It Pays to Vacation at Home Sweepstakes Sponsored by Clorox®

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of The Clorox Company for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

One of my favorite companies, Clorox®, is sponsoring the It Pays to Vacation at Home sweepstakes.  I am addicted to Clorox® Disinfecting Wipes. I use them daily to sanitize my kitchen and bathrooms.  They make cleaning a breeze, and eliminate harmful bacteria.  Do you have a favorite Clorox® product?  Did you know that you can purchase all of them at Dollar General?

Let me tell you how to enter the It Pays to Vacation at Home sweepstakes. Here is the skinny, you have until June 24, 2012 to enter. You will enter at dollargeneral.com for a chance to win 1 of 20 grand prizes or 100 first prizes.   The grand prize is a $500 check to vacation at home!  That's right, 20 people will win $500 and 100 other people will win a first prize, a $25 Dollar General gift card!

That's not all, once you are registered for the It Pays to Vacation at Home sweepstakes, you can also play to win a $10 Dollar General gift card in the instant "Wipe and Win" game. I registered for the It Pays to Vacation at Home sweepstakes, and then played the "Wipe and Win" game.  I didn't win instantly, but I can play again tomorrow for another chance to win instantly.  It only took a few seconds to register and enter.

Don't forget to enter to win here at It Pays to Vacation at Home.  You just might win $500 for a "staycation"! Remember to use your favorite Clorox® cleaning products when prepping your home for all those Summer parties.   They make cleaning easy.

Toast Worthy Fantastic Features

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Is everyone enjoying the short work week?  I can't believe it's Thursday already, and you know what that means, it's time for me to share some of my favorite links from last weeks Anything Goes linky party. 

First up is Stella B's Kitchen with their impressive Spinach Sausage Pork Loin. 

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Save Money at MyPoints

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of MyPoints for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

Do you know about the Great Offers and Deals at MyPoints?  Basically you can do all of the things you normally do online, from shopping to clipping coupons, but now you can earn redeemable points by doing it all at MyPoints. MyPoints has relationships with over a 1,000 online retailers. So you will be shopping your favorite brands and stores, and earning points redeemable for gift cards, travel miles, PayPal, and Facebook.  You even have the option of donating points for charity.  I only wish I had know about MyPoints sooner.

So how does it work?  You will shop and coupon just like you normally do, but through MyPoints. It's free and easy to sign up and Save Money at MyPoints.  It only took me a few seconds to create a password account. You will need to enter your basic information, email, name, date of birth, and gender. Once you have an account you can create a profile by answering a few more easy questions.  By completing your profile you will help MyPoints learn what sort of Awesome Daily Deals you are most interested in.  Not only that, but by completing your profile you will earn 60 points!  Besides clipping coupons and shopping, you can earn points by taking online surveys, referring friends, playing MyPoints branded online games, email offers, and buying gift cards to participating retailers.  For me though, it's all about the online shopping.  We live in a small town, so the vast majority of our shopping, especially for holidays and gifts, is done online.

Here are a list of only a few of the many retailers you can shop at MyPoints: Walmart, Sears, JCPenney, Khols, Amazon, Cabelas, Nordstrom, Sephora, Toys R Us, Walgreens, Target, Best Buy, Dell, Bath and Body Works, Office Max, Lowes, Home Depot, Gap, Macy,  and Barnes and Noble.  I don't know about you, but these are retailers I already shop at. Why not shop and coupon with them through MyPoints and save time, money, and earn redeemable points.  Walmart and Walgreens I even shop on a weekly basis.  Of course by boys can't get enough of Cabelas, and since we don't have one in our town, we always shop online.

So how do points add up?  Well they add up quickly, especially in your first 30 days of using MyPoints.  New MyPoints members receive double points on purchases made in the first 30 days.  Here is a quick example of how points can add up,  first create a complete profile worth 60 points, clip 10 coupons worth 125 points, take a survey worth 65 points, refer a friend to MyPoints and  receive 750 points!  That's not all, you will receive 10% of all points earned by friends referred in bonus points.  You see how these points can really add up quickly.

So how will you earn your points, and what will you redeem them on?   Please let me know in a comment below.  Right now I have some birthday shopping to do for my oldest son online at Walmart.  Right now you can receive through MyPoints a $20 eGift card when you purchase a Cruiser bicycle at Walmart, how cool is that. Buying a Walmart $50 gift card will earn you 7,600 points!  It's no wonder MyPoints is the pioneer and leader in online shopping rewards.  

Summer's Almost Here That Means Only One Thing RoadTrip!

