Post-Quarantine Shopping? Support Independent Artists and #ShopRedBubble!

Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Sivan Social. All comments and opinions are my own.

If there's one thing an ongoing pandemic has taught me, it's to stop taking things for granted and to look for silver linings through hardship. Many people turned to online shopping during the pandemic - but for me, part of the fun of shopping is being able to make a conscious choice about where my money is being invested. I love finding hidden gems in the local business community and supporting them whenever possible! As a small business owner myself, I can't imagine doing anything else. So where can you find a silver lining in a pandemic-shopping world where all the local shops are closed? 

At the beginning of the 2020 quarantine, I was looking for face masks that would fit my personality as a theater teacher. I have a vintage/eclectic sense of style and that is not something that is always readily available in a big box store! So I googled "Broadway masks" and stumbled across a wide variety of options in a hidden gem of an online store - RedBubble.

Not familiar with RedBubble? It's a little corner of the internet where over 700,000 independent artists and designers have joined together to share their passions with the world. The company, founded in 2006, is located in Melbourne, Australia - but artists around the globe use the platform to gain exposure and offer their creations for sale.

My mask-searching was actually not my first experience with RedBubble - I have purchased several items from them over the past few years, including my very beloved stained glass window phone case. This case has held up to my incessant mistreatment of my phone (I drop it routinely) for years now! I wasn't planning to buy a new phone case, but when I saw this one, it was instant love. 

RedBubble is a fantastic place to shop since they are able to offer a variety of extremely unique items. Hundreds of designs can be printed onto just about any product that you could dream up - t-shirts, notebooks, stickers, laptop cases, clocks, blankets...you name it, they've probably got it! I have ordered from RedBubble multiple times in the past and have always been pleased with the quality of their items. I was so thrilled to pick out a few favorite things to share!

I've been obsessed with stickers since I was a child, so I gravitated toward the selection of stickers very quickly! A few favorites that I snagged include this plant sticker, an "I can't - I have rehearsal" sticker (#dramateacherlife), and this absolutely adorable bike sticker. Now if only I could find that purple bike cruiser in real life and keep it in my garage! I also could not resist this Together in Paris sticker, and plan to use it to continue to spread love for the greatest movie of all time. 

Savings.com is giving away six $50 e-gift codes and one $100 e-gift code to spend at Redbubble! Contest is open now through May 20, so get your entries in fast! And let me know what you find when you #ShopRedBubble!

Thank you to Sivan Social for sponsoring this post. For more information, you can read my Disclosure Policy.

Dear Eight-Year-Old Me #AmericanGirlMemories

Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Sivan Social. All comments and opinions are my own. 

Dear eight-year-old Julie,

Hey, it's me. I mean...it's YOU...twenty-some years in the future.  

I know that you've recently spent hours and hours poring over that mail order catalogue from Pleasant Company, featuring all those really amazing American Girl dolls. You know how you think you won't make it through another day unless you receive that magical "Molly" doll for your upcoming ninth birthday? I don't want to give anything away (so watch out because there are some major spoilers below), but I can't help it - I just have a feeling that you might want the inside scoop on how things are going to turn out. 

Sure enough, that beautiful doll is going to find its way into your arms when you turn nine. #BestBirthdayEver, right?! She's going to become the best friend you can imagine! You're going to bring her with you everywhere. You might have a panic attack when she's loved so well that her leg falls off - but don't worry! After a quick trip to the American Girl hospital, she'll be back with a shiny balloon and your adventures can continue. 

A few years after you turn nine, you're going to be absolutely thrilled to receive a Samantha doll, as well. She may not go on quite as many adventures with you as Molly did, but you're still going to love both of them with all your heart. You'll keep them long past childhood because you can't imagine giving them away. Besides...what if you have a daughter someday? 

But, that's a long way off. Between now and then, you'll continue channeling your love for American Girl by recommending the books wholeheartedly to every child who you encounter when you're working as a librarian. You'll be the founder of an "American Girl Book Club" and bring kids together routinely to share their thoughts about each of the different characters. Over time, you'll help many, many students learn how to use old-time skills to make crafts and keepsakes inspired by these characters. You'll host more American Girl themed tea parties than you can remember, and you'll smile every single time a child learns something through the eyes and experience of these girls you've always loved. And yes - your Molly and Samantha dolls will be along for the ride throughout all of this. 

