Fun and HOT time BBQ'ing!!

 A rare photo op....so please don't be disturbed.  

I hate my photo taken but even posed for this one because of the aprons!!

My younger, but bigger, brother is an Utah Highway Trooper so he confiscated these aprons.

We were celebration Pioneer Day here in Utah and I have to say with the heat I felt like a Pioneer cooking over a fire!!

I got to be the cop he was the robber!

It was a HOT and HUMID day and my "wonderful white hair" shows proof of the desperate conditions!!

We had a great time and this was the first time we had Philly Cheese Steak Sandwiches!

DELICIOUS!!

Today is the last day of my CHRISTMAS IN JULY sale with 15% off on everything in my shop!

EVERYTHING!!

This is for everything in the shop but excludes shipping. 

Type in CIJ2013 to redeem your coupon at check out.

Hope your day is COOL!

Enjoy,

Barb

Happy Pioneer Day!!

Happy Pioneer Day!!

A fun Utah holiday and a day for family and food!

Enjoy your day,

Barb

Giving Thanks!

I am still having 15% off on everything in my shop to include Thanksgiving items too!

This is for everything in the shop but excludes shipping. 

Type in CIJ2013 to redeem your coupon at check out.

It will be Pioneer Day here in Utah tomorrow and I have to give Thanks to my ancestors who left the United Kingdom and Europe to come to the USA. 

In reading some of the stories of the Pioneers I would not have made it through all the hardships they endured. 

This makes me Grateful and Thankful for AIR CONDITIONING, a refrigerator--even if the ice machine is not working at present, a soft bed....I think you get the picture! 

Not only should I be Thankful at Thanksgiving time but every day in between.  

My life is good even if some times I think will I survive "this"!? 

Here is hoping that I will be able to find Thanksgiving in my heart every day!!

I am Thankful to all of my good friends and family who support me locally and on the web.

Enjoy your day!

Barb

Celebrating Halloween in July too!

Not only do I love Christmas in July but I am all about Halloween! 

I am not sure if it is the black and orange with some purple and green, but Halloween has become colorful! 

Still having 15% off on everything in my shop to include Halloween items too!

This is for everything in the shop but excludes shipping. 

Type in CIJ2013 to redeem your coupon at check out.

Still having a fun giveaway on my business Facebook page.

This will end tomorrow so hurry over!

Click HERE to take you to the link.

Like my page and leave a comment for a chance to win the photo on my page.

Of all the Halloween tricks this box below is one of my favorites! 

We have so much fun offering people a treat only to be tricked!

The large black spider pops out at you.  

(When taking these photos I had to wait for my daughter to come home to help me because my son refused!!)

Some of the reactions are priceless! 

One last FUN Halloween surprise is the giveaway happening over at the EHAG!

Click HERE to take you to their blog and sign up for the giveaway!

They always have some of the best things to help you celebrate Halloween everyday! 

Hope you all enjoy your day!

Barb

Chickens Ahead...

 I am not sure why I have a fascination with chickens.

My grandparents had them when I was growing up. 

I remember gathering eggs occasionally but was scarred for life when my grandpa had to cut off the head of the chicken we had for dinner.  

Grandma kept telling me it was not the one that was beheaded....it was the one from the grocery. 

My son was asked to take care of our neighbor's chickens while they were on vacation.  The second day in he and his dad came home with a dead chicken.

We were not sure if it was the heat or being pecked to death....now he, the animal lover has been scarred for life.  But the asking for chickens has some to a complete stop! 

I had a friend in Vegas who loved chickens and her kitchen was decorated so nicely with all manner of chickens. 

I think this is where I notice how colorful they could be and started looking at chickens in a new light. 

Now all these chickens are 15% off at my Etsy shop for Christmas in July. 

I will be having 15% off on everything in my shop.   So if Chickens are not your thing there is plenty of other things to choose from.

This is for everything in the shop but excludes shipping. 

Type in CIJ2013 to redeem your coupon at check out. 

I had no idea I had this many chickens---does this count for owning them but not having to feed or maintain them?  This works for me!!

Now GEESE they are a complete different critter and a story for another time....

Enjoy your day!

Barb

Christmas in July on Etsy

Today is the day!! 

Etsy sponsors a site wide Christmas in July event.  

Many shops will be having specials.

Type in "CIJ" or "christmasinjuly" all one word in the search bar to see all the great creations!

I will be having 15% off on everything in my shop. 

 This is for everything in the shop but excludes shipping.  

Type in CIJ2013 to redeem your coupon at check out.

Still having a fun giveaway on my business Facebook page.

Click on the photo above to take you to the link.

Like my page and leave a comment for a chance to win the above photo.

This is a fun design by Tina Marie Ledbetter.  

It is painted on black screening and framed in green.

Now time to go shopping!

Enjoy your day,

Barb

Facing Reality

 Well, I had to face reality……I am not a card maker or a scrapbook artist.

While living in Las Vegas my cousin introduced me to Stampin’ Up and I fell in love with all their cute stamp designs. 

  On a rampage I went, buying stamps, paper, cards, ink, fun decorative scissors, you name it I had it.  My cousin held classes on how to use all the products and I was there to learn. 

She made it look so easy and as long as I could follow her designs I was semi-good at it, well kind of.

There truly is an art to scrap booking and card making and I do not have that talent.

I made some cards and even sent some out.  

Now in hindsight I really think I victimized the poor person that received the cards!  

My husband told me they were good…I think only because I had invested so much money in buying all the supplies.

Last year my daughter, sister and I were even going to make cards for the military men and women stationed over sees and help Operation Write Home:

  http://operationwritehome.org/

We spent three days doing this and following their great layouts.  

I looked at my cards and then at my sister and we both burst out laughing.  

I finally said, “I think I need to stick to the two things I do best:  Eating and Painting. 

So I have put the stamps and the supplies up for sale in my Etsy shop HERE.

Time to destash and hopefully all the wonderful card makers out there could use these stamps and supplies!

Right now it is even a better deal with 15% off in my Etsy shop using CIJ2013 code.

I am even up for making a deal on these so if you are interested please feel free to contact me.

Since I do know how to paint I am having a giveaway on my Facebook page and you could win the photo there.  Hopefully not an eye sore like my cards were!

It is located HERE.

Hoping you have a creative day in whatever you create.

I will stick to eating and painting!

Enjoy your day,

Barb

My Winnings from Vicky's Art Blog

 Well it was Christmas in July here at my house.  

I was the lucky winner from Vicky's Art Blog Summertime Giveaway!!

Not only did I win this FABULOUS Watermelon Welcome sign but a multitude of fun gifts!

 She sent one of her Whimsical Folk Art Patriotic Chickens!

She even shares her tutorial on how to make them HERE.

She knows I am allergic to fabric and sewing!! 

I kept finding all these goodies!  

Chickens and Watermelons. 

 The little ceramic ones are measuring cups--who would have thunk!?! 

Then a patriotic apron, salt and pepper shakers in the shape of stars and a patriotic candle holder....great way to light the sparklers outside!

It was Christmas in July at my house and my kids thought I had ordered all this for my Birthday!

No just the generosity of a true blog friend!

If you haven't visited Vicky's blog or shop you are missing out!

THANK YOU Vicky for all the goodies!!

Thanks for stopping by and enjoy your day,

Barb

Let the FUN begin!!

I have started to Celebrate Christmas in July…just a bit early!  

So EVERYTHING in my shop is 15% off!   

CIJ2013 is the code to use at checkout. 

 Those of you who have been following my blog know I have tried to have Christmas in my heart all year so I am trying something new.

I will be having a Christmas in July and in my heart giveaway on Facebook.  

My first giveaway on Facebook so hopefully I will not screw this up too much!

Click on the photo above to take you to my page.

Rules:

Like my Facebook page and leave a comment under the giveaway prize page.

Please share if you would like.

This will run from July 5th-July 19th

Open to USA and Canada

Thank you and Enjoy your Christmas in July!!

Barb

Happy 4th of July!

 HAPPY 4TH OF JULY!!!

We have a parade in our town on the 3rd of July in the evening.  We are lucky enough to see all the other little cities marching bands and  floats and this year they had some fabulous floats!!

Then there is all the candy that is tossed out!

I am all for the tootsie rolls but for the most part it is salt water taffy--the state candy due to all the salt from the Great Salt Lake.  

(OK, it really is not official but should be!)

This parade was a long one almost two hours worth of candy throwing!

At least it was not as hot as in years past.

Now the reason I add the Patriotic angel to this post is due to our neighborhood pyrotechnics!

This is my angel to keep our house safe with all the fireworks the neighborhood sets off.

It is a bit ear-splitting to say the least! 

 I just hope my house does not catch on fire.

Our little town goes all out on a big production of fireworks too.  

We will be in our usual spot watching those tonight too.

I hope you all have a very enjoyable holiday!

Barb

JULY=HEAT=CHRISTMAS!

Can you believe July already!!

I can, only due to the record setting heat we are having here.

 I know I whined about the cold now it is time to whine about the heat!

So what better time of  year then now to celebrate Christmas in July.

Christmas In July is an Etsy community driven event that will be held

 July 11th – July 21st 2013.

This is a fun event for full out shopping and getting a jump on Christmas gifts or any other type of gift needed!

All shops that participate will have some type of promotion going on whether it be a percent off, free shipping, clearance section, etc.  Make sure to read the shop announcement to see what that shop is offering.

The tag to type in to the search bar for shops that are participating is "CIJ" or "christmasinjuly" (all one word).  

 It is not only Christmas items...I am finding so many fun everyday and other holiday items throughout the Etsy site!

I will be participating in this sale as well!

My sale will go from July 5th--July 26th!

I am offering 15% off everything in my shop, excluding shipping, but to include clearance items, supplies, and patterns.  EVERYTHING!!

The Promo Code to use in my shop will be CIJ2013.

I plan to get my Christmas shopping done early this year and with the heat what better way to utilize your time then SHOPPING!!

Hope we all find that perfect gift!

Enjoy,

Barb