Do You PicMonkey?

Oh....hallelujah. Were you a Picnic user? Were you devastated when Picnic decided to leave us hanging in the dark, cold, edit-less world? Oh...I was! In the meantime I've been learning how to use Photoshop, and so far I think I have it figured out. PHEW!!!

BUT. And what a big but this is. HAVE YOU HEARD ABOUT PicMonkey!?!

I just found out about it, and it was too good to not share! I think it just started up and is still in the baby stage, but if you used Picnik, you'll LOOOOVE PicMonkey. It's basically the same thing!!! It's free, it's fun, and it's easy to use! 

It does pretty much all of the same things that the Picnik you used to know and love does! 

In fact...if I didn't know any better I would think it WAS made by the same people as Picnik. Gosh...IS IT!?! Either way, I love it. 

 

I edited this one of Aaron yesterday. It had been raining ALLLL DAY. The worms were out of the ground "swimming" in the puddles. When Aaron looked outside he suddenly looked very distraught. "MOM! Look at the worms! I think they're drowning! I have to put on my boots and get outside to save them!" And so, he did. Every single one in our driveway. Oh how I love my tenderhearted boy. He makes my heart happy. :)

Want to know what else makes my heart happy? SURPRISES. My husband came home from work in the middle of the day to change the windshield wipers on the van. IN THE RAIN. He was so busted. :) In a good way.

See? Too good not to share. :) Because YOU make my heart happy, too.

Have fun!

Sunshine Designs Shop and Giveaway!

One of my FAVORITE things about blogging is the friends that I make. I'd like to introduce you to Kim, one of the first blog friends I made when I decided to enter into the craft blog world. She has been so supportive and fun, and I really cherish her friendship! This girl is AWESOME. And I am lucky enough to get to share some of her awesomeness with you!

She is doing a giveaway here on NatSprat of not just one item, but two!  (I know, right!?!) The winner of this giveaway will win a set of her new Springtime Slouchy Hats! You will win a matching adult beanie and a toddler size beanie. Aren't they adorable!?! It would be a great little Mother's Day gift to you or a friend!

 and from the back..

She also has her very own super cute shop!




You can also find her at etsy HERE!

This is where you can get her many BEAUTIFUL creations! Want to see what she does? And these aren't even all of them!  You can also pick your own yarn colors for everything. I have one of her ear warmers with the flower (pictured upper right hand corner) and I seriously LOVE it!!! Mine is in fusha with a cream flower, and it is absolutely gorgeous!

,

Here's how to enter! (One entry for each thing you do!)

1. Go to the Sunshine Designs shop and tell me what your favorite item is

2. Follow NatSprat

3. Follow Kim's blog Little Rays of Sunshine

3. Post this giveaway on Facebook

4. Tweet this giveaway

That's 4 different ways to enter! Be sure to leave a comment for each thing you do. :)

This giveaway will end on Sunday, May 13th.On your mark....get set...go!

Favorite Things Friday

Happy Friday!!! Oh, how I love Fridays. Our school district has a 4 day week, so it's nice to get a 3 day weekend with the kids. Ready to see my favorite things of the week? Here we go!

 

 I got this scent INTO THE WILD at Bath and Body Works and I am seriously digging it. Usually I don't like the perfumy flavors, I'm more of a fruit scent gal. But this? This smells SOOOO good! If you like Clinique Happy, you'd like this. It's a light, clean, not super sweet scent. It smells like a trendy expensive perfume!

 

Are you potty training? Going on a vacation? This fold up potty seat has been a lifesaver! My 2 year old daughter is afraid of the giant cave of a potty bowl and used to REFUSE to use the potty anywhere but at home where she has her regular potty chair thing. I saw this at Walmart and thought we'd give it a try, and it's been awesome. It folds up nice and small and has a carrying case so you can carry it in your diaper bag or purse or whatever! I know...I know...you are probably thinking EEEEW, GROSS. But, I have those disinfectant wipes that I use to wipe it down with before I put it back away. And I would rather clean the folding potty seat than take Kate around town after she's peed her pants. ;)

 ZUMBA, baby!!! Have you joined the party yet? If not, you have GOT to! My SIL, Kathy is a Zumba instructor (she's freaking awesome) and I have got to tell you, I didn't know that working out could be so much fun! Since I started, I have lost 8 pounds and really shrunk down and toned up. The class goes by really fast and you sweat like crazy, which means you ARE working. But it just feels like you're at a dance party! Good times, my friend. Good times.

 I used these in my Teacher Appreciation gift, "It's O-FISH-AL, You are the best teacher EVER!". Totally cheesy, I know. But she loved it. And of course I ate a few. And oh.my.gosh. These things are GOOOOOOD! I guess it's a good thing I go to Zumba...I've got to burn these things off somehow.

If you were to come to my house right now, it would smell like this. YUMMMM. It's a perfect scent for spring going into summer...it smells nice and tropical-ish! I'm not a Scentsy distributor, but if you know one I totally recommend this scent!

And that covers it for my Favorite Things Friday! Have a FABULOUS weekend, my friends! 

{Pin}spired Copycat Week 8

Hey..."owl" bet you remember this guy! :)

I was asking for advice on what to do with him. I had quite a few of you suggest that I paint him teal or some kind of turquoise. I loved the idea. I love anything teal! And then, one day, when I was browsing through my pins, I saw this pin!

Yup. No doubt about it. That owl was going to be turquoise. 

And now it is. And I love it!

The end. 

Linked up to:

Tatertots and Jello

Dollar Tree 72 Hour Kit @ Prepping With NatSprat!

 

Sound like fun? Then.....

 

 

Newborn Session Giveaway!

Do you live here in Colorado? Are you or someone you know expecting? Would you like to win a free newborn session from a great photographer? My super talented (in EVERY way) Sister-In-Law is having a newborn session giveaway on her blog, Kathy Jacobs Photography! If you are interested, head on over and check out the details! Here are a few of my favorites:

 

NatSprat's Homemade Maple Syrup

 

It's Sunday, so I have pancakes on the brain. Every Sunday after church, we have some sort of a lunch usually requiring maple syrup. Waffles...french toast...pancakes...things like that. So we go through A LOT of syrup! Personally, I'm not a big fan of the imitation syrups like Mrs. Buttersworth or Aunt Jemimah. It's mostly high fructose corn syrup and the texture is SUPER sticky and borderline slimy. I like the REAL stuff. The stuff that is so dang expensive that you cringe as your kids drown their pancakes in it. Know what I'm saying? 

A few years ago I found an alternative to the expensive maple syrup (though you wouldn't be able to taste the difference!). It's SOOOOO much cheaper (around .50 cents per filled syrup bottle!!!) and it's way better than pouring flavored high fructose corn syrup all over your french toast. Want to know my secret?

It's this WONDERFUL thing called Mapeline Imitation Maple Flavor. You can find it at most grocery stores or Walmart. It's about $4 and will make 24 pints of maple syrup!

Want to make your own syrup? It's SO easy!

NAT'S MAPLE SYRUP RECIPE

Bring 1 cup of water to a boil

add 1 cup brown sugar

  1 cup regular sugar

1/2 tsp. Mapeline

Stir it until the sugar is dissolved.

That's it!

This stuff is a staple at our house! It tastes SO good and is a great way to save some grocery money... and not have to cringe when your kids pour their own syrup. ;)

Linked Up To:
DIY Home Sweet Home
I Heart Naptime