Around ten years from now, you'll finally make it to New York City - where you'll excitedly take your girlfriends on your first EVER trip to American Girl Place. You'll spend more time there than anywhere else near 5th Avenue, and you'll be wishing you could bring home the entire collection! From that point on, anytime you are in New York, you'll make it a point to stop and visit the store. 

However, the best thing that's going to happen is even further down the road. In 2020, you're going to have your own little girl who's turning eight years old - and that's going to be even more special than you can dream right now. That little girl is going to wholeheartedly embrace your love for these dolls and their world, and together, you're going to live through the magic all over again. There is something incredibly special about passing on your treasured keepsakes to your kids. Don't believe me? Just you wait and see how spectacular it is when the only thing she wants for her eighth birthday is that Samantha doll of yours. 

She's going to read the books over and over again. She'll giggle when Samantha teases Eddie Ryland. She's going to make secret presents and sneak them under the tree on Christmas Eve so she can feel like a Christmas secret-keeper like Molly. She's going to say "Mom, do you know what Felicity and Elizabeth keep calling Elizabeth's sister?!" And after you reply "Bananabelle, of course!," you'll both laugh and laugh. 

Oh, and her Halloween costume that same year she turns eight? It's a matching Samantha dress from Pleasant Company (but don't get too jealous of your kid....even though I know you'd die of excitement if you had that dress in your collection).  

Eight-year-old self, there's a little something more that I think you should know. Those characters and their stories are going to become such a big part of who you are. They're going to help define how you see the world. You're going to remember Felicity's loyalty, Kirsten's pioneer spirit, Addy's quest for freedom, Samantha's hopes for justice and equality, and Molly's patriotism and spunk - and each of those things is going to contribute to the woman you grow up to be. But it won't stop there! You'll be able to share those same stories and so many more with your own daughter, and watch her form her own thoughts and opinions about how to tackle the world as she grows up...your very own little world-changing American Girl. 

It's going to be beyond beautiful.

If you are looking for a gift this year, consider an American Girl doll - it may end up becoming a family heirloom (like ours have). We had to add a Julie doll to our collection this year because...well, that's my name! And to those of you who might be wondering....no, my daughter Addie was not technically named after an American Girl character. But with both of our names represented in the historical character collection, we kinda think we're gonna be American Girl fans for the long haul. 

American Girl is offering free shipping on orders of $135+ this holiday season! Leave a comment and let me know which doll was your favorite growing up...and which one you would choose now! 

Thank you to Sivan Social for sponsoring this post. For more information, you can read my Disclosure Policy.

JBF Lees Summit Holiday Toy Sale - now through Sunday!

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Just Between Friends of Lee’s Summit. All opinions are my own. 

Just Between Friends (or JBF) of Lees Summit is having their 4th annual Holiday Toy Sale this weekend. Believe it or not, Christmas is just about five weeks away (somebody hold me). I try not to go overboard on Christmas gifts, but I would be lying if I said I didn't enjoy finding some things I know my kids will enjoy finding on Christmas morning.

At JBF, you'll find toys of every shape and size, for every age, and in just about every color or style. Kids don't mind if toys have been played with before - so why not save some money and snag your holiday gifts for much, much less this year?

Addie loves baby dolls right now and while she definitely does not need any more dolls, I still had to take a peek to see if there were any fun accessories she might enjoy. The selection was great - and I even spotted quite a few American Girl items up for sale.

This sale features not just toys, but baby gear (lots of strollers) and winter clothing for kids, too. I saw several winter coats and snow pants up for grabs. My favorite section is usually the children's books, but I had to refrain this time because I already have some books on hand for Christmas and our home library is quite extensive.

From princess costumes to hard to find character toys with everything in between, JBF's Holiday Sale is a one stop shop this holiday season.

If you can't find what you need in the gently used toy section, you won't believe all the amazing brand new goodies from Melissa & Doug! I love the classic style of these toys... We've had a lot of them over the years and they have always been popular with the kids and their friends.

