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Sense Prelude 5 Review/Giveaway

May 24, 2010 34 Comments

I was excited when Shonda, an associate for USANA Health Sciences and a fellow blogger, who writes at The Knowlton Nest and Milk N’ Honey Learn and Grow, contacted me about reviewing the Sensé Prelude skin care products from Usana.

Sensé beautiful science® skin-care products offer an innovative approach to skin care. With groundbreaking, patented Self-Preserving Technology, Sensé™ products contain no added chemical preservatives—meaning they stay fresh naturally—so they are more gentle and healthy for even the most sensitive skin. And all the products include antioxidant complexes and ingredients proven to revitalize skin cells, leaving skin looking younger and more radiant.

Filed Under: Beauty, Giveaways, health, product review, Sponsors

Au Gratin Potatoes

May 23, 2010 9 Comments

Au Gratin Potatoes

Since summer is almost here, I thought it would be a good time to share a great side dish for barbecues and summer parties.  So I decided to share these Au Gratin potatoes that my mom made. Don’t they look delicious?  This another one of those recipes that you just sort of throw together and do what you will with it. Hope you enjoy!
Dessert Party Reminder: I’m hosting a cupcake/muffin round-up this Thursday.  So please come back later this week and link up your recipes here.  Older posts are welcome! The linky will go up on Wednesday night, and will be open for a week.  Hope to see there! =)
Recipe for Au Gratin Potatoes:
Ingredients:
5-7 potatoes (depending on size and how much you need)
1 small onion (sliced into rings, or decided if you prefer)
shredded cheese (I’d use cheddar or a combination of cheddar & monterey jack)
salt & pepper
Directions: Peel your potatoes, boil them until tender.  Chop up your onion.  You can saute it on the stove top if you prefer your onion to be tender.  After draining the water off your potatoes, transfer to bowl.  Mix your potatoes, onions, and cheese together. (Amount of cheese is up to you.  I like mine very cheesy!)  Season with salt and pepper.  Pour up into glass baking dish.  Top with additional cheese.  Bake at 350 for a few minutes (Just long enough to melt cheese.)  That’s it!
Tips & Suggestions:
If you’d like to add a little spice to this dish, try adding some chopped peppers.
For creamier potatoes, add a little milk and/or melted butter.

 

-Jerri

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I’m posting a link to this post on the following sites:
Tempt My Tummy Tuesday is hosted by Blessed With Grace.
Tuesday Tastes is hosted by Crazy Jayz Place
Homemaker Mondays is hosted by 11th Heaven’s Homemade Haven.
Tasty Tuesday is hosted by Balancing Beauty & Bedlam.
Works for Me Wednesday is hosted by We Are THAT Family
Tip Me Tuesday is hosted by Tip Junkie
Tackle it Tuesday is hosted by 5 Minutes for Mom
Sharing Ideas Wednesday is hosted by The Trendy Treehouse
Friday Food is hosted by Mom Trends
Friday Foodie is hosted by Designs by Gollum
Finer Things Friday is hosted by Amy’s Finer Things
I’m Lovin It Fridays is hosted by Tidy Mom
Show off Your Stuff Thursday is hosted by Fireflies and Jellybeans

Filed Under: breads and sides, Recipe of the Week Tagged With:

Friday Favorites – Week 13

May 20, 2010 8 Comments

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Hi everyone! Hope you all enjoy your Friday!  And thanks for coming by once again to link up your posts!
By the way, next week, in addition to linking up for our Friday Friday event, you can also come by for my Sweet Thursday Dessert event.  The theme for the event this month is cupcakes & muffins, and I’d love for you to come join the party and share your posts with us. (Linky will be up on Wednesday night. Current and older posts are welcome!)
Also, if you’re interested in winning some custom print brochures for your home or business ($60 value), the giveaway has less than 50 entries at this writing, and it ends next Tuesday, so this might be a good chance to get in and win a giveaway!
Now let’s take a look at this week’s featured posts!  If you’re post is featured, please grab my “featured” button for you blog.  (If you need assistance with this feel free to send me an email, and I’ll help you!)


