Before I start I just wanted to give a big thank you to Mammalicious Finds for this fun opportunity. I am so excited to help everyone make their blogs a little better.

Every month I will be offering a freebie found only at Mammalicious Finds. Here is a sample of this month's fabulous freebie.

You can find this month's freebie as well as detailed instructions on how to install the design by clicking on the above design or this link. This month's freebie was created with a kit from Steel City Scraps. If any of you graphic designers out there would like one of your kits to be hosted at Mammalicious Finds please e-mail me at Mylife.Xpressed@gmail.com.

I am also excited that every month I will be offering a tutorial on different aspects of blogging and blog design. The topics will range from month to month.

For this month's tutorial - How to center images

Have you ever been annoyed that when you put photos up in your sidebar they are automatically pushed to one side or the other? Have you noticed that when you place other people's buttons on you sidebar some are centered while others are not? Centering your images can do a lot to make your blog look professional and clean and amazingly enough it is very simple.

Most people when putting a photo up on their side bar use the picture tool under "add a gadget." Don’t. All you need is a Photobucket account and a code. Photobucket accounts are free and easy to set up. If you don’t have one, it is easy to get. Click here to get started. That brings us to our first step.

1. Upload your photo to photobucket.

2. Now we are going to create your code. Take this code

<center><img src="IMAGE ADDRESS></a></center>

There are several different addresses for each image. You are going to replace the "IMAGE ADDRESS" with the direct link.

Now my code looks like this

<center><img src="http://i380.photobucket.com/albums/oo243/LifeXpress/Dots%20n%20Doodles/Mammalicious-Finds-Featured.gif></a></center>


3. In your Google blog click on customize, you should be in the add and arrange page elements section.

4. Click on “Add a Gadget” this will open up a pop up menu with many different options.



5. Scroll down until you see HTML/JavaScript. Click on it. You are now in a Configure HTML/JavaScript




6. Copy and paste your new code, save and Ta-Da, a beautiful centered image.

For buttons simply place the code "<center>" before the image and "</center>" at the end

If you found this tutorial helpful please leave a comment. If there is something you would like to see a tutorial written on please feel free to e-mail me, MyLife.Xpressed@gmail.com and I will see what I can do. :- )

Please stop by my shop and look around,
Julie, My Life ‘Xpressed

Winner:
s the homeschooling mother of ten, there just aren't enough computers to go around. With software such as this, I could safely allow the children to use *my* laptop when they need to as well (without my having to worry about precious photos being deleted).
Janne


Do you have little ones who like to use your computer? Do you worry about your child downloading unsafe programs onto your computer? Do you want to protect sensitive documents on your computer from identity theft? If you answered yes to any of these questions, then BufferZone is for you.

BufferZone creates a virtual safety net for all your personal files and documents by creating an isolated area for anything that is downloaded onto your computer. This area limits access to the rest of your computer, keeping all important documents and personal information safe. Using BufferZone kid-proofs your computer.

BufferZone has constant and immediate protection and does not require updates like most anti-virus/anti-spyware products out there. BufferZone is customizable and you can choose what programs and files you would like to run in the isolated zone.

My son loves playing online computer games and I always worry about him navigating away from a particular site and downloading something that could cause damage to my computer. I received a free trial of BufferZone. It was very easy to download and install and I was able to navigate through it easily even for a computer illiterate person like myself. I was able to control what programs operated in the zone and what files I wanted to remain confidential. BufferZone is fast and easy and no updates are required. I would recommend this program to anyone with a computer. The piece of mind it offers and the protection it provides is priceless.

BufferZone is offering a 50% discount to our Mammalicious Readers. Just enter the code BZ004SG at checkout. Click here to be directed to their site. Coupon code expires April 6th.

Give Away
Get a free copy of BufferZone (a $40.00 value).

To Enter
Tell us a story about using your computer with your child and why you think BufferZone would benefit you're family.

Additional Entries
1. Subscribe to Mammalicious Finds (if you already do, let us know, and thank you!)
2. Blog about this give-away with links to Mammalicious Finds and BufferZone.
3. Add our button to your sidebar.
4. Follow us (located on the sidebar). If you already do, thank you!

