If you're a blogger or a maker or a writer, you've likely considered the idea of contributing to another website or blog. There are lots of reasons you might throw your hat in the ring as a contributor: for greater exposure, for compensation, for a connection to creatives you admire. There are other reasons you might decide contributing is not for you: your content under someone else's brand, more work/more timelines, or an imperfect fit of your content with another blog's message.

Pars Caeli is in its second year and is growing steadily from a tiny blog to a flourishing blog. In year two, I've been focusing on two goals for this webhome: cover-expenses revenue and growth. With a DIY/project based blog, I have expenses on materials and hosting, and I need Pars Caeli to be moving me into the black instead of the red, and we're making positive growth in that direction. I also want to grow this year...Grow in a broad sense. Of course, I'd like to reach more readers and become a daily read for more people, but I also want to stretch into new territories and try out some new adventures as a part of this blogging journey.

I decided to follow my heart, as I almost always do, and make some inquiries at blogs that I love. With gazillions of fantastic blogs (and bloggers) out there, it was tough to narrow down. I considered whose content I continually found interesting and whose content resonated with my own. Many contributors go for freelancing in an arena outside of their blog content, and I decided I wanted an even deeper dive into kid projects, parenting, and DIY.

Earlier this year, I became a monthly contributor to Classic Play, an incredible creative site run by Jen Cooper. I've been following Jen for quite a while now (she taught me how to find my voice in an Alt Summit class long time ago), and I even have the pleasure of calling her a friend. Parenting is fun over at Classic Play, and loving your children and dedicating time to be with them is strongly encouraged - and I wanted to be a part of it! Contributing to Classic Play is about networking and reaching a new audience, but I'm there more because I'm really enthusiastic about the mission of positive parenting and creative households. I love seeing my work mingled with Jen's and the other amazing contributors.

I'm super excited to announce that I'm a brand new collaborator on another blog that I've admired, Modern Parents Messy Kids. Steph's motto over at Modern Parents Messy Kids is "mindful living, effortless style". Her energy and clear vision for a beautiful life are contagious, and as a fellow mom of three, she knows what it means to have a lot on your plate. Steph's letting me utilize some of my design muscles to create some fantastic printables for her readers. With more than 100K Pinterest followers, Steph's posts reach far into an audience I love - busy, awesome moms. As a contributor to MPMK, I also have the opportunity to pin my other projects here on Pars Caeli to the contributor's board, which is an amazing gift!

Contributing is not for everyone, and it may not always be for me. As I grow as a creator and writer, it feels like the right time. If you're looking to contribute as a large source of income or to gain significant followers, you might want to reconsider. Not all sites link back to yours (and if they do, readers are not very likely to follow the author link), and it is the engaging content that you create that brings in the views, not (typically) your authorship alone at the small-to-medium size blog.

You'll still find me here, in my home, Pars Caeli, three days a week (as long as our internet connection stays consistent!). I have unique projects and ideas I want to share with you here. I hope you'll take some adventures with me to these other sights, too! Your readership means the world to me, and I love seeing how you bring some of these pieces of heaven into your life.

Summer Wednesdays are the best! Our team of bloggers is sending you great projects to do alongside yo ur children this summer. This week Amy has an amazing collapsible playhouse to share. How perfect is that? Kids can create and play, and parents can have the freedom to collapse the house when it needs to be stored away! I can imagine my children loving to decorate and get inside this creation.

Also, I love Amy's unique design and special attention to the interior space. The house looks like a little jewel box.

Save your refrigerator and moving boxes for this project! We'd love to see your creations.

If you've missed a post in the Endless Summer Series, here's what we've done so far:

Jen made a free printable banner for the last day of school! We created abstract art with tape. And Alexandra crafted a scavenger hunt that is ready to go.

School ends on Friday here, and we're excited to dig in to even more Endless Summer Projects! Have you made your summer bucket list yet?

xoxo, MJ

Hello friends!

It's the last week of school around here, and I feel like we are barely limping across the finish line. I want to share and reshare these great ideas for how to end your school year with fun and celebration! Here are three activities we're doing this week to make the start of summer a treat.

Teachers are busily signing these sweet books for each of our children. I'm keeping them a secret (shhh!) until their high school graduations, but I love reading the thoughts from special people in their lives. I did a post on this project if you want to try something similar for your littles.

We're making final thank you presents for the best teachers and attaching these tags. By the time the end of the year rolls around, these hard working individuals could use a laugh and an extra treat. Click on over here to get your own set of printables to add to your gifts. They also make great final lunchbox notes for the students in your life.

If you're looking for a quick, meaningful, but inexpensive final gift, try crafting some of these chalkboard frames for your teachers. We've made them the past few year, and they've been a big hit.

I have this printable from Classic Play all ready to go for my preschooler and big kids to run through! There's nothing like the feeling of crossing the finish line and accomplishing another year. I wonder how I ended up with a 4th grader - yikes! But I'm so excited to have them in summer mode to enjoy the warmth and sunshine together.

Have any great ways that you're wrapping up the academic year and welcoming summer? We'd love more suggestions!

xoxo, MJ

I'm taking a step back or maybe a step to the side from my regular blog programming today to talk about something on my heart. The poet, Dr. Maya Angelou, died yesterday at the age of 86. She left behind a wealth of writing and performance that will continue to bless us for years to come.

