DIY Show Off

You know this blog by now I am sure

The DIY Showoff is everybody's favorite collection of DIY projects.
I know I am a frequent reader.... like daily.... okay... like 3 times a day.

The DIY queen herself and in all her wisdom featured a past post of mine.

My Pretty Yarn Wreath for Fall.




I am so honored!

And deserving :)

That is one beautiful wreath I made. 
It still makes me happy every time I pull up to the house or open the door.
Not to mention that I have had too many compliments to count on it.
People like yellow.  It makes them happy.
Throw in a funky bird, and a color palette from a different decade, and you are sure to please.

Go here, and make yourself one today.

I am already contemplating my next Winter wreath.

Sites I am a Sucker For

Some of these sites are new to me, and some are old friends.  But one thing is consistent between them all.
They offer something great and have me wasting too much time browsing around.

Spoonflower

DesignSponge recently named them a top pick to purchase fabric.  I agree with exclamation points.
You can design and print your own fabric for $18 a yard, or purchase something another fabric lover has created.
please
please
please
I am suddenly inspired to create a nursery for a child not yet in my womb...
or at least reupholster an old chair.
This is my new number 1 place to go for decorating inspiration.

Apron Thrift Girl
She lives in Sonoma, CA, which apparently is the best place for thrift, flea market, rummage sale, type shopping. This or the Apron Thrift Girl is lying about the price she is paying for this stuff.
Cotton Candy Machines
Mid Century Modern Kitchen Wares
All things pretty and vintage

Watching what she brings up has me regretting garage sale season is almost at an end.




Etsy 
Etsy and I have a off again on again relationship.
Once I had a store.  Then I didn't.
One month I was addicted so much so that each time I was home alone at night this is the site I would pour over- which usually resulted in me purchasing too many things.
Then I got rehabilitated and refused to purchase anything for the next few months off Etsy.
Currently we have a working relationship.
I browse for ideas and inspiration for my own projects.
I occasionally purchase a gift or item for myself.
I still think they are the best thing to come to the home business owner in more than a decade.


Giver's Log
It seems that more and more of our budget as we get nearer to middle-aged (shutter) seems to be going towards gifts.  Maybe it is because we know more people, maybe it is because when you are making a decent living you don't feel  a $20 Target gift card is a suitable wedding gift, maybe it is because we are somehow becoming more generous and giving with age (hopefully)
Whatever the reason, new, fresh and pretty ideas for gifts are always welcomed.
Features like
Free printables
Give that Man a Hand
Pretty Packaging
make her site all the more appealing.

Racking It Up

Thanks Better After!
For the feature.

You can find it here.

And here is the original post.

New Projects

I've been working on a new project for myself.
Yup- something just for me.

Do you feel like being a mom these days requires a whole new set of skills?
I mean that in addition to mending, cleaning, baking bread, and gardening there is a new modern skill set mothers are required to have.
I do.
I look at friends, family members, and especially other blogHers.
They seem to be able to do...and have the energy to do... everything well.

Not only can they can, and sew curtains while they wait for a dryer cycle to complete, now they are experts at Photoshop, making money while blogging, serving their families vegan/gluten free diets, supplying their children with new crafts or activities each day and refinishing a good will dresser into a robin egg blue charming vintage entertainment center with anthro knobs.

At least that is how I start to feel sometimes.
Sometimes it makes me frustrated with how little I get done in a day.
And how exhausted I am just doing those few things.
And how I am not good at most the things I do.

There is one thing that I feel I am doing that has me holding my head above water in matters of new age mom skills.

That is Photography.
I am not the best photographer.
But I have enjoyed it for the better part of 10 years.
Majesty bought me a swanky D-SLR last year for the day of my birth.
It only made me better, and love it more.

Sometimes I forget I love it.
And that it really makes me happy.

Recently I have remembered.
And whilst I was in the mood, I created an online gallery/ portfolio.

I thought you all over here my care for a minute.

crystalfreemanphotography.com

Hop on over, and be a follower please.

It will surely make me feel New Age Mom Skill Adequate for a good few minutes.

Do you have New Age Mom Skills?
Really this is anything.
A great new recipe, craft, you can even post that goodwill furniture re-do.
I want to see what you are doing?
What are you good at?
What are you doing just for you?

Can I see?

Link to your post here

Vegetable Carnival

Some adorable people I know have started a little blog (and big project) called

VEGETABLE CARNIVAL

They have decided as a family to improve their health by what they eat.
They are funny.
They are inspirational.
They have a six week plan that includes two lbs or more in raw and cooked veggies and eating no meat, sugar, or added fat like vegetable oil.

Think Super Size Me- but the opposite.

