Archives for 2013

Networking at Alt Summit: A Pre-Event Checklist + Free Download

January 21, 2013

The hashtag #altsummit was buzzing on Twitter and Instagram this weekend with chatter about packing for Alt Summit. Attendees like myself were asking questions about what to wear, sharing links to packing lists, and snapping photos of possible outfits.

If there was ever an occasion to dress to impress, it would be a blogging conference like Alt Summit. However, transforming the Grand America Hotel into a real world catwalk is not Alt’s primary intention. Alt Summit exists to bring together design and lifestyle bloggers to learn and share ideas and to connect with potential sponsors.

In other words, Alt Summit is for networking

For an introvert like myself, just the thought of networking makes my hands sweaty. So I called up Andrea Nierenberg of The Nierenberg Group for a pep talk. She may be the queen of networking, but she actually considers herself to be an introvert–which gives me great hope! Andrea graciously offered networking tips to help me prepare for three days of connecting with bloggers and brands.

… READ MORE!

Making life easier for YOU!

January 21, 2013

Pay attention because I have important news to share:
Bunny & Dolly is now @bunnyanddolly across all social media channels.

Wanna find me online?

Twitter: @bunnyanddolly
Instagram: @bunnyanddolly
Pinterest: @bunnyanddolly
Facebook: @bunnyanddolly

That’s easier to remember, isn’t it? Now go and follow me on every social media site. It’ll be fun!

{photo by caterpiya}

Scenes from a baby shower

January 18, 2013

This past Saturday, my sister’s mother-in-law and two sisters-in-law threw her a lovely baby shower for family and close family friends. The two sisters, both teachers, are extremely creative and crafty, and you could tell that every detail — from the decorations to the desserts — had been thoughtfully planned out.

The afternoon began with an Italian-style buffet lunch of sandwiches, eggplant parmigiana, and cavatelli and broccoli that Levi gobbled up. (Well, he devoured the noodles. Still can’t get the kid to eat vegetables.) Rock-and-roll rubber duckies fittingly accented the blue bathtime punch, and the dessert table was loaded with bite-size goodies like cheesecake, mini chocolate cupcakes and blue gummy bears.

Handmade onesies that had been dyed in shades of blue and adorned with clever iron-on designs were hung up around the living room and dining room. My brother-in-law is a musician, and the one above was crafted with him in mind. It featured a fermata (the musical symbol for “hold”) above the word “me” — get it?

As a fun baby shower activity after lunch, the guests decorated either a white onesie or a bib for my sister’s baby boy. Later, she and her husband picked their three favorites. Actually, Levi and another toddler picked two of the winners. Levi and I must have a very strong connection because he picked my onesie! Can you tell I’m not at all artistic? I was going for the iconic name tag with my nephew’s nickname on it but forgot to write “Hello!”

My sister was lucky to have both of our grandmothers in attendance. They were thrilled to be there to celebrate with her and to spend time with Levi. Above, Levi is touching up my grandma’s hair with a brush he found on top of a handmade diaper cake. And see my other grandma? Can you believe that she’s 97 years old?

Almost as fun as watching my sister unwrap goodies for her baby boy was watching Levi ham it up for all of the guests. The kid loves to be the center of attention! (Hmm, I wonder which parent passed along that gene…) He alternated between acting as garbage man and bellhop, tearing and throwing away wrapping paper and carrying large boxes around the room. If it had a handle, he’d carry it!

It was a long and lovely afternoon, and my sister received many beautiful (and useful!) gifts for her baby boy. Living so far away, I appreciated being able to spend time with family and friends I don’t get to see very often…though most of my time was spent wrangling Levi and chasing him around the house!

PS: A friend’s gender-neutral yellow and gray baby shower inspired by Pinterest!

Let the countdown to #altsummit begin!

January 16, 2013

In one week I’ll be arriving in Salt Lake City for Alt Summit 2013! My anticipation and excitement have been growing steadily since I purchased my ticket for the blogging conference back in August. I have literally been brainstorming what to wear, how to design my business cards, and ways to tweak Bunny & Dolly for the past five months.

(Which makes me wonder… When Alt SLC ends next Saturday, what will preoccupy me next? If all goes well in Utah, perhaps preparing for Alt NYC!)

