I have mentioned here before that I have participated in The Spotted Box several times in the past. Well, last night I sponsored a flash giveaway, and in just a few short hours, was able to almost double my Facebook fanbase!
The Spotted Box is a great way to get your name out there as a wahm, and I am proud to have been a part of it in the past. I will be sending in some samples, hopefully, for the December box. Go check out their Facebook page, and see what all the fuss is about!
The Spotted Box on Facebook
Thursday, October 28, 2010
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
Introducing, Wahm advertising...
I am working on a program for Wahms out there to take advantage of web advertising without having to spend so much of their hard earned money. Wahms work hard, but advertising can be expensive.
It's call Bartered Buttons. I will barter with you for the cost of a month of advertising on my blog, in button ad form. The button ad you provide will be bartered for your products, an exchange of advertising on your blog for my store, or Paypal in some cases.
This will be a benefit for you, getting your product in the hands of someone very active on many parenting boards, Facebook, Etsy and Hyenacart. In exchange for your product, I will write a review on my blog, linking it to Facebook, and will provide one month of advertising (in button form) on my blog per every $10 worth of retail for the product I am reviewing.
No cash out of your pocket, word of mouth advertising, and a review posted to Facebook where thousands of potential customers could see it.
Contact me at s_gilly_5@yahoo.com, for more information. I am planning to launch this program the first of November, just in time for Christmas shopping season. Don't miss out on your chance to get your store front out there!
It's call Bartered Buttons. I will barter with you for the cost of a month of advertising on my blog, in button ad form. The button ad you provide will be bartered for your products, an exchange of advertising on your blog for my store, or Paypal in some cases.
This will be a benefit for you, getting your product in the hands of someone very active on many parenting boards, Facebook, Etsy and Hyenacart. In exchange for your product, I will write a review on my blog, linking it to Facebook, and will provide one month of advertising (in button form) on my blog per every $10 worth of retail for the product I am reviewing.
No cash out of your pocket, word of mouth advertising, and a review posted to Facebook where thousands of potential customers could see it.
Contact me at s_gilly_5@yahoo.com, for more information. I am planning to launch this program the first of November, just in time for Christmas shopping season. Don't miss out on your chance to get your store front out there!
Friday, October 22, 2010
Khloe's Meagan Wants You! Hat
This cute little hat comes from Vallie's Kids on Blogspot. It's called Meagan Wants You! And it's a very cute, brimmed, military inspired little hat. I used an H hook with Paton's wool in Sesame. It's a worsted weight, but I'm sure a larger hook and a bulkier yarn would make an awesome hat for an adult. This one is about 22 inches arround, and fits my two year old perfectly, with some stretch and room to grow.
I added a crocheted flower and some buttons I had lying around, and I'm so pleased with it! For more pictures of this hat in action, it's posted on my Facebook page.
http://www.facebook.com/gillyweeds
I added a crocheted flower and some buttons I had lying around, and I'm so pleased with it! For more pictures of this hat in action, it's posted on my Facebook page.
http://www.facebook.com/gillyweeds
Thursday, October 21, 2010
Happy Birthday, red/orange
These new cards will be available for sale tomorrow at 2pm at Tied Up With Strings congo on Hyenacart! They are simple, and hand made, with a blank inside for your personal message.
It's Tied Up With Strings congo's 2nd birthday, so Gillyweeds will be guesting there for the event. Be sure to stop by!
http://www.hyenacart.com/tiedupwithstrings
It's Tied Up With Strings congo's 2nd birthday, so Gillyweeds will be guesting there for the event. Be sure to stop by!
http://www.hyenacart.com/tiedupwithstrings
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
Elvin's longies
These were so fun to make! I'm not sure of the colorway or yarn content, but it was fun to create a little swirly embellishment, and the flower just sets off the color beautifully! I can' t wait to send these out!
Thursday, October 14, 2010
Retro Brite knitted up
I love the way this turned out! My Retro Brite colorway knitted up into longies, by mommy2jessnliz on Hyenacart. I can't wait to dye this again...
And these are now some of our favorite longies...they are on Cestari, and I love how they feel. They are also virtually pill free. I love yarn!!
And these are now some of our favorite longies...they are on Cestari, and I love how they feel. They are also virtually pill free. I love yarn!!
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
How do you do all that?
I hear it all the time. "How do you manage to fit it all in?"
I think that people assume since I have many children that I must somehow be more together because of (or in spite of) it. Or more insane.
Either way, I have been around the block a time or two and have a lived a few years, and have acquired some knowledge. Last night at my son's soccer game, I had more than one parent ask me how I keep on top of all the scheduling of family activities and still fit in other things besides (like sleep!), and still stay somewhat coherent.
Well, here are my top ten tips for getting things done, and staying organized and on top of most things.
1. WRITE IT DOWN!!!!
I cannot stress this one enough. We have six children involved in various sports and school activities all year round. Both my husband and I have two jobs. I have a cheap desk calendar nailed to the kitchen wall, and it's my life line. I keep everyone's sports schedules written down, days off of school, birthdays, appointments, and anything else I can possibly think of written on that sucker. I don't have fancy color coding or anything like that, but if it's not on the calendar, it doesn't exist. I also carry a purse sized calendar with all the same information written down that I carry with me so I can check it when I need to.
You might wonder why I don't keep an online calendar so I can access it anywhere? I don't have internet access on my phone. Yep, I use a regular old pen and paper!
2. Do laundry whenever you notice it.
This may seem silly. But I could easily do 4-5 loads of laundry daily. So for me to get even remotely on top of it, I must do it whenever I can. I switch it when I wake up, and right before bed. I switch it once or twice during nap. I dump it all on the couch and fold after school when I have a couple of extra pairs of hands to keep the littles out of the pile. Then everyone is there to put their folded pile away before going off to their evening activities.
3. "Snacky" meals.
What is a "snacky" meal, you may ask? Anything snack-like that contains enough food groups to keep me from feeling guilty about late or rushed meals. Here's a sampling from one of our "snacky" lunches:
1 slice lunch meat (no bread -- it was still frozen)
2-3 cheese curds or small slices of cheese
half an apple, sliced
4 saltine crackers (wheat, of course, I'm not a total monster)
1/4 cup raisins
milk or water
4. Pack heavily, but keep it in the car.
I don't carry a diaper bag very often any more. I have a regular stylish purse, but it has several big pockets, and zips shut.
In it, I carry:
*Lip stuff (whichever gloss or balm I am enamored with at the mo')
*Brush, makeup-y items
*1 diaper, wipes case and a small wetbag (I can fit either a sposie or an AIO in my purse, with a wetbag only big enough to hold one diaper)
*My calendar
*Wallet, cell phone, a pen
*Hand lotion
*Facial tissue pack
*Feminine products (never leave home without these...speaking from personal experience, here *shudder*)
Anything above and beyond these, including more diapers, extra clothes, diaper ointment, toys, snacks, etc, can be left in the car for a shorter trip, or the extra bag can be taken along on a longer trek, with a quick transfer of wallet, keys and cellphone. I almost always have the van, whether I have the kids or not, so I always have a stocked diaper bag in the van.
5. Carpool!
Holy cow, I could not do it without a strong network of carpoolers. With several games and/or practices all week long, some all in the same night, I literally can't be in three places at once. Well, not two, either, for that matter. So a big old shout out to all my carpooling peeps that keep my kids safe yet active, and mostly punctual.
It pays to return the favor, and we try to be as helpful to others in this arena as they are to us, as well. It's not always possible, though, which brings me to my 6th tip...
6. Gift cards!
Do you know how many birthday parties we go to in a year's time? Gift cards, my friends, gift cards. And, they work great for the carpooling peeps, see #5 above.
Store boughts are great, but who has time to shop for Johnny down the street when we may have more than one party in a weekend? And if we made all our own gifts, I would be taken downtown for some child labor issues. We do make our own cards, though. $2.50 for something that will get (hopefully) recycled immediately? No thanks. People are far more likely to keep a hand made card.
7. Be flexible.
Yeah, yeah, a flexible person who is willing to bend their schedule to fit it all in is important.
But you have to be flexible. Every try to pry the wedged sippy cup out of the back seat with a baby in one arm, a diaper bag slung over your shoulder and a toddler holding your pant leg while you talk on the phone and try not to spill your Diet Coke?
Stretches, yoga, pilates; do whatever it takes. I mean it.
8. Learn to let it go.
Don't sweat the small stuff. You'll have fewer wrinkles, more fun, and less laundry. And you might enjoy your kids more.
9. Love your neighbor.
Especially the one that watches your kids for you when you are inside trying to make a phone call in peace, or making dinner without little ones shouting at you that they're "starving, mom!" Don't forget the gift card...
10. Forget the deadlines, and learn to say no.
If you work from home, work when you can, and don't worry about deadlines. You work at home for a reason. It's easy to get caught up in meeting deadlines, but in the end, your family is the root of it all. I don't mean don't be punctual and professional. I mean tell people no when you can't fit it in. Be honest. If you can't get that custom order done, just email your customer. You will be forgiven, because chances are, they are a parent, as well. Don't take on more than you can reasonably handle, and love what you do. If it isn't fun at the office, it will really suck at home.
I think that people assume since I have many children that I must somehow be more together because of (or in spite of) it. Or more insane.
Either way, I have been around the block a time or two and have a lived a few years, and have acquired some knowledge. Last night at my son's soccer game, I had more than one parent ask me how I keep on top of all the scheduling of family activities and still fit in other things besides (like sleep!), and still stay somewhat coherent.
Well, here are my top ten tips for getting things done, and staying organized and on top of most things.
