Happy Day Paperie

2011-09-09T12:33:00.001-05:00

Possible New Banner

2011-08-30T14:57:00.002-05:00

Morrison Family Valentine

2011-01-09T06:04:00.001-06:00

Vetter Christmas

2010-12-16T15:27:00.001-06:00

Peters Family

2010-12-16T15:23:00.002-06:00

Searcy Christmas

2010-12-10T08:18:00.002-06:00

McCormick Christmas

2010-12-02T10:04:00.002-06:00

van der Meer Christmas card

2010-11-10T14:40:00.000-06:00

Goolsby Christmas Card

2010-11-09T15:24:00.004-06:00

Batman & Robin Birthday Invite

2010-09-19T20:21:00.003-05:00

August Birth Announcement

2010-07-12T07:36:00.002-05:00

Micah's First Birthday

2010-07-02T16:57:00.002-05:00

Twins Farm Birthday

2010-06-05T05:44:00.001-05:00

Jace Birth Announcement

2010-06-02T13:59:00.002-05:00

Makai's First Birthday

2010-05-12T09:55:00.003-05:00

Best Buddies Birthday

2010-04-12T13:43:00.004-05:00

Chris and Brittany Save the Date

2010-03-19T17:21:00.003-05:00

Brad and Liz Save the Date

2010-03-05T19:19:00.001-06:00

Annabelle Birth Announcement

2010-01-31T06:39:00.000-06:00

Tyler's First Birthday

2010-01-21T17:46:00.002-06:00

Gage's First Birthday

2010-01-21T17:39:00.001-06:00

Meredith's 4th Birthday

2010-01-17T19:29:00.002-06:00

Jake and Kelly

2010-01-11T17:36:00.002-06:00

Melody and Eric

2010-01-08T08:06:00.002-06:00

Finn's First Birthday

2010-01-07T08:47:00.000-06:00

2009-12-10T14:40:00.000-06:00

Burr Birth Announcement / Christmas

2009-12-10T14:19:00.002-06:00

Gianna Birth Announcement / Christmas

2009-12-10T14:17:00.002-06:00

Jensen Christmas

2009-12-10T14:14:00.002-06:00

Eli Birthday

2009-12-10T14:13:00.002-06:00

The Smith Family

2009-12-07T16:39:00.003-06:00

Georgia Birthday

2009-12-02T16:45:00.003-06:00

Patrick

2009-12-02T15:09:00.002-06:00

Logan Birthday

2009-12-02T14:16:00.003-06:00

Declan Birthday

2009-12-02T08:41:00.001-06:00

Stinar Family

2009-11-23T17:46:00.000-06:00

Wieberdink Family

2009-11-19T19:37:00.001-06:00

The Bolens

2009-11-19T18:54:00.000-06:00

Holly and Seth Baby Shower

2009-10-08T17:49:00.003-05:00

1st Birthday Thanks

2009-09-25T20:48:00.000-05:00

Caden Birth Announcement

2009-09-23T14:21:00.003-05:00

Gavin Surf Birthday

2009-09-23T13:43:00.001-05:00

Charles' First Birthday

2009-09-21T07:32:00.002-05:00

After the I Do's

2009-09-16T11:23:00.000-05:00

Sheri's Baby Shower

2009-09-16T07:38:00.002-05:00

Willlow Birth Announcement

2009-09-16T07:27:00.003-05:00

Alicia's Baby Shower

2009-09-15T15:03:00.002-05:00

Astryd's First Birthday

2009-09-13T15:39:00.002-05:00

Newlyweds Moving Announcement

2009-09-07T07:14:00.003-05:00

(address removed)

Avery's Third Birthday

2009-09-06T18:45:00.002-05:00

Kimberly and William Save the Date

2009-09-06T15:18:00.001-05:00

Xavier Baptism

2009-09-06T15:16:00.002-05:00

Dev and Melissa Simcha

2009-09-06T15:11:00.001-05:00

Lily's Third Birthday

2009-09-04T07:13:00.003-05:00

Will's Second Birthday

2009-09-04T07:09:00.003-05:00

(address removed)

Out of Asia Party

2009-09-02T12:28:00.003-05:00

(address and phone number removed)

