Unique Gift Ideas for Any Occasion – 12 Gifts Sure to Impress

2016/11 By Lauren B. Stevens 2 Comments

Every year, I create a dedicated folder of unique gift ideas I come across throughout the year. Some of the unique gifts I purchase for birthdays and Christmas, others I just use to create this blog with unique gift ideas each year. In fact, the first item I saved for this year’s list was saved December 24th of last year — I like to be prepared!

Unique gift ideas for everyone on your list

1. Personalized Handwriting Bracelet

You can find a lot of unique items on Etsy, and this bracelet is no exception! Memorialize the writing of someone you love by making it into a statement piece. If you think this jewelry is beautiful, you need to check out the tiny stackable rings Kate Kim makes!

2. Buffalo Wing Delivery

Yep! If you’ve spent any time in or around Buffalo, NY, you know that authentic buffalo wings are the bomb! What’s even better is that you can have the real thing delivered to you, straight from New York. Surprise your favorite wing eater with Buffalo wings delivered to their door!

3. “First I Drink the Coffee” Hoodie

If you’ve got a coffee lover in your life, this is the sweatshirt for them — perfect for curling up and getting cozy with a cuppa your favorite brew. Viper Coffee also sells mugs, for those who aren’t so bold.

4. Ultimate Bacon T-Shirt

It seems bacon is still “in”, and if you have a bacon-lover on your list, Bacon Shirt is the way to go. Each shirt is packaged like a pound of bacon, and you can even get your tee bacon-scented, you know, just to tease your bacon-lover.

5. Sockscribe Me

Subscription box companies are still on the rise, and Sockscribe Me is one of the three I’ve included in this list. If you have a zany sock-lover on your list, as I do, buy them the sock gift that keeps on giving (and keeping their feet fashionable and warm).

6. Vinyl Me, Please

This subscription box is for music, and vinyl, lovers everywhere. Each month, members receive an exclusive LP, an album-inspired art print, custom cocktail recipe, and access to many more member benefits. I’ve already finished shopping for my husband, so he’s going to be disappointed to find out that I didn’t get him a Vinyl Me, Please subscription this year (sorry, Babe).

7. Muse Monthly

Books and tea marry to make Muse Monthly boxes for subscribers each month. I discovered Muse Monthly because I’m in a group with the owner, and absolutely love the idea! Like wine and cheese pairings, subscribers are sent a book and tea pairing, often with additional fun items inside. A lucky friend of mine will be receiving a box this Christmas.

8. Storm Glass

You definitely don’t need to be into meteorology to enjoy a storm glass. Developed by Admiral Robert FitzRoy, storm glasses indicate or predict upcoming weather with changes inside the glass. For example, if the liquid inside the glass is clear, the weather will be clear; if the liquid is cloudy with small stars (crystals), then a thunderstorm is on the horizon.

Ferroflow

9. Ferroflow

It’s magic! Not really, it’s just science, but really cool science. Ferroflow has elevated the use of ferrofluid and magnets by creating a fully automated experience. Watch in wonder as shapes appear as the magnets manipulate the fluid. If Ferroflow’s $269 price tag is a little steep for you, you can purchase an inexpensive model that will provide hours of enjoyment for both children and adults.

10. Family Hand Casting Kit

I’m not overly sentimental, nor am I a big fan of “keepsake” items, but this family hand casting kit is an amazing idea. Instead of a family boardgame night, spend the time casting all of your hands together for a truly unique piece.

11. Seedling

But what about kids, you ask? I’ve definitely not forgotten the kiddos, and I think that Seedling may have all of your kid-gift needs covered! Seedling knows interactive play like no other toy store, with an unbelievable array of creative gifts for all ages. If you’re not sure where to begin, try shopping with Seedling’s Gift Finder function.

12. Woobo

Part of the draw of Woobo is that the product has not yet been released (I know, I know, but think in terms of 2017 gifts). The only thing I can say about Woobo is that it’s like a Furby, times 100, with artificial intelligence and much, much smarter. Keep them on your radar, folks! (And Woobo, if you’d like to send me a Woobo to test and share with my readers, my little guy would be all too willing!)

Have a writer or a reader on your list? Check out this guide to The Best Gifts for Writers.

NaNoWriMo & Time – Why Can’t There Be More of It?

2016/11 By Lauren B. Stevens 2 Comments

Sometime in October, I can’t be sure because that month was an absolute blur, I stumbled upon a blog with some National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) tips, and got it into my head that this would be the year that I participated. The more I read, the more I was convinced that I could somehow make the time to get a draft down on paper. And yet, today is the second day of November, and I’m already a day behind.

