Restock at The Straw Cellar

I've just dropped off another order of our handmade ornaments to The Straw Cellar in Wolfeboro, NH! Even though it's not Christmas-season, it's always a great time to get ahead on gifts and our ornaments are now again in-stock there.

Beautiful spring items at The Straw Cellar in Wolfeboro, NH.

While you're at The Straw Cellar, don't forget to check out all the other wonderful New England-made goods they carry!

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First Trip to IKEA

Today was my first time going to IKEA and let me tell you, it was ah-mazing!

We live about 3 hours away from the nearest IKEA, and that's probably a good thing because I liked way too many of the things they have there. What blew me away most was how beautiful, sturdy, and reasonably-priced the furniture was.

First trip to IKEA - loved the Hemnes line and farmhouse-inspired accessories

We left with "big girl" furniture for our daughter's new room since she'll be transitioning out of her crib soon (eek) and moving into what was my craft room. We got her the small Hemnes dresser and Hemnes twin bed (full review and room makeover will be on the blog soon). And since my craft room will become her room, we decided to bite the bullet and get the Hemnes sideboard to hold all my displaced craft supplies. I just loved the Hemnes line from IKEA, can't you tell? We also picked up a cute (and cheap!) wooden train set for her.

I was expecting IKEA to be a lot of modern furniture and accessories, but I was pleasantly surprised to see they had a lot of great "farmhouse-inspired" pieces that fit with our New England style.

I should have taken more pictures for the blog while we were there, but I was just too busy browsing and shopping! ;)

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Happy Mail: We Are Knitters

Just received my first We Are Knitters knit kit! I haven't knit anything in years and I'm so excited to do it again. I'll be sharing a full review of my project (I'll be making the Downtown Snood) as well as a giveaway for your own kit on the blog soon!

If you can't wait until then, use the code "BIRCHLANDINGWAK" to receive 15% off your order from We Are Knitters.

- I received this item for review from We Are Knitters but all opinions expressed are my own. Please see our Disclosure Policy for more information. -

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Small Business Feature: Willow Crowns

Willow Crowns has probably been my favorite mama-made business I've watched grow over the last few years. I started following Willow Crowns around the same time I launched my own Etsy shop and blog and Megan's hard work and resulting meteoric success has been such an inspiration! Megan was kind enough to answer a few questions for me about how she got started, how she handles the work-mama balance, and where she hopes to take Willow Crowns in the future.

BIRCH LANDING HOME: Tell me a little about yourself and your business.

WILLOW CROWNS (MEGAN): I'm a lifelong New Englander living in Texas with my husband and three year old daughter, trying to keep it all balanced! I love coffee (French press is my new addiction), hair and beauty products, and I honestly never thought I'd be an entrepreneur! Willow Crowns in my second baby and over the past 2.5 years has grown into what I like to think is the premier destination for stylish, timeless hair accessories for ladies of all ages.

BLH: How did you start Willow Crowns? Did you always make headbands and accessories or was this a new leap for you?

WC: When my daughter was ten months old we were newly relocated to Houston and I was struggling to find my groove. Being alone in a new city with a little baby was stressful and I was looking for something to help me decompress and fill my time, something that could me "mine." I was already (occasionally) making her some headbands and thought I'd give opening an Etsy shop a try! I ended up enjoying it so much and found it so fulfilling that I kept trying to grow, improve, and ultimately make it a full-time business.

BLH: What does a typical day look like for you? Do you set aside specific time for work and for family? How do you handle the dreaded nap strike? (okay.. that last question is mostly for me)

WC: There's really no "typical" day around here, but I try to dedicate my mornings as much as possible to Olivia. I'll schedule playdates, etc during that time. During nap time (or "quiet rest time" with the iPad during nap strikes), I handle the bulk of my administrative work, which means replying to e-mails, preparing social media content, and getting orders filled. Late afternoon is ideally earmarked as family time, prepping meals, folding laundry, etc. and I handle the rest (mostly production) after she goes to bed.

I have a part-time production assistant who comes to the studio once a week and she helps keep our inventory stocked, and I'll do the rest while my daughter is at a Mother's Day Out program two days a week. All this keeps my days pretty busy, but I wouldn't have it another way! I love knowing that there's lots to be done and I find it really gratifying to check it all off my list as the day goes on.

BLH: What is your favorite part about owning your own company? And least favorite part?

WC: This is a tough one, and they're kind of the same! The flexibility of being able to work from home and set my own hours is huge. My family is my top priority and being able to adapt to changes in our life/schedule/whatever is going on has really helped me maintain a balance. On the flip side, since I work from home, I'm never off the clock. My mind is always racing with ideas, to-do's, and the studio sometimes calls to me late at night when I know there's work to be done. Finally, I have to add in the personal satisfaction as another favorite. When a collection does well, our customers are happy, and we continue to grow, it feels enormously satisfying to have my name attached to that!

BLH: What has been the most exciting moment for Willow Crowns since you started?

WC: So many to choose from! The most recent one is the one I'd have to award "most exciting moment" to, though! Over the holidays West Elm reached out and asked us to do a pop-up shop in one of their Houston stores. I love West Elm and the idea to work with such an established and respected brand was a huge of highlight of WC's short life.

BLH: What advice do you have for people just starting out?

