MyTwoBabes

BUSINESS CARD LOVE!

2011-10-31T20:26:00.001-04:00

Love this blog post on BUSINESS CARD LOVE! ♥ I love her mantra too... "I believe that happy girls are the prettiest girls... Audrey Hepburn."
You can read on after the jump:
http://www.thefancyfarmgirl.com/business-card-love/

A Burlap Wreath… check!

2011-09-26T23:02:00.001-04:00

This was on my Pinterest Board of things to make… now it is done!

So very economical – it cost less than $5.00!!

Foam Wreath from the local floral shop: $4.00 + $.50 for a bag full of burlap at a garage sale around the corner.

It did take a fair amount of time to cut the squares & then fold them just right to make the correct bubbles. About an hour & a half of actual construction.

I just love it! I may just make one in green/red for Christmas too! Next time I’ll make it a 24” wreath – this just isn’t ‘catchy’ enough! ♥

What does handmade mean to you?

2011-09-22T19:54:00.002-04:00

What does handmade mean to you?
"It means authenticity, creativity and heartfelt design."

Amen, Sister!
What a great featured seller on the Etsy blog... drika.b ---- how fun to see her process too!

♥ Etsy Treasurys!

2011-09-09T21:30:00.002-04:00

Wall Decal Install Instructions!

2011-09-06T23:45:00.003-04:00

I have to post these Wall Decal Install Instructions as much for you as for me! ♥ Each time I print/cut wall decals & lettering I like to include instructions on how to install them for the customer. You never know... they are pretty popular these days, but I'd rather have something to help them than to have them helpless when they go to install the graphic to the wall!

This is a .jpg image with easy to read text instructions. You can click the image to view it larger in a new window to print from.
Now I can go back to my own archives each time I need this for a customer too! Win, Win!!

Teacher! Teacher! :: A Treasury on Etsy

2011-05-03T10:06:00.004-04:00

What a great Etsy Treasury! All products from right here in West Michigan... for Teachers!

Happy Teacher Appreciation Day!

Dutchess Collection

2011-04-05T23:50:00.001-04:00

Dutchess Collection, a set on Flickr.

I LOVE my new collection of baubles! ♥ Flower rings & Hair Bobby's - Just love them all! Inspired by: SPRING!

letters :: WASSINK

2011-03-30T11:19:00.001-04:00

letters :: WASSINK, originally uploaded by mytwobabes.

What do you think of this lettering?

My dad requested it from our photos taken in Charleston, SC this Spring. I love it, wish I would have taken some for my last name too! ♥

Silk Flowers - So cute!

2011-02-28T19:09:00.005-05:00

I can't wait to try this!

Photo provided by 'simply vintage girl'

A few girls at church have done them and they turned out gorgeous... I am pretty crafty, right?

Why not give it a shot?!! ♥

{ Tutorial found HERE }

2011-01-21T15:10:00.005-05:00

How cute are these?!

♥♥ Perfect for a sweet Valentines Day treat!! ♥♥

The Farm Chicks always have great ideas & this is one of the best yet!

Super cute blog too - check it out here.

Welcome to the color of the year! ♥

2011-01-13T12:34:00.001-05:00

A graphic girl’s welcome to 2011 is to celebrate the official color! ♥ Right now, this may not be exciting to anyone but me… but I know you’ll love it too once 2011 is over! ♥

Welcome to: Pantone 18-2120, aka Honeysuckle!

I just discovered another great blog by creative girls; The Farm Chicks… Such great inspiration! I can’t wait to see what they have in store for their readers in 2011!

In following with their inspiration; I checked my 2010 pics to see how Honeysuckle was entwined in my life:

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Another giveaway - two in August?!!! Yay!

2010-08-23T14:55:00.004-04:00

Another Giveaway!

Leave a note on my Facebook page as to what is your favorite item in my shop! I would love to know why it is your favorite as well - so make sure to leave it in your comment.

I will be picking a winner on Tuesday at 5pm - so stay tuned!!

Thanks so much!

a GIVEAWAY for the school kids!

2010-08-02T07:52:00.001-04:00

I am going to give away 3 sets of labels this week!

You have all been so wonderful and I have had record sales the last few weeks… I feel it is time I gave something back to you!

Of course, you don’t HAVE to have kids going back to school; you can register to win a set for your little ones too… every kid should have a set of waterproof labels for their beach toys, markers, sippy cups, or anything that gets extensive wear, they are very durable!

To Register: Simply checkout the MyTwoBabes Facebook page, become a fan, aka ‘Like’ the page; and comment below the ‘GIVEAWAY’ post. If you are already a fan, comment and let me know that too!

Suggest to your friends that they ‘Like’ it too for an additional registration! Make sure to add another comment to let me know you did this. Limit 2 registrations per customer.

Deadline: August 5 @ Midnight.

On Tuesday morning I will use Random.org to pick the winning numbers. They will be numbered by how many comments are left below the Facebook post.

a TREASURY… just in time for school!

2010-07-28T16:36:00.001-04:00

I am so excited about the back-to-school season this year! Things have been going really great the last few weeks & this week had another record breaking number of orders at 113!

Thanks so much to all my wonderful customers for ordering all these sets of labels!

I was also notified today that my shop was featured in a treasury on Etsy. This is a collection of items that all have something in common… this one was called “Back to School” – perfect!

Thanks so much Joan for including me in this!

FFF giveaway til 7/18 midnight!

2010-07-12T16:03:00.001-04:00

Make sure you all check out Fabulous Fun Finds today through 7/18… you can register to win a set of labels from MyTwoBabes along with a bunch of other stuff on her site right now!

SO FUN… Good Luck!

Boys, Boys, Boys…

2010-06-17T07:25:00.001-04:00

Seems like there are a lot of boys being born lately! This is good for me since I have all girls, we are are just getting ‘more selection’ for later, right?!!! Someday I pray they find a good spouse with a solid Christian background, isn’t that every mother’s wish?

This is a gift for Baby Reid… He is so tiny, and such a doll! Dawn told me right when she first got pregnant, that if she had another boy she would love a pair of brown soft sole shoes for her little one. Well she had her fourth boy a couple weeks ago, and I had to follow through on my promise!

I just love how they turned out, I put light blue dot inside, so I got my polka dot fix for the day too! (all these dots are beginning to be obsessive!!) ♥

I included a boy color flannel raggedy bib & flannel receiving blanket (bought from Target) along with a set of baby name labels custom printed in blue/brown to match the rest of his set.

Enjoy all your boys Dawn! Lilly is such a good helper, she’ll love bossing all of them around now, they’ll be bigger than her someday! ♥

Facebook INSIGHTS page {♥}

2010-06-08T07:52:00.001-04:00

What a neat page! With this page I can view and track the demographics on my Facebook fans.

I love the section on the right where it says I have to market to 100% female, and mostly in the 25-34 age group… exactly what I was shooting for! :)

Thanks everyone for being great fans; I’m hoping to bring you more new products soon!!

Pics coming later this week… {I’ll keep you in suspense! ♥}

What did I do this weekend?

2010-06-01T10:59:00.001-04:00

I celebrated Memorial Day! I love being patriotic and supporting our troops and veterans. We have so much to be thankful for with our freedom of speech and religion, what a blessing to celebrate this holiday openly, and be able to worship where & when we choose!

In honor of this I decided to make patriotic outfits for my girls. I designed the red star tank to be different for each twin; one with the star positioned on the left chest, the other had it on the right. I like them to have the same clothes, tweeked to be a little different.

The capri’s are from a ruffle pants pattern I purchased from Whimsy Couture last week. I just loved the picture instructions and super cute boutique look! I slimmed the leg a bit, and made it a 4” ruffle on the bottom. This set is available to purchase for $30.00 (Size 6m-5T). The red star tank only $8.00 each.

I also purchased the pattern for the bubble top & made a matching shirt for Livie… the straps and bow are made from grosgrain ribbon. The bottom trim is stretchy with white rickrack ruffle. This is available to purchase for $18.00 (Size 6m-5T).

More pics on Facebook!

Custom Name Fabric! So fun… let the project ideas start stewing!!!

2010-05-27T09:25:00.002-04:00

Here are the new pillows/fabric I am now selling!

A couple ex-co-workers of mine started their own graphics shop (here) a while ago and now have a machine that will print on fabric! I have to stabilize the material myself, but if I get it all ready to go, the pricing is the same as printing on vinyl material.

