My Favorites from the Knock Off, THE HAPPY DANCE plus lots of tidbits from Cheri

OK so I have been up since @ 4:00 a.m. I told you, I will wake up in the middle of the night, think of a project idea and I'm not able to go back to sleep until I have gone through the process of how I am going to do it. So this morning, I couldn't go back to sleep because I had so many things I need to get done today so I just got up and started working on projects. I had been at it for a bit when I grabbed my camera and took some photos and snapped a picture of the time. Yesterday, inspiration for a project, came while I was in the shower, of course I don't have anything I need for this project but I can not wait to try it because I think it is going to be really COOL.

We interrupt this broadcast to share a little tip with you--I haven't given any TIPS lately and thought I would just throw this one out there for you. Have you ever had to peel garlic? Your hand stinks like garlic for days. Washing them with soap and water doesn't remove the smell but you know what does remove the smell-IMMEDIATELY? Wash your hands with a stainless steel spoon. If you want to use a fork or knife and poke yourself while doing this, go right ahead but I will stick with the spoon. I grab a spoon and just use it, as if it was a bar of soap, making sure I get all of my fingers, on both sides and the palms of my hands and WAH-LAH no more garlic smell. They sell little stainless steel rocks that you can use but they are pricey and a spoon works just the same.

So back to my 4:00 a.m. projects. I was working on this
I will show you what I did with this tomorrow on the Celebrating the Holidays party, so be sure and come back tomorrow and post your favorite decorating ideas, your own projects or recipes.


When I bought this metal plate holder, I didn't like the little area (where the acorn and leaves are now). It looked like something from the 1980's. It had a heart cut out, so I knew I had to redo it. I made the double banner and I have redone the lettering like 6 times. I just couldn't get it to look like I wanted.

but now I finally have it all done and I can get it all ready to ship out to the winner of the little contest "to see if we can hit 200 followers". I hope she loves it.



I am doing another GIVE-A-WAY. On my far right panel you will see this book cover

by Sandy Badgett, Remembering Laura, letting go of life with beauty and grace. I personally know Sandy. We went to the same church together and I was very familiar with Laura's story. Laura was diagnosed with a brain tumor, as a newly married, young wife, who hadn't even had a chance to have any children or begin to make a dent in all the plans they wanted to do together. What I really love about this book (and yes I read it and could barely put it down) is that Sandy doesn't just write a sad story about her daughter's journey. Yes, it is a heart wrenching story, after all she left behind a young husband and 2 little boys, A Mom and Dad and 2 brothers and a host of friends and other family members, but it doesn't matter what you are dealing with-job loss, problems with a rebellious teenager, divorce, illness, tragic loss, financial despair, YOU can apply this book to your life. Remembering Laura just came out Aug, 5th-Laura's birthday.

I purchased a book and Sandy was so kind to offer one of her books as a give away on my blog. She has added a sweet personal touch, she has added different colored little bookmark ribbons in each book, of course they are in Laura's favorite color-pink. All you need to do is go over to Sandy's website, click on her name, Sandy Badgett
and it will take you there. Look around and then come back over and You need to tell me 2 things-the name of Laura's 2 little boys AND what made you want to read this book.


You can put your name in for the drawing up until next Monday, Sept. 14. (till 11:59 p.m.) and I will announce the winner on Tues, Sept. 15 with my favorite picks next Tues. The chance to enter begins NOW!!!

Now can I share something exciting with you? NO-I am not pregnant!! My blog will be 4 months old this weekend. Every morning I check my e-mail to see if there are any e-mails I need to answer immediately. I try to get over to anyone new right away and then I go look at my blog to see if there are any new followers that I need to go visit (that is-if they have a link and I can get to their blog). I write down my visitor counter number, my followers number, and my blog ranking number and then I check these numbers again before I go to bed. Depending on the day and what is on my TO DO list, depends on what I do at this point. I knew this week would probably be a little more quiet because of the long holiday weekend. I went in to check my numbers last night and my blog was ranked #50-that put me on the top spot of page #2. I clicked on #49 (which puts you on the FIRST page and I have never been on the first page) to see what their number was. I figured it might be 50-100 away but it was only 12 away from mine. I went in and told my husband "if I make the first page this week, I WILL have to do a happy dance". I logged in, a little bit ago, to do this post and write my numbers down and my blog ranking was #46---WOO HOO!!! Can you all stand up and do a little Happy Dance with me. I am there because of YOU. Happy Dance Happy Dance. Thank you gals. Now I need to quadruple my numbers to get higher up the page--Can we do it? I hope so. My hubby would be so happy if I had some advertisers get on board, you know since he is in school and looking for a job.

I am working on several projects, besides the projects I will show you tomorrow. We have this wedding coming up next month, and we will be heading back to Kansas City.
We have all been out this weekend trying to find clothes for the wedding. The kids constantly grow and they all needed clothes. Miss G4 had a cute dress, she could wear but she had grown out of all of her dress shoes. I found these and she LOVES pink:So one of my projects started with this pair of shoes.
This was going to be her dress for attending the wedding:

Now here is part of my project:


So what do you think those will become?

I got an e-mail, this morning, from Mrs. T about house pictures-I can not wait to show you...Need more info to know what I am even talking about? Click on Mrs. T

And now for my Favorite picks this week. Please be sure and visit each one. Knock Offs I appreciate every single person who posts to the party, they are all great. All of my picks can go over and grab the button "I was featured on Its So Very Cheri". My picks this week are:

#1--Roeshel's faux Mercury Glass Pumpkins are adorable. I love these pumpkins. I have got to do this. These came out so great. Can I say I LOVE LOVE LOVE these, one more time? She has many more to look at on her blog.

#2-- Dress Form
Eveyone is doing dress forms. They are all so cute and unique and this one is no exception.

#3 Love is all you need Did a great, thrifty sign Knock Off. she saw this and wanted it:
but with a hefty price tag she was going to try and make one that looked similar and her eis what she created: Great Knock Off, this gets the stamp of Stock Out approval.

#4 Table Redo Look at what this table looked like before Miss Crafty got a hold of it:
Then creative sensation began: I was cracking up (not laughing at her, just cracking up at HOW different life is after you have kids) and I am quite certain she has no children and you want to know why--she knows how many of these: she put in. Mine would not be done in one sitting and even if it was, I would be asked 9 bah-jillion questions and loose count and once they were all in, I wouldn't have time to count or I'd know I would be asked another 9 bah-jillion questions and never be able to ever get to the end so I wouldn't even waste the time beginning to count. You gave me a goog little giggle. Before kids I would have known the number too.

#5-- KNOCK OUT J Crew toddler rosette dress Look at that cutie puh-tootie and I'm not talking about the dress yet. Don't you just want to grab the screen and kiss those little cheeks. This dress is so cute and she has a great tutorial on how she did it.


I know this is a long post so -- Don't forget to put your name in for the drawing.
Sandy Badgett I know you will be captivated by this book as much as I was.

I love reading every comment and I do read every single one, even if I don't get over for a visit. If you become a follower, I will do the same and come follow you in return. If I have not come for a visit within 24 hours it is because you don't have a link on your follower setup and I can not find you. Please leave me a message with your blog info so I can come on over.