Is it wrong to serve cake for dinner??

I checked the frig and I have a cake (from the neighbor) and a tupperware container of something I can't seem to identify! I really was going to go grocery shopping today, but then the mailman showed up with some packages. I bought a pendant kit on Etsy and it came in the mail today so I got distracted.....again!! If you like making new things check out this Etsy store Sun and Moon Craft Kits. She has some great ideas and starter kits. Those of you who know me know that I will not be able to sleep tonight until I make ALL of the pendants in the kit. I promise I will go grocery shopping tomorrow (at least that is what I keep telling myself). Don't be afraid to get your Craft on........ even it means serving cake for dinner! My husband always says that if we could just eat craft supplies for dinner we would have enough food for three years.

Wacky Wednesday - 30% off Monogrammed Pocket Tissue Holders

30% off Monogrammed pocket tissue holders now through midnight on 4-2-09 at Lauren Nicole Gifts. Just enter the following coupon code in the coupon box during checkout: wacky

Blogger Coupon - 15% off of Website

Effective 4/29/09 blog readers can receive a 15% discount on everything on my website, Lauren Nicole Gifts. Instead of running the 15% on Mondays only I will be running it everyday for the next few months. Just enter the following coupon code in the coupon box during checkout: blogger

New Ceramic Jewelry

I finally have some new ceramic jewelry up on the website. I hope to have more designs finished over the next few weeks. It is so much fun to paint the beads!! (Note to self - try not to get paint on the carpet next time). I think I found a new craft obssession!

Ceramic Jewelry

I love my kiln!!

I had a love-hate relationship with my kiln until I figured out that the clay I was using wasn't compatible with the glaze I was using, which was causing really inconsistent results. I thought because it said on the glaze jar "works with any clay" meant that the glaze works with any clay...I guess not!! I switched glazes and I now love my kiln. I am just happy to finally have some beads to work with! I am hoping to have new jewelry on the website soon!!

Friday Giveaway - Wax Seal Initial Pendant Necklace (ends 4/2/09)

This Friday's giveaway is a fine silver Round Wax Seal Initial Pendant necklace with a freshwater pearl. The pendant comes on an 18" sterling silver chain. I will be taking entries through midnight on Thursday, April 2, 2009 and will draw a winner on Friday April, 3, 2009. To enter just visit my website Lauren Nicole Gifts and respond to this post telling me what your favorite item is OR what you would like to see me add to the website. For extra entries you can advertise this giveaway or the Lauren Nicole website on your blog, twitter, or facebook

Wacky Wednesday Sale - Now thru 3-26-09

30% off of Monogrammed passport covers and Monogrammed Checkbook Covers now through midnight on 3-26-09 at Lauren Nicole Gifts. Just enter the following coupon code in the coupon box during checkout: wacky

Monday Madness 15% off Website 3-23-09

Now through Midnight on Monday 3/23/09 save 15% on your entire order from Lauren Nicole. Just enter the following coupon code in the coupon box during checkout: madness

Lilly Pulitzer Tote GIVEAWAY

Giveaway contest for a new Lilly Pulitzer Puddle Jumper Tote (Loopy Lilly). I Love this bag so I decided to order one for a giveaway. This giveaway will run longer than the others. I will be taking entries through midnight on Thursday, April 2, 2009. I will draw a winner on Friday morning, April 3, 2009. The giveaway is open to the U.S.A and Canada.

To enter just visit my website: Lauren Nicole Gifts and leave a comment on this post telling me what your favorite item is. You can earn extra entries by blogging about this post, putting it on Twitter, Facebook or MySpace (just leave a comment telling me you did so that I can count the extra entries).

TGIF - Giveaway!

