{find a friend friday - link up! week 13}

Hi Everyone! Welcome back to week 13 of Find a Friend Friday. I can't believe it's been 13 weeks already. Alissa and I are so glad you're here visiting.

Today we are so excited to introduce you to our friends from Sew Sweet Patterns. 

1.Tell us about yourself and your blog.  

We are a mother/daughter team from South Orange County.  We specialize in sewing patterns for girls, boys and dolls.  We love be able to give beginner sewers some tools to help them along in their sewing journey!  Our blog allows us to reach out to our customers with tutorials, giveaways and to get know us a little bit along the way.  We are new to the whole blog world, but we are learning quickly!

2. Tell us a little about your shop.  

We sell handmade patterns for girls, boys and dolls that are geared for the beginner sewer.  Each pattern comes with a step-by-step tutorial with lots of clear photos, a sewing glossary and size chart.  We email patterns in PDF form and are always available to answer questions along the way!

3. How did your shop name come to be?  

Hum, guess it was just a brainstorm of ideas and Sew Sweet Patterns just stuck!  

4. What got you started with your craft,and selling your items?  

My mom had taught me to sew bean bags and things when I was little, but I really had no interest then.  However, when my daughter, Harper arrived I found myself wanting to re-learn.  So I picked up a store-bought pattern and headed home to attempt it.  After many tears and ripped seams, I called my mom and she brought me down some patterns she had been working on just for fun (she was loving having a granddaughter to sew for!).  With her clear instructions and easy steps, I was able to complete the dress!!  After making a few dresses from her patterns, we thought that we could combine her sewing and design skills with my computer knowledge  and  Sew Sweet Patterns began!

5. Favorite part of your day? 

 Oh, that is tough!  Obviously nap time is nice, but I do love our dance party lunches!

6. What food or food group would you refuse to live without?  

CHOCOLATE!!

7. Where can we find you? 

 Website: www.sewsweetpatterns.com Blog:http://sewsweetpatterns.blogspot.com Etsy: http://www.etsy.com/shop/sewsweetpatterns and Facebook: Sew Sweet Patterns

Sew Sweet Patterns has offered to give all my followers at 10% discount! Yeowzers! You can use the code FRIEND when you check out.

Happy Linking. Party ends on Tuesday!

{find a friend friday - link up! week 11}

Welcome back to week 11 of Find a Friend Friday. Last week I had so much fun browsing through all your super cute Easter decorations.

Today Alissa and I are so excited to introduce you all to Kristen from Rock-A-Bow. Not only are her bow tie headbands to die for, she's also a super awesome WAHM of 2 wee ones. If you're looking for something to jazz up any outfit, be sure to check out her store.

1.Tell us about yourself.

Hi everyone. I'm Kristen from Rock-A-Bow. I am a wife, a mommy of two adorable babies and a full blown Jesus freak. I am slightly addicted to coffee, fabric and all things handmade. When I'm not playing with my babies or sewing, you can most likely find me at church or blogging. I'm pretty simple...

2. Tell us a little about your shop.

Rock-A-Bow was inspired by my little girl Rhiannon and her best bud Anberlyn. It was originally a bow and tutu company with the idea of making little girls happy. After having a baby boy and learning to sew, Rock-A-Bow has become so much more. I am constantly trying to think of new and fun things to create. 

3. How did your shop name come to be?

Well...like I just mentioned, Rock-A-Bow was a bow and tutu company and it was targeted at babies and toddlers. The original idea was a play on words Rock-A-Bow baby, you know like Rock-A-Bye. As things changed and we grew, baby was dropped and now we are simply Rock-A-Bow.

4. What got you started with your craft,and selling your items?

Let's face it, being a mommy of a little girl gets pricey. Especially when you have a bald baby girl. So I started making bows for my own little girl. I was always being asked where I got them so a friend and I decided to put our cute bows out there for others to buy. Rock-A-Bow was a way for me to potentially stay home with my babies, a way for me to make my stay at home mommy dream come true. Although I still have to work part time from home, Rock-A-Bow is growing and will soon be the only "work" I have to do.

5. Favorite part of your day?

Without a doubt my favorite part of the day is first thing in the morning. Which is odd. I am NOT a morning person. But around 8:30 every morning Talon (baby boy) wakes up and we play for about 15 minutes before Rhi (my 2 year old girl) wakes up and we all snuggle and play in bed for about an hour. It is pure joy every morning. 

