Valentine's Day Print and Give

Aren't these adorable?! Print them out, write a sweet note, and send out your love!

Here is the PDF so you have it nice and clear! 

I think that Gabby is going to find these in her lunch box!

If It Works... Work It!

So in the last week I have had 12 sales in my Etsy store.... that number amazes me. Most of my dolls will be traveling overseas to Australia (insert Happy Dance here) and I can't wait to hear what people think of them! And I actually know how I am getting the sales- the Etsy Forums!

Yes, the Forums, where people can be mean, bickering can and does occur, but there are tons and tons of people there looking for advice, sharing their stuff, and in general- being a community. And that my friends is what Etsy is all about!

If you have never been to the Forums it can be quite intimidating. You have to really watch what you say, how you say it, and most of all be really polite when critiquing other shops. But you start to see a lot of the same faces, meet some new ones every day, and most importantly you get your shop looked at. I have gotten some really great advice which boosted my sales immensely right away- I changed my banner and avatar to reflect what was in my shops. This is the before and after:

See how much better the new one looks and works for my store? And you can actually tell what is in my shop! I never would have even questioned my look if someone else hadn't pointed out that the avatar has to be eye-catching and make people curious enough to click on it! Now they see a photo of one of my Spoolie dolls, and from there I have gotten all these sales. In total I have gotten 31 sales (10 the day after) I changed my look- that is an amazing amount! 

So my Etsy advice is this- make your banner and avatar stand out and represent your art accurately. Make the photos nice and bright (light boxes help immensely!), don't use common fonts or fonts that are unreadable, and seek professional help if you don't think you can get the look you want on your own. And when in doubt- go to the Forums and ask (politely) for advice and help... people want you to succeed there and really listen with an open mind! 

Dear John...

As most of you know I am an avid reader, sometimes staying up late into the night to finish a chapter... or the entire book if it is good enough. I have favorite authors though and Nicholas Sparks is definitely one of them! 

I think what draws me to his works is that they are not normal sappy love stories. There is a lot of pain, tears, and heart ache. So much so that I usually grab some tissues when I pick one of his novels up. 

But, even if the ending is not the "happily ever after" that you might expect, it will leave you feeling fulfilled. Dear John is just like that. It is twisting and turning, all the time hoping for that perfect ending. It is sad and very honest. In short, I loved it. 

The other thing that draws me to Nicholas Sparks is that when they do make a movie from his books, it turns out as close to the book as I could hope for. I know when I see a movie after reading the book that I will not sit there the whole time whispering to my husband about how they wrecked yet another perfectly good story. I can't wait to see this new movie Dear John and The Last Song, which I have already seen the preview for. Here is the trailer for the movie if you haven't seen it already!

Obsession Alert- German Sewn Ribbon

So I am totally in love with this ribbon from a fellow Etsian called chickadeesupplies!! Although I love being able to pop over to a craft store and buy cute ribbon, none of it compares to the vibrancy and awesomeness of this German sewn ribbon. It is thick, and feels like there is something to it, unlike the printed kind that is so thin and plain comparatively. 

If you look at my store you can see that I have put this ribbon to good use and even have designed dolls based on the ribbon! I love looking at it and deciding how to create a doll that reflects the theme or personality of the ribbon. Here are a few faves that I will be buying this week along with a few of my dolls that feature this gorgeous ribbon! Seriously, if you like making hair clips, or just like pretty ribbon BUY SOME from this awesome seller. You will have to wait a few days since she is in Germany, but it is soooo worth it!! 

Note to Self...

Who goes there??

Oh mom, it's you! What? I am not supposed to be in your light box?

So you probably don't want me tearing up the paper and making a mess in here like this huh?

Aren't I so pretty though?

 (Don't mind the torn up light box behind me!)

NOTE TO SELF: Put light box back UP when not in use!!!

Mmmmm...Pancakes!

We love pancakes at our house, especially with white chocolate chips in them. I thought that those were  as good as it got in terms of pancakes.... I was sooo wrong! Take a peek at these awesome rainbow pancakes from i am mommy!!! Not only do they look awesome, but I can imagine how much fun they were to make....mmmm. I think that these are going to be an addition to our Sunday breakfast from now on. Who knew some food coloring would change something so yummy into something else that is yummy AND pretty!

A Bunting A Plenty!

As you can see I am quickly developing a "thing" for fabric garlands, especially on linen! 

I also made some traditional triangle garlands to go in Gabby and AJ's room, 

as soon as I hang them up I will take a pic!

Here are some more pretty fabric garland finds from Etsy:

Butterfly Fabric Banner Bunting Flags by Nestables

Pink Hearts 'n' Sugar Skull Bunting by BadBabyQuilts

Party Flags by StarlitNestGifts

Mini Flag Bunting by BlueMoonStudios

New Treasury! Sisterly Picks...

Here are some of my girls' favorite items from Etsy!

Check it out here and leave a comment for all these talented artists!

Big Sister, Little Sister

Having a sister is like having a best friend you can't get rid of.  You know whatever you do, they'll still be there.  ~Amy Li

Sometimes having two little girls with such different personalities makes me want to pull my hair out... most days though it is an awesome privilege that reminds me why I love being a mommy. Today was a pretty good day, one that I am sure I will not forget. Today Miss AJ (or Miss AMELIA as she demands to be called) got her ears pierced so that she can be just like her big sister.

(she is eating a Gummi Bear... not growling!!)

My girls are as different as night and day, yet are able to coexist when they want to, really well. Gabby is way more of a tomboy, very sensitive, and is the victim of AJ's 2 yr old tendencies... a lot.  We are pretty sure that AJ looks for opportunities to make Gabby cry, just  cause she can. AJ, however, is very girly, stubborn, and definitely knows what she wants. She picks out all of her clothes and if you try to put something on her that isn't "approved"... well be prepared for a fight. Lucky for me she wants all her clothes to match so this isn't a big deal too often.

But, even with these huge differences, they haven't killed each other yet. And I am seeing that slowly they are balancing each other out. Gabby is starting to have an interest in more girly things like jewelry and picking out clothes from the girl's section when she used to gravitate toward the boys Tshirts right away. AJ will read a dinosaur book with Gabby and loves playing cars. It makes me smile....

I can't wait to see these two grow up and become the wonderfully awesome ladies that they are inside....and at the same time I want time to stop so that I can have them like this forever, does that make sense?

Etsy Seller Feature: Lollielicious Designs

Lately I have been hanging out in the chat rooms and forums at night, meeting other sellers and getting some great feedback. (As well as finding new shops to spend my money in!!) One of those awesome sellers is Lollielicious Designs!!

This is a perfect shop for me since I have my two girls, one of which loves tutus, the other loves hair things! But, although her shop is adorable, it is Thuy's attitude and such in the community that really drew me to her. Thuy is one of those Etsians who not only gives great advice, but is friendly and embraces what Etsy stands for. She makes great products that are cute and well made. Please be sure to stop by and say hi, buy a beanie, hair clip, or two!! She even has a cute blog here where you can get a sneak peek at what is going to be listed soon! Here are some of her fun items: