Double Take Tuesday: Busy Bee Lifestyle

This week's site review is of Busy Bee Lifestyle, an online magazine for the busy woman. The site has wonderful tips, tricks, ideas, and shopping guides to help any busy woman navigate mommyhood, entertaining, crafting, and gift-giving.

Here's a brief summary provided by the site:

At busybeelifestyle.com, an on-line magazine for women, you’ll find inspiring and up-to-date ideas on entertaining, decorating, fashion, shopping, holidays, family and friendships and much more!

What You Can Find at Busybeelifestyle.com!

Do you need a terrific birthday party plan? The perfect gift for a special occasion? Fun ways to welcome Spring? Tips for creating curb appeal? A fabulous playlist for a special celebration? Easy ways to incorporate fashion trends or update your wardrobe? Clever ways to use your dishwasher or laundry baskets?!

How We Help You Save Time!

In recognition of today’s busy moms, Busy Bee Lifestyle takes the legwork out of adding special touches to life’s everyday celebrations. We provide clever and up-to-date ideas and having done the research for you, provide links to the websites and products we love.

Be sure to check out their Holiday Marketplace, Coupons and Deals, and the Free Printable Planners!!


BTW- I'm taking a much needed family vacation and that means a bloggy vacation as well. Today will be my last post until after Christmas. Merry Christmas, bloggers!! I hope you and yours have a safe and blessed holiday season!

Double Take Tuesday: Busy Bee Lifestyle

Momma 'Tude Monday: Thrifty Giveaway Winner

Picked by a random number generator, the winner of the Bath & Body Works e-Gift card is.....

Meddlingkidd (Jen)

Thanks for all of your thrifty posts! I was trying to compile a list when hubby said I should just have everyone read the posts - that would be simpler! I will try to get a more organized list going, but until then.. I hope Meddlingkidd enjoys her gift card and that y'all will come back and visit again soon!

And for those of you who are going back to read the posts, check out some of these ladies' blogs! Alot of them have blogs centered around being thrifty and saving moola.. they're terrific resources!

I have to give a HUGE THANKS to There's Always Room For One More who is hosting a 6 days of Christmas Giveaway! I won the first day of Christmas prize, a Yankee Candle Snowflake candle holder!!! How awesome is that?! Hurry on over to her site and get a-posting! She's giving away prizes for the next 5 days!

That's all for today, dumplings!

Momma 'Tude Monday: Thrifty Giveaway Winner

Everything's Amazing Right Now and Nobody's Happy

I got this vid clip from a friend of mine and it struck me that we are a society of people who take things for granted. Just earlier today I was feeling down about the Christmas season: not having enough to give others or our kiddos; not having our Christmas decorations which always reminds me of home, family, and home-baked goodness around the holidays. I was feeling so sorry for myself when I came across this clip and immediately felt as though I was missing the point of Christmas altogether. We may be missing our tree and scores of presents for our kids. We may even have to forego gift exchanges. ..But we have each other. We have the opportunity to live in a free country. We get to eat dinner every night. We have food and clothing. We have cable tv! We have cell phones and internet. We have so many things that instead of counting our blessings, we get so caught up in what we don't yet have or can't have. So watch this clip. Have a little chuckle. Then go hug your family and thank God for every thing you DO have. And have yourself a merry little Christmas.

Everything's Amazing Right Now and Nobody's Happy

Just a Reminder

The Thrifty Giveaway will end tomorrow at 12:00pm Eastern Standard Time. Any comments posted after that will not be considered in the giveaway.

Just a Reminder

Multi-Media Friday: Etsy

I have to take this opportunity to promote the very crafty and awesome site, Etsy! Etsy is a place for crafters to sell their wares and buyers to purchase handmade goods. These crafters and artisans are absolutely wonderful and some are very unique. I frequent Etsy shops and have a few shops that I am loyal to.

Some of my personal faves are: (I have ordered from each of these shops.)

