Free Blog Layouts at LeeLou Blogs!!

One of my favorite blogs is THE MEANEST MOM. Hysterical! She has a link on her site to LeeLou Blogs where you can find some really cool FREE blog layouts. Check them both out, they are worth it!

Blessings,

Life As We Know It Has Changed!

Hey y'all, it's been a hectic week around our house! Last Thursday my husband Bill was at work and the ladder he was on broke and he fell about 15 ft. He landed on his feet and shattered both of his heels. He is scheduled for surgery on Thursday to repair them, but the Doctor said he won't be able to put any weight on them for at least 3 months after surgery, maybe longer. It sounds like it will be a long healing process. Needless to say, he is completely helpless and I am his nurse. Bill should only be in the hospital one day, then he will be able to come home again. Bill has been very good patient so far, not overly needy and not a complainer. I admire him for that. I would be whining and crying and moaning 24/7! My church has been so great! The pastor and one of our friends got together and decided they would take total responsibility for the yard work for the rest of the season! That's quite a relief! I was worried that I wouldn't be able to keep up with it along with everything else that's going on. Another friend from church built a wheelchair ramp and I have gotten several calls from other friends offering to do the odd jobs that come up. It's wonderful to know that I'm not alone! I don't know how often I will be able to post, but I will try to keep up with it. I'll let you know how the surgeries go.

Until next time...Blessings,

Happy Mother's Day!

Here's wishing all my readers a very Happy Mother's Day!
Blessings and hugs,

Freebie Cross Stitch Links

Hey y'all! I was visiting my friend Hazelruthes's blog and she has posted her favorite blogs with Freebie Cross Stitch Links! Why don't you mosy on over to her blog and check them out. Make sure you come back here and let me know your fav's. I just revamped my blog Blessings of Health and Prosperity, take a look and tell me what interests you most. Don't forget to add your plugs to the plugboards on all my blogs and Celene's Treasure Chest

Until next time...God Bless,

Begging for Inspiration

Hey Y'all! I need some advice. Over the holidays I saw a Cricut Expressions infomercial and was fascinated. I saw so many wonderful things being done with the Cricut and the ladies in the infomercial made it all looked so easy! I had to have one. We couldn't really afford it, so I mulled it over for about 6 weeks before I took the plunge and bought one for myself. My wonderful hubby said "Go ahead babe, knowing you, you'll make all kinds of neat things with it! It'll be a great investment!" Celene's Treasure Chest, my brick and mortar crafts and antiques shop in rural Illinois was closed for the winter season so I thought it would be a perfect time to play with it and make all sorts of new crafty things. I really saw this little piece of equipment as a real opportunity to come up with some new crafts, stencils for myself to use as well as to sell in the shop, etc and that I would make my money back in no time. I received it in early January. I didn't even open the box til sometime in February, played with it for about 30 minutes, gave up and put it back in the box, where is resides today. Part of my problem is that my craft room is so cluttered that I can't set it up in there and I just haven't gotten around to organizing it. My work shop up at the store is full of sawdust and paint and I don't think it will survive long there. Now if I were really inspired to create with my Cricut I would have organized my craft room, but honestly, I don't know what to do with it! I just look at the box and think, I really have to learn how to use this thing and get creative, then I turn around and pull the door shut behind me so I don't have to look at it. Is there anyone out there with a Cricut Expressions? I need some ideas to get me excited and motivated enough to get over my fear of learning how to use this thing! What do you use you Cricut to make? Please leave a comment and share with me how you use yours. If you send me a photo of some of the finished projects, I'd love to post them here, just email me at celene-@hotmail.com. Come on girls, please inspire me!

Until next time...God Bless,

Free Blog Layouts at Scrappin' Blogs!!

Hey y'all! Lookie what I found. Tons of adorable Blogger layouts at Scrappin' Blogs. Go on over and check them out. They are very easy to install and you can change them as the mood strikes, so go crazy!

Until next time...God Bless,

Free Crafters Online Magazine

Hi everyone! Hope you are enjoying the lovely spring weather. It's finally starting to warm up here in Illinois. Been cold til this week. The weatherman says it's going to be 82 by mid week! Yippee!! I have had enough of being chilled to the bone. Hope it doesn't get too warm to quickly though. Don't want to bypass spring altogether.

Thought I'd tell you about a great crafters online magazine Creative Times Magazine. Check it out. Lots of great ideas of all kinds. Until Next Time...God Bless,

Flea Market Friday

Don't forget Flea Market Friday over at Celene's Treasure Chest for handmade primitive crafts!

