Tips on Getting Your Pool Ready For Summer

I am partnering with HTH® Pool Supplies to share my tips on how to get your pool ready for Summer, but all opinions are my own.

School is out, which means it is officially summer and time for long days by the pool. We always kick off Memorial Day weekend with a pool party and cook out for family and friends. This means I spend the week before cleaning the deck and area around the pool, getting it ready to open. HTH® Pool Supplies make it easy to get your water ready for swimmers and you can pick it up during your next trip to Walmart!

We have been opening our pool for about 10 years now and each time it gets a little easier. We are always looking for ways to get it open a little quicker so we can enjoy it. We start by using a small pump hooked to a hose to drain the rain water off the pool cover. Next, we use a net to remove the leaves and debris that has fallen over the winter. Once the pool cover is mostly clear, we remove the water tubes from around the edges and remove the cover.

Getting Started in Bible Journaling Using a Journal

The journal was provided to me by DaySpring to review, but all opinions are my own. 

There are many ways to study scripture and one of the ways I like to dive in to the Word is through journaling. It allows me to focus on the passage and be creative in the process which helps me retain what I am reading. Even if you do not have a Journaling Bible, you can still get creative while studying scripture.

This Devotional Doodle Journal is the perfect place to start if you do not know where to start. It offers a short devotional with lines for journaling and a prompt page to doodle on. The one I started with (shown below) was the simple task of drawing stars. 

Mother's Day Gift Ideas and Giveaway

Mother's Day is right around the corner so I am rounding up some of my favorite gift idea posts for you. Stick around till the end because I am also co-hosting a huge giveaway where you have the chance to win 1 of 3 gift cards worth over $100 each to treat your mom...or yourself!

Whether you want to make something special for your mom or just head to the store or click that "Add to Cart" button, I have several ideas for you. Just click the links to be taken to the post for more information.

Ellie Claire 365 Devotional Journal Review

The journals were provided to me by Ellie Claire Gifts to review, but all opinions are my own.

I have recently been given the chance to work with Ellie Claire Gifts and am glad be able to share some inspirational resources with you. A few weeks ago, I reviewed a set of Art Journals and gave away two of them to a couple of my followers on Instagram! With the new year approaching, many of us are making goals and one of mine is always to spend time daily in the Word. One thing that helps me stay on track is having a daily devotional I can easily turn to.  I am excited to share with you a set of 365-day devotional journals.

All three have beautifully illustrated covers with modern artwork. They also have an elastic strap that holds the book closed and a ribbon book mark to save your page. Each daily devotional ends with a thought to meditate on as well as a lined area to record reflections and thoughts.

Tips for Getting Your Guest Bedroom Ready for Visitors

This is a sponsored post written by me in collaboration with HomeRight. All opinions are mine alone.

Our guest bedroom does not get used a lot, but since I have family that lives out of town, we tend to have some overnight guests around the holidays. Since the bedroom stays closed up most of the year, this is the perfect time to air it out and spruce it up a bit for holiday house guests. 

Today, I am sharing my secret weapon for sanitizing the entire bed...pillows, comfortor, and mattress, since you cannot easily wash these things. I am also sharing a few tips on how to make your guest bedroom feel like home.

Dryel Saves Your Clothes from Shrinking and Fading

This is a sponsored post written by me in collaboration with Dryel. All opinions are mine alone.

My Fall/Winter wardrobe consists of chunky sweaters and dark skinny jeans. I don't have to worry about my sweaters stretching or my dark denim fading or shrinking with Dryel.

I try to get a few wears out of my sweaters and jeans before cleaning them, so I can prolong the life of the piece. Plus, there is nothing worse than tight, fresh-out-of-the-dryer jeans. I prefer mine broken in, don't you? With Dryel, you do not have to worry about this. You can freshen up your jeans and sweaters in about 15 minutes!

Scripture Study Tips with the (in)courage Devotional Bible

I am partnering with Frontgate Blogger Network to bring you the beautiful CSB (in)courage Devotional Bible. All opinions are my own.

It has been a while since I have posted about Bible Journaling, but I am back today to show you the beautiful CSB (in)courage Devotional Bible I received, that is made especially for women! The Bible highlights 50 women in the Bible and how God worked though their lives. It also includes lined journaling space for notes and personal reflection.

If you have never heard of (in)courage, it is an online community for women offering support and resources for meaningful connection. For me personally, I struggle with knowing where to start and what to study, so resources like this website are a great help for me in planning my devotional time.

Whole House Cleaning with HomeRight SteamMachine

This is a sponsored post written by me in collaboration with HomeRight. 

All opinions are mine alone. 

Once school starts back, it is not long until we enter into the busy holiday season. Now is the perfect time to get organized and start doing some deep house cleaning in preparation for Thanksgiving and Christmas guests. My HomeRight SteamMachine is the perfect tool for cleaning almost every surface in every room in your house!

Here are some of the ways to deep clean your house using the various attachments:

How to Save Money with Dryel

This is a sponsored post written by me in collaboration with Dryel. All opinions are mine alone.

My husband has several 100% silk shirts that he likes to wear during the summer. The downside is that they have to be dry cleaned, which can be expensive, but I have a secret money-saver for you today!

Dryel At-Home Dry Cleaner is an all-in-one system that allows you to spot treat stains, steam clean, and refresh your garments for a fraction of the price you would pay at a dry cleaner.

