Brynn's Babbles

2012-02-07T16:05:00.003-06:00

If your house is anything like mine, it was built in the 90's and has an extremely small kitchen, with little cabinetry.

I have a few solutions that have worked for our family of 5. Our house is about 1,000 square feet upstairs and the same downstairs. However the basement is now partially finished. When we bought the house 6 years ago, we only had one child and the basement was completely UN-finished. It's a tight squeeze with us 5 since we are living mostly up-stairs.

Behind the front door was a coat closet. We desperately needed more kitchen storage and that coat closet was the solution to our storage problem. My husband {luckily} is VERY handy and can built, break, design and fashion just about anything.

We removed the hanging bar and installed shelving from Home Depot. This was an amazing storage space that allowed us to store cans, large dishes and bulk items. Even the Dyson fits in!

Don't judge though, we haven't finished any wood trim in our up-stairs including the door frames. AND the pantry door. The door is in the garage. Maybe my neighbor will come hang it for me? Sorry, I got excited and sidetracked there momentarily! And that ugly floor in the pantry was the UGLY laminate that used to be our kitchen. My husband fixed that problem too ;0)

The pantry soon become a mess and we needed more space.

Enter the OLD yucky, ugly, BROWN dresser.

I envisioned a buffet that was chic, kid friendly but also solved our storage, ah-uh, situation. I found the dresser on craig's list for $20. It was sanded, primed and SPRAY painted in a glossy white. I wanted the top of the dresser to be durable and chic. I thought if I just left it painted or wallpapered it, the kids would have the top tore up in a matter of days.

A genius light bulb lit up and I knew I wanted a mirror on the top of the dresser.

I thought about trying to find a used mirror and cut it myself, but then I quickly decided since I just got health insurance that I didn't want to meet my deductible from breaking the used mirror and needing 37 stitches...A better plan formed.

I called my local glass shop and they quoted me over the phone for a 17x50 inch piece of machined mirror. Um, hello - yes please.

I ordered it yesterday and picked it up today at noon!!

The hard ware is from Home Depot too. I found a 10 pack of handles for $19.95 and the 4 round knobs were $0.98 each. YES, I KNOW I still need 4 more knobs. But doesn't it just look awesome? On the right side of the buffet we screwed in a 2 prong hook that I use to hang 2 pots. Brilliant - right?

I had a peacock feather stencil that I used to stencil the drawers in a random manner. I thought about making more feathers in other colors, but then this piece would loose it's simplicity. Viola' a beautiful USEFUL piece of furniture.

Happy up-cycling!

The Spoon Theory written by Christine Miserandino

2012-01-10T17:30:00.000-06:00

Please take a moment to read this. Read this for anyone you know who has an unseen illness. I hope you'll understand what its like to be me.

The Spoon Theory written by Christine Miserandino

Friday Finds - Take my breath away

2011-11-11T00:54:00.000-06:00

Here are a few of our finds that take your breath away!

Which one is your new favorite?

Raspberry Fascinator by jessicabissell

Warm & Cool Fine art print by Deirdre

Wedding Clutch & Shoes by Norakaren

Tree Bracelet Cuff Pink Cherry Blossom by TaylorsEclectic

Antique Dragonfly Brooch by adinantiquejewellery

Thursday Trials

2011-11-10T10:22:00.000-06:00

Each Thursday we plan to bring you a trial or tribulation and words of encouragement. We are strong believers in Christ, so expect to see some words from the Holy Bible!

Our first topic is grief. Almost everyone has experiences some form of grief.
The noun Grief defined by Merriam-Webster dictionary is :
a : deep and poignant distress caused by or as if by bereavement
b : a cause of such suffering
c: annoying or playful criticism (getting grief from his friends)

What grief have you encountered? How did you deal with it? Counseling, Church groups, or have you dealt with it?

My closest grandparent, Rose recently passed at the age of 81. Some of my most loved childhood memories included Rose. She always made chocolate pudding on the stove top. Usually it was burned, but we ate it just the same. Neapolitan ice cream was always in the freezer and strawberry pop was chilled in the fridge. I can still smell her sweet scent of lotion and lipstick. I feel her warmth, holding her hand - feeling her touch. And I remember the last words she was able to say to me, "Nighty night. Love you."

From the night she spoke those last words to me, I knew it would only be days before she passed on. I thought I was prepared for her passing since this wasn't the first time I had lost a loved one in hospice care.

July 7th was her celebration of life ceremony. I wanted to honor her at this celebration, but I couldn't imagine that anything I did would be 'enough'. Rose was an amazing woman. Rose's bible was marked at Psalms 23 with the following meditation which had been clipped from a magazine or newspaper article.

“He leadeth me beside the still waters.” Psalms 23:2

Peace of mind! In all the world there is probably nothing more sought after than an unburdened, tranquil mind. Sometimes we get to thinking that peace of mind depends upon circumstances. But there is peace of mind in the midst of battle, while others cannot find peace in a walled garden. What is outside of us may make it easier to learn to be at peace – but peace I difficult times as well as easy times. It is not a lucky accident, nor is it a result of good fortune. Those who have peace of mind can meet good fortune profitably, and misfortunate unprofitably. Peace is an inward state, not an outward state.

Turn away from the confusion and noise of the world. Draw apart and commune with the Lord of your being, ‘besides still waters of the infinite sphere of god, you can find the inner strength and the wisdom to meet all the issues of life happily and efficiently. In the stillness of prayer, you can site ‘beside the still waters’ and drink deeply of the waters of life which quench your thirst, feed your hunger, satisfy the longing of your soul.

True peace comes from seeking less for ourselves and in seeking more for the love of other persons. The pursuit of peace is really the search for selflessness.

In the stillness of prayer you will find renewal and rest. Peace is yours, strength is yours, power is yours, love is yours – for you rest always in the arms of your Father, the source of all good things.

I read the bible verse and the meditation flawlessly to the packed sanctuary with my oldest daughter by my side. But as I closed her Bible I was overwhelmed with grief. I couldn't help but ugly cry. Yep, I ugly cried infront of hundreds. So I simply stated that "Rose was so many things and if you are struggling with her death please know that she would ask you to pray to the Lord. Please pray with me." And during that prayer my heart ached so much so that I wanted to fall to my knees and sob - but I didn't. Instead I offered this advice, When you are over come with grief, pray to the Lord. Ask Him to lift your burdens and bless you. Let him guide you through the grief and carry you during your struggles. When you miss your loved one, just pray and they will hear you.

Following the celebration I needed to be alone to sob and really accept Rose's death. I left AJ with my parents to attend the lucheon. For me, seeing the deceased is a familiar closure. Somehow seeing the urn or the casket makes it real. Instead, when I read from Rose's bible, that made it real.

Rose donated her earthly body to UNMC for medical research. There was no body, no ashes, nothing physical to grief over. Instead a very large photo stood in place of a casket and I held her bible.

So taking my own advice to cope with the grief of loosing Rose, I pray often. I share memories at each opportunity that comes my way.

Sharing her meditation passage is my way of telling you, 'everythings gonna be okay!'

Wordless Wednesday - {mom, I heart you}

2011-11-09T00:15:00.000-06:00

Tidbit Tuesday - Jenn's Famous Meatballs

2011-11-08T00:51:00.000-06:00

Each Tuesday we plan to bring a lil' tidbit to you via an awesome recipe or a tip to make life a lil' bit easier.

Our first Tidbit is titled Jenn's Famous Meatballs

(well, according to Jenn's family anyway.)

Set oven to 350 degrees first.
Next make the meatballs.
While the meatballs cook, make the sauce.

READY? Here ya go!

What you need for the Meatballs:

2 lbs beef

2 tps Worcestershire sauce

1 package of dry Onion soup mix

1/2 cup of milk

Sauce ingredients:

-place sauce ingredients in the crock pot on low

2 cups ketchup

1 cup brown sugar

1 tsp pepper

Optional - 1 tsp onion flakes

-1 tsp rosemary

In a large bowl, mix beef with worcestershire sauce, onion soup mix and milk. Season with pepper if desired.

Scoop meat into 2 inch balls. I use an ice cream scooper and it works like a dream!
Please balls into an un-greased pan (9x11 pan. You may have to use an additional loaf pan depending on the size of the balls)

Bake balls for 20 mins. Drain grease & add balls to the crockpot sauce. Cover. Cook on med-high for 2-2.5 hours until fully cooked. Stir occasionally to avoid burning balls. {Yes, that does sound weird when read out loud!}

Enjoy with mashed potatoes, (or other veggies) add a healthy fruit, like our favorite are PEARS, and a side salad. That's a complete meal with little prep time!

Use leftovers on a sandwich or on a salad. Isn't this easy? Most homes have these simple ingredients too.

Tell us are you excited to try Jenn's famouse meatballs? Did your family love them?

Must have on a Monday

2011-11-07T00:21:00.000-06:00

Good Morning!

Grab your coffee and get cozy as we begin our new series of Must have on a Monday. We plan to feature items that are relevant, cool & of course, a MUST HAVE on each Monday morning.

If you find a Must have on a Monday item, please share it with us and we may feature it!

Without further delay, we present our very first Must have on a Monday!

We {Heart} our Army 3" pinwheel bow

Green Camo Pacifier Clip

Show your support this Marines & Veterans' Days with this fine handmade items!

Ready to SHIP!

Friday Finds...ooh ahhh!

2011-11-04T09:35:00.000-05:00

It's time to start a new friday post favorite; Friday Finds!

I hope you will love these finds as much as I do.

By Bellehibou The Little Baker Necklace

Bohemian Gypsy Chic Leather Cuff by Rainwheel

Holiday Santa Grinch Dog Collar by BiscutandGravy

Peacock Feather TOMS by blakebarash

Black Damask on Hot Pink Small Clutch by Gracefulcrafts

Genius Periodic Table 11oz Coffee Mug by Periodicallyinspired

Which is your favorite?

Could you see these as gifts to give? I sure can!

Find me if you can!

2011-11-03T11:13:00.000-05:00

Over the last 6 weeks we've been working diligently to partner with local businesses.

We have successfully made it over the first hurdle!

Find Brynn's Beautiful Bows at the following retail stores.

Hallow Candle Co.

Nebraska at the Market

Haute Hair Studio

Courtney Clegg - Hairstylist

Circle Me

Wee Cycle - Lincoln

Our brand of super hero capes, Mighty Capes, is also found at

Nebraska at the Market & Wee Cycle - Lincoln.

What store in your town should carry our accessories?

Wordless Wednesday - My family

2011-11-02T23:01:00.001-05:00

Wordless Wednesday - Calling All Pink Sock Monkies!

2011-10-05T09:34:00.000-05:00

Wordless Wednesday - I miss you like a fire that burns blue...

2011-09-28T11:28:00.000-05:00

Such a selfless act as donating your earthly body to science should be recognized and replicated.

Simply, you are amazing.

I {heart you}

p.s. Gavin often asks to talk to you when we talk to Jesus, but I'm sure you already knew this. You've heard us. I still feel your warmth.

Fall Fashion Show

2011-09-21T07:55:00.000-05:00

Haute Hair Studio and Spa

570 Fallbrook blvd Suite#112

Lincoln, NE

Fashion Show

Thursday October 29th 6-9pm

Fashion will be provided by Blu Velvet

Hair will be done by Haute Hair Salon Featuring Courtney Clegg

RSVP to the Fashon Show

We will have appetizers & drinks

come out and support us!

The Fallbrook Farmer's Market is this night from 4-8pm

Blu Velvet

C ourtney Clegg Hairstylst

Wordless Wednesday - Husker Game Days in Lincoln Nebraska

2011-09-20T11:26:00.003-05:00

Blog Blast Mini Easy Rafflecopter entry Win $50 CASH

2011-09-19T10:00:00.009-05:00

The giveaway is open Worldwide
One winner will take home $50 Cash paid via PayPal
Entrants can do as many (or as few) entries as they'd like!
The giveaway ends at 12:01 AM EST on Tuesday October 4.

Win $10 to Brynn's Beautiful Bows shop

2011-09-18T10:22:00.000-05:00

Win $10 bucks to our shop on Etsy!

Check out the Review & giveaway at Mommy of 1 & counting

Schedule your holiday appointments now!

2011-09-17T11:39:00.000-05:00

Courtney Clegg-Hairstylist Holiday Hair

Holiday hair appointments are filling up fast, so get yours booked today!

Courtney has feathers in stock too so what are you waiting for?

Here is a little bit more about Courtney's training:

I have been professionally doing hair since December of 2004. I absolutely love what I do. I specialize in hair color design, haircuts, and special occasion styles. I also do facial waxing.

I have attended Redken Academy in New York, Aquage Academy in Chicago, and a lot of continuing education around the area. I strive on learning new things to teach my clients.

Find Courtney at Haute Hair Studio
570 Fallbrook Blvd suite#112, Lincoln, NE 68521

Or call her today 402-416-6856

Preview ~ Blog Blast MINI- Get Set to win $50 CASH!

2011-09-17T04:35:00.001-05:00

The giveaway is open Worldwide
One winner will take home $50 Cash paid via PayPal
Entrants can do as many (or as few) entries as they'd like!
But with just 10 links, it'll be easy to get all 10 entries!
The giveaway begins September 19 & ends at 12:01 AM EST October 4.

Hope you can join us for this easy to enter giveaway to win cash!

Munchkin sized Mighty Capes

2011-09-16T09:19:00.000-05:00

(Gavin age 4)

Introducing our Munchkin Mighty Capes!!

* 22 inch in length

* velcro neck closure

*Shipped via USPS priority mail

Munchkin Mighty capes can be ordered from our

* Economy Cape line, which is one sided

* Elite Cape line, which is reversible

Check out the Initial Letters in glitter

We'd be happy to make the initial in a solid color

or in any color glitter!

(Brynn age 23 months)

Munchkin Mighty Capes are intended for kiddos ages 2-6.

These capes are the perfect length and have velcro for the neck closure so they can 'do it' themselves!

HOW TO CARE FOR A MIGHTY CAPE:

Machine wash cold / warm on gentle

Or hand wash.

Hang to dry or lay flat.

Blue Angels

2011-09-15T00:30:00.000-05:00

My very dear friend Nicole invited my family to hang out on the air force base on 9/10/11 to watch the Blue Angels Air Show.

How cool are the Blue Angels to hang out in Lincoln Nebraska on the 10th anniversary weekend of 9/11!?

(AJ seeking shade under her umbrella)

I feel very fortunate that we were on base with the military families of the
Army men who are serving in Afghanistan right now.

(Gavin & Brynn eating a snack before the show started)

(This gianormous plane landed on base right in front of us)

(Black Hawk Helicopter started the engine, but didn't lift off)

Amara (9mo-Nicole's daughter) with AJ at the Air Show.

