XL Sponsor Highlight Post

Good morning everyone!

Today I'm super excited to share a little bit more about my XL sponsor for the month, the darling Rachel! I've known Rachel via this big blog world for some time now, and I've enjoyed learning about her through her wonderful site "Life in a Dreamboat." Here's a bit from Rachel herself:

Hello Sometimes Sweet readers! I'm Rachel, and 'life in a dreamboat' is a personal, work-in-progress blog of mine that I'm using to document my creative journey, share stories, post recipes, and inspire other like-minded individuals! I live in Toronto, Canada, where I work a "9 to 5" type day job, and work on my small budding business, dreamboat designs, in my down time. I'm constantly inspired by living in a busy city with so many attractions and people. Please stop by and say hello!

I also thought it would be fun to shoot a few questions Rachel's way-

Tell us a little about yourself and your blog:

My name is Rachel (or Rach to some), and I'm a corporate 9-5 er by day, and crafter/small business owner/freelance makeup artist by night.  I live for design, fashion, photography, colour, and city life.  My blog, "life in a dreamboat", is a new-ish thing for me, and I've realized it is the most fun way for me to document my creative process as well as other social aspects of my life in an outlet that I can share with my family, friends, and other bloggers!  I like to post about all sorts of things, so I'd love for you to stop by and find something that interests you :)

What inspires you?

I can find myself inspired almost anywhere!  Anything from walking down the street, a great conversation, a touching song, to spending 6 months living in another country (which I did last year), and everything in between.  I think if you're in the right mindset you can be inspired by just about anything.  I always try to write things down when something inspires me, so I can save the moment on paper and find a way to apply it creatively into my life.

If you had the opportunity to tell your 15-year old self anything, what would you tell her?

First I would tell her that one day she will look back on the things she thought were just the biggest deal in the world, and laugh, because everything is relative to where you are in life.  Second, I would tell her to soak everything in.  Every new adventure, and every new person she meets will shape how she is in the future.  And lastly, I would let my 15 year old self know that she will still have the same best friends 10 years from now, and never to take their friendship for granted because they will be some of the most important women in her life when she grows up!

Name the first five beautiful things you see right now:

The first five beautiful things around me?
The warm spring sunlight pouring into my window at the moment,
My neighbours kids making side walk chalk art,
The floral lace dress I just bought hanging in my closet,
Freshly cut gerbera daisies,
& The most amazing colourful quilt that was handmade for me sitting at the end of my bed!

 

Thanks Rachel for being a part of Sometimes Sweet this month! 

And to my wonderful readers, thank you for checking out the darling Rachel- I know you'll enjoy her blog, so pop on over and say hello!

Mama Said, V.12

This is one of the last few weeks of this feature (I'll miss it!) but we're definitely going out with a bang! I'm happy to have two more of my favorite blogging mamas this week. First up is none other than Jess of IROCKSOWHAT, who has quickly become one of my favorite online pals. Her mix of wit, honesty and humor is refreshing, and the beautiful photos she takes always make my day. The second lovely mama is a sweet friend of mine, and someone who I've always admired as a mother. Mandy writes another one of my favorite blogs, and she also recently started a vintage shop that I love to check out (aka stalk) and one of my favorite dresses has come from Opal! Love this lady. So, first up- Jess!

HIYA! I’m Jess Craig from IROCKSOWHAT and I’m married to my high school sweet heart  (can you say flirting in 10th grade biology?). We’re a military family currently stationed on the coast of Virginia. My husband Josh is in his 3rd year of his Air Force enlistment and our son Wyatt is 16 months old. For us, life is very typical military. Josh deploys about every 6 months for 7-8 months at a time and I’m stuck home holding down the fort. Except now we have a little munchkin’…

“How do you handle taking care of a toddler all by yourself with no family around!?” - I get asked that all the time. Honestly, you never know what you can handle until you’re put in the situation. You just
do what you have to do. I know lots of women who do this every day with no hopes of some guy coming in and helping out in a few months, and that’s my inspiration. I try to remember them and a few of these things:

1. WHEN ALL ELSE FAILS – CHANGE YOUR SURROUNDINGS. If you’re having an impossible day and you’re just not feeling it and your kid is, uh… pissing you off, just change your surroundings. I have found that Wyatt really does well with just a simple trip to Target. Something about overdosing on red advertising/signs/bullseyes really puts my kid in a better mood. It’s really important to stimulate your baby. It makes for better moods all around. They get bored doing the same old thing every day too. Try to do at least SOMETHING a few times a week. Even if it’s just going for a walk. Nature is a wonderful thing for a growing mind!

