Silly Kids

 What a couple of handsom boys! (messy faces and all!)  They might drive me crazy, but they sure can take a decent picture.

If anyone out there in internet land wants to take a peek at some of my other photographs, please feel free to check them out HERE.

How I Get Free Samples

I love free stuff. I'm not going to lie. I mean...who doesn't? A few days ago I found myself wonderfing if I could get my hands on some free stuff. After finding a site that gave a list of some companies (major name brand companies mind you) that had links to get a free sample. I thought it was great! After I had hit about every link on said site, I came across someones blog post on how they get way more samples than the other sites offered. Naturally this intrigued me. "How"?! I wondered. It was simple: Just ask!

Seriously! If there is a company that you would like to try products from, just ask them! Ask them if they have any samples or even possibly any coupons they could send you. I have found many times that if a company doesn't have any free samples available, they will offer a coupon in it's place (either by mail or a coupon code). Even though I have had a lot of success with companies saying "yes" to me, there's even more that say "no", so don't get discouraged! 

I scoured over many, many forum posts on which companies give free samples and which ones do not. I have found that a lot of time the case is, one company will give one person free samples and then will not for another person. I'm not really sure why this is, but it's always worth it to ask anyway! Below is the ever growing list of companies that have said "yes" to giving me free samples.

 Cosmetic Companies
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*Jane Iredale
*Kjaer Weis
*Napoleon Perdis
*Ellis Faas

Skin care Companies
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*Dermalogica
*Bioelements
*Blue-Emu
*Pangea Organics
*Nature’s Gate
*Epionce
*Skyn Iceland
*MenScience
*Naturopathica
*Restorsea
*Dermorganic
*Dr. Hauschka
*Aubrey Organics
*Erbaorganic
*Erbaviva
*Thymes
*Radical Skin care
*Organic Fiji
*DHC Beauty
*Paula’s Choice
*Canus Goats Milk Skin Care
*Jack Black
*Nyakio
*EO Products
*Just Hatched
*Absolutely Natural
*Love & Toast
*NeoStrata
 *Murad
*Hylunia
*SabonNYC
*Hempz Products
*MyChelle


Hair Care
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*Number4Hair
*Living Proof
*Original Sprouts


Children’s Skin Care
---------------------------
*Rainbow Research 

Other
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*Boiron
*Joie Fragrance
*The Laundress
*Mrs. Meyers Clean Day
*Crabtree & Evelyn
*Stash Tea
*Archipelago Candles
*CLIF Bar
*Yes Yes
*Mamacat’s Q Tea
 *LaraBar
*Natural Calm for Kids
*NatraCare
 *Kirks Natural
*Grandpa Brands

I can say that most of these companies are VERY generous with their sample giving and I cannot wait to try out all of my new products and the new ones to come! 

Good luck and enjoy! 

Random Bits

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Delicious homemade White Pizza. 

 A growing boy who is looking less and less like a baby everyday.

 Prints from my recent purchase at Artifact Uprising. I am so pleased with these beautiful little images!

 He just melts my heart.

 On a different note: :

Please consider buying local for Easter this year. When you do, it helps support families like my own. I cannot express enough how grateful I am for all the support I've recieved over the years.  Being able to create has brought so much joy to myself and others and I hope I can continue for many more years to come! 

Kellie - The Indigo Forest

Busy, Sick & Happy

 I told him to smile, so of course he growled at me. 

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 Such serious looks!

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Spring is finally upon us, well, kind of. Like I've written before, here in NC, the seasons are never in order. The other day it was almost 70 degrees, today, we could see snow. Oh well. When the spring weather comes to stay, it will be short lived and then the heat and humidity will set in. Fast.

The last week was filled with visiting family, fun impromptu photo shoots, thrift store finds and an illness I am still trying to shake. Hopefully this hacking cough will be done with for good, soon! The next week will be filled with lots of shop work. (I should probably get my hands on some more coffee.)

Now off to find some Catholic Easter crafting inspiration on you guessed it.

⋆⋆Kellie⋆⋆

Life Lately...

The Birthday Boy

 Advent: Week 3

 Just what I want to see in the morning.

 A typical scene

 Homemade chocolate-peppermint popcorn

A new wreath! Made of grapevines. (The Mr. is such a crafty guy)

Happenings.

My littlest child has a birthday coming up. His first. I decided to make my very first birthday crown for his special day. I am really pleased with how it came out. I found lots of inspiration on Pinterest and from there came up with my own pattern. It came out so well in fact that I think they might be making an appearance in the shop soon! 

-I've also started to learn to knit! I am very excited about this. It has proven to be a little challenging for me, but I'm keeping at it. My skills do not go beyond a scarf, but that's okay. 

-Yesterday I made the best coffee cake ever! It was so moist and sweet! Just perfect. 

-With the little one's being sick lately, It's time to make up a batch of Elderberry Syrup! 

Until next time, 

Kellie

Around The Nest.

Images of pieces that make up the space I call home.

Descriptions below.

 

 

 

* A lovely handmade serving dish found at my local thrift store

* A beautiful & delicate wing found this morning by my boys

* A funky little print that I acquired somewhere along the way

* A girl and her sheep (not sure of the actual name of the painting). A picture that I fell in love with the moment I saw it

* A photograph I took at my husbands childhood home

*One of my most favorite magnets, bought early on in my marriage. It always makes me smile

(woodland animal magnets by MonkeysOnTheRoof)

* A favorite piece of pottery - also found at the thrift store

* The display of in my living room. Candles, pictures, a much loved painting by my father & my pink Himalayan crystal tea light candle holder 

* Happy images of the children playing with their homemade playdough

* My crucifix that hangs in our home that greets each person who enters

* Last but not least, my ever improving craft area

 

 

Last Week

 Homemade Pizza (BBQ chicken & chicken & red sauce)

Strawberry-Lime Slushies

 Guilty Pleasure...

 Fun with dough!

 

 



Just a few things.

 A new little journal to fill with memories (Nikki McClure)

 Probably the coolest cookie cutters on the planet!

 New tins!! That means more beeswax polish in the shop soon!

 A lovely little wooden snack board that we found thrift shopping a couple of years ago.

 Decided to make it extra special.

And finally, a new magazine to pour over. I had never heard of "Countryside" before. Again, another thrift store find!

 

 

Happy Wednesday!

 

~Kellie

The View From Down Here.

 

Hope everyone is having a wonderful weekend!

 

~Kellie

 

(I'm taking part in a giveaway! Check out my other blog, The Indigo Forest for more details!!)

Simple Happiness...

One of my favorite things to do is to photograph the simple beauty in everyday life. I had been using my mothers older digital camera to capture moments from my day to day life, but my dear husband decided enough was enough. He so sweetly bought me a wonderful new camera for my birthday/anniversary present. I love it!! I have hardly put it down since I opened it. Needless to say I have been snapping photos left and right. It really was the most perfect gift.
Simple Happiness....