A Pinteresting {Link} Party - Week Twenty

Thank you all for linking up last week!

Please spread the word about this Pinteresting Party! :)

Hosted by Tutus & Tea Parties & Here's to Handy Andy.

Hop on over to see what Here's to Handy Andy's faves are too!

My faves from last week:

These New Years Eve Shakers from Brassy Apple look so fun to make! 

 I love this New Year's Countdown Sensory Bin for kids from What's Fun Today.
 

I love these DIY Rope Coasters from All Things Luci Rae. Coasters are awesome, even Bug knows to put her sippy cup on one.

 The SweetTalk Shop has such a great idea with these LOVE photos. Great idea for Valentines Day if you ask me.

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 on pinterest.
• I'd love for you to spread the word and post my Pinteresting Party Button on your blog. {& be sure to follow the hosting blogs 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. 

Grab the party button!

<a border="0" href="http://tutusandteaparties.blogspot.com/search/label/Link%20Party /" target="_blank"><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7162/6617115159_cbd068d4b0_m.jpg" width="125" height="125" alt="Button" /></a>

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/YOURURLHEREfor example, mine would be http://pinterest.com/source/tutusandteaparties.blogspot.com

Need a reminder about this party?   

Look to the right { that way ----> } 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!

Did you miss this weeks link up? No worries! Another will start on Saturday.

{Freebie Friday} Win a Bamboo Wool Butterfly Hat from KingSoleil

Happy Freebie Friday! Don't you just love winter? (not!) At lease I don't. It's way too cold for me and I hate driving in snow. The one thing that I do like about winter are the accessories for little ones! Bug loves hats! Today you have a chance to win an adorable butterfly hat from King Soleil! Learn more about Morgan and her shop, then enter the rafflecopter giveaway form below!

Tell us a bit about yourself.

Hello!  My name is Morgan (but my friends and family call me Mo) and I am the owner of King Soleil: Handmade Treasures for You, Baby & Home.  A walk through my little house in New England sets the scene for my life quite well.  Pictures of places I have lived (Oahu, Manhattan, Miami, New Orleans to name a few) and travelled (fireworks in Prague, for example) scatter my walls along with my black and white photos of my children (Soleil, 3, and Kingston, 16 months) and their awesome daily artwork masterpieces.  I am perpetually living in what I like to call happy organized clutter of yarn balls, crochet hooks, tulle, fabric, half finished projects, and scribbled out patterns.  Every bookshelf is filled and packed with Psych books (graduated Tulane U in '06), murder mysteries, and predictable but lovely romances.  At 27, I have been with my now husband for over 11 years, and think my sometimes chaotic, sometimes serene life is just the bee's knees. 

How did you get started in your craft and selling on Etsy?

I taught myself how to crochet as a stress reliever.  The repetitive movements can be akin to meditation and I found that a steaming cup of tea, a colorful skien of super soft yarn and a hook is all my soul needs for peace after chasing babies around all day.  I started King Soleil to share my love of creating and prolong being a stay at home mommy.  I now can't imagine doing anything else. 

 

What is your favorite item in your shop & why?

 I have to say... it would be...oof this is hard... my cherry tree upcycled crochet rug.  Made from this discarded, beautiful duvet I found at my local thrift shop, it reminds me that with a little imagination, some time, and determination, you can always make (or remake!) something out of nothing.  http://www.etsy.com/listing/87237918/crochet-rug-upcycled-cotton-cherry

Do you have a job outside of Etsy?

 I would like to say I am a domestic goddess, but to be real with you, I am a stay at home mommy. And the domestic piece?  Let's just say I'm working on it.  To my husband's chagrin, I am perfectly fine using dishes out of the dishwasher (instead of putting them in the cabinets), watching my clean laudry pile grow to now epic proportions, and accepting that my yarn closet will forever be exploding in rainbow colored waves.  The one thing I am weirdly obsessive over?  Vacuuming.  Go figure.

What is one thing {not person} you can not live without?

Easy Peasy.  My pink transparent crochet hook.

What is your guilty pleasure?

 Hiding in the bathroom with a pint of Ben and Jerry's Half Baked, shovelling the yumminess in my mouth while sitting in the bathtub, a book propped up on the ledge, listening to Nora Jones.  That is my heaven. 

Tell us a joke.

I am so sorry to say that all my jokes are totally not appropriate.  BUT I have found this blog, Handmade Ryan Gosling, that literally makes my laugh sooo hard whenever I read it.  Hey Girl, you MUST check this out if you are a crafter.  Google it.  It's SO worth it.

Enter using the Rafflecopter form below to win this 

bamboo wool baby hat with butterfly applique.

(choose size: newborn, 3-6 months, or 6-12 months)

Shop KingSoleil on Etsy or through their website.