Gavin with ear plugs!

The service men & women on base grilled hot dogs and hamburgers for us!

Each family brought a side dish.

I stayed up until 11:30 the night prior to make the yummy cupcakes that were pictured at the top! Jason made a hash brown casserole.

The gummy worm fudge cupcakes were a hit with everyone!

Brynn thought the loud planes were scary, but really cool. She even told me all about them (in her baby babble language) and she added the air plane motion with her arms too. Sound effects were standard!

Our friend Riley had a great time with us too. The kids made him comfortable with AJ's umbrella and Brynn's blanket...Yes Riley, this picture is AWESOME!

It didn't take long to ditch the sippy cup and shoes. We had a ton of room to roam without having to 'watch' the kids.

We heard from friends that the public viewing area was crowded, hot and noisy! Thanks Nicole for treating us to this 'oasis'.

AJ & Brynn inside the hanger. They loved to see this plane up close.

AJ was so ready to be done with the air show by 3:30.

I provided the shade and she got comfy on a blanket on the grass.

But the Blue Angels hadn't performed yet, so we couldn't leave!

Protective ear muffs/ear plugs were a must being this close to the LOUD Blue Angel airplanes.

4 of the 6 planes fly in a tight formation

After 6 hours on the air base we were hot, tired and ready for a nap. This is a wonderful memory making day for our family.

It was a cool experience that we hope to repeat when Daniel gets back home from Afghanistan.

Until then, we pray for his safety. We pray for Nicole & their 2 kids that they are okay & united while he's serving our country. And we pray. We give thanks - our immense gratitude - to all of the service men & women who are so vital to our United States of America.

Daniel is a commander & medavac helicopter pilot.

This is his second tour.

Our prayers are that he makes it home for Christmas 2011, instead of extending his service to 2012.

Wordless Wednesday

2011-09-13T21:59:00.000-05:00

When I turn my back for like 5 seconds, peanuts magically explode everywhere.

Gavin learns to vacuum. He's a good 'nut' wrangler...

CouponCabin’s 25 Crazy Dayz of Giveawayz Event! November 1-25! Sign up TODAY!

2011-09-10T16:14:00.002-05:00

We’ve got an upcoming giveaway hop that’s going to KNOCK your socks off! CouponCabin’s 25 Crazy Dayz of Giveawayz is hosted by Simply Stacie, Makobi Scribe and Sassy Mama in LA and sponsored by CouponCabin.com, a leading online destination for coupons including coupon codes, printables, grocery coupons and more.

You won’t believe the AMAZING prizes that CouponCabin will be giving to readers who enter the giveaway:

Grand Prize: MacBook Air (11-inch, 128GB; ARV $1,199)

First Runner Up: iPad2 (16GB, with Wi-Fi +3G; ARV $629)

Second Runner Up: $250 VISA Gift Card

Other Prizes: $100 VISA Gift Cards will be given out to four (4) additional winners

And here’s the BEST part… CouponCabin will ALSO be giving away the same awesome prizes to bloggers who participate in the giveaway hop:

The blogger who refers the most readers to the giveaway will win a MacBook Air!

The blogger who refers the 2nd most readers to the giveaway will win an iPad2!

The blogger who refers the 3rd most readers to the giveaway will win a $250 Visa Gift Card!

Total Value of Prizes: $4,300!!

But WAIT. There’s more. Yes, It gets EVEN BETTER!!

Not only will each blogger who joins be eligible for the Blogger Prizes, they will also receive one (1) $20 Target Gift Card for every blog they refer who registers to participate in the event. Please note you cannot refer yourself, so say that Brynn's Beautiful Bows referred you!

We told you this was CRAZY!!

The main giveaway for these fantastic prizes will be held on the three host blogs and we will also feature a linky so that readers can hop to enter all the other giveaways on participating blogs. Reader entries will start on November 1st and go through November 25th.

Sign-up now (below) to secure your spot!

How to Participate:
Sign up on the form HERE (and say that Brynn's Beautiful Bows referred you, please!) and send a $5 administrative fee via Paypal to SassyScorpYM@gmail.com

When:
November 1 at 12:01 am EST to November 25, 2011 at 11:59 pm EST. The winner will be announced during a live event on Twitter on November 28th. Further details will follow at a later date.

Requirements for participating blogs:

Have a giveaway specifically for this event and cannot start before start time, or end before specified end time

Minimum prize/pack value of $25

Display the event button in your post so hoppers can easily identify it

Display the linky in your post to encourage hopping

Comply with proper disclosures, no entries that violate Facebook policies (i.e. requiring comments on walls), must follow FTC guidelines (no extras for making purchases, etc.)

Sign up for CouponCabin’s Blogger Email Newsletter. They will send you top coupons, promotion and giveaway announcements geared specifically for bloggers. There is no cost to joining their newsletter. By providing your email address at sign up, you will be automatically enrolled.

Since this event is sponsored by CouponCabin, we ask that your giveaway sponsor for this specific event not be in direct competition with them (ie. another coupon website).

Only bloggers who are participating in CouponCabin’s 25 Crazy Dayz of Giveawayz are eligible for the Blogger prizes (Macbook Air, iPad2 and VISA Gift Cards).

The Blogger & Reader Prizes will be open to both US & Canada.
What does all this mean for you?

A great deal of traffic to your blog, opportunities to network with other bloggers and eligibility to win the Blogger prizes! Plus it will be lots of fun!
Want to take part in CouponCabin’s 25 Crazy Dayz of Giveawayz Hop?

Sign ups are now open! Please fill out the form (and say that Brynn's Beautiful Bows referred you, please!) and submit your administrative fee of $5 to SassyScorpYM@gmail.com We will email you within 24 hours to confirm your participation. Then please spread the word and tell others about this amazing hop and to say that YOU referred them!!

Hair Candy with Courtney Clegg - Hairstylist

2011-09-09T14:36:00.001-05:00

Courtney Clegg

Hairstylist
Extraordinaire

I met Courtney Clegg- Hairstylist while at the Fallbrook Farmer's Market. It was a HOT, melt your make up, kind of day. She grabbed my business card and the rest is history...here's how the story it goes!

Haute Hair Studio is located in the Fallbrook Town Square. It's tucked away on the East corner of the square. The studio has large front windows, plenty of seating in the waiting area and room for manis/pedis and hair chairs galore! Courtney has a chair right up front where you have the best view!

We had coffee for the first time at Toast, a rustic/vintage, but hip feeling joint that is located around the corner from her Haute Hair Studio.
Here is where a beautiful business/friendship was created.

(Yes I'm getting a little cheesy here, but I'm allowed to!)

We exchanged business marketing materials and ideas about how to promote one another. If you made a purchase from Brynn's boutique in the last 2 months, you've seen Courtney's coupon to save on your first visit with her! 20% off - that's an excellent deal when it comes to letting a pro like Courtney touch your hair!

This coupon is still good - just let her know that Brynn's boutique sent you!

You know you love me because I'm helping ya save $$$! *wink wink* Mauh- back at ya!

Recently Courtney got grizzly feathers in, and we couldn't wait to try them!

AJ worked very hard this summer at her Great Grandmother's cafe. With her waitress tips she splurged on a 'Husker' feather.

The appointment took about 15 minutes.
AJ choose the color of feather and how many she wanted.
The next step is deciding where to put it in her hair.
This feather extension was a perfect fit in her hair for length.

Courtney glues it in, clamps on the bead and viola' you're ready to rock your feather extensions!

One Feather - $12
Two Feathers - $20
Three Feathers - $25
{double check the price when you schedule your appt!}

Or you can opt for this sweet clip in extension!!
Just clip it in and go, move it around & share it with your gal pals!

One Feather $15 Two Feathers $25 Three Feathers $30

Choose from Husker colors red, black, white.

OR white and black grizzly ,

OR red and black grizzly.

OR Pink and tropical green!

How fun- right!

Sc hedule your appointment today
& let Courtney know that Brynn's Boutique sent you!

While you're there, check out our exclusive hair accessories that only Courtney Clegg-Hairstylist has!

P.S. We want to see pictures of your feather hair extensions!

Ad space giveaway!

2011-09-09T00:01:00.021-05:00

We want your Button...
Your blog button that is!

Enter this easy giveaway to WIN 90 days of advertisement space on our blog!

Want to advertise with us?

It's easy, just click on the Buy Now button on the left hand side.

Once you've paid the advertisement rate, email us your blog button and we'll do the rest!

Twitter Hop Thursday!

2011-09-08T03:45:00.003-05:00

Welcome to Twitter Hop Thursday, hosted by The King’s Court IV, Little Yaya’s, and Kelly’s Lucky You.

Would you like more Twitter followers and be introduced to more neat blogs and businesses out there? Come and join us!!

1. Add your Twitter to the MckLinky (you only have to add it to one and it will appear on all)

2. Click on the Twitter for the four hostesses and follow each of them on Twitter. We will follow you back.

3. Follow as many people on Twitter as you like, but make sure to leave comments with links so they’ll know where to follow you!

Spread the word and add this MckLinky to your blog! Write your own post or copy and paste this one. Below the MckLinky box, you’ll see “Want to be a part of this Blog Hop? Click here for instructions and code”. Have fun Twitter-Hopping along!

We have selected a Twitterer of the Week from last week’s entries and the lucky winner is @TotallyTember! They will be in the #4 spot! We will choose next week’s winner from everyone who participated today.

Please only add your Twitter url. All other entries will be deleted. Thank you!

Be our guest...Blogger!

2011-09-07T19:44:00.016-05:00

Write for our blog!

Do you have something unique or fun to share? Tell a story or a moment to recount? Show us your up-cycled project, recipe or kids craft.

We want you to be our guest blogger! If you aren't sure what to write about, we've got ya covered with tons of ideas up our sleeves. Leave it to us to find your topic.

How about the first day of preschool or Kindergarten, how did you prepare (or not).
Did you survive a bad storm or volunteer after one?
What cause is dear to your heart and why
Can you share your perfect shopping guide
Do you have secrets to saving everywhere you go?

Advice for new college kids & parents
Recipe for tailgating
What to wear for your age
chore charts and family structure that works for you?
Homeschooling advice
Show off your artwork & creativity
travel guide to an interesting area
living organically

Fill out this form!

Tell your friends about this opportunity! Plus we like to make new friends and share good stories.

Giveaway & CouponDoor Decor & More, Lincoln NE

2011-08-24T06:42:00.004-05:00

Door Decor & More, Lincoln NE
***giveaway closed- Winner

The Wille's said...: I follow you google connect and liked Door Decor and More on Facebook! :)
****: Congrats & thanks to everyone who participated!

A show of hands; who LOVES door hangs? 'I do, I do!' Collecting door art has become a serious addiction! I need a new door hang for each season, holiday and the times in between!

I was searching Craig's List for art supplies or other treasures that I could use to up-cycle when I stumbled upon Door Decor & More. Since I'm a self proclaimed door art addict, I had to visit their website and see what they had to offer.

The price caught my attention. Most door art that I've seen has been priced from $25-$65! So I was lovin' the $15 price tag! Finally affordable door art! I'm sure I giggled out loud at the thought of new door art every month for only $15!! I love that Door Decor & More is a locally owned business too.

I reviewed the Candy Corn door hang that has a spider on it. The ghost door hang and the witch hat door hang are so fun for Halloween, it was difficult to choose just one!

Mandi had my door hang ready in a matter of days. When I picked the door hang up I met her and her two 'kids', a.k.a. boxers, Lucious who is 3 and Oxley who is 9 months!

Here is more about how Mandi started Door Decore & More.

I started Door Decor and More because I would see all sorts of cute door art on peoples doors and thought I want those! When I would find them and people wanted $35-40 for one, I thought that is crazy...I can make them for less than that! So I enlisted my boyfriend to help cut them out and that is how we started! I usually spend a few hours every night painting and drawing, trying to build up our supply and get all our designs out. I am constantly looking and clip art or other craft projects to think how I could make it for door! We are unique because we offer more than just door decor, you can purchase a stake to put the decor in your garden or yard! We work hard to create unique items, and fulfill custom requests! I recently made a rattle to announce the sex of a baby, and I made a giraffe for a little girl at the daycare I work at full time, for her birthday!

I live with my handy boyfriend, Justin and our 2 "children", our boxers, Lucious who is 3 and Oxley who is 9 months! I would love for Door Decor and More to grow and help me supplement my income as a child care provider, and eventually when I have my own children I would like to return to inhome daycare and continue to make door decor! I have worked in childcare for 11 1/2 years. I love working with kids and using my creativity to create and re-create things! I love gardening, cooking, decorating, and spending time with friends and family!

Can you see how thick and durable this door art is?
I love the bright colors and attention to detail. I've already hung up my candy corn door hang (a month early) but who can blame me?

USE COUPON CODE Decor10 for a 10% discount!
(Good until September 15th)

Win a Door Hang of your choice!

{for each entry please make a comment. Include your email address if it's not linked to your blogger login so we can notify you if you win!}

Mandatory entry:
Must follow Brynn's Boutique Blog publicly with Google Friend Connect & Like Door Decor & More on facebook. This is only ONE entry.

Extra Entries

Like Brynn's Beautiful Bows on Facebook
Visit Door Decor & More website, tell us which door hang you'd choose if you won.
Follow Brynn's on Twitter
Follow Door Decor on Twitter
Tweet and leave URL (can be done 3x daily at least 1 hour apart):
Win a door hang with Door Decor & More http://bit.ly/o2jSzK @brynnsbeautiful. Ends 9/7/11.
Sign up for the Brynn's Boutique newsletter (in the middle of the left sidebar) +1
Vote Daily for us by clicking We're On The FENCE badge
Follow Brynn's via Network Blogs
Like Mighty Capes on facebook (Brynn's cape business)
Subscribe to this blog via email +2
Grab our NEW blog button and leave the link where you put it +2
Blog about this giveaway and leave the link +3

Giveaway open to USA residents. It will end on September 7th @ 11:59pm CST. Any entries received after such time will not be counted and will be removed from the list. Winner will be drawn using Random.org. Winner will be contacted via email & will have 48 hours to respond. In the event that the winner does not respond, their prize will be forfeited and a new winner will be selected. Winner will receive a door hang of their choice. Winner must pay shipping costs. I was giving a door hang to review. These are my honest opinions.

rAiNbOw CuPcAkEs {a tutorial for all ages}

2011-06-18T08:31:00.000-05:00

{Cupcakes, the Rainbow kind}

[What you'll need]

1 Box of white cake mix
Ingredients to make the cake (on the box)
1 Can frosting
food coloring
spoons for mixing
package of cupcake wrappers or non-stick spray
12 oz cups to divide batter (one per color)
muffin pan
Sprinkles and other decorative tidbits!

