Studio Pebbles

A New Shared Bedroom + Mild Panic Attack

Did you know that it's October. 

Excuse me while I have a momentary mental breakdown while musing on the fact that I could very well have a baby before the end of this month.

We are so unprepared. 

Someone, who will remain nameless, *coughcoughme*...decided to write a bunch of checks under the "2nd Trimester Invincibility Spell"...that her exhausted, sore, feeble brained 3rd Trimester body had to cash. Not smart. If you are reading this, and you're in that "I CAN DO ALL THE THINGS" frenzy of months 4-6, let me be a voice of reason. Only promise things you can do this week, not next month, or GOD FORBID, in your 3rd Trimester. Or, you'll end up like me. 

EFFED.

Our house is a wreck. There is clutter EVERYWHERE, and it's making me insane. The level of purging that needs to occur in just the main "non-essential" areas is at an epic level. And then we get into the essential areas, and I want to curl up into a ball. The kitchen cupboards need to be cleaned out to make room for bottles and breast feeding equipment, cleaning supplies, lunch boxes for Maggie, etc. Same goes for the pantry closet, the kitchen counters and the fridge. The living room toy area is being replaced by some nice, adult shelves and a living room desk, and all the toys are going in the closed storage closets. The couches and carpets need a deep cleaning, and Halloween decor needs to go up. 

Then, we get to the major project this week- Maggie's room and our room, which we have to prep to share with Baby. Currently, our room looks like Beirut. No joke. It's the one room we have neglected more than any other. It's a mish-mash hodge podge of furniture from our old house that didn't fit elsewhere, so we dumped it in there...it's a holy wreck. As it is today, if we had the baby now...there would be no room for him, and I'm not exaggerating. 

So, we're getting ready to totally redecorate, and purge like no one has ever purged before! When finished, we hope to have all three doors replaced with sliding barn doors, Maggie will have a "loft" bed with a play space below, and a new IKEA closet and bookshelves. Our bed will have a new headboard and nightstands, all the furniture will be rearranged, (including our massive freestanding closet) two cabinets and two dressers will be removed and either sold or given to my parents for their basement, and in their place will be a calm, clutter free haven, equipped with a nice nursing/story-time nook with a rocking chair, a new dresser that will double as a changing table, and most importantly, room right next to my bed for the bassinet. 

1. Threshold at Target // 2. Nurseryworks // 3. Dreamhome // 4. Nate Berkus at Target // 5. Threshold at Target // 6. IKEA Malm // 7. Threshold at Target // 8. Threshold at Target // 9. Flensted Mobile // 10. Romawinkle on Etsy // 11. Threshold at Target // 12. Threshold at Target // 13. 3 Sprouts. 

Here are a few more "inspiration" images:

1. // 2. // 3. // 4. // 5. // 6. // 7. // 8. // 9. // 10. // 11. // 12. // 13. // 14. // 15. // 16. // 

*sigh*

I realize I shouldn't complain. It's all a very "first world problems." But, it's not the redecorating, because obviously that part is enjoyable, it's the purging and coordinating help and finding the money for it all. That is the stress; that, and the massive impending deadline...because I know that once baby comes, the real crazy starts. By cleaning out the clutter in my environment, I am protecting whatever thin strand of sanity I still have from breaking with a loud snap at about week 3; when I'm tripping over toys, laundry and the dog; bottles are falling out of cupboards, the baby is crying, Maggie hates me, there is nothing for dinner, my skin is grey, my boobs hurt, I haven't showered in days, and my hair is falling out.  

When that day arrives, I want to sit down in whatever room I have stumbled into, and look around and feel the peaceful balance of an edited space. It will feel like a warm hug from an old friend, and frankly, I can't wait. 

Are you like this? Do you feel overly sensitive to clutter and chaos in your house? How often do you purge and do you have help? What room is most neglected in your house? 

If you've made it to the end of my ranting and raving, I have a winner in the Target Photo Center giveaway:

Congratulations Cicely! Thanks to everyone who entered! I'll be back soon with another giveaway, so stay tuned! 

xoxoxo
-JP 

A Muse Studio | It's Bow Time

Hey Friends! 

Are you a fan of Wafer Dies? Before I started working with the new A Muse Studio products, I have to admit, I'd never used a wafer die. I knew what they were at least, but didn't feel the need to buy any or whatever, because I have my Silhouette machine... I couldn't think of a reason why I needed them. 

But now I do... 

One of my favorite products from the new 2013 A Muse Studio holiday catalog are the "Bow" wafer dies. They are so fun and easy to use. Unlike cutting from a digital die-cutting machine, using a manual die-cutting machine and wafer dies means you can easily cut difficult materials, like felt, fabric, thick papers and specialty items, like sheets of self-adhesive glitter paper. Once I cut my first bow from a sheet of A Muse felt, I was hooked, and couldn't wait to experiment and share my results with you! 

( Maggie only agreed to be my model after strict contract negotiations in which I promised to add to her My Little Pony collection. Who knew booking talent would be so difficult. :D )

Seriously, these were so easy to make. The dies are one piece, so they cut from one piece of material- I find that the best results come from using double sided materials- like felt. In my experimenting, I also made some with fabric and fusible webbing, and some with self-adhesive glitter paper- I just cut two bows and sandwiched them together before assembling them. 

