Oh the Pictures We Will Take

What's something you do even more than before once you have a grandchild or two? In my case, it's taking more pictures. Yes, I know I'm the camera queen when it comes to taking pictures of my family. I've been nuts about taking pictures since I was a kid roaming the neighborhood with my Kodac camera that had the square flashbulbs and that crazy Polaroid that slid the picture right out and you could see it instantly well after you waved it around in the air for a minute. But when the grandkids came along things got really crazy. They may even only have memories of me as the grandma with the camera for a face.

Don't even try it because I know a lot of y'all are the same way.

A few weeks ago I got one of those promotional emails. Y'all know the ones where they introduce themselves, say nice things about your blog, and then ask if you'd be interested in whatever it is they're selling. I skim these things and then delete them most of the time but this one hooked me. I mean which grandmother doesn't want a FREE 16x20 canvas print of their grandchildren? The offer could be for any print I wanted but hey a grandmother is probably going to choose the grandkiddos and so I got this:

It is a little dark but not as dark as the above shot seems but I knew it would be a bit on the dark side when I chose it because not one single time did I think to myself, "Edit the exposure on this first." Also, the day we were trying to get a good photo for this opportunity was had the same results as any time you try to get two kids to do what you want them to do while taking their pictures.

Anyway, here's a closer shot--

And of course I hung it in the nursery--

The company is Canvas Factory and their website is HERE. The site is super easy to use and they offer a variety of sizes, shapes, and other options such as split canvases. Of course, the thing I really liked was the short turn-around time. I had my 16x20 print in one week. The quality is good, comparably speaking it's really about the same as what other companies offer. I have no complaints.

Why is this a big deal? Not because it was FREE but because I can offer one lucky friend/reader a chance to get a FREE canvas of their own! AND there will be NO HOOPS for y'all to jump through as all you need to do is leave a comment that you're in!

I will, however, give anyone extra chances if you comment on Facebook and Instagram (@pammlofton AND/OR @coasterdoodlessc) as well as leave a comment here.

Have a great day, y'all!

Please visit CoasterDoodles! 

Y'all can find us on Facebook and 

Instagram (@coasterdoodlessc)

There's a Mother's Day SALE!

How to Use Boxes and Packing Paper

Spring has not sprung, thankfully. It's not like it hasn't been spring-like all winter so, when winter finally showed up this week, I welcomed it with open arms. We didn't get any of that wonderful snow that others got and we didn't get any of the snowstorms that caused damage to people and/or their homes. While I would love to have the snow, I'm grateful not to have had the blizzards.

When you have horrid allergies that only leave you alone during the winter months, you look forward to those few months. We haven't had winter in two years. However, this week, I'm waking up without the daily sinus headache and it's WONDERFUL. Winter is also kind to me in the energy department. It's the one season here in Charleston that does not zap me of all energy.

But what do you do with your adorable granddaughter when it's 32 degrees outside? The same thing you do when it's way too hot to go outside. You become grateful when the FedEx guy shows up with your Jet order.

Yep. We played with the box and the packing paper. Baby M went inside the box and around the box and on the box. She stood at the box and played with the packing paper.

She took the paper and waved it up and down and round and round. And she did this for nearly an hour.

 When her daddy arrived to pick her up. the packing paper went with them since they're packing up to move to their brand new house! Win-win! And that friends, is the proper way to use boxes and packing paper.

And now, the winner of the comfort jar giveaway is:

Cathy from Tales of the TCKK Family!

Congrats, Cathy!

All I need to know is which jar you want. 
Just hop over to CoasterDoodles and you can let me know on Instagram or here on the blog. 

Warning: Cute Baby Post

Life as a grandma gets better every day. And more interesting. It may be an old cliche but it is true that there is a reason God gives babies to young people. These days, Baby M is still fighting her naps tooth and nail. But once she's out, she's out. Naps last anywhere from 20 minutes to an hour and a half and you never know what you're going to get.

Regardless, you're always happy when they wake up because that means more baby time for grandma! She loves coming over here and that makes me nothing less than completely happy.

Puffs are magical. 

These are Puffs. Puffs are magical. They can take a baby from calling out to Jesus because Grandma's not doing something right or fast enough to full-out smiles and contentment in a mere fraction of a second. They come in a variety of flavors and are wonderful for working on that pincer grasp. Puffs are so much better than the Cheerios I used with the lovelies not only because they are healthier but they also dissolve quite quickly. They're just like air. Sweet potato is our favorite flavor. 

Oh and, Tucker loves them too:

If you are a soon-to-be new grandma, DO NOT FORGET ABOUT PUFFS.

And now, we're climbing. 

Life was easier mere weeks ago when we were simply pulling up on everything. Baby M has added climbing to her give-grandma-a-heart-attack repertoire.

