Merry Christmas!

I hope you had a day filled with love and family and everything lovely! We've had so much fun here in waaaarm Arizona! :) While here, I was able to meet in person the first member of the Shabby Blogs team and it was honestly a dream come true. The amazing Jessica of Sierra Studios Photography was kind enough to meet with me and even photograph my little family. She is just as delightful as her images (which is saying a lot!) and it is a true honor to welcome her to the Shabby Blogs family! I'm so looking forward to learning more about her and from her! Images are such a vital part of blogging and Jessica is going to be teaching us how to make the most of ours. I'm so excited I can hardly stand it! If you want to see why, just take a peek at some of the images she captured of my own greatest gifts:

These photographs literally made me cry when I saw them for the first time...and they will probably make me cry a thousand times more as I look at them throughout the years to come. I feel so blessed to get to know so many talented and lovely people through Shabby Blogs. I'm so lucky and honored to share these special people with you! Please take a moment to get to know the first member of Team Shabby by visiting Jessica at her website and blog. Welcome Jessica...and Merry Christmas to each of you!

Blog Photo Collage Freebie

My little family and I spent the morning flying from snowy Michigan to sunny Arizona to spend some time with my in-laws. Family and sunshine. What more is there? Actually, to answer my own question, there are lovely blog freebies...and here is our latest! Just download, customize, and post. Enjoy!

Blog Photo Collage:

Download

Awesome Printable Calendar Freebie

One of our Shabby Blogs sponsors is Fall Down Tree. If you aren't familiar with the artwork created by the super talented Adam Record, shame on you. Just kidding. Honestly though, you really need to check it out. I'm a sucker for art geared towards the young and the young at heart so Adam's work is definitely going to be finding its way into my home. For today's freebie, Fall Down Tree has generously offered an insanely adorable calendar to you...for freeeeee. Print it out and display it proudly, friends! But hurry, because this exclusive download will only be available through Monday. Enjoy it everyone!

Printable Calendar Freebie:
Download

We're Cursed (& A Freebie)

Today was supposed to be the launch of the brand new (and seriously awesome) ShabbyBlogs.com. Actually, it was supposed to be last Thursday, but I pushed it back to this Thursday. The day has come and gone, both of them, but our shabby piece of online heaven remains the same. Sigh. Is it possible to be cursed? Seriously. Is it? Because if it is...we are. Everything that could possibly go wrong today did...and some other things that I didn't even think were possible. It's just one of those things. Still, I'm beginning to feel like the girl who cried website. You know what though? There are so many things in this world that are truly worth being concerned about. People are hungry and homeless and ill. Our site not launching when it was scheduled to is really not that big of a deal in the grand scheme of things. Right? While I apologize whole-heartedly, I absolutely promise there is a whole team of people working insane hours to bring you the radness you crave. Rather than even try to give you a new launch time, I'm just going to ask you to cross your fingers and send happy thoughts our way. And, on the bright side- more time for freebies! :) Enjoy our latest!

Shabby Blogs Freebie

The new Shabby Blogs should go live tomorrow afternoon and here I am, late at night, finishing up last-minute things and preparing to give away a special little piece of me. When I launched Shabby Blogs the first time, I had no idea if it would matter to anyone but me. I was a stay-at-home mom who loved my life, but wanted to do something with my talents and free time. I said a little prayer and took a huge leap. I'm so grateful I did! This has been such an amazing journey for me! To thank you for all of your support and kindness, this freebie is the original Shabby Blogs logo...for you. Though it isn't for commercial use, I hope you will enjoy it and that it will make you smile when you see it on your own beautiful blog. With all of my heart, thank you!

*You may click on the image for a larger version! :)

Treat Bag Tag Freebie

Here it is! Freebie #2! This vintage-inspired treat tag is ready for you to customize and staple to a bag of your favorite goodies. I made this lovely topper using kits from the fabulous Gina Cabrera of Digital Design Essentials. It is sized to fit over a sandwich bag, but feel free to make it smaller if you've got a different treat bag in mind. These are so great for classmates, co-workers, friends, and family! Whatever you do to make this digital treat your own, have a blast!

