Archives for August 2011

hair do i did: twist/fishtail tutorial

August 16, 2011

I know I took a week off the videos….a little something called pms captured me last week…

But, I’m BACK!

And with a hair tutorial this time.

Only, as I was taping the tutorial (last saturday)….real life happened, and it just couldn’t be edited out.

And because life happened, I couldn’t film another take.

Welcome to my life. =)

And then go immediately after to take your birth control.

Let me just say that it was a fire ant bite which caused the drama.
And I ended up taking her WITH me to dinner and drinks, because I am a mama that rolls with the punches.
I am also a mama that needed a girls night out…
and also maybe a drink.
{i just had one! don’t judge!}

Plus, I did my hair!
And my makeup!
Someone had to see!!!

She whined and cried through most of it…on my lap…while I tried to eat and drink.
But doggone it, I had my night out.

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a photo worth keeping: canvas photo giveaway

August 15, 2011

At the time I took this picture, life was not pretty. I was struggling a bit.

As we all do, I know….this just happened to be my turn.

Yet through it all, I was searching and seeking….and doing all I could to find the lesson in it all.

Around that time I discovered the macro setting on my camera and through it I began to see beauty where I’d never noticed it before.

The day I took this picture, mostly because of this picture, my perspective shifted.
It became my desktop photo, because I wanted the reminder.
I didn’t want to forget the lessons of the macro setting.
{that post is here}

So when Easy Canvas Prints contacted me to host a giveaway and offered a canvas print of my own, I knew exactly what I wanted to get.

Within five minutes on their site, I set up my photo, got my preview…and just days later I received something even better than a desktop reminder.

There’s just something so beyond about having a photo or print on canvas. It captures a moment in time so near and dear, and somehow immortalizes it forever into a work of art.

{i also have our hand prints on canvas AND our family photo. love.}

While a picture may say a thousand words, I believe a canvas photo says so much more.

Enough about me and my ob.session.
Let’s talk about you and what you’re about to be OB.sessed with as well.
One of you lucky ducks gets to create your VERY own 8×10 {with your own picture of choice!) print to have and to hold,
and cherish from this day forward…..
{as long as you live in the 48 states…sorry Alaska & Hawaii…next time!}

All you gotta do is:
1. follow this blog {i hook my peeps up…and i check.}
2. like Easy Canvas Prints on facebook
{separate comments for each, letting me know you’ve done both!}

Extra entries?
~ follow me on twitter
~ like Le Musings on facebook
~ blog about the giveaway
~ tweet about the giveaway
{leave a separate comment for each}

I’ll be back on Saturday to pick the winner!

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the greatest lesson of all: blogher 2011

August 10, 2011

“I should have KNOWN this would be the WORST DAY EVER OF MY WHOLE LIFE!!!!”

-Taylor, age 6, overheard many times the first day I returned from a weekend away

Ahhh, there is just something about my presence that brings about abounding love and happiness in my children. And I knew from the tantrums and non stop quotes such as above, that I was a well loved and missed mama.

My first day back.

So I’m sure you can see why after spending 3 days away that I would come home to consider that MAYBE, just maybe, I might be a prospect for a part time job.

Or.

OR!

A FULL TIME JOB!!!

The thought first came to me when on NIGHT ONE of having the kids by himself, Jimmy spent a good 30 minutes on the phone with me telling me the secrets to handling and keeping your cool with kids.

He was on Day 1.

And he already had all the secrets.

“You just gotta stay calm.”

“You can’t take it all so personally.”

Did I mention he was on Day 1?

So I realized, he’s got it TOTALLY under control!!!

And since he’s got it, and I’m too social, the obvious solution would be that I shall need a part time job.

A part time job of being social.

With adults.

And where there are NO kids around.

There’s a job like that, right?

Yes, at BlogHer there was talk of LinkedIn (it’s not spam after all!), and knowing your brand (hope mines not walmart!), and I most definitely began to grasp the importance of social media…

But my biggest lesson of BlogHer 2011?

Mama needs a job.

And that’s the stuff you just don’t get in a classroom.

That is just real life, yo.

I hope you took notes.

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blogher: the social side

August 8, 2011

BlogHer was kind of amazing. And I can’t believe that I even had anxiety…and two 3am wake up panicking sessions before it. There was just absolutely no need. Because it was just that fun.

And while I learned more than I expected at BlogHer….today I’m focusing on the social side.

Because that is the part I love the most.

I am ever so thankful that I had the opportunity to volunteer, because before it even officially began, I had the pleasure of meeting two of the sweetest girls at the conference:

{divas and dorks, the chatty momma}

Together we spent an afternoon at the expo (holy swag!) and then gussied up and headed over later to the Clever Girls Party, where many photo sessions (and more swag bags) were in order:

The next day, I met up with Jennifer from The Stylish Housewife and we were inseparable from first hug.

Well, except for the 2 hours I hid in my car curled up in a little ball from the worst migraine of. my. life.
{thankfully there was an expo booth for that…got me some advil and soon after life improved!}

Once again, the day was FILLED with photo sessions.

