con-tain-it

Farewell Twenty-Ten and Happy New Year!

It’s time to say farewell to twenty-ten and what better way to do that than to join in on a couple of blog link parties that are celebrating your best of twenty-ten!   So today I am showcasing what were my favorite projects this year and sharing them on Rhoda's blog party "Top Projects of 2010" on her blog, Southern Hospitality.  Then since some of these projects were actually Room Re-Do's I am also linking up to The Lettered Cottage's link party, A Few of My Favorite: Room Re-Do's for 2010.

 

Season's Greetings...One and All!

 
 

 

WFMW: Green Gift Wrapping This Holiday Season

 

Back in November, Sew,Mama,Sew!teamed up with one of my favorite ladies Teresa Van Hatten, The Green Bag Lady. Teresa has been making and giving away cloth grocery bags for several years and at the last count there were nearly 14,000 Green Bag Lady Bags. In fact I have been the lucky recipient of three Green Bag Lady bags and was lucky enough to share one of the Holiday Bags with my niece Cortney in California ;)   This year, Sew,Mama,Sew! and Teresa have combined their by organizing a holiday sewing project and they have asked all of us bloggers and readers to join in:

The Green Grocery Bag Challenge: A Holiday Sewing Project Benefiting Mother Earth

Fact 1: US consumers generate 4 million tons of wrapping paper and shopping bag waste during the holiday season alone.

Fact 2: The US goes through 100 billion single-use plastic grocery bags every year.

Fact 3: This year, you can make a difference!

Typical Tuesday: More Fun Ways With Chalkboard Paint

 
Update: Linking up this previous post with WhisperWood Cottage blogspot for her fun Chalk Talk party...cause you all know that I'm just nuts about chalk board paint.  Be sure to hop on over and check out how creative the other bloggers are and be sure to tell Amy that Roberta sentcha!

Somebody Stop Me!  Because I sure as heck can't stop myself...that is...from painting everything with chalkboard paint ;)  Last week I was all excited about painting labels and I was so motivated to find these pens:

Chalk Ink® Markers produce a chalk look without a chalk mess.  They are versatile and write on multiple surfaces.  Non-toxic, water and pigment based.  They clean off most non-porous surfaces with water and a soft cloth.

 

You all should have seen me when I found them in Michael's...I was doing the happy dance in the isles...especially since I had a 50% off coupon!  So now I'm finding all sorts of surfaces to paint on to make the holidays special.

 

Special Deliveries...Coming and Going!

Over the river and through the woods...to EVERYONE's houses we go...

That would be my Christmas Cards...yipeee...over 50 of them all signed, stuffed, sealed and stamped and dropped off at the Post Office on Monday morning.  Over the weekend I managed to squeeze in a small newsletter to go along with this year's photo postcards.  Then I typed up all the mailing labels using this word templatefrom Worldlabels.com...WHAT a time saver that was ;)  Try it...you'll like it!  Some people frown on address labels being used in lieu of hand writing the addresses...but I'm sorry I would never get my cards mailed if I had to hand write the notes and the addresses!  Remember, it's the thought that counts and the intention behind the card and the note or "newsletter".  I love to get either notes or newsletters because we are all so busy and sometimes Christmas is the only time that we have to catch up with what is going on with everyone's families.  That is also why I love photo cards and watching the changes in everyone from year to year.  How about you...what are your preferences?

These sweet kiddos love ANY cards that they receive because they are Unsponsored Children...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

National Chocolate Cover ANYTHING Day!

That's right...December 16th is National Chocolate Cover Anything Day and we woke up to this...

Yep...someone up above didn't get the official memo...

 

WFMW: Shaklee Makes Me One Scouring Fool...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A few weeks ago Toni of A bowl full of lemons blogspot posted about how she cleaned her oven..naturally...

Toni used Shaklee's Scour Off™ Heavy Duty Paste and Basic H²® , all natural, simply green products...but what really impressed was how effortless these products made it.  So I went on line and found a great deal on the Get Clean® Healthy Home Pack.  Right now when you become a member you receive a 15% discount and through the end of December when you join you also received free shipping which was over $17.00 in additional savings ;)  So then I patiently waited for my Home Pack to arrive:

Typical Tuesday: 6 Fun Ways With Chalkboard Paint

Update: Linking up this previous post with WhisperWood Cottage blogspot for her fun Chalk Talk party...cause you all know that I'm just nuts about chalk board paint.  Be sure to hop on over and check out how creative the other bloggers are and be sure to tell Amy that Roberta sentcha!

 

Chalkboard Paint has always excited me when it comes to organizing anything in your home, office, studios and, of course, classrooms.  How can you not get excited over a paint medium that can be used on just about any type of surface (metal, wood, cardboard and plastic to name a few ;) AND that offers a writing surface that is NOT permanent so that if you change the function of your objects! 

Over the years I find more ways to use chalkboard paint in many FUN and inspiring ways. 

Mosaic Monday: The Simple Gifts of Christmas

This weekend we went to Davidson, NC for our monthly hair appointments at Halo Salon and to deliver simple gifts of cookies and muffins to our stylist and great friend, James.

A Little Help From My Friends...

Oh, I get by with a little help from my friends
Mm, Gonna try with a little help from my friends
Oh, I get high with a little help from my friends
Yes, I get by with a little help from my friends,
with a little help from my friends

Full lyrics here from The Beatles - A Little Help From My Friends

Just can't get this song out of my head because that is what I keep thinking about when I tally up all the funds that we collected during my recent Rubber Stamp PURGE.  I want to thank everyone who participated and made this experience so worth it...ladies you are all the best! 

• Donnie of New Blessing Everyday
• Sherry of Country Wings in Phoenix 
• Barb of Designs by Dogmom Diva
• Cortney of Living & Loving in LA
• Cynthia (no blog ;) 
• Kathleen (no blog ;)
• and Joy (no blog ;) 

Together they all raised over $125.00 dollars of which every dollar is being donated to The Mercy House!  That's alot of rubber ladies...woo hoo!  That is one check that I was happy to write today and to mail out ;)

Ladies...I am wishing you all the best and...singing a little out of tune!

What would you think if I sang out of tune,
Would you stand up and walk out on me.
Lend me your ears and I'll sing you a song,
And I'll try not to sing out of key.
Oh I get by with a little help from my friends,
Mmm,I get high with a little help from my friends,
Mmm, I'm gonna try with a little help from my friends.

Full lyrics here from The Beatles - A Little Help From My Friends

Fondly, Roberta

 

WFMW: How to Enjoy Your Christmas To-Do Lists...Every Year!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

So excited today because my Christmas Cards arrived as well as the 2011 Photos Calendar that I ordered for my Mom (it's okay she doesn't even know how to use the internet so she never reads my blog ;)

 
The photo on the cover is of my Mom, myself and my DH when we went home for a visit this past summer and we actually got my Mom to take a photo with us...came out great! 

So every year when I do my Christmas Cards I get out my RED kit case that holds my previous year's left-over cards as well as my Christmas Blank Books.  What? (You Ask)  They are blank books or journals that I use specifically for Christmas.  The taller maroon one with the angels on the cover is my Christmas Idea Book and the small floral one is an older Christmas Gift Register.

 

Brrrr....humbug! The Grinch lives here...

That's because we got SNOW here on Saturday and now it's turned very cold... 

AND anyone who knows me...knows that I get very grouchy when it's cold outside.

It makes me feel trapped inside...and stuck...which is so absurd because I can sit inside all day long (and have ;) when the sun is shinning and never even think about going outside.  Absurd...maybe...but the reality is that I KNOW that I can go out anytime I want to AND not freeze my face off ;)   Sorry...but I don't get all excited about wearing gloves, boots, scarves and hats which make my hair a static mess.

SNAP OUT OF IT...I tell myself (and I mentally assume the Mary Engleibreit pose ;)

Fabulous Friday...Winner Winner Chicken Dinner

Wow!  What a day...with the mail man, the UPS driver, the Federal Express driver and the post office I have had!  It has been a Fabulous Fridayhere at the Love Shack with all sorts of deliveries...for which I have been the lucky recipient for...as well as a full day of wrapping rubber stamps to ship to all the lovely ladies who participated in the first Rubber Sale ;)  So quickly, before it gets really busy again...I'm taking the time the demonstrate how much I appreciate all the fantastic bloggers who keep on giving! 

First I want to thank all the lovely ladies who participated on Day 20 and Day 21, of my MASSIVE rubber stamp liquidation sale.  Collectively they raised $66.00 for one of my favorite charities, The Mercy House.  Now this might not seem like a huge amount but it is a great start for sure.  There are still plenty of great deals left...over 40 sets of rubber stamps for next to nothing! AND all of the profits will still be going to The Mercy House.  Kristen posted today about how a $3.00 donation...Spare Change to us...can really make a BIG difference so please hop on over and put your bids in NOW ;)  

• Donnie of New Blessing Everyday
• Sherry of Country Wings in Phoenix 
• Barb of Designs by Dogmom Diva
• Cortney of Living & Loving in LA
• and Cynthia (sorry I don't have a blog ;) 

There is STILL time...to get your rubbers!

Rubber stamps that is! I just completed The {21} Purge in which I de-cluttered and organized my home. On Day 20 and Day 21, I worked on clearing out my MASSIVE rubber stamp collection. Now here is where the deal is...I am selling over 50 sets of rubber stamps for next to nothing! AND all the profits will be going to one of my favorite charities, The Mercy House.  Every one of the sets has a minimum of 2 (very large stamps) but the average set has 4-5 wood mounted rubber stamps and they are priced between $3 and $6 per set (plus shipping). You could not buy ONE of these stamps for these prices in any retail store and MANY of these stamps have NEVER been used! There are dozens of Holiday stamps sets to choose from if you need to make a few last minute Christmas cards. OR give a set of stamps...they are a perfect gift for a special someone.  Today, I'm opening up the sale again and adding more stamps that I found in my STORAGE...yikes!!!  There are over 40 sets of stamps (still available) BIDS CLOSE, Monday., December  6th at MIDNIGHT {EST} 

 

WFMW: Simple Stuffed Pork Chops & Get Your Rubbers Here!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Did the title get your attention? I hope it did because I have this amazing deal to share with you!  I just completed The {21} Purge in which I de-cluttered and organized my home. On Day 20 and Day 21, I worked on clearing out my MASSIVE rubber stamp collection. Now here is where the deal is...I am selling over 50 sets of rubber stamps for next to nothing! AND all the profits will be going to one of my favorite charities, The Mercy House.  Every one of the sets has a minimum of 2 (very large stamps) but the average set has 4-5 wood mounted rubber stamps and they are priced between $3 and $6 per set (plus shipping). You could not buy ONE of these stamps for these prices in any retail store and MANY of these stamps have NEVER been used! There are dozens of Holiday stamps sets to choose from if you need to make a few last minute Christmas cards. OR give a set of stamps...they are a perfect gift for a special someone.  SO hurry on over and bid on your favorite stamp sets because the BIDS CLOSE tonight, Wed., December 1st at 7pm EST! 

Follow the links to see what's available... 

Day 20 Stamp Sets

Day 21 Stamp Sets