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Okay, so two years ago Vista Print entered my life… yes, it sounds dramatic, but man, it Rocked My World! Maybe you've heard of Vista, and maybe you know you can get FREE pens and oodles of business cards, but that really doesn't excite nor apply to you. Well, I'm hoping that some of these ideas will get you almost as sold on Vista as I am (and no, I don't get commission- lol.)
Ok, so with Vista Print, you sign up for their emails (and yes, you'll get a lot, so don't use your everyday email address unless you want to. I have one email account for all my"junk" emails I subscribe to and one"real" account that I use daily) Every few days, Vista will send you FREE products you can order- you only pay shipping. There are 3 shipping options, so the price is decent and totally worth all the products you'll be getting for free!

Now onto the fun part… what you can create in Vista! The suggestions I'm giving in this post were all made without using Photoshop or any professional design programs. Vista has designs to choose from or you can create your own and upload a completed design. I do a lot of both. Idea # 1- Mommy Cards These little cards are perfect for the playdate lovin' mom. Keep them in your purse and when your child makes a friend at the local park, you can give new friend's mommy one of your super-cool cards so that you can meet up again. If you're like me, you've jotted down a mom's cell number on a scrap of paper, only to completely lose it and then feel awful that you never called. 250 Mommy Cards Printed as business cards = FREE!

Idea # 2- Shower Invitations You don't need to pay insane prices for cool, trendy invitations. Get ideas online and then design your own! Baby Lucas (after Luke Skywalker) was due to arrive last summer and of course we needed fabulous Star Wars invitations for our Star Wars themed Shower. The pictures were simply pulled from Google Images and the font was free online. 50 Invites Printed as Oversized Postcards = FREE!

(sorry for the blurry parts, but I wanted to get rid of the personal info) Have I mentioned I have the best, most super-fun friends ever?

Idea # 3- Children's Birthday Parties I haven't bought an invitation in two years. Small postcards, large postcards, notecards, or invitations can all be used to create your invites in Vista. This is Kenzie's Spa Party invite. She had so much fun helping me design it! This one was one-sided, but the back can be personalized as well. We put them in 5x 7 envelopes and voila! I only needed 10 invites, but 100 were Free, so we have lots to use as scrap cardstock. 100 Party Invitations = FREE!

Idea # 4- Christmas Cards Can you believe how much Christmas cards have changed in the last few years? Gone are the days of the painted, snowy scene cards and in are awesome photo cards and more! The only problem is that it can cost a small fortune to send the nice photo cards to everyone. These were our Christmas Cards from 2009. I used Picnik (free editing software) to edit our pics, create a collage, and add some bling; and then I uploaded it onto the oversized 5 x 7 postcards.

I think my favorite part was that I could fully customize the back and had plenty of space to say exactly what we wanted to share. Another bonus was that I could mail them as postcards and didn't need envelopes. Score! 100 Christmas Cards (2 orders of 50) = FREE!

Idea # 5- Kids Pretend Supplies Last Christmas I used Vista to put together a Vet Kit for Kenzie. She loves animals and loved playing vet, but she was getting a little"old" for typical pretend play. So, we made pretend"cool" again by giving her a present of real vet supplies. Her vet supplies included: a Pet Vet Poster, a personal stamp, business cards, a personalized pen, a tote bag, stationary and printed forms (I went online and grabbed a basic vet form.) She LOVED it and had so much fun playing vet again, since now it seemed a bit more grown up. You could do this for anything your child is into… Doctor, Builder, Photographer, Ballerina, etc. Oodles of Pretend Play Supplies = FREE! Pet Vet Poster

Personal Stamp

Idea # 6- Totes for Everything I mean everything! Every time I put in an order I add a tote (umm they're free, why not!) Here are some ideas: Library Book Tote, Sports Tote (the one below was for Kenzie's cleats, shinguards, and water bottle for soccer.) Books for the Car, Snacks for on-the-go, Sleepover Bag (sized just right for one night and you could write something cute on it), Pretend Shopping Bag. What ideas do you have? Share them and I'm sure I'll order one! Everything Tote Bag = FREE!

Idea # 7- Gift Tags These are just business cards repurposed into gift tags. I used these for Christmas presents and they matched so well. I used a hole punch in the corner and attached them with coordinating ribbon. You could also make some non-holiday tags to have on hand. You could even make a set from each child for all the class birthday parties. My kids love when I have things personalized. To: _____ From: Kaden. I haven't done that yet, but I will be soon! 250 Gift Tags printed as Business Cards = FREE!

Idea # 8- Teacher Gifts Want a great, personal gift for a teacher? How about giving them a collection of coordinating, personalized supplies? Hit up Target's dollar bin for a cute container and your gift will be the talk of the teacher's lounge! Here are some items that you could include: notepads, sticky notes, pens, postcards, notecards, and more! I plan to do this for my kids' teachers this spring, so I won't give all my ideas away, but stay tuned for some inspiration! Personal, Thoughtful Teacher Gifts = FREE Notepad with magnet on the back

Matching sticky notes

Phew… that was a long post, but hopefully at least one of these ideas made you ready to jump in and give VistaPrint a try. I promise you'll be hooked! Use this link to sign up for Vista today and be sure to share your creations with us!

We have another treat for you today! Meet Beth, from Free Stylin'. She is a girl after our own hearts, since she LOVES decorating with style on a budget, and is pretty darn good at it, too.: ) We had the priviledge of meeting her at Haven, and she is so sweet and bubbly! We're sure you'll love her-after reading her post today, and then head on over to her blog to check out the fun stuff she does in her neck of the woods!
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Hey East Coast Creative Fans!! My name is Beth, and I blog over at Free Stylin'. You can find all kinds of posts about"living a stylish life without the expensive pricetag!" I've been big fans of Jess and Monica's since seeing them on The Nate Berkus Show. Those girls have some talent! It was such a blessing to meet them in person last month at Haven. (And yes, they are as sweet and friendly and beautiful in person!!)

Me, Jess, Monica, and our cute friend Jamie

I was so excited when they asked me to visit with y'all about something I love to talk about…Decorating for FREE!! I am all about using what you've already got to make your space beautiful. I'm also way into projects that I can do right now. (I love instant gratification.) So today I want to show you…

5 FREE Home Decor Projects You Can Make TODAY!

Would you like a little more glamour in your bedroom? New sheet sets and pillow cases can get expensive, and if you try to save a little in price, it could cost you in comfort. BUT!! You CAN make pretty bedding pieces out of the"underutilized"; ) lingerie in the back of your closet. Choose the items that have the most material and add the satin fabric to a pillow case you already own. Or make a throw pillow using pillow fill you aren't currently using. Learn how to make your own HERE.

Trays are a decorating must-have, and they are as functional as they are decorative. A pretty tray can help complete a look, and you can make one for your home in about 15 minutes using an old cookie sheet and a piece of fabric. My tray, above, was made from a shirt I was about to give to the Goodwill. Instead I cut it up and glued it to the cookie sheet. Find out more about it HERE.

Sometimes you just need to see something in a new way. Take a piece of artwork for example. I could no longer even look at the Monet painting on our mantel. So, I sprayed the frame another color and painted my own abstract art instead. You can paint directly to the back of your artwork or buy a poster board for just pennies. See how HERE.

