MEET A MOM—Kristen Plumb | New Canaan & Darien Moms

Our latest Meet a Mom is Kristen Plumb, a mother of two who has lived in New Canaan for 12 years. Spending time with family and celebrating life’s happiest moments have always been extremely important and meaningful to Kristen. Her love for holiday and birthday décor began as a child, and that passion for decorating and celebrating never went away. After earning her BA from Hamilton College, Kristen spent over a decade in the fashion industry working for an exclusive high-end retailer in New York City. She enjoyed her time there working creatively, traveling internationally, and learning how to run a business. Through the years while raising a family with her husband, it became an obsession and a passion to create beautiful spaces for family birthdays and holidays. That obsession ignited her to start her own business. Her background in fashion coupled with her creative spirit are the inspiration behind her designs. She hopes that creating beautiful décor for birthdays for your family brings as much joy as it has brought to hers. Read more about Kristen and what’s behind the name of her company, Britsy Bean!

How many kids do you have and what are their ages?
I have two children ages 12 and 9.

What brought you and your family to town? 
I love living in such a great town where family truly is the focus. We’ve lived here for 12 years and it’s been an incredible experience to raise our kids in a place where there are so many amazing families. That was definitely a huge part in drawing us to this great community!

What’s your favorite aspect about being part of the community?
The love, support, and inspiration I get from so many amazing, smart, and creative women in our community. It’s truly so inspiring.

You’ve recently launched Britsy Bean, a line of products designed for families to treasure and celebrate family traditions. We understand the name, was actually the creation of your daughter’s imagination. Can you share more with us? 
When my daughter was in pre-school, she used to come home and tell me about Britsy. I thought it was a doll or toy my daughter played with in the classroom. I finally realized that Britsy was imaginary and I loved witnessing my daughter’s creativity at her finest when she’d tell me stories about all of the fun adventures she’d been on with Britsy.

Can you tell us about your path to creating Bristy Bean? 
It was really born out of our own family traditions. We love to decorate the night before our children’s birthdays so they wake up to a birthday surprise. I wanted to create a line of reusable decorations that did not end up in a landfill after one use, but still added a beautiful and festive touch. The countdown calendar was inspired by my son who would always ask before his birthday how many days left. It gave me the idea to create a calendar similar to the ones we see at the holidays to countdown to the special day. I created a prototype for our family to use and saw how much the kids enjoyed using it year after year.

Follow Britsy Bean!
Instagram @britsybean
Facebook BritsyBean
Pinterest Britsy Bean
Website https://britsybean.com

How have celebrations in your home changed since launching?   
They haven’t changed much except for the fact that I use my own designs/products to decorate! Now instead of using flimsy paper garlands and streamers that tear and rip easily, I take out our box of festive and reusable decorations. I think this helps to create a real sense of tradition. It’s like taking out your favorite holiday decoration from the box for the first time in a year—it’s that same kind of excitement. I believe kids thrive on having family traditions, which also help to create wonderful memories.

What’s the best advice you’ve gotten from another mom? 
My own mom always tells me to not take life too seriously!

Do you have any go-to ways to relax and get a little “me time?” 
Coffee breaks and thirty minutes for a walk to clear the mind does a world of wonders!

As a busy mama, is there something you do each day to support your own needs?   
I try to practice a few minutes of meditation every day. It’s not always an easy task to quiet the mind, but when I do it consistently, I find it really does lower my stress levels and helps to keep life in perspective.

Any words of wisdom?  
As moms, we wear a lot of hats and carry a lot of responsibility, so I think it’s always helpful to remember not to be too tough on ourselves.

We like to support local businesses. Name your favorite places in town and nearby!
Grab a drink with friends: Spiga
Have a date night: Elm
Spend time together as a family outdoors: Irwin for a walk with the kids
Grab coffee: Jack’s Stir Brew Coffee and Greenology
Workout: Zumba at NEAD

 

 

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