Email: LaurenNicoleGifts@gmail.com

I have always been passionate about designing and making meaningful gifts and keepsakes and was very fortunate to able to start my own business. Lauren Nicole Gifts (name after my niece) was started in 2004 and was a great way for me to have my own business, but still move around as an Army wife. My husband recently retired from the Army and we are now permanently located in Ouray, Colorado

Monday, August 31, 2009

Apple Pie

We had a crazy busy weekend! I had to make an apple pie to bring to a dinner party on Friday. I usually make my own crust, but I was so short on time. I just asked myself "What would Martha do?". Well, I think she would run out and buy Pillsbury pie crust. Of course, she could just buy a whole pie, but that would so not be Martha!! It turned out just fine and I don't think anyone noticed the difference.



Here is my favorite apple pie recipe:

1 box of Pillsbury pie crust (I let it sit on the counter and warm up a little so that it doesn't crack or fall apart from being too cold).

8 Large granny smith apples, peeled, cored, and sliced
1 cup sugar
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
2 Tablespoons flour
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 Tablespoon lemon juice


1. Unroll one pie crust and place in a 9" glass pie dish
2. Mix all ingredients together and dump in pie dish
3. Unroll second pie crust, place on top and crimp edges; poke a few holes in the top (if you want to get really crazy you can cut out little designs; Martha would approve!).
4. Bake at 425 degrees for 25 minutes
5. Reduce temperature to 350 degrees and bake for an additional 50 minutes

Whenever I bake a pie I always put the pie on a baking sheet before putting it in the oven so that it doesn't make a mess (I really hate to clean and I don't want to have to break out the Easy-off oven cleaner!)

Friday, August 28, 2009

Basket Lady?

I received a call from someone yesterday asking if I was the "Basket Lady" because they wanted to order a necklace. I finally figured out that the Post Office gave out my business name to someone. I take all of my packages to the post office everyday in huge pink laundry baskets because it makes everything easier to carry. I choose pink because then my husband won't take them (everything has a habit of ending up in his garage; like my nice set of Williams Sonoma measuring cups!!!). So I guess I am known around here as the "Basket Lady". I guess that is better than Basket Case, or Bag Lady!!

New Giveaway: Ends 9-3-09

Fine Silver Wax Seal Footprints Necklace Giveaway. I will be taking entries now until Midnight on Thursday 9-3-09.

CLICK HERE TO ENTER: All entries must come through the website link. The link will take you to the giveaway page on my website which lists all of the giveaway details and has a link to enter the giveaway.

Winner - Vera Bradley Patchwork Tote

Congratulations to "Mrs. Bismarck" for winning today's drawing for the Vera Bradley Patchwork tote.

Thursday, August 27, 2009

Mid-Life Crisis!

We haven't gone through a mid-life crisis yet, but why not be prepared? My husband was supposed to bring home a pizza after work yesterday, but he brought home this car instead. It is a 1978 Fiat, the exact car and color that I wanted in High School. So 24 years later I am really excited to finally get one of these!!! It is in perfect condition and it even cost less than a new dirt bike. At $79 a month it is the lowest car payment we have ever had! Bear loves the car too!

Winner - Lilly Pulitzer Fabric Giveaway

Congratulations to "Michelle" who won the drawing for the Lilly fabric. The winner has been notified through email.

Thank you to everyone who entered!!!

Wednesday, August 26, 2009

Wacky Wednesday - 20% off Everything

I didn't really have anything for a Wacky Wednesday Special this week so I am running a special for 20% off everything on the Lauren Nicole website. Just use the following coupon code during checkout to receive 20% off on everything, including clearance items, "wacky" Offer is valid Wed 8-26-09 thru midnight on Fri 8-28-09.

Tuesday, August 25, 2009

Great Trash Find!

As I mentioned in a post a few days ago I really shouldn't judge people and my husband really was trash picking last weekend, which he does quite often. He really does find some great stuff though. Although the Army usually gives him a different type of mission, I gave him the mission of finding a new shipping table. Well, he finally found one that they were throwing out at the store on base because they are remodeling. It actually used to be a Coach purse display and he just took the top off and fixed it so that I have a nice flat work surface.

Cost of Display = Free

Cost of supplies to fix the top = $1.87

The looks on everyone's faces when he drug it out of the trash in uniform = Priceless

Monday, August 24, 2009

Lilly Fabric Giveaway - ends 8-26-09

As promised I finally cleaned out my Lilly Pulitzer Fabric. To enter just leave a comment on this post letting me know what you favorite item is on my website, Lauren Nicole Gifts. I will take entries until midnight on Wednesday, August 26, 2009. I will draw a winner Thursday morning, 8-27-09.

Sunday, August 23, 2009

Classy or Trashy?

I was waiting at a traffic light the other day when I looked over at the car next to mine. There was a girl wearing a torn up sweatshirt, with a cell phone and cigarette in her left hand; and she was using her right hand to put on mascara. I am very fond of multi-tasking, but that is taking it a little far. I am pretty sure it was one of those Flash Dance sweatshirts from the eighties (I know because I used to have one; it paired nicely with my hot pink leg warmers). To top it all off she had a sign in her window that said "Hot Babe On Board"..... no comment. Of course, when the light turned green I am the one that got honked at because I was too busy staring!

I shouldn't be judging anyone though. As I am writing this my husband is probably going through the neighbor's trash.

Saturday, August 22, 2009

Operation Snacks?

Even though I am making fun of these I had to buy them. Operation was my favorite game when I was a kid so I figured the fruit snacks must be good. AND they are made with real fruit juice. I am sure there is a gummy-snack fruit tree somewhere. I just haven't seen any growing around here, but I will keep looking. I am sure they grow next to the chocolate tres or the real money trees. I know these were probably made for a five year old, but doesn't it feel good to act like a five year old once in a while?

Friday, August 21, 2009

.......and he went back!

Because 6 cartons of ice cream is NEVER enough my husband brought home 7 more last night. I made him get it all back out so that I could take a picture. It is funny how things just fall in your shopping cart when you are at the grocery store! They were on sale for $2.00 each. I can now sleep much better at night knowing that we have enough ice cream to last through the winter.

New Giveaway - Vera Bradley Patchwork Tote ends 8/27/09

Vera Bradley Patchwork Tote Giveaway. I will be taking entries now until Midnight, August 27, 2009.

CLICK HERE TO ENTER: All entries must come through the website link. The link will take you to the giveaway page on my website which lists all of the giveaway details and has a link to enter the giveaway.

Winner of Mommy Necklace

The winner of the hand stamped silver mommy necklace is "Kathie B.". Congratulations!!! Thank you to everyone who entered the contest. Have a great weekend!

Thursday, August 20, 2009

New Weight Watcher's Diet Plan?

I made the mistake of letting my husband go to the grocery store unsupervised (this is the same thing as letting a five year old go to the grocery store by themselves to pick out their own dinner). Before he left for the store I might have mentioned to him that he could buy some ice cream. I also might have mentioned that we had a little room in the freezer because I just cleaned it out. He came home with SEVEN containers of ice cream. He almost had to throw out the frozen vegetables to fit it all in the freezer, but he got everything crammed back in and was able to shut the door. At least two of the containers are "Carb Smart". He says that means "Eat your carbs smartly, don't waste them, always save them for ice cream". I am so glad he cleared that up!

Winner of Fabric Giveaway

Congratulations to "Shauna" for winning the Vera Bradley Fabric giveaway! Please email me at admin@LaurenNicoleGifts.com within the next 48 hours so that I can ship it out to you.

I promise to go through my Lilly fabric this weekend so that I can do a giveaway for that too. It feels so good to clean out my workshop and supplies. Some people collect art; I collect craft supplies.

Wednesday, August 19, 2009

Answers to Life's most pressing questions!

Well, not really, but I thought it would be fun to start answering some of your questions:

"SNOWMANLOVER" asked:

1. What funny thing did your Beetle Bailey do today? I am not sure if this is funny or not, but he peed on a plant in my house today. We have never had house plants because we move so much. I just got a plant a few weeks ago (the first one I have had since we got Bailey). I guess he got confused between the plants in our backyard and the plant in the living room so he peed on it. I saw him do it, but it was too late to stop him. I might think this is funny by next week!

2. Which is your favorite card on my blog? The Sock Monkey card!!!

3. Which item do you enjoy making the most, from what you sell? I like making everything, but the jewelry is the most fun to make, especially when I break out the torch and other equipment (which makes my husband really nervous; I am not sure why he thinks open flames are dangerous in the basement??).

