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Canvas Print Winner!

A big "Congrats!" to all who participated in getting their kitchens whipped into shape yesterday! Maybe it was the lure of points and a chance to win a prize, but a bunch of you really got in there and worked hard! I hope you are enjoying the fruits of your labor...although as Melissa said, "it only lasted about 10 minutes" before kids and cooking started up again. BUT WHAT A TEN MINUTES.

There were seven of you Company Girls who completed all the kitchen tasks for the full 270 points and I WISH I could give each and every one of you a prize! You all deserve it. But as promised, I put the names into a hat, and drew out.....

Anne Portelles!

Way to go, Girlfriend! Anne even sent along some pictures of her sparkling kitchen and I must say, she did a bang-up job.

Anne, send me an email and let me know which print you would like from my store, and I'll send it to you! Enjoy.

Have a great weekend, Ladies, and I'll see you back here on Monday!

Rachel

Company Girl Coffee 11.30

Well, who had fun with the kitchen points yesterday?? I started getting some emails with your point tallies and comments and I loved hearing about your accomplishments! Remember, you have until noon CST to send me your points from yesterday. If we have more than one person with 270 points, I'll throw the names into a hat and draw a winner for the canvas from my store. Woohoo!!

Now, I have to admit that I was out reeeeeally late last night at "Awaken: an Evening with Priscilla Shirer," and then stayed up even later talking with my man, so I did not get a Small Thing pulled together for this morning! YIKES! It has been a busy week filling canvas print orders and preparing to speak at a Christmas luncheon tomorrow, so somehow I just didn't get myself pulled together for a daily task. I hope you'll forgive me.

 

So let's keep this simple. Join in for some Company Girl Coffee by linking your blog below, and have fun visiting online friends. I'll be back later this afternoon to post our kitchen points winner and check in with you before the weekend! Have a wonderful morning!

Mama's In the Kitchen and I'm Giving Points

I've heard rumblings from the gallery that many of you miss the Point System that allowed you to compete for monthly prizes. So today, I'm going to give you fierce competitors out there a chance to show your stuff! Read on, my game-loving girlfriends.

This time of year, the kitchen is working on overtime. From holiday meals to special baking to pizza at midnight the overload takes a toll. I thought I'd done a pretty good job of cleaning it last week....before the swirling vortex of Thanksgiving swept in and messed it all up again.

I'm in need of motivation. How about you?

Let's have some fun with multiplying some points in the kitchen today!

To play along, you'll need to do the tasks below to earn the points allotted. You don't have to do ALL the tasks, but here is how I'll make this worth your while. Email your TOTAL to me by tomorrow at noon (12 pm CST) and I'll give a FREE CANVAS PRINT from my store to the one who earned the most. If we have a tie, I'll put all the names into a hat and pull one.

Joshua 24:15 Print available here

Today's Small Thing is to get your kitchen whipped into shape.

Here are the tasks and their points:

Sweep Floor:         30

Mop Floor:              40

Wipe Down Stove Top: 40

Wipe Down Counters: 30

Wash all dishes (so that at least ONCE today there is nothing in the sink): 40

Shine kitchen sink: 30

Unload dishwasher: 20

Wipe out microwave: 20

Wipe down outside of fridge: 20

If I've added correctly, you could earn up to 270 points today!  So get crackin' and earn yo'self a chance to win a great prize!

Are you playing along today? Let me know in the comments! Then don't forget to tally up your points and send them in by tomorrow, noon for your chance to win!

Toothpaste Concerns

I sure feel sorry for people who lived before toothpaste was invented. Oh, the dragon breath that must have prevailed! The decay and gum disease! I can hardly stand to think about it.

I brush my teeth several times a day, mostly due to the fact that I can't stand stuff between my teeth, and also I work at home, quite near the bathroom sinks. It makes it easy to get in there and freshen my chompers any time I want.

There is one thing about toothpaste that concerns me, and that's the googley goo it leaves behind when it drips off of toothbrushes and oozes out of tubes. SOMEBODY, I won't say who, but SOMEBODY leaves globs of toothpaste in the sink after he brushes....leaving them to petrify and become difficult to chisel away. I'm getting upset just envisioning the careless disregard.