Ready to go shopping? Here's how!

Just Between Friends Lees Summit Holiday Sale
John Knox Pavilion

Friday, Nov 20th 10am-7pm

Saturday, Nov 21st 10am-7pm

FREE Pictures with Santa on Saturday from 1-3pm!

Sunday, Nov 22nd 10am-4pm ~ 50% off SALE!

On Sunday, many items have reduced prices,
those with a star on their tag remain full price.

More info about the sale can be found here: 

Just Between Friends- Lees Summit Holiday Sale Website

Facebook | Twitter

Fall into Fall with Just Between Friends Lees Summit!

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Just Between Friends of Lee’s Summit. All opinions are my own. 

Back to school seems to be in full swing, and for me, that's crazy to believe. We're still busy playing outside and visiting splash parks, but we've had a hint of fall weather this week and that reminded me that I need to take stock of what kind of clothes the kids need for the upcoming seasons! Is your child's wardrobe already set for colder temperatures, or do you still need to do some shopping?

I've never been a fan of paying full retail prices for clothing - that's just crazy, because kids outgrow things way too quickly! And let's talk about Christmas...who wants to pay retail prices for holiday surprises? I can't wait to shop the Just Between Friends Lees Summit sale and save on it all!

I've been to this sale multiple times. If you're new to consignment shopping, it can be a little bit overwhelming! There is a lot of stuff at each and every sale! The most important tip I can offer is this: don't go in there without a list of what you plan to buy. You'll get distracted without it! It's my goal to snag some winter gear and Christmas gifts for the kids when I'm shopping this weekend.

Last fall, I shopped a JBF sale and saved 78% on the items in the photo above! You can read more about my #BestDeal here!

Need more info? Check out the JBF Lee's Summit website for all the details you need. You can join their email newsletter for details on how to consign, shop, or volunteer.

If you're planning to stop by the sale, here's where to find it:
John Knox Pavilion in Lee's Summit
520 NW Murray Rd, Lees Summit, MO 64081 

Thursday 10am: Primetime $10 Admission (you get the best selection at this early sale and all fees go to help JBF's charity partners!)
Friday 10-7: $2 admission 
Saturday 10-5: free admission 
Sunday 10-5: free admission (50% off sale!!) 

When you visit on Sunday for the 50% sale, bring your kids along to get a FREE photo from Bailey Paige Photo at her fall themed photo booth. Dress your kids in their Halloween costumes or just a cute fall outfit and download your free photo after you get home!

Follow along on Periscope to see behind the scenes of the sale - @JBFAmber will be posting all weekend long! You can also watch for me on Thursday morning around 9 AM when I'll be sharing my favorite deals on Facebook, Twitter, and on Periscope - @directorjewels!

If you're planning to shop the sale, don't miss the Facebook party for tips to find deals and the chance to win prizes like front of the line passes, prime time passes, JBF bucks, and more! The party is TONIGHT, Tuesday 8/25 at 9 PM central time. RSVP here!

What's the best consignment deal you've ever snagged?

#FuelTheLove: A Family Staycation

Disclosure: This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone.
#FuelTheLove #CollectiveBias

Sometimes, family vacations are big and exciting. You might drive for two days to reach your destination, then spend a week and a half at the beach or an amusement park before heading home. Other times, vacations are a short and simple affair. You pick a destination that makes a good day trip, stay in a hotel one night, then come right back home. And then there are still other times where you don't go anywhere out of the ordinary at all, but you still make memories and have the best family fun imaginable - right in your own backyard.

No matter where you're headed this summer - your local zoo or Kalamazoo or somewhere in between - you will definitely want to make sure that your vehicle is in tip-top shape for the trip. Even for running errands around town (which seems to be what I spend a lot of time doing), it's important to keep up with routine maintenance for your car. That means - yes - actually paying attention to that little oil change sticker on the top of your windshield! I admit that I'm not the best at remembering to have maintenance done on my car - but with the convenience of the Walmart Automotive Care Center and Pennzoil, I am trying to overcome my failings!

