Be Mine, Valentine Swap

Have you noticed this button on the side of my blog?
It's my swap idea!

   

About:

I have come up with the idea of the Be Mine, Valentine Swap after taking part in a couple of other swaps, and having a lot of fun participating in them. My idea is to send Valentines around the world to meet new people, and make new friends. You will be paired up randomly. Please be prepared to send a card overseas. If you have any questions or comments, please don't hesitate to contact me at littleshopofellesee@gmail.com.

Get Creative:

We are all creative people, so please make a handmade Valentine for your swap partner. It could be made with doilies and hearts, or it could be a little drawing that you've made into a postcard. Whatever you do, please make sure it is made with love by you!

Dates:

Please sign up for the swap by January 6, 2012 (extended to January 9, 2012). You will be paired up, and have your partner's information sent to you by January 10, 2012. Please have your Valentine in the mail no later than January 16, 2012 -- remember that some of the cards will be going overseas, so you want to make sure that it is sent out in enough time to reach your Valentine by February 14, 2012.

Share:

I would love to hear about your experience, where your Valentine came from, and see what your Valentine made especially for you. Feel free to blog about it, and share a link to your post right here on Valentine's Day. 

Sign-up:

If you would like to participate, please send the following information to littleshopofellesee@gmail.com:

Name:

Address:

Email:

Please help spread the word! It would be greatly appreciated :)

200x200 pixels

<br /> <a href="http://littleshopofellesee.blogspot.com/2011/11/be-mine-valentine-swap.html"><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7163/6403360021_c1aaa219d4_m.jpg" width="200" height="200" alt="Valentine Swap" /></a><br />

2

Trim Up the Tree!

Yesterday I decided that it was time to trim up the tree with Christmas stuff like bingle balls, and whofoo fluff! The little boy was awake long enough to discover the tree -- and play with the top section until I needed it to finish putting the tree together. Decorating the tree is one of my most favourite parts of Christmas. Almost all of my decorations hold a special meaning, and I love thinking about the stories behind each one as I find a place for it on the tree.

 

Some of the ornaments decorated my parents Christmas tree, years ago. Others I have received as gifts since being married -- like an ornament I received last year of two snowmen representing my husband and I, and the one representing me was pregnant.

This cute little ornament was a gift from a friend many years ago. I had seen it in a shop while we were out in search of gifts for our family and friends, and he ended up giving it to me that Christmas. It has forever had a special spot at the top of the Christmas tree.

When I was younger, my Mom had a crocheted star or angel that we would place at the top of the tree, but I have never put a star, or anything else, at the top of our tree. I have thought about putting something at the top of the Christmas tree, but I have never found anything that I like, and I kind of like having the top bare and simple.

Besides the Christmas tree, I also have a few Christmas-y knick-knacks that I put on the side-tables and the bookshelf. I'm not generally big into knick-knacks, but I like the Christmas ones that I have collected over time. One of my favourites is a gold glittered buck. He feels so jazzy, and I feel like I could leave him out all year long.

One of the latest additions to the Christmas knick-knacks -- this year, in fact -- is the child of the golden buck. It is a little copper sparkling doe that has a little bell hanging around her neck. She sits in the South-facing window in our kitchen, and looks at me every morning as I make my porridge. Just like her father, I feel like I could leave this little copper sweetie standing there the whole year through.

Have you set up your Christmas tree yet? Do you have a favourite ornament, or Christmas decoration that has a special story behind it?

0

Got Cold Hands?

I'm so excited to be taking part in another swap. It's the Cold Hands, Warm Hearts Swap through Much Love, Illy and Sandy a la Mode. It is a fantastic idea where you share your information, blog, favourite colours, and three favourite things in the whole wide world, and then are paired up with someone else who may or may not share the same interests with you. The whole idea of the swap is to get to know this person a bit, and then make a care-package for them -- a care package that includes a pair of toasty warm mittens.

I received an email the other day with who my swap partner is going to be, and I'm very excited. She is a fellow Canadian, and, from reading her blog, we have quite a bit in common -- including, but not limited to, the fact that we are both left-handed. I'm really looking forward to getting to know her better, and I will be sure to share our journey -- because there is going to be a blog link-up involved. I love me a link-up!





On that note, I am creating a blog swap myself. A Valentine Swap! You may have noticed a button on the side of my blog. Feel free to take it to share on your own blog, if you like! I'll have the details about the swap up soon. I want to get the information out there before everyone gets swamped with the holidays :)

As well, I am having a special promotion today for Small Business Saturday. Buy any item in the SHOP and receive a coupon for 30% off your next purchase -- and a small gift! Make sure to stop by!

0

Let's Talk Business...Small Business Saturday

I hope all of my American friends had a fantastic time, yesterday, sitting down with their families and talking about what they are thankful for this year. We should be thankful all year round, but Thanksgiving Day is a great time to take a break and reflect on your year, and rest up before the chaos of Christmas sets in.

This year is my first Christmas in the SHOP. I have listed several Christmas cards, and am very excited about the new people that I am going to meet, and have already met. But what I'm really excited about is something called Small Business Saturday. It is tomorrow, November 26, 2011. The purpose of Small Business Saturday is to show your support for small business in your community, or online.

From the first time I saw a commercial on the television for Small Business Saturday, I took the pledge to buy something from a small business on that day. I know that it is something that we should be supporting year round, and I do, but, like Thanksgiving Day, it is a time for us to recognize the importance of small businesses in our community, and to make sure that we really are showing them our support.

Are you going to take the pledge?

  I'm celebrating in the SHOP.