What many of you don’t know is that I have a book that I’ve been tossing around, have made small outlines for, and even traveled and had a cup of coffee with a friend I’d not seen in thirty years and on another continent. My book has absolutely nothing to do with parenting (shocking, I know), and everything to do with the fact that I grew up as a third culture kid (TCK).

Growing up an Air Force brat, not only were the places where we were stationed both beautiful and interesting, but as an American, I experienced culture shock returning to America, after living abroad.

The point is that I have a story to tell, some very interesting research about TCKs to integrate and explain many of my own emotional and psychological experiences, and there is no other book out there like it. The problem? Time.

Time is always the problem, and even moreso now that my business has taken off. My workload is 100% writing, which makes it difficult to come back to the computer, after many hours writing for others, even if it is to tell my own story. The other stumbling block I have in my way is money.

In order to delve into my story, I need to travel to Europe to visit the places where I lived. I can only rely on my [failing] memories so much, without having very real physical and visual prompts. The money for just myself to travel is completely doable, but I want to bring my husband and son along to show them pieces of my childhood.

There is a complexity of emotion involved with having a childhood that’s not accessible or readily shareable, something I hope to delve into in my book. Where my husband can take us on tours of the homes in which he lived and grew in Delaware, I have no such trace of my childhood available in this country.

At any rate, our new home is more of a priority than our travel, so I tell myself that my book travel is part of a 5-year plan. My son will be older, and more apt to remember the trip, and it will be more practical to spend that kind of money then, rather than now (right?).

So, all of this is to say that I’m going to make an effort to at least get a skeleton draft completed this month, or at least as much as I can without traveling.

LuLaRoe – How Do You Roe?

2016/10 By Lauren B. Stevens Leave a Comment

I’m late to the game, I know. Really late to the game. But I made it, so that’s all that counts, right?

Around 8pm on a weeknight, I opened my laptop to browse some of my Facebook writing groups when I saw that I was invited to a pop-up party. I’d always seethed when I’d been added to one of these groups without being asked, but I’d been curious about these “parties” and joined to see what all the buzz was about LuLaRoe clothing.

I browsed albums full of piecemeal clothing articles, not quite convinced and definitely not understanding the hype. And then I saw it. I saw a beautiful bohemian-looking outfit I knew I had to have, in beautiful greens and browns (in a floral pattern, and I’m totally not into floral patterns), and I could almost hear the harp music coming down from the heavens as my heart beat a little faster:

I may be late to the party, but that doesn't mean I can't throw one! Come check out my online LuLaRoe Pop-up Boutique on Tuesday, 10/11 at 7pm EST!

The outfit on the left is what drew me in to LuLaRoe clothing.

My first few weeks of LLRing were spent on the hunt for the exact outfit I saw in the photo. I found it, and also snagged a super soft pair of leggings in the same floral print — SCORE! Along the way, I discovered Irma shirts, comfortable, with sleeves that go down to my elbow and length to make every tall girl, like myself, super happy. I also discovered the Randy shirt, a women’s baseball shirt, perfect for fall in a kaleidoscope of patterns and colors.

I think the thing that I like most about LuLaRoe is that it has made clothing fun for me again. Apart from the stubborn weight gain I’ve suffered in my mid-to-late thirties, I work from home, with no need to “dress”. That can be a slippery slope, and I found myself wearing yoga pants and tank tops every. single. day. And then I discovered LLR, and realized that I can look ‘put-together’ and be comfortable while working from home. And depending on the fabric, I can dress all of my LLR clothes up or down for whatever the occasion calls for. To-date, I own:

5 – pairs of leggings (I didn’t realize I had that many until I counted for this)

1 – Maxi skirt

3 – Irma shirts

1 – Randy shirt

1 – Sarah sweater (love, LOVE)

1 – Nicole dress

1 – Sloan tee (baseball tee like Randy, but for my son)

1 – pair of kids leggings (again, for my son)

Okay, so tallying these up is a surprise to me because I had no idea I’d already purchased so much! And yes, I even got my son into LLR. He owns one outfit — a Sloan tee and leggings — and says that it’s his “snuggly” outfit. He asks to wear it multiple times a week!

So, why am I talking about LuLaRoe so much? Well, my friends, I’m hosting an online pop-up boutique for my local consultant this coming Tuesday, October 11th at 7pm EST and I’d LOVE for you to come take a look! I met my consultant at my dentist’s office – true story! Nikki carries a very large inventory, compared to some other pop-ups I’ve attended, and she’s placing an additional order just for this party! I’d love for you to come and shop, and check out LuLaRoe, if you’re not already familiar. Oh, Nikki will also be doing some giveaways, so stop by and take a look! You can request to join the party by following the link below:

Lauren’s LuLaRoe Online Pop-up Boutique

Natural Parenting Beyond the Baby Years

2016/10 By Lauren B. Stevens Leave a Comment

Just under five years ago I was pregnant, expecting my first child, and all alone. My husband and myself had moved out of state just months earlier, for an opportunity to grow in his career. 5 years later, he’s back in the same place, just in a wholly different position, but I digress.

