5 Etsy Shop Marketing Ideas

I have figured out many ways to market my Etsy shop since starting it in 2009.  Etsy is such a great avenue to sell your creations.   Many people have quit their "regular" jobs and all they do is what they love and run their Etsy shop.  There are so many stories of people on Etsy who are doing well.  I encourage you to read these stories...they are inspiring and you can get lots of ideas from them.   You can find these stories on the Etsy Blog...link at the bottom of this post. 

I feel I have learned a lot about marketing over the years. I had to do my own research and use my creative mind. Yes, there are manuals you can buy to help, but there is plenty of free advice on the Internet and even on Etsy on how to improve your shop, so why buy a manual?

Here are my top 5 Etsy Shop marketing ideas: 

1. Start a blog

2. Giveaways 

3. Social media 

4. Network 

5. Etsy Groups

1. Start a blog:
Here's the things about blogs.  They can be time consuming, but it is free marketing for you.  Many of the programs out there like this one (Blogger) are very user friendly.  Notice I put they CAN be time consuming, but they don't have to. You can post when you want and they can just be short posts if you like.  However, useful information, will bring in more traffic.  Demonstrate a craft or interview another Etsy Shop Owner or review a product.

2. Giveaways: 
Giveaways will really bring in the traffic.  Give something of yours away (one of your products) or another Etsy Shop's item.  You can ask those who enter your giveaway to like your Facebook page or favorite your Etsy Shop.  It is a great way to bring people to your blog, to advertise your shop more, or a good way to get your product out there.  There are some great blogs that have thousands of followers who can help advertise your giveaway.  If you are advertising your giveaway, you are bringing more traffic to your blog, thus showing off your shop more.  You can have widgets on your blog, like I do on mine, to have your Etsy shop on the side of your blog. One of the blogs I post my giveaways on regularly is http://etsygiveaways.blogspot.com They have over 3000 followers and I have gotten many followers on my blog from advertising my giveaways on there.

3. Social Media
Who can deny the power of social media.  Start a Facebook page, start a Twitter account, start a Pinterest Page all under your Etsy Businesses name.  Have these buttons on your blog so people can follow you.  On these sights you can share pictures of your products.  You can offer specific coupons or sales just for your Facebook followers or whatever social network you choose.  Pinterest is HUGE!  You can pin your own products for free marketing.  In addition, I notice some people sell things on their Facebook pages and now Spotify is pairing up with Facebook so you can sell things on your page through them.

4.  Network
One of the best networking methods is to interview other Etsy Shop Owners on your Blog.  You can see quite a few I have done on mine.  Just find a shop you like on Etsy, and inbox the shop.  Most owners are more than happy to do it.  It is free marketing for them, but you are also getting more followers to your blog by the interviews and/or giveaways which means more traffic to your blog thus more traffic seeing your products.  You help each other this way.  An interview with a giveaway is a great combo.  Ask the shop owner if they can have a giveaway...sometimes a good coupon is good too.
There are many blog writers who like to sample or try products and then write about them.  This is free publicity for you.  Yes, you are giving away one of your products for free, but if the person has 1000+ followers.  They will review your item and write about it on their blog usually with a link to your shop.  A lot of times, these people will inbox you on Etsy.  However, you can search blogs and approach the blog owner via email and ask them if they will review your product on their blog.  In return, they get your product for free.
Another networking avenue is to research or google groups in your area where you live.  For example, where I live there is a group of handmade artists who meet and help each other.  They let you know when the local craft or art shows are you can attend etc.  They usually meet once a month.

5.  Etsy Teams
Etsy teams are a great way to network.  The members usually always have something in common and help each other.  One group I have been a part of in the past that does a lot for their members is Etsy Kids.  You do need to be a bit active in return, but some groups require no activity to join.     There are many options...if you are Christian, you can join a Christian Etsy Group, if you are an Artist, there are many Artist groups...if you are a mom, there are mom groups.  You can also find groups that all make the same products you do.  These groups are great because they help each other, you make friends, but also you can ask questions of others or bounce ideas off of them.  I would suggest you join more than one team.  It is another way to get your name out there too.  To find out about teams and which you can join go here: https://www.etsy.com/teams

Etsy has a lot of helpful articles and inspiring stories that you can read here:  https://blog.etsy.com/en/tags/sh-community/?ref=community_blog_more

Finding art in odd places

So recently I have had to close my Etsy shop, temporarily.  My mother was diagnosed with brain cancer and they had to remove the tumor.  I traveled to help her in So. CA for two weeks.  I sent her to a GREAT rehab facility at Loma Linda University.  When I walked in I found this AMAZING piece of art.  I have just studied gothic cathedrals in my art history class so this really caught my eye and I just had to share!  You will not believe what it is made out of!  I hope it gives you some inspiration with your own arts and or crafts or just exploring art with your kids.  It just goes to show, anything can be ART!!

Locked Up Leprechaun!

Thought of a cute, VERY EASY, craft to do as a center piece or decoration for St. Patty's Day.  In our house, we do several traditions for St. Patty's Day.  The Leprechaun builds his house in our yard one day.  The next day he leaves gold coins everywhere on the ground, but he tricks you with mischief and you find that the gold coins are really not gold, but chocolate coins!  He also does mischief all over the house all week.  Furniture is upside down, toys are in strange places, things are moved around.  We also have the green eggs and ham on that day...well veggie ham.  :)

So to go along with all the whimsy of St. Patty's Day...I thought what a perfect idea to "Catch the Leprechaun!"  We will lock him up!  Maybe he will disappear from his glass dungeon on St. Patty's day.  :)

Here is what you will need (I found everything at Michaels except the key):

Moss (I bought a bag with a variety of mosses, but you can do whatever.
Glass apocrathy jars or candy jar with a lid
Plastic gold coins
A little leprechaun figue
Shamrocks (I bought some already on metal sticks)
Ribbon of your choice
Vintage Key or skeleton key
Burlap ( I found a small green roll of Burlap).


1. Arrange the moss in the bottom of the jar.  I would not glue it down, in case you want to use the jar again for something else.

          2. Cut the wire sticked shamrocks to make them separate as they come in a bunch.  Or if you found shamrocks without sticks, you can add toothpicks to them or small dowels.  Stick them into the moss.  The moss is really spongey, so mine stood in the moss pretty well.

 3. Place your little leprechaun figurine wherever you see fit.  I put mine in the middle.  Once I put him in, I had to arrange the shamrocks around a bit.








4. Drop the gold coins around the leprechaun. I didn't use all the coins that came in the bag, but you can do what you want.

5. Now for the finishing touches.  Tie a ribbon around the top.   Cut out a shamrock out of the burlap and poke a hole through it to attach the key through the hole with a ribbon, or I used jute.  If you are not to good at drawing, you can go here: http://bestclipartblog.com/27-shamrock-clip-art.html/shamrock-clip-art-2 and print out the shamrock clipart and use it as a template. 

HAPPY ST. PATTY'S DAY!  

MAY DE LUCK OF DE IRISH BE WIT YA!!

It is Cold, but Spring is Coming! Spring Color Report.

It is hard to think of Spring when it is so cold here in the East, however it is coming and here are the colors for Spring. Hopefully this will bring some warmth to your heart, if not your body. :)

A Morning Mommy Coffee

Here's a great idea for a simple get together with fellow moms! It is much more intimate than meeting at Starbucks and better for moms with young ones to come and relax or feel comfortable to breast feed. Host a coffee party! Send the kids off to school and call up your friends. Offer food or don't, no pressure.

I found this great idea for a coffee party in I style magazine's February edition.  Plan to have different roasts or exotic roasts from around the world. Arrange samples of each of them in small glass bowls or glass mugs under glass cloches. Make flags out of paper, pen and a toothpick or jean material and a white paint marker.  Put the flags in each bowl or cup of beans with the name of where it is from ( ex: Indonesia, France, etc.).  Guests can lift each cloche to smell the beans and decide which roast they would like. Have various coffee presses with the individual coffees in it ready to add hot water. Make sure to have a pot of hot water on hand to refill the presses.
WARNING: Some of us are coffee snobs so probably you will need to have a grinder on hand, in the other room due to the noise for fresh ground brews. You can also always have everything pre ground. Decant the milk, cream, and sugar in pretty vessels. If you choose to have food,  make a quick frittata or a breakfast casserole in advance and serve with fruit.  Another easier option is to have some scones or muffins on hand from the local bakery. Keep it simple. Your friends will just love the thought. Make sure you invite some new moms in the neighborhood or area to come over too! We all know how isolated new moms can be. Another idea is to have new pretty mugs on hand, like those you can find at Anthropologie http://www.anthropologie.com/anthro/category/mugs+%26+glassware/home-glassware.jsp for your friends to use and then take home with them as a sweet party favor.  These are some of my favs!