6. What food or food group would you refuse to live without?

Caffeine. That's a food group right? Both chocolate and coffee make me one happy momma. Although, I love me some carbs. Pasta, bread, you name it, I love it. Can you all tell that I am NOT a healthy eater? I should work on that.

7. Where can we find you?

You can find me on Big Cartel at www.rockabow.bigcartel.com

Twitter handle @rockabow

Blog- www.rockabow.blogspot.com

and Facebook www.facebook.com/rockabowbaby

This week we hope you'll link up and say hello. We'd love to see what you're working on this week. It can be a DIY, a tutorial, a craft or even a post about yourself.

Party ends on Monday, Happy Linking!

{find a friend friday - link up! week 10}

Hi Friends! This Easter weekend I hope you are taking the time to reflect on all the amazing things that God's doing in your life. Today marks a big change in history. One where one man, one single.human.man sacrificed himself so that he could bridge the gap between him and his father. That separation came through a death on a cross and then and then three days later a glorious reunion in Heaven. Being a mother I often find myself wondering how a parent even survives through that kind of loss, yet I read about it on blogs all the time. I'm truly honored and amazed that they have chosen to be Jesus with skin on by sharing their loss, their story.... their journey with us. May God be the glory in your life today and always. God is good!

Thanks for joining us for Week 10 of Find a Friend Friday, Alissa and I are so glad you stopped by.

Alissa and I have met so many amazing people and even though we say that every week, we truly mean it. Today we'd like you to meet Jana from

Jana has an amazing heart!! And her shoppe is filled with all kinds of eye candy.

I hope you'll stick around because she'll be back in the next couple of weeks to share her story as part of Alissa's Be Ready, Be Prepared, Be Molded Series. You can read part one and part two here and here.


1.Tell us about yourself.

My name is Jana and I blog over at Giggles, Glitz & Glam as well as Thirty-One:10! I am happily married to Cody and we have two adorable but obnoxious dogs. Mikey, the black lab/border collie mix and Abby, the boxer. I work full-time for a non-profit organization called Christian Life Ministries and I am head over the Orphan Department. We are highly active in our church and with our home group. I have to say, we've got it pretty good!!

2. Tell us a little about your shop.

Giggles, Glitz & Glam was created because I decided I wanted to make tutu headbands and matching tutus. My nieces were my guinea pigs and after making the first set I was madly in love which is just how my shop developed!
 

3. How did your shop name come to be?

I started blogging as To Dabble in Design, but when I started making tutus I knew it was time to come up with a new blog title and business name. I really thought long and hard as I wanted it to be something I could grow into. The word Giggles popped in my mind and I wanted it somewhere in my name, but wasn't really sure. I kept playing with different words until I landed on Giggles, Glitz & Glam. I think it describes perfectly my shop and I think it allows room for growth. I figure if I started to make things for boys and mom then it could be Giggles for boys, Glitz for girls and Glam for moms. Sorry dads, but I've got nothing for you! :)
 

4. What got you started with your craft,and selling your items?

Two adorable nieces. Okay, that's only partially true. I started making pillowcase dresses for the Pillowcase Project and fell in love with sewing and the crafty world. I dreamed of a day when I would be a stay-at-home mom and wondered how I could contribute financially to my family without having to work. I walked through a store one day and saw these adorable tulle headbands. My niece desperately needed one, but I wasn't about to pay for it! I made my first headband and before long I realized it needed a tutu to match. And now it's history!!
 

5. Favorite part of your day?

When we go to bed at night. Cody scratches my back while he prays over us, our families and our future. I'll admit I don't always manage to stay awake, but it's the most cherished part of my day.
 

6. What food or food group would you refuse to live without?

MEXICAN FOOD. Life would not be life at all if it did not exist. Although to many of you, our mexican foods may be very different. We eat tex-mex around here and it's SOOO good!! Mmm!

7. Where can we find you?

http://gigglesglitzandglam.blogspot.com
http://thirtyone10.blogspot.com
http://gigglesglitzandglam.etsy.com/
http://twitter.com/#!/giggleglitzglam

Now let's get linking! This week we'd love to see what you're working on. It can be an Easter craft, a tutorial, interior decor, DIY project or your own store and blog. We love it all. There are no rules, but if you love what you see I hope you'll follow Alissa, Jana and myself!