The only other supplies you need to make the bows I made are some fabric, iron-on fusible webbing, a glue gun, pin backs and hair clip blanks, the aforementioned self-adhesive glitter paper- all of which you can find at your local craft store. I also used self-adhesive Velcro dots and mini-paper clips to make the glittery shoe bows, some glitter ribbon for the center of the bow in the necklace photo, and some beads and embroidery floss to make the tassel pin.  

You can get the dies here, and some delicious multi-color packages of felt here, in the A Muse Studio online store, or find a consultant near you and have a bow making party! They would make great gifts for the Holidays, or use them for adding a special touch to your gift wrap, stockings, garland or other holiday decor. 

xoxoxo
-JP

FTC Disclosure: A Muse Studio has provided compensation and project supplies in exchange for this series. All opinions and experiences shared are my own. 

Back-To-School for Mom | Target Photo Center | Target Inner Circle

Today I'm wrapping up my "Back-To-School for Mom" blog series with Target® and Target Inner Circle. I really hope you've enjoyed following along!

As I join the ranks of fellow parents with a kid in school, it has really changed my perspective on time management and productivity. It has also given me a new level of respect for the Moms and Dads who wake up every morning and orchestrate the EPIC task of getting multiple children to school on time, while maintaining a level of outward sanity that convinces the general population that everything is smooth and under control. Fist Bump, sisters and brothers. Fist Bump. 

For this last post, I wanted to share some fun products and gift ideas from Target® and Target® Photo Center. Since the series started, I've walked you through the basic steps to take control of your digital creativity, and now you can put that knowledge to use by treating yourself to some custom printed products! 

I'm so excited that Target® gave me this chance to test out some products of my choosing- I dove right in without much rhyme or reason behind my choice in products- I looked for items that were "full bleed" or "photo only" (meaning you could use a full photo image rather than adding to something pre-designed) and had fun with it! I mean, who doesn't love stickers? I picked a couple of my favorite graphics, a few photos of Maggie, started uploading and ordering...and TA DA! 

I think the first items I chose were the labels and the stickers. I selected a set of logo labels for Studio Pebbles and another set for my husband's Seattle paint company, Madrona Paintworks. Then, I ordered a double batch of custom return address stickers that we have needed for like EVER. The process was totally painless and easy to follow. Next, I went into my design files and grabbed a few of my favorite graphics and tried them out as sheets of stickers. SO FUN! The quality of the printed labels is outstanding! I am really happy with them. 

Next up: fridge magnets. I picked these because I figured it would be nice to have some decent looking magnets for my messy fridge, and I also chose to do some photo magnets to give away as gifts for the holidays. Again, print quality was 100% spot on, bright and crisp. 

Then I did the same thing with key chains. Target® offers a few different options, I think the one I chose was "Key Tag." these are small 2" solid plastic rectangles with the key ring attached in the upper right corner. Again, I chose some with a photo and some with graphics. These didn't print as crisp as the labels and magnets, but it's only obvious if you are comparing the two products side by side. These Key Tags are made of a different material that is much glossier than the magnets, which might have a lot to do with the end result. 

Last but not least, I decided to try out my "Family Rules" printable as a graphic on a custom ceramic coffee mug. The coffee mugs do not have a "photo only" option, which is a bummer. I would have loved to have just had my graphic on a nice white background...however, I did find a simple pre-designed template with a color that coordinated well enough and went with that. I actually made a mistake in picking the wrong gray for the background of my graphic before uploading it, and didn't catch it until my order was already being processed, but that is only a nit-picky thing for me to notice...otherwise the coffee mug turned out great! 

These are a only some of the products that Target® offers that can be customized with your graphics or photos. In fact, Target® retail stores and Target.com recently started carrying a line of products by a great company called RuMe. RuMe specializes in reusable products such as tote bags, pouches, iPad and iPhone cases, cleaning clothes and more in amazing bold graphic patterns and colors.

When you buy a RuMe iPhone, iPad or iPod case, you get a voucher for a custom back-plate. I altered one of my pre-existing designs into a background of simple color dots and sent it off to RuMe. I couldn't wait to get a custom printed case for my phone, and I have to tell you, the quality is outstanding. I love my case so much, I ended up making some jewelry for it. 

Overall, I really enjoyed the process of having these items printed, not only for the end result, but for the experience. I can't wait to put the Key Tags and Magnets in the Grandparents stockings, and start using those much needed return address labels. 

As a little added treat, I have an extra set of the products (Key Tags, Magnets, Sticker Sheets, and Coffee Mug) with my designs to giveaway, and also, everyone can take advantage of a special discount for Studio Pebbles readers- 15% off your TargetPhoto.com order using code: PEBBLES15 from now until Oct. 31, 2013 at 11:59 pm EDT.

To enter the giveaway: leave a comment below and a winner will be drawn on Monday, September 30th at 3:00 pm PST. Be sure to sign in with a vaild email address or make sure you add it to your comment. 

Once again, thank you for following along with this series! If you have any questions or suggestions for future series posts, tutorials, or general topics you'd like me to share, I'd love to hear your thoughts. 

-Jennifer

Back-To-School for Mom | Kids Artwork | Target Inner Circle

Welcome Back everyone! 

