Contain Yourself @ The Container Store

Contain Yourself! @The Container Store

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 29, 2012

If you can’t “Contain Yourself” when you go into the Container Store we completely understand…..

The Container Store has been assisting home owners organize and create the feel of peace and calm in their homes with their amazing products for years.  They have wonderful staff ready to help you with whatever your project may be.

The Container Store was always a big FAVORITE of OPRAH!  Remember seeing them on her show.  Boy, I miss The Oprah Show, don’t you?

Here is a great way to organized all your favorite DIY magazines….

Organizing any room in your home is a breeze with the systems they have developed that coordinate together.  You can turn your laundry room, home office, closet or pantry into a much more usable space!  And actually find things….BONUS…..

Great Color!

Nice Pantry…

The Container Store is a sponsor for the Southern Bloggers Conference.  We are very proud to have them participating and sharing organizing ideas with us in a class on Friday, October 12th @ 4:00 at their Raleigh Store.  Their experts will be on hand to help us with any organizing challenges we have.  You can learn how to organize you home office, set up a closet system, design a garage storage, free your playroom & children’s room of all the toy clutter.

We will also learn more about the Container Store’s history and how they can work with us as bloggers.

Please join us for this fun time to learn more about The Container Store and all their great products!!!

Did I mention there will be some prize giveaways, only for those in our group attending the Container Store session????

JOIN US!

Southern Bloggers Conference Tickets can be purchased Here!

 BUY YOU TICKETS HERE!

SUBSCRIBE TO OUR BLOG HERE! 

LIKE US ON FACEBOOK HERE!

FOLLOW US ON TWITTER HERE!

Cindy & Cassie

Living on the Bliss

Sheer Happiness for yourself and your home…

Don't You Just Love S.W.A.G?

Websters defines swag as this:

swag

¹    [swag]  Show IPA ,noun, verb, swagged,swag·ging.

noun

1.

a suspended wreath, garland, drapery, orthe like, fastened up at  or near each end and hanging down in the middle; festoon.

2.

a wreath, spray, or cluster of foliage, flowers, or fruit.

3.

a festoon, especially one very heavy toward the center.

4.

a swale.

5.

a swaying or lurching movement.

Whatever.  That is so 2011.

How about:

     Swell 

     Wonderful 

     Awesome

      Goodies

How about S.W.A.G in a bag?  AKA bag o' loot.

No good enough?  How about free S.W.A.G in a gorgeous free bag?

Free S.W.A.G from places like these:

This is just a sampling of the many companies that are donating SWAG for our BAG at the Southern Bloggers Conference.

It's gonna be good, y'all.  I pinky promise.

You can purchase your ticket here.

{Originally posted on Worthing Court}

Last Chance to Win a Free Ticket!

Y'all, there is one last chance to win a free ticket to the Southern Bloggers Conference!

The giveaway is going right now over at Kelly's blog - Eclectically Vintage.

The SBC team is so excited that Kelly is going to be speaking at the conference on How to Avoid the Top Blogging Pitfalls.

Kelly is offering three ways to win.  But hurry!  The giveaway ends Wednesday (that's tomorrow) night at 11:59 pm.!

Head over to Eclectically Vintage to get all of the details and to enter for your chance to win!

Pssst!  You can read more about the Speakers here and more about the Sessions and Events here.

Free Ticket Giveaway at Thistlewood Farm!

photo credit RTM Connect

December 9, 2011 This is the first picture from the first post I ever wrote for the blog.

It seems like it was yesterday.

I can remember sitting in front of the computer....staring at this picture....trying to think of something to write about.

With absolutely positively no idea where to start.


Here were my ideas for my first post:

Christmas in a farmhouse?

Ummm.....a little vague.

How to decorate your mantel?

Ummm.....a few bloggers had written about this already (about 542,325).

How much I love seagrass rugs?

I probably should have gone with that one.


And then I saw it.

Yikes.

The incomprehensible overwhelming embarrassment of it all.
Christmas decorating 101.

The tree didn't even have a tree skirt.


I had decorated my house for Christmas, cleaned my house top to bottom, had a photographer come to my house, take pictures of my Christmas decorations.....

.....and I didn't put a tree skirt under the tree.

And in that single embarrassing tree-skirtless moment......the randomness that is Thistlewood Farm was born.

 

The journey and growth of this blog has been an amazing blessing to me.

One that I want to share with you at the Southern Bloggers Conference on October 12 -13 in Raleigh, North Carolina.

I'm speaking on "Five Proven Ways to Grow Your Blog."

It may have a catchier title by then.

I'm open to suggestions :)

 

 

I'm so happy to be speaking with three other amazing friends of mine.

 

Rhoda from Southern Hospitality is a truly creative force in blog land and she will be sharing her heart and her blogging journey.

I have heard Rhoda speak and she will make you laugh and encourage you and inspire you to reach for the stars.

 

My girl Heather from At the Picket Fence will be there.

She is speaking on "fake it 'till you make it" and how to find, work with and develop long term relationships with sponsors. 

Wait until you hear her. Seriously.

First she will make you laugh.

Then she will completely change how you look at advertising and marketing and all things SEO.

And you all know my BFF Kelly from Eclectically Vintage.

You might have seen her over here a few times :)

She has an incredible sense of humor and a way of looking at things that make you laugh until you sound like the two old Muppet men in the opera house box.

Kelly is speaking on blogging mistakes (who hasn't made some of those) and what she has learned from them.  

Please say you'll join us.

We would love to meet you!

Southern Blogger's Conference

October 12 -13

Raleigh, North Carolina

And now here's the best part......do you want to go for FREE?

I'm giving away a FREE ticket to one Thistlewood Reader!

That's right.....FREE!

 

For more details head over to

Thistlewood Farms

for your chance to enter!

Good luck and I can't wait to meet you!

Ticket Winner Announced!

We've been teasing you a lot lately with a couple of ticket giveaways to the Southern Bloggers Conference.

Thank you to Rhoda at Southern Hospitality for hosting the very first one!

In case you don't already know, Rhoda will be speaking and thrifting with us at the conference.  Woot!

The lucky winner is Laura with Top This Top That. 

Congrats, Laura!  We'so so excited for you and look forward to meeting you at the conference!

Didn't win this one?  No worries.  There's another conference ticket giveaway going on right now over At the Picket Fence!

Here's another treat for ya - the lovely Heather will also be speaking and spending time with us at the conference!

Want to be sure you're at the conference?  We're expecting a sellout!  Just click on the Eventbrite widget at the top of the page to purchase a ticket.

Hi friends! We have an exciting announcement and an awesome giveaway here today At The Picket Fence! Have you heard of the Southern Bloggers Conference? In just a few weeks bloggers from all of the the south and even farther will be gathering together to learn, laugh and create...all things bloggers do best!
And, Heather is so excited to be joining forces with the fabulous Southern Blogger Conference committee as a featured speaker!! How cool is that y'all!?! grin!
I couldn't be more tickled to stand on the platform with three other amazing women...all whom I call my dear friends! First...the fabulous, the gorgeous...the oh so Southern...Rhoda of Southern Hospitality! She has so much wisdom to share after years of blogging and will be taking us on a journey through her blogging career and what she has learned along the way.

Then there's my dear, lovely, make you laugh until you cry friend Kari of Thistlewood Farm.   Y'all don't even KNOW how funny this girl is.  I start laughing even before I head over to her blog cause I know her post is going to have me in stitches and her gorgeous photos will leave me with my mouth hanging open.  Kari, will be sharing how she has grown her blog so quickly and the secrets behind her success! And last, but most certainly not least, my beautiful and eclectically talented with a vintage twist amazing friend Kelly of Eclectically Vintage.  

You might have met Kelly yesterday here At The Picket Fence, since she was our guest.  If not visit that post to see her amazing projects and home. Kelly will be sharing blogging mistakes she has made along the way and what she's learned from them.

And then y'all get to hear from me..how I'm going to follow that billing is beyond me! grin! I will be sharing how to "fake it 'till you make it" and how to find, work with and develop long term relationships with sponsors. Unfortunately Vanessa won't be joining us, but we'll have to come up with a fun way to "bring her along" anyway...heheh! 
Now don't YOU want to join us in Raleigh, North Carolina October 12-13th for this amazing conference!
We will kick off the conference Friday night with a fun cocktail party and then spend Saturday learning and creating with sessions and some amazing demonstrations! Sunday the committee has a fun thrifting day planned.  It's going to be two days you don't want to miss!

