Sugar, [Ginger] Spice and Everything Nice

When it's cold out, I love nothing more than a hot cup of coffee and some Gingerbread Spice Bread.  Now I realize making bread is quite the formidable task but William and Sonoma has made it easy for us with their Gingerbread Spice Quick Bread Mix.  My Mother-in-law first introduced me to this addicting holiday treat and I can't get enough!

 Gingerbread Spice Quick Bread Mix

You can whip this up for your neighbors or friends, wrap it up real pretty and you've got a simple, but delicious holiday gift!

Also, be sure to enter my giveaway to win this lovely pillow from Livy Creations before Friday!

What are some of your favorite holiday treats?

Wrap it Up

I love beautiful gift wrap.  I've never been much of a wrapper though.  Mine usually turn out a little "off" and I can certainly never seem to get the bows and accessories down.  I would love for my packages this year to look like the ones right below but I'm thinking I'll work toward some of the simple, fun, personalized (user-friendly), and still beautiful ones I've also included.

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Don't forget to enter my giveaway to win this lovely pillow from Livy Creations!

Giveaway Time!

I know you all are probably screaming and crying as much as Oprah's audience on her Favorite Things show at this point... If you're not, you should be :)

Agnieszka from Livy Creations has graciously donated one of her beautiful pillows to a lucky Tiny Bit of Sparkle reader!

There are a few ways you can gain entries to win this 20 x 20 3 color burlap flower pillow:

Please leave a separate comment for each:

1. Become a follower of Tiny Bit of Sparkle
2. Heart livycreation's Etsy shop and tell us what you like most
3. Tweet about this giveaway (use @tinybitsparkle and @LivyCreations)
4. Like Livy Creations, LLC and Agora Fine Art Marketplace on Facebook
5. Follow me on Twitter (@tinybitsparkle)
6. Follow Agnieszka on Twitter (@LivyCreations)

Also, if you're in the Atlanta area, please be sure to check out Agnieszka's work at the Agora Fine Art Marketplace, where Artists and Designers get together -presenting unique and one of a kind pieces of Art.

Agora Fine Art Marketplace

Friday, December 3 at 4:00pm - December 5 at 7:00pm 

3925 North Stratford Rd.
Atlanta, GA 30342

Here's a few of my favorite items Livy Creations...

 

Burlap Pillowcase with accent ruffles 

Burlap Christmas Pillows

Love Pillow

Red Flower Pillow

The winner will be picked via random number generator on Friday, December 3, 2010!

Happy Thanksgiving!

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Happy Thanksgiving to all my sparkly readers!  I hope you all stuff yourselves silly with turkey, mashed potatoes (my absolute favorite) and all the most fattening things you can think of!  This is one of two times (next being Christmas) of the year you can eat more than your body can physically take and get away with it.

Be sure to check back tomorrow for my ah-mazing giveaway!

xoxo,
Sarah

If I could do it over again...

I might choose a non-traditional wedding dress.  Why can't we have multiple weddings so we can do all of the things we didn't think of before??  I've always loved the short, cute dresses but honestly didn't have the guts to try them.  They definitely make an impression and it takes  certain type of girl to pull them off..

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Also, happy almost Thanksgiving to everyone--be sure to check back in on Friday--I'm hosting an AH-MAZING giveway!  You will love for sure :)

What do you think about short wedding dresses?  Would you be willing to go non-traditional?

Silhouettes Please

Lately silhouettes have caught my eye.  I think they're that perfect grouping that has just the right mix of personal touch and class. 

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When I first started blogging, I posted about an adorable etsy shop, Le Papier Studio.  She has lovely custom silhouettes in addition to some other fun items (i.e. the moustaches).  My favorites are these custom couple silhouettes--loving the reverse silhouette especially!

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I also saw this amazing DIY silhouettes project over at The Nesting Game recently I've been wanting to try...  Molly did an amazing job and I love the colors she chose for her own silhouettes!  She was first inspired by Jonathan Adler's

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and she ended up with this:

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Have any of you tried your hand at any DIY project lately???

Storage Envy

I have a major thing for pretty storage and organization...

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Tiny Bit of Sparkle: For the Holidays

For the holidays!

 

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As you can see, I'm quite ready for Christmas--although I can't wait to stuff my face next week with turkey and mashed potatoes!

Ruffle My Feathers

Sorry for my neglect this week.  The new job has been great but definitely leaves less blogging time!  A few swoon worthy "feathered" friends for you...

