Simply Modern Mom

Archive for November 2009

Resa Design Giveaway

In Events, Giveaway on November 30, 2009 at 9:00 am

**This giveaway is now closed. But check out other Winter Days Giveaway that are still going at the top right.**

Here we go! Today begins our first giveaway for The Winter Days Giveaways, an event to thank my readers for supporting Simply Modern Mom. Remember to come back all week as this is a back-to-back giveaway event featuring a new giveaway each day. I am so excited! Are you? And remember, there’s a surprise! Read on and you’ll see…

resa design dress resa design changing pads

Our first sponsor is Resa Design. The talented Resa came up with this idea in 2004 when she couldn’t find cool and modern gear for her new baby. What started as a hobby became a business, Resa Design, in 2005. Since then they have shipped thousands of products around the world. You can find Resa Design products in boutiques worldwide as well as in diaper bags and closets of the most fashion forward babies and kids.

The company offers some of the trendiest bibs, blankets, changing pads, burp cloths, and clothes. Some of which you can customize and design. One of my personal favorites: the birthday tees. Resa is also doing her own 12 days of Christmas sale. Beginning today, she is giving her customers special discounts to her products.

birthdaytee_set

Their Signature Tee is by far the most popular item. Resa is giving away ONE custom Signature Tee to a lucky winner. You will be able to design your own Alphabet or Shape tee by choosing the size, style, fabric, and customization. It is perfect for family photos or welcoming a new baby. Available in sizes newborn thru 4T. The tees, designs and fabric choices are pictures below. This giveaway includes all my international readers. Resa is willing to ship out-of-country if you win.

custom tee custom tee 2

swatch_shapes

cotton swatches

To enter, do ANY of the following. For multiple entries, do more than one and make sure you leave a separate comment for each entry.

  1. Leave a comment below and tell me which fabric choice you would choose if you won.
  2. Go to Resa Design and tell me your favorite product in a separate comment.
  3. Blog about this giveaway and leave a link to your post in a separate comment.
  4. ‘Share’ this giveaway by doing one of the ‘Share’ options below (Twitter, Facebook, Kirtsy, StumbleUpon, or email).
  5. Subscribe to Simply Modern Mom by RSS, email or Twitter. All ready subscribing? Just tell me in a separate comment.

This giveaway will close Monday, Dec. 7 at 10 p.m. EST. The winner will be announced Monday, Dec. 14.

Don’t worry, I didn’t forget about your surprise. Each entry you do for any of these sponsored giveaways during the Winter Days Giveaways will automatically enter you to win a set of my fake mustaches on a stick! So the more entries you do, the better chance you have of winning the sponsor’s prize as well as a set of fake mustaches. Enter away and good luck!

Winter Days Giveaways

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Piping Paper Snowflake Tutorial

In Crafts, Holidays, Tutorials on November 30, 2009 at 8:59 am


pipped snowflake outside

Continuing with the 3 part snowflake tutorial, this is #2. Here is the cookie cutter paper snowflake, the twirly snowflake and then a surprise forth snowflake, the twisted paper snowflake. See all three in the picture below. And if you make this, please link up in the comments so I can check it out!

3 snowflakes

Measurements and sizes are according to the snowflakes I made for this tutorial. You can adjust to make a snowflake bigger, smaller or fuller.

Supplies:

  • cardstock paper
  • pipe cleaners/chenille
  • paper cutter
  • ribbon, string or thread
  • needle
  • hole punch or other embellishments for the center
  • glue

1. Cut cardstock paper into 3/4″ x 6″ strips. Cut 7 strips.

piping snowflake strips

2. Glue the strips into circles.

piping snowflake glue

piping snowflake circles

3. Use the hole punch to punch holes into the circled strips. I used a scrapbook hole punch and hammer for smaller holes. Gently bent the circle in half then punched a hole through both sides so it comes out even. Do only to 6 circles.

piping snowflake hole punch

piping snowflake holes

4. To do the holes for the center circle, lay the chenille over the circle like the picture below and mark with a pencil where all 6 holes will go.

piping snowflake pipes

5. Then repeat step 3, but do it three times ending up with 6 holes.

piping snowflake center ring

6. Pull chenille through the holes, aligning the circled strips in place. Trim off excess chenille.

piping snowflake trims

7. Glue the outer circled strips at their touching points.

piping snowflake glue 2

8. String it with ribbon or strings using a needle.

piping snowflake needle

piping snowflake

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Coming Up…

In Random on November 29, 2009 at 9:05 am

Winter Days Giveaways logo 2009

Tomorrow begins the Winter Days Giveaways! I have 10 sponsors signed up for the event and there will be a surprise! I also have part 2 of my snowflake tutorials coming tomorrow. So come back to win and learn how to make more snowflakes. Happy Sunday!