1. WRITE IT DOWN!!!!
I cannot stress this one enough. We have six children involved in various sports and school activities all year round. Both my husband and I have two jobs. I have a cheap desk calendar nailed to the kitchen wall, and it's my life line. I keep everyone's sports schedules written down, days off of school, birthdays, appointments, and anything else I can possibly think of written on that sucker. I don't have fancy color coding or anything like that, but if it's not on the calendar, it doesn't exist. I also carry a purse sized calendar with all the same information written down that I carry with me so I can check it when I need to.
You might wonder why I don't keep an online calendar so I can access it anywhere? I don't have internet access on my phone. Yep, I use a regular old pen and paper!
2. Do laundry whenever you notice it.
This may seem silly. But I could easily do 4-5 loads of laundry daily. So for me to get even remotely on top of it, I must do it whenever I can. I switch it when I wake up, and right before bed. I switch it once or twice during nap. I dump it all on the couch and fold after school when I have a couple of extra pairs of hands to keep the littles out of the pile. Then everyone is there to put their folded pile away before going off to their evening activities.
3. "Snacky" meals.
What is a "snacky" meal, you may ask? Anything snack-like that contains enough food groups to keep me from feeling guilty about late or rushed meals. Here's a sampling from one of our "snacky" lunches:
1 slice lunch meat (no bread -- it was still frozen)
2-3 cheese curds or small slices of cheese
half an apple, sliced
4 saltine crackers (wheat, of course, I'm not a total monster)
1/4 cup raisins
milk or water
4. Pack heavily, but keep it in the car.
I don't carry a diaper bag very often any more. I have a regular stylish purse, but it has several big pockets, and zips shut.
In it, I carry:
*Lip stuff (whichever gloss or balm I am enamored with at the mo')
*Brush, makeup-y items
*1 diaper, wipes case and a small wetbag (I can fit either a sposie or an AIO in my purse, with a wetbag only big enough to hold one diaper)
*My calendar
*Wallet, cell phone, a pen
*Hand lotion
*Facial tissue pack
*Feminine products (never leave home without these...speaking from personal experience, here *shudder*)
Anything above and beyond these, including more diapers, extra clothes, diaper ointment, toys, snacks, etc, can be left in the car for a shorter trip, or the extra bag can be taken along on a longer trek, with a quick transfer of wallet, keys and cellphone. I almost always have the van, whether I have the kids or not, so I always have a stocked diaper bag in the van.
5. Carpool!
Holy cow, I could not do it without a strong network of carpoolers. With several games and/or practices all week long, some all in the same night, I literally can't be in three places at once. Well, not two, either, for that matter. So a big old shout out to all my carpooling peeps that keep my kids safe yet active, and mostly punctual.
It pays to return the favor, and we try to be as helpful to others in this arena as they are to us, as well. It's not always possible, though, which brings me to my 6th tip...
6. Gift cards!
Do you know how many birthday parties we go to in a year's time? Gift cards, my friends, gift cards. And, they work great for the carpooling peeps, see #5 above.
Store boughts are great, but who has time to shop for Johnny down the street when we may have more than one party in a weekend? And if we made all our own gifts, I would be taken downtown for some child labor issues. We do make our own cards, though. $2.50 for something that will get (hopefully) recycled immediately? No thanks. People are far more likely to keep a hand made card.
7. Be flexible.
Yeah, yeah, a flexible person who is willing to bend their schedule to fit it all in is important.
But you have to be flexible. Every try to pry the wedged sippy cup out of the back seat with a baby in one arm, a diaper bag slung over your shoulder and a toddler holding your pant leg while you talk on the phone and try not to spill your Diet Coke?
Stretches, yoga, pilates; do whatever it takes. I mean it.
8. Learn to let it go.
Don't sweat the small stuff. You'll have fewer wrinkles, more fun, and less laundry. And you might enjoy your kids more.
9. Love your neighbor.
Especially the one that watches your kids for you when you are inside trying to make a phone call in peace, or making dinner without little ones shouting at you that they're "starving, mom!" Don't forget the gift card...
10. Forget the deadlines, and learn to say no.
If you work from home, work when you can, and don't worry about deadlines. You work at home for a reason. It's easy to get caught up in meeting deadlines, but in the end, your family is the root of it all. I don't mean don't be punctual and professional. I mean tell people no when you can't fit it in. Be honest. If you can't get that custom order done, just email your customer. You will be forgiven, because chances are, they are a parent, as well. Don't take on more than you can reasonably handle, and love what you do. If it isn't fun at the office, it will really suck at home.
Monday, October 4, 2010
Owlies Calling Cards
New from Gillyweeds...Owlies! Cute little punched owls, made with a variety of print and solid cardstocks and papers. Each piece of the owlie is punched, assembled by hand, and the owlies are then added to Calling cards with all kinds of greetings.
See these coming up for stocking on Bella Tesori, Tuesday, October 5th!
http://www.hyenacart.com/bellatesori
See these coming up for stocking on Bella Tesori, Tuesday, October 5th!
http://www.hyenacart.com/bellatesori
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