Made by Maggie Mae Temple Bracelet Giveaway [CLOSED]

When Magdelyn from Made by Maggie Mae first joined the LDS Etsy team, I loved her little shop right away. What first caught my eye were the beautiful temple bracelets:

And her personalized family tree illustrations are adorable! They make great Mother's Day/Father's Day gifts as well.

She also sells personalized artwork for weddings, baptisms, missionaries, and Baby's room, which can also be transferred to Baby's clothes.

Magdelyn sent me a lovely temple bracelet to review:

Smiles
*Much more beautiful in person! The photos don't do it justice.
*Perfect size. Not too loose for my small wrist and plenty of stretch for larger wrists.
*Small lobster claw. I have seen some bracelets with larger clips that really stick out.
*Not really more convenient than just taking the name slip out of your pocket or pinning it to your sleeve, but definitely a more reverent and stylish way!

Frowns
*Takes some adjusting for comfort. I recommend folding the slip in half so just the first name shows and then clipping it on.
*Can be hard to clip/unclip the slip. It's easiest to do when the bracelet is off.

One of you lucky readers will win a temple bracelet of your choice! You can also get everything on sale right now using the code MOM20 for 20% off your purchase! Order by May 4th if you want something for Mother's Day.

Mandatory Entry: Visit Made by Maggie Mae and tell me which bracelet you would choose or what else you like.

1 entry: Heart Made by Maggie Mae on Etsy. Leave your username.

1 entry: Pin an item from Made by Maggie Mae to Pinterest.

1 entry: Like Made by Maggie Mae on Facebook. Leave your username.

1 entry: Like The Hand That Rocks the Cradle on Facebook. Leave your username.

1 entry: Follow this blog on Google Friend Connect.

1 entry each (4 total possible): Post this giveaway on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, or your blog.

Please leave a separate comment for each entry. All entries must be submitted by 11:59 p.m. PDT on Tuesday, May 14. The winner will be announced Wednesday, May 15. Please leave your email address in one of your entries so I can contact you if you win. This giveaway is open to the U.S. & Canada. Good luck!

No More Long Curly Hair

It finally happened: Caden's locks are gone. Thursday Justin gave him a haircut. The last one Caden had gotten was nearly a year ago, so he was due for one, especially with the hot weather already here. He did really well, better than at the kid-friendly salons.

 

It will take me some time to get used to his new 'do, but of course he still looks cute!

How to Reuse Everyday Household Items

If you want to save money and the planet, then reuse your everyday household items. There is a lot you can do with things you would normally throw away.

• TOOTHBRUSHES: Used toothbrushes work great for cleaning, especially for cleaning grout, fabric stains, and around faucets. Just be sure to mark them and keep them away from the kids!
• PLASTIC BAGS: Plastic bags can be used as trash bags in the home or car, and make good packing bags. I like to put shoes and bath items in plastic bags before packing them in my suitcase so that my clothes won’t get dirty, wet, or stained.
• TISSUE BOXES: Empty tissue boxes make good storage containers for plastic bags and napkins.
• SHOEBOXES: Use a shoebox like a pencil box to store office supplies, markers and crayons, and craft materials. You can also store cards, letters, and homemade gifts you want to keep.Or use them as toy bins in the kids' rooms!
• PAPER: Save paper only printed on one side for your kids to color on or for you to make to-do/shopping lists.
• JARS: Jars are great storage containers for many things; for example, leftover sauces and oil, coins, beads, buttons, cotton balls, etc.
• SOCKS: Instead of throwing away socks with holes or missing partners, use them for cleaning and dusting. You can cut them open or stick your hand in them.
• OTHER ODDS AND ENDS: Gather together all the random items your kids could use for crafts (and store in a shoebox!). It will encourage creativity and leave you and your kids guilt-free if the craft breaks or gets thrown away.

Featured Sellers: Olivia & Tarieli from Be Lucky

This week's sellers are Olivia and Tarieli from Be Lucky. The shop is absolutely delightful, full of whimsy and charm.

We are a married couple from Estonia, Europe, and our brand is called Be Lucky. All our products are based on the illustrations made by Olivia. Tarieli's job is to get Olivia's illustrations on the products and the products to people. At the moment we offer pictures, postcards, buttons, and jewelry, but we hope to increase the variety.

Our brand name means that we want to bring the feeling of luckiness to people through our products. We've seen many times how our customers (at fairs and other sale events) smile when they see our products. At these moments we know that we nailed it :)

"When the Cat Is Away"

Check out Be Lucky for more imaginative illustrations! You can also find them on Facebook.

WINNER!

The winner of the Auntie Robin $25 shop credit giveaway is comment #101 by Kathy Davis. Have fun picking out your prize!

Cadenisms

Remember cookie boot? Well, Caden says book now. He also says yes instead of ess and Elmo instead of Mamo. He tells us to wake up and can repeat most words perfectly. In fact, he picks up more than I realized. One day I was having trouble with the Xbox and voiced my frustration with an unfinished "What the--?" Caden finished, "Heck!" Do I really say it that often? 

