Arizona Blogger Meetup...roll call!

 Alright, the date has been set!

Saturday, March 26th, 2011 in Phoenix, AZ

Kelsey, Chelsea, and I are all working on this together, and we are so excited to get the ball rolling. We've been emailing back and forth a lot in regards to plans and we're starting to really narrow it down to what the event will entail. As of now, we know there will definitely be a dinner party at a downtown Phoenix restaurant, and we are also working out the details for a fun, blog-centered daytime activity.

But first things first, we need to get a headcount so we can lock down a location and then start planning out the details.

Please comment below and let us know if you're planning on attending, and also if you'll be bringing anyone with you (significant other, etc.).  Be sure to leave your email address along with your comment too.

This is not an exclusive event- it's open to ALL bloggers, so if you have friends that don't read this blog, but would like to come, please reach out to them and direct them to this post. If you'd like to grab the photo above and post it on your blog to spread the word, that would be awesome too! Just be sure to point back here so we can have the initial RSVPs all in one place. From here, we'll solidify the plans and then send out invites via email with all of the details.  I really hope we have a great turn out, and I'm anticipating that we will! It's going to be tons of fun, and a fantastic way to meet new people and connect with other bloggers.

Can't wait to hear back!

xoxo

Friday links to love!

 {my thigh tattoos - Sweet Darlin'}

Before the weekend officially begins, here are some fun links to check out! Enjoy.

I definitely have to start out with this amazing news! Yay for two of my favorite ladies, Kelly Ann and Mandi. So happy for them...and all of FN!

Here's an awesome giveaway for those who'd like to expand their craftiness and get inspired.

Have a daughter? Why NPR says keeping little girls clean may make them sick.

You guys know how much I love monograms...well here's a fun twist: yarn-wrapped letters! I love it, and this would be perfect in a nursery or kid's room too.

Yay! This great show is coming back next week. Remember this? Adorable.

Lemon Meringue cupcakes. I want!

Custom-made clothing in Dubai? So fascinating. I love Caitlin's blog so much.

You guys. I am head over heels in love with this elopement shoot via one of my fave wedding blogs, The Loveliest Day.

I love these quick, kid-friendly (and husband-friendly!) breakfasts.

And keeping on the kid theme for a minute, I am so obsessed with this wall of books. Henry needs something just like this!

Check out these stunning wedding head pieces. Swoon!

Science Valentines. So awesome! The nerd in me is especially loving the Marie Curie and Stephen Hawking version.

More Valentines. "We go together like Bill Cosby and pudding pops." That one alone makes the entire link worth visiting.

I want, I need this wallpaper in my life, in our home.

Just started this book today and I am LOVING it, and will definitely be posting a book review at its conclusion. Hopefully it continues to stay so engaging; I already can't wait to see the film when I'm done!

Volkswagen and Darth Vader. All sorts of cute.

If only they made this little girl's Valentine's Day dress in my size.

And finally, my husband's band Hour of the Wolf has teamed up with Super 7 to present a super limited run of a toy/record combo that goes on sale tonight at 7pm Arizona time. Hank's ecstatic, and that's pretty awesome to me.

Happy weekend everyone!

Happy Friday!

Happy Friday from this handsome little smiling fella and his mama!  We hope you have a wonderful, magical weekend filled with love and laughter.

This weekend is my sister's bachelorette party, and although I'm skipping the night out on the town, I'm looking forward to taking my sister to get her makeup done at MAC beforehand, and then enjoying dinner with all the ladies. Sunday we're hosting a Super Bowl party at our house and I'm really excited to spend time with some of my favorite gals...and gentlemen too, although I'm sure they'll be preoccupied by the television and food! On the menu is a lot of typical "game day" stuff- various dips, veggies, chips and salsa, pigs in a blanket (both veggie and meat), enchiladas, and whatever else people bring over. I'm also going to be making some football themed cupcakes. Yum! I absolutely love having parties. Wish you all could come! ;)

A Slice of...Boston!

photo courtesy of http://grubstreet.com/

Hi there! My name is Cristin (check out my blog here) and I'm from Boston! I'm a born and raised Boston girl and haven't strayed. I love this city so much, it's so rich in history and culture.  I'm 32, newly married and I have an 8 year old son who's my best friend (we go together like Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum).  I love music, art, cooking, tattoos, familia, and my two devilish pugs. Currently I'm in nursing school, but was a high school art teacher for a few years prior to nursing. I would love to do forensic nursing and work for the Boston Police Department (fingers crossed)!



