Spotlight On: TJ and Girls Love Bows

Today, it's my great please to introduce my blog followers and friends to someone that I have gotten to know online through several of my yahoo groups. TJ has been an inspiration ever since I joined the first group over two years ago and still amazes me. She always has a sunny disposition and a compliment for everyone.

1. Tell us a little about yourself.....

I started crafting in grade school...making tissue paper flowers. I took my first quilting class at age 21. I have made all of my grandchildren their own theme quilt. Eight years ago I came down with west nile virus which has left me in a wheelchair. The sewing and crafting are something that help me get through the days.

2. What made you decide to get into the crafting boutique business?

Girls Love Bows was created after many requests for hairbows from friends of my granddaughter's. I decided to buy some instructions and make them as Christmas presents and it grew into requests from ball teams and has not stopped. I had a retail store requesting bows and really had to get with the program.

3. What do you sell?

Hair bows, ponytail streamers, flowers, key fobs, anything with a ribbon on it.

4. Where do you sell, online and off?

I have an etsy shop and also sell wholesale to retail stores, beauty shops and a few drug stores. I do 5 craft shows a year.

5. How do you juggle selling your items and your personal life?

Everything is put in it's priority and my service to God is first.

6. What is your favorite thing to create?

I love creating hair bows with a monogram or machine embroidery design on it.

7. What are your long term goals for your creations?

I am earning enough to cover expenses and pay myself. I want to continue to grow this business by learning new and more efficient techniques.

8. Any advice for someone just starting out in the creating community?

Listen to what your customer wants, provide quality products, great customer service at competitive prices.

http://www.etsy.com/listing/57327423/black-gold-saints-colors-fleur-de-lis

This is TJ's first installment here on Spotlight On. She will also be featured later with her embroidery business! Good luck TJ! Please leave her a comment on her hair accessories and let her know how much YOU enjoy what she makes.

Spotlight On: Cutely Tots

Today's Spotlight is On another fellow Cafemommer. She makes some mighty cute slippers!!!! Sit down with your warm cup of coffee or hot chocolate and enjoy the responses!

1. Tell us a little about yourself..... I am a mom of a 3 year old daughter and newborn baby girl, been married for a little over 8 years to a wonderful man. I design and create kids slippers. I am very dedicated to my career and family and go-getter type person.

2. What made you decide to get into the crafting boutique business? Cutely Tots makes and designs kids slippers called 'Slippie Slippers'. We decided to give the consumer another option for there kids besides bulky sneakers and sandals. Our 'Slippies' are comfortable and easily slip on and come with a bumpy bottom so the kids can easily walk in the shoes and not fall. The shoes are perfect for developing feet.They are all soft soled shoes for size 0-24 month and made of cotton flannel with unique fabrics.

3. What do you sell? Kids Slippers

4. Where do you sell, online and off? Online

5. How do you juggle selling your items and your personal life? I make sure I complete all my company business during 'normal' business hours and when business is done its all about my family.

6. What is your favorite thing to create? Kids Slippie Slippers

7. What are your long term goals for your creations? To be in boutiques and online shops.

8. Any advice for someone just starting out in the creating community? Stay positive and keep your goals regardless of the outcomes and no's.

Website Addresses :

http://www.cutelytots.com and http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/cutelytots?v=wall and http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/pages/Cutely-Tots/135455903131984

Leave her a comment on here and let her know what your favorite item is in her shop!

Spotlight On - Janet of Caprice Creations

Welcome to the next edition of Spotlight On! It's been about eight month since we have had one and about time to start back up if you ask me. My guest today is Janet from Caprice Creations and is a fellow CafeMom'mer.

And the great thing is... she has offered to have a giveaway of her stuff!!! Details after her interview!

1. Tell us a little about yourself.....As far back as I can remember, I have been creating something. As a child I was always making cards from construction paper. As I grew older, my grandmother taught me how to do many of the crafts that I enjoy today including embroidery, cross stitch, and oil painting. My mother taught me to sew and to pursue my dreams with all my heart.

I am a wife, mother, teacher, artist, and volunteer firefighter. I am a strong supporter of Autism Awareness (my son has Asperger's syndrome) as well as MADD and the right to homeschool!

My passion is creating! I love to crochet, paint, cross stitch, embroider, stamp, and scrapbook. My daughter is quickly following in her mother's footsteps! At the age of 4 she sold her first handmade soap. I was so proud of her!

