HAPPY NEW YEAR

It's not quite 2010 here on the West Coast, but I still want to wish everyone a Happy New Year. Be safe, be happy.

Rose Bowl Bound

Ohhhhh I can't wait. New Years Day is just 3 days away and that means it's only 3 short days until the Oregon Ducks take on the Ohio State Buckeyes in the 2010 Rose Bowl!!!! Oregon fans are excited, many of them heading down to Pasedena for the action.

What are my plans?

Well, we'll hang out Duck flag outside proudly, we'll write something on the car windows and get decked out in our Duck gear. It's going to be the most exciting start to the 2010 year. Can't wait!!!!!!!

The picture below is absolutely my favorite image from 2009!!!!

New Years Resolutions

This year, I will NOT be telling you what my new year's resolution is, only because I want it to come true. Kinda like a wish, when you blow out your birthday cake candles. This year, it will not be a "I'm giving up this" kinda resolution, but more a goal I want to achieve, that brings something to my life, not take sometime away. Of course, I'll vow to give up soda or candy, or maybe even my crutch, the delicious salted sunflower seed. But, when week 2 of 2010 comes around and I haven't succeeded at removing those things from my ever day; I won't be sad! So, here's to a fantastic 2010 (God knows I hated 2009!). May the new year bring new dreams, new joys and new memories!!!!

What did you find under your tree????

Sadly, Christmas has come and gone in some kind of whirlwind tornado of cookies, trees, carols and wrapping paper. In these hard economic times, huge gifts worth hundreds of dollars just wasn't happening. I know you feel me on that one. So, this year was a simple and enjoyable time for us.

I wanna know what all of you found on Christmas morning under your tree or in your stocking? Did you get clothes? Gift cards galore, coal? ha ha

I was pleasantly surprised with the amount of funky jewelry and girlie clothes I found waiting for me. I sure am a good Santa lol

SEQUIN HOLIDAY PUMP- $18.24

These HOT pumps are only $18.24 right now at Forever21.com. What an awesome deal!!!!! Hurry and get your pair before they're gone! Also available in gold :)
SEQUIN HOLIDAY PUMP

THE OREGON DUCKS ARE GOING TO THE ROSE BOWL!

Many of you may not be football fans, but here in Oregon.... we live and breathe Oregon football. :)

Way to go Univeristy of Oregon for winning the Pac-10 title and taking a trip down south for the winter to play in the 2010 Rose Bowl!!!!!

ROSE BOWL BOUND!!!!!

Paco + Lupe

Paco + Lupe is a Canadian based handmade biz that's creative designs are 100% original and handmade. Paco + Lupe uses mostly biodegradable materials without sacrificing quality, durability and style. They have to contribute even just a little to make our world a little less sick.

I was fortunate enough to win a Paco + Lupe bag in a blog giveaway this summer. I must say, the bag I won is one of the most durable, fashionable and versatile handbags I've ever owned. Below, you'll see see the Fields of Joy bag I was lucky enough to receive!


Fields of Joy- $88 (on sale)

Other beautiful bags that have caught my eye are:

Drama Queen- $105




Spring Flight- $85

But Paco + Lupe doesn't make just handbags, but also pillows and quilts too!!!!

You all know that you could use a great new bag for the Holidays, so why not venture over to Paco + Lupe's online store and get yourself something nice to put under the tree!!!! :)

Win a Kindle from Noobie!

I just entered a contest to win a free Kindle from Noobie (worth $259!) and I wanted you to have a chance to win one too!



All you need to do to enter is to click the link below or copy and paste it into your favorite Internet browser:

http://www.noobie.com/kindle-giveaway?ref=815983115

Be sure to read the email you get from Noobie after you register. You'll get your own unique link that you can use to earn even more entries in the drawing!

Turkey coma!

I hope everyone had a super fantastic Thanksgiving, filled with lots of calories, family, friends and love :)

For the first time, my husband and I stayed home and did our own thing. We bought a turkey fryer and tested it out.... I must say, for someone who hates fried food, it was pretty good!!!!! I just didn't eat the skin :)

Today's Black Friday deals seemed to have a lot of people out standing in lines at 4am to snag a good buy. Me, well I stayed online last night on Amazon and stalked their awesome Black Friday deals. I scored a 14 piece Pyrex bowl set with lids for only $12.88! I only bought it because it happened to be one of the items on my Christmas list this year!!! Lucky me!

For being a loyal Twitter follower, I also won a $100 giftcard to the Woodburn Company Stores (local outlet mall) and went and bought lots of things from PetSense with it! My critters will for sure have a stellar Christmas! I got lots of treats (mostly healthy), some dog food, and a lot of little toys for the cats. Sawyer seems to make most of their toys disappear! lol

Now, whatever will I do with the remaining 2 days off I have :) Housecleaning? Christmas decorating? I'll take both! I can't wait to get the lights and yard decorations up. I'm feeling Christmas already!!!!!!

Win a $50 Visa Gift Card!!!!!

Today's post is featuring a super great giveaway!!!!!

A Daily Dose of Toni has partnered up with Kleenex Anti-Viral to offer readers the opportunity to try the product for themselves, as well as win a $50 Visa Card!!!!!!

Check out Kleenex's Battle the Bug for more information about the product, as well as tips on how you can battle the bug and stay healthy this cold winter season!

I know I'm doing everything I can to avoid going down for the count, which is really hard when you work around a lot of people!!!!

Chase is giving non-profits $5 million!

Chase is giving $5 million in grants to non-profits across the country. PLEASE VOTE FOR UNITED WAY OF THE MID-WILLAMETTE VALLEY!!!!

