The Biggest Basket Full of Christmas Giveaway

Don't y'all know I'd like to take credit for this one.  I'm ashamed to say I don't even have a giveaway planned yet and Christmas is getting so close.  Can you believe today is the last day of November.  Where did it go?

Anyway to let  you know more about what you popped in for.  I just visited a friend who had a post on this fantastic giveaway and after I went to check it out I knew you'd wanna hear about it too.  Cindy at Thimbleprims Studio is giving away this huge basket of goodies.  How can you girls afford to ship all the HEAVY prizes?  Does someone know something that I don't about USPS or UPS?  Not much time left so click here and enter for yourself.  

And if any of my readers friends wins something I've told you about I love to hear from you, so come on back and share!  Also let me know do y'all like reading about these giveaway opportunities?  Let me know if you do so I keep posting them.

Have a wonderful day Y'all.  Hugs...Tracy :)

A Charming Swap Indeed

Hi Y'all.  There are so many things to catch up on lately.  I've been doing lots of reorganizing and then going back to bed sick, then more of the organizing,  back to bed sick, so on and so forth.  But I have managed to get a few swaps in between all that.  And now I'm finally finding time to post some.


Sarah @ Gypsy Mermaid decided to have a charm swap.  I thought well that sounds easy peasy and fun too, so sign me up.  Boy was I wrong....about the easy part not the fun part.  I was going to soldier up some charms.  I went out and bought the glass slides, the soldiering tool, tape and flux.  Yep, check, I'm ready.  HA!!!  What do you have to do practice with these thing for 6 months after going to school for it.  Well after several hours for 2-3 days and a couple of burns, I was done.  DONE, do you hear me?!  Well maybe one day I'll take a class and then someone can show me what I'm doin'.  It just looked so darn easy.


One idea down and nothing new popping in my head.  Finally I decided to go with little metal disks and scrapbooking paper glued to the back.  I then added little crystals and filled with a glazing liquid.  On the back I glued a little circle of velvet scrap paper.  I also had some little wooden bunny shapes which I drilled a hole in.  Then I painted them and added polka dots and a bow.

The easy part was making the packaging.  I actually did that before I made the charms.  I made little matchbooks out of card stock.  The outside was covered with decorative paper, the inside was covered in a thin cheesecloth like muslin and I unraveled the edges.  I stamped the outside and inside.  Stapled the bottom, added a touch of ribbon  and punched holes at the top for more ribbon to hang the charms.  Added my little cards and was done.  At least that plan worked.

Sarah made cute birds with the alphabet to coordinate with a list of who made which charms.  That was a smart idea and cute.  Then she sewed little bags tied with ribbon to hold them all.


Thanks Sarah for hosting such a fun Swap and making me work my brain.

Not only did we get one of each charms but we also had a special swap partner that we made fabric hearts with to swap.  Jodie @ Everything Vintage, who is so creative, was my swap partner. And she sent me the most beautiful heart.  Isn't the heart she made above just swoony gorgeous!!!  I love it and am so proud to call it mine.  Thank you Jodie for taking so much time to make such a beautiful heart.

The heart above is the one that I made for Jodie.  I really hope she liked it.  It can't compare to hers.

Thanks to all the wonderful girls who made this so much fun.  I love all the charms and all the individualism.

I Was a Pairre Flower Farm Winner

I won Linda's giveaway at Prairie Flower Farm!   Her cookie won 2nd place in Create and Decorate Magazines Holiday Cookie Contest!  Linda  is featured in the August 2011, Holiday Issue 2011 and December 2011 Issue. How exciting is that!!!  And since I was one of two winners she chose I received one of  her delicious snowman cookies (just like the top photo).  Oh' it was so hard to eat because it's just too darn cute, but eat it I did and it was delicious. YUM!  I also received a copy of the Create and Decorate Magazine that she was feature in (pictured above). 


Linda also asked her readers to contribute recipes for the Prairie Flower Farm Cookie Cookbook she's creating.  I can't wait for that.

And if you've never visited her shop Peace Creek Collections
you really should stop by and see just how beautiful her creations are.  And you'll love visiting her blog Prairie Flower Farm.   You'll feel happier every time you visit her. 

Wow I Won Wendy's Carmex Giveaway

 

 I knew I won this a week or so ago but I usually wait to post when I receive the prize so I can tell you a little about it.  And I'm glad I waited.  This is awesome.  Wendy over at Ramblings From the Sunshine State  who I hope to meet one day since we're in the same general area of Florida and I feel like I've know her forever just from blogland, hosted this giveaway from Carmex  which I blogged about earlier.    I never even knew that Carmex had hand creams until now.  I love Carmex lip products. We've used it in my family for years.  It works great for cold sores, fever blisters and chapped lips.  I love fresh cool feel of the Menthol and Camphor.  It's thick with Cocoa Butter and stays put on your lips.  I still have a ceramic jar of it and it still smells fresh.  

