Monday Inspiration - Oscar Fashion

The Oscars weren't my favorite last night BUT there were some amazing dresses and jewelry.

Here are some of my favs:

Featured Vendor - Chic Mama

It was my honor to work with Adriana, from Chic Mama, this week as my Featured Vendor. I have been admiring her website and products for months now. Chic Mama features diaper cakes, diaper bags, accessories, clothes and other baby gear. My personal favorite are the AMAZING diaper cakes. If you have not already, definitely check out Chic Mama.

Here are some of my Chic Mama favorites:












Q&A with Adriana:

Why did you decide to start your own business?
My true inspiration for my business is my children. I had been working in the corporate world for so long and found myself missing important moments in my children’s lives, or just being too stressed and busy to pay attention. I came to the realization that I needed to take a step back and find a way to be able to focus more on my children while still being able to continue my career. That is when the idea for Chic Mama Diaper Cakes was born.

What exactly does Chic Mama entail?
Here at Chic Mama we recognize what a special event the birth of a child is. Many people are looking for a unique way to welcome a baby into the world. Our mission is to create beautiful, stylish and sophisticated diaper cakes for the modern mom who appreciates all things “chic”. This gift provides new parents with their first set of usable diapers, making the cake not only special but extremely practical. All of our products have been chosen with quality in mind which is why we use only brand name baby items. We also hope to continuously grow by adding charming and sophisticated items for baby and mommy. We strive to provide our customers with products that are not only unique and stylish but also functional and practical. We strongly believe that even though your priorities may change when becoming a mom, your sense of style should not!


What advice do you give to other female entrepreneurs?
Believe in yourself! I can honestly say that I would have never thought I would own my own business. If it wasn’t for the complete support of my husband I would not have been able to do it. He encourages me each day and believes in me. I now believe in myself too!


What are 3 things people don't know about you?
1. I was made in Uruguay, South America but born in New Jersey.
2. I am fluent in Spanish.
3. In my next lifetime I hope to be a ballroom dancer.

Thank you Adriana!!

www.chicmamadiapercakes.com

Spring Fever Giveaway

I don't know about you guys but I am SO ready for spring. Those few days last week were such a tease! In honor of my spring fever, I thought I would do a giveaway.





You could win these Destination Diva Island Earrings, which are the PERFECT spring color!





All you need to do is comment on this blog post and tell me what your favorite part of spring is. Personally, mine is the nice weather and flowers!! The giveaway ends on March 17th.


Here's to a quick ending to winter:)

Featured Vendor - Oatmeal Lace Design

McKay, from Oatmeal Lace Design, is another AMAZING vendor I met on twitter. She makes customized clutches that are to die for!!! I recently ordered a bridal clutch for my friend and just received last week. It was even more amazing in person! She even customizes the inside fabric. Oatmeal Lace Designs is definitely a vendor to follow :)

Here are a few of my favorites:








Q&A with McKay:

What inspired you to start your business?

I found my creative side really came into play in the year leading up to my wedding, as I'm sure a lot of brides discover when planning. I had a hard time deciding what to get for my bridesmaids as a gift that would:
a. be something they would use after the wedding,
b. be customized to fit their unique personalities and
c. fit in my dwindling budget.
I know my way around a sewing machine and I love bags, as did my bridesmaids, so decided to run with that. Long story short, I loved making the clutches and with some not so subtle pushes from family and friends to open a shop, I decided to go for it. Finding a creative outlet that allows me to still be involved in the wedding community, which I love, that also helps pay the bills has been a dream come true.

What exactly does Oatmeal Lace Design entail?

The primary goal of Oatmeal Lace Design is to provide quality custom bags for all occasions. The main focus has been on brides to be and their bridal parties, although I have expanded that with the collegiate line and everyday collection. I strive to maintain a close relationship with my customers and really love hearing all the stories from the brides to be. It's such an honor to be a part of this special time in their lives. My hope is that former brides revisit us in the future, either for a personal bag, a gift for a loved one or to mark the start of their new family with our baby line (debuting next month).
What advice would you give other female entrepreneurs?
Oh wow, what a question. I feel like I'm still learning so much in the short time I've been in business, that I'm not really qualified to impart advice, but one thing I was told by a good friend and successful business owner that has stuck with me was 'Go ugly, early.' The opportunity to start Oatmeal Lace came quite unexpectedly, without giving me the proper time to plan, research and organize all the pros and cons of starting a business. Basically, if I waited until it was the perfect 'time' we would not be talking because I wouldn't have opened my shop. :) So, long story short- if you have a product/service that you are passionate about, get it out there! Work through the kinks as you go because it will constantly evolve as time passes. Also- get involved with the social media outlets of twitter/facebook/blogging. It can help open the doors on opportunities you may never have had otherwise.

