And The Winner Is . . .

Rebekah and I had so much fun making out little ladybug rocks.  But I think she had even more fun hearing all the wonderful comments from those who were hoping a few little lady bugs would come to live with them.  Thank you to everyone who entered for making this such a wonderful experience for my little girl.

Of course she had to be the one to pick the winner.  And so without further ado, the winner is . . .

Nicole Spring of Frontier Dreams!  Congratulations Nicole.  I have sent you an email so we can figure out where to send your little ladybugs.

Gold Label Coconut Oil Giveaway! (CLOSED)

Win 1 quart of  Gold Label Virgin Coconut Oil!

Tropical Traditions is America's source for coconut oil. Their Gold Label Virgin Coconut Oil is hand crafted in small batches by family producers, and it is the highest quality coconut oil they offer. You can read more about how virgin coconut oil is different from other coconut oils on their website: What is Virgin Coconut Oil? You can also watch the video they produced about Gold Label Virgin Coconut Oil:

Tropical Traditions also carries other varieties of affordable high quality coconut oil. Visit their website to check on current sales, to learn about the many uses of coconut oil, and to read about all the  advantages of buying coconut oil online. Since the FDA does not want us to discuss the health benefits of coconut oil on a page where it is being sold or given away, here is the best website to read about the health benefits of coconut oil.

Ready for your chance to win a quart of Tropical Traditions Gold Label Virgin Coconut Oil?  Please use the Rafflecopter to log your entries. If you don't see the Rafflecopter please reload just this post.  Still having trouble please email me.

The Desire to Grind My Own Grains and a Giveaway!

We have been on a path to eating better for some time now. Those of you that know me know that I love to prepare healthy and frugal meals and snacks for my family. Over the years I have rid our diet of premade and processed food. Most of what we eat I make. One area that had always interested me has been to grind my own grains. There is such a health benefit to grinding your own grains, and it is also a frugal way to get the best for your family. The caveat: Grain Mill are EXPENSIVE. I always have my eye open for a great deal on one, but it just hasn't panned out yet. But maybe, just maybe now is the time. Laura over at Heavenly Homemakers is hosting an AMAZING giveaway! A brand new Nutrimill from Paula's Bread! Oh I am already dreaming about fresh ground wheat, corn, kamut . . . and all the yummy baked goods that go with it.
So if you'd like a chance to win head on over to Heavenly Homemakers and sign up. And don't forget who sent you.

Elsa Beskow Book Giveway!

If you are lucky enough to be familiar with Elsa Beskow's children's books than you already know how incredible it would be to win 19 of her books! If you aren't familiar with Ms. Beskow's books you need to be, so this giveaway is for you as well.
We are lucky enough to own a few, have friends that have a few and a library that has a few more. We have never found one we didn't like. And the two we have, Peter in Blueberry Land and The Sun Egg, are Rebekah's favorite books.

This incredible giveaway of 19 Elsa Beskow books is being hosted by Valerie over at Jump into a Book and you have until July 31st to enter.

Here's a list of the books to be given away:

The Sun Egg
The Land of Long Ago
Princess Sylvie
Children of the Forest
The Curious Fish
Peter in Blueberry Land
Emily and Daisy
Pelle's New Suit
Around the Year
Woody, Hazel, and Little Pip
The Flowers' Festival
Aunt Green, Brown, and Lavender
Christopher's Harvest Time
Peter's Old House
Ollie's Ski Trip
Peter and Lotta's Adventure
Uncle Blue's New Boat
Peter and Lottas Christmas
The Tale of the Little, Little, Old Woman


I promise you wont want to miss out on this giveaway, and Valarie has given you so many ways to enter. So do stop by, but realize I'm hoping to win too.

Soul Restoration Giveaway!

Life has been a little crazy around here as of late. There seems to be a little more stress, a little more turmoil. I'm not sure what it is. Maybe it is just that New England winters are long and cold and gray and we are all in desperate need of spring arrival. No matter what it is, I was so excited when I stumbled upon this wonderful giveaway. This is so generous and just what my soul is needing. So please go and take a look, but don't enter. Ok just kidding you can enter, but you can't win, that's my job. Thanks MJ for the chance.

Yummy Yarn Giveaway!

I have developed a passion, an addiction - yarn! I just can't seem to get enough. Knitting has become a form of meditation for me. I love to do it. I love to create! I can take it with me. I work a stitch or row at a time. I have been building my stash of yarn slowly. Beautiful, quality yarns can be pricey, but they are so worth it. So when I saw this giveaway for YARN I just had to enter. Take a look and enter yourself. Good luck!

Earthday Giveaway!

Little Acorn Learning is having an awesome Earthday Giveaway: A copy of their May 5 day Childcare Guide! I would love to win this for all my little ones.

Check out Little Acorn Learning. You can even download some free samples. Tons of really cool, really fun stuff for your little ones.

From their site:

The Little Acorn Learning Guides are an Affordable and Complete Childcare Program which gently guides the caregiver through a healthy rhythm each day. This is a holistic, whole life program warming and nurturing both the children and the provider. This program is as much for the caregiver as it is for the children. The guides assist caregivers in all areas of their lives with Weekly Caregiver Meditations, Daily Housework Suggestions, Recipes, Grocery Lists, Crafting Lists and Ongoing Encouragement and Support.