You can get all of the information for the Southern Bloggers Conference on their website as well as keep up with all of the exciting information leading up to the conference on their Facebook Page...and...I am so extatic to be offering ONE of our readers a chance to attend this conference on us! The conference committee would like to offer one reader of At The Picket Fence a chance to win a conference pass!! We'd sure love it to be YOU! 
Here's all you have to do to enter:
Leave a comment below telling me one reason why you love the South  so much (you don't even have to be southern, just tell us something you love about Southern traditions..think sweet tea. grin!)  and you'll be entered to win a pass to the Southern Bloggers Conference! 
Giveaway open until Saturday 8 am EST We'll draw the winners name and announce it on Saturday! and even if you don't win a ticket, bless your heart, we'd sure love to see you there! Prices are so reasonable and we promise what you take away from the conference will be priceless!  If you are already planning on attending, be sure to put the conference button on your blog! ;

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Can't wait to see y'all at the Southern Bloggers Conference!

Announcing a New Speaker at the Southern Bloggers Conference!

You may already know that The Southern Bloggers Conference has a great lineup of speakers!!..... 

 Rhoda from Southern Hospitality.... 

KariAnne from Thistlewood Farm... 

  Heather from At The Picket Fence....

 And now we would like to introduce another speaker who will be joining the team.... The ever so talented Kelly from Eclectically Vintage!

Kelly, like the other fantastic speakers, has a wealth of knowledge and expertise in the blog world....

 .....that will compliment her fellow speakers. 

 If you are familiar with her blog....you may have seen some of her ever so creative projects....

 ......such as this one! 

 For you see, she has a love of all things vintage...

 ......and beautifully incorporates them into her home. 

 And take a look at what she got when she "bargained with a Nun", no less... ......she struck a "deal" with this sweet angelic Nun at the Catholic Church School

yard sale.

  

Pretty great huh? 

And now to Kelly's backyard and what it did for me....

 .....One morning as I saw her post come thru my email, I eagerly clicked over to read it...

 I found this amazing patio set....something that I have been looking for....

 .....and it was there.....in her backyard!!

 

Kelly so graciously gave me the information on where I could purchase it.... .....and then another email from Kelly.....telling me that it is now 50% off!....

 So off I drove to Home Depot with hubby.... 

.....and here it is on my porch!

 

It is such a wonderful spot to sit and enjoy the view...thanks to Kelly.... 

And thanks to Rhoda, KariAnne, Heather, and Kelly we will have a great team of speakers to present to you.... 

.....at the Southern Bloggers Conference, to be held in Raleigh, North Carolina on October 12 - 13, 2012. Tickets are still available so do not miss out on this wonderful conference... 

....and get to meet many incredible bloggers to gather for fun and a great learning experience!!! 

And I would like to add that Kristen from Sophia's Live Beautifully... 

....and the lovely Annie Omar from Maison Blanche Paint company are also among the fabulous speakers/demonstrators. 

Hope to see you there...it is an event not to miss!!! 

Sincerely..... The Southern Bloggers Conference Team: 

Barb from The Everyday Home 

Shirley from Housepitality Designs 

Amy from Atta Girl Says

Cindy from Living on the Bliss

Kristen from Sophia's Live Beautifully

Suzy from Worthing Court

One of our own needs some love and some WOOT's!

Do you guys know this sweet lady?

This is Michelle.

She is a brilliant artist and designer and Blogger...

Because we live in such a strange, small World -

I met Michelle through her sister which I had known for years, and strangely had been a fan of

Sweet Something Designs 

for several months when I found 

out the connection.

Well, Michelle has been going through 

chemo for the past 6 months.

Today is her last treatment.

I just wanted her to know what an awesome

Wife, Mother, Daughter, Sister,

Artist and Blogger she is.

She is one of the most creative and

talented women I have ever known.

If you know Michelle, send her a

Congrats email.

If you don't, please hop over to her site and

join her page. Make sure you check out her

Etsy Shop, too.

Kudos to a very strong and vibrant Woman!

May God continue to be with you through

this journey of healing and hope.  

xxoo

 

Advertisement Opportunity!

Media Kit Cover Page

We're offering an opportunity to advertise in the Southern Bloggers Conference Booklet.

Advertise your blog, Etsy shop, online shop or business.

Several options are available, from one line ads all the way to full page ads.  Rates are very affordable - starting at just $25.00.

The deadline for submitting an ad is September 24th.

We can design the ad for you for a nominal fee or you can provide your own.

If you would like to receive a copy of the media kit or would just like more info, email Barb (of The Everyday Home) at
barbgarrettnc@yahoo.com.

Pssst!  Have you linked up to the blog hop yet?  You can do so right here.

It's a Blog Hop!

Sure, we have a great lineup of speakers and sponsors and a swag bag that will knock your socks off.

But, hands down, one of the best things about attending a conference like ours is the opportunity to meet other creative folks who will inspire you and will support you as you pursue your dreams.

