Giveaway: Seed & Sky Earrings

 
Before Christmas I was the very happy and lucky recipient of a package in the mail. I say lucky in the fact that I actually won a giveaway on one of my favorite blogs and the prize was these sweet earrings.

Kelcey from Seed & Sky was just delightful to work with and after I picked out the pair of earrings I wanted she packaged them up so sweetly and sent them to me.

I was so excited when I got this beautiful package in the mail. In giddy anticipation, I opened the little box.

Inside I found my lovely earrings carefully nestled.

Aren't they GORGEOUS!

I love them. They wear great and they are lovely. These earrings are extra special because the earrings are made from her own hand-painted artwork. Awesome, right??

Well after falling in love with her earrings, I decided to ask her a favor for all my my readers. She so graciously agreed to provide a giveaway for one of my readers.

Yipee! I know you are excited.

So today we have a giveaway. A giveaway from Seed & Sky.

Kelcey is offering one of my readers a pair of earrings, their choice! Seriously it will be a hard choice. It took me forever to decided because all of her earrings are beautiful. 

Here were a couple of the other pairs I was trying to choose between--

 I love the red. I love the flowers. Oh, I just love 'em.

Could you just die over this snug slumbering fox?  

I love the colors of these. The banners are so much fun.

These are nowhere near all of your choices either. So go and check out her site. Browse around and come back and tell me what you would pick if you won the giveaway...I will completely understand if you can't narrow your choices down...go ahead list them all!

Okay, so let's go over how you can enter the giveaway for your very own pair of earrings-

First and mandatory entry: Head over to Seed & Sky and browse around.

Then come back and tell me in a comment what pair you would choose.

Additional entry: Facebook or twitter about this giveaway and let me

know in a separate comment, leave the link.

The giveaway will run from today through Friday night at 11:59 pm mst. 

ALSO, Kelcey is offering a discount this week for Just Another Day in Paradise readers. During the giveaway you can get 25% off discount if you use the code: JANUARY12. You can't go wrong there! Hey and Valentine's Day is coming up...just sayin'...you could drop a little hint to the present buyer in your life!

Good LUCK!

In a Nutshell: Science, Nesting, House of Order

Around here this week there were only three things really occurring.


First-half of the family has been sick. No, sorry no photographic evidence of that. Believe you me, a really pregnant, sleep deprived, unable-to-take meds, stuffy-nosed, hacking person (ps that is me if you guys were wondering) should NOT, I repeat NOT be seen or photographed.

Second-there was some science that went on in our house. I posted about some of our experiments yesterday. Those were from my Pinterest boards. We also got a science experiment book for Christmas. The boys have been really excited (oh by the way boys includes my Hubby too).

The first experiment was more of an EGGsperiment...hahaha...sorry couldn't help myself.

Whew...

Basically it was an experiment using an egg.

Raw egg peeler, huh? Well we were intrigued.

You basically take a raw egg and put it in a glass cup.

Then you cover it with white vinegar.

You let it take a relaxing vinegar bath for 4-6 days. That is right, 4-6 days. Then it will look a little something like this--

Upon closer inspection (yes we just scooped the egg right out of the glass), the shell seems to have disappeared.

However, that is not the really cool part. The really cool part is that the egg is now soft and slightly squishy!

Say what?!? Believe it!.

This was an easy experiment, setting aside the fact that you also have to teach a lesson in patience to your little ones. My boys loved watching the changes that took place over the week. They especially loved feeling the squishy egg at the end.

Okay, remember we are still counting down the only three things I got done this week. That long novel above was the second thing I got done this week. On to the last.

Third-a whole lot of nesting was done at our house this week. Of course it was done in between feeling well and feeling sick, but Hubby and I still managed to get a lot done.

We hung up some stuff. Stuff that should have been hung up before living here 4 and a half months...but who is counting.

Boys' room is oh-so-close to being done!

Our dining room, one of the first rooms you see when you come into our house, is almost pretty. YEAH!

I am hoping my nesting can carry me through finishing boys' room, hanging the rest of our pictures, finishing Oldest's room, redoing Baby's room, and getting a guest bedroom ready for our many, many guest that will be coming once baby comes.

I know all this seems like craziness, but I have learned something this week.