Well now they have a whole wonderful line of lip products, healing lotions and creams.  And they all came in a wonderful toiletry bag in the giveaway.  Thanks to Wendy and Carmex , I'm ready for winter.

Wendy's is mother to 3 young children  and always creates the best birthday parties for them.  She also has a Etsy shop called Blake's Crayons.  She makes the cutest crayon shapes.  Just click on her banner below to stop by and see for yourself.

 Y'all have a blessed day now....Hugs, Tracy :)

A Scrapbookers Delight Giveaway

Pieces of Fate is having a huge (I'm not kidding) giveaway.  Susan is a lover of scrapbooking and anyone who likes paper crafts will not want to miss this one. I'd  like to tell you more about Susan but I'm new to her blog and haven't had the chance to get to know her.  But from the looks of her giveaway she is a very generous soul who likes paper crafting, mixed media art. 

Thanksgiving is Where Your Heart and Mind Meet

By faith17_2010

Hi Y'all.  The only thing that would make this photo any better is to have it filled with family and friends.  

We're not having a traditional Thanksgiving this year but we have so much to be Thankful for.  

Neil's mother is doing better and is in Life Care Center.  Neil is almost well from a terrible stomach virus which means he will finally get to go visit his mother for Thanksgiving after a week of not seeing her.  My cold is clearing up and all my family seem to be healthy. 

I will miss my son and grandchildren who live in NY., my sister and her family who live in Ft. Worth and my niece and her children and my nephew who live in Atlanta.

But Neil and I are Thankful to be having peace with a kindness of spirit in our home.  We're surrounded by fur babies and I have the most wonderful blog friends ever.  So even though it will be a very quiet Thanksgiving it will be a reflective one where we will relax, rest and count our blessings

I wish each and everyone of you a day filled with the warmth and love of family and friends.  I hope laughter rings throughout your homes.  This is a beautiful time for reflecting on the memories of years past while making new ones that will last forever.

Much love and many warm hearty hugs!!!!  Tracy :)

I've Got Nothing

Except God....

what more do I need?

Well, this title is a little misleading.  When I decided to post tonight my first thought was I've got nothing.  Nothing to say that is.  Then I realized how shallow that sounded.  It wasn't meant to sound like it does.  I only meant to say that I know y'all haven't heard much from me for the past 3 weeks except begging for prayers and telling you of our troubles.  I so want something positive to say.  But honestly I just don't have the energy.  

Then I decided the best thing I could do is look for scripture to share.  Well by the time I finished sharing I realized just how empty and unappreciative that title sounded.  I was prepared to change it, but in the end I think this is the message to me, that the Lord had planned for me all alone.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Trust Him in the Dark

 (Author: A.W. Tozer, from NIV Seniors Devotional Bible)

(Verse:  Proverbs 3:5 ~ Passage: Proverbs 3:1-10)

God constantly encourages us to trust him in the dark. "I will give you the treasures of darkness, riches stored in secret places, so that you may know that I am the Lord, the God of Israel, who summons you by name" (Isaiah 45:3).

It is heartening to learn how many of God's mighty deeds were done in secret, away from the prying eyes of men or angels.  When God created the heavens and the earth, darkness was upon the face of the deep.  When the eternal Son became flesh, he was carried for a time in the darkness of the sweet virgin's womb.  When he died for the life of the world, it was in the darkness, seen by no one at the last.  When arose from the dead, it was "very early in the morning" (Luke 24:1).  No one saw him rise.  It is as if God were saying, "What I am is  all peace.  I will do what I will do, and it will all come to light at last, but how I do it is my secret.  Trust me, and be not afraid."

With the goodness of God to desire our highest welfare, the wisdom of God to plan it and the power of God to achieve it, what do we lack?  Surely we are the most favored of all his creatures. 

 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Neils Moms Dr. came in last night and spoke with us.  He tried to tell Neil the time for heroics has passed, that this is the progression of the end of her life.  They decided it was time to discharge her from the hospital to the rehab/senior center.  She has a peg in, for her to receive nourishment.  She is sleeping almost around the clock.  Neil wants her to stay in the hospital until she's better.  Which no one except Neil believes will happen.  This is so painful for him.  The Dr. told him that if he has a half hour of lucid time to be grateful for that.  He told us that he would like to contact Hospice and have them speak to us.  Bless his heart it just about killed him to hear that.  I thought he was beginning to accept things but I was wrong.  I know that God has a plan and her being away from home for the last three weeks is all apart of it.  To help him possibly separate and learn to accept.  Does that sound cruel?  I don't mean to sound callous because actually this is breaking my heart.  I hate not being able to fix things and to comfort him.

