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January 22, 2012

The Best Ideas For Getting Organized

the-motherhood-getting-organized.jpgBecause I'm all about reducing physical and emotional clutter in life (I'm even speaking about this topic at BlissDom next month), I'm thrilled to join Asha Dornfest of Parent Hacks and Meagan Francis of The Happiest Mom to host a conversation on The Best Ideas For Getting Organized at The Motherhood. Join us tomorrow -- Monday the 23rd -- from 1-1:30 pm EST to chat about simplifying and streamlining your home, schedule, and life. No complicated technical know-how is required to participate in the chat -- it's basically like commenting in on status updates. You will need a logon at The Motherhood to participate, so hop on over and register now. You can also submit questions in advance if you like.

Continue reading "The Best Ideas For Getting Organized" »

October 18, 2011

Rabbits to the Rescue

carrots.jpgI had a fantastic time experimenting more deeply (i.e., beyond the IKEA runs I've used the service for in the past) with TaskRabbit as the Boston spokeswoman for their Do More. Live More. Be More. campaign. I shared my mid-month recap a couple of weeks ago; below are my thoughts now that the campaign has come to a close. Also, read on for a discount code so you can give TaskRabbit a spin!

Continue reading "Rabbits to the Rescue" »

October 2, 2011

TaskRabbit Report

checklist.jpgIt's been two weeks since I embarked on the Do More. Live More. Be More. challenge. I'm curious about whether you have shared a promise for the campaign -- it's a reflective task that's easy and enters you to win cool prizes (I mean, really, who doesn't dig cool prizes?). Anyway, I wanted to report in about how my challenge is going. The six buckets I wrote about experimenting with were: purging, pickups, event planning, household, travel, and virtual assistant.

Continue reading "TaskRabbit Report" »

June 18, 2011

10 Bits of Web Awesomeness

say-yes-to-hoboken-freezer-stencil.jpgHello friends! Per usual, the web was replete with interesting tips and inspiration this week. Here are some links that I thought you'd find interesting -- enjoy!

1. I think I need to give these cute freezer stencils a go.

2. I'm totally on board with these five money saving tips for summer.

3. Yikes, here are some sobering statistics on food waste. But also some good tips on how to reduce it (and also save money). And more thoughts/tips on food waste here.

Continue reading "10 Bits of Web Awesomeness" »

May 22, 2011

Vegetarian Week

vegetables.jpgI recently saw Jennifer of Savoring the Thyme post about her family's Meatless May and it reminded me of something I wanted to share. A couple of months ago, Laurel became very concerned about animals -- or rather, human consumption of them. She asked whether we could help the environment and the animals and start eating vegetarian one week per month. We tried it and found it surprisingly easy, and that the experiment rendered other benefits.

Continue reading "Vegetarian Week" »

April 30, 2011

Great Green Cleaning Solutions

modern-mermaids.gifI consider myself a total eco-geek, but clearly you can never stop learning. I picked up tons of great green cleaning solutions chatting with homekeeping expert Leslie Reichert (aka The Cleaning Coach) this week on Life.Style. Leslie and I covered everything from the evolution of the green cleaning movement to the most effective natural grocery store and specialty cleaning products for home, gadgets, and pets. I also attempted (and failed!) to stump Leslie with green cleaning queries from Twitter and Facebook. Check out the episode for full commentary, recipes, and inspiration. And for easy reference, below are links that were shared during the interview. Enjoy!

Continue reading "Great Green Cleaning Solutions" »

April 17, 2011

10 Bits of Web Awesomeness

strawberry-cupcakes.jpgHello everyone! I just wanted to let you know I'm going to be a bit quiet this week. It's my first school vacation with Laurel and Violet and I'm excited to spend some time relaxing with the girls. We're planning on seeing friends, climbing trees (I'm actually thinking about trying it), finding crazy ways to wrap presents, making the best lemon cake ever for my mother-in-law's birthday, and probably snuggling a lot while reading piles of books (Violet's proven an impressively captive audience so far). And if there's any time leftover, I hope to get a handle on some client work and do a little household decluttering. Meanwhile, I thought I'd share 10 bits of web awesomeness to enjoy this week in my absence.

Continue reading "10 Bits of Web Awesomeness" »

April 16, 2011

Decluttering Strategies & Solutions

pottery-barn-beachcomber-basket.jpgI had a fantastic time chatting with Paige Lewin of Mudroom Boston this week on Life.Style about decluttering strategies and solutions. Paige shared fantastic ideas for conquering clutter in the kitchen, playroom, mudroom (or entryway), and on bookshelves. I finished the interview inspired to -- at the very least -- attack our two kitchen drawers full of random odds and ends this weekend. Check out the episode for full commentary, inspiration, and photos. And for easy reference, below are links that were shared during the interview. Enjoy!

Continue reading "Decluttering Strategies & Solutions" »

March 24, 2011

Four Favorite Apps for Moms

cool-mom-tech-intuition.jpgWords cannot sufficiently express how much I adore Liz Gumbinner and Kristen Chase. These ladies are smart, funny, and have fantastic taste -- and they share all of their favorite picks via Cool Mom Picks and their newer site, Cool Mom Tech. For today's four favorites guest post, I asked Liz and Kristen to share their four favorite apps for moms. As a Blackberry user, I'm completely clueless in the apps department, but one of these days I'm hoping to join the app world. Meanwhile, all of you app savvy users can benefit from their research.

Continue reading "Four Favorite Apps for Moms" »

March 21, 2011

Dear Boston Mamas: Minimalist Nursery

moses-basket.jpgToday's Dear Boston Mamas question comes from Katie via the Boston Mamas Facebook page:

Dear Boston Mamas, I am looking for ideas on how to incorporate a nursery/baby area into our guestroom/study. We don't have a lot of room, and this is my first baby -- what do I need and what don't I need? Where should I get things?

Continue reading "Dear Boston Mamas: Minimalist Nursery" »

March 10, 2011

Get Organized With Baby

one-year-to-an-organized-life-with-baby.jpgWhether you're early or late in your pregnancy, read on for my thoughts on One Year to an Organized Life with Baby, as well as to learn how to be one of three winners to receive a copy of One Year:

To be perfectly frank, when I received a copy of One Year to an Organized Life with Baby for editorial consideration, I initially fretted a little. Why? Because by my typical obsessed-with-Excel-and-Outlook-to-do-list standards, I've been something of a slacker in the baby organization department. (Actually, I like to think that I've just been really chill and Zen about the whole baby thing.) I was concerned that this would be a "should" book, replete with non-essential super mom type tasks that would make me feel bad about myriad things unaccomplished. Never mind that I was looking at this book well into my third trimester.

Continue reading "Get Organized With Baby" »

March 8, 2011

Giveaway Goodness: Flip Camcorder

shamrock-flip-camcorders.jpgWell, friends, my due date is St. Patrick's Day, but clearly, I'm not going to be the only lucky one. I adore the Flip camcorder; I carry mine everywhere and it has proven fantastic for capturing video for family (far away relatives need not worry about missing out on Laurel's school plays and concerts), work (the tech guys at Life.Style have been super impressed with the quality of my on the fly interview footage), and fun (thanks to the easy interface I set up a YouTube channel...I'm a little shocked by how many people have viewed my Straight No Chaser clips). So how cool is it that as part of my Giveaway Goodness series, the kind folks at Flip want to gift one of you fabulous readers with either their shamrock or retro clover UltraHD 8GB (2 hour) Flip camera? Totally awesome! Check out the rules below to enter to win:

Continue reading "Giveaway Goodness: Flip Camcorder" »

February 17, 2011

Secondhand Baby Shower

baby-shower-1.JPGI had a bit of a rough week last week and the baby shower my friend Heidi hosted for me this past weekend was a wonderful antidote, making me feel enormously grateful for the happy energy and wonderful people I have in my life. And I wanted to share the theme -- a secondhand baby shower (because I'm an eco-geek and because I have many friends who are done having babies and were eager to pass things along) -- plus some great leads from Heidi's planning. Here's how it all came down the pike:

Continue reading "Secondhand Baby Shower" »

December 22, 2010

Bag the Habit

bag-the-habit.jpgI carry reusable totes everywhere; our car is loaded with them and I always have one scrunched up in my bag du jour. But my collection is getting rather tired so I was thrilled to learn about Bag the Habit -- makers of chic, lightweight, and roomy (apparently they'll bear up to 45 lbs) reusable bags made from 100% recycled fabric. I particularly love the luxe tote, which comes in pretty patterns and colors and is cleverly functional. The bag arrives as a compact little zippered pouch; when you're ready to use the tote, simply flip the bag inside out and your tote features a zippered pocket that's perfect for stowing keys, credit cards, or other small essentials. These totes even feature a small reinforced, padded area in the handles to ease the burden on shoulders. Pretty, functional, eco-friendly, and cleverly designed? I clearly need to order more.

