Stay At Home Nation...: October 2011

Friday, October 28, 2011

My Favorite Things Friday Link Party ~ #17

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Hey there! I hope you are having a wonderful week! I know I am loving

the weather we've been having here lately.

As you can see I have been busy here at Stay At Home Nation.

In fact, I had a very active 9 month old who didn't want

to settle down tonight for Mama either, so I am working on my spotlights as I type.

My Favorite Things Friday Party is underway however, so link up.

If you want a quick & yummy dessert, you've gotta try my Hidden S'mores Indoors

OK so this week I am spotlighting from My Favorite Things Friday Party #16 ,
as well as My Favorite Things Halloween Party too. Which may I add is going on
until October 31, you can link up

Now onto the Stay At Home Nation Spotlight

I have been wanting to learn this & teach Sydney, so Thank You
Rachel @ Lines Across My Face for this great Finger Knitting Tutorial

These adorable ghost lights were created by Cheryl @ That's What Che Said

Lauren Inspired linked this cute little Owl Fall Wreath

And visit Dudleychick Designs to learn how to make this Spooky Card

A huge THANK YOU to to all who linked up! If you were in this
weeks Spotlight grab my button
& post it proudly on your blog because you're awesome!
*******************************************************************
So here's a quick rundown of what I'd like to see at my party:

*Please link back to Stay At Home Nation somewhere on your blog.
*Don't just link & run, visit a few others & let them know where you saw them.
*If you like my blog & my parties then why not follow?
Plus I will follow you back if you post a comment below letting me know you do.
*Enjoy, have fun, & link up as many as you want this week =D

Much love

~Iffy~

Be sure to enter my fabulous Granite Countertop Kit Giveaway,
the eShakti Custom Clothing Giveaway (open to the U.S and Canada)
oh & also there's still time to enter to win a yoomi Self Warming Baby Bottle
Good luck!

Thursday, October 27, 2011

Sweet Tooth Satisfaction # 4 ~ Hidden S'mores Indoors

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OK so what kid doesn't love S'mores?

And as adults we use that opportunity to satisfy our grown up love for S'mores too =D

Nothing beats S'mores from a campfire but here is a quick, easy way to have them without
making a fire or burning your marshmallows.
I happen to like the char but sometimes time or weather does not permit, so check it out!

Reannah over at Shaped By Grace shared a S'mores recipe at one of

My Favorite Things Friday link parties, but of course

I had to tweak it a bit as I always add my own twist.

Here's what you need

* 1 can of refrigerated crescent rolls

* large marshmallows

*Hershey's snack size bars

*Graham Crackers
Optional:

*Sugar & cinnamon

*2 Tbsp butter-melted

*Whipped Cream

On a foil lined cookie sheet(trust me, it can get messy)
unroll the crescent rolls keeping 2 triangles together to form a rectangle (pictured on the left)
And press the dough to flatten it like the one on the right.

Then place 2 large marshmallows in the center of each rectangle,
(this picture was taken before I realized they were too full with 3 marshmallows
& ripped at the seams, so trust me on this, just use 2 marshmallows)

and break up the chocolate & place on top & around the marshmallows.

Then do the same with graham cracker pieces
(there is no science to this just use as much as you can fit).

Then pull up 2 corners & pinch to seal,

Do the same with the opposite side, & then bring them together & pinch those edges too.

I told you they were packed =D
Optional:
Melt the butter & drizzle it on top of each little bundle of yumminess,
then sprinkle with a little sugar & cinnamon.
Then throw em in the oven for 10-13 minutes at 350 degrees or until golden brown.

It's OK if you don't seal the seams completely or if they pop open.
The marshmallows will puff up when they cook anyways, so
it may happen depending on how full yours are.

Then enjoy while hot, these are soooo good!

Whipped cream on top makes a perfect finish, plus it helps cool the center =D
Yum Yum!

Much love
~Iffy~

Be sure to enter my current giveaways-located at the top of my sidebar.