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Pomodoro Winners

In Giveaway on November 27, 2009 at 9:00 am

pomodoro kit

Congratulations to Brooke, Marta and Ken for wining the Promodoro Kits! Look for an email from me. Hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving and a crazy time out shopping today. Let me know if you got any good Black Friday deals.

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Friday’s 5 at 5: I Am Grateful

In Friday's 5 at 5 on November 27, 2009 at 5:00 am

sculpture 1

Gosh, I have so much to be grateful for this year. It hasn’t been an easy year, but there were so many precious moments along the way. Here are five things that stood out to me about 2009, not in any particular order.

  1. Touring the city. I love living near a major city. This year, we took advantage of it by visiting gardens, museums, the zoo, parks, events and festivals. My parents taught me to appreciate culture and the arts. I would like to pass that on to my children.
  2. My teammate. Nathan and I have contrasting strengths and weaknesses. He is the sports type, I’m the dance type. He is the entrepreneur, I am the writer. He is the calm one, I have OCD tendencies. But it works well for us, very well. We work as a team and complement each other with our strengths and weaknesses.
  3. BFFs. Nathan and I have some of the greatest friends in the world. These are friends that we even consider family. And although we may be living in several different states, we still keep in touch and talk like we have never been apart.
  4. Crazy ideas. That is what keeps me thriving.
  5. SMM readers. I cannot thank you enough for reading Simply Modern Mom. As with any writer and bloggers, I often wonder if anyone cares about any thing I write about. But week after week, my readership numbers continue to double from the previous week. Thank you for your support and comments. I love reading them.

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I’m Gobbling…

In Holidays on November 26, 2009 at 9:00 am

Happy Thanksgiving from Simply Modern Mom! I am off to spend the day with my family and you should do the same. Have a wonderful day and I’ll see you back here tomorrow. Three winners for the Pomodoro Giveaway will be announced and the usual Friday’s 5 at 5 with things I am grateful for. Sign up for the giveaway if you haven’t yet. It’s your last day to do so.

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Intriguing Sites: Free Rice

In Intriguing Sites on November 25, 2009 at 9:00 am

free rice

Help feed the less fortunate worldwide by testing your knowledge. Free Rice donates 10 grains of rice for every trivia question you answer correctly. Not only will you be charitable when you play the free game on this site, you may also improve your vocabulary and knowledge of science, geography, math, art and languages (English and a few other foreign ones). Take a moment to exercise that noggin of yours and feed the hungry while you’re at it. They also offer a toolbar you can download to feed more people.

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Cookie Cutter Paper Snowflake Tutorial

In Crafts, Holidays, Tutorials on November 24, 2009 at 12:38 am

3 snowflakes

It is winter, meaning snowflake season. I designed three simple paper snowflakes you can use as decorations, tree ornaments or just something to get you in the mood for snow. I am not a snow person myself, however, I do like decorative snowflakes. I made these snowflakes with single colored cardstock. Next time, I’m planning on using designed double sided cardstock.

I am doing each snowflake tutorial separately to prevent extra long posts. Here’s the piping paper snowflake tutorial, the twirly snowflake and then a surprise forth snowflake, the twisted paper snowflake. If you make some snowflakes, please leave a link or email me so I can see these snowflakes in action.

cookie cutter snowflake outside

Measurements and sizes are according to the snowflakes I made for this tutorial. You can adjust to make snowflake bigger, smaller or fuller.

Supplies:

  • cardstock paper
  • paper cutter
  • ribbon, string or thread
  • needle
  • hole punch or other embellishments for the center
  • glue

1. Cut cardstock paper into 3/4″ x 6″ strips. Cut 7 strips.

cookie cutter snowflake strips

2. Fold one end of the strips at 1/4″. Do to all the strips.

cc snowflake fold 1

3. Keeping the 1/4″ folded, fold the strip in half.

cc snowflake fold 2

4. Open the half and fold in the two ends, with the 1/4″ still folded, into the center.

cc snowflake fold 3

5. Apply glue to the 1/4″ portion of the strip and glue the other end to it. It should be diamond shaped.

cc snowflake glue 1

cc snowflake diamond

6.  On the outside of the diamond, apply glue to the center point and to the left point of the strip. Then attach a second diamond strip to that. Continue until all diamonds are glued together at the center and the touching points.

cc snowflake glue 2

7. Hole punch a different colored paper and glue the punched circles to the center. Or add other types of embellishments.

cc snowflake holes

cc snowflake embellish

8. String it with ribbon or strings using a needle.

cc snowflake ties

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The Winter Days Giveaways

In Giveaway on November 23, 2009 at 9:01 am

Winter Days Giveaways logo 2009

**Scroll down to see the line up of sponsors and links to their giveaways!**

Huge announcement! Simply Modern Mom is celebrating our first Christmas and we have YOU to thank. I started this site in July of this year and it has all ready surpassed all my goals and expectations I had set for SMM this year. And it is because of your support, your interests, your comments, your time here on SMM that has made it what it is today. What began as a site with only 20-30 pageviews a day in July, SMM has grown to over 1,000 pageviews a day in just four months! I just can’t express enough gratitude to all my readers.