Beware! This maybe a messy project, so wear old clothes/an apron and you may want a couple sets of adult hands available!

Also, my kids were SO anxious to scoop, that we made mini muffins which consisted of 2 or more colors of batter. This is optional!

Pre-heat oven to temperature per the box instructions.
Mix cake batter as instructed per the box.
Divide batter equally into the 12 oz cups - remember each cup is a separate color
Begin creating colors with your food coloring! The food coloring box has mixing instructions to make different color combos! Vary the shades of colors and be creative with this step. An adult may want to do this and take instruction from the kids on how many drops of each color to use! {Trust me, from experience - adults, you'll want to handle the food coloring!}
Let the kids stir each color of batter (doesn't matter if it's not stirred well, your cupcakes will have character!)
Line the muffin pan with cupcake wrappers
take turns scooping about 2 spoonfuls of each color of batter into the wrappers. Don't worry about the batter being centered, again, this is character. TRY to put each scoop of batter on top of the other scoop.
When you're wrappers are 2/3rds full, they are ready to bake!
Make sure to let the cupcakes cool slightly before removing from the pan. We used a cooling rack.
Once the cupcakes are cool to the touch -- bring on the FROSTING! We used Confetti Icing by Betty Crocker. {adults, here is where the 2nd set of hands are extremely useful!}
Use a cookie sheet or something similar under the cooling rack to catch the extra sprinkles.
Enjoy often!
As an EXTRA, add a customized cupcake pick or ring for a special occasion or just because.
Keep juice or a beverage handy to wash down this awesome colorful treat!

Life With My Littles: All About Baby and Mama too Blog Bash Sponsor Sp...

2011-06-17T19:15:00.000-05:00

Here is a nice review of our shop!

Life With My Littles: All About Baby *and Mama too* Blog Bash Sponsor Sp...: "Since discovering all the wonderfully talented crafters on Etsy, I have really been looking around and have discovered quite a few artists...."

Nellie's Pet Snacks Review {Goodness for your Furbaby!}

2011-06-16T18:56:00.000-05:00

Ne llie's Pet Snacks

.................................As most of you know, I'm a regular vendor at our Lincoln Haymarket Farmer's Market Saturday mornings from 8am to Noon. A couple weeks ago my mother came down to the Market as my relief worker. I took advantage to shop. You frequent Market goers know how the aromas pique your curiosity! Smells of fresh baked bread, cooking egg rolls, grilled spicy chicken burritos, flowers, handmade soy bean oil soaps and more fill the 3 blocks we call 'The Market'.

I headed up the street to buy my weekly plant {$6 for the best rock garden plants ever!}, then onto The Burrito Shack for that spicy chicken burrito. A few stalls up from The Burrito Shack is Nellie's Pet Snacks. Simple wholesome handmade pet snacks for Dogs & Cats were packaged professionally and neatly in bins. Impressive was an understatement! Nellie's Pet Snacks are available throughout Nebraska at these retailers.

I had a few questions about the dog snack varieties and then I choose the mixed package of Cheese, Chicken & Peanut-butter flavored snacks for Sugar {our Shih Poo}. Breath sticks are a must - dog lovers, you know exactly what I'm talkin' about! My grand total came to $7.75 for a large bag of snacks, a small bag of snacks and a bag of breath sticks. That's a great price for human grade, handmade & packaged pet snacks!

Sugar was our guinea pig (so to say) and she made it very clear that Nellie's Pet Snacks are her FAVORITE snack ever! We have to get the snacks in small bite size. The large size bites get caught in her jaw. Even the breath sticks were consumed in a blink of an eye.

We highly recommend Nellie's Pet Snacks for all of your pet's snacking needs! You can order birthday cakes, gift baskets, snacks and more here.

Each Saturday when my mom relieves me at my vendor's booth, I visit my plant people, The Burrito Shack and Nellie's Pet Snacks.

{CLOSED} 3 Months of FREE advertising on Brynn's Blog [a giveaway]

2011-06-15T09:00:00.004-05:00

The winner has been contacted via email and has 48 hrs to respond! Thanks for participating!

Who doesn't LOVE free advertising?! I sure do. Up for grabs is 3 months of free advertising right here on our blog! We'll also include facebook shout-outs & tweets for the winner! $19 value!

{How to Enter}
Mandatory entry: Follow us on Google Friend Connect publicly.

For each entry leave a comment with your email address & any perma links if available.

{Extra entries}

Like Brynn's Beautiful Bows on Facebook
Follow Brynn on Twitter
Tweet and leave URL (can be done 3x daily at least 1 hour apart):
Win 3 months of advertising {$19value} with @brynnsbeautiful http://bit.ly/kN7H2B Ends June 30th #advertise #giveaway #wahm #freepr
Sign up for the Brynn's Boutique newsletter (in the middle of the left sidebar) +1
Vote Daily for us by clicking We're On The FENCE badge
Follow Brynn's via Network Blogs
Subscribe to this blog via email +2
Grab our NEW blog button and leave the link where you put it +2
Blog about this giveaway and leave the link +3

Giveaway open worldwide. It will end on June 30th @ 11:59pm CST. Any entries received after such time will not be counted and will be removed from the list. Winner will be drawn using Random.org. Winner will be contacted via email & will have 48 hours to respond. In the event that the winner does not respond, their prize will be forfeited and a new winner will be selected. Winner will receive 3 months of free advertising on this blog. Winner must provide their HTML code for their company button. 125x125 size.

Paci-Catchers Review

2011-06-13T08:06:00.000-05:00

I've been a fan of Paci-Catchers on Facebook for awhile now {I love other WAHMs!} Her fan base has grown greatly and I've seen how she has gotten more wholesale business. This is a big success in my eyes! Congrats Audrey!

Part of our goal here at Brynn's is to support other WAHMs by promoting their products & services. I asked Audrey if we could do a swap of products for review & she happily obliged.

Paci-catchers has a great selection of ribbon to choose from!

I chose the owls & a pink sippy-catcher. They arrived crazy fast and we were using them that day! Audrey makes very high quality products! Each product arrives on a nice card and is wrapped in a cellophane wrapper, ready to give as a shower gift or keep for yourself!

Paci-Catchers are a stylish and functional way to keep track of babies most loved item!

Clips are metal with no sharp edges and lined with PVC grippers, therefore are gentle to clothing and child. Made with quality grosgrain ribbon and easy to use snaps, the Paci- Catchers measure 9 1/2 inches long.

Hand-wash your Paci-Catchers in warm soapy water. Just throw them in with the dishwater, so easy.

Pants-Catchers are the perfect addition to your little ones wardrobe. Keep those pants up on those little bums where they belong! Just clip onto the back of your little ones pants or skirts. Adjustable snaps make them perfect for all ages!

Sippy-Catchers

The perfect companion to your Paci-Catcher. The Sippy-Catcher snaps right to the end of your Paci-Catcher to hold any sippy cup, toy, stuffed animal etc. Easily adjusts for a tight non-slip fit. Available in 5 colors to coordinate with your Paci-Catcher.

Place your paci-catcher order here
Contact Audrey by phone 208-818-3442 or by email at chrystalblu@gmail.com

Angel Lights Review ~ a WAHM Soy Candle Company!

2011-06-08T08:12:00.001-05:00

{Angel Lights}
Spirited Soy Candles

Angel Lights are my own brand of handmade "spirited" soy candles. I pour them in my kitchen. The name "Angel Lights" comes from my name Angelique which means Angel like.

I met Angelique at our local KFOR craft show in the fall of 2010. The show was NOT hoppin', so my daughter AJ and I made friends with the vendors around us.

Angelique invited us to smell her fall collection of candles. Each are hand poured by her! I fell in love with the Caramel Creme Burlee! We couldn't wait for the craft show to end so we could burn our new ANGEL LIGHT candle!

Caramel Creme Brulee Soy Candle smells like the dessert of cream, caramelized sugar, egg yolk, and a touch of vanilla with a true custard/buttery fragrance. Yummy!! The 9 oz. candle will burn for approximately 100 hours.
Buy one today!!

This candle lasted FOREVER! 100 hours, yep really - 100 hours. I truly appreciate that Angel Light candles burns 'clean'. No black residue is emitted (which lines our walls & our LUNGS! - YICK!)

The scent was so delicious! Whenever I had company over, this was our 'go to' candle. All of you candle lovers know this candle code - right? Always have a smelly candle going when company comes!
Here are some benefits of Soy Candles

Burn Longer, Cooler & Cleaner than Paraffin Candles
Soy Wax is %100 All Natural
Renewable & Biodegradable Resource
Hold More Color & Fragrance than Paraffin Candles
Non-Toxic
Nearly Soot Free
Soy Wax is Made from Soy Beans Which Support American Farmers & the Economy
Soy Candle Wax Cleans Up Easily With Hot Soapy Water
Glass Containers are Reusable & Recyclable
No Carcinogens are Produced from Burning Soy Wax
Burning Soy Candles Does Not Increase the CO2 Level in the Atmosphere
Angel Lights Soy Candles Have %100 Cotton Wicks; No Lead or Metal
Cotton Wicks Increase Burn Stability & Minimize Soot & Smoke
Angel Lights Soy Candles are Highly Fragranced Throughout the Candle
Angel Lights Candles are Handpoured in Lincoln, NE from Angelique’s Kitchen
Soy Wax is Not Made from Petroleum like Paraffin Candles
Soy Wax is Cruelty Free No Animal Ingredients Ever

Plus Angelique has superb customer service! She is such an amazing mom & friend! Shes such a sweetheart and you can tell how much care goes into her candles. For candle burning tips, see Angel Lights note!

Find Angel Lights at our local Haymarket Farmer's market Saturday mornings from 8am - 12pm, on Etsy & Facebook!

Support this [local] Work at home Mom by trying out one or TWO of her candles today!

Intentions ReVieW {Delish soap for your body, Beautiful eye candy!}

2011-06-06T19:31:00.006-05:00

InTenTioNs

Handmade soaps, body butters and lip balms made from wonderful oils: olive, avocado, almond, shea butter and cocoa butter.

I discovered Intentions while shopping on Etsy. {Shopping on Etsy is a hobby in itself!} Instantly the bright and interesting soaps held my attention. I've enjoyed many handmade soaps in the past, but none have compared to Intentions!

Charcoal Hemp
& Pink Sugar
were my first purchases. I couldn't live without the smell of Charcoal Hemp, so I purchased a bar of it for every man in my family! The fragrance was musky but layered with Hemp & Amber. And to boot, all of the men who received this bar of totally awesomeness LOVED it!

Charcoal clay is known to detoxify. Excellent for deep cleansing. French green clay is known to pull out impurities. Added with a hefty 10% hemp oil, this bar cleanses and is filled with beneficial skin oils.

Scented pure man yet women find this drool worthy enough to want to use themselves. A woodsy, balsamic fragrance with amber and musk. Hand cut to 3.5 oz minimum.

The Pink Sugar bar of soap was gifted to my mother in law. She thought it was 'too beautiful' to actually use! For several months the Pink Sugar bar was pretty eye candy on her bathroom counter top. The fragrance filled the room with a sweet caramel & vanilla scent. I thoroughly enjoyed using her bathroom whenever we visited.

It's scent is intoxicating. While a true pink is flirty, yes, a true pink also possesses a deep dark depth. This is the new classic rose of the 2ooo's. Vanilla and caramel, followed by bergamot and citrus, lush berries with a deep depth of musk and fig.

My new obsession in the Intentions Etsy Shop is the Down Under Natural Soap Bar!

Eucalyptus and cedar blend aromatically into a dramatic "Down Under" soap. A perfect scent to wake up to in the morning shower. Loved by both men and women.

This is a large, hefty, over 5 oz bar, perfect for large handed guys. Wrapped in decorative tissue paper and medallion, ready for gentle gifting!

I want to give this soap to all of the fathers in our world {we have 4 to gift for!}
What do you want to try out from Intentions?

[About Intentions] I have always loved art. And science. And finding myself in the middle of their juxtaposition. From the design and engineering of landscape architecture to the blending of chemistry and design in soaps' saponification.

Actually, all art is a blend of science and beauty, isn't it? From the acute observance of process to the minute measurement of combining elements. Within there, one finds the moment, that exact moment between shutter speed and aperature, to instill a piece, just a small piece of one's soul. Which lives on in others making art and their audience's expansion.

Lucky are we whose brains are balanced between the two. The girls scoring low on verbal (I was never a queen, princess even, heck hand me a mop and I might have scrubbed... no, actually No, No, I saw through all of that playground drama.
Thank you left brain, dad! Great at kickball though. Killer thighs, yes, I can say that now!) yet high on non-verbal. Excelling in spatial mind manipulation yet failing at SRA. (oh my goodness. tan you will forever be my most disliked color!)

Isn't it lovely how many types it takes to keep the world going round? I'm so glad I'm not a dentist. Or an ophthalmologist. (Yet, trust me, where would I be now without you? Pointillism only takes one so far and who can do anything with an inflammed, impacted tooth's root yelling at them, "hey, you, you! pay attention! to me cause I'm killing you!) But, an ophthalmologist that designs exquisite eyeglass magnifiers for dental hygienists, I'm all over that!

Yummy Clean B's Detergent Review & Giveaway {your nose & your clothes will thank you!}

2011-06-04T08:00:00.006-05:00

[giveaway closed! and the winner has been emailed! Thanks for participating!]

Congrats to Sondrasmommy! #32

I had heard great things about Clean B's detergents on facebook. With over 100 scents to choose from, I knew I'd fall in love with something of hers! But I was hesitant to try another new cloth diaper detergent. So I searched her website and to my surprise I found much more than detergent!

My first order was back in October of 2010. Brynn was just a year old and I was going through diaper detergent like crazy, however I wasn't crazy about the stuff we were using. It was the perfect time to switch!

Pumpkin Spice pail freshener, a mulit-sampler 4 pack of detergent and baby powder were on their way to our home. I could smell the yummy package through the mailbox and shipping box. I ripped the box open on my walk back home and just enjoyed the smells. (our mailboxes are in groups at the end of the street)

Love Spell scent is one of my favorite! It's just like Victoria Secret's scent. I remember throwing a clean diaper over my shoulder while doing the laundry just so I could smell that awesome scent!

Our diapers were clean {FINALLY} and they smelled great! My HE washer has a pre-rinse cycle that I use every time before washing the diapers. I set the pre-rinse to not spin very much so they diapers are really wet when I add Clean B's Detergent. One scoop & set it to regular wash, Clean B's gets all of the stinkies out! Best part of it all - the scoop is included with the detergent!! It's not an extra cost and you don't have to 'guess how much' just use the cute scoop!