Free Primitive Stick Horse Pattern

Hi everyone! I have another free pattern for you. This one is so cute and easy! It's a grungy prim stick horse. A special thanks to NeeNee at KKL Primitives. NeeNee is a sweetheart and a great prim crafter! Make sure you visit her website to see all kinds of great prims. Please make sure you follow the terms of use at the bottom of the post. So without further adieu, here it is!

To make this prim stick horse, download the pattern below by clicking on the link. This size stick horse is for using with dolls or can be used as large ornies. click here to save Pattern

Materials needed:
muslin fabric
*Coffee Stain
jute string
2 rusty bells
black embroidery floss
thin tree branch - approx. 8" long ( can substitute dowel rod )
paint brush
sewing needle
*Coffee Stain Mixture
1 cup hot water
4 T. instant coffee
2 T. vanilla
1/4 cup ground cinnamon

Stir well and let this set while you cut and sew your pattern. You want the cinnamon to settle at the bottom of your bowl.

Directions:
Trace pattern onto muslin. The outline is the sewing line so be sure to leave at least an inch around the horse when cutting out to sew. Sew only to the small x's on the bottom of the pattern, leaving the bottom open for stuffing. You will not be sewing this closed. Trim to within a 1/4 inch of the seam and clip where needed.

Stuff horse with polyester fiberfill til firm. Stuff only to broken line indicated on pattern.

Stitch the eye with 6 strands of black floss.

Wrap jute string around muzzle and neck several times to thickness desired for the harness.

Attach two rusty bells as shown in pattern.

Place horse head over your stick/branch and with the jute string, wrap firmly beginning at the dotted line. Wrap about 10 times and tie off.

With your paint brush, brush the coffee mixture over the horses head and jute strings.

Place in warm oven ( not higher than 200) until the head is dry. Turn over every few minutes.

Thread your needle with 6 strands of black floss. Beginning in front of horse's ear, attach the 'hair' for the mane. Clip to desired length. Continue down the back of the horse's neck to the wound jute.

With your paint brush, again paint the horse with the coffee mixture, this time wiping the bottom of the bowl with the brush to pick up some cinnamon. This will give you the 'dirty' or grungy look to your horse, brush over the mane too. When completely dried, the mane will be stiff.

Place horse stick back in oven and dry. Turn over every few minutes.

Terms Of Use
You may not offer this pattern for download, instead, you may link to it. Do not sell this pattern. The copyright belongs to me and I'm offering it for free, it should stay that way.
You may sell your completed project in craft shows only. If you sell, please give credit to me as the designer. (©KKL Primitives) Thank you.

Until next time...God Bless!

Pillows of Lavender

Hey y'all! Have you all recovered from Bloggy Giveaways Carnival week? I don't know about you, but there were so many great giveaways that I spent countless hours and hours in from of the computer last week. I entered hundreds of giveaways. Hope I won something fabulous! I'll get back to you on that and let you know.

I usually don't do reviews in my blogs, but I am excited about something and I want to tell you all about it! It's called Pillows of Lavender. Robin at Pillows of Lavender sent me (just because she's a sweetie) a lavender comfort pillow and I just love, love, love it! When I picked it up at the post office, Jerri, our Post Mistress handed me my package and said, "I don't know what's in there, but it smells heavenly." As I tore the Priority Mail box from her death grip (she wasn't done sniffing it and didn't want to let go) I could smell the soothing aroma of flax seed, lavender buds and peppermint leaves wafting from the box. I couldn't wait to get home and open it. It's really lovely. And it smells wonderful. It arrived rolled up in a shimmery organza gift bag. The pillow is a multipurpose scentsation. It can be chilled in the freezer to use as a soothing cool pack or heated to relax aches and pains away. It's great for soothing eyes, earaches, sore muscles and headaches. The attatched card read " use for relaxation, rejuvenation, headaches, muscle aches, neck and back pain, sports injuries, arthritis, insomnia, depression, stress, cramps and much more!" Robin also makes neck wraps, kid size lavender comfort pillows, eye and sinus pillows and listen to this, Lavender embroidered sachet dryer bags!! Go on over and take a look at Pillows of Lavender and give yourself a decadent treat, after all you deserve it.