This is one of my last posts in my "Back-To-School for Mom" #BTS4MOM series with Target® and Target Inner Circle. If you've been following along, so far we've covered Must Have Tech Tools, Making a Creative Command Center, and Creating With Printables. Today we are going to talk about Organizing and Archiving Kids Artwork and my last post will be about exploring third-party printing and Target® Photo Center.

Also, today I'll reveal the winner of my $200 Target® Gift Card Giveaway, and next post you can enter to win a few printed items I designed courtesy of Target® Photo Center! 

This past week was a big one for our little family, as we finally sent Maggie off to her first day of Pre-School. Mommy was a bit emotional, Maggie was ready and raring to go! It has been more of an adjustment for me, I think, than it has been for her. She gets to spend all day learning and playing with other kids and having a ball, and I am home in the peace and quiet, where- to be honest- I find it a bit hard to stay awake. :D 

When I surveyed my Mom friends about the areas they needed help with as part of the #BTS4MOM series, one ongoing project popped up with just about everyone: What to do with all the artwork and little projects that our kids bring home from school? I thought today would be a great day to review some options. 

Step One: ORGANIZING

I have a box in our hall closet filled with artwork and keepsakes Maggie has made over the years. For now, because she's just starting Montessori school, I haven't felt a huge push to get her creations cataloged or purged, mostly because I only have one box full. However, I know the day is coming soon, so I researched a few ideas. 

First, I do think it can be challenging at times to find ways to hang kids artworks in our homes that blend with our surroundings while still highlighting the pride you and your child feel about their work. For some, it's as simple as slapping it up on the fridge with a magnet. But, if you're like me (above), that fridge can get cluttered pretty quick. So, I looked to Pinterest to find some practical ideas that can replace the fridge gallery, and here are my favorites: 

1. Simple Clipboard Display //Ashley Ann Photography // I am a big fan of simple. I love this idea as a quick way to set up a display for kids artwork. You can leave the clipboards plain, like this example here, or you could paint them in a bright color, or cover them with fabric or scrapbook paper. 
2. Curtain Rod + Clips // I Heart Organizing // This is another great idea, and I've seen a lot of different takes on this- but the use of small cafe rods and curtain clips is so smart. It's easy to find rods like these nearly anywhere and the end result looks sophisticated. I used a hanging display similar to this over the window when Maggie and I had a shared office/playroom. 
3. Chevron Painted Clip Frame // One Krieger Chick // I think this is so cute! I love the shaped frame and the pattern, and think it looks perfect grouped with other art on a wall. 
4. Chicken Wire Wall Display // Slightly Cosmopolitan // Pure genius! I saw this and immediately started looking around the house for a place to put something like this up. If you don't have a big wall like this, you could add the chicken wire behind a wooden picture frame for a smaller version. Depending on the frame, you could make it look really modern or vintage and rustic. 
5. Tall Deskside Pinboard // Cupcakes For Breakfast // If you have a home office area, or a desk for your Creative Command Center, I love the idea of a nice tall bulletin board like this one. I can just imagine my daughter craning her neck to look up and see her art hanging up high and feeling so proud. 
6. Shrink Art Frame Display // Tampa Bay Times (AP) // This is a great idea too! You can photograph your favorites and upload them to PicMonkey and make a collage, then print it onto card stock and mount inside a frame. This would be a GREAT gift idea for grandparents, especially with a little photo of your child included in the collage. 

Display areas like these work best in partnership with another system, like the file box that I use. You can rotate artwork out as new projects come in, keeping an upper hand on clutter. One Mom in my survey has a great system that she uses for multiple kids: Each of her children has a big plastic art bin that she keeps in the garage. As their projects come in, they are dated and labeled, and filed away until the end of each school year. Then, she sits down with each kid to review what they would like to keep and what can be tossed; that helps keep the amount of art in check, while making sure favorite projects are kept and cared for. 

Step Two: ARCHIVING

When it comes to saving these treasured collections, I am a big fan of making art books; they are organized, compact, and there are a lot of different ways to customize them to your child and personality of your family. Here are some of my favorite types of books and archiving ideas: 

So far, the one that ranks at the top of my "To Make" list is this "Mini Masterpieces Photo Book," by Paislee Press available from Shutterfly, which you can find on the Target Photo Center website. 

Photo by Liz Tamanaha for Paislee Press

An 8"x 8" 20-page Hard Cover book starts at about $24.00, which is a great price! This photo book was specially designed to... " let your child's artwork take center stage...feature a picture of your creative child in action and include an artist bio next to a gallery of their most inspired work. Use specially designed pages to trace handprints or add more art to this very special photo book AFTER it's been received."

There are a few ways you can digitize the artwork your kids bring home. One of the easiest ways I've found is to simply purchase a large white art canvas from the art supply store (like this one here) and use it as a background for photographing each piece. You can use your stand alone camera, or camera on your smart-phone. I like this process, because it's easy to whip through all the photography, and quickly upload it to your computer for editing. I like to use Adobe Lightroom for quick editing, because I can edit one photo to the exposure, color, saturation and sharpness that I prefer, and then quickly "sync" those same edits to all the photos with one click. If you don't want to invest in Adobe software, you can always edit the photos using the editor in PicMonkey, or make minor edits in the Shutterfly uploading process. 

If you'd rather not go through the photography process, you can scan the artwork into your computer using a scanner. The HP Photosmart 5520 printer has a great scanner that is easy to use. There are disadvantages to doing it this way; it is much more time consuming, and you'll still have to use the camera to photograph lumpy or three-dimensional projects. The upside is that you don't have to worry about lighting or whether or not your photos are in focus. 

