Irish Italian Blessings

DIY Surfboard Decor Washi Tape

2012-05-25T09:12:00.002-07:00

Washi Tape is the new crafters Rage! If you haven't heard about it, prepare to fall in love!

It's basically a decorative tape with the stickiness of painters tape. It's easy to work with and seriously, I've already done quite a few crafts with it that I can't wait to share.

I got a 4 pack at Target for $4.

For the Surfboard Decor, I just printed out an outline of a surfboard and placed the tape over the outline.

Cut out the Surfboard and VOILA!

This is just a picture to show how to line it up (pretend there is a surfboard outline underneath it that I cut out.)

Then I made some Surf's Up letters with my Cricut and put it in a frame!

Looks awesome in Little Man's Surf Room!

The possibilities for decor are endless, with the many different options for colors and designs of the tape, you can me any design specifically to your theme!

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Wordless Wednesday: Spaghetti!

2012-05-23T08:16:00.001-07:00

I knew Braden would find his Italian roots eventually

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How I Make Money Blogging

2012-05-22T08:52:00.000-07:00

I make money Blogging. Shocker, I know.
This post brought to you by...me :) I get emails from my bloggy friends often asking how/where to sign up to make money. I'm certainly not the "Monetize your Blog" professional, I'm definitely not "Making it Rain" with the cash I'm bringing in, but, I am bringing in enough bucks to buy some totally unnecessary but fun toys for the kids and/or crafts for the big kid a.k.a. Me!

Some of these links may be my referral link so if you sign up, you are in some way supporting my blog. My goal here is to share where I have had most of my success shaking my Blog Money Maker. I put them in order of what works the best for me :)

Social Spark - Write a sponsored post for an advertiser. I have had a lot of recent success with Social Spark. You don't get an offer from every lead and you have the option of taking an offer or not. You can also negotiate if you feel like the proposed payment is not enough.

Blogsvertise - Writing Sponsored Posts for an advertiser, similar to Social Spark. I don't get a ton of leads here but what's great about Blogsvertise is that you can always place ads from their grab bag on your site to make money through advertisements.

Swag Bucks - I just use SwagBucks as my search engine to win on the searches, every now and then I'll see a code on Facebook, and once in a while I'll do a Special Offer. I'm not making cash through Swag Bucks but I am cashing out A LOT of Amazon Gift Cards. My referrals are what bring in a lot of my "swag" and I save mine up to buy big stuff like Kaylin's Dresser, movies, books, toys, and yesterday the "For Audrey" Nail Polish :)

Sponsored Reviews - I just recently started working with Sponsored Reviews and have already had some success. You can bid on projects that you are interested in. There is a wide variety of subjects and interests so you can specify what works for your blog.

Sponsored Tweets - Just signed up with them and I see a lot of bloggers have as well. I'm pretty Twitter Illiterate so we'll see how this one goes. BUT, if you are a Tweeter, you should sign up and #MakeitRain

UPromise - AWESOME Affiliate for all you parents out there. I love Upromise because you literally earn money for your kids college funds by shopping online (which I also love) so it's a win win. I can't say enough good things about Upromise!

Escalate Network - Affiliate Sales are awesome and definitely worth checking out too.

Selling Ads - Another great way to Monetize your Blog is to sell ad space. I recommend placing your ad info on your blog to make it easy for advertisers find.

These are the ONLY places I've ever actually made money while blogging. I've signed up at a few other places and haven't had sucess which doesn't mean you wont. Pay Per Post is similar to Social Spark and If you're looking to do reviews only, check out Tomoson.

You can always check out Adsense advertising, Izea Media advertising through Social Spark, Amazon Affiliates and there are tons of options for Affiliate Marketing that I'm not an expert on but I'm sure Google can help :)

Do you #MakeItRain and Make Money Blogging? Do you have any other places that I should check out?

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I'm Lovin It! Vol. 2

2012-05-21T08:20:00.000-07:00

I'm LOVING the weekend I just had. For my Mother in Law's Birthday, we went to her stables and rode her amazing horse!

I'm Loving watching these two little boys play together! This book never stood a chance!

I'm Loving this "For Audrey" nail polish for my friends upcoming Breakfast at Tiffany's Bridal Shower.

I'm Lovin the book I just read, Look Again by Lisa Scottoline. It was a good one!

I'm Lovin the Inspiration:

This is a quote that is near and dear to my heart ;)

I'm Loving the Pin:

Source: soundtracktoido.com via Katherine on Pinterest

OMG, it's seriously hillarious!

I'm Loving the Song, Rockstar by Tim McGraw and Kenny Chesney!

And, I'm Lovin these little Laker Fans!

Hope you all had a beautiful weekend!

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Madame Deals Free Blogger Event - Coach Purse and Wallet

2012-05-21T07:30:00.000-07:00

Madame Deals is giving away a free and gorgeous Coach Purse and matching wallet. Pretty!

4) The Event will take Place June 14 12:01 am EST – June 30 11:59 pm EST
5) The following are the hosts of the event:
Madame Deals
Slop Swap
Dixieland Product Reviews & Giveaways
Colleen’s Book Nook
Still Blonde after all these YEARS
Saving More Than Me
Diva Fabulosa

6) You need to sign up here

7) Once signed up, you will receive your html. Please go ahead and schedule your post now so you don’t forget!!
**You must be a FAMILY friendly BLOG. You must also have a Facebook Fanpage! You can not link up a personal FB page or a FB group!
8.) If you are not already in our Madame Deals Free Events group, please join:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/184006161717989/

Dad's Backyard Oasis Father's Day Giveaway Event

2012-05-20T00:01:00.000-07:00

It's finally here.... the Dad's Backyard Oasis Father's Day giveaway event!
Everyone likes spoiling Dad on Father's Day, enter this event to win these amazing prizes and give the special Father in your life, the ULTIMATE Father's Day Gifts!

Hosted by Bella Savvy, and Mom to Bed by 8

Co-hosted by Giveaway Bandit, To Sew With Love, Living Unrefined, Mumblebee Inc., Some Call It Natural and What Mommy Wants

WOW YOUR DAD ON FATHER'S DAY!

This year, Black & Decker is making Father's Day extra special for one lucky dad by offering an amazing prize pack full of everything dad will need to create an oasis in his own backyard for summer-long grilling, entertaining and just plain, good ole relaxing. AHH!

PRIZES:

20V MAX Lithium Drill/Driver -- MSRP: $122
2-speed Quick Clean Sprayer -- MSRP: $100
36V Lithium High Performance String Trimmer with Power Command -- MSRP: $170
Garden IQ Hand Tools Series — including pruners, hedge shears, steel trowel, culti-hoe, heavy duty hose nozzle, water hand hose attachment, and miscellaneous safety items -- MSRP: $108 (includes work gloves)
Work gloves

TOTAL VALUE: $500+

EVENT DATES:
This event will run from May 20th at 12:01 pm. EST to June 3rd at 11:59 pm. EST

A huge THANK YOU to our sponsor... BLACK & DECKER for offering these amazing prizes!

* SPECIAL OFFER: * Cant wait to win these fabulous prizes? Black & Decker is offering all entrants a special 10% discount + FREE shipping on the purchase of items included in the Black & Decker's Father's Day Gift Guide. So get your orders in for dad, and be ahead of the game when Father's Day rolls around. Use code: FATHER10 at checkout.

Now head on down there and get your entries in because you can't win if you don't enter...

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DIY Framed Letter Photo Art

2012-05-18T08:50:00.003-07:00

Framed Letter Photo Art makes the perfect gift and it's crazy affordable! I first saw the idea on Pinterest via Shanty 2 Chic and I knew I was going to make it.

My friend was having a baby I wanted to do this as a gift. I followed most of the instructions on Shanty 2 Chic however I was completely unprepared for the large size it was coming to be, SO I made some changes and thought I would share.

I started with 6 3x5 Frames from the Dollar Store. I made sure to get some that were wood so the paint would apply nicely and had a little embellishment so they weren't totally boring and flat. Finding 6 identical frames at the Dollar Store can take some time so just be prepared :)
(The original idea is to use 4x6 frames but as I laid them out, I realized this was going to be a bigger project than I anticipated so I shrunk it waaaaay down)

Next, I went to Home Depot and bought a piece of 2ft by 4ft, 1/4 inch thick piece of MDF, the entire board was $5.30. I had them cut an 8 inch by 30 inch piece and that is the board for the back of the letters. Just measure your frames and add a few inches for a border. (The original idea was to use an 4 ft 8 x 10 which is really quite large which is why I opted for something smaller)

Here's the thinness of the board:
Then I spray painted the board and the frames using Rust-Oleum Painter’s Touch in Sweet Pea and I already had the Heirloom White, same colors as the original idea. The options are endless here but I figured for a baby girl, the pink and white were perfect.

I did 2 coats of each to make sure I totally covered the pieces and let them dry for a few hours. While they were drying, I picked my letters. Check out this Flickr site for Letter Art or you can even photograph your own.

When choosing the letters, I had to pick letters that were not close up because when I resized them to my desired 3x5, they resized and I would lose part of the letter.

Here's what I mean, see how much of the "H" was lost when trying to use this picture, cropping to a 3x5:

This letter was obviously unusable for this project.

Now, here is the "H" I was able to successfully reduce to the desired size because there was more space to crop out. This is the original picture:

Here is where I am cropping/resizing it to a 3x5 size. You can see how it enlarges and zooms in on the letter but I was able to use the whole letter.

Once I had all my letters picked and cropped, I printed them on regular printer paper, right out of Picasa. I was able to print 4 letters on 1 page.

Snapped off this little part from the back of the frame
Cut my letters out and put them in the frames like this

Laid all my pics out on my board and hot glued them one by one. I used a lot of glue, because I have issues. You can probably do a little dab on each corner and be fine.

And the finished product!

It was a fun surprise gift for a surprise baby shower and we used it as decor for the room. You can easily add a wall hanger to the back of this board. I leaned it against the wall and it was really cute.

I will definitely be doing this again, it was fun, easy, affordable, and made the perfect gift!

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The Ribbon Retreat Review

2012-05-18T08:00:00.000-07:00

I absolutely LOVE when I find a new craft blog that has awesome craft tutorials that even a non-expert like myself can actually execute. Let me introduce The Ribbon Retreat blog. This is a blog that is more than just a blog with amazing and easy to follow tutorials, The Ribbon Retreat is also a huge Ribbon and Fabric retailer with seriously affordable prices.

