Frame It for Father's Day!

Father's Day is just around the corner, why not frame some of his favorite items in a shadowbox?  Being a scrapbooker, I love being able to take a 12X12 layout and add 3-D items to it.  One project I did was to dig my husband's childhood school uniform out of storage and put it in a shadowbox display.  It only took a few minutes to add in a couple photos and a report card, and now he has some treasured memories to keep on display forever!

As a gift for my father, I displayed some of his memoirs from his days in the Navy.  He was so touched when he saw this display, and it brought back a lot of great memories for him.

Here are some other great ideas you can do for a meaningful Father's Day gift...

Father's Day Gift Ideas

Tell Your Story: Wedding Memories

One of our readers recently sent in a photo of her finished wedding ShadowCase project.  Here's what she had to say...

"I recently ordered an Ivory ShadowCase and I absolutely LOVE it! I decided it would work perfectly for capturing my wedding memories. I put our wedding announcement, photos, and even the ribbon my husband and I picked out when we chose our colors. I have had many compliments on this shadowbox. It is very professional looking and extremely high quality. The colors are exactly what is shown on the website so it makes it easy to plan and coordinate and my order came very quickly. I would recommend this to anyone who wants something special to showcase their special memories!" --Trista in AZ


Thanks for sharing your story with us, and we appreciate the photo!


With memories in mind, 
Ruth and Rose

Ruth's Gardening Forum: Little Purple Pansies

The pansies in my garden have become one of my most faithful flower friends.  Their sweet faces are the first to say hello to me from under the last of the melting snow, and when their blooms begin to wilt and fade, they always promise to be back next year (with a few friends)!  A pansy (despite its name) is a hardy, colorful flower that is soon to reach its 200th birthday of being introduced to Mother Earth.  I'll bet you didn't know that!

Also known as "Hearts-ease" the colors of its petals--purple, yellow, and white--symbolize memories, loving thoughts, and souvenirs.  So from my garden to you, here is a bouquet of loving thoughts and happy memories.  Look into their little faces and have a Happy Day!

p.s. Next week we'll be discussing how to preserve these little cuties!

ShadowCase DOUBLE Giveaway!!!!

Congratulations to our first winner, Rikki Graziani!!!  We are now taking entries for our 200-fan giveaway, so don't despair if you didn't win the first time.  All of your previous entries will still be used toward the drawing when we reach 200 fans.  We wish everyone the best of luck!!

Here are the rules if you've managed to forget somehow...

Enter to win a FREE ShadowCase Designer Kit ($65) by becoming a Facebook fan, posting on our wall, or being a follower this blog.  Each time you like, comment, or post, it will enter you in the drawing.  When we reach 100 fans, we'll draw for our first lucky winner, and at 200 fans, we'll select our second winner from the total number of fans (except winner # 1, of course).  See what's happening at ShadowCase with Ruth and Rose on Facebook .

Nutty for Coconut!

Ever have those days as a parent where everything is going along fine, you feel like you're doing an acceptable job as a mother, and then WHAM-O!!! you realize that you have forgotten to teach your child about a very important part of life? It happens to me more than I would like, that's for certain!

I gave my 3-year-old an piece of an Almond Joy the other day.  He said, "What is this white thing in here?" I said, "That's called coconut."  He grins at me and says, "It's my FAVORITE!" 

Now the "WHAM-O" moment-- "My almost-4-year-old has never had coconut?  Are you kidding me?"

I realized where I had gone wrong--one of my older children didn't like coconut, so I hadn't thought to give it to my poorly-coconut-deprived youngest son! And to think he might have missed out on some of life's most delectable desserts (in my humble opinion).  So in honor of you, dear son, here is a well-loved family recipe from South Africa, filled with coconut and love!