Showing off his new shoes

Caden doesn't just pick up stuff from me. One day he farted and I said "Caden!" He giggled and then replied, "Mama stinky!" blaming the fart on me! Thanks, Justin!

Unfortunately, he doesn't pick up everything perfectly. Bread sounds like blehhh. And when he says the following words, they sound like profanity: fork, bridge, stick, shirt, flag. One guy at a fast-food restaurant even gave us a dirty look when Caden repeated fork incorrectly after I asked Justin to get one. Give me a break! He's only 2!

Caden is a total Arizona baby. We already have the A/C running, yet he insists on watching TV on the couch cuddled with his giant monkey and a blanket over his legs and sleeping with socks and a blanket, even at naptime during the hottest part of the day.

Trying to learn how to lick a popsicle

After Caden wakes up from a nap or even in the mornings, he picks up right where he left off as if he never slept. He remembers things I promised him after napping, continues playing with whatever toy or reading whatever book he fell asleep with, and always wants to eat right away, even if he had a big lunch and a short nap.

Driving on Daddy

Caden makes us laugh every day. His quirks and silly personality never cease to amuse us!

IzzybizzyME Mother's Day Card Giveaway & Craft Idea [CLOSED]

Last year I bought my mother and mother-in-law gifts from Etsy. This year I want to give them something I made. So when IzzybizzyME teamed up with me for a giveaway, I was delighted to find this Mother's Day printable card in the shop:

Instead of using it as a card, I turned it into a craft. At Walmart I bought black 5x7 in. picture frames for 95 cents each. I printed and trimmed the cards and then embellished the frames. Simple, inexpensive, and beautiful handmade gift for Mom! (Unfortunately for me, both women read my blog, so it won't be a surprise!)

TWO of you lucky readers will win this Mother's Day printable card!

Mandatory Entry: Visit IzzybizzyME and let me know what else you like.

1 entry: Like IzzybizzyME on Facebook. Leave your username.

1 entry: Like The Hand That Rocks the Cradle on Facebook. Leave your username.

1 entry: Follow IzzybizzyME on Twitter.

1 entry: Follow IzzybizzyMe on Pinterest.

1 entry: Pin an item from IzzybizzyME to Pinterest.

1 entry: Follow this blog on Google Friend Connect.

1 entry each (4 total possible): Post this giveaway to Facebook, Twitter, Google+, or your blog.

Please leave a separate comment for each entry. All entries must be submitted by 11:59 p.m. PDT on Tuesday, April 30. The winner will be announced on Wednesday, May 1, giving you enough time to print the card, make your craft, and send it to your mother by Mother's Day (May 12)! Please leave your email address in one of your comments so I can contact you if you win and IzzybizzyME can send you the card. This giveaway is open worldwide. Good luck!

How to Make Quick Baked French Fries

A couple weeks ago I was craving french fries but didn't want to wait the hour it took for them to bake. So I came up with a quicker way to make baked french fries! This recipe is a perfect side for 1 adult's or 2 kids' lunch or as an afternoon snack.

Ingredients

• 1 large baking potato
• olive oil
• seasonings (I like salt, pepper, and paprika; other good options are garlic powder and rosemary)

Directions

1. Wash potato. Poke holes in skin and microwave for 2 minutes.
2. Cut potato in half lengthwise and let cool.
3. Cut into french fries.
4. Toss with olive oil and seasonings.
5. Bake in oven for 20 minutes* at 350 (higher if you want them crispier), turning them over halfway through.

*Cook time may vary depending on how many fries you make, how thick you cut them, and what kind of oven you use (I use our toaster oven).

Auntie Robin $25 Store Credit Giveaway [CLOSED]

If I have a girl (I find out tomorrow!), I would love to get something from the shop Auntie Robin. I love little girl clothes that are cute, modest, and fun, like the outfit below. Here is the story behind Auntie Robin:

I come from a very large family and have been an aunt since I was a baby, which is why I chose the name Auntie Robin. With five daughters, my mother sewed countless dresses for us and taught each of us to sew, starting with doll clothes and moving on to sewing our own clothes. As an adult, I also began making quilts. The clothing I make now is influenced by quilting in that several coordinating fabrics may be used in one garment. This makes each piece fun and creative.

The children I know inspire the items I make. All my little skirts have pockets for a child's special treasures! They twirl really well, too! Moms like that only top-quality, 100-percent cotton fabrics are used and all of the skirts are fully lined with finished seams. They can be worn to a party or on the playground and easily machine washed and dried.

The most popular items I make are the doll clothes, especially those in hard-to-find sizes. I love making a whole wardrobe of clothes for a little girl’s favorite doll. A doll can never have too many outfits!

My hand-quilted baby quilts are made with love and countless hours of hand-stitching. The alphabet quilts can even be used as a learning game while waiting in line or for an appointment. They also make darling wall decor! 

Mandatory Entry: Visit Auntie Robin and tell me what you would get with the $25.

1 entry: Favorite Auntie Robin on Etsy. Leave your username.

1 entry: Pin something from Auntie Robin to Pinterest.