If you don't have paint, or can't because you rent, but you want a change today, try"wallpapering" a wall with maps or book pages or sheets of music. All you need is a stapler and some Mod Podge (or watered down glue) to seal the edges. The paper isn't permanent, but it makes a huge statement in your home. Check out how I papered my boys' bedroom HERE.

Decorating with plates is such a fun and interesting way to bring in color and shapes into a room. And don't feel like you have to limit the plates to just a dining room! Hanging plates on any wall in your house is quick and free…just raid your own kitchen cabinets! You can hang your plates with hot glue and paperclips, too. No fancy plate hangers needed. Go HERE to see how I used plates in my own living room.
I hope I've inspired you to try something new and FREE in your home today, using the items you've already got around you. It really does feel great to have a new look for nada lotta. Come stop by Free Stylin' for more tips and tricks like these.: ) Thanks SO much, Jess and Monica, for having me! Hope you're having a fun vacation!
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So much amazing inspiration in one place! I don't know about you, but I'm totally loving that abstract art she DIYed. Add that to my ever-growing list of projects! Thanks for being here, Beth!

Well hey there! Want to know something about me? I find something I like and then stick to it. I have only ever ordered one meal at The Olive Garden for about 14 years straight (Chicken con Broccoli and FYI they took it off the menu, so I don't go there anymore! Ha!) I wish jeans, sneaks, and a sweater with an oxford underneath was still as cool now, as it was when I was in high school. So basically, I don't do much in the way of mixing things up (except for in my decor and design, which is weird, but who knows…). This month some of that changed! Hello Bangs and Glasses!

A few things happened to bring about these changes… #1 I spent 8 days in London and Paris surrounded by people that had more style in their pinky finger than I will in my entire lifetime. #2. I was given an opportunity from Firmoo Glasses to try a pair of glasses for free #3. I got a zit on my forehead (I'll explain later)
So, here's what we ended up with… Awesomely geeky glasses that I completely adore (plus, I can see better!) and blunt bangs! I know I'm completely wild and crazy aren't I?

Let me tell you a little about Firmoo and the glasses first, then we'll get onto the bangs. Firmoo is the largest online retailer of glasses (who knew right?!). For years I'd been going to my eye doctor and ordering the uber expensive glasses they had. None of them were super cool, so I only wore them when I really needed to. Well now, I know that there is a HUGE world of glasses out there at like 80% less! And guess what peeps?? They give you your first pair FREE! Seriously doesn't get much better than that! (If you're the type that hears FREE and now is all distracted, here's the link to get your own free pair right away Firmoo Free Glasses)
**Oh, and lots of people asked which style I got, they're #ZS8024 **

I knew I needed to post pics of myself (not my fav thing to do), so I added fun quotes I like to distract you! Is it working? Okay, back to Firmoo… Check out their website and make sure you try out their cool virtual try-on system. You can upload a picture of yourself and try glasses on. It's like paper dolls of the future. I made a quick call to my eye doctor and got my prescription info and just typed it in when ordering. If you don't have vision issues, that's okay- they make clear lenses too! Jess' hubs Kev, calls them his placebos and I LOVE that name! Glasses are definitely an accessory, not just a necessity anymore.
A few day later, I got my glasses in the mail and it was love at first sight (Get it? Sight? Sorry, I can't resist a cheesy joke). They were step one in my mini Monica makeover. Then, I started toying with the idea of bangs… I love the look on other people, but I was a little worried because of my curly, unruly mop. Then, last week I was at the salon getting Kaden a hair cut and noticed this annoying zit on my forehead- suddenly I had my solution…bangs! If you can't beat em, hide em! Kaden gave me the go-ahead and I had one of my favorite hair stylists cut them for me! I couldn't be happier!! (If you're local, Rachel is awesome! Here's their FB page call her if you need a new do!)

I have to tell you, I am amazed that it took me so long to try something a little more daring with my"style"… I think it's a lot more"me" even. And just in case you're wondering, I'll still be ordering all the same foods at restaurants-I'm not that changed!!
Here are all the details you need to get your first pair free from Firmoo… Firmoo Website Firmoo on Facebook (head over and let them know EC2 sent ya!)
Just check out their site, choose a pair you love, and have them in about a week! (There are a few designer pairs that are excluded, but I found tons that I liked that were included)
So are you going to get a free pair? Any other"stuck-in-a-rut" readers out there?
** A huge shout out to our favorite photographer Stacy Salvatori for taking these pictures of me. She is a Bucks County local and does amazing family, portrait, and wedding pics. Check out her site and let her know EC2 sent you!! **I wasn't compensated for writing this post. I got a free pair of glasses from Firmoo (like you can) and was thrilled to review them for you guys. All opinions are 100% mine**

Well hey there! Want to know something about me? I find something I like and then stick to it. I have only ever ordered one meal at The Olive Garden for about 14 years straight (Chicken con Broccoli and FYI they took it off the menu, so I don't go there anymore! Ha!) I wish jeans, sneaks, and a sweater with an oxford underneath was still as cool now, as it was when I was in high school. So basically, I don't do much in the way of mixing things up (except for in my decor and design, which is weird, but who knows…). This month some of that changed! Hello Bangs and Glasses!

A few things happened to bring about these changes… #1 I spent 8 days in London and Paris surrounded by people that had more style in their pinky finger than I will in my entire lifetime. #2. I was given an opportunity from Firmoo Glasses to try a pair of glasses for free #3. I got a zit on my forehead (I'll explain later)
So, here's what we ended up with… Awesomely geeky glasses that I completely adore (plus, I can see better!) and blunt bangs! I know I'm completely wild and crazy aren't I?

Let me tell you a little about Firmoo and the glasses first, then we'll get onto the bangs. Firmoo is the largest online retailer of glasses (who knew right?!). For years I'd been going to my eye doctor and ordering the uber expensive glasses they had. None of them were super cool, so I only wore them when I really needed to. Well now, I know that there is a HUGE world of glasses out there at like 80% less! And guess what peeps?? They give you your first pair FREE! Seriously doesn't get much better than that! (If you're the type that hears FREE and now is all distracted, here's the link to get your own free pair right away Firmoo Free Glasses)
**Oh, and lots of people asked which style I got, they're #ZS8024 **

I knew I needed to post pics of myself (not my fav thing to do), so I added fun quotes I like to distract you! Is it working? Okay, back to Firmoo… Check out their website and make sure you try out their cool virtual try-on system. You can upload a picture of yourself and try glasses on. It's like paper dolls of the future. I made a quick call to my eye doctor and got my prescription info and just typed it in when ordering. If you don't have vision issues, that's okay- they make clear lenses too! Jess' hubs Kev, calls them his placebos and I LOVE that name! Glasses are definitely an accessory, not just a necessity anymore.
A few day later, I got my glasses in the mail and it was love at first sight (Get it? Sight? Sorry, I can't resist a cheesy joke). They were step one in my mini Monica makeover. Then, I started toying with the idea of bangs… I love the look on other people, but I was a little worried because of my curly, unruly mop. Then, last week I was at the salon getting Kaden a hair cut and noticed this annoying zit on my forehead - suddenly I had my solution…bangs! If you can't beat em, hide em! Kaden gave me the go-ahead and I had one of my favorite hair stylists cut them for me! I couldn't be happier!! (If you're local, Rachel is awesome! Here's their FB page call her if you need a new do!)