Because CLEAN B's is so awesome you should know:

The shipping wait right now is still 1-4 weeks!

YES it really CAN take that long!

(Not that it will but Just be aware!)

Your Love for Clean B has GROWN amazingly!

I am very thankful and doing the very BEST I can!

I am a mom of 7, #8 on the way (due anyday)

I homeschool 5 of my 7 children..

I work on Clean B in the early morning..

@ naptime.. and some in the evening after dinner..

PLEASE understand I know your order

is important but so Is my health & family!!!

I have to be a Wife & MOM first. :O)

Part of the reason Im sooo behind is

I had a tremendous amount of Clean B orders rolling in Daily.

Sometimes at the rate of 20 - 40 new orders a DAY!

It takes 1-2 hours to make, pack and ship each order..

SOO to try and help you get orders faster and ME get caught up..

and to show my Retailers some Clean B love:

I will be closed the last 2 weeks of each month.

I will be using the these weeks to get caught up and stay that way.

It would REALLY be ince for EVERYONE to order and recieve your clean be in 7-10 days!

You can check the Calendar page to see current specials and closing dates.

So please check in with her retailers to see what we have in stock!

Here's your chance to WIN
~MULTI Sample Packs - 4 different scents!

Mandatory entry: Must follow Brynn's Boutique Blog publicly with Google Friend Connect & Like Clean B's on facebook!

{Each entry is one comment & include your email if it's not linked to your blogger log-in so we may contact you if needed}

Extra Entries

Like Brynn's Beautiful Bows on Facebook
Follow Brynn's on Twitter
Tweet and leave URL (can be done 3x daily at least 1 hour apart):
Win a multi-sampler 4 pack of #clothdiaper friendly detergent from @brynnsbeautiful & @cleanbs http://bit.ly/aamBnq Ends June 19
Sign up for the Brynn's Boutique newsletter (in the middle of the left sidebar) +1
Vote Daily for us by clicking We're On The FENCE badge
Follow Brynn's via Network Blogs
Subscribe to this blog via email +2
Grab our NEW blog button and leave the link where you put it +2
Blog about this giveaway and leave the link +3

Giveaway open to USA residents. It will end on June 19th @ 11:59pm CST. Any entries received after such time will not be counted and will be removed from the list. Winner will be drawn using Random.org. Winner will be contacted via email & will have 48 hours to respond. In the event that the winner does not respond, their prize will be forfeited and a new winner will be selected. Winner will receive 4 sampler packs of Clean B's Detergent in their choice of scent.

Introductions should always come with chocolate!

2011-05-06T13:54:00.001-05:00

My name is Ekho, I’m a mom to a 23-month old boy and another boy on the way in July. I’m lucky enough to have the best of both worlds- I work part-time nights as an RN so I’m able to stay home with my son during the day. I love all things crafty, baking and sewing are two of my very favorite things to do.

I figured I’d start out sharing a recipe that combines my biggest pregnancy cravings- caramel and chocolate. My mom calls these “bronco brownies,” and they are so easy and good! I’m not usually a fan of box cake mixes, this is one of a few exceptions

1 pkg German Chocolate cake mix
1/3 c. evaporated milk
3/4 c. butter

14 oz pkg of caramels
1/2 c. evaporated milk
3/4 c. chocolate chips

1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Mix together the cake mix, evaporated milk, and butter. It makes a very thick batter.
3. Separate out half the cake mix batter and press into the bottom of a greased pan. If you want very thick brownies, use 9x9, if you want them to last a little longer, use a 9x13. Bake this for 10-13 minutes.
4. While the bottom crust is cooking, melt the caramels and evaporated milk together. An alternative to this if you’re short on time (or patience) is to use 1 1/2 jars of Smuckers’ “Hot Caramel” ice cream topping.
5. After the first ten minutes, take crust out and pour caramel sauce onto the brownies. Sprinkle with chocolate chips.
6. Form the remaining cake mixture into patties and place on top of caramel topping.
7. If you used a 9x9 pan, bake for 26-30 minutes. For a 9x13 pan, bake for 20 minutes.
8. Let it cool awhile, then sprinkle with powdered sugar and enjoy!

Green Tip - Vinegar, Really?

2011-05-05T07:05:00.001-05:00

My Baby's Green is a cool resource for parents, even if you aren't 'green'.
This on-line boutique carries wonderful items that range from feeding to clothing to toys.

"We have forgotten how to be good guests, how to walk lightly on the Earth as its other creatures do" ~Barbara Ward

She sends out Tuesday's Green Tips via email and I just had to share all of the uses for Vinegar with you all-

Soothe a sore throat: Put a teaspoon of vinegar in a glass of water. Gargle, then swallow. For another great gargle: 1 cup hot water, 2 tablespoons honey, 1 teaspoon vinegar, gargle then drink.

Treat sinus infections and chest colds: Add 1/4 cup or more vinegar to the vaporizer. Be sure to check vaporizer instructions for additional water measurement.

Chest congestion: To clear up respiratory congestion, inhale a vapor mist from steaming pot containing water and several spoonfuls of vinegar.

Paintbrush softener: Soak the paintbrush in hot white distilled vinegar, and then wash out with warm, sudsy water.

Cleaner for Gold Jewelry: Use one cup apple cider vinegar. Submerge solid gold jewelry item in vinegar for 15 minutes. Remove and dry with cloth.

Wine stains: Spots caused by wine can be removed from 100 percent cotton, cotton polyester and permanent press fabrics if done so within 24 hours. To do it, sponge white distilled vinegar directly onto the stain and rub away the spots. Then clean according to the directions on the manufacturer's care tag.

Worn DVDs: If you have a worn DVD that has begun to stick or suffers from the occasional freeze-frame, wipe it down with white distilled vinegar applied to a soft cloth. Ensure the DVD is completely dry before re-inserting in the DVD player. (Note: This only works on DVDs that are scratched of dirty through normal wear.)

Salt on leather shoes: Make a solution of one part water to one part white vinegar, and use it sparingly on the shoes. Dip a cloth into the solution, and dab it over the salt-streaked parts of your shoes.
May have to repeat the cleaning a few times before all the salt is removed. Salt actually can damage leather, so it's best to clean shoes as quickly as possible. Don't let the salt stains build up.

Fireplaces Wash fireplaces with a 50/50 ratio of water and vinegar to remove the blackened soot on glass front doors. If the doors have a spring-loaded clip, remove it, then take out the doors.Lay them flat on newspapers, spray with the vinegar/water solution and soak. Wipe it off with newspaper.

Shoe polish: Pour 1 cup of organic olive oil into a clean glass jar. Add 1/4 teaspoon of organic lemon juice.2.Put the lid on the glass jar and seal it tight. Shake the contents of the jar until the two ingredients are well-blended.3.Apply the organic shoe polish to your shoes with a clean rag. Use a circular motion.4.Allow the shoe polish to sit for 2 to 3 minutes. Rub shoes to a shine in a circular motion, with a clean, dry, lint-free cloth.

Freshen baby clothes: The addition of 1 cup of white distilled vinegar to each load of baby clothes during the rinse cycle will naturally break down uric acid and soapy residue leaving the clothes soft and fresh.

Deodorant stains:
Deodorant and antiperspirant stains may be removed from clothing by lightly rubbing with white distilled vinegar and laundering as usual.

Hole removal: After a hem or seam is removed, there are often unsightly holes left in the fabric. These holes can be removed by placing a cloth, moistened with white distilled vinegar, under the fabric and ironing.

I've not tried any of these, use at your own risk.

Woolies!! The Sleepy Sheep Review & Giveaway

2011-04-30T01:01:00.029-05:00

Lois said...: I tweeted!

Congrats!

Please email me within 48 hours to claim your prize!

I met Sara from The Sleepy Sheep while at a local Re-Diaper Sale hosted by Circle Me. She had a fantastic display and was very friendly. Sara explained the benefits of wool and how to care for it.

Please visit her NEW blog for more details!!

Benefits of Wool

Natural
Eco-Friendly
Sustainable
Breathes easy but retains moisture
Makes a great night time diaper cover because of it's properties
Wear a fitted diaper or pre-fold under the wool cover
Wash the wool about once a month
Lanolize the wool between washes with a lanolin spritz.

{mine is sheepish grins brand}

That was two years ago! Yes I thought about using wool for almost TWO years! Eeek! I wish I would have started using wool when I started cloth diapering! {which was about the time I met Sara!}

How to Wash or Lanolize Wool
{Lanolin is the oil you feel when petting a sheep. The Lanolin is absorbed by the wool cover and becomes water resistant. Thus it makes an excellent diaper cover.}

Use warm or room temp water in a shallow basin or sink (just enough to cover your wool)
Use Wool Wash - mine is Sheepish Grins in bar form. OR you can follow Sara's instructions on how to make your own here.
Gently massage into wool.
Let soak for a minimum of 30 minutes or overnight for the first Lanolizing.
Gently squeeze excess water from wool. Do not twist or ring out.
Lay wool flat on a towel or pre-fold diaper.
Gently roll the towel up to absorb water from the wool
Lay wool flat to dry to ensure it will keep its shape. Do NOT HANG!
Optional: direct fan on flat wool to shorten drying time. Or prior to laying wool flat, place wool cover in the washing machine on spin cycle to remove excess moisture.

Why do I need to Lanolize or wash my wool?

Your wool is new and needs to have lanolin added to it in order to work as a diaper cover. Remember lanolin makes wool water resistant?
Wash your wool if it's been more than one month since the last wash
It's dirty with poop
Dirty from wear {with food, dirt or other stuff}
When your wool smells like urine when completely dry

Reasons why I love the Sleepy Sheep:

The fit is great! I emailed The Sleepy Sheep with Brynn's measurements and in about two weeks we had a custom skirtie!
The quality is excellent!
The Sleepy Sheep uses up-cycled sweaters - which is totally cool and unique for each creation!
They are a local WAHM business!
Sara provides great customer service!

Now here is your chance to win a Soaker from The Sleepy Sheep!

{for each entry please make a comment. Include your email address if it's not linked to your blogger login so we can notify you if you win!}

Mandatory entry: Must follow Brynn's Boutique Blog publicly with Google Friend Connect & Like The Sleepy Sheep on facebook.

Extra Entries

Like Brynn's Beautiful Bows on Facebook
Follow Brynn's on Twitter
Tweet and leave URL (can be done 3x daily at least 1 hour apart):
Win a Wool Soaker with @brynnsbeautiful http://goo.gl/fb/3BMiL Ends June 16 #clothdiaper #woolies #wahm #giveaway
Sign up for the Brynn's Boutique newsletter (in the middle of the left sidebar) +1
Vote Daily for us by clicking We're On The FENCE badge
Follow Brynn's via Network Blogs
Subscribe to this blog via email +2
Grab our NEW blog button and leave the link where you put it +2
Blog about this giveaway and leave the link +3

Giveaway open to USA residents. It will end on June 16th @ 11:59pm CST. Any entries received after such time will not be counted and will be removed from the list. Winner will be drawn using Random.org. Winner will be contacted via email & will have 48 hours to respond. In the event that the winner does not respond, their prize will be forfeited and a new winner will be selected. Winner will receive a wool soaker from The Sleepy Sheep from in stock fabric.

Gemeos Review

2011-04-30T00:59:00.007-05:00

I first came across Gemeos on facebook. I had been wanting to try wool diaper covers for Brynn, but caring for wool intimidated me big time. So Alisha and I talked via email about wool & wool care. After doing some research I found the perfect wool wash and lanolin! (that's a separate post)

Alisha has the cutest wool embellished covers. Take a look around her Hyena Cart and you'll find amazing creativity in her variety of products. Skirties for the ladies, upcycled wool longies for the boys, and Bum Wrappers (a.k.a diapers) for tiny baby bums!

I requested custom longies for Brynn for my first order. Brynn loves, I mean LOVES kitties, so we had to have a kitty bum.Isn't it cute?! The waist band is pink wool, the same color that matches the kitty's ears.
That was back in March. Winters in Nebraska are cold, so the longies were perfect for us! No leaks, breathable, easy peasy to care for and so adorable!

Now that it's almost summer time (and extremely HOT! 98 degrees today) we need some alternatives to longies. Alisha sent us a skirtie in the star fleece to review.

The inside has an extra soaker sewn in made from fleece. We use a hemp prefold with a Snappi under this skirtie. A fitted diaper would work great too.

The fit is great. If you have questions or need a custom diaper or cover you should contact Alisha today! She is wonderful to work with and will help you with your diapering needs!

Contact Me: alishascunha@gmail.com

Now stocking at Baby Bum Congo http://hyenacart.com/babybums/

{Winners} of the 2100 facebook fan celebration

2011-04-26T20:32:00.007-05:00

THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH TO MY FANS AND SPONSORS!! Hey while you are here would you mind voting for our blog by clicking on the 'we're on the fence' picture. Thanks, xxxx! Jenn.

P.s. have you seen our new website? http://www.brynnsboutique.com ALL ORDERS THROUGH SATURDAY ARE ENTERED TO WIN THE AMOUNT SPENT. **Spend $25, win $25 towards your next purchase! Please ask if you have questions - what are you waiting for - get your order in NOW :D

Marine Parents {the shop} is offering a boutique wipes case & teething necklace {winner's choice!}

Like their facebook page here:
http://www.facebook.com/marineparentsblog

Tell them THANKS FOR THE GIVEAWAY AT Brynn's beautiful bows!

Prize Value $17.50

Winner is #15 Amanda Knittel Herman
____________________________________

Angel Lights is donating a Soy Candle!

Tell them THANKS FOR THE GIVEAWAY AT Brynn's beautiful bows!

Like their facebook page here:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Angel-Lights/137680552910824

WINNER IS #4 Tiffani Cluff <--- this winner did not come forward, so we re-drew
and the new winner is ANNA LEIGHTON!

_____________________________________________-

Miss Lily's Washing Powder is offering
One full bag of Washing Powder, choice of unscented, scented, or with essential oils.

Cloth Diaper SAFE! Soon you'll be able to purchase her wonderful detergent on our website ~ Yay!

Value $10-$12
Like their facebook page here:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Miss-Lilys-Washing-Powder/102228353168509

Thank them too :0)

WINNER IS #42 ZACH n LOIS CHAPO

____________________________________________

"Happiness" A Hand Signed Print (giclee, reproduction)
(it can be exchanged for another of the same value) $20

Check out her website! (not on facebook)
http://artist.to/robinmariapedrero/

{if you are on twitter - you can send her some ♥ ! http://artist.to/robinmariapedrero/ } Otherwise, just post here that you'd love this piece!

WINNER IS #5 Eliza Thornton

________________________________________________
Gemeos is offering a soaker or skirtie for the winner in their size choice and choice of fleece I have on hand.

