Merry Christmas with Frankincense

About Me

I made this blog to organize my "business" blog: Scrappy Gifts more and make it look nicer.
Therefore, this blog is for my personal crafts, educating on essential oils, sharing cool products and awesome giveaways. Who doesn't like giveaways!?
Plus now join me for my Mommy Mondays, Wellness Wednesdays and Fashionable Fridays. I created these to encompass all parts of my blog name. For Mommy Mondays, I'll share some of my joys and struggles from being a Mommy. For Fashionable Fridays, I'll share mostly what I wear in attempt to not be in plain t-shirts and jeans or pajamas everyday. Now that I consider myself to be an essential oils educator using dōTERRA products, I wanted to have Wellness Wednesdays to focus on things I've learned for your overall health and wellness so more people can be empowered with their family's health.
Here's a little bit more about me. I'm Maryanne Nelson, a wife to an aspiring illustrator and a stay at home mom to two smart, fun kids: a  handsome, sweet  boy and a beautiful, charismatic girl.

I've been scrapbooking since the beginning of 2005, and I have grown to love it! It provides a strong creative outlet for me and makes me feel like I belong in Relief Society (a Latter-Day Saint Organization for Women). Sometimes I even dream about the perfect scrapbook layout.
Along with scrapbooking, I enjoy blogging, reading, playing games, and baking. I want to learn how to cook more, grocery shop on a budget, and sew. Plus I love learning how to do it yourself to make your home beautiful and seeing how creative people are.
I have a degree in Elementary Education from Brigham Young University-Idaho thus teaching is in my blood. I love helping people and sharing with others what I know. I would say I'm pretty savvy on what are great deals and getting savvier on blogging. I'll show my creativity and what I know here. Plus I love the thrill of winning a prize so I'll post about giveaways that I'm entering as well as do some of my own giveaways.

Chrstimas Stockings

Since my great grandma made me my cute stocking many many years ago, I've been wanting to have cute stockings for my  kids.

So last Christmas I made these stockings using fabric, heat bond, pom poms, ric rac and my Silhouette =) I love them!

Vinyl Ornaments

I made this last year for a 2 year old's birthday - her birthday is in December and she had a Princess party.

Used my Silhouette for the vinyl and put some princess stickers on the inside.

I also made Silhouette ornaments with vinyl last year for my learning group kids.

I first took side profiles of the kids. In Photoshop, I selected their head, filled it with black, smoothed edges, deleted background, and saved as a png. I opened it up in my Silhouette machine, traced it and cut it out along with their name and date.

As a child I used to make bead ornaments with my parents. I hope to keep up of the tradition of making ornaments for people with my kids in the future.

129th Fashionable Fridays - Coral and Lace

Hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving!

More from my photo shoot with Aly Willis Photography. This look I wore to a wedding over the summer. I love the coral pink and lace.

Photography: Aly Willis Photography
Make-up: Ariel Lewellen

Top: Rue 21
Skirt: made by Skirts n' Things
Necklace: Paparazzi

This outfit gave me the inspiration for my beauty photo shoot. Natural colors and make-up. These are the images I found that I sent to Aly and Ariel to get the look I want especially the vertical image of Selena Gomez. I think they did amazing to get the look I wanted!

Applique B Onesie

I made this easy little B initial onesie shirt for a fellow crafter's sister's baby shower. Easy to cut out the fabric and Heat Bond with my Silhouette. Then sewed around it just in case.

128th Fashionable Fridays - Purple Striped Dolman Top

More from my photo shoot with Aly Willis Photography.  I didn't know that this shirt could look this good. I usually just throw it on a very casual look, but it can be dressed up very nicely for a sophisticated casual look.

Photography: Aly Willis Photography
Make-up: Ariel Lewellen

127th Fashionable Fridays - Bold Red

More from my photo shoot with Aly Willis Photography. Love wearing red with my skin color.

Photography: Aly Willis Photography
Make-up: Ariel Lewellen

Red Top (it's actually a piece of lingerie): Eden Fantasys
Under Shirt: Down East Basics

I love being able to get many uses out of clothing I purchase.

126th Fashionable Fridays - Casual Cream

More from my photo shoot with Aly Willis Photography. This look is more casual, but very cute and comfortable. I feel really confident in this shirt because it's flowing and hides my poochy tummy.

Photography: Aly Willis Photography
Make-up: Ariel Lewellen

Cream Top: clothing swap
Brown Lace Tank: Down East
Jeans: Kohls
Coral and Cream Necklace: Paparazzi

 

125th Fashionable Fridays

About a month ago, I was able to do a beauty photo shoot with Aly Willis  Photography.

Here are some of the photos with one of my old dresses. I was surprised I could make some of these expressions - can't figure out how to do them again!

This dress technically doesn't fit me anymore unless I didn't want to breathe, but I sure love it. Plus it still looks fabulous even with a shirt underneath - Modest is Hottest =)

Aly, the photographer, did a great job at combining the two necklaces together for a great look.