Personalized Sketches and Sentiments asked:

1. What was your first product item? Handmade purses. I started a really small website with just pictures of fabric so that my sisters and friends could pick out the fabric they wanted for purses. The next items were monogrammed headbands, key fobs, and ribbon watches and then I lost my mind and now have over 350 items on the website.

2. What do you sell the most of? Everything on the website sells pretty evenly, but the jewelry sells better. If something doesn't sell I just take it off the website, tear that page out of my design journal, and pretend it never happened.

3. Where would you eventually want to live permanently? My husband has a few years left in the Army and then we want to move back to Colorado. He has this dream of becoming a long-haired hermit who rides dirt bikes all over Colorado. I was kind of hoping that he would get some kind of job after he retires from the Army.

Krystyn asked:

1. Are your toes painted? What color? They are painted bright pink. Don't tell anyone, but half of the polish is chipped off and I really need to repaint them!!

2. Must have make-up accessory? Because I work out of my basement I don't wear make-up that much any more (it scares away any possible burglars). When I do wear make-up I love any foundation that has sun screen in it because I burn really easily!

3. If you had a million dollars that you had to spend (and you couldn't spend it on yourself or a relative/friend) what would you do with it? I would build a giant sewing & craft center where volunteers could make quilts and other items to donate to patients and families in need. There are so many people who love to do this, but don't have the sewing machines, supplies or space to do it in.

4. Same question, but this time, you HAVE to spend it on yourself. I would buy a house in Ouray, Colorado, and move there with my hermit husband of course.

Tuesday, August 18, 2009

Wacky Wednesday - 50% off Jacquard Ribbon Belts

Wacky Wednesday Special - 50% off Jacquard Ribbon Belts in three styles now through midnight on Thursday 8-20-09. Just use the following coupon code during checkout to receive the 30% off "wacky"

Monday, August 17, 2009

Fabric Giveaway

Yes, I am still cleaning out my workshop and it never ever ends. I have been collecting Vera Bradley cloth napkins for a while and making gifts for my family out of them. A lot of them are still whole napkins, some of them have pieces of fabric missing. Because you are not allowed to make things out of Vera Bradley fabric and then sell those items I am giving away what I have left over (Vera Bradley fabric is copyrighted).

Just leave any comment on this post now through midnight on Wednesday, 8-19-09. I will draw a winner on Thursday 8-20-09. Good Luck! (Next week I will try to clean out my Lilly fabric)

Sunday, August 16, 2009

New Giveaway starts today!

Sterling Silver Hand Stamped Mommy Necklace Giveaway. I will be taking entries until midnight 21, 2009.

CLICK HERE TO ENTER: All entries must come through the website link. The link will take you to the giveaway page on my website which lists all of the giveaway details and has a link to enter the giveaway.

Day 7 - Winner!

Congratulations to "Jennifer Hamilton" for winning today's drawing for a Vera Bradley Riviera BlueBackpack!! The winner has been notified by email and has 48 hours to claim the prize.

Saturday, August 15, 2009

Scrapbooking and Personalized Drawings

Here is a really neat blog for anyone who loves to scrapbook: Snowman Lover's Paperie. She has some really beautiful cards and projects shown on the blog and she has a website Stampin' Up. I love the Sock Monkey card on her blog!! I have loved Sock Monkeys since I was little. I even have Sock Monkey slippers (of course, Bailey pulled the eyes off of them, but I still wear them).


Another lovely blogger from Personalized Sketches and Drawings has an Etsy shop; she hand draws the neatest pictures I have ever seen. I really like the 3-initial monograms, the letters are made up with words....you really have to see it. This would be a great wedding gift!!!

Day 6 - Backpack Winner

Congratulations to "Krystyn" from "Areyoureallyserious.blogspot.com" for winning today's drawing for a Vera Bradley Raspberry Fizz Backpack!! The winner has been notified by email and has 48 hours to claim the prize.

I have 1 more to give away tomorrow, 8-16-09.

Sorry for the lack of other posts! It has been a crazy week. I tried to pretend I was an awesome website programmer....it didn't work out too well and I have been busy fixing things.

Friday, August 14, 2009

Ask Me Anything!

Well, almost anything! I was asked a while ago to put this on my blog and I am finally caught up (caught up means being caught up with email, not with laundry, grocery shopping, house cleaning, etc., etc.). You can ask me almost anything and I will try to answer it next week without boring you to tears!

