Homewise Shopper Tips And Buying Guides

Reviews Nina's online shopping sites; gives family tips and advice. Find parenting help, recipes, where to shop at home for clothing, gifts and household goods.

Monday, July 16, 2012

What Is Your Favorite Cat Breed?

I grew up with two beautiful Siamese cats, one blue point, one seal point. I always thought I would look for a Siamese for my own children but our family cats have been mixed breed kitties we inherited from other families. One was part Siamese but was white with Spots on him, our current kitty is a typical tabby of unknown origins but with a lovely temperament. What is your favorite cat breed? Are you a fan of long haired Persians or do you prefer something a little different? I have enjoyed finding out about various breeds and their origins in preparing a series of "Loved By My Cat" t-shirts like this one:

Thursday, June 28, 2012

That Summer Feeling

June 20th marked the first day of summer! Summertime might mean vacations, playing on the beach, long days in the pool, or family barbecues.  This week our family has been enjoying the carnival put on every year by the local fire hall. A little birch beer, a few apple fritters, and a ride on the Ferris wheel have always made our summers special.  Perhaps nothing says summertime, though, like a big juicy slice of watermelon and an ear of buttery corn on the cob.

Thursday, June 14, 2012

Our Cookie Grandma

When our kids were growing up, my mother in law always made a point of mailing them a box of homemade cookies along with their birthday card and cash. She sent $1 for each year of their age, a tradition she still continues for our younger children. Our kids called her the "Cookie Grandma". Because we live 3 thousand miles away and haven't been able to visit often with her, she wanted our children to know who she was and not get her mixed up with their other Grandma. She sent a photo of herself with "Cookie Grandma" written on it that I taped to our kitchen wall and which hung there for many years. Here is a picture of one of our kids, all grown up, visiting my mother in law at the house where all those cookies were baked. Now, cupcakes are all the rage, so in honor of our Cookie Grandma I have made a series of "Cupcake Grandma" aprons and shirts for all those Grandmas out there who love to bake cupcakes and cookies for their grandkids.

Monday, June 11, 2012

Grandpas Are Great

Any kid can tell you, having a Grandpa is great. He lets you climb on his back, he lets you eat ice cream before dinner, he makes the best forts out of blankets and chairs and always lets you stay up as late as you want when you visit him. Grandkids often have special nicknames for their grandparents. Whether you call your Grandpa Gramps, Nonno, Opa, Abuelo or PopPop, it's a great idea to remember him in a special way on Father's Day.

Sunday, May 13, 2012

Grand Re-Opening Of StudioMetzger.com

One of my favorite graphic artists is Ne' Metzger, a talented young mom who uses her God given talent to create everything from websites to logos to unique graphic clipart for her clients. This week her website StudioMetzger.com is having a grand re-opening that includes special offers each day. If you need web design, a fresh new look for your business or a special set of graphics for a work project, please stop by and see what Ne' has to offer. Here is a link to her Rates and Packages page: StudioMetzger Pricing And here is an example of her business logos:

Monday, July 11, 2011

Here's A Little Christmas In July

Through the years I've been invited to several "Christmas In July" crafting parties, where I would get together with other moms and make cute Christmas ornaments, tree skirts, holiday table decorations or front door hangers. It was always fun to come in out of the heat, turn on some Christmas carols, and work together with friends in a nice air conditioned room to create cute family holiday gifts and decor.

So here is a little "Christmas In July" shopping trip for those of you that aren't into crafting, but would like to get a jump on buying some cute holiday ornaments for family and friends, or some fun Christmas gifts to tuck in the closet until the big day arrives in December.

Make Custom Gifts at CafePress

Thursday, June 16, 2011

Happy Father's Day To All The Great Dads Out There

I've been selling a lot of Father's Day gifts over the past couple of weeks. Mostly they are shirts or mugs featuring different things that a Dad might love to do when he gets a little time off from work. It got me thinking about my own Dad who passed away a few years ago, and what some of the things were that he liked to do.
Dad was a career Army officer who retired and became a prison guard for awhile. His kids were really his main hobby; he loved to take us on summer camping trips, would play dominoes, Cribbage, board games, horsehoes and badminton with us. And he always took us fishing when we camped, usually getting us up while it was still dark so we could drive to a lake or stream and have our lines ready to go in the water as soon as dawn arrived. If we were lucky enough to catch any trout, my Mom would have cornmeal ready to roll them in and would fry them up for our breakfast along with pan fried potatoes. That always tasted so good on a cold mountain morning! My Dad's hobbies may have been different than some guys are, but I have great memories because of them.
Anyway, here are a few designs in honor of my Dad. Happy Father's Day, Daddy!

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