Southern Lovely

Mygrafico {winner}

2012-02-25T08:00:00.003-05:00

Hey friends!

Time to announce the winner of the Mygrafico $30 giftcard. Thanks for supporting this giveaway!

And the winner is..

Here are your random number:

#26
Heather said...

I already follow Southern Lovely through GFC and I am new to Mygrafico. I would say my current favorite would be the cute ladybug clip art because my daughter is about to turn one and she is having a ladybug party. These would be perfect to use!

Congrats Heather!
I will be contacting you soon with the details.

What I Know--{Vintage Gwen}

2012-02-24T08:00:00.003-05:00

Hello there!
Today I am happy to have my very sweet friend here today. Jennifer is also one of my co-hosts for Show & Share & is such a kind person. You will love her too. :)

Hello Southern Lovely readers!! It’s such an honor to take part in Lindsay’s fabulous What I Know series! I adore Lindsay and am blessed to call her friend! I was very excited when she invited me. But have struggled to pinpoint what I know! I enjoy so many things some may think it’s ridiculous! There’s crafting including sewing and jewelry making, then there’s homemade baby gifts, baking, cooking, photography, music, makeup and fashion, holiday décor, entertaining. Whew!! See what I mean? I tossed a couple ideas around and finally a light bulb went on!

Today I’d like to share what I know about family traditions.

One of the best ways to celebrate life and make memories is with family traditions. Big or small, serious or goofy every family should have some.

One of my family’s traditions is the birthday celebration. As long as I can remember our tradition has been the birthday person gets to decide what is for dinner and what kind of cake they want. We would then enjoy a family dinner completed with birthday presents. Nothing spectacular but as the years have gone by we’ve added family members. And we have a birthday(s) to celebrate in every month except April now! And my mom has added a special birthday plate for the birthday person to eat dinner on. (Of course my sister, I and my sister in law now have a special plate too!) Now milestone birthdays have been celebrated differently of course…1st, 13th, 16th, and 21st mainly.

Since being married I have tried to adopt this tradition too. Even though we may have a family party I will still make a special cake for my husband or son for us to celebrate with

on the actual birthday. I’ve enjoyed just the three of us and our own little party!

Just us three cake at home for our son’s 1st birthday:

Individual cakes for just us three for my hubby’s birthday:

This past Christmas I was excited to add an Elf on the Shelf and an Advent Book to our family traditions. My little guy enjoyed both of these and I’m so glad to have made such fun memories with him!

A few other traditions on my side of the family are a family reunion that always takes place the weekend after 4th of July at Greenleaf State Park. And a few years back my mom started a Potty Party tradition. When one of my nephews had such a hard time potty training we wanted to show how proud we were of him for finally getting it that my mom thought a little party was fitting.

Now on my husband’s side of the family things are a little different. He is an only child. But a tradition that my in laws have is to buy a new pocket knife for Hunkie every birthday and Christmas. And yes Lil’ Hunkie has his own collection started.

There are all kinds of traditions to be made. Whether it’s a party to celebrate a moment in life or a token to commemorate a special day, traditions keep us together; they help us remember what’s important in life.

A few tips on making some:

#1 Keep it fun!

#2 Do what’s fitting for your family.

If you’re more of a board game family instead of a basketball/baseball/football playing family then have a board game night.

#3 Be resourceful.

It doesn’t have to cost big bucks to start or maintain a tradition. I made the Advent Book with materials I had on hand already.

#4 Don’t be competitive.

Family traditions aren’t about out doing someone else’s family. It doesn’t matter what anyone else thinks about your tradition either. See tip #1.

#5 Be flexible.

From experience there will come a time that adjustments will need to be made. When it starts to become stressful then that’s your cue! Kids grow up, parents are now the grandparents. New traditions are just as fun as the tried and true.

I hope these are helpful! And I would love to hear some of your traditions…maybe I need a new one, I don’t think you can have too many!

Thanks again Lindsay for having me!!

Wasn't this so great! I love hearing about how other people make occasions special & unique. This was a great reminder of how important family traditions are. Thanks Jennifer!

One Project Closer {guest post}

2012-02-23T08:00:00.002-05:00

Hi, my name is Jocie, and I am one of the four editors of One Project Closer. OPC is a home improvement site where Fred, Kim, Ethan, and I share how-to guides, tool reviews, discounts for home centers, and craft projects. While the guys focus on things like building workbenches, I write about everyday-girl design, decor, and crafts like making your own sock monkey. The other female power house of the group is Kim, who in addition to sharing her gardening and home projects, updates our coupon pages like this Lowe's discount page. We hope you'll stop by our site and say hello!

Birthday Ballerina Love

I have two little girls, Izzie and Lucy, and bunches of my projects involve the kids. In fact, just two hours ago, we sang "Happy Birthday" to my beautiful, now one-year-old, Lucy. I made this outfit for her a few weeks ago because I had a hard time finding something I really liked and because I was inspired when I saw the zebra print in the store! Haha!

Here are the highlights of how I made this adorable outfit for Lucy, and I hope you enjoy it as much as I have! If you'd like to see the whole (40 picture) story, click here for my original Birthday Ballerina article.

The T-Shirt

Materials:

T-shirt or onesie
Fabric or fabric scrap for the applique
Puffy Paint
Heat N Bond Lite (found at Joann's, Hobby Lobby, etc.)
Iron

First, pick a t-shirt/onesie and fabric for the applique and pre-wash, dry, and iron. I then used my computer to print out a number "1." You can also free hand the number or design.

Iron the Heat N Bond, glue side down (paper up) to the back side of your fabric. Then trace your number "1" onto the paper backing of the Heat N Bond which is now affixed to the fabric.

Peel of the paper backing from the Heat N Bond. Center it, glue side down, on your ironed, pre-shrunk shirt. Iron it on, using no steam.

I used puffy paint to edge around the number "1." This is not necessary to hold on the applique, but I wanted to add more purple to the shirt to tie it with the hat and tutu. Then, I used the puffy paint to write Lucy's name below the number.

The Hat

Materials:

Fabric
Tulle
Felt
Stuffing
Stretchy Headband
Needle and thread
Hot Glue

First, I made a felt hat to use as part of the stuffing, which fabric will go over. You do not have to use felt, but I wanted the hat to look more structured than stuffed.

Using your desired fabric, straight sew two sides of the hat, slightly larger than the felt structure.

Push the felt hat into the fabric hat, making sure the top is completely in. Then stuff with batting, inside the felt structure.

Glue the seams of the bottom of the hat together.

Place several strips of tulle on top of each other and straight pin together in a line down the center of tulle, long-ways. You can use more or less tulle, depending on how thick you want it to look.

Hand stitch a single line down the center of the tulle, removing the straight pins as you go. After sewing the entire length of the tulle, pull the end of the thread to gather the tulle until it is the width of the hat.

Hot glue down the center of the gathered tulle, following the thread line, and place firmly on the bottom of the party hat.

Using hot glue the party hat to a head band (depending on the age of the child you can use a hard or elastic head band, or even barrette).

Finally, for the top of the hat, stack several squares of tulle, about 2 inches on each side, on top of each other and pin together and sew. Then hot glue tulle puff to the top of the hat.

The Tutu

This is my favorite piece of the outfit and the easiest!

Materials:

Tulle, 2 - 4 yards
Stretchy headband or elastic
Ribbon (optional)
Scissors

First, measure how long you want the tutu to be. For a fuller tutu, layer the tulle before cutting strips. I used two layers to make a thicker shirt. Then cut your fabric long-ways to twice the desired length of the skirt. So for example, if you want your skirt to be 12" long, cut your 2 - 4 yards of tulle long-ways so that it is 24" wide.

Once your tulle is the correct width, layer it if desired, and fold in half long-ways. Cut a TON of 2" wide strips of tulle. One end should be cut and the other side should be looped.

Once tulle is cut, take one strip and place the loop in one hand and wrap around the elastic head band, looping around the head band and back through the loop. Pull until tight.

Repeat, repeat, repeat until you have made your way completely around the skirt.

Make a small space between two loops and tie a bow, using coordinating ribbon. You can also add beads, flowers, gems to the tulle skirt for extra embellishment.

Thanks so much for letting me share my project! I hope you'll swing by OPC and say hi!

______________

Wasn't this so adorable! I love this sweet little outfit. Thanks for posting here today Jocie!

Mygrafico {giveaway}

2012-02-22T15:00:00.001-05:00

Hey friends! Here is the fun giveaway that I promised from Mygrafico.
If you have not heard of Mygrafico, they are a commercial & personal graphic design company.

Here are some of my favorites from their site.

Circus Party Invites & Country Digi Papers

Little Monsters Party Set Printables

Okay, ready for the giveaway..

Mygrafico is giving away a $30 gift card to one of my lovely readers

Here's how to enter:

Required:
Follow Southern Lovely through GFC
Visit Mygrafico and pick your favorite product, let me what you chose & why

Additional Entries:
Like Southern Lovely on Facebook
Like Mygrafico on Facebook

Good luck!
Winner will be announced Saturday, February 25th.

Show & Share #28

2012-02-22T08:00:00.001-05:00

Hello!
Hope everyone is having a great week. I am getting packed & ready to leave on a cruise with my husband, his parents & his siblings. Did I mention it's an adult-only vacation?? Thanks to my parents & a good friend for helping watch my kiddos at our home. Maybe I'll even come back with sun-kissed skin, and hopefully not a burn. :)

Now on to the party--

*Link to a specific post--not your home page, no giveaways, or no etsy shops

*Link something you've done in the last month

*Post my button on your blog (and follow me & my co-hosts, Marie & Jennifer)

*Visit & comment on at least TWO other links posted

*Come back to see if you've been featured!

