My family loves to grill, and living in Texas provides us the liberty of grilling year round.  Now that summer has arrived, we grill out almost every night.  We have a small charcoal grill, and I have to admit, waiting for the coals to get to the perfect temp can be very time consuming.  My husband and I finally decided to turn in our coals and shop for a gas grill.

We have a Sears right down the road and found out we could put a grill on layaway, then make payments until we could pay it off in full.  This is such a convenient service, especially if money is tight, or you want to plan ahead for a gift.  (Mother’s Day…hint hint.)  I hopped online and visited their website to see what my options were for a grill and accessories.  Their Grilling is Happiness website had a post about their Grill Finder, so I checked it out and ended up spending almost an hour looking at grills!

These were the two I had my eye on.  One has sides that fold down, which is perfect when you don’t have a lot of space.  The other, well, I absolutely loved the vibrant color!  (You can see my entire online and in-store shopping experience here.)

I took my girls to Sears ready to put a grill on layaway.  When I arrived, a wonderful sale lady ended up spending 45 minutes helping me pick between the grills.  There were so many great options, and she spent the time explaining the advantages of each type of grill grate, along with which features I wanted the most.  I ended up selecting a completely different grill than originally planned, plus some fabulous accessories…a heavy duty grill cover, propane tank and grill tool kit.  Take a look at my new grill, a Kenmore 4-Burner Gas Grill with Open Storage:

:

…and the accessories:

It’s beautiful, and I couldn’t wait to take it home!  The salesperson put all of the accessories and grill on layaway for me.  You get two options on the length of time you want it on layaway, and depending on which one you choose, it will only cost you either $5 or $10 for the fee, plus a small percentage of the total price.  SIMPLE!  (And affordable!)

I told her the day I would be able to pay off my grill and she said she would make sure they had it assembled and ready to go for me!  That was such a nice surprise.  And the best part…the service is FREE!

The day I picked up my grill, all I needed to do was run in and pay off the balance, then drive my truck around the back to the loading area.  As soon as I walked in, there was a machine asking me what I needed.  I typed in my ticket number, and within a couple of minutes two men were rolling out my sparkling new grill and accessories!!  I swear, I could not wait to get that beauty home!

When it’s finally time to kick back, I look forward to a stress-free meal with my family, which usually means firing up the grill and tossing on something simple.  (You know everything tastes better grilled!)  One of my favorite things to grill is Pizza.  Oddly enough, it’s quick, easy and everyone can add their own toppings.  This is always a fun meal, especially for the kids!  I put toppings into ramekins, and let everyone have at it.

My new Kenmore grill from Sears is spectacular!  It has a huge grill surface, plus a burner so I was able to  heat up our sauce right outside. (One of many features this grill offers that I am already in love with!)

I turned on the grill so it could heat up while I whipped up a batch of pizza dough.  I am a huge fan of charcoal grills but let me tell ya, gas grills are sooo much easier to use!!  I love that it heating it up takes no more effort than turning a knob.  My new grill has two rows of shelving on the side, plus a little counter on top, so instead of running back and forth inside the house with plates, I can set them right on the shelves and tend to my food.  (Yay for me!!)

If you’re not familiar with grilling pizza, it only takes 8 minutes from start to finish!  You toss the dough on the grill (brush oil on each side), then flip after four minutes, add your toppings and cook an additional four minutes.  For as fast as they cook, my girls still couldn’t keep their hands off the pepperoni!

 I made a Mediterranean-style pizza for the adults, and pepperoni and olive for the girls.  They turned out absolutely amazing, and my new grill worked like a charm!!  Honestly, for as much as I love a charcoal grill, this Kenmore gas grill from Sears blew me away!  My family is looking forward to many nights outdoors making delicious dishes on it.

For the kids!

…for the adults!

If you haven’t seen the Sears circular this week, here are some of the amazing offers you can find:

• FREE in-store assembly on all gas grills
• Save $100 on Kenmore 4-burner Gas Grill. Now $399.99!
• Save an extra 10% off Patio & Grills
• Shop Your Way Rewards members save more each and every season and for every $1 you spend you get 10 points
• Lock in today’s low prices for all of your upcoming events with Sears Layaway!

How healthy do your children eat?  I have to admit, for as passionate as I am about cooking, I am guilty of feeding my family “drive-thru” meals at least once or twice a week.  What can I say?  I’m a busy mom…sometimes it’s a time issue, and others it’s a lazy issue.  Don’t get me wrong, we eat our share of healthy foods, but I’d love to drop the unhealthy as much as possible…regardless of how busy I get.  Of all my naughty food and drink habits (soda, coffee…LOTS of coffee…pizza, Cheetos) we go through an insane amount of ice cream in my house.  I’m talking INSANE amounts.  My husband and I are the biggest culprits.  Right this very moment, we have two half-gallons, plus a pint in our freezer.  Not to mention, we just finished off a pint of sherbet yesterday!  See for yourself:

My girls and I love to help our community any way we can.  Even though they are only 3 & 5, they thoroughly enjoy and understand that not everyone has everything they need.   Now when my girls outgrow their clothes, they always set them in a special box for donation.  It makes me such a proud mom to have my children offerto do these things.  This is why we decided to take the Jennie-O “Make The Switch” Challenge!  My family chose one non-healthy item to give up, which just so happened to be *gulp* ice cream.  With the money we saved by not purchasing ice cream, we purchased Jennie-O products to donate to families in need.

Champions for Kids works to mobilize MILLIONS of people by providing training and resources to improve the lives of children in communities across America and beyond. Our goal is to mobilize 20 Million people by 2020.  Their Jennie-O “Make the Switch” simple service project asks families to give up their unhealthy food or beverage for one day, then transform the savings into a gift card  or Jennie-O food products and give them to a local shelter, teacher, social worker or any organization that you know will help kids in need.

I knew the second I accepted this challenge that I was going to donate to Our Daily Bread.  It’s the local soup kitchen in the city I live in, and something I was told by the Head Chef the first time I volunteered to help prepare meals for the homeless never left me.  She told me that there are times where they go a week or two without meat donations, so they have to get creative with other items to try and make a filling meal.  Usually filling them up on salad is what they have to do.  For most of the people and families that depend on Our Daily Bread, that is the only meal they get each day.  It honestly breaks my heart.

“Our Daily Bread, a community soup kitchen in Denton Texas, serves a substantial noon meal Monday through Friday, without questions, to the hungry and homeless.

A professional chef, assisted by volunteers from more than 26 local churches and other community organizations, prepares and serves an average of 200 meals a day.”

When I went to Walmart to pick up some Jennie-O products to donate, I pretty much knew what I was going to buy to donate.  (You can view my entire shopping experience here.)  Now, as strange as this may sound, I was always afraid to try ground turkey and all the other turkey variations like turkey sausage and turkey bacon.  I’m a red meat gal.  Always have been.  However, a few months ago, I was introduced to Jennie-O Turkey Bacon and ground turkey, and let me tell you…I was forever changed.  It’s amazing how delicious it is!  My girls loved the turkey bacon, and I found myself using the ground turkey to replace ground beef in my every day recipes.  When you think of the nutritional aspect of it alone, you cannot go wrong.  But the fact that Jennie-O products taste good too, really won me over.

Here’s the deal, my family gave up ice cream for a week, which saved us around $25.  Can you imagine eating gallons of ice cream each week?!   Well, WE DID!!  Not only did I realize all the little things I take for granted, but it made me step back and think of how nuts it is to be indulging in that much ice cream each week.  This Champions for Kids simple service project inspired us tremendously.  So much, in fact, that we plan on doing this once a month.  Especially after the reaction we got from Our Daily Bread!

I encourage YOU to take the Jennie-O “Make The Switch” Challenge!

A Simple Service Project is incredibly…SIMPLE.  If you accept this challenge, I ask that you please share your Simple Service Project here.  Remember, even the little things are greatly appreciated.  What seems small to one, could be life changing for another.  Do what you can to help a child, or a family in your community.  Our family had an incredible time  with the #JennieOCFK ”Make The Switch” Challenge, and can’t wait to share the details!

HOW TO CONNECT

Champions for Kids Website  
@Champions4kidsTwitter  
Champions for Kids Facebook 
Jennie-O Website 
Jennie-O CFK Project Card 

Disclosure:  I am a member of the Collective Bias™ Social Fabric® Community.  This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias™.  All thoughts expressed are my honest opinions. #JennieOCFK #CBias #SocialFabric

I am all for friendly competition, especially when it involves doing something for a charity I believe in.  On Friday, May 11th, I’ve been invited to take part in the second annual Reliant Kite Flying Relay Competition.  This means I get to meet up with a kite flying expert to get some tips before the competition, then it’s off to the races…quite literally!  Our kites will be at least 50 feet in the air as we race to the finish!  (How fun is that?!?)  The fastest person or team to make it through the five relay stations first will win a grand prize for their charity.  As if that weren’t generous enough, my charity will receive a donation just for my participation!  (GO TEAM OUR DAILY BREAD!!)

What:   Reliant Kite Flying Relay Competition

When: Friday, May 11

Time:    11 a.m. to noon

Where: Automobile Building at Fair Park (Due to weather conditions)

I cannot express how thrilled I am to be taking part in such a fun and meaningful event.  You can bet I’ll be doing my best to cross that finish line first, but regardless of if I win or not, I just love that people are gathering together to race it out for their charity.  That in and of itself is the most important part!  It will definitely be an hour of fun and excitement!

The fun continues on Saturday with The Reliant Trinity River Wind Festival.  It’s designed to highlight all things wind related. Activities on the day of the festival—Saturday, May 12—are free and will include hot air balloons, show kites, Blackland Prairie Raptor Center native birds, paper plane making and Steve Martin and the birds from “Soar,” the bird show at the Dallas Zoo Amphitheater.  The festival lasts from noon-6 pm.

It’s an afternoon of free action!

• All events are free
• Show kite teams from the Southwest
• Reliant Energy kite giveaway
• Visit Reliant’s Smarter Home on Wheels
• Hot Air Balloons on display
• North Texas Hang/Para Gliders Association
• Kroger Kids Fun Zone with bounce houses, clowns and face painting
• Blackland Prairie Raptor Center birds
• Sprint Cellular Phone recycling center
• Dallas Zoo with birds and cool animals
• Wildflower Planting
• Paper Plane Making Designs and Contests
• Free Dallas Wind Symphony Concert
• Food for purchase
• Other exciting surprises

I’ll be flying for Our Daily Bread, a community soup kitchen in the city where I live.  Our Daily Bread offers an afternoon meal for anyone in need Monday through Friday.  Professional chef, Liz Whitaker, along with volunteers from 26 local churches and other organizations, prepare and serve up to 200 meals a day, five days a week.  What they serve depends solely on their donations.

Because Our Daily Bread is operated in the kitchen and fellowship hall of a local church, they do not qualify for grants that most non-profit organizations have the opportunity to receive.  That gives you an idea of how hard people work to get the food donations needed to feed hungry people in our community.  It’s all on them!!

In addition to feeding people in our community, Our Daily Bread has a volunteer Program Director works closely with clients, referring them to appropriate agencies such as HOPE, INC, Interfaith Ministries, Family Resource Center and area Clinics.  Bus tokens are made available for necessary transportation needs.  Hygiene products are distributed as needed.  A nurse is available once a week for blood pressure checks.  And when the weather gets cold, sweatshirts, caps, gloves and socks are provided to those who need them.

If you’re in the DFW area, make sure to head over to the Reliant Trinity River Wind Festival on Saturday, May 12th!  It’s a day filled with free family fun!  (Not to mention, it’s dog and bike friendly, too!)  You can view a full schedule of activities here.

