smArtee Art Prints

I recently was the lucky recipient of a set of 3 beautiful 5 X 7 art prints, all signed by Robin, the owner and mastermind behind the shop on Etsy called smArtee by smArtee.  Thanks so much to Trendy Treehouse and Mommy's Memorandum for the great giveaway.

I was so impressed with the vibrant and rich colors that Robin uses and her talent in general.  I remember looking at these prints and thinking, "Helena, it's not very often that you see artwork and say to yourself, I really love that."  But that time I did, and so I entered the giveaway.  What are the odds I would win twice?  But that's exactly what happened.  And so now, I've got three prints to put up on my wall in a little theme. The top painting is called, 'Two in A Crazy World', and of course I have the two beautiful birds on the bottom.

I think that we're all thrown into a world that is just so fast-paced and full of change. Many times we don't even have the time to think about our decisions and why we're making them. We have to do things basically with our own best judgment because no one before us has ever had to go through some of the things we go through today.  I look at the painting on the top and the kaleidescope of color and I have to think, yes it's crazy, but it's also so beautiful.  If I can even take just a moment to stop and just catch my breath, like these two birds, I think I will be ready to jump back onto the merry-go-round.

I anticipate that I will hear more of Robin and her great work.  I hope you will all go check out her work and give her a thumbs up on Etsy!

Great Giveaways!

• Win 2 coupons for Horizon Organic Chocolate Milk with  DHA Omega 3 at A Mom's Balancing Act.  Ends 3/9/10!

• Also at A Mom's Balancing Act is a very popular giveaway for an Air-O-Swiss humidifier!  Ends 3/8/10!

• Audrey's Giveaways is introducing a company called 'Alphabet Photography'.  Very cute idea!  Ends 3/12/10!

• Experimental Mommy  is doing a great giveaway for a new area rug by Flor, a company that does innovative floor covering!  Spruce up your living room while not locking yourself into one particular color scheme or style. Ends 3/11/10

• Uh Oh!  These Lindsay Phillips designs tell me spring is coming.  Win a pair of  'Switch Flops' with a strap at 'J. Leigh designz'.  Ends 3/12/10!

Another Friday Follow!

Wow!  Is it Friday again?  Oh goodie!  I get to find some new bloggie friends.  I really love doing this because I just love you guys so much!  Sniffle!  No, really, I do.  I am inspired by you!  Thank you Midday Escapades, Hearts Make Families and One 2 Try!  We all love ya!  And Trendy Treehouse, you rock too!

The Skill of Knowing How To Tick People Off!

You know it's true! We all get annoyed or ticked off by things that people do. But have you ever just wanted to intentionally tick someone off because you feel like being a brat? Sometimes I do, I admit it. That way, I'm not the only one in a bad mood. I know we're all incredibly busy and so really don't have time to worry about ticking others off.  But when you just have that really bad day.........Here are some great ideas to do just that!

• Specify that your drive-through order is "TO-GO."

• Insist on keeping your car windshield wipers running in all weather conditions "to keep them tuned up."

• Reply to everything someone says with "that's what you think."

• Highlight irrelevant information in scientific papers and "cc" them to your boss.

• Make beeping noises when a large person backs up

• Finish all your sentences with the words "in accordance with prophesy."

• Signal that a conversation is over by clamping your hands over your ears and grimacing.

• Adjust the tint on your TV so that all the people are green, and insist to others that you "like it that way."

• Decline to be seated at a restaurant, and simply eat their complimentary mints at the cash register.

• TYPE ALL IN UPPERCASE.

• type only in lowercase.

• Buy a large quantity of orange traffic cones and reroute whole streets.

• Ask people what gender they are.

• While making presentations, occasionally bob your head like a parakeet.

• Sit in your front yard pointing a hair dryer at passing cars to see if they slow down.

• Go to a poetry recital and ask why each poem doesn't rhyme.

• Ask your co-workers mysterious questions and then scribble their answers in a notebook. Mutter something about "psychological profiles."

I hope you enjoyed this list as much as I do.  This is actually a partial list of a larger list I found here!  Do you have anything that is sure to annoy or tick someone off?  Would love to hear!

Great Giveaways!

Win a Sedu Flat Iron from Folica.com at A Mom's Balancing Act!  Ends 3/15/10!

Go to That Unreliable Girl for a great giveaway from gingerlilytea!  Ends 3/14/10!  Thanks for the giveaway!

Midday Escapades  is offering a Blush Topless Undershirt for 1 lucky winner!  Ends 3/6/10!

Win a Corel Digital Studio 2010 at MamaBuzz!  Ends 3/6/10

Moms By Heart  has an Artisan Breadmaking Set to give away.  I love homemade bread!  Yum!  Ends 3/7/10!

Great Giveaways!

• Win a 5# bag of  Tropical Traditions Organic Hard Red Spring Wheat and make your own bread!  Thank you Miss Organics Kitchen for hosting this great giveaway!  Ends 3/17/10!

• Go to Baby Bix to win a Big Combo's Pack from Mabel's Labels!  Ends 3/10/10!

• Are you neat challenged?  Win 'SlobProof: Real-Life Decorating Solutions' by Debbie Wiener.  Go to Mom Blog for the details.  Ends 3/5/10! 

Great Giveaways!

• Tiaras and Tantrums is hosting a Bare Escentual Giveaway for a lip gloss of your choice!  Ends 3/3/10!

