Top 10 for 2012

This has been a big year for my blog! I made many new friends and was able to share so many terrific projects.

And since I'm enjoying some quality time with family and my kids are getting to play in the snow... And yes, it's the first time my youngest has ever seen snow... We live in Alabama, it doesn't snow much ....

In fact, we had to travel to see cousins in Ohio to experience the white stuff!

Anyway, family + snow + holidays = no real blogging time

Best to do a year end summary!

In case you missed them, these are my most popular (and pinned) posts of 2012

1. Creative Uses for Crystal Light Storage Containers

2. Do Homemade Cleaning Products Really Work?

3. Making Vinegar Cleaner that doesn't smell bad!

4.  How to make Mozarella Cheese Bites in the Cake Pop Maker

5. FAke Cleaning 101

6. Converting a FREE dresser into a TV console

7. The big reveal on my Vestibule 

8. Edible Tea Cups

9.  Converting an old TV stand into a Dress Up Station

10. Our Halloween Display

Did I miss one of your favorite posts on my list?

Later this week, I'll be sharing my favorite recipe finds from this year. Because, really...all those new recipes deserve their own posts!

linked up at:
I should be mopping the floors ** Busy Mondays **Wildly Original ** your creative time out ** seven alive

LAst Pin Inspiration Party of 2012

Hello loves, and thanks so very much for tuning in today.

It's been an amazing years of features, inspirations, creativity and SO much more.

***Happiest Of Holiday's To YOU Allllll ***

THANK U 

FOR 

SHARING 

ALL 

YEAR 

ROUND

❤

..... 

We can't express enough THANK YOU's" to all who have stuck with us and shared 

 along the year. We hope our party has been fruitful in linking you with so much inspiration, 

mingling, new friendships' and most of all a fun place to come in openly and share away 

YOUR crafts and more. We have SO many fun twists instore for the new year, a fun and 

creatively incredible new blog added to our crew, and lots to giveaway and share

Please DO stay tune and join us in the New Year for the new 

additions that will be happening.  THANK YOU... 

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Things You Made, That We Love, love, loved.

* T O P   FEATURES *

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Presents the easiets yet cutest "JOY" pillow that's NO SEW and spectacular!

So Much Better With Age

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Loving this beautiful and creative burlap table scape by
the amazing Interiors By Kenz

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*TOP PAST FEATURES WE 
LOVED THIS YEAR*
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Holy Craft <~ YES INDEED!!!

The CUTEST Mermaid Party Fitting For This Lil Lady! SO much to LOVE!!

Whooooooooosh! I just LOVE her!!!!

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Via Ode To Inspiration...Yes Maysem, I'm falling quiet obsessive with this beautiful
fall mantle but more so your fall window decor! So CHIC and adorable!

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I'm blown away by this absolutely awesome book storage space

from the talented blog Sewing Barefoot

Simply practical, CUTE, creative and functional! LOVE it!

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The Thinking Closet puts my chalkboard wall menu planner to shame. 

I seriously need to do this project! Of course, the project title 

gave me giggles, too...I'm such a nerd.

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Just Us Four WOW'D us with these

adorable Washi tape Candles!!!

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Via Moments With The Montanos ~ Soo Pin Worthy! 
I really wish I was this lucky lil lady who had the BEST enchanted 
under the sea party! Sooo creative and simply AWESOME!!

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Anthropologizing-intelligencer-coat!! I don't really sew, but this 

makes me wanna..Via Kristina Clemens HOW FABULOUS?!?

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Cutest Spring Bustle Skirt  

Via The Crafty Blog Stalker

Boy, What A Year!!!! I Can't Stop Pinning.. 
Want More..? Here are extra's to check out I loved!!

1. Imprint Alish 2. The Brilliant Crafty Type  3. Waldorf By Me

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Soooooo Exciting and Soooooo Inspirational..
THANK YOU TO ALL AGAIN!!
~ MANY CHEERS TO YOU & YOU ~
WISHING YOU THE BEST NEW YEAR!

Remember a couple of party rules:

1) Be a follower of your hosts.

2)  Visit many other projects and show a bit of bloggy love.

3)  Please join up your recipes, projects, crafts and photography.  

Leave giveaways and etsy shops for other fabulous parties

Marilyn, Jane, Micki & Christine.. 

Plastic Wrap tip

This is an oldie but a goodie tip. 

I don't know about you, but plastic wrap makes me feel like I'm all thumbs. It comes out in twisty tangled mess.

The solution: Store it in the freezer.

But beware: As soon as it hits room temp, all bets are off.

