Bows on Beauties

This sweet girl of mine has an affinity for hair bows, and these are some of our very favorites from our friends at Beau-ties & Beauties! This pink, faux leather bow is, obviously, the fan favorite right now. 

Ingrid is another bad-A stay-at-home mom of two, using her talents to build a business while staying home with her little ones. You know I love my mompreneurs! Her bows and bowties are handmade of the best quality, and affordable! Your kiddos need these in their lives.

Head to Ingrid's Facebook & Instagram to stay up-to-date on her newest additions and creations! You will not be disappointed! Let her know that I sent you too!

Thank you, Ingrid for the opportunity to work with you & showcase your beautiful products! We love them!

Go Babe | Review

Have you ever seen an outfit more perfectly suited to this girl's personality? No, you haven't. 

You guys know I love my collaborations and this is a front runner for being my favorite. I got to meet Molly on Etsy, and she has this award-winning collection of clothing for kids. Her signature style? Rompers. Even more, you know I love a mompreneur with a passion and a message.

Molly is a mompreneur to the max. THIS is why I fell in love with her first: 

Go Babe truly started when I was a little girl. At seven years old, my mom would find me up until midnight, stitching together a pair of pants I had designed for the next day. I have always had a passion for creating, and when we had our first child, motherhood offered limitless opportunities to sew adorable things. Go Babe’s first product was a sling, and then diaper bags, nursing scarves, snuggle blankets, diaper & wipes clutches, travel changing pads, and wet bags. From the beginning, my goal was to make functional items that were eye-catching and on trend.

I also knew I wanted to fabricate goods from high quality, organic fabrics that are both good to the environment and good for my kids. Fabric shopping is my favorite addiction. Recently I was asked how I choose my fabrics. I replied, "I don’t choose. I just buy them all!"

This past year was a milestone as I implemented original designs into our fabric collection. As you scroll through items like Go Babe’s Kicky Pants, you’ll discover prints and patterns that can only be found at Go Babe!

In 2012, our oldest daughter, Payton, died from a genetic disease called SMA. A pediatric version of ALS, we had just a few months between her diagnosis and her death. This changed everything, including the purpose of Go Babe. Today, a percentage of sales go to the Gwendolyn Strong Foundation; you can find out more about their work at theGSF.org.

So I invite you into my business, into my product, and into my passion. When you make a purchase from Go Babe, you’re purchasing leggings that not only will become your favorite, but will one day be remaining proof that childhood reigned here: Summer days with watermelon drips. First walks on a grassy hill. Mud pies leaving evidence on thighs. These items are worthy of the keepsake box as they represent memories of your babe on the go.

Every item can be made as a matching set or each piece completely unique--you choose!

Awards and Recognitions:
Go Babe is Down East Magazine Editor’s Choice “Best of Maine: Kids Apparel for a Cause.”
Go Babe’s lush baby blankets were Australia’s babyology.com “Etsy Find of the Day,” and ranked #2 overall in their favorite baby blankets.

So, y'all, she's amazing, she's strong, she's creative, and her message is carried throughout her work. Please go bless the crap out of her buy purchasing some of her merchandise. Added bonus is that your kids will look fuhrickin' cute! Follow GoBabe on Etsy, Facebook, Pinterest, and Instagram to stay current on new styles and sales!

Molly, thank you for letting me brag on you and your shop. You are an inspiration to me!

Friday Favorite | Be Still Clothing Co.

You don't see me much in front of the camera, but these are too good for me to hide behind the lens. Be Still Clothing Co. is one of our favorites. Faith-based, fashionable tees. Throw in leopard-print shoes and tutus, and I am suddenly a model.

"Be Still Clothing Company was started in December 2013 as a means to bring hope to the hopeless, strength to the weak, and comfort to those in pain. Exodus 14:14 says “The Lord will fight for you; you need only to BE STILL,” and Psalm 46:10 says "BE STILL and know that I am God." These verses have been a source of strength to so many in their time of need.  Be Still Clothing Company wants to share this truth with others through our clothing in a fashionable and comfortable way."

If I can teach this green-eyed, blonde-haired ball of sunshine anything, it is to be herself boldly, unabashedly, bravely. We talk a lot about being genuine - genuinely loving people, genuinely taking interest in people, and genuinely loving people. These are some of her best qualities, and reinforcing them with a cute leotard only helps!

RUN, do not walk, and get your Be Still tees for all of your loved ones for Christmas. The deadline for Christmas orders is next week, so be sure to buy them out! Tell them I sent you!

For the latest fashions, discounts and giveaways, follow Be Still Clothing Co. on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram! 

Thank you, Marissa, for letting us showcase your beautiful, inspiring tees. We absolutely adore your company and all that you stand for.

Photo credit: Maren Miller & my hubbypoo.

Get Over It

If I see one more post about not believing everything you see on social media, I am going to stab my eyeballs out.