Once you have your favorites uploaded into your computer, you have more options for creating and sharing. You can make the miniature gallery frame like the one above in the art display round up, you can print a favorite drawing onto an iron-on and make a custom t-shirt, or print some drawings onto card stock to make quick cards to send to grandparents. 

Another digital photo book option is through an app via your iPhone or Android, called Artkive. I personally haven't tried Artkive, but it also looks like a great product. The basic idea is that you simply photograph each piece using the camera inside the app, tagging the photo with your child's grade and/or date the art was made, and when you're happy with the amount of art uploaded, you can print the book.

According to the website, an 8"x 8" book is also approximately $24.00. This seems like the faster of the two photo books, but it doesn't offer the same level of customization and whimsy as the Shutterfly one, which might be an important consideration for those enjoying the book in future years. Also, there isn't any image editing option, so if crisp, clear photos are important, you'd have the additional step of using a photo editing app before uploading to Artkive. 

If all that digitizing is making your head spin, I'm always a fan of hands-on projects. For a custom design, I suggest putting together a folder of artwork using pocket pages and envelopes like those found in the line of Project Life supplies,

Project Life is a fantastic memory keeping system that incorporates simple pockets for photographs and other papers and small items that can be mixed and matched and moved around in a large 3-ring album. There are also notecard sets with different themes that fit the pockets, and there are countless designers that make Project Life compatible printables (myself included) that you can add to your albums. It's foolproof; and for art archiving, I love that you can throw the art pieces into the album and go back later and add photos of your kids or class pictures, ribbons, etc., when you have time; which could be at the end of each school year, if you really want to keep it simple!

And last but definitely not least, do what my Mom did: buy an adorable pre-made memory book, like this one by Illustrator Stephan Britt from Chronicle Books. 

You can't get any faster or simpler than this, folks! By the time I finished Elementary School, mine was bursting at the seams; full of art projects, homework, class photos, report cards, you name it! It wasn't nearly as cute as this version, but it did the job, and it's a great and practical option if this is the process you want to follow for archiving your child's artwork. 

I hope that gives you a few ideas and helpful resources to make the art collecting and archiving a bit easier. I would love to hear any other ideas you might have or other apps or suggestions, so please feel free to leave a comment to continue the discussion. Did your family save your art from childhood? Is it something you share with your children?

Last but not least, I'm excited to share that we have a winner for the $200 Target® Gift Card drawing. The contest closed on Friday at 1pm PST, and the winner in the drawing is: 

Congratulations Anika! You were commenter number 45, and the $200 Target® Gift Card is all yours! Thank you so much to everyone who entered, I wish I could send you all a prize. If you didn't win, don't forget to check back for my last #BTS4MOM post later this week to enter another drawing for some goodies I designed using Target® Photo Center, and readers will also get an exclusive discount code as well! 

-Jennifer

Full Disclosure: I am a member of the Target® Inner Circle, all opinions expressed are my own. I was provided a gift card to purchase some of the items used in this series, however I have also contributed my own resources and time. Affiliate links are used for items that can be purchased online 

A Muse Studio | Holiday Album

If you've been following along, I've been posting a couple of pages from the two albums I am working on with A Muse Studio products. A few days ago, I shared the first look at my Halloween Album, and last month I introduced my Holiday Album. Today, I wanted to share another spread in that book. 

These pages are pretty simple and straightforward, but I tried to use a few subtle accents in a way to make the images pop. 

• I love the look of using white embossing powder over Onyx cardstock- I love the "chalkboard" look it gives, especially with the word art image above. It's fairly simple, but makes for a great bold statement. 
• A Muse Studio makes these teeny tiny little pearl enamel dots that are so fun to add as an embellishment. I think they look great as an accent to the lights on my Christmas Tree photo. 
• I'm new to using Wafer dies- and especially love them for felt, fabric or glitter paper- items that you can't traditionally cut with a machine like the Silhouette or a paper punch. For the chevron "Joy" tag, I used wafer dies to cut out the letters and the leaves, and added flocking to the letters to give them texture. I also used a wafer die to cut out the glitter reindeer. 

You can find all the products I used for this project at A Muse Studio, including the album and insert pages, papers, inks, dies and more!  

xoxoxo
-JP 

FTC Disclosure: A Muse Studio has provided compensation and project supplies in exchange for this series. All opinions and experiences shared are my own. 

A Muse Studio | Halloween Album

Last month I shared some pages from the Holiday Album I am working on with A Muse Studio products, and today I am taking a break in the last of my Target® "Back-To-School For Mom" posts to share a first look at my Halloween Album. 

I am a BIG fan of Halloween, even though in the past 5 years or so, I haven't been able to get out and celebrate it as much as I would like. Did I mention the Baby Bean is due on October 31st? We will be beside ourselves excited if we have a Halloween baby! Party every year? Yes, please!! 

Last year, we were a family of Witches- I hot glued a zillion plastic spiders to a white flower girl dress for Maggie's costume. The year before was a bit more of an event- I was a Tree, John was a Bird Watcher, and Maggie was an Owl. I made the Owl costume for her first Halloween, but we were literally moving houses that day, and didn't really get to dress up or go Trick-or-Treating, so I was glad we were able to recycle the costume for one more year. 