Nice and not tangled to wrap up the cookies:

linked up at:
Debbie Doos ** house of hepworths **

Photo Gallery from an Old Mirror

When my dear friend Mrs. O moved this summer, she left behind the carcass of a mirror. It was a really nice mirror at one point, but the glass broke...and she's a packrat creative type like me which means eventually she'd find a good use for it. But when push came to shove, she had to make touch choices on what to move...and the broken mirror didn't make the cut. Instead, it found a new home at my place.

And it sat in a corner for several months.

Eventually, I turned it into a bulletin board for homework.

But that just wasn't doing it for me. I knew it really needed to shine.

Let me back a moment or maybe two. When we moved in to the house, the reception hall had a fairly decent wallpaper. It wasn't a complete monstrosity and so we decided to live with it. Then the little kids started picking at the wall paper and suddenly we HAD to do something about it. So all the wallpaper came down.

And I painted one of the walls in June Day by Sherwin Williams. It's one of my favorite paint colors and it's what I used in my vestibule.

I figured the black and white from the frame (covered in shelf liner found at the dollar store) would really look amazing against the yellow. The answer of what to put it in came on a CD from my sister-in-law: pictures she took of our family over the summer in Biloxi.

I matted our family photo with some scrapbook paper. The top purple square says FAMILY and it was also made from scrapbooking supplies. Decorative colored paper clips (also from the scrapbook stash) are used to attach the pictures to pieces of ribbon.

Since the wall is all about family:

Found at the dollar store!

Dontcha love it?







linked up at:
House of Hepworths ** Wildly Original ** Mom on Time Out ** Show Off Your Stuff ** Transformation Thursday** 
Weekend Wonders   ** Fly On Friday **  Keep Calm and Link Up   ** Happy Hour Projects ** Craftionary ** Kitchen Fun with my 3 sons ** Strut Your Stuff Saturday ** Create and Inspire ** Cheerios & Lattes **More the MErrier Monday ** Motivate Me Mondays ** Busy Mondays ** Power of Pinterest **Winter Blues WEdnesday ** Whimsy Wednesday **

Pin Inspiration 12/19

Dear Blogging Friends:

This week we aren't going to have any features. Instead, we ask that you remember those who lost their lives in Newtown, CT last week:

Charlotte Bacon, 6

Daniel Barden, 7

Rachel Davino, 29

Olivia Engel, 6

Josephine Gay, 7

Ana Marquez-Greene, 6

Dylan Hockley, 6

Dawn Hochsprung, 47

Madeline Hsu, 6

Catherine Hubbard, 6

Chase Kowalski, 7

Jesse Lewis, 6

James Mattioli, 6

Grace McDonnell, 7

Anne Marie Murphy, 52

Emilie Parker, 6

Jack Pinto, 6

Noah Pozner, 6

Caroline Previdi, 6

Jessica Rekos, 6

Avielle Richman, 6

Lauren Rousseau, 30

Mary Sherlach, 56

Victoria Soto, 27

Benjamin Wheeler, 6

Allison Wyatt, 6

Please remember these rules for the party:

A couple of the usuals here:

♥Please follow my lovely cohosts, Marilyn & Jane
♥join up as much as you’d like,

♥grab a button to spread the word about our party and a button if you are featured.

♥And most importantly: please, please visit lots of folks and spread some bloggy love.

♥ Turning off captcha means people are more likely to comment!

Comfort Zone® with Feliway® review

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Comfort Zone® products for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

Our sweet Josie kitty adopted us three years ago. She had kittens in our shed. When the kids left the back door open, she brought her kittens inside and refused to leave. We couldn't have asked for a better cat.

She's very easy going to the point of allowing the kids to dress her up in clothes. No scratching. No hissing. Just a look of mild contempt.

Josie is almost perfect.

Except

She likes to use my couch as a scratching post and she considers any clothes or towels left on the bathroom floor, part of her litter box.

Needless to say, I'm very anxious to see those behaviors disappear!

I was very excited to receive a sample of   Comfort Zone® with Feliway® . This product releases pheremones that mimick those a cat normally releases. It is 95 percent effective in reducing scratching and urine marking, things cats do when they are stressed.

I've used Comfort Zone® with Feliway® for a full month now, but you really need to give it 90 days to see if it works for you and your cat.

While Josie hasn't completely stopped scratching the couch, she's doing it less. And less is a good thing. We are also seeing a more playful side of Josie. She's chasing things (including her tail) and will use other items to scratch. Heck, she's even climbing ladders to bat at the danglies in my holiday garland!

We plugged our diffuser in to the outlet closest to the couch. I was very happy to find it was odorless. That's a huge plus.