To celebrate, I put together SMM’s first The Winter Days Giveaways. I have 10 amazing sponsors each doing a giveaway here on SMM in a four week event. This back to back giveaway event begins the Monday after Thanksgiving and ends on Christmas Day, Nov. 30 – Dec. 25. The first two weeks, I will feature a sponsored giveaway a day. The last two weeks the winners will be announced. All you have to do is show up and enter to win. There will be jewelry, stationary, patterns, handbags, decorations, children’s clothing, and more.

Start spreading the news! It starts next Monday! Look for different ways of sharing this announcement below under ‘Share’.

P.S. There will be a little surprise, too.

Line up of giveaways & sponsors…

  1. Resa Design
  2. Love.Obsess.Inspire.
  3. The Idea Room
  4. Hope for Women
  5. V & Co.
  6. Allora Handmade
  7. Tatertots & Jello
  8. Recessionista
  9. Poloppo
  10. Liliash

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Christmas Cards & Newsletters

In Holidays on November 23, 2009 at 9:00 am

christmas cards

Yes, it it not even Thanksgiving yet, but if you are planning on sending out Christmas cards or newsletters this year, you might want to think about this. Christmas cards do require some preparation.

  1. Make a list. Begin by making a list of friends and family you will be sending cards to this year. Email people for updates of their addresses. To save time next year, you may want to keep this list somewhere safe or type it on a spreadsheet. You need to know how many cards to purchase or order. Narrow your list by taking off those you see all the time. You may also want to think about those you can email a holiday greeting to and save on paper and stamps.
  2. Order soon. Dec. 21 is the last day for you to send first-class mail and have it delivered anywhere in the U.S. by Christmas Eve. If you are ordering cards, photo cards, or personalized stamps, you will want to order them soon. Most orders take 3-5 business days to process then another 5-10 business days to arrive at your house. You will also need time to write a note, insert newsletter, address and stamp.
  3. Check the deals. It is that time of year where everything goes on sale and deals are everywhere. Check sites such a Retail Me Not for printable coupons or online codes.
  4. Size matters. Consider the size of the envelope. The maximum letter size for it to be $0.44 is 6 1/8″ x 11 1/2″. If you are unsure, you can check USPS rates here.
  5. Forgo lines. Don’t wait in the long lines at the post office. Order postage online or ask your mail carrier for an order envelope (see pictures below). You place your order on the envelope, insert a check, and the mail carrier deliver it to your mailbox the next day or two. No shipping or handling charges.
  6. Simplify newsletters. You don’t have to do it all in one sitting. Break it up, think ahead, write notes of things you would like to mention.
  7. Be creative. Have everyone write their own portion. Better yet, draw names and write a tidbit about that person in the family. One year we did a newsletter emphasizing numbers (number of trips we had taken, number of movies we watched, number of visitors in our home). Last year we used the alphabets to talk about our year.
  8. Family photos. Hiring a professional requires you to schedule early. This is one of their busy seasons. Alternatives may include asking a friend or neighbor to do some candid shots with your camera. Using a tripod and the camera’s timer.

order stamps envelope

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Shoe Accessories by Dekkori

In Products on November 20, 2009 at 9:00 am
{image by Dekkori}

{image by Dekkori}

{image by Dekkori}

{image by Dekkori}

{image by Dekkori}

{image by Dekkori}

Shoe lovers beware. This is the latest in shoes that I have fallen in love with, Dekkori. Take your pumps or other shoes and add Dekkori’s footwear styling pieces and you got a whole new look. The ones above are my favorites from the fall/winter ‘09 line. The ones below are the newest from their holiday ‘09 line. And if you have seen Fergie lately, you have probably seen her wear it. Thank you Stephanie Kim, founder of Dekkori, for taking the shoe to a new level of fashion.

