Our Updated Bedroom Dresser Space + a $100 Snapfish Giveaway!

For whatever reason (maybe because we're the only ones who really see it?), our bedroom has been the most neglected room in the house when it comes to decor. We've slowly been adding bits and pieces (a new comforter here, a picture there), but it's been a several year process. Things finally started to look finished toward the end of last year, with one exception - the dresser area. Although we'd replaced the two mismatched (and very dated) dressers we'd used for years with a simple black double dresser piece last year, the wall above it was empty and the only 'decor' on it was a basket full of Essley's diapers. A couple of weeks ago I decided that it was finally time to update this space.

Travel is a big part of our life, and I thought it would be cool to incorporate photos from our travels into the redesign. I knew that Snapfish had just launched a new version of their site that offers a ton of different ideas for bringing photos into the home, so I started the project by browsing all of their home decor products. I absolutely loved the look of their canvas prints, and had a vision of getting several canvas prints made from black and white travel photos and using them as the focal point for the space. The next task was choosing which images to use. Robbie and I both hold a special place in our hearts for the southwest, so I decided to use photos from three different Arizona trips we'd taken: one of a Saguaro cactus outside of Scottsdale, one of Sedona, and one of the Grand Canyon.

The new Snapfish site was super easy to use, with user friendly tools that allowed me to be as creative as I wanted. (It's tablet and smartphone friendly too, so you can create your projects on any device.) It's also really nice because you have all your photos at your fingertips. You can add and save photos to your Snapfish account from almost anywhere, including Instagram, and then have instant access to them when it's time to create your projects. And there are tons of Snapfish Home Decor items to choose from, including canvas prints, acrylic prints, wood and aluminum panels, throw pillows, blankets, and more. I ended up choosing a 20" x 24" canvas print and two 11" x 14" canvas prints.

In just a few days, my photo canvases arrived and it was time to get to work. I wanted these prints to be the main focus in terms of decor, so I started by hanging them. The space instantly looked better. From there I added some stacked books and one of the 'Free Spirit' prints from my shop (which went well with the wandelust/traveling theme). I wanted to incorporate some natural elements to complement the photos of nature, so next I added a couple of succulent plants, a small cactus, and some of my favorite crystals. After some rearranging, the project was complete. We both love waking up in the mornings and seeing memories from our southwest travels right in front of us! And the fact that we took the photos ourselves makes it even more special.

And now for the best part! One lucky Bubby and Bean reader is going win a $100 gift card to Snapfish to get a home decor item (or items!) of your very own. To enter, just use the form below, then comment with what you would do with your Snapfish Home Decor product!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

This giveaway runs through June 6th and is open to Bubby and Bean readers worldwide. The winner will be randomly chosen then announced here shortly after. Good luck!

P.S. Be sure to join Snapfish Superfans! You can share content, have special opportunities to win
prizes and rewards, and more.


This post was created in partnership with Snapfish. All opinions are my own.


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Let's Talk Bauhaus: Our Favorite Chairs

By Home Contributor Paige Ronchetti

one  //  two  //  three  //  four  //  five  //  six

The last time I was here I waxed poetic about midcentury modern style, and you might be eyeballing the graphic above thinking, "PAIGE, you're doing a repeat, I've seen some of these chairs on Mad Men." And I'd say, yep, you did, because a lot of these designs were big in the 60s. (Heck, most of them have never really fallen out of favor for people who dig modern styles.) Interestingly though, all of these were first designed and manufactured between 1919 and 1933 as part of the Bauhaus era.

Before I get all googly-eyed and start drawing these chairs all over my notebook like an 8th grader, let me dust off my design school knowledge and tell you a little about the Bauhaus in general. It was an art school in Germany, started as the country was recovering from World War I. The major design philosophy of the movement was very no-frills: the marriage of form and function was an aesthetic choice, but it also helped stimulate the ol' economy by keeping the pieces affordable for the middle class. Simple shapes made mass-production easier, as did the use of all of that metal tubing. These chairs hit the sweet spot of being well-made, yet wallet-friendly--which makes me jealous because THESE days getting a real one is... not. Thankfully, there are some good knockoffs afoot, because if I spent $5,000 on a chair it would be the only thing in the room.

Anyway, now that we've used our brains to investigate a major influence on modern design as we know it, let's look at some eye candy:

source

How can I teleport into this dining room and claim it as my own? The chairs are obviously wonderful--a great knockoff version is at Restoration Hardware--but I also want to point out the Advanced Texture Mixing. Marble, and caning, and grasscloth, oh my!

source

I love me a Barcelona chair, which is what this splendid marshmallow is called. (Knockoff is here.) I don't know where this apartment is, but I've decided it's Paris and that I would spend my afternoons lounging in a sun puddle, maybe reading a book, maybe eating some chips. Whatever. The fancy chair would make me feel chic no matter what.

So, who wants to buy some new chairs? Do you like all of the metal? Which of these is your favorite? - Paige

As always, Paige nailed it with these chairs. #6 especially needs to come live at my house, stat. In addition to writing for Bubby and Bean as our Home Contributor, Paige works as an Interior Designer (check out her biz, The Room Kit) and blogs over at Little Nostalgia. You can also find her on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Instagram. 

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Support Among Parents: 15 Simple Acts of Kindness

I'm a Sisterhood of Motherhood Partner/sponsored blog partner. All opinions are 100% my own. (Learn more about this uplifting, judgement-free campaign right here!)

This year, I've gotten personal about my parenting experience in a couple of different posts. I shared lessons I learned in my first year as a parent (here), and more recently, in a post about transitioning to solid foods (here), I got more specific about the unfortunate judgment that exists in parenting circles - and why support and encouragement are so important. It would be easy for me to go on and on about my feelings on the scrutiny I've seen when it comes to parenting choices, or how fear of judgment initially made me feel insecure about my own parenting journey. But today I want to focus on the positive. Because despite any negative energy that may be present between parents with differing opinions or methods, there is also an incredible bond that inherently exists between people who are raising children. Sometimes it's just a matter of uncovering it. And in my eyes, the easiest way to uncover it is through simple kindness.

After an incident at the grocery store earlier this month, I had an idea. Essley and I were in the same aisle as a mom who was wearing a baby in a carrier and had a toddler in her shopping cart. The toddler was whimpering and had his hand in his mouth (he was clearly teething), and the baby in the carrier was crying loudly, as babies are known to do. Their mom was obviously distressed but doing her best to quickly grab her groceries when two women walked by and one, quite audibly, said to the other, "Maybe that poor child wouldn't be so upset if it wasn't trapped in that newborn carrier and had a little room to breathe." Wait, what? I'm admittedly very pro-baby wearing (even though Essley has never been a huge fan and it didn't work for us like I'd hoped), but even if I hadn't been, I'm fairly certain that my jaw would have dropped equally as far. Clearly this woman had no idea what she was talking about, because carriers can be used well into the toddler years, but regardless - the fact that she felt the need to vocalize her opinion in such a condescending, combative manner (or at all, in that moment) was baffling to me. My first reaction was to defend the mother and confront this woman (I kind of wanted to slap her, if we're being honest here), but I quickly realized that would likely only provoke her to be even more rude, and the mom was already close to tears. So instead, I walked over to the mother and said something along the lines of, "That lady must be a really unhappy person, and I'm sorry that she felt the need to take it out on you. From what I can see you're doing a great job. And your children are beautiful." She looked at me with her chin quivering, then smiled, then reached out and hugged me. She thanked me and told me that I just turned her day around. I didn't even do anything! I just said a couple of nice words in attempt to encourage this mother - but it obviously made a difference, even if just in that moment.