Lemondrop Photography

Shauna, of Lemon Drop Studio recently started venturing more into photography and boy is she incredibly good!!!!! You can see her work and get more information about Lemon Drop Photography here. She is offering mini-sessions in December if you're in the Portland area and want to take her up on some beautiful pictures. :) Great gift for the holidays too!!!!!

Lemon Drop Studio has some pretty fantastic items in stock, so take some time to check out the Etsy shop! Great for the Christmas season, are these Do Not Open Til Christmas tags.

Tik Tok on the Clok

If you're into very upbeat, dance your socks off, electro-pop type music.... You'll dig this song!!!!!

Tik Tok by Ke$ha. Check it out here

Win an apron from the Apron Goddesses!

What woman now days, doesn't need an apron!?!?!!? I seem to always wear black in the kitchen and get stuff all over me.... or when I do the dishes, I always get water on me!

Ladies, here's your chance (and mine he he) to win a REALLY CUTE apron, thanks to The Apron Goddesses!!!!! They are giving one lucky winner a fabulous apron of your choice from Aprons by Julie

Hurry, giveaway ends soon!!!!

Social Media

Did you know......

1 out of 8 couples married in the US last year met via social media? Crazy isn't it!!!!! Well, I can attest to being one of those statistics.

Check out this video to see how social media is impacting our world and lives on a daily basis!

Social Media Revolution

Big Huge Labs

Can I just give a shout out to Bighugelabs.com !?!?! I've had so much fun playing on their site, making crazy pictures!!!!

Here's a few!

Izzy's Friends

I'm sooooo glad that today's post is dedicated to my good friend Rheanna who just opened her first Etsy shop!!!! Please check out Izzy's Friends ! Rheanna makes the cutest collection of Bit of Whimsy dolls, animals and stuffies. Rheanna is the mother of a 18 month old beautiful little girl, Isabella. The inspiration for the shop and Rheanna's desire to create beautiful dolls.

An interview with Izzy's Friends mastermind, Rheanna Magee.

Kara: How did you come up with the name for the shop?

Rheanna: From watching Izzy play with her "friends".

Kara: What made you decide to open an etsy shop?

Rheanna: I enjoy watching Izzy play with her friends I have made her. After seeing pictures and hearing stories of other happy kids and their friends, I thought I could open a shop to reach more people. My goal is to offer adorable hand made items at prices everyone could afford.

Kara: Which of the Bit of Whimsy patterns are your favorite to make and why?

Rheanna: I think my favorite so far has been the bumble bee. It has many different parts to it and the wings are super cute!

Kara: Besides making friends for Izzy (and now many others) what are your other hobbies as a Mom?

Rheanna: I have rekindled my love of sewing and I am working on dresses and creating my own doll and plushy designs. I also enjoy reading, playing with Izzy and watching her grow.

Kara: Have you ever had any "oops" moments while trying to create something for Izzy?

Rheanna: Oh, yes! When I first started out, I had a terrible time getting ears and arms straight and even. One of Izzy's monkeys is completely lopsided!






Featured above:
1. Sleeping Owl
2. Bumble Bee
3. Lamb
4. Girly doll and Monkey

Artists of the week: November 6th.

It's been a while since I've been able to sit down and write a blog!!!! This post is for the music of the week that I've found has gotten me through the long days, car rides, trips to the store and cleaning the house!!!!!

Cascada: Evacuate the Dancefloor
Jay-Z feat. Alicia Keys: Empire State of Mind
Ke$ha: Tik Tok
Drake feat. Kanye West, Lil Wayne & Eminem: Forever

Sticker giveaway winner announced!!!

Congratulations to Sara Tankersley sara.tankersley@yahoo.com for winning 250 custom printed sticker/label blog giveaway!!! Her comment (#7) was chosen by random.com!

Thanks to all who participated and have a great weeken everyone!

Kara

Win 250 Stickers/Labels from Uprinting and Me!!!

YIPPIE!!!!! My next giveaway, thanks to Uprinting, is 250 Stickers/Labels for One (1) lucky winner. Oh, but it gets better, not only is there one lucky winner, but I also get the awesome prize for hosting the giveaway (see the perks of a sponsor!)

If you haven’t heard about Uprinting, check out the Sticker Printing and variety of other products they have to offer to meet you business or creative needs!

About the Prize:

* 250 stickers/labels (Free UPS Ground Shipping in USA)
* You choose from the size: 2 x 3.5”, 2 x 4”, 3 x 3”
* Paper: 70lb label matte
* Specifications: Full color front, blank back; 4 Business Day printing

So, how can you win???? Here's the nitty gritty!

---How To Enter---

Mandatory entry: Leave a comment describing what you would have printed on the stickers. You must do this entry before doing any extras.

---Extra Entries---
(Make sure you leave a separate comment below for EACH extra entry.)

- Be a follower of my blog. (1 entry)

- Subscribe to my feed (1 entry)

- Follow me on twitter and tweet this giveaway - must leave tweet link in the comment (1 entry daily) Me: @k9kreations You can also follow @uprinting also!

- Blog about and link back to this giveaway. Leave a link to your post in the comments. (5 entries)

- Purchase any item from my Etsy shop (10 entries)

---Details---
- Giveaway ends Wednesday, October 28th, 2009 at 11:59 pm PST.
- Winner will be chosen by random.org.
- Winner will have 48 hrs to respond, or another winner will be chosen.
- Rules for each entry must be followed valid.
- Giveaway is open to US & CANADA residents ONLY. FREE UPS Ground Shipping for US residents.

Please make sure that your email is linked to your account, or that you leave it in your comments!

GOOD LUCK!!!!!!

~Kara

My first official product review and more!

