"Dirty Diapers, Cheerios & Heart-Meltingly Sloppy Kisses" Meet Miranda & Jamie of The Pinterest Project + Giveaway

Tell us about you ...
We are two friends who found ourselves experiencing stay at home motherhood for the first time within a few months of each other and knew we had to find a way to keep ourselves sane through all the sleepless nights, dirty diapers, cheerios and heart meltingly sloppy kisses.  We both live in Charlotte, NC.

Tell us about your families ...
{Miranda} married to Todd, lead pastor and consultant. I have 2 boys, Logan who is almost 12 and Beckett who is 15 months. I also have 2 stepsons, Justin & Jonathan.

{Jamie} married to Allen, a Civil Engineer who is in charge of the water planning model for the city of Charlotte. Jamie and Allen have one daughter, Macie who is 19 months old.

Tell us about your blog ...
Our blog was born out of our slight (or giant, but who's judging?) addiction to Pinterest. We spent so much time pinning and emailing pins to each other that we decided to use the pins we loved as motivation to cook for our families, decorate our homes, make fun accessories or clothing and just about anything else that caught our eye.

We tackle a new pin four times a week and then blog about its success (or sometimes big fat fails... ahem). We have a blast doing it (success or fail) and it's such a fun way to put Pinterest to use and get to know other amazing bloggers while we do it.

Also, we have a series that we call Hit or Miss Mondays, where we highlight what we think were the big hits or misses that week on Pinterest. It's a way to get to know us and our sense of humor. (We like to laugh...and poke fun at ridiculous things)

Connect with Jamie & Miranda:

Blog | Twitter | Jamie's Pinterest | Miranda's Pinterest | BlogLovin' | Facebook | Instagram | HelloCotton

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Before you go! 

 Jamie & Miranda are giving away:

 a $25 Amazon Gift Card + 2 Months of Large Ad Space on The Pinterest Project!!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Late Summer Soiree #Pinning with World Market

"Pinning!" is a Weekly Pinterest Link-Up

(Share pins, meet others who love "Pinning", get inspired!)

First Time?  It's simple just follow these rules:

 Please follow your hosts' blogs & Pinterest boards: 

Courtney // Baxtron{Life} //

Kimberly // A Night Owl //

And your Co-Hosts:

Megan // Absolute Mommy //

Casey // Stress Case //

Taylor // Goings on in Texas //

then

 Link up your Pinterest Inspired Post & Profile below

and

Make sure you link back to the party!

<center> <a href="http://www.baxtronlife.com/search/label/Pinning" target="_blank"><img src="http://i107.photobucket.com/albums/m307/bagleykim/Pinning200x200PP.jpg" height="150" width="150" /></a></center>

Share the link-up:

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This week I have a special collection of pins to share with you!  For all of you lucky lovelies out there who live near a World Market - let me just say - this is one store NYC is definitely missing (sad-face!)  I've been just loving what I've been seeing from their recent collections - especially the Venetian Bazaar collection!  I created this following pinspiration board based on a late Summer picnic down by the Hudson River - within walking distance from where I live.  

1.  Butterfly Leather Chair - Camel

2.  Outdoor Tray Table

3.  Botanica Wine & Cheese Tote

4.  Chimay White Label Ale

5.  Biodegradable & Compostable Flatware

6.  Natural Giraffe Fringe Napkins

7.  Metallic Bubble Candle Holders + Mottled Turkish Peach Votives

8.  World Market Picnic Foods 

Doesn't this collection just make you want to plan a romantic Summer evening with your man?  For more gorgeous World Market pin-spiration boards, check them out on Pinterest!! 

Before I forget - one more awesome thing going on at World Market right now is their Gourmet Getaway Sweepstakes!!  Check out the details below and go enter!

Grand Prize package includes:

• A trip for two to to Santa Fe, New Mexico (5 Days including Airfare+Hotel)
• Hands on Southwestern Cooking class with Master Chef
• Personally signed glossy cookbook
• Multi-course dinner at the acclaimed Geronimo
• Southwestern Foodie Tour with a cultural kick
• A $1,000 World Market gift card

3 Runners-Up Will Receive:

• A $500 World Market Gift Card

The Gourmet Getaway Sweepstakes runs from August 18, 2012 until September 21, 2012.  If you share the sweepstakes with 5 of your friends (via FB share or email) you can receive 5 additional bonus entries. This is part of the registration process when entering. Users can also enter daily for more chances to win.

Make sure you enter the contest!

Connect with World Market:
Shop | Facebook | Twitter | Google+ | Pinterest

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THANK YOU to all who linked up last week!

So, who's "Winning at Pinning?"
This week it's Lizzy & Jane's Opulence Collection:

Lizzy & Jane feel free to grab the button, and flaunt it!

Each week a winner is chosen to flaunt the title of "Winning at Pinning" for successfully wowing us with the best Pinterest find.  The winner will be featured/announced in the following week's post!

WANT TO BE A GUEST JUDGE or HOST? 

Email us!

Are you "Pinning"?  

Come on, everyone is doing it.  

Join us MONDAYS for weekly sharing of Pinterest finds.  

***

Link up your PINTEREST INSPIRED POST below:

***

Link up your PINTEREST PROFILE below:

This post is part of a social shopper marketing insight campaign with Pollinate Media Group™, I was compensated for my post - I really do love World Market - and all opinions are genuinely mine.

"Knee Socks are so Fun" Meet Paige | Eloping Stethoscope + Giveaway

Tell us about you >>>

• My favorite bath and body works scent is Japanese Cherry Blossom. I started wearing it right before I met Cody and so whenever I use it now, it takes me back to when we first met.
• I grew up completely obsessed with Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Harry Potter. I could honestly tell you the title of any early episode of Buffy just based on a description. I do get fuzzy on the later seasons though. Harry Potter, is just Harry Potter. It was a great escape.
• My favorite foods are rotel and pot roast with carrots and potatoes. I could honestly eat it every single day of my life
• My favorite colors are green, purple and blue.
• Our wedding colors were green, black and white. I picked the green, Cody picked the black and we threw in the white so it didn't seem so dark.
• My favorite book is "It's Kind of a Funny Story" by Ned Vizzini and "Looking for Alaska" by John Green.
• My favorite tv shows are Sons of Anarchy, Weeds, Game of Thrones, Teen Mom, and American Dad. It's actually part of my bedtime routine to watch an episode of American Dad. Its such a great little funny cartoon.
• My favorite type of phone is android. I worked in an electronics store and it cured me of liking apple forever. I don't even use itunes on my computer anymore.
• My favorite outfit will involve a cardigan. I own so many, both long and short sleeve. They are such great additions to almost any outfit!
• My favorite type of shoes are boots that go to your knee. I don't even really see a point in wearing short boots. Makes no sense to me. (but hey, I never said I was fashionable!)
• This is more of a random fact, but I own a ton of knee socks. Even if I wear them under jeans and you can't see them, I think knee socks are so fun and just wearing them puts me in a good mood!

Tell us about your family >>>
The first thing that you should know about me is that I'm 100% committed to having a lasting, loving relationship with my husband, Cody. Unfortunately, in my family, not many have stayed married to the same person for their entire life and I'm determined to change that. 

The second is that I'm a nursing student. That means I spend more hours studying in a week than I do sleeping. It means I wake up before dawn to go to the hospital for clinical hours. It means that I truly love helping people. Since starting nursing school though, I've discovered that my passion is counseling and mentoring others so I'm currently working on a way to use my (future) degree toward that. 

Other than those two things, I'm a pretty simple person. I like to laugh and once you know me, I can be pretty silly. I'm shy though, so it takes awhile for me to show that side of me to you.

