Giving credit, where credit is due...

Well, it is day two of my new, lovely blog design (I'm allowed to brag, since I'm not the designer), and I am still surprised and delighted each time I reload my page. I hit the jackpot big time, thanks to my new , talented blog designer, Danielle of The Design Girl, and like I told her, I am her happiest customer ever. Really.

Danielle has designed over five hundred blogs, but I bet she has never encountered a pesky client like me! I am a very visual person (aren't we all...) and I kept emailing her back and forth, asking her to tweak this and add that until my eyes felt like they were resting on the perfect design for me.

Poor Danielle has the patience of a saint....patience by the truckload and talent that takes her out of the park! Not only does she design beautiful blogs, but she also designs print, such as birth announcements, mommy business cards, birthday invitations, stationery and more! Check out her print design website and see what I mean. In fact, she has a great sale on her printed designs until end of day Friday.

The savings are as follows:

All stationery is just $15 instead of $25
Address labels are $10 instead of $15
Invites & Announcements are just $25 instead of $35

Also, if you want to check out the details of Danielle's blog design services, go here. If you mention my blog, you will receive $10 off any blog design package. For a look at her blog design portfolio, go here.

Thank you, Danielle!!!

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I also wanted to share a photo of the great, new lockers my skilled brother designed and built for his family. I have shown you their kitchen before; but the lockers are his latest creation, much to the happiness of his sweet wife! Don't you just love a man who will build you a set of lockers?? Beats flowers any day of the week!!

Just like those ads: Beauty meets functionality!

Take a Bow Tuesdays

A new look, via my new blog design, has inspired me to try more new things here at my little ol' blog! I am so excited by the amazing talent of my new blog designer, Danielle@The Design Girl (who I am going to tell you all about on Wednesday), and I am so happy with my new look! I am still working on writing up some of the sidebar links, but I love how more user friendly my blog has become, and the change has inspired me in other ways, too!

I have started a new Tuesday feature called Take a Bow Tuesdays. It is important to share all of the great things bloggers do, and I also know we don't all have the time to root out the great inspiration that springs up everyday. So, without further adieu, here is my inaugural round-up of blogging greatness.

Will the following ladies please come forward and...

take a bow:

Kate @ Centsational Girl, one of my new faves (and soon to be yours, if she's not already) shows us how simply adding some fresh fruit and flowers from her garden makes for one of the prettiest tablescapes ever!!

• Be Different, Act Normal...because she does wonderful round-ups of really amazing finds in blogville.
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• While we're at it, go give a shout out to Rachel at One Pretty Thing, because she works tirelessly to find wonderful inspiration of all kinds. My hat is off to these wonderful women for doing this for us.
  
• And of course, I can't mention them without mentioning Kim. You know her of course as the mastermind behind Today's Creative Blogs. Oh, and did I mention that I won my new blog design make-over through a recent TCB give-away?! Kim, I am indebted to you!!

• Check out this fun blog with an owner who was gutsy enough to do this: painting laminate countertops to look like granite..really!!! This is off the charts repurposing, and appeals to the frugal girl in me!!
• If pure colour makes you swoon, hop on over and see this amazing room make-over. Ez @ Creature Comforts tricked out her 10 year-old daughter's bedroom using fresh, cool style...which she has oodles of!
• If you want to meet the cutest couple, head on over to the Newly Woodwards. Because I am planning a uber-small veggie garden this summer, I found their post on vegetable gardening invaluable. And if you are into home organization, then this is the spot for you. I wonder if I was that on the ball when I was newly married...?
• These numbered stools are on my to-do list...right after I buy some stools! I love these, Kimba!
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  If you love great kitchen design as much as I do, head on over to Rate My Space and see this beauty! I have never seen a prettier kitchen and it was decorated by a mere mortal!!

Her whole house is incredible, yet quaint and attainable; so go on over and give her plenty of five-star ratings. I so wish she had a blog...

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Check back next week for this regular feature. Who knows, maybe you and your blog (or business) will be center stage, bowing to the accolades that so deservedly come your way!!

Oh, and let me know what you think of my new look!

Postcards from a hot summer's day...

Our first, real, hot day arrived yesterday and we soaked up the sun with a passion only those who have suffered out an intolerably long winter can put forth...

Two hours of vacuuming, skimming and sanitizing and we:

Which left me with a farmer's tan/sunburn, a thousand new freckles, and a wicked craving for this:

I (and my washer) couldn't keep up with the pace of the clothes drying on this:

What would a hot summer's day be without burgers and salad, eaten al fresco? Don't be fooled by their faces...they were happy campers!

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Stay tuned for a few new things cropping up on my blog this week.

Change is good!