BLOGGING NEWS - for friends and followers GFC

Have you heard the latest news that Google Friend Connect will be stopping as of March 1st?  This is effective for non-blogger platforms like WordPress, but the talk is that it may be phased out completely :( ! 

It's been in the news that Google is phasing it out. They may be providing a service ~ Google +, but it might not be what the GFC was.

Don't get to discouraged .... this morning I found out that there is a new FREE service for us.  Many of you may be familiar with  Linky Tools operated by owner/creator (Brent Riggs). He realized that we'd be in need of a “follower” system. So he created a tool that launched this week.

Linky Followers

You can sign up for free!

One question that I asked was can my Google friends connect be moved over automatically?  The answer is - no.

I love all my friends and followers and would love to keep you up to date on my blog. I would hate to have you miss out. To make sure you will not miss anything you can start following me using the Linky Followers Widget on this page.  You can see it in the side bar under follow me.  If you are one of my loyal followers please sign up to follow me using the Linky Widget before March 1st.

 Thanks!

BABY SHOWER COFFEE FILTER CUPCAKES {TUTORIAL}

In my last post, I promised to give you the tutorial for the cupcakes made with coffee filters.  Here is the tutorial on making these cupcakes.  These cupcakes work wonderfully as a baby gift along with baby shower decorations.  I gave mine as part of my gift.

In the cupcake above, a baby hat was used in place of the baby washcloth.  I like how the ruffled edge gave it a little different look than the washcloth.

Here are the things you will need, along with the instructions on how to make your own cupcakes.

I made my own burp clothes by sewing two pieces of flannel right sides together.  I then turned them right side out, and finished them off by top stitching 1/2" from the edge.  I also made one using the same technique substituting a cloth diaper for one of the flannel cloths.

My next post will include instructions for making the nut/mint cups.

BABY SHOWER ~ {CUPCAKE THEME}

This past Saturday I helped my daughter host a baby shower for my oldest daughter and newest granddaughter.  We decided to make cupcakes the theme of the shower.  My daughter and I had a lot of fun planning and preparing for the shower together.  One of the first things we worked on were the decorations.  

We started by making "cupcakes".

We made three of the large cupcakes.

I found these cute little cupcakes to add to the decor.

The cupcakes were place on flannel at various places in the kitchen and living room.

 On top of a book case with a few candle cupcakes placed to each side and a rolled up burp cloth on the self beneath. (I made the burp cloth using flannel and a cloth diaper.)

The top of the fireplace mantle.

White Christmas lights were strung on the mantle.  We added pink ribbon to the cord and cupcake liners = shades for the lights.

 Each side of the mantle was flanked with cupcake artwork that my daughter made.  She used the same design that she created for the shower invitations.

A mirror was used as the center piece for the food table.  We placed two sock cupcakes, hair ribbons, and pins along with a cupcake candle.

Sock cupcake

For the food table, a piece of fabric I already had

  served as the table cloth. 

(Have you also noticed the polka dot theme going on as well?)

The cupcakes

I made these diaper nut/mint cups.  In the next few posts, I"ll share how to make these cute diaper cups, along with the DIY instructions on making the larger cupcakes.

The guests of honor ~ my daughter and granddaughter!

I can't resist .... I have to share the photos of both of our granddaughters at Baptism.

 They are both so cute and such a joy and blessing to us!

Linking to...

SHOPPING FOR LESS

Everyone is trying to make their dollars stretch these days.  I've had people ask me how do you make your home look so great on a small budget.

Some of us have grown up living on restricted budgets, while others are just starting this process by downsizing and spending less. This time of year is a great time to find sale and discounted items.

Here are a few simple tips that I use.

-Shop clearance and sale items at your retail stores.

-Thrift stores and second had stores like Goodwill
are places where you can find quality items at great prices.

 

 

-Shop garage sales 

-Make use of  places on the internet like Craigslist, Kijiji, Freecyle, ebay  

-Shop discount stores such as dollar stores.

