Our first Giveaway ~ Michelle's Handmade Boutique

   Our first giveaway this year, is actually a giveaway we are hosting, instead of one of our products. Typically, we don't host giveaways, since our blog is mostly directed to our own business, thoughts, ideas and changes, but hey I couldn't resist helping one of my fellow WAHMs.

   With every sewing related WAHM business, we always find someone who makes something that another business does. Sometimes, this can be very frustrating for new businesses or even friends who open up businesses. We have been right there and sometimes not so great of words are exchanged between the owners, because usually it has been "one of those days," where it is just one more thing to add to the list of hurt in our lives.

   That being said, my outlook for this year, since I do know so many people who sew and for the most part, sew the "same things," was to highlight the products that are DIFFERENT between each business and where their strong points are. That is also why this year we are taking on some different products, changing styles and venturing into unknown territories so to speak. I encourage everyone as a buyer when you go to your local craft shows, browse online through etsy or ecrater, etc and you keep seeing "all the same things," go back through those favorite shops of yours for those items, but then also look through those stores and see what's new and different between each of them, you will be surprised at what you can find!

    Now the giveaway right?!

    We have been graciously accepted to host a giveaway for Michelle's Handmade Boutique. Michelle is a wonderful WAHM (of several children in all ages of life) and make terrific items! I have known Michelle now for roughly 4 years and have enjoyed watching her business grow, as well as, her children. I met Michelle through an online mom's forum, which unfortunately has closed now. Anyway, you can find a wide range of products available through her FB page and eCrater store. Michelle has also recently added personalization capabilities on her items.



    One of my favorite items that Michelle makes is her pillowcase dresses! Michelle has a wonderful talent for coordinating fabrics, adding trim and ribbon and making sure each dress is as perfect as can be. So no better item to have as a giveaway than one of her pillowcase dresses. For this giveaway, the pillowcase dress that was offered is a ACU fabric pillowcase dress. This dress is 2T in size. The best part of the pillowcase dresses, in my opinion anyway, is that even when they can no longer be worn as a dress by itself (be it weather, outgrown, etc), you can also pair them with leggings, pants or even a long sleeve shirt...and they still look cute! They grow with your little girl and because of her quality, they look just as great over the years.

   Isn't that an adorable dress?! Perfect for that princess of yours to wear when Daddy or Mommy comes home from a deployment, or even just to show your support of our troops!

   To be eligible for this giveaway, you must be a follower on our blog, like our FB page, and like Michelle's Handmade Boutique on FB too. Comment to this blog posting once those items are done with how much you'd love to be chosen for this giveaway item. We will choose the winner at random, using random.org and numbers will be assigned 1 through (x) for each comment, one entry per person.

   Hope you all are having a fantastic weekend and we look forward to more fun and exciting giveaways in the future.

The Kidds

Baby-Bug Boutique



2012 and Inside View of Baby-Bug Boutique

Thank you to everyone who is following us into 2012! We have lots of new items, goals and products we can't wait to introduce for this year. As we change the face of Baby-Bug Boutique, continue to improve our quality of products and work on increasing our exposure we appreciate your support each step of the way.

Some have been with us since day 1, and other since only yesterday, but we love each of you just the same.

Since this is our first posting for the 2012 year, and hopefully I can stick to my blogging schedule better this year (fall craft show season swept me up and away very quickly this year, in addition to our embroidery machine being down since mid-December and well, it still isn't resolved...save that for another day), I will be sharing 12 little facts about me that some of you may or may not know.

1. My favorite flower, well flowers in the world are spray roses and calla lillies. The first time Brian ever bought me flowers, it was during a motorcycle ride from a little flower shop off the lake (which has unfortunately closed), and they were a very beautiful light pink bunch of spray roses...they are still hanging from the ceiling, next to my side of the bed.

2. I have an obsession with buying fabric. My goal for this year was to use more fabric that I already have here than buy...so far I have on succeeded in buying more fabric because it is cute, it is soft, it is pretty, or I just feel compelled to buy it.

3. One of my all time favorite things to do is sing and dance around my kitchen (without scissors in my hands I promise). I am a music fanatic and even more so when it comes to musicals, showtunes and Disney movie songs (the kids have taking a liking to these lately so we've watched a lot of the all time classics and ofcourse newer ones too). Being in my church's choir has only enhanced the singing part, my radio is always on downstairs when a movie isn't playing.

4. My biggest, most desired dream is to own a store that I can live above. You know the cute little stores you see in downtown areas...yep that's what I want.

5. I love eating chocolate (who doesn't right?), I recently signed up as an Independent Chocolatier with Dove Chocolate Discoveries, which has in fact helped me not eat near as much chocolate, but has allowed me to eat better chocolate and learn more about how to make great desserts that are also healthy. We have a weight watchers point list, which I am not enrolled in that program, but I like knowing there are ways I can still enjoy these great products in a healthy amount.

6. For the first time in 6 years ~ I have finally washed our clothes in our own washign machine! We have been going to the laundry mat for two years. This past Christmas, Brian made sure we had a washing machine hooked up and functioning! I can't tell you how domestic and how excited it makes me feel at times! No more creepy men looking to see what underwear I have...hahahaha!

7. This coming fall I will be looking into adding "home-schooling" to my collection of hats and jobs. We have some concerns with Aubrey and the education she will potentially have in our local school system. She will stay enrolled in pre-K this year, but we are serisouly researching and looking into home-school for the remainder of her schooling.

8. Two things I can't seem to comprehend sewing wise ~ sewing in zippers and making clothing items. This year I will attempt to make Aubrey a Cherokee Cloth Dress to wear to the Pow Wows we attend, but I can't totally understand how to make clothing items...and zippers terrify me!

9. Make favorite thing to make right now is birth record blankets ~ I love creating a little keepsake for us moms out there, who want to preserve the memories of the day we brought our little ones into this world...now to formulate a plan to keep them that little right? But seriously, I love being a part in recording that special day!

10. When I need to take a break from sewing I using pull out my charocoals or pencils and sketch a drawing. My favorite medium is charcoal, but sometimes it is just too messy to get into.

11. 90% of our items come from patterns that I have personally made...the remaining 10% are from patterns we have bought and then altered to my personal style. Sometimes we all need a little guide and a start for a new idea. We only purchase patterns that allow us to sell the items we've made from it and until we develope our own pattern credit is given to the owner of the purchased pattern.

12. I would love to get rid of my baby bump...yet sometimes I am very PROUD to have it. I have carried 5 babies, 3 of which are here to tell of it. I don't want my bump to grow any...lol...but I am proud to be a mother and if it shows, that is more than fine.

Here is our family picture from the summer of 2011 ~ I don't have many great pictures from the beginning of this year, but this is our "little" family of 5. My inspirations, my best partners in crime and best supporters. Our business would not exist if it wasn't for them.