Until next time.....God Bless,

Giveaway Winner

The winner of the bloggy giveaway Here at Wood n' Whimsy is Ginny from Mom of 2 Dancers Reviews. Congratulations Ginny! She chose the vintage beaded hoop earrings from Unique Boutique Jewelry. Thank you all for participating in my giveaways. Make sure you follow my blogs for more giveaways in the weeks and months to come. God Bless!

Bloggy Giveaways Carnival is here!!

Hi all. I'm so excited that it's Bloggy Giveaway Carnival time again! My giveaway this time is a gift from Unique Boutique Jewelry. I am giving away the piece of jewelry of your choice, (1 pc. up to $15.00 value) so be sure to really look around so you get the piece that you love! Yep, that's right you get to choose your own prize! Yippee, fun huh? All you have to do to enter is go to Unique Boutique Jewelry and choose what you would like to win and come back here and leave it in the comments. I will give 4 extra entries to anyone who blogs about it! Just tell me in the comments that you talked about it and linked to us in your blog and you have 5 chances to win! It's that easy. The contest will go from Mon, Jan 26th through Sat, Jan 31st. The winner will be announced here on Sunday, Feb 1st. Shipping to the USA only. You don't have to have a blog to enter. Make sure you leave a way to get in touch with you. Good luck and tell all your friends.


I'm having giveaways on all my blogs this week, so be sure click on the links below to enter for all of them!

Celene's Treasure Chest

Shops Galore! Shopping Blog

and Sara's blog: Live Healthy, Wealthy and Wise

Until next time....God Bless,
Celene

It's almost Bloggy Giveaways Carnival time!!

WooHoooo! I love Bloggy Giveaways Carnival! It begins Monday, January 26 at 8:00 am CST through Saturday, January 31st. I will be giving away candles, jewelry, home decor and eco-friendly goodies. That's all you are getting out of me right now, so don't forget to check back with me on Monday!
I will be giving away something on all my blogs so be sure to add them to your follow list and send the blog links to your friends!

My blogs participating in the Bloggy Giveaways Carnival:

Celene's Treasure Chest Blog
Wood n' Whimsy
Shops Galore! Shopping Blog

and my daughter Sara's eco-friendly blog:
Live Healthy Wealthy and Wise

Until next time....God Bless,

Celene

Promoting your website or blog.

I know it's hard to get new blogs and websites going and keeping them going. The name of the game is driving traffic to your site. You won't have readers or customers if you don't have traffic and plenty of it! It's not enough to just build a website or blog and expect anyone to find it. You have to promote, promote, promote to get a following. There are several ways to go about this. You can spend tons of money on pay per click advertising. Most of us do not have the advertising budget for this kind of marketing, so here are some other options.

First of all, it takes time, so don't get discouraged. It also takes effort on your part. Eventually you get out of it what you put into it. There are all sorts of free and inexpensive ways to get the word out about your website.

If you have a website, you should blog about it. Blogging has become a very effective way to get the word out about what you do and where your customers can find you. You should also find several blogs that are popular and relevant to what you do. Read them and comment often. Make sure that your comments are intelligent and relevant to the blog. Each comment creates a link back to your blog or site.

Join forums. Again make sure the types of topics discussed run along the same line as your business or blog. Intelligent comments not only create interest, but a link back to your site.

Join Top Sites. Their are tons of Top Site Lists out there. Find some good ones and join them. Top Sites are lists of websites usually in a specific category or categories such as Crafter's Top Sites or Sassy 100 Boutiques. You must follow through and vote for your site daily to get and stay on top, but it's a good way to get free targeted traffic to your site.

Add your site to free plug boards. There are many, many free plug boards out there. Find popular websites that are similar to yours and ask them to trade links with you. You add a link to their site to your site and they add you to theirs.

Traffic and Banner exchanges such as Free Banner Exchange and TCH Traffic Exchange.

There are also many sites out there that offer inexpensive banner ad space. For about $2.00 to $10.00 a month your banner can be on their homepage for all their customers to see and link back to. Make sure that you pick and choose your ad space wisely. Be sure you choose site that get a good flow of traffic and attracts the kind of people that could be your customers. It just wouldn't make sense to pay to advertise on a crafter's marketplace website if you are selling industrial janitorial supplies, so use common sense there.

The trick to all of this is persistance. It takes work and it takes time, but you can draw the right kind of traffic to your website without having a huge budget.

