See My New Blog Banner and Button?? I’m very excited about them!

They are a gift from Tracy, the sweet author of Tracy’s Trinkets and Treasures.! Thank you Tracy!! I love them!! Tracy  reviewed my blog through The Bold and The Beautiful blog hop. I shared with her that I wanted to make some changes to my header and font and she surprised me with the banner…and the button to match! I love how she was able to match the polka dots in my sides! The flourishes are so pretty…much better than my feeble attempt! :-) Some people have told me that their monitor doesn’t display my decorated sides and so I am tickled that my new banner is more “dressed up”. Tracy, thank you for sharing your time and talent with me!!  I have learned that blog friends truly are “real friends”! I am grateful for our growing friendship! Please visit Tracy’s blog and enjoy her sweet creativity! Right now she is hosting a “Macro Photo” linky party and a CSN Stores Giveaway!

      

Entering The Bold and The Beautiful (Your blog reviewed)Blog Hop is one of the best things I have done for myself as a blogger. I got brave, put myself out there and received some much needed feedback! Most of it was very positive…Thank you reviewers! :-) The gently spoken constrictive  criticism was much needed and in agreement on what I could do to improve my blog’s appearance. Thank you again reviewers! I plan to re-read all the suggestions and then put together a list and then begin implementing the changes. I really want my blog to be someplace that you come to with a cup of hot tea or coffee and stay awhile! I want you to be able to get to know me, finds things easily, and relax and enjoy!! Look for the changes soon! There is still time to enter the blog hop and get some input on your blog!

Don’t forget to enter my CSN giveaway! Click on the CSN logo at the top of my page!

Thank you Tracy! Thank you blog reviewers and new friends! I can’t believe that I am two, yes two friends away from 300!!!! Another  reason to be excited!!! Anyone want to send two more friends my way? ;-) They would be very welcome here!

The Bold and The Beautiful Blog Review…I’d Love Your Input!

Weelll…I think I would…lol! Remember me mentioning earlier in the month my fear of putting myself “out there” for fear of rejection? As a dear friend said about herself “I want people to like me”. That’s me…if I feel that I am being rejected, I wonder what I’ve done wrong, or need to fix. So this will be  a little difficult but it needs to be done. I would like your input on my blog please….I am participating in:

It’s a unique blog hop sponsored by Gail @My Repurposed Life and MeganDVD @ Beauty in the Attempt.

Please take a look around my blog, check out the layout, pages, buttons,  sidebar and gadgets. I would love for you to gently critique my blog. I’m hoping you will leave me some positive feedback about my blog. It would be great if you could give me constructive criticism but be sure to tell me what you like about my blog too! Do you like my pictures? Does my blog load quickly for you? How about the font?  All tips and tidbits welcome!

The timing of this blog hop is perfect for me! I’ve not been happy with my layout for a while and what you are seeing is a transition…I’m just not sure where I’m headed. I hope it’s okay as a participant to ask specific questions of my readers/reviewers. I’m wondering:

1. Do you prefer a clean look vs. the decorated sides? I understand that some monitors don’t even show my colored background.

2. Link Party buttons: Should they be on a separate page with a link in a bar up top? This would “clean things up”.

3. Do you even check out the pages on a blogs nav bar? About me, linky’s, features etc.?

4.How about the “Top Posts” in the sidebar? Pictures of favorite or popular projects?"

5. Giveaways…are we saturated with them? I’m not getting much response with mine right now and I have a HUGE invite at the top of my page. The required entry is not that difficult  ( I don’t think) the other entries are “extra”. Opinions???

I know that some would say that it’s my blog and if  I like things a certain way then that’s okay. I agree with that but want my blog to be inviting, easy to read and navigate…a place you will want to hang out a while and visit often. So I’m putting myself out there….What do you think? Gently, please or I might go into hiding..

You are welcome to join the party, it starts Thursday night and is open for a week. There is even a giveaway going on for a blog makeover! Check it out!

