Kid and I: Beaty Biodiversity Museum

Happy Friday! Ethan and I went to Beaty Biodiversity Museum last Wednesday. I decided to take a little break, brought the kid to UBC, Vancouver hopping along with DH who had a meeting with his friends. After a quick lunch, we headed to the museum.

He pointed and named what he saw and told me that he 'teach' me, and he will teach his dad too later. I was a student for the day. Ha!

 

Blog Giveaway: $25 Gift Certificate from knitshearbliss

Win $25 Gift Certificate from knitshearbliss. Get to know Yasmin, our Saturday Artisan this week. There are many ways to enter.

a Rafflecopter giveaway Contest starts now and ends on April 7, 2012. Contest opens worldwide. Don't forget to leave me a way to contact you. Entries without contact information will be disqualified. Entries that do not follow the rules will be disqualified. Contest winner will be drawn on Sunday, April 8. Winner must respond within 48 hours after being contacted otherwise another winner will be randomly selected.

Saturday Artisan: Knitshearbliss

Meet Yasmin, the artist and owner behind knitshearbliss. She offers beautiful bags, totes and pouches, I know you'll agree with me. Read on and get to know more.

Tell us a bit about yourself and what arts/ crafts that you make? I grew up in England, UK. I am a trained Graphic Designer and worked in the Design field until I had my daughter. When my first daughter was 3 months old, my family moved to California where we have resided to date. When my daughters were young, as a stay at home mum, I really missed the design field and began making my girls clothes. Both knitting and sewing. I started a successful online business “Creambunkids” clothing made from a mixture of new and vintage fabrics. I closed the business due to another family business commitment. This year, after thinking about it for toooo long, and from lots of “advice” from my family I decided to finally take the plunge and sell my crafts again. 

What is the story behind your shop name? My shop name is Knitshearbliss. Named after my blog knitshearbliss. Knitting is shear bliss to me. 

Who is your target market? My target markets are mostly knitters like myself, or anyone who appreciates my craft :-)

 
Which part of creation process that you like to do the most? - What inspires you?

My favourite part of the creation process is the inspiration I get from the hunt for fabric that isn’t from the fabric store. I love to find fabric that would otherwise have been forgotten and left unused.

For us who love to travel, could you share a bit about your beautiful town/ city? I live near San Juan Capistrano in Orange County California. San Juan Capistrano is a historic town mostly made famous for the Mission.

It is a beautiful little town, so unlike most towns in the Orange County area. It is steeped in history and architecture. There is a antique store that I have been frequenting for years, even before I used to live near here. I only just found out that it used to be a gas station/garage many years ago.

 

What is your best seller? 

My two best sellers are the Pouch bags and the Swing Boho bag.

 

How does your day go in general? 

My day is usually organized around my family first and then my craft. 

How do you balance your personal and work life? 

I try very hard to balance everything, I am not sure if I am successful at it though.

What is your favourite tool that you cannot live without?

A nice cup of English Tea (hee hee) to get me inspired and my vintage singer sewing machines that make me smile.

Any advice for others running their on-line shop? 

Just do it. I thought about it selling on Etsy for several years until I made the leap. My advice is just do it, don't wait. 

Saving money is important; tell us one thing that you do to save money?

To save money I buy online or use coupons, I also hunt through garage sales and thrift stores for thread and notions that I can use.

Stay-tuned for tomorrow's giveaway!

Outside in the Spring Card

What a better way to greet Spring with this cute card. I'm using Amy Jaz Designs' Woodland Mini Kit.

 

Totally adorable and there so many you can do with this versatile kit. Wait until you see my scrapbook pages, which are not only available on my head, lol. 

Enjoy 20% off if you purchase the kit today.

Blog Giveaway: $20 Gift Certificate from NoodleBee Boutique

Win $20 Gift Certificate from NoodleBee Boutique. Get to know Kristin, our Saturday Artisan this week. 

There are many ways to enter. a Rafflecopter giveaway

Contest starts now and ends on March 31, 2012. Contest opens worldwide. Don't forget to leave me a way to contact you. Entries without contact information will be disqualified. Entries that do not follow the rules will be disqualified. Contest winner will be drawn on Sunday, April 1. Winner must respond within 48 hours after being contacted otherwise another winner will be randomly selected.