There are a few tutorials that are just too great not to share. The first craft tutorial has an awesome circle skirt pattern that is classic, simple, and fashionable. The circle skirt tutorial offers step by step instructions on how to make your own circle skirt that is perfect and fun for the summer. The Ribbon Retreat also offers a wide variety of fabrics to make this custom skirt to fit your personality and wardrobe. Their Dottie collection of fabrics would be perfect for this skirt and has some great color options of polka dots. The Ribbon Retreat is your one stop shop for a craft project like this and has the supplies you will need to make your project come to life. You can click right through the supply links on the circle skirt tutorial and purchase the all the supplies you need directly from their site. Fabric, Thread, Fabrics for Baby Blankets, Tulle for tutu's, Patterns, seriously, they have just about everything you need for every project.

Another tutorial that I just love is their Ribbon Flower Bow tutorial. This is a perfect bow that can be used as a hair bow for a little girl or can be an embellishment on a cute skirt. With the enormous selection of Ribbons offered at the Ribbon Retreat, you're guaranteed to find something you love. The Ribbon Retreat has Grosgrain Ribbon, Glitter Ribbon, Dotted Ribbon, Striped Ribbon, Holiday Ribbon, Velvet Ribbon, Ruffle Ribbon (yes! RUFFLE RIBBON!) Wired Ribbon and More in any size you need. The ribbon options are perfect for added accents on any craft project you need.

The Ribbon Retreat has free tutorials and free patterns on their website for Ribbon and Fabric craft projects, check out their craft blog and website and start crafting!

10 Months, A haircut, and More!

2012-05-17T08:03:00.003-07:00

Well my little man is 10 months old. I seriously don't know where the time has gone! I'm starting to plan his 1st birthday party, which will also be combined with Kaylin's 3rd birthday since they're 4 days apart.

Braden has got such a personality. He's a fiery little guy just like his Momma but he is always smiling just like his Daddy. He slept through the night last night for the first time....ever but I can't say I'm a fan of waking up at 6 am. He stands up by himself and has already tried to take his first steps, Pretty sure he'll be walking by next month. Oh but randomly, he has NO teeth! My gummy little man.

His favorite activity is waking up his sister (since we're up so early) all he wants to do is go to her room and wake her up. He does it every morning and after her naps. If I catch him in the hall and tell him to stop, he puts his crawling boosties on and high tails it down the hall giggling the whole way until I catch him. She pays him back during his morning naps and always sneaks into his room too.

LOOK how happy he is when he does this!

Wake Up Sissy!!!!!

What? Don't all 10 month old's drink protein shakes?

Ahhh, Brother and Sister Love

Last week before graduation we decided it was a good idea to get him his official first haircut!

It was pretty long....

Gettin his fade!

The Bieber!

After

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Frangelico's "Watch the Pitch on AMC" Sweepstakes

2012-05-16T15:47:00.001-07:00

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Frangelico. All opinions are 100% mine.

Want a daily chance to win $100 Visa Gift Card? It's EASY when you enter Frangelico's "Watch the Pitch on AMC" Sweepstakes!! Plus, if you Watch the Pitch and answer some simple questions, you could win $3000! I know that could come in handy! Here's the details:

Enter through facebook: Frangelico Facebook Page

Enter on the Web: Frangelico Contest Page

PURCHASING OF ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE IS NOT REQUIRED TO PARTICIPATE IN THIS SWEEPSTAKES. MAKING A PURCHASE DOES NOT IMPROVE YOUR CHANCES TO WIN. The game is conducted in two parts and runs on the Frangelico Facebook Page and Frangelico Contest Page and via a link contained in a follow-up email (see Official Rules for details) from 12:000 AM Pacific Time on 5/16/12 to 11:59 PM Pacific Time on 5/28/12 ("Promo Period"). Open to legal residents of the U.S. 21 years of age and older except for residents of AL, CA, IN, OK, ME, MD, MI, MT, NJ, NC, OR, UT and where prohibited by law. This Sweepstakes is in no way sponsored, endorsed, administered by or associated with Facebook. By participating in this Sweepstakes, you agree that you are providing your information to Campari America and their Sweepstakes Administrator and not to Facebook. Subject to full Official Rules.

Good Luck!

GRADUATION!!

2012-05-15T15:47:00.000-07:00

I did it!!!! The day was amazing. The feeling is still surreal knowing that I finally have my bachelors. Even though I still have a few classes, I'm SUPER close to done!

Awesome Highlights of the day:

The Yellow Cords and Yellow Tassel are my Summa Cum Laude Honors Cords for my 4.0 GPA :)
My AMAZING Husband somehow got my Grandfather to come up and surprise me for Graduation. This is a HUGE deal, it's not easy for my Grandfather to leave his house for 6 hours and he hasn't done it in many years. It was an incredible surprise and I'm still so impressed with my husband and Grandpa for making it happen.
I won an award!! They handed out 4 awards and I received the SPS (School of Professional Studies) Outstanding Student Award AND it came with a check :) I was totally surprised and got to go back on stage to accept the award. Pretty COOL!!!
I spent the day celebrating with family and friends and it was seriously perfect. I don't know what I did to become so blessed in this life but I'm thankful for every single piece of it!

Here I am just seeing my Grandfather and Hubby!

The first thing Kaylin said to me is "Mom....what are you wearing?!" She couldn't figure out the cords, lei, hat, gown thing :)

My Family!

My Grandfather and his brother who drove him up to the event!

Here's me and the girls right after we finished! (Gotta love the photo bomber in the background)

Here's me and my girls with our decorated hats

Here's my fancy award!

Here's another award I got at my Grad Dinner

How about this amazing drawing from our dear friend Aaron!

I DID IT!

Visit Newport Beach

2012-05-15T13:54:00.001-07:00

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Newport Beach. All opinions are 100% mine.

