BUGGA'S BIRTHDAY

This Saturday we had our daughter's 1st birthday and usually every party is a big deal.  Well this year with all that is going on between the kiddos, Big Daddy, 4 room makeover and the jewelry line.  Not too mention blogging for myself as well as Haddad and doing product reviews....let's just say I'm A Busy Mama!

So here are a few shots that I took during the party...the theme was Abby Caddabby because she is a huge fan of her and Sesame Street.   By fan I mean of course that as soon as the theme song comes on she will stop dead in her tracks and look towards the TV. lol

Eating/Cake area

Start of the table settings

Tableware in pink/purple

Party Favors for the kids:  Color me flower pots & Abby puzzle

Abby headgear ( I love it instead of party hats)

View of puzzle favor and bow tie skills.

Big sis in her Abby fairy dress.

Kiddos at the table for cupcakes.

Other big sis and her bff's Isa & Tazia

My beautifully iced niece Jordyn

She finally woke up from her nap and I gave in and let her dig in.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!

SPRING FLING GIVEAWAYS.....Day 2

Today is Day 2 of The Spring Fling Giveaways hosted by April @ Wildflowers & Whimsy.   She came up with the fabulous idea to have 14 days of giveaways with 2 giveaways per day by a group of bloggers including myself (my giveaway is on the 26th so make sure you enter that one too)

Here are today's giveaways sponsored by these 2 fabulous bloggers....  Suze from Time Well Spent                              & Shawna from A Very Dandoislion Life.

They are both hostly fabulous giveaways today....I've already entered.....Have you?

IT'S ALL IN THE NAME......

I've always been fascinated with names, letter, symbols and that they flow very well.  I spent weeks at a time going over my children's names before they were born.

Well your last name, you really can't choose........especially if your married!    You can choose not to take the name but that's kinda insulting and akward if you have children.

I must say Im quite happy with my final surname of JOSEPH.   I love my initials 'MJ' as most of you know. lol  My house is filled with J's or M's and I just love using letters in the decor of my home.

I wanted to share a little project I worked on Friday night.....technically 2 a.m. Saturday morning!  I do my best work when everyone is sleeping and Im under pressure (kinda like now...)  Actually my daughter's 1st bday party was the following morning and I needed to get my family name wall done.

The big letter 'J' from Home Goods I had blogged about before and it had been just hanging out there on the wall lonely as heck, until I brought home 'o' one day and they became friends.  But then I just had Jo hanging there on the wall and I had ideas of what I wanted to do but just haven't had the time.   I ran to A.C. Moore to get some supplies and picked up 'E' and 'P'.  So here is what I pulled together with what I had hanging around the house. I do pride myself on being an up-cycler, re-cycler Im just all about re-purposing and take any opportunity to prove it!  

Here is my proof.....

The crackle finish 'J' in original form

Lowercase 'o' cover is tv listing section of the newspaper

My daughter's old locker magnet board with a piece of toile pattern contact paper cut into a letter 'S'

Wooden capital 'E' spray painted black

White capital letter 'P' which I painted on a leopard pattern.

The letter 'H' is made obviously from a sewing tape measure

Here is the Joseph family name wall

This wall is in our hallway which just got a make-over and the other side is a photo wall that displays our favorite family & friends.

BY THE WAY....THE SPRING FLING HAS STARTED TODAY (see button top of my sidebar).

  My Blogging BFF Leighann from A Crafty Southern Chick is up today with her fabulous giveaway!   

As well as Ann from Increasingly Domestic

14 days of giveaways with 2 giveaways a day......who can resist that?????

Linking this post up to some fabulous parties this week:

  

http://betweennapsontheporch.blogspot.com/

PHOTOS FROM NATE SHOW

While I can't show photos of what transpired  completely when we appeared as guests on The Nate Berkus Show.  However I can show you some candid photos of my husband and I with the girls in our green room area.

Our green room name tag 

Me anxiously waiting...that's my little one asleep in her stroller (Im blessed)

My 4 yr old was on her best behavior and showing off her Nate cookie. lol

Once she woke up...mama was prepared with a fresh bottle. 

Daddy keeping her busy & happy

I was in love with this little seating area.

Of course as always there is a sidenote to this post:

I'm a big believer in signs as in we have a path set for us and we need to follow his signs to get us there.  Well as some of you may recall I attended the Nate show the week that Elizabeth Edwards was a guest and I was a huge fan of hers and was planning on visiting her shop The Red Window in Chapel Hill this summer.

Sadly she lost her battle with cancer (I posted about it) and we lost a brave and talented woman.  I thought it was quite relevant that out of all the guest rooms (and there are alot)..... the one chosen for us had a photograph from Nate's interview with Elizabeth. 