Saturday Artisan: NoodleBeeBoutique

Happy Saturday! Meet our Saturday Artisan, Kristin, the owner/ artist behind NoodleBee Boutique (cute name, right?) 

Take a look at this OWL Wipeable Pocket Bib. The title says it all. It's Adorable (who doesn't love owl?). It's Wipeable (love this feature!!). And it has Pocket to catch all the mess which mean less work for me or any moms sweeping the floor. Functional as Kristin describes it!

  Learn more on how to organize your stuff from Kristin and if you're a scrapbooker who has photos stacked in a closet (I'm guilty of that!), I hope you get motivation from her goal this year. 

Tell us a bit about yourself and what arts/ crafts that you make? 

First and foremost I'm a wife and mother of two amazing kids. I know everyone says that but that's ok! I also am a full time art teacher (going on 11 years) and do as many crafty things around the house and with my kids as I can. My shop sells functional and practical accessories for little 'mess makers' of all ages. I'm currently designing a line of reversible aprons and smocks to add to the shop. 

What is the story behind your shop name? 

When my son was a baby we called him 'noodle'. 7 years later I was blessed with my daughter and 'noodle' evolved somehow into 'noodlebee'. I was on an extended maternity leave due to complications with my daughter's birth last year and sewing was a good therapy for my recovery period. It was only fitting that I name the shop after her!

 
Who is your target market? 

Currently my shop is for babies and toddlers, however I intend to expand the shop to sell aprons and smocks for pre and elementary school aged children.

Which part of creation process that you like to do the most? 

Besides shopping for new fabric, my favorite part is putting the snaps on the pocket bibs. Adding those snaps makes the bib functional and I'm really proud of my design for them!

For us who love to travel, could you share a bit about your beautiful town/ city? 

I live in Springfield, Virginia which is about 20 minutes south of Washington DC. I grew up in Arlington a stones throw from the city and I love living so close to such amazing culture. My husband and I make sure to visit as many events as we can with the kids and taking public transporation is a great way to do that. If you visit, the Lincoln Memorial at night is an amazing thing to see! 

Could you share on how your organize your products, we all can use a little tips here and there in this department? 

Organization is something I'm always working on. I really like everything to be organized not only so that I can be more efficient, but also so that things look good. I work out of a tiny townhouse with no spare room for crafting so once I got started on this new venture I had to be very creative in finding storage space. I moved all of my clothes to one side of my closet and now my fabrics, notions, plans, and sewing machine live there. I use lots of plastic bins under the bed too. Everything is hidden away but easily accessible for the times when I work.What is your best seller? The pocket bib. This bib is 100% wipe-able. Parents love it! How does your day go in general? 5:45 - 6:30 is my 'me time' when I'm getting ready for work completely ALONE! Everyone else is still asleep so I can shower, dress, eat breakfast in peace. I teach from 7:30 - 3 and then pick my daughter up from daycare by 4. I try not to have to run errands after that but occasionally we have to. Usually we are home doing homework and all of the other chores and getting dinner ready by 6. Sometimes there are sports schedules to work around. The kids go to bed between 7:30 - 8:30. After that it's ME time again. That's when I go on PINTEREST, check out my favorite blogs, cut fabrics, sew, scrapbook, or veg out with my hubby & our Netflix. 10:30 is lights out! 

How do you balance your personal and work life? 

As a teacher my personal life sometimes blends with my work life. My son attends my school so his friends (my students) know me outside of school. For the most part though I leave 'work' at 'work'. My family is more important. I don't do school related grading or assignments at home. I only check school emails until 4pm on weeknights and not at all on the weekends. These little things make a huge difference for how relaxed I am at home and how much of mommy my kids actually get. 

What inspires you? 

Pictures. I had the idea for PINTEREST about 10 years ago :) I love looking at the way people do things, new products, new ideas. I am a visual image junkie. 

What is your goal for 2012? And are you on the right track? 

My goal was to do Project Life in 2012. Project Life is memory keeping system developed by Becky Higgins. I'm doing really well maintaining my PL binder. I post my weeks on my blog which helps me stay on track. 

What is your favourite tool that you cannot live without? 

My Netbook. 

How do you promote your shop? 

