Random thoughts from an incoherent mind

Strawberry Pretzel Squares

2012-05-26T11:31:00.002-04:00

Having been so super busy as always this time of year,

I actually had a few minutes to make a yummy dessert last weekend.

I can't remember the last time I actually cooked something,

let alone made a dessert!

This is a recipe that I have had since I was a newlywed,

and I always try to make it every Summer because I like that it's

cool & refreshing, not overly sweet,

yet gives me the sweet & salty combination that I love so much!

Strawberry Pretzel Squares

2 cups finely crushed pretzels

1/3 cup sugar

2/3 cup margarine or butter, melted

12 ounces cream cheese, softened

1/4 cups sugar

2 tablespoons milk

1 cup thawed Cool Whip

2 cups boiling water

2 packages strawberry jello

1½ cups cold water

2 pints strawberries, sliced

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Mix crushed pretzels, 1/3 cup sugar, and margarine or butter. Press firmly into bottom of 13 x 9 inch baking pan. Bake 10 minutes and let cool.

Beat cream cheese, 1/4 cup sugar and milk until smooth. Stir in Cool Whip. Spread over cooled crust and refrigerate.

Place jello in a large bowl, add boiling water and stir 2 minutes or until completely dissolved. Stir in cold water. Refrigerate 1½ hours or until thickened. Stir in strawberries. Spoon over cream cheese layer. Refrigerate 3 hours or until firm.

Cut into squares, garnish as desired.

Wishing you a happy Memorial Day!

Giveaway Winner, revisited, and a lesson

2012-05-24T07:19:00.000-04:00

Hello my lovelies!

I'm not sure if you recall, but a few weeks ago

I had a wonderful giveaway from PrintRunner.

At that time, my daughter selected a winner.

Unfortunately that winner had no way for me to contact her.

Without a blog and no email address provided,

I could not relay the happy news

that she had won my giveaway.

So here in lies the lesson.........

If you are going to enter a giveaway at a blog,

any blog,

and you do not have a blog of your own,

please, please provide an email address when you comment

so you can be contacted in the event you should win.

It's really a shame and I feel bad about it,

but I have no other option other than to select another winner.

Pulling from the ~~hat~~ milk glass compote again, I have selected

Lynn at UpCountry Olio!

Congratulations Lynn!

I will be in touch.

Happy Thursday friends!

A Bumblebee Birthday Party (in the Spotlight)

2012-05-23T07:08:00.000-04:00

Here I am, ready to bring another Newbie blogger into the spotlight!

Drumroll please...........

This week, the Spotlight shines on...

...Laura of Hoosier Life, Hoosier Wife!

I fell in love with this sweet bumblebee-themed birthday party

that she put together for her daughter's first birthday.

How can you not fall in love with all the details?

Yellow, black & white sweetness,

and just wait until you see the birthday cake!

So please, head on over to Laura's blog,

Hoosier Life, Hoosier Wife

You'll be glad that you did!

Laura, here is a button to display in your sidebar should you want to.

To see a whole bunch of talented Newbies,

take a look at Debbiedoos weekly Newbie Party.

If you'd like to see the other Newbies who

were spotlighted this week, take a look here:

Debbie at Debbiedoos

Shannon at Fox Hollow Cottage

Debbie at Refresh Restyle

Kristin at Simply Klassic Home

Let's hear it for the Newbies!!

Sweetest Scent

2012-05-21T13:16:00.000-04:00

I can officially say that we are finally getting some pretty blooms in our yard.

I know, I know, blooms are old news to you Southern belles,

but is it ok if this Northerner shares?

Sunday was a beautiful day. The sun was shining,
the temperature was in the low 80s,

and there was the slightest breeze.

As I walked around my yard to inspect the progress of my

soon-to-be-blooming garden,

the slight breeze sent a swirl of the sweetest scent around me.

I knew immediately then that my Lilies of the Valley were ready to greet me!

Every year, when my Lilies of the Valley bloom,

I just stand in my yard and take in the scent.

I love the sweet, delicate scent so much.

This year, I thought, why not cut a few flowers to bring indoors?

After all, it seems as though I catch the lovely scent one day

and before I know it, these sweet little flowers are gone

away for another year.

You know, it's silly sometimes when I think about how

something so simple can give me such joy.

Why in the world have I never thought to bring a few of these

blooms indoors before?

Hoping your day is a beautiful one!

Factory Cart Table (in the Spotlight)

2012-05-16T07:25:00.000-04:00

Time for another Newbie Spotlight of the Week!

It's hard to believe this is week #3 already!

If you are asking yourself,

"What is this Newbie Spotlight of the Week all about, anyway?"

then take a look at this post by Debbie of Debbiedoos.

So, without further delay, this week's winner is....

Are you ready for some magic?

Inspired by Restoration Hardware, Amy made this amazing table herself!

Yes, that's right, I said she made this amazing table herself.

Can you believe it?

Amy gives a full tutorial on how she made this beauty,
but I know I could never take on

a task like this myself...I'm just happy to brag all about Amy
and admire her mad furniture making skills.

Amy is from Texas and is a Graphic Designer,
but I'd also say she's one heckuva DIY-er as well!

With incredible projects like this and a beautiful home to share with us,
something tells me that Amy's blog is getting ready to soar.

Please go on over and take a look, you'll be glad you did!

The Blissful Bee

Amy if you would like, here is a button to display on your blog.

For more Newbie Spotlights of the Week, see:

Debbie at Debbiedoos

Shannon at Fox Hollow Cottage

Debbie at Refresh Restyle

Kristin at Simply Klassic Home

If you are a Newbie, please link up at Debbiedoos Newbie Party.

You never know, you could be the next Newbie Spotlight of the Week!

Burlap Rag Wreath, restyled

2012-05-15T08:30:00.004-04:00

Do you remember this wreath that I shared for The Great Spring'tacular Party?

I decided it was time to give it a little restyle.

I bought some flowers at Michaels and

this little aqua watering can from The Dollar Tree.

With the addition of some red & white gingham ribbon

(which I always have on hand),

I gave this wreath a quick restyle.

I have to say that Debbiedoos & her twig wreath were my inspiration.

Debbie has refashioned that wreath so many times with

amazing results, I just had to try it with my burlap wreath.

Thanks for stopping by today, lovelies!

Linking to:

Swing into Spring at DIY by Design

Thursdays are Your Days at 52 Mantels

Oh yeah, quick question. Do you think my photos are too large?

I have such a large computer monitor, I'm not sure how they appear

on smaller monitors/laptops.

Giveaway Winner

2012-05-12T14:50:00.000-04:00

Hello my friends! I feel as though I've been missing from blogland again.

I apologize for that, honestly I do, but sometimes life gets out of control busy

and this week was just that.

I would love to announce the winner for the PrintRunner giveaway!

Here is Olivia:

She is ready, although giggling like crazy because as she says

my taking a picture of her drawing a winner is just sooo stupid! lol

The winner is:

Congratulations to Betty!

Betty, I do not have an email address to contact you.

Please get in touch with me.
(If I don't hear from you by Friday 5/18/12, I'll have to draw another name)

That's about all I have for today. Lots of work going on around here,

just nothing to share yet.

Got to get ready now. Somehow Mr. Random & I got talked into this:

A night of WWE wrestling. This ought to be ~~fun~~ interesting! lol

A Room with a View (in the Spotlight)

2012-05-09T07:25:00.000-04:00

Time sure is moving at a rapid rate as of late.
It's hard to believe it's time for another

Newbie Spotlight of the Week!

My Newbie Spotlight of the Week goes to:

Lorrie from Finding Secret Treasure!

I love this stencil project that Lorrie shared at Debbie's Newbie Party.

After stenciling the branch on the wall,

Lorrie added this old window to make it "A Room with a View."

Seriously, don't you love the way this turned out? I think it's pretty clever.

The window was the perfect finishing touch.

Exploring Lorrie's blog, I find she is very creative. Take a look at this clock

she made from the lid of a rusty barrel.

Pretty awesome, huh?

So please head on over to Finding Secret Treasure and say hello to Lorrie.

Lorrie, you are welcome to grab this button below for your blog.

To see 3 more Newbie Spotlight Picks, please visit:

Debbie at Debbiedoos

Shannon at Fox Hollow Cottage

Debbie at Refresh Restyle

In My Mom's Shoes Tablescape

2012-05-07T12:05:00.000-04:00

Kathleen at Cuisine Kathleen hosts Let's Dish every week. Her theme for the month of May is none other than...Mother's Day!

Instead of doing just a traditional Mother's Day tablescape, I thought I'd try to tailor it to something my Mom loves. She loves alot of things, and shoes just happen to be one of them. So, I borrowed her shoe salad plates and her shoes. Well, not her actual shoes. I didn't decorate the table with her actual shoes, instead I chose to borrow her little shoe collection!

I found this table to be a challenge, because I feared there were too many colors going on, but that's Mom for you, full of color!

Placemats from Home Goods. Dinner plates are my everyday Corelle. Salad plates borrowed from Mom. Napkin Rings are from Pier 1. Mixed silverware by Cambridge from Home Goods. The glasses are borrowed from my sister. They belonged to my Grandmother originally and are quite old.

Here are the different shoe plates:

For the centerpiece, I used my milk glass compotes to display some of Mom's little shoes.

I would so wear that leopard print pump! Mom would too. Actually, Mom probably has a pair of leopard print pumps already.

I hope you enjoyed being In My Mom's Shoes today.

Oh yeah, how could I ever forget....The Life of the Party...Mom. She will be 78 this Saturday!

I'm linking this to:

Let's Dish at Cuisine Kathleen

Tablescape Thursday at Between Naps on the Porch

Please don't forget to enter my PrintRunner giveaway here.

A Super Giveaway

2012-05-04T07:20:00.000-04:00

I've been contacted by the good people at PrintRunner.com
and they would like to offer you a wonderful giveaway!

If you don't know about PrintRunner, they are a full service high quality printing company located in Chatsworth, California.

Print online or give their custom sticker printing a try.

Either way, they will provide you with high quality

full color printing at the best value.

Now onto the giveaway!

PrintRunner is generously offering one of my readers:

250 Standard Stickers, 2" x 3.5",

printed on Premium Sticker Stock,

in Full Color (4 Color Process) or Black & White,

and they will be ready to ship in 3 business days!

*Giveaway is open to US Residents only, ages 18 years old and above

Thanks to PrintRunner for providing me with a set of stickers

for hosting this giveaway.

You may be asking, "Hey Gina, what would I use stickers for?"

Well...

You may be a person who loves to cook or bake.

How about a sticker that says, "From the Kitchen of _____________" to put on your little care packages that you send off to family & friends?

You could even use them atop regular index cards to turn them into your own personalized recipe cards.

You may be a book lover, so how about a,

"This book belongs to _______________" sticker?

Who wouldn't want a sticker that relates to their blog header?

You could use them for when you send off giveaways and such.

Perhaps you have an Etsy shop.

Wouldn't it be nice to have a professional looking sticker indicating

your shop's name that you can use when packaging your items?

Thinking ahead, how about a "To: From:" sticker that's Christmas related

for adhering to all those gifts?

You see, the possibilities are endless and PrintRunner is ready to assist
you with whatever you can dream up!

Now onto the rules:

To enter:

You must leave me a comment telling me

what you would do with these stickers.

Optional:

Follow PrintRunner on Twitter

Like PrintRunner on Facebook

Leave me a separate comment for each & I will give you an additional entry for each.

I will draw a winner on May 12th.

Good luck and many thanks to PrintRunner!

**Rules from PrintRunner state you can only win this giveaway once over a two month period. Deadline of submission of winners is on May 29, 2012 to be included in their prize awarding May 31, 2012.**

Butler's Pantry Redo (in the Spotlight)

2012-05-02T07:25:00.000-04:00

Can I first preface this post by saying this Newbie Spotlight gig is tough!

There are so many talented Newbies! I had a really hard time choosing

just one to spotlight, but here goes:

My Newbie Spotlight of the Week shines on...........

Lynn at UpCountry Olio!

(Lynn is link#24 at Debbiedoo's Newbie Party.)

Lynn shared her incredible Butler's Pantry Makeover.

Seriously, I mean it's IN-CRED-I-BLE!

You have got to see the before picture to really appreciate the after picture.

The maize colored cabinets were a gutzy choice and they really appeal to me.

Am I right? Isn't it a beautiful space?

So go on, go on, run over & take a look at Lynn's

Butler's Pantry Extraordinaire.

I think you will love it and her blog as well. Lynn shares quite a few

before and afters of the renovations made to her 1902 farmhouse.

Honestly, who doesn't love the hope and inspiration

that big time renovations offer us?

Lynn, if you like, go ahead & post this button to your blog.

For some additional Newbie talent that you won't want to miss,

See Debbie of Debbiedoo's Spotlight pick here

See Shannon of Fox Hollow's Spotlight pick here

See Debbie of Refresh Restyle's Spolight pick here

See Kristin of Simply Klassic Home's Spotlight pick here

Thanks for stopping over today. See you soon!

Nothing to Share Except Complaints

2012-05-01T08:16:00.002-04:00

I mean really? That's the title of this post? Oh sure Gina, that'll pull them in. Just what everyone wants to do is listen to you complain!

I am feeling a bit overwhelmed lately, so can I just begin my list of complaints now?

...5 baseball/softball games in the next 6 days...

...Sitting at my daughter' softball game last week in the cold and rain has given me a head cold that I can't seem to shake...

...I have too many projects started that I can't seem to finish...

...The stairs are waiting to be sanded...

...There is an unfinished tablescape on my dining room table...

...My dining room is filled with an assortment of chairs (don't ask)...

...I have a banner for the mantel half constructed...

...My new quilt is lying on the floor of the bedroom waiting to be put on the bed...

...Spring cleaning is no where near done...

...You are all blogging too much and I can't keep up with your posts...

...I have some sort of tooth/mouth pain, wisdom teeth trouble perhaps...

...My lists of things to do keeps growing every day, cross 1 thing off, add 15 more...

...I stepped on the scale yesterday morning, good heavens, what was I thinking...

...I am trying to give up sugar & flour, I've survived Day 1 so far...

...The weather is all over the place & getting on my last nerve...

Please tell me you can all relate to my insanity.
And you know I'm losing it to post that horrible picture of myself!

A Special Announcement

2012-04-27T07:51:00.001-04:00

I'm not sure if you've heard, but the fabulous Debbie of Debbiedoos

has come up with a spectacular idea for her weekly Newbie party.

She has put together a team of bloggers who will spotlight

a different newbie from her party each week.

The team will consist of:

Debbie of Debbiedoos (of course),

Shannon of Fox Hollow Cottage,

Debbie of ReFresh ReStyle,

Kristin of Simply Klassic Home,

and yours truly!

What this means is that if you are a new blogger who links up to

Debbie's party, you will have the chance to be spotlighted on one of

the above mentioned blogs as the

Spotlight of the Week!

Remember in order to participate in Debbie's Newbie Party you must

be a blogger who has been blogging for 6 months or less

and/or have less than 100 followers.

I am so excited to be participating in this fun new venture!

It all begins with the April 30th Newbie party at Debbiedoos,

so please be sure to link up.

Hope to see you there!

Quit Copying Me!

2012-04-25T20:54:00.002-04:00

It's time for another Magazine Copycat Challenge hosted by none other than Debbie of Debbiedoos!

If you aren't familiar with Debbie's Magazine Copycat Challenge, it goes something like this:

Find an inspiring image in a magazine that you'd like to copy, go ahead and put your own spin on it, take a photo of your copycat & share it with us at Debbie's party! Easy enough, right?

I found my inspiration in the May 2012 issue of Better Homes & Gardens...

Here is my copycat...

I didn't have that pretty blue basket that BHG used, so I chose to go with colorful accessories instead.

Having a little fun in PicMonkey. Love giving a photo like this a vintage feel....

Head on over to Debbiedoos for the Magazine Copycat Challenge. You don't want to miss out on all the fun, now do you?

A Springtime Fireside Chat

2012-04-24T08:14:00.001-04:00

Donna at An Anglo is Quebec is having a Fireplace Show & Tell Party. Since I'm not quite ready to share my newest mantel decor, I'm going to show you a couple of photos from last Spring.

As I'm sure you've heard me ~~complain~~ say before, our fireplace mantel is huge. It is 79 inches in length and 17 ¼ inches deep! As I'm sure you've heard me ~~complain~~ say before, having a mantel so large makes for a decorating challenge every time I switch up the mantelscape.

Our home was built in 1933. This fireplace is almost 80 years old. When we first bought the house, the brick had been painted an antique white and there was dark paneling on the wall behind it. Since then, we have painted the brick a brighter white and of course, we've also painted that dark paneling.

This is a wood-burning fireplace. We've often thought of having it converted to a gas fireplace, but it's not a high priority on our list. Before using the fireplace for the first time, we had a professional come check it out and make sure everything was ok.  We also had it cleaned at that time.

The professional, or chimney sweep as I like to call him (I'm thinking Mary Poppins here), said the inside of our fireplace is made of cobblestone. He said in the 25 years he's being cleaning chimneys, he has only ever seen one other fireplace made of cobblestone. He said it is beautiful and well made and we'd be crazy to convert it to gas.  (It's possible his words have also held us back from making the conversion a reality.) I do love having a fireplace on cold evenings. There's just something so cozy about gathering around a fire and snuggling up close.

I hope you enjoyed getting to know my fireplace a little better. lol

If you have a chance, stop over to Donna's Fireplace Show & Tell Party.   Whether you choose to link up and inspire us or just visit and get some inspiration, Donna's blog is the place!

Seeing Coral

2012-04-23T07:30:00.001-04:00

Coral.

Everywhere I look, I see this beautiful color.

My daughter and I did some shopping over the weekend

and I can't get over how much coral-colored happy was all around.

Have you noticed it too?

Here are some of my favorite finds that I wish were mine, all mine!

Zappos

Mod Cloth

My Pillow Studio-Etsy

R Knoblock-Etsy

Overstock

But suppose you want just a hint of coral?

Margo's Originals-Etsy

I think I really may need to buy this sweet starfish necklace!

Dress Barn

My daughter fell in love with this dress, so needless to say, I bought it for her!

As if coral is not pretty enough on its own, look at how pretty it looks

paired with aqua.

Shannon, this part is for you!

Mary Kate McDevitt-Etsy

Elma's Box-Etsy

Willow Faire Decor-Etsy

So tell me. What do you think of coral?

Just so you know, this sweet jacket leapt into my arms in Macys.

Would you believe it if I told you there was only one

hanging on a remote rack with nothing else around it and

it just happened to fit me?

Hmmm....very strange.

There was no way I was letting it go.

Let the coral madness begin!

Have a good one.

Let's Make a Cherry Pie! Tablescape

2012-04-20T08:14:00.000-04:00

I feel as though I've been missing in action lately. I honestly don't even know what I've been doing! This time of year brings the start of softball and baseball season for my kids, so I've pretty much been sitting at the ballpark instead of sitting in front of this computer.

I did get an opportunity to play with my dishes though. I came up with this tablescape to share with you, although don't go looking for a pie to go along with it. I don't foresee much baking (or even cooking) going on here for the next couple of months.

Placemats: Home Goods

Green flatware by Cambridge: Home Goods

Green dinner plates: Oneida Outlet

Red dinner plates: Pier 1

Brown napkins: Pier 1

Dragonfly napkin rings: Pier 1

Salad Plates: Kohl's

As my centerpiece, I used my large wooden board as the base.

I had the cherry crate for years and I believe I bought it at Home Goods. I filled it with my one & only house plant and my rolling pin.

I added my jar of flour, my son's rolling pin (when he was little he always baked alongside me), a cherry votive candleholder given to me by my sister and a cherry ramekin from Kohl's a few years back.

I know it's hard to see but in front of this, I have a rectangular cherry dish also from Kohls a few years back.

Oh yes, how could I forget to add that I used my green bubble goblets from Target? I sure do use these goblets more than I ever thought I would!

But what a minute! What's that I see in the upper right hand corner of that last picture?

Do you see it?

Ahhh yes, real life goes on here in our home! Need a close up?

I just never know where or when these wrestlers of the WWE are going to show up! Ugh!

I hope you enjoyed my Let's Make a Cherry Pie! Tablescape today, ~~even though I didn't make a cherry pie.~~

Thanks for visiting!

