How to Create a Flat lay with Your Phone!

You've seen those posts on Instagram, right? You know the ones - perfectly placed items, all laying together, glowing on a white surface - enticing you to buy whatever small shop item you happen to be scrolling by.

Flat lays are seriously gold to me as a small shop owner, they look amazing as a way to break up a "brand rep" feed, and they are a great way to show off your favorite small shop items as a customer and gain recognition from the shop!

But here's the thing, we don't all have the perfect accessories to build the most epic flat lay each time - I have the solution to that issue - the "photoshopped" flat lay or you can also call it a digital flat lay!

Want to master the art of sharing your favorite toddler fashions, capture product photography that makes companies seek collabs, or maybe you're hoping to up the quality of your fashion blogger instagram feed? Here's how I make our digital flat lays in just a few steps.

Let's start with the apps, you'll want to download both the "PhotoLayers" app and the "Background Eraser" app - as an android user. Both are fairly basic apps, but they obviously pack a lot of power when it comes to a achieving a clean & beautiful "digital flat lay" look!

Next, you'll search for your products you'll want to include. I went with a romper I found on the Macy Kate Boutique, a pair of denim from Roses in December, a bracelet from TR tidbits, a pair of Baseball Moccs from Monkey Feet and lastly, a bow made out of a real baseball from my shop - Bloomology!



The one thing that's most important when selecting items to include is the lighting and the angle of the photo. Backgrounds will be erased but bad lighting won't be. If you have trouble finding items to include check out a hashtag on instagram that is similar to what you are seeking such as 'baseballbracelet' or search on facebook! If you are a member of Together We Rep, I highly suggest searching in there for items to include as well!

Once you've selected what items you want to include in your flat lay, go ahead and start erasing all the backgrounds in the background eraser app. You start by loading your image and then cropping, then your on the page to begin erasing. This is the most time consuming part of creating a flat lay but I promise it's a skill you'll pick up quickly!

I've found a recent love for the "magic" setting, I just go around the edges of whatever I want to crop out and then going back through and touching up any areas I accidentally erased with the "relief" tool. You can also use the manual tool to go over the edges of your items or use the auto tool whenever you see it'll be an "easier" crop (this tool works amazing on white background photos).
Be sure to thoroughly go over each edge on an item, then when saving I usually save as a level 2 smooth edge blend! Select whichever looks best for your edit! Repeat for each item.

Now that you have all of your items 'cropped', it's time to assemble them in the 'photo layers' app. You'll want to find a "plain white background" or whatever you prefer to use to upload first. Next you'll 'add photo' and include each item, first 'cropping', then placing it on the white background!

While clicked on each item, you can adjust size and even edit the photo some(notice the bottom bar - select color or shadow).

Situate each item where you think it looks best and save!

Now your flat lay is ready to go, it's that easy!


After making this tutorial, I've actually found other apps that work just as well!

Check out PicsArt, it's one that actually combines both apps abilities and works perfectly! The idea behind creating a flat lay is still the same but you only have to use one app to do it!

What My Morning Routine Looks Like - Become a "Morning Person" with these 4 Easy Steps

This post is sponsored by Bioré, but the content and opinions expressed here are my own.

"Every morning is a new start, a new beginning, the day that could change the world" - or so I keep telling myself, as I'm struggling to open my eyes and get coffee made. It's not that I don't love each and every day I'm given, because I truly do, I'm just NOT a morning person, but this year I'm really trying to work on that.

Since I've been trying to change my ways, I've found that starting each morning out with a regular, rejuvenating routine is the best way to make sure my days start out on the right foot. My morning routine is fairly simple but the benefits it brings to each day are huge.

Interested in changing things up and starting your day out bright and cheery? Here's how I suggest you wake up & start your day:

Step one - Kisses and Cuddles - It's that simple. Each morning as my eyes open the first thing I like to do is embrace my loved ones. Whether it's my handsome significant other, my darling little daughter, or my little canine companions, I love feeling loved first thing in the morning and luckily I have a ton of it surrounding me. I suggest you start this routine with your family, a few minutes snuggled talking about what the day holds with your kiddos or spouse, then it's time to wriggle your way out from under the covers and start cleaning your self up for the day.

Step two -  Get Clean and Feel Refreshed with Biore - Believe it or not, making sure I have a clean face is one of my favorite ways to make sure I'm ready to face a new day. Why Biore? Well, because they get me and because it's a brand that I can stand behind, for the past decade I've been a fan and I imagine I'll continue using their amazing prodcuts. Biore is a pore obsessed face-care brand on a mission to make high quality and affordable skincare products that help and benefit our skin in so many different way. Everything they do revolves around deep cleaning and refreshing our 20,000 pores!

Recently I added the Biore Witch Hazel Ultra Deep Cleansing Pore Strips to my routine (these I actually only use about once every few weeks, but I already notice a huge difference). They work like a super magnet, lifting out the most stubborn deep down dirt and oil that can lead to complexion problems.

I mean, goodbye annoying nose pimples - now that I'm almost 30 I'm so glad I'll never have to deal with that nonsense again and can we just take a moment to address how amazing (and disgusting) it is to clean out your pores and see the results!

Why these strips vs others? Well, these are specially formulated with Witch Hazel, known to tighten pores and deep cleaning abilities. Try these tried & true, trusted, dermatologist tested pore strips and you'll notice cleaner pores seconds after taking them off! Crazy... and somewhat traumatizing when you try them your first time - LOL! I mean, ewwww, who had any clue I was carrying around that much ick on my nose? Not me... but I'm glad Biore fixed that problem for me in minutes!

Not only have I added the strips to my routine, I've added a daily touch of Biore too. With the Biore Witch Hazel Pore Clarifying Toner I've already noticed a more balanced complexion and less blemishes - what more could a girl ask for?

Step Three - Get out - That's right, we step out with the dogs and get some fresh air. Sometimes that just means heading out to the backyard to play for a bit and occasionally that means we go for a walk with our wild bunch. Either way, that fresh air and Vitamin D is always a welcoming start to each day.


Step Four - My favorite: Dance, Espresso, & Get The Party Started - Yep, once I'm so fresh and so clean and everyone is feeling fly after a walk , I hop on out to the living room "dance floor" with my mini me and we get our groove on. Soon after that she helps mama load up the espresso machine and we get some caffeine in my system. Once I have that little pick me up boogie and beverage, I'm ready to start my day. I highly suggest you check out the kids music channels when you're looking for some songs to boogie too, we always get down to our favorite princess songs or some clean renditions of popular songs - which makes for hilarious moments and sweet memories. After I sip my coffee and have another little dance party, then it's time to sit down & get the party started... and by that I mean, it's time to get to work.

That's it, just four simple steps on how I've gone from grump to great each morning. Tell me, are you a morning person already looking to spice up your routine or are you a fellow night owl hoping to change your ways? Either way, I highly suggest adding all of these fun ways to brighten up your morning to your daily routine.

4 Ways for Busy Mamas to Embrace Some "Me Time" (when they have the chance)

 This post is sponsored by Celestial Seasonings but the content and opinions expressed here are my own.

Let's just cut to the chase here - being a parent is the most rewarding and the most tiring job any of us will ever have. Whether I'm slicing up my sweet girl's grilled cheese into tiny triangles or dancing to Baby Shark for the 30 billionth time, Delainey is my reason for everything I do. I'm not complaining about this fact... just stating it. I literally cherish every second with her because she is my dream come true.

While she's my everything, I know I'm not the only mama struggling to find the time to breathe during this stage of life. I mean, my little dream baby is two - so with her sweet moments, she has her more questionable, less desirable toddler terror tantrums too, as you can imagine if you also have kiddos. Occasionally she snuggles and is the sweetie I love, but lately she is howling because she didn't get the right type of cracker or thrashing around because the color of the grass is different in the spot she likes to stand while blowing bubbles. It's really a toss up lately on which version of my toddler I'm going to be dealing with.

I love spending the good and the more trying fit-throwing moments with my princess, I also have come to learn I need "me time" to be sure I'm the best version of myself I can be for her. After all, if my cup isn't full, how can I pour into another? With that said, I've been mastering the art of "me time" in 2019 while hubby takes D on little adventures (or while she's napping and he's working on his honey-do-list). It hasn't been easy learning to take the time for me, but it's been rewarding when I actually have the chance to think and breath.

So we'll start there, with my list of ways I've learned to embrace my me time when I actually have a moment to myself --

1. Breathing exercises- It may sound silly but learning to breathe can truly be relaxing. I have been listening to  meditation podcasts on occasion and I'm not even lying, the benefits are overwhelming! From making sure I'm connected to my inner self, to maintaining healthy habits like good posture and practicing focus - I love how beneficial a little meditation time has been lately and if I could give anyone some advice on how to use their alone time - it's to meditate any chance you get!

2. Tea Time - On the same note, have a cup of tea any chance you get, more specifically Celestial Seasonings Tea! In so many flavors and variety, it's always hard for me to pick a flavor to try each time we hit Walmart - this time I decided to get a few, because who doesn't love options?

The flavors I couldn't resist were Peppermint, Country Peach Passion, and Honey Vanilla Chamomile - the perfect variety to add to my stash and each one more delicious and flavorful than the next!

I've found that not only do the delicious flavors of Celestial Seasons Tea amuse my taste buds, the benefits of drinking the warm tea water is actually pretty awesome for my digestive system too... and there's just something so calming and rejuvenating about a nice warm cup of tea. On the other hand, it's great served iced too!

The benefits don't stop there though - I also have to brag on the fact that Celestial Seasons Tea, as a company, is thoughtful too. All of the boxes are made from recycled boxes and the tea bags are stringless, truly showing dedication to a more sustainable world! So any time you have a second, boil some hot water and get to sippin' some eco-conscious tea!

3. Books - Another way I've learned to really embrace time to myself is to read. It's something I don't get the opportunity to do in silence very often so any time my little nugget & daddy slip away, one thing I love to do is read a chapter of a book I'm trying to finish!

If you're like me, you may have so much on your plate that you don't even have the chance to read a physical book, maybe the next time you're working on something like paying bills or ironing press play on an audiobook - I do this whenever I'm gluing blooms late at night and I've loved being able to "read" more without sacrificing time spent working - it's like stealing a moment of alone time without really taking one in some ways!  Either way, providing your brain with knowledge is a great way to spend time - so grab a book or snag an audio book and start reading!


4.  Budgeting and Planning - The last tip doesn't sound like it's relaxing or embracing alone time- and in reality, it isn't... it's stressful to budget and plan for the future, but it's something that relaxes me in the long run. Anxiety creeps up on me if I don't have a budget and a plan in place, so when I have some extensive alone time, one thing I like to do is start planning. For my businesses, for our family outings, for our finances - planning is part of my plan to revive in 2019 and so far it seems to be working out well.

So tell me, how often do you get the chance to unwind and how do you embrace your alone time? Want to try Celestial Seasons Tea? Find it here.

My Favorite SUPER Quick & Healthy Meal - Healthy Choice Power Bowls!

This post is sponsored by BabbleBoxx.com on behalf of Healthy Choice.

If you've been following along in 2019, you may already know - but for this year, I've chosen the word REVIVE as my inspirational, intentional word of the year.

Choosing to eat a more balanced diet is definitely part of my healthy/reviving plan in 2019, but if you know anything about me and my food habits - you know I love flavor so I can't just give up all the "good stuff".

Luckily I've found the answer to my flavorful healthy food needs in Healthy Choice Morning, as well as their vegan and vegetarian Power Bowls! Coming in clutch, Healthy choice has created the most epic Breakfast and Buddha Bowls that we all want to eat, rich in fiber and full of quality ingredients - whether you are eating a vegan bowl, vegetarian bowl, or a morning Power bowl, you know you're filling your body with nutritious goodness!

Healthy Choice Morning Power Bowls provide people like us health conscious, quick, nutrient-dense breakfast options. Each flavorful recipe is the perfect mixture of leafy greens, proteins, ancient greens, and steel cut oats. With 10-15 grams of protein and 3-5 grams of fiber, these are the perfect way to make sure you are starting out the day the right way. I was sent the Turkey Sausage and Egg White Scramble and the flavors were delightful and so satisfying. With turkey sausage, egg whites, and veggies all served on to of steel cut oats, farro, and buckwheat and red quinoa with a creamy avocado sauce  what's not to love.

Speaking of love and satisfaction, this year I've learned that veggie-filled meals can be more fulfilling than their counterpart. That's why I'm so stoked these Power Bowls also came in some super delish vegan and vegetarian options like Cauliflower Curry or the amazing bowl I was sent - the Mango Edamame! With so many rich flavors mixing together, 10-16 grams of protein and 7-16 grams of fiber, these Vegan and Vegetarian Power Bowls are lacking nothing and so amazing!

What makes these bowls different? Well, beyond the fact the nutrient rich meals are specially formulated, with each bowl having the perfect base mixture of whole grains (like red quinoa or whole grain barley), leafy greens like kale, chard, and spinach, and proteins - these bowls are actually made of fiber. I mean the actual bowl is plant-based and totally recyclable... truly, every ingredient in these Healthy Choices bowls matters - even the bowl itself!

So tell me, what have you done in 2019 to revise and renew your life? If you're trying to eat healthier this year, I highly suggest you give these delicious Healthy Choice power bowls a try!