If you’re new here, you may want to subscribe to my RSS feed. Thanks for visiting! Japanese stab bindings are one of my favorite bookbinding techniques because they are very versatile and can range from very simple to very complex. The book that I’m teaching you to make here can be done in less than […]
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I have heard that potty training is quite a project. We haven’t quite gotten there, me and Joel, but I look forward to reaching that milestone someday.
To help you out with this daunting task, Huggies is giving away a Potty Training Success Package, complete with a package of Huggies Pull-Ups, a Big Kid Central […]
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I will be giving away more stuff from Huggies tomorrow, so come back and enter to win. I will also be posting my Japanese Stab book binding tutorial tomorrow or Thursday, complete with a video on how to do it. You don’t want to miss that post, so keep checking back. Thanks!
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Old clothing can be used for more than just rags. Here are some things you can make from old jeans and t-shirts.
T-Shirt Grocery Bag
We have so many t-shirts that we don’t wear, so I decided to make some grocery/tote bags out of them. They’re not the most beautiful things in the world, but […]
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I just finished The Host and it was a real page turner. I enjoyed the Twilight series, and I also like science fictiony books, so I expected to like this one. If you didn’t like Twilight, try this one out anyway. It is an adult novel and the writing is better than Twilight.
The Host is […]
Filed under: Book Talk | 7 Comments »
One of my favorite organizational items is a magnet board by Simply Polished. It is high quality, functional, and beautiful - what more could a girl ask for?
Heather, craftsman behind Simply Polished, has a collection of functional and beautiful organization and home decor stuff. She has wood and metal storage containers that are all sooo […]
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Balloon art and kid’s face painting are two things that no summer should be without. Here’s some amazing balloon art.
Pretty cool, huh??? I want this person to come to my birthday party!
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Kids are very aware and affected by the emotions of others. I recently heard about a study that showed that very young children can sense the differences in the emotional tone of a situation. I’m no scientist, and I see this everyday in my son. When I laugh, he laughs; when I’m […]
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I know lots of people having babies in the next little while, and one of my favorite places to look for handmade baby gifts is Fingers & Toes Modern Baby Designs. She has normal baby things like onesies, burp cloths, blankets, toys, bibs, and bedding, but she embellishes some and hand makes the rest. […]
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Mealtimes have been tough with Joel. He never wants to sit in his high chair and eat - he screams and cries when we sit him down and then will only take a few bites. He throws his food, swipes at the spoon to knock it out of our hands, and is generally […]
Filed under: Food, Kid Stuff | 5 Comments »
If you remember from my giveaway at the beginning of the month, Hiccup Inc. and Nycole’s scrapbooks provided two of the prizes. I love doing giveaways because I find stuff I really love and share it with all of you! I just wanted to remind you all about their fabulous stuff.
Nycole’s Scrapbooks is […]
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Peaches
A peaches are either freestone, flesh separates easily from the pit, or clingstone, flesh does not separate from the pit. Freestones are generally preferred for eating fresh and clingstones are generally preferred for canning. I can’t tell the difference from the outside, so it’s always a surprise when you cut into them.
Ripe and mature peaches […]
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I just finished the third book in Brandon Mull’s Fablehaven series about a secret preserve filled with magical creatures, some friendly and harmless, others deadly. Kendra and Seth Sorenson, grandchildren to caretakers Stan and Ruth Sorenson, discover the secret world and have many exciting and dangerous adventures. The series is about the battle between the […]
Filed under: Book Talk | 4 Comments »
Grapefruit
Grapefruit is available all year and has either pink or white flesh. It’s picked when ripe and should be ready to eat when you buy it in the store.
Ready to eat grapefruit are firm and heavy for their size. Fruit with thin skins have more flavor and juice than thick skinned ones. […]
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A few months ago I ran into some blogs that talked about monogramming kids clothing, and I fell in love. I wanted to applique and monogram some things for my son, but just couldn’t find the time. It’s been in the back of my mind for a while, so when I saw Personality […]
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After two days of fruit, I thought maybe I should mix things up a bit with a craft tutorial. I made this hobo bag a while ago and loved it so much I wanted to teach you how to make it. I love this pattern because it’s easy and very functional - the […]
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Part 1: Melons
Blueberries
Blueberries are such a delicious snack and are so full of antioxidants and vitamins. They are in season from May to September, and most often the larger berries are cultivated and the smaller berries are wild.
