25 days of Christmas has started! Woo hoo! We have our tree up {but it's naked until I get my ornaments from my mom's attic} and I'm going to start on decorating this weekend!
This holiday season I would like to remind you all to support handmade for the holiday season. There's nothing like a handmade gift.
I just joined a Christmas Ornament Exchance over at Eisy Morgan. I am so excited and have to come up with a creative ornament. I better get to thinking because mine is going all the way to Australia! I better get it shipped ASAP!
{the most creative gets featured on her blog}
Maybe I can host one of these next year!
Guess what else? My friend's due date is December 5th and I have been trying to make him {so the sonograms say} a lovey. Here's what I have so far...
I'm pretty far behind because I've been catching up on orders from my Etsy shop for the holiday season. These little lovelies are the biggest hit! Last year I thought my hands were going to fall off from making all the orders, this year it's started earlier...yay! I love it! I have been watching movies {just saw Twilight for the first time & loved it} while working crocheting. What's better than that?!
I have made these Breakfast Cupcakes before from Weelicious.com. It's made with Peanut Butter but today I decided make it with Nutella instead and they came out awesome!
I got this new cupcake pan too for making stuffed cupcakes and thought it would be cool to try it with these and fill them with jelly or some other filling like banana or cream cheese maybe.
I love that Bug wants to help me in the kitchen now. She has her own little kitchen stool so she can help pour and mix. I love having a little helper...although it does get a little messier.
We loved the Nutella Breakfast Cupcakes! Bug especially liked having the filling in the middle. She couldn't decide how to eat it.
3MonkeysInc tells us how to make homemade chocolate syrup. If you have been a follower of this blog you know how much I love anything that is simple and homemade rather than store bought! I plan on trying this for chocolate milk and see how the brothers like it!
Stop on over to these links and show them some love and if you pinned them, you can let them know. :)
Here are the rules:
Add a direct link to a blog post along with it's title {not the title of your blog}.
You can link up to two posts per blog. {no shops or giveaways please}
Visit at least 2 other links and pin their post.
I'd love for you to spread the word and post my Pinteresting Party Button on your blog. {& be sure to follow my blog to see when the next party is & if you were featured the following week} :)
By linking up you give me full permission to use one photo from your post if you are featured the following link.
Please, no Etsy shops or Giveaways.
Want to know how to check if you were pinned? Copy this link into your browser and add your blog URL {does not work for Etsy shops}: http://pinterest.com/source/YOURURLHERE for example, mine would be http://pinterest.com/source/tutusandteaparties.blogspot.com
Need a reminder about this party? Look to the right...you see that spot that says "Subscribe to our mailing list"? Type in your email and you will receive an email each week reminding you to link up! Hooray!
How to link up:
Click the button below that says "add your link" and type in the following info-
Happy Freebie Friday everyone! I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving and are stuffed as the turkey you ate! I know I am!
Today we have Paul of OneLittleDickyBird, a shop full of custom made nursery and children's prints. You can even customize your child's initial with your choices of icons. So cool!
Hello - I am 26 years old, I live and work in Manchester England, and I recently started to create made to order Monograms and other artwork for babies and the home. I have a two year old Niece who i adore and who is the inspiration behind my work.
What made you want to become an artist ?
Art and Design was the one subject I was good at whilst I was at school. - It also seemed to be something my family were very good at. - I always wanted to learn more about Design and try to get better and better at it. It seemed like the most natural route and like a vocation for me.
What is your favourite item to create ?
At the moment I love creating the made to order Monograms on my Etsy page. - it is great to see which individual icons people choose and then to see how they work together to make up the full initial.
What advice would you give to new artists on Etsy ?
Well I am a relatively new artist on Etsy myself - However I would say to anyone just setting up there shop - Just keep swimming!
Etsy is great because it provides a worldwide audience for your products but it is so important to invest as much time into promoting your store as you do creating it. The great news is that it is so addictive.
How do you promote your work ?
At the moment I promote my store with Twitter, fancy and facebook but i am planning to also get involved with tumblr ffffound and flickr and of course with blogs like this that speak to mums and parents all the time. - Social networking sites offer a great platform to build up a huge following.
What is the inspiration for your work ?