They did transport her to the Life Center today.  I didn't go today because I'm getting sick and we don't want to compromise her health.  Neil stayed with her until they moved her and then followed them over.  She continued to sleep through it all.  The people at life center told him they can't force her to participate in rehab but she has to make progress to be able to continue to stay there.

Neil came home still a wreck, still crying, although he tries not to show it.  He says he thinks he is getting the flu.  He stomach is terribly upset.  I believes he's so worn out that his immune system is down and he probably has caught a bug and you all know what nerves can do to your stomach.  What a bad combination.  Now he's really worried.  Who's going to go over there and try to get her up (in other words, try to make her live).  He's sorta feeling that the Drs., myself and his neices (who aren't really in the picture) have just given up on her and he doesn't think she's ready.  How do I work with that?  What do I do, how do I comfort someone who's not ready to let go?  So now we're both sick and no good to anyone.  I pray that God uses me and that I open my eyes if I'm looking at this all wrong.  Well thank you all for listening.

Maybe the title should be changed from Except God to ACCEPT GOD!

Love and Hugs...Tracy

I feel too sick and am too tired to proof, please excuse my bad grammar and spelling.  I do know the difference between there, their and they're or  dear and deer but when I get going I sometimes miss what I've done until I reread it.

I've Won So Many Wonderful Prizes Lately

Wow.  I seem to have been so lucky the last month as prizes are concerned.  I've also been hugely blessed with so many old and new friends being comforting and supporting for me as well as my Mother-in-law Nadine and Neil.  

I prefer to list giveaway wins in individual post but I am so far behind and rather than overwhelm my readers who I choose to refer to as friends, I thought I would post them all together.  I really hope y'all stop by and visit these wonderful giveaway sponsors because each of their blogs are wonderful and have so much to offer.  Who knows you may make a few new friends too.

First win  

is from Jeannie at Nonnas Scraps.  She participated as a host in the Halloween Blog Hop.  She made the cutest tee with her cricut.  *I want one so bad!!!

She's the nicest thing too.  Look at the cute card she sent.  Love it.   She also sent me a package of Fabric Transfer, which one of us can't use that?  I really want to use it on some pillows and aprons.  And she even added some bling with rhinestones and ribbon.  I got so excited that I put it all away before taking a photo.  I love winning or being gifted with craft items.  Makes me just want to get busy.  Thank you Jeannie!!!  Her blog is friendly and sweet and all warm and cozy for Thanksgiving so stop in and visit.

Second Win  

is from Hope at Pixie Ponderings. Hope describes herself as a artist and a stay at home mom transplanted from the wilds of Northwest Arkansas to rural Lincolnshire in Eastern England. That's quite a big change if you asked me. Well Hope had a giveaway just because.  I like those. I was the lucky "just because" winner and won one of her own handcrafted creations.  It actually seems perfect for this Florida girl.  It also makes me think of my very first blog swap which was with  Sarah of  The Gypsy Mermaid.  Sorry Sarah this one's mine.  Hee-hee.  You're going to like Pixie too.  She's been so sweet just popping in and leaving up lifting comments for me to get through this tough time.  Boy don't comments from thoughtful people just make everything better.  Thank you hope!

Third Win 

This win is from Kathryn @ Creations With Kathryn.  She sent me a terrific box full of crafty goodness, much more than I expected.  It was much more than I expected.  I'm thrilled to finally have my own copic markers, she sent me "6"!!!  Tons of wonderful scrapbooking  papers and pages.  Lots with 2 sides.  Oh' am I gonna have fun with all this.  There was even a pumpkin punch and lots of stickers, transfers and embellishments.  You'll want to go by and visit Kathryn and see her beautiful creations.

Fourth Win

 Here's a win that I not only could use but need to use.  Stacy @ Survey Junkie had a huge giveaway going on with lots of prizes and I won a bottle of New Cystex® Liquid Cranberry Complex with Proantinox®!  

And let me tell you why I was so happy to win.  By now I'm sure you know that my MIL was admitted to the hospital for acute UTI infection.  They are extremely hard on older people.  They don't even have any symptoms or at least they don't seem to recognize them.  It can be pretty serious and even cause hallucinations as they did in the case of my MIL.  It's hard for me to image them not being able to know they got an infection because I have had 2 this year and I panic at the first signs of them.  As soon as I know it's coming (blame it on my coca-cola and lack of water) I hurry to the store and buy the Cystex tablets.  They are better than the cranberry tablets and really work great.  When you get an infection you are supposed to start drinking cranberry juice immediately to help.  I hate cranberry juice and just can't do it.   But check out this new product Cystex has come up with, the New Cystex® Liquid Cranberry Complex with Proantinox®.

Cystex is the trusted urinary health brand that has helped millions of women manage the pain and discomfort of urinary tract infections. While anyone at any age can get a UTI, women are more prone to them ( 60% of women will experience a UTI ) and of those women who experience this infection, 40% will have another.. Millions of women will have multiple infections.

Those most prone to recurring UTIs now have a great, new option to help with infection prevention and boosting urinary tract health* without needing to drink all that cranberry juice!

Safe and effective, and clinically-proven to help prevent urinary tract infections from recurring. New Cystex® Liquid Cranberry Complex with Proantinox® provides powerful urinary tract protection in just one tablespoon daily - more than cranberry pills or cranberry juice! This pleasant-tasting, unique blend is more than just cranberry concentrate - its proprietary formula also contains D-Mannose, inulin, bromelain and vitamin C - a combination designed to boost bladder health. Cystex Liquid Cranberry Complex with Proantinox also has a higher absorption rate than cranberry tablets, provides 17 times more proanthocyanidins (PACS)¹, is lactose-, gluten- and sugar-free, and is just one calorie per tablespoon.

Price: 

$9.99 1 tbsp = 8 glasses of cranberry juice

Fifth Win

Elizabeth at Deal Friends is sending me the new Trivial Prusuit Steal card game.  I haven't received it yet but can't wait.  I know we're going to have a ball playing this.  I was going to send this to my sons family as one of their Christmas gifts but it may be to old for the grandchildren and I would love to have it so we'll see.  Thanks Elizabeth for hosting such a fun giveaway!  She has a blog with all the latest giveaways so be sure to visit Elizabeth and tell her I said hi.

Sixth Win 

Sweet Doni @ Faith, Grace, and Crafts had a giveaway celebrating her 100th post and yippee for me, I won!  I love all the vintage goodness that she put together. 

Isn't that flower box gorgeous?  I've been so in love with Aqua or green/blue color this year.  There were all so 5 different size crystals from an old chandelier, a vintage makeup box and a vintage powder box.  Got to love all that.  What about that beautiful fall themed handkerchief?  Don't you just love the china plate with the transferred cross-stitched flowers? And what about the lovely lace doilies she's included too. There's a precious collection of gentile vintage postcards.  Lots of the cutest little glass bottles with stoppers, perfect for making jewelry.  And she even included the pretties pink rocks I've ever seen.  Pop over to Faith, Grace & Crafts and get acquainted with Doni and sure you'll feel welcomed as soon as you get there.

7th Win

Quickie Giveaway - 48 Hours! Kodak Gallery Halloween Photo Books {$50 AMEX Gift Card - 2 winners}

This is the first time I've ever entered a 48 hour giveaway.  You can't imagine my surprise when Blueviolet @ A Nut in a Nutshell, contacted me saying that I won.  Yep, I was one of the 2 winners.  What a wonderful prize.  I haven't received it yet and it will be to late to have the Halloween book made but it would be great to have a Thanksgiving or Christmas book made.  What a great treasure to keep.  I'd love to have one made for all the big celebrations or holidays in our lives.  Thanks Blueviolet for such a wonderful keepsake gift!   A Nut in a Nutshell is a great blog with  lots of giveaways and reviews.  And she's another thoughtful blogger. 

Can you believe it?  What a wonderful month of giveaways.  It's been so rough here lately and these were certainly bright spots in my day.  Thanks to all the wonderful bloggers who host these fun giveaways and to all the fine companies that sponsor them.  It's not only the wonderful prizes but all the new bloggers I meet and get to know.

Have you won something lately?  I'd love to hear about it.  Please leave a comment and lets us all know.

Hugs and Happy Hump Day....Tracy :)

 

 

And the Winner of The Bisquick Gluten Free Giveaway Package Is.....

I was thrilled to review my Bisquick Gluten Free package and  I'm so happy to be able to give away one too.  So on to the lucky new winner.

The winner is...................................

Cindy @ Get Along Home

Congratulations Cindy!  Please email me your address as soon as you can.   Thank everyone for entering and all the great comments.  I'll be having another giveaway before you know it so don't stay away.