This is a 2 PART entry!!

Entry #1 LIKE baby bums congo fan page.
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Baby-Bums-Boutique-Congo/123015047747334

2nd ENTRY is LIKE http://www.facebook.com/pages/G%C3%AAmeos/164538466919909

Please tell them thank you here!

Winner is #1 Cami Court
-------------------------------------------------------
Pixiekids Toys LLC is offering a $10 gift certificate to their shop!

Please like their facebook page here:
http://www.facebook.com/PixiekidsToys

Remember to thank them!

Etsy shop: http://www.etsy.com/shop/msmagpiegirl

Winner is #18 Amber Keller-Beer
_____________________________________________________

The Sleepy Sheep is offering a wool soaker!

Please like their FB page here :http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Sleepy-Sheep/155321444502573

Don't forget to thank them!

Winner Chooses size and from available colors

Winner is #12 Tina Gower

__________________________________________________
Diapeze.com is offering a Kitchen Wetbag to throw in the 'dirteze'!

Please like their facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/diapezecom

They are also having a celebration for 3000 fans!
Remember to thank them!!

Winner is #37 Jerica Murphy
____________________________________________-
Eco Sprout Detergent is generously donating a

48oz bag of detergent in winners scent choice!

Please go like their facebook page here: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Eco-Sprout/109678849099663

Please thank them here!
winner is #19 Tammy Mannoly Wilkinson

_______________________________

Mya's Eyes Boutique is generously offering One Earwarmer, any size.
$17 value!
Go like her fan page here:
www.facebook.com/myaseyes

Remember to thank her!

winner is #3 Fluffy Bums!

_________________________________
Natural Family Supplies is generously donating the Lusa Organics Delight Gift Set!
$25 value
Please like their page here:http://www.facebook.com/naturalfamilysupplies

Thank them too!

This collection includes one small organic sugar scrub, one lip balm, one lotion bar, and one boxed soap packaged in a reusable muslin pouch.

Winner is #40 Samantha Dell

___________________________________________

Winner of advertising on our blog is Shanna Proctor & desiree Cox!! Congrats ~ please email me your advertising button and I'll get it posted on our blog asap!! brynnsbeautifulbows@gmail.com Yay!

Little Sappling Toys {Coupon} Alert

2011-04-24T00:00:00.008-05:00

Little Sappling Toys on Etsy

I was on a mission to find an eco-friendly, handmade, high quality wooden teething toy shop. Of course I searched Etsy first and to my pleasant surprise I found the most adorable shoppe that matched my criteria. Little Sappling Toys is based in Boise ID, and was created by Nick & Kimber Christensen.

Here is more ABOUT them:

"Hi, we're Nick and Kimber and we own and operate Little Sapling Toys! Early in 2008, we started with a small line of toys and have since become the top selling toy shop on Etsy. Now, this is how we support our family, by working so others can play!

Family: With Rex (3), LST (2) and Daphne (1) we are a busy family of homebodies. We love to spend all our time together, even if it is always working on an aspect of toys. We all have a hand in design, production, business, or packaging in some way. During those necessary breaks we play hide and seek, eat, bike or jog. On Sundays we go to church, eat and play games together"

Toys:

We brought life to the classic wooden teether by offering the widest selection of shapes available. We have designed and produced a solid selection of organic developmental toys and blocks. Our newest endeavor is the land of personalization with Blue, our laser engraver.

Our Philosophy:

Here at LST, we are committed to quality toys and a healthy earth. We plant a tree for every toy sold, use FSC Certified hardwoods, recycled content packaging and participate in our local green power program.

Each toy is handmade in our workshop (which is in transition right now between Boise, Utah and Minnesota). We design our toys to help young children develop creativity, pattern recognition and fine motor skills. However, the most important toy any child can have is his or her caregiver. For this reason, our educational toys are most effective with interactive play.

Other places to find LST:
Facebook
Twitter
Blog
When you stop by LST blog, twitter or Facebook page, please let them know that Brynn's sent you!!! We love to spread the word about amazing handmade businesses. Our goal is to help entrepreneurs succeed and this is our little piece of that goal.Use BRYNBOW10 and is valid for 10% off any purchase in our Etsy store.
This coupon is good from April 24th until May 15th. What are you waiting for - order yours today!

Getting to know...April

2011-04-22T06:05:00.001-05:00

We thought it would be fun to introduce you to some other WAHMs (work-at-home mamas), so the Brynn's Boutique team has collected some interviews with ladies we think you should know. First up, is April, the woman behind Marine Parents...

Tell us a little bit about yourself, what you do, and why:

I'm a newly found stay at home mom to our fourteen month old daughter, Amelia. We just moved to San Diego from Jacksonville, NC where I was a full time nanny. I am loving being at home with Amel all day, but feel like I hardly get a thing done *wink* My husband, Caleb, is in the Marine Corps, so being able to work from home is a fantastic outlet for extra income for our family, since we move quite frequently! I currently run the Marine Parents Etsy Shop as well as maintain a mommy blog of the same name.

How did you start?

While we lived in North Carolina, we had an etsy shop open called "The Threaded Needle" with a hodge podge collection of items. Caleb sewed all of our wares and I hot glued the rest! During the course of our cross-country move, the shop got a major overhaul and became "Marine Parents {the shop}" to coincide with my blog. After alot of research into owning a small business, I found that branding across as many outlets as possible was a major factor in being successful, and so I went with it. I'm so happy I did!

What bumps or challenges have you encountered?

We've been up and running hard for about two months now, and the shop has been an overall success. It's been overwhelming at times, and I've had to swallow my pride every now and then when I realize that something I've created isn't perfect, or even good enough to sell. Caleb is quite the perfectionist, and he's actually the one who taught me to sew, so I often times feel like I have big shoes to fill in taking over the shop entirely. Every speed bump comes with a great sense of learning, however, and I grow with each challenge I am presented with. Owning the shop has already taught me so much, I hope I continue to learn more every day.

What successes have you celebrated?

Learning to sew!! That was major for me -- and while I am still queen of the hot glue gun, I can now master winding a bobbin, threading a needle, and creating something amazing for me, a friend, or a total stranger to love! I also surpassed 50 sales last week {and now stand at almost 70!!}. The shop keeps chugging right along, I'm certainly trying to keep up!

Share some of your goals (short and long term):

Goals, goals, goals.... I have tons, but few are actually coherent. I totally want the shop to be a big thing for our family. I want to bring some income to the proverbial table. Right now I've been putting every bit of money the shop makes right back into the business. This month alone has been phenomenal for sales, meaning I've been able to accomplish alot of goals that required money. I am super proud to say that I now purchase shipping supplies in bulk rather than a trip to Walmart twice a week for bubble mailers. I am also switching over from tissue paper wrapped wares to plastic wrapped eye candy packaging, secured with a customized sticker with a discount code printed on top!! This is super exciting to me :] Also? I just got 1,000 business cards with my name all over them.... I did a little dance in the kitchen when I opened the box!

During the month of May, one of my BIG goals will be achieved -- I've purchased ad space for the shop on a major handmade blog called Gussy Sews. I've learned so so so much from Gussy regarding business ownership and I am thrilled to be a new part of her community. I can't wait to see where the shop goes with those 261 pixels on her sidebar!!

How can people help you reach your goals?

Spread the word! Buy a camera strap slipcover! Custom order something fabulous -- I adore custom orders <3 Like I said above, I have 1,000 business cards, and I want them all over the country. If you want a few to pass out, I'd be THRILLED to run to the post office and mail you a handful! Blog, tweet, facebook about my products and my blog. Add a shop or blog button to your sidebar, I have several to choose from and I think they are all pretty fab!

Where can we find you (website, Facebook, Twitter, etc.)?

Well, you can find me in San Diego, first off. Seriously -- if you are local, let's meet!

I'm also at the following links....

Shop - www.taprilcrosier.etsy.com

Blog - www.marineparents-blog.com

Twitter - www.twitter.com/taprilcrosier

Facebook - www.facebook.com/marineparentsblog

As a side note, I have purchased from Marine Parents {the shop} and I love how eager April was to work with me on a custom order. You should definitely check it out, but be warned: there is so much fab stuff to choose from that you'll probably have a hard time shopping for just one thing!

Wordless Wednesday - AJ 8yrs old

2011-04-20T15:24:00.002-05:00

"Destiny is not a matter of chance,
it is a matter of choice."

Easter Wipes/Washcloth Giveaway ~closed~

2011-04-19T15:33:00.006-05:00

Winner is #38:

aperry said...: blogged
http://modernhippy-aperry.blogspot.com/2011/04/brynns-beautiful-bows-is-now-brynns.html
♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦

Easter is this Sunday, but let's face it, wipes and washcloths this adorable shouldn't be hidden away until the holidays!

♦ Buy It ♦

The Giveaway:

Now's your chance to win your very own set of 4 Brynn's Boutique wipes/washcloths!

The Rules: Leave one comment for each entry (i.e. for subscribing via email you would leave 2 separate comments because this is worth 2 entries). Have fun!

MANDATORY ENTRY (must be completed before any extra entries will count):
♦Tell us what other fabric you would like a set of Brynn's Boutique wipes in AND follow the blog publicly via Google Friend Connect -include your email address! +1

EXTRA ENTRIES:
♦Follow us on Networked Blogs +1
♦Favorite us on Etsy +1
♦“Like” Brynn's Boutique on Facebook +1
♦Share this giveaway on Facebook (leave a link so we can verify) +1
♦Follow Brynn's Boutique on Twitter +1
♦Tweet and leave URL (can be done 3x daily at least 1 hour apart):
Win an adorable wipes and washcloth set from @BrynnsBeautiful! http://tinyurl.com/43pz2ka #giveaways ends 4/30 +1
♦Sign up for the Brynn's Boutique newsletter (in the middle of the left sidebar) +1
♦Subscribe to this blog via email +2
♦Grab our NEW blog button and leave the link where you put it +2
♦Blog about this giveaway and leave the link +3
♦Make any purchase in the boutique from now to April 30th +5

Winner said :

aperry said...: blogged
http://modernhippy-aperry.blogspot.com/2011/04/brynns-beautiful-bows-is-now-brynns.html

Blog Makeover Anyone?

2011-04-14T16:12:00.005-05:00

If you're reading this, then I assume you've noticed the new look. Isn't it fab? I must admit, when Jenn said she had someone doing a design for the blog, I was a little nervous. As someone who is continuously tweaking her own blog to get it just the way I want it, I know how hard it is to get the look just right. Obviously, Brynn's Boutique Blog is now just right! We thought it would be nice to share the secret to these awesome aesthetics...Heather from Grey Bloom Designs.

Her "about me" says: A little about me...I'm Heather Mackan, the designer behind Grey Bloom Designs. I have always been interested in all types of design and briefly started my education in interior design in 1995 in the fabulous city of Chicago; however, I finally found my creative self while attending The Art Institute of Pittsburgh where I earned both my Digital and Graphic Design degrees. More importantly, I am a wife and WAHM of two which allows me the freedom to be creative at my own leisure, and in the luxury of my own space while being inspired by those around me.

A little more about Heather and why she chose graphic design: I went back to school after my husband was bitten by a mosquito and contracted West Nile Encephalitis and Guillain Barre Syndrome when I was 9 months pregnant with our second child. At the time of his illness, we were unsure whether or not he would ever be able to return to work let alone walk again, and I needed to be able to have a profession that allowed me to work from home to support our family as well as take care of my husband and our two children and whatever else came our way; which is why I chose to pursue a degree graphic design.

Blurb about the biz: Grey Bloom Designs as founded in 2007 and specializes in creative graphic design with fast turnarounds at competitive prices. We cater to both your small business & personal print and web design needs. Our blog & web design services are available for both Blogger & Wordpress platforms, and we even offer social app design. You can shop our packages, a la carte, etsy or create a custom package to suit your needs. Grey Bloom Designs is your one stop shoppe for graphic, blog & web design!

Clients: American Heart Association; Boudoir by Marie; Brynn's Boutique; Central Ohio Cystic Fibrosis Foundation; Di Palma Studio; Freckleberry Finds; Itsabelly Baby Planners; International Baby Planner Association; Muzungu Mama Ministries, Parking Solutions; R&A Marketing; Star Medical LLC.

Now you know who, what, where, when and why, but you probably want to know how! How can you get your own blog or website beautified? Email Heather at info@greybloomdesigns.com for more info. :)

Brynn's Beautiful Bows' photostream

2011-04-14T15:03:00.001-05:00

Brynn's Beautiful Bows' photostream on Flickr.

Easter Bunny Money $100 Cash Giveaway Winner Announced

2011-04-10T19:00:00.005-05:00

The Easter Bunny is on his way...wouldn't it be nice if he brought a little Cash with him?

For Easter a great group of bloggers and I want to offer you this great giveaway!

WIN $100 Cash

Cash payment will be paid via Paypal.

Mandatory entry: You must "like" ALL 9 of the Facebook pages listed below. When your done, fill out this form!

Musings from a Stay At Home Mom

SportsParenting

Brynns Beautiful Bows

Second Time Around

"Deal"irious Diva

Fill out the form here!

HOP ON OVER!

If you want to increase your chance of winning this $100 giveaway, then hop over to the other blogs below and enter at each one! You've already "liked" all 9 FB pages, so just fill out their forms too! One entry form filled out per blog equals 9 total entries possible across all blogs.

Musings from a Stay At Home Mom

SportsParenting

Brynns Beautiful Bows

Second Time Around

"Deal"irious Diva

Giveaway will end on April 17th at 8 :00pm EST. Winner will be chosen using random.org. Winner will have 48 hours to respond to my email. If winner does not claim their prize in the 48 hour period, a new winner will be chosen at random. We will announce the winner once they have been confirmed. This giveaway is open to residents of the US only.

We have picked and verified our winner of the Easter Bunny Money Event!

Our Winner is: Kristine Italiano

Kristine, you have 48 hours to reply to the email. Money will be sent via PayPal, after you reply.

What's Happening Here

2011-04-07T08:01:00.001-05:00

Welcome to the Brynn's Boutique Blog!

If you're stopping by from the Fab Friends Thursday Hop, then it's nice to meet you. Please leave us a comment so that we know you stopped by; we'd love to visit you too! Don't forget to check out the Etsy shop and the online boutique. If you've been a friend for a while, then it's nice to see you and I know you'll be as excited as I am about all of the awesome stuff that's been going on at Brynn's Boutique!

