holiday cards by minted

did y'all have a good thanksgiving??
thanksgiving is the best.
yummy food. family. focusing our words and thoughts on thankfulness.
love it.

the holiday season is just so much fun.
and now, it's time to think about christmas cards.
do you send christmas cards?
i've done them every year since....well forever.
i remember sending them out when i was in college.
never is it more fun to check your mailbox, than the month of december.
i love when all of the holiday cards come rolling in.

i've had it in my head to figure out christmas cards for a while now and i recently discovered, minted.
that is some serious eye candy.
there are so many unique designs that i hadn't seen before.
they also have many shape options, post card options, flat or folded cards, paper thickness, etc.
lots. of. options.
okay....gonna let some photos speak for themselves.
here are some of my faveys.....

who doesn't love a good chalkboard print? 

glitter. need i say more? 

i need all the glitter things. 

simple and lovely, right?

my favorite christmas song ever, ever....in a beautiful fun, font. love it.

there are so many colors, fonts & shapes to choose from to make your card unique.

i have no idea how i am going to choose ours.

they have a neat feature where you can see your photo in several cards at once, so that should help.

also, bonus...they are having a 20% off holiday photo cards sale through today.

you can even buy now and upload your photo later if you're not ready with your photo yet. :)

yay for the holidays and super yay for holiday decorating! 

i can't wait to get started!  :)

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influenster voxbox

influenster sent me a sugar 'n spice voxbox full of fun goodies to review.

obviously i can't say no to box full of free stuff and happily, all of the items i received were great!

okay so my unbiased thoughts . . .

1. belVita breakfast biscuits . . . super yum.

i am terrible about eating breakfast so i need these in my life.
i ate them while i got ready for the day....they were super tasty and i didn't feel hungry by 9:00 like i usually do.

2.  colgate optic white toothbursh, toothpaste & mouthwash. . .

score.
with my coffee drinking habits, i definitely need some tooth whitening action.
i really like the toothbrush and toothpaste.
the mouthwash is a little intense for me but AJ really likes it.

3. vaseline spray & go moisturizer . . .

this is my favorite thing in the box.
i love it.
i've used it every day since i received it.
i am always in a hurry and also have super dry legs from winter so this is a win-win.
literally spray & go.
big fan.

4. dickinson's witch hazel oil controlling towelette's . . .

these are great.
i'm a big fan of face wipes....i'm lazy and don't want to take the time to wash my face at night so these are great for me.
they're fresh and clean and super handy for travel.

5.  nectresse sweetener . . .

okay so i am not a sweetener gal at all so i was nervous to give this a try.
i put some in some plain tea and while it did have that sweetener taste, it wasn't bad.
i only needed a tiny amount to sweeten it so that was cool plus it's made from monk fruit so it's supposedly all natural!
honestly, i am not going to be switching from sugar, but for those of you who are into sweeteners, i'd give this a try. :)

thanks so much influenster for the great box of goodies!

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i'm a no No nonsense kind of girl

This post brought to you by No nonsense. All opinions are 100% mine.
okay, so i'm super excited to show you some fun new tights and leggings.
i've basically been living in leggings this year.
it feels like i'm wearing pajamas but i put on some cute boots and i feel like i'm dressed. :)
i love to wear a button up shirt, cardigan, leggings and boots for a pretty comfy but still cute outfit.
so of course i am delighted to review some No nonsense tights and leggings
let's talk about the tights first....
they sent me a pair of opaque black tights.
even though i feel like such a goob posting a picture of myself, i will do it for you in the name of fashion. :)


that's me {duh} wearing the black tights for church on sunday.
and it was like 19 degrees .
you have to suffer to be beautiful. take that little nugget with you. ;)
anyhow, i love the tights...love how opaque they are.
they are super soft and cozy and just feel nice.
I will be wearing them often . . . and picking up a few more colors.  :)
i do think this outfit would be really fun with a really pretty jewel tone pair or even a fun mustard yellow.

