My new table runner from Silly Mama Quilts!

Sometimes, I feel...

pictures can say everything.

They can show you how fantastic this new table runner is from Silly Mama Quilts

They can show you how my tablescape has just gone up about 10 notches.

They can show you how these fantastic runners are reversible.

They can show quality and detail in the work.

how fantastic it works with my Hurricanes...

 How it fits the length of my table without awkward hang-overs.

How great the patchwork is...

Sometimes, they need no words.

Okay, so maybe I'm being a little over-dramatic.

But seriously...

admit you're gushing over this table runner right now.

Silly Mama Quilts are DIVINE.

DIVINE, I tell ya!

I think any of your Momma's would appreciate one of these for Mother's Day (May 8th)!

Take a minute and browse around the SHOP.

A shop that has free shipping, and great prices.

AND a reminder to go and enter the GIVEAWAY for a Silly Mama Quilts gift certificate!

Thanks to Brooke from Silly Mama Quilts for this beautiful table runner.

She gave me this runner to review, and I'm so thankful.

All opinions are 100% mine, as always :)

Silly Mama Quilts Giveaway! {closed}

GREAT GIVEAWAY today friends.

Perfect time for Mother's Day shopping!

Don't think I'm crazy...we're nearing ONE MONTH AWAY!

So today's giveaway is for a shop that's almost MADE for this occasion.

Why?

Because Moms are hard to shop for...and I'm pretty positive your Momma's would love something from Silly Mama Quilts.

You could also find something at Silly Mama Quilts that would ROCK as an Easter Hostess Gift for whoever is slaving over that turkey/ham/roast and prepared their house to serve the family.

Silly Mama Quilts...

*sigh*

How I LOVE Silly Mama Quilts.

Wait...

I feel like that didn't express me enough.

I LOVE SILLY MAMA QUILTS!! 

It is one of the brightest, funnest, greatest etsy shops ever and the products are TO DIE FOR and Brooke (the shop owner) is the sweetest ever and has a fun little blog too that shares some of her fun projects.

Since we're all visual type people here in blogland, here's some photos from of 

Silly Mama Quilts SHOP:

Owl Kid's Quilt

Flowers are Divine Table Runner

Sunkissed in Central Park - 16x16 pillow cover

Spring Flowers in the Park II 

Hello Spring Table Runner

Mug Rug in Pink & Mist

I can't say enough good things about this shop, whether it's the amazing detail in her work, the great customer service, or the FREE SHIPPING...it's just all good. 

This is Silly Mama Quilts 2ND giveaway here at The Birds Papaya, and I'm so happy to be teaming up with her again. 

So, I'm sure you all would LOVE to win a 

$25 gift card to Silly Mama Quilts 

right?! rriiiiiggght? 

(what, like I need to convince you? heck no!)

Here's how to enter:

**Leave a separate comment for EACH entry you make**

Must be a follower of The Birds Papaya 

(or subscriber via email or blog lovin')

MANDATORY ENTRY: 

Visit Silly Mama Quilts SHOP and let me know your fave item - one entry

Extra Entries:

Tell me your favorite Mother's Day Tradition or Memory - one entry

Follow Silly Mama Quilts BLOG - one entry

"Like" The Birds Papaya on Facebook - one entry

Follow The Birds Papaya on Twitter - one entry

Purchase something from Silly Mama Quilts SHOP - 5 extra entries

Good luck! I'll announce the winner next Monday night! (April 4th 2011)


Giveaway now CLOSED! 
Thanks to all who entered!

Homemade Granola Bars

My sister spurned me onto making homemade granola bars today.

I really couldn't NOT do it after I realized I had everything to make it, and the 

uhhh...5 minutes of prep time.

Plus, don't they look yum!?

My recipe was adapted from one I found at allrecipes.com

Ingredients:

4 1/2 cups rolled oats

1 cup flour

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp vanilla extract

2/3 cup of margarine (or softened butter)

1/3 cup brown sugar

3/4 cup honey

2 cups mini chocolate chips

How to:

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Mix all ingredients but the chocolate chips together. 

If you find it feels dry and isn't holding together at all (keep it mind, it will be crumbly, it's granola!) then add more honey & margarine.

Once mixed, add in your chocolate chips.

