Fun in the Sun Link Party and Giveaway!

Summer, summer, summer! It’s like a merry-go-round. I LOVE summer time! Let’s get this party started! 

Fun in the Sun link party and giveway

If you missed the kick off with these Fun in the Sun posts, take a few minutes to get caught up starting with my DIY birdie garland then visiting the rest of the series.

DIYShowOff birdie garland tutorial

Domestically Speaking

Debbie Doo’s

My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia

Setting for Four

Clean and Scentsible

Town and Country Living

At The Picket Fence

Cupcakes and Crinoline

Sand and Sisal

Fox Hollow Cottage

I gathered up some more of my past summer projects. Just click the image to be redirected to the original post. 

DIY Show Off summer home tour slidebarn patio makeoverhouse number flower potstire flower planter decorDIY Dog Bedstacked ombre flower pots tutorialDIYShowOff chandelier planterfree-standing-vertical-pallet-herb-gardenDIY brick patiohow to add curtains to a patio swing DIY giant outdoor LCR dice game tutorial

Ready to share or browse the links for inspiration? Let’s go!



THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED. Congratulations to the winner, Danette Dillon! Time for the grand finale! Enter to win $250 cash using the Rafflecopter widget below. Good luck!
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Anna Maria Island Getaway

Anna Maria Island, Florida – a fun and relaxing getaway! Enter to win a dream vacation!

Win a Dream Vacation at diyshowoff.com

I recently met up with a small group of blog friends for a relaxing retreat on Anna Maria Island.

Sirenia Cove Beach Cottage at Anna Maria Island, Florida

The best part of any vacation for me (aside from fun times with friends) is the lodging. And this Anna Maria Island home rental named Sirenia Cove did not disappoint. 

Sirenia Cove, Anna Maria Island Home Rental

Let’s take a tour! Beautiful decor, four bedrooms (sleeps 12), three bathrooms…

beach cottage bedroom beach cottage bedroom beach cottage bedroom beach cottage bedroom

Fully equipped kitchen and comfortable living spaces…

beach house kitchenbeach cottage living roombeach cottage stylebeach cottage dining room

Plenty of quiet spaces…

beach cottage screened porchbeach cottage reading roombeach cottage shelvingbeach cottage crows nest

but lots of room for entertaining too AND right on the water (great location for boaters). 

Sirenia Cove beach cottageSirenia Cove dockon the dock at Sirenia Cove

Beach cottage style. Happy, bright and colorful.

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Because I deal with anxiety and panic attacks, I was the fuddy-duddy who stayed behind house watching during some of the adventures; content to relax in this beautiful home and most days you could find me lounging and reading by the pool. No complaints from me. My kind of get-away. Few plans, low key, stress-free! Beautiful, comfortable surroundings. 

Sirenia Cove pool

It felt like a big birthday celebration with all of the gifts! We each brought some cute things to swap and Anna Maria Island businesses welcomed us with a surprise swag bag full of goodies! 

presents!

Plenty to do for my sight-seeing adventure seeking friends as well!

Anna Maria Island BeachThe Anna Maria City PierAnna Maria Island pierAnna Maria Island palm treesAnna Maria Island friend

Beautiful sandy beach, pier, shopping and restaurants within walking distance, kayaking and other fun excursions close by.

Anna Maria Island blogger retreat

Golf cart and bicycle rental for touring the island. Thanks, Fun and More Rentals!

Fun and More Rentals

Thanks SO much to Anna Maria Island Home Rental for the beautiful and tranquil accommodations.

Sirenia Cove Beach Cottage at Anna Maria Island, Florida 

Thanks to Ford for providing local transportation. 

Ford Fusion

Looking for more pictures and details or to make a few new friends? Visit:
Kelly from Eclectically Vintage
Diane from In My Own Style
Beth from Unskinny Boppy
Karah from The Space Between
Carrie from Making Lemonade
Denise from The Painted Home 

These girls are so sweet and so much fun! 

shadepop

So what do you think? Want to go?