Our goal is to reconnect children with nature while supporting the caregiver's soul - helping providers find true meaning and purpose in their work with young children. We inspire a love for nature and the home arts.

Every day is planned for you and can be used at one price regardless of the amount of children you care for. In addition, most of the activities are done using common household supplies. It is ideal for a mixed age program with the younger children being the "helpers" during the more difficult tasks each day.

Sounds like a dream to me.

Mail Delivery

I am always so touched by the generosity of the blogging community. There are tons of giveaways of all sorts. There are many that I enter hoping to win. Unfortunately, I don't win. Well I actually have won one!

A while back there was a wonderful giveaway on Heidi's blog. It was filled with so much goodness. Sarah and I both entered and crossed our fingers. Guess what? We didn't win. However, Heidi was so touched by all the comments she received she offered to send everyone who entered a small gift. I emailed her and told her she didn't have to send both of us something. We could share. She said that was ridiculous and we would both get something.

Jump forward to yesterday and look what arrived in the mail all the way from South Africa!

Now by my standards this is not something small. This is something fabulous!

There were homemade row counters for both of us. You can find Heidi's wonderful tutorial here so you can make one for yourself or one to give.


Two beautiful skeins of yarn in the most beautiful color ways. How did she know our fondness for blues and greens?

Two butterflies that the girls want to embellish for our nature table display.


The South African stamps are beautiful. And it took 40 stamps to send the package to us. I am just overwhelmed by her generosity.


Please stop by Heidi's blog and check out all her wonderful tutorials. She is a very special lady.

And if you are looking for a giveaway to enter hope on over to Garden Mama. She has a delightful interview and giveaway from Kreativ Spiel. Perfect little wooden figures for a nature table or play. You'll be sorry if you don't take a look.

Doll Giveaway!

I stumbled across this awesome giveaway for this beautiful doll, JO. JO is a handmade with the best materials by Unique Fiber Arts! Here is what the website says about JO . . .

She is wearing a red dress with happy dots and has coordinating red panties. Her eyes are huge and brown. Her arms and legs are sewn on making her perfect for ages 4 and up. She is made with European and American natural and organic materials. She is stuffed with wonderful, warm sheeps wool that holds body heat and actually warms your child (or you) as she is slept with! What a comfort!

You can see JO and enter to win her at Waldorf Inspired Dolls and Toys: FREE Waldorf Doll Giveaway for Valentines Day!

Good Luck!

Pass It On! Handmade Fun & Gifts!

Here is the deal:

The first five people to comment on this post will receive something made by me especially for them.

This offer does have some restrictions and limitations:

First, I make no guarantees that you will like what I make, but I promise that I will make it just for you.

Second, It will be done sometime this year, but I'm not telling when.

Third, You have no clue what it's going to be. It may be a story or a song or I may sew, stitch, knit, stamp or bake something. Who knows? Not you, that's for sure! I reserve the right to do whatever I want! And I'm not giving any hints so don't bother asking!

Fourth, (And I added this part on my own, sorry for high jacking but . . .) I promise to pray for you and your family while making your gift. So feel free to include a special prayer request in your comment, if not just know that you will be in my prayers.

The catch?

Oh, the catch is that you must re-post this on your own blog and offer the same deal to 5 of your own lucky blog readers. So, the first 5 people to leave a comment telling me they are in, win a homemade gift by me! Feel free to tell me something about yourself (favorite colors, hobbies, etc.) so your gift will fit you better than a pair of my old jeans.

Finally, be sure to post a picture of what you win when you get it.

Springtime Giveaway Carnival - Coming Soon!

Laura over at Heavenly Homemakers is hosting a Springtime Giveaway Carnival. A few weeks ago I won a full year of preschool curriculum for Bekah. It was so cool to win. So I thought I would join in and offer a giveaway on my blog during the Springtime Giveaway Carnival.

And don't bother asking what I'm giving away. I'm not telling until Monday. Just mark your calendars and stop back to see what you could win here as well as all the other great giveaways during the carnival.

And if you want to join in and give something away, it's easy. You'll find all the details at Heavenly Homemakers.

Gardening Giveaway!

There has been a lot of buzz about Square Foot Gardening. So much so I can't even get the book from the library there is such a long waiting list. Luckily you can find out quite a bit on line and the book really isn't that much if you want to purchase it.

Well Erin over at $5 Dinners is giving Square Foot Gardening a try and is hosting a wonderful giveaway that would help any of you (us) that are interested in giving it a try as well - a $50.00 Home Depot Gift Card. Now I know that would get me started on a great Square Foot Garden. Just thinking about all those fresh summer veggies is making my mouth water right now. The giveaway is easy to enter. Just pop on over to $5 Dinners and leave a comment. But hurry. The giveaway ends Thursday, April 23rd at 5pm. Good luck and happy gardening.

AWESOME Preschool Giveaway!

The Itty-Bitty Bookworm

Jolanthe over at Homeschool Creations has an awesome giveaway going on right now. Just leave a comment and you wil be entered to win a entire year of Itty-Bitty Bookworms' 3-5 year old curriculum.

If you have never heard of Itty-Bitty Bookworm you must head over to their site and check them out. Their curriculum is litterature based and includes activities for all subjects and all learning styles. Jolanthe has links to tons of samples. And Itty-Bitty Bookworm's site as lot more, including free prinables.

Don't forget to leave a comment and good luck!