2. YOUR KID IS WHAT YOU MAKE OF HIM- We have some major power in our hands people. Children are so adaptable and super moldable! If you want your kid to be go-with-the-flow, then you need to be go-with-the-flow! Sometimes it’s okay to break up routine and have a night out with your family. It’s good for everyone. Yeah, you may have a slight grouch on your hands the next morning, but soon enough this will be your new normal. Enjoy life and bring your kid along! It won’t be that bad.

3. “ALL YOU NEED IS LOVE MAN, LOVE.” -  Simple as that. And kinda obvious, I know. But it needs to be said I think. A lot of us just over think this whole parenting thing but it’s really kinda simple. Yes there are challenging times, but if you just think with your heart/gut, you can’t go wrong. If it feels bad, then it probably is. I’m not saying let’s all be fluffy poofy hearts, but if your child is loved and safe, then you’re doing a good job.

Hello! I'm Mandy from Harper's Happenings. I'm married to this handsome guy, Scot (with one T) and together we made a magical little nugget named Harper. She's 2 and pretty neat - so neat that I write a blog about her and the silly things she does (don't worry, we're saving for her therapy bills).

1. Do what works for you. There are so many opinions on how to do everything for your kiddo - from feeding to sleeping to diapers, the list goes on - and it's easy to get caught up in what you "should" be doing. What you should be doing is exactly what is right for your family. Remember that certain things won't work for some babies and some things you planned on doing may not be the right fit once the little one is here. Give yourself a break (seriously, stop being so hard on yourself) and do what is comfortable for you!

2. Take lots of photos. This may sound like a given, but snap away. I love unexpectedly finding photos of Harper that I forgot I'd taken. It immediately takes me back to that time and seeing her life in pictures is so amazing. Make photo albums, create a blog for yourself, click click click.  Our kids will appreciate it (I think).

3. Listen to the old ladies. It's easy to write off the little old ladies at the grocery store or Target checkout giving advice. But when they say how fast the time goes, how you need to cherish each moment, how childhood goes by in a blink of an eye - they aren't kidding. When I was pregnant I didn't understand. Now I sit here with a 2 year old wondering where all the time has gone. Hug them harder, read that extra story that they ask for, don't wish away the diapers and bottles and crib. These babies grow up fast. The old ladies? They know what they're talking about.

Family photos

The amazing and talented Christina Heaston came through town from South Carolina last week and spent a Sunday afternoon taking photographs of my little family. It was the best experience; I just adore Christina, and her stunning photography. I feel so lucky to have been able to get photographed by her, and I know we will cherish these pictures forever. They are by far my most favorite.

Next month I'll be hosting a REALLY amazing giveaway from Christina (I'm talking amazing, folks), so if you love these you maaay just want to be sure to keep your eyes peeled.

Be sure to check out Christina's website, Facebook, and follow her via Twitter!

Thank you again Christina, you are such a talented woman and I am so happy to call you a friend.

Here some of the many photos:

Advertise on Sometimes Sweet in May!

 {photo taken with my iphone of some fresh flowers in our home}

May is going to be an exciting month for Sometimes Sweet!  I'm going to be continuing my "Mama Style" posts, as well as starting a new, 2-month long feature series that will include some exciting things from other bloggers around the web. Not to mention I'll be celebrating my "golden birthday" on the 29th, and our wedding anniversary on the 31st! It's going to be really exciting and truly a wonderful time to place an ad in this space.

I'd absolutely love to have you, so check out my sponsor info page to learn more about advertising here. My rates are extremely low for the amount of traffic this blog sees, and I'm happy to offer great exposure at a great price.

Talk to you soon!

xoxo

Tattoo Tuesday V.66

Name and blog name: Becca, lolitadgaf.tumblr.com

Age: 25

Occupation: Waitress/Student

Age of first tattoo: 17, I got a bumble bee on my left foot while I was still in highschool. My mom bought it for me for being on honor roll at school.

Favorite tattoo: My favorite would either be the owl on my upper arm, or the flapper-eque lady on my lower right arm.

Featured tattoo/location: Flapper lady, lower right arm.

Artist/shop/location of feature tattoo: Amanda Wamprecht at Pushing Ink Tattoo, in Mount Healthy, Ohio.

1) Tell us about your featured tattoo- is there a background story or special meaning? Why did you choose this particular piece of art?

I don't really have a deep meaning behind any of my tattoos, I just kinda get things as they come to me. With this one, I contacted Amanda who had done some work on a friend of mine, and asked her how she felt about doing a traditional style portrait of a 1920's style flapper, and she was super excited. She drew up rough sketches and would send me updates every few days until she had it perfect. She was really amazing about everything I wanted to include, like the peacock feather in her hair. She did the entire thing in one four hour sitting. It was great, she brought "Children of the Corn" in and put it on for me to watch and we just chatted while she worked. It was so fun to be tattooed by a girl.