I'm also really creative. I love having projects and making stuff with my bare hands. I get that part of myself from my dad. Some of my favorite memories of my childhood are when my dad and I worked on projects together.

Today, I mostly reserve those creative urges for the jewelry I make for my shop, Eloping Designs. However, I'm also really enjoying graphic design lately and I'm finding it really enjoyable and it's something that Cody and I can do together because it's a hobby that he shares. I designed my entire blog myself and I am so proud of it.

Tell us about your blog >>>
My blog is basically about what I'm about, which means it can be anything under the sun! Recently, I had a full two week series involving weddings because I just got back mine and Cody's wedding pictures! In August, I'm having a series about nursing school. I'm hoping that some new nursing students will read it and be encouraged/enlightened about the journey they are about to go on.


I am constantly using my blog to give my readers tips on blogging with my blogger tips series. There are so many things I've learned through blogging that I wish I knew from the getgo, so my goal is to reach those new bloggers!

I also run a blog hop on my blog the 2nd Wednesday of each month called "Blogworking Wednesday" It's been a huge hit and the most recent one had 125 links which is just amazing! The story behind blogworking is this:

"When I first started blogging, my favorite thing was finding new blogs that I just loved and girls that I connected with! So, the idea of "blogworking" which plays on the word "networking" came into play. Whenever my husband asked what I was doing when I was looking for new blogs, I'd tell him I was blog-working. Soon after, the idea of a blog hop popped into mind and you have what you see today."

***

Tell us about your shop >>>In my spare time, I run a shop called Eloping Designs where I sell jewelry. I started making jewelry a few years ago because I realized I need a creative outlet. When I went with nursing as my career, creativity kind of went out the window. I get my creative side from my dad and it's a big part of my heart. Jewelry was something I always had trouble finding because I have sensitive ears and small wrists, so I started making it for me and my friends.

Later, my great grandmother told me that she made jewelry when she was younger. She sent me all the supplies that she still had, as well as some pieces that she had made. She passed away recently so now my jewelry making time feels like I'm spending some quality time with my great grandmother which is a great feeling because I miss that quality time. It's also a huge reward for me to see my mom's face when I show her the jewelry I make out of my great grandmother's supplies. 

I started selling it because I had a bunch of friends that were willing to pay for it and a few sent referrals to me from their friends. I also started doing custom orders for people, so I decided that it was time to open a shop. 

Paige is GIVING AWAY a $15 Shop Credit to Eloping Designs!!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Social Media - Why You Should & Introducing Link & Mingle

Starting today and going forward you can come link-up any and all of your social media platforms that you'd like to grow.  Each week (starting next week) I will focus on one social media below and tell you my tips for optimizing it!  Grab the button and spread the word!  If you are interested in co-hosting in the future - definitely email Shaylee (email below).  Can't wait to network with you! 

Meet our weekly hosts!

Shaylee Ann | Mother {at} Heart

Kim | Singledou[b]t
Kendra | Adventures of Brad & Kendra
Courtney | Thoughts From the Birdhouse
Britt | Yellow Umbrella
Courtney | Baxtron{Life}
April | Dimples and Delights

and for this week's co-hosts, we have
Molly | still being [Molly]

Kelly | The Houtz House Party

Kelly | The Whimsical Wifey

Thank you, ladies!

The rules are thus:
follow your hosts and co-hosts via GFC and all other social media sites that they have linked up,
visit/follow/like as many links as you can,

link up to as many social media sites that apply to you,

share, tweet, and blog about this link party if you so wish,

grab the button {below},

and have fun meeting new people!

If you would be interested in hosting this party permanently, or co-hosting it periodically, send an email to {shaylee.motheratheart@gmail.com}. Anyone is accepted - there's no limit to the hosts. :)

If you think of another site that you would like to see in this linkup, leave a comment and tell us!

Alright, ladies! Button-up, link-up, and meet-up! :)

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 

<center> <a href="http://www.mother-at-heart.com/search/label/Link%20and%20Mingle" target="_blank"><img alt="Mother {at} Heart" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-Bz6_3z-Jrsg/UBsXYDz8iCI/AAAAAAAABcQ/hNRvF3V2RSk/s487/button.png" width="250"/></a></center>

Come back next Thursday for another round of the Link & Mingle!!

This Post Sponsored By:

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3 Favorites: Seattle, Coffee & Christ Adventures of Brad & Kendra

Tell us about you >>>
I am a Christian, wife, and electrical engineer with a dose of sarcasm. I have lived in the Seattle area for my entire life and couldn't imagine living anywhere else. My favorite thing to do in life is to travel and my list of places to visit is a mile long. I tend to be somewhat spastic and once I get an idea in my head that I want to try I obsess about it until I actually get the project started. Being a cliche Seattle-ite, I love my coffee and have perfected my daily mocha.


Tell us about your family >>>
My husband and I met in highschool and started dating in 2003. We got married in July 2006 at the church that I grew up in. Brad is an owner of a tech support company, and loves to tech-out our house (this past week's project was a video surveillance system). We have 2 cats, Pico & Pixel; along with 2 dogs, Princess & Pip. This "P" name convention will not continue with our kids. Every year since we have been married I have made Brad get a Santa picture and for the past few years the dogs have joined us. 

I also consider my friends part of my family. My closest group of friends is unusual in the fact that most of us have known each other from Kindergarten and early elementary. These friends also tend to be test subjects on the recipes and crafts I make.  

Tell us about your blog >>>

After joining Pinterest last summer I wanted to share all of the projects that I attempted so Adventures of Brad & Kendra was born. Ever year around our anniversary I make a shutterfly book documenting the year with the same title so I felt it was fitting for the blog too.

Being an engineer I never really considered myself creative; however, I'm discovering that I am a lot more creative than I ever gave myself credit for. My Silhouette Cameo and I are starting to become best friends.

This summer I will continue to be posting about canning and any craft projects that I make. I'm working on getting an Etsy shop put together since I never buy the materials to create just one item and find that crafting is an amazing relaxer.

***

I've been loving getting to know Kendra this month as I've followed her blog.  

Today - she has a special prize bundle for one very lovely BaxtronLife reader!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Family Fun Day #BlogHer12 @TheOogieloves

I hope you've been enjoying my BlogHer12 Recaps - I promise I'm almost done with them - in fact, the next and last one is going to be all of the great tips I learned while there, so check back this week for that one!!  Today - I want to share my Sunday after BlogHer officially ended.  Let's start with a little swag show-off:

 

I know this might look like a lot of swag, and trust me - I'm super grateful for the generosity of the brands and reps that gave them out.  Everyone loves a little freebie here and there.  But, I have to say - the most awesome swag I received was the business cards of PR/Brand Reps and personal connections from the conference.  <3

Sunday BlogHer held their Family Fun Day event sponsored by the Oogieloves Great Adventure.  I originally had no intention of signing up for this - but as the event came closer I thought it would be great to take advantage of a special opportunity for Zion.

The event had yummy picnic food, tents and tunnels, glitter tattoos, coloring stations, and the ultimate bouncy house - all inside the Chelsea Piers field house.  I was so excited for the chance to spend some quality time with Zion that I decided I didn't really want to network - I wanted to hang out with my little lady - who I missed!!

 

We had such a fun time - Zion didn't want to leave.  As we left, we were given a few fun things from the sponsors to take home, including: a glitter tattoo kit, stickers, a fun mobile to put together and a tent set.  We can't wait for the Oogieloves movie to come out this month on Oogust 29th! (August).

It wasn't long after leaving that I looked down at my little lady and saw she was totally spent.

If you've missed my other BlogHer12 recap posts - you can catch them here: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3.

This Post Sponsored By:

Enter the Giveaway!