and Prizes



a Rafflecopter giveaway

  • Remember to Follow Your hostesses- the first 28 links and your Guest Hosts.
  • 28 times the opportunity to make new bloggy friends and to share your wonderful blog and discover others too.

Link up your funny stories, DIY posts, crafts, decorating, fashion, makeup, health and fitness, recipes, mommy moments -- anything at all, as long as it is family-friendly.

Please visit some other bloggers and make some new friends and say hello to old friends..
  • Please leave me a comment , I love to hear from you.
  • Please Link to your post and not to your blog home page
  • I'd love for you to grab my party button for your blog party site but it's totally optional
  • Please No adult content blogs
  • Please do not add links to shops or selling websites (they will be deleted from the party)
  • Giveaways are always welcome.. Add your giveaways to Sew Crafty Angel's Pinterest Community Giveaway Board too.  
Adding your link to this blog hop gives Sew Crafty Angel permission to share your posts and pictures via social media and as features on Sew Crafty Angel And Co-Hosts.  Note- All features on Sew Crafty Angel And Co-Hosts will be linked back to the original source .Social media features are linked back to the linky party.
Angel



Have a great day!!

Wednesday, May 14, 2014

Wake Up Wednesday Linky Party #16 and Giveaway!!

Hello Everyone,



               Welcome to the 16th week of 

 Wake Up Wednesday "Linky" 

27 Blogs  -  1 Party
 Giveaway



We are so excited to have you all party with us.
Thank you so much to all those who participate in our party.
Last week we had  307 awesome linkups!   

 Wake Up and be happy, get excited and have fun with us! 
We want to be inspired, entertained, laugh and have a good time!

 The hop is hosted and posted on 27 different blogs





Your link will appear on the blogs of

 
           Euchre Fun               An Alli Event       Organized Dream      Decorating Chica      Fiber Artsy                        Facebook                 Facebook            Facebook                  Network                 Facebook
              Pinterest                    Pinterest                Pinterest                    Pinterest                Pinterest  
              Bloglovin                 Bloglovin                  Twitter                      G+                         Twitter



Interested in Co-Hosting Wake Up Wednesday?
Fill out this form and Angel will be in touch with you?


This weeks 
Featured Bloggers


A Peek Inside: My Sketchbook from Atop Serenity Hill

Watercolor and black marker in sketchbook: pansies • AtopSerenityHill.com #doodling #watercolor #flowers

Just a month ago we were only dreaming of spring. Now it is finally here and I have been having some fun with my new watercolor pencils! Enjoy!

Springtime Kitchen Linens & Aprons from Thimbles, Bobbins, Paper and Ink



My sewing machine has been humming along as I've been creating  spring kitchen linens and aprons.  I've been having such fun with a new line of Tanya Whelan fabrics and decided to make some fun half aprons, kitchen towels and pot holders

Decadent Chocolate Mousse Cake from A Mother's Shadow

DSC_0487

This cake is so easy because it begins with a cake mix.  With a trick of trap­ping in the mois­ture, a few addi­tions  and some fresh whip­ping cream, this dessert is incred­i­bly moist, decadant and always a favorite.


Naked Cake: The Charm of Home
I have stumbled upon a trend with my "naked cakes".  I didn't realize they were so popular. I mean really it looks like I forgot to ice some of it.... This naked cake looked like it had blossoms strewn on the top.  The sort of blossoms that a toddler would pick for his Mother, you know the ones that have no stems.   So my naked cake reminds me of something only a Mother would love; like that gift from her child during those tender years.






So many of you know that I am a Canning Fanatic. After going Pinterest and Etsy strolling for a few hours... I've been practically drooling over the hanging canning jar lamps floating around. I didn't want to spend several hundred dollars for one though and it seems like something you should definitely make yourself. So we did! Or mainly, I designed what I wanted and bought the materials and my husband used his amazing DIY skills to make it for me



caabnotebook1 


At the end of 2013 I picked out a word to meditate on this year.  The word I chose was “intentional.”  It is so easy for me to just go with the flow and not really think about why I do what I do.






Since my parents moved back home a few months ago, I won't be able to spend Mother's Day close to my mom, however I truly believe that the ones who love us most are always right besides us and in our hearts.

5 Ways To Thank a Blogger For a Post from Army Wife To Suburban Life

how to thank a blogger

Here are ways I like to show gratitude for great work, because lets face it, a bunch of us aren’t getting paid enough (or not at all) for the hours of work we put in.

Smores Brownie Bowls from Gator Mommy Reviews


----------------------------------------------------

You can enter our Rafflecopter  
Win $222 in Cash & Prizes



a Rafflecopter giveaway

  • Remember to Follow Your hostesses- the first 27 links and your Guest Hosts.  
  • 27 times the opportunity to make new bloggy friends and to share your wonderful blog and discover others too.


Link up your funny stories, DIY posts, crafts, decorating, fashion, makeup, health & fitness, recipes, mommy moments -- anything at all, as long as it is family-friendly.

Please visit some other bloggers and make some new friends and say hello to old friends..
  • Please leave me a comment , I love to hear from you.
  • Please Link to your post and not to your blog home page
  • I'd love for you to grab my party button for your blog party site but it's totally optional
  • Please No adult content blogs
  • Please do not add links to shops or selling websites (they will be deleted from the party)
  • Giveaways are always welcome.. Add your giveaways to Sew Crafty Angel's Pinterest Community Giveaway Board too.  
Adding your link to this blog hop gives Sew Crafty Angel permission to share your posts and pictures via social media and as features on Sew Crafty Angel And Co-Hosts.  Note- All features on Sew Crafty Angel And Co-Hosts will be linked back to the original source .Social media features are linked back to the linky party.
Angel





Daisypath Anniversary tickers

Daisypath - Personal pictureDaisypath Anniversary tickers