Archive for September, 2010
Thursday, September 30th, 2010
Christmas came a little early in our home. This here? This — to me — was like Christmas.
Blessed be the crib tent. And bless those who invented it. (Dinosaur paper craft painstakingly cut out by big brother Porter.)
Backing up. If you’re getting my facebook or twitter feed, you may remember that I’ve mentioned our sweet babe’s recent quest to escape. Crew is two now, but still my baby. And for sure to young for a bed. But definitely old enough to have figured out how to climb out of the crib. In fact, he became quite the pro a couple weeks ago. So much that it became a game for him.
We would do our usual nap time routine. I sing & cuddle & talk to him & down he goes. I walk away. Less than a minute later he pitter-patters right up to my side, completely delighted in himself. I escort him right back to his crib, lay him down again, give him a pep talk about staying in the crib, and walk away. (What? Pep talks don’t work with toddlers?) This time he shows up by my side, still delighted, but his smile isn’t quite as big because he knows he’s not supposed to be there. Back to the crib again, and like a boomerang, he’s right at my ankles again.
Repeated 5 to 14 times per day.
Sounds fun, right? It is for Crew! I, on the other hand, want to cry. Do you know what this does to a mother’s sanity?
A while ago my friend Megan swore by her crib tent. I just didn’t make the connection but thought, “Good that it works for them.” And then I mentioned my frustration on facebook recently and it seemed hundreds of you said “Crib tent! Get the crib tent!” And then I kept putting off getting one for one reason: time. I needed to have time.
So I wrote it down on David’s honey-do list. (Yep, I really do that.) He’s better at researching products anyway. So fast-forward to now. We got this crib tent. It is installed. My toddler is safely zipped in every single day. I walk away knowing that he can’t climb out. And all of this? The result is a happier mama + peace of mind to boot. Can’t believe I didn’t know about it until our third child.
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Added note: Crew used to get his thighs stuck between the slats while sleeping sometimes … when he was smaller. If you look closely, you’ll notice the netting that encloses the whole crib, making it impossible to stick their legs through. We really could have used the tent months ago for that reason alone.
Also: I’m sure all crib tents are not created equally. Be sure to choose carefully. We’ve only been using ours a few days now, but we love it and can’t see any hazards or possible ways for Crew to un-do anything.
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Worth a whole blog post? Yep. Because someone will benefit from this. Parent to parent, sharing our best tips is what we do. Check back with me in about 8 years and I might be sharing my best tips on raising teenagers. Or you’ll find me curled up in fetal position.
Tags: crib tent
Posted in family & children | No Comments »
Wednesday, September 29th, 2010
First of all … have you browsed through the comments left on yesterday’s post about what everyone’s little traditions are for family meal time? I love seeing how so many of us value this family time and totally enjoyed reading so many similarities and definitely the unique rituals as well. So fun!
Congratulations to Brek who was randomly selected. She said: “It has become tradition in the last month for our boys (3rd grade and kindergarten) to tell us which girls they chased at recess. Its hilarious!” Brek, shoot an email to customerservice@beckyhiggins.com and we’ll get you hooked up with a free 3-month membership with e-mealz.
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Last week I shared a photo challenge: Take a picture that has a whole lot of nothing and a little bit of something. Try something minimalist through the lens of your camera. As usual, I was really inspired by your submissions. Today I’m sharing my top 10 favorites with you, hoping that you too will feel inspired to try something different with your camera this week.
Photo by Ellie. Taken with the purpose of making a Grandparents Day card, which simply meant adding text. PS: I noticed Ellie used my handwritten font. If you haven’t downloaded that for your own use, it’s still available & still free. You can find it on the sidebar of our Free Stuff section.
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Photo by Tracy. Seriously, could this be more precious? Love the pop of color in contrast with the stark white.
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Photo by Colleen. She says this shot reminds her of the song lyrics most of us have heard before: “I hope you still feel small when you stand beside the ocean.” I love how it reminds me how small we all really are.
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Photo by Rhonda. She took this of her friend’s daughter – Lucy. Love the golden tones & freckles.
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Photo by Emilie. Taken in Wildwood, New Jersey. Don’t you just breathe better looking at a picture with all that sky?
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Photo by Adele. She calls her subject “our Favorite Little Bit”. ; )
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Photo by Jacenda. Glory.
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Photo by Cindy. Her husband and daughter enjoying a beautiful day in Colorado.
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Photo by Kate in Australia. I love how you have to look at it an extra couple seconds to see their silhouettes. I imagine they’re a family.
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If someone was to make me choose a favorite, impossible as it seems, I’d choose THIS one:
Photo by Kelsey. Shot this of her daughter Reganne this past Winter. Love how this composition shows more of the journey and not just a girl walking in snow. Kelsey, I am hooking you up with a Project Life kit — congratulations!
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Remember: Project Life is on sale right now! $10 off the kit through the end of the month. Which is tomorrow. Don’t miss this chance to save some money on one of the most worthwhile projects you’ll ever do. And grab a couple more for gifts.
Tags: minimalism, photo challenge, winner
Posted in photography | 17 Comments »
Tuesday, September 28th, 2010
Quick item of business: Congratulations to Kendra in Sanford, MI! You won the Katie Orse journal. If you email her [ katie@katieorse.com ] she’ll hook you up.
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Did you realize that yesterday, Monday 9/27, was Family Day? I love that there is a holiday for the most important unit in society — the family.
And speaking of families — you may know that our family has personally been using e-Mealz as a resource for our everyday meal-planning. So are many of you. (Thanks again for that recommendation.) I so appreciate their philosophy to simplify meal preparation so that families are more likely to sit down around the table … as a family … every day … and eat a lovely meal as we connect as a family.
Family, family, family, family, family … Notice a theme here? ; )
Anyway, e-Mealz has turned this Family Day into a week-long celebration. They have created this “Family Week” to encourage everyone to make the effort to have dinner at home as a regular evening ritual and focus attention on what makes your family special.
When you head over to their site you can read more about how they’re celebrating all week. I noticed they just launched their new blog too.
In honor of this special occasion, and in appreciation for the support they feel from you specifically (my readers) — they are offering 15% off E-mealz for first time users. It was already such a good deal! That special code is beckyh and it is valid through October 15.
In the meantime, let’s give one family the opportunity to receive a 3-month membership entirely FREE, shall we? Please share just one ritual/tradition/topic of conversation that is typical at your dinner table. We’ll randomly select a winner and announce tomorrow.
Posted in holidays & seasons | 259 Comments »
Friday, September 24th, 2010
There are lots of people that ooze creativity. There are plenty of folks with a good idea. There are some who have both the creativity + a brilliant idea. And then – there are those who run with it. These people believe enough in themselves that they do something with their idea. They do something with their passion in a way that helps others. And sometimes they can even make a few bucks along the way.
This is creative ambition. It’s across the board in all industries. If you’ve been around here on my blog for long enough, you know that I enjoy sharing creatives with you. And I will continue to do so. There are far more people than I could ever mention but today I wanted to send a little shout-out to merely a few of these creatives that have impacted me this week. These are women that are close to “home” for me, which is that they are wives and mothers … and ambitious creatives.
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1. You know SheyB (a.k.a. the camera strap girl), right? She not only makes the coolest camera straps but she recently had a “crazy idea”, as she calls it, and almost instantly Creative Estates was born this past week. It’s a conference specifically for these creatives I’m talking about. Doesn’t matter if your work is sewing, cooking, blogging, photography … if you make something and you are making your “somethings” into a business, this conference sounds to be right up your alley. I applaud Shey for her ambition to bring so many together and celebrate the creative handmade industries. It’s going to be in Arizona this coming April. Learn more here.
2. Have you heard of Cheeky Kitchen? I’ve known Brooke for 15 years. We were both newly married college students and serving together in church at the time. She’s another creative, ambitious soul with a passion for things of the kitchen. It’s so fun to see where she has taken her passion. You’ll enjoy her witty writing and gorgeous food photography. Brooke was recently interviewed by Make it Work Mom and shared beautiful insight on how she balances everything in life (something we’re all working on). That interview is HERE. It’s worth reading.
3. Kezia Whitteker has taken her passion for homemaking to another level of sharing. A cancer survivor, mother, and entrepreneur, I was first introduced to Kezia at a trade show several years ago when she was there exhibiting her company. Now she has a new focus. Be sure to check out Kezia’s Distracted Homemaker site. She has inspiring ideas for mothering, entertaining, food, and celebrating. She’s speakin’ my language.
4. With the loving encouragement and support of her military husband, Katie Orse is carrying out her passion for sewing & journaling and has recently created her own business: the most lovely journal sleeves. Isn’t this pretty?
If you look in her shop you’ll see that she named this design after me. What the heck? She’s a girl after my own heart with that green. ; ) This design can be found HERE. And … she’d like to give away one of these gorgeous journal sleeves to one of you. Leave a comment and we will announce a randomly selected winner on Monday.
By the way: BIG hugs to all of you who are supporting your spouse/friend/family member/student who has a dream. This is another thing really close to home for me and I am forever thankful to my loved ones who have been supportive & enthusiastic along this journey. Especially the hubs. David has so much to do with where I am today. He has always been supportive of and patient with me following my passion for creating & sharing. And it doesn’t hurt that he’s a smarty pants either.
Here’s to following your passion. Here’s to doing something with your idea.
Tags: cheeky kitchen, creative estates, creativity, distracted homemaker, entrepreneur, giveaway, homemade, homemaking, journal, katie orse, sheyb
Posted in DIY, products | 319 Comments »
Tuesday, September 21st, 2010
Hooray! Click HERE for the sale.
Right now until the end of this month the original/current edition of Project Life is $39.99 (normally $49.99). And because Amazon is awesome, the shipping is FREE with “Super Saver Shipping”. (Click on Details next to the product for more information on that.)
{ TOP 5 REASONS YOU WANT TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THIS SALE }
5. It’s a sale. We all love a good sale. And do you know what you’re getting for this price? Ridiculously cheap.
4. This is it! We will not do another re-print of this original Project Life edition. When they’re gone, they’re gone.
3. This system of scrapbooking is the simplest system ever. No glue, no techniques, nothing like that. Everything is pre-designed and ready for you to place your photos & journaling blocks in the pockets. That’s it.
2. Once you start getting your pictures off the computer & into a book, you just may feel the stress melt away from your shoulders. No more feeling guilty for not doing something with your photos. No more feeling overwhelmed by what “traditional” scrapbooking can unfortunately feel like sometimes.
1. Project Life makes for an awesome gift. Your friends/family can finally get their pictures into a book without feeling overwhelmed by the process! Think of the new couple, the new parents, the birthday girl, the friend who has been wanting to scrapbook but hasn’t had the time/money/creativity to get started. Think of the family who would enjoy a family togetherness project. Good time to stock up. I’m just saying.
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{ WHAT’S NEXT FOR PROJECT LIFE? }
My crystal ball tells me that you’ll ask. And I’m happy to share. So excited to share!
A new Project Life design? Check.
How about two new designs to choose from? Check check!
Will one of them be a bit more masculine? You betcha.
What about divided photo pocket pages that work for vertical photos? Heck yes. Available separately in packs of 12.
And can you get the traditional Project Life divided photo pocket pages separate from the kit too? Oh yeah.
Available internationally? Yep. Via distributors in Canada and New Zealand.
Will all of this be available in time for holiday shopping? Planning on early December.
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I’ll be sharing images and sneak peeks. In the meantime, I know many of you are getting ready & excited for the next round of Project Life and other goodies on the way. But I can tell you that you won’t get the $39.99 price on the new kits anytime soon. Which is why you’ll want to take advantage of this sale before the original edition is gone for good.
Tags: Project Life, sale
Posted in products | 44 Comments »
Tuesday, September 21st, 2010
I’ll let these photos speak for themselves about the awesomeness and the pureness of this sweet new babe. So happy for our friends who welcomed a third son into their family a few weeks ago. And seriously — can you believe the hair!? Incredible.
Say hello to River.
River’s very proud older brothers, Ryder and Riley:
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Now let’s chat about this last picture for just a second. It’s very minimalist. Lots of white space. Notice how when you look at it, it feels very restful on your eyes and also has a very clean look?
This, my friends, is our next PHOTO CHALLENGE. I have these photo challenges on occasion to help us try something different and to encourage growing our skills behind the lens. It’s not a contest. (Although I am known to give away a free Project Life kit to someone each time I do a challenge.)
So get out your camera. Take a few pictures with a whole lot of nothing and a little bit of something. Remember: We’re going for a very minimal look here. Not just putting your subject off-center. But having your white space be abundant and simple, simple, simple. That “white space” could be the sky, the floor, a sheet or blanket, anything simple … use your imagination.
If you’re up for the challenge and want to share a picture with me, email your submission to projectlife@beckyhiggins.com by Friday 9/24. I’ll be sharing my Top 10 Favorites next week.
Oh, and by the way — One of the great things about shooting in a minimalist way for newborns? Just add a little text to that white space & your announcement is done. Easy as that.
Tags: baby, minimalism, newborn, photo challenge
Posted in photography | 23 Comments »
Monday, September 20th, 2010
Today my blog post is actually over here where I’m a guest at eighteen25. Go check it out for a fun DIY project for Fall … and you can enter to win a free Project Life kit!
Note: This is part of eighteen25′s month-long party. If you’re looking for Fall DIY inspiration, scroll through their blog. There is some really fun idea-sharing going on.
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This just in: The winner of the free seat in Aby Garvey’s “Organize Your Paper Clutter” online class is … Erin K. in Peoria, AZ! Erin, you just need to email aby (at) simplify101 (dot) com and she’ll hook you up. Congratulations!
Tags: eighteen25
Posted in DIY | 13 Comments »
Friday, September 17th, 2010
Last weekend our little family trekked over to a little town called Thatcher, Arizona for a funeral. Some of David’s family is from that area. And therefore, many of our roots can be found in these grounds. Beautiful little place isn’t it?
During our short stay in Thatcher we visited the home of some relatives. A home I have never been to before. A home where I — um, I mean my kids — could get lost for hours. Fascinating collections and decor and art and every bit of it was designed and built and created by their own hands many years ago. This place could be a museum.
And listen — if any more-closely-related relatives happen to read my blog and happen to have your eye on this piece (you know who you are … you’d recognize the light fixture from their entry way) … I will seriously arm-wrestle you for this. Or make you a delicious treat. Or watch your kids for a weekend. Or give you a pedicure. I’m just saying. This light fixture and me … you see, we belong together. A fresh coat of white spray paint and seriously. Do you see the vision? Yum.
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Completely unrelated but a fun way to dive into the weekend …
[ Giveaway update ]
1. Congratulations to Megan in Napa, CA! You were randomly selected to win a pair of the darling Sassafrass Mary Janes and rosette tutorial! Shoot an email to erin@BringingUpBurns.com and Erin will hook you up.
2. Another giveaway for today: Got paper clutter? No? Well then yay for you. I’m impressed. But if you’re like most folks … you’ve got some clutter to tackle. Aby Garvey, professional organizer, is teaching an workshop that begins this Tuesday and you just may be interested.
“Organize Your Paper Clutter” is a 6-lesson online course that is designed to help people solve all the common causes of paper clutter by setting up functional (and attractive!) organizing solutions for the various types of paper that come into the home. This isn’t a one-size-fits all workshop, but rather a guided tour that helps the participant figure out what will work well for them and their natural ways of doing things. You can learn all about it HERE.
