Giveaway {Pretty Swell}

This week's lovely giveaway is courtesy of Katie, from Hawaii (anyone else jealous)? 'Pretty Swell' is a shop full of beautiful handmade floral garlands... Katie has generously agreed to donate a six flower garland of the winner's choice... Fantastic or what?
Lovely Katie has taken the same to answer some questions...

What does a perfectly ordinary day in your life look like?
"An ordinary day in my life goes like this... Wake up with my daughter... play and take care of her...do something fun with her go to the beach or meet up with friends... let her sleep while I work on my fledgling business! ... then spend the evening with my husband. pretty average but Pretty Swell! (ha! get it?)"

What time of year most inspires you?
"ohhh I love the summertime! it has always been my favorite because it means going on vacation with family and lots of playing."

What do you think of as comfort food?
"comfort food is always a dessert for me... ice cream, cupcakes, chocolate souffle! yum"

If you could hop on a plane, without giving one thought to your budget, where would you go?
"South Africa... but Italy is always tempting."

What are five things you would like to do in the next five years?
"1. have more children
2. paint more(I graduated in fine arts and i just don't paint enough anymore)
3. work hard to build Pretty Swell
4. travel somewhere new
5. learn to cook consistently and effortlessly"


This giveaway runs from May 31st - June 5th at Noon (EST)

1. Visit 'Pretty Swell' and choose your favourite item from the shop... Come back here and leave a comment along with your email address, mentioning your favourite item...

2. For a second entry, link to this giveaway on your blog, Facebook page or Twitter page, come back here and post a SECOND comment with the link and your email address...

The winner will be randomly chosen and posted HERE on the blog on Saturday... Please check the blog on Saturday to see if YOU are the winner! Enjoy... Please help spread the word and thanks again to Katie of 'Pretty Swell'!

{Yvette Inufio Photography} Giveaway Winner...

Congratulations to Kait of 'Kait Must Wait'... The winner of this week's giveaway! Thanks to all who entered and thank you especially to Yvette of 'Yvette Inufio Photography' for the fantastic photographs!

Stay tuned on Monday for a BRAND NEW weekly giveaway!

Weekend Project {Hanging Handkerchief Vases}

If you were as inspired yesterday by all the lovely vintage handkerchiefs as I was, I hope you'll enjoy today's Weekend Project Idea... 'Hanging Handkerchief Vases' from 'Once Wed'... Aren't they pretty? Enjoy... Perhaps I'll give them a try this weekend... Here's hoping!

Vintage Handkerchiefs...

1. Vintage Handkerchief Bouquet
2. Vintage Handkerchief Table Runner
3. Vintage Handkerchief Save the Date
4. Vintage Handkerchief Pillows
5. Hankies on the Line

6. Lovely Engagement shots of Danni from 'Oh Hello Friend'
7. Handkerchief Wall Art
8. Vintage Handkerchief Banner
9. Vintage Handkerchief Card
10. Vintage Fabric Wristlet

A May Day...

A stunning day in May... The weather perfect... The sky blue... The bridal wreath in bloom... The girls happy... Perfection...

Brennah {2 Years, 4 Months Old}
Leah {6 and a half Months Old}

Sugar Plum Berries...

1. Girl
2. Silk Flower Hair Clip
3. Outdoor Table Setting
4. Plums
5. Flowers
6. Estelle Fascinator in Raspberry Pink

Giveaway {Yvette Inufio Photography}

Today I'd like to introduce you to Yvette, of 'Yvette Inufio Photography'... Yvette has graciously offered one of her sets (Any set of two 5x7 prints OR any set of four 5x5 prints) + shipping to this week's winner! How wonderful is that... I love taking photos and I find Yvette's soft, dreamy shots VERY inspiring! I'm sure you will as well!

Yvette has also taken the time to answer some questions!

What does a perfectly ordinary day in your life look like?
"I'm a simple girl with a lot of cats and a lovely family. I love being at home after work, cooking, watering my garden, editing new photos, watching TV..."

