what to blog...??

So I find myself really struggling with what to blog about lately!  I am sure this happens to everyone who has a blog, but I feel like I have "writers cramp" so to speak!  I don't want to ONLY talk about and showcase my things (though that will always be a big part of it--LOL!), but I guess I want to know from you--what makes you read and enjoy a blog?? 
I suppose I should include some things about me, even though I have never been great at discussing things about myself--but here is a little bit about me!
My name is Harmony Niedzwiecki.  I live in Western Massachusetts in the town of Easthampton with my husband of 7 yrs (Dave) and our 2 kids:  Seth will be 3 May 21 and Abby is 10.5 months.  I work a full-time 32 hour a week job as a dental hygienist on top of being mom and now being the only one running Bobbles & Peanuts!  I think sometimes that I just must be insane, but I really do love it!  I would LOVE some day to be able to cut back on my full time job and do more with this creative outlet!  I LOVE to scrapbook, read, cook, bake, and do almost anything outdoors!  I find that I have less and less time to do some of the other things that I love these days, but I am really trying to work on my time-management skills!! :) 
I started Bobbles & Peanuts on Feb 14, 2011.  I could not be happier with how it has been going for me so far!  Lots of people ask how I came up with the name of my store.  I started making accessories for my daughter, Abby, so I wanted to have her name in there somehow without something obvoius like "Abby's Accessories" or something like that!!  I tend to call all her little hair goodies "bobbles", so that seemed to fit well and was catchy!  I have also called Abby my "peanut" since day 1--ironic because she is always in the 90%+ for her age in length!!  Anyway, from there "Bobbles & Peanuts" became the name and I have always just like the sound of it!  I still get to have Abby in there without having to outright say her name!
OK---I would LOVE some feedback from all of you!  What would u like to see on this blog??  It can be more about Bobbles & Peanuts, about me and my family, or about anything else--I am willing to branch out a little :)
These are a couple pics of all of us!   The first one is of Dave and Seth on Easter.  The 2nd is Abby, my Peanut! from about 1 month ago.  The bottom is Seth and me from Christmas---sad but true---I have almost no pics of myself since I am usually behind the camera!!

Have a great weekend!!!

Happy Spring!

So it finally is starting to feel like Spring a little here in Massachusetts.  We are in the process of putting together a swing set for our kid's up-coming birthdays and are all enjoying getting outside after such a long long winter!  I absolutely LOVE being outside so I am taking full advantage of it!  That being said I have been making as many new Bobbles, but I have been working on more tulle flowers and even starting to make fabric flowers (hopefully pics coming soon!)

I just finished a referral contest and was lucky enough to gain LOTS of new fans!  I will be having another Nap-Time Games on May 6 at 1 PM EST--I am skipping a couple of weeks due to the referral contest for one, and I am off to a Red Sox game on Friday of this week--YIPPEE!!!  Kids off to mom's overnight and I get to have some real fun-time with my husband for the first time in WAY too long!  We got in a good habit for a while of taking time for ourselves, but it is so easy to get caught up in everything with the kids that time for us has fallen by the way-side a little.  We are working on changing that again!  I whole-heartedly think that all parents need a little time to themselves too!
One new thing that I have been working on is iron-on appliques for shirts.  I am trying to think of things to be able to offer all the little boys out there too!  We will see if these are popular--I hope so because I think they are adorable!  This is one of the tie patterns, but I have animals, butterflies, crowns, planes, rockets, hearts, and more!!

(Ummmm...I have NO idea why this is so big!! LOL---did I get your attention?)
Have a great last half of the week!
:)  Harmony

Fun with Tulle

I have a new minor addiction to tulle.  I started off playing around to make tutus and have been looking into new ways to play around with it.  I came up with wreaths and flowers

As predictable as this is to say--I LOVE THESE!!  I think I will make some holiday-theme wreaths for my house (summer, July 4, Halloween...) and I am picking out colors to make for myself for flowers.  The flower and headband above are my fave so far!  I think I am learning one of the hardest parts of owning a business is not keeping all the product--LOL!!  I  have all my available colors for tulle listed on my Facebook page for custom ordering for tutus, wreaths, or flowers :)
The website is a work in progess.  My husband is the master-mind for that one, and he is slowly learning the process of creating through the template I chose for the site.  I am still hoping for May21 to open, but I am sure I will have to ammend that at some point!  I will keep you all posted!!
Don't forget, Mother's Day is coming up FAST!!!--May 8 is just around the corner!  How about a custom made wreath---order one for your mom or suggest it to your family :)

Making a webpage!!

Ok--I have a template!  Holy Smokes!  I am aiming to have http://www.bobblespeanuts.com/ up and running May 21, 2011.  This will be my son's 3rd B-day, so it's a good day to aim for and I will remember the day easier :)
I have to start working on taking better pics to add to the page, though.  I have been taking my pics on a window-sill in my living room, but they just aren't cutting it!  I hate to resort to the typical white background for my photos, so I have to play around a little and see what looks good!
So these are some of my new goodies!  I have lots of new feather clips, some with flowers and some just feathers.  They are not so little-girlie, and more for teens or even us moms who like cool accessories!

I also have new Feltys.  I just LOVE these--it is hard to not give them all to my little girl.  I have sports themes, dogs, and more!!
On a personal note, my son is going to be 3 in a few weeks and I can't stand it!  I don't know what it is, but the idea of him being 3 makes me sad :(  Why do they have to get big so fast?
Have a great week!  Stop by my FB store Friday at 1 PM EST!  We are having more Nap-Time Games!

Nap-Time Games!!!

I have been trying to figure out a way to have games on my FB site and not break any rules--and also not go broke (it's hard to just give things away!!).  I have decided that since Friday I am home alone with the kids, I will take advantage of nap-time and start a semi-regular "Nap-Time Games" (maybe 2-3x/month if it goes well!).  I am going to showcase some of my things, have some sales, and also open it up to some sponsors...about 8-10 businesses to include and show off their goods.  It will NOT be for free items (sorry everyone, but you will have to go elsewhere for freebies!), but for gift certficates (that is kind of free!), free shipping deals, sales, coupons, or any other offer like these that I or someone else want to give.  It stays in the rules and still lets me put some great things out there and give some love to other shops too. 
SO---the rules are on my FB page.  Nap-Time Games will start this Friday (April 8) at 1PM EST and go for about an hour (as long as nap-time for my kiddos!).  All winners will be posted right away.  Stop by, meet some new people and new shops, and have some fun at nap-time!  See you there!
Harmony
www.facebook.com/bobblespeanuts

Bought a URL

Holy smokes, I bought a URL for Bobbles & Peanuts...scary stuff!  I did buy the web address
http://www.bobblespeanuts.com/
it is not functional yet, but hopefully soon!  I have a template chosen and I just need to wait for it to be processed!  I'm freaking out a little!  I think it will be so much easier for my customers and fans to just click and buy then to have to email me and then wait for an invoice, then wait for me...1 click and done!  I have to find a way of saying that orders will take 5-10 days to be complete because I can't manage to keep 50 bows in the same color in stock here in my basement craft area!  It is already such a mess down here--LOL!!  Anyway, I am hoping to have it all up and running within 4-6 weeks (at the most!). 
I have also been trying to think of more things to do to include all the boys out there who want something special too--and all the moms and dads who want to be able to buy things for their sons.  My daughter, Abby is 10 months now, and while I make most of my things while being inspired by her, I feel like my son, Seth, (who is almost 3) gets a little left out of the fun. 
My Peanuts :)

So I am looking into making appliqued t-shirts and maybe canvas bags for boys and girls too.  I cannot sew to save my life (and right now I have no time to learn), so I am looking into partnering with some people who make the appliques and then I can get creative with them.  We will see.  It is a very hard balancing act between sticking with what I am making and offering new things that people want to buy!  I'm getting better at it day by day!
So here are a few new pics of some items I have been working on

new Baseball theme bow                          

new flower clippies--lots of colors available

Caterpillars--I LOVE these!  They are a lot of fun!

My Bunch-of-Buggies; 1 each of ladybuggy, bumble bee, butterfly, and caterpillar in any color you want!  The bugs are just the most fun for me at the moment--I get a kick out of them!!!

Happy April!!!  I hope it is Spring-like where you are!  :)

~Harmony