You’re probably thinking, “What, another giveaway?!” Well, I honestly hadn’t planned on doing two giveaways within a month, but then something fun happened. Our little Facebook community started to grow, and I swore that when we reached 300 followers, I’d do a little giveaway to thank everyone over there for all the love and support over the last year. So in honor of that fun milestone, I’m giving out a copy of one of my favorite books, Humans of New York, based on the popular blog and Facebook community.
I love EVERYTHING about the Humans of New York movement, and everything the creator, Brandon Stanton, has done using this incredible platform. He raised $1.4 million dollars for an inner city school by sharing with his online community. He even traveled to the Middle East to share stories of people whose lives had been torn apart by war. Brandon and Humans of New York showcases the very best of humanity, and what good can be done through blogging and photography…obviously something I’m very passionate about.
If you’d like to enter this giveaway, please head over to the Crazy Bananas Creative Studio Facebook page, follow us (if you’re not already) and then leave a comment on the giveaway photo (click here for a direct link).
The winner will be selected randomly while I’m in New York on April 25th! Good luck! I hope you win!
http://www.crazybananas.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/humans-of-new-york-bookcover.jpg300233Meganhttp://www.crazybananas.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/Crazy_Banans_Logo_WebsiteBanner.pngMegan2015-04-13 10:42:282015-04-13 10:44:36Facebook Giveaway : Humans of New York
Last week was crazy, and I mean that in the best of ways! Lately my life has been full…so full of good and lovely and wonderful things, both in work and in my personal life, and while it’s amazing, it’s also a bit exhausting. Sometimes, as I’m running from task to task, I find myself getting anxious and I lose sight of how incredible this little life of mine is these days. My kids are finally old enough to be much more independent, I’ve started my own business, what used to be a hobby is now my JOB, and I have the flexibility to have the life I’ve dreamed of…and yet I can get stuck in the hectic busy-ness of it all. I know this is just a phase of life, and I won’t always feel this crazed, but it’s easy to get lost in the list of things to do and the little amount of time I have to do it all.
So last Wednesday I looked at my calendar and decided I needed to find something to be grateful for every, single hour. I had a huge day scheduled. It was April Fools Day, I was hosting Tate’s school Easter party, I had my first newborn photo session of the year, and we had both piano and soccer after school. In between I had deadlines and daily work I needed to get done. I was overwhelmed with all of it, but I had an idea that I thought would help.
I’m a huge fan of Instagram, so I decided it would be fun to do a “Day in the Life” series, where I would post a picture every hour of what was happening in my day. I started when I got up in the morning, and went until my head hit the pillow that night. I posted a photo as Tate exchanged plastic eggs with his buddies and as I arranged a sweet baby in a prop for our session. I shared as I helped Lulu with piano and as I edited late at night when the rest of the house was asleep. I wanted to share my day, but this project was also a bit self-serving. You see, I know the arguments against sharing photos of the “good stuff” on social media. I get it. It’s not realistic to think that every great photo of a beautiful kid smiling in the sunshine is indicative of someone’s entire life. Of course there are bad moments and tantrums in the grocery store. But I decided a while ago to try and focus on the good things in my life, and posting about those happy moments on social media (especially in photos) helps me cultivate gratitude and joy. So, for me, sharing the good moments doesn’t feel inauthentic. It feels like an act of thankfulness.
I shared my day on Instagram under the hashtag #dayinthelifeofmeg, and found the whole experience to be uplifting. It helped me take a crazy day and turn it into a series of beautiful moments. There is a lot of calm amidst the crazy! I also loved being able to share a bit of what my life looks like as a work-at-home mom and freelancer. I think there is a misconception that freelancers spend most of their time in coffee shops, leisurely writing their memoirs or something…and that couldn’t be further from the truth in my case! I work very hard so that I can be flexible and be with my family when they need me. It’s certainly not always easy, but it’s always worth it.