As you can see this opens so many doors for me! I can only imagine all the fun projects we can now work on. I need you to help me though… if you have any suggestions for different things to print, or if you would like a custom print yourself; please leave a comment below to let me know! I’d love to try more ideas!

Note: Pastel colors work best, and the fabric is fully washable, but it tends to fade a tiny bit… so be very careful and don’t throw in the dryer; you should line-dry or air-dry only. CORRECTION: I have since changed fabrics & now can print brighter colors as well!

These pillows are available to purchase fully stuffed in 12x12” size for $20 each… custom name and colors… OR… you can buy the fabric swatch in custom name and colors as follows: 12x12” square for $12 each… or 12x18” rectangle for $20 each.

I can’t wait to see what projects you have in mind!

TO ORDER: You can email me directly at kristinbley@gmail.com, or visit www.oliviahandmade.etsy.com to choose your color combo. Standard back is

Pillowcase Tutorial - ‘Sew’ cute! ♥

2010-05-25T09:39:00.001-04:00

Check out this tutorial – I just love it… the ruffles, the rickrack, and all the bright colors!

CLICK HERE FOR TUTORIAL on The Cottage Home Blog

I can’t wait to make a couple for my girls! {maybe Livie needs one too?} ♥

A shoe lover making shoes… this could get out of hand…

2010-05-24T15:18:00.001-04:00

{note: this was written a while ago, and I just realized it was never posted! better late than never right?!}

I recently learned how to make baby shoes… this is crazy cool to me since I am a slight bit obsessive about my girls and having just the right shoes!

My little Olivia has tiny feet yet, and nothing will fit. Even the little 0-3 size at the store is over an inch too big! Sooo… I decided, when you can’t find something you “NEED;” why not make it?!! (this is a very typical solution to many of my problems…)

The first pair was really really tiny (<2” sole), and only barely slipped on her feet. Thankfully Miss Melanie (born on Halloween) has just hit the 4 lb. mark and they were gifted on to her. The second pair was just right, and I am so very happy with them!

I originally found a tutorial online here, and it was very easy to follow. I have since adjusted a few things to make it different than the original and found them easier to make.

Try it yourself – you may just be surprised to find out you can make shoes too!

so many projects going on…

2010-04-30T09:48:00.001-04:00

i have way too much stuff going on lately! i finished the decor in my office/studio, more decor in the nursery, pictures etc… in the girls room, a table runner for the kitchen table, custom name pillows, new products to show you… so much i can’t even think of it all! all so fun!

I’ll show you the new custom label design first. This is the “chandelier” design that is now available in my shop!

You know you have been meaning to get these for your mom, right?! I am rolling out this new design just in time for Mother’s Day. I just gave my mom the ingredient labels and they are perfect on her glass ingredient canisters at home. This is the set she’ll be getting for when she brings meals and baked goods – to make sure she gets her own container back!

Etsyversary SALE! 10% off all items!

2010-03-04T12:53:00.004-05:00

Next Monday is my 2 year Etsy Anniversary! I can’t believe it has been that long already!

In honor of this occasion, I am offering 10% off all items in my shop from now until March 15, 2010. I have re-listed all of the items I have in stock, and added some new ones as well. You will recieve a 10% refund after the completion of your purchase.

There’s a little of everything there… Name labels for kids, labels for adults, wall lettering, car decals, graphic design packages and more! I even added some of my sewing projects to the mix!

You can purchase labels directly via PayPal here on my blog (see the graphic on the right) or go to my Etsy shop to see more design and color options.

Remember: I offer a lot of custom options as well, email me or leave a comment to complete your custom request.

Thanks for all the business over the past two years!

Logo Design & Business cards…

2010-02-16T16:21:00.001-05:00

As you know, designing is one of my passions. I really like the entire design process from trying to understand the customers “vision” to making the design a reality.

I don’t do any hand-sketching, it is all done digitally. Sometimes I get just a color scheme to start with, and ‘free-style’ design around that. Other times the client has a clear idea of what they like and do not like, and can send me links to other sites or logos they appreciate.

Overall it is a detailed process with a guaranteed happy customer at the end… that is the goal after all!

Some of my customers you may have seen…

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My new favorite blog…

2010-02-04T07:51:00.001-05:00

Seriously… who dresses their kids like this?!! I love it and wish I dared to do this myself! So so cute, and definitely inspiring!

www.JOYSHOPE.com

This self proclaimed “crazy girl” and I just may have a lot in common – here is my quote of the day from her:

Why I continually think that I can conquer patterns is beyond me.

This one nearly sent me over the edge.

Tears and words were involved.

About halfway done I simply ignored the directions, folded it up and finished it the way that made sense to me.

Crazy, pattern hating, me.

My mom rescued me and made the button holes. I am still to scared to attempt those. They are on my list of goals for 2010 along with zippers.

I may never attempt the same pattern again, but I am pretty stinking happy. Believe you me, that dress will get so much wear. As soon as Halley grows out of it, it will be Lucy's. Then Janey's. Then I may just have to have another girl. Or two.

Love this! I need to learn button holes and zippers and all the 'correct’ ways of doing things too!

Anyone know of a great inspiring teacher?

MyTwoBabes Giveaway on Stuff Parents Need: The Necessity of Labeling Your Baby's Things

2010-01-28T16:23:00.001-05:00

Stuff Parents Need: The Necessity of Labeling Your Baby's Things is having a Giveaway for MyTwoBabes labels! Stop on over to sign-up for your own set… www.StuffParentsNeed.blogspot.com

Tiffany contacted me a while ago to do a review, and I think she did a pretty accurate job of finding and showcasing the benefits of labeling you child’s items. Thanks Tiffany, have fun with your little baby, they really do grow up WAY TOO FAST!

craft hope… reaching much further than Etsy…

2010-01-27T12:50:00.002-05:00

I recently signed on to donate an item for craft hope through Etsy. What a great cause! I feel so small here in Michigan and at least I can know that I can help by donating an item to help the tragedy down in Haiti.

I read about it through Beki’s blog (Artsy-Crafty Babe), and was inspired by her commitment and dedication to the cause. She is one of the several mamas around the nation that are typing as quickly as possible, day and night, to list items in the Craft Hope for Haiti Etsy shop, which benefits Doctors Without Borders.

There are some amazing handmade items in the shop. Please support Doctors Without Borders by either donating a handmade item or shopping in the Etsy store.

Daycare Labels – change in design – vote…

2010-01-25T14:27:00.001-05:00

The waterproof labels I offer in my shop as the ‘Daycare Set’ have 14 large 1.5” circle labels & 30 small one-name rectangle labels.

I am thinking of changing the layout of the circle labels. Right now the name is ‘arched’ across the top since that is how they were requested for a custom design way-back-when… I am not sure if there is a good reason for this or not? Maybe you all can give me some insight?

I would like to make them look like this design, since it makes more sense to me to have it read in a straight line.

Let me know what you think – I’d love to hear other suggestions for design changes as well, you can leave them in the comments below.

Thanks for your input!

This is rediculously cool…

2010-01-21T21:26:00.003-05:00

I just discovered how to search other blog’s content! {using 'Google blogs'}

This means I can find out if someone re-posted from my site, gave me a photo credit, or even just ‘mentioned’ my shop in one of their posts! I always do this to others, and wondered how I would know if someone did it to my blog (or Flickr, or Etsy, or…) as well! This tool is too cool and I am going to be using it a lot in the future.

I was even posted on Grosgrain! Wow – that’s big-time in the fabric world, right?! ♥ Here is a link to that post… CLICK HERE

{ by the way, that purse is on sale for $12.00 for a limited time… let me know if you are interested. }

Still designing…

2010-01-20T09:55:00.001-05:00

There has been a lot of orders for graphic design lately. One business I do a lot of work for is Fabulous Fun Finds. Heather and I hooked up over a year ago, and I design many of the blog buttons for the advertisers on her site.

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Here are a couple of my more recent designs – I usually design three layouts, then they pick or ‘tweek’ the one they like best to be used as a click-through button on her giveaway site.

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I am going to test your design aesthetics… For these two companies, can you guess what design made the final cut? no cheating! ♥ { Go left to right… Image 1, Image 2, Image 3 }.

Ask and ye shall receive…

2010-01-18T20:56:00.001-05:00

I was talking to my mother last week about her job. She is the head chef in the kitchen at the local rescue mission.

She was busy complaining about how boring her uniform was and that it would be so much fun to be able to dress up a bit for work like she used to. I think her goal was to add a little color to spice things up!

So we got on the topic of the ‘cute’ hair net she wears each day. This is the one that my girls said ‘Grandma looks silly’ when they saw her wearing it the first time. Truthfully? They’re right… it’s not so cute! (Sorry, Mom!)

One of my sisters suggested a chef’s hat, so we jumped on Etsy and started browsing. Most of what we could find was for kids, or the scalp type hat used by doctors in surgery.

I immediately started thinking about how to best make a hat for her… that week, I picked the fabric and had the hat ready for her by our Friday night Christmas party.

I cut the brim with a 3” rise, put a velcro adjustable closure on the back, and used a piece of Creative Memories scrap cardboard to create a circle template for the ‘poof’ on the top. It really was a pretty easy hat to make… who needs a pattern anyway?!!

She loved it and modeled it for us right away! Glad you’re happy Mom, hope this helps to spice up your days!

I just bought this…

2009-12-29T22:40:00.002-05:00

and have no buyers remorse what-so-ever! I just love Etsy!

Cindy’s blog, Cranberries & Capers has been on my favorites list for about 6 months now. I think her little creations are absolutely adorable!

I noticed the cute pacifier clip she recently blogged about and clicked to go to her shop… I absolutely fell in love with the cute owl clips! This one just happened to be named the Owl-ivia, perfect for my little Olivia Joy!

I sure wish she lived close by, I’d invite her to sell at the annual craft show for sure!

“My Etsy”… on Facebook ~ What a great tool!

2009-12-17T10:24:00.001-05:00

I think this is the coolest tool yet! What a great way to advertise your shop and products to all your ‘Friends’ on Facebook!

It was really easy to setup and took minimal time… something I am very grateful to have any of lately!

Here’s a link to see My Etsy tab more closely… maybe you can utilize it for your shop as well?

Baby Blankets ♥ Are you having a boy?

2009-11-24T23:13:00.001-05:00

I just happen to have two (or maybe three, Ruth?) of my best friends having boys in a few months… this is good since I made two girl blankets and two boy blankets for my own baby, and just happened to have a girl! Hope they love their gifts!

I had a few requests to see the complete picture of the blanket I show in the picture of Olivia posted earlier. I made one with browns, oranges & pinks; the other in green, pink, and white. They are small blankets made for putting over the carseat when you are out and about. Approximate size is 20”x24”, they all have lime green plush fabric on the reverse side.

I really wanted to quilt them, but found out my machine is too old to do the free-style quilting I love, and I just didn’t want to quilt it with lines or a spiral-square quilting that my machine will allow.

The plush boy design is in slate/light blue dots, coordinating fabric with little turtles on it; the other in a brighter color palette of dark turquoise, lime green, and yellow… the one shown above is actually backed in white flannel and I knotted it intermittently for the quilted effect.

Thanks to our Wonderful Customers!

2009-11-24T22:54:00.001-05:00

As vendors, I am pretty sure we all had a blast at the first annual Holiday Dreams Homeshow this past Thursday. We all had higher than expected sales, and were very happy with the number of customers that turned-out for the event!

We will definitely be doing another show next year, and hope you all return then! I loved that you all brought friends… what fun is a show when you can’t say ‘you have to check this out!’ to someone… anyone! It was fun to see all the different personalized items, and the high quality creations these vendors provided… maybe it is only a matter of time before we should open a boutique together? ♥

I am hoping to add some pictures from the night to this post soon… I am pretty sure Becky took some. I know I was too busy chatting with all of you to remember to take pictures of my own!

Thanks all, see you next year!

Welcome Baby Olivia Joy! ♥♥♥

2009-11-17T22:49:00.001-05:00

I am now a mother of THREE!

We welcomed sweet Olivia Joy last week Sunday afternoon. I have to say that both labor and delivery went great… definitely better than expected… and quick too! I was actually in labor for only 4 hours or so, and pushed for only 15 minutes. This was very similar to what happened with my girls at their birth, but I didn’t have to keep pushing this time for the second baby… Yay! I got to hold her right away too, which I didn’t get to do with the girls. I was thrilled and shocked at how warm and sweet she was!

Here is one of my favorite pictures from the birth… she looks chubby here, but was only 6 lbs. 5 oz. She has since changed in her looks quite a bit and her face has slimmed down. She has kept the darker skin though, and I am hoping she will tan nice like her daddy!

We all love her to bits already, and the girls cannot help but ‘over-love’ her most of the time, and I have to keep reminding them to “be careful with Baby Livie”, I think they are finally getting the clue! So fun to have three wonderful girls…

I am so Blessed!

{ oh yeah… remember THIS? I am now Olivia’s mommy, and yep, love the burpees! ♥ It was my little clue to you for the name, though we didn’t know we would be having a girl! }

Vendor(s) Spotlight ♥ Color Me Cute, Rochelle Heyboer Photography, & Spirit of Giving

2009-11-17T22:35:00.001-05:00

Okay, all of these vendors have had spotlights before, so I am going to combine them… I also will be combining tomorrow since the Holiday HOMESHOW is falling upon us quickly! Yay! We are all very excited to share our fun treats with you!

Heidi, of ColorMeCute, has some of the cutest and most functional creations of the bunch. The bibs are typically made with a easy to wash vinyl fabric, and the splat mats are wonderful! I also own her folding-table cover and love it! so fashionable and convenient!

Rochelle, of Rochelle Heyboer Photography, recently started taking photos and has such a great eye for a timeless photo. I had her take my newborn’s photos this past week at 5 days old, and was very happy with her professional atmosphere and quick secession. I can’t wait to see the final pictures! She also did a photo shoot for ColorMeCute, as sampled above, and for Spirit of Giving this past weekend for Becky’s upcoming line. Great Work!

Becky, of Spirit of Giving, continues to make wonderful fabric and terry personalized towels for all the little and big ones! She has branched out to include more towels for kitchens, and home use, as well as keeping up the sales of children’s personalized towels. I have these for my girls, and they have to have their ‘blue’ or ‘pink’ ones with every bath! My girls can’t read yet, but sure know what one says their name on it!

Vendor Spotlight ♥ Tiece of Cake

2009-11-06T14:05:00.001-05:00

You have to agree… These cakes by Tiece of Cake, are the cutest things ever! What great work from a very creative mommy!

Tiece will be setting up samples of her work at the Show as well as have taste-testing available for the ultimate flavor experience.

I love the polka dots, and really neat shapes she does with the cakes, I think the ‘Jake’ Monkey Cake is definitely my favorite, but the Red Had Society one is a close second!

If you let her know your theme, she will make a cake and possibly cupcakes as well, to match! How fun is that!

Make sure you stop by her table to sample her work, I am sure you will not be disappointed!

Vendor Spotlight ♥ Whimsey & Co.

2009-11-02T14:12:00.001-05:00

I think this new set from Whimsey & Co. is just precious! The bag and matching wipes case were made for a mom of four boys… bless her heart! What cute fabrics for boys are out there now, this choice is perfect for this sweet little one.

Amber {the owner & designer of these wonderful fabric items} also offers burp cloths with the names on the center, they have been appliquéd, then securely stitched down along the edges. Personalized towels, lovies, blankets, diaper bags, and more!

Not only does she make adorable baby items, but she makes aprons and towels with fabric as well. There will be a great selection of items at the Homeshow for you to view and purchase!

Remember, if you want to pre-order you can do that as well, and maybe you can pick it up the night of the show!

Whimsey & Co. has been featured by MyTwoBabes before… checkout the other post by clicking HERE.

Vendor Spotlight ♥ Rylee's Collection

2009-10-29T21:59:00.009-04:00

Just in time for the Holiday Dreams homeshow, Rylee's Collection has produced a new line of products!

New colors for beanies and flower clips that are so adorable! I have been getting the hairbows for my girls for a while now, and just love them! Super durable with two toddlers... and they are not easy on them either!

The medium size standard bow is perfect for my girl's pigtails, but she offers a lot of different sizes, colors, designs, and both flowers and bows for every occasion.

You can pre-order now by emailing her at ryleescollection@gmail.com 0r by visiting her website http://www.ryleescollection.com/.

New FABRIC Products from MyTwoBabes

2009-10-28T11:02:00.005-04:00

In the excitement of the upcoming holidays, there has been a lot of sewing going on around here. I will be posting all of these items in the MyTwoBabes Etsy shop, as well as having them at the Holiday Dreams homeshow on November 19.

You can click HERE to see my full collection of new items, including The Amazing {long} Keyfob, Coffee Cozys, Baby Blankets, Burpees, Name Labels and more!

This is the first installment of the featured shops that will be vendors at Holiday Dreams - I want to make sure you all know what you will be shopping for when you come to the homeshow!

Start dreaming now... let us know if you have something specific you would like to see so we can have it ready by the show!

Announcement: Holiday Dreams Homeshow!!

2009-10-26T22:01:00.008-04:00

I am so excited to announce our first annual, Holiday Dreams HOMESHOW coming to you November 19, 2009.

This is going to be a small, boutique style, craftshow held in my home with items for sale and custom orders available. I have purchased items from all of the vendors, and have been very happy with both the quality of the work and the wonderful creativity they exhibit!

In the next few weeks you will see posts here featuring items from these vendors. Cute fabrics, wonderful fonts, and fully customizable items for your home and family.

Enjoy the view... there is a lot of fun to come!

Links to The Vendors:

ColorMeCute by Heidi Mowery

Whimsey & Co. by Amber Decker

MyTwoBabes Designs by Kristin Bleyenberg

Rylees Collection by Kara Poll

Tiece Of Cake by Tiece

Spirit of Giving by Becky DeVries

Heyboer Photography by Rochelle Heyboer

Ted and Lucy by Kim Kuiper

Cutest girls EVER! {and repurposed curtains...}

2009-09-25T08:17:00.004-04:00

I had the girl's pictures taken a couple of weeks ago and got some of the proofs back yesterday... I LOVE THEM! Kara @ {Joys of Life} Photography, totally caught each of their personalities, and did a great job of keeping them happy and in their own element. Thanks so much!

If you notice on their shirts is my small MyTwoBabes label... I made these shirts from a vintage children's curtain purchased at the Holland Rescue Mission Thrift Store early this past Spring. Knowing we were going to the orchard for the picture secession made it the perfect time to pull them out for a special occasion. I love how the rainbow colors tie in with the green trees and the red apples!

Here's a link to her Facebook page with more pics, she doesn't have them on her website yet. You can just click 'NEXT' to view each picture...

Baby Birdie Burpee

2009-09-21T21:11:00.010-04:00

After getting the personalized 'baby itch' with all these burpees I have been doing, I decided to try a little applique' on the next set. There was a request for an order of burpees for Baby Olivia and I thought, instead of paying a friend to do the embroidery, why not try to do an applique' instead? That way I can do all of the work here from home, and get them to the customer as soon as they are ready!

I think they turned out pretty cute. I will have to figure out how to work the curvy letters. Since my machine only has a straight walking foot I had to go really slow around the 'o' and the 'a' at the end. I used 'Steam-A-Seam2' to make the iron-on letters, and my home computer printer for the font to trace. I love having 200 fonts to choose from! The purple burpee was in a pack of colored Gerber cloths, and the flannel was picked up from Field's Fabrics - I love the little birdie print! (more pictures HERE)

It was a little time consuming, so I may have to charge a wee bit more, but overall I was very happy with the result, I am pretty sure Olivia's momma will be too!

Think Pink - Getting ready for October!

2009-09-21T07:49:00.005-04:00

It is Breast Cancer Awareness Month in October (visit Susan G. Komen for more info). This is such a great cause, and I love being included in the contributions and awareness. I had a friend that passed from her long battle with cancer just last year, so it really holds a part of my heart.

I will donate all proceeds of the sale of this print to the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Awareness Fund.

Thanks to kaysbaby for including my photo in this great Etsy Treasury collection last week!

Baby Girl - Personalized Burpees

2009-09-17T08:24:00.002-04:00

Baby Girl - Personalized Burpees, originally uploaded by mytwobabes.

A custom order!

Thanks to this blog post, I recieved a custom order for personalized burpees for soon-to-be-born Baby Alexandra! I think these turned out cuter than the first set, and I love the flannel fabric I found for a steal at Target... though I did feel a bit guilty buying a pack of perfectly good recieving blankets and cutting them up!

So I did decide to sell these by custom request - though it may be a while before they show up in my Etsy shop. I have some key fobs in the works as well, and may just add them all this Fall, just in time for the Christmas season sales.

If you would like a set for your little one, it is $15.00 for two (+ shipping), with various backing flannels. I also have two more girl options, and boy design fabrics which you can see HERE on Flickr.

Enjoy Jenny! Thanks so much for the order!

Painted Mirror Frame - Not exactly as it should be...

2009-09-15T08:22:00.004-04:00

Painted Mirror Frame - pic 1, originally uploaded by mytwobabes.

I saw this great photo, that inspired me to try this on my own. It really didn't look so hard, and you can find all kinds of these painted vintage mirrors on Etsy.
I chose to use a pink spray paint from Krylon (Ace Hardware)... the only pink spray color available... and it looked (on the can) like the perfect shade of pink for my girls' room.
Okay, so the spraying part was easy and and I used two coats. But I just do not like the color! It is more of a matte mauve as it turns out, not so much the bright candy pink I was trying to achieve. Do you think it was because of the old frame? Maybe it soaked it in differently than it should have? or maybe I need a couple more coats? Or a brush & bucket to achieve the right look?
Have you tried this on your own? I'd love to have more tips and try again!

Embroidered Burpees - What a fun & easy project!

2009-09-04T08:37:00.002-04:00

Embroidered Burp Cloth - set of 2, originally uploaded by mytwobabes.

This was such a fun project to do. I had promised my sister-in-law that she 'may be getting some burpees with the baby's name' and had to make good on my promise once Emma Rose was born! I made some in green for Baby Evan as well, and my sister Emily loves them too!

I am thinking of offering them in my shop. They are really simple to make and a lot of fun to see the end result. The name was embroidered by Becky at Spirit Of Giving, and I destached some fleece I had purchased from the Holland Rescue Mission Thrift Store for the back side. They are super soft and so perfect for baby!

What do you think, should I offer more sewing projects in my shop? Winter is coming our way and I am getting the itch to sew, sew, sew!

On a side note... I am being BLASTED with label business these days in the MyTwoBabes shop... this week I surpassed 700 sales! wahoo! Now to keep up with processing them all and shipping them on time!

Shir-madness! {the dreaded dress}

2009-08-24T14:36:00.008-04:00

I have been doing a little bit of sewing again, this is just one of my most recent projects. I was inspired one day when I was surfing around in blog-world to try shirring. I decided to follow the tutorial found on the Portabellopixie blog by Sandi Henderson (a wonderful fabric designer!) It was much easier than I expected, and I will definitely do it again!

The dress itself however was not quite as simple ~ for that I used the tutorial found on PrettyDitty by Phat Fabric. Her dresses turned out so cute, so I thought "oh, how easy!" and dove-in. Not quite so easy... I did the dress just as explained with the front and back pieces, lined them up and sewed them together... SINCE I am just over 6 mos. pregnant, the front was way shorter than the back! I had to go to my dear friend Ruth for much needed assistance; she aided me in finishing it off so the two parts lined up correctly (after MANY adjustments!) I have another pic here... as if you are still desiring more views. ♥

Lets just say that I will NOT be making myself any more clothing any time soon, and may just stick to clothes for my kidd0s and other fun projects. This turned out not to be so fun...

I am happy with the final result though, and really contribute a lot of the cuteness of the finished project to the adorable print created by Amy Butler.

At least I know how to choose fabric! ♥

As featured on... Z.Daisy Blog ♥

2009-08-24T14:31:00.003-04:00

What a pleasant surprise! I was checking out the blog of one of my customers and BAM! there was a shout-0ut to MyTwoBabes labels! Yay!

This has been a wonderful back-to-school season for the shop, and this is one more happy customer. How fun to see this on such a cute blog as Z.Daisy. Oh, and they are hosting a giveaway this week for a super cute headband, don't forget to register!

Thanks so much Brooke!

I just said last week was the most orders ever... but...

2009-08-11T21:26:00.007-04:00

...this week topped it by far!

Thanks to back-to-school sales, I reached my best ever sales week yet.

Grand Total: 64 sets of labels!

I cannot believe it is all in one week ~ Now I get to look forward to hand-writing all those wonderful thank-you notes to my customers. It is all worth it, I just love knowing these labels are spread all across America, making moms and teachers happy!

I think it really helped to introduce my new item, Full-Name Labels @ 30 qty./$6.50 (+ shipping). It was my best seller!

Thanks again to my great customers!

Another Treasury!!

2009-07-29T15:13:00.003-04:00

I was featured in an Etsy Treasury about a month ago and totally forgot to blog about it!
Thanks so much to Becky for including me, she made the treasury and included many friends and "neighbors" from the Hudsonville/Grand Rapids area as well.
The treasury is beautiful, I absolutely LOVE the pinks that really make the color palette stand out. Can you tell she just adores having a little girl?!!! :)

As featured on...

2009-07-23T13:24:00.003-04:00

Project {Create A Home} - what a great blog!

I received a note that my labels were featured Thursday on the Project {Create A Home} blog. This was for the back to school post, also showing off cute apple hair pins, and an economical pencil case.

Thanks Danyele, I really appreciate it!

Vectorizing a photo image

2009-07-23T07:17:00.002-04:00

chic aprons vector, originally uploaded by mytwobabes.

I have been asked at times to vectorize a photo print, in order to use it for other business promotional use.
This is a fine example of this work. I used my node tool to trace the apron on the photo, then added the ruffles on the bottom, and cute sash, flower and pocket. The print pattern was made from a digital scrapbooking paper that was downloaded and cropped to fit within the apron outlines.
I am pretty proud of how this one turned out, and think the aprons are super cute! You can see more of her work at Chic Aprons on Etsy. The job was commissioned by Fabulous Fun Finds, you can see other graphics I have designed for Jen there as well.

500 sales!!!! Yay!

2009-07-22T16:51:00.004-04:00

Check this out!

I just noticed I am at 500 sales on Etsy! Yay!

I don't know where they all came from, but they just keep adding up!

Thanks everyone, I don't know what I'd do without all of you!

More designing... not so much sewing...

2009-07-03T07:46:00.008-04:00

With the on-set of the Summer months, I have not been quite as inspired to stay inside and sew. I have been inside, I suppose, just not in front of my machine!
The graphic design aspect of my business has really picked up over the last few weeks, with lots of designs for business cards, banners, and soap/lotion labels, blog buttons, and logos.

This is just a small view of what I have been working on, you can click the logos to see their great sites. I also designed a business card, here's a little punch to checkout my Dad's website... :) He is the Michigan Lakeshore's BEST dunegrass guy!

Have a great 4th of July, I'll try to post again soon!

Graduate Laptop Bag for Katelyn

2009-06-03T09:54:00.003-04:00

Graduate Laptop Bag for Katelyn, originally uploaded by mytwobabes.

I know... I have been absent from Blogger-world for way too long! To be honest, the pregnancy has finally sunk-in, and I have started working more in the morning vs. at night, so that decision has cut back on computer time substantially. I thought I would miss it more, but really, this is ideal! More time for my hubby and kids!

This bag was quite a feat to accomplish. I didn't have a pattern, but was requested to make a custom laptop bag for a friend's sister who was graduating in Iowa. I wanted to make sure it had my personalized stamp on it, so I added the flower to the front for a bit of fun flair. Other than that, the only details required were to make it blue and purple (her favorite colors) and big enough for a laptop computer for college. Her name is Katelyn, so the 'K' was embroidered on the front, along with a panel on the inside with her name and phone numbers in case it was lost or stolen. On the inside I also added a three panel pocket and a cute butterfly fabric I bought online.

Hope you liked it Katelyn, I loved college and hope you do too!

My Little Dutch Girls

2009-05-13T08:00:00.004-04:00

This past weekend we went as a family to the Tulip Time Festival in Holland, MI. We are a very Dutch family (in more than one sense of the word!) and just love enjoying the food, fun, and heritage surrounding the town in May.

The girls fit the same dresses as they wore last year, so all the pictures from the Saturday Musik Parade kinda look the same. I attempted to take some decent 'cute' pictures of the girls by the tulips, but Brit took a little nap on the way there, and was a bit on the grouchy side for most of the time we were there. They turned out okay I suppose, but definitely do not catch the 'frisky' side of either of their personalities!

As you can see, my sister Dawn was entirely too excited to be there!

Overall, it was very fun, and we'll have to do it again next year! It is a family tradition now!

Love you Mom!

2009-05-11T07:49:00.002-04:00

Sweet & Sassy ~ Love you Mom! Bag, originally uploaded by mytwobabes.

This was my gift to my Mom this past Sunday, Mother's Day. She just loved it! I am so glad, since a lot of love and time went into this creation. She picked out the fabric month's ago, and I think she thought she may just get a key-fob out of it, but this was a total surprise! It is actually a sold-out fabric from Amy Butler's fabric line. The light blue part is Swirly Buds from Heather Bailey. There is a cute green Swirly Buds pocket on the inside.

It was really fun to see her reaction, and I know she'll be a proud momma carrying it around.

Love you Mom, you're the best! I hope you understand how much you mean to all of us!

Graphic Design has been a top priority...

2009-05-07T16:06:00.009-04:00

I have been doing a lot of graphic design again lately. Actually, I had to narrow down my shop to 5 or so items since I couldn't find enough time in the day to process all the orders, and get quality work done for my design clients! So far, that has worked wonderfully!

These are a few of the images I have been working on, in addition to wedding invitations, bookmark wedding favors, and some custom blog backgrounds... oh yeah... and sewing, sewing, sewing!

I sure am praying for a good baby, I'm not sure how I will keep up otherwise! ♥

2009-05-06T09:32:00.006-04:00

I know I have said this before, but I think the items sold in ColorMeCute's shop are super cute!

I had the opportunity to take product photos for her last week, and the ones with her little Kinsley turned out so cute, I just HAD to post them for you to see as well!

Baby #3 coming in November!

2009-05-04T14:09:00.006-04:00

I am very excited to announce that I am expecting Baby #3, due November 18!

This is definitely a miracle baby, we were told years ago we would not be able to have any children at all... with our girls we had to go through years of medication and treatment, finally concieving them in June of 2000, they were born January 19, 2001. Our lives have not been the same since, being a mother was what I "wanted to be" my whole life. Such a blessing!

With this baby, we had no treatment at all! In fact, I took two pregnancy tests a little over a month ago and they were both negative. I decided to be patient, and just wait for my cycle to begin in the next few days... finally at 60+ days, I couldn't take it anymore and tried another test... PREGNANT! so I took another the next day... that was positive too!

So far things have been going really great, I have not been sick at all, and am 13 weeks along this week. One of my sisters is three months as well and is due only two days before me!

Thank the Lord for a wonderful blessing, we cannot wait to add this sweet little one to our family!

A Winner! Girls Day Out Giveaway

2009-05-01T07:53:00.004-04:00

Since there was only one registrant for the giveaway this week, it is an automatic winner!
Congratulations, SaraB ~ Have fun shopping for your sweetie Kimberly!
You can contact Amy directly by going to her Etsy shop, and click "contact seller."

Happy Birthday Dawn!

2009-05-01T07:38:00.003-04:00

Today, I am unveiling the {secret} project I have been working on...

I decided this year to make something special for each of my sisters for their birthday. This is the first completed project.

My sister Dawn LOVES Target. I mean, this girl goes there almost every day. Her kids call it the "happy store", since they always end up with something new everytime they leave!

I created this purse with kitchen hand towels from the Orla Kiely designer line, of course, purchased at Target. Isn't the print adorable?! I figured the "Target Queen" had to have a Target bag!

So, Happy Birthday Dawn! I realize your birthday isn't until August, but I just couldn't wait!

Business Promotion -- Key Fobs

2009-04-29T18:05:00.003-04:00

Summer just picked up these key fobs today. I just love how they turned out, with the black & white polka dots, they are both trendy and classic. She requested to have each one with a label that has her company name { Summer Jean Photography } on it. I believe she intends to give them to her most special customers. What a treat!

I used black cotton webbing in the 1.25" size with a 1" pre-printed polka-dot ribbon. The labels were printed by JennifersJewels, she prints the fabric labels I use on my personal sewing projects as well. I order the iron-on ones since they are easier to position before sewing them on. I have been very happy with the way the "wear-n-tear," though I have don't have quite as much washing to do on most of my sewing projects as others may.

Overall, I think it was a great idea for a business promotional item, what a great conversation piece!

A Winner! K Body Creations Giveaway

2009-04-28T16:18:00.003-04:00

I just realized I never pulled a winner number for the K Body Creations giveaway!

So, the winner is... {drumroll please...} Comment #8 : Amber!

Congratulations! I know you'll love her products just as much as I do! You can contact Kateena directly by convo in her Etsy shop, or by E-mail.

Thanks for your registration... don't forget this week's giveaway from Girl's Day Out!

Shop Spotlight & Giveaway ♥ Girls Day Out

2009-04-28T15:56:00.003-04:00

What do you think of these capri's?!! I just love them! I'll have to see if they come in a size 2T... I really am becoming an Etsy buying addict!!

I also think the skirts from GirlsDayOut are just adorable. Amy uses such fun colors and prints, and they are twirly too! What little girl doesn't love a twirly skirt?! Of course, she makes more things too, jewelry, headbands, crochet flower bows, and fun ribbon flip-flops, you can see more pictures HERE.

I made a vinyl banner for Amy a few months back for her many shows featuring her spring line. It was rewarding working with her, knowing she was happy with the finished product.

The Giveaway!!

The giveaway starts today and I will be picking a winner using Random.org on Friday, May 2, 2009. To register you will have to check-out her Etsy shop and let us know what item is a must-have for the girls in your household by leaving a comment below this post. The winner drawn will recieve 20% OFF their entire purchase in her Etsy shop. As always... if you want to get an extra registration there are three options: 1. Become a Follower! ♥ 2. You can grab the MyTwoBabes button in the right column and add it to your blog, or 3. Post a note on your blog about this post, linking back to MyTwoBabes. Just make sure you leave another comment to let us know you did any of these!

My New Car...

2009-04-24T08:41:00.003-04:00

I do love the truck... or the GMC Envoy, we ended up getting. It rides great and I love the huge area to 'haul' things in the trunk. It has come in very useful with all the garage sales already this spring! And it's purple, the best color for a Minnesota Vikings fan!

I really had convinced myself I wanted a van, and test drove quite a few, but my hubby won-out this time! I would have loved the sliding doors and a third row in the back, but no regrets. It's a great vehicle, a 2008 with only 28k for mileage. In our price range, it was the best option out there. Besides, we only have two kids, so the carseats fit perfectly!

Maybe the next vehicle will have to be a van? Perhaps when we have more kids... someday...

Easter Flowers... who doesn't LOVE daisy's?!

2009-04-23T14:50:00.004-04:00

I got my first ever shipment from FTD the Saturday before Easter.

These gorgeous Gerbera Daisy's were from my secret pal! What a great idea!

I just love them, and am so thankful for a wonderful friend, whomever you are!

♥♥ THANK YOU! ♥♥

Shop Spotlight & Giveaway ♥ K Body Creations

2009-04-21T07:32:00.004-04:00

I have been working with Kateena for a short while now in the process of re-printing her product labels for her lotion and body wash lines. She has been great to work with, always forgiving, and an overall nice gal.

Initially, I did a trade for some of her products and was very impressed. The body icing is like silk on the skin, and the large Double Butter lip balm is just as delicious as it sounds!

Kateena has both an adult line and teen line of products to fill all the bath and body needs in your household. These products are available on her K Body Creations website as well as her Etsy shop online.

The Giveaway!!
The giveaway starts today and I will be picking a winner using Random.org on Friday, April 24, 2009. To register you will have to check-out her Etsy shop and let us know what item is a must-have for your bath and body collection by leaving a comment below this post. The winner drawn will recieve a $10.00 gift card to use in her Etsy shop. As always... if you want to get an extra registration there are three options: 1. Become a Follower! ♥ 2. You can grab the MyTwoBabes button in the right column and add it to your blog, or 3. Post a note on your blog about this post, linking back to MyTwoBabes. Just make sure you leave another comment to let us know you did any of these!

A Winner! Spirit of Giving Giveaway

2009-04-20T09:28:00.005-04:00

WOW! You ladies have truly blown me away this time!
I can't believe there were 96 registrants for the giveaway this week. Of course, I shouldn't be THAT surprised, it was an excellent giveaway thanks to the generous heart of Becky over at Spirit of Giving.

Well the winner is... JJ!

Congrats! You can contact Becky directly by emailing her HERE to claim your prize.

Thanks so much for taking the time out of your day to check out my blog and her shop.

May all you have a Blessed week!

Stay Tuned... This week's giveaway... K Body Creations

Shop Spotlight & Giveaway ♥ Spirit of Giving

2009-04-14T23:15:00.003-04:00

Why Becky and I are not best-friends is beyond me... we have so much in common! Everytime I talk to her she inspires me to be more creative.

I just love that she gets an idea in her head and the next thing you know it is designed, sewn, and Tressa just wore it to church!

She just started her Etsy shop, Spirit of Giving in March, and already has 21 sales, amazing! The towels she makes are really too cute for words. I have one for each of my girls, and checked it over and was totally amazed at the excellent handi-work she does, with such exquisite attention to detail. No thread was left un-trimmed! And the names were spelled correctly too! ♥

I got the opportunity to design her logo and shop graphics for her Etsy shop, and also did the design for her husband's real estate blog as well. Thanks for the great business, Becky!

The Giveaway!!

The giveaway starts today and I will be picking a winner using Random.org on MONDAY (you have the whole weekend to register!!!♥).To register you will have to check-out her Etsy shop and let us know what item is a must-have for your home by leaving a comment below this post. The winner drawn will recieve a personalized towel from her online shop. You can choose your own color and ribbon as well! If you happen to purchase a towel this week, (if you just CANNOT wait!) the purchase price of your towel will be reimbursed if you are chosen as the winner.

As always... if you want to get an extra registration there are three options: 1. Become a Follower! ♥ 2. You can grab the MyTwoBabes button in the right column and add it to your blog, or 3. Post a note on your blog about this post, linking back to MyTwoBabes. Just make sure you leave another comment to let us know you did any of these!

Too sweet shoes!

2009-04-13T07:59:00.004-04:00

Okay, I realize these are a bit expensive, but how sweet are they?!!

I just love a cute pair of shoes, good thing my girls are past the soft-sole stage or I would be broke!

I found these while browsing on the Fabulous Fun Finds blog. This girl has seriously great taste and I just love all the items she finds and blogs about. You can find a blog button for my shop there as well as one to ColorMeCute (coming soon!) - so LOOK, DROOL, & ENJOY! and don't forget to add her to your RSS feed!

A Winner! All Things Ribbon Giveaway

2009-04-10T16:03:00.003-04:00

The winner of this week's giveaway is Megan!

Congrats!

I know you'll enjoy browsing her shop {again!} and finding lots of fun things to buy!

Stay tuned... next week's giveaway: Spirit of Giving

A new item?

2009-04-08T21:19:00.006-04:00

These cute banners were designed for my girls on the occation of their 2nd birthday party. I did, however, forget to put them up at the party {hello!} so they didn't get much use, but I have been thinking about putting the pdf template for them in my shop for a while now.

I have each letter set-up as a .pdf page and would be emailing the purchasing customer one page (in a combined Adobe PDF document) for each letter of the name they order.

The print is done with a color printer on standard white cardstock paper, with all the colors printed right on. I used my sewing machine to sew the ribbon on to the top, but brads could be used to connect the corners, or whatever the loving mother would prefer.

Currently they are set-up only in girl colors with green/pink/light pink and white. But I can easily change the pinks to blues to make a boy version.

What do you think, would you buy it for $1 a letter?

Shop Spotlight & Giveaway ♥ All Things Ribbon

2009-04-07T08:25:00.003-04:00

You girls are going to love the giveaway this week! Girly, girly, girly bows! I think all the bows Jen sells are adorable, and you wouldn't believe that you can actually buy dresses to match in her store as well! These are no ordinary dresses, no, they're fancy, frilly, and everything girly! She also does giveaways on her blog, and even gave-away a dress a short while back! Wow!

She has an online store to sell her bows and dresses HERE, and you can follow her blog as well by going to this LINK - for all you crafters, she shows you how to make your own bows as well.

I have to admit, I haven't done a lot of graphic design for her, but did design her blog HTML button and one for her sister at Green Fairy Quilts. There are a few designs in progress as well.

The Giveaway!!The giveaway starts today and I will be picking a winner using Random.org on Friday.To register you will have to check-out her website and let us know what item is a must-have for your cute little girl by leaving a comment below this post.The winner drawn will recieve a $5.00 giftcard to her online shop. So make sure you check it all out, there are so many options for under & around $5.00!
As always... if you want to get an extra registration there are three options: 1. Become a Follower! ♥ 2. You can grab the MyTwoBabes button in the right column and add it to your blog, or 3. Post a note on your blog about this post, linking back to MyTwoBabes. Just make sure you leave another comment to let us know you did any of these!

Custom Folding-Tablecloth - So cute!

2009-04-06T21:02:00.006-04:00

I LOVE custom items. It's just, I happen to make them usually when I cannot find them for myself. Well, I knew Heidi could help me with this project, so I sent her a photo, a link, and a note...

Voila! Isn't this the cutest stinkin' table cloth you have ever seen?!!

I just love the demask print, and of course green is my favorite color. ♥ Can't go wrong with that!

It fits my 34" folding table perfectly, nice and snug, just like I was hoping.

Great job ~ Thanks so much Heidi!

{P.S. I'm sure she'll make more... you can check it out in her shop, HERE}

A Winner! Whimsey & Co. Giveaway

2009-04-03T10:09:00.003-04:00

Congrats to SaraBley winner of this week's giveaway!

Sara said: "I really like the Mirabelle Hostess Apron - looks so cute! And I have received a few handmade items from her for gifts - and I just LOVE everything! She does great work ☺"
I am sure you'll love a new towel to add to your collection!

Stay tuned... next week's giveaway: All Things Ribbon

A mother's work is never done...

2009-04-02T14:59:00.005-04:00

I seem to be really busy lately. I am not sure why this is different than most days, but I can only wish there were more hours to get done all the things on my mommy 'to do' list!
I suppose it is the quality of the time I have spent that really matters. I have been taking a bit more time to enjoy my family and friends. The girls have been sick, so there has been a lot of time giving them extra special care, reading books, and hanging out on the couch. Since we can't go out with sick kids, we had friends over for dinner twice last week, and my parents came over last night. The girls (and I ♥) were super excited to see my mom, dad, and little brother Tyler... I think it has been about 3 weeks! I cannot wait until summer when all this sickness is gone, and we can go out and enjoy the sunshine everyday!
Come'on summer, hurry up!

BTW... don't forget to sign-up for the giveaway from Whimsey & Co!

Etsy :: Geolocator Friends

2009-04-01T13:54:00.004-04:00

I just discovered the Etsy Geolocator and was pleasantly surprised!

When I typed in "Hudsonville" as the city search, what popped up, but myself and THREE of my friends on the locator bar! How fun is that?!

Going across the top...

The "Gift" : http://www.spiritofgiving.etsy.com/ {Becky DeVries}

Color Me Cute : http://www.colormecute.etsy.com/ {Heidi Mowery}

Pink Sippy Cups : http://www.mytwobabes.etsy.com/ {myself}

Cutie Baby Girl : http://www.tedandlucy.etsy.com/ {Kim Kuiper}

Shop Spotlight & Giveaway ♥ Whimsey & Co.

2009-03-31T12:32:00.005-04:00

I have been friends with Amber for a really long time now (are we seriously going on 15 years?!!) She is such a sweet girl, and has a beautiful family too!

I have recently been impressed with the quality of her work. Through the shop name Whimsey & Co. she sews diaper bags with names embroidered on them, along with embellished dish towels and gorgeous aprons for the hostess. In fact, some of the diaper bags she makes are for the newest babies at the hospital (she has an inside scoop!), and others made as gifts for her church friends; what a kind heart!

Her shop design [on flickr] was one of the first full graphic branding jobs I have done. She originally ordered the banner, avatar, and logo designs; but has since ordered paper labels, waterproof labels, business cards, and more! I love to see a mommy-friend running a successful business!

The Giveaway!!
The giveaway starts today and I will be picking a winner using Random.org on Friday.To register you will have to check-out her Etsy shop and let us know what item is a must-have for your home by leaving a comment below this post.The winner drawn will recieve an embellished towel for your kitchen. You do not have to choose the pictured item, she even offered to make a custom one to match the kitchen of the winner!

A Pillow Dilemma...

2009-03-30T14:20:00.008-04:00

I was so excited to 'win' these pillows on the Repocast.com auction last week. Actually, the lot was huge, I 'won' (well... 'bought' since I did have to pay for them!) a total of 16 pillows. Some were with the cover and some are blank white inserts. I have full intentions of covering these myself and selling them online. I definitely think I got a STEAL! All of the items are from HOME fabrics and furniture, a Michigan store that recently went out of business. Most of them still had the tags on. Also included was some home decor that I love. Though, I may not keep it all...
For example, the 2-raven & 1-crown pillows shown here are priced at $104 (!!!) each. I looked up the company online and it is a small shop in New York called PATCH NYC. To put this in perspective, I paid less than $100 for the whole lot! So I went ahead and added up everything that had a price tag on it... grand total: $1,121.00! Amazing what you can 'win' on auction!
You might think that since I work at MAI, I would get a discount... nope! I had to bid and pay just like the rest of you! The different divisions of Miedema Auctioneering all run like separate businesses, so there really is no benefit to purchasing other than getting to look at all the items whenever I go in to the office. I'm glad I looked last week!
Here's the dilemma... I am not sure what to do with these $104 pillows (or the others for that matter). If I was to sell them I would only ask about $15 each... I might try Craigslist, or maybe I should contact PATCH NYC... perhaps they want their goods back? Anyone have any suggestions on the best way to go about this? Or should I go with my original plan to take the covers off and just use the insert for a new pillow... I hate to destroy someone else's art!

A Winner! GirlyBowtique Giveaway

2009-03-27T11:24:00.003-04:00

Congrats to Becky DeVries winner of this week's giveaway!

Hope you find a thing (or two) for sweet little Tressa in Kelly's shop!

Stay tuned... next week's giveaway: Whimsey & Co.

Spoonflower :: What a great concept!

2009-03-26T11:27:00.010-04:00

I discovered Spoonflower a couple months ago and think it is such a great concept. You can design your own fabric graphic, they in-turn print your image on Moda cotton fabric in a full color print. It looks & feels like fine cotton fabric you can get at your local Field's Fabrics!

I had a few prints made, but the top fabric is definately my favorite. Technically the background was designed as a pale sky blue, but was actually printed as white, the brown tones should have been darker as well. So it is not exactly as designed, but that can be tweaked later I suppose.

I made this little key fob with the fabric, and really like how the flowers fit perfectly on the 1.25" cotton webbing. I might give it to my mom, it kinda reminds me of her.

Do you have suggestions for other designs? I'd love to make some custom fabric designs just for you! Hmmm... maybe this is leading to a future giveaway? ♥

I'm in an Etsy Treasury!

2009-03-25T23:46:00.006-04:00

It's 11:45pm... it's not too late to do my Wednesday post is it?!! I almost forgot!

I made it into an Etsy Treasury this week! I am so excited! This is my fourth treasury, and I am seriously honored to be included with this bunch of products to benefit a wonderful cause! {My photo of the Pink Blush Peony is in the bottom left corner}

Think Pink and cancer research is very dear to me. I lost a great friend from what began as breast cancer, and recently found out that both of my maternal grandparents have cancer as well. This is not to mention the countless other ways this disease has effected my life, family, and friends.

May God bless the dear souls that have to deal with this, and grant them the patience to take each day at a time. They are in my prayers always!

Shop Spotlight & Giveaway ♥ GirlyBowtique

2009-03-24T08:00:00.007-04:00

A while back I made this cute banner for Kelly over at Girly Bowtique. I have to say, I think her bows are just the cutest! There is one for every occation, you know Easter is coming fast! ♥
She also makes these adorable flip-flops!! They remind me of a 'wild' Minnie Mouse! If only they came in a size 4-5 for my girls!
She has been wonderful to work with, and I look forward to doing more business in the future.
Thanks Kelly!

The Giveaway!!

The giveaway starts today and I will be picking a winner using Random.org on Friday.To register you will have to check-out her Etsy shop and let us know what item is a must-have for your girly-girl by leaving a comment below this post.
The winner drawn will recieve a $5.00 Gift Certificate to the GirlyBowtique shop on Etsy. She has many items $5 and under for your shopping pleasure!
If you want to get an extra registration there are three options: 1. Become a Follower! ♥ 2. You can grab the MyTwoBabes button in the right column and add it to your blog, or 3. Post a note on your blog about this post, linking back to MyTwoBabes. Just make sure you leave another comment to let us know you did any of these!

Too easy! This may be another addiction!

2009-03-23T09:19:00.003-04:00

This weekend I went on another sewing binge. I love learning how to do something new, but it may just lead to another addiction. Like I have time for more things to do!

Becky was telling me how easy these socks were to make, so I had to try it myself. With Easter coming up, I may just have to make a few more pairs to match the girl's new outfits! My pleasure!

{ click on the picture to see some of the other projects I worked on this weekend! }

A Winner! Angel Accents Giveaway

2009-03-20T12:58:00.002-04:00

Congrats to Miriam, winner of this week's giveaway!
Hope you find a thing (or two) for your cutie twins in Amy's shop!
Happy Shopping!

Stay tuned... next week's giveaway: GirlyBowtique

New "Spring Fling" Background - Free for you!

2009-03-19T10:26:00.009-04:00

I have been wanting to design a new background for my blog for a while now. You know me, not ever happy with what just everyone can get for free online! I was first inspired by The Cutest Blog on the Block and yesterday ran across Aqua Poppy Designs which helped me generate my own HTML for the background. I use Corel Draw X3 for designing everything, and it worked great for this as well!

I am offering this "Spring Fling" background free to you, all I ask is that if you use it, please leave a comment on this post. I would love to see it out in blog-world on your site!

How to Install:

PLEASE READ INSTRUCTIONS CAREFULLY

1. Your blog should be in the white 'MINIMA template for the html to work. Don't worry, you won't loose your page elements by changing it! ♥

* To do this go to "Customize" or "Layout" on the top of your blog home page. Click the tab for "Pick New Template". Select the white "MINIMA" template (this was the first one for me), click "Save" and you're ready to change the background.

2. Click "Customize" or "Layout" again.

3. Click "Add a Page Element" or "Add a Gadget"

4. Find "HTML/Java Script" and click "Add to Blog"

5. On the screen that opens, click in the large white "content" box. Paste the following HTML code from MyTwoBabes there.

* If you keep a seperate window open to this blog post, you can just toggle between the two screens to copy/paste the HTML text.

* To copy HTML, you can highlight all words and hold down the keys "Ctrl + C" or just right click and hit 'copy'.

6. Click "Save" and you are all done! Don't forget to leave a comment to let me know what blog you used this for! Thanks!

Also... For only $14.00 I can design your blog background to match your shop design, just let me know if you are interested by shooting an email to me at kristinbley@gmail.com.

Happy Etsiversary!!

2009-03-18T10:19:00.006-04:00

Last week marked one year since I opened my Etsy shop (March 8th, 2008). I was pleasantly surprised to have my most orders in one week to date! MyTwoBabes received orders for 34 different sets of labels!!
Thank You!
Now I have the wonderful task of preparing all of them with the cute packaging, and hand-written thank-you notes. It may take a while, but well worth the time!
This little hobby might just work out after all! ♥

Shop Spotlight & Giveaway ♥ AngelAccents

2009-03-17T10:38:00.006-04:00

This is one of my favorite Etsy shops. I just love the creations by Amy at Angel Accents, not to mention her girls are so adorable! Everytime I checkout her blog, I get drawn more into her world. Such a great Christian family, with a fun adventure each day!

I first purchased her items about a year ago when I "needed" these bloomers for Easter. Of course, they wore them for the rest of the year, and I think they still fit (though not so 'cute' on a two-year-old!) She also made the cups with my girls names on that I mentioned here a short while ago. I just think personalization is so addicting... am I the only one that is fighting this addiction?!

Before I forget... I had the privilege of designing her shop graphics and the banner used on her business blog. Again... those adorable girls make the designs that much better!

The Giveaway!!

The winner drawn will recieve a $5.00 Gift Certificate to the Angel Accents shop on Etsy.

If you want to get an extra registration there are three options: 1. Become a Follower! ♥ 2. You can grab the MyTwoBabes button in the right column and add it to your blog, or 3. Post a note on your blog about this post, linking back to MyTwoBabes. Just make sure you leave another comment to let us know you did any of these!

A secret for my pal...

2009-03-16T08:50:00.003-04:00

At our church we have a group of gals that exchanges names at the 'Secret Pal' party each year. Throughout the year we gift items to our pal and at the end reveal who we are. I just love to do it, and love getting to know the gal I have better with each month. I try to watch their taste, and surprize them with something special that is only for them. Of course, it's always fun being on the recieving end too!

This past year Sara was my pal. She has three rowdy boys and a sweet little girl, so at the reveal, I decided to make her a cute purse with only her in mind! I made the handles extra durable so those boys couldn't 'hurt' it, and added a couple flashes of pink on the front for Sara and Kimberly. The purse was made from a cute placemat I got at Hobby Lobby, and the flowers were hand crocheted by Brenda Bleyenberg of CrochetforBaby.

I got a wonderful surprize at the reveal as well... my friend Ruth was my secret pal! Thanks for a great year, I had absolutely NO idea! All the gifts were great!

A Winner! MyTwoBabes Labels

2009-03-13T08:23:00.005-04:00

Congrats to Heather Veldman! You have won a wonderful set of labels for your household! Sounds like you would like the kitchenette set?

Please let me know your contact (email) information and we can get this order in on next week's production schedule!

Thanks for registering ~ Next week's giveaway: AngelAccents (I wish I could register too!!!)

I love my job!

2009-03-12T08:25:00.004-04:00

I recently picked up a job under the 'custom' request listings on Etsy but, I didn't realize I had already done work for this gal until I had submitted the bid! About a year ago I printed her business cards, and now she was looking for a .pdf pattern design to sell in her shop. Well not only did I get the privilege of digitizing her hand-drawn "Fat Clutch" pattern, I got to test it too! You can check-out other clutches, purses, bags and more by going to http://www.sewtrendy.etsy.com/. She is from the East side of Michigan, so any business we can keep here is always welcome. The economy is killing us in Michigan!

I love Craigslist...

2009-03-11T10:35:00.005-04:00

I have a bunch of stuff on Craigslist so that makes things pretty crazy during the day, I love the traffic though! If you are interested, go to Craigslist and search for MYTWOBABES to see what all is out there. I sure like meeting all the nice local people too! It's always funny when your friends or family (SARA!) send you a reply to a listing!

Shop Spotlight & Giveaway ♥ MyTwoBabes

2009-03-10T09:40:00.009-04:00

I was planning on spotlighting one of my customers each week, but the schedule I planned didn't work for TheBeeKnees shop by Heather, so I am going to do this weeks giveaway from my own shop, MyTwoBabes. Sound good? ♥

The winner drawn will recieve a set of 10 labels in the large size (approx. 2" around) for their little one, or a set of the kitchenette labels for their tupperware, pyrex, etc... The above images are samples of the girl and boy labels available.

As always, these are waterproof and dishwasher safe. Perfect for making sure the things that go visiting with you, also come back home! :) We all know how frustrating it is when you get home and think, "now where is that pan I brought the brownies in?!!" ♥ That is implying you make brownies, which I have not been known to do! {love the cooking, not so much the baking!}

The Giveaway!! The giveaway starts today and I will be picking a winner using Random.org on Friday.To register you will have to check-out my Etsy shop and let us know what item is a must-have for your household by leaving a comment below this post.

I sold my car... sigh

2009-03-09T13:14:00.006-04:00

I sold my car this weekend... *sigh*

I guess I am on to the next chapter in my life. You know I thought I was kinda a cool mom getting groceries in my hot-rod, but really, it's just a car, right?!!

I'm not quite sure what comes next. We are definately looking for a larger vehicle, maybe an SUV, the GMC Envoy looks nice.

Or maybe a van?!!! {gasp} ♥ I have heard so much good stuff from all my mommy friends that have vans, they just love theirs. Plus, you can get so much more stuff when you go shopping, right?!! definately a bonus... those slider doors are sweet too... hmmm...

You ladies have any thoughts on this? I'd love to hear the two sides of SUV vs. VAN.

Vintage Fresh Soap - Giveaway Winner!

2009-03-06T09:11:00.005-05:00

Well you ladies are in luck this week! Since there were only 5 registrants, there was a pretty good chance of winning the great prize from Vintage Fresh Soap!

Congratulations, Teresa R. - Heidi will be contacting you about recieving the $5.00 gift certificate! Thanks so much for checking out my blog too!

On another note...

My little Britney is doing well. We are still at the hospital today, but she in steadily improving and should be able to go home later this afternoon. God is Good!

A blessing in healthy days!

2009-03-05T12:09:00.008-05:00

At this very moment I am sitting in the ER with my little one. Her cold from yesterday turned into extreme respiratory congestion overnight. She is on oxygen, and they are monitoring this all day. She also had to have the nebulizer machine about an hour ago or so this will be continuing throughout the day as well. Thankfully she is sleeping now (restlessly) and should be fine in a day or so.
Thanks be to God for their healthy lives so far, this is only the third time we even had to have an un-scheduled dr's appointment for either of the girls. We easily take these healthy days for granted! What a Blessing!

Lottie Da :: The suspense is over!

2009-03-04T00:52:00.006-05:00

Remember this? This is the final digital design image for Lottie Da Boutique - I am excited to see it up in her web-shop, and apparently she will be using it for all her company branding as well! Yay!

I just love being able to help promote fellow moms in business!