Holiday Giveaway 2014

I'm super excited to say that I've rounded up some of my all-time favorite baby items and partnered with some of my favorite shops to create a fantastic giveaway! One of you will win EVERYTHING on this list - over $1100 in prizes. You can enter via the Rafflecopter below.

Merry Christmas! xo, Lauren

The giveaway includes the following fabulous prizes:

1. A crib sheet and crib skirt of your choice from Rikshaw Design
2. A $200 credit to Rosenberry Rooms (I picked out this sweet little Petit Collage owl mobile and this adorable play tent!)
3. A set of swaddling blankets of your choice from Aden & Anais
4. A Four Position 360 carrier from Ergobaby
5. A handmade bib of your choice from Whitney Deal
6. A handmade knit hat of your choice from Maggie & Gray
7. A $200 credit to Minted (I picked out this adorable birth announcement!)
8. This set of three handmade organic knotted headbands from luckypalmtree
9. A hand-knit pretzel rattle from Estella
10. A changing pad cover from New Mom Designs
11. Dream layette in pebble gray from Little Auggie
12. A $50 credit to Leetle Chicken Shop (I picked out this onesie and these booties - so cute!)
13. A large handmade doll of your choice from Blabla.
14. Your choice of a Skwish toy or baby beads toy from Manhattan Toy
15. A handmade personalized wooden teething toy from Little Sapling Toys

So sorry to all of you international people, this giveaway is open to U.S. residents only.

Lots of ways to enter:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

A big thank you to our giveaway sponsors! Show them some love:

Minted: Website . Facebook . Twitter . Pinterest . Blog
Aden + Anais: Website . Facebook . Twitter . Instagram . Blog
Rikshaw Design: Website . Facebook . Twitter . Pinterest . Instagram . Blog
Rosenberry Rooms: Website . Facebook . Twitter . Pinterest . Instagram . Blog
Ergobaby: Website . Facebook . Twitter . Pinterest . Blog
Whitney Deal: Website . Facebook . Twitter . Pinterest . Instagram . Blog
Maggie & Gray: Website
luckypalmtree: Website . Facebook . Twitter . Pinterest . Instagram
Estella: Website . Facebook . Twitter . Pinterest . Instagram . Blog
New Mom Designs: Website . Facebook . Instagram . Blog
Little Auggie: Website . Facebook . Pinterest . Instagram
Leetle Chicken Shop: Website . Facebook . Pinterest . Instagram
Blabla: Website . Facebook . Twitter . Pinterest . Blog
Manhattan Toy: Website . Facebook . Twitter . Pinterest . Instagram . Blog
Little Sapling Toys: Website . Facebook . Pinterest . Instagram

Free Thanksgiving Printables

Just in case you're looking for a few goodies for the kids' table this Thanksgiving, here are a couple of fun (and free!) Thanksgiving printables that I created last year:

I am thankful Placemat: In pink and white, this is a fun, easy, (and inexpensive!) way to jazz up the kids' table this Thanksgiving. You can find the original post and links to download the printable Thanksgiving placemats right here.

Paper Doll Turkey: Dress your bird any way you like, color your designs, or even have your kiddo design their own styling ensembles! You can click here to find the original post, with links to download the printables.

Free Printable Magnetic Jack o'Lantern Craft

I wanted to come up with a fun printable to use up the rest of my magnetic printer paper (and keep my girls from fighting over the printable magnetic haunted house that I made for them last year!) so I created these fun Halloween jack o'lanterns! There are two cute pumpkin shapes and a ton of eye, nose, and mouth shapes to choose from. You could even use whiteboard markers to color them in if you choose. Hope your kids enjoy them as much as mine do! xo, Lauren

Download the printable pumpkins and face shapes right here:
Pumpkin 1
Pumpkin 2
Eye Shapes
Nose Shapes
Mouth Shapes

(And you can find the magnetic printer paper right here)

Bright Baby Nursery Design Board + A Giveaway!

Today I'm so excited to also be partnering with Hanna Andersson to bring you all a super fun, bright, and colorful nursery design board plus another giveaway for a $100 gift card! The lovely folks over at H.A. contacted me about their new Bright Baby Basics collection and I was instantly smitten! I absolutely love the colors, design, and patterns and thought it was just the perfect inspiration for a fun and fresh nursery design board.