2. What made you decide to get into the crafting boutique business? I had been making items as gifts for years when my mother-in-law encouraged me to start selling at a local craft mall. From there, I tried ebay and finally found etsy!

3. What do you sell? A little bit of everything! Most of the items in my shop right now are crocheted items including dishcloths, beanies, and stuffed pumpkins. But I also make and sell hand-painted signs and hand-stamped cards.

4. Where do you sell, online and off? Currently I sell most of my items online, but I also have a space at a local craft mall.

5. How do you juggle selling your items and your personal life? I am very fortunate to have the support of my family. Most of my creative time is done in the evenings and on weekends. When I do a craft show, my mother steps up to help watch the kids if my husband is working. And selling items online or even at the craft mall is super easy - just list it (or drop it off) and it takes care of itself. In the case of an online sell, I merely have to package it, print a shipping label, and drop it in the mail!

6. What is your favorite thing to create? Wow! That really depends on my mood. Lately, I have been crocheting like crazy! But sometimes I am just in the mood to paint! Even within a certain type of craft, I can vary in what I want to make. At the beginning of this year, I was making tons of baby booties and now the idea of making one makes me want to scream! lol

7. What are your long term goals for your creations? I really have no long term goals for my creations. I hope that they are enjoyed by the people who receive them and that they last for many years. Some of my favorite items are handmade creations from my grandmothers!

8. Any advice for someone just starting out in the creating community? Don't give up hope! If you are learning a new craft, and don't "get it" right away, that's ok! Try it again at a later date! It took me 20+ years to finally "get" how to crochet! If you are just starting to sell your creations, don't expect to be a success over night. It takes a lot of hard work to get your name out there and make people understand that your creations are quality work!

Thanks for the interview Janet! Now Janet has offered to giveaway a set of 4 round crocheted coasters in any color of the winner's choice!

There are 5 ways to enter:
1. Go take a peak in her shop Caprice Creations and come back here and let us know what your favorite item is!
2. Follow this blog and leave a message. If you are already a follower, just leave a message!
3. Follow her blog! Caprice Creations Don't forget to come back here and post about it!
4. Heart her shop and come back and let me know. In your comment, please let me know what your Etsy ID is!
5. Be a fan on Facebook! Caprice Creations Don't forget to come back here and let me know what your name is on Facebook!

The giveaway will run Monday, November 1st til Sunday, November 7th @ midnight EST. I will announce the winner on the blog Monday, November 8th and contact both parties also.

Spotlight On: Michele of Tivoli Designs

Today's Spotlight On interview is with fellow Cafemommer, Michele of Tivoli Designs!

1. Tell us a little about yourself.....
I've always been an art lover, in my early teen years i painted and sketched a lot.
Fashion is another passion of mine and my friends considered me to be a trend setter. I'm a mom to a one year old cutie and a wife to the most loving and supporting husband ever.

2. What made you decide to get into the crafting boutique business?
It's funny to say, but looking back, it has been on my mind for as long as i can remember!
I had a small business before and other business opportunities that had a creative aspect and designing involved, but i guess i was looking for an opportunity to do my own thing.
creating my fantasy designs with my own hand, selling them to people who love and appreciate the work that went it to the item...what more can i ask for?!
After i had my baby i became a SAHM, it is amazing to be home with him, but i knew that as soon as he gets a little older i'm going for it all the way. So here i am!

3. What do you sell?
I sell my hand made jewelry. My designs include crystals, antiqued brass, gold filled and more fabulous materials. I love incorporating bead weaving, There will be more of that in my new designs

4. Where do you sell, online and off?
I Currently sell online only
www.tivolidesigns.etsy.com

5. How do you juggle selling your items and your personal life?
That might just be the most challenging thing! I always seem to need to been on the computer (which my toddler hates), i noticed that when i'm home during the day i get destructed with my work, so we go out to do fun stuff, I check the important things on my phone and leave the jewelry making to the evening time.

6. What is your favorite thing to create?
I love the pieces that are challenging to make the first time. after much frustration at times and maybe even starting over, the end result is even sweeter.

7. What are your long term goals for your creations?
I'm looking to sell in local boutiques as well as online and hoping that if thing take off i would be able to add my one of a kind bags to the mix.

