Solace Amid the Chaos

Giveaway: Nourish Your Roots to Growth // FREE Virtual Lifestyle Coaching Session

2014-02-03T19:21:00.000-08:00

Here's a chance to win a FREE 1-hour Session of Virtual Lifestyle Coaching Session with the fabulous Salatha Helton at Nourish Your Roots to Growth. Salatha can teach you how to stop, reflect, and develop to your greatest potential. She works with individuals and families; she even works with children with developmental delays who need lifestyle support + coaching.

{Like her on FACEBOOK}

She provides "elite, personal lifestyle coaching and more"... Click HERE for the various services she offers. They're pretty awesome! Salatha' sessions are either by Skype or by telephone.

So, enter here for your chance for a FREE 1-hour coaching session!! Good luck...

a Rafflecopter giveaway

*This contest is open to US residents. Must be at least 18 years of age. Must have Skype or phone to participate.

Sacramento: Listen to Your Mother Casting Call

2014-02-03T14:02:00.001-08:00

Listen to Your Mother is a production that takes you through the journey of motherhood through our eyes (a mom's eyes). In fact, you could be one of those moms whose original story is part of this interesting concept. Your story could be about infertility, a loss, becoming a mom in a way you never expected...

The Sacramento area LTYM has open submissions until February 23, 2014, at 1159pm. Here are some of the guidelines from the LTYM blog:

Please email your piece (in the body of the email) with “LTYM Sacramento submission” as your subject line to us at: LTYMSac@gmail.com If your submission is accepted, we’ll invite you to attend auditions, which will be held on March 15 and 16 at ThinkHouse Collective, by appointment only. A few things about the process…

Your piece should be no longer than 5 minutes long when read aloud.
We will accept only one submission per person.
While we do ask that you’re comfortable with your piece, we won’t ask you to memorize it for the show. What matters most is that you speak from your heart.
Commitment for LTYM Sacramento cast members includes two group read-throughs (to be held on March 29 and April 26) and a pre-show run-through at the theater.
Our show is currently scheduled for Mother’s Day weekend (exact date/time is TBD) in Sacramento.

Good luck, if you decide to submit an entry!! :)

Thanks for stopping by...

Valentine's Day Subway Art {Free Printable}

2014-01-21T18:49:00.001-08:00

I think I am a tad obsessed with making subway art. It is so fun to choose colors and fonts and words... I made this pink Valentine's Day for my mantle and thought I'd share it with you! I printed mine 11 x 14 size, and it looks nice. I ordered it from Costco Photo for about $3.00! I know! Not bad at all...

Enjoy!

{Get this printable here.}

My 5 Favorite {Restaurants-Roseville}

2014-01-19T21:40:00.000-08:00

I LOVE food! I love great tasting food. So, I thought I'd let you in on my little secret: my favorite restaurants. I am starting this mini-series {My 5 Favorite Restaurants} with the city of Roseville, CA.

1: Mikuni Japanese Restaurant. Their Black and White just melts in your mouth. I have never tasted it anywhere even close to this good at any other sushi restaurant I have been to in the Greater Sacramento area. The Black and White is albacore tuna toro seared with olive oil and garlic,
black tobiko caviar, ponzu, green onions. Yum! Try the Zig Zag roll, Pimp My Roll roll, and the Jerry roll. You can't go wrong at this place...

2: Crush 29. Great atmosphere, nice wine list, decent service, and good food. My favorite there (and, I order this EVERY TIME we dine here) is Snap Crackle Salmon. It's salmon with lavender, mandarin orange sauce, whipped potatoes, and asparagus.

3: The Cheesecake Factory. I know this is a large restaurant chain, but their food is yummy. I like that they have a "Skinny" menu now, and that they serve breakfast. The Monte Cristo sandwich, though, is not great. But, the rest of the menu is awesome.

4: La Provence. The food here is AMAZING. I will say, however, the service doesn't match that for anything. We seem to get this one waitress every time we go there, not matter where seated. Their gnocchi and risotto are awesome. It makes me hungry just thinking about it...

5: PF Chang's China Bistro. Good food, stylish decor, and great drinks. My favorite dishes here are their chicken lettuce wraps, Crispy Honey Shrimp, and the PF Chang's Fried Rice.