December 16, 2010

Odorless & Eco-Friendly Paint

benjamin-moore-natura-paint.jpgI'm not sure whether it's due to our full docket of holiday entertaining over the next couple of weeks or pure maternal nesting mode, but I've been tackling a lot of home projects lately. And last weekend, I became obsessed with the need to repaint a console table that, ironically, I last painted when I was pregnant with Laurel. And given that I'm 27 weeks pregnant and Laurel wanted to help paint, finding an odorless, eco-friendly paint was important for this project. Here's how our project turned out:

Continue reading "Odorless & Eco-Friendly Paint" »

December 4, 2010

Easy Crafts, Beauty, & Gift Wrap

life-style-episode-5.jpgIf you didn't have a chance to watch episode 5 of Life.Style live on Thursday, I highly recommend you check it out! It was a fantastic eco and budget friendly episode, in which Marie LeBaron of Make and Takes shared ideas for turning trash into craft treasure as well as nature inspired projects, and Allison Czarnecki of Petit Elefant offered awesome how-to's on home beauty remedies using five ingredients or less. I also shared some terrific video submissions showcasing clever ideas for inexpensive gift wrapping, as well as a few of my own inspiration points. Check out the segment to see additional images, video, and inspiration, but as promised, for easy reference below I link up leads shared by me and my guests. Enjoy!

Continue reading "Easy Crafts, Beauty, & Gift Wrap" »

December 1, 2010

Use What You've Got

petit-elefant-conditioner.JPGI've always been a proponent of assessing and using what you've got instead of always buying new. And if you're looking for a little inspiration in this domain, tune in to Life.Style with Christine Koh tomorrow at 1pm EST. I'll have two wonderful guests on to share awesome ideas for turning trash into craft treasure (i.e., perfect for crafty and non-crafty parents!) and making beauty remedies from natural ingredients around the house. I'll also be sharing some cool ideas for creative and inexpensive gift wrapping. You're welcome to call in or tweet questions during the live episode, or e-mail me a question in advance to pose to the experts.

Continue reading "Use What You've Got" »

November 30, 2010

DIY DSLR Camera Cozy

craft-dslr-cozy.jpgHands down, my best investment this year has been my DSLR and 50mm lens; having a great camera has inspired me to learn a new craft and take more photos of my loved ones. (Also, my camera/lens is known amongst my friends as the "hot camera" since everyone looks utterly fantastic photographed through it.) And so it's no wonder that I've been keen on protecting my investment. I adore the beautiful women's DSLR handbags currently on the market, but they do feel a bit permanent for someone who likes to switch bags as frequently as I do. So I recently decided to create a little bag (a camera cozy as it were) to tote my DSLR in bag du jour, and I'm honored that my DSLR camera cozy tutorial is now featured on the lovely Craft website. Enjoy!

November 24, 2010

Fabulous Tips From Nate Berkus

nate-berkus.jpgLast week I had the pleasure of being in on a joint blogger interview with the talented (and adorable) Nate Berkus. I met Nate in NYC this past summer and he is gracious, down to earth, and truly inspiring in his passions. Nate is doing a series of "Nate's Crate" shows (through which he delivers surprises) that I want to check out, and it was fun to glean some of his wisdom last week -- we covered everything from simple holiday solutions to affordable décor ideas to paying it forward. I'm now super inspired as Jon and I march forward on some interior design plans (both because of the baby and because it's simply taken us a long time to get around to settling since moving into our home over two years ago). Here were some of my favorite tips/takeaways from the interview:

Continue reading "Fabulous Tips From Nate Berkus" »

November 6, 2010

Life.Style Feeding Baby + Photography

life-style-episode-3.jpgWow, I truly cannot get over the awesomeness of episode 3 of Life.Style -- not because of me, but thanks to the amazing guests I had on the show! In this episode, I share an exclusive interview with pediatrician Dr. Alan Greene, who shares advice on how to teach kids to love real food, and then interview talented photographers Tracey Clark, Karen Walrond, and Casey Mullins -- who all offer fantastic tips for shooting great photographs (whether with a point and shoot or DSLR), as well as insightful critiques on amateur shots. It was such a terrific show that I'm thinking of doing a follow up on choosing photography gear as well as great ways to output your photos (e.g., for gifts or home artwork). If you've got specific ideas/questions in these areas, drop me a line!

November 3, 2010

Learn To Take Amazing Pictures

shutter-sisters.jpgDo you -- like me -- enjoy taking pictures but want to take your photography to the next level of awesome? Then tune in to Life.Style with Christine Koh tomorrow at 1pm EST! In addition to sharing some fantastic interview footage with renowned pediatrician Dr. Alan Greene (we chat about teaching kids to love real food), I interview three talented photographers who will share great tips on how to rock your camera, whether it's a point and shoot or a DSLR. You're welcome to call in or tweet questions during the live episode, or e-mail me a question in advance to pose to the experts. And if you have a photo you'd like some advice/constructive criticism on, send it to me today at editor@bostonmamas.com.

Continue reading "Learn To Take Amazing Pictures" »

October 27, 2010

Eat Real Food

tomatoes.jpgI'm super excited about tomorrow's episode of Life.Style with Christine Koh! As follow up to last week's Halloween costume coverage, I'll chat fabulous and easy Halloween food and crafts in the first segment. And for the remainder of the show, inspired by this call to action, I'll interview three fantastic guests re: tips and tricks for eating real food on a budget (in one case, a family of seven!) and sourcing local throughout the year. So tune in at 1pm EST; you're also welcome to call in or tweet questions during the live episode!

Continue reading "Eat Real Food" »

October 16, 2010

Medical Accessory Alert

laurens-hope-robot-medical-id.jpgToday, Jennifer shares a couple of great resources for medical alert tracking and cool ID accessories for grownups and kids:

I love jewelry and accessories...I mean, I really, really love them. So when a recent medical issue resulted in my need for a medic ID bracelet (I have an adult onset seizure disorder controlled by meds -- or as I like to say, I'm just a little bit electric), the diagnosis left me with a serious accessory challenge: where do I get a cute medic alert bracelet? And also, how should I store my emergency medical information?

Continue reading "Medical Accessory Alert" »

September 12, 2010

Drawstring Solution

pens.jpgToday, a handy tip from Heather, because tomorrow is Monday, which means you're probably doing laundry today. Which means you've probably got drawstrings gone astray in your laundry basket:

My four children may look like me, but they all are tall and thin like my husband. Fortunately for us, there's no shortage of clothing made with adjustable waists or drawstrings. And while I truly believe drawstrings are one of the greatest children's clothing inventions ever, my frustration grows every time I need to rethread the waistband of a drawstring that has lost its way (or been undone on purpose by one of my three 3-year-olds).

Continue reading "Drawstring Solution" »

August 11, 2010

Birthday Giveaway: Mabel's Labels

mabels-labels.jpgLaurel started attending day care part-time when she was 9 months old, and a large part of the communal learning environment since then has -- to my initial chagrin -- revolved around labeling her things. But oh do easy to use labels (read: no sewing whatsoever) make all the difference. Once I started using Mabel's Labels, the whole ID'ing-all-of-Laurel's-belongings process became easy and even sort of weirdly fun, and now she's old enough to label things on her own. These self adhesive labels are fantastic for clothes (they stay put through the washer and dryer), shoes (even the labels on her flip flops have gone through countless sprinkler runs and are still holding on), and lunch/school supplies. And as part of my Boston Mamas Fourth Birthday Giveaway Series, Mabel's Labels generously is gifting four lucky winners with their Ultimate Back-to-School label pack ($39-44 value each). Simply check out the rules below and leave a comment on this giveaway by Thursday, August 12, to enter to win.

Continue reading "Birthday Giveaway: Mabel's Labels" »

July 30, 2010

Perfect Storage Solution

effektiv-1.jpgEven though we've been in our home for two years, we're still not completely settled, and one area of the house that troubled me for a long time was our dining room. We have one big wall and I had no idea what to do with it. A single sideboard seemed pricey while not filling the space and what I really needed was a lot of storage to accommodate the contents of Laurel's open bookcase (that was exploding with art supplies), and other platters and vases and things. I recently hit on the perfect storage solution and several visitors have since asked me for the specifics about our setup so I thought I would share it here.