Treat Bag Tag:

Download

Shabby Collage Freebie & Launch News

Are you excited for Christmas? I'm soooo excited! Christmas is coming early for me this year. Having the new Shabby Blogs website up and running is my big fat enormous present! Did you catch that I said it would be launching last week, but it's still the same old Shabby Blogs? I was hoping nobody would notice. :) I've pushed it back to this Thursday. BUT, on the bright side, that gives me more time to dish out freebies! I'm going to be posting one a day until the launch of our new site. Wooohoooooo! Up first is this little photo collage I made using a few of my favorite vintage goodies. Don't you just love deer? (It is hunting season here in Michigan right now, so perhaps this is a bad time to ask.) I just think they are such lovely, cheerful animals. And the vintage elf is rather adorable too, is he not? So jolly! Anyway, just plop your own photo in and you'll be ready to dazzle the blogging community at large with your sheer awesomeness. :) Enjoy!

Shabby Christmas Collage:
Download

PS. Don't forget to update the code for your background, buttons, and blinkies if you haven't already!

Super Important Info, New Backgrounds, & Freebie

It's time. Remember a while ago when I told you about the changes Photobucket made? Well, because of those changes, we have had to fork out a lot of money each month to continue to provide you with the most awesome blog designs on the planet. Unfortunately, we just can't keep carrying that burden. We did a lot of research to make sure that our solution to this problem was the best one possible. We will be hosting our images and your bandwidth on a new server. What does this mean for you? It means that the code we've previously had on our website will no longer link properly after JANUARY 31st. All you need to do is hop over to ShabbyBlogs.com now to snag the new codes for your favorite SB goodies (backgrounds, buttons, blinkies). Easy peasy! And, if it's new background code you're looking for, you're in luck because we just released 15 brand new holiday designs! Eeeeep! I know I'm biased, but they are rather lovely. :) So, go grab the code for your favorite SB lovelies and you'll be on your merry way!

We're making a lot of changes around here and we are so excited! From the new code to the new team and new website launching on _____, things are rocking and rolling in Shabby Land! One other change we are making is that we are, for the first time ever, setting aside some space on our blog and website for sponsors. Not only will this help cover our expenses, but there are so many amazing companies and individuals out there that we would be honored to promote at Shabby Blogs. We have a few openings left, so if you are interested, just send us an email with "sponsor" in the subject field and we'll give you all the juicy details. :)

Last, but not least, I've whipped up this super adorable freebie for you to use on your blogs. I created this chalkboard goody using the actual chalkboard in my kitchen and this super cute element from Michelle Underwood's newest digital scrapbooking kit- Joy. You can customize it however you'd like and use it in your posts or on your sidebar. The sky is the limit! Just click on the image below and save the full-sized version to your computer. Enjoy!

Thanksgiving Freebie & Sneak Peek

You know how I've been talking about revamping ShabbyBlogs.com and making it even more awesome? It's been a long time coming, but that's because we wanted it to be more than just awesome. We wanted it to be freakishly awesome! That's why we teamed up with some of the most talented and downright fabulous people on the planet... and now I get to tell you who they are! But first, a tiny sneak peek at the new SB- set to relaunch on December 9th:

I told you it was awesome! This is just a super small sampling because I don't want to spoil it, but mark your calendars for December 9th! It's going to be sweeeeeet!

Are you dying to know who I worked with on this marvelous make-over? I am dying to tell you! It's Moselle!!! Have you heard of them? If you haven't, you sure are going to! Not only are they some of the most talented creative minds on the planet, but they are also some of the absolute nicest people you'll ever meet. I love nice people, but I especially love nice, talented, generous people. If you do too, you're going to love Moselle! To give you a little taste of their niceness, talent, and generosity, they have offered a little freebie just for you! Check this out:

Give Thanks Bunting and Acorn Apparel from Moselle

Acorn Apparel: accessorize your home with these charming, whimsical, woodlandish, autumnal acorns! Make bunting, name cards, or hang tags!

Give Thanks Bunting: with this little lovely, Moselle shares some basic (but of course, gorgeous) elements and leaves you with plenty of wiggle room to create your definition of beauty.

Both downloads come with simple instructions and suggestions to make it your own! Happy creating...and happy Thanksgiving!

Get your freebie download here!

PS. Brand spankin' new winter backgrounds and goodies are coming soon!

Giveaway WINNER!

Thank you SO MUCH to everyone who voted for Forrest's Liberty Swing project to help the disabled. I really mean that. Thank you! Even though he didn't place in the top 10, I know he will still raise the money needed for this great cause. Anyone can donate through his website...so just keep that in mind. ;) I am so proud of Forrest and all of you for your support. Helping is a very cool thing and I love you guys for it!