My shop is very new. I have a Facebook Page and I'm always posting things on there. My friends are good about spreading the love too. For each sale I send the buyer several business cards with coupon codes on them and a note telling them to share with friends. 

Any advice for others running their on-line shop? 

Pictures are really important. I am always retaking pictures and making sure I edit them well. Unfortunately for me natural light isn't always available when I am crafting at night so I don't get around to posting as many listings as I could if I was home during the day.

Saving money is important; tell us one thing that you do to save money? 

My husband and I got married 2 weeks after college graduation and had our son 3 years later. Raising a baby at 25 in the DC area is tough! We've always been on a budget! My tip for children's clothes is to shop at second hand stores whenever possible. Your children will outgrow items too quickly to spend a lot of money on them. Shoes, however, I am a stickler for buying new. Children's feet are always growing and I insist on having a fitting every time!

My Creative Space

Today's Creative Space is a little bit different. Facebook has introduced a new timeline design and whether you like it or not, you will have to get with it. I spent my morning to finally get to this new design. It can be confusing but as time goes by, we will adapt and figure it out. The first thing is to create a cover photo. It's the main header of your page. I actually kind of like it as it just pops out for you. What I did was to create a collage picture using Picasa. I dug pictures of my past works and put them together in a collage. I'm quite satisfied with the result for now. I'm sure I'll make some changes as time goes by. Have you changed to the new FB timeline? Do you like it? For more creative space, visit kootoyoo site.

Blog Giveaway: $20 Gift Certificate from GreenJazzFace

Win $20 Gift Certificate from GreenJazzFace. Get to know Kelly, our Saturday Artisan this week. There are many ways to enter.

Contest starts now and ends on March 24, 2012. Contest opens worldwide. Don't forget to leave me a way to contact you. Entries without contact information will be disqualified. Entries that do not follow the rules will be disqualified. Contest winner will be drawn on Sunday, March 25. Winner must respond within 48 hours after being contacted otherwise another winner will be randomly selected.

Saturday Artisan: GreenJazzFace

Meet Kelly, our Saturday Artisan! Her wonderful shop, GreenJazzFace, is full of whimsical banners for any occasion. I ♥ banners and garlands. They are a must for a party, a great photo prop and a pretty decor to hang around the house. 

Tell us a bit about yourself and what arts/ crafts that you make?

I'm Kelly and I'm from Texas! I have three wild dogs and a husband, all boys....enough said. I think my twitter tag line sums me up: very left handed, extremely right brained, and addicted to crafting! I make handmade banners for any occasion, including baby and bridal shower, wedding/engagement, birthday and holiday parties, and as photo props for any of these! 

What is the story behind your shop name? 

My shop name came from me being random! There's no real meaning to it, it's not great because it doesn't help anyone to know specifically what I sell, and at first I was embarrassed to tell anyone. But, I stuck with it. I hope it sticks with my FANS, and now I love it.

Who is your target market?

I guess I never knew who I would be selling to when I first opened up shop, but I've found that photographers are attracted to my line of work! I also appeal to women getting married and mamas having babies!

Which part of creation process that you like to do the most? 

My VERY most favorite part of the creation process is walking through craft stores and coming up with new ideas on the spot, then rushing home to try my idea out!

 
What is your best seller? 

My best seller depends on which holiday is coming up! My square shaped chipboard banners sell the best! 

How does your day go in general? 

My days are quite chaotic. I have a full time job as a speech language pathologist (SLP) in a pediatric home health setting. I do a lot of driving in between my patients but before I pull out of their driveways, I check my email and respond to any questions from potential buyers. I want my customers to be extremely satisfied with their product, so every moment I'm not being an SLP, I'm working as a crafter!

What is your favourite tool that you cannot live without?

I cannot live without my Cricut...or my scissors... or my paper cutter....

How do you promote your shop?

I spend a lot of time as a team leader on an Etsy team. I also try and gain fans on my Facebook page by doing giveaways every once in a while. I try to get to know people through social networking as much as I can. 

Any advice for others running their on-line shop?

My number one advice would be to evaluate your shop as if you were a buyer instead of the seller! How do your pictures look? Pictures are so important because they are the closest visual someone will have to actually seeing your product!And also, network!

 
Saving money is important; tell us one thing that you do to save money?

It's definitely important. I need lots of help with this!

