Thursday, May 16, 2013

A few of my favorite blogs

I love reading blogs. I wish I had more time to read them. I always think when life slows down a little I can find some new ones. Yeah I know who am I kidding! It's never going to slow down!

So I thought I would share a few of my favorite ones and if you get a chance you can share a few of yours. 

Oldie but Goodie..

Pioneer Woman - I know you love her or hate her but her iced coffee idea of keeping the cold brewed coffee in the refrigerator changed my life! You must try it - and try the sweet cream if you have an extra two hours a day to work out. Otherwise you will gain 5 pounds in a week drinking that stuff! Ask me how I know. ;)

Organizational Wonder...

Happy Money Saver - Karrie is amazing! She is one of those routine ladies that has a schedule and sticks to it all while saving money. Now the whole couponing thing is above my skill level but just reading her blog makes me inspired to organize my life. 

Do it yourselfer....

Blissfully Ever After -  Jennifer is one of those gals that just does stuff. She wants a new wall collage and she just makes it happen. She has some great ideas and I love her detailed photos. 


On to Little Petunia news

LPD facebook page is 86 likes away from my gigantic giveaway. I know you are getting sick of hearing about it but it is so close I can't believe it. Woohoo!!

I'm busy sewing like crazy to get caught up on orders after a whirlwind month of Teacher Appreciation Week, Baseball and Field Trips. Before anything else - my kids come first - even before Little Petunia Designs. I don't ever want my kids to be resentful of my business because I missed something important to them to sew. That's what coffee is for...to keep me awake while they sleep to finish up orders. :)

Check out my new blog signature - If you haven't started ordering yet from Lisa Kay Designs - what are you waiting for!!! She is fantastic to work with and is so creative. I love just being able to say I want a "blah blah blah" and she gives me a proof like she was in my head!



Friday, April 19, 2013

Recap...

Yes I know it's been a while since I've written anything but you guys are keeping me so busy with orders I just don't have that much time to write down all the things in my head. And since Siri and I can't get along I can't have her type it for me as I sew. They need Siri for southerners - just sayin.

This post will be completely random - I should have titled it random but that doesn't sound as intriguing as recap. :)

A few things I've learned from my meeting with Riley Blake Designs. {total name drop}

1. Even though I work from home I should still clean my entry and kitchen before I go to "work" each morning. Two of my friends had to hear the panic and inaudible squeals as I flew through my house to get my house ready.

2. Even though I work from home - getting ready in the morning is of utmost importance. When faced with - do I fix my hair or do the dishes in my sink - I will choose dishes because you can throw your hair in a ponytail and be presentable. But you can't fix the omg they live in this look when someone sees 2 days worth of dishes in your sink. So this really refers to lesson #1.

I could go all Duck Dynasty on you right now and say no wait thats the first rule. LOL But I'm guessing only a handful will even know what I'm talking about...back to my list.

3. Do people really still call you and say they will be there in 20 minutes without any warning. Two days ago I didn't know that still happened but now YES they do give you 20 minutes without warning. 

All in all the meeting was fantastic. I was already in love with the fabric and now I'm so excited for my first shipment I can't hardly stand myself!


I should hopefully have some new doll clothing pics soon.  I've got a few new designs to choose from instead of the skirt only option. 


Finally I thought I would leave you with something my hubby said this morning...

Why do we have so many bottles of creamer and there is only one person in this house that drinks coffee!!! I love you honey. :)



I may or may not have cleaned that little section of my refrigerator before I took this pic. You will never know. LOL

Monday, March 4, 2013

Let's Talk Chalk

Hi Y'all! I've been busy sewing orders the last few days and haven't really had time to post anything here or on my facebook page. That just means I've got lots of stuff to show you soon :)

Today we have Let's Talk Chalk to tell us more about their business. This is such a great shop and you should go check it out. Don't forget she will be donating a 40.00 gift card to their etsy shop in my 1K giveaway!





Where are you located?
We are located in the Portland, Oregon area. 

A little about us...
We are Pattie (mom), Jamie (daughter), and Lisa (daughter). We all live within 30 minutes of each other and love spending time together as a family and as business partners. We have lived in the Portland area all of our lives .