Unlike some of my blogger friends, I never had the opportunity to meet Dr. Angelou or hear her speak in person. I was more of a remote fan, tuning into her countless appearances on Oprah and watching her on television during her brilliant oration in 1993 at President Bill Clinton's first inauguration.

I clearly remember the first time I read her poem, Phenomenal Woman. I was in college, my first-time away from home for an extended period of time, a bit unsure of my place in the world around me, feeling small. I typically read words of any kind quickly in my head, often skipping a few here or there to rush to the point. And as I began her first stanza, I felt compelled to read her words slowly, carefully. Sounding out each syllable in the word Phe-nom-e-nal as I read it and repeated it. The letters themselves seemed to possess a tenacity and resiliency.

1. Classic Play 2. Crafting Connections 3. Brittani Renee 4. Classic Play

I read and reread that poem. And as I did, I started to understand that I had my own spot from which to stand. And that because of, and not despite, the curves I possess and the strength of my character, I was my own brand of phenomenal. And I visualized all of the phenomenal women I had encountered in my life and saw them again for the beauty they each held.

It was one of those moments that will be significant to me, even though I was merely sitting on my bed, reading from a book. Dr. Angelou taught me or at least pulled out something from within me that I'd missed along the way...

Listen to her articulate the five stanzas like no one else could:

 
Maya Angelou - Phenomenal Woman by poetictouch

I felt a pang go through me yesterday upon reading of Dr. Angelou's passing. Our paths never crossed yet her work struck a chord with me. That's the power of words, of poetry, of art. Her poems had and have lifted me from one place to another. Her spirit will live on through her wisdom.

5. Real Simple 6. The DIY Mommy 7. Career Contessa 8. Feathered Arrow Press

As I read through the illustrations of her words, I found myself typing, "Amen!" or "yes!" to each social media post. The eight I'm sharing with you today are some of my very favorites from talented makers and designers.

Thank you, Dr. Maya Angelou, for helping me to recognize the Phenomenal I was created to be and inspiring generations of women and men to do the same.

xoxo, MJ

P.S. Here's one more from me. I just couldn't resist.

One of my most favorite activities ever? A scavenger hunt. My favorite birthday party (in 6th grade) was a complex scavenger hunt that my dad and brother planned for me. And for my husband's last birthday (which falls on April Fool's Day) we planned a silly scavenger hunt for him to find his presents.

Scavenger hunts pique curiosity and extend problem solving skills in wonderful, new ways. I'm so delighted that Alexandra has decided to make one as part of the Endless Summer Projects series! And I mean make the entire hunt for you, ready to go, just press print.

My preschooler has his final day next Thursday (before his big sisters do), and I'm planning this adventure to kick his summer off the right way! Hop on over to Alexandra's blog to get the hunt for yourself!

And if you missed them, catch up on our first two posts in the Endless Summer Projects series!

We have something really great up our sleeves for next week! We'd love to see what you're doing this summer, too! Share your projects using the hashtag #endlesssummerprojects, and we'll show off your creativity.

Have a bright one, friends!

What are you planning to do this summer with the kids? Water parks or amusement parks? Day trips to historic monuments? Camping? How about hitting the local art museums!! They can be a whole lot of fun, too. Kids and art are a fabulous pair.

And art transforms us, while helping us remember who we are. It defines us as human beings and sometimes even elevates our handiwork to show a sliver of heaven and Divine creation.

But even with all that beauty and awesomeness in an art museum space, a family excursion to a quiet, clean, monitored space can sometimes be a total disaster or at best a giant headache. Today I'm sharing our ideas on how to make these journeys peaceful, enjoyable, and can I even throw in... inspirational? Well, let's start at peaceful.

1. FEED AND HYDRATE EVERYONE FIRST

I know it's an obvious, but it deserves its very own point. Do not take children to a museum and expect them to have energy to walk and interest to look unless they are hydrated, fed, and relatively rested (that goes for the adults, too). Hitting the sculpture garden with a cranky, crying, tired child will leave you beating your head against the wall.

Enter the excursion with a sense of energy and enthusiasm and time it well. Early morning and mid afternoon can be a wonderful time to explore art. Side note: make sure you hit the restrooms before hiking up the stairs to the Renaissance wing.

2. DO YOUR RESEARCH AND SHOW YOUR LOVE.

If you're going to a museum you've never been, take the time to learn the highlights and find your own must-sees. Your children will feel your enthusiasm and want to discover right along with you if you set the tone in the right way. It will also encourage your children to find their own favorites and show them off to you! Let them know you're interested in the art they love.

3. HIT THE GIFT SHOP ON THE WAY IN

Never would I have thought this was a good idea until I read this post from Gabrielle. So, we tried it. We went right in to the store (much to my children's delight), and it was a great way to see quickly the most

famous works in the museum. We had each child pick postcards of their two favorite pieces. With art museum map in hand, we made our way around to each of their picks and enjoyed what we saw along the way to these galleries. We then took each child's picture with their favorites, and these works became something personal and a special memory from the visit.