Looking for an fun and exciting summer destination with gorgeous beaches, amazing weather, and a never ending list of things to do? Sounds perfect for me and that’s what Newport Beach in Southern California has to offer. Newport Beach is one of the most beautiful coastal locations in So-Cal and trust me, I've been there and family tries to visit all of them.

Visit Newport Beach's site, start by checking out the hotel accommodations. Hyatt Regency Newport Beach hotel is currently having an incredible family promotion: Buy one room at full price, receive a connecting room for kids 18 and under at 50% off! The Hyatt Regency Newport Beach is a resort style destination with 3 pools and whirlpools, 9 hole golf course, shuffleboard, ping pong and more. Call 800-233-1234 and mention the Family Plan to book this awesome deal today.

VisitNewportBeach.com also guides you to find the perfect dining location narrowing between cuisine, location, price, and will even help you make the reservation. The site offers a huge selection of amenities from city information, beach selection highlighting what each beach has to offer, gorgeous pictures of the city, and my favorite is the “Things to Do” tab.

With two small kids, it’s so important to review where I’m going to make sure there are events my entire family can enjoy. The Things to Do tab breaks it down from to help you find the activity perfect for your vacation. The list of activities is endless: Sunset cruises, surf lessons, huge selection of kids camps, SHOPPING, spas, arts and entertainment, wine tasting, and even sporting events. The kids can go to a beach and surf camp, sports camp, or even preschool camp for the little kiddies while I could enjoy a day of shopping, followed by a massage at the spa, finished with a sunset cruise with the entire family. Sounds pretty amazing right? Newport Beach seriously offers something for every person in your family. What would your ideal day in Newport Beach be?

Watch this video to see how incredible this city is!

Does this sound like the type of vacation you need? Have you ever been to Newport Beach or experienced anything like it? I'd love to hear what you think.

Super Frugal Stephanie's Blog Anniversary Giveaway!

2012-05-13T07:55:00.000-07:00

Super Frugal Stephanie's 1 Year Anniversary Giveaway!

WOW i can't believe its been a year of blogging already! It has been a great year full of milestones and fun! I look forward to another year full of more milestones with one of them being reaching 20k! Thank you to all my blogging friends and fantastic followers for all the support and standing by me this past year i could not have done it without all of you! I look forward to continuing to help you save and learn to coupon the "Normal Way"

I have teamed up with several bloggers to bring you a generous giveaway of gift cards, items. and COUPONS!! Woo Hoo! Time to fill up those binders!

Please be sure to follow all the rafflecopter entries as they will be verified!

Thank you again for all the support & Good Luck!!

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Louis Vuitton Giveaway Thanks Madame Deals!

2012-05-12T05:00:00.000-07:00

Want to win a LOUIS VUITTON Handbag????

**Powered by Madame Deals and Slop Swap**

Along with our hosts:

Go Momma Coupons This Mama Loves Her Bargains Dixie Lands Deals Product Reviews Flabby Fashionista Saving More Than Me

Present this Louis Vuitton Giveaway Event!

Giveaway will run May 12 12:01 am EST thru June 12 11:59 pm EST

You have a lot of chances to WIN! Complete the mandatory entry and unlock the bonus entries.

Bonus entries are Facebook likes.

Wait for the Rafflecopter to load and enter below:

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Graduation Cap Decoration

2012-05-11T08:23:00.002-07:00

I'm graduating TOMORROW which should explain why I've been MIA in bloggy land this week. I had posts scheduled...some worked, some didn't. Anyhoo! My apologies.

Gearing up for Graduation, there are so many things to worry about: what you're going to wear, how you'll do your hair, getting your cap and gown, graduation events and dinners, OH and there's all that school and work business. I understand these may not be how you would prioritize things but for me it was Outfit first, Homework second :) One thing I didn't think I would have time for was decorating my Grad Cap. But, if you know me, you know that plain and boring is NOT how I roll. I searched and searched and searched images of Grad caps to find something I wanted to do and seriously, there are a lot of options, but none of them were for me:

I mean, "Hi Mom and Dad" would be weird since my own kids will be there, "Hire Me" seemed outta the question since I'm not looking for a job, I'm not in a sorority, we don't have a sports team, "Peace Out" and "Cheers" were definitely out.

I decided I wanted a glittery monogram and it all went down hill from there. I researched how to put glitter on fabric, vinyl, stencils, fabric glue, fabric glitter.....Definitely in over my head.

So..... I used Glittery Cardstock instead and here's how I did it!

Supplies:

Scrapbook Paper/Cardstock (I used a real glitterly Pink)

Scissors

Rhinestone Floral Design Stickers & Regular Rhinestones

Tacky Glue

First, I found a font that I liked and printed out my letters on regular paper. Cut them out and trace them onto the back of your scrapbook paper/cardstock.

Then I played and played and played with the Letters and the floral designs until I found a pattern I liked. Stared at it for about 6 hours until I decided I was ready to make it permanent!

I went with the Fast Grab Tacky Glue which dries clear. I applied it directly to the cardstock and placed it on the cap. I also used the glue for the stickers and used a toothpick to apply it so it wouldn't leak out of the side of the sticker.

Then I placed the floral design how I liked them and added a few of the pink rhinestones (also with glue) and tweezers because those little suckers were too small for me to handle. I love how the added pink tied all the color together.

I'm "officially" ready to graduate TOMORROW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

There are seriously endless amounts of options you can do using different colored carstock, glitters, and the premade rhinestone stickers and/or colors. Hope you like it!