Please leave an extra comment for each entry and your EMAIL address.
Deadline to Enter: April 5th

Are you looking for the perfect card for that special gift you bought? Then say goodbye to traditional greeting cards and hello to MOC. Move Over Cards are cute, well made and earth friendly. The cards are printed on recycled paper including a minimum of 10% post consumer and 50% pre-consumer fiber.




Move Over Cards is a wholesale business that was started by Nicki, who is a Mom to 5 year old triplet girls. Nicki started the business because she felt that traditional greeting cards were not always necessary.



There are gift tag designs for Baby, Holiday, Birthday, Thank You and I love You. The gift tags can be sold in a 12 design assortment pack or as individual tags. Each tags comes with a matching ribbon. MOC also offers an all in one pack. In the all in one pack you receive the gift tag, bag and tissue. Who says shopping has to be hard!




If you would like to place a order check out MOC here. Nicki is offering 25% off to all Mammalicious Finds Readers. Put Mammalicious Finds in the subject line of your email to Nicki. Move Over Cards website also has a list of retailers where the cards can be purchased.

We are a household that embraces the spicy! My hubby is a spicy food junkie and is very quickly turning my 7 year old into one! She generally asks for hot sauce to dip her chicken nuggets in, instead of ketchup. Hey, I never said we were normal! A few weeks ago we decided to indulge a buffalo wing craving. Since I am in love with my crock pot I decided to go on an internet hunt for a recipe. I came across this on Recipe Zaar.



Crock Pot Buffalo Wings
1 (4lb) bag of frozen chicken wings
2 (12oz) bottles of buffalo wing sauce
1C margarine or butter
2tsp dried oregano
2tbsp worcestershire sauce
2tbsp dried onion
your favorite dry rub

Mix all ingredients except the chicken in a saucepan and bring to a simmer. Place the frozen chicken in the crock and pour the heated sauce over the top. Cook on low or high, depending on how fast you want to eat them (I did mine on low for about 8 hours). When chicken is cooked through. scoop (with a slotted spoon) onto a cookie sheet. Sprinkle with your favorite dry rub (any brand is fine, I used a custom blend of my own we use for smoking meat) and broil on HI for 10-15 minutes. Serve with blue cheese, or ranch and celery.

These were wonderful! The meat fell right off the bone, the dry rub gave it just a little bit of a crispy coat and there was so much sauce left over I saved it for another round of wings! The seven year old attacked them like they were candy!

Pink Hugs Sweet Shoppe

Faux Pastries

Patricia D'Orsi is the owner of Pink Hugs Sweet Shoppe. Patricia has taken her love for cake decorating and turned it into a business. Patricia is baking up and decorating beautiful pastries. What makes these pastries unique?

They are non-edible!

They are so realistic looking you might catch someone trying to sample a taste!

There is a wide variety of sweets to order...
Cupcakes
Meringues
Cakes
Cookies
Truffles
Lollipops
Ice Cream Cones
Candies
Chocolate Covered Strawberries
and more!

Go Check out Pink Hugs Sweet Shoppe today, you'll just love the sweet treats!

Pink Hugs Sweet Shoppe Site
Pink Hugs Sweet Shoppe (Lollishops)

IRISH SHAMROCK Rubber Duck Mini Glycerin Soaps - St Patricks Day
Found at Ducky Soaps

So Lucky. Gocco Printed. Fancy Scalloped Flat Note.
Found at Paper Menagerie

St. Patrick's Day Hand Stamped Sterling Silver Lucky Girl Washer Necklace
Found at Chunky, Punky and Dinky

Irish Shortbread Soap

found at Sun Basil Garden

I'm so inspired to make something like this! Isn't it beautiful? I was browsing on Craftster.org, and discovered it!
I want to make one.
The article is here.
I'm so inspired. Now to ask my husband to carve me some calaveras and things. I have some loteria cards already, so I can use that. This is going to be my next project to hoard supplies for. I'm so excited!
For more information on shrine making, visit the fabulous website of the Crafty Chica, who's sure to grant you hours of inspiration! She also has little kits available to get you started!
Ohwell. Until next time, it's the Craftaholic signing off...

