giveaway: house 8810

Today I am excited to share a new shop + a giveaway with you! A very warm welcome to a swell new sponsor, the lovely shop House 8810. I'm here to say that this online boutique is a must-stop. They stock a really darling selection of nostalgic + vintage inspired goodies at fab prices. Just about everything you need (over never knew how much you needed) to make your abode the coolest & cutest digs on the block.
Today House 8810 is giving away a $40.00 shopping spree, which can be used on any item, items in their shop!

A girl sure would be lucky to get her hands on this one...In case you need any more convincing, here's a little visual on how I would spend $40:

Very berry napkin for my collection $5 |Red race car for my boy $14.95 | Classic Compendium of games for my entertainment $16 | Wooden folding ruler for my crafting $ 4

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How about you? Would you like to go shopping!? Enter once, twice, 3 or 4 times! {Sorry friends abroad, this giveaway is open to U.S. residents only.}

1. Visit House 8810 & leave a comment sharing an item you love.

2. Leave another comment telling me what awesomeness you have planned on your summer vacation(s).

3. Share a link to this giveaway on your social media of choice, and leave an additional comment telling where!

4. Start following House 8810's

blog /facebook/and/or/twitter
...then leave a 4th comment if you did so!

Winner will be randomly selected & announced on Friday 7/15!!

Happy Monday friends!!

my little dear giveaway!

Hello & Happy Monday, my friends! We had a pretty mellow weekend around here. (I love that sort!) I'm excited to unveil a new little feature around here...I've added pages. I had no idea how easy it would be! I have a few more in the works--but for now you can click the links above (and directly below the title) to see some of my favorite recipes, craft tutorials, and learn more about our photography. I'm so excited--I feel like my blog is becoming user-friendly...even better than just plain friendly. :)

In other news, I'm really excited to offer a fun kid-friendly giveaway today! Amanda at My Little Dear Kids has kindly offered to share one of her awesome ABC shirts (size 0-3 months - 4T) plus a pretty headband (for girls 3 and up) with us. We've developed a great relationship with Amanda over the last year and have enjoyed doing a few photo shoots of her products. She is a fabulous graphic designer + crafter with great style sense. I'm so excited that she's finally started a brand new blog, full of (even more) eye candy.
There are 3 different ways to enter and win a shirt or headband. Do one or all 3 to up your chances of winning:

1. Leave a comment below sharing something sweet about childhood (either your childhood, or a story about a kid in your life)

2. Link to this giveaway on your blog, twitter, or facebook--then leave a separate comment sharing your link.

3. Like My Little Dear on facebook. (And leave an additional comment stating you did so.)

Giveaway ends + winners announced Monday 3/7. Good luck lovelies! :)

so about the new look...

You may or may not have noticed the fresh look around here. (If not, blame google reader. If so, thanks everyone for saying such nice things!) As much as I wish I could wave a magic wand and create a completely custom look, a few simple touch-ups are sufficient for now. It feels kind of like cutting bangs. A small, quick thing that makes a big statement. I'm especially jazzed about my new banner! The lovely Cathie Hong from Ampersandity custom-created it for this blog. How neat is that!? You can find more of her beautiful work on etsy. Want to know what else I'm jazzed about? Two new episodes of Glee in one week--seriously, fellow gleeks, how spoiled are we!? Just finished watching the Valentine's Day episode tonight and I realized that I hadn't shared a Tumblr Tuesday post yet! So here it is, a few photos from around the web that are making my week a little brighter and totally getting me in the mood for Love day...Just 6 days away!

Sources: 1. design sponge 2. creature comforts 3.knot and bow 4. the sweetest occasion

now tumbling!

A new year is the perfect time to start a new hobby. Have you heard of tumblr? {No? Then I won't feel so much like the last girl on the band wagon...} It's a mini-blogging site where you can stash + share the most inspiring quotes and pictures from all over the web. It's super quick and easy to use and it's seriously helping me to define my style. My small but growing collection is called how swell! and it's my happy little dream world. I've added a link + button over on the right hand side so you can go back and visit every once in awhile. But better yet, go start your own tumblr love affair. Make a page of your own and then start following a few of my favs:

tiny white daisies
whimsicalities
sweet + lovely things
hearts aflutter
green wellies
j'adore

Do you tumble? Pretty please leave a link to your page so I can admire yours too!

some light housekeeping

I never did understand why half of the presentations and lectures I've attended in my life have begun with the word housekeeping. Really, housekeeping and announcements have little to do with one another. Does that ever bug you too?

Ahem. Hello and happy Friday. I have a couple of announcements:

1| You might notice a little redecorating around here. I've added some fancy buttons over on your right. Allow me to expound:

Big News. Our little photog business is undergoing a huge name change. We'll soon be called Jeff Loves Jessica Photography. Because let's face it, J Kesterson is boring and hard to spell. Plus the new name is more reflective of our husband-wire partnership and also pairs well with the wedding world. What do you think? Oh, and our new website is coming this winter!

The other 3 are just quick links to some of my favorite Christmas crafts. Handy for you in the holiday hustle + bustle.