HOW TO CONNECT
Reliant Website
Reliant Facebook
Reliant Twitter
Our Daily Bread Website
Our Daily Bread Facebook
Our Daily Bread Twitter 

Disclosure:  I was not compensated for this post, but due to my participation in this charity event, a donation will be made to Our Daily Bread.  I would love to thank Reliant Energy for this opportunity!

A couple of weeks ago I told you about the Simple Service project I was participating in where I was going to donate some universal sports equipment for kids.  I try my best to keep my kids active and healthy, but I also understand that not all kids have access to things like jump ropes and basketballs.  This was a very important project, to both myself and my kids.  Since my girls have yet to start school or join a sports team, we decided to take a trip to Walmart to pick out some fun sports items for both girls and boys.

I selected Vision Ministries to receive the sports equipment I purchased for the Champions for Kids SIMPLE Service Project.  I brought my girls with to drop off the sports equipment because they sincerely understand the act of giving.  Every few months they willingly go through their toys and clothing and donate what no longer fits, or is no longer played with.  This was very exciting for them!

We purchased four frisbees, four jump ropes, one plastic ball, a football, soccer ball and a basketball.  I picked equal colors for boys and girls, that way there’s something for everyone.  We selected the pink ball for the little kiddos.  My girls loved those when they were toddlers, so I couldn’t pass up buying at least one.  I thought we did a good job finding something for every age!

The town I live in is fairly decent in size, but the fact is, there’s not a ton of aid available for people in need.  We have a soup kitchen that offers one hot meal per day during the week, and then there’s Vision Ministries, where you can get items you need such as clothing, or toys…etc.  This is actually where we donate items our girls have outgrown.  They rely solely on donations, and everything is given to people in need.

Along with the sports items, I also brought along a large bottle of Odwalla to donate to Vision Ministries.  I told them about Champions for Kids, and why we were donating the items.  I also explained the benefits of Odwalla.  (My girls even testified about how yummy it tastes!)  They were thrilled to have received the balls and jump ropes…etc.  The volunteer I spoke with said that they will also come in handy for the tutoring sessions they do at the local elementary school!

My girls and I really loved working together on this SIMPLE Service Project.  They’ve already asked when we can do it again, and in all honesty, I can’t wait either!  You can see my entire #OdwallaCFK shopping experience here.

CONNECT with Champions for Kids
Website.  Facebook.  Twitter.

 Disclosure:  I am a member of the Collective Bias™ Social Fabric® Community.  This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias™. #CBias #SocialFabric  All thoughts expressed are my own.

As a person that spends an insane amount of time in the kitchen baking, I have a few go-to products that I use faithfully.  One of them is a Silpat non-stick baking mat.  Mine is old, but let me tell you, it is one of the best products I own!  Now you have the chance to win one for yourself!  Enter before noon on May 7 for your chance to win.

Here’s how to enter:

1. Visit the “Giveaway” tab on Silpat’s Facebook page
2. “Like” Silpat’s Facebook page
3. Complete an entry form
4. Click “Submit”

That’s it!  Those simple steps will enter you for a chance to win a Silpat and Sur La Table gift card!  Good luck!

Disclosure:  I was not compensated for this post.  I’m simply sharing information I believe my readers will enjoy.

The Avengers will be hitting theaters soon, and I cannot wait to see it!  We already decided to make a date night out of it since my husband is a huge comic book fan.  (Forget a good meal, my guy wants to see this movie!)

Marvel Studios presents “Marvel’s The Avengers”—the Super Hero team up of a lifetime, featuring iconic Marvel Super Heroes Iron Man, The Incredible Hulk, Thor, Captain America, Hawkeye and Black Widow. When an unexpected enemy emerges that threatens global safety and security, Nick Fury, Director of the international peacekeeping agency known as S.H.I.E.L.D., finds himself in need of a team to pull the world back from the brink of disaster. Spanning the globe, a daring recruitment effort begins.

