Keep Collective

Current Faves : Firmoo Eyewear Review + Giveaway (CLOSED)

Hey guys and gals! Happy February…It’s no secret I hate January, and frankly, I’m glad it’s over. Especially since we ended it with a house-wide epidemic of a vicious stomach bug, and I got the added bonus of a sinus infection and bronchitis that’s flared up my long-dormant asthma…oh, and my kids woke up with pink eye today, but that’s a whole other story that involved me crying in my bathroom before work…sigh…

At any rate, we are out of January and I always feel revitalized with the change into February. It’s like I can already feel spring on the horizon!

I’ve had some current accessory favorites keeping me going and putting some sparkle into my northern Michigan gray and dreary winter days…

Obviously my customizable jewelry from KEEP Collective is a staple. I know you’re not surprised to see it mentioned here, but hey, I love it! My rose gold options and my shiny metals are giving me life and hope for brighter days soon! Plus I love that I can mix and match with so many options every day! Shown here are my mini pendant with a couple of current favorite charms, my Timekey on my rose gold leather keeper, and my mesh keepers with two of my favorite stones of the moment, the pink quartz and the jasper.

I’m also still loving this scarf from my first StitchFix delivery (mentioned here). Adds a fun pop of color to my monochrome outfits (and outlook ha!) as of late! It’s super soft and warm and perfect for the weather right now. We’re expecting a BIG winter storm tonight…Yikes! So much for an early spring 😉

I’m also obsessed with this roller ball from Victoria’s Secret in their Heavenly scent. It was a total impulse buy at the last minute to get me a cash rewards card. You know, spend more just so you can get a coupon…makes total sense, right?! 😉 But I’ve actually been wearing nonstop! It’s fresh and sweet, but not overly so…and I love the ease and convenience of roller ball applicators.

I couldn’t write this post without mentioning my new phone case! I actually found it on eBay and y’all know I’m snow white-obsessed! Lark is pretty smitten with it too!

And lastly, my new glasses, courtesy of firmoo.com! I absolutely love Firmoo! Their eyewear is affordable and there are TONS of frames to pick from. My favorite sunglasses are also from Firmoo! I like interesting, but not crazy wild frames, and these tortoise cat-eye frames are so perfect. I also love the added detail of the white pinstripe on the edge of the frames. My kids love them too and like to rip them off my face, but luckily they’re durable, and with the price, they’re easy to replace should something happen to them.

These glasses, with my prescription, come in at less than $50. I’ve always struggled with purchasing glasses because the brand name lenses are beyond expensive and never in my budget. With a service like Firmoo, I can have multiple pairs! I also love that the anti-scratch and UV coatings are an option, as well as tinted lenses, etc for a VERY nominal fee.

And because Firmoo is so awesome, I’m giving a pair away to one of my readers! Leave a comment below telling me your favorite accessory of the moment to be entered to win! For an extra entry, comment on my instagram post about this giveaway letting me know you commented on the blog (and follow me, if you’d like! @hellokatiejo) I’ll be announcing a winner a week from today on February 9^th!

OUR WINNER IS KATE S.!!! Congrats Kate! I’ll be emailing you with more info!

February 2, 2016 15 comments

Keep Collective Life

New year, new blog

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Hello all! Welcome to my new blog space, everylittlestory.com.

It took me a long time to come to terms with changing my blog’s name. Hello Little Bean is obviously very important to me, since I started it the day before I found out I was pregnant with Lark, our little bean….

So why the change? Well, our family has evolved since then, and although Lark is still our little bean, we’re just a lot more than that now. My old blog will remain, and the posts exist here now too, so it is not going away…but I’ve since been using ‘every little story’ for other ventures, and it fits much better…since every day is a continuation of our every little story that makes every day a page in our history book..

With the change to 2016, I wanted to make this big change because it’s my goal to relaunch and regrow this blog. It’s been a really difficult couple of years, but I’m finally feeling somewhat myself again and ready to start writing again.

So James bought me a planner for Christmas. A Happy Planner from Me and My BIG Ideas…I’ve been wanting one for so long! I’ve never been the type of girl who carries or keeps up a planner, but with everyone going on as a family and my new business with KEEP Collective, I needed something to keep my days straight!

I love these planners because they’re colorful, fun and full of inspiration. You can also customize them with all sorts of stickers and add-ons to really make it your own. I’m also using it for meal-planning, since my husband and I are trying to get back to healthy eating. I’ve been so bad about junk food and sweets since being pregnant with Lark.

I’m so ready for 2016! And I’m really excited to grow my KEEP business as well. I’ve been having a ton of fun designing jewelry for people, while also leading my team to HUGE successes. I was able to smash my goals and promote not once, but THREE times in my first two months with this company! It’s been a really positive aspect of my life as of late, and I’m excited to take it far in 2016!

