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Book Trailer Tuesday- Hunger Games

2011-12-20T08:41:00.000-05:00

Ok so I admit I've only read the first book in the series. Part of that is because I know so many people who just didn't like the last two books as much as the first. Because I adored the first book I've been reluctant to read the other two books. I guess I'm afraid to tarnish how much I loved the first. With the movies coming out I figured I'd post some trailers for Hunger Games including for the movie. I do not own nor did I make these trailers.

This first one is just awesome and made by a fan!

This trailer is one of the ones for the movie and it just makes me itch in anticipation. Normally I don't like movies made from books (harry potter films being a huge example). However I'm really looking forward to this one.

Undiscovered Shops Monday

2011-12-19T12:13:00.000-05:00

All of these shops have less than 30 sales. Lets show them the love by hearting their items or better yet buying something!

SketchandEtch is based out of Vernon B.C. Canada. Shop owner Michelle carves names, logos, artwork and designs on a variety of mediums by use of sandblasting. Custom work is available and she ships to both US and Canada. You can check out her website at www.sketchandetchsandblasting.com. Here are some of my favorite items from Michelle's etsy shop.

PeaceLoveTruffles has made my mouth water. The shop just opened in November. You can keep up to date with them through Facebook and Twitter. Here are some of the tasty treats you can buy there.

Chrysanthemum Yum is a vintage lovers dream come true. Full of gorgeous vintage clothing, canisters and mugs...this shop is sure to delight. Here are some of the clothes I would love to wear!

VCrossingStitches is chock full of vinatage patterns for the person who love to cross stitch. There are so many cute patterns that I'm seriously tempted to give one a try. I haven't cross stitched in a few years since teaching myself how to crochet but I've been feeling the itch lately. The best part is that all of their patterns are digital downloads so you don't have to wait for them to ship. You'll receive the pattern in your email along with a list of floss you'll need. Here are few patterns that set me a titter.

Some blog changes

2011-12-19T09:58:00.001-05:00

In an effort to change things up in my blog and to get my blogging more I'm going to start doing weekly features. Among them will be Free Book Fridays where I will feature 5 e-books you can legally get for free from websites such as amazon, smashwords, barnes and noble, kobo etc. There will also be more etsy shops featured on my blog including Undiscovered Shops Monday (shops with less than 30 sales), Themed Thursday (I'll pick a theme and post items from shops that follow theme), and Foodie Friday (shops with food/cooking related items). Book Trailer Tuesday will show youtube trailers for upcoming and already released books. I'll be linking up with fellow book blogger RandomMagic on Wednesday so for Women Reading Wednesday. I also will feature more up coming books and not just my reviews of books. I also will have more interviews with authors and of course giveaways. I've learned so much in the past year and have read so many more books because of starting this blog. I also will be participating in a few reading challenges but have promised myself to limit it to 6 manageable challenges (including reading 100 books next year). I want to say thank you to my faithful followers and hope that you will stick with me another year!

Hogwarts 2012 Challenge

2011-12-16T16:36:00.000-05:00

Hosted at http://worthreadingit.blogspot.com/

Hogwarts Reading Challenge 2012 Jan 1 to Dec 31

In the Hogwarts Reading Challenge you are a student of the school. You will be sorted into houses. Each book you read must fit in to the subject of one the classes. You do not have to read books that fit all the subjects. Each book equals one point (toward the house cup).

You must read at least 5 books (audio books counts) before you are enter in to the drawing. At the end of the Challenge one person will win a $15 Amazon Gift Card and one house will win the House Cup (purely a pride thing).

There are mini challenges that has it own prize

To be eligible to win prizes you must have a blog and sign up using Mr. Linky. Then start a Hogwarts Reading Challenge post and link it back to this post.
****You can be eligible for prize if you become a member of I Love Reading Challenges on Shelfari and keep the list of the books you read for this challenge under the Hogwarts Challenge post there. You can also become a fan of the I Love Reading Challenges Facebook fan page and keep you list there as well.
Reading one of the 7 Harry Potter books earns you 25 house points. You can only read this books once during the challenge. 15 points for any other Harry Potter related book such as Tales of Beedle the Bard or A Parent's Guide to Harry Potter, again these books and only be read once during the challenge.

The Houses
Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, Slytherin

COURSES
Transfiguration - read any book that has trans or figure in its title, is about shape shifting, has a shape shifter in it, or is about anythiThing having to do with changing one thing into another
1. book
2. book

Defence Against the Dark Arts - read any book that has defence(defense), dark and/or art(s) in its title, read any book that is about self defense, war, history of war/marital arts, murder mysteries

Charms - read any book that has charm in its title, any book that deals with gives something or someone a new aspect (for example the nerdy guy become a handsome doctor)

Potions - read any book that has potion in its title, cookbooks count but you must cook at least one recipe out of the book

Astronomy - read any book that has astronomy in its title, books about planets, stars, etc, sci-fi
1. book

History of Magic - read any book that has history or magic in its title, books about magic, witches, etc

Herbology - read any book that has herb in its title, again cookbooks count and again you must cook at least one recipe out of the book

Arithmancy - read any book that has arithmancy in its title, any book with a number in its title, any book that deal with numbers or math

Ancient Runes - read any book that has ancient or runes in its title, books about historical places like the pyramids, Stonehenge, great wall of china, or any book about symbols

Divination - read any book that has divine in its title, any book about psychics or psychic abilities, tarot reading etc
1. boook

Care of Magical Creatures - read any book that has magical or creatures in its title, about supernatural beings

Muggle Studies - nearly any book works here, what better way to understand Muggles than to read what they read

CLUBS & SPORTS

Charms Club
list book
Lesson:
list book

Dumbledore's Army (D.A.)

Music Appreciation and Great Intonation Club (M.A.G.I.C.)

Slug Club

Society for the Promotion of Elfish Welfare (S.P.E.W.)

Potions Club

3660 Minutes Reading Challenge

2011-12-16T15:51:00.000-05:00

I have wanted to host a reading challenge ever since I started blogging. After looking through so many challenges I was shocked that not a single one had to do with reading with children. So here you have the 2012- 3660 Minutes Reading Challenge.

What is the Challenge? To spend 10 minutes every single day reading to our children. Since this year is a leap year there are 366 days hence 3660 minutes. The goal is to promote reading, increase imagination, foster a love of words, bolster comprehension skills, and spend quality time with the children in our lives.

Who Can Participate? Anyone who is welcome to join at any time so long as you have a child/children you can share love of reading to. If you are pregnant you can read aloud to your unborn baby. If you are a grandparent you can phone/skype your grandchild to read. If you are a babysitter you can read to the children you babysit. If you have younger brothers or sisters you can read to them. If you are a librarian you can read to children in the library. If you are a teacher you can read to your students. You do not have to a blogger nor do you have to review the books you and your child read but it is encouraged.

What Counts? This is very open ended. Newspapers, magazines,books, ebooks, audio-books, comics, poems, plays, internet articles count. Also having children write their own stories, write in diaries, word problems, learning the lyrics to songs, learning ABC's, writing out letters etc. Also discussion of what you just read counts! So if you want to read for 5 minutes then discuss it- IT COUNTS! Art projects surrounding books you are reading/have read together counts! Letting your child read to you counts. If you feel that what you are doing helps a child learn to love words/letters then yes it counts.

What Does not Count? Homework! Books they HAVE to read for school do not count. The only exception to this rule is if it is extra credit books for school.

How Long Will it Run For? From January 1, 2012 to December 31, 2012

Can I Skip a Day? The goal is to read every day but if you can't for some reason (ie you are a teacher and don't see your students on weekend) then you need to make up those minutes. At the end of the year you want to have in 3660 minutes of reading with children.

Can I Cheat/Lower the Goal? Well yes you can but really the person you are cheating is the children. Really who wants to do that?

Can I do More Than 10 Minutes a Day? YES!!! 10 minutes is the minimum but more than that is not only acceptable it is encouraged! It also helps bank up minutes for those days you are unable to read.

How Do I Check In? OK so let us admit it most of us are bad at checking in on these things. So I will try and post up on the 1st of every month a thread for us to update on. Tell us what you have been reading. Have you been successful? Give suggestions of books to read. Did you come up with a creative activity to get your children excited about it?

I'm a Blogger Do I Need to Post to my Blog? No you do not need to post to your blog but it is encouraged. It will also help during the monthly check ins if you want people to just read posts on what you have been doing with your children. While not required please put up an introductory post to help promote the challenge.

I'm Not a Blogger How do I Sign Up? You can simply leave a comment below and check in on the 1st of the month to let us know how you are doing.

