UNEXPECTED INSPIRATION

About a year ago I discovered Lara’s LeTTeR BloCk ShOp while searching Etsy.  I quickly became a huge fan of her work and started collecting block sets for each season and holiday.  Lara was always so CheeRfuL and FriEndLy in her messages and I became InsPiReD when I read that she was a teacher turned stay-at-home mom who opened her own shop.

Growing up I loved doing crafts and was always starting my own LittLe BusiNeSSes.  I sold potholders, friendship bracelets, and hand painted shirts to my family.  Fast forward about 25 years and I started thinking, “If Lara was able to open her own shop then why can’t I?”  I was also a teacher turned stay-at-home mom and was YeaRniNg for a way to turn my CrEaTiviTy into something I could be proud of and call my own.

I had been making banners out of felt for my own home for the holidays and with each new one I designed my mom would say, “You really need to sell these.”  With a leap of faith RoByN’s NeSt was opened on Etsy this past February.  I was honored to have Lara as my very 1st customer and am currently a few sales away from my 125th sale!

When trying something new or doing something you’ve always dreamed of…remember that InSpiRaTioN is EveRywHerE!

~Jersey Girl~

P.S. Visit my online shop www.etsy.com/shop/triobyn

 

{Coach $100 Voucher – 1st Come 1st Served!!}

Hey SuEde SoFa VieWerS!!  I have a $100 CoAcH PuRsE voucher to give away to the first person who answers this question:  “One item on my “LiVe-It LiSt” is _______________”.

The voucher expires on NoVemBer 6th.  Sorry for the short notice.  I had meant to put it on the blog when I got it a week or so ago but forgot!  Oops!!

Here are some more details printed on the voucher:

“…enjoy $100 toward your purchase of $300 or more from October 27 through November 6, 2011.”

The voucher can be redeemed either in a CoAcH FuLL PriCe StoRe or online at coach.com

I would like to get this in the mail tomorrow to ensure the winner receives it by the 6th, so don’t DeLaY!! 

If you are the first person to leave your answer on the Suede Sofa blog, please private message me your address on Facebook.  (Robynn Coates)

By the way, if you don’t feel comfortable using your real name, please feel free to use a moniker.

ThAnKs and BeSt WiShEs!!

:)

Robynn~

Email Me

I recently I spoke with a friend who was hurt about not being included in a DeCisiOn that the rest of her family made without her.  The situation could have been avoided by simply picking up the phone or sending a quick email.   Instead, everyone got busy with life, assumed that she would be okay with it, and she ended up feeling left out and unloved.

Our hectic lives cause us to oVerLook how our decisions and actions are affecting others.  Many relationships are damaged because people don’t take the TiMe to share simple details and make sure everyone is included.

As the holidays are approaching this is an important time to keep the lines of communication open.  One idea is sending out a large email to everyone in the group (make sure you send it to EvERyOnE!!).  Each person hits “reply all” when giving their input, and having dates/ specifics in writing is another helpful way to avoid ConFuSion down the road.  This simple way of communication gives everyone an equal opportunity to share their ideas and no one feels left out.

Start your holiday planning off right!  ChriStmAs here we come :)

~Lara

{Let The Holidays Begin!!}

Tonight Lara’s family and my family hung out together.  It’s TrAdiTioN.  We’ve been doing this on October 31st ever since we met back in 2009.

I’m not into Halloween, but I really am into ThanKsgiVinG AnD ChriStmAs!!  In fact, tomorrow is the first official day of the HoLiDaYs (according to me).   I actually saw my first Christmas commerical today!  Tomorrow I will break out the Christmas tunes and maybe even start hanging up the Christmas WrEaThS in the windows.  So, on that note, I want to leave you with this Christmas tune.

HoLiDaY ChEeRs!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oRB0Wgr1j2o

:)

Robynn~

It’s Called {Life}

From time to time I do a CoOkiNg shOw on our local cable channel.  Because I live in a small town (pop. about 9,000) the viewing audience is relatively small.  The last show I did featured home-made AppLe bUttEr and PoPcoRn BaLLs.  The popcorn balls were a recipe my dad would make when I was a KiD.  Because of the NosTaLgiC element of this treat, I decided to make these for the audience.  I remembered my dad whipping them up in no time flat and wanted to share a quick, easy, SwEeT tReAt.  So, I called my dad, he gave me the recipe off the top of his head, and I was off and running.  I did a practice run and they came out PeRfEcT.  I was ready to feature them on the cooking show.  So I ThoUgHt. 

Then came time for the ShOw.  Everything was going along fine until it came time to form the popcorn balls.  The host and I began to form the sweetened popcorn into balls.  That is we began to “TrY” to form the sweetened popcorn into balls.  Unfortunately our efforts failed.  The mixture just would not stick together.  The only thing it did was StiCk To oUr HaNdS.  Oops!

We continued the show and did the best job we could.  Turns out that when the show was over, the mixture very easily formed into balls.  It just needed a little TiMe To CoOL.

