Giveaway: Win a Crafting at Sea Caribbean Cruise for Two!

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All Aboard Crafters! Craftsy’s first-ever Quilt Cruise will be leaving the dock on March 23, 2013, for a week-long Caribbean vacation full of your favorite crafting pastime plus sightseeing and relaxing!

Hop off when the ship docks in Jamaica, the Cayman Islands, and Mexico for fun excursions before you reboard for more crafting adventures with your fellow cruise mates. Craftsy is even giving away one pair of tickets every month, so you and a guest can get away for an incredible quilting experience and Caribbean vacation!

View the complete itinerary, learn all about ship amenities, and enter now for a chance to win!

Frozen Brown Rice Crunchies – Ridiculously Easy Dog Treat Recipe!

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frozen brown rice treats for Dogs, dog treat recipe

Here’s a fun and ridiculously easy frozen dog treat you can make at home using leftover rice! It’s SO easy, it’s not even really a recipe…more of a how-to! Use any type of plain rice but do NOT add any seasoning, oil or butter when you steam or boil it. We like brown rice so I always cook a bit extra to have leftovers for Daisy. These frozen rice treats have a nice crunch that dogs love, and are a healthy, inexpensive treat. They are FUN to make, so let your kiddos help!

organic brown rice

Cook plain brown or white rice according to directions on package. No seasoning or oils. Just rice.

cooked brown rice

Fluff the rice and allow it to cool. Or finish preparing your dinner and set some aside for later.

brown rice in ziploc bag

Place the cooled plain rice in a freezer bag. You can mix in a little sodium-free chicken broth or a bit of mashed up banana if you want to make flavored crunchies, but it’s not necessary to add anything. Smoosh the rice into one flat layer and squeeze out the air, then zip. Make sure it’s all smooshed together and well flattened…otherwise you just end up with a bag of frozen rice. Tastes the same, but not as fun.

rice in the freezer

Stick the flattened bag of rice in the freezer and leave it for several hours or overnight.

bag of frozen rice treats

Once the sheet of rice has frozen solid, break it up into pieces (similar to making peanut brittle). Store treats in the freezer and use them as a simple, healthy snack for your dog anytime. Enjoy!

Giveaway: Win a $100 Gift Card to Lowes or Ikea!

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Lowes and Ikea Gift Card Giveaway!

I’m thrilled to be participating in a great new Blogger Network and exciting Launch Giveaway sponsored by Simply Sassy Media! If you like DIY and Decorating Projects, here’s a chance to Win a $100 Lowes Gift Card (one US Winner) or Win a $100 Ikea Gift Card (one Canadian Winner)!
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Bake for Your Dog: Banana Carob Biscotti Recipe {Courtesy of Dog Pack Snacks}

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banana carob biscotti recipe for dogs
Banana Carob Biscotti Recipe

Ingredients:

  • 1-1/2 cups organic oat Flour (if your dough is too wet add more flour 1/4 cup at a time.)
  • 1-1/2 cups organic quick cook oatmeal
  • 1 ripe banana
  • 1/4 cup peanut butter
  • 1/4 cup milk
  • 1 egg
  • 1/4 cup carob chips (DO NOT USE CHOCOLATE CHIPS)
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder
    Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.  Mix all the ingredients, except the carob chips, together in a bowl.  Use a stand mixer if you have one. Once a thick dough has formed (somewhere between a cookie dough and a bread dough), add the carob chip and mix in gently.  Use your hands to form the dough into a loaf shape.  HINT: this dough was too fat.  Make your dough flatter and longer.

    banana carob biscotti dough

    Bake on the middle rack on a lined cookie sheet for 20 minutes.  Remove the loaf from the oven and let it stand on the counter for 15 minutes before cutting into 1 inch slices.  HINT: Use a serrated knife.  

    banana carob biscotti recipe for dogs

    After cutting, put the pieces back on the cookie sheet, return to the oven and bake for an additional 15 minutes or until  you have a crispy cookie.  Remove from oven and let cool.  For a seriously crunch worthy snack, turn the oven off and  leave the cookies to dry in the oven for a few hours.  Keep the cookies in a sealed container on the counter for a week.  If you only have one or two pups, or did not make them super crunchy, it is suggested that you refrigerate.

    Thanks to Dog Pack Snacks for inviting me to share their recipe with YOU!

    Meet Coco the Diva Dog, and her mom Debbie: Deb runs DogPackSnacks.com and Coco is the Chief Taste Tester. They make all their Dog Snacks and Treats in small batches with 100% human grade ingredients to insure that you know exactly what you are feeding your pup! Be sure to visit Dog Pack Snacks and pick up some yummy and healthy dog treats and snacks including Chicken-N-Cheese Bones, Turkey Chips, Beef Florentine Bars, Homemade Chicken Jerky and more!

Woolrich ‘Add Your Own Stuffing’ Dog Bed Only $7.99 ($49.99 Retail)!

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Add Your Own Stuffing Dog Bed!

Back by Popular Demand! This ‘Add Your Own Stuffing’ Dog Bed is perfect for anyone who wants to save money and control what materials are used in their dog’s bedding! A super easy DIY pet project, you can fill this dog bed with old t shirts, pillows, blankets, cedar chips or newspaper…or visit the fabric or craft store to buy filler.

Because you only stuff it when you need it, this bed is great for keeping around as a spare or travel bed because it doesn’t take up space when you aren’t using it! Cleanup is also easy since you can remove the stuffing and wash separately if needed. The size is Approximately 21″ long x 27″ wide and you can snag this dog bed now for only $7.99 + $2.99 Shipping ($49.99 reg.).