Press into a greased 9x13 pan.

(have handy assistant, as always)

Bake for 18-22 minutes or until golden brown 

(my oven always takes longer, so it was more like 30 mins for me!)

Remove from oven and cut into bars.

Let cool completely before removing bars from pan.

Enjoy!

wasn't that easy?

Vintage Junky Style WINNER!

Thanks to all who entered the Vintage Junky Style giveaway to win a 

Flour Sack Teatowel & Flower Pin set!

The winner, according to Random.org is...

#30!

Kimi's Getting Skinny ! said...

I love the "mimi-vintage-grain-sack-tote-chocolate"

March 28, 2011 6:03 PM 

Congrats Kimi...err...Mom...

Yep, that fine entry, is my MOM!!

I'm happy she won. She enters every single one of my giveaways and has never won! 

So YAY MOM!

Speaking of Mom's...stay tuned, I have one FANTASTIC giveaway going up in the morning that is SO perfect for Mother's Day (or for yourself...)!

I ORB'd

What's ORB you may ask?

(I don't want to assume you all just KNOW what ORB is)

ORB is simply the easy simple way of saying "oil rubbed bronze". 

Specifically oil rubbed bronze spray paint.

Here's where my shocking confession comes in.

I've never sprayed anything with ORB.

WAIT! do NOT go running to the "unfollow" button!! stay with me...

I've never sprayed anything with ORB, 

Until now, of course.

I started small and harmless...

A light switch plate.

Recently I made a comment to my Mom about how she has almost every light switch plate in their house changed out to a better one than the builders. 

She said something like "well, you're supposed to change them".

WHAT?!

this is earth shattering news!

Now, I know that's just my Mom's opinion and style taste, but it got me thinking. 

They DO make a huge impact when changed (or "switched" if you like puns).

So here's my big change. 

My first ORB experience.

The Before & After

Which do you like best? 

be honest!! 

It's okay if it's not your thing.

Oh, and yes...there's some paint touch up needed on the walls around it that were covered by painter's tape when the walls were done (I'm no pro).

You may think it's just black.

It's not.

It's got a metallic-ness to it that gives it the ORB

Or, in non-metallic terms, (as Ikea would say) black-brown

Matches this:

And this:

So, have you ever spray painted your light switch plates?! 

Nickel, ORB, other?

I wanna hear your stories!!

She's 3

My baby girl is THREE years old!

WHEN DID THIS HAPPEN!?

nobody warns you when you have this sweet little warm newborn placed on your chest for the first time, that they will grow up RIDICULOUSLY fast!

From a very very young age, she was our little firecracker. Always entertaining. Always out for a laugh, and she gets us laughing OFTEN.

She's our gift from God, and we'll take every single second we can have with her.

This...

 is now this...my beautiful little girl!

Some little highlights of her personality:

HER BEAR...he comes everywhere.

When all the other little girls dress like Princesses...this is Jem:

One cute chick.

It's been such a fun day celebrating Birdie turning 3.

I'm just glad she went to bed with one huge smile on her face, exclaiming this:

"Dis is da BEST Bird-day EVER!!"

-Jemma

Grow your own Wheat Grass!

I have the best neighbors. 

Like, seriously the kind you borrow a bowl of sugar from (and we have). 

They're great.

My one neighbor, Nicolle brought over a sweet little gift to me last week, and it's been growing ever since. 

I love it so much, and thought I'd share.

Here's how you can grow your own:

First, buy some Wheat Berries from your local Bulk Barn.

They look like this:

source

Then soak the berries for about 4-5 days, until you see them start to sprout.

source

Then plant them very shallow in soil.

Then make sure you water your potted wheat grass and let them get sun.

In a day or two, you'll start to see this:

I labelled mine with chalkboard contact paper from Dollarama.

Here's some other decorative ideas I found with wheat grass:

source

source

source

source

source

So many ideas! 

I love this as a little neighbor easter gift or hostess gift for whoever hosts your easter dinner.

Endless possibilities!

Thanks Nic, I love my wheatgrass and having you as a neighbor.

Hope you all get inspired to grow some of your own. 

It's nice to have grass SOMEWHERE when the ground is still all a muck.

I'll be partying it up at these fine blogs