The bottom two shelves are not cutting it for her anymore.

She studies that upper shelf and tries her best to get things down or climb up there. First she reaches and then that left leg tries to go up.

She's like her mother in this. I thought her mother was supposed to have to live with this as payback. I had no idea I would have to live through another climber. I will say she did climb up on a stack of moving boxes at her house so her mommy has become aware that she does, indeed, have a climber.

Breakfast is my favorite meal.

This face at the table for any meal makes the meal better. But breakfast is my favorite because this is the face that makes my day start on just the right note. Is there any better way to start the day? The answer is, No. There is no better way on earth to start the day.

Whether she's got on one sock or two....

Or lets me put her pants on or not...

Whether she's calling out to Jesus...

Or happy as a clam with a sweet potato face...

Whether she's climbing bookshelves....

Or lying down quietly...

Whether she's quite unhappy...

 Or covered in breakfast from head to toe...

Whether she's gotten herself into a self-inflicted predicament...

Or reading a book...

Whether she's sleeping soundly...

Or studying something new...

This little one fills her grandma's heart to overflowing on a daily basis. 

And yes. I did put a bow on her sweet little head. :)

Did I mention to y'all that Baby M's parents have bought their very first house?! They're having a yard sale so all that junk you see in the background of the pictures is my donation to the cause. Or maybe y'all didn't even notice because of the cute subject of the photos. :)

Today's the last day to enter the giveaway!

Winner will be announced on Friday! 

You don't have to go anywhere. Just comment on this post if you're in! 

If you want extra entries, here you go:

This time, there are several ways to get more entries if you'd like. Each different thing you choose gives you 5 extra entries. Please let me know what you've done for the extra entries so I can give you credit. Altogether, you could end up with 26 entries.  

1. Like Empty Nest on FB.

2. Follow me on Instagram.

3. Follow me on Twitter. 

4. Scroll down and click on the We're on the Fence button which is a vote for Empty Nest. 

5. Visit CoasterDoodles and make it a favorite. 

Oh, and don't forget to leave a comment here letting me know you're in! :)

ALSO- Remind me if you already do those things so I can give you the correct number of entries! 

That's it, y'all! 

A Comforting Giveaway

Have y'all ever had a comfort jar? The lovelies and I have made these for people we love since the 1990s. I love the idea so much that I made some for my Etsy shop, CoasterDoodles. Usually, I use a plain jar but I jazzed them up a bit for the shop. 

The jars are colorful and have decorative, ceramic knobs on the lids. 

Inside, I have put 20 strips of cardstock on which are printed comforting, encouraging, inspirational, and humorous quotes. 

You could just as easily take those strips of cardstock out and put candy inside. I know candy has provided me with comfort on more occasions than I can count. 

Or, you could add candy to the jars with the strips left inside. Or add more strips of comforting thoughts. 

I'm sure y'all have guessed by now that I am giving away one comfort jar to the lucky winner! All you have to do to enter is tell me in the comments that you'd like to win a comfort jar. That's it!

This time, there are several ways to get more entries if you'd like. Each different thing you choose gives you 5 extra entries. Please let me know what you've done for the extra entries so I can give you credit. Altogether, you could end up with 26 entries.  

1. Like Empty Nest on FB.

2. Follow me on Instagram.

3. Follow me on Twitter. 

4. Scroll down and click on the We're on the Fence button which is a vote for Empty Nest. 

5. Visit CoasterDoodles and make it a favorite. 

Oh, and don't forget to leave a comment here letting me know you're in! :)

ALSO- Remind me if you already do those things so I can give you the correct number of entries! 

That's it, y'all! 

I'll run this until next Thursday, March 16 and announce the winner on Friday, March 17! Just in time for St. Patrick's Day! 

Wind, Water, and the Winner!

On Wednesday, Lovely1 and I decided taking Baby M and Tucker to the old Pitt Street bridge for a walk would be a fabulous idea. It wasn't.

I should have known when I heard the fog horns on the big cargo ships heading in or out of the Charleston harbor walking in the morning would not be the best idea. But the weather dude said it was going to be 83 that day and I, knowing full well weather dudes NEVER get it right, listened to him and we went.

I took pictures. The haze hid the sun and made the pictures look very bluey, greeny but here you go:

It's kind of hard to tell but there were whitecaps in the water. That's how strong the wind was.

You can't even see downtown Charleston further to the left of the bridge. 

Baby M didn't seem to mind the wind at all. Don't worry, it wasn't cold, just windy. But we do need to get her a hat for walking around here. I cut the walk short because it bothered me that she didn't have a hat.

Windswept hair, anyone?

