Finding Fabulous

Wow I just read such a nice write up on Itsy Bitsy Paper over at Finding Fabulous.

This is such a fantastic blog and I feel super excited they chose me to do such a great feature.

image from Finding Fabulous

Holiday Greeting Cards

I have been a busy bee the last few days getting ready for the Holiday Season that is just around the corner.  I will put a couple cards on my blog for a preview.  I will let you know when they are officially up for sale on Etsy!

Martha Stewart's Dreamers Into Doers

I was so excited to get an email today from Dreamers Into Doers that my invitation was featured on their photo page.  Dreamers Into Doers is a Martha Stewart website that promotes small business and people that have taken their dream and made it a reality.  I love the site and the concept behind it.

This is the second time they've chosen one of my designs and I feel so honored and giddy with excitement.  Check it out if you get a chance to click on the link above.

This is the invitation that they featured.

Tickle Monster

I was cleaning up today and was putting this book away that I read to my son last night.  It is too good not to let my readers know about it.

Tickle Monster by Josie Bissett

 Hilarious!

My son is now 7 but he still L♥VES this book because of the way I read it but all the Tickling we do when we read it.  We both get the giggles and can't quit laughing.  I know alot of you are moms and I highly recommend this book for kids of any age because you can really interact with them while reading.  They even make "Monster Mitts" you can where while reading the book.

Loyal Followers Giveaway

***CLOSED***

I am working on a way to increase my following on my blog and I am calling on you, my loyal followers! 

If you would be so kind to Tweet, Facebook or Blog about my  blog and have your friends/followers come here and follow my page I would be super appreciative. 

Let's make this for a giveaway shall we?  The {PRIZE} will be one set of Personalized Notecards

**Come back here and leave a seperate entry for each way you let others know about my Blog
 **For anyone that comes and follows this blog ask them to leave a comment under this posting with who recommended them to join. 


**If you just so happened to be cruising by and you became a follower then please add your name to the list as well so you can have a chance to win!

**Of course if you are ALREADY a follower please leave a comment--don't want you left out in any way 

VERY IMPORTANT:  PLEASE LEAVE YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS! Please go Tweet, Facebook and Blog

{THANK YOU} 

***ENDS October 10, 2010 at Midnight***

Colored Envelopes

I am frequently asked "Do you offer colored envelopes with your cards?"

Of course my answer is always the same....No.  It's not that I don't love colored envelopes and they can add alot to a card but I really L♥VE using many different colors in my card designs. 

If I started to offer colored envelopes I would have to change my designs to accomodate the envelope colors I had in stock.  If you search stationery/invitation websites you will see many designers using the same brand of envelopes and they stock several of the different colors so all of their designs have to coordinate.  There is nothing wrong with that and these designers offer absolutely BEAUTIFUL cards that accompany their envelopes but it's just not the direction I wanted to go.  There is something out there for everyone and I wanted to bring a different look to the table.

I want to offer colorful designs without being limited so that is why I have chosen to print on white stock and use a white envelope and then print directly on the envelope so it matches the card and really makes a white envelope POP.   I don't want to be locked in to only certain colors because of my envelope selection and until I can afford to stock every color offered from the vendor I like then I am safer to stick with printing colorful designs on the white envelopes--as you can see below on two examples.

This does not mean in the future I won't be offering some colored envelopes as I am all for it but I have to grow my business a bit more to be able to stock all the colors I would want in my collection.

Please feel free to leave your comments to let me know if this works for you.

  It is always refreshing to know what my customers want.



Additions Jewelry

I am a big fan of "hardware" jewelry and when doing a search on Etsy I came across Additions Style and loved all of her items but decided on purchasing a bracelet. 

The bracelet is a mixed hardware piece with several metals.  I ♥ it! 

I will for sure be purchasing again I have no doubt.

Pink Ribbon Breast Cancer Awareness Note Card

I believe in the research that is being done for Breast Cancer and with October coming up and all the fundraising going on to help with research I wanted to do my part.  I created a set of cards that can be printed 1 of 3 ways as you see below.  $2.00 from every set purchased will go to Susan G. Komen and the research they are doing to fight this disease!  Please help by purchasing a set and bring awareness to others.

Printing on the inside bottom right corner

Please tweet, facebook or blog about these cards because it is for such a great cause!

www.itsybitsypaper.com

Honey Crisp Apples

 Honeycrisp Apples are at Fresh Market!! 

I always know fall has officially arrived when Fresh Market puts out their banner announcing the arrival of the Honeycrisp Apples.  They are the BEST apples ever.  Pricey but worth every penny.  They are also HUGE!  The average is about 4 inches around and they weigh almost a pound a piece.  Right now they are $2.98 a pound and I spent $8.00 on 3 apples yesterday so that gives you an idea of their weigth and of their expense. 

When getting ready to post this I decided to look up the Honeycrisp Apple and found that it was developed in Minnesota pretty much by mistake at the University of Minnesota.  It was released in 1991 so still a fairly new apple to the market.  In May 2006 the Honeycrisp Apple became the state fruit of Minnesota.

*Info came from Wikipedia

Some interesting but useless facts I suppose but I love knowing the history of things. 

If you have a Fresh Market around you rush out and buy one or two apples to try them.  Other stores will have Honeycrisp now and then but I've never had any as good as what Fresh Market sells.

LEAVE A COMMENT about your thoughts on Honeycrisp if you have had them before

JDRF Walk 2010

We did the walk yesterday and it was great!  It's so fun to see so many people out walking for such a great cause!  Just wanted to share a couple photos.

Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation

image courtesy of JDRF

We are getting ready to head out the door shortly to do the JDRF Walk in Greensboro, North Carolina.  It is an amazing cause and we have been doing it now for the last few years with a team called Taylor's Turbos.  Every year the t-shirts they design get cuter and cuter and of course always win a prize.  The walk raises alot of money for the cause but you also feel so good after doing it.  Check out your local Fresh Market too because they are heavily involved as well!  If you can't get out and do the walk you can always donate money through them when you are shopping there.

Look up the walk in your town and head out for a good cause and a good time!

Leave a comment if you do this walk in your town or another great walk/run for a good cause.  I'd love to hear all about it!  We all can do our part and it makes a difference for many others.

Fun Friday Finds

Halloween Themed Fun Finds!

Chocolate Ghost Cakes@Southern Living

Yummy Mummie@How Does She

 Tombstone Cookies@How Does She

DIY Halloween Table@Hostess with the Mostess

We've Been BOOED@Tom Kat Studio

Oreo Bat Cookie Pops@The Party Animal

Owl-Ween Cookie Treats@Southern Living

Pink-o-Ween@Amy Atlas

 Meringue Ghosts@Southern Living

Halloween on a Stick@Worth A Fortune

Pumpkin Candy Apples@Southern Living

Add your comments or links to other neat Halloween Party Ideas or Craft/Food Ideas! 

 I'd love to see them.

Giveaway!!

If you are a blogger you will for sure be interested in this giveaway over at Party Box Design!

Go enter for your chance to win!

New Product

I saw these the other day at the grocery store and anything Peanut Butter tempts my tastebuds so I figured I would buy a box.  YUMMY is all I have to say!  They are small but the perfect quick sweet snack.

Check them out and print a coupon at the Nature Valley Website

Leave a comment on what you think of these if you've tried them out.

New Fall Party Invitations

Itsy Bitsy Paper has several NEW Fall Party Invitations that are perfect for any party you may be having within the next couple months now that fall is officially here. 

These could be used for many occasions and of course wording can be adjusted to your needs

•Baby Showers

•Bridal Showers

•Save the Dates

•Thanksgiving Dinner

•Pumpkin Carving Party

•Birthday Party

So many uses and think how happy they will make your guests when they arrive in their mailbox!

Getting Older

Recently my sister turned 30 so I did this little sucker bouquet as a fun gift for her. 

I am only a couple years older than she is but it got me thinking about all the things that make you realize you are aging.  I don't think of myself as old at all but there are occasions when I realize that I'm not as young as I used to be!  I think we all can relate to this list of "You know you are getting older when"...

•You hear one of your favorite songs but it's playing on an elevator!

•You child asks if they had color tv when you were a kid

•You keep more food in your fridge than alcohol

•You now watch the weather forcast daily

•You can't drink cheap wine anymore

•You have to carry Tums with you at all times

•Forget spicy foods because you know you are going to be up all night

•Your joints now creak when you get out of bed or get up after sitting for a long time

•When you need help on your second graders homework assignment

Oh how the list could go on and on!

What are some of the ways you know you are getting older?  I'd love to know I'm not alone :-)

Blogmania Winner from Save the Date for Cupcakes!

We have a winner from Blogmania on...

Teresa is the WINNER!!

"Oh my gosh!!! Thank you SO much! I am so excited!!! I am going to post about it on my blog at http://www.sew-aneedlepullingthread.blogspot.com/

Thank you so much! ;) Teresa"

CONGRATS on all the fabulous prizes you will get!

Toddler Awesome

I'm also one of the Sponsors of Toddler Awesome and their Blogmania Party so you have to check them out too!  So many chances to win!

Blogmania

It's Blogmania {Party} Time!!!  You have many chances to win so hop on over to Save the Date for Cupcakes.

Bubble Gum Personalized Notes

I can't help but think of bubble gum when I look at this notecard!

Another Halloween Invitation

Yummy Apple Fritters

When I cook I just dump and don't always use measurements so I will do my best to adapt this for those of you that need measurments. 

First, I cut up 3 Granny Smith Apples into little chunks.  I then added cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, vanilla and sugar.  I would say for the spices I used a 1/2 tsp and the vanilla I used a capful.  For the sugar it was about 1/4 a cup.  Let this marinate while you mix your batter.

For the batter:

I used a Pancake mix that just requires water but I used milk instead.  I used 2 cups of mix and about 1 1/2 cups of milk or half and half.  Mix well and then add all the apples and the spices they have been soaking in.

Heat oil in deep fryer or on the stovetop to 375 degrees.  I used an ice cream scoop to put them in the oil.  Let them fry on one side until light brown.  Flip and then remove when the second side is browned.  It won't take long.  Let them drain on a paper towel lined plate. 

Once fritters have cooled a bit sprinkle with powdered sugar and serve just the way they are or with warm maple syrup.  YUM!