{airplane} party

2012-02-21T08:00:00.011-05:00

When I got home from our Christmas vacation, I decided to start working on my son's birthday decor. I wanted to be able to take my time & get my thoughts together for it. It's a good thing I started so early, since I had to take an unexpected trip home for my grandfather's funeral the week of my son's birthday.

Here it what I came up with..

I knew I wanted the banner on my mantel to be full of pictures, to see how my little tiny baby grew into my big one year old. It was so fun putting it together--and super easy. Jute, clothespins, scrapbook paper, and then of course pictures, is all you need for this banner.

How the airplane party came about, was from winning a giveaway from Mygrafico. I was able to chose a printable package, and with my son's first birthday coming up, it worked out perfectly. I chose the 'Flying High Party Printables Set'.

One thing that was so nice about using this set, was the huge of amount of prep-work that was taken off. All I had to do was print everything on cardstock, then cut it out. Made my life so much easier. :)

Okay, now for the fun part, the party decor..

Here's an overview of the table, I will break it down for you in pictures below. It turned out really great though. Whenever I put together a party, I forget how much time the little details take. I sound like I throw parties a lot, I really don't, but the ones I have done in the past have been pretty time consuming.

Oh the cakes! How I loved them, wish I could take credit for them, but a sweet friend of mine made them for the special day. She actually looked at the printables to make the cakes fit in, pretty amazing, right?!

I wrapped a tall glass jar with red yarn, then added 2 airplanes from the packet to it. It was a simple way to add a pop of color.

The candy tray consisted of wrapped chocolate bars, small goodie bags & chocolate dipped marshmallows--those are MUCH easier to make than cake pops, by the way. :) The white bags were the party favors for the kids with a few little trinkets in them.

I made the party hats as well. I found the tutorial for them here. I simply wrapped scrapbook paper around party hats purchased from the Dollar Store, & added a little pom pom to the top. There were also some printable hats from the packet as well. Such a cute way to make your own party hats!

I decided to dress up the party blowers too. They also came from the Dollar Store--I glued a circle piece of scrapbook paper with a '1' on it, to make it more unique for the party.

I saw a great tutorial to make your own coffee filter pom poms from this site. They are so simple to make & the best part about them, they are reusable!

The little banner was also from the printout packet

A few more pictures of the cakes, they were almost too cute to eat. :)

Here is the big feast of the night..

The Dollar Store is the place to buy cute little glass containers, I bought several of them for the party. Having Rootbeer as our drink, is always such a treat for the kids.

Homemade slow cooked Mac & Cheese was so tasty, we will be making this again!
Parmesan Pretzel Bites were very simple to make, can't wait to try them with cinnamon & sugar next time.
Orange Fluff salad was a fun spin on the regular jello salad that we normally eat.
(If you want to view the recipes, click on the recipe names.)

Okay, so I think that about covers the party. It was a lot of work, not going to lie, but it was SO fun to see our sweet boy enjoy his FIRST birthday, so I guess that makes it worth it after all. :)

By the way, Mygrafico is going to be hosting a giveaway here tomorrow, you won't want to miss it!

Show & Share #27 {features}

2012-02-20T08:00:00.007-05:00

Hello there, Happy President's day to you all!
This week is going to bring a really wonderful giveaway, so stay tuned for the details.
I am so excited to show you these amazing projects & recipes shared from last week.
Thanks for linking up & making Show & Share so much fun!

So Long, farewell, doorbell @ Life as a Thrifter had the most views of the week!

Shelf Tutorial @ At Home in the Northwest

Framing in a wall mount television @ Remodelaholic

Kitchen back splash @ Decorating Cents

Vintage Wooden Crate @ A Little Knick Knack

Revamped trays @ Wannabe Crafter

West Elm knock off pillow @ The Little Waffleflower

Cupcake Bar @ Live Laugh Love Craft

Bourbon Chicken (without the Bourbon) @ The Farm Girl

Bacon, egg & cheese breakfast cups @ Adventures of our Fami-ly

Owl Pops @ The Seven Year Cottage

Two Ingredient Cake @ Lady with the Red Rocker

See you Wednesday!

What I Know--{from Gardners 2 Bergers}

2012-02-17T08:00:00.005-05:00

I have a fun guest for you all today. She is another sweet blogging friend of mine, who has amazing style & can make just about any knock-off piece you can imagine.

Check her out!

Hi Guys! I'm Becca & I write a blog called from Gardners 2 Bergers. I am so excited to be with you guys today, so thanks for having me! I adore Lindsay and am honored to be a part of her super unique "What I Know" series!!

I don't know a ton about blogging- So, what DO I know? I know if you see something you like at a store, chances are
you could make it! It may take some time, tools and learning, but you can do it!!

I am a chronic shopper- but I shop with a twist. It's more like I shop, find something I love, then try to make it myself!

When you're trying to recreate something you've seen in a store, stretch yourself! I had hardly ever used Microsoft Word before I started blogging. Now I've gotten pretty good at creating background effects to mimic the look of expensive store bought prints. You can see an example with the knock off I made of this Restoration Hardware eye chart art.

Remember, there's no right or wrong way to be creative. Even though
both of these faux zinc letter projects are a knock off of the same Anthropologie letters they were made totally differently. On the first one I used
aluminum foil and mod podge, then the second version I made with paint and glaze. Be
creative, think outside the box!

Don't let the lack of tools or money stop you from getting the
look you want. I was head over heels in love with the humongous and
very expensive lyric art by Matthew Heller.

I don't have a silhouette or
cricut- but that didn't stop me from making my own. Using the lyrics from Jack Johnson's "Bubble Toes", I made this baby
from a contact paper stencil I cut by hand! It's huge and sits over our
sectional. Although time consuming, the whole piece cost me less than
20 bucks thanks to a a yard sale canvas I nabbed and reused!

I do have a confession to make. Usually I'm trying to cut costs but I also love the idea of customizing the things in my home. I
know everyone loves the idea of subway art and I loved the dimension,
scale and aged feel of this piece from Z Gallerie. Not so in love with
the$365 price tag- especially since I wasn't feelin the cities they had
available to purchase.

So of course I made my own -without stencils and no contact paper this time, I promise! I used my hubby
and my favorite places we've vacationed. Now this piece is hung in our living room where we can think about all our favorite trips together every time we see it!

Not every project I make is a knock off, there's lot to be inspired by- a paint color, Pinterest, other blogs. But no matter what, remember you can do so much more than you think you can! I guess that's all I know! ;-) Thanks for having me today- I loved being able to share some of what I do.

Okay, I think I am now inspired to run out & do some window shopping to find ideas of what I could make as a knock-off. :) Thanks Becca, this was so wonderful!

Show & Share #27

2012-02-15T08:00:00.003-05:00

Happy Wednesday!
I hope everyone enjoyed the holiday yesterday! I can't believe we are half way through February. The weeks are just flying by, life needs to slow down a bit.
Thanks for making this party so enjoyable for the rest of us!

Now on to the party--

*Link to a specific post--not your home page, no giveaways, or no etsy shops

*Link something you've done in the last month

*Post my button on your blog (and follow me & my co-hosts, Marie & Jennifer)

*Visit & comment on at least TWO other links posted

*Come back to see if you've been featured!

Show & Share #26 {features}

2012-02-14T08:00:00.002-05:00

Happy {heart} day! Hope everyone has some fun things planned for Valentine's day this year. We actually celebrated our festivities last night, since Tuesday nights are really busy with dance class for our girls. I thought it would be fun to do a Valentine edition of the features from last weeks party. There were SO many to chose from, I had fun checking them out!
Get ready to pin these for next year, they are all so cute & festive!

Thanks for sharing here!

Valentine Topiary @ The Brown Eyes Have it

Rosette Book Page Wreath @ The Space Between

Chevron Heart Decor @ Uncommon

Chevron Heart Frame @ Sew Woodsy

Valentine decor @ Worthing Court

Valentine Burlap Banner @ Somewhere in the Middle

Doily Jars @ Life with the Hawleys

Valentines for Boys Printables @ Homespun with Love

School Valentine Printable @ Crafty Teacher Lady

Valentine Breakfast @ Two Shades of Pink

Conversation Heart Paper Plate Baskets @ Shaken Together

Edible Love Notes @ Sew Can Do

Valentine's Snickerdoodle Cookies @ Createlive

Happy Valentines!

Our Valentine {home}

2012-02-13T08:00:00.000-05:00

I sure love the month of love. It's such a happy holiday, don't you think?!
I thought I would show you our Valentine Decor. I really didn't do a lot this year, since I kind of went all out last year. :) It's simple, but I do love the pretty pinks & reds that have taken over my mantel.

Gotta love the felt heart wreath that was inspired by Amy over at the Idea Room. I still love it this year just as much as last. :)

The Valentine topiary was made by using the same method as the wreath.

I enjoy using 2x4 blocks, the possibilities are endless. And there is my button heart decor, my one new addition this year. The rosette balls were also taken from The Idea Room.

The candy heart art held up pretty well from last year, I only had to re-glue a few of the them. And adding a whole bag of conversation hearts to a glass jar, is always a quick way to get festive. :)

There you go friends, that's the extent of our Valentine decor this year. Simple, but still enough to get into the holiday spirit!

What I Know--{The Small Things Blog}

2012-02-10T08:00:00.001-05:00

Hey friends, I am excited to have my sweet friend on here today. Not only does she know a thing or two about hair & styling, she is also a really great person!

Take it away Kate!

Hi! I'm Kate from The Small Things Blog. I write a lifestyle blog with a heavy focus on hairstyling and beauty products. Occasionally you may find a post about my cats, or a local restaurant I enjoyed too!

Basic Arsenal

Pins. Clips. Combs. Headbands. Flowers. Braids. Ponytail. Curls. Straight.

