A Special Day --- Homemaking Link-Up Weekend & Pink Saturday

Welcome to my Pink Saturday friends!  I'm excited to be Beverly's Featured Blogger today! 

Check out Pink Saturday---what a blessing that community has been to me!

It's been a happy week around the Coller house!  Miss Avalon Grace turned 3 years old on Thursday!

We did a Raggedy Ann theme.

It's always a special day when Grandma Christy comes to visit!

I made Avalon this cute Raggedy Ann tote bag for her books!

In other news, sweet Kynthia Joy is just about crawling!

And...I got some cool mail!  Check out this envelope dressed up like a tea bag...adorable!

I got this sweet bunch of goodies from harleygirl at Just a Country Girl.  I first met her through SwapBot.com and she's since become a good blogging friend too!  Thanks so much for bringing a little spring to my front door!  Take a minute, if you can, and stop by her blog to say Hi!

Did you know my March Giveaway Jubilee is going on RIGHT NOW?  Did you know I'm giving away 4 great prizes (one of them being a Etsy-wide gift certificate)!!  There are others who are offering giveaways too and more will join up throughout the month. Click the button below to check it out and YOU could be a winner! :) 

So...now it's time for the Homemaking Link-Up Weekend!  Several people have asked me if their post "counts" as homemaking.  When I set up this party, I tried to pick a very broad topic.  To me, anything you do that has even the remotest connection to your home/family/food/gifts/yard/crafts ETC is acceptable.  In fact, anything is acceptable...as long as it's not X-rated!  So, join up! I'd love to have you! Also linking with:

Spring Swap

Hello Friends!  This weekend has all the markings of one made for relaxation and maybe a little crafting!  I'm linking up with Beverly's Pink Saturday today.  

Before I show you my pretty pinks for this week, have you seen my Weight Loss Giveaway?  Visit the link if you think you might want to encourage me in my goals...and win a prize for yourself!

Also, I still need one more person in my Pay It Forward game.  If you're interested, go to the link and check it out!

And now for the goods...

For the last 6 months or so, I've been participating in the Once A Season Swap over at Gone Stitchin'.  Because the swap coordinator is from Australia, all the seasons are backwards from mine!  I just completed the Spring swap that actually coincides with our Fall.  (Doing Spring-themed gifts in the fall wasn't quite as strange as making Winter gifts in late May!)  Anyway, I wanted to share what my partner and I swapped this time around since we've both now received our gifts.

I was partnered with Linda from Stray Stitches.  I love reading her posts as they are so lovingly put together---she really has a knack for journalism and her blog is most interesting!  Here is the beautiful and cheery gift she sent me:

I love every part of this gift...all the way down to the cute peppermint candy wrapping paper!  She sent me a flowery emery board, 2 pretty notepads with a pen, a set of 2 bookmarks, 2 pieces of pretty pink, flowered fabric, an adorable card, and the most beautiful handmade pin cushion.  What I love most of all is the bit of lavender she put in with the pin cushion filling...the smell reminds me of the place we just left (and terribly miss!!) in Washington.  It really was a thoughtful package of gifts!

Here's what I sent to Linda:

First, I made her this cute little hanging plate picture from a vintage Limoges saucer and some found items.

Then I put together a coordinating bottle.

I found her these matching Spring-colored items at Walmart.

I had a lot of fun putting together these things for her!  Swapping has definitely become the new addiction!  What a great way to use up my HUGE stash of crafting supplies!

Pay It Forward

 I promise to send something handmade

to the first 3 people who leave a comment here.

To be eligible, you must also post this in your blog,

offering to do the same thing for 3 other people.

The rules are that it must be handmade by you and it

must be sent to your 3 people *sometime* in 2011.

Hope I get some comments to be able to bless three

people who will then pay it forword.

 Found on Carol's blog Blessed Mum who found it on Leslie's blog tranquilacresofalexandriatwp.blogspot.com, who received it from Donna at The House on the Corner.

Also, have you seen my Weight Loss Giveaway?  Check it out here and encourage my progress while giving yourself the opportunity to win!