If you're thinking of a grad gift, feel free to click this button and vote for me on Top Mommy Blogs!

KDnovelties Personalized Children's Books

2012-05-11T07:53:00.004-07:00

KDnovelties offers personalized children's books, putting your child's name and personal information into the story. The selection of books is incredible and has a diverse selection to cater to each child's preference. They also have popular character books like Sesame Street, Loony Tunes, and Mother Goose. We're HUGE Loony Tunes fans in this house so we chose to review the Loony Tunes Personalized Children's Book.

I can not express how excited Kaylin was about this book. Just seeing the characters on the front made her literally jump for joy. When we sat down to read it, the first thing we saw was the personal message I was able to write to Kaylin. Just another special way to make this book personal for my girl.

Reading the story was awesome as they include your child's name as one of the characters. Right off the bat I was able to read Kaylin's name and city she lives in into the story and we also were able to include 3 of her friends names. She LOVED reading through the book as one of the characters. I've seriously read the book more times than I can count. She absolutely loves it and sleeps with it.

If you are looking for a way to get your child interested in reading, KDnovelties is the way! You are certain to find something that your little one will love and making them a character really ignites their interest in the story! After seeing how much Kaylin loves her personalized children's book, I'm pretty sure I'm going to get these as gifts for all the kids I know. The books are totally affordable, the shipping time was super fast and the packaging was perfect. I can't say enough good things and I will definitely be ordering more!

Me4kidz nailbuddy review

2012-05-10T08:52:00.000-07:00

me4kidz is a fantastic company that offers kid focused products that are practical and fun!

Their pediatrician recommended and award winning products vary from first aid, oral care, beauty, and baby. Along with their awesome products, me4kidz also manufactures all of their products in the USA to keep jobs here, they employ people with various disabilities to give them an opportunity to be a part of their community in the working industry, they donate to educational fundraisers AND they use recycled plastics for their containers. Pretty impressive right?!

Kaylin and I were thrilled to review the nailbuddy kit and from the minute she saw the package, she couldn't wait for me to open it. One bad thing about reviews, I had to take pictures along the way while she kept saying "No more pictures, please can I open it!!"

She LOVED it, of course!

Take nailbuddy with you wherever you go! It's small and compact and would fit perfectly in my purse or a backpack.

The contents are as follows:

As I opened it, all I could think of was how I wish I had something like this for me!

Kaylin went right to work getting her pretty on!

We'll have to work on staying in the lines but the best part is the nail polish is water based, totally safe, and non toxic.

me4Kidz is an amazing company and I'm honored to be able to have reviewed their product. Check out their website and take a peek at their other awesome products: medibag, medibuddy, diaper bag buddy, smile buddy, and little buddy wipes.

Chic Algene Birthday Bash $150 Paypal Giveaway!

2012-05-08T21:51:00.002-07:00

Chic Algene of I Heart Giveaways and The Coffee Chic is celebrating her birthday today! To make things more exciting, she has teamed up with me to bring you an awesome giveaway. One lucky entrant will win $150 Paypal Cash.

Finish the entries in one sitting or bookmark this site and come back tomorrow. Remember, the higher number of entries you complete, the higher the chance of winning. Good luck!

This event would not become possible without the help and support of these co-hosts: Bay Area Mommy, Zoe's Printable Coupons, Samut-Sari, Wrap with Jolene, Mamal Diane and Stiletto Files.

The giveaway will be open worldwide. The rafflecopter widget will be closed on May 30, 2012 (11:59 PM).

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Homemade Dog Food

2012-05-08T17:41:00.001-07:00

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of homemadedogfood.com. All opinions are 100% mine.

When we got Dozer, his breeder actually recommended we make homemade dog food, but that seemed really intimidating to me. After a few days of having Dozer, he began having tummy issues and the vet instructed us to make his food until the tummy issues were under control. I remember how easy it was but eventually we transitioned to buying the incredibly expensive bag of dog food. Well, with all of the dog food recalls, health scares, and terrible ingredients they consist of, it’s time to start looking for an alternative.

HomemadeDogFood.com is an AWESOME site that encourages making your dogs food with nutritious and healthy ingredients. There is an Easy cooked dog food recipefeatured on the site with a fabulous video explaining the recipe step by step. The ingredients couldn’t be more simple and healthy: Ground Beef, Eggs, Rice and 2 supplements to ensure the dogs get their nutritious needs met. Check out the video and see for yourself how excited his dogs are when they see their homemade dog food; the tail wagging alone tells you how much dogs enjoy the food. The dogs not only love Homemade dog food, but it’s the best and healthiest food choice for them.

I am definitely inspired and encouraged to step away from buying the bags of dog food and make my own Homemade Dog Food. Dozer can’t make his own food and he can’t tell me what he’d prefer, but with this super easy but good recipe, I bet he would ask me to make this for him! I want to take the best care of him I can and Homemade Dog Food is definitely the way to go.

BBFF - I am Not Superwoman - Chickpea Sammies Recipe!

2012-05-04T08:10:00.000-07:00

Guest post from my wonderful BBFF Jennifer, she blogs at I Am Not Superwoman and has a fabulous blog, if you haven't checked her out, please do! I promise you'll see something you'll love, she does weekly menu planning which I totally enjoy, she blogs about her awesome family, and did I mention we both have daughters named Kaylin/Kaylyn.

She's sharing a fabulous recipe for Chickpea Sammies, YUMMO!

