Orange Recipe Cards

Introducing the latest addition to my recipe card collection!

The newest card features a hand-drawn basket weave design, and the photo features our favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe. :)

Sets of 25 cards now available in the shop. 

Life Lessons I Learned at Alt Summit

When I had the chance to attend the first-ever summer session of Alt Summit last week, I jumped all over it. While the winter and summer events are very similar, the summer version seemed more low-key. It was a smaller group, and had a relaxed feel to it. I had a great experience both times, so it's impossible to choose a favorite. My trips to Alt helped me to remember some important life lessons:

1. There is not one right way to do things. Shortly after I had my first baby, I realized there's no one right way to do things: Cloth diapers or disposables? Formula or breast feeding? Co-sleeping or cry-it-out? Every parent and every baby is different. It was a very grown-up moment for me when I realized I get to choose what's best for me. I was reminded of this lesson both times I attended Alt. The same idea applies to blogging: some people blog for fun, others for business. I'm in the middle somewhere. I love the relationships I've made as well as the opportunities that have come my way through blogging. It's what keeps me coming back. But it can't be my focus right now. And that's ok. I'm spread thin between family and home and design work. A big thumbs up to those bloggers who can maintain their family life and manage to publish blog posts daily. I can't. And it's ok. It's liberating to accept my limitations and take things at my own (snail's) pace rather than comparing myself to others.
2. People like people who like them. Meeting new people is always awkward for me. The key is realizing that it's awkward for many others, too. If you're constantly waiting for someone else to make the first move, chances are you'll be disappointed. So take control of the situation and say hello. Just be nice, be yourself, and be interested in what the other person has to say. Soon the awkwardness is over and you're on your way to making a friend. Occasionally, awkwardness prevails, and there's just no connection there. So brush it off and keep going. You're not out anything to try. And guess what? It gets easier the more you do it. The genuine connections that happen as a result of your efforts will be absolutely worth the awkwardness you endured to get there.
3. Quality over quantity. This lesson can be applied to many aspects of life as well as blogging. I'm going to apply it to both blogging and meeting people. Perhaps it's just my way of justifying not posting every day, but it's true: nobody wants to read a half-hearted, thrown-together post. So take your time producing quality content. You'll feel better about putting great stuff out there and your readers will know they can count on you for only the best. As for meeting people, take point #2 above, and remember it's quality over quantity. You may burn through 500 business cards in one conference, but how many of those people did you truly connect with? Your time is better spent focusing on quality relationships versus a multitude of superficial ones. So when meeting people, pace yourself. Establish relationships, and everyone wins
4. Be yourself. This is likely something you've been told your whole life. I have. But it's also one of the hardest things to master. This was my main focus going into my second trip to Alt. Before the winter session, I carefully planned my outfits based on what "they" would like. I practiced my elevator pitch and thought up questions to ask my new acquaintances…all of which are probably normal when approaching a new uncomfortable situation. Despite all of my preparation, I didn't feel like myself. I was trying too hard. This time around I didn't really even think about my outfits until the last minute. (Maybe not the best idea). But I dressed like myself. I was comfortable physically, which boosted my confidence. I talked to people like I talk to my lifelong friends. No rehearsing or planning ahead; it was much easier this time around.
5. Always keep learning. Whether you step out of your comfort zone and attend a big conference, or you just watch some YouTube tutorials on a new hobby you're interested in, learning is wonderful. Never stop. Knowledge is a gift; and we're so lucky we live in a time where we have such easy access to incredible things. Keep learning and exploring the world around you. Only good things can come from it.

I need to send out a BIG thank you to my parents. Thanks for taking my little friends so I could focus and learn new things knowing that my kids were in good hands. It's always nice to take a break from full-time parenting. And my kids thank you for all the yummy snacks and fun activities. Grandparents are awesome. Thanks, Bryce, for supporting all my crazy schemes and for keeping me laughing along the way. Thanks to all of you, new and old friends, for liking me just the way I am. Big hugs all around.

P.S. The little notepads and pencils were in the little business card goody bags I made for Alt. The extras will be sent along with orders from my Etsy shop as a little surprise gift. :)

Rad Dad Printable Cards

Father's Day is on Sunday. Are you ready to knock his socks off? Donut breakfast in bed? Family water balloon fight? A super-neat new necktie? How do you tell him he's the apple of your eye? However you show him your love, add to it with this simple printable card. Print one for each of your kids and let them color in a fun background to snazz it up a bit. Or put some coupons inside for a trip to his favorite movie theater, a sleep-in Saturday, or an outing to his favorite fishing hole.

Show that Dad in your life how much you love him with some heartfelt words. Some dads are tricky to shop for, but a love note goes a long way. Even if Dad's a regular old tough guy, he likes to know you think he's super rad. 

Download the printable file here.

Summer List Updates

Today's the first day of summer vacation. I'm actually feeling good about summer this year. This is the first June in a couple years that we're not doing a long-distance move; staying in one place feels awesome. I've got a couple tricks up my sleeve to keep the kids learning and having fun, as well as preserving my sanity. A couple of these tricks are new, and some are tried-and-true traditions.

One of those traditions is attempting to complete all the activities on both of the Summer Lists I wrote. The first list is from way back in 2011, and the second one is from 2012; my kids ask me to print them out every summer. We all still enjoy doing the activities on the lists. And that makes me happy.

Something that doesn't make me happy, though, is that horrible font I used on that first summer list. Just terrible. In my defense, 2011 was the year the vintage typewriter look had a special place in my heart. It's truly only acceptable when used in (very) small doses. And I just splashed it all over the place--just thinking about the lack of restraint makes me cringe.


Another thing that makes me cringe? The way I used to deliver my printable files to you guys. I misplaced one of my files recently, and went to get it from the link I shared with you years ago. It was a nightmare trying to get to it. Not good.

To make up for the ugly font and the ridiculous printable run-around, I've given that first list a makeover. The content is still the same. It just looks better. I've outfitted it with a snazzy new color way, as well added a black and white option so you can print on colored paper like I did up above. I've tossed all those summer lists into my dropbox of printable files, which is much more user-friendly. The second list is still the same (as it's not currently offending my aesthetic sensibilities). But maybe one of these years I'll get sick of it…you never know.

I'll be back soon with some of the other summer fun we're cooking up around here. Of course, everything is very last minute. Really, though, would you expect anything different from me?

Here's an easy link to my new, improved printable files:

Summer List 1 (color)
Summer List 1 (b/w)

Summer List 2 (color)
Summer List 2 (b/w)

And Happy Summer Vacation!

Big Kid Bedroom

Hi guys! I'm so excited to share this room with you. I feel like I've been working on this project for ages, and it's finally done! Hip, hip, HOORAY! I teamed up with my friends at The Land of Nod to create this fun room for my 8-year-old. Many of you know I've been writing for their blog for a couple years now, and it's no secret that I love everything Nod. I've been a customer for years, so working with them is really a dream come true.

In order to keep the nice folks at the FTC happy, I need to tell you that my friends at Nod gave me some of the things for Hudson's room. Most of the items we bought with our very own money; but I'll denote everything below in my sources so you don't feel misled. Now that I've jumped through that pesky disclosure hoop, let's move onto the fun stuff:

My son's name is Hudson. He loves sports, science, Legos and the color red. We've lived in our new home for almost a year now, and I've been flitting from room to room working on project after project. Hudson waited so patiently while I tackled other projects, like his sister's room, until it was finally time to turn my full attention to his room. 

You may remember the inspiration board I created several months ago. I stayed pretty true to the board, but added a few things as I went along. Sometimes I feel like kids rooms are a little too theme-y for my tastes. Don't get me wrong--I've seen some fantastic theme rooms. Like many kids though, mine are interested in so many things, and their interests change. So rather than locking onto one distinct theme for this room, I let Hudson be the "theme" of his room. This room is a pretty accurate reflection of his personality and the things that are important to him. And that makes me happy.