Day 5 - Backpack Winner!

Congratulations to "snowmanlover" for winning today's drawing for a Vera Bradley Pinwheel Pink Backpack!! The winner has been notified by email and has 48 hours to claim the prize.

I have 2 more to give away, one a day through Sunday 8-16-09.

Thursday, August 13, 2009

Day 4 - Back Pack Winner!

Congratulations to "mommyto3boysandahusky""
for winning today's drawing for a Vera Bradley Java Blue Backpack!! The winner has been notified by email and has 48 hours to claim the prize.
3 more to give away, one a day tomorrow through Sunday 8-16-09.

Wednesday, August 12, 2009

Wacky Wednesday - 30% Hand stamped wine bottle tags

Wacky Wednesday Special - 30% off Hand stamped Wine Bottle Tags. The wine bottle tags can be hand stamped with up to 15 characters and spaces; on sale now through midnight on Thursday 8-13-09. Just use the following coupon code during checkout to receive the 30% off "wacky"

Day 3 - Back pack Winnder!

Congratulations to "dinagideon"
for winning today's drawing for a Vera Bradley Hope Garden Backpack!! The winner has been notified by email and has 48 hours to claim the prize.

I have 4 more to give away, one a day tomorrow through Sunday 8-16-09.

CLICK HERE TO ENTER

Tuesday, August 11, 2009

Another one bites the dust!

Sorry for all the dog posts, but Bailey has a habit of being the center of attention in our house; he does something bad every day! I guess he is still a little put out about his hair cut because we walked into our bedroom yesterday to find him destroying Bear's favorite toy


About an hour later I walked in and saw him with another one of Bear's favorite toys (Bear loves stuffed animals, Bailey only likes tennis balls). I was in time to rescue the toy this time.

Day 2 - Backpack Winner!

Congratulations to "
SaraLe"
for winning today's drawing for a Vera Bradley Daisy Daisy Backpack!! The winner has been notified by email and has 48 hours to claim the prize.

I have 5 more to give away, one a day tomorrow through Sunday 8-16-09.

Monday, August 10, 2009

Day 1 - Backpack Winner!

Congratulations to Gwen from "Confessions of a Control Freak". You won the Bali Blue Backpack!!

I have 6 more to give away, one a day tomorrow through Sunday 8-16-09.

Sunday, August 9, 2009

Bed Bug?

Look what I found in my bed five minutes after I made it! Bailey is getting really good at pushing the pillow shams off of the bed, pulling down the covers, and crawling in. Every time we get up early he always waits for us to leave the room so he can pull the covers down and go back to bed for a few hours.

Saturday, August 8, 2009

New Etsy Find

My sister-in-law makes beautiful gemstone jewelry and she now has an Etsy shop called KarynStyle. I am so excited because I have always loved her designs and she has made several pieces for me over the years. She uses only the finest quality faceted gemstones and freshwater pearls. She goes to amazing bead shows in California where she handpicks the gemstones (can you tell I am jealous....I would live at bead shows if I could). Anyways, I just wanted to share some of my favorite designs with you.



Friday, August 7, 2009

Who ate ALL the CHOCOLATE?

It couldn't possibly have been me (even though I was the only here all day). I only ate one piece at a time so how could there only be four pieces left out of a new bag of Hersey's miniatures??

SEVEN Day giveaway - Vera Bradley Back Packs

Back-to-school giveaway! I will be giving away a Vera Bradley back pack a day for seven days.

You can start entering the contest on 8-7-09 and enter once a day until all of the backpacks are gone. All entries from each day will be carried over to the other drawings so that you have more chances to win.

The first drawing will be held on Monday 8-10-09 and then one a day for six more days.

CLICK HERE TO ENTER: All entries must come through the website link. The link will take you to the giveaway page on my website which lists all of the giveaway details and has a link to enter the giveaway.

And the Winner is....

Congratulations to "Preppy Pink Crab"!! Thank you to everyone who entered!

Thursday, August 6, 2009

Trash Picking Thursday

If you have been following my blog you probably know that my husband will pick through anyone's trash, any where, any time (even if someone is watching him). He can also be seen at every garage sale in town, every weekend, sweet talking everyone into lowering their prices. His latest habit is to take something out of someone's trash, strip the parts off that he wants, and then put it back in their trash (don't ask me why....I don't even want to try to figure that one out). I have decided to dedicate a Thursday post once in a while to his trash picking efforts.

