november book giveaway!

November 1, 2016

When something sparks my interest, I get caught up in exploring it. Most recently, this is happening with salt. I started investigating different types of salts, created a DIY salt cellar, and I have plans to visit a salt-themed restaurant.

The November book giveaway highlights this current interest of mine. More specifically, the book is about using salt in desserts. Sea Salt Sweet: The Art of Using Salts for the Ultimate Dessert Experience by Heather Baird demonstrates the tasty relationship between sweets and salt. With the holiday season almost upon us, this selection is perfect for creating a delicious and unique dessert for your celebrations!

More than just a recipe book, master baker, Heather Baird teaches how to use fine artisan salt to make mouthwatering desserts for any occasion. Leave a comment to be entered to win this wonderful book. A winner will be chosen at random from the comments received.

Congratulations to Deborah, winner of The 52 Lists Project by Moorea Seal, last month’s giveaway selection. Enjoy! (Click here to read more about the book.)

Instagram users, please read on! In keeping with the salt theme, let’s share photos “all things salt.” Your cool salt cellar, a photo of your latest artisan salt find, or a great culinary creation using salt are all great subjects! Use hashtag #pleasuregram to share!

Thank you for stopping by! Remember to take pleasure in simple things, Jackie

P.S. Click here if you missed the salt cellar DIY.

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the woman behind the man

October 28, 2016

A recent work trip to Texas gave me the opportunity to visit the LBJ Presidential Library and Museum in Austin.

I had never before been to a presidential library and always thought of them as archives and not necessarily something I wanted to visit. I found out in Texas that I was wrong on that thought. The LBJ library was not just archives – though there was plenty of that, all stored neatly and expansively in red covered boxes.

In addition to the traditional archives, the building is a storehouse of memorabilia and artifacts, interactive displays, replicas, and presidential telephone recordings – all exquisitely displayed. Quite honestly, regardless of party affiliation or political beliefs, this historical record of Lyndon Baines Johnson, our 36th president, is fascinating!

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The Oval Office from 1963 to 1969, when LBJ served as president.

I enjoyed my entire visit, but my favorite part of my tour was the top floor where all the former first lady’s artifacts were on display. Mrs. Johnson – Lady Bird – was an amazing woman.

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A portrait of Lady Bird Johnson at the LBJ Library and Museum in Austin, Texas

On Friday field trip today, I am sharing a couple of my favorite photos from my visit to the museum. The trip created a new motivation to try and visit all of the presidential libraries! I even picked up a ‘passport’ that I can use to document my visits to each of the 13 libraries!

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Lady Bird’s office during the time she worked on the LBJ Library & Museum.

If you want to learn more about Lady Bird, I highly recommend a great recent nonfiction book (that reads very much like a fiction) titled Lady Bird and Lyndon: The Hidden Story of a Marriage That Made a President by Betty Boyd Caroli.

Another recent title you might also enjoy if former first ladies are of interest to you is First Women: The Grace and Power of America’s Modern First Ladies by Kate Andersen Brower.

The outside of the LBJ Library and Museum on the campus of the University of Texas in Austin.

Thanks for stopping by! Have a marvelous weekend!

Remember to take pleasure in simple things, Jackie

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september book giveaway!

August 30, 2016

With September here in a couple of days, I am announcing the next giveaway book. It is The Year of Cozy by Adrianna Adarme. This book is fabulous! If I were to write a book, I would want it to look like this! It includes 125 recipes, crafts, and other ‘homemade adventures.’ Adrianna has created a book that is truly a joy to experience. The recipes, creative inspirations, and DIYs are organized by season – starting with Autumn/October. Anyone that reads this book is sure to enjoy a wonderful takeaway – whether it be a new perspective, or a new recipe.

I feel lucky that Adrianna chose to share her ‘good life’ moments with me in the pages of this creatively inspirational book…I am sure you will feel just as lucky when you read it! Leave a comment on this post for a chance to win a copy for yourself. (The photos here weretaken of my own copy of The Year of Cozy.)

The winner of the August giveaway, My New Roots by Sarah Britton is Sheryle. Enjoy creating some of the healthful plant-based selections in this wonderful cookbook, Sheryle! Click here to read more about this title.

Instagram users, please read on! All during the month of September, in keeping with the giveaway book, let’s share things that make our lives cozy! Use the hashtag #pleasuregram to share! Have fun with it!

