Hey everybody, how’s your week shaping up ?  Mine is soooo full of activity -  I’ve got one daughter finishing kindergarten and another graduating from high school this weekend – how crazy is that ?  It makes for plenty of excitement around these parts. 

Last week, I finished the laundry room makeover, and many of you inquired about the window treatment.  Here’s the play-by-play on how I made this fixed flat fold shade.

The room is on the second story and never in need of darkness.  I’ve made roman shades before, but this time I made it a fixed shade.  Yep, it’s true, this one’s a big fat faux, fake & phony – it doesn’t go up and down.   I wanted just the ‘look’ of a functioning flat fold roman shade since I never intended to raise or lower it for light control.   When I was researching fixed shades online, I found this fantastic tutorial by Darby and I was completely inspired.  

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Heads up all, there’s some home improvement related contests going on right now that I wanted to share with you!  First, some creative friends have formed a new blog called the CSI Project:

This week’s CSI Project contest is the ‘Hardware Store Challenge’ and I’m the guest judge this week, oh yessss.  Your project need only include one element from a hardware store such as nail gun or staple gun, lumber or wood trim, gardening supplies, tools, paint projects, anything purchased at a hardware store.  

Be sure to add the CSI button to your post to be eligible ! 

For all the requirements, look right here.  

This week, the winner will receive a $50 dollar gift certificate to Sparkle & Metal. 

You have until Thursday at 12 p.m. EST to link up. 

One Project Closer is hosting their annual summer Before and After Contest 2010 benefiting Habitat for Humanity.  Last year, I was one of the weekly winners for our staircase redo.   This contest is a fantastic opportunity to show off your best Before and After, win a little dough, and help out a worthy cause.

You submit your renovation project that you worked on yourself, and then a winner is chosen once a week and featured on the site.  The weekly winner also receives a $50 dollar gift certificate to either Lowe’s, Home Depot, or Amazon.com !

Best of all, the OPC gang donates $100 dollars to Habitat for Humanity in your honor (and for each weekly winner). 

At the end of the summer, the community votes, and the winner receives a bonus $150 dollar gift card. 

Check out all the details right here. 

Finally, you know I’m a huge fan of MirrorMate having successfully transformed my own hall bath mirror with their product.  MirrorMate is hosting a MirrorMate Makeover contest for anyone who has purchased a frame and installed in their own home. 

The best makeover winner will receive a $500 dollar American Express gift card – you can find all the rules right here.   And if still haven’t spruced up your bathroom space with a MirrorMate frame, you can use the code CENTS to receive 15% off your purchase !

Know of any other DIY or home improvement related contests going on right now ?  Do share! 

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Greetings friends, I’m baaaaaaack from a whirlwind trip to Southern California.  Sadly, we drove south to pay our respects to my beloved uncle who passed earlier in the week.  Despite the circumstances, I reconnected with aunts, uncles, cousins, and extended family – that was completely wonderful.  

I had a chance to meet up with fellow Californian and blog buddy JJ from The Blah Blah Blahger who I met at the Blissdom conference back in February.  

JJ is so much fun, it was great to get some gal time with her and chat all about blogging and life and our shared passion for great wine.  That’s what I love about this blogging adventure, the opportunity to mix and mingle with great people from across these fruited plains.  Big hugs JJ, can’t wait to meet up again in Sonoma !

I also spent two days in Carmel-by-the-Sea, oh me oh my, talk about gorgeousness all around in one charming town.  Will post pics later ! 

It’s party time peeps !

I’m not one to throw blog parties very often, but since I love the Fourth of July, and since we’re throwing a patriotic bash this year, and since YOU all are a fantastic source of inspiration, let’s have a party gang ! 

No doubt many of you are getting your craft on in anticipation of the upcoming Fourth, plus I know many of you love to bring out the red, white, and blue in July, plus I also know many of you can whip up some amazing summer recipes, so let’s celebrate, shall we ?  

Mark your calendars ! 

Anything decorative or DIY or delicious will do, as long as it has something to do with the red, white, and blue.   Just about anything related to the Fourth of July works for me, so link up with your decor related posts, or party planning tips, or scrumptious recipes!  I’ll be sure to work up something snazzy as well. 

And I’ll try to get some sort of button thingy in the sidebar. . . . HTML – it boggles my mind sometimes. 

Before I forget, the lucky winner of the Geezees giveaway is none other than lucky #102, Heather S. who won because of a Tweet, congratulations Heather !

Heather will choose these words for her personalized canvas, “I don’t care too much for money, money can’t buy me love.”  

Oooooh, a fellow Beatles fan, I love it.  Heather, send me your contact info in an email so you can collect your lovely prize.

Finally, today I’m excited to bring you a giveaway from The Pleated Poppy !  

The Pleated Poppy offers all sorts of fun and feminine accessories, from zippered pouches to notebook covers to stylish aprons to pleated poppy pins !

I’m in love with these petal pusher ruffle pins – perfect for adding just that dash of panache to your lapel, your hairband, a purse or hat.  

Call me eccentric, but I do believe these would looks fantastic on a banded lampshade, wouldn’t that be so flirty ?  

There will be two lucky winners of this giveaway !  Each one will receive a $30 dollar shop credit to The Pleated Poppy. 

Eligibility to win one of two $30 dollar shop credits to The Pleated Poppy: 

1) Hop on over to The Pleated Poppy and pick your favorite item.  Come back and tell us all what you’d choose if you won in a comment, that’s it ! 

2) For a second chance to win, either post a link to this giveaway on Facebook, OR tweet about this giveaway on Twitter (with a link), then leave a second comment telling where you linked (either FB or Twitter). 

Giveaway ends Saturday June 5, 2010 at 8 p.m. PST.  Two winners chosen by Random.org.  

Good luck friends !

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