To get you in the mood, here’s the “Black Widow Interrogation” film clip:

Are you like me and anxiously awaiting The Avengers to hit theaters?  Then do I have one heck of a giveaway for you!

One winner will receive:

• Marvel’s The Avengers T-Shirt (Adult size S, M, L or XL)
• Marvel’s The Avengers set of six buttons
• One pair of Marvel’s The Avengers limited edition 3D glasses

 Marvel’s The Avengers T-Shirt

I must admit, I am totally digging those 3D glasses!!  Thor looks fab, but I’m definitely an Iron Man kind of gal.  To enter, fill out the Rafflecopter form below.  Giveaway is open to residents of the U.S. and Canada.

Don’t forget: Marvel’s The Avengers hits theaters everywhere on May 4th!

HOW TO CONNECT
Facebook.  Twitter. 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclosure:  I was not compensated for this post.  Giveaway is open to residents of the U.S. and Canada! 

One thing I love about living near Dallas is the incredible food.  There are some really amazing chefs in the area, and two of them will be competing to see which one grills the best steak.  One happens to be my favorite, chef Richard Chamberlain, of Chamberlain’s Steak and Chop House!  Due to a prior commitment I’m unable to attend this fabulous event, but if you’re in the DFW area, you can!

What: Chefs Rodman Shields from Nick & Sam’s and Richard Chamberlain from
Chamberlain’s Steak and Chop House will compete in the Walmart Choice Steak Challenge presented by Kingsford® charcoal and Coca-Cola to determine who has the best steak-grilling chops in town.  Dallas is one of eight markets selected for this steak showdown.  All events will take place at Walmart parking lots and be judged by shoppers, who will get to try the steak and wash it down with a refreshing Coca-Cola Zero for free.  Eight chef finalists will be selected to compete in New York City, May 22, for best seared steak honors in a contest judged by champion pitmaster Chris Lilly and other food luminaries.

When: Saturday, April 28, 2012 12pm-2pm

Where: Walmart Supercenter #5147
1521 N Cockrell Hill Road
Dallas, TX 75211

Now, I know that only a percentage of my readers actually live in the DFW area, so for those of you that don’t, here’s a preview of Chef Chamberlain’s steak recipe.  Get a napkin my friends, cause your mouth is about to water!

Richard Chamberlain’s Grilled Filet Mignon with Smoky Spice Rub

Makes: 4 servings
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 8 to 10 minutes

INGREDIENTS
4 6-ounce Walmart Choice Premium Filet Mignon Steaks

Smoky Spice Rub
2 tablespoons smoked paprika
1 1/2 tablespoons light brown sugar
1 tablespoon ancho chili powder
1tablespoon smoked sea salt
1 tablespoon fresh ground pepper
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon granulated garlic

4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat the grill using Kingsford® charcoal, until the briquets are consistently ashed over.
While the grill is heating, combine the spice rub ingredients. Spice rub can be made a day in advance, if desired.
Rub filet mignons generously with spice rub on all sides. Brush each steak with 1 tablespoon olive oil on each side and place on grill.
Close grill lid, allowing steaks to brown for several minutes before turning and closing the lid again. Grill steaks to an internal temperature of 130 degrees F for medium rare.
Remove steaks from grill, place on cutting board and cover loosely with foil. Let the steaks rest before serving.

Recipe created by Chef Richard Chamberlain of Chamberlain’s Steak and Chop House in Dallas on behalf of the Walmart Choice Steak Challenge presented by Kingsford® charcoal and Coca-Cola©.

Other 2012 competitions include:

Miami: Friday, April 20
Houston: Tuesday, April 24
Tampa: Wednesday, April 18
San Antonio: Thursday, April 26
St. Louis: Tuesday, May 1
Nashville: Thursday, May 3
Atlanta: Saturday, May 5

For More info, check out www.Grilling.com for steak-grilling tips and recipes from all participating chefs.

Disclosure:  I was not compensated for this post.  

DreamWorks Pictures announced today that they are teaming up with Sprinkles Cupcakes to promote their film “People Like Us” with events at the ten Sprinkles Cupcakes stores around the country.  Cupcakes and a movie?  Now that’s the perfect combo, if you ask me!  The promotion will run from May 2-June 29, 2012, and is centered around five family-themed holidays:

• Brothers and Sisters Day (May 2)
• Mother’s Day (May13)
• Visit Your Relatives Day  (May 18)
• Father’s day (June 17)
• National Forgiveness Day (June 26)

On the designated “People Like Us” holidays, Sprinkles Cupcakes in all ten locations will give out a free cupcake to each customer who comes in between the hours of 12 noon and 2 p.m. and says, “People Like Us.”  Any customer can vote online for the official “People Like Us” flavor and the winning cupcake will be announced the week of the film’s opening. Customers can also pick up punch cards in Sprinkles Cupcakes stores, redeemable on the selected “People Like Us” holidays for a free cupcake.  Follow the movie on Facebook.com/PeopleLikeUs for more details.

“People Like Us”-branded coffee trucks or carts will be at various locations on Brothers and Sisters Day, May 2, to kick off the start of the promotion with free coffee. Visitors to facebook.com/PeopleLikeUs can take the Brothers and Sisters quiz and enter the “Celebrate Family” sweeps to win a trip to visit their family.

“People Like Us” is a drama/comedy about family, inspired by true events, starring Chris Pine (“Star Trek”) as Sam, a twenty-something, fast-talking salesman, whose latest deal collapses on the day he learns that his father has suddenly died. Against his wishes, Sam is called home, where he must put his father’s estate in order and reconnect with his estranged family. In the course of fulfilling his father’s last wishes, Sam uncovers a startling secret that turns his entire world upside down: He has a 30-year-old sister Frankie whom he never knew about (Elizabeth Banks). As their relationship develops, Sam is forced to rethink everything he thought he knew about this family—and re-examine his own life choices in the process.

OK, I know this might come as a shock, but I, the baker, have yet to visit Sprinkles!  I know, I know…there’s one right in Dallas!  I’m actually moving closer to Dallas next month, so you better believe I’ll be visiting on one of the upcoming holidays and saying those three special words: People. Like. Us.  

CONNECT with People Like Us
Facebook. 

Disclosure:  I was not compensated for this post.

I have two little girls that love movies.  Their bookcase is packed with every childrens movie imaginable, and quite honestly, it almost puts my DVD/Blu-Ray collection to shame!  When I showed them the new trailer for BRAVE, they were so excited!  The bold, rich colors of the film, the lovely Merida…what’s not to love?  It’s a film that the entire family is sure to enjoy.

Take a looksie:

Since ancient times, stories of epic battles and mystical legends have been passed through the generations across the rugged and mysterious Highlands of Scotland. In “Brave,” a new tale joins the lore when the courageous Merida (voice of Kelly Macdonald) confronts tradition, destiny and the fiercest of beasts.

Merida is a skilled archer and impetuous daughter of King Fergus (voice of Billy Connolly) and Queen Elinor (voice of Emma Thompson). Determined to carve her own path in life, Merida defies an age-old custom sacred to the uproarious lords of the land: massive Lord MacGuffin (voice of Kevin McKidd), surly Lord Macintosh (voice of Craig Ferguson) and cantankerous Lord Dingwall (voice of Robbie Coltrane). Merida’s actions inadvertently unleash chaos and fury in the kingdom, and when she turns to an eccentric old Witch (voice of Julie Walters) for help, she is granted an ill-fated wish. The ensuing peril forces Merida to discover the meaning of true bravery in order to undo a beastly curse before it’s too late.

Directed by Mark Andrews and Brenda Chapman, and produced by Katherine Sarafian, “Brave” is a grand adventure full of heart, memorable characters and the signature Pixar humor enjoyed by audiences of all ages.

The film takes aim at theaters on June 22, 2012, and will be presented in Disney Digital 3D™ in select theaters.

 CONNECT with BRAVE
Facebook. 

Disclosure:  I was not compensated for this post.  

I’m getting ready to move in the next few weeks, so Glad Black Bags have been my new best friend.  I use them to transport EVERYTHING.  Stuffed animals, clothes that need washing, pillows, comforters…if it fits, I stuff it in a Glad Black Bag!  I love that I can put so much stuff into each bag, and not have to worry about it tearing through.  There are so many ways to use a Glad Black Bag.  You can tear one open and lay it down underneath the kiddies table when they do crafts/painting, use them to store and transport clothing, bag up leaves after you rake in the fall…seriously, the possibilities are endless!  Who says you have to fill them with garbage?

Glad® ForceFlex® Black Bags can handle whatever life throws your way.

• Glad® ForceFlex® bag’s Diamond Texture stretches to prevent rips and tears
• Large sizes can handle big trash loads
• Strong drawstring make closing easy and dependable
• Available in Drawstring and Quick-Tie closures

Glad Black Bag Recycled Art Auction is from April 16th to April 26th, and you can bid on the original works of upcycled art! Auction proceeds benefit Keep America Beautiful and its mission to engage people to take greater responsibility for improving their community environments.

Glad has partnered with acclaimed artist Jason Mecier to create custom artwork from the would-be trash of Hollywood stars, including actress Amy Smart, actor Jesse Eisenberg, reality star Lauren Conrad, actress Emmanuelle Chriqui of “Entourage,” Parks & Recreation’s Nick Offerman, actress Megan Mullally, Dancing with the Stars’ Chelsie Hightower, and “iCarly’s” Nathan Kress. In addition, we’ve tapped Great American Cleanup™ volunteers to submit unique finds from cleanup events across the country.

The Picker Sisters are teaming up with Glad® Black Bag and Keep America Beautiful to celebrate and cleanup life’s wild moments and then find incredible and smart ways to reuse the trash.

The Picker Sisters have built their business on the belief that one person’s trash is another person’s treasure.  Along the way, they discovered that some of the best finds are the “remnants” of life’s wild moments.  Things that are created for or broken in our biggest celebrations can be repurposed in new ways that honor the memory, but create great style. 

Here are some great ideas from The Picker Sisters on how you can turn your trash into treasures:

Embrace the eclectic – Mixing old with new, modern with antique, or rustic with mid-century, can bring freshness to your style and breathe new life into your space. And the good part is, you can choose items you prefer, not items you think you need to make everything match exactly.

Refresh key pieces – Looking to freshen up your dining room chairs because they’ve endured their fair share of spills? Don’t throw them out. It may be easier than you think to reupholster the cushions with a fresh, new print, or, perhaps something spill-proof. With just a few key tools – such as an electric staple gun, pliers and screw driver – and you can have a fresh-looking dining set. Check out a how-to video at www.thisoldhouse.com.

Inspiration everywhere – We draw inspiration and ideas from everything around us all the time. Magazines, the Internet and nature itself are brimming with interesting, evocative images and objects that may spark a thought that you can then incorporate into your own design. The most original ideas can come from the most unlikely places. So keep your eyes open and your creative goggles on, and draw inspiration from the great big world around you.

Last but not least, I’d love to tell you about Glad’s latest campaign–The Wild Life.  Visit Facebook.com/Glad and watch as real life becomes the wild life with a unique family of six wildlife–each of whom inspired the Glad Black Bag art auction’s unique art.  PLUS, you can create your own sharable trailer for a chance to win $25,000 and other prizes and coupons!!

Make sure to head on over to Ebay so you can get a look each piece of custom art created by Jason Mecier.  You never know, if you find one you love, you could end up with one of his gorgeous pieces of art on your wall!

HOW TO CONNECT
Glad Art Auction Website.  Facebook.  Twitter.
Picker Sisters.  @GladWildLife

Disclosure:  I wrote this review while participating in a blog tour campaign by Mom Central Consulting on behalf of Glad Black Bag and received aGlad Black Bag product and a promotional item to thank me for taking the time to participate.