Little Buttercup Baby

Today's Special

2012-03-01T08:43:00.001-06:00

Reg Price $15 ON SALE $10

On SALE TODAY ONLY! Baby crochet flapper flower beanie. Many colors to choose from sizes Newborn to 12 months!!

Each day I will be featuring a new sale item in my shop that will have a special sale price for that day only. Come by MY SHOP to see the deals each day :)

~Shannon

Giveaway Time!!

2012-02-26T16:40:00.001-06:00

I finally have my hats listed and my shop back up and running from my maternity leave. The one perk....my new baby girl model :) So I thought...what better reason to do a giveaway of one of my new hats to celebrate my grand reopening!

Boys Double Striped Beanie

Princess Flower Beanie

Girls Flapper Beanie

Boys Three Stripe Beanie

The winner of the giveaway will get to chose one of the above hats in either Newborn, 0-3 month, 3-6 month or 6-12 month size. The winner will be chosen by a random number generator.

You can do as many or as little entries as you would like. Please leave a separate comment for each entry and be sure to add your name and email address to each entry so I am able to notify the winner. The winner will be drawn Friday night March 2nd, 2012.

Here's how to enter:

1. Follow my blog. If you already are a follower, leave a comment telling me so.

2. Follow me on Twitter (@buttercupbabies) If you already are a follower, leave a comment telling me so.

3. "Like" my Facebook Fan Page. If you already are a follower, leave a comment telling me so.

4. Visit my Etsy Shop and tell me what your favorite item is.

5. Favorite Little Buttercup Baby shop on Etsy.

6. Tweet about the giveaway on Twitter.

7. Share my Facebook post about the giveaway with your facebook friends.

Again, please make sure you leave a separate comment for each entry to up your chances of winning!

Good luck everyone!

~Shannon

Sneak Peek

2012-02-08T13:45:00.000-06:00

Here is a sneak peek at a few of my new items coming to my shop! I reopened my shop yesterday but won't have the new items listed until this weekend. I am waiting for the CD of images from the photographer and cannot wait to see the other pictures!

My wonderful friend Gina came with me and let her precious little boy model for me along with my new little bundle of joy. We had such a fun time and the kids were amazing. I think he definitely has a future in modeling :)

I am hoping in a few months from now if things go well I will make other styles and do another photo shoot. I brought in everything that I had so that there would be a good variety but if you do go and look, please remember that everything is made to order so you are able to customize each hat the way you want with the colors that are available. I am so excited to start making these and hope to see some of the photos taken of the beautiful babies wearing the hats I've created.

"A good snapshot stops a moment from running away." ~Eudora Welty

~Shannon

Friday Favorites

2012-02-03T19:06:00.002-06:00

So I thought it would be fun to do a new "weekly themed" blog post of a few of my favorite things of the week. I have seen some versions of this on other blogs and have found some cute new things by reading them. Well...here goes nothing :)

1. Keurig Coffee Maker

Well I don't really drink much coffee, decaf every once in a while but they make an awesome Hot Chocolate K-cup and I must admit...I'm addicted. It is so nice to have a hot cup of cocoa in less than a minute instead of taking the time to boil water in my tea kettle and then by the time the water is boiling, my kids need something and the water usually ends up sitting on the stove until it is cold. Gotta love instant :)

2. Blueberry Pancakes

Since my husband switched shifts at work and is rarely home for dinner, I have had to get creative in cooking for one. When my kids get bigger it won't be so bad, but for right now, they don't usually eat what we eat. So...this was my dinner of choice tonight. I love breakfast for dinner!

3. Vicks Vaporizer

I know that without this little machine I would not have survived my week! Nothing worse than a newborn with a cold and can't breathe out of her nose :( All three kids had colds this week and I guess I just couldn't win trying to keep her away from it.

4. My Kindle

I'll admit, I have downloaded games on my kindle which have been getting more use lately than the books but it has been relaxing. I have been playing a word game every night in bed before going to sleep and it is way more fun than tossing and turning for thirty minutes.

5. Caron Simply Soft Yarn

     The past few weeks I have been a crocheting machine! I think I had mentioned before that I am switching my shop over to crochet baby hats and diaper covers only and I have been making as many hats as my two hands could and had a photo shoot today!! My wonderful friend Gina and her adorable little man came with me and he posed as one of my models. He was so happy and smiling which made it so fun! My new little lady was the other model and I can't wait to see how the photos turned out. I created many new styles with fun, fresh colors and can't wait to show you all.

     Now I am just waiting for the CD to be ready to pick up and then I will open my shop back up and start listing! I can't wait!!! So excited to see what comes my way with the new shop.

     What has been your favorite things this week?

"To be successful, you have to have your heart in your business, and your business in your heart." ~Thomas Watson, Sr.

~Shannon

It's a Girl!

2012-01-23T18:33:00.000-06:00

Long time, no blog! But....I think it is with good reason :) My daughter was born three weeks ago!!! She joins a very excited older brother & sister. She has kept me busy over the last few weeks but I finally feel like we are settling into a routine. After a bit of jaundice, reflux and a minor cold, things seem to be getting better.

We had a pretty decent snow storm this morning which always makes it a bit harder to get three kids bundled up to go anywhere. Anxiously awaiting Spring!! Can't wait until we can all throw on a pair of sandals and run out the door as is :)

Currently, my Etsy Shop is on vacation while I enjoy the new addition to our family. I plan to open it up in the next two weeks or so and it will be a bit different than before. I am transitioning it to crochet baby hats and diaper covers only. I have found my love for crocheting again and frankly, I don't have a ton of time for sewing anymore. Crocheting is easy to do anywhere and travels nicely. Eventually, I would like to open up a second shop to sell my nursing covers and nursing pads in but don't want to overwhelm myself right now. I really enjoy making those as well but until the kids get a bit bigger, I am taking a sewing break.

I have some photo shoots with my hats and a few babies coming up so when the pictures are ready to go, the shop will be back up. I have to say I have missed my shop and all of my friends I have met through there and all of you and can't wait to get back to it. I will definitely post an update when it is up and running so you can check it out!!

"People who say they sleep like a baby usually don't have one." ~Leo J. Burke

~Shannon

Thanksgiving Sale!

2011-11-21T13:10:00.000-06:00

     For Thanksgiving week I am having a 15% off your entire purchase sale!! Use the coupon code "THANKS15" when you are checking out and it will take 15% off for you! The sale starts today and runs through 11/28. I will be listing new things each day so be sure to check back and see what is new.

     My mom has a shop and is also having the same sale. Her shop is The Crafter's Cove and you can also enter the coupon code "THANKS15" and get 15% off your entire purchase in her shop!! The Crafter's Cove is filled with beautiful gift items for everyone on your list and everything is under $20 so they are very affordable. Great gifts for coworkers, teachers, friends and family.