Elaine, of Honey Pie Accessories and I are both on Swapmamas.com and we initiated a swap of our creative talents. She'd make a tutu for Hayden and I'd send her pup some treats. Well, here's a picture of the absolutely fantastic tutu that Elaine made for me!!!!



I sent her a variety of K9KreationsbyKara treats and she wrote a blog post about 'em..... check it out here!!!! She did a review of the product and even posted appreciation pics of her doggie Bailey enjoying some of Drea's Pumpkin Pie Spice Drops! :)

It's so great to see happy customers, happy puppies and happy swaps!


The day I had today, was lets just say.... forgettable!! Or, maybe it was unforgettable but I wish I could forget it haha. Had a nice drive up to Wilsonville for day 2 of my HR certification training. That was great. Had an hour lunch break, decided to seek out some yummy food. Rolled upon a Taco Del Mar (which I love) and decided to eat there. Was chatting away on my cell with my assistant at work (checking in making sure the place hadn't gone to hell in a hand basket) and hopped out of the car to get some grub and the instant I turned around I knew it was an awful awful thing. I'd left my keys in the ignition and locked the doors. So, without too much panic, I call Geico to get some roadside assistance out to my location.......... tow company takes forever, and can't seem to get into my car. I guess those Dodge Caliber's were made pretty anti-theft like. The dude finally gets my door unlocked and sends me on my way.... meanwhile I'm already 5 minutes late back to my conference. Rest of the day goes well.

On my way home, I stop at the Outlet Mall to see if I can find anything I think I need, no luck. I take an alternate route home and see a distressed young man on the side of the road and figure he must have a flat or something. As I pass the car, I notice that he didn't have a flat.... he'd hit a dog, a tan pit bull. The animal lover in me automatically pulls over, pulls a u-turn and heads back. During that time, the car had driven away and a woman was running across the street to meet one of the car occupants, to attend to the dog with a blanket. I ask her if she needs help and she said no. Then I ask her if it was a stray dog and she responds, "no. it's my dog" and I could see the tears in her eyes. My heart sank. I felt soooo bad that she'd had to lose her dog, especially in those circumstances. I informed her that if she wanted to take the dog to the local shelter, they'd help her out with the hard part. She thanked me and I drove away, wondering if my dogs were home and safe.

It was a sad ending to the day, but on a positive note, I was able to come home and snuggle my dogs and enjoy their presence.

Product Review of the Week

I figured my first product review ought to be dog related... it only seemed right. So, I'd like introduce you to Poochy Couture! I searched all over Etsy for the perfect dog id tag for Sawyer before we adopted him and brought him home. I knew I'd need something durable, long lasting and cute. I always have an issue with pet tags.. they're cheap, they don't last long and the writing rubs off or gets scratched off from other tags clanking against it. I've tried the tag silencers, which really don't help, they just block out some of the jingle jangle sound. Puppies are destructive so I needed a puppy-proof tag!!!

I ran across Poochy Couture and my modern style drove me straight to the Nickel Cutesy Pet Id Washer.



This tag is not only industrial strength (hey, it's made from a nickel washer) but it's practical! The tag is hand stamped, which means it's one of a kind. Once stamped, enamel is colorized for a pop of color. This adds a lil something extra! :)


I was so pleased with the tag that I received for Sawyer, that I ordered another one for Drea. These tags hold up to water, dirt, slobber, rough housing, chewing..... you name it! They even come with a cute little charm on the hook. For only $7 plus s/h you can get one for your pooch. Nickel washer tag not for you???? Well Poochy Couture has a lot of other tags to choose from!!!!


One tip that I learned while working at the humane society..... you shouldn't put your dog's name on their tag, because it makes it that much easier for a stranger to get to know your dog and potentially keep him/her (especially if they're super cute and super friendly). You wouldn't want a stranger knowing your child's name and coaxing them into going somewhere with them, why would you put your dog in that situation?????? Hmmmmm got ya thinking, didn't I!!!! Address and phone number are best. It gives 2 ways for you to be contacted and have your dog returned to you. ID tags are not just for fashion you know... they serve a very important purpose and if you've ever had the unfortunate experience of losing your pup or having them run away on you, you certainly know how important it is to have proper ID on your pet!

Winner announcement!!!!!

You know that song, 1 is the lonliest number. Well not when it comes to the K9 Kreations by Kara blog giveaways!!!!!!! Congrats to Ashley (ashleyveater@gmail.com) who's comment was chosen by the random number generator for the 250 custom printed greeting cards from uprinting.com!

Ashley posted the first comment on this giveaway, which read "I need them because I live far away from my family and friends and have a big Christmas card list this year!"

Congrats Ashley, now you don't have an excuse to forget the Christmas cards this year.... and while you're at it, add a bunch of randome people, because really, who knows 250 people!?!?! ha ha.

Thanks everyone for entering and I'm hoping to have another giveaway up really soon!!!!!

~Kara

Trick for Treats! And some friendly advice too!

Who says your dogs can't enjoy Halloween!?!?!? Your kids go Trick or Treating and the dogs can do Tricks for Treats! :) I'm so glad the fall season is here, it means I can bust out the apple cider scents, the light up pumpkins and Halloween decor and wake up every morning to a layer of fog surrounding everything. Check out my Etsy shop for some delicious holiday treats that your pup is sure to enjoy. Right now I have a selection of pumpkin flavored treats and will soon be unveiling some more scrumptious "brew some cocoa, curl up in a blanket by the fire and nibble on some fudge" kinda goodies! :)

The advocate side of me will be featured in the later part of this blog :) Just like that annoying stranger in the check out line at the grocery store who tries to give you parenting advice, I'm going to give you some pet owner advice. Completely optional, but highly recommended!!!!!

