Katie’s Valentine Gifts

Remember last year’s tissue cozy Valentines that I sewed for Katie to pass out in class? Since Katie has started her own sewing classes, this year I decided it was time for her to make her own Valentines!

She took a hair accessory class from her sewing instructor, and learned how to make headbands, hairclips and bows. One of the headbands was cute and easy, so we decided to make one for each of the girls in her class.

Here’s how one of them looks in Katie’s hair:

And here’s how the headband looks when it isn’t being worn:

All we did was take two ponytail holders and loop them together. Then we cut the ribbon into 16.5 inch lengths. Katie sewed each end of the ribbon around the ponytail holder (not through it, just around it so it’ll still be free to stretch). Then we used fabric paint to write each girls’ name on the inside of the headband. I suggested this because of a recent bout of head lice in the second grade, and because I don’t want the girls to lose their headbands. The fabric paint also gives the headband a little bit of grip on the girls’ hair.

Now I need your help: does anyone have a cute saying we can use with the headbands? Katie can make Valentine cards to attach to the headband and the cards can be punny and say something like I *hair* you’ll be my Valentine. Of course, I need a cute saying that isn’t so LAME. Any ideas? And while you’re at it, let me know if you have any cute ideas of something we can make for the boys in Katie’s class. There’s a special prize for the person with the best ideas!

Giveaway Winners, or Why Doesn't Anyone Love Me?

Congratulations to the TWO winners of my blog birthday giveaway! Yes, you read correctly: I had TWO winners. Is that because I am so generous? Uh, no. (Although let's say I am anyway!) It's because nobody else even entered the giveaway.

Ouch.

Y'all make me feel so sad. So unloved. Is it the prizes? Did you not like them? Or is it that I have only two readers? Oh, boo hoo. Let the pity party commence.

So... congratulations to my two readers, Scrappy Sue and AbFab Geek. Thanks for being loyal friends, y'all! One of you is my friend in Real Life (AbFab) and one is my friend in cyberworld (Scrappy Sue - but I'm hoping one day we'll meet in person). I'll be working on your prizes soon!

Happy First Birthday & Giveaway

I promised you that I would have a little birthday celebration for Six Golden Coins, and here it is! (Albeit 15 days late!)

Here's the bad news: if you were waiting for some spectacular post with great reminisces from me, you'll have to check back later. I don't have much to give you these days, after dealing with Dan's back injury, two wily kids, and my grandmother's failing health.

Now don't go feeling like I'm neglecting you, poor Six Golden Coins. Just because I don't have a lot of inspiring things to write doesn't mean I don't love you! On the contrary! You have been one of the most motivating, inspiring, meaningful things in my life this past year. You've been my outlet when I'm melancholy for my family, homesick for days gone by, aching from my disease, or overwhelmed by the daily grind of being a mother and wife and friend. And you've also been the first place I want to turn when I am overjoyed by new milestones, bursting with awe at our God, or prideful at the growth of my children.

Simply put, I have found myself in you, dear blog. You have helped me grow in ways I never imagined, and helped crystallize my inner fortitude. You have strengthened me and caused me to become more introspective and intentional in how I live my life. And the best part? You've become a part of my family - a living, growing part of my family - because YOU are the chronicle of our lives. You will be the place we turn one day to remember the has-beens and used-to-bes. You are our family's growth chart, diary and scrapbook, all rolled into one.

Thank you for being so many things to us. And thank you for the connections you've brought me to the amazing bloggy world out there. Connections of faith, craftiness, friendship, kindness, constructive criticism, and support.

So to honor you, Six Golden Coins, I'm hosting a happy little giveaway. It's what we do in the bloggy world, right? First, I'll reveal the prize since I know that's what everyone wants to know first.

I'll be giving away three things: a copy of my favorite CD (you'll just have to wait and see!), a customized photo bracelet, and a custom onesie or t-shirt from Katie Kay Tees (winner's choice). Yes, there is only one winner and he/she will get all three. And chances are I'll be throwing in a sampling of some of my other favorite things, just because I want to shower y'all with love. I'm not telling what those things are, at least not yet. But I promise you it'll be fun!

So how can you win? You get one entry by leaving me a comment in this post. Your comment MUST include your email address and also your favorite post that you've read on Six Golden Coins. (Yes, I am ashamed to admit I am needy and starving for praise, y'all!) You can also get an additional entry by posting about Six Golden Coins at your blog and then coming back here and leaving me another comment with a permalink to your post.

See? It's that simple. "You add ice and it make ice tea!" (inside joke with Dan)

I will keep the contest open until noon (CST) on April 27. I will pick a winner and will contact the winner to coordinate the customized prizes.

In closing, I'm posting some gratuitous shots of my kids just so there are photos in my post.

Now you can see those wily kids for yourself.

Happy birthday, Six Golden Coins!

Happy Belated Birthday, Six Golden Coins!

Mistakenly, I had it in my mind that April 20 was my blog's birthday. Turns out I'm wrong. Ugh! It's like I forgot my best friend's birthday. Shame on me!

Six Golden Coins turned one last Sunday, April 5. Happy birthday, my friend!

Had I been thinking correctly, I would have planned a big bash for you, including some sort of spectacular writing by Yours Truly and maybe even a fun giveaway. But now it all seems anticlimactic to plan a big bash. Am I wrong?

Heck, no, dude! I think I'll just move forward with my thinking that the birthday is April 20. We'll just plan something for that day, even though it is 15 days late. How 'bout that?

Now I better work on some sort of plan, since I have only 10 days to put it together. Stay posted, y'all.

And please leave me a comment so my blog feels at least some sort of birthday love. Poor thing.

Bloggy Winner

Today my Bloggy Giveaway winner, Gretchen, received the photo bracelet I made for her. I'm happy that she's happy, and that she promises to wear it all the time. Yay!

Go see what she wrote, and a photo of the bracelet on her wrist. And if you want one of your own, let me know! I can email you all the details on how to order one.

Thanks, Gretchen!

Giveaway Winner

Gretchen! I loved her feedback throughout my blog, and I look forward to making her a photo bracelet to wear on her many travels.

Thanks to all of you who participated in my giveaway. I know this sounds cheesy, but your comments really lifted my spirits and I think I'll be making lasting friendships with some of you. I think I'm the one who won the contest! Don't be surprised if you see me visiting your blog or contacting you by email. I want to return the love and say thank you personally! It might take me a little while to get around to visiting all of you, though. This Bloggy Giveaway really threw me a curveball. I can't believe all the craziness! The last time I checked, there were ELEVEN HUNDRED giveaways. Yeeow!

If you want to order a custom photo bracelet, please contact me by leaving a comment on this post. I not only give them away in the contest, but I sell them too!

Thanks again to everyone! Please come back and visit me often!

Lunch at School

The highlight of my day (so far) was having lunch with Katie at school. The kids get only 20 minutes to eat, so it went by in a flash. But it was so cool meeting her friends and getting to talk to them. And she was thrilled to see me. You would have thought I was a superhero or something! Her friends were excited to see me too. One little girl named Ryleigh talked my ear off. Seriously. She was elated to have a captive audience. Here's a photo that Ryleigh took of me and Katie.

I picked up McDonald's for Katie, and that made her delirously happy too. Oh, what a wonderful little bright spot in my day. To make it even better, the morning rain stopped and the sun is shining now. And I got a chance to putter around at home while Jackson was at Parents Day Out. And even better? He didn't scream and shriek when I dropped him off! It's the little things in life, isn't it?

P.S. I'm really enjoying this Bloggy Giveaway thing. It's fun to see comments from everyone, and "meet" new people! It's like having a little smiley face in my in box!

Bloggy Giveaway - Photo Bracelet!

Thanks to my friend Danielle, I am doing my very first Six Golden Coins Bloggy Giveaway. I'm nervous, but excited to see how it all goes!

I am giving away a custom photo bracelet. I'll contact the winner of my giveaway and you can email me the six photos you'd like in your bracelet. I'll shrink the photos and do any editing necessary, seal them in plastic and insert them in the bracelet before I mail it to you. Here's a photo of the finished bracelet I wear:

Here's what I would like from you! Please read through my blog (don't miss the Toys in Iraq post from June!), then comment on this post. Tell me two things: 1) what you like best about my blog, and 2) what I could do to improve it.

I'll keep the contest open until noon CST on Friday, August 1.

Please also stop by my other blog, Katie Kay Tees. I'm doing another giveaway there for a customized shirt or onesie.

Thanks for playing!