I love JoAnn Fabric and Craft Stores. I recently found out that they have a whole section of fun Halloween and Fall crafts on their site with all the directions you need to make some adorable crafts! I saw the chalkboard paint wine glasses and thought it would be really fun to make some with my boys. I knew they would love to help paint and then to fill the glasses with "potions" for Halloween. I found wine glasses at my dollar store and JoAnn's provided me with the rest of the supplies I needed.

First I wiped the wine glasses clean and then we drew a design on them in sharpie that we could fill in with chalkboard paint.




You'll need to let the glasses sit for about 24 hours so the paint can dry. Then add more coats if necessary. Then rub over the paint all over with chalk, wipe it off and you are free to write whatever you want on them!

We filled our glasses with juice and my boys wrote "pumpkin potion" for the orange, and "witch brew" for the purple. I think any fun juice color could be made into a fun potion. Does anyone remember Ecto Cooler? Does that even still exist? That would be super fun to use as a potion with its bright green color!

The boys thought it was so fun to drink their Halloween potions! After Halloween is over we will have to come up with other things we can write on our chalkboard glasses. Check out all the fun JoAnn Halloween and Fall craft projects HERE.

Now for the GIVEAWAY!
Today, JoAnn Crafts is giving one of our readers the chance to win a $50 gift card to their store so you can buy your own craft supplies! All you need to do to enter is visit the craft projects mentioned above and find which one you would most like to make. Then come back and leave a comment with which it is. For a second entry you can share this giveaway on Facebook or Twitter (leave us a link!). This giveaway will end on Sunday, October 28th at 11:59pm PT.

JoAnn also has a great coupon for you right now. You can get 50% off one regularly priced item through October 31st! You can download and print it from below or you can use the code halloween133 online at JoAnn.


I was provided all the supplies for this craft as well as a gift card by JoAnn Fabric and Craft Stores as well as the giveaway gift card for a reader; however, all opinions are my own.

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My kids got flu shots this weekend and when that time of year comes around, I always feel like I need to be even more vigilant about trying to keep germs at bay. Which means more cleaning, wiping, hand washing, and tissue use!

Seventh Generation recently provided me with some products to help my efforts. Seventh Generation offers household and personal care products that help protect human health and the environment. I love that I can feel great about using their products because they are safe for my family but also protect the environment. They have a fabulous line of products that I can use every day.

Check out this fun DIY video that Seventh Generation created showing how to turn an empty tissue box into a scary (but cute) germ monster! This would be a fun project to do with my boys.


Today, Seventh Generation is giving one of our readers the chance to win a gift box of products like this...

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Recently, I discovered Consumer Crafts. Dangerous, dangerous find. It is a great online craft store with great products and even more amazing prices! I know I will be shopping there very frequently. I ordered everything online that I needed to make some Halloween treat boxes and all the supplies arrived very quickly and without breaking the bank.

I am going to show you how simple it was to make these. They are cute little gifts and they were very inexpensive and easy to make. Fill them with your favorite treats or your friends or your husbands (sorry, Kev you aren't actually getting one) and gift away!

From Consumer Crafts, I ordered orange craft paint, brushes, bakers twine, patterned paper and these fabulous paper mache boxes that come in all different shapes and sizes. They were less than $1!


For my first box, which was circle shaped, I wanted to make a jack-o-lantern inspired treat box. I started by painting the box orange. It was very well covered in one coat, so I called it good.




For my second treat box, I decided to mod podge some patterned paper onto a square paper mache box.

I cut strips of my patterned paper and brushed mod podge onto all the sides to glue the paper on, as well as on the lid.

Be sure to visit Consumer Crafts to buy fabulous, inexpensive craft supplies for every project! They also have a great blog, Crafts Unleashed and you can follow them on Twitter, Facebook, and Pinterest.

Right now they have a refer-a-friend contest you need to check out! You can enter to win (1 of 6) $250 prizes!

I wrote this post as part of a paid campaign with Consumer Crafts and Blueprint Social. The opinions in this post are my own.

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I have been looking for some fun tote bags for my boys to use trick or treating this year. I received some adorable ones from Zazzle!

Zazzle is the world's leading platform for quality custom products. Zazzle's proprietary technology enables individuals, professional artists, and major brands, including Disney and Hallmark, to create and offer billions of unique products for customers worldwide. Zazzle's product base covers every topic imaginable and includes t-shirts, business cards and invitations, in addition to a variety of custom gifts. Upon creation, products are instantly and accurately visualized on the site and offered in the Zazzle marketplace. When ordered, each product is made on-demand, typically within 24 hours. It is such a fun site to create and purchase unique gifts! You can get everything from shirts to mugs, office products and electronics. Check it out! You can make some fabulous gifts for the holidays this year.