Polished Two Beautiful handmade jewelry

Heather Knitz Handmade hairclips and rag bags as well as patterns and tutorials

Olde Homestead Barn Prim Patterns

Oodle Kadoodle Primitives Prim Patterns

Etsy offers goods in the following categories:

• Accessories
• Art
• Bags and Purses
• Bath and Beauty
• Books and Zines
• Candles
• Ceramics and Pottery
• Children
• Clothing
• Crochet
• Dolls and Miniatures
• Everything Else
• Furniture
• Geekery
• Glass
• Holidays
• Housewares
• Jewelry
• Knitting
• Music
• Needlecraft
• Paper Goods
• Patterns
• Pets
• Plants and Edibles
• Quilts
• Supplies
• Toys
• Vintage
• Weddings
• Woodworking

With all of these categories and oodles of talented crafters, artisans, and designers - you MUST check out Etsy! Most shops accept PayPal. If you stop buy one of my featured Etsy shops, please let them know that KnitPurlGurl sent you. I don't get a thing for it - but I wish these ladies all of the best and would like to see their shops thrive!

Multi-Media Friday: Etsy

Family Day Thursday: Faux Gingerbread House

I cannot take credit for this idea. We did this in DD's preschool class.. but it was SO much fun, I had to post it for family day.

Now, like any well-meaning, but stupid good mommy, years ago I bought a Gingerbread House mold. DS and I whipped up some homemade gingerbread (from scratch, people) and poured into the mold. We tapped it so there were no air bubbles thus to insure even baking. We waited and waited for it to cool completely. I dusted off the decorator bags and MADE royal icing (This was my first child). Then we iced, decorated, and looked at our thing of beauty (acutally it looked like a total mess - but since DS was 6 and worked his little fingers off, it was a thing of beauty). This was a two day project. And clean up was nearly the same.

A couple of years later, I decided to buy the Wilton Gingerbread Kit which promises that you don't have to bake a thing, just decorate and enjoy the pure joy of smiling faces and quality time (cue heartwarming music, singing Disney birds, and angelic children). The gingerbread was really brittle and the decorating proved to be more frustrating than heartwarming.

This year, DD's preschool decorated a milk carton with icing, graham crackers, and candies. It was 30 minutes of fun and not alot of prep or clean up. Sure, you can't eat the house - but my kiddos never ate our gingerbread houses anyway. They'd just get hard and we'd throw them away. If your kiddo has never made one of these preschool delights, here's the lowdown:

You'll need:

• 1 half gallon (paper) milk carton or box of similar size. Milk cartons work well because they have a waxy coating on the cardboard which keeps them sturdy. Be sure to wash and dry it well before beginning this project. (You'll decorate it with the bottom of the container as the roof of the house.)
  
• graham crackers (if you want to get real fancy-schmancy, use cinnamom for the sprinkle effect or use a combo of cinnamon, honey, and chocolate for dimension and interest)
• spice drops, holiday candies, peppermints.. whatever you want to decorate with
• white frosting
• a piece of cardboard covered in aluminum foil as the base on which to build your house. (You can find holiday-colored aluminum foil this time of year if you want to add some color.)
• Holiday colored jimmies (sprinkles)

Stick graham crackers onto milk carton with frosting (glue). We used tongue depressors for this as I don't trust darling daughter with knives, even if plastic. (French Revolution, anyone?)
Slather the graham cracker house with more icing and pop on the candies. Sprinkle with jimmies. Et Voila! One tip: don't be stingy with the icing.. really slather it on. Let the house dry over night and then display your l'il dumpling's art work for all to see. If you have more than one kiddo, you can make a village complete with marshmallow and gumdrop people.

What fun, fast, frugal, and family-oriented holiday activites does your family engage in? (Can you tell that I'm a fan of alliteration?)

Family Day Thursday: Faux Gingerbread House

Wild Card Wednesday: Getting to Know You

As I become more addicted to engrossed in the blogosphere, I realize that there are some really terrific blogs and even more terrific bloggers out there. Via the awesomeness that is The Secret in the Sauce (SITS), I have had the opportunity to make new bloggy pals and discover some remarkable, funny, useful, and entertaining blogs. I've noticed that some bloggers create a post or two giving out bits of who they are. So I will attempt that in this post and call out to all of my bloggy-friends to do the same so that I may get to know all of you!

