The Crafty Charlestonian

Our $1388 Giveaway Winner...ANNOUNCED!

2011-11-29T11:51:00.000-05:00

Holy cow...the Coupon Cabin Hop surely lived up to its name. 25 Crazy Dayz of Giveawayz has proved to be the best thing that's ever happened to this little blog. We gained HUNDREDS (literally...HUNDREDS) of new followers, subscribers, and Facebook friends, and we promoted some really awesome companies. Speaking of that, let me tell you a little more about these ah-mazing folks who we've had the

Get a Melissa & Doug 25% Off Coupon When You Take the North "Poll"

2011-11-08T20:32:00.000-05:00

Melissa & Doug want you to tell them which of their educational toys you think is the best! Just click on the image below to place your vote in the North "Poll!" You'll Get a Melissa & Doug 25% Off Coupon** to use at MelissaAndDoug.com just for voting! Disclaimer: I received a $25 gift code to use at Melissa and Doug in exchange for this sponsored post. Thoughts and opinions do not

$1000 Cash #Giveaway from @LaMomba$1KGiveaway

2011-11-03T01:38:00.000-04:00

To celebrate the beginning of the holiday season, we’ve teamed up with our closest 50 friends to bring you a fun cash giveaway! One lucky winner will get a head start on their shopping (or splurge on yourself at a spa) and have $1000 deposited directly into their Paypal account!! How does that sound to you??This giveaway is sponsored by 50 incredible businesses and blogs – and you’ll love

Coupon Cabin's 25 Crazy Dayz of Giveawayz! Giveaway worth $1378 - Enter HERE! #CouponCabinHop

2011-10-31T10:44:00.004-04:00

You've found it! This is the post where you'll enter my amazing giveaway package valued at over $1300! WOO HOO! Rather than bore you with my ramblings, let's get to it! Welcome to Coupon Cabin's 25 Crazy Dayz of Giveawayz! This multi-blog event is hosted by Simply Stacie, Makobi Scribe and Sassy Mama in LA and is sponsored by CouponCabin. This is the biggest event the blogosphere has seen with

Discovery Box How-To

2011-10-20T15:37:00.001-04:00

I really hope no one is offended by this post...because its really simple. That said, I didn't exactly know how to make one of these, so I read up on the whole thing and then decided to just go it on my own and see what happened. Result...success! Pretty much what you've got here is simple...a plastic tote (got mine from the Dollah Stow...aka the Dollar Store...for $7.00) and a ginormous bag of

Hill's Science Diet's Healthy Mobility Challenge

2011-10-08T01:01:00.001-04:00

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Hills Pet Nutrition for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine. Y'all know I'm a dog lover. Part of being a Dog-Mom is being a responsible owner...and that means keeping your pet healthy and active. Hill's Pet Nutrition provides your dog the best Nutrition to lead a healthy and active lifestyle. But many pets are NOT healthy,

This party is gonna be AWESOME!

2011-10-05T13:29:00.000-04:00

Hard to believe that our biiiiiiig My Little Pony Birthday celebration is right around the corner! Invitations just went out and the RSVP's are starting to come in. (A huge thanks to Pixelicious Creations for her amazing Invitation and Thank You card design!) I’m in full swing planning mode and really getting down to the nitty gritty of layouts, how many of this or that will I need to make, etc.

2011 Costumer of the Year

2011-09-29T14:51:00.001-04:00

Tomorrow is the last day of September, so you know what that means. October 1st will be here before we know it...and that means its time to start thinking about Halloween and all the fun that goes along with costume shopping! TCC has been scouring the web searching for the BEST costumes from the BEST company with the BEST prices and the BEST customer service. After much looking, we've found our.

Fall Leggy-Must-Haves

2011-09-26T15:15:00.000-04:00

Sculptz are a new line of hosiery and legwear from Silkies (the brand you know and trust) and let me tell you, they are FABULOUS! Being a plus-size girl, I need shaping...everywhere. That's where Sculptz comes in. Their line of shapewear is fantastic, stylish, comfortable, and affordable! I am LOVING the bright colors (and those killer shoes in that top pic!) from Silkies and Sculptz! I

I'm a terrible mother

2011-09-26T14:09:00.001-04:00

There. I said it. I admitted how I feel. Which is awful. As I write this, my sweet little almost-2-year-old is screaming bloody murder from her room in a futile attempt to NOT nap.This happens on the daily around here, so its not the screaming that's making me feel terrible about me as a Mommy. Its that I had to lock her in her room. Full on. Lock-the-door style. Where you need the little

Its Fall, Y'all!

2011-09-26T12:06:00.001-04:00

Fall is finally here...my favorite time of year. While I love summer and always have, living in New England made me appreciate Fall in a whole new way...and in turn, its become my favorite season...and not just because I get to say, "Happy Fall, Y'all!" *snort* I just wish there were more of a Fall here in South Carolina. But, despite our lack of foliage, cool weather, apple orchards, and "true

@ImagineToys Twitter Party!

