Some fun things come this way

I am so excited about doing the Junk Hippy show this summer. I have been doing craft shows with my sister L for awhile now and it is always a blast. Not only do we get to work on our businesses but we also get to catch up and visit. The Junk Hippy Show is going to be that on crack, not only will sister L be with me but so will sister S and my mom. To add to the fun of it being all of us together it will also be my mom's B-day. So we 3 daughters will get to spend the entire day with our mom. Something all of us have been trying to plan for awhile now but all of our schedules always seem to be moving. We opted to get one of their smaller spaces for our first go with all of us. I think this for the best because if it is too small we will know for the next time but the odds of it being to big and unable to be filled are smaller than if we chose a larger space.  You see while I do all of the things you find on my website, etsy, twitter and facebook. Sister L does hair-bows , flip flops, sunglasses refurbished furniture and more, my mom does Macrame items like plant holders, wall hangings, gazing ball holders and is working up to things like tables and fish bowl holders, and finally Sister does refurbished furniture, vinyl artistic prints ( her own drawings) and more. All these items especially the furniture pieces are sure to help fill our space. We have all been doing our homework on craft booth display ideas and tips for making a better space. My mom has all ready gotten us part of our display. When she did it she called all of us to share what she had done. This is going to be a fun adventure all the way to the big event, I wanted to squeal but I didn't for the sake of my mom's ear. I have another show booked for March ( The Bunny Market) and some others after that. I know L will more be doing most of them with me. I am hoping that S and my mom will be joining me at some of these other ones as well. I am just as excited about these smaller shows. I love doing the show circuit. I love meeting new people and think it is a great way to get my name and brand in font of people who may not have otherwise seen me or my products. ( a little side note I was excited to find out my branding is catching on and people are starting to recognize my logo, my cat and thus my products before even meeting me in person. so Ya me and sister S who helped me get all the graphics put together,she actually drew my cat from scratch) I love getting to meet new vendors and some I already know and call friend. I have learned they are a valuable asset to have. Not only is it fun to see them at the different shows, but they will often have tips on displays, whether or not a show is worth paying to be in, will totally understand why the customer  complaining about having to pay more for a handmade item is rude and ridiculous and are  great to just plain network with. Another plus for doing shows ,you may find an item you never you knew you needed. Yes I am guilty of sometimes spending part of or all of my profit at the show. This year though I will be growing into shows of some very fun and new venues for me.Which also means new and expanded lines.  This year a lot has been opened up for me because some limitations that were in place before are now gone. Which I think is best and the right thing all the way around. No one's dream should be limited, especially if it is one that is actually kind of critical to their family that it works like mine is. Yes most people who are building small businesses are doing it for some very strong reasons in their life. For me it is  my family. They are the biggest and strongest reason. We need more income but we also can not afford for me to go to work a regular 9-5 because there is no accounting for a bad day for my husband's RA. Maybe this will change once we finally are able to get the doctor's office and Medicare all to finally work together so he can get on the meds that actually control his RA for more than 3 months with out one of them pulling the plug on us for one reason or another. Till then and beyond I am going to work my business to the very best of my ability. Perhaps someday I will blog on all the reasons but that is not what this post is about. This one is about all of the forward movement and fun all ready happening this year. This one is just a little bit of a tease about some of things I have coming up. Well Thank you for reading.

New items that are coming to the shop

I have been working on some new items. I thought I would share two of them for now. Let's start with the coasters. These statred as a Christmas present and I had a couple of people ask me to make some for them. I have pictures of the ones I made for my dad. He was the one who turned me onto comics and Stephen King as kid. So I made him coasters with the dark tower comic book series combining the two. I have since made some with  more neutral tops. I will be posting some other ones on my website and Etsy soon.  Sorry the pictures are not that great but I think you can get an idea of what I am talking about with these. Also the pictures were taken before they were completely finished but again I think they give you an idea of what I am talking about.These will be $5 pre-made and $10 custom for a set of 4

If you would like to order a custom set of your own feel free to message me at my website  . 

Now the lace crowns I have been making. This kind of came about because of the coasters and because of some new places and areas I am taking my many of my products.  Watch my Etsy shop , Facebook, twitter and website to find out more about this as I post about it. I am excited about these areas because they really are very me. Right now these are at my booth at Es-Cessories here locally. My crowns are being made to fit adults to infants. I am making these in an array of colors and when I reveal where and why I making these it will make total since for me to have them in multiple colors.They range in price from $20-10. I will have some listed on my Etsy and website soon. The green and red ones were made with Valentines and ST. Patrick's Day in mind. If you want one or one similar to those pictured just follow the link to my website to message me. The pictures again are not very good and I will posting better ones as my stock and variety builds.

 I am excited about my business plan and my new items for this year and just had to share just a little of what is coming up. Well thank you for looking and reading.

Tips for planning infant up to preschool pictures

Planning your little ones 3,6,9, and12 month pictures? How about those toddler and preschool pictures? Do you have a plan?
Here is some ideas to think about when planning your picture session.
1. Timing. If your little one takes naps on a schedule be sure to plan around those times. Also make sure to plan around a time that is not a normal meal time for your little one. One more thing make sure that you don't plan your photo session right after a trip to the doctor. You want this to be a comfortable fun event for your little one.
2.  Theme. make sure you bring along an outfit or two ( especially depending on the age) that will go with your theme, accidents happen and it is best to be prepared. If these are milestone pictures you may want to use  similar themes or backgrounds to really make the growth of your little one stand out.  You could go with an overall theme like playtime, birthday or Holiday as well to add a little fun and sweetness to the pictures. Be sure to discuss this with your photographer before hand.
3. Outfits. I do not suggest to many outfit changes as this can stress out your child. If this is family photos you could go with a color theme for your outfits. This can be visually appealing. Also if you know your photographers ideas for background or settings you could chose an outfit that will compliment the theme of the setting for your photo session. Such as a white T-shirt and jean overalls could be really cute with a toddler pulling a wagon with a few teddy bears in it outside in a park. If this is a milestone picture you could chose an outfit that can grow with your child and be used to show how much your little one has grown. One last thing on outfits for your photo session. Chose outfits that are comfortable for your little one to be in. This can help to make the whole experience more enjoyable for you and your little one.
4. Props. Your photographer will probably have props already and a few ideas for your photo session, but if you have a special heirloom or a specific item you want to use be sure to tell your photogapher before hand if at all possible. You could use a simple prop in your milestone pictures. Especially if it is an item special to your little one like a favorite teddy bear. This can also make your photo session more relaxing and enjoyable for your little one.Also make sure all of the props are safe and are being used in a safe manner. An example of this is would be propping up a barely able to sit up alone infant in front of wings on a stand (safe) on a cement floor with no padding under or around the baby (not safe).
5. Weather. Be sure to plan around the weather in your area. If it is summer and it gets extremely hot in the afternoon then plan your photo shoot to be in the morning before the heat or indoors if later in the day. Reverse that for winter. Also check with your photographer when scheduling any outdoor sessions about the ability to reschedule if there is inclement weather on the day of your photo shoot. Especially if you booked off of a special they were running.
6. Photographer. There is no need to just grab the first photographer and go. Take the time to look around. Ask some of your friends if they have a photographer they like. Look on places like twitter, pinterest and facebook. Many photographers who post on these places will have pictures posted from other sessions they have done so you can get an idea of their work ahead of time. Find out the cost up front and what that includes. Many smaller photographers run deals and specials that are just as economically priced as your in store photographers( except maybe Walmart). Also remember many smaller photographers will be more capable and willing to take the time to help you achieve some very one of kind pictures at a pace that can be more relaxing than at some of the bigger places. A smaller photographer may have fewer props or backgrounds ( or the programs to fake them) available. So talk to your top picks of photographers ahead of time to see what they can offer you.Also if you have shy child you might ask if you can set up a time for your child to meet the photographer ahead of time so your child has the opportunity to be come comfortable before you put them in front of the camera.
7. RELAX . have fun. Enjoy the time and memories you are literally making. Don't stress out over getting that perfect shot. Your little one will sense your stress and it will make the whole thing a miserable event for everyone involved. Trust your photographer who will use all their abilities to get that perfect shot for you. Also some of those not so perfect shots turn out to be more special and meaningful than the planned one. Allow your little one to be themselves. Don't push them to hold something or do something they simply don't want to. They will still give you that perfect smile when they are relaxed and having fun too.


Well thank you for reading.

Not a soccer mom but an Irish dance,Roller derby ?? mom

So I always like to encourage my kids to get into something that really strikes their interest. My little Sunny Bunny is in Irish dancing. She loves it and has already preformed in her first competition. We have hard wood floors which have been  perfect for her constant state of practice. I take it too. Which makes it a fun thing for us to share. When she went to compete I went along too because I was competing too. It was not nearly as cute to watch me as it was her but she was so excited that we did it together. This spring we are preforming together along with my mom who also takes the class.
 Now Lizard is into Roller Derby. She was invited to go check out the open house by her Aunt who is an awesome Derby Girl, that had to take a break because she had a baby.  Lizard will be in the teen league which for now is no contact. This great in my opinion because she will be able to really learn the game and the moves before she actually gets in to the contact portion of it. If you don't know Roller Derby is a contact sport played on roller skates at a fairly fast rate of speed. So broken bones, bruises and more are possibilities, but then again if she was playing soccer or other sports that would be a risk there too. So I see it as no more dangerous as long as she practice her skills, wears her protective gear and learns all she can before she gets into her her first full contact bout. Since 2 of her Aunts are Derby girls she has a step with support and tips. I am excited to go watch her play when she reaches the point of getting to. The teen league is new here so they are still building up the teams. Plus I think a lot of my moms are freaked out by the roughness of the game but seriously would they if it was boy wanting to play football. I think this is right up my daughters alley. She is a little bit of a tomboy at times but still loves being a little girlie. Now  my hardwood floors are also not only for dancing but now also for roller skate practice and breaking new skates.  My coyote has been using Lizard like a car hop " skate here" and then will hand her her trash or drink for her to put up. I nearly peed myself laughing at that.
  We are working on finding Bear something that he really wants to do. I am hoping for a regular sport but her is really starting to show an interest in skate boarding and hunting. So who knows I may soon be writing about the joys of being a mom to a hunter or a skateboarder.  What ever it is I hope he loves it as much as the two girls love their activities. You may be wondering what about Coyote. Well she is wanting to do dance and we are all ready looking into that for her. So no she has not been left out but she is young and her likes are still changing with the wind.

Well thank you for reading.

Making a change

So we are still going Paleo and aside from a few baked goods cravings and a knee jerk thought of I should add cheese to the this( helps not to have any in the house). Things have been going well. Of course I have slipped. I got up one morning a grabbed and gobbled down a doughnut before I even thought about it. Yikes! That is a little crazy that I ate the crap on auto pilot.  My hubby has been doing it with me. He has been 100% Paleo 90% of the time. Which if you saw how he was eating before that is really awesome. We are trying to move away from foods that cause inflammation like wheat, dairy and manufactured sugars. My kids have been drinking almond milk in place of the regular cows milk they love so much.  We have gone through an elephants worth of fruit and vegetables. Tonight I made Coconut Lime Chicken in my crockpot with avocado dip. Everyone but the youngest really enjoyed it and even she ate some of it. She is my one who has really held out on going along with this happily. I think next week I am going to make some Paleo chicken nuggets and fish sticks. I did eat something that made my mouth itch like crazy and break out with red spots. So benadryl for me till it's gone and a food diary in case it happens again. The goal here though is to decrease things that may cause inflammation for my husband and to teach my kids a healthy life style for when they grow up based on the best information I have right now. I suppose that is what we really do all the time, try to take of those we care about or guide the best we can with the best information we have at the time.Another reason for the change is it is time to take care of the care giver. I woke up the other day and felt like I was on fire from the inside out and I don't think going to bed the night before with a heat rate of 117 ,with out doing any sort exercise, was any help either.  So time for a better diet and more physical activity. Also more time meditating on what is true,noble,pure,lovely, admirable and all that is praiseworthy. Such things as celebrating this week 16 years of marriage, my husband's birthday this week, that our bills are paid, my wonderful kids, dancing and being silly.
Well thank you for reading!!!

Just a little check in

 I have made some awesome new resolutions this year. One is to eat paleo meals. Oh I am so happy with it.
Some Dinners
Steak Salad
 Home made stew
Apple and onion Pork Chops with a berry compote

Some snacks
Tropical Bananas with nuts
Hard boiled eggs
Pistachios or cashews

Some breakfast
Seasoned Eggs and turkey with pistachios on the side
Baked eggs and ham with fruit compote

All with no sugar,wheat,carbs or dairy

I feel like a foodee. I have so many new recipes I can't wait to try
like
 paleo pancakes
Sweet potatoes brownies
Paleo Nutella tart
Paleo  Plum Kuchen
Coconut Secret Bars
Paleo cookies and breads

My poor husband has been in bad shape the last few weeks. When cold weather hits it really causes him to flare up. Plus recently his doctor sent him to get an MRI because of neck pain and severe migraines . Now has to go see another specialist to get epidural steroids in his neck to try and hold off surgery. I feel so bad for him and helpless to help. Happily though this month is my husbands birthday and our anniversary. We have plans for both that I am very excited for.  My husband and I have finding new things to do and enjoy together,like new shows to watch together or building displays together.

I am so thrilled about some new books I have and that my WOW subscription is paid up till March.  Both are great little ways to just chill.

I will be putting my new items up on my website and etsy. My husband has made a new booth design for me that I can not wait for him to build. It will have to come in parts because of our financial sitch but I am cool with that because it will so worth the wait.


I will write a post soon about things I hope to accomplish this year. Thanks for reading.

Looking Forward

I am so excited about this year already. I am getting to make some really cute items for a great tweep and blogger For Love of Cupcakes.  I am getting ready to open up some new lines as well. I will be carrying some home made decor items on top of my new kid items. It really is so very exciting. I also an very excited about this years business plan. I think it will help to grow my business in a manner that will be sustainable and effective. Even with the economic hardships here at home and across the nation. Thanks to some very awesome friends I now have a better idea on how and where to post my items. Also last year was such a learning curve on craft shows. This year I will be making the jump along with my sisters and mom into some bigger shows and some in areas I would have not dared to go last year. Also some I was not sure my items really fit into but I have found out hat they really do. Especially with the new lines. I am also so excited about a new color scheme for all of my booths craft show and shop. I think it will really pop and be so much more my style. I am excited about a new hobby that will also help out my little fledgling business. I have found that some art types are not dead. I am also very happy with a new personal direction I am taking for my health, style, and growth. I can't wait to see what is to come this year. I know all of this is going to be a lot of hard work and there may even be times I will need support or just flat out help but I have been blessed with such a great base that I know I don't really need to worry. If you follow me on Facebook or Twitter I will be previewing some of my new items and putting some pre-order sections up on my website so be on the look out for that. Oh that reminds me, I am looking at revamping my website. I am working on the plans and design for that. I think I will go a new direction with it's look.  Well I know it is short but thank you for reading.