There are tons of different ways to style hair, but you need to have the proper tools to achieve the look you want! Beginning with a basic "tool" kit, the following hair accessories will help you do a variety of styles!

1. It's most important to have a large handful of bobby pins. I prefer the professional kind since they seem to hold best. Otherwise, you can shop at beauty stores, like Sally Beauty Supply, to find a good brand!

2. Have a few decorative bobby pins to add a little something to your hairstyle. The Twig Pins are from Woodland Belle.

3. Clear rubber bands are the best for pony's and some half-up styles!

4. A decorative flower pin looks adorable when placed in a half-up style, or at the base of a ponytail. (Flower pin from J.Crew)

Other tools include jaw clips, for holding large sections of hair. Duckbill clips are great for keeping sections of hair separated, for example: while curling your hair. And a comb is a must for smoothing through sections before you flat iron, or curl, and also for teasing!

I hope you enjoyed learning a little bit about what to add to your "personal hairstyling arsenal", or how to start one!

Visit my blog, www.thesmallthingsblog.com, for more tips, tricks and tutorials!

Wasn't that great! Thanks Kate! If you haven't checked out The Small Things Blog, it is definitely a must read, she has the best hair tutorials around.

Have a great weekend!

Button burlap {heart}

2012-02-09T08:00:00.002-05:00

I think I must really be into canvases lately, because here is yet another craft involving them. :)

I LOVE Valentine decor. I love the bold red, the candy hearts, it's the month of love, how can you go wrong?! :)

Today I am sharing how to make a fun little piece of art for the month.

Meet my button burlap heart. :)

Supplies needed:
Canvas
Paint
Tape
Burlap
Buttons
Hot glue
Vinyl (optional)

Start with a blank canvas. Using painters tape, I measured, then marked where I wanted my stripes to be. Then place your tape down, & paint in every other line. You will want to get the sides of the canvas as well, I had to go back & re-tape & paint them, since it looks a lot better that way.

On the burlap, I traced a heart & cut. Now it's time to glue on the buttons. My suggestion is apply a line of glue on your burlap, and add a bunch of buttons at once. It goes much more quickly that way. I would also suggest going around the heart with the buttons, then working your way in.

Once that is finished, hot glue your button burlap heart to your canvas.

Add the final touch with your vinyl letters & your artwork is complete!

Pretty simple, right?! My favorite kind. :)

Show & Share #26

2012-02-08T08:00:00.001-05:00

Hello there! I am loving all the happy Valentine projects floating around. You guys are so creative! I need to get some holiday baking done this weekend for neighbors & friends, now I just have to decide what to make. I sure love the month of love. :)

Now on to the party--

*Link to a specific post--not your home page, no giveaways, or no etsy shops

*Link something you've done in the last month

*Post my button on your blog (and follow me & my co-hosts, Marie & Jennifer)

*Visit & comment on at least TWO other links posted

*Come back to see if you've been featured!

Handmade Valentines

2012-02-07T08:00:00.004-05:00

I love handmade Valentines. They make me happy. I love the thought & effort that goes into them. We make our own Valentine's every year. I have bought them in the past, which totally works, but I enjoy that special time with my girls making them. That is probably why I like it the most, after all. :)

Here is how you can make your own as well.

Supplies needed:
Cardstock
Heart cut-outs
Words printed out
Small bags (Celebrate It Treat Bags)
Candy

Thanks to Ni Hao Kai Lan, I found my saying. :)

"You make my heart super happy"

Funny story with that. My oldest daughter came up to me one day and said, "mom, you make my heart super happy". My heart melted, it was the cutest thing. I thought she had made it up. Then one day as the Kai Lan show was playing on TV, I heard that sentence. Then I knew. :)
It was still really sweet of my daughter to say that to me.

Okay, moving on. :)

Once you have printed off your saying from your computer, cut them out.
You will need to figure out the size of the top of your plastic bag, then fold the cardstock in half to create the top of your Valentine.

Then glue your saying to your cardstock

Then glue the hearts to your cardstock as well

Fill your bags full of your candy--of course I had to use heart shaped chocolate. :)
Then staple your bag to your newly made Valentine.

Pretty cute, right?! And oh-so simple.

I think I made close to 40. :) Lots of friends & classmates to pass these out to.

Hope your heart is super happy after you make this--
sorry, I just had to do it. :)

Show & Share #25 {features}

2012-02-06T08:00:00.002-05:00

It's Monday already, our weekend completely flew by. My son's first birthday party was a success. Can't wait to post all the birthday party decor. We had an 'Airplane party'. Next on the list to get ready for--our Valentine party. Anyone else throwing a Valentine's party?? The Dollar Store rocks for getting ready for it. :)

Last week's Show & Share was so much for to look through. I am truly inspired by you all, thanks for linking up!

Check out these lovely link-ups..

DIY Canvas Prints @ Ginger Snap Crafts had the most views of the week!

Love Mason Jars @ Newlyweds on a Budget

Valentine's vignette @ Silver Boxes

Big Bow Pillowcases @ Rae Gun Ramblings

Valentines Mantle @ Simply Salvage

Owl Art @ The Terpblog

Winter White Vignette @ Space 46

Lauren Conrad Braided Bun @ Ma Nouvelle Mode

Ruffled Tunic Tee @ Scattered Thoughts of a Crafty Mom

Popcorn Cupcakes @ Live Laugh R owe

Sugar Crusted Vanilla French Toast @ Lue Belle's

See you Wednesday!

What I Know--{The Girl Creative}

2012-02-03T10:02:00.002-05:00

Happy Friday!
My next guest is extremely talented & an around wonderful gal.  I have been a reader of her amazing blog for quite some time.

Check her out..

Hellooooooo Southern Lovely friends!!!!!!!! It's so cool to be hanging over at Lindsay's place today (even though I almost forgot!!!! Ahhhh!!!). I don't guest post often so please bear with me as I sputter my way through "What I know". :) Thank you, Lindsay, for inviting me to share. I'm a big Southern Lovely fan. I dig everything about this awesome little piece of bloggy real estate. :)

I'm excited to share with you what I know but first I should introduce myself. I'm Diana and I'm the chick behind The Girl Creative blog. I'm Jesus lovin' mama to 2 insanely silly and high energy little girls, Emilee and Gracie and one delicious 9 month old baby boy, Kole. I have a handsome hubs who is a police officer and because he's so good to me, he lets me stay home and raise our little hooligans and ignore all of the housework in the process. (Okay, he's not too crazy about that last part. lol) At The Girl Creative I blog about my little crafty adventures. Every week I host a fun creative linky party, Just Something I Whipped Up (maybe you've heard of it?) and throughout each month I have some truly amazing contributors that keep my blog afloat.

Okay, I started writing this post about a bunch of random things that I know and in true Diana fashion, I didn't complete that (I leave a lot of stuff unfinished. I'm bad like that!) because it was just too hard (picture me with my finger and my thumb in the shape of an "L" on my forehead right now lol) so I decided to focus on one thing that I know about and that's blogging.

:::::::What I know about blogging:::::::

I know that blogging is probably one of the coolest thing I've done in my adult life (outside of marriage and having children). I started my blog 2 years ago just for fun and it's grown so much and through it I've met some really cool people who just "get" me and my love for all things creative.
I know that when I see a blog design that is crisp and clean and easy on the eyes, it inspires me to spend time on that site and get to know the writer (Like Southern Lovely. The design is what initially drew me here. :)
I know that anyone can design a beautiful blog for themselves if they want to. All they need to do is Google "How do I............." and there are tons and tons of tutorials for blog design.
I know that blogging is addicting. Once you start, you just can't stop!
I know blogging is a time stealer! lol It's soooooo easy to get sucked in while the rest of your house goes to pot. (ask me how I know this?? wink wink)
I know that there are thousands of blogs out there and sometimes it will feel like you just can't compete or keep up but know that as long as you are true to yourself, you can't go wrong.
I know that blogging is great and a lot of fun but at the end of the day if my family is suffering, I need to make some changes.

:::::::What I know about Growing Your Blog:::::::

Growing your blog takes time. Not just time as in weeks and months but time as in hours and minutes.
One sure fire way to grow your blog is to visit blogs that you like and leave comments. Not just any old comments but meaningful comments. Let the blogger know that you've read a particular post and that you enjoyed it, etc. Comments like "I'm your newest follower, please follow me back" probably won't get a good response.
If you find a blog that you love, add it to your blog list and then drop the blogger a note telling them how much you love their blog and that you've added them to your blog list so that you won't miss a thing. I know emails and comments like that always bring a smile to my face and it makes me want to go pay them a visit.
Participate in linky parties. There are so many parties out there (gee, I may know of a good one for you {sorry for the shameless plug lol} ) and by adding your projects to them, your blog will gain some great exposure.
To go with the point above, when you add your project to parties, make sure your photos are of good quality. A good photo will get your project recognized and sometimes featured which will then drive traffic to your blog.
Interact with your favorite bloggers on Facebook and Twitter. The more you interact with them the more likely they will be to stop by your blog to get to know you and see what you're all about.
Have a blog design that is appealing and easy to navigate. With the way Blogger is set up now with their template designer, you can adjust the widths of your sidebars so that all of your content fits. Nothing drives me more nuts than when graphics and buttons are all out of alignment and overlapping, etc. Make your blog appealing and inviting and people will want to stay to read through your archives. Create a menu at the top of your blog so that your readers can easily find what they are looking for.
Use Pinterest! I know it's taboo to pin your own projects but if you have a project that you are really proud of, pin it. My suggestion is to pin it to a board called "My Projects" though this way all of your projects are in one place and it lets your followers know that you are pinning it for the sake of keeping a file for your own benefit (Do this in moderation though). And, if someone happens to stumble upon it, GREAT!