2011-09-26T10:21:00.004-04:00

Who's ready to PARTY?!?!?!?! Imagine Toys (your favorite online toy store) has partnered with yours truly for an evening of fun, toy-talk, and chit-chat about the upcoming toy-buying frenzy....yep, I'm talking about the HOLIDAYS! Come party from your couch (in your super-comfy slippers) and win some awesome Imagine Toys loot to put under the tree for your Littles this year! You know Imagine

You might wanna sit down...

2011-09-21T14:55:00.007-04:00

...because I've got some HUGE news. Huge-mongous huge. And if there's anything huge-er than huge-mongous huge, its that too. Alright...ready for the news? TCC will be participating in Coupon Cabin's 25 Dayz of Giveawayz Blog Hop! Enter giveaways from over 300 bloggers, enter to win an Ipad 2, MacBook Air, and MORE! Everything kicks off November 1st and ends November 25th. Now, are you

Realism

2011-09-21T12:03:00.000-04:00

I don’t get much time to read blogs…which is a bummer, but that’s life. Over the past few months I have caught a few posts here and there, though. And I gotta tell ya, what I read was a little unnerving. These posts (all from different Mom Bloggers) had a common thread. Each of them painted this sort of “perfect life” picture in their posts. “I sipped coffee this morning from my porch in a

Adorablesauce...all over the place

2011-09-18T10:59:00.000-04:00

I LOVE dressing my girls in ruffley, bow-laden, totally over-the-top outfits. They're only little once and I want them to be the cutest kids ever....everywhere we go. : ) I make a lot of what they wear, but when I do buy things, I love Bonnie Jean, Mud Pie, Wee Squeaks and several more brands found at My Baby Clothes Boutique. With tutus, baby clothes, baby headbands, baby hats, and TONS more,

Two winners to announce!

2011-09-16T16:13:00.000-04:00

Really quickly -- The winner of the Cupcake Cuties kit is Dianna! The winner of the Water Wear Swim Diaper Cover is Christyn M! Congrats to both of you! Emails will go out shortly!

Best. Bag. Ever.

2011-09-16T16:07:00.001-04:00

If you're a Mom, chances are you've got a diaper bag. If you're not a Mom, chances are you've got a purse. If you're pregnant, chances are you're looking for that *perfect* diaper bag. If you're a Dad, chances are you hate carrying around a diaper bag. Moms, Women, Moms-to-Be, and Dads -- listen up. You need to read this. If you're a Mom, there is probably something you can't stand about your

What a wake up call

2011-09-16T14:00:00.002-04:00

I know that filtered water and home filtration systems have been around for a long time. I know that. I know I'm waaaaay behind the times because we still drink water from the tap...err...we *used* to drink water from the tap. After trying out PUR's One-Click Faucet Mount filtration systems and finding this in my less-than-3-year-old faucet, I'll never drink another drop of unfiltered water....

Alphabeasts - absolutely adorable!

2011-09-15T16:01:00.001-04:00

When I was a kid, learning the alphabet was pretty boring. I remember flashcards and "Letter of the Week" at preschool, but nothing like what kids have today. Take Alphabeasts for example. These adorable plush monsters are sure to encourage your child's letter-learning. There are 26 two-sided Alphabeast learning companions, as well as a 26-book Boxed Set. We received two Alphabeasts (Hoptom

TCC's 2011 Costumer of the Year -- Who will it be???

2011-09-15T15:44:00.000-04:00

Wondering where to buy your little one's costume this year? Look no further than TCC! That's right, we've scoured the web, every catalog, and boutique and we're close to deciding this year's prestigious We'll name the lucky company next week so you have plenty of time to shop with them before Halloween!

Mmmm...coffee!!!

2011-09-14T11:16:00.003-04:00

When shopping for coffee, convenience, variety, and quality always top my list. Thankfully, Roaste.com is there for me -- meeting and exceeding all of my expectations! Roaste.com is a gourmet coffee marketplace, selling coffee beans from coffee roasters from around the world. Shop the world's best coffee right from the comfort of your home and relax...everything is delivered to your

Delicious. Just delicious.

2011-09-13T23:53:00.001-04:00

They say that scent is the strongest sense tied to memory. If that's true, then Scentsy is surely helping me make tons of memories...disguised as just a gorgeous wickless candle. Amber Kelly, our Scentsy rep, hooked us up with some amazing Scentsy products and honestly, I can't wait for 10 years from now. I'll warm my Scentsy scents that have been filling my home with delicious fragrance for

Its a Twitter Par-tay!

2011-09-13T16:47:00.003-04:00

Who's ready to PARTY?!?!?!?! Fabric.com (the World's Greatest Fabric Shop) has partnered with yours truly for an evening of fun, fabric, and crafty awesomesauce. But wait...it gets better! You don't have to get all gussied up... party from your couch in your super-comfy slippers cos its a TWITTER PARTY! You know Fabric.com -- they're the GO TO site for the best selection and best prices from

Rally for Recess - Danimals Review & Giveaway

2011-09-12T14:42:00.001-04:00

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Rizzoli & Isles Season 1 DVD Giveaway

2011-09-12T14:22:00.002-04:00

Winners - Boogie Wipes & Mabel's Labels

2011-09-10T13:40:00.000-04:00

The lucky winner of the Boogie Wipes Rafflecopter Giveaway is Heather C.! The lucky winner of the Mabel's Labels Rafflecopter Giveaway is Leigh Ann G.! Congrats, ladies! Whether you were the big winner this time or not, please stay close to TCC as I've got a LOT of fun giveaways coming your way this Fall!

