Who Arted?

If you're anything like us, you probably follow a handful of blogs either b/c you know the person personally, b/c they make you smile, or they have incredible ideas for projects (for kiddos, the kitchen, or the home)!!!
Well, your in luck b/c this blog will do all 3!!!

Meet this QCA BLOGGER, Becca!!! (...and her hubs, and sweet kiddos)
She's a total sweetheart that writes http://www.who-arted.com/ blog!!!
She comes up with the most amazing ideas for fun kid's projects that you can do at home or great gifts from the heart for those you love!!!

Becca was kind enough to let me pick her brain so that we all could get to know her a little better.
Check out her interview below!!! (Check out her blog too!!!http://www.who-arted.com/)

Casey, 2

Allison 4mo

What inspired you to start a blog? How long have you been writing?

When I had my son in 2011 I was completely overwhelmed with the responsibilities of being a new parent. A few months after he was born, my brother-in-law moved to town and stayed with us while he searched for an apartment. I was surrounded by testosterone and had little time (and space) to be creative. I started my blog as a way to share my creative ideas with other "arters" and carve out a little "me time" from our daily routine.

 

I've been writing as far back as I can remember! I was an editor at my college newspaper, I interned in Hollywood for a summer and helped rewrite scripts, my first job was as a television news reporter...writing has always been part of my daily life!

 

What has surprised you about writing a blog?

The most difficult surprise - it can be A LOT of work! Photos, writing, learning about SEO and stats. It takes about 10-hours to put together a quality post. Thankfully, I really enjoy doing it! The happiest surprise - how many great people I've met! I've found a lot of welcoming, warm parents out there who like to swap advice and give great feedback. I love the online community who visit my website!

 

What has surprised you about becoming a mother?

I never realized how I could worry, stress and LOVE so much! And I'm amazed how much I can accomplish on such little sleep!

 

 What is some of your favorite mom duties? Least favorite?

Favorite: Quality Family Time! Taking my husband and children to the park, museum, on bike rides, on walks... The list goes on and on! Anytime I can spend with my kiddos is my favorite time! I love taking my son on errands and turning the trip into a learning experience, "Can you get Mommy TWO apples?" "Can you pick out the BLUE box of cereal?" It's quality time, we get things accomplished, and he learns something - what more could you ask for?

 

Least Favorite: Cleaning. I used to LOVE cleaning when I was single. Now, it's the last thing on my mind! I tidy up every day, but dusting and vacuuming always take a back seat to play time with my kiddos!

 

 What do you love about living in the QCA?

It's small enough that we know our neighbors and have a great network of friends across the area. But it's also large enough to offer endless activities! We love going to the various parks, museums, the ballpark, zoo, using all of the bike paths, and attending the holiday parades and road races! I can honestly say we are never bored on the weekends. We always find something to do, and nine times out of ten, they're free! WIN, WIN!

 

Have you always been crafty? Who inspires you?

I have always had a crafty side - I grew up in a very creative family! My Grandma taught me how to sew and knit, my Mom used to sculpt and paint, and my Dad can make just about anything out of a stick of wood.

 

My inspiration is my family! My husband is a photographer and I'm always amazed at how he views the world through the lens. I've noticed my own creativity has notched up one-thousand percent since my children were born. My son can take a crayon and create something one-hundred percent original. He's not copying off anything he's seen, he's just pulling ideas from his own mind. That's amazing and beautiful to me. There are no wrong answers when you're being creative, and my children remind me of that.

 

What is one of your favorite crafty childhood memory?

My Dad taught me how to refinish furniture when I was in middle school. Once I learned what I needed to, he gave me my childhood highchair and let me refinish it by myself - a big task for a middle schooler! It turned out great and now when we visit my parents, my children sit in it. It took weeks to finish that project by myself, but I learned a lot of important lessons about patience and hard work.

 

 What do you do to "feed your soul?"

Spend time with my family. If I'm stressed with work, or family responsibilities, I take a time out. I put the laptop and phone away and play with my kids. It helps me hit the re-start button. And when they're in bed... a glass of wine helps :)

 

 What kind of advice would you give to someone who is interested in writing their own blog?

