Archive for October 2013

Autumn Decor

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I tell myself each fall that I am not going to decorate. Molly's birthday is on Halloween and it is the start of the busy holiday season. Each year I promise to reduce my load, streamline things, make it all simple. But alas, I never do that...not ever!  The truth is I adore autumn and I love celebrating each change of season.  One of my favorite things about living in NJ (besides Taylor ham and Jon Bon Jovi) is how we are treated to true seasons and the changing of them is always thrilling!

I used shades of orange in some areas, shades of neutrals in others, and some of my tried and true favorite pieces set together to create vignettes around the house. 



 
 











But no one decorates like Mother Nature!
 


Hope you had a great weekend!  Our week ahead is super busy!  Two Halloween parties and parades, Molly's birthday on Thursday plus Halloween stuff, her friend party, her family party, a dentist appointment, my own doctor appointment, whew. And who knows what else will come up. So if I am MIA that's why!  But I'll be around again soon.

Cheers!
Jenny

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How To Decorate Halloween Cookies (when you stink at it!)

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Molly's birthday is on Halloween and I have been scouring the Internet for good ideas for yummy Halloween treats, Halloween desserts, or Halloween snacks. There is so much out there!  Adorable pumpkin and mummy cake pops, veggie tray skeletons, mummy juice boxes, you name it. So cute!  And I'm lazy!  What to do?  I devised my own easy peasy lemon squeezy way to decorate Halloween cookies and no fancy technique or even any talent is required!


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Blog Love: Finding Home

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There are blogs I consider my forever blogs. Finding Home is one of my forever blogs, meaning, I'll read it forever!  Laura is the force behind the blog and she never fails to deliver tons of decorating and design ideas. Her style is impeccable and, having met her at the Country Living Fair and Cutting Edge Stencils, I can say she is friendly, positive, and as elegant as her blog portrays.


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Winner!

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Congratulations to Kristi Wolff, the winner of the NIMLI pashmina shawl giveaway!  Email me at juniper20@gmail.com so I can get your information and you can receive your prize! 

Thanks so much to everyone who entered! 
 
If you didn't win this time, maybe you'll win one of the other giveaways going on right now.
 
 

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Win a Shabby Apple Dress!

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Another giveaway!  Yay!  I love having the opportunity to send a thank you to my readers in the way of a gift. You guys are the best!  And this is always one of my favorites to offer you! 

I was tickled when I was contacted by Shabby Apple, which offers dresses and accessories inspired by vintage clothing .I adore their collections and I am so pleased to be able to offer one of my favorite dresses to one lucky reader! 


Source: Shabby Apple

 

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Enter For A Chance To Win a $200 Amazon Gift Card!

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Parenting isn't easy, we all know that.  Sometimes we could use a little support, right?  A second opinion on a situation, some guidance, commiserating, sharing of ideas, etc. Kinsights is here to help us through it all, plus giving you the opportunity to win a $200 Amazon Gift Card!

Kinsights


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Win A Pashmina Shawl from NIMLI!

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Wrap yourself in warmth with a pashmina shawl from NIMLI!

 I am so excited for this giveaway! So excited that I wish I could win it myself!  But alas, it's just for YOU, my lovely readers!  The folks at NIMLI have generously offered to give away one of their Stone Azuri pashmina shawls!  

Nimli

 If you don't have a pashmina you need one!  They are the perfect wrap for chilly fall nights, evening weddings and parties, or when you just need to cozy up a bit.  A beautiful pashmina can be dressy or casual, too. I use mine all the time around the house or to run quick errands.



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Children's Book (gifts for children)

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Isn't reading to your children one of the best parts of being a parent?  I love that time with my girls when we snuggle up together and share stories, new and old. Both of my girls love being read to but Ellie adores books in a huge way. If she had a choice she would have me read 20 books a night!  She also likes to flip through them by herself and "read" the pictures. So I was so excited when I discovered Flatten Me which offers personalized gifts for children, including personalized books!  Such a great gift idea, isn't it?

Owl Always Love You is a sweet and gentle rhyming book about sharing the twilight of bedtime with your children, lulling them to sleep with soft words. I ordered the book personalized for Ellie, my little bookworm, and she loved it!


Each page is personalized with her name which made this book special for her. As a teacher, we are always trying to have children make connections to literature and this is a perfect way for toddlers to feel that text-self connection!

I also appreciated the gorgeous artwork and illustrations. Each picture is rich with detail, soothing colors, and gentle scenes. Just the pictures can make your little one feel quiet and peaceful.



The story itself offers repetitive language and rhyming which are two ways to encourage pre-reading skills, too.

Today I walked in and found Molly reading the story to Ellie. I think this will become a well-loved book in our home! 


  
Flatten Me has lots of great gift ideas for the special children in your life! 

Cheers!
Jenny

I was compensated with product for my review. All opinions are 100% mine.

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How To Make a Cheap Fall Centerpiece

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Fall is here although you wouldn't know it since we've hit the mid 80s this week. Bah. I want crisp autumn air and sweaters!  Well, if it can't be fall outside I can make it fall inside by putting together a super cheap and easy autumn centerpiece!



The girls and I collected acorns from our neighborhood and I gave them a quick coat of gold and copper colored spray paint. To add some glitz, I used some copper glitter with Elmer's glue on some. Then I added a large candle I already had into a trifle bowl I already had (but you can find these easily enough at thrift stores or garage sales). I threw in a few fake leaves from Dollar Tree and done!  I did pay for the spray paint but I'm using it on some other projects so that's fine with me. The copper one was actually one I used before I was married!  WHAT?  10 years!  And it worked!! 




So while I had the gold spray paint out I glammed up some fake pears too.  Seriously, what did people do before spray paint?  Had green pears, I guess. So sad.



I haven't had a ton of time this week to do major autumn crafting. Twice a year our schools hold a giant used kids toys and clothing sale. If you are a seller you get first dibs on buying so this is the second year I've participated.  All week my living room has looked like this.


The good thing is that I am slowly getting rid of baby and toddler stuff. The sad thing is I am slowly getting rid of baby and toddler stuff. Sniff sniff.  

What have you been up to this week?  Any fun weekend plans?  We are going back to our old stomping grounds for a friend's 40th birthday party. I find it completely irritating that I am going to 40th birthday parties since in my head we are all really just 23 or so.

Come back and visit this week for a cool giveaway I'm so excited about!  This is one I wish I could enter myself! 

Cheers!
Jenny

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