One for the Books...

2011-09-09T14:03:00.002-04:00

For the first time EVER, my children shared. As in, they sat together and played nicely with some toys. This may be a regular occurrence in your home and if so, don't you dare get all Sancti-Mommy on me. My girls are 13 months apart. One will be three in less than a month. The other will be two in 6 weeks. They are not programmed to share at this age. And even if they were, they'd never share

How to destroy your kitchen in record time

2011-09-09T11:38:00.000-04:00

...AKA "Making Dog Cookies with two Toddlers" : ) Its no surprise that I love to bake...and the girls love to help me bake. I mean, they love to help me make HUGE messes in the kitchen. We also love our dogs...and we love spoiling them rot-ten. Combine all of that together and you have this morning's activity....Homemade Dog Cookies. I have made these cookies before. They are 100% Bailey-

Are you a Blogger looking to increase your traffic?

2011-09-08T10:44:00.000-04:00

Simply Stacie has a new giveaway hop. I get a $20 target gift card for every single person who signs up and says I referred them (The Crafty Charlestonian). Then you can refer and get $20 target GC for every referral you get!! Here’s the info: You won’t believe the AMAZING prizes that CouponCabin will be giving to readers who enter the giveaway: Grand Prize: MacBook Air (11-inch, 128GB; ARV

School-day Birthdays

2011-09-02T12:35:00.000-04:00

Growing up with an August Birthday may very well have been my favorite thing about myself. I was one of those awesome kids who DIDN'T have to go to school on my birthday...cos it was still summer! I loved it. I had pool parties, beach parties, and all kinds of outdoor-ey and summer-themed parties. Unlike all my friends who had winter birthdays (ha ha winter babies!), I had the coolest parties

I'm #2 in South Carolina!!

2011-09-02T11:45:00.000-04:00

Thanks to your votes, I am ranked #2 state-wide in the Cheap Sally "Bring Home the Bacon" $100K Job Opportunity! Can you help me get to #1? Vote for me once a day, everyday! You'll earn an entry into every current giveaway and you might be helping to earn yourself some pretty awesome free stuff (read this post to figure out what I'm talking about) I am super appreciative of your support!!!

It all starts here

2011-09-02T11:00:00.000-04:00

Y'all know I'm big on birthdays. Ok...bigger than big. I'm crazy huge on birthdays. Those of you who have been around TCC for a while know that we partied it up hardcore for Hensley's B-Day last year. The theme was "Girly Turtles" and seriously, it was off the chain....if I do say so myself. ; ) This year, the girls are having a combined birthday party and (despite my best persuasive efforts

2011-09-01T08:25:00.003-04:00

Today's the big day, y'all! Start voting for Elizabeth in the Cheap Sally Bring Home the Bacon Contest! In case you can't find the link (lol) here it is again! Now vote -- cos it only takes two clicks...less than two secs....and you get an entry into every giveaway for everyday that you vote! WOO HOO!

Medicare Supplemental Insurance

2011-08-31T14:05:00.000-04:00

Medicare advantage plans are available from Medicare Supplemental Insurance. Get Medicare supplemental insurance quotes today! Find out what benefits you qualify for by getting a FREE QUOTE TODAY for Medicare Supplemental Insurance. Enter your zip code on the site and you'll then see an instant list of free quotes for Medicare Supplemental Insurance. If you have someone in your life on

Dog Days of Summer

2011-08-31T12:21:00.001-04:00

Other parts of the country may be experiencing those first cool "fall is coming" days, but we're still deep in the trenches of summer heat in SC. Beach and pool weather is a daily occurrence with temps in the high 80s and low 90s nearly 7 days a week. Thankfully, I love this weather. Sometimes when I walk out to the mailbox I'll just stand there for a minute and feel the hot sidewalk on my feet

Bounce it off Millions

2011-08-31T11:28:00.000-04:00

Its pretty ironic that this opportunity dropped into my lap minutes after blogging about all the questions swirling around in my head following my "you didn't get the job" email. Bounce recently launched a new campaign with a so-appropriate name. Got an important question? Need an opinion from an outsider? Ask your question on Bounce's Facebook page and "Bounce it off millions!" Just visit

The Charming KEYper WINNER

2011-08-31T11:12:00.000-04:00

Congrats to kimbuckjr - winner of the Rafflecopter Giveaway for a Charming KEYper!

Job Results

2011-08-31T10:52:00.000-04:00

I didn't get the job at Pet Helpers...and frankly, I'm devastated. I wanted the job SO much...I know I would have been perfect. Instead I got strung along for three weeks only to be told, "you made it a hard decision but we've decided to move forward with another candidate." Fantastic. I am 27 years old and have faced more rejection in the past three months than I ever cared to. Pet Helpers makes

So much is coming!!!

2011-08-30T19:11:00.000-04:00

I am beyond excited for all that's coming to TCC in the coming weeks...and you should be too! ; ) Reviews and giveaways from SOOO many companies -- Expressionables, Scentsy (check out our consultant's awesome button over there to the right), Imagine Toys, My Baby Clothes, Pixelicious Creations, Water Wear Baby, Flat Iron Experts...and more!!! We're also working out all the details for several

Hiding Wings

2011-08-27T18:38:00.003-04:00

This week has proven to me, once again (if I ever doubted I never shall again) that Angels walk among us. Concealed as earth-bound humans, they lead lives that those around them describe as "normal," "run-of-the-mill," and "ordinary." Only, these Angels are extraordinary. Far more than normal...they reach out and touch people to the depths of their souls. They show love for others when there is

Sprint now offers a "Bubble" for your phone.

2011-08-27T10:02:00.001-04:00

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Sprint for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine. You remember that movie, Bubble Boy? Well Sprint's got something like that for your phone. Pretty much a safety bubble. Or at least, its *almost* like that. Its called the Sprint Total Equipment Protection App and its available for Android, Blackberry and select feature

Whew - they're safe

2011-08-25T17:11:00.000-04:00

Thank goodness Hensley and Daycie aren't old enough to surf the internet yet. I would probably lose my mind worrying about online predators if they were. When they do get old enough, we'll be sure to teach them about online safety and protecting themselves from unsafe sites and chat rooms. One place I will always have confidence in them visiting is KidzWorld, an online community for kids where

No turning back

2011-08-25T12:03:00.003-04:00

Hensley is my rambunctious soon-to-be 3-year-old ("I'm gon' be FREE on my birfday!") who will soon enter her second year of preschool. Daycie is my baby. Forever. Who is NOT allowed to do any of the following: Turn two. Talk, walk, or eat by herself. Start school. Potty-train. Cue the tears. Despite how much I've tried to keep her a baby, my little independent sister-imitator is growing up.

Snots The Word

2011-08-25T10:39:00.001-04:00

If you're a Mom, you know how gross a kid's cold can be. The amount of snot that comes out of them is insane...seriously. Its never-ending. What's even worse is that dried-on snot-crust that super glues itself to their little noses overnight. When my girls have colds, getting that crust off is the WORST. There's nothing like getting your baby up and then having to hold them down to pick

Yayayayayayayayayay

2011-08-22T11:34:00.000-04:00

Super quick -- I have a second interview with Pet Helpers!!! This week sometime! Can't wait! Headed to Lane Bryant now to look for something to wear. Eeek! Also, an update on the Ana White Playtable....got all the pieces cut yesterday evening. Sean was SHOCKED at how easy it was (he said her directions are the easiest EVER to follow) and we were both super pleased with how little waste their was

Eeek! We're doing it!

2011-08-21T12:15:00.001-04:00

We have a mental list a million miles long of projects we want to do from Ana White but today we're finally tackling the first one. Sean and I need to do some projects together...we need to work together to achieve a common goal. A little "marriage-healing" if you will. Today's project: this Playtable (we're skipping the rolled carts underneath because we have these from Target that will work

I have a cell phone...and officially no savings account

2011-08-21T10:02:00.001-04:00

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of TracFone for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine. Sometimes, signing into a two-year contract with a cellular service provider can feel just like that...like you just signed away your entire savings account when you signed on that dotted line. Cell phone bills are higher than ever, with consumers feeling like they MUST be

Holy Rollercoaster

2011-08-20T13:03:00.000-04:00

Is anyone else's stomach in knots? Good gravy...mine sure is. TCC has been flipped, turned, and loop-de-looped for the past 24 hours or so. Thank goodness everything is back to normal now...after several panic attacks, lots of screaming, and even a mini-"calm down sesh" from a super nice dude at GoDaddy's Google Dept. What the heck happened, right? I got a crazy idea to try and "just switch over

What I wouldn't give...

2011-08-19T17:02:00.001-04:00

...to win Cheap Sally's Bring Home the Bacon Contest. If you just went to the link...your jaw is probably on the floor (like mine was when I read the prize for the first time.) I'll give you a minute to get that all cleaned up... For those of you who didn't click the link, I'll give you the news (prepare yourself)...Cheap Sally is offering one lucky blogger ONE HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS (that's

Observe the Awesomesauce

2011-08-18T17:25:00.000-04:00

You'll notice that the giveaway for The Charming KEYper just got a whole lot cooler (and a whole lot easier) thanks to Rafflecopter's super-incredible Giveaway form. Entering Giveaways at TCC just got a whole lot easier and faster! The Charming KEYper is the first giveaway with Rafflecopter, but there are HUNDREDS more coming! As a matter of fact, EVERY giveaway featured at TCC from now on

Summertime...and the vacaying is easy

2011-08-18T10:02:00.001-04:00

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Hiltons of Branson for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine. Long summer weekends are the perfect time to take advantage of the perfect summer break destination, Scenic Branson, Missouri! And what better place to stay than the Hilton Promenade at Branson Landing and the Hilton Branson Convention Center Hotel. Enjoy being in

Tuesday....

2011-08-16T15:41:00.002-04:00

Queasy and uneasy...they not only rhyme, they sum up how I'm feeling right now. (No crazies, I'm not pregnant.) : ) I'm post-incredible-job-interview. You know, where you go and have that *ah-mazing* conversation with people that you would LOVE to work with in an environment that would be PERFECT for you? Yep, that's me. I interviewed yesterday with a non-profit here in town, Pet Helpers, for a

Day Two....and some party ideas!

2011-08-11T09:28:00.002-04:00

Day Two...of potty training, that is. My little baby D is learning to use the potty and once again, I thank God for Baby Bjorn and their Little Potty. We survived PTing with H because of this magical molded-plastic device and I'm certain D's success will very largely be in part to it as well. So far, she's done amazing! With both girls, we've waited until they were *really* ready before even

Let's Play Catch-Up...

2011-08-10T16:06:00.002-04:00

....just like old friends sitting down in front of steaming mugs of coffee for a gab session, let's catch up on time lost during my absence from blogging. I'm also going to tell you how things will be different "this time around," what will stay the same, and already...reviews and giveaways are coming up! Hmmm....where do I start? Well, I'll start at the beginning...or rather, where I left off.

I'm baaaaaaaaaaaaack!

2011-08-08T17:15:00.001-04:00

Hey y'all! I know I sort of (ok, DID) drop off the face of the Earth back in November...and for that, I'm sorry. We had some family issues come up, I decided to start my own business (that will close August 31st....long story), and now I'm getting back to ME. Applying for jobs and thinking of things that make me happy....and very near the top of that list was my little baby, TCC. So, I'm going

Spice it up

2011-07-31T13:29:00.000-04:00

If you're looking to add some spice to your love life, Eden Fantasys is the place to check out. EF carries a whole line of toys, lingerie, candles, massage oils, romance items, and more to add that perfect amount of spice to your bedroom. In addition to a super user-friendly site, everything you'll find at EF is affordable! If you've been to any of those "add some passion to your love life"

Holiday Dinner Party Anyone?

2010-11-20T00:01:00.001-05:00

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Pier 1 Imports. All opinions are 100% mine. Ummm...YES, please! Who doesn't love a Holiday Dinner Party with yummy cocktails...maybe some tapas...YUM-TOWN. Dressing up in something extra sparkly (or "barky" as Hensley says) and then hosting all your faves over for a night of holiday entertaining is pretty much the recipe for

Boudreaux's Butt Paste - Miracle Cream!

2010-11-19T19:00:00.001-05:00

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Boudreaux's Butt Paste. All opinions are 100% mine. If you have a baby, you probably know that diaper rash is something to fear - like, REALLY fear. Once they get it, it can be hard to get rid of and is so uncomfortable for our precious babies and their hineys! For my girls, I use ONLY Boudreaux's Butt Paste. When Hensley was

RapidLash WINNERS!!!

2010-11-18T15:39:00.000-05:00

I know y'all have been anxiously waiting to see if you've won one of TEN FREE TUBES of RapidLash and I'm here to tell ya that the wait is ovah! Without further adieu....the ten winners are.... Number 165! Congrats Angel Jacklyn! Number 226! Congrats Amy K! Number 318! Congrats Kathleen! Number 426! Congrats LAMusing! Number 80! Congrats Jessica! Number 17!Congrats

HMG: Creativity for Kids "Diva Puppies" Review and Giveaway

2010-11-18T15:17:00.002-05:00

If you've been around TCC for long, you know how much I love Creativity for Kids. Product after product, they exceed my expectations and prove again and again that they are the leader in artistic toys for children. What more could a parent ask for out of their child's toys than to encourage creativity? Diva Puppies are the new addition to the Creativity for Kids family and they are no different

HMG: Oompa.com Review & Giveaway

2010-11-18T15:15:00.001-05:00

Oompa.com is an adorable online retailer specializing in toys, gear, and furniture for all the Littles in our lives. With a fantastic selection and great prices, you're sure to find enough things in your cart to stock every Christmas Tree on the block. Oompa sent Hensley and Daycie HABA's Sleepy Princess and the Pea to review and I've got to tell you, I'm super excited about playing this game

HMG: Dremel Pet Nail Grooming Kit Review

2010-11-18T15:11:00.000-05:00

With three dogs, "nail clipping time" takes on a new meaning. Instead of a quick thing you do every once in a while, its a whole ordeal because there are now 12 paws with 4 nails each that need clipping. Combine that with a huge wuss of a Labrador named Jackson who yelps like you've cut his leg off every single time you snip the nail clippers and you've got a mess on your hands. By the end of

HMG: Photoweavers Review & Coupon Code

2010-11-18T15:09:00.000-05:00

Wow. There are soooo many sentences running through my head right now about how much I love this company, but the one word screaming at me to be typed is WOW. I love photos, I love personalized stuff (and gifts), I love cozy blankets, and Photoweavers combines all those things into one. They take your photo (or multiple photos) and then they create a throw blanket (its all done by magic, by the

The Art of Gift Wrapping

2010-11-17T20:42:00.002-05:00

Thanks to Scotch(R) Double Sided Tape for sponsoring my writing about crafts. Add your comment below to be entered for a chance to win free sample rolls to help with your upcoming holiday needs. You know, this may seem silly to some, but one of my favorite Holiday "Crafts" is gift-wrapping. (See, I told you some people would think it was silly.) While most people don't consider it a "craft

Earn your MAT degree online

2010-11-12T18:02:00.001-05:00

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of 2tor. All opinions are 100% mine. The USC Rossier School of Education’s MAT at USC offers current educators and aspiring teachers the prestige of earning a Master of Arts in Teaching degree from an elite research university with the convenience and flexibility of studying online. What do they have to offer? Well, they

Hello, My Name is BEHIND...