Playing with Halloween theme products is ALWAYS my favorite, and this was no exception! I love the versatility of the stamp sets for photo albums, cards and especially party decor! For me, this album is a great way to start cataloging memories of past Halloweens, and inspiration to remind me to take more time to celebrate now that Maggie is getting older. This year I'm going to try to get more activities on the calendar- like the Pumpkin Patch and a local farm that does it up for Halloween- so we can all enjoy it before baby arrives. 

I have another peek at my A Muse Studio Holiday Album coming up later this week, and don't forget, there is still time to enter my #BTS4MOM $200 Target® Gift Card giveaway! The drawing will be held this Friday, so tell your friends to enter! 

xoxoxo
-JP

FTC Disclosure: A Muse Studio has provided compensation and project supplies in exchange for this series. All opinions and experiences shared are my own. 

Back-To-School For Mom | Creating with Printables | Target Inner Circle

Hello again!

I’m really excited to bring you this post today! I’ve been wanting to share tutorials on my blog for a really long time, and I’m so glad this series gives me a chance to do so. If you’ve been following along, by now we’ve talked about the Hot Tech Tools for Mom, and Setting up a Creative Command Center, and now we’re going to put our tools and supplies to use and start using our printers and the internet to make the most of printables!

For today’s post, I’ve put together two video tutorials...and I’m a bit self-conscious about them because I’m a total newbie at doing something like this! I don’t know if I made something decent, or something terrible, but I figured I’ve gotta start somewhere, so you guys are my guinea pigs!

The first tutorial I made is for those of you who are not all that comfortable with the whole process of HOW exactly one “downloads” a file from the internet, and then prints it using their home printer. I really hope it’s helpful and that after you’ve watched, you’ll be instantly ready to download and print all kinds of goodies from the web!

In this video, I'll walk you through each step, including the proper software downloads for reviewing and printing files, to different file types and how to work with them, including zip files and .pdf’s, and my recommendations and settings for printing with an inkjet printer, and a quick tutorial on installing fonts.

If you’re ready to watch, grab your coffee, and here we go! (try not to laugh at my dorkiness!)  

I briefly touched on DPI and printing sizes in the video, and I just wanted to reiterate the details in case I wasn’t clear. This is really one of the most important things you need to know about pixels and JPEG sizes and printing:

• 300 DPI to print to size:  When measuring pixels to determine sizes, remember 300 pixels = 1 inch. 
  If you are printing an 8”x 10” print, then the pixel dimensions you need to your print to be are: 8 x 300= 2400 and 10 x 300= 3000 which is 2400 x 3000. This is the standard printing formula that you should use whenever you’re intending to print a project.
• When printing something that needs to be a specific size, always make sure your printer dialog box is checked to ACTUAL SIZE, and NOT “scale to fit.”

Are you ready to download and print a file? Great!! I thought you might want to try it out, now that you’ve got these hot new skills, so I made this printable just for this post:

Let's step it up a notch!

Next, we're going to move on to making your OWN custom printables and crafts, without having to buy or learn design software!

This next video is going to walk you through using a FREE web-based design service called PicMonkey.com. PicMonkey is a site I use to make collages and round-up images for my blog, because it’s super fast and easy…and since I’ve had the chance to play with it a bit, I realized that it’s really a great tool for anyone to use to make print friendly items! 

Here we go:

(Boy, can I ramble? I hope that all made sense...)

Picking up where the video stops, everything printed out just as it should have, using my HP Photosmart 5520 Inkjet printer, and now I’m ready to use some of the tools from my Creative Command Center to slap these cupcake toppers together:

1. Grab your printed sheet, paper trimmer, 2” circle squeeze punch, tape and a package of cake pop sticks, skewers, or toothpicks.
2. Trim off the white edges of your page and cut the tags into strips.
3. Trim down each tag using the trimmer.
4. Place your squeeze punch over the circle image and check to make sure it’s centered.
5. Oops! Not centered? Go back and trim a bit off the bottom of each tag.
6. Slide the tag back into the squeeze punch, where it should now be centered and punch out.
7. SQUEEZE!
8. SUCCESS!!
9. Line up your tag on your stick of choice.
10. Hold your tag in place firmly so it doesn’t shift…
11. Flip it over and tape in place with some clear tape. (You can hot glue it as well, but seriously, tape is fine.)
12. YUM! Your topper is done and ready to make itself right at home in the top of your cupcake!

Any time I get to buy cupcakes to stage a photo, it's a good day in our house. In fact, not only was Maggie excited to get a hold of one of these, but when moving them from the table to the counter, one slid onto the floor...and was promptly gobbled up, wrapper and all, by Drake. :)

Well, if you've made it this far, and especially if you sat through the videos, I would love some feedback, and if you have questions, don't hesitate to ask! And...don't forget...there is still time to enter the $200 Target® Gift Card giveaway, you can find more details here. 
-Jennifer

Full Disclosure: I am a member of the Target® Inner Circle, all opinions expressed are my own. I was provided a gift card to purchase some of the items used in this series, however I have also contributed my own resources and time. Affiliate links are used for items that can be purchased online 

Back-To-School for Mom | Creative Command Center | Target Inner Circle

Welcome to my second post in the Target® and Target Inner Circle “Back-To-School for Mom” series!

Last week, I shared some of my favorite high-tech tools for Mom, and today I’m going to help you set up a “Creative Command Center” in your home!

I’m lucky to have an amazing creative space for my projects; however, just because I have that space, doesn’t always mean that it is the most convenient place for me to get crafty. We live in a three-story town-home, and my office is on the top floor, when I’m in the main living area with my daughter during the day, it’s less likely that I can get much done without having to run up and down the stairs or find a way to entertain her in a room where most of the stuff is totally enticing and off-limits.

The answer for me, and I’m sure many other families, is to have some kind of mini office in your living area. I chose to create my “Creative Command Center” in a small section of my kitchen.

It’s still a work in progress, but so far I have one large drawer to keep a few very versatile tools on hand, along with some simple supplies. My counter and wall space is available for my HP Photosmart 5520 printer, a multi-functional drawer organizer (which doubles as a catch all and charging station) and a few bins and baskets for artwork, papers or mail that come into the house.

My drawer is stocked with my recommendations for a versatile selection of tools and supplies almost EVERY Mom will find handy to have on hand, regardless how “crafty” she is or wants to be. And best of all, everything is available at Target® so there is no need to spend extra time or money finding these items at a specialty store.

• 12” premium portable paper trimmer from Fiskars.
• 2” (extra large) circle squeeze punch, also from Fiskars.
• simple paper hole punch
• one ream of 65lb white cardstock
• one package of 4”x 6” photo paper
• glue stick/ felt pen combo from SMASH by K&Company
• mini stacking color ink pads, also from SMASH by K&Company
• multi-phrase rotary stamp from American Crafts
• 6”x 6” scrapbook paper pad
• pencils, scissors, tape, glue sticks, ruler, twine/string, and washi paper tape
• Scotch brand Self-Sealing Laminate pouches in a variety of sizes.

With these tools and supplies, any Mom (or Dad) can take a few minutes out of a busy day to make or print something crafty!

For example, I thought it would be cute to make a photo note card for my daughter’s lunch for her upcoming first day of pre-school. Because she can’t read quite yet, I wanted the photo to be the little happy reminder of Mommy’s love for her and our fun summertime memories.

First, I pulled up a photo on my iPhone of the two of us from a train trip we took over the summer, I edited the image for color and clarity using the PicTapGo app, then I used PicFrame to make a double print on the 4”x 6” photo paper (using the 3:2 ratio option in the app and selecting a heart as my photo shape.)

Then, after saving this to my Camera Roll, I loaded my HP Photosmart 5520 printer with 4”x 6” glossy photo paper and used the HP ePrint app to print the photo directly to my printer from my iPhone.

I trimmed the photo into two equal sized squares using the paper trimmer, folded a sheet of the 6” scrapbook paper into half to make a little note card, and taped the photo inside using a piece of washi paper tape.

Inside the card, under the photo, I inked the phrase “You Are My Fave” using the roller phrase stamp and mini-ink pads, and signed it “Love You, Mom” with felt pen. While I was at it, I grabbed a photo made with my instant camera, and made an extra note for a later date.

Adding this little extra personal touch was something so easy and quick…but admittedly, if it wasn’t for putting together the “Creative Command Center” it probably wouldn’t happen. I had the proper tools and supplies on hand, and the space on my table to put it together. I didn’t have to hunt all over the house or drag out my craft supplies from a closet or bin, or disappear into my office upstairs- it was ready, organized (mostly) and convenient!

One of the things I love about Target® and I learned during my experience at Media Day in NYC last October, is that Target® is committed to help its shoppers save time and money when shopping- they don’t want to waste your valuable time.  One of my goals in sharing this series is to give SIMPLE ideas for making crafty time easy and fun, because I don’t want to waste your time either. And I also don’t want to waste your money, so I recommend these particular tools and supplies because they are practical, perform well, and can all be used together in a variety of ways to make something special that won’t take more than a few minutes. For example:

• Use the 2” circle squeeze punch, the scrapbook paper, hole punch, twine/sting and felt pen to make a tag for a gift or a sweet treat.
• Make strips of white paper using the paper trimmer and card stock, then ink phrases using the stamp and inks and glue onto toothpicks for quick cupcake toppers.
• Use one of your instant photos, or a printed photo, some card stock or scrapbook paper, a laminate pouch, hole punch and twine/string to make a quick photo bookmark- or download a printable pre-made bookmark design and customize it.

In my next post, I’m going to show you how to download free printables from the web, and print them at home on your printer. I'm also going to share a tutorial using a design site called PicMonkey, to walk you through the steps to make a set of chalkboard style cupcake toppers- in under 20 minutes!

To get you ready to follow along and help pick up the supplies you need for a well-stocked “Creative Command Center,” Target® and I are giving you a chance to win a $200 Target® Gift Card!

To enter, simply leave a comment on this post, including your first name, email address, and a favorite quick craft idea you like, or practical tool or supply you would recommend. The contest is open to entries until 1pm PST Friday, September 20th. The winner will be announced via my social media channels: Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, using the hashtag #BTS4MOM so if you are not already following me, please take a minute to do so!