{BM: before migraine}

{AM: after migraine}

Later, we made our debut at the Cheap Sally party where we met HIM.

And by the droves of women who flocked to him, I’m sure he needs no official introduction.

After the madness around him continued, I decided to create him an official name tag, which read:
“I’m kind of a big deal.”

Later, I ran into some old friends…who are also Kind of a Big Deal now (you may know them at SITS)…and therefore some fawning was in order:

And then…well the party wouldn’t have been complete without some self portrait sessions:

And even though by the end of that party we felt like a hot mess, we pulled out our inner rock star and headed over to Sparklecorn.

I’m so thankful we did though, because it was there that I finally got to meet Maegan, which felt more like seeing an old friend than a stranger.
It’s kind of funny meeting people who you’ve read and who have read you for years…
because you know more about each other hearts and lives than even some of your friends!
Love.

{glam squad}

The next and final day of BlogHer, I actually attended a few sessions where I learned stuff (more on that in another post!), which were made even better with the funny and delightful Danielle of Crazypants by my side.

My love for her was sealed, when after a couple of self portraits {short attention span problems} during the sessions…

…she sent me this tweet:

Know how awkward it is to sit next to you while everyone watches you take your own pic? @lemusingsofmoi I’m bored face…me not the speakers

Although….she had not a whole lot of room to talk, because who was a tad bit embarrassing what with her technology problem and all?

{um, ya…crazypants before rehab}

After the “learning” was done, prep time was in order and then we headed out to Social Fiesta & Cheeseburgher, where I got to meet the real life Macaroni Dad (sweetest new yorker ever)….as well as hang out with my now “old” friends.

{love what this guy is doing….more on him later!}

And after dancing on stage and later forming our own Spice Girls group…

I took my flats out of my rather large purse and headed home.

Sad face and all.

{not sure what was up with the electrocuted bang look i was sporting all night!}

Overall, it was SUCH an incredible experience.

I met some amazing ladies (and men), and had the opportunity to learn a little more about this hobby of mine.

And also?

I may have slightly become obsessed with Twitter.

Thanks BlogHer.

{stay tuned for lessons from BlogHer…later, when my brain isn’t such a pile of mush!}

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taking care of business…at blogher

August 4, 2011

Tomorrow it begins.

BlogHer.

Oh. ma. word.

What am I getting myself into?!?

I feel like such a poser…

I mean, if anyone asks me about stats or stumbling (stumbler? what, huh?), they’ll be met with a complete blank stare.

Guess that’s even more of a reason I need to get my butt there once and for all.

Time to learn about this thing I’ve been doing for a couple years.

WISH ME LUCK!

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my new to do ‘do…ombre hair

August 2, 2011

Say the title out loud.

Go ahead.

It’s kinda fun, ya?

My new to do ‘do.

{it doesn’t take much for a stay at home mom to be entertained.}

So, I’ve been bored.

My hair color/style that I’m sporting at the moment has been THE LONGEST moment I’ve ever had with a hairdo.

I’ve been trying to decide what’s next…and for a brief second, I thought going dark was the answer.

But, then it hit me that I am FAR too scared and WAY too attached to being blonde, that I just couldn’t bite the bullet.

And then at my last hair appointment, in walked the most adorable girl with the most adorable ombre hair.

It was then that I knew.

I’m a trend follower, I suppose…because next up….

I’m going ombre.

In fact, I’m so excited about it, that I wish I could go tomorrow…..

pretty sure since my last appointment was only a week ago though, my hair wouldn’t so much love me with all that processing.

So, I’ll wait.

Briefly.

Here’s what I love:

{if i could ever brave red. not quite there yet.}

{maybe in my darker days…not quite there yet either.}

{still massively adorable, but still….too dark too soon.}

{getting closer…..}

{JUST RIGHT!!!!}

{cute, right?!?}

{yup, yup, this is it!}

{a little more subtle…in case i get scurrrred…}

And here is what I don’t love:

Fine for them.

A little too much for my taste.

Counting down the weeks till a change!

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its what i wore out, hair ‘do i did & BlogHer11

August 1, 2011

{sunnie brook jones bun, love.}

dress: teeze, shoes: dkny, bracelet: f21, ring: charlotte russe, sunnies: f21, event: hair appt!

~~~~~~~

On another note…
I am officially going to BlogHer this year.
It was just decided only um….maybe a little more than three days ago….
And um…ya, it’s just three days away.

You guys, I have NO idea about blog conferences.
I don’t have business cards…
{will a sharpie tattoo do?}
or a hotel….
{do i make the drive every day? or plan a getaway?}
or a plan of what to wear.
{okay, so that’s not such a problem…}

So ya…a little worried over here.
Very scared.
Hold me, will ya?

I guess you have start somewhere…
and for me,
that means….
I gotta shop.
That’s always a good place to start, yes?
{jimmy, just ignore that part.}

If you have advice to give….
SAVE ME!

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