Holidays Archives - Page 18 of 41

The perfect gift for the artist on your list: Winsor & Newton Pigment Markers

Have you ever gotten a beautiful piece of art made with markers that you loved so much that you framed it and hung it up? Were you surprised when only months later the colors faded to almost nothing and it looked like it was decades old?

Whenever the kids draw or write me something that just makes me melt, I have to weigh whether I want to display it which ultimately ends up ruining it quickly with light exposure, or if I want to hide it away in their special box where it will just slowly fade away. Honestly, neither option is okay with me.The sentimental side of me wants to hide everything away and hope that it survives, but the mom in me wants my kids to grow up in a house where art is encouraged. That means that beautiful pieces need to be celebrated by putting them where they can be seen and enjoyed..

That’s where Winsor & Newton Pigment Markers come in. Rarely do I use the word “revolutionary” to describe markers, but that was before I heard about Winsor & Newton, the world’s first pigment-based, lightfast markers.

10 things to stock up on before your holiday guests arrive

Are you ready for the holidays? The cooking, the crafting, the cozy-ing… oh, and all the cleaning; the holidays are coming, ready or not. So, while I’ve been out running around picking up ingredients and presents, I’ve also stocked up on all of our essential holiday paper supplies for holiday entertaining and last-minute guests.

What do you mean you don’t head to Walmart to stock up on Cottonelle, Kleenex, Scott, and Viva products for the holidays? You get that the kids are going to want to help craft and clean, right? I don’t know about your kids, but mine are MESSY. Spills, smears, and splatters are a way of life when cooking and crafting with kiddos.

Here are some of our favorite items to stock up on before holiday guests arrive:

Get her before she’s gone: American Girl Grace collection is 30% off in-store!

Do you have an American Girl fan on your list? Chances are they would love to open up Grace Thomas Girl of the Year doll and accessories this Christmas. Remember how we were super excited to announce her arrival last January as the 2015 Girl of the Year? This is just a gentle reminder that you only have until 12/31/2015 to get any Grace items before she’s gone for good! Many of her really popular items are already gone, so don’t wait too long if you’re planning on purchasing.

And, want to know something really, really cool? If you live near an American Girl store, you can get 30% off the Grace collection now, including the doll! How awesome is that?

Travel: 12 reasons to visit Leavenworth, WA in winter {+ 3 things to know before you go}

Willkommen in Leavenworth, WAIt’s been a pretty hectic holiday season already and I’ve been working a ton recently while running from event to event. So, when we found out hubby had a few extra days off work, I wanted to make the most of them. We needed to get out of town and get somewhere where we could just relax and have some good family time before all the festivities next week, and I knew just where to go.

Located just a few hours outside of Seattle at the base of the eastern slope of the Cascade Mountains, very near the geographical center of Washington State, is the cutest little town called Leavenworth, WA. It’s been one of my favorite spots in Washington since I was a girl, and I love that it’s basically unchanged in the past three decades.

A little history: In 1962, Project LIFE {Leavenworth Improvement For Everyone} Committee was formed to transform the city into a mock Bavarian village to revitalize its economy. From the architecture to the specialty shops and retail, it truly feels like you are strolling through a quaint German town instead of a tiny town nestled in the mountains in Washington State.

Here are just some of the reasons why you should check out Leavenworth in the winter:

Our annual tradition: Breakfast with Santa at Northgate Mall

This weekend we got a chance to cross off another family tradition on our list this year: the Northgate Mall’s annual Breakfast with Santa. Every year we look forward to the beginning of December so we can dress up the kiddos in some fancy new clothes from Gymboree and head to Northgate Mall to meet the big guy himself while enjoying a nice continental breakfast. Yes, we could technically see him any day since he has been in the mall for weeks, but there is something special about waiting for the event for the whole experience. Like last year, there were awesome crafts, we ate donuts and had coffee, and there were carolers to make it extra fun and festive.

Get back to The Wonder Years: the complete series is finally available on DVD

“Growing up happens in a heartbeat. One day you’re in diapers: the next you’re gone. But, memories of childhood stay with you for the long haul.” Kudos to anyone who recognized this quote as the narration that concluded the television show The Wonder Years in 1993. This is one of my favorite quotes from a movie/show of all time, and it has stayed with me through more than two decades.