Be that as it may, toothpaste residue is a fact of life and it's icky. That's why today we will tackle it with appropriate aplomb!

Today's Small Thing is to wipe away toothpaste residue, wherever it may be found.

• Toothbrush holders
• Bathroom drawers
• Countertops
• Sinks
• Travel containers
• Mirrors
• Cabinet doors
• Corner of your mouth - you might wanna check

Simply grab a paper towel and some surface cleaner and swab away. Oh, how shiny everything looks without toothpaste crust! It's simply dazzling, and I'll bet you've forgotten how much you enjoy seeing it all so sparkly! Set your timer for 5 minutes and you'll be positively amazed at the blinding beauty of goo-free living. I feel like I'm living in a magazine.

Song of the Day: A Wink and A Smile

How often do you brush and/or floss? What's your favorite toothpaste?

Superhero Day

Today I'm delivering some children's furniture that I painted with a superhero theme.

I'm still waiting on a fourth chair, which will have a Wonder Woman motif. The "S" on the table is for the little kids' last name...they wanted a shield with their initial.

 

Toys and books will go in here. The shelves are painted black.

 

It was more of a challenge than I thought it would be to come up with embellishments. I spent a lot of time just staring at the furniture, wondering what to do. In the end, I kept it fairly simple, and I think it's "just enough."

 

So cute!

 

Inspired by the motifs of these amazing characters, let's have some fun! Let's be superheroes today.

Today's Small Thing is to fight grime wherever you find it!

Yes! Bring justice to the grimy underbelly of household germs by powerfully eradicating them with the mighty sponge of righteousness. Beat off clutter with a swift scoop of your sinewy arms, and kick laundry into submission. Remember that your Mom Superpowers give you the ability to leap tall buildings of legos, and fly through the air to separate rowdy hoodlums (otherwise known as your kids). You can deflect bullets of criticism while stomping out chaos and anarchy among the citizens of your home. This is a job for a Superhero.....and you're just the one to tackle it!

Do something amazing today! And then let us know what super-job you're taking on.

Song of the Day: Wonder Woman theme

40% Off Sale Extended

Ps. 46:10 print available in my store.

I want to say a big "Thank You" to all of you who placed orders for canvas prints during the Thanksgiving sale! It has really been fun to find new orders waiting for me in my email Inbox, and I am so excited to get them shipped out in the next couple of days. I have the best time wrapping and boxing, and saying a little prayer for the recipients as I go.

Since today is "Cyber Monday," I'm going to extend the 40% discount for one more day - TODAY ONLY. If you missed last week's sale, you'll have a chance to take advantage of huge savings today! YAY!

ENTER THE CODE: MONDAY into the cart and the discount will be applied.

Ready, set, GO!

Bring on Christmas

We had a great Thanksgiving weekend with our family. On Friday, everyone on my side of the family came over and it was so much fun!

My parents are in the center - the people responsible for this clan!

 

As you can see, we aren't a very serious group! We hated for the evening to end...and fortunately for me, my "big kids" stayed overnight and all day Saturday with us. Our college kid, Grayson, didn't have to leave until Sunday night, so my family tank is FULL.

This morning, I'm switching gears to think about the upcoming weeks before Christmas. Many of you already have all your Christmas decorations up and lights on the house...I applaud you! I just didn't want to start into that this weekend myself, not with the kids here and with such a full stomach. All that pecan pie made me feel a bit sluggish. :)

Today's Small Thing is to do ONE Christmas related activity.

It may be as simple as making a list of things to do, or purchase. Perhaps it will be to locate the boxes of decorations in the garage or attic. Maybe you're so far ahead, you can start wrapping gifts (please tell me you're not that far ahead!) Spending a few moments at the beginning of the season to organize your thoughts and take out your calendar will yield huge benefits, as this time of year gets to be so busy. Enjoy the "new" season of Christmas today, without feeling stressed about it. Simply take today to get one thing done.....and you'll get into the spirit of things quickly!

Happy Thanksgiving!

I hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving with family and friends today!