Primitive Promotions is a crafter's free marketing website with tons of top site lists directories, plug board directories and resource materials to help you get your site noticed. I encourage you to go to Primitive Promotions there. website and take advantage of all of the information available

Until next time...God Bless,

Celene

Free Cross Stitch Patterns

Hi everyone, I am back! I haven't been blogging much lately, but I am going to remedy that. Here are some great free cross stitching patterns. There is a site called The Cross Stitchers Club. They have lots of free cross stitch patterns. Most of them are pretty advanced, but they have daily pattern freebies and you can earn credits to get more freebies.

I have a free pattern for you from Twigs N' Sprigs. Here it is:

Give Me Liberty or Give Me Snow Stitchery

Pattern Directions

Twigs Gathering List:

1 yd Muslin

Needle

Small Black Beads

DMC Floss

#838 Very Dark Beige Brown

#902 Very Dark Garnet

#613 Very Light Drab Brown

#823 Dark Navy Blue

#310 Black

#400 Dark Mahogany

#729 Medium Old Gold

Mark B Gone Pen

Tea, Coffee or Vanilla

Deco-Art Americana Paint

Antique Gold DA9

Deep Midnight Blue DA166

Buttermilk DA3

Cranberry Wine DA112

Terra Cotta DA62

Tools

Scissors

Paint Brushes

CUTTIN'

Muslin: Cut 2 layers of muslin 16 x 10 inches. I happen to like to stitch through 2 layers of
muslin, you may wish to use Warm & Natural, or flannel or a layer of felt, to give it that
extra layer to where you don't have your stitchin showing through.

TRACIN'

Trace pattern onto top layer of muslin, using a mark b gone pen.

STITCHIN'

I use 2 strands of Dmc floss for all my stitchin'.

*NOTE: if you are going to be dry bushing your stitchery to be colored in, stitch detailed
items such as eyes, noses, plaids on dresses, stars on flags, & words on dresses after
you have painted that specific area.

Twig Arms: Backstitch with Dmc floss #838 Very Dark Beige Brown

X's on Stripes of Flag & Scarf: Backstitch scarf, x stitch flag with Dmc floss #902 Very
Dark Garnet

Snowflakes, Snowman Body, 1776 on square of Flag: Backstitch with Dmc floss #613 Very
Light Drab Brown

Words Give me Liberty or give me snow & Blue section of Flag: Backstitch Dmc floss #823
Dark Navy Blue

Eyes, Eyebrows & Mouth: Cross stitch mouth, french knot eyes with Dmc floss #310 Black

Nose: Satin stitch nose with Dmc floss #400 Dark Mahogany

Stars & Bell: Backstitch with Dmc floss #729 Medium Old Gold

Bead Eyes: Stitch Beads for eyes with matchingthread. if you decide not to do french knots.

FABRIC DYIN'

Dye fabric by using tea, coffee or vanilla. Dunk stitchery into dye & lay flat to dry.

PAINTIN'

If you choose to color in your stitchery do the following.

Using a dry-brush method as listed in Twig-Niques,

paint the following.

Star & Bell: Dry brush with Antique Gold DA9

Blue Section of Flag: Dry brush with Deep Midnight Blue DA166

Snowman: Dry brush with Buttermilk DA3

Scarf & Red stripes on Flag: Dry brush with Cranberry Wine DA112

Nose: If you choose to not satin stitch nose Dry brush with Terra Cotta DA62

Now you are ready to either sew your stitchery into a pillow, wall hanging or frame in a
picture frame.

Go to http://www.freecraftz.com/twigsnsprigs.html for this pattern.

Thanks Twigs n' Sprigs for sharing with us! Thanks to FreeCraftz.com as well.

Until next time...God Bless,

Celene

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas to all my blogging friends! I wish you a wonderful and blessed Christmas. I would love for you to share with us your Christmas plans and celebrations in the comments. It's fun to see what others are doing to celebrate. I hope you all laugh too much, eat too much, play too much this holiday season. Remember to slow down, take deep breaths and enjoy this time of year. When you start to feel stressed out, just remind yourself that it's not about the hustle and bustle or the gifts you have to buy. It's about the birth of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

God Bless,
Celene

New Shops Galore! Online mall in time for Christmas shopping season.

Well this has been a real whirl wind couple of months. I've only posted on my blogs a few times and I've really miss it. I opened my new jewelry store called Unique Boutique Jewelry and I have been spending all my spare time building Shops Galore! online shopping mall. I have been going at it frantically for weeks so it could be ready in time for the Christmas Season. I'm really excited about this project. There are all kinds of shops and boutiques in Shops Galore! Crafts, jewelry, electronics, clothing stores for baby, mommies to be, men and womens and plus size shops, as well as shoes, handbags and toys. Told you I've been busy! We are adding more stores every day. If you have a website I'd love to list it for you for free. This will not always be a free membership, but I am listing them at no charge for now. Go to Shops Galore! and click on the "add your site" button and follow the directions.