After I got home, I couldn't stop thinking about what had happened. I continued to think about it for several days. If ten seconds of kind conversation could make another parent feel supported instead of judged, then why not continue to do that, and come up with other ways to promote benevolence among parents in the everyday? I decided to put together a list of ideas of how I (or anyone else) could brighten the days of other parents through small, easy acts of kindness. And today, I'm sharing this list with you. Some of these are so simple that they may just seem like common sense, but when we're rushed or stressed, we might not pay attention without a reminder. Others take a little more effort, but often result in great reward. Whether you're a fellow parent or just a kind spirit, these are simple ways to spread good vibes to moms and dads, and to advocate encouragement over judgment (which is the whole premise of the Sisterhood of Motherhood campaign on which I've been working).

1. Say something nice to a fellow parent. That's all. Easy but effective.
2. Hand out positive notecards. Buy or make some fun postcards or notecards, and write something like, "From one mom to another, you're doing a great job!" Hand them out to fellow moms (people you know and strangers too!).
3. Give a gift card to a stranger. Buy a $10 gift card to a local coffee shop or grocery store. The next time you're out and see a busy mom or dad, hand it to them and simple say, "This is for you. Enjoy."
4. Pay for the coffee order for the mom or dad behind you in line. Someone actually did this for me today! It made my whole morning.
5. Hold the door open for a family. You can't get much easier than this, but you may be helping more than you know.
6. Offer to babysit. Tell a neighbor or friend that you're willing to take their kid(s) for an afternoon or evening so that she/he can have a few hours to her/himself. This is truly a special luxury when you're a parent!
7. Send flowers (on an average day). Instead of sending them on a special occasion, just send them on an regular day, along with a note that says "Enjoy the flowers. You're a great parent!" Or deliver a plant or bouquet yourself and leave along with a note on their doorstep.
8. Give up your seat on the train or bus for a mom or dad with a baby. Another super simple way to be kind.
9. Switch seats on an airplane so a family can sit together. I see families having to sit away from each other on flights all the time because people aren't willing to give up their seats. Everyone deserves a comfortable flight, but if where you're sitting doesn't matter much to you, this can be a truly good deed.
10. Offer to help carry groceries. If a mom or dad has her/his hands full (literally or figuratively), this can make a huge difference.
11. Make a homemade treat for a fellow mom or dad. Bring over a pie or some cookies to a friend or neighbor along with a note that says what a great parenting job they're doing.
12. Donate to parents/families in need. Make a donation to a charity that provides assistance for parents and their children who are homeless, have serious financial struggles, or are survivors of abuse.
13. Let a family cut in front of you in line. If you're out on a shopping trip alone and parents with young kids are standing behind you, offer them your spot in line. It's another simple act that can provide great relief.
14. Give your gently used baby or kid clothing to a fellow parent. Instead of selling clothing that your child has outgrown, offer to give them to a mom or dad who could use them for their child.
15. Smile. This one is so easy that it almost feel silly to suggest. But in reality, how many times do you walk quickly by strangers and make zero eye contact? I do it all the time. The next time you see a mom or dad in public, give them a genuine smile. Maybe even step it up and say hi. And notice how good it makes you feel when others do it to you as well.

I hope these random acts of kindness provide helpful ideas for those of you who, like me, are determined to spread support (and lessen judgment) among parents. You can download the high res printable PDF of this list, as seen in the photos above, right here. For even more inspiration in the quest of kindness, watch this amazing video for the Sisterhood of Motherhood (you'll laugh and probably cry too). And please share your own ideas for or experiences with acts of kindness in the comments. I'd love to continue to add to this list over time until it's a massive, comprehensive list of parental positivity and good deeds!

Similac partnered with bloggers such as me for its Sisterhood of Motherhood Program. As part of this program, I received compensation for my time. Similac believes that consumers and bloggers are free to form their own opinions and share them in their own words. Similac’s policies align with WOMMA Ethics Code, Federal Trade Commission (FTC) guidelines and social media engagement recommendations. Find Similac on Facebook here.  #SisterhoodUnite #ParentsFirst #sponsored

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GIVEAWAY // Win a $50 Gift Card to Bubby & Bean Art!