WC: I usually give two separate pieces of advice, the first of which is photography is critical. If you have a great product, great service, and poor photography, your product just won't move. Investing in a photographer or working a trade with a local photographer can put you at a huge advantage when marketing your product. I've spent the two years working on my own photography skills so that I can combine my work with the photographer's we hire and have social media accounts and a website that always look top notch and the better our products look, the more they sell!

Secondly, hang in there! Growing a business can take time (lots of time sometimes depending on your market) and it's important not to compare yourself to others. Staying focused on your product, your brand, your shop, and working persistently even when times are slow will serve you well. Strike up friendships with other local creatives, be consistent on social media, be true to your aesthetic, and things will come together!

BLH: What is your long-term goal? Where do you see yourself in 5 years?

WC: I'm so excited to watch WC grow over the next few years! A move into retail establishments is very much on my mind for the near future and I'd also like to grow our family in the next five years. Hopefully five years from now I can follow up and have another baby, a few more employees, and lots more ladies wearing Willow Crowns!

All photos courtesy of Willow Crowns.

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Holiday Makeup Look, Courtesy of Corey Anne

Does anyone else need makeup help out there or am I the only clueless one?
These days with a toddler I'm lucky if I get any make-up on my face at all but in the past I've always just stuck to the tried-and-true concealer, powder, a little shadow, mascara = done. I've always wanted to up my makeup game though; learn about contouring, layering, and creating fun looks for date nights and parties, which is why I was so excited to learn that a college friend had started a YouTube channel dedicated to all of these things!

Christmas and holiday makeup look by Corey Anne

Corey Anne was my dorm-mate in college and back then I would have never imagined that the soccer-playing tomboy next door would have her own makeup tutorial series someday! Corey has been interested in makeup for a long time but decided to take the leap into tutorials and vlogging fairly recently. She's really enjoyed learning and sharing from others on YouTube and thought it was time to put herself out there too.

Corey's videos cover everything from basic how-tos to costume makeup to product and Birch Box reviews. They're entertaining to watch and the step-by-step makes the looks achievable for everyone. I've shared her Holiday Makeup Look below; I love how it's glamorous with just a hint of flashy - but not over the top. It'd totally be suitable to wear to a work party, an outing with friends, or even to a family event if everyone's just a little dressed up.

Holiday makeup looks are the most fun! Playful, colorful, glitter!! Check out my daily vlogs: http://bit.ly/1YdEbKC ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- eye shadow base | http://bit.ly/1sq7Srl eye shadow palette | http://seph.me/1AqBY1x eye shadow duo | http://birch.ly/1lZV0Lj gold liner | sorry I can't find this one!

Now, if you'll excuse me I need to go practice my eyeliner technique.

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Our First Pampers Rewards - Free Gifts for Buying Diapers!

As I mentioned in a previous post, I was way behind when I signed up for Pampers Rewards.. I think our little one was 10 months old when we started (oh all those months of diaper codes I could have used!). Since then I've been entering codes every time I can and saving them up.

Pampers Rewards free gift - Step 2 Little Bakers Cupcake Set

Initially I was going to wait and get one of the big items for Miss M, but the other week I decided to trade some points in and get something small for her. I saw this Little Bakers Cupcake set from Step 2 and thought it would be great for her to play with when she's using the kitchen helper I was making her. Redeeming the points was very easy - just log in, choose your reward, check out, and confirm your mailing address. Done!

The cupcake set wasn't as rugged as I was hoping for considering it's from Step 2, but it is very, very cute. The set comes with a tray, six cupcakes, and six interchangeable frosting tops. Our little one can't quite get them on and off herself yet but she is really enjoying them still.

And, of course the best part about it was they were free! I didn't even have to pay shipping, which was amazing (note: some items you do have to pay shipping for). I'm looking forward to ordering more free gifts.. just have to remember to keep entering my codes!

PS - I just stumbled across an account on Instagram that shares some of the free codes Pampers releases for promotions. Follow @free_pampers_codes to help boost your point total!

Want to see what else we got from Pampers Rewards? Check out my other posts:

Please note items available from Pampers Rewards are subject to change.

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Painted Starry Night Wedding Invites

My husband recently designed these beautiful Painted Starry Night Wedding Invites for Creative Market, and I just had to share them here. I think they're just beautiful!

There are three different designs that are fully customizeable to your text and color preferences, you can then print them at home or take them to your local printing service. I hope you love these as much as I do!

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Local Product Love: Black Dinah Chocolatiers' Dark Spiced Sipping Chocolate

It's cold and yucky out and nothing puts the end of winter blues at bay quite like a nice cup of hot chocolate. I've recently discovered my new absolute favorite and wanted to share! It's called Black Dinah Chocolatiers' Dark Spiced Sipping Chocolate and it's made right in Isle Au Haut, Maine. I don't know if I can explain just how good it is, but I'll try ;)

It's easy to make, just a tablespoon of the sipping chocolate powder, some sweetener, and some milk heated in a saucepan and you have a delicious, thick, lightly spiced hot chocolate. My favorite detail of this sipping chocolate is the spices - it doesn't have a hot kick like Mexican hot chocolate, instead it just adds the perfect amount of flavor. Oh, and it smells ah-mazing.