Playfully Smitten

Lemonade Award

2009-04-01T17:54:00.003-04:00

Woo Hoo! I was nominated for the "Lemonade Award"!!!!! Awarded for great attitude, how's that saying go? If life gives you lemons make lemonade? My friend Deb, of Muddy Moose Bath Boutique, graciously bestowed this wonderful award upon me! Thanks Deb!

Deb has a great blog, so drop by and visit her.

The rules are quite simple...1. Put the logo on your blog or post.2. Nominate at least 5 - 10 blogs that show great Gratitude and/or Attitude.3. Be sure to list and link your nominees within your post.4. Tell them they have received this award by leaving a comment on their blog.5. Nominate your favorites and link to your post.

Oooooooh! There are so many great blogs. This is the hard part.

Here are my nominees:

Cookie Girl Creations - how much more positive can you get than cookies? LOL

Miki at Fresh Lemon Blossoms I love her Etsy shop!

The Scattered Mind Of a Tattooed Minivan Mom I'm a follower and I love reading your posts!

Tatertots and Jelllo Need I say more?

Last but not least - My Life with the Crazies!

Check out these great blogs and don't forget to visit Deb at Muddy Moose!

We have a Winner!!!!! Congrats to Happy Daisy!

2009-04-01T16:55:00.002-04:00

My first giveaway winner!

Happy Daisy you have won my Bliss Bag!

Please send me a email with your address and what size lingerie you would like and I will drop it in the mail.

Everyone stop by Happy Daisy and congratulate her on her sexy win!

Be on the lookout for my next giveaway - it will be a good one!
Pam

Only a Few More Days Left to Enter My March Bliss Bag Giveaway

2009-03-29T16:59:00.005-04:00

March Bliss Bag Giveaway - Only a few days left to enter my giveaway

It's easy to enter: Follow me on my blog and receive 1 entry
Heart my Etsy shop: and receive 1 entry
Leave a comment: What's your idea of a blissful experience?What kind of lingerie? Any specific body products? Candles? Playful Props?
Let me know what you want for a sexy passionate blissful experience and receive 4 entries
Link my contest on your blog and receive 4 entries
That's a total of 10 chances to win!

You will receive:
Bliss Bag:***Blissfully Yours Black stretch net camgarter with lace up front and matching thigh high fishnet stockings and thong. Your choice of size: S/M or M/L
***Muddy Moose Edible Chocolate Warming Massage Oil
***Muddy Moose Chocolate Truffle Lip Butter
***GlitterSniffer Whipped Soap
***Urban Swank Soy Candle
***Healing House Lover’s Tea – Yin and Yang
***Chocolate satin bag lined with blue satin
WOW! This is a fabulous Bliss Bag!

Enter to win til the end of March
Winner will be announced on April 1st
Have Fun!

Pam

GMAT Test Stress...Spring is Here!..Lemon Recipes

2009-03-23T17:37:00.011-04:00

Wow! What a week! Ever had one of those weeks that just about does you in?
Thank goodness I don't have them often - I don't think I could handle it!
My daughter is graduating soon and has decided to pursue her Master's Degree in Business.

Sounds great right Well there's this little test you have to take called the GMAT and she is stressing about it - which means I'm stressing about it! If anyone has any advice about the GMAT please comment away! I would love to hear from you.

Who can stress with Spring in the air? Spring is here and Atlanta is looking great with all of the Bradford Pear Trees and Flowering Cherry Trees in full bloom and nice sunny weather. You would think that it would be really hard to stay stressed. Course my stress might have something to do with the 30 phone calls and I've lost count of how many text messages from my lovely daughter, but who knows?

When I stress, I like to cook which leads me to the lemon part of this post.
Spring is in the air and I always think of Lemon Recipes in the Spring.

Here are a few of my favorite Lemon Recipes:

Lemon Bars

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (177 degrees C) and place rack in center of oven. Grease with butter (or use a cooking spray) a 8 x 8 inch (20 x 20 cm) pan.

CRUST:
1/2 cup (1 stick) (113 grams) unsalted butter, room temperature
1/4 cup (25 grams) confectioner's (powdered or icing) sugar
1 cup (140 grams) all purpose flour
1/8 teaspoon salt

FILLING:
1 cup (200 grams) granulated white sugar
2 large eggs
1/3 cup (80 ml) fresh lemon juice (approximately two large lemons)
1 tablespoons (5 grams) grated lemon zest (2 lemons)
2 tablespoons (25 grams) all purpose flour

TOPPING:
Confectioner's (powdered or icing) sugar
Lemon Zest - The yellow outer rind of the lemon that contains the fruit's flavor and perfume.
TIP: Always remove the zest first before halving and squeezing the lemon. Use a fine strainer to remove the seeds and pulp from the juice.

FOR CRUST: In the bowl of your electric mixer, or with a hand mixer, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the flour and salt and beat until the dough just comes together. Press into the bottom of your greased pan and bake for about 20 minutes, or until lightly browned. Remove from oven and place on a wire rack to cool while you make the filling.