{image by Dekkori}

{image by Dekkori}

{image by Dekkori}

{image by Dekkori}

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Friday’s 5 at 5: Ways to Relax

In Friday's 5 at 5 on November 20, 2009 at 5:00 am
{image by Fitness Magazine}

{image by Fitness Magazine}

I am feeling the stress of the holidays coming on all ready. Looking at our calendar, we have every weekend booked until past the New Year. How about some ways to relax?

  1. Hot and steamy showers. It is also the only time when I get time to think without any interruptions. Some of my best ideas came from a nice shower.
  2. Take a 5 minute guilt-free break. Going along with the idea from the Pomodoro Technique, take a 5 minute break and do something fun, different, creative or relaxing. I like to play with my kids, listen to a pick-me-up song, flip through magazines, grab a healthy snack and sometimes not so healthy snacks.
  3. Call a friend. I have some of the most amazing friends in the world. Nothing like taking a break from the day-to-day mundane tasks by catching up with a friend.
  4. Hand massage. I work with my hands all day long making things, typing, cooking, and cleaning. Then I am constantly washing my hands because I am sort of a germaphobe. Add the dry winter weather and my hands are always chapped. Some kneading with hand lotion is a great way for me to relax.
  5. Stretch. Taking deep breaths while stretching always does it for me.

What are some ways you relax? And don’t forget about the Pomodoro Giveaway!

Happy Friday, everyone!

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Intriguing Sites: Pomodoro, a Giveaway & Free Book

In Giveaway, Intriguing Sites on November 19, 2009 at 9:00 am

Pomodoro

Conquer time. Every parent, working or staying at home, knows time goes too quickly when you are juggling kids and a million other things. Thanks to the mastermind of Francesco Cirillo, he developed the Pomodoro Technique. During his university studies, Francesco found himself in a slump and needed a way to focus. His solution came in the form of a tomato timer from the kitchen, pomodoro meaning tomato in Italian. This pomodoro was his time tutor. Then came the technique.

The technique is pretty simple. At the beginning of each day, go through your task list and organize according to priority. Then set your pomodoro, a timer, to 25 minutes. Work on the task for 25 minutes then take a 5 minute break. That is the gist of it. This technique allows you to stay focus on the task you are working on, keep track of interruptions and calculate exactly how long it takes you to get something done. Simple. To the point. And that is how we like it around here. The short 45-page book goes into more detail while giving tips on how to eliminate interruptions, simplify tasks and so much more.

The Free Book

Available to everyone, a free PDF version of Francesco’s book, Pomodoro Technique, is available to download. Read and apply. Click on link to download.

The Giveaway

*This giveaway is now closed. Thanks for all the entries! Find out who won here.

The Pomodoro Team is offering THREE readers their soon to be released Pomodoro Kit. Yes, you’ll be one of the firsts to get it! The kit consists of the official Pomodoro 25-minute timer, Pomodoro t-shirt, pencil, and to do today pad.

pomodoro kit

To enter, do any of the following. For multiple entries, do more than one and make sure you leave a separate comment for each entry.

  1. Leave a comment below and tell me what is your biggest time waster.
  2. Go to Pomodoro Technique, look around, then tell me what you like about it in separate comment.
  3. Blog about this giveaway and leave a link to the post in your comment below.
  4. ‘Share’ this giveaway by doing one of the ‘Share’ options below (Twitter, Facebook, Kirtsy, StumbleUpon, or Email).

Good luck to everyone and the entries will close on Thanksgiving Day, Nov. 26 at 10 p.m. EST. The winner will be announce on Friday, Nov. 27. I know it will be Black Friday and all of you will be out shopping.

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Entertaining the Children

In Crafts, Entertainment, Holidays on November 18, 2009 at 9:01 am
{image by Parents Magazine}

{image by Parents Magazine}

If you are hosting a party or the actual holiday itself, one of your sanity savers this holiday season will be keeping the kids busy. Sending them outside won’t always work. Here are some children’s craft and game ideas to keep them entertained on their own. Or designate another adult or a teenager to supervise. And don’t forget about the Thanksgiving garland.

  1. Prop improv. Gather random things around the house and the kids have to improv a scene with that prop.
  2. Sock puppet show. Collect old socks, provide decorations, and have the children make sock puppets. Then have them do a show for everyone.
  3. Magic tricks. Look up some simple magic tricks online and have the kids learn a few.
  4. Entertaining kids’ table. Cover the table with butcher paper and have a cup of crayons or markers for the kids to doodle while eating. Let them design their own placemats with pre-cut paper shapes or foam shapes.
  5. Yarn necklaces. These never get old as long as you supply them with edible beads such as Fruit Loops and LifeSavers.
  6. Fake mustaches. Have them make fake mustaches on a stick. Then take a picture of each child with his/her mustache to take home as a souvenir or mailed later as a thank you card.
  7. Fingerprint tree. Draw a tree with only the trunk and branches. Or use brown yarn and glue on paper. Then have the children fill the tree with leaves made by their finger prints. Use water based paints that will be easy to wash off such as tempera paint.
  8. Pumpkin bowling. This will have to be done outside. Use uncut leftover Halloween pumpkins as the bowling ball and empty liter soda bottles as the pins.
  9. Gratitude pie spinner. It is pictured above from Parents Magazine. Go to link for a how to.
  10. Mayflower place cards. It is picture below, also from Parents Magazine. Go to link for a how to.
{image by Parents Magazine}

