Saturday

Challenge Yourself Now! Healthy Eating and Healthy Exercise Challenges

Did you know that you can start today to get on the healthy track instead of waiting until January 1st? I have learned over the years that if you start today then you will be will on your way into the New Year. There are a lot of ways to get started and I have several ideas for you. 

One of our favorite ways to get healthy  new habits is to challenge yourself and do the 21 Day Fix. The Fix teaches you portion control, clean and healthy eating, how many calories to eat each day and what exercises to do each day.  If you start this within the next week or so you will be doing it through Christmas parties and even Christmas Day. That is NOT a bad thing. This would get you through the month of December without all the holiday weight gain. YES you can enjoy the holiday spirits without gaining wait. In fact, you can drop weight, enjoy the parties and be ahead of the New Year Resolution crowd. 


Here are the ways to get the 21 Day Fix in your hands, now!


  • Read more about it here (click SHOP to read the description). (If you order the challenge pack in December you will get a $10 amazon gift card from me. Want to save more money? Order this by being a discount coach and save $40 on the Challenge pack. Message me at cafescrapper@gmail.com if you want either discount or friend me on Facebook and send me a message.)
  • Join our 21 Day Fix Challenge group to have me as your FREE personal coach, get inspired by others doing this program and become accountable and have accountability partners.

Join one of our Challenge groups. The challenge groups will give you a free coach (me), free ideas on how to stay healthy or get healthier, exercises you can do at home and accountability by others doing the same task. 

Here are my current free challenge groups.

I also have 2 more groups to give 1 on 1 training. One group is for my sponsored coaches and the other is for Fit Club Coaches. Both are exclusive and if you want to join them, friend me on Facebook and send me a message.

Last but surely not least, here is a challenge we can all do! Just do not make this your main challenge for 2015.

One last group.... I'm starting up a Test Group which will be a challenge group for the brand new Insanity Max : 30 which will start in a few weeks. Want to be in this exclusive group? To get more info, friend me on Facebook and send me a message.


Wednesday

Gift Idea for Book Lovers {Harlequin Holiday Giveaway}

Who loves giving and receiving books for the holidays or anytime of the year? Right now you can find out about these holiday books and win them for you or for someone on your holiday shopping list. 



Welcome to the Harlequin Holiday Giveaway!

The Holidays are just around the corner and people are really getting into the Christmas spirit. As you put up your tree and enjoy the fire on a cold winter's night, make sure to add reading a Harlequin romance novel to your holiday to-do list. A good romance novel will always make your night just a little bit warmer. ;) Imperfect Women has teamed up with Harlequin to host the most wonderful Holiday Gift package Giveaway! You can keep these books for yourself or gift them to family or friends.

Included in this holiday package are these six fabulous holiday romances: One paperback each of:
  • Christmas with a Billionaire
  • Maybe this Christmas by Sarah Morgan
  • Snow Angel Cove by RaeAnne Thayne
  • The Heart of Christmas by Brenda Novak
  • The Lodge on Holly Road by Sheila Roberts
  • One copy of Her Holiday Man by Shannon Stacey in the digital format of your choice.

We also will be giving away one package of ornament charms, one box of Harlequin-themed gift tags and a $25 Target eGift Card!


Giveaway

  • One lucky reader will win the 6 books mentioned above, one package of ornament charms, one box of Harlequin-themed gift tags and a $25 Target eGift Card!
  • Open to US & Canada only.
  • Winners will be chosen at random through Rafflecopter via Random.org.
  • Winner will have 48 hours to respond before a new winner is chosen.
  • Must be 18 years or older to enter Rafflecopter.
  • Sweepstakes ends Tuesday, December 9th at 11:59pm ET.
  • Winner will be notified via email.
  • Void where prohibited.
  • Entering the Rafflecopter means you agree to terms above.
  • Good Luck!
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclosure: Imperfect Women and the participating bloggers were not compensated for this post. We are not associated with any of the companies named above. No purchase is necessary to enter. The odds of winning are based on the number of entries received Open to US residents only. The sponsor(s) will be responsible for product shipment to winner(s) of this giveaway. This event is in no way administered, sponsored, or endorsed by, or associated with, Facebook and/or Twitter, Google, Pinterest. This disclosure is done in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission 10 CFR, Part 255 Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements. Entrants must only enter with either one email address, IP address and/or Facebook account, anyone found violating these rules will be disqualified. It is at the sole discretion of the admin of the giveaway if the winner has met the rules or not.

