A bit of Seuss, Weekend Wrap-Up, and Orders!

Here's a little bit of everything for you today! Yes, you're getting a whole lot of random, which has been a running theme over the past several weeks. Welcome to my life. In all of it's randomness!

Last week in speech, we made Thing 1's and Thing 2's. I had to come up with something quick for Dr. Seuss/Read Across America week, and incorporated following directions into all of my speech groups. I don't typically talk "work" on the blog, but these were too cute not to share!

 

Just trace and cut out a hand for "hair", add a circle for the face, and a red t-shirt. This activity would be great for pre-schoolers, and my 3rd grade students even enjoyed making them! It's also great for working on fine-motor skills.

I took Addy with my on a trip to Target on Friday night and she happily (well, she doesn't look so happy) enjoyed the sling. I just love having a sling and how easy it is to carry her around!  And why is it that I always spend a crap load of money at Target! That place sucks me in every time.

 

On Saturday, I told DJ that it was going to be my selfish day where I sewed and completed projects. First, I tackled the re-organizing of my sewing space, which wasn't much fun, even though it at first sounded like it.

 

We moved the old living room t.v. upstairs, and moved around some furniture, added some more storage, and I put away tons of fabric, and it was done!

 

I spent the rest of the day working on your orders!

Infant layette gown & hospital hat $45.00 for set

"Lil Brother" tie shirt $20.00

Embroidered Bib $12.00.

 

Seriously, wouldn't this be the sweetest baby shower gift with some baby spoons and bowls!

Excuse snot nosed Addy Pearl, but this was her first time sitting in her high chair. And yes, it's on the floor, because that's what you do with a third child. We need to figure out how to squeeze in another chair at our dining room table.

 

Sunday morning we went to church, then we went out to eat. As we were pulling out of the driveway on Sunday morning, Gretchen said, "So, where are we eating after church today?" Which is not always our typical, even though we do enjoy it- well, that was before we had three kids. So, as to not disappoint her, we went to Red Robin, where it took us an hour and a half to eat because we had a super slow waiter! He was just so bad and so inefficient, and just not someone who needs to serve a couple with three kids that need to eat and need naps!

 

Megan fell asleep in the car on the way home, so DJ and G stayed outside, while I went in and fed Addy and put her to bed.

 

Once Megan woke up, they played outside while I went to Ulta and bought new make up! (Another post for another day.)

Don't you just love Megan's sense of style! Talk about pattern mixing!

Then when I got home, I took Megan, (in the jogging stroller), Gretchen, and her friend on a walk down to the pond and back again.

 

Such a great weekend! A productive weekend! And, we only have this week left of work and then we're off to Arkansas for spring break!

 

Stay tuned this week, because I have a new Girl Mom post coming tomorrow and a surprise for y'all on Wednesday!

By: Unknown On 07.05

Continue Reading

A Few Features

I wanted to do something a little out of the norm today! I'm so thrilled to share with you custom products from two boutique pages on facebook! Normally, I don't share pages or feature items that are similar to my own, but these ladies are spectacular and over the weekend, they were my saving grace!

 

I know you'll want to 'like' these pages and keep them in mind should you ever need (or want) these gorgeous products!

 

Kailah is the owner at All Tied Up Bowtique and I've watched her business grow over the last year and I'm in love with her work! Sometimes I feel like I have such little talent that it's all in my pinky finger, and these ladies blow me out of the water!

I am gushing over this Sofia the First dress that Kailah created! If Gretchen saw this dress, she would want it. She would beg for it, and she'd probably cry until I bought it for her!

For the last year, I had planned on Megan having a Mermaid birthday party for her 3rd birthday. It looks like Gretchen may end up with that theme instead, but seriously, isn't this tutu skirt to die for?!

Kailah also started designing these split design character dresses! She made this Alice in Wonderland theme dress and I just love how it turned out! Check out the matching hat as well!

 

Can you say talent?!

 

Ashley is the owner at Amanda Rose Chic Boutique, and again, she's such a talented lady!

I love these hooded towels for the pool! And, wouldn't they make the cutest Christmas gift? Megan has a lobster towel from Target, but it's not as special as these custom made towels. And, I just love hooded towels at the pool.

How cute is Ashley's daughter! I love her little tutu, shirt, and super over the top hair bow!

Ashley even creates birthday hats and matching shirts!

 

Imagine the possibilities!!!

 

Please check out these ladies on facebook and let them know that I sent you their way!

 

Before you go, you'll want to check out Vine & Ever as well!

 

Madison is the photographer that we use here in Tulsa for all of our family pictures, and she and her husband are adopting a baby! I've been so excited for them since she told me the news several months ago! She and her husband have finally made it official on her blog and on this new facebook page, and they are selling adorable "Hi" hooded sweatshirts!

100% of the proceeds will fund their adoption and after they have raised money for their own adoption, they will then begin to help raise money for other families! How awesome is that!

 

They also have adorable head cozies, and "Keep Calm" prints for sale!

 

Be sure to check out these amazing ladies and suppor them in their work!

By: Unknown On 05.00

Continue Reading

Silly Girls, Some News, & a Few Order Peaks!

The girls have been in some sort of strange mood all week. I think it was daylight saving time. Megan is no longer staying in her room at night, and we're all exhausted by the end of the day.

Monday afternoon, G was watching t.v. like this:

Tuesday morning, Megan was acting like this:

I don't know what has gotten into those two girls but our home has been full of smiles, laughter, and exhaustion. Maybe the smiles and laughter are because of the exhaustion?

Addy Pearl had her 4 month well baby check up on Tuesday. She's a whopping 13 lbs 6 oz and is 24.4 inches long. 45th % for weight and 69% for height. I'm hoping she'll be tall like her daddy!

Wednesday morning, Megan was up at ten till 6. This was after she was in and out of our bed all night. She was still full of smiles and laughter all morning! I was feeding Addy, and she was trying to climb in my lap with her pillow and blanket.

I also just wanted to share, that I am so happy with where Honey Pie Accessories is right now. I just feel so blessed. Last year, my heart was not into my business and even the year before that. I was just doing a little here and there. But, in January of this past year, I made the decision to dive in head first again, and I just cannot believe where I am today. My fans are awesome. God is awesome.

This past week, I participated in a giveaway on Facebook, and I grew by 1,000 new fans! I'm just amazed! Because I finally reached over 4,000 likes I decided to host my own giveaway- you can enter here. The grand prize is a $20.00 gift certificate to my shop. Three smaller prizes include a free hair bow, and two coupon codes.

Once, I decided to host a 4,000 fan celebration, my likes grew quickly from 4,000 to 4,500 then over 4,700. I'm so close to having to host a 5,000 fan celebration and it's all because of y'all! 

This week I've been busy working on Christmas pajama orders. I am so glad I opened these up to y'all to order as well, because I'm loving how they're turning out! 

I know many of you missed out on Christmas pajamas, and seriously I was ordering these as time was running out! So, I'm planning far in advance, and working on a Spring Pajama Pre-Order! I've already decided that we need a new tradition in our family for the girls to have matching pajamas on Easter morning as well as Christmas morning!

I think you should add this new tradition to your family too!

This week I finished these two Christmas shirts for sisters! I'm working on their matching hair bows now!

Then, I did a little fun sewing. I made this adorable "Merry Christmas" leopard Santa bib with a matching leopard burp cloth! You can find it in the auction!

Then, I made these two boy burp cloths that are in the auction as well!

I just can't say thank you enough for everyone's support over the last several months!

I do have one more exciting announcement, and that is that this coming Monday, I will begin working full time again. I'm not going to lie, it's a little bittersweet, but I'm so excited! I know that my evenings are going to be filled with completing orders, as well as taking care of and spending time with my three girls. I'm sure my weekends will be filled with the same kind of fun! I just ask for your patience as I'm working so hard to complete orders. It is my ultimate dream that I can turn HPA into a full time business, but I know that with two young children in daycare, that it's not an option at the moment. I know many people will think that i'm crazy to make myself so busy, but if I didn't love it, I wouldn't do it!

I am taking a little break this weekend and traveling on our wives trip to East Carolina, so say a prayer as DJ and I travel with TU, and as my mom cares for all three girls!

Y'all have a great weekend!

By: Unknown On 05.30

Continue Reading

September 2013 Bow of the Month Club

I am so excited to be bringing back the Bow of the Month Club! I haven't offered this exclusive offer since 2011! If you're a fan of my facebook page, then you've already had a chance to sign up for the club, but now, my blog readers have the opportunity! 

This time around I am offering two options!

The first option is for my "Advanced" members. These members will receive medium to large hair bows every month they are a member! They may also receive hair flair rather than a bow, but I've had many people tell me they would rather have bows, and if you're one of them, then that is perfectly fine!!! I always strive to provide customization for my customers, and if you would rather have all hair bows, then that's what you'll receive! Or, if you'd rather have all hair flair pieces, then that's what you'll receive!!!

The package is designed for you to receive a mixture, but please don't hesitate to ask for custom options!

If you are not a fan of larger boutique bows, then the basic membership is for you! Every month you are a member, you will receive a basic boutique style bow in the mail!

Members also receive discounts on every other purchase they make as long as they are a member! So, if you sign up for a 3 month membership then you'll receive either a 10 or 15% discount on every order placed during those three months! If you're a 12 month member, you get a discount for an entire year on ALL of your purchases!

Now, tell me that's not a great deal!

But, that's not all! If you are an advanced member, your daughter will receive two hair bows the month of her birthday!!! She'll receive her regularly designed bow, and a birthday theme hair bow!

When choosing the ribbon for September, I wanted to choose something that reminded me of fall, but could also be utilized year round. I decided on this red and white dot ribbon because it made me think of apples. My basic members will be receiving the hair bow above. 

My advanced members will be receiving this hair bow:

I decided to stick with the red polk-a-dot ribbon, but I added in a super fun print that has lime, pink, and turquoise. Turquoise and red is one of my favorite color combinations, so I was excited to pair the colors together! My advanced members receive larger bows, and this bow has a little extra with the turquoise flower puff in the center.

If you are interested in receiving a monthly bow in the mail, (what a great birthday gift, shower present, or surprise for your honey pie!) then just send me a message on my facebook page. If you can't make it to the page, feel free to leave a comment with your email address! All of my comments must be approved before publishing, so it's perfectly secure for you! (I will not publish comments with your email address.) I'll send you an invoice, and you'll start receiving your monthly bow within a few weeks! 

Because I love my blog readers (and my facebook fans) i'm offering a 5% discount on the membership prices to you! This special will expire September 12th, so make sure you sign up before then! All you have to do is tell me you're a blog reader (& follower) and remind me to add in your discount!

I hope you all have a blessed day!

By: Unknown On 06.00

Continue Reading

Mom's Know: Baby Clothes

I'm linking up again today with Leslie, over at a Blonde Ambition blog! She's a fashionable first time mom to be, and she came up with such a fun link party idea, that i'm thrilled to join in!

Today is all about baby clothes! I'm so excited to share with y'all some of my favorite places to buy clothes for my girls and some of my favorite stores! 

I can't even go any further without mentioning my own store, Honey Pie Accessories! I'm actually celebrating 5 years of bow making and being in business this month, but I make so much more than hair bows! HPA started with hair bows, but quickly grew into tutu's, hair flair, applique shirts, dresses, and i'm still expanding! 

It must be the southern girl in me, but I think every little girl under the age of 5 (and even older than 5) needs a hair bow in their hair at all times. Purchasing quality hand made hair bows, and supporting WAHM's is so important to me!

Porcupine Hollow is also another favorite store for hand made clothing. I purchased the girls chevron dresses that they wore for our family photos and purchased G's 5th birthday outfit from her. 

I also love SweetHoney and Lolly Wolly Doodle!

My girls wear a lot of Smocked Dresses, and we purchase a lot of those from Strasburg, Castles & Crowns,  and Orient Expressed.

The key to buying these clothes is to purchase when they are on sale or on clearance, and then put them up for the next year! 

I also purchase from Zulily a lot. I love that there's a variety and you never know what you'll end up finding. I even purchased a few Castles and Crowns smocked dresses for around $15.00 each! I make sure not to spend more than $20.00 on one item at Zulily.... some of their dresses will be around $35.00, but I know that I can find them cheaper in the stores.

My mom also helps out with purchasing the girls clothing. She buys a lot at Belk's and purchases at the end of season for the following year. 

For play clothes, I hit up Target and Old Navy. Their clothes are so reasonably priced and some of our favorite pieces have come from there! I recently went to Crazy 8, and purchased Gretchen and Megan several outfits on sale for crazy cheap prices! I managed to get long sleeve shirts, skirts, and sweats for $3.00 a piece!

We really have been lucky to have three girls, because there have been so many hand me down clothes! All of Gretchen's dresses have been saved, because they're rarely worn, mostly to church for just a few hours, and they're just in such great condition! I go through clothes at the end of the season, and put them away in plastic tubs marked with the appropriate size. I also save shoes that aren't well worn or scuffed. If clothes are stained or ruined, then they'll go to goodwill. 

As soon as Adalyn starts growing out of clothes though, i'll be listing them for sale on my facebook page, or in facebook re-sale groups. I've been participating in more resale groups lately, and I've found some great Matilda Jane, Kelly Kids, or LWD pieces at amazing prices!

When I first had Gretchen, I didn't want a lot of used clothing, but after having three girls, I'll take pieces as long as they're in great condition and can save money!

Girl clothes are just so much fun, and sometimes I get into trouble with what I buy, but I just tell DJ that Megan can wear it too, or Adalyn, and remind him that the girls will get good use out of what i've bought!

Don't forget to follow my facebook page for custom clothing and accessories, and I'd love for you to follow me on Bloglovin too! (link on right side of page!)

By: Unknown On 05.30

Continue Reading

Moms Know: Big Ticket Baby Purchases

Today I'm linking up with Leslie, a fashionable first time mom to be over at A Blonde Ambition!

Over the next several weeks, she's offering a series of link ups for us veteran moms, new moms, and moms to be! I guess I fall in the veteran mom category since I have three honey pie's, but man, I feel like there's still so much out there that I don't know!

Today, i'll be sharing with you my picks for strollers, carseats, cribs, and high chairs and why we chose each item.

Six years ago when I was pregnant with Gretchen, we purchased an Evenflo carseat and stroller combination. It was on sale at Target, and it was a perfect purchase for just starting our family. I liked that it was black and neutral, so we could use it with future bambino's, and it's served us well. 

The carseat doesn't expire until this coming December, so we are using it over the next few months with Adalyn. And, I've walked MC around the block many times in this stroller!

At the time, I wasn't aware and i'm not even sure they made the fancy strollers that are on the market today! Part of me wishes I could go back and buy a new one, but there's no point now and they all look so fancy and space-agey!

When I had Megan, we  I decided that we needed a double stroller, so I purchased a Joovy Caboose Sit n Stand.  It had good reviews, I had friends who loved it, and it seemed like a fairly easy stroller to use.

My only complaint about this stroller is that it's so long and can be difficult to maneuver when shopping, but then I realized that it's much easier to shop without the kids in tow, so the stroller and the kids stay home!

The stroller also doesn't have any adult cup holders, but we make do. And, I purchased a stroller hook to hold my diaper bag. 

I love that it has the tray for the front seat, or it can be removed, and there's a separate attachment for the infant stroller. This stroller has seen us through many football games and trips, and I know we'll get two more good years out of it! G always enjoyed sitting on the little bench or standing on the back, and now it'll be Megan's turn to ride in the back!

Now that my girls are older, and out of the infant carriers (well, except Adalyn) we use the Britax Boulevard carseat. The reviews are just amazing, and I love that it can be used at 5 lbs on up to 60 lbs! If we hadn't of had Adalyn, G would still be in this carseat, but it was too big for the back row of our car, and she weighed enough for a booster, so we went ahead and moved her to one. MC uses the Britax, and I plan on putting Adalyn in G's Britax when she's 3 months old.

This isn't the print that we have, but I love it! I honestly rave about the Britax and recommend it to all of my friends. It's really the only carseat that you'll ever need. The only problem is that if you start out with the Britax, you always have to remove the baby for transporting, and infant carriers are just so convenient if the baby is sleeping!

When it was time to purchase a high chair, I really, really, really wanted the Eddie Bauer wooden high chair. I loved that it looked like furniture and it reminded me of the high chair my mom used for me. But, DJ won out, and he convinced me to register for a Fisher Price booster, and I have to say, that he was right. This booster has served us well with both G and MC, and I love, that we can take it with us on vacations, and it folds up so easily! This is also a really good choice, if you're tight on space, and 5 1/2  years ago, we definitely were! It's also easy to clean because it's all plastic, and the tray is dishwasher safe.

When I was pregnant with Gretchen, my cousin offered to give us her baby crib. I wasn't in love with it, but I also knew that for practicality purposes, we didn't need to purchase a brand new crib. Three children later, and we still have the same crib. DJ and I decided, that we would rather spend money on real furniture that could grow with the girls, and that they would have forever, rather than spending money on a crib. 

This crib has a drop down side, and just to let y'all know, i'm fully aware they've been recalled, and I wouldn't recommend buying one. Actually, we won't even be able to sell it when Adalyn is finished using it. However, i'm pretty sure that conversion kits are sold to keep the side from dropping down. DJ and I just decided that we would never use the drop down feature when it was recalled. 

Now, I do appreciate that this crib has held 5 sleeping babies, and we've managed to incorporate it into all of the girls nurseries. 

If I could choose any crib, I would definitely go with a Pottery Barn crib in either white or a dark woo with thick lines. I love this one and this one.

For me, I had to decide between practicality, budget, and prioritize. I won out with a few purchases, and in the end, they were all good solid pieces that have worked well with three kids. As I mentioned earlier, I'd love to have a super fancy stroller or even a brand new crib, but living within a budget, it just wasn't practical to indulge in some areas. I know that i'll only use many of these for another year, maybe two, and then they'll be put in a garage sale like so many other things the girls have grown out of.  And now, that i'm a "veteran mom", I'm glad we didn't purchase a $1,000.00 stroller! Although, I definitely think a $350.00 carseat is a wise and smart investment! 

Thanks so much for stopping over to ready our baby picks! Tomorrow, I'll be linking up with a baby clothes post!!!

Don't forget to follow HPA blog via Bloglovin!

By: Unknown On 05.00

Continue Reading

Burpies and Bows

This past weekend I did a lot of sewing! I've been working on collegiate product tester orders and I'm so excited that they're almost done! But I also wanted to work on some burp cloth collections. 

The one above has mustard yellow and grey chevron. I think it's perfect for a baby gift if the gender is unknown! It totally goes both ways! 

Gretchen has a dress in this lemon material above and i'm just in love with it! I love the vintage flair the lemonade fabric has. These burpies are sold as a set for $13.00 or $8.00 each, and I have enough material for a matching baby bib for only $8.00! I just adore these colors! Pink and yellow are one of my favorite color combinations for girls!

One of my friends from college just had her baby girl a month ago and she contacted me about ordering  bows for Miss Avi! She let me know the color combinations she wanted, and they were so fun to create! She chose pink and green, yellow and navy, navy and pink, yellow and pink, and aqua and lime! I tried to make each bow different and I know Miss Avi will be so sweet wearing them!

Feel free to pin any of these images and 'like' my facebook page as well!

By: Unknown On 05.00

Continue Reading

Wipes, Bows, & Sandals

I'm totally in love with this chevron wipe case and matching headband! I also have a bib that will be made as well for this set! I wish I was the one receiving it at a shower!

Wipe Cases $12.00

Shabby headband $6.00

Chevron Bib (not pictured $8.00)

I just finished this Patriotic Stars & Dots bow and I love it! I wanted to incorporate the feather puff that I had, and I love the dot ribbon because it's a bit unexpected for the 4th.

$10.00

I ordered princess ribbon weeks ago, and it came in the mail on Saturday- I love happy mail days! I posted the ribbon on my page, and had a handful of request for orders. I love that this customer chose to pair the princess ribbon with colors of their favorite Disney princesses!

I'm totally making an over the top princess bow next!

The ones above are $10.00

Here's a close up of just one of the bows.

I had another request for just a princess ribbon boutique bow for an upcoming Disney trip. This bow retails for $6.00

I had this gingham stetchy material since last summer, and had used it to make barefoot sandals. These were just waiting to be complete and have sat on my sewing table for a month just waiting. I finally decided to add red bows to them with a red sequin. Aren't they precious!

Find all of these & more HERE.

And, as I was working on many of these orders, I found my girls doing this:

I absolutely love how they are becoming best friends!

By: Unknown On 05.00

Continue Reading

Ice Cream, Tutu, and Mustaches

Last week, I finished a few orders and projects that have been slowly piling up.

I love, love, love this I Scream, You Scream applique shirt and made to match bow.

Several weeks ago, I asked my facebook fans to be a product tester for a few designs I wanted to create. My product testers get a discount on their order and they're allowed to choose the design they're interested in. I have free reign on the rest!

I chose this neon green shirt, and added a brown ice cream cone, pink dot ice cream, a cherry, and a turquoise bow.

And, even though, the customer did not order the made to match bow, I couldn't resist making one! This one has a hot pink base boutique bow, a red loop, and on it's side is a turquoise bow with a red sequin center.

You can now purchase the entire set for just $25.00!

I participated in an auction in April, and I finally completed the customers tutu skirt that she won! She had originally told me to make the skirt similar to the auction picture, but also said that pink would be fine. So, I went with pink. I couldn't resist myself when I found the pink and mustard polk a dot. (Have I mentioned that i'm in love with mustard yellow?!) I also added the pink and mustard chevron print and a solid pink.

Love this.

Apparently, babies are in the water right now. I had two friends have babies in March, and my school principal had a baby in March. There's another teacher at my school who is pregnant, and then our assistant principal (who struggled with infertility) is pregnant! I also have several college friends that are pregnant and due in July!!! I'm telling you, it's in the water- so don't drink it!

I made this mustache applique shirt and matching burpie for our assistant principal that is pregnant! I have been wanting to complete this projects for weeks and i've had the idea for the shirt even longer; just no excuse to make it- until now!

I mustache, if you love it?!

Be sure to 'like' my Facebook page.

Follow me on Pinterest

Instagram: @ewelte

Twitter @ElaineWelte

By: Unknown On 05.00

Continue Reading