Coincidentally they began their veggie overload the same day I decided to not eat sugar for 1 month.
We all have visions for better health- these two are just real go getters.

I can't wait to see how their new eating lifestyle goes and am excited to follow along.
You can follow them too here.

Better After

Have you seen this blog Better After
Well don't click over unless you have an extra hour or so.
If it is your first visit with them you won't be able to walk away until you have scoured their archives.

Promise. Promise. Promise.

I have been fans and followers of theirs for about a year.

A few months ago she featured by 1st old house exterior re-do here.




And today she has my recent shelf re-do here.




Not only will you be inspired to get a piece of junk and turn it into treasure.
(how very Green of you)
You will surely enjoy her relaxed writing style and whit.
And come back often for more.

Bird & the Berry- Giveaway x 2

Have I mentioned the Bird and the Berry before.

This friend of a friend blogger normally fills her pages with all things party related.
But today she has a giveaway ReadySetPlan readers might enjoy

She is giving away a Cansolidator.
in the post she shows you how it helped her pantry look great.

Then she made it even better by creating some adorable food labels


Nobody ever said food storage couldn't be lovely too.

Having my fair share of cansolidators, this free download is what I like the most about this little post of hers.

Hop on over to her blog and make your pantry look a little more pretty.

For the Love... of Thrify Style

Let me introduce you to Sarah Jane.
She is a new and working mother with love for all things stylish and thrifty and is the writer of a cleverly titled blog fortheloveofblogtherapy.com.
I have never met Sarah, but I feel like I know her through her blog, and I assure you that if we met we would be friends.
She is a hair stylist and works for a home decor company called Uppercase Living.
Looking good is part of both of these jobs.
She manages to accomplish her need to be in vogue and stay with in her budget by shopping thrift. She put together that entire outfit above for $24 and a trip to her local D.I.
She shares her finds, and other things she loves on her blog.
I always intend to post about saving money and finances more, but get sidetracked by things like crock pot recipes and how my garden is doing. So I will just send you over to visit Sarah.
She will show you how to look great for less.

These shoes she created for $4 here. What a shame to me, because I actually bought the Steve Madden version for much much more.This thrifty find one week cost her all of $1.50. I'm jealous.
Sarah Jane even gifts and decorates for dollars here
What do you think?
Inspired to cut costs and shop thrift? I know I am!

Crock Pot Cooking & Saving Money

Have you heard of this blog.

Its owner Stephanie made a resolution to cook in her crock pot every day in 2008.... and hasn't stopped since.

This is awesome because.... I LOVE SLOW COOKING.

I was browsing her site today and read a post I had missed.
Save Money By Using Your Crock Pot Slow Cooker.
She details how you can SAVE MONEY while using your crock pot to cook here.

I am sure I am saving money when I cook this way. If not for the reasons she says, then because I don't panic at 5:00 that we have nothing to eat and then decide we are going to Arby's.
And also because cheap cuts of meat, dried beans, and leftovers come out of the crock pot like rockstars ready to serve to guests you hardly know and want to impress.

She has a new book out.Make It Fast, Cook It Slow: The Big Book of Everyday Slow Cooking

I think it would make a lovely mother's day gift.... especially if your mother is me.

Prepared Not Scared

I stumbled across this blog today. A definite must see. It is called Prepared Not Scared. I love the name don't you. I think I would have named my blog this had I thought of it 1st. Ha!

Recently she featured a mini Important Documents Project.
Go here to see her Emergency Family ID Kit.

Lets just say that this project can be done in one day.
It will cost you hardly anything
You will feel super prepared
and she has way cute PDF files you can download to make your project easy and good looking.

Here is just a taste.
Link on over to see more. preparednotscared.blogspot.com

Saving Saints

I've been absent from this blog lately. We've had a lot of unnecessary stress in our lives right now, and it is the holidays on top of all of that. I wanted to share a site that recently caught my eye, perhaps I can think of my own post soon- but for now I refer you elsewhere.
Saving Saints
It is a blog that focuses on saving money- and who doesn't like that. She recently had a post about how to never pay over $.16 for a diaper. I enjoyed this post and ways to consider how to save us some cash in this area. With two kids in diapers- we easily throw $100 a month in the trash. Yup- cleaning up poop gets expensive.
As a side note- Before we married Jake's siblings teased him- that he would never find a girl who would be willing to buy cloth diapers from the thrift store. He had once made a comment that he would only marry a woman willing to be so frugal. Though I try to be frugal- I fail to meet this requirement in so many ways- including remaining repulsed at the idea. Thankfully Jake made some compromises and we enjoy a disposable diaper household. But it still wouldn't hurt to find ways to shrink this down.
Go check out what Dawn over at Saving Saints has to say about saving today.