As I was saying, I was pregnant…and alone. Kind of like Naked and Afraid, except without all of the nakedness and wild animals. My mother wasn’t in my life, and my girlfriends were hours away — I had no village to help me. What I did have, however, was a computer with an Internet connection, so I found community online, while researching natural ways to bring my baby into this world and care for him.

I discovered the cloth diaper community, which lead to me discovering babywearing, and I soon found myself buying cloth diapers and researching different carriers. By the time my son finally arrived, I was fully immersed in the cloth diapering community, and belonged to several natural parenting groups.

I think I heard about MommyCon in 2012, shortly after my son was born. I purchased my tickets for Philadelphia MONTHS in advance, and eagerly counted-down to the day, blogging along the way. My son was just one year old when we attended MommyCon Philly, and they were in their first year of the conference, working out kinks, growing rapidly, and giving people like me (on my island) community in-person, if only for a day.

Parenting beyond the baby years means that I find lots of photos like these in my phone (despite my phone being locked!)

My son’s now four-years-old, and I’m not going to have anymore children, having decided, sometime after my third loss, that it was just too difficult to keep losing babies. These days, I don’t refer to what I do as a mother as natural parenting, because the label no longer really matters (if it ever did). I feed my son whole foods, am the annoying mom who tells her kiddo’s school that he’s sugar-sensitive and under orders from his pediatrician to bring in his own snack (well, at his last school, anyway), and generally assert my control over his diet [before I no longer have control in the teen years]. At four, my son has a solid appreciation for nature, and I encourage him to get dirty and play (discover); one of his favorite things to do is to spend time in the creek, hunting for shells and throwing rocks, a nice hike diversion.

A video posted by Lauren Stevens (@laurenbethstevens) on Mar 9, 2016 at 9:54am PST

I still care about the products I use on my son’s skin, and do the best I can to keep toxins out of our home. In essence, I don’t see myself doing anything really different from the majority of parents out there, so there really isn’t a need to categorize parenting at this stage, is there?

Whereas I was concerned about nurturing my son early on, being mindful of his needs as a baby, I now focus my efforts on nurturing his mind, and tending to his needs in a way that teaches him how to be independent. I guess you could call this age the detachment phase of attachment parenting. With my son’s needs not as great as they were when he was an infant and toddler, I now have more time to focus on my own needs and my own identity, apart from being a mother. So, what does MommyCon have to do with all of this?

Well, my friends, MommyCon is really an all-ages parenting conference, with sessions for expecting parents through seasoned parenting vets. MommyCon San Jose is offering sessions perfect for those parents of older children, such as Geek Parenting: Raising Kids on Comics, Sci-Fi & Fantasy (love it!), Let Them Eat Dirt: Saving Your Child from An Oversanitized World, Mom Guilt: Why It Sucks & How to Give It the Middle Finger, and more! And then there’s this:

Yep! Not only do you get to check out all of the MommyCon San Jose awesomeness at San Jose Convention Center, but you get to take part in a COSTUME CONTEST!

If you’ve not yet purchased your tickets for MommyCon San Jose, you can save $5 from each ticket with code: LOWREN16

Okay, back to the costume contest. Costumes will be judged in THREE categories: Babywearing, Family, and Individual (adult costume). Each category winner will receive an awesome prize, with the Babywearing costume winner receiving an ORBIT CAR SEAT! So, put on your thinking caps, grab your tickets (if you haven’t already), and join in the MommyCon fun!

If you’ve attended your nearby MommyCon event, check out the 2017 event calendar! I’m signed-up to attend MommyCon NYC, but have always wanted to visit Memphis, so… Want to save $5 off of your 2017 MommyCon ticket prices? Use my code: LOWREN17

Interested in buying organics at wholesale prices? I now live in the boonies, so Thrive Market is my go-to for organics and natural products. Use my link to save 15% off of your first purchase, free shipping, and donate one membership to a low-income family through the Thrive Gives program. So many benefits, my friends!

#Workbook for him, #adultcoloringbook for me… #coloring #coloringbook #childrensworkbook #starwars meets #secretgarden @johannabasford @workmanpub

A photo posted by Lauren Stevens (@laurenbethstevens) on Aug 24, 2016 at 11:06am PDT

This post contains affiliate links.

Creative Uses for WaterWipes & Walgreens Giveaway!