Ella's Second Birthday

2009-09-02T12:21:00.003-05:00

(address and phone number removed)

Brody Birth Announcement

2009-08-31T15:31:00.002-05:00

Owen's First Birthday

2009-08-31T15:28:00.002-05:00

(address and phone number have been removed)

Ava Birth Announcement

2009-08-31T15:26:00.001-05:00

Emily Birth Announcement

2009-08-31T15:24:00.003-05:00

Cassie's Graduation

2009-08-31T15:12:00.004-05:00

(address and phone number removed)

Juliana's 1st Birthday

2009-08-31T15:06:00.004-05:00

Trip to Florida, discovered Sweet Tomatoes

2009-06-28T14:12:00.007-05:00

We just recently got back from a trip to the Orlando area. It was really HOT, but nice to get away for awhile. We did 2 days of Disney (Magic Kingdom and Epcot). Magic Kingdom was horribly crowded and hot, so I didn't have a ton of fun there, but it was still nice. Kelsey was a trooper the whole time, she did SO well. There was quite a bit to do at both parks for Kelsey (2o months) and me (being pregnant) so I didn't feel it was a total waste of money. Kelsey's favorite thing was Turtle Talk with Crush at Epcot.

While in Florida, we discovered a great healthy, faster food, buffet-style restaurant called Sweet Tomatoes. It became my favorite place to eat out there, especially after a long day at the theme parks. I only wish they had one here. Here's the link: Sweet Tomatoes. They serve great fresh salads, soups, pastas, and really yummy breads. For dessert they have make your own ice cream sundaes with fat free Edy's frozen yogurt, yum!

The place we stayed was pretty nice, we especially liked their pools (they had 5 of them). 2 of the pools were walk in pools, great for Kelsey, and one had a slide that Kelsey LOVED to go down with her daddy. I think that was her favorite part of the whole trip.

My New Favorite Restaurant: Muffulettas

2009-05-15T14:06:00.005-05:00

My husband and I have recently discovered a restaurant we LOVE! Muffuletta has been around for awhile, but we had never been there. We've been there twice now and the food was superb both times.

They have a really neat deal right now for most cost-effective choices and they sound delicious: "Thrifty dining is also available Sunday through Thursday with our Tender Prices for Tough Times menu. Sunday nights feature Pot Roast for $8.95, Monday nights we have a selection of 10 Bottles of Wine for $10, Tuesdays we serve Grilled Bacon-Brats with Beans for $8.95, Wednesdays is $10.95 Herb-Roasted Half Chicken, and Thursday nights we feature Old-School Supper Club-style Walleye for $11.95."

Can't wait to dine there again. You should also join the Parasole Dining Club, you get one point per dollar spent and once you have 150 points you can redeem it for $10 off your bill, great deal! Parasole has great restaurants, including Muffuletta.

Yummy!

This Week's Featured Etsy Shop: MustardSeed by.carollai

2009-04-29T07:50:00.006-05:00

This week's featured shop is MustardSeed by.carollai. Carol creates beautiful jewelry. Here is what Carol says about herself and her store:

My name is Carol. I'm an art therapist who believes that creativity is an amazing outlet for everyone. I opened up MustardSeed by.carollai on 01.01.09 because I wanted to share a part of me with others in the form of my creations. It has been a fun and challenging journey filled with a lot of learning. Every item is a one-of-kind piece or limited edition piece and is handcrafted with lots of love and detailed care. I also make certain that all my supplies are of the highest quality.

It's pretty amazing how the creative juices are always flowing. I look at my first few jewelry pieces and how they differ greatly from the styles that I'm currently making. It's exciting because that means there will always be many unique and new items for your shopping fun. :)

Currently, I am hosting a promotion at my etsy shop. Buy 2 or more items and receive 10% off the entire purchase. This promotion ends on May 10th, 2009. I'm in the process of adding more items to my shop so come by often and take a look!

Custom Card GIVEAWAY!

2009-04-28T10:52:00.004-05:00

I am hosting a custom card giveaway running April 27th-May 1st.

The winner of my giveaway will be able to choose up to $2o worth of items from my store (excluding printing services), winner's choice.

HOW TO ENTER:
To be entered please visit my store Conveying You Designs and browse my collections, then come back here and leave a comment about which one you like best.

