stay tuned....

kumquat's first real experience playing in the snow

it took her about a dozen trips up and down the sidewalk to work up the courage to step off the cement and onto the lawn.

penguin parka = carter's (similar here, here and here)

Although things have been quiet on the blog front, the last few months have been pretty crazy. As you can see by the massive layout changes that have already taken place, Mommy & Kumquat has been undergoing some pretty intense rebranding in preparation for an official relaunch coming up later this month. We've got some really fantastic stuff in the pipeline, and we can't wait to share it with you - but we want to make sure it's all fired up and ready to go before we start (we'd hate to sputter again!). In celebration of the official relaunch, we'll be giving away a pretty amazing prize pack that includes some fun toys and great tools that everyone will love (just in time for the holidays!).

Check back frequently - the official relaunch date is tentatively set for December 1st, but may we may decide to unbox sooner, so don't miss it!

Note: This post contains affiliate links.

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park city weekends

denim shirt :: volcom // striped skirt :: olive & oak (via olive & tweed) // sandals :: bandolino // owl necklace :: gift // earrings :: olive & tweed

kumquat's pink dress :: carter's

If you've never been to the Park Silly Market, you're definitely missing out.

The Park Silly Market is a giant street festival held every Sunday during the summer on Main Street in downtown Park City, featuring vendors, food, live music, beer and even a fresh farmers market. With different vendors every week, you'll find something new on every visit to the market (and be hard pressed to find the same thing twice, so if you see something you love, snap it up!). You'll find everything from jewelry, clothing and hats to homemade salsa, wooden flower bouquets and doggie treats. Last week, Kumquat and I found a homemade popsicle stand, where we opted to try the strawberry lemonade concoction - little Kumquat was basically asleep, but still managed to hold herself up long enough to help me eat it eat it for me. I'm hoping the stand will be there again this week so we can try another delicious flavor.

And there's still plenty to do when you're finished perusing the vendors' wares: you can enjoy some amazing food and live performances at the lower end of Main Street, or head back up to explore the shops, art galleries and restaurants that will satisfy even the most eclectic of interests (most of which are small and locally owned).

While it's hard for me to pick favorites among all the little nooks and crannies that I love, Dolly's Bookstore (510 Main Street), Olive & Tweed (608 Main Street) and Changing Hands Consignment (580 Main Street) top my must-visit list every time I find myself in downtown PC. Without fail, I always find wonderful treasures to add to my closet, bookshelves, or both. In fact, the comfy denim button up, beautiful striped skirt and gorgeous amber earrings pictured are recent acquisitions from Olive & Tweed, and Kumquat's new favorite book was found on the same day at Dolly's Bookstore (it's "I Love You, Night And Day", if you're wondering).

Plus, it's about ten degrees cooler up here than down in the Salt Lake Valley. I'll take 90 instead of 100 degrees, thanks!


Will you be hitting the Park Silly Market or any other fun street festivals this weekend? Leave your thoughts and recommendations in the comments!

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build your blog conference 2015 wrap up

my outfit (day): sweater :: downeast basics // blouse :: silence & noise // skirt :: j.crew c/o uptown cheapskate // tights :: f21 // booties :: mossimo

kumquat's outfit: sweater, kitty t-shirt, purple tutu :: gymboree // tights :: cherokee // silver shoe :: gift

my outfit (evening): jumpsuit :: jbs c/o uptown cheapskate // cuff bracelet :: vintage // clutch :: too faced cosmetics bag // booties :: shi

The Build Your Blog Conference 2015 was held this past weekend at the Little America Hotel in downtown Salt Lake City, and even though I missed part of the conference, I definitely felt the energy and passion from everyone in attendance. An atmosphere like that has a way of re-energizing and re-charging your batteries, and with so much creative energy flowing and great ideas being bounced around, it's pretty much impossible not to come away with a thousand new ideas and a renewed commitment to building your brand.

The key to making the most of all the advice and new ideas, though, is to take just a few things at a time and incorporate them into your blogging routine. Trying to completely overhaul your current system all at once can lead to serious blogger burnout and lead you away from your overall brand vision. It's important to stay true to yourself and the ethos of the brand you're trying to build, while continually learning and incorporating new ideas to keep things interesting.

With that in mind, I wanted to share a few of my favorite tips from my favorite class at the conference, "30 Tips To Get Great Growth" by Matt Cherry of iBlog Magazine:

1. Create and share more videos. Videos on landing pages convert 80% more readers.
2. Create and share podcasts - it's easier for a reader to download an audio file and pop in some earbuds than to read through an entire thousand word post. Record it!
3. Create a list of social media groups to share and participate in every day.
4. Find, follow and interact with the leading bloggers in my niche. Build a rapport with them and support each other.
5. LinkedIn! Beef up my profile, join and participate in some groups and connect with EVERYONE - even my icons and the people I'm too nervous to send a request to!

These are the top five things I'll be focusing on over the next month or so, and I'm especially excited to see what you will think of my first videos and podcasts. Are there any topics in particular you'd like me to discuss? Do you prefer videos, podcasts or the written word? Leave your thoughts and any requests in the comments!

All in all, Build Your Blog 2015 was amazing, and I will definitely be going back next year - after hustling my butt off in 2015 with the goal of deserving a Blogger of the Year award. I still have a lot more to share from the conference (including Blogger BFF deals & freebies, how to dress for a gala on a budget and tons more!). If you were at the conference, I'd love to hear about your favorite classes and the awesome new ideas you'll be implementing on your blog this spring! Leave your thoughts and your blog links in the comments!

P.S. I still owe you a winner from the Uptown Cheapskate giveaway last month! And the winner is....

Mayra Sissi Biggs

Congrats, Mayra! Happy shopping!

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