Tuesday

Don't Forget Your Pets this Holiday Season

Do you buy your pets presents for Christmas? We do! Our cats LOVE sitting by us as we open up our Christmas presents every year. They must just know that we will always have something for them, too. This year I'm considering getting this PetSafe Eatwell 5 Meal Automatic Pet Feeder for our cats for Christmas. I think this would be great for when we take trips. Besides that, it would be great for every day use because they tend to overeat when no one is home. What do you give your pets for the Christmas? 



Welcome to the

PetSafe Feed My Pet Holiday Sweepstakes

Organized by Budget Earth

Sponsored by PetSafe

Looking for a way to better manage your pet's food? For many of us, dealing with a stressful life and a busy schedule can be tough on our pets. Not only is it hard to keep our pets on an eating schedule, but they often eat as quickly as us, leading to upset tummies and weight problems. To help make life easier on pet owners, PetSafe is happy to introduce the PetSafe Eatwell 5 Meal Automatic Pet Feeder!

This cool feeder gives you the freedom to leave your pet at home without worrying about missing meals, snacks, or just managing how much your pet can eat in one sitting. Just fill one of the five one-cup portion sections and set the timer for when you want your pet to eat. At the scheduled meal time, the tray will rotate to give your pet a meal right on time every day!

To learn more about this feeder, read Budget Earth's PetSafe Eatwell 5 Meal Automatic Pet Feeder Review here! Would you love the chance to win this awesome feeder for your own pet?

We are excited to be working with PetSafe on this fantastic giveaway! One very lucky winner will win their own PetSafe Eatwell 5 Meal Automatic Pet Feeder.

To enter, make sure to read the rules below and then enter through the Rafflecopter.

PetSafe Feed My Pet Holiday Sweepstakes

  • One lucky reader will win a PetSafe Eatwell 5 Meal Automatic Pet Feeder ($59.95 value).
  • Open to US ONLY.
  • Winners will be chosen at random via Random.org.
  • Sweepstakes ends December 10th at 11:59pm ET.
  • Winner will be notified via email.
  • Winner will have 48 hours to respond before a new winner is chosen.
  • Budget Earth is not responsible for prize fulfillment.
  • Must be 18 years or older to enter.
  • Only one entrant per household.
  • Void where prohibited.
  • Entering the giveaway form means you agree to terms above.
  • Good Luck!
PetSafe Feed My Pet Holiday Sweepstakes

Disclosure: This blog did not receive compensation for this giveaway. Facebook, Twitter, & Pinterest are in no way associated with this sweepstakes. Prize fulfillment will be handled by sponsor. Would you like to have your products featured in a giveaway event? Want to increase your social media exposure? Contact susan.l.bewley@gmail.com to see how I can help YOUR company today!

Perfect Gift Giving with California Delicious Giveaway

I love holiday shopping. I'm always looking for fun gift ideas for family and friends. How about you? Gift baskets are fun ideas to make and send to far away friends. If I don't have time to make any then I use services like California Delicious to help me get my gifts to family and friends.

