Friday, November 30, 2012

We Can Do It! Join Me in Supporting Small Businesses This Holiday Season (+ Free Banners For You)!


Support Small Businesses this Holiday Season!

Last year, I wrote a post about the importance of supporting small businesses during the holidays.  I was thrilled by the response it got, and by how many of you spread the word by using the banners I designed on your blogs and websites.  So I decided to whip up some new buttons and banners for 2012, and to reiterate my thoughts on the awesomeness of making the choice to do at least some of our holiday shopping with small and independent companies.  For those of you who remember last year's post, I'm probably going to repeat myself, because my opinions haven't changed.  But I figure it's a good thing to repeat.  It's hard to not feel charmed by the huge sales and low price tags of big box stores, and a little reminder of why small can be better never hurts.

In 2000, I set up a hand-me-down sewing machine on a cardboard box and worked 16-18 hour days, 7 days a week, with the goal of starting my own clothing line.  I had a degree in theatre, and aside from working at a boutique for a year right out of college, had absolutely no business experience.  I was clueless but determined.  I learned bookkeeping and accounting, marketing, networking, taxes, and all of the other important elements that go into owning your own company.  It was admittedly much harder than I thought it would be, but I stuck with it, and my dream to create Mountains of the Moon Eco-Fashion eventually became a reality. 

Things have changed immensely since I first became a small business owner, in ways that have proved both helpful and challenging.  On the plus side, things like social networking now allow us to reach much wider audiences for little to no cost.  The DIY movement has also taught small business owners to do many of the things ourselves that had to be outsourced in the past. On the challenging side, the economy took a major hit, making it more difficult for everyone - especially small entrepreneurs - to make a living.  And as I mentioned above, more and more big chain stores have popped up who are able to sell mass-produced merchandise to the public that is often made overseas for very cheap (marketed via glossy, luring advertisements), creating difficult "competition" for us little guys. 

In last year's post, I talked about how the one thing that hasn't changed for me since I started my company is the determination to succeed in a career doing what I love, and this continues to hold true.  A couple of years ago, I added my art and greeting card shop to mix, along with this blog.  And although I've had plenty of bumps in the road and numerous wake-up calls, I'm beyond grateful for where I am.  I'm somehow able to find ways to sustain myself, and I've learned so much more than I ever knew possible.  And times like this past weekend, where I had record breaking sales in my shops thanks to the support of incredible people (like you!), remind me of why I do this.  I still work longer hours than most of my friends, and I still consistently worry about paying the bills, but I wouldn't change my career for anything in the world. 

I am proud to be a small business owner and equally as proud of my fellow small business owners.  I like to think that we really make a difference with what we do.  I am also proud of all the people who make the choice to support small companies.  I'm pretty confident that I can speak for everyone who works as an independent designer, artist or entrepeuner when I say that we appreciate you more than can be expressed in words.  Truly.  If it wasn't for you, we wouldn't exist.  The end.

During the holiday season, when we're all shopping more than usual, the decision to support small businesses is more crucial than ever.  I'll be real with you guys - I'm not saying that we're not allowed to go to the mall or order goods from big stores online without feeling guilty.  Even if you buy one gift from an independent shop this season, you're making a positive impact.  (And major kudos to those who buy all of their gifts that way!)  Small businesses return more of each dollar into the local economy and provide more new jobs than large chain stores, so every purchase counts.  And when we shop handmade and local, we get to give unique gifts made with love, and we also get higher quality products and more personalized customer service.  Because small and local companies create much less waste and use many less fossil fuels by choosing not to produce merchandise overseas, we're also helping out the earth.  Win-win!  But best of all, when we shop small businesses, we are supporting creativity, fostering community, and encouraging talent, which truly does make our world a more beautiful place.


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If you've gotten this far, I hope you'll join me in supporting small businesses for the holidays again this year and encouraging others to do the same.  The buttons banners (above and below) were designed to show support for and spread the word about the importance of shopping handmade, local, and indie. I decided to make a variety of different sizes and styles (including some inspired by my holiday cards, plus a couple of my favorites from last year). Please feel free to use them on your websites, blogs, facebook pages, etc.   Just right click on an image to copy and paste, or copy the code below it to insert into your html.  (A link back to www.bubbyandbean.com or this post is appreciated, but not required.)  And then be sure to leave a comment on this post with the link to your blog, website or page that is displaying the banner/button so others can visit you!