8. Any advice for someone just starting out in the creating community?
Learning a craft isn't the hard part but getting the creative juices to flow can slow you down sometimes. I think it's very important to find your own voice and make something you can really be proud of. I got inspired to start making jewelry by an accessory i own and love and everything evolved from there...

Other links:
http://www.facebook.com/tivolidesigns
http://twitter.com/TivoliDesigns

Michele has graciously offered to do a giveaway of a pair of Simply Pacific Opal earrings!

The Giveaway details:
There are 4 ways to enter:
1. Go take a peak in her shop and/or website and come back here and let us know what your favorite item is!
2. Follow this blog and leave a message. If you are already a follower, just leave a message!
3. Follow her blog! Don't forget to come back here and post about it!
4. Heart her shop and come back and let me know. In your comment, please let me know what your Etsy ID is!

Four chances to win, that means you need to leave a comment for each entry! Don't forget to leave a way for me to contact you if you are the winner. The winner will be drawn next Sunday, February 28 in the evening. I will contact Michelle with the winner and you will have 48 hours to get back in touch with her once she contacts you! Of course, I will also post it to the blog too :)

Peace, love and happiness!

Spotlight On Jonie of Childish Thoughts

Welcome to my next installment of Spotlight On. Today, I have the privilege of introducing Jonie from Childish Thoughts. We are teammates of the Cafemom Street Team. I have admired her work ever since I joined a few years ago.

1. Tell us a little about yourself.....
I am a mother of 2 beautiful children, but then again what mother doesnt think her children are beautiful, LOL. My son is 5 and my girl was born in Oct. I do everything for them.

2. What made you decide to get into the crafting boutique business?

I got into the business because my family was insistant on me getting a "JOB", well this was my answer to their need for me to get one. Now I am addicted and they wish they never opened their mouths.

3. What do you sell?

I make crayon rolls, crayon rolls with matching totes, car rolls, crayon aprons and few other odds and ends.

4. Where do you sell, online and off?

I wholesale with several women through out the country, I think there are five of them right now. I cosign with a woman in PA, and I sell on etsy, Hyenacart and I am in the process of trying to create a website.

5. How do you juggle selling your items and your personal life?

Very carefully, not. Really I go day by day. With an infant it has become rather difficult but I love her to death and the five year old is easy peasy, he entertains himself or helps me sew my items. He is a great help.

6. What is your favorite thing to create?

Right now my favorites are the crayon aprons. I dont know what it is about them but I just love to make them.

7. What are your long term goals for your creations?

To get them into my own brick and mortar store. Just got to get there.

8. Any advice for someone just starting out in the creating community?

What ever you do make sure you love it and enjoy it, otherwise you will get bored or irritated with it. And that is just never fun.

www.childishthoughts.etsy.com

www.childishthoughts-childishthoughts.blogspot.com

Jonie has been gracious enough to offer a giveaway! The winner will be able to pick ONE item out of the shop!

Here are the details:

There are 4 ways to enter:
1. Go take a peak in her shop and/or website and come back here and let us know what your favorite item is!
2. Follow this blog and leave a message. If you are already a follower, just leave a message!
3. Follow her blog! Don't forget to come back here and post about it!
4. Heart her shop and come back and let me know. In your comment, please let me know what your Etsy ID is!

Four chances to win, that means you need to leave a comment for each entry! Don't forget to leave a way for me to contact you if you are the winner. The winner will be drawn next Sunday, February 21 in the evening. I will contact Jonie with the winner and you will have 48 hours to get back in touch with her once she contacts you! Of course, I will also post it to the blog too :)

Peace, love and happiness!

Spotlight On: Michelle and Adam of The Crazy Elephant

Today's Spotlight On participant is a husband and wife duo! Michelle and Adam from The Crazy Elephant.

1. Tell us a little about yourself.....

Adam and I went to school for media arts and animation. Due to the high cost of school, we were not able to finish. After we got married we started Morgan Media our small animation company online. It was a great creative outlet for us but only at a hobby level. We have done advertisements for .tv and Acer laptops. When we had our son, Jayne, our animation time went down to 0 and we started creating thing just for him. it started with the burpcloths for me. I designed them based on one I got a a gift, but adjusted it to work better for me. Many people asked where I got them and I told them that I made them. Then I started to get orders from people for them. Adam started by making Jayne the cutest little knit bear hat. That was just as popular. Then, in August, a friend of ours recomended that we sell our artwork on etsy. We thought that was a great idea, but it really never took off. I thought of the success I had with the burp cloths when Jayne was a baby and decided to give it a shot on etsy. We opened The Crazy Elephant at the end of August. The shop is named after Jayne, who loves elephants and spends many hours stomping around the house (he's 2). We have been very happy with our start and are looking forward to seeing our shop grow.