The other big plus? The kids are now free to leave their clothes and towels on the bathroom floor. But I'm certainly not telling THEM that!  After about the second week of using Comfort Zone® with Feliway®, Josie stopped urinating outside her litter box.

Comfort Zone® with Feliway® is available as a diffuser or in a spray at your local pet stores, Petco or PetSmart or online. I'm definitely interested in trying the spray on my couch to see if a more direct approach might work.

You can also learn more about Comfort Zone® with Feliway® by vising their Facebook page.

If your cat or dog is experiencing a medical issue, consult with your veterinarian before using Comfort Zone® with Feliway®.

Edwards Pie WINNER!

Congratulations to our winner of the Edwards Pie Giveaway

Rose Nick who wrote: "Done :) and chocolate crème is my favorite pie :)"

Check your email!

And be sure to check back here later this week for our Pin Inspiration Party and other great projects!

Dollar Store Christmas Tree

We were finally able to decorate for Christmas tonight!

I'm too embarrassed to post a picture of the big Christmas tree this year. Apparently, there's a shortage of 100 strands of colored lights in my area. The stores are completely out and well...I love lights which means....my 9 foot tree needs about 1500 lights.

I'm not kidding.

Last year, my tree had about 1300 and it just wasn't enough.

It's bad enough of a problem that I've blown the fuses on several strands of lights.

Anyway, my tree is gorgeous until about 2/3 of the way up and then...no more twinkly lights. I'm hoping to fix that with some luck at the store tomorrow.

Meanwhile, my smaller tree (7 ft) with the white lights...well, it looks pretty!

Don't you just love those Santa bows?

Dollar tree, baby! All the decorations on this tree came from the dollar store. I spent about $10 on decorations, which isn't too bad. I picked up 3 packs of Santa bows, 3 packs of glitter bows and 4 different packs of snowflakes.

Oh and tree itself? Freecycle and it came with the lights. So double freebie!

The girls have their pink Christmas tree in the kitchen with all sorts of colored snowflakes, fabric covered candy canes and other non breakables. I don't mind if they decorate that tree over and over....just as long as they leave the special ornaments on the big tree and my white light tree alone!

PS...the giveaway for a coupon for FREE PIE ends Sunday 12/17! Enter NOW!



linked up at: Tater Tots & Jello ** House of Hepworths ** weekend wonders ** Cheerios and Lattes **It's Overflowing ** Debbie Doos ** Cure for the common Monday ** Mix it Up Monday **Our Delightful Home ** Cowgirl Up **White Lights on WEdnesdays **

$30 in Groceries

Have you entered my giveaway for a coupon for a FREE Edwards Pie? 

I haven't had a chance to post any grocery totals in awhile! Things have been crazy around here and well...we've resorted to  many quick and easy meals and just hitting the store when absolutely necessary.

I've been shopping at Winn Dixie more lately with the fuel perks, especially for items I don't have coupons for. If I'm not going to save a bunch of money, then I might as well get a discount on gas, right?

This week, I hit Publix, Winn Dixie and Costco in one day...After work. I'm exhausted LOL

So for $30 I managed to get quite a bit of stuff for the holidays. The frozen chicken and juice boxes are for the kids' break from school. I also picked up homemade bread mixes to go with the cute little holiday loaf pans for teacher gifts.

And the Pie...Did I mention I'm giving away a coupon for free pie? I used my coupon at Winn Dixie where the pies are currently BOGO. Then, I used a $1/1 pie coupon on my other free pie...so I basically got paid $1 to take home two pies.

The capri sun was a crazy deal and I wish I would have known about it sooner. They were on sale at Publix for $1.79 and the yellow flyer had a $2/2 coupon that expired TODAY. I got the last two coupons in the store. I wish I had more of them because I would have really loved to stock up on these.

Pin Inspiration day!

Marilyn is hosting the party this week and don't forget to enter my drawing for a coupon for FREE PIE! 

Oh Jolly Heart
It's 13 Day's Till Christmas!

........But Who's Counting..!?!
I'm very pin'inspired today and can't wait to share all the amazing
pin's YOU linked and shared last week! Before we move along, take a moment
to snag our new holiday button that will last through the wonderful holiday season!
NEW Pin'Inspirational Thursday's
Holiday Cheer Buttons...Snag One!

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Things You Made, That We Love, love, love.

* T O P   FEATURES *

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A Coastal Style Christmas..? YES Please! Sign Me Up!

I can't explain the JOY this ladder simply brings me today! 

Featured Via Desire Empire, how beautiful!?!

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Got the chills too..? ... Meeha Meeha has GOT the perfect spot for you!!

How sweet is this warm and oh so snuggly room!?! I'm in LOVE!!