10 Things About KnitPurlGurl:

1. When I was little, I always hated that my name was spelled differently. Now as an adult, I love that I'm different. (My name is Karrie)
2. I'm the mom of an Asperger's Syndrome son and a neurotypical daughter
3. I married my high school sweetheart and have been happily married for 11 years.
   
4. I used to teach medical assisting before becoming a SAHM
5. I'm a horrible housekeeper, but a pretty good cook
6. My favorite color is yellow
7. My favorite author is Jane Austen
8. I'm a yarnaholic
9. I organize a craft group in my town
10. I collect roosters, snowmen, and snowglobes ( I also collect dust bunnies - but not on purpose)

Do you regularly explore new blogs? Have you made a bloggy friend because of it?

Wild Card Wednesday: Getting to Know You

A Very Cool Award!!

A VERY BIG THANKS goes out to Ms. Michaela of Mama Michie's Musings!! She surprised me this afternoon with this really wonderful blog award!

Here's a little ditty about the award:

"These blogs are exceedingly charming. These kind bloggers aim to find and be friends. They are not interested in self-aggrandizement. Our hope is that when the ribbons of these prizes are cut, even more friendships are propagated. Please give more attention to these writers. Deliver this award to eight bloggers who must choose eight more and include this cleverly-written text into the body of their award."

So gladly, I pass this award onto: (No particular order)
1.)Knitterings
2.)Adventures of the Reluctant Housewife
3.)Zen Ventures
4.)Auburnchick's Weblog
5.)Perpetually Creating
6.)Abounader Photography
7.)Knitting with Mitchie
8.)GingerScraps

So please visit these fantastic ladies and post a little bloggy love!! :D

A Very Cool Award!!

Double Take Tuesday: Money Saving Mom

Continuing with my 'thrifty' theme this week: I MUST, MUST, MUST tell you about Money Saving Mom! It's a nifty blog that really does uncover new ways (and some long forgotten ways) to save money on everything from groceries to home decor to gifts. This blog is CHOCK FULL of money-saving goodness. I've been tightening the belt a bit around our own home (with plenty of nudges from the mister) by making meals with meat stretchers, clipping coupons (I use Grocery Game), using ammonia as a detergent enhancer (using less detergent.. hubby actually found this little tip on the internet), renting movies from the library (FREE), and buying less yarn (sniff, sniff). Anything I can do so that my family can enjoy the little luxuries: water, electric, and shelter... ;P I can't even believe what a movement money-saving has become to fellow mommy-bloggers! You can't afford to NOT check out Money Saving Mom - the perfect resource for budget-conscious mommies!

Here's a quick summary from MSM:

MoneySavingMom.com is an upbeat and encouraging blog dedicated to helping you find great deals, stretch your hard-earned dollars, and live on less than you make so you can save more and give more.

Has your family started to find ways to trim the budget as a result of the downturned economy?

Double Take Tuesday: Money Saving Mom

Moma 'Tude Monday - Thrifty Giveaway

**This Giveaway is now CLOSED. The winner will be announced on Monday's post (12/15).

Unfortunately, my family is one of the families hit hard by the crummy economy. And really, who hasn't been hit hard? So I am compiling a list of thrifty ways for moms to do just about anything. From buying groceries, to crafting, to enjoying entertainment, to gift-giving.. I am putting a call out for contributors. If you have a money-saving idea or a thrifty find - please post your idea.
But wait - there's more!! There's a giveaway involved! One lucky poster will receive a $25 gift card to Bath and Body Works. (You must have a valid email address to win. I'm being thrifty and sending an e-giftcard! No gas used. No envelope or stamp purchased AND the gift card was donated!) You'll receive one entry for every post. If you mention it on your blog with a link back to my blog, you'll receive 5 additional entries. (be sure to post that you linked my blog) I'll be collecting suggestions for 1 week. After a week, I'll use a random number generator to pick the winner! (That means every post will be assigned a number and every link back to me will be assigned an additional 5 numbers!!) Every mom deserves a little pampering for doing all she can to make life rich and enjoyable on a budget! So, put your thinking caps on and post away! I'll be posting my list and the winner next Monday (Dec. 15th).