If you are offended by pretty pictures of 1. pretty people, 2. pretty food, 3. pretty vacations, 4. pretty hats, 5. pretty children, 6. anything pretty that you don't have, then get off the internet.

 If you're offended by cake, just don't even try to be my friend. We're over.

Yes, we all do it. Perfect setting, perfect lighting, just the right angle, hip pop, snap, filter, sappy caption, post. Pretty pictures a villain does not make. So, get over it.

Let's back up. I have received messages about how my house is always clean, my children are so beautiful, my hair is amazing. Let me be the first to dispel this outright lie. If there is a picture of my house, it's usually my in-law's house when we're at the pool. My children can look beautiful; they can also look like creatures from the black lagoon. If there is a picture on social media of my hair, it is because I have actually taken the time to dislodge it from the permanent grease bun on top of my head, wash it, and curl it. Get over it.

Now, when I see posts like that or a recent influx of posts about not believing "everything you see on social media," I, literally, want to vom. Do you know how bitchy that makes you sound? Get over it. Some people see life through rose-colored glasses. I'm sorry you don't. Get over it. Some people wake up "sunny-side up," like my dumb sister would say every dumb morning when she dumb woke up. I'm sorry you are a cranky bitch. Get over it. Some people are photographers who are insane about perfect lighting, angles, edit, and emotion. I'm sorry you are aren't. Get over it. Some people are supes fashionable and like to show it off. I'm sorry you rock mom jeans. Get over it.

Get the freaking freak over it, people. If you're that bothered by it, ask Jesus to help you stop being such a butthole. Take your own pretty pictures of your pretty hair, and your pretty kids, and get over it.

/endrant

a.

Friday Faves | Wild Purple

As a photographer & mom of 3 stupidly beautiful children, I have had the privilege of working with many vendors who gift us some AMAZING pretty things to feature on my blogs.

I'll be honest, most days, my big girl camera sits on my dresser, under a pile of clean clothes, unused. I am too busy wiping butts, noses & faces to take the time to lay on the floor, outside my kid's bedrooms waiting for the perfect shot. Occasionally, I make those shots happen. The beauty of people sending us pretty things to model is that it forces me to take the camera out, and now, those pictures are in my family yearbooks forever.

This week, I want to brag on The Wild Purple. I can't tell you how much these women have blessed my family with such fun stuff. When they heard about the boys' Cowboys & Indians party, they immediately asked if they could make a special cowboy bunting for the party. I obvi said yes immediately!

In addition to some cute scarves and the bunting, they sent the most darling head pieces for Maddie & I.

Go check out their fun things over at Instagram, Twitter, & Pinterest! You'll love their shop!

Family Yearbook 2014

Yes, you've read this before. Get over it. I'm a huge, annoying, loud fan of family yearbooks. Had I been a mom in the 80's, I may not feel this way. Back in the old days, we had something called photo albums. Perhaps you've seen these antiques at your grandma's house. Large, musty-smelling books with a 3-ring apparatus inside, glossy pages filled with glossy photos of old. Now, these young kids have iPhones with 3482397859 #selfies on them, never to see the clear, glossy sleeve of a photo album sitting on grandma's oak coffee table. It's a shame, a damn shame. How will we know what outfit you wore each day of the year?

So, you've seen the books I created for Maddie. Yes, she was spoiled. What I failed to realize in my one-childness is that when you have multiple children, they do things together. It would be quite difficult to do 3 books for each kid when they are always together. Especially, the twinkies. So, I started our 2014 Family Yearbook. This time, I'm using Blurb. Right now, Blurb is offering 20% off your first book! Just use the code: BLURBWELCOME at checkout. Great product, great price, more freedom in creating your pages. They have software you can download easily, upload your photos & choose from many different page designs. I actually decided to create my pages in Photoshop. I chose the 12x12 coffee table book, downloaded some pre-made layouts here & started planning, arranging & yearbooking.

As you can see, I started a book & then changed my mind.

Here is the cover of our first family yearbook. I chose a hardcover with a photo wrap. Hardcover because duh! I have kids who will do everything in their power to destroy this book. And photo wrap because I want it to be pretty & those kids will destroy a dust jacket.
#kidproof-ish

Because I am making each page in Photoshop, I choose a full picture layout for each individual page. If you don't have Photoshop, but want to make your own personalized layouts, you can do that with PicMonkey. You can add your photos into premade collages, add colors, patterns, text, & graphics.

OR you can use their premade layouts, & add individual photos & text.

 Once you have decided on layouts & collages, you just "get photos" and begin dragging & dropping. Seriously, easiest program. You can't screw this up.

I won't get into all the reasons I love photo books because you already know. You'll notice that peppered into the "nice" photos are TONS of phone pics. That's the camera you have with you all.the.time. That's the camera you're capturing everyday life with. Use.Them.

I'm so ready to get this thing printed & away from the rugrats on my coffee table, but I still have a few months left before I can get printing. I'll update you when I have this beauty in my hands. And if you want to start a book, and need help, drop me an email. I'd be happy to help.

a.