Happy Halloween!

I think everyone but me has carved a pumpkin, made or bought costumes, bought candy, and has prepared for the big night ahead.  Poor Owen doesn't have a costume, but luckily, grandma mailed an adorable onesie with a glow in the dark ghost.  

Since I didn't carve any pumpkins this year, I will live vicariously through others.  Google news last Friday featured a sculpture artist, Ray Villafane, and I was really impressed with his work.

He also has done some amazing sand sculptures.  I would hate to sit next to him at the beach.  He would make my sand castles look really sad.  And it was not until I uploaded these pictures that I realized the only two I picked were on extreme opposite sides of the spectrum. :)

Every year we always see funny things people do with pumpkins.  You may have seen these two photos around the internet, but I didn't see them until recently.  They made me laugh.  These pictures came off of Facebook, so I don't know who the original owner of these are. 

Did you carve pumpkins this year?  If you want to show me, I would love to see them!  You can email a photo or two, and maybe I will post what you guys have done.

Oh, I would love to see your costumes too!!!!  

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

Fabric Friday {BabesNBlanks & Giveaway}

 This giveaway is now closed.

I know you all have been waiting ever so patiently for two weeks now. :)  Thank you for coming back.  This week's giveaway is from the Etsy shop BabesNBlanks.  Wendy stocks her shop with over 500 items to choose from!  The shop carries some favorite brands of mine like Amy Butler, Ty Pennington, and Michael Miller.  You have a chance to win a yard of fabric, your choice, AND 20% off any additional yardage you want.  I have to say that's a pretty sweet deal considering you get 20% off your order plus one yard of free fabric.  You can mix and match prints, or you can get a lot of one fabric for that big project of yours.  As usual, I like to get to know shops a little better by asking questions, so read on and enter for a chance to win!

Tell us a little bit about yourself.

I am employed full time as well as run this business full time.

I have 1 child who is in middle school and everyone here helps with the business.

Whether you are cutting material, printing labels, going to the post office, etc.

I LOVE putting new fabrics together with colors and designs. 

I love the challenge of putting together a custom order to help customers end with their desired result.



Are there any challenges you had to overcome?
One of my biggest challenges overcoming this was waiting for product to arrive as well as figuring out all of the different websites, etc to advertise on. 



Where does your inspiration come from?
I think that my biggest inspiration is Ty Pennington.  It's amazing what he is able to do and help families out as well as do something amazing for them.  I want my customers to have that same inspiration in their creations and putting something together for the first time.  


Whose studio would you raid?
I think that if I could raid someone's studio/workplace, I would have to say it would be his as well.  He has come up with some amazing textures, patters and colors.



What do you like to do outside of work?
Outside of work, I love to spend time with my family.  We love to go bowling or watch movies.  Just as long as we can be together.  I also love to read.  Some of my favorite authors are James Patterson and Mary Higgins Clark.  I especially love those cold winter nights that you can cuddle up by a fireplace with a good book.



What is success to you?
Success to me is having my customers happy.  Once I have been able to find that particular pattern or package to put together makes me very happy.  I always love a challenge and love it when I am able to assist in their success.



Where would you like to be in the next decade?
In the next decade, I would love to have a huge studio with hundreds and hundreds of patterns to choose from.  I would especially love to travel the world and look for new and exciting fabrics.




Here are a few of my favorite prints and fabric bundles. 

(Pictures come from BabesNBlanks)

Giveaway Rules:

Mandatory Entry:  Go to Facebook and "like" BabesNBlanks.  If you do not have a FB account, it is free and easy to set up.  All you need is an email address.  Let me know you "Liked" them by commenting below.

Additional Entries:

1.  Tell me which fabric you like and what you would make with it. (1 Entry)

2. Tweet, Facebook, or blog this giveaway and leave me the link. (1 Entry each)

3. Follower of mine (1 Entry)

Giveaway will end Nov. 3 at 9 pm EST.  Winner will be chosen via random.org, announced the following week,  and will have 48 hrs to contact me before a new winner is selected.


GOOD LUCK!

MOO

Nope.  Not talking about cows today.  I'm talking about cards.  Cute, adorable, modern business cards. 