Young Adult Blog Tour- A Banshee's Tale- Veronica Breville Book Review and Giveaway

2011-11-21T08:19:00.001-05:00

I'm happy to be a hosting blog for the TWCS Young Adult Blog Tour. As part of the tour I was given the opportunity to read and review the book A Banshee's Tale by Veronica Breville. Veronica grew up in East Kansas surrounded by family. Her grandmother Helen sparked a love of books and reading. She is a mother to three beautiful daughters and a lovable Wheaton Terrier. Veronica now lives in a suburb of Denver, Colorado.
A Banshee's Tale is about a young teen name Catherine. She grows up scorned by most of her fellow classmates. Just before she turns sixteen she finds out she is a Guide or as they call them in her parents native land a Banshee. She is trained by her aunt who is a fellow Banshee on how to guide spirits on to their chosen path. She is left to rely on the help of her aunt, her psychic best friend, and her attractive bodyguard Zane.
I enjoyed this book. I loved that Catherine had a large Irish family who were all helpful and loving. I liked that even though she developed special powers there were consequences if she tried to use them to manipulate other people. She was not made an all powerful person. I did find that the book could have used a bit more editing to tidy up a few small errors and to tighten up some plot points. But those small needs for edits did not entirely detract from the book and were barely noticeable. I also wish that there had been more description of the training she was doing to learn how to be a Guide. Over all I enjoyed the book and look forward to reading more books by this author. I give the book 3 and half stars out of 5. With some editing it would definitely bump up to a 4-4.5 star book

Book Review: Watch Over Our Water by Lisa Bullard

2011-10-27T12:02:00.000-04:00

I was excited to read this book to my son. I'm very big on trying to conserve, reduce, reuse, recycling and saving our planet in general. It just plain makes sense. Watch Over Our Water is a childrens book that gives information about our planet's drinking water. It has tips on how to conserve water and ways to keep drinking water safe.

I admit I was a bit afraid that it would end up being too preachy or too "textbook" but it was a perfect balance. There was enough silliness to keep my son listening but not so much information that he couldn't understand what was being said. Concepts were put simply and in ways that children can understand. The illustrations were absolutely gorgeous! My son immediately wanted me to read it to him again! He then made me go through a third time so he could point out the different things in the pictures! I would call this one a winner! I give it 5 out of 5!

Bloggers Beware!

2011-10-27T09:04:00.000-04:00

Ah one of the things a blogger has to watch out for is scams. Well, there is a new one that is hitting us bloggers and it affecting those of us from many different countries. I received a "fan" email today from a Mr. Serge Levange. Claiming how he had read my birthday post and then spent an hour on my blog reading it. Considering my birthday post was all of one sentence and a few birthday wishes responses (thanks so much guys!) I highly doubt that would cause someone to read my blog for an hour. He then politely asks me to link up to the site that he works for. A quick internet search showed me that many bloggers are receiving this very same email. Serge is just slightly changing the details so match that persons blog. Some bloggers have fallen for it and have eagerly advertised about the site. If it seems too good to be true then it is. So fellow bloggers if you get an email from Serge just realize that he is NOT a fan but rather a spam bot. If you ever have a doubt a quick google search will usually help expose said scams. BTW the site he is touting is real however how he is going about getting advertising for said site is despicable. Here is a copy of the email I was sent.

Hello!

I just want to thank you for your wonderful blog mommywantstoread.blogspot.com.

I read the post "Happy Birthday to Me!" and then I spent another hour on your blog by reading your posts with pleasure :) Every article is interesting and easy to read. I really like the "Kicking the Bucket".

I work for Jooble company, we aggregate job adverts around the world.

My job is to persuade bloggers to link to our site.

I really love my job! We have a friendly team and good management, but unfortunately I have no idea how to convince a blogger to link to us, I'm afraid I might lose my job because of it :(

And that is why, instead of sending letters to thousands of different blogs, I am reading yours.

Honestly, I am not really sure if the link to our website in United States - jooble-us.com, will be appropriate for your blog, but if you believe it will and it is possible to add it, I would be really grateful to you! Our site is really cool, it can greatly help hundreds of people to find a job.

I wish you to have a good day and excellent mood! Thanks again for your nice blog. Write more! Thanks!

Best regards,

Serge Lavange
Account Manager

Happy Birthday to Me!

2011-10-26T14:38:00.001-04:00

32 years ago on this day I was born! Happy Birthday to Me!

Kicking the Bucket

2011-10-26T13:44:00.000-04:00

Ah we all have it...that list of things we want to do before we kick the bucket. The wonderful gals at TodaysMama have teamed up with Just Ask and they are hosting a giveaway of huge proportions...bucklist proportions!

Are you wondering what's on my bucket list? Well here are 15 items on my bucket list!

