Little Miss Designs

It's Been a While

2010-01-14T13:55:00.000-05:00

I cannot believe I haven't posted since October. Time has moved so quickly, yet at certain points in the past three months it has almost stood still. Since my last post my husband and I have dealt with two pretty significant tragedies in our lives.

The first occurred on November 1st, when we lost our first "baby", our sweet dog Oliver. At the young age of 4 years, we had to put him to sleep and we lost a part of ourselves on that day. It is still a very fresh wound, so if you want to read more about it, you can do so here on my personal blog. But I am not yet ready to re-write the story again. If you're not an animal lover, you may not be able to relate to the pain that we felt and that we still deal with on almost a daily basis. Losing Oliver was just as hard as losing family members that I've lost in the past.

To help ease our pain and redirect our focus, we decided to share the incredibly exciting news with friends and family that we were expecting our second baby. We were on top of the world, but still had heavy hearts.

We were very anxious to put the month of November behind us and really begin to heal and focus on planning for the arrival of our new family member. November 30th. The last day of an awful month. I had my 10-week OB appointment that afternoon and was anxious to see my baby. And then our walls came crashing down once again. The baby whose heartbeat we had gloriously heard three weeks before was no longer present. I had miscarried. We'd loved and lost yet again. You can read the entire story, if you wish, here.

So to say the least, November was terrible for us. December was a month of leaning on our strong faith in God and trying to make sense of the hand we'd been dealt. January is a month of looking forward with fresh eyes and strong hearts - hearts that won't ever fully heal and will certainly never forget - but hearts that are open to new possibilities ahead of us in 2010.

So I apologize for not blogging for quite some time. I am excited to get back on task of featuring amazingly talented artists and talking about Little Miss Designs more, but wanted to let everyone know where I'd been. Blessings to all -

Busy, Busy Bee!

2009-10-07T11:58:00.000-04:00

Just checking in with all of my lovely readers! I apologize for somewhat abandoning my blog recently - but I've been a complete busy bee trying to prepare for my first craft show that is this weekend! I am so excited that I can hardly wait! I'll be sure to post pictures of my display later this week or over the weekend.

And that isn't the only thing keeping me busy - the Little Miss has begun taking her first steps! Very exciting! I have a feeling my world is about to be rocked, yet again!

Little Miss Designs needs YOUR opinion!

2009-09-30T15:51:00.000-04:00

With my first-ever craft fair coming up in just over a week, I am trying to make some last minute decisions about details that I consider to be very important - such as whether to accept credit cards or not. Seeing as how I am a first-timer, I am not sure that the cost of being able to accept cards - and the fees associated with each transaction - would be worth it in the long run. I have no idea how well my items will sell. However I've been talking with veteran craft show vendors who say that an upwards of 75% of their total sales are credit card sales. Those stats make me want to take the plunge, but I am still not 100% convinced.

So I am running a poll to see what you - potential craft fair buyers - would have to say. What do you think? Please take just a moment to vote - you'll see the poll right over there ... in my right hand side-bar about three items down. Thanks so much for your thoughts!

Refreshed and Ready to Go!

2009-09-24T14:48:00.000-04:00

After 12 days away from work, and 7 of them spent at the beach, I am back, refreshed and ready to get back to work on Little Miss Designs items for the upcoming craft show in Willoughby Hills, Ohio on October 10th!

I hope to have some new pictures of products to post soon, but until then have decided to share a few vacation photos with you instead! Enjoy!

And the winner is ...

2009-09-04T17:16:00.000-04:00

#32, Shannon Jolly! Congratulations, Shannon!

Shannon Jolly said...

You know I love the Felt and Corduroy Flower Hair clip trio in the beautiful fall colors!

Shannon - please contact me at littlemissdesigns@hotmail.com within 24 hours (by 5:15pm EST tomorrow, Saturday the 5th) to claim your hairclip trio!

** If the prize is not claimed within 24 hours, a new random number will be selected, using random.org.

Etsy Shop Feature: VintageKitsch

2009-09-03T12:14:00.000-04:00

I am very excited to get back to featuring fellow Etsians - and today's feature is VintageKitsch! A store with peculiar and delightful jewelry, the inspiration comes from anything kitsch and vintage, just as the name implies! The shop owner, Adele, has a love of wearing one-of-a-kind pieces, which you will quickly find reflected in her shop items.

The first item that caught my eye was this adorable Colorful Cupcake necklace. The bright colors caught my eye first, but it was the simplistic beauty of it that kept me looking. And the price - just $14 - icing on the cake!

Cake? Did I say Cake? I love cake. And this necklace must have been made with me in mind! At $16, that could possibly be the best $16 I've ever spent on cake in my life!

Not in the market for a necklace? Perhaps this vintage ring will tickle your fancy, then. This is a vintage style filligree ring that is adorned with a burgundy bow and mini-pearls. Very delicate looking and very pretty!

I was very curious to get to know the Adele more, and she was kind enough to answer some questions for me!

1. How long have you been in business? I started selling my jewelry in June this year. I'm a qualified primary school teacher here in the UK, but I am struggling to find permanent work at the moment (I blame the recession!) My Etsy shop is a sideline, but isn't it every Etsyians dream to be able to do this full time?

2. What was it that got you interested in jewelry making? My gran is a very creative lady and encouraged me to be creative, too. During school holidays, I'd spend time with her making all sorts. I've always been drawn to unusual, kitschy jewelry and prefer to wear something that no-one else is wearing. I love a bit of individuality, which (I think) is reflected in the jewelry I make.

3. What is your favorite piece you've ever made? Ooh, erm...I think it was a stripy unicorn necklace which was basically a laser cut wood shape which I handpainted red and white and attached to a black chain. I listed it on Etsy one evening and it had sold by next morning! I have tons of ideas for jewellery though, and carry a little sketch book around with me in case I get inspired when I'm out and about.

4. Tell us something interesting about yourself. Something interesting...hmmm..let's see..I do actually live quite a sheltered life, so this is quite a toughie! I also like to paint aswell as make jewelry, although I'm such a procrastinator, it takes me forever to paint one canvas. I work at a tutoring centre and painted an Incredibles picture from scratch to feature on the waiting room wall. The canvas is 60ins by about 100ins, and it took me forever to do!

5. And finally - do you really love cake? If so, what's your favorite type? I most certainly do love cake! I am partial to a bit of cake with a cup of tea. That's the sign of being a true Brit! My favourite is cheesecake with that yummy cream cheese frosting...and guess what? My mum works in a bakery! Lucky me, eh?

Thanks again, Adele - it has been a pleasure! Make sure to visit VintageKitsch on Etsy!

Felt and Corduroy Hair Clip Trio GIVEAWAY - Ends Friday, 9/4!!

2009-08-31T10:59:00.015-04:00

While preparing for an upcoming craft show (my first ever!), I've seemed to go a bit overboard with a particular design! It was just so darn cute that I couldn't stop! But the good news is that YOU can reap the benefits here!

I am giving away a FREE "Felt and Corduroy Hair Clip Trio" in beautiful fall colors to a lucky, random winner!

Here's how to enter:

Visit LMD and pick out your favorite item. Don't see an item/color combination you like? Then what would your favorite item and color combination be? Come back here and tell me what you chose and include a valid e-mail in your comment. This entry must be fully completed for it and any entries after to count! It's as easy as that!

Additional Entries: (You must leave a separate comment for each)
1. Follow this blog via Google Friend Connect (look in the sidebar to the right) and let me know via a comment to this post.
2. Become a Facebook Fan of LMD and let me know, via a comment to this post. I will need a name verification if you win. (Prior LMD Facebook Fans are already eligible for this add'l entry!)
3. Subscribe to this blog (box in the sidebar to the right, towards the top) and let me know via a comment to this post.
4. Follow me on twitter and tweet about this giveaway. You can tweet up to once a day, but you must leave a comment for every tweet. Leave your twitter name and tweet link.
5. Blog about this giveaway. Must link to LMD's Etsy shop and back here to this contest. Leave a link to it here.
6. BONUS: (Worth 5 extra entries!) Make a purchase from LMD between now and the end of contest and let me know via a comment to this post.

This giveaway ends on Friday, September 4th at 5:00pm EST! The winner is selected by a random number generator and will be notified via email and has 24 hours to respond. If no response is received within 24 hours, a new winner will be selected.

Hey Moms! (And Dads!) You've Gotta See This!!

2009-08-27T13:43:00.002-04:00

Okay, okay - so I know that it is rare that I post more than once a day, but I felt my recent find warranted it. I assume you saw my earlier post about the $100 PF Chang gift card giveaway. Well, since finding it (and doing everything in my power to gain more entries!), I had a great time digging a little deeper into this treasure trove of a blog.

Guess what I found?

It's what I consider to be the Mother-Load of all giveaways! The ladies over at 5 Minutes for Mom are hosting a Back to School Giveaway! But HURRY - the giveaways end TOMORROW! They have a LOT of stuff to give away from an Epson printer to Famous Footwear giftcards to LandsEnd backpacks and lunch bags (they are eco friendly, to boot!).

Soooo ... what are you still doing here on my blog? Go! Hurry! Enter! WIN!

Have 5 Minutes? Check out 5 Minutes for Moms!

2009-08-27T10:04:00.003-04:00

I've come across a fun new giveaway blog, tailored to moms, that I just MUST share with you all!

The blog is 5 Minutes for Moms - Giveaways and it is so much fun! The stories are adorable and the giveaways are awesome! I just took a few minutes to enter for a $100 PF Changs giftcard - wouldn't that just be the perfect date night out? It is as though I can taste the yummy lettuce wraps as I write this!

I highly suggest heading out the the blog and taking a peek around - you will probably LOVE what you see! Want more than just giveaways? They have amazing 'sister blogs' - I am sure that one fits the bill for your blog-reading-needs!

Baptism of the Little Miss!

2009-08-23T21:18:00.004-04:00

Whew! I am exhausted after a wonderful weekend of preparing for, and celebrating, Riley's baptism this morning! I've posted pictures over on my personal blog, so please take a moment to sneak a peek - I am so proud of my baby girl and how wonderful she was all weekend!

Back to business tomorrow with some Little Miss Designs news and Etsy features the rest of the week!

A beautiful day for beautiful pictures by Anide Photography

2009-08-19T14:42:00.010-04:00

Good afternoon everyone! I hope that it is just as beautiful of a day for you as it is for me, here in Ohio. I was just thinking this morning what an odd summer this has been for this part of the state - it hasn't felt like summer at all until the last week or so when temperatures have finally hit the upper 80s and lower 90s. The hot sun has finally arrived, just as I have been eagerly thinking about fall that is right around the corner - my absolute favorite season of all.

It's a shame that I live where I live, then, because fall is so short lived. I am hoping that isn't the case this year, though. However, there is an amazingly talented photographer on Etsy who has captured the absolute essence of what fall is to me - through the colors and the softness of the lens ... to the point where when looking at the pictures I really do feel as though I am standing right where the photographer was when she snapped the shot. So even if I am sitting here on another 90-degree day, I've gotten my fall-fix by browsing through this store.

I'm talking about Anide Photography.

There are so many beautiful pictures, but this one caught my eye immediately. Taken at Voronet Monastery in Romania, I feel as though I am standing there on that beautiful path. I love the golden, fallen leaves which were most likely accompanied with a swift, fall breeze just as this picture was taken. And the door. That door is breathtakingly beautiful and could be representative of so many things in one's life. I know what it represents to me, but that's my secret! I've honestly surprised myself - I never knew that a picture could speak so many words to me. Now I think I know where that saying finally came from. "A picture speaks a thousand words ..."

Or how about this one?

Now that is fall. And that is just absolutely serene and beautiful. Cool rocks, autumn leaves ... I can just hear them rustling under my feet as I come to this corner for a break from the hike I've been taking. I'd imagine on the day this was taken, the weather was probably just cool enough for a lightweight long sleeve shirt, but too warm for a sweatshirt.

And this one cannot go without mentioning. What a beautiful moment in time, caught in a photograph. This nun is announcing liturgy when the photo was taken. Peace is the word that best describes this picture to me.

While these photos capture more than tangible beauty, what was really beautiful to me was the background story of this photographer, Andrea, and how she came to do what she does.

"My grandfather, who took care of me when I was little and brought me up, was a master of church art. He painted churches, over 55 in Transylvania, and I learned from him. I was captured by this world because of him. He used to take me to work sometimes, and other times I visited him daily and followed his scathing at home. I owe my world view to him. Then I started painting in college years. Photography somehow appeared along with painting in my late 20s."

And boy am I glad that she added painting to her resume of artistic skills - you must check out the Anide Art shop as well to see these beautiful works of art!

You can read and see more of Anide Photography by following these links:

Anide Photography Etsy Store

Anide Art Etsy Store

Blog

Flikr

Facebook

It is WAY past my bedtime ...

2009-08-17T22:26:00.004-04:00

... but I couldn't go to bed without sharing this picture:

That, ladies and gentlemen, is my first ever wholesale order, completed and ready to be packaged up to head out the door tomorrow. I feel very accomplished tonight. Now I just pray that they are a success in the store to which they are headed!

The Latest at Little Miss Designs ...

2009-08-17T20:47:00.003-04:00

Hard to believe that Monday is already over and the week is well on it's way! What a great feeling, no? I love that I have the wonderful opportunity to be home with my Little Miss four days in a row each week and that I only have to be at my 'day job' the other three, but the long weekends still go by so quickly! Plus, this weekend all of my "down-time" when she was either napping or asleep for the night was spent working on stuff for my Etsy store.

I am all ready to pack up my very first wholesale order for JMS Monogram Market in Marietta, Ohio! I plan to ship it out tomorrow afternoon or Wednesday morning. My goal for completion was Friday, still beating my "Promised by" time, so getting things done this soon was a big bonus. It probably helps that my hubby was gone all weekend for a golf outing, so I could focus the entire time.

I've also listed a new item in my shop, just minutes ago! This is a personalized hair accessory organizer. And of course the sample item just coincidentally has my daughter's name on it ... and matches her room colors (hee hee). The perks of making items, right?

I actually LOVE this piece because it is my first collaboration piece with my sister-in-law who has her own shop on Etsy. I'll be featuring her in the near-future!

Bed time for me - looking forward to featuring another wonderful Etsy shop in the morning!

Busy Bee

2009-08-14T20:24:00.005-04:00

Here it is, half past eight, and I still haven't gotten to post about today's featured Etsy store. Posting this late just wouldn't be fair - I want those I feature to have more daytime hours than this to sit atop the blog.

Why haven't I posted yet? Bees. Ugh. I have horrible reactions to bee stings. I don't carry an epi pen because no sting has ever caused me to be unable to breathe - yet - but I always fear it could get to that point. (Is it just me or is it absolutely INSANE that a doctor won't provide me with an epi pen until I've had THAT bad of a reaction?!) My latest sting was this past June. I got stung up by my armpit and less than 12 hours later my entire arm - armpit to wrist - was on fire, itching, and so swollen that I could neither bend nor straighten it entirely. It felt as though my left arm were paralyzed. I couldn't hold Riley or pick her up with it - it was awful!

I've always swelled (swelled? swollen? regardless ...) from bee stings, but each time gets a little worse. That is what scares me about the next time. Turns out I not only had a reaction, but also had cellulitis - a bacterial infection at the sting site. 10 days later and chalk-full of antibiotics, I was back to normal again.

So - you can imagine that I am even more weary of bees now than before. And over the past week when we've seen at least one a night in our house, I've been so nervous. And then my hubby found a nest on the roof and thought he'd killed them all. Last night, however, he was rocking precious Riley at bedtime and out of no where a bee just flew over and stung him on the hand. THAT close to Riley. Much too close. Of course, I flipped!

Sorry for all the background, but that brings us back to why there was no feature today (sorry for that!) - I was eagerly waiting the exterminator to arrive and then got out of the house with Riley for a while after he'd done his job ... hopefully well.

So Riley is down and my eyes are darting every which way for any indication of a bee. Pray for a bee-less night and days to follow for us!

Hey ... you bees ... let this be a warning to you if I should find you in my house!!!

A Little Miss Designs GIVEAWAY!

2009-08-14T07:06:00.003-04:00

Good morning everyone! Before featuring the Etsy store of the day, I wanted to provide all of you lovely people with a link to another blog that is hosting a giveaway of one of bag tags!

"Life Happens During Naptime" is a very witty blog by mommy Madison. Her writing is very humorous and she does great product reviews and LOTS of giveaways! Hop on over there for a chance at one of my cute bag tags, made just for YOU!

A Feel-Good Buy: Eco-Friendly Jewelry

2009-08-13T10:05:00.014-04:00

Today's feature Etsy store is iDew Designs. This store originated when the owner was shopping for her own wedding jewelry and couldn't find what she exactly what she was looking for - so she made her own! And thus the beginning of iDew Designs!

While I love the wedding jewelry she has in her store, I've decided to focus on her other designs, which are eco-friendly and absolutely beautiful with the colors used! I personally loved this necklace - "A Bit of Berry".

The 'beads' are actually acai seeds and the pendant is a tagua nut slice, accented with a coconut seed. All of this is strung on waxed linen. It is absolutely gorgeous and I have a feeling you will NOT find the person walking next to you wearing the same gorgeous piece around their neck - what a way to have an original piece of art! And originality doesn't break the wallet here, either - it's just $18!

This necklace also caught my eye - "Summer Days". It, too, features acai seed beads, but the pendant is made from a coconut shell! Gorgeous, gorgeous, gorgeous!!

I was eager to know more about the eco-friendliness of iDew's jewelry, so I had a 'mini-interview' with store owner, Erika.

Q: What inspired you to evolve from wedding jewelry to the eco-friendly jewelry?

A: I started making jewelry when I was looking for pearls for my own wedding. I wanted something that was high quality, yet classic and simple. I couldn't find what I was looking for at a reasonable price and that wasn't shipped directly from a factory in China so I decided to make my own. I got hooked! When I am not making jewelry, I am working to conserve the oceans and its inhabitants (particularly marine mammals and sea turtles).

I have been in graduate school for the past 5 years, dedicated to protecting the environment so it seemed only natural to begin to use eco-friendly materials in my jewelry. Now, when I am look for jewelry supplies, I look for sustainable and fair traded sources. I still make some pearl jewelry - mostly for custom designs or with pearls that I have in stock - but I still seek out the most responsible sources. I want everyone who wears my jewelry to not only look good but to feel good about their purchases!

Q: What is your favorite eco-friendly medium to work with?

A: There really are so many cool, eco-friendly options to work with, and my work portrays many of them. I go through phases of which is my favorite, sometimes it's vegetable dyed linen while other times it is tagua nuts, handmade paper beads, or coconut pendants. Right now, I am enjoying working with acai seeds. They are sustainable and can be dyed to be just about any color. They are also a great size to work with. I have several pieces for sale right now that utilize turquoise colored acai seeds. It actually looks a lot like turquoise, which is harvested using destructive methods, but the seeds are the exact opposite - sustainable and renewable!

Thank you, Erika!

If you'd like to see Erika's beautiful products and learn more about what she does, check out the following:

Etsy store, iDew Designs
Twitter page
Website (about to undergo a facelift!)

** Please note that I do not receive any financial incentive to feature these artists. I do so because I feel strongly about the art of handmade items and do what I can to support and promote fellow artists. **

Ooooh ... a challenge!

2009-08-13T09:40:00.003-04:00

I am taking this quick moment to hijack my own blog! I warned you ... I'd be writing bits and pieces about Little Miss Designs every now and again, and today is one of those days! I will add my featured Etsy store here in a bit, though, so don't worry!

Yesterday morning I awoke to an email for a custom design of one of my bag tags in my store. It was for a skull and crossbone design. If you look at my shop, you'll quickly see a common theme of flower shapes and monograms - no skulls or crossbones. It was for this very reason that I was so eager to accept this request and challenge myself a bit - I couldn't wait to get started!

As soon as 'the little miss' herself was sound asleep in her crib, I got to work. Thank goodness for early bedtimes, right? It works out well - I get most of my work done late in the evenings this way!

I talked back and forth with the customer several times, discussing placement, colors, stitching, and specifics such as her request for a monogrammed letter on the back. I was more than happy to oblige because, afterall, thanks to her I was going a little out of my comfort zone and giving myself a confidence boost that I think I was a bit in need of! I am especially proud of this design because it is 100% handcut. No templates, no die cutters, nothing. Just myself, some felt, and some scissors.

The finished product? One awesome looking bag tag - perfect for distinguishing her son's backpack - and one successfully challenged crafter! I was a happy mama last night!

Raghouse International - not your grandma's crochet!

2009-08-12T06:51:00.005-04:00

Raghouse International. Spelled 'Raghousenternational' in the Etsy address. The name alone had me intrigued.

I entered the virtual store and I am pretty sure there was a short in the wiring of my brain for a few seconds. And that's a good thing. I was in such awe at the diversity of items offered by this store owner that I didn't know what to look at first! My hands were just as excited as my eyes, clicking on one thing while looking at another!

Raghouse International's mission is to "put to rest the bad reputation that crochet has had from its birth". I love it ... although I, personally, have never had any qualms with crochet and have been quite the fan! The plethora of unfinished crocheted blankets shoved under my bed would be proof of that (Remember - I said FAN - I did not say I was GOOD at it!). I digress.

Berets, headbands, bracelets, handbags, earrings, scarves, cellphone holders, clothing ... the selection is unlike anything I've seen up to this point. Plus they sell items catered to women and men - something you don't see in a lot of fashion-related stores - so gents, take note!

It was very difficult to pick a "favorite" given the number of choices, but this item came back to mind over and over as I journeyed through the virtual store:

The Blue Nile. Ahhhh. Blue not your thing? No worries - they have it in Raspberry, too. I found myself going back to it and just staring ... and then (gasp!), wishing summer away for a few minutes and imagining myself wearing this true piece of art on a brisk winter day. (If anyone else lives in Northeast Ohio and knows that we only get about 3 months of warm weather, you probably want to slap me right now). Heck - to be able to wear it now, I'd probably crank the AC up - any excuse to have this beauty around my neck!

Bonus Tip: Check out the owner's blog - The Artful Chatter Box - for fun stuff like giveaways!!

Congratulations, Raghouse International - I think if crochet ever really did have a bad rep, you've removed it - and reinvented it -and THAT is art.

Here are a few more items that I had to share:

Perfect day to find some Beloved Creations!

2009-08-11T12:01:00.013-04:00

The warm, humid weather seems to have parked itself right over the state of Ohio - at least that is how it feels to me! Being someone who doesn't care too much for humidity, days like today are perfect for staying away from any outdoor shopping and to do some browsing online! Of course, the first place I would start would be at my personal favorite 'go-to' site, Etsy!

Whether or not you're trying to dodge the humidity today, you should check out the Etsy shop "Beloved Creations". The shop's tagline is "Something beautiful to Wear" and that was my exact thought as I was looking at her gorgeous charms and pendants. To me, nothing could be more beautiful to wear than a picture of my precious daughter around my neck. That is why I am in love with these custom picture charms!

To me, this would be the ultimate charm. (Boy, I sure hope my husband is reading this post!) It's unique, super personal, and affordable - something we can all be excited about! All you have to do is provide the picture through email and Beloved Creations does the rest. The picture can be in sepia, black and white or color. Who knew that a moment you love so much could be squeezed into a 1"x1" charm? Need a bonus? A silver ball chain is included - all for $20! Prefer your pendant to hang from organza instead? No problem. She offers so many different colors, just $3 each!

Oh - and you need this as a gift right away? Items are packaged and shipped in such a manner that I bet you could pull your amazing buy straight from the mailbox and place it directly in the (lucky) recipient's hands - no extra work necessary on your part. (Still hoping my husband is reading!)

Do you need some yummy icing on top of this cake? Here you go - 10% of sales benefit ministries in Israel. Tithing is near and dear to my heart, as I do it with my own store, and I feel this speaks volumes about the seller!

Check out these other beautiful, creative, 'beloved creations':

Fall is just around the corner!

2009-08-10T10:24:00.004-04:00

Of course, I write this blog on the second day of the two hottest days of the year here in the midwest! Up until now the entire summer has felt like fall - thus the motivation for my newest creation and listing in my store!

I love the look of corduroy - and when you team it up with gorgeous, warm fall colors, it can only get better. I must admit that Riley has a new chocolate brown velour sweatsuit hanging in her closet that is accented with hot pink, and that drove me to make the brown and pink one first. I was so happy with how it turned out, that I continued on with other colors. I am curious to hear what you think!

I was also excited to see Halloween things in the stores this past weekend. While I haven't decided on the Little Miss' Halloween costume for her first ever halloween, I do have some cute holiday-oriented onesies hanging in her closet and I've been meaning to order some cute halloween Babylegs to go with them. But then I passed a display of 'spooktacular' black and orange women's knee high socks and remembered a friend of mine mentioning she had found a tutorial online to make your own. I snagged them up and started hemming away last night! I'll be sure to post a picture of Riley's completed pair soon, but if you're interested in making your own, check out this tutorial by Little Birdie Secrets. It is super simple!

The Latest at Little Miss Designs!

2009-08-05T12:14:00.003-04:00

Goodness - I haven't posted in a while! Will you forgive me if I tell you it's because I've been so busy? Between work, amazing fun with Riley, and working on some new stuff for Little Miss Designs, I don't have much free time!

Speaking of new stuff, here are a few of the latest creations that just went up on Etsy last week. I am very pleased with them. They are hairclip organizers. They provide 24 inches of ribbon to which you can clip your daughter's bows and hair clips to, keeping them organized and secure, all in one place! If you're like me, organization is key!

I will also be adding personalized hair clip organizers that are made to order with an initial, name, etc at the top instead of a butterfly or ladybug. What I love about these personalized items is that I am partnering up with my sister-in-law who is extremely talented and has her own amazing shop on Etsy - Butterfly Kisses for Kids. She loves to paint and is great at it, so no better person to work with on this new creation, right?

Obsessed with InkObsessions!

2009-07-23T11:47:00.004-04:00

With the baptism of my daughter on the horizon, I started thinking about invitations. I knew that I'd prefer them to be custom and had somewhat of an idea in my mind of what I wanted. After browsing a few mass producer sites, I quickly slapped myself on the hand. How could I not have visited Etsy right off the bat?

With my slapped hand, I went to Etsy and typed in "Baptism Invitations". I immediately saw an invitation that caught my eye. It was perfect. Classy, catchy, perfect price. The seller was a doll to work with, to boot! The store is Ink Obsession Designs and I am urging you to check it out, even if you don't have an immediate need. The products will sell themselves, but the friendliness of the shop owner and her willingness to do what it takes to please you really puts the icing on the cake. Here's a picture of my invitation:I've received several phonecalls about Riley's baptism - not with the intent to RSVP, but to compliment the invitations! Just take a peek at Ink Obesession Designs on Etsy ... real quick ... you know you want to.

Fan Photo Contest Winner!

2009-07-10T16:31:00.002-04:00

Last week I kicked off a fan photo contest on my Facebook fan page for Little Miss Designs. The rules were simple: post a picture of your little one wearing their LMD clip and a winner would be picked at random! I was very excited to see pictures posted - individuals have sent pictures to me directly, but I was excited at the thought of getting those pictures out for more people to see. Unfortunately, only one picture was submitted ... but that's okay. My fan base is still very small and these are the beginning stages. I must tell myself not to get discouraged.

However I am very excited to make the clip for the winner. I am waiting to hear back from him in regards to what shape and color he would like, but I am excited just because I love making them and am sure he'll request something very cute for his adorable daughter!

Welcome to Little Miss Designs!!

2009-07-08T15:00:00.002-04:00

Hi! Thanks for taking the time to stop by and check out the Little Miss Designs blog! Allow me to introduce myself ...

My name is Megan and I am the soon-to-be owner of Little Miss Designs, LLC. I am a first-time mom to beautiful Riley Elayne. Soon after she was born I began creating handmade hairclips for her. While she had no hair, I was always accessorizing her outfits with headbands adorned with my clips. Initially my flower shapes were all handcut. As you can imagine, consistency between pieces became a problem and I soon thereafter purchased a craft cutter to allow me to cut consistent shapes. The clips still remain handsewn, however, and I intend to always keep it that way.

Since the beginning of my craft - just back in February of this year - my offerings have increased. I initially started with just one basic flower shape, but have quickly expanded to four different flower shapes, several different sizes, hearts, shamrocks, stars and even bag tags - flower shaped tags that can attach to diaper bags, luggage, gift bags, etc and can be monogrammed to make it extra special!

So back to that "soon-to-be owner" part that I mentioned up top. My LLC paperwork had been sitting on my desk for a few weeks, just staring at me. Was I really ready to take this next step and start to make this official? Why did I want to do this? I had to step back and just do a self-check to make sure my priorities were straight and my intentions were good. Maybe this will go nowhere. Maybe it will take off. No one knows, but I felt strongly about making sure I was protecting my assets and officially registering a business name. So last Tuesday I did it - I finally dropped that paperwork and my check in the mail. I should have the confirmation sometime this week that I am, indeed, Little Miss Designs, LLC. Very exciting!!

Where did the name Little Miss Designs come from?
When starting to consider turning my craft and hobby into a business, picking out a name was extremely important to me. I wanted to put as much thought into it as I did into naming my daughter. An early nickname for Riley was "Little Miss". My husband suggested this as the shop name. She was the inspiration for what I did, so it only made sense!

Where can I purchase?
At this time I am exclusively selling my clips and bag tags on Etsy.com. You can find Little Miss Designs here. I have purchased the domain name www.littlemissdesignsonline.com, but at this time there is absolutely NO content out there. I hope to enlist my amazingly talented husband to create my site. In fact, he has already agreed and I am in the process of drawing up requirements for it. Can you tell that my day job is an IT Project Manager? Ha!

I cannot endorse Etsy enough. The art of handmade items is coming back like never before and this is the place to shop! The sellers are friendly, the items are plentiful, and the prices are fabulous! Even if you aren't interested in what I am selling, I highly encourage you to head to Etsy just to look around. I even placed an order from a seller yesterday for invitations to Riley's upcoming baptism. I cannot wait to see the final product and have full confidence that they will look incredible!

What's the intent of this blog?
I assume my blog will have a little bit of this and a little bit of that. I intend to talk about new ideas that I have and to share pictures of completed orders that I am proud of. I would like to feature other Etsy artists in here and share my experiences with you. And I am sure bits and pieces of my life with Riley will sneak their way into here, too. She is "Little Miss", afterall!

Thanks again for stopping by - and I hope that I gain your readership!