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Origami Owl necklace review and giveaway!!

Written by Joy
30 Comments
Origami Owl necklace review and giveaway!!

**UPDATE** Winner of a medium silver locket is Aurie G!!

After my first two children, I was given a necklace with two little charms on it with my children’s birthstones on it. I loved it and wore it all the time. However, when I had my last two children, I stopped wearing it because I couldn’t find the charms with the birthstones that matched my other two. After that, I just never looked for 4 similar charms that represented my 4 children.

That was until I heard about Origami Owl Custom Jewelry.  Origami Owl was started by a 14 year old girl, who started the business to try and save up enough money to buy a car.  Now, 2 years later,  she has built a successful company that helps for families to tell stories through jewelry.

My friend, LaRessie, started selling this jewelry back in October.  She is an amazing person and loves to help people tell their stories through this jewelry.  She made me a deal that I just couldn’t resist.  I was finally able to get a necklace with all four of my children represented.  The necklace came in a small blue box (I failed to get a picture) with a small little case inside to store the necklace.  My choice was a silver medium locket, with 2 small boys and 2 small girls in my children’s birthstones.  It is absolutely beautiful!

My Origami Owl necklace with my children’s birthstones.

There are so many categories with a lot of choices to build your legacy locket.  You can make one with your favorite hobbies or you can even build one for grandma’s.  The choices are unlimited!

LaRessie has offered to give a free charm with a purchase of a locket.  You will need to make this order by contacting her through Facebook or e-mail her at laressie@gmail.com with A Journey of Joy-sale in the subject line.

Now for the giveaway!  LaRessie is also offering a medium silver locket to one of my readers!  How does that sound?  I think it is amazing and I can’t wait to choose who it will be!

I am going to leave this giveaway open until Tuesday night at 10:00 pm.  Just fill out the rafflecopter below!
a Rafflecopter giveaway

2012, review, , ,

An Amish Kitchen ~ book review

Written by Joy
An Amish Kitchen ~ book review

An Amish Kitchen is a book with three stories, written by Beth Wiseman, Amy Clipston and Kelly Long.  All three stories are set in a small Amish community in Pennsylvania.

The first story, written by Kelly Long is “A Test of Faith”.  It is about this young lady named Fern who is learning the healing arts of herbs from her Grandmother.

The second story, written by Amy Clipston is “A Spoonful of Love”.  It is a story about a young lady, named Hannah, who is running the Bed and Breakfast that is owned by her parents.

The third story, written by Beth Wiseman is “A Recipe for Hope”.  This is a story of a daughter named Eve, whose family has to stay with her parents.  Eve and her mom have always had a strained relationship.

All three of these stories really are an enjoyable short read.  They all center around the kitchen, which I feel is the heart of a home.  It is where most women, young or old spend most of the time.  All three authors do a great job bringing heartache to joy, through the stories.  While the Amish are people who live simple and keep to themselves, it shows that they have issues just like everyone else.   I also love how the stories show that they help one another through the hard times.

Since this book is centered around an Amish kitchen, the authors also include recipes that they have tried themselves.  I can’t wait to try out some of the recipes that they have included.

Overall, I enjoyed all three of these books and would recommend them to anyone who is looking for a good short story to read.  I don’t think you will be disappointed.

I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

2012, review, , , , ,

over at The Homeschool Village today ~ talking family traditions

Written by Joy
over at The Homeschool Village today ~ talking family traditions

I am over at The Homeschool Village today talking about Family Traditions.   I love the family traditions that we have and we are all the time making new ones.  Do you have any family traditions?  Are there special places you go or special things you do together?  Stop by The Homeschool Village to see what family tradition I am talking about today!

Don’t forget to leave a comment and tell me about what special traditions you have with your family!

2012, homeschooling, The Homeschool Village, , , ,

Wednesdays Around the World ~ a giveaway!

Written by Joy
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Wednesdays Around the World ~ a giveaway!

**UPDATE** Winner of the $20 store credit is Jenn from http://justusscotts.blogspot.com/2012/08/history-lesson-comedy.html!

Welcome to another Wednesday Around The World.  This is a link-up where we talk about and share all about our history and geography.  This is for those who use the history and geography that is published by Bright Ideas Press.  I hope you will join in!

This past week, because I was not feeling well, we did not do any of our history or geography.  There are times when my Fibromyalgia and Arthritis really cause me a lot of pain.  During those times, we just read a lot and do the basics of Writing, Math and Reading.   That is also why I am late in getting this post up.  So I do apologize for that.

Have you do any special projects or learned anything interesting in history or geography this week?  I would love for you to link up!

I thought I would highlight a couple of blogs who linked up last week.  Stacey at Layered Soul and her family are using All American History Jr.  They just finished a lesson where it was suggested they watch The One and Only, Genuine, Original Family Band.  Stop by to see how she used the movie in their homeschool.  Ticia at Adventures in Mommydom and her kids studied about the Spanish American War.  Be sure to stop by to see all that she did with her kids in teaching them about the war.

This will also be the last link up for the year.  We will be taking the rest of the year off for the Christmas holidays.  Our first link up of the new year will be January 9th.

However, before I go, I would love to have a giveaway.  The giveaway is for a $20 store credit for Bright Ideas Press.

If you have done a post using any of the Bright Ideas Press history or geography, please link up and your name will be in the drawing for a $20 store credit!

This giveaway will end on Tuesday, December 18th, 2012.  I will draw the winner 9:00 pm (MST).

**disclaimer~ This link-up is not officially affiliated with Bright Ideas Press but is my own project. I am a customer and fan.  



2012, homeschooling, Wednesdays Around The World, , , , ,

Venus, Volcanoes and making lava ~ Apologia Astronomy

Written by Joy
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Venus, Volcanoes and making lava ~ Apologia Astronomy

You may be wondering what lava has to do with Astronomy. Well, we are studying Venus and we have learned that there are a lot of volcanoes on Venus and lava flows around a lot.  Venus stays hot all day and night because it has clouds that cover it, holding the heat in its atmosphere.  Can you imagine being on a planet that is 870 degrees all the time?

sammybuttermelterlava

We started off melting butter (lava) on low heat in a small pot.  While Samuel was melting the lava, Claire was busy making a little volcano by using a glass cup, a plate and some flour.

Claire forming the land (flour).

Claire forming the land (flour).

Once Claire was finished with the volcano, Samuel then had the job of pouring the lava over the volcano.  The point of this little project was to see how the lava can flow down the volcano.

Samuel pouring the "lava" over the volcano.

Samuel pouring the “lava” over the volcano.

Once we observed the lava flowing over the volcano, we then had to wait for it to harden.  We had read in the book that lava will harden into rock and form land once it cools off and dry.

watching the "lava" harden into rock.

watching the “lava” harden into rock.

After a few hours, the lava had harden the land that it had flowed on.  I loved how this lesson was able to show the different elements of lava from when it starts to flow,  to when it is finished flowing and hardens.

What have you been learning in science?  Any fun projects this week?

Linking up with:

Science Sunday
2012, homeschooling, , , , , ,