Take a few moments to decide why you want to blog. Once you have a purpose you believe in, and love, learning the "how to" part is worth the time and effort. And don't get completely caught up in the numbers. It's fun to watch your blog grow, but if you notice a dip in readership, don't get discouraged! I'd rather have ten fully invested readers visit my blog, than fifty people who get nothing from it.

 

 Can you tell us some of your favorite blogs to read?

I honestly don't read many blogs. It's too easy to compare my work to others, and it turns out to be more destructive than helpful. I do love Drew B's photography site, creatively named "MomTog" (http://www.momtog.com/) She gives great tips on photographing your children and her photos are always a source of creativity and inspiration.

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New online store with local owners!

       

        We have a fun new, local business to share with you today.....LampsAndAshtrays. One of my friends recently got married and decided to turn her and her husbands love of collecting into a business.

        LampsAndAshtrays, opened in September 2013, is a web-based retail store specializing in rare vintage finds at great prices. Offering a wide variety of unique items, LampsAndAshtrays has it all! Concentrating mostly on the 1950s-1980s, there's everything from collectible ceramics and housewares to furniture to vinyl records and more! And of course, lamps and ashtrays.

       Husband and wife duo, Joseph and Michelle Stroehle, of Davenport, Iowa, started their web-based business to share all of their rare vintage finds with the rest of the world. Starting at an early age, both Joe and Michelle loved going to garage sales and flea markets, and always had an appreciation for handmade and one-of-a-kind items. Joe and Michelle's love of "old stuff" drew the couple together immediately, and thrift shopping has always been their favorite pastime. With their experience, they've gained knowledge of well-known artists and furniture makers, making their love for thrifting grow even more. The couple works well as a team, one always seeing something the other missed.  Refinishing vintage furniture is also no problem for this team, with Joe's carpentry skills and Michelle's eye for design. Weaknesses of the couple are mid-century modern décor and furniture, and of course lamps and ashtrays!

Etsy Store:
LampsAndAshtrays

Facebook Page:
LampsAndAshtrays

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TCOT Fashion Friday!!!

Hello ladies,

Lindsay and I are having a blast with our shop's new addition, Women's apparel!!!
We carefully choose our items to be sure they are the look, quality, and style that we love.
All of the TCOT women's line are personal favorites of either Lindsay's or mine. Therefore, we HAVE to keep a few for ourselves. Its only fair, right?!

So TCOT Fashion Friday is just our lil bloggy idea to show our audience how we fit these pieces into our wardrobe!!! We are not (and would never claim to be) super "fashionistas" but we do love clothes so let us share some our our style ideas/tips!


The Lace 3/4 sleeve Mint dress (a personal fav of both of ours). I am (STILL) loving all things mint. Seriously, this color is to die for and looks great on all skin tones. Here are a few ways to wear rock it!!!

Sleeves are sheer but bodice is not :)

Paired with black leggings and black boots! Perfect for Fall!

Our good friend (and photographer), Stephanie is seen here wearing hers with brown boots. Gorgeous family photo!

Lindsay is wearing it with brown leggings and brown boots (and a statement necklace from TCOT). Super cute!!!
(Not only is it a flattering outfit but it's comfy too, Lindsay did some major hustling setting up at our Trunk Show in this outfit!)

 Your thinking you need one in your closet now, aren't ya?

Available for purchase here: www.thecherryontopqc.storenvy.com

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What's in your purse?

I think we can all admit that we collect pretty much anything and everything in our purses! It really just becomes a dumping site, a black hole and a magic black hat! So we thought it would be fun to show you our favorite purse and all the randomness and our can't live withouts that reside there.

1. LIP GLOSS! My FAV! Vs, tastes and smells great, has a pretty shine and the lightest bit of a pink tint.

2. Vs hand lotion in my fav scent, Pure Seduction.  This is the scent I wore when my hubs and I first started dating...must have done the trick lol!