Welcome to the California Delicious $50 Gift Card Giveaway
californiadeliciousgiveaway
Hosted by Gone Klippin’ Krazy and group of great bloggers!
Sponsored by California Delicious
This Giveaway Ends 12/02/14 11:59 PM EST

If the measure of a good gift is the amount of pleasure you receive from it, then California Delicious has perfected gift giving. Picture a basket full of goodies that calls to your taste buds when you look at it. Imagine so many choices you don't know where to start. The basket is so attractive you almost hate to take it apart, almost.... Please read our whole review HERE.

Your going to love the variety and convenience of California Delicious for gift giving. Check out our 2014 Holiday Gift Guide. California Delicious offers a selection of high quality gift baskets for every taste and price range. Choose between, Coffee & Tea Gifts, Gourmet Food Gifts, Chocolate Gifts, Wine Gifts, Fruit Gifts, Gifts for Her, Gifts for Him, Gifts under $30 and more!

You can view the full line of baskets from California Delicious by going to their website HERE. Right now if you visit the California Delicious website you can SAVE 15% off a $75 order. The perfect gift to send to family and friends who live far or near.

Don’t forget to follow California Delicious on Facebook, Twitter &Pinterest! And now the exciting part…“California Delicious” has generously offered to sponsor a GIVEAWAY!

 There will be 1 winner of a gift code valued at $50 ! You can enter this giveaway using the Rafflecopter widget below. Make sure you enter NOW and good luck!! OPEN US Only

  a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclosure: This contest is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with, Facebook, Twitter or Pinterest. By entering this giveaway, you understand that it is no way affiliated with Facebook and release them from any liability. Prize fulfillment is the responsibility of the sponsor. A winner will be chosen via random(dot)org. Enter More Giveaways Here

30 Day Ab Challenge

Who is up for a little bit of an ab challenge? What is an ab you ask? It is more like abs and that stands for abdominal which refers to your abdominal muscles. What? Why do we need an ab challenge? An ab challenge will help you work your abdominal muscles to strengthen the core of your body. The ab muscle can't be built up over night. They need continues work to get that "six pack" ab look. 


Thanks to 30 Day Fitness Challenges for this great graphic.
Besides working on an ab challenge such as the one below, we have to work on our overall healthy lifestyle. What you don't know what that means? It means we need to clean up what we eat, stop eating CRAP and start eating real FOOD. You can find out more about that in my Make Time for Clean Eating group. Click over and ask to join this free group to help you understand what CRAP really stands for and what real FOOD you should be eating. All are welcome in the group.

Yes we are now entering a month long grazing season between Thanksgiving and Christmas. Did you know that the average American gains 7-10 pounds from Halloween through the new year? Guess what YOU DO NOT NEED TO BE AVERAGE! I want you to be below average, like WAY below average.


Anyone want some of these abs? You have to work for them!


You can do this today by


  1. Joining this ab challenge which includes 4 different exercises to do daily.  Anyone can do it. It also involves squats which work your leg muscles. (more on that at a later post) Follow the Make Time for Abs challenge group to get inspired and have accountability partners.
  2. Clean up your every day eating so that when it comes time to go to parties you can enjoy the company, holiday spirit and food without gaining the average weight gain. Follow the Make Time for Clean Eating challenge group to learn more.
  3. Learn about overall health and nutrition and join our FREE Fitness Group, Make Time for Healthier Lifestyle.
  4. Learn how to clean up that diet, HERE with the 21 Day Fix! Autumn is on this and knows what to do! 
Do yourself a favor and do this today! Why not be above average and ahead of the weight loss group at the office by starting to get healthy now instead of January 1st. Either way you can find me here and at all of the above groups to help inspire and motivate you daily.


BTW the time spent doing the Ab Challenge will slowly increase daily to help you build up your core. You only have to do the time shown on the challenge chart once a day.


THIS SALE IS OVER! Keep in touch as I'm sure we'll have a spring sale!


Don't forget to join my FREE Fitness Group! https://www.facebook.com/groups/MakeTime4HealthierLifestyle/

Join my free mailing list to keep updated on future challenges, healthier recipes, easy exercises and more!