Jenn has been one busy mama lately! She has been making lots of fab goodies to add to the store, has lined up some great giveaways, is continuing to seek out wonderful new WAHM products to carry, and she has our blog undergoing a makeover by Heather at Grey Bloom Designs. Eek! So much goodness. Here's a list to make sure you don't miss anything:

2100 Fan Facebook Celebration - we still need more fans to reach 2100 so spread the word, and don't forget to enter to win one of the great prizes that's already posted and watch for more to be added
Win a Brynn's Boutique cape - we are currently sponsoring this prize in the Diapeze 3000 Fan Celebration
Easter Bunny Money Event - in case you didn't read the teaser post announcing this event, it will be from April 10-17th and the winner gets $100 cash via Paypal
Brynn's Boutique will be hosting lots of fun giveaways on the blog soon - Paci Catchers, The Sleepy Sheep Wool Soaker, Eco Sprouts Detergent, Miss Lily's Washing Powder (cloth diaper safe), Clean B's Detergents
Un-paper Towels Review & Giveaway at Crunchy Beach Mama - be on the look out for a chance to win a set of 10 of our un-paper towels, 10x10 flannel and french terry cloth, winner chooses fabric
New product alert - Overnight nursing pads have just been added to the store
Coming Soon - Miss Lily's Washing Powder is going to be sold in the online boutique soon and it's cloth diaper safe

Wordless Wednesday

2011-04-06T04:10:00.002-05:00

Gavin age 3.

{Coming Soon} Easter Bunny Win Money!

2011-04-05T20:52:00.004-05:00

The Easter Bunny is on his way…wouldn’t it be nice if he brought a little Cash with him?

I have teamed up with a great group of bloggers to offer you a great giveaway! The prize will be some Fast Cash! Just in time to stuff your Easter Baskets!

The Mandatory Entry will be easy! Just like me and the other 8 bloggers on Facebook!

Event Starts on Sunday April 10 at Midnight. And will run Through Sunday, April 17.

Car Seat Safety

2011-04-04T10:17:00.001-05:00

The new car seat recommendations released by the American Academy of Pediatrics at the end of March are creating a lot of buzz online and off. To be honest, when I first heard about the new policy I did not take it seriously. My thought process was:

It's a suggestion, not a law.
Car seats are expensive so I'm not buying a new one if I don't have to.
Even if I don't follow the new guidelines, at least my children are in car seats.
My kids are not going to want to be in car seats for that long and I'm not going to make them.

Well, I got to eat a big piece of humble pie after I started doing some research for myself. I started seeing many tweets and blog posts by moms who have kept their children rear-facing and in 5-point harnesses until they exceed their car seat restrictions long before the AAP announced their new guidelines. All of this online chatter brought me to the conclusion that there was something to be said for being more informed and aware when it comes to car seat safety.

Baby J in her car seat (2 weeks)

I have decided that even if the level of protection is increased by a small percentage, it is worth it to protect the most precious cargo that we travel with. I do not plan to move my 4 year old son from his booster seat back into a 5-point harness because the belt is positioned correctly on him. In light of what we know now, our 2.5 year old daughter will be staying in her car seat longer before we allow her to transition to a booster and the baby will be rear-facing at least until age 2.

What are your thoughts on the AAP's new car seat policy? Do you plan to keep your children in rear-facing or 5-point harness car seats longer than the law requires? Have you switched any or your children's car seats because of the new recommendations? I would love to hear your opinions and your experience with car seat safety!

Wordless Wednesday

2011-03-30T11:23:00.003-05:00

Unique Women in Business Etsy Team Blog Hop

2011-03-27T09:00:00.003-05:00

Spring brings new fresh ideas. Be on the look out for our new and improved totes that are perfect to carry our crayon rolls. Take the tote out to eat, for church or to the library. There are endless uses for our light weight yet durable totes.

You choose a the cotton fabric for the tote. See our fabric gallery here.

We have a ton of new headbands to introduce too! This one is a favorite!

Again we have tons of cotton fabric prints to choose from. These headbands are totally adjustable because they tie in the back. Women, young teens and babys can all enjoy our new headbands!

If you are looking for Easter Basket goodies, you've come to the right place!

Leg and Arm Warmers! $10 Shipped, but hurry there is a limited amount available.

Child Size Bean Bag Chair! $20.00 Comes with a liner made from Muslin fabric and the outter shell is Fleece in your choice of print! Both pieces have snaps for easy access to remove the cover for laundering. Email us at: Brynnsbeautifulbows@gmail.com to order yours today!~

Customized Capes! These super high quality customized capes are reversible. We screen print a name and image on them for your super hero. The neck closure is velcro for easy access and safety. $25 + shipping. Order yours today!

We hope some of these new products have inspired you or at least got you excited for Spring! Oh, and become a fan on Facebook for specials, sales and sneak previews of new items!

We like to tweet too!

Introducing Brynn's Boutique

2011-03-25T21:33:00.001-05:00

What's the deal with dryer balls?

2011-03-24T11:49:00.001-05:00

Brynn's Boutique sells wool dryer balls by Buddha Bunz. They come in 4 very fun flavors (okay, I know you're not going to eat them but I've used the word "flavor" for "scent" since I was a kid), which might be enough to intrigue you. Although, if you're anything like me, you may think they just look like balls of yarn. Seriously, that's what I thought at first. I wouldn't buy something that I don't need (unless it's more cloth diapers but need is very subjective in this case) and you shouldn't either! Wool dryer balls are actually more than meets the eye, here are some of their benefits:

Natural - While there are natural fabric softener sheets on the market, I don't have any experience with them and your average fabric softener contains chemicals that are harmful to the environment, can irritate the skin, and have the possibility of other negative effects. Who wants to use icky chemicals if you don't have to? Chemical-free also means your towels will retain their absorbency, and baby's clothes and cloth diapers will be safe.
Economical - My family of 5 requires about 11 loads of laundry a week (not including cloth diapers). Between my husband's work uniforms, the many changes of clothing required by baby, the stuff we exercise in, towels, and bed sheets, our washer and dryer don't get much of a break! I have 3 wool dryer balls in my dryer at all times and it has significantly reduced my drying time. So not only am I not spending money on fabric softener, I'm lowering my electric bill by running my dryer less!
Eco-friendly - Using the dryer less saves energy. None of the fabric softeners I used ever made my clothes dry faster. Dryer balls lift and separate clothes which allows the air to circulate better; thus, allowing them to dry more quickly. I'm not really a static fan, and since using dryer balls, I have learned that static can be avoided by not over-drying your clothes. Again, no need for toxic chemicals!
Wrinkle Reducing - Having dryer balls in with your load results in fewer creases and wrinkles, which means less ironing. Woohoo!

You can find wool dryer balls in ~~flavors~~ scents or unscented. The scents are from natural oils and the dryer balls are still safe for use with cloth diapers once they have been scented. Another good thing to know is that the more dryer balls you use at one time, the more effective they are. I have 3 at present, with another 3 on the way. I love my wool dryer balls!

If you want to try out these natural laundry care products for yourself, go here.

Wordless Wednesday - a little bit of what I DO

2011-03-23T05:20:00.001-05:00

post signature

Teething Bling Review

2011-03-17T19:38:00.004-05:00

Have you seen the Teething Bling necklaces that Brynn's Boutique carries? They are awesome! I'm not exaggerating. My baby girl seems to be in the early stages of teething and she is not happy unless she's gumming something like crazy (usually her hand or her Sophie), so she was the perfect tester!

When Jenn sent me a Teething Bling Pendant to try out, I was super excited. As a mom, I am always on the lookout for products that have multiple functions. The more use I can get out of something, the easier it is to justify spending money on it. I'm already considering purchasing a second pendant just so I can have it in more than one color because I definitely think they're worth the money. Everything in the Teething Bling line of jewelery functions as a teether and a fashion accessory.

I don't know how many times I've seen people look at me in curiosity as I let my baby chew away on my pendant. When I've struck up conversation about how cool it is that I have a wearable teether, the person I'm talking to always asks if they can feel the pendant. The general response is, "oh wow, I thought it was one of those glass/stone pendants!" It's amazing to me how great it looks even though it's made of a rubber-type material. Mine is coral and goes with most of my clothes, but I have to say that I don't mind wearing it even when it doesn't really match, because my daughter loves it so much.

Another feature I'm fond of is the breakaway clasp. I can easily get the necklace on and off and I have no worries that if baby were to pull at it or somehow get tangled, it would come off easily. The pendant also serves as a great focal point during breastfeeding to help keep my easily distracted nurser from turning her head and unlatching in the middle of a feeding. Like I said, so many uses.

Brynn's Boutique offers donut and heart-shaped pendants, as well as Teething Bling Gift Sets which includes one pendant and two bangles. You can see their selection and find out more information here.

post signature

The Dirties on Diapering

2011-03-10T09:00:00.002-06:00

Many people still think cloth diapers always involve prefolds, giant saftey pins, and plastic or rubber pants. I didn't use cloth diapers for my first two children because I was one of those people. I had no idea that the modern cloth diaper movement existed, much less what it was all about!

After months of using cloth diapers and even more months spent learning about the benefits of using them vs. disposables, I am so thankful that I made the switch. What if I would have known more about cloth sooner? I wish I had. I wish someone would have passed on the knowledge that I didn't have. One SAHM from Portland, Oregon has decided to do just that!

As a children's photographer, cloth diapering mama Jamie Wilkinson, has a passion for using photographs to spread the word about cloth diapers. She has developed a plan to publish a "coffee-table style full-color book using photo-journalism" to communicate the concerns she has about diapering. Rather than beat people over the head with criticism laden facts, Jamie wants to primarily use photographs to show negative effects of disposable diapers and the benefits of using cloth. Using such a visual method to promote awareness about cloth diapers is a brilliant idea! If you agree, you can find out more information about The Dirties on Diapering project and how to support it here. Jamie is trying to raise the money to publish the book, which she intends to have sold through Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and Borders, which will maximize the amount of exposure. Almost halfway to the project funding goal, there are still 47 days left to offer your support! Even a $1 donation will make a difference!

Jamie has already drawn media attention to this project: http://www.portlandtribune.com/sustainable/story.php?story_id=128902182717710300 As if the satisfaction of knowing that you're promoting a healthier lifestyle for your family and others is not enough, there are rewards for making a pledge. Jamie is even hosting a backer giveaway in which the winner will receive 12 cloth diapers!! Everyone who makes a pledge to the project is eligible to win, even if you only pledge a single dollar. So what are you waiting for? Head over to The Dirties on Diapering Kickstarter page and check it out!

Wet Bag Giveaway Closed

2011-03-07T19:26:00.005-06:00

***Winner is #43 Saph! Winner has 48 hours to respond or another winner will be chosen!***

Have you seen the super cute and ultra handy wet bags at Brynn's Boutique? They can be used to store your moon cloth (mama pads), cloth wipes, used unpaper towels, and other things!

♦ Buy It ♦

The Giveaway:

Now's your chance to win your very own Brynn's Boutique 8x8 wet bag!

The Rules: Leave one comment for each entry (i.e. for subscribing via email you would leave 2 separate comments because this is worth 2 entries). Have fun!

MANDATORY ENTRY (must be completed before any extra entries will count):
♦Tell us what you would use your Brynn's Boutique wet bag for AND follow the blog publicly via Google Friend Connect -include your email address! +1

EXTRA ENTRIES:
♦Follow us on Networked Blogs +1
♦Favorite us on Etsy +1
♦“Like” Brynn's Boutique on Facebook +1
♦Share this giveaway on Facebook (leave a link so we can verify) +1
♦Tag yourself in one of our Facebook photos and use it as your profile picture (one new pic per day) +1
♦Follow Brynn's Boutique on Twitter +1
♦Tweet and leave URL (can be done 3x daily at least 1 hour apart):
Need something cute to store your cloth wipes or mama cloth in? Win a @BrynnsBeautiful wet bag! http://bit.ly/hbx2RL #giveaways ends 3/31 +1
♦Sign up for the Brynn's Boutique newsletter (in the middle of the left sidebar) +1
♦Subscribe to this blog via email +2
♦Grab our blog button and leave the link where you put it +2
♦Blog about this giveaway and leave the link +3
♦Make any purchase in the boutique from now to March 31st +5

Giveaway open to US and CAN. It will end on March 31st @ 11:59pm CST. Any entries received after such time will not be counted and will be removed from the list. Winner will be drawn using Random.org. Winner will be contacted via email & will have 48 hours to respond. In the event that the winner does not respond, their prize will be forfeited and a new winner will be selected. Winner will receive an 8x8 wet bag from Brynn's Boutique in the print pictured above.

Sometimes it's okay to play with your food...

2011-03-03T13:28:00.000-06:00

When I was a kid, no one had to tell me twice to eat! I loved food (still do), and I looked forward to sitting around the table with my family to talk and enjoy a meal. Now I can't claim to remember much from my preschool days, but it amazes me how much difficulty I have trying to get my kids to eat! Breakfast, lunch, dinner, and even some snack times used to be battles. In an effort to bring peace back to our meals, I decided to try to make eating fun. Here are some of the ways I've gotten my preschoolers interested in eating:

boys vs. girls
As silly and simple as it sounds, my son and daughter are more likely to eat off of feminine or masculine (as defined by them) plates and bowls. My daughter has pinks, purples, Strawberry Shortcake, Dora, and other girly stuff to hold her food. Blues, greens, Star Wars, and Spongebob make up my sons dining ware. My favorite part of this is when their daddy forgets to choose which stuff he serves their food on based on who he's giving it to and they want him to switch into a different bowl! He he. Sorry honey, but Spongebob is not gender neutral at lunch time!

dinner music
Sometimes I have to sing. I know, right. I have like zero singing skills, but since I'm being goofy and fun it doesn't matter. I usually start with my own rendition of Yo Gabba Gabba's "Party in my Tummy" and then just make up words for whatever food I'm wanting them to eat. Think: "the mac-a-roni is lone-ly, ee-ee-ee-eat it while you can!" Wow, I sound like a real dork now that I've actually written this, but you do what you have to. I want to note that this method works best for my 2 year old and it's a great way to get her to eat foods that she's normally afraid to even try.

superhero training
My son gets so antsy when you sit him at the table. When he was younger, I allowed him to get up and go play for a bit then come back to his food. I'm not sure this was the best idea since now it's a total chore to get him to just sit and eat. For him, I started pretending that some meals are part of his superhero training. What little boy doesn't want to be a superhero? I simply pick a power that is grown from eating a certain food (i.e. carrots develop laser vision like Superman), and after we've finished eating I will play with him and give him a chance to use his newly acquired powers.

Now you may be thinking that I should just tell my kids to eat and they should do it because I say so. Well, I tried that and frankly, I'm fine with having to be a little more creative. The awesome part is that I don't always have to use one of these tactics to encourage them. Once they realized that mommy can still be fun while we're eating, they started to enjoy family meals. More often than not, good conversation and some yummy food are now enough to keep them content at the table. And if you're short on patience, time, or creativity, you can always default to the "who can finish first" game. My kids are competitive so that usually works, but you may have to rein them in a bit to prevent messes or choking... :)

March Monthly Must-Haves: Cutest Cloth Diapers

2011-02-28T11:40:00.001-06:00

I know it's not March yet, but it didn't seem to make much sense to post our very first Monthly Must-Haves list for February when it's the last day of the month.

Most CDing mamas would agree that cuteness is a factor in their love for fluff. Here is my current list of cutest diapers:

1. Blueberry Minky - This is by far the softest diaper in our stash, inside and out! We have it in Raspberry Truffle and my little princess looks so fab in it that I hate to put clothes on her (if only it wasn't Winter). These lovely dipes are available in 15 different prints and colors and retail for about $25.

2. Blueberry Pocket Diapers - These one-size diapers come in some fantastic prints! I have yet to find my 2 faves, Giraffe and Owls, in stock anywhere so that I can buy them, probably because I'm not the only one who thinks they're absolutely adorbs. They are available in snap or aplix and retail for $19.95, if you can find them. If you do, will you let me know? Seriously, I need to know if you locate one of the prints pictured!!

3. Bummis Easy Fit by Tots Bots - The solids are vibrant and the prints are unique and fun! One-size and aplix, this diaper is definitely on my list to buy! I don't have a boy, but I'm loving their Starburst print, the red hook and loop looks awesome! You can snag one of these for about $18-$25 depending on the store and whether you want solid or print.

4. AppleCheeks - If you haven't seen these diapers on a baby bum, you're missing out. My daughter was too big for the used size 1 envelope covers I scored online, but I'm getting her a size 2 St. Lucia cover this weekend. This bright teal is great for guys or gals! There are 11 total color choices and a cover costs between $18 and $20, with the insert sold separately. You can get a Little Bundle from most AppleCheeks retailers, which includes 1 cover and 1 insert for around $26.50. I'm a big fan of these Canadian diapers.

5. GoGreen Fuzzy Diapers - We have one of these in Yellow Dottie and love it. My favorite part of this diaper is the price! GoGreen Diapers are known for being quality affordable diapers and are offered in 25 different colors and prints at just $9.99 a piece! I've got my own on a Giraffe print.

These are just my current top 5, but I'd love to know what super cute fluff everyone else has found...

Monthly Moon Pad Club ~ Free Shipping!

2011-02-26T17:51:00.004-06:00

Mini Me

2011-02-24T18:39:00.001-06:00

When I was a kid, my mom would frequently say to me, "I can't wait until you have your own kids and they're just like you!" At the time, I figured that if my kids were anything like me they'd be awesome. Once I matured, however, I realized that she only said that to me when I was truly being a pain in the rear.

Fast forward to now and I am a mother of 3. The baby is a little young for me to recognize any of myself in her, but the older two often act in a way that reminds me of myself. One of my kids is just like me...

My oldest daughter looks and acts just like her mommy! It has been confirmed that my own mother enjoys this very much. Every time I call her to share a story of how crazy I think it is that my little princess could have such an attitude, my mom chuckles with satisfaction because she has been there herself.

Sometimes it's hard for me because I get so frustrated when my little girl is being overly dramatic, but I know that she is acting just like I did! It's weird, like punishing my 2 year old self. Sure there are differences between us, but most of them are physical. As much as she has her own personality, it seems that we act so much alike that the differences are very subtle! When she comes to me crying and tattling on her baby sister for pulling her hair, I literally have flashbacks because I remember reacting the same way when my sister was a baby.

Despite the challenges that come with raising a dramatic, loud, opinionated, ultra social, smart, talkative, super sensitive, blankie toting, little diva...it makes me smile knowing that I have a mini me.

Do you have a child that is just like you? Did your mom warn you this would happen? :)

Playdates: not just for the kids

2011-02-21T12:16:00.000-06:00

If you're a stay-at-home or work-at-home mom, you will probably agree that staying home alone with your kids 24/7 would be bad for you and them. While the ability to be at home is a blessing, there are certain things that us mamas need in order to help maintain our sanity. One of the best ways I have found to keep my kids and me happy is to have regular playdates.

I would definitely be lying if I said that these playdates are just for the kids. Mommies benefit through a sort of group parenting. When you're somewhere with a group of moms and children, women tend to naturally mother all of the children in the group. This includes helping with drinks and snacks, breaking up squabbles over favorite toys, changing diapers, and pretty much anything else that is a mommy's responsibility. I'm sure there are moms who get annoyed by this, but despite being a self-proclaimed control freak (especially about the care of my kids), I think it's awesome! It's not like I get "days off" from my job as a mom, so a chance to share some of duties with other capable moms is something I welcome.

If we've been cooped up in the house too long, things start to get tense. My patience runs paper thin, the kids begin to whine about everything, and a misplaced toy makes me feel like Mt. Vesuvius, ready to blow at a moments notice. I found this mug and an assortment of other gifts with the same message, so I know I'm not the only one who feels this way!

{Photo Credit}

I often wonder if I should use the term "mommydates" instead of playdates. After all, my kids play every day but I can go days and not have the opportunity to have adult conversation with other women. Even if we spend the entire time we're together talking about our children (and husbands), there is a sense of camaraderie among mamas. The understanding you can get from talking to another mother also helps you feel like you still have an identity other than Joe and Jane's mom or Mrs. [insert other generic name here]. I love being a mom and a wife, but I like being Jamie too.

Lincoln Polar Plunge 2011

2011-02-19T19:28:00.005-06:00

Lincoln Polar Plunge 2011

Last year the Special Olympics were held in my home town, Lincoln, Nebraska. There were so many wonderful opportunities to volunteer, watch and be inspired. The Polar Plunge is a wonderful event that raises money for the Special Olympics. Brave men and women 'take the plunge' in a local lake, yes in the middle of winter. In return for their plunge, family & friends donate money.

Our local news channels love this time of year. The camera crews catch all of these wonderful and brave people who are silly enough to jump in subzero temperature water just for the Special Olympics!

My friend is one of those wonderful people. If you have $5, $10 or $100 consider donating it to this fundraiser.

When you donate, post here that you did and you'll be entered to WIN A MAMA PAD STARTER PACK!!! {Wet Bag, and 4 pads.} This is a mandatory entry and must be done first for the other entries to count.

Extra Entries:
1. FOLLOW US ON TWITTER & Tweet "Give to the #SpecialOlympics Lincoln #PolarPlunge 2011 http://bit.ly/hDAbM4 & #win @brynnsbeautiful http://brynnsbeautifulbows.blogspot.com" {you must leave a separate comment with a link for your tweets. Tweets must be at least 1 hour apart}

2. Share this post on your facebook page and tag Brynn's Beautiful Bows (type the @ sign, the our name to tag us) asking your friends to donate with this link http://www.firstgiving.com/fundraiser/adam-barrickman/lincoln-polar-plunge-2011.. {you must leave a separate comment here with a valid link to where you shared this on facebook}

3. Blog about this giveaway. {must leave a separate comment here with a valid link to your post}

4. Share this somewhere else {must leave a separate comment here with a valid link for us to find it}

5. Sign up for our newsletter on the side of our blog.

Thanks for your wonderful support for the Special Olympics & Good Luck!

Easy Peasy Magnet Craft

2011-02-17T08:36:00.002-06:00

I would like to say that as a SAHM who homeschools I am the perfect combination of Martha Stewart and Mary Poppins...but this is so far from the truth! I'm sure there are mothers out there with more kids than me who have mastered the art of happy homemaking, homeschooling, and playdate hosting. If I could, I would put a big gold star on the homemade star chart that I never got around to making, in your honor.

A mom like me appreciates fun, frugal, and simple crafts.

To do this Easy Peasy Magnet Craft you will need a few inexpensive supplies:

Wood cut-outs (4 packs at Hobby Lobby for $0.99)
Roll of magnets with sticky strip on the back ($2.99 at Hobby Lobby)
Markers, paint and paintbrushes
Pom poms, sequins, glitter, or other craft items (optional)

For the sake our gracious 9-children-under-5 playdate hostess, we skipped the paint this day and used washable markers to decorate our wood cut-outs. I will definitely be doing this craft again at home with paint and whatever random craft stuff my kids want to glue on their masterpieces.

The kids had tons of fun coloring the cut-outs! If you're look for a quick and easy craft, I suggest markers for minimal cleanup.

Jenn did this with her kids as well, but they used paint. Their magnets looked great and they are planning to give them to family members as gifts from the kids.

Moms, you can add a learning opportunity to craft time by using a marker and putting dots on the wooden cut-outs in the shape of letters for your children to trace. Littler ones can do single letters or numbers, while older preschoolers can do their names.

The children will take pride in coloring their creations, especially once you tell them they are being made specifically to display on the fridge.

When decorating is done. Simply cut a strip of magnet off the roll and attach it to the back of the cut-out. For the larger wood pieces, we used 2 strips, so you can adjust the magnets to suit your needs.

Once this is finished, your crafty kids can stick their newly made magnets on the refrigerator for the world to see!

The magnets can be decorated as much or as little as you want. I love this craft because it can be easily tailored to fit your needs based on time, age, and supplies. You can write a special message on the back and gift them to grandparents, or you can keep them at home as fridge embellishments.

If you try this craft for yourself, please tell us about it! What other fun and easy crafts do you like to do with your kids?

All about moi- Mama J

2011-02-14T08:00:00.002-06:00

Hello Brynn's Boutiquers (I realize I just made up a word, but that's how I roll). ☺

My name is Jamie a.k.a. Mama J, and I'll be joining you every Monday and Thursday here on the Brynn's Boutique blog. Let me tell you a little about myself...

I am a 25 year old SAHM of 3 very awesome kids. Bubby is 3, Baby J is 3 months, and Princess J is 2 1/2.

I'm not only blessed by my babies, but I am married to a wonderful man. Hubby is an amazing daddy, a great husband, and he's a mailman so we get to make jokes about Baby J being the mailman's baby.

I love Jesus, blogging, breastfeeding, and having fun with my family and friends. Cloth diapers and small electronics (smartphones, ipods, e-readers) are my current addictions. I'm a sucker for a good deal and I love couponing (although I've slacked on this since Baby J was born). I have a hard time keeping my thoughts to myself, which is one of the reasons I love blogging. My mom and Hubby say I love to talk, and they're right, so don't be surprised if my posts reflect that. He he.

If there's anything else you want to know about me, don't hesitate to ask. You can also check out my personal blog Triple Duty.

Thank you Jenn, for letting me be a part of the Brynn's Boutique blog!

New Products Galore & MORE!

2011-02-11T08:50:00.008-06:00

WIN THIS WET BAG IN MARCH ~ when reach 150 blog followers

Please invite your friends to follow our blog! When we reach 150 followers a lucky follower will win a Brynn's Boutique Wet Bag! And get use to giveaways, we'll bring you at least one per month (but hopefully more!)

Wow - our website has grown again!!

We are retailing other WAHM's products starting Saturday! Bath & Body products, Detergents, Wool Dryer Balls, and much more! Any guesses who we will be retailing???

In addition to other WAHM's products, we will be adding new Brynn's Boutique products too! Brynn's Band-aid Bags, Puppy dog halter harnesses, & more!

Monday, February 14th, 2011 Mama J will introduce herself as our new blog writer! She'll bring you reviews, giveaways, recipes, crafts, funny stories and MORE!

Free samples of our new detergent as long as they last~ with purchase of mama cloth!

If you have topics you'd like us to write about let us know! We love your comments!

You can find us on facebook
Twitter,Etsy, and our new website www.brynnsboutique.com! DON'T FORGET TO SIGN UP FOR OUR NEWSLETTER! (there are 2 spots for you to sign up for our newsletter - on our website and here on our blog)

H is for Help!

2011-02-07T18:01:00.005-06:00

Finally!! I found a like minded Mama to help me with my blog!

Where does time go? Seriously - I run out of time every day and my 'To Do' list grows longer. I have a theory of sorts. Want to hear it?

Here's what I think has happened to all of those precious hours. We've made the switch over to Brynn's Boutique
with MANY new products. Most of those products require new materials, new manufacturers, and new product listings on the website.

Three good hours per product is spent researching where to get materials, making the right price point and writing up the listing. It takes another two hours making the actual products and photographing them. All of those receipts have to be logged & filed. I HAVE to update the budget. I MUST balance the checking account.

We are inundated with social networking sites; Twitter, Facebook, Blogs, etc. I find it very difficult to decide how to spend those few precious free moments on my networking. Geesh, if I update facebook will I loose fans? Will I get sucked into something interesting and forget why I logged on in the first place? How about tweeting the link to our new website? Will any followers even use the link? Am I a twit for tweeting? (yes, that was my attempt at humor)

My working hours are seldom uninterrupted because I'm Mommy first. So I'm squeezing in work to get all of the new products made and listed and only having the same amount of time as I allowed before when I didn't have new products.

In short, I'm trying to do more with the same amount of time and it's just not working out!

I'm very excited to have found Mama J! On Valentine's day she'll be officially introduced and you will learn more about her. I hope next Monday you'll warmly welcome her. She is going to be a blessing to me!

Yay for the letter H!

You pierced WHAT?!

2010-12-30T14:15:00.010-06:00

We've all seen that cute girl that would look SO pretty if she'd just take out all of those piercings - right? So we might ask, "Why have all of those piercings?"

We may never know unless we ask each person, and even then their answers could all be so very different. For me the answer is simply that I want one because I think it will be pretty.

December 28th was a warm Tuesday evening in Nebraska. My Hubby and I completed a appointment and decided to stop in at "our" tattoo and piercing shop, The Iron Brush.

You see, Tyson the owner of The Iron Brush, was the artist who tattoo me first. 10 years ago he was an artist at another shop, and he was referred to me by several people. I saw the amazing tattoos he had done on others so I trusted that he would take care of me too. He drew a rain forest type frog for my lower back. He did not disappoint! After my tattoo was done he even took a photo of it for his portfolio! I was way excited and even tickled when my MOTHER saw that photo in his shop years later!

I emailed The Iron Brush about a piercing late the night before (I'm a total night owl). Matt emailed me back to answer all of my questions. He gave me the prices, options, and state requirements needed so that I could get pierced.

When we walked in to shop, Hubby, Brynn and I were greeted by the gal who works the front desk. She promptly got Matt from the back and we got down to business.

They have so many choices for studs, rings, and other weird shaped objects that fit your piercing. I wanted a stud, a shiny, sparkly, tiny stud.