4. IF POSSIBLE, BRING YOUR SUPPLIES.

Many of the larger art museums ask that you check your bags. Smaller art museums are more flexible. When we can, we have the kids bring along their sketchbooks and colored pencils (easy to transport, harder to do damage). Whether it's on a bench or right on the floor, sitting and sketching can take the experience to another level for kids. Let them decide the art work that they want to draw and give them as much time as you're able to complete their finished piece.

Do you have any great ways to enjoy art museums with children to add to the list?

Let's get out there and explore these beatiful places... and bring our kids, too!

xoxo, MJ

Wayfair offers a zillion things home – the largest selection of home furnishings and décor across all styles and price points. For more information and inspiration, visit Wayfair and follow Wayfair on Facebook, Twitter & Pinterest. Wayfair compensated me for this post but all opinions and project ideas are mine.

Welcome to week #2 of Endless Summer Projects! I'm delighted to team up again this week with my blogger pals: Ali, Melissa, Jen, and Amy. We taking our project to the big leagues this week with a large two foot by three foot canvas. Grab your favorite tapes and some scissors and let's get to work.

When my little guy L was an even littler guy, we took he and his sisters to the Art Institute of Chicago. They ate up all the painting and sculptures, but the wing of modern art was a favorite. At 2, L fell in love with this giant striped piece and ever since then I've been thinking about how to bring this idea to his space.

With all of the awesome washi tape and duct tape varieties now available, this striped project got a whole lot easier. The supply list is simple: a large canvas (the large scale can better handle the wide variation in pattern), tapes, and scissors as well as your favorite stripe lover. L is just a little bit bigger than this canvas, which was a fun way to note his relative age/size as we were creating this together.

We decided together that we wanted vertical stripes, and we began off center so that we could create a non-symmetrical striped pattern. You can predetermine the order of your stripes or do what we did and create balance as you go by making some of the stripes extra thick and others thinner.

Secure each stripe by extending the line to the back of the canvas. Perhaps the most challenging part of this DIY (though none of the steps would really be considered challenging) is making sure that your lines stay straight as you pull the tape down the canvas. Little hands can easily select what colored stripe comes along next and guide the roll of tape as you straighten and trim the ends.

Let's just say this project had us at hello, and L was so excited with his new canvas, even if it had one lone stripe. But we kept moving forward, mixing up the width of tapes as we added new colors to the canvas.

We had five different colors and a windy day, but all in all this project took us 30 minutes from start to complete in his room.

L and I worked together to hang our new artwork above his dresser. It already houses some Wayfair pieces! And I've been looking at these three as other fun additions to this big boy room (a fire extinguisher water hose is the best)!

Wayfair Firefighter Gear  + Whitney Bros Mirror  +  WallCandy Arts Mural

The finished art offsets L's very special items and pops all the bright colors in the room in a fun and festive way. L pulled out a classic quote on me while we were making this, "Mommy, whenever I look at this, I'll think of you and all the fun we had making this!" Awh. So sweet. How could I not give this kid something special?!

My blogger gals and I are hopping around today to show off our favorite picks from Wayfair for children's and tween's bedroom and playspace. Click on over and see the adorable ice cream supplies with Alexandra, the colorful picks at Lulu the Baker, the chic art prints at Classic Play, and all the animal love you could want at This Heart of Mine!

Alexandra Hedin, Lulu the Baker, Classic Play, and This Heart of Mine

If you missed it last week, be sure to grab Jen's printable summer banner for end of the academic year celebrations that kicked off our Endless Summer Projects series. Thank you all for visiting and sharing and enjoying time spent with your kids in the creation process!

xoxo, MJ

It's about that time to celebrate and relax with the opening weekend of summer: Memorial Day! Whether you're spending the holiday with oodles of family and friends or kicking back for a low-key day at home, I've found some of fabulous activities to enjoy the outdoors and togetherness.

1. Scavenger Hunts are the best! And this one by Play Dr. Mom combines the alphabet and searching, challenging young players to bring items from the outdoors to match up with as many letters as they can find.

2. Looking for a fast DIY for your backyard? Grab a dollar store shower curtain and some painters tape and make a jumbo tic tac toe board. Colorful frisbees make great markers, too! Check out how A Turtle's Life for Me put it all together.

3. Bucket toss is a classic in any arrangement. Pull out the rainbow hues and arrange at a close distance, in a triangle, or far apart to challenge the entire family. Apply numbers to buckets like they've done over on Gets Bored Easily to add another level to the toss game.

4. If your Memorial Day will bring high temps, cool off with some water balloon pinatas like these. Pool noodles make fun bats, too!

5. The poppy is a symbol of remembrance and is often linked to Memorial Day. These lovely flowers were created in a few simple steps - make these together for the holiday! Check out Bar's poppy project over on Handmade Charlotte.

What does your holiday bring? Are you ready to welcome in summer?

xoxo, MJ

“This shop is part of a social shopper marketing insight campaign with Pollinate Media Group® and Nestle, but all my opinions are my own. #pmedia  #BreakfastEssentials http://my-disclosur.es/OBsstV

This time of year is getting a little hectic with end-of-the-school-year activities colliding with new summer interests. Our children are wrapping up dance, while starting up soccer, and finishing craft club, while beginning softball. But no matter what time of year it is, we have a pre-game, pre-performance ritual to get ourselves psyched!

A few years ago, my husband introduced a heaping spoon of peanut butter. Gratefully none of us are allergic and we all love it (plus it has some nutritional value), and we were easily convinced that a scoop of peanut butter would set us off on the right foot.

Some of our activities are beginning early these days, and my children are expected to be up and filled with energy right after breakfast.

I decided to take our ritual of mounds of peanut butter and transition it into a morning smoothie. My children love fruit smoothies and chocolate milk so it wasn't a far leap!

These were quick to make and little hands made everything more enjoyable. The recipe is simple using items you likely already have around. Here's what we used to create our Peanut Butter Banana Chocolate Smoothies:

To add a little extra loving, I decided to make some straw notes to wish my favorite athletes all the best. It was a cute surprise to greet them at the breakfast table. M is our slugger in her second year of softball, and C is a big kicker in her second year of soccer.

I used flexible straws and attached our notes with some tape on the back. Be sure to tape right above the bend so that your straw can both reach into the glass and the note is low enough to make the straw functional.

Little L is not yet in organized sports or activities, but that didn't stop him from wanting a smoothie to start off his day!

I picked up the Carnation Breakfast Essentials at Walmart. For a limited time while supplies last, they have a coupon available for your own smoothie making. And if you're looking for more smoothie recipes, check out Carnation's host of ideas or follow them on Facebook.

And parents, of course, need a little extra success, too, so pour yourself a glass of these delicious creations.

Do you have any pre-game rituals that get your kids off on the right foot?

xoxo, MJ

I can hardly believe it! It's that time of year again?! Bring on the Endless Summer Projects! Jen, Alexandra, Melissa, Amy, and I have been working for months to put together a fun, creative collection of projects. Well, it wasn't all work...there was a fair amount of laughter, sharing, and good old-fashioned sarcasm thrown around to get us to today.

Over these next 15 Wednesdays, stretching us long into August, we'll be sharing some fabulous ways to spend time with your children this summer and soak up all the sun-kissed joy of summer!

Most of us are not yet into the official summer schedule. We have 19 days left of school (but who's counting, right?), and I'm always looking for memorable ways to celebrate the close of another year. Our typical tradition includes stopping by teacher's classrooms to thank them for a good year and enjoying a lunch out all together, since the last day is typically a half day.

Jen of Classic Play has a great printable banner ready for all of us to celebrate! Imagine the joy of your children breaking through the streamers as they run out for the bus or into the car.

Click on over to Classic Play to get the downloadable pdf and get it ready for your end-of-the-year party. I want to put one on our minivan and maybe one on their bedroom doorframe the morning of the last day.

What are your year-end traditions?

xoxo, MJ

P.S. I'm hosting next Wednesday's project, thanks to our friends at Wayfair. Grab a large canvas and some washi tape...

Anticipation of something amazing is almost as fun as the actual event, right? Well, that's certainly the way we feel around our house. I'm grateful that my children love school, but I also know that we are all ready for a break in projects and homework, a break in the weather, and a return to some of our favorite activities.

We try to mix in learning with our summer relaxation time so that our children realize again that learning is fun and a lifelong pursuit. About this time every year, as the school year winds down, and our plans for summer begin to solidify.

What do you want to learn this summer?

What do we need to make sure we do?

Where should we go?

It's summer daydreaming together, and it's also been a fun way to collect this moment in time for each of my children...as their wishes change so much from year to year and mark this special time in their childhoods.

I also love sharing what I (and my husband) enjoy about summer and what we want to learn and do. It's a great way to pass along our family history and also to open up little eyes to big possibilities.

Start your summer conversation now. I've got a handy printable that you can download and make a part of  your summer memories! Bring it to dinner or leave it at the breakfast table for your children to complete. And enjoy the conversation and the fun activities that result.

Our Endless Summer Projects series begins tomorrow, and it's going to kick off the fun in a really big way. Make sure you hop back to see what we have for you!

xoxo, MJ

Satisfaction is a funny thing (keeping it clean here, friends).

I am rarely content. There's always something I want to do, or something I don't want to do, or something I wished I hadn't done. I'm a pretty passionate, driven kind of person.

I am rarely satisfied.

Except for one day of the year. And that is my birthday. Today is my birthday.

And today I allow all the memories of joy flood my interior space. It's a day of virtual scrapbook flipping, remembering all of the people and events that have brought me to this day. And likely, if you're reading this, you're involved in one of those memories.

Even if we haven't had the pleasure of face-to-face meeting or even engaging in witty banter on social media, I'm thinking about you today and grateful that you take the time to click over to this space to see what's going on. Your clicks, your reading, and your encouragement have given me the trust that this space can flourish into something I really want it to be - a piece of heaven and a piece of me.