2. What made you decide to get into the crafting boutique business?

We enjoy creating things and this gives us a chance to do that. At some point I would like to make this my full time job, but until then I just enjoy being able to give my customers exceptional speed and sevrive, and creating great products.

3. What do you sell?

We carry burpcloths, breast pads, wash cloths, hats, Owie Fixers (ice pack covers), and my children's books which are a mom favorite. We just recently started listing pantiliners and recucled paper embelishments as well.

In the last week we started a line for a family friend. She was diagnosed with Luekemia just before Christmas and the line benefits the Casey Bishop Luekemia Relief Fund, or as we like to call it the Crazy Casey fund. We have found amazing support for our efforts to help her and will be continuing to add new items to The Crazy Casey Fund section.

4. Where do you sell, online and off?

Our shop is thecrazyelephant.etsy.com we have not brought The Crazy Elephant to any shows yet but plan to this spring and also Arts in the Park on the 4th of July in Stewartville, MN

5. How do you juggle selling your items and your personal life?

We both work full time so it is a little difficult sometimes. Adam knits while he is on break at work. I ussually do most of my work after Jayne's bedtime.

6. What is your favorite thing to create?

I really like making the Owie Fixers because Jayne loves them so much. Adam likes the animal hats because they allow him the most creativity. And Jayne loves making the paper because he can help and it is gooshy and messy.

7. What are your long term goals for your creations?

We are still thinking of new products including a possible elephant rice pack. I also have a book writen that I need to get around to illustrating. One day I want this to be my job. I would love to be home with my son and I think our product line will grow with his needs.

8. Any advice for someone just starting out in the creating community?

There is so much advise out there to look at and you can drive yourself crazy trying to follow it all. Do what feels right for you.

Links:

www.morganmedia.us for animation

thecrazyelephant.etsy.com for our shop

morganbubble.blogspot.com for our blog

facebook.com/thecrazyelephant for facebook fans

http://twitter.com/thecrazyele for twitters'

Giveaway Information:

Win a copy of Colorsaurus!
There are 4 ways to enter:
1. Go take a peak in her shop and/or website and come back here and let us know what your favorite item is!
2. Follow this blog and leave a message. If you are already a follower, just leave a message!
3. Follow her blog! Don't forget to come back here and post about it!
4. Heart her shop and come back and let me know. In your comment, please let me know what your Etsy ID is!

Four chances to win, that means you need to leave a comment for each entry! Don't forget to leave a way for me to contact you if you are the winner. The winner will be drawn next Sunday, February 14 in the evening. I will contact Michelle with the winner and you will have 48 hours to get back in touch with her once she contacts you! Of course, I will also post it to the blog too :)

MommaOh Giveaway Winners

Thanks to everyone who entered. I hope that two of these winners see this post because when I went to contact them, I couldn't :( So they have 3 days to get back to me through this post or I will go back to random.org and choose another winner... That's the rules.

And, without further ado, here are the three winners of the MommaOh giveaway!

Winner Number One















Winner Number Two
















Winner Number Three















Okay Winners. You have three days (until Wednesday) to contact me with an email address or Thursday morning, I will be choosing another comment to take your place.

Spotlight On: Katherine's Creations

Welcome to the New Thursday edition of Spotlight On. Katherine's Creations is my guest today.

1. Tell us a little about yourself.....I am a mom to 4 year old twins that keep me very busy. I also have been married to my high school sweetheart for 7 years. I have two dogs (boxers) one is 7 years old and the other isn't a year yet. I also work full time a a first assist to a general surgeon and absolutely love everything about my life. I feel truly blessed to have such a wonderful family and friends. I have been creating jewelry since I was a young girl. My mom used to be me the cheap beads so I could make jewelry out of them. I also used to take my dad's fishing beads and make stuff out of them also. Creating jewelry is a stress reliever for me. I can get lost in the piece and work through all my troubles in that time. It helps me clear my head.