Cinderella has always been one of my favorite fairy tails (and one of my favorite Disney movies!).  I just love these little carriages from Melanie’s Crafts. So adorable and just perfect! 

I’ve always been fascinated by old ledgers and record books from farmers and shop keepers. (Yes, I’m that nerdy!)  And I was equally impressed by this modern day version at My Frugal Lifestyle.  With a garden journal you can keep up with things like brands of seeds that you use, planting times, fertilizer types, growing times, etc.  Very neat! 
Here’s another confession.  As a kid I had a huge hair bow collection, which I just so happen to still own.  (They’re currently packed up in our outbuilding.)  And I had bow holders, but I didn’t have anything like this one at the Tremaine Story.  I think this is such a simple, yet very creative way to display hair bows.  And I’m sure these look really cute in kid’s room. 

I don’t know about you, but around here it’s the perfect weather for strawberry cake, and this one from The Domestic Engineer Blogs looks super delicious!

And more cake!  I actually never had carrot cake until I got to be an adult.  I was on an airplane and they served carrot muffins.  (Maybe it’s just because I was starving, but I swear, that was the best muffin I’ve ever had!)  And shortly thereafter I decided to try some carrot cake, which was awesome!  And now I’m totally craving a piece of this carrot cake from Cinnamon Spice and Everything Nice!

Linky time! Please link up below using the url of your actual post (not your blog), and please link back to Simply Sweet Home, so that others can come to the party! Thanks!

-Jerri

Filed Under: Friday Favorites

Mousey Thrift Store Fix-up

May 20, 2010 3 Comments
As some of you know, I collect mouse ornaments and figurines.  I found the little guy above at a thrift store for 50 cents!  There was only one problem. The sugar on his spoon was missing, and the spoon was no longer attached properly to the bowl.  But that, of course, didn’t stop me from getting him!
When I got home, my first thought was, “What am I going to use for the ‘sugar’?”  And for some reason I just couldn’t think of anything.  The easiest and most obvious choice seemed to be a piece of cotton ball, but I knew that would look dumb.  So I asked my very smart hubby for help.  I showed it to him, and asked what I could use for sugar.  He looked at for a second, and almost immediately he said, “a packing peanut.”  Why didn’t I think of that?
So I went to grab a packing peanut.  I’m always getting packages in the mail, so we usually have a large supply!  To attach the spoon back to the top of the sugar bowl, I simply used the hot glue gun.  (I was going to gorilla glue, but it just wasn’t working.)  And then I tore off a piece of peanut and used the hot glue to attach it to the spoon.  Very quick and easy!

Here’s how it turned out. Very cute! And you can’t even tell it’s a packing peanut unless you pick it up and look really close. In my opinion, this was 50 cents well spent! So if you’re shopping at a yard sale or thrift store, and you find something you like, but it has a minor flaw or break, don’t get too disappointed. It just may be an easy fix!

-Jerri

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I’m posting a link to this post at:
It’s So Very Creative & It’s So Very Thrifty hosted by It’s So Very Cheri
Make it for Monday hosted by Cottage Instincts
Made it Mondays hosted by The Persimmon Perch
Making the World Cuter Monday hosted by Making the World Cuter
Make Your Monday hosted by Twice Remembered
Metamorphosis Monday hosted by Between Naps on the Porch
DIY Day at A Soft Place to Land
Market Yourself Monday is hosted by Sumos Sweet Stuff
Marketing Mondays and Sharing Ideas Wednesday is hosted by The Trendy Treehouse
What Your Working with Wednesday is hosted by Me and My Bucket
Show & Tell Wednesday is hosted by Blue Cricket Design
Tip Me Tuesday is hosted by Tip Junkie
Week End Review is hosted by Tator Tots & Jello
Star on Saturday is hosted by Craft-Werk
Penny Pinching Party is hosted by The Thrifty Home
Show & Tell Friday is hosted by Romantic Home