Moma 'Tude Monday - Thrifty Giveaway

Anyone else in love with The Starter Wife?

I'm hopelessly devoted to The Starter Wife. It's the perfect mix of romantic deliciousness, comedy, and movie tie-in fun. For those of you unfamiliar, it is the story of Molly Kagan, a recently divorced wife of a Hollywood mogul who starts over and tries to make her own life. It's based on the book of the same name by Gigi Levangie Grazer.

The latest episode in the series featured a monologue in "A Few Good Men" style. Every mom can relate to the significant other in her life always wanting to be number one in her life..

Zach McNeil: Ms. Kagan, your answer.
Molly Kagan: You want answers?
Zach McNeil:I think I deserve them.
Molly Kagan: You want answers?
Zach McNeil:I want the truth!
Molly Kagan: You can't handle the truth! Mr. McNeil, I live in a world that is unspeakably busy: career, carpool, missing friends, dead husbands - and that's just this week. Who's gonna handle it, you? I'm a mom, Mr. McNeil; a working mom. I am a 24/7 list-making machine of errands, duties, endless responsibilities.. all of which have to be handled on 6 hours of sleep a night or less. You don't want the truth. Deep down you know I didn't have time to read your 300-page, part 1 of your book. Deep down you can't handle that you are not my first priority.

If you haven't seen The Starter Wife, give it a peak. It's so indulgent and yummy.. you know you want to.

Anyone else in love with The Starter Wife?

Multi-Media Friday: Funschool

Funschool, by Kaboose, is an interactive website that provides educational games, free printables, and age-appropriate activites online for grades pre-school through 6. This site is a site you'll be okay with your kiddos visiting. There are interesting animal quizes (did you know that an octopus has 3 hearts?), games like Michael, Michael Go Recycle which teaches kids to recycle, crafts for kids like the kids' time capsule, winter and holiday coloring pages, and even a parent and teacher center where moms can access family-fun activites and ideas.

My preschooler LOVES this site and we enjoy playing Fishin' Mission (where she learns how to use a mouse and we count the fish as we race against the timer), Stacker (where she learns to stack the blocks based on numbers and color patterns), Learning ABCs, coloring in the preschool art activity center, and playing Jungle Jumper.

It's all brought to you by Kaboose, a family-center website with everything from crafts, to parenting articles, to health tips. Check out Kaboose and Funschool today for some educational activities disguised as fun!

Do your kids play educational games online?

Multi-Media Friday: Funschool

Family Day Thursday: Family Mailbox

Taking a cue from the family-friendly site, Families with Purpose, I'm creating a family mailbox in our home. What a creative outlet to have the kiddos write notes (not email) on pieces of stationary to each other or mom and dad and likewise. The kidlets squeal with delight everytime there is a letter for them in our actual mailbox, so why not drop little notes for them in the family mailbox. Notes of encouragement... Notes of praise... Silly notes.. Fun notes... Even coupons (free hugs from mommy, movie-night with daddy, Buy One Hug, Get a Kiss Free... the possibilities are endless)!
FAMILY CRAFTING OPPORTUNITY:
Make a big production out of it! Let the kiddos design their own stationary. Pull out your scrapbooking or digital scrapbooking supplies/software and let the kidlets design their own personal stationary. Then grab the wax paper, some flat filler items (sequins, stickers, confetti, paper punches, glitter, dried flowers..), brown paper lunch bags, an iron, a sewing machine, and pinking shears and create homemade envelopes. The juicy Ms. Cathie Filian and Mr. Steve Piacenza of Creative Juice give you step by step instructions for making the envelopes!Now it's time to create a stationary box for your kiddos to keep their stationary in. I use empty cereal boxes. Just take the empty cereal box, lay it flat on the largest surface and cut (I used a craft knife of my self-healing matte.) a flap (You may want to score a hinge point on the box so the flap hinges open.) on either the front or back side of the box. Cover the box in scrapbook paper, wrapping paper, construction paper, decorated brown paper bag... Now the kids have their own stationary and envelopes and a place to keep them. Just add some funky colored pens. (You can velcro these to the stationary box to keep everything in one place.)