1. Ride RAGBRAI (Registers Annual Great Bike Ride Across Iowa) again
2. Lose 150 pounds
3. Read 150 books in one year
4. Write a book
5. Learn how to successfully cook fried chicken
6. Learn how to knit
7. Spend a month vacationing in the UK
8. Go on a Alaskan cruise
9. Travel to Maine just to eat lobster
10. Swim with the Manatees
11. Have my teeth fixed
12. Get a job outside of retail
13. Finish college and actually get my degree
14. Take my kids to baseball game complete with all the ballpark foods and an ice cold beer for me
15. Go on a huge wine and cheese tasting tour through Europe

This is my entry in the Just Ask Bucket List Getaway Giveaway. Just Ask offers a breast and ovarian cancer screening and is encouraging people to share 15 things that I want to enjoy in my lifetime as a reminder to be aware of my health. Want to enter? Head over to TodaysMama.com to get the details.

Book Review- B is for BuffleHead by Steve Hutchcraft

2011-10-25T18:06:00.000-04:00

In an effort to get my 4 year old to love reading I've decided to read him two-three books a day. So prepare for lots of children's books reviews Along with the usual YA/adult book reviews

I received a netgalley copy of B is for Bufflehead. I was immediately taken with the gorgeous pictures. Brightly colored and wonderfully detailed photographs of each bird fill each page. The book tell the ABC's by introducing children to many different birds and their names from the different letters of the alphabet. Accompanying them are descriptions of each bird.

The descriptions of each bird are short but long enough for the child to learn all about the bird and what distinguishes it from other birds. Unfortunately for my son the descriptions began to get to be too much so I had to switch to just telling him the bird a a few of the facts. However for older children or those with a greater attention span should have no problem keeping up. Also another thing I love is in the back of the book is a section where children can take the who's who challenge and see how much they remember about each bird.

I would recommend this book for any child who loves birds, nature, or beautiful photographs. Even adults will enjoy looking at the gorgeous pictures. I wish a had a few of them framed to put up on my walls! Though for some children with short attention spans may have problems if you read every word it is still a wonderful book to own and teach you little ones about birds. I give it 4 out of 5 stars.

Book Review- Fall Pumpkins:Orange and Plump by Martha E.H. Rustad

2011-10-25T11:41:00.000-04:00

I have been looking for some good fall time children's books to read to my son. So I was happy to be able to review this book. The book tells the life cycle of pumpkins from being planted all the way to being harvested and eaten.

The illustrations are wonderfully done. With beautiful colors that represent all the different seasons. It was not too overly wordy so my 4 year old did not lose interest but at the same time it gave some great information to him on how pumpkins grow. He asked me to read it to him 3 times! There is even a recipe in there for roasted pumpkin seeds. Yum!

I asked my son whether he liked the book and he said "yeah I do. It was good book". The book is perfect for the fall. It is not focused on Halloween but rather on the pumpkins themselves. I loved the drawings and I loved that my son was so interested in it. So if you are looking for a good fall book that you can read to your child beyond Halloween I would highly recommend this book. Good for children who are very young or with short attention spans. Educational yet fun. I give it 4 and half out of 5 stars.

Book Review- That Which Should Not Be by Brett J. Talley

2011-10-24T12:16:00.000-04:00

When I recieved a review copy of That Which Should Not Be I was super excited. Being that it is time for Halloween I needed a good scary book. The cover and the blurb had me sold! The book is sort of a throw back. Written in the style of H.P Lovecraft. I sadly and almost embarrassingly admit I have never read any of Lovecraft's Tales. But I have always been aware of them. After reading That Which Should Not Be I'm convinced I need to run out and read some of the tales!

That Which Should Not Be starts with Carter Weston a student at Miskatonic University being asked by his professor to retrieve a book from a nearby village. Upon arrival at the village Carter meets up with some interesting characters at the local tavern. There they regale him with scary tales of encounters they have had. Soon Carter himself must fight an evil beyond all imagination.

I was immediately drawn into this book from the start. It is essentially a series of short stories that drive along the main story. I knew it was a perfect horror book when I stopped reading because I realized my heart had begun to pound my breath had quickened. I can't honestly remember the last time that has happened with a horror book. The other thing I loved is that it was not full of gore. It was an intelligent read that showed you can be scary without needing buckets of blood. That is not to say that there is no gore but it is enough to be scary without being over done or gag worthy. While I thoroughly enjoyed this book the only problem I had with it was sometimes it was too intelligent. I consider myself fairly well read with a rather vast vocabulary. Having taken Latin in high school and college I can usually at least glean the meaning of a word. However I did find myself having to run to my dictionary for a quick glance on a few of the words. But that did not detract from my enjoyment and most people who are not obsessive compulsive like me can probably skip over those words with no problems understand what is happening. I highly recommend this book to anyone looking for a good intelligent scary read. I give it 5 out of 5 stars.