EXTRA ENTRIES:
1. Follow/subscribe to my blog and leave another comment telling me you did this.
2. Follow me on Twitter (see right hand column on my blog) and leave a comment telling me you did this.
3. Tweet this giveaway and leave another comment telling me you did this.

This giveaway closes May 1st, 2009 at 11:59 pm central time. Be sure to include a valid email address. Winner will be randomly chosen via random.org and will be notified via email and announced on this post.

The design you choose will be emailed, so US and International entries are accepted.

This Week's Featured Shop: Happy Squash Toys

2009-04-20T13:11:00.009-05:00

This week's featured shop is Happy Squash Toys. They make handmade, adorable, safe toys for your little ones. Here is what they have to say about their shop:

Happy Squash Toys began in 2007, when our daughter was about a year old. During that time there was a huge lead scare, and my husband Jim and I were concerned about the safety of our mostly 'Made-in-China' toys. We looked online and found some quality European toys but nothing local, so we decided to try and make our own. Happy Squash Toys was born!

All of our toys are completely handmade, from the design and first cut in the wood to the last tiny details that are painted on. We make cars, animals, games, pirate and viking ships, and most recently play aprons. All of our paints and finishes are made in the USA and safe for children. They are sturdy and meant for active play, and will last for years and years, and through child after child.

One of the best things about making our own toys is that the limits are endless. We're always coming up with new ideas, animals, and games. We always welcome custom orders, or even ideas for new things for our store (the monkey is just one of many requests that became a staple in our store). We truly love what we do!

Our little happy squash is now 2 1/2. She still enjoys those first toys that came out of our workshop. We hope you and any small squashes in your life will also enjoy what we have made.

Some News!

2009-04-08T07:39:00.003-05:00

Hello again everyone! It's been awhile. My grandpa's funeral was beautiful, sad because of our loss, but happy because we know he is now with the Lord he loved so dearly. Thank you for all your prayers.

On another note, my husband and I are expecting our second child sometime during the end of October or early November. I pray things go as smoothly as they did with our first child. For those of you who don't know, I am a Type 1 diabetic, which makes pregnancy even more scary for me. I am at an increased risk for miscarriage and birth defects. So far my A1c's have been great, 5.4 and 5.2, although my dr. wasn't happy with the 5.2 because I was getting low too often, but I think I am getting that more under control. This pregnancy has been kind of weird because I only have occasional symptoms, occasional fatigue, occasionally feeling yucky, occasional frequent urination, nothing consistent, which makes me somewhat nervous. Actually, lately I've been feeling really good, which also makes me nervous because I am still in my first trimester. I haven't been sleeping well, which would make you think that I would be super tired, but I haven't been, hmmm.... I just have to stop worrying and keep trusting the Lord. Can anyone identify with these feelings? I have anothe dr. appointment next week, hope and pray all is well! Thanks for listening to my ramblings!

No Featured shop this week

2009-03-31T07:58:00.003-05:00

Hi all, my family had some sad news this weekend. My grandpa died unexpectedly from a ruptured aorta. Therefore, I will not be doing a featured Etsy shop this week. Please pray for our family, especially my grandma. My grandpa was one of the most amazing men of God you would ever have the privilege of knowing, so we know he is with God now, but it is still hard. Grandpa and Grandma were married 60 years, so grandma has lost her best friend and lifelong mate. She depended on him for a lot of things, so please just pray for comfort and peace for her and for future plans for her living situation. Thanks!

Babies = Yogurt

2009-03-27T13:42:00.002-05:00

My daughter has started asking for food that she wants to eat. The other night at dinner she kept saying "babies, babies." I could not figure out what she wanted. Finally my husband made the connection, her yogurt has a picture of a baby on it. He took out a container and it made her day, she gave us the biggest smile and got so excited. So, now we know "babies" = "yogurt" at dinner time any way.

This Week's Featured Etsy Shop: Austin Artisan

2009-03-24T13:23:00.006-05:00

This week's featured Etsy shop is Austin Artisan. She makes great coupon organizers in tons of fun designs. I love this because I am an organizing fanatic, a coupon clipper, and these look cute to top it all off.

Here is what she has to say about her shop:
1) How long have you been making your products?
I am a newbie and just began creating my coupon organizers a few months ago.

2) Are they sold anywhere other than Etsy?
No, for now I am an Etsy exclusive.. ha ha

3) What prompted you to start your shop? What's the background, the inspiration?
I love crafting and have always been involved with one art form or another. I am always looking for a creative outlet. My mother actually prompted me to open a shop. She is my #1 fan and had been encouraging me to sell on Etsy for some time now. I fell in love with wool felt awhile back and started out making small bags for family and friends. Then one day I took a good look at my coupon organizer and it was ugly to say the least. I made myself a new one and covered it in gorgeous wool blend felt. I thought, I might have something here. Inspiration is all around us, you just have to open your eyes AND your mind.

4) Is there something unique about your products vs. your competitors that you'd like readers to know?
My organizers are the perfect fit for your purse so you will always have it with you. That is the biggest problem with clipping coupons, you can't use them if you don't have them. I have seen these big oversized binders for coupons and I guess those are great if you keep it at home. I can't imagine lugging in a 30 lb. binder or box in a grocery store. Mine are a snap to find the coupon you need. I try to make lots of styles so whether you like flowers, birds or tattoos, I will have something just for you! I also do custom monograms for the extra personal touch. Those are great for gift giving (Mother's Day is coming up) or something special for yourself. I embroider and handstitch all my appliques directly on the covering so they hold up very well. I don't just glue them on. I don't take short cuts and I don't sell anything mama wouldn't be proud of.

5) Would you like readers to know anything about you personally?
I am a not so ordinary girl living a not so ordinary life. I will tell you that I am a wife and mother of two, which boggles my mind since my oldest is 12 years old and I feel like I'm just reaching my early twenties... Okay, maybe my mid twenties. This baffles me and I think I am on my way to a mid life crisis.

Clogged Drain

2009-03-20T08:45:00.003-05:00

I was going to be "green" and try unclogging our bathroom sink drain with baking soda:
Baking Soda Drain Cleaner
If water hasn’t yet backed up in your drain, pour 1 cup of
baking soda followed by 3 cups of boiling water. The boiling
water will change the chemical composition of baking soda, making it more alkaline. Repeat a few times until the drain is clear.

I've only done it once so far because I realized I didn't have enough baking soda to do it 3 times. Oh well! Has anyone tried this before?

I may have to try it this way:
The Bubbling Method Using Vinegar and Baking Soda
Baking soda and vinegar react with each other to cause bubbles and
fizzing. Sometimes the fizzing can unlodge clogs. Follow the baking soda and boiling water formula, above, with 1 cup of vinegar.

http://www.care2.com/greenliving/clearing-clogged-drains.html#

This Week's Featured Etsy Shop: Skylar's Candy Clips

2009-03-16T10:48:00.006-05:00

This week's featured Etsy shop is Skylar's Candy Clips. Sherryl makes adorable girls hair clips. Here is what she has to say about her shop:

I'm Sherryl. This little hobby of mine was inspired by my eldest daughter Skylar when she was a baby (now 4 years old!) and always losing the hair clips that I bought her. Frustrated by the poor selection of hair clips at the retail stores I shopped from and the outrageous prices they charged, I decided to make my own. Skylar always referred to her hairclips as "candy clips" from the many different styles I made for her so I thought it was befitting to call it Skylar's Candy Clips in tribute to her for serving as my inspiration, my muse. Thus Skylar's Candy Clips was born!

This Week's Featured Etsy Shop: Missy and Me

2009-03-09T16:04:00.006-05:00

This week's featured Etsy Shop is Missy and Me. Ruby makes super cute felted items among o
many other things for her Etsy shop. Here is what Ruby has to say about herself and her shop:

While sitting in a doctors office waiting for my husband, I found an article about Etsy in a magazine. I spent 4 months just checking things out and lurking in the forums. I thought this could be the perfect answer to one of my problems. "Hi, my name is Ruby and I'm a crafting addict." I have always had a craftroom that rivals one of the crafting chain stores, my supplies alone could keep me busy for years, however, I was running out of friends and family to gift my items, I had boxes of finished crafts waiting for an appropriate occaision. Crafting was my peace and quiet, my joy and I was crafting just for fun and enjoyment.

