Greetings all, happy Monday, I’m just putting the finishing touches on the boy’s room, then I need to snap some photos.  I can’t wait to show it to you!  It’s all finished just in time for his 5th Birthday (which is today, hooray)!  

Meanwhile, I thought it would be so fun to have a series of link parties throughout the spring and summer with topics for discussion.  These will be specific subjects, and I hope you’ll join me in a party or two.  I’m calling each of them a ‘Fair Weather Forum’ because they are all related to topics specific to these seasons.  Consider this your invitation to link up your best tips or latest project on the topic of the day.

These ten link parties will take place on Mondays twice a month.

Here is the schedule of topics:

March 28th:  Spring Decorating & Cleaning

April 11th:  Easter Ideas

April 25th:  All Things Paint!

May 16th:   Outdoor Décor & Entertaining

May 30th:   Garage & Yard Sales

June 13th:   Summer Activities (Favorites & With Kids)

June 27th:  Fourth of July Ideas

July 11th:  Favorite Vacation Spots

July 25th:  Gardening

August 15th:  BBQs and Picnics

I’ll be writing up a post on the topic on the scheduled day of the forum, or featuring a new project.   I hope you’ll join in on the fun, and link up with your ideas, plus see what others have to say on the topic.  It should be a great sharing and learning experience.  

Mark your calendars, see you there!

xoxo,

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Season’s Greetings, Ho Ho Ho, Happy Festivus, Happy Hanukkah and Merry Merry Merry Christmas friends !  ‘Tis the season for sparkle and shine, homemade treats, crafting, baking, decorating, and holiday cheer!  We’ve been busy around here with all of those delights, and I have just a few to share today.

The first is this little ‘Love Stitched’ ornament I made for my stepdaughter who is off at her first semester of college this year.  Living in a dorm, she needs something to keep it smelling fresh, so I stitched a sweet sentiment with red embroidery thread on linen, cut out a heart shape, filled it with a lavender and rice mixture, and sewed it all together.  I slipped it in her stocking, and I can’t wait till she finds it!

Next, my littlest ones helped paint and glitter up some very merry MDF letters found at a craft store.

I stapled ribbon to the back and suspended them in our dining room area, how fun!  You can’t quite tell in the photo, but the white glitter adds more sparkle in the light.

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A very big thanks to all the ladies who sent in their submission for the HomeGoods ‘Mom Cave’ contest, via email or by linking to the party.  Let me tell you, it was excruciating, and I mean painful, trying to narrow it down to five winners, and then choose a top prize. 

It was such a delight reading each and every one of your entries.  The judges (Layla, Rhoda, and I) spent the weekend reviewing them.  I don’t think I’ll be volunteering to be a judge for anything anytime in the near future . . . it really was that difficult!  But after the votes were cast by three judges, and all criteria considered, it’s my pleasure to announce the following winners:

The top prize, the $250 HomeGoods gift card is awarded to, drumroll please . .

Blair of ‘Blair’s Blessings‘ ! 

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Greetings all, happy November, hope you had a fantastic weekend!   I’ve been wanting some fun colorful art for my office, so a few weeks ago, I bought a print from the shop of one of my favorite designers/bloggers, Jen of Made by Girl.

You can see her ‘LOVE’ print here in my office alongside my daughter’s watercolor painting and my new giant inspiration board (more on that later!)   Still loving that grasscloth wallpaper, ooh la la!

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Greetings lovelies!  I do hope you all had a fabulous fall weekend.  It was pouring down rain all weekend around here, so the paint on my lovely credenza is still drying due to cold temperatures.  I soooo wanted to get all my files organized this weekend, but it was not meant to be.  My office is a straight up disaster zone, so I’ve got absolutely nothing for ya!  But who cares about that because today is all about YOU!

It’s time for the ‘Mom Cave’ Link Party, sponsored by HomeGoods!  The top prize is a $250 gift card to HomeGoods, and there will also be four runners up, each winning their own $50 gift card to HomeGoods.

Here’s how to enter:

Write up a post* under 200 words in one of the two categories below with images of your space, and link your post to this party to be eligible.

A) Describe your ‘Mom Cave’ and get creative!  It can be your home office, your craft corner or closet, your reading nook, your vanity, or your favorite getaway spot.  Wherever it is that YOU take time to recharge, create, get organized, or just relax.  Why is it special to you?   How does your existing ‘Mom Cave’ help you stay organized, unwind, or simply be a better Mom?

B) OR, answer this question in your post:  How would a $250 gift card help you create your own ‘Mom Cave’?  Don’t forget a picture!

*If you do not have a blog, please submit your written entry (with at least 1 picture) to centsationalgirl@gmail.com on or before October 26th by 11p.m PST.

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