Making Zucchini Cookies!

My garden is over flowing with zucchini so it was time for chocolate chip zucchini cookies....hmmm yum! The kids and I had a great time!

Kay was stripped to his little g dipe because we all know there was going to be a mess!

My first contest!! Win a $50 shop voucher!

I have been wanting to run a contest for a while but just haven't had the guts too (afraid no one will be interested LOL) But tonight as I sit here looking at my fabric for the fall collection, I think I need to move some items in my shop so......

Here is your chance to win a $50 gift certificate to my shop! Thats right $50!! and that can go a long way in my shop. So here are the rules:

1. go to one of my two shops http://www.gracefulbabies.etsy.com/ or my NEW still imcomplete website http://www.gracefulbabies.com/, take a look around

2. Come back to this post and let me know what you would. buy with the gift certificate

3. If you grab my link at the top of the page and put it on your page you get a total of two entries (one for comment, one for the link) but make sure you comment here that you grabbed the link

4. If you post on your blog about the contest than you get ANOTHER entry

So you can get a total of THREE (3) entries for the great contest.....so go check it out!

DEADLINE: the contest will close Friday night at 10pm. Winners will announced T 11pm on Friday night (7/18/08)

Good Luck and have fun!!

Mommy Guilt....

So my etsy shop is currently closed till July 5th but I am seriously considering closing it for good. I have been receiving orders locally and a couple here and there from my website http://www.gracefulbabies.com on top of etsy orders. Alchemy has been good to me but I took on too much and my kids are suffering (my physical and mental health too....NEED SLEEP!) So I am not sure what to do. Its summer and I want to be in the pool with my kids, going to the park, playing dress up, and just hanging and enjoying their childhood. Instead I am behind a sewing machine, losing sleep and stressing about deadlines. I started online selling to have a creative outlet. I love to sew, its relaxing and fun, but I need to compensate for my fabric addiction by bringing some money in.
The last straw that made me close for a while was we were at the park....I escaped for a bit and I had given my daughter (she is three) a hug and told her I loved her and she replied "oh mommy you love your sewing".....I felt like dying! I was crushed...she is so inuitive and I just didnt realize you felt that way. So I am closing doors till the 5th and then decided what to do till then. My kids and husband are my life and I need to focus on what is truley important :)
HAPPY JULY 4TH!!

Do you have an Embroidery Machine??

Want free downloadable designs? Go to Embroidery.com


and enter this code: AFX7LJXPTMTF into the Sewprize # box. No obligation, just a couple of free designs to use!

Have a great day!

My Show In Georgia

Living in the internet world you never really get to meet the people you correspond to daily. Chatting by email or forums, reading fellow Etsians thoughts and insights on their blogs, and purchasing from their shops is all via the internet. I feel like a "know" someone because I watch heir kids grow on their blog and hear about everyday life. Its really amazing that I live in New York and I have friends in California and South Carolina whom I will probably never meet but yet feel so close too! Well I had an opportunity to meet a dozen amazing Etsians on Saturday and it was wonderful! It was so awesome to see the creator behind beautiful knotted jewelry gorgeous handmade stationary, lampwork beads that boggle my mind, and so so much more. I corresponded with Nancy (http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5594346) so often that it was only appropriate to give her a big hug when I met her in person for the first time. The atmosphere was unbelievable, everyone chatting and visiting eachothers booths, buying from eachother, and exchanging info. I always have felt a sense of community with Etsy (for the most part-there are those bad seeds) and it translated wonderfully outside the virtual world.

So as I ramble I must say that Mother Nature must not be a fan of Etsy (maybe she is more into the cut throat Feebay...who knows!) because it was raining off and on which meant we all had to move tables under the covered courtyard leaving us hidden from traffic - potential customers! So after moving back out to the lawn and moving my table back under the courtyard area we decided to pack up and call it a day, but not with a frown but a smile because I met some great new friends!

I included a couple of pictures of my table check it out! I also opened up my shop because I have brought a bunch of supplies with me so make sure to visit and shop!

Boys look great in Boutique Clothing too!

BOYTIQUE on Etsy


I love buying and selling on Etsy.com. Since having my son I began to look for boutique items for boys but had a really hard time. Girls clothing have a larger focus so I have began to incorporate more "Boytique" clothing. Dont leave those boys out! Dress to Impress!
Little Mickey Oufit Punk Baby Outfit

Here are some great items other great Etsy.com Sellers:

a cute onesie from ALaineDesigns ( I mean really how many times have wanted this for your little boy --oh they are ones for girls too!)

Fun Crab outfit from Winklepots

These pants are way too adorable by mamaziel This shop has whole bunch of adorable "boytique" clothing!

Babyleila has these adorable pants.....soo cute with the tie

If you are interested in any of these items or shops, just search by username at Etsy.com

This is only handful! So check it out! This is a great thread full of fun blankets, outfits, burp rags and much more for those boys! http://www.etsy.com/forums_thread.php?thread_id=5493139

Contest!! Play to win a 1/2 off coupon for Graceful Babies Boutique

I belong to this awesome group on cafemoms.com called Etsy Moms. We share stories, projects, new items and just have fun. There is a blog that is ran by rockerchic of rockerchic.etsy.com. Every week another Etsy Mom will be running a contest to help promote theirs and other mommy's shops. This week is my turn so check out http://cafemometsymoms.blogspot.com/

The contest is "Find the Avatar" Look through my listings and when you find where it is hidden go to http://cafemometsymoms.blogspot.com/ and post it in the comments. The first lucky one to find it will receive coupon for 1/2 off any item in my shop. So click on the link and play! Have fun!

My avatar to look for: