I HAVE to share this wonderful recipe and great gift idea!

My good friend Erin, has a fantastic blog called One Particular Kitchen.
Not only is she a great author, she's a fabulous cook too. Take a look at her recipes and kitchen ideas- you won't be disappointed.

Spice Craisin Nuts is one of my favorite recipes she's shared to date (and there are a LOT of great ones to pick from, trust me!)

I whipped up a batch of these nuts on Thanksgiving to eat and made FOUR batches for Christmas gifts. I packaged them in little celophane cones and gave them to friends and family. Only snafoo- I couldn't keep my son and husband out of them while I was trying to pack them away!

It's a quick, easy way to spread some nutty, holiday cheer!

And the winner is.................

Carapace!! Congratulations!

Check out Carapace's etsy site at www.carapace.etsy.com. She offers beautiful jewelry and bright illustrations. Take a second to visit her etsy store or read more about her on www.caramakes.blogspot.com.

Thanks to all who entered!

December Giveaway - The Three Wise Women

I'm partnering up with my favorite gals (my mom and my mother-in-law) this month to bring you an awesome holiday giveaway! We have lots in common and all three of us are crafters at heart. Take a look at a quick description of their shops below:

BasketBeeDesigns: My mom (Marlene) offers some beautifully quilted Christmas Stockings and Christmas Tree Skirts, as well as adorable chipboard scrapbooks...and of course baskets (her true talent).

FinnsPrettyThings: My mother-in-law (Nancy) offers beautiful jewelry in her shop. She has a flair for combining natural stones and beautiful pendants to create a one of a kind art piece. She also loves crystals and looks for special beads that accent her workings. Her work is truely artful.

Here's what the winner will receive:

1-Peppermint Heart Basket Tie-On from Basket Bee Designs

Tie this on to your favorite basket to give it some holiday umph!

1- Holiday Bracelet - from Finns Pretty Things A beautiful Christmas colored bracelet with heart shaped turquoise and coral beads. Perfect for the holidays or year round!

1- Christmas Past Soap Trio - from Pea Pod Crafts

You'll get three small crinkle cut soaps tucked in an old fashioned, circular box. Soaps are scented with a fresh Christmas scent of balsam and cinnamon. So cozy and fresh!

To enter:

- heart the following stores BasketBeeDesigns, FinnsPrettyThings and PeaPodCrafts.

Extra Credit- how to earn extra entries:

- heart one item from each of the above stores (1 entry- each store)

- add an item from our stores to your Etsy Treasury (1 entry per item added)

- blog about this giveaway (1 entry)

- twitter about this giveaway (1 entry)

- join PeaPodCrafts fanpage on Facebook (1 entry)

- become a follower of this blog (1 entry)

- refer a friend to this giveaway (1 entry- have friend mention you in comment)

Drawing will occur on December 18th at noon CST, so don't wait to enter!!

And the Winner Is.....................

RONANDWHIT

Congratulations!!!

Thanks to everyone who entered:)

Suds of sustainability II

Look what was on NBC's nightly news! I'm SO happy this information is getting out! http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3032619/ns/nightly_news#34094838

****Peapod Crafts uses only palm oil that has been certified by the RSPO (Roundtable for Sustainable Palm Oil). ************************************

See my post titled "Suds of Sustainability" for more information.
http://ezpeazy.blogspot.com/2009/08/suds-of-sustainability.html

Roly Poly Make Up Rolls are currently SOLD OUT again! Thanks everyone for the support. You know how to make a girl blush! I listed 10 earlier last week and have already sold them all. Don't fret though, if you're interested in purchasing one I will be busy at the sewing machine for the next few days to add an additional 15 to my store (some new combos as well).

IF you need one sooner than that, OR you'd like a specific color or pattern, please email me or send me a convo through Etsy and I'll set up a custom order.

I'm also working on adding some matching zip-up bags to tote around all your loose make-up too. Stay tuned!

New Treasury

Check out my new treasury:

Lemonade Stand: A Collection of accessories that are ANYTHING but sour

There are some wonderful items listed...take a peek!

Announcing....................................