Our family will be enjoying two celebrations: one today with my husband's family, and another tomorrow with my big clan. We will be hosting 28 people for a sit-down dinner at our house on Friday, so we are busy preparing for a full day of fun and feasting.

I'm grateful for each of you and am filled with thankfulness for our wonderful community of Company Girls. You brighten my days and keep me inspired! May God bless you abundantly today.

With love, Rachel Anne

Dressing

We did this Small Thing last year and it helped with Thanksgiving prep so much that I'm pulling it out again today!

http://www.fancyhouseroad.com/tag/thanksgiving-stuffing/

People are passionate about their Thanksgiving dressing. No holiday meal would be complete without the kind they grew up with. If you were raised with cornbread dressing, then one made with bread cubes will never do, and vice versa. And some people will take up arms to defend their right to seafood dressing, end of story. Of course, there is always the Stovetop dressing that works like a charm.

I grew up on the bread cube kind of dressing - something I gagged on as a kid - but came to appreciate once I knew how much butter was in it. I like to add pecans and I go easy on the celery, but that's the way my family likes it.

"Dressing for Thanksgiving" is my theme today, which brings me to the question: How will you be dressing for Thanksgiving?

Will you wear rumpled T Shirts and old jeans, or will you be in heels and pearls for the affair? Thanksgiving tends to be a "relaxed" holiday and most people want to be comfortable for the football watching and backyard games that will take place in the afternoon, so there is a wide range of acceptability when it comes to wardrobe.

Today's Small Thing is to plan your attire for Thanksgiving Day. If you have children, think through what they will be wearing as well.

Even if you are planning a small, informal gathering at home, putting on a fresh blouse or dressy sweater brings the level of festivity up a notch. Insisting that your teenager remove his stained T Shirt and ballcap communicates the importance of this social tradition and elevates his manners without him even knowing it.

If you are a guest at someone's house, dressing up a bit shows respect for your host and for the trouble they've gone to in order to prepare the event. It is amazing how a small improvement in your attire can make such a difference.

Now, nice jeans have become acceptable at our Thanksgivings, but I'll pair mine with heels and a dressy sweater. My son needs to wash and iron some items before he will be ready, so today is a perfect day for him to get that done. No sense rushing around at the last minute, looking for something without a pizza stain.

What kind of dressing is YOUR family favorite? Cornbread? Breadcube? Oyster? Instant? We'd LOVE to hear about your tradition....maybe even find out your recipe! And how will you be dressing for Thanksgiving? Are you a having a casual affair, or will it be something formal?

What's on your menu - and what's in your closet - for Thanksgiving?

Song of the Day: Thank You, Keith Urban

 

You Make Me Happy

You Make Me Happy print

Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. Even in some of our toughest years, it seems that there has always been more than enough to be thankful for. God's blessings are abundant, and I am so grateful for each of you who meet up with me here each day.

This weekend, I'm having a huge Thanksgiving sale on my canvas art prints as a way of saying "thank you" to my friends. Through Sunday, November 25, you'll save 40% on everything in my store.

Simply use the code THANKSGIVING when you check out, and you'll receive this discount!

I've got several new prints for you, and I think you'll find that something special that you're looking for. These make great gifts, of course, but at this price you'll probably want to shop for yourself as well!

The print I've featured above is my newest favorite. It is dedicated to moms everywhere who have sung "You Are My Sunshine" to their babies, just like my mother did....and I did for mine. It is such a sweet little song (even though the words are sad!) that my son tells me that he wants to have it as our "mother-son" dance song at his wedding some day....awww! I knew I wanted to paint something cheerful and happy for this theme, and this print just makes me smile.

Today's Small Thing is to simply tell someone special: "You make me happy." There is nothing like hearing affirming words like these to warm the heart, and in our busy-ness we often forget how meaningful this little phrase is. Who brings a smile to your face? Let them know! Don't keep it to yourself....return the gift of joy by telling your loved one how much they mean to you. I have some extraordinary people who really ARE like rays of sunshine in my life....and I don't want the day to pass before letting them know how much they mean to me.

Who makes you feel happy? Do you have special "sunshines" in your life? I'd love to hear about them!

Song of the Day: You Are My Sunshine, Bing Crosby