My boys are so excited to carry the tote bags around on Halloween. Well, who am I kidding they have already been carrying them all over the house. I love the one that says, "Got Candy?" Super cute. I really love that the bags are large too. My boys go trick or treating at Daddy's work and they really need big bags to haul all their loot around. They are very durable as well and I love that you can customize them. It will be a great year of Halloween festivities!

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Thanks for entering the evgie studio giveaway! The lucky winner of a $50 gift card to the EVGIE shop is...

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The Kroger Cart Buster Sales Event starts today! I always look forward to this sale because it is such a great time to stock up on food items for my pantry. It is a great time to buy staples at cheap prices! It seems like in Fall I am always baking and preparing foods to have throughout the year, whether it be freezer meals or bulk items in my pantry. Plus, I always start looking for great deals on items I know I will need for the holidays when I am cooking and baking so much.

I am particularly looking forward to buying some of the tomato products like Hunt´s Cut Tomatoes and sauce so I can make a big batch of my bulk spaghetti sauce! If you have a favorite spaghetti sauce you can make a big batch of it and freeze it to pull out for meals all throughout Fall and Winter. Spaghetti sauce can be used for so many different filling meals to feed your family. Hunt's Cut Tomatoes can be used in so many different recipes as well! This is a great option for Fall because you can if you stock up on the Tomatoes in the Cart Buster sale when they are cheap, then you will have them on hand all season. You will be able to make a lot of meals ahead of time and save yourself time to focus on the upcoming holiday season! Tomatoes are always a staple that I like to have in my pantry.

In addition to the in-store savings, there is a Cart Buster site which you can visit to see the deal of the day and see what's on sale in store.

Download a digital coupon for a different product each day straight to your shopper card at the Cart Buster site for great deals on your favorite products at the Kroger Co. Family of Stores!

I was selected for participation in this campaign as a member of Clever Girls Collective.

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We have a great guest tutorial from our friend at The Quilt Pattern Shoppe. Enjoy!
You do not need to be an expert in order to sew some truly creative and unique pieces of apparel. There are plenty of simple projects that while low on the difficulty scale, also result in amazing designs you can actually wear with pride. Even if you are very good at sewing, having some quick projects that do not require a ton of time is always nice. You can start sewing and have something new to wear in less than an hour! Sewing fingerless gloves from an old sweater is easy, fun, and a great way to recycle old clothing.

There are plenty of benefits to using old sweaters for fabric. One of the best things is that most of the sewing is done for you! You also do not have to worry about knitting or other more difficult skills. Additionally, using fabric you already have will save the money and hassle of buying from a craft store. Quilting patterns are also a great use for old fabric.

First, trace your forearm and hand onto a piece of paper with your fingers together and the thumb facing out. This is your pattern. The pattern should extend to the first knuckle of your hand and then down as far as you want. Some people prefer their gloves to go all the way down to the elbow, while others stop at the wrist. The great thing about doing this yourself is that the details are up to you!


Next, pin your pattern onto the fabric. Depending on the size of the sweater, you might be able to use the sleeves for this. Doing so will save you some work! Once the pattern is pinned, carefully cut around it. It is best to use a flat and clean surface for this.

Cut two layers for the front and back of the glove. Once the first glove is cut out, flip the pattern and cut out the second one. Make sure you flip it, otherwise you will have two of the same hand.

Pin both sides of the fabric together, with the inside of the fabric facing out. This is actually the inside of the glove. If you were able to use the sleeves, some of the sewing will already be done for you. If not, sew up the sides and between the thumb and finger holes. Use small and even stitches, a slip stitch is best.

You will have to turn in any raw edges, otherwise the fabric will unravel. Turn them in about 1/4 inch and sew a seam. This will give you a nice and clean edge.


Turn your glove right side out and see if it fits. You now have a snugly, fashionable, and unique piece of apparel to wear! Show off your new accessory and start thinking about your next project.

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Evgie and Ev are real gals with passion and expertise in digital illustration and interior decoration. Each of them has liked drawing very much since childhood; it became their profession!

With vinyl wall decals being the latest trend in home decor – easy to apply, easy to remove, easy to tailor to specific wall or surface – EVGIE offers handmade large and small vinyl stickers with designs and ideas for kids and grown-ups rooms. They start with an idea, pencil and blank paper and then render designs digitally for vinyl cutting. They view walls as a background for living.

