More pre-Black Friday deals to share... savings from LouBird Handmade Jewerly

Hello Readers,
I have an exclusive offer for you! Karley over at loubirdhandmade.com just emailed me this special offer:

"I have a special code just for readers of My Handmade Addiction....enter code HANDMADEADDICT and save 15% on all orders now through 11/30 at loubirdhandmade.com! I even have a $5 sale rack to make room for all the new stuff going in this weekend, so there are some GREAT deals :) Karley"


Just a small sampling of the loveliness and great deals....


Gabrielle -- Dainty Yellow Rose Hair Pin Duo in Antique Brass, $5

Only  $4.25 with your 15% discount



Nathalie -- Jet Set Cluster Necklace in Black, $25

only $21.25 with your discount code

 

Gigi -- Green Vintage Olivene Dangle Earrings, $15

Just $12.75 with your discount code!!!


Head on over to www.loubirdhandmade and check off a few items from your shopping list or pick up something for yourself to wear over the holiday season!

♥Many thanks to dear Karley

for sharing this sweet deal with us♥

Let the deals begin.....

Everyone knows that Friday is in official start to holiday shopping. I have a few deals to share with you to get a head start on the Black Friday Madness. On Saturday posted about a fantastic product called Boot Buffers.


Boot Buffers shared a great 2fer deal with me.
Two pairs of Boot Buffers for $30.

 If you're extra, super nice to me, I'll let you in on another deal.........{is that you, being super nice.......thought so}.......Joan shared a super special coupon code with moi.  

use the coupon code "LOVEMYBOOTS" to get 10% off, starting immediately!

Be on the look out for more deals from some of my other favorite HANDMADE shops!

If you know of some great shopping deals, share the love either here in the comments section or on
 My Handmade Addiction's Facebook Page

Boot Weather

As the temperatures begin to flirt with the freezing mark, winter coats, scarfs, boots, knitted gloves and mittens all start making their way to the front of the coat closet. I like to be warm in the winter but not bundled up and sweaty hot {think of little Randy from A Christmas Story, bundled so tightly that he couldn't put his arms down }.  I prefer to wear thinner jackets or vests instead of big, heavy coats for all but the most frigid of winter's weather. 

Around mid-October I started getting the itch to buy a new pair of boots. If you too have been browsing boot styles recently, you've no doubt noticed this season's trend of above the knee boots. While I really like that look, I don't have the guts to purchase a pair. After much deliberation, I chose a pair of tall riding boots in an grayish taupe color.  The color coordinates well with browns, neutrals, charcoal, black and the pretty plums and peacock shades of the season. This versatile boot can be dressed up or down and therefore very practical and very "me". 



Under the knee tall riding boot



While watching a Piston's basketball game a few weeks ago I spied a casually clad, yet fashionable twenty~something wearing tall boots with woolly, warm socks peeking out of the top.  This look was simply adorable. Given my aversion to hot, sweaty feet, I suspected that translating it into a practical, everyday look for myself would be nearly impossible. Nearly! The next morning I scooted up to my keyboard and started browsing...where else but Etsy!  I didn't take long for me to hit pay dirt!

Boot Buffers are offered in a variety of colors, $16

 Boot Buffers knits up faux socks in an array of winter colors.

Marketed for ladies with small calves {not me} who need to "fill the gap" between their too big boots and their lovely little calves! These little knitted wonders are also just plain cute and give the illusion of wearing thick socks without the bulk! OK, I'm convinced...I "need" some!  My only "problem" is which colors of boot buffers will coordinate with most of my wardrobe... :) 

Pumpkin Pie



Nature's Edge Farm,  Pumpkin Pie soap, $4



I just realized that Thanksgiving is exactly one week away. This time next week I should be enjoying a slice of pumpkin pie with a cup of coffee.

My favorite soap shop sells a to die for, calorie free version of that traditional Thanksgiving dessert.  John from Nature's Edge Farm makes a Pumpkin Pie Soap that not only smells amazing, but is stunningly beautiful.

Why not order a bar to take as a hostess gift next Thursday. Your host or hostess may just slip you an extra piece of pumpkin pie to thank you for your thoughtfulness!

Have a lovely afternoon,
Deanna

De-stressing for the Holidays: Priorities vs. "shoulds"

Hello readers,
Today is the first installment in a series on maximizing enjoyment during the upcoming holiday season. Common sense tells us if we pare down on holiday obligations, we'll likely enjoy the activities we do partake in much more. So why is it that few of us actual do this? There are a host of reasons no doubt with guilt topping the list. As parents in particular, do we really want to be teaching our children to continue certain "traditions" that are obligatory, stressful and eat up precious time that could be spent elsewhere? The types of activities I'm talking about are very subjective and relative to your circumstances.  For example, several years ago when my son was but a mere toddler, baking cookies for Christmas was one of those nasty "shoulds" that jeered at me from my Christmas TO DO list. It wasn't feasible nor enjoyable at that stage in my life.

I stopped baking Christmas cookies for several years...not that I didn't get some "flack" from some who did not approve of my decision.  As my son got older, a nice family tradition has emerged in our house. My husband and I bake cookies with our son. I have to tell you, it's so nice having the extra hands in the kitchen. Eventually Cole's attention span and enthusiasm wanes, and Frank and I are left in the kitchen to bake those last few dozen cookies.  Even though the baking doesn't quite match up to the "perfect" scenario I have in my head, I still look forward to this annual tradition.