If you’re not familiar with online workshops you can participate in a free sample lesson by clicking HERE. In the meantime, Aby is giving away a virtual seat in her course to one of my readers. You know what to do. Leave a comment with your name and where you live-ish (not that it matters where you live … just so you’re more easily identifiable). Happy Weekend! If you get the chance, go discover & explore someplace new. And bring your camera.
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Happy Weekend! If you get the chance to discover and explore some place new — do it. And bring your camera. ; )
Posted in travel | 269 Comments »
Wednesday, September 15th, 2010
These are the kind of cute that I would totally have my little girl wear. And yet I can totally get away with the cuteness on my mama feet just as well. Plus — this is a way fun & easy DIY project for those of you who like to get a little crafty.
(Hey, what’s this? Another ground-level shot. Yay!)
If you’re interested in the tutorial with step-by-step guidance and lots of pictures, go here. If you want to skip the DIY part and just buy a cute pair of Sassafrass Mary Jane shoes already made, go here to visit the Haute Blue B shop. That’s how this little project was inspired. More on that below.
But first — a few pictures. All you need are a pair of Mary Janes and some handmade fabric rosettes. Aaaand a hot glue gun. Of course.
I so didn’t come up with this fun idea. But I so enjoy sharing creative projects, great recipes, inspiring decor, cool products, and online resources when I find them. It was my friend Karolyn who told me about this adorable-ness.
Kar’s one of my very best besties. And fellow project planner. So when we recently got together with some other friends we haven’t seen in a while, she instantly knew what we were going to make and instructed us to each bring a few scraps of fabric. Easy enough. Then she brought us online and showed us her “very favorite blog ever” (whatev. no hurt feelings. *wink*) where she saw these shoes. The blog? Joy’s Hope. And … yeah, it’s great. The blog author (Julie) is great. Touching story there. You should check it out. It’s Julie’s friend Erin who does the rosettes. You can find her also-wonderful blog here. And her fun online shop of handmade goodies here.
So anyway — we made the fabric rosettes together. Too easy. Had a great time. Always do. (I love my friends.) Then I went online to Target (per Karolyn’s instructions) and bought myself a pair of these $10 Mary Janes. The most comfortable pair of shoes I’ve ever put on my feet. Serious. Then I busted out my beloved hot glue gun and secured those rosettes to my shoes. One big one on the left shoe. Two medium ones on the right. I usually prefer symmetrical but sometimes I like to get crazy and go for asymmetrical. I’m such an animal.
Hmm. I’m thinking about a career shift. Shoe modeling may be my next big thing. Like my pose? This is a self-portrait. Without using a timer. In other words … you can imagine my graceful position in getting this shot. Do you love my sock elastic line just above the straps? Yeah. Never mind about the shoe modeling.
Back to my point: Thank you Karolyn for introducing me to these adorable & comfortable shoes and such a fun project! I’ve been wearing them almost every day. Thank you Julie for your awesomeness and for pointing me to Erin. And thank you Erin for sharing your mad rosette-making skills with all of us.
You see? We all inspire each other. That’s what helps make this crazy world seem a little nicer.
Speaking of nice … Erin would like to give away a pair of the Sassafrass Mary Janes and her pdf instructions. Leave a comment and we’ll announce the randomly-selected winner on Friday.
Tags: Haute Blue B, Joy's Hope, rosettes
Posted in DIY | 234 Comments »
Tuesday, September 14th, 2010
The next time you’re grabbing a snack and sitting down at the computer to do a little online browsing … or you want something to read as you unwind at the end of the day … or you’re just interested in how I respond to a few simple questions …
Click here for my latest interview, mostly scrapbooking-related. They also did a review on Project Life here. This review is based on their own personal experience with the product. It’s one thing having the product creator tell you what they think. It’s even better hearing it from a fellow consumer.
Many thanks to the team over at Scrap That! (I believe they’re in the UK) for including me.
Posted in Q&A | 9 Comments »
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