We made it!

I can definitely say it's been a bit of a blur since my last post, but we're finally moved, we're here, and "settled"...I say "settled" because as I'm typing I'm looking at a pile of about 15 boxes lined across my living room wall that also doesn't have a couch yet ;). But we're settled. We feel so grateful to be here and to our families that have helped us SO MUCH in this moving process. Because moving can be INSANE, and even more so with kids.

I had hoped to open my shop back up a week or so after we got here, and since we're now pushing 3 weeks since we moved, I think we all know that didn't happen;) However, I do have some fun new things up my sleeve and I'm thrilled to be able to share them in the next week or two to come. I wanted to share a quick update personally since there's a whole lot going on in our little world right now.

First of all, I have to say I have never seen as many amazing sunrises or sunsets as I have in the short time that I've lived here. SERIOUSLY? Every morning I seem to wake up just before the sun rises (which is a new thing...girlfriend likes her sleep and I rarely wake up before the second or third "snooze") and I try to shake my husband awake who seemingly doesn't find it quite as amusing as I do. And every afternoon or evening I tell him for the 50th time that I can't get over how the sun reflects off of the buildings of Manhattan. Truly breathtaking and it never seems to get old.













It doesn't look too shabby after dark either.



When we haven't been staring at the gorgeous beauty around us, we've been trying to keep our heads above the mounds of boxes and not have a small heart attack driving in Jersey traffic. I'm not kidding, I haven't gone too far beyond the little strip of road we're on, simply because this girl doesn't know how to drive Jersey yet. Thank you, Lord, for the train and ferry.



Our chicks first ride on the ferry...getting to see their expressions for all of the new experiences we've had has been the absolute best part of this whole process. They have loved almost everything about it and the stressful times we've had have gone right over their heads and have seemed nothing short of a fun adventure to them (to be a kid again right?)



Not to mention the 192192819281928 parks all over this area which have made them literally the happiest girls in the world. (Can I get an amen for gated parks?! Moms of multiples everywhere rejoice)











I've been doing my best to explore our area on foot to avoid driving as much as possible (ha), and I'm loving that we were able to move just when fall is here, when the weather isn't too hot and it's perfect for a long walk. It's so nice to be able to walk to the grocery store or the park and take everything in on the way.





SO proud and blessed to call this man my husband...he has been the most amazing supporter, father, navigator, IKEA furniture assembler, among many other attributes, and has put up with a whole lot in the past few weeks on top of starting work at a new location with a brand new commute that's a little different than what he's used to. He's loving work and couldn't be more grateful for the opportunity and I couldn't be happier for him. But I have to say my chicks and I always do a little happy dance on Friday's because we know we get to have him all to ourselves for the weekend :)







We have had so much support from our amazing families the past few weeks here and we couldn't be more grateful for their love and help!! From helping entertain the girls while we unpack to helping us assemble things to finding places for dishes in our kitchen cabinets, they've done it all. We got to show them around Jordan's office and spend time just enjoying their company while they were here.

obviously making themselves at home at daddy's office. ;)

looking out my hubby's desk window...amazing. 

Don't even get me started on what the food is like around here. My hubby and I LOVE to try new things, and we're on the strict "we'll start eating healthy tomorrow" program, which doesn't seem to be doing a whole lot for us but we're ok with it for right now;). He sent me this text last week before a morning meeting of some donuts he picked up from a local Manhattan donut shop, and I told him not to come home empty handed or else. Needless to say it was or else ;) 

He did make it up to me by taking me out for sushi, ice cream, and maybe the best margarita I've ever had for my birthday though, so I let it slide this time.

We've been having so much fun redecorating our new space, which I hope to share more of once it's a little more put together. I had been on pinterest 24/7 starting the minute we knew this was the space for us...planning and making lists and scheming things together in my mind. It's been so much fun.

If you're not following along with me on instagram (@twosparrowsheadbands) go take a peek and keep an eye out for when I open my shop back up, I can't wait to show you the new pretties I'll have once things settle down a bit in a week or two. For now, thanks for following along on our personal journey:) xo

BASICS

It's finally here, and I'm so excited to introduce you guys to an idea I had months ago that I couldn't wait to get started on....Two Sparrows BASICS.

If you've been following Two Sparrows a while, first of all thank you & high fives:). But you may see that I put out about 4-5 big collections each year, each with their own little theme or twist. This has been so much fun for me, whether it's centered around Christmas time, a specific style etc. I love being able to create a whole line centered around one focus. But as I started doing a little research and getting feedback from you guys, I found that one of the things that we were missing was just a BASIC go-to, throw-in-your-bag and take it out when you really need it accessory! Sure, I try to make versatile as well as creative items, but I really felt a need to focus on making a collection of headbands and accessories for every day. Because, well, I myself am a busy lady and a mom and let's just be honest, 99% of the time I'm not running around in wildflowers with my hair and makeup done in perfect lighting without a single stain on my clothing;) BUT! I still want to look put together, and I think we can all agree on that right?! So therein lies my reasoning for creating this line.

Ok, so ready to hear the second part about why this is so fun and exciting?! All of the other collections I have made are released, and then once everything's sold, it's gone. I realized that trends can come and go, but your go-to accessories are a constant. SO! In my shop from now on, there will ALWAYS be BASICS available to you! I'll always have some staples you can choose from, whether it's a simple black bow that you'll end up putting in your child's hair 5/7 days of the week (trust me, you will), or a super stretchy and comfy head wrap that you'll throw on when you have to go grab something at the grocery store. There will always be something you can choose from! As if that weren't already fun, I'll constantly be adding new things to the BASICS in my shop!

I still fully plan on creating specific collections as the seasons change (hello access to NYC and the garment district right before Christmas this year?! Let's just say your holiday head wear will not be lacking), so don't worry! But know that your go-to's will always be here too!

A few other important items to check off and explain...

1. I've added a few different listings in my shop as "bundle" or "specialty"  purchases, to make things even sweeter! For instance, if you're interested in purchasing an adult head wrap and a baby head wrap, you can make it a "mini me" set by purchasing the "Mini Me Bundle" Listing...and you'll save a few bucks when you do so! Make sure to check out these listings when my shop opens tonight before you check out, to make the most out of your current and future purchases!

2. Shipping has typically been 3-5 days for my shop, and I always like to get orders out quickly so they're to your doorstep and on your head asap! However, with things getting busier this year, I'm changing my shipping time to 1-2 weeks from when your item is ordered. Some of my items are pre made, but others are made to order, so they may take a few days longer to ship. ALL orders will be shipped in the order they are received (as my policy has always been), and I will typically ship closer to one week rather than two. But if you're in a rush, please consider this or purchase the "RUSH MY ORDER" listing for an additional cost and your order will be pushed to the top of the line.

3. As you've been following along, you may have seen that personally my family and I are going through some pretty big changes with a move happening in the next few weeks! I really wanted to get the BASICS out to you guys before we moved, to give you a chance to share in what I've been so excited about they last few months:) So that's why despite the craziness of my life right now, I'm opening up shop tonight! I'll have the shop open for a limited time and then it will be temporarily closed for a few weeks as we transition ourselves into our new home and I can set up my "office" again;) So if there's something you see tonight that you have to have in the next week or two, make sure to grab it quick!

I love you guys! Seriously, I know there are a lot of shops out there and I'm so grateful you chose to support mine! It goes so much deeper for me than just making a few bucks, but you're supporting my passions and sharing in making things happen that I have dreamed of for a long time. Can you tell I'm getting all sentimental & slightly emotional with all this moving business?! ;) (but seriously, thank you.)

Don't forget to check out my shop TONIGHT at 7:30 pm EST to shop your new BASICS! (you can find my shop here.)

xo, Carolyn

*All photos courtesy of nancy noble photography*

NYC or bust

Where have I been? You may or may not be asking yourself this question. I'm still here I swear! My mind is still going a million miles a minute with new ideas, I'm still pulling all nighters sewing and cutting and prepping for things to pretty your heads with! I just have a few other "small" things going on right now as well...

So, a few weeks back I shared that my family and I will be moving closer to the NYC area for my husbands job. While this isn't a HUGE jump for us on the map (we are upstate now), it is a HUGE jump for us in every single other way. And I mean every single. We currently have a house, two cars, are within 15 minutes from both of our families, and have developed great friendships for us and our kiddos. This has all been such a huge blessing to us and we are so grateful for that season, and are now just as grateful for this new season that will bring about a lot more change (and a lot less space, if you know anything about NYC living;)

Jordan & I have always LOVED the city, and when we first got married even talked about moving there for reasons totally unrelated to our current situation. Needless to say, we are SO grateful for the opportunity and excited to see the journey that the Lord has us on. Our families have been so kindly helping out with our girls while we've done a few weekends of "house hunting" which has been great. Let me just say that I never quite realized how many options there were when you make the move to NYC. We took a weekend JUST to scout/drive through areas and we started in Jersey City, drove through Hoboken & a few surrounding towns, and then explored Brooklyn & Queens.

We realize what a huge move this is going to be for our family, and especially for our girls who are used to a big space to run around, a playroom and a backyard to freely go wild in. We are really trying to do our homework to figure out the best possible scenario for them as well as what will be the best for Jordan's commute into Manhattan every day.

While we considered searching for a spot in Manhattan to be close to Jordan's job, we *quickly* realized that a 600 sq ft apartment in our price range just may not be the wisest decision for our family (or my sanity:) So we started looking in some surrounding areas.

Park Slope, Brooklyn

Oh Park Slope. You're where I go in my dreams. Walking brownstone lined streets, watching little kids set up lemonade stands outside their doorsteps selling not only homemade lemonade but an assortment of their moms shoes/books, and well that just sent me right over the edge for the cuteness factor alone. Don't get me started on the abundance of parks, quaint and local coffee shops on the corner or the farmers market that was completely calling my name. We truly fell in love with this spot! It's so charming and seems like such a perfect place to have kids in the city.

Queens (Astoria & Forest Hills)

We checked out quite a bit of Queens. It was super cute and full of hidden art and character. There's an adorable street with a strip of stores in Forest Hills that's great for walking. Tons of food trucks and food in general (always a plus here). Astoria was a little less busy, more laid back (or so it seemed to us, maybe just the part we checked out) and such a huge range of people from all walks of life, which we really liked. 

Hoboken, NJ 

We could not have loved this cute little area more. Hoboken is like being in the city but on a more relaxed scale. It's like the perfect "coming from upstate" transition area if we had to pick one. There are adorable boutiques, local restaurants, parks all over the place, families, brownstones (I may be obsessed) and did I mention the piers? Our first visit we didn't even get a chance to check out the piers, but a friend of mine told me that we couldn't make that mistake twice. I mean, are you kidding? A walk down this little pier overlooking Manhattan, oh and there's a playground for the kids? Tell me where to sign. 

Jersey City, NJ 

We stayed in Jersey City as kind of a central location to checking out the whole area when we were scouting, and I can tell you right now I don't know if I could ever get tired of these views. I woke up early one morning to the sunrise and was just so in awe of how beautiful it was.

Jersey City has a ferry that goes right over to Manhattan, which we took to go check out an area in Manhattan that we were considering. It goes right over to Battery Park, which is also a super cute area to have a picnic or take a walk. 

 Freedom Tower during the day and night from Jersey City.

We LOVE NYC. Like, love love. After a ton of discussion and prayer and confusion and more discussion and more prayer (ha), we decided to concentrate more on looking on the outskirts of the city to settle on for looking for our new home. We spent a good amount of time around Hoboken this past weekend, as well as the little towns surrounding it. We're kind of leaning towards these surrounding areas just because it's a decent commute into Manhattan (30-35 min to where Jordan needs to be exactly), it's pretty family friendly and it's more affordable than living in the heart of the city, while still having a lot of the conveniences of being right there.

Spent a lot of time walking up and down this path wondering if the next time we're walking it it'll be outside our back door so to speak. There is so much to consider when you move, right? Especially with kids in the equation. Anywhere we end up we are so aware of the huge blessing it is and the adventure that we have the privilege of being on. And it's been great to do so much research on surrounding areas along the way. 

Being in NY my whole life I've never been to so many areas in the city or outside of the city as I have in these two weekends.  It was exhausting ;) 

So with all this being said, what does this mean for Two Sparrows? Oh, only that it's going to get EVEN BETTER :) I mean for starters...when you put this girl 35 minutes at most from the garment district, watch out. Dropping me off in the garment district for a day is like putting a kid in a candy store with $100 bill in their hand and telling them to go for it. There is SO much at your fingertips and I can't wait to get my hands on some amazing fabrics exclusive to NYC for you guys! I can't say how much I appreciate your continued support as I know I've been a little off the map and tied up with these major life decisions, but it seriously means so much to me that you're still following along! 

In the meantime, I do have some pretty fab-u-lous things coming out in the next week or two and I'll just leave you with a little sneak peek...but you'll have to come back for more :) This stuff has been in the works for a while and it's screaming at me to get out there! You're going to love it so don't say I didn't warn you :)

EEK! Can't wait to show you more:) xo