- Warehouse stores can also save you some money, be aware there may be annual fees so evaluate if it's a big enough savings to make it worth the investment.

Craigslist is a network of online communities, featuring free online classified advertisement.

Kijiji is a online network that has free classifieds site with millions of ads.  

Freecycle is a website that you can list items to give away, or browse free items.

Ebay is an world wide auction online where businesses and people buy and sell a variety of items.

Goodwill auction is an online auction  where you can buy a variety of items, even vehicles.

If you shop online take advantage of days with free shipping or discount codes (These code are kind of  like using a coupon, but you enter a code instead of a paper coupon). 
     
-Paint is a frugal shoppers best friend, if you don't like the color of an item paint it!

 

-Student and senior discount days or a day  marked as a sale discount is another great way to save.

-Use coupons

-Sign up for store membership - usually you will get coupons, emails etc. with advance notice of sales and discount coming to the store.
-Sign up for birthday clubs (restaurants)~ usually there is a gift or discount offered on your birthday. 

-Take advantage of free printable downloads ~ you can get anything from subway art, banners to paper dolls for your children.

Happy Savings = Happy Shopping!

2012 HOME GOALS

The Nester is having a party encouraging us to set some goals for our home this year. Included in this "checklist" is a list of what we would like to accomplish in 2012.  Joining in on this party gives me the opportunity to reflect on my goals for the year and writing them down.

To start off I'm making some overall personal goals.

Be content and thankful for what I have.

( ...and be content with such things as ye have: for He hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.  Hebrews 13: 5b)

Like many of you, I don't own my home and can't do anything structural to the home; but there are still many things I can do to make it lovely and make it our home.

One of the things I accomplished last year that I’d like to continue to work on and complete this year is reupholstering the wing back chairs. I have one completed and would love to have a matching pair.

Brighten up the space!

~ sew some new pillows with pops of color

~ new paint for the laundry room and kitchen

 Continue DIY projects.

Save money by shopping thrifty stores, garage sales and retail sales.

Continue to be inspired by all your great blog posts 

and Pinterest .

Utilize organization skills giving more order 

to our home.

~ organize our storage area

~ organize my office and closets

Have you set any 2012 goals for your home?

(I will be doing a post on shopping for less, but wanted to join the party today. Sorry about the delay.)

Have a great day!

THRIFT STORE SHOPPING - LOVE

As you know, I love to shop thrift stores.  I find some great thrifty deals at these stores.  

Here are a few of my finds from today.

Four Coffee Mugs 

They're an asset to my little coffee nook in the kitchen!

I also found this cute picture to hang on the wall beside the nook.

Above it hangs a wire wall hanging purchased from a garage sale this summer.

 Under the cabinet is my .25 cent coffee spoon purchased at a garage sale.

 Isn't it amazing what you can purchase second hand for under ten dollars!

In my next post I'll have some great tips on 

"shopping for less".

CUSTOM BUILT FURNITURE

Custom built furniture is a luxury to have in your home and I've been blessed with many pieces.  As I've told you before, I've got a very talented husband who can build furniture.  Some time ago, I showed you the pieces of furniture he has made for me.  I told you he had another project started.  These projects may take a while because he works on them in his spare time; and he doesn't have a lot of that.  Some of you have asked about this project so I thought I would reveal the latest project even though it's not completely finished.

~Ta da ~ 

The Hoosier Cabinet 

He's planning on making leaded glass doors to go in front of the top shelves.

He even made a custom tambour door that our bread machine sits behind.  The tambour door was built by gluing slats of wood to a piece of fabric, making it bendable to slide up and down like a roll top.

The Hoosier is a perfect place to display the antique dishes given us from our grandparents and great grandparents.

The side shelves hold flour, coffee and the 

coffee grinder.

He installed electricity in it, making it easy to run the coffee grinder and bread maker.

I'll soon be putting my coffee maker on 

the bottom shelf.

Here is how it looked all decorated for Christmas.

I think he did a great job on this piece of furniture.  I'm so thankful for his love and the use of his talents to make custom furniture for me!