Originally I started out selling jewelry and crocheted items, but then I found more, different crafts on Etsy that I just had to try....needle felting. I had never seen or heard of this interesting craft. Turning unspun, wool into animals, figures and art items, just by poking it with a very sharp, barbed 3" needle. I love it!! This has to be my very favorite craft, sometimes taking hours or even days to get just the look I want.

My main goal for Missy and Me is to bring smiles to the faces of everyone who sees my items. It may not be an item you want to purchase, but it should cause you to smile and to uplift your day just a tad. There is so much gloom and bad news drifting around these days, having "happy" items surrounding us everywhere, in the kitchen, by the computer or on your desk can only serve to to bring us up and into the sunshine.

Everything at Missy and Me is well made with supplies mostly purchased from other handcrafters on Etsy and shipped with love and good wishes. Each item is one of a kind, (with some items being similar) as there are no patterns and no molds.

I'm a stay at home Grandma doing daycare for my two grandsons. I have been drawing and crafting for 35+ years and I hope to continue for many, many more.

Our Dinner at Redstone

2009-03-09T10:28:00.003-05:00

We ate dinner at Redstone American Grill in Minnetonka, MN on Saturday and I thought it was blog-worthy. Every time we go there we have excellent food. My husband had the ribs, which he always says are the best ribs he's ever had and I had the rotisserie chicken, which was delicious! It came with yummy, garlicky mashed potatoes and asparagus. They are a little more expensive than a family-style restaurant, but well worth the price (my meal was $17, but that was the Saturday price, I think their lunches are a little more affordable). They have several locations in MN and some around the country. I would highly suggest visiting them if you live near one.

I was Featured in my First Etsy Treasury!

2009-03-09T09:31:00.003-05:00

I am so excited. I just saw that I have been featured in my first Etsy treasury that I am aware of. The item featured has also been one of my most popular items.

This Week's Featured Etsy Shop: Mom N Mia Quilts

2009-03-02T13:29:00.005-06:00

This week's featured Etsy shop is Mom N Mia Quilts. Maria makes beautiful baby and children's items. I have personally purchased 2 items from her and I love them both. I got this turtle onsie for a shower gift for a friend of mine, so cute!Here is what Maria has to say about her shop and her items:
I started Mom N Mia Quilts 10 years ago as an outlet for my creative energy. I sell tons of baby items, bibs, burp cloths and blankets, but I specialize in custom creations like my quilts. One of my main selling venues is Etsy.com, but I have been selling at arts & crafts fairs, children's boutiques in the United States and Ireland for several years. Over the past 12 months I have started stocking over 12 boutiques, in the US and in Australia, Malaysia, Ireland and across Europe.

I have been sewing most of my life, but I never really enjoyed sewing until I was in college and learned to appreciate the value of being able to make things for myself. I made my first “quilt” on the floor in my dorm room at Michigan State University. My friends all thought I was crazy. I started sewing quilts for my friends as they started having babies, and I haven’t stopped. When I started having my own kids, and the number of nieces and nephews and friends’ children started growing, I began playing around making other blankets, burp cloths and bibs, and other fun items.
I love making items that are not just fun to look at, but are also high quality and actually useful! The burp cloths are made to be pretty AND functional – they are much more absorbent than the thin ones you can find in the chain stores, and the options are endless!! And I like having bibs that are actually big enough to catch all the spills and drool, and protect the little ones’ clothes! Kids are messy!! 5” wide bibs just don’t do the job!
I have a wonderful, supportive husband and I am a proud mommy to two beautiful children – my little girl Katie is 3.5, and my son Max turned 1 in December. I also work full-time as a legal assistant for a large hospital system. I love reading, traveling and spending time with my husband, kids and extended family. I am always dreaming up new projects!