Indulge me here, it is my birthday, on sharing two snippets of wonder wisdom from my deep old age of 39:

1. BE GRATEFUL FOR THIS:

A very hard lesson for me to learn, but I have re-learned it again and again in my decades is to be grateful. A great saint once said, "Problems, too, have their purpose. Be grateful for them." Sometimes, most times, I hate conflict. I no longer shy away from it, but I still detest it. And what I'm oh so, so, so slowly learning is that I learn in conflict. I grow in a challenge. Even when I screw up big, life goes on. Might as well be grateful.

And so I am.

2. LIFE IS FULL OF ENDLESS POSSIBILITIES:

I live in a world and in a time when anything can happen. When seen from a negative angle, this is terrifying, but when seen from a level perspective, this is pretty exhilarating. I laugh when I think back to my little girl dreams of being a ballerina (I took one ballet class when I was 6) and being an artist. My dreams are so much bigger now, even more fantastical perhaps, but many of them are coming true. Take for example this space. Pars Caeli has given me friendships with very talented and encouraging people and given me professional opportunities that I didn't even imagine.

I have moments - maybe you do, too - where I'm physically struck by how good my life is.

I had one last week, walking in from the garage, with the smell of fresh herbs in my hands. I was struck and fell back just slightly. No one around me likely noticed.

We'd just returned from the nursery, where we went as a family, to purchase our future garden. My children come alive around plants and flowers, and they were sniffing their way around the place, running down the aisles of color, and making up songs to celebrate the joys of summer on its way. I watched my husband carefully peruse each vegetable, considering which could handle our lack of open sunshine in the backyard now that the trees we've planted are so tall and lovely.

I realized that I am living the dream that I had not fully formulated as a little girl. And I am so grateful.

Lovely people have asked me what sort of special something I'm doing for my birthday. I'm headed into work, taking a break to go to the orthodontist with C, and then heading into three hours of dress rehearsal for my daughters' ballet performance.

And, you know what? I'm just delighted. Because this is my "normal," and this is my dream.

And I am completely satisfied.

xoxo, MJ

May is a busy month with birthdays, year-end celebrations, sports, and Mother's Day! Sometimes special dinners out and shopping trips don't make the final agenda before Mother's Day. And though I sometimes enjoy the quite solitude when everyone leaves our home, I really love experiencing all of us together in this space - making and creating.

So why not craft together as an activity for Mother's Day? Or have your children to create alongside special grandmothers or aunts for a sweet Mother's Day experience?

This is an incredibly budget-friendly (slightly time intensive) craft that all three of my children enjoyed. Gather together:

• Paper (we chose rainbow and only used one piece of each color paper to make all the beads here)
• Scissors or paper cutter
• Glitter glue (really, any glue is fine, but glitter makes everything better, right?)
• Pencil or pen (to wrap the paper)
• String or twine for necklace/bracelet/anklet creations

First step? Cut isosceles (ish) triangles out of your paper. Ours were about an inch at the thick end. Here's the important next step: begin with the thick end and tightly wind the entire triangle around the pencil. We made different shapes by doing this. Some beads were exactly symmetrical, some looked more like cones or party hats, and others looked like a wobbly top.

As you get close to the end of the wrapped paper, squirt a dollop of glitter glue on the front and back of the end tail and graciously smear it all over the end and the rest of the bead. This will help secure the tight wrap and spread the glitter around the whole bead.

Once the bead is secured, carefully remove it from the skewer and let it dry for a few minutes before crafting further.

String your handmade beads for necklaces and bracelets that are one of a kind. You'll have the finished product made from little hands, and the priceless memory of the entire experience as a special Mother's Day treat.

Happy Mama's Day! And happy crafting!

xoxo, MJ

I am a big fan of silly jokes. I am not ashamed giggle at the ridiculous, and it's fair to say that my sense of humor resembles the age group I used to teach, ten-year olds. Since I've been out of the classroom for nearly a decade, my children get the brunt of my humor via lunch box notes.

This week is Teacher Appreciation Week, but any week (or day) is a wonderful opportunity to express our gratitude to teachers for their creative work to open up the world to our children. Having spent a few years studying and working as an educator, I can safely say that (besides parenting), there is no more difficult task than guiding students.

And as a teacher, I loved getting the super thoughtful creations from my students and the super practical gifts from their parents. So why not combine the two?

These jokes make great additions to thoughtful giftcards to local coffee shops or craft and teacher stores. They can personalize a wonderful batch of cookies or a gift basket filled with gardening tools and succulents.

Maybe a big bag of stickers and stamps would be a nice gesture for a new elementary teacher? Or perhaps a box of delectable chocolates topped off with a funny?

Among our favorite gifts to make for teachers are these chalkboard frames. And these printable jokes would make a great card on the top and allow even the most timid of children to express the joy of gratitude to a great teacher.

Print out both pages of fun jokes that you can send along with a simple daisy from your yard or a generous donation of Scholastic books!

You can download page one of basic jokes here and page two with librarian and math teacher humor here.

If you share in the joy of silly childhood jokes, follow Pars Caeli on Instagram or Facebook and get a daily joke sent right to your feed (doodle is complimentary).

How are you showing the love to the teachers in your life?

xoxo, MJ

Happy Friday. Happy May. Popping by to share some fun news.

This is kind of awesome. The warm and talented Stacy of Kids Stuff World has invited me into the cozy guest chair of the 20 Must Follow Pinterest Moms. This space is inhabited by some of the most innovative, creative mamas on the interwebs, and, jeepers, I'm glad to be at the same party with these ladies. I've followed a majority of them for a while, and if you're hooked into my Mommy & Daddy School board or my Create with Kids, you've seen a lot of repins from these geniuses. It's also followed by nearly 250K interested individuals, and it's a delight to have my content out there for this supportive audience.

For the month of May, I'll be guest pinning post from Pars Caeli and sharing some of the great pins from these mommas just in time for summer prep.

I'm incredibly grateful to Stacy for this opportunity. I'm a small fish in this big pond but happy to swim along and learn as I go.

If you're a momma or an educator, click on over and follow the 20 Must Follow Pinterest Moms board. It's an active one so be ready for oodles of inspiration!

Do you know any inspiring moms out there that I should be following via Pinterest? I'm always looking for fresh and positive ways to approach parenting and to teach and learn alongside my children.

Have a bright weekend, friends! Coming at you on Monday with a little something...

xoxo, MJ

Friends! I have some exciting news to share!! Now is the perfect time to get excited about summer...and projects...and vacation...and extra time with our children. That combination of things doesn't always lead to shouts of joy and enthusiasm. But thanks to the fabulousness of four of my pals, we're going to turn the 15 weeks of summer into one big ball of fun.

Get psyched, lovelies, and join Melissa of Lulu the Baker (also BHG style spotter building her dream home), Alexandra of Alexandra Hedin (and those great Seattle TV spots), Jen of Classic Play (love her PBS series), and our new addition, the amazingly talented maker Amy of This Heart of Mine (the DIY-r behind so many Design Mom projects). I've been pinching myself, wondering how I got so lucky to work with these beauties, and I'm delighted that I get to share their minds with you! Treats all around.

Beginning May 12 and running every Wednesday throughout the summer, the five of us will be sharing cool projects to engage you and your children in the joys of summer loving. We're bringing aboard some fabulous sponsors and more than our fair share of suprises along the way.

Our first five weeks will star our Mini Makers, with activities that will get all hands on deck with some cool results. Throughout June and July will take the laughs outside for unique projects that will give you time to soak up some sun (SPF, please), and into August, we're making travel and vacationing something that brings on happy memories!

 

None of other than Jen Cooper of Classic Play designed our kicking ice cream cone logo. And guess what? She made it into these super cute baggies and temporary tattoos.

And as a special teaser to the Endless Summer Projects, she's showing us how to do the same today. If we're hanging out on Instagram later, you'll see my kiddos sporting some wicked cone tats.

Parents, what are you looking forward to about summer and, perhaps, a little extra time with your children?

xoxo, MJ

This post is a part of the Wayfair Homemakers network. I was compensated for this post, but the selections and opinions are my own.

My little boy has been in a big boy room for over a year now. I thought that I'd have his new space all decked out and ready to go before he ever moved from his crib and the nursery. But, as it turns out, L had and has a lot of opinions of his own (seems that I raise opinionated people.) So he's had his main furniture pieces (a great bed and dresser with bookshelf), and we've slowly, oh so slowly, been adding bits and pieces of his style into the space.

L loves color especially orange, and, if I'd let him, he'd go construction-zone orange all over. Instead we've compromised with bits of orange and other bright colors sprinkled around. Also, at four, he's a big Disney lover. Just in case that deep passion doesn't last we've expressed that love with accessories that can be moved in and out as his taste grows.

To complete his dresser, L "decorated" the surface with these very cool, colorful favorites. I applauded his choices and promised that we'd keep each of them. To add a few pieces with less shine and squish, I looked to Wayfair I was on the hunt to add texture and dimension, even a vintage flavor, to his room to compliment the warm woods and the worn-in madras plaid.

Red bucket, blue milk crate, green plantstand, and striped pouf all available at Wayfair

I fell for the red bucket first, and I loved that I could search by line to discover some other great pieces that had the same worn charm to contrast the new and shiny that L had picked. The plantstand seemed like a perfect corral for favorite stuffed animals, and small toys could look more precious when displayed in a milk crate.

We added his artwork and very favorite toys. His donut painting from his sister's birthday party served as a bright backdrop to the more subdued tones. And the homemade shoebox frame is a virtual brick for the Lego clock that rests upon it. And finally the rubber dinosaur has a place to rest.

The Disney friends resemble the "Three Men in a Tub" and add a bit of whimsy to the vignette. Also, it's a complete bonus that the green plantstand makes a great imaginary space shuttle, train, and manger when pulled into play!

When my parents visited last weekend, my mom wanted to know where I'd gotten these great antiques for L's room! I snickered and told her they were new from Wayfair I'm still not sure if she believed me. Both pieces have such a nice patina and are made with quality that they make a convincing set of antiques.

His dresser space is now one that is interactive, an open-space toy box, complete with shiny and aged treasures. It's also a space that changes often, as L adds favorites and takes down the plantstand and milk crate to imagine them as some magical addition to his imaginative play.

Stay tuned this summer for a very special piece of artwork that L and I are creating together to hang in his bedroom - it's the perfect DIY for little boys!