 

Happy Halloween 2013!

Throwback Thursday

Getting lots of use with my costume over the years. Have you ever done repeat costumes? #TBT

2008 - Scarecrow who ate a Pumpkin
2009 - Wizard of Oz Trio
2013 - Wizard of Oz with Dorothy!

Happy Halloween!

Clean Romance Books - A Ripple Effect Romance Novellas

I love clean Romance books especially LDS Romantic Fiction.Here are some new books coming out next year that are from some amazing authors I've read recently.

Become a "backer" for these series, and you can get all 6 of these books in Ebook or Paperback form - see more information about donating here: http://kck.st/15sYKGb - I personally chose the $15 pledge to get all 6 of these books in e-book form when they come out =) Can't wait to read them.

The Ripple Effect Romance Novella Series 
Enjoy this exciting new series of clean novellas by six critically-acclaimed authors.

"Like a pebble tossed into calm water, a simple act can ripple outward and have a far-reaching effect on those we meet, perhaps setting a life on a different course—one filled with excitement, adventure, and sometimes even love."

Book 1: Home Matters by Julie N. Ford
Book 2: Silver Linings by Kaylee Baldwin
Book 3: Righting A Wrong by Rachael Anderson
Book 4: Lost and Found by Karey White
Book 5: Second Chances 101 by Donna K. Weaver
Book 6: Immersed in Love by Jennifer Griffith

Home Matters by Julie N. Ford

According to her mother, Olivia Pembroke was born to be a star. But how is she supposed to be famous when she can't even get a decent acting gig? Her lucky break comes when she lands an audition for a wildly popular home improvement show. Even though she has no design training and has never even held a power tool, she refuses to let that stop her. She's confident that her destiny is finally within reach.

When her affections are torn between her heartthrob co-host and the irritating, yet somehow endearing lead contractor, does she continue to reach for the stars? Or does she design a new happily ever after? One that leads not to the fading lights of fame and fortune, but to a love that will burn forever.

Silver Linings by Kaylee Baldwin

Drew Westfall wants nothing more than to forget what he had to do in the name of "smart" business. Cutting off all ties with his parents—including handing over the entire contents of his trust fund to a charity—he takes off for Bridger, Colorado where his best friend has an extra room for him. It doesn't take long for him to realize that his business degree won’t do him much good in a town as small as Bridger, but he's broke and has nowhere else to go.

Eden Torresi has every reason to wallow. Not only did she lose her mother, but she had to drop out of nursing school and is in a relationship with a guy unwilling to commit. But Eden isn't the wallowing type. Instead, she chooses to spend most of her time taking care of the seniors at Silver Linings Nursing home. When she learns that her boyfriend's new roommate is down on his luck, her caring nature makes her want to reach out to him and offer what help she can. But the more time they spend together, the more complicated things get, especially when the seniors of Silver Linings decide to play matchmaker.

Righting a Wrong by Rachael Anderson

Seven years ago, Cambri Blaine fled her small hometown of Bridger, Colorado after her senior year ended in a fiasco. Only Jace Sutton knew the real reason why—that she was a spineless coward. Now, seven years later, her father's been in an accident and needs help, and Cambr has no choice but to return home. So with trepidation, she takes a leave of absence from the landscape architecture firm where she works and boards a plane, hoping against hope that Jace is no longer around and that the past can stay where it belongs—in the past.

If only life worked that way.

Jace never expected to see Cambri again. After she’d led him on, bruised his heart, and left town without a backward glance, he was forced to pick up the pieces and try not to hate her for it. Eventually, he put it behind him and moved on, creating a life for himself in his beloved hometown. But now that Cambri is back and looking more beautiful and sophisticated than ever, some of those old feelings resurface, and Jake instinctively knows, for the sake of his heart, that he needs to avoid her at all costs.

If only it were that easy.

Lost and Found by Karey White

Lydia was supposed to have an adventurous and exciting summer. Instead she's done nothing more than read and eat takeout. Now it's time to go home, and what does she have to show for it? A big fat nothing. Unless, of course, her trip to the airport somehow turns into something more than just a flight home.

Blake feels like he's been sent on a wild goose chase. While work is piling up back in Denver, he's on the other side of the country, hunting for some mysterious box that his grandfather left him. Well, no more. Nothing inside that box could possibly be more important than the opportunity to make it as the youngest partner at his firm. So he's going home, and that's that. But that's before he discovers his flight has been cancelled.

When these two strangers meet at the airport, they make a split-second decision to search for the box together. Maybe with both of them on the hunt, Lydia can have her adventure and Blake can find the box. And maybe, if they’re lucky, they’ll even find some romance.

Second Chances 101 by Donna K. Weaver

Thirty seven year old Francie Davis, a recent widow and empty nester, gets to attend college at last. She’s sure her luck has changed when she also lands a job on campus that will pay her tuition, as administrative assistant to a history professor. When her handsome new boss yells at her on the first day of work, Francie worries she will never be good enough.

