Tiny Oranges – Fresh, fun blog for OC moms

How many of you reading this could use a NEW mattress? But not just any new mattress, an out-of-this world, sleep like a baby kind of mattress?

Let me fill you in on a little secret, Serta, the Maker of the World’s Best Mattress (no joke – I sleep on one and it IS the BEST) runs fun sweepstakes all the time where you can enter to win your own Serta and there is one going on right now called “The Great Serta Mattress Heist” you just have to enter! Like I always say, someone has to win, it might as well be YOU! Here is the scoop on what is going down at Serta’s HQ.

The disgruntled Counting Sheep have finally done it. After years of neglect and being put out of a job after people discovered they no longer had to count them once they slept on a Serta mattress, they decided to take matters into their own hands.

These sneaky sheep have broken into Serta’s World Headquarters and Sheep # 1 has escaped with a Perfect Sleeper Mattress!

Sources say his accomplices will be releasing clues on where it is hidden, so now Serta needs the help of their Facebook fans to help find it.

Every week, Serta will offer clues and different weekly prizes. Collect all three clues pointing to where the sheep have hidden the mattress, and after all the clues have been delivered, participants can complete a simple form and submit their guess as to the location.

Those who guess correctly will be entered for a chance to win a brand new Serta Perfect Sleeper mattress set complete with a full Sleep to Go top-of-bed back, a personal letter from Sheep #1 and an exclusive Serta Counting sheep gift basket.

Ready to help them out? It takes TWO seconds, click here to get the first clue.  Make sure to make a note of each one so you can make your final guess!  GOOD LUCK Serta Super Sleuths! 

I am also beyond thrilled to announce that I am one of a select number of bloggers from across the country asked to be a part of Serta’s Blogger Program for 2012.

Working with this World Class Brand in 2011 was one of the highlights of my year, and receiving the iComfort mattress that my husband and I sleep on every night has been life changing. I love our bed so much it is hard to put into words!

To feel so passionately about a brand and product and then to have the opportunity to share their products with my readers is an honor.

Stay tuned in the months to come for all sort of great posts related to SLEEP. Comfortable, restful, delightful, well-deserved sleep. The kind of sleep that you can only experience on the comfort of a Serta. Zzzzzzzzzz…….

[Disclosure: I received a free iComfort Prodigy bed and Motion Perfect Adjustable Base from Serta along with a stipend for tax purposes in 2011. I am being compensated for my time and participation in the 2012 program.  My family will also be receiving Serta products for my participation in the 2012 program as well. Any post related to Serta are my 100% honest opinions.]

For anyone doing any sort of home improvement project, home design project, or if you are just someone who loves looking at photos of homes to get ideas, you will go CRAZY over this website, www.houzz.com.

The Houzz site is home to thousands of articles and interior and exterior photos that design professionals are able upload to showcase their portfolios. It is the largest database of design and decorating ideas.

You can create your own “Ideabook” by category, so whenever you see a photo that catches your eye, you can make a comment and save to  reference later. What I love the most is that you can sort and filter to find exactly what you are looking for.

For example, my husband and I are thinking about putting in new patio flooring, so I can search on Houzz by “Patio” and then also filter by style, “Contemporary.”

Then I add patios I like to my “Patio Ideas” Ideabook and he is able to do the same.  It is helpful to then be able to go back to look at all the ones you saved to notice what you like about them and see patterns emerge. Sometimes home projects can be overwhelming, and this makes it easier (and FUN!)

There is even more you can do with it…sharing, discussions, finding professionals in your area, etc…that I haven’t even explored yet!

I also recommend downloading the Houzz App if you are on an iPad or iPhone.  They even have a Houzz Kids’ Rooms App.

One of my favorite weekend activities is to steal away while hubby is with the kids to sit in bed with a cup of coffee to drool over gorgeous home photos.

Enjoy!

www.Houzz.com 

Succulent ~ isn’t it such a fun word?  I find them fascinating- the different colors and textures and shapes- some of them are so pretty they almost don’t look real!  I just love their fresh California Coastal feel…and that they don’t take a lot of water (or care!) Make sure to enter to win an arrangement in our giveaway below!

I was so inspired by them and the different arrangements I was seeing around that I took myself to the store determined I had DIY project- I was going to make some of my own amazingly beautiful succulent arrangements.

Yeah, that didn’t go so well.

I found myself having no idea where to start?  How many of each type to get?  And I was unimpressed with the variety the store had to offer, and the containers were less than attractive.  My DIY project was doomed before it began.

So a few weeks ago when I found myself at Pelican Courtyard Open Air Market  I was quickly drawn to the tables of beautiful-whimsically-arranged-glorious-succulents made by Succulent Style.

In chatting with the owners Denise and Joan about their creations their passion for these eco-friendly plants was apparent. Each creation was a beautiful mix of colors and textures artfully arranged in different vintage and unique containers to showcase the beauty of the succulents.The best part  is they offer them at an affordable price point (most arrangements are from $25-$75!!!)  I would have spent more than that on my sad little “craft”.

And, they make such a great gift! Perfect for Mother’s Day! Instead of the short lived bouquet of flowers- wouldn’t you love to receive long lasting/low maintenance arrangement of succulents that allow you to enjoy the pleasures of gardening at a relaxed pace?

In Denise and Joans own words:

“Our love affair with succulents are just as much about their beauty and personality as the life enhancing ways in which they uplift our souls and bring fun and energy to our spaces.”

Mommas~how fun would it be to have Succulent Style create some small little adorably contained succulents as a favor for your kiddos next birthday party?  Such a fun way to get them thinking about what it takes to care for a plant, be earth conscious & explore their green thumb!

I’m loving that this post is taking place during Earth Month because aren’t succulents just the GREENEST of the green?  A live plant that stores water in it’s juicy tissues – they’re just smart little devils!

Be sure to go visit Denise and Joan at the following upcoming local fundraising Boutiques they’ll be at this month and next and pick up a special Mother’s Day gift for the mothers in your lives:

April 28, Saturday 9am-2pm, LCP Spring Boutique, La Cristanita PreSchool, 35522 Camino Capistrano, San Clemente

May 10, Thursday, 4pm-8pm, American Legion Auxiliary Ladies Boutique, 215 15th St. , Newport Beach

You can also call or email to place a custom order their one of a kind, priced to fit {almost} any budget.  They deliver to the LA, OC & SD areas (a delivery fee may be required).

Succulent Style  info{@}succulentstyle.com  949.235.6357

* Follow on Facebook * Follow on Pinterest *

Hooray! It’s a Tiny Giveaway!

One lucky winner will receive this amazing water can succulent arrangement (a $35 value)

To enter, please leave a SEPARATE COMMENT for each entry option!

1. Subscribe to Tiny Oranges  - Under main nav bar up top. Enter email, then confirm subscription and head back here to tell me you are a subscriber! BTW, your emails are private and safe and you will get an email anytime there is a new post. If you find it annoying, unsubscribe anytime! – 1 ENTRY

2. Follow @TinyOrangesOC on Twitter – 1 ENTRY

3. Tweet up to once per day, “I just entered to win an amazing Succulent Style arrangement today on @TinyOrangesOC! -. http://wp.me/p1MmcT-30R”  - 1 ENTRY  (Please leave permalink to your tweet in your comment. Can tweet and comment once per day.)

4. Pin your favorite Succulent Style on Pinterest!  – 1 entry

5. Follow Jen & Susanne from Tiny Oranges on Pinterest – 1 ENTRY

6. Pin a recent favorite find on Tiny Oranges on Pinterest – 1 entry

7. Simply comment and tell me what you like most about Succulent Style’s arrangements! – 1 ENTRY

Contest runs through Friday, 5/4/12 at 5pm PST. Winner will be drawn at random and notified via email so make sure to leave your email address in the comment field (won’t be published.)  Good Luck!

[Disclosure:  Succulent Style is a Tiny Oranges sponsor- look for their Ad in our OC Biz Guide under Great Gifts!]

The hubby and I recently finished a little makeover on our small guest bathroom so I thought it might be fun to share some before and after pictures.

I was in a bit of a quandary on what direction to go with it because it doubles as not only our girls’  bathroom but also our guest bathroom. So I called upon my good friend Jessica Bennett from Jessica Bennett Interiors to give me some ideas. Lucky for me she offered to give me some design opinions in the midst of all of her big projects. Thank you JESS!

It is really nice having a friend that is an interior designer, because I was going to make it a more cutesy-cutesy kids’ bathroom-ish but Jessica’s opinion was to make it a lovely guest bathroom which kids also happen to use. 

I am glad she set me straight because I love how it turned out. I think it is tasteful and stylish for guests, yet I was also able to throw in a FEW cutesy details for my girls.

Here are my befores and afters (please excuse the weird angles and shadows, the bathroom is so tiny it is really hard to photograph!):

Bathroom Before:

As you can see, it was a tad dark and lacking any personality or cohesive style.  It was sort of a mishmash including a 6-year-old faded pink and khaki shower curtain, rusted shower curtain rod and outdated pastel shell wall art. Ugh.

The first thing we did was to paint it a lighter color a (Behr’s Natural Almond.)  Click here for a must read post on an easy way to pick your paint colors – such a great Jessica idea. My husband then added crown moulding. Lucky for me I have a handy husband that likes to take on projects like this…

I was inspired by these cute monogrammed towels on My Favorite Everything and I think these turned out sooo cute!  I replaced the standard bath towel rack with two hooks and added hanging towels. She also gave me the tip to get the bath towels with hooks at Ikea. Cheap and functional!

Jessica found these cute Hot and Cold Hooks on Pottery Barn on which to hang them…

Another one of my favorite new things we added to our new bathroom was my husband’s DIY homemade “double wide” kids’ stool in plain white.  It is great because it is wide enough for both girls to stand on and not push each other out of the way to get to the faucet, which they inevitably did, even with two separate stools.

Another useful addition was the little black hanging hand towel for the girls adjacent to their stool at their level.  Before they would use the regular hanging guest towel, but because they had to reach for it, they would end up pulling it off a lot and it would end up on the counter or the floor.

I found a matching robe hook and then actually used a hanging washcloth in black (great for kids) also at IKEA which had a built in hanging hook.

Playing off the black and neutrals from the shower curtain, I found these cute monogrammed containers at Pottery Barn for each girl’s toothbrush and toothpaste! Easy for them to reach and they like having their own “letter” cup to put their stuff back in when they are done!

For the bathroom wall art, I was looking for something a little fun (and I admit a TAD cutesy) so I was so excited to find these darling bathroom art prints on Etsy. I emailed the link to make sure they were “Jessica approved!”  I love that I could use the “Hang Your Towel” one above the girls’ towels.

And I just LOVE the Pottery Barn Shower Curtain Jessica recommended.  The ruffles make it feminine and fun for a girls’ bathroom. This piece sort of set the decorating tone for the entire bathroom.

Overall, I love the new look. We made a bunch of changes, all cosmetic, but these things can make a big difference. Here are a list of links if anyone is looking for these items!

Medicine cabinet: Classic Recessed Medicine Cabinet from Pottery Barn

Light fixture: Bennett Triple Sconce from Pottery Barn

Faucet: Heritage Double-handle Centerset Bathroom Faucet in Chrome Porcelain Cross from Overstock.com 

Vanity Fixtures: Chatham Knob in Polished Chrome from Restoration Hardware

Mongrammed toothbrush cups: Ceramic Monogrammable Bath Accessories from Pottery Barn

Guest Towel Ring: Bennett Towel Ring from Pottery Barn

Kids’ Towel Hook & White Bath Mat: Bed Bath N Beyond

Bathroom Art Prints: DeliveredByDanielle on Etsy

Frames: Matted 11 x 14 black frames from Michael’s (check your weekend paper for coupons)

Shower Curtain: Ticking Stripe Ruffled Shower Curtain on Pottery Barn 

White Bath Towels, hand towel and black washcloth: Ikea (in store – make sure to look for the ones that have the HOOKS if you want to hang like we did)

Towel Monogramming: The Monogram Store, Newport Beach

Wicker Vanity Tray & Waste Basket & Kleenex Holder: Crate & Barrel

Candle & Oil Diffuser: Pomegranate from Pottery Barn

 Thanks for reading and special thanks to Jessica for giving me her professional opinion and great ideas! 

www.jessicabennettinteriors.com

I wanted to share a special event going on right now by Serta where customers can receive a FREE
luxury fleece blanket with the purchase of any Serta mattress or mattress set $695 and above, or any iComfort mattress or mattress set at participating retailers through 03/13/12.

Click HERE to find the retailer closest to you!

And as luck would have it, two of these comfy fleece blankets showed up on my doorstep recently, one for me to try and one to GIVEAWAY to you!

Read below on how to enter!

I looooovvveeeeee this cozy blanket! The premium fleece is exceptionally plush, yet also breathable. It is “pill” resistant, machine washable and dryable and also hypoallergenic (100% polyester.)

I have it on our iComfort Prodigy Bed and I didn’t think it was possible for that bed to get any more comfortable, but the fleece blanket is like the icing on the cake!

I am so in love with my iComfort bed it almost makes me cry with happiness each night when I finally collapse into it after a busy day with the kids. I am not being dramatic. After sleeping on it for seven months now, I recently told a friend, I will never in my life not sleep on a Serta memory foam bed again. It has been life changing. I don’t wake up during the night and have never slept better.

Click here and here and here to read more of my iComfort mattress reviews.

Hooray! Its a Tiny Giveaway!

One lucky winner will receive a free Luxury Fleece Blanket compliments of Serta. Contest open to US residents 18 years and older and runs through Sunday, March 18th, 2012 at 5:00pm PST.

Here is how to enter!

1. Simply comment below! – 1 ENTRY

2. Follow @TinyOrangesOC on Twitter – 1 ENTRY

3. Follow @SertaMattresses on Twitter – 1 ENTRY

4. Tweet “I entered to win a luxury fleece blanket from @SertaMattresses on @TinyOrangesOC! http://wp.me/p1MmcT-2PP” – 1 ENTRY (1 tweet allowed per day. Please leave the permalink in your comment.)

5. Subscribe to Tiny Oranges via email or RSS – 1 ENTRY

Winner will be contacted via email so please leave your email address in the comment field (won’t be published.)

[Disclosure: I received a free Sleep To Go Luxury Fleece Blanket from Serta and free iComfort bed and adjustable base last year for review. These opinions are 100% my own. I LOVE MY COZY BED! ]