I love that everything in the collection is both adorable and affordable and that it was inspired by Hanna's very first designs over thirty years ago. The fabrics are all organic but the colors are so vibrant - not always the easiest combination to find in my experience. They sent a few pieces for Lucy and we just love them - they're so soft and comfortable but also cute and stylish. You can find the full collection here.

To enter the giveaway, simply follow Hanna Andersson on Pinterest and leave a comment below that includes your Pinterest handle. The giveaway is open internationally and you can enter through Wednesday 7/30/14. Best of luck! xo, Lauren

Bright Baby Nursery Design Board Sources:

Mini Library
Zip A Dee Do Dah! Print
Pendant Light
Crochet Garland
Wooden Sailboat Toy
Lemon Print
Enzo Mari Pear Print
Bright Baby Basics Blanket
Apple Print
Geometric Lamp
Wooden Toy Camera
Caravan Dresser
Lion Nightlight
Cloud Pillow
Colorful Stripe Rug
Stripe Crib Bedding
Gold Pouf
Framework Metal Letter

P.S. Don't forget to enter to win one of two $100 gift cards to Stuck on You! 

Giveaway: $100 to Stuck on You

The folks at Stuck on You were kind enough to send over a few goodies for our beach trip and I love them so much I wanted to do a giveaway for all of you! They're generously offering two $100 gift cards for two readers to spend as they please!

Stuck on You offers personalized kids' labels and gifts, which was perfect for us as Violet is currently completely obsessed with having her name on everything. They sent us a beautiful embroidered towel for both of the girls and a bunch of other labels and goodies - our favorite of which is Violet's personalized drink bottle. It was a lifesaver on our trip. It kept her water cool and sand-free at the beach and she, of course, loves that it has her name on it. (A couple other favorites of mine are the lunchbox and personalized back pack).

To enter, simply visit Stuck on You and leave a comment telling us your favorite item. The giveaway is open worldwide and is open through Tuesday, 7/29/14. Good luck! xo, Lauren

Giveaway: Win $250 to Minted!

I'm so excited to be able to offer you all a chance to win $250 to Minted! They have the most beautiful birth announcements, birthday party invitations, nursery artwork, and much, much more.  In fact, we used Minted for Lucy's birth announcements and our Christmas cards.

They also have an adorable line of children's stationary now as well. I think Violet would absolutely adore having her own stationary - she's obsessed with her name and loves sending and receiving real mail.

Here are a few of my current favorite designs:

Personalized Children's Stationary:
Quotes Children's Personalized Stationary
Bubblegum Pop Personalized Stationary
Love Milk Children's Personalized Stationary
Accent Children's Personalized Stationary

Nursery Artwork:
Heirloom Pear Print

Greatest Adventure Print

Family Tree Rings Print

Anemone Monogram Print

Birth Annoucements:

Watercolor Bunting

Chalkboard Stats

Vintage Label

Garden Bloom

Birthday Invitations:

Simple Balloon Invitation

Cloudy with a Chance of Fun Invitation

Thoughts on Birthday Boy Invitation

Fun in the Sun Invitation

My Age Invitation

To enter the giveaway, use this link. Best of luck! xo, Lauren

Share and Share Alike (Plus a Giveaway!) with Bunch & Rosa

The lovely Tampathia of Bunch & Rosa sent over this gorgeous handmade quilt for Lucy a while back, and we love it SO much that I asked if we could have a giveaway for all of you. The colors are completely perfect, I love the design, and it's beautifully made. It was really an inspiration piece that made me want to add more color to Lucy's nursery. It also inspired this shared kids' space - it was a great jumping off point for the color palette. I also love that their quilts are made here in the USA and that they use organic cotton for all of the quilts.

In addition to this particular quilt, there are a ton of other gorgeous designs - some more traditional, some with lots of color, and others with a more subdued color palette. And the best news is that you get your choice of any quilt in the shop!

You can enter via the Rafflecopter below by liking Bunch & Rosa on Facebook or following them on Pinterest. (Sorry, this one is open to U.S. Residents only) Good luck! xo, Lauren

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Design Board Sources:
Navy Crib Sheets
Crib
Don't Give Up the Ship Print
No Jumping on the Bed Print
Lion Cub Twins Print
Abstract Quilt
Map Print
Mushroom Shadowbox
Clock
Fox Night Light
Dresser
Knit Ball
Cross Crib Sheets
Dinosaur Planter
Storage Basket
Table Lamp
Chunky Braided Wool Rug
Sailboat
Knit Bear Hat
Twin Bed

Giveaway from Sucre

-This Giveaway is Closed-

I'm a sucker for a pretty pastry, especially ones as delicious as these! Sucré sent a box of their divine signature macarons to my doorstep, and New Year's resolutions be darned, I enjoyed every last mouthful. I love that they arrive in a pretty gift box tied up with a ribbon, perfectly packaged for giving to one of your girlfriends or your sweetheart (Valentine's Day perhaps?) Not living in a big city, macarons aren't readily available for me, so this was a sweet treat for sure. Sucré also offers king cakes, perfect for Mardi Gras, and a pretty Valentine's Day collection (chocolate covered macarons, oh my!). And I'm excited to say that Sucré is giving away a box of their signature macarons to one of my readers as well! If you have a sweet tooth (or know someone who does), simply visit Sucré and let us know your favorite treat in the comments below. You can enter through Wednesday 1/22/14. Best of luck! xo, Lauren

The macarons were provided by Sucré - all opinions stated are my own. Giveaway is open to U.S. residents. All rules and conditions are subject to change without notice. 

-This Giveaway is Closed-

Holiday Giveaway No. 6

Here's a cast of characters that I'm sure any kid would love - give them all to one special kid or divvy them up among all of the little ones in your life!

1. $50 Shop Credit to Sara Carr
2. Brainy Owl Necklace + Shipping from Romp
3. Hedgehog + Shipping from Riley Construction
4. Kim the Cat Cuddle + Shipping from Sunday in Color
5. $60 Shop Credit + Shipping from Crayon Creatures
6. Dino Stamp Kit + Shipping from Wee Gallery
7. Tiger Mask & Tail Kit + Shipping from BHB Kid Style
8. Mr. Bell Rose from Shak-Shuka

This giveaway is open internationally (woohoo!) You can enter via the Rafflecopter here:   
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Holiday Giveaway No. 5

I've got another couple of giveaways for you this week! This one is a great collection of gifts for the little ones in your life:

1. How to Train a Train, Journey, Maps, Forever (2 copies of each!) + shipping from Candlewick Press
2. Two paper puppets (rabbit and penguin) + a set of Christmas cards + shipping from With Her Animal Poetry
3. Christmas Village + shipping from Pukaca
4. Mountain Pillow + shipping from Juniper Wilde
5. Mr. Lion Heart 79 + shipping from JipiJipi
6. Super Ted from Kathryn Davey

This giveaway is open to U.S. residents only. You can enter via the Rafflecopter here:  
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Holiday Giveaway No. 2: Decorate

For our second giveaway I'm thrilled to offer some lovely items to feather your little one's nest:

1. Starry Sky Print + Shipping (or $25 credit) from Amy Brearly
2. $25 Credit to Bella Luna Toys
3. Pouf + Shipping from Zid Zid Kids
4. Medium iKhaya Birdhouse Hook + Shipping from Looodus

This giveaway is open internationally (woohoo!) You can enter via the Rafflecopter here:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Holiday Giveaway No. 1: For the Babes

For our first giveaway, I thought I'd start "at the beginning", so here's a fun pack of prizes for the baby (or mama-to-be) in your life:

1. $50 Credit to Little Hip Squeaks
2. Any single item + shipping from Koukku
3. Any onesie + shipping from egg-a-go-go
4. Night Sky Carrier + shipping from Ergobaby

This one is open to U.S. residents only (due to shipping restrictions of some of the participants), but don't worry I will have some international giveaways in the days to come too, so don't fret! You can enter via the Rafflecopter here. Good luck! xo, Lauren  a Rafflecopter giveaway

A Thanksgiving Kids' Table (Plus Free Printables!)

If you're looking to make something a little special for the kiddos this Thanksgiving, here's a fun and simple set up for you...

