
Wednesday, December 31, 2008
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
Have an Etsy Shop or other Online Business?
Promoting Your Business Using Social Media
Thanks and Happy New Year!!!
ttfn,

Sunday, December 28, 2008
My Top Entrecard Droppers
The Junk Drawer 31
Fresh and delicious stories about anything that amuses me, confuses me, or makes me blow a gasket. Take a look around the drawer. Just leave everything where you found it.
Alteredevents 30
My unique altered accessories costume fantasy shop blog for special events.
My gypsygoods 30
Life, creative moments, saving money, nature, eco-friendly tips. Supporting the handmade community.
"Cents"able Momma 26
A blog that gives ideas for frugal living as well as store deals and freebies. It also lists some ways to make some extra money on the side through surveys and other reward sites.
Contrariwise Jewelry 22
Blog about my jewelry, personal life, crafting, tutorials.
1 Blog and 2 Sides 22
A collection of favorite recipes that chilly and I have tried and taste great or ones we would like to try.
LovelyPurses 21
This blog is all about creativity, my love of fabrics, bag design and construction, useful sewing advice, trends and current projects.
Not Your Ordinary History 20
Our history is every human history; a black and gory business, with more scoundrels than wise men at the lead, and more louts than both put together to cheer and follow.
Foodarrific 19
A busy mom of teens shares her recipes and reviews the family’s eating out experiences. Restaurant reviews, healthy eating, food tips, anything and everything food-related.
Prague 18
A city guide to the Golden City of Prague.
Why not visit their blogs and see what they have been up to lately?
Thanks everyone!!!
PS: If you liked this post, you might also like this one, it's about marketing your blog:
Are You Monetizing Your Blog?
Wednesday, December 24, 2008
Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas!
Tuesday, December 23, 2008
Run, Run Rudolf...To Lowe's!!! Especially if you have a BOY!
The best part? It was only $14.98!!! How cheap is that? And it's sharp, too, here, take a look...
Lights On...love the shade, too...
Close up of the motorcycle, it's pretty detailed...
It has a regular light switch and a night light switch. For the night lights, the head light will light up, along with the back lights and then the orange light that goes around the perimeter of the bottom...
The lampshade alone is pretty darn cool, yes, you can tell I'm a Detroit gal!
Sunday, December 21, 2008
Christmas Tree Photo Contest
Debbie at Pink Pig Cottage Antiques is having a Christmas Tree Photo Contest.
All entries will be posted on her site and must be submitted by December 31, 2008.
The winner will receive a $100, yes a $100 gift certificate to her store, Pink Pig Cottage Antiques. Debbie has the most beautiful, whimsical decorative items in her store, you will fall in love with something whenever you visit her site.
I have seen some beautiful trees lately in blogland, I wish you all the best of luck, I would love it so much if one of my readers won this awesome contest.
G O O D L U C K !!!
Bella
Thursday, December 18, 2008
Cabbage Soup Recipe (Just like Big Boy Restaurant)

4 ribs celery, diced
2 cans (14 ounces each) sliced stewed tomatoes
2 cans (14 ounces each) clear beef broth
1 broth can water
1 smoked pork hock (3/4 pound) or ham steak in bite-size pieces
1 onion, about the size of a lemon, diced
1/4 of a 2 1/2-pound head cabbage, diced and cored and outer leaves discarded
1 cup of shredded carrots
1 teaspoon dry minced parsley
Generous dash pepper
Bring to boil.
Cover and reduce to gentle simmer — simmering two hours or until cabbage is tender.
Serves 6.
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
Some Online Deals On Home Decor & A Star is Born
Twin, $12.16
Twin XL, $17.84
Full, $24.99
Queen, $20.65
King, $23.54
California King, $26.32

They usually never offer free shipping! This is where I purchased my Laundry Hamper, among other fun things!
Monday, December 15, 2008
And The Winner of the $50 Photofiddle.com GC is...



Sunday, December 14, 2008
Giveaway Reminder!
Just a reminder that I will be drawing the winner of the $50 Photofiddle.com gift certificate tomorrow!
So make sure that you are entered!
Good Luck!
Bella
Friday, December 12, 2008
Rockin' Around The Christmas Tree Party!
We are THAT Family is hosting a Christmas Tree Blog Party. Make sure to pop over there and say "Hi!" and post a link to your fabulous tree!
Here is my Toys, Beanie Babies & Dollar Tree Christmas tree, lol:
There's more info on the FUN ornaments here :)
Like Blog Parties? Make sure to visit Hooked on Houses Holiday Home Tour next Monday and A Soft Place To Land's Holiday Open House Party next Tuesday!
ttfn,
Bella
PS: Thrifty Decor Chick is also hosting a Christmas Tree Party HERE !!! Has anyone seen my lampshade?
Needs a Hot Tottie for all of these parties I'm attending!
Hooked On Houses Holiday Tours Blog Party Reminder