Valentines Printable: “Love” Word Art…I Corinthians 13 Style!

I would love your vote on this project! I’ve entered it over at

All you have to do to vote for my project is leave a comment HERE on this post that you are voting for my project at Less Than Perfect Life of Bliss…please include her blog name in your comment for it to count! Thank you in advance!

I”ve always wanted to try word art, but have been afraid to try. I have been a digital scrapbooker much longer than I’ve been a blogger, and so I’ve seen some beautiful phrases over the years and wondered if I could “do it myself”. After seeing so much subway art and other forms of word art printables around the blogosphere, I thought it was finally time to give it a try. I’ve always wanted to have inspirational art on my walls, but it tends to be a bit pricey. And it wouldn’t be fair to ask Kristin to guest post with some Scripture art every time I wanted something either, would it? :-)  Sooo….using Photoshop Elements, and  1 Corinthians for inspiration, I got started….It wasn’t as hard as I had imagined it would be and it didn’t take as long either! What took the most time, was deciding on the fonts… I would get an idea in my head and then search the web for the font. I had no clue that there were so many fonts out there!!! I’ve discovered that I am a font junkie! lol In the end it  was kind of like putting a puzzle together and I really enjoyed putting it together!   This is what I came up with:

I want to put it on my mantel shelf for Valentines where I had Kristin’s Christmas Tree Scripture Art for Christmas. The shelf still has the JOY sign from Christmas on it. (Anyone else still have stray Christmas decor floating around?) I found an 11x14 frame at Dollar Tree

and made a “mat” out of red textured scrapbook paper. I even cut my own angles! 

I printed the words on 8.5x11 textured white cardstock. I love that stuff! I think it  makes the print look  more professional.

Here it is up on the empty shelf. Please excuse the glare and reflection, it’s the basement lighting again!

 

If you would like to print it for yourself, just click to make the image larger and then right click to save. If you download, please let me know in a comment. I had so much fun with it that I am already working on a couple of others!

Have a great day and don’t forget to enter my CSN Giveaway at the top of the page.

 

I’m entering this over at

Come check out all the lovely Valentines projects showcased there!

Here too!

 

Time For Another AWESOME CSN Stores $45 Gift Certificate Giveaway!!!

 

This giveaway has ended!

I love giving and making people happy and having  fun! If I can do it all at the same time, how awesome is that?!?!?! Hosting a CSN Stores giveaway allows me all three at the same time so I LOVE doing them! If you’ve never heard of CSN Stores, you need to check them out! With over 200 online stores they have a lot to offer!Are you in need of a new laptop messenger bag?  They have some cute ones!!!

How about something for your patio or garden?

Or some new indoor decor? Well they have that too!

See, you truly can find almost anything at CSN Stores with the click of a button! They have excellent customer service as well,offering:

“Hassle Free Returns! Free Shipping!On Just About Everything!”

To enter the giveaway for a $45 CSN Stores Gift Card, please visit CSN Stores and have a look around. Then come back and tell me what you would spend your gift certificate on!:-) I would have to go for the crock pot right now…I really need a new one. Mine cooks on high no matter what setting I put it on!

I would really like to help spread the word about CSN Stores and I could use  your help! So, for a second entry, please follow @KeenInspiration (note that there is no “s”.) and tweet about the giveaway then leave me a second comment with link.

To gain a third entry, please Like Keen Inspirations on Facebook and share the link to my giveaway! Please let me know that you have in a third comment. Last but not least, if you are a follower of Keen Inspirations, please tell me in a 4th comment and help yourself to an extra entry!

This give away will be open (to US and Canadian residents only)  until next Wednesday, February 2, 2011 at 10:00pm. The winner will be chosen by Random.org!

You have  a total of four opportunities to enter, so go do a little window shopping and then please help spread the word!

If it is raining or snowing at your house like it is at mine, this is a great day to grab a cup of something warm and then window shop and share anyway! :-)

Look for some other great giveaways here:

  Rite Aid Deals