 
EVGIE Studio specializes in producing customized wall decals. They create personal designs that not only reflect the ideas you have in mind, but are tailored to fit into your unique space. You can send pictures of your room, wall color, bedding sets, painting, anything that inspires you and they will craft an idea that will transform your home. They'd love to hear from you at hello@evgie.com

Such beautiful designs! They are sure to bring any room to life. Today, EVGIE is offering one of our readers the chance to win a $50 gift card for anything in the store! To enter, visit EVGIE and find your favorite item. Then come back and leave us a comment with what it is. For a second entry, you can share that favorite item using the pinterest, twitter or facebook buttons on the page of your favorite item. Let us know if you did that! This giveaway will end Thursday, October 4th at 11:59pm PT.

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Being a busy mom to three boys, sometimes it is such a struggle to fit healthy meals into my day. I don't have the time to cook a full meal at each time of day and I am constantly on the lookout for healthy meals to eat so that I can stay energized and give my body the nourishment it needs throughout the day. They have to be quick to fix!

I recently had the opportunity to try Diet-To-Go meals for a few days. Diet-to-Go is a diet delivery service and I was excited to see how they tasted and if they could fit into my busy life.


Diet-To-Go is the most inexpensive fresh diet delivery service on the market. They only deliver fresh meals (they have to be refrigerated!). That was a huge selling point to me because they are truly fresh! I was telling my husband that normally I would never sit and cook myself a bunch of veggies for breakfast or lunch, so it was so great to have meals that I could heat up in minutes and know they were healthy.

I knew the main thing for me would be taste. Everything else could pass the test, but it has to taste good or I will not be eating it. I must admit, I was a little skeptical because all I had to do was heat the meal in the microwave for a few minutes so I thought for sure taste would be compromised. It was not! Seriously. Every meal I tried was delicious!

Like this omelette...
I could eat this everyday for breakfast. It has cheese and spinach inside and it was so good. Really. Now I want one. It was probably my favorite meal.

I also tried this herbed catfish with broccoli and artichokes...
Now, keep in mind I have never had catfish in my life before! I love fish, but I usually eat salmon. I was a little nervous since I had never had it before but it was amazing. I offered a bite to my husband and he ended up eating the rest of it. No joke. Thanks a lot, hon.

I also really enjoyed the chicken fingers with squash and brussel sprouts.
I especially loved the variety that Diet-To-Go offered me. I never got bored of what I was eating and I didn't have to go to the store and shop for a million ingredients to cook up something. I just knew I had healthy, easy, quick food waiting for me at each meal.

Diet-To-Go offers 3 unique menus (low-fat, vegetarian & low-carb) and 20 plans to choose from.
There are no cancellation fees or gimmick pricing. There is no commitment or contract, and they have a 100% satisfaction guarantee! It is definitely worth a try if you are looking for a way to lose weight or even just fit healthier meals into your life.

Right now, you can enter a special giveaway from Diet-To-Go to win a free week of meals!
You can also get 25% off any meal plan! Use coupon code 25percentoff. Follow Diet-To-Go on Facebook or Twitter to keep up to date on all the latest info and promotions. Enjoy!


This post is part of a social shopper marketing insight campaign with Pollinate Media Group™, but all my opinions are my own.

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Local Seattle SUBWAY® restaurants are tackling the serious topic of obesity with a fun contest to reward students for healthy eating and exercise habits. Today through September 27, public, private and homeschooled students in the Seattle area ages 5 to 14 with parent permission can draw a poster or create a video showing how they “Get Fit Like the Seahawks.”

Contest entries will be judged by a local panel with two grand prize winners being selected to receive a $1,000 fitness grant for their school or educational institution, a $500 SUBWAY® Card, an autographed Seahawks football, and two tickets to an upcoming home game. Three honorable mention winners will receive a $100 SUBWAY® card and two tickets to an upcoming home game.
Visit FreshFitSeattle.com for more info and entry forms. Be sure to go enter the contest if you live in the Seattle area!

Obesity rates in Washington have almost doubled in the past 15 years according to a study released by Trust for America’s Health. The study reveals that 11.1 percent of children and adolescents in Washington are considered obese. Obesity in children is generally caused by a lack of physical activity, unhealthy eating patterns or a combination of both.

“We are excited to broaden our partnership with SUBWAY® restaurants through the FRESH FIT® Video and Poster Competition,” said Seahawks president Peter McLoughlin. “We want students to share their success stories and how leading an active lifestyle helps them to succeed.”

Today, we are giving FIVE of our U.S. readers a chance to win $10 SUBWAY® gift cards! Just leave us a comment telling us what you do to help your kids (or yourself) stay fit, be active, or eat healthy. For a second entry, post about this giveaway on Facebook and leave us another comment with a link to it. Make sure you leave a way for us to contact you if you are a winner! This giveaway will end Tuesday, September 25, 2012 at 11:59 pm PT.

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Time to announce the milk unleashed giveaway winner. The winner of a milk unleashed variety pack is...

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