The Pennzoil brand is one I have come to trust. It's designed for complete protection and allows you to drive 550 extra miles per year (when compared to a car with a dirty engine). Our van has well over 75,000 miles (we'll drive it into the ground), so we always ask for Pennzoil's High Mileage oil. It's designed to reduce leaks and oil consumption. Plus, all Pennzoil oils help clean out sludge that other oils leave behind. Win-win, right?

From now until September 9th, Pennzoil oil changes are even on Rollback at Walmart Automotive Care Centers. High Mileage is $35.88, compared to the regular Walmart price of $39.88 and Platinum Full Synthetic is $45.88, compared to the regular Walmart price of $49.88.

So on this particular occasion, when I noticed it was time for an oil change, we high-tailed it to our local Walmart. We may not have a big trip planned, but we need our van at its best for all of our day to day adventures. As it turned out...we didn't want to hang out in the waiting area for very long, so we got to have a little staycation right at Walmart! Mini family vacation on a random weekday afternoon? Love it.

So in case you, like us, need some fun ways to occupy your time while also being responsible and getting your car's oil changed, here are a few of our ideas! Lincoln and Addie chimed in with their opinions on what is most fun.

1. Take the long route. Make sure everyone has a partner, and go for a nice leisurely stroll about the store. Warning: avoid aisles with glassware, light bulbs, and poison.

2. Rank toy cars in order of coolness. Beg your mom to buy a few. Throw a fit or two if mom refuses. It'll be fun!

3. Check out the clothing selection. Anything with a monster truck is automatically approved.

4. Practice counting on the ruler at the fabric counter. Climbing and/or standing on the counter (while fun) are not recommended. Moms get a little worried about that.

5. Play with every toy on the lowest shelf. Drag a lot of them onto the floor. Push every button you can find. Other shoppers love that!

7. Stop to smell the roses. Or the candles that smell like roses. Because, those are basically the exact same thing!

What's your favorite staycation destination?

Disclosure: This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. For more information, you can read my Disclosure Policy.

How to Take a Quick & Easy Mom Vacation

Disclosure: This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #DropShopAndOil #CollectiveBias

I am the worst at car maintenance. Really. I never remember when it is time to check tires or fluids, and I honestly don't even know how to do most routine maintenance things to my car. After the holiday season died down, I sneaked a peek at that handy little reminder sticker in the window of my minivan and realized...wow. We're super way behind on getting the oil changed! Yikes! So, I told my husband I was going to go take car of it all by myself. He thought I was being responsible. I thought, let's make a less-than-fun errand something amazing. What, you think I'm crazy? Nah. Thanks to Pennzoil at Walmart, I can tackle an oil change and some other errands at the same time!

Now, some people might choose to do something "normal" like grocery shopping or stocking up on clearance Christmas storage bins while waiting for their vehicle to be serviced in the Walmart Auto Care Center. But not me. I did pick up some dental floss along the way, but I found some other ways to spend my time, as well.

So, without further ado, I give you: 6 Things To Do While Getting Your Oil Changed. 

This is even more fun if you can start off here when no one else is in the aisle and then startle an innocent shopper.

After last year's garden fail, this was a top priority. 

Feel all the sad feels. It's okay. Maybe.

Who doesn't want a giant Star Wars spaceship displayed in their home at all times?

Or, you know, pick out a vacuum for your home. Whichever sounds more entertaining for your personal brand of enjoyment.

The beauty of getting your oil changed at Walmart is that whether you have time to have a mini mom vacation or you actually need to take care of your errands at the same time, you don't have to worry about your car's well-being. The Auto Care Center will take care of everything for you! Pennzoil is designed for complete protection and allows you to drive an extra 550 miles per year (compared to a car with a dirty engine). Our minivan has only been with us for two years, but it it's been on many travels, has seen far more than 75,000 miles and is well cared for with Pennzoil's High Mileage oil. If, like me, you have a car that's in serious need of an oil change, you can save $5 on a 5-quart bottle of Pennzoil with this coupon. And you can have your own mini mom vacation!

Pennzoil Richard Petty Driving School "Experience of a Lifetime" Giveaway

Is your car overdue for an oil change?

