Giveaway Day 4

In honor of Pink & Green Thursday, I thought I would give away something green. These Fornash earrings are simply adorable! I have been eying them for quite a while. When I ordered them, I was even more pleased with them in person. You will love them!

The rules are simple:

1. For one entry--You must be a follower.

2. For one entry--Leave a comment letting me know your favorite piece of jewelry.

3. For three entries--Blog about this giveaway.

You can earn up to five entries for this giveaway. Add them up and leave just one comment on this post. Sunday, April 10, 2011 I will announce the winner.

Giveaway Day 3

Happy Hump Day and Giveaway Day 3! I don't know about you, but I am a huge scent person. Are you thinking "What is this crazy loon talking about?" Or did I just make complete sense? I adore smelling wonderful things--walking into a store that has its own scent, the way a clean baby smells after a bath, freshly laundered sheets, you get the picture. I'm not the kind of girl who picks out one type of perfume and wears it until it is gone. Nope, I have a variety on my vanity and pick out a different one according to how my outfit makes me feel each day. (Yep, Bryan thinks I'm crazy, so you can too.) Anywhoo, I'm also a huge candle person--I can never have enough. One of my favorites is the giveaway for today! It is a 12oz, 3-wick Voluspa candle in Santiago Huckleberry. Trust me, you will love it! The rules are simple:

1. For one entry--You must be a follower.

2. For one entry--Leave a comment letting me know your favorite type of candle or your favorite candle scent.

3. For three entries--Blog about this giveaway.

You can earn up to five entries for this giveaway. Add them up and leave just one comment on this post. Sunday, April 10, 2011 I will announce the winner.

XOXO,

Hannah

Tasty Tuesday & Giveaway #2

Are you ready for my second giveaway? If you are a cook, you are going to love this one! It is for the cookbook "Let's Get Together" by DeeDee Stovel & Pam Wakefield and a Williams-Sonoma medium yellow silicone spatula. If you haven't noticed, look a little closer in my cooking pictures and you will see that I use my Williams-Sonoma spatulas all the time. This cookbook features lots of yummy and easy recipes.

The rules are simple:

1. For one entry--You must be a follower.

2. For one entry--Leave a comment letting me know your favorite dish to cook.

3. For three entries--Blog about this giveaway.

4. For three entries--Let me know a recipe you have not had a chance to try but would like to see me make and blog the outcome!

You can earn up to eight entries for this giveaway. Add them up and leave just one comment on this post. Sunday, April 10, 2011 I will announce the winner.

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Shiitake & Sweet Pea Risotto

Prep Time: 40 minutes

Yield: 4 servings

Calories: 324 per serving

Ingredients:

4 cups fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth

1 tablespoon butter

1/2 cup finely chopped onion

1 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic, divided

1 cup uncooked Arborio rice

1/2 cup dry white wine

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

4 cups thinly sliced shiitake mushroom caps

2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme, divided

3/4 cup frozen green peas

6 tablespoons grated fresh Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, divided

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

1. Bring broth to a simmer in a medium saucepan; keep warm over low heat.

2. Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion; cook 2 minutes. Add 1 teaspoon garlic; cook 30 seconds, stirring constantly. Add rice; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add wine; cook 2 minutes or until liquid is absorbed, stirring frequently. Stir in 1/2 cup broth; cook 2 minutes or until liquid is absorbed, stirring constantly. Add remaining broth, 1/2 cup at a time, stirring constantly until each portion of broth is absorbed before adding the next (about 20 minutes).

3. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms to pan; sauté 5 minutes or until tender. Add remaining 1/2 teaspoon garlic and 1 teaspoon thyme; sauté 1 minute. Set aside.

4. Stir mushrooms, remaining 1 teaspoon thyme, peas, 1/4 cup cheese, and pepper into risotto; cook 3 minutes. Spoon about 1 1/4 cups risotto into each of 4 bowls; sprinkle each with 1 1/2 teaspoons cheese.

Verdict: Bryan declared it delish and announced that he would like to have it again. That makes me a happy wife!

Giveaway Day 1

Happy Monday! I am excited to be announcing the first giveaway of the week. Since Spring is now upon us and it is time to watch flowers, plants and trees flourish, I thought it fitting to host a giveaway that somehow reflects upon this glorious season. One of my favorite things to plant in the Spring are herbs. Not only are they super easy to grow, but they can be grown outside in planters or inside in little ceramic pots. I love to use fresh herbs when I cook! Today's giveaway is for four packets of herb seeds and gardening gloves.

1. For one entry--You must be a follower.

2. For one entry--Leave a comment letting me know your favorite herb and a dish in which to use it.

3. For three entries--Blog about this giveaway.

You can earn up to five entries for this giveaway. Add them up and leave just one comment on this post. Sunday, April 10, 2011 I will announce the winner.

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Sunday Inspiration

Please keep my dad in your prayers as he leaves this week to go overseas and start his new job. Please also pray for my mom, who will be here with us. To read a little more about it click here.

Shopping Tips

It seems to me that though prices are constantly going up, salaries are staying the same. Rarely do I ever pay full price for clothing. Aren't you all for saving a buck or two? I've put together a few little shopping tips that I thought you might enjoy.

1. Do not be scared to shop in the Internet. I've heard lots of people say that they would rather be able to try clothing on in person. Yes, that is true, but you can often times get better deals online. If there is something you are dying to have, try in on in person and then look for it on the Internet.