Well, that wraps up my little post on "What I Know About Blogging". I hope you enjoyed it and found it helpful. I would love for you to stop by my blog, The Girl Creative, and say hello sometime.

Lindsay, thank you again for having me share "What I Know". I really enjoyed myself! :)

xoxo,
Diana

Now this is good info. I actually needed this myself! Great tips that can help us all! Thanks Diana!

Ps--Just wanted to say a huge thanks for all the very kind words & emails that were sent to me this week. It meant a lot, I sure do love my readers. :)

And one more thing, Happy first birthday to my sweet boy! Can't believe he is already one year old!

Show & Share #25

2012-02-01T08:00:00.001-05:00

Hey friends, this week I have left my children at home with my husband, while I
attend my grandfather's funeral. So if I am a little MIA with commenting & returning emails, you know why. Thanks for making this such a fun, inspiring party, I appreciate all of my wonderful readers so much!

Now on to the party--

*Link to a specific post--not your home page, no giveaways, or no etsy shops

*Link something you've done in the last month

*Post my button on your blog (and follow me & my co-hosts, Marie & Jennifer)

*Visit & comment on at least TWO other links posted

*Come back to see if you've been featured!

Heart Shirt

2012-01-31T08:00:00.008-05:00

I really enjoy holiday shirts for little kids. I think they can be so festive & fun.
For Valentines, I decided to make something special for my girls.
I looked all over to get my creativity flowing, but couldn't find what I was looking for. Then one night as I was in bed, trying to fall to sleep, this idea came to mind. It is very simple, but I absolutely love how it turned out.

Want to make your own??
Let's get started..

Supplies needed:
Fabric--small amount for your heart
Heart (to trace on your fabric)
Heat 'n Bond
Tulle
Shirt
Sewing machine

Trace a heart shape on a piece of scrap paper.
Then you will need to trace the paper heart onto your fabric & cut.
Next, trace your paper heart on your Heat 'n Bond, then cut.
Follow the directions to apply the Heat 'n Bond to your fabric.

Then once you have done that, peel off the paper part, and stick it on your shirt.
Using a hot iron, apply heat to secure to your shirt.

To make your tulle ruffle, cut a 1 inch strip, as long as you can get it. You may have to cut two of these strips, depending on how big your heart is.

Now you will need to set your sewing machine to the longest stitch length & highest tension. Do not backstitch, and leave extra long tails.

Once you have stitched a straight line all the way to the end of your tulle, simply grab the top thread at one end where you stitched, and gently pull it away from the tulle.

Once you have the amount of ruffle you want, change your machine settings back to normal, and stitch a line where the other line was, backstitching at the beginning & end.

Now to add your ruffle to your fabric heart--
Start at the top center of your heart, & slowly stitch the tulle to your fabric, make sure you are catching your fabric as you go, otherwise the fabric may lift. I didn't pin anything, because I felt it was easier to go slow & make sure everything laid flat.

Once you get to the end, you may have extra tulle, so just clip it off & you are finished!

See, it wasn't too hard & now you have now created a fun little holiday shirt!
Of course I had to make one more, for my older daughter. :)
Can't wait to have them wear the shirts soon!

I'm participating in:

If you missed yesterday's post, check out Once a Mom Always a Cook here & then tomorrow you can see the post from At the Picket Fence

This event is sponsored by…

Show & Share #24 {features}

2012-01-30T08:00:00.002-05:00

So, can you feel the love in the air?? There are SO many adorable Valentine projects that have been floating around the blogging world. I wish I had time to make more of them. Last week there were lots & lots of awesome ideas shared here, over 400 actually. :) Thanks for linking up & all your sweet comments!

Here is my top ten..

PB Knock off Love Wall Art @ Uncommon had the most views of the week!

Love Yarn Letters @ My Sister's Suitcase

Heart Felt Wreath @ Love Sweet Love

Basic Ruffle Skirt @ Sew Fantastic

Happy Pillows @ Lovely Etc.

Crayon Roll tutorial @ Raising Oranges

Lamp revamp @ Silver Boxes

Circus Party@ Vixen Made

Chocolate Nutella Valentine Heart @ Homespun With Love

Cinnamon Roll Cake @ Feeding my Temple

Thanks for linking up! See you Wednesday!

Cutting Edge {winner}

2012-01-28T08:00:00.001-05:00

First I just want to thank you all for making this such a fun giveaway, I appreciate all those who took the time to enter!

Now the question is who is going to win the Cutting Edge Stencil??

Well if your name is SARAH, you are the winner!
#93

Sarah said...

And now I'm following you on Facebook too!

Sunday, January 22, 2012

Congrats, enjoy your new stencil!
Please email me within 48 hours to claim your prize
southernlovelyblog {at} gmail {dot} com

What I Know--{Mine for the Making}

2012-01-27T08:00:00.004-05:00

It's Friday, yay!
Which means you all get to read a fun post today, courtesy of one of the most down-to-earth, creative bloggers I know.

Hi there! I am so happy to be here today at Southern Lovely. Lindsay is one of the sweetest bloggy friends around, not to mention super creative. Don't you just ♥ her?

Well, my name is Kara and I blog over at Mine for the Making. I'm a momma to an almost 4 year old spunky, sassy, independent little girl and wife to my high school sweetheart and very best friend.

I love sharing the things I love... crafting, cooking, baking, momma adventures, DIY projects, and teaching ideas. I recently took a leave from teaching to stay home with my daughter and help my husband open a bakery/cafe'. Let me tell you... I ♥ being home with my girl, but I miss teaching. So I figure, why not let my daughter reap the benefits? Which brings us to this...

In my opinion, you do not HAVE to have a teaching degree or certificate to create teachable moments with your child(ren). Learning is all about experiencing and experimenting! Allow your child(ren) to ask questions, and if you don't know the answer...discover it together!

Source: google.com via Kara on Pinterest

And creating those teachable moments do not HAVE to cost you an arm and a leg. There are TONS of resources right at your finger tips! Blogs full of fun kid-friendly learning activities, ideas, printables, DIY games, etc.

Source: nurturestore.co.uk via Kara on Pinterest

Source: stayandplaymama.blogspot.com via Kara on Pinterest

Source: overthebigmoon.blogspot.com via Kara on Pinterest

Teachers are all about sharing their ideas...trust me.

Here are a few teaching ideas I have shared at Mine for the Making:

{ Colorful Rice Sensory Bin }

Source: mineforthemaking.blogspot.com via Kara on Pinterest

{ Letter Bb Activities }

Source: mineforthemaking.blogspot.com via Kara on Pinterest

{ Busy Bags }

Source: mineforthemaking.blogspot.com via Kara on Pinterest

Teaching and learning should be fun experiences for you and your child(ren). Providing opportunities of playful learning and exploring will encourage them to want to learn and try new things.

You can also check out my Teaching Tips & Ideas board on Pinterest for more great teaching ideas!

Thanks for hanging out with me for a bit, Southern Lovely readers! It's been fun sharing a little of what I know with you today!

You can find me on my blog, Facebook, Pinterest, and Etsy!

Thank you so much Kara! This was great! I can't tell you how much this actually helped me personally, since I am looking for fun ways to teach my 3 year old different concepts.
Have a great weekend friends!

Show & Share #24

2012-01-25T08:00:00.002-05:00

Hey friends!
Hope you are having a great week! I'm excited to be inspired by you all in another lovely party. Last week was overflowing with ideas! Thanks for the support, I sure adore my readers. :)

Now on to the party--

*Link to a specific post--not your home page, no giveaways, or no etsy shops

*Link something you've done in the last month

*Post my button on your blog (and follow me & my co-hosts, Marie & Jennifer)

*Visit & comment on at least TWO other links posted

*Come back to see if you've been featured!

Straw bowl

2012-01-24T08:00:00.002-05:00

A few years ago I purchase a decorative candle from Target. It made for a great centerpiece on my coffee table. It was probably time to switch things up, and add something new there. My decision was made for me though. :)

One day as I was dusting the table, I noticed my favorite candle had taken a fall. Apparently a couple of little girls were playing in that room & knocked it over, leaving some dents on the corners--which made it less pretty. :) Funny how they didn't mention this to me.

It had to go.

But I am very happy with what replaced it.

I found this little straw bowl at the Dollar Tree, that I knew could be transformed into something fun. I also picked up a glass candle stick holder as well. The wood plaque is from JoAnn's.

Add a little spray paint & hot glue, and wahla! A new center piece. Which was also super easy & inexpensive to make.

And it just so happened that I had some decorative balls in the closet, that I'd been saving to use somewhere. They fit perfectly!

Hopefully this new centerpiece won't have the same outcome as the last. Those girls of mine, they are trouble sometimes. :)

Show & Share #23 {features}

2012-01-23T08:00:00.004-05:00

Wow, what an amazing party we had last week! SO many wonderful ideas were shared. The creativity you all have blows my mind! Thanks for your participation, it sure makes for a great collection of ideas!

Check these out..

Heart wreath @ My Serendipity Home had the most views of the week!

Heart Molding @ Delicate Construction

Valentine Wreath @ My Heart's Desire

$3 Dresser Make-over @ Candy's Clothes Closet

Ruffled Lampshade @ Putting Down Roots

Bathroom Makeover @ A Pumpkin & a Princess

Ballerina Birthday Party @ Love Sweet Love

T-shirt gone Cardigan @ Simply Homemade

Valentine Neapolitan Cupcakes @ Six Sisters' Stuff

Cake Batter Truffles @ Scattered Thoughts of a Crafty Mom

Great job! See you all Wednesday!

Cutting Edge {giveaway}

2012-01-21T08:00:00.004-05:00

This past week I posted the latest project of mine--stenciled desk top, courtesy of Cutting Edge Stencils. I also mentioned that one of my lovely readers was going to have a chance to win a stencil as well, so here it is!