• A Nut In A Nutshell  is hosting a Carolina Pad Giveaway!  Ends 3/3/10

• Enter the Kleen Slate Concepts Giveaway at Coupon Scoops!  Ends 3/3/10!

• Win a quilted table runner from Silly Mama Quilts at Heck of A Bunch! Ends 3/5/10!

• Go to Cake Mom and win a quart of  Tropical Traditions Virgin Coconut Oil!  Ends 3/5/10!

• Win a reusable sandwich and snack bag set at Audrey's Giveaways.  Ends 3/5/10! 

• Also from Audrey's Giveaways, go green with the 100% organic reusable produce bags.  Win some! Ends 3/5/10! 

• Win your choice of 3 Le Creuset kitchen items! Go to Healthy, Tasty Chow to get the details! Ends 3/4/10!

Last minute Great Giveaways!

Moms Focus On Cyber World is having a chocolate giveaway featuring Q.Bel Chocolate!  Hurry!  Ends 3/1/10!

Hurry over to  Mom's Focus on Cyber World to win an Alex and Ani Love Bangle Bracelet!  Ends 3/1/10!

Silver Savings, Freebies and Giveaways is hosting a giveaway with Hairfree Brushes so you can see the difference for yourself!  Ends 3/2/10!

Head quickly over to A Daily Dose of Toni for a Flirty Apron Giveaway!  Ends 3/2/10!

A Green Ruby Designs Giveaway!

I'm excited to be able to present Green Ruby Designs here today!  This is a super cute shop owned by Carola Searle, a personal friend of mine!  She and I studied Middle Eastern dance together with the beautiful Viktoriya Shershnova.  She has been doing art all of her life and has been influenced by her own Mom, who is a native of Peru.  Up until recently, her art was more of a hobby, or as her husband of almost 2 years says, an obsession.  (I'm sure you Etsians can relate?)  Anyway, since she is now expecting her first baby, she feels like her full-time job is going to need to take a backseat at some point, at which time, she would love to expand and grow her business.  I feel that her work will become very popular and at some point will be in quite high-demand. I love her hair designs.  I own a couple of my own and absolutely love them! All of Carola's designs are made with genuine stones, so none of them are the same! Also, there is free shipping with a minimum order of $20.00 when you mention my (Helena's) blog!

So what I would like to do in the way of introduction, is to offer one reader a set of her beautiful pink flower hairpins.  These are excellent quality and just perfect for getting stray pieces of hair out of the way and make it look beautiful!  Here are the entry options!  (Please leave a separate comment for each entry with contact information easily accesible!)

 This is the mandy!  (Mandatory entry)

 

Visit Green Ruby Designs and tell me what your favorite creation is and/or what you'd like to see more of!  This will be helpful to Carola as she expands her line and inventory.  Thanks so much!  This giveaway is open to US only and will end on 3/15/10 @ 11.59 am, EST!

Extra entries:

• Purchase something from Green Ruby Designs.  Remember free shipping for $20 order! (5 entries)
• Heart Green Ruby Designs (2 entries)
• Blog or post on public sites about this giveaway with a link back here and leave link where you did so! (2 entries for each!)
• Follow this blog on Google Friend! 
• Follow me on Twitter (Sidebar, 1 entry)
• Follow me on Networked Blogs (Sidebar, 1 entry)
• Be my friend on Facebook! (Sidebar, 1 entry)
• Sign up for My Likes (Sidebar, 2 entries)

A Blog Mention

I just wanted to mention this cute blog b/c I think this blogger is fun.  I entered one of her giveaways and won the book called 'Corked'!  Her blog is called, 'Sexy Women Read' and certainly, by looking at the pictures, you'd say so.  These ladies are the most sexy, vamped up women I've seen in awhile.  They remind me of the old pin-up poster girls of the 1930's or 40's.  Like I told Kayla, I like to read, but I surely don't look like these ladies when I rustle up a good book.  No siree.  I look like I'm really really comfortable--I put on maybe some yoga or sweat pants, a loose top, maybe even a bathrobe on top of that if it's a little chilly!  My hair is usually up in a pony tail or just hanging limply down my back.  Why?  Because looking sexy takes work! (At least, my definition of looking sexy.  My husband obviously has a different one!  He thinks I'm sexy pretty much anytime!)  And reading is my down time!  But, one can only hope, right?  Maybe I really am that sexy woman.  Maybe the historical romance book I am reading is changing me into the gorgeous heroine and I am subconsciously morphing into the beautiful damsel.  At any rate, I like her blog(s). She gave me an award and it is now my privilege to pass it on to 15 more great blogs!  Here's the award and the rules:

Accept the award, post it on your blog together with the name of the person who has granted the award, and his or her blog link. Pass the award to 15 other blogs that you’ve newly discovered. Remember to contact the bloggers to let them know they have been chosen for this award. 

1.  A View From the Parke Bench 
2.  Blessings To Savings   
3.  Alive In Wonderland 
4.  Simply Me  
5. A Year Of Slow Cooking      
6. ACU's Stiletto Shoes and Pretty Pink Tutu's 
7. Kitchen Bellicious 
8. The Pursuit of Mommyness 
9. Oh My Giveaway! 
10. Hip Weddings 
11. Fifty Cent Of Your Love 
12. Review Retreat 
13. The Adventures of Paul and Natalie 
14.  Sounding Forth 
15.  Living Healthy With Auntie E