http://www.crazybananas.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/IMG_5361.jpg24482448Meganhttp://www.crazybananas.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/Crazy_Banans_Logo_WebsiteBanner.pngMegan2015-04-09 09:17:152015-04-09 09:22:42Day in the Life : Behind the Scenes
It’s the second edition of Unstyled, and lookie here, it’s SPRING in Kansas City! I actually had an entirely different outfit planned for this post, but then the weather was so gorgeous, I had to switch it up. The main item I wanted to highlight in this post is my favorite bag in the whole world, my Transport Tote by Madewell. I bought this bag about 2 years ago, and planned to use it as a chic diaper bag. My youngest was no longer an infant, but I needed a big tote that I could hold anything and everything I needed as a working mama. I talked about this tote a bit in my Blog Conference Essentials post last week, and how I have used smaller pouches to carry my supplies inside this larger bag. I do the same thing in my day-to-day life, carrying kid supplies (crayons, matchbox cars, snacks), work supplies (phone, camera, notebooks, laptop) and personal supplies. I have used this bag for travel and even for shopping at the market. It’s honestly one of the best, most versatile things I’ve ever owned.
So imagine my horror when I realized the bag I carry EVERYWHERE was starting to show wear?! One of the straps began to tear a bit, and while the bag is made to look worn in as you use it, it looked like the strap was going to snap any minute. On a whim, I went into my local Madewell and showed them the problem. Mind you, I had no receipt or proof of purchase, but I told them how much I loved my bag and asked if there was anything they could do for me.
Well, the Madewell team went above and beyond! First they took my bag to a local leather cobbler to see if he could repair it. When he said it couldn’t be fixed, they replaced the bag at no cost to me. They said while I obviously used the bag quite a bit and there was some wear on it, the problem with the strap shouldn’t have happened and they stand behind their products, so they wanted to give me a new tote. How awesome is that?! I was so impressed with Madewell’s customer service and it made me love this brand even more than I already do (which, let’s face it, is a lot).
Do you have any pieces of clothing or an accessory you can’t live without? Or have you ever experienced customer service so awesome it made you want to share your love of a brand with everyone you meet? I’m the Madewell’s number one fan at the moment, so if you see me on the street and compliment my outfit, I’ll probably start into my tirade about the amazingness of this brand!
Facebook Giveaway : Humans of New York
/0 Comments/in bloglife, Fun, Gimme, web /by MeganYou’re probably thinking, “What, another giveaway?!” Well, I honestly hadn’t planned on doing two giveaways within a month, but then something fun happened. Our little Facebook community started to grow, and I swore that when we reached 300 followers, I’d do a little giveaway to thank everyone over there for all the love and support over the last year. So in honor of that fun milestone, I’m giving out a copy of one of my favorite books, Humans of New York, based on the popular blog and Facebook community.
I love EVERYTHING about the Humans of New York movement, and everything the creator, Brandon Stanton, has done using this incredible platform. He raised $1.4 million dollars for an inner city school by sharing with his online community. He even traveled to the Middle East to share stories of people whose lives had been torn apart by war. Brandon and Humans of New York showcases the very best of humanity, and what good can be done through blogging and photography…obviously something I’m very passionate about.
If you’d like to enter this giveaway, please head over to the Crazy Bananas Creative Studio Facebook page, follow us (if you’re not already) and then leave a comment on the giveaway photo (click here for a direct link).
The winner will be selected randomly while I’m in New York on April 25th! Good luck! I hope you win!
Day in the Life : Behind the Scenes
/0 Comments/in bloglife, Crazybananas Photography - Personal, Work /by MeganLast week was crazy, and I mean that in the best of ways! Lately my life has been full…so full of good and lovely and wonderful things, both in work and in my personal life, and while it’s amazing, it’s also a bit exhausting. Sometimes, as I’m running from task to task, I find myself getting anxious and I lose sight of how incredible this little life of mine is these days. My kids are finally old enough to be much more independent, I’ve started my own business, what used to be a hobby is now my JOB, and I have the flexibility to have the life I’ve dreamed of…and yet I can get stuck in the hectic busy-ness of it all. I know this is just a phase of life, and I won’t always feel this crazed, but it’s easy to get lost in the list of things to do and the little amount of time I have to do it all.