Oh and keep an eye out for an interview with the author Brett Talley himself!

Harvest Halloween Giveaway Is Here!

2011-10-13T23:50:00.002-04:00

Hello Everyone and welcome to MommyWantsToRead. For the Harvest Halloween Hop Giveaway I'm excited to announce I am giving away 4 (yes 4!) giveaway packages packed with goodies you are sure to love. Please click on the package links below to enter to win the different packages. With nearly $400 in prizes among the 4 packages how can you go wrong? Yes a person may win more than one maybe even all 4!

Prize Package A: Getting Crafty
Prize Package B: Harvest Baby
Prize Package C: Healthy Bounty
Prize Package D: Cornucopia of Books

****All items won will be shipped directly from the sponsor (except for the Michaels giftcard). I am not responsible for lost items. I will do my best to contact the sponsor if for some reason you do not receive your item. You must respond to the winner email within 48 hours or a new winner will be chosen. All giveaway packages except for the ebook package are USA only.****

Please check out the other blogs participating and hop on to the next one for your chance to win other great giveaways!

Harvest Halloween Giveaway Prize Package D: Cornucopia of Books

2011-10-13T23:49:00.001-04:00

I'm super excited about this giveaway. It is full of books from indie and small press authors. All of the books are e-copies other than Pilates and the signed copy of That Which Shall Not Be. I want to thank all of the authors for donating their books. Your hard work is appreciated. While it is not required I'm asking the winner to review the books after reading them. Look for upcoming interviews and reviews of all the books you see listed here! This prize package is worth over $30!

Harvest Halloween Giveaway Prize Package C: Healthy Bounty

2011-10-13T23:48:00.001-04:00

This prize package is full of yummy healthy treats. Because this time of the year doesn't have to be all about sugary candy and fatty baked goods and chemical filled foods. I want to thank each sponsor who so generously donated to this package! To enter please fill in the rafflecopter entry form. Comments other than those asked for in rafflecopter will not count.One person will win all of these things! This prize Package is worth over $100!!

Harvest Halloween Giveaway Prize Package B: Harvest Baby

2011-10-13T23:47:00.002-04:00

This prize package is perfect for the baby/toddler in your life. I want to thank each of my sponsors who so generously donated the prizes for this giveaway. To enter please fill in the rafflecopter entry form below. Comments other than those asked for in rafflecopter will not be accepted as entries. One person will win these fun things! This Prize Package is worth over $88!

Harvest Halloween Giveaway Prize Package A: Getting Crafty

2011-10-13T23:45:00.000-04:00

This prize package is full of wonderful crafted items and items for you to craft with. I want to thank each sponsor who so generously donated to this package! To enter please fill in the rafflecopter entry form. Comments other than those asked for in rafflecopter will not count.One person will win all of these things! This Prize package is worth $165!

Halloween Harvest Sponsor Spotlight and Interview-Nzimm

2011-10-13T14:44:00.000-04:00

Shop owner Natasha of Nzimm has set up a shop that is a wonderland of adventure. Beautiful dyed silks, acorn capped little folk, wooden eggs and gnomes so colorful you just want to dive in and play with them! She is donating a couple of her super cute wool pumpkins. Perfect for decorating, shadow boxes, doll houses or just for play! Check out her shop to see what other hidden fairyland things she has.
Where do you draw your inspiration from?
Let's see......
My inspiration is often my drive to create (my hands love to fiddle!!) and the materials around me. I love trying new craft projects!What made you decide to open an Etsy shop?
I recently had my first child and decided to stay at home for a while. I was familiar with Etsy and had wanted to participate but didn't have the time while I was teaching full time. I have been able to put some of my things on Etsy this year and look forward to building my shop with the many more things I am working on right now.
What is your favorite scary book/movie to read/watch this time of year?
I can't think of a scary book or movie I like, I'm more of a feel good drama type.What are your future plans for your shop?
I love my wool pumpkins, each one is fun to create. I love autumn and making these pumpkins every year is a tradition I started about 3 years ago.What is your favorite item in your shop?
The dolls are also my favorite as each one is unique and I find their personalities come forth as I work on them. I'd like to focus more on the large dolls this coming year.

Halloween Harvest Sponsor Spotlight and Interview- HealthyVegRecipes

2011-10-13T14:22:00.000-