Happy Halloween!

We meddling kids in the Mystery Gang would like to wish you all a very Happy Halloween!!

Our costume ideas this year all started with this little girl.  She currently has an crazy obsession with Scooby Doo.  You'll remember that her birthday party was Scobby Doo themed this year.  She decided months ago that she wanted to be Daphne this year.

I used the Simplicity 2437 pattern to make her Daphne dress.  I just added length to make it a dress &  lengthened the sleeves as well.  We found the boots at a thrift store for $4.00 & this girl was in heaven in that long red wig!  So cute!

So it was decided that if Sadie was going to be Daphne, then Claire wanted to be Velma.  Jinkies!

I made her skirt & turtleneck without any patterns.  I had trouble finding jersey knit fabric in the right color of orange & so I ended up buying a mens t-shirt on clearance (set me back $.60) from a discount store & cutting my pieces from that.  I could not find knee high socks for her, so we dyed a pair of little boy crew socks orange & then cut the heels out of & sewed back together. 

Claire didn't want anything to do with this wig for the longest time.  We were worried that she wouldn't wear it & that was bumming us out because we knew she would look so cute in it.  But once Sadie's costume was all made & she was prancing around the house in her dress & wig, Claire was ready to wear hers too!  Yay!  Isn't she the cutest thing?  It kills me how cute she looks as "Belma"!!

Sadie & Claire won Cutest Costumes at our church Halloween party.  :)

 

The girls wanted Dylan to be Shaggy (Zoinks!) & then couldn't decide if I should be Scooby or Fred.  We finally decided on Fred.  It was much more doable.  There was no way I was going to buy an adult Scooby Doo costume.  Ha ha. 

We have gone to different church parties the past 2 nights.  The girls have had a blast!  And I won't lie, it was super fun to be a part of a group costume theme.  We've gotten our fill of candy & are just going to hang out with family & relax tonight.  The girls have had so much fun.  I hope they look back & know that their momma tried to get their costumes just right because I love them so much.

I hope you all have a wonderfully fun & spooky Halloween!!  :)

Winner & My New Baby

First an annoucement...  The winner of the Tollipop print is Chris of Pickup Some Creativity!  Yay!  Congrats, Chris.  I am so excited for you!  :)

Next, a few reasons for my lack of posts over the last few days:

1.  I am feeling slightly sick.  Trying my best to fight off this cold/flu that seems to be wanting to take over my body.

2.  Last minute Halloween costume making & school activities were keeping me busy.

3.  I've shifted my focus a bit to making, making, making in preparation for the Behind the Picket Fence Craft show in a few weeks.  It feels like everywhere I turn I have half finished projects staring at me, but not much completed.  

A little break from some things is necessary at times in order to feel like you're keeping up with your life & not running behind trying to catch up.  :)  The blog can always wait for a few days, right?

In really happy news, I welcomed a new member to the family this week!

I ended up ordering the Janome Sewist 500 & I am so happy with this machine!  I thought that perhaps the accent color on the knobs & such had everything to do with my choosing this machine, but actually this machine had all the features that I wanted at the right price.  Also this video sold me.  The turquoise knobs are just an added bonus.  :)

My favorite part of this machine right now is the foot pressure dial that allows you to lessen or increase the pressure of the presser foot, which is awesome for quilting!  Anyway, I've quickly fallen in love & although I've only used this machine for a few days, I would totally recommend it.  Yay! 

Call For Sponsors

I have a few spots open for new advertisers for November & December.  We are in prime advertising time for the holidays here.  If interested, send me an e-mail & I'll fill you in on my affordable rates.

Giveaway - Tollipop

I am so very excited about this giveaway!  One super, super lucky reader will win a beautiful print of their choice from tollipop! 

I was lucky enough to become online friends with Kirsten after we were both featured in a local magazine article about Las Vegas etsians.  But I was already a fan of her work prior to that!  I just adore her art.  Every single piece manages to capture my heart.  It would be tough to have to decide on just one.

Be sure to check out the Tollipop blog as well.  Kirsten is an amazing writer.  I just love seeing peeks into her world with her adorable & charming daughters.

Here's how to enter:

1. Visit the tollipop shop and leave a comment telling me which print you would choose if you won.  Remember to leave your e-mail address as well!

3. Tweet about the giveaway (just push the twitter button at the bottom of this entry) & leave one additional comment.

One winner will be announced on Friday, October 29th.

Good luck!!

Oh!  and be sure to visit the tollipop blog today as well!  Kirsten is giving away a print from my Sparkle Power shop!  :)

Sponsor Giveaway Winner

Time to announce the winner of the Super Sponsor Giveaway!  The lucky reader that wins all of those lovely prizes is Brenda!!  Congratulations to you!

Thank you all so much for entering.  I really love giveaways.  They are so quick to enter & you never know when you'll win something awesome!  I've won some really great giveaways in the past.  I've won a $100 gift certificate to Poppytalk Handmade, a shirt from Shade clothing, a pair of earrings, two stuffed animals from Koo & Poppet & a DJ Hero game.  I'm pretty sure that there have been some more, but those are the ones that stick out in my mind right now.  So take the time to enter, because you just never know when you might be the one that wins the big prize! 

And I must give a big thanks to our sponsors this month that chipped in with the really awesome prizes!

 Lo & Behold

Pretty & Preppy

Citrus Pop

Oh!  Be sure to come back tomorrow for a new giveaway.  Yes, yes!  :)

Friday Etsy Faves

1.  Keyhole Flat by Hydra Heart
2.  Bless You Handkerchief Banner by Lilia Rose
3.  Vintage Milk Glass Pedestal Dishes by Bella Chic Boutique
4.  Hand Printed Fabric Mari in Dandelion Yellow by kalla
5.  Frannie Necklace by Lara Collins
6.  QT Canvas Tote in Orange by Kinies
7.  Two-Faced Friend Doll Kit by Beeper Bebe
8.  Vintage Large Gas Station Number by Lackluster Co.

You Are My Sunshine Poster, New In The Shop

We have a new poster in the shop today!  It's designed by Dylan & it is adorable.  I love it!

 

You are my sunshine.  So sweet.  :)

Airplanes & Clouds

 

 

Airplane baby mobiles at Cactus and Olive.  So cute.  You can even choose your own colors!

Spotted

photo by Holly Neufeld

I totally flipped out when I spotted one of my flag garlands on Holly Neufeld's blog post Nursery In Progress.  That little bird decal!  Walking across the flags!  So clever & so totally cute.  Can't wait to see her full reveal of the nursery.  The vintage dresses hanging on the wall are such a great idea as well.  Holly blogs at {create*loves}.  

If you have photos of any Sparkle Power products around your home, snap a photo & share them in our flickr group.  Fun stuff, right?!

Also, I've just added another batch of these sweet vintage scalloped flag garlands to the shop.  :)

Thoughts on Feeling Pretty

This right here is the reason why I've been growing my hair out.  This wavy, curly hair right here.  :)  I still want it to be quite a bit longer, but I am loving where it's getting.

I'm not really into fashion.  I've never wanted to get wrapped up in spending money on myself.  Shopping with kids is not fun.  Plus I just don't think about it because my mind is already filled to the max with sewing ideas.  Lately I have been enjoying curling my hair, wearing earrings, or buying myself a new top every now & then.  I'm worth it.  It makes me feel happy, and I'm not going overboard.

I wonder if I'm like most women.  Is it the norm to more easily be able to list off the things you don't like about yourself rather than the things that you love about yourself?  Why is it so easy to focus on the bad, or the perceived bad?

I have been thinking about feeling pretty lately.  I think it came about because Sadie has started randomly telling me that I'm pretty.  She'll say, "Mom, you are SO pretty." and she'll give me the sweetest hug.  Maybe she's learned this from Dylan.  He tells me that I am beautiful constantly.  He tells me in the morning, when he calls me on the phone mid day, when he gets home at night, and before we go to bed.  He tells me when I look like a mess & he tells me when I'm dressed up for a date.  And he says it with such surprise in his voice.  Like he's looking at me for the first time & he can't believe it.  It's really sweet & I often times don't really believe him.  I think he's saying it just to make me feel good.  So I'll respond, "That's nice of you to say."

I'm realizing lately & it's hitting me over the head like 'how could I have been so dense for so long?'...that the surprise in his voice when he tells me that I'm pretty is not at all like the surprise of seeing me for the first time.  It's the surprise of seeing me for the millionth time.  He looks at me & he sees me inside & out....and he loves what he sees because he loves me.  Me.....everything that makes up me.

I really loved the talk given by Thomas S. Monson, the president of my church, at the Relief Society session of conference earlier this month.  He said:  "Charity...is accepting people as they truly are. It is looking beyond physical appearances to attributes that will not dim through time. It is resisting the impulse to categorize others."

I feel most pretty when I am at home with the people that I love & that love me the most.  I want to try to always see myself the way they see me & not through my own critical eyes.  I want to see myself the way my creator sees me.  “The Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart” (1 Samuel 16:7)

Are you with me?  Let's remember the things that make us truly beautiful & share our hearts & our talents & our goodness with the world.  We are all pretty.  It's true.  :)

Super Sponsor Giveaway - $70 in Prizes

I've got a big giveaway for you today! This month you have the chance to win prizes from 3 of our sponsors, plus a Sparkle Power poster!

Check out the prizes:

First we have a $15 gift certificate to Pretty& Preppy, an adorable shop where you'll find water bottles, wallets, burp cloths, bibs, lavender sachets & so much more all made out of gorgeous designer fabrics.

From Citrus Pop you could win either a pair of earrings or a set of hair pins.  The winner can choose their favorite from Citrus Pop!

Next up, Lo & Behold is offering a Red and Black Argyle Throw Pillow & a Black Floral Cut Acrylic Necklace.

And finally, a poster of your choice from the Sparkle Power etsy shop!  Yippee!

The total value of all the prizes is $70 and one lucky Sparkle Power reader will be receiving all of this awesome stuff in their mailbox very soon!

Here's how to enter:

1.  Visit the participating shops (Pretty & Preppy, Citrus Pop, Lo & Behold) and leave a comment telling me an item that you love.  You can do this once for each of the 3 sponsors.  Leave a separate comment for each shop.  Remember to leave your e-mail address in at least one of your comments!

2. Leave one additional comment if you are a Sparkle Power follower.

3. Tweet about the giveaway (just push the twitter button at the bottom of this entry) & leave one additional comment.

You have until Saturday October 23rd to get your entry in.

Good luck!!

Yellow Day At The Thrift Store

So yellow was the color at the thrift store today.  Isn't it crazy how often there tends to be a color scheme in your thrift purchases?  These prices reflect a 25% discount that I got for showing my Goodwill receipt from the previous week:

3 yards yellow cotton fabric $1.49
yellow striped ruffled bed sheet king size $3.74
vintage wire bowl $1.49
yellow pumps for dress up shoes for the girls $2.99
plan toys alligator pull toy $.74

total paid $10.45

I am over the moon excited about this striped sheet.  It will make an awesome quilt backing.  I was also stoked on the wire bowl.  I see these all the time but never in the best condition & at the right price.  This one looks great & I couldn't beat the price.

I couldn't resist a self portrait in the bowl reflection.

I heart thrifting!

Vintage Inspired Necklaces

 

 

Have you seen the new necklaces over at Citrus Pop?  Aren't they pretty?

Crazy Talk

Our dog Maddy deciding to lay right on the pile of fabric that I was pulling for my next quilt.

I am having stressful dreams at night.  I feel anxious during the day.  I feel like I am completing things on my list, but the list isn't getting smaller as more keeps getting added to the end.  I am juggling a lot.  A few more days will make a world of difference, I'm sure.  But for now I must tell you that I feel like a crazy lady.  :) 

In other news, I turned 31 over the weekend & that was fun.  Got the boots I've been wanting & had some fun celebrations which included Mexican food & delicious cakes. 

I promise to be back here soon with posts that are much better than this one, but just wanted to check in & let you know that I am still alive.  :)

Product Photo Backdrop

After lots of fiddling, we've finally figured out our new printer & are working on rephotographing all the posters so that we can get them listed in the shop again.  Last week I made a new backdrop for photographing them & wanted to share with you what I did.

 

My dad is a builder & so he has extra building materials around.  I asked him if I could have this largish piece of particle board.  Because I would be painting the board white & our posters are printed on white paper, I thought that the texture of the particle board would be a nice contrast.  My dad also happened to have some white semi gloss paint left over from a job that he let me use.  I simply painted the board with about 3 coats of paint and that was it.

The board is sturdy, so I can lean it up against the wall outside our back door where we get the best light.  It can be stored outside on the porch or in the garage & because it's painted with semi gloss paint, it can be wiped off very easily when I need to use it again.

I put a nail in the board so that I can hang the posters from this vintage pants hanger & tape comes off of it really easily as well.  The board could also be laid flat on the ground when I need to take overhead shots of my flag garlands.  I chose white for the background because it is bright & clean looking in the photos.  I also thought that a white background would increase our odds of ending up in treasuries as I see lots of items in etsy treasuries that have white backgrounds.

Anyway, the posters end up looking like this:

Keep an eye out for all the posters to be back in the shop very soon.  We're also getting the 8.5 x 11 sizes ready as well!

Halloween Goods From Our Sponsors

Halloween Party Spider Web Invitations from Cactus and Olive

Black with Gold Sequins Cat Ears from My Fair Ladee

Gold Sequin Princess Crown by My Fair Ladee

Spooky Bob the Bat Necklace by Lo & Behold