So last Wednesday I looked at my calendar and decided I needed to find something to be grateful for every, single hour. I had a huge day scheduled. It was April Fools Day, I was hosting Tate’s school Easter party, I had my first newborn photo session of the year, and we had both piano and soccer after school. In between I had deadlines and daily work I needed to get done. I was overwhelmed with all of it, but I had an idea that I thought would help.
I’m a huge fan of Instagram, so I decided it would be fun to do a “Day in the Life” series, where I would post a picture every hour of what was happening in my day. I started when I got up in the morning, and went until my head hit the pillow that night. I posted a photo as Tate exchanged plastic eggs with his buddies and as I arranged a sweet baby in a prop for our session. I shared as I helped Lulu with piano and as I edited late at night when the rest of the house was asleep. I wanted to share my day, but this project was also a bit self-serving. You see, I know the arguments against sharing photos of the “good stuff” on social media. I get it. It’s not realistic to think that every great photo of a beautiful kid smiling in the sunshine is indicative of someone’s entire life. Of course there are bad moments and tantrums in the grocery store. But I decided a while ago to try and focus on the good things in my life, and posting about those happy moments on social media (especially in photos) helps me cultivate gratitude and joy. So, for me, sharing the good moments doesn’t feel inauthentic. It feels like an act of thankfulness.
I shared my day on Instagram under the hashtag #dayinthelifeofmeg, and found the whole experience to be uplifting. It helped me take a crazy day and turn it into a series of beautiful moments. There is a lot of calm amidst the crazy! I also loved being able to share a bit of what my life looks like as a work-at-home mom and freelancer. I think there is a misconception that freelancers spend most of their time in coffee shops, leisurely writing their memoirs or something…and that couldn’t be further from the truth in my case! I work very hard so that I can be flexible and be with my family when they need me. It’s certainly not always easy, but it’s always worth it.
Unstyled : 002
/0 Comments/in Style /by MeganIt’s the second edition of Unstyled, and lookie here, it’s SPRING in Kansas City! I actually had an entirely different outfit planned for this post, but then the weather was so gorgeous, I had to switch it up. The main item I wanted to highlight in this post is my favorite bag in the whole world, my Transport Tote by Madewell. I bought this bag about 2 years ago, and planned to use it as a chic diaper bag. My youngest was no longer an infant, but I needed a big tote that I could hold anything and everything I needed as a working mama. I talked about this tote a bit in my Blog Conference Essentials post last week, and how I have used smaller pouches to carry my supplies inside this larger bag. I do the same thing in my day-to-day life, carrying kid supplies (crayons, matchbox cars, snacks), work supplies (phone, camera, notebooks, laptop) and personal supplies. I have used this bag for travel and even for shopping at the market. It’s honestly one of the best, most versatile things I’ve ever owned.
So imagine my horror when I realized the bag I carry EVERYWHERE was starting to show wear?! One of the straps began to tear a bit, and while the bag is made to look worn in as you use it, it looked like the strap was going to snap any minute. On a whim, I went into my local Madewell and showed them the problem. Mind you, I had no receipt or proof of purchase, but I told them how much I loved my bag and asked if there was anything they could do for me.
Well, the Madewell team went above and beyond! First they took my bag to a local leather cobbler to see if he could repair it. When he said it couldn’t be fixed, they replaced the bag at no cost to me. They said while I obviously used the bag quite a bit and there was some wear on it, the problem with the strap shouldn’t have happened and they stand behind their products, so they wanted to give me a new tote. How awesome is that?! I was so impressed with Madewell’s customer service and it made me love this brand even more than I already do (which, let’s face it, is a lot).
Jeans : Madewell
Top : Cynthia Rowley
Shoes : Shoemint
Tote : Madewell
Watch : Kate Spade
Bracelet : Kendra Scott
Do you have any pieces of clothing or an accessory you can’t live without? Or have you ever experienced customer service so awesome it made you want to share your love of a brand with everyone you meet? I’m the Madewell’s number one fan at the moment, so if you see me on the street and compliment my outfit, I’ll probably start into my tirade about the amazingness of this brand!