2016/09 By Lauren B. Stevens Leave a Comment

This post is sponsored by WaterWipes as part of an Influencer Activation for Influence Central; all opinions expressed are my own.

I’m no newbie when it comes to baby wipes, or WaterWipes for that matter, having familiarized myself with them long before the thought of children ever entered my mind. In my early twenties, single and without children, baby wipes were a staple of mine, but not in the way you might be thinking. You see, I was an avid camper and hiker, and I loved tossing my tent into my trunk and taking off for the weekend. In fact, one of the things I loved most about living in Florida was the fact that I could comfortably camp year-round. If you’re the hiking and/or camping sort, and baby wipes aren’t in your arsenal, then you’re sorely missing out!

I remember camping in Rainbow River in Florida (where the manatees spend a great deal of their time). It was June, so the heat was intense, as were the bugs. The canoeing, however, was wonderful, with the crystal clear brackish water. Baby wipes were a godsend, allowing me to freshen-up and feel refreshed with just a swipe of the cloth.

I’ve been busy decorating our new home, and found an inexpensive corner table on Craigslist that would be perfect for our master bathroom. I knew I was going to be painting the table, so I needed to sand the table to prime the wood for painting. After sanding, it’s important to make sure that all of the dust is removed so that the paint has a secure and porous area to cover (this will avoid chipping, peeling, etc.). To make sure all of the dust was removed, I used my handy-dandy WaterWipes! Since water is the only ingredient (well, 99.9% of it), I didn’t need to worry about the wipes leaving a residue. A quick wipe down and my table was ready to paint, check out the before and after shots:

Use WaterWipes to gently remove dust from surfaces, without worrying about leaving residue

So, you see, baby wipes aren’t just for babies. Here are a few more (un)common uses for baby wipes, other than for baby bums:

Camping
Dust cloths
Blot stains (keep in car or small pouch in purse)
Quick shoe clean
Makeup remover
Sunburn relief (it won’t cure it, but it will definitely cool it off instantly)
Quick cleanup for cuts & scrapes
Car cleanup (perfect for dusting off the dash or cleaning up small spills)
Tissues (instead of buying expensive, specialized, moistened toddler tissues, use a baby wipe instead)
Laptop cleanup (I leave my laptop open most of the time, so it gets dusty quickly)
Paw cleaner (perfect for those of you with pets — clean muddy paws in one swipe)

Did you know that baby wipes can by laundered and used again? The weave is thick enough for your wipe to withstand the washing machine, making them perfect to recycle and reuse (if you’re concerned about the waste from using baby wipes for…everything).

Why WaterWipes?

I’m sensitive to fragrances, not only the smell, but using products with fragrances irritates my skin. One of the things I love about Water Wipes, and have loved since they first came available in the US a couple years ago, is that they are fragrance free. I never had to worry about my son’s skin being irritated by using Water Wipes, nor did I need to worry about getting a headache from artificial fragrances.

WaterWipes are comprised of 99.9% water and .1% grapefruit seed extract. No chemicals, nothing tricky to pronounce, just water. I just grabbed the last two packages of WaterWipes at my Walgreens, but I’m sure you’ll have no problem grabbing a pack (or two) at your local Walgreens!

If you don’t take my word for it, you can find out more about WaterWipes on Facebook and Twitter.

Want the chance to stock up on WaterWipes? Enter below for the chance to win one of FIVE $100 Walgreens gift cards! The giveaway runs between now and October 7, 2016. Good luck!
WaterWipes Walgreens Giveaway

I-C will randomly select winners from all program entries and will facilitate fulfillment of the winning prizes (5 winners).

Goodbye Popcorn, Hello Armstrong Ceilings

2016/09 By Lauren B. Stevens Leave a Comment

This post was sponsored by Armstrong Ceilings as part of an Influencer Activation for Influence Central; all opinions expressed in this post are my own.

I love popcorn. I also love icicles, but I don’t love them on my ceiling. Who’s with me?

I’ve both lived-in, and visited, a lot of homes in my lifetime, and when I see a popcorn ceiling I a.) shudder, then b.) wonder why or how anyone ever thought that looked good (it reminds me of asbestos, seriously), and c.) wonder how bad the drywall job really is underneath all of that spackle. Yuck! Have you ever tried to paint a textured ceiling? Not fun, not fun at all. I once helped a friend try to remove a popcorn ceiling in her home — never again, my friends, never again. It’s been over 10 years and I’m pretty sure I still have some spackle bits in my eye.

If textured ceilings aren't your thing, Armstrong Ceilings has the solution. Country Classic Planks & their Easy Up installation tracks make it a breeze.