Tune in on March 28th on NBC Channel 4 ....to see my cover be blown!

WAKE UP CALL

Every have that something happen to you and you realize how lucky you are.   Well today was that day for me, I cant believe Im sitting here typing this but I have so much nervous energy right now I gotta get it out.

Today was a yucky rainy day here in Jersey, my son missed his bus and the 4 year old stayed home.  So that made for 3 of the 5 kids home today with me.

Everything was going fine, I was photographing some new jewelry pieces and posting them up on Facebook.  Nothing out of the ordinary right?.....

It was getting close to lunchtime so I put the l year old (bday yesterday) down for a nap.  And the other 2 asked for some Ramen soup, so I put the pot on and I threw 2 tortillas in the toaster oven.

I walked away for 10 seconds and I smelled something...I turn my head and the whole kitchen is full of smoke I look at the toaster oven and smoke is literally funneling out of all of the holes!   I grab it by the handle, which if anyone ever watched BACKDRAFT..you never open a door!  Same applies to toaster oven doors.

Flames shot out at me, the whole thing started flaming up!  I had to get it out of the house...I had 3 kids here! I stuck my hand behind it and pulled out the plug, they yelled for my son to open the back slider doors.  I picked it up (flames and all) and ran out and off the deck (wood) and onto the driveway.

I then went to go get the hose, but guess what it was disconnected. AHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!   So I tell me son to bring me some water.

Bless his little heart....he literally brought me a plastic kids cup of water.   When I throw the water on it, it just gets worse.  Then I noticed that the BBQ was out and only 2-3ft away.  Flames are flying from this little stainless monster.

I tell my son to call 911 because I dont think Im gonna get this under control and Im afraid the tank is going to  get hit with a spark and blow.

I find the mop bucket and run inside, the house is full of smoke.  I tell my son to put jackets on himself and sister and get out of the house onto the deck for fresh air.  I fill the bucket and fun outside and dump it all onto the oven....it starts to sizzle and smoke ridiculously but no flames.  So I do it again...

My son is calmly reporting to the dispatcher our address and answering questions, I then get on the phone and tell them that I think I got it under control.  Call ended.

Phone rings....Police dept calling to double check.  I tell them Ive got it under control, officer says they will send someone out to check anyway.  I say OK.

5 minutes later......SIRENS!    Police car, fire dept chief SUV, fire truck, volunteer vehicles....approx 12 cars show up on my quiet block like a noisy St Patricks Parade and they come to the back to see this...

Now it may seem small but dont let the size fool you.  This little bad boy was blazing and you can see from the glass door that once was clear.   That crater spaceship looking thing....was my lunch a nice toasted tortilla.

It only takes a few seconds so please be careful when you are using your ovens...toaster, convection, free standing, or cooktops.

My house smells of smoke and so do I....so for the rest of the day besides airing out the house I will count my blessings that

1. My 12 yr old son was here to help
2. I didnt panic(well i did, but) I worked well under the pressure
3. Kids listened to instructions.
4. God still has work for me here.


Blessings to everyone, life is short ....today was my Wake Up Call!


Linking this up...because I think it's so appropriate that I never had lunch and lost my appetite!

COIN CREATIONS......

I want to introduce you all to an amazing artist.   I actually came across him through my blog bff Leighann from A Crafty Southern Chick.

His name is Jim a.k.a.  Coin Ring Man.  He is an artist from Phoenix, Arizona.    He created his first ring in 1968 and the age of seventeen, and has been creating ever since.    His rings are handcrafted from coins....yes currency, money, dinero!  I had never seen anything like it.   I thought it was so original I wanted to share him with you all.  I'm a big believer in supporting real artists and they're work that's why I shop and sell on Etsy.

I have plans on ordering a bunch of his work...I like things to have a meaning so Im deciding on what kind of coins I would like.

You can find Jim's shop on Etsy @ Coin Ring Man...I encourage you all to go on over and take a look at this artist's awesome work.     Here are a few of my favorite pieces

British Two Pence

Republica De Costa Rica

Canadian Large Cent

Kennedy Half Dollar

New York State Quarter

Appreciate real art and real artists....buy handmade & handcrafted whenever you can and you are helping someone motivate their hobby, fulfill their dream or possibly provide for their family. 

ONE YEAR AGO....

