Goodbye to Little Window Shoppe
May 18, 2009 by Emily · 62 Comments
My Dearest Window Shoppe Readers and Friends,
This post has taken me over a month to write - partly because this is my last post on this blog. I am so sad to announce that as of today, Little Window Shoppe is closing for good.
The decision was not taken lightly and was really hard to make, but a combination of factors came together that brought me to this post…very much wanting to spend more time with my family (I have a very busy two year old who needs more mommy-time), 
getting ready for baby #2 in November (I’ve been out sick for two months! But it’s totally worth it as we’re so excited to have a new baby come to our family), and finally getting ready for a move to a new state with my family this Summer (my hubby is starting a new job).
{Photo source: Wilson Library Reserve}
I have learned so much from blogging at Little Window Shoppe and will be forever grateful for the kind friends I have made and the amazing experiences that I have had here!! Thank you so much for taking time to make Little Window shoppe a part of your lives and for being such a fantastic community. And also, thank you for all of the nice emails and inquiries about how we are doing.
Before I say goodbye for good, I want to thank a few people who helped me along the way:
First and foremost, my husband Scott. He is an incredibly supportive husband and friend and was the first person to listen to my every idea and concern throughout my blogging adventures. He has also been Superman at my house and has cooked, cleaned, taken care of our two year old and helped me out while I was sick over the last seven weeks! I couldn’t ask for a better man in my life and I love him so much!!
I also wanted to thank Holly of Tutus and Turtles. She is so cool and listened and talked to me for hours on the phone as I worked out how I would end my Window Shoppe blogging days. Her blog has been an inspiration to me from the beginning and I think that her blog ideas rock!!
Finally, I wanted to thank each of the writers and contributors for Little Window Shoppe. Each of them had creative and beautiful ideas to share and I’m so grateful and honored that they wanted to be part of this blog with me. They have become some of my dearest friends and were the best group of writers a blog ever had! They even sent me tulips when I was sick (just about made me cry, I felt so loved).
Please visit each of their blogs to keep up with their cool ideas!
- Vanessa - her blog: I Never Grew Up
- Lauren - her blog: Supermom Central
- Michelle - her shoppe: Sweet Mady’s Paper
- Michaelle - her blog: Monkeys Momma
- Cassie - her shoppe: Madison Envy
- Kelly - her blog: Albany Mommy
Also, I wanted to leave you with a few additional recommendations of blogs I love - in case you are looking for new places to subscribe:
- www.simplemom.net - this is my absolute favorite blog to follow…it has the best family tips and ideas that make sense, the ideas are easy to follow and I just can’t get enough of its coolness.
- www.howaboutorange.blogspot.com - artsy, tons of crafts, diy ideas, printouts, and the best time-wasters ever.
- www.thepioneerwoman.com - recipes, photoshop tutorials, photography 101, down-to-earth life.
- www.makeandtakes.com - the coolest (and most creative) kids crafts ever!
- www.metropolitanmama.net - and for all you contest lovers, this Metro Mama has excellent giveaways all of the time - and she writes helpful articles with tips for parents. Love it.
There are so many more…but I think this is a great start.
If you want to stay in touch with me, you can follow me at a few sites:
- www.emilyjune.com (I’ll still be designing blogs and websites - starting again this fall).
- I’m also going to be checking in and updating my facebook page and my family blog regularly. They will have weekly updates of my family life and the cool fun things we are doing.
**If you want to stay in touch with me at my family blog or on facebook, just email me or leave a comment letting me know and I’ll send you the links.**
Thank you again for making this the best blogging experience I have ever had!!
Always,
Emily
Spring Break
April 7, 2009 by Emily · 9 Comments
Little Window Shoppe is taking a Spring Break! We’ll be back next Tuesday or Wednesday with even more fun ideas for you to enjoy. Until then, feel free to stop by and enter our latest contest. We hope you have a wonderful week.
{Photo by tanakawho}
Win a Bossy Boots Design Scarf
April 7, 2009 by Emily · 312 Comments
Contest Update:
We have a winner!! The randomly chosen winner for this contest is: #276 Cathleen - Congratulations! Thank you to everyone who participated.
When you wrap yourself in one of these soft, luxurious, hand knit scarves from Bossy Boots Design, you are in for a treat. Made with beautiful stitches and only the best yarn, these textured scarves are the perfect solution to the lingering Spring chill.