A few friendly tips for you and your pets during this Fall/Winter season.

HOUSING:
Be sure to provide proper shelter for your pets. If your pooch is lucky to be a strictly indoor pet, their bed or crate should be kept in a warm, draft-free area, elevated slightly off the floor. If your pet is kept outdoors, provide a warm insulated pet house or shelter. The house should be elevated enough so that moisture cannot accumulate inside. Or better yet, bring them inside (or at least into the garage.)

FROSTBITE:
Remove ice and snow from your pet's paws and coat immediately! Frostbitten skin may turn reddish, white or gray, and it may be scaly or sloughing. If you think your dog might have frostbite, take your pet to a warm place immediately. Thaw out frostbitten areas slowly by applying warm, moist towels that are changed frequently. Continue until the affected areas become flushed. DO NOT FORGET TO CALL THE VET! They will probably want to evaluate the seriousness of the condition.

SNOW REMOVAL SALT:
Some substances produced to melt ice and snow have low to moderate toxicity, depending on the ingredients and amount ingested. Read the labels and take necessary precautions. Keep these products stored in tight containers out of your pet's and children's reach and be sure to remove salt from your pet's paws immediately. Aside from ingesting these items, walking on them is harmful too! You wouldn't want to walk on that stuff, why would your dogs?

FOOD:
Staying warm requires extra calories (no wonder why we gorge on Thanksgiving dinner!) so make sure your pets are eating enough when the temperature drops.

WATER:
Always have fresh, clean water available for your pet, it's the right thing to do! If your pet is kept outdoors, be sure to check his water frequently since it may freeze and no dog wants to lick an ice cube all day!

The holidays are quickly approaching, so here are some tips about how to keep you and your pets happy during this special time of year!

Increased activity and visitors during the holiday season can throw off your pet's routine. Try to keep your pet on their regular schedule for feeding and exercise and be sure they get plenty of love and affection!!!!

If you are planning to take your pet with you somewhere for the holiday season, be sure to contact the host in advance to find out if your pet is welcome. Because of the excitement during this season, it might be best for you as well as your pet, if you board your pet or hire a pet sitter.

Alcoholic beverages, holiday treats such as chocolates, rich, fatty food scraps and bones from poultry, pork and fish can be harmful or even deadly to pets. Keep your pet on their regular diet and caution visitors against giving your pet "special treats."

Never put ribbon or yarn around your pet's neck and do not allow your pet to play with plastic or foil wrappings or six-pack beverage holders. I'm anal about cutting the rings on the 6pk holders because I'm haunted by images of marine life getting stuck in them!!!! I've even got my husband paranoid about it!

Cover or tack down electrical cords. We may not think so, but pets sure do think cords are yummy!

PLANTS TO WATCH OUT FOR

Mistletoe - Very toxic, all parts, especially the berries.

Holly - Moderate to very toxic, especially the berries and leaves.

Poinsettia - Leaves and stems low in toxicity.

Christmas Greens such as Balsam, Juniper, Cedar, Pine and Fir - All parts of these plants have a low level of toxicity.

Keep toxic plants out of your pet's and children's reach.


HOLIDAY DECORATIONS

Bubbling Lights - Moderate to lethal toxicity, depending on the amount of fluid (methylene chloride) inhaled or ingested.

Fireplace Colors (fire salts) - Moderate toxicity; symptoms are gastrointestinal irritation with vomiting and a variety of other manifestations, including convulsions.

Angel Hair (spun glass) - Low toxicity; can cause irritation of the eyes, skin and gastrointestinal tract.

Christmas Tree Preservative Solution - Low toxicity, depending upon formulation and quantity ingested.

Snow Sprays and Snow Flock - Low toxicity, dry particles are inert; however, toxicity from inhalation can occur if sprayed directly in mouth.

Styrofoam - Low toxicity; can cause choking from mechanical obstruction.

Christmas Tree Ornaments - Non-toxic, but mechanical irritation or obstruction of the gastrointestinal tract can occur if ingested.

Icicles (tinsel) - Non-toxic, however intestinal obstruction and choking are potential problems.

Snow Scenes - Toxicity may come from organisms possibly in the water, most notably Salmonella.

Read label warnings on all decorations and take the necessary precautions to protect your pet.

Sweet Sunday Finds.....

Ok, so I just took the liberty of creating a new Sunday themed blog.... Everyone always has Fun Friday Finds, or What you can't live without Wednesdays.... well I'm going to start a Sweet Sunday Finds. This will be 100% dedicated to super cute, awesome, gotta have things that I find on other's blogs or etsy shops. This week, is dedicated to my oh so favorite OWLS!!!! :)

Check out some of the awesome finds (that I wish I had $$$ to buy) on Etsy! Remember ladies (and gents- if you follow) to support homemade!


I LOVE COFFEE!!!!!!!!



Yes, I love coffee and I love owls, so what could be better than this super cute owl coffee cozy by Bellflower Textiles! For only $10.00 you can keep your hands from getting overheated, while being eco friendly and not wasting one of those carboard cozies. HELLO!


IT'S GETTING COLD OUT THERE!!!!



It is certainly Fall, and it is certainly getting colder! It's not quite snow weather, but still, a bit chilly! I love these $13.00 Musician Mitts by Rachel's Hands! How can you not think the subtle owl stitching is adorible!?!?

WHOO'S THAT ON YOUR HEAD???

If I had any sort of crocheting talent, I'd be all over this!!!!! You can get the pattern for this owl cap by Anji Beane for only $7.50!! What a deal!

SWEET SOAP FOR FALL!

