Thursday, January 31, 2013

Hearting Hearts (+ My Thoughts on Valentine's Day)



1. Mini Hearts, Ban.do  //  2. Coral Heart Cardigan, The Gap  //  3. Temporary Tattoos, Hello Apparel  //  4. Heart Print Post Earrings, Vivi Dot  //  5. I Link It's Love Necklace, Modcloth  //   
6. Heartlette Crown, Giant Dwarf  //  7. Plum & Bow Heart Rug, Urban Outfitters  //  8. Heart of Bold Heel in Carmine Coil, ModCloth  //  9. Heart XO Coasters, Form.Function.Style  //  10. Heart Doodle iPhone Case, Rebecca Minkoff


Valentine's Day is officially two weeks away!  I realize that it's one of those holidays that people either love or hate.  And I get why some don't like it.  But as I mentioned in my Valentine card post, I'm a fan myself, and always have been, regardless of my relationship status.  I used to adore covering shoe boxes with pink tissue and red heart doilies and foil stickers for grade school parties, and I still send out Valentine cards every year. I'll admit that I do have the occasional feeling sorry for myself moment on February 14th, because my husband is always on the road and we very rarely (I believe once in seven years!) get to spend the actual day together.  But then I remind myself why I like this day in the first place - it's about celebrating love, and it's a great excuse to do nice things for the people you care about.  And for those who like decorating and getting into the spirit of special occasions, it doesn't disappoint. 

In terms of the 'spirit' of Valentine's Day, I think we can all agree that the ultimate symbol is the heart.  I'm admittedly not an overly sweet person in terms of style. I'm more of the neutral-colored, stripes and solids type, and I don't have a lot of heart-themed decor or clothing.  But when it comes to Valentine's Day, I'm all about the heart.  The more hearts the better.  So in honor of V-Day, I decided to round up some of my favorite heart-themed goodies that I've come across recently, as seen above. 

Do you heart hearts this time of year?  Are you a Valentine's Day fan or could you do without it?

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Wednesday, January 30, 2013

Guess Who WON the January Giveaway??!



Many thanks to all of you who entered our January Giveaway!  It was officially our biggest giveaway ever, so I'm especially excited to be able to announce the winner.  As always, the winner was randomly selected via random.org, and that lucky reader is...



CONGRATULATIONS MELISSA!  From 609 entries, you are the winner!  You are now the official recipient of a prize package worth $365 from Jigsaw London, Emerging Thoughts, Behind My Desk, Sew Beastly, Notes From the S Life, Little Tree, and Gaia Conceptions(Please contact me at bubbyandbean {at} gmail.com so we can discuss getting you your prizes!)


Thanks again to Bubby and Bean's January sponsors for contributing such great prizes.  And if you didn't win this time, don't worry... There is another pretty amazing giveaway coming up in the next couple of weeks!
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Tuesday, January 29, 2013

Favorite Days // Winter Walks


The last couple of days were probably my favorite days of the month (which also means of the year, so far).  On Sunday, Robbie flew home from tour for a short-but-awesome 36ish hours.  The band is on the road almost nonstop for the first three and a half months of the year, and often their days off are far from home.  Rather than spend this week's off-time in a hotel in Tennessee, he decided to come home, which was a seriously special treat.


Sunday night was filled with things like awards shows, movies, lazy couch lounging, and vanilla malts for dinner.  Yesterday, I decided to work a half-day so we could venture out to a nature preserve for a late afternoon winter walk and photo-taking session.  The weather was dreary and damp, with temperatures in the 40s (still cold but much warmer than it has been here!).  The chilly wetness actually made everything look sort of eerie and cool, and despite the fact that my socks were soaking wet inside of my boots, we walked around for quite a while snapping pictures and watching the sky grow dark.  After our walk, we grabbed coffee, ran to Trader Joe's for a baguette and our all-time favorite cheese (TJ brand Toscano Cheese with Black Pepper - trust me on this), and came home for another blissfully lazy night.


