I'm a wife, stay-at-home mom, crafter, and blogger living in rural New England. As seen in Martha Stewart Living, Food Network Magazine, and more! | Tutorials, DIY, crafts, parenting tips, recipes, money saving tips, product reviews, local product features, New England living, intentional living, and more! |
As you know by now, I love sharing about companies and products we love on the blog and our Instagram - and most especially those made right here in New England. Next in our series of interviews from New England Makers, we have Kristina Grabarz of Two Little Beans & Co!
Two Little Beans & Co. is best known for their beautiful bibs, booties, and apparel for babies and small children - and especially their Maine/coastal-inspired designs!
Tell me a little about yourself and your business.
I graduated with a Master’s Degree in Biology. A few years after graduating, I moved back to Maine with my husband and worked in a Microbiology lab for almost 7 years. Shortly after the birth of my second son, I transitioned to being a full time stay at home mom. I’ve always been a creative and around this time sewing grew into the perfect creative outlet for me. Two Little Beans & Co. specializes in handcrafted goods for baby, including baby booties, bibs and apparel.
How did you start Two Little Beans & Co.? Had you been making baby goods for awhile or was this a new leap for you?
When both of my boys were babies, I sewed quilts and blankets for them. When my youngest was little, I took a real need to find him a pair of shoes that fit (and stayed on) and developed the pattern for our booties. The current pattern is based off of his feet and I was able to design the booties to grow with him with a non-slip soft sole to help when he eventually started walking. I started to make them as gifts for family and friends and was encouraged to turn this into a business!
What does a typical day look like for you?
Each day is a little bit different depending on if my boys are in school or not. There are three days that they are both in school and those days start with getting out of the house early for school drop-offs and running back home to work. I try to get as much as possible done during those days so that the remainder of the week can be a little less chaotic (haha!). Depending on the week, it’s finding a few minutes whenever I can find it, always keeping my fingers crossed for a good nap out of my littlest one!
What is your favorite part about owning your own company? And least favorite part?
I will always love seeing a new baby wearing a pair of booties or outfit that I’ve made. It’s so special that customers believe in the quality and designs of my products enough to dress their baby in them.
My least favorite part is probably all of the behind the scenes bookkeeping and paperwork that goes into running your own business. I don’t mind working on the numbers but I would much rather be picking out new fabric!
What has been the most exciting moment for Two Little Beans & Co. since you started?
It’s been so surreal to have my products featured in a few local magazines and newspapers but when Michael Phelps posted a picture of his son Boomer on his first Christmas wearing my lobster bib – that was definitely exciting to see!
What advice do you have for people just starting out?
I have a quote hanging on my sewing machine that says “nothing in this world is created without passion” and I truly believe that if you love something and put your mind to it, you can accomplish it (with a BIG side of hard work!). I would also say, learn everything you can about what it is you want to do. I went into this with zero experience or knowledge about business. I do a ton of reading, listening to business podcasts and researching every aspect of running a small business.
What is your long-term goal? Where do you see yourself in five years?
I definitely plan to continue to grow this business over the next five years. Our booties and bibs continue to be the most popular pieces and I want to expand those options but I’ve also been working on some nursery décor items that I would love to put out there over the next year or so. I’ve also brought on another Mom to help part-time with production, which means I can work to continue to expand the wholesale side of Two Little Beans too.
Who’s one of your favorite New England Makers?
Erin Flett – Love her bright, bold colors and designs!
DO YOU OWN A NEW ENGLAND-BASED BUSINESS AND WOULD LIKE TO BE FEATURED IN AN UPCOMING INTERVIEW? OR WOULD YOU BE INTERESTED IN HAVING ME STYLE, REVIEW, AND FEATURE ONE OF YOUR PRODUCTS? Please drop me a note.