Since buying our home in June, I’ve shared some of my decorating, but we’ve only recently begun making the home our own by adding finishing touches, such as painting rooms to give them personality (other than the neutral paint the house came with). A couple things have stood out, as we go room to room. First, the entire house features the original hardwood floors except the living room and my son’s bedroom. Hmmm. At some point we’ll lift the carpet to check out what’s underneath, but I suspect the floors are in bad condition if the developer chose to carpet them. The other thing is that most areas of the house have smooth, drywall ceilings, but some have a textured stucco finish. Another hmmm. Again, how bad was the drywall job that they felt the need to cover some rooms with a textured spackle? I don’t suspect we’ll try to do anything with them soon, as we have other projects taking priority, but when we do, I have the answer: Armstrong Ceilings.

Our “beautifully textured” dining room ceiling. *sigh*

The great news, my popcorn-ceilinged-friends, is that Armstrong Ceilings are designed to help homeowners easily (emphasis on easily) cover unsightly textured ceilings. No hassle, no need to redo the drywall. Armstrong Ceilings Easy Up installation tracks are self-explanatory, making it easy to transform your room with their panels. Better still, Armstrong Ceilings Country Classic Planks (and Easy Up installation tracks) are available at Lowe’s across the country. Look for this endcap, with everything you need for installation:

Armstrong Ceilings Country Classic Planks and Easy Up tracks are available at select Lowe’s locations across the country

If you are unable to locate Armstrong Ceilings planks at your local Lowe’s, don’t fret! Lowe’s offers Special Order Express, allowing you to order the materials you need and receive them in 7 days or less. I know how important that time frame is because when I decide on a home project, I want to get started as soon as possible (so that my burst of “inspiration” doesn’t leave me).

If you’re ready to say goodbye to the popcorn, and learn more about how you can easily transform your room with Armstrong Ceilings, you can visit them HERE. Need a little design inspiration? Follow Armstrong Ceilings on Facebook and Twitter.

Artis Wall: History in Your Home

2016/08 By Lauren B. Stevens 2 Comments

Every so often, the stars align and an opportunity presents itself, though this is definitely a first for me (I know, you’re wondering what Artis Wall has to do with this, so just read on). With my husband having started a new position in June, and our purchase of a new home, he basically forfeited a summer vacation. So that the summer wasn’t a complete loss, I planned a road trip to Ohio, so that I could visit my best friend from college and D could play with her sons.

Bring a piece of history right into your home with Artis Wall reclaimed wood panels. 100% made in the USA, Artis Wall lets you bring American history home!

About a week before the trip, I received an email from Artis Wall, likely stemming from my master bedroom unveiling post. Upon investigation, I got lost in the beautiful photos of reclaimed wood paneled walls, each with a history. Here’s the cool part, Artis Wall’s parent company, Baker-McMillen, is located just outside of Akron, Ohio — a little under an hour from where I would be visiting. After a phone chat with marketing and Artis Wall’s co-creator, Will Kimmerle, I arranged a visit to the plant while I was in the area.

After a brief introduction to the Artis Wall team, I was taken on a tour of the plant to see how Artis Wall reclaimed wood planks are processed. Due to the proprietary nature of the product, I was unable to take photos of the process, but I can tell you that the team is small and each reclaimed wood plank is handled with care…by REAL people (and nice people at that).

Sustainability

I love repurposed artwork and decor, and Artis Wall reclaimed wood planks takes this concept to an elevated level. Not only is the wood sourced from old, historic barns and structures across the United States (Artis Wall is 100% made in the USA), but a feature of the product/process that doesn’t get enough attention is the fact that Artis Wall replaces what they take. Much like reforestation, or even wetland preservation, Artis Wall replaces the wood that it takes from barns.

I was under the impression that Artis Wall wood was being taken from razed barns, but I was quickly set straight. Not only is Artis Wall creating a product with a history, but they’re helping preserve that history by replacing the wood that they take. In fact, they were just about to head to Amish Country to retrieve wood from a few barns (so they’ll have more stock soon!).

Bring a piece of history right into your home with Artis Wall reclaimed wood panels. 100% made in the USA, Artis Wall lets you bring American history home!

Photo courtesy of Artis Wall™

What’s Old is New

I purchased my first home when I was 25; built in 1979, my townhome’s decor was pretty much untouched since then. I typically have a difficult time visualizing spaces, so when I saw the shingled wall in what would be my living room, I knew I had to tear everything off to start with a clean slate. Not only was a single wall covered in wooden shingles, but they had painted said wall a dark shade of brown underneath. This was not my first experience with wood paneling/shingles, as our family home had the same feature when we purchased it in the late 80s. Wood paneling definitely wasn’t ‘in’ then, but Artis Wall is bringing back wood paneling features and elevating the look with reclaimed wood.