Hugs....Tracy :)

Christmas came early - I won a Bed Head Wave Artist

I Won the Bead Head Wave Artist Win from Jennifer at The Dirty Shirt

The Bed Head Wave Artist Tourmaline Ceramic Deep Waver has a unique barrel design that creates deep, sculpted waves and provides a unique, effortless wavy look.

• Tourmaline Ceramic coated barrel provides gentle heat for frizz-free, shiny waves with less hair damage
• High heat and fast heat recovery make styling quick and easy
• Barrel Locking Switch for easy storage
• Multiple heat settings for customized styling

What a great win.  I want to thank Jennifer at The Dirty T Shirt, who always has fantastic giveaways for giving me the opportunity to enter and win this waver.  I'm looking forward to experimenting with this when things calm down.  With my long, very straight hair, it's going to be so fun to do something different.  And what a quick way to get a new look that isn't permanent.  This really does heat up so fast!

Also thank you Jennifer for being so patient with all that's going on I haven't been able to post this win until now.  I actually won it on Oct. 10th and I normally wait until I receive prize before posting anyway but geeze   I'm late on this one.

I have more wins to post soon.  Now I need to get busy finding some good giveaways that I can host for all of y'all!

Hugs and blessings y'all......Tracy :)

P.S.  Update on MIL ~ they didn't perform the procedure for the stomach feeding pick today but will tomorrow.  Thank you all again for your kind words and loving prayers.

My Bisquick Gluten Free Giveaway Prize Pack Ending Tonight

Quick reminder y'all......

The Bisquick Gluten Free Prize Pack Giveaway has been extended and will end tonight, Monday November 15th at midnight.  I've been so busy I didn't have even think about reminding y'all sooner so I'm adding an extra day.

I hope you'll take a minute and click here to enter if you haven't already.

Have a great week y'all!!!

Restful & Peaceful Sundays

Photo by niascissorhands

It's seems I have a dozen things to post about.  It seems like everything is so out of wack.  But........Today, today was peaceful..... Peaceful and Relaxed at least as much as it can be.  I love the photo above.  I think I'll go to sleep tonight thinking of me as that model, well a girl can dream, can't she?  I'll dream that I'm so perfectly relaxed (while looking perfectly put together).  Oh heck, I'll dream that I'm an all American beauty too while I'm at it.  Don't pictures make everything look perfect?

A little update on my MIL Nadine.  Each and every day is different.  One day we come home with Neil saying she's going to lay right there and die.  We can't get her to open her eyes or speak and if she does they close back so fast.  Then all of a sudden the next day you think she's turned the bend and is going to start recovering only to go through the previous process the next day.   They finally put a feeding tube for meds and liquid food in her nose.  Unfortunately she wakes up and tries to remove it.  She has had an around the clock sitter for the last 5 days.  Tomorrow they are going to put a feeding peg in her stomach instead.  When she talks now we can barely understand a word.  I really don't know what to expect day to day.  So I just keep praying for the Lord's will.  I pray for her comfort and for the Lords support and comfort for all of us.


Back to today........
It really was a restful and peaceful day for Neil and I.  His mother didn't sleep at all the night before and was finally resting good so we came home and spent the day together.  We caught up on a lot of little tasks around the house.  The pressure felt like it was gone and Neil and I felt closer than ever it seems, even if it was just a little while it was really nice.  Just when I thought that I couldn't take the pressure anymore and was willing to give, the results of all the prayers that have been held up in my name by my friends here have been heard.  Just a few weeks ago I was in the hospital afraid I was having a heart attack.  Three days later my MIL was taken to the hospital.  But now the Lord has stepped in and somehow worked his miracles and given me relief.  Hearts seemed to have changed and even with all the upheavals my home seems to feel better, kinder and filled with the spirit of kindness again.  And I can breath again!!!  Yes I'm still, tired, still worried and don't know what tomorrow might bring but there is peace.  Thank all of you for being prayer warriors with me.  Thank you for praying for the pain in my home and in our hearts.

I hope to find time to actually share some of the things I've been lucky enough to win lately.  I really hate it, that the wonderful friends that had these giveaways, that I am SO EXCITED to have won might think that I don't appreciate it.  I really do so I promise to get to those soon.  I also was thrilled to participate in another of Elizabeth's swaps over at Bluebird Creations. I had a hard time getting them done with all that was going on but mine were finally mailed.  Now I need to get started on the Christmas tag swap so I am not late!


I've got tons of post in my head and lots of projects started.  I've got one or two that was actually finished.  Now I need to find time to spend blogging again.


Well tomorrow I'm off to the vet.  We have one more family member sick now ~ buger our cat has a UTI problem too (MIL has an acute UTI).  So hopefully we can get this taken care of for both of them.  

