Friday, August 31, 2012

September Photo A Day

My computer is down with a virus. Boo! So please don't mind my posts look while I am repairing it. I wanted to share this months Instagram Photo A Day challenge. I had to make it with my iPhone apps. LOL It turned out pretty good. Have fun and hope to see you on there. ;) And I apologize if you might have been removed from my Instagram. I did a ghost follower clean up and it deleted some that hadn't liked or commented yet. Oops!
UPDATE....I logged on with my kids desktop to make a couple changes. YAY! So I guess until my computer is fixed (which the geek squad says may not happen) I will be using the desktop. At least I have access somehow. I do have another desktop in my craft room, but I am used to writing posts in the house at night. We'll see what happens. Anyway, have a great weekened!!!

Tuesday, August 28, 2012

Create and Share | Features Too!

Running a little late today. Sorry Night OWLS! LOL
I was helping my daughter finish up her 6th grade collage and lost track of time.
See below what we did!?! This was so fun. She learned how to sew on paper and was very good at it. I have a future crafter in the house. 3 in fact. My little girls informed me tonight, "We want to have a little girl when we grow up so we can craft with them and fix their hair just like you do Mom!" YES! My mission is complete. LOL Just kidding! I'm so excited they want to be like their momma. Another funny part to that story...I said, "Yeah! And I will get to help and babysit too!" ChaCha said, "No, I will babysit my own kids!" LOL I said, "Well don't you want to have dates with your husband too?" All the girls giggled. ChaCha said, "Oh YEAH!"
Don't forget to grab my Button HERE
Come by every Wednesday to share your "Creative Side" You can link up anything crafty, recipes, room decor, party ideas, gift ideas, kid crafts, science projects, game ideas, ect. You get the idea.
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... You can also find me in these places ...
Instagram (username @tarajo4)
I'd love it if you stopped by to say hi or follow!
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Every week I feature 6 Great Link Ups that I find amazing. 
If you see yours below, go grab a featured button HERE.
| Here are 6 of my favorite links from last week |
Click on photo to read more about these projects
        

Saturday, August 25, 2012

Getting fresh fruit in school lunches!!

Well, the kids have been in school for a week... but can you believe I sent Micah to school on the wrong days?! Ugh! Who does that?! He was supposed to go Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday but I sent him Monday, Wednesday and Friday. They allowed him to stay yesterday but next week we'll make sure to get him to school on the right days! My kids have the option to stay at school till 2:30 once their classroom time is over at 12:30 or they can come home at 12:30. On Mondays we'll go get them since Greg has the day off and then can spend more time with them...but on the other days we'll probably let them stay. Naomi is also taking ballet at the school on Wednesdays at 1:45 so it doesn't make a lot of sense to pick her up for lunch just to have to take her back. 

So, I will be packing two lunches two days a week and one lunch two more days of the week. This week has been pretty boring for the kids in the lunch department...pb&j, applesauce, animal crackers, etc. Yesterday I had bought lunchables for them and decided to pack some fresh fruit for them. Packing fresh fruit for the kids is not always easy, having to deal with keeping the fruit cold, making sure it doesn't spoil, etc. I found a great idea and for the life of me cannot remember where it came from. I think I saw it on pinterest but it's not on my creative lunches board where it should be. So, I am sorry that I don't have the original post to link to but as soon as I find it I will let you know.

All I did was buy some containers at Walmart...and these are "Great Value" containers that had an attached lid, so I thought that was pretty awesome, then I got some fresh fruit, washed it all, cut it up and portioned it out into the containers. Then I put the containers in the freezer and will just throw one in the kids lunch bags in the morning before they go to school and by the time they eat lunch they will have cold, fresh fruit!


 I put 4-5 pieces of each fruit in the container! That's all the fit and really that's all they need!


 The kids told me that the fruit was still just a little bit frozen but pretty much just cold!! What a great way to get fresh fruit into the kids lunches!!!

Here are my two little cuties all ready for Kindergarten and Pre-Kindergarten! They love it so far and have GREAT teachers!!!

Here's to hoping I can actually get my act together to make some creative lunches in the future...like the ones I have pinned!

Tuesday, August 21, 2012

Create and Share

Don't forget to grab my Button HERE
Come by every Wednesday to share your "Creative Side" You can link up anything crafty, recipes, room decor, party ideas, gift ideas, kid crafts, science projects, game ideas, ect. You get the idea.
---------------------------------------------------------------------
... You can also find me in these places ...
Instagram (username @tarajo4)
I'd love it if you stopped by to say hi or follow!
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Every week I feature 6 Great Link Ups that I find amazing. 
If you see yours below, go grab a featured button HERE.
| Here are 6 of my favorite links from last week |
Click on photo to read more about these projects
        

Saturday, August 18, 2012

Vitacost

Have you ever heard of Vitacost.com? Their tag line is to "take the cost out of healthy living" It's a great website full of you guessed it Vitamins...but they also have MANY other items. From certain baby items, to organic and whole grain foods, sports and fitness products, beauty products, diet products, things for your pets. Just do me a favor and go check out their website...sooo many good things to find there. Here's the good deal. Vitacost will give you $10 to try them out! Just click here and head over to vitacost to see what you could use for "free" (you pay s/h) to check them out and maybe get in a habit of buying from them. 

