This giveaway is sponsored by CSN, which has over 200 online stores where you can find almost anything you need, whether it be a sofa or a suitcase, a crib or a cookie sheet.
I recently had a giveaway sponsored by this company, and now they’re offering my readers yet another. This giveaway is available only to the US and Canada. (Sorry about that, my friends in other locales. I don’t make the rules.) This time the gift certificate is for $100. All you have to do is comment on this post between now and Saturday night. On Sunday I will use the Random Generator to choose a winner. I will then contact CSN with the winner’s name and email address. And they will be sent a one-time-use $100 gift certificate to be used at any of CSN’s 200+ websites. So please don’t forget to add your email address at the bottom of your comment.
The lazy days of summer are here,folks. I’m staying inside much of the time now, except for early in the morning and late in the evenings. I sit here in my little dining room and stare out at the gardens, viewing them through the glass doors from the luxury of central air conditioning.
So here are my picks this week for Welcome Wagon Friday.
Sixty-Fifth Avenue is written by a blogger who lives in a suburb of Chicago. I was immediately entranced by her fairy gardens. She has the same little plaque I do out in the yard, which says, “Where you believe there is magic, you will find it.” She built one fairy garden on a bench planter she found at a flea market. (It is extraordinary!) And she says that Craig’s List is a great place to find avid gardeners giving away their extra plants. Good thing to know for you gardeners out there!
My French Country Home is written by a blogger in Normandy, who loves interior design, writing, and painting. She describes her blog as highlighting good food, beautiful countryside, and bits and pieces she finds in local brocantes. All this, along with children, dogs, and horses, found in a deep green valley in the heart of Normandy.
A Tree Lined Street is by a blogger living in a 1940’s cottage on a tree lined street. When she was first married, her mother gave her a painting she had done of a beautiful lone tree. With the advice: “Grow where you are planted.” She has taken this advice to heart. They just returned from Paris, which she says is the most inspiring place on earth. (Great photos of their trip, as well!)
You will enjoy the wonderful photography and well-written posts on all of these new blogs. And get to know three great women who’ve joined our ranks.
So send the Welcome Wagon their way, and give a warm reception to these newcomers who have become part of our ever growing community. Blog Land is such a great place to make new friends!
What a wonderful post. Just the name Welcome Wagon brings back such lovely memories of the fifties. When we moved to Baldwin, Long Island, the Welcome Wagon came to our home with so many coupons and treasures. I love the blog list, I always enjoy reading new blogs.
Thank you.
karen
Brenda..
love your post..
I discovered French Garden House awhile back.. and became a follower!
now am off to visit the other newcomers..
please enter me into the giveaway ..
warm sandy hugs..
Loui♥
louiewindom@gmail.com
What a lovely post!
and, wow!! CSN! $100?! fab prize!
celeste@mail4me.com
Another CSN giveaway, the third I have seen today. I hope I win at least one of them. I already found the French Country Home blog yesterday and love it!
Hi, Brenda….thanks for the new giveaway! my email is: maddenwendy@gmail.com
Excellent job of finding new blogs for us to explore. Your table looks cheery and inviting.
xo
Claudia
Brenda, I off to go meet my new friends!
How wonderful they’re offering another giveaway. . . . they know what a sweetheart you are!
BTW – I have the same exterior door – - – the one you can see straight through to the outdoors. Love it!
Hi Brenda. I love your Jug lamp. Did you make it? Your dinning room is so charming just as your garden is.
Please add me to the great giveaway.
Thanks
Ldawns1@hocking.net
Those pictures are lovely.
mami2jcn at gmail dot com
I always love checking out the blogs your highlight. Hey, come on up to NH where it is in the 70′s!
CSN must not like me because I believe that I am the only blogger they haven’t contacted. Perhaps this could all be settled by me winning the $100 gift. Fair is fair right, LOL?
This really is a great giveaway. Stay cool.
Thanks so much for hosting and for sharing the love with your blogging community!
I love CSN. I just finished a giveaway from them, but it’s time I get to win one. I have a couple of things from them – they have sooo much to choose from!!!
I am off to check out the sites you highlighted.