HUGE thank you to Jennifer from I Am Not Superwoman

Hello! So glad to be over here guest posting for An Irish Italian Blessing.
Both Katherine and I have been blogging for just about the same time and when I ran across her blog, there was an instant connection....We both have daughters name Kaylyn/Kaylin (we just spell them differently). Ever since then, I have been hooked.

My name is Jennifer and I blog over at I Am Not Superwoman. I am a happily married, mother of 4 rambunctious kids (ok, make that 3 since our oldest is 19). I blog about everything under the sun...Nothing is off limits however it is family friendly. I recently had the chance to visit Ethiopia on a mission trip and now I have the travel bug. Our family has recently taken the plunge and have been eating a vegetarian diet for about the last month. I came up with this yummy recipe that I so eagerly want to share. If you like hummus and tuna or egg salad type sandwiches you will love this.

Chickpea Sammies. Ingredients

16 oz can of Garbanzo Beans

2 Stalks of celery (diced)

1 small onion (diced)

2-3 tbsp of Mayonnaise (I used the mayo with olive oil)

1/2 peeled and sliced cucumber

1 small tomato (sliced)

Toasted Bread OR Pita Pockets

A dash of garlic salt

Salt and Pepper to taste

Directions

1. Drain can of Garbanzo beans

2. Pour into med size bowl

3. Mash Garbanzo beans (or you can use a food processor to chop them) to where they almost become a paste HOWEVER if you do this by hand they will probably be a bit chunky and that is ok.

4. Mix in mayo, diced celery, onions, garlic salt, salt & pepper.

5. Toast bread

6. Spread on to toasted bread. Add slices of cucumber, tomato and any other vegetables you like (next time I am going to add lettuce).

EAT. ENJOY.

Did you know that 1/2 cup of garbanzo beans provide 5-7g of protein and fiber. You do however need to check the sodium content of some brands and opt to get the lower sodium beans.

Hope you stop by my blog sometime and say hi! Thanks Katherine for letting me guest post!

Please click here to vote for my blog on Top Mommy Blogs!

MotherLoad Mother's Day Giveaway $700 Prize!!!

2012-05-03T07:15:00.000-07:00

Your Fab Hostesses Are Mompreneur Mogul & Mom Blogger Buzz

We are so excited to present the Mother Load Mother's Day Giveaway Event where ONE mom will take home the whole shabang!

RULES: This contest is open to US residents ONLY. Must be 18 or older to win with a paypal account to claim cash prize. When: This Mother Load Mother's Day Giveaway Runs May 3rd - May 13th 11:59 EST so share it and pass the word. How To Enter: Like the Facebook Pages On The Rafflecopter Winners: You will be notified immediately after the event ends by email you will have 48 hours to respond or another winner will be chosen in your place. Prizes: Over $700 in cash and prizes. Here are some bullet points but for photos and a detailed list vist : Mother Load Prize Details

Albertson Gift Basket $200 Value
Blog Redesign $140 Value
Beautiful Natural soap Gift Basket
Coffee /Tea Gift Pack
$200 Paypal cash click link below for photos and more details Mother Load Prize Details
I declare charms $55 dollar value

We would like to thank the following sponsors and bloggers without them this amazing giveaway would not be possible:
Mompreneur Mogul, Mom Blogger Buzz, Giveaway Promote, Keep the Tail Wagging, Home Cooking Memories, Sarah Dawn Designs, Swoon Media, RockStarMom Las Vegas, Blogaholic Designs, Blogaholic Social Network, Domestically Speaking, Measuring Flower, Mommy Who Loves Giveaways, Dawns Delights Art, Red Tag Mama, The Vagabond Studio, Just Joanna, Life as Leels, Irish Italian Blessings, Frugal Ferret, Flabby Fashionista, Giveaway Bandit, Coupon Savvy Sarah, The Beauty of it all, Mom Saves Money, The Crazy Coupon Shopper, Jenns Blah Blah Blog, Tidbits From A Mom, Shopaholic Mommy, Top Vacation Spots, Simply Shawn & Jenn

a Rafflecopter giveaway DISCLOSURE: Some of the prizes are based upon availability, for example the Albertson's gift box will contain $200 worth of items but if they are out of a particular item they may replace that for something else. You can read more on the prize detail page listed below. Mompreneur Mogul is in no way responsible. Photo Credit: 123RF Stock Photo

My Rude Blogger Experience!

2012-05-02T08:34:00.002-07:00

I'll start by saying I really debated whether I should post about this because I'm not one to badmouth a blogger or start some bloggy war. Quite frankly, it bothers me that this even happened because I normally get along fabulously with every blogger I've ever met.
But, I'm a blogger and I have the right to ~~whine~~ share my feelings, so here we go!

I'll refer to the big bad mean blogger as "Mary" since I don't want to throw her under the bus. Mary is a pretty big blogger, especially compared to my small space in the blogosphere. I've never heard of her until now and I guess it's been a blessing in disguise.

Anyhoo, it all started with these free blogger events bloggers can sign up for. We promote the giveaway in exchange for one of our social network links being added as an entry for the giveaway. I signed up for one, I joined the Facebook group and I was really enjoying meeting new bloggers and all the support that was being offered in the group. Blog Life was good.

Yesterday morning, I wake up, check my blog email and see the Giveaway Post email "Mary" sent with instructions on when to post and all that jazz. I copy and paste the post, fill out the doc, hit publish by 8:20 am. I think I'm all good to go until I check the form and see that I wasn't added to the rafflecopter. I email "Mary" and asked if I was removed since the post wasn't up in time or if I was going to be added after I filled out the doc with proof of my post. I asked her to let me know so I can make sure I don't make the same mistake in the future. My email was sincere and not rude in any way which is why the response I got really surprised me:

"I checked your blog and NO POST! I checked the doc form you were to report your post and no post. I was clear about posting on time. In fact I didn't remove you till 11am central time. 11 hours after you were to have your post up."