Sacramento: Monster Jam Re-Cap

2014-01-18T11:37:00.000-08:00

Wholey Moly! A great time was had by all!! I didn't realize how cool these monster trucks were. Their over inflated tires make them look like they're toys! But they are sooooo NOT! I didn't know this, but there are so many electronics, controls, safety masers, etc., that these drivers have to follow and do that it's crazy. They took one guy out because his electronics malfunction light was on just to be safe (see the orange truck below with the red light on the top left of the window). I think doing that is great! They take so many precautions at this event to keep the drivers and fans safe.

I also liked that this event was so patriotic and thankful for the men and women that serve our country both in the military and law enforcement. One of the monster trucks was Captain America!

There were several 'competitions' during the show. The trucks went head to head, individual, freestyle, etc. Here are some pictures of the monster trucks in action:

BOUNTY HUNTER crushin' some cars!!

GRAVEDIGGER

TIMEFLIES flying high!

I'm BATMAN!! (Poor guy biffed it at the end and rolled his truck. But, he was OK!!)

One of the side events was this lady, who gets into a giant canon and gets blasted to the other side of the arena. Her name is CanonLady! Super cool!!

All in all, this was a super fun event. My son was a bit nervous at first, but warmed up to it and was so enthralled at the giant trucks jumping and squishing cars. His friend loved it, too! My husband and I felt like kids again, and that doesn't happen much nowadays. :)

Thanks to Feld Entertainment, Karen Bakula PR and Sac Bloggers for giving us this opportunity! It was fun, fun, fun!

I am a Feld Family Ambassador, and in exchange for my time and efforts in attending shows and reporting my opinion within this blog, as well as keeping you advised of the latest discount offers, Feld Entertainment has provided me with complimentary tickets to Feld shows. Even though I receive these benefits, I always give an opinion that is 100% my own.

Sacramento: 'Rock-and-Roar' Monster Jam {January 17~19}

2014-01-14T22:24:00.000-08:00

Monster Jam is one of the most popular touring sporting events in the world. And, our family gets to experience it first hand! We cannot wait! Since I am a 'research before you go' kinda gal, I found all of this information about Monster Jam and the Monster Trucks that perform at this event!

Monster Truck Facts:

Height – Approximately 12’

Width – Approximately 12’

Length – Approximately 20’

Weight – 10,000 lbs.

Tire Size – 66” X 43” on a 25” Tall Wheel (That's about how tall I am

At Monster Jam here in Sacramento, we'll be seeing:

Grave Digger

Batman

Bounty Hunter

Iron Outlaw

Destroyer

~PLUS~

Captain USA

and

Double Trouble.

These world popular monster trucks will be performing some spectacular stunts!!

I remember seeing Grave Digger (competing for 30+ years) a long time ago and now I get to take my son to go see it! How cool is that?

Another cool thing about Monster Jam in Sacramento is that fans can get down to Sleep Train Arena early both Saturday (1/18) and Sunday (1/19) to enjoy "Party in the Pits" pre-show to see the trucks up close and to meet the drivers. Yeah!!

For more information and updates, go to www.MonsterJam.com.

Sacramento: Monster Jam {January 17~19}

2014-01-05T18:15:00.000-08:00

Our family is so excited to have been selected by the wonderful team over at Sacramento Bloggers to attend the MONSTER JAM monster truck event at the Sleep Train Arena in Sacramento, CA. We are ready for some car-crushing, engine-roaring action!

Tickets Now On Sale for Three Shows at the
Sleep Train Arena from January 17 – 19, 2014
Including Two Party in the Pits Pre-Show Events

Tickets & Pit Passes available for purchase online at Ticketmaster.com,
all Ticketmaster retail outlets, charge by phone at 800-745-3000
or at the Sleep Train Arena Box Office.

{via}

My TOP 5 Organizing Web Sites

2014-01-04T17:27:00.002-08:00

I hope to start the New Year off on the right foot with decluttering our home and organizing the things that are left. Having clutter around me is a huge downer to my motivational skills. I am just sick and tired of living in 'messy' every day; it makes me stressed, sad, and sometimes downright mean because I feel like I am not in any control.

So, I have been searching through websites, blogs, and articles on decluttering and organizing. I have come up with my own Top 5 sites and thought I'd share them with you!! :)

1. IHeartOrganizing: Jen over at IHeartOrganizing has the skills and design know-how I dream of. I just stalk her blog and take some of her ideas and tweak them. I just finished this DIY Storage Box project I found on the blog, and will be posting soon!

2. ZenHabits is a truly interesting website. The set up is different, but the information is wonderful. Get used to the layout and help rid yourself of clutter (and chaos).

3. Home Storage Solutions 101: this is a great resource for decluttering and household management. I love this quote from this blog, "Clutter robs us of peace, tranquility, time, and enjoyment, and instead gives us stress. "

4. Unclutterer: is a website that offers posts on decluttering and organizing. They also have funny reviews...

5. Home Your Way/Organizing Your Way/etc.: has something for everyone. Here, bloggers write about all thins organizing.

So, with all of my purging, putting away Christmas stuff, etc., I am pretty overwhelmed. Calgon, take me away!!

Thanks for stopping by! Good luck to you in your New Year Chaos Clearing, too!

Quick Thanksgiving Day Place Cards {Haystacks}

2013-11-26T16:12:00.000-08:00

Hi, there!! I was trolling around on the Internet and came across this cool tutorial for some Haystack Place Cards from The Twinery. They looked so cute and so easy, I decided to try them myself right then and there! I had all of the items needed, so I said to myself, "Why not?"

They will be a cute addition to any Thanksgiving table spread!!

{the twinery's}

{mine}

Here are the directions from The Twinery, with some input from me on what I tweaked... Have fun!

Recipe for creating these Hay Bundle Place Cards:

2 sheets of Card Stock (each measure 4.5″ x 12″)

Adhesive (double sided tape or adhesive runner works best)

Baker’s Twine - we used our twine in Marigold, Cappuccino and Mandarin

Mini Gift Tags

Scissors

Bone Folder (used to create the score lines)

To create each hay bundle, you’ll just need two 4.5″ x 12″ pieces of card stock. {I additionally used card stock that measured 4.25" x 11". I just picked from what I had on hand!!}

Then, you’ll just need to score two lines down the center of the card stock – leaving about a 1 inch gap between the two lines to create the “center” of the hay bundle. {I scored it at 1.75" and 2.75" for the 4.5" x 12" papers; and, at 1.5" and 2.5" for the 4.25" x 11" papers I used.}

You’ll then cut about 1/4″ slits on either side of the “center” of the hay bundle until you reach the center of it. {You could always use those fringy scissors, too!}

Please see The Twinery's diagram below for easy instructions…

Then just roll the fringed card stock into a tube, secure the end with tape or glue. {I used a bit of hot glue.}

Wrap baker’s twine around the center (middle) of the hay bundle. {Though I LOVE LOVE LOVE

The Twinery, I just used some baker's twine that I found in the scrapbook aisle at Michael's. Yes, I already had this, too.}

Attach a small name tag with twine to the center. {I used a 1" hole punch, and then wrote names in the circle.}

That's it!!

I hope you enjoyed this post. Thanks so much for stopping by...

Have a Happy Thanksgiving!

Fall Subway Art {Free Printable}

2013-11-25T18:14:00.002-08:00

Hey!! I made this printable for you all! It has all of the words that me and my family think of for the season...

Here is the link to download it for yourself!!

Enjoy!

{CLOSED} / WASHI TAPE GIVEAWAY!! {ended November 30th}

2013-11-21T12:42:00.000-08:00

It's time for yet another fun giveaway!! This time it is is generous samples from my Washi Tape Collection seen in THIS post!!

There are approximately 80+ samples of washi!! Wow!! I know! Super cool, huh? The samples are about 10-12 or more inches length; and, each color family is wrapped around a plastic, hole punched Project Life by Becky Higgins designer divider.

Here are the essentials:

The giveaway starts November 21, 2013 and ends on November 30, 2013.

The winner will be randomly chosen.

The winner will be notified by email and also posted here on Solace Amid the Chaos.

If the winner does not respond in 48 hours, then another one will be randomly chosen.

This giveaway is for both USA and international entries.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Good Luck!!

{WINNER ANNOUNCED} $150 Amazon Gift Card - Nov. 12 to Nov. 19th (CLOSED)

2013-11-21T09:16:00.003-08:00

We have a winner! It's Bekah Campbell She has been e-mailed, and we are awaiting her response to claim her prize! Congrats, Bekah!!

CLOSED-{GIVEAWAY} $150 Amazon Gift Card - Nov. 12 to Nov. 19th

2013-11-13T11:01:00.001-08:00

Me and my bloggy friends at Bella Caiden, Naptime Creations, Simplistically Sassy, Create & Babble, Girl in the Garage, One Tough Mother, Mellywood's Mansion, 365ish Days of Pinterest, One Artsy Mama, and One Plus One Equals Six have gotten together to bring you a totally awesome Amazon giveaway!! It's a $150 E-Certificate to amazon.com!! How cool is that?

The giveaway is open from November 12, 2013 through November 19, 2013. A winner will be randomly chosen and announced shortly thereafter!

So, sign up below and GOOD LUCK!
a Rafflecopter giveaway

{Tag} Fall Favorites

2013-11-08T15:57:00.000-08:00

So, I watch a lot of YouTube videos (and actually have a YouTube Channel of my own). I love videos on makeup, organizing, planners, and more. They do a lot of 'tag' videos on YouTube, so that viewers can get to know the person doing the videos.

I thought it would be fun to do another tag post on my blog, so you could get to know me a little better! :)

I ♥ Fall Tag Questions:

1. Fall Favorite Lip Product?
Urban Decay 24/7 Lipliner in Gash

{photo courtesy of Urban Decay Cosmetics}

2. Fall Favorite Nail Polish?
Sally Hansen Nail Polish Strips in Stripe-tease

{photo courtesy of Salley Hansen}

3. Favorite Starbucks Fall Drink?
   Salted Caramel Frappuccino, sometimes half-caf, soy milk, whipped cream and extra caramel on
     the bottom.

4. Favorite Fall Candle?
   Unfortunately, none. We are mostly an allergy-ridden family. :(

5. Favorite Fall Scarf or Accessory?
   Scarves make me hot. So, I don't wear them too much. I love my fuzzy Crocs, though!

6. Haunted House, Haunted Hay Ride or Haunted Corn Maze?
   None! I don't like anything haunted. I love going to the pumpkin patch!

7. What is your Favorite Thing about Fall?
   Not being hot all day. The rain. Snuggles.

8. What's your least favorite thing about Fall?
The time change. The bulky clothes.

I 'tag' all of you because I'd love to know what your Fall Favorites are! Just copy and paste the questions into a blog post or comment, and add your own answers...

Thanks for stopping by!

Kim

Fall Initial {Wreath}: Tutorial

2013-10-27T19:07:00.000-07:00

I made this wreath in, maybe, 45 minutes to an 1 hour. We were going to dinner at a new family's home and I wanted to bring them something more than the lavender plant we got for them. So, I had a grapevine wreath I found at the Dollar Tree and went to work!

Supplies Needed:
(1) Grapevine Wreath
Brown Velvet Ribbon (or any that you have on hand)
A Variety of Artificial Fall Flowers (I used 1 large flower, 3 medium flowers, 5-6 small flowers, some yellow tiny flowers to fill in areas) and some random leaves pulled off of the stems
Hot Glue Gun
Hot Glue sticks
(1) Medium Sized wooden letter (I used an 'S' and painted it orange to match the flowers)

First, I painted the letter orange, and set it aside to dry, while I finished the wreath. I used one quick light coat and then painted another regular coat on top of that.

Next, I glued the largest flower on first, then the 3 medium flowers around it. Then, I put the smaller flowers at the ends and used the leaves and the filler flowers to cover any holes, etc.

I added buttons to the middles of the 2 smaller flowers on the ends of the grouping. Then, I glued the letter on the flower grouping where I thought it looked best.

Next, I made a simple bow out of some brown velvet ribbon. Thanks to Craft Dot Cupcake on YouTube for the tutorial!! I glued it to the top of the wreath because I didn't think that it would look good as a dangling wreath. So, the bow at the top would suffice.

That's it! I hope you enjoyed this tutorial. Let me know if you've made any cute fall wreaths!!

Monster Patch Jeans

2013-10-08T01:30:00.000-07:00

I have seen a TON of different versions of these monster patch jeans. Since it it Halloween season, I thought it would be a cute idea to make them for my son. Lo and behold, he had a pair of holey jeans!! (And, always the right knee...) Here is how I made them, and I don't sew! :)

Supplies Needed:

A pair of Holey Jeans

White Felt

Red Felt

Navy Thread

A needle

Pinking Sheers

1. Cut away as many pieces of string from the hole as you want.

2. Cut a red felt piece slightly larger than the hole you are working with.

3. Cut teeth with pinking sheers, in the shape you'd like. (I did them pointy.)

4. Cut triangles (or circles, or ovals) with pinking sheers for the eyes.

5. Put the teeth on top of the red piece of felt, towards to top of the hole. (Here, I used a bit of fabric glue to hold the teeth on while I sewed the patch on.) Put on the inside of the jeans and adjust to where you'd like the patch.

6. Use a needle and navy thread to sew around the hole, making the thread as noticeable as you can. That is the beauty of this project: you HAVE to sew messily!!

7. Put the eye shapes above the mouth and sew them on the jeans with an 'X' pattern.

That's it!! Easy as pie! Let me know if you've tried this type of project or not. I'm curious to see yours!!

Thanks for stopping by!

Kim

Washi Tape Collection {Tag}

2013-10-07T07:00:00.000-07:00

So, this 'tag' has been going all over YouTube, and I thought it would be fun to do on my blog. I tag all of you!!! If you want, please leave the link to your Washi Tape Collection {Tag} in the comments! I'd love to see yours!

So, in a YouTube tag, you have to answer the questions that are provided and you record your answers. Well, since this isn't YouTube, I am taking pictures relating to each question, then explaining the picture/answering the question.

Here we go:

1~SHOW US YOUR WASHI TAPE COLLECTION (61 tapes + growing)!
Most of these are either Scotch brand Washi Tape (from Staples, Target, Office Depot, etc.), Target
brand Washi Tape, or tapes from Hobby Lobby, JoAnn, etc.)

2~WHAT ARE YOUR ULTIMATE FAVORITE WASHI(S) OF ALL TIME?
3~WHAT ARE YOUR MOST RECENT FAVORITE WASHI(S)?
   I have 3 favorite washis of all time + recent favorites combined (or, at least of all 40 years of MY
     existence) :)!! They are all from Hobby Lobby (I am not sure the name, but you can look for them
     in the Kid's coloring book section, in the Paper Crafting section, or in the tiny business supplies
     section). The top one is a bunch of different crosses; the middle one is of cupcakes; and, the
     bottom one is OWLS!! Love those little owls...

4~WHAT ARE YOUR LEAST FAVORITE WASHIS?
Well, this little green ans sunglasses Scotch brand Washi Tape is my least favorite. It's cute, but
tough to write on, and just too green...

5~WHAT ARE THE MOST EXPENSIVE WASHIS YOU HAVE OR THE MOST YOU'VE EVER PAID FOR A WASHI?
     I really have only bought washi tape from the Scotch brand, or Target, or Hobby Lobby /
     Micheal's / Joann. So, the most expensive would be like a $4.99 grouping of three tapes...

6~HOW DO YOU STORE YOUR WASHI TAPES?
   I store my washi tapes on a spool holder I got from Hobby Lobby. It cost $14.99, but you can use
     their 40% off coupon to get it cheaper. I sort them by colors, and still have room for more!!

7~SHOW YOUR FAVORITE PROJECT, CRAFT, LAYOUT YOU'VE MADE USING WASHI TAPE.
This is the front of my planner: October / Halloween Theme!!!

Again, I tag all of you. If you have a blog post about washi, then leave the URL in the comments.

Thanks for stopping by!

30 Days of Lists: Days 15 ~ 30

2013-10-06T13:43:00.000-07:00

I know I am pretty late on the rest of my September 2013 30 Days of Lists. My motivation has just been in the toilet recently, and am hoping to get back. So, here is the last of my entries.

