I Recieved the Liebster Award!!!!

I am so honored to receive this award from Misty @ 413 {sparrow} Lane!
Check her out at http://www.413sparrowlane.com/
I AM SO EXCITED ABOUT THIS!!!!!  THANK YOU SO MUCH!!

Liebster is German and means 'dearest' or 'beloved', but it can also mean 'favorite'.

What is a Liebster Award?

The idea of the Leibster Award is to bring attention to blogs with less than 200 followers. So, in the spirit of good fun I am passing this award on to these other new bloggers. Please stop by and visit them.

If you are selected for this award, you need to:

1. Choose FIVE up and coming blogs to award the Liebster to.
Blogs must have less than 200 followers.

2. Show your thanks to the blogger who gave you the award by linking back to them.

3. Post the award on your blog. List the bloggers you are giving the award to with links to their sites.


I am happy to pass this award to :

1.  Cath @ Home Is Where My Heart Is for her great organization!
 http://cathhasablog.blogspot.com/

2.  Karen @ Homemade Glamour for being a fellow Sister Blogger!
http://homemadeglamour.blogspot.com/

3.  Rain on a Tin Roof for her amazing style and thrifty decor! 
http://rainonatinroof85.blogspot.com/

4.  Courtney @ Design on a Dream for her thrifty nature! 
http://designonadream.blogspot.com/

5.  Marilyn @ 4 You With Love for being so supportive, and consistently linking up to Terrific Tuesday!
http://4you-withlove.blogspot.com/

Happy Monday!!



~mariah~

Felt Flower Wreath {tutorial}

Wednesday evening I went to a craft night that one of my college roommates has every month. This month we made these super cute wreaths out of felt flowers!! I didn't finish mine there, so I figured that I would take pictures of the process and do a tutorial for you all!!

Hilary {my roommate in college} already had all of the felt cut into 5 inch squares for us, thank goodness! {I also had a few 4 inch squares}

So first thing, you fold the square in half and then in half again.

 Then make a rounded cut from corner to corner{diagonally across the non-folded sides}

When you open it up you should have a circle!

    

Start cutting your circle into a spiral.

It should look like this when you are done.

Next, start forming your flower by hot gluing the tip, and then fold it over itself and start wrapping it around.

 Keep wrapping keeping the back even so that you have a flat surface to glue onto the wreath.

When you get to the end, glue back liberally and place the center of the circle over the back {covering the spiral}

And this is what it looks like!

Once you have all of the flowers made, you just hot glue them to the Styrofoam wreath how ever you like.

I added some straight pins to some of the centers to give it a little interest!!

And, the final product!!!!  L.O.V.E. it!!!

Have a fabulous day!!

Linking up here!

 ~mariah~

M.I.A. & Terrific Tuesday {4}

Hello!!  Have you been wondering where I've been?  Well, I was M.I.A. because I got to go spend the weekend with my amazing hubby!!  It was a wonderful weekend!! {Pics coming soon!}

So since I was away from my computer I missed putting up Terrific Tuesday yesterday, but I didn't want to just skip it, so it is just a day late!!




Have a great day!!
~mariah~

Guest Blogger: Allison Brooks

I am so happy to have another article from a guest blogger! Allie is the mastermind behind her new blog Musings of a Curious Mind.

Valentine’s Day DIY Projects for Military Families



For military families, deployments and separations are often a regular and challenging occurrence. Two of the most essential tasks during a separation like this are supporting the service member and keeping the family connected. Here are some simple ideas the spouse and children at home can do to show support for the deployed service member and help the family stay as connected as possible during the separation. Theses fun and simple crafty creations can help bridge the long distance and bring the family closer together.

Photo Album or Scrapbook

Putting together a personalized photo album or scrapbook for mommy or daddy while he or she is overseas is a great project for kids to do. Older children can take the photos, and younger children can help decorate the pages with stickers. The project can be simple; photos of every day happenings around the house and stickers and markers to decorate the pages. A simple book full of pictures of their spouse and children doing every day things is a great reminder of home.

Notes and Reminders From Home

Before the service member leaves, take a box or container and decorate it with a special theme that is important to him or her. Ideas include branch specific symbols, a favorite sports team, or a hobby. You can personalize it using stickers, paint or even wooden letters that you can glue on to form words. Fill the box with supportive notes from friends and family, pictures of home and around town, and maybe even a scent that will remind him or her of home, like the same air freshener that you use at home. Children can get involved by writing notes or drawing pictures, and by helping to decorate the box. Send the box with your service member and tell him or her to open it when they get there. The supportive notes and other reminders of home will comfort him or her while he or she is far from home.

Themed Boxes

Whether it is for a holiday or for no special reason, send a unique care package with a special theme. A Valentine's Day care package can be decorated with red and pink heart stickers or colored on with red and pink markers. The children can all make special Valentines with notes or pictures. Let the kids pick out candy that will not melt in the mail. You might also create a special video message of all of the family members to include in the package.

What you make and send your service member will be highly personal and depend on the needs and preferences of your family and service member. The most important part is to make what you send personal and show your service member you are thinking of and supporting him or her.



Thank you Allie for the article, and good luck with your new blog!!




~mariah~

Terrific Tuesday {3}

Happy Valentine's Day!!! I have sick kids, so sorry for getting this up so late. Hope you're day is fabulous!!






 
 
~mariah~

Bye Bye Frumpy Friday {3}

I have done even better this week at "getting ready" for the day!! It is amazing how much doing your hair and makeup, and putting on a cute outfit can do for your mood!! I definitely feel better about myself/life when I have taken the time to make myself cute!!

I didn't take a pic on Saturday.

Sunday--Went to church, so I wore a dress! {of course!}
            I L.O.V.E. this dress, but from the neck up could use some help!!

Monday:  Had a meeting.  Pretty much just comfy, and threw a scarf on to jazz it up a bit!

Tuesday--No pic.

Wednesday--Just stayed home, cute and comfy!

Thursday--Went out to lunch with a friend/fellow military wife, and then to dinner and bowling for another friend's birthday!  Cute outfit, and had a rockin' hair day!!!! {even though I just wore it curly}

Friday--Hung out at my mom's, and made sugar cookies with a friend!  Cute and comfy!

I am a fan of jeans, if you couldn't tell!  I pretty much wear jeans everyday except Sunday!!

{I tried to change up the poses a little!}


~mariah~

Thrifty Finds Thursday {2}

I just got home, it's getting late, and I'm tired, but I remembered that I didn't get this post up earlier, so I wanted to share my finds from this last week!

Sorry, but you get un-edited pictures!

Found some great stuff once again!!
Goodnight!!

~mariah~