5 cute things for your iPad

We just got an iPad. Too exciting. (It was a gift. Thanks Dad!)
I'm still keeping my media use under control though. Mostly.
The kids love to play games and watch Youtube videos. Mostly Maru and babies. And Pete.
I love that Pinterest is so user-friendly. And the "notes" section.. already very full.
And I usually do my blog reading on my iPhone, so the bigger screen is super awesome.
I needed to accessorize stat. There are tons of adorable choices.. skins, folios, sleeves, styluses.
I went with the folio case from Target.. I got a checkered plaid red, white and gray. I wanted to be able to watch Netflix in bed hands-free and I didn't want it to be really girly.

Here's something awesome! I did some window shopping for you to get you started on your search for the perfect accessory & protection for your iPad!
1// Speck iPad guy 2// Speck for Target 3// Gussy Sews 4// Claire Vivier for Splendid 5// Society 6

artistic process: plurabelle calligraphy

What can I say? I can't get enough of the artistic process!
I've been practicing my own calligraphy quite a bit lately, so this one was really fun to see.
Molly's work at Plurabelle Calligraphy is stunning.
And her blog is even better. Full of inspiration.
I'm really hoping to see more process videos from her!

Go show some love!

monthly subscription box round-up!

This is a totally new craze and I am loving it! These curated monthly crates are filled with goodies to suit any personality! Fun! I am especially into Lost Crates (hello! a box from Joy the Baker or Design Milk!) and Birchbox (what a deal!) Do you subscribe? Do you know of any other boxes that are worthwhile?

1 // Lost Crates - unique gift packages filled with design curated by really rad people - $ prices vary
2 // Citrus Lane - fun products for mom and baby - $25/mo.
3 // Umba Box - handmade surprises every month - $25/mo.
4 // Wittlebee - clothes for kids - $39.99/mo.
5 // Birchbox - the best beauty and lifestyle products for men or women - $10/mo. (!!!)

artistic process: alisa burke

Here I am with another artistic process video! They are all over right now and I am soaking in every bit of them. It is just too fun to see art come together. It kind of reminds me of baking.. how you start with eggs and flour and butter and sugar and end up with something totally delicious.
I have followed Alisa Burke for a long time now and her style is so awesome. Purposely messy, full of color and I love her philosophy about making art from what you have and how she uses nature as her inspiration and muse. I can't wait to see how she plays with art with her adorable daughter.

Enjoy and as always, go show some love to Alisa!

artistic process: the vaguely

It's no secret that video is it. Youtube is the net's second largest search engine.
Video has this incredible way of telling a story.. of showing a story.. of playing to emotions.

I'm in love with seeing the process of artists. When you can see their joy of creating, it suddenly makes the person and the product more appealing. It brings you back. I love this one on Vanessa Hernandez of the Vaguely created by Hunter & Fox.

media awareness & responsibility

Most of what we see in this world is media-related. We spend hours watching TV and surfing the Internet. It is curated by the masses. It is curated by you, by me. Every time you share an article, every time you pin something, you are adding to the messages we see. While I couldn't be more excited or more grateful for the technologies we have created for ourselves, with it comes great responsibility. We have responsibilities that we cannot even begin to comprehend. So we must ask ourselves questions when we are curating, creating or even consuming media. And we must do certain things to combat the "addiction" to media. Here are some of my thoughts when it comes to using media in everyday life:


1// Live life without media. Limit yourself. For me, this meant that I had to delete Facebook off my iPhone. It was a distraction. It took too much time away from the people that mean the world to me. It took too much time away from finding myself, keeping myself healthy and doing real work. Now I check Facebook a couple of times a day as opposed to a few times an hour. My family has also gotten rid of cable TV in favor of Netflix. We watch way less TV and spend way more time as a family. I do not miss Facebook or cable.

2// Be self-aware. Understand and recognize your feelings about the media you consume. This is a hard one. It took me a long time to realize that I needed to delete Facebook off my phone. I had to really see myself becoming anxious about it and I had to tell myself that that was bad. When I had the feeling I should do it, I did. I didn't hesitate. Are you overly concerned about social media updates? Are you overly concerned with the 24-hour news cycle? Get a grip and recognize that this is not good! Also, recognize your feelings about the actual content. Is it worth the way you are feeling? Often times, jealousy and anger can become very intense over the Internet. Take a step back and realize why something is making you feel that way.