I hope all of you had a blessed and wonderful weekend friends.
Love and tons of gratitude straight from my heart....Tracy

Please Pray for Dan and Kate!!!!

I just found out my dear friend Kate's husband Dan is in the hospital.  If you don't already know Kate you is just the sweetest person from MN.  She and her family have a strong faith in God and are just overall amazing people.  Please take a moment to go by Kate at Auntie Cake's and leave them a kind word and say a prayer.  Dan has been having some problems passing out and they were doing test to find the cause.  His heart stopped for 4 mins.  They have since put in a pacemaker and are still searching for an answer to the real cause of the problems.


You have all been so good to me and my family while we are still dealing with our issues as MIL is still hospitalized.  Please take a moment to share that love and support with Kate.  I'm sure she needs all the good wishes and prayers to keep her strong.


Much love to you all....Tracy :)

still at hospital with family

So many of you have prayed for us and kept us in your thoughts, I wish there was a way to really show each of you how much my heart feels. I don't know what I would have done these past few weeks without the love you've expessed. I feel so bad that I haven't gotten a chance to contact each one of you yet. And there's even new followers leaving the kindest comments. Please don't think I take them for granted. They have brought so much comfort to Neil as well.

Today has not been a great day. They gave her a blood transfusion a couple of nights ago. She is still battling a had urinary track infection and pneumonia. The antibiotics weren't working and they've changed those. She is still not eating or drinking and they may have to go another route tomorrow. She is delirious most of the time and hardly wakes up.

Please continue to keep Neil and his mother in your prayers. My heart just breaks for him.
God bless and keep you all. All my love...Tracy

MIL Heading Back to Hospital

I'm at home and Neil is with his mother.  By the grace of God the Dr. at the Life Care Center, which is a nursing/rehab center can in unusually early.  He told Neil with all that was going on with her health they would transport her back to the hospital.  Not only has she got the pneumonia (he said he's not conveince that it's that) but she now has an infection in the big toe of the foot she just had the vein surgery on.  He told Neil if it turns blue she could lose it.  The Dr. seems to have no bedside manner he said is was kind of insensitive.

So, that's where we are now.  When they transport her Neil will come get me so I can be at the hospital too.

Love you all....Tracy 

MIL and Family Could Use Prayers

Oh' my.  Not good news today.  Neil just called me from the Life Center where they transported Nadine late Monday afternoon.  His mother has pneumonia in her lower right lobe.  This can't be good.  I'm am praying for the Lords will, her comfort and Neils acceptance.  I'm at a loss for words.  I'm hurting at thinking the worst but also I hate seeing her life just deteriorate.  I'm so confused and fearful.  Please friends remember Neil and his mother in your prayers again.  I'll hope you'll also pray that I find the right words and do all that I can to lift her up to the Lord.  I'm almost scared to pray.  What if I'm giving up on her to soon.  What if I'm wrong in thinking her life is not that wonderful and that she's tired and that maybe it's time for her to rest.  Just everything I say in my head feels horrible.  Yet as much as I hated losing my parents at such a young age I never had to watch any suffering or any of this horrid Alzheimer disease. 


I don't even know how to close this post.  I'm sorry I keep posting prayer request and it seems that's all you hear.  I just don't have words to close.

Wendy is Having the Perfect Winter Giveaway

Is it cold at your house yet.  Finally cool weather is moving into Florida.  The high was only 75 today.  I so love fall and I sure hate having so little of it.  With the overcast day we had it almost felt like it.  But wait till Saturday!  Our high is supposed to be 63 degrees ~ WOO-HOO and wait for it...........the low is supposed to be 38 degrees!  Can you say...skip fall and go straight to winter?  That's life in the South.  One day it's in the 80's and the next it's in the 60's.  And believe it or not when it gets cold here, it feels cold.  It must be the coastal humidity. But you still never know on Thanksgiving and even Christmas we could be in  the mid 80's or like one Christmas eve we could have Snow on the ground.  Talk about the twilight zone -  ha!


Oops, back to why I'm writing this post.  Wendy, who has been a blogging friend from the beginning to me is having the perfect winter giveaway sponsored by Carmex.  Who new they had so many products. And how cute is that bag!  I've always loved the lip balm.  So go by and visit Wendy at Ramblings from the Sunshine State by clicking here or on her name and enter.  Be sure to tell her I said hi.  


Best of luck y'all.  Love and Hugs....Tracy :)

P.S.  Don't forget to enter my Bisquick giveaway here.

