Wednesday Goodies: Family treasures.

My Artsy Family // thepapermama.com

I come from a family of artists. Painters, musicians, poets (dontcha knowit), and well… pretty much anything and everything artsy. I’ve always been creating things. Art. Crafts. Whatever. I really can’t remember a time when I wasn’t making something in my life. We’ve always had art supplies laying around. This artistic trait goes way back in the ‘ol family tree.

My Artsy Family // thepapermama.com

My whole family has quite the collection of original artwork from my Great Great Uncle Earl. Some family treasures. I don’t personally have any original pieces, but I am lucky enough to get a couple of his prints (hand signed + all that goodness). These prints are so important to me. I wanted them protected and preserved for years. So, awesome Michaels sent me a gift card to try out their custom framing service. It was perfect timing. I wandered to Michaels and a very helpful guy, Larry, guided me in a framing adventure! We looked at a ton of different mats and frames and ended up with some pretty framed stuff for the wall. I’m so happy with how they all turned out. I really tried to pick out frames that I would like 5-10 years from now. SO tempting to get those chevron painted frames… but…

My Artsy Family // thepapermama.com

This was my first time getting anything custom framed, and I gotta say it was pretty quick and painless. Just waited a couple weeks and everything was ready! Happy Wednesday!

– Chelsey

Note: Michaels provided me with a gift card to purchase custom framing. I was not paid for this post and all opinions are my own. 

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If you have a post you’d like to share today (really, any post), please feel free to link it up below. Also, feel free to link up to these blogs too… Parenting by DummiesProject AliciaJenni from the BlogIn The Moment With, and Live and Love Outloud.




GIVEAWAY + My internet family.

I have multiple families. I have the good ‘ol blood relations, the long time friends, and then I have my online family. Some people may think my internet friends aren’t real (it does sorta sound crazy… internet friends), but they are (I swear, they really are). I’ve connected with people that I would never have known if it wasn’t for blogging. Some amazing people that I love and consider part of my friend family.

I started The Paper Mama blog when the kiddo was a baby to hopefully connect with other mama’s, like myself. The community I discovered was amazing. I had my family and friends outside of the internet, but this online community was filling this need I had to communicate with people during the day that didn’t poop/barf on me. Being a new mama can be so lonely when you’re at home alone with no one to talk with. These bloggers came along and were going through all the same mom-things as I was. We connected. These friendships blossomed and now I have my online family.

I’ve now been friends with some of these online buddies for multiple years. A few of us have met in real life and got to chat over yummy food and a glass of wine, others I’ve only been able to chat through Skype (wine was still involved). I text/email/facebook/instagram/tweet these friends. Even though most of us are thousands of miles away from each other, the internet keeps us close.

So, all this talk of my internet family got me thinking. What would The Paper Mama family crest look like? Well, I used the Gallo Family Vineyards Crest Creator to create it. Yes. The fried chicken/bacon are necessary for this family. Here you are:

The Paper Mama Family Crest // thepapermama.com

Gallo Family Vineyards also partnered with with Zazzle so you can get your family crest ON an actual product. They gave me a gift card to try it out and I will soon be the owner of The Paper Mama family crest coffee mug and grocery tote. Ha! I cannot wait. You can make your own family crest: for free. Yes. There’s quite the selection of adorable crests and illustrations to choose from to make your own. Enjoy! If you make a crest… tweet it at me! I’d love to see.

PLUS… a GIVEAWAY: Gallo Family Vineyards wants to share a treat with one of my readers. You can win a $100 Visa Gift Card. Let’s make it super easy to win… just answer this question in the comments below: “What’s YOUR definition of family?”

– Chelsey

This post is Sponsored by, Gallo Family Vineyards. I was paid for this post, but all opinions are my own. For more information about Gallo Family Vineyards and its family of fruit-forward and flavorful wines visit www.GalloFamily.com. Follow Gallo Family Vineyards on Twitter and Facebook.

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Rules

No duplicate comments.

You may receive (2) total entries by selecting from the following entry methods:

  1. Leave a comment in response to the sweepstakes prompt on this post
  2. Tweet (public message) about this promotion; including exactly the following unique term in your tweet message: “#SweepstakesEntry”; and leave the URL to that tweet in a comment on this post
  3. Blog about this promotion, including a disclosure that you are receiving a sweepstakes entry in exchange for writing the blog post, and leave the URL to that post in a comment on this post
  4. For those with no Twitter or blog, read the official rules to learn about an alternate form of entry.

This giveaway is open to US Residents (excluding Colorado, Puerto Rico, Tennessee, Utah and where otherwise prohibited by law) age 21 or older. Winners will be selected via random draw, and will be notified by e-mail. You have 72 hours to get back to me, otherwise a new winner will be selected.

The Official Rules are available here.

This sweepstakes runs from 10/1/2013-10/31/2013

Be sure to visit the Gallo Family Vineyards Brand Page on BlogHer.com where you can read other bloggers’ reviews and find more chances to win!

 


Save The Date: PNW Blogger Holiday Party!