2. What made you decide to get into the crafting boutique business? I needed to start selling so that I could afford my passion. One of my best friends told me to check out etsy and I've been selling on there since 2007. I mostly made jewelry or myself and family but then I had friends ask me to make pieces for them. I also had friends of friends call so that is when I decided to start selling it.

3. What do you sell? I sell hand crafted jewelry mostly with gemstones and sterling silver. I love making custom pieces because another mind can make a wonderful piece. Something that I wouldn't have been able to come up with on my own.

4. Where do you sell, online and off? I sell my jewelry online on etsy and off. I haven't sold it in any shops yet although I've been approached to. I will be doing that shortly just trying to build up some inventory first.

5. How do you juggle selling your items and your personal life? Well, that is a very hard thing to do. My twins keep me very busy so I try to make pieces and promote when they are in bed. I also work some pretty late hours sometimes so that also gets in the way. My family comes first so I will put the promoting on the back bench when I feel that I'm not spending enough time with them. I do bring my jewelry with to work every once and awhile and they love that.

6. What is your favorite thing to create? I love to do custom orders!! I love being able to create something unique for someone. I love making all types of jewelry.

7. What are your long term goals for your creations? My long term goals are to make it to the front page on etsy :) Mostly to be able to continue to sell so I am able to keep my passion alive. Everyday I grow as an artist and I hope to keep doing that. I love learning new techniques and hope to take some classes this year to try some new ways out.

8. Any advice for someone just starting out in the creating community? I would encourage them to keep it up no matter how hard it gets. If its something you love there will be someone out there that loves what you have made even more. They will see the hours and commitment you put into in and love it even more because its handmade!

You can find this great shop at:

My etsy shop is http://www.etsy.com/shop/Katherinescreations

Follow me on facebook http://www.facebook.com/KaleidescopeJewels

Spotlight On: Jamie of MommaOh!

Welcome to the next edition of "Spotlight On" here at Everything Stitch'N Love. I would like to introduce you to another Yahoo loopie Jamie from MommaOh! She's a great WAHM that I have gotten to know through cyberspace that does some really amazing work. She's even made it easy on me and made up the giveaway rules! I can't wait to here everyone's comments this week.

1. Tell us a little about yourself.....

I am a SAHM/WAHM of one precocious six year old daughter; who is married to a fantastic fella and has one of the sweetest cats you have ever seen (however is not allowed on in the lower level of our home where my studio/warehouse/sewing rooms are located).

2. What made you decide to get into the crafting boutique business?

My aunt is a quilter and one year she gave me a serger and the next an embroidery machine. Then my mother purchased a new sewing machine for me and it blossomed from there. I was making and embroidering items and giving them away. So friends started asking for specific items and wanting to pay for my services and Voila! I started a business in my basement.

3. What do you sell?

Personalized and monogrammed gift items. Basically anything I can get on my hoop or under my sewing/serger's foot I will stitch.

4. Where do you sell, online and off?

Locally by word of mouth, a few shows and online. I have had a lot of success on etsy, (www.mommaoh.etsy.com and am opening my own web site, www.mommaoh.com . I also have blog where I post whatever comes to mind as well as showcasing my items, www.mommaoh.wordpress.com .

5. How do you juggle selling your items and your personal life?

Hmmm, not as well as I would like too. My mother lives close by and she has helped me this year as it has been a building year for my business. My husband does all my book work and is a great support. But I haven't found the magic bullet for balance yet.

6. What is your favorite thing to create?

I love, love, love personalizing lunch bags, pillowcases, apron & chef hats, headbands, key chains....pretty much anything I can hoop I'll try at least once!

7. What are your long term goals for your creations?

Well, I am looking at working with other WAHMs who create, to broaden the lines I offer. If any of your readers have an item they specialize in and wholesale? Please email me!

8. Any advice for someone just starting out in the creating community? Tutorials are a fabulous way to start and most are free or offered at a low cost. Join a group (either virtual or local) that specializes in your art or craft and network, network, network!

I’d like to offer a couple of free items for 3 drawings…a free personalized adult apron, free personalized child’s apron and a set of 3 personalized stretch headbands.

Either leave a comment on Christie’s Blog or mine to enter for one of the 3 drawings.

Hoffee and a Nuffin Winner

Sorry that this is going out mid-morning! I put in all the information last night around midnight my time (eastern) as both of my littlest munchkins were STILL up and saved everything to post first thing in the morning. Well, my morning began around 8 am and it usually starts around 6:30..... SOOOO, lucky me got to sleep in while the hubby took the teens to school. He brought back Iced Coffee for me and Cinnamon Melts for the whole family!!! Man, how I do LOVE that man! lol

Anyway, I put the number of entries into Random.org and this is what I got!

Congrats to Rose the winner of Hoffee and a Nuffin's giveaway! I have already sent her and Rebecca an email. Maybe we will get to see a picture of her winnings? I know that I am going to post a picture next week of my niece with her HN sock monkey and her outfit that I am making her this week for her birthday!

Spotlight On: Rebecca of Hoffee and a Nuffin

Welcome back to the latest installment of Stitch'N Love's Spotlight On series. This week, I have the honor of introducing you to Rebecca of Hoffee and a Nuffin. Rebecca and I are teammates of Cafemom Street Team, a group of WAHM that all met through a great global social network for moms! Go check them out if you want! Cafemom

Want to check out the other moms on Etsy? Look for CAFEMOM TEAM
Want to check out other moms on Artfire? Look for CST

Now, on to the interview.......


1. Tell us a little about yourself..... Originally from Southern California, I live in Oregon and have been married for 6 years. I am a mommy of two small boys and think that's the greatest job in the world! I try to find inspiration in everyday things. In life. Sometimes it just happens and sometimes when I'm not even looking for it. I used to read. That was before the great responsibilities of having a family. My favorite is Stephen King. I also enjoy crocheting and have recently learned to knit (it's never too late to learn something new!)

2. What made you decide to get into the crafting boutique business? Crafting has been a part of me for as long as I can remember. My grandmother, Annie, has been the greatest source of encouragement and inspiration for all that I do. Crafting became a business for me when I quit my job to stay home to raise my children. That was the natural thing to do.

3. What do you sell? Sock monkeys, miniature sock monkeys, sock bunnies and other sock creatures, photo cards, polymer clay ornaments, pincushions, felt sock monkey brooches, Hee Pigeons (aka: altered magnetic clothespins,) Little Birdie Buttons, among other little treasures.

4. Where do you sell, online and off? I sell on Etsy. I have sold in the past at bazaars in the Portland area, and at my son's Elementary School, but this year my efforts will be focused on online sales.

5. How do you juggle selling your items and your personal life? It's tough! I have arranged my schedule so that I wake up at 4am, a very quiet time, to get the bulk of my work done. (It's easier to work when the house is sleeping!) After the family is awake and the day goes on, my work gets sprinkled into the gaps of quiet moments if they can be found throughout the day. School time is the time to run errands and my little one (a terrific little helper!) is proud to be in charge of post office duties.

6. What is your favorite thing to create? Sock monkeys, no doubt!

7. What are your long term goals for your creations? I don't have long term goals for my work, it's very personal to me and I'd be disappointed if it ever got out of hand. I am very passionate about what I create and hope to share this little piece of myself with others who appreciate what I do. I suppose that I can only hope to not become bored. That would be a sad day.

8. Any advice for someone just starting out in the creating community? Start with a positive attitude and NEVER, ever give up! If you're doing something that you truly love, keep doing it! It's tough to get started, and you should remember that everybody struggles in the beginning. Document your work with good photographs and experiment with a lot of different styles and lighting until you get a look that works for you. Photographs are important in displaying your work if you're selling online. Help your buyer to see and "feel" what you've created so they'd be more likely to purchase from you.
My links:
www.hoffeeandanuffin.etsy.com
www.sweetestlittlethings.etsy.com
www.hoffeeandanuffin.blogspot.com


Now want to hear the greatest news???? Rebecca has offered to giveaway a Sock Monkey Pincushion to one of my readers!!!!!!!!!!

There are 4 ways to enter:
1. Go take a peak in her shop and/or website and come back here and let us know what your favorite item is!
2. Follow this blog and leave a message. If you are already a follower, just leave a message!
3. Follow her blog! Don't forget to come back here and post about it!
4. Heart her shop and come back and let me know. In your comment, please let me know what your Etsy ID is!

Don't forget to leave a way for me to contact you if you are the winner. The winner will be drawn next Sunday, January 24th in the evening. I will contact Rebecca with the winner and you will have 48 hours to get back in touch with her once she contacts you! Of course, I will also post it to the blog too :)

All About Ribbon Giveaway Winner

Well, there were a LOT of entries in this one. The best giveaway yet! A little over a hundred entries, 102 to be exact.

