~Happy Summer~

The first day of summer is right around the corner, June 21st to be exact.  How ironic…June 21st is also Father’s Day!  What is your favorite thing about the summer season?  What is summer like where you live?

Here in Western Washington summer has been slow approaching.  We have had some nice hot weather in these past few weeks but definitely not enough to say summer is really here.  Today is pretty overcast and a low 60 degrees…a little too cold for shorts! 

My Top 10 Summer Favorites:

1. BBQ’ing – nothing is better than grilling outside, less mess in the kitchen!

2. Relaxing in the sun – catching rays and reading a book, heaven!

3. Wearing flip flops – gotta love no socks, and pretty pedicures

4. Opening windows – letting fresh air in to the house, smells clean

5. Taking the kitties outside – they are indoor and only go out with supervision

6. Planting flowers – even though I have a small patio I make the best of it

7. Longer days – love when the sun stays out longer, no short winter days here!

8. Feeding hummingbirds – I love watching the hummingbirds swarm the feeder

9. 4th of July – who doesn’t like fireworks?

10.  Taking it outside – bike riding, walking, and playing in the sun

I’ve learned that living in Washington you have to take in every ray of sun you can.  Sun would be nice year round however having 4 seasons is even better. 

To celebrate Summer I made a set of Summer greeting cards.  To purchase these cards from my Artfire shop please click HERE.

Happy Summer everyone!

~Featured Etsy Blogger For June: LazyTCrochet~

Congrats to Tricia shop owner of LazyTCrochet for being picked as the featured blogger of the month! 

 

Tricia’s shop is full of knit and crochet fashion.  After browsing through her shop I picked a few of my favorite items to share in this post.

This Coral Wrap Fringe Stole is the perfect color and would look great paired with a summer outfit.  The best part about this stole is you can wear it a number of different ways.  Wear it around your shoulders, wrap your shoulders, or tie it around your neck as scarf. 

Check out this cute hat: Mocha Cloche with Fabric Flower.  Not only is it my favorite color but also a great style!  This hat can be worn year round and can easily be dressed up or down. 

This Coffee Cup Wrap doubles as a wristlet!  Very unique and a stylish way to dress up your coffee cup or your wrist. 

For more lovely knit and crochet check out the rest of Tricia’s shop by visiting: www.lazytcrochet.etsy.com  Don’t forget to check out her blog too: www.lazytcrochet.blogspot.com.

~Bath & Body Works Coupon~

Wow, have I been neglecting my blog or what? I figured since my last post was a coupon offer for Michaels why not post another coupon?

Bath & Body Works is one of my favorite places to shop. Right now Bath & Body Works is having their Semi-Annual sale in stores and online. Special online deals include 4 for $10 hand soap, $4 Foam Burst, $5 Wallflowers, plus up to 50% off select items!

Here you will see a coupon for $10 off any purchase of $40 or more. You can print this out and use it in the stores or online. If you can't print from the photo click HERE to get the original coupon. The authorization code for online shopping is TAKETEN. This offer is good through June 14th.

~Do You Shop @ Michael’s Arts & Crafts Store?~

In these tough economic times many of us sacrifice purchases and unnecessary shopping sprees.  If you shop at Michael’s you know that many times the store gives out coupons like they are going out of style. 

This past week Michael’s didn’t have a weekly ad in the Sunday paper…I was so disappointed.  Since I am signed up to receive email updates from the website: www.michaels.com frequently I receive coupons.  I received this 50% off (any regular priced item) coupon today and wanted to share with all the crafters out there.  The best thing about this coupon is you can print as many as you want and use them throughout the week but only one per transaction. 

Even though you are supposed to use one coupon per transaction per day I’ve been known to go back the same day and have yet to have a problem.  This coupon is good March 29th through April 4th. 

Click HERE to get the coupon!

HAPPY SHOPPING!

~March Featured Etsy Blogger: Design By Nora~

Congratulations to Nora of Design By Nora for being chosen as the Etsy Bloggers Team featured member!  Nora’s shop is filled with cute handbags and unique jewelry pieces.  I have picked some of my favorite items from her shop and have featured them below.

The first item that caught my eye was this adorable floral purse called "Mabel’s Purse”.  This purse can be used for a casual outing or a for a hot date out on the town.  With spring finally here I imagine this little handbag will look great with any spring dress.  The attention to detail on this handbag is amazing and I love that it is made with bamboo! 

Have a purse fetish?  Check out the other handbags in Nora’s shop by clicking HERE!

Even though the cold days are coming to an end there is always a need for a warm cozy blanket.  What better to buy than a handmade one?  Check out this Green and Pink Crocheted Bed Spread.  What a great way to decorate a room handmade style!

My favorite jewelry piece from Nora’s shop are these Lavender Flower Studs.  These flowers are the perfect size and are just in time for Easter.

Want to see more from Nora’s shop?  Stop by today…and if you do decided to purchase something let her know Cards By Jenna sent you. :)

Thanks for stopping by!

~Welcome Spring Chickens!~

Even though Spring is officially here it sure doesn’t feel like it here in the great Northwest!  Hopefully the warm weather will be here soon but if not I always have my upcoming Kauai trip in May to look forward to. :)

To celebrate the official arrival of Spring I am dedicating this post to some very talented artists on Artfire.com.  The theme for my post is “Spring Chicks”.  All the items feature chicks! 

This adorable Easter Baby Chicken and Word Blocks Spring Home Decoration is perfect to give as a gift or to keep for yourself.  You can find this baby chicken in Sawdusted’s Artfire shop. 

Are you a crafty person yourself and looking for an awesome and unique Easter sewing project?  Check out this Easter Basket Felt Pattern from LittleCricket’s shop.  Not only is this Easter Basket filled with fat free goodies but will keep year after year.  Please note this listing is for a PDF pattern.

Does your kitchen need a spring touch?  Decorate with this fantastic Yellow Crocheted Chicken Potholder from ArtLoCraft’s shop.     

HAPPY

SPRING!

~Flax Banana Bread Recipe~

Ever get tired of making the same banana bread recipe?  I had 2 lonely bananas that were getting a little too ripe on my counter.  I didn’t want to use my typical banana bread recipe so I went searching on Prevention Magazine’s website (www.prevention.com) and found this flax banana bread recipe.  Not only is this a healthy recipe but it tastes delicious too!  Next time I make this I will be adding walnuts.  Also instead of making bread I used this recipe to make muffins, still bake at 350°F but lowered the baking time to 20 minutes.  

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1/2 cup low-fat buttermilk
• 1/4 cup fat-free egg substitute
• 3 tablespoons canola oil
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup whole-wheat flour
• 3/4 cup ground flaxseed
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup pureed bananas (about 2 medium bananas)

Directions

1.  Preheat the oven to 350°F. Coat a nonstick 8- x 4-inch loaf pan with cooking spray.

2.  In a large bowl, combine the sugar, buttermilk, egg substitute, and oil. Whisk until smooth.

3.  In a medium bowl, combine the all-purpose flour, whole-wheat flour, flaxseed, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Whisk to mix.

4.  Add to the liquid ingredients, and stir just until blended; do not over mix. Add the bananas and stir to mix.

5.  Pour into the prepared pan. Bake for 40 to 50 minutes, or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove the pan to a wire rack, and let the bread cool slightly. While it is still slightly warm, turn the bread out of the pan.

*Recipe Tips*

For best results, choose very ripe bananas, place them in a blender or food processor, and puree until smooth. Ground flaxseed is sold in natural food stores. Store any unused flaxseed in a tightly sealed container in the refrigerator or freezer.

*Recipe courtesy of www.prevention.com*