Tuesday, November 30, 2010

A Few of my Favorite Things - The Ricaso Edition

There is a group of shops on Zazzle that all fall under the Ricaso name. With all of the new products at Zazzle, I thought I would highlight some of the incredible designs you can find from Ricaso. Coasters, ornaments, iPad and iPhone cases - you'd be missing out if you didn't take a look at what one of the best Zazzlers (and people) had to offer.










Flowers speckcase
Flowers by Ricaso_Skins
See more iphone cases

DJ speckcase
DJ by Ricaso_Skins
Browse more iphone designs



Take a look. Look around some more. And get to shopping!


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Friday, November 26, 2010

A Few of my Favorite Things - The Victoria Lynn Hall Edition

When you want whimsical, dreamy, classic, or fabulous artwork, look no further than my friend Victoria Lynn Hall. Her drawings and paintings are not to be missed. Cats, mermaids, fairies, and wine are just a few of the subjects you will find in her work and designs. I have to say, Victoria is not only a talented artist, but a sweet and kind person as well, and I'm glad to have her as a friend.

Here is just a small sample of what you will find in her Zazzle shop:












Visit Victoria today - you are bound to find something that fit your tastes or those of someone you love!


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Wednesday, November 24, 2010

A Few of my Favorite Things - The Blessed Weddings Edition

When you visit the Blessed Weddings shop on Zazzle you are stepping into your one stop shopping spot for all things wedding related! From the beginning (announcing the big event, choosing your bridesmaids and flower girl) to the planning (invitations and postage) to the end (thank you, just married) and every step in-between, you are sure to find something to suit your tastes and desires here!

Take a look:











Take a look at these designs and more from Blessed Weddings to have the wedding of your dreams!

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Giving Thanks & Remembrance to a Special Man

On Thanksgiving we often give thanks for the people and things in our life ~ our families and friends, our health, our jobs, our successes. Every year I am thankful for the people that are in my life that have helped shape me, who continue to help shape me, who make a difference and continue to do so through their lives, and also for those people we've lost.

There is no one more meaningful to me, especially at Thanksgiving, than my (maternal) Grandfather. I've blogged about my paternal Grandfather - a man I never knew, but who, I feel, helped shape my love and need for music. But my other Grandfather, my Grandpa, is the man who helped me become the woman I am today. He helped form the compassion I would grow to have for everyone, regardless of our differences. My Mom taught me that someone's religion, race, sexual orientation, or disability isn't what makes a person who they are. How they are as a person and how they treat others is what makes someone who they are. That was a lesson she learned, perhaps indirectly, from my Grandpa. There may have been things or people he didn't care for or didn't understand, but I never heard him say a bad thing about anyone. All I ever felt from him was Love - love for me and our family, love for others.

My Grandpa was born on Valentine's Day, 1912 in West Virginia. He served in the Navy, he was a bowler, he loved card games and crossword puzzles (both of which I often tried to "help" with when I was a kid), and he loved his garden. He was also the main father figure in my life (along with one of my Uncles). My Mom and I spent a lot of time at my Grandparent's house while I was growing up. I, of course, went through some of the early teen years thinking it was un-cool to hang with the Grandparents, but I always cherished every moment of it. I feel extremely blessed and lucky that I was able to spend time with them and to form a wonderful and unbreakable bond with them.

Over the later years of his life, my Grandpa had some health issues. There were surgeries and time in the hospital. I hated the thought of seeing him in the hospital, and only went once. It's not that I wasn't concerned or didn't care. It was that I hated hospitals and I hated the thought of seeing my Grandpa in one. He was always so happy and active and that is how I liked to see him. In 1992, after some months of him having little energy or desire to do anything, and after great convincing from my Mom and Aunts, my Grandpa was taken to the doctor. Eventually it was discovered he had Cancer. On November 10th he had surgery to remove the Cancer from his colon. It was then that the doctors saw that the Cancer had spread. We then went through the "if he makes it through the night..." and "if he makes through the next couple of days..." tango. It was up and down.

On the evening of Wednesday, November 25th (the day before Thanksgiving), we got the call that my Grandpa has passed away. I remember being in my bedroom with my then boyfriend (now husband) playing a card game - fitting that we were doing something I loved doing with my Grandpa on that particular evening. I heard the phone ring and for some reason I knew, I knew something was wrong. Minutes later my mom came to my door to tell me the news. I was heartbroken. There was a part of me that knew it was for the best - for him, for our family. But he was gone and that was rough.

It's been 18 years since we lost him. And there is not one single day that I don't think of him. I knew at a young age, that if I ever had a son, he would be named after my Grandpa. In 2004, my son was born, and his middle name is the that of my Grandpa (which also happens to be my Mom's middle name). My son will never truly understand the importance of his middle name, but he has been told and he carries the name proudly.

I take this Thanksgiving, as I do every Thanksgiving, and remember the man who was such a loving and caring man. I thank him for being a man that everyone was proud to call friend, Dad, Grandpa, Uncle, and Brother. And I thank God for making our family what it was and blessing us all with this wonderful man.

Thank you Grandpa. I love you. Happy Thanksgiving.

 

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Monday, November 22, 2010

A Few of my Favorite Things - The Holiday Edge Edition

With Thanksgiving here and Christmas quickly coming upon us, there is no better shop at Zazzle to visit than The Holiday Edge. With designs ranging from elegant to creepy, beautiful to whimsical, your holiday needs will be met and more when you visit this talented Zazzle designer.

Take a look at just a few of the things you can find here:












Please check out this fantastic shop - you will NOT be disappointed!


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Sunday, November 7, 2010

Once Upon a Puzzle Time, I Wrote a Review...

"WOW!"
"It's awesome!"
"I don't like it, I LOVE it!"


Those are just a few of the comments my 6 year old son had to say about a special surprise I ordered for him from a great site called Once Upon A Puzzle. Their tagline, "It's more fun when it's personal" is one of most honest statements I've heard. My son loves to do puzzles, a trait he's picked up from me. But I have never seen him more excited about a puzzle as I have with this one.

At Once Upon A Puzzle you get to customize the puzzles you order. You choose a story, or story map, and then make it personal for your child, grandchild, niece, nephew, friend, or any other puzzle lover by including their friends, favorite foods, activities, toys, and more.

I ordered the Pirate Story Map Puzzle in the 11x17 size. I got to add the names of some of his friends, two of his favorite foods, as well as his favorite stuffed animal, myself, and his dad. They make it simple to do and you can even preview of the puzzle before you place the order. Honestly the hardest part of the whole ordering process was trying to decide which friends to mention and what foods to list. Otherwise, it was easy peasy (as the puzzle recipient would say).

We got the puzzle, very nicely packaged and in perfect condition. The box that the puzzle comes in has a picture of the customized puzzle on the lid. Inside, neatly wrapped in tissue paper is a zipper baggy with the puzzle pieces inside. Not only is it easy and convenient to take the pieces out, but is easy to store once you take the puzzle apart. The high quality of the pieces and the finished product is great. The pieces are large enough for small hands, but small enough to make the process of putting it together enough of a challenge. My son and I had a blast putting the puzzle together. Seeing everyone's names and places, such as Corbin Cliff, Oliver Swamp, Dad Treasure, and Port Peanut Butter come together was exciting for him. I've never seen such a smile on his face while putting a puzzle together.
I would more than recommend ordering a puzzle from Once Upon A Puzzle for your friends and family. Fun for all ages, and personal to boot, these make great gifts for the holidays and birthdays, or as a "just because" treat for someone special. Run, don't walk, over to Once Upon A Puzzle! Also, be sure to "Like" them on Facebook for great updates and information!


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