A Bathroom Makeover For Fall Holiday Company #CraftedExperience #ad #cbias

#CraftedExperience #CollectiveBias

It's hard to believe it's already time to start planning for holiday company, but the fact that I turned on my heater for the first time last night means it's true! It's important to me to make my guests feel welcome and comfortable and promote a peaceful atmosphere in my home. I especially like to make sure the bedrooms and bathrooms are attractive and purchase good quality products for my guests to use. Quilted Northern bathroom tissue is soft and strong and it's quilted design looks pretty too!

If all goes according to plan, my dad will be making the 1,800 mile journey from Oregon to Arkansas in just a few weeks. I've started preparing our home to make it a great experience for him. The kids are getting excited to make more special memories and share all the fun things that have gone on since he was here last Thanksgiving.

I found 2-ply Quilted Northern bathroom tissue at Walmart. We're on a septic system so I like it because it's sewer and septic safe. The brand has been providing quality and comfort since 1902---that makes me confident I'm making a good choice.

We've been in this house for two years next week and still there are things I've not done to make us totally settled. This bathroom has had a towel for a curtain since we moved in and the scratch on the toilet seat has always bugged me. It's a rental so we can't change out a lot of stuff---but we can definitely update and cover up!

I bought a pretty chocolate brown curtain, as well as some towels and wash cloths, to match my (very Steampunkish awesome) shower curtain. Wow! A real curtain! It looks so much better. (Now that I've done what took all of 10 minutes, I feel really ridiculous that it took me this long...don't judge.)

I used the scalloped valance that came with the curtain as a scarf for the back of the toilet. It has a wavy cut along the edge so it makes a perfect little indentation for accessing the handle. I also put down a rug and seat cover to match the curtains. Way better! 

I'm looking forward to welcoming guests into our home this season---and now I can be proud of my not-so-scary bathroom, too! How can Quilted Northern help make a comfortable atmosphere for your holiday guests? Let me know about your plans in the comments below!

Greek Chicken Artichoke Dip

Are you a Trim Healthy Mama? This delicious dip is great with pita chips, on top of salad lettuce, or on it's own!

Good morning friends! Welcome to The {Not Just} Homemaking Party! Hope everyone is having an excellent week so far! I've been having lots of fun with my Pampered Chef tools--and having some excellent parties. The Greek Chicken Artichoke Flatbread has been a popular recipe at my October parties so I've made it quite a bit. One night, a friend and I were talking about how the topping mixture could be great on it's own. I played around with the recipe a couple days ago and came up with this versatile dip. It's excellent with pita chips, beautiful on top of salad leaves, and delicious on it's own!

The Manual Food Processor is a fun tool that my guests have been enjoying playing with. It's easier to use than the Food Chopper---great for those with arthritic hands. 

I love adding fresh lemon zest to my recipes and the Microplane Zester makes that simple!

Greek Chicken Artichoke Dip

12.5 oz. canned chicken (or 1.5 c. diced chicken)

7.5 oz. jar marinated artichokes

1/4 c. mayonnaise 

4 oz. crumbled feta cheese

juice and zest from one lemon

2 cloves garlic, pressed

salt & pepper

Drain chicken and place in a medium sized bowl. Chop artichokes using a knife, food chopper, or manual food processor and add to the bowl. Add remaining ingredients and mix well. You may decide you want a creamier dip and can add more mayo at this point. 

Let me know if you give it a try and thanks for linking up with The {Not Just} Homemaking Party!

Relaxation and Rejuvenation from U by Kotex® and CVS #ConfidenceUDeserve #ad #cbias

#ConfidenceUDeserve #CollectiveBias

As a busy homeschooling mom of nine, I don't get a lot of downtime; but some months, my period requires it. It's important to take time for rest and rejuvenation. I feel confident that I can find everything I'll need for a relaxing day at my local CVS store, including good quality pads from Kotex®.

I found U by Kotex® in the feminine care section of CVS under the sign marked, "Maxi Pads". There are lots of varieties and sizes of U by Kotex® pads, tampons, and pantyliners to suit your specific needs. Make sure to grab a coupon for $2 off, only at CVS.

Getting your period doesn't have to mean you're stuck at home (although, we introverts usually prefer to utilize any excuse to stay home!). U by Kotex® is designed with 3D Capture Core® With Xpress DRI which locks in wetness quickly so you can feel confident in whatever activities are desired or required during this time of the month. 

CVS has other great products to help me treat myself to some rest and relaxation. I got this cute package of tissues for all the emotional scenes in my favorite movies. In addition, what's a good movie marathon without some popcorn? I found delicious CVS branded kettle corn for just $1 per bag!

Sometimes some sweet indulgence and a dreamy magazine are the perfect mix to lift my spirits peacefully. CVS has several fruity flavored waters, as well as some delicious truffles and chocolates to choose from. Their magazine selection is great---and yes, this is a "dreamy" magazine for a homemaking blogger. Ha!

Make sure to try U by Kotex® for confidence during your time of the month. What things relax you when you need some down time? Let me know in the comments below!