For Professor Alex Diederik, life is going downhill fast. Not only is his bitter ex-wife trying to poison their only daughter against him, but now his one place of solace—his work environment—is being complicated by his attractive new administrative assistant. She drives home his feelings of failure as a husband and father, and Alex wonders if hiring her was the right thing to do.

Francie will have to put aside her hurt and insecurities or risk her dreams, while Alex must look outside himself if he’s to mend the breach with his daughter. And, perhaps, find someone who can help heal his pain.

Immersed in Love by Jennifer Griffith

Lisette Pannebaker speaks five languages and has a brilliant business plan—personal language immersion. Clients can hire her to shadow them and speak all day in any language they need to learn for business or travel—whatever.

But there’s a major hitch: she’s far too pretty. Clients with less than honorable intentions sign up just have Lisette at their side. Solution? A make-under. Way under.It works like a charm. None of her male clients show her the least bit of interest.

Until… Erik.

Erik Gunnarsson is charming, kind, and smart—everything she’s ever looked for. Even though he seems to have a secret and she swore she'd never date a client, Lisette is tempted to shed her disguise—even if it means jeopardizing her career.



Giveaway Details
$25 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash
Ends 10/31/13

Bloggers who put up a spotlight post about these books on their blog can enter to win an additional $25 gift card or paypal cash.  See details in the Rafflecopter.

Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader, Not A Writer and sponsored by the authors. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.


a Rafflecopter giveaway

93rd Mommy Mondays - Carousel Rides

My kids were able to ride the carousel once each week the last 2 weeks with carousel coupons from their summer reading at the library.

This was my son's first time riding it without crying or getting scared.

This was my daughter's first time ever. She became leary of it halfway through but never cried.

The second time they went, their dad was able to come along and my daughter stayed on it the whole time.

What fun and simple things have you done this summer with your kids?

Ready for back to school?

124th Fashionable Fridays - Grey Chevron

Grey Chevron Dress made by The Polka Dot Alligator (on FB and Etsy). Love maxi t-shirt dresses!

Anyone know where I can find a wide purple belt (so I can wear this for future dōTERRA events) or any other colors besides red or black? I love wide belts to hide my tummy.

T-Shirt Maxi Dress: The Polka Dot Alligator
Necklace: Domestic Vixen (on FB and Etsy)
Belt - Kohls

28th Wellness Wednesdays - Roman Chamomile

A couple weeks ago, Roman Chamomile was a little life saver in my home. My son got stung by two hornets. A couple days later we found that there was a hornets nest under the slide. Scary! Glad we found it before a bunch of other kids came over to play.

He came running, screaming! Immediately I put lavender on them because that's the first one I remembered. He calmed down within 2 minutes.
I kept looking for major signs of allergic reactions since I've never been stung so I don't know if any of us are allergic. All I saw was a rash forming on his arm so I went to my trusty Modern Essentials book and looked up Bites/Stings. The number one recommended was Roman Chamomile with cold compress. So I got a wet rag put some drops of Roman Chamomile, put a ice pack in the middle and put that on his arm. Within 30 minutes, his rash was gone and you couldn't see the circles of where he was stung.

I also looked up Allergies and added some Peppermint on his arm too just in case.

Without my oils, I'd probably would have freaked out more. I love being able to help my family be calm in scary situations.

92nd Mommy Mondays - Butterflies

A couple of weeks ago, our neighbors brought us over 2 caterpillars to take care of so that my kids could watch them turn into Monarch Butterflies. So cool!

I was super nervous we'd end up killing them especially when they started hanging on the lid. If the fell off the lid, then they would be dead. The easy part was feeding them milkweed leaves. They ate through probably 3 whole leaves before they made their way to the top of the lid.

Luckily we survived it, walking super slowly when moving them (they shook a lot!).

Our first butterfly we found in the middle of the day moving around at the bottom of the jar. Opened the jar, my husband pulled it out and it immediately flew away. We didn't get pictures of that one.

Our second butterfly, I had brought it inside since it was storming outside. It was hanging upside down and out. I was afraid it was dead. I just think it was still stretching.

Woke my kids from bed to watch and get pictures this time. It just kept stretching its wings. Finally we had to leave for the day so we left it down by some plants to hide from prey. It slowly made its way out on to the plants. When we got home, it was gone. Hoping it flew away and wasn't eaten!

Us with our butterfly

123rd Fashionable Fridays - Budding Models

My kids like to try and copy my poses and get their picture taken =)

Modeling a Grey Yoga Skirt for The Polka Dot Alligator (on Etsy and FB)
I decided to show how you can dress this skirt up. It's easy to dress down with a t-shirt and leggings underneath too.

This Mod Top is also made by The Polka Dot Alligator

Shoes: Dilliards
Necklace: Paparazzi