FIVE FABULOUS FINDS FRIDAY #3

Hi everybody!
 

Wow, I can't believe how quickly this week flew by.
 

It's already time for another...
 

FIVE FABULOUS FINDS FRIDAY!!! 

Today I would like to share with you:

1. A gorgeous tea for a wintery day,
2.  A great craft project that is easy and fun for Valentine's Day,
3. An super easy and delicious party appetizer to make for your Super Bowl Party!
4. A jewelry line of adorable, customizable necklaces and charms that tell our stories!
5. An inspirational talk between a father and his son about the real world and growing up. 

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1. This week, "Cuisine Kathleen" posted a tablescape challenge on her Let's Dish Link party, to create a tablescape for the cold wintery months. 

So many beautiful tablescapes were entered, and it was so fun to look through them and see the creative ideas everyone came up with. While it was way too hard to pick just one, this tablescape was one of several that really stood out and caught my attention! 

And Surprisingly, it wasn't even a TABLESCAPE!   It was a "Trayscape".   

My first Fabulous Find is..

DINING DELIGHT's Winter Teatime Trayscape!

(Photos Courtesy of Dining Delight)

"DD" from DINING DELIGHT is a mother of two grown children and a wife of her high school sweetheart (I love that!!!)   She loves tablescapes and home decor and has made it an art!  

She has a simply beautiful home and, because of a sore back, she couldn't do the entire table, so she made a beautiful "warm-up-drink-scape" that really wows!   The details were just perfect, and I love everything she did with this. 

This is not the only gorgeous thing I have seen of hers that is just perfect! EVERY tablescape of hers that I've seen on her blog are so inspirational and so beautiful! It is definitely worth checking out her blog, not just for this trayscape, but all of her amazing tablescapes!  Please go check out her site at Dining Delight!

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2.  This week I saw a very cute and easy to make Valentine's Heart picture on a link party!  This could not be easier to make and it looks really cute!   

I could totally see myself making something like this with the kids to add to our Valentine's Day decor!

That's why my Second FABULOUS FIND is...

 "DIY Valentine Art" from Sew Fantastic!

(Photos courtesy of Sew Fantastic)

This is made with just some canvas, a scrapbooking heart punch, some foam adhesive dots, and some paint samples!  This would also make some fun art for just about any occasion if you switch up the paint sample colors and the scrapbook punch!  

I love the ombre look and the depth that this creates with the foam adhesives! 

Julianne at "Sew Fantastic" has lots of wonderful DIY projects, so if you haven't caught her blog yet, you should go check it out.  I hope to make SEVERAL of her awesome DIY crafts at some point!!!  

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3.  A few months ago, we hosted an outdoor movie night and party with some families from our homeschool group.  

That night I tested out a new appetizer I had found on Pinterest that was such a big hit, that I used it again for appetizers on Thanksgiving!   Every one of my guests that tried them really liked them so they were gone fast!!  One of the OTHER reasons they were gone so fast is that I also kept eating them!   

They were so DELICIOUS and so easy to make!  This would be a FANTASTIC appetizer to have at a Super Bowl Party (which is coming up February 3rd!) 

That's why my Third Fabulous Find is...


"ROTEL CUPS" from Pearls, Handcuffs and Happy Hour.  

(photos courtesy of Pearls, Handcuffs and Happy Hour)

I wish I would have taken some pictures of mine, but her pictures are great!  I loved these, and so did everyone who tried them!!!   

They are easy, easy, EASY, too.  All you need are 5 ingredients!  1 can of Rotel, 1 bag of real bacon bits, some mayo, shredded cheese and mini fillo shells!  That's it!!! Mix everything together, put it in the fillo shells, put it in the oven for 15 minutes!  SO SIMPLE!!

She has some other great recipes on her blog as well, and gets featured often on many others' blogs, so her site is definitely worth checking out!  I am looking forward to trying a few more of her great recipes soon!
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4.  A friend of mine, and fellow homeschool mom recently let me know she just started a jewelry business.   At first, I wasn't sure what to expect.  Many of the jewelry catalogs I have came across were a little too fancy for my taste (with the exception of the rare very formal occasion)  and usually very pricey for something I would rarely or NEVER wear.

But when she shared these adorable necklaces and charms, I was totally hooked!  

The prices are fairly reasonable, the necklaces are very cute but not super fancy, (although they can be jazzed up to complete a fancier look) the charms were customizable to fit my personal story and tastes, and this kind of necklace is something I can see myself wearing on a daily basis!  

That's why my fourth FABULOUS FIND is....

"ORIGAMI OWL" JEWELRY!

(photo courtesy of lora.origamiowl.com)

This company she partnered up with has an amazing backstory too.  

Started by a teenager who just wanted to make enough money to buy a car...her personalized necklaces caught on, in a BIG way, and now they're quickly spreading all around the country!  

My friend Lora is an independent designer for them, so you can buy them online, or she also holds "jewelry parties" and lays out the charms so you can choose the ones that mean something to you and tell your "story"!   I love how customizable they are.  If you want to tell a different story, or go with a new theme, you just get some new charms!  

(Photo courtesy of lora.origamiowl.com)

I have yet to host a party, because she just started the business and I need to get my schedule together, but I plan to host one in the next month or two, and make it a fun, fancy affair with a great dinner or luncheon and a party!  It'll be a great excuse to get a nice tablescape going, hang out with friends and check out some CUTE jewelry that is wearable every day!  =)

I am definitely buying one for myself and for my daughter!  

They are too cute NOT to get one!  The options are pretty much endless!  

Check out Lora's site and tell her the HOME GIRL sent ya!  (No, I don't get any compensation for it, just the satisfaction of passing on a very cute product to my readers and friends!)  =D  
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5.  If you've never heard of Chance Scoggins..you should!  

(photos courtesy of Chancescoggins.com)

He is a studio singer, songwriter, public speaker and music producer for his job, but he also writes an unbelievably inspirational blog!   

Every post I've read of his has touched me in some way...and this post I read last week has inspired me to do this with both my kids when they "come of age" (which isn't for a long time, but I'll have plenty of time to plan, this way...and everyone with grown children tells me that mine will be grown before I know it!)  It's also something I think every person should know before they "leave the nest"!

It's a wonderful lesson inspired by a slightly "unorthodox" getaway vacation with his father.  Some GREAT wisdom shared here, and I hope this will move you like it did me...

That's why my fifth and final FABULOUS FIND is...

Chance Scoggins's post "Pack a Bag and Be Ready in 30 Minutes!"

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Well, that's it for this edition of FIVE FABULOUS FINDS FRIDAY!   Thanks so much for joining me!

I'd LOVE to hear from you.  

Was there one fabulous find you found particularly FABULOUS??  

Did you try one of these crafts or ideas?  

Is there one that you would especially like to try?   

If you're on Facebook, I'd love for you to come on by and join up on my FACEBOOK PAGE!  

Also, if you enjoy this blog, I'd love for you to follow me here in the blogosphere!  If you're a blogger also, I'd love to follow you right back and keep up with what you are doing!  Who knows?  You might just become one of my "FIVE FABULOUS FINDS!"   =D

~The HOME GIRL