It's amazing that on this day last year I was in the hospital in labor with my beautiful daughter Kemorah Sky (a.k.a Bugga Bugga).  Technically she wasn't born until 10:05 p.m

She is baby #5 and was the most difficult pregnancy and birth, she convinced me that we are good at 5. lol  After having 4 children naturally, she was the one the doctor wanted to do a c-section to deliver.  However 2 fabulous nurses helped me through and we finally got this big baby out.  She was 9 lbs. 11 ozs, coming in 2nd place in size with her other siblings.

Today March 15, 2011 she is turning 1 and this past year has been amazing watching her grow.

Minutes after being born

1 hour (yes I am texting...her siblings) lol

1 day (picture day)

1 week (napping @ home)

1 month (birth announcement photo)

4 months (dancin w/ big sis Gabi)

6 months (1st blog appearance)

10 months (testing out new nursery)

last week.....almost 1! (at the Nate Berkus show)

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MY BEAUTIFUL BABYGIRL!!!!

KEMORAH SKY

We love you and can't wait to see you grow into a wonderful young  lady.

ROMANTICA COLLECTION

I've been a busy Mama these past few weeks and I wanted to share some more pieces from my new jewelry & accessory line.  I have opened the Mama J Jewels Etsy shop and have been working very hard to launch some unique pieces.

The London Bridge necklace

The Ivory Rose necklace

The Garden Goddess necklace

These items are from the Romantica collection which is created with an old world style.  They are reminiscent of the American Victorian, English, Roman, Greek era's.   Items are handcrafted.

I hope you will all take a moment to check out some of the new items in the shop.

SPRING FLING GIVEAWAYS...14 DAYS LONG

Well today all of us participating in the Spring Fling giveaway over at Wildflower & Whimsy are giving a Sneak Peek as to what our giveaway will be.   For those of you who don't know it will be 14 days of fabulous giveaways.

It starts on March 20th and my blogging bff Leighann of A Crafty Southern Chick will be featuring her giveaway!   You can go over and catch her Sneak Peek now!

Lucky 7 Design has been chosen on the date of March 26th....and Im doing it big.   Big Daddy's motto is Go Big or Go Home so that's what Im gonna do.

My giveaway will consist of over 12 items that are almost all handmade by myself.  Some are from my home accessories line Lucky 7 Design.  Also included are some items from my new jewelry line Mama J Jewels.  I'm even including a pair of vintage earrings.....there is something for everyone.


So here is a sneak peek of what one lucky reader will receive!

Keep it all or give some of the items away as gifts!

I know I'm such a tease...but that's all your getting for now.  Come back on the 26th to enter!

So don't forget head over to Wildflowers & Whimsy and check out all of the fabulous giveaways that are lined up.   Two giveaways a day for 14 days.....that's the biggest, bestest giveaway Ive ever heard about yet!

SAVE THE DATE:    MARCH 20TH

I WAS ON NATE TODAY!

As many of you recall last September I was lucky enough (wink) to attend with my sister a taping for The Nate Show.  It was his 2nd week of taping, and the guest was Dolly Parton.  It was awesome, he was so sweet and he shook my hand.....because we were in The Front Row right next to him (on his left) lol.

Okay so it's starting to sound a little stalkerish....but c'mon he is talented and good-looking not a hard day  to sit and look and listen to him.

A few weeks later I spoke with a rep from The Nate Show and submitted a video on junk drawers ( I know it's my dirty little secret) I have tons of them....junk drawers not secrets! lol     And the world got to see them a few weeks later when it aired as an opening teaser to the show.   I didnt even realize it till my sister texted me "OMG....I just saw you on Nate!  Why didn't you tell me".   LOL

Well I've somehow been blessed again, except this time.    Im actually going to be a guest!   Yep that's right I've been asked to come and talk to Nate about a design dilema in my house.  Now I can't give away any details of the segment but I can tell you that his staff puts in alot of work to make these segments happen.

The biggest surprise of all is that we (producers and I) were able to convince my husband (Big Daddy) to be on the show.  They wanted a couple's perspective.  He is so laid back and not the tv talking kind of person (yes it's true opposites do attract).   Because I'm all about talking....blogging it's all the same!

So today we were picked up by car service and whisked away to NYC to The Nate Show to film our segment.   We spent about 4 hours there and I will post whatever picks I was able to take. Its very busy and alot of practicing and positioning.   However I cant reveal the topic of the segment, the fabulous guest who helped us out or the 2 fabulous gifts my husband and I came home with.  

You will have to watch or set your DVR's on March 28 th to see what Nate did for Big Daddy and I.


A little P.S. message to my wonderful husband who I know loves me a ton because he would never in a million years want to be on TV never the less speak on camera.   But Big Daddy supports me in whatever I do and knew this was a big deal to me, so he came with me and secretly think he had a great time (except maybe for the hair/make up chair) lol.