2| Congrats to this week's winner of Colette Paperie's 2011 Calendar:

Kate said...

i love the 2011 Perplexed Birdies Illustrated Calendar! so sweet

{Kate, would you kindly email me your mailing address at swell.life(at)gmail.com.}

Jennifer {from last week} please also email me asap to claim your ekate gift certificate!!

3| Hurry! Today is the last day to enjoy 20% off at Colette...Just mention Living the Swell Life in the Notes to Seller section.

4| Before I procrastinate one more day, I have a week's worth of gratefuls to share!

15. I am grateful for Smartwool socks. Actually any kind of socks. But real wool socks actually keep my feet warm when they are cold and let them breathe when they are not. {I want some more for Christmas.}

16. I am grateful for warm showers. Truthfully, I like them really scalding hot. I can't imagine a life without a hot water heater and a daily dip...

17. I am grateful for naptime. For a little bit of quiet me time to accomplish this and that while the boy child sleeps. I'm grateful that Jeff is sneaking in a nap today too. {He's been constantly at work and pretty sleep deprived lately.}

18. I am grateful for snail mail and the thought of all the Christmas cards, letters, + photos that will soon be slipping through my mail slot. I think internet, technology, and this rapid speed of life have only made genuine, tangible snail mail even sweeter. Don't you agree?

19. I am grateful for a clean house. Clean is a relative term. The swell life is rarely synonymous with a spic & span life, so today I am thankful for the small blips of tidiness I can enjoy here and there.

christmas crafternoon

I've been really giddy to share this. So excited that it's keeping me up at night...In conjunction with my holiday by hand mini series, I'm hosting a little Christmas craft party at my house on Sunday December 5th. All are welcome! Especially if we have never met face-to-face and are only blog friends...I'd love the chance to craft+chat with you in real life! This is going to be a delightful opportunity to make new friends, get some handmade holiday inspiration, and take home some wonderful creations and cookies. Invite your girlfriends, mom, and sister for a girls' date. Please RSVP soon, as space is somewhat limited.

P.S. Don't forget to enter this week's giveaway. You could win a 2011 calendar from Colette Paperie.

holiday by hand: friday idea book (+ a winner!)

I realize I've been a bit vague about all that this Holiday by Hand mini series entails...Truthfully I've still been sorting out the details inside the little idea file between my ears. Today I'm here to tell you that in addition to Monday giveaways + Maker interviews, you can also count on a Friday feature--dedicated to putting ideas on the page. Here I will share a few fun guest tutorials, as well as my own inspiration + real life adventures in holiday decorating, baking, gifting, and creating. {BTW: I'm still in the process of lining up a few friendly guests. Please be in touch if you have a craft you'd like to share!!} So here goes. How fun will this be!?
* Inspired wrapping: recycled paper + fabric garland by terrain. (My latest craze.)

*'Tis the Season for Christmas photos: Yes, yet another shameless self -plug. But this is such a sweet deal for our local friends that it's impossible to keep quiet! :) Over in photo biz land, Jeff & I are running a sweet deal on small holiday photo sessions for practically pennies (oh, and they include Christmas cards!). Pop over for details + pricing.*DIY Christmas photos: This year, scribble your season's greetings on a mini chalkboard to create crafty and card-worthy photos of your own!

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Ahem, according to random.org, a huge hooray is in order for this week's giveaway winner:

Congrats to

Jennifer who said...

I am totally sharing this and what you do with everyone i know!!! YEAH!!

for winning a $25 gift card from eKate!

Please shoot me an email at swell.life{at}gmail.com to claim your prize.

P.S. Dear Janelle who won this giveaway...If you're out there somewhere...Could you please also get in touch? We are dying to send you your prize!!

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guest posting: in the bag

I was really honored to be featured by Libby over at design blog pink shirts and car wrecks today. As part of her in the bag series, I am spilling the contents of my trusty moop market bag. {Hop on over.}

pacifier: crafty baby trunk show

If you're in the Twin Cities this Sunday, you should definitely check out the local artist trunk show at Pacifier, the hippest baby boutique in NE Minneapolis. Our friend Amanda of My Little Dear will be there (you might remember her from a Meet the Maker feature last spring). We love her sweet baby gear so much that we are teaming up with her and making Graham the new face of her awesome graphic Ts.

edit:
{More trunk show info here}
{More of Graham's photo shoot here!}

p.s. Thanks so much for the awesome Trader Joe's recommendations! I am antsy to try the dark chocolate covered pretzels everyone is raving about...

p.p.s. Last day to enter this week's giveaway!

fallishness

this weekend:
i am making peace with the fact that it is, without a doubt, fall.
i am finding more and more of these brilliant red maple leaves in my front yard.
i am feeling extra cozy, now that the heat is officially turned on.
i am eating apples + caramel, lasagna, and cream cheese brownies.
i am doing a few photo shoots with jeff.
i am striving to be a little more organized.
i am barely containing my excitement over my big announcement:

i am bringing back Meet the Maker Mondays! pretty please stop back this week to read an awe-inspiring interview and enter a truly fabulous giveaway.

'til then, happy weekending, everyone!