Now to find out who won the Shabby Blogs giveaway!!! Are you excited? My little "Random Number Generator" and I sure were! I know most people do their winner-picking online, but we like to keep some things old school around here. It's way more fun that way...and I promise my 2-year-old is fair...when toys aren't involved. :) So, without further ado, here is THE WINNER:

Can you see that? It's shopping-diva!!! I'm so excited for you and I hope you love this collection of treasures as much as I do, Miss Diva! Also, it looks like you're from Greece? That's so awesome! (Of course my daughter would pick someone as far away as possible.) Your package may not arrive until the year 2015, but it's coming! I promise. :) CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!

Oh, but I love to give things away. You know that. So I had to ask my little helper to pick another winner. (What relief when she didn't stick her finger in her nose when I said that to her!) This lucky blogger will be getting 2 lovely frame decals:

See that? It's Jen from Midwestern Modern Momma!!! Yaaaay! I am so excited for you! CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!

Did I mention that I like to give things away? Because I do. I really do. So we picked another winner to get the sweet frame decals:

Check it out! It's Melanie from Homestead & Bread! CONGRATULATIONS Melanie!!!!!

Okay, okay. Just one more. I can't help myself. The final person to win the frame decals:

It's the super sweet Natalia...who, I have to say, is the absolute most adorable thing! CONGRATULATIONS, Natalia! I'm so excited for you!

Congrats to each of our winners and thank you so much to everyone who participated! If you were a winner, please email me (shabbyblogs{at}gmail.com) with your address so I can get your goodies to you! X's & O's!

10 Days Left

Click here for giveaway details and here for more information about the Liberty Swing project.

I know you may be tired of hearing about this, but what's the point of having a blog with 8,600 followers if you can't use it to help people, right? This will probably be my last post about this cause- until I announce the winners of our HUGE giveaway. I just wanted to take a moment to thank everyone who has voted and helped spread the word so far. There are so many nice people in this world! :) Thank you!

PS. How much do you loooove Mr. & Mrs. Owl salt and pepper shakers!?!! I bought them at an antique shop earlier this week just for you...but it's hard to part with those little cuties! :)

Shabby Blogs Team Call

{click to enlarge}

You know we like to share here at Shabby Blogs, right? We love sharing our blogalicious goodies with you and even our own shabtacular finds (see giveaway below). So, why not share THE Shabby Blogs Blog??? We're looking for a few seriously awesome individuals to join our Shabby Team! If you are interested in any of the above positions (or would like to pitch us your own) just email shabbyblogs {at} gmail.com with shabulous in the subject line. Due to the massive amount of email we get, we may not be able to respond to every applicant...but we will try our best!

Sooo many cool things are going on at SB right now! The new and even more rad website is getting closer and closer to launching...I promise! Squeeeee! We're so excited!!! It's going to be infinitely more fabulous and easy to use. Plus, we will be adding whole new freebie categories that have never been offered anywhere before! I can't give too much away, but believe me when I tell you it's going to knock your polka-dotted socks off! Double squeeeeeeee!!! Stay tuned!

New Goodies & A Giveaway

Yeah, I know. Fall has actually been here for a while now, but I've been too busy outside enjoying it to upload our gazillion new designs...until now, I mean. They are online and they are fabulous so grab them while they're hot! I'll also be listing brand new headers and buttons in the next few days so stay tuned! :)

Thank you to everyone who voted for Forrest through the Pepsi Refresh Project. Thanks to you, he made it into the top 100 and gets to stay in the running for another month! You know what that means, don't you? You can keep voting!!!!! Let's get him in the top 10 by remembering to vote for this awesome cause each day!

I don't usually do giveaways, but because I soooo want to see Forrest get the opportunity to put a Liberty Swing for the disabled in at our local park, I am going to host one. My own! But rather than give away a custom blog design, I am going to give away a very special Shabby package from my very own collection. Random bits of loveliness from my favorite antique stores and flea markets sent with love from me to you. If you love shabby and vintage, you will LOVE this surprise package! Having said that, I am horrible with surprises (especially ones I am excited about) so I just may post sneaky peeks on the Shabby Blogs Facebook page. :) If you want to enter this special little giveaway, here's what you need to do:

*Leave one comment if you posted on your blog about The Liberty Swing Project...and please leave a link so we can visit you!
*Leave one comment if you added the voting widget to your blog (found on the right-hand side of Forrest's voting page)
*Leave one comment if you tweeted about The Liberty Swing Project
*Leave one comment if you shared it on Facebook
*Leave one comment if you voted at least 5 times for the Liberty Swing (You can vote each day, both online and by text so if you vote 10 times, you can leave another comment!)