Get 15% off anything in the store.  Use coupon code TUTUSTEAPARTY15

a Rafflecopter giveaway 

My fave four:

(click on the photo to see the listing) 

 

Looking for January Sponsors at Tutus & Tea Parties

I am currently looking for January sponsors.

Please email me for more info.

totshop728@yahoo.com

Subject: January Sponsor Info

Sponsor Sidebar Button {one month}:

A 125 x 125 button will appear on my left side bar for one month. Your website/business will be featured in a one time sponsor highlight post on the first Saturday of the month. This will give you an opportunity to introduce yourself and highlight a few chosen items/posts from your shop/site. The order will be first come, first listed. 

Only 4 sponsors accepted each month.

Most Recent Blog Statistics {Dec 2011}:
543+ GFC followers 

3,394+ Visits last month 

2,719+ Absolute Unique Visitors last month 

5,826 + Page views last month
Google Page Rank = 2

Facebook Fans: 1,561 as of now

Twitter Followers: 149 as of now

I am also interested in blog button swapping if you have a blog that would be a good fit for me {parenting, crafting and the such}. In this case your ad/button will be under the paid ads and you will not be included in the Saturday sponsor post at the beginning of the month.

Sensory Play with Shaving Cream "Snow"

A little while back I posted about shaving cream play...

but at that time Bug was not too into it.

See, not so happy.

It's always important, as with food, to keep introducing things because one day they just might try it and like it. This time Bug loved it so much! We took some Little People and called the shaving cream "snow". I think she was playing in it for almost an hour! I got the can of shaving cream at the dollar store {I bought the one for sensitive skin} and I filled her water table which we use indoors now. There is still lots left and we have done this a couple times already. Plus there are other great things to do with shaving cream. Just google it...or my new fave...Pinterest search it!

Just be careful about getting it in their eyes! It could burn pretty bad.It may be a good idea to keep a wet cloth nearby just in case. We had no issues though.

Always supervise your children during this play and we went over some rules: no clapping or splashing in the shaving cream.

One more thing before you go:
Yesterday I forgot to tell you all that I have some $0 budget projects featured on Full of Great Ideas. 
Check the feature out here. :)

DIY Children's Binoculars using TP Rolls

We recently went to a library class about the 5 senses. They had great activities using all 5 senses. I will share the sight activity they had out today. There was a table full of binoculars and photos of things around the room for the kids to find with them. 

Here's how to make them:

You will need:

-2 toilet paper tubes

-yarn

-tacky glue (I tried hot glue, my fave, but it didn't work well at all)

-2 clothespins (optional) 

Here's what you do:

Punch one hole near the top of each TP roll {this is where you will be tying the yarn}

Glue the 2 tubes together making sure each hole is facing outward on the same side.

I used clothespins to hold them together while drying.

Once dry, tie on the yarn long enough to fit loosly around your childs neck and voila!

A pair of binoulars to play I Spy with. 

You can certainly decorate the tubes before you start but Bug just wanted her binoculars...STAT!

Linking up here.

{Sponsor Spotlight} Cynthia of AlpacaKids

I'd like to welcome back for the third month Cynthia of AlpacaKids for this week's sponsor spotlight. Her shop is full of adorable crochet & knit baby items made only from natural alpaca fiber that has not been dyed. You will fall in love with all the beautiful hats & sweaters Cynthia has created! Visit her shop and have a look around. You will be happy you did!

About Cynthia & AlpacaKids:

About this time last year I found out that I was going to become a grandmother when my two oldest daughters announced (yes, at the same time!) that they were pregnant. I have always loved to knit, sew, and crochet, and I went into grandma overdrive making things for the babies. In the past my daughters had urged me to open an Etsy shop but I had never discovered that unique niche that I felt it would take to be successful at it. Then my brother, who has a small alpaca farm in the mountains of North Carolina, sent me some yarn that had been made from the fleece of his alpacas to make something special for the babies. I instantly fell in love with the amazing qualities of the natural undyed alpaca fiber. It is softer, stronger, and warmer than wool, and hypoallergenic, so it doesn't irritate babies' skin the way other fibers do, and it comes in a wonderful variety of natural colors. After making sweaters for the new babies I realized that I had found that niche that I had been looking for, and alpaca kids was born. So now I make baby items using mostly natural undyed alpaca fiber. My grandbabies are 4 and 5 months old and are a constant source of inspiration. They also make great models for my hats and sweaters!

 Here is just a little of the beautiful creations you will find at AlpacaKids:

  

Alpaca Hat for Toddler with Sunflower Appliques

 Elf Hat in Natural Gray Alpaca

 Alpaca Baby Hat with Flower

 Undyed Alpaca Baby Sweater

She also has a blog which you can follow here.

A Pinteresting {Linky} Party - Week Nineteen

Thank you all for linking up last week!

Please spread the word about this Pinteresting Party! :)

Hosted by Tutus & Tea Parties & Here's to Handy Andy.

