A Few Favorites March 30

Snow is melting here! We've had a couple warm days, and then got more snow dumped on us, but then it warmed back up.  We still have a lot of snow, but you can see more and more ground every day.  It's also to that point where the snow we do have is dirty and gross, so I'm really hoping the rest melts soon.

This week has been a productive one.  I got to spend time with one of my friends, do some shopping with my mom, catch up on laundry, and just enjoy life.  It's amazing how much energy a little sunshine will give you.  Here's what I'm loving this week.

1. My new dish of succulents.  I bought three plants at Walmart and then picked up this dish at the second hand store for a dollar, so I transplanted them all into the bigger dish together.  My cat was continually knocking over the cactus so hopefully he's a little nicer to it now.

2. My Dover Publications order came a few days ago, and I love the Cats in Art Sticker Book.  It filled with great art pieces that feature cats.

3.  I haven't tried sewing knits yet, but I plan to soon, and when I do, I want to try the Parisian Top from GoTo Patterns.  Since I wear scrubs to work, I've kind of let my out of work wardrobe deteriorate.  I just don't have a lot of occasions to wear dresses and such.  But, this knit top is super cute.  Looks girlie, but still comfy.  I want to try it out.

4.  This is the best Broccoli and Cheese Soup I have every had.  One of my friends made it and I loved it.  It  uses gouda with a little cheddar and I think that's part of what makes it so great.  It also calls for half and half.  I made a batch a few weeks ago and ate it all in like three days!  It's so good.

Well I hope you all have a nice week.  I have to work day shifts on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday, at work, so I'm not sure how much I'll be around.  So just a reminder that the Craftsy Artisan Bread Making Giveaway ends on April 1.  If you haven't entered yet, be sure to click on the link.

Spring Fling Giveaway! {Open in US and Canada}

Welcome to the Spring Fling Giveaway Hop

hosted by Lauren Paints | a beautiful life

Spring is here!

I've teamed up with a FANTASTIC group of bloggers to
celebrate the spring equinox with a giveaway hop!
After you enter my giveaway you should enter to win

a  $100 Kohl's Gift Card over on Lauren Paints!

Here's what I'm giving away:

It's a prize pack from affiliate Dover Publications.  I thought this giveaway would be a great way to show you some of the awesome things they have available.  You'll receive:

• 3 Scented Pens in Passion Fruit, Wild Berry, and Orange (note- these are not from Dover)
• Mini Sticker Book of 16 of Monet's Masterpieces
• A Study in Scarlet and The Sign of Four by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle  (The basis of the BBC Sherlock Episodes "A Study in Pink" and "The Sign of Three".)
• Flower Paintings Mini Sticker Book featuring sixteen floral masterpieces
• The Hound of Baskervilles by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (The basis for the BBC Sherlock episode of the same name.)
• Mary Cassatt gift wrap (Two identical sheets of wrapping paper made up of Mary Cassatt paintings)
• The Scarlet Pimpernel by Baroness Orczy (one of my favorite books)
• Large Old Fashioned Luggage Label sticker book

Total value of my giveaway is over $30!

Interested in winning?  Contest is open in US and Canada, just follow the Rafflecopter giveaway below.  And once your done with that, scroll down for more giveaways!
 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

    Check out all of the giveaways listed below:


Disclaimer: This contest will run through 4/4/2014 at 11:59 pm EST.  Please note, Lauren Paints | a beautiful life AND Chair in the Shade are not responsible for sponsors that do not fulfill their prizes, please contact laurenpaintsflorida@gmail.com if you have any questions or if you are interested in participating or sponsoring a future event. 


And don't forget to enter to win my Craftsy Artisan Bread Making Class giveaway by clicking this link!  Open worldwide!  

New Affiliate! Dover Publications

I'm exciting to announce a new affiliate here on "Chair in the Shade".  It's a great company that had a big influence on me growing up.  It's Dover Publications.  So what's so great about a book company?

When I was growing up I wanted to be a librarian.  I LOVED (and still love) books.  I read all the time and I especially loved mysteries and classic British lit.  I could get pretty much I wanted from the public library, but there's just something about having a book of your own, and not having a set time to have to have the book read by.  

I originally was drawn to Dover because of their Thrift Editions.  These are mostly classics, soft covers, and all $5 or less.  They have Sherlock Holmes stories, books by the Bronte sisters, Shakespeare's plays, Charles Dickens, and Jane Austen, and so much more.  It's a great way to build a library when you're a high school kid when you're a growing bibliophile with limited income from your part time job.

They have lots of books on a variety of other books, fiction and non fiction on a variety of topics.  They  have drawing and coloring books, paper dolls, origami paper, clip art, cooking books, books on card games, different sciences and math, history.  They cover a wide variety of topics.  

They also have tons of awesome stickers.  I went through a phase where I absolutely loved Impressionist art- Renoir, Monet, Mary Cassatt, I loved them all.  Dover sells sticker books with reproductions of artwork by famous artists for $2.00.  They also have vintage reproductions of fruit labels, luggage tags, Victorian animals, flowers, and Christmas stickers.

They now offer e-books as well if that's your thing. And they have free shipping if you spend over $50.  If you like books, art, crafts, or history, I can't recommend Dover enough.  Check them out for reasonable prices and great books.