they also sent me a pair of their corduroy leggings . . . in a really pretty Aubergine.
i thought it would be fun to search around on polyvore and make up an outfit with them. 



i love a neutraly outfit with one piece that has a pop of color...ya know, spice it up a little.
i have a pair of red corduroys that i wear all the time.
anyhow, i love the idea of a big cozy sweater, purple corduroy leggings, and tall boots.
so fun.
one of my favorite things about No nonsense is that they're really affordable so you can have several different colors. woo hoo.
and they are sold at mass retail stores and food & drug stores.
score. i can grab ingredients for dinner, a pack of diapers, and some new leggings in one fell swoop.
leggings are in the grocery budget right?  right.  it counts.
also, author & fashion expert Jill Martin is teaming up with No nonsense.
she gives style tips on the No nonsense website and shows lots of fun ways to add colorful tights and leggings to your existing outfits. so great.
i would love for one of you, my dear readers, to have a pair of your own colored leggings.
i am giving away the pair of aubergine corduroy leggings that No nonsense sent me, to one of you!


they are a really pretty, dark, eggplanty purple color and super soft.
you will love them. :)
they are size small and the back says that's a size 4-6.
so if you or someone you know is that size, leave a comment to be entered to win.
that's it!
be sure to like No nonsense on Facebook and follow them twitter  to keep up to date on affordable, stylish legware!

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i {heart} printables.

i love that the interwebs are full of fun and beautiful printables these days.

i have a pin board on pinterest just so i can keep track of the ones i've found.
i thought i'd share some of my favorite places to find printables.

1. joy's hope.

julie is super awesome and often has really great printables that i love.
i used one on my gallery wall.

i love this one that she offers up for free.

check her printable shop {the proceeds raise money for hope for sudan} for even more awesome.
oh also, she gives a tutorial for making your own printables & graphics that i used to make that graphic at the top of this post. :)

2.  jones design company

i lovelovelove emily's style.
her printables are lovely.
she offers some free every now and again and she also has a shop full of gorgeous art prints and more.
she also has a thing called jdc monthly where you can subscribe and get printables {or have her print them} every month.

this is one of my favorite free printables she has offered up.

i also love these {free} printable gift tags.

3. the handmade home

ashley has a really fun style and has tons of fun {free!!} printables.
she even has monthly freebies . . . what a treat!

check her freebies page here.

i printed out this cute tricycle print and popped it into a frame for the boys' bathroom.

also love these number prints . . . so many possibilites.

4. mr. printables. 

okay i just learned about this website but i'm loving what i see!
free printables for kids? yes, please.

now that we're back to part time homeschooling, i really should get this map printed.
love the font.
love the muted colors.
that's a win.

5. living locurto

i have used living locurto several times with great success.
i've printed several of their free printables for gift tags & such and i've also purchased some of their party set printables.

loving this cutie-cute thank you card that's up on their free printables page.

i always print on card stock to give some weight to the prints.

okay so those are some of my favorite places to print art work and cards.

what are your favorite websites for printables? 

please share in the comments.....inquiring minds want to know! :)

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Beautiful Favorites . . .

Summer is Beautiful.

Have i said that I love summer?

a time or two?

Same song, second verse.

I lovey love love it.

Its my favorite time of year.

I love every single thing about it.

It’s all I can do to not pine for summer all year long.

And the hotter the better I  say.

Bring. It . on.

Every season has beauty in it.

However, summer is particularly vibrant with color.

I love a fresh bouquet of summer flowers.

They are God’s artistry at work.

Brilliant.

I can't help but smile with a cheery bouquet of flowers in the room.
I love to pick up some from the farmer's market or even the grocery store.
Or when I'm low on cash, I hunt around the yard for some flowers/weeds/branches to do the trick.
I have been known to drive around with my kitchen shears in my purse in case i see some random pretty weeds by the side of the road.
I will put almost anything in a vase. :)

Speaking of beautiful things, do you love this vase?

It’s from dayspring’s redeemed line, which you know, I love.