Thanks for stopping by! Remember to take pleasure in simple things, Jackie

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august book giveaway!

July 29, 2016

July has almost come to a close! So, I am using today’s post to announce the giveaway book for the month of August. This debut recipe book by Sarah Britton is a collection of 100 all-new plant-based recipes and it is titled My New Roots: Inspired Plant-Based Recipes for Every Season.

Whether you are a newcomer to natural foods or already a devotee, this book makes it easy to eat healthfully when whole foods and plants are the center of every plate!

The recipes are organized by season – I love this – and accompanied by stunning photos.

Leave a comment on this post to be entered into the drawing. The winner will be chosen at random at the end of August – the perfect time to get fall recipes in order!

Congratulations to Heather S., the winner of the July giveaway, Posh Toast. (Click here to read more on this book selection.) Heather may not limit her toast to just breakfast anymore! Thank you to everyone who entered by leaving a comment.

Instagram users, please read on! In the spirit of our giveaway book, let’s share photos of healthful ingredients during the month of August using hashtag #pleasuregram.

Thanks for stopping by!

Have a wonderful weekend and remember to take pleasure in simple things, Jackie

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july book giveaway!

July 1, 2016

I have really been loving the ‘designer’ toast craze! Putting all kinds of great ingredients on a good piece of toasted bread just can’t be beat! It is also a wonderful way to use favorite leftovers.

Because of this, I decided to make the July giveaway book one that will inspire you to create your own yummy toasts! The book is called Posh Toast with recipes by Emily Kydd and photography by Louise Hagger. This book is sure to inspire some great toast creations. Use one of the 70+ recipes in the book to create your toast, or be inspired to come up with your own!

Just leave a comment during the month of July to be entered into the drawing to win this great recipe book!

Thank you to everyone that entered to win the June book selection and congratulations to the winner, Diane S. I know this book will come in handy for you Diane! To read more about the book, Rising to the Occasion by Paul Dickson, click here.

Instagram users, please read on! Why don’t we share ‘posh toast’ photos for the month of July! Share photos of the ingredients you use for your toast creations using hashtag #pleasuregram. Can’t wait to get some new toast ideas!

Thanks for stopping by! Have a wonderful weekend and remember to take pleasure in simple things, Jackie

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may book giveaway!

April 29, 2016

I am not saying I don’t eat salads all year ‘round – because I do! But, I definitely enjoy them all the more in the spring when a fresh plate of greens can be enjoyed while sitting outside on a patio or in the sun at the beach! All food tastes better al fresco! :)

With that said, it should not surprise you that my May book giveaway is salad related! It is called Salad Dressings by Jessica Strand and it is a wonderful resource on how to create dressings for all your spring salad creations!

Just leave a comment to be entered to win a copy of this great recipe book.

Thank you to everyone that left a comment for a chance to win last month’s selection Naked Cakes: Simply Stunning Cakes by Hannah Miles. (Click here for more on that.) The winner is Heather! Congratulations and happy baking!

If you are an Instagram user, please follow @pleasureinsimplethings and join our challenge for the month of May! In keeping with the salad theme, tag your salad creations with #pleasuregram so we can share! (My daughter made me the wonderful salad pictured below! It was yummy!)

Thank you for stopping by! Have a wonderful weekend!

Remember to take pleasure in simple things, Jackie

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april book giveaway!

April 1, 2016

This month’s giveaway selection is another title by Hannah Miles, the author of last month’s giveaway. I couldn’t resist this book of absolutely gorgeous cakes! April always begins a flurry of celebrations – birthdays, showers, graduations…making it the perfect time to create a special celebration cake! This month’s giveaway book is Naked Cakes.

The new trend of stripping cakes back and decorating them very simply fits my personal aesthetic wonderfully. I love this book because it embraces the trend and provides some gorgeous photos to accompany the recipes.

With categories of Vintage Elegance, Rustic Style, Romantic Charm, Chic Simplicity, and Dramatic Effect, you are sure to find the perfect recipe and design for your special occasion.

Just leave a message on this post for a chance to win this beautiful title by Hannah Miles. From the comments, a winner will be chosen at random.

A big congratulations to Kristen, the winner of the March giveaway selection, Hot Chocolate (click here to see more), another great title by Ms. Miles. Thanks to everyone who left a comment for a chance to win.

Instagram users, please read on! For April’s Instagram Challenge, let’s share photos of the flowers in our gardens! This is the time of year when all our seasonal favorites start popping up and I would love to see yours! Use hashtag #pleasuregram during April to share your spring flower photos…can’t wait to see them!

Have a wonderful weekend! Remember to take pleasure in simple things, Jackie

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march book giveaway!

March 1, 2016

Now that everyone, including me, is wishing and hoping for spring to arrive, it may seem odd to have a book about rich and indulgent winter drinks as the March giveaway.

But, you know what? A cold March day is when I most appreciate a good hot chocolate! Last year, here in the Northeast, one of the biggest snow and ice storms of the year occurred in March. It’s that shock of cold weather that really makes one appreciate a good cup of hot, rich chocolate!

The giveaway selection is Hot Chocolate by Hannah Miles. This book should be a standard in all cookbook collections. There are so many great recipes to use on cold days, including some seasonal recipes for the winter holidays. Whether you’re after a quick pick-me-up, a milky bedtime drink or a comforting cupful to warm you up from inside out, there is a recipe here to satisfy your sweet tooth.

For a chance to make this book a permanent part of your cookbook collection, just leave a comment on this post. The winner will be chosen at random from those who leave comments. Good luck!

Congratulations to Tracy, winner of the February giveaway! I know you will enjoy this wonderful first novel by Celeste Ng. (Click here to read more about it.)

Instagram users, read on! For this month’s Instagram challenge let’s share egg and/or nest photos. Since Easter is in March this year, it seems an appropriate month to share photos of these items! (Plus, I have a thing for them!) Use hashtag #pleasuregram on your photos of egg and/or nests during the month of March to share!

Thanks for stopping by! Have a wonderful weekend.

Remember to take pleasure in simple things, Jackie

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february book giveaway!

January 29, 2016

The months just seem to be going by so fast! It is time to announce the February book giveaway already!

This month, I chose a debut novel by Celeste Ng titled Everything I Never Told You. I hadn’t heard about the book – don’t know how I missed it – until a friend mentioned she had read a great book that she completed in one sitting. I was intrigued. Well, it took me two sittings – that pesky thing called work got in the way of one! But work didn’t stop me from staying up into the wee hours of the night to read this captivating story.

The story is different and thought provoking. We find out a young girl is found dead in a lake at the very start of the book. Doesn’t that make you think the rest of the book may not be that interesting? That is definitely not the case. The story is so much bigger than that of a dead girl. It shifts between the family’s theories and the young girl’s own story, and what led to her disappearance and death.

I was so moved by the book (particularly as a mom), I knew I needed to give one away as the February giveaway. Leave me a comment for a chance to win.

Thanks to everyone that left a comment and had a chance to win last month’s giveaway of journals and pencils! The winner, chosen at random, is Heather. Enjoy Heather!

If you are an Instagram user, please read on! This month, let’s share hearts found in unexpected places! Whether it is a rock on the beach, or a culinary treat, use the hashtag #pleasuregram to post heart photos all month long. Thanks for sharing!

And, thanks for stopping by! Remember to take pleasure in simple things, Jackie

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december book giveaway!

December 1, 2015

For the second month in a row, I have chosen an adult coloring book for the month’s book giveaway! There was a great response for last month’s giveaway selection Lost Ocean and, although Johanna Basford’s coloring books are great, there are some other great ones out there to choose from as well!

To prove my point, I have chosen Birds of a Feather by Vicki Sawyer as this month’s giveaway selection. I just love the illustrations! The finished pages of this adult coloring book are definitely suitable to frame as nature prints. Just leave a comment on this post for a chance to win this book. I will also include some coloring pencils with the book for the winner of this selection.

I am pleased to announce TWO winners of Lost Ocean by Johanna Basford. That is right – I am sending two lucky people a copy of Lost Ocean with a box of colored pencils! Janet and Gabi S. were chosen randomly from the comments I received. Please email me gals and let me know where to send your gifts! A special thank you to everyone that entered by leaving a comment. Please try again this month for another beautiful coloring book!

For this month’s Instagram challenge, let’s share photos of our favorite holiday ornaments! They can be new ornaments, old favorites, or something you made yourself. I can’t wait to see your favorites for 2015!

Thanks so much for stopping by! Remember to take pleasure in simple things, Jackie

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