Mature and ripe blueberries are dark blue in color with a natural, protective, waxy coating called […]
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I never really know how to get the ripe stuff at the store when it comes to fresh fruits and vegetables. Some things are easy, like bananas and apples, but melons and things that are a little more secretive about their fleshy insides are quite vexing to me. I just bought a […]
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I gave away a Kaboost last week, and I wanted to tell you how I really feel about the product.
First of all, I don’t think I’ve ever had so much fun opening a box in my life. The box it comes isn’t square, it’s shaped just like the folded up Kaboost. The top […]
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I didn’t do book talk last Monday because of the giveaway, and I am so glad to be back on track. I love sharing my favorite books with you!
Today’s book talk book is Snakes!, by David T. Greenburg, and it’s a great one. The story is about a boy who is afraid of […]
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Yesterday I talked about putting milled flax seed in yogurt, and I thought I should talk a little bit more about it, since flax seed comes in different forms.
You can buy flax as seeds (pictured left) or milled, which is ground up seeds (pictured right). You get more benefit from the milled kind because […]
Filed under: Food, Health | 3 Comments »
Our last winner is Victoria, who said, “Wow! It’s all so cute! Thanks for all the awesome giveaways!” Email me at kelsey[at]vanillajoy[dot]com and I’ll put you in contact with the sponsors.
We will be having more giveaways coming up in the next few weeks, one of which is an item I am REALLY excited about, and […]
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I love Costco for a few reasons, but the biggest one is their samples. Our Costco doesn’t have a ton of samples, but the ones they do have are really yummy. If you go at the right time you don’t have to make yourself lunch at home!
Last time we were there they were […]
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Today’s lucky winner is Sydni, who said, “Oh my gosh, what adorable things! I love the shoes.” Email me your address at kelsey[at]vanillajoy[dot]com and Ill put you in contact with the sponsors.
Personality Plus Boutique is offering a 10% discount to Vanilla Joy readers, so you can still get those squeaky shoes or a personalized […]
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Summer is a great time to experiment! Yesterday my neighbor taught me how to make a lava lamp, which is a nice and clean inside experiment/science project. He’s 11 and did it in his science class at school to learn about the different properties of things. Here’s how to do it:
1. […]
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The winner of Wednesdays giveaway is….Keri, who said, “This is my favorite giveaway day so far. I’m missing a Kaboost in my life for sure.” Congratulations! Email me at kelsey[at]vanillajoy[dot]com and I will put you in contact with the sponsors. Thanks everyone!
If you want to be a product sponsor for our next […]
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I always let Joel play with my keys, and I’ve discovered two problems with letting him use my keys as toys.
1. I have a devil of a time keeping track of them. As we speak, my keys are lurking in some unknown corner, and until I find them, I am constrained to my […]
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Tuesday’s giveaway winner is…..Amy, who said, “Those frames are adorable!”
Email me at kelsey [at] vanillajoy [dot] com and I’ll put you in contact with the sponsors. We still have three more winners to announce, so keep earning those additional entries!
If you want to be a product sponsor for our next giveaway, please contact me at […]
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I’m sad to announce that today is the last day of Vanilla Joy’s giveaway. We do still have two other giveaways going on, so be sure to sign up for those after you’re finished with this one. And for those who REALLY want to win, you can still blog about the giveaways to […]
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Happy 4th, everyone. I think Independence Day is one of my favorite holidays - it’s in the summer, there are fireworks and candy and parades, pancake breakfasts, BBQ dinners - aren’t these some of the great things about America? Hmm-mmm.
I’ve been thinking about our 4th of July traditions, getting ready to celebrate, and […]
Filed under: Celebrations, Routines, & Traditions | 4 Comments »