Monday

Rapid Renewal Challenge for Dry Winter Skin #RapidRenewal

Winter is harsh on my skin. The cold, dry air zaps any moistures and make my skin rough, itchy and irritated. I do my best not to itch by sometimes I do it and not even realize it. What are some of your winter skin challenges? Thanks to Global Influence for sponsoring this post. My own opinions are expressed here.
I participate in the Rapid Renewal Challenge which involved using Vaseline Intensive Care lotion over a few weeks. I was happy to particiapte as you can see the skin on the left is red and irritated from the late fall with winter like weather conditions. The lotion really helped take the redness out of my skin, made it less irritated and it got softer. I am still using it on my arms, hands, feet and legs as those are the areas which get the most irritated.

Do you have skin that could use some rapid renewal? If so, you too, can participate in this challenge by using Vaseline Intensive Care lotion or any other Vaseline brand products for several days to up to three weeks.

What will I win? You have a chance to win $30 Gift Card through Family Dollar

How do you share your results? You tweet your results and photos if you have them and use the hashtag #RapidRenewal. YES it is that easy!

Everyone is a winner! You can get $1 off coupon to use at Family Dollar right, here!

Wednesday

Take a Bite out of "The Original Buttermilk Pie Company” Pie

Welcome to “The Original Buttermilk Pie Company” Pie Giveaway
Imperfect Women is excited to introduce you to The Original Buttermilk Pie Company and bring you this awesome giveaway! For those of you who have never had a buttermilk pie, you are definitely in for a treat! You don’t have to be a fan of buttermilk to enjoy this pie. The reason for the buttermilk is really just to make the pie a little lighter and smoother. You will love it!



Brilla, also known as the "The Pie Queen" and the owner of The Original Buttermilk Pie Company, shares a little more about her pies:
This company has been a dream of mine for many years, and finally, after a lot of detours, it has all come together. I am a Breast Cancer Survivor, and you know us survivors, we just can’t give up on our dreams. So The Original Buttermilk Pie Company was born and a dream has become a reality! What we do is make the best buttermilk pies you have ever tasted. That is all that we do! We have several flavors to choose from, so once you have tried one, we know that you will want to try them all. They are amazing!!! The basis for our recipes goes back about five generations, but we have changed things up a lot from that beginning recipe. We’ve added a few things, taken a couple of things out, and now have what we believe to be an even more incredible pie! You may have had buttermilk pies before, but we know that you have never had one as good as ours! When you eat our pies, you will immediately try and figure out what is in them; what makes them so good! Well, we can’t tell you our secrets, but we can tell you that each pie is made from scratch and is made only after you place your order. Each pie is unique, too. Even though they may be baked at the same time, each pie looks just a little different than the next. Let’s just say that each pie has its own unique personality…..just like us! What they all do have in common is that they are all perfectly delicious!!!
Their current delicious pie options are: The Original | The Original, with Chocolate Chunks | The Original, with Chocolate and Pecans | The Original, with Chocolate, Pecans, and Coconut.

Make sure you order your Buttermilk Pies today for the upcoming holidays. You can purchase your pies from their website, The Original Buttermilk Pie Company. They ship everywhere in the Continental United States. Make sure you also like their Facebook page and follow them on Twitter to keep up with all of their news about their awesome pies!

Giveaway

One lucky reader will win a Buttermilk Pie of their choice (ARV $25) plus a $50 Target eCard!

One lucky reader will win a Buttermilk Pie of their choice (ARV $25)!

Open to US only
  • One lucky reader will win a Buttermilk Pie of their choice (ARV $25) plus a $50 Target eCard!
  • One lucky reader will win a Buttermilk Pie of their choice (ARV $25)!
  • Open to US only.
  • Winners will be chosen at random through Rafflecopter via Random.org.
  • Winner will have 48 hours to respond before a new winner is chosen.
  • Must be 18 years or older to enter Rafflecopter.
  • Sweepstakes ends Tuesday, December 2nd at 11:59pm ET.
  • Winner will be notified via email.
  • Void where prohibited.
  • Entering the Rafflecopter means you agree to terms above.
  • Good Luck!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Disclosure: Imperfect Women and the participating bloggers were not compensated for this post. We are not associated with any of the companies named above. No purchase is necessary to enter. The odds of winning are based on the number of entries received Open to US residents only. The sponsor(s) will be responsible for product shipment to winner(s) of this giveaway. This event is in no way administered, sponsored, or endorsed by, or associated with, Facebook and/or Twitter, Google, Pinterest. This disclosure is done in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission 10 CFR, Part 255 Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements. Entrants must only enter with either one email address, IP address and/or Facebook account, anyone found violating these rules will be disqualified. It is at the sole discretion of the admin of the giveaway if the winner has met the rules or not.

Monday

Keep in Touch with CaringBridge #mc #sponsored

Have you ever used CaringBridge for a loved one who was in the hospital? We have used it several times and it is such a wonderful resource. CaringBridge is an actual communication bridge between those who are facing the loneliness of a hospital stay, enduring a long recovery at home and for coordinating day-to-day, hands-on help for those in need. I participated in an Influencer Activation on behalf of Mom Central Consulting for CaringBridge. I received product a promotional item to thank me for my participation. 

Do you have a family member, friend or neighbor that would benefit from CaringBridge? Even if you do not have a loved one in the hospital, please go check out the CaringBridge website to learn more about the services on their easy to navigate website. Learn more at CaringBridge.org


{Holiday Wish List} Dessert Bullet Giveaway for the Family #DessertBulletTreats

Do you ever buy family gifts? You know what I'm taking about, right? Gift that the entire family can enjoy? Here is a gift idea I want added to our family holiday wish list.... the Dessert Bullet! What do you think about this sweet little machine? Read the review and enter the giveaway!

This is a promotional post for the Dessert Bullet



Welcome to the Dessert Bullet Giveaway
Hosted by: Parenting Healthy
Sponsor: Dessert Bullet

Supported by:

From the makers of the popular Magic Bullet blenders, comes a Dessert Blender for your entertaining and kitchen pleasure! In just seconds, you get healthy frozen treats made right in your kitchen. No ice or artificial additives needed to create your treats. You simply grab fruit you have frozen and thaw it a few minutes and your base is fresh fruit! You can make a wide combination of flavors by mixing fruits, adding chocolate or nuts and you can even create healthy shakes and iced drinks! 

The Dessert Bullet makes dairy-free, gluten-free, all natural, diabetic-friendly, low fat, low sugar and low calorie frozen treats possible. You eat what you add! Put the fruits and other ingredients you choose in the shoot up top and in less than 10 seconds you will be devouring a guilt-free dessert! Easy to use and makes an excellent gift this holiday season!

You can find the Dessert Bullet at https://www.dessertbullet.com/ as well as many retailers near you. 

The Giveaway
1 of our lucky readers will win a Dessert Bullet of their own! Enter below. Open to US. Ends 12/2/14!

Disclosure: This event was solely organized by Parenting Healthy. All opinions are 100% my own. Winner will be notified by email. Parenting Healthy and the participating Bloggers are not responsible for the fulfillment of prizes. All prizes will be shipped directly from sponsor.


RSV Prevention Tips #RSVAwareness #PreemieProtection #MC #sponsored {World Prematurity Day}

Premature birth is so scary. Our twins were born at 34 weeks and lung development was a constant concern before they were born and well into their first year. RSV was the biggest concern because premature babies have an increased risk for developing this severe disease. Do you have babies under the age of 2 or premature babies? Have you heard about RSV? I participated in an Influencer Activation on behalf of Influence Central for MedImmune. I received product samples to facilitate my review as well as a promotional item to thank me for my participation.