I love smelly soaps, of all varieties, but these I don't think I could ever actually use! They're too cute!!!! These spiced apple cider soaps are all ready for the approaching cold months!. Each soap is about 3 inches high and made from pure glycerin, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and apple scent. Smells just like apple cider! YUMMMM

These would make a great stocking stuffer if you're doing some early holiday shopping! You can snatch up these critters at Eternal Sunshine's shop for only $6.00!!! Alicia also makes a pretty mean plush owl! :)

Can you believe it's already OCTOBER!?!?!!

Wow. I had to flip my calendar today to October! That means, that not only is Halloween almost here, Thanksgiving is almost here, CHRISTmas is almost here and then it's 2010!!!!!! HOLY COW!

October brings some pretty awesome things my way though.....

October 9th: Oregon & SW Washington will be joining together to walk for a cause in the annual Light the Night walk for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. I could still use any team members who are interested!!!!! If you can't walk, consider donating to the cause. We need a cure!

October 14-16th: I will be completing my HR Certification program and will have an official certificate that states I completed the program and took a bunch of elective classes. Hopefully this will help me in my current job, as well find something in the future more HR focused.

October 19th - 25th: I will be taking a trip to the great state of Pennsylvania for my husband's brother's wedding. I have never been to PA before and I'm sure it's going to be a big difference from Oregon. I will get to spend one whole day in NYC. Never been to NY either, I'm so excited to see Time Square, Ground Zero, Lady Liberty and much more! Ok, so the sightseeing is going to be fantastic, the part that may not be so fantastic is meeting my husband's extended family for the FIRST TIME!!!!! he he

October 30-Nov 1: I will be having my 2nd HAYDEN WEEKEND! My niece Hayden is 2 1/2 and a total hoot. I love hanging out with her!!! I'm going to be taking her Trick or Treating and doing other fun kid things. I'm sure she'll enjoy hanging out with Aunt Kara, playing with Sawyer and Drea and getting some quiet time before her new baby sister arrives in December. This picture is from the last Hayden weekend :)



Well now that I know I have my whole month filled up, time to start planning for November!


Super special spotlight:



Some of you may know that one of my most favorite pairs of earrings that I own, are some pink frosted cupcakes. My little sister helped me pick them out and every time I wear them, they get compliments! So, don't you want to wear some sugary treats too???? Check out Sweet Galaxy! In her galaxy you can find everything from sweet to completely alien. All items are handmade from polymer clay (and/or wires) and finished off with a double or triple coating of glaze for durability. My favorite item is the Circus Cupcake Pendant featured in the picture above!

Wall decal!

I rec'd my wall decal in the mail today from DigitalRoom.com. (Blogger appreciation prize for hosting the giveaway) It's pretty dang cool! It's a print on a fabric type material that you just stick to the wall. I had a picture of a cherry blossom in full bloom, to go with my asian inspired living room. It turned out nicely. It's an odd shape, kinda small but cool for being a giveaway item! :)

Check out digitalroom.com where you can get all kinds of custom made prints!

New item in my Etsy Shop

It's almost October, which means it's almost Halloween!!! We all know that our pups (and other critters) don't get to enjoy Halloween candy like we can. But who's to say they can't have delicions treats of their own????



I just posted a new item in my Etsy shop! Drea's Pumpkin Pie Drops. Finally, I got to name a treat after my own dog! he he



These are scrumptious Pumpkin Pie flavored drop cookies. Soft texture, so any dog can enjoy them. All natural ingredients, no preservatives!






I'm offering a special to all of my loyal blog followers!!!!! 20% off your purchase at K9 Kreations by Kara. Just mention that you're a follower in your checkout comments and I will refund 20% of your purchase price!!!!! Offer good through Halloween!

Under $20!

So I follow the blog "Stuff Under Twenty" which showcases things you can purchase for under $20. Awesome concept, right? They post everything from clothing to household items and everything in between. One of the things I saw posted today really caught my eye!!!!

FOOD FACE DINNER PLATE (as seen in Parents Magazine! )

Everybody remembers Dapper Dan The Magnetic Man - that bald little fellow with all the iron filings that you could drag into really bad hairdos! I LOVED THAT TOY!!!!! You could give him a mustache, sideburns, a horrible hairdo.... endless possibilities!

Well they've given Dan a new home on their Food Face Dinner Plate, made from hotel-quality, food-safe, high-fire ceramics. So now you (or your kids) can play with your food and give Dan a whole new look.

Boxed with lots of inspirational food art. Wouldn't YOU have loved this when you were a kid?

You can purchase this product by visiting Perpetual Kid!

WINNER!

Congratulations to Vanessa!!!!! You are the winner of the custom printed poster from uprinting.com!

The winning comment, picked by the randomon number generator was......

#10)

vnssa906 said...
Hurray! I am now a follower of your awesome blog! :)

Thank you everyone for entering and do not forget to enter my latest giveaway for 250 custom printed greeting cards!

Greeting Card Giveaway by Uprinting

Hey everyone,
My awesome blog sponsors, Uprinting.com are giving me another opportunity to give away yet another one of their fantastic products!!!!!

Did you know that they offer awesome greeting card printing at UPrinting.com??? I didn't but I do now! You should check it out. Why you ask??? WELL BECAUSE................... YOU COULD WIN 250 CARDS OF YOUR VERY OWN!

The prize:

250 ct. of 7 x 5" (folded to 3.5 x 5" )
A $96 value!!!!!!!

Wouldn't this be an awesome Holiday Card idea???? Maybe you had a new baby and want to get the word out? Maybe you're throwing a huge party and need to send out invitations. Whatever you could use the cards for, you can!

One of the best perks of the uprinting.com sponsorship, is that I get the same prize as the winner! LUCKY ME! :) What am I going to do with 250 custom greeting cards??? Well............ maybe I'll create holiday greeting cards, or maybe I'll send out promotional cards for my Etsy shop. Or maybe I'll make cute thank you cards? Who knows! The possibilities are endless!

So, how can you win???? Here's the nitty gritty!

---Enter to Win---
- Mandatory entry: leave a comment below, describing why you need custom greeting cards. You must do this entry before doing any extras.

---Extra Entries---
(Make sure you leave a separate comment below for EACH extra entry.)

- Be a follower of my blog. (1 entry)

- Subscribe to my feed (1 entry)

- Follow me on twitter and tweet this giveaway - must leave tweet link in the comment (1 entry daily)

- Blog about and link back to this giveaway. Leave a link to your post in the comments. (5 entries)

- Purchase any item from my Etsy shop (10 entries)

---Details---
- Giveaway ends Friday, October 10th, 2009 at 11:59 pm PST.
- Winner will be chosen by random.org.
- Rules for each entry must be followed valid.
- Giveaway is open to US residents only. FREE UPS Ground Shipping for US residents.

Please make sure that your email is linked to your account, or that you leave it in your comments!

GOOD LUCK!!!!!!

~Kara

Leukemia & Lymphoma

I forgot to mention that as Team Captain for Frank N' Barry's, I am walking in memory of my late Father in Law- Frank who lost the battle to Leukemia and in honor of my Uncle Barry who is currently battling Leukemia. This cause and event is close to my family. Thanks for your support!!!!

Light the Night Walk- Taking Steps Toward Cure

Light The Night Walk:

Taking Steps Toward Cures

Each year, in communities all across the United States and Canada, families, friends, neighbors and teams from local businesses and national companies come together for The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's (LLS's) Light The Night Walk events to bring help and hope to people battling blood cancers.

Funds raised by walkers provide:

• Lifesaving blood cancer research
• Financial assistance to cover patient expenses for transportation, medication and testing
• Free educational materials and events for patients and their families
• Local programs such as Family Support Groups and First Connection, a peer-to-peer counseling program
• Comprehensive, personalized assistance through our Information Resource Center

Light The Night Walk events are evenings filled with inspiration. Carrying illuminated balloons - white for survivors, red for supporters and gold in memory of loved ones lost to cancer - thousands of walkers - men, women and children - form a community of caring, bringing light to the dark world of cancer.

Whether you're a cancer survivor, supporting someone who is battling cancer or have lost a loved one, please join us and help Light The Night.

Team Frank N' Barrys is still looking for team mates!!!! You can join our team by visiting our team page!

If you can't join our team, consider donating!

• A donation of $25 provides patients and their loved ones with FREE booklets that contain up-to-date information on their disease and help them make informed decisions about their treatment options.
• A donation of $50 makes possible a Family Support group with a trained facilitator where comfort can be found and experiences can be shared among patients and family members.
• A donation of $100 helps supply laboratory researchers with supplies and materials critical to carrying out their search for cures.
• A donation of $1,000 makes possible one- on-one conversations with health care specialists who provide patients with information about their disease, treatment options, and helps prepare them with questions for their health care team.

Please make a donation to support my team's participation in the Light The Night Walk and help save lives. Be sure to check my team's Web site frequently to see my team's progress, and thanks for your support!

Giveaway #2!

Enter for your chance to win a 18x24” Rolled Poster Print from DigitalRoom.com (and the biggest plus is they aren't charging a shipping fee this time!)
This giveaway has a $24 value

I won this exact same giveaway a few weeks ago, and had a picture of my Emma Lou printed (my late Corgi pup). I had a customer service issue with the poster the first go around and Digitalroom.com cleared it up right away and I was so pleased with the product I received in the end. I'd definately purchase my digital printing needs from them in the future!

Here's a look at my poster, hanging in my pet room :)

Check out the awesome poster printing you could win!




---Enter to Win---
- Mandatory entry: leave a comment below, describing what you would choose to have printed. You must do this entry before doing any extras.

---Extra Entries---
(Make sure you leave a separate comment below for EACH extra entry.)

- Be a follower of my blog. (1 entry)

- Subscribe to my feed (1 entry)

- Follow me on twitter and tweet this giveaway - must leave tweet link in the comment (1 entry daily)

- Blog about and link back to this giveaway. Leave a link to your post in the comments. (5 entries)

- Purchase any item from my Etsy shop (10 entries)

---Details---
- Giveaway ends Friday, September 25th, 2009 at 11:59 pm PST.
- Winner will be chosen by random.org.
- Rules for each entry must be followed valid.
- Giveaway is open to US residents only. FREE UPS Ground Shipping for US residents.

Please make sure that your email is linked to your account, or that you leave it in your comments!
GOOD LUCK!!!!!!
~Kara

Giveaway winners!

There were 45 entries for the Custom Wall Decal giveaway and the 2 lucky winners were
( drum roll please!!!!)

#12 myladel said...
I would print a picture of my 1 year old son. I can never get tired of looking at him.

#20 Cindy said...
I'm following your blog.

clogzilla(at)yahoo(dot)com


Congrats to the winners and thanks to everyone who entered. I'm hoping that I will be able to post another giveaway really soon!!!!!

Winners have been contacted and have 48 hours to respond.

Apron giveaway!

I think aprons are the cutest things. Although I wish I had one! I seem to always wear black in the kitchen and get stuff all over me.... or when I do the dishes, I always get water on me!

Well, here's your chance (and mine he he) to win a REALLY CUTE apron, thanks to The Apron Goddesses!!!!! They are giving one lucky winner a pink lemonade apron handmade by Mamie L Designs (another great Etsy shop).

Enter before 9/15!