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Thank you for listening to me repeat my (perhaps overly passionate) views on this topic again this year, thank you for supporting small businesses, and thank you for being wonderful readers.  Happy Holidays!

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Thursday, November 29, 2012

Why My Family Rocks (+ How You Can Win a Trip to the Grammys and a Custom Hyundai Santa Fe!)


This post is brought to you by The New Santa Fe from Hyundai. Think your family rocks? Show us by uploading a photo of your family rocking out. Enter now for a chance to win great prizes.

1. shot from behind the stage at umphrey's mcgee red rocks, 2012 // 2. robbie serenading bubby dog, 2008 // 3. our nephew hunter practicing at sound check in austin, 2011 // 4. robbie on the tour bus (literally), 2010 // 5. signing the wall backstage at red rocks amphitheater, 2012 // 6. my sister rocking out side stage in indianapolis, 2012 // 7. a shot from the stage in alabama, 2010 // 8. our niece elli warming up the drums in austin, 2011 // 9. bringing in the new year in at a show in st. louis with teri // 10. 4th of july at the bouder theatre, 2010 // 11. wandering the tunnel backstage at red rocks, 2012 // 12. guitars + a bass ready to hit the stage in indianapolis, 2012


When the fine folks at Hyundai asked me to post about why my family rocks, I have to admit I got pretty excited.  Those of you who are regular readers know that a huge part of my life revolves around music.  My husband works full time as the Stage Manager for a band and tours the world six months out of the year.  And although it's tough to have him gone so much, I have the privilege of being able to accompany him to some pretty amazing places and experience the behind-the-scenes of the music industry.  I've been able to meet some of my rock n' roll heroes, get tours of my favorite venues (the tunnel backstage at Red Rocks = incredible), and dance until I can't stand up.  My clothing line also began by packing up my old RV with my goods and vending at music festivals all over the country, every summer, for years. It wouldn't exist today if it wasn't for music.

But even when we're off the road, music is a big part of our day-to-day, and has been since we were both young children.  My sister and I grew up dancing in our living room to the Beatles, Bob Dylan, Joni Mitchell and the Grateful Dead on vinyl, thanks to parents who were (and continue to be) avid music fans.  My husband's father took him and his brother to see Neil Young when they were barely old enough to walk - and then they returned the favor last month by taking him to see Neil Young in Austin for his birthday.  (A couple of years ago, Robbie also treated his dad to an AC/DC show in Denver.)  Our nieces and nephew (ages 3-10) are huge music fans too, and their favorite thing in the whole world is to accompany Uncle Robbie to his band's shows, where they practice their skills at sound check and then rock out on the side of the stage for hours.  When you walk into our house today, you'll likely hear any of the above mentioned bands blasting from the speakers, mixed with Fleet Foxes, First Aid Kit, Ween, Edward Sharpe, Johnny Cash, Feist, Phoenix, Guns N' Roses, and a good 50 other bands.  Robbie and I even met at a show he was working for a side project band.  When we moved in together and combined our vinyl collections, we had over 500 records. Yep. We love music.


If your family rocks too, Hyundai and Rolling Stone magazine want to know about it!  You don't have to work in the music industry or go to concerts every weekend, but if you love music and your family values include kindness, sharing, hard work, loud singing, mud, practical jokes and mischief in general, you could win a photo shoot in Rolling Stone shot by an industry photographer, airfare, hotel and transportation to the 55th Grammy Awards, and a fully tricked-out Hyundai Santa Fe custom rock 'n' roller. That's pretty major.  Watch the video below for more details, and then take a photo of your family rocking out and enter it here. Contest ends December 14th, 2012.



I want to know how you and your family rock too!  Who are you favorite bands?  What was your favorite concert of all time?  Do you listen to music on a daily basis?  Spill it!

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I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls Collective, and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.

Wednesday, November 28, 2012

My Style >> Deep Purple


I'm not going to lie.  I don't dress up very often. I'm sure that those of you who work from home can relate to the fact that it takes a special occasion to get me out of yoga pants and an oversized tee.  I do change out of my pajamas (95% of the time anyway), but it's rare that I put on makeup or anything that requires tights or fancy shoes.  And if I'm going out, I tend to lean toward loose, bohemian-style dresses.  But when there is a special occasion - a wedding, a fancy dinner, a holiday party - the little girl in me who once loved nothing more than to put on a pretty dress and shiny jewelry emerges.  So when we had plans to attend a semi-formal holiday gathering last week, I was all about getting decked out in my new deep purple gown. 

This dress is actually called 'Deep Purple,' and was made by a company called eShakti.  Their mission is to provide well-fitting garments for women - including customization of style and sizing - that are also affordable.  Which means I got to not only make the changes I wanted to the design (I chose to shorten the length by a few inches), I also got to provide my exact measurements so that the finished product was tailor made for my body.  My frame on top is small but I have hips, which makes finding more formal clothes that actually fit me a challenge.  And as a clothing designer myself, I know the time involved in tailoring something perfectly to a person's body.  So when the dress arrived, I was impressed - both with how well it fit and how quickly it came.


It's a little hard to tell in the pictures, but the gold ballet flats are covered in glitter.  And they're actually from my wedding reception.  I wore gold glitter heels for the ceremony that were gorgeous but excruciatingly uncomfortable.  I ended up finding these Steve Madden flats at DSW about a week before our big day and knew they'd come in handy once the reception started.  They did too.  I think it was approximately 15 minutes after the ceremony ended that I threw the heels in a corner and put these babies on instead.  They're kind of the perfect addition to fancy dresses, especially during the holidays when a little shimmer just feels right.  The clutch (which I also wore in my butterscotch dress post last month) was purchased years ago at H&M and has become my go-to clutch for more formal occasions.


The pretty gold cocktail ring and the chandelier earrings were gifts from my mom and sister last Christmas, and the charm bracelet (which is my all-time favorite) was my grandmother's and includes charms from all of the different countries she's visited.  Sometimes I'm actually scared to wear it because my heart would be absolutely shattered if I lost it, but it's just too incredible to keep hidden away in a jewelry box.

Also, I have to say that I was really pleasantly surprised by the comfort level of this dress. The fabric is nice and heavy (without being cumbersome) with a perfect drape.  And although the top is quite fitted, it doesn't feel restricting.  I think I might have fallen a little bit in love with this whole tailor made concept.

Dress: c/o eShakti  //  Earrings + Ring: gifts  //  Bracelet: grandmother's   
Clutch: H&M  //  Tights: Target  //  Shoes: Steve Madden

Oh yeah, and this dress - custom style/fit and all - sells for $84.95.  I know.  It's kind of amazing. 

Do you like dressing up or are you more into casual attire? And have you ever owned a custom fit piece?  (I'm thinking I may need to ask santa for another one, because I'm sold.  FYI.)

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Tuesday, November 27, 2012

GIVEAWAY // Win a $50 Gift Card to Pedestrian Designs Handmade Hats + Accessories!

Win a $50 Gift Card to Pedestrian Designs!

We have such a fun featured sponsor giveaway this month you guys!  You may have read my interview with Christine of Pedestrian Designs last week - she makes absolutely adorable dragon, unicorn, wise owl and fairytale-inspired hats along with some really gorgeous cowls and accessories.  Her designs are so playful and vibrant and would make really cool holiday gifts for the little ones (and adults too!).  And today, she's giving readers a chance to win a $50 gift certificate to spend her shop!



This giveaway is open to all Bubby and Bean followers/subscribers.  (If you're a new reader, just make sure to subscribe first using GFC or one of these readers). Then just leave a comment with your favorite item in the Pedestrian Designs Shop!

Once you've completed the mandatory entry above, you can also gain one additional entry for each of the following.  (*Please put each extra entry in a SEPARATE comment in order for it to count).
  • Favorite Pedestrian Designs on Etsy 
  • Like Pedestrian Designs on Facebook  
  • Follow Pedestrian Designs on Pinterest 
  • Tweet this:  Win a $50 Hat + Accessories Gift Card in Bubby & Bean's latest GIVEAWAY!  >> http://bit.ly/RiZYC4 via @MotM_EcoFashion 
  • Follow us on Twitter 
  • Pin the top image from this post on Pinterest 

This giveaway is open through December 3rd. The winner's name will be randomly chosen and announced shortly after.  Thank you again to our featured sponsor Pedestrian Designs for giving Bubby and Bean's readers the chance to win some of her adorable hats and accessories

Christine has also generously offered up the following coupon for Bubby and Bean readers: Take 15% off your entire order at Pedestrian Designs with code BUBBYANDBEAN15.  Good Luck! 

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Guess Who WON the Give Thanks Giveaway??!