Like triple love.

That’s my story and I’m stickin' to it.

I love the vase because it looks vintage, it’s a substantial size and it has really thick glass. 

And it’s just pretty.

Another favorite from the redeemed line is this pillow.

Hello gorgeous.

I have always loved French ticking so this pillow immediately caught my eye.

Love the verse.

I feel a sigh of relief when I read that verse.  ;)

I am crazy about the reverse side of the pillow.

Like Grandpa's shirt, right?
Favorite.

Okay, one more favorite.

I never met a chalkboard I didn't love.
This one is small and sweet and comes with a metal chalk holder.
"In Your presence is fullness of Joy."
perfect.

and oh happy day, Dayspring wants to share the love.

Would you like one of these items for FREE?
Sure you would. :)
This post will have three winners {one for the pillow, one for the vase & one for the chalkboard}!
Wooty hoo.

enter via the awesome rafflecopter below.... {don't be scared, the rafflecopter is simple & easy!}

a Rafflecopter giveaway

p.s. winner must reside in the u.s.
p.s.s. contest will run through the end of the week.

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snickers salad: you're gonna want this recipe

snickers. salad.
hello.
if a fruit salad and dessert got married, this would be their baby.
we're using the term, "salad" loosely here folks.
go with it.
it's anchored by the always fabulous, COOL WHIP whipped topping. 


okay so here are the ingredients:

granny smith apples, a small packet of vanilla pudding, 12 oz. COOL WHIP, & snickers.
it has to be good, right?


COOL WHIP and i are b.f.f.'s.
we go way back.
growing up, we always had some on hand for easy desserts, a fruit dip, a topping for hot chocolate, etc. 
these days i love it in my coffee.
one of my favorite ways to make a quick dessert is to just layer cool whip and chocolate pudding in clear glasses. 
it's a fan favorite. :)


anyhow, back to the recipe.
this is super simple.
i love a dessert that i can throw together during nap time.

chop three-four snickers into small chunks. 
{i used six of the smaller ones that come in a two pack so i think it pretty much equaled out}.

cut your granny smiths into small chunks.

isn't it so pretty?
now for the best part . . . 


mix your packet of pudding into your 12oz. of COOL WHIP until all of the pudding powder is disolved.
then fold it into your apples and snickers.
and enlist a sweet helper to do the stirring. 

then get some volunteers to sample it. 
i promise you won't have to twist their arm.

there you go.
snickers salad. 
you're welcome. 

we had this for dessert after dinner last night.
it was a hit.
all of my boys love a dessert. 
i think desserts are their love language. ;)
and COOL WHIP just makes a good dessert better.
can i get amen?
and seriously, a dessert with four ingredients that doesn't require my oven being turned on is a winner.
plus, it has fruit in it, so i win again.




Do you have a special dessert you'd like to share? Enter COOL WHIP's Fan Dessert of the Month Contest for a chance to win $500! Simply make a COOL WHIP dessert, take a photo, and upload it here. 




Sponsored posts are purely editorial content that we are pleased to have presented by a participating sponsor. Advertisers do not produce the content. I was compensated for this post as a member of Clever Girls Collective, but the content is all my own.



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something pretty { a giveaway}

my grandma loved her some jewelry.
and by loved, i mean she wore at least one ring on every finger, if not two or three.
seriously.
when it was time to head to town, you could be sure grandma would be decked out in her polyester dress suit, a large beaded necklace, coordinating broach, coordinating earrings, and 52 rings on her fingers.
grandma owned it.

now my mom loves her some jewelries too, but we've come down a notch . . . . or seven.
she wears a nice, modest amount of pretties.

so you can see, i come by it honestly.
i love me some jewelry.

not the whole 15 piece ensemble a la grandma.
but i do love a fun statement piece.

some big earrings.
a sassy bracelet.
a big, vintage ring.
i usually only do one piece at a time.
but it is fun and really, i am such a girl in that way.

i l-o-v-e the new Redeemed line at dayspring.
it has a sweet, vintage look to it.
and you know i love all things vintage.

also, i love that these pieces from the I am His jewelry set are adjustable. {!!!}
hello.
that is perfection.

the bracelet is engraved with "treasured II THESS 2:13" {God chose you from the beginning.}
don't we all need that reminder?

i wasn't sure if this would be too dangly and all up in my business but it is not.
it is great and actually so fun to wear.

okay so i lied about wearing only one piece.
i do enjoy a little necklace layering now and again.
the back of the leaf necklace says, "I am His."
yes. love that.

but seriously that's pretty simple and sweet right?
and a far cry from grandma's jewelry shenanigans.

would you like to own your very own, vintagey awesome, I am His jewelry set?
dayspring would like to gift one of my sweet readers with a set!

*leave a comment to enter
*extra entry: become an it's good to be queen follower via google friend connect {in the sidebar}
*extra entry: "like" it's good to be queen on facebook {also available in the sidebar}
*follow me on twitter {saragood2bqueen}

leave separate comments for each additional entry, four chances total. :)
contest ends one week from today at midnight {May 22}

good luck! go team!


p.s. dayspring gave me the product to review but all opinions are my own. 
p.s.s. you must reside in the u.s. to win.

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noonday collection giveaway!!

i have an awesome  giveaway for you today!
i am so excited about it!

my dear friend, krista is an ambassador for noonday collection. 
have you heard of noonday yet???!!

here's their mission:

"The purpose of Noonday Collection is to connect you with the lives of artisans struggling for a better future while styling you along the way. Fashion and design are a vehicle for opportunity and change. You, too, can be a voice for the oppressed!"


how great is that?


and their products are just gorgeous.

so this is how krista described noonday....


"It is a company that creates a pathway out of poverty for vulnerable populations by selling fair trade fashion here in the states. The way God is using this to change the lives of women around the world is amazing!  I am wanting women to see how they can purchase a completely unique accessory for themselves or a friend and at the same time help a women half way across the world keep her children instead of giving them up for adoption because she is now earning a fair wage."


ummm...yes, please. love that.
the coolest thing is that krista even got to meet some of the ugandan artisans while she was in uganda getting her son they just adopted last month.
noonday has a relationship with each and every artisan.  also, love that.


okay this is from their website:

We advocate for the orphan by:

• Providing jobs that create a pathway out of poverty for women. A stable income means a family is less likely to abandon their child.
• Help families fundraise for their own adoptions. We give10% of trunk show sales directly to the adoptive family when they host a trunk show.
• Aside from donating 10% towards qualified adoptive families, Noonday Collection gives net proceeds towards orphan care and prevention. 
• The dream: Take YOU on a trip to visit artisans and visit orphans in their distress.

so this is a company we can all get behind, right? 

and what a great time of year....when we all want to find meaningful, special gifts for our loved ones.

so sweet krista generously sent me a noonday product to review for you.  

she sent me these lovely nesting mittens. 

and just in time because it has gotten cold up in here.

now here is my honest to goodness opinion of these mittens....

i love them.

they're super and cozy and warm.
they're made from alpaca wool, so hello, you know they're soft. 

also, they're really long, which is fun...cute and practical.


you can pull back the mitten part when you need to do something suuuuper important like texting. 

" Every product is fully traceable including where we source, what are in the products, and who actually hand knits the items."

okay raise your hand if you want to win some sassy accessory from noonday.


krista is giving a $50 noonday gift card to one of my readers! 
what would you pick from the noonday site....maybe this fancy-pants clutch??

okay here's what you do:


*leave a comment for one entry


*go to krista's noonday page, look around, come back here and tell us which is your favorite item for an extra entry


*become an it's good to be queen follower for an extra entry


*blog, tweet, or facebook about this giveway for extra entries...leave a separate comment for each.  


so that's 6 chances to win! leave a separate comment for each.


contest runs through next wednesday dec. 7, at midnight...winner announced next thursday.



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