FOR FILLING: In your electric mixer, or with a hand mixer, beat the sugar and eggs until nice and smooth. Add the lemon juice and zest and stir to combine. Fold in the flour. Pour the filling over the shortbread crust and bake for about 20 minutes, or until the filling is set. Remove from oven and place on a wire rack to cool.

To serve: Cut into squares or triangles and dust with powdered sugar
These are best eaten the day they are made but can be covered and stored in the refrigerator for a few days.
Yield: 16 - 2 inch (5 cm) squares or 32 triangles

Oprah's Lemon Drop Martini

Ingredients: Serves 2
Juice of 6 lemons
4 tablespoons sugar
6 fresh mint leaves
4 shots vodka
Ice in shaker
1 sugar-rimmed martini glass
Mix lemon juice, sugar and vodka in a martini shaker filled with ice. Shake well and pour into sugar-rimmed martini glass. Garnish with mint.

Update on the GMAT - just got another text and she is scheduled to take the GMAT 8AM Friday, so if anyone has taken it recently please comment away!

I've added lemons to my shopping list, I'm sure we will both appreciate a nice Lemon Drop Martini Friday after the test!

Elton John Billy Joel Face to Face Concert in Atlanta

2009-03-15T19:57:00.013-04:00

Saturday, I was puttering around thinking about working on a few new items, when my hubby calls and asks me how would I like to go see Elton John and Billy Joel? Are you kidding me? Who wouldn't? Elton John and Billy Joel are the most successful longest running concert pairing in pop history, and after seeing them in concert I can see why!

The show opened with 2 baby grand piano's rising from the floor and Elton John and Billy Joel played together, taking turns with each other's songs. John is 61 and Joel is 59 and their energy is amazing. Everyone sang along and rocked to the beat to all of their many many hits. Both Elton John and Billy Joel let their fans get close to them, stopping to touch their hands and say a few words to them.
After dueling for a half a dozen or so songs, Joel left the stage and Elton John performed a dozen songs, starting out with Funeral for a Friend - beautiful beautiful song and an amazing rendition of Rocket Man.

Joel came back and played his set - some songs I didn't recognize but most were songs I knew and loved. He played Zanzibar and that was very cool.

The end of the show was fantastic. I couldn't remember all of the songs, so I found this by Sean Daly:

For the encore, the boys were back together, hamming up John's "The Bitch Is Back," then Joel's "You May Be Right." In a slick piano showdown, they went after each other on "Bennie and the Jets," before tearing off the Beatles' "Yer Birthday" and "Back in the U.S.S.R." Their backing bands cleared out for "Candle in the Wind" and -- you knew it was coming -- "Piano Man." They grinned and played and roared, two 'ol cowboys shutting the place down, firing away until all their bullets were spent.

They played for 3 hours!!!!!! If you get a chance go see them, you won't regret it.

Anyone else had the chance to see them in concert?

St. Paddy's Day "Green" Etsy Treasures

2009-03-14T05:47:00.012-04:00

St. Paddy's Day is right around the corner, so last night I was browsing Etsy and found some really neat "green" items. I love martini's and olives are green, so with that thought here is what I found:

Miss Martini - she is so cute!

You can find her at janus designs

This Peoplestix candle holder celebrates our love of Martinis! The text reads around bottom - Miss Martini..shaken not stirred. She has her own martini with olives in one hand and a tray with a martini shaker and strainer in the other hand. Various bead and wire embellishments. Note her fun olive earrings! Holds taper candle. 9 inches tall.

Pink Bubble has a really cute Apple Martini Bracelet

This bracelet has lime colored faceted green glass beads (6mm) paired with crystal clear faceted glass (8mm) beads. All beads are on antiqued copper wire, and there is a matching copper lobster clasp.

You can't go wrong with a Green Apple Martini Gel Candle by Marbrielle

Great conversation piece. These gel candles smell and look like the real thing. Apple Martini Fragrance. Plus you get a free soy votive candle with your order that can be used as a massage oil when melted!

I love this lime green zebra martini glass and mini shaker handpainted by Delightful Finds

Perfect for spring!Lime green zebra print on base of martini glass.Bowl has black swirls and green/black polka dots.Plastic green martini shaker makes one martini - and one of my signature martini recipes is included! Recipe can be personalized to make it even more fun and special - just let me know.Paint is baked on and is safe for top rack of dishwasher. Shaker must be hand washed.

Last but not least, Irish-tini by HotMama Glassware

Get your Irish on with this shamrock covered martini glass! A generous size at 11.5 oz, this martini glass has a recipe for an

"Irish-tini" on the bottom. A perfect treat for this St. Patrick's Day, or a great collectible for someone who's Irish and proud of it!

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Happy Daisy's Great Giveaway

2009-03-13T16:27:00.005-04:00

Happy Daisy is sponsoring a great giveaway this week. You can enter to win a $25.00 gift certificate at Two Chicks Designs. They have really cute shirts, sweatshirts and more!

Here is one of my favorite t-shirts:

So stop by Happy Daisy and enter to win this great giveaway!

Happy Friday!