Check out some of their stencils in action--

American Flag With Houndstooth & Casablanca stenciled Wall

Are you ready to win one??

Cutting Edge Stencil is giving a reader of mine one stencil up to $50
They'll even ship it to you for free!

Required:

Like Cutting Edge Stencils on Facebook

Follow my blog through GFC

Additional Entries:

Like Southern Lovely on Facebook

Visit Cutting Edge Stencils & tell me your favorite item

Please leave a comment for each entry.
Good luck! I will announce the winner on Saturday, January 28th.

What I Know--{Mommy by Day, Crafter by Night}

2012-01-20T08:00:00.003-05:00

Happy Friday friends!
My next guest is the author of one of my favorite blogs. I have been so inspired by all the amazing projects she creates, and she is also so sweet.
You will love her too, check her out..

Hi everyone! My name is Ashley. I blog over at mommy by day {crafter} by night.

The name of my blog pretty much sums up my life at the moment (except I am a mommy by night too- of course!) I have 2 little girls that are 3 and under. As you can imagine, with a baby and a toddler, my life is pretty crazy- but I love every minute of it. To keep myself sane, I craft! I love to push myself to my creative limit and I am always dreaming up a million projects at once! When my kiddos go to sleep at night, I get to crafting and blog about it.

I am so excited to be here guest posting for Lindsay to share "What I know..."! For starters just let me tell you something that "I know"... Lindsay is one of the nicest bloggers that I have ever met (actually we haven't ever met, but you get my drift;) I am sure you guys know this already, but incase you didn't, she is so awesome! So it is so fun to be here guesting for her!

Ok... So "What I know" was kinda a daunting subject for me to think about blogging about, so I am going to stick to one topic...

Let me preface this post with letting you all know that I am super new to sewing... totally a beginner in fact. I just started sewing in May of last year. Before I started, I had been following the Made blog for about a year and was so impressed by the things that Dana makes for her kids! I am not even sure how I found her blog or why I was following a sewing blog since I couldn't sew, but I couldn't help it. She is just amazing!

For a year I told myself that there was no way in HECK that I could sew anything at all... let alone something I would let my kids wear out in public... After a year of telling myself that "I couldn't...", I went out on a limb and decided that maybe I COULD.

I bought my sewing machine last May with the intent on trying to teach myself (with the help of the MADE blog) to make little skirts for my girls to wear to church. Before that, I hadn't touched a sewing machine since 7th grade (I made a rainbow windsock in home ec- ha ha). I was a little nervous, and I think my husband was too... Who knew if I was going to even like sewing- and here I was ordering a sewing machine... I hit the "buy" button before I got chicken so I didn't back out.

When my sewing machine showed up, I left it in the box unopened for at least a week. I was so freaked out and didn't even know where to start. I finally got up the nerve to open the box and dig out the instruction manual. Umm... I don't know if that helped or made it worse, but I got the contraption set up and threaded and resolved to sew a skirt!

This is what I came up with! (after spending almost as many minutes picking out seams as I did sewing them, mind you)

It wasn't perfect, but it was a confidence booster that I could, in fact, sew!

With a little more courage, I decided to sew a dress using the Made Shirt Tutorial- and something that was supposed to fit my 2 year old could have fit her build-a-bear! eeekkk! I was a little stressed but figured out what I did wrong with my pattern making and started over a second time and it turned out super cute!! Again, not perfect, but I was improving...

My reason for sharing this story is because it ties into what I know about sewing.... It's doable. Obviously- since people blog about it- but something that started off as a craft that was untouchable has turned into my favorite past time, favorite hobby, and has given me so much fulfillment since I started it.

So my advise to anyone that is on the fence about starting a new talent like sewing or whatever it is that interests you,

JUST DO IT!

I spent the better part of my life talking myself out of things, telling myself that I couldn't do it or that I wasn't talented- but that was one of the things that I wanted to overcome in 2011... It's also on my list for 2012. I wanna keep learning new things and become better at sewing. I have always heard people say "Try something new... You never know if you will fail or succeed unless you try it." and I never really took that advise until now- but it's totally true...

So- if you are interested in learning to sew... Blogland makes things so easy to learn! Two of my favorite sewing blogs: Made and Make It and Love It are such great blogs to check out if you need to learn the basics of sewing. I have a lot of what I know from Dana and Ashley! :)

Give yourself a couple projects under your belt before you decide whether you like it or not... During my second project I almost gave up sewing all together and even still, there are times that I feel like I have no idea what I am doing, but I am so glad that I didn't give up! I honestly love sewing!

Don't be afraid to ask questions! I love getting comments or emails asking about how I made something... and I know from experience that most bloggers are more than happy to help ya out when you need a little sewing advise!

My last piece of advice is to share what you create with others... whether it is making something for your family, throwing a picture of a project up on facebook, or blogging about your projects! It has been one of the funnest things for me- to share my ideas and projects on my blog. It gives me intensive to get my projects done. I definitely recommend it! :)

So there ya go! It's what I know about sewing... Not much, but I am so happy to be here sharing my two cents with all of the Southern Lovely readers!! Thanks for having me Lindsay!

Feel free to stop by and say hi! I have tutorials, projects, and even a sewing competition taking place on my blog. We are in the last week of competition so I would love for any of you to follow along and help us determine the winner!!

xoxo, Ashley

Okay, if that wasn't inspiring, I don't know what is! To have just started sewing & do what she does now, is pretty remarkable. Thanks Ash, I have loved having you here today!

Show & Share #23

2012-01-18T08:00:00.001-05:00

Time for another fun week of creativity. I am excited to see what you have been up to. Making Valentine decor, treats, anything?? I love this holiday, it's one of my favorites!

Now on to the party--

*Link to a specific post--not your home page, no giveaways, or no etsy shops

*Link something you've done in the last month

*Post my button on your blog (and follow me & my co-hosts, Marie & Jennifer)

*Visit & comment on at least TWO other links posted

*Come back to see if you've been featured!

Stenciled desk

2012-01-17T08:00:00.007-05:00

I did it, I tackled my first stenciling project.
I received a fun package from Cutting Edge Stencil, and I was excited to get started. I chose the Harlequin Trellis Allover Stencil.

I thought about doing our bathroom wall, but decided to try something a little smaller scale for my first time.

So here is what I did..

A while back we gave our loft a little makeover--board & batten, curtains, rug, desk, it was a fun transformation. I love this space, it makes me happy.
I decided to stencil the top of the desk to give it even more detail.

I watched this video, to get a better idea of what I was doing, gathered my supplies & began the process. By the way, I barely used one bottle of paint--what was I thinking with 5 of them??

I wiped my desk so it was clean & dry, then placed & taped my stencil on. The best advice I can give with stenciling, is less is more. Meaning less paint works SO much better than a lot of paint on your roller. You can go over it several times to get it darker, it just won't smear everywhere if you do thinner coats.

And here is the finished product, what do you think?? I also did something a little different with my stenciling job--I lightly sanded the top of my desk afterward, to give it a more weathered look. And I actually think it looks really unique that way.

My thoughts about the stencil are this--I was very impressed by how easy it was to use. The size is really nice to be able to complete a large area at once. Stenciling can be intimidating, so I was really happy to find how user-friendly this stencil was.

And one more thing, the lovely people over at Cutting Edge Stencils are going to give one of my readers a stencil as well. The giveaway will start on Saturday, so remember to check back then for more details!

Show & Share #22 {features}

2012-01-16T08:00:00.006-05:00

Welcome friends
Hope you are all enjoying the MLK holiday today!
Thanks to all who linked up last week, it was a really great party! Choosing my favorites was very difficult.

One more thing, did you notice the little Facebook button on my sidebar?? Yes, I finally gave in & decided to get my own page. A big thanks to Cindy from Cinsarah for helping me out. :) If you want to be FB friends, feel free to stop by. :)

Now onto the features..

Anthropologie Flower vase @ It's Overflowing had the most views 0f the week!

No Sew pillow @ Scattered Thoughts of a Crafty Mom

Valentine Blocks @ Pocket Full of Pink

Nursery room @ What the Graham

Farmhouse Dining Table @ You're So Martha

Gallery wall @ Remade Simple

Golf Par-Tee @ Fancy Frugal Life

Repurposed cami to little girls shirt @ Babblings and More

Fried Raviolis @ Mom on Timeout

Brownie peanut butter cups @ Raising Oranges

Thanks for sharing here!
See you Wednesday!

What I Know--{Crafty, Scrappy, Happy}

2012-01-13T08:00:00.004-05:00

It's Friday, which I love anyway, but today I have a special guest here for you.
You're in for a real treat. :)

Hello Southern Lovely friends and fans!
I am SO honored to have this chance to be a part of Lindsay's fabulous series "What I know".

I ADORE Linds and her blog---yessss I have a nickname for the gal----
that is the #1 way you know I adore you---if you have a nickname from me!!!!

Anyways I am so excited to share "What I Know".

And first of all I know that I am Jaime the voice behind Crafty Scrappy Happy and I LOVE blogging

and sharing projects and decor
and making new blog friends!!!

stop over if you get a chance!!!

I also know that I love my family.
{In fact, this photo is of my hubs and I,
we just got to spend some great family time this past weekend in
Florida at my baby sister's wedding!}

I also know that I love decorating.

I love shabby chic.
I love up-cycling.
I love vintage.

And really I love to "make" everything and anything I can!!!

I really don't think there is a craft that I have "met" that I haven't enjoyed!

I also KNOW a lot about teeth.

I know I know this is a little weird to add to my "what I know" post....

but I have literally spend the past 8 years of my life working SO hard to become a dentist that I had to add that I KNOW that I love teeth and they are something I know a lot about!

