Have you noticed that we’ve added brand new photos to our gallery this week? If you haven’t flipped through our online scrapbook lately, this is a good time to do it because there are some REALLY cute pictures in there, a few of which we’ve displayed here in this post. (Look at the cheeks on this baby. SO cute!) To see our photo gallery, scroll to the bottom of this page or click on the Polaroid at the top of the page.

In a few days, our panel of judges will look through all the photos submitted in April and choose three more finalists for the giveaway from our photo gallery sponsor, Lisa Mac Photography. (To see the finalists chosen from the March photos, click HERE.) A grand prize winner will be selected at the end of May, and that winner’s child will get a free session with Lisa Mac as well as a HUGE (16 by 20) wall portrait — for FREE. That’s about a $400 value, girls!

Photos finalists are selected based on biggest emotional impact, so send us your cutest kid photos and show them off with your fellow moms. E-mail your digital photos to mamas@nwaMotherlode.com.

Note to all our fellow sale lovers: We just found out that Signed Sealed Delivered is having a BIG warehouse sale starting TODAY, Friday, Saturday and Sunday (April 30th through May 3rd) at their warehouse located behind the Tontitown Flea Market off of Highway 412. The exact address is 181 Industrial Circle East. Shopping hours are from 9 a.m. until 6 p.m. at the warehouse.

Shoppers will see 75 percent off prices marked on items including holiday decor, floral, gifts, scrapbooking, home decor and more. (75 percent off is our kind of sale!)

As always, go early to get the best stuff! And if you need more specific directions, call 479-756-9961 for more info.

One more quick note: Owner Christine Meier tells me that Signed Sealed Delivered will now be open on Sunday afternoons. She has heard so many requests from customers that she has decided to open the store for a little Sunday shopping. Sunday hours are from noon to 5 p.m. and they begin this Sunday, May 3rd. Happy shopping!

Speaking of Signed Sealed Delivered, don’t forget that we’ll be crowning a Crafty Mama Queen in the coming months, so  take a photo of your craftiest project to date (or whip up one that you’ve been thinking about) and e-mail it to us along with a line or two about what it is or how you made it.

The only rule is that you have to have made it yourself. It might be wall art in your kids’ room, a piece of furniture, a funky planter, a favorite scrapbook layout, a kids’ costume - you name it. If you’re a local NWA mom with a flair for crafts, we want to hear from you.A panel of judges will review the photos and select a Crafty Mama Queen in the coming months. That winner will receive a $100 shopping spree from one of our favorite crafty places in NWA - Signed Sealed Delivered. For those of you who haven’t been there, Signed Sealed Delivered is a Crafty Mama’s dream come true. They’ve got roughly a gazillion scrapbooking products along with a huge selection of silk florals, dishes, gift items, tools to use for home improvement projects, Razorback stuff, and the list goes on. We could shop in there for hours.

The newly crowned Crafty Mama Queen and her shopping buddy will also be treated to a gourmet lunch on the day of her shopping spree at Cuisines Gourmet to Go, located right across the street from Signed Sealed Delivered in Rogers. Cuisines is primarily a catering company, but they also offer a fabulous lunch menu Monday through Saturday. And here’s the big news: They also offer take-home meals! For those days when you just don’t have an ounce of energy left to cook dinner, this place is a lifesaver. On the menu today? Beef Brisket Madera with Garlic Roasted Potatoes. Yum. Their lunch specials and take-home meals sell out every day, so you need to call ahead so they’ll have your meal ready to go. For more info on Cuisines, check out their website by clicking here. The site is great - lots of info and detailed menus!

If you know a Crafty Mama who might be perfect for this contest, please e-mail her the link to this article and encourage her to send in a photo. (Sometimes those Crafty Mamas are too modest for their own good.) With permission, we may even use those photos on the website to inspire your fellow moms with new, fresh ideas for how to become a little craftier themselves.

If you have questions, e-mail us at mamas@nwaMotherlode.com. We can’t wait to see what you Crafty Mamas come up with! Good luck.

Quick update: We just had a comment posted by a reader who pointed out that Pleasant Grove Road is under construction right now and is a huge mess. To get to the neighborhood yard sales described below, she suggests taking the Pinnacle Promenade exit. Then turn right on Bellview Road (which is by Target) and then right on Pleasant Grove Road, to avoid the construction hassles. Thanks so much, Starwoodgal, for the helpful tip!

If you’re a hard core yard sale shopper, then you’ve probably been waiting all winter long for the mega yard sale that is happening this Friday and Saturday (May 1st and 2nd) in Rogers. Several subdivisions are participating, including Highland Knolls, The Manors, and Ridgecrest. The first three are located off of Pleasant Grove Road in Rogers.

I have shopped these neighborhood yard sales for about five years now, and I have found some GREAT deals there - particularly on kids toys, books and more. I am still bragging to my friends about the big wooden train table I snatched up (complete with wooden train set) for a mere 40 bucks!! I also found a nice set of kids’ encyclopedia books in pristine condition.

My buddy Janice, who is like the Navy Seal of yard sale shoppers, once picked up a beautiful, upholstered rocking chair glider to use with her newborn - for 35 dollars!! I’m not kidding. I saw it with my own eyes. There are lots of young families living in these subdivisions, so it’s a great place to shop if you’re looking for kids’ items. But there’s always plenty for adults, too.

The sale starts this Friday but some homes only open their garage door for the Saturday sale, so you might want to cruise through those neighborhoods on both mornings to see what’s available. Good luck and happy bargain hunting!