2) Do you have any other tattoos?  If so, what do you have and where? 

I have a bumble bee on my left foot
a shooting star on my side that I have with my mom (she has a matching one)
xfiles tattoo on my shoulder
flapper lady
a treble clef
roses
compass
an owl
annnd a piece of cheese on the back of my arm that says 'Sharp' it's my best friend's last name.

3) Do you plan on getting more? 

I have a few in the works right now that I'm talking to a few tattoo artists about. I'm wanting a phonograph on my left arm, and a suitcase somewhere as well. I also really want my chest and legs done soon too, I just haven't figured out what I want to put where.

4) How do your family and friends feel about your tattoo(s)?  Have you run into any adversity or negativity because of them? Do you have a significant other? Does he/she have tattoos? 

My family has long since understood that I'm the family 'weirdo' haha, but they don't really give me any grief about it. The only thing that I've had to deal with about my tattoos is that I have to cover them at work. But at school and when I go out I just get complimented like crazy, and I get the occasional "did that hurt?"

I have a boyfriend, Steven, who I've been dating for two and a half years. He actually doesn't have a single tattoo and he doesn't plan on getting any. He says that they aren't for him, but he likes mine and I usually run my ideas by him before I get them done.

5) Any advice for those interested in getting tattooed but haven't gotten one yet?

The only advice I really have is to not be scared. It hurts, but it's obviously not unbearable. And make sure that it's something that you want to live with forever. And always think about location. I wouldn't start out by getting things in highly visible areas until you're sure that you want to commit to it.

Giveaway: Blowfish Shoes

 

So, remember last month how I mentioned that giveaways on Sometimes Sweet would be limited to two per month? This is giveaway number one for April, and later this week I have another "amazingly sweet" (hint, hint) giveaway to offer to all of you as well.  I'm no longer doing the huge giveaway we've grown accustomed to, but instead focusing one one or two quality, stand alone prizes. I'm excited about about this change and excited to spoil my readers with great prizes, and to celebrate, this first giveaway will be from none other than Blowfish Shoes!

Blowfish sent me a pair of Gimmiks in brown (which you will see in my Mama/Baby style post later this week) and I fell in love with them. Yes, they're platforms, yes they're high, but they are SO easy to walk in, and super comfortable. Plus, with the cork bottom they are ultra-adorable and spring/summer ready!

And you, my lovely readers, have a chance to win a pair of your very own!

Here's how to enter:

For one entry, head over to Blowfish, check out their shoes, and leave a comment letting me know what your favorite pair is. Be sure to also include your name and email address.


For a second entry, tweet or blog about this giveaway, and leave an additional comment with a link to either post, and your name/email again!


For a THIRD entry, follow Blowfish on Twitter or like them on Facebook and leave yet another comment letting me know you did so, and your name/email again!

So overall you have THREE chances to win via three separate comments! So awesome. The giveaway will be open until Monday, April 25th when I will choose one winner at random to win a pair of Gimmiks in a color of their choice!

Good luck!

Playing it safe

 {source}

Sometimes I feel like I play it too safe. I may have the best intentions, but more often than not I find myself retreating to a place of comfort rather than a place of yes. Perhaps in my mind, the most perfect weekend would include exploring a new place, bringing a picnic lunch, and getting lost in our adventure. Instead though, it seems easier to sit on the couch and watch another episode of a favorite show, or cook the same meal we had last Sunday.

My best self ventures out, follows through with the dreams I have in my head, and always always tries new things. She says yes more than no, and isn't one to turn down an invitation. So why lately have I found myself getting stuck in a rut?  When I get like this, my spirit feels heavy and life doesn't appear to be as sweet as it really is. Luckily, spring is here, and with that gust of warmer air comes a renewed sense of self, inspiration to get outdoors, and more daylight to accomplish the most exciting of plans.

Now that I am the mama to a one day rambuntious boy, I need to start exercising my adventurous spirit. I want to be a good example to him, I want to be sure he grows up feeling wild and free, like I did.  And maybe with the right outlook, he'll manage to keep his adventurous spirit alive for all time. Mine's there, but just hidden under layers of comfort and routine. So -

Here's to taking impromptu day trips, with the windows down and the music up!
Here's to picnic lunches by the creek and long walks shaded by the springtime branches!
Here's to quick stops to check out roadside attractions!

Carnivals! Beaches! Farms and parks!
Parades, antique shops and fruit stands.

I'm looking forward to slowly but surely becoming more adventurous, and I hope you'll join me. I'm excited to reawaken some of my child-self, and live life a little more fully.