0

Such Deliciousness: Black Bottom Cupcakes

The other day, I made the most delicious black bottom cupcakes using a recipe from the lovely Julie Ann Art. It was such a simple, and easy to follow recipe, and I can't stop eating them! I was so excited when I saw the recipe because black bottom cupcakes are my favourite desert to order at a local restaurant. Sadly, they do not make them during the winter, but now I can make them myself, and eat them all winter long  :)

 

Delicious Black Bottom Cupcakes -- find the recipe here.

0

Dear Santa: A Baby Boy's Wishlist + Two Side Notes

I have been struggling a lot with finding unique gifts for my son. I love Etsy, but not many people actually sell items that are made for little boys -- my son will be almost 9 months old at Christmas time. I have found several fantastic gifts for when he is a toddler or preschooler, but nothing for a baby that is no longer a lump-on-a-bump. I have had to think outside the box, and some of the items are more for decorating his room than for playing with. Here's what I've found recently that I absolutely love for my son:

Chimpanzee Roley Poley Animal from Arks and Animals

Yes, cars are fun -- and my son does have a few already -- but

there's nothing quite as unique as a monkey on wheels!

Blue Loden Mini Vintage Circus Fabric Bunting from A Fete Beckons

I love the wonderfully fun fabric that is used in this bunting.

It would be perfect hanging over a crib in an baby's room --

boy or girl!

The perfect, imperfect Stuffed Elephant from Sprockit

This elephant is simply too sweet for any child not to enjoy
cuddling -- or even any adult :)

 

Dachshund Canvas Tote from Square Paisley Design

This cute little tote bag will be perfect for when I ditch the diaper bag,
but still want to carry around some toys, books, and extra diapers!




Wooden Xylophone Toy from Smiling Tree Toys

There seems to be nothing that children at any age enjoy
more than listening to and making music -- even banging toys
can be classified as making music!

 

Two Side Notes:

I'm offering a 30% off coupon for anyone that makes a purchase on Small Business Saturday (Nov. 26). It will be available for use until January 31, 2012. That's my little contribution to Small Business Saturday :)


Also, I have come up with an idea for a Swap. I have seen these all over the place including Much Love, Illy and Sandy a la Mode's Cold Hands Warm Hearts Swap: here, and the Handmade Christmas Decoration Exchange from The Craft Tonic: here. I participated in the ornament exchange, and loved it so much that I decided to host my own exchange in the new year. Details to come! Please let me know if you would be interested :)

2

The Ornament Exchange

A little while ago, I discovered a blog that was hosting a handmade ornament exchange -- here. I immediately entered my name for the opportunity to send an ornament to someone that I have never met. It was such a fascinating, and perfect idea.

I recently received an email from the lady who owns the blog, and she informed me that my ornament would be making its way to Florida. The only problem was that I didn't yet have an ornament. I had to think long and hard about what to do because I do not sew, and I wanted my ornament to be something unique -- the idea is that the ornament should be something that you've created, right? Something handmade.

That's when I remembered a little ornament that I made when I was younger: a little Styrofoam acorn with gold and green circles pinned to it. I knew that it had to be elegant, but not over-the-top Christmas. Because I don't know the person it is going to, I didn't want the ornament to be kitschy.

The idea that I came up with is Old-Hollywood glamour:

First, you need paper, and from that paper
you punch out circles.

You are also going to need pins and ribbon -- pins

for pinning the paper to the Styrofoam

ball, and ribbon for the loop

that you will use to hang the ornament.

Start pinning the circles to the Styrofoam ball.

The tricky part is keeping them lined-up

properly so you don't have a lopsided ornament.

I also used the ribbon to create a little bow

at the top of the ornament.

Voila! My Old-Hollywood Glamour

Christmas Ornament.

I can't wait to send it on its way to a new home in sunny Florida!

This ornament has been linked-up:

6

Care for a Reese and Oreo Sandwich?

Today, I made some special cookies for my husband. They are made with two of his favourite snacks: Reese's Peanut Butter Cups, and Oreos. You can find the recipe here. It's easy-peasy!

First, you take your Double Stuf Oreos, and split them in half.

You want to keep the half with the icing on it.

I ate the other half while making the cookies :)

Then you take your Reese's Peanut Butter Cups,

and put them between two of the Oreo halves.

What you end up with is the most delicious sandwich

that you will ever eat in your life. Oreos as the bread, 

and peanut butter and chocolate as the, well, peanut butter :)

Dip it all in special melting chocolate that you've

melted in a double boiler -- for me that was a glass bowl in some

water that I heated up in a frying pan on the stove.

Make sure the cookies are really stuck together, then roll

the whole thing around in the chocolate.

I'm not a fan of the peanut butter cups, but these cookies really are to die for! My husband could barely eat a whole one without feeling sick :)

3

Have a Coke -- for the Polar Bears

Coca-Cola has had the Polar Bear as a cute little spokes animal every Christmas season for quite a while now -- I can't really remember when they didn't. Well, imagine my excitement when I opened up my latest box of Coke -- yes, I am an addict -- to find that the cans are now white with little Polar Bears on them.

Polar Bear Coke Can

I don't normally go to corporate websites, but I checked out iCoke.ca* to get a little information about the reason behind the can. Right now, if you visit the website here, they are hoping that their customers will donate money to help the Polar Bears, and are even going to match donations up to $1 million USD.

The site even has a "pawprint" calculator, and I didn't do too bad. I know there are a lot of things that I can, and should do, for the environment, but I'm already trying my best to do my part. It's not just for the Polar Bears; I've got a little boy here that needs a world where he can live without a care in the world.

* I am in no way endorsing Coca-Cola, nor anything associated with them. I just wanted to get some information behind the new Coke can.

3