Let the kiddos help you decorate a faux mailbox. I like the cardboard mailboxes used for wedding cards. Use a sticker machine to apply adhesive to the back of postcards, wallet-sized pics of the kids, and any other non-adhesive embellishments to decorate the mailbox with. Have fun! Make it something they'll enjoy doing together as a family.Once all of that is complete (you can drag this out over several days), your mailbox is ready to place in a visible and easy-to-reach place. Let the fun begin!

What family-centered activities does your family engage in?

Family Day Thursday: Family Mailbox

Wild Card Wednesday: Homemade Holidays

Many of us are crazy-busy over the holiday season. We Christmas shop on the way home from work or on the internet late at night. We simply don't even consider having a homemade holiday. But recently, there's been a return to homemade gift giving and holiday decor. Personally, I think homemade gifts are the single most personalized, thoughtful, and loving way to give gifts. Does this mean I will hand make personalized gifts for each and every family member? Not a chance! Since most of my crafting prowess comes in the form of knitting and since I only get to knit, say 3 hours a week, I'm not cranking out 34,000 stitches to knit one pair of socks in time for Christmas. But there are simple ways to be craftilicious and/or to incorporate handmade items to your holidays.

The fab website, Create a Prim, has really simple tutorials in their 'School House.' One such tutorial, Hand-Dipped Candles and Ornies, is a great way to make a little something homemade to add to that store-bought gift or to give as a hostess gift. (Photos courtesy of Create a Prim)
If you're a knitter, you could pop on over to KrisKnits and pick up some Christmas washcloth patterns for a quick and easy knitted homemade gift. Wrap these up with some beautiful ribbon and lace in a basket with the homemade Peppermint Stick Bath Salts you made from Craft Stylish, and you have an entirely homemade and useful present.
There are so many craft tutorials out there for whatever craft tickles your fancy! And if you are craft-challenged, you can always add homemade charm, by purchasing hand made gifts on Etsy (own of my favorite places on Earth)! Who wouldn't love a funky pair of earrings from Polished Two? (I own 3 pair of her delicious earrings!) Photo courtesy of Polished Two.

Or buy an e-pattern from Crow's Roost Prims' Etsy Shop to make your own prim snowman!
Whether you make a homemade craft or buy a hand made goodie, make this Christmas meaningful and personalized by giving more than the expected.

Wild Card Wednesday: Homemade Holidays

Double Take Tuesday: Craft Stylish

Are you a crafty gal or a crafty gal wannabe? Craft Stylish is the hub of creative gifting. There are heaps of tutorials from almost any craft category. I stumbled upon the Peppermint Stick Salt Soak - which is FABULOUS! I intend to make a few jars of the soak with some hand-knitted winter washcloths and give as hostess gifts!! (Picture courtesy of Craft Stylish)

Here's a bit about the site:

CraftStylish is the ultimate crafting resource that we craved, but couldn’t find—a place to connect, discover and share with other crafters. It’s the destination for fabulous inspiration and expert instruction on the latest trends, projects, ideas, and materials. Whatever craft you love—knitting, crocheting, sewing, quilting, embroidery, jewelrymaking, and more—you’ll find the best information and community at CraftStylish.com.

So head on over to Craft Stylish and get your craft on! Nothing says love like a thoughtful homemade gift.

Do you plan to make any homemade gifts this holiday season? If so, what?

Double Take Tuesday: Craft Stylish

Momma 'Tude Monday: Bloggy Christmas Card (Merry SITSmas!)

This one is for the lovlies at The Secret is in the Sauce! Tomorrow oodles of SITStas will be linking their bloggy Christmas cards to the site. I can't wait to see them all!

Be sure to pop on over to SITS and check them out tomorrow as they are giving away oodles of cool things and a $200 gift card grand prize to Target as well as being the featured blogger on Friday!!! It's almost too good to be true!

Have you gotten your Christmas cards ready and sent out yet?

Not me. The kiddos have their Christmas picture taken this weekend and then we will have them printed into Christmas cards. I won't get to send them out until Monday (the 8th). Where has the time gone this year?

Momma 'Tude Monday: Bloggy Christmas Card (Merry SITSmas!)