Beautiful Homemakers

I am giving away my own copy of "Creating a Beautiful Home" by Alexandra Stoddard because it worked for me. (Contest is over now) I read this book about two years ago and as I went through the chapters I kept a list of potential changes I would like to make.  Each chapter discusses a room and has a list of ideas for your own home. I love to read books like these, but rarely do they have suggestions that might really work for me. I know this book did, because when I picked up the book last month and looked over my list, I discovered that I had implemented almost all of the (practical) changes!  I had forgotten that I even had the list.  Writing things down truly is powerful. This is when I knew that I had to give this book away to bless someone else. If you are a subscriber and would like a chance to win this book on November 10, 2012, please leave me a comment and I'll put your name in the hat.

Once I left work to stay home with my baby, none of my clothes fit.  No more cute suits.  No sleep, therefore no make-up...you many know what I mean. But a few years ago I met a beautiful woman at my new homeschooling group.  She has a positive attitude, gracious spirit, and an obvious love of her darling husband (DH), but she also dressed cute and stylish.  I, was trying to cover up, spend no money on myself (now living on one income), and dress modestly.  With Christmas money I went to a fairly expensive chain store.  My money didn't go far but I matched and felt good - navy pants, top & lace overshirt.  I asked my DH how he liked it and he replied, "Nice, but not very sexy." SEXY?  I'm not trying to be sexy!  I'm going about in the world trying to dress nice and modestly! But then it hit me - I had lost my ideal - to be sexy for my darling husband.  My beautiful friend was wearing clothes that pleased her husband.  She dressed for him.  Let

picture of Audrey Hepburn  from Fabbrunette.com 1)  Goo Gone .   I lived with an old, sticky mark from masking tape on a wood door for 9 YEARS.  It was there when I moved in. I had tried cleaners and a razor blade but to no avail.  One day my darling child stepped in gum on our front walk.  I got out the "goo-be-gone" (as I called it) and quickly cleaned up his shoe and the sidewalk within minutes.  Then I looked at that sticky mark on the door at zapped it with GOO GONE and it disappeared in seconds.  Nine years and it required a 30-second fix.  Also works GREAT on removing stickers from items.  Highly recommend you keep some in your cabinet! 2) Shark's PURPLE floor sweeper.   I use this several times a week to vacuum my entire house within 30 minutes.  This is for hardwood and vinyl floors - NOT for carpets.  I do use it on area rugs and kitchen rugs, but it would not clean a carpeted house.  I think it holds a 45 minute charge and has a nifty release button for