A reunion in the making...extra, extra read all about it!

Howdy friends!

It was a year in January since my first kick off of the Newbie party.

Glad to see it is still going, and a lot of you have formed new friendships and readership from said party.
I started this party with the most good intent.  I knew how it felt to be a new blogger, and it was hard to put myself out there.  I receive emails on a regular basis, telling me how thankful you are and what this party has done for you and your blog.  That makes me so happy! I don't say this often enough...but Thank you, for supporting me, and being a part of my daily life. I appreciate YOU more than I can ever express in words! Just know that is what my heart feels all the time:) I truly wish I had 24/7 to sit here and read all your blogs.  Some days I just bounce around so giddy and happy, then I realize Oh crud, I have been sitting here for 4 hours already.

Am I alone on that one? I think not!~

XO

With that being said.......

{source}

 I have had more than one request to have a Newbie reunion for the graduates of the party.
First one being Ann from on Sutton place

Basically, the party is Open to ALL who have moved on and no longer meet the newbie criteria.

I will be hosting the Newbie reunion on March 29th.  This gives you all plenty of time to have a lovely, fresh Spring post.

Hope to see you there!
Please let me know, as if I do not see a big commitment to it, I will not have it...

Just a reminder as well about the

Spring'tacular party coming up starting March 12th.

What will 2012 bring to you? based on the survey results....

Happy New year everyone! We had a wonderful New years eve, and I hope you all did the same!

It was fun this morning  going over my survey that I put out yesterday.

The survey is NOW closed.

Let me tell you a little bit about what I have in store for the New year.

Sometimes, change is a good thing, depending on the situation at hand...

In my blog's case, YOU will not see too many changes...

hopefully only improve upon what I have to offer you,  my friends/readers.

I will continue to share my crafts, and thrifty finds..

That was without a doubt something you love for me to share.

I do like to change things often, and I love to do that on a budget...always have,

always will!

I will of course KEEP my newbie party...

And, I will of course keep my monthly magazine copy cat challenge party...

They are for certain my original ideas, and I heart them!

I will throw in a different party once in a while...

One of which was a suggestion of a good blogging friend, and I thought it was

genius...more to come on that.

I will be adding a home tour feature on my blog..

I will feature, your homes, your story.

Based on the survey, 87% of you loved that idea.

Hopefully, I can continue to come up with some "outside the box" ideas for you!

{how cute to take your empty water bottles an turn them into a vase?}

I am always up for new and fresh ideas...

I loved your feedback! and YES, this is my blog, and at the end of the day, I will do what I want...

HOWEVER, I want to make it fun for you to come on over and see what I am up too..

OH and also based on your survey, YOU do not want to see fashion, hair and makeup...

Well, you will still see it on occasion...because that is what I like too! I was actually surprised to see the percentage on that so low, because my hair and What I Wore Wednesday posts are always so active and complimentary...y'all just being nice to me!

Another surprise to see, is that you would like me to share more cooking and recipes...

So yes, I will share more of that as well.

Thank you again for your feedback and taking the time to do the survey.

See you later on tonight for the newbie party.

{Halloween decorating} Newbie party started!

By the end of October you surely will be sick of my Halloween decor!
But that's OK, then we get into another Holiday and there is  more fun to be had decorating.
I have ONE more Halloween post after this, and that is it! YAY for you.

You remember my Owl?
Well....

He had to get creepified around him...

It was pretty easy this year transition into Halloween with the Fall decor already out and about.

I had to make something new as well...check it out.
Can you spare a buck? I am betting you can...

{I had this banner last year on our mantel..I changed out the banner this year and you will soon see that.}

Now let me tell you the quick story of this Mr. Owl graphic from the Graphics fairy.

I bought this pitiful picture from the dollar tree.
Yes it is cheap and looks and feels every bit of it.
HOWEVER, I loved the background surrounding the palm {or whatever plant that is} picture,
and had a light bulb moment.

I thought I would paint the frame mustard yellow, add a little wax, distress it, and then mod podge the graphic
right over the pic!

The idea worked like a charm!
I told you I can spread a buck a long way.

Mike noticed it last night and actually said, that's a pretty cool picture.
I told him I made it up...surprise, surprise!

Lucy likes it too!'
I really hate that my cords are sticking out.  I had a plant there covering them, but of course, it was in rough shape and I moved it to hopefully bring it back to life.

**NEWBIE party GUIDELINES**:

*Blogging 6 months or less and or less than 100 followers.

*Would love for you to become a new friend of mine as well on google friend connect.

*PLEASE turn off Word verification, makes commenting very difficult, and you do not need it.

Blogger does a great job of deterring spam comments.

*PLEASE visit a few other participants, that is what you are here for! 

*IF you find your link deleted, it is simply because you did not follow my simple guidelines.  

*PLEASE add my link or button to your blog and/or post.