So now it's your turn. Are you ready to add some pops of color into your home - indoor or outdoor? The kind folks at Wayfair are letting me giveaway a $100 gift card. All you have to do is comment and link to what you'd purchase with your gift card from Wayfair!! For additional entries, follow Pars Caeli on Facebook and Twitter.

Hurry, hurry, friends, the giveaway will close on May 1 at 12AM EST (only one entry per person). Share this special treat with anyone you know who could use a pop of color in their lives.

Eek! I can't wait to see what goodies you find. Don't forget to link in your comment!

Happy hunting!

xoxo, MJ

a Rafflecopter giveaway

No purchase necessary. By leaving a comment you agree to the rules of this sweepstakes. Each comment to this post equals one entry and must include a name and valid email address to be eligible. A comment must link to a product from Wayfair.com to be considered for this sweepstakes. One entry per household. Limited to entrants over 18 in the US and Canada, residents of Florida, New York, and Rhode Island are ineligible to enter. Contest begins as of the time of this post and ends on Thursday, May 1 at 12:00AM EST. The winner will receive a Wayfair gift card/promo code, a retail value of $100 US. The number of eligible entries received will determine the odds of winning. All comments will be numbered in the order they are received and the winner will be chosen randomly by MJ using the Random Number Generator at random.org. Winner will be notified by email at the address given in their entry and must respond within 72 hours to receive their prize. If the winner does not respond within that time, a new winner will be chosen. The prize will be provided by Wayfair.com. Pars Caeli is not responsible for any problems with receipt of the prize. This contest is governed by the rules of Massachusetts, void where prohibited. This sweepstakes is sponsored by Wayfair LLC, 177 Huntington Ave., Boston, MA, 02115.

 

Something I don't talk about too explicitly around these pages, but is a huge part of my other waking hours, is graphic design. I'm a ridiculously proud graduate, with a bachelor of FINE arts degree in design (man, those extra hours of studio classes did me in so I have to make some kind of big deal out of them.) And besides figure drawing (I know, not actually graphic design there), one of the areas that I enjoy most is logo design.

I had the opportunity via Instagram (you just never know where opportunity will knock) to work with this lovely lady, Jenny Yarbrough of The Southern Institute, to create a logo design for her huge pattern sale. Jenny is exactly the kind of partner you want in the logo creation process; she had ideas but was open and knew just what she needed by when. Perfect. Indecision and design are not good friends.

As I grew to understand more about her business and this pretty awesome sale that she hosts, I thought I ought to share it with you lovely, creative people because you might want to hop on in. Plus, the way she promotes and rewards individual pattern designers is completely sympatico with my love for collaboration. So I snookered Jenny into an interview. Here goes. Check out the Sew Fab Sale May 5-13! I'll have a sidebar button over on the right to remind you. :)

The Sew Fab sale is on online PDF sewing pattern sale that bundles together several patterns from some of the best-known pattern designers out there as well as newer designers who are quickly making a name for themselves in the world of pattern design. As far as I know it was the first pattern sale of its kind and the largest. We bring customers an entire collection of patterns for a deeply discounted price, but the catch is that there are only two, one-week sales a year!

I got the idea for the sale when I was participating in eBook bundle sales in the health and wellness niche.  I had an eBook on natural childbirth that was included in eBook bundle sales, but no one who read my blog was really interested in those bundles. I started wondering what kind of product I could bring to my readers that they would love and that would benefit them. As a crafts and sewing blogger my thoughts turned to pdf sewing patterns, and the rest is history… I went for it!

I am always looking for new contributing designers! I read other sewing blogs and look curiously at pattern reviews to see who is out there designing pdf patterns and what they are creating. There are always several new patterns coming out at any given time, it seems, so there's never a shortage. Sometimes I contact designers myself, but I also have a lot of designers who email me expressing interest in being a part of future sales.  

As far as purchasing a bundle… anyone can purchase the Sew Fab Pattern Sale bundles. The best way to be in the loop is to sign up for the Sew Fab Newsletter or like Sew Fab on Facebook. The Spring Sale is coming up soon, on May 5th- May 13th. We're really excited about it!

My hope is to have this sale do even better than last year's sales, of course. Last spring was the very first sale. It went so well that I put on a fall sale, which ended up being even bigger. This spring I hope to blow the previous sale out of the water! My favorite thing is to pay the designers for their sales at the end of the whole process, and the more money I send them the happier it makes me.

Phew! I had been paying different people to create different graphics for the first two sales. When it became clear that I was going to continue to have the sales I decided that it would be smart to have a new fresh look for the sale… a Sew Fab Pattern Sale logo.  I wanted something that I could use for every sale, something that people would recognize from season to season. I had a semi-vague idea in my head of what I wanted it to look like, with the different articles of clothing representing the kinds of patterns that might be found in the bundles.  

What I ended up with was even better than I had expected!  I absolutely LOVE it!  You were able to take my ideas and put them into a logo that is fun and colorful, which is something that I could never have done.  It really makes me happy every time I look at it. 

