Social Media Storm

Just a quick post today, mostly bc I don't want this to turn into a rant. (read: me freaking out on my blog) 

I'm immerse in figuring out all things social media. I like it, I'm intrigued by it, I'd like to talk about it and brainstorm, buuuuut I'm a wee bit fuzzy on implementing it.

So, I'm home today with Andrew who is recovering from shoulder surgery. The kids have been with the grandparents for almost a full day, and honestly I've been enjoying the quiet time to read through everything I've been bookmarking for later, and attempting to really go through it and try it. It's dense to me. I'm not only learning how to do things, I'm learning the language as well. I'm just an simple artist and designer I guess. Never had the need or use for any of this, and now I'm slugging my way through it. sob. 

...aaaaand scene. I promise I'll quit with the drama. 

Just now I was reading up on pinterest. I ADORE it. Like crazy love. Deep. Crazy. Love. Borderline obsessive-weirdo love. My friend Kim of Design Thoughts first told me about it a good year ago. It had me at hello. Here's what is funny to me, I have friends who don't get it. I don't get that. It's visual bookmarking. If you ever kept a binder of print outs, a box of picture clippings, a pinboard of ideas, a travel folder, a mood board, or bookmarked a zillion websites...then you WILL love pinterest. However you see it best, you create a pinboard (or binder, or file cabinet, or folder...whatever makes the most sense for you as a container for the images), and then you add images that link back to their source (unless you upload off your iphone or computer). You add descriptions. You share. The applications for personal and professional use are endless. I have the iphone app. I've used it when getting my hair cut/colored. I've used it around the holidays. I've used it at the grocery store. I've used it visiting clients. All on my phone, on the go, easily accessible. I totally get all that. Here's what I don't get: how to link this all up properly?

I've over pinning to facebook bc my pinterest is linked to my facebook (both personal and biz page), and twitter. Twitter is linked up to my facebook page. So, if I pin one thing, it pins it immediately to: FB personal, FB biz, twitter... Then twitter does the same thing. If I remove the FB function from Pinterest, then followers can't access my FB page. Meanwhile, I cant get pinterest to link to my FB biz page, it will only link to my personal page. What's a girl to do?

This is just a microcosm of the larger social media storm I'm in. SEO is looming over me like a great big ripening thunderstorm. 

So, yeah, I'm sighing. I'm swearing (a bit). I'm learning. 

In other news, I made two updates to previous posts.

1) giving credit where credit is due: THANK YOU, Lisa Larson Kelley for inspiring My New Boat.

2) adding another suggestion to Diary of a Family Vacation: good, bad and ugly. UPDATE: Decide what a vacation means to you and do it.

As for the rest of business, I'm waiting to hear from factories, waiting to get samples in the mail, and headed to some tradeshows this weekend with my amazing creative dream team, to start brainstorming for belle&beanzer's first show this fall. More to come on that!

The mood of the moment

I was inspired recently by art work from Surgarboo as seen on Sweet Peach.
Thank you Sweet Peach for bringing inspiration to me every day!

It's long been a plan of mine to create artwork for the line that is meaningful. When our babies are born, we want THE WORLD for them, don't we? We want to show it to them,
watch them experience, share in their joy, wipe away their tears,
and spoon feed all the love their hearts can hold. Right?

When saw this art, I believe it really got the to essence of a feeling, of a moment.
I was inspired to create a mood board around it. Check it out!

All images can be found on my pinterest boards

Happy Monday!

lots of love

We like to call our favorite events "seasons" in my family. We all enjoy a good birthday season lasting approximately a full month. No kidding! I know Valentine's Day is over commercialized. But, conceptually, I love a day devoted to love. Because I don't think we should be limited to one day, ~ although it serves as a good reminder when we realize, once again, how good it feels to give and get waves of love ~ I'm calling it…this week it's the season of love. 

What do you love??

this man.

Where would I be without this man? My partner in making dreams come true.

these babies.

They teach me more about the person I am, and want to be, than anyone or anything.

this spoon.

Purchased 15 years ago!! Little friend has lost prongs, and is covered in heat scars. I've searched for replacements and come up empty. Just might be the last spoon of it's kind. On earth. I'll probably be unable to part with it at this point, anyhow. We've come through too much together. On diets, off diets, dinners alone, dinner dates, family dinners. I. Love. You. Pasta Spoon!

this necklace.

Bought by myself, for myself, after Ava was born. I read an article @ the designer,
HollyMariejewelry, and fell in love. When Jonah was born, I sent it back to her to add him.
This is my favorite piece of jewelry I own. People always stop me and ask where I got it, &
when Ava has tough day, she asks me to wear it, so she is close to my heart. Can't beat that. 

this coffee.

Their Kona Blend might be the best coffee I've ever had.

this picture.

This pic is on  my personal vision board on  pinterest. I just don't get tired of looking at it. 

this place.

 Sunset @ Madaket beach, Nantucket, ma. we fell in love here. we were engaged here. our family grew here.
It has one of the best sunsets you will find anywhere. All you have to do is walk on over and enjoy.
photo: wonderground

this nail polish.

my glitter girl got it from somewhere :) this is from butter london. color is all hail the queen.

this bear

I've always had a thing for bears.  I love this big guy. artist sarah maycock.  

this quote

very inspired by this quote right now as a mother and an entrepreneur.
author unknown

I love you a lot...meto!

Yup, my girl is a full blown glitter girl who likes to climb mountains in a tutu and jewelry.

She is THE BEST!

We were trying out her new glitter markers. How awesome is it to be a parent and have access to loads of arts and craft materials with no real "project" in mind?? The whole goal is to experiment and draw things that make you smile. just have fun. Such a good reminder as a parent, and as I develop artwork for the line. I was doodling around, and drew this little picture for her…

Do you think she loved it? Her name in glittery purple? Hearts, flower and dots?

She surprised me with a surprise drawing for me in return…

Meto = Me too. She's learning to spell and doing a wonderful job!

After I cleared the lump from my throat, I was looking at the two pictures, and really seeing how she was reflecting and answering me. meto…meto…meto…I couldn't help think how it's so true in all aspects of life. You get what you put into it. It's been a goal of mine to build an active social media life around belle&beanzer before the line launches. 

On that note, I've been busy building all the in-roads to belle&beanzer business, and I'm finally connecting them. belleandbeanzer.com is up and has a friendly little welcome message directing traffic to my blog, for now. Soon…soon…soon… a website grand opening. Yaaay!

After much trial and error,  I was able to add follow me buttons for my pinterest board, twitter and… wait for it…facebook business page. TADA!! That's the reveal of the week! All pages link back to each other, and the links work. That was a really big deal for me.

Just ask some of my friends I've been pestering for help…

~THANK YOU~ Lisa, Learn from Lisa, and Kim, Design Thoughts!!

Another big moment of the week was calling Playtime to register for information for the fall show which will be previewing spring 2013. My. First. Tradeshow!!!

I was SO excited when I made the call, I was a little bit gushing. I think I actually said,

"I'm in-love with the line." Which is 100% true. The reflection? The answer?

REAL INTEREST

wow, what a moment!