My crafting buddy Pam and I have had booths in several craft shows and fall festivals this season. We had our first Christmas craft fair last weekend and another one on Nov. 22nd. That will conclude the craft booths for 2008. Whew! I'm glad that's almost over, we're tired. It has really been hard work, but lots of fun. I will have a Christmas Open House at my shop Celene's Treasure Chest in Coffeen, Illinois on Sat. Dec. the 6th. I'm thinking about doing something to coincide with the open house on my Celene's Treasure Chest website, but don't know what yet. If anyone has any suggestions, I'd really appreciate hearing them. Head on over to my other blog to see how the shop Christmas decorating and Christmas crafting projects are coming along.

Well that's it for now. Don't forget to take a trip to Shops Galore! and if you haven't checked out Unique Boutique Jewelry yet come on by. A special thanks to Mandie at Life in the Craft Lane with Mandie for many of the buttons I am using that you see on this blog. Love ya Mandie, thanks!

Til next time....God Bless,
Celene

Jewelry Giveaway Winner

Hi y'all. We have a winner for the Unique Boutique Jewelry giveaway! The winner is, ta ta da da... Cindy at The Gathering Room. Congrats Cindy! She chose the black onyx bracelet. Don't forget to check out the bargains at Unique Boutique Jewelry where you can do lots of quick and easy Christmas shopping for all the gals in your life. Unique Boutique offers handmade and vintage jewelry at very reasonable prices and the shipping is always FREE! Most items are priced under $10.00, so what are you waiting for? Get on over there and start shopping.

I am also a winner. I won 1st prize at The Chocolista's. The contest was to name their latest chocolate dessert and they picked mine! I named it the Decadent Dunce. You have to go over and take a look at it and let me know what you think of the name.

Til next time...God Bless,
Celene

Unique Boutique Jewelry Free Giveaway

Hey, everybody, It's Giveaway time at Wood n' Whimsy! I have just opened my new website Unique Boutique Jewelry. At Unique Boutique Jewelry you will find beautifully handcrafted and vintage jewelry at very affordable prices and you'll never pay shipping! Yep, always FREE Shipping.

Here's How to Enter:

Come on over and take a look around, then come back and let me know your favorite item by leaving a comment on this post. If you are the winner, you win the item you selected. That's right, you get to choose! What other giveaway lets you pick your own prize? If you add a link back to this post and mention the giveaway in your blog or site I will give you 3 extra entries. Just email me and let me know so I can give you your additional entires. I will be announcing the winner on Oct 17th. Good luck to all and have fun with it!

God Bless,

Celene

Halloween Freebies

Hi all, don't forget to enter my jewelry giveaway in the previous post.

Thought I would give you crafty moms who make your kids Halloween costumes some ideas.

Halloween Makeup Recipes :

For Halloween, use makeup instead of a mask. Masks obstruct vision and children find it hard to breath when wearing them. Here you will find three recipes to make your own makeup.

Corn Syrup Blood

16 oz. White corn syrup 1 oz. red food coloring 1 oz. washing detergent 1 oz. water A drop of blue food coloring
Mix the ingredients together and voila - blood. Remove the washing up liquid if you want to make edible blood. Adding condensed milk makes it less transparent and more like real blood. The blood is extremely sticky and can stain skin and clothes so makes sure its washed off quickly. Use a stain remover on clothes.

Face Paint Recipe

1 tsp corn starch 1/2 tsp water 1/2 tsp cold cream 2 drops food coloring as desired
Mix ingredients and apply.

Clown Make-up
2 tsp white shortening5 tsp corn starch1 tsp white all purpose flourglycerin as directedFood coloring as desired
Mix together the shortening, corn starch and flour. Add 3 to 4 drops of glycerin to make the mixture creamier. Apply.

About the Author:Rose Smith is the owner of HalloweenHowl.com and author of several ghoulish party ebooks. Designed for "trick or treaters" of any age, we invite you to come visit. Create creepy crafts, discover interesting tips and tricks, play spooktacular games and take part in many other hauntingly fun activities.

Thanks to rubyglen.com for this article

Got Halloween costume ideas of your own? We'd love to hear them! Please leave them in a comment.

Til next time...God Bless,

Celene