How did you get started?
We got started when Jamie told Pattie she wanted to start an Etsy shop. Pattie thought it would be great if they did it together! So we started Charlie Chalk in June of 2011 (aka Let's Talk Chalk). In July of 2012 Lisa joined the business and have been having a blast creating chalkboard designs together ever since.

What inspires you?
Many of our designs are named after people we love - our family and friends! Without them, we know we wouldn't be where we are today and we are so thankful for the inspiration and support they have given us. :)

Thanks Pattie, Jamie and Lisa - I love your shop and I'm so excited to work with you guys in the future.

So what do you guys think? Do you like this series of blog posts? Drop me a comment to let me know what you think.

~Kristen

Monday, February 25, 2013

Silver Wings Designs

Today we have Carla from Silver Wings Design here to tell us a little more about herself. This shop is wonderful! Her items are hand crafted and look beautiful! Here's how to find Carla...





Where are you located?
Humble, Texas. 20 miles northeast of Houston.


A little about me...
My name is Carla and I love anything fun and girly. I did the "career thing" and landed a dream job (in my mind at that time), but as soon as I discovered I was pregnant with my 3rd child I realized that world was not for me. I have 3 kids, a loving husband, and a tiny dachshund. My kids are 9, 5, and 3. I sort of fell into making personalized stamped jewelry and never looked back! I think it's fun to create personalized items. I'm up for any custom order challenge and I take the extra time to be thorough and ask many questions so beware! 

How did you get started?
I got started in making stamped jewelry in October 2010. That is what my Etsy profile says. Is it awful I don't know the exact date? Oh well... I had a slow start because I practiced a lot. Looking back on my earlier work I love seeing how far I've come. My family and close friends got a lot of pieces in those early days. Yikes!



What inspires you?
I know it's very cliché and I tend to be a not-so-cliché type of gal, but my family inspires me to do this. Silver Wings Designs supports my family in so many ways. It supports my kids' extra-curricular activities, my little (ok, not so little) shopping habit, and my sanity! My husband especially loves the last one mentioned



Hobbies/Interests?
I have tons of interests, but I'm really interested in dining, outings, travel (whether it's nearby or far away), fitness, running, reading, crafting...I could spend all day here, ha 


Thanks Carla for giving us a closer look at you and Silver Wings Designs! Have a great Monday guys. 

~Kristen



Sunday, February 24, 2013

Monday...oh how I love you Monday

Yeah you read it right! I love Monday. Monday gets such a bad rap but it's one of my favorite days of the week. Don't start thinking I'm crazy cause I love Friday just as much as the rest of ya. But there's something about Monday that just makes me so happy.

Maybe it's the fact that by 7:51 am on Monday morning my house can start to get back on track from the weekend. After I've fixed my gigantic cup of coffee and answered the mountain of emails in my box I can start decluttering the mess that is my house! I can't be alone here. It seems like my husband and kids spend the entire weekend doing crazy things like smearing chocolate cookies on light switches and undressing in the dining room. They use every fork, plate and cup we have in this house! 

Weekends are chaotic in this house. I'm talking three birthday parties, two basketball games and a girl scout cookie booth kind of crazy. I just keep telling myself Monday's coming and they will all be back to their appointed places!

By Monday afternoon I have reclaimed my house and am back to making cute kids clothes. So here I sit on Sunday evening, my hubby and kids are off to baseball practice, (yes baseball practice in February!) and I'm looking forward to Monday when I can get my house back. 

Speaking of Monday - My friend Carla over at Silver Wings Designs will be featured on my blog this Monday. Be sure to head over to her blog and check out her huge giveaway. It ends on Monday! 

~Kristen

Wednesday, February 20, 2013

Lisa Kay Designs

This week's featured shop is Lisa Kay Designs. She offers printables for every kind of party you can think of. Her cowboy party is what caught my eye to begin with. It looks perfect with my Jessie and Woody Inspired outfits. She's so easy to work with and I just know you will love her! The only issue I can find with her is that she's a gator fan. Go VOLS!!!




Where are you located?
Palmetto, Florida (Tampa Bay Area, west coast of Florida)

A little about me...
I'm a happy-go-lucky, kick-rear single mother, woman, and artist trying to find an independent way to make a buck and call myself a success. I love to laugh but am blessed (or cursed) with the inherent need to overthink everything. My family is my reason for everything and what lifts me up and carries me through.

How did you get started?
I discovered my love of design while studying Public Relations at the University of Florida (Go Gators!) and developed the love and my skills working various Marketing jobs since graduating. It has only been the past few years that I realized what I'm really supposed to do with my life (other than be a mother). My cousin threw a huge Jurassic Park party for her son, and I offered to create the printable decorations. I had so much fun creating everything and felt this huge feeling of purpose when I saw the party and realized that I had a hand in creating such an amazing event. After that, I was hooked and haven't looked back.

What inspires you?
Everything. I know, that's a simple answer, but it is the truth. I am one of those irritating people that can look at something and almost always figure out how it works. I'm not saying I am an engineer of any sort, but I get the general idea of what makes things tick. I'm constantly looking at something, and thinking "that would make a great party".

Pinterest is another source of inspiration for me. There are so many people out there that think so far outside the box, so I am obsessed with taking their ideas and twisting them into something completely my own. One of my goals is to be one of those people that inspires others to create.

Hobbies/Interests?
It took me years to be able to say and believe the words, "I am an artist", so you can guess that I love pretty much anything crafty. I'm a geek, so you can more often than not find me on my computer, but I still love to get my hands dirty.

I sculpt copper and build things out of wood. I paint and glue things. I love to sew, and I love to cook even more. Anything and everything that helps me learn and gives me almost instant gratification is on my radar. I love to write even though I don't do quite enough of it.

And I LOVE being a mom. I love seeing that wonderful and kind little personality develop, and I am humbled with the knowledge that I had a hand in shaping who he is. What can I say? I'm a lucky lady!

Thank you Lisa!!! You can find her shop here. Be sure to check out her facebook page here - she offers seasonal freebies!








Tuesday, February 12, 2013

A little more about me...

Over the next few weeks I'm going to be featuring a few of my favorite shops and some of the contributors to my 1K giveaway on my blog. I love it when I go to an etsy page and shops have info on how they got started and why they love what they do. So here we go - first up - me!

Where are you located?
I'm in Central Illinois 

A little about me...
I'm the mom of three kids, wife to my high school sweetie, - ok this is starting to sound like the intro to Pioneer Woman (who I love) so I need to start over.

I have three wonderful kids who keep me on my toes. My husband is the most amazing man you will ever meet. He's generous and kind - bit of a neat freak, The support he gives me in my business is enough to overlook his compulsion with dusting the top of my refrigerator. I'm a good southern girl who has been transplanted to this frozen tundra. Until McDonald's started selling sweet tea I wanted to move home everyday. I am obsessed with polka dots. I'm sure you can see that as I try to use it in every item I make. They are just fun and they make me happy - even after sewing 15 polka dot dresses in one day I still like them. I can't say that about florals ;)

How did you get started?
A good friend of mine gave my daughters matching dresses for one of their birthdays. I figured if she could do it I could! So I borrowed a sewing machine and went to work on one of those dresses. That went well so I started watching youtube on how to sew. My next project was a diaper bag and then it just snowball'd. I have this amazing group of friends. Seriously no one has a group of friends like these. There is something about our bond that just can't be explained. We live all over the country and communicate with each other every day. Anyway they encouraged me to start selling my ideas and designs. My dear friend Caroline suggested etsy to me. I started selling a few things on there and I've been busy ever since. I never would have gotten this far without their encouragement and support in the beginning. Thank you girls!!! 

What inspires you?
My kids really inspire me. Their little personalities really help me figure out what would look best on them. Then I just translate that to my shop and it usually covers all the bases of what people are looking for. 

Hobbies/Interests?
I love to be busy. If I have things to do I am focused and don't just wander around aimlessly. I volunteer like crazy! I am on our schools PTO Board, several committees at the school and their extra curricular activities. I'm a girl scout leader to both of my girls troops. I love pinterest and wish I had more time to do the things I pin!

~Kristen

Monday, February 11, 2013

Cookies, Carnivals and Petunias

The last few weeks have been a little crazy around here. I have had thousands of boxes of girl scout cookies come in my door and then out my door. There's something about unloading 300 cases of cookies into your dining room in the morning and then carrying those same 300 cases out the door in the evening that makes you think - why am I doing this?? Surely there is a better way...but I can't think about that right now. If I do, I'll go crazy. I'll think about that tomorrow.

Yes I know - I'm a Gone With the Wind junkie ;)

Finally everyone in my house can stop tiptoeing around me since our school's Winter Carnival is over. Seriously I woke up this morning and it took me 3 hours just to make my bed! I'm lost without that huge project forcing me to be busy. I'm very certain that my family was scared to ask me for anything in the last two weeks. My son started walking down two flights of stairs to go to the basement bathroom since his bathroom was out of toilet paper. He was terrified to ask me for anything. Maybe all that ranting about if one more person asks me for something I'm going to skewer them might have scared him a little. Hmm....Oh well we are now fully restocked so he shouldn't have to worry about it.

Now on to the good stuff with Little Petunia! I've been cranking out orders lately like crazy. I've teamed up with several shops on etsy and facebook to have a huge giveaway once I reach 1000 likes. I'm only a little over 200 away so share the facebook page and we can get the party going! There's several 40.00 gift cards to etsy shops included in the giveaway and Little Petunia is one of them!

Have you noticed the fantastic pictures that I've been posting in my listings and on facebook? Those are courtesy of Amy Sauder Photography. She is a local photographer who specializes in outdoor photography sessions. I can't tell you enough how wonderful she is with the kids she photographs. I'm definitely a behind the scenes kind of person. Working with the talent is not for me. I'd rather make their pretty clothes and have her deal with the rest.

The partnership that you guys voted for is working out so well! Misty over at Poco Diva has been so great to work with. She is busy working on all kinds of headbands and hair accessories to match my outfits. One of my favorite collaborations so far with both Amy and Misty has got to be this photo. It just all looks great!


I'm still working on getting more shops involved in the giveaway. I'm looking specifically for party package shops. I'd love to feature a shop with birthday packages that match my clothing. 

~Kristen

Wednesday, January 16, 2013

Cast your vote


The voting has begun over on facebook for my bow crafter. Go cast your vote for your favorite design. You can vote until Friday morning. Good luck to all the bow makers! I can't wait to have a bow crafter for my customers to use!





-Kristen

Friday, January 11, 2013

A perfect match

I'm super picky about bows and accessories. If you've ever ordered from me you know I'm super picky about most things. If something is even a shade off I don't want to put it together. So if I ever find things that are a perfect match for my outfits I want to shout it from the roof tops. I'm not just searching for all my customers - I'm searching for my girls accessories!

So when I stumbled across this shop the other day I knew I had to tell everyone about her. Her name is Karla and she makes these adorable headbands that match perfectly with my mouse inspired clothes!





If you'd like to order please visit her shop here. Tell her Little Petunia Designs sent you. :)

These are fun too. Head2toedesigns makes these really cute mouse ear clips. She sells them already made with a bow or you can buy the DIY set and put it on your own clip. I've ordered from her in the past and her shipping is fast and the quality is fantastic! Visit her shop here. Here's a picture of her finished bows and a pic of my little petunias wearing theirs.




One more perfect match for you today. Missy over at Simply Missy has created these autograph books for you. I've ordered 3 myself and used them for our last Disney trip and we got so many compliments. Of course they look amazing with my outfits too. She has ones to match my girls line and boys line. Visit Missy here and see all the cute designs she has in her store.





-Kristen


Wednesday, January 9, 2013

Bow crafter challenge

Good Morning,

If you haven't heard I'm looking to collaborate with a bow maker this year. I'd like to expand to other crafters as the year progresses but for now I am starting slowly with bows. I've posted this on my facebook page but I'm mentioning it here as well. 

All the bows will be pictured on my facebook wall in a poll. You will vote on your favorite design. I'd like to work with the winner designing custom bows that will be pictured with my outfits. If you know of a bow crafter who would like to participate in the vote leave me a comment.

Voting begins January 17th.

This is the dress that they are matching... 


















- Kristen