Win a Cricut Expression 2: Anniversary Edition

Dear Craftys,

I'm like the loser of the crafting world because I don't have an electronic cutting machine. I drool over them daily! So I'm bloggin' about this rad machine to possibly win it. Yeah, like in FREE!!! And, of course, you can  enter to win too!! I hope one of us gets to join the "cool club" soon. Just see below.....

Read the full product review here.

Win this Cricut Expression 2: Anniversary Edition machine!

We are giving one machine to one lucky winner. Enter with this form. In addition:

1. If you blog about this giveaway at your blog, we’ll give you an extra entry. Contact usand include a link to the blog post.

2. If you tweet about this giveaway, you’ll get an extra entry. Again, contact us and include a link to the tweet.

3. If you add a link to us on your blogroll or website, we’ll give you an extra entry. Again,contact us!

Contest ends May 14, 2011. You can enter once daily, so return often to improve your chances of winning!

What the Teacher Wants

As a teacher, friends and family ask what I think is a good teacher appreciation gift every year.
So I tried to make it easy for them, and everyone else who's interested.

First off, if you follow these three simple rules, you probably have found a good  decent gift, however, if you still need a little more inspiration I have listed my favorite finds below.

Rules for Teacher Appreciation Gifts:

#1  DO NOT buy anything, and I mean anything
{did you hear me, I said anything} 
with the following words:

#1 teacher 

Best Teacher or

World's Best Teacher,

or any other variant of that saying!
 Yes, I'll keep it out on my desk for the rest of the school year
 {taking up much needed room on my desk},
 but it's going in the garbage as soon as your kid is out of my class!

Why? Same reason you don't wear your #1 mom shirt. 

#2  DO NOT decide you're going to be thoughtful and bring me in homemade treats. 

{Yes, I'm also talking to the PTA moms who do this on a school-wide basis and serve it for us in the teacher's lounge. We WILL try to avoid the lounge that day.}

Why? Because as soon as I look at that yummy dessert, I get a mental image of your child picking his nose earlier this morning and can't help but think that you also thought it was cute to let Johnny help you make that yummy dessert last night. Also, you seem very nice and all, but I've never stepped foot in your house and don't know if you're all that clean. Your child is the only representation I see of your home, and well, frankly, I'm not going there. To be fair though, I'm sure my kid's teachers feel the same way, so I just stick to store bought treats. So remember, you bring in something homemade, it will find a nice place in my garbage can at the end of the day.

{But sometimes I give it to the custodian who pissed me off last week.}

#3 Repeat this mantra over and over and over again until it sticks,

 "Gift certificates are good gifts. Gift certificates are good gifts. Gift certificates are good gifts.
 Gift certificates are good gifts. Gift certificates are good gifts." 

No, I will not think that you are being cheap or unthoughtful in any way. In fact we BRAG to our co-workers when we get gift certificates! I'm being for real. Doesn't matter to where either! 

Still need ideas??
Ten *Awesome* Teacher Appreciation Gifts that your teacher will LOVE!

10. Personalized lunch bag

Thirty-one insulated lunch bag, find a consultant nearest you.

9. Personalized water bottle

 Beau Coup

8. Note Cards or Memo Pad

The Stationary Studio 

7. Personalized clipboard

{Hmmm, I see a trend.}

PaperShay

6. Cute lanyard/ badge holder

CuckooBoo

5. Custom hand sanitizer bottle

mymi1218

4. Book plates

These are FREE to print at Our Humbled A{bowe}d

3. Stamps or Stickers

Lakeshore Learning

2. Fun Office accessories

I {heart} Sharpies!

1.  Gift Certificates

Coffee Shops, Restaurants, Book Stores and Teacher Stores are our favorites.

And of course, no matter what, even if you have nothing you can give but a note of thanks,
 those are the gifts we treasure most in our hearts. 

 { and keep us from quiting on bad days}

I Want That!!

Mother's Day is coming up and well, I thought I would give DH some ideas inspiration.
{Feel free to send this to your DH as well}

10. Jo Totes
 camera bags for women

It's only #10 on my list because I don't have the camera for it.......yet!

9. dobeeubags

Kindle Case

Yes, even my Kindle needs some style!




8. PencilShavingsPaper
Personalized iphone case

I'm drooling right now!
I {heart} chevron!

7.  Snapfish Picture Travel Mug

Perfect way to show off my perfect family!




6. Pandora Crystal Beads

I've had a Pandora Bracelet for years, but I think it needs a bit more sparkle.
This would be perfect, don't you think?




5. Dexter Season 5 on DVD


Can we all just say, Yum!




4. People Magazine Subscription

Seriously, nothing says relaxation than some trashy magazine with a crossword puzzle I can actually complete!




3. Personalized Stamp from The Paper Cafe



You need to check them out! So many cute designs!




2. Silhouette SD


A crafty's dream!




1.  Macbook Air
'
Oh, yeah baby, I went there!


In all seriousness though, my DH is so incredibly sweet and thoughtful that I could never imagine what he's going to come up with. Last year he had the kids make me a Build-A-Bear and included a recording of the kids saying "I love you" and "Happy Mother's Day" and one that had Duckling singing the song from the book   Love You Forever  by Robert Munsch.

Yeah, I'm pretty darn lucky!

do you have "Icanmakethat" syndrome?

If you even have to ask what that is, then you don't have it. So for those who are curious, icanmakethat syndrome is very serious. It causes an otherwise normal, rational human being to forgo making a purchase of a pretty item, at any type of pretty-item store (boutique, card shop, craft fair, etc.) because they feel that their crafting skills are far superior to actually pay American dollars for said pretty item. However, when someone is suffering from icanmakethat syndrome all common sense and knowledge that the patient has had in the past has been clearly erased from their memory. 

Here's a classic example. Women are walking around with their craft-minded friends at the local craft fair when they all spy something adorable. Upon closer examination, they have looked past the actual beauty of the item and are now looking deeply at said item to figure out how it was made. Sure, the person who made the item is sitting only 3 ft. away from them, and they could ask how it was made, but that would just be RUDE! So these women suffering from icanmakethat syndrome have been "shopping" for 4 hours, however, they come home with nothing. The evening is then spent searching google, etsy.com, and watching youtube videos on how to make all the cute things they saw that day. The next day the ladies go out to their favorite craft store and spend $759 on all the material they will need to make all the cute things they saw from the day before {before you panic, they did have a 40% off coupon}. The next few weeks they squeeze in time to craft what they can here and there. A month later, one project is complete. The ladies feel oh so accomplished when the neighbor comes over and compliments them on the loveliness of their creation. After giving her neighbor a brief tutorial about how it was done, she calls up her girlfriends, because they need a little retail therapy after all their hard work!

So, please, know that this is a serious condition and educate yourself. It's affecting so many suburban white mothers. And with access to the internet, cases are on the rise. It is only treatable in one way...........failure! 

I, however, am a recovering from icanmakethat syndrome. Yep, that's right. I failed.........once.

Why Bubbles & Honey?

First, let me welcome you to Bubbles & Honey. 

Next, I'm sure you're wondering, what's up with the name, Kelly?

You see, I was apart of an internet mommy support group for each one of my boys

 { fyi, I'm still very good friends with many of the moms I met}. 

April of 2006 was my first born, and our group was called the Ducklings. August 2008 was my second group, named Honey Bees. So when I pictured this blog being a place where I could share all the things I love, of course my boys came to mind. Hence, the title Bubbles {for ducklings} and Honey {for honey bees}. 

My hope is that you too find something you love while visiting!