Oh wow.  I do a little bit of a lot, it feels like, ha ha!  I have a husband and three amazing kids who keep me busy.  I homeschool my daughter, who is finishing up her 5th grade year, and that takes up a lot of my time during the weekdays.  I try to update my blog, The Southern Institute, on a regular basis. I love to sew and play tennis as much as I can.  I dabble in pattern design myself and have several ideas running through my head right now just waiting to be acted upon. And then, you know, the usual household things with a lot of help from my wonderful husband whom I love dearly.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Jenny is totally charming and so is her sale. If you're passionate about patterns or dabble in sewing, check out the sale happening next week!

And if you're on the hunt for a new logo, business cards, stationery or any other designs, send me an email at parscaeli@gmail.com, and let's see how we can collaborate!

I'm announcing a new summer series tomorrow with some of my favorite, talented ladies...

xoxo, MJ

This shop is part of a social shopper marketing insight campaign with Pollinate Media Group™ and Wet-Nap but all my opinions are my own. #pmedia #showusyourmess  http://my-disclosur.es/OBsstV

Hello friends and a happy Monday to you! I'm excited to share with you a fun way to welcome spring and enjoy candy leftovers. Around our house, the Easter Bunny sent a few more Peeps and peanut butter eggs than all of us together can consume. This year, we used these treats in our own sort of welcome spring party. I know that it's been spring according to the calendar for quite a while now, but here in the Midwest the temperatures have finally turned warm enough for us to be outside doing our usual things - blowing bubbles, enjoying nature, and eating outside.

So we put together a S'mores Bar in a basket. And then we fired up the grill to roast our marshmallows. Each of my three children have distinct taste in s'mores (of course) so we added in a little something for everyone.

M, the oldest, adores peeps and can gobble an entire container in a sitting. She created a peep-chocolate-chocolate sauce masterpiece that was delicious and a whole lot of mess. *Don't try this at home unless you have clean-up tools easily accessible. We kept a Wet-Nap pack with us to make sure we could do a quick wipe of hands, faces (and even hair!).

C, our middle, is a huge fan of peanut butter cups (so am I), and she made her s'more with a peanut butter egg and marshmallow. In the end, she won for messiest with marshmallow on her face, hands, hair, and clothes!

L, our youngest, is not one for getting too messy. He's also not a fan of marshmallows. So, he created a s'more with chocolate bars and sprinkles. He pretty quickly ditched the graham crackers and had chocolate bars covered in sprinkles. It's a good combination - couldn't fault him there.

We topped off our s'mores eating with a great game of wiffle ball, and it felt like the hibernation is finally over! Welcome spring.

This week brings more sunshine, softball and soccer games, and some quality time breathing in the fresh air! Have you made any s'mores yet this season? It's never to early to make the delicioius combination.

xoxo, MJ

P.S. If you want to show off your messy ones and enter to win a $1,000 giftcard to Walmart and a year's supply of Wet-Nap click over to the contest that ends June 16, 2015.

P.P.S. Print a coupon while supplies last for any Wet-Nap product over here. I grabbed ours at Walmart because, well, they have everday low prices.

Hello lovelies, I've missed you. Due to an avalanche of work, a quick travel change, and a little matter of exhaustion, I had to take an unexpected blog break this week. I promise to still throw you the fabulous content that I had planned and spare you the melodrama of the details.

I'm so excited to re-introduce you to my pal, Claire. She's been on Pars Caeli before talking about life in Ireland (she is the big sis of one of my best friends and greatest people on Earth) and shared an amazing DIY on turning children's art into pillows. Claire hails from Northern Ireland and has recently made some dreams into reality by opening up her own store. I've been waiting to see her bloom into this, and I'm so excited to show you the first products from Charlotte Moon.

And I begged Claire to let me offer a piece of her collection to you beautiful people. And guess what? She agreed.

And that's awesome. And supporting people who follow their dreams? Well, that's even better. We should all do a little more of that (both the following and the supporting).

I interviewed Claire to learn more about how she decided to take this leap. Here she is in her own words:

I've been pretty obsessed with crafting since I was about 6 when I made a fabulous train out of matching boxes! My parents were always great about abandoning the dining room table to the latest project and messy creation and humoured us in the journey through knitting, embroidery, papier-mâché, sewing and paper crafts.

Charlotte Moon has been a project which has come to fruition after several years. Working as a divorce lawyer, I always made wedding invitations for friends to balance out the romantic karma! After having a car accident and some back surgeries, I've taken some time off to recover and Charlotte Moon has been a fabulous way for me to focus on my creativity.

I finally decided to launch my crafts in a more formal way in late 2013. I love parcelling up cards and buntings and baby presents made with care and posting them off all over the world! In terms of my favourite crafts to make, my heart will always be with the card making. I love receiving mail, and as a result I absolutely love sending cards to people for all occasions! I relish coming up with new designs for cards, and you can make cards anywhere! Mind you, the name buntings hold a very special place in my heart.

To order any Charlotte Moon goodies, email Claire at charlottemoon1@gmail.com

Claire is giving away this sweet birthday banner above, and all you have to do is like Charlotte Moon on Facebook and leave a comment below. Giveaway contest ends Sunday midnight (EST - US time)

I'll be back tomorrow (surprise Saturday treat!) with some really cool stuff.

xoxo, MJ