Freecycle!

I really enjoy finding just the right things to make our home feel like ours.We recently moved into this amazing home. Really amazing. It had been decorated by professionals. But I didn't get to see that:) I'm feeling very overwelmed finding just the right things.

There is a narrow front room with a high GEORGOUS fireplace. I really wanted two wing back chairs on either side of that fireplace. I set out looking on Craigslist and found two perfect ones! $100.00 each. They were sold. I kept looking and soon found other things to spend the money on (like food and transportation:)

Then I saw two wing back chairs offered on Freecycle! One was blue and one was pink. They belonged to an 84 year old woman and were used as decoration in her bedroom.
They are in immaculate condition. I found the perfect covers for $25.34 each on Amazon.I applied for the Amazon Chase card and recieved a $30.00 credit...so they REALLY only cost me $20.00 :)




I havent had a chance to REALLY tweak the room but here are the chairs all dressed and in their new home:


Picture them moved back after people have been reading and talking and playing and sliding them accross the floor. While we are at it, also picute the picture on the mantle centered and everything around it tweaked. Thanks.

A friend asked me today if I had used freecycle and what I had offered or received. I said "YES!" Then went blank. I blurted out things every few minutes over the next hour we visited. THEN I remembered this happening before and that I had started a list... It is in no way exhaustive and I somehow got more excited about the getting than the giving :(

I really did offer more than shown. I tend to want to hold on things and find just the right new home for them. I KNOW what joy I get from finding things at the thrift store..but sometimes Freecycle is just the right way to place your discards in loving hands.

things we received from Freecycle in 2008
baby clothes
johnny jump up
swing/bouncer (later sold)
nursing bras
trundle bed frame
baby seat/toys
crib
silicone baking dishes
baby clothes
maternity clothes
boy scout shirt
Breast Pump
toddler bed
2 cell phones
child's play rug
2 framed pictures to makeover

GIVEN
crib/toddler bed
cradle





Items from freecycle 2009-10

5 boxes Tassimo coffee
silk flowers, wicker cornucopia
G Diapers (4 packages--unused)
Diaper pail
Wine glasses



OFFERED:

CD cases
Queen bed frame
Toddler bicycle Helmet
magazines
leather chair
portable dish washer
Lane leather recliner
moving boxes
Danish modern dining chairs
2 bar stools
Ikea Armoire
dresser

I encourage to find and join the Freecycle in your area!

What have you recieved or given through Freecycle?

Linking Up at
Nifty Thrifty Tuesdays

GIVEAWAY! I Surrender

I told you HERE how great I thought the I Surrender e-book is.

Judy is going to give a copy to one of our readers!!

To enter:
-leave a comment here
(if you feel inspired to share something encouraging that you recently read..Please do!)


For more entires (leave a comment for each)
You can:
follow this blog on GFC
follow Judy's blog

"I Surrender" an e-book review

I was asked by Judy of Homeschool Faith and Family Life to review their
I Surrender EBook

We have all heard the scripture Joshua 24:15 that says, "As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord", Many of us post it on our doors and on our walls and claim it as our own. This short (24 pages) easy to read e-boook looks into 4 areas of our lives (the homeschooling day, family life, marriage, and friendships) and invites us to asks ourselves if we are surrendering those areas to serve the Lord. It doesn't stop there however and does give practical ideas and encouragement.

When we read out loud to our children I read the name of the author. When we read a novel together we research the time period and author. SOOOO...before I read this e-book I was nosy and wanted to know more about Judy. Head over to her blog (after you finish this post) you won't be sorry that you did.
I am in awe of and amazed by this woman. She is a homeschooling mother of 10 children and is blessed with three granddaughters. What really got my tears flowing and brought more amazement was hearing of her dear Mary Clare just being diagnose with Lyme's disease. Yes I am pained for this child and feel a mother's plea to take her place; But what REALLY impressed upon my heart was the amazing gratitude and thankfulness that her family showed in receiving her diagnosis.

My time is very limited and I can't practically read every thing I'd like. No matter that it claims to be edifying and Christian or life changing, I can't practically do it!. BUT I could tell that this was worth it and would be a refreshing encouragement. It turned out to be just that.

You can sneak some excerpts HERE

Many people do many things better than me. I have no problem "copying" them and see no point in rediscovering the wheel. Sadly though many things that I believe were written to encourage, equip and lead people to live fuller, richer lives with Christ come across as very condemning. We all know our evil thoughts and that we are far from where we need to be. Many women set out to write something in the Spirit of Titus 2 and end up with something that snootily says, "I do this better than you--so listen up." Judy is not one of those writers. Early on she says, "to trust that God is working in each and every soul and that bad moments do not equal “bad mommy” or “bad teacher”. Chaotic days do not mean we are failing or that our children should not be at home with us." That was something that I personally needed to hear.

Although this is a quick read it is filled with many gems that I wanted to share with you. I encourage you each to read The I Surrender E-book for yourselves:)

PRAISE GOD for His tender Mercies!!

I got the results from my biopsies yesterday.

I DO NOT have cancer!!


Amazing thinking of all that could have been. What a relief.

Our van is done. Our mechanic looked us square in the face and said, "this is when you don't drive it anymore."


My husband was made full time AND given a raise (both of which were not "possible.")

Life is such a constant mixed bag.

I don't like not having a vehicle. Not being able to go to church as a family and going to the grocery store at midnight when everyone else is asleep. But right now. I am so thankful that I can. So grateful. We were given this vehicle. We were also given the truck that my husband drives to work. Even in this we are so so blessed. We were given a van (that we bougth for a dollar) and we drove it for 4 years. I don't know what comes next and I don't want to ever expect anything from anyone or demand from God.

My husband was working this Sunday and we weren't able to go to church. My daughter and I made a double batch of crescent rolls. It was our first really baking, having fun in our kitchen. We actually had a plug to plug in my Kitchen Aid mixer and didn't have to kneed by hand. We had this amazing Food saver to freeze the food after. Both gifts from an amazing woman that God has put into our lives. We have been in this house for 4 months now and it is still so amazing to us. "Our" warming drawer and oven actually have a "proofing" feature. I got the recipe from an amazing blog and looked at it on my laptop at the little desk in the kitchen. The whole time astonished at how very very blessed we are.

Giveaway! Alisons Garden

I was beyond thrilled when Toni from Alisons Garden contacted me about a giveaway. She is such a sweetheart and coincidentally ALSO the mother of 5: four boys and 1 girl (sound familiar,) We went to the same junior high AND her creations are adorable and must-haves (not to mention PERFECT gifts for birthdays and holidays!)
Don't ya love her already? Wait until you see the beauties she creates:

Toni has a great Etsy. Alisons Garden is aptly named because: "Every little girl needs her own flower garden!"





She explains her reasons for selling her interchangeable flower adorned hats, headbands and beanies:
"We finally had a daughter after having 4 boys and I was making them for her. I started to notice that she had way too many for just her little head so I decided to start selling them. I make sets to donate to The Ronald McDonald House as well. I love to see the joy that a huge flower on a little head can bring to so many people!"



We all want cool flower adornemnt for ALL the little girls in our lives and THIS is just the person that we want our money going to:)


WIN IT


many lucky little girls have been blessed by Toni's generosity through The Ronald McDonald House and now lucky for YOU, Toni is giving away this set of four flowers, a bow and two bands:
><




to enter: please go by AlisonsGarden on Etsy and let me know what you MUST HAVE and who its for:)

For EXTRA entries you CAN:
~follow this blog
~like AlisonsGarden on facebook
(Please leave a separate comment for each.)

I will ask random number generator for a winner on June 7th:)

Playtex Bra Makeover

I know we have all heard the statistics about how many women are wearing ill-fitting bras( seven out of 10) I know that 99% of us have looked in the mirror in horror knowing that does indeed apply to us:)

Have you seen the new contest with playtex?

A BRA MAKEOVER!

10 women will be flown to New York for a bra fitting with Style and Fit expert Alison Deyette. They will also each be featured in their own webisode. Very Cool.

We all must enter! BECAUSE Real Women Have Real Bra Problems!
www.PlaytexBraMakeover.com

AND my blogging freinds, the first 100 bloggers to post about this event will recieve a free bra from Playtex:)

I was not compensated for this post and my opinion that you should enter is just my opinion. I was not promised a bra but really hope I am one of those first 100:)

Cover Girl Olay-$2.00 coupons!

Been feeling pretty old and run down and realized this weekend that I don't even own any makeup.

Guess what I just got in the mail to review?


Cover Girl& Olay--Simply Ageless


And even better is that I have 5 $2.00 coupons! YOU my virtual friends can check this new product out with me!! Leave me a quick comment saying anything you like and 5 people will get $2.00 off coupons to try this new product out right along with me!
Fun times ahead!!