2010-11-09T22:07:00.001-05:00

...that's right. I am SUPER behind on lots of stuff. Starting a new job, spearheading a HUGE blog event, taking care of my rambunchkins (<--- you like that, don't you) and preparing my my first craft fair this weekend (ahhhh!) have left TCC out in the cold....literally. She's been beating down the door every night to come inside. ; ) So, here's a little housecleaning.... 1. If I announced you

HMG: Slice Elite Review & Giveaway

2010-11-08T15:11:00.002-05:00

Are you familiar with the Slice? Its a handheld digital die cut machine. It weighs less than 2 pounds, so you can take it anywhere with you! Just insert a design card, select a shape from the friendly graphic interface and watch it work its magic. Enjoy Making Memories' top-notch designs including the popular styles of the Noteworthy and Animal Crackers programs. Cut your favorite designs in

HMG: Playskool Alphie Review

2010-11-05T22:54:00.000-04:00

If you're older than your teens, you may remember the original Alphie toy from the 80's. I'm pretty sure I had one... Well, Alphie is BACK and he's better than ever! Alphie is the original learning robot who's on a "field trip" from his home planet and, with a kooky grin and funny faces, it's his "mission" to explore the world! There's practically nothing this little dynamo doesn't want to

HMG: Creativity for Kids Create-Your-Own Enchanted Storybook Review & Giveaway

2010-11-05T22:33:00.000-04:00

You know, there are a lot of junk items on toy store shelves these days and I, for one, know I have been guilty of running in and just grabbing something off the shelf when I needed a kid's gift. I also know how yucky I felt about giving them said junk item. I gave it just to have something to give. Chances are, they'd play with it once for 5 minutes (if at all) and wouldn't ever look back and

Sorry to interrupt, but...

2010-11-05T21:50:00.002-04:00

I know we're in the middle of a blog event here, so excuse me for holding up the parade and all, but I ran across this blog post on Facebook today and I just HAVE to share. Nerdy Apple Bottom writes a post about her son's choice of Halloween Costume this year (Daphne from Scooby Doo), WHY he chose the costume, and the reactions of people near him. If you're a parent, you KNOW a parent, you

HMG: Grill Charms Review

2010-11-05T08:48:00.000-04:00

Grill Charms are the PERFECT gift for any grilling enthusiast. Ever had company over to grill out only to find that everyone wants their steak cooked to a different temperature? Left with the only option to cut into every steak, you serve dinner to your guests a little ashamed of their already-cut-into meat. Never again! With Grill Charms, you place the stainless steel charm in the meat before

HMG: HAAN Slim 'N Light Steam Mop Review and Giveaway

2010-11-05T08:27:00.001-04:00

When you think of steam mops on the market today, HAAN might not be the first brand name that comes to mind. However, it should be because HAAN manufacturers a whole line of floor cleaners that are far superior to the competition, even though they're a little lesser known. HAAN products are those that might take a little research to find, but once you're using them, you find they were well

Birthday Bash Wrap-up and More Winners!

2010-11-05T07:55:00.000-04:00

I've got LOTS of winners to announce!!! First up, the winner of the Initially Yours Designs Gift Card is....Lucky Number 30! Congrats Julie! The winner of the Soap Bubbles Boutique Gift Card is... Number 25! Congrats Tabathia! The winner of the Jumbies is... Lucky Number 9! Congrats Stacy! The winner of the TJ Maxx Gift Card is... Lucky Number 481! Congrats Amy K! The

HMG: TamaTown Review & Giveaway

2010-11-04T10:30:00.003-04:00

I remember when Tamagotchi came out...I had several of them. At the time, I was around 10 years old and I remember leaving my house on Saturday mornings with my Tamagotchis all hooked to my belt loop on my shorts so I could care for them throughout the day. I also remember thinking (while hooking them to my belt loop) that I was the coolest kid in the neighborhood for having more than one

HMG: Oneida Culinaria Dinnerware Review

2010-11-04T10:30:00.001-04:00

Oneida is a name Sean and I know and trust. Our first Christmas together, we received a set of Oneida "Oven to Table Bakeware" and to this day (nearly 6 years later) we're still using it at least once a week....and its got lots of life left in it. When Oneida contacted me about reviewing the Culinaria Dinnerware line, I was thrilled. I checked out the line and immediately chose the "Chili"

HMG: Letters from Santa Review & Giveaway

2010-11-03T10:31:00.001-04:00

I just LOVE this idea. I like letters, I like the whole "make it more REAL" thing with kids (like having the Tooth Fairy leave a note, or the Paci Fairy leave a note, etc), and I LOVE the magic of Christmas, so why didn't I think of this? Thankfully, Amanda from "Geezluweez" Etsy Shop is here to save the day with her absolutely ADORABLE Letters from Santa. Write your child a personal note this