SITS SPRING FLING GIVEAWAY

2009-03-10T17:12:00.009-04:00

It's easy to enter:
Follow me on my blog and receive 1 entry

Heart my Etsy shop: and receive 1 entry

Leave a comment: What's your idea of a blissful experience?
What kind of lingerie? Any specific body products? Candles? Playful Props?

Let me know what you want for a sexy passionate blissful experience and receive 4 entries

Link my contest on your blog and receive 4 entries

That's a total of 10 chances to win!

Bliss Bag:
***Blissfully Yours Black stretch net camgarter with lace up front and matching thigh high fishnet stockings and thong. Your choice of size: S/M or M/L

***Muddy Moose Edible Chocolate Warming Massage Oil

***Muddy Moose Chocolate Truffle Lip Butter

***GlitterSniffer Whipped Soap

***Urban Swank Soy Candle

***Healing House Lover’s Tea – Yin and Yang

***Chocolate satin bag lined with blue satin

WOW! This is a fabulous Bliss Bag!

Enter to win til the end of March

Winner will be announced on April 1st

Have Fun!
Pam

Fishful Thinking Great Website For Fostering Optimism in Kids

2009-03-08T16:33:00.003-04:00

Fishful Thinking has so many wonderful activities for parents and kids. My favorite section is: Keeping Kids Positive. This site provides parents and teachers with many tools all designed to foster optimism in kids. Tiffany at The R Family Diaries is offering a great contest revolving around Fishful Thinking. Be sure and check it out!
Enjoy your Sunday,
Pam

Yunisacs Giveaway - March 5th - 11th

2009-03-06T05:36:00.003-05:00

Woke up EARLY this morning and stumbled across this great giveaway: Yunisacs is a really cute shop with adorable purses. My favorite: Full Moon. What a great purse!

You can enter here: Etsy Finds & Giveaways

Happy Friday!
Pam

Kreativ Blogger Award

2009-03-04T16:23:00.004-05:00

Wow! What a nice surprise! I'm totally new at blogging - I came home today with the hope that I might of gained a few new followers:) and instead I find out I've won my first blogger award!

Thanks Deb at Muddy Moose Boutique, you made my day!

Here are the rules: List 7 things that you love and then pass the award on to 7 people...tagging them and letting them know they won! You can copy the picture of the award and put it on your sideboard letting the whole wide world know you are KReATIV!

Hmmmmmmm 7 things that I love.... it's hard to narrow it down to 7

1. My wonderful husband! We've been married for over 25 years and I'm still smitten. I love him more each and every day.

2. My kids... my how time flies! Both are in college and it's been so much fun watching them grow into the strong independent adults they are now - and even though they have officially moved out - it seems like at least one is home every weekend and I love it!

3. Can't forget my other kids....Cotton and Nubster my kitties and my dog Piper. My furry companions keep me company in my workroom. I wouldn't know what to do if Cotton wasn't running across my laptop and Nubs wasn't insisting on taking a nap wherever I was working.... on top of my mouse when I'm on the laptop, right under the top of my paper cutter, under my lights when I'm trying to take pics of my products and of course Piper - always right under my feet!

4. Bubble Baths! I love bubble baths! At the end of a long day, running a hot steamy bath, pouring a glass of wine, putting on some tunes.........heaven!

5. The Great Outdoors! I'm a city girl, but I love getting away from the city, doesn't matter where - mountains, lake, ocean, just away from the hustle and bustle. I love to camp, hike and sit on the porch gazing at the stars.

6. Impromptu Gatherings with my wonderful friends. I love having a group of friends come over at the spur of the moment - good food, good drink, and good conversation - a great way to spend an evening.

7. My work....I love creating and look forward to getting down in my workroom. Time flies when I'm working and it's not unusual for me to get caught up in a new project and forget all about dinner. Luckily, I have the best husband in the world, he'll come home and whip up some dinner, knowing I won't be able to resist the lovely smells wafting down towards me!

Now to pass this award to 7 lovely bloggers:

CoffeyHouse Collection

2009-02-28T17:39:00.008-05:00

Welcome!
I've decided to take the plunge into blogging!
I'm devoting this blog to my newest enterprise: Playfully Smitten.
My shop's main feature: Bliss Bags filled with sexy lingerie, sensual handmade body products, playful props, candles.... well everything one might need for a blissful experience!

Playfully Smitten Blog Topics:
Bliss Bag of the Month Contest
I need help naming my Bliss Bags. Every month I will feature a Bliss Bag of the Month.
Names will be accepted from the 1st - 15th of each month. I will narrow down the choices to my top three and post them and you can vote for your top choice until the end of the month.
Person with the most votes wins.
Winner receives... you guessed it a free Bliss Bag!

I'm looking for new ideas for future Bliss Bags, so if you've had a blissful experience lately, please let me know about it. If I create your experience, you can name my bag and....you got it- a free Bliss Bag for you!

Etsy Artist Monthly Spotlight:
Each month I will spotlight one of my favorite Etsy Shops.
Muddy Moose Bath Boutique is my featured artist for March.
Her blog: http://themuddymoose.blogspot.com/
Can't wait to hear from you.
Blissfully Yours,
Pam