Let’s do this!

January 11, 2016 0 comment

Awareness Keep Collective Life

A Christmas Gift Guide with a lot of meaning…

I love the Timehop app. It shows me posts from years past on various forms of social media. It’s the highlight of my morning upon waking. Some days I laugh, some days I cry and some days I cringe…today I did all three because this photo popped up in my Timehop feed:

That’s my 8th grade homeroom class on a trip to Six Flags. I laughed because we were all babies, I cried because of who I was in that photo and I cringed because OMG 8th grade is so awkward. I was 13 in this picture. A time for girls that’s super awkward. Your body is trying to turn from girl to woman and it’s trying to grow boobs, but they’re totally just awkward lumps that you’re embarrassed about (except for this day in age, because it seems like girls look like women at age ten), your hips are getting wider and your ‘play’ clothes don’t really fit all that well, you’re trying to grow in height, but all it does is put you somewhere between little girl’s jeans and junior’s jeans and wherever you fall, they’re either too long or too short.

It’s also a time where other people take notice of how you look in a more significant way. I was somewhat of a tomboy. But not in the sense that I loved sports or hated girly things. In fact, it was quite the opposite! I loved girly things and hated sports! I wanted to wear dresses every day and lipstick! Oh how I longed for lipstick! But I was bullied too many times to truly be myself. I wanted to be the cheerleader, the popular girl with the coolest clothes…I mean, who didn’t?! I was thankful for the mid-90s fashion trends, because it was totally acceptable to wear baggy tees and boy’s jeans.

I had little confidence in my appearance. I’ve always been a strong person, and I never sacrificed my morals. But I did my sacrifice my desire to be my true self in school settings. I didn’t wear anything that made me stand out, for fear of being made fun of or ‘noticed.’ I was quiet and shy and didn’t volunteer in class, even though I knew all of the answers. I never took art classes because I didn’t want to be recognized publicly for my truest talent, because I was afraid I’d be made fun of. Looking back I laugh because it was so dumb. ALL kids should be encouraged to do exactly what they love! The people I let control my life were my own peers, and some of it was my own doing, but people were mean, too.

I’ve always been silly and funny. I love to joke around and make people laugh. I always thrived in settings where I could be myself and probably should have been in theater groups and classes, but I was afraid too, felt like I didn’t belong. But I was an easy target to pick on because I didn’t fight back. Sometimes I would be able to use my sense of humor against people I felt were harmless, like the kid who liked to call me “fatty flatty” on the bus, because of that awkward phase I was talking about earlier where your body is SO weird. So I’d laugh it off or say some kind of sarcastic remark, even though it really hurt inside. Or when another kid continuously made fun of my unibrow by calling me “caveman Katie lady.” I’d always laugh, but really it was killing me inside and I was in a feverish frenzy to learn how to shape my eyebrows! I actually had a girl who made fun of them too and would literally try and attack me with tweezers on the bus. That was the same girl who put duct tape in my hair on the bus. I laughed it off, then cried all the way home and cried again when my mom had to soak me in vinegar and rip it out, along with tons of my hair. Or when I caught mono from who knows where and everyone made fun of me for making out with people, when I’d never made out with anyone. Or when an ex-boyfriend lied and told people we had sex in the backseat of a car, when I was still a virgin and remained so until well after high school, FOR THE RECORD!

I spent my entire 7th grade year in homeschool, because I had neighbors who threatened to beat me up every day for no reason. They called me fat and ugly, and I couldn’t leave the house until they moved. My mom was always my biggest defender and she went to bat for me every time I needed it. Even the time I was bullied by a teacher, yes, a teacher…who tried to fail me after being out of school with a severe back injury in 6th grade…

Where am I going with all of this? Well I said I cried for the girl I was in this photo. She was lost and trying to find who she was all while trying to hide who she was. On the first day of 8th grade, my return from homeschool, I wore a really cute dress, I think I may have borrowed it from my older sister because I always thought she was really cool and had the best clothes…and I wore makeup. I was so excited to go shop for it before school started and I got eyeshadow, mascara and a nude lipstick. I wore everything to school with pride that day. And then one of the most popular boys in school asked me why I was wearing so much makeup and laughed at me. So I didn’t really wear makeup again until later in high school. I also had a boyfriend in 8th and 9th grade who was terrible for my self-esteem. He always made me feel like I wasn’t good enough and was, at times, verbally abusive and also that way towards my friends. So I want to go back and tell this little girl how beautiful she was, and to wear that plaid mini skirt and platform jelly shoes with pride (hey, I said it was the nineties)…to wear the lipstick…and to try out for school plays and cheerleading (ok, so I did become a cheerleader my senior year, and I loved it!). And I want to go back and pull all these characters from my story aside and remind them to be kind.

