Today, Kate shares a great lead for those who want to try their hand at canning (perfect for preserving summertime bounty!):
My young daughter has never been a fan of peanut butter, but she loves strawberry jelly. On toast, on waffles, between two slices of bread, or licked off a spoon, jam is the queen of sweet condiments in our house. Given the quantities that we consume, I recently became interested in learning how to make jams and jellies at home. An experience about a decade ago had left me with bad memories of bubbling pots of steaming, sticky peach-flavored goop and lots of small and hard-to-handle jars, but I decided to give it another try.Today, Kate shares a great lead for those who want to try their hand at canning (perfect for preserving summertime bounty!):
My young daughter has never been a fan of peanut butter, but she loves strawberry jelly. On toast, on waffles, between two slices of bread, or licked off a spoon, jam is the queen of sweet condiments in our house. Given the quantities that we consume, I recently became interested in learning how to make jams and jellies at home. An experience about a decade ago had left me with bad memories of bubbling pots of steaming, sticky peach-flavored goop and lots of small and hard-to-handle jars, but I decided to give it another try.
Today, Priya shares six tips for rocking the weekend move:
I move a lot. So far, I have retained at least 20 different addresses (not counting the multitude of college dorm rooms) in 2 countries, 5 states, and 11 cities. You might think that would mean I have moving down to an art form, but no. I have grown to dislike moving so much that I usually procrastinate until the last moment and then throw everything haphazardly into boxes. The end result is I lug stuff around I should have parted ways with, and end up with countless "miscellaneous" drawers and boxes everywhere I go.
Today, Priya shares five ways to declutter the weekend:
In a lot of ways, I feel as if I'm always working for the weekend. Given the long hours I work, weekday mornings go by in a blur and, with my kids being as little as they are, it's not uncommon for them to be tucked into bed before I get home from the office. And while I daydream about weekends filled with second pots of coffee and leisurely snuggling on the couch with my kids, the reality is that weekends are also the only time I have to run all the errands that have been piling up. Which is a total bummer.
Today, Miriam (also of Other Pieces of Me) shares a time management system that's helping her rock the productivity, even during fleeting nap times:
I am the first to admit that focus has never been my strongpoint. Left to my own devices, I will gladly dart around from project to project, never really getting down to business until 3:00 in the afternoon, when all of the sudden I have a burst of productivity. And now that I have a 5-month-old and a toddler in the house, moments of solitude (usually gifted by the rare, simultaneous nap) must be leveraged...but it is so tempting to slip down the Facebook rabbit hole and come up for air having completely wasted an hour of my life.
Today, Paige (also of Mudroom Boston and Make More, Buy Less) shares 8 transformative shower curtains (Laurel would pass out from happiness if I bought #7):
When we moved into our home two years ago, we were faced with bathrooms that were squarely stuck in early '90s decor. Forest green was the color of choice for the master bath, and though we could strip the wallpaper, changing the tile and fixtures didn't fit our budget. It was amazing how effective a gallon of wall paint and a simple striped shower curtain in soothing aquas and pale greens was in transforming the space.
It is enormously gratifying when ideas that I propel into the world not only stick, but help people minimize stress and clutter. During my Do Less As a Life Strategy talk at BlissDom in February, someone asked me about e-mail management and I shared my "3-touch rule." And then a couple of days ago (about two months later!), there was a bunch of Twitter chatter between @the818 (who used my method to get her inbox down from 770 to 24!) and @alexandrawrote, @Melaina25, @LoveFeast, @hollywoodhwife, and @linzlovesyou about this topic. I promised these folks I would share the method with everyone so here goes.
I've been meaning to share about Life Alive ever since my sister Kyoung and her partner Marjorie introduced me and Laurel to it following a fun downtown outing in February. We visited the Central Square location (they also have a home in Lowell, and will open another in Salem) on a Saturday -- the two-floor café has a casual yet warm vibe and was bustling with adults and kids, all happily munching on and sipping organic, vegetarian, unprocessed fare. (Kyoung and Marjorie kindly suggested we visit this café since Laurel is a vegetarian.)
I love photography and have approximately a bajillion digital photos sitting on my hard drive, but I definitely struggle with helping these images see the light of day (it wasn't until just before Violet's first birthday that I finally got a photo of her on the wall...doh). So I'm always intrigued to learn about easy ways to turn photos into gifts and art, particularly since Laurel and Violet's grandparents love photo gifts. Today, Lindsey (also of A Design So Vast) shares her experience testing out (for the second time, actually) Pinhole Press. Read on for Lindsey's report, as well as to learn how to win a $100 gift certificate to Pinhole Press!