Stop on over and say hello & see what their favorites are too!

My faves from last week:

Crochet Hair Clips from Creative Passage

 

Biscuit & Egg Puffs from Joyful Homemakeing

 

Simple Canvas Print Tutorial from It's Overflowing

The Perfect Scarflet from Love City

Stop on over to these links and show them some love and if you pinned them, you can let them know. :)

Grab the "I was featured button" if you were one of this week's features:

<a border="0" href="http://tutusandteaparties.blogspot.com/search/label/Link%20Party /" target="_blank"><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7150/6595270767_597436cb04_m.jpg" width="125" height="125" alt="Button" /></a> 

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 on pinterest.
• I'd love for you to spread the word and post my Pinteresting Party Button on your blog. {& be sure to follow the hosting blogs 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. 

<a border="0" href="http://tutusandteaparties.blogspot.com/search/label/Link%20Party /" target="_blank"><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7154/6595216671_3f93e4e545_m.jpg" width="125" height="125" alt="Button" /></a>

 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 { that way ----> } 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! 

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas! 

Santa came and ate the cookies we left!

He even left a bell from his sleigh to hang on our tree

and a nice note for Bug!

A Pinteresting Party will be up on Monday. 

Enjoy your Christmas!

{Freebie Friday} My Memories Suite V3 Software for Digital Scrapbooking

Have you heard of MyMemories? It is a program that helps you create digital scrapbooks, among other things! You and your imagination can take you far with this program! Today, My Memories is giving one lucky winner a free MyMemories Suite V3 Software Download valued at $39.97! 

I have always loved scrapbooking using paper, scisors, glue dots and the works! I actually have a huge stash of paper & other supplies sitting in my closet. It's been sitting there, and sitting there ever since Bug was born. I just haven't been able to find the time, space or patience to get to work on it. The last album I made was of my pregnancy and then it all stopped.

I love this software because it gives me the chance to make scrapbooks without the huge mess and clean up, not to mention it's less time consuming. Yes, I miss cutting, laying photos out, finding embelishments and all but you can still do that here! 

Just look and see what I made:

 

I made this super cute page {from an already made layout} and just added the Merry Christmas on top. It was super easy. Just by dragging the photos into the frames it was quickly done! I was even able to match my text I inserted with the blue color of the circle that was on the layout already. {that made me super happy!}

Next I made a collage of all the "blooper" shots of the kiddos in front of the tree!

I chose the layout I wanted.

 

Added my photos then deleted the middle photo space and added an 

embelishment {I added a red brad} instead.

I inserted my text and voila! A super cute "blooper" shots of the kiddos. I wish I made this before I sent out Christmas cards. I think this would have been a cute one!

I made a cute page of Bug! {had to!}

 Then I saw I can make calendars! Whoop, whoop! I made a January calendar page with photos of birthdays and anniversaries on the date. How cool is that?!

I can go on and on making things...a new addiction quite possibly!

I know you can't wait to have at it too!

MyMemories is giving you your very own Share the Memories code that provides a $10 discount off the purchase of the My Memories Suite Scrapbook software and a $10 coupon for the MyMemories.com store - $20 value!)

USE CODE: STMMMS7502

On to the giveaway:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Stay tuned...

The rest of the week I will be getting everything ready for this weekend BUT stay tuned tomorrow for a giveaway from MyMemories tomorrow! You won't want to miss it.

 

 

Don't forget to link up your creativeness on this weeks Pinteresting link party! If you need an invite to Pinterest.com just shoot me an email or post on my facebook wall and I will have one sent to you.

Holiday House Craft

All I did was trace a simple picture of a house with snow {I just googled printable house}. We used our homemade glue {recipe found here} to glue on torn apart cotton balls on the bottom. We used an ink pad {but you can just as well use paint} to make lights on the house. 

I showed Bug how to use your fingerprints to make lights:

This was the house I printed & traced. I just left out the decorations and bushes.

Here is Bug's house:

We did this project after going around neighborhoods and seeing all the lights and decorations. She really loved making her lights!

{this project is great for use of fine motor skills & 

the cotton balls can make it a great sensory activity too!}

You can find me linking up to some of these parties.

Crochet Panda Ornament

Jessica - Don't look at this post!

Unless you want to ruin one of my gifts to you! :)

Do you remember these cuties from A Pinteresting Party? These ornaments were one of the link ups I featured and I finally found a little but of time to whip one up for my sister! I don't know how I didn't realize that there was a pattern posted {maybe lack of sleep?} but I just did my own thing based on the photos. Here is the pattern by the way.

Here is my little guy. His ears are a little too far on top of his head...

but I think he's pretty cute still, no?

Don't forget to link up your creativeness on this weeks Pinteresting link party! If you need an invite to Pinterest.com just shoot me an email or post on my facebook wall and I will have one sent to you.