1. Kraft paper makes a fun table cloth and bonus: the kids can color on it! Fill a jar, bag, or pouch with crayons and trust me, they'll figure it out :)
2. Kids can write what they're thankful for on paper pennants and pin or tape them onto a mini tree. This one's from a season or two ago, but here's a similar one, or if you fill a vase with pebbles and use a few branches from your yard it would work just as well. 

3. These wood-veneered leaves give the table that special Fall feel. You could write kids' names on them and use them as place settings if you'd like.

4. Free printable place mats to add a fun dose of color. (download below!)

5. Wrap your plastic or wooden cutlery with washi tape to make them fun and festive.

6. Add a colorful garland in the background to add that party feel! 

And here are the printable place mats for you:

Click here to download the red placemat printable.
Click here to download the white placemat printable.

P.S. Don't forget to download our friendly paper dress up turkey to keep the little ones entertained!

Christmas Forest Advent Calendar - Free Printable

We are trying to keep things fun and cheap here at the H-Haus this holiday season, so I decided to make our own advent calendar in lieu of buying a lot of decorations. It'll be a great display on a TV stand, console, or mantel and a fun activity for Violet (and someday for Lucy too!) I actually got the idea from some old paper party hats we had, but they weren't the right colors, so I decided to trace them and make my own version. Then we printed them out, decorated the "trees", and folded and taped everything together and voila! Cheap (and inexpensive) Christmas fun!

I've included the files for you all as a free printable as well, just download, print, decorate, and assemble - it's pretty self-explanatory but if you have any q's I'm happy to help! We used dot stickers (left over from our raid-your-craft-stash gift wrap last year) and a gold paint pen to decorate our trees, but you could leave them plain too and they'd look just as pretty. To put them together I used packing tape because it's a lot stronger than regular tape and easier to work with than glue. I printed some on a thick textured paper which looked really pretty - almost like watercolor, but I ran out and printed the rest on regular printer paper and that worked just fine as well. You can hide little gifts under each cone and in the packages, then lift up the cone on the appropriate day - easy peasy :) Downloads available after the jump!

Gobble Gobble - Free Printable

If you want a little (free) Thanksgiving fun for your little one, I've got you covered :) Created this little turkey friend for Violet and thought I'd share it as a free printable. It could be a great way to keep little ones entertained at the kids table on Thanksgiving, no? I actually had to create a whole extra page of clothing/accessories after I showed it to her because there wasn't enough "princess stuff" :)

Print it on thick card stock or magnetic paper if you want to use it like the haunted house printable. Dress him (or her) up however you'd like!

Click here for the turkey printable

Click here for page 1 of clothing & accessories and here for page 2

Just right click or drag to your desktop and then print it out! Easy peasy. xo, Lauren

Easter Bunny Treat Bag: Free Printable

I figured while I was at it I might as well make a treat bag for Easter too. Here's a friendly little bunny that you can print out to hold all of those Easter goodies. The white one you can just download, print, glue onto a paper lunch bag, and cut out. The brown bag version I just cut out the ears and painted on the face. Even cuter: glue a fluffy pom pom on the back for a tail! xo, Lauren

Download the front of the bunny here . Download the back of the bunny here

P.S. Finely cut/shredded tissue paper makes my favorite Easter grass!

St. Patty's Day Free Printable Treat Bag

I just realized St. Patty's Day is this weekend and I've got nothing for Violet! Whoops :) Here's a free printable I whipped up and figured I'd share with all of you. Just print (you can download here), glue to a brown paper lunch bag, cut out the handle, and voila! Instant treat bag. I'm going to swing by the party store and stock up on some gold coins, rainbow candy, crayons, and the like. Nothing like the last minute! xo, Lauren

Link to the download

Free Valentine Printable

Here's a free Valentine's printable for your sweetheart :) Click here to download the full version. Happy Friday!

xo,

Anatomy of a Blog Post [001]

I get a ton of emails asking about how I create certain graphics for my blog, what programs I use to create layouts, etc. etc., so I thought maybe the information was post-worthy. First up is graphics. I create some of the graphics myself, but I also use a lot of freebies from other bloggers. Read on for more info (and a free download!):