Next week, I'll be back with more "Back-To-School for Mom" posts, including some tips on putting together a quick creative cart for your kids, organizing and preserving art projects, and a review of the Target® Photo Center with an exclusive reader discount and some of the custom printed items available from Target®. 
-Jennifer 

Full Disclosure: I am a member of the Target® Inner Circle, all opinions expressed are my own. I was provided a gift card to purchase some of the items used in this series, however I have also contributed my own resources and time. Affiliate links are used for items that can be purchased online 

Back-To-School for MOM | Tech Tools | Target Inner Circle

It's here, Friends. The end of Summer.

I'm sure you're feeling just like I do. A new school year is a sneaky reminder of how fast time flies by, making you wish you could hold on to your little ones just a bit tighter. At the same time, you're relishing the anticipation of a break from 24/7 parenting to enjoy some time to yourself, connecting to other adults and pastimes you enjoy; or maybe just taking a nice long nap. My Maggie will be starting pre-school in September, and it feels really bittersweet. I'm going to miss her like crazy but I'm also counting on some guaranteed free time to get a jump on finishing work projects and prepping our home and lives for the new baby that will be arriving shortly. 

Here in the Pacific Northwest, most of us Moms are still racing around last minute trying to complete school supply shopping lists and getting haircuts and new shoes for the kids and re-adjusting sleep schedules in anticipation for next week....which brings me to the start of my "Back-To-School for Mom" (#BTS4Mom) series with Target® and Target Inner Circle®! 

Target® is helping me bring to life some sanity saving projects and gear us Moms up with some of our own Back-To-School supplies! Hopefully when it's all said and done, we'll be feeling a bit more empowered and prepared for the year ahead. 

I asked some Mom friends what back-to-school season is like for them, the highs and lows, etc., and I discovered that with the exception of a few things here and there, most of their answers were the same:

• The result of getting everyone out the door on-time, fed, dressed and prepared for the day is an energizing feeling. If you can accomplish that first thing every day, you're already winning at life. 
• Caring for our families is fulfilling and we enjoy making an extra effort to show our kids that they are special and loved. 
• We rely on our mobile and tech devices to keep us connected and organized.
• We hate packing lunches. 
• An afternoon shopping at Target® alone is on par with a day at the spa. 
• We all need something for us that recharges our batteries: a glass of wine, a good book, coffee with friends, going for a run or my favorite- crafting and creative time.

I want to help my fellow Mommy friends make the most of their favorite daily moments and try to make the not-so-favorite tasks a bit more pleasant, so with those things in mind, I created the a Back-To-School for Mom shopping list: my "Tech Tools That Rock" round-up of favorite digital devices:

1. iPad // 2. FitBit Zip // 3. Orla Kiely for Belkin iPad/iPhone cases // 4. Portable Hard Drive // 5. Nook e-Reader // 6. iPhone // 7. Polaroid Instant Camera // 8. Griffin Stylus // 9. Roku // 10. HP Photosmart 5520 Wireless Printer //11. Belkin iPad case with detachable keyboard // 12. App Store Gift Card

I picked each one of these items because they are all little sanity savers in one way or another. The only items I left off this list are a Laptop or Desktop computer, because I assume if you are here reading this post, you probably already have one and are computer savvy enough to navigate the world wide web. The other item I didn't exactly include is a digital camera...and I'll get to my reason behind that in a moment. 

Sadly, even though it is 2013, I also couldn't find the one item that would do the actual job of grocery shopping, ushering the kids through the morning routine, packing a nutritious nut-free brown bag lunch while simultaneously cooking dinner and doing the dishes and laundry.  

Mobile Devices + Accessories:

There is a good reason we Moms rely on our mobile devices for so much. They are the ultimate accessory for keeping us productive and sane! Everyone should have a smart-phone and/or tablet to help get through their busy days. I have both an iPhone and an iPad and recommend these as my tech choices because I love how they perform along with the plethora of reliable app options.

To soup up your mobile experience, I also recommend trying a few great accessories- I particularly LOVE the Orla Kiely for Belkin cases- a  Target® exclusive- so much so that I bought the case before I bought the iPad. I also have another one that serves a dual purpose: The Belkin iPad case with detachable keyboard. Having the keyboard to use on the go for emails, blog posts or other text intensive tasks that can be completed without having to haul my laptop with me, is a worthwhile time saver. I also recommend a stylus for note taking or drawing, and an App Store gift card to give you permission to buy a bunch of fun apps to try out; most of them are free, but some are a couple bucks- so Treat Yo'Self! 

I use my mobile devices for so many things, I can't begin to cover it, but I know my fellow Moms will appreciate the two things that I love using my devices for the most:

Aside from the benefits of all smart-phones (email, messaging, GPS, calendars, etc.) with my iPhone, I don't have to carry a stand-alone camera. I take a lot of photos and I love the quality of the pictures I take on my iPhone. It's an incredible convenience to be able to edit my photos on the go with apps like PicTapGo and VSCO, and share them instantly with my family and friends using social media apps like Instagram and Facebook. I can even upload them directly to photo processing services, like Kicksend and pick up my prints at Target® in about an hour, or use the HP ePrint app to print them out when I get home. 

Secondly, being able to use Pinterest on the go is a seriously wonderful reason to have a mobile device in and of itself. I could turn this whole series into a love letter for Pinterest, and if you aren't using it by now, do yourself a favor and sign up. Nothing says quality time to me like an hour or so at Starbucks, sipping my favorite coffee treat, listening to the sounds of adult conversation, while browsing Pinterest for dinner plans, lunch ideas, blog articles on parenting tips and INSANE amounts of creative inspiration and craft projects to bookmark. 

Fun + Functional Tools: 

The other items in my round-up are a combination of fun and/or function. We've got the technology that you don't really need, but will really enjoy having and some items that you really do need, like an external hard drive (for backing up your digital photos) and a versatile and user friendly color printer.

I know a lot of Moms struggle at finding time for regular fitness and health as their days get increasingly busy. The FitBit Zip activity tracker is a great tool for overcoming the guilt of not being able to get to the gym because it tracks your daily activity and syncs with your PC or smart-phone. You can utilize the food diary to track your calories consumed along with your calories burned. It's a great way to sneak fitness reminders into your day. I don't have one now, because being 6 1/2 months pregnant, I'm not able to focus on weight loss- but I'll be getting one as soon as the Bean is born! 

A couple other fun items to buy for yourself (and maybe share with your family the odd time) is an instant camera, like this one from Polaroid. I have a similar one and I love the novelty and instant gratification of it. It's great for parties, or for making little mini photo books of daily adventures or vacations. It's 100% fun and the credit card sized photos make for adorable lunch notes to send as a surprise for your littles. 

Need some entertainment that doesn't involve taking pictures? A great item to have, if you don't already, is an e-Reader, like the Nook or Kindle. Being able to instantly download just about any book and start reading is a MAJOR sanity saver for just about everyone I know. And it will also work with most libraries so you can borrow books as well!

If movies are your thing, but you can't leave the house for Redbox or the movie theater- it's time to get a Roku player. A Roku is a wireless streaming device that connects to your television with an HDMI cable and allows you to view Netflix, Amazon Instant Video, Hulu Plus, Pandora, Facebook and other internet based services on the big screen. There are other brands of streaming players available, but I recommend Roku first because it has the Amazon Instant Video feature, which allows you to rent new release movies instantly. 

Last, but not definitely not least, an item that I consider both fun and functional, is a great wireless ink-jet color printer, like the HP Photosmart 5520 All-in-one. I am a printer geek, and the 5520 is one to add to my favorites list. It's not too big, it's fast, the photo quality is fantastic, it works with the HP ePrint app so I can print wirelessly from my iPhone or iPad. 

As a graphic designer and crafter, my number one Back-To-School wish for all Modern Moms is that everyone has a quality printer they know how to use to make the most of the creative tools and products that can be found online. As Moms, there are numerous times when this comes in handy: last minute decorations for a school project or bake sale, birthday party decorations, teacher gifts, family calendars and chore charts, art prints for your home, and printables for back-to-school pictures and memory keeping...the list goes on and on. In fact, it's such a passion of mine, that I am going to talk a lot about printing in my next post. 

Next up in the Back-To-School for Mom series, I'll walk you through my new Creative Command Center, give you some printing tips and tricks, and share a couple favorite and simple creative projects you can whip up with your printer and a few multi-purpose craft supplies- all of which you can find at your local Target® or Target® Online! I'll also be sharing a special discount my readers can use in the Target® Photo Center for the month of September, and give you a chance to win at $200 Target® Gift Card! 

What are some of your MUST HAVES for Back-To-School? Do you have a favorite app, website or software you think other Moms would enjoy or should check out? I'd love to hear your thoughts on technology and parenting, or anything else you might want to share in the comments below.
- Jennifer

Full Disclosure: I am a member of the Target® Inner Circle, all opinions expressed are my own. I was provided a gift card to purchase some of the items used in this series, however I have also contributed my own resources and time. Affiliate links are used for items that can be purchased online.

Introducing Back-To-School for MOM | Target Inner Circle

PSSSST....hey MOMS....(I guess Dads too...if you're so inclined :D)

You've spent all summer working on that bucket list, entertaining your kids through long days of sunshiney wonder and offsetting cries of boredom with water parks, road trips, family vacations and more. Now, after you've finally got this summer vacation stuff down to a science, it's all at an end. Instead of delighting your offspring with leisurely pancake breakfasts and dinner at 8:30pm, you're forced back into your role as Morning Drill Sergeant, Brown Bag Magician, Soccer Chauffeur and Homework Overlord. 

While you're trekking to the big box stores to commandeer all the pre-requisite gear to get your kids back in the class room and your family back into the school day routine, don't you ever wonder why we don't prepare ourselves more for the coming school year? I mean, usually you hear cries of organization and personal improvement after we recover from the New Year's Eve hangover...but isn't the school year just as fitting to focus on making things easy for you? 

After all, what could be better for a tightly run ship than a captain at the helm who is prepped and oiled, with all systems ready to go! 

So- in honor of YOU, Moms, I'm excited to bring you a new series of Round-ups and Reviews, courtesy of Target and the Target Inner Circle! It's all about "Back-To-School for Mom!"

I'll be like Q to your Jane Bond... from mobile devices, craft technology, supplies and organization, Target and I have got you covered! I'll be sharing the essential items to have on hand and at home to keep your days running as smooth and fulfilling as a Pumpkin Spice Latte! 

And to make it even sweeter, I'll be sharing special discounts and giveaways- like the chance to win a $200 Target gift card! 

If you haven't already, take a minute to follow me on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest- or sign up to follow my Blog on BlogLovin'- I'll be kicking off the festivities in a few days, and you won't want to miss out! 

CHEERS!