My response:
"Oh Gosh I'm so sorry! I got the email this morning and posted as soon as I saw it. I apologize for not being on time, that was never my intention to make you do more work. Again, my sincerest apologies. Thank you for the response."

Let me be the first to admit, I screwed up. I don't have the option to check my email all day, I have kids, school, a husband, a household and my blog takes a back seat to all of that. I didn't get the email until the day the post was supposed to be up and the time difference obviously did not play in my favor here. It's my mistake, I get that. I also get how frustrating it must be to organize these events and have bloggers not fulfill their responsibility. However, that doesn't give you the right to be ~~a bitch~~ rude.

So let's get to my point, that email made me feel like I was being reprimanded and spoken to like a child. I never heard back after I sent my apology email which didn't surprise me. Actually, the more and more I thought about this email, the more it angered me. I would never treat anyone this way, regardless of what happened. I'm a good person, I'm a good blogger. I have great bloggy friends and do my best to support them in their bloggy ventures. One thing about me though, is I don't take shit...From ANYONE. Certainly not from some big blogger who doesn't even know me.

Here's the thing, she could have just wrote back: "Yes, had to remove you for the post not being up." Simple and to the point. But to USE CAPS and yell at me (internet wise anyways) was really uncalled for and unprofessional. I would never do business with someone that spoke to me like that in the real world and I certainly wont in cyber space. Sorry, but there are a million other Mary's I can work with that know how to be kind and professional.

Well, remember I was part of a FB group also, the one that I really enjoyed and met a lot of great bloggers in? Turns out "Mary" is the admin. I didn't want to leave this group because I loved it, I wanted the chance for comments and support and wanted to know about events so I could gain more followers and increase my social network.

Then I realized, I was letting "Bloggy Fame" get in the way of my integrity. How I could possibly think it was ok to continue to support someone that treated me badly is completely against my personal values. Would I trade a few Twitter and Facebook friends in order to feel like crap again? No Thank You! I obviously left the group and will actively choose not to participate in any even that involves this blogger.

Maybe I'm being oversensitive. Maybe I'm ignoring my responsibility to this blogger and not understanding her frustration. Or, Maybe I'm totally right and don't feel like I deserve to be treated this way.

Whatever it is, I can say: Thanks for the blog post Inspiration "Mary", I didn't have any content to post until now.

Your thoughts? Am I being crazy? Have you ever had a rude blogger experience? If so, I'd love to hear your thoughts. (Aka...please tell me I'm not alone)

Please click here to vote for my blog on Top Mommy Blogs!

MotherLoad Giveaway Signups! Over $700 in Prizes

2012-05-02T07:22:00.000-07:00

We are very excited to bring you this powerful event. ONE Mom will receive the Mother Load in prizes and cash. Over $700 worth!

Sign Up is open for a limited time and we will only be accepting 30 bloggers so don't miss out.

Event details:

Hosts: Mompreneur Mogul & Mom Blogger Buzz

Have teamed up with these amazing bloggers to sponsor The Mother Load Mother's Day Event Giveaway that will increase your Facebook Fans and drive traffic to your site. ONE Mom will win it all! For a detailed list of prizes go here Prize Detail Page and the password is : ( capital "P" ) Prize These are the bloggers who have made this giveaway possible and sponsored some Un- BAH-lieveable prizes! RockStarMomLV Blogaholic Designs Keep The Tail Wagging Home Cooking Memories Domestically Speaking Sarah Dawn Designs Bloggers Site Designs Blogaholic Social Network Mompreneur Mogul Mom Blogger Buzz

Blogger Sign ups are open : April 30, 2012 12:01 AM until May 2, 2012 11:59 PMPrize: Over $700 in Paypal Cash and Prizes

For complete details and photos of prizes you may click here password is : Prizes Mother Load Giveaway Prize List Sign Up Fee:The participation fee is $4.00 ( towards prizes & Admin Fees )

What You Get:

A Facebook Link A back link of your choice Tons of new fans Media exposure from Mompreneur Mogul who was featured on Yahoo! Just had a major guest post on a popular blog, and will be featured in the Las Vegas Review Journal for the Mother's Day edition- all of these moms will be flooding the giveaway and are extra eyes on your site as well. Mega promotion as we will all be promoting this giveaway and your blog along with it. Instructions to follow:

Send payment to lisa@momprenuermogul.com with the subject Mother Load Giveaway – *Name of your Blog* (via Paypal – AS A GIFT to avoid fees and charges)
Fill out the sign up form below. Please provide correct links and information required.
Like Lisa Cash Hanson & Mompreneur Mogul on Facebook
Join Get Famous Giveaways For Mom Bloggers ( here I will post the html for the giveaway and the rafflecopter and other questions will be answered there)

Grab the button code for the event and place it on your site’s sidebar.

Blogger Sign Up Form
And thank you so much! We look forward to working with you and having a super charged event for everyone!

BBFF - Binkertation Bath Storage Solution = Genius!

2012-05-01T08:23:00.002-07:00

Huge Thank you to my Bloggy BFF Amber from Binkertation who is so awesomely guest posting so I can get my butt through this the end of school! She's sharing a an oldie but a goodie post to share a really great way to store bath toys which is a fantastic idea that I seriously wish I would have seen sooner. Please stop by and say hello! Take it away Miss Amber!