 
Stay-tuned for tomorrow's giveaway!

Gnome and Woodland Party

Recently, I had a pleasure working with a client creating a Gnome and Woodland Birthday Party lines such as invitations, cupcake toppers, favor tags, thank you notecards, and a banner.

So much fun, can't you tell? I love how blue, red and pink combined together. It's just feel that I'm creating retro-slash-modern which is a trend nowadays.

By the way, don't forget to enter our current giveaway: Win $25 Gift Certificate.

Friday's Treasuries

Happy Friday!

Enjoy these treasuries. A lot of beautiful items you can find in Etsy.

'Meet Me at the Park - Follow Me Team Treasury Contest' by adorebynat

Vintage Haeger Planter, Gree... jacquierae $14.00	Stone Colored Beaded Ring in... JeannieRichard $40.00	Necklace chain aqua olive ve... PiaBarileJewel... $39.00	Pure Raw Honey Tea SET of 3,... honeyteathyme $21.95
Where Will Dreams Take You -... dsbrennan $35.00	Organic Garden Seeds Snow Pe... WinsomeGreen $3.00	Leather Business card case -... rntn $21.00	Children Wall Decal Kids Wal... WallDecalDepot $58.00
Bowtie for your Little Guy m... tinymade $15.00	Dollhouse Miniature Antique ... miniaturepatis... $4.90	Recipe Best Banana Bread Eve... BowCheekyCreat... $1.50	Sprouts or Grass - Organic H... MoonlightMicro... $5.00
24" Cherry Wood Bread B... TimberGreenWoo... $46.95	Cuppa Cats coffee mug, tea m... DianaParkhouse $6.50	Humus - A4 print munieca $16.00	Decorative pillow case - App... ClassicByNatur... $32.00

Treasury tool by Red Row Studio.

'Harvest Time - Follow Me Team Treasury Contest' by adorebynat

Vintage Wooden Advertising S... jacquierae $350.00	White Christmas Ornament, Fe... JPwithLove $12.00	Spring fashion ruffle scarf ... Mashacrochet $30.00	Chairs for Children Rustic W... RhettDidntGive... $68.00
Whole Grain Delight - fine a... GoldenSection $13.00	Earth Flower lampwork glass ... shadowjewels $34.00	Wooden Mini Spools - Medium ... heartsupplies $5.00	Authentic Vintage Map Bookma... KohanaJeweller... $20.00
Chocolate & Fleur De Sel (se... Janjoupatisser... $8.99	VANILLA SPICE flavored 5 oz ... honeyteathyme $6.00	featured in REAL SIMPLE. tot... purposedesign $55.00	Tree Lover - cameo brooch munieca $17.00
Vintage Silverware Garden Ma... monkeysalwaysl... $17.00	Queen Anne's Lace Hand P... SylwiaGlassArt $35.00	Tribal Arrow Earrings - Arro... polishedtwo $12.50	Rustic Elm Cutting Board Car... grayworksdesig... $100.00

Treasury tool by Red Row Studio.

'I ♥ My Home - Follow Me Team Treasury Contest' by adorebynat

Vintage Shabby Chic Painted ... jacquierae $18.00	12 inch embroidery hoop with... makenziandmadi... $40.00	Sea Salt Spa Bar Handmade So... SweetSallysSoa... $7.00	Lapis Lazuli Pyrite Bracelet... byjodi $95.00
Certified Organic Broccoli S... WinsomeGreen $3.00	Cleopatra Turquoise Ring Ban... JeannieRichard $25.00	Felt Hair pins light turquoi... JPwithLove $10.00	mint green paris bicycle pho... oohprettyshiny $30.00
Lace Knit Cowl in deep Purpl... WindyCityKnits $35.00	Robins Egg Blue Porcelain Tr... MuddyHeartPott... $14.00	Handmade & painted miniature... SylviaInDaHous... $25.00	nautical OFFICE dress / pol... vintagemarmala... $34.00
Baptism favors, First Commun... clareyclaywork... $36.00	Wire Hair Fox Terrier Dog Ar... GoingPlaces2 $13.00	Deep Turquoise Lily - Throw ... KainKain $22.00	I Wuff You French Bulldog Bo... betwixxt $14.00

Treasury tool by Red Row Studio.