     My vacation getaway was WONDERFUL! We had so much fun swimming and going outside. The weather was beautiful so we went to Gooseberry Falls and wandered around Duluth in Canal Park. The pool was definitely a favorite for the kids and after a lot of playing, they slept great! I cannot wait to go back again next year. We celebrated 9 wonderful years of being together and love him more every day.

     I hope you are all getting prepared for Thanksgiving and all of the shopping after. I am hosting my first Thanksgiving this year and spending the day with my kids making crafts with their hand and feet into turkeys and also preparing for a fun craft for the kids to make on Thanksgiving before dinner. We are going to have them make their own placemats and laminate them so they can use them for dinner.

"Hem your blessings with thankfulness so they don't unravel." ~Author Unknown

~Shannon

Time for some R&R

2011-11-06T15:42:00.000-06:00

It's that time of year again. We are headed up north to our fall getaway!! This will be our 9th year going there and I am just as excited as if it were the first. My hubby took me there to celebrate our one year dating anniversary and we are now celebrating our nine year dating anniversary. I love that we still celebrate that, it is a wonderful thing. Now, we are accompanied by our two children, next year it will be three :)

Looking forward to cozy fires, fun swimming and holiday movie watching with my family. It is a time when we get away from everything and enjoy each others company. Every year we go there are only about 5 other couples staying there since we go mid-week in the off peak time so the pool is usually ours to ourselves. The kids love it! There is a 60% chance of snow up there on Wednesday so I'm crossing my fingers they are right! There is nothing more beautiful than looking out the bedroom windows out to Lake Superior and seeing the snow falling while cozy in bed with the fireplace on and your husband and kids cuddling together. Have a wonderful week everyone!

"A vacation is having nothing to do and all day to do it in." ~Robert Orben

~Shannon

Taking some time for me...

2011-11-02T10:07:00.000-05:00

     With my due date only ten weeks away, I have decided to take a little time out for myself to try and accomplish a lifelong dream of mine. I have committed myself to a challenge of 30 days to complete it and I am giving it everything I have to make it happen. Today, I actually got up at 4:45am to put in some work. I never get up before 7:00am unless my kids do so for me, that is huge.

     This thing I am doing has been a dream of mine since I was in the fourth grade. I set a goal to accomplish this by the time I am 30. I am now a month away from turning 29. Two clocks for me are ticking; the age clock and the baby clock. This baby will be #3 and I am busy now with two so I feel like if I don't give it a go right now, I may not get the chance again for a while. So, with that in mind, I am on day 2 of 30 and so far I'm right on track. I thought that if I blog about it a little bit it might keep me on track by talking to all of you about it and holding me accountable.

     I know this is pretty vague as far as what I am doing but I will share more along the way as I hopefully get closer and closer to reaching my dream!!!

"God gives us dreams a size too big so that we can grow in them." ~Author Unknown

~Shannon

Gift Set for New Moms

2011-10-26T08:56:00.000-05:00

Looking for a great baby shower gift for a new mom or are you expecting and looking for a cute, fashionable nursing set? You've come to the right place! Little Buttercup Baby offers fun prints with nursing covers and matching organic reusable nursing pads. I have just begun to list what I have but there are MANY more to come!! Forget spending money on those boring disposable nursing pads! Try our fun cotton organic pads instead!

Our pads are made up of three layers. One outer layer of Organic Bamboo Fleece that is naturally anti-bacterial and designed to wick moisture away from the skin. One inner layer of PUL which is a leak-proof/waterproof layer to prevent leakage, and one outer layer a fun, stylish 100% cotton print. They are available in individual sets, sets of 2 and sets of 3. If you are looking for a certain color or amount, contact me and I can make you a custom listing!!

"I make milk...what's your super power?" ~Author Unknown

~Shannon

Changing direction...

2011-10-24T18:58:00.000-05:00

I have been thinking a lot lately about my shop, what I sell and what I want to still continue to make. I have been doing a lot of research on Etsy about selling items made for children and all of the rules that are out there and they only seem to be getting more complicated. I thought they weren't so bad when I joined a team on there to follow the guidelines for the CPSIA but as I read more and more postings in that team, I become more and more confused.

That being said, I think I have decided to sell the few baby items I have left and slowly make the switch over to selling things for new mommies only. My shop will carry nursing covers and organic reusable nursing pads. I love making things for children but all of the info I have found and read is a bit too overwhelming for me, at least at this point. I am a little sad about this decision but I wouldn't want to get in trouble for anything I am making for the children and I feel ok with this decision.

On a brighter note, the nursing pads I have been making are quick and fairly easy to put together. I think it will give me more time to create things and with focusing on two items instead of 10-15 different things, I feel that I will be more productive in my shop and be able to keep up on stock and new listings more easily.

"If nothing ever changed, there'd be no butterflies." ~Author Unknown

~Shannon

Time to start catching up....just in time for Fall

2011-10-23T14:43:00.000-05:00

     I know I have not been on here a lot lately but I am hoping to get back into the swing of things. A lot has changed in the past few months and I am finally adjusting to them all. My little girl started preschool this year which she absolutely LOVES! It gives her 2 1/2 hours away to be with kids her age and learn new things and she is doing so well. My little man is on the move big time and is busy all the time. He is just about 15 months old and is such a sweetheart. He loves his sister a ton and it is just amazing to watch them play together. In 2 1/2 more months, we will be adding another little girl to the family. I am due on Jan. 12, 2012 and we are all so excited to meet her!! We have been preparing the house for another person and moving things around. My daughter will soon move to her "big girl bedroom" and the two little ones will share the other.

     Halloween is just around the corner and we are getting ready for that too. Costumes have been purchased and today, the candy was bought. No earlier on that though or it seems to slowly disappear before the day. Needless to say there are a few sweet tooths in the house.

     Hoping to start posting on her more often now that the weather has turned cool and days of playing outside are coming to an end. I didn't realize how much I missed blogging until I just logged on to post just now....

"Winter is an etching, spring a watercolor, summer an oil painting and autumn a mosaic of them all." ~Stanley Horowitz

~Shannon

Wait....I can explain!!

2011-07-29T10:13:00.000-05:00

I know it has been a REALLY long time since I have posted a blog but there is a good reason......

I'm expecting! I am 16 weeks now and finally starting to feel better and able to get up and do things other than chase my other two little ones around :) We are very excited about it and I am happy about expanding our family.

My little man will be a year old this weekend....my, how the time flies! We are gearing up for the big birthday party themed in Cars 2. He is such a boy, I love it!! So different than my daughter as far as how they play. It is so fun having one of each and think the new one will be a great addition to them. They play so well together and I know the new baby will just fit right in.

My daughter is learning her alphabet and writing a lot of words and all of our names gearing up for preschool this fall. She is soooooo excited she can hardly wait. I am excited for her too because she needs to get out and do some big girl things and this will be the perfect thing for her.

Hope to post again soon :) I thought this quote was hilarious....and so true!!! LOL

"If nature had arranged that husbands and wives should have children alternatively, there would never be more than three in a family." ~Lawrence Housman

~Shannon

My Sister's New Etsy Shop!!

2011-05-16T09:55:00.001-05:00

My sister Jen opened up her new Etsy shop yesterday and I wanted to share it with all of you!! She does digital pictures of words and phrases with photos she has taken to create letters with nature and objects in our everyday world. She has just a few listed so far but I have seen her work and she has many more beautiful creations to come. She is just getting started so any support or love you could offer her would be wonderful!

Here are just a few of her listings she has so far....

You can find her shop HERE. She also does custom listings as well so if you have a certain phrase or name you would like made, contact her through her shop and she can design it for you!!

~Shannon

For your new little sports fan!

2011-05-11T14:01:00.000-05:00

     Introducing my new creation! My football beanie!! This item is now available in my Etsy Shop. I currently have it listed as a newborn size but if you need another size and it is not available, please contact me and I can make you a custom one.

     I am also working on a white Christening Gown with a bonnet to go in my shop as well. These take a bit longer so I will post it when it is finished and available. I am working on several different crochet items so that I can see what I like to make best. I have a bunch of other designs of baby hats but haven't had time to finish them.

     I decided to revamp my sewing room and make it into more of an "office" type area. I have all of my books out on my bookshelf, I took my nice desk back from my mom's house and got a filing cabinet to stay organized.....we'll see if it works. I packed away all of my sewing stuff and will take it out when I want to sew. I think that room will serve me better as a multi-purpose room instead of just a sewing room.

     I hope all of you wonderful mothers out there had a fantastic Mother's Day!!!!

~Shannon

New Item

2011-05-06T09:52:00.000-05:00

I thought what better hat to add to my shop than one that matches my theme!! Introducing my new Giraffe Beanie!! I had so much fun making this one. I have it listed right now in a newborn size but I will be making more size of it soon so check back. If there is a certain size you are looking for, just contact me and I will make it for you!

The weather is beautiful today....finally!!!! I will be getting outside for sure. The sun is shining and it has stopped raining. Luckily, with all of the rain came nice green grass. Hopefully summer is finally on its way :)

~Shannon

Happy Easter!!

2011-04-24T20:46:00.000-05:00

     I wanted to tell everyone Happy Easter!! I hope you all had a wonderful day with your families! We finally had beautiful weather today so we were able to take all of the kids outside and do an Easter egg hunt. It was so fun watching all of them run around gathering up their eggs.

     My daughter had so much fun this morning searching for all of the eggs and the baskets. My son even found a few eggs...for 9 months old I thought that was pretty good!! I got some fun pictures and had a wonderful day with my family. It has been a while since we were all together. My husband had to work today and he was the only one missing but I was thankful that he was able to start work a few hours late this morning so he was able to spend some time with us and watch the kids with me. It was my son's first Easter so it was even more special :)

"Easter spells out beauty, the rare beauty of new life." ~S.D. Gordon

~Shannon

Show some Love :)

2011-04-07T08:47:00.000-05:00

Excited to announce that my mom Rene has opened up a Vintage Shop! She is very excited about it and I would love to get her name out there so I thought I would share it with all of you!! She just opened yesterday so be sure to keep checking back for new listings!

You can visit her shop HERE.

Stop by, say hello and welcome her in :)

~Shannon

Baby Hats now Available!!

2011-04-06T14:47:00.000-05:00

Here is the first hat now available!!! I have about 10 made that just need to have the flowers attached or tails tucked so I will be listing more soon! I just wanted to get one in my shop and get the ball rolling. I have really enjoyed making these hats and I think they will make a great addition to my shop. I purchased several more patterns today so be sure to keep checking back for more designs, colors and sizes!!!

Off to list more :)

~Shannon

Coming Soon...

2011-04-03T11:06:00.000-05:00

     I have decided to add some new items to my shop!! Crocheted baby hats coming soon!! I am working on them now and once I have a good stack of them ready I will begin to list them. I have some adorable patterns of several animal hats and other more traditional hats with flowers for little girls and working on several patterns for little boys. I have always enjoyed crocheting and recently found my love for it again and thought it would make a cute addition to my shop.

     The weather here is still cold and we still have snow on the ground! I cannot wait for this winter to pass so I can take the kids outside to play on the swingset. My daughter asks me everyday if it is summer yet. I fear though that it is going to go from winter to summer here being it's true MN self. Spring has a way of getting skipped and I believe this will be one of those years.

     Well off to go crochet some more!! Cannot wait to show you all what I have been working on :)

"Where does the white go when the snow melts?" ~Author Unknown

~Shannon

Friday Fun with my Daughter

2011-03-26T09:45:00.000-05:00

     Meet Squirrel. He is my daughter's favorite toy!! Yesterday we went out running errands and after a large snow storm we had recently, it went from Spring back to Winter. Well, Squirrel always comes with on outings and she thought that he would be too cold because of the snow so she wrapped him up in two of her gloves, one on the top of him and the other on the bottom. While we were out she asked me if I would make Squirrel some clothes so he would stay warm. Well, last night, this is what we came up with!

     I made him two hooded sweatshirts and a nice cozy sleeping bag for him to sleep in at night. He slept in it all night and slept well. She really wanted me to make him slippers so his feet would stay warm but I was afraid my 8 month old son may get one and choke so I suggested pants. After two failed attempts, Squirrel has to settle for sweatshirts only. The tail was too hard to go around :)

     I love how excited children get about the simplest things. When I was finished making them for her she said, "Thank you so much mommy! I love them!!" That is the best thing in the world to make your child so happy. I believe that Squirrel will be a part of this family for a long time.

"A daughter is a day brightener and a heart warmer." ~Author Unknown

~Shannon

Happy Spring! Time for a SALE!

2011-03-20T10:54:00.001-05:00

Happy first day of SPRING!!!! We made it through another cold and snowy winter. Over the past few days my yard has gone from white snow to brown grass. I will admit, the brown grass is not pretty to look at but it is one step closer to warmer weather!

With the launch of my new website and the first day of Spring, I thought that is the perfect combination for a SALE! Please go to my WEBSITE and enter in the following coupon code when checking out on Etsy and recieve 10% off your purchase!! The sale will run from March 20-26!

COUPON CODE: SPRING2011

"No matter how long the winter, spring is sure to follow." ~Proverb

~Shannon

SUPER Exciting News!!

2011-03-19T18:44:00.000-05:00

After a few months of working on it and making changes here and there.....my website is finally up and running!!!!! Come check it out!

http://www.littlebuttercupbaby.com/

I bought my own domain name last night and uploaded everything this morning! Way easier than I thought it would be. This is a goal I have been working towards for a long time and now my dream has finally come true!! All purchases will still route through Etsy but maybe in the future I will add a cart on here and make it a stand alone site!!

I would love some feedback on it. Go take a look if you have a moment :)

P.S. Be sure to check back tomorrow for a coupon code for 10% off everything in my shop to celebrate SPRING!!!!!

"To be successful, you have to have your heart in your business, and your business in your heart." ~Thomas Watson, Sr.

~Shannon

Quality Time

2011-03-15T13:08:00.000-05:00

This past week I have been doing a lot of new things with my daughter. One of them was teaching her how to play Candy Land. Out of about 10 games, I think I won maybe 2 of them. She loves being able to find the color and count the spaces on her own. She will be 4 years old in two months and I can't believe how smart she is and how quickly she is picking up on things. We are learning the alphabet with recognizing the letters and are trying to learn to write a few.

Today we did Taebo & Pilates together while little brother was taking his nap. I cannot wait until the weather gets warmer outside and we can start going on walks through the neighborhood again. We try to go on 2-3 a week and play out on the new swingset on others.

The weather is supposed to get into the upper 40's and soon it will be in the 50's!!! Can't wait for that! I went to wheel the garbage out this morning without my coat and didn't even shiver!! Definitely a good sign.

"When you look at your life, the greatest happinesses are family happinesses." ~Joyce Brothers

~Shannon

Lesson Learned

2011-03-04T19:06:00.000-06:00

     So I learned today that if you are a crafter.....you should always have a first aid kit handy! Me, the multi-tasker that I am, was trying to do too many things at once and not paying attention, decided to cut some new fabric I bought for an order I got and cut right into the end of my finger with the rotary cutter. Something I have never done before and hope to NEVER do again!!!

     On a brighter note, the fabric was unharmed! I unfortunetly cut myself on my first piece so I never got to sew. The verdict is still out on whether or not I will need stitches but for now, I just have it bandaged up. My new plan is to now bring the fabric to my mom's house tonight and she is going to cut it all out and I will just stick with the sewing part.

"The sewing machine joins what the scissors have cut asunder, plus whatever else comes in its path." ~Mason Cooley

~Shannon

Walking for Healthy Babies!!

2011-02-25T14:14:00.000-06:00

Four years ago I started a team for March for Babies called Precious Moments and I am still going! Sadly, I have lost almost my entire team along the way but I will always raise money for this wonderful cause. I have two children of my own and they were born healthy and full term but so many babies out there are not. I would love to see every baby born healthy some day and that is why I walk.

I added a small badge to the right of my page that has my fundraising goal on it. I set a goal for myself of $250 this year in hopes of atleast reaching it but secretly hoping to exceed it :) Click on the link if you would like to help me out with my journey or to learn more about this wonderful cause. There are teams all over the country so if you are interested in walking, there is a place on their WEBSITE to find a local team near you!

"A baby is God's opinion that the world should go on." ~Carl Sandburg

~Shannon

A New Item Added TODAY!!

2011-02-24T15:35:00.001-06:00

Introducing my new collection of baby washcloths! These are the two sets I have listed today but have many more to come!! They measure 7.5"x7.5" and work wonderful for bath time or for wiping your baby's messy face, hands, etc. They come in a set of four and are made from soft flannel fabric on the front side and soft terry cloth on the back. They would make a great baby shower gift for all of those Spring babies coming!!

I just ordered several new prints of designer fabric from Michael Miller and Robert Kaufman and they should be on their way!! Since I live outside of the cities and none of the quilt stores up here carry any of them, I ordered it from another Etsy seller. I am so excited to add more new items to my shop soon! I will be adding several blankets and also a few gift sets that include 3-4 items, will tell more about them once I make my final decisions on the set.

"I'm a material girl - want to see my fabric collection?" ~Author Unknown

~Shannon

Exciting News!!

2011-02-17T10:56:00.001-06:00

I was recently contacted by the owner of LU Boutique in Superior, WI and she wants to sell my items in her shop!! It is located just on the other side of Duluth if you are from the area and would like to check it out. I am going to make the drive up there in the next few weeks to check it out and drop off some of my items. I have never sold in a consignment boutique before but I am willing to try it out and hopefully it will be a success for her shop as well as myself.

They also have a blog that she will be updating soon if you are interested in it. LU: Handmade Goodness

Once my things are available I will let you know! The weather is starting to warm up here and there has actually been grass spottings in some areas!! Silly, I know, but it is a very big milestone that spring is on its way!

"To be successful, you have to have your heart in your business, and your business in your heart." ~Thomas Watson, Sr.

~Shannon

New Item!

2011-02-07T14:42:00.000-06:00

The pacifier clips have arrived!! I have three listed so far but about 15 or so waiting to be listed so be sure to come check them out in MY SHOP!

Description:

Durable fabric pacifier clip, not flimsy ribbon. Made from 100% cotton fabric and is super durable with 4 layers of fabric and top stitched for extra support.

The clip is lead-free and has plastic teeth so it will not snag or ruin your little ones clothing. It has a CPSIA approved snap so that they cannot pull it apart like a velcro one. It measures approx 10 inches including the clip.

These would make great baby shower gifts!!! You can also use them for clipping toys on!

"Babies are such a nice way to start people." ~Don Herrold

~Shannon

What Motivates or Inspires You?

2011-02-03T14:24:00.000-06:00

     So I closed down my shop for the entire week to focus on sewing and being able to bring my shop back up with some fun new items! As nice as that sounds, I live in freezing cold MN where the wind chills have been roughly -30 and with my sewing room in the basement where its cold, its not the place I really want to go. Well with a small space heater I cured that but I find myself walking in there some days, stand in the middle of the room, look at the projects I am in the middle of and I turn around and walk back out!

     During the holiday season, I would just turn on the Christmas music station and that would keep me in there for hours. Now that Christmas is over, the regular radio just doesn't do it for me. So....I pulled out my Friends seasons on DVD, popped them in and Voila! I'm creating!! I started the beginning of the week with season 3 and am now half way through season 5. I have seen them all millions of times but absolutely love the show so I can listen to the episodes and know exactly what is happening without having to sit and watch it! I think I am on to something great!

     I am going to work on as much as I can, while my husband is off for 4 days to help entertain the kids :) I am going to bring my shop back up on Sunday so I am saving Saturday for photo taking and editing. I don't have as much as I would have liked but I have more than I thought I would, if that makes sense. I am going to spread out my listings throughout the week so that I will always have new things to list.

     What inspires you or motivates you to do things that you may not want to do?

"Any day spent sewing, is a good day." ~Author Unknown

~Shannon

Snow Day!