So, congratulations to Buttons and Bows, the winner of All About Ribbon's $25 Gift Certificate!






I would like to take the time to thank Wendy for allowing me to interview her and host this giveaway. I really enjoyed seeing all the great things that everyone had to say about Wendy and the amazing awesome ribbon that she does. I found her group back in July 2008, I think it was and jumped on the first buy that was that month. I have never regretted sinking all that money into ribbon either! Even if most days, I can't bring myself to cut into it. lol

Congrats to the winner, and if you didn't win, stay tuned for the next Spotlight On Giveaway.... Of course, if you are a handmade entrepreneur yourself and would like to be the next Spotlight On guest, just send me a message to stitchnlove (at) gmail (dot) com and I will get you the interview questions and get you set up!

Spotlight On: Wendy @ All About Ribbon

Welcome to the second edition of "Spotlight On." Today, I had the honor of getting questions answered by a ribbon guru that I met nearly eighteen months ago when I first decided to give the hair bow "thing" a try. Wendy of All About Ribbon runs one of the best Yahoo groups and is a great ribbon enabler! I know that my bank account doesn't hold nearly enough as my eyes would like and my ribbon collection is far bigger than I will ever be able to use.

1. Tell us a little about yourself.....

I seem to be described as the hippy “Martha Stewart” a lot by friends and family. I would rather make gifts and decorations for our home than buy them. I have two toddlers and a wonderfully supportive husband that tolerates the constant crafting project explosions.

2. What made you decide to get into the crafting boutique business?

When we found out we were expecting our second miracle we also found out how much daycare was. They are only 18 months apart so the reaction was something like this, “Bam! Wowzers! Really?!? Oh, DEAR!” Someone was going to have to work at home which translated to Mommy was going to have to work at home. I started looking at low cost businesses that I could hit the ground running with. After all, I only had 8 months to find something, master it, and turn a profit that we could at least use for grocery and bill money! I found hair bows and ran with it. My initial investment was about $150 in supplies.

I quickly found myself immersed in ribbon and bows and luckily orders to go with it all! However, I kept getting custom orders from my clients that wanted ribbon that just wasn’t available. The requests included Horse, Ants for watermelon bows, and Guitars. It sounded so much simpler in my head than in reality to say, “I’ll just have it made!” Luckily I was born with a tenacious spirit, more stubbornness than it should be legal to have, and the inability to take no for an answer, so now I have a ribbon company. It’s a strangely wonderfully journey, but I still look around and wonder how on earth did I get here?

3. What do you sell?

I sell mostly custom printed ribbon and other supplies for crafters with a focus on hair bow makers. I still sell bows but my focus has shifted to local customers and custom orders. In the next year I plan to re-launch a lot of my hair accessories online again. Should be another great adventure!

4. Where do you sell, online and off?

www.allaboutribbon.com

www.allaboutribbon.etsy.com

And coming soon to Ebay (allaboutribbon)

5. How do you juggle selling your items and your personal life?

You know those free moments where you sit down and relax because everything is done and you watch your favorite TV show? We don’t have those! If I am sitting, I may be watching what’s on but 99% of the time there’s ribbon in my hand. With two small children, the ribbon and bow businesses, and the day to day grind there’s not much free time. Weekends we try to focus more on doing some fun things together. We make it a rule that we laugh together everyday. A lot of my friends are people I have met that are other bow makers and crafters. It’s lovely to say “grosgrain” and have someone know what you are talking about rather than the more common blank stare.

6. What is your favorite thing to create?

Hair bows, I still love experimenting with new ideas. There’s no limit. I really enjoy picking out the new ribbon designs as well, but that’s purely for selfish reasons. It’s a kick be making a bow and think that ribbon with (fill in the blank) would really just put the bow over the top… and know you can do it!

7. What are your long term goals for your creations?

I want to continue doing new and unique prints for ribbon that isn’t available currently. I love when I open all the shipment boxes and you see something and it’s YOURS! It’s amazing. We are also planning to launch some new products in the next 1-2 years that should be really exciting. I am already excited! For all the hair accessories I make I want them to have a “home” online. I love www.Etsy.com but I also want them to have their own website.