All Things Ribbon is not your average bow store.

All Things Ribbon has every kind of bow you could possibly imagine and then some.

There are headbands, korkers, stack bows, streamer bows, small bows, big bows. There is a huge variety of styles and colors. You name it, All Things Ribbon probably has it.

Now that my daughter has hair, I enjoy accessorizing each outfit with cute bows and headbands. They compliment her outfit and help keep her bangs out of her eyes. I received an adorable Mary Jane headband and pink and brown stack bow. They both look adorable on my Miss Maddie. The quality of the bows is amazing. The attention to detail is phenomenal. They are constructed well and look like they would hold up to plenty of wear.

Along with bows, All Things Ribbon also has adorable party dresses with matching hair bows. The dresses range in size from 02-10 and are affordably priced at around $45.00. All Things Ribbon makes finding the perfect party outfit and accessories easy.

All Things Ribbon is a mother/daughter team that strives to provide top-notch products that are made in the U.S.A.

To find out more about All Things Ribbon and to see all the amazing bows and headbands available, visit their website here.

You can also check out the All Things Ribbon Blog .

Mary Jane Headband

Flower Stack

All Things Ribbon, Kid Tested...Mamma Approved!

Lucky Mammalicious Readers are receiving a discount.

Enter Code:spring25 to receive a 25% off discount of your purchase. What a sweet deal!

Start your shopping HERE

Winners

Mrs. Hemphill's Online Classroom // March 11, 2009 8:57 AM
I'm a subscriber!

Shanda // March 11, 2009 9:31 PM
I liked the eco friendly party ideas. http://purpletrail.com/partytrail/holiday_parties/earth_day/party-planning-tips-for-making-your-event-more-eco-friendly/#more-1335

Donna // March 20, 2009 10:10 PM
I am a subscriber.

We have a fun new website to tell you about.

Purple Trail

A Better Way to Plan Online Events & Parties!

Purple Trail is making it easy for you to plan your next event by providing ecards, online invites and online announcements. You will even find printable games, party ideas, and premade templates.

Why choose Purple Trail? Here's my TOP 10 list...

1.) It's easy to manage event details, including RSVP's.

2.) NO ADS in emails or invites!!

3.) You can connect from your mobile, you can even connect with your Facebook login!

4.) You can share events, photos and updates in one place.

5.) Tons of designs and templates to choose from. You can also upload your own.

6.) They have your security and privacy taken care of. Passwords and email addresses are protected.

7.) It's free, but they do have a membership program that enables more user options.

8.) You don't have to leave your computer to plan your event!

9.) You can easily import all your addresses from various email accounts to your Purple Trail Account.

10.)It' SUPER easy to use!

Of course I had to create my own Purple Trail account and test it out for myself! I uploaded a photo and created an invite, take a look...

You can customize the look of your invite with premade backgrounds, text, embellishments, fonts, colors, etc. I uploaded the movie poster image but all other embellishments came from the Purple Trail site.

Another neat feature about Purple Trail is the Customer Service. There is a page for frequently asked questions and something I have never seen before on a site such as this, video tutorials for frequently asked questions. Everything from how to register to how to create an invitation.

Purple Trail is a tool/site that makes planning an event that much easier. Don't worry about wasting gas as you drive from party store to party store trying to find what you need. Sign up for your own account at Purple Trail and give it a whirl.
You'll have a lot of fun designing your next event!

Purple Trail, Mamma Tested...Mamma Approved!

Purple Trail Site

Give Away

Purple Trail is giving away THREE Pro Plan memberships, each retail for $19.95. That's THREE WINNERS!! YAHOOO!!

To Enter
Visit Purple Trail, come back here and link to your favorite party ideas article from http://purpletrail.com/partytrail/.

OR

List one feature you would like to see in an online invitation.

Additional Entries
1. Subscribe to Mammalicious Finds (if you already do, let us know, and thank you!)
2. Blog about this give-away with links to Mammalicious Finds and Purple Trail.
3. Add our button to your sidebar.
4. Follow us (located on the sidebar). If you already do, thank you!

Please leave an extra comment for each entry and your EMAIL address.

Deadline to Enter: March 20th

You must sign up for an account if your name is chosen as a winner and provide us with your account id.

I'm not Irish (in fact, I am mostly Scandinavian), but I grew up in a household that embraced recipes from all walks of life. Here are some of the recipes that my mother served every St Patrick's Day in our home. My mother passed away in 1988, but I was lucky enough to inherit her old red tin recipe box. Tucked away, I found these gems:

Irish Stew
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 pounds boneless lamb shoulder, cut into 1 1/2 inch pieces
1/2 teaspoon salt
freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 large onion, sliced
2 carrots, peeled and cut into large chunks
4 cups water, or as needed
3 large potatoes, peeled and quartered
1 tablespoon rosemary
1 cup coarsely chopped leeks
chopped fresh parsley for garnish

Heat oil over medium heat in a large stockpot. Add lamb pieces and cook, stirring gently, until evenly browned. Season with salt and pepper.
Add onion, carrots, and cook alongside the meat for a few minutes. Add water. Cover and bring to a boil before turning the heat down to low. Simmer for 1 hour or until meat is tender.
Stir in potatoes, and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, before adding leeks and rosemary. Continue to simmer uncovered, until potatoes are tender but still whole. Serve hot and garnish with parsley.

Irish Soda Bread
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking soda
4 cups whole wheat flour
2 teaspoons white sugar
2 cups buttermilk
1 cup milk
1 tablespoon vegetable oil

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
Sift together all-purpose flour, salt and baking soda. Add whole wheat flour and sugar and mix until combined.
In a separate bowl, mix together buttermilk, milk and oil.
Add milk mixture to flour mixture; mix just until combined. Divide dough in half and form into two round, flat loaves. Place loaves on a lightly greased baking sheet.
Bake in preheated oven for 15 minutes. Reduce heat to 375 degrees F and bake for an additional 25 to 30 minutes. Remove from oven when golden brown.

Irish Champ
2 pounds potatoes, peeled and halved
1 cup milk
1 bunch green onions, thinly sliced
salt to taste
1/4 cup butter
freshly ground black pepper to taste

Add potatoes to large pot and fill with just enough water to cover. Bring to a boil and cook until tender. Drain well.
Return to very low heat and allow the potatoes to dry out for a few minutes.
Heat milk and green onions in a saucepan until warm.
Mash the potatoes, salt and butter together until smooth. Stir in the milk and green onion until evenly mixed. Season with freshly ground black pepper. Serve hot.

**Please note-These recipes are from my childhood and I have not had a chance to make them yet this season. And as such, I had to rely on Photobucket for photos of the finished products used in this posting.

Cinnamon Creek Country Candles
Quality hand poured soy candles and tarts.

All kinds of fabulous dessert candles over at Cinnamon Creek Country Candles.

Grubby candles, candles in a jar, cupcake candles and candles in mugs! Country Chic'!

You'll find all kinds of flavors too: Peppermint Patty, Apple Pie with Vanilla Ice Cream, Blackberry Jam and Butter Cookies and more. Sounds good enough to eat doesn't it?

The candles are all handmade by Marie Jacobs who has been in the candle making business for over ten years. Marie uses only the finest candle ingredients: all the candles are made with soy, high quality fragrances and zinc free, lead free wicks.

Rest easy, you are buying a quality candle from Cinnamon Creek Country Candles.

Candle prices range from $11.99-16.99, very affordable.

A sweet and unique gift!

Head on over to Cinnamon Creek Country Candles for more yumminess!

Welcome to all the new blog followers and our faithful readers that have been with us from the beginning!

We've added some new members to Mammalicious Finds so I thought I would introduce everyone...a BIG welcome and thank you to our

New Product Reviewer: Candy

and our new

Friday Feature Bloggers: Aimee, Julie, April & Diana!

Each Friday we will have a special feature that one of our fabulous new contributing authors will share: recipes, crafts and blogging tips & freebies!

Of course we will still be posting fabulous new products and give aways.

Hope you are just as excited as we are about the new changes.

Amy

Owner of Sassy Pink Boutique

Mamma to one little munchkin

Wife of wonderful hubby

Lover of good friends & family, tutus, coffee, pizza, pedicures and music.

Looking to make long lasting mamma connections.

Shara

Mamma to two rug rats- Dylan & Madalyn
Wife to Jason
Lover of sewing, baking, gardening, mexican food, coffee, family and friends
Looking to help moms find products that are unique and friendly to the environment

Julie
Owner of My Life ‘Xpressed
Mamma to two cheery and lively children
Wife to a hard working med student
Lover of all things canine, a good book accompanied with a bubble bath, fuzzy socks, dancing, and spending time with those I love most
Looking to enrich mommy’s all over the world

Diana aka "The Craftaholic"
Owner:Sweet Buddha Designs
Mamma to… a beautiful little prodigy named Dakota
Wife to…my partner in crime, Jose Delhart
Lover of…holistic spirituality, chocolate, city life, and anything crafty.
Looking to…show others how to heal through art and the creative process and make some connections along the way.

Candy
Owner:SoBella Creations
Mamma to…2 Princess'
Wife to…Lance
Lover of…all things girly, handmade, great friends and star wars.
Looking to…share great handmade items with people.

April
Owner of Apple Blossom Designs & Apple Loves Orange
Mamma to Madilynn & Autumn
Wife to Eric
Lover of all things chocolate, coffee, Etsy, sparkly things, my crock pot and my camera
Looking to tempt your taste buds with my recipe finds, my family recipes and a few creations of my own .

Aimee
Owner: Shake Your Bon Bons
Mamma to Michael, Emily, Abigail & Christopher
Lover of Family Time Saturdays, Cooking, Chocolate, and 80's Hair Bands
Looking to Help others learn to love their kitchen!

Please leave your email address for each comment!

Thanks

Eco Store USA
No Nasty Chemicals

ecostore NZ was founded more than 15 years ago by Melanie and Malcolm Rands from their home in an eco village in New Zealand.

All of the families that lived in the farm based eco village shared a commitment to organic growing and healthy living, making this an ideal environment in which a young, environmentally conscious business could thrive. Each household in the village was responsible for their own waste water, which quickly highlighted the problems caused by using regular supermarket cleaning products that relied heavily on cheap, petroleum-based, synthetic ingredients.

Faced with the challenge of protecting the pristine rural waterways of the eco village, Malcolm Rands began to research and seek expert help from scientists to develop household cleaning products using plant-based ingredients that would biodegrade safely and quickly. Achieving his goal, he eliminated the need to use toxic chemicals, leaving the eco villages water pure. His goal was more than accomplished as the product line of this home-based business began to grow, and an exciting future began to unfold.

Looking for ways to eliminate harsh chemicals from your household but can't find the right products?

Check out Eco Store USA!

Not only can you find products for cleaning up the house but also for yourself, your children and now even pets. One stop shopping!

Eco Store USA provides eco friendly, "green" products for the whole family that are healthy for YOU and the environment. You can find a complete listing of ALL ingredients for each product on this PAGE, how many other companies share that kind of information? It is possible to use safer products and Eco Store USA is helping you by offering numerous alternatives to what you find at your local grocery store. At Eco Store USA you will find: Soap, Shampoos and Conditioners, Lotions, Laundry Soap, Cleaners, and pet products.

Eco Store understands that economic times aren't the greatest and while natural products do tend to cost a bit more, their products are concentrated so a little bit goes a long way. "The result is saving money by significantly cutting down on cost per use."

I have to admit that I don't always pay attention to what is in my household cleaners and bath and body products. Sometimes I just grab what's on sale or cheapest. I know this isn't the best method. I was thrilled to be able to try a few products from the Eco Store specifically the Rosemary & Orange Shampoo and Conditioner (pictured above). Let me start by saying the products were shipped in eco friendly, recycled packaging!

The shampoo contains: Water- Lauryl-glucoside (from glucose) -Derivatives from coconut and palm oil - olefin sulphonate- Laureth-2 -Polyol Coconut Fatty Acid Ester Sodium Hydroxymethyl Glycinate (from natural amino acid) -Citric Acid- Certified Organic Cider Vinegar -Essential oils of Rosemary Cineol, Orange Sweet Organic, Pine Scotch, Sage and Cypress.
Retails for $11.00 (6.8 fluid ounces)

The Conditioner contains: Water -Dipalmitoylethyl Hydroxyethylmonium Methosulphate (from plant oil fatty acids) -Shea Butter -Cetearyl Alcohol-Octyl Dodecanol (plant based) -Ceteareth-20 (plant based) -Sodium Hydroxymethyl Glycinate (from natural amino acid) -Citric Acid -Certified Organic Cider Vinegar -Essential oils of Rosemary, Cineol, Organic Sweet Orange, Scotch Pine and Cypress.
Retails for $12.00 (6.8 fluid ounces)

The shampoo and conditioner smell amazing! I think all shampoos should have a good lather, and the Rosemary & Orange Shampoo didn't disappoint. I followed up with the conditioner and they left my hair feeling soft and smelling yummy. What's even better is I know that these products are healthy and won't strip my hair. I would definitely recommend these quality products!


Eco Store...Mamma Tested-Mamma Approved!

Eco Store USA Site
Eco Store Blog

Give Away:
Win $25.00 to spend at Eco Store USA!

Winner:
sweetsue said...
I'd love to try the Rosemary Orange Shampoo. I bet it smells wonderful!

To Enter:
Visit Eco Store USA, come back here and tell us what you'd like to try or something you learned.

Additional Entries :
1. Subscribe to Mammalicious Finds (if you already do, let us know, and thank you!)
2. Blog about this give-away with links to Mammalicious Finds and Eco Store USA.
3. Add our button to your sidebar.
4. Follow us (located on the sidebar). If you already do, thank you!

Please leave an extra comment for each entry and your EMAIL address.

Open to U.S. residents only.
Deadline to Enter: March 13th

Winnner
Amy said...
I'm a subscriber!



Stork Snapshots is all about Mamma and Baby! They are located in the Chicago area and provide maternity and spa services for moms to be. Talk about luxurious, everything you'll need for the ultimate relaxing experience including massages & facials.

Stork Snapshots also provides ultrasound packages. Depending on what package you purchase you can receive 2d, 3d and 4d images of your baby or even take a cuddly teddy bear that has a recording of your baby's heart beat inside of it. How fun!

For a truly fun shopping experience you might want to check out The Stork Store where you will find items for Mamma, Baby and Daddy too! For Baby...sweet homecoming gifts, spa treats, blankets, stroller liners, nursery decor, carriers, announcements and more! For Mamma...Chic' diaper bags, jewelry, clothing and spa treats (love the Mama Mio Countdown Kit!). For Daddy...ultra manly man diaper bags!

If you're not sure what to get or you know someone who lives in the Chicago area, Stork Snapshots also provides gift certificates, so you can let the Mamma pick just what she wants!

Check out Stork Snapshots, a unique and one of a kind Maternity & Spa indulgence.

During the Month of March when using the code:MADMomma you will receive 10% off your purchase.

Stork Snapshots was kind enough to offer our Mammalicious Readers a $10.00 gift certificate to spend at The Stork Store.

To Enter:
Visit Stork Snapshots, come back here and tell us what you thought was fabulous!

Additional Entries
1. Subscribe to Mammalicious Finds (if you already do, let us know, and thank you!)
2. Blog about this give-away with links to Mammalicious Finds and Stork Snapshots.
3. Add our button to your sidebar.
4. Follow us (located on the sidebar). If you already do, thank you!

Please leave an extra comment for each entry and your EMAIL address.

Open to U.S. residents only.
Deadline to Enter: March 12th