For World Premature Day Day, November 17th, I'm sharing with you information on RSV prevention. Did you know that RSV is a common seasonal virus seen in children under the age of two. The babies develop cold like symptoms and can turn into severe RSV disease. 

If your child goes from cold like symptoms to having:
  • Persistent cough, wheezing
  • Bluish color to nail beds or around the mouth
  • Rapid, difficult breathing
  • Fever over 100.4°F
Contact your healthy care provider immediately. We are most likely to see RSV from November through March every year. RSV disease is the leading cause of hospitalization for babies during their first year of life. The scary thing about RSV is that not everyone has heard of it. So please if you know of anyone with a preemie or baby under the age of two, share this with them. 


Prevention is so important with RSV to help minimize the spread because it is very contagious. It is so important to know why the virus can live on the skin and surfaces for hours and spread by touching, sneezing and coughing. As of now there isn't a treatment for RSV disease once it is contracted. 

Prevention is the key to minimize the spread. Here are some tips:
  • Wash hands before touching a baby and wash the babies hands, too.
  • Keep their toys, clothes, blankets,  and sheets clean
  • Avoid taking babies into crowded areas between November and March especially if they are preemies and be aware of this all year long
  • Avoid smoking around your child
  • Stay away from those who have been sick, are sick or have been in the hospital. 
You can learn even more about RSV here. Our preemies never got RSV but we were well aware of the risk and truly followed the prevention tips given to us by our health care providers. Share these tips with family and friends. 


Kick off your Holiday Shopping with Holiday Savings and Extra Deals

Could you use a little extra money for the holidays? If so this is a great giveaway just for you! I love saving money and stretching out the all mighty dollar. How about you?


It's the most wonderful time of the year, a time where we can all go shopping without guilt in the name of "holiday spirit" lol.  The number one thing about the holidays in most people's mind is their family EVEN those family members that drive you crazy you enjoy them that much more . If your anything like me you wait until there are AWESOME  coupons, discounts and deals... so many holiday savings. 

We know that there are many last minute shoppers SO hurry over and check out all the savings AND get all those gifts for the family that you love!  No need to wait for Black Friday or Cyber Monday, just check out the coupons and deals on Your Life After 25's coupons & discounts page.  NOT only are we spreading the word about all of those amazing deals we are also giving you the chance to Win: Your Life After 25 Holiday Savings and Coupon Giveaway!

Whether you're shopping for a new mom or babies, looking for the right present for the kids or trying to find something for co-worker or in-laws, you're sure to find coupons and deals to help!  And the savings isn't just for the holidays, we've all watched or seen those extreme couponers who save TONS of cash on groceries or every day items... you can do the same just start clipping coupons now :)
*Coupons open to USA, coupon codes open to USA/Can*

I love shopping for the holidays. I have my girls make a wish list so that I can pick and choose from things that they really want. I also buy personal gifts that I want them to have that they haven't added to their list. I do love shopping all year long for those extra special personal gifts. I save money buying these gifts all year long. Do you have any holiday saving times? 

Your Life After 25 Holiday Savings and Coupons Giveaway

• 3 Prizes Available; Grand Prize: $100 Amazon e-gift card + $20 
• 2nd Prize: $50 Amazon e-gift card + $20 The Pocket Sous Chef e-gift
• 3rd Prize: $50 Amazon e-gift card + $10 The Pocket Sous Chef e-gift

• Open to US & Canada. 
• Winners will be chosen at random through Giveaway Tools. 
• Giveaway ends December 18th at 11:59pm ET.
 • Winners will be notified via email or Twitter DM. 
• Mom Powered Media & associated bloggers are not responsible for prize fulfillment. 
• Each winner will have 48 hours to respond before a new winner is chosen. 
• Must be 18 years or older to enter. 
• Unlimited Entries 
• Void where prohibited. 
• Entering the giveaway means you agree to terms above. 
• Good Luck!