Filed Under: crafts, saving money

Bathroom Vanities: Classic and Contemporary

May 19, 2010 2 Comments
Your bathroom vanity area can make the difference between a good bathroom and a great bathroom. Today we’re going to explore a few bathroom vanities for your home.
I found the one pictured above to be one of the most unique I’ve seen.  It’s the first time I’ve seen a double vessel sink.  Looks pretty neat, I think.  And I like vanities that provide plenty of counter space and storage space, and this one definitely does that.  And it’s just a got a fun, contemporary appeal.
As far as the smaller vanities go, I really liked this this one.  I love cherry wood anyway, and this piece (as well as the one shown here ) reminds me a lot of hand built antique dressers I have in my home. Very simple and classic!
And here’s another one with antique appeal.  This one is an antique cherry vanity.  I don’t think I’ve ever seen a vanity that looked so elegance as this.  The claw feet and the detail work from top to bottom really had a lot to this piece.     
This vanity is a lot closer to what I think of when I hear the word vanity. It’s just basic and simple, but I think this one also has contemporary apeal to it. (I think it’s the color, or maybe it’s the handles.)  I really like the marble top on this one, and again, I like the counter and storage space options.
I’d really like your opinion on these vanities that feature the vessel sinks.  Maybe I’m behind the times, but I’d never seen one of these (except at a resturant) until a few weeks ago when one of my Friday Favorites participants posted about one they had installed.  I’m not sure if I’d ever get one of these, but I do think they look neat.  And I completely understand the appeal.  Perhaps I’d put one in a guest bathroom or a kid’s bathroom.  What do you guys think? 
And here’s another contemporary style (and I would say, very unique) vanity.  Here again, we have a vessel sink, although I think it would be a lot easier to get use to one like this.  In my opinion, it’s really not that different from your traditional vanities.  I think this would be a great choice for someone who wanted to go with something a little different and current, but didn’t really like the look of the other vessel sinks (or if you like the vessel sinks but you fear you’d grow tired of them after a a while). 
And finally this Avanty Oriental vanity also features the vessel sink.  I’ve browsed through several of these, and I’m intrigued.  I just think these look really cool.  Maybe it’s just because it’s new and different from everything else I’ve seen? Whatever the case, I guess I’d say if you’re looking for something new for your bathroom, and you want to go with something trendy and current, this may be the way to go.
-Jerri

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I’m posting a link to this post at:
Making the World Cuter Monday hosted by Making the World Cuter
Market Yourself Monday is hosted by Sumos Sweet Stuff
Marketing Mondays and Sharing Ideas Wednesday is hosted by The Trendy Treehouse
Show & Tell Wednesday is hosted by Blue Cricket Design
Tip Me Tuesday is hosted by Tip Junkie
Show & Tell Friday is hosted by Romantic Home
I’m Lovin’ It is hosted by Tidy Mom

Filed Under: decorating, Home/Garden

Banana Cupcakes with Streusel Topping

May 16, 2010 11 Comments
Next Thursday, May 27, I’ll be hosting my monthly Sweet Thursday event, and this month the theme is Cupcakes/Muffins.  If you’d like to have a muffin or cupcake recipe featured in my post, send me an email before next Wednesday, and I’ll add you.  You can also participate through Mcklinky on the day of the event. 
The other day I was in the mood to to make some banana cupcakes.  I’ve never made them before, but for some reason that’s just want I wanted to make!  I found a great recipe on Cooks.com, but I decided I wanted to do something a little more unique with it, so I searched around for a streusel recipe.  I put the two together, and here is what I came up with.
Let me tell you, these were delicious!  And if you like your muffins kind of sweet, this recipe will work for that as well.  I’ve actually decided that I’m not going to look for anymore banana cupcake or banana muffin recipes.  This is going to be my go-to recipe from now on! 
I actually left a few of the cupcakes plain, and they were really good as well! The streusel just really spiced it up and added a lot of flavor.  And they also smelled amazing!  You should definitely give these a try!
Recipe For Banana Cupcakes with Streusel Topping:
Ingredients:
For Cupcakes:
2 mashed bananas
1/2 c. sugar
2 tbsp. butter
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 c. flour
1/2 tsp. baking soda
pinch of salt
For Streusel Topping:
1/3 c. packed brown sugar
2 tbsp. flour
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
2 tbsp. butter (softened)
1/3 c. chopped pecans (I left these out)
Directions:  Combine bananas, sugar, butter, egg and vanilla extract in a mixing bowl, mix well. Mix in flour, baking soda and pinch of salt. Pour into greased cupcake pan and bake at 325°F for 25 minutes.  To make the streusel, mix brown sugar, flour and cinnamon together. Cut in butter until crumbly. Stir in chopped pecans.