Thanks
Rhonda
I have never visited CSN but seems everyone likes them so I’m off to take a look. Also going to browse these new blogs. Have a lovely weekend.
I love this welcome wagon feature, thank you for taking the time, it’s a great resource!
You are so sweet to include me in your welcome wagon today! What a fun surprise!
Yes, please enter me in the giveaway. I would love to use it towards an air compressor to make painting furniture easy!
Have a fabulous weekend.
Londen
I have just started to hear more and more about CSN! Sounds like a great online store. I have to visit. And believe it or not, I already follow 2 of your Welcome Wagon bloggers!! I love this feature of yours, Brenda. Keep it up!
xoxo
Jane
Please enter my name in the drawing. You did it again with some wonderful blogs to visit. Thank you and also Thanks for the wonderful comments you made on my blog.
Willow
Love these pics. of this wonderful dining area…another magazine picture moment ( wink) I reallllly love that school desk. I have an old school desk my daughter uses for school ( our home school) I would love to see that close up!!!!hugs Mica
Love the welcome wagon its great to go visit new blogs and say Hi!
Diane
I just love CSN! I hope I win!
Do you mind passing along what color you have in your dining room? I am looking for just the right pear/apple green for my kitchen.
Thanks!
Brenda,
I will go check out the new blogs you have mentioned and count me in for the giveaway! Thanks for hosting.
hood56@live.com
I always love your pictures and I always check out your WW choices.
I, too, am spending time outdoors only in the early morning and the late evening whenever possible. I don’t do heat. 
Funny how I loved summer as a child but now look forward to fall like never before! 
I forgot to leave my email address.
Sorry.
kellirenee1965@yahoo.com
I think I’ve entered 5 CSN giveaways in the past week! I’m bound to win one right? Maybe you’ll be lucky for me!
Manuela
I love the peeks at your house and you always find some other wonderful places to visit. I know what you mean about staying inside. It is in the upper 90′s today so I’ll be viewing the garden from my window too.
I love your blog and the garden and the color red!
I’d love to win your CSN give away!
I’m Donna at dlynnl9757@atmc.net
Great blog tips, thank you..I’m familiar with My French Country Home but not the others. I will have a look now..Have a lovely weekend..Rachaelxx
Your welcome wagon is so nice Brenda! And I hope I win, this is a very nice give-away indeed!
Cindy
applestonecottage@gmail.com
I’m still loving that lamp but haven’t had time to go to Target!
I love CSN stores and it seems they have several giveaways this week. Would love to win!
ykatrina at hotmail dot com
I love your Welcome Wagons Fridays. I am heading over to visit these new blogs….
Have a wonderful weekend! Stay cool.
Penny
Wonderful post today. I love your welcome wagon friday…thanks for sharing…Pat H
pattygary@kc.rr.com
Wonderful post today. I love your welcome wagon friday…thanks for sharing…Pat H
pattygary@kc.rr.com
Brenda, thanks for introducing us to these three new blogs. I’m off to visit as soon as I hit the publish button on this comment. Hope you are enjoying your time inside. I’m doing much the same these days, gardening only a bit in the early morning.
What a generous giveaway! Please enter me! That is a great store – you can find almost anything there!
Great tie in with the Welcome Wagon intros and the CSN Giveaway. Hearing alot about this company in blog land…I’ve done alot with HayNeedle on line which specializes in outdoor shopping but not used CSN as yet but would love to check them out. Stay in and stay cool and have a great weekend, fondly, Roberta
rlphilbr13@aol.com
What a very inviting post with the pictures that are inviting yet put one right at ease.
The lazy Days of summer–perhaps.
msgb245 at gmail dot com
I love the Welcome Wagon…always interesting blogs…I hope I win
need a skillet after I set mine on fire.
beverly at greengraciehome dot com
Love your blog, esp. Welcome Wagon Fridays. Would love to win gift certificate.
Laura @ cald56@frontiernet dot net
I would love to win….Stanna
shabbyloft@aol.com
I am so with you about the heat. Love being in my a/c wrapped in a cozy blanket, hah.
Are the critters leaving you alone? I sure hope so.
Stay cool.
