FGF: Stationery

WE HAVE A WINNER!

Congratulations to #10

Pink Pearls & Muddy Sneakers!

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Random Integer Generator
Here are your random numbers:10
Timestamp: 2009-02-02 13:52:53 UTC

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thank you to all who participated, and please let me know if YOU'D like to be featured on a

Free Giveaway Friday!

_________________________

I have returned!!

Don't worry...I'm still alive...the Ice Monster attacked the Pink Potpourri HQ and power has been out all week. But I drove 2 hours to get some so you would have your

FREE GIVEAWAY FRIDAY!!!!

Today's giveaway is being donated by Lianna! She has an incredible selection of beautiful stationery at her Etsy page, Greeting Cards for our Garden! Today she is donating the winner's choice of one of her Valentine's Day stationeries!

Lianna has a wonderful purpose for her Etsy page. Her and her husband are trying In Vitro Fertilization for the 3rd time and insurance is not covering, so all proceeds from Greeting Cards from the Garden go to this cause in helping them become parents!

Also, Lianna is hosting ANOTHER giveaway on her blog, so you have 2 chances to win! Go to Be Though a Knight and enter to win a Vera Bradley Bag!

How to win this giveaway:

1) Please visit Lianna's Etsy page and come back and leave a comment telling me your favorite stationery set.

2) Go to Be Though a Knight and enter the other giveaway. Come back and tell me you entered to win!

3) If you're not a follower of The Pink Potpourri, be a follower and leave me a third comment telling me you are now a follower!

4) For a another chance to win, post about my giveaway on your blog, and leave a comment telling me you have blogged aboout me!

5) Winner will be announced on Monday morning....PENDING THE POWER SITUATION!

Monday Mayhem - Mircowave

Hubby and I have been in our new house since Thanksgiving. Right away we installed a new stove/oven (double oven, i might add!) and a fridge. We purchased a new matching microwave as well, but did not have time to install it, as the Hubby said it would be a 3 day project to ventilate it out the roof...

At first, I freaked out at the idea of not having a microwave. How would we eat?!? Well, a microwave is not as necessary as I thought. Hot tea or hot chocolate? Heat on stove. Reheat last night's leftovers? Heat in oven! It does take longer than a quick microwave zap, but I think it heats through better.

The only downfall was no popcorn, but no worries...Hubby and I survived.

Well, on Saturday, the Hubby had a retreat lunch he attended, so I spent that time scrubbing down the house. I cleaned it GOOD. I was so excited and couldn't wait for him to come home and see my work.

He walks in the door and beelines to the microwave. "I have decided to install this today, and I'll be cutting a hole in the wall to make it fit." Within five minutes, the saw was out, and the house was FILLED with a dust cloud. If you've never experienced a dust cloud in your house due to construction, you are lucky. Dust lands EVERYWHERE. Even in places you've never dusted before.

My jaw hit the ground. My hours of cleaning were gone in a matter of seconds. Being the godly, loving wife that I am, I fled...to work...to my quiet, clean office.

When I returned, the microwave was installed and the Hubby had just finished vaccuuming up his mess. Crisis averted, and microwave working!

Here's the before and after (well this is actually a before we moved in "before", but you can see there's no microwave and the old appliance):

And to top off your Monday, here is a picture of our dog, Fez. It's hard to see him, but he's peeking in his little window where he runs to when he's ready to be let back in. It's funny to walk around the corner and see his little head there with his snout pressed up against the glass. I'll have to take a picture some time and show you his markings :)

FGF: Flower Ring

WE HAVE A WINNER!

congrats to Comment #30

Heather!

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Random Integer Generator
Here are your random numbers:30
Timestamp: 2009-01-26 13:47:26 UTC
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Thanks again, Carrie, for donating a beautiful ring and introducing us to the blue door!!

I love giving away FREE GIVEAWAYS!

And I also LOVE fridays!

This week's prize is donated by my friend Carrie from the blue door! She has graciously donated a translucent pink chrysanthemum ring!

Here's a little info about Carrie... she loves to create and loves cute and unique accessories! She uses her business as a way to help pay for schooling at the seminary. Carrie is open to custom orders if someone has special requests. She tries to update the blue door every day so there is always something fun and new to see! And she also has a Buy 2 Get 1 FREE deal going on!