I have to tell you, I am amazed that it took me so long to try something a little more daring with my"style"… I think it's a lot more"me" even. And just in case you're wondering, I'll still be ordering all the same foods at restaurants-I'm not that changed!!
Here are all the details you need to get your first pair free from Firmoo… Firmoo Website Firmoo on Facebook (head over and let them know EC2 sent ya!)
Just check out their site, choose a pair you love, and have them in about a week! (There are a few designer pairs that are excluded, but I found tons that I liked that were included)
So are you going to get a free pair? Any other"stuck-in-a-rut" readers out there?
** A huge shout out to our favorite photographer Stacy Salvatori for taking these pictures of me. She is a Bucks County local and does amazing family, portrait, and wedding pics. Check out her site and let her know EC2 sent you!! **I wasn't compensated for writing this post. I got a free pair of glasses from Firmoo (like you can) and was thrilled to review them for you guys. All opinions are 100% mine**

While looking for fun, free art for my new gallery wall, I discovered a few great places to print beautiful art, typography and even maps! And I just couldn't keep all the goods from you, so get your pen and paper ready (oh, wait, does anybody do that anymore? Get your Pinterest pinner ready, then!), for some awesome, free stuff!
1. Sprik Space

I mentioned that I printed off these two adorable prints from Sprik Space for my gallery wall, but these aren't the only ones Aimee has! Be sure to go on over and take a look at her super cute printables- and tell her we sent you.
2. The Graphics Fairy

Ok, admittedly, you have to do some digging on this site to find the hidden gems like this vintage french label, or this gorgeous peacock print. But luckily, all the printables are categorized, so if you know what you're looking for, you're in luck!
3. Feed Your Soul: The Free Art Project

I think this site is my favorite yet for free printable art. Don't ask me why I put it third on my list- it's late and I'm tired, so leave me alone.; ) The art is quirky and clever and definitely a touch modern. They have a few prints that would be perfect for a nursery or children's room, but I would put a whole bunch of them up in my house. Listen to what Jane says her reason for starting this site is: "I love art and I know you do too. I also know that when people start to tighten up the purse strings they tend not spend money on things that aren’t necessary for survival, things like books, magazines and art. But, art is important for your soul. It helps rejuvenate, it’s thought-provoking, offers inspiration and can generally brighten an otherwise dreary day among other things." Well said, Jane, and we thank you from the bottom of our art-loving hearts.
4. New York City Public Library

ar

Did you know that the New York Public Library has a digital gallery of over 700,000 images taken from their vast collections? I found this old print of Pennsylvania from 1830 with just a simple search.Browse to your heart's content and I'm sure you'll find a inspiration for art.
5. Leanne's Printable Quotes

This is not a site that regularly features free printables (at least not to my knowledge), but in this post there are several simple designs that would make great cards (for Valentine's Day, maybe?), art prints, or anything else you can think of.
Where's your favorite place to get free printables? I shared mine with you- now it's your turn!

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ I can't stop looking at the Hymn & Folk Song collection by Red Letter Words! Today I'm smitten with this:

I sing this regularly to my kids and so it these prints make me happy. I love the set of three prints- something a bit different than the norm!

I'm serious when I say that I think one of the best things about blogging and the internet is free printables! They add so much character to your home without having to spend lots of money. Thank you to all you who provide little ol' me with free stuff for my home! I've talked about a few different places you can find free printables here, but I decided that for my open shelves in the kitchen I wanted something specific and custom-matched to my color scheme. What's a DIYer to do? Why, make one herself!

I wanted to create something that was meaningful to me, but that also had some connection to eating and the kitchen. While searching around, I came across 1 Corinthians 10:31 and knew that it was perfect for this!

I found a pattern that I loved by Moo & Puppy (it's the morrocan trellis pattern that comes in a bajillion colors), uploaded it to Picnik and went to town. Why doesn't everyone buy digital paper? Seriously, there are SO many uses for it and it's so darn cheap! Plus, you can get 15% off if you use the code RHBC15. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Anyway, back to the printables. I have three identical frames in the kitchen that I spray-painted turquoise, and needed to fill them with something. I made this one using a great Julia Child saying…

…and printed this beautiful peacock from The Graphics Fairy!

Three cheap thrift store frames + free printables = one happy girl! And since I'm so happy, I decided to share the love. Free Eat, Drink, Glory of God Printable

It's a 5 x 7 print and you can choose from three different colors: mustard yellow, turquoise and lime green.

Click here to Download Printables I'm excited to finish accessorizing my open shelves, but you got a little glimpse today of how they're shaping up. What do you think?
Have you ever made your own printable? Do share! 

You guys have been so good to us lately! You've dealt with all the blog switcheroo craziness and we thought we should thank you for it! Well, technically Canvas People are the ones doing the generous giving, but we're sharing the love with you! They run this deal from time to time, and this time around we get to share it with you!

Canvas People are offering a Free 8x10 to every EC2 reader! (or if you're more the large print type you can get $40 off of your order)

To get your free canvas, click HERE One of my very first blog posts ever was about a canvas gallery I ordered through Canvas People. Remember this?

So the question now is What to Print?? Pictures or a Printable? Don't worry, we've rounded up an awesome collection of free, legit prints that you can use on your canvas. How's that for exciting?
. To download them, follow them using the links provided to their source sites, save the image to your computer and upload it to Canvas People using the link above.
This would look great in a master bedroom or bath.Download the I love us printable.

Source: eighteen25.blogspot.com via East Coast Creative on Pinterest The school year is almost over, make one of these on canvas for one of your kiddo's teachers Download the Teacher Appreciation printable 16x20

Source: eighteen25.blogspot.com via East Coast Creative on Pinterest
We love the colors in this one!Download the Room in Our Hearts printable

Source: simpleasthatblog.com via East Coast Creative on Pinterest

Love isn't just for the month of February! Download the fairytale printable

Source: simpleasthatblog.com via East Coast Creative on Pinterest
Jess has an obsession with coral, so this would be perfect. Comes in tons of colors!Download the What I Love printable

Source: eighteen25.blogspot.com via East Coast Creative on Pinterest
And my personal favorite is one I made from a quote I saw. Download Straight Gangsta printable

You know by now that our favorite online paper store is Moo & Puppy. I made this monogram printable to put on a canvas, but I was thinking of making one for each of my kids' teachers. All you need to do is 1-visit moo and puppy2- choose your paper pack- you get like 8 papers for $3.00 (what a deal!) 3- Use picmonkey.com to add a background shape and letter4. Use this link to get your free canvas!

Ooh, and we just found a few more adorable printables (comes in lots of colors!) from Paper Coterie that are perfect for Mother's Day, and every other day for that matter! Download Love printables

We hope you have a great weekend and have fun choosing what to print! Aren't FREE things awesome? We sure think so! Enjoy!

We've been looking forward to our fall kickoff for weeks and it's been as awesome as we hoped it would be! Honestly, we have the best.readers.ever! We so appreciate all of your support and feedback on our projects this week! If you missed them, here's what we were up to this week…Jess' Fireplace Makeover & My Foyer Update

So, to start this fall off right, we've partnered with Canvas People again to bring you FREE canvas! Use THIS LINK for your Freebie!

We love that Canvas People offers our readers these awesome deals. Right now their website is offering 25% off, but nope, our readers get an 8x10 for FREE or 50% off! SCORE! And, off course we wouldn't just give you a Freebie without some inspiration! Idea # 1- Back to School Canvas Did you see Jess' daughter's 1st Day of Preschool Pic? (Umm, cutest thing ever!) We were talking about Canvas People and she decided to get this picture on canvas and begin a tradition of getting a canvas at the beginning of every school year and putting them in her upstairs hallway.

My kiddos start school next week and I'm hoping to snap a pic even half as cute at this one! Idea # 2- Shut the Front Door Canvas

Not ready to write it in massive letters on the wall, but sorta think it's funny? We'll I'm hooking you up with a Shut the Front Door printable that you can have printed on a canvas. Download 8x10 jpeg HERE

Idea # 3 Fall Leaf Graphic Art How cool will these babies look grouped together? I am ordering these three ASAP! Of course we used our favorite digital paper from Moo and Puppy and we're sharing the downloads with you for free! Download Graphic Art Print 8x10 jpegs Birch Maple Oak

Idea # 4 Fun Fall Prints Just some random cuties that might work in your fall decor… I really love the 8x10 canvas on a mantle or shelf etc. It's the perfect size to get creative with and use in a less traditional"hang it on the wall" way! Download Autumn 8x10 jpeg HERE

Download Falling for You 8x10 jpeg HERE

Idea # 5 Print a Good Old Fashioned Picture I love this picture of me and some of my best gal pals. So often I'm printing pics of my kids or family etc, but these girls are so important to me! I think I'm going to get a canvas of this pic for my office. My posse on canvas… doesn't get much better than that! (And yes, we're a gangsta posse.)

We hope you're as excited about fall and FREE Canvases as we are! We're so glad to be back with our A-Game on! Can't wait to bring you even more fun projects that we have planned for the next few months! Enjoy your Free Canvas and don't forget to use This Link to get the Freebie Deal! Linking up to: Tutorials & Tips

C reating a healthy home has been a priority of ours since we began our renovations five years ago. Our motivation was due, in part, to the fact that this was a home in which we hoped to raise children. So naturally, creating the healthiest nursery possible was also main priority for us. It motivated all of our choices, from furniture and wall treatments, down to the rug.
These are the choices we made:

The Cribs: We chose the Da Vinci Jenny Lind crib because it is made with wood harvested from sustainably-managed forests. It's also lead and phthalate free, and stained in a non-toxic finish. Also, the teething rail is BPA free.
The Crib Mattresses: We chose Naturepedic organic mattresses. They offer a non-toxic waterproof surface that includes 100% food-grade polyethylene. They are also hypoallergenic, filled with organic cotton filling.
The Crib Sheets: We chose 100% organic cotton crib sheets.

The Armoire: It was important to us to not purchase any furniture for the nursery that was made with manufactured wood, that may contain glues, adhesives or other compounds which may off-gas over time. Antique furniture provides this safeguard, as well as the opportunity to recycle beautifully-crafted pieces made long ago.

Mike created shelves for the armoire using solid tongue and groove pine floor planks. My Mom then covered them in 100% cotton fabric.

Nursing Chair: We selected the IKEA Jenny Lund slipcovered arm chair for nursing. I was really nervous about bringing a new chair into our nursery, as most new furniture is constructed with manufactured woods that may off-gas. So, I was happy to learn that IKEA strictly procures wood from sustainably-managed forests, and their pressed wood products comply with low formaldehyde standards.
The Rug: We narrowed down our rug choices quite fast in knowing that we would only buy something that was made with natural fibers (with no rubber or plastic backing). We initially looked for 100% wool rugs, but ended up ordering a 100% jute braided rug for its style and shape. It's also reversible, so it should stand the test of time.

Wall Treatments: Like the rest of our house, the nursery was painted using Benjamin Moore's no-VOC line. Everything from the ceiling and the mouldings, to the doors and walls, were painted with the color Simply White in either flat or semi-gloss finishes.
Choosing white for the plaster walls was a natural choice for me as it was the color of my childhood room, from birth until I left for college.
White also has the added benefit of having less pigment added to the mix (pigments most often contain VOCs). I did just recently learn however that Benjamin Moore is one of the very few lines that uses VOC-free pigments. Thus their VOC-free line truly is VOC-free, no matter what color one chooses.

When Mike created the paneled wainscoting, he used solid wood mouldings, assembled and secured in place with a finish nail gun instead of glue.

The Closet: To create extra storage, we relocated the antique dresser from the guest house. We preferred using the dresser for the same reason that we chose the antique armoire. Also in the closet are the toys and books in waiting....until the babies are older.
Purchasing two cribs, two mattresses, two car seats, clothing, diapers, etc.... added up as you can imagine. So we focused our budget on the things we knew we would need from birth through the first several months. Any toys and books we have were ours from childhood, or were given to us by family and friends.
When we do start buying toys, we will focus on brands that offer phthalate-, BPA- and lead-free products.

Baby clothes: We have been very lucky in that we have received lovely hand-me downs from my friend Karen, and my brother Steven and his wife Marna, who have a son and two sweet daughters. The above knit sweater was my adorable nephew's.

This sweet outfit is a combination of a hand-me down (the white cotton onesie) from my niece and a purchase from a baby consignment store (the 100% organic cotton jumper with pink velvet piping). I've found consignment stores to be a wonderful resource for beautiful clothing, often hardly worn, at much lower prices than retail (organic knit jumper was $11).
I hope that everyone had a lovely Thanksgiving holiday! I managed to stay on my feet long enough to make the pie crust... I spent the rest of the day on the couch nodding off and listening to the bustle of kitchen activity made by my mom and Mike.
Happy Holiday Season to everyone! xo

Well, while you're reading this, we're probably at the Nate Berkus Show trying hard to look cool and not say something dumb doing our thing. So, we wanted to take this time to give a huge thank you to our sponsors this month! We have enjoyed working with these fine ladies, and are thrilled with the services and product they offer. Would we advertise a product we didn't like/wouldn't use ourselves? No way. So, here they are in no particular order. Give them some love, ok? And tell them the Real Housewives of BC sent you.: )

Amanda with Thirty-One Gifts is pretty darn awesome. And if you haven't heard of Thirty-One Gifts yet, what rock have you been hiding under? Who doesn't want a super fun, trendy and cute customizable bag or purse? Seriously, every single one of my friends has the Retro Metro bag.

Order between today and Sunday, and get FREE SHIPPING!
Click here, and email your order to Amanda with the code RealHBC as the title.
And I just have to mention, that if you're looking for your dream job with great incentives, then you probably want to talk with Amanda. In her first year, she's earned a trip to Disney World for her whole family, a trip to Cancun for two and a laptop! Jealous? Call her to chat about this great opportunity! _____________________________________________________________________________________

Not only is Jane a great friend, but she is an amazing Pampered Chef Consultant. I can't even tell you how much PC has changed my cooking experience (and Monicas too!) We both swear by the baking stones and I loooooovvvve my garlic press. That thing is like gold in a household that loves garlic!

