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
How to Make Blueberry Jam
September 5, 2008 by Emily · 6 Comments
I am excited to introduce you to Carrie! A super cool blogger from Oikology 101. She has a delicious recipe for making Blueberry Jam and she is going to share her recipe and Jam-making experience with Little Window Shoppe today.
Blueberry Jam Recipe
(modified from Ball Pectin recipe insert)
4 cups mashed blueberries (approx 6-7 cups or 3-4 pints whole)
1 box Ball Fruit Pectin
2 cups white sugar
2 cups Granulated Splenda or Sucralose (generic name)
1/2 t butter (if necessary to reduce foaming)
- Place whole berries in food processor and process on low/pulse until berries begin to mash. Measure out the sugar and Splenda and set them close to the stove.
- Measure out the 4 cups of mashed blueberries into a pan with high sides to avoid splatter. Turn the heat on high and add the pectin in slowly, stirring continuously.
- When mixture has reached a full boil that can not be stirred down, dump in your sugar mixture and stir until sugar is dissolved. Bring mixture to a full boil. You may add in the butter if your fruit foams.
- Boil the mixture hard for one full minute, then remove from heat.
- Pour the hot jam into hot sterilized jars. Seal with lids and bands (do not over-tighten your bands, but make sure they are not loose) and process (be sure the water in your canner covers the tops of your jars by at least an inch) for ten minutes.
- Remove from water and let sit undisturbed for 24 hours. If any of your jars haven’t sealed (just poke the top and if it makes a noise, it hasn’t sealed properly), refrigerate and use within three weeks.
- Doubling this recipe is not recommended due to additional processing time, which may make the jam runny.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
I’m Carrie and I blog over at Oikology 101 (www.oikology101.blogspot.com). I know what you’re saying–”Whaaaat?” “Is she talking in gibberish?” Yes, Oikology is a real word!! Oikology: (oy-koll’-uh-jee) n. the study, or science of homemaking. From the Greek oikos, “house, dwelling.”
I’ve been a student in the study of Oikology for five months, that’s when I quit my job to stay at home with my baby girl (a.k.a. the midget) and the wieners (our mini-dachshund and dachshund/beagle mix). I have this idea that I will be good at anything that I try, so I try lots of things. Take for instance, my recent jam making endeavor.
My husband often shows up with random fruits and vegetables, as he speaks to farmers as part of his job. Two weeks ago, he came home with 5 lbs. of blueberries, so I made a few blueberry recipes and froze quite a few bags for winter use. Last week, he walked in the door and plopped down TEN lbs. of blueberries!
I had one dozen jam jars, lids, and bands ($8), a large canner ($20), a jar lifter (REQUIRED, well not required, but you will be sorry if you don’t have it), and a wide-mouth funnel (the funnel and jar lifter came together in a set for about $5). I also use my regular metal tongs (Oxo Good Grips) to lift the lids, but they do make magnetic lid lifters for a few dollars.
I decided to do half sugar and half Splenda (generic name-Sucralose) to make it a low-sugar jam. I thought it would work, but if it didn’t, what’s a few pints of blueberries to experiment with when I have eighty gazillion pounds left?
I was surprised at how easy it was and how fast the berry/pectin mixture started to boil! Be sure to use a pot with high sides because it can be messy. Oh and when they say to measure out your ingredients ahead of time, they mean it!! I barely had time to snap a picture without purpley-blue splatter flying everywhere! But, it was fast and easy and by the time my little one woke up, I was finished with two batches!!
Be sure to get your water in your canner up to a simmering boil and boil your jars, lids, and bands for ten minutes previous to starting the jam. Start the jam immediately after pulling your jars, lids, and bands out of the canner. Your jars will stay hot long enough to fill.
The jam set perfectly and the taste and texture was superb: sweet, yet tart and nice and full of blueberry chunks.
For more Oikology 101 awesomeness, check out her blog!
One Last Look…
August 6, 2008 by Emily · 4 Comments
Before Summer fades away there are just a few things yet to see. These picks seem to keep summer around just a little longer.
{Avon Convertible Dress $28 ~ Katie Newman Old Fashioned White Lantern $11}
{NapaStyle Lemon Citrus Squeezer $12 ~ Silk Fair Moxie Necklace $32}
Sensational Swirly Sun Hat
July 14, 2008 by Emily · 3 Comments
Love this hat! Find it at Anthropologie.com for $38.
Summer Fun
June 26, 2008 by Michelle P. · 1 Comment
Summer is here! Now is the time to enjoy all the unscheduled time with your kids doing what they do best–playing! Here are two great and inexpensive toys that will keep you all entertained.
Gazillion Bubble Machine $15
What kid doesn’t love bubbles? This bubble machine makes 500 bubbles per minute! It provides hours of fun for your little ones, and helps you save your breath! Available at Amazon.com or your favorite toy store.