My life is my life, I have little regret, and these are the kinds of things that shaped me. It wasn’t all bad. I had good groups of friends, I was smart and funny, I did my creative projects at home in private, rather than in school. Overall, my school experiences were okay…but like I said, I was an easy target because I let them do it. And sometimes I fired back with mean remarks toward them, which isn’t fair either.

Bullying will never go away. There will always be someone with an opinion who can’t keep it to themselves. We are all guilty. You see someone who wears something you think is dumb, or has a haircut you don’t like. We ALL do it. And it’s very sad, but it’s the same thing that makes us human. We were made to have opinions, but we were also made with emotions. Everyone is fighting their own struggles and we are all affected by the words and actions of others. And now I have a daughter and it pains me to think that someday someone will belittle her and make her feel ugly…we’ve been through it with Brennan, and I’m sure someday Arlo will experience it too…and it breaks my heart.

But I grew up, and I still let people affect me, and worst of all, I let ME affect me. I still want to wear lipstick and fancy clothes, but I’m afraid someone will make fun of me. I like to make videos on YouTube but I’m sometimes hesitant to share them or really put in my best effort because I’m afraid someone will make fun of me. And sometimes I just want to wear sweat pants to the store, but again, I see moms who have their shit together with hair and nails done and I feel inadequate because I want to be THAT mom. I’m trying to be better about things, but it’s hard! And at the same time, I’m also pretty proud of myself. I have a beautiful family, I stand up for myself better than I ever did, I tell my kids I love them daily and when my daughter wants to play with cars one day and wear a princess crown the next, I always tell her she’s awesome and special.

And sadly, I’m still bulllied…but by my own self. I’m the first to point out that I’m overweight in every situation, because if you make fun of yourself first, others can’t do it before you…I’m always my worst enemy, telling myself I’m not good enough, I’m not skinny enough, my hair’s not long enough or pretty enough…I’m not smart enough…I’m not being a good enough mom or wife…I hide my body from my husband, the man who loves me for me, because it’s worn and tattered from creating little people…and it’s a terrible thing. I’m learning, slowly, and I think the real meaning of life, is to learn to love yourself, all of you!

So it’s the Christmas season, the giving season, and this whole story gave me the idea this morning to throw together a little gift guide. KEEP Collective is my new business venture and it’s jewelry. I love sparkly things. And it’s jewelry created to empower women to wear their heart on their sleeve, literally, with personalized bracelets and necklaces telling the stories that make them who they are. One of my absolute favorite designs features the ‘KIND’ key. Proceeds of this charm go to the KIND Campaign, built upon the powerful belief in KINDness and brings awareness and healing to the negative and lasting effects of girl-against-girl “crime.” Each key comes in a little package with a card explaining its meaning.

I created this necklace the other day, with additional charms, and the message is “May your focus be to BE KIND always,” using the arrow to focus, the word BE and the KIND key, and the pave infinity for always. I encourage you to purchase this design, or another I’m about to share, for someone who needs a boost or a thank you, or even for yourself to remind yourself to BE KIND to others, or even to BE KIND to yourself.

Click here to purchase this necklace, as is, on a 18” chain. Silver vertical pendant with Gold Arrow, Silver BE, Gold KIND Bar and Silver Pave Infinity with 18” silver chain – $85 (tax and shipping added upon checkout)

Or maybe you’d like it on a bracelet. Click here to order this exact design on a black, leather bracelet keeper. Black Leather Keeper with Gold Arrow, Silver BE, Gold KIND Bar andSilver Pave Infinity – $77 (tax and shipping added upon checkout)

On a budget? Click here to order a simpler design on a navy, silicone band…Navy Silicone Keeper withSilver BE and KIND Bar – $42 (tax and shipping added upon checkout)

Or how about one for a mom, they’re the biggest cheerleaders in our lives…Red Leather Keeper with Gold KINDBar, mom and Gold Pave Heart – $59 (tax and shipping added upon checkout)

Or maybe a key fob for the dad who always built you up and made you feel special…Black Leather Key Fobwith Gold DAD and KIND Bar – $55 (tax and shipping added upon checkout)

Or maybe the teacher who’s inspiring your child daily, and guiding them through life…Pink Silicone Keeper with Silver miss, Initial (contact me to personalize), Apple and KIND Bar – $53 (tax and shipping added upon checkout)

Or maybe the best friend who stood by your side through it all…Turquoise Silicone Keeper with Silver HeartsBar, BFF Disc and KIND Bar – $46 (tax and shipping added upon checkout)

Click the links to order any of these (US sales only), as-is, or email me at katiejsimon (at) yahoo.com, if you’d like a more customized version or want to build a design from scratch…take a gander at the website and see the products that inspire me daily: keep-collective.com/with/katiesimon

And remember to BE KIND…

December 8, 2015 0 comment