Okay---and here is a little free dental advice---chewing sugar free gum is great for your teeth--- it stimulates saliva which is a natural protection to your teeth!

So yes really I am completely a dental nerd.

1. via 2. via 3. via

And finally I know that I LOVE my PUPS---Quincy and Kylie.

Seriously---you are either a dog person or you are not and I am I am I am.

And I know that I am SO honored to have had the opportunity to come and hang out here today.Thank you Linds---it is truly because of friend like you that I blog!!!

Aw, wasn't that great! I just adore Jaime. If you haven't checked out her blog, you must, she has serious skills & is very inspiring. You will not be disappointed.
Have a wonderful weekend!

Be {organized}

2012-01-12T08:00:00.004-05:00

Since it is the new year, I wanted to make some resolutions. It's pretty typical for me to make a big list of things I want to change/work on. This year I decided to do something different. To think of ONE thing that I could really focus on, instead of the overwhelming list I usually do.

So here it is..

Be Organized.

This will encompass so many aspects of my life. If I have the mentality of being organized, I know life around me will run smoother. I think that if I feel more organized & in control of a situation, I will be happier, a better mom, wife, friend. The list can go on & on. :)

I thought I would make a cute little reminder of my goal for this year.

I found this really great green called Celery from Krylon. It's such a soothing color, kind of perfect for this craft. :)

I sprayed the canvas, then painted stripes at the bottom. Added some mini clothes pins, which I painted, then the vinyl. I also made these little printouts for the meal plan & to-do list. I don't know why, but meal time stresses me out. If I have not planned ahead, I feel so unorganized & chaotic, and my kids always seem to act up more when I am frantically trying to come up with something edible.

I think this will definitely help. I've planned several weeks ahead, and I will keep the past meal plans so I can use them again in the future.

So there you go, my new motto for 2012. Wish me luck. :)

Show & Share #22

2012-01-11T08:00:00.002-05:00

It's Wednesday! Hope you all are enjoying your week. I've been busy getting making some fun Valentine crafts that I can't wait to show you all. Is it too early to put up Valentine decor?? I may just bust it out this weekend. :)

Thanks for making this such a fun party, I am excited to see what you all share this week!

Now on to the party--

*Link to a specific post--not your home page, no giveaways, or no etsy shops

*Link something you've done in the last month

*Post my button on your blog (and follow me & my co-hosts, Marie & Jennifer)

*Visit & comment on at least TWO other links posted

*Come back to see if you've been featured!

Red {pillow}

2012-01-10T08:00:00.003-05:00

Another project on my list, was to spruce up this black pillow in our room. The girls got some sort of white stain on it, and I couldn't get it off, so something had to be done with it--or just turn it over & not look at it, but whatever. :)

I came across this adorable pillow on Pinterest, that I wanted to do something similar, so here is what I came up with.

Materials needed:
Felt
Hot glue
Pillow

I used a fleece scarf for the fabric,(that I was never going to wear) but if I hadn't had that, I would have used felt.

Start by cutting several circles of your material. Mine were 3 inches.

Since I like to use hot glue versus anything hand sewn, here is what I did. :)

SO much easier than the whole' fold in half & glue, then fold in half again & glue' method. This way is a one-step way to achieve a very similar look. Works for me. :)

I started with one row by gluing each little pouf to the pillow, beginning at the top & working my way down. Then I moved on to the second row & then the last row.

The next part is kind of crucial and makes it look SO much better. Fill in ALL the gaps on every row. Basically if you can see the pillow in one area, place a little pouf there. You will understand what I am talking about once you get done with your rows. You just want it to look very full.

And that is it! I am very happy with the fun new look of it. And it fits perfectly on our bed!

Notice my other red pillow?? I think both of the red pieces work well together.

I also did one more thing to our room--added extra fabric to the bottom of my striped curtains & tie backs. I like the look of it so much more than before.

Okay, I think that is it for the room for now, I know that would make my husband happy to hear that. :)

Show & Share #21 {features}

2012-01-09T08:00:00.006-05:00

Well hello there! It's Monday again, which means another new week is upon us. Weeks seem to be flying by, my little guy will be turning one at the beginning of February. Makes me a little sad.

Anyway, thanks for linking up last week, I sure appreciate all the wonderful support & sweet comments. I have some really lovely readers here.
Here's some of my favorites from last week--

2011 Top Ten @ It's Overflowing had the most views of the week!

January Wreath @ Covered in Mod Podge

DIY Party Hats @ A Pumpkin and a Princess

Gallery Wall @ Thrifty Decor Mom

Stenciled tray tables @ Simple Home Life

Green Dresser @ Picked & Painted

Pleated Skirt @ Funky Polkadot Giraffe

Rose Ruffle Pillow @ Babblings and More

No-bake peanut butter pie @ Gingerbread

Snickerdoodles @ Occasionally Crafty

Orange Rolls @ The Farm Girl Recipes

Pretty great, right?! See you Wednesday!

What I Know--{Ginger Snap Crafts}

2012-01-06T08:00:00.007-05:00

Welcome to the new year of 'What I Know'! I have so many amazing bloggers lined up for you. Actually over 6 months worth. :) Please welcome my first guest blogger of the year..

Hi! I'm Ginger & I blog over at Ginger Snap Crafts.

It's a fun place where I share my cute & easy craft ideas!

Would love to have YOU drop by sometime. :)

I'm super excited to be over at Southern Lovely with Lindsay!

Love her & her blog....such an honor to be here. Thank you, Lindsay!
When Lindsay first asked me a month or so ago
to take part in her What I Know Series...I was stumped!

For example, I know I LOVE vinyl!

It's everywhere in my house...but do I know I'll always love it
or will I eventually get tired of it, run out of things to label
or will I move on to the next great crafty thing?

Hmmmm....I don't know. :)

I know I LOVE to to blog!

It helps me burn off some of my creative energy! :)
But do I know if I'll still be blogging in 5...10 years?
Hmmmmm.....I don't know....haven't really thought that far ahead!

I know I LOVE chocolate....

but it's a new year & one of my New Year's resolutions
is to cut back on the sweets & get healthier.
So this time next year I hope my LOVE of chocolate has changed a little! :)

Hmmmmm....but do I know I'll be able to do that?? I don't know! :)

(image source)
When it comes down to it there are really are a few things that I know for sure.

I know I have a Heavenly Father who loves me.
I know that Jesus Christ is our Savior.

(image source)

I know families can be together forever.
I know that I love my family very much.
I also know that they love me, too.

I know that when we do good we feel good.

I know that blessings come from making good choices.

At our church the kids (& adults, too) wear CTR rings.
(CTR stands for Choose the Right.)
It helps us remember to make good choices. :)

I know that life is made sweeter by good friends.
I am grateful for my friends both in real life

and those that I've made since blogging!

(Here's a picture of me & my best friends in the whole world...my sisters!)

I know who I am...a sister, a daughter,
a blogger, a wife, a friend & a mom.

I know that I am so blessed! :)

I also know I've had a great time today! :)

Lindsay, thank you so much for having me over today!
Happy New Year to all of YOU!
Please don't be shy...drop by Ginger Snap Crafts anytime!

I know I'd love to have YOU! :)

Thanks so much Ginger, what a very fun post! I love hearing what others are passionate about. Have a great weekend!

2011 {favorites}

2012-01-05T10:38:00.007-05:00

I gave in. I finally decided to put together my 'favorites' post. :)
It's been an exciting year of projects for me. I have learned so much, and continue to learn as I go.
Let's take a look at some of my favorites:

Yellow Dresser & Board & Batten

DIY Storage Bins & Lima Bean Wreath

Box Makeover & Painted shoes

DIY Tights & Felt Pillow

DIY Curtains & Tie Tutorial

Pillowcase Dress & Easy Skirt Tutorial

Polymer Clay Necklace & Hand print Artwork

Phew, what a year! It's been a lot of fun to be creative & make some really wonderful pieces to incorporate into our life. I'm excited to show you all what I have in store for the 2012 year! :)

Show & Share #21

2012-01-04T08:00:00.003-05:00

Happy Wednesday friends!
I am so excited for this 2012 year, I think it is going to be a great one! And the first link party of the year starts now! Thanks for supporting this, I definitely appreciate it!

Now on to the party--

*Link to a specific post--not your home page, no giveaways, or no etsy shops

*Link something you've done in the last month

*Post my button on your blog (and follow me & my co-hosts, Marie & Jennifer)

*Visit & comment on at least TWO other links posted

*Come back to see if you've been featured!

Framed {mirror}

2012-01-03T09:45:00.000-05:00

I have this list of projects to do around the house, you know, the never-ending one. Well, one weekend my husband & I decided to finally bust out one of the projects. Okay, actually I kind of *convinced* him that it would be a good idea. It worked out pretty awesome though, because the finished product is better than I expected. Inspiration & tutorial for this project is found here at Full of Great Ideas.

Here's the low down on how we made our framed mirror--

Supplies needed:

mdf board--measure your own mirror to determine how much you need
Trim--chose whatever you'd like to add to the mdf board
Liquid nails
Double-sided tape
Primer
Paint
Miter saw--or other saw to cut your board & trim
Caulk

This is what our mirror looked like before we started

My husband got to work cutting all the pieces, gluing the trim on, then priming & painting them. Once that was finished, it was time to install.

We found that liquid nails AND double-sided tape worked best to make it very secure.

My husband caulked it afterward to make it look even more precise. We switched out the light fixtures as well--which was MUCH needed. :)

And while we were at it, the other bathroom needed a mirror upgrade as well. :) It still needs the light fixture replaced, but we will get to that soon.

There you go, pretty easy right?! And what a difference it makes. I'm kicking myself that we didn't do this sooner.

