Tuesday, May 31, 2016

Beach Fun With American Plastic Toys

American Plastic Toys Beach Basket


American Plastic Toys makes a variety of toys. All of their products are made in the USA. 
This is a Basket of Beach Essentials which includes, a bucket, a shovel, tropical fish molds and the lid can be used as a sand sifter.

We brought this basket to the beach with us recently and my daughter had a blast. 


Inside the Basket

The tropical fish molds are super cute and colorful. The bucket and shovel are good sizes.


At the beach

The molds are durable and did fine among the big rocks at our beach.



Beach Fun

Beach toys are a must. Kids always can find fun things to do with the molds.

Even if you aren't at the beach, you could use these toys in the backyard with water.

You can find American Plastic Toys on Amazon and at Walmart.








Wednesday, May 25, 2016

Amazon Gift Card Giveaway

Instagram Loop Giveaway


Do you like to shop online at Amazon.com? I know I do. You have the chance to win a $100 Amazon Gift Card. This can be so helpful. I have been using Amazon recently for the Instant video to watch new movies on my TV.

This is an Instagram Loop Giveaway.  You can follow all 10 wonderful bloggers for 10 entries.

Start here at my Instagram account Daydreamdecorations.  Follow the directions in the Instagram Post. 

Details: Instagram Loop Giveaway starts 5/23 at 7:00 PM EST and ends 5/30 at 7:00 PM EST. Your profile must be set to public during the giveaway. USA, 18+ . One winner will be randomly selected from all qualifying entries. The winner will be notified and announced on Instagram after the giveaway has ended. The winner has 48 hours to respond and provide their email address for prize delivery or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way sponsored, endorsed, administered by or associated with Instagram.



Remember to follow each account and then leave a comment. This is easy peasy.

I wish you the best of luck!

Friday, May 20, 2016

Host a Healthy Baby Home Party



I'm a big fan of Seventh Generation's products. I like the dish soap, the baby wipes, and laundry detergent the best. You have the chance to host a Healthy Baby Home Party and show your friends these great brands. 

What is a Healthy Baby Home Party? 
Seventh Generation's home parties are powered by people like you who are focused on creating a healthy environment for the next generation. Developed with input from non-profit partner, Healthy Child Healthy World, they are a great way to get together with friends, share helpful information, and make an impact!
Healthy Baby Home Party kits are provided to all selected hosts and are filled with educational info about our environment, helpful tips, a fun game, and samples and coupons from Seventh Generation and other favorite family-friendly brands like bobble, American Meadows and Zarbee's Naturals.
What is the Application Process?
  • Sign up at generationgood.net to join the Generation Good community, or log in if already a member.
  • Accept the Healthy Baby Home Party Application offer on your Generation Good dashboard and complete the application.
  • Applicants will be notified by mid-June if they have been selected to host a party, via an email to the email address assigned to their Generation Good member profile.
  • All selected applicants will then need to confirm their participation by accepting the Healthy Baby Home Party Mission in Generation Good and confirming their shipping address.
Hosting spots are open to US residents only at this time. Canadian parties are planned for later in 2016!


Join here for more opportunities and information on Generation Good.


Thursday, May 19, 2016

Entenmann's National Donut Day Giveaway

Entenmann's National Donut Day


Did somebody say National Donut Day? I'm there. Entenmann's and The Salvation Army are celebrating the National Donut Day with a Sweepstakes.

Head over to their facebook page to enter.

You have the chance to "win free donuts for a year." In addition, for every entry to the contest, $1.00 will be donated to The Salvation Army. Up to $35,000 could be donated. That is a wonderful thing. Brands that collaborate and give back are always my favorite. Plus, who am I kidding, I love Entenmann's donuts. I eat them for snack and even with my morning coffee.

National Donut Day Fun Facts

- National Donut Day commemorates the "donut lassies," female Salvation Army volunteers who provided writing supplies, stamps, clothes-mending, home-cooked meals, and of course, donuts for soldiers on the front lines.

-Entenmann's Bakery produces more than 780 million donuts a year to keep up with the demands of Entenmann's donut lovers nationwide.

-The Rich Frosted Donut has been Entenmann's #1 seller since its introduction in 1973.



Entenmann's Rich Frosted Donut


Time for a giveaway! 

Prize Pack Includes:

The package includes the following: 5 $7 Entenmann’s Coupons, one $25 AMEX gift card, Entenmann’s Party Plates & Napkins, one National Donut Day T-Shirt and one Rich Frosted Donut Plush Toy with a Party Hat! 

