Have you missed me? I have been a bit under the weather and unfortunately that means I have been away from the blog.
But to make it up to you, how about a post full of fun tips and a giveaway that includes THREE new little books from Gooseberry Patch!
Ya see, GP sent me two of their new Tiny Tips Books – Tiny Tips for Get-Togethers and Tiny Tips for a Cozy Home– along with a fun little copy of Recipes for Warming Hearts and I am giving away a copy of each of these books to one lucky reader!
I just love these little books! They are like little brainstorming starters. They are chock-full of tons of tips, but they also spark the creativity in me and give me other ideas– don’t ya love that?
I thought it would be fun to share some of the wonderful tips Gooseberry Patch included in these books with you as a part of our Super Mommy Secrets series, so here goes!
1. Cookie Placecards: I LOVE this idea to use cookies as a place setting for each guest at your next get-together! Stack up a sweet little stack and tie a lovely ribbon– what a neat treat!
These Banana-Chocolate Chip Cookies would be perfect or these Maple Drop Cookies would be just perfect for a fall theme!
Not feeling like being Martha all at once? Why not bake ahead and freeze the cookies. Then thaw the day of and serve right up!
2. Cookbook Storage: I totally use this tip to store my cookbooks!
You will find several baskets full of cookbooks… and shelves and book stands…
and… ok… I might just need a cookbook intervention… maybe… just not right now, k?
3. Dressing Up a Shelf: I really want to try this tip to add some flair to some kitchen shelves Puddie just hung. I can’t decide if I am going to use homemade paper or some cloth napkins or hankerchiefs .
4. Miss Add and I are going to have to wrangle up some buttons and give these button magnets a try! How cute would those be on the fridge? They would go quite nicely with Miss Add’s first attempt at magnets and we ALWAYS need more magnets to hang up school notices, art projects, church memory verses, etc.
5. Art Gallery: Speaking of which, we have used this tip to make a little clothesline art gallery on our family calendar wall and we absolutely love it!
6. Unique Serving Dishes: How cool is this idea to use peppers or pumpkins to serve up condiments or soup at your next party?
7. Appetizer Rule of Thumb: It never fails, I have friends coming over and I either make way too much food or too little and since too little is much worst case scenario, I typically overcompensate and make enough to feed twice as many people! That is why I love this tip for appetizers and that it accounts for both pre-dinner and appetizer-only soirees 😉
8. A Quote to Warm the Heart: While quotes aren’t technically tips, I adore them and LOVE that these little books include quotes too… ya see, this is why I always say that GP just gets me.
9. Cupcake Stand: I HAVE to make these cup and saucer cupcake stands… it is a must!
10. Wheelbarrow Planter: We can pretend I will actually follow through on this great idea to use a child’s wheelbarrow as an inviting planter… but truth be told, I probably won’t because it won’t look as pretty with dead flowers inside… but I am sure one of you would create a lovely arrangement!
On a related note, I am sad to report that my second batch of herbs… the ones that I bought to replace the ones I killed earlier in the summer… ya know the ones that were going to make it through the winter… well… let’s just hope I do better this winter than they did. I swear I am not poisoning them… and I DID water this batch… just sayin’
11. Pot Rack: I just love handing pots! I also think this would be an awesome idea for hanging utensils too on a smaller scale!
12. Scented Fire: Why didn’t I think of this??? I am so going to try these scented fires this winter. I can imagine smells of cinnamon… oh and I wonder if cloves would work???
13. Country Charm: I just love this idea to use vintage every day items to dress up a space. Sometimes we forget that the simplest things make us feel at home.
14: These Boots Were Made for Centerpiecin‘: How cute is this idea to put mason jars in boots as vases for bouquets of flowers? So adorable!
15. Quilt Tablecloth: I have been known to use this tip a time or two! I just love the charm of a comfy quilt as a table cloth.
16. Freezer Paper Table Cloth: On a related note, this idea to keep freezer paper on hand for those messy times is a great tip! And while you are at it, you can make these cool Freezer Paper T-Shirts with the same stuff!
17. Recipe Art: I will be making these framed handwritten recipe pieces. I love this idea and it would even be a great homemade gift!
So, there you have a taste of what kind of little nuggets of creativity are hiding inside of the pages of the new Tiny Tips series. Since these books are well… tiny, I am combining this giveaway with the giveaway of another little gem, Recipes for Warming Hearts which I will be reviewing and sharing with you over the next week…
This lovely little book not only includes our Super Easy Puddin’ Cake, it also has tons of ideas that will help us kick off our homemade Christmas series….
So, what do ya think? Want to win a copy of each of these three little books?
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Susan H. says
I would love to win.
apple blossom says
love a tip on storing lids to bowls and containers.
ABreading4fun [at] gmail [dot] com
apple blossom says
quick and easy Christmas gift giving
ABreading4fun [at] gmail [dot] com
Crystalr410 says
Love your site and emails and also Gooseberry Patch books!
Ms Sherri Conrad says
Making flaky pie crust.
Ms Sherri Conrad says
Fruitcake!
Sunny says
Would love to win the tiny books!
My tip is for parents: Find a holiday charity that allows you to select a recipient the same age and gender as your child, such as an Angel Tree. Even toddlers, when told that they can choose some things for a child in need, will love thinking of what the child would like: a copy of their favorite book, a candy cane, etc. Every year, my daughter loved to plan some Christmas surprises for a girl her own age. Giving to others became more personal.
Teena says
What great ideas! Thanks for your blog…would be great to have and enjoy these little books!
Trina Pankowski says
I would love to have these books!!!! I love you blog and your recipes!!! Thank you so much for them!!! May God continue to Bless you and your family!!!!
panskit@gmail:disqus .com
I think it would be so wonderful to win these.
Kimberly B. says
Making the most use of storage with a small kitchen.
Leanna M says
How to get cooking overspray off pans once it’s baked on…
Leanna M says
I’d like to see reviews of different types of cookware.
Donna Bias Carraher says
I would like to see kitchen organization tips.
Donna Bias Carraher says
I would like to see more recipes.
T McCarthy says
I am always on the look out for simple, holiday recipes.
T McCarthy says
And a tip for your upcoming fall vacation (I live in Orlando), hit the grocery store and get a room with a fridge to save on food costs. Restaurants will kill a budget in no time. (And don’t forget to plan a day at Downtown Disney, which is free and has lots of great stuff to do like play at the Lego Store. 🙂
Gapeach2224 says
I would love to see more on the recipe art
Sandy B. says
Enjoy your blog!!
Nanimel says
These tips are wonderful. Even after all these years at age 42 I can still find new ideas.