I will count each comment as one entry and choose the winner at the beginning of November. If there are a lot of entries, I'll choose more than one...because I totally want you to win! :)

Forrest Friend Freebie #2

Hello, friends!

Did you vote today?

If you didn't read the post before this one, scroll down and check it out! We've only got 10 days left to get Forrest and the Liberty Swing in the top 10! This is such a wonderful cause! I know we can work together to help this really amazing young man install a swing for the disabled at our local park. Pretty please continue to spread the word and VOTE VOTE VOTE! :) Remember that you can vote once a day and also text your vote every day as well! (Pepsi#: 73774 Vote#: 102161)

Thank you SO much to everyone who has already helped bump Forrest up in the polls. Just to show our gratitude, here is a Shabby Blogs Post Pretty just for you! Click on the image to see the enlarged version and then just right-click on it to save this little fella to your computer. You can add text to create your own button or add a little fun to your next blog post. (What is it about gnomes that makes them so endearing? Love those kitschy cuties!) Just one more Forrest friend popping in to encourage you to keep SWINGING the vote. Keep it up, you guys! We {heart} you for it!!!

Forrest Friend & Freebie

We have officially survived the first week of school! It really went better than I even hoped. I've missed my little 2nd-grader and kindergartner so much, but I've had a total blast playing with my youngest who is still at home with me. We go to the park almost every day...which is kind of silly because all she ever wants to do is swing and we have a swing in our backyard. :) All three of my girls have been like that. Isn't it neat how much children love the simple joy that comes from being on a swing? That's why when I heard about my friend Forrest's quest to bring a swing for disabled children to our local park, I vowed to do whatever I could to help. Before I became a stay-at-home mom, I was a nanny for quadruplets with Cerebral Palsy. It was a truly incredible experience which will forever remain with me. I have such a soft spot in my heart for the sweet individuals who suffer from this condition.

Forrest is a 14-year-old whose brother, Zach, has Cerebral Palsy. While growing up, Forrest watched helplessly as his older brother missed out on the fun of playing at the playground. He made it his mission to bring a Liberty Swing to Whitehall, Michigan. When this swing is installed, it will enable Forrest's brother and all others who are in wheelchairs to participate in an activity that many of us take for granted. Liberty Swings were created in Australia and are not cheap. They cost $16,000 with shipping. (That is A LOT of shoes!) Having said that, this amazing young man has already raised $10,000. Seriously, how many 14-year-olds do you know who would work that hard to raise that kind of money...and for such a worthy cause? Forrest's love and determination are so inspiring! He recently became involved with the Pepsi Refresh Project to further help him reach his goal. Have you heard about that? Simply put, people submit ideas and the ideas that get the most votes, get the funding. If that's Forrest, he will have enough money to purchase and install the original swing as well as purchase another one! Will you do me a favor and vote for this very special project? It would mean so much to me...and to so many others! It only takes a minute to vote and you can do it again each day. Will you please please please help? Yep. I am totally begging. You can share this idea via Facebook, Twitter, and just about anything else from the voting page. You can even text Pepsi at 73774 and enter the following number in the body of the text to vote for the Liberty Swing project: 102161. Nothing would make me happier than to see this thing plastered all over the internet. Let's do something good, friends!

Vote for the Liberty Swing Project

The clip isn't working on the Pepsi site so here's a little video to illustrate exactly what this swing is all about:

Oh, and just to show my gratitude, here is a freebie I cooked up for you, my good-doing friends. It's just a silly little doodle I'm calling the Forrest Friend Freebie, but it looks rather sweet in your blog posts. As always, if you need a little help figuring out how to customize this little goody, check out the video on our FAQ page. Here's an example of what your finished freebie may look like using my favorite 2nd-grader to demonstrate:

Go VOTE and then download the Forrest Friend Freebie HERE!