Thanks for stopping by...

30 Days of Lists: Days 8 ~ 14

2013-09-19T08:00:00.000-07:00

So, this 30 Days of Lists project I am participating in this month is more difficult to keep up with than expected! I initially really like the concept and the idea that I would be "journaling" everyday for a month. But, at times, it has felt like a chore to me. But it is still a lot of fun when I hunker down and write my lists.

So, here are the prompts for days 8 through 14:

Day 8:

Day 9:

Day 10:

Day 11:

Day 12:

Day 13:

Day 14:

Onward to week three!!

Thanks for stopping by...

Our Sick House Nees to be Decontaminated

2013-09-18T22:14:00.000-07:00

We have been sick here for too long! My son got sick during his first week at Kindergarten {of course, I said to myself; it's a germ fest in school}. And, I finally got some antibiotics for me for what was found to be strep throat. My mom told me she's not feeling well (we see the grandparents A LOT). Then, we get word from my son's pediatrician that all the revolving sickness has brought some worsening to his asthma, and that is why he's coughing like crazy. On man!! My poor little guy, my poor mom, and POOR ME! :( This is exactly what I wanted for my 40th Birthday (yep, it was on 9/11)!!

Well, I am feeling so much better with these antibiotics. I mean these started working within 4-5 hours that I took them! WOW!! Now that I'm feeling better, I think it's time to put a tent over this sick hole and decontaminate it!! No, not that 'harsh', but definitely a deeper cleaning than normal.

I went to the Internet to see what I could do. Here is what I found:

1. The most important thing is to wash all of the sheets, blankets, towels immediately! Even clothes, too. You might have a giant pile of laundry to fold, but.... On top of that, I think I am going to run the 'naked' pillows through several minutes in the high heat of the drier.

2. Get rid of your toothbrush OR disinfect the head of the toothbrush in hydrogen peroxide.

3. Wash all of your dishes in HOT water or the hottest setting in the dishwasher.

4. Use disinfectants (like Lysol, vinegar & water mix, hydrogen peroxide, tea tree [meleleuca] oil)--whatever your preference--on everything anyone could have touched everywhere, including door knobs, handrails, switches, etc.!!

KITCHEN = refrigerator/freezer/dishwasher handles, door/cabinet handles, light switches, stove/oven handles, water spigot, tabletops, chairs, floors??, trash cans (if you can manually open them), etc. Then, take out the garbage...

BATHROOM = door handles, light switches, the whole flippin' toilet seat (under, over, + around), the toilet flusher, the tub & sink water spigots, the floor, and anything else you may have that I haven't thought of. Then clean the garbage can, and take out the garbage...

BEDROOM/LIVING ROOM = (any room the sickie was in, sterilize it) phones, t.v. switchers, door knobs, light switches, chairs, recliners, toys, bed, vacuum or clean floor, window handles, etc. The, take out the garbage.

When you're all done with that, maybe wipe down your car as much as you can (steering wheel, door handles, buckles, etc.), then dump some Lysol all over you and jump in the shower to sterilize yourself from whatever yuckies you cleaned just up!! Do you think I am serious?? No, people... But, if you want, go and take a shower. It will make you feel better...

So, I guess this could be called a "Fall Cleaning" instead of a Spring Cleaning. And, remember to please not go nuts trying to get all of the germs out of your house. In my germophobia days, I used to think it was possible. But, now with a Kindergartener, I realize that is highly unlikely to happen. :( I know, it'll be ok. Don't stress. It's not worth it. Your family is just getting better. No more unneeded stress... :)

Now go get a Flu Shot!! And, WASH your hands!! :)

Thanks for stopping by!

30 Days of Lists: Days 1 ~ 7

2013-09-18T16:07:00.000-07:00

I LOVE making lists!! The 30 Days of lists project that I'm doing this month is fun, but difficult!! For Real!! One of the questions this week was Rules to Break. I am not a rule breaker, so this one made me think. I loved that I had to go deep down to pull out things on this subject. I am still thinking about things to write for this day; but, that's the beauty of these lists: you can go back and add, if you want. :)

Anyways, here are my lists for the first week:

Day 1: What's new so far this Year?