Meet Show Me Moma and Enter Her Giveaway

Okay girls, I really want this!  I'm so tired of my little phone picture but I'm lucky to have it because it's a hand-me-down, so I'm not complaining really.  But can you blame me for wanting the one above.  Well I got a new follower today and she is having this cool giveaway.  She has lots of giveaways actually.  


You know I like to find giveaways and share them with you.  I'm sure you know that I'm not a saint and I get an extra entry or two for telling you, but I'm really crossing everything in hopes of winning this.  (Otherwise I'll continue to be the oldest old lady with the worn out/out dated phone).  And my mantra is always if I can't win it, I hope someone that I share it with does!  So click here and visit Show Me Moma to enter and be sure to tell her I said hi!


Good luck y'all!!!  Hugs...Tracy :)

P.S.  Don't forget to enter my Bisquick giveaway here.

Bisquick Gluten Free Review and Pancake Prize Pack Giveaway

Do you have anyone in your family that is on a gluten free diet?  My 8 year old Granddaughter Ki'a was diagnosed with stomach problems and told that she should stick to a gluten free diet.  In the past this wasn't so easy because the grocery stores weren't carrying gluten free baking mixes. Well that's all changed now.   Bisquick has just released their very own Gluten Free Baking Mix.  You can use it to make pancakes, waffles, biscuits, pizza crusts, cakes, and so much more!


 Bisquick and MyBlogSpark together have generous offered me the opportunity to review the Bisquick Gluten Free Baking Mix and not only do I get to try it but one of my lucky readers do too!  This is such a nice prize pack.  The winner will receive a Bisquick Prize Pack just like the one we received!  This pack includes a box of Bisquick Gluten Free Baking Mix, a heavy pancake pan, pancake pen and a pancake flipper (see photograph above).

If you'd like more ideas on what you can make with it, just visit www.bisquick.com/glutenfree for a ton of gluten free baking ideas.

And Bisquick has made it even more enticing to try.  They are offering a $1 off printable coupon, please click here to get yours: $1 Off Coupon.

 Mandatory Entry
To enter, just leave me a comment below.  You know I love comments.   
   All submissions must be received by midnight on November 14th and I'll announce the winner on November 15th. Since so much has been going on with the hospitals and things I totally forgot about tweeting and reminding every one about my giveaway so I'm extending the deadline till midnight on Monday, November 15th.  I will announce the winner on the 16th.  Thanks for your patience and understanding.




Extra  Entries

You will receive an extra entry for doing any of the following.  Just remember I need you to leave a separate comment for each entry telling me what you do.  And most important make sure I have a way to reach you in case you are the Lucky Winner!

• Become a follower of Cotton Pickin Cute.
• Follow Cotton Pickin Cute on GFC by hitting the button on my sidebar.
• Follow me tracysuz on Twitter.
• Like me Tracy Suzanne on Facebook.
• Post this giveaway on your sidebar.
• Post about this giveaway on your blog.
• Checkout my Aprons in my Etsy shop.

There you have it 7 chances to enter and increase your odds of winning.  Good Luck and Hugs....Tracy


[Please note:  Products, information and prize packs were provided by Bisquick through MyBlogSpark]

Giddy - Up Wild West Swap

I have so much catching up to do and no idea where to start.
 
So this is a post long overdue.  Paula from Paula's Palace of  Altered Art had a wonderful swap in September that I was lucky enough to be a part of.  I can't believe how the time has flown by.  I really wanted to post this much sooner but things have been so chaotic at my house for months now.  Hence the lack of you hearing about this before.  Just take a peek at all these wonderful tags that Paula received!

 I was lucky enough to get Sandy from 521 Lake Street for my swap partner.  She always makes the cutest things so I was thrilled when I saw that I was now going to have my own Sandy creation.  Isn't it the cutest.

I love this side of her tag too.  Click on the picture to enlarge it.  It's a picture of her own horse Chica that she owned for 19 years.  Wow, that's a member of the family. I just love how she shared something so special on her tag.

 Here's my tag from Paula.  It's so cute with the fabric ties.  It couldn't look anymore western.  Thanks Paula for your fun swap and your cute tag.

 Paula's Wild West Swap was a lot of fun and easy too.  We only had to make 2 tags.  One for Paula and one for an secret swap partner.  The tags could be any size you wanted.  You really should click on Paula's name up top and check out all the fun tags.  So many different minds working on the same project or should I say challenge.  

Below are the tags I made.  I don't know which one Paula kept and which one went to Sandy but I sure hope they liked them.  It's always fun being challenged to do something different.  I made the flag pillow this summer from some vintage hand towel fabric, bias tape(strips) and a scrap of star fabric from my stash.