Faux Leather Cactus Keychain

I am back with the Craft & Create with Cricut Challenge to bring you a Cactus Key chain made with faux leather. Each month we will bring you a different themed craft using the Cricut, so make sure you subscribe to my email so you don't miss any of these crafts!

With my son getting a car recently (whoo hoo!) I have a spare set of keys hanging around, so I thought I would make a cute key chain for them using faux leather.

Strength Has No Gender™: Women Can DIY Too

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #StrengthHasNoGender #Cbias

One of the reasons I started my blog was to inspire women to tackle DIY projects and home renovations. My goal is to show that girls can be fashionable and girly, while getting your hands dirty and building things! I was inspired by many of the other female DIY bloggers that I had followed for a while. When the time came for us to remodel our basement, I had confidence that I could learn to do it!

Not all heroes are a “he.” It's time to recognize courageous, strong, and resilient women and hear their stories. This Women's History Month, tell us the story of your SHEro with #StrengthHasNoGender and encourage a friend to do the same.

2017 Reader's Favorite Posts and 2018 Goals

Happy New Year! Can you believe it is already 2018? This year really flew by for me. It is always fun to reflect and see what all I accomplished over the last year. I am going to recap some of my personal life changes and accomplishments and share my Top 5 Blog posts from 2017, picked by YOU!

Last January, I embarked on a new career path, when I left my corporate job of 16 years and took a job as the Part-Time Office Manager at my church, which meant I also had more time to focus on blogging as well. It has been one of the best decisions I have ever made and the Lord has provided for the lack of income with my blog and other sources of income through side projects. If you want to read more about my decision, I shared about it in THIS POST. Also, on the personal front, my son turned 16 and got his driver's licence, which is the reason for a few more gray hairs. Oh, and we finished a MAJOR basement reno, which we have been working on for over 2 years!

Personalized Gift Idea with CaseApp

I was introduced to Caseapp a year or so ago by one of my blogger friends when she did a review of their cases. I ended up winning the giveaway and designed a custom case for my mother with a cardinal (her favorite bird) and Bible verse as a Mother's Day gift. I recently got a new phone so I was excited to get to collaborate with Caseapp for a new case.

Disclosure: The product in the post was provided to me, but all thoughts are 100% my own.

Creative Planner Organization Ideas

It is no secret that I love my planner and ways to stay organized, as I have written about it in several posts. When my friend Ashley, from The Mixed Bag, recently contacted me to see if I would be interested in reviewing some planner items she received as part of the  Busy B Ambassador Program, I jumped at the chance! After all, I am going to need a new one in a few weeks for 2018!

Here are some of the items I received and how I plan to use them. I actually have two planners...one that I use at work and one that is my personal/blog one that I carry in my purse.

Fashionable Hostess Gifts That Give Back

I am partnering with World Vision to share these hostess gift ideas with you. All opinions are my own.

The holiday season is right around the corner with Thanksgiving and Christmas gathers to attend. Why not say "thank you" to your hostess with a meaningful gift that also gives back? World Vision’s Gift Catalog offers gifts that have a multiplier effect—positively impacting the giver, receiver, and those in need.

I am a huge proponent of supporting companies that give back and offer hope to those in need. These gifts help support clean water, food, education, sexual exploitation, job training and other areas of need. The World Vision Catalog has everything from beautiful artisan gifts to gifts like medicine, livestock, or clean water that saves lives.

How to Clean a Kitchen Sink

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #ScrubWithDots #CollectiveBias

We live in a house that was built in the 60's and it has porcelain sinks and tubs. While I like the charm of the porcelain, it is a pain to keep clean because it stains and scratches easily. I do not like to use harsh chemicals for cleaning, so I found an easy way to clean my porcelain kitchen sink using baking soda and vinegar.

My husband was skeptical on how well it would clean the stains and mask the scratches, but he was pleasantly surprised at how shiny and clean it came out! The process is super easy and you probably already have the supplies on hand.

Bible Journaling - Using Rubber Stamps

This post contains affiliate links, which means I receive a small financial compensation if you make a purchase using this link

I recently showed you how you can trace in your Bible if you feel like you cannot draw. Another way to decorate your Bible pages if you are not artistic is by using rubber stamps. I have come to love rubber stamps and they are so easy to use and come in a variety of sizes, shapes, and words! Here is how I used stamps to journal Psalm 23.

Bible Journaling - Tracing if You Can't Draw

I have hosted a couple of Bible journaling workshops and the first comment I usually get is: "I can't draw." I am here to tell you that you do NOT have to be an artist to be creative in your journaling. In addition to other ways I have showed you, such as doodling, stamps, stickers, and using printables; you can also trace onto your pages.

My friend Bethany at Pitter & Glink has created another wonderful devotional, along with downloadable printables, which include some black and white ones, perfect for tracing!

How to Bible Journal in a Travelers Notebook

I am partnering with DaySpring to share a look at the new Illustrated Faith devotional kit. All thoughts and opinions are my own. This post contains affiliate links, which means I receive a small financial compensation if you make a purchase using this link.

Do you love to Bible journal, but do not always want to lug all of your supplies with you? I recently have started using a traveler's notebook, which does not take up as much space and I can throw it in my purse when I am on the go.

Bible Journaling - Rise Up Devotional Inspiration + Giveaway

Bible Journaling is an important part of my Bible study time at home. It helps me to spend more time in the word and meditate on the passage I am reading. I have shared that I enjoy using the devotional kits because they come with everything I need for my quiet time.