Your Friday Feature is one of my favs to stop by at on Thursday night. I always love to see who new out there. But, I still try to stop by more often, but this has been a busy week here. Lots of rain and lots of gardening to be done. As always a cheerfully colorful posting.
Kate
Thank you for the new links, Brenda. What wonderful places to visit! Very thoughtful of you to introduce everyone to them. Have a great weekend. – g
Well, I’d be crazy to not enter this giveaway, right? Thanks, Brenda!
I hear ya about the heat! I don’t even want to have to get out to go to the store these days. I hate it when I hate it when the errands just get to the point when you can’t put them off anymore.
Have a great weekend.
hi brenda,
your welcome wagon feature is so sweet — just like your gingham table cloth. can’t go wrong with gingham!
xo
elyse
what a gorgeous home!!! love the pic!
And an amazing giveaway! fingers crossed!!
ltung06@gmail.com
Looking forward to visiting these blogs, Brenda! Thanks for entering me in the giveaway!
Hi Brenda
Just discovered your blog! Since it’s after 3:00 am I’ll have to stop by for another visit tomorrow ! Can’t wait
Oooo, please enter me for a chance to win the CSN give-away.
I’m gonna go check out your Welcome Wagon blogs now
Smiles, DianeM
Good Morning,
You have the coziest dining room. Primary colors are so inviting.
I hope the rats are gone from your yard. We are having an Africanized bee swarm removed this morning. They built a hive in an old RV we are dismantling.
catheriner1972@yahoo.com
what a sweet idea, the welcome wagon…do you know when my hubby and i bought our home, in the late 80′s…a gal from the welcome wagon paid us a visit…i thought that was so charming…i didn’t know that was done anymore…thanks for stopping over to visit me…and have a wonderful weekend!!!
Hey Brenda…
Happy weekend and great giveaway…
Know most of the new blogs…a great feature “Welcome Wagon”!
can’t wait for you to meet your sister!
xoxo~Kathy @
Sweet Up-North Mornings…
Hi Brenda,
Love welcome wagon Friday and your blog. I will visit often. Thank you
Kathleen
kjerryjazz3@bellsouth.net
Thanks for the awesome giveaway. My kitchen so needs new pots. I could get the Circulon Elite 8 Quart Wide Covered Saucepot with the certificate. Then I could make my fabulous Spaghetti sauce.
karenb1961atgmaildotcom
I am also staying in most of the time…..it’s so hot and muggy…..I’m ready for fall now…..lol. I’m not familiar with CSN….but I would love to have $100 to explore and find out more!
Count me in! I have quite a wish list over at CSN!
I don’t know how you find all of these folks, but it sure is fun to meet them every week! Thanks Brenda!
If you get too hot, just come on over to Dallas … the water in our pool is still 78. Makes being outside a whole lot more tolerable!
Have a good weekend!
Amazing giveaway! I would love to peruse CSN Stores and decide what to spend $100 on.
Jonnie
dftrew(at)gmail(dot)com
First of all, I always enjoy seeing shots of your house and love your DR!
Cute tablescape, Brenda!
And what a nice thing for CSN to do for one of your readers! I would love to win a $100 giveaway. I have seen several things on their site I’d love to have, and this would go a long way toward a purchase of one of my favorite items.
Thanks for the chance to win!
XO,
Sheila
Great!
mgdrummond@yahoo.com
I’d love to enter!
Enter to win a Lime Ricki swimsuit!
clothed much, a modest fashion blog
Awesome! I would love to have 100 bucks for buying birthday presents for my little guy. They have really cool toddler beds there too.
Lovely! Thanks for the chance.
lovelydomesticdiva (at) gmail (dot) com
I LOVED the tip about extra plants on Craigslist, and sure enough, I checked my area and there was a gal who had tons of plants looking for good homes
Yes!! Thanks so much, I’m so glad I landed here today!
Look forward to peeking in, from MT!!
bkost3 at hotmail dot com
Thanks for hosting the giveaway!
Sweetimpishpixie(AT)gmail(DOT)com
Another fun give-a-way that could help any of us in this ruff period of time. Someone could start their Christmas shopping with $100 to spend.
Thank you for the Welcome Wagon sites and the generous giveaway!