Sunday

Healthier Lifestyle Tool Precision CalPal Bathroom Scale

Who is ready for a healthy tool to go along with your new eating plan and exercise program? A scale is a tool that can be used to gauge your weight loss. This tool is a great gift idea, too. Take advantage of this giveaway and get in all of the entries! 

Welcome to the Precision CalPal Bathroom Scale Giveaway
precisiongiveaway
Hosted by Gone Klippin’ Krazy and group of great bloggers!
Sponsored by EatSmart
This Giveaway Ends 11/24/14 11:59 PM EST

My old scale has seen its last leg, let me just say, I really needed a new scale. I was thrilled to receive the EatSmart Precision CalPal Digital Bathroom Scale for review. Initially I just loved the look of the scale. The glass and gray/black accents look really sharp together and will go with any decor. When I opened this scale, I realized what I actually had was a tool. The CalPal Makes a Great Gift – An exceptional value at $35.00( retail value $79.95), the Precision CalPal reinforces the belief that weight management is not a quick fix but part of a long term commitment to a healthy lifestyle.

I would have thought this scale would have been priced considerably higher. Please read our whole review HERE.

Your going to love the innovative technology and design of the Precision Bathroom Scale. Check out our 2014 Holiday Gift Guide. I really like this scale and the price is great. You get the "Smart Scale" look and technology. This scale can help you keep on track with your weight and is easy to use. Shop the EatSmart Precision CalPal Digital Bathroom Scale for a great holiday gift.

Keep up on EatSmart promotions and deals and visit EatSmart on Facebook, follow on Twitter, Google plus, YouTube, Pinterest and Instagram. And now the exciting part…“EatSmart” has generously offered to sponsor a GIVEAWAY! There will be 1 winner of a Precision CalPal Digital Bathroom Scale

You can enter this giveaway using the Rafflecopter widget below. Make sure you enter NOW and good luck!! OPEN US Only a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclosure: This contest is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with, Facebook, Twitter or Pinterest. By entering this giveaway, you understand that it is no way affiliated with Facebook and release them from any liability. Prize fulfillment is the responsibility of the sponsor. A winner will be chosen via random(dot)org. Enter More Giveaways Here

Friday

Top Creative Holiday Card Display Ideas #HolidayCardDisplay

The holidays are fast approaching which means it will be time for me to send out our family Christmas cards. While I love sending out our cards each year, I really enjoy getting cards from family and friends. For the most part, the cards and photo cards that we receive are from family and friends who do not live near us. I love displaying those cards at the holidays and all year long. How about you? Thanks to Global Influence for sponsoring this post.  

About 8 years or so ago I found these wire decorative wall frames at a local craft store. I knew right away when I saw them that I wanted to hang these up in our family room to display our Christmas cards.


As the cards start arriving I add them to the wire frames. I leave the cards up through the holidays as a form of holiday decoration. When the holidays are over, I leave them up for the rest of the year until the next year's cards arrive. I know that might seem kinda of crazy but I love looking at them all year long. I also love it when people come over and they see that I have their card hanging up. 

How do you display your holiday cards? Now that you saw my idea, I'm sharing some of my favorites which I found on Pinterest. I hope you enjoy them and get inspired to display your Christmas cards this year, too! 

Framed Christmas Cards by Reasons to Skip the Housework



DIY Santa Bucket by That's What (Che) Said

How to Display Christmas Cards by Interior Design Info.



Snowman Wreath by Simply Sprout - I think that I"m adding this to my decor this year! LOVE IT!!!!



Creative Christmas Card Display by The Frugal Homemaker


DIY Cardholder from Women's Day








I love this card from Paper Culture. It would be so fun to get and hang up! (hint hint)

This post was inspired by Paper Culture who offer unique Christmas Cards and Holiday Cards.