Another idea is to offer a winter daytime cocktail like:

Poet's Song
1 1/2 oz spiced apple cider well chilled
1/4 oz Becherovka liqueur or a cheaper choice would be Hiram Walker cinnamon schnapps.
1/8 oz. maple syrup
Top with sparkling wine
OR offer Apple Cider Sangria

I plan to host one of these soon, so I will let you know how it goes and share pictures!

Here are some more ideas from some great other blogs as well:
Simple Savannah Events talks about a coffee party at a wedding or reception, but there are some great ideas here: http://simplysavannahevents.blogspot.com/2011/07/bright-idea-thursday-sunday-wedding.html
Divine Party Concepts has some great links for some great ideas
http://divinepartyconcepts.com/2009/09/18/coffee-coffee-and-more-coffee/
Flour On My Face talks about having an International Delight Coffee Party and she has lots of pictures http://www.flouronmyface.com/2012/10/happy-coffee-day-with-international-delight-iced-coffee-idcoffeeday.html
Betty Crocker has some great advice on hosting a coffee party http://www.bettycrocker.com/tips/tipslibrary/entertaining/hosting-a-coffee-tasting

Happy Customers...Happy New Year!!!

Here are some of my happy customers in the past few years!  I would love to see any pictures you might have of your lil ones with my designs.  Feel free to share!!!
HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

CUTTING BOARD GIVEAWAY WINNER!!!

WE HAVE A WINNER!!!!!!!
Thank you to all of you who supported my blog, but most of all my friend Gary's work.  Please spread the word!!!  A great way to use your Christmas money, if you didn't win this time!!!  I bought three of these for Christmas gifts and myself!!  I can tell you they are prettier even in person.  I am keeping mine on my counter as a kitchen decoration as well.  Next, I am going to buy one of those adorable American Girl Doll type bunk beds he just posted with bedding!!!  So cute!

Anyhow...I digress....here is the winner after 130 entries!!!!
ALLYCE SMITH!!!!!

Allyce, I will email you and Gary will too.  Contact one of us soon so we can get this off in the mail to you!  Thanks to all who participated...stay tuned for more giveaways in the new year!

Here is how the choosing went down:

True Random Number Service

List Randomizer

There were 130 items in your list. Here they are in random order:

1. Allyce Smith
2. Jessica P.
3. Allyce Smith
4. Chloe Blane
5. Chelsea Wilkinson
6. Christy Ann
7. Mamma Cass
8. Chelsea Wilkinson
9. Christy Ann
10. Robin
11. Alexandra
12. Maegan Morin
13. holly Radway
14. momentary lapse
15. bcbeaveratheart
16. Aneesa bint Lewis
17. Hi, Im Kelly!
18. Alexandra
19. Chelsea Wilkinson
20. momentary lapse
21. katythecountryblossom
22. Cindy
23. Allyce Smith
24. Jessica P.
25. logansmommy0611
26. Mamma Cass
27. Christy Ann
28. Alexandra
29. bcbeaveratheart
30. katythecountryblossom
31. Marija
32. Chloe Blane
33. Diana
34. Chloe Blane
35. Cait Long
36. katythecountryblossom
37. Cindy
38. Lindsey
39. Mamma Cass
40. Cindy
41. Robin
42. Robin
43. Jackeline Davila
44. Mamma Cass
45. shootingstarmag
46. Allyce Smith
47. Krystal Lynn
48. Alexandra
49. Lindsey
50. Cait Long
51. tinkywinkytoessr
52. jennafish
53. Cait Long
54. bcbeaveratheart
55. Bee W Bedard
56. tinkywinkytoessr
57. Aneesa bint Lewis
58. Christy Ann
59. John Supica
60. logansmommy0611
61. Cindy
62. Bee W Bedard
63. Jackeline Davila
64. Chelsea Wilkinson
65. Aneesa bint Lewis
66. Cait Long
67. Bee W Bedard
68. Valerie
69. bcbeaveratheart
70. holly Radway
71. Diana
72. Chelsea Wilkinson
73. Christy Ann
74. Bee W Bedard
75. Alexandra
76. Marija
77. Valerie
78. Mamma Cass
79. holly Radway
80. logansmommy0611
81. Kaytee
82. Valerie
83. tinkywinkytoessr
84. Roman M
85. holly Radway
86. Yvie
87. logansmommy0611
88. holly Radway
89. tinkywinkytoessr
90. logansmommy0611
91. Chloe Blane
92. Aneesa bint Lewis
93. tinkywinkytoessr
94. holly Radway
95. momentary lapse
96. katythecountryblossom
97. Allyce Smith
98. katythecountryblossom
99. jennafish
100. Allyce Smith
101. Cait Long
102. Krystal Lynn
103. Aneesa bint Lewis
104. Valerie
105. jennafish
106. momentary lapse
107. Jessica P.
108. jennafish
109. Diana
110. Maegan Morin
111. Chloe Blane
112. Krystal Lynn
113. Yvie
114. Maegan Morin
115. katythecountryblossom
116. Chelsea Wilkinson
117. Valerie
118. Cindy
119. Hi, Im Kelly!
120. bcbeaveratheart
121. Alexandra
122. Bee W Bedard
123. Chloe Blane
124. Yvie
125. Valerie
126. Jackeline Davila
127. Bee W Bedard
128. Aneesa bint Lewis
129. Cait Long
130. debbie

Timestamp: 2012-12-21 01:39:47 UTC

Giveaway winner...check back in a few

Excuse my delay in this giveaway...I have been dealing with finals in addition to the Christmas rush and all the things there are to do with your family.  :)  I am uploading the entries to Random.org now...and I should have a winner in a few minutes. Check back in a few!

Merry Christmas giveaway worth $90!!! - yours for free - if you win.

How would you like to win this??? A beautiful and professional END-GRAIN Cutting Board 12" x 16" x 1" thick crafted from Cherry, Hard Rock Maple and Red Oak valued at 90.00!! 

Cutting boards are a kitchen "must-have" for all the cooks on your holiday shopping list.  And with all the holiday cooking just around the corner, make sure your own kitchen gets this gift as well. Read on to find out how you can win...

Meet Gary Lindsey...a family friend and a new shop owner on Etsy. http://www.etsy.com/shop/GaryLWoodCreations  Gary lives in Savannah Georgia, a place known for it's history, beauty, and the arts.  He is a father of 5 (#6 bun in the oven), a musician, a photographer, and an active member in his church's praise team . Gary has two special needs children and is very active in his local Autism community. Gary was in the "corporate America"  for 20+ years.  The recent poor economy has led him into another business venture...his own. Gary creates BEAUTIFUL, top of the line, professional grade cutting boards made by hand.  Get to know this artist better; here is my interview with him:

How been have you been working with wood? I can't remember not doing it.  My dad "got me hooked" building with wood at 15 years old.  I have been building a variety of wood creations 35 years now.

Do you remember the first thing you ever made? A Dachshund dog shaped tie rack for my father. I made it in high school wood shop.

What is your favorite wood to work with and why? Walnut, it is beautiful and rich.  Walnut is even more luxurious looking when finished.  It smells good when you are cutting it, too.   This high - end wood always turns out beautiful when properly crafted.

What do you like about woodworking? I love the creativity of taking a raw piece of wood and then molding,  shaping, and crafting it into a beautiful finished product. I enjoy the smell of it and the feel of wood. I enjoy repurposing things and the connection to nature.  Taking a tree and  transforming it into a cutting board, a doll bunk bed, etc is a great creative challenge and fulfillment.   I must admit, the alone time of escaping into my little garage wood shop to do my work is also a nice break when you are raising a village of children.  (We parent crafters can relate to that!)