  The front of my tag is above.  I decided traced out a wagon and used some muslin for the wagon opening and some metal buttons for the wagon wheels.  A copy of a cowboy from a vintage card cut out singing to the girl of his dreams, who's listening from inside the wagon. 

The back of the tag above is bumped out with pop dots for a 3-D effect. Star button and beaded trim for embellishment.

I shrank the cover of a vintage cowboy book  Added a vintage cowboy and I loved the horse shoe charm that came from an old vintage bubble gum machine.

The back of the tag has more buttons and a card stock star covered in tin foil.  And see that cute acorn tag.  Donna from Brynwood Needleworks sent me a lovely gift of sachets earlier this year and had them beautifully tied with her homemade acorn muslin ribbon.  Of course I saved it.  So I used a snippet for the tag. 

Thank you Paula and Sandy for your beautiful tags and letting me be a part of the fun!

Quick Fast Makeover - OOPS!

 Yuck!  Pretty gross, right.  I hated the fabric that came on this very worn task chair.  Lint just clings to it so bad.  I can vacuum it daily but it's like an old sweater that's picked to pieces.  You just have to hand pick all the little balls off and it still looks cruddy.  

So what do you do when you exhausted but have adrenaline flowing and your itching to get one thing accomplished.  Why you start recovering a chair at 10 pm, of course.  That's what I did on Halloween night.

I remembered that I had a bolt of this fabric in the closet that I planned on doing something with.  Valences, pillows, who knows.  I liked it and it was on sale and I new it would go great in our office.  (Unfortunately, we still don't have that done).  Anyway it's a great heavy woven upholstery fabric.  With the dark muted colors and fingers crossed, no spills, it should last forever or at least till I'm totally sick of it.

It was really easy and a quick project.  I had my handy electric staple gun, a screwdriver and removed the seat and laid it on the fabric and cut out a big square.  The staple gun worked out just perfect for this part.

Here's where the "It's too late and your too wiped out  to do this" comes in.  I get the back off, not to hard.  I look at the shape of the back, center it on the fabric where I want it.  Checked it at least twice before I cut, left plenty of extra so I was sure to have enough.  Check, cut and start to staple.  Nope not happening.  The seat was wood this was heavy duty plastic and my staple isn't going through it.  

Okay, not a problem.   NEIL!!!!!!!

We find screws and the electric screwdriver/drill thingy.  And put in a lot of screws, then reattached the seat and back to the base.  Beautiful!!!  Simply beautiful, I'm thinking as I'm smiling ear-to-ear, so please that I accomplished and finish a task.

That is until it sat there mocking me........

Yep, look close.  The fabric on the back of the seat is upside down.  Did you notice, click the pictures to enlarge them.  I was so disappointed but not  disappointed  enough to recover it that night.  Who knows when I will either.  Luckily it's a not in you face pattern screaming "Hey, goofy put me on upside down".

Blog Candy Giveaway With A Hop

I have several blog friends who create the most beautiful stamped cards.  I've admired  them for so long and would love to be able to give it a try.   Do any of you stamp?  

Tiddly Inks is having a blog hop and is offering an awesome giveaway of blog candy ~ I mean really a bunch.  Just look at all the goodies above.  I so want to win this but if I can't I sure would like to think I helped someone who reads my blog win it.

You'll want to hurry because this one ends on November 4th.  Just click here.

If you do win please be sure to come back and tell me.  I love hearing about your wins almost as much as winning myself.  Hee-hee!

Good luck y'all.....Tracy :)

Pretty Paper - Check ~ Coptic Markers - Check = YIPPEE!!!

Whoo - Hoo!!!!  I won the most fun giveaway. 

 

I have been wanting to try stamping for sometime.  I have really been wanting some Coptic markers and boy did my dreams come true.  Where you might ask did I get such goodies?  I got lucky over at

CREATIONS WITH KATHRYN

I won Kathryn's blog candy for the Halloween blog hop.And all the goodies I got were a total surprise.  And she was so generous.  My pictures don't show just  how wonderful this package was.  Thank you so much Kathryn.  I'm looking so forward to getting time to play and practice with them.

Lots of these pages are 2 sided and they are all gorgeous and fun.  Do  you see the book making pages in the second photo how cool are those.  She also sent rub on transfers, embellishments and other cool stuff.  Can you tell I got excited!  I'm just sorry that I didn't get to post as soon as I received it last week.  I hope y'all click here to stop by and visit this sweet gal and see how talented she is too.  Please let her know that I sent you.

I have lots to share with y'all and hope I can get back here to do it this week.  See y'all later.  Love and Hugs...Tracy :)