3// Educate others about what it means to be self-aware. Do exactly what I am doing right now.


4// When posting online, always source. This is important for two reasons: It is fair to the person who created the information in the first place. Bloggers, photographers, crafters.. all get pretty serious about this. Link to the original source. Google and random Tumblr accounts are not real sources. The second reason is that people need to know where their information is coming from. Do I trust this source? Why or why not?

5// Be particularly careful about the messages you create. Think about your ultimate message. We should all have one. Before you click publish or share, think about if the content is worth posting. Why are you posting it? What do you hope to accomplish? Does this piece of content support my thesis as a user of media? Am I perpetuating a stereotype? Am I portraying reality? Am I okay with the ramifications it may cause when I click share? Am I willing to take criticism? These are all questions we should ask ourselves every single time.

These tips can be useful with all the media you consume. The Internet is a great example because it is so widely used, but how do you feel about television, advertisements, magazines, books? The list goes on!

oh! free iphone wallpaper download

After writing my post last week about lightbulb moments, I came up with this cute iPhone wallpaper. It really came to me while I was working on another project and I couldn't help loving it. It's perfect for your lock screen! When you have a lightbulb moment, don't you just say <<OH!>>

To install the wallpaper on your phone, simply:

1. Click and hold your finger over the image.
2. Click Save Image.
3. Go to your Camera Roll, find the image and select Use as Wallpaper. Choose lock screen (you wouldn't be able to read it on your home screen).

// Please use this iPhone wallpaper for personal use only. if you post this on your blog, please link to me! I hope to be able to make more of these for sure! Enjoy!

branding genius: blushington

For a few years now, I've been pretty obsessed with the idea of branding and how it can really have a huge impact on a business's success. Having a cute logo is only part of the genius branding equation. Other factors such as a strong brand idea and brand strategy are equally, if not more, important.

When I came across Blushington, I fell in LOVE. The idea behind Blushington is basically that our makeup is an extension of us as women and that we shouldn't see it as just a luxury. I don't know about you, but I would just about die to have a personal makeup artist do my makeup everyday and this brand wants to make that happen at an affordable price. For only $20 for an "on-the-go" makeup look, a girl can't go wrong!

When I saw the storefront, I was instantly smitten. How adorable! The blush pink color and the beautiful windows and logo on the door would draw me in immediately. They say you shouldn't judge a book by its cover, but they never said anything about storefronts!

Currently in West Hollywood, we can only hope there is room for expansion! We all need one of these!

Check out Blushington's website and Facebook page. AND their recent feature at the Glitter Guide.
photo by Tim Melideo via the Glitter Guide

insta-life

beautiful beach > colorful dining room art > movie playdate
baby go potty > homemade pizza nights a new ritual > first day of swim lessons
mama & mimi selfie > preschool activity, u.s. map > first painted finger nails, ever
so tired > starting to read regularly > little troublemakers

*am totally addicted to instagram. follow me @jaimiemyers. will share some of our weekly photos here for those that aren't cool enough to have an iphone or android. like my grandma. who is actually really freaking cool.

441 social statuses

Yesterday I deleted Facebook off my iPhone.

Oh God it feels good.

Those little apps shook, I pressed the little X and everything changed.
Instead of checking on the social statuses of all 441 "friends" that I have 5 times per hour, I checked on it 5 times total today. And I hope to make that less.

You see, as much as I just love seeing photos my friends' kids and seeing what the people I graduated high school with SIX years ago are up to, I just don't care. I love to catch up with people that love to catch up with me. And there are many of those on Facebook. But there are too many that don't. And there are too many that I don't.

It's changing us. Facebook. iPhones. the Internet. Even television.
We find meaning and truth in something that couldn't be further from it. We find purpose.
But we're all lost. We're all mixed up. We all need to let it go.

Technological advances are so freaking cool. We've come a long way.
But what's too far? Have we reached it? Were we there already? Probably.

I can't keep wasting my life away. I can't keep feeling lost. I have to find myself.
And I am not hiding in 441 social statuses. That can't be where I am.