What made you decide to open an etsy shop?

After years of creating a huge variety of wooden creations that have included large farmhouse-style tables, monster-sized wooden porch swings, cutting boards, picture frames, etc...people would see them and say, "You need to sell these!"

After much encouragement through the years, I decided to open a shop. An Etsy shop had much less overhead and allows me to exercise more creative control than a traditional store
 The Etsy Community is great to! The community has opened up so many possibilites like networking with other crafters and being encouraged by the success stories on the blog.  It provided an opportunity to offer my creations all over the world.  In addition, the opportunity to create an income stream on Etsy to support my growing family is unlimited in this very challenging economy.  My wife and I have made the decision to homeschool our children, so every little bit helps.  And because two of our kids are special-needs,  the "make your own schedule" flexibility allows me to help my wife raise our children even more.  Also, I'm able to be an active member of the music ministry at my church.

Is it hard to balance your Etsy shop and your kids, your church commitments and life in general? How do you balance it?  Yes it is.

The fact that my wife is the combination homeschooling /

stay-at-home mom, allows me the opportunity to spend a few hours "working my Etsy shop" during the day. We generally put the kids to bed earlier than most and then I'll be able to work into the night as needed.

Side note: his wife, Erin, also has a budding shop on Etsy http://www.etsy.com/shop/myellidesigns .  She makes adorable kids clothes.  I have seen some of her recent creations that she needs to post...A D O R A B L E!!!

What is your long term vision? 

To create items that "wow" the recipient. I see that more and more folks are going "back-to-basics" by opening Etsy shops.  The country is looking for quality versus quantity nowadays  and there is something to be said about the appeal of handmade, meticulously crafted one-of-kind products.  In this difficult economy, I believe your own business is your best bet at stability, since it is all on you and you're not subject to the whims of executives at some distant corporate office.  An additional goal is to produce enough income to work in the home, allowing me to be a maximum part of helping to raise our children. Raising kids is a difficult job, and raising special-needs children...even more so. 

I know you are a christian...how do your morals tie into how you run your Etsy shop? I treat every customer with integrity and will always endeavor to go "above and beyond".  Any opportunity I can, I will exceed my customer's expectations.  My reputation and long-term success is dependent on it.  These values are not only good values, but Godly values.  Christ calls us to bless our employer, bless our customers,  bless those around us, and bless those that are less fortunate.

What advice do you have for my readers when purchasing wood products? Make sure to select the right wood for your purpose. For example a table  that will take much abuse (the kids or a family table), needs to be made out of a harder wood to last.  It is worth the investment.  Harder woods include: Maple, Oak, Cherry.  On the other hand, some softer woods would be a great choice for a table that you want to look rustic, like the farm table I made for my family.  Pine will show up every nick, but if rustic is what you are going for, stick with the pine because the nicks will give it more character. Soft woods include, Pine, Cedar, Cypress, Spruce.  Keep in mind that the softer woods are cheaper for a reason.  Harder woods are more expensive because they will out last all of us!

What can we expect new from your shop? 

I am about to roll out a few pieces of "American Girl" type furniture.

American Girl is the wildly popular 18" doll that seems to need every accessory under the sun :)  These items I roll out will be 100% applicable to any 18" sized doll.  Yay!  I am putting my order in for my girls.

Being that you are a bass player, Who is your favorite rock star and why? Sir Paul McCartney of the Beatles.  Why? Because he is a great bass player, composer, and he always delivers.  The man is 70 years old and he is as good now as he was in the Beatles.


I want to thank Gary for his time in this interview and most of all his GENEROUS giveaway.  I myself bought a few of these for myself and family.  They are beautiful and his completion of them was done in a great timely manner.  You almost hate to cut on them.  They are so beautiful, that mine stays out on the counter as a decorative piece in my kitchen as well.

So here is the scoop on the giveaway:
Giveaway will be active from Dec. 12  - 17 
in hopes that you will get it by Christmas!  
Entries will be drawn on Dec. 17 at 10pm East Coast time via Random.org.