What time of year most inspires you?
"I was born on January and I love it. But any time of the year is good for me. There is only one season here where I live, it's always sunny. My roses are blooming all the time and the sea is always beautiful, relaxing and inspiring."

What do you think of as comfort food?
"Tropical fruits."

If you could hop on a plane, without giving one thought to your budget, where would you go?
"Paris."

What are five things you would like to do in the next five years?
"Just be a mom."

This giveaway runs from May 24th - May 29th at Noon (EST)

1. Visit 'Yvette Inufio Photography' and choose your favourite item from the shop... Come back here and leave a comment along with your email address, mentioning your favourite item...

2. For a second entry, link to this giveaway on your blog, Facebook page or Twitter page, come back here and post the link, along with your email address...

The winner will be randomly chosen and posted HERE on the blog on Saturday... Please check the blog on Saturday to see if YOU are the winner! Enjoy... Please help spread the word and thanks again to Yvette of 'Yvette Inufio Photography'!

{Sparkle Power} Giveaway Winner...

Congratulations to Jennifer of 'jay kay knits'... The winner of this week's giveaway! Thanks to all who entered and thank you especially to Candace of 'Sparkle Power' for the fantastic posters!

Stay tuned on Monday for a BRAND NEW weekly giveaway!

Weekend Project {Pencil Eraser Stamps}

An adorable, simple weekend project idea from Ez of 'Creature Comforts'... Enjoy this tutorial (which includes a free download) for 'Pencil Eraser Stamps'!

Happy weekend creating! Don't forget to drop by and comment to win this week's giveaway (open until 8 am tomorrow morning)... And tune in Monday for a brand new giveaway!

Online Magazine {By Fryd}

If you were hoping for some lovely inspiration today, I know you will find it here... Enjoy the magazine and the blog! Thank you Fryd! Oh... And don't forget to enter this week's giveaway!

Open publication - Free publishing - More design

Leah...

Leah, 6 and a half months {May 2010}

Leah and I {May 2010}

Ruby, watching over Leah {May 2010}

Blueberries & Cream... With 'love.laugh.believe'

I've been so fortunate to be a part of the 'Paper N Stitch' community this month... Tania, of 'Indo Bay' came up with a great idea for a virtual game of tag between some of the 'Paper N Stitch' bloggers... Yesterday, Tania tagged me on her blog... So... Today it's my turn to tag another shop! Tuesday is a day for colour inspirations... And I was truly inspired by the hints of blueberries and cream in the fabulous photography shop of 'love.laugh.believe'... I hope you enjoy... Now... Off to hunt down some blueberries!

'Paper N Stitch' Shop
Etsy Shop
Blog
Facebook
Twitter

Giveaway {Sparkle Power}

I'm excited to introduce a new feature that's been in the works for a few weeks now... I've had such great success with giveaways on my blog in the past, that I thought it would be more than lovely to add a weekly giveaway... Drum roll please... Welcome, Weekly Swag!

Here's how it will work... I will post the fantastic giveaway of the week each Monday morning... The giveaway will run from Monday at 8 am until Saturday (of the same week) at 8 am... Isin't that great... I've got wonderful giveaways lined up until mid-July, with more in the works!

So... Without further ado, I would like to introduce Candace of 'Sparkle Power'... Candace has generously donated TWO posters of the winner's choice + shipping... A total value of over $30!

Candace also took the time to answer a few fun questions!

What does a perfectly ordinary day in your life look like?
"A perfectly ordinary day in my life is filled with kids & chores & shop work. Sometimes running here & there, but always taking time to slow down & play outside for a bit or read some magazines or do some sewing."

What time of year most inspires you?
"Spring is really inspiring to me. I love the bright colors & the sunshine. Everything is new again & that just fuels my creativity."

What do you think of as comfort food?
"Mashed potatoes."

If you could hop on a plane, without giving one thought to your budget, where would you go?
"Sweden."

What are five things you would like to do in the next five years?
"Pay off debt. Go to Disneyland. Have another baby. Learn screen printing. Be as happy as I possibly can."

