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Handpainted Wine Glasses Anyone Can Create – #marthastewartcrafts

“If nature has made you a giver, your hands are born open, and so is your heart. And though there may be times when your hands are empty, your heart is always full, and you can give things out of that.” – Frances Burnett… I love this quote. It sums up really perfectly why a handmade gift is so much more meaningful than something quickly ordered on Amazon, or picked up at the closest big box store. Most of us have tightened our budgets significantly over the past few years, but we still want to celebrate, to show loved ones our much we care, to make people smile. And I hear all the time from people who say they’re just “not crafty” and can’t put together handmade gifts. So, I wanted to share another new idea from Martha Stewart crafts I’ve come across that is so amazingly simple, I promise that anyone can do it!

Handmade Gift Idea: Painted Cocktail Glasses [Read more…]

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Mother’s Day Gift Basket Giveaway Event

“Mothers are like glue. Even when you can’t see them, they’re still holding the family together.” – Susan Gale… It’s almost that time ladies – the time of year where we get a little bit of extra appreciation for what we do. For changing diapers, shuttling kids to soccer practice, learning which clothing brands are “cool” enough for your kids, and actually splurging on them from time to time… You know, all of the things we do to help our family be happy, healthy, and running smoothly. So, don’t we deserve a perk once in awhile?

Mother's Day Giveaway Event [Read more…]

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Personalized Indie Design & Free Mother’s Day Card

“Being a full-time mother is one of the highest salaried jobs in my field, since the payment is pure love.” –  Mildred B. Vermont… I agree – being a mom is the most rewarding thing I’ve ever done in my life. Totally changed me as a person – made me better, stronger, kinder. But, while being paid in pure love is a blessing – being a mom means you have a lot of messes and tantrums in between all of that love too, and totally deserve something special at Mother’s Day. {It’s coming up on May 12th, can you believe it?} So, to celebrate the mother’s in your life this year, I wanted to share a few of my fave personalized gifts from Minted – and the have a free bonus with every purchase right now too. Check it out…

Mother's Day Indie Gifts [Read more…]

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Party Time with MAM Baby: Smile Baby, Smile

“A mother is not a person to lean on, but a person to make leaning unnecessary.” – Dorothy Canfield Fisher… This past Mother’s Day I hosted a big celebration in my home – and was lucky enough to also get to share some amazing products from MAM Baby with the other moms who came to share the afternoon with us. I’m a big fan of all things MAM Baby, so it was great to be able to introduce some new mommas to them too.

MAM Baby, Smile Baby Party

“Of all the rights of women, the greatest is to be a mother.” – Lin Yutang

When I first saw the amazing MAM Baby party package that Child’s Play Party had put together for us, I was blown away. There were so many really smart products to encourage healthy teeth and gums from babies to toddlers. And they even included great ideas for snacks, games, activities for the kids – and some fun prizes too. I invited over about 15 moms, including one of my very bestest girlfriends – you can see Miss Teia with me in the picture above. Love her. She is always SUCH a big help when I’m trying to get parties set up while managing a bunch of crazy kiddos.

MAM Baby Party time

“There is only one pretty child in the world, and every mother has it.” – Chinese Proverb

Here is Miss Teia again, showing off some of the great swag bags filled with MAM Baby goodies that each guest got to take home with them. I had sets of products for girls {bags tied with a pink sparkly ribbon} and sets in blue for boys {tied with shiny silver bows} – and each set included oral care supplies to take them from infant to toddler time.

  • Infants: Many people think that because an infant has no teeth yet, you don’t need to worry about oral care. But it’s very important to keep baby’s gums clean, so that those new teeth pop our strong and healthy when they arrive. This can be challenging, so MAM Baby came up with a SUPER smart solution – MAM Oral Care Rabbit. It’s a little glove/cleaning cloth that makes it really simple and fun to keep babies gummy grin healthy.
  • 6 months: As kids grow, they start developing those cute little baby teeth. And yes – they will lose those teeth eventually. But it’s still incredibly important to keep them healthy – tooth decay in little ones can lead to painful toothaches, and can start them on a path to bad habits. The Learn to Brush Set from MAM Baby is perfectly sized for little hands, and the curved shape of the brush head makes it comfortable to use.

I made tie-dyed rainbow colored cupcakes, put together pretty fruit trays, and created a sparkling Sangria wine mix for the moms to enjoy on the patio. The kids had a blast playing together and trying out their super cool new toothbrushes, and my girlfriends and I enjoyed learning some new tips and tricks on keeping smiles bright while playing some games and enjoying the sunshine. Everyone took home a great bag of goodies – and a couple of ladies won fun prizes. {Thanks Child’s Play Party!} Great times, great weather, and great new products to take home – this party was a big success!

See more great baby products and tips on my All About Baby Pinterest board too!

{Disclaimer: I received a complimentary party package from Child’s Play Party so that I could share the great products with my guests, and share some feedback with you. All photos, opinions, and over-use of the word awesome are entirely my own. If you’d like to host parties like this too, apply at Child’s Play Party today!}

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Free Cupcakes for People Like Us – Mothers!

free cupcakes for mothers day

Free Mother’s Day Cupcakes!

