So now I REALLY love West Elm

Not too long ago I posted about my West Elm wish list (which continues to grow, by the way), and today I realized they linked to my post on their blog! How much do you love it when a huge company like West Elm has their ear to the ground (and little old me!)? They are infinitely cooler for doing that in my books. Thanks West Elm! 

Blogger 'Followers'

Hello lovely readers!

So, when I first moved my blog from wordpress to blogger a year ago, I took the 'Follow' section right out of the template. I didn't need anyone knowing that I had zero followers, it seemed like it was only for readers who also had a blogger blog, and I figured 98% of people read blogs through Google Reader anyway, so what did it matter.

Well, apparently it's an important thing. I've taken it out of hiding (it's on the left hand side below my contact stuff) so people can actually click to follow. As you can see, I currently have a whopping 15 followers. I know, I'm awesome.

Anyway, if you feel like it, please follow me! Or not. Whatevs.

Five years, and a custom FREE painting giveaway!

<< GIVEAWAY CLOSED >>

(FYI, if you would like to skip all this drivel feel free to scroll down and just leave a comment to enter! A random name will be chosen to win a FREE custom abstract or nursery painting!)

FIVE YEARS.

I have been writing this blog for five years as of today. What? How is it possible that I didn't loose interest after the second week? I'm baffled.

When I first started this blog, I kept it private, thinking it would be just me and my Mom that read it forever. The first 30something posts were about our dog, so it was pretty interesting stuff.

It was only this time last year that I decided to move it to blogger and actually welcome readers. I had since expanded the blog to cover our previous home changes and sale, our wedding, our new home makeover, and our amazing baby Ben. Since the move, I've gone from about 2 readers a day (my Mom, and Billy's Mom, Norine, love you guys!) to hundreds of unique readers. I don't know who all of you are out there, but thank you for stopping by! Say hello from time to time!

Anyway, I am excited about the fact that I've had a writing outlet for all this time (writing was my original dream) and it really does make me happy to come back to this and post little bits of our life. And the occasional list.

I'm also SO excited about how ADOP has done. I've read stories about artists starting out and waiting years (if ever) to sell their work, and I've been selling my work on a regular basis since I launched last Thanksgiving. I'm SO GRATEFUL! And I have plans for the future. I'm currently working on a couple of exclusive painting lines for two boutiques that are opening soon (I'll share the details once it's all live!), I have commissions currently that I'm finishing up, and I have ideas on some additions/changes for my kids line. Big plans. I can't WAIT.

Anyway, to celebrate my big 5th blog-aversary I would like to host my very FIRST giveaway. This probably won't be a regular thing, I think it would be unfair to give my Mom THAT many free paintings (kidding Mom you can have as many as you want). But who knows, if people are into it, I'd love to do more. Any excuse to work on a new painting!

Ok, let's get to it, here's the giveaway!

I would like to give one FREE custom painting, 16" x 20" on regular depth canvas, in the style of your choice, to one lucky reader. You could go for an abstract piece...



or you could go for a custom nursery painting...



...whatever you like, as long as it fits in with the painting style that I typically offer. If you have something else in mind, we can chat. I never thought I'd be able to paint the Eiffel Tower after all, and that happened. And in case you're wondering, shipping is also on me.

This contest is for a new painting, but if there's a painting in my shop currently (this size) that you would prefer to have, let me know. Also...if you are really interested in a larger piece (either in the shop, or a custom one you want), we can put the value towards it.

A winner will be selected on Friday June 1st, and to enter all you have to do is leave a comment below. You don't have to say anything at all, a single punctuation mark will do. Or you could be sweet and leave a little note for me. Whatev.

As a little bonus for everyone, A & B readers will also get 15% off anything in my Etsy shop with the code HAPPY5TH from now until June 5th.  If you would prefer to order a commissioned painting, I will give you the discount that way as well of course :)

Ok, common guys, please enter. Please?

Checklist /// What I'm bringing to Blog Podium

YES, another list. This is seriously how I function people, one list after another.

With Blog Podium coming up this weekend (eeeeee!) I am in the process of making sure I have EVERYTHING ready to take with me. I live outside of Toronto, so I need to be prepared. And I'm pretty into being the over-prepared girl. It's just who I am. I will inevitably forget something and hate myself for being so careless...this is just the cycle. Anyway...




This is my list so far. 

• Ticket to Blog Podium (I know, I'm a genius)
• iPhone (obviously)
• iPhone charger
• Notebook (because I'm not the cool girl with the iPad...yet)
• 17 pens, give or take
• Pink highlighter
• Pink post-its
• Business cards, etc.
• Networking notes, questions I want to ask, etc.
• GUM. And floss.
• Glasses, because I can see about 2 feet in front of me and then things get fuzzy
• Sunglasses
• Umbrella/jacket, weather depending
• Tote bag (Rain tote, as pictured, by Bookhou)
• Camera
• Safety pin (you never know!)
• Scarf in case it's chilly inside (thanks for the suggestion Jordana!)

Am I forgetting anything? Help!

Image via Bookhou

Blog Podium, it's almost here!