Enter using the rafflecopter widget. You may do 1 entry or all entries. Giveaway is open to US, 18+. Prize pack will be sent out from Sponsor. All entries will be verified.









a Rafflecopter giveaway


**Update-Winner: Congrats Sara!**


(*I received a package from BBUSA. All opinions are my own.*)

Monday, May 16, 2016

Creative Instagram Accounts To Follow

A photo posted by Kari Lockhart (@ohmyheartembroidery) on



I adore Instagram. My favorite social media by far. There are so many talented artists and makers to view. These are some of my favorites.








A photo posted by Honey Silks & Co (@honeysilksco) on


Honey Silks & Co sell gorgeous ribbons for makers. Their ribbons are used from different shops like florists and wedding photographers. I recently bought a sample pack and will definitely be buying more from them.



A photo posted by Fleur / Fibre Artist / Mama (@thepeacefulposyco) on


I love yarn! It is a major obsession of mine. These flowers made from yarn are so cool.




Have you seen these wings before? Such talent! This would be the ultimate dress up for my daughter. She would certainly be amazed by them.

 Do you have any favorite Instagram accounts you follow? Let me know. I'm always interested in checking out more.

Thursday, May 12, 2016

Starting a Blog



You may have always thought about starting a blog but never did it. This is me in life. I day dream about most things I want to do. And then, I never do them. Why? I let fear win. Fear of what you might ask? Fear of failure. Fear of criticism. The excuses keep pouring in. You have to learn to let that fear go. Start the business you dream of. Start that beauty blog today. Take baby steps, like I do. I blog at my own pace. These days I have been having more confidence in the blogging world. I realized something this year. If I don't try, then I'll never know. I went to my first blogging conference this year. Was it helpful? Yes, I made many connections with different brands. 
Not all bloggers want to blog for income. Some do it for fun. First decide what type of blog you want. Do you want to make money from blogging? Then you should buy a domain name. If you want to just blog for friends and family you don't need to pay money up front. 
For example, When I first started blogging I was doing it as a hobby. So I started using blogger because it felt easy to navigate. Later on, I bought my domain name. 
Pick a Blogging Platform
There are many blogging platforms to choose from. 
  • Blogger
  • Wordpress
  • Squarespace
  • Weebly
  • Wix
Many sources say that Wordpress and Squarespace is the way to go. These two will give you many design options to choose from. I must say that I'm still happy with my blogger blog. 
Pick a Niche
What kind of blog will you have? There are so many categories to choose from. 
  • Lifestyle (usually consists of DIY projects, recipes, products, etc.)
  • Beauty (hair, makeup, products, tutorials)
  • Fashion (apparel, cool shops, fashionistas)
  • Food (recipes, baking, cooking, drool worthy food photography)
  • Reviews & Giveaways (product reviews, giveaways)
  • Geek (comics, video games, board games, toys)
I categorize my blog as lifestyle and reviews. Sometimes I blog about food, crafts, reviews, and other family type stuff. 
Create a Header/Logo
If you want to start off right, make a pretty header. I had the basic title for Blogger for such a long time. I finally had a friend make me a header. It looks so much better now. If you don't have the money to pay someone to do it, try doing it yourself. Picmonkey and Canva are two great resources when making graphics or for editing photos.
Photography
My favorite blogs all have one major thing in common. Large, beautiful photos that are visually appealing. You can take your own photos and use stock photography as well. For my lifestyle and review blog I have always used my own photos. 
Social Media Icons
Make sure your social media icons are visible to all. If your visitors enjoy the blog they will want to follow you on social media. Social media is where you will share your blog posts. You can even customize the icons to be any color or style you want. 
These are some basic suggestions for starting a blog. I could go on and on with what I have learned over the years. Do you have a blog? What advice would you give someone starting a blog for the first time?

Monday, May 9, 2016

White House Black Market Discount

White House Black Market

This is a great place to shop. I still own a top that is over 7 years old from White House Black Market. I usually go for clothing that is black. The mix of black and white with some color is fun too.

Here is a discount for $20 off and free shipping if you purchase $80 dollars worth of product or more.

Check it out here.

All you need to do is:

SIGN UP FOR EMAIL TO ENJOY $20 OFF YOUR NEXT PURCHASE PLUS FREE SHIPPING.

RECEIVE EXPERT STYLING TIPS, VIP BENEFITS AND EXCLUSIVE COLLECTION PREVIEWS.


It looks like they even have a rewards program which can land you more discounts.