Legos are the bees knees right now. Have been for several years. I first realized we had a problem when I couldn't take two steps in the same direction without stepping on a handful of those delightful tidbits. I saw this fantastic organizing system on Pinterest and knew right away it was The One. It's just an IKEA system with some labels on the drawers. But it definitely does the trick.

Santa made the Lego table for Christmas, and I hear it was the easiest DIY ever. One IKEA table + 3 Lego pads + Spray Glue. You get the idea. It took about five minutes to get a perfectly customized lego table. I made both the bulletin board and the shelf (tutorials coming soon!). I realized the shelf was a necessity when the younger kids and their friends started destroying some really time-consuming projects. Now Hudson can display his creations without constant fear of a Natural Disaster (i.e. Little Brother) while he's at school. 

I love this scene so much. I took most of these photos while Hudson was at school, but then realized I didn't get a good shot of the dresser. I ran back up to take more photos in the afternoon and saw this little rock shop he'd set up. So pardon the mess, but it's just too sweet to take down. The green sign reads: "Last Day of the Rocks and minerals shop. Free touching." So hurry on over if you want to touch some rocks. It's free, you know.

Some of my favorite accessories are flea market finds. Hudson has loved bowling since he was tiny. And the tennis racket was from the time I took him on a little date to the Alameda Flea when we lived in California. He picked up this blue racket and I just couldn't say no. When we got home, I realized it had an "H" on the strings. It was meant to be.

Also, I think it's fun to see how this paint looks different in every photo. The two photos above were taken at the same time of day, but on adjacent walls. Sometimes the paint looks blue and other times it looks gray. Once after I'd just finished painting the room, I stood in the corner comparing two walls for about five minutes because they looked so different. It was at this time I realized two things: 1. I really like this paint color, and 2. I'm undeniably a complete nut job.

I firmly believe eight is the perfect age. He's grown up enough to be semi-responsible and super fun to talk to; yet still sweet and cuddly and secretly still likes his teddy bear. If I could freeze him right now I would.

The two "posters" above his bed are actually just wrapping paper sheets from Paper Source. They were five bucks each, and they're absolutely perfect. He's got a Minecraft poster he's dying to get up on that wall…so I imagine the poster spot will change frequently.

The headboard (below) is one of the details I added as we went along. It just sort of happened and I couldn't be happier about it. I found this incredible local shop that's kind of a mix between a flea market and an up-cycling shop. The headboard is actually made from a 1940's bowling lane. I told them what I had in mind and they made it happen. Even down to the exact size and finish color I wanted. I'm thrilled.

Now hanging this bad boy was another story. I didn't realize the bowling lane headboard would be so heavy…so I had to find two studs and use a french cleat and make sure the whole thing was level, and most importantly, safe. After a pep talk from my dad, a new drill bit and a lot of cursing under my breath I did it. I've never felt so victorious in my life. The thing is on there rock solid and completely level (despite my crooked photo). I may have done the running-man down the hallway immediately after I hung the headboard. But don't worry, there are no witnesses (that I know of).

So there it is! Hudson loves his room, and I'm so happy with the way it turned out.

Here's a lengthy list of the items I used in this room…but let me know if I missed anything:

Land of Nod Products:
items they gave me are marked with an *

• Meteorite Quilt
• Robot Sheets
• Quilted Moving Sham - Orange
• Gummy Bear Night Light*
• Light Blue Meteorite Sham*
• On the Grid Nightstand
• Bubble Clock*
• Metal Letter H*
• Black Stripe Teepee
• Planets Science Banner*
• Orange Canvas Bin
• Monster Storage Bin

Other Items:

• Headboard - custom made by Fantastic Mr. Finds
• Robot Print
• Bicycle Print - sold out
• Silhouette Canvas (DIY)
• Globes - vintage
• Bowling Pin & Tennis Racket - thrifted
• Shelf Brackets - custom made by Etsy Seller Designs2Create
• Constellations Wrapping Paper, Periodic Chart and Hemisphere Map (bulletin board background)
• Lego Table
• Lego Storage
• Bulletin Board (DIY - tutorial coming soon).
• Shelf  (DIY- tutorial coming soon)
• Paint color - Benjamin Moore Silver Gray