Candy Bar Wrapper Freebie

There are two kinds of moms in this world. First, you've got the moms that dance around their empty houses like leprechauns when their kids go back to school. Then, there are the moms that create fictitious dentist appointments just so they can pick their kids up from school early because they miss them so much. As pathetic as it sounds all laid out in black and white like this...I'm the second kind of mom. (Shocker, I know.) I bought school supplies for my girls the other day and almost burst into tears. When I realized what a weenie I was being, I gave myself an imaginary glove slap on the cheek and decided to celebrate the impending...you know...school thing. It is in this spirit that I created a little freebie for you. It's a candy bar wrapper that you can totally customize and send to school with your child for their teacher! Sweet, right? It's sized for those extra large candy bars and all you have to do is add your own photo and text, print it out, cut it out, and hand it out. Now I know that everyone isn't a mom- so don't think I forgot about the rest of our Shabby Bloggers! I also created another candy bar wrapper that is perfect for any occasion. Customize it for a birthday, a girls night out, or just because! Let's face it. You never need a reason to give the gift of chocolate. :)

Candy Bar Wrapper Freebie:
Download

We've also got a few back-to-school backgrounds and will be posting them at ShabbyBlogs.com in the next day or two. Happy happy happy!

Juicy details about some of the awesomeness ahead at SB is coming soon too! ;)

*For the school-themed wrapper, I used Gina Cabrera's Wheels On The Bus kit. It is soooo stinkin' cute! For the other wrapper, I used Michelle Underwood's That Was Yesterday kit. Love love looove it!!!

Change is good.

Listen. Do you hear that? I'm pretty sure you can actually hear crickets on my blog right now. Doh! In case you were wondering, the answer is no. I was not abducted by aliens. I was, however, abducted by my kids...and maybe just summer a little. What? People blame seasons for allergies so why not blame them for absences? Although I've been totally and completely MIA to you, I have been right there for my husband and three little girlies- who won't stay little for long. So, while I know I should feel horribly guilty (and sometimes I do) I am not going to say I'm sorry. Sorry. I just won't do it. Oops. Okay, but seriously...look at this face:

"Sorry, my love, but mommy can't make you a leaf crown because she has to fix the coding for Blogger's new template designer feature and answer about a thousand emails."

Beeeeeeep!
Wrong answer.

See what I mean? You say no to that face! :) In all seriousness though, I have had the most magical time with my family this summer and thank you with all of my heart for your patience. Man, I LOVE my Shabby Bloggers! Love love love!!!

********************************************

Okay. Now that you know I haven't been abducted by aliens and that I make a killer leaf crown, let's get on to the juicy BLOG stuff. Have you tried out Blogger's new template designer?

I am so excited that bloggers will finally have an easy way to adjust some of the aspects of their blog that previously meant going code-diving. (Yes, I invented that term, but you know what I mean.) So awesome, right? If you've played around with this feature, you may have noticed that adjusting the width of your blog a lot and/or picking one of the more funky templates may make your Shabby Blogs background equally funky. Here at SB, we are all about funky...just not that kind of funky. The biggest problem is that the Shabby Blogs logo/link may get thrown to a weird spot on your blog. Not cool, Blogger. Not cool. Soooo, the question is:

Can you take advantage of Blogger's new features while still keeping your totally awesome Shabby Blogs background?

Shabsolutely!!!!!

The first thing you need to know is that Blogger's "Picture Window" template works best with custom backgrounds. So, if you are using Blogger's template designer, you'll want to select that template. (If you're still a "Minima" template user, rock on. You don't have to do a thing.) The second thing you need to know is that adjusting the width of your blog may mean tucking away your standard-sized background and grabbing a wide (or 3 column) design instead. Just keep that in mind. And thirdly, we've been working on a ridiculously awesome code just for the new Blogger templates. It'll mean no funky logos or general icky-ness. We don't like icky-ness on our blogs and I'm guessing you don't either. I'll be spending the whole day tomorrow updating the code for all of my backgrounds. If you are happy with the way your blog looks now or if you haven't had any problems, just keep on keepin' on. But, if you want to switch your code to something that gets along a bit better with Blogger's changes, head over sometime in the next little while and snag the new code.

I know this is the longest post I have ever posted in my life, but hang in there because I have one more change to address. (My kids are asleep so thankfully it's not a diaper!) Many of you may have heard the buzzzz about PhotoBucket also making changes lately. While their changes may not affect you, they are affecting Shabby Blogs- and most free blog design sites. Simply put, since I host my images on PhotoBucket, each time someone views one of those images (your blog) it takes bandwidth from PhotoBucket. On the bright side, there are a wicked lot of people out there using Shabby Blogs goodies. I can't even begin to tell you how rad that is! On the downside, Photobucket is getting seriously weighed down having to pay for this massive bandwidth. So, they want Shabby Blogs to pay for it. I won't tell you what it costs, but I will say that I could easily lease a BMW for that amount. Gulp. While this has been a little tricky, there is no way Shabby Blogs is going anywhere. Wait a second. That doesn't sound right. We ARE going somewhere, just not nowhere. Huh? Whatever. You know what I mean. In fact, we've taken this challenge as the perfect opportunity to revamp SB and make it even more insanely awesome than ever before. We've teamed up with the absolute MOST OUTSTANDING team of creative geniuses ever assembled to launch a brand new and even more rad Shabby Blogs in the next month or two. We're like blogging ninjas. (Do ninjas wear pink?) I am so excited about this that I will dedicate my next post to announcing more of the details, but trust me. Shabby Blogs is going to seriously rock your world...and we are here to stay.