Many thanks to all of you who entered the Bubby and Bean Big Give Thanks Giveaway!  It was really cool to be able to read through the entries and learn about the things for which you're most thankful. The winner was chosen via random.org, and that lucky reader is...



CONGRATULATIONS ANGIE!  From 525 entries, you are the winner!  You are now the official recipient of a prize package of 8 amazing goodies worth $215 from Live the Life You Love, Vivi Dot, She Makes Hats, Oh Nostalgia, Skaggsy, Little Tree, Blissoma, and Rebecca Murphy(Please contact me at bubbyandbean {at} gmail.com so we can discuss getting you your prizes!)

Thanks again to Bubby and Bean's November sponsors for contributing these amazing prices.  And be sure to check back later this morning for another amazing giveaway (hint: it's a $50 gift card to spend in a pretty amazing accessories shop!).

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Monday, November 26, 2012

Fresh Fragrance >> A Perfume Produced from Local Gardens!



For years, I've been a non-perfume kind of girl.  Sometimes I'll wear a little vanilla or sandalwood oil, but that's as far as I go. I've never really been able to find a scent that "suits" me (although the amount of 'Obsession' in which I immersed myself on a daily basis in middle school would likely make one think otherwise), and I'm also a little wary of the abundance of chemicals found in most perfumes.  Funny enough, I was talking to a friend a few weeks ago about how I've been thinking about giving perfume another try, and literally the next day, I was contacted about trying out a local fragrance company's new scent. They told me about how it was crafted in small batches from flowers grown by urban farmers and gardens here in Chicago.  I was sold.  As for whether or not it would break my long-time perfume hiatus, I'd just have to wait and see (and smell).

The fragrance, called Tru Blooms, happens to be the first ever made from indigenous-sourced ingredients, grown by the residents for whom it's created.  Pretty cool, huh?  Made from rose, lavender (one of my favorite scents for relaxation), lily and violet (which also happens to be the official Illinois state flower), it's light, sweetly floral, and slightly woodsy.  My husband is not usually a fan of perfume either, but as soon as I walked in the room after putting it on for the first time, he mentioned how good I smelled. (Score!)  I like how the scent is fresh and airy, but doesn't limit itself to one season.  It's not so fruity or floral that it confines itself to being a spring or summer fragrance, and it's not so bold or musky that it could only be worn in the winter time. I really love it you guys.  And I guess that means that my perfume hiatus is officially over. 


I think even more than the scent itself (which truly is delicious), I'm a fan of how the fragrance is made.  Especially this time of year, when people are shopping the holidays, it's important to consider the impact of supporting small, responsible businesses.  Just like local farms and CSAs supply fresh, organic foods, Tru Blooms gathers ingredients for their perfume in the manner they were meant to be gathered: "not from a lab or offshore farms of a commercial producer, but from small plots of land lovingly nurtured by neighborhood people."  They have perfume gardens in Chicago's public parks, on North Michigan Avenue, in urban farms, and in sections all over the city.  I can't express how completely rad I think this is.


Whether or not you live in Chicago, if you're looking for a fresh, beautifully scented perfume naturally made from local ingredients, I highly recommend Tru Blooms.  For real.  It's definitely on my holiday shopping list as well.  As of now, I'm told that it will only be sold for a short time this holiday season in limited quantities. The 1.7 ounce Cologne Spray sells for $38, and the the 3.4 ounce Cologne Spray sells for $64. You can order this goodness (and find out more about the company) right here.

What about you?  Are you a perfume-wearer?  If so, what's your favorite fragrance?

Speaking of small businesses, the 4-day sale continues today in both of our shops for Cyber Monday!  Today is officially the last day to take 25% off storewide at Bubby & Bean Art and 40% off storewide (+ a 10% donation from every order made to American Rivers) at Mountains of the Moon.  Just use the coupon code BLACKFRIDAY2012 in either shop to receive your discount.  This has been Mountains of the Moon's busiest after-Thanksgiving weekend in 4 years and Bubby & Bean Art's busiest ever - and I'm really, really grateful.  We couldn't do it without you guys, and your support means more than I can say.  So thank you.  Now go take advantage of these awesome discounts before the day is over! :)

Second image via Michigan Avenue Mag.

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Friday, November 23, 2012

My Top Secret List of This Weekend's Best Sales (+ A MAJOR Coupon for Both of Our Shops!)

40% Off Storewide at Mountains of the Moon!
25% Off Storewide at Bubby & Bean Art!

Happy after Thanksgiving weekend!  I hope you had a wonderfully blissful Thanksgiving day full of family and friends and food and gratitude.  Ours was very low key (just how we like it!).  We had a nice dinner at my dad's and also hung out with my amazing 98 year-old grandma who is currently recovering from surgery (she rocked it and is doing great!).

I'll be avoiding the crowds during the madness of the biggest shopping weekend of the year, but I do plan to do some shopping online, and I've come across some pretty amazing deals and coupon codes.  I actually compiled a list of my favorites (as disorganized as I am by nature, I like to save money!).  And naturally, I'm going to share them with you guys in case you're doing the same.  (See below for the full list.)  These are mainly for larger stores, but if you own a small business and are having a sale, please share it in the comments!

As you can see from the images above, we're also having some serious Black Friday/Small Business Saturday/Cyber Monday goodness at both of our shops!  With code BLACKFRIDAY2012, you'll get 40% off storewide at Mountains of the Moon (+ we'll make a 10% donation to American Rivers as part of our 'Green Friday' celebration!), and 25% off storewide at Bubby and Bean Art!  It's very rare that I plug my companies here on the blog, but this is one weekend of the year that I just have to share.  I appreciate your support of my little businesses more than I can say!


And now for my 'top secret' list (okay so maybe it's not top secret, but it's fun to say that, right?).  I hope these specials from some of my favorite stores save you some money this weekend as well!

  • MODCLOTH: Take 50% OFF hundreds of brand new items at Modcloth's 'Tis The Season Sale. (11/22-11/26)
  • URBAN OUTFITTERS: Take $15 OFF any order of $75 of more atUrban Outfitters with code SUPERCYBER. (11/26)
  • SHABBY APPLE: 20% OFF storewide at Shabby Apple with coupon JOYFULSEASON. (11/22-11/26)
  • THREADSENCE: Hundreds of items marked down to $5, $10 and $15 at Threadsence. (11/21-11/26)
  • CARDSTORE: Take 75% OFF holiday cards and invites + free shipping at Cardstore with coupon code CCN2175. (11/22-11/26)
  • BLURB: Take 25% OFF all Photo Books (Instagram, etc.) at Blurb with coupon code HOLIDAYTHANKS (11/23-11/26)
  • MADEWELL: Take 25% OFF sitewide at Madewell with coupon code TREAT. (11/23-11/26)
  • RUCHE: Hundreds of items marked down to $5, $10, $15 and $25 at ShopRuche.com. (11/20-11/26)
  • J.CREW: Take 25% OFF sitewide at J.Crew with coupon COLOR25. (11/23-11/25)
  • TARGET: Up to 75% OFF select items at Target.com. (11/22-11/24)
  • TULLE: Up to 75% OFF at Tulle4Us. (11/22-11/26)
  • SWAYCHIC: Free Shipping at SwayChic.com with code SWAYSHIP. (11/23-11/27)
  • PAYLESS: Take 50% OFF boots, slippers and more + $10 OFF any purchase of $50 or more with coupon code #81616 at Payless ShoeSource©. (11/23-11/25)
  • SHOPBOP: 20%-35% OFF at Shopbop.com with coupon BIGEVENT12 ($250 minimum). (11/22-11/26)
  • REVOLVE: Up to 95% OFF sitewide at REVOLVEclothing.com . (11/21-11/26)
  • GLOSSYBOX: Take $5 OFF any subscription to GLOSSYBOX with code FIVE. (11/23-11/26)
  • LUSH: Free $10 Gift Card when you spend $100 at LUSH Cosmetics. (11/21-11/26)
  • BLUEFLY: Up to 80% OFF 11/22-11/24 or 10-40% 11/26-11/27 at Shop Bluefly!. (11/22-11/24, 11/26-11/27)
  • STEVE MADDEN: Take 30% OFF + Free Shipping 11/22-11/24 or 10-40% 11/26-11/27 at Steve Madden with code HOLIDAYS30.(11/23-11/26)
  • CANON: Free shipping + up to 50% OFF select cameras and equipment at Canon. (11/22-11/26)

Also be sure to check out Bubby and Bean's amazing sponsors (just click on their images over there in the right sidebar.)  Many of them have really great specials going on all weekend as well!  Happy shopping, and thank you again for being the best readers on the planet!

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