Those iconic L.L. Bean Boots - everybody's wearing them and everybody wants them, but sometimes they can be hard to find! They often go through periods of being backordered so I’d recommend buying early in the season so you don't risk having to wait. But before you order, be sure to read our review because there's some things you should definitely know first! | This post contains affiliate links |
Sizing
The sizing for
L.L. Bean's "Bean Boots" is definitely kind of tricky and I'd highly recommend trying them on in-store before purchasing, even if you're going to order them online (though, L.L. Bean does have a great return/exchange policy if you do end up ordering the wrong size online). Bean Boots only come in whole sizes and run BIG. For example, I typically wear a size 8-8.5 shoe but in Bean Boots I'm a size 7 and they still feel quite roomy. Keep in mind too if you typically wear a very small women's size shoe, you may need to check out the kid's sizes if you're unable to size down anymore in women's. When trying on the boots make sure to wear what kind of socks you're planning on using them with (whether it's regular thin socks or
thick ragg socks ), to get a better idea of the fit.
Women's Bean Boots come in two different rises too - 6" rise or 8" rise. Try both on to see what's more comfortable and what style you like better. I personally prefer the 8" rise - here in New England it's a bit more practical with the deeper snow in the winter and I also feel like it's the more classic style.
During Fall and Winter when there's a big rush on Bean Boots and it may be very difficult to find the exact style and size you want in-store or even online. You may need to shop around a bit to find what you're looking for.. or wait for your backordered item to come in. L.L. Bean Outlet stores can be a great resource too! Boots and other items that were ordered online and returned often end up at the outlets - and at a discount to boot! (Ha, couldn't pass up a boot pun.) In fact, I got my Bean Boots for 40% off at the outlets - now that's a great deal!
One thing to keep in mind about outlet shopping is that they will likely have a large selection of bigger sizes of Bean Boots, and less of the smaller sizes... this is because so many people mistakenly order their normal size without realizing how big they run. When I bought my Bean Boots at the Outlets, they had tons of sizes 8, 9, and 10 - and the ones I bought were literally the very last pair of size 7's.
If you decide to purchase your Bean Boots online, keep in mind that coupons or regular L.L. Bean sales may not apply to them because they're such a popular item - you may have better luck earning some rebate money back on your purchase with a program like
Rakuten (formerly called Ebates). L.L. Bean also has a great return and exchange policy, so if you buy online and it doesn't fit quite right, you should have no trouble exchanging for another size (just make sure to keep your reciept/packing slip for proof of purchase).
Styling
What doesn't go with Bean Boots? Seriously - just about anything goes with them (I've even seen people wear them to their wedding!). But really you can't go wrong with some fitted jeans, ragg socks, and a cozy pullover. I've linked to some of my favorite L.L. Bean looks below and all would look great paired with Bean Boots.
As you know by now, I love sharing about companies and products we love on the blog and our Instagram - and most especially those made right here in New England! Next in our series of interviews from New England Makers, we have Roula Rallis from Sewcialite!
Roula Rallis is the one-woman show behind Sewcialite, a seacoast-based company best known for their gorgeous coastal-inspired creations - all made of rope, fabric, and paint!
Tell me a little about yourself and your business.
Roula Rallis: I am a wife, full time IT project manager, and mom of 2 (ages 7 and 4). Sewcialite is a part time home decor business. I design baskets, planters, wall baskets, bowls, coasters, and most recently tote bags and clutches using clothesline rope. All my designs are inspired by the coast and I am a huge fan of modern coastal interior design.
How did you start Sewcialite? Had you been making rope baskets for a while or was this a new leap for you?
RR: Sewcialite began as a hobby and has since turned into a side hustle. In March of 2017 I decided to make myself a basket for my home and I just fell in love with the design process! With the support of family & friends I opened my Etsy shop. And over the past 1.5 years I have continued to refine my designs by weaving them with fabric and hand painting them.
What does a typical day look like for you?
RR: My days are typically very long! I’m up at 6am packing lunches, orders, sometimes styling and posting products, and getting my kids ready for school! I drive my youngest to school, I then commute 45 mins to work. After working all day I am back in mom mode, I help make dinner, give baths, do homework. But once my kids are in bed the Sewcialite studio opens (my guest bedroom). My husband has been so very supportive and he does quite a bit of heavy lifting to give me time at night to design!