It’s definitely interesting to see how old fashions and techniques are brought back into style and revitalized. While I could not envision my former home with the wood paneling it came with, I can now see how beautiful our living room would look with a removable reclaimed wood accent wall.

When ‘New’ Becomes Old

Perhaps the best part of Artis Wall is that it is easily installed…and easily removed. While I was left with hundreds of holes, left from staples used to secure the wood panels, Artis Wall has patented a way for users to easily install AND remove their reclaimed wood panels without destroying their walls in the process: A.I.M.™ Strips.

Should you decide you no longer like your reclaimed wood paneled Artis Wall where it’s located, or decide to change your decor, you can easily remove the panels. Having had the chance to speak with Artis Wall co-creator, Will Kimmerle, I learned that he worked for over a year to find a way to install Artis Wall without damaging your walls.

I remember renting a home, where we were not allowed to use nails to hang artwork, and spending a significant chunk of money on Command products…only to have the product fail. A clock we had received as a wedding gift fell from the wall, breaking on the hardwood floor, and taking a chunk of the plaster with it (the clock was lightweight, so it was well within the product’s weight limits). Not only did we end up doing more damage with a nail-less product, but we ended-up with an expensive broken clock.

Having a similar experience, Kimmerle spent a great deal of time coming up with an adhesive option (A.I.M.™ Strips) that a.) won’t damage your walls, and b.) actually works! I was amazed to see it in action, Will quickly removed strips from his office wall to demonstrate the damage-free ease of use — I was sold!

Photo courtesy of Artis Wall™

A Piece of History

The artwork my husband and I display around our home is not only there for aesthetic purposes, but also as conversation pieces. Artis Wall panels are each stamped with an origination code that you can then enter on the site to discover the history of the structure from where it came. One of the interesting things about Artis Wall is that they research the history of each structure, and provide a detailed history of the structure’s use, or uses over time, giving you an intimate look at the history now gracing your walls.

The Process

If you grew up in a house with antiques, you know that the introduction of wood into your home can be precarious (my parents once acquired a piece with wood worms that had to be treated quickly, before it could ‘attack’ other pieces in our home). Artis Wall reclaimed wood panels are all treated in a process of kiln heating (160 degrees for 4+ days), to kill any fungus or possible pests and remove moisture from the wood.

Because all of the moisture is removed from the wood, you want to open your cases of Artis Wall panels upon receipt and leave in the room where you’ll be installing for at least 72 hours prior to use. This will acclimate the wood to the climate of the room, allowing you to install the panels without fear of your hard work being railroaded by expanding panels; if you’re the impatient type, and your panels do expand after installing, you need only adjust the panel placement after expansion.

I am absolutely impressed with Artis Wall, from their company history, their passion for the product they produce, and the rich history they’re helping to preserve. If you’re looking to make a statement in your home, consider adding Artis Wall reclaimed wood panels — your wall will be the talk amongst friends!

Visit ArtisWall.com to purchase, and be sure to check out their Instagram account for beautiful examples of Artis Wall in action!

*This post is sponsored by Artis Wall; all opinions are my own.

Pokémon GO: Play It Safe

2016/07 By Lauren B. Stevens Leave a Comment

If you’ve not seen the news lately, Pokémon GO is taking the world by storm, with almost 8 million users in it’s first week. Pokémon GO hit my radar after seeing a headline about a teen finding a dead body. I read the article, but still didn’t have a grasp of what the game was, and had never even heard of Ingress — apparently I’ve been embracing the ‘no’ part of Techno for too long. I found another article that explained Pokémon GO, and I was interested, thinking this could be fun to do with my son.

If you're playing Pokémon GO with your kids, follow some simple guidelines to stay safe while you're out enjoying your surroundings & having fun!

Photo credit: Stephanie Wisner

I set up an account last Friday night, was drawn in by catching Pokémon in my own home, I’m a sucker for things like that. The next morning, the family loaded into the car to run weekend errands, and with my husband driving, I opened the Pokémon GO app and began to play. Since I’d already caught the Pokémon around our house, I was on the lookout as we cruised down the country road. To both my and my son’s surprise, we found a Pokémon in the car with use, hopping up and down on my husband’s leg as he was driving. D squealed in delight, and my husband just gave me the look — he’s not amused by the game, especially when it makes a 4-year-old scream in the car while he’s behind the wheel. Anyway, I ignored the look and got back to playing with my little guy.

I had to drop books off at the library, which happened to be a Pokéstop. I collected more balls to trap Pokémon and we continued on our way. Unsurprisingly, each of our stops had Pokémon and Pokéstops, and my son and I lagged along behind my husband as we fueled-up and trapped critters. My little guy was obsessed! First thing Sunday morning, we headed out on a walk to a Pokéstop near us — a beautiful day for a walk! We got more balls and headed back (the little guy was tired from the walk), passing a father and two sons on bikes, smartphone attached to the handlebars, blaring the unmistakable music of the Pokémon GO app; we nodded to each other in solidarity as we passed.