Other giveaways that you may LOVE!

Here's a list of a few other giveaways that you guys may be interested in..... I know there are a lot out there and not all of them are things you'd wanna win, but these are all giveaways for things that I would totally wanna win!!!! :) Hopefully you will too!

1. The Giveaway Diva is giving away Manuka Honey Drizzle from Bella Lucce! Better hurry, giveaway ends 9/12! The Giveaway Diva is also having an Eight Day Giveaway Event! Go check it out!

2. Mom's Focus on Cyber World is giving away3 sets of Calibowls!

3. January Wish is giving away a $25 gift certificate to BellaBejeweled's shop on Etsy! Giveaway ends Sunday, 9/13

4. The Wonderful World of Skylar's Candy Clips is hosting a giveaway for 1 Lily the Nature Nooshka doll! These dolls are sooo cute! I love Nooshka's Meg, the mead Owl and Sebastian, the cat!

5. A lucky reader of The Sunshine Studio blog will get to choose any one item from Lyndsay's shop! Lyndsay has 2 Etsy shops..... LouLouBell and Fussed by LouLouBell. :)

6. The Giveaway Diva is giving away a $30 gift certificate to Edor! Giveaway ends 9/14! The Giveaway Diva is also having an Eight Day Giveaway Event! Go check it out!

Get 90% off Restaraunts.com gift certificates!!!

Hey everyone!!!!!

So, a friend of mine on Swapmamas.com informed me that Restaraunts.com is having a NINETY percent off sale on their gift cards... 90!!!!! :) Visit their site and check out restaraunts in your area and see if you can get a super awesome deal on a gift card. I ordered a few for some restaraunts in Philadelphia, for when I visit there next month. Hopefully that'll save me some money on dining out!! :) Be sure to read the fine print, most of the certificates have guidelines like minimum purchase amounts, restricted days/times or certain amount of guests required.

But still.... how can you beat a $50 gift card for 2 bucks!?!?!?! :)

Going back to school

It's been a while since I posted a blog of relevance... probably because I've been too busy working, stressing out, house training a puppy and trying to salvage what's left of my garden. But, through all of that, I'm also trying to go back to school full time. Talk about an exhausting and intimidating process!!!!!! Who knew college would be so hard, even at 26! lol

I had my mind set on getting an Associates degree in Health Management with concentration on medical billing and coding and then I started thinking about where my current skills are. Would I be happy doing that career, just because it makes more money? So then I started thinking about pursuing an MBA with an emphasis on Human Resource Management. I already do the HR duties at work, I'm currently going through a program with a local employer group to get my HR certification... why not build on that? Luckily, most of the schools I'd been looking at have that program as well.

Now the biggest question, HOW TO PAY FOR IT!?!?!?! I hate the thought of putting myself more in debt but what else can you do? Financial aid only takes you so far. But, I'm sure it's worth it in the end. So I have the start of a plan.... classes start the first week of October! I'm going to work full time, be a full time college student and try to get pregnant? What am I thinking!?!?!?!?! Challenges, break downs, and revelations.......here we come!

Lane Bryant

Hey Ladies!!!!

Lane Bryant is having a Labor Day online sale.... Save $20 on a $40 purchase!!!! :) Can't beat that! Use code #000205832

New banner and button

Notice my new banner and blog button!?!?!!?!

Thanks to my good friend, Etsy's Alchemy feature, I was able to connect with a designer to step up my blog game to the next level! :)

JessieTurtle, another Etsy seller hooked me up! Thanks Jessie!

My first sponsorship giveaway!!!!!

My sponsor, uprinting.com is offering 2 lucky K9 Kreations by Kara readers,
a free 18X24" Wall Graphic, courteousy of Large Format Posters.com.

The new product is an innovative adhesive fabric. Just imagine a huge sticker that you can peel and stick on any flat surface! (Similar to the Fat Heads stickers you’ve seen on TV)
In addition, these use the same high-quality printing that Large Format Posters use for their poster prints, so you can print photos, artworks or patterns in great detail.
This giveaway of Wall Graphics is a $61 value!!!



And, guess what? Yours truly gets one too! I've decided to print this picture...




It's my Drea girl and it'll look awesome in my pet room.


---Enter to Win---
- Mandatory entry: leave a comment below, describing the picture that you would choose to have printed. You must do this entry before doing any extras.

---Extra Entries---
(Make sure you leave a separate comment below for EACH extra entry.)

- Be a follower of my blog. (1 entry)

- Subscribe to my feed (1 entry)

- Follow me on twitter and tweet this giveaway and leave link to your post in the comment (1 entry daily)

- Become a friend on Facebook (1 entry)

- Blog about and link back to this giveaway. Leave a link to your post in the comments. (5 entries)

- Purchase any item from my Etsy shop (10 entries)
---Details---
- Giveaway ends Saturday, September 12, 2009 at 10:59 pm PST.
- Winner will be chosen by random.org.
- Rules for each entry must be followed valid.
- Giveaway is open to US/Canada residents only. Ground shipping of prize is free, but there is a $5 handling fee that must be paid by the winner. Large Format Posters observes the right to not print obscene of offensive material.

Please make sure that your email is linked to your account, or that you leave it in your comments!

GOOD LUCK!!!!!!

~Kara

Stuff under 20

I have found a super fantastic new blog to follow, via the etsy giveaway site.

Stuff under 20 is a blog run by 2 twenty-somethings who scope out deals for the rest of us bargainers! :) How cool is that!!!!!

Did I also mention they do awesome giveaways too????? They're featuring a piece of beautiful artwork by a fellow etsy seller, Khiti! Go have a look and enter for your chance to win, but you gotta hurry..... contest ends tomorrow night!