Discount:
Free-shipping for all domestic USA orders until the end of April.
Win It:
One lucky Window Shoppe Reader will win this gorgeous Dick and Jane Bluff Scarf from Bossy Boots Design! Hand knit with 100% Merino wool from England, the clean modern lines of this urban scarf are perfect for anyone! ($68 value).
To Enter:
Simply take a peek at the shoppe and then leave a quick comment letting us know which item is your favorite. This giveaway ends on Tuesday, April 14th at midnight PST. The winner will be chosen randomly and will be announced at this post Wednesday, April 15th. Good luck, everyone!! (Please feel free to read our contest rules for additional details - this contest is currently open to domestic U.S. residents only.)
(Optional) For extra entries:
- Are you a Subscriber? Just let us know you’re subscribed to Little Window Shoppe in an additional comment.
- And (Or) Blog about this giveaway. Simply let us know about your blog link in an additional comment.
- And (Or) Add this contest to Twitter. Simply let us know about it with your Twitter name in an additional comment.
The Perfect Baby Handbook Giveaway
April 1, 2009 by Emily · 155 Comments
Contest Update:
We have five winners!! The randomly chosen winners for this contest are: #93 Jenny M, #72 Meg T, #123 Beth S, #112 Devon, #65 Christian - Congratulations! Thank you to everyone who participated!
Finally…perfection made easy! Can I just tell you how much I love The Perfect Baby Handbook? Seriously, it’s hilarious and had me laughing from the start. This book is a comic relief for anxious new parents and it makes you laugh at the pressures you may feel when trying to become the “perfect parents” and trying to raise the ”perfect children.”
This book will teach you important things like how to help your infant develop a signature walk, what to include in the perfect nursery, secrets to immortalizing your miracle on film, which baby names are flawless from places like IKEA and Ralph Lauren, how to baby-proof everything on earth and more…
I actually had the opportunity to interview the author Dale Hrabi himself! I really liked his cool and down to earth perspective - here are a few excerpts from our interview:
Me: What inspired you to write this book?
Dale: “Well, the idea started about three years ago, when all my three best female friends got pregnant at the same time in their early 30s, and, being a nosy, supportive friend, I wanted to know everything, and was told more than I bargained for. One friend in particular got me thinking about the pressures of modern parenthood. The books were freaking her out with their wildly contradictory advice.
Meanwhile, in the hothouse of Manhattan’s competitive parenting culture, she and my other friends were, by their own admission, falling prey to pretty irrational anxieties. Should we, in fact, invest $1000 on a stroller? That woman has four strollers…does she know something we don’t ? How can woman B do it all?
I used to try to tease my friends into laughing about it all, and tell them jokes to help them regain perspective. As someone who’s learned that anxiety is often the root of comedy, I began to see the material for a book that might provide comic relief for other parents going through the same thing.
As I began my research in earnest (about two years ago), I put together a massive file of news clippings, read books like Carl Honore’s UNDER PRESSURE: Rescuing childhood from the culture of hyper-parenting (or maybe that came later), The Price of Privilege, The Three Martini Playdate, and others. It became clear that my friends were just part of a much larger phenomenon, sometimes called “super-parenting” or “over-parenting.”
My book also, I think, satirizes the whole idea of giftedness—and, since I was kind of a gifted wanna-be as a kid, I’ve always been fascinated by concepts like identity, originality, precociousness, uniqueness. So the opportunity to work through that fascination was another incentive, too.”
Me: What do you hope parents will take with them after reading the book?
Dale: “Well, it is a humor-book, so I hardly expect it to be life-changing. Ideally, though, I’d say that I hope parents get at least a couple laughs, and maybe a little perspective on their more relentlessly over-achieving friends, or even themselves.
The ‘excessive motivation’ I talk about starts with love and concern–it’s just incredibly easy in this culture and especially the current economy to become anxious that your baby will ‘fall behind.’ So those Mommy & Me classes start to seem crucial…but then, it can escalate to the point where parents are running themselves ragged, driving their kids to 19 different activities every week without stopping to ask themselves: ‘Is this what we really want? Is this what our kids really need?’”
Win It:
Five Window Shoppe Readers (that’s right, FIVE!) will win a copy of this funny baby book! You know you want it, it’s brilliant!