Continue reading "Perfect Storage Solution" »

June 26, 2010

Weekend Reading

radish-pesto-wicked-tasty-harvest.jpgI recently started helping my web savvy friend Alli Worthington with a project. BlissReads is a collection of websites through which curators (like yours truly) share awesome content. I've been remiss in my link roundups so I thought I'd start sharing what I've been curating for BlissReads. Check out my commentary on these awesome posts: recipes for radish leaf pesto, coconut milk cupcakes with coconut cream cheese frosting (swoon!), and coconut tres leches cake (double swoon!); how to embellish your own tank top, give old lamps new life, and make your own bubble mix (and gigantic bubbles); and roundups for 10 fabulous ideas for bunk beds and 32 birthday party themes for kids. Enjoy!

Image credit: Wicked Tasty Harvest

June 21, 2010

DIY Inspiration Boards

inspiration-boards-1.JPGNext month will mark the second year of living in our not so new, new house, and we are just getting around to hanging things on the wall. Seriously. Part of the delay is attributable to uncertainty (and repeated testing) about where furniture should finally land, and part because some wall hangings required crafting. A couple of weeks ago I finally got around to assembling inspiration boards for my office and my workspace is now approaching a cosmic level of awesome. Read on for the how-to; these boards would be great in other areas of the home as well.

Continue reading "DIY Inspiration Boards" »

June 13, 2010

Cakeapalooza!

circus-carousel-cake.jpgToday, Kate shares a great lead for those who want to experiment with cake baking:

I don't generally write about activities outside of the Boston area, but a recent trip to N.Y. Cake provided me with inspiration. And of course if you can't get to the store in New York City, you can order online.

Continue reading "Cakeapalooza!" »

June 9, 2010

Get Up and thredUP

thredup.jpgAs much as I love shopping for pretty new things for Laurel, I'm also keen on finding pretty used things for her, given my eco and minimalist parenting approach. And that's why I dig thredUP, a locally headquartered website that allows parents across the country to swap kids clothes easily, inexpensively, and from the comfort of home (literally, you don't need to leave your home for any of the steps). Read on for my review of thredUP, as well as to learn how to be one of three winners to receive a thredUP Pro Membership:

Continue reading "Get Up and thredUP" »

May 24, 2010

Pass Me The [me] & goji

me-and-goji.jpgToday, Sarah recommends [me] & goji's custom organic cereal. Read on for Sarah's review, as well as to learn how to be one of three winners to receive a [me] & goji gift certificate:

I'm a cereal-a-holic. My family ate it every weekday for breakfast growing up, under the strict nutritional guidelines of my mom: one box of "junk cereal" per month, otherwise everything else had to be healthy (i.e., of the granola or raisin bran variety). In college, I discovered the art of mixing at the row of cereal dispensers (the mixes sometimes were of questionable nutritional value), and now, in my own kitchen, I continue the same mixing ritual (admittedly sometimes adding a sprinkle of "junk" to the healthy) for myself and my kids.

Continue reading "Pass Me The [me] & goji" »

April 22, 2010

Way to Grow

lands-end-way-to-grow.jpgAnd speaking of gardening, here's a relevant event to help spark your child's interest in nature. This Saturday (April 24, 11am - 3pm) at the Lands' End Shop at Sears (Burlington Mall), author Sharon Lovejoy will be on hand to sign books and introduce families to nature inspired activities (sunflowers! worms!) from her book Toad Cottages and Shooting Stars: Grandma's Bag of Tricks. Lands' End is hosting the event as part of their Way to Grow: Plant a Seed, Make a Difference initiative to connect families and schools through gardening. At the event, parents also can register to win gardening supplies and enter their school to win funds for gardening or science programs (you can also enter and vote for schools online). Happy gardening!

Be Out There: Get Gardening

mahoneys-garden-center.jpgWhen I was a kid, yard work always seemed onerous because all we did was remove stuff -- weeds, leaves, cut grass, etc. But oh the joy of adding. In alignment with Earth Day, today's Be Out There idea is to get up close and personal with the earth via gardening. The great thing about gardening projects is that they can be as simple or complex as you want them to be depending on your space, motivation, and need for immediate gratification. There are two scenarios for where to garden -- directly in the ground or in containers -- and two scenarios for what to plant -- seeds or already sprouted plants/flowers. We've tried all permutations and they all are rewarding. Here are some tips to get you and your kids going -- green thumbs totally not required.

Continue reading "Be Out There: Get Gardening" »

March 23, 2010

Start Sprouting

wildflowers.jpgThis past weekend when Laurel and I hit the hardware store to pick up some final flood cleanup supplies, she immediately headed for the seed racks. Though we lack the garden space of our previous residence to grow veggies (tragic, but we're instead eagerly awaiting the start of our CSA), I couldn't resist the opportunity to engage in a fun nature project with her. Here are some simple tips to start sprouting with your kids, even if you're lacking a garden plot:

Continue reading "Start Sprouting" »

March 21, 2010

New Use For Old Spices

spices-1.JPGIn the vein of spring cleaning, here's a new use for old spices. Instead of simply trashing stale spices, line them up on the counter with a bowl, mixing spoon, measuring spoons, and spray bottle (less messy, plus adds longevity to the project), then let your kid go to town. The more variety (color, smell, shapes, e.g., cardamom pods) the better. Laurel loves pretend playing that she's making a stew or science experiment, we get entertainment mileage by repurposing a household item that we'd otherwise toss, and if you're feeling particularly pedagogical, you can build in some math moments via measurement.

Continue reading "New Use For Old Spices" »

March 20, 2010

Spring Has Sprung

oh-garden-of-fresh-possibilities.jpgSpring has sprung! And today, Jennifer shares a recommendation for the book Oh Garden of Fresh Possibilities! Notes from a Gloucester Garden. Read on for Jennifer's review, as well as to learn how to be one of three winners to receive a copy of Oh Garden:

"One of the things I love about New England is the intensity of the seasons. Their unmuted variety -- from snowstorm to heat wave, spring swell to autumn's unabashed palette -- reminds me of the earth's strong rhythms, and the corresponding ebbs and flows in my own nature. But unlike early winter -- with the sparkle of fresh snowflakes and the cheer of holiday gatherings -- late winter can feel heavy and dull and cold, and leaves me deeply yearning for signs of spring.

Continue reading "Spring Has Sprung" »

March 17, 2010

Giveaway Goodness: HP Photosmart Printer

hp-photosmart-touchsmart.jpgBecause I'm obsessed with compactness and efficiency, I am immediately drawn to all in one anything, especially when it comes to tech matters (because really, who doesn't want less cables and blinking lights in their office?). So how's this for cool? As part of my Giveaway Goodness series, HP generously is offering one of you awesome readers their snazzy HP Photosmart Premium All-in-One printer! This multifunction (print, fax, scan, copy) meets smartphone (web access!) touch printer handles all of the traditional office duties and also connects online via HP apps so you can easily print maps, photos, coupons, recipes, coloring pages, and more. No doubt the whole family will be happy with this one.

To enter to win this awesome printer, check out and follow the rules below by midnight, Wednesday, March 24.

Continue reading "Giveaway Goodness: HP Photosmart Printer" »

January 27, 2010

Pretty Produce Bags

bite-bags.jpgThough I always remember my reusable totes when I hit the grocery store, produce bags are another story. I save plastic produce bags with the best intentions, but they never make it back to the store with me. Solution? The pretty, fabric trimmed, cinch-top produce bags by Bite. Not only are they unforgettably cute, but they’re eco-friendly, locally made, and lightweight (just over half an ounce). Add in washability and the fact that you can multi-task them to organize household goods, protect delicates in the laundry, and tote snacks for the kids and, well, you get an awful lot of bang for your bite with these bags.