Monday, October 24, 2011

Surprise Giveaway #18 ~ Giani Granite Countertop Kit~NOW CLOSED

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Wow I had so many wonderful entries into this giveaway,
you guys must really want to try it for yourself! Even if you aren't a winner,
you should definitely pick up a kit & have fun with it =D
Again a very special thank you to Giani!
OK so the winner of this fabulous Giani Granite Countertop Kit is
drum roll please......
#52 Angie Simonsen! Congratulations!
I hope you LOVE your new countertops!
Thank you to all who entered & be sure to enter my other giveaways,
as there is always a giveaway & a link party going on over here!
Much Love
~Iffy~

I am SO excited for this week's giveaway from

Giani ~Granite Paint for Countertops

It was so much fun transforming my kitchen with Giani.

Here is what my kitchen counters looked like

and now

It was really easy for a novice like myself to get the hang of & so thrilling

to see the dramatic difference.

I really disliked my white countertops before, but now I love the way they look

and couldn't be happier.

The Giani kit comes with everything you need for your transformation,

other than a few items like gloves, paper plates, & painters tape.

There is an instructional dvd included as well & additional information on their

website if you need it here.

It even comes with the sponges you will use-you will

cut them into 3 different sizes to use.

and then the fun begins.

The longest wait time is after you prime-so be patient & let

it dry completely.

Apply your first mineral,

and your second,

then the third mineral,

and if you select it you can add limestone for

lighter shades, like I did.

Everyone who sees my new countertops can't believe they are not real granite,

because they look so real. I chose the Chocolate Brown kit with extra limestone, but there are 6 different colors you can select from and of course you are in control of the end results.

The final coat is a clear topcoat, my husband painted 2 coats & it shines beautifully.

Even though we used the painters tape(we used Frog because we like it better than the

blue, personally)

we still had a few bleeds of the primer here & there.

Although once it was caulked(with white) it looked perfect.

LOVE~ IT!!!

So now it's your turn to transform your countertops.

Thanks to Giani

one of my very lucky readers will win a granite paint kit of their very own!

Entering is easy:

First you must follow Stay At Home Nation publicly on gfc,

then visit Giani Granite Countertop Paint here and comment below what color you want to
try on your countertops.

Additional ways to enter (leave a comment for each entry)

*******************************

Follow me on twitter @StayAtHomeIffy =1 entry

Follow me on Pinterest here =2 entries

Post my button on the sidebar of your blog (located at the top of my sidebar) =3 entries

Blog about this giveaway =2 entries(each day you do)

Tweet or @mention about this giveaway =1 entry(each day you do)

Post a comment on your facebook about this giveaway =1 entry(each day you do)

"Like" Giani on Facebook here =1 entry
Follow Giani on twitter here =1 entry
Be sure to check out Giani on blogger here too!

Open to all US residents, ends November 07, 2011 at midnight.

SO many chances to win this awesome giveaway, enter now so you don't miss out!

Thank you again to Gail at Giani!
The winner will be contacted November 8th, so make sure you leave your email or that you have it visible.

If you cannot wait to get started with Giani you can purchase the kits online here

for $69.95 plus shipping,

or now they are available at Walmart too.

Here it is again

HUGE difference to our kitchen! I'm actually OK with our white cabinets for a little longer
because the countertops are so pretty =D

Don't miss my eShakti Custom Made Clothing giveaway ending 10/30~enter Here
& also for the Yoomi self warming Baby bottle ending 10/31 ~enter Here
Thank you for entering
&
Good Luck!
~Iffy~

I was provided a Giani kit for review purposes, however all opinions are honest & 100% mine.

Sunday, October 23, 2011

Giveaway #17 ~ eShakti Custom Made Clothing~NOW CLOSED

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This giveaway is now closed.
Congratulations to Jamie T #21 I will be in touch later today.
Thank you for all who entered.
~Iffy~
I loved the excitement & ease of customizing my own clothing from

eShakti that they want my readers to experience it too!

One of my lucky readers will win an item of choice from eShakti

& you get to customize it too of course.

You can read my review here if you missed it.

Entering is easy:

First you must follow Stay At Home Nation publicly on gfc,

then visit eShakti and comment below with what item you can't wait to customize for yourself!

Additional ways to enter (leave a comment for each)

*******************************

Follow me on twitter @StayAtHomeIffy =1 entry

Follow me on Pinterest here =2 entries

Post my button on the sidebar of your blog (located at the top of my sidebar) =3 entries

Blog about this giveaway =2 entries(each day you do)

Tweet or @mention about this giveaway =2 entries(each day you do)

Post a comment on your facebook about this giveaway =2 entries(each day you do)

Follow eShakti on Twitter here = 1 entry

Like eShakti on Facebook here = 1 entry

Open to all US residents, ends October 30, 2011 at midnight.

