Fun With Beads and Wire

For the past few months I have been trying my hand at creating various pieces of jewelry. It started with necklaces, then ventured into earrings and just this evening I delved into creating coil bracelets.

It is amazing how much fun creating jewelry can be. I really love picking out beads and then stringing them by their colors, sizes or shapes. I am most in love with my photo necklaces which are perfect for new moms and grandmothers. However, creating the coil bracelets is fun too. I even combined the bracelet with my photo pendants and created a coil bracelet featuring two photo pendants - one on each end.

I currently have most of my jewelry listed in my Etsy shop - http://mylittlemonkey.etsy.com/. I have a few of my pieces of mother's jewelry at my online boutique - http://mylittlemonkeyboutique.com/.

My next step is to create enough jewelry that I can showcase it at a craft fair or festival. Please take a few moments to check out my shops. Feel free to leave a comment about my jewelry. I will choose one person who leaves a comment before the end of the day on Tuesday, April 2 to receive a free pair of disco ball earrings!

My Etsy Favorites!

Well in one of my most recent posts I talked about becoming absorbed in all things Etsy. So I thought it only appropriate to show you some of my most favorite findings and shops in the online shopping community.

First, a shop that provides a variety of handmade items, including my most favorite lampwork beads, is http://sheltie19.etsy.com/. It only took one purchase of Sheltie's lampwork beads to fall in love with them. Her beads are beautiful and versatile - I have created earrings, bracelets and more with them. In addition she also specializes in glass dragons, even one named after me! I can't wait to receive my dragon - it will be my first - and may cause me to become addicted to them like I have become to Sheltie's beads.

Another favorite Etsy seller of mine is http://heatheralexander.etsy.com/. I received the most beautiful wrap bracelet - Imagine - from Heather. Made from a variety of vintage beads and buttons, this bracelet is named after John Lennon's song, Imagine. It is a beautiful bracelet.

If you're looking for baby items, you will want to check out http://girliemomma.etsy.com/. Don't let the site name fool you, this shop also creates some wonderful items for boys too! I recently received an adorable safari security blanket perfect for a little boy! It will be a gift for my brother's baby. The material is beautiful and fabric is soft. In addition, I was lucky enough to get a very nice yard of fabric featuring zoo animals from girliemomma. I can't wait to use this colorful fabric in my next creation.

I definitely suggest taking a few moments to check out these Etsy sellers and Etsy itself. It is a wonderful community of talented people who offer some unique and very cool items. And if you stop by my shop - http://mylittlemonkey.etsy.com/ - I will give you 10% off any purchase over $10 when you mention this blog post.

Come Join the Party!

Living a Mom's Life and My Little Monkey Boutique are partying with 5MinutesforMom at their annual Ultimate Blog Party. But the party ends tomorrow, Friday, March 14th.
Be sure to get on over to 5MinutesforMom to sign up for the chance to win a ton of cool prizes!

Virtual Baby Shower to Honor Adoptive Mother and Guests

My Little Monkey Boutique - my online baby and toddler boutique - is proud to be a sponsor in Little Ladybug Designs' baby shower and virtual giveaway for an adoptive mother to be.

Please read the press release below for information on this exciting event.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
PRLog (Press Release) – Mar 07, 2008 – Baby showers have come an incredibly long way in the twenty-first century. When it comes to rejoicing the arrival of a new baby, the Internet has provided an excitingly fresh venue to celebrate new mothers and their children. Trailblazing the way for digital baby showers is a mother-owned and operated company called Little Ladybug Designs that has announced the winner of their giveaway contest of gifts, baby products, and other necessities for a newly adopted child.

Adoptive mother, Dawn Vasco, winner of the contest and mother of her new son Steven, will be the guest of honor at Little Ladybug Designs’ shower. Dawn won’t need to worry about baby announcements, clothes, diaper bags, bibs, or towels, among many other baby accessories—and most of hers are personalized or handmade.

Little Ladybug Designs’ own website, http://www.littleladybugdesigns.com/, will be hosting the baby shower in the excited mother’s honor. Set to take place March 27th to March 29th, guests can simply visit the website in order to have the chance to play baby name games and test their knowledge of celebrity baby names, among many other amusing activities.

For the past five years, Dawn has longed to have her own child. Having always been fascinated with Latin culture, Dawn began her search with Guatemalan adoption agencies last year and was thrilled to discover that the country allowed single-mothers to adopt. After finishing her adoption work, Dawn found out that she was chosen as the winner of this enormous adoption giveaway. She was thrilled. “I felt like I had won the lottery,” she exclaimed. “I was ecstatic!”

“Adoption is very near and dear to my heart,” said Kim Neufeld, owner of Little Ladybug Designs. “I wanted to shower an adoptive mom-to-be who had just been through the financial and emotional struggles of adopting a baby.”

Music, gifts, and entertainment are also planned for the three-day event. Dawn isn’t the only woman receiving a bundle of presents. Mothers and other guests attending the event have a chance to win prizes from any of the celebration’s sponsors by leaving a comment in the site’s guestbook about the giveaway or aspect of the party that they enjoyed the most. Gifts come from a range of options, including return address labels, personalized and embroidered blankets, jewelry, gift certificates, and diaper cakes.

Winners are to be picked randomly. The event draws on the generous support of a force of mother-owned businesses. The tremendous list of supporters includes: Kandi with A Love of Coffee; Tiffani with Bitsy Bows & Tinsy Ties; Megan with Burp Itty Burp; Janet with Chic Pockets; Christine & Barbara with Cute Creations Design; Kelly & Deb with Custom Lifebooks.com; Sabrina with Dot Tot Boutique; Amy with Essential Family Living; Katie with Foxglove Cottage; Domonique with Kess Informant; Stephanie with Memaw's Sweet Babies; Tara with Merritt's Momentos; Kyna with Micah & Co.; Lisa with My Colorful Treasures; April with My Little Monkey Boutique; Kimberly with Oh My Baby; Amy, Holly and Carol with Papoose; Rebecca with Quote the Walls; Lisa with Regionz Kidz; Alexandra with Sassy Tees; Ann with Sharmooz; Altha with Stuff a Can; Dawn with Sweet Pea Cakes, Etc.; Diana with The Emilee Grace Company; Janine with The Fairy Princess Garden; Tina with The Polka Dot Frog Boutique; and Julianne with The Wish Place.

About Little Ladybug Designs: Little Ladybug Designs is a mom-owned business specializing in unique, modern, custom adoption and birth announcements, baby shower birthday invitations, thank-you cards, and video montages. The company recently announced that it is also expanding its product line to include wedding invitations, save-the-date cards, bridal shower invitations, and wedding announcements. Little Ladybug Designs is expanding to offer business promotional items such as business cards, postcards, and return address labels.

Winners of Tough Three's Contest

Congratulations to WAHM Tara! Tara is the winner of the $5 gift certificate to My Little Monkey Boutique.

Congratulations also goes to Candace for her advice on how to deal with three year old terrors :) Candace reminds us to give our children tasks to keep them busy while letting them feel like a big helper. She also suggests giving praises to your child throughout the day to encourage him or her to do the right things. Candace will get the Time Management for Moms Ebook.

Both ladies can contact me at april.barney @ amb-services (take out the spaces) to claim their prizes!

Thank you to everyone who commented! I really enjoyed reading all of your stories and tips.

It Will Suck You In!

If you love to create and are looking for a place to show off your wares, Etsy is for you - but be forewarned, it will suck you in. I just joined Etsy a couple weeks ago and have found myself consumed by it!

Between creating and listing my products, promoting my shop and chatting on the forums, I have spent way too many hours to count in front of the computer. Right now I'm waiting for a fun game of Secret Shopper to start!

Please feel free to check out some of my most recent works at my etsy shop - including these adorable wall hangings perfect for a baby's nursery or child's room.