1 entry: Follow this blog on Google Friend Connect.

1 entry: Like The Hand That Rocks the Cradle on Facebook. Leave your username.

1 entry each (4 total possible): Post this giveaway on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, or your blog.

Please leave a separate comment for each entry. All entries must be submitted by 11:59 p.m. PDT on Friday, April 19. The winner will be announced Saturday, April 20. Please leave your email address in one of your entries so I can contact you if you win. This giveaway is open to the U.S. only. Good luck!

WINNER!

The winner of the One More Sunshine Winnie-the-Pooh magnetic clothespins giveaway is comment #23 by ajeep. Congratulations! And thanks to everyone who entered. More giveaways coming soon!

Featured Seller: Mary from Charmed by Wine

This week's featured seller is Mary from Charmed by Wine. Mary makes wine glass charms. Now, I know what you're thinking: why is a Mormon mommy who doesn't drink featuring wine charms? I asked Mary to describe her product more to me and she replied,

 
I certainly understand that wine charms are not for everyone. Although the purchaser may not drink or enjoy wine, my items do make wonderful gifts and are useful to have around the house for holidays and other gatherings when others may wish to drink. A few alternative uses are:

• coffee mug/teacup charms (on the handle!)
• water goblets or any other stemmed glassware
• Christmas tree ornaments
• gift tags or part of gift wrapping
• tapered candle charms
• charms on any stemmed candle holders
• gifts: hostess gifts, holiday gifts, party favors, wedding shower or wedding favors, etc.

If you take a peek in my shop, you'll see that there are various designs and colors, and their purpose is simply to add a little sparkle and interest to an item, as well as to ID the person's glass so as not to confuse it with another (a classier way of writing your name on a cup).

I was in awe of how many great uses there are for them! Here is how Mary got started making them. 

I recently got married in August 2012. My husband and I had a beautiful wedding inspired by my Italian heritage, our love of clean and classy styles, Sinatra, food, and wine. As part of the planning process, I thought it would be a cute idea to give wine charms as favors. The wedding sets I was finding were so expensive and they weren’t very personal, so I decided to make my own.

I made over 1300 wine charms (which took me the better part of 6 months to do!). With about 400 charms to go, I realized that I enjoyed making them, but was getting so sick of the current design. I started imagining other options and designs for wine charms. I had a bunch of supplies left over at the end, so I began researching online selling venues like Etsy and learning about how I could create and sell my wine charm designs to others – mainly because I knew that if I didn’t sell them, I’d end up with a houseful of wine charms!

I opened the shop in November 2011; however, with the wedding plans, a house purchase, and kitchen renovation, I didn’t really start creating items and putting time into the shop until about October 2012. I love being active in sports, eating healthy, and learning about DIY house projects and practicing new recipes. Working on the charms is a perfect downtime activity for me while catching up on DVR'd shows!

Check out Charmed by Wine for more great designs. You can also visit the main site, follow Mary's blog, or like her Facebook page.

Easter & Family Fun Day

Easter Sunday we all went to Church, where Caden got loads of goodies (of all places!). [The dress I wore I bought a few months back online (first time I've ever bought myself clothing online) from a vintage store. It was big on me, but fits better now that I'm pregnant! Funny fact: all 3 boys in Nursery were wearing orange shirts, and the two teachers and I had orange floral outfits.]

belly sticker courtesy of Watch Me Grow Stickers

We had dinner at Adam and Kirsten's, and our old friends were there too. It was nice seeing them and talking pregnancy and motherhood with Heather, who is also pregnant with her second. Kirsten put together a little Easter egg hunt for the two little ones. Caden is in a very possessive stage right now, so it was frustrating refereeing his interaction with Logan, who's only 16 months old. I'm glad Caden and this next baby will be 3 years apart!

Caden also got a bunny and felt sets from the grandparents. He loves the bunny! He is very much into stuffed animals, as was I as a little girl. I love watching him cuddle with and kiss them.

Monday Justin had off so we had a family date after Caden's nap. I asked Caden if he wanted to go bowling or to the movies and he chose bowling. He got excited every time it was his turn and marched/ran up to the ramp.

I couldn't even bowl a spare. I finally got my first and only one in the second game. Caden's second score was not far behind mine!

We then went shopping for new shoes for Caden. We haven't had any luck the past few weeks. We used to buy from Stride Rite, but they don't have any good options for his current size. We finally found good and affordable shoes at Champs. I usually don't like buying clothing with brand names or logos on them (in this case, Nike swish), but they were perfect: lightweight, vented, flexible, plain old black and white, reasonably priced. Caden loves them and wants to wear them all the time! In fact, he wore them right out of the store because he wouldn't let us take them off.

We decided to stay and watch a movie too. Caden played until it was time to see the movie. The price was reasonable, the place was very nice, and we had the whole theater to ourselves! I think we found ourselves a new movie theater to go to.

We watched The Croods. It was funny and entertaining but extremely cliche with an unbalanced message. (Motherhood ruins movie watching. Now I analyze everything from a parent's perspective!) We had a long and wonderful day together!