Rules for Winning...

1) Visit Carrie's etsy page and come back and leave a comment HERE telling me which jewelry is your most fave!

2) Link this blog page giveaway to your blog and let everyone know about it for an extra entry!

3) Follow this blog (by signing up on the right had column) and leave a third comment for an extra entry!

4) Comments will be accepted until 9 am on Monday morning. Winner will be announced shortly after!

Thoughtful Thursdays - 99 balloons

This past Sunday was Sanctity of Human Life Sunday, talking about the biblical perspective of abortion. After the sermon, they played this video.

***Alert***

Seriously, if you don't have any tissues near by, or you're getting ready to do a presentation at a board meeting, you might consider watching this video at a later time :)

Although this video is sad, it is also a blessing. This sweet couple sees this season of life as a blessing from the Lord. Because they were obedient to His Word, and did not abort this precious baby, they were able to enjoy his presence for 99 days. Their faith in the Lord gave them the gift of Eliot for the number of days he was to be on this earth, and to glorify Him through this experience.

Hilarities - Toilet Monster

I have returned! My apologizes for being absent these past few days...when sickness comes, it pretty much dominates :(

As I try to get back on track with life and continue recooperating, here is a little funny to bring a smile to your face today! Poor little boy...never saw this coming...

FGF: Blog Page

WE HAVE A WINNER!

f-i-n-a-l-l-y...

Congratulations to entry # 24

Rachel!!!

Random Integer Generator
Here are your random numbers:24
Timestamp: 2009-01-21 13:43:01 UTC

I am so excited to present this award to Rachel...she is a wonderful blog friend and I greatly enjoy reading her stories of everyday life with her family!

Join me this Friday for another awesome giveaway!

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Free Giveaway Friday's are BACK!!!

Are you ready to win an awesome gift???

This week's prize is donated by Teale's Digi-Designs! Teale has graciously donated a blog page make over!! Check out some of her work below, and go to her gallery for more pictures!


























Aren't these fabulous? Teale is a former commercial interior designer turned full-time stay-at-home mom of a 4 month old daughter. You can learn more about Teale on her blog page!

****EXTRA EXTRA***

I'm adding a lil somethin extra this week for an EXTRA chance to win this giveaway! I've just been introduced to the "follow me" feature on blogs...where you can follow other's blogs!! So, all you have to do is click on the icon on the right side of The Pink Potpourri to sign up to follow this blog, and leave me a comment that you've done so for an extra entry!




Are you ready to enter to win? Here are the Rules:



1) Visit Teale's Gallery and come back and leave a comment HERE telling me which banner is your most fave!



2) Link this blog page giveaway to your blog and let everyone know about it for an extra entry!



3) Follow this blog (by signing up on the right had column) and leave a third comment for an extra entry!



4) Comments will be accepted until 9 am on Monday morning. Winner will be announced shortly after!

Thoughtful Thursdays - It's not easy...

We can all learn a lesson from Kermit today...sometimes life isn't easy. Sometimes we find ourselves complaining about things that cannot be changed, or the way God has created us.

But just like Kermit, take a few moments to look at the positive side of your life today. Come up with at least three things that are good and joyful about yourself or your life! (ps...you don't have to comment your list...somethings are personal! but just think about them for yourself today if you don't want to share).

Hilarities - Ankle Biter

This post is dedicated to my husband.

My favorite television show to watch with the Hubby is America's Funniest Home Videos. That man cracks up hysterically through the majority of the show...except for when old people fall.

This is his most very favorite video of all time. It came on the other night and he was almost in tears, he was laughing so hard. And last night while I was making dinner, he came into the kitchen with his iPhone and this video playing...he can't get enough of it!!!




ps... be sure to check out Inspired Kara's awesome giveaway!!! its a pretty sweet prize!

Trendy Tuesday: 80's Flashback

I have a few free magazine subscriptions through My Coke Rewards. One of them is Marie Claire. I much rather prefer Lucky, as they show clothes that are more realistically affordable, but Marie Claire is a little higher up on the fashion. So I was sorely disappointed when I opened the most recent issue and saw flashbacks of my childhood...