NEXT MONDAY there will BE NO NEWBIE PARTY!
In lieu of IT, I will be hosting a Magazine copy cat challenge, which you may read all about it on my side bar!


Joining:  
MM {SBNOTP}
Amaze me Monday
Graphics fairy
Tip junkie

Newbie party highlights and an {announcement}

Good morning all come ye all faithful!

The Newbie party was fantastic this week.  It really is growing and I am seeing more and more graduates these days.

Here are a few of the most viewed links.

If your blog has already been featured I went to the next highest views.

First,

Cottage Art shop

 linked up her very cute Halloween porch, very fun and colorful indeed.

Next,

My friend Wendi, whom I have known since my

Rate My space days.

Wendi featured some gorgeous designs with a  dash of color.

Last,

Was 

Kathy from Petticoat junktion!

I adored this drop leaf table and the color was fantastic too....

If you do not know these fabulous ladies, please do go say Hi, and give them a warm welcome.

NOW onto my announcement!

The Newbie party brought over 129 participants.

Fantastic!

I always have my link up Sunday evening until Wednesday evening.

I will now be shortening the duration of the party.

Tuesday evenings linkie will be closed.

Reason being, I want the newbie party to be more intimate and engaging with as many participants you can visit, meet and greet.

The larger the party the more difficult. 

This is a NEWBIE party to make new friends.

Plenty of linkies out there to get more traffic, so do join those as well.

I hope you all understand my feeling on this.

Thanks for your support!

Feel free to grab my blab button if I blabbed about you!

Highlights from the newbie party!

Newbie party was hopping again this week. 

 Lots of new faces, and old faces moving on and graduating from newbie status to pro's!

First I want to share with you, one of the kindest notes I received today.

Debbie,
I just wanted to drop you a line and tell you how much I loved being a part of 
the Newbie party...I participated a pretty long time ago, but as I look back on 
where my blog's momentum really took off, it was thru the Newbie Party.  There 
were some really lovely ladies I have come to know and love in the blogosphere 
b/c of that linky!  

And this my friends is why I love the newbie party!

Thank you Amanda.

Now let's look at some features.  According to Mr. Linky these were the top three most viewed.

(If you have already been featured in the past, I went on to the next most viewed)

keepin in fair for the other gals to shine.

Toni, shared with us her kitchen...

So very pretty and warm!

Next...with a dash of color,

This was a delightful post and such pretty pictures.

Last, today is Mama's little lady bugs...

She shared her Halloween Mantel..

Just worked on mine yesterday, thanks for the inspiration!

Have a great day all!

Off to a double header soccer game, and Alex has another band competition.

No rest of the wicked.

If I blabbed about you, feel free to grab a blab button.

See you tomorrow for the Newbie party.

Recap on the Newbie party!

Another fantastic week, some new faces and great new blogs to discover.  Hope you all enjoyed the party and found yourself mingling with the crowd.  

After all, that is how you are going to make some new friendships and gain readership.  Comment and comment often is the key. Get your face and name out there!~

Mr. Linky shows me the most viewed posts....so in no particular order, here they go~

FABIANA is a faithful participant...

she shares lots of inspirational photos and this week was all about Fall~

Next, Shenita, shared her Fallish home decor and it is Lovely!~

Last, Kelly!~ Kelly is new to blogging and doing a fantastic job!

She shared her master bathroom with us,and I just am in awww..and need to go change things up now.

Thanks Kelly!

One thing I want to make note of, because I am an honest John.  Some links were viewed more, however, they have been featured already.  So I like to give others a chance to shine...

which in fact you all DO in my book~

Have a great day and see you next time.

If I blabbed about you, feel free to grab my blab button on the right hand side.

Newbie party top three links this week!

Thank you, thank you all once again for making the newbie party a success.

This week I had almost 100 links and a lot of you were newcombers.

This party is never that large because of the fact I have strict guidelines,

that really define a NEWBIE,
 and for two,

there are always gals who graduate to no longer newbie status.

That is what I love!

Now onto the links that were most viewed.

No particular order...

Eleven-o-one

Check out her lovely French sign...

This is not the first one she has made either...very creative gal!

Next up...

Farica!  She is getting ready for Fall, and I of course was giddy with delight to see her post...

Farica has a lovely home, and is a very sweet lady!

Last but never least,

is Andrea!

This trunk had a complete makeover, and look how BEAUTIFUL it is!

WOW it looks so awesome in her family room.

Thanks again for your continued support.

I have seen many of your actually connect, and become good friends because of my party.

This is not a blog hop...it is a real friendship builder.

you are here to make those connections, and gain friends and readership.

XO

Top 3 at the Newbie partay this week! Kitchen makeover, beach themes and more!

Thank you all for your continued support and participation in my weekly newbie party!

What I love most about my party, is one that I get to meet new bloggers every week, and two I get to see you all make new friends along the way.