PNW Blogger Logo 2013

It’s just about time for the PNW Blogger Holiday Party! I mean… can you believe it? I really cannot. Time sort of moves slow for me from about February to July… then ::POW:: it’s Fall and – all the things, all right now -. So: SAVE THE DATE! This year the Holiday Party will be in Portland, the morning of November 3rd, 2013 (don’t worry Seattle people… we’ve got fun stuff headed up your way after the New Year).

I can’t share TOO many details right this minute… but I can guarantee fun/food/BLOODYmarys/aPhotobooth/blogFriends/craftFUN/goodies… andohsomuchmore.

Tickets will go on sale Tuesday, October 8th. 8:00AM PST. They will be $30 each (plus Eventbrite fees). Tickets are limited and I never really know how fast they will sell out. Twice they’ve sold out in a day. SO, if you really want to go… schedule a reminder for the sale day. As usual, if you’re interested in adding product to the goody bags or sponsoring the actual event, check out the Sponsor Info page I set up on the PNW Blogger site.

I hope to see you here! These events are always a blast and this year we have a lot more things planned for the day. You’ll love it. ESPECially if you like bloody mary’s + fun.

– Chelsey

P.S. if you’re a blogger under the age of 21, no worries! The event space allows all ages. Yes! Also, if you’re a breastfeeding mama and can’t leave the sweet baby for too long, bring baby with you (we just ask that toddlers/older kids stay home). 


HP Create!

HP Create Site // thepapermama.com

//I’m a contributor to this new site, HP Create// 

Hello friends!

I’m so excited to finally share this with you: the launch of HP Create! I’ve been working with HP for a while now and the project is all ready to go. The site is all dressed and prepared for it’s first day of internet. Hee.

What will you find there? A collection of projects and ideas to make your life more fun. Yup. You’ll find projects for the Holidays, birthdays/events, and just plain everyday life. We’ve worked hard and I know you’ll enjoy it!

SO, enough babbling… go and check it out!

 

– Chelsey

Side note: I am a paid contributor on the wonderful HP Create site.


Make Your Day DIY

paris51

Today’s an exciting day! My friend Chelsea and I have been working hard on a fun project for the last few months… and today we have a photo shoot, with the lovely Margaret Jacobsen. What is it? Well, we can’t share too much, yet. We call it: Make Your Day DIY and it’s going to be fun. You’ll love it! I’ll have more fun goodies to share with you in the next couple of weeks. For now you’ll just have to dream and guess what we’re up to. <3

You can follow this journey through the #MakeYourDayDIY hashtag on Instagram, we plan on sharing a bunch today! You can also follow our instagram profiles: Chelsey and Chelsea. Annnnd, if you’re wondering… Chelsey is the proper way to spell our name. She’s wrong. Ha!

– Chelsey


Wednesday Goodies: BHG Stylemaker Event

BHG Stylemaker Event // thepapermama.com

BHG Stylemaker Event // thepapermama.com

BHG Stylemaker Event // thepapermama.com

BHG Stylemaker Event // thepapermama.com

BHG Stylemaker Event // thepapermama.com

BHG Stylemaker Event // thepapermama.com

BHG Stylemaker Event // thepapermama.com

BHG Stylemaker Event // thepapermama.com

BHG Stylemaker Event // thepapermama.com

Last week I attended the BHG Stylemaker Event in New York. Hosted by Better Homes and Gardens. It was a day long event full of awesome info and inspiring ideas and lovely bloggers. I have worked with BHG for a year and a half now… and it’s been fantastic. I really love working with them and I got to meet a few more editors/bloggers that I haven’t met in non-internet-life before. It was such a jam-packed quick trip, but so worth it.

I’ll be sure to share some more inspiring info with you soon, but first I need to catch up on life. So behind (don’t even mention emails… so behind, ha).

– Chelsey

P.S. All photos from Avi Gerver

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If you have a post you’d like to share today (really, any post), please feel free to link it up below. Also, feel free to link up to these blogs too… Parenting by DummiesProject AliciaJenni from the BlogIn The Moment With, and Live and Love Outloud.




Taking the kid out of the internet.

KID // thepapermama.com

I’m taking the kid out of the internet. You may have noticed, or maybe not, my kiddo’s face has been pretty absent from my blog and all social media. If there is a photo, it’s usually only her eyes (cause those peepers are gorgeous). It’s a decision I’ve struggled with since she was a wee babe. She’s getting older and I just don’t know if I want her online. When she was a squishy blobby baby, I was ok… but now she’s turning into  a human. I know eventually she’ll be a preteen asking me for a Facebook account (or, whatever new social site there will be in 10ish years), but for now I am going to limit things… since she still listens to me… for now. Ha!

I know there are past posts with her cute face all over them, but it’s time to limit her appearance from here on out. Sad, but it’s for the best. I feel more comfortable with things this way. DON’T worry, there will be a ton of photos of the cats/dog/chickens. What about you…. are you limiting photos of your kids online?

– Chelsey

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