Excited to watch the series again and introduce my own children to it, I was positively thrilled when I found out that the entire series was going to be released by Time Life for the first time on DVD this year. But, I was even more excited when I realized that it wasn’t just any multi-DVD set that was coming out, it was a special collector’s edition set with special features, a yearbook, and an awesome metal locker to store it all in. Just look at all this awesomeness. I am in 80s heaven over here flipping through the books and checking out all the behind-the-scenes goodies.

25+ thoughtful and sentimental things you can do {long-distance}

Having a loving, close-knit family makes for an amazing holiday season filled with gatherings, events, and holiday traditions. But, if that family happens to live too far away to visit and celebrate, the holidays can be a really sad time. This year marks my sister’s first Christmas away from the family now that she’s living in Georgia for a few years, which has definitely been an adjustment for all of us. Normally, we’d be seeing each other a few times a week and enjoying the magic of the holidays together, so it’s been really difficult only being able to Skype and talk on the phone.

Knowing that it’s even harder on her being away from all of us, I’ve been sending her little presents to help her adjust to her new town, let her know we’re thinking of her, and give her something to look forward to opening on Christmas morning when her boys are tearing into their presents. I’ve been searching on Etsy, shopping local craft marts, hunting on Amazon, and have been busy having special presents made up just for her.

In the process, I have found so many great ideas to send to friends and family adjusting to the holidays away. Here are just a few sentimental gifts and ideas you can do to make long-distance loved ones get in the holiday spirit.

25+ thoughtful & sentimental things you can do {long-distance}:

Custom photo fleece blanket from Collage.com {on sale now up to 64% off!}

By now you know how much I love personalized gifts. Add in pictures of my kids, and it's basically going to be my most favorite thing ever. But, I've got a locket with photos, I have photo prints, photobooks, and even a plaque. So, what else is there?

How about a photo blanket, you say? I had always dismissed photo blankets as kind of grandma-y and never looked at them seriously, but when Collage.com sent me an email and asked if I wanted to see one in person, how could I say no? And, then I saw it in person and was in love. Seriously, is there anything cuter than this?

Amazing sound, indoors or out with the JBL Xtreme Portable Bluetooth Speaker

You can find speakers just about anywhere these days – at discount stores, gas stations, even in packages of chips {true story}. But, where do you turn when you want an amazing speaker that will blow you away with amazing sound quality? Hint: it’s not the dollar store.

No, if you want amazing sound, you are going to want to look to a company that is known for audio excellence, like JBL. They’ve always been known for big, full sound, and their newest speakers definitely keep up with that tradition. We got to test out the JBL Xtreme Portable Bluetooth Speaker this month, and it has been adored since the day it arrived. Initially, I was sold on the fact that it is splashproof and rugged, which means it is as adventure-ready as we are. From camping to days at the beach, we needed a speaker that could keep up with us and keep the party going, and it’s been confirmed that the JBL Xtreme is the ultimate portable Bluetooth speaker for all of our needs.

Planning an adventure? Meet the Polaroid iE090 dual-screen waterproof digital camera

I’m going to date myself a bit here, but there was a time when us photographers used to take pictures and then it was days, weeks, or even years until we ever saw how those pictures turned out. Crazy, right? So, back in the day, the absolute coolest thing you could have is a Polaroid camera with “instant” photos that you could share, display, or put into albums immediately.

We now live in an era where instant photos are the norm, but that doesn’t mean that Polaroid isn’t still relevant and cool. In fact, the technology has just gotten cooler throughout the years. They now make printers that fit in your pocket that work with your smartphone {yes, really}, fancy digital cameras that can survive a swim, and even retro Polaroid cameras with “instant” film like I fell in love with all those years ago. We got to check out the Polaroid iE090 Dual-Screen Waterproof Digital Camera this holiday season, and I just love it. Since it takes high quality, 18MP images, it’s perfect for when I want great pictures but don’t want to risk ruining my DSLR. Shock proof, waterproof, and sized perfectly for your pocket, it makes it easy to take with you even on the most extreme adventure.