My Niece Amy was the original inspiration for my work and still is. For her first Christmas I really felt the pressure to give her something unique that she could keep into her teenage years and even later. I wanted to give her something that she could look back and treasure all of her life.
She is now two years old and as her fascination for everything grows I get new ideas for icons all the time.
Where do you create ?
My work is very flexible so I actually have a few different workspaces - though my favourite space is shown in the photograph - I also always keep a sketchbook with me so that i can jot down new ideas and sketch out the original design for an icon or artwork.
What are your goals for your shop ?
I want my shop to keep growing and evolve on a global scale.
The sky is the limit (there's an idea for another print ..... )
Being that Thursday is Thanksgiving I will be away from the compuer and with my family {and spending some quality time with the oven in the morning}. Here is this week's tutorial...
I am happy to say I wrote my first guest post over at Katie's Nesting Spot! Woo hoo! I hope you will all stop on over and check out my tutorial on how to make this Ice Skate Door Decoration.
I have been so busy with the weekend craft fair that passed and now I am catching up on orders. It's that time of year were my shop picks up and I do a happy dance with each order I get to make! Not to mention Thanksgiving is a couple days away..ahh! I can't even think about Chrsitmas. I will be getting back to my regular blogging schedule next week!
Bug gets so excited when food looks fun! I can't say I need to make food look cool so she'll eat it because {knock on wood} she is a fabulous eater! She eats just about anything I give her...when she isn't teething.
It's almost Thanksgiving and this is a fun breakfast or snack to give your tot to celebrate turkey day.
If you are looking for a muffin recipe to use I happen to love these Pumpkin Apple Muffins.
{make them as regular muffins for this turkey, not the mini muffins}
We actually recently made a batch of these and Bug can never eat just one {and neither can I}. Check out Weelicious.com for other awesome toddler recipes that are always delicious and healthy!
I was a busy bee lately getting orders completed plus making things for the craft fair that was yesterday. It didn't go as well as I would have liked it to but I did meet some great people!
Since I have tried about 5 craft fairs and can't seem to do as well as I would like to I think I am going to take a break for a while from the fairs and go to some this month and see which ones look busy and try those for next year. Until then I will be crocheting hats for hospitals. I would love to make hats for newborns and cancer patients. I will be keeping track of the hats I donate and will be posting at least once a month with the hat donation tally along with photos. :)
I am placing a donate button on my left side bar {a little bit down on the page} if you would like to donate for me to buy yarn specifically for crocheting for a cause. Once I hear back from some hospitals I have contacted I will make a list of places I will be sending my things to. And now for the winner: Thank you to everyone who entered in the Elf Hat giveaway! I love these and they are perfect for holiday photos! Winner was chosen using rafflecopter and the winner is...
Lorie Kaehler look out for an email from me and be sure to check your junk folder
We had 6 link ups for week thirteen. Sorry I didn't get to promote the link party last week. I was super duper busy getting things ready for a craft fair. It didn't quite turn out as well as I'd hoped but I met some pretty great people there!
Thank you all for linking up and please spread the word about this Pinteresting Party! :)
Stop on over to these links and show them some love and if you pinned them, you can let them know. :)
Here are the rules:
Add a direct link to a blog post along with it's title {not the title of your blog}.
You can link up to two posts per blog. {no shops or giveaways please}
Visit at least 2 other links and pin their post.
I'd love for you to spread the word and post my Pinteresting Party Button on your blog. {& be sure to follow my blog to see when the next party is & if you were featured the following week} :)
By linking up you give me full permission to use one photo from your post if you are featured the following link.
Please, no Etsy shops or Giveaways.
Want to know how to check if you were pinned? Copy this link into your browser and add your blog URL {does not work for Etsy shops}: http://pinterest.com/source/YOURURLHERE for example, mine would be http://pinterest.com/source/tutusandteaparties.blogspot.com
Need a reminder about this party? Look to the right...you see that spot that says "Subscribe to our mailing list"? Type in your email and you will receive an email each week reminding you to link up! Hooray!
How to link up:
Click the button below that says "add your link" and type in the following info-
Happy Freebie Friday! It has been a super busy week prepping for my craft fair tomorrow! I can't wait for it!
Today we have a great giveaway from Becca, shop owner of Beyond Crochet. She is giving one lucky winner this cutie pie crochet turtle!