One reason why I actually look forward to it is because we've eliminated other less enjoyable "traditions", thereby  freeing up time and energy. By way of example, though decidedly beautiful and festive, our Department 56 Christmas village hasn't seen the light of a day in many, many years. It's not that I don't love it. It's just that the amount of energy and time it takes to set up isn't worth it to me at this stage in the game.

I challenge each one of you to identify one tradition you want to make time for this year as well as identify one that you'd like to ditch.  And please, please, please, do tell so you can inspire the rest of us!

Have a fine day editing your Christmas to do list,
Deanna

What's the deal with giveaways?

Good evening,
The thought occurred to me the other night as I was announcing the November giveaway that some of you may be wondering why I'm hosting them. I mean I'm not a shop owner trying to promote my products. The reason, dear readers that I do host these giveaways is to give you the opportunity to try some of the handmade products I rave about here on My Handmade Addiction. As you may have noticed, the shops that have donated their products are all shops that I buy from and love.

I suspect you'll love them as much as I do. If along the way you find that you like what I have to say here on my blog, it is my hope that you'll comment from time to time and share a bit of your own wisdom as well! 

That's all. I promise!  I'm not secretly peddling Ginsu knives (not that there's anything wrong with that, lol)!

~Deanna

Announcing November's Giveaway

Good evening all,

It's mid November....but November nonetheless. I'm SO excited about this month's giveaway!  Last year about this time I first "discovered" Bathhouse Soapery on Etsy. Founder Charlene Simon handcrafts her bathing luxuries in her lovely shop, Bathhouse Soapery & Caldarium, on Bathhouse Row in Hot Springs, AR. In addition to her brick and mortar and Etsy stores,  Char maintains her successful primary website  www.bathhousesoap.com.

I purchased...ahem...several products  from Bathhouse last year for Christmas.  Two of those items are up for grabs this month. I can attest to the incredible, mouthwatering smell of this scent. You'll feel pampered as your drift off to visions of the sweetest Thanksgiving sweet potato casserole that ever passed your lips!

 

Without further ado.....

The winner of the November giveaway will receive a 4.5 - 5.0 ounce bar of Sweet Potato Soap , a 5 ounce jar of Sweet Potato Sugar Scrub and a cream colored Soap Sack.

How to enter:

1) If you are not a follower of My Handmade Addiction please do so = 1 entry

2) "Like" My Handmade Addiction's Facebook site = 1 entry


3) Comment below with your current email address = 1 entry


4) Share a link this giveaway post on your blog = 1 entry 
* please comment again to let me know you did*

Many thanks to

Char for providing this month's

giveaway products!

♥♥♥You're a sweetheart!♥♥♥

Have a blessed and beautiful weekend all,

~Deanna

a new look for the winter

Hello Readers,
I hope you like the blog's new winter duds. It took a bit of time but it's the kind of tinkering I like to do. What do you think????

Have a lovely evening,
Deanna

Christmas Carols: Part I: Etsy treasury: Silver & Gold

This is a little something I pieced together this morning to get you into the holiday spirit....yes, I know it's not even Thanksgiving yet ;)

Christmas Carols: Part I

I'm back, baby!

Hello Readers,

"Nobody puts Baby in the corner", lol! Well, I put myself in the corner to attend to a few much neglected areas of my life. But I'm back now!

As you may have noticed, I've been missing from the blogosphere. I was wrapped up in end-of-the-season soccer activities, Halloween and household "stuff". Part of the household "stuff" I worked on was a major, and I mean MAJOR office cleaning and organizing task. I'm not exaggerating when I say the space was looking like a scene from "Hoarders".  I didn't plan to tackle this particular task on this particular day. Oddly, this is a strategy that has always worked very well for me. One day I walked into my office at about 11:00 AM and didn't make it outta there until I picked up my son from school.  It was very unplanned yet highly productive. I got through piles that have been in here for as many as seven years. This room has never, ever been this clean. A strange thing happened the following day.  I was drinking my morning coffee and I started peeking in the 3 hanging file cabinets and the drawers I keep my greeting cards, envelopes, stamps, address book...you know, the usual stuff in a desk. I could NOT help but start cleaning out and organizing there too. That is NOT like me. Now my office is actually a peaceful and inspiring place to be.

During this time off I've also been "percolating" on some things I want to share with you. Way back when, I used to practice mental health counseling. This was many, many moons ago. The clinic I worked for put together a kind of "how to survive the holidays with your sanity in tact" type of seminar that never came to fruition. Sadly, some 11~ish years later, the message is one that I believe many families, in particular mothers, would like to hear.  Instead of merely "surviving" the holidays, I'd like to take a much more positive, and upbeat approach, focusing instead, on ENJOYING the holidays. Don't laugh, it IS possible even for those of us who aren't Pollyannas! In the following weeks I will be sharing with you some ways to help you and your family enjoy the upcoming holiday season. I invite you all to weigh in on my ideas and to please, oh please, share some of your own personal wisdom on the subject!

Have a lovely Thursday,
Deanna