(ps...i have a work breakfast this morning and i left my actual MC magazine at home, which shows all the real treasures I found, but for now I'll just give you a jist of what i found...)

this first picture is from the MC website...her multi-colored jacket is $2000, in case anyone was just dying to get one...

These sunglasses are from Forever 21. They have a few different selections of color combinations for $5

And finally, these pants are from Forever 21 as well. Can you see the rainbow stripe in there?

Now, maybe I'm just a little weirded out by this fashion choice for Spring 2009 because I grew up in styles like these in the 80's. They say that if a style comes around a second time in your lifetime, you're probably too old to pull it off again. THANK GOODNESS.

Monday Mayhem - sweet ride

THANK YOU!!!

to everyone who helped in donating for Free Giveaway Friday's to come! You all are so very generous and helpful, and I look forward to sharing some very special and talented ladies in the weeks to come!

We had a wonderful weekend. We made an exciting new purchase:
(this picture is not our actual car...its from google, but its the exact same thing...)




Isn't she beautiful? its an '05 Nissan Murano!! It was time for our '94 honda to be put to rest, and with our new home on a 90 degree angle driveway, we needed something with AWD and plenty of space in the back. So she was the perfect fit!





My favorite feature on this car is the keyless entry. Now, its not just a key fob entry...you do have to have one, but its not what you're thinking. there's a button on the handle you can just walk up to and push and the doors will unlock, as long as you have the fob within a foot or two. so i can just leave all my keys in my purse and not have to dig them out to get into the car. or start it either :) there's a knob you turn to start this bad boy up without having to pull out the keys and stick it in the ignition. I'm pretty sure a woman came up with this concept!





We also went to The Something Blue Shoppe. It's a bridal store in a small town in Alabama where my sister and I got our wedding gowns, and since our youngest sister just recently got engaged, we all went back to help her pick out a gorgeous dress!! I wish i could show you what she chose, as it is so beautiful, but I'm pretty sure that's a cardinal rule of weddings not to post the bride's dress on the world wide web :)

FGF: All gone

Well, sorry to bum all of you out, but I've run dry of giveaways :( Hosting one every Friday, its hard to always have something!!! And its especially hard during this time of the economy.

So this is where I need YOUR help...for awhile, we had a few months worth of Business Features from other bloggers who have an Etsy page or a great talent for making items as a talent or business. (You can look back through all my FGF posts to get an idea).

Do you know anyone who would like to be featured on the giveaway? Please give me their link so that I can contact them, and you guys can win more prizes!

Here's the basics of how it would work...

They have an item that they'd like to donate to give away. I feature their business/work on Free Giveaway Friday for 3 days. They can submit any info/website link they'd like readers to know about. When the winner is picked on Monday morning, their contact info is sent to the donator and she mails them the prize.

Anyways, I hope I haven't bummed you all out. When I very first started The Pink Potpourri and Free Giveaway Friday, it was for my handful of readers. I had no idea the blog would become this big, or that I would last this long in having things to giveaway!

Your help is greatly appreciated! Please email me if you or someone you know would like to participate!!!

Thoughtful Thursdays

I received this email a few months back and thougth it was very interesting...

It's been said that God first separated the salt water from the fresh, made dry land, planted a garden, made animals and fish... before making a human. He made and provided what we'd need before we were born. These are best & more powerful when eaten raw.

God left us a great clue as to what foods help what part of our body! God's Pharmacy! Amazing!

A sliced Carrot looks like the human eye. The pupil, iris and radiating lines look just like the human eye... and YES, science now shows carrots greatly enhance blood flow to and function of the eyes.

A Tomato has four chambers and is red. The heart has four chambers and is red. All of the research shows tomatoes are loaded with lycopine and are indeed pure heart and blood food.

Grapes hang in a cluster that has the shape of the heart. Each grape looks like a blood cell and all of the reserch today shows grapes are also profound heart and blood vitalizing food.

A Walnut looks like a little brain, a left and right hemisphere, upper cerebrums and lower cerebellums. Even the wrinkles or folds on the nut are just like the neo-cortex. We now know walnuts help develop more than three (3) dozen neuron-transmitters for brain function.

Kidney Beans actually heal and help maintain kidney function and yes, they look exactly like the human kidneys.