After a crazy holiday season, I took a little break from designing new pieces for the Bubby & Bean Art shop in order to give full attention to work for the blog and freelance gigs. Truthfully, I was also feeling a little burned out, and just couldn't find that spark of motivation to fit it into the small amount of free time I had. Then earlier this month, out of nowhere, I got a sudden burst of inspiration and spent several work days doing nothing but creating new card designs. I had so much fun, and it fueled my desire to devote more time to the shop in the coming months. So in celebration of this new collection of cards (we'll just call it the 'summer collection' since any excuse to celebrate summer is a good one in my eyes), I'm giving away $50 to spend on cards, or card sets, or art prints, or whatever you choose!

Use the form below, and/or, because the main methods of entering this giveaway (worth the most points) involve Instagram, you can also enter directly on IG, right here. There are several options for extra entries as well, both on this form and on Instagram (@bubbyandbean).

a Rafflecopter giveaway
UPDATE: The winner of this giveaway is minnibohemian. Congratulations! Please contact us at bubbyandbean @ gmail.com to collect your prize. Don't forget to enter our other giveaways, right here.

This giveaway will run through June 3, 2015 and is open to Bubby and Bean readers worldwide. All entries from the Rafflecopter form above and Instagram will be combined, and a winner will be randomly chosen via Random.org shortly after the end of the giveaway, then posted here and on IG. Thank you for being the best readers and customers in the world. Good luck!

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What I'm Wearing Now: May

1. Black Straw Islander Tote, TOMS  //  2. Floral Kimono (sadly, the one I've been wearing nonstop, which can be seen in this post just sold out; so I'm showcasing this similar floral beauty instead)  //  3. Anthem Tank, Madewell  //  4. Double Fringe Side Zip Boot, Minnetonka  //  5. Mossimo Bailey Footbed Sandals in White, Target  //  6. Denim Cut-offs (DIYed; way into this similar pair from Rag & Bone)  //  7. Border Print Wide Leg Soft Pants, Joe B  //  8. Girlfriend Jeans, H&M  //  9. Black Embroidered Dress (mine is several years old; this similar style dress is gorgeous)   

Finally, warm weather has arrived! As many of you know, I have a thing for summer clothes, and having to pack my cut-offs and gauzy dresses back up in April - after getting to wear them for two weeks in March while I was in Arizona - was practically tear-inducing. May isn't summer in Chicago by any means, but we've had enough days in the high 70s and low 80s recently to move my favorite pieces of clothing back to the front of the closet - pieces that I've showcased above for this month's edition of What I'm Wearing Now. (If you're a new reader, you can read more about the motivation behind why I started this series by checking out the past editions, right here.)

There has been a lot of light fabric layering happening this month, and although the weather has been more full-length jean appropriate, I have been able to bust out my beloved denim cut-off shorts on several occasions. Quite of few of the pieces I wore in Arizona in March are back on rotation as well, like the wide-legged pants (# 7) and the sort-of-Birkenstockish-but-much-cheaper Target white footbed sandals (#5).  My trusty denim jacket made lots of appearances as well, but I spared you guys putting it into the collage yet again this time around. And yes, once again, there is a kimono. I may be a little kimono obsessed these days (my husband calls me 'Mrs. Roper' despite repeated explanations of how they're not muumuus), but there honestly isn't any other garment I've found that can pull an outfit together while simultaneously being this comfortable. I have several of them, and they each get plenty of wear. I've also been carrying around this insanely gorgeous tote bag from TOMS almost everyday. It's beautiful and practical, and even better, it makes a difference - with every bag purchased, TOMS will help provide a safe birth for a mother and baby in need. Pretty awesome.


What type of clothing and accessory pieces have you been wearing most this month?

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DIY Simple Summer Gathering on a Budget (+ Giveaway from TIKI Brand!)

It's almost my favorite time of year. As my regular readers know, I am perpetually smitten with summer. I adore the sunshine-filled weather, the long days, the vibrant flowers and lush green trees, the fashion (give me all the flow-y dresses!) - pretty much everything about the season has my heart. And one of my most favorite things to do this time of year is to host summer get-togethers with friends.

Recently, I had plans to visit my sister in Indianapolis, and we decided to put together an intimate gathering with a few close friends to welcome summer while I was there. Like me, she has a small space (her patio) for backyard entertaining, so our goal was to spruce it up and add some ambiance without spending a lot of money. I ended up putting together a simple menu of summer-inspired snacks  that included cheese and fruit trays, chips and homemade salsa, a s'mores tray, lemonade and lemon water, homemade sangria, and fruity sodas on ice. For decor, we added a simple banner, some fresh cut flowers, some paper straws and flag drink stirrers (super easy to make; just wrap washi tape around wood skewers), a painted chalkboard sign, and some TIKI Brand torches and tabletop torches. We played music, talked for hours, and had a truly great time celebrating the season. And by focusing on doing things ourselves, we were able to save a lot of money while still creating a festive, colorful atmosphere.

With Memorial Day coming this weekend, I thought that this would be the perfect times to share some tips on how to create your own simple summer backyard gathering on a budget. These suggestions are based on things I've learned over the years with my own summer get-together planning, through trial error. (And after that, you'll have a chance to win some TIKI Brand products of your own!)

Keep the food simple and make it yourself. There's no need to have your summer party catered, especially if you're keeping things small. And hosting barbecues or dinners can be fun, but if you're looking to put together something budget-friendly and without a lot of hassle, stick to snacks and items that don't need to be cooked. Buy a couple of blocks of good cheese to slice, some crackers, some fresh fruit, chips, etc. If you have a fire pit or outdoor fireplace, create a fun DIY s'mores tray for a sweet treat after the sun goes down.

For decor, focus on color and ambience. Rather than spending a ton of money on elaborate decor or hiring someone to decorate, focus on a few key items that will make a statement and can be put together by you. For our gathering, we threw up a plain neutral banner, then incorporated color through the details: a bouquet of bright orange roses, a bowl of lemons, colorful fruit sodas, and some bright yellow paint on the frame of a $3 chalkboard for our 'Welcome Summer' sign. We also added several TIKI Brand torches (several Island King Large Flame Torches, a Geo Pattern Glowing Table Torch, and some Molded Glass Tabletop Torches), which transformed the space with a whole new look and feel in minutes. The flames remained rich and vibrant into the evening, and the Citronella Torch Fuel helped keep the mosquitoes away (bonus!).

Be your own DJ. My husband works in the music industry, and a lot of the summer gatherings we attend (even the smaller ones) have hired DJs, bands, or musicians. You can still have a great night of music (complete with spontaneous dance parties) without having to hire professionals. Create a party playlist on your phone in advance and let your friends choose the songs throughout the night. It's fun and it's free.

Work together. Team up with a friend or a family member and co-host. It's much easier to save money and DIY your food and decor when you have another set of hands to help create and another head to help come up with ideas. My sister and I put our gathering together last minute and on a serious budget, but by working as a team, it was incredibly easy and turned out beautifully.

Think small. I love big summer parties, but the amount of work and money involved to throw one makes them infinitely less appealing to me than more intimate gatherings. Inviting a few friends over for an informal get-together can be just as fun as hosting a big bash, and it's the perfect way to still be able to have fun decorating and preparing food without a big investment.

And now for the best part: one of you is going to win a TIKI Brand Glowing Tabletop Torch, a bottle of Citronella Torch Fuel, and a Snap & Pour Spout! To enter, just use the form below. Giveaway will run though noon on June 4th, and the winner will be announced shortly after.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

UPDATE: Congratulations Kayley Freshman-Caffre! You are the giveaway winner, and TIKI will be in touch with you about your prize.


Do you have any other tips for throwing DIY backyard summer gatherings? I'd love to hear them!

P.S. Check out TIKI Brand's new Spotify page. They have a bunch of cool playlists perfect for outdoor entertaining and relaxing!


Project assisted by Morgan Rainwater and Melanie Baswell. This post is in partnership with TIKI® Brand. All opinions are mine. Thank you for supporting Bubby and Bean by allowing us to post occasional sponsored content. 

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