-Jerri

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I’m posting a link to this post on the following sites:
Cupcake Tuesday is hosted by Hoosier Homemade
Tempt My Tummy Tuesday is hosted by Blessed With Grace.
Tuesday Tastes is hosted by Crazy Jayz Place
Homemaker Mondays is hosted by 11th Heaven’s Homemade Haven.
Tasty Tuesday is hosted by Balancing Beauty & Bedlam.
Works for Me Wednesday is hosted by We Are THAT Family
Tip Me Tuesday is hosted by Tip Junkie
Tackle it Tuesday is hosted by 5 Minutes for Mom
Sharing Ideas Wednesday is hosted by The Trendy Treehouse
Friday Food is hosted by Mom Trends
Friday Foodie is hosted by Designs by Gollum
Finer Things Friday is hosted by Amy’s Finer Things
I’m Lovin It Fridays is hosted by Tidy Mom
Show off Your Stuff Thursday is hosted by Fireflies and Jellybeans

Filed Under: breads and sides, cupcakes, Recipe of the Week

Friday Favorites: Week 12

May 13, 2010 12 Comments

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Welcome to the 12th edition of Friday Favorites, where we share our favorite posts of the week!  As always I’m featuring some really great tutorials and recipes that you’ll definitely want to go by and check out! Please go by and give these talented ladies a shout and also go by and visit at least of few of this week’s linked up posts as well.  You are sure to find some great ideas here!
Also, for this week I have a new giveaway that you can get an extra entry for when you link up here.  This week it’s a Printed Brochure Giveaway.  This prize is a $60 value, and it would be great to have, especially if you’re a business owner, but it could also be used to promote your blog or promote your church or other organizations, or just if you’d like to pass out information in your community or wherever.
Now let’s check out this week’s posts.  If you’re blog is featured, please grab a “featured” button for you blog!  If you need help installing the button on your blog, feel free to email me or leave a comment and I’ll get back to you. Thanks!

I think these Sunflower Cupcakes at Mackenzies Crafty Mom are just the cutest!  What a great gift for your child’s favorite teacher! Love this!

  

You’ll be really surprised to learn how this cute and colorful bag from HEARTworks was made! Very creative!

I love this frugal wall art from The Phillips Fam.  And it’s a fairly easy project to complete too, which is always a plus!
I love sugar cookies! They’re one of my favorites! So I was really exicted when I came across these Sugar Cookies Bars at Me and My Pink Mixer.


Frenchy at le Chateau des fleurs has lots of cute creations and tutorials.  Here’s one of her latest necklaces.  So unique!

That’s it for this week.  Now it’s time to link up your posts! Please leave a link to your Direct Post, not your blog.  Also, please include my button or a mention of my blog so that others will know that you’re linking up here and can come participate too. Thanks!
-Jerri

Filed Under: Friday Favorites

Brochure Giveaway (& 600th Post!)

May 11, 2010 29 Comments
Hey everyone!  Welcome to my 600th post! It’s hard to believe I’ve written that many, but that’s what the dashboard says!  So….wow!  To celebrate, let’s have another giveaway!
Brochures Printing Online is the place to go for all your brochure printing needs.  They make printing brochures easy, offering design templates, easy file uploads, live chat, and collaboration with a designer in real time.
This month I’m happy to be giving away 100 half-fold brochures to one Simply Sweet Home reader! You can use these to promote your business, your blog, or to distribute important information.
Prize Specifications: 
100 Half-fold brochures
8.5×11, 100lb Paper Gloss
Shipping: FREE UPS Ground Shipping
Eligibility: Limited to US Residents only, must be 18 or older.
Giveaway Closed. Congratulations to our winner, Jennifer of Jennifer Ladd Handmade.  Thanks for entering! 