{image by Parents Magazine}

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In Search of a Winter Coat

In Inspirations, Products on November 18, 2009 at 9:01 am

winter coats

I had a hard time with this one. I didn’t realized I liked winter coats so much. I am a sucker for big buttons. And the colors, I am the two extremes. I like the neutral colors and the bold colors. What do you like in a winter coat?

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Did You See Me on Tangled & True?

In Crafts, Featured, Holidays on November 17, 2009 at 9:01 am

T&T Guest Post

Did you see me yesterday on Tangled & True? The lovely Brittany from Tangled & True invited me to be a guest on her blog and I posted the Thanksgiving garland that is super simple to make. You can also find the tutorial on my TUTORIAL page or this link. Thanks, Brittany, for allowing me to experience Tangled & True. It was fun!

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In Search of Winter Boots

In Inspirations, Products on November 17, 2009 at 9:00 am

boots

I am the shoes and purses type of gal. And these boots are just darling. Where did you find your winter boots?

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Thanksgiving Garland Tutorial

In Holidays, Tutorials on November 16, 2009 at 8:21 pm


thanksgiving garland

I love this time of year when we reflect on the many things we are grateful for in our lives. The last couple of years, I wanted to teach my 3-year-old Kaye to express gratitude for the many blessings in her life. Thus began the tradition of our Thanksgiving countdown. A little tradition that began with construction paper chain links a few years ago. The main idea: Write down one thing we are grateful for each day in November. Each member in the family participate in writing down things they count as blessings. Then we display it somewhere visible as a daily reminder of the things appreciate in our blessed lives.

This year, I upgraded the construction paper chain links to a leafy garland. Here is a simple tutorial for you to count your blessings in November with a garland.

Supplies:

  • paper – white, scrapbook, paper bags, construction, printer, etc.
  • scissor
  • pencil
  • pens
  • raffia

1. Draw your leaf pattern. If you need inspiration, collect some fallen leaves outside then trace. You will want to make the stem about 1″ long. Then cut out the pattern.

leaf pattern

2. Trace the leaf pattern on various different types of paper. Trace 30 leaves for each day in November.

trace leaves

3. Crumble the paper with the tracing on it. Then smooth out and cut.

crumble paper

4. Give each family members a few leaves and have them write their blessings.

5. This is an optional step, but it makes the garland look fuller. Cut out smaller size leaves to put in between the large leaves. Luckily, I had a large leaf punch.

piles of leaves

6. Gather about 6 or 9 strands of raffia then tie a knot on one end.

knotted raffia

7. Begin braiding. Braid about 3-4″ before adding leaves into  your braid, sticking the stem of the leaf into your braid.

braid in leaves

8. If you are using the small leaves for a fuller garland, insert the small ones into some of the braids between the larger leaves. Keep going until all the leaves are gone or you have reached your desired length. Make sure to do 3-4″ of plain braids before ending the raffia with a knot. If you need a longer length, add more raffia into the braid.

garland front

A back and finished view of the garland.

garland back

thanksgiving garland hanging

If you make this garland this Thanksgiving, please leave a link to a picture of it so I can check it out!

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In Search of a Holiday Dress

In Inspirations, Products on November 16, 2009 at 12:01 pm

Holiday Dress

This time of the year we’re so busy thinking about what to get everyone else we tend to forget about ourselves. I’m in search of some elegant holiday dresses and other fabulous finds for you. Go ahead, spoil yourself just a little this year. Have you found your holiday dress yet? Comment and link to your holiday dress or dresses you are eyeing this season.

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Keep Improving

In Random on November 16, 2009 at 9:01 am

SMM Logo

I just keep making little changes here and there to improve the site. You might have noticed some of the changed over the last month or so. But let me point out some main ones to you.

