Blue Monday - Coolin' Off!

Nothing like a cool relaxing dip in the pool on a hot North Carolina day. We were visiting North Carolina on a hot summer day in July. Kyndall (7 months old) thoroughly enjoyed her swim in the "big" pool - kept everyone entertained. Lots of pictures, laughs and good times. Lots of blue in this picture - I love her big blue eyes! I'm not sure who enjoyed the swimming the most - Kyndall or Pappy. Lots of splashing going on! You'll notice the water all over her face - she loved it!

Please visit Smiling Sally for more Blue Monday posts.

Freebies for the Bride!

Who doesn’t like giveaways and contests! Lucky Bride Giveaways offers many giveaways all in one place. Read about them, choose the ones that interest you, follow the link & enter. This is a good way to win items that you may need for your wedding, helping with your budget. And you may find new places to shop or an item that you have been searching for in every place you already know.

If you’re planning a wedding, I know you’ve been looking around for ideas the Bridal Tweet forum has valuable, useful information. You can create a profile page, a blog, connect with vendors, search for a venue, and look at pictures of cakes, flowers, or dresses. You may find an item you’re looking for or the answer to a question or problem by joining in or reading the discussions. Posting pictures and videos allows you to share your ideas with others and looking at someone else’s pictures may spark an idea for your wedding.

Take advantage of all the free advice and information available by searching out forums and blogs. The ones I’ve mentioned are not the only ones available – do a google search and you may be surprised what you find.

Ten Things to Consider When Choosing a Venue.

1. Do you want an indoor or outdoor wedding?
2. If outdoor, does the venue offer a back-up plan for inclement weather, such as an room inside?
3. If outdoor, does the venue provide chairs or do you need to rent them elsewhere?
4. Is the venue large enough to accommodate your guests comfortably?
5. Are tables & chairs provided for the reception or will you need to make other arrangements?
6. Does the venue allow outside catering or do you have to use their food service?
7. If alcohol is being offered - does the venue have this service available or do they allow alcohol on the premises? Are you allowed to provide your own bar/bartender?
8. If it’s an indoor venue and you want a DJ or band – is there enough room for them to set up and the guests to dance?
9. If you want an all night party, you will need to choose a venue that doesn’t want you out by 10:00 pm.
10. Who’s responsible for clean up – the venue or you?

These are some questions you will need to ponder before selecting a venue. The most beautiful, perfect place may not work if it is not large enough or does not have the features that you need. Keep in mind, it is your day and you should have everything you way – but, if it is 100° and you have you heart set on an outdoor wedding your guests may be very uncomfortable. This could cause them to leave early and put an end to the revelry that you have planned. There are ways around this and we will discuss this in another post.

Mrs. Sterlings Pampered Bride Gift Box Giveaway

Getting married? Beginning to feel the stress of planning your wedding, making sure every detail is just as you want? You could probably use a little relaxation and pampering at this point – take some time for yourself, Mrs. Sterlings is giving away the Pampered Bride Gift Box this month.

The Pampered Bride Gift Box includes a Champagne Sugar Bath Bomb, Amber Romance Body Lotion and Evening Primrose Cuticle Butter and a Champagne Lip Balm. All of these items are nestled in a clear gift box tied with a satin ribbon.

The drawing will be June 20th - follow this link to enter http://www.mrssterlings.com/pampered_bride_giveaway.htm.

You may be interested in pampering your attendants or some of your special guests. That’s a great idea! Everyone loves to be made feel that they are special. Your guests will appreciate and remember a gift of bath and body.

Mrs. Sterlings is offering a special right now – The Pampered Bride Gift Box FREE – you pay shipping only of $6.95 and you can still enter to win the free Giveaway Box. This link will take you directly to the special offer http://www.mrssterlings.com/pampered_bride_gift_box_special_offer.htm or you may get to the special offer by going to enter for the giveaway and scrolling to the bottom of the page - click on special offer.