Featured {Shabby} Bloggers

It's been waaay too long since I have featured some of your outstanding blogs. I can never narrow it down, so this time I am featuring two. Yep. I decided I can do that. Heck, next time I may do three or four. :) Without further ado...

Daisy Pink Cupcake
I stumbled upon this blog ages ago when I was searching for a bit of decorating inspiration...and it has been a favorite of mine ever since. Seeing that Daisy is a SB fan was just icing on the cupcake. :) When you visit, be sure to keep a tissue handy because you are going to be doing a lot of drooling...and sighing. Sighing and drooling. To visit her blog is to be inspired. When I am short on time, but want a quick dose of loveliness, Daisy Pink Cupcake never disappoints. Go see for yourself! You will become an instant fan.

Family of Four
I was so excited to meet Jenni over at Family of Four. She is such a sweetheart! Not only is she ridiculously gorgeous, but she knows exactly how to make each post pop. Her blog is the perfect example of how a little extra goes a long way. She makes everything she does look good. Please go visit Jenni and get to know her better. She is one cool mom!

Awesome, right? Get over there and give them some Shabby lovin' then!

Next up? New headers. Let me know which background you would like a header for on the Shabby Blogs Facebook page!

Summer backgrounds are here!

There is no way it is June. I refuse to believe it. My pixie will be finishing the first grade and my princess will be going to kindergarten next year. Kindergarten! At least I will still have my pumpkin home with me. Yep. I'm one of those moms. :) You better believe we are going to take FULL advantage of our summer together though. Mr. H. promised me we could buy a vintage camper that I can fix up all "Megany" if I promise to put a donation button on my blog. I already have a few ads on my site, but I must admit that I haven't tried very hard to really make money from Shabby Blogs. Is that weird? You probably won't believe me (especially since I am notoriously bad at replying to emails) but I really do just like to help people make their blogs something they are proud to call their own. Blogging may be a small thing, but it matters. It matters to a lot of people- a lot of women. It matters to me. Having said that, money is tight these days and I would really love to make some fun memories with my girlies before they are off to school again. If you like Shabby Blogs and want to donate, that would be rad and my little family would seriously appreciate it. If not, I totally understand. Please don't feel like you have to contribute. We are very proud to offer our goodies for FREE and will keep it that way. :)

Over at Shabby Blogs, we have just released a whopping thirty five brand new summer designs and they are calling your name! Happy {almost} summer and happy blogging!!!

A Little Update & A Freebie

Remember me? I've been kinda quiet lately, huh? That's because Mr. H. and I have been busy doing this:

I've been busy as a bee. But, in my free time, I have been picking some bloggers to feature, getting ready to release some smashing summer blog awesomeness, working on our site re-design, creating a new post pretty for you, and solving world hunger. And you thought I was just lounging on our front porch while my kids hand me dandelions. Shame on you! (Okay, I have totally been doing that too, but shhhh!) I think I have finally narrowed down the Shabby Bloggers I want to feature to 3 and I will be introducing you to them in the next few days. But first, I just had to give you something. 6,000 followers? That is insane! You guys are amaaaazing! THANK YOU!

You may have noticed, but I kind of have a thing for frames. :) I just think they are so lovely and add the perfect punch to your photos and goodies. Shabby Bloggers are way too stylish for boring pictures, am I right? Make mine pretty please! Did you like the frame collage I used above? Would you like to use it for your photos? Done and done. Aaaaand, along with the gold frames, I have also included these:

Enjoy!

Shabby Blogs Post Frames:

Download

*Not sure how to use these? Check out the video tutorial here!

More Spring Bling

I finally had a spare moment to add a few new headers and some wicked cool buttons to ShabbyBlogs.com. Go grab them! A little freshening up will be good for your blog's self-esteem.Next up? Some awesome freebies just for SBB readers and a new featured Shabby Blogger! I'm going to be hopping all over the blogosphere, re-reading your comments and visiting as many of you as I can to find the best of the best. I may have to choose more than one blogger each time because seriously, it is almost impossible to limit myself to one of you. I swear Shabby Bloggers are the most creative, fun, hilarious, and kind group of people on the planet.