HMG: Cahootie Review & Giveaway

2010-11-03T10:30:00.001-04:00

I remember making these when I was a kid....only we called them Fortune Tellers and probably wasted more paper making them than I'd care to admit. Nowadays, they're called Cahooties and they are the cutest toys for girls! Cahootie's award winning products have been developed to expand upon and enhance this timeless and iconic game that children have played around the world for generations

HMG: Christmas Ornaments.com Review

2010-11-02T17:33:00.000-04:00

Christmas Ornaments.com should be your first stop this year when looking for the best ornaments for your tree or to give as gifts. Christmas Ornaments.com kindly sent me this Gingerbread House Ornament to review and its darling! Its quality-made and well constructed. I can't wait to hang it on my tree! And since all my decorations have a Gingerbread theme, it matches perfectly! I'm loving

HMG: Kritter Kondo Review & Giveaway

2010-11-02T10:31:00.002-04:00

As you may or may not know, we've got three dogs (Athena, Bailey, and Jackson) who are our pre-children children. We also refer to them as our dog-babies. : ) They are spoiled rotten mutts....literally...but we love them all the more for it. When I started planning Holiday Must-Grabs, I knew I wanted to include pet products because I know soooo many people LOVE their pets as much as our family

HMG: Play-Doh Mega Fun Factory Review & Giveaway

2010-11-02T10:30:00.008-04:00

If you've got kids, Play-Doh should be on your list of products to buy this year. Perfect for almost any age (Daycie would make a meal out of it) LOL, and unlike most gifts, its perfect for boys AND girls so you really can't go wrong! When I was a kid, Play-Doh consisted of jars of compound and that was it. Nowadays, there's a Play-Doh kit for almost everything! They have REALLY made some huge

HMG: Piccadilly Peddler Review & Giveaway

2010-11-01T10:00:00.003-04:00

Piccadilly Peddler is an adorable Etsy Shop run by Emily, a SAHM who turned her passion for vinyl into a business! Emily has all sorts of delicious vinyl treats in her shop. Her best sellers are the Front Door House Numbers... But those are just the tip of the awesome-ness iceberg. Just check out more of Emily's great stuff from Piccadilly Peddler... Emily made Sean and I

Creative Toy Shop.com Review

2010-10-29T16:08:00.000-04:00

Creative Toy Shop.com is one of those websites that you go to and think, "Wow! This is different!" I have spent hours perusing all the awesome stuff available from CTS and there are still things I haven't seen! Creative Toy Shop sent us the absolutely PRECIOUS Glitter Fairies Game by Young Learners! and we absolutely LOVE this game. Hensley asks to play her "Fairy Game" everyday and I happily

Mederma for Kids Review

2010-10-29T15:48:00.000-04:00

While we were in Vermont a few months ago, Hensley got a little too close to the grill one night and burned her arm pretty badly. Not "go to the hospital" badly, but bad enough to where she got a pretty nasty scar on her forearm and constantly told people about her "boo boo" even though it was healed. (That's Hensley for you...milking those injuries for sympathy) I contacted Mederma because I

Internet Issues!!!

2010-10-27T16:55:00.000-04:00

Hey y'all! My router (nearly 10 years old) finally kicked the bucket today. I spent almost an hour on the phone with my cable company trying to get my laptop to connect over the LAN only to find that somewhere along the line the driver was uninstalled. Boo... So, we're working on getting another router but I'll be honest, money is tight right now so it might be a couple weeks. If that's the

Shutterfly Holiday Cards Review

2010-10-27T11:32:00.004-04:00

What makes a great holiday card? There are soooo many things. For our family, we've got to have a photo. With the girls changing sooo much from Christmas to Christmas, we like to share a photo of them each year with all our family and friends. Other things that are really important for me are: high quality paper, a personalized greeting that I can play around with (think fun fonts, colors, etc.

Barbara's Bakery Review

2010-10-27T08:27:00.000-04:00

Barbara's Bakery has been around for a long time, providing families across the nation with delicious foods like the ever-popular Puffins cereal. We've been fans of Barbara's Bakery since the girls were born and we became more "health conscious." In celebration of their 40th Birthday, Barbara's Bakery is making a stand and saying NO to bad stuff and making every product in their entire product

SymptomPak Review

2010-10-27T08:00:00.000-04:00

SymptomPak is a new-on-the-market product that is designed to improve allergy, cold, and flu therapy! It contains 5 effective, symptom-specific medications, so you don't have to worry about taking something you don't need. Just this past week, Sean had some sinus stuff going on and instead of turning to our staple sinus medicine (which always leaves him feeling drowsy), we popped open the

Winners, Winners, Winners!!!

2010-10-20T11:20:00.000-04:00

I've got lots of winners to announce y'all! First up, the winner of the i play. Organic Crawler Set is...Lucky Number 101! Congrats Shannon! The winner of the Balloonatiks DVD is...Number 1!Congrats Lindsey Galvez! *Note: I chose a winner for this giveaway using Random.org, but because the winner had their blogger profile set to private, I was unable to confirm that they completed the

A buncha winners! : )

2010-10-16T15:50:00.001-04:00

Daycie's Birthday Bash is winding down which means we're crankin' out winners! The winner of the Baby Trend "Little Lionel" Highchair is...Lucky Number 302! Congrats, Kim D.! The Lucky Winner of the Crayon Keeper from Princess Linens is... Number 161! Congrats MommyJessica! The winner of the KidKraft Baking Set is... Lucky Number 176! Congrats Cari! And the 150th Commenter on the Magix

A HUGE Thanks!!!