Now, want to win a 3-pack of Bite bags? Here’s how:

Continue reading "Pretty Produce Bags" »

January 12, 2010

Run My Errand Please

run-my-errand.jpgProbably not unlike many of you, at any given moment, I'm overwhelmed by errands. In addition to the length of my laundry list, I'm short on hours, and also wheels, given that we're a one car family and Jon has the car most weekdays. So I was thrilled to discover the excellence of RUNmyERRAND, a local errand service that recently saved my sanity (and advanced the awesomeness of my office). Read on for more about my experience with RME, as well as to learn how to be one of three winners to receive RUNmyERRAND credits (entry closes January 18):

Continue reading "Run My Errand Please" »

December 22, 2009

Simplifying Gift Wrapping

solid-wrapping-paper.jpgToday, Heather shares a fabulous idea that simplifies gift wrapping and makes the holidays accessible for pre-readers:

“I love Christmas and all that comes with it: the music, decorating, baking, shopping, and -- my favorite part -- watching the excitement and anticipation of my four children. The one thing I do not love is gift wrapping, possibly because I come from a family where gift wrapping is considered an art form. The busier my life gets, the more stressful I find this task. Though I love the look of artfully wrapped gifts, my practical side always wonders if it is worth spending so much time on gift wrap that will be ripped off in a few seconds.

Continue reading "Simplifying Gift Wrapping" »

December 21, 2009

Simplifying The Holidays: Instant Holiday Mojo At Home

tealights.jpgI adore Gabrielle Blair; I first met her at the inaugural Disney mom bloggers mixer where we bonded over our shared passion for design, and I have since admired and enjoyed all of the artful ideas and stories she shares via her blog Design Mom, as well as the social media smartness that stems from her work as a co-founder of Kirtsy. Gabrielle projects such grace and generosity and kindness and creativity. And for the fifteenth installment of my Simplifying the Holidays guest blog series, I’m thrilled to share Gabrielle’s three super fast, surefire ways to create instant holiday mojo at home.

Continue reading "Simplifying The Holidays: Instant Holiday Mojo At Home" »

December 16, 2009

Simplifying The Holidays: Last Minute Holiday Shopping Tips

deshawn-marie-soaps.jpgMy respect, admiration, and affection for Liz Gumbinner and Kristen Chase of Cool Mom Picks is multidimensional. I met them for the first time in real life at BlogHer Chicago in July, but I have “e-known” them since the early CMP days, followed their hilarious personal blogs (Mom-101 and Motherhood Uncensored, respectively), and interfaced with Kristen through Parent Bloggers Network and also via Kristen motivating me to become one of the original wave of Shredheads. Liz and Kristen are such talented, generous, and funny women, and for the thirteenth installment of my Simplifying the Holidays guest blog series, I’m thrilled to share their savvy shopping tips to help you survive the last minute holiday shopping crunch.

Continue reading "Simplifying The Holidays: Last Minute Holiday Shopping Tips" »

December 14, 2009

Simplifying The Holidays: Working Mom Tips

snowman-light.jpgI feel as if I've known Kristin Brandt and Erin Kane of Manic Mommies forever; in reality, I’ve known Kristin since college (well, that kind of feels like forever ago…) and Erin since the Disney mom bloggers mixer. They both are smart, hilarious, and impressive in their juggling of work and home; whenever we meet up there's a lot of laughter and also serious parsing of all things social media and family life. For the twelfth installment of my Simplifying the Holidays guest blog series, I’m thrilled to welcome Kristin; read on to learn about the important lesson she learned from her mom, plus a series of holiday tips that have served Kristin well as a full-time working mom.

Continue reading "Simplifying The Holidays: Working Mom Tips" »

Have Pockets, Will Travel

pish-posh-quick-zip.jpgOne beautiful thing about graduating from early parenting -- during which time I toted way too much stuff in an enormous diaper bag -- was the return of handbag use. Only problem? Laurel and my stuff got jumbled together and swapping handbag contents always was a nuisance, with some critical item (usually hand sanitizer) forgotten. Solution? The PishPosh Quick Zip. These prettily patterned, washable organizers feature seven outer pockets and five inner pockets (two elasticized + one extra zippered pocket). Simply load up the pockets, zip the pouch, drop it in your handbag du jour (this obviously won’t fly for little purses, but will fit larger handbags and totes), and go. The Quick Zip will be a lifesaver whether it’s filled with baby’s diapering essentials, a mix of preschooler snacks + your personal effects, or -- once your kid is grown and toting his/her own stuff -- just your stuff; those pretty pockets will fit cell, camera, keys, cosmetics, snacks, and a fabulous novel just fine.

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December 11, 2009

Simplifying The Holidays: CSA 101

siena-farms.jpgApril Paffrath is one of the most devoted foodies I know. No taste is too simple, no ingredient too humble. And when you read her writing, you can tell how much she relishes preparing, tasting, and writing about food. April is a regular contributor here on Boston Mamas, but today I'm thrilled to introduce her via her voice on Wicked Tasty Harvest. For the eleventh installment of my Simplifying the Holidays guest blog series, April shares a highly impacting way to simplify your holidays and beyond: by thinking about local foods and considering a CSA. Included is a primer on local foods and CSAs, as well as a fantastic guide to CSAs in the Boston area.

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December 9, 2009

Simplifying The Holidays: Easy & Fabulous Photography Tips

photographer.JPGI met Amie Adams of Mamma Loves… at the Brand About Town inaugural advisory board retreat in October, during which time I was struck not only by Amie's warmth, humor, and smarts, but by her photography skills. You could almost see the wheels turning when something would attract her eye and she’d pause briefly, capture the perfect image, then resume conversation. It seemed natural and effortless; clearly a part of her creative flow. So I’m thrilled that today, for the tenth installment of my Simplifying the Holidays guest blog series, Amie shares easy and fabulous tips for capturing gorgeous photos this holiday season.

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December 4, 2009

Simplifying The Holidays: Holiday Hacks

christmas-branch.jpgFrom our very first e-mail -- back when I was just starting out and she was very much established already -- Asha Dornfest of Parent Hacks has always amazed me with her warmth and openness. Asha is funny and smart and clever and I just adore her; I only regret that neither of our scheduled in real life event meet ups this year have worked out. The good news is that Asha is so effective at translating her warmth and smarts online, which is what makes Parent Hacks so great (and gives me my Asha fix in absentia). I’m thrilled that today, for the eighth installment of my Simplifying the Holidays guest blog series, Asha shares her favorite holiday hacks; a useful mantra plus tips for maintaining your merry and bright this holiday season.

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November 19, 2009

Road Dogging with Puppies

christine-koh-john-ondrasik.JPGA few weeks ago I experienced a rather unusual night of party hopping that included seeing John Ondrasik (aka. Five for Fighting) live at the Paradise Rock Club in Boston. In addition to being utterly moved by the musical experience itself, I also was touched by John’s clear love for his family (exemplified when he explained the inspiration for various songs). Thanks to the lovely Barbara Jones, I met John after the show, at which time he kindly offered to pen a guest blog post on Boston Mamas. In particular, I was curious about John’s best strategies for staying connected with his family while on the road; an issue I discuss with many parents who travel for work. Read on for John's advice on this topic:

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November 17, 2009

Simplifying the Holidays: Rocks in a Jar

holiday-gift.JPGI adore Melissa Massello, not only because she’s super creative and fun (plus, we share bonds over figure skating, fashion, shredding, and all things writerly), but because I’ve seen her jump from traditional employment to fulfilling her dream of launching the online magazine Shoestring Magazine, which focuses on tips for achieving the good life for less. As the first in my Simplifying the Holidays guest blog series, today Melissa shares a strategy for prioritizing and planning holiday gifting that can result in major bargains, meaningful finds, and less stress.

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November 16, 2009

Inspiring Creativity With IdeaPaint

ideapaint.jpgToday, Paige shares a review of locally based IdeaPaint, a brilliant solution for inspiring creativity in the vertical direction, whether at home, work, or school. Read on for Paige’s review, as well as to learn how to win an IdeaPaint kit (entry closes November 19):

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November 12, 2009

Food Gifts & Floral Tricks

chocolate-chip-cookie-gift.jpgLast week I attended a media event hosted by Stop & Shop and similar to last year, where I came away with lovely ideas for easy and green holiday décor, I left with some good ideas related to holiday gifting and decor. Specifically, I was reminded of the beauty and ease of prettily packaged food gifts and was introduced to a couple of floral tricks that no doubt will come in handy when I host Thanksgiving later this month.

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November 5, 2009

Three Easy T-Shirt Makeovers

rookie-moms-baby-hat.jpgLast month I guest posted about baby activities in Boston for the lovely ladies behind Rookie Moms. And today I’m thrilled to share some clever craft ideas from Rookie Moms co-founder Whitney Moss. Whitney offers three easy ideas to help you reinvent stained, outgrown, or simply worn out t-shirts. These solutions are perfect for breathing new life into old faves. Make it work.