SO many chances to win this awesome giveaway, enter now so you don't miss out!

Thank you again to eShakti! Winner will be contacted October 31, so make sure you leave your email or that you have it visible.
Don't forget, enter the code SAHN0811 at checkout & receive $20 off your order!

exp 10/31

Note: The discount code is not case sensitive. Only one gift certificate can be used per order. The code can be used any number of times until the validity period. This discount code is not applicable on our Overstock category. This cannot be clubbed with any other offer / discount that may be active during this period.

A special thanks again to

Thank you for entering

Good Luck!

~Iffy~

Sunday, October 16, 2011

eShakti Custom Clothing Review & $20 discount

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eShakti offers very different & unique clothes shopping experience. If you often have

trouble finding clothing that fits you right or how you like it, then you must try eShakti for

yourself!

You customize each item to your unique body type so it fits you like it was made just for you,

because it is!

No more guessing if your clothes are going to be too baggy here, or too snug there. If you see a dress that is short sleeved but you want them long, they will make them the way you want.

With such a variety in colors, prints, styles, & pieces you are sure to find an item(or a few)

that you would love to add to your wardrobe.

Check out this pretty little Lace Trim Pleated Chambray Dress here

or this Faux Wrapped Maxi Dress here

Perfect for work or play this Cowl Neck Satin Print Dress here

Adorable little number A touch of Lace Dress here

Find the perfect little black dress like this Edge Piped Trim Sheath Dress here

These were some of my favorites, I'm guessing you may think they only have blue or black

dresses from the dresses I picked out above. So let me show you a little color:

They offer skirts,

tops,

long & short sleeved dresses, thin straps, strapless, long or short skirts, cardigans, jackets, pants,

oh they have such a wide arrangement to choose from & customize.

You can view the images larger, see the backs, check out the different colors they are available in & also zoom in for detail on their website.

For a limited time they are offering Free Shipping on orders over $100.

Enter the code SAHN0811 at checkout & receive $20 off your order!

exp 10/31

You can choose from the standard sizes if you don't have a measuring tape or know how to measure yourself, (I recommend having your spouse or friend measure you)

they do show you on the sizing chart how to measure each area.

And just so you know, the measurements are very accurate! I tend to find clothing

fits too snug for my liking through my ribs(yeah I was born with big ribs) so I added an inch here

& an inch there when I ordered but (my fault) the dress ordered was too big because

I didn't need the extra inch here & there. Measure accurately, they will custom make your

items & you won't be disappointed.

You can follow aShakti on twitter www.twitter.com/eshakti

& 'like' them on facebook too www.facebook.com/eshakti

Thank you eShakti!

Much love

~Iffy~

I was given a dress for review purposes but all opinions are 100% mine & honest.

Tuesday, October 11, 2011

Giveaway #16 ~ yoomi self warming baby bottle ~ NOW CLOSED

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This Giveaway is now closed. Thank you to everyone who
voted & entered this giveaway! Desiree Gray was the winner but didn't have a visible email address
& didn't leave one in the comments either.
So sorry but this is why it's very important to leave your contact info.
Congratulations to Jamie Adkins!!
! I hope you enjoy your
bottle & warmer from yoomi!
~Iffy~
Today I am reviewing the self warming baby bottle from

yoomi is a 100% BPA free bottle & warmer in one. With the push of a button,

your baby's formula or breast milk becomes the perfect natural breast milk

temperature in JUST 60 seconds!

This is a wonderful idea!

With 4 children, my youngest Landon, just turned

9 months- I wish I had these around when the others were babies.

Throughout the years (and babies) I have tried a number of bottle warmers(none that I recommend),

from water filled, to insulated, plug in home warmers to travel ones.

Those all had 1 thing in common they were so.....so......slow.

I remember nights with a crying baby on my shoulder and waiting for what seemed like forever

for a bottle from the fridge to warm......barely.

Then there were the road trips where the travel warmer took for-ev-ER, or having to get a cup of hot

water to drop the bottle in from a gas station.

Needless to say with the 2 younger children I didn't use a "warmer" at all.