Thursday, December 11, 2008
Lentil Spinach Stew Soup Recipe
Guess what's for dinner tonight? ;)
Yields: Approx. 7 (1 cup) servings Points per serving: 1
This stew is hearty, healthy, flavorful, and easy to make. There's nothing better than a 1-point meal that fills you up!!
Ingredients:
2 garlic cloves minced
1 med onion (about 1/2 cup), chopped
1 Tb oil
1 cup dry lentils
4 cups chicken broth (or 4 cups water + 4 tsp or cubes of chicken bouillon)
10 oz frozen spinach
7.5 oz can chopped/diced tomatoes (I like to use Hunt's canned tomatoes with roasted garlic, yummy!)
1 bay leaf
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. thyme
1/4 tsp. fennel seeds, crushed
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 Tb. Worcestershire sauce
1 Tb. balsamic vinegar or red wine vinegar
2 medium carrots, chopped (about 1 cup) (I like to use the pre-shredded carrots, I'm lazy that way!)
Directions:
Mince garlic cloves and chop onion. Heat oil in large saucepan or dutch oven. Heat onion and garlic in oil until soft but not brown. Add dry lentils, broth, tomatoes, salt, pepper, thyme, bay leaf, and fennel seeds. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 15-20 minutes.
Add frozen spinach and carrots. Bring to a boil again. Break apart frozen spinach with a fork as needed. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer another 10-15 minutes until lentils and carrots are tender. Remove bay leaf. (Please note: It's hard to find the bay leaf once the spinach is in!! So you *may* want to remove it before you put the spinach in!) Stir in vinegar.
Serve hot!
Yields Approx. 7 (1-cup) servings
Nutritional Info: 100 calories, 2 g. fat, 7 g. fiber (1 point per 1-cup serving)
Source: Better Homes and Gardens Vegetarian Cookbook, 1993
Tuesday, December 9, 2008
New Blog & A Giveaway!
I have started another blog, called Bella Casa News. I thought it would be nice to have a separate blog from my decorating one. Bella Casa News will feature money saving tips, blogging tips, reviews & giveaways.
So please, go check out my review of Photofiddle.com and enter to win a $50 gift certificate, too!
Thanks so much & Good Luck!!!
Bella
Saturday, December 6, 2008
Oh Christmas Tree, Oh Christmas Tree...
Last year, I had had enough of our "Charlie Brown" Christmas tree, so we donated it after the holidays. I mean, really, you could SEE the GREEN POLE through the branches...you could even see the wall in back of the tree through the branches...it was one sorry, sorry tree, lol.
So, this year we went shopping for a pre-lit tree and YIKES!!! The prices were OUTRAGEOUS!!! Everything decent was well over $200. I couldn't believe it.
So...we compromised and got a nice, full tree, but without the attached lights. And then we just bought lights for it separately. Our sons, Zach & Robert, got to pick out the lights and they went with multi-colored (GASP!) I was having an anxiety attack just thinking about it, but I took a deep breath and put them in the cart ;) I'd had white lights for so many years, it was a little bit of an adjustment getting used to all of the COLORS!
But you know what...I actually like it now and 'went' with it...meaning, I spruced it up with some multi-colored candy canes and some other fun things like...
Beanie Babies!
Um, ok, I didn't do this, Zach did...but ok, a toy car works, too...
I got this cute kitty ornament from a co-worker in 1993!
Does anyone remember this Reindeer? It came from McDonalds...in the 80's!!! (Hey, isn't that a name of a song???)
My little man, Robert is on a birdhouse painting SPREE! They are all proudly displayed on our tree, I think they are very happy here...
This is the Grinch's dog, dressed up as a Reindeer. It was a Black Friday freebie from either Hudson's or Marshall Fields, in the 90's...so cute!
Santa came from a Craft show...and the gold sled was a craft project, again, many Christmas Eves ago...
Ice Skatin' Santa...some sort of promotional ornament from Mobil Gas Stations several years back...my husband, Velo actually bought all of them for me....and I didn't even ask him to...trust me, I was shocked, he doesn't do things like that!!! Thanks, Velo!!! xoxo
I guess this is a Nutcracker? It's missing a leg, lol. I got him very cheap at a garage sale a few years ago. He actually had both legs then, but my boys are hard on things...
Friday, December 5, 2008
Salute!
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More AMAZING pictures at Boston.com
Wednesday, December 3, 2008
"Oscar The Pig, Mommy Goes To Work" (A Children's Book Review)
I was so honored to be able to receive this book free, from the wonderful author, Megan Calhoun, in the mail last week. I wanted to review this book, because, when my little guy, Robert, who's 4, starts the 1st grade in a couple of years, I do plan to return to work...so I thought this would be a perfect introduction into what that would be like for him (and me!). And, actually with the economy the way it is, I may have to try to find work even sooner than that...so, perfect timing, thanks Megan!
Now, on to the book...it is titled, "Oscar the Pig: Mommy Goes to Work
Oscar ends up having the best time with his imaginative babysitter and even learns some words in Chinese with his friend, Chow Chow. My son just loves to say Chow Chow (the panda bear's) name...it is fun to say, don't you think? In fact, the first night we read this book, Robert took it to bed with him that night and 'read' it by himself and it was really cute, too, because he kept calling to me and asking me what all of the characters' names were. He was really interested in this book and still is, it's his new favorite book!
This book was even fun for me...because there is one line in it that is HILARIOUS! It's sort of like an adult joke within a children's book, sort of like how Sesame Street does...I won't spoil the line for you though, you will just have to read it for yourself to find out what it is.
Related Links & Term Recommendations:
Monday, December 1, 2008
Winter Wonderland & Jive Turkeys, Too!
Here's the view from the front of our house, this is our driveway...we really got socked and more on the way...it is pretty though.
This is last week, before the big snow came...look at these wild turkeys, isn't that hilarious? I always crack up when I see the turkeys walking by...
Our turkey dinner was so delish yesterday and the bonus...I don't have to cook today!
H o o r a y !!!
Which gives me more time to check out the deals for Cyber Monday. Our little guy has enough, I have been buying things here and there...our older son though, he only wants video games and sports jerseys (yike$!)...so it is more of a challenge to find a deal on those things, but I'll find some, I'm determined!
His birthday is also on Christmas, he'll be 14 years old, how did that happen???
Do you have any Christmas babies in your family? Do you have any special things that you do for them? I'd love to hear about it!
ttfn,
Bella