This giveaway runs from May 17th - May 22nd at 8 am

1. Visit 'Sparkle Power' and choose your favourite item from the shop... Come back here and leave a comment along with your email address, mentioning your favourite item...

2. For a second entry, link to this giveaway on your blog, Facebook page or Twitter page, come back here and post the link, along with your email address...

The winner will be randomly chosen and contacted via email on Saturday morning... Enjoy... Please help spread the word and thanks again to Candace of 'Sparkle Power'!

A Few of My Favourite Things {My Girls}

My sweet little girls... Brennah May and Leah Grace... They fill all my days with pure joy!

A Few of My Favourite Things {Candy}

Candy is a staple around our house... I’m a bit embarrassed to admit it, but following Halloween each year, we scoop up all the candy we can get our hands on... It’s our thing... And I love it!

A Few of My Favourite Things {Spring Blossoms}

Ah... Spring... The days get warmer, the evenings longer and I feel like everyone has a bounce in their steps... Spring came early in Ontario this year... And I adore spring blossoms... We spent a whole day, the girls and I, enjoying the flowering trees in mid April!

A Few of My Favourite Things {Cookbooks}

HOP ON OVER TO 'Oh Hello Friend' for my guest spot featuring ALL of my favourite things!

I love, love, love cookbooks... I wish I used them more... But with two little girls, meals are pretty simple these days... There are those exciting times, with company coming, that relish the chance to sit down and be inspired...

A Few of My Favourite Things {Tea Cups}

At the time of my highschool graduation, my beloved grandmother, May, passed on all her tea cups to me... I had admired them from the time I was a little girl... And just the sight of them, gracing the shelves of dining room hutch, warms my soul...

My Mom...

Happy Mother's Day to my wonderful, sacrificing, hard working mother... This is my favourite picture of my brother and I with her... It's great to remember my childhood this way!

A Mother Is...

This is fully and truly the kind of mother, by God's Grace, that I hope to be!

(Like this picture, taken in a sea of cherry blossoms on April 16th? You can download it as a PDF card and print it for your mother here)

I also happened upon two free downloadable cards on 'Benign Objects'...

What is a mother to you? I'd love to hear your thoughts...

Guesting on 'Blueheart'

Many of you may remember Jessica of 'Blue Heart Boutique' from my 'Spring Swag Giveaway'... About two weeks ago, she asked me if I might be interested in hosting her blog for a day... I adore her shop and her blog and I was more than happy (and totally honoured) to be a guest on her blog... So for today's post and all the info on these fantastic Mother's Day gift ideas skip on over to 'Blueheart'... I hope you enjoy! Of course, I wouldn't be upset if you came back here to tell me what you think! Have a lovely Wednesday!

Print It Up... {Mother's Day}

With Mother's Day around the corner, I thought it would be lovely (and of course, practical) to share a pretty selection of printables that just might come in handy on Sunday! Enjoy!

1. To and From Printable Labels 2. Printable Thank You Cards 3. Perch Printable Note Cards 4. To and From With Love Printable Labels 5. Mother's Day Message Box 6. Printable Bird House 7. Printable Lace Tags 8. Printable Wallpaper Note Cards 9. Free Mother's Day Card 10. Miss you. love you. Printable Card 11. Printable Mother's Day Card

The Best Job in the World...

As I've been preparing my posts for this week, I've been thinking a lot about what it means to be a mother... There were a few years there, hoping and praying each month that I would finally be pregnant, that I wasn't sure it would ever happen... The Lord has been SO gracious to me... And now, after much prayer, I have been blessed with two lovely little girls... And I feel the joy and the weight of the task set before each and every day... They fill each day with laughter and excitement... And yes, sometimes challenges... But as the Lord was so good in bringing these little girls to me, He has been good in blessing me with very good-natured little girls... They make my job pretty easy! Today, as you ponder mother, enjoy a few pictures of my little girls... That have given me the pleasure of being their mother! Enjoy...

Leah Grace {6 months old, April 2010}

Brennah May {2 years old, April 2010}