I used to wait for the water to turn warm at the kitchen sink but that wastes

a lot of water. So then I resorted to heating the filtered fridge water in a glass bottle

in the microwave then mixed the formula in. Microwaving can cause hot spots so be careful.

But

yoomi is the answer to all of your bottle warming dilemmas!

Not only does the warmer heat up at the push of a button, it is very portable, and recharges for 100 uses,

but also, once it is charged you can even keep it in the fridge until

ready to use. Then push the button & after 60 seconds, start feeding your baby

with perfectly warmed milk-

now that makes for a happy baby & a happy mommy =D

The nipple of the bottle is honestly the most breast-like bottle nipple I've ever seen. Landon took

to the bottle without a problem. If I was still nursing him, this would be the best bottle to wean to.

In fact, it would be a great bottle to start out on too, especially if your baby has latching

problems or to prevent colic.

This would be a great new mom gift or for any baby still taking a bottle. The bottles come in 5oz & 8oz, and the nipples come in slow, medium, or fast flow.

Now, how would you like to win a yoomi 5 oz bottle & warmer of your own?

Here's how:

yoomi has been nominated as a finalist in Red Tricycle's Totally Awesome Awards sponsored by Giggles

to enter simply go HERE and vote for yoomi in the Most Awesome Feeding Supplies category

Once you have cast your vote, leave a comment at the bottom of the voting page saying

"(your name) voted for Yoomi and I was sent by Stay At Home Nation"

Then post a quick comment below, on my blog, letting me know you voted

Voting runs until October 31st & yoomi will send the winner their prize directly.

Oh and you must have a facebook account to vote.

Be sure to visit yoomi's facebook page while you're at it~ Here
"like" them & get a 20% discount code

PLUS Giggles will automatically enter anyone who votes to win a $500 Giggle gift card as a bonus!

Good luck

& thank you again to yoomi!

~Iffy~

I was provided with a bottle & warmer from yoomi but all opinions are 100% mine.

Details of the giveaway were provided from yoomi.

Thursday, October 6, 2011

Isn't This Clever {Cushy Closer} Review ~ New Parent MUST Have

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I recently discovered this really nifty website called

Isn't This Clever

If you haven't checked them out yet, you should...

like now....

I'll wait........

OK they recently sent me the Cushy Closer in Modern Blue Circles to review.

Listen up Mamas, Dads, friends, grandparents, babysitters,
WHOEVER
has a newborn, infant, toddler, or light sleeper in your house
OR
if you know someone who does this is THE PERFECT GIFT!
I know you are probably wondering what on earth this Cushy Closer does right?
It pads the door so you don't wake your baby with the knock of a door closing or the click of the doorknob.
You can also use it to keep little ones from smashing fingers or locking themselves
in a room.
OK, so simple I know I saw this & was like, "duh! Genius!"
A moment came over me of, why didn't I think of this? But then
you think
Isn't this clever? (well isn't it?)
It also comes in a few colors/patterns to choose from.
I have standard doorknobs, nothing fancy but it fits perfectly & works like a
charm. I mean with two little ones, 2yrs & 8 months I don't want
to chance them waking by a door closing. Even though I am extremely quiet closing the
door upon leaving the bedroom, it always would make a sound.
Now however, it doesn't make any noise whatsoever!
Now if they could only make something to keep my husband from snoring ;)
(I love you sweetie)
I typically just nudge him hehe

OK so back to the Cushy Closer,
I did take it with me when we stayed at the
Harbor Town Yacht Club in Hilton Head.
The doorknobs were those big, round, ball of a knob ones.
The Cushy Closer was snug but still fit & worked perfect,
I'm not sure how they work on the long handle knobs but
not too many people have those on bedroom or bathroom doors to my knowledge.

The Cushy Closer is now on my Products I Love board on Pineterest because
it's that good =D
It regularly retails for $9.95
but the generous people at Isn't This Clever are giving my readers $5 off
their purchase of a Cushy Closer, just us the code THNX5 at checkout.
So $4.95 for a product I think is a must have
~Awesome~

Thank you again to Isn't This Clever!

Stay tuned for my giveaway from them for the Chic Sac ~coming soon.
~~Oh and you have until 10/08 to enter to win your very own fragrance creation (a full bottle)~~
~~from Scent Naturals-ENTER HERE~~
Much Love
~Iffy~

Although I was given a Cushy Closer to review my opinion is 100% mine.