I have been looking for an adjustable stand for my grinder/polisher so that I can make more room on my workbench. The ones I liked were over $70, but my trash picking husband came to the rescue and built me one over the weekend for a total of $8.19.

Metal Pole: Free (from someone's trash)

Nuts & Bolts: $3.19

Stand bottom: $5.00 (umbrella stand from a garage sale)

Look on neighbor's face as he picked through their trash for parts: Priceless

Winner of Towel Markers.....

The winner of the preppy towel markers is "Personalized Sketches and Sentiments". Congratulations!!! Just email me at admin@LaurenNicoleGifts.com and let me know which six you would like. Thank you to everyone that entered!!

I had some emails about Bailey and my Mom (I designed the towel markers after my mom accidentally used the dog towel). I saw Bailey lick her toothbrush so I gave her a new one (we keep a jumbo pack of new toothbrushes around here for guests). Bailey steals and messes with everything! When someone leaves a bag or suitcase open he gets so excited that he shakes. During the same visit, a few days later, I heard my Mom say to my little brother "Have you seen my new toothbrush"? I glanced out the window and saw Bailey running laps around the backyard with my Mom's new toothbrush in his mouth. I gave her another new toothbrush!

Tuesday, August 4, 2009

Wacky Wednesday - 30% off Monogrammed Badge Reels

Since I received so many emails about putting the badge reels back on sale I am offering them again for this week's Wacky Wednesday Special - 30% off Monogrammed Badge Reels. The badge reels can be monogrammed with one initial. The badge reels are on sale now through midnight on Thursday 8-6-09. Just use the following coupon code during checkout to receive the 30% off "wacky"

(Offer not valid on lanyards or silver-plated badge reels)

I love these!!

I bought the Lilly Pulitzer Gift Enclosure cards last week from The Preppy Princess. They are so cute! I always keep blank cards on hand for last minute gifts. I can always whip together a gift in my workshop quickly, but I don't always have to time to run out and buy a card. My husband is famous for coming home and telling me that we got invited to a birthday part, etc., and it is in a few hours. The box contains 24 assorted gift enclosure cards for $15.50. It is worth it just for the box alone! I am also going to use the cards for customers that order items gift wrapped.

New Product Giveaway - Towel Markers

The last time my mom visited she accidentally used a towel that I had already used to dry the dogs after their bath. Bailey also licked her toothbrush, but we won't talk about that right now. I was trying to figure out a way that guests could tell which towel is theirs (probably the one that doesn't smell like a dog)so I came up with towel markers.

I made a bunch of them so I am giving away a set of 6 (the winner can choose which 6 they want). To enter just leave any comment on this post. I will take entries until midnight on Wednesday 8-5-09 and draw a winner on Thursday morning.

Monday, August 3, 2009

Wrong Pizza?

I realize that when I buy a frozen pizza that it will taste a little like cardboard and not look exactly like the picture on the box. We tried one of the Kashi pizzas this weekend. My husband absolutely insists that they put the wrong pizza in the box because it looks nothing like the picture on the front of the box. It was the right pizza, but the box should say "actual contents look nothing like the picture on the front of the box because we want you to really crave our pizza and then be completely disappointed when you open the box and pull out the pizza"

Winner of Wine Markers

Congratulations to "JULES"!! You won the drawing for the wine bottle marker and set of wine glass markers.

Saturday, August 1, 2009

The Beer Snob

My husband is the biggest beer snob! He only drinks dark stouts and he is really picky about those too. I made him a beer bottle marker because whenever we go to anyone's house he always brings his own bottle of beer with him; forget bringing anything for anyone else, he just brings one bottle in his pocket just in case they are serving crap beer.

I made a bunch of wine bottle tags and wine glass markers for Christmas gifts. I always like to have something around for last minute gifts because I am so thoughtful (Translation: I am losing my mind and I ALWAYS forget to get something for someone, but I am hoping if I have a few extra gifts laying around and a few bottles of wine that I can cover it up!).

I am giving away one custom wine bottle tag and a set of 6 custom wine glass markers (I can put whatever you want on them as long as it fits). I will take entries until midnight on Sunday 8-2-09 and draw a winner on Monday morning. To enter just leave a comment on this post letting me know what you would put on one of the markers or tags.



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