The Classy Clean Collection - Soap Giveaway

Winner receives one Classy Clean Collection of Soap directly from Peapod Crafts. The collection contains 12 mini soaps in each of the following scents:

• coconut lime verbena
• vanilla oatmeal sandalwood
• sage and citrus
• vanilla oak
• ginger lime
• chocolate mint
• buck naked
• blackberry sage vanilla
• lavender eucalyptus
• mechanic's soap
• gardener's soap
• kitchen soap

RULES

To enter you must do the following by November 26th, Midnight (CST).

1. Add a comment to this post with finishing the following sentence: I am thankful for....
2. Become a follower of EZPea-zy, the blog.
3. Share some love by "hearting" my shop at http://www.peapodcrafts.etsy.com/
4. Follow up with "hearting" your favorite item as well.

Winner will be announced on Thanksgiving. Good luck!

Halloween Costume Bonanza!!

During October I usually throw myself into costume hell. Even though I promised myself I wouldn't wait until the last minute to start sewing, it came down to the wire once again this year. Luckily I had already gathered most of the necessary components for the costumes over the last few months. So................with our annual Halloween party bearing down fast upon us I locked myself into my sewing room (aka the closet) and started the marathon sewfest. Here's how they turned out:

Sean's favorite movie for the past few months has been Willy Wonka (both versions). We decided to honor the classic and dress like the characters from the original movie. For my costume I found: white capris, brown socks, brown turtleneck, white gloves and a green wig. The only additions I had to sew were the suspenders and a few buttons. Add an orange face, white eyebrows, some pom-poms on your shoes and viola! "You get no commercials!" ...a sweet costume for sure.

For Sean's I sewed together the vest, and adapted a pattern for his uber pimpin velvety coat. Add them to khakis, white shirt and a simply tied golden bowtie. For props he used a cane made from a dowel rod (with a round candy top) and a top hat which was made from felt, posterboard and glue. He was proud as a peacock and fit the part perfectly with his rendition of Willy's song ....."If you want to view carrot-dise"

For Bryan's all I can say is ....................YO GABBA GABBA! DJ Lance Rock was pretty easy to make (except finding orange pants). Just add the white and yellow felt stripes to the sweatshirt and pants, find some goofy black glasses and a puffy orange hat. I took two stocking caps and added some stuffing in between then covered it in orange fuzz material. I created a little bling-bling for his white belt by creating a ROCK belt buckle made from posterboard and glitter glue. Don't forget DJ Lance's boom box. Spraypaint a cardboard box and glue on some clip art speakers. The crew needs a place to ride around in! Throw in a kick and a little dance and the kids go crazy!

We're making three appearances with these costumes so the effort is definitely worth it. PLUS we save every costume to re-use and recycle. You never know what next year will bring!

Lisa's Haul: (don't peek Lisa!)

Here's a picture of Lisa's haul:

1 square cut bar of Raspberry Tomato Leaf Soap

1 skein decadence yarn- smoky topaz (yes that's yarn!)

and

5 wonderfully colored beads, my favorite orange flavors!

The Winner Issssssssssss??

Lisa from Vancouver, BC. She has a really cool blog called Burrito West about crafting, hiking, travels...all the things I love. Seems like we have a lot in common- so hopefully she'll like her gift! I'm sending her a bar of soap called Raspberry Tomato Leaf. It reminds me completely of summer and you guessed it- it smells like a tomato leaf! That scent is hard to duplicate, but smells so wonderful in the right way.

Thanks to all who entered! Stay tuned for our next giveaway which is just around the corner. I've been working my fingers to the bone and want to give you something completely WONDERFUL for the next round. But..you'll have to work for it:)

Baby of OZ

Take a look at my new Etsy Treasury "BABY OF OZ".

Leave a comment on the treasury and earn an additional entry into our Comment Palooza Giveaway! This treasury will expire on the 27th so get your comments in soon:)

What's a treasury you might ask? An Etsy Treasury is an ever-changing, member curated shopping gallery of handpicked items.

Great Garage Sale Find

I went to a garage sale today and was told by the house-owner to fill a bag for $2! We found hotwheels, play groceries and all kinds of goodies. The best find was this:

Vintage 1973 Fisher Price Movie Viewer

It came with "Lonesome Ghosts" a film about Mickey Mouse and his crew battling a group of ghosts for their so-called haunted house. This is one toy Sean has to pry out of my hand. It's definitely a blast from the past!