The Southern Bloggers Conference is going to be the start of some beautiful friendships. And there's no need to wait until October for that to happen.

Now is the time to start getting to know the others who will be attending the conference.

If you've already purchased your ticket or are planning to purchase a ticket or are even thinking about purchasing a ticket, write a post on your own blog about it. 

(If you don't have a blog, link up your Facebook or Twitter and make sure to show some love for the Southern Bloggers Conference.)

Tell us what your'e most excited about, what you're hoping to learn and most importantly what you're hoping to take away from the conference. 

Then, link up your blog post (or Facebook or Tweet) below so we can all get to know you. Be sure to include a back link to the Southern Bloggers Conference blog.

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To encourage you to link up, we'll be giving away a fabulous prize at the conference to someone on the linky list. (Organizers are not eligible to win!)

The talented and generous Ann of Sutton Place Designs has donated this gorgeous herb script pillow cover for our giveaway. The winner will be announced during the Southern Bloggers Conference.  Only those who link up are eligible and you must be present at the conference to win.

You must check out the Sutton Place Designs etsy shop to see other gorgeous pillow covers and table runners made from vintage fabrics. Also, be sure to visit Ann's blog, On Sutton Place.

Now, are you ready to link up?

Since this is a blog hop, make sure you visit the two people who link up before you and the two people who link up after you.

Follow their blogs, "like" them on Facebook, check out their Pinterest boards and their tweets and show them some comment love.

And if you really want to be a blog conference rock star, visit everyone on the linky list. You're bound to make some great friends -- in real life and online.

Please start out by following the linky party hosts and organizers of the inaugural Southern Bloggers Conference:

Our talented leader, Barb of The Everyday Home

Shirley of Housepitality Designs

Amy & Laura of Atta Girl Says

Kristen of Sophia's Decor

Suzy of Worthing Court

Cindy of Living on the Bliss

Event registration for Southern Bloggers Conference 2012 powered by Eventbrite

Now, go link up. Make sure to include your name and the name of your blog. Remember to link up to your specific post about the Southern Bloggers Conference and to include a back link. 

And we sure would appreciate it if you would include our conference button on your blog sidebar.

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There's a Blog Hop Coming!

We've mentioned several times that when it comes to the conference, the one thing we are the most excited about is getting to meet so many of you face-to-face!  Putting a face and a voice with bloggy friends and making new friends is priceless to us. 

Are you curious who will be there?  We've come up with a way for you to find that out!  We're going to have a blog hop linky starting this Friday, Aug. 10th.  

If you've already bought a ticket or are planning to buy a ticket or are even thinking about buying a ticket - write up a blog post telling us what you're looking forward to.  What are you excited about?  What do you hope to learn?  Who do you hope to meet?  For us first timers, any conference tips?  Basically, anything that floats-your-boats about attending the conference. 

Then come over to this blog or the blog of one of the team members on this Friday and link your post and it will appear on all five of our blogs plus this blog!

Participating blogs are:
Barb of The Everyday Home
Amy of Atta Girl Says
Shirley of Housepitality Designs
Cindy of Living on the Bliss
Kristen of Sophia's Decor
Suzy of Worthing Court

Here's a little incentive for ya - the awesome Ann of On Sutton Place is donating this lovely pillow to be given away to one of the participants of the blog hop (of course none of the team members will be eligible to win).

 {20 x 20 Herb Script Pillow Cover, Natural Ivory and Brown Homespun Check Back from Sutton Place Designs on Etsy}

The blog hop linky will be open all the way through Friday, Oct. 12th.  The winner will be announced at the conference on Saturday, Oct. 13th.  You must be present to win.

The below button or a link back to the blog hop needs to be within your post.  We'd really appreciate it if you'd display our button on your sidebar too, though it isn't required.

Grab our linky button!

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Meet Annie Omar of Maison Blanche Paint Company

If you've done any browsing of the pages here on the SBC blog, then you've likely seen the bio on Annie Omar, founder of Maison Blanche Paint Company, on the Speakers page.

Annie Omar

The bio is just a small part of Annie's story.  Team member Amy, of Atta Girl Says, had the pleasure of personally interviewing Annie recently.  Annie's story in amazing and inspiring.  

In Amy's own words:

"Annie is a super-talented artist and entrepreneur, and she also has a story that I think will speak to a lot of women who have found a voice and a purpose through creativity."

After reading Annie's story, I think you'll agree that she is one brave and courageous lady!

I encourage you to head over to Amy's to read all about Annie..  I promise you will come away inspired!