What is your favorite part about owning your own company? And least favorite part?
RR: My favorite part is being my own boss! Having worked for someone else my entire career it’s great to be able to call all the shots.
The least favorite part is being responsible for everything! Sometimes I wish I could clone myself! I’m designing, styling, photographing, advertising, fulfilling orders, blogging, etc. it can get overwhelming at times and I’ve had to learn to say no to be able to balance my full time job with Sewcialite.
What has been the most exciting moment for Sewcialite since you started?
RR: I’ve been so fortunate to have a few so I can’t choose just one! I am a HUGE fan of Serena & Lily! It’s one of my favorite home decor brands! They have actually liked a few of my social media posts and designs which is mind blowing! I’ve also been lucky to connect with a few amazing interior design social influencers who I’ve worked with like Jordecor and Coastal Interiors!
Also getting to meet many of the amazing entrepreneurs I follow on social media in person has also been so exciting and inspiring!
What advice do you have for people just starting out?
RR: Be prepared to take risks and work your butt off! Being an entrepreneur is not easy! Success does not happen overnight!
Make sure you have a good support system of family and friends! They will be crucial for those rough days where you may feel overwhelmed or frustrated!
What is your long-term goal? Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
RR: My long term goal is to continue to slowly grow my social media presence, as it’s been the my primary channel for all of my online sales. I would also like to design a better/bigger studio space for myself too!
Who's one of your favorite New England Makers?
RR: I love
Watts in Maine
she designs the most beautiful jewelry and she works full time. I was lucky enough to meet her in Portland this year!
Update, Spring 2021: I just wanted to share that Roula from Sewcialite is still going strong and adding even more amazing rope and coastal-inspired products to her lineup, including items such as: tote bags, hand-beaded clutches, statement jewelry, photographic prints, and more. Her beautiful work has been featured online and in print. Some of these newer items are pictured below but be sure to check out her accounts for more!
DO YOU OWN A NEW ENGLAND-BASED BUSINESS AND WOULD LIKE TO BE FEATURED IN AN UPCOMING INTERVIEW? OR WOULD YOU BE INTERESTED IN HAVING ME STYLE, REVIEW, AND FEATURE ONE OF YOUR PRODUCTS? Please drop me a note.
Brrrrrr! Anyone who lives in the Northeast knows just how brutally cold it's been here lately - in the past two or three weeks I don't think it's gotten over 5 degrees outside! So when the thermometer hit double digits (10 whole degrees!), we decided to take advantage of the heat wave and head outside for a little snowshoeing and a picnic. | This post contains affiliate links and an honest review of New England's Finest |
As you all know, I LOVE sharing about New England-based products on the blog and was so excited to find out about New England's Finest - a carefully curated subscription and gift box service that only features products crafted right here in New England. New England's Finest was kind enough to let me check out their "Picnic for Two" Box which made for a perfect lunch for me and my husband on our little hike. We're lucky enough to have some great trails here within walking distance of our house, so the second the thermometer hit 10 degrees we bundled up, grabbed our snowshoes, and headed out to enjoy the balmy weather (ha!).
After a short hike we found the perfect little clearing, spread out our picnic blanket, and unpacked our lunch. Each New England's Finest Box has a different theme (BBQ, sweets, cocktails, etc) and ours was full of yummy locally-made foods perfect for a picnic! In this particular box we had a selection of delicious jams/jellies, crackers, and salami - all we had to do was pack a cutting board and grab some cheese from our fridge.
One thing I particularly love about NEF as a company is that for every 12-month gift subscription purchased they donate a gift box to a family receiving care at Boston Children's Hospital as a way to give back to the community. So if you're looking for that perfect gift for someone (or yourself!) who loves New England or is a New Englander at heart, be sure to check out New England's Finest and get "a little flavor and charm from the Northeast."