2011-01-31T08:13:00.001-06:00

I saw this picture of this squirrel and thought it was so adorable and decided to use it :) So I am bracing myself for another 6 inches of snow today...but what better to do than sew!!! I have finally got my sewing room organized to where I can find everything and have tons of space to move around and spread out my work. The painter was supposed to come last week but we had to push him out to later in February due to a schedule conflict. I was a little bummed but at least it is clean now :)

I have been working on narrowing my shop down to 10 things since that is how many sections they offer on Etsy. I am trying to find things that are easy to make, fit in the "baby & mommy" theme and things I enjoy making. I have created a small list of things I am working on. I had plans of making a few things I may have mentioned in the past but once I created a sample....I decided not to! Not that it didn't turn out, but that it was a lot of work and not sure that I am ready to tackle those projects at this time.

My shop is on vacation for this week until next Sunday Feb. 6th so that I can step away from it and work on sewing. I find myself checking it or in the forums for hours a day when my time should probably be spent making things. It has only been on vacation mode for two days but I must admit, I have gotten a lot of sewing done...or at least as much as my two children have allowed. I have, so far, 6 new nursing covers, 2 diaper clutches & 2 sets of organic nursing pads ready to list. May not sound like a lot, but in only two days with two sick children, that is a TON! haha

Please be sure to come to MY SHOP next week when it is up again and see the new things I have been working so hard on!! Some things are brand new and others are just more of what I already offer.

"Sewing: A creative mess is better than tidy idleness." ~Author Unknown

~Shannon

Super Excited!!

2011-01-19T13:25:00.000-06:00

     I am SUPER excited to announce that I am adding personalized labels to all of my items in my shop!! Above is the design and they are in the mail on their way here! I haven't been sewing anything new for my shop because I want to sew these labels onto my things so as soon as they arrive in the mail, look out because I have a lot of fun new things coming to my shop!! I am working on some adorable gift sets right now and I cannot wait to reveal them!

     Another thing that has been keeping me busy is the redecorating of my sewing room. The painter was supposed to come next week but we are now going to postpone it until later in February. I have gotten a bit more organized in the process though. I bought a new storage cabinet and got a few new shelves, got rid of some furniture and went through my crafts to eliminate things that I no longer use anymore. It was surprisingly refreshing to clean it up a bit and make room for new prints!!

     I will post my new items soon as soon as I get my labels!! Woohoo!

"Sewing fills my days, not to mention the living room, bedroom, and closets." ~Author Unknown

~Shannon

New Coordinating Items!

2011-01-13T13:54:00.001-06:00

     I am starting to create new items that coordinate to make gift giving a bit easier. My newest item in my shop is the Diaper Clutch. It is a fun, fashionable way to carry a few diapers and wipes around while out and about. I have attached a handle so you can carry it easily on its own or throw it in your diaper bag or purse. No more searching around in your bag for your diapers. Everything will be in one convenient place.

     I have nursing covers that will match also. I will soon be adding more nursing pads and fabric bins that all match! Once I get the hang of making these new items and can stock up on some, I will also be listing some gift basket sets that match and will be put in one of my fabric bins. I will post them as soon as they are available.

     Other than that, not much new in the crafting world. I thought things would slow down a bit after the holidays but I'm afraid that isn't the case yet. I feel busier now than before! I haven't been sewing as much as I would like but I am in the process of redoing my sewing room. Moving out old furniture, buy new cabinets and storage. The painter is coming in about a week and a half and I am SOOO EXCITED!! I cannot wait to have it all freshly painted and a new color! I will try to take a before picture and will definetly post an after picture when I am done. I am hoping this redo will be just what I need to get motivated again and want to be in that room.

"Each day comes bearing its own gifts. Untie the ribbons." ~Ruth Ann Schabacker

~Shannon

We're Going Green!!

2010-12-29T21:52:00.000-06:00

     As a nursing mother myself, I decided to add a new item to my shop that I could use....reusable nursing pads!! I sat down tonight, found a pattern from a piece of tupperware in my cupboard, traced the circle and went down to my sewing room and created these!! I am so excited to add them to my shop and also to make some for myself too :)

     It started by me making my grocery list for the store tomorrow and I had to add nursing pads to it and I was thinking it would be nice to not have to keep buying them and, being the crafty person I am, went downstairs and made my own.

     This is just the first pair available right now but there will be many more to come. As soon as I finished snapping my last photo of them, my son woke up hungry and was finished for the night. We are supposed to be snowed in this weekend so my plan is to sew sew sew!!!

     Please stop by the Little Buttercup Baby Shop in the next few days for some more new and exciting items!!

"Opie, you haven't finished your milk. We can't put it back in the cow, you know." ~Aunt Bee Taylor, The Andy Griffith Show

~Shannon

Bib & Shoe Gift Sets

2010-12-28T17:05:00.000-06:00

Here are two new sets I have added to my shop!! There are many more to come but it has been crazy around here in the last week or so with the holidays I haven't had time to get them all up and running. I did get into my sewing room for the first time today in at least a week. Between the three different Christmas celebrations we had, cooking, baking, kids, cleaning, putting away new toys, getting rid of old toys, laundry......the list goes on. I am hoping that after this holiday weekend to come, things will settle down a bit and some more crafting will get done.

I am thinking about hiring a painter to come over and paint my sewing room. It is a darker blue right now and to me, that color is not inspiring at all!! I have picked out samples at Menards and like a sage green light purple combo. And then all of my sewing desks, storage and table are all white so that would be my accent color. I have hung white sheer curtains in the window to replace the hideous blue and green plaid ones that were there when we moved in. That did wonders for that room. They also had covered all of the outlet covers in the same ugly fabric.....not sure what that was about. I think if I can get the room painted and maybe redo some of my storage to make more I think that room will be good to go. I would love to paint it all myself but since I can't find time to sew or even to sit for a few minutes to blog, I better not try. It will probably sit half done for a few months and that will be even worse.

Other than that, not much new here. Just wanted to log on and check in and show you all what I have been working on. It's time I get this shop up and running and I will get there!! Hope you all had a wonderful holiday!

"Don't aim for success if you want it; just do what you love and believe in, and it will come naturally." ~David Frost

~Shannon

All wrapped up

2010-12-19T19:52:00.001-06:00

     Well it's official! All of the Christmas presents are wrapped!! It took us about two hours while the kids napped but we finally finished. We got all of the kids presents wrapped, the family drawing for my side, his family and also the birthdays that are in the next week also. Whew! We also were able to use up the older wrapping paper that we have had for years with different amounts on each roll. Now next year we will be able to start from scratch and buy all new fun paper :)

     We took the kids to go see Santa also and they did so good! No tears :) My son just looked at him and my daughter was talking up a storm! She told him what she wanted for Christmas and what her little brother wants, according to her. Haha

     Now this week I will spend relaxing knowing that all of the work is done and will just count down the days til Christmas. My daughter has a Christmas chain going and my is it getting short fast!!!