Day 2: Projects I'm Currently Working On

Day 3: Things Younger Me Would Like About Current Me

Day 4: Favorite Time Wasters

Day 5: Things I Tend to Worry About

Day 6: Rules to Break

Day 7: Today I Saw...

I'll be doing another post soon about the second week of lists!! :)

Thanks for stopping by...

30 Days of Lists: September 2013

2013-09-01T15:44:00.002-07:00

I found out about this totally cool, very simple journaling project called 30 Days of Lists. Kam of Campfire Chic and Amy of Lemon and Raspberry concocted up this whole thing, and I think they are pretty genius!!

Some 'listers' go all out designing their journals with mixed media art, drawing, colors, etc. But, the great thing about this challenge is that you can participate in any way you wish: online, using Evernote, in a spiral notebook, on your Smart Phone... I love it!! You get prompts every day from Amy & Cam to help with what to journal {like: Things you are good at... AND: In my bag, etc.} Or, you can download the whole month of September 2013 prompts to jump ahead of the game!!

Here is my notebook {before + after}...

Registration includes access to the private blog and the opportunity to be part of a growing community of supportive, creative women. Plus you’ll get exclusive tutorials or downloads and exclusive discounts from their partners. Including Jess at Plucky's Second Thought. She's the one that introduced me to this idea!!

It isn't too late to start! Here is what registration includes:

Once you register you will receive an automatically downloadable file giving you access to the private blog for September 2013’s 30 Days of Lists, as well as exclusive discounts from the sponsors and ambassadors.

The #30Lists challenge blog is open immediately (and will remain available for at least a year).
Starting September 1st:

1 new list topic will be posted each morning
exclusive tutorials
additional giveaways
list topics hosted by some of our sponsors
‘your take’ posts high-lighting the lists all of you are making

Upon logging in, you’ll have immediate access to:

private Facebook Group just for September #30Lists participants
printable download with ALL of September’s list topics (for those of you who want the topics ahead of time)

That's it! Then, you just have to write~as little or as much as you'd like!! Tell me if you have joined up or will be joining me on this adventure! I'd love to go on it with you!!

Thanks for stopping...

Puppy Themed Boy's Birthday Party!!

2013-08-16T19:27:00.001-07:00

When I asked my son what kind of party he wanted for his 5th Birthday, he said Chuck E. Cheese's. I told him that was fine; but, asked him what 'theme' he wanted. And he said he wanted a dog party. Actually, it was kind of cute because he said it like this, "Mommy, I want a dawg pawty." So, he got a puppy themed party at our local Chuck E. Cheese's...

Everything I made for the party was found either on Pinterest or somewhere through searching the Internet. {Have I told you I was addicted to Pinterest??? :)}

We had a dog bowl cake and dog bone shaped sugar cookies that my crafty sister-in-law made.
(Go check out her Facebook page. She specializes in beautiful sugar art, especially sugar skulls!!)

I made a banner with my son's name on it. (See the dog bone shaped cookies under the banner...) I printed the 5" circle banner from Sarah Hope Designs via Catch My Party. Then, I cut them out and pasted them onto green scrapbook paper, punched two holes at the top with a hole punch and strung some cute ribbon through it.

There was a Puppy Adoption Station where the kiddos picked out a stuffed dog (from the Dollar Tree) and gave it a name. I typed 'Adopt a Puppy Here' in Microsoft Word and changed the font and the colors. I then printed it out and pasted it onto a piece of scrapbook paper, and added a little washi tape to the corners. The Certificate of Adoption free printable can be found at Chickabug.

We also had Doggie Bags as the favor bags. I used a mix of these cute dog print bags that I got off of Listia, and red paper cub bags that I got from the Dollar Tree. I also gave small gifts to the siblings of my son's friends--there were only 3 or 4. I put those in small brown paper treat bags. We just included the typical Dollar Tree trinkets (crayons, coloring books, etc.) as favors. The Doggie Bags sign was made the same way the adoption sign was.