WHAT?!  You're thinking, "As if there were such a thing."

(If you don't have a business keep reading because people use business cards for all sorts of stuff not related to business.  Like mommy calling cards. :)  They also offer other things besides business cards like holiday cards, post cards, and labels/stickers.)

I stumbled upon the cutest business card shop that offers something you can't get (definitely in the design department) with other competitors, and they do allow you to upload your own images.   Though there is one big drawback that I will mention up front.  You are not able to use colored fonts, which may be highly important to you.  I let is slide for me since the designs were unbeatable for their stocked prints.  I am not a graphic artist, so it was nice to find business cards that I did not have to design and that appealed to me.  I must say too that every sales rep I handed a card to LOVED, loved, loved the cards (and I have to say I was among the artistically inclined).  Please don't ask me why I have business cards.  I just do. :) 

Okay, the business is called MOO, and everyone should look into this company (no personal opinion or anything ;).  If anything, just browse the site.  I ordered the mini MOOs, and they are half the size of a regular business card.  

One thing that I really like is that you can customize your design pack.  Let's say you order 50 cards.  You can choose 25 in one print and 25 in a different print.  You can mix and match prints, so you are not handing out the same design to everyone!

Here are a few designs that I love, but there are many more I would put in this post!

Business Cards

Post Cards

If you have not read my last post about the changes I have made, you should check it out.  I love feedback!

A few changes . . .

I am making a few changes around here.  Ultimately, I would like to change my blog to a more polished looking blog, but I am still learning the ropes.   I feel this is going to be a slow, never-ending process.

The main three things that have changed up to this date are
1. I am no longer typing using center format, which is driving me a little nuts at the moment, but I will get use to it.
2.  I have allowed ALL my links to open in a new window for easier browsing.  If you are anything like me, I easily get distracted and hate to try to find my way back to the main post I was reading.
3.  I have added a new page titled "Magazine Files."  This page is ultimately for me.  It's a place for me to publicly store my magazine clippings.  I wanted to share them publicly, so you can access some of the things that inspire me.  Most of these clippings are old, and I get a lot of them from the magazines I subscribe to like BHG, House Beautiful, Martha Stewart Living, and Family Fun.  I also dumpster dive for my magazines, so I collect random magazines throughout the year.

Is there anything you notice that my blog needs attending to?  I want to make my blog accessible and easy to read without any frustrations.  Basically, if you like my blog, I want you to come back!

 As for the overall look of my blog, I am working on that too.  I didn't realize how difficult it is, well for me at least, to put together what every other beautiful blog has.  I just need to fork out the money for a web designer.  :)

If you have any suggestions, they are most welcomed, unless comments are rude, then they will be deleted. :)  Not to be a meany, it's just that I don't want this to be a place of negativity.  There's a way to say stuff nicely without offending, and it is called constructive criticism.

I LOVE comments though, so leave one for me that might help me (us) out!!

P.s.- I do have a bad habit of starting sentences with conjunctions, but I feel this blog is not an English essay.  This is something that is part of me, and it might drive some people nuts.  If it really, really bothers my readers, I will try to change that.  Pinky promise.  But (LOL) if I don't hear about it, I am not changing it.

Colorsplash

Sorry, no David Bromstad here today.  I love how David incorporates his art into the spaces he creates.  As you know, I am working on Owen's room.  I wanted a large art piece for one of his bare walls.  I can be artistic, so I decided to go Bromstad style and make a piece of my own.  

Now, I have been working on this piece for months. 

Not because it is suppose to take that long.

Not because the canvas is that big.

Not because I am meticulously applying paint.

Not because I have a toddler, a husband, a home, and pets to take care of.

Not because I am lazy.

It is solely due to the craziness of Mod Podge.I am sorry to say, but I am currently hating the stuff.

I have contacted the company numerous times to walk me through my process and help me to understand what I am doing wrong.I keep ending up back at square one.

I decided to do something different and take a break from Mod Podge before I pull my hair out,

so I whipped out my paints from storage.

This is what I started out with yesterday.

Here are my inspirations for Owen's painting.