This Week's Featured Etsy Shop: Half a Cup of Tea

2009-02-25T12:20:00.005-06:00

This week's featured Etsy shop is Half a Cup of Tea. Glory makes amazing miniature paper sculptures. They are so detailed and cute! I would never have the patience to make them :o) Here is what Glory says about her work:
Hi, I'm from Hong Kong. I design and create paper sculpture pieces which are in miniature scales. I'd love to explore many techniques, but currenlty concentrate on the one-piece 90 deg pop-up style. I adore tiny chairs, tables, houses, stairs, windows, caves and trees, so you will see them again and again in my designs. Some people who saw my art in person told me that my art made them keep staring. I kinda like that! Making paper art in such scales requires lots of concentration, patience, stamina, imagination and certain degree of insanity, and I enjoy every bit of it. Why did they end up so small? Come to my shop and read my profile while you're having half a cup of tea. And start staring now!

Etsy on the Minneapolis News!

2009-02-24T16:17:00.001-06:00

Etsy was discussed on the Minneapolis news on February 23rd. Pretty cool! Go here to watch the clip: Etsy in the Minneapolis news

Our Walk in the Snow

2009-02-24T13:24:00.002-06:00

Just got back from a walk outside with my daughter. It was so fun! Kelsey always keeps me laughing. She thought the chunks of snow on the road were balls. She kept saying "ball, ball" then she picked a chunk up and tried to throw it to watch it bounce, but it broke into pieces. We stopped to look at every snow and ice chunk, so it took awhile to get around the block, but it was fun. It's a nice day to be outside, sunny and almost 40 degrees.

Maylee Birth Announcement

2009-02-24T11:09:00.002-06:00

Ali and Luis Save the Date

2009-02-24T11:04:00.002-06:00

Leah Nash Baby Shower

2009-02-24T11:01:00.002-06:00

Finally Created My First Etsy Treasury

2009-02-19T07:54:00.002-06:00

This one is in celebration on the FAM Team 1st Birthday Celebration and features members of the FAM Team. Please come visit http://www.etsy.com/treasury_list.php?room_id=40862

Great Resource for my Customers!

2009-02-17T17:48:00.004-06:00

I just came upon this online company called pingg that will print, address, stamp and mail your cards for you for $1.25 a piece plus postage. You are able to upload a photo file or a PDF. This is a great resource for those who don't want to deal with the addressing and such. I found them through the Martha Stewart website, so I assume they do a good job and are reputable. Go here to view their site: http://www.pingg.com

This Weeks Featured Etsy Shop - Luscious Lather

2009-02-14T06:10:00.005-06:00

This weeks featured etsy shop is Luscious Lather. Diane mainly makes beautiful soaps, but also has a few other treasures in her shop as well. Here is what Diane has to say about herself and her products products:

We appreciate beauty and elegance and strive to provide our customers with exquisite products that are not only prepared with the highest quality ingredients, but are also lovely to behold.

Our beautiful soap designs, fabulous fragrances and of course, luscious lather will delight you, soothe you and create an extravagant bathing experience. Indulge yourself with sumptuous products designed and created to lavish and pamper your senses and your skin. Bathing is meant to be luxurious and serene, richly bestowing a feeling of well-being and calm. Our gentle products are made in small quantities to ensure freshness to you, our valued customer.

I have been making soaps and lotions for about 14 years now and just love it! It is such a creative passion for me. There is just something so appealing to me about stirring up a big bowl of soap and planning out the colors, fragrances and designs. I always have such fun!

I enjoy many other creative pursuits such as watercolors, pottery, writing, paper-making, cooking and baking. I also love reading, gardening and traveling.

Great Pumpkin Cookies!

2009-02-12T14:15:00.005-06:00

I just tried the recipe below and they are so yummy! I modified the recipe to make it a bit healthier. I only put in 1/4 c. of each sugar and I used whole wheat flour and added about a 1/4 c. of wheat germ. I also omitted the chocolate chips and added a little extra cinnamon. They are still delicious and I feel nutritious enough to let Kelsey eat them as well.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

SERVINGS: 48

TIME: Prep: 10 min. Bake: 15 min./batch

Ingredients:

1 cup butter or margarine, softened
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
3/4 cup sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup quick-cooking oats
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 cup cooked or canned pumpkin
1-1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

Directions:

In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugars. Beat in egg and vanilla. combine flour, oats, baking soda and cinnamon; stir into creamed mixture alternately with pumpkin. Fold in chocolate chips. Drop by tablespoonfuls onto greased baking sheets. Bake at 350° for 12-13 minutes or until lightly browned. Yield: 4 dozen.