Disclosure: This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. For more information, you can read my Disclosure Policy.

DIY Wall Christmas Tree & Put Out the Fire Game with Free Printables - #PlanesToTheRescue

Disclosure: This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #PlanesToTheRescue #CollectiveBias

My kids love Christmas and they love any sort of vehicle - whether cars, trains, or planes, they'll play with them for hours! I've been meaning to make them a Christmas tree that they can play with (so that we avoid things like the time Lincoln knocked down our tree), and it was a no-brainer to add in an element of play based on the success of our Firefighter Birthday Party Game.

So, it was decided: we would make a Christmas tree for our wall that featured FIRE! The kids would have to use their awesome Disney Planes rescue toys to put out the flames and save Christmas! With everyone sufficiently excited, we headed off to Walmart to grab all the supplies we would need.

Lincoln was all too happy to select a set of Disney Planes Fire & Rescue Die-Cast Vehicles, 3-Pack and I was excited that they were on Rollback to $14.97. At less than $5 each, this set of three die-cast vehicles made a welcome addition to our toy collection. 

There's nothing better than a surprise Rollback just in time for Christmas! We had a tough time deciding which toy to buy. Although Lincoln ultimately chose the die-cast three-piece set, we also considered the Disney Planes Flight to the Finish Speedway (Rollback to $24.97), Disney Planes Fire & Rescue Deluxe Talking Vehicle Assortment (Rollback to $19.97), Planes Character Assortment die-cast set and the Disney Planes: Fire and Rescue Character Assortment die-cast set (both on rollback at $4.97).

With so many toys to choose from, I'm surprised that Lincoln made a confident decision! I was pretty proud of him!

After our toy choice was decided, we picked up the other supplies we would need to make a large Christmas tree and headed home. Once we were there, Lincoln waited approximately 0.442291 seconds before declaring "Mommy! Get them out of the box! And let's make our Christmas tree!"

I was worried that the Christmas tree project would be really complicated with two toddlers involved, but with the help of daddy, it ended up being not too bad. And I only got one spot of green paint on my nicest yoga pants.

If you want to make a tree for your kids this week, here's how!

DIY Wall Christmas Tree for Toddlers

Supplies Needed:
-Poster Board (I used two sheets)
-Packing Tape
-Acrylic Paint and Paintbrushes (you could also use markers or crayons - or just buy colored poster board to save the trouble!)
-Cardstock and a Printer
-Sticky Tack or some sort of wall adhesive

Directions:

1. Tape your Poster Board sheets together and cut out a Christmas Tree shape. We went with a very simple design - just a triangle, but if you're more motivated than me, you could do individual branches, too!

2. Let Toddler Decorate Tree. We threw on a paint smock (aka one of my old t-shirts), gave Lincoln a couple of paintbrushes, and let him go to town. We did end up helping him finish the green paint - it's a big tree!

3. Print off some Decorations, Ornaments, and Flames. You can print the ones we designed here! The flames are pre-colored, but we let Lincoln and Addie use acrylic paint to decorate each of the ornaments, candy canes, and strands of tinsel.

4. Let Paint dry, then laminate to increase sturdiness. We don't have a laminating machine, but were able to take the pieces to a local shop and have them covered for a nominal charge.

5. Use Sticky Tack to Adhere Tree to Wall. This was the easiest part!

6. Apply Sticky Tack to each decoration and let toddlers decorate and re-decorate to their heart's content! This has been so fun for the kids - they love having something Christmas related that is on their level that they are actually allowed to play with!

7. Don't forget to add Flames to your tree - then gather up all of your willing Disney Planes Fire & Rescue toys! We used regular straws as "water hoses" and this created hours of play as Lincoln pretended to put out fires with the planes.

He was even creative enough to connect the straw to his Dusty!

Both the tree and the fire rescue game have been a huge success and I think we'll probably add more decorations to our wall tree each year.

I'm all about projects that entertain my kids for more than five minutes - and this one definitely did!

What fun things are you doing with your toddlers to get ready for Christmas this week?

Disclosure: This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. For more information, you can read my Disclosure Policy. #PlanesToTheRescue #CollectiveBias