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November 3, 2009

Pass The Candy

halloween-candy.jpgIf you're like us, you're overrun with Halloween candy. I subsequently was thrilled to read Fairly Odd Mother's post about ways to put the candy to good use; namely, by donating the loot to troops overseas. Check out the leads Christina culled, as well as those by Cool Mom Picks. And if you're looking for local drop offs, bring your Halloween candy to Magic Beans (all 3 locations) through November 10 and trade it for 25% off a toy, or to Wellesley Dental Group where they'll buy back paper lunch bags full of candy for $1 then donate the candy to the troops (through November 13).

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October 19, 2009

Eco-Friendly Lunch & Snack Sacks

snack-taxi.jpgToday, April shares her two favorite plastic bag alternatives: snackTAXIs and Lunch Skins. Read on for more information about these fabulously stylish and eco-friendly lunch and snack packing solutions, as well as to learn how to win a trio of snackTAXI and Lunch Skins products (entry closes at midnight, October 21):

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October 13, 2009

Home Safety Checklist

home-scene.jpgPer my role as a March of Dimes mom (through which I will donate one post per month to pre-pregnancy, pregnancy, newborn, or general family topics), this month I wanted to share some tips on safeguarding your home; these tips are important to consider before bringing a baby home and while you have small children in the house. I extracted and adapted these ten tips from a home safety checklist guide prepared by the March of Dimes with the assistance of Dr. Ruth Etzel (Director, Division of Epidemiology and Risk Assessment, Food Safety and Inspection Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and editor of the Handbook of Pediatric Environmental Health).

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September 28, 2009

Back Up Your Mac

seagate-free-agent-go.jpgWhether you've experienced data loss directly or have heard about hard drive crashes (and precious family photo and video loss...) from friends, clearly it's important to protect your files. Today, Kristin shares a fabulously easy back up solution for Mac users. Read on for Kristin’s review of the Seagate FreeAgent Go external hard drive/back up system, as well as to learn how to win a Seagate FreeAgent Go (entry open until September 30):

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September 24, 2009

Small Space Solutions

storage-ottoman.jpgNo matter the size of one's home, I believe in maintaining a minimalist, small space mentality given that the less you have, the less overwhelmed you'll be by your stuff. (I chant the mantra "one thing in, one thing out.") In my latest monthly column as Minimalist Mama at Shoestring Magazine, I share my favorite small space solutions for the main areas of the house that tend to collect clutter. Enjoy!

August 28, 2009

From Errand to Adventure

magnifying-glass.jpgDespite my attempts to simplify and streamline life, I still have plenty of errands to run. And the other week, when I couldn’t rally Laurel to get excited about the pile of returns I needed to take back to Target (tantalizing, I know...), I queried on Twitter, “How can I get Laurel to think an errand to Target this morning will be fun and exciting (other than offering to buy her the entire store)?”

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August 26, 2009

Back To School on a Budget

vincent-hampus.jpgLaurel starts kindergarten in a couple of weeks but I haven’t been sweating the preparations due to a minimalist approach on the material side (the emotional preparation is another story...). In my latest monthly column as Minimalist Mama at Shoestring Magazine, I share back to school on a budget tips to keep stress to a minimum and prioritize the allocation of your hard-earned dollars. Enjoy!

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August 14, 2009

Birthday Giveaway: Mabel’s Labels

mabels-labels.jpgGiven Laurel’s volume of clothing and my distaste for ironing, the fabulous no-iron clothing and shoe labels from Mabel's Labels have saved my sanity countless times over the past couple of years. And just in time for back to school season, for a limited time Mabel’s is offering their ultra convenient Ultimate Back-to-School Combo Pack, which includes an assortment of laundry, dishwasher, and microwave safe labels for clothes, shoes, bags, and lunch gear. For our 3rd birthday party, Mabel’s is offering two lucky winners a back-to-school combo pack ($39 value each). Simply check out the rules below and leave a comment on this giveaway to enter to win (by midnight EST, Saturday, August 15).

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August 11, 2009

Airing My Dirty Laundry

drying-rack.jpgToday, Sarah shares an environmental epiphany (and an apology to her mom):

“My mother was an environmentalist before environmentalism was cool. She reused paper and plastic bags (embarrassment: lunch in a reused vegetable bag!), left the heat off until the first frost, and to this day does not own a dryer. Seriously. She hangs her laundry outside in the summer and on dry winter days, and inside in front of a heater vent in inclement weather.

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August 6, 2009

Birthday Giveaway: ECOBAGS

ecobags-string-bag.jpgI’m forgetful about plenty of things these days, but one thing I’m reliably mindful about is recycling and toting my reusable bags to market. And if you need to stock up on eco-wares, check out ECOBAGS, a one-stop source for eco-friendly totes, string bags, produce bags, lunch bags, and water bottles. And for our 3rd birthday party ECOBAGS is offering one lucky winner a lovely summer getaway gift pack ($91 value) that includes their Sunny Tulips tote, Kleen Kanteen bottle (27 oz., orange), classic string bags (fiesta), To-Go Ware bamboo utensils (agave), and canvas lunch bag. Simply check out the rules below and leave a comment on this giveaway to enter to win (by midnight EST, Friday, August 7).

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August 5, 2009

Avoiding Toy Takeover

toy-storage.jpgToday, Paige offers fabulous tips for avoiding toy takeover:

“Before I (or any of my friends) had children, I remember walking into the houses of those who did and being horrified…blocks in a tumbled-down heap on the kitchen floor, dress-up clothes strewn all over the couch, cars under the toilet. My house will never look like this, I thought. But just a few years and a couple of kids later, I realized that toys creeping out from the requisite toy box is inevitable, and takes a huge amount of energy to combat.

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July 30, 2009

Fast & Eco-Friendly Grilling

flamedisk.JPGToday, Evadne’s husband Ray kindly steps in with a guest review of the FlameDisk, an eco-friendly alternative to charcoal grilling:

“I’m a BBQ snob and grill only with charcoal. I was a skeptic of the FlameDisk; however, I also was curious about how it would perform. It's touted as a no-hassle charcoal alternative that is eco-friendly (I guess charcoal is bad for the environment) and gives you 45 minutes of grill time.

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June 15, 2009

Drink Clean & Go Green

clear2go.jpgToday, April reviews the Clear2Go, an eco-friendly filtered water bottle with an unexpected bonus parent feature. Read on for April’s review, as well as to learn how to be 1 of 2 winners to receive a Clear2Go:

“My sister visited the other week and took one look at the sports bottle I was drinking from and raised an eyebrow. Later she confessed that she couldn't believe that I was drinking from a grey plastic bottle. Plastic is not my favorite material for food—mostly because it's bad for the environment and sometimes adds icky plastic tastes (and more) to your water or food. But there I was, guzzling water from a grey sports squeeze bottle. And pretty much loving it. Turns out it has a secret bonus when you share a sip with your kids, too.

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June 12, 2009

Parental Purging Strategies

minimalist-mama.jpgOne of the things I love about weekends is restoring a sense of order to our home after a busy (typically rather untidy) week. And purging is one of my favorite mechanisms to achieve said order. Appropriately then, for the first installment of my new monthly column as Minimalist Mama at Shoestring Magazine - where I’ll share tips and tricks for less is more living (undoubtedly with a stylish and/or green spin) - I offer strategies for purging family clutter. Enjoy!

June 9, 2009

Sippy Cup Solution

thermos-foogo.jpgToday, Kristin shares her favorite sippy cup solution:

“In an ideal world, sippy cups should: a) hold liquids; b) not leak; and c) keep beverages cold and bacteria-free. Unfortunately, during my first son’s early years, I struggled to find a cup that performed all of these functions well. I thus was thrilled to (re)discover Thermos (yes, the makers of my metal Peanuts lunchbox with Thermos bottle!) and their awesome sippy, straw, and grown up cups.

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June 4, 2009

Childproofing Necessities

kidco-magnet-lock.jpgToday, Heather recommends childproofing products that have kept her triplet tots out of trouble:

“Will, Adie, and Theo turned two in January and while I wouldn’t say that we are in the throes of the terrible twos, I will say that they have given the word busy a whole new meaning. We have found the need to take extra precautions in safeguarding our home. Working together as a team, my three tots often can outdo the efforts of a single child, scaling greater heights, exploring more remote cabinets, and outdoing restraints with greater efficiency! My husband and I joke that we are living in lockdown mode. There are many products available to childproof your home; here are some tried and true recommendations that have worked for us:

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June 1, 2009

HomeFree Treats

Home-Free-Gift-Basket.jpgToday, Tracy reports on HomeFree Treats, a great source for allergen-free, organic goodies and ingredients. Read on for Tracy's review of some HomeFree goodies and their allergen-free cookbook, as well as to learn how to win a HomeFree organic cookie sampler pack!

