A Little Style... Spring Colors

I just got this email from Shop Style.  If you haven't tried it, it's a fun website that helps your shop.  You can search by price range, color, brand, it's pretty handy.  Especially when you want to compare prices or find knock-offs.

But this is all about what colors are big for Spring!  It's so fun and colorful, I just had to share.  Start saving your pennies girls!

A Little Crazy... My House is For Sale

We are moving.  The husband got a new job and we are off.  But not far, only about an hour North.  So, time to sell the house.  It is quite the experience.  One I never really want to do again.  Here's hoping I can find a home I love where we are going.

Here are some photos...

My front room/office.  Featuring Built-in Billy Bookcases inspired by Centsational Girl.

Great room area...

Basically, keeping my house in "showing" condition constantly is not my idea of fun :)

A Little Crafty... Turn Regular Jeans into Skinny Jeans

I found this on pinterest the other day.  If you are like me, you have a pile full of jeans.  Some of them I wear, most of them I don't.  Here is one way to get more use out of those oldies, but goodies.  Via Lucky Design.

Before

After

I haven't tried this yet, but I plan to.

A Little Valentine... Oldie but a Goodie

This Valentine banner tutorial was posted a couple years ago... but it's still as cute as ever!

A Little Beauty... Self Image

I see their point.  I mean, if you can make someone look super amazing with a couple clicks of the mouse, why not?  The only problem is that then we, regular women, see these photos and we get all bummed out.  And rightfully so.  The way they brush them, patch them, stretch them, we simply can't compete.  We (and our daughters) are hard on ourselves.  Men have messed up ideals.   It's pretty much a mess.

I think we all realize that this goes on in fashion magazine and on TV but it's nice to actually see it in action.  I for one, appreciate the time and energy the creators of this little video put into helping us realize that it's not real.  Not something attainable.  But it's still kind of a bummer that they do it in the first place.  It's still there.  And although we may realize it's fake... somehow, sometimes, it still feels real.

A Little Product Review... Angell Bars

Angell Bars was nice enough to send me some samples of their organic candy bars.  They are made with cane juice, which I love.  I didn't feel crappy after eating them and I didn't mind letting my 18-month-old participate in the sampling.

This is what they looked like when I got through with them...

 I loved the Angell Crisp!  It was super yum.  I totally recommend having a couple of these stashed in your secret hiding place (every woman has one) for the emergency chocolate craving (every women has them).

Thanks Angell Bar!

A Little Cuisine... Pomegranate Pie

Do not be alarmed!  This is the best pie I have ever eaten!  And it is also the easiest pie I have ever made.

Pomegranate Pie Recipe
1 ready-made graham cracker pie crust
1 package of Raspberry Danish Dessert
1 pomegranate

Simply follow the Pie Filling directions on the Danish Dessert box.  Add the pomegranate seeds.  Pour into  crust and let it set up for 4 hours in the refrigerator.

When serving, first cut slice, then add a dollop of whipped cream.  Refrigerate leftovers (don't leave it sitting out for more than a few minutes for the crust gets gooey).

Enjoy!

A Little Crafty... Free Christmas Fonts

Making a Christmas Card?  Looking for a fun Christmas font?  There are so many options at dafont.com.  Just search for "Christmas."  Here's what you may find.

Merry Christmas!

A Little Style... Happy Holidays

I love to dress up for the Holidays!
Cardigan: Oh Sweet Sadie Boutique
Top: a Shade shirt that I cut and added a lace trim to
Necklace: Nordstrom
Skirt: it used to be a dress that I got at a cute little boutique years ago.  It was always too short so I dissected it and made it a skirt :)
Tights: H&M
Shoes: J. Crew
Belt: I took it off another dress... cause that's how I roll.

A Little Giveaway... Awkward Family Photos Board Game {Closed}

The Winner is GOJENGO!  Congratulations!  email alittlegreat@gmail.com to claim your prize.

A giveaway just in time for Christmas!  We all know and love Awkward Family Photos.  And now there is a board game!  And one lucky reader will own it.  $48 Value!

So here's how to win...
1. Leave a comment on this post.
2. For an additional entry "Like" A Little Great on Facebook.
3. Share this link on Facebook or Twitter.
4. Leave a comment about which of the above you things you did.

The winner will be announced Monday the 19th at 8am MST and I will send it just in time for you to play it around the fire with your own awkward loved ones.

Oh, and please enjoy this little video :)

A Little Decor... Christmas Time

Welcome to Christmas time at my house...

The living room and mantle.

Handmade stockings, thrift store picture frames and fish spray painted white.  I made the stockings last year, adapted from this Martha tutorial.

Sofa table in living room.  Large vase filled with fresh greens, hydrangeas, and faux pussy willows.

Kitchen hutch topped with greens and handmade mercury glass (tutorial).

Close up :)

Entry table.  I love my simple monotone nativity scene.

Last but not least, the tree.  This year it's in the front room.

Merry Christmas!  from my home to yours.

A Little Cuisine... Coconut Syrup and Free Printable Label

Click here to download

My friend was making coconut syrup and wanted me to design a label.  This is what I came up with.  She is working on creating her own recipe but there are several out there, though I can't recommend any because I haven't tried them yet.  I may have to since this label is so cute.  Please feel free to download.  A cute bottle of coconut syrup would make a great Christmas gift.

A Little Crafty... DIY Mercury Glass

I love the look of mercury glass and I wanted to add some to my Christmas decor, but I didn't want to pay the price.  Enter this tutorial.

So far I have tried it out on some old jelly and baby food jars.  I plan on hitting up the thrift store for some large glass vessels, but until then, I wanted to share it incase you want to do it for the holidays :)

Start with the Looking Glass spray paint.  I hear it can be hard to find but I got it at my local Super Wal-Mart for about $8 a can (spendy).  Spray the inside of the glass.

Now, it was cold in my garage and it was taking forever to dry, so I busted out the blow dryer.

The only other thing I did differently from the tutorial that I linked to above is that instead of a paper towel I wore a surgical glove and just rubbed the inside of the bottle with my finger.  I feel like it offered better control.

And here is the finished product!  When I get around to doing some big pieces I will be sure to post those too!

I really feel like it needs more distressing next time.  I think I will use this tutorial... maybe some rub 'n buff (that stuff is super cool).  Stay tuned.

A Little Shopping... Black Friday Strategies

It’s the one-day marathon that shopping fanatics look forward to all year long, and it’s almost here.  And with every major retailer advertising unbeatable bargains this Black Friday, how do you know where the best deals really are? 

Service strategist John Tschohl, author of The Customer is Boss, offers these suggestions to make Black Friday a little bit more manageable:

·         Know exactly what you want, because the best deals are in very limited supply, which is why you should never enter a store and just be “window shopping.”  Have a detailed list of everything you want to get.  To save valuable time, make sure you know ahead of time the differences in models, if you need to purchase any add-ons or accessories and always have a backup store if your first stop runs out.  

·         Getting online is not enough.  While many shoppers will find some incredible deals online, many retailers are offering even more special discounts to those consumers who follow them via social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter.  Make sure you’re following all the stores you plan to visit.

·         Times are changing.  It used to be 6am, 4am, and then Midnight, and now we’re seeing more stores opening Thanksgiving night.  Don’t only know what time your favorite stores are open, but those blowout prices on hot-ticket items are sometimes only good during certain times.  Walmart, for example, might open at 10pm, but the big midnight madness deals on electronics don’t start for another two hours.

·         Don’t go it alone.  The competition will be fierce, so take the team approach.  Shop with a spouse or friend.  While you tackle one area of the store, your shopping companion can hit a different department within the store.

·         Don’t forget about Small Business Saturday.  Many people don’t know about this 2^nd annual event to support small businesses on the busiest shopping weekend of the year, but everyone should check it out as many smaller stores in local communities across the country will be participating and offering some incredible deals. On this same note, don’t forget about Cyber Monday for some incredible online deals.

·         If you don’t get the deals you want on Black Friday, wait.  Retailers usually run special sales the first two weeks of December.  Prices generally go up closer to Christmas for those who wait until the last minute.  If you’re eyeing something for yourself, many retailers also run deeply discounted after Christmas sales to reduce their inventories. 

Hope you can use these tips from John Tschohl.

http://www.johntschohl.com/

A Little Learning... National Prematurity Awareness Day

Yesterday was National Prematurity Awareness Day and my friend Janet, who has two sons that were born premature, wrote this great post.  Please visit her blog, Lessons Learning, to read the full post.

A Little Cuisine... Healthy, Home-made Kettle Corn

I love kettle corn, but I could do without the sugar.  Enter this... the best popcorn you will ever make.  It's healthy too (serious bonus)!

You will need:

• Popcorn
• Canola oil
• Agave nectar
• Sea salt
• Coconut oil

Here's what you do:

1. Heat the canola oil in a heavy stock pot until you see steam rise.
2. Put in about 3/4 cup of popcorn kernels, cover.
3. Move the pot around over the stove.
4. Take off the heat when it stops popping.
5. Place the popcorn in a large bowl
6. Drizzle about 2-3 tablespoons of coconut oil, toss.
7. Drizzle agave nectar (to taste)
8. Salt to taste.

And there you have it.  Now curl up by the fire and watch your favorite chick flick.

A Little Holiday Cheer... Oh Sweet Sadie

Are you in the holiday shopping mood?  Well, this will get you there!  The Oh Sweet Sadie Art & Gift Show is going now... just until Saturday.  (How to get there)

Here is a peek at the shopping goodness...

 Mama Bird pendants.  An egg for each of your little ones.

 Wish my daughter was little enough to wear these darling lace pantaloons.  :(

 So many jewelry options.

 I bought this teal cardigan (only $25!)

 Home decor galore!

 Wish I needed a lamp!  The big orange one is only $35.

Jewelry made from real butterfly wings!  Seriously cool.

These are just cute.

Here are my favorite booths...

 Loved this one!  Lizzy, the cute lady you see gave me her card so I could link to her etsy shop but now I can't find it!  So Lizzy, if you're reading this, leave a comment with your shop link!

Cute stuff.

 You are sure to find lots of happy shoppers...

...including myself.  Love this purple fringy scarf I picked up ($16 BTW).  Aren't I the best photographer ever?

Don't forget the yummy treats.  This is pretty much the best salsa ever!

So, don't just sit there!  Go!  You can thank me later.