THE WINNER IS: Stacie from Simply Stacie
Friday's giveaway is a fine silver Fleur de lis charm necklace with a freshwater pearl. The charm comes on an 18" sterling silver chain. I will be taking entries through midnight on Sunday (Mar 22nd) and will draw a winner on Monday morning. To enter just visit my website http://www.laurennicolegifts.com/ and respond to this post telling me what your favorite item is OR what you would like to see me add to the website. For extra entries you can advertise this giveaway or the Lauren Nicole website on:
1. Your Blog
2. Twitter
3. MySpace
4. Facebook

Thank you to everyone who participated in product reviews. I will have some new products up for grabs in a few weeks. I am working on some new silver jewelry and the ceramic pendants. If you have 40 or more followers on your blog and you would like to review a product, and receive that product for free just contact me at admin@laurennicolegifts.com.

Wacky Wednesday Deal - Now thru 3-19-09

Save 30% on Monogrammed Cosmetic Bags now through midnight on 3/19/09 . They can be monogrammed with a name or a three-initial monogram. Usually retail for $10.

Availability: I have a lot of these in stock. If I run out of any of the designs the sale will still run through midnight on Thursday, March, 17th, it will just take a few extra days to process orders.

To receive 30% off on monogrammed cosmetic bags just enter the following coupon code in the coupon box during checkout: wacky

Want to get one for free? The first 15 people to blog about the Wacky Wednesday Deal before March 19, 2009 and leave me a comment on this post with a link to your blog post will receive one for free. After you blog about the sale and post a comment just email me at admin@LaurenNicoleGifts.com with your shipping address and let me know which bag you want, what you would like monogrammed on it, thread color and font. This offer is limited to the first 15 people that respond. Please be sure to send me an email also, otherwise I may not have a way to contact you for your address.

And the Winner is....

The winner of the engraved oval sterling silver ring is blogger "CSJ5714". Please email me when you get a chance at admin@LaurenNicoleGifts.com

Monday Madness - 15% Off Entire Website

Now through Midnight on Monday 3/16/09 save 15% on your entire order from Lauren Nicole. Just enter the following coupon code in the coupon box during checkout: madness

TGIF - Giveaway

I am posting this early......I will be out all day on Friday at the Kansas City Bead show to buy more supplies. It is a good thing they don't have a show everyday or I would never come home. I LOVE beads!!

Friday's giveaway is an engraved sterling silver oval ring. I will be taking entries through midnight on Sunday (Mar 15th) and will draw a winner on Monday morning. To enter just post a comment telling me what your favorite beads are.

Wacky Wednesday Deal - Now thru 3-12-09

Save 30% on Lauren Nicole hand stamped silver necklaces and rings now through midnight on 3/12/09 . The offer is valid on all hand stamped silver necklaces and rings (offer not valid for hand stamped earrings, charms, baby spoons, or dog tags). To receive 30% off on your order of hand stamped silver just enter the following coupon code in the coupon/discount box during checkout: wacky

Hand stamped silver

Kiln Update - The 36 hour pendant

After thoroughly studying the directions (okay.....skimming them, sort of) I went through (destroyed) a lot of supplies, but I think I finally figured it out. I learn much better by jumping right into a project (directions are for sane people). After a bunch of misfirings in the kiln, I finally produced one pendant that turned out the way I wanted it to. I have about 36 hours into the pendant. Obviously, I need to work on the timing because right now I would have to sell them for $300 each just to cover labor costs (I am pretty sure they wouldn't sell at that price). I have more supplies coming in by the end of the week and I should have pendants up for sale on the website in 2 to 3 weeks. I will have different sizes and colors, and the pricing on the pendant necklaces will range from $16 to $24 (much better than $300).

The Website is fixed...

Sorry, I accidentally deleted the telephone field in the checkout pages of the website so orders couldn't go through......that's what I get for pretending to be a "web designer-programmer". I just put a test order through the website and it looks like everything is working okay. Please feel free to call and yell at me if it still doesn't work and I will try again.

Winner of the "Key to My Heart" Necklace....