-Jerri

Full Disclaimer: I was not monetarily compensated for this post.  For hosting this giveaway, I will receive 100 printed brochures.

Filed Under: Giveaways, Sponsors

Easy Onion Dip

May 10, 2010 7 Comments
Here’s something easy for your summer parties & barbecues or just a quick snack.  When I was a kid I used to go over to my best friend Mark’s house, and before any homework could get done, we’d have to have a snack!  And we often ate chips and dip made from onion soup mix.  Today I still like to use this recipe.  And I’ll often divide it up and just make a small amount (1/2 cup or less) for me to have as a snack. It’s very fast and convenient for whatever occasion you like.
Recipe for Easy Onion Dip
Ingredients:
1 envelope Onion Soup Mix (such as Lipton)
1 pint sour cream
Directions: Mix well.  Chill and serve with chips, crackers, or veggies. Makes 2 cups.

-Jerri

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I’m posting a link to this post on the following sites:
Tempt My Tummy Tuesday is hosted by Blessed With Grace.
Homemaker Mondays is hosted by 11th Heaven’s Homemade Haven.
Tasty Tuesday is hosted by Balancing Beauty & Bedlam.
Works for Me Wednesday is hosted by We Are THAT Family
Tip Me Tuesday is hosted by Tip Junkie
Tackle it Tuesday is hosted by 5 Minutes for Mom
Sharing Ideas Wednesday is hosted by The Trendy Treehouse
Friday Food is hosted by Mom Trends
Friday Foodie is hosted by Designs by Gollum
Finer Things Friday is hosted by Amy’s Finer Things
I’m Lovin It Fridays is hosted by Tidy Mom
Show off Your Stuff Thursday is hosted by Fireflies and Jellybeans

Filed Under: appetizers and snacks, Recipe of the Week

Friday Favorites – Week 11

May 6, 2010 9 Comments

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Happy Friday! I hope you all had a fabulous week.  I must report that ours went pretty well.  Last week they had Founder’s Week at my hubby’s work (basically anniversary week), and he met their projected sales goal.  This is awesome considering that he’s only been there a few months (not to mention that we really needed the money), and he’ll get an award too!  Also, hubby took his insurance liscensing exam this week, and he passed! Yay! (We celebrated by going to Applebee’s, one of our favorites places!)
Well, I hope you all have a glorious Mother’s Day weekend! If you’re still looking for Mother’s Day Gifts, please check out my Spring Gift Guide featuring fabulous shops and Mother’s Day gifts (all from handmade/mompreneur shops!).
And now let’s take a look at his week’s featured posts!  If you’re featured, please grab a “Featured” button for your blog! Thanks!!
Anyone who knows me, knows that I LOVE bread! Needless to say, I was very intrigued by this Everyday Oatmeal Bread from The Local Cook.

Here’s a fun idea for the yard!  Make your own elf houses! The kids will love it, and the yard will look so whimsical!  Marvelously Messy has as a great tutorial and some adorable examples for you.
As you know, I adore cupcakes! And I love these May Day cupcakes from Singing With Birds.  Aren’t they festive? And so fun and colorful too!

And here’s another sweet treat!  Wouldn’t you love a slice of this? This Berry Birthday Cake was baked up by Avril at Baking and Creating with Avril.  Scrumptious!
   
And finally, something cute that also makes the house smell good!  Krishinka at Krishinka’s Vintage Treasures has some adorable items in her shop! Her most recent blog post featured a few items, including this adorable heart sachet! Go by and check her stuff out!
Now it’s time to link up your post for this week.  Please link up to your POST URL, not your blog.  And please link back to Simply Sweet Home, so that others can come by and link up!
-Jerri
Filed Under: Friday Favorites
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