HOW TO ENTER FOR THE GIVEAWAY:
Do one of the things below...get one entry do all four...get four entries into the giveaway.  Do the two extras also...you will have six entries!  The more entries, the higher your shot at winning!

1. Like Gary's Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Gary-Lindsey-Wood-Creations/286373721462960
2. Favorite his Etsy shop: http://www.etsy.com/shop/GaryLWoodCreations
3.  Favorite one item in his shop: http://www.etsy.com/shop/GaryLWoodCreations
4. Share a link to his etsy shop or facebook page on your facebook and get 2 extra entries!
5. Don't forget to come back to this post and comment your name and email and what you did for the entry.  How else will we be able to contact you if you won?

extra entries (these only count if you did the ones above):
1. like my facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/lillollipopsdesigns
2. like my Etsy shop: http://www.etsy.com/shop/lillollipopsdesigns

My Pinterest Inspired Room!

I am SOOOOO addicted to Pinterest.  Aren't you??  I have actually done more than pinned items.  I actually made some of the cool DIYs I have seen on there, can you believe it???  lol  My dinning room is ok, but it needed a little love.  Being that we are in a rental until our new house is ready, I have decided not to take the time to paint the walls here.  I will save it for the new home.  I hate white walls, but what are you going to do?  I'll tell you what to do...decorate in other ways.  Our table has been worn and used quite a bit over the years, but we bought it in Hawaii, when we lived there, so I kind of love the rustic, old world feeling to it.  Refinishing that will have to wait for another day.  First I did this cute and simple craft I saw on Pinterest.  I am sure you have seen it.  I changed it just a bit.

I used the same kind of candle stick holders and changed the sizes of the jars.  I bought them at Hobby Lobby.  I don't have a hobby lobby near me, so I ordered them online.  The jars are glass with a metal top.  Actually, now that I look at the picture, not sure why the middle one is leaning...I will have to check on that. :)  So if you have read the Pinterest pin or seen them on many blogs basically you need this:
-3 larger size circular wooden plaques
-3 wooden candle sticks (any size or style, I used the same size and style)
-3 smaller circular wooden plaques
-3 different sized glass jars with sqrew top lids
-3wood finials.
-twine or any natural kind of rope
Check out the post I got this from at Uncommon Designs http://www.uncommondesignsonline.com/2010/09/boo-apothecary-jars.html

Glue all the items together with E-6000 multipurpose glue you can find at craft stores.  I tried hot glue...doesn't hold long, so skip the hot glue.  Start with the larger plaque on the bottom, glue on the candlestick on top.  Let dry.  Glue the smaller plaque to the top of the candlestick.  Let dry.  Glue one of the jars on top of the smaller plaque and let dry.  While doing that...have the lid of the jar off and glue the finial on top of that so they can dry at the same time. Once all of them are set, I would give it at least 1/2 a day, get out the paint!  Any color will be great.  I choose black, but I have seen white, cream, even hot pink.  Once everything is painted, including the top of the lids and the finials and they all dried you can do one of two things.  You can make it shiny by using a spray gloss over all of the pieces, careful not to get it on the glass of the jar, or you can do what I did and shabby them up with a sand block or sand paper.

The final steps are dressing them up.  I took twine and wrapped it around the outside of the lids and hot glued it on as I went so it would look organic. Above is a better picture of that.  Also this is before I shabbied the paint up, so you can see how that looks.  Next the ideas are limitless. You can hang letters from them that spell out something, you can hang wood plaques, you can add bows, you can leave them as they are, whatever you like.  Play with it and you can change it depending on the season.  I choose to use black paint on wood and oil pastels for the words. As for what to put inside, that is endless too.  I put three different types of colored beans I bought at the grocery store for very cheap.  You can use nuts, you can use candy corn, fake snow, leaves, fighter fish (:)) anything really.