One more thing that I almost forgot was the kids' 'Dog Tags'. They each got a necklace with their name on it on red craft paper that I Sizzix'd to look like a dog tag. Not difficult at all. I even think there are paper punches at your local craft store that are actually shaped like a tag... {Sorry for the blurred faces of the kids. I didn't want to chance it, and I wasn't able to contact all of their parents. So, I just blurred them out.} My little one, however, is in the middle!! :)

That's it for the puppy party! We had a wonderful time and there were many compliments by the employees and other parents at Chuck E. Cheese's. So, that made me feel all fuzzy inside!!

Check out these other super rad bloggers with some way cool party ideas!! They are the ones I'm joining forces together with for the great Party Pack giveaway...

Events To Celebrate: 3 Birthday Party Invitation Ideas - Free Printables
Create & Babble: Party Decorations Round-up
Simplistically Sassy: Party Favor Ideas
Party Pixie: Party Planning Timeline and Stress Free Tips
Painless Meals: Party Planning on a Budget
Cupcake Diaries: Cupcake Shake Shooters
Lady Makes It: Allergy Friendly Party Ideas
Solace Amid the Chaos: Puppy Themed Birthday Party
You've Got Your Hands Full: 5 Party Themes for Twins

Also, here is the information on how to enter our big giveaway:
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Thanks so much for stopping by and good luck, if you enter!!

BIG Party Pack Giveaway!!

2013-08-15T09:33:00.001-07:00

Hi friends!! It is time for another fabulous giveaway!! I have teamed up with 7 other bloggers for a Party Pack Giveaway brought to you by our friend Wendi at Party Pixie!!

Take a look at all these cool bloggers I'm joining with:

So, what are the prizes, you ask?? Let me tell ya! Party Pixie is giving away a Custom Invitation and 3 matching printables!! Way cool... Wait! That's not all!! That same winner will also get a $100 gift card to a store of their choice!!

See below for the Rafflecopter on how to enter.
The giveaway ends on August 21st at 11:30 PM MST,
and the winner will be announced On August 22nd.
Good Luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Thanks for stopping by,

One Artsy Mama's Growing Together Blogging Course: Halfway Completed

2013-08-12T21:32:00.000-07:00

I had mentioned joining a blogging course in a post a few weeks ago. I was so excited to start the course because I hadn't been to "school" in 10+ years and I love learning in a classroom-ish type environment. I know you're thinking, "That girl is craz-ay!" So far, I have enjoyed what I have been reading, doing, learning; and, one of the best things about the course is that I have enjoyed making new friends with other bloggers. The connections I have made have been blog-changing...

We have gone through several topics during the last 7+ weeks. My favorite ones have been 'Branding Your Blog' and 'Blog Design and Organization'. These parts of the course have helped me to finally figure out how to make my own {grab button} and not let it look like H-E-double hockey sticks!! :) Thanks so much, Amy... And, it taught me about how the look and organization of a blog can make it or break it.

At the beginning of the course, we were prompted to make goals for ourselves regarding our blogs. Here are some things that I came up with:

Do guest posts
Create a blog schedule & stick to it
Button swaps
Start a Postpartum Depression (PPD) Series
Possibly start a city area parent-kid series
Merge social media with blog, so I can actually "do" everything at once

Well, I have realized that none of us can do everything all at once--whether it be walking, chewing gum, and talking on the phone OR posting on your blog, Facebook page, Pinterest, and Twitter!! Darn, I am not Super Duper Blogging Mom; I am just Super Blogging Mom!! :)

I still have plans to do a series on Postpartum Depression, as I suffered with it for over a year after my 5 year old son was born. No mama should ever think she is alone in that illness! We can (and will) get better...

I also have some plans in the making for guest posts on other blogs, and guest hosting link parties and such. I cannot wait to do those!! :)

Looking back on the past few weeks, I think the biggest thing I have learned is to be yourself, let your readers know the 'real' you, and to be a person they can connect with. How true is that?? Just reading my favorite blogs each week shows me that being yourself is definitely what it's all about.

If you're a fledgling blogger like me or a fairly well established blogger like One Artsy Mama, this course is definitely a help!

We only have a few more weeks to go, and I am totally looking forward to the Social Media parts of the course. I still haven't learned how to use the Twitter thing-a-ma-jig!!

Thanks for stopping by...