Linking to:

Your Cozy Home Party at Cozy Home Scenes

Let's Dish at Cuisine Kathleen

Share Your Cup Thursday at Have a Daily Cup of Mrs. Olson

Tablescape Thursday at Between Naps on the Porch

From the oven

2012-04-14T11:22:00.001-04:00

The more I try not to eat sweets, the more I get the urge to bake! I made this cake earlier in the week and thought I would share the recipe with you.

This came from an old Everyday Food magazine.

Apple-Cinnamon Upside-Down Cake

10 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
½ cup packed light brown sugar
3 apples, Empire or Gala (about 1½ pounds), each peeled, cored and sliced into 8 wedges
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1½ cups all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
1½ teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
½ cup whole milk

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat bottom and side of 9-inch round cake pan with 2 tablespoons butter; sprinkle bottom with brown sugar. In a medium bowl, toss apples with lemon juice; arrange in prepared pan in two concentric circles (you might not use all of them).

In a medium bow, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt and cinnamon; set aside.

With an electric mixer, beat remaining 8 tablespoons butter with granulated sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla; beat until incorporated. With mixer on low speed, alternately add the flour mixture in three parts and the milk in two, beginning and ending with the flour mixture.

Spoon batter over apples in pan; smooth top. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 45 to 55 minutes. Cool cake in pan on wire rack, at least 30 minutes and up to 6 hours (if cake has risen above rim of pan, simply push back inside rim.)

To serve, run a knife around edge of pan, and invert cake onto a rimmed platter.

Grab a cup of tea (or coffee) and enjoy the weekend!

The Phantom

2012-04-12T21:59:00.001-04:00

My daughter turned 14 years old on March 31st.

Her birthday wish was to see

The Phantom of the Opera.

Yesterday, she and I took a trip to New York City...

...and her wish came true!

This was her very first show on Broadway and she fell,

♥ hook, line & sinker ♥

for all things Broadway. This was my third time seeing The Phantom,

but watching it through her eyes was really incredible.

We were in the 3rd row and being so close to the stage,

especially for her first time, made it all the more special.

She reacted just as I do when I see a show.

She became overwhelmed by the beauty of it

and got tears in her eyes several times.

Not to mention that her mouth hung open

in awe for the first few minutes! lol

After the show, for a donation to

Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS,

Olivia got her picture taken with Kyle Barisich, who plays Raoul.

She tells me the whole experience was the best birthday gift ever!

I just wish I could make all of her birthdays this special.

And just for the record, this morning she told me that she would

prefer to be addressed as

"The Phantom of _______ Street."

(For privacy matters, I didn't want to use our actual street name.)

I think I've created a monster! lol

The Wide Open Window

2012-04-10T16:57:00.000-04:00

I have a big dilemma that I hope you ladies will be so kind as to help me with.

Last week, we had some new windows put in the dining room. I am ashamed to admit that prior to this, two out of three of the windows did not open at all. The other only opened if the planets were aligned correctly and you had a crane to lift the window up. The joys of a home built in 1933. Ok, moving on....

Once I saw this fresh new window, unadorned by curtain panels, I sort of liked it just the way it is. (I still have to paint the trim yet.)

I'm sure you are asking, ok, so what's the problem then?

I live in a city.
I live on a corner.
There is a stoplight on this corner.
We don't have a huge amount of traffic, but it is a thoroughfare for schools/community college in the area.

So, what can I do?

Do I just cover the window up with the same lace panels that I had before and call it a day?

I'm not sure if you can tell from the photo above, but raised at the top of the window, are cellular shades. These were ordered when we first bought the house. Honestly, they were great for awhile. Opening them up & down, every day, over such big windows caused them to break several times. Luckily, they were always repaired free of charge, but I guess the annoyance factor got to me. I think they were just too big to handle the wear & tear, so I opted for the lace curtain panels.

Let me show you some pictures of the dining room and the adjoining room so you can get a better idea of what I'm dealing with.

Bear in mind, there is a radiator under this window, making long curtains to the floor impossible.

The other thing to consider is, will I need to change the curtains in the seating area as well, since the rooms are adjoined?