Celery, Bok Choy, Rhubarb and many more look just like bones. These foods specifically target bone strength. Bones are 23% sodium and these foods are 23% sodium. If you don't have enough sodium in your diet, the body pulls in from the bones, thus making them weak. These foods replenish the skeletal needs of the body.

Avocadoes, Eggplant and Pears target the health and function of the womb and cervix of the female - they look just like these organs. Today's research shows that when a woman eats one avocado a week, it balances hormones, sheds unwanted birth weight, and prevents cervical cancers. And how profound is this? It takes exactly nine (9) months to grow an avocado from blossom to ripened fruit. There are over 14,000 photolytic chemical constituents of nutrition in each one of these foods (modern science has only studied and named about of them).

Figs are full of seeds and hang in twos when they grow. Figs increase the mobility of male sperm and increase the numbers of Sperm as well to overcome male sterility.

Sweet Potatoes look like the pancreas and actually balance the glycemic index of diabetics. Olives assist the health and function of the ovaries

Oranges, Grapefruits, and other Citrus fruits look just like the mammary glands of the female and actually assist the health of the breasts and the movement of lymph in and out of the breasts.

Onions look like the body's cells. Today's research shows onions help clear waste materials from all of the body cells. They even produce tears which wash the epithelial layers of the eyes. A working companion, Garlic, also helps eliminate waste materials and dangerous free radicals from the body.

Intersting, don't you think?

Hilarities - mooooooooooooo

Please feel free to get up out of your chair and dance with The Cow. And don't be afraid to give your best "Mooooo"!

Trendy Tuesday: Boyfriend Cardigan

I saw this on one of my favorite style websites...The Boyfriend Cardigan. I am all about the sweaters and layer look, as well as dressy and preppy, but I'm not to keen on the male look. I think I have some mixed feelings on this style and its debateable whether or not I would ever jump on this trend wagon...

Now after looking at some of these, I must say I might like wearing them...depending on the print and colors. Like the one with the belt...you could definitely make the sweater look good. And I think the length would benefit my long torso. I am always in need of long shirts!!!

Well, thoughts? Opinions on this style? Would you wear them?

Monday Mayhem - Bringing in '09

Happy New Year 2009!

Hope you all had a wonderful celebration of saying good-bye to 2008 and welcoming in 2009!

The Hubby and I rang in the new year in a unique way. After spending some time with our college students from church and playing APPLES TO APPLES (the BEST game ever!), we hopped in the car before midnight (when all the crazies are out driving) and headed for Nashville...

Now, for Christmas this year, Zack says I got him this as a gift...we arrived in Nashville at his favorite sporting goods store, REI at 1:30 am to camp out in front of their store for their Annual Scratch and Dent Sale.

Now, this sale contains all sorts of items that have been returned throughout the year for whatever reason and are sold .20 - .30 cents to the dollar. For instance, if someone bought some shoes, wore them a few weeks and decided they didn't like the fit, they could return them for a money back guarantee. So what happens to those shoes? They're sold at this sale!

So we got there at 1:30 am. This picture pretty much sums up the evening:

By 4 am, we were shaking ourselves sick. Luckily, this was not real camping and our roasty toasty Honda was parked a few feet away in the parking lot :) So that is where we "camped" until 6 am.

Just so you have an idea of how big of an event this is, here are a few pictures to show you the 150-200 people attending. Because we got there at 1:30 am, we were VERY close to the door, compared to the straglers that arrived at 6-7 am (doors opened at 8 am):

In front of us to the door:

From us all the way back:

When the doors opened, it was CHAOS! People were running everywhere. The group in front of us (which was all one group of college kids) scattered through out the store, picked up every item they could hold and ran off to corners of the building to sort through their stacks. That pretty much left NOTHING for the majority of the people behind us.

So we have our strategy already figured out for next year :)

But don't worry...we did not leave empty handed. My one responsiblity was to find North Face jackets. I collected so many, people were looking at me in jealousy :) I finally tracked down Zack and as we sorted through the findings, we ended up only being able to keep a few. Each of us got away with a North Face Denali!

So there you have it...the crazy New Year's Celebration we had. We got lots of other goodies as well...I got a super cute pair of Merrell's, a Columbia rain coat (with a removable fleece interior), and Zack got two pairs of sunglasses, a watch, some socks and another North Face jacket he's been wanting! Happy New Year!