Hi there, friends and followers of Irish Italian Blessings! I found Katherine's {awesome} blog when we were both prego with our baby boys and found each other through Baby Center. With our baby boys due so close together and Katherine being generally cool, we've become fast bloggy friends. I like to think of Katherine as my bloggy mentor. The lady is prolific!! Her posts are always fun and make me smile. So, all that flattery said, I'm thrilled to be guest blogging while Katherine is away. Since my little blog {Binkertation} is probably quite new to all of you, I decided to pull out an oldie, but goodie for this guest blogging adventure. Enjoy! I can't even tell you how life changing this bath storage idea has been. Over 6 months later, and it's still what we're using - in BOTH bathrooms.

The craziness of Halloween is over, but things

are still quite crazy around here.

I thought getting those internship applications in would

free up a lot of my time, but I was wrong?! Oh how wrong I was!

Now, I'm just realizing how many things I neglected in order to

get those applications in. Oops...

It will all get done, right!? Right.

It must.

So, short post today, but had to share something life changing with you.

Well, life changing for me...

but maybe for you too? I hope!

I've had an issue with all bath toy storage apparatuses (apparati?!) over the past 3 1/2 years. NOTHING has worked for us.

I hate suction cups.

Really.

Recently, I found this idea on Pinterest and it has solved a major problem in my household. This Mama is HAPPY - the toys are up, out of the way, and neatly contained.

So far, so good....

All you need is...

a 3 tier hanging fruit basket.

seriously.

genius.

Thank you to 8 Foot 6 for this amaaaaazing idea.

Please don't ask me why Audrey is drinking(?!) out of a bottle of bubble bath in the picture above...

It's non-toxic, don't worry.

Plus, she had to play with something while I was photographing the toys hanging out of her reach...

Mean Mommy!!

There you have it - a bath toy storage solution I am in LOVE with...give it a try and let me know if it works for you too :)

-Amber

Please click here to vote for my blog on Top Mommy Blogs!

Wiggity Weekend! Things That Make Me Happy

2012-04-30T07:59:00.000-07:00

Things that make me happy....Mark Wahlberg....

I mean seriously, come on!

Remember last year when I reminded you that I lived in the suburbs, well the goats and sheeps are back. Check out this amazing Goatee on this Goat!

I know some dudes that would KILL for this kinda goatee!

Every now and then I find something on Pinterest that just makes me laugh. A LOT!

Scuse the potty language but it's funny!!

Source: fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net via Katherine on Pinterest

School Related News:

I wrote 52 pages last week. A total of 7 different papers and I finished yesterday. I still have 2 classes but will officially be graduating May 12th. 13 days and counting!

Celebrated at a Grad Dinner on Thursday, here's a few of my fellow graduates and dear friends with one of the most amazing teachers ever!

Here we are at our final class together last week!

Back in Feb I shared this pretty infamous youtube video with the 5 incredibly talented people playing one guitar on the Gotye Cover, well since then, I've seen this spoof on that video and I pretty much laughed until I cried. For your viewing pleasure:

And finally, I'm really lovin this new Sponsor/Advertising Page I added using Passionfruitads.com. Talk about making sponsoring and advertising easy peasy!

Use the Current Promo Code: GRAD and take $2.00 off each ad slot!

If you're looking to sponsor or want to swap buttons, please email me and lets make this happen! Now that I'm totally cool and have a button :)

ONE MORE DAY TO ENTER MY AWESOME Thirty-One Gifts GIVEAWAY!!!!

Want to win this amazing bag??? Enter today, it ends May 1st!

Oh and one more thing.....

Please click here to vote for my blog on Top Mommy Blogs!

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WOW YOUR DAD ON FATHER'S DAY!

A huge THANK YOU to our sponsor... BLACK & DECKER for offering these amazing prizes!

Now head on down there and get your entries in because you can't win if you don't enter...

DIY Framed Letter Photo Art

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10 Months, A haircut, and More!

Frangelico's "Watch the Pitch on AMC" Sweepstakes

GRADUATION!!

Visit Newport Beach

Super Frugal Stephanie's Blog Anniversary Giveaway!

Louis Vuitton Giveaway Thanks Madame Deals!

Graduation Cap Decoration

KDnovelties Personalized Children's Books

Me4kidz nailbuddy review

Chic Algene Birthday Bash $150 Paypal Giveaway!

Homemade Dog Food

BBFF - I am Not Superwoman - Chickpea Sammies Recipe!

MotherLoad Mother's Day Giveaway $700 Prize!!!

We would like to thank the following sponsors and bloggers without them this amazing giveaway would not be possible:

My Rude Blogger Experience!

MotherLoad Giveaway Signups! Over $700 in Prizes

We are very excited to bring you this powerful event. ONE Mom will receive the Mother Load in prizes and cash. Over $700 worth!

Sign Up is open for a limited time and we will only be accepting 30 bloggers so don't miss out.

Event details:

Hosts: Mompreneur Mogul & Mom Blogger Buzz

Blogger Sign ups are open : April 30, 2012 12:01 AM until May 2, 2012 11:59 PMPrize: Over $700 in Paypal Cash and Prizes

What You Get:

And thank you so much! We look forward to working with you and having a super charged event for everyone!

BBFF - Binkertation Bath Storage Solution = Genius!

Wiggity Weekend! Things That Make Me Happy