“What’s the good of news if you haven’t a sister to share it?” ~Jenny DeVries
Fave Pins of the Week
We’re trying out a new feature here on the blog…Fave Pinterest Pins of the Week! These are some of my favorite recent Pins from my Pinterest boards. Click the links below to get a better look, or you can check out my Fave Pins of the Week Pin Board here.
I love anything spicy, so this Buffalo Cauliflower is right up my alley.
It’s never too late to Do Something Today…
These Newborn Photography Tips will come in handy soon.
Oh that Jimmy Choo. ‘Nuff said!
I swear, Pinterest has made me cook more, work out differently (and more!) and want to be more creative and crafty. I (heart) Pinterest. =)
Gender Reveal Party, Party Two
Our Balloon Gender Reveal party was just a party for the three of us: Jamisen, Chris and myself. We were all delighted and surprised when we found out a little girl would be joining our family this year. Baby Number Two is a planned, very loved addition to our family and no matter what the gender, we knew our family would want to celebrate in a big way. I designed a special fizzy that takes over a minute to dissolve and show the color (missed that tutorial? Check it out here) but before we did that, everyone had to vote “Team Blue” or “Team Pink.” [Read more…]
Last Chance to Vote in the Bramble Bump Poll!
“Twinkle Twinkle Little Star, Do you know how loved you are?” -Unknown
Tomorrow is the day of the Big Reveal! We’re throwing a party for our family tomorrow afternoon and I’m writing a blog post tonight to post during the party so you find out right along with our family. Right now, ‘girl’ is ahead in the polls. You predicted correctly with ‘boy’ last time. Will you be right this time?
It’s the last chance to get your votes in for the Bramble Bump poll. The big gender reveal is coming up, and just in the nick of time too. I’m about to burst keeping this secret! Stay tuned this weekend to find out whether we’re having a little lady or a wee gent…
Hidden Color Bath Bombs
Here’s a fun idea for a colorful surprise hidden inside a bath bomb. This tutorial is perfect for getting kids to take a bath, because there’s enough colorant in each bath bomb to color the bath water. And since you can’t see the color until the bath bomb is activated, you have to be in the bath to get your surprise! I originally came up with this idea … well, you’ll have to see why this weekend. =)
Scroll down to the bottom of the post to see a mini fizzy coloring water!
Recipe:
1.5 cups Sodium Bicarbonate (Baking Soda)
1 cup Citric Acid
12 mL Baby Powder Fragrance Oil
Witch Hazel (in a spray bottle)
2-3 Stainless Steel Bath Bomb Molds
Mesh Strainer
Click here to add everything you need for this project to your Bramble Berry shopping cart! [Read more…]
The Great Outdoors
Truly it may be said that the outside of a mountain is good for the inside of a man.
~George Wherry, Alpine Notes and the Climbing Foot, 1896
Joyful Jamisen
“Joy springs from within; no one makes you joyous; you choose joyfulness.”
-Unknown
Gift Idea Roundup: for the Kids
Any kids or tweens on your list of gift recipients? Here’s a great mashup of projects could work perfectly as some quick and easy stocking stuffers!
Top Row: Tween Soap, Cool Yule Peppermint Loaf, Gift Series: Bath Fizzies (Day One & Day Two)
Middle Row: Color Block Rainbow Soap, Candy Pinwheel (Part 1, Part 2, Part 3), Snowflake Soap
Bottom Row: How to Make Tattoo Soap, Dressed Up Bath Bombs, Soaping Cats & Dogs
Monster Bottom
“What lies behind us and what lies ahead of us are tiny matters compared to what lives within us.”
-Henry David Thoreau
Welcome
“A smile is the universal welcome.”
-Max Eastman
Ol’ Blue Eyes
“As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them.”
-John F. Kennedy
Paleo Brambleversary Treats
We have a few Brambleberrians that are practicing a Paleo lifestyle. If you haven’t ever heard of Paleo, it’s a style of eating that involves only consuming things that (in theory) you can catch, pick, pluck or harvest without any processing that a caveman couldn’t have done. That means no sugars (fruit sugars and natural sweeteners like agave and honey are okay), grains, dairy or soy. It’s a super clean way of eating but a bit difficult to make my typical sugary-sweet treats for. The strict letter of the law would say that you probably couldn’t have made coconut flour as a caveman…but Bramble Berry’s Paleos say that one of greatest things about the lifestyle is that it’s adaptable, and most important is the way your food makes you feel. If you’re gluten free or cutting down on refined sugars, this recipe is perfect for you!
Vote in the BrambleBump Poll
BrambleBaby #2 is contentedly hanging out in my belly, being quite well behaved if I may say it (knock on wood). I’m currently growing a tiny human size of a large shrimp this week or lemon (week 14), and heading into more rapid growth in the coming weeks.
Soon enough we’ll be able to tell if this little one is a Lady Shrimp or Gentleman Shrimp, but in the meantime I’d love to get your take on it. You, our genius readers, customers and friends were able to accurately predict Jamisen’s sex. Let’s go two for two! Vote to your heart’s content in the right sidebar, and I’ll make the big announcement once we find out (and tell our family, of course). Let the polling begin!
We’re Adding to the Family
“Sometimes being a brother is even better than being a superhero.” – Marc Brown
Pretty soon Jamisen will find out what it’s like to be better than a superhero! We’re expecting a second little Bramble Bump who is due to arrive in May. We are over-the-moon excited. For those of you doing the math, that means the siblings will be 25 months apart (almost to the day!). This pregnancy has been surprisingly easy. I haven’t been sick that much and other than the normal, first-trimester-tireds and the expanding waistline, it’s been a way easier than pregnancy compared to the first. Soon, our little family of 3 will become a family of 4. We can hardly wait.