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Tinsel....This lil fella is simply FANTASTIC!!!

How adorable.. ?!?! In Love With the cutest no-sew
snow man via Ode To Inspiration ..

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Hope You Are Ready To Party 
With Us Again This Week?!? 

You're all set to now share what you've been up to, we can't 

wait to see! Thanks SO much as always for stopping in!

READY SET GO
.....Sincerely, Marilyn, Micki & Jane.. 

Korean Beef Recipe

♥♥♥♥Don't forget to enter the giveaway for a FREE Pie From Edwards Desserts! ♥♥♥♥

With me working in the evenings, dinners have become a bit chaotic. I leave for work usually around 4 p.m. which coincidentally is about the time D gets home, as well. We do a quick car swap and off he goes to pick up kids from school and I head off to work. He's left to himself to manage dinner, homework, chores, and his own grading papers each night.

It's very easy to end up sleeping into convenience food mode, which isn't good for our health or our budget.

Instead, I do a lot of make ahead meals, crockpot cooking or quick and easy meals like this one for Korean Beef. I stumbled on it on Pinterest.

The first time I made it, I took a bite and knew I was in trouble. The good kind of trouble where I have to triple a recipe because everyone in the family is going to want seconds.

It's super fast and easy. Tasty. Affordable. Kid friendly. It's like the Holy Grail of last minute meals.

one day my food photos will look awesome. until then...

Here's the link to the original recipe...and I've included my extra veggified version below.I can't help but add extra vegetables to something like this. And, I cook my rice in the crockpot, so I can just start it when I have time and it's ready for D when he gets back from picking up the kids.

Korean Beef

1 pound lean ground beef
1/4 - 1/2 cup brown sugar 

 1/4 cup soy sauce
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon fresh ginger, minced

 1/2 - 1 teaspoon crushed red peppers

8 oz bag frozen broccoli (about half a bag or one box. A medium sized head if you are using fresh)

 salt and pepper
1 bunch green onions, diced

Heat a large skillet over medium heat and brown hamburger with garlic. Drain meat. Add brown sugar, soy sauce, ginger, salt and pepper and red peppers. Add in broccoli. Simmer. Serve over steamed rice and top with green onions.

linked up at:
Whimsy Wednesday **  Homemade By You **Back for Seconds ** Wow Me Wednesday **House of Hepworths ** Wildly Original **Creative Juice ** Seven Alive ** Your Creative Time Out **Weekend Wonders ** Fly On Fridays ** Keep Calm & Link Up ** Frugal Friday ** Kitchen Fun with my 3 sons ** Fantabulous Friday **Marvelous Mondays ** Cure for the common Monday ** Mop it Up Mondays ** Mix It Up Monday **

Edwards Pie Giveaway!

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Edwards for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.
As all my readers know, I'm pie challenges. Generally speaking, I can't go near a pie without somehow ruining. The exception being my pumpkin and pecan pies. Even then, I run a risk of destroying the pie by walking within 3 feet of it.
It's become a bit of a family joke.
This year, I decided to relinquish pie baking to Leelee and buy D's favorite premade boston creme pie from Edwards. It's rather serenipitous that I'm able to take part in this great giveaway because  Edwards Crème pies are huge favorites around here!

Myself, I'm partial to key lime pie. I love the tartness.

And honestly, it's really nice not to have to worry about the possibility of ruining the pie in the oven. I love that the pie goes pretty much from the freezer to my table.
This holiday season you can send an holiday e-card from the folks at Edwards Desserts to your friends and family. When you do, you and the card recipient will receive an e-mail coupon for $1 off any Edwards or Mrs. Smiths pies! Only two coupons per IP address.

But, Edwards Desserts is doing something even better than handing out coupons. For ever pie purchased in November and December $1 is being donated to Toys for Tots. That means when you use your $1 off  coupon, a little magic is being to a child this holiday season.

I'm also giving my readers a little magic...in the form of a coupon for a free Edwards Pie! In addition to winning a free pie coupon, Edwards Desserts will also donate $20 to Toys for Tots in the winners' name. There's a whole lot of giving going around!
I'll select the winner fo the giveaway on December 17.
A few requirements for entering the contest (leave a comment for each one you do!)
1. Leave a comment letting me know which Edwards Pie you plan on trying if you win MANDATORY
2. LIKE Edwards Desserts on Facebook.
3. Follow Confessions of an ADD Housewife on Linky Followers
4. LIKE Confessions of an ADD Housewife on Facebook
5. TWEET this giveaway (and share the link to the tweet in the comments)
6. SHARE this giveaway on Facebook via the SHARE button on my Facebook page, then come back here and let me know you did it.