Maple & Shade Giveaway

Good morning! Just saw that Hannah (who created my logo, business cards, website, etc.) is doing a giveaway for a free business card design. What an amazing prize! Just thought I'd share in case anyone is in need. Here are the details:

{mapleandshade.blogspot.com}

Dear maple and shaders,

In honor of my 100th follower i've decided to host a nifty little giveaway. Yes, if you're interested, you can sign up to win a custom business card designed by moi. Business card, calling card, "mom of..." card, whatever you want to call it, whatever you want on it, I will do it.

So, in order to win, you must:

-leave a comment under this post telling me why you need and or want a biz card (for one entry)
-sign up to be a follower and tell me that you've done so in your comment (for two entries)
-spread the word by posting about my giveaway on your blog and include a link to that post in your comment (for three entries)


{giveaway will close Wednesday August 4th at midnight}


best of luck!
winner will be announced Thursday August 5th.

Cruisin...

My husband and I just got back from a weekend trip to Jacksonville or as they say, JAX. He had to go for work and I went for relaxation... It's been a long time since my feet have hit the sand and it felt good. We actually stayed in Atlantic Beach which was a cute, clean, quaint little beach town that made me craze some beach living. Everyone rides around on adorable cruisers, equipped with koozies and speakers. What more could you want???

Office Redecoration

{Christian Louboutin T Dorcet}

{Christian Louboutin Anemone Bow}

I'm in need of some inspiration for my office. Working from home can often be hard with so many distractions, whether it's resisting playing with my puppy Teddy or perusing online shops, distraction often wins me over. Therefore, I am trying to make my office more of a sanctuary of sorts so that I'll want to spend more time in there, "working". One thing my office is screaming for is art for the walls. I came across Anna See's Etsy shop a while ago and I think her designer shoe prints would be the perfect addition for my office. She has an amazing Christian Louboutin Anemone Bow shoe print that would look absolutely divine in my space. So when I'm working hard in my office, I can look up at these prints and remember what I'm working towards... beautiful shoes :) Any office redecorating ideas?

Fall Wedges

Amidst this sweltering heat, I am already dreaming of fall. The cool air, autumn leaves and of course, cardigans. Usually I'm biting at the bit to buy a few new fall pieces of clothing but something else has caught my eye... J Crew's MacAlister Wedge Boots. I'm not usually a "bootie" person but for some reason these just feel right.... perfect with skinny jeans or a fall dress...

PAC-Organization Must Have

My Mother in Law always always seems to find the best organizational tools. Her latest find is the PAC, Portable Accessory Carryall. At first site, it looks like nothing more than a mesh tote but it is so much more. Personally, I keep it in the trunk of my car to keep things organized and not have it look like a tornado passed through. The PAC is perfect for keeping your groceries upright and bringing them inside the house in one trip. Also perfect for bringing your dry cleaning to the cleaners or keeping your kids' car toys contained. This carryall is amazingly strong and sturdy and is bound to keep you more organized, whether you're trying or not. Additionally, it folds up into a tiny square so when it's not in use, you can keep it tucked away and out of sight.

Project Mom

Hope everyone had a great weekend! Sorry for my lack of posting--things have been a bit crazy... Last week however, I had the opportunity to attend a Preggo Party, hosted by Allison at Project Mom. What an amazing idea! Allison has started a blog, offering "tips, tricks & truths for first time moms". She not only gives great advice but also offers the real deal for what a new mom should expect, even the dirty, scary details. The Preggo Party took place at Decadent Designs in Roswell and shared everything from information for the pregnant ladies to giveaways from local resources for the new Moms. If you know anyone expecting, definitely have them take a look at Allison's site!

True Love.

What a weekend! We had a great trip to visit my in-laws this past weekend and ate enough to last us for the week. Always nice to be taken care of every once in a while...

Also, our best friends, Theresa and David got engaged this weekend and we couldn't be happier for them. This was no ordinary engagement either. David surprised Theresa with a weekend trip to NYC to see a broadway play. He took her to the John Lennon memorial in Central Park and asked another tourist to take their picture. At that moment, he got down on one knee and popped the big question. You can see this moment below. LOVE this picture! Hope this reminds you of a special moment you've had with a loved one. :)

Fresh Sugar Plum Lips

While I've always been partial to Rosebud Salve for lip relief, I've recently encountered a new lip love. Fresh's Sugar Plum Tinted Lip Treatment, exclusively available at Sephora. Not only are your lips left feeling moisturized, but it also leaves a very subtle natural plum color. I cannot even explain the perfection of this product or the other Fresh Sugar lip products. Fresh also makes this lip treatment in natural and Rose' (a very subtle pink). Additionally, it has SPF 15, perfect for these brutal, sunny summer months!

Bargain Babe

While waiting at the dentist office for an incredibly painful cleaning (my own fault--I'm a bad flosser), I ran across an article in Better Homes and Gardens about saving and making money. They listed a ton of great ideas but the best was BargainBabe.com. Julia shares her finds on the simple ways to save a little bit of money here and there in ordinary places. From coupon codes to sale alerts, Bargain Babe is bound to help you save money.

Last week's post featured a website, CoupReCoup.com which helps you sell your unused Groupons. While Groupons are great, every once in a while you experience a little buyers' remorse because you just couldn't resist a "good deal" that day. You are able to name your asking price and the listing remains until the Groupon expires. AMAZING! Thanks for the tip BargainBabe.com!

What's the best Groupon you've bought?

Snail Mail

I apologize for my lack of posting lately! Things have been a bit crazy and I've been a bad blogger...

Anyhow, I've always been old fashioned in the sense that I still enjoy receiving and sending mail via the USPS. There's nothing better than going to your mailbox and finding a handwritten letter from a good friend, especially in some beautiful stationary! It's crazy to think with all the forms of communication these days, cell phones, email, facebook, etc. that there would be anything left to say in a handwritten letter but sometimes this is the best way to really let someone know how much you care about them or that you're thinking of them. A few paper sources have caught my eye lately, one being Dabney Lee who has an amazing line of paper products and other cute gift items. She has some amazing patterns and fonts for you to choose from:

{Dabney Lee}

Hopefully this will inspire you to send a handwritten note to someone you have been meaning to catch up with!