It’s boiling hot here in FL too – I know what you mean about the wonderful central air conditioning.
=)
what a wonderful post and $100 giveaway! Wow!
Susan in SC
purrs2u@gmail.com
Your dining room is coming along beautifully!
Hope all is well with you. I’ve been thinking about you.
Kether
kfoisel@avc.edu
Hi Brenda
What a great giveaway. I hope I win! Now I’m off to visit the blogs you introduced us to.
Enjoy your blog! I love your touches of red! Thanks!
I’d love to be entered in the giveaway
calidreamin87 (at) gmail (dot) com
what a wonderful giveaway.
thanks for a chance to win!
Blessings
alyssa
http://lifeoflyssie.com
I’m still loving that oilcloth. Your home is looking so summerish. Glad you got the rat situation under control! Mimi
Brenda, I love reading your Welcome Wagon Posts! What a fabulous and generous soul you are. I am off to visit the blogs I had not heard of. Good luck to everyone for your lovely giveaway, wish I loved closer:) Happy weekend to you ~ Tina xx
Brenda,
Love your blog! I have never heard of CSN! I am off to visit your Welcome Wagon blogs and then to google CSN.
Have a great day!
Carol
I’m not used to seeing the blinds drawn in your dining room; it give the room an entirely different feel! Now I’m going to check out those other fairy gardens…
Thank you for all the inspiration… the gardens, the decor, the new blog sites …. hope all is well in your part of the world…
debbebennett at yahoo dot com
Love reading your blog. I’m from Western New York & get a chuckle out of yu picking tomatoes when we still had snow. Now it’s too hot for you to go out & it is just right here. Thanks for sharing with us.
Forgot my email above
kkiehl@hotmail.com
What a nice post, I love the welcome wagon. I’m off to visit the other ladies.
Hugs,
Donna
Brenda, I really look forward to your welcome wagon fridays. Some weeks, like this one, I don’t have much time to noodle around the blogosphere, and coming here sends me directly to some interesting new blogs. It is good to have friends with similar interests. Stay cool…I will be spending the weekend rejoicing over my youngest childs high school graduation….yahoooo!
♥, Susan
So glad I found your blog! I am trying to make my home decor look better and you’ve given me a lot of inspiration!
CSN is a great store too – I recently bought some new casserole dishes, a dog bed and some other things from them.
This is my first visit to your blog…love it! Thanks for the tip about Craig’s List. Your little dining area looks just beautiful. I’m breaking out my gingham cloth today!!
hnnhgoddard@gmail.com
I love how you recognize others’ blogs…that is so nice and it’s a great way for us to find new friends. I myself haven’t had a blog all that long and I’m trying to learn all I can. I’d love to enter your giveaway…thanks so much! I always enjoy visiting your blog.
Your Welcome Wagon posts are my favorites! Love links to blogs I know I will love! Great giveaway, too! Thanks! ♥
Looks as though I have some reading to catch up on in Bloggyland. Thank you for mentioning these new bloggers and I will go pay them a visit.
Di
Great giveaway! I’ve checked out the CSN website and it is a great one stop on-line store to shop at.
(E-mail is in profile)
Your colorful blog and words always make me smile!!!
love that green color on your walls. what color is it??
Thank you so much for taking time to search out all these lovely blogs for us. I love your post today and not just because of the giveaway! Your photography is great and and I love your table setting and especially the dest in the background – who would have thought that a plain ordinary desk could be made to look so magnificent!
Thanks for the giveaway, $100 would allow me to replace the breadmaker that burnt out last Christmas!
kittenwithawhiplash
(at)
cyberdude
(period)
com
Oh i am too late to enter!
i’m so sorry i missed this post!
going to catch up on other missed ones now,…..
i love your blog….
ciao bella
creative carmelina
Hi Brenda. Please Let me win !! I have your blog on my goggle page and read it everyday. I bet you have a lot of followers that read and don’t comment as I have been doing .Lov your blog! Thimblecottage@bellsouth.net
Hi Brenda, well as usual I am behind in my reading..please enter me in your giveaway and I will visit the new blogs listed too!
Its hot everywhere, thank goodness for central a/c!
Have a great day
Barb