Felt food is FABULOUS

Martha Stewart had the cutest show today! Check out the following for ideas for making kids' kitchens and playfood!


How to make a cherry pie from Lilly Bean Market
How to make a cardboard oven
How to make doll chairs and table


I am definitely making some food for little man's grocery store. They're so cute and there's no worry about lead paint or BPA. Just good clean fun!

NO COMMENT! Announcing the comment-palooza giveaway!

Fans, friends and customers,

Got something to say!????!?? Here's your opportunity. I NEED to hear from you!! Post a comment on my blog (http://ezpeazy.blogspot.com) on any post and you'll be automatically entered into our newest giveaway.......COMMENT-PALOOZA. Each comment receives one entry! September 1st i'll draw a name randomly and that person will receive a surprise from my shop. I realize sharing your comments take time and it's important you know how valuable your thoughts are!

Feedback, new ideas, suggegstions for my blog and ETSY shop are ALWAYS welcome and very much appreciated!

And the winner is...............

And the winner is............Mary Mills of mmillsdesigns!

Mary is a fellow Etsian and has been selling her beautiful jewelry since the end of 2008. While Mary is currently reconfiguring her shop (due to be done at the end of August) you can still see some of her work at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/mmillsdesigns/
Also, take a moment and become a fan of hers if you aren't already!
http://www.facebook.com/mmillsdesigns

Mary will be receiving a bar of my handmade soap- Patchouli Oatmeal! This is my absolute favorite scent. This time around i've added ground oatmeal to provide exfoliating properties. This is on the stronger sides of scents, but I love it. It's musky, earthy and clean- all in one!

Please be patient as I restock my soap scents. I have been upgrading my equipment and supplies and will be making soap like crazy in the weeks to come. I've got one batch curing already and many additional new scents on the way. Stay tuned for our second giveaway coming down the pike this fall.....SUPER SOAP GIVEAWAY!!

Thanks to all for the support. Keep your eyes open for discounts and coupons coming your way!

Facebook Fans Give-AWAY!

Join my Facebook Fans page and if you're fan #101 or below, you'll be entered into a giveaway drawing! Can't tell you what I'm giving away, but it's FREE!!! Who doesn't love that!

Fan benefits:
- be the first to know about sales
- get valuable coupon information just for fans!
- participate in giveaways
- belong to a really cool and groovy group of people
- I'll like you more

All kidding aside, I plan to use my facebook fanpage as a great way to communicate what's happening in my ETSY world.

Suds of Sustainability

sustainability (n.): the means of configuring civilization and human activity so that society, its members and its economies are able to meet their needs and express their greatest potential in the present, while preserving biodiversity and natural ecosystems, planning and acting for the ability to maintain these ideals in the very long term.

I have used palm oil in nearly every batch of soap i've made over the years. While reordering soap supplies I ran across some alarming information regarding palm oil and could not turn a blind eye. Not only are skyrocketing prices starving the people of many developing countries, the orangutan is being slaughtered by our thirst for this oil.

Over the last few years palm oil prices have jumped 70% due to demand, but the supply for palm oil is only slowly increasing. It takes 8 years for a palm tree to be mature enough to produce the fruit which yields the oil. Therefore many farmers and plantation companies are clearing hundreds of thousands of acres of tropical forest to plant additional palms. This tropical forest is (was) the home to many of our nearest relatives...the Orangutan. Did you know Orangutans share approximately 97.8% of our DNA and express a range of emotions that is just as wide as our own?

Here's a quote from the article listed below: "The palm oil and timber industries are guilty of truly horrific ecological atrocities, one of which is the systematic genocide of orangutans. When the forest is cleared, adult orangutans are generally shot on sight. In the absences of bullets they are beaten, burned, tortured, mutilated and often eaten as bushmeat."

So you ask "What can I do?"

1) If you make soap use a supplier that is part of the RSPO- the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil. Thanks to JoAnna who researched this information- Soaper's Choice/Columbus Foods offers an organic palm oil that is sustainably harvested. This is my new palm oil supplier!

2) Choose soap (handmade or commercially made), make up and food companies that use suppliers who are part of the RSPO. Unilever and L'Oreal are a few. When in doubt ask them!

3) Educate yourself. While this topic is not without controversy, educate yourself and make a stand. It's not okay to say...my bar of soap won't affect anything, because in the end it absolutely does and already has.

A New, Global Oil Quandary: Costly Fuel Means Costly Calories

The Other Oil Shock

The Struggle for Palm Oil

Orangutans and palm oil: What's the connection?

Facebook Fan Page

Become a Pea Pod fan on facebook and receive special discounts and notifications of contests. Join this week and recieve $5 off the luggage of your choice! (convo me for details!)

Visit my new Facebook Fanpage at: Pea Pod Crafts

UpCycled Vintage Luggage Available NOW!

My mom recently gave me the Forecast Train Case that she carried on her honeymoon. How cool! It has the original keys, tray and scent too (can still smell mom's perfume). I'm such a sucker for old fashioned things...but I want to use them too! I've used my train case several times since mom gave it to me and it's suprisingly functional...not to mention SO CUTE!

You no longer have to wonder which suitcase is yours at the airport! Look for the one that everyone is pointing at and whispering...."COOL! RETRO! ORIGINAL! COOL!"

Now available on Peapod Crafts are 9 different styles, shapes and colors of customized vintage luggage. Please feel free to contact me with any ideas and suggestions. Custom orders are always welcomed!

Check back soon as I will be adding more items shortly!

You Too Can CAN!

The best part of gardening is harvesting, eating and putting away the extra goodies. Nothing beats pulling out a jar of tomatoes during the dead of winter! It rushes me right back to the middle of my garden, when the vines are full with maters waiting to be picked. My first year of canning I bought the Ball Blue Book. It's considered to be the canner's Bible and still after years of canning I refer to it frequently. It not only covers the subject of canning, but also freezing and dehydration too.

A few of my personal tips:

1) It isn't necessary to buy brand new equipment. You'll need new lids each time, but can re-use rings, jars and most of the other equipment too. I usually buy new lids AND rings, but this is a personal preference. Many of your larger items you can find at garage sales or second hand stores so keep your eye out! Boiler, jars, jar lifters....etc.

2) Lay out all of your equipment BEFORE starting. I usually work on two counter surfaces. Preparing the food on one and then canning on the other. This is not the type of recipe/do it yourself that you can read a step, complete it, then gather tools for your next step. You'll want the process to flow smoothly and some steps are time/heat sensitive.

3) Make sure your work area is cooled. Sometimes AC is not enough. Use your ceiling fan or additional fans to circulate the area. Heat is your friend when canning but unfortunately doesn't stay confined to your pots!

4) When you hear that first lid "POP" think of me. I love that pop and can recognize it across the house. I can't help but do a little canning jig each time I hear it!

I Say Tomato, You Say Tomaaaaahto

What's the best way to handle those fast growing tomato plants? Ask any group of gardeners and you are bound to receive a handful of different answers...the tomato tower, topless table, stake and weave, simple ole' cages. One thing we can all agree on is tomato plants need to be supported in order to ensure a long and healthy growing & harvesting season.

Here is my process:

1) Tomatoes LOVE metal. According to Jerry Baker (a wacky but talented gardener) it is possible that tomatoes are able to gather electrical ions out of the air, energizing the plants and roots. I use 6 ft. fence posts, driven into the ground at each tomato base. I use fence posts that are made for rural fencing because they usually have notches that are perfect for anchoring when tying up the tomatoes.

2) Use something flexible to tie the tomato branches to the stake. I buy knee-hi pantyhose (usually around a buck per package of 10 at most discount stores). I like to cut mine in half lengthwise, just because you can tie better and waste less. Using pantyhose as ties allows the plant to continue growing, yet the material is strong enough to keep the plants tied in place.

3) Stake early, tie often. This is the most important rule to remember. Stake your tomatoes before they start to spread. Check your tomatoes once a week (or more during peak summer days) and add additional ties as your plants grow.