By Monday, a slew of news headlines had announced everything from injuries to robberies while people were using the app, so I decided to put together some guidelines for safe Pokémon GO gameplay for Net Nanny.

You can read more HERE.

Budget Decorating: Master Bedroom

2016/07 By Lauren B. Stevens Leave a Comment

Budget decorating doesn't have to be a buzz-kill, use tools to shop smartly with store coupons and Ebates!

I am exhausted. But I’m also contented.

I am going to die in this home because the mortgage process was a nightmare, and moving was not exactly my favorite thing, especially during a freakish heatwave. Those niggly things aside, my husband did a great job picking out our house (I was away on business the weekend he looked at it and put in an offer) — I love our home! I’m having a blast, challenging myself to shop smartly and employ budget decorating (so we can get more rooms done while spending less).

Budget decorating doesn't have to be a buzz-kill, use tools to shop smartly with store coupons and Ebates!

After living in a cramped cottage for two-and-a-half years, I’m embracing the spaciousness of our new home (it’s 3x the size of our last house) and enjoying Christmas-like moments as we open boxes that have been in storage for three years. I’m also excited to finally, truly merge households with my husband (it’s only taken us 5 1/2 years, but hey, better late than never, right?). We’re having fun furniture shopping together, so both of our tastes are reflected in our home.

Decorating is expensive, so I’ve found some great shortcuts that I’m more than happy to pass along.

The master bedroom is an entirely different beast, as I wanted an all-new bedroom. Our old furniture would go to the guest room, so we’d be starting from scratch. This is where Pinterest comes in incredibly handy, as I was able to shop and pin ideas to a dedicated board.

I wanted to create a new bedroom for my husband and myself, without breaking the bank, so I used my savvy shopping skills to get it done. First, if you don’t have a free Ebates account, stop and sign up NOW! Sign up using my Ebates referral link and you’ll get $10 to start your account balance!

Okay, now that you’ve started your Ebates account, you’re ready to shop! A handful of items I found for the master bedroom happened to be on the same site, Overstock.com. I wanted a clean, simple look with sharp lines, which is why I decided to go mid-century modern with the room.

Budget decorating doesn't have to be a buzz-kill, use tools to shop smartly with store coupons and Ebates!

Nightstand on the left is West Elm, purchased at great savings in their Lancaster outlet store, and duvet cover from IKEA “As Is” bin

Is it strange that I planned our bedroom around a…dresser (that we didn’t even own)? In fact, the dresser was the last piece I purchased! I fell in love with a patchwork dresser on Overstock, but it wasn’t as much of a necessity as the bed or the mattress (and is out of stock more often than it is in). With my first purchase at Overstock, I logged into Ebates to ensure that I got 2% back on my purchase, and then ordered the platform bed, two sets of sheets, and a Club O membership (5% back on purchases). My coupon paid for my Club O membership, I earned 5% back on that purchase AND I earned 2% of that purchase back on Ebates. Whew! Did you follow all of that?

We love our platform bed; incredibly easy to assemble and superior quality design. What’s even better is the company who makes it: eLuxurySupply.com. Their story is simple, and the company is veteran owned and operated out of Indiana. eLuxurySupply is a company that is now on our radar for future purchases, and should be on yours as well.

I can’t forget the mattress. We went from a Queen bed to a King, so we also needed to purchase a new mattress. After seeing all of the hype from Purple’s clever “egg test” advertising, I decided to shop for similar mattresses in the market. One way or another, I stumbled upon Ghostbed, probably through Facebook advertising, and chose them for several reasons; Ghostbed’s CEO is a veteran, and as such, he gives back to military members and veterans, even extending the military discount to family members of servicemen and women (a proud Air Force brat, I took advantage of the discount). Secondly, Ghostbed is 100% USA made. Admittedly, this wasn’t the main reason I chose them, but rather, an added bonus. The mattress is divine, by the way! Oh, and Ghostbed has an awesome referral program — through their Share the Love program, you can save $50 off of your mattress purchase (and I’ll receive $50 towards the purchase of a mattress from them)!

Budget decorating doesn't have to be a buzz-kill, use tools to shop smartly with store coupons and Ebates!

My next steal was this vintage chest of drawers ($85, found on Craigslist) and the antique mirror ($14 at an antique store + the cost of yellow paint). The mirror was a chance purchase, as we were driving on a back country road and happened to see an antique store going out of business; I nabbed the mirror for 50% off and we got an $800 coffee table for…$128!

