Friday, June 28, 2013

GIVEAWAY // Win Your Choice of BLOWFISH SHOES!


Win Your Choice of Blowfish Shoes from Bubby & Bean!
Win Your Choice of Blowfish Shoes from Bubby & Bean!

Today we're partnering with our friends and June featured sponsor, Blowfish Shoes, for another amazing giveaway!  We held a giveaway with Blowfish a couple of months ago and there was an incredible response, so I was thrilled when they offered to team up again.  As you guys know, I'm a long-time Blowfish fan (recent favorites: the Paloma Flats and the Delmar Sandals), and nothing makes me happier than to get to offer my readers the chance to own goodies from my favorite brands. For this giveaway, one lucky Bubby and Bean reader is going to get to go shopping on Blowfish's website and pick out a pair of any shoes you want!


To enter, just visit the Blowfish Shoes website and leave a comment below telling me which pair of shoes is your favorite.  That's it!


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).
  • Like Blowfish on Facebook 
  • Follow Blowfish on Twitter 
  • Follow Blowfish on Pinterest 
  • Follow Blowfish on Tumblr 
  • Pin the top image from this post on Pinterest 
  • Follow Blowfish on Instagram 
  • Post an image from this post to Instagram and tag it with the following: @blowfishshoes @bubbyandbean #bubbyandbeangiveaway
  • Tweet this: Enter Bubby & Bean's @BlowfishShoes GIVEAWAY to win a pair of shoes of your choice! via @MotM_EcoFashion >> http://bit.ly/1aUGYka
  • Click the Facebook 'Like' button below to like this post on Facebook 

This giveaway will run through July 5th.  The winner's name will be randomly chosen and announced shortly after.  (Please note that the winner must have a U.S. shipping address.)   Thanks again to Blowfish Shoes for being such a great featured sponsor and for offering Bubby and Bean's readers another chance to win a pair of their rad kicks!

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Thursday, June 27, 2013

I Love You, Summertime Totes

The Best Summertime Totes // Bubby and Bean
1. Sailor Tote, Banyan Hippo  //  2. Welcome to Paradise Tote, ModCloth  //  3. Shoreline Walker Tote, Anthropologie  //  4. Fair Trade Mint & Grey Rope Tote, Hearts  //  5. Bamboula Ltd. Market Tote, J.Crew  //  6. Maptote Destination Tote, Urban Outfitters  //  7. Namaste Organic Tote, FunkyYoga //  8. Straw Pom-Pom Tote, Old Navy 


Yes, a tote is a tote - regardless of season.  But for me, the tote bag is synonymous with summer.  It is a summertime staple.  What other type of bag is more useful for going to the beach, the pool, the farmer's market, the park, on a picnic, on a day trip, or even to an outdoor party?  Summer activities and the tote bag just work well together.  You can throw everything inside, all disorganized and last-minute like, and hit the road.  I have been taking my new favorite tote (#7 above) with me everywhere so far this summer, and boy has it proven to be handy.  The combination of style plus practicality is always a winner in my book. 


Are you a a tote fan like I am?  What type of bag do you carry in the summer months?

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Wednesday, June 26, 2013

10 Tips for Container Gardening (Based on My Successes + Failures)


10 Container Gardening Tips // Bubby & Bean

We are officially in our third year of container gardening (you can read my other posts here), and although I by no means claim to be an expert, I thought I'd share some tips with you guys based on what we've learned.  We went into this with zero gardening experience and very little space.  Our mission was to play around, and use trial and error to see what worked and what didn't.  There have been triumphs (tomatoes love us) and failures (strawberries hate us).  And there have been things that have worked out amazingly well some years that have struggled others (basil was our most fruitful harvest the first two years, yet won't grow at all for us this time around).



Here are a few tips that we have learned along the way:

1. Opt for a good potting mix.  Unlike traditional gardens, container gardens give you a lot of control over soil quality.  I recommend a high quality organic potting mix and good organic fertilizer.  Compost also makes an amazing potting soil.

2. Use what you have/recycle.  Container gardens don't have to be expensive.  Many of the pots we use we already had.  And the small raised beds that Robbie built are made of out pallets.  (If you use pallets, just make sure to use ones that were heat treated rather fumigated with chemicals.)  You can use buckets, window boxes, hanging baskets - the possibilities are endless.  For containers (aside from raised beds), the best size capacity seems to be between 15 and 120 quarts.


3. Drainage is key.  Make sure your pots have adequate drainage.  Holes should be around one-half inch.

4. Focus on the sunlight.  When positioning your containers, keep in mind that at least five hours of direct sunlight is necessary (this can be more depending on plant species).  The great thing about container gardening is that you can move your pots at any time if you find that they're not getting enough sun.


5. Be mindful of watering.  The summer sun can cause plants to become dehydrated very quickly, and soil dries out faster in pots than in the ground.  Often, you'll need to water daily if there hasn't been any rain.  Over-watering can cause problems though, so when in doubt, stick your finger in the soil an inch or so down to determine moisture levels.