What are 3 things people don't know about you?>

I was born with one kidney, but didn't know until I was 18.
I've never eaten a peanut butter & jelly sandwich.
I'm obsessed with the show Clean House.

Thanks McKay!

http://www.oatmeallacedesign.com/

http://twitter.com/oatmeallace

Monday Inspiration - My Engagement Story

I have posted this before but thought I would again in honor of Valentine's Day <3

I had been dating my now husband for about 6 years when I had to go to London for work for 2 months. Long hours, homesick, living in a shack of an apartment...I was miserable. We planned for him to come out to visit about a month into my trip. My great-grandmother is from Scotland, so we thought we would take a trip up there. To much surprise, he did most of the planning for this trip. I just assumed it was because he knew I was so busy. That Friday we took a train to Edinburgh. We slept in a decent side hotel room that night. Saturday morning we woke up early to take a train to see a castle. Right before we were about to leave, he goes "pack your stuff up". I kept saying "why" and he said "it is a surprise...don't keep asking me either". We had a great day exploring Scotland! We got back to the hotel, hopped in a cab and drove for about 30 min. We were getting further and further away from the city. I had a feeling we were going to a castle. Finally, we pulled up to the most amazing castle - Dalhousie Castle.
This beautiful wedding was just ending. I was so excited to see another castle, let alone stay the night in one. As he is checking in, I am still shocked just looking around. I looked over and there was a chapel and I joked that we should just get married. We walk up a few flights of stairs and walk into this amazing room. I see champagne and roses, which I thought were standard in each room. I start unpacking and am chatting up a storm. I turn around and he is on one knee and asked me to marry him. I was speechless (for once). After the shock wore off, I said "yes".



I couldn't asked for a better engagement. We got married April 9th in the Dominican Republic :)

Best Dressed - Grammy's 2011

Another glamorous and chic night at the Grammy's.

Here are my top four picks for Best Dressed:

Featured Vendor - KT Steppers

I am always looking for unique, amazing handmade gifts for all my friends and family who have little children. I met Katie, from Kt Steppers, on twitter and was instantly drawn to her products. Their featured product is the "steppers" (or step stools). The steppers come in a variety of styles, including for playrooms, boys, girls, corporate gifts and writable/erasable.

Here are a few of my favorite steppers:



Q&A with Katie:

What inspired you to start your business? ?

I think I knew I would always start a business, so the urge was there.. I just needed to figure out what I wanted to do and do it. I was always creative and loved art and drawing, etc.. so when I received a step stool for my second son as a gift I had that ‘aha’ moment. A few months later the first “stepper” was conceived when a family member was looking for something unique and personal for her best friend’s son.

What exactly does Kt Steppers entail?

KT Steppers is the perfect resource for a truly custom gift that will stand the test of time. We are a unique mom-owned, child-inspired online gift boutique featuring custom designed, hand-painted, personalized “steppers” (step stools), KT Steppers are the perfect gift for babies, toddlers, moms and much more! www.ktsteppers.com

What advice would you give other female entrepreneurs?

Use Social Media to your advantage. Sign up on twitter, facebook, and linkedin. If it wasn’t for these resources, I don’t think my company and probably other mom-owned businesses would be where they are today as quickly if these tools were not available.

What are 3 things people don't know about you?
I played Division I sports in college (soccer & lacrosse)
I lived in Ireland for 5 months
I can play the piano by ear

Thank you Katie :)


Website: www.ktsteppers.com
Twitter: @ktsteppers
Blog: www.masterfmultitaskingmom.com twitter: @m_o_mblog
Facebook: www.facebook.com/ktsteppers