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May 19, 2009

Cooking Parties for Kids

pizza.jpgToday, Michelle Stern of What’s Cooking shares tips for hosting a cooking party for kids:

“If your family is like ours, you’ve been to more play gym birthday parties than you can count. It’s understandably easy to gravitate towards the familiar, but what about considering a different and perhaps less expensive type of party, where kids can learn, be creative, and have fun all at the same time? Cooking parties are gaining popularity, and for good reason. Almost anyone who has cooked with kids can attest that kids who help in the kitchen are better eaters and are more enthusiastic about trying new foods. And if dinnertime is a challenge in your house, you will be up for anything that will improve the mood at your table!

Here are some tips to help you host a cooking party for kids:

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May 14, 2009

Greener Clean Delivers

scotch-brite-greener-clean.bmpI’ll be the first to admit that cleaning is not among my top priorities these days, but hand me new eco-friendly cleaning products and I'll roll my sleeves right up to start scrubbing, hoping upon hope to discover that the eco stuff can live up to the non eco stuff. And this was, in fact, the case when I got my hands on Scotch-Brite’s Greener Clean line. Made from natural materials (e.g., bamboo, agave, corn) and packaged responsibly, this collection of scrubbers, soap pads, soft sponges, and washable cleaning cloths (the latter two of which are excellent for reducing paper towel use) perform just as effectively as their less environmentally friendly counterparts. At reasonable price points, it’s a no-brainer to go with green. And it might just inspire you to clean more.

Want to win a collection of Scotch-Brite Greener Clean goodies? Here’s how:

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May 13, 2009

Mysterious Magic Eraser

mr-clean-magic-eraser.jpgOn Laurel’s first birthday my friend Anne gave us art supplies and a box of Mr. Clean Magic Erasers and said, “These erasers will save your life.” Remarkably, whether it’s due to Laurel’s nature or our vigilance, the product sat untouched under our sink the last couple of years. It wasn’t until after a recent play date where we needed to break out the magic erasers to cope with a major bout of pencil + red crayon wall scribbling.

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May 12, 2009

Giveaway Goodness: Artimus Art

artimus-art.jpgIf you’re like us and live amidst a landslide of kiddie artwork, here’s a clever solution to preserve and share those heartstring-tugging gems. Locally based Artimus Art compresses your child’s artwork into a hardcover book and web gallery (optional add-ons include DVDs and canvas prints). Simply choose your package, return the artwork in the collection box they send, and Artimus scans, corrects, and transforms the art for you. The book makes for a lovely keepsake, but what's especially cool is that you can share the web gallery with loved ones. Because, really, why keep all of that creative cuteness to yourself?

For our next installment of Giveaway Goodness, Artimus Art generously is offering one lucky reader their Red Wagon package. Simply check out the rules below and leave a comment on this giveaway by May 14 (noon) to enter to win.

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May 6, 2009

My New Friend The Flip

flip.bmpI’m well aware that my passion for preserving and sharing memories – via photos, videos, and on paper – is related to the fact that I have very little documentation of my own childhood (other than school photos, I have about a dozen baby pictures, all shot on the same day). And as someone who relies on technology (both for work and said memory preservation) yet desires simple spaces and clean lines, I’ve long felt defeated by the battle of cords and cables. So it’s no wonder that I am totally in love with the ridiculously easy to use, blissfully cord-free Flip camcorder.

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May 5, 2009

Giveaway Goodness: Dropps

dropps-baby.jpgI’ve raved previously about Dropps’ lightweight, eco-friendly, and effective ultra concentrated detergent capsules, and now Dropps offers Dropps Baby, a variety of their original detergent formulated to be super gentle for sensitive baby skin. And the folks at Dropps well know that parents need to run a lot of laundry; for our next installment of Giveaway Goodness, Dropps generously is offering one lucky reader a one-year supply of Dropps Baby eco-friendly laundry detergent! Simply check out the rules below and leave a comment on this giveaway by May 7 (noon) to enter to win.

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April 29, 2009

Clever Custom Window Treatments

clever-windows_thumb.JPGI’m thrilled to introduce new contributor Paige, a home décor guru among many other things. Today, Paige shares a ridiculously clever idea for custom window treatments:

“I believe that window treatments are like mascara for rooms – you don’t have to have them, but when you do, the room looks finished. I’ve had a long, sordid history with window treatments – not really loving most inexpensive pre-made ones and having limited ability to make more unique ones because of sub-par sewing skills and (cue the standard motherhood excuse) lack of time.

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April 28, 2009

Fast & Yummy Chicken Pesto Salad

basil.jpgOne of my favorite time and energy savers these days is store-bought rotisserie chicken. I don’t need to remember to prep and bake it (perfect, since there’s no way I’m turning the oven on today…), my kitchen is saved from pan dripping smoke, and the chicken is ridiculously versatile. Today, I’m sharing our latest favorite usage of rotisserie chicken: fast and fantastically yummy chicken pesto salad.

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April 21, 2009

Let Them Eat Naturally Nora's

naturally-nora.bmpIf you love the ease of boxed cake mixes and desire all natural ingredients, fear not - you can have your cake and eat it too. Today, Kristin reviews Naturally Nora’s all natural collection of boxed cake and frosting mixes. Read on for Kristin’s review, as well as to learn how to win a year’s supply of Naturally Nora cake + frosting mixes!

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April 15, 2009

Walnuts For Home Repair

walnuts.jpgHere’s a handy household tip from Heather; walnuts apparently are good for the body and the home:

“I went to my mom’s newly renovated beach house to be there for furniture delivery. Her only instruction was to make sure the delivery guys didn’t scratch her newly refinished hardwood floors. I subsequently was horrified when I realized that I had scratched the floor when pushing a table that I thought had furniture pads.

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April 10, 2009

Easy Last Minute Easter Egg Dyes

easy_easter_egg_dye_1.jpgToday, April shares an easy last minute Easter egg dye how-to:

For a crafty person, I have a desire to do general crafts, but I rarely do any planning ahead to prepare for them. I always worry that if I plan to do something date-related, we'll have a rough week (e.g., meltdowns, colds, etc.) and I'll feel a sort of crafty failure and sadness for my girl as I stuff the unused box of Paas into the back of the closet on Easter Monday...only to not be able to find it again next year when it turns out we do have time and inclination to color eggs. So, yes, I suffer from avoidance of craft disappointment.

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March 17, 2009

New Life for Old Pots

paintedpot1.JPGI’m constantly looking for ways to streamline or repurpose around the house; here’s a lovely way to give old plant pots new life. This project was inspired by: a) plant clippings we already had rooted (plus more overgrown plants that needed grooming); b) yet another snow day where we were looking for something to do; and c) a tired collection of empty plant pots. Laurel and I decided to paint one of our old pots to make a creative, earth-friendly gift for a loved one. Here's the how-to:

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March 9, 2009

Accidental Family Log

penandpaper.jpgLet go of mom guilt with Heather’s tip about baby documentation:

"Capturing every 'first' was easy to do with our firstborn. I was given a beautiful baby book as a shower gift and religiously kept it up to date until Emma was about two years old. I had every intention of doing the same for our triplets. I was determined to treat them all equally; what I did for one I wanted to do for the rest. I even purchased 3 separate baby books.

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March 4, 2009

GreenFest at Hill House

hillhouse.jpgDuring this seemingly endless winter, why not think green thoughts? And tomorrow (Thurs., March 5), you can think and learn green at Hill House's GreenFest community day. Suitable for the whole family, this event runs from 3 – 6pm and is free and open to the public. In addition to crafts, projects, and demos for kids, adults can learn about green living from local businesses. Local students also will be on hand to discuss ways to make urban living more eco-friendly, and Hill House will collect reusable bags to donate to a school in Zimbabwe.

Hill House, 127 Mt. Vernon Street, Boston; Tel: 617-227-5838

March 2, 2009

Winter Boredom Busters

bubbles.jpgPerfectly timed for yet another snow day, today, Tracy shares her favorite winter boredom busters:

Despite having been raised in Northwestern Ontario, where winter hangs around for about 8 months of the year, I dislike late winter intensely. So do my kids. I mean, really, after you’ve built your 10th snowman, gone sledding for the umpteenth time, and spent countless hours playing board games (I swear my 7-year-old thinks these are “bored” games), you need to shake it up a bit. Here are some of my favorite winter boredom busters:

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February 27, 2009

Winter Garden Fair

russells.bmpNow that our urban composter is in place and my mind officially has turned to gardening, it seems like the perfect time to trek out to the Winter Garden Fair at Russell’s Garden Center in Wayland. This free weekend of activities will include gardening how to’s, entertainment, activities for kids, refreshments, and an impressive roster of exhibitors (not to mention some much needed skin rehydration in their tropical greenhouses). Also cool, raffle proceeds and a portion of the weekend's sales will benefit Massachusetts Farmers' Markets.

Russell’s Garden Center, 397 Boston Post Road, Wayland; Tel: 508-358-2283

February 25, 2009

Love These Links!

hankandwillie.jpgDespite the disaster that is my inbox, clearly my mind is elsewhere on domestic matters. Here’s what caught my eye around the web this week – interesting for those who enjoy pets, baking, gardening, and/or not getting sick - per Love These Links!, where I share clever, resourceful, thought provoking, and/or hilarious links that I think would be of interest to the fabulous readers who peruse Boston Mamas. Enjoy!

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February 24, 2009

Local Trolley

reisenthel.bmpI adore clever green solutions, and here’s a fabulously chic pick to encourage shopping local. Reisenthel’s foldable trolley is super compact and amazingly lightweight; when folded it looks like a small, handled laptop case and could fit in a shoulder bag or tote. When you’re ready to shop, simply unzip (and re-zip the outer case in reverse to secure in place), unfold the length, pop out the two wheel/kickstand pieces, and in about 15 seconds you’re ready to roll with an ultra cute shopping tote (several vibrant colors and patterns are available). And as a mom who loves to shop local with a daughter who periodically still likes to be carried, this trolley offers a wonderfully easy, one-handed way to lighten my load.

Want to win a Reisenthel foldable trolley? Here’s how:

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February 19, 2009

Swap & Restyle

designhive.jpgI’ve recently become obsessed with spring cleaning, and if you’re similarly ready to shake the dust from your closet, head over to Design Hive’s Closet Cleanout Clothing Swap & Restyle Clinic in Cambridge on March 1. Swap clothes, shoes, and bags completely free (for those who RSVP), or if you don’t have clothes to contribute you can fill a bag for $10 (proceeds benefit charity). Attendees also are welcome to enjoy free styling advice at the Restyle Clinic, as well as great deals from local indie designers who are spring cleaning their showrooms. Space is limited for the free swap session; click here to RSVP.

February 13, 2009

Love These Links!

activitytable.jpgToday I’m sharing a bit of a hybrid link post; including posts that caught my eye per Love These Links! (where I share clever, resourceful, thought provoking, and/or hilarious links that I think would be of interest to the fabulous readers who peruse Boston Mamas), plus links from my style blog Weekly Web Roundup partnership. Enjoy!

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January 22, 2009

Love These Links!

heartlinks.jpgIt’s been a crazy, crazy week, but apparently there’s always time to surf. Here’s what caught my eye around the web this week, in my 2nd edition of Love These Links!, where I share clever, resourceful, thought provoking, and/or hilarious links that I think would be of interest to the fabulous readers who peruse Boston Mamas. Enjoy!

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January 15, 2009

Natural Little Nuggets

soapnuts.jpgI used to have a love-hate relationship with laundry, but these days it’s all love thanks to Soapnuts (which I first learned about via Daily Grommet). Harvested from fruit trees in India, Indonesia, and Nepal, these natural little nuggets contain the cleaning substance saponin. Simply drop a few soapnuts in the washbag, add essential or fragrance oil (optional), and toss in the laundry. These nuts not only get the job done, but also last several loads, are biodegradable, and are packaged minimally, making them a truly awesome eco-find. And did I mention how fabulous it is to no longer heft giant laundry detergent jugs around?

Want to be 1 of 2 winners to receive a Soapnuts starter kit*? Here’s how:

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January 14, 2009

Eating Green

bonappetit.jpgI’m always looking for ways to improve our green living practices, and was pleased to see Bon Appétit’s February 2009 feature on 50 easy ways to eat green. Among the tips related to shopping, cooking, and consuming, I particularly enjoyed – and have put into practice - the practical yet ridiculously easy ones, such as #2 (boil once, cook twice), #7 (don’t open that door), #11 (become a human food processor), and #40 (stop whistling). And of course, how can you go wrong with tip #1 (eat more chocolate)?

January 9, 2009

Weekly Web Roundup

webroundup_90.jpgAnd now for our weekly dose of web highlights from some of our stylish blog partners:

One Chic Mama provides tips for shopping your own closet to create budget-friendly wardrobe updates. The Bump’s fitness expert Tracey Mallett offers a workout plan to help ease some of the aches and pains of pregnancy. And you could win a SmartShopper electronic grocery list organizer at MomFinds.

December 23, 2008

Better Bakes = Easy Bake

immaculatebaking.jpgShort on time this holiday season? Today, Evadne shares a great entertaining shortcut in Immaculate Baking’s Better Bakes organic cookie dough collection. Read on for her review, as well as to learn how to be one of five winners to receive a package of Better Bakes organic cookie dough!

Continue reading "Better Bakes = Easy Bake" »

December 17, 2008

10 Holiday Survival Tips

holidays.JPGIn theory, the holidays are supposed to be a time to celebrate and relax with family and friends, but I’m hard pressed to think of anyone who hasn’t mentioned holiday-related stress in some form, whether it’s due to shopping, holiday cards, or the prospect of dealing with family. Today, I’m offering 10 tips for reducing stress this holiday season, per a blog blast in conjunction with the Parent Bloggers Network and FFDA, a non-profit organization that offers support and assistance for folks who are feeling overwhelmed, both at the holidays and all year long. Please feel free to comment in if you have other tips to share!

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Board Beauty

pulpproducts.jpgToday, Kate shares a review of Pulp Products’ memo boards - her new, stylish solution for keeping photos, paper mementos, and important information front and center. Read on for her review, as well as to learn how to win a Pulp Products memo board of your own!

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December 16, 2008

Easy & Green Holiday Décor

rafanelli_apple.jpgLast week I had the pleasure of attending another media luncheon hosted by Stop & Shop, and in addition to chatting about holiday survival tips with Stop & Shop, event planning guru Bryan Rafanelli offered some fabulously chic yet inexpensive holiday décor ideas. These three green ideas were my favorites:

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December 12, 2008

Stroll and Stow

strollaway.bmpTired of tripping over strollers in your foyer? Today, Kate reviews the MetroTots StrollAway, a big solution for small apartments (or anyone who wishes to stow their stroller easily and inconspicuously). Read on for Kate’s review, as well as to learn how to win a StrollAway of your own!

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December 2, 2008

A Multifunction for Multitaskers

epson.jpgAs someone who strives for streamlined living and working, I’ve always loved the concept of multifunction machines, but until recently, I had yet to find one (on a reasonable budget) that really and truly did what it was supposed to do. That is, until I tried the Epson Artisan 800 All-in-One, which I’m reviewing today thanks to One2One Network and my blog peep Jennifer James of the Mom Bloggers Club.

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Basement Treasures

train.jpgIn these challenging economic and environmental times, consider Kate’s reminder of the beauty of basement treasures:

“My toddler daughter and I recently visited the childhood home of a loved one, a house that has seen four children grow up and go off into their adult lives. As the first evening of our visit was growing a little late and my daughter was getting restless, our hostess knowingly suggested that we check out the basement, a virtual kid's utopia. Shelves of neatly packed toys and games, baskets of stuffed animals, cabinets of baby dolls and their clothes - all just waiting for a new little person to come along and play with them.

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November 13, 2008

Zebra Mix

ZebraMix.jpgToday, Heather reports on her daughter's fabulous experience with Zebra Mix, kids baking kits that are designed to make culinary adventures fun from start to finish. Read on for Heather’s review, as well as to learn how to be one of five winners to receive a Zebra Mix baking kit!

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November 10, 2008

Backup for Dummies

clickfree.jpgEveryone’s heard of, or experienced firsthand, computer crash (with no backup) horror stories; tearful, frustrated tales of valuable work lost and precious digital family photos and videos never to be seen again. Thankfully though, the onerous nature of backups is a thing of the past thanks to the ridiculously easy to use ClickFree HD801 device. Read on for my review of this must-have gadget, as well as to learn how to win a Clickfree HD801!