2. Decide what you want to spend your money on. Is the latest trend really worth $300 a shirt? If you are going to spend that kind of money, spend it on something that is timeless, classic and will last many seasons. For the more trendy styles that won't last very long, visit stores like F21 and H&M.

3. Read clothing labels. Think polyester vs. rayon vs. silk.

4. There are lots of sites that will email you daily alerts of sales on brands that you enjoy. My Perfect Sale is one that I like.

5. ShopStyle is a great site that allows you to search for a certain item. I find it much easier to navigate than other similar sites. It also lets you create collages similar to Polyvore.

6. Thrift stores, consignment shops, garage sales and flea markets often have hidden treasures.

7. Retailers like TJMaxx and Marshalls sell name-brand clothing. Sometimes you have to dig a little, but I guarantee there is lots of good stuff to be found. This past week I saw Lilly Pulitzer pajamas, Jack Rogers sandals, Kate Spade earrings and Charles by Charles David heels.

8. RE-SELL your items. Take clothing to consignment stores. Or better yet, sell it yourself online.

a. Ebay is always a good option, even though you have to pay fees. Be willing to start your price out low to increase your chances of a sale.

b. Bonanza is another site similar to Ebay, but there are no fees.

c. Smashion is a site that has a Market as wells as Forums to discuss fashion. There are no fees.

9. Don't be afraid to shop on these sites. Check measurements and read the fine print from sellers. There are tons of good deals waiting to be found.

10. Sell clothing online in other forms--have a blog sale. Click here for J. Crew selling/looking for posts and here for Lilly Pulitzer items. There are many other online closets, too.

11. Payment for selling items online usually requires a Paypal account. This money can either be transferred into your bank account or you can use it to shop at numerous stores online. ShoeMall, chickdowntown.com, Ruelala, Hautelook, PurseLadyToo, Preppy Outlet, Amazon, Smart Bargains, and Overstock all accept Paypal.

12. Shop sample sale sites for great deals on all sorts of items. Ruelala, Gilt, Hautelook, Beyond the Rack, Zulily (great for moms and kids), and No More Rack (offers 8 deals a day) are among them.

13. Use Ebates!! We're talking cash back from where it pays to shop online!! Before you make any purchases online go here to see if they accept Ebates. Be sure to go through Ebates for Ebay, too.

If any of you have other sites to add to the ones above, please be sure to post a comment. Happy (bargain) shopping!

Friday Fashion-Tibi Style

Tibi: Check

Amy Smilvoc: Check

The Man Repeller: Check

Camera: Check

If you love fashion and are not familiar with The Man Repeller, aka Leandra, you've got to go check her site. Her style is incredible and her photo are amazing. Tibi creator, Amy Smilvoc snagged her for a photo shoot in Soho and came up with some pretty creative props. Check out the whole shoot here.

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My ABC's

Happy Friday! I thought you all might like to get to know me a little better, since I have so many new followers! Sweets and Treats did an ABC post yesterday and I thought I would play along.

•Age: 27

•Bed size: Queen, with a down duvet and tons of pillows!

•Chore you hate: Washing dishes.

•Dogs: Princess Ivy Belle, plus Sailor and Sadie--my parents' redbone hounds. (Can't find my Sadie pics).

•Essential start to your day: I have to have coffee every morning...and something to eat. If only I had a spread that looked like this!

•Favorite color: My favorite color for decor is green. I have always been a green person.

•Gold or silver: Depends on what I am wearing or what I am decorating--I use both.

•Height: 5' 4"ish

•Instruments that you can play: I wouldn't really say play...violin when I was younger, piano when I was younger--I still plunk around on it sometimes.

•Job title: Teacher

•Kids: I have 7 kiddos every day that I love on, adore and send right back to their parents for the night. Mine someday will probably be like the ones in this picture.

•Live: Small town in the middle of nowhere, 20 minutes away from the Watermelon Capital of the World.

•Mom’s name: CA

•Nicknames: Han, Hannie, Banana...

•Overnight hospital stays: I had an appendectomy the summer after my junior year of high school.

•Pet peeve: I cannot stand the sound of floss when it pops out of teeth.

•Quote from a movie: Ohhh, there are so many good ones from The Princess Bride!

•Sibling: One younger sister, Em--so glad she and B are like real siblings. Can you feel the love?

•Time you wake up: The alarm goes off at 5am.

•Underwear: Yes, I wear them.

•Vegetables you dislike: Beans.

•What makes you run late: I am a pretty punctual person, but I have started running a bit late in the mornings due to blog reading while I have my coffee.

•X-rays: Hum, I don't know. I know I have my dental x-rays done every year and I might have had a couple when I was little.

•Yummy food you make: I love, love, love to cook lots of yummy food!

•Zoo favorite animal: All of the baby zoo animals are adorable.

Enjoy your weekend!

THANK YOU!!

Happy Pink & Green Thursday, Lovelies! I had a fun-filled day of shopping and running errands yesterday, followed by a yummy Sushi birthday dinner for a friend. It makes me happy to see the beautiful signs of Spring. Nothing says it like freshly cut flowers in the house.

A HUGE "Thank You" to all of you for being such amazing friends! Yesterday pushed me above 100 followers!

Starting next Monday I will be hosting a week of giveaways! I am extremely excited about all that it entails. I know this is short and sweet, but I have a jam-packed day today.

XOXO,
Hannah