*Some of you may already know, but Blogger in Draft is working on some really great new features. In the future, it will be much easier to customize your blog. I'm working on new ways to integrate our shabulous designs so you can rock the web with your sheer shabby awesomeness. Woot woooooo! :)

Another Anniversary

So I've been avoiding my own blog because I am totally embarrassed. But, I have to tell you, being married to a man who sees the best in me (even when I don't) is the greatest gift I have ever been given. I feel like there is nothing I can't do with him by my side. He is the greatest man I have ever known. I could go on for eternity about how amazing he is, but the mushiness factor would be tremendous and you would all be drowning in cheese and screaming, "Get a room!" waaaay before I could finish. :) Just trust me when I say that I am the absolute luckiest girl in the world. We are off to Chicago to celebrate our 10th wedding anniversary, but I'll be back soon to post new headers and buttons!

One Year Anniversary

Megan, forgive me in advance for hijacking your blog. I just couldn’t let the one year anniversary of ShabbyBlogsBlog and Shabbyblogs.com pass today without telling you and everyone else how proud I am of you! You have spent countless hours, long afternoons, and late nights at your computer instead of doing one of the million other things that you love. You have sacrificed beautiful days at the beach, movies out with friends, playing in the snow with the kids, and virtually any time for yourself. You’ve developed a mild case of carpel tunnel syndrome because of the time your hand has been glued to your mouse. To show for it, you have created literally hundreds of works of art; you have created miniature masterpieces. You have used your incredible talent for taking ordinary things and turning them into something truly extraordinary! You put everything you have into everything you do and your lovely creations are your evidence. You have not only given of yourself, you have given of your heart. You have touched thousands of lives in big and small ways by helping people all over the world create their own home on the web – to create their own blog of memories, their own list of recipes, or their own portal to a world that is bigger than the confines of the walls that surround them. You have inspired thousands of individual souls to express their own beautiful uniqueness and to be proud of it. You have helped them see that their thoughts, their style, their photographs, their ideas, their kids, their homes, their accomplishments, and their lives are worth sharing! You have helped them to recognize the beauty in their own lives and experiences by giving them the tools and encouragement to share them.

To all of you wonderful Shabby Bloggers, thank you for making this blog and www.shabbyblogs.com such a success. I think that you recognize by her work what I have known since the day I met her – that Megan has an unparalleled talent for creating beauty all around her. What you may not know, however, is that this beauty springs from a soul that is so filled with light and goodness that it cannot help but escape. So, while I many times longed to have her hand in mine instead of holding her computer’s mouse, I rejoiced to know that the world was witnessing a small glimpse into the mind and heart of the most amazing woman I have ever known.

With all of that said, Megan, we are all behind you – me, our three girls, and the thousands of individuals all over the world who are a part of Shabby Blogs. 2010 will be even better than 2009 and the good things you create and share will continue to inspire wonderful people everywhere. I love you! Happy blogiversary.

Your husband and biggest fan,

Sonny

Cupcake Wrapper Freebie

Happy Easter!!!

{Feel free to snag this blog button!}

In our little family, we celebrate a holiday I made up called "Preaster." We do all of our "commercial" stuff the Saturday before Easter and save Sunday for what matters most to us. I buy a puzzle I think my girlies will love and place the puzzle pieces in plastic eggs for their Easter egg hunt. I looooove hunting for eggs, but hate arming my kids with MORE candy...or discovering rotten eggs in my yard months later. Gaaaack! They love this idea and then we get to spend our time together working on the puzzle. :) I so love this time of year!

Right. So I made you another freebie. I couldn't help it. I like you! I whipped up some lovely cupcake wrappers for you to use in your Easter baking/crafting. It seems like I always end up making a gazillion cupcakes for my kids to take to school and I looooove dressing them up a bit with cupcake covers. You just print them, cut them out, add bit of glue and you are good to go! You can also use these as candy cups or put a little fake grass in there and plop a Peep in them as a fun little treat. Maybe I should have called them Peep Ploppers. Isn't that fun to say? Well, whatever you call them and however you choose to use them, have a blast!!!