8. Any advice for someone just starting out in the creating community?

Find something you have a passion for. Throw yourself in headfirst and learn anything you can. Evaluate where you want to go with it. Is it a hobby or are you going to make a business out of it? Refocus, and find your niche! Do you want your business to just bring in extra pocket change, or are you looking to take over the world? You know, any answer to those questions is fine. Everyone has different goals and paths to get there. When I graduated high school I wouldn’t have been caught dead saying, “I want to be a WAHM and I am going to build a RIBBON EMPIRE!” but I wouldn’t trade any of it for the world!

Now, how would YOU like to win some ribbon? I thought so! Wendy has offered to give one lucky winner a $25 gift certificate to buy ANYTHING on her site!

SOOOOO, without further ado, here is what you have to do!

There are 4 ways to enter:
1. Go take a peak in her shop and/or website and come back here and let us know what your favorite item is!
2. Follow this blog and leave a message. If you are already a follower, just leave a message!
3. Sign up for the newsletter on her site! I signed up ASAP and she is always giving her newsletter followers a heads up on sale and special things!
4. Heart her shop and come back and let me know. In your comment, please let me know what your Etsy ID is!

Don't forget to leave a way for me to contact you if you are the winner. The winner will be drawn next Sunday, January 10th in the evening. I will contact the winner and you will have 48 hours to get in touch with Wendy! Of course, I will also post it to the blog too :)

Good luck! And may the Ribbon Force be with you. I think that you are going to need it.

Spotlight on Shana of Silly Beanz on Etsy

My first Spotlight On crafter is a fellow Yahoo Group Loopie! Shana and I are on several together and both share a love of ribbon and crafts. Her hair blossoms are ~da bomb~ as we used to say back in the day. Go check her out on Etsy: www.sillbeanz.etsy.com or her personal blog: www.mysillybeanz.blogspot.com

1. Tell us a little about yourself.....

My name is Shana. I've been married for 5 1/2 years to Rich and we have 3 beautiful babies (Alyson will be 4 in Jan, Paul is 2 1/2, and Ella 15 mths) We also have 2 dogs, Bailey our almost 8 year old Rottweiler (best family pet EVER) and Bubba who we think is a Puggle that we adopted.
We are native New Yorkers who moved to Georgia so that i could be stay at home mom and so we could actually own a house (no way that was happening on Long Island for us!).
I love to bake, watch Disney Princess movies with my girls and play cars with my boy. I love crafting but right now most of it is admiration rather than creations! I hardly get a free moment to myself!

I pride myself on my work. I love making things you don't see everywhere. I am very picky about which flowers I choose to create my hair blossoms and I work hard to make sure they are as perfect as they can be when made by hand.

2. What made you decide to get into the crafting boutique business? I tried making clips for Alyson and realized how creative I could be and how my need for instant gratification could be satisfied! From there, I made them for friends and as gifts, and now I sell them.

3. What do you sell? My niche seems to be with hair flowers. I've done several bridal parties. I've also done gift baskets for birthdays.

4. Where do you sell, online and off? online at my Etsy store, Silly Beanz, off-line locally at craft fairs and through word of mouth

5. How do you juggle selling your items and your personal life? it's tough. Many times I pre-cut and heat seal my ribbon and put the flowers together and then when the kids are asleep, I'll assemble.

6. What is your favorite thing to create? hair blossoms and digital photo cards

7. What are your long term goals for your creations? to gain a larger customer base and truly make this a profit building home-based business.

8. Any advice for someone just starting out in the creating community? do what you love. I'm not very good at actual bows, so I do clips and hair flowers, and for me that is what sells.

Thanks Shana for the great Question and Answer!

In honor of Shana's Spotlight this week, she's offering a giveaway! The winner will get to pick out any one thing in her shop for FREE! There are 4 ways to enter:
1. Go take a peak in her shop and come back here and let us know what your favorite item is!
2. Follow this blog and leave a message. If you are already a follower, just leave a message!
3. Follow her blog and come back her and let me know. If you are already a follower, just leave a message!
4. Heart her shop and come back and let me know. In your comment, please let me know what your Etsy ID is!

Don't forget to leave a way for me to contact you if you are the winner. The winner will be drawn next Sunday, December 13th in the evening. I will contact the winner and you will have 48 hours to get in touch with Shana!

GOOD LUCK!