Thursday

Are You a Scale Worshiper? Join the Scale Is Going Down Challenge #scaleisgoingdown

Are you a scale worshiper? You know what I mean, right? A scale worshiper is someone who gets on the scale every. single. day. Oh and not only once a day but 5 times in a row or 3 times a day? Be honest with me here, are you a scale worshiper? If you had a choice from making that scale your god to determine your weight loss vs. using common sense, healthy eating and moving more to determine if you are living a healthier lifestyle, which would you choose? Which would you prefer if you had a choice?

Guess what? I use to be one of those scale worshipers. I would check that scale over and over, even 5 times in a row to make sure it was correct. When the scale would go up showing a weight gain I would want to eat in despair. When the scale would go down showing a weight loss I would eat in celebration of that ounce, pound or more loss. Be honest with me, is this you as well? I know that I'm not alone in this battle of worshiping a scale. Now that I have you depressed I have good news to share with you today!

Yesterday I shared this photo with my sweet friends in our Make Time 4 Healthier Lifestyle Group . I'm going to share the photo with you and then I want you to do what I asked of them in the below comments. LEAVE A COMMENT as to whatever you thought of when you saw this photo....Remember it has to be your first thought(s)!



Thanks all for sharing your thoughts in the comment section below! Want to read what my other friends shared about this photo? Click over to our Make Time for a Healthier Lifestyle and read up! Can you relate? Join our free group, too. We have great discussions on healthy living and struggles!

Here are a few of their comments (click over to read more). Can you relate? Again the scale is different for everyone. Good, bad, ugly and more! 

  • KH: Whoop! I just got on that thing this am and lost 2.5 pounds! I have seen a number on the scale that I have not seen in over 20 years! Right now it is a good friend. I am pretty sure this will not always be my reaction to this photo.
  • JB: Getting smaller! Two ways to measure success!
  • DY: Ugh.
  • AH: I'm trying!
  • RY: No pain, no gain!
  • DG: She's got nice curves.
  • CL: Not weighing today
  • CB: I can't budge that needle.
  • CE: Sadness & depression over my current weight. Thanks a lot, Susan!
  • RG: Weight does not equal size.
  • ML: A sexy woman!
  • WM: Love and hate relationship

 I have to tell you that you should use this scale as little as possible. As a matter of fact if you have one at home, throw it away. Wait are you too frugal to throw it away? Will it drive you insane to throw away a perfectly good scale? Then put it out in the garage, up in the attic, in a box in the closet. Whatever you do, please get the scale out of your eyesight and out of the eyesight of anyone else in the home.

Please do not use the scale as a way to determine if you are dropping pounds. Instead of a scale, go on how your clothes are fitting you. I challenge you to go one month in-between weighing yourself. Instead of worshiping the scale god, start eating the right foods and moving more. I can tell you all of this because I was a scale worshiper. I would let it determine how good or bad I would feel for that day or for that minute. It isn't easy to break away from it but you can do it.

Message me and I'll help. Again, I can help you because I have been there. I was a scale worshiper. Early October I went to my Dr. to get weighted. I was at 92 lbs down on my 2 1/2 year battle with weight loss (check my weight loss journey right here on my blog.)

My battle has been long and drawn out because it is a fight that I have to get through. I have had to learn how to eat, when to eat, what to eat, how much to exercise, how much is too much exercise and more! I have learned to not make the scale my god but to give thanks to my heavenly Father for all the gifts he has given me which includes food! Food can turn into a god which in turn gives way to the scale god. Those bad habits can be broken. Do you want to Make Time to take the Scale Down with me???

Join our Scale Is Going Down Challenge on Facebook! Let's break this unhealthy habit and free ourselves from the scale bondage today! We can do it together. Share this challenge post with your friends, too! Invite them into our group so we can work together. I will gladly work with you one on one as well. Email me, leave a comment below on how to contact you or message me on Facebook.

Give yourself this gift this holiday season. What is the gift? The gift is living a healthier lifestyle.

Here are my current free challenge groups.

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