Show & Share #20 {features}

2012-01-02T08:00:00.006-05:00

Happy New Year friends!
I hope the 2012 year will bring lots of excitement & happiness to you all!

I am officially done with my blogging break, so now I can get back to routine--and a little crafting as well. :) Thank you so much for the all the wonderful comments on my 'What I Know' post from Friday, they made my day!

Here we go..

Dixie Delights had the most views of the week!

And here are some of my favorite top ten posts--

Lovely etc.

A Pumpkin and a Princess

Forever Decorating

Pocket Full of Pink

It all started with Paint

It's Overflowing

All Things Homie

Decorating Cents

See you all Wednesday!

What I Know--{Southern Lovely}

2011-12-30T08:00:00.005-05:00

I decided to do my part in this series, so here it goes. :)

At this stage in my life, I feel like I am being pulled in several directions. I am always in need of an extra hand to fix a snack, change a diaper, console a crying child, fix a meal, do the laundry, clean the house, the list goes on & on. And then it begins again the next day. Even if you don't have children of your own, there are SO many obligations that you are required to accomplish. That is how life is. And don't get me wrong, I absolutely love my life, my family, being a mom, it's just about finding the balance. And that is what I want to talk about today.

For me to say I know how to find balance in my life, would be a false statement. I don't. I try new things all the time to help me figure it out. And truly I don't think I will ever be perfect at having a balanced life, although it is a really great goal to strive for.

I get this question a lot, 'how do you do it all??'. And let's be honest, I don't do it all, AT ONCE. Especially since having my third child, it takes more time to accomplish something, than it once did. And that is okay, because I have a beautiful little boy who now takes over that time.

I want to share some of the things that work for me. These tips don't work everyday, but honestly, they do help me get the things accomplished that are the most important. Each day I make a list of things that I want to achieve the next day. I am a list maker, always have been, always will be. And it HAS to be with a pen & paper, no electronic stuff for me. :)

I start the day by doing the things that need to get done, then once I have done the needs, I get to move on to the wants. It takes lot of self-discipline not to want to be on the computer all day, or to be doing projects. Yes, I could just ignore my children, and do the these things, but that would not make me happy. After all, my main job right now in this stage of my life, is to be mom.

I don't always get everything on that list accomplished, sometimes the kitchen will have to stay messy all day, because of a certain little 11-month old is destroying the living room. Sometimes I order pizza, instead of making a home-cooked meal. It all depends on the day. And I have learned that that is okay. Life is meant to be enjoyed, and not worry about the little things. For me, I rely much on my faith, that there is so much more to life than things.
So there you go, that is a little peek at what works for me to find balance. Ask me tomorrow & it may be different. :)
What works for you?? I'd love to know your tips!
Have a great weekend!

Show & Share #20

2011-12-28T08:00:00.002-05:00

Happy holidays!
This month has flown by! We have been busy, busy with lots of festive activities this holiday season. I hope everyone is making beautiful memories with family & friends!

Now on to the party--

*Link to a specific post--not your home page, no giveaways, or no etsy shops

*Link something you've done in the last month

*Post my button on your blog (and follow me & my co-hosts, Marie, Whitney & Jennifer)

*Visit & comment on at least TWO other links posted

*Come back to see if you've been featured!

2011-12-27T08:00:00.002-05:00

Hey there!
No tutorial this week, I am trying to savor the last little bit of our Christmas vacation, then it's back to reality in a few days. :) Next week I will have something special for you though!

Show & Share #19 {features}

2011-12-26T08:00:00.006-05:00

Well hello friends!
I hope you all enjoyed your Christmas holiday. I took a small blogging break & made some special memories with my family. Seeing the pure joy in my children was so sweet. My 11-month old would have been happy with a cardboard box. :) Our girls are now the proud owners of ponies & barbies, just what we needed. :)

Here's some of my favorites from last week--

Ornament Tree @ The Cottage Market had the most views of the week!

Santa Party @ Flip Chick Designs

Christmas Yarn Wreath@ Jack Spat's Wife

Acorn Christmas Tree @ Johnny In A Dress

Christmas Blocks @ Babblings and More

Teacher Gifts @ Minimoz

Easy Tulle Tutu @ Two Yellow Birds Decor

Wrist Warmers @ The Little Treasures

Toddler Scarflet @ Love City

Painted Curtains @ Haute To Sew

Thanks for linking up! See you Wednesday!

Chocolate Crinkle Cookies

2011-12-22T15:00:00.001-05:00

These little cookies are a family favorite at our house. We can't get enough of them! A sweet friend gave it to me years ago, and we have loved it ever since.

Let's begin..

You will need:
1 1/2 sticks butter
Cocoa Powder
Sugar
2 Eggs
Vanilla
Flour
Baking Soda
Baking Powder
12 oz. bag of Chocolate Chips

mix together:
3/4 cup melted butter
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla

Then in a separate bowl, mix:
2 cups flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder

Then add to wet ingredients & mix well

Pour bag of chocolate chips in & mix together

**Refrigerate for at least 2 hours**

Roll into small balls, then roll in 1/2 cup of powdered sugar

Bake at 350 degrees for 9 1/2 minutes--do not over bake these!

They should come out looking fluffy & beautiful :)

And trust me, they are some of the best tasting chocolate cookies out there. :)

Chocolate Crinkle Cookies

Mix together:
3/4 cup melted butter
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla

In separate bowl, mix:
2 cups flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder

Add dry ingredients to wet ones & mix well
Pour 12 oz bag of chocolate chips in mixture, & stir together
Refrigerate at least 2 hours
Roll into balls, then roll in 1/2 cup powdered sugar
Bake @ 350 degrees for 9 1/2 minutes

Enjoy!

Caramel {popcorn}

2011-12-22T08:00:00.001-05:00

One of my favorite holiday traditions to do with my children, is make fun, festive treats. Either for passing them out to neighbors & teachers, or consuming some for ourselves. :) Since my girls have gotten older, this activity has become much easier. I remember a few years ago, this was a lot more messy, but still just as memorable. I love creating these memories with my children, and hope to continue this tradition for years to come.

Today I am going to share a family favorite, Caramel Popcorn.
My sister-in-law passed this recipe along to me several years ago, and we have loved it ever since.

With aprons on & hands cleaned, my little helpers were ready to get started

Ingredients needed:
Brown Sugar
Marshmallows
Popcorn
Butter

Start by popping one bag of popcorn, then set aside

In a bowl combine--
1/2 cup cup brown sugar, 1 cup of marshmallows & 1 stick of butter

Microwave on high for 2 minutes. Stir together, then cook an additional minute.

Stir together again until smooth

Pour popcorn over melted mixture

Continue to stir until all the popcorn is covered

Form into small balls.
This recipe should make 4-5 large popcorn balls.

Wrap in a cellophane bag, add a ribbon, and you have a really tasty & adorable holiday treat!

Caramel Popcorn:

1 stick butter
1 cup Marshmallows
1/2 cup Brown Sugar

Combine butter, marshmallows & brown sugar.
Cook in microwave for 2 minutes, until marshmallows are melted. Stir well.
Cook 1 more minute.
Cover 1 bag of microwave popcorn.

Show & Share #19

2011-12-21T08:00:00.002-05:00

Okay friends, are you ready to celebrate Christmas in a few days?? Crazy how quickly this month has passed. I can't wait though, it's going to be wonderful!
Thanks for sharing all your fabulous ideas here, I sure appreciate it!

Now on to the party--

*Link to a specific post--not your home page, no giveaways, or no etsy shops

*Link something you've done in the last month

*Post my button on your blog (and follow me & my co-hosts, Marie, Whitney & Jennifer)

*Visit & comment on at least TWO other links posted

*Come back to see if you've been featured!

Our {holiday}home

2011-12-20T17:00:00.002-05:00

So where did the last 2 months go?? Every year, October through December is pretty much a blur. It's a fun, busy time though. I enjoy all the exciting things going on.

Sadly, this year we did not put up a Christmas tree, since we would only be able to enjoy for a very short time. I did however create a few new holiday crafts to enjoy for a week or two. :)
And just for fun, let's pretend we did decorate a tree & our front door. These are from last year, and seeing them now, makes a little sad we didn't put them up. :)

Okay, back to reality. Here is a tour of our home this year.

Our front entrance--Christmas canvas & framed ornaments

These are the corn husk wreaths that I made last year. I still adore them.

And here is my mantel. Nothing too extravagant, but enough to get into the Christmas spirit.

Yarn presents & stocking holders

Burlap trees & yarn covered ornaments

Snowflake table runner & advent calendar

So there you go, a little peak into our home for the holidays!

{2x4} wrapped presents

2011-12-20T08:00:00.002-05:00

I must really be into using yarn this crafting season, because it is making another appearance here. :)

I thought this one up one night while I was lying in bed--that is the best time for me to dream up new ideas for some reason. :)

Here is how you can make some for yourself--

2x4's--3 pieces of the same length
Yarn--more than one color if you are doing stripes
paint for the wood
Hot glue
Ribbon

One tradition that I try to do each year with the kids, is some sort of craft. I knew this would be pretty kid-friendly, so I let my 5 year old have at it.

To start, simply paint the wood your desired color, let dry, then hot glue them together, standing vertically.

My special helper did all the painting, and was very precise at it--she is kind of a perfectionist, I wonder where she gets that from. :)

Next is wrapping the yarn around the wood. You can do stripes, or just one color, it's totally up to your preference.

I started the yarn at the top by adding hot glue, then I let my daughter wrap it over & over again. It wasn't perfect, but that's okay, it gave it character, and I will always remember that she helped with it!

Then embellish it! We added red berries & ribbon, but I'm sure there are so many other options as well!

So there you go, little presents wrapped perfectly for the holiday--and having a very special helper made it even more memorable!

Enjoy!

Show & Share #18 {features}

2011-12-19T08:00:00.012-05:00

Alright friends, the countdown is on. Christmas is less than a week away. I think I am ready now, finally. :) About the features, you will notice that I chose much more than my usual 10, because I had no other choice. Really, they were that good. :) And thanks for making last week the biggest yet!

Check them out..

Ruffle tree forest @ Domestic Imperfection had the most views of the week!

Christmas home tour @ Brown Paper Packages

Glitter Christmas trees @ Artsy Fartsy Mama

Dryer sheet tree @ Petites Passions

Homemade ornaments @ Turtles a nd Tails

PB knock off advent calendar @ Bear Rabbit Bear

Button ornament @ Embracing Messy

Peppermint ball topiary @ Simply Salvage

Christmas pillowcase dress & leggings @ Fancy Frugal Life

Christmas no-bake treats @ Sweet C's Designs

Santa suit pops @ The Seven Year Cottage

Old fashioned fudge @ Simply Homemade

Skinny Jeans tutorial @ Holy Craft

Paper fan wreath @ Simple Home Life

Large box shelves @ Renewed Upon a Dream

See what I'm talking about. :)
See you all Wednesday!

Giveaway {winners}

2011-12-17T08:00:00.003-05:00

Two winners to announce today, thanks for all the support!

Here we go..

Shabby Apple Key to Wonderland necklace goes to

#15

Shirley said...: I love the Black Oak dress.; Saturday, December 10, 2011

Sunny Vanilla's Amy Butler Tote goes to

#4

Chelsea said...: I follow Sunny Vanilla!; Monday, December 12, 2011

Congrats ladies! Send me your email address so we can get your winnings on their way!

southernlovelyblog {at} gmail {dot} com

Blog Swap {Vixen Made}

2011-12-16T15:00:00.001-05:00

Hey everyone, I'm the Vixen of vixenMade.I'm a wife and stay at home mom of three crazy cute children.I love sewing, creating, photography, party planning and decorating.I'm so excited to be blog swapping with Lindsay! Her blog is fun and inspiring, don't you agree?Today, I'm sharing my love for poms with you because my ornament is a miniature tulle pom to hang on your tree. It reminds me of a snowflake, so it's my Snowball Pom Ornament.

And I'll show you how to make one!Here is what you need: white tullewhite embroidery thread (or fishing line, or floral wire will work)ScissorsRuler
Ready? First off, take your white tulle and cut 4 squares at 6inches x 11inches. Pile your strips of tulle then start accordion folding from the short end. Make your folds fairly small, about 1/2 to 3/4 inch thick.

Pinch it at the center like this.

Then, fold it in half like so. Cut it at the fold.

Pinch the now smaller pile in the center again and tie your thread, fishing line or wrap your floral wire around the center.

It should look like this. If you're using thread, keep the remaining thread long.

Now you can begin to separate the layers of your tulle.

Do this until your have one pom.

Now you can tie your remaining thread into a loop.

It will now look like a miniature loofah! HA!!

You can now hang it on your tree. Now make more so you have cute tulle snowballs all over your tree!

Fun! And if you don't like them on your tree, use them with some decorative pieces like I did.

A soft, puffy snowball! So festive and so easy!!

Have fun! And have a Merry Christmas!

Aw, what a lovely little ornament! I just love reading Vixen's blog! So many wonderful ideas, make sure to stop by & give her some blog love sometime!

What I Know--{bloggers wanted}

2011-12-16T08:00:00.004-05:00

For those of you have been readers of this blog, know that I started a series back in August called 'What I Know'. I wanted it to be a compilation of really great tips from some of my favorite bloggers. And I am so happy to say that it has been just that! I am excited to continue this series through next year. I have my schedule booked from January to April, but I decided to open it up to all of you, to see who was interested.

So here it goes. If you feel like you have something that you know well (or kind of well), and want to share it with the rest of us, send me an email, with you blog address & what you'd like to talk about. It could be a wide range of topics, from crafting, sewing, cooking, photography, blogging, fashion, fitness, motherhood, running a business, really anything. I enjoy it all!

southernlovelyblog {at} gmail {dot} com

Yarn {covered} ornaments

2011-12-15T08:00:00.004-05:00

I had been seeing all sorts of fun little handmade ornament tutorials, so I thought I would try my own. Except, I don't know if these are actually 'handmade' since they stem from real ornaments.

Whatever though, they turned out pretty cute.

Supplies needed:
Ornaments--old or new, I picked these up at Target's dollar section
Yarn
Hot glue

To begin, put a little hot glue at the top of your ornament to secure your yarn, then start wrapping. You will want to add hot glue every so often, it will help so the yarn stays in place. I noticed that the glittery ornaments wrapped so much easier then the plain ones. I also noticed that once you are 3/4 of the way through, it get's kind of hard & takes a little patience. So stick with it, and you will have adorable little ornaments before you know it. :)

I really love how they turned out. I actually like seeing the hint of color beneath the yarn. Gives it a little something extra.

I decided to display them in the new cloche that I picked up at a thrift store.
You could also stack them in a glass jar.
So many possibilities!

And do you love how it looks on my snowflake runner??

Happy holiday crafting, friends!

Show & Share #18

2011-12-14T08:00:00.002-05:00

Well happy Wednesday! It's hard to believe that Christmas is creeping up on us so quickly! Oh no, I am not ready yet!

I'll tell you what though, I am blown away by all the great projects everyone has been up to! It's very inspiring! Thanks for making each week so enjoyable!

Now on to the party--

*Link to a specific post--not your home page, no giveaways, or no etsy shops

*Link something you've done in the last month

*Post my button on your blog (and follow me & my co-hosts, Marie, Whitney & Jennifer)

*Visit & comment on at least TWO other links posted

*Come back to see if you've been featured!

{Scrappy} Burlap Tree

2011-12-13T08:00:00.003-05:00

Today I am going to share a little obsession I have going on now--mini trees. You see, I go through phases where I really like something, and I make several of them--like all the many wreaths at my house. :)

Let's get started..

For this project, you will need:

Tree form--I purchased mine from Michaels
Burlap--two different colors
Glue gun & glue sticks
scissors

Start by cutting several circles. It is kind of time consuming, but put on a movie or show from your DVR, and the time will go by before you know it. :)
Follow the above directions to make the little 'poofs'--I'm not really sure what they are called. :)
Now glue them on. It actually doesn't take a lot of time for this step. Simply put a line of glue on your tree, and stick on several at once. Under the very first row, you will want to cut out & glue on a strip of burlap to cover the bottom triangles. It makes for a more finished look.

When you have your first color section done, move on to the next, and repeat all the way to the top.

And that's all there is to it!
Pretty little burlap trees that are perfect for the holidays! Enjoy!

Sunny Vanilla {giveaway}

2011-12-12T17:00:00.008-05:00

This giveaway is now closed!

Hi there! My name is Jen and I blog over at Sunny Vanilla

I am a wife, a mom, and a lover of all things crafty. I started sewing as a teenager, but really didn't do much with it until I decided to leave the working world to stay at home with my daughter. Since then I've been addicted! I'm really happy to be here today with all of you Southern Lovely readers.

I'm also excited to be giving away one of my totes in Amy Butler

A little about this bag--
Hello Gorgeous! This handmade bag is sturdy, fashionable, and holds just about everything "but the kitchen sink". Use it as a carry-all, diaper bag, gym bag, beach bag, or more. With six, deep pockets, you can fit everything from sunglasses and bottled water to an iphone or wallet. It's the perfect size - large enough for accessories but not so large it looks like it's going to swallow you up. Keep one for yourself or give it as a gift

To enter:

Required
Follow Southern Lovely through GFC
Follow Sunny Vanilla through GFC

Additional Entries
'Like' Sunny Vanilla on Facebook
Follow Sunny Vanilla on Twitter
Like one item from Sunny Vanilla's Etsy shop

Jennifer has also generously offered a 15% discount code to anything in her shop
Just use SouthernLovely10

Thanks for the support & good luck!
Winner will be announced Saturday, December 17th

Show & Share #17 {features}

2011-12-12T08:00:00.007-05:00

Hello friends!
What a fantastic party last week! Biggest one yet! There is some serious holiday crafting going on now. So very inspiring!

Here's some of my favorites, which I definitely could have chosen a lot more, by the way. :)

Christmas Joy Wall Art @ My Simple Home Life had the most views

Pottery Barn knock off Advent Calendar @ Family Ever After

Ruffled Tree Skirt @ Simply Chic Treasures

Felt Tree Tutorial @ Little Things Bring Smiles

Nativity Set @ Ginger Snap Crafts

Glitter Letters Christmas Garland @ Honey and Fitz

Coffee Filter Wreath @ Love Sweet Love

Shirred Bow Leg Warmers @ Simply Homemade

Layered Skirt @ Moda Bake Shop

Oreo Pops @ Lady With the Red Rocker

Vanilla Nutmeg cookies @ Pressed Down, Shaken Together

See you Wednesday!

Leen Machine {winner}

2011-12-10T17:00:00.006-05:00

Thanks for such the wonderful response to this giveaway. I sure do appreciate the support!

And now onto the winner who will receive one set of cards of their choice..

#12

Jess@Drops of Motherhood said...: shared on fb; Wednesday, December 07, 2011

Congrats Jess! Send me your email address soon!

Giveaway #6 {winner}

2011-12-10T16:00:00.001-05:00

And the last 2 winners of my big giveaway week, who will receive 1 ring each are..

#8

Carlie said...: I am following you now!; Sunday, December 04, 2011

#27

twifanheather said...: I tweeted!
http://twitter.com/#!/_HeatherAnne_/status/144289717729497088

Congrats ladies! Pleas send me your email address soon.