I remember the morning that I saw the post on Rambling Renovators about Blog Podium, I immediately thought to myself "YES, it's mini Alt for Canadian's who can't leave their house for days and days!" and I bought my ticket instantly. That was even before I saw that Nicole of Making it Lovely was going to be there, and I'm pretty sure her blog was my first 'favourite' blog of all. I'm SO happy I'm going. I'm beyond excited. 

Since then, I have been working on a little checklist of things that I wanted to do or have done before then. Here's what the list looked like:

• Order more business cards
• Have a little something extra
• Give the blog a little facelift
• Update media kit
• Pick a cute outfit/hairstyle
• Take a look at the blogs on the list of attendees
• Enter at least one BP contest

Well I'm making good progress! Business cards came in ages ago, blogs looking okay...oh and as I have mentioned (annoyingly I'm sure) I did enter the EQ3 contest, just for fun. Clearly I'm not going to win since some of these people have 78459234 comments already, but that's ok, still an item off the list! And thank you so much to my lovely friends who voted, you rule.

To be totally honest, it's the outfit that's killing me. KILLING ME. I mean, I have a hard time picking what to wear to take Ben to the park. So, we'll see what I come up with. Chances are it will be something black and boring. Ahh. Unless I wear the dress that I JUST WORE to Ben's birthday, which is essentially the only article of clothing that I have right now that I actually like. Will I be shunned from the blog community over that? How bad of a fashion faux-pas is it to dare to re-wear something? I think of Rachel Zoe, and I think she would not approve. But she would also probably want me to wear fur. And a hat. And no, that's not happening.

Luckily, Lindsey has given us some ideas on what to wear and how we should dress, perfect timing. If you're looking for even more ideas, there was a great article on Babble about what design bloggers wore to Alt. Tons of inspiration. Maybe I'll make it a personal goal to wear EVERY blogger trend at ones. So that would look something like pastel jeans + top bun + leopard + something geometric + bangs + neon + nerd-on-purpose glasses + stripes + some sort of nail art. Yikes. Tempting.

Anyone reading headed to BP? I can't wait to meet fellow bloggers in real life! Please say hello!!

...and I'm done. I think.

I've been playing around with the blog for the past couple of days, and I think I like it. I may still change some things, but this is pretty much what I had in mind.


Some of you may see yourself in the right sidebar now...I wanted to add my favourites here with more than just a link, and you guys are my MUST reads. So, just a little fellow blogger love. I may add a few more, we'll see. (If you do happen to visit and you would like me to use a different picture, say the word!!)


Anyway, that's all for now. Hope everyone's having a lovely weekend! 

A new-ish A & B Stories

Over the next few days I will be tweaking the blog a little bit here and there. Sorry if it's annoying. I know that awesome bloggers do this all behind the scenes...I'm not that savvy. Forgive me.


I'm just hoping to make things look a little cleaner...and I'd really like to add buttons for all my favourites, so hopefully these changes will give me some room for that. It's tough to keep up...the blogs that I read look awesome, ALL the time. I'm jealous.

A note about the 'Posts you might like' bit

So you may have noticed that there is a new section below each post about previous posts you may like. Please note that some of these could be pretty old (I started this blog in 2007 using LIVEJOURNAL of all things, forgive me). You may see bad formatting, terrible flash photos, and pictures where there is visible drinking going on. Such was life back then, so please don't judge! I can't be bothered to go back and fix everything (as much as I would love to, and it kills me leaving it that way). 


Thanks for understanding!! And feel free to make fun of me and/or leave snarky comments. I'm asking for it.

Blog Podium - The Business of Blogging

Have you heard about this yet? I rarely, RARELY have time to actually read blogs during the day, but miracle of miracles this morning Ben went down for a nap (a good 15 minutes, which is pretty amazing these days) and I got to check up on some. Low and behold, Jennifer of Rambling Renovators announced this today, and tickets are limited! I am SO EXCITED!!! Finally something for us Canadians, ha ha!


It's still a couple of months away, so I have time to get used to the idea of leaving Ben for a full day (but it's not even a full work day, so it should be fine)...and one of my all time favourites is going to be there, Nicole Balch of Making it Lovely! YAYYYYY!


SO...is anyone else out there going? My friend Rach and I will be there!

Ben's Room on Chic & Cheap Nursery

One of my very favourite websites, Chic & Cheap Nursery, has posted our nursery today! So excited about all of the websites that have recently shared his room, we're so flattered!!





We've also been getting emails from people with questions about where to buy things and general design questions, keep them coming!!! 

Ben's Nursery on Bluebird Kisses!

So exciting! Lovely blogger Ana of Bluebird Kisses has featured Ben's nursery today! I feel so honoured to be included in her BEAUTIFUL website. 


Thank you so much Ana! And to everyone else, make sure you check out her amazing blog!

Delightful!

The other day I submitted The A&B Stories to Delightful Blogs, and we made the list!



So exciting to see us on their front page!!!

We broke past 200!!! Thank you so much to everyone who has voted, I really really appreciate it!!

(Also...in case you didn't realize, you can vote once per day, and that includes on computers and cell phones!!!)