     I hope you all have a great week and get all of your last minute shopping done :)

"The best of all gifts around any Christmas tree: the presence of a happy family all wrapped up in each other." ~Burton Hillis

~Shannon

My New Toy :)

2010-12-10T20:46:00.002-06:00

     I finally got my embroidery machine!! I had it in the box for about a week but finally made a spot for it in my sewing room. I haven't had a ton of time to play around with it but I did make my son a set of fabric blocks with his name on it and my daughter an apron with her name on the front pocket. I am thinking about adding both of those items to my shop as well but have to work on the pattern just a bit more. I can see that this is going to be very fun to use! I love to personalize things and now I can!!

     My plan for tomorrow is to sit in the sewing room and work on some new things and figure out what this machine can really do and watch the snow fall. We are supposed to get 14+ inches of snow here overnight into tomorrow so I will be a home body! We were supposed to take the kids to see Santa tomorrow but may need to wait until next weekend instead.

     We got all of our Christmas shopping done today!!! Anything we couldn't find in the store we got on Amazon. I love that website! Christmas shopping delivered right to your door, can't beat that! We also ordered our Christmas cards today online from Walmart and they are going to be so cute!! I can't wait to get them next week.

     Hope you are all getting your holiday things done. Christmas is fastly approaching and it is a very good feeling to be done. Now we just have to wrap them all up and wait for Santa to come ;)

"Christmas waves a magic wand over this world, and behold, everything is softer and more beautiful." ~Norman Vincent Peale

~Shannon

The Bibs Have Arrived!

2010-12-06T21:45:00.001-06:00

The new bib designs have arrived!!! We are now backing all of our bibs from here on out in soft chenille instead of flannel. I went to JoAnn Fabrics and got a ton of new, fun designs for children's bibs and a lot of it is designer fabric. Here are 4 of the bibs we have listed tonight and there will be more to come!!

I am on my mom's computer right now because my laptop charger cord shorted out some how and now my computer is dead and I have no way of charging it :( I never knew I would miss it so bad! But luckily, I bought a replacement cord on Ebay and I should have it by Thursday this week. I haven't had any way of listing anything new or checking in on my shop other than through my phone which isn't that great so I can't wait for it to arrive!

I will make it a quick blog entry tonight as it is getting late and I have to let my mom's computer go back home with her soon :)

Check out the new bib selection HERE!

"Home computers are being called upon to perform many new functions, including the consumption of homework formerly eaten by the dog." ~Doug Larson

~Shannon

Happy Birthday to ME!

2010-12-04T09:58:00.003-06:00

So today is my birthday and I feel pretty good. Usually I am all bummed about being another year older but today I got to wake up with my two kids (hubby had to work :( ) and have a nice breakfast and my sister spent the night last night so it was a great morning!! And...it snowed! I love when it snows on my birthday!!!

I am being featured in another giveaway on a cute blog starting today through the 9th so be sure to go by and check it out. It is on the blog Lee, me and the girls and here are the choices you can win! Yes, choices!! I am offering two different prints, one girl set and one boys set so you can choose which one you would like if you win! Click HERE to visit the giveaway!!

Be sure to check out the giveaway! I hope you all have a wonderful weekend and I will be sure to eat extra cake for each of you :) LOL!

"Birthdays are good for you. Statistics show that the people who have the most live the longest." ~Larry Lorenzoni

~Shannon

New Patterns....Coming Soon!

2010-12-01T17:24:00.001-06:00

Here are some of the new fabric patterns I bought this past weekend to make new bibs out of!! Also, these new patterns will be backed in chenille. The stack on the top are fun, bright colors for kids, some designer fabrics. The stack on the bottom are all designer fabrics from Debbie Mumm and are adorable!!! Now I just have to find the time to get them together and they will available for purchase!!! My goal is to have some of them ready to list by this coming weekend.

I had a successful Cyber Monday sale. I will definetly be doing another sale soon and will announce the details here when I do.

Also, Little Buttercup Baby will be featured in another blog giveaway beginning Dec. 4th I believe. I will post the link and the item up for the giveaway as soon as it is available.

"Know your limits, but never stop trying to exceed them." ~Author Unknown

~Shannon

Cyber Monday Sale!!

2010-11-28T21:03:00.003-06:00

Cyber Monday Sale!!! Go to my shop and use the coupon code: CYBERMONDAY2010 at the checkout to receive 15% off of each item! This offer is good starting now and will end Monday evening so hurry!!

http://www.littlebuttercupbaby.etsy.com/

What are the deals you are after for Cyber Monday?

"Whoever said money can't buy happiness simply didn't know where to go shopping." ~Bo Derek

~Shannon

Happy Thanksgiving!

2010-11-25T11:32:00.001-06:00

Happy Thanksgiving! I have been baking up a storm this morning. I started out with pumpkin spice bars with cream cheese frosting then made my apple pie and finally have the pumpkin pie in the oven. Unfortunetly, there was a crust casualty along the way. I misread the crust instructions telling me to pull the crust edge up over the pie pan and by not doing that the sides of my crust shrunk all the way down the side to less than an inch tall. Luckily I don't have to be to my parents until later this afternoon so I had plenty of time to fix it.

One thing I am thankful for today is my family. One year ago today I found out I was pregnant with my son. I was very thankful for my pregnancy last year as we waited a long time for it. Now a year later I am thankful to have him in our lives. He was definetly missing and now our family feels complete with him and his older sister. I am also thankful for my wonderful husband who works very hard and lets me stay home with our children. He is amazing and I love him more every day.

What are you thankful for today?

"Hem your blessings with thankfulness so they don't unravel." ~Author Unknown

~Shannon

These items could be yours!!

2010-11-22T12:10:00.001-06:00

Little Buttercup Baby is being featured in a blog giveaway and you could win these two bibs!! The solid one is a toddler bib and the two-tone is an infant size. Please visit Miskabelly's Blog for details on how to enter!! There is also a little bit about me and how I started my shop.

"The manner of giving is worth more than the gift." ~Pierre Corneille, Le Menteur

~Shannon

Best Cupcake Recipe Ever!

2010-11-19T11:19:00.001-06:00

Over the weekend I made these awesome chocolate cupcakes with vanilla buttercream frosting and just had to share the recipe!

Cupcakes:

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 2/3 cups sugar

3/4 cup butter

2/3 cup baking cocoa

1 1/4 cups water

1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

2 large eggs

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Beat all ingredients with electric mixer on low speed for 30 seconds, scraping bowl constantly. Beat on high speed for 3 minutes. Pour into muffin cups.

3. Bake for 16-21 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

Vanilla Buttercream Frosting:

3 cups powdered sugar

1/3 cup butter

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla

1 to 2 tablespoons milk

1. Mix powdered sugar and butter in medium bowl with spoon or electric mixer on low speed. Stir in vanilla and 1 tablespoon of milk.

2. Gradually beat in just enough remaining milk to make frosting smooth and spreadable. If frosting is too thick, beat in more milk, a few drops at a time. If frosting becomes too thin, beat in a small amount of powdered sugar.

