Summer Blog Party Kick Off + Anthropologie Gift Card Giveaway

In celebration of summer and all her glory, Mister G and Me is hosting a summer long party!  Every Friday there will be a new guest blogger sharing their favorite piece of summer-- fresh recipes, creative craft/DIY tutorials, summer style tips, and more!  Believe me when I tell you, it's an all-star lineup!  You're in for a treat!!!  Well, what are we waiting for?  Let's get this party started!!!

How about a giveaway?  I'm giving away a $50 gift card to Anthropologie!  Winner will be announced July 1.  Good luck loves!  

a Rafflecopter giveaway

I can not wait for next Friday!  Mike from Mr. Shine's Food Blog is going to share a summer recipe with us!  (You might know him from The Shine Project-- he's TSP Ashley's foodie husband!)

My dears, it's going to be an awesome summer!  Join the party and grab a button!!!  Share the love :)   xo, Ashley

<div align="center"><a href="http://mistergandmecrafts.blogspot.com/search/label/Summer%20Blog%20Party" title="Summer Blog Party"><img src="http://i1193.photobucket.com/albums/aa344/mistergandme/sbp2.jpg" alt="Summer Blog Party" style="border:none;" /></a></div>

MGAM Giveaway on Crafted Love: Earrings and Ad Space

Hello sunshine!  Hope you're having a great day!  Guess what?  I'm offering a giveaway on Crafted Love.  Head on over and enter for a chance to win a pair of gorgeous handmade earrings and a medium ad on Mister G and Me!  Good luck!  Giveaway ends May 4th.  xo, Ashley

Favorite Things + Giveaway!

Hello there friend!  Hope you had a great weekend!  On Friday I took Mister G to the dog park and taught him to swim!

He has always been afraid of the water-- but I was really patient with him and I kept throwing the ball into the water just a tiny bit deeper each time.  Within an hour he was swimming out 15 feet from the shore to catch his ball!  I was so proud of him!  Here's a little iPhone video from our adventure--

I also was baking up a storm this weekend!  I'll share an amazing recipe with you tomorrow.  I brought treats into work on Sunday and let me tell you-- I made lots of new friends!  All that baking got me thinking about my favorite scents.  Here they are!

Favorite Things: Smells

1.  John's pillow.  John leaves the house for work before I get up.  I love to smell his pillow in the morning and nights when he's gone.  It smells just like him!
2.  Baby Ivy.  She smells amazing.

3.  Basically anything that comes out of the oven.  What can I say, I love to eat.  This could easily start it's own list-- but fresh bread, my mom's scones, and cookie are at the top of the list.
4.  Freshly opened can of tennis balls.  I love sticking my face into the can after it pops open!
5.  The ocean.
6.  Sand + Sunscreen
7.  Coconut
8.  Anything citrus!
9.  Old books
10.  Puppy breath.  I still love Mister G's stinky breath and he's going to be 5 this summer.  Whenever he yawns, I always get close to catch a whiff of his breath.

What's your favorite smell?

Be sure to check out my giveaway on Mom2MemphisAndRuby this week!  I'm giving away a $20 Etsy Shop Credit and a Medium Ad Space!

Have a great week, loves!  xo, Ashley & Mister G

Chalkboard Paint DIY Tutorials and Inspiration

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Have you used chalkboard paint yet?  Last week I used chalkboard paint for the first time.  I used Martha Stewart Chalkboard paint in blue-- but it also comes in black.  (You can buy it at Michael's and I think KMart too.)  If you are feeling extra crafty-- you can make your own!  Below are several DIY tutorials on how to make chalkboard paint, followed by a host of ideas for what to do with it!  

Isn't that chalkboard behind the gorgeous tufted headboard just amazing?!

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Want to make your own chalkboard paint??  Here are some DIY tutorials!

• How-To Custom Color Chalkboard Paint via Martha Stewart
• How to Make Your Own Chalkboard Paint via Apartment Therapy
• How to Mix Chalkboard Paint In Any Color via A Beautiful Mess
• Make Your Own Chalkboard Paint via lifehacker
• Make Your Own Colored Chalkboard Paint via Centsational Girl
• How to Make Chalkboard Paint in Any Color Tip Junkie
• How to Make Your Own Chalk Board Paint Craft At Home

Now that you have your paint-- get inspired!  

Kitchen:

1.  Design*Sponge  2. Urban Grace Interiors  3.  Pinterest    4.  Design Is Mine  

Kitchen Storage:

1.  Apartment Therapy  2.  A Cozy Kitchen   3.  HGTV  4.  Wit and Whistle

Organize:

1.  Martha Stewart  2.  SimpleShapes  3.  Random Thoughts of a Super Mom  

4.  Chalkboard Tags Lil Blue Boo

Furniture:

1.  Isabella and Max  2.  Pinterest  3.  Apartment Therapy  4.  Design*Sponge

Entertaining:

1. Momtastic  2.  Style Me Pretty  3.  Rock Ur Party  4.  Southern Living

Garden:

1.  Martha Stewart  2.  HGTV 3  Design*Sponge  4.  Ready Made

Happy Painting!

xoxo,
Ashley

P.S. Do you love giveaways?  Don't forget to enter the three fabulous Mister G and Me Giveaways happening this week! You can win Etsy Shop Credit and a Medium Ad in each! Click here for more information!  Or here, here, and here to enter!  

Paper Quilling: Make Some Hearts + Giveaway

Happy Friday Friends!  Guess what-- I'm offering a giveaway today at the end of this post! 

Have you heard of paper quilling?  I'm so fascinated with it!  It's a craft where you roll, shape, and glue strips of paper into shapes-- and make designs with different combinations of your shapes.  

Here is a chart of some basic shapes used in quilling.  The open heart would be so cute on Valentine's Cards! 

via Martha Stewart

You can attach two teardrop shapes to create a heart! via Martha Stewart

To get started, read Quilling 101 by Ann Martin via Craftzine.com

Follow these simple instructions to make a dozen quilled roses.

Quilling Valentines: Paper Rose via Martha Stewart

You can watch this video to learn how to make quilled roses as well.  

A great tutorial: Roses and Daisies via Craft Ideas for All

You don't even need to buy a quilling tool!  Follow this tutorial to make your own Quilling Tool.

If you're interested-- here is a little about the history of quilling.  I LOVE learning about the history of crafts.  Have you read The Knitting Sutra by Susan Gordon Lydon?  Great read.  I haven't finished it, but it's got me thinking about the many generations of women (and men too) before me who crafted-- some for work, some for pleasure, some for necessity.

Have you tried quilling?  Tell me about your experiences!  I'd love to see pictures of what you have created!  You can leave comments here or tweet me @mistergandme 

And now for the Giveaway!

To celebrate my 20th week blogging anniversary, I'm offering one lucky Mister G and Me reader a $15 Starbucks Gift Card, a $15 Mister G and Me Shop Credit, and a free month Medium Ad space!  

To Enter:

1. Follow Mister G and Me Crafts via email or Google Friend Connect (mandatory entry)

2. Like Mister G and Me on Facebook

3. Follow @MisterGandMe on Twitter

4. Visit the Mister G and Me Etsy Shop and comment on your favorite item

5. Share this giveaway with your friends on Twitter, Facebook, or your blog!  Include the link in your comment.  

Please leave a comment for each entry.  Good luck!  The winner will be chosen by Random.org and announced next Friday, February 3, 2012.  

Have a great weekend!

xoxo,

Ashley

The winner of the Giveaway is #5 Memory!  Congrats!!!