Get FREE SHIPPING on all orders (now through Sunday) and a bonus of a FREE Mango or Apple Wedger
with a purchase over $60! (Trust me, that's easy to do!: )
Click here to contact Jane and place your order. Remember to mention the code RealHBC in the title of your email. _______________________________________________________________________________________

Bethany's business is absolutely booming, and it's no wonder why. Her headbands are out-of-this-world cute. And c'mon, you know your daughter/granddaughter/niece would be the most adorable thing in the whole world in a Blossom Band.

One of my favorite products Bethany offers is a Blossom Band of the Month subscription. Talk about the gift that keeps on giving. You get an adorable band once a month! It's crazy affordable and her style is just to die for, so you know it's going to be something amazing coming each month.

As an incentive, we'll pick one random order and make it FREE if you order with the code RealHBC between today and Sunday.
Click here to see the Blossom Bands collection and to place your order. _______________________________________________________________________________________

If you're looking to buy or sell a house, Melanie is your girl! She is super nice, has a great personality, and TONS of experience. I would absolutely trust her with helping me make one of the biggest financial investments in life go smoothly.

Melanie is listing this gorgeous home now in, (do I even have to say it?) beautiful Bucks County!
Get a FREE One-year Home Warranty when you mention RealHBC.
Click here to get in touch with Melanie. You won't regret it! ________________________________________________________________________________________

Thanks again to all of our sponsors for helping us keep doing what we're doing!
Say a prayer for us today! We sure would appreciate it. And we can't wait to share all the juicy Nate Show details with you here on the blog.
Have a great day!

PS. Help us win the Most Valuable Blog award by CBS Philly by voting here!

Since we have a little time off before our next episode (the last episode before baby arrives!), I've been spending some time getting the nursery ready. It's funny- this pregnancy has flown by and up until now, I haven't even begun to prepare for it! Of course, we always try to redecorate rooms on the cheap and one of my favorite ways to do this is by using free printables. And I wouldn't be a good blog friend if I didn't share my absolute fav finds with you! So, here are 12 of the most adorable, trendy and fun printables I could find.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Let's get this party started!

1. Ooh Moon 2. Balancing Home
So, this first Noah's Ark print is so stinkin' cute! Ooh Moon is really cool because you can sign up for an alert when a new printable is available and you have 24 hours to print it out. The Love Shines Here print would fit equally as well in a kitchen or playroom as in a nursery!

3. Feed Your Soul 4. Balancing Home
Feed Your Soul is a free art program that has real artists contribute original prints that are downloadable and printable. There are tons of fun options, so make sure you browse around to find your favorite! This Blast Off print is simple and fun and perfect for a little boy's room.

5. The DIY Village 6. Feed Your Soul
Matt and Jacque from the DIY Village are gearing up for the arrival of their first child and created this simple printable that speaks volumes. I love that you can customize it by coloring it in to match your room decor! Number 6 is another Feed Your Soul masterpiece (Pretty sure you'll see this one in a gallery wall in my baby's room!)

7. Trendy Peas 8. I Rock So What
Ummm, I'm sorry, but isn't that fox the cutest little thing? I don't know if you remember, but I mentioned that I was really hoping to incorporate forest animals, namely sneaky little foxes, in our baby's nursery, so I was thrilled to find this printable! And you can't go wrong with this whale printable- it would look especially perfect in a nautical room of any kind.

9. Tried and True 10. Eighteen Twenty-Five
Watercolor prints are in so in right now, and this World Smiled print incorporates that trend a bit. I absolutely love the sentiment, because doesn't every parent feel that way about their baby?! Leave it to Eighteen Twenty-Five to come up with a graphic printable in about a million pretty colors. They have tons of subway art printables too, so snoop around a bit when you hop over there.

11. On To Baby I'm a big fan of any printable that you can customize and so this monogram print that comes in a bunch of colors is right up my alley. We're not revealing any baby names yet (not that we've settled on one or anything!), so you'll have to just wait until our nursery reveal to see what we chose.: )

12. I Rock So What

This.is.truth. The end.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- And for those of you who are willing to shell out a couple bucks, I found these too-sweet-to-pass-up printables on Etsy. While these aren't free, they're all less than $10 each, so you're still getting a pretty darn good bargain!

1. Bon Temps Beignet

2. Printable Wisdom

3. Prints and Printables

Again with the foxes! Love, love, love this set of 3.

4. Plum Street Prints

Plum Street Prints had so many fabulous printables that I had trouble choosing just one to showcase! For some reason, I am really drawn to the simple designs these days.

Well, that's about it. Now I just have the difficult job of choosing which ones to print and hang in the baby's room. Where are your go-to sources for free printables? Do share!!

This room makeover all started with a pallet and became the coolest pallet wall ever. This free project made a huge impact with its wooden walls and white wash technique.
We're so excited to share it with you today! ******************************************************************
When the hubs and I moved into our house 12 months ago (holy moly it's been 1 year already!) we decorated 3 out of 4 kid's bedrooms. I wanted to wait until the little man was out of his crib and into a"big boy bed" before tacking the room.

Well, the crib is history and we were ready to make this tiny space small, but mighty!
Jess and I have a thing for pallets. We've written a Pallet Possibilities post and Jess shared a pallet shelves post. Well, this time we thought we'd take it to the next level and do an entire wall of pallet wood!

Here's how we did it: (Shhh… don't tell, but this was super easy and the wood was free!)
We called around and found places that were okay with us taking their pallets. The hard part is taking them apart and not cracking the boards. We started with a hammer or two or three… TIP: don't buy cheap hammers. Then, we moved to a sawsall. It worked okay, but not great. Finally, the hubs pulled out his circular saw and we were in business!

We separated out the keepers and made sure we had a good blend of various lengths and widths. We took out most of the nails for safety, but left a few for character (we put those pieces up high on the wall so the little man would be safe and sound)

Thankfully my hubs is pretty darn smart and helped me and Jess figure out the layout. We placed each piece on the wall temporarily (one nail in each board) just to see the layout and get all the cuts out of the way. We don't have any great tips on this step, just find someone that likes doing puzzles and invite them over to help! (You might notice that between breaking apart the pallets and doing the wall that I moved from a blonde to a reddish brunette. 2 hair colors in one post… is that a blogger foul?)

Once we had the layout, we took each piece down and labeled it so we'd know where to put it back. We gave each row a number and a letter going from left to right… 1A, 1B, 1C, 2A, 2B etc… Then we brought all the wood down to the garage to begin the fun part… sanding and whitewashing!

We sanded the wood lightly… we didn't want to lose cool character, but we didn't want splinters for the little man either. We arranged the wood as it would look on the wall, so that we could figure out how we wanted to whitewash the wood.

Some of the"blonde" pieces of wood needed some grey stain to make them look a bit more weathered, so we put in on randomly and rubbed it in a bit.
To make our whitewashing colors we just filled cups with water and added a few dabs of paint. It was trial and error. We used the grey-blue wall paint, white paint, and some navy (which we used full strength). We wanted cool tones, not the warm honey ones it originally had. (Will I ever remember NOT to wear sweatpants for all our projects?)