It's kind of amazing how much you appreciate simple moments with your partner/best buddy when you know you only get to see him or her for a short time.  (You guys totally have permission to roll your eyes or gag a little - but it's true.) We didn't do anything exciting by any means, yet these two days were favorites that will likely stay in my memory for a while.  Crazy how that works, isn't it?
Wanna see a short video of me being a dork on our winter walk?  I posted one to my brand spanking new Vine account.  I've been on it for a whole 36 hours and am already starting to feel semi-addicted.  Sigh.  You can find me there by searching for Melissa Baswell Williams.  Are any of you using the Vine App yet? 


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Monday, January 28, 2013

Freckles and Icicles // A Stunning Wintertime Photo Shoot



Back in May, I shared an amazing warehouse photo shoot that was submitted to me by a very talented photographer named Kelsey Goodwin.  I was smitten by her work, so when she contacted me recently about featuring another shoot, I was eager to check it out.  And she didn't disappoint.  The location is absolutely stunning, the wardrobe is gorgeous, and Kelsey's ability to capture winter's cold, eerie calm through her photography is really incredible.  I'm thrilled to be able to share these beautiful images with you guys today.


I asked Kelsey what inspired her to do this particular shoot, and she told me the inspiration was her friend (and the shoot's model) Ashleigh's freckles.  How awesome is that?  "I've always wanted to photograph them but didn't seem to find the time/location until we were both home in Penticton for Christmas.  The snow and her new blonde hair (she is a natural red head) were exactly the setting I was looking for.  Plus I knew of a great abandoned log cabin that I photographed in the summer last year; it was even cooler with icicles!"

The beautiful horse featured in the shoot - named Zeus - belongs to Ashleigh.  And the majority of the clothing and jewelry she decided to use came from her parent's attic.  "They belonged to my grandmother, so it was all true vintage.  My mom is a hoarder, but luckily of awesome things!"


The use of light and color - earthy, muted browns and chilly, wintery blues - is so powerful that you can't help but feel the cold air on your skin as you look at the photographs.  The images are ethereal and mysterious, with an undeniably bohemian energy.  And the details are breathtaking - from the close-ups of Ashleigh's freckles to the icicles dripping from the abandoned cabin.

Photography: KGOODPHOTO // Hair + Makeup: Kelsey Goodwin
Wardrobe: vintage //  Stylist: Kelsey Goodwin  //  Model: Ashleigh + her horse Zeus

You can view more of Kelsey's amazing work via her website, blog, and Twitter.  She also has a new website launching this Thursday, January 31st, so be sure to check back later this week to see the new design!

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Friday, January 25, 2013

Weekend Words of Wisdom

Weekend Words of Wisdom // Bubby & Bean

1     //     2     //     3     //     4     //     5


Just a few wise words to inspire and motivate you this weekend.  See you Monday!

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Want to Be on Bubby & Bean? Join the February Sponsor Team!



It's Friday ya'll!  And with the end of the month coming next week, it's time for the official sponsor call here at Bubby and Bean.  January has been our highest traffic month to date (woot!), and February promises to be even better.  If you have a blog, shop, Etsy store, small business, or brand you'd like to promote to several thousands of interested people every single day, I'd love to help you - through a Bubby and Bean Sponsorship!

In addition to promoting sponsors through their ads on all pages and posts here at Bubby and Bean, I work one on one with each advertiser to ensure they are given optimum exposure through the blog and our social media channels.  For more information on our various advertising packages, current stats, press, and pricing, visit our sponsor page right here. You can also book your ad space there directly in one click.  Right now we have a just few spots open in each size, and all ad spaces are first come, first serve. 

Have questions?  Feel free to contact me

Thursday, January 24, 2013

Guess Who WON The Tru Blooms Perfume Giveaway??!

Thank you to everyone who entered the Handcrafted Perfume Giveaway from Bubby & Bean and our friends at Tru Blooms!  The winner was chosen via random.org, and that lucky reader is...



CONGRATULATIONS CHESTNUTMOCHA!  Please contact me at bubbyandbean {at} gmail.com with your mailing address so we can send you your perfume.


Thanks again to the fine folks over at TruBlooms for giving Bubby and Bean readers the chance to win a bottle of their absolutely beautiful smelling, locally produced fragrance.  And if you haven't yet, be sure to enter our current giveaway for a chance to win a prize package of goodies worth $365!

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