Thank you for all of the entries and stories!!! The winner of the necklace is "PearlsandBows". Please contact me when you get a chance at admin@LaurenNicoleGifts.com

Monday Madness - 15% Off Entire Website

Now through Midnight on Monday 3/9/09 save 15% on your entire order from Lauren Nicole. Just enter the following coupon code in the coupon box during checkout: madness

TGIF - Giveaway

In honor of finally, finally, FINALLY selling our house and turning the key over to the new owners today I am giving away a “Key to My Heart” Necklace. The winner will get to choose the initial, bead charm, and length of the necklace.

It really is a great house and I want to wish the new owners the best! While the house was the bane of my existence for the last 14 months the happiest day of my life happened in that house…..the day my husband came home safely from Iraq after a very long deployment (New Year’s Eve – 2008). . I sent red, white & blue stars to everyone I knew and had them decorate them and send them back so that I could fill up all the windows before he got home. The house wasn’t the key to my heart, but my husband always will be.

To enter the drawing just post a comment telling me about the happiest memory in your house.

It's Here!!!!!

UPS just dropped off my much awaited kiln that I ordered a few weeks ago. I am so excited!! I hope that I can have some pretty little ceramic initial pendants up on the website soon (as long as they don't turn out like little burnt Christmas Cookies). I promise that I will actually read the directions, which is so not in my nature!

My husband just came home and looked at the kiln. He tried to hide it, but I saw the sheer look of panic that crossed over his face as he read the warning label on the kiln "Use with extreme caution, fires in excess of 2,000 degress"!

What's in a Name?

I have had a lot of people ask me why my website is named "Lauren Nicole" when my name is Denise. I named my company after my neice Lauren Nicole, and I just love those two names, especially together. I always wanted a different name when I was little, but I will never complain that my mom named me "Denise". I have a twin brother and my grandmother pushed to have us named "Jack" and "Jill".....so glad my mom didn't give in. We would have never lived that one down in school; the joke of "Deniece" and "Denephew" was bad enough.

My Favorite New Necklace!

Last week I actually had time to catch up on reading blogs (which means I probably forgot to do something). I found this necklace advertised on The Funky Monkey blogspot and fell in love with it It came in the mail yesterday and I Love it!!! It is designed and made by a company called Mini Mosaic They are having a 20% sale right now with free shipping. They were running a special for 35% with the code monkey35 (not sure if that one is still valid or not). If you mention my name "Denise Freidhoff" in the comment section when you purchase a pendant she will send you one free tile. The pendant is gorgeous and made out of sterling silver. They have a bunch of small tiles that you can buy individually so that you can change out the tile in the pendant. I think this is great for anyone that travels. You can pack one necklace and then a bunch of the little tiles to match your clothes (my husband always packs enough for thirty people so I like to pack light!!).
Here is the link to the The Funky Monkey - they do a lot of product reviews and you can find some really unique products on there: http://www.susannahbananaboutique.blogspot.com/

Got Free Stuff?

Get stuff for free! I am still looking for blog owners that would like to review new products. I added a lot of new stuff to the website recently and have plans for a lot more soon. If you would like to review a product and write about it on your blog just email me at admin@LaurenNicoleGifts.com for details. You will receive the reviewed product for free. I have a list of items that are available for review and I can let you pick which one you want.

Wacky Wednesday - Deal - Now thru 3-5-09

50% off of Monogrammed Button Keychains - Now thru midnight on 3-5-09. There is no coupon needed for this sale; they are already marked down on the website - now only $2.00 each. The monogrammed button keychains measure 1.5" in diameter and can be monogrammed with one initial. Great for Easter Baskets or Stocking Stuffers! http://www.laurennicolegifts.com/mobuke.html

New - Monogrammed Pocket Tissue Holders

I have had so many requests for monogrammed pocket tissue holders so I have decided to make them. They are available in four pattern choices, but I will have more fabric choices soon.
http://www.laurennicolegifts.com/mopotiho.html

Monday Madness - 20% off Website

Now through midnight on Monday March 2, 2009 receive 20% off of everything on the website. Just enter the following coupon code during checkout: madness
http://www.laurennicolegifts.com/