Sugarboo

And . . .

Etsy

Random, I know, but I look forward to showing you my product.

Fabric Friday {Damask}

I mentioned last week there was going to be a giveaway today, but I had to move it to next Friday.  You can enter my current giveaway though!  

If you get a chance, take my quick poll about Fabric Friday, which is located on the right side bar under the ad.  Thanks! :)

Have a great weekend!

Muhlenkott

PattySlonginer

Free Spirit

Terry's Fabrics

Terry's Fabrics

Sew, Mama, Sew

Company C

Lewis & Sheron

Robert Kaufman

Free Spirit

Muhlenkott

Renule

Sandi Henderson

Lewis & Sheron

Mayabella

!Mo Camera Strap Giveaway {Closed}

I am so pleased to host another giveaway.  I like this shop for several reasons.  Bo-bo, the mastermind and creator behind !Mo, creates beautiful one-of-a-kind DSLR* camera straps in Hong Kong.  These straps are handmade, and she uses quality materials.  I love the designs of her straps.

Just see for yourself.

I wanted to know more about Bo-bo, so I asked her some questions about her life and career.

Here's what she had to say.

Hi there! Here’s my story:

It’s been 10 years of my working life after university graduate. I’d worked as management level in exhibition & events sector. My work was extremely busy; I used to spend over 12 hours in work daily in average.  You can imagine that I have only got very little time to do the things I like, and I don’t have much time to accompany with my family, my friends & my dog. And I just think life is not just working, I think there should be something more. So, I quit my job last year and went to Scandinavia for one month by myself and think of my road ahead.

I thank the Lord that He is my shepherd. I started my business last year, starting to do freelance marketing for different companies, mainly in event marketing like arranging exhibitions & product launch… And it’s my dream to have my own brands for years. So, I started making straps in August, last year. I enjoy making these straps because I can just make what I like. I like genuine leather, that’s why all the head of my straps used genuine one. And if you ask me what inspire me to have new design, I can just say I just did what I like, including the color, pattern & style. I will shop around the fabric / leather shops, to see what good materials there. I think it just like cooking, if you see something fresh /good in the market, I’ll buy it & cook it! That’s my way to make !mo Strap.

I’m very happy when I first put my straps to sell on Etsy, I can hardly believe there’s someone bought my strap! In fact, before I sell on this website, I know nothing about Etsy & selling on-line. What make me feel most happy is that people bought my straps & say they like them. I’m so glad that my work is acknowledged by my customers!!

If you ask me which straps I like most, I would like I like all the straps we made. The white braid, Sunflower, Bohemian strap, pure gold camera straps all are very beautiful.

I’m now just full time focus working on my straps & the official website of !mo Straps will be launched very soon. I’m excited to make more & more beautiful & comfortable straps for people who loves photo-shooting!!

You have the chance to win this beautiful Bohemian camera strap for your DSLR*. 

If you cannot wait to get a strap, !Mo is currently having a sale on her newly launched website October 20th-31st.  Buy 1 GET 2 FREE Gift Pack!  All for $32 and FREE shipping! (Single straps are normally around $25 each)  Bo-bo told me that she will not be replenishing her straps, so if a fabric you like sells out, it is gone.

Giveaway Rules:  (Ends 10/27/11 at 9pm EST)

Open to U.S. residents, BUT if you live outside the U.S., you pay for shipping through Paypal.

  Visit !Mo's website and tell me which strap you'd like to sport.
(but you will be winning the Bohemian Strap, pics above)

Additional entries

1. Become a fan of !Mo on Facebook. (1 entry)

 2.  Tweet, Facebook, or blog about the giveaway and leave the link please to verify

(1 entry for each)

3. Follower of my blog (1 entry)

There are 6 chances to win!

Good luck!!
I will announce the winner sometime the following week.  Winner will have 48 hrs to respond before a new winner is selected.  Winner selected by random.org.

***Don't have a DSLR?  Don't let that stop you because this can be an awesome present for someone for Christmas, birthday, wedding, a thank you for your favorite photographer, or maybe you are really crafty and can do something nifty with it.  Think outside the box.  ;)