Coconut Crunchies

2 c. rolled oats

1 c. sugar

1/2 c. butter

1 T. heavy corn syrup

1 tsp. baking soda

2 c. coconut

1 c. flour

pinch salt

1. Melt sugar, butter, syrup, and soda in a saucepan.

2. Mix oats, coconut, flour, and salt together in large mixing bowl.

3. Add melted mixture into dry ingredients, and mix until like fine crumbs.

4. Press into greased 9X13 baking pan.

5. Bake at 350 deg. for 15-20 min., or until golden brown.

6. Cut into squares immediately, then store in airtight container once cool.

Fabulous Father's Day Special!

Are you tired of giving socks and ties for Father's Day?  We understand that men can be difficult to buy for, so we want to help you give that special guy in your life a gift he will always remember. Shop now and receive 15% off your entire order from now until June 21, 2010.

You can even customize your ShadowCase to suit his personality with our online designer, or make it even easier and choose a pre-designed kit. Visit our gallery to spark your imagination. Use coupon code FATHER15 at checkout, and you'll be on your way to an unforgettable Father's Day!

GIVEAWAY! 200 Fans on Facebook

Enter to win a FREE ShadowCase Designer Kit ($65) by becoming a Facebook fan, posting on our wall, or being a follower this blog.  Each time you like, comment, or post, it will enter you in the drawing.  Tell all your friends, because once we have 200 Facebook fans,  "GiveAway Day" is here!  Visit us at ShadowCase with Ruth and Rose on Facebook .

Ruth's Gardening Forum: Memories of Lilacs

One of my favorite memories from childhood is the scent of lilacs blooming in the spring.  I would sit for hours, playing in the grass next to our lilac bush, breathing in the lovely scent, knowing that summer was on its way!  Now that I have a garden of my own, I appreciate low-maintenence plants and flowers, and lilacs are at the top of the list!  With only a small amount of knowledge and care, you can have a lush, colorful addition to your landscape.

To care for your lilacs remember these points:
(courtesy of www.rabbitrunnursery.com)

The things that are important for good growth and abundant flowers are:

1. Sunshine: Best in full sun.

2. Fertilizing: An all-purpose fertilizer in spring.

3. Well-drained neutral soil: The ph should be 6 to 7.

4. Proper Pruning: Prune soon after the flowers have faded.

These steps should give you years of enjoyment from your lilacs ... Happy Gardening !!!

Motherhood: Because Time is Precious

The "Tiny Ballerina" ShadowCase is one of our favorites, because it is a reminder to enjoy the precious moments of life.  So often we wish time would pass more quickly, or look at the greener grass on the other side of the fence.

Take some time today to be quiet and still in the moment.  Really savor that spoonful of ice cream, stop and smell the tulip blooming in the garden, look at the clouds in the sky while you sit at the stoplight, read a book with your child or grandchild, or just listen to a friend.

We will all be better mothers, friends, sisters, and daughters if we just remember that time is so precious.  Take a moment and dance with life!

With memories in mind,
Ruth and Rose

Motherhood: Taming the Laundry-Mess Monster

What does laundry have to do with being a mother? Everything! For those of you drowning in the abyss of last week's dirty clothes, here is a life raft for you!  No matter how small your laundry room, you can find a way to better organize it so that it runs like a fine-tuned machine.  We found great success with taming our laundry mess monster a few years ago, and it still works like a charm!


Step 1: Collect and label small bins--one for each family member (we used white plastic dishpans from Walmart at about $3 each). We also labeled one "linens", one "socks" and one "charity".  This way we can sort through those clothes that are too small and send them out the door instead of back into the drawer.

Step 2: Place bins on shelves in your laundry room--either attached to the wall or even a tall bookshelf will work.

Step 3: As you pull clothes out of the dryer, immediately fold them and place them in the proper bin.  Have a rod or behind-the-door hook for hanging the clothing that doesn't go into drawers.

Step 4: Assign family members the responsibility of emptying their own bin into their drawers and closets (Yes, even husbands and 2-yr-olds can do this!)

We have felt the satisfaction of seeing this method work for 5 years straight, and it has truly helped tame that Laundry-Mess Monster!

A Mother's Prayers

I remember my mother's prayers and they have always followed me. They have clung to me all my life.

Abraham Lincoln