Once it was all dry, we were so thrilled with the colors and couldn't wait to put it back on the wall!

Before putting the pallet wood on the wall, we added some industrial looking lights. The hubby did this part of the job because these girls don't mess with electric- we have our limits!

To adhere the pallet wood to the wall we just used nails. You could use liquid nails, screws, etc. I thought nails would be the easiest just to spackle over when we we want to change the room (which I don't know if I'll ever will want to). Once we had the wall installed we got busy decorating and then pretty much fell in love with the finished product! How do you like it?

There are so many fun details in this room! You can read about the message board made from reclaimed barnwood here! (Yup, we're still lovin' the reclaimed barnwood!)

Not too shabby for a FREE statement wall eh? My son loves his new room and my only complaint is that we didn't try this fabulous project in one of our master bedrooms! We love it!

So there you have it! Free pallets transformed into a crazy, cool statement wall! It was free, simple, and we totally think you should try this at home! So, what pallet possibilities are you thinking of trying?

P.S. Did you see our second Nate episode? How'd we do? We're counting down the days to Cancun and of course will take you all with us through the blog!

I realize that I've been posting a lot on food recently. I would say it's because I'm pregnant and food is on my mind quite a bit but honestly, it has more to do with dragging my feet on other projects. Shall we say these have been the lazy days of late summer?
Not too lazy to make my new favorite muffins though! These come from a Blueberry Muffin recipe from the fabulous gluten-free baking book called, " Gluten-Free Baking Classics," by Annalise G. Roberts. Go here to see the book.
My friend Karen, who follows a strict gluten-free diet, recommended the book. We are not a gluten-free household but these recipes are delicious and I think having variety in your diet is always a good thing.

Recipe:
2 cups Brown Rice Flour Mix 2/3 cup granulated sugar 1 tablespoon baking powder 1 teaspoon baking soda 3/4 teaspoon xanthum gum 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/4-1/2 teaspoon nutmeg 1 1/2 cups unsweetened fresh dry blueberries 1/2 cup milk 1/2 cup canola oil 2 large eggs 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease muffin pan with cooking spray. 2. Mix flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, xantham gum, salt and nutmeg in a large mixing bowl. Add blueberries; stir to coat evenly. 3. Combine milk and oil in small bowl; remove 1 tablespoon of combined liquid and discard it. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Add to dry mixture and stir until just blended. 4. Fill muffin pan and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar.* 5. Bake 18-25 minutes and until light golden. Cool on rack.
* Cinnamon sugar is 2 tablespoons sugar to 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon.
We happened to have wild huckleberries on hand, so we used those in place of blueberries.
I hope that everyone had a lovely long weekend. We, once again, spent our entire weekend working on the house. The upside is that we accomplished a lot and I'll have some after photos of the dining room in my next post!
xoTrina

Well, we have a weekend full of ideas for things to do in Bucks County. So many great opportunities to enjoy your long weekend!
FRIDAY

Friday Night Fireworks- Lights on the River
Every Friday night throughout the summer, the New Hope/Lambertville boroughs sponsor a fireworks display at 9:30 PM (Memorial Day through Labor Day). I (Jess) have witnessed these fireworks and they're awesome- mostly because it's such a beautiful area and takes place right over the Delaware River.
SATURDAY

We just found out about a HUGE barn sale this weekend. This guy, Hugh, has been having an annual barn sale for 20 years and claims it is the largest barn sale in Bucks County. Count us in! We are heading there on Saturday morning, but the sale is Saturday, Sunday and Monday from, so there is plenty of time for you to go and take a look. The address is:
3054 York Road, Furlong, PA (We'll update you with the hours as soon as we find out. We're waiting to hear back)

This is a FREE concert at Planet Smoothie in Doylestown. Calling Out Closer is a young, Christian band, and your kids will love them (you may even like them too!) Free smoothies, free food samples and free music- why wouldn't you go??!!

Monday

Ok, I alluded to this before, but this parade is one of my favorite events of the year! Doylestown is holding their 145th Memorial Day Parade on Monday, May 30th at 10am. The parade starts at CB West, goes east on West Court Street, then east on west State Street, and finally north on North Main Street to Doylestown Cemetery for a special service. Get there early to save seats, and then go have breakfast somewhere in town. Such a fun morning, and nothing beats that patriotic small town feeling!

Happy Memorial Day Weekend, everybody!

I've gotta start off by thanking so many of you for giving awesome feedback on my Powder Room Pick Me Up. Sometimes, when I do a FREE (well almost free) room in my house that's not a full makeover, I tend to think it's a little ho-hum. You guys helped me not feel that way for long! So Thanks! If you missed it, you can check it out HERE.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Today, you're going to have to make one more click to read my REAL post, and trust me you won't regret it… you'll get to see lots of awful pics of me and the hubs from a decade ago (dang that I can even use that phrase… I'm getting old!)

Our gal pal Beth over at Free Stylin' Beth has a super fun series going on and she asked both of us to be a part (you can link to Jess' post through mine too!)

So if you're into juicy details like how Eric and I met, how Jess fits into the whole picture, and what our wedding was like, then head on over! Click Here for all the passion!
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Finally, before you head over to ready my little ole love story… have you seen the 161 entries for Creating with the Stars?? There are some amazing projects, but we know there are even more of you just waiting to enter! We'd be thrilled to have you! Click here or use the button below to link up. Submissions are now open until February 21st. If you want to read more about the contest and all that it entails, click here.

And don't forget that we have the best sponsors and partners ever! Over $4100 in prizes and the chance to be featured on HomeTalk and Homes.com! Woot Woot!

A special thanks to Homes.com, HomeGoods, HomeTalk, and Home Depot for their generous sponsorship of CWTS. We're so honored to have them!

The Grand Prize Winners (Contestant and Blog Star) will each receive:
$500 from Homes.Com $500 Gift Card to HomeGoods Project featured by HomeTalk

All contestants that make it to Week 4 will be given a $100 Giftcard to HomeGoods to use during the week 4 home decor challenge!
The Semi-Finals Winner will receive:
$500 Gift Card to Home Depot (Contestant & Blog Star) $100 worth of Martha Stewart supplies from Plaid Crafts $125 Gift Card to Lucent Lampworks Project featured by HomeTalk

The Week 2 Winner will receive: $100 Gift Card to Royal Design Studio A pair of $120 Robert Allen pillows from Chic Decor Pillows Project featured by HomeTalk

The Week 1 Winner will receive: $50 worth of 31 Gifts products $60 worth of Twtsted Yarn products $70 of Henle Headbands products $100 Blog Re-design from 733 Design Project featured by HomeTalk

Have an awesome day and don't forget to head over and show Beth some EC2 Love!

Believe it or not, my kids are pretty rough on our house… We're pretty laid back parents and our kids do a lot of ball playing, wrestling, and just being kids in our house. I love this pic that Salvatori Photography took for us- this is SO our life!

The one problem I was having was that they kept breaking everything on my family room gallery. Frames would fall and break, glass was cracked a few times from footballs- it was getting old! So, I decided to create a Kid-Friendly Gallery Wall!

