"Fresh Finds Friday"

These wonderful, fresh finds were straight from my list of etsy favorites. Make sure to check out their shops... there are a lot more goodies where these came from!



(1) buttuglee
(2) yayapapaya
(3) knottybabywear
(4) EarthGroovz
(5) ecoleeko
(6) pinkowlcreations


Happy Friday!

"Thankful Thursday"

As part of one of my goals to write more on my blog, I've decided to dedicate each day of the week to something different and (try!!) to stay vigilant. My goal is to write at least a little something to go with each day's theme and today is what I'm going to call "Thankful Thursday"! Although it's a little late in the day, I'm getting it done and that has to count for something, right?

I have to say, THANK YOU... THANK YOU... THANK YOU, to a lovely friend and teammate, Sandra, owner of AmyRoseDesigns and Bloome on Etsy!!

She has the most darling bibs, Love Me Loveys and Snap n Wrap Covers around. Her fabrics are beautiful and the construction is perfection! She just recently opened a new shop called Bloome with the most adorable children's clothing!! Her impeccable taste in colors and patterns has moved seamlessly to her new shop!! Here are a few of my favorites:

Now, how is this connected to Thankful Thursday you ask?? Let me tell you!

Not only is this hardworking small business owner, faithful teammate and wonderful designer good at what she does, she is also a warm and helpful person - someone I am proud to call my friend!

A couple of weeks ago, I noticed that she was about to hit 200 sales and I thought to myself, WOW! What an accomplishment!! And like anyone else would, I thought, I wonder how she did it. So I asked!! And right away Sandra made a list for me to follow of things that she has done to get the word out about her shop. And as I'm gearing up for another school year, I am busy getting it all in place so that I can continue to follow her suggestions as life gets a little more complicated.

And the best part?!?! As I am starting and trying new things, she has been there to bounce ideas off of and to get a second opinion from. I have appreciated her honesty, even when it wasn't what I wanted to hear. Every suggestion she has made is from the heart, from her own objective eye and is made because she wants me to succeed. And the bottom line?? I trust her opinion! I mean, who wouldn't with a record like hers!!

So.... THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, my dear friend!

"One Word Wednesday"

LIGHT BOX!!

Ok, so it's two words, but I just have to tell you about this!

Ever since starting my etsy shop, I've been working on taking pictures that really showed off the designs. It's been a tough road and I've tried so many things... but then I saw the new and improved pictures that a friend/teammate Kristi, owner of zuzugirl, had been doing. She had purchased a portable light box and got amazing photographs using it. It was then that I started thinking about getting one.

I had seen many sizes and types, as well as ones that had been handmade and just couldn't make up my mind. Do I bite the bullet and purchase one?? Pro being that it's portable and stores easily - Con being the price. Or do I make one myself?? Pro being the cost to make - Con being that it doesn't store well (unless you take it apart between taking pictures).

Well, after getting some wonderful sales advice and a link to a homemade light box (http://digital-photography-school.com/how-to-make-a-inexpensive-light-tentschool.com/how-to-make-a-inexpensive-light-tent) from another friend/teammate, Sandra, owner of AmyRoseDesigns and Bloome, I decided to take advantage of the last couple of weeks of vacation and try it out.

So... rather than using a packing box and adding white paper to the inside, I decided to use foam core board. It was really easy - I used a fabric cutting ruler, so that I didn't have to mark each piece and a razor blade to cut it. After trying to cut through one board, I realized that all I needed to cut was the outer paper and then I can easily pull the inside part out. The only issue was it was a bit messy from the bits of foam. I decided to use white tissue paper that I had lying around rather than fabric because I didn't have any white fabric on hand, but will be interested to see the difference in photographs when I do get some. So far, I'm really loving the difference!

Here are a couple of pics using white as my background:

I was SO happy with the clarity of the photographs and when I woke up this morning, I tried it again with some pretty metallicy (I know that's not a word!!) blue scrapbooking paper. I really like the color in these pics and think I'm going to take more like this!! (I also changed the ribbon so it was easier to see).

So now the tough part... taking new pics of everything that I have and changing them on etsy and on my website! But, I'm really looking forward to just how wonderful they will look!!!

Wish me luck :)

It's Time To Spread The Word!

I'm am so thrilled to finally be able to share what we've been working on at EtsyKids! It's been such an exciting venture and there have been so many wonderful members who have been working on it with me and they are:

The Clever Kitty - http://www.thecleverkitty.etsy.com/
Little Elephant Compay - http://www.littleelephantco.etsy.com/
Chubbas n Boop - http://www.chubbasnboop.etsy.com/
Lil Boo and Company - http://www.lilbooandco.etsy.com/
Tutu Cute and Moore - http://www.tutucuteandmoore.etsy.com/
Pumpkin's Boutique - http://www.pumpkinsboutique.etsy.com/
Tootsie Bear - http://www.tootsiebear.etsy.com/
Rozzi's Sweet Peas - http://www.rozzissweetpeas.etsy.com/
All Things Girly - http://www.allthingsgirly.etsy.com/
Zuzu Girl Handmade - http://www.zuzugirlhandmade.etsy.com/
Chichiboulie - http://www.chichiboulie.etsy.com/
Mary Had A Little Party - http://www.maryhadalittleparty.etsy.com/
Flirty Bird - http://www.flirtybird.etsy.com/
Swiedebie - http://www.swiedebie.etsy.com/

Here is a little sneak peak at the magazine... I just know you are going to love it!!

Open publication - Free publishing - More kids

And The Winner Is....

Rozzi's Sweet Peas!!!

http://www.rozzissweetpeas.etsy.com/

Thanks so much to everyone who commented on the blog post and for those of you who sent me ideas through etsy! Although I wasn't able to get it all done before going on my trip, I was able to decide on my favorite and Daisy Creek Overflow really caught my attention. Now the easy part (right?!?!) - I just need to get the logo, avatar, shop set up and items listed. Well, maybe that's not the easy part, but it's so much easier now that I have a name!!

Thanks so much, rozzissweetpeas, for your creative suggestion!! You rock!