Boon Catch Bowl and Bendable Fork and Spoon Review

2009-02-12T14:00:00.003-06:00

Ok, here's the verdict, finally. Kelsey has finally tried both the Boon catch bowl and the bendable fork and spoon. Overall, they work great. I think the bendable fork and spoon would be better for younger babies (Kelsey is 16 months) because the heads on them are kind of small and don't hold much food, but other than that, the handles are chubby and easy to grip and I like the fact that you can bend the heads so the child can get the food into their mouths easier. We are more happy with the bowl than the utensils. The bowl works great. I usually angle the catch part to the area she is trying to scoop from, if that makes sense. That way when she scoops up the food, the food that doesn't make it onto the spoon goes onto the catch part and falls back into the bowl. Overall they are great products and we are happy with them.

I was featured on Little Window Shoppe

2009-02-09T14:21:00.003-06:00

I am so honored, I was featured on the site Little Window Shoppe, http://littlewindowshoppe.com/paper-coolness. This is my first feature and I am so grateful to the Editor, Emily, for including me in her write-up. Thanks, Emily!

This Weeks Featured Etsy Shop - Crochet by Anastasia (mattscraftywife.etsy.com)

2009-02-09T12:54:00.008-06:00

This weeks featured etsy shop is mattscraftywife.etsy.com. She makes all different kinds of wonderful crocheted items. Here is what Anastasia has to say:

My name is Anastasia and I run www.mattscraftywife.etsy.com. I've been crocheting for 5 years and in the last year I've started making my own patterns. There is a lot of variety in my shop, from soap savers for the bath to baby clothing and hats, to ladies and mens winter wear. I am a proud member of CAST (Christian Artists Street Team) and TeamCAC (Christian Artists and Crafters). I'm happily married to my soul mate and we have 5 great kids. Our youngest has autism and we have had our joys and sorrows and struggles with him, we're thankful to say that he's progressing. I'd love it if you would check out my shop and send me a comment to tell me what you think of it! Thank you.

Valentine's Mystery Dinner

2009-02-07T13:46:00.002-06:00

Well, my husband and I are off to a Valentine's Mystery Dinner at church for our small group. It is 80's themed, so it should be fun/funny. I'm not one who really gets into playing a role, so we'll see how it goes. We are making the main dish, so we'll have to get there a little early. My parents are going to watch Kelsey. She fell asleep in the car on the way home from Costco and it was earlier than she normally goes down for a nap, so I hope she will still be in good spirits tonight.

Along with the 80's theme, Ross and I bought the movie Teen Wolf and Teen Wolf Too, the combo pack at Target the other day for $4.75. We watched the first one and it was pretty good, not as cheesy as I thought it may be.

This doesn't really apply to this post, but we also just bought Kels a Boon fork and spoon set and catch-all bowl. I will post later with what we think about them.

My Newest Illustration

2009-02-04T09:55:00.002-06:00

Here is my newest illustration. I thought she'd be cute for girl's stationery and birthday invitations. She can be customized with different skin/hair/eyes colors and her clothing colors can be changed as well.

This Week's Featured Etsy Store - Creations By RagsNehali

2009-02-02T12:53:00.008-06:00

This weeks featured shop is Creations By RagsNehali. Nehali makes these Post-It Note holders that are so functional, with many great designs to choose from.

Here is how Nehali describes her shop:

At Creations By RagsNehali, you will find Handmade Paper Goods, Scrapbook Albums, and unique Gift Items.

One of our Best sellers are Post It Note Holders. We carry a great variety & many themes to suit everyone's particular needs - be it for Party Favors, Baby or Bridal Showers or just a little Thank You Gift. These 4" x 4" reusable Holders made from Chipboard coasters are just the right size to fit in the purse, car or office cubicle - great to jot down a name and a number, to leave a note for someone, quick grocery list and so much more.

Creations By RagsNehali takes great pride in providing quality products and excellent customer service. We also take Custom Orders and provide personalization on our products.

Giveaway Winner

2009-02-01T11:58:00.002-06:00

Congratulations to Shannon, who won my giveaway for $20 worth of items from Kim's Custom Cards and Gifts. The winner has been notified by email. If the winner does not claim her prize within 3 days a new winner will be chosen at random and notified through email. Thank you so much to all who participated in this giveaway and for all of the wonderful comments left on the post.

Bloggy Giveaways Carnival Custom Card GIVEAWAY!

2009-01-26T07:36:00.008-06:00

I am participating in the Bloggy Giveaways Carnival running January 26-30th.

The winner of my giveaway will be able to choose up to $2o worth of items from my store (excluding printing services), winner's choice.

HOW TO ENTER:
To be entered please visit my store Kim’s Custom Cards and Gifts and browse my collections, then come back here and leave a comment about which one you like best.

EXTRA ENTRIES:
1. Follow/subscribe to my blog and leave another comment telling me you did this.
2. Follow me on Twitter (see right hand column on my blog) and leave a comment telling me you did this.
3. Tweet this giveaway and leave another comment telling me you did this.

This giveaway closes January 31st, 2009 at 11:59 pm central time. Be sure to include a valid email address. Winner will be randomly chosen via random.org and will be notified via email and announced on this post.

The design will be emailed, so US and International entries are accepted.

View other Bloggy Giveaways here.

Featured Etsy Shop

2009-01-24T17:10:00.000-06:00

Hi everyone! I have decided to feature an Etsy shop, one per week, in an effort to help other etsians promote their stores. I also find it a lot of fun to learn about all of these different shops. I chose this first featured shop because of their unique medium - potatoes! That and they make adorable products.

Robynne's products are so cute and affordable and range in price from $13 to $25 for a gift set. To the right is one of my favorites.

Here is how Robynne describes her items and business:

Potatopatch offers unique potato stamped shirts for babies and kids. Each design is made by carving potatoes and stamping onto our shirts to create an original print. No two shirts are alike! We use top quality boutique onesies and t shirts of 100% cotton and vibrant non-toxic fabric paint that won't wash away. Created in the heartland of potato country Alliston, Ontario, Canada our potatoes are supplied by local farmer Dorsey Farms.

As a stay at home mom of 3 girls I am always seeking new creative projects. I Started out stamping shirts for gifts and was inspired to take it a step further and make it into a fun business. And here I am! Proudly Canadian, eh?

Hope you enjoy!

Thanks
Robynne

Visit Robynne's shop here.

New Stationery Set

2009-01-22T15:52:00.000-06:00

Here is my newest stationery set image. My sister loves giraffes, so I did this one for her. I think I will make birth announcements and baby shower invites using this same image eventually.

The Lemonade Award

2009-01-22T13:41:00.000-06:00

I am pleased to announce that my blog has received its very first Award! Kids Accessories by Kidcessory Haven has awarded us with the “When Life Gives You Lemons, Make Lemonade” Award! Thanks so much!

Lisa is a work at home mom in sunny South Florida. Mother to a brilliant 6 year old boy and my beautiful 2 year old princess and wife to a wonderful hardworking man. View her blog here.

Now, the way the “When Life Gives You Lemons, make Lemonade” Award (for short, The Lemonade Award) works is:

1) You must link back to the person you received the award from.
2) You have to nominate 10 bloggers who are deserving of this award!

Here are my nominations:

1. Second Street Designs http://secondstreetdesigns.blogspot.com/
2. Jamie's Precious Peas http://www.preciouspeas.blogspot.com/
3. Peekaboo Productions http://peekabooproductions.blogspot.com/
4. Matt's Crafty Wife http://mattscraftywife.blogspot.com
5. Always Creating Something http://www.handsalwayscreating.blogspot.com/
6. Wrapped N Warmth http://wrappedNwarmth.blogspot.com/
7. At the Creek http://atthecreek1.blogspot.com/
8. Creative Ladies http://creativeladies.blogspot.com/
9. Ginabee's Creations and Musings http://www.ginabees.blogspot.com
10. Half-Pint Creations http://halfpintboling.blogspot.com/

Congratulations!

Good Idea!

2009-01-21T08:02:00.000-06:00

I just received feedback from one of the customers who bought my sock monkey stationery set and they included a picture. They cut out the sock monkey image and made really cute Valentines cards with them. I thought it was such a cute idea, so I just wanted to share it with all of you.