Everything on the wall is either plastic, paper, or wood and there's NO glass on anything! I'm writing this post a while after completing this project, so I can tell you that we've made it over 3 months without one break!! Woohoo!
You might remember seeing a peek of this wall during Creating with the Stars- my knock-off round project was in the gallery… You can check out that tutorial here.

Here are a few more pics of the gallery and then I'll show you how I made the awesome vintage camera prints!

Now let's chat about the vintage camera prints- I love them SO much! I think they have just the right blend of vintage appeal and classy style. I got the FREE download here- gotta love an awesome, free printable! Thanks Design Editor!

I headed to staples and had them printed as 2"x3" engineer prints. They cost me about $5 bucks each. Since I knew I didn't want to frame them with a glass frame, I thought about just taping them right up on the wall… my hubs mentioned he thought it might look a tad cheapo, so I kept thinking… then it hit me- Washi Tape! I had ordered some from Consumer Crafts a while back (they have a great selection and super cheap prices).

I simply used one long piece for each side, stayed right at the edge, and folded the excess onto the back. It took me about 5 minutes max!

I think it was the perfect touch to give the paper is more finished look!

I used command strips to hang them on the wall- it was perhaps the easiest and cheapest DIY with an awesome impact on the family room!

Later this week I'm going to share how I go about creating a gallery wall- I think some people feel it can be a tad overwhelming if you let it, so I'll kind of show you how it all went down here at the Mangin pad!
What do you think of my huge, almost-free pics? And am I the only one whose kids rough up their home decor?

My daughter turned four on Sunday. Please hold on while I choke back tears and try my hardest to turn back time.

How does that happen so fast? Ugh. Anyway, she is like every other four year old girl on the face of the planet very into the Disney movie, Tangled. Because we were so busy trying to get our kitchen cabinets finished for her party, I pretty much forgot about decorating and games until 11 PM the night before her party. Even so, I was able to pull together a cute birthday display and wanted to share where I got all the FREE, adorable ideas and printables in case you know a little girl having a birthday soon.: )

We already had that giant table-turned-chalkboard that Monica made on our first Nate Show challenge, so I used it as a backdrop for our display. I found a huge amount of free printables that I used to make the pennant banner, and the sails for my little jello boats, plus a few other things not shown from Paging Supermom. Honestly their Tangled collection is so stinkin' adorable, and it's FREE to boot! Make sure you take a look at the super cute invitations they have too! Campbell loved it.

I have to say though, that the best part of the display was the cake, and I can't take any credit for it at all. There is a sweet story behind this cake (and the cupcakes that aren't shown): A beautiful 13-year old girl created this cake as a means to raise money for the adoption of her little sister from Haiti. (You can read about their journey to adopting Seraphina who has a life-threatening disease called Sickle Cell Anemia, here.) Her name is Sydney, and she's started a fundraiser called Penelope's Cakes, and accepts donations for the cakes she creates. She does a fabulous job ( my family loved the chocolate cake!), and Campbell was so excited when she saw it for the first time! If you have a need for a cake for special occasion (or just because you're hungry for cake), please think of Penelope's Cakes. My hope is that they'll get so many requests for cakes that Seraphina will come home to her family before the end of the year so she can get the healthcare she so needs.

Honestly, there is NO way I could have done anything like this! That little lady is so talented!
Is it possible to force best-friendship on children? If so, we're doing a really good job with Monica's 3rd, Kira, and Campbell. Love those two.

To end the party, we thought it would be fun to release flying lanterns into the sky just like they do in Tangled. We found these lanterns for 98 cents each and they were so awesome. Per several online suggestions, we decided to tie a long string to the lantern (about 50 feet long) so that they didn't fly away and start a forest fire. (Our fire department is literally right behind our neighborhood and we fear their wrath!)

Kids and adults alike were in awe. Too cool.

All in all, it was a fun day and a great celebration of my sweet girl.
What are your kids crushing on these days?

Only following on the blog? You're missing out. Use the buttons below to join in on all the fun!

I don't know about you, but I'm always looking for reasons to have a party, so why not celebrate the return of school?! Whether or not your kids need some encouragement to get back in the swing of things, or you just can't wait to send your kids back to school (hooray for me time!), a party is definitely in order.
Back to School Breakfast Party You could plan a party just for your kids, or, if you're up for it, invite the neighbors, or the families whose kids ride on the bus with your own kids for a quick and easy breakfast before school, ala Katie Brown.
1. Set the table. Make going back to school something to look forward to with an awesome tablespread. I love the vibrant colors and cute centerpiece with apples, a clipboard and cute printable. So easy!

Source: 6dukes.blogspot.com via Jessica on Pinterest

Source: eighteen25.blogspot.com via Jessica on Pinterest
Go the extra mile for your kids with namecards at their seats, a little gift on their plate, and fun details like this lined-paper utensil holder. Adorable! And there's no way they won't feel special and loved after that!

Source: tipjunkie.com via Kim on Pinterest
2. Choose your menu wisely. Remember to pick food items that will give them energy to get them through until lunch.

Source: katiebrownblog.com via Jessica on Pinterest
A bagel buffet could include peanut butter and jelly, granola, raisins and banana, just to name a few.

Source: katiebrownblog.com via Jessica on Pinterest
Set out cereal in cute containers (you better believe sand pails and beach accessories are on sale now. Use them!)

Source: katiebrownblog.com via Stephanie on Pinterest
Fruit kabobs couldn't be easier and are so healthy!

3. Send them off with a treat and a little encouragement!
This is so cute and you can get the FREE Smartie Pants Printable to make it even easier.

Source: bethproudfoot.blogspot.com via Jessica on Pinterest

Brown Baggin’ It

Source: onecharmingparty.com via Laura on Pinterest
There are a million ways you can spice up your kid's lunch bags to make them a little more fun. How about these adorable School Lunch Labels?

Source: littlelovely.typepad.com via The Paper Chick on Pinterest
Or these Back to School Lunch Printables by Little.Lovely.

Source: tothemoonandback143.blogspot.com via Jessica on Pinterest
And don't just stop at decorating their lunch bags. Actually pack healthy foods in a fun way for them, too. To the Moon and Back has tons of suggestions for Awesome School Lunch Ideas. And how great is that lunch box?

Source: itswrittenonthewalls.blogspot.com via Jessica on Pinterest

Source: eighteen25.blogspot.com via Jessica on Pinterest
Or simply add a little love note to your kids to tell them how proud you are of them and how much you love them. (Click on the links below each picture to be taken to the site for the free printables.)

Bring on the Dessert!

Spoil your kids with an after-school treat, or wait until after dinner to celebrate the first day of school. It only happens once a year, people, so bring out the big guns!: )

Source: bettycrocker.com via Jessica on Pinterest

Source: womansday.com via Erin on Pinterest
Mmm… cake pops.

Shawni, of the blog 71 Toes, has a Traditional First Day of School Cookie Chat after school where she sits down and talks with each of her five kids (yes, five!) about their first day. It's such a great idea to start this tradition when they are young so it's something they can look forward to each year, and a way you can easily connect with your kids. Because really, who doesn't love cookies?

Source: iammommy.typepad.com via Kiwi on Pinterest
According to the NY Times, these are the best chocolate chip cookies ever. Sadly, I can't vouch for the validity of this statement, but maybe one of you are willing to put that recipe to the test for an after-school cookie chat. (And please, by all means, feel free to send us a batch so we can"taste-test" these so-called best cookies ever.)

Let your kids know they're special with a little extra love this year.
Back to School never was sweeter!

Have you voted today? Please take a minute to do so- we will love you forever!

Did you know we have some amazing sponsors that help make our little old blog possible? Yup, they're amazing and I (Monica) wanted to tell you why…
********************************* Stuff See that funky, fun header at the top of our blog? Well, that takes you to the website of one rockin' furniture and accessory store. One of our blog readers checked it out this month and thought it was pretty awesome too! With the holidays approaching, head over and get something fun for your house before company comes! (My personal favorites are the farm house tables and cool accent chairs)

RT. 309 | 927 Bethlehem Pike (3 Miles North of Montgomery Mall) Colmar, PA 18915 Tel: 215.716.3325Fax: 215.716.3431 Email: info@stuffcloseouts.comstuff Open Friday, Saturday & Sunday
********************************* Jet Upholstery So one DIY that I pretty much don't ever plan to attempt is reupholstering furniture. Way outta my league! Thankfully, I have Jet Upholstery right around the corner in Bucks County. Their work is amazing. Today, I hit a thrift store on the hunt for a cool chair to have Jet refinish for me! I'm still looking, but I know that when I find it, they're going to make it amazing! They also have an amazing selection of designer fabrics and can get just about anything you want. I just found this chair on Craigslist… and I've been drooling over this fabric…

So, give Jet Upholsty a call or check out their website. Go find an ugly chair for pennies and let them make it fabulous for you! JET Upholstery3102 Bedminster Road Bedminster, PA 18910 215-795-0881 215-220-3443 fax Store Hours: Mon-Thurs. 9-5 Friday 9-4 / Sat 9-12
********************************* Mandy Hajel, 31 Gifts

So, you probably know about 31 Gifts and how it's taking the world by storm. If not, stop right now and go check out Mandy's site. Really… GO! There are so many reasons to love 31… adorable fabric options, super cute bags, really fun parties, and it's a business that is based off of the Proverbs 31 woman. Rather than going on about the products, let me tell you a bit about Mandy (she's one of my bffs!). You see, Mandy and I used to teach English together… that is before she joined 31. She's been with the company for 1 year and in that time has made enough money to replace (and more) her teacher's salary, she's earned a family vacation to Disney World, a romantic trip for two to Mexico, a Dell laptop, an Ipad 2, a huge Best Buy giftcard, an XBox, and more. Do you think I earned all that as a teacher?? Umm, Nope. So, if you're looking to make a little side money before the holidays, give Mandy a call, she'll hook you up and teach you her secrets to success! Amanda Hajel Phone: (301) 791-3579 Email: hajelfamily@yahoo.com Website: http://www.mythirtyone.com/hajel/ ********************************* Blossom Bands So, what are your kids wearing for Thanksgiving and Christmas? Ok, maybe it's a tad early to know 100%, but you need to get thinking! The only thing you need to be sure of is to include a Blossom Band for your little ladies. I bought a Halloween one this month for Kira and she loved it! Bethany has tons of ready to sell items as well as custom pieces to match whatever outfits you're planning. You know how in decorating it's all in the details?? Well, a Blossom Band is the perfect detail to make your holiday outfits fabulous!

Bethany Lander Etsy: Bands Etsy Store Email: Bethany@BlossomBands.com Website: http://www.blossombands.com/
********************************* Jennifer Black, The Pampered Chef

If you read Jess' post on her amazing Apple dessert, then you know that we LOVE Pampered Chef products. Did you know that I only use stoneware to do all my cooking? Really, I have almost every stone they sell. It's definitely one of my favorite things. With thanksgiving coming, you should peruse their catalog and see what you need before cooking for the masses. I actually never buy something without hosting a party because the benefits are insane. I'm a huge fan of the catalog show because # 1- I don't have to find a date in my crazy schedule and # 2 Did I mention the amazing incentives and FREE products? So, call Jane, host a catalog party, and get a bunch of free stuff! Ok, even if you don't do the party thing, you must own at least one piece of stoneware and Jess recommends the apple corer slicer! Jennifer BlackPhone: (410) 952-1179
Email: Janeniferjblack@comcast.net
Website: http://www.pamperedchef.biz/jenniferblack
********************************* The Land of Nod I've loved Crate & Barrel forever (we actually registered there for our wedding) so of course I LOVE their sister store, The Land of Nod! You'll definitely want to check them out for holiday decor and Christmas presents.

Here is one Must Have item if you have elementary aged kids.

It's the BEST doodle book ever! Taro Gomi draws the coolest Japanese doodles to get your kiddos thinking. Each page usually has a picture and a prompting question. Ex: An empty plate and the question… The Queen's coming for dinner, what do we feed her? My kids ADORE this book and fought over the pages enough that I finally bought a few more! The Land of Nod has offered our readers FREE shipping on most Holiday Toys, so click the pic below to take advantage of it! LMK if you buy a fun doodle book!

*********************************

Did Jess and I mention that life has been a wee bit crazy lately? Each week we keep saying that"it should slow down next week", but so far it just keeps on being awesome and crazy! Dream Dinners has been a total savior in this area! The other night I was over and asked Jess what they were going to do for dinner (because I had nothing planned for my family) and she just pointed to an amazing looking Dream Dinner thawing and ready to pop in the oven. Even if you love to cook, it's so wonderful to have some DDs on hand for the unexpected busy day. Give Kris a call and bring your friends- it's so fun to make meals together!
Kris Petrich, Owner 309 at Advance Ln 262 Bethlehem Pike, Ste 101 Colmar, PA 18915 Tel: 215-822-4055 Email: 309advanceLNPA@dreamdinners.com Website: http://www.dreamdinners.com/
A BIG Thanks to all of our sponsors! Thanks for taking this crazy journey with us! Now, go show them some RHBC love!
If you have a business or a product that you think our readers would love, contact us to talk about becoming a blog sponsor. Thanks!

You get to read about our projects, you know what the inside of our houses look like, but who are The Real Housewives of Bucks County? Well, this must be your lucky day, because today we're sharing a bit of ourselves with you… (Warning, some of these questions are cheesy, but who doesn't like a little cheese and we like 'em!)
Meet the Real Housewives of BC

1. Do you have kids?

2. Where is your birth place and are you far from it now?

3. What is one thing you could not do when you were a child, but you can do now?

5. What are your hobbies?

6. What is your favorite ice cream flavor?

7. If you could travel anywhere in the world — where would you go and why?

8. Have you ever met a famous person?

9. What is your least favorite thing about yourself?

10. One that describes your BFF and blog partner?

11. How tall are you?

12. When you were little — What did you want to do"when you grew up?" Are you doing it?

13. How do you spend your free time?

14. Favorite sport you like to watch or participate in?

15. What kind of food do you prefer eating when you are out?

16. Last Movie You Watched?

17. Would you like to be famous?

18. What Book Are You Reading?

19. Favorite Bible Verse?

*Photos courtesy of Doug from Candid Moments Photography. Thanks so much, Doug! You did a great job working with some very amateur models.: )
So, it's your turn now. What questions do you have for us? We're game for answering {almost} anything!