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of PA Tourism for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

Summer's almost here, and for many folks that means it's roadtrip season.  Will your family be taking any roadtrips this Summer?  I would like to share with you all pa-roadtrips.  Online at pa-roadtrips you can find dozens of ready-to-ride roadtrips for visitors to Pennsylvania.  If you are looking for an outdoor experience, small town charm, historic landmarks, you name it, their Roadtrip-a-Matic can help you plan your trip.  

Sometimes roadtrips can be a struggle to plan.  Trying to find the best routes to take, while not missing any of the major attractions, can be a headache.  That's why I love pa-roadtrips, it makes planning a roadtrip a breeze.  It will help you discover all of the great attractions, provide suggestions of where to eat and stay.  All you need to do is the packing, and in my case some laundry.

The PA roadtrip that had me the most excited was their Romantic Getaways package.  We are talking champaigne, a daily 55 minute Sweedish massage, per a person, per a night!  Do I need to say anything more? This is what I would call a pampered roadtrip, perfect for some romance and relaxation. 

You might not be headed to Pennsylvania, but I still would love to here where you are planning on traveling  this Summer.   Please let me know in a comment below.

"In It To Pin It" Pinterest Hop Re-post

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This is a re-post to remind you all to take advantage of the new monthly Bacon Time hop co-hosted by

 Living In France.  This is a hop like no other hop out there.  The idea is to promote your Etsy shops or other small businesses through Pinterest.  Here is how it works, you pin items from your shop, then you link those pins up here.  It's that easy.  It takes only minutes to go through the linky and repin others pins.  Shortly after this hop started, I sold not one but two of the items I linked up!  I hope you are finding extra traffic and sales to your shops too.  

REMINDER

  Only PINTEREST Links Allowed. 

All others will and have been deleted.

A new In It To Pin It hop will be posted on Wednesday June 13, 2012!

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Female High School Graduation Gift DIY K.I.T. Necklace

I made this vintage phone necklace recently.  I am calling it my K.I.T. necklace.  I think it would make the sweetest gift for a female high school graduate headed off to college. It would be a constant pretty reminder for her to keep in touch with family.  I will be auctioning this one off soon at Tophatter with an opening minimum bid of only $7.  Here is all you need to make one yourself.

Supplies:

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Lose 10 Pounds & Lower Cholesterol In 4 Weeks with the African Mango Diet

I have always found nutrition interesting.  Recently I have been reading up on African mango.  You can find Mango supplements here at  African Mango, and several of them are on sale.  First though, let me share what I have recently learned.  Studies are showing that the African Mango Diet is one of the most natural ways to boost your diet success. Folks are losing up to 10 pounds in 4 weeks, without making any other lifestyle changes! The African Mango Diet is one of Dr. Oz's 2012 discoveries. 

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Easy Reduced Fat Pineapple Funfetti Cake

My toddler had been begging me for a while to make a cake.  I finally caved, and made this Reduced Fat Pineapple Funfetti Cake.  I decided if I was going to make a cake, I would at least try and sneak some fruit into it.  I also kept it reduced fat by using applesauce instead of oil, and by using cholesterol fat free egg product.  I also skipped the heavy frosting and made a glaze with pineapple juice and a little powdered sugar.  With a little rainbow sprinkles on top, my kids didn't seem to miss the frosting.  

Cake Ingredients:

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What I Wore Goes Vintage Again & Easy 1 Minute DIY Accessories

I recently purchase this asymmetrical flap button vintage 1970s dress from Diaphanous Vintage on Etsy.  I wore it for the first time on Mother's day weekend.  My husband took a few quick pics of me before taking me out for margaritas, I mean lunch ;)

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Natural ConceiveEasy Fertility Giveaway Package $152 Value Enter Now!

I don't think I have talked about Fertility on Bacon Time yet.  Some of my family and friends know about my own struggle with fertility, which helps explain why my children are 7 years apart. I ended up needing professional intervention, and medication, to conceive our second child, however there are many natural proven solutions that you can try first to conceive at home.  I wish ConceiveEasy  had been around when I was trying to get pregnant. It is a natural aid that boosts your bodies fertility levels.  It has been clinically tested and proven to work, increasing pregnancy rate by 33% !  www.conceiveeasy.com is graciously giving away a trying to conceive starter kit ($152 value) to one lucky Bacon Time reader!!!  Now you might not be trying to conceive, but maybe you know someone that is.  Please let them know about this great product and giveaway opportunity.

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Anything Goes Linky #51, Free Advertising, & Yarn Ice Cream Cone Jewelry Tutorial

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Free Advertising Opportunity!!!

If anyone would like to sponsor a giveaway for next week's upcoming 1 year Anything Goes Linky anniversary please let me know ASAP, you can email me at mindiehilton@gmail.com. 

 I will throw in 1 month of free side bar advertising if you do! We currently have five sponsors, including myself, signed up, so expect a fun giveaway next Friday!

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Features From Photography, Fashion, Food, Art, to Crafts, You Are All Bad A$$

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It's that time of the week when I share some of my favorite links from last weeks Anything Goes linky party.  

First up, I love this magical book page skirt photo shoot shared by Shealynn's Faerie Shoppe.

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Winners!

I have two winners to announce today.  First up, the winner of the Chili's gift card is....

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Cheesy Chicken Corn Bread Casserole

I guest posted yesterday at A Creative Princess for my blog buddy Terri. I shared a recipe that is super good yet easy to prepare.  I am telling you, it will be a family favorite, so please go check out my 

Cheesy Chicken Corn Bread Casserole. 

Reduced Fat Chili Dog Stuffed Crust Pizza

My boys love pizza, so I am always trying to come up with fun new ways to enjoy it.  I combined two loves with this one, pizza and chili dogs.  No it's not the lightest meal ever, but I did try to watch the fat content by using reduced fat cheese, turkey dogs, and 98% fat free turkey no bean chili.   I hope you will give this fun Reduced Fat Chili Dog Stuffed Crust Pizza a try. 

Ingredients:

1 (15 ounce can) of Hormel Chili Turkey No Beans 98% Fat Free (or your favorite brand)

2 cups reduced fat shredded Cheddar Jack cheese

1 roll of Pillsbury pizza crust dough (13.8 ounces)

1 package of turkey franks/hot dogs

2 tablespoons of yellow ground corn meal

garnish with fresh green onions, chopped (optional)

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My Second Auction For Alice In Wonderland Lovers

As I mentioned last week, I have branched my Etsy shop out to Tophatter.  My first auction went very well last week.  Tomorrow, Monday, May 21, 2012 I will be auctioning off another handmade Alice In Wonderland necklace.  It is one of a kind, and made with a collectible Cheshire Cat playing card illustrated by the very popular Sir John Tenniel (1820-1914). The card is sealed in a hard diamond resin to preserve it's beauty.  The bidding starts off at $10. if you need an invitation to Tophatter, I still have a few left to send.  Email me at mindiehilton@gmail.com for an invite (first come first serve). You can ask Tophatter to send you a text right before my item comes up on the auction block.  If the bidding goes over $28, I will be throwing in a free pair of earrings.  Hope to see you at the online auction, even if you don't want to bid, they are fun to observe. 

May 21, 2012 9AM PT Tophatter Jewelry Auction

What We Wore and EdenFantasys Clothing Review

This weeks "What I Wore" fashion post will be a little different.

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Children Left Unsupervised Funny Vintage Cookie Sheet Sign Tutorial and Printables

There are a lot of great vintage inspired signs with similar warnings out there to purchase.  I decided I would save a little money and make my own.  The image above actually came from my jewelry shop. It was a ring I made (sorry it is sold out).  I edited my original image on PicMonkey to give it more of a poster look. I will be hanging my new sign in my craft booth this Summer. I recycled an old vintage rusty cookie sheet, one that was no longer suitable for baking on, to complete this project.  For your enjoyment, I made several different versions of this poster for you to choose from.  

Here is what you need:

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Anything Goes Linky #50, Giveaway, and Free Advertising!

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Free Advertising Opportunity!!!

If anyone would like to sponsor a giveaway for Bacon Time's upcoming 1 year Anything Goes Linky anniversary please let me know, you can email me at mindiehilton@gmail.com. 

 I will throw in 1 month of free side bar advertising if you do!

My shop is going to sponsor a giveaway today to show my appreciation to all you fabulous party guests and to celebrate the final weeks of Spring! 

 What could be more appropriate then a sweet handmade birds nest antique bronze ring from my shop. 

It will come gift wrapped in a lovely ring box with bow!

Link up to 5 posts, and earn an entry for for every one.

To earn up to 20 additional entries (10 for each) share this giveaway 

and linky party on Facebook and Pinterest! Use Rafflecopter form below to enter.

The giveaway will end on 5/22/2012 and is open World Wide. The winner will be announced in a new winners post. Please check back to see if you won.

20 BONUS ENTRIES!!!

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10 Fantastic Crafty Tasty Features!

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It's that time of week when I share just how awesome you all are.  Here are a few of my favorite links from last weeks Anything Goes, Friday to Monday linky party.

Paper dress tutorial  shared by MeiJo's JOY.

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Tophatter Online Auctions and My Alice In Wonderland Necklace

Tophatter did not sponsor this post, it's simply one of those sites that I love so much, I can't wait to share. 

Tophatter is an online auction site where you can buy and sell jewelry, art, housewares, clothing, accessories, handmade items, cosmetics, crafting supplies, vintage items, and more.

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Vintage Lace Necklace Tutorial

I have so many great jewelry tutorials up my sleeve for different items I have been making for my upcoming craft show. I decided I would share one of those with you today.  I have made a few different styles of vintage lace necklaces.  You can make these with really any type of lace, and with any embellishments that you want.  I scored some great vintage ivory lace and new I had to come up with some fun ways to incorporate it into my jewelry making.

Here is what you need:

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Free POWOW Group Text Messenger App For Android Users

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of POWOW Messenger for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

If you own an Android phone like me, then you will want to download the app POWOW Messenger for Android. POWOW  is the only text messenger that lets you include anyone on any mobile phone in your circle of coworkers, team, neighbors, family and friends. It will let you group message with reply -all.  You can still do one-to-one messages, so there is no need for two apps. You can also "ZipIT" or blacklist unwanted texters. Now you don't have to waist time seeing unwanted notifications or unwanted messages, or you can  simply mute notifications and still receive messages. Just think about how much time POWOW will save you!

If you own an Android 2.1 or up you can download the app and start saving time with your text messaging. You can download the app here at POWOW Messenger for Android.  Once you download it, you will see their Quick Start Guide pictured below on my phone:

As you can see, you can avoid duplicate notifications by disabling notification settings in other text messaging apps. You can filter your list. Create or edit your groups. Compose a new text message.  Simply tap and hold to mark as favorite, call contact, delete thread, etc. 

The first thing I did was text my husband.  Then I set to work creating my different groups.  For example, if you have a weekly book club, you could add all the members into one group, and stop having to send 10 different text messages out each week for reminders. Coaches could easily put all of their team players into one group, and easily text the group to let everyone know when the next practice or game was.  

Another great feature of this app is voice recognition for your text messaging, so you can speak your text rather than typing. You can also access your call setting and make phone calls with one easy click.  That's not all, there are many more wonderful features on this app. To learn more about this great app head to POWOW Messenger for Android.

So what groups will you create with POWOW?

If you download the App, please let me know what you think in a comment below.

Light and Affordable Chicken Corn Potato Chowder

You can prepare this light chowder in the crock pot or on your stove top. I love using my crock pot in the warmer months, since it won't heat up your home like an oven will.  

This chowder is on the lighter side, using lean chicken, low fat milk, no salt added corn, light sour cream, and heart healthy Campbell's Cream of Chicken Soup. I love soup and chowders, but hate how much sodium and fat can often be found in them.  Preparing your own is easy, and lets you control the fat and salt content.

I served our chowder with sour dough cracked wheat toast, crackers, a little crumbled cooked bacon and cheddar cheese, however it's great all on it's own.  This recipe will make one large crock pot full of chowder, about 17 cups!  

This easy and super tasty chowder costs less then a dollar for a 1 cup serving!  

I found all of my ingredients for this recipe at Walmart.

Ingredients:

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Winner!

Happy Mother's day!

Lets make someones Mother's Day just a little sweeter. The winner of the TLC Creations $10 gift card is ...

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Always Wear Comfortable Underwear Art

Art by moi.

It's almost Mother's day, and I was pondering some of the things my own mother has taught me.  That's when I suddenly felt inspired to pose for this quick pic. Using PicMonkey I turned it into a poster.   If it gave you a laugh, please feel free to pin on Pinterest and or share on Facebook.

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!

What I Wore Gone Fishing Edition

 During the warmer months, my boys like for me to take them fishing, hiking, and bike riding.   This last weekend we did all three in one day, I was a tired cookie by the end of the day, but at least I was comfortable in my yellow flat flower sandals and stretchy denim.  I am also wearing my new yellow belt.  I have really found it works well with so many outfits, and adds a fun pop of color.

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Anything Goes Linky party # 49 and Female Teacher Appreciation Gift

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One Dozen Fantastic Features Including Mom and Teacher Appreciation Gifts

It's that time of the week when I share some of my favorite links from last weeks linky party.  First up I love this stunning bouquet of brooches shared by Salt Tree.  The brooches were all donated from family and friends, so the bride has a real special keepsake to treasure forever.

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Handmade Thank You Ideas For Party Guests

 We have a featured writer here today to share great handmade thank you ideas for party guests!


Picture frame tutorial found here.

Are you planning to host a party in the near future and want to give gifts to your guests as a way to say thank you for coming? How about spending less money and give a gift from your hands and heart? Here are some handmade thank you ideas for party guests.

Gift Ideas

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"In It To Pin It" New Hop For Etsy Shop Owners On Pinterest

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Link up Pinterest links only for your shop!  All others will be deleted.

16 Funny Pins For Mom

source

Since it's almost Mother's day, I thought I would give the gift of laughter. These funny images from Pinterest really made me smile, I hope you like them too. 

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