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Midwestern Monologues: Political Compass

{Brian Kvidera}

I know it seems somewhat irrelevant now that midterm elections are over, but is anything political ever irrelevant? I hope everyone said no.

Most people identify with a specific political party, but I love THIS survey, because it looks at where you stand on a left/right issues (the economy) as well as where you rank on social issues and ranks you on the quadrant below. It also tells you where a few major political players ranked (like Hitler, Stalin, and Gandhi) so you can compare where you are.

I was surprised at my quandrant! Maybe you will be too.

Hi, I'm Cindy.  I live in Kansas City and date often (eh..)  regularly sometimes. I date. I dated a guy once that lived in the Northeast. He described Kansas City as utterly Midwestern. His description of the women here? Farm fresh and corn fed. I hate to admit it, but that sums me up in 4 words and an ampersand. Yes, yes, I am a personality girl whose verbosity and crazy antics sometimes gets the best of her. Yet, it always makes for a damn good time. (well…)  

love, love,

cin

Teddy's Up Country Faves

Teddy and I both love to stay fashionable and Up Country's collars help in that quest.  You can't find better quality or patterns anywhere!  I might have gone a little overboard but it was so hard to narrow down to just a few!

Perfect for the rebel pet...

Skully

For all my Brit bloggers out there...

Union Jack

A walk on the wild side for the feisty ones...

Leopard

For the prepsters... like Teddy :)

Henry Stripe

In honor of Cold Hands, Warm Hearts

Mittens

For the holidays...

Peppermint Stick Stripe

If you have a pug...

Pug

Just love this one...

Electric

Be sure to check out Up Country's full line here!

P.S. I also LOVE their pet tag holders... makes it so much easier to switch the tag when you change collars!

Blog Du Jour: Lemon and Lavender

  Who: Ashley
What: Lemon and Lavender
Where: Tampa, FL

What made you start blogging?

 

I was drowning in a world of pampers and primary colors. I really felt as though I needed to find a place in my crazy world of motherhood that was sacred. I place I could make pretty with lovely images. A space completely void of messy babies :) I knew I wanted to have a blog for my budding business and thought it would be a great way to get my name out there before I went out in the business world last year. Now, I love blogging. I think I'm addicted! But more, I love the blogging community, and think it's amazing to feel connections with people you have never met! For a stay at home mom, whose only social interaction is {for the most part} a two year old and a one year old who basically only talk about Dora, Olivia, or Toot & Puddle, it's nice to have that outlet; where I can talk about things other than parenting and poopy diapers.

How did you come across the name of your blog?

I actually had a blog while I was living in Germany for our first baby. I had a list of my favorite things and on the top was lavender and sparkling water with lemon. These really are on the top 3 of my favorite things in the whole wide world- that- and wine. ;) I thought it was fun and ran with it!


If you could trade places with one person for a day, who would it be? 

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Gwyneth Paltrow: She is gorgeous, sophisticated, intelligent plus I love her husband. It's an easy choice :)

What is the last thing you ate? 

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Pita chips and hummus. I love hummus. My Jewish friend Miranda makes the best hummus EVER. Although, she says it's store bought {she runs a cafe in Tulsa where I grew up} but whatever it's delish :)
 
What is something most people don't know about you?

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I love opera and food but I also love skinny jeans. It's awful. I'm always hungry :) I also LOVE the French. I read "Bonsoir Lune" {Good Night Moon in French} to my little Claire every night before bed and I hope to one day live in France.

What is your favorite vacation spot?

 

Paris. Love Paris. If I could move anywhere in the world I would buy a flat in the 6th arrondissement and be a very happy camper ;)

 
What 5 people would be in your circle for spin the bottle? 



My hubby {he's my Channing Tatum in Dear John}, Alexander Skarsgård, Ian Somerhalder {Yes, I watch Vampire Diaries, it's my True Blood replacement!} , Brad Pitt, Christian Bale
 
What is your "must have today" (your current obsession)?

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Christian Louboutin! {Pigalle 120 patent pumps} I am obsessed with Louboutin and I don't own one pair! Maybe Santa will be sweet this year?!?

 
What is the Tiny Bit of Sparkle in your life? (person, thing, anything)

My precious babies {and my hubby}. I love my family and friends. They really make me smile each and everyday. I have been blessed with some pretty amazing people in my life. I have the most rewarding {although very difficult} job raising my two small toddlers while running my small stationery business. I feel pretty lucky and sometimes pinch myself. I'm excited to see where the journey takes me!