I LOVE coffee.  Let me rephrase that, if there was a way to have a coffee keg... I would want it!  On Pinterest, I saw how someone on a blog had made a coffee bar.  Hers was very rustic and cute.  I thought, YES!!!  Coffee is so special and such a ritual it needs it's own special spot, an alter, if you will.  So after looking at goodwill, salvation army, and other used furniture places I decided to go to the unfinished furniture shop.  There are ALWAYS good deals to be had there.  I was lucky enough to find something already finished, and on sale.  SCORE!  It was the only one in the store as well.  So, I bought this apothecary (which I am still learning to pronounce) cabinet/chest.  It was perfect!  So I moved it into the dinning room a brought in all my coffee items.  A lot of it is in the drawers to avoid a cluttered look including my french press, grinder, extra coffee pods, and mugs.  I even remembered to put a small trash can next to it.  I went to TJ MAX or Marshalls, can't remember and picked up this lil standing twiggy thing too.  Check out the coffee bar that inspired me here at the Vintage Wren: http://thevintagewren.blogspot.com/2011/08/coffee-bar.html

You may have noticed in the picture before this one that there is a wreath hanging from the window.  That I did not get from Pinterest, but I have since pinned it, if it wasn't there already.  VERY EASY!!!  Actually, it was so easy, my mother in law and my kids made it for me. Take a twig wreath that you can find at any craft store and buy some assorted nuts with shells and a ribbon.  FYI, I could not find any nuts with  shells in my area...went to 5 stores, crazy!  So if you have the same problem, do what I did...go on Amazon and you can buy two HUGE bags of assorted nuts with shells.  So all you do is hot glue the nuts all over the wreath and add a ribbon.  Ta DA!

Hope this gives you lots of ideas and encourages you to not just pin, but create what you pin!!  If you wish to follow me on pinterest, you can do it here: http://pinterest.com/lillollipops/ or search my name under lillollipops.  Please let me know if you have any "pinterest rooms".  If you do, I would love to feature you on my blog or direct my readers to your blog, if you have one with an article on your creation.

Do you need a laugh???

As I mentioned in a prior post, I am pursuing my BFA degree in Fashion Design. Hopefully I will be able to share a lot of the tricks of the trade with all of you. Today I want to share something that will crack you up! This is my 5 year old who thinks she is a fashion designer.  To get her to wear anything other than zebra and leopard is a challenge.  A few years ago we were buying her a "big girl bed" and we needed to shop for bedding.  I tried to get her to get this cute little owl bedding and what does she do???  She runs down the aisle and says, very dramatically, "Mama I WANT THIS!!!"  She pointed to a hot pink zebra print comforter with black Marlboro feathers.  "Um.."I stuttered..."that is only for teenagers."  Of course we had a bit of a fit at that point.  We ended up getting a cute little pink set with flowers.  I think the next room we decorate...which will be soon when we move, I might give into her Rock Star fantasy.  Keep in mind, we have NEVER had MTV or VH1 on in our home.  Where did she get this idea???  :)  I made the mistake of singing in a rock band at a Fourth of July celebration in our town when we lived in Savannah.  I had never seen her eyes so big as she watched me singing on stage for the whole set.  I almost thought she was going to start mosh pitting.  Ever since...and that was when she was three...she has had this fantasy of being a rock star.  So now you have the background on my lil crazy one.  :)  The first video below is her crazy, sassy personality...boy do we have our hands full!!  The second one she is...describing "her latest fashions".  It was as if she had her own infomercial on fashion.  Have a good laugh and feel free to share.

NEW Fall 2012 Colors

If you are wondering what to put your child in this this fall, or even yourself for that matter, you don't have to look far to find the new colors for fall.  Pantone.com is the go to for colors for each season.  Many fashion magazines will quote them and all of us fashion designers follow them too for each season.  Here are the colors for us girlies this season:

The colors for lil boys and men is just a bit different:

An as most of us know....not wearing white after labor day is no longer a custom.  Many designers had lots of white in the fall runways so don't be afraid to rock the white!

Gone...but not forgotten!!!

I will not bore you with the reasons of why I have been MIA.  My shop has been closed for a few months, which is the longest I have ever closed my shop before.  I have come to a few conclusions while on my hiatus.

One: I am going back to school to get my BFA in Fashion Design.  Life is short.  Do what you love and what inspires you.  There are other things that inspire me, however.  I was a voice major in my past and I sing and write music.  I still sing a few times a month publicly. Unfortunately, being a mom of two (one special needs), it is just not possible to spend all the time I want with my children, support my husband and still sing gigs or participate in major theatre productions.  ALWAYS HAVE A PLAN B!!  Ladies...and men, but I believe my audience here is women, do what you love.  Life is so short.  Do not let it pass you by.  Today you live, tomorrow could be your last.  We all take life too lightly.  We take it for granted.  So for me....plan B is my BFA in Fashion Design to further my lil girls clothing line.  YAY!  More updates to come...and tutorials too!

Two:  I have so many ideas and patterns of outfits to make or design.  Yet, there they sit.  I know I will be busy with school, but I am going to go through these ideas one by one and create them and share them with you here.  Hopefully some of them I can even pass along a tutorial  or two.  :)

Third: As much as I want to, I just don't have time for custom orders while in school.  I am thinking that from now on, I will make an outfit in a certain size and it will be a one of a kind and that will be the only one I sell on my shop.  There are a few items that take less time that I may be able to still do custom, but most I am cutting back, unless it is already made. I no longer have an assistant and until I have people sewing for me...it is all me baby!  As for my Alice in Wonderland Croquet sets that have been so popular....I will no longer be making those custom.  I will have a few ready to ship and that is it.  Life is short....family should always come first.  When your work is coming before your kids when you are supposed to be a stay at home mom...that is not good!  :)

Fourth:  I want to share more of my creative ideas and tips with all of you here on my blog.  I have added a follow me on pinterest button so you can follow my many pins.  And I plan to blog more and share more tutorials.  I figure with both of my children now in Elementary school...I may have a tad more time to spread some blog love!  :)                  

New Spring Fashions Crossing Over from Adult to Kids

In my last post I talked about color blocking and pastels for children.  I love taking the current trends and translating them to kids clothing.  Here are two more current trends that can easily be translated to our lil ones.
Pleats -

I recently started to design something with this new trend in mind.  I am really liking the pleats that are in right now for dresses and skirts.  It is so romantic and creates a really different take on a full skirt.  The new trend is not so new as featured in the above pictures from 1939 and the 1940s.  Here is the dress I am currently designing with the new trend in mind.

 I used a silky polyester white and navy polka dot material with the pleated sheer fabric over the skirt portin of the dress.

Here are some great pleated fashions I found for lil ones...

Junior Gaultier Line                                                                          Even Suri Cruise rocks the pleats

WHITE - 

Of course true to every Spring, white is in as is black and white trends.  I know many moms get nervous about putting pure white on their kids, but I have found, the good thing about it is you can bleach it!  Even if you don't want to bleach the whole garment,  the new bleach pens are great to spot treat areas of stains on white.  

Don't forget about the boys!  This adorable shirt can be found at The White Company in the UK









                                          This white lace skirt and halter is from my shop.

                                                                                     Here is a black and white trend for kids

Two Spring Fashion Trends For Your Lil Ones

I always try to follow the current trends and translate them into wearable items for kids.  If we can be fashionable...so can they!  In fact, most of the time, my lil ones look better than I do!  :)
Here are two trends this spring that you can easily translate to your lil ones.

Color Blocking -

This has been all the rage in the fashion world.  It can be very easily translated to kids.  Here is an adorable color blocked dress from Children's Place.  It comes in different colors.  

You don't have to go out and buy something to color block.  It can be as simple as putting a lime green shirt with a pink short.  Get the kids involved and have them put their two favorite colors together.  So what if it doesn't match!!! Let them be creative in their own fashion.  For those of you who sew...or would like to venture in that direction...here is a GREAT tutorial on how to make a color blocked sundress from Skirt As Top: http://skirtastop.wordpress.com/2012/04/12/sunshine-dress-tutorial/

Pastels-                                               Custom Tutu Dress

I was so happy when this trend came back in full force.  They are so girlie and spring timish.  Don't be afraid to incorporate this in your lil boys wardrobe as well.  I have quite a few items in pastels in my shop.  Two items from my shop are pictured here. 

the Frenchie Dress   One of a Kind

                                                                  

Great example of dressing your lil boy in pastels