I told you about the other free cupcakes giveaway from Sprinkles Cupcakes last week, to celebrate the new movie People Like Us. Well now they’re doing another SWEET freebie – {yep, as always, pun intended. I’m so punny…} – On Mother’s Day, May 13, head into any Sprinkles Cupcakes location and say, “People Like Us” to get a totally free cupcake to celebrate people like us – Mothers! {And, watch for the movie premier, in theaters June 29, 2012.}

Love Cupcakes? Check out my Pinterest Cupcake Idea board filled with super fun ideas today!

 

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Plan a Perfect Party: Mother’s Day Free Printable Kit!

Ah, motherhood. There are so many crazy moments, sleepless nights, and never-ending messes. But, there is also immense joy, unconditional love – and great days to celebrate, like Mother’s Day! If you’re planning a party too, then you will just LOVE this great set of amazingly pretty printables that’ll make any party a little more cheery.

mothers day brunch

“Mothers hold their children’s hands for a short while, but their hearts forever.” – Unknown

My “first” Mother’s Day was two years ago – I was 7 months pregnant, and the fact that I would soon be a momma was constantly on my mind. {How could it NOT be? I couldn’t see my own feet anymore, and she was kicking my ribs all day long…. } Last year, Abby was just a baby, and I was still in that daze of early motherhood – sleep deprivation and all. So this year, I feel excited to celebrate my new life role as a mother. I’ve got almost 2 years under my belt, and am feeling much more confident in my ability to raise her into a happy and healthy little lady. And she’s old enough now to run into a room, wrap her arms around my neck, and say, “Kisses Momma!!” Mwah. And THAT is what makes being a momma worth it….

Celebrating Mother’s Day

We’re planning a great big BBQ party to celebrate the day – and have invited just about everyone that we know. I’m really excited to see my favorite people and party it up! I went searching for some ideas and inspiration – {Check out my Mother’s Day board on Pinterest to see my finds} – and I just HAD to share this amazing set of free printables that I came across! Here’s how to get them:

  • Visit her spectacular Facebook page – Amanda’s Parties To Go. Like her page, then click on the little box that says “Mother’s Day Freebie.”
  • Now click to download, and get your goodies! That’s it, easy peasy!

Want some ideas on how to use them? Check out this amazing Mother’s Day Brunch post on her blog – so pretty!! Love these ideas, and will be using lots of them this weekend. And – if you have more summer party needs, check out her super cool Etsy shop too – I’m LOVIN’ her fun themed sets, like the Monster Truck Birthday Party, Pirates Printables, and the holiday goodies!

free printables for mother's day brunch

Free Mother’s Day Printable Package includes:

  1. “Happy Mother’s Day” banner
  2. Chevron pattern blank food tent cards or placecards
  3. 2″ logos for cupcake toppers
  4. 2.5″ background designs for cupcake toppers
  5. 1″ logos for toothpick embellishments
  6. Drink wraps
  7. Napkin wraps
  8. 3 different cupcake wraps
  9. Hershey Kiss circles (to use with a 3/4″ circle punch)
  10. Fill in Mother’s Day Brunch invitation
  11. Fill in Mother’s Day Lunch invitation
  12. Blank Mother’s Day Brunch invitation
  13. Blank Mother’s Day Lunch invitation
  14. Blank Menu card
  15. “Happy” “Mother’s” “Day” yard picks
  16. “Happy Mother’s Day” door sign
  17. Centerpiece picks
  18. “Happy Mother’s Day” tags
  19. 3 colored straw or toothpick flags
  20. 5 coordinating paper patterns

How are you celebrating Mother’s Day? Leave me some comments!

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Photo Gifts that Combine Retro & Modern Design – at HUGE Discounts for Mother’s Day!

I Heart Paper Coterie!

I am so incredibly in love with the photo products at Paper Coterie – seriously. I ordered a few months ago when they had the free $40 in credit for new customers, and was BLOWN AWAY by the totally gorgeous selection. Everything is so pretty – like a really cool combination of retro/vintage style, but still totally modern and fresh. How can that be? Well, you’ll have to check them out and see it yourself –

Shop Paper Coterie Today – Mother’s Day Sales and Birthday Bash!

I love the products, and the quality is as good as it gets. Like, perfection. But – the other thing I totally love about them is that they LOVE you back! My order came with a pendant necklace, as a thank you for my first order. They are always running really amazing specials where you get free gifts, totally free credits, or super sweet discounts. Right now you can get –

  • Free Mother’s Day printables, that are totally pretty.
  • $20 Memory Keepers {this is a beautiful box that you personalize with photos, and fill with great memories.} – plus a free gift.
  • Mother’s Day specials – express shipping, and gifts at 60% off!

Check them out, and stock up on gifts for the special women in your life – and for yourself. This is now my #1 go-to shop for any type of photo or paper products. If you want to stay updated on their promotions and unique new photo products, check them out on Facebook!

What are YOU getting your Momma this year?

Do you ever purchase photo gifts? {If so – seriously, you MUST check these out. You’ll probably never shop anywhere else again!} Do you do the traditional flowers and a card? Jewelry? Or are you a DIY type?

You’ll find more Mother’s Day Celebration and Gift Ideas on my Pinterest board – and I”d love to hear your creative tips too!

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