With this method I have had seasons with monster tomato plants that have reached beyond the top of my stakes and tomatoes that have produced until mid October. It works well for me, but might not fit everyone's gardening criteria. What works for you?

Rolling Rolling Rolling......new items added

New at PeaPod Crafts:

Roly Poly Make-Up Brush Roll - Where does one store their make-up brushes?? Previous to creating this roll I threw mine in with everything else. NOT a good idea. This organizer is great for markers, crayons, crochet/knitting needles, and other art supplies too!

Carry-It-All Kid's Vendor Apron - Little Man feels like such a stud when he wears this apron. It's a smaller version of the Do-It-All Vendor Craft Apron that mom wears. Watch how your little one transforms when they're carrying their favorite toys around with them.

Building A Miniature Ecosystem

Take container gardening to a whole new level and explore the benefits of building a terrarium. I ran across a fabulous container at our local second-hand store for $3.99 and decided it was time to make a go of it. There are many how-to's on the web, but here is my favorite: How to Build a Terrarium

And the finished product!

Other benefits of terrariums:

• Planting a terrarium is a great way to introduce kids to gardening as well. They'll have fun picking out the plants, setting it up and of course watering it from time to time.
• Terrariums are portable- can easily pick up or move it inside during inclement weather, or move outside to enjoy.
• Because a terrarium is a controlled environment, gardeners can use tropical, desert or other types of plants typically not used in a specific zone.
• They're beautiful!

Keep your eyes peeled for that special container and send pictures when you've completed yours!

Easy, Cheap and Fun Date

Lunch $6.98, marbles 4/$1.00, spending the day with your little one - priceless. Need a cheap memory-making event? Try visiting your local small town and be a tourist for the day! Here's an example itenerary taken from my recent visit to Fayetteville, TN- of course with my little man "in tow".

Destination: Lafayette- TN
Population: 7007
Attractions:

• Sirs Fabrics - Fabric warehouse known for upholstery and decorator fabric. In operation since the 50's this store has 3 buildings full of fabric!


• The Lincoln Theatre: Opened in 1951 this theatre is still in operation!! It was remodeled in 1982 but still possesses all of the charm and nostalgia of the original theater. It has two screens- one upstairs in the balcony and one on the main floor. We are going to visit the theater again in May when they will be showing Pixar's new flick UP.


• Shopping: There are also many cafes, antique stores and shops to browse. The town square has a great map posted at each corner to aide visitors.

I've decided to make this a monthly tradition with my son. We'll head out (map in hand)and find a quaint little town to visit. Depending on our budget, we might pack a lunch and picnic at a local park or visit one of the local treats. Since eye-buying is free, we've got a day that costs next to nothing but can be entertaining even for a thirty-something and a two year old at the same time.

How Does Your Garden Grow? 5 Easy Steps to Preparing Your Garden Space

Before planting a garden it's necessary to take a few steps to ensure a successful harvest. Here is what I do each year before putting a single seed in the ground.

1) If you are breaking fresh ground opt to pay a professional to till the area. Typically it costs around $50 depending on the size of your garden and your location. We've been lucky over the years to know someone with a tractor and a tiller attachment. If this isn't the case for you...trust me, it's well worth the money. Professional tillers make your ground feel like heaven within a matter of minutes. Check your local newpaper classifieds or contact your local farmer's co-op for a list of providers.

2)If this is not your garden's first season- till the area: It's best to till your garden POST harvest in the Fall. This gives you a great canvas to work with come the following Spring. Till the area again when ready to plant. The more frequent you till the garden the better!

3)Test your soil: This is a very important step. Chemistry was NOT my strong suit in school, but there are super easy soil-test kits available at your local hardware store. These usually run around $5 and come with a set of simple instructions.

4) Amend your soil: Here's a great link for interpreting the results of your soil test: SOIL TEST RESULTS Make adjustments to Ph, N, P or K. The results will determine what if any additions need to be made to your soil. At a minimum I always add organic compost and one dose of fertilizer.

5) Till again: This mixes all of your additions thoroughly. I've got an average size tiller that I use for preparation and weeding throughout the season. It's a back-saver!

Now you're ready to plant!