  1. My logo has changed from a gray box into a red round seal.
  2. My button has changed to the image above. You can add my button to your site by copying and pasting the code in the right column on my home page.
  3. I added a MADE page to my menu above. It is a pictured list of things made by Simply Modern Mom.
  4. I jumped on the bandwagon of ‘You Might Also Like’ showing past articles you may enjoy reading.
  5. I moved all of my Follow SMM info to the column on the right. Don’t forget to add SMM to your RSS reader.
  6. I registered for a license with Creative Commons allowing you to reuse things on SMM as long as you give me credit and link back to my site. Go here for details.
  7. Finally, a new watermark for my photos. You’ll see it soon.

Although these may be little changes, I hope it makes your visit to SMM an enjoyable one where you will want to keep coming back. And please comment or contact me with feedbacks, suggestions, or ideas for SMM. I just have to say, I absolutely adore my readers!

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Free Christmas Shipping

In Products on November 16, 2009 at 9:00 am
{image by Free Shipping Day}

{image by Free Shipping Day}

Did you hear? Many merchants are jumping on board to the 2009 free shipping day, December 17. Thus far, 263 merchants are signed up to the event. When you shop their site on December 17th, you get free shipping and it is guaranteed to arrive by Christmas Eve. American Eagle, Buy.com, Anne Klein, Aerie, JC Penny, Borders, Macy’s, Office Max, Nordstrom, Overstock.com, Perry Ellis, and Zappos just to name a few.

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Friday’s 5 at 5: Tips for Guests

In Friday's 5 at 5 on November 13, 2009 at 5:00 am
{image by BHG}

{image by BHG}

If you are a traveling guest in someone’s home this holiday, please keep this in mind…

  1. Be accommodating. When you are staying at someone’s house, don’t expect it to be a hotel. If you wanted a private room, a clean bathroom, and room service then check into a nearby hotel.
  2. Offer to help. Even though this is your vacation and you are a guest, it’s nice to offer a helping hand. Most of the time, the answer will probably be, “No thanks, I’m fine.” But it’s good to hear the offer nevertheless.
  3. Keep the kids occupied. It helps a whole lot if you can keep the kids out of my hair. I can get a lot more done that way.
  4. Don’t judge me. I may not do things the way you do it, but that doesn’t mean it’s the wrong way. And please over look my dusty house, rumbustious children, and meals that didn’t turn out quite right.
  5. Thank yous are always welcomed. It’s nice to be appreciated for all the stress, pressure, and hard work.

What are your tips for guests?

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Guest Friendly Rooms

In Home, Inspirations on November 12, 2009 at 9:00 am
{image by Country Living}

{image by Country Living}

If you have guests arriving this holiday season, give the guest room a little more luxury feel by providing…

  1. Luggage rack. If you don’t have one, it is nice to have a place for them to put their luggage, even if it is a short stool or ottoman.
  2. Light reading material. Pull some books from your library or even borrow some from the public library or magazines. Place it on the nightstand with a note, “Thought you might enjoy a good read.”
  3. Extra towels. Fresh towels in the bathroom, but also provide a set of extra towels in the bedroom.
  4. Toiletries. Although most guests bring their own toiletries, it is nice to have some extra in case they forgot something like a blowdryer.
  5. Places to visit. Provide your address and a list of local shops, markets, and events you think your guest may enjoy during their stay.
  6. Sheet spray. Provide a relaxing scent by spritzing lavender sheet spray on the linen.
  7. Alarm clock. Don’t want to miss a flight or an appointment.
  8. Water and glass. A small glass pitcher or carafe is great so the guest won’t have to go in the kitchen for a quick drink.
  9. Stationary. Even postcards are nice to have around for them to send letters home.
  10. Mirrors. Preferably a full length one.

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Master Bedroom Sneak Peek

In Home on November 11, 2009 at 9:00 am

Remember way back when I won that $200 gift card to HomeGoods from The Inspired Room for our despairing master bedroom? Well, I finally got around to doing something with it this last weekend. I was so excited when it arrived in the mail, I was geared up to go shopping. But then things got crazy around here and it got put on the back burner. I visited our nearby HomeGoods and I didn’t find anything I totally loved. So we planned a trip to another HomeGoods quite a ways away and scored some great deals on some fabulous stuff. I’m still not through with the shopping yet, still $60 left on my card. But here’s a sneak peek to a few things I bought. The full reveal will come when we have a moment to clean and decorate. What do you think?

dried bouquet

milk jug

glass vase

white leaves

branch

lantern

glass rose

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Holiday De-stressing Tips

In Holidays on November 10, 2009 at 9:00 am
{image by Country Living}

{image by Country Living}

Take that tensity level down a notch this holiday season with these 10 tips…

  1. Gather ideas. Look in magazines, search online, talk to friends. Find ideas and put them in a folder for referencing. Better yet, add to the folder all year long so you are ready when the holidays arrive,
  2. Recruit help. Regardless of what you think, you don’t have to do everything yourself. Get the family to pitch in and help with cleaning, decorating, shopping, gathering ideas, whatever you can think of to delegate to others. Hire help if needed.
  3. Purchase gifts in bulk. Only the gifts for everyone else – your neighbor, PTA moms, mailman, hair stylist, kids’ teachers. A general gift that will cover them all such as stationary or your favorite gourmet food ingredient.
  4. Order what you can online. Skip the hassle of waiting in lines, especially at the post office. Check www.freeshipping.org for free shipping codes or deals.
  5. Stick to what you do best. Keep it doable for your lifestyle. If you are best at doing the main course but not the dessert, then make the main course and purchase the dessert. Or ask others to bring their favorite desserts.
  6. Make a time chart. If you are doing all the food, you will have to plan ahead to know when to cook what at what temperature to keep all the food warm.
  7. Gather supplies early. Make sure you have the necessities on hand. Grab all the canned and dried stuff early. If you have guests staying in your home, stock up on extra toiletries.
  8. Plan entertainment for the kids. It will keep them out of trouble and out of your hair.
  9. Reserve appointments early. Weekends in November and December gets booked up fast. If you are planning a party, reserve those dates with your friends and family early. And don’t forget about your hair, nail, and massage appointments.
  10. Let it go. Most likely, everything will not go as planned. So just let things be and enjoy the moment.

What are some of  your holiday de-stressing tips?

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Simplifying the Holidays: Table Centerpieces

In Holidays on November 9, 2009 at 9:00 am

We are two and half weeks away from Thanksgiving and seven weeks away from Christmas. Are you stressed yet? From now until the holidays are over, I will be focusing articles on simplifying all the worries that surrounds this time of year. I am going to throw ideas at you, make up a few lists, and inspire you to have a delightful holiday season. Are you ready?

Simple 5-minute table centerpieces. Click on picture for details, descriptions below. What are your centerpiece ideas and tips?

  1. Floating fruits in glass vase. Also good to mix the colors or use fall colors.
  2. Bold color fruits in serving bowls.
  3. Gerbera daisies in wheatgrass box.
  4. Pinecones in glass vase or other glass serving bowls.
  5. Fall wreath hanging from a ribbon.
  6. Pumpkins and foliage on cake dish and table runners.
  7. Vegetables tied to candle with ribbon.

Tips for centerpieces:

  • Use what you have around the house — serving bowls, antique china, glass vase, cake stands, platters, bottles, trays, candles.
  • Use what is outside of your house — leaves, twigs, thin branches, berries, nuts, seeds, sand, rocks.
  • Use what is in your grocery bag — fruits, vegetables, candies, nuts.
  • Think colors — bold colors, fall colors, shades of white.
  • Table runners can be made from anything — wrapping paper, tissue paper, colored plastic wraps, scrapbook paper, butcher paper, fabric.
  • Don’t make it too tall. It blocks people’s views and slows conversations.
floating fruit in vase centerpiece

(image by Real Simple}

{image by Real Simple}

{image by Real Simple}

{image by Real Simple}

{image by Real Simple}

{image by Real Simple}

{image by Real Simple}

{image by BHG}

{image by BHG}

{image by BHG}

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{image by BHG}

{image by BHG}

{image by BHG}

{image by BHG}

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Friday’s 5 at 5: What’s That Smell?

In Friday's 5 at 5 on November 6, 2009 at 5:00 am

pencils

I can’t tell you why, but I love the smell of…

  1. Pages in a new book.
  2. Bakeries.
  3. Pencils.
  4. Ocean, the actual salt water, not the imitation sprays.
  5. Butter melting or cooking in a pan.

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Future Fashion Designer

In Inspirations on November 5, 2009 at 10:00 am

kaye's skirt design

This is my Kaye. She is 3. She is all girl… to the max. Even worst than her mother. Pink is her color. Polka dots are plastered everywhere. Disney princesses are her best friends. She raids mom’s closet for heels and pumps. She can cry on demand. She walks better in high heels than flip flops. She wants to wear mom’s makeup, but mean dad won’t let her. She loves candles and anything that smells pretty. And when people tell her she is cute, she replies, “Babies are cute. I am beautiful.” No idea where she got that.

Anyway, yesterday she noticed she was out of skirts. We were in a rush to get out the door and over to the library story time. I usually let Kaye pick out her clothes. It is a battle I’d rather not fight, especially with her who has a 3-year-old opinion about everything she fashions. But since we were in a hurry, she was forced to pick out pants so we could get out the door. Uh, as I was backing out of the driveway, I realized I missed library story time by a day. Yeah, I’m doing too many things all at once and sometimes I just space. We went anyway because I needed to return books that day.

