It's FRIDAY!

Friday...the day I look forward to every Monday morning. Finally here. But Friday doesn't really mean much these days, just the launch of a weekend filled with birthday parties, baseball games and cleaning the house (yuck). For the lucky few there's a night out with friends, some amazing wine or beer, excellent food and if you're really blessed in the hip-parent genre, some dancing in a club where you sweat on the 'flo and share the potty with the boys.

Yeah, some weekends are like that for me, but they are far and few between. I feel like a 5-year-old at a cotton candy stand when I find out I'm going out -- not just for a movie and dinner, but a real night out. For some time now I've been happy getting out and having some breathing room. These days, I'm hungry for something more, a night of debauchery that includes a shot of something strong, a cocktail or 2 (not beer or wine) and dancing in the midst of strangers, shaking my tush and tossing my hair. I haven't done those things since my 20s, in NYC.

And what's wrong with wanting something more once in a while? Something racy, something spicy, something that reignites that loose, sexy and frivolous girl I once was? I hope you all have that moment to let go and have some fun beyond the big screen and pizza...

GIVEAWAY: Can You Help ME Do This??

I've never done a giveaway on my blog, but getting the impression it's the "in" thing to do in the blogger world (oh my, how I never thought I'd type those words...). So I'm going to try and capitalize on this and see if people really do care about helping others out in the non-committal world that is the internet.

Help My Little Nuggets reach 400 fans on Facebook. Just comment on this thread that you're my friend on FB, then I'll randomly select one person to receive TWO rosette headbands (of my choice). Who doesn't want to be wearing these chic headbands around town this summer?? (Please do not respond if you don't, because that would be downright bitchy). Also, after this giveaway please don't unfriend me on FB (because that would be downright bitchy).

Now, don't try and pull a fast one either! I will go back to my FB page and make sure I see your name, so make sure you post a comment below with your store or name, if it's different than the one you use for blogging.

Now...off to the races!

ETSY Store with a Fresh Twist

You know we've seen them and can make them -- and most of us put them on clippies and pins. But I came across a fresh concept on how to use burnt-edged flowers that was so new, so different, I couldn't help but share this discovery...

Check out amborela -- one of my favorite stores to window shop on etsy.  Look at the smart and gentle way these little singed flowers are used in Speckled Robbin Egg Flowers.  Peach Pink Blossoms would be a gorgeous piece of art in any little girls room. The painting I covet the most -- since it would be an unbelievable addition to my living room -- is Hot Cocoa With Marshmallows Tree.

I'm sharing this store in hopes that it will bring inspiration and ideas to your art & crafting. Enjoy!

Great Adult to Toddler Tee Tut

I wish I could give myself all the credit for finding this amazingly easy, brilliant and adorable tutorial, but alas, I found it by following Craft Gossip (which, if you aren't already, follow this blog!). 

I bought a very basic, very cheap sewing machine a few months back and have used it to sew strips of fabric to make rosettes -- and 2 pillowcase dresses (but cheated, I used pillowcases b/c I'm afraid to sew a straight seam). No matter what, I can't sew a seam, but I'm not giving up.

Anyways, back to the point. Craft Gossip featured this unbelievable tutorial from The Mother Huddle -- it's how to repurpose an adult tee into an adorably ruched toddler tee. This tutorial seems easy enough for an extreme beginner, like myself and I think I will give myself a challenge for next week: make this shirt. How many of us have shirts we just won't wear again, for so many reasons (stains, too small, too big, that coral-pink color was pretty in the store, but...) and what better way to use them? Just a snip here, stitch there and your toddler will have a unique and hip shirt.

Which leads me to a random thought, I may start a personal challenge page on My Little Nuggets -- tracking the challenges I give myself -- and you! Email mylittlenuggets@gmail.com with the tutorial you're tackling and any documentation you have of facing off with it, and we'll start a little dialogue. Great way for all of us to test the waters and give feedback.

Just. Can't. Do. It.

All day I have visions of ribbons and clippies bouncing around in my head. Every time I see a little girl with a headband on, and I realize "that's something I can do!" I get a little twinge in my belly -- like I missed out on an opportunity to get my brand out there. Do I jump out of the car while waiting in the carpool lane to hand the little girl my card -- "Give this to your momma!" -- and scare the sh*t out of her? When walking around town and I see a momma with her little princess, decked out in a giant bow, hand her my card and say "I have what you need lady, support handmade stuff"...

I have yet to take that giant leap toward marketing. I know how to do it, hell, that was sort of my job before SAHM stuff took over. But something holds me back, maybe I've been out of the game too long. I'm not shy. Not at all. But when it comes to self promotion (acknowledging it's my birthday to friends, announcing something self related) I have a really hard time. I don't want the disappointment in hoping for praise and getting none. Silly right? But it's what I deal with.

So my goal this summer? Get My Little Nuggets out there. Get a real website. Print real business cards. Have a cute display for whenever I need to display my stuff. Somehow this will all work out in the end. I hope...

An Etsy Store I REALLY Like

After doing some window shopping (my new addiction? shopping the etsykids team list) I stumbled upon this sweet etsy shop:

The Sassy Seamstress: http://www.etsy.com/shop/thesassyseamstress

The designs are unique -- totally unexpected. I mean, seriously, I'd love to see some little kid running around with a tee that had an "angry bird" applique on it. I'd give him or her some serious props at the playground.

And these Furry Bunny Tees are to die for. So if you need to do some shopping but you're stuck home with a snot-nose or a napping kid -- or just need a moment to satisfy that purchase problem, I'd go to The Sassy Seamstress and do it right...

My Pinked Out Treasury!

Had a few moments and compiled a pinked out treasury for some fellow etsy folks :) Please take a look!
http://www.etsy.com/treasury/4db08d55131a8eef3d2fa046/i-want-to-be-a-pink-princess

Another My Little Nuggets in an etsy treasury!

Something must be going my way -- 3 treasuries in 2 days :) Now, if someone would just buy something...


Check it out:
http://www.etsy.com/treasury/4daf92432b436d91f432da43/emerald-may


The curator has a great little store with some real beauties:
http://www.etsy.com/people/NangijalaJewelry?ref=af_shop_tre

Snack Baggie Tutorial: My Favorite!

I'm over ziplock baggies. Seriously, if I ever have to buy another box made for a family with 18 children it will be too soon. I looked all over the web for a decent snack baggie tutorial. I really wanted a vinyl or seriously waterproof lining. After searching and searching...I found this gem on http://rhinestonebeagle.blogspot.com. Check it out!

Cloth snack baggie tutorial:

http://rhinestonebeagle.blogspot.com/2011/03/cloth-snack-baggie.html

Freaking Love This Tutorial! Fluffy Chiffon Skirt

OK, I now own a sewing machine and have yet to use it for anything other than making seams and ruching...But I found this tutorial on http://www.makeit-loveit.com/ and am dying to try it. I even bought no-fray chiffon (and am now using to make chiffon rosettes!). Check it out!

My GOAL? Have this skirt completed by the end of June...

http://www.makeit-loveit.com/2010/09/fluffy-chiffon-skirt.html

My Little Nuggets in another treasury

Check out this awesome treasury! 

http://www.etsy.com/treasury/4dae61751c8a8eef5cb4facd/my-hearts-in-san-francisco

Playing By The Rules

Crafting has always been this distant and unattainable medium for me -- and somehow I've come around to it and am enjoying it. It really sucks that my crafting time sometimes interferes with SAHM stuff or that I have to sit down and actually THINK after my kids have gone to bed. Or that I will actually chose my sewing machine over my husband & couch time. But that's the point of trying to get in touch with my creative side...

But the whole "perfect stitch in a straight line" and cutting a "perfect circle" still evades me. Following the rules and patterns that I see everywhere is intimidating -- and ultimately makes me think I'm not doing any of this right. Constantly questioning whether or not my stuff will hold up or look like a professional is absolutely draining. Wondering "will someone be disappointed if they get this item" or "what if a stitch comes out of this and the whole thing falls apart" has caused me a sense of insecurity over what I do. But how many of us have purchased that awesome top at H&M to find it falling apart after 2 washes, and H&M is doing mega business regardless.

This doesn't mean I don't take precious care of the items I make, it just means that that zigzag stitch on my new style of headband might be a little off -- but I like it because it makes it unique, it makes it mine and it makes it only yours. Your neighbor could buy the same piece from me and guarantee her's might just be a touch different, which means you can both wear it to the same Friday afternoon play date (and I HOPE there's a chilled bottle of wine there too...).

I hope that my handmade is better than your store made. I hope that you get my items and say "that's special and unique and I love it".

I just hope someone is reading this post...

Etsy Treasury April 19th

Check it out! One of My Little Nuggets was featured in an etsy treasury!

http://www.etsy.com/treasury/4daddb2414888eefe2a7b209/brighten-your-day

Here's a link to my store:

My Little Nuggets

My First Post

What can I say, I'm adding to the overflowing ever-changing internet by adding my blog to the list. And I wonder, who will care what I have to write about, will anyone besides my family really read any of this? Who out there wants to know the cute & witty thing my very bossy and demanding little pink princess said today? Who wants to know if baseball practice was great or damaging? Who is going to read about my daily misgivings and misfortunes (or fortunes???) out here in the 'burbs of California?

Well, I guess you, yes you! The person sitting at their computer, searching for ideas, stories, rants, raves, reviews, jokes, drama...I just hope that what I have to say won't bore you to tears (or any tears for that matter). I think I'm starting this blog so I can recount my journey into the crafting world -- from the hands of a person who has known nothing but the typewriter, then a computer keyboard -- to chocolate play, spending ridiculous funds on stamps and paper and now, entering the world of sewing, glueing and ribbon.

So sit back and enjoy. I really have no idea what this blog may end up being -- but I know that I'm going to enjoy writing it.