Two hours after our walk, the sun came out and the haze was gone. The wind, however, may have gotten even stronger. No matter. We enjoyed ourselves anyway and it was so much better than the text I received from Nashville daughter very first thing in the morning: Tornado sirens are going off.
Terrific. She's 8 hours away and tornado sirens are going off. Anyway, I didn't hear anything else for quite some time. I might have yelled at her about that. You can't text a mom with something like, tornado sirens going off and then not tell her everything's fine. Sheesh.

The thing touched down in Franklin and, while I'm sorry for the residents of Franklin, I'm glad my kid was not hit.

Ok, the winner of the set of notecards is my friend, Susan (Sush) from NC! I'm so excited! Sush has a blog but not a lot of time because she has a bunch (9, is that right?) of the cutest grandchildren you've ever seen! If you used to read First Do No Harm, you know Sush. And, she picked these:

Ok, y'all! I have ANOTHER GIVEAWAY coming soon! 

Stay tuned! 

Have a wonderful weekend!

Note Card Giveaway!

It's time for that next giveaway! This time, I'm giving away a set of note cards from my Etsy shop, CoasterDoodles.

I love working on these note cards whether they feature original drawings or original photographs. All of them are such fun to create!

All you have to do to enter is let me know which set you would like should your number be picked.

The choices:

Set 1: Water birds of the SC coast. These feature 4x6 photographs (taken by me) on brown Kraft paper 5 x 7 note cards.

Set 2: More water birds of the SC coast. These feature original photographs taken by me on 4 x 6 card stock quality note cards.

Set 3: Suns and sunflower note cards. These feature a creatively drawn sun, sunflower, or landscape hand drawn by yours truly on 5 1/2 x 5 1/2 square, brown Kraft paper note cards.

All sets include envelopes and are blank on the inside.

AND, if you click THIS LINK to the TOY POST and leave a comment, I'll give you 5 extra entries! :)


Winners will be announced next Friday, March 3! Good luck!

On the Boardwalk

Today's the day I announce the winner of the coaster set! I'll do that at the end so, if you can't wait, scroll on down and see who it is!

It's nice to have a walk after a meal, don't y'all agree? I find it especially nice when I am lucky enough to share the walk with a good friend.

After our lunch on Wednesday, friend Stro and I headed to the boardwalk at Shem Creek Park for a nice walk. I brought along my camera in hopes of spotting some nice, photogenic wildlife. I was not disappointed. Well, except that it was 76 degrees and HOT. Thankfully, there was a lovely breeze. Ok, wind, but it was nice.

We were greeted by Pete the Pelican who was created by a student out of the plastic trash and debris found in the marshes in an effort to raise awareness about the amount of marsh debris and the dangers of littering. I think that's at least partially correct. I took a picture of the sign but I can't read it so...

If you look in the center and to the right in the picture, you can see the two diamonds of the Ravenel Bridge.

This the beginning of the boardwalk. It looks really LONG, but it isn't. It only takes about 20 minutes to walk. Unless you're looking for wildlife. That's Stro trying to get out of the picture. She didn't make it. :)

Can y'all see that monstrosity in the background of this picture? I can't begin to tell you the controversy over that parking garage. It's as hideous as we thought it would be and shame on town council for the sneaky way they pushed it through. That's all I'm saying.

The shrimp boats are always a nice feature on Shem Creek. These are facing Charleston Harbor to the right and the Atlantic Ocean to the left. The sunshine was sparkling on the water surface.

Most people think everyone in Mount Pleasant is rich and live in houses like these. We are not. We do not. There are 2 or 3 of us that the rich people have yet to run off. The same dang thing happened on Sullivan's Island years ago.

I always enjoy seeing the pelicans. Look at the patterns in his feathers!

Not the best picture ever taken but I think it's good enough for y'all to see him heading straight for us. Or so it seemed. He cut just to the left.

Egrets were the bird of the day. This one was standing on the boardwalk rail hoping a fisherman would share his bait. He did.

 This white snowy egret decided to work for his meal.

Aren't they pretty? I have a few others that y'all will probably see on some coasters in the near future.

It was a lovely day on the boardwalk at Shem Creek Park.


OK, now for the most exciting part of this post! The winner of the coaster set is: 

APRIL who is the blogger at STRAIGHT FROM THE HEART. If you've never visited April before, hop over and share some blogger love with her. She's one of the sweetest people y'all will ever 'meet'. 

Congrats, April! I just need your mailing address and I'll get the coastal birds coasters in the mail to you! I hope you will enjoy them!

Stay tuned, y'all! I'll be hosting a few more giveaways soon. Next, it's a set of note cards from CoasterDoodles! After that a couple of products from Lovely2's business, Twigs and Roots ! Last, but not least, we may have a giveaway from NuNaturals! Though the last one requires me to get off my lazy bum so, we'll see. LOL 

Have a wonderful weekend!