Cupcake Wrapper Freebie:
Download

Spring is heeeere! {FREEBIE}

Are you as excited as I am to welcome SPRING? Oh my gosh! I've done my share of frolicking and now I am inspired, rejuvenated, and raring to spiff up some shabby blogs. :) I have designed more spring backgrounds than I know what to do with- which I will be adding to ShabbyBlogs.com within the next few days. (So I guess I do know what to do with them.) I'll also be adding new buttons, blinkies, and some fabulous matching headers. Yaaaay! (I'm sorry my site re-design isn't ready yet so those pages are getting mighty long, but like I said...I had to fit in some family frolics. :) Totally vital.) In the meantime, here is some fresh new blog candy just for you! I created this little pretty using digital scrapbooking kits from the amazingly talented Michelle Underwood. (If you are digi-scrapper, head over to her shop and snag some of her awesome work!) You can customize this lovely any way you want. Just right-click and save it to your computer. It's large enough to use in your posts or it can be shrunk to fit in your sidebar...or both. Your call. Enjoy!!!

Twitter Background Freebie

First of all- I'm sorry. I've been meaning to get some St. Patrick's Day goodies uploaded to ShabbyBlogs.com for weeks, but something always seems to come up. Mainly, I blame the sun. Remember the sun? That blessed, beautiful, luminous thing that made my children's eyes sparkle and the whole world all green and lovely? Yeah. That sun. Well, he has decided to show up here in Michigan and you can bet your muddy boots I have been outside to greet him! My girlies and I have been jumping in puddles and smashing our snowmen to bits. Tonight, I even talked my hubby into putting up our big trampoline...which is a sure sign that another blizzard is on it's way. :) Until then, we are soaking up every single sign of SPRING. We're even learning how to make maple syrup! Seriously, how awesome is that? Our yellow farmhouse is completely surrounded by bucket-laden trees just drip-drip-dripping away. The old man who farms the land around us gets together with all of his friends and they laugh and tease and work until the sun sets. When I first introduced myself to them, the operation seemed to consist of three elderly gentlemen. I went to the "sugar shack" behind our house this afternoon to say hello and they had multiplied! There were nine of them out there in that tiny little shed, just chatting away and having a good old time. See? How can I sit in front of my computer with a party like that going on just steps away from my back door? :)

I hope you understand! I promise to get back to work full-force soon. Still working on the site re-design and lots of new things I know you're going to loooooove! Want proof? Check out this Twitter background I made just for you! It's sort of St. Patricky, but not so much that you can't use it all the time. (Did that make sense?) You can see a full-sized preview on my Twitter page. I hope you have fun with this...but don't spend too much time on it because Mr. Sun is the jealous type. :)

Shabby Twitter Background:

Download

How to Add Pages to Your Blog

A few weeks ago, the good folks at Blogger released something pretty dang cool. I call it a late Christmas gift to the world at large, but I suppose normal people would call it a Page Gadget. That's right, people! PAGE gadget! Do you know what this means?!! It means that you can make pages!...on your blog!...with a cute little menu!...and it's eeeeasy! Of course, you could do this before if you wanted to get all HTMLy, but now you can do it so easily. Check this out:

1. Log into your Blogger account and click on the "Posting" tab as if you are going to...you know...post something.
2. Click on "Edit Pages"

3. Now, click on the button that says "New Page." (FYI: You can create up to 10)4. Enter your page title and whatever else you'd like on that page. (It's very similar to a regular blog post.) When you are finished, click "Publish Page."
5. Now you get to pick where you want the links to your pages placed. Once selected, click on the spiffy "Save and Publish" button.You're done! That's it! (See? I told you it was totally easy.) I'll show you one more thing though. If you go to your Layout page, you'll now see the Pages Gadget. Click on "Edit."
You'll now get a pop-up that allows you to rearrange the order in which your pages appear...if you'd like. Just thought I should show you how. :)
Here is what your new page(s) will look like on your blog...unless you chose to put the gadget on your sidebar, of course. Isn't that cool?
*If you were just thinking, "Yes Megan, that's cool...but why do I need that?" here are a few page ideas to get you started:

About
Contact
Links/Favorites
Photo Albums
Videos
Projects
Tutorials
Shop
Website
Disclaimer
Press
Giveaways
Polls
Advertise
Guest Book
FAQ's
Favorite Posts

I'm sure there are a gazillion other pages you could add that would be utterly brilliant, but that's what I came up with off the top of my head. Sadly, you can't link directly to an external url using this gadget, but I'll play around with it. Enough from me though. Go! Blog! Enjoy!