Winner, Winner...
10/17/12
Crafty How To: Embellished Party Circles
The Party Continues
Our house is still buzzing from our Ballet birthday party. Maisy and Afton both are twirling and re-enacting their dance lesson from Miss Rachel. Thank you to everyone that left sweet comments and emailed me about the party! One of the most asked questions about the party was about the circles I used as cupcake toppers.
Embellished Party Circles
The party circles from Brizee's Boutique were the perfect addition to our celebration. I 'fancied' them up a bit with some crepe paper. Want to make a few of your own? Keep reading! 
10/15/12
Cowgirl Up #37
Welcome to Week 37
of
The Cowgirl Up! Link Party!
1 Party, 4 Blogs
Your Host this week is . . .
Linsey at The Farmhouse Porch
***Warning***I am about to shamelessly self promote my new little ETSY shop. If you wish you may scroll straight down to the party and avoid my commercial. I will keep it super short though, promise.
I am so excited to announce the opening of The Farmhouse Porch ETSY shop!
I've got my original oil paintings AND old shabby, farmhouse-y things for sale.
I would be honored for you to stop by.
Click HERE to see it!
OK, let's get moving right along to the Cowgirl Up party.
First up--- thank you to everyone who entered our Giveaway last week,
sponsored by Appliance Online
And the winner of the $50 gift card to Amazon.com is
"Teresa"
who left her party comment over at the Farmhouse Porch.
Teresa- be on the look-out for an email about how to claim your prize!
My picks from last week's party are...
Homemade pumpkin dog treats by What We Keep. With the price of dog treats being more than I spend on human treats, this recipe is probably healthier for the pup and the pocketbook than store bought!
I really enjoyed looking at the vintage Girl Scout patches shared by Organized Clutter. I just completed training to be a Girl Scout leader this week, and I still have all of my pins and badges from scouting. Good memories...
Vintage Charm by Mimi shared this beautiful shabby bench transformation
Small Home Big Start tempted my tastebuds with this (lower calorie) crustless pumpkin Pie with Streusel Topping
The The Loud Silence revealed her beautifully refinished buffet. I love it!
And for the grand finale, a kitchen tour by White Lace Cottage, I am such a fan of her shabby farmhouse style!
Let's see whut-cha got!
***Warning***I am about to shamelessly self promote my new little ETSY shop. If you wish you may scroll straight down to the party and avoid my commercial. I will keep it super short though, promise.
I am so excited to announce the opening of The Farmhouse Porch ETSY shop!
I've got my original oil paintings AND old shabby, farmhouse-y things for sale.
I would be honored for you to stop by.
Click HERE to see it!
OK, let's get moving right along to the Cowgirl Up party.
First up--- thank you to everyone who entered our Giveaway last week,
sponsored by Appliance Online
And the winner of the $50 gift card to Amazon.com is
"Teresa"
who left her party comment over at the Farmhouse Porch.
Teresa- be on the look-out for an email about how to claim your prize!
My picks from last week's party are...
Homemade pumpkin dog treats by What We Keep. With the price of dog treats being more than I spend on human treats, this recipe is probably healthier for the pup and the pocketbook than store bought!
I really enjoyed looking at the vintage Girl Scout patches shared by Organized Clutter. I just completed training to be a Girl Scout leader this week, and I still have all of my pins and badges from scouting. Good memories...
Vintage Charm by Mimi shared this beautiful shabby bench transformation
Small Home Big Start tempted my tastebuds with this (lower calorie) crustless pumpkin Pie with Streusel Topping
The The Loud Silence revealed her beautifully refinished buffet. I love it!
And for the grand finale, a kitchen tour by White Lace Cottage, I am such a fan of her shabby farmhouse style!
Let's see whut-cha got!
10/14/12
Dream a New Dream: Getting Started
After the post about the launch of my new clothing line, I got a lot of great questions from you! So I thought over a few posts, we could discuss some of the questions I have been getting. If you have any ideas or more questions, feel free to leave them in the comment section or shoot me an email. I don't claim to have all the answers, but I am happy to share my experiences and hope they might help you!
Today, let's talk about
"How do you know when
to make that 'leap of faith'?"
The hardest part of any journey is always that first step. You might have a lot of ideas spinning in your mind. You may have a room full of your creations or a notebook filled with plans, sketches, goals. But how do you actually get started?
Last year when I started my Etsy shop, it had been something that was in my mind for a long time. I had talked about it for months and months. But the fear of the unknown really kept me from acting. I was scared that if I opened it, I would have either no orders or too many. I was afraid of how to calculate costs. I was afraid that my free-time would be filled with making hair accessories and that I wouldn't enjoy it anymore. Was this the 'right-time' to start?
Do you have a dream or a goal that you are afraid to get started on?
