A Treasury With My Kids in Mind...

I had a lot of fun creating this treasury (as I always do)....all I am going to say is my Mom says that this bird by asherjasper reminds her of Owen....anyone else (who knows us) agree? I do :) Check out the treasury here.

It's My Birthday...

Well...it's my blog's birthday. I want to share a few of my favorite "birthday" posts from the last year...but first I want to thank my mom (cheesy, I know) :) she has been telling me for years to write my ideas down...and last year I finally gained enough courage (and belief in myself) to do it. I hope you have all enjoyed my posts (there are a lot more to come) & Thanks for reading (keep reading...down at the bottom there is a special discount for my etsy shop)

Here they are...

My 1st Place Favorite Post
(actually a group of posts) is from my 30th birthday party. My husband was away & I threw a party for myself...so it brings back memories of having a really great time in the midst of one of the hardest times in my life. I love all the pictures & the food was so good. It was a great party. :)

The Decorations

The Recipes

2nd Place goes to...

Cake Pops...which is just an idea that I'm sharing from Bakerella. They are always a big hit in the classroom...and they are fun to make :)

The Best Birthday Treats to Bring to School

3rd Place...

This was my daughter's 5th birthday...I loved decorating this party...It was my first really "girly" party....and it was my first real post :)

Garden Party

Now for a birthday present...from now until next Friday (3/5/10) you can take 20% off anything in my Shop!

Enter this code: Birthday20 in "notes to seller" when you check out...I will refund the difference immediately through PayPal (does not apply to shipping).

Foodie Treasury...

I am having so much fun creating treasuries...it's a little bit of a high waiting for one, the anticipation building, having to click and type fast enough to get a spot...I think I'm addicted. Plus it is so much fun to "window shop" and find things I probably would never come across otherwise. (I actually splurged for that wallet...and I am anxiously awaiting it's arrival) :)

So this treasury is all about the kitchen...titled "Foodie Haven"...if you haven't noticed, I am a little bit (just a little) bit in love with everything food. I love to cook & bake...it relaxes me...I love to watch food TV...& I love that I have a pretty big food vocabulary & know my way around a kitchen (my family loves that too). Here is one of my favorites by girlscantell...but really I love them all :)Go check it out...I know you will love them too...

Heart Marshmallows

I know that this is a little late...but maybe you can use it next year...or any other time you feel like it.
Last night we had a great Valentine's dinner as a family....then some fantastic fondue...find it here . I wanted to make it more Valentine's-like...so, here is what I did...(it's nothing fancy)...

1. Cut a marshmallow in half, and cut a small heart template out of cardstock.

2. Color a baggie of sugar with a few drops of red food coloring, use a sieve to shake sugar over the template, stuck to the sticky, cut side of the marshmallow.

3. Press down sugar onto marshmallow, and brush excess off the the template.

4. Remove template...aren't they cute?

Yum :)

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My First Treasury!

A treasury is where you get to pick some of your favorite finds to spotlight on Etsy. It was so fun to do...I'm going to have to make another one soon :)

I decided to look for all things Jane Austen...because well, I love her...Pride and Prejudice is my favorite book of all time (I can't remember how many times I have read it)...some of her others that top my list are Mansfield Park, Sense and Sensibility & Northanger Abbey...the only one I couldn't get into was Persuasion (but I'm going to have to give it another try).

Etsy has a lot of regency era inspired things...some better than others to see my favorites look here...
My Treasury on Etsy

Just as a little preview...this is my favorite of all..I may have to buy this...

Pride and Prejudice Wallet

Valentines Table Runner

In the craft store the other day, I decided to grab a couple packages of paper heart doilies & see what I could come up with. In the back of my head I have been planning the kid's special Valentine's dinner that we have every year...it never occurred to me that it was coming up so soon...but that's okay.

I wanted to use them in a non-obvious way (although I am sure I am not the first person to do this)...I thought about hanging them from the ceiling...

(which I still might get some small ones for that...I have a thing for hanging decorations from the ceiling).

I decided to make a table runner...and it is so easy & inexpensive (and disposable, no need to try and store it for next year). All you need is two packages of heart doilies (two different colors, one larger than the other) and glue.

1. glue the tips of the hearts together, both colors.

2. Lay out your hearts so you can estimate how many you will need...

3. Alternating colors/sizes, glue together just on the edge, barely overlapping..

The finished product...

now to decide what else I want to add to their Valentine's table...

For dinner I plan on serving:

Personal Lasagnas

(in their own ramekin & some extra veggies snuck in)

Heart shaped rolls

&

Chocolate Fondue

(I will be trying this one)

with strawberries, heart shaped pound cake pieces & other good things to dip.

My Little Brothers Etsy Shop...

Go check it out...

it has some really great digital pictures that he artistically edits...he is still working out a few kinks-but I think he has a great shop in the making...

INK8006

And The Winner Is.....

So I went to Random.org, generated my number (sorry I don't know how other blogs get the little picture up here of who won) and the winner is

...............#4 Janee!!!

she said: "these are so cute Anna! I hope I win! I would like to see a luau/Hawaiian themed party-we are doing a luau for Jadan's 1st birthday."

Thank you all for entering! Janee you will see some luau party ideas up soon....and I think you all had such great party ideas, I am going to post an idea or two for each of them :)

Congrats Janee!...it will be in the mail soon :)