I suppose I could have stopped the taping and asked if we could start over, but hey, ThIs is LiFe.  And life isn’t perfect.  So, as I am learning, I did the BeSt I could with the ReSouRcEs I haD.  Because afterall, it’s called “LiFe”.

:)

Robynn~

ThAt WaS AwKwArD!!

“Hello, My Name is Robynn and I’m a GeEk.”  (Is there a support group for this sort of thing?)

I remember telling my students that I was a geek and they would immediately come to my defense saying, “Oh, no!  You are not a geek, Ms. Hofer!”  But I ReAllY aM.  (Thanks students for the vote of confidence.)

I find myself in these AwKwArD situations and many times I had nothing to do with getting into them in the first place.  But there I am.  Smack dab in the middle of it, between a RoCk and a HaRd PlAcE.   For example, I’m in a social setting where someone begins talking unkindly about another person who is not in our presence.  I would say something but 1.) I’m picking my mouth off the floor in disbelief that such a comment was even said in the first place &  2.) What should I say?  

In these situations, it makes me feel like a geek – awkward, uncomfortable, and at a loss of what to say or do.  I want to run and hide.  Why?  Because I have an ImAgE to uphold.  After all, I am well put together, refined, and always know what to do.  (Yah, right!)

If I’m honest I will admit I don’t always know what to do.  The beauty of acknowledging this is that then I qualify for help from above.  So here I am: RaW, transparent, and yes, even a geek.  But that’s ok.  I will take all the help I can get.

:)

Robynn~

Sweet Treat

Do you ever find yourself BaRgAiNiNg with your kids to get them to behave, clean up their toys, or finish their meals?  If you answered yes…I’m right there with you!  My 4 year old son had a really good day today and my husband and I wanted to ReWaRd him with something special.  I wanted the reward to be immediate so that he would make the connection that he earned something SpEcIaL because he was a great listener TODAY.  I didn’t want the reward to be a toy or anything that would cost money because I don’t want him to start expecting toys for doing what we ExPeCt of him.  I went into my baking cabinet and pulled out a box of CoOkiE mIx that I had bought at our local dollar store.  After I put my daughter to sleep I pulled out all of the fall sprinkles and we got to work!  We had a great time making the cookies and my son was so proud that he got to put the sprinkles on all by himself.  It truly was an EyE-OpEniNg night for me because in a pinch I found an inexpensive way to show my son that we were proud of him and realized that rewards don’t need to be elaborate, they can be as simple as some YuMmY cOoKiEs and time alone with Mommy and Daddy.

~Jersey Girl~

Can Anyone Hear Me?

I’m writing this post today with a scratch in my throat.  No, not a scratch due to a cold, but a scratch due to raising my voice to get my kid’s AttEnTion or tell them they need to stop doing something for the 20th time!  Can you relate?

I remember my teaching days and how I learned in college that no good teacher will YELL at their students to get them to listen.  I just had to LaUgh when I thought of that today.  It is amazing what situations can make you ScReAm, regardless if you are a “good” parent or not.

When I reach the point of YELLING it is an instant reminder that I need a B R E A K.  I need to ask for help, get a babysitter, or take a night off and distance myself from the kiddos so I can sort out my thoughts and relax.  When I do, I am much more patient with the kids and it makes me feel like a better Mom because I can handle frustrating situations with more ease.

No one wants to be the yelling Mom…so the best thing to is find a SoLuTion to the problem…see you after my nap ;)

~Lara

{Mexican Jumping Beans!!}

A few months ago my husband had a business trip and picked these guys up at one of the AiPpOrT sHoPs.  When he held them out to my girls and they began to “JuMp” my first response was, “What’s the catch?”   Turns out there is no catch.  They actually do “jump”, as there is a LiTtLe WoRm inside that will eventually emerge as a moth.    Amazing!  In all my years of college science and then in my years of teaching high school science I had not once heard about these incredibly interesting creatures.

My husband also bought the book Lucus and His Loco Beans:  A Tale Of The Mexican Jumping Bean by Ramona Moreno Winner which tells a story about a boy and his grandfather hunting for Mexican jumping beans.  It also chronicles the life cycle of the LiTtLe CrItTeR.  It is a very educational book that introduces Spanish words and gives a science lesson at the same time.  I highly recommend it!

Both of my girls took the Mexican jumping beans and the book to school for “ShOw-AnD-TeLL” and it was a HuGe HiT.  I even had parents tell me they were so fascinated by the Mexican jumping bean (my girls had given a bean to each classmate to take home) that they looked it up on the internet themselves!

The book and Mexican Jumping Beans can be purchased from Amazon at:

Book:  http://www.amazon.com/Lucas-His-Loco-Beans-Mexican/dp/0965117413/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&qid=1319199798&sr=8-7

Mexican jumping beans:  http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=mexican+jumping+beans

You can learn more about Mexican jumping beans by going to this website:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mexican_jumping_bean

:)

Robynn~

P.S.  Here’s a little video of the jumping beans!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mxNOj-tj5D0