Can you relate?! Whether it the dream of a small business or a life-goal. Getting started on a new journey always brings anxiety.
But no matter how many "what if's" came into my mind, I couldn't stop rolling the idea of an Etsy shop around in my head. And if there is something you can't go a day without thinking about, then it's something you need to pursue.
So after lots of encouragement from friends and family, I decided to jump. And you know what? The best way to get rid of fears, is to take them on.
As I started on my journey I realized those fears were all things I could control.
-Worried about not having enough business? Then promote the products and get the word out. Reach out to others to help create awareness.
-Have too much business? Then hire some help. Put an ad on Craigslist, ask around. You can find people who are willing to work for you.
-Worried about costing? Do some research. For shipping, box up an 'average' order and take it to the post office. Find out how much it costs to ship. Don't forget to include the price of shipping supplies and consider your time/gas costs too.
-Afraid about balancing your time? You are in control! You set the schedule for turn-around on the orders. Let your customers know that items are handmade and give them an expectation for when to receive the product.
-Was the right time for my family and me to start? My oldest was in Kindergarten and my youngest was a good napper. I had the time and the resources to take the risk. I figured if I never tried, then I would always be filled with regret. So ready or not, there was only one to find out if was the right time. I just had to do it.
Once you have figured out the answers to your fears. Then getting started is a little less scary. The past year has still been filled with stress, anxiety and lots of 'freak out' sessions :) Chasing a dream is not a straight and easy path. But for me, it has been worth it. The chance to pursue the dream of a creative life is a gift. And to not try- well that just seems sad!
Are you on the threshold of a new adventure-what is holding you back from taking that first step?
Or are you well on your way-how did you find the courage to get started?
-Samantha Conner Designs clothing line here.
-Samantha Conner Designs Etsy shop here.
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10/12/12
Stella&Dot Giveaway: NOW CLOSED
Stella & Dot is Here!
I am so excited to welcome my newest sponsor, Stella&Dot with stylist Sarah Atchison.
Stella&Dot jewelry has been know for being fashion forward and high quality. I am thrilled to welcome both Stella&Dot and Sarah Atchison to Crafty Texas Girls.
Sarah Atchison is a fellow Texas girl who has a passion for styling Stella&Dot. Like many of you, she is a wife and stay at home mom of a five year old girl. With her husband’s busy job full of travel she wanted to find something that had flexible hours, gave her an opportunity to earn some extra money and put her marketing and customer service skills to work. Sarah has worn Stella & Dot for years and the company was the perfect fit! Now she has the chance to make my her own hours and do something that she loves, helping women find the perfect fashionable and affordable jewelry and accessories!
-Stay in touch with Stella&Dot by Sarah Atchison through her website or facebook.
In her own words, Sarah shares about Stella&Dot--
Stella&Dot, is an Inc. 500 Fastest-Growing Company that creates flexible entrepreneurial opportunities for women. Our boutique-style jewelry and accessories line is available exclusively through in-home Trunk Shows by Independent Stylists and online.
Our one of a kind collections are designed by celebrated New York designers and featured in Gossip Girl, In Style and Lucky Magazine as well as on the wrists and necklines of today's hottest celebrities.
Special this month, is the Breast Cancer Awareness Boutique with all net proceeds benefiting the Noreen Fraser Foundation. This is a great way to support breast cancer awareness.
You Could Win These Earrings
And in honor of Sarah's support of Crafty Texas Girls, she has graciously decided to giveaway a pair of earrings. These Raspberry Serenity Small Stone Drops are a new addition to the Holiday 2012 line. They are perfect for dressing up a casual outfit or a night out, and will easily transition into Spring and Summer.The earrings are made of hand-cut stones set in shiny 12k gold plated hammered brass. The drop length is 3/4 inch. These earrings sell for $34-- but you could win them for free!
 |
| I just got a pair of these earrings for myself- I love the color and size |
Giveaway Details- How to WIN!
FOR A CHANCE TO WIN:
1. Head over to Sarah's Stella and Dot facebook page and 'like' her page.
2. Then come back here and leave a comment on this post telling me you did so.
*If you are not already, be a follower of Crafty Texas Girls too!
GIVEAWAY CLOSES: Thursday, October 18th at 8pm CST.
FINE PRINT: Winner will be chosen using random.org from the comments left on this post. Participants may enter this contest one time. Winner will be notified via email and in a new post here on Friday, October 19th. So make sure I can contact you! Due to shipping restrictions, winner must live in the continental United States. Facebook assumes no responsibility or liability in this contest.
**The contest is now open! So pop on over to Sarah Atchison's Stella&Dot Facebook page and then come back here and leave your comments. I can't wait to see who wins-- it could be YOU! 
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10/10/12
Ballet Birthday Party
Sunday was little Maisy's big birthday. She turned three and to celebrate we had a little ballet themed party. Maisy has just started dance this year and she is 'all about ballet'.
So I planned her party around twirling with friends.
I painted a grapevine wreath with white spray paint and hung a little pair of ballet slippers from a big pink bow. The slippers are actually Christmas ornaments-- one advantage of Hobby Lobby having their holiday goods out so early is that I snagged several cute ballet ornaments at 40% off!
We turned the sitting area off our kitchen into Maisy's dance studio by removing all the furniture. The open space, hard wood floors, and natural light made the perfect space for dancing.
I took down our wall decor and replaced it with draped fabric, adorable party bunting and tissue paper poms. The party table also held mini-cupcakes, our crafts, hydrangeas, and of course the cake.
I made a table skirt into a tutu by gathering several yards of tulle with the sewing machine. I hot glued the ribbon over my stitch line. Maisy was delighted to see that even the table was 'dressed up' for the occasion.
All the party printables were created by BrieZee's Boutique. I love her style- the little ballerina looks just like my tiny dancer. Briana was easy to work with and made sure all of our printables were perfect. The package I used for this party included the invites, party circles, centerpiece circles, a coloring sheet, a birthday sign, cupcake wrappers, folding blank tents, water bottle labels, bunting, favor tags, and thank you notes. Everything was personalized- so all I had to do was print it out!
This year I had the cake made by the bakery at Market Street. I brought in a photo of a cake I had seen on the Amy Atlas website. I was so pleased with how it turned out. The little ballerina is another Christmas decoration from Hobby Lobby :)
About 15 minutes before our guests arrived, Maisy fell asleep on the couch. I guess all of our party prep wore her out!
But after the first little friend arrived, she was up and ready to go. The girls played upstairs for a bit then came down and decorated crowns and wands.
As they were wrapping up the crafts, our special guest arrived. To make our party extra sweet, we hired the ballerina that taught Afton last year. Miss Rachel was amazing with the girls. She captivated them for a good 30 minutes with a mini-dance lesson. She truly has a gift for dance and teaching-- the girls loved her!
After dancing, the girls played outside in the bounce house and then back upstairs. Then we moved on to cake and ice cream, followed by presents and a bit more playing.
Celebrating with our dear friends and family was the perfect way to spend the day.
We love this little three year old so much! Happy Birthday Maisy Lou!
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Sharing our party here: Home Stories A to Z, Serenity Now, Tatertots and Jello, Positively Splendid, and Too Much Time on My Hands, The 36th Avenue
All photos and text on craftytexasgirls.com are copyright protected. You may not copy entire articles or posts (even with a link) without my express written permission. Email any requests or links used to craftytexasgirls@gmail.com.
So I planned her party around twirling with friends.
I painted a grapevine wreath with white spray paint and hung a little pair of ballet slippers from a big pink bow. The slippers are actually Christmas ornaments-- one advantage of Hobby Lobby having their holiday goods out so early is that I snagged several cute ballet ornaments at 40% off!
We turned the sitting area off our kitchen into Maisy's dance studio by removing all the furniture. The open space, hard wood floors, and natural light made the perfect space for dancing.
I made a table skirt into a tutu by gathering several yards of tulle with the sewing machine. I hot glued the ribbon over my stitch line. Maisy was delighted to see that even the table was 'dressed up' for the occasion.
This year I had the cake made by the bakery at Market Street. I brought in a photo of a cake I had seen on the Amy Atlas website. I was so pleased with how it turned out. The little ballerina is another Christmas decoration from Hobby Lobby :)
About 15 minutes before our guests arrived, Maisy fell asleep on the couch. I guess all of our party prep wore her out!
But after the first little friend arrived, she was up and ready to go. The girls played upstairs for a bit then came down and decorated crowns and wands.
After dancing, the girls played outside in the bounce house and then back upstairs. Then we moved on to cake and ice cream, followed by presents and a bit more playing.
Party Details:
-Paper Goods/ Party Printables: BrieZee's Boutique on Etsy and Facebook
-Wands and Crowns: Hobby Lobby
-Cake: Market Street
-Ballet Shoes/Figurine: Hobby Lobby Christmas Ornament
Make your own Crepe Paper Pinwheels/Party Circles with this tutorial:
Make your own Crepe Paper Pinwheels/Party Circles with this tutorial:
For more ballet ideas see my 'party planning post'!
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Subscribe to crafty texas girls
Sharing our party here: Home Stories A to Z, Serenity Now, Tatertots and Jello, Positively Splendid, and Too Much Time on My Hands, The 36th Avenue
All photos and text on craftytexasgirls.com are copyright protected. You may not copy entire articles or posts (even with a link) without my express written permission. Email any requests or links used to craftytexasgirls@gmail.com.
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