3. Vs hand sanitizing gel, a MUST!

4. Tissues

5. Chevron Thirty-One wallet...LOVE this!

6. Matching chevron coupon wallets with I also use to store all my receipts and even a few business  cards too.

7. Gum, duh!

8. Wipes in a super cute wipe case and an extra diaper

9. Snacks

10. Water

See how things are beginning to collect lol

11. Keys, which thank goodness are in a super cute Thirty-One clip or I would lose them

12. An extra hair tie

now on to the randoms that I sure didn't collect myself...

13. A rock

14. What used to be a dandelion,  I think

15. My daughters sunglasses

16. A pacifier

17. A Nintendo DS and charger

18. Scooby Doo chapstick with NO LID!

19. Football mouth guard

phew...that was A LOT!

I dare you to share, what's in your purse?

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ISO!

 
 
 
 
 
 
I NEED, not want, but NEED a super cute pair of riding boots. You wouldn't think this to be THAT hard, right? Well, it's not, unless you want to spend $385! Unfortunately I do not have that kind of money to spend on shoes. Maybe when I was much younger and certainly before I had children. Priorities, priorities! No fun! Soooo, I have been searching for these boots. Knee high, no heal, leather...cute! Again I ask, how hard can this be? I have looked in all my favorite department stores, and everywhere in between. Ugh! I mean, who has time to do all this shopping around? I guess I did when I was much younger and before I had children lol. So, here is a picture of what I   am looking for, do you have some? Where did you find yours? Where is your favorite place to shop? Ps, I like any girl and always looking for a great deal...do you know of one? Ready, set, share!!! Thanks!

 



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You are not JUST.....

I'm back!! What a summer! Goodness, where does the time go? It is definitely true after you have children, time goes by faster. It's already SEPTEMBER! Anyways, I have been traveling a lot in the past few months. One of my truths is the more you travel, the more you think about life and how amazing it is.  So….I was running around today and finally had a little time to carve out and give blood. 

My mom found out she had Leukemia by giving blood. They told her she needed to go to the hospital asap because her iron was so low. A week later she was diagnosed with Acute Myeloid Leukemia and started chemo. I believe they saved her life and not sure what would have happened if they hadn't caught it so soon.

I promised my mom I would give blood as much as possible in my life. It saves 3 peoples lives and it's free…Soooo..Go do it! :)

This is not about going to give blood. It's about what I said when I walked in and up to the front desk… I didn't have an appointment and never do..I said, "I'm just a walk-in." JUST a walk-in. The man says, "JUST?... No, you are a walk-in. That's important." WOW….. It hit me there as I sat down.. I say that ALL the time. About everything in my life. I'm just a walk-in. I'm just a Mom. I'm just a friend. 

I'm just a sister.. You get the picture. 

I JUST stay at home with my children. I JUST work a full time job and THEN go home and am I MOM, WIFE, and short order cook, maid, taxi driver, etc. We have so many labels and sometimes... I mean most of the time don't give ourselves and others enough credit. Today, I was not JUST a walk-in. I helped an extraordinary cause that saves lives. We all matter. Each and every one of you matter. Most likely, You are the most important person to someone else and may not even realize it. You maybe that person your friend calls when she is down and out and knows YOU will be the only person to cheer her up. Don't you see how BIG of a difference YOU can make? Find a PASSION and run with it! Who cares if someone thinks it's dumb, ridiculous, not going to pay you, has no retirement, overtime..It's yours:) 

Mine is AdvoCare and I'm sure you guys know that but there is NOTHING better than just today my friend texted me and said I've lost 4 lbs in 3 days..And she run marathons so it's not like she's a bum in the exercise/fitness department. That is POWERFUL! The thing is those kind of feelings of being a friend and helping others is very contagious. You want to do it more. And more. And more. I LOVE meeting new people. Do you know why? Because EVERYONE wants the same thing…To have an incredible life with their loved ones. To have amazing adventures with them and make memories. To feel great and have energy for their passions. To feel comfortable in their own skin. And to be loved. It's that easy..If you can genuinely make someone feel better and serve others, you will be wealthy in all aspects of your life. 