Linky party ends on Monday night. 

{find a friend friday - link up! week 9}

Hey Everyone! I hope you all had a great week, mine has been busy, busy busy! I've had a bachelorette night, hosted a wedding shower, appointments, shop orders, post office runs, housecleaning, gosh the list goes on and on... :) Anyways, the week really slipped by me and guess where we are now? Find A Friend Friday! Yay! Today were excited to introduce you to Jacqui, read on for more about her adorable handmade business...

Welcome to week 8 of Find a Friend Friday. We're so excited you're joining Alissa and I. We hope you'll link up and tell your friends to link up too.

 Jacqui from Craftee McGee is an amazing lady! Her store is filled with absolutely adorable goodies too. Here are just a few:

So cute, right?! I hope you enjoy getting to know Jacqui as much as I have.

1.Tell us about yourself.

I am a wife to my best friend, mama to our super spoiled yellow lab, daughter, sister, aunt, friend and follower of Jesus. I am a "church lady" by day- secretary, treasurer, web designer and everything else our little church needs- and craftee mcgee by night! I love to cook & bake, read, crochet and explore the northwoods with Brandon & Maddie. We recently left the suburbs of Chicago to move to northern Wisconsin and we are loving our new, quiet life in the woods.  

2. Tell us a little about your shop.

My shop contains jewelry and accessories that will add a unique twist to your everyday outfits. My "Craft ADD" is noticeable in the shop! I can't settle on just one medium or process so the shop has a little bit of everything! I offer everything from simple charm earrings to felt headbands to floral statement necklaces. I'm hoping to add some of my crocheted items soon. Many of the items are created from vintage jewelry or fabric. I love taking something old or discarded and giving it a new life! 

Also, for the month of April I will be donating 20% of all sales to the American Red Cross relief efforts in Japan. 

3. How did your shop name come to be?

I wanted to choose a name that wouldn't limit me to just one product. Since I love to use so many different crafty mediums, a name like Jewelry by Jacqui just wouldn't do :) Friends had started calling me Craftee McGee and it just sounded right. I changed the usual 'y' on crafty to double ee's and here we are! 

4. What got you started with your craft,and selling your items?

I have been crafting for as long as I can remember. I started with jewelry when I was pretty young. I used to have a bead loom that used seed beads to make bookmarks. I got bored with the loom so I swiped my dad's fishing line and used the seed beads to make a daisy choker and ring set. I sold a few at our school's craft fair in 5th grade and I've been hooked on jewelry ever since! {and I still have my dad's fishing line- sorry dad!} 

5. Favorite part of your day?

Either drinking my morning cup of coffee or the moment I hear the garage door go up and Brandon walks in smelling like a woodshop after a long day of construction work. {i love that smell!}

6. What food or food group would you refuse to live without? 

Dark chocolate & coffee!

7. Where can we find you?

stop by and visit me!

blog: http://crafteemcgee.com

shop: http://crafteemcgee.etsy.com

facebook: http://facebook.com/crafteemcgee 

twitter: @crafteemcgee


Jacqui has offered to give all my readers a 20% discount to her store. A-mazing! Use the code findafriend20 at checkout. Code is only good for 1 week so hurry!

Now that you've met Jacqui, we'd love to have the chance to meet you. Believe it or not we do look through all the blogs who link up. We love meeting new people!! You can link you your blog, store, Twitter.... it's totally up to you! Fun, fun, fun!

Linky Party Rules:

There are no rules, just link up and hopefully you'll hop around, meet some new people and leave some love on their blog.

Party ends on Monday! Happy Linking.

{find a friend friday - link up! week 8 GIVEAWAY}

Welcome back y'all!! Alissa and I are thrilled that you're back. You guys are all awesome and we're so excited to have the chance to get to know you better. {Giveaway Alert!-->keep reading}

This week we're so excited to introduce you to Ashley over at Sew Called Life. She's awesome and one of raddest people you'll meet. I know we say that about all our friend, but come on, you have to agree, they are all awesome! I'm super jealous that she lives in the south and get's to wear cowboy boots and and can say y'all whenever she wants. She just opened her super cute store on Etsy and you have to check it out. Here are just a few of her creations:

Get to know Ashley

1.Tell us about yourself.

Hi friends! My name is Ashley and I’m the owner/designer of My {sew} Called Life! I’m so happy to meet y’all. Speaking of “y’all” yes, I’m from Texas. I’m a bit cowgirl & a lot of girly! I love to sew, craft, create, repurpose, upcycle, you name it! I’ve always indulged my creative side mainly as a fun outlet, but I’ve been so blessed to turn it into something to share with all of you! I’m a kindergarten teacher by day, which is sew fun! I’m also a wife, & I’m the momma to an impossibly handsome little boy. Please stop by & say hello; I’d love to meet you!

2. Tell us a little about your shop.

welcome to my {sew} called life! my cute little shop offers a little bit of this & a little bit of that! i recently taught myself to sew & i love to create things that are girly & happy & pretty & useful. i'm inspired by gorgeous colors & feminine details like ruffles, rosettes, & flowers. You'll see lots of bright colors and shabby rosettes in my shop! Right now, I offer “bloom bags” with fun posey flowers, rosette necklaces, statement necklaces, & rosette earrings. I hope to expand soon to offer posey pillows, beverage blankets (my spin on the coffee cuff!), bow tie necklaces, & more! i'm just getting started, so much more is to come!

3. How did your shop name come to be?

I named my shop "my {sew} called life" because I feel called to sew and create! Nothing makes me happier than taking a pile of "stuff" & creating something beautiful! I especially love sharing my creations with YOU!

4. What got you started with your craft,and selling your items?

I’ve always crafted, created, reused, etc! Friends & family have always made comments such as “that’s so cute!” or “you made that?!?” or “you should sell these!”  soooo, I thought “why not?” Do something you love & share it with others?? WIN!

5. Favorite part of your day?

Shop related or no? because honestly, my favorite part of the day is bedtime. I love those last few moments to rock & cuddle my son, right before he drifts off to sleep. That’s like the ONLY time he’s still for more than 2 seconds! I love smelling his hair, soaking up that mix of stinky little boy & clean sweet baby.

Shop related? My favorite part of the day is anytime I finish a craft, necklace, bag, etc. I love those first few moments where you step back & go “ahhhhh, it’s done & it’s awesome.” {giggle}

6. What food or food group would you refuse to live without?

Oh man, this is tough! Ok let’s see…..I could not live without coffee, diet coke, peanut butter, wine, or cheezits. Clearly, I’m a health nut {wink}

7. Where can we find you?

Yes, do come find me!! I’m everywhere!

Etsy: www.etsy.com/shop/agurski

Twitter: @sewcalledlife

Blog: http://sewcalledlife.blogspot.com

Ashley has offered to give one of my readers at $20 Gift Certificate to her new store. Awesome, right?!

Here's how to Enter:

1. Leave a comment telling me how you would spend the $20 gift certificate to her store.

2. Follow Alissa and I. {you can click to follow on the right sidebar}

3. Follow Ashley over at Sew Called Life

For extra entries:

Tweet about the giveaway {1 entry}

Link up to the blog party {1 entry}

Yay, that's 5 ways to win!! Party ends Wednesday night, so enter, enter, enter!!

{find a friend friday - link up! week 7}

Hi Friends! Welcome to Week 7 of Find a Friend Friday. Alissa and I are so happy you stopped by! This week we thought it would be fun to link up a fun spring craft you've been working on or your homemade shop. We are having so much fun featuring a new shop each week and would love to continue to find more. So if you're interested in being featured in the future, don't forget to link up. Alissa and I are going to link up our shops too this week since we feature the party on our blogs each week.

This week we are so excited to be featuring Jennifer from Always in Wonder Creations

1.Tell us about yourself.

Okay, here I go...I'm a wife and a stay at home mom to two amazing littles. My son is two years old, he has Hydrocephalus, and is a crazy spitfire type of kid.  My daughter is 8 months old, a whopping 23 lbs., and still refuses to eat any type of baby food. (This makes me stressed and tired.)  I have an amazing, go with the flow, loves me like no one's business, type husband.  Seriously, he's awesome and I feel really blessed to be his wife.  I feel like we're different in so many ways, but we see eye to eye on everything that counts-God, our commitment to our marriage, our love for our kids, and finances.  Things I love in no particular order: music, food, taking pictures, being crafty, making new friends, movie nights with my man, Chipotle, road trips, knowing completely random trivia type facts, sappy, make you want to cry type shows/movies, and hearing my son say he not only loves me, but he likes me too. 

2. Tell us a little about your shop.

I just started my shop a few weeks ago, maybe it's been a month now? My shop is the bomb diggity. Ha, no...but it's pretty cool. Right now I make and sell jewelry. Bracelets, earrings, necklaces...One day I would like to add other items to my shop, other stuff I like making like home decor items, but that's probably a long ways off.  I really love making different pieces and try hard to create things people would want to wear. 

3. How did your shop name come to be?

My shop name, Always In Wonder Creations, came from my blog, Always In Wonder. I've had the same email address of Always In Wonder since I was just out of high school, so over 10 years now. When I started my blog I wanted a name I liked and a name that might encompass everything my blog would or could be about. So I snagged Always In Wonder before anyone else did. :p

4. What got you started with your craft,and selling your items?

 I started my shop like I start most projects, spontaneously and without a clue what I'm doing. :) I started seeing all kinds of jewelry I really liked and thought to myself, "You can do that! Why aren't you doing that?"  I talked to my husband about my idea and he was very supportive (told you he was great. don't be jealous.). The very next day, after signing up on Etsy, I went and bought supplies to start making some of the bracelets I sell.

5. Favorite part of your day?

In the evenings when my husband comes home. I finally have some back up and help with the crazy kiddos. :)  I get to take some time to be with him and the kids, but then I also get a little break to catch up on emails, blogging, and projects.

6. What food or food group would you refuse to live without?

 I would refuse to live without Chipotle! Seriously addicted over here.  I guess it's considered Mexican? I don't know, I just love everything there. Yum.

7. Where can we find you?

Shop: http://www.etsy.com/shop/alwaysinwonder?ref=pr_shop

Blog: Always In Wonder http://www.alwaysinwonder.com

Facebook Page: http://www.facebook.com/#!/AlwaysInWonder

Twitter: @alwaysnwonder

Linky Party Rules:

1. We'd love for you to follow or RSS subscribe to Abstract Grace, Rags To Stitches and Always in Wonder

2. Meet some new friends and leave some love on their page

Have fun! The party ends on Monday.

{find a friend friday - link up! week 6}

Hi Friends!! Can you believe it's already week 6 of Find a Friend Friday? Alissa and I are so excited! This week we're really hoping we can link up at least 20 people, will you help spread the word to your friends?

Today, I'm so excited to introduce you to Katie from Songs Kate Sang.

Isn't she cute?! I know, right. Not only is she adorable, but so is her Etsy Shoppe. I've had so much fun perusing her store over the last few days putting together a wish list of items I'm hoping to purchase from her in the near future. I've been looking forward to featuring her on the blog today.

1.Tell us about yourself.

I am a Texas girl that marched to the beat of a job transfer to Arizona.

I always pictured raising my family in Texas, sending my children to Texas A&M and retiring somewhere with huge trees and green fields, but God had a little different and wonderful plan for me.

I have absolutely fallen in love with the desert. I adore the unexpected colors and the quiet of the star filled nights.

I began this blog as a way to stay in touch with my sweet family back in Texas. Since starting this online journal, I have read stories that filled my heart with complete love, I have seen pictures that moved me to tears and I have stood beside you on causes that caused my entire being to stir. 

2. Tell us a little about your shop.

When you take the time to write a letter, you have the chance to make someone's mundane trip to the mailbox just as good as opening a present !  

I like to make one of a kind, handmade notecards and postcards.

I also have a special place in my heart for Golden Books.

3. How did your shop name come to be?

Great question!  I usually go by Katie and wanted a little anonymity when I first started.  I was very nervous about putting myself out there on a blog and opening an Etsy shop.   Psalm 121 had been a source of great comfort and joy for me, so I decided that my blog and my etsy shop would be my Psalm.  I would use these to honor my family and my faith.

4. What got you started with your craft,and selling your items?

 After being transferred, I had a few quiet evenings on my hands.  My children were older now and going to bed at a normal time.  I would make cards and write to friends.  I found myself with extra cards and a friend suggested selling them on Etsy.  That evolved into card making and tag making. 

5. Favorite part of your day?

Mornings, when my kids come and snuggle with me just before the alarm goes off.

6. What food or food group would you refuse to live without?

A definite tie between steak and chocolate. 

7. Where can we find you?

Kate Eschbach

Songs Kate Sang™

Kate's Blog:  http://songskatesang.typepad.com/ 

Kate's Etsy:  http://www.etsy.com/shop/kateeschbach

Kate's Twitter:  @SongsKateSang

Send Love. Expect Nothing in Return.™

Now go buy some of her adorable products!! But before you go, link up your blog. It can be your blog, a specific blog post, or a craft you've been working on.

Linky Party Rules:

1. Please follow Abstract Grace, Rags to Stitches, and Songs Kate Sang

2. Go meet new friends

3. Share the news about our fun party on Twitter and Facebook so your friends can join in too.

Party Ends Monday!!

{find a friend friday - link up! week 5}

Welcome to week 5 of Find a Friend Friday. Alissa and I are so excited you're back.

 This week has been filled with trips to the antique mall treasure hunting for some new pieces for the house (no luck so far), play dates (good for not only Ella, but mommy too), dinner with friends, oh..and the most fun, a girls night in. We ate pasta (too much pasta) and ice cream, and there were no children! (ekk!) just adults, a lovely group of women chatting about craft projects, shopping, and other girly topics. It was a fun night, and I can't wait to do it again!

Now onto the task at hand, I'm thrilled to introduce you to Ruthanne from Eclectic Whatnot! You are going to love her fun, outgoing personality, and her shop filled with all kinds of amazing goodies.

1.Tell us about yourself.

My family is a modern day Brady Bunch.When hubby and I met, I was a single mother of one and he was a single father of three. Now, after thirteen years of marriage, we’ve added four more children to our number and become convinced of the necessity of caffeine!

I am passionate about my Lord, my husband (aka the French teacher ~ it’s okay if you’re slightly jealous), and my children.

Here are some randomly random things about me . . . .

I homeschool.

I’ve been known to eat chocolate chips straight out of the bag.

I’m having a love affair with my sewing machine.

I listen to classical music.

I like beer. The dark kind.

I love the arts.

I devour good literature.

I’m a compulsive baker.

I’m a Reformed Baptist.

I heart old, B&W movies.

I think my husband is sexy.

I love him. Like a lot.

I also have a crush on Jack Bauer. It’s okay. My husband knows.

My drug of choice is the Caramel Macchiato from Starbucks (Grande, please).

Show tunes make me happy.

I hide behind my Nikon.

I dearly love to laugh.

2. Tell us a little about your shop.

My shop . . . . . oooh, I love that little corner of my world. {happy sigh} I sew ruffled camera strap covers, pleated scarves and some adorably, ruffled skirts. 

I kinda have a thing for ruffles. ;D

3. How did your shop name come to be?

My blog name came first. Eclectic Whatnot just came to me one day over three years ago and I instantly loved it. I started my blog that same night. I can blog about anything and it's a great fit to my shop as it grows and expands. I'm not limited to any certain product or style. I love that!

4. What got you started with your craft,and selling your items?

My friend Melissa gifted me with a homemade camera strap cover over a year ago. I wondered if i could make one, too. I dusted off my sewing machine and started playing around with fabric. Now, almost a year after opening my shop, my machine is still humming along and I'm still playing with fabric.

5. Favorite part of your day?

Ooooh. I love the evenings. The quiet after a full day. The children tucked into bed and snoring softly. Me and my man snuggled on the couch.

6. What food or food group would you refuse to live without?

Mexican. I love me some Mexican food. Nom nom nom

7. Where can we find you?

Blog: www.eclecticwhatnot.com

Shop: www.eclecticwhatnot.bigcartel.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/eclecticwhatnot

Twitter: @eclecticwhanot

Thanks for visiting, hope you'll link up so we can meet you and get to know you better. You can link up your blog or a specific blog post. Tell your friends and share our button.

Rules for Party:

1. Please follow myself, Rags To Stitches Boutique and Eclectic Whatnot

2. Leave some love if you want us to follow you back

3. Find some new friends.

Party ends on Monday night! Happy linking!