2010-10-16T15:27:00.000-04:00

Y'all know I'm a Juno Baby Mom Ambassador, and I'm sure y'all all know how much begging I've done for you to sign up for the Juno Baby Newsletter. Well guess what? I won the Newsletter Sign-Ups for last week! YAAAAY! Thanks so much for supporting me as a Mom Ambassador and showin' the love! Want to help me stay on top? Just sign up using any link in this post (or if you're feelin' froggy, you

Worried about your baby's formula?

2010-10-15T21:00:00.001-04:00

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of PBM Products. All opinions are 100% mine. Ok so let me start by saying that this post is in NO way, shape, or form, opening the flood gates for your comments about the recent formula recall. As you read above, this is a SPONSORED post - so just read it and keep your thoughts about how "Breastmilk doesn't have beetles in it" and

Just lettin' y'all know...

2010-10-15T07:09:00.000-04:00

That things are going to be a little slow around here until Holiday Must Grabs starts. I've got a couple of reviews to post and some tutorials (yay!) but mostly we're just playing "clean up" and getting all the giveaways from The Big ONE! done and winners announced. So, sit tight and email me if you have a product you want to see featured at Holiday Must Grabs!!!

A Big...no HUGE Annoucement!

2010-10-14T16:15:00.009-04:00

I have partnered with Heather over at I'd Rather Be Changing Diapers to bring you, my lovelies, an AWESOME, FANTASTIC, SUPER-AMAZING Giveaway Event!!! That's right! I'm back with another giveaway event and this time - we're going Holiday up in this mug! Just check out all these awesome sponsors (and we're still adding more!)... Piccadilly Peddler Belvedere Designs Play-Doh Slice Elite

Magix Software Review & LIVE Giveaway! CLOSED

2010-10-14T14:42:00.003-04:00

Magix Software kindly let me review their Xara Photo and Graphic Designer 6 Program and let me tell you...its one of the coolest programs I've ever used! Its easy to figure out and if you run into trouble, there is an extensive help section with VIDEOS...awesome. Believe it or not, I'm not all that tech-savvy. (That's why I have an amazing blog designer...love you, Katie!) So I thought I

Bandettes Review & Giveaway

2010-10-14T13:26:00.001-04:00

Tired of sending your Little off to preschool with her sippy cup in tow, wondering how many other germ-filled mouths are going to drink out of it before you pick her back up? Or maybe you're like me and you've got two kiddos using sippy cups at home...and you don't want them sharing? Bandettes to the rescue! Bandettes are fun labels for bottles, sippy cups, and kids cups that are erasable OR

Great Week for Publix - Get your Halloween Candy for CHEAP!

2010-10-13T20:54:00.001-04:00

Its a great week at Publix! I got everything you see below - lots of "meal type" items AND my Halloween Candy! Keep on reading to see what I spent... Two bags of Nestle Fun Size Mix Candy (for Trick or Treaters!) 10 Aunt Jemima Breakfast Entrees (got all of these for FREE!) Six Yoplait Yogurts Two Motts Medleys Juices Four Betty Crocker Fruit Snacks Two jars of 4C Parmesan Cheese (yum yum!) 1

Twenty Six Divine

2010-10-13T14:25:00.000-04:00

Twenty Six Divine is relatively new to Charleston, but with their amazing daily food menu, catering services, and specialty dessert menu, they're sure to become a highly sought-after business before too long. I contacted Jennifer, co-owner of Twenty Six Divine, about creating Hensley's Turtle Cake and baking up some delicious Turtle Cookies for her party and she was happy to accept my request.

Jeffrey Scott Photography

2010-10-13T12:00:00.001-04:00

A lot of times when we go places, I get so involved in whatever it is we're doing that I forget to take pictures...and then we get home and I'm bummed because I don't have those memories in snapshot-form. When it came to Hensley's Birthday, I knew I wasn't going to want to lug around a camera the entire time (and let's face it, I'm no pro when it comes to taking photos), so I gave Jeffrey Scott

More Perfect Than Perfect - Children's Museum of The Lowcountry

2010-10-12T20:43:00.001-04:00

From what I understand, turning two is a really big deal. Hensley certainly made a big deal out of it, I certainly made a big deal out of it, and the amazing staff at The Children's Museum of the Lowcountry made a REALLY big deal out of it. I was offered the opportunity to review CML for Hensley's Party. They set us up with their primo package...the after-hours private party. That's right....

The Fairy Costumes are DONE!!!

2010-10-12T16:38:00.000-04:00

I promised y'all an update when everything was finished....and so here it is! I still have to make Candy Buckets for both of them, and of course I'll provide a Tut for that. ; ) Here are some photos of Hensley in her Costume... To make the headwreath, just get some rope or twine (just make sure its soft!) and braid it. Glue the ends together at the desired length. Then, make your