Follow New England's Finest on Facebook and Instagram to see their latest promotions and boxes.
- I received this item for review from New England's Finest but all opinions expressed are my own. Please read our full Disclosure Policy for more information -
I love sharing New England-made makers here on the blog and Instagram, and what's more New England than lobster buoys?! Cobalt Sky Studio was kind enough to partner with me for a little Giveaway for one of her iconic Lobster Buoy Pillows over on Instagram just in time for Thanksgiving!
Entering is easy - just head over to my Instagram for details and to enter. You don't want to miss out on a chance to win this little piece of Maine!
If I'll be very honest, these last two or three weeks of pregnancy have really kicked my butt! For our first pregnancy, I worked 10 hour days in a doctors office up until the day after my due date. This time around these last few weeks have been plagued by nearly constant Braxton Hicks contractions, ligament pain, dizzy spells, a terrible head cold, and now ocular migraines. Second pregnancies definitely can be a whole different league than first pregnancies - I could write a whole post on this (and probably will later). But in a nutshell, this is why I've been so MIA on the blog and Instagram lately, even though we're still waiting for the baby. | This post contains affiliate links as well as products provided for review by L.L. Bean |
For every "ailment" I've had these last few weeks the remedy from my doctors has been the same - "lay down and take it easy." Which is much easier said than done when you've got a toddler and a million-and-one things you want to finish up! Overall though we've been blessed with a healthy pregnancy so I really shouldn't be complaining.
One thing I've been slowly working on these last few weeks is finally packing our hospital bags! L.L. Bean was kind enough to send me their new diaper tote insert as well as one of their
iconic boat and tote bags and I'm looking forward to sharing a full review post with lots of pictures as soon as I can. For now I'll just say I'm really loving how spacious and organized everything is and how versatile this diaper tote insert and bag will be!
Once I come back to the blog from maternity leave I'll be sharing lots more on this amazing bag and insert as well as featuring some more great New England-based businesses and makers - stay tuned!
- I received this diaper tote insert and boat tote bag for review from L.L. Bean but all opinions expressed are my own. Please see our full Disclosure Policy for more information -
Now that we're getting closer to our latest addition's due date, nesting is setting in full-force! I want to clean everything, reorganize everything, decorate everything... if only the near-constant Braxton Hicks contractions would let me! That's why I was so excited to receive this beautiful screen-printed pillow from Hills & Trails this past week - it's just perfect for curling up with and taking it easy. | Pillow was provided for review by Hills & Trails | This post contains affiliate links |
With all the Braxton Hicks I've been having, my doctor advised that I just "take it easy" - definitely easier said than done when you have a toddler and the house isn't ready yet for the new baby! But in following doctors orders, I've been making sure to take breaks to lay down and relax throughout the day to keep those pesky Braxton Hicks contractions in-check.
Recently, Kayna from Hills & Trails was kind enough to send me one of their beautiful hand-printed Log Cabin Pillows to share with you all and I just love how at home it looks on our bed! (And just another great reason for me to get cozy and take it easy, right?)
All of Hills & Trails products are beautifully designed and hand-printed right in Maine! They offer a variety of items including prints, apparel, housewares, and even kids items. This particular pillow features a silk-screened log cabin design that has a hand-drawn feel. And bonus points to Hills & Trails for adding a zipper closure to make the linen-blend pillow case removable! - Afterall, with kids around having to clean the pillow is inevitable.
I just love how all of their products are wonderfully made and fit right in - whether you're "upta camp," decorating a kids room, or just want to bring a bit of rustic whimsy into your home.
I love the heart detail over the chimney!
Hills & Trails handmade products can be purchased on their website and various retailers throughout the Northeast.
- I received this pillow for review from Hills & Trails but all opinions expressed are my own. Please see our full Disclosure Policy for more information -
WOULD YOU BE INTERESTED IN HAVING ME STYLE, REVIEW, AND FEATURE ONE OF YOUR PRODUCTS? Please drop me a note.
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