My kids needed some new water bottles for school so I added two to my cart ($6 each) and I did have to pay a little bit because I was over $10 but it was cheaper for me than buying these new at the store. These are 20oz safe stainless steal bottles. The great thing about these bottles is there is no straw, they have to tip it to drink it...so no losing parts! Which is why I needed to buy new ones in the first place (missing straws).



I plan on going back to Vitacost and getting some diaper rash cream (since we're all out) and checking out some of their vitamins. I feel that with the kids going to school now and being in a public environment more than their little bodies are used to that we need to get more vitamins going in them to help them stay healthy. Do you have any vitamins that you recommend for that purpose?

Here's a little bit more about vitacost.
Why shop at Vitacost.com?
Vitacost.com is the best place for all of your health and wellness needs!
We offer:
  • A huge selection of over 30,000 health & wellness products, including vitamins, minerals, herbs, botanicals, personal care products, organic foods and so much more
  • Savings up to 70% off retail every day
  • Free shipping on any order over $49*
  • Award-winning customer service
Get your $10 off coupon instantly by registering through your friend’s link:
But hurry, because this offer is only good for 60 days!

Sincerely,
The Vitacost Rewards Team

I hope you will take advantage of this great $10 gift!! I'm impressed with their selection and will be buying more in the future! Check it out!



This is not a sponsored post, they don't even know I'm writing it! I just wanted to share the good news about this $10 gift from a great company with you all!

Thursday, August 16, 2012

BubbleFrame App Review


If you have been on my Instagram page lately (@tarajo4), you would know how much I love BubbleFrame! Recently I was able to review their update before it came out {now available YAY} and I had so, so much fun! I think I post a pic I made in BubbleFrame at least once a day, if not more. LOL You might even have noticed the slideshows on the right over there. Yep, those are some that I made and some that a fellow Instagram{er} (@whippycake) made.
You won't look at other photo apps the same once you see what BubbleFrame can do. You will be addicted. I am using it for my kids pics, lovely word pics, button designing, photo challenges, birthday wishes, anniversary wishes, love notes and so much more.
There are over 90 colorful patterns to choose from as you create. You can even uses patterns from other apps if you save them into your photo album first. So there are many ways to uses this app to dress up, enjoy and share your photos.
....and now with their new update that adds curved text, you can get even more creative. There is even an option to add some of your own fonts in there. AMAZING!! I have already loaded a bunch and can't wait to load more.
Here are some more of my creations I made with BubbleFrame.
Some of these pics have other features from a few other apps I use.
Don't worry, I will list those apps below so you can check those out too.
More info about BubbleFrame...taken from iTunes

Description

Are you ready for hours of innovative fun? Bubbleframe is a unique and creative way to showcase your favorite pictures using adjustable “bubbles” for your frames. Building as many or as little bubbles as you choose and then filling them with pictures, patterns or colors gives you endless possibilities. You’re in control of every aspect from beginning to end creating truly inspiring images to share with your friends and family.

Features:
- easy to use interface - pinch to create a bubble, then fill it with a photo, color, or pattern
- 96 high quality patterns to select from for backgrounds
- add circular text around frame borders 
- adjust border width and color
- add a border gradient
- adjust bubble drop shadow
- zoom and pan each photo
- save the image in high resolution to your camera roll
- send to Instagram
- tweet it
- send to Facebook
- send to other installed apps that accept an image file
- send as an email

...Other Apps and Info I promised to share with you...

If you want to add a fancy Instagram Slideshow to your blog, visit HERE
You can add your personal slideshow, example @tarajo4 
or you can add a hashtag, example #trendytreehouse.

Need Help adding your Instagram feed? Taking Time to Create has a great tutorial HERE.

Photo Apps that are amazing (featured in my photos above)...LabelBox, SigNote, Photo2Text, TypoInsta

Where I get more colorful patterns to use in BubbleFrame...the CupTakes App
Now go, go right now, go on, get over to iTunes and grab the BubbleFrame app. You'll be glad you did!

Please make sure you use the hashtag #bubbleframe when you share your photos so @treasuredbyholly and @devpitcher (the BubbleFrame creators) can see them. And of course so us other BubbleFrame lovers can admire them too!

One more BubbleFrame Pic I made before I go. As if I didn't share enough already.
But had to share this because it is a special one dear to our family. Please pray for my Grandad as he goes through his cancer journey. I made this as a button to link people to his story for my moms blog. You can read more HERE or click on the photo below. 
{Thank you so much to Dev and Holly for allowing me to review their fabulous app. Still on the top of my favorite app list!}

I am available for more app reviews anytime! Just email me at trendytreehouse@me.com to let me know how I can help.

Tuesday, August 14, 2012

Create and Share . . . features too!

Don't forget to grab my Button HERE
Come by every Wednesday to share your "Creative Side" You can link up anything crafty, recipes, room decor, party ideas, gift ideas, kid crafts, science projects, game ideas, ect. You get the idea.
---------------------------------------------------------------------
... You can also find me in these places ...
Instagram (username @tarajo4)
I'd love it if you stopped by to say hi or follow!
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Every week I feature 6 Great Link Ups that I find amazing. 
If you see yours below, go grab a featured button HERE.
| Here are 6 of my favorite links from last week |
Click on photo to read more about these projects