My next purchase was for our living room, which isn’t yet finished — still have to order a sofa from Joybird — so I won’t go into much detail. Our living room is basically windows, lots and lots of windows. I purchased sheers (Ebates 6% back + Kohl’s super sale + coupon + additional % off for using Kohl’s card + Kohl’s cash + Rewards) and curtain hardware; the curtain hardware I purchased through Overstock, again using Ebates to get 2% back, used a coupon and applied my Club O rewards from the previous purchase. I’m saving some serious money here, my friends — if you need tips, just shoot me an email!

Budget decorating doesn't have to be a buzz-kill, use tools to shop smartly with store coupons and Ebates!

I custom-ordered the drapes for our bedroom from a manufacturer overseas; not only was I able to find a unique print, I was able to have the drapes custom-made for just over $100. I used a birthday gift card to order the curtain hardware for the bedroom through Amazon, and as you can see in the above photo, my drapes were too heavy for the size/quality rod I purchased (I should have known better than to cut corners!), but the dip in the middle was solved by picking up additional brackets (we have two windows in the bedroom) from Home Depot, to anchor the middle of the rod.

Then came the final items — the patchwork dresser and our headboard. Again, I used coupons for these items (I ordered separately), again using Ebates, and applying my Club O rewards to the purchases. I won’t lie, it took me an entire day to assemble the dresser, but it was SO worth it!

Now that our master bedroom is complete, save for a few yellow nicknacks (and maybe a few macrame air plant holders), my focus is back to the living room (and eventually the master bathroom — I’ll just keep that door closed for now). We have sheers hung, I just need to have drapes made and order our sofa. My husband and I had a great time choosing the fabric and wood for our sofa, now I just need to be patient and wait for our Joybird sofa to arrived (October 2016 – the wait might kill me!). My sofa purchase is your reward, though — if you use my referral link, you can save 20% off of your first Joybird purchase!

I can’t wait to receive our bright and lively Liam sofa from Joybird!

What tricks do you have for decorating your home, without breaking the bank?

OurPact: Manage Your Child’s Screentime

2016/06 By Lauren B. Stevens 1 Comment

Until a couple months ago, I had no reason to worry about my [almost] four-year-old son accessing content I’d rather he not see on the internet…until he was gifted an iPad. Not only did his LeapPad Ultra (which didn’t allow him to surf the web) get pushed to the side, but a true screen addiction began.

After having D answer a couple of my phone calls on his iPad (super stressful because they were about our mortgage application), and several tantrums over screen time, I instituted the use of an egg timer. Based on behavior, my son was allotted 15-30 minute increments on his iPad, and when the bell rang, he was to turn it over. Then I was introduced to OurPact.

In under 5 minutes, I was able to upload the OurPact app, register an account, install the app on D’s iPad and begin scheduling, or granting, screen time for D and his tablet. If you really want to drive your kiddo nuts, select the block feature from your device — all of my kiddo’s apps disappeared from his iPad (I was able to restore them before the waterworks began).

The best part of OurPact is that you, as a parent, are able to manage your children’s devices from any internet-enabled device. Away from home and the sitter texts you to let you know your kiddo is misbehaving? With the touch of a button you’re able to take away their internet privileges! Ah, the control. Seriously, my egg timer is a great example of how little I rely on technology (I still use a paper planner and handwrite checks to pay bills), but OurPact really is a great way to manage your children’s screen time. Maybe I’ll explain why D’s iPad “stops working” when he gets older, but right now, the whole, “I don’t know why it’s doing that, I think you need to give it a rest” bit works.

Want to make sure that your children only use their phones for emergency calls during school hours, or have no distractions in the evening during homework time or bedtime? You’re able to block out times when apps (including social media) or internet access is disabled from your children’s devices. While I don’t have a teenager, I can definitely see how this can come in handy for enforcing internet rules of usage and safety.

Those of you with older children will appreciate the OurPact Family Contract, easily downloaded and printed from the website. Since open communication is one of the best ways to keep your child safe online, print out the contract and have a discussion with your pre-teen or teen before signing. Questions can be addressed in the conversation, so there are no grey areas in the future.

Now that you’re excited about all of the benefits OurPact offers, I have something even more exciting to share with you — the app is FREE! Yes, you can download the OurPact app for free, available for iPhone, and features a Web app for parents to easily access from any device. OurPact is able to manage your children’s iOS and Android devices. Don’t wait to have the conversation with your children, download the OurPact app and contract, and get started.

You can discover more about OurPact by visiting them at OurPact.com, and staying up-to-date the latest news and updates via Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest.

Don’t have a tablet, but want to test OurPact on one? Enter this giveaway for an iPad Air, sponsored by OurPact: