T and Little S Designs, Custom Scrapbooking

Wordless Wednesday

2012-01-18T04:31:00.000-08:00

Monday--Goals for the Week

2012-01-17T04:26:00.000-08:00

We had a very productive week last week w/ lots of organizing in our house. I hate to clean but love to organize. :) Other good news is that I can finally drive again! It's so nice to be able to run errands. Here are my goals for this short week:

Professional--
--finish new orders
--keep promoting my valentines

Household--
--dust and vacuum house
--organize playroom and little one's bedroom
--find new currents and throw pillows, etc. for the newly painted master bedroom

Personal--
--finish reading The Life of Pi (such a good book!)
--work on map canvas project
--start exercising again this week!!
--keep up w/ healthy/ mostly vegetarian diet

Monday--Goals for the Week

2012-01-09T06:45:00.000-08:00

Another busy week ahead for us! We are getting ready to paint and do some work in our master bedroom and bathroom. Last night, we rearranged all of the furniture, and the room looks so much bigger already. This should be our last major house project for awhile since we're waiting to finish the basement.

Professional
--keep caught up on Etsy orders
--work on new party supply designs
--get my valentines into a local shop

Household
--organize kitchen island drawers (didn't get done last week)
--organize linen closet upstairs
--keep up w/ general cleaning and pick up
--paint the master bedroom

Personal
--finish reading The Life of Pi
--continue my healthy/ mostly vegetarian eating
--start walking this week

Technique Thursday--Subway Art!

2012-01-05T06:09:00.000-08:00

This post isn't a technique tutorial this week but an introduction into my new love of subway art for my own personal use. Through Pinterest, I found an amazing blogger who creates beautiful subway art that you can print and use for personal use in your home. They are gorgeous, and she has them on her site, ready to print in large sizes, for almost every holiday. Perfect! I just need to get a large frame, print these babies at Staples (following her directions for sizes, etc.), and get ready to change them in and out all year w/ my decor. Here's her New Year's subway art (shown above):

http://eighteen25.blogspot.com/search/label/subway%20art

Other holidays are easy to download from her site w/ the printing directions:

http://eighteen25.blogspot.com/search/label/subway%20art

She even has a birthday print and a filler print! Happy decorating!

Wordless Wednesday--Art for the New Year

2012-01-04T06:07:00.000-08:00

Inspiration Tuesday--Healthy Eating

2012-01-03T05:53:00.000-08:00

I've really focused on what my family is eating over the course of the last year and changed what I could at home. We've eliminated most processed foods and rarely eat fast food. Sometimes in the last 6 months, it just happened when we were rushed. Now, I try to be more prepared on days when I know we might be rushed. A lot of my inspiration came from this site, 100 days of Real Food:
http://www.100daysofrealfood.com/real-food-defined-a-k-a-the-rules/

It's a real family eating real food and provides recipes, etc. in easy to understand guidelines, etc. I really want to try to eventually make my own breads. This month, here are a few new recipes I'd love to try for healthy snacks--homemade Wheat Thins (which my daughter loves and I hate the sodium of normal ones) and guacamole hummus.

Homemade Wheat Thins from http://www.twopeasandtheirpod.com/homemade-wheat-thins/

Guacamole Hummus from http://www.marthastewart.com/349717/guacamole-hummus

Should be really healthy together, right? I love guac and hummus w/ veggies, so I'm pretty excited about that one. Enjoy!

Monday Goals for the Week--It's January!

2012-01-03T05:37:00.000-08:00

After taking December off to finish Etsy orders, take a vacation, and celebrate the holidays w/ my family, I'm back to my somewhat normal schedule and blogging (just a day late this week). I've made some great goals for 2012 that I hope to break into smaller goals each week. I have lots of new Etsy items that will be entering my shop at some point this week, and I'm doing well health-wise. 2012 should be a great year!

Here are my goals for this week:
Professional--
--list all valentine set designs in Etsy shop
--finish existing orders from Dec.
--work on new party theme designs w/ Modern Renaissance
--try to get my valentines in a local shop for January and February
--blog all week

Personal--
--read The Chronicles of Harris Burdick
--continue to eat mostly vegetarian and healthy choices for snacks
--take it easy while weaning off of this medicine this week and next

Household--
--clean and organize laundry room
--clean and organize scrapbook room
--organize kitchen island drawers and storage
--dishes, laundry, etc.

Monday Goals for the Week

2011-11-28T13:39:00.000-08:00

I had a really productive week last week and finished most of the items on that list at some point. This week, I'm hoping to finish organizing for the holidays and more.

Household
--mop all floors
--put away S too small clothes, summer clothes, etc.
--order Christmas cards from Shutterfly (which I'll be blogging about this week, too)

Professional
--ship all orders
--get ready for Saturday's craft show
--take photos of new party supply themes and items
--start planning shop restructuring for new year

Personal
--finish reading One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
--walk on treadmill

Monday Goals for the Week!

2011-11-21T06:13:00.000-08:00

Last week was a no blog week for me due to a few minor health issues, but we're back to feeling better around our house. I did have a great birthday last week. :)

This week is going to be crazy w/ the holidays, travel, and my Etsy shop sales. Here are my goals for the week:

Household
--get oil change and tires rotated on car
--grocery shopping
--get most of the holiday shopping done (Friday)
--finish and order holiday cards from Shutterfly
--general cleaning, laundry, recycling, etc.

Professional
--get ready for the upcoming Black Friday, Small Business Saturday, and Cyber Monday sales in my Etsy and Artfire shops!! More details coming soon.

Personal
--dentist to get tooth fixed (again)
--organize holiday gift-giving lists for Friday and map out shopping plan

Thursday Tutorials--DIY Dishwasher Soap

2011-11-10T07:29:00.000-08:00

I found this tutorial at DIY Natural earlier this week, and I made it on Monday. So far, every load of dishes that I've cleaned in the dishwasher this week has been clean and spotless. I'm so impressed! Check it out for yourself here:
http://www.diynatural.com/simple-effective-jabs-homemade-dishwasher-detergent-rinse-agent/

Wordless Wednesdays--Makeup from last week

2011-11-09T10:32:00.001-08:00

Inspiration Tuesday--DIY Living

2011-11-08T12:00:00.000-08:00

I've read so many blog posts lately on ways to make your own cleaning products, do it yourself (DIY) crafts/ gifts, etc., and I truly am inspired to do more at home this year. I even made my own dishwasher soap today, and it worked fabulously! I'll share that tutorial on Thursday of this week, but it came from this blog:
http://www.diynatural.com/

They include easy to follow DIY tutorials on everything from making your own deodorant, laundry soap, dishwasher soap, and even your own hairspray! I personally am inspired to try the homemade natural mouthwash soon.

Monday Goals for the Week

2011-11-07T04:43:00.001-08:00

After my first craft show of the season last week/ helping at preschool/ etc., I'm actually feeling better this week. Things are starting to come together again, and I hope to have a really productive week before this weekend's craft show. Here are my weekly goals for now, but I'm sure I'll keep adding to them this week:

Professional:
--finish Etsy orders (again)
--list new cards and other items
--prepare for craft show #2 on Saturday

Household:
--clean my scrapbooking room/ office and organize (it's in bad shape after the last month!)
--mop all floors
--make my own dishwasher soap this week!

Personal:
--Library to get books for all 3 of us

Monday Goals for the Week

2011-10-31T07:36:00.000-07:00

So much to get done this week! I'm a bit behind as we're dealing with allergy and possible asthma issues in my household. That meant lots of extra cleaning last week that included stuffed animals, pillows, etc.

Professional
--Etsy orders
--get things together for my craft show on Saturday
--renew and list new items in shop this week

Personal
--not sure I'll have time for me this week, but I hope to spend lots of time each day w/ my girl

Household
--keep up with cleaning and try to figure out what is triggering asthma in the little one
--schedule final deck inspections
--get November birthday cards and gifts

Thursday Tutorials--Paper Trees!

2011-10-27T10:18:00.000-07:00

I found this online and can't wait to try it out for holiday decor and craft shows. Looks like you can make this from thicker cardstock/ paper or fabric using nesting scallops. Enjoy!

Tutorial and photo from:

http://lifestylecrafts.com/blog/nestingscallopstree/

Wordless Wednesday--Soccer

2011-10-26T10:16:00.000-07:00

Inspiration Tuesday--Pinterest!

2011-10-25T06:00:00.000-07:00

I'm beginning to really love Pinterest lately and find that I'm searching there more and more for just about everything. It's my inspiration for new crafts, household projects, and more. This week, I found some new ideas for a few of my organizational pieces from my last Willow House party, and I can't wait to use them around the house.

Monday--Goals for the Week

2011-10-24T06:00:00.000-07:00

I feel like a huge weight has been lifted off of my shoulders now that my orders are caught up. Whew! Here are my goals for this week:

Professional:
--work on items for November craft shows (coaster sets, card sets, post it note holders, etc.)
--relist and list new items in Etsy shop

Household:
--finish planting bushes/ new landscaping outside
--clean closets (downstairs coat closet, linen closet, S's closet, etc.)
--keep up with our meal plan and eating at home more
--take the little one trick-or-treating

Personal:
--find a new book to read
--find a place to volunteer before the holidays
--make time to walk this week
--work on personal scrapbooks

Almost Back to Normal!

2011-10-22T10:00:00.001-07:00

After a whirlwind month and a half, I'm wrapping up the Heartsy deal. All vouchers must be used by Nov. 1st, so I'm finishing up current orders and getting the last of those Heartsy orders coming in. I finally feel like I'm seeing the light and able to get caught up. I have 2 craft shows in November to prepare for, as well as getting the online shops ready for holiday orders.

Back to normal blogging this week!

Monday Weekly Goals

2011-10-04T08:18:00.000-07:00

I didn't quite finish everything up from last week, but here are my goals for this week. We're back on our daily schedule, and I'm restructuring my day a bit to spend more quality time w/ the little one.

Professional
--finish Etsy orders still
--list new items

Household
--stick to our new schedule w/ scheduled playtime, learning time, etc.
--keep house picked up all week
--more quality time with the little one

Personal
--finish K-2 Reading and Math swap and ship
--walking exercise

Monday Weekly Goals!

2011-09-27T11:16:00.001-07:00

It's been forever since I've updated with this Heartsy deal and then our Disney vacation, but I want to get back to blogging. Here are my goals for this week:

Professional--
--Get caught up on Etsy and Artfire orders from Heartsy deal
--list new items for Halloween

Household
--clean house for Willow House party Tuesday night
--decorate for fall

Personal
--work on personal scrapbooks
--walk at least 3x/ week for exercise

Wordless Wednesday--First Day of School

2011-08-31T12:00:00.000-07:00

I apologize for the week long absence from blogging, but I had to finish those 2 graduate classes. Here is the little one's first day of preschool on Monday.

Goals for the Week!

2011-08-30T18:54:00.000-07:00

I'm a little late on this blogpost because I was finishing up some of my goals from last week. The good news is that my two graduate courses are officially completed and mailed in, as well as my teaching license renewal application. Here are my goals for this week:

Household
--start packing for vacation!
--organize travel binder

Professional
--finish current Etsy orders
--list new items like crazy!
--get ready for upcoming Heartsy deal this weekend!

Personal
--create a Disney Princess autograph book for the little one
--make time to work out at least 3 days this week

Inspiration Tuesday--New Valances!

2011-08-23T06:59:00.000-07:00

I'm currently working on valances for our kitchen and eating area. For those who know me well, I'm pretty crafty and love DIY projects. However, fabric is typically my enemy, so this is a big task for me. Here is the inspiration link:

http://www.allthingsthrifty.com/2010/04/tutorial-how-to-hang-window-valance.html

Monday's Goals for the Week

2011-08-22T06:49:00.000-07:00

I've decided to make my Monday posts a more functional post for me, so I'm turning it into a goals for the week post. This is my last full week with the little one before she starts preschool again next Monday. Here are my goals for this week:

Household
--go through all of little one's clothes, sort out school clothes, box up small ones, etc.
--make 2 cornice valances for the downstairs
--general cleaning, laundry, etc.

Professional
--Finish graduate class #1 and mail by Wed.
--Start graduate class #2
--Photograph new items for Etsy shop, get ready for big Sept. deal!

Personal
--Exercise at least 3 days this week

What are your goals this week? Lets motive and conquer!

Wordless Wednesday--New Party Items!

2011-08-11T05:18:00.001-07:00

Inspiration Tuesday--Stay at Home Mommy

2011-08-09T05:50:00.000-07:00

I'm working on some new invitation designs and children's party supplies, and my little designer is right beside me helping pick which monster to use on the monster invitations. She truly is my inspiration, and I'm so thankful that I get to stay home to raise her. The last 4 1/2 years have gone by so quickly.

While home w/ my daughter, my philosophy has changed a bit from the beginning but is basically the same. I want to raise my daughter to respect others and her environment. I want her to know that she's loved and grow up being happy and healthy. We may have switched from baby wearing and attachment parenting, but we still have the same principles now that she's a little older.

We're currently working on learning to read and using www.starfall.com for most of our learning games and stories to read. Learning is and should be fun, and I've been able to find tons of online games and activities that are appropriate for preschool age. She loves them! Here's our latest fun game, courtesy of The Activity Mom blog:
http://activitymom.blogspot.com/2010/09/sight-word-game.html

We use the words from the starfall books (Zac the Rat, etc.) as well as Disney princess names and words. Hope others can find inspiration here, too!

Monday Meetings--Still Setting Up a Few of These

2011-08-08T18:47:00.000-07:00

I'm still working on setting up some "meetings" to introduce you to a few of my favorite shops, blogs, etc. I hope to get these set up soon. In the meantime, have you been to my shops and sites?

www.tscrapper.etsy.com
www.tscrapper.artfire.com
and T and Little S Designs on Facebook. Thanks!

Friday Favorites--Summertime Edition

2011-08-05T06:48:00.000-07:00

Instead of pulling websites and photos from the web, I decided to focus on my favorite summer activities this week. It's been so hot and humid in Ohio this summer that I've sometimes focused on how miserable it is outside instead of taking the time to get out and enjoy summer. Here are some of our favorites:
--Visiting the farmer's markets with lots of local fresh produce
--Outdoor concerts at our local college and museum
--Swimming with the family
--Reading with my little girl on the front porch
--Lemonade and Sweet Tea
--Our laid back schedule with more real learning built in throughout each day
--Lots of art time

I could definitely keep going, but I'll stop for now. What are your summertime favorites?

Creative Thursday--Cupcake Wrapper Tutorial

2011-08-04T06:34:00.001-07:00

Another Thursday for techniques, and I have a great one to try this week. I've seen adorable cupcake wrappers throughout the web, and I've really wanted to take a chance and make my own to go with my party supplies and cupcake toppers. It just seems like a natural fit, right? Here's a great tutorial with printable template that I found this week:
http://www.utterlyengaged.com/diy-cupcake-wrapper-tutorial-by-snow-graham/

Enjoy! If you give this a try, post your results in the comments so we can take a look.

Wordless Wednesday--Party Hat Time!

2011-08-02T15:59:00.001-07:00

Thinking about adding these to my shop in a variety of designs. Thoughts?

Inspiration Tuesday--What I Want My Home to Look and Feel Like

2011-08-02T05:41:00.000-07:00

I love warm, bold colors and a cozy, yet contemporary style. It's sometimes really hard to mix that with family life and a busy 4 year old running around, so this week's Etsy Decor article was perfect for me. It has the look and feel that I want throughout my home--organized, lots of color, warm cozy feel, and family friendly. All photos shown below are from this Etsy article: http://www.etsy.com/blog/en/2011/get-the-look-decor-modern-family/?ref=fp_blog_title and all photos are by MeringueDesigns.

Monday Ramblings Blog Post--August 1!!

2011-08-01T06:33:00.000-07:00

I can't believe that today is August 1st, and my little one starts back to preschool in 4 weeks from today. She attends a local cooperative preschool for 3 afternoons each week in the 4/5 year old class, and she absolutely loves it there. Until then, we have a few things planned to keep us busy.

This week, we're starting swimming lessons Mon-Thurs for 1/2 hour each day. We also have her last Sat. class this week and a playdate worked in there. We're really hoping that the weather will be a little cooler so we can play at the park, but I'm not sure that's going to happen.

I desperately need to work on my graduate classes as today means that I have exactly one month to finish and submit these 2 classes. Yikes! I'm also hoping to work on our vacation scrapbooks this month and list new Etsy items in my shop. Can we say "busy?"

I've found that I work better with smaller goals each day, so my weekly items have been broken down into managable tasks each day. Wish me luck! What's on your agenda this week?

Friday Favorites--PicnicBasketCrafts on Etsy!

2011-07-28T14:07:00.000-07:00

If you have dry skin or are just looking for all-natural skin care and other products, let me tell you about Tiffany from Picnic Basket Crafts. She's a science teacher who really knows the science behind the ingredients she uses plus she's just an extremely helpful Etsy seller who can answer all of your questions. She truly knows her stuff and can even customize her products just for you.

http://www.picnicbasketcrafts.etsy.com/

I recently tried her Apricot and Avocado hand and body lotion for my dry skin, and she was also able to add Zinc Oxide to it for an everyday SPF in my moisturizer. I love how my skin feels and knowing that I'm not using anything harmful. At this point, I've switched my entire skin care products to using only items from her shop, and I love it.

I've also tried many of her cleaning products with great results, too. I highly recommend her shop, and you have nothing to lose. Seriously, you can try samples for only 20cents!

http://www.etsy.com/listing/63301544/try-me-1st-you-pick-a-sample-selection

Thursday Techniques--Rain Gutter Bookshelves

2011-07-28T05:01:00.001-07:00

Little S has so many books in book baskets all over the house and really loves to read. If she's not drawing or creating art, she tends to be reading, and we really need better book storage ideas. While I'm still hoping to get a bookcase for her bedroom, I absolutely love this idea for her playroom, and it's a project I'm planning soon.

Image taken from the original blogpost here:

http://www.mustlovebabies.net/2011/07/rain-gutter-bookshelves.html

Wordless Wednesday--Perfectly Cute and Content

2011-07-27T00:00:00.000-07:00

Picture is a month old, but better late than never, right? She thought she was being so cute here.

Inspiration Tuesday--Master Bedroom Ideas

2011-07-26T07:02:00.000-07:00

We bought our current home (aka the one for the next 30 years) almost 2 years ago, and while it had great bones and lots of upgrades, we are slowly working to make it look and feel more like us. The family that built the home and lived here before us were in their mid-fifties were 3 older kids and definitely did not have our sense of style, color, etc. I typically like clean, contemporary design w/ lots of colors--not shabby chic or whatever her style.

While my hubby is working hard on our new deck and patio, I'm still trying to come up w/ some master bedroom ideas. I'm planning the room around our mission style bedroom set, which we love, and our new black and white comforter set. I'd love to do a gray/ black/ white/ red scheme.

I've included a few designs that I love sprinkled throughout this post. Let me know your ideas! It takes me forever to pick out a design I love. In our last home, the master bedroom was a deep red, and I loved it. Hope to love this one soon, too.

Monday Meet and Greet--Introducing Me!

2011-07-25T12:00:00.000-07:00

I know that some of you have been a follower of this blog for awhile, but I'd like to reintroduce myself. My name is Traci, and I am a former elementary school teacher turned stay-at-home Mommy to an energetic little 4 1/2 year old girl. My life revolves around raising our daughter, working on my online shops at Etsy and Artfire, and keeping our household running smoothly. After staying at home for the last 4 years, I've learned a tremendous amount about myself, including running a part-time business while parenting and how I want to raise our daughter. All of this has evolved over the last few years and continues to grow and change. Welcome to my the inside look at my journey as a wife, mom, creative business owner, part-time homeschooling family, and more.

Here's where I'm at currently--
Personal--trying to keep our house organized, finding daily routines that work for my family (the little one and myself during the day), finishing teaching recertification classes before Sept. 1st
Business--updating my shops, developing new party items and a more cohesive line
Mom--teaching my daughter to read, looking for reading/ math/ and science homeschooling activities for preschoolers. My daughter attends a cooperative preschool during the school year and will attend 3 half days this fall. My homeschooling is in addition to her learning there.

Questions? I'm sure I forgot to mention several things, but I hope you enjoyed getting to know me. More to come in the future...

New Blog Schedule This Week!

2011-07-24T06:56:00.000-07:00

Here's my upcoming schedule that I'm really going to try and stick with this week. I'll try it, review it, and then modify whatever needs changed to work more with my life.

Monday--Meet and Greets (brief introductions of me, some of my crafty friends and teammates, etc.)
Tuesday--Inspiration Tuesday (typically something Mommy or home related)
Wednesday--Wordless Wednesday (a picture or two of how our week is going, something we've tried, etc.)
Thursday--Creative Thursday (things I want to try, new techniques and tutorials, etc.)
Friday--Friday Finds (some of my favorite links, items, blogposts, etc. from around the web)

I'm so excited to finally get this figured out in a way that makes sense and fits in my life right now. There will still be lots of T and Little S Designs items mixed in with the Mommy, home life, homeschooling, etc. Stay tuned!

I Finally Figured It Out!

2011-07-22T09:02:00.000-07:00

I finally have my new blog ideas figured out. In my quest to be a crafter, Etsy business, stay-at-home Mom, and learn more about homeschooling ideas, I've decided that this blog can be a mix of those parts of my life. I'm going to keep the same blog here w/ the same name, but the content will be much more varied and focus on whatever I'm working on in my life. Right now, that could be homeschooling some during the summer and working on beginning to read activities with my 4 1/2 year old.

Next week will be my first week back to blogging and my new blogging schedule. I promise to share lots of information, links to other blogs, tutorials, and of course, new Etsy items from time to time. Thanks for sticking with me!

Back to Blogging?

2011-05-25T14:01:00.000-07:00

It's been almost 6 months since I've blogged, and I'm finally getting to the point where I miss it. I'm working through a few new ideas, so that I have more ideas to blog about besides just T and Little S Designs. I would like to talk about my life as a Mom to a busy preschooler, balancing Mama time w/ creative time, and featuring other artists. Stay tuned for a new schedule and more blogging!

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!

2010-12-24T14:43:00.000-08:00

I know it's been forever since I posted, but I wanted to take a few minutes to thank everyone for a fabulous year for T and Little S Designs. I have so many new designs planned for the new year, but I will be taking a few days off to spend time with my family.

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to all!

cards 2010

2010-11-29T10:29:00.001-08:00

Full Of Love Christmas Card

Make a statement with custom Christmas cards at Shutterfly.

View the entire collection of cards.

Planning for an Early Christmas Here

2010-10-28T06:51:00.000-07:00

I'm feeling a little short on time this year with holiday preparations. We scheduled our vacation for the beginning of December, so I really need to have everything mostly finished and ready before we leave, including cards in the mail. Instead of handcrafting my cards this year, I've decided to use holiday photo cards from Shutterfly. I've always been impressed w/ the quality of their prints and my share site through Shutterfly, so I plan to use their holiday photo cards.
http://www.shutterfly.com/cards-stationery/christmas-photo-cards

I'm still deciding between a flat or folded card, but here are a few of my favorites (along with my daughter's favorites):

This card is her favorite (I'm sure due to the pink), and I love how colorful and non-traditional it is for holiday cards. I think it's definitely fitting for a family with a preschool daughter.
http://www.shutterfly.com/cards-stationery/cards-stationery/celebrate-family-christmas-card-5x7-flat?sortType=1&storeNode=93491

This is my personal favorite. I love the classic look of the holly branch w/ the modern look of the black and the text box at the bottom. Pretty sure, I'll go with this one for at least part of them. It's really hard to choose, but I know that any design I pick will go beautifully with our family photos that we had taken in October.
http://www.shutterfly.com/cards-stationery/cards-stationery/golly-holly-jolly-christmas-card-5x7-flat?sortType=1&storeNode=93491

If you're looking for holiday cards for your family, Shutterfly is currently running a promotion for 20% off all holiday cards. Go here to check them out for yourself:
http://www.shutterfly.com/cards-stationery

I hope I've saved you some time this holiday season! Don't forget that they also have matching address labels, gift tags, and even Christmas birth announcements!
http://www.shutterfly.com/

Two New Artfire Collections!

2010-10-12T04:52:00.000-07:00

I've been in quite a few Artfire collections lately since updating to a pro account. The latest two feature my Pumpkin placemats and my Origami tree card for Christmas. All details are on my facebook fan page since I'm not able to copy and paste links here. Thanks!

It's My Etsy-Versary Sale!!!

2010-10-08T05:44:00.000-07:00

My 3 year Etsy-versary was last week, October 1st!!! At the time (and presently) I had stitches in my left thumb for a recent dinner accident. These are coming out tomorrow, and I'm ready for a sale! So, here are the details....

www.tscrapper.etsy.com

From Friday-Sunday this weekend (10/8-10/10 at midnight EST), all items in my shop are 20% off! This is my biggest sale of the year each year, as I'm so excited to celebrate! Please use code "3 years" in the notes to seller and the 20% will be promptly refunded via Paypal. Thanks so much for all of your support over the past 3 years!

A Product Review and Giveaway with my New Placemats!

2010-09-17T09:16:00.000-07:00

Want to win a set of my new fall/ winter placemats? There's a review and giveaway on this blog:

http://frugalfinds4moms.blogspot.com/2010/09/t-and-little-s-designs-custom-made.html

Good luck!

Looking for Me Online?

2010-09-16T07:03:00.000-07:00

I've been in several treasuries on Etsy over the last week, and I'm currently participating in Blog-o-mania over on The Very Best Housewife's blog. Since I'm having trouble posting links to sites on my blog, please make sure you've signed on as a Facebook Fan to T and Little S Designs for updated information, new item images, and more.

FYI--my 3 year Etsy-versary is in a few weeks! Stay tuned !

Wordless Wednesday--New Coasters

2010-09-08T16:11:00.001-07:00

Passport Covers!

2010-09-07T06:20:00.000-07:00

Another new item for my shop is passport covers. I just created these, and I'm so excited about them. They're a great way to jazz up your standard passport by sliding it into the sleeves of these cute covers! They'll also make it easier to find your passport, distinguish it from others, and add some personality. These are $4 each.

Wordless Wednesday--First Day of Preschool

2010-09-01T15:20:00.000-07:00

Busy Week Ahead--New Work Schedule!

2010-08-30T00:00:00.000-07:00

This week is my daughter's first year in the 3 year old preschool class at school, which is a drop off program. She'll go 2 days per week for 2 1/2 hours each day, and while I'll miss her terribly, I'm also slightly excited about the possibility of an actual uninterrupted work schedule! So, my main work days for my Etsy shop will now be Tues/ Thurs afternoons each week, and I have some fabulous new checkbook covers, passport covers, and more coaster sets to list (including Travertine/ tumble tile sets!)

Thanks for sticking w/ me over this busy summer. I've struggled a bit w/ doing a weekly artisan Market in Granville and maintaining enough stock on hand for that each week plus keeping up with Etsy orders, etc.

Wordless Wednesday--Custom Order Placemats

2010-08-11T10:37:00.001-07:00

Some recent custom orders

New Collaboration on Coasters!

2010-08-06T07:57:00.000-07:00

I've recently paired up with Lenise of LeniseAlexandra, a local artist that I met at the Granville Maker's Market. We started with mixed sets of 4 coasters using her fairy prints, and I love how they turned out! It's such an affordable way to own custom art and a great conversation piece. For now, we will be selling these locally at the Granville Maker's Market each Saturday and taking orders through my blog and Facebook page. Let me know your thoughts and if you're interested!

You can find more of her art at www.lenisealexandra.etsy.com .

So Many New Designs!

2010-07-26T14:20:00.000-07:00

If you haven't been in my shop lately, I have so many new party designs listed! From bees and children's characters to animals and more, I've been busy to create a great lineup of custom options for your party or event. I'm currently working on a line of fall/ winter and holiday cupcake toppers, placemats and more, too.

What would you like to see? Personalized placemats for leaving your milk and cookies for Santa? Bats and Pumpkin cupcake toppers? Let me know. :)

Wordless Wednesday--Little S's New Bathroom

2010-07-13T19:26:00.001-07:00

Amazing new paint job--so girly!

Wordless Wednesday--Our New Playground

2010-07-07T17:56:00.000-07:00

I know I've bragged about my hubby and his handiwork before, but he really is pretty amazing. He designed and built our new playground for Little S, and we love it. He consulted her for what features she wanted in her playground and then went to work. Here's the final project w/ swings, slide, ladder, rock climbing wall, inside play space, and steering wheel. :)

Featured This Week

2010-07-06T13:58:00.000-07:00

I'm currently featured in two spots on the web this week--featured sponsor at The Very Best Housewife blog:
http://verybesthousewife.blogspot.com/2010/07/crafty-gal-free-shipping.html

and again on the CutCardstock blog:
www.cutcardstock.blogspot.com

Thanks!

Happy 4th!

2010-07-04T15:37:00.001-07:00

I've had a great weekend so far, as we've visited the local fair, 2 fireworks displays, and spent lots of time w/ the inlaws and family. I hope that everyone takes the time this weekend to realize how truly lucky we are to have the many freedoms that we do in this country!

Two New Cards Featuring CutCardstock!

2010-06-30T19:21:00.000-07:00

I recently accepted a custom order from cutcardstock.com to create 2 new cards featuring their papers, cards, and envelopes. I jumped at the chance to try new scrapbooking supplies, and it was well worth it. Their papers arrived quickly and are gorgeous!

http://www.cutcardstock.com/

Here are the two cards that I created:

--fall-themed card using their white blank notecard along with matted layers of Red Lacquer, Cognac, and Serpentine metallic cardstocks. I then used leaf diecuts in the various colors above plus Olive and Antique Gold to create this classic, elegant fall card. These pictures really do not do justice to this beautiful metallic paper. The sheen really dresses up the card, and I think it could be perfect for fall-themed wedding cards. It's finished off with a ribbon by Stampin' Up.

--spring/ summer handstamped butterfly card using the white blank notecard from cutcardstock.com along with matted layers of Hot Chocolate and Blue Raspberry cardstocks. I then handstamped butterflies using various spring/ summer ink colors onto their white cardstock before punching the butterflies out w/ a square punch and adhering them to the matted layers. The card is completed with a polka dot ribbon from Stampin' Up and a birthday sentiment.'

I absolutely loved working with this company and creating a few items using their cardstock. To learn more, please visit http://www.cutcardstock.com/

Thanks!

Wordless Wednesday--A Clean Scrapbooking Room

2010-06-30T05:27:00.000-07:00

is Priceless! As I'm getting ready for the July challenges, I had to start by cleaning my space and reorganizing a bit

Preparing for the July Scrapbooking Challenges

2010-06-26T11:19:00.000-07:00

I spent this past weekend really trying to get organized for my upcoming July scrapbooking challenge. Sat--uploading and ordering photos that I might need. Sunday and Monday--putting together some page kits using supplies I already have on hand. This is a great way to speed up your scrapping and make the most of your time when you do scrapbook. I'm doing it tomorrow so that I can see what supplies I might need to buy still to create the pages I'm going to be working on in July.

If you're not familiar w/ creating page kits, there are some great online resources that describe how to sort through your supplies and put together themed kits w/ your photos. It really helps you see what you might need. Gallon and 2 gallon freezer bags are a great way to organize these and can be used over and over. Look for more blog posts throughout July. Enjoy your last few days of spending before we start our no-buy in July challenge!

July Scrapbooking Challenge Details

2010-06-24T09:26:00.000-07:00

I'm really far behind on my own scrapbooking and lacking the motivation to really get started on it again. So, I've decided to see if there are others out there like me to help motivate each other. Here are the details for my Use Your Stash Page Challenge for July:

--You may not purchase anything except scrapbooking adhesive or photo/ film developing in the month of July. Stock up now on anything you may need! We'll use the honor system on this one, but if you purchase other supplies, then you're out of this part of the challenge. Lets use up those supplies we have lying around collecting dust!
--Set a page goal for the month of July--as many as you feel comfortable completing or need to complete. The focus is on meeting your goal NOT who does the most pages for the month. Challenge yourself to get some pages accomplished!
--I will be providing prizes from my stash to the winners from both challenges--use your stash and page goals. Both digital and traditional scrapbook styles are welcome in this one. :)

What to do until July 1st--
1. sign up on this blog post or on my Facebook Fan page so I can get a list together. Names and email addresses will be helpful.
2. Order photos, purchase supplies, organize your scrapbook room/ supplies so you'll be ready to go once July 1st gets here next week. Remember, no purchasing new supplies in the new month!
3. If you make page kits to speed up the process, feel free to get started organizing your page kits.

I need this challenge more than anyone, and I'm so excited! Hopefully a few of you will decide to join the challenges with me. I promise to help make it fun for all of us!

Wordless Wednesday--Fathers Day Fun

2010-06-23T05:39:00.001-07:00

We really had such a great Father's Day weekend, and one of the fun moments was watching our 3 year old chase the ducks at Ye Olde Mill.

Happy Monday!

2010-06-21T05:32:00.000-07:00

I decided to really spend some time this week sharing some of my recent custom orders. I've had several birthday orders and just haven't had time to share on here or on Etsy. Enjoy!

We have a winner!

2010-06-20T06:21:00.000-07:00

RANDOM.ORG - Integer Widget: "True Random Number Generator

Min:
Max:
Result:
1"

4" Chalkboard Flowerpot Giveaway!

2010-06-14T15:20:00.000-07:00

I've decided that it's been forever since I've had a giveaway on my blog, and I'd love to offer one of my new 4" chalkboard flowerpots in your choice of colors. I love how these turned out! Also, these will be added to my Etsy and Artfire shops in the next day or so (hopefully tonight!). Mention code "blog giveaway" in the notes to seller and save 10% on the flowerpots this week.

To enter, leave a comment below listing a use for these flowerpots or how you would use it if you won one. Contest is open to U.S. residents only due to the cost of shipping.

For extra entries, you may do the following and leave a separate comment for each.

--become a Facebook Fan of T and Little S Designs

--follow my blog

--heart my Etsy shop (tscrapper)

--tweet about my giveaway

--blog about my giveaway

Contest ends this Saturday, June 19th at midnight and winner will be chosen by random.org and announced on Sunday. Enjoy!

Granville Maker's Market Today

2010-06-12T04:40:00.000-07:00

If you're local to the central Ohio area, you really should make it a day and drive to Granville. Every Saturday is the local farmer's market and Maker's Market, and I'm planning to be a part of the Maker's Market as many Saturdays as I can over the summer. I'll be there from 9-1 today, and I'd love to see you!

Wordless Wednesday--Strawberry Picking

2010-06-08T18:25:00.000-07:00

This is why I love summer--a happy little girl! :)

Friday Favorites from Etsy Team Columbus

2010-06-04T05:33:00.001-07:00

This week, I decided to focus on my Etsy Team Columbus. Here are a few of my favorites from the Etsy search that would be great Father's Day gifts:

My Daddy is.... Artwork by Grace Hester Designs

Father's Day Poster by Grace Hester Designs

Zippered Box Pouch in Brown Herringbone by Sewdarnsimple

Dads Robot Ipod/ Droid/ Camera Case Cover by ArtsiBitsi

Set of 4 Ceramic Photo Coasters by T and Little S Designs

Wordless Wednesday--Daddy's Helper

2010-06-02T13:02:00.000-07:00

Here are my 2 favorite people building little S's new playground in the backyard. :)

Fabulous Giveaway from One of My Etsy Buddies!

2010-06-01T10:03:00.000-07:00

Do you love the look of custom wooden letters in the nursery/ child's room, etc.? Me, too, and while I can make them myself, winning them would be even better. Jessica from Bugga Love on Etsy is giving away a set of her custom wooden letters right now on the Etsy Baby Shower blog:
http://etsybabyshower.blogspot.com

Good luck!

My New Daily Schedule

2010-05-27T04:59:00.000-07:00

After determining again that I don't have enough hours in the day to get everything finished, I've determined that I need to really set up some time blocks during my day. (Thanks for the idea, Andrea!) My main focus is taking care of our daughter and playing with her each day, but I want to fit in time to work my Etsy business as well as take care of the housework, etc. It's definitely going to be a work in progress, but here it goes:

8-10AM Check emails, work on Etsy orders, prepare pkgs. for mailing, etc.
10-2 Play, lunch, more playing outside
2-3 pm Naptime?, check convos and work on orders, etc.
3-8pm Play, housework, make dinner, etc.

Wordless Wednesday--Growing Up Too Fast

2010-05-26T04:53:00.001-07:00

Today is the last day of Little S's 2s preschool year. We're part of a Mommy/ Me class at our local co-op preschool in Granville, and I've loved attending preschool with her one day each week. Next year, she gets dropped off 2x each week, and while I'll be able to work on my business more during that time, I'll miss her terribly.

Looking For an Eco-Friendly, Cool Thing to Do Around Columbus This Weekend?

2010-05-21T12:45:00.000-07:00

Look no further! This weekend is the second annual Eco-Chic Craftacular event presented by Etsy Team Columbus!

Sat., May 22nd from 10-6pm
Sun, May 23rd from 12-5pm

at the Whetstone Community Center, 3923 N. High St., Clintonville.

A portion of the proceeds go to Whetstone Community Center and Local Matters to promote green living in our communities. Yay!

Please visit www.columbuscraftacular.com for more details.

A Busy, Fun, Productive, and Profitable Day Today

2010-05-20T17:25:00.000-07:00

After a late night finishing up coasters and chalkboard flowerpots last night, we started our day today w/ music class this morning. After that, we drove to the Pink Moon Cupcake Bakery to drop off my new chalkboard flowerpots in the shop! Yay! From there, off to the zoo to play for a few hours before meeting up w/ a new local Etsy customer who wanted to purchase a party banner for her wedding as well as several sets of ceramic coasters for her bridal party and others. It went really well.

I'm happy and proud that my day went really well, but we're exhausted around here tonight!

Total Blog Neglect--Again!

2010-05-17T17:58:00.001-07:00

I admit, I have good intentions, but time keeps getting away from me lately. I am a real human being that just cannot find enough hours in the day to play with my busy 3 year old, keep our household running smoothly, keep my business running smoothly, and find time to blog a few times each week about interesting examples and such. I swear when I finally get time to take pictures of my recent custom orders, I will be posting again with real info. Thanks for hanging in there with me in the meantime! :)

Happy Mother's Day!

2010-05-08T19:33:00.001-07:00

I plan to spend tomorrow with my family and beautiful little girl. :)

Use code "MOMSROCK!" through midnight on Sunday night for 20% off of your order in my Etsy or Artfire shops. Refunds will be sent through Paypal and include custom orders of my coasters, notecards/ invites, or my new chalkboard flowerpots!

Alice in Wonderland Mad Hatter Order

2010-04-19T07:22:00.001-07:00

Hello! It's been forever since I've posted, but I'm really planning on keeping this blog more up-to-date. I just finished up a Mad Hatter order for an upcoming party and wanted to share how great these black and white images look on the red cardstock and tile. I love how they turned out! The ordered included coordinating centerpiece skewers, too. Let me know what you think.

Happy Easter!

2010-04-04T08:39:00.001-07:00

I hope that everyone has a fabulous weekend w/ family and friends this weekend while remembering the true meaning of the holiday.

Happy Mail from Two Chicks Designs!

2010-04-01T14:14:00.000-07:00

After the last few months of health problems, I really needed a little something to cheer me up, and I just happened to win a March scrapbooking kit from Two Chicks Designs! I was so impressed with the size of the kit, as well as the variety of paper and materials, that I had to share. To find out more about them and go shopping online, please visit http://www.twochicksdesigns.com/

Enjoy!

Custom Luggage Tags

2010-03-22T08:42:00.000-07:00

After seeing the new owl design, Little S decided that she needed an owl luggage tag for vacation. Here it is:

Custom luggage tags will be relisted in my shop soon!

Friday Favorites w/ Some New Spring Items!

2010-03-19T08:07:00.000-07:00

I'm heading out on vacation tomorrow through Sunday, March 28th, but I wanted to post some sneak peaks of new items that will be in my shop when I get back. The first--owl party supplies w/ a new owl design created by Merrilee at ModernRenaissance. I love it! I'll be adding an owl party kit, as well as the toppers, birthday banner, placemats, and more. Colors can be customized to your party.

I'm also starting to add outlet covers/ switch plates to my shop in my choice of patterns. Love how these are turning out, too. Enjoy!

My New Stamp Shelf!

2010-03-08T04:51:00.000-08:00

I know I've posted before about my amazing scrapbooking table w/ organizing cubes and the computer desk w/ shelves that my hubby built for my scrapbooking room, but he's done it again. I gave him a simple idea that I found online for stamp storage, and he truly took that idea and made a beautiful piece for my room. It's so nice that I can now see the stamps that I have and can find them much faster instead of rooting through boxes. (all of my stamps minus my alphabet stamps ) Yay! Let me know what you think. He loves feedback and positive comments. :)

Updates

2010-03-07T16:19:00.000-08:00

Due to some medical issues the last few months, I've been cutting back on items in my shop, blog posts, etc. I'm hoping that after the appt. w/ the specialist tomorrow, I can start getting back into my normal routine. I promise to post some new pictures soon. Thanks for being patient and sticking with me! :)

Etsy Baby Shower Gifts!

2010-02-21T13:40:00.001-08:00

Once again, I'm participating in the Etsy Baby Shower where shop owners can sign up to donate items to Etsy Mamas-to-be. My Etsy Mom-to-be just had twins and is receiving 2 Custom Baby Keepsake Trivets w/ easels from me as a beautiful reminder of the day her twin boys were born. These nursery decor items match her nursery colors and each details the names, birthdate, weight, and length of her new little boys.

I hope she loves the Keepsake Trivets as much as I do! Congrats!

Recent Custom Orders--Lots of Pictures!

2010-02-19T06:12:00.000-08:00

I've been really busy lately with custom orders and planning my own daughter's birthday party, but I think it's time to share pictures of my latest work. I'd love your feedback--enjoy!

Olympics mini-journal:

Abby Cadabby and Zoe party supplies, including placemats, water bottle labels, party sign, and more:

Dora the Explorer cupcake toppers:

Ugh--Total Blog Neglect

2010-02-02T15:26:00.000-08:00

I apologize that it's been awhile since I've really added anything interesting to my blog. I've been swamped with valentine and custom orders plus Little S and I have both been sick. The good news is that my shop has never been busier on Etsy plus I just got another large order today from Artfire. Yay!

I promise more pictures and interesting reading, more new items, etc. to come once things settle down a bit. :)

Valentine's Day Cut-off Date

2010-01-27T07:45:00.000-08:00

My Valentine's Day cut-off date is next Saturday, February 6th to ensure delivery for classroom parties. If you need to order classroom valentine cards, please do so in the next week. Thanks!

Wordless Wednesdays--Monkey Ballerina Party

2010-01-20T12:29:00.000-08:00

Super cute, need I say more?

Wordless Wednesday--Daddy's Helper

2010-01-13T17:12:00.000-08:00

My husband is amazing at building things, and his little helper is proud of his work on his new desk.

Blog Feature!

2010-01-11T05:50:00.001-08:00

My pirate birthday invitations were recently purchased and featured by fellow Etysian, Giggleberry, on her blog. Enjoy!

http://giggleberrycreations.blogspot.com/2010/01/pirate-party-planning-arrrrr.html

Classroom Valentine Card Sets

2010-01-08T09:09:00.000-08:00

I'm now offering sets of 20 classroom valentines cards in my shop in owl, monkey, lion, cupcake, or a mixed set! I love how they turned out and already have a few more ideas planned--pirate, birds, etc. Options include having your child's name printed on the front of the cards, hole punch w/ ribbon for tying onto treats, or envelopes. Enjoy!

http://www.tscrapper.etsy.com/

Busy w/ Valentine's Day ideas!

2010-01-05T09:19:00.000-08:00

I'm busy working on kids valentines card sets, Valentine's Day cupcake toppers and banners, and more for the shop. Hubby has the memory card for the camera at his office, but I'm hoping to post pictures and get them listed in my shop tomorrow.

Any ideas for boys valentine cards?

My Etsy Business in 2010

2010-01-02T00:00:00.000-08:00

I think I mentioned on here awhile back that I started using my Etsy earnings towards things for the new house. To this point, I've purchased a buffet for the dining room, curtains for 4 rooms, a new bagless vacuum cleaner, several things from my Signature Homestyles party a few weeks back, some wall decor, and some other knick-knacks. I've truly purchased every little thing for the new house w/ my Paypal debit card and Etsy earnings. It's so gratifying to know that my hobby has now turned into a way to really help out around the house, and I love it.

The new year's purchases will bring more curtains, more things to decorate, and the big one--drywall and materials to finish the basement. (a few pieces at a time, I'm sure!)

Time to Stock Up on Notecards!!

2009-12-31T14:48:00.000-08:00

January 1-14th, get a great deal on 3x3 notecards for your shop or on blank notecard sets to stock up for the new year!

--40 3x3 notecards for $4!

--all standard notecard sets w/ envelopes are BOGO 1/2 off!

www.tscrapper.etsy.com

Happy New Year!

2009-12-31T00:00:00.000-08:00

I hope that everyone has had a wonderful holiday season and is looking forward to the new year. I have some big plans for T and Little S Designs in 2010 and can't wait to share some new product lines, designs, goals, and more with all of you in the coming days. Happy New Year!

Wordless Wednesday--Enjoying the Beautiful Snow

2009-12-23T06:00:00.000-08:00

It just looks like a winter wonderland--perfect for this time of year!

One of My New Items--6x6 Quote Trivets!

2009-12-22T06:40:00.000-08:00

This new addition to my shop came from a customer's request, and I love how it turned out! It can be an inspirational piece, beautiful home decor, or a functional trivet. Let me know what you think.

Etsy Team Columbus Giveaway Ends Tomorrow!

2009-12-15T16:37:00.000-08:00

I submitted sample magnets again this month for the ETC team variety boxes, and I must say that the boxes look great again this month. December followed a "green" theme, and you can win your very own box for free here:

http://etsyteamcolumbus.blogspot.com/2009/12/win-gift-basket-from-etc.html