AMI dream vacation

How would YOU like to get away to Anna Maria Island? Enter the giveaway using the Rafflecopter below for a chance to win! 

THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED. WINNER IS Jennifer Davis Schultz who won by liking AMIBL on Facebook. Congratulations, Jennifer!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Giveaway starts at 7 am CST on Monday, June 16th.  
Giveaway ends at 11:59 pm CST on August 1st, 2014
This Giveaway is open only to legal residents of the U.S. & Canada who are 25 years of age or older, at time of entry.
Winners announced on our blog posts (edited after giveaway ends) and Facebook.
Prize Package includes:
• 4 Night stay at Sirenia Cove on Anna Maria Island
• 1 ~ $60.00 Gift Certificate to Eat Here Restaurant Group
• 1 ~ Free Golf Cart Rental for 4 Days from Fun and More Rentals
• Free Beach Bike Rental for 4 Days from Fun and More Rentals
• 2 ~ Paddleboard or Kayak Rentals for 4 Days from Fun and More Rentals
• Free use of Beach Chairs for 4 Days from Sirenia Cove
• 1 – Portrait by the Sea value of $100.00 from Photography by Billi
* Photos to be purchased based on selection from proofs
• 2 Free Shadepops
See Rafflecopter widget above for official rules and disclaimer.

The Nesting Place Book Giveaway

A phrase that fits our home and perhaps yours too: “It doesn’t have to be perfect to be beautiful.” That’s the mantra at The Nesting Place and one that applies to not only our decorative surroundings or our design style but imperfect beauty in real life. 

the Nesting Place book giveaway at diyshowoff.com

The Nester has just released an amazing book that covers the topic of accepting imperfection: The Nesting Place. 

Here’s a description that says it so much better than I ever could since I’m only part way into the book: Perfection is overrated. Popular blogger and self-taught decorator Myquillyn Smith (The Nester) is all about embracing reality—especially when it comes to decorating a home bursting with boys, pets, and all the unpredictable messes of life. In The Nesting Place, Myquillyn shares the secrets of decorating for real people—and it has nothing to do with creating a flawless look to wow your guests. It has everything to do with embracing the natural imperfection and chaos of daily living. Drawing on her years of experience creating beauty in her 13 different homes, Myquillyn will show you how to think differently about the true purpose of your home and simply and creatively tailor it to reflect you and your unique style—without breaking the bank or stressing over comparisons. Full of easy tips, simple steps, and practical advice, The Nesting Place will give you the courage to take risks with your home and transform it into a place that’s inviting and warm for family and friends.There is beauty in the lived-in and loved-on and just-about-used-up, Myquillyn says, and welcoming that imperfection wholeheartedly just might be the most freeing thing you’ll ever do.

It’s easy to get caught up in focusing on what I don’t have, how my home compares to others, what’s missing. You too? This book helps change and redirect focus to appreciating what we do have, living and that creating a beautiful home not only doesn’t have to break the bank, it doesn’t have to be perfect to be beautiful. 

Find a quiet space, put your feet up and read every word. You’ll walk away inspired to look at your home in a fresh new way by embracing imperfections and flaws (they can be good and comforting!), accepting that a lived-in home is a happy home, as well as gain tips for making the most of where you live. Now. Without waiting for perfect conditions, without maxing out the credit cards.

The Nesting Place

Here’s the story behind the cover —> http://www.thenester.com/2014/04/risk-of-imperfections.html And here’s more info about the book: http://www.thenester.com/landing/the-nesting-place-book.

Want a copy for yourself? Of course you do! Here’s an affiliate link:

The Nesting Place is generously giving away a copy to THREE lucky DIYShowOff readers! Enter for a chance to win using the Rafflecopter widget below. Giveaway starts right now and ends Friday, May 9th at midnight EST. Winners will be announced shortly after. Giveaway is only open to US residents (sorry, international friends!). Good luck!

The Nesting Place book review
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