To Enter:
Simply check out www.perfectbabyhandbook.com and leave a quick comment letting us know that you want to win. This giveaway ends on Tuesday, April 7th at midnight PST. The winner will be chosen randomly and will be announced at this post Wednesday, April 8th. Good luck, everyone!! (Please feel free to read our contest rules for additional details - this contest is currently open to U.S. residents only - we promise to have more great contests for everyone else coming up!)
(Optional) For an extra entry:
- Are you a Subscriber? Just let us know you’re subscribed to Little Window Shoppe in an additional comment.
Creative Art Storage
March 27, 2009 by Emily · 14 Comments
Today’s guest writer is Candy from Sobella Creations. A little while ago, she and I were admiring a variety of charming storage/organizer boxes and she just put an article together with some of her creative finds that I think you’ll really like!
Do you have a little artist in your life? What about piles of art work that you just can’t bear to throw away? Well that is the story of my life. I have been searching for the perfect way to store my girls’ art work. I have two girls who love to draw, color and paint, and if you’re like me, you may often be on the lookout for ways to organize your child’s precious art work.
My first solution is the Li’l Davinci Art Cabinet. This frame comes in various sizes and stores up to 50 sheets of paper! This frame is great because you can easily display, store and switch your children’s art work as often as you want.
My second solution would be a pretty fabric-covered box. Here are a few examples of some I have found online:
Hullabaloo Home Decor offers textile and gift boxes covered in Sandi Henderson Fabrics. I love Sandi Henderson fabrics so I ordered a Textile Box and a Gift Box. They are both super nice, and afforadable too.
The Container Store has every storage idea you can imagine! These whimsical Yumiko Gift Boxes are technically for gift-giving, but they are also quite sturdy and can be used over and over for some of your favorite items and special memories. The Container Store also has a great selection of storage boxes too.
And finally, you can also turn your child’s art work into Stamps, Placemats, a Memory Quilt, Note Cards, and Calendar. My favorite is Snap Fish where I love to compile my children’s art work into Flip Books and Photo Books.
Lily Haven
March 24, 2009 by Emily · 5 Comments
With twirly skirts, patchwork aprons and Spring dresses, Lily Haven is the perfect place to find beautiful, unique clothes for your little girl.
Celebrating the essence of childhood, Lily Haven’s handmade clothing collection showcases vintage details, timeless designs and vibrant colors. I love this double layered skirt. It is made with loads of ruffled fabric, so it’s super twirly and bouncy. Wasn’t that the best part of dressing up when you were little?
The Purple Pear Giveaway
March 23, 2009 by Emily · 284 Comments
Contest Update:
*We have a winner!! The randomly chosen winner for this contest is: #6 Kathy - Congratulations! Thank you to everyone who participated - please stop by again as we have a new contest each week.*
Both delightful and stylish, The Purple Pear is a cute little accessory boutique that you simply cannot miss! With eye-catching glass magnet sets and pretty pendants, this Etsy shoppe is a fun place to visit when you are window shopping.
Plus, this boutique has an extra special place in my heart since the owner, Catherine, is one of my friends and she is the awesome person who helped me as I set up my Lindee Shoppe. So, if you kind of miss my Lindee Shoppe, you can still find similar cute items at The Purple Pear.
Discount: Free shipping on your orders at The Purple Pear and her 2nd shoppe Daisy Bows until March 31st with code: LWS *mention this code in the notes to seller at checkout*
Win It:
One Window Shoppe Reader is in for a treat and will win a set of glass magnets, a pendant, and a clear view tin of your choice!
To Enter:
Simply visit the shoppe and leave a quick comment letting me know which of these items you would want if you win. This giveaway ends on Tuesday, March 31st at midnight PST. The winner will be chosen randomly and will be announced at this post Wednesday, April 1st. Good luck, everyone!! (Please feel free to read our contest rules for additional details)
(Optional) For an extra entry:
- Are you a Subscriber? Just let us know you’re subscribed to Little Window Shoppe in an additional comment.
Make Your Own Matchbox Announcements
March 19, 2009 by Emily · 33 Comments
I love the originality of this matchbox announcement and how easily you can match the theme and colors to your preference. Good things really do come in small packages.
The tutorial and picture are from one of my very favorite books “B is for Baby” written by Suzonne Stirling. This Matchbox Announcement is one of 26 baby-themed projects from the book that help you to create memorable, classic keepsakes for your little loved ones.