This is my husband Tom and me at our rehearsal dinner this past July at McGreevy's in Boston.

This is my son Chris and me at my wedding; he walked me down the aisle and stood by me. He is my lifeline!

Boston is an amazing place, hence the reason why I've never gone anywhere else. Boston was actually the first settlement of the British when arriving in North America.  Much like NYC, Boston has many sub-divisions or boroughs, and is surrounded by cities like Cambridge and Allston.  In this "Slice of" I'm going to incorporate those two places- even though they are their own cities I feel that these incorporate Boston as a whole.

The Rat - this is a staple of old Boston circa 1996  - where I developed my passion for music. At The Rat they had bands like Bikini Kill, Ramones, and a lot of punk acts...unfortunately it is no longer, but this place was much like CBGB's in NYC

A great place to see shows, bellydancing, and bands is at The Middle East in Cambridge. They have a lot of indie, punk, rockabilly, and underground hip hop acts and the food is really good as well!  This venue is in Central Square Cambridge, which is a very culturally diverse neighborhood and 5 minutes from Harvard Square and the heart of Boston.

a great kid - friendly day in boston would be:

...going to the New England Aquarium where they have so many seals and other sea animals- including sharks and an abundance of penguins!  Kids can pick up starfish and horseshoe crabs and view all different sea life; it's a great interactive place for the whole family. After that (and in walking distance) is Fanueil Hall which has a lot of shops and eateries but is a great place for kid entertainment as well (magicians and street performers).  Then a hop, skip, and jump away is Boston's North end, which is the Italian section that's filled with great pastries, pasta dinners, and cobblestone streets with a lot of history...including Paul Revere's house. Also check out Modern Pastry in the north end! Amazing cannolis!

A favorite place of mine to eat is The Friendly Toast in Cambridge. It's a retro 60's type establishment with all sorts of old paraphernalia and decorations from that time period!  Everything is that style, from the tables to the bar stools, with a bar featuring many retro cocktails. They have a unique menu that is delicious featuring many vegan and vegetarian options.

Castle Island in South Boston is one of my family's favorite summer night spots! We grab an ice cream from Sullivan's and sit at the harbor to watch the planes take off and land.  It's also a shipyard, so we watch the big tankers arrive and depart.  This is a dog friendly place so you will see a lot of dogs too. We bring our pugs and a kite and cherish the summer nights! A famous Boston author Michael Patrick McDonald was from South Boston and he wrote a memoir titled All Souls. If you ever have a chance, it tells a great story of South Boston aka "Southie."  My son goes to school in South Boston and it is a tight knit loving community!

One of my favorite bars is Bukowski's and they have about 99 beers on tap!  I love dark beer like stouts and porters and really enjoy discovering new flavors. I would love someday to brew my own; I watch the new 'Brewmasters' show on tv and love it!  My husband drinks fruity beers where as I love the "hair on your chest" kind of dark beer, kinda funny.  Bukowski's also has great food but be warned that their music is usually turned to the highest volume so it's not a great place if you want to have a good conversation.

Shopping, shopping, and more shopping! Okay, so here is the scoop- the best shopping is definitely Newbury Street and Harvard Square.  Newbury Street has everything from designer duds to Urban Outfitters and can be a little pricey, but is great to window shop and people watch! Harvard Square is more my style- thrifty meets record shopping, bookstores, vintage, coffee shops, tattoo parlors and piercing joints!  Harvard Square is my go to place to shop in Boston- so many unique stores and people.  Also, if you go to Harvard Square be sure to visit the Garment District, a consignment clothing store with many floors of great vintage and retro finds, including "dollar a pound" for as many clothes you can stuff in a garbage bag!

Last but not least, this is a must for everyone who visits or lives in Boston- the swan boats in Boston Public Garden. I started taking my son here when he was a baby and we still do it every year to this day.  The swan boats are a peddled boat (much like a bike but on water) that has a swan on the front.  The Boston Public Garden is famous for the book Make Way for Duckings- the children's story of the momma and baby ducklings who loved it in the public garden. It's a great story for little ones and I highly recommend it!

Well, that is all for Slice of Boston! I hope you enjoyed my city, she is beautiful! xx

To my sister, a month before you're to be married,

We've grown up together our entire lives, being each others playmate, confidant, best friend.  Our childhood was one in the same; our stories both began in the house in the woods, in a little town in New Jersey. Memories of bike rides up and down our long driveway, the green green grass, Friday pizza nights with TGIF on the television, exploring the woods in our backyard, the old white house and the back woods trails. So many games, TV tag and Marco Polo, playing airplane and house, you teetering out in Mom's high heels, making up dances to the old 45s in the record case. Dance and soccer and gymnastics and softball. You, three years younger, you the little sister, you always there, my beloved shadow, a mini-version, a littler me. But as we grew up you became your own person, no longer always wanting to be just like big sister, you figured out who you were, you found your own way. You became who you were always going to be. I am so thankful for those years we spent growing up together in that beautiful bubble- you were born when I was three, and when I went away to college, it marked the end of twelve years sharing clothes, laughs, secrets, and that sister language only we could understand. All of my fondest memories include you, and I feel fortunate that we are always creating new ones too; we still laugh, and play, and yes, even fight sometimes. You are a beautiful person, and throughout our lives, I've always been incredibly protective. I only want the best for you, and now that you are 26, an adult by all means, about to get married, I can say with a happy heart that you've absolutely found the best in your Abe.  My wish for you is that you continue to follow your heart and your dreams, and that you continue to be the firecracker of a girl you've always been. I hope marriage only continues to encourage your heart to grow in every which way possible. I believe that you and Abe are meant to be, and I am so happy that you have found that one person for you. Remember to love, and to have fun, and to never forget the feeling you have right now- so young and in love, about to embark on the greatest journey of your life. So, little sister, this is for you. A wish for love and happiness, a wish for your future to be a bright as your present. I love you.

Mama Said, V.1

Welcome to a new feature series here on Sometimes Sweet that will run through the next few months on Wednesdays, in addition to my regular posts for the day.  "Mama Said" is something very special to me, and when I thought about creating a special feature just for Moms, I went back and forth through a couple of ideas. Eventually I decided to follow through with the first idea that came to me- good, old-fashioned words of wisdom! Since becoming a new parent, I realize that although I had read all the books, and done all the research, it didn't help me as much as the advice I received from my fellow mama-friends that I knew and respected. And now, I find myself loving to hear about other parents' experiences and taking ideas and inspiration from everything I hear. We do things our own way, but it is always so nice to hear from other Moms on what works for them, and what doesn't. So, what better way to honor the Mothers in our community than by taking part in an exchange of experiences, ideas, and thoughts! Throughout the following weeks many Moms from our blogging world will be sharing bits and pieces of their own "Mommy wisdom" with all of us. Whether you are a Mom yourself or not, I hope you enjoy reading a bit more about what these women have learned in their time as parents! I'm so excited to finally share this little project with all of you, and I look forward to bringing you a diverse group of women over the next couple of months. We'll be hearing all sorts of words of wisdom, from the simple to the complex, the serious to the silly...so I hope you enjoy!

The very first featured mama is one of my favorite ladies- Jen, of Jenloveskev. 

Hi Everyone! It's Jen from Jenloveskev. I was honored when Danielle asked me to be a part of this special blog feature. I am new to this Mommy club.  My husband Kev and I welcomed our first baby into the world (9 days late) on September 12th 2010. Our daughter Rowan Winter is the most perfect and amazing little addition to our family. She instantly captured our hearts. I was a high school art teacher until the end of last school year. Now, I am a full time fashion and lifestyle blogger and stay at home mom. I love being creative on a daily basis with fashion, cooking, art or photography.

I can't help but sing the song "Mama said there'll be days like this, there'll be days like this my mama said..." I love that song. I thought a lot about what advice or wisdom I wanted to give to everyone and really it all came down to was this for me...

1. Stop taking people's advice. One of my close friends told me this when I was pregnant and I didn't quite understand when she told me but you will learn. Being pregnant and becoming a parent has got to be one of the most political things out there. Everyone will have an opinion about everything. It is very hard to not doubt everything you think is right. So listen to what everyone has to say but take it with a grain of salt. You will figure out what will be best for your family. This leads to me to number two...

2. TRUST YOURSELF! I think I really started to enjoy being a mom when I closed all the books and I stopped letting everyone's advice bother me and I just started living life with Rowan and Kev. I started to trust my instincts. I knew my family and I knew my daughter and ultimately I would make the best decision for them. No, I don't know all the answers and yes, I still ask questions but I feel good about coming to my own conclusions. If they are wrong then I learn from them and move on.  As a mom you are a lot stronger than you will give yourself credit for. Moms are superheros!!

3. Don't feel guilty for having bad days, for being tired or for having thoughts about how things are hard. I feel like our country has conditioned us to hide our feelings when we become parents. That we have to express that everything is sunshine and rainbows all the time. I love my daughter more than anything in life but that doesn't mean that it is easy. I think it is super important to find a friend who has gone through it all and who will be honest about the struggles and will lend an ear to you. It helps to feel like you are not alone. Being a parent the most challenging and rewarding thing in life and its nice to have a shoulder to cry on or someone to laugh with you over a similar situation.

Our second featured mama is the lovely, lovely Brandy from Baby Blackbird.

Our small, happy, little family of four is from Toronto, Canada. We do everything together, literally, I can count on one hand how many times I’ve been sans kids {but I wouldn’t change it for anything}. By default {my husband and kids really have no choice} we love style and clothes, I write a fashion blog for kids where I share my knowledge and love for kiddos and style. I love my little family more then words could ever describe, and am so very thankful everyday, to have found my wonderful husband, Chris and that I get to be a Mom to two amazing, and sweet littles. Our son Kingston is 2 years old and baby girl Harlow is 7 Months Old (8 months in 3 weeks).

1: Plan but don’t Expect: I know, it sounds so pointless and defeating. But without a daily plan {I usually either plan things out in my head or on my blackberry the night before}, I would have a hard time getting anything done. With kids the day sort of just fly’s by, if your not paying attention.
But along with every daily plan, I fully expect that it will fall through {the full day plan or just parts of it}, this way there is no disappointment, frustration, or feeling like we didn’t get anything accomplished. You just never know with kids, when someone; might get sick, starting teething, throw a giant tantrum, decide to skip their nap or have a mandatory bath poop!

2: Expect the Worst: Negative thinking? Not at all! I found/find that if you listen to other parents horror stories {and there is a lot out there!}. When you get to whatever the stage, wither it be giving birth itself, teething, the terrible twos, or the giant lack of sleep we Mom’s get. It’s usually {not always the case} not as bad as you expected {or heard}. Basically if you expect the worst, you’re usually over prepared, which can give you loads of confidence, and just have you feeling great.

3: Keep Calm: Kids can wind us up and spit us out if we let them. They have endless amounts of energy, especially when it comes to tantrums or grumpy times. Try your hardest {I have a hard time with this everyday} to stay calm. I find the more upset, stressed or frustrated I get, so does my toddler.  Which makes any situation SO much worse. During the most frustrating and crazy times, take a deep breath, and picture a shiny happy kid, falling asleep, and a nice glass of wine waiting for you after they are sawing logs. Even the crazy times are special with kids, even though in the moment you’re just wishing for it to be over!

And just a tiny, little extra piece of wisdom:

4: Keep Everything: Baby stuff is expensive. Don’t get rid of it! Pack up the clothes, and the plethora of plastic gear. Trust me you never know when a second, third or even fourth little joy might arrive! And you will kick yourself if you have to spend more money on gear you will only use for a short period of time.

Thank you SO much ladies for being part of the very first Mama Said feature! Until next week...

February Sponsor Giveaway

Hi everyone! This month I am so excited to bring you a whole handful of new sponsors! I had so many submissions for sponsorship this month that I had to push a lot of great shops to next month too, so get ready for a couple months of amazing new shops and people to meet. This time I allowed a few more than I normally include in the large sponsor area, so since I got a little crazy this month that means there are even more fantastic items in this month's giveaway! Awesome. Next month I will also be changing the look of these posts so they'll be a bit more aesthetically pleasing and easier on your feed.  This long post is a little much, so I'm REALLY excited to make both look and work a bit better.  Thanks for bearing with me as I figure it all out!

So, here's how this month will work:

Stop by each of the links/shops and check them out, then leave a comment that includes the following things:

1. your name
2. your email address

One winner will be drawn on February 21st!

For an additional entry, blog or tweet about this giveaway and leave another comment with your name, email, and that link.

Good luck...and thank you SO much to all of my wonderful, wonderful sponsors. 

1) I'm Amanda. I'm a working mother to a happy little toddler, Jackson. Wife to a loving husband, Jeremy. Culinary school grad & cupcake baker in the big city suburbs. I love my sweet little life.

http://helloprettyeyes.blogspot.com

Amanda is being featured but isn't giving anything away this time. :)

2) The CAPow! shop started out selling handmade wallets, but quickly transitioned over to photographic and fine art prints. About a year ago, inspiration struck for my most popular series while I was in a very unlikely place - the checkout line at Walmart. Soon after, the Hometown Hearts series became a reality and there is no turning back now!

http://www.etsy.com/shop/capow

Giveaway items: Any combination of prints up to a value of $30

  

3) Hi there, I'm Heather-- a professional ballet dancer, L.A. lady, crafter, wife and fun-loving gal!  My blog, Lilac and Lace, is a place where I share my love of dance, life with my boy and beautiful things that take my fancy.  My etsy shop, Red Ribbon Fox, features handmade hair accessories and fun and frilly tutus for little ones (often inspired by my favorite ballets.)  I like the color of eggplant, making short films and discovering new artists.

http://lilaclace.blogspot.com/

giveaway item: Some Enchanted Evening Flower Hair Comb from my shop, Red Ribbon Fox.

4)  Opal is a fun store full of vintage and gently used goodies. Kitschy and retro home decor, vintage dresses, tops and accessories, lots of beautiful vintage baby and toddler clothes and everything in between! Handpicked pieces at an affordable price - follow on Twitter and Facebook for shop updates, sales and more. Thanks for stopping by!

http://opal.bigcartel.com/

giveaway item: $25 credit to the shop!

5) "A Beautiful Journey" is a blog about a girl who is a photographer and a young momma who loves her husband and all things vintage. life is best shown through photographs and words, so this is a tiny glimpse of my life. i want to live each day to it's fullest because this life really is a beautiful journey.

http://beautifuljourneyblog.com

giveaway item: i am giving away a lovely antique/vintage brass necklace from "oh hello friend". enjoy!

6) Moon and Sable jewelry is handmade and assembled from a tiny apartment in San Francisco. I search up and down for unique and vintage stock to make these items.  I like to create items that are intended for good luck, holding memories, and mystical. I hope you enjoy!

http://www.etsy.com/shop/moonandsable

giveaway item: Triangle glass locket, it's a locket that hangs low about 28 inches. The locket itself is 2 inches and you can place any tiny keepsake in it. I like to place one itty bitty feather in it.

 

7) At Yes and Yes, we believe that yes is more fun than no!  We want to see the world, save the dolphins while reading good books, wearing cute outfits and eating bon bons. Yes and Yes includes includes interviews, how-tos, style, design, pop culture, travel, advice - and sometimes pictures of cats in vests.

www.yesandyes.org

giveaway item: 2011 'Year In Yes' Calendar

8) My name is Shannon and I am a photographer based out of beautiful Phoenix, AZ. I photograph weddings, babies, families, couples, you name it! I also make custom invitations and announcements and will be giving away a custom set of 20!

http://shayworleyphotography.blogspot.com

http://www.etsy.com/shop/shayworley

Giveaway items: set of 20 custom invitations/announcements

9) Hello again, I’m Malori from Sunday Morning Sugar and Jacques & Jill.  I’m so excited to be back this month supporting Sometimes Sweet.  Over on my blog you’ll find lots of great food (both homemade and otherwise), fashion, crafty fun, and stories from the life of a college student living in Chicago.  My life might not always be glamorous but my blog is sure to bring a little sunshine to your day.

http://sundaymorningsugar.blogspot.com

giveaway item: I’m on a big Chicago kick right now so the winner of the giveaway will receive a little “I Love Chicago” gift box full of goodies from the best city around.

10) I'm Tif Blue; a wife, mom, and lover of all things crafty! In between bed-time stories and home-work, I'm rolling out clay or designing custom jewelry for my etsy shop, Peach Treats. I create custom one-of-a-kind polymer earrings for stretched lobes. (and for you fakers too!)


http://www.etsy.com/shop/tifthapeach

giveaway item: One pair of faux malichite hoops in any gauge size, including fakers!

 

11) My shop, The Little Illustrator, is full of fun, cute, and quirky art for the young and old alike!!  I have fun finding inspiration and creating my art and with two babies under 2 running around, I most definitely have plenty of inspiration =)

http://www.etsy.com/shop/jenzet

Giveaway items-  2 prints of winners choice!



12) Hello- this is Lisa from Lisa B. (the "B" stands for Beth) in case you were ever wondering. My little blog is about my life with Mr. Miller, raising our two short people Collin and Violet and our crazy boston terrier Ollie. As a full time mom and master stylist, I'm always trying to find the balance of it all.

http://lisabmiller.blogspot.com

  

giveaway items: some of my favorite products we carry at the salon. It retails at over $75. I hope you enjoy!

13) I'm Rachel. 25 year old city girl/craft enthusiast with a love for photography, design, and fabric!  Life in a dreamboat is the documentation of my inspirations, ideas, and everything that makes me smile.

http://rachlyon.blogspot.com

http://www.etsy.com/shop/dreamboatdesigns

Giveaway item: feather hair clip

14) Hello. Two important take-aways about me: my name is Ali Shaye and I love to crochet! Because of this, I am well-known throughout the crocheting community as “Ali-Croshaye.” LOL. Pretty cool, huh? So a little bit of information about me. First bit… I am a young one. I voted for the first time this year. Can you guess my age? Second bit…. I attend college, majoring in computer science. My Mom calls me a digital native because I’ve always had some type of techno gadget in my hand ever since I was a baby. Third bit…. I love animals and children, although not always in that particular order. The two seem to go hand in hand with both providing unconditional love. Fourth bit…I have gone five months without banging up my car. Fingers crossed, knock on wood, etc. And the last bit…. I love to croshaye!! So that brings us to a full circle. Harmony.

Website: www.alicroshaye.com
Etsy: www.alicroshaye.etsy.com

 

Giveaway item: Pale Green Circle Earrings