::Weekend Bloggy Reading:: (and more!)

Happy Friday, friends!

Before I offer you some fabulous Weekend Bloggy Reading links, I wanted to welcome all the new Followers who signed on this week. I am so glad you're here!

I also wanted to say a BIG thank you to every single one of you who linked up to the very first Dishing It! party. It turned out to be a much larger party than I was expecting. That's awesome, but what I truly hope is that you all took to heart my intentions for any party I host.

A party is not a party unless the guests are networking and getting to know one another. Please make every effort to return comments that were left for you during my Dishing It! party. Take a few days if you need to, but please be mindful of blogging etiquette...it's just plain nice to return a visit to your blog if you can. If you joined the party late on Thursday, you may want to do a bit of visiting if you haven't received any comments yet. People might not have seen your link yet!

To show that I meant it when I said I valued relationships in blogging, and I appreciate bloggers who take the time to really participate in parties, I planned my own little surprise Giveaway. I went through every single link on my list, leaving a comment, but also looking to see who was doing the most visiting.

Ironically, Jen from Tatertots and Jello had a comment on many of the blog posts (I truly lost count after awhile), and she definitely doesn't need any return traffic with a blog as huge as hers! What I appreciate about Jen is that even though she has a very popular blog, she takes the time to get to know her readers. So, Jen, I have a little Spring "thank you" surprise for you.

Now, on to the big fun! Here are some super-fun links I found this week when I wasn't Dishing It! with you guys.

~Check out Stacey's wonderful Before and After photos in her Guest Bedroom Makeover.

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~Paula blogs about the Progress on the Walnut Avenue Remodel she's made with her mom over at Sweet Pea.

~Tiffany's "Wordy Birdie"

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~Kelli's Applique Beach Towels...start now to be finished in time for pool weather.

~Cheryl had a fabulous post on How to Make a Ruffle. Excellent for sewing rookies like myself!

So, did you enjoy partying with me this week? Haven't had enough? Even though my (big, gulp) birthday is coming up next Wednesday, I'll be hosting the next session of Decorating Dilemmas!

This is another blog party designed with the idea of bloggers encouraging one another and offering helpful feedback. You can link up a Dilemma OR a Solution...anything in or around your home that is decorating related! You can click here to see how the last Decorating Dilemmas party worked. Please link up on the 21st so my birthday won't be a downer, 'kay?

{Got any big plans for the weekend?}

We have a MOPS playdate at a local indoor play park this morning. This means we will need to bathe in Purell when we get home. Good times. Pizza party and dessert with my brother and favorite (for realz, SuSu!) sister-in-law tonight. She wants some help burning a CD for my totally RAD 80s themed birthday party next weekend. Hoping I can trick convince T to take me to see Date Night on Saturday...that would be fun, right?

Don't forget that there's still time to enter the simply adorable Cutie Pants Giveaway!

Have a wonderful weekend!