No purchase is necessary, but you must enter for a chance to win The Pampered Bride Gift Box. This link http://www.mrssterlings.com/pampered_bride_giveaway.htm will take right to the page with the form for the necessary information to enter you into the giveaway. Remember the drawing will be June 20th.

Let Mrs. Sterlings create that special thank you for guests and attendants. From wedding favors, bridal shower favors, bridal attendant gifts to welcome gift bags -we can help you create that perfect gift.
Quantity discounts are available. They can be customized to match wedding or bridal shower colors along with fragrance choice. You may email us for details at mrssterlings@netscape.net.

Place an order at Mrs. Sterlings and receive a Complimentary Pampered Bride gift box with your order.

Sailboat Soaps Used as Baby Shower Favors

Many of our customers are using soap favors for baby shower favors, birthday party favors or bridal shower favors as well as wedding reception favors. Terry Smith of Falmouth, MA purchased the sailboat soaps in light blue - scented blueberry for a baby shower. The soaps come enclosed in the recloseable ziptop bags.

We were excited when Terry sent us a picture of the way she used the sailboat soaps. We are happy that she wants to show you her creation. What a fantastic idea she had! A nice tray filled with sand - add the sailboat soaps - assorted sea shells - sea glass (assorted glass pebbles) - and you have an attractive way to offer the favors to your guests.

















Thank you, Terry for choosing our store and for sharing your wonderful creation with us!

Posting our Customer's Uses for our Products

In the past, we have been blessed by our customers sending us pictures of their uses for our products. We have never posted them on the blog, but that is now changing. If you are or have been a customer and wish to have a picture of your wedding, party, shower, or event posted displaying the use of one of our products - please let us know. If you have our email, send it to us. If you have lost our email, post here leaving your email and we will contact you.

One of our customers, purchased the Beach Soap Tub Collection to be used as favors at a baby shower. This favor is enclosed in a cello bag tied with jute rope. She has a unique way of using them and we will be posting it after the shower in May.



























Another customer purchased the sailboat soaps in light blue to be used as favors at a baby shower. Many people are using nontraditional, creative and unique favors as token of their thanks for attending their shower or event. These soaps are enclosed in a resealable plastic ziptop bag - you may wish to attach a header with info pertaining to the event or a thank you header or give them as they are.



































There are many uses for decorative soaps (besides keeping them for yourself to liven up your powder room!).

Looking forward to posting pictures so others may get a great idea to use or may be inspired by someone else's idea.

Happy Saturday to you!

Hope your day is filled with sunshine and fun things to do abound. It has been a while since I've visited the blog. Seems like I tend to get bogged down in every day living and by night the blogging brain cells are asleep. So, just a little update to let you know what is going on in our world and what we have in mind for the future.

Designing new products is high on the list, once we get past the busy bridal season. Not complaining - I love the busy season.

We are no longer on ebay due to the ever rising costs of doing business on their site. A customer called us that had conducted business with us on ebay and was elated to find that we are still in business. I assure you we are going strong! Our website is in the process of being updated - this may be a long process as the webmaster has many things going on. We are offering products on Etsy and Artfire. You may find us on these sites by searching for Delightfullywed.

Our newest work in progress is a spinoff of our main website - Favor of my Heart. We will be offering some unique and elegant favors on this site. It is definitely a work in progess, so if you visit please keep this in mind.

We will be putting samples in the Snowberry Creek Sample Boxes for anyone who wishes to sample some of our decorative soaps.

We are adding decorative bar soap favors to our line-up on the website. You may decide not to give them for favors, but to keep them for yourself. We have many new designs and sizes available. Now to get the pictures and get them posted! I keep a big dose of motivation and a swift kick in the rear to get me in gear!

I going to make an extra effort to post more on the blog and look for interesting places for weddings, honeymoons, and services offered in these spots. I will be on the lookout for any contests, giveaways or freebies for the brides as I know times are tight and we need to save where we can.