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Lifestyle, Product Reviews, Sponsored
Rattling Inspiration: Creating A Blurb Photo Book
- 2:27 pm
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- by Adanna Dill
I’m so excited to share my new Blurb photo book with you in this sponsored post. Thank you for your support!

If you can’t tell by now, I am in love with the simple joys of life. That’s why I enjoy blogging because I can share the beauty in even the most mundane parts of motherhood and hopefully spark that feeling in you too. Of course, I don’t feel this way daily but when I need a dose of sunshine and inspiration myself, I like to look at some of my published posts and remind myself that I could create something beautiful just from a tiny idea in my head. I wanted to print out some imagery from the blog to make a little makeshift mood book and then as the universe would have it, I got the fantastic opportunity to create a photo book using Blurb, an independent, creative book-making platform.

What caught my attention about the Blurb platform, is that I can easily create professional quality photo books and magazines in both print and digital formats. Now, I had a chance to create a book that really reflects my style and aesthetic as I could design it exactly the way I envisioned it in my head, down to the paper quality. That was my first step, ordering a swatch kit to see samples of all Blurb’s paper options before designing on my book. Although you pay for the swatch kit, you receive a promo code that lets you apply the cost of the kit toward your book purchase. My swatch kit arrived really quickly and after playing around with the different textures, I selected the Premium Lustre paper and then moved along to create my book and place my order.

As a mom, I don’t exactly have the time to learn how to use new software to create a photo book so it was important to use a platform with user-friendly options. I used the Blurb’s free book-making desktop publishing software BookWright to make my book which was was really intuitive. But if you’re a design expert (as I wish I was) you can use Blurb’s Adobe ® InDesign ® plug-in or Lightroom ® integration.

I decided to title my book Rattling Inspiration and it features some of my favorite images from this blog. I like to think of Rattling Inspiration as a mix of a portfolio, mood book and a tangible version of the blog. I mean I literally printed the best of the blog and added it to this cool book.

Oh and don’t start thinking “Well, I don’t have a blog this isn’t for me.” You can create a photo book or magazine to share your family’s story in a very unique, creative and compelling way. Imagine what it would be like for your kid to read it when he/she grows up.

I’m really excited to make more Blurb photo books and maybe even a magazine with all of our cherished memories from this summer and our travels.

Have you ever used Blurb before?
Fashion, Sponsored
NIC+ZOE Favorites: Comfortable Stylish Clothes for Moms
- 12:00 am
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- by Adanna Dill
Check out this fabulous online store, NIC+ZOE that I recently discovered in this sponsored post!

So earlier this week, I mentioned that while on the hunt for a dress to wear to my friend’s wedding I searched high and low to find an appropriate dress. In the process, I discovered some really cool stores with comfortable stylish clothes for moms to look great on a daily basis. I really wanted to share NIC + ZOE in particular because their clothing is designed for women who want to be comfortable yet chic. Outfits that will make you look and feel good while “momming”— which shouldn’t be a surprise since NIC+ZOE was created by a mom. What I LOVE most is that their pieces timeless and you can wear them year after year without worrying about the trends.

You have to take a look at NIC+ ZOE website yourself to view their full fabulous collection but I had to share some of my favorites pieces.

NIC + ZOE Favorites

It’s no secret that I LOVE denim clothing so I fell head over heels in love with this flattering denim tunic dress. Personally, I would pair this with white chucks or gladiator sandals with a bright bag to add a pop of color.

The truth is the denim tunic have some competition for my heart from this relaxed A line dark denim dress. I love the keyhole neckline so you can show off just a little hint of skin. This is the type of dress that you can rock for almost any occasion from summer work days, BBQs or just hanging out with your family.

Every woman needs to have a beautiful maxi skirt in her closet. I think it’s my Caribbean roots but I am always attracted to maxi skirts of blue and green palettes. This breezy maxi shirt has a gorgeous hand painted print and is sassy with slits on the sides. Oh and this skirt has pockets, who doesn’t love pockets. I am going to the Caribbean this fall and this skirt will be perfect for that trip.

Oh and talking about vacation, this chevron print tunic is everything! The colors, are perfect for a day on the beach or during the summer with white jeans or a light wash denim.

Another favorite is the white draped grid vest that’s beyond fabulous! This is a great key wardrobe piece that would add much-needed life to old pieces. One of the things that I love about NIC+ZOE pieces is that they are a really fresh twist on some iconic pieces. This vest while very stylish is a great option for new moms nursing. The shape also compliments the feminine body falling very lightly.

Last but not least, is this beautiful pink floral dress. Another very flattering piece that will look great on just about any mom. The contrast between the flowers and the pink background really allows the design to stand out.

Have you ever shopped at NIC+ZOE? Which of these pieces are your favorites?
Lifestyle, Sponsored
Fabulous Living on a budget with Groupon Coupons
- 8:38 am
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- by Adanna Dill
This post is sponsored by Groupon Coupons. However, all opinions are mine.

Yesterday on Snapchat, I shared my daughter learning to write a deposit slip for her savings account. She’s learning the value of money and saving as she heads to grade 1 this fall. The Princess Fairy set a financial goal for the end of the year and we’re supporting her in achieving it.

As a kid, I was great with budgeting and saving but over the years I’ve slipped up and I’m at the point where I am working on mastering it again. Just seeing how important it is to my daughter to save inspires me to do better. I’ve become more conscious of how I spend my money and I’m trying to be a smarter consumer.

In the past, I focused on using Groupon to buy spa deals and brunch but lately I’ve been enjoying Groupon coupons. They’re easy for me to access and they have coupons for the stores that my family shop frequently at like the Disney Store, Target, Macys, and Walgreens.

After all, we do not want to sacrifice our lifestyle for our budget but we want to prioritize and live within our means which is where Groupon coupons can help us to stretch our dollars.

Oh, and it’s not just for shopping you can take advantage of travel deals with airlines like American Airlines, and sites such as Orbitz, Hotwire, and Travelocity.

Do you use Groupon Coupons?