So my decorating genius friends, let me have it. Any ideas or thoughts on how to solve this dilemma?

I really appreciate any help you can give me.

Spring Giveaway Winner

2012-04-09T16:12:00.001-04:00

Sorry to keep you all waiting, but I've been Spring cleaning like a madwoman today.

Announcing the winner of my Spring Giveaway..........drumroll please..........my son has picked..........

Shasta of In The Old Road!!

Congratulations Shasta! Please send me your address so I can get your package out to you.

Thanks to all of you who entered my giveaway! How I wish I could send a prize to each of you.
Wishing you a happy new week!

Easter Wishes

2012-04-07T22:55:00.000-04:00

It's hard to believe I haven't posted since Wednesday.

(Spring Break officially started at 2:48 pm on Thursday, so I've been flying high ever since. LOL)

I just returned from Easter Vigil Mass and

I wanted to make sure and wish all my dear, sweet friends

a Very Blessed and Very Happy Easter!

Love to each of you!

See you again on Monday when I announce the winner of my Spring Giveaway!

If you haven't entered, click on the giveaway picture on my sidebar.

Happy Flowers Tablescape

2012-04-04T21:12:00.001-04:00

When it's Spring on the calendar, but the weather is anything but Spring-like, some bright color is in order to boost the spirits. What better way to begin than with a tablescape?

Red flower plates from Pier 1. Yellow plates are from Dollar Tree, I believe. Blue chargers are Lenox, purchased at a consignment shop. Placemats were a Christmas Tree steal at 29 cents each! Flatware is Cambridge purchased at Home Goods. Dotted glassware is from Target.

A watering can filled with flowers makes a nice centerpiece along with a couple of cute birds. I've had these for years.

I do believe that bright color was just the cure for Springtime blues.

Don't forget to enter my Spring giveaway here!

Thanks for stopping by today. I will be linking to:

Let's Dish at Cuisine Kathleen

Tablescape Thursday at Between Naps on the Porch

Button Egg Topiary

2012-04-02T08:21:00.004-04:00

I'd like to share an Easter craft with you today.

You'll need a styrofoam egg, pins, a wooden dowel, floral foam,

a flower pot or container and

buttons...

or should I say, BUTTONS!

Just start pinning the buttons to the styrofoam egg. Go ahead and overlap them and fill in the spaces as best you can. Leave a small area uncovered so you can insert the wooden dowel.

When you are done, it should look something like this:

I then got a small flower pot and filled it with some floral foam.

Stick wooden dowel into the styrofoam egg. I covered my dowel with ribbon

but you could leave it as is or even paint it a pretty color.
Stick other end of wooden dowel into the floral foam.

I added some crinkled paper to cover the floral foam and now I have
a button egg topiary!

This is a very easy craft, however, I must warn you, you will use alot of buttons!

I'm so glad you visited Random Thoughts today. I really do appreciate each & every visit.

I'll be linking this to: Bunny Blog Hop, at DIY by Design,
Live Laugh Linky Thursday at live love rowe,
Thursdays Are Your Days at 52 Mantels
Weekend Wrap Up at Tatertots & Jello

Go on over and check it out!

Don't forget about my Spring Giveaway! If you haven't entered, see here.

Time for a Spring Giveaway!

2012-03-30T07:14:00.001-04:00

I have won so many giveaways this year, it's hard to believe.
I want to pass some of that
love
around, so I've put together a little giveaway for you!

First up, we have this cute little canvas print from Kirklands. Looking at it now, I kind of wish I bought one for myself! (Note to self: Go to Kirklands and buy one.)

Next, we have this wire cloche from Michael's. I love the gray finish on this.

Last, we have this sweet bird's nest from Pier 1.

All three of these can be yours if you are the lucky winner of my
Spring Giveaway!

Not many rules, but here goes:

The only thing I ask is that you please follow me/become a follower and leave me a comment letting me know you are.

If you would like, you can post about this giveaway on your blog, leave me a comment letting me know you did, and I will give you 2 additional entries!

Easy enough?

This giveaway is limited to those in the United States and Canada only.

I will draw a winner on Monday, April 9th.

Good luck to each of you! I really do appreciate all your visits
and sweet comments here at Random Thoughts.