In addition to time and energy, I’ve spent quite a few bucks to attend Alt SLC. Obviously, the major expense was the ticket itself, followed by airfare and hotel accommodations. Thankfully, I found two Omaha gals to bunk with at the super swanky Grand America Hotel. Jessica, Wendy, and I can each take turns sleeping on the couch!

Additional money was spent on aforementioned business cards (and paying a designer to create them for me) and some new pieces to perk up my stay-at-home mom wardrobe. Fashion is a big part of Alt Summit–so much so, in fact, that Nicole of Making it Lovely (whom I can’t wait to meet!) hosted two free classes on What to Wear to the conference. Friends, this is no joke! I’ve been shopping the sale racks in search of statement-making additions to my typical “design blogger” look. Sequins? Oh, why the hell not!

Alt is also hosting a colorful soiree inspired by the characters of the board game Clue, the idea of which put me in a total state of panic for multiple reasons. I think I found the perfect party ensemble, so now the only thing I have to worry about is working up the courage to mingle with strangers. (You’ll have to wait until next week to see what color I chose to wear!)

So what do I hope to gain from attending Alt Summit SLC?

1. Connect with potential blog sponsors

I’m eager to use this opportunity to build mutually beneficial relationships with some of my favorite brands, including The Land of Nod, Method, Minted, The Honest Company, and Serena & Lily (among many others).

2. Learn from more experienced bloggers

We all started with a blank page and zero readers, right? So why do some bloggers make it big while others struggle to maintain readership? Part of me thinks it’s a combination of magic and luck, but I’m hoping there’s more to success than a sprinkling of fairy dust. I’ll be furiously taking notes at the various panels on Thursday and Friday.

3. Build relationships with other bloggers

It sounds weird to say, but I’m excited to finally meet my friends–my blog and Twitter friends, that is! I spend a lot of time chatting online with gals like Mari, Melissa, Lexy, Erika, and Emily, and I can’t wait to have conversations with them longer than 140 characters. But I’m also hoping to meet new-to-me bloggers and to brainstorm creative collaborations to grow Bunny & Dolly’s content.

4. Break out of my comfort zone

It’s no secret: I have the tendency to be shy. (Perhaps, like Sandra, I’m an “extroverted introvert.“) Small talk makes me nervous. In fact, my hands are getting clammy just thinking about schmoozing with the other 649 Alt Summit attendees. By attending a conference where I have to put myself out there in order to get something in return (advertisers, collaborations, new friends), I’m hoping to boost my self-esteem level up notch or two. I’d love to walk away from Alt with just a little bit more confidence than I had when I arrived.

Will you be attending Alt Summit SLC next week? If so, please leave a comment and say hello!

{images via ALT Design Summit’s 2012 Flickr stream}

Pandas!

January 15, 2013

When she was little, my sister was obsessed with pandas. Our yearly visits to Washington, DC always included a stop at the National Zoo to see Ling-Ling and Hsing-Hsing, and she collected assorted panda paraphernalia like sheets, a desk lamp, a light switch cover, wall art, stuffed animals, and a Halloween costume. To this day, her beloved plush “Pandy” (or is it “Pandie”?) sits comfy on her bed in our parents’ house.

When it came time to buy my sister a baby shower gift, I wanted to include something panda-related (in addition to a necessity off her baby registry). For the shower her husband’s family hosted on Saturday, all guests were asked to bring with them a children’s book to shelve on the bookcase my sister’s father-in-law built for the nursery. Rather than pick a traditional title like Goodnight Moon, I chose Noodle Loves to Drive, a touch-and-feel board book featuring — what else? — a cartoon panda.

However, I couldn’t stop at just one Noodle book. A) They are just too darn cute and B) Amazon was offering a buy three, get one free deal! So at the small friends-only baby shower my mom and I threw on Sunday, I presented my sister Noodle Loves Bedtime, Noodle Loves to Eat, and Noodle Loves to Cuddle. I paired the board books with a wooden Peek-a-Boo Panda by Melissa & Doug that I know my nephew will love because Levi would have loved it.

(What can I say? I’m a sucker for themed gifts.)

Know a toddler, baby, or mom-to-be who loves pandas? Besides panda books, here are some more adorable panda-related gifts for little ones (clockwise from top left): Happy Trails Panda Plush Rocking Animal, Vans Classic Slip-On, Melissa & Doug Giant Panda, Panda Music PJ Set.