Supplies
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Patterned paper
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Solid colored paper
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Cardstock (for the Announcement)
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Ruler
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Scissors or rotary blade
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Decorative edged scissors (optional)
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Craft glue (optional)
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Plain matchbox
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Double-sided tape
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Diaper pin
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Padded envelope (for mailing)
Steps
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Cover the matchbox: Cut a piece of patterned paper to 2 1/4 in. wide by 4 1/2 in. long. Adhere one of the short edges of the paper to the bottom of the matchbox cover with double-sided tape. Be sure to align the edges of the paper with the top and bottom edges of the matchbox cover. Wrap the paper around the matchbox cover, overlap the ends, and secure them with more double-sided tape.
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Embellish: To embellish your box a little bit, cut a piece of solid colored paper into a strip 1/2 in. wide by 4 1/2 in. long. Trim one long edge of the paper strip with decorative scissors, and layer it over the base paper on the bottom of the matchbox cover. Use craft glue, to adhere small buttons or other embellishments.
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Create announcement cards: To create the announcement card for the interior of the matchbox, use a small font size (approximately 10 points) to print the baby’s birth information onto the cardstock. Repeat the information approximately 12 times on each 8-1/2 by 11 inch sheet of paper. Cut the sheet into cards, each measuring 2-1/8 inches long by 1-1/8 inch wide, with the text centered in each card. Secure the card to the bottom of the matchbox with a small strip of double-sided tape. Enclose a diaper pin in the matchbox as a finishing touch.
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Mail: Finally, enclose the announcement in a padded envelope to mail it to your friends and family.
Win a Gift Certificate to Studio JK Vinyl
March 18, 2009 by Emily · 457 Comments
Contest Update:
*We have a winner!! The randomly chosen winner for this contest is: #379 Karen - Congratulations! Thank you to everyone who participated - please stop by again as we have a new contest each week.*
It’s vinyl like you’ve never seen it before! It’s gorgeous, modern, bright and it all comes from studio jk vinyl.
If you’re considering vinyl for your home, this beautiful artwork is the perfect alternative to stenciling/paint for your walls and it’s easy to apply too.
I love these pictures.
Win It:
Have you been planning out a spot in your house for some of these cute art stickers like I have? Well, be sure to keep that spot in mind since one lucky Window Shoppe Reader will win a $35 gift certificate to studio jk vinyl!
To Enter:
Simply take a peek at the shoppe and then leave a quick comment letting me know which item is your favorite. This giveaway ends on Thursday, March 26th at midnight PST. The winner will be chosen randomly and will be announced at this post Friday, March 27th. Good luck, everyone!! (Please feel free to read our contest rules for additional details)
(Optional) For extra entries:
- Are you a Subscriber? Just let us know you’re subscribed to Little Window Shoppe in an additional comment.
- And (Or) Blog about this giveaway. Simply let us know about your blog link in an additional comment.
Hawaiian Haystacks = Happy Tummies
March 13, 2009 by Emily · 14 Comments
Hawaiian Haystacks are a light, melt in your mouth dinner recipe that your family will love, I promise! They are fun (and so easy) to make and they have just the right touch of sweetness too.
A few weeks ago, I was on Twitter musing about making Hawaiian Haystacks for lunch and I received a few replies from friends who hadn’t heard of them! So, if you haven’t heard of Hawaiian Haystacks before, you’re in for a fun treat. We made these Haystacks this week for dinner…don’t they look enticing?
Ingredients
- 1 lb chicken or 4 chicken breasts, cut up (you can grill it or boil it)
- 1 - 2 cans of cream of chicken soup
- 2 stalks celery (you can use green peppers or green onions too), chopped
- rice - your favorite kind - (I used minute rice)
- 1 can of rice noodles (I like to use La Choy rice noodles)
- Salt and pepper
- Optional toppings
Cook or grill your chicken, cut it up and mix in your cream of chicken soup. Then serve over rice and start layering! Cut up the celery (or your favorite greens) and add them as the next layer, then sprinkle the top with a few rice noodles and any of the optional toppings.
(Optional - but totally recommended. We love using coconut and maraschino cherries on ours):
- maraschino cherries
- coconut
- cheese
- pineapple
- almonds
- chopped tomatoes
The best part about Hawaiian Haystacks - you can make them with your favorite ingredients and vary it up so that it fits your taste.
Featured Shoppes
