Thursday, October 31, 2013

Happy Halloween (+ Projecteo Giveaway Winners!)


Happy Halloween from Bubby and Bean!
card via the bubby & bean art shop
Happy Halloween!  I hope that your day/night is full of creative costumes, scary movies, pumpkin carving, and sugary treats!  I am working a half-day today and then heading up to Milwaukee to meet up with Robbie for the band's big Halloween mash-up show.  I'll actually be up in Milwaukee for the next three days, both working and attending the rest of the shows that they're playing there.  (If you're on Instagram, I promise to post all sorts of fun behind-the-scenes pictures.  User name is bubbyandbean.)  My costume is much less involved than usual, but I think that it's pretty cute/clever and I'm excited to share.



And now for the Projecteo Giveaway winners!  As always, winners were randomly selected via random.org.  This time we had one lucky grand prize winner and three lucky runners-up.  Woot!



Congratulations!  Please get in touch with me at bubbyandbean (AT) gmail.com so we can get you your prizes.

And if you haven't yet, be sure to enter our current giveaway for a chance to win nine prizes worth $430!  (Today is the last day to enter.)


What are your plans for this Halloween day and evening?  Are you dressing up?  Anyone taking little ones trick-or-treating? 

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Wednesday, October 30, 2013

My Cozy Fall Themed Baby Shower


A Cozy Fall Themed Baby Shower // Bubby and Bean

I mentioned last week that my mom and sister were throwing a baby shower for me this past Saturday.  I also explained that although I already had an amazing baby celebration party with my girlfriends in the city last month, and I'm not really one to feel the need for lots of parties to recognize life events, that this was an exception for me because it allowed me to celebrate with family and dear friends from growing up too. I have to say that I am so glad that we did this shower as well, because it ended up being incredibly special - full of memories and stories and emotions.  It sounds cheesy, but it's the truth. 

My mom and sis, along with the help of some friends, made almost everything themselves (a love for DIY runs in our family).  They decided to go for a cozy fall theme, with autumn flower-filled pumpkins and lots of gourds and leaves and warm autumn treats like hot spiced cider and spicy corn chowder.  There was a fire in the fireplace and pretty handmade fall candle jars for favors and decor in warm autumn oranges, reds, and yellows. 


Looking back, I wish I'd taken more pictures of all of the details (and people!).  But I made a promise to myself to focus on enjoying the day instead of worrying about capturing every moment of it on camera (a blogger habit that I'm trying to learn to break for occasions like this). 


In addition to the delicious corn chowder that my sister made (I'll have to get her to share the recipe on here because it was ridiculously good), there were all sorts of elegant homemade finger foods like mini sandwiches, a fresh berry salad (thanks Michele!), handmade baby girl themed chocolates (thank you Bernadette and Jean!), cheese twists, spiced crackers, and the most magnificent little cakes I've ever seen (thank you Dee and Jess!).  There was also fresh coffee with cinnamon, mimosas, hot cider, and bottles of water with yellow and grey paper straws.


Those of you who read about my shower in September may remember my friend Rachel's amazing Tibetan Buddhist prayer flag craft.  Rachel bought a few sets of blank flags, stencils, and markers, and each guest put special messages on them welcoming baby. I lived at at Tibetan Buddhist center for three years and Tibetan Buddhism holds a special place in my heart, and this was such a special way to bring a little bit of that into the nursery.  There were still some blank flags left, so my family and friends at Saturday's shower finished decorating them.  I'm so excited to hang them in baby's room. 

DIY Autumn Mason Jar Candles // Bubby and Bean
DIY Autumn Mason Jar Candles // Bubby and Bean

For favors, my mom wanted to do something inspired by the season that people could actually use and enjoy.  So she came up with the idea to fill short mason jars with strips of crinkled kraft paper and battery powered tea lights (best invention ever), then tie fall leaves around them with yellow ribbon.  They were so cute and everyone was thrilled to get to take them home.  Mine is currently sitting on my mantle with my other fall decor.


It was such a wonderful day, and I'm honestly still beaming from all of the love that was poured out in the direction of this little baby girl in my belly.  I can't wait to tell her all about it someday.  Thanks for letting me share some bits and pieces of it with you guys!

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Tuesday, October 29, 2013

Hairspiration (Help Me Figure Out A New Do!)


Hair
1  //  2  //  3  //  4  //  5  //  6  //  7  //  8

My hair is currently in a really weird in between stage.  Actually, I'm not sure if it's 'in between' anything; it's just kind of there.  I got it cut a few weeks ago, so it's not necessarily neglected or unhealthy.  I guess I just feel like I've been waiting for a new style epiphany to hit me for a good year now.  (Because, you know, with all of the problems we have going on in the world today, my hair style is clearly a very important and serious matter.) I had bangs for eight years up until last winter when I decided to finally grow them out, and I feel like they just haven't found their happy place since.  I keep trimming them slightly, so they're currently these sort of overly long, chin-length side swept things.  I've tried parting down the middle, but I feel like it just calls attention to what I'd describe as a borderline fivehead.  Also, I'm not sure what happened to that whole 'your hair will grow so fast when you're pregnant' promise, because it hasn't happened to me.  If anything, I feel like it has stopped growing in pregnancy.  Bummer. 

All of this said, I've been keeping my eyes peeled online for hair inspiration, as seen above.  I seem to be drawn to long, slightly messy looks, and honestly, that's basically what I've already got.  My hair is naturally wavy and aside from the times that I make the effort to straighten it, it looks pretty unkempt.  But something needs to change.  Maybe once the baby is born and it's safe to dye, it will be time for a fun new color.  Or maybe I just need to suck it up go back to my old trademark bangs.  What do you guys think?  Any suggestions?  Have any of your had a change of hairstyle recently?

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Monday, October 28, 2013

Be A Part of Bubby and Bean for the Holidays!


Sponsor Bubby and Bean for the Holidays!

Only a few days remain in October, which means it's time for the official Bubby and Bean Holiday Season Sponsor call!  November and December will be the busiest and highest traffic months of the year here on the blog - and therefore for our sponsors as well.  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 this holiday season.

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.  There is currently a handful of spaces open in various sizes for November and December (except for XL, which is next available for February 2014).  All ad spaces are first come, first serve. 

Have questions?  Feel free to contact me


Friday, October 25, 2013

BIG OCTOBER GIVEAWAY // Win A $430 Handmade Prize Package!


The Bubby and Bean Big October Giveaway // Win a $430 Prize Package!

Happy Friday!  It's time for Bubby and Bean's big monthly giveaway, chock full of goodies from some of my favorite handmade and independent businesses and blogs.  This month's giveaway is officially our biggest to date!  I've teamed up with nine of October's sponsors to put together an incredible prize package that includes clothing, accessories, jewelry, greeting cards, blog ad space, and more.  All together, it's valued at $430 - and one lucky Bubby and Bean reader is going win it all!


VISIT THIS SHOP  //  VISIT THIS BLOG



VISIT THIS SHOP



VISIT THIS SHOP



VISIT THIS BLOG  //  VISIT THIS SHOP



VISIT THIS BLOG  //  VISIT THIS SHOP



VISIT THIS SHOP  //  VISIT THIS BLOG



VISIT THIS BLOG  //  VISIT THIS SHOP



VISIT THIS BLOG  //  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 or Bloglovin' in order for your entry to count.
Then just leave a comment telling me your favorite fall color.  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).

This giveaway runs through October 31st and is open to Bubby and Bean subscribers worldwide. The winner's name will be chosen randomly and announced shortly after.  Please make sure that you check back and/or that there is a way to contact you through your entries in case you are the winner. Thanks again to our October sponsors for contributing such incredible prizes!  Good luck!


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Thursday, October 24, 2013

Oh Baby (Pictures)!


Oh Baby (Pictures) // Bubby and Bean

This Saturday, my mom and sister are throwing me a baby shower at my mom's house in the northwest 'burbs.  I'm not one for excessive celebration parties (we opted not to have an engagement party or bachelor/bachelorette parties for our wedding, etc.), and I know that I just posted about a baby celebration that I had with my girlfriends last month.  But this is going to be a more traditional baby shower for family members and long-time friends from growing up.  I'm really excited!  My sister is coming up from Indianapolis, Robbie's mom is flying in from Arizona (she'll actually be here in just a few hours), my mom's best friend (who is like a second mom to me) is flying in from New Jersey, and local area family from all over the suburbs and city will be attending as well.  Robbie has been on the road this month for the band's fall tour, and I'll admit I've started to feel a little lonely and somewhat overwhelmed with stuff to do for the baby's arrival (only 10 more weeks!).  I'm really looking forward to spending the weekend with family, helping with food and decor for the shower (I love party planning), and getting some baby errands done.  Maybe it's because I'm going to be a first time mom and have absolutely no idea what I'm doing, or maybe it's because I'm an older mom and know that there is a good chance this could be our only child - but nothing makes me happier (or more relieved) these days than to get to do baby stuff with the people I love.  It's the best.

All of this said, my mom wants to display a handful of Robbie's and my baby pictures that show us with our parents at the shower.  She plans to put them in simple matching black frames (a taste for minimalism runs in our family), and asked if I could scan them first so we can print them at uniform sizes.  It's both endearing and slightly hilarious to look at photographs of us so young, and I therefore decided that clearly, I had to share them with you guys.  I think I was the funniest looking baby ever. (Top B&W photo and all right side photos: me, middle B&W photo and all left side photos: Robbie.)

If any of you have your baby pictures posted anywhere, leave me a link.  I'd love to see them!

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