Ugliest garage contest with Fingerhut and Facebook

Fingerhut’s Ugly Room Details:

Throughout the entire month of August we are running an Ugly Room Contest. The first step to participating is becoming a fan of Fingerhut on Facebook. Once you’ve done that, it’s relatively easy to participate!

How to participate – Upload a picture of your ugliest kitchen or garage to our wall any day during the month of August

How to vote – When you view someone’s picture, and are a fan of us on Facebook, a “Like” option will appear. To vote for a photo select this option!

How to win – The photograph at the end of August that has the most “Likes” will win. To ensure you win, recruit your friends to become Fingerhut Fans so they can vote on your photos too!

CLICK ON MY LINK TO "LIKE" MY PHOTO!!!!!!

Shoes

I heart shoes. I heart colored shoes, strapped shoes, flat shoes, ballet shoes... you name it, I like it! I was so thrilled to see that awesome big brown box truck pull up to my house last night bringing me a box of goodness!!!! Inside, were 5 fabulous pairs of shoes that I purchased from Target.com on an 80% off clearance sale! Who couldn't resist super cheap shoes that were SUPER cute???? So, here's what I got.




I love them all dearly, except for maybe the silver ballet flats. They don't look as cute as they are in the picture. but, hey, how can you complain when I practically paid only $11 a pair!!!???!!!!???. I sure do love Target! :) I'm sure my podiatrist is going to be THRILLED when she finds out that I'm going to be venturing back into heels once I'm out of this stupid walking cast. I miss my shoes! Since mid June, I've only been able to enjoy one. Poor right foot, oh how I've neglected you!

Sweeter than me #2

Another giveaway by Sweeter than Me to win a $25 gift certificate to another awesome Etsy seller's shop.... Intres!

Contest Ends Friday August 31st at 9 pm Pacific/12 am Eastern.

Sweeter than me

Sweeter than me is having a super fun giveaway by ShySiren (another awesome Etsy seller). She has beautiful jewelry that I'm sure you'd love to win.....

Check out Sweeter than Me's blog and ShySiren's etsy store!

Contest ends tonight at9pm PST.... SO HURRY!!!!!!!!!

A blog about something............

It's been a while since I actually posted a REAL blog, with some substance as to what goes on in my life, outside of giveaways, dog treats, puppy training and etsy stuff.

This week has been one crazy rollercoaster!!!! Work is getting busy and hectic, the sales on etsy are slow at best and the new puppy takes up every second of spare time just trying to keep him out of stuff and not to potty in the house. Good news is though that I got a pretty sweet deal on a cut, color and style... If you're in the Salem area, I highly recommend seeing Jessica at Effervescent Salon. They're in NE Salem off Lancaster. Pretty new salon, funny girls, small shop. My hair turned out just as I'd imagined and it was a great price. Another good thing, I won 2 giveaways! A $30 giftcard from Kauffmann's Fruit Farm and 200 postcards from Uprinting. Not sure what I'll do with either but I'm sure whatever it is, it'll be great!!!!

I'm really looking forward to a vacation of some kind. Maybe another stay-cation is in my future. Who knows!!!!!

All in all, things are good... not too much to complain about, except stupid credit card companies sticking it to me any way possible. I wished I could wake up and all my debt be gone.. poof! lol

I should probably get back to doing some actual productive work, like maybe vaccuuming or watering my garden. Or maybe watching the Soloist that I got from Redbox. LOVE redbox :) If you don't get their Free First Monday movie text, you should go to Redbox's website and sign up!!!! Awesome deal. A dollar saved is a dollar earned :)

Wanna win a Snuggle Me'z Car Seat Cover????

Who could not love one of these???? Super cute carseat cover being given away at Two of a kind..... thanks to Snuggle Mez.com of HURRY!!!! Contest ends tonight!

Two of a kind, working on a full house giveaway!!!!

Two of a kind, working on a full house is giving away an awesome Urban Backpack Diaper Bag!!!!
Win It!! Just go check out her blog! Thanks to One Step Ahead.

Koa Clothing Giveaway

Koa Clothing is an awesome company that features organic tees! Koa says, ff you're tired of groovin in the same generic tee, it's time to try something a little different. Koa's tees are limited edition and eco-friendly, with some rad art thrown into the mix. Heck yeah.

They offer both men's and women's tees. You wanna win not one, but two????? Organic Girl is having a giveaway for 2 Koa Clothing tees of your choice! The giveaway ends on on August 31st, so you better hurry and enter!!!!

Cuddle Bunz Cloth Diaper Giveaway

Ok, so I know a lot of you girls just had babies, or maybe you just had a baby like 2 years ago. Either way, Organic Girl is giving away a diaper of your choice from Cuddle Bunz!

The giveaway ends tonight, so hurry!!!! You can check out Organic Girl's giveaway by clicking on this link.

Happy entries and GOOD LUCK!!!!!

Another giveaway won!

YIPPPIEEEE. Another day and another giveaway won!

Really, Are You Serious just notified me that I won 200 postcards from Digital Room. I already won a huge poster pic from them (not happy with how they shipped it) however I won the postcards and I plan on using them to get the word out about Sawyer! :)

So stoked that entering these giveaways (my new way of relaxing and zoning out) is working in my favor! :)

Nacho Mama!

Talk about a super awesome giveaway! Autum of Monsters in My House is giving away a t-shirt by either Nacho Mama Tee's or Crazy Dog T-Shirts (Winner chooses!!)

Both sites offer hillarious tees, old school tees, from the 80's tees and much much more. I personally love like over half the shirts they have. I bet you will too :)

The FAMILY!

OMAR


TIA

REESE

SAWYER

HAMI

DREA