Tell us a bit about yourself.
I'm Becca - a single-parent of 2 great teenage kids ( a daughter, and a son). I'm a West-coast girl living on the East-coast, getting ready to move back to the West-coast again. I proudly attribute being from Northern California as the reason behind my free spirit, Bohemian personality, and creatively imaginative frame of mind. As for my crafting skills, those I attribute to my mom and my Grandmother. I've been crocheting for over 30 years, and cannot go more than a couple of days without a crochet hook in my hand. I’m also a former professional baker and have a second shop on Etsy as BeccaTheBaker.
What made you want to become an artist?
I never really thought of myself as an "artist" before. I still don't really...I'm just a crocheter with an over-active imagination. :)
What is your favorite item to create?
My turtles and kitties mainly - I love bringing out their cute personalities. I also enjoy doing more dainty work like doilies, but as long as I have a crochet hook in my hand I'm happy.
What advice would you give to new artists on Etsy?
Go for it, and don't give up. Decide from the start if this is just going to be a hobby for you, or a true business. Whatever you decide - stay focused, stay encouraged, and just go for it! It's all about perseverance and grabbing that dream by the tail and then hanging on with all you've got.
How do you promote your work?
I promote my animals and other amigurumi through amigurumia.com. And I post all new listings on facebook, twitter and my blog. Moo business cards with photos of my favorite items help to keep my brand out there and seen (I hope). It's one of my goals to develop a catalog to use at craft fairs, but that will have to wait until after I complete my move from Florida to Oregon.
Do you have any websites connected to your shop?
I have a blog where I feature a weekly Wishlist of items from fellow Etsy sellers: beyondcrochet.blogspot.com
Nature and color. I LOVE just playing with color combinations, and many times work with whatever color or colors match my mood. For example: Peaceful = blues and greens; Cheerful = brights, especially yellow and orange.
Do any of your items go toward a special cause?
I used to make lap afghans specifically for a retirement home back in Montana, but they no longer take donations like that. :(
I currently have some items where part of the proceeds will go to The National Breast Cancer Foundation, Inc. And I will be adding more for Breast Cancer Awareness Month
My sister-in-law is a breast cancer survivor, so it's a cause that really hits close to home.
Do you have a job outside of Etsy? How do you handle both?
I'm one of those crazy souls that quit their job to do Etsy full-time. Thankfully I have other means of income, but it's my goal to have my shop eventually be my main source of income...and I'm very focused and determined to get their. :D
Where do you create?
I create at home, in my bedroom/computer room/craftroom. It's a little cramped right now, but I'm hoping to have a much roomier place to work once we move.
What are your goals for your shop?
To continue to grow, and be recognized and known for heirloom quality craftsmanship at affordable prices. My name BeyondCrochet was created with the goal of having more than just crochet in my shop, so eventually I will add sewn items as well. It’s my ultimate goal to have my shop become a true online business with constant sales and repeat customers. I know it will take time...but, I WILL get there. That's where that Perseverance and hanging on to the dream comes in.
Is there anything else you would like to share with us?
Everything I make is from a smoke-free home. I do have pets, but make sure that the animals are not near my supplies, work area, or finished items. All my items are stored in tightly sealed plastic bins until ready to be shipped to their new homes.
Is everyone ready for Thanksgiving? I know there is so much hype about Christmas and all but I wanted to share a quick tutorial on this cute Fall napkin ring that would be great for Thanksgiving!
Here's what you need:
Toilet Paper Roll, Scraps of Yarn, Glue Gun, Decorative Leaf if desired
Here's how to make it:
Cut your TP roll into thirds.
Cut some scraps of yarn that fit around your TP roll.
Starting at the top edge, glue your string around. {careful not to burn yourself with the glue gun like I did}
Continue on with the remaining yarn pieces. {I used a total of 9 pieces} You can also use braided strands or thicker yarn.
Slide in your napkin and place on a plate! {sorry, mine was wrinkly and I did not feel like ironing at 9pm}
You can even glue on a decorative leaf!
If you are having a super packed table this may not be the quickest project, but you can always use thicker yarn to make it go quicker. You can even recruit your kids to help if you use regular tacky glue! This will just take a bit longer to dry.