Here is this weeks top three most viewed links in no particular order..

First up is Kathryn...

She did a fabulous, and very fun kitchen makeover.
I really admired her sense of color and her bold move with the stripes in her kitchen makeover.



This is one patient girl to do all these stripes!
Fabulous job Kathryn!

Next up, and ironically another kitchen makeover, only this on on
cabinets.  Melissa gives a wonderful tutorial as well..



What I love is she kept the integrity of the original style, she just changed it up to make it more modern to her taste. Love it!

Last but never least is Cheryl

she showed us some lovely beachy themes and art work she creatively thought of a useful way to display.



Thanks again ladies for joining me...and nice to have you along this blogging journey.
If I blabbed about you, feel free to grab my blab button on my side bar.

Have a great day!

Stamped concrete, phase I of the dream...NEWBIE party started!

Coming along here, coming along!

Stamped concrete is an interesting process.

It is a lot cheaper than pavers or real stone, so we opted for that route.

Glad we did. It will give us room for a few other things we have been

dreaming of in the future.

If you recall this is was our outdoor area a few weeks ago...

I sure will not miss all that pinestraw...

 This was the first step after the poured concrete. 

 They then throw this powder coating on, that oxidized the color.  They take these rubber stamps and literally stamp them into the concrete. It is like a puzzle...

We love the color, the texture and the pattern!

 Soon our fireplace will go on the surface, along with some other fun outdoor goodies,

 furniture and decor..

I plan on bringing lots of color from the indoors out.

The total extra square footage is around 450 sq. ft.  Certainly wonderful for outdoor entertaining.

I can't wait to show you phase II, soon.

NEWBIE party guidelines:
Blogging 6 months or less, and or LESS than 100 followers.

Please follow along my blog as well.

Add my link or button to your post so that others may find out about the party.

If you have word verification on, please consider NOT!

Thank you....

Joining:
Metamorphosis Monday
Amaze me Monday

Top 3 Newbie looks this week!

Happy Thursday to you all!

 Pretty soon school will be resuming and our crazy fun summer will be over.  

A little sad, but glad on the flip side.  I look forward to my quiet time too. 

Call me selfish, but I think we all need a little me time, it makes us happy!

What makes me happy is seeing all the fun you are having at the newbie party.

Every week, I see new faces, meet new bloggers and get to check out what is cookin out here in the blogosphere.

First up for most viewed was KARA....

She is a junker and a thrifter and she had quite the mother load.

Next up, my friend Donatella...she is one craft chick for sure.  Very talented...

Last feature was FABBY!

 
Fabby, has a wonderful eclectic home, with lots of beautiful colors and treasures to share....

Thank you all for participating, having fun, making new friends, and being a wonderful support system to each other.

If I blabbed about you feel free to grab my blab button.

On another note, our backyard project is moving along.  We are so excited!

Top three features this week!

It's Wednesday already!  My week has been crazy busy with my older boy starting band camp.

He is having a ball, and making so many new friends. His long days of 12 hours are coming to an end. Today he is there from 9 to 10, and then tomorrow 9-5 and then they perform.  I can' wait to see it.

On to the newbie party features.

Mr. Linky shows me the number of clicks your posts receives.

So here in no particular order:

My dear friend Daniella.  Hard to believe she has been with me for six months now and is moving on up.

I like to say graduated, and no longer a NEWB!

Daniella is very crafty, kind, and considerate.

 Go on and say hello and you too make a new friend in case you do not know her.

Next, Beachcomber.

She has a lovely blog, great photos and lots of inspiration to share.

Last feature for the day.....

My friend Deneen.

She never disappoints. Always has a fun, creative think outside the box idea going on.

A lot of the girls have now graduated from being newbies.  I thank you for all your lovely emails and thanks.
Spread the word every chance you can.
 If you see a newbie, I would love if you told them about the party.
I must get back to my thousand projects I have going on now.

Home sweet home, and some features from the newbie party!

So very happy to be home after two long, wonderful weeks!

I thank you all for sharing our vacation with us.  I wanted to share as many pics as I could on my blog with you all. I have so many more and so many other fun and exciting things we did.  

For now, it is back to home and garden blogging.

Here are some of  the most viewed posts from my Newbie party.

First up was Suzy....Suzy featured her friends Kitchen.
 Isn't so lovely?

Next up was Lisa!~

She has a very pretty kitchen too. I have those very same valances, which I love from Walmart!

Last but never least, my friend Laurie...for her Sunday sketches...

Oh my this cute little face is just so adorable!

Thanks again for all your lovely comments while I was gone.  It will take me forever to catch up here in the land of Blogs!

If I blabbed about you, feel free to grab a blab button.

ONE more blab for the day...

Don't forget about the Mountain of Giveaways.

10 CANS of chalk paint and more up for grabs.