Today you look in the mirror and tell yourself how much you matter. If you have a heart beat, you are still on this earth for a reason. Figure it out as fast as you can and help others with that talent. I love you guys. Thanks for reading! 

On that note…Comment on this and get a goodie basket of product:) 

You have to comment one thing you are amazing at:)

 

Have a great weekend,

Libby

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Obsessed! September Edition

The ladies of TCOT would love to share some fun stuff and places we are loving right now. They are all things or places we have personally tried and loved. NONE of these people have PAID or given us anything FREE for this lil mention. So here we go....

1. Sallie Hansen Gel Kit. http://www.amazon.com/Sally-Hansen-Salon-Starter-Shell/dp/B00A3WR5C6

Seriously, We love to a good manicure but we just don't always have time to make it to the salon.
Regular manicures chip in about 3 hours for me too! BOO! We love this at home kit for those weeks you just cant get to your favorite salon but still want pretty nails. The actual process is NOT hard. Both Lindsay and I have had great success with this.
ADDED BONUS: you can use other gel nail polish (not just sally hansen)

2. Peachwave Frozen Yogurt

https://www.facebook.com/PeachwaveBettendorf

We obviously wouldn't do Trunk Shows there unless we loved it!! Our kids love the selection of toppings and we love the fact that there are healthy alternatives to ice cream!!! My personal favorite is the salted caramel with boba toppings. SALT AND SWEET. Mmmmm! Go ahead and give it a try.

3. CHEVRON!!! It continues to be a theme in my home decor, clothes, and accessories. Haha!

www.thecherryontopqc.storenvy.com

(PS: Our chevron top has been a big hit with the local QCA ladies)

4.  TOMS...Yes, we are loving the super cute Toms shoes for both kiddos and mamas (do dads/dudes love this shoe too? not sure, but probably) I bought a pair from each of my kiddos on www.zulily.com  a few months back because it was too good of a deal to pass up. Fast forward to now, both of my kids LOVE their toms and my son actually calls his "my slippers" bc they are so comfy. 

PS: it doesnt hurt that they are have adorable prints to choose from and that it feels like your doing a good deed. Toms donates a pair of shoes for each pair purchased!

Also, wanted to mention that www.TOMS.com has free shipping til the end of the month! WOOHOO!

I just bought a pair of the desert wedges that I can't wait to get here!!!

5.  Arm candy... Is that what they are calling it these days? I feel too old to use slang terms like that but I am loving the look of layering of bracelets and a watch. Seriously cute, right?

(Photo taken from Pinterest)

6. Sephora........Yes, we love a good lip gloss and fresh new mascara!!! www.sephora.com is the best shop out there to try out new products because of their amazing return policy!!! Plus, the people who work there are so friendly and outgoing. They are always willing to put together some free samples for you to take home and try out before purchasing too. Did you know we have a Sephora in JCPenney's in North Park Mall. Yep, go check it out!

7. We love our morning coffee!!! You know what makes it even more enjoyable. Flavored creamers!!! Personally, International Delight is my favorite brand but Coffee mate comes in a close second. They have to be the cold ones from the refrigerated section (not the powder ones).  If you have an addiction to Designer coffee like Starbucks or Dunkin Donuts, you need to try these! 

8. LIBBY!!! Yes, we love our health guru, Libby. She is a serious nut about health and exercise but her pep and great attitude is enough to make EVERYONE want to jump on board! I have never met someone so optimistic about everything. It is refreshing and we love to read her posts!!! She has great tips about staying active while being busy (she has 3 kids!!!) and eating healthy. We feel lucky that she is a part of our blog. Did you know Libby is also involved with Advocare? www.advocare.com

(Lindsay did the 24 day challenge and had great things to say about it in a previous post)

She can help you get started on the path of a healthier lifestyle too!

So, there ya go folks, our favorite 8 things of the month. Tell us if we are missing out on something. Tell us, what are YOU loving right now?!

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