Rocket Balloons with Pump $10
I first saw these rocket balloons when a friend brought them to the park for a playdate. Soon all the kids from the playground were chasing these zooming balloons through the park. You inflate the oversized balloons with the included pump and then let them fly! Your kids will love chasing them, and trying to guess where they will land. Available at amazon.com, or in some Target stores.
Summer Reading
June 21, 2008 by Emily · 3 Comments
School’s out for most - but that doesn’t mean that learning has to stop just yet! Help your children join a Summer Reading club so that learning can stay fun and meaningful all summer long. Summer Reading clubs may also help children who do not like to read as they promote fun reading and sometimes offer reading rewards.
My brother, sister and I loved being a part of the local library’s summer reading club growing up and looked forward to each new book. I remember earning points and prizes too for each book I read. Summer reading can be fun, constructive and a great way to keep skills sharp.
Barnes and Noble is offering a free book to children who read 8 books this summer! This is just one reward you can get started with right away - Check out all of the details here.
If you are not close to a local library and still would like a few book suggestions, ideas and tips for readers of all ages, may I suggest these links: Family Education, Scholastic, Reading is fundamental, Reading Rockets, Read, Write, Think and PBS Parents (summer tips).
Comfy Flip Flops
June 18, 2008 by Emily · 2 Comments
My husband and I took a trip to Sports Authority last week so that he could buy a new pair of running shoes. While I waited for him, I found the most comfy pair of flip flops ever!
Adidas Sporty Flip Flops are very cushy with a fit-foam footbed, which means they mold right to your foot. The kind of shoes I could wear all day long! A great pick for summer too.
You can find them at Adidas for $25 or at Kohls (I love Kohls) for $19 on sale!
Slip Slap Slop
June 18, 2008 by Emily · 4 Comments
These are the sounds of sun screen being slathered on kids everywhere… Yesterday we took Logan, my little one year old, to the pool. It was so much fun, kids were playing, Nerf footballs were flying and we were having a blast splashing in the water.
On our way home, I looked at the pink hue on our cheeks and thought about sun safety and sun screen. I have light skin and tons of freckles, so I am an avid sun-block user. Growing up, the 15 SPF just didn’t work for me, so I had to put on at least 30 SPF or above. Ultimately, I made sure that we wore our sunblock yesterday. But there are always a few (my self included) who get scorched by the sun each year and have an ouchy sunburn to endure.
I found this little article on Sun Safety to be really helpful - it presents the facts of sun exposure, and shares how to protect yourself from the sun and how treat your skin if a sun burn does occur. One fact states: “most kids rack up between 50% and 80% of their lifetime sun exposure before age 18, so it’s important that parents teach their children how to enjoy fun in the sun safely.”
And if by chance a sunburn does occur, here’s a sunburn Instruction Sheet:
If you are not sure which sunscreen to choose, this little article may be of some help too. Coppertone carries a few popular sun blocks for kids that I love to use especially as they are the No. 1 Pediatrician recommended brand, waterproof, hypoallergenic, non-irritating, PABA-free, fragrance-free and ideal for use on your baby’s face. Coppertone also has helpful fAQ’s, a summer tool-kit (which includes your local forecast and UV index), and great sun strategies.
And for easier application - try a sunblock stick (in sun block spray bottles too).
You can find these just about anywhere you like to shop for less than $10.
Favorites Under $50 ~ Sparkling Summer Ideas
June 12, 2008 by Emily · 7 Comments
Summertime is here, which means a lot of time to enjoy warm sunny weather! Yea! And just for FUN (I mean we really are all about Summer Fun around here), I have rounded up a few of my Favorite ideas that will help you to stay cool and stylin’ during these summer months, and did I mention that they are all priced under $50!
(Nora Tote from Pottery Barn $35 - isn’t this darling?)
This is a little snippet of the new Summer page, just click it to go right to these Cool Ideas. (Or you may also find a ”favorites” link nicely placed on the right sidebar - for future visits of course).
P.S. I LOVE your ideas too! If you have a good one or a favorite item that you think must be added to this Summer list (or an item that you want to advertise for FREE on this page), let me know and I will add it onto this list in addition to the ones we already have ~ because I’m nice like that.
I am very curious, what do you think? Did you find something you like?
Pottery Barn Kids Story-Time and Sing-Along
June 2, 2008 by Emily · 2 Comments
If you frequent the Library or the Bookstore for story-time or sing-along’s with your children like my son and I do, you may enjoy knowing that your local Pottery Barn Kids Store has a Book Club and a Summer Sing-Along Concert Series too!
Join the Book Club every Tuesday from 10:00 am to 10:30 am.
And for all your Local Sing-Along Show Times this Summer - be sure to visit this Sing-Along Link.
Featured Shoppes