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November 7, 2008

Weekly Web Roundup

webroundup_84.jpgAnd now for our weekly dose of web highlights from some of our stylish blog partners:

Clever Parents
recommends a clever and inexpensive product designed to keep mementos organized for long-term storage. The Bump now features a baby naming tool. And you could win: two Pluto Tees at MomFinds and $250 worth of Creativity for Kids craft products at Modern Mom.

November 3, 2008

Halloween Candy Redux

alphamom.jpgIn chatting with other parents about how to handle post-Halloween candy distribution, my blog buddy Isabel Kallman over at Alpha Mom pointed me to this awesomely creative feature on repurposing leftover Halloween candy. I especially love the Advent calendar idea as an easy and festive (yet restrained) way to distribute Halloween loot. Parents who don't own stamping supplies could easily modify this project by handwriting or printing and pasting the calendar text.

October 31, 2008

Peapod Test Drive

peapod.bmpAs someone who loves and relies on the convenience of online shopping, it’s probably surprising that grocery delivery isn’t part of our routine. But following my post about Stop & Shop’s overhaul, Peapod asked whether I’d be interested in evaluating their service, and as a one-car family eager for less errands, it seemed worth investigating. Here’s what I found during my online reconnaissance mission:

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October 28, 2008

The Good Life For Less

shoestring.gifOne of my favorite perks of traveling in creative circles is meeting truly inspired and amazing innovators, and I was honored when Melissa Massello and Meghan Udell - the savvy and stylish local brains behind Shoestring Magazine - asked me to be part of their creative team. New this month, Shoestring’s mantra is “the good life for less” and offers great content on resourceful living and achieving style on a budget. While surfing they're cool site, check out my first column with Shoestring, on secondhand, vintage, and regifting for kids.

October 24, 2008

Weekly Web Roundup

webroundup_82.jpgAnd now for our weekly dose of web highlights from some of our stylish blog partners:

One Chic Mama reports on the Lady Lock safety system (hop over to win one). MomFinds is giving away a $100 shopping spree at Vincent Shoes. Check out The Bump's Your Belly This Week newsletter, which provides developmental information, planning tips, advice, and more. And Modern Mom chats with The Bachelorette’s Trista Sutter.

October 22, 2008

Green Your Halloween

greenhalloween.jpgToday, Michelle Stern of What’s Cooking offers tips for improving the health of your Halloween festivities:

“I have a confession to make. I am one of those moms. I cringe at the thought of high fructose corn syrup entering the bodies of my two children. It's not that high fructose corn syrup is much worse for their bodies than ordinary sugar. But to me, it is a sign that the food that it's in is a man-made laboratory concoction. Don't get me wrong. I love a good hunk of chocolate or a bowl of ice cream as much as the next person. But I aim to indulge in sugar-laden treats that are made from real food. And even then, I try to do so only on occasion.

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October 20, 2008

Tricky Treating

jackolantern.jpgToday, Tracy shares Halloween tips for parents, friends, and neighbors of kids with allergies:

“One of the biggest bug-a-boos for families dealing with food allergies is Halloween. When a holiday is specifically targeted at kids, and the whole point is to collect as much candy as possible, what are parents and their food allergic kid to do? Here are some of the ideas we have found useful over the years, and how they are changing as our children get older.

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October 9, 2008

Chemicals & Our Kids

seventhgeneration_leaf.jpgHere’s an event that eco-parents will want to try to attend: on Tuesday, Oct. 14 (6-7:30pm), Seventh Generation and the EWG will host a discussion about the impact of chemicals on our kids, the importance of consumer product ingredient disclosure, and the need for improved legislation. The event will take place at the Boston Children’s Museum; admission is free but space is limited and an RSVP is required. RSVP to nikki.wheaton@cohnwolfe.com.

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September 19, 2008

Weekly Web Roundup

webroundup_77.jpgAnd now for our weekly dose of web highlights from some of our stylish blog partners:

Clever Parents shares 10 tips to help you clean without “dirtying” the air. And you could win: a Rosetti bag over at One Chic Mama, a $125 shopping spree from PictureMyPurse.com at MomFinds, and 101 Dalmations DVDs at Classy Mommy.

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September 18, 2008

Art at the Right Level

art1.jpgToday, April shares a cool, kid friendly home art solution:

“Over time, we've collected a bunch of art for our daughter. Not all of it is meant for kids, but all of the content is kid-available. Some of it is new, some of it is from my own collection when I was a child. We choose art that we all will like, so it fits in to our home - nothing super childish and nothing that's so out of reach that she doesn't fall in love with it. In keeping with art that is both high quality and within my daughter’s grasp, we recently created a gallery just for her, and just at her height. To look at "her art," she doesn't need to be lifted up high or crane her neck. The gallery is doorknob and toddler-level. That means she's free to peruse, stare, and wonder at any time.

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September 5, 2008

Weekly Web Roundup

webroundup_75.jpgAnd now for our weekly dose of web highlights from some of our stylish blog partners:

Moms’ Buzz features the PNP (Positive-Negative-Positive) method for checking your kid’s homework. One Chic Mama recommends trying Relish, an online meal planning resource. And you could win a $200 PicStreet.com shopping spree over at MomFinds, and a pair of Robeez over at Classy Mommy.

August 21, 2008

Lunch Lures

schoollunch.jpgToday, Michelle Stern of What’s Cooking offers healthy back to school lunch tips:

“During a family fishing expedition one summer, despite our best efforts, we were unable to catch anything, even though the boat next to us was reeling in fish every time we looked. Clearly, there was something we weren't doing right. As a man from the next boat yelled over to us, "What kind of bait are you using?" a crazy thought entered into my mind: Feeding children is a lot like fishing – you have to have the right lure, or they won't bite.

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August 11, 2008

Stop & Shop's Overhaul

natures_promise.jpgOn a regular basis, I begrudge the absurd amount of time and energy we spend on grocery shopping. To get everything we need, we typically hit 3-4 stores, and I have talked to countless moms who share this inefficient routine. So when Stop & Shop invited me to learn more about their quantitative and qualitative overhaul, I was more than ready for a centralized shopping solution.

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August 8, 2008

Birthday Giveaway: Inventing Matilda

inventingmatilda.jpgIt can be challenging for busy parents to pull together paper invitations in advance of events. And the next time you find yourself in this boat, consider sending a pretty e-card. Inventing Matilda offers a stylish collection of e-cards that can be personalized with text and photo, then sent as an e-mail attachment, posted on your blog or family website, or printed at your local photo shop. Today, Inventing Matlida contributes to our online birthday party by providing 10 winners with a personalized e-card of their choice. Simply check out the rules below and leave a comment on this giveaway to enter to win.

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August 7, 2008

Chalk It Up

wallcandyarts.gifAs an avid list maker, I start each day by jotting down 1-2 major and several minor (read: easy) to do items for the day. But I used to do this on envelope backs or scrap paper; basically, on sheets that quickly got buried under other things on my desk. That is, until I discovered the perfect solution in WallCandy ArtsChalkboard Circles. Part of WallCandy's clever chalkboard wall art series, these decals make for cool, graphic décor, are handy for covering up wall blemishes, and display your notes (or your kid’s doodles) in a prominent space. The generously sized circles come 4 to a pack, and the surface treatment makes it super easy to wipe off chalk (included) with the swipe of a fingertip. Who knew list making – and erasing – could be so fun?

Want to win a set of Chalkboard Circles? Here's how:

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July 11, 2008

Birthday Giveaway: My Money Matters

mymoneymatters.jpgThinking about finances can be intimidating, but having tips and information laid out in simple, tangible terms can help enormously. Today, the producers of My Money Matters contribute to our online birthday party by providing 5 winners with a copy of the My Money Matters kit. Written by financial advisor Galia Gichon, this stylish kit offers constructive tips to help you get financially organized, get out of debt, and save for retirement. Simply check out the rules after the jump and leave a comment on this product to enter to win.

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June 24, 2008

Urban Composting

envirocycle.jpgFor the past year we’ve been sharing in our neighbor’s slow and lazy composting method, but we now want to move to a more contained, easy to rotate system. I immediately e-mailed my friend Braden, who has urban composted everywhere from NYC to Tokyo. She writes, “I love that when you think of rotting food you think of me! We use the EnviroCycle Composter [available at Planet Natural and Amazon], a rotating composting bin with a fairly small footprint. Indoor composting or vermiculture are other urban options but I really cannot imagine most urbanites taking up that challenge.”