Today, Paige (also of Mudroom Boston and Make More, Buy Less) shares a roundup of lovely (sometimes insanely inexpensive) multifunction trays:
In my opinion, the humble tray may be the single most useful and versatile item in a home (which may be the reason why I have at least 15 in mine). What other object can you use to: 1) serve food and drinks, 2) keep toiletries/office supplies/spices neat and tidy, 3) use as a surface for Play-Doh-creating and Lego-building, 4) capture slush and mud, and 5) decorate?
Today, Kate shares a fantastic spot to eat (and play) with the kids:
My daughter is now six, which means that she is generally old enough to contentedly make it through a restaurant meal without complaint, provided that the food is not too complicated and the atmosphere not too fussy (crayons can help, too). Gone, happily, are the days when we would ask for the check not long after sitting down and have our meals packed to go before taking more than a bite or two.
Today, Paige (also of Mudroom Boston and Make More, Buy Less) shares 5 awesome tips for decorating with mirrors:
When we moved into our house two summers ago, we were presented with an abundance of blank walls. Since the walls of our previous home had been covered with windows and built-ins, we hadn't had the space for a lot of art and other hanging decor. Knowing that we couldn't afford large scale art, I went on a bit of a mirror bender, trying to cover some of the blank space at a lesser cost.
Today, Jane (also of see jane blog) shares an awesomely compact and clever tech find:
I am obsessed with technology. At the heart of this obsession is my cell phone. Specifically: my iPhone. If you would have told me five years ago that I would put away my DSLR camera in place of my iPhone camera I would have cringed. I would have thought, {gasping} "never!" Yet, the reality is just this: most days I only carry my iPhone, and not just for my phone/email/apps, but because of the camera. I use that baby everyday, all day long -- usually to photograph my family. Which is why when I spotted the photojojo camera phone lenses, I had to order them immediately.
One of the most stressful parts about Violet's recent state of plague was that for the better part of a week she refused bottles and pretty much all solid food, save occasional bites of cheese and blueberries. The logical part of my brain knew that she would eventually drink and eat again, but I was still concerned about dehydration and getting her some calories, particularly because she was so limp and sad and not herself during this time.
Even though the process can become messier and the results less perfect, I love baking with kids. It makes for a fun project (just this week we had a friend of Laurel's over for a baking play date -- so fun!), offers yummy rewards, and you can choose to work in some math teaching if you like. Laurel and I recently tried a new (to us) cookie recipe from Lori Longbotham's Luscious Lemon Desserts that was just delightful; a lovely twist on basic sugar cookies. Below I've edited the steps and added notes to offer some shortcuts and tips, as well as ideas for incorporating kids into the process. Enjoy!
Today, Jules shares a recipe perfect for Super Bowl Sunday (or any day really):
Between my husband's enthusiasm for football and mine for good food, Super Bowl Sunday is like a national holiday in our house. Chili is a Super Bowl staple and it's an easy crowd pleaser because it's typically a one pot meal that can feed a hungry crowd. Most often prepped with fatty ground meat, loads of cheese, sour cream, and tortilla chips, I'm tweaking tradition here and whipping up a reduced fat white chicken chili that is a treat for the eyes but also a really unexpected and refreshing surprise for the palate; all while staying true to those chili roots and remaining a heady and satisfying one pot meal. Enjoy!
Because I'm all about reducing physical and emotional clutter in life (I'm even speaking about this topic at BlissDom next month), I'm thrilled to join Asha Dornfest of Parent Hacks and Meagan Francis of The Happiest Mom to host a conversation on The Best Ideas For Getting Organized at The Motherhood. Join us tomorrow -- Monday the 23rd -- from 1-1:30 pm EST to chat about simplifying and streamlining your home, schedule, and life. No complicated technical know-how is required to participate in the chat -- it's basically like commenting in on status updates. You will need a logon at The Motherhood to participate, so hop on over and register now. You can also submit questions in advance if you like.
Today, Kate shares a great find for relocating your outgrown kid's clothing and gear:
If you're like me, you occasionally find yourself looking for good ways to pass along the clothes, toys, and gear that your kids have outgrown. Due to generous grandmothers, my daughter's dresser is often overflowing, and I search out ways to share the bounty. Two Little Monkeys, a new children's resale shop in the Union Square neighborhood of Somerville, is a great resource for anyone looking to either unload or pick up clothing, books, toys, and gear (including high-end strollers at terrific prices) for babies and children.