6. Embrace the concept of cutting back.  If a plants seems like it's not growing well (or even dying), cutting it back may be all you need to do.  It encourages healthy new growth.  When my daisy plant started to look wilted, I removed the drying flowers (called 'deadheading'), and new buds appeared.  I was sure that our parsley plant, which had morphed from bright green in to a pale, lifeless shade of brown, was done for good.  Robbie cut it all back, and within a week, a brand new plant had emerged.

7. Feed Your Garden.  Your plants will need to be fed every couple of weeks (unless you used a special slow-release fertilizer when you first planted.)  Our favorite is Jobe's Organic Vegetable and Tomato Fertilizer.


8. Give support.  Literally.  Plants like tomatoes, sugar peas, cucumbers, etc. (basically anything that will produce vines or grow tall) will need support.  We just insert tomatoes cages (plain old wire ones) into our containers when we transplant and they work great.  

9. Take charge of your space.  Don't be scared to try container gardening because you feel limited by size or location on your space.  A container garden doesn't need to mean dozens of pots or beds.  Even if you have just one little basil plant on your balcony or front stoop, you're on your way (that's how we started out!).  If you live in an urban environment or have a tiny yard (or no yard at all), or even if you have plenty of room but want to have more control, container gardening is ideal.  Assess what you have to work with and take charge by designing your garden around it.

10. Experiment. Doing a little research into which plants, vegetables, herbs, and flowers are best for your growing area or how much room specific plants need is helpful, but I think trial and error is the best way to really learn about container gardening.  Even when we plant something and it doesn't make it, it's still fun and part of the experience.  Each year we try something new (firsts for this year: watermelon, sugar peas, celery, lettuce, carrots, parsley), and it's always exciting to see what happens.  We've even gotten into growing 90% of our plants from seeds, which we start in the spring using egg containers.  For us, experimenting and accepting the challenge are the best parts.



I hope these tips prove helpful for those of you who are fellow container gardeners (or who are thinking of starting container gardens; and no it's not too late!).  Here are some other great resources I've come across as well:  Urban Organic Gardener // Treehugger.com Edible Container Gardens  // 24 Container Gardening Projects // How to Build a Raised Vegetable Garden.  Happy gardening!

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Tuesday, June 25, 2013

Come Be a Part of Bubby and Bean in July!



Summer is officially here!  And this is the last week of June, which means it's time for the official sponsor call at Bubby and Bean.  July is always an exciting time here on the blog, and if you have a shop, blog, Etsy store, or small business, I'd love for you to be a part of it!  A Bubby and Bean Sponsorship is an affordable, effective way to promote your brand to several thousands of interested people every single day.

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 that 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.  We currently have a handful of spots open in each size for July (except for XL, which is booked through September).  All ad spaces are first come, first serve. 

Have questions?  Feel free to contact me

Monday, June 24, 2013

Let's Go On A Picnic!


Picnic Inspiration // Bubby and Bean
1. Snappy Trails Picnic Throw, Modcloth  //  2. Watermelon Salt & Pepper Set, Retro Planet   //   3. Vintage Longaberger Picnic Basket, House of Heirlooms  //  4. Colorblock Picnic Utensils, Anthropologie  //  5. Picnic Plates, Petite Alma  //  6. Europe MapThermos, Patina  //  7. Insect Fly Away Sticks, Crate and Barrel  //  8. Jumbo Chill-Out Tote in Green, Target  //  9. Retro Squeeze Bottle Set, Retro Planet  //  10. Juice Stop By Glass Set, Modcloth

Now that summer is officially here, I'm daydreaming about picnics.  Admittedly, I haven't been on an real picnic in forever.  But I plan to change that soon.  I'm thinking a half dozen or so friends, a few big blankets, a lot of summer fruits and snacks, and some of the other (really cute) 'necessities' you see above.

Have you been on a picnic recently?  Aside from food and the goodies above, is there anything else I should add to my list?

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Friday, June 21, 2013

BIG SUMMER GIVEAWAY // Win a $270 Prize Package of Goodies!


The Bubby and Bean Big Summer Giveaway // Win a $270 Prize Package!

Today is one of my favorite days of the year: the first official day of summer!  And to celebrate the season of sunshine, swimming pools, picnics, festivals, frosty drinks and backyard barbeques, I've teamed up with several of June's large and medium sponsors for one of our best giveaways yet.  From beautiful handcrafted clothing and jewelry to art prints, paper goods, and blog ad space, this prize package (worth nearly $270!) is seriously chocked full of goodness.  And one lucky Bubby and Bean reader is going win it all!


VISIT THIS SHOP



VISIT THIS SHOP  //  VISIT THIS BLOG



VISIT THIS BLOG  //  VISIT THIS SHOP



VISIT THIS SHOP  //  VISIT THIS BLOG



VISIT THIS SHOP



This giveaway is open to Bubby and Bean followers/subscribers.  If you're a new reader, please make sure to subscribe first through GFC, Bloglovin', or email. 
To enter, just leave a comment telling me your favorite thing about summer! 


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).


This giveaway goes through June 27th and is open to Bubby and Bean readers worldwide. The winner's name will be chosen randomly and announced shortly after.  Thanks again to our June sponsors for contributing such great prizes!  Good luck!