$30 for the piercing, $30 for the stud. $10 for the salt-water cleaning spray. Neo Metal is a high grade (surgical grade) titanium metal that Matt recommends and carries in the shop. I picked out a beautiful Amethyst stone that measures 2mm. The smallest stone available is 1.5mm and the largest is 4mm. He took a measurement to make sure the stud back was long enough.

Everything had to be sterilized in the autoclave and that takes about 25 minutes. We took that time to grab cash and talk about my nerves. Yes, I was nervous.
After 20 minutes we returned to the shop so I could complete the paperwork required by our state. Then I was off to the back of the shop where only the "To Be Tattooed/Pierced" and the Artists are allowed.

Matt entertained me with a wonderful story of how the TSA in Tennessee pulled guns on him and his family while traveling over the holidays. (I will re-tell that story at another time.) I felt more at ease. But I did mention that I was nervous. He explained that he doesn't do sneaky stuff and he will explain everything he was using and going to do. First the numbing cream went on, it actually doesn't numb anything that I noticed, it is more for stopping the very tiny vessels from bleeding. Next, the purple mark goes on so Matt knows where to place the stud. I looked at myself in the mirror, examining the purple mark - where the piercing would go. I made sure it was in the perfect spot.

I layed down on the table and it was piercing time. I turned my face toward him and he stuck that tube up my nose, awaiting to catch the needle. I inhaled a deep breath and as I exhaled there was a small pinch. The back of the stud was in and then I heard a little click and the beautiful Amethyst was in it's place.

My right eye watered a little and that was it. I didn't bleed or anything. Matt cleaned up my piercing and compressed it just a little to prevent and separation of skin around the piercing. I sat up and could see the piercing in my peripheral vision. It was shinny. I looked in the mirror to see it properly.

My right nostril was pierced. I did it. I did it. I did IT!

The Hubby wasn't excited about this piercing at all, but now 3 days later, he has complimented me and actually LIKES it. Our oldest 2 kids think it's really cool. They just saw it today for the first time.

Maintenance continues for 6-12 weeks. Use the salt water spray 3-6 times a day and after exercising or as needed. Use common sense to keep the piercing clean. Matt sent me home with a pamphlet that explains everything (and that was some of the paperwork that we went over prior to the piercing) Overall this experience was wonderful and I would recommend it to anyone that is thinking of piercing their nose.

I'm ready to choose my next ring so I'll be ready when I can change it in 6 weeks!

CC Bums

2010-12-30T14:08:00.005-06:00

I found CC Bums on Facebook earlier in 2010. Cami is the owner of this WAHM company based in Michigan. I had never tried a fitted diaper but really wanted to.

Cami invited me to browse her photo albums on facebook to see if any fabric caught my eye. Two words. John Deere! Brynn's Daddy's family is full of ranchers and farmers. Gavin loves John Deere and I love their fabric prints. So this was a no brainer!

Cami whipped up a fitted John Deere. It fit great in the legs, waist & rise. We washed and dried it 3 times to prep it. Then we snapped it on and put a cover over it. NO LEAKS! CC Bums fitteds are very absorbent and soft. It washes up very nicely too.

Our second purchase from CC Bums was this tester Minky Pocket Diaper. Cami wanted to see if we could use it just as a diaper or if it needed a cover. We concluded that a cover is needed. This very comfy and pretty pocket diaper is great. Stuff it with the insert or add another soaker pad to the inside of it, and cover. Viola'!

The pocket minky diaper has snaps to adjust the waist and they come in sizes S, M, L & XL.

You can find an array of eco-friendly items at CC Bums for the crunchy baby and Mama! Cami makes Nursing Pads & Mama Cloth among other fun things. Check out her toys, hats & skirties!

Learn more about CC Bums here.

BUY IT
http://hyenacart.com/ccbums to purchase stock

Be sure to become a fan of her facebook page for fun contests (that are easy) and to get a first look at all of her new items!

Recently we won a $10 store credit just for posting on facebook our favorite dessert! I picked out a skirtie for Brynn. I use a Chinese prefold and Snappi then throw the Skiritie on over it. The skirtie is sized 18-24months and a cute way be crunchy!

Diapeze Diapers ~ Design your own Diape!

2010-12-30T14:06:00.012-06:00

I found Diapeze Diapers on Facebook and fell in love with all of Kristen's fun diapers! The Elmo diaper really caught my eye. Design your OWN cloth diaper - you choose the type of print you want! How cool is that?!

Diapeze also carries Traineze, Wipezes, Bibezes & more! Our Husker Diapeze is half print in Husker fabric with PUL front and aplix. This type of diaper runs $14-$16. We were lucky enough to trade a cape for a diaper!

I just won a traineze on Diapeze's Facebook page auction album. I'm so excited to get it! Brynn LOVES Elmo, so this should be a great way to help her potty train. She is only 14 months old, but she already is interested in the potty. She loves to watch her brother Gavin use the potty. Now we can say, "Let's pull down Elmo and go potty!" Woo Hoo - man, I'm excited. It's those little mommy things that get me stoked.

Our Diaper has aplix on the front and includes a soaker. Minky top, Cotton center, PUL waterproof bottom. I use our Diapeze diaper with a Chinese Prefold and Snappi.
The fit is excellent and there is plenty of room for the Prefold under the cover & soaker.

Our Husker diaper is a huge hit with everyone that see's it! We usually wear this diaper out and about with a skirt, on Game Days and just around the house. The cool thing about this wonderful WAHM company is that you design your own stash!

Contact Kristen at: kristin@diapeze.com
Or view the website: website: www.diapeze.com

Robyn's Sweet Cheeks Diapers

2010-12-30T14:06:00.008-06:00

We had the great opportunity to try on of Robyn's Sweet Cheeks AIO diapers.
The cute cotton print is perfect for our Brynn! The inside is fleece and the core is full of something very absorbent!

I love to use Robyn's Sweet Cheeks AIO diaper for overnight use or when the grandparents are on diaper duty. We've NEVER had a leak and it's so easy to use, the grandparents really can't screw it up!
Find Robyn's Sweet Cheeks Diapers on Facebook.

My hubby likes the AIO Sweet Cheeks diaper because of the convenience and easy of using it. He doesn't have to worry about using a Snappi or Saftey pins OR putting it on crooked!

The front has aplix closure for the waist adjust-ability. There are 3 rows of snaps to adjust the rise. Our Brynn is a tiny kiddo, but I would say her legs are average. The cut through the thighs are PERFECT! No red marks and no leaks!
Very nice job Robyn!

Here is what Robyn recommends for washing Sweet Cheeks:

My recommended wash routine for Sweet Cheeks Cloth Diapers.

To prep diapers for first use please wash and dry like normal two to three times. Your diapers will become more absorbent over time.

Normal Washing:
Remove any inserts, and make sure all velcro tabs are attached to the wash tabs.
Start with a cold rinse, to remove any waste.
Wash on HOT with as little detergent as possible to get your diapers clean. I recommend Rockin Green, and I use only 1 Tbs per full load of diapers.
Run two cold/warm rinses. Make sure there are no bubbles in the rinse water. If there are still bubbles, rinse again.
I recommend line drying. In the winter I dry on a rack. In the summer I dry on a line in the sun. If you have to dry your diapers in the dryer, dry on low/med. High heat will deteriorate the PUL in the diapers and they won't last as long. Even on a very hot day, your PUL can get ruined in the sun.

If you have any stains, sunning your diapers will usually remove all of them.
If you have any strong odors remaining, or your diapers start to repel, you need to strip them.

To order, contact Robyn on Facebook. New fabric is coming January 1st!

Favorite Celebrity Baby Names of 2010...

2010-12-29T22:59:00.005-06:00

...according to Babycenter.com

Well look who has made the top 5 most Favorite Celebrity Baby Names of 2010!

#5) Bryn (Bethenny Frankel & Jason Hoppy)

We, of course, spell Brynn with 2 'N's. Oh and I have to mention that Brynn is a 2009 baby - but, well - this is just too cool not to share! I suppose you can say we are setting the trends for the celebs! LOL.

Here is the rest of the list...

1. Grace Margaret (Mark Wahlberg & Rhea Durham)
2. Harper Grace (Neil Patrick Harris & David Burtka)
3. Aviana Olea (Amy Adams & Darren Legallo)
4. Olivia Marie (Lance Armstrong & Anna Hansen)

Least Favorite Celebrity Baby Names of 2010
1. Buddy Bear Maurice (Jamie Oliver & Juliette Norton)
2. Egypt Daoud (Alicia Keys & Kaseem Dean, aka Swizz Beatz)
3. Cosima Violet (Claudia Schiffer & Matthew Vaughn)
4. Axel (Will Ferrell & Viveca Paulin)
5. Krishna Thea (Padma Lakshmi)

After seeing the worst names of 2010, I have to say "What the HECK were they thinking?"

What did you name your babes or what names do you love????

{That's not working}

2010-12-28T14:13:00.008-06:00

My grand plan to be 'off' until March isn't going to happen.

I'm working to get orders out, slowly but surely. I just have to work through some pain and take it easy.

Then onto introducing new products, launching a website and fitting in giveaways!

In January the Green Quiz Quest begins! Register to become a seeker. Solve riddles to find the hidden icon. Win prizes!!!

February brings a wonderful Birthday Bash on http://www.marineparents-blog.com/. April will host a new sponsor every day in February! That is a new prize for each day that month!! Make sure you follow her blog! Tell her that we sent you!

Beginning in March we'll be a vendor at numerous craft fairs...and chugging away creating Halloween Costumes. Yes, I meant Halloween costumes.

We love having you as fans, thanks for sticking with us through thick and thin!

Cheers!

Bye Bye Tutus

2010-12-24T02:03:00.002-06:00

I enjoy designing tutus. I love to see little Princesses twirl and dance in my creations. Now, that I have perfected them, I have to quit them. Life is no fair.

August 17, 2007 was the darkest day in my life. One that changed everything forever.
The short version of that day is that I was in an auto accident and injured my neck/back/body.

Simply put; it hurts my body too bad to continue to make tutus.
I intend to take the next few months to finish up wholesale orders, work with my SECRET Doggie boutique to create Hairbows and target my marketing plan.

I intend to shift my focus to other eco-friendly/family friendly pretend play items. If you have suggestions please share them! I think boys' PJs are in the line up too! Of course I've got some goodies up my sleeve, but you'll have to wait.

Wishing you the happiest of holidays. Be safe and God Bless You!

Orders Shipped Dec 24th

2010-12-24T01:58:00.005-06:00

Kristi- your Zebra Girl Tutu with Swavorski Rhinestones and matching flower clip is being shipped today.

Leah- your kitty tutu & hair bows will be mailed today. They are sooo cute!

April B - Your tutu is done. The cape is so close to being done.

Brook C- your headbands are being shipping today.

Jessica L- Your John Deere Bows are being shipped today.

The Green Quiz Quest prize is being mailed today.

Melissa - your newborn tutu is being shipped today.

Sami H your Rock Star Tutu is being mailed today.

Amy & Amy & Janet, Your capes will be mailed after the holidays.

Heather - here are all of your goodies, except for the bean bag chairs, & G's apron.

Testers for the Wet Bags & Michelle S~ Your items will be mailed after the holidays too.

Brynn's Babbles

The Spoon Theory written by Christine Miserandino

Friday Finds - Take my breath away

Thursday Trials

Wordless Wednesday - {mom, I heart you}

Tidbit Tuesday - Jenn's Famous Meatballs

Must have on a Monday

Friday Finds...ooh ahhh!

Find me if you can!

Wordless Wednesday - My family

Wordless Wednesday - Calling All Pink Sock Monkies!

Wordless Wednesday - I miss you like a fire that burns blue...

Fall Fashion Show

Wordless Wednesday - Husker Game Days in Lincoln Nebraska

Blog Blast Mini Easy Rafflecopter entry Win $50 CASH

Win $10 to Brynn's Beautiful Bows shop

Schedule your holiday appointments now!

Preview ~ Blog Blast MINI- Get Set to win $50 CASH!

Munchkin sized Mighty Capes

Blue Angels

Wordless Wednesday

CouponCabin’s 25 Crazy Dayz of Giveawayz Event! November 1-25! Sign up TODAY!

Hair Candy with Courtney Clegg - Hairstylist

Choose from Husker colors red, black, white.

OR white and black grizzly ,

OR red and black grizzly.

OR Pink and tropical green!

How fun- right!

Ad space giveaway!

Twitter Hop Thursday!

Be our guest...Blogger!

***Giveaway & Coupon***Door Decor & More, Lincoln NE

rAiNbOw CuPcAkEs {a tutorial for all ages}

Life With My Littles: All About Baby *and Mama too* Blog Bash Sponsor Sp...

Nellie's Pet Snacks Review {Goodness for your Furbaby!}

{CLOSED} 3 Months of FREE advertising on Brynn's Blog [a giveaway]

Paci-Catchers Review

Angel Lights Review ~ a WAHM Soy Candle Company!

Intentions ReVieW {Delish soap for your body, Beautiful eye candy!}

Yummy Clean B's Detergent Review & Giveaway {your nose & your clothes will thank you!}

Introductions should always come with chocolate!

Green Tip - Vinegar, Really?

Woolies!! The Sleepy Sheep Review & Giveaway

Gemeos Review

{Winners} of the 2100 facebook fan celebration

Little Sappling Toys {Coupon} Alert

Getting to know...April

Wordless Wednesday - AJ 8yrs old

Easter Wipes/Washcloth Giveaway ~closed~

Blog Makeover Anyone?

Brynn's Beautiful Bows' photostream

Easter Bunny Money $100 Cash Giveaway **Winner Announced**

WIN $100 Cash

HOP ON OVER!

We have picked and verified our winner of the Easter Bunny Money Event!

Our Winner is: Kristine Italiano

What's Happening Here

Wordless Wednesday

{Coming Soon} Easter Bunny Win Money!

Car Seat Safety

Wordless Wednesday

Unique Women in Business Etsy Team Blog Hop

Introducing Brynn's Boutique

What's the deal with dryer balls?

Wordless Wednesday - a little bit of what I DO

Teething Bling Review

The Dirties on Diapering

Wet Bag Giveaway **Closed**

Sometimes it's okay to play with your food...

March Monthly Must-Haves: Cutest Cloth Diapers

Monthly Moon Pad Club ~ Free Shipping!

Mini Me

Playdates: not just for the kids

Lincoln Polar Plunge 2011

Easy Peasy Magnet Craft

All about moi- Mama J

New Products Galore & MORE!

H is for Help!

You pierced WHAT?!

CC Bums

Giveaway & CouponDoor Decor & More, Lincoln NE

Life With My Littles: All About Baby and Mama too Blog Bash Sponsor Sp...

Easter Bunny Money $100 Cash Giveaway Winner Announced

Wet Bag Giveaway Closed