3. Frost cupcakes and enjoy!!

"Chocolate is the answer. Who cares what the question is." ~Author Unknown

~Shannon

New Arrival

2010-11-17T21:18:00.000-06:00

I am very excited to announce a new item I just added to my shop.......baby shoes!!!! I have only this one pair listed as of right now but I have many more to come. There will be boy & girl shoes available in several different sizes; 0-3 months, 3-6 months, 6-9 months & 12-18 months. Most of the shoes I am finishing up to list are flannel on both sides which will be perfect for keeping those tiny toes warm. I will be working on cotton shoes soon too. They are reversible with hidden seams to give you two options of color and maximum comfort for your little one.

Here is the link for the shoe section in my shop. Please check it often as I will be listing quite a few coming up soon!!

http://www.etsy.com/shop/littlebuttercupbaby?section_id=7550405

"There's really nothing quite so sweet as tiny little baby feet." ~Author Unknown

~Shannon

Bring on the Christmas music!

2010-11-16T15:37:00.000-06:00

This is what I woke up to on Saturday morning! It was so beautiful. The first official snow fall in MN. We ended up getting about 8 inches that day and got a little more the next day. I love the first snow but it is never this much. Usually a dusting at most so this was a great surprise. My daughter couldn't wait to get her new coat, mittens, hat & boots on to go out and shovel with Daddy! She has been talking about shoveling for weeks now and we didn't have any snow but that is not the case anymore. She definetly slept good that night!!!

The craftshow is 4 days away! I feel like it was never going to get here and now mom and I are in panic mode sewing away. We both tend to work better under pressure anyway so that is good for us. We did a "pre-setup" at her house last Friday night to see how we could best use our 10x6 space and figure out how to lay it all out. We went on a house hunt for different shaped and sized baskets and bins to display our things in. My sister came over and helped too and we had a lot of fun!! I really hope we do well at it because it would be a fun thing to do with my mom every year. I have heard that a successful craftshow is making 10x the amount of the entry fee. Well....it was $75 to enter....no pressure. LOL!

My vacation was wonderful! It wasn't quite as relaxing as I had hoped but still lots of fun! We went to Gooseberry Falls and saw the waterfalls and walked the park, went swimming at the resort & relaxed and watched movies by the fireplace in our room. My daughter turned into a little fish in the pool and couldn't get her out. My son was so relaxed in the pool (it was his first time) he fell asleep!! I was holding him face to face in front of me walking in the shallow end and he just leaned back against the head rest of his life jacket and he slept for a half an hour. Here I was thinking he would scream when I put him in the water and he didn't make a peep. He is so funny.

I baked homemade chocolate cupcakes and vanilla buttercream frosting this past weekend for a chili cook-off with my family so I will post that recipe and pics of my cupcakes soon!!

"Winter is the time for comfort, for good food and warmth, for the touch of a friendly hand and for a talk beside the fire: it is the time for home." ~Edith Sitwell

~Shannon

Two days til vacation mode!

2010-11-05T21:56:00.001-05:00

So I am at my mom & dad's house (we come over here every Friday night) and we are actually sewing!!! We always make this big plan to get all of this sewing done and be really productive and I would say one out of four night we actually are. Luckily, this was one of them! We are two weeks away now from a craftshow we are in and we are realizing we still have a lot to get done.

Tonight my mom is working on fabric coasters and I am working on baby shoes. The shoes are turning out super cute and I am really excited about them!! I will be adding them to my Etsy shop soon. I have some done but I might wait until after the craftshow is over to list them so I can bring the ones I have done there and not have to frantically make more.

Tomorrow I will spend part of my day packing the family's bags because we are heading up north to Duluth for 3 days!! This will be our 8th time up there. My husband brought me there for our 1 year dating anniversary and we loved the place we stayed so much that we go back every year. We even stay in the same room every time. It is on the top floor at the very end so it's very quiet and peaceful. There is usually 5 or less other couples that are there at the same time since it's during the week and off peak season. My daughter loves it because there is never anyone in the pool, we have the whole thing to ourselves.

I can't believe that it started with our 1 year anniversary and now, 8 years later, we are still celebrating there married for 4 years and 2 beautiful children. I hope we are able to go up there every year still to come and keep it a tradition for our kids as well. I am hoping for snow (I do every year) because there is nothing more beautiful than waking up in the morning watching it snow over Lake Superior. It is supposed to be a warmer week ahead so snow probably won't happen but I will still hope for it :)

"For you see, each day I love you more. Today more than yesterday and less than tomorrow." ~Rosemonde Gerard

~Shannon

Pumpkin Pie Recipe

2010-11-01T11:22:00.001-05:00

Yesterday I made homemade apple pie (for the fourth time this fall...hubby's favorite) and I thought I would share the recipe with you. It must be good if he keeps requesting more :)

Ingredients:

2/3 cup sugar

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Dash of salt

8 cups thinly sliced peeled tart apple (8 medium)

2 tablespoons butter or stick margarine (if desired)

1. Heat oven to 425 degrees.

2. Mix sugar, flour, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt in large bowl. Stir in apples. Turn into pastry-lined pie plate. Cut butter into small pieces; sprinkle over apples. Cover with top pastry that has slits cut in it; seal and flute. Cover edge with 2-3 inch strip of aluminum foil to prevent excessive browning; remove foil during last 15 minutes of baking.

3. Bake 40 to 50 minutes or until crust is golden brown and juice begins to bubble through slits in crust. Cool on wire rack at least 2 hours.

This recipe comes from my Betty Crocker Bridal Edition Cookbook that I got for my wedding. I hope you enjoy this recipe and let me know if you make a pie from it!!

"Stressed spelled backwards is desserts. Coincidence? I think not!" ~Author Unknown

~Shannon

Fall Cleaning

2010-10-30T21:54:00.000-05:00

Today started out as a calm, relaxing day and turned into a major cleaning project. It was one of those things where one job turns into six. We started out by taking down the bassinet out of our bedroom (tear...) because my son has finally outgrown it. Then we brought my nightstand back up into the bedroom followed by making room for his pack-n-play bed and had to move furniture around and eventually got into dusting ceiling fans. You don't notice how dusty they really are in the summer because they are always on and are spinning. Well now that it is cold out and they are off, boy are they dusty!!! He dusted all three of them and I went behind him with the vacuum and dusted up all of the dust bunnies :)

Looking forward to tomorrow! Halloween!!! My daughter is going to be Jessie from Toy Story 3 and my son is going to be a skeleton. We are going to have a fun family day, carve pumpkins, watch football and go trick-or-treating in the evening. It will be my son's first Halloween and my daughter's first where she actually knows what it's all about. Last year we took her out but she still didn't understand what to do. This year she is super excited!!

I am also going to do a bit of baking tomorrow. My husband is requesting another apple pie (his favorite) and I will be soaking our pumpkin seeds in salt water prepping them to bake on Monday. I did this for the first time last year and they were so good! Way better than the store bought ones.

I managed to make it down to my sewing room today and created a new item for my shop!!! Unfortunetly the one I made needs a bit of tweaking but every great project needs a sample, right? I'm really excited about the new things I am making for my shop and will be getting them on soon. I did add some crocheted blanket and hat sets for newborns. They are really soft and warm! Perfect for a baby shower gift if you are in need of one. Right now we have three available: white, yellow & purple. We have green, blue & pink coming soon!!! They make a great set for new baby's coming home from the hospital.

Will update again as more new items become available.

"Please don't feed the dust bunnies." ~Author Unknown

~Shannon

Time Flies...

2010-10-27T14:55:00.000-05:00

I can't believe how fast fall is going. Halloween is a few days away and then it will be November! And that means that the craft show I am in with my mom is coming! (Insert panic feeling!!) I think we paid the money to enter back in early spring and figured we would have tons of time to sew and get everything together and now we are pretty much in panic mode. I luckily did a lot of sewing over the summer knowing I was going to have my son in early August and sewing time would come to a quick halt shortly after.

He came on July 31st and I would say it took me until about a month ago to get back in there and start sewing again. I think the humming of the sewing machine puts him to sleep :) Also on the topic of time flying, he will be three months old on Halloween!! That, I can't believe! Kids just grow up way too fast. My daughter is 3 1/2 and I feel like she was just three months old. She is a big helper though. Last night I decided to bake homemade chocolate chip cookies and she was all about helping me. She got to hold the mixer and help make the batter. Then of course, she helped us eat them. She thought we did a good job :) She is definetly becoming quite the baker. For her 3rd birthday she helped me bake cupcakes and she did such a good job!!

Another cold and rainy day today. The temp is supposed to get down to 32 degrees tonight and they are predicting a little bit of snow! I always love the snow especially the first one. I get super excited like a little kid. But...after New Year's is over, the snow can melt January 2nd and bring on spring! Haha

Hope you all have a wonderful day!

"Motherhood qualified me to let the child within come out and play." ~Christy Borgeld

~Shannon

Sunday...a day to rest

2010-10-24T13:40:00.000-05:00

Today is a cold, rainy fall day out there and it is the perfect weather to curl up on the couch with a hot glass of apple cider, my favorite!! Hubby is working, both kids are sleeping and mommy is enjoying watching a show that isn't animated! Lol

I haven't done much crafting today but I think I just need to take a break for the day. Also, it could very well be too that my sewing room is in the basement and it's FREEZING down there!!! We haven't turned on the heat yet because we do most of our living on the upper level. Our home is a split entry and my sewing room and the "man cave" are really the only things we have downstairs. All of the bedrooms, living room and kitchen are all on the upper level and it stays pretty warm up here. When I do go down I will just have to turn on my little space heater and bring down a big mug of cider.

I know it isn't even Halloween yet, but I am really starting to get in the mood for Christmas!! My husband and I did all the shopping for the kids last week and they are done! We have a Christmas savings account that builds all year long so when we see a gift we want to get someone, the money is there. We started it last year and it is working out perfectly!! Then you don't have that last minute panic of not having enough money and "gasp" have to charge it all. Not in this house; those days are over!

Something else happened today....my 2 1/2 month old son started laughing! Music to my ears :)

"The most wasted of all days is one without laughter" ~E E. Cummings

~Shannon

Living in MN

2010-10-22T16:44:00.003-05:00

Well you've heard of that show called It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia...well I am going to create one called It's always windy in Minnesota! I was so excited to have finished six sets of three bibs this morning and was planning on going outside today to take photos of them so I could list them tonight and it is so windy out there I didn't get many good shots. I will probably be able to list two sets and I just gave up after that. They were blowing so hard I couldn't get a good picture. So frustrating!!

The rest of the day is going well. We are having a lay around in jammies day and the kids are being so good today. They have allowed me to sew most of the morning and we have been having fun. I even had time to bake a cake!! Turned out yummy and will probably have to have a little bit more later :)

Well check the shop later and I will hopefully have some of my sets listed. My little boy is hungry so I will end it here for now.

"Children are the reward of life." ~Congolese Proverb

~Shannon

Gift Sets

2010-10-19T16:26:00.001-05:00

I am excited to announce that I am adding bib gift sets to my shop!! They will feature coordinating bibs in sets of two and sets of three. I had my mom over last night to help me group them together. We layed them all out on the floor of my sewing room and grouped them. They were all at different stages of being finished so I stacked them up in their groups and picked a stack and worked until all three were finished. I got 5 sets done today so if the weather isn't too windy tomorrow, I will take photos and get them listed soon!!

I am also playing with some appliqued bibs. I started making one a little bit ago but my son needed to eat so it was put to the side. Tonight after dinner I am planning to sneak downstairs to the sewing room and have my husband entertain the kids :) It is challenging some days to get anything done but I take it one day at a time, each hour as it comes...

Challenges are what make life interesting; overcoming them is what makes life meaningful.
~Joshua J. Marine

~Shannon

Productive Weekend

2010-10-16T14:55:00.000-05:00

This weekend has been pretty productive so far and it's only half way through Saturday. I drug the kids over to my mom's house yesterday and again this morning and tons of sewing is being done!! I have a lot more bibs coming soon and I am very excited about the patterns. My mom is teaching different ways to use up my scraps and it is working well.

Her and I have a craft show we are doing for the first time here in town the weekend before Thanksgiving. It is in two schools, so it's huge, and people come from all of over to it every year. It isn't her first craft show but it is mine so I hope we do well.

The weather is still holding out here. A bit windy today so I may not be able to go outside to take photos today because my bibs blow all over! Maybe I will just keep sewing today and try for photos tomorrow. Not sure what I am going to do when winter comes. Going outside in the snow out to the fence doesn't thrill me much so I think I might go to Menards or something and build a prop fence to use when the weather is cold and snowy outside. I will probably prop it up in the dining room when the afternoon sun comes in. Got to get creative when you live in a state like MN!!

~Shannon

Welcome to my Blog!!

2010-10-13T15:41:00.004-05:00

I'm so excited to start my blog! I am a stay at home mom of two wonderful children. I have a three year old daughter and a newborn son. My husband is amazing and works a lot so that I am able to stay home and raise our children.

I started sewing when I was in high school. My mom taught me how to sew at home and then I proceeded to take a sewing class my senior year and fell in love with it. I have made quilts and clothes for my nieces, nephews and friend's children. It is something I enjoy doing when I have extra time, which these days isn't very often :)

I decided to open up my Etsy shop so that I could share my love of sewing with others and also so that I didn't have finished projects just sitting in my sewing room collecting dust. Please check out my shop and feel free to share it with others!! I am always adding new things to my shop so be sure to check back often.

http://www.littlebuttercupbaby.etsy.com/

Have a wonderful day!

~Shannon