Remember my Happiness goal for this year? As I made the time to accomplish some of these tasks around the house, I realized I enjoy and feel peaceful when I have a house of order. Now, with that said my Happiness Moment was being honest with myself that my joy in a house of order does not mean that I have to have the most up-to-date, fashion forward, dream decorated house.

More simply I am happy with a organized, clean, well-taken care of home...sometimes I fool myself into thinking I need all the extras (perfectly decorated rooms, matching fixtures, dream kitchen, and so on) in order to achieve the more simple house of order. However, when I am honest with myself I realize those things really are just extras. I am happiest when there is a good spirit in my home. A happy, peaceful spirit that makes our house a home is ultimately what I am striving for.

SO I guess what I am saying is I am happiest when we are living in a HOME of order not a pinterest-approved decorated house...you know what I am talking about!

Happiness is Home. 

A Pinteresting Saturday: Mad Science

This week for my Pinteresting Saturday project I went to my board that is full of ideas for the Kiddos. I had planned a sewing project, but I decided it was more important to do something with my Little Men this week. They really needed some Boredom Busters. I had a great time going through the different activities and projects I had pinned with them in mind.

I finally landed on a couple of science experiments. My boys are ALL about science stuff lately. I chose these pins--

Fizzy Magic Potion

pin

Science Bob's Lava in a Cup

pin

 No Hand Balloon Inflate

pin

Each of these experiments were easily done with stuff I had around the house. The hardest part was the gathering of supplies and then the clean up...you will see what I mean!

First experiment: Fizzy Magic Potion


you will need:
white vinegar
liquid dish soap
food coloring
baking soda
clear containers
excited kids

Fill each cup about half way with white vinegar. Then add in a couple squirts of soap and a couple drops of food coloring. Stir.

Get a heaping spoonful of baking soda...oh and a couple of towels...

I promise he was more excited than he looks in this photo.

Add the baking soda and get ready!

The fizzy magic starts right away...

Oh-so-excited!!!

It might get out of control. Not sure why the green wen to crazy!

But crazy it did go!

Remember how I said to have towels ready? You will need them here!

This was by far the favorite experiment of the day.

Second experiment: Lava in a Cup


you will need:
water
vegetable oil
food coloring
salt
clear container

This experiment wasn't as exciting for my boys, but it was still fun to watch.

First you fill up the cup 3/4 the way with water. Then stir in a couple of drops of food coloring. Then slowly pour in some oil...I am not sure I used enough and perhaps that is why this experiment wasn't as exciting. Upon re-reading the instructions, I DID NOT add enough oil. You need to add 1/4 cup oil!

Once the oil is in, observe how it floats on top of the water.

Then sprinkle a teaspoon of salt over the top. The salt will immediately sink because salt is heavier than the oil. The salt with take the oil as it goes. Then as the salt dissolves the oil will float back to the top...hence the lava effect.

Our lava effect wasn't too profound...cool, but not to profound.

I would try this one again with more oil next time.

Third experiment: No Hands Balloon Inflate


you will need:
glass bottle
balloon
4 TBS white vinegar
4 TBS baking soda

Add the vinegar to the bottle. Remind your kids it is NOT water or Sprite and that they DO NOT want to drink it...they might ask.

Using a funnel, pour the baking soda into the balloon.

Attach the balloon to the mouth of the bottle making sure that none of the baking soda gets in yet.
Let balloon hang to the side. Then have your little helper slowly lift the balloon over the bottle.

As the baking soda falls in there will be a fuzzy reaction and the gas released will inflate the balloon.

Woohoo!

This experiment was also a hit. Baking soda seemed to win this science battle.

What did you accomplish off your Pinterest list this week? I am still looking for more feedback about the interest in making this a linky party each week. Email me or leave a comment!

Pillowcases

Remember the fabric I showed you the other day...you know the fabric that went along with the mile long project list for getting Middle and Littlest's room done?

Well I decided to make new pillowcases to update the several year old bedding. I used Dana's tutorial and only altered it a little by adding in the strip between the main part of the pillowcase and the top strip.

This project was easy, fun, and fast!

And now I am one step closer to getting this room done! That makes one happy Momma.

Added bonus, the pillows also make for some happy Little Men.

Have a great day everyone! Thanks for reading!!