When we got back from the library and a few other places she decided she needed to change. She went up stairs to her room, flipped through the clothes in her drawers and came out looking like this. It didn’t surprise me that she was in a different outfit because she changes her clothes several times a day. But she was wearing a skirt I didn’t recognize. Then it caught my eyes… the sleeves dangling from the sides. Aaahhh… she’s wearing a 3/4 sleeve white shirt upside down as a skirt. And since it was a bit drafty to be wearing skirts bare legged, she put on her leg warmers.

Yeah, I can see fashion design in her future. If the sleeves weren’t dangling down, it would be a cute bubble skirt. Hum… that’s an idea. I’ll have to draft that in my notebook. In the picture, she’s a bit embarrassed when I discovered she was wearing a shirt as a skirt. But she kept it on the whole rest of the day.

P.S. Please excuse the work-in-progress in the background. And my craft glues on the floor. That was Elle’s work.

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Almond Joy

In Products on November 5, 2009 at 9:00 am

almond tin

inside almond tin

Look what came in the mail for me. At first I was giddy that I was getting almond in the mail. I have to admit. I was disappointed when I opened the tin and it was empty. But the cute little note and the fun tin design made me happy again. Now I just need some almonds to fill the tin. It fits the perfect serving size of 23 almonds in that beautiful tin. Great for tossing a little snack in my purse. Next to all of my kids’ snacks.

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Adorn That Door With Wreaths

In Crafts, Home, Inspirations on November 4, 2009 at 9:00 am

fall wreath

To tell you the truth, I own only two wreaths. Some of my neighbors have one for every season and they keep the off season ones hanging in the garage. I see them when I walk by and wonder if I should be ramping up my door decors. I am picky about my wreaths because I’m not into the fake flowers and plastic fruits glued to wreath shaped foam. If you can’t tell, I’m the simple and classy kind of gal. The wreath above is my fall wreath. I purchased it last year.

winter wreath

This wreath I made two winters ago. It’s was the first wreath I owned. I had been on the hunt for a Christmas wreath and couldn’t find one I loved within my price range. That’s right, did you know that wreaths could be outrageously prices? Some of the ones I liked were around $80. I decided to attempt designing and making my very own. Nathan laughed because I ended up spending more than I wanted to on it, but still nowhere near $80.

Here are some other wreaths that I like and would like to try one day. Click on photos for more information about each of the wreaths.

  1. Dried flowers and vines.
  2. Photo embellished.
  3. Green gourds and leaves.
  4. Pearl.
  5. Shimmering rectangular leaves.
  6. Quick and simple tape to the wall.
{image by BHG}

{image by BHG}

{image by BHG}

{image by BHG}

{image by BHG}

{image by BHG}

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{image by BHG}

{image by BHG}

{image by BHG}

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Stella McCartney’s GapKids

In Inspirations on November 3, 2009 at 9:28 am

{images by GapKids}

Stella McCartney is the new designer at GapKids. Fabulous stuff, especially if you like the unisex classic rockstar look.

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Mobile Friendly

In Random on November 3, 2009 at 9:00 am

That’s right. Simply Modern Mom is now easy to navigate on your smartphone or iPod Touch. It is one of the many perks of being married to a tech savvy guy. I have noticed a number of you accessing SMM using your phone. I thought I would make it easier for you to read SMM anywhere your computer or phone may be.

How to access this new feature? Simple.

Navigate to www.simplymodernmom.com (or www.smmom.com for short) on your mobile device or iPod Touch and that is it. The site automatically shows you a customized version (faster and easier to navigate) right on your mobile device. If you’re not a big fan of the new layout, you can change it back to the old version by switching the on/off toggle at the bottom of the screen.

What if you want to put SMM right on your iPhone/iPod Touch home screen? Four steps.

  1. Navigate to www.simplymodernmom.com (or www.smmom.com for short) on your iPhone or iPod Touch.
  2. Click the + button on the bottom of the screen.
  3. Touch the “Add to Home Screen” button.
  4. Check out the sweet icon and click save. Done.

If you have any problems with the mobile layout please email me at simplymodernmom{at}gmail{dot}com.

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Intriguing Sites: GOOP

In Intriguing Sites on November 2, 2009 at 9:00 am

Screen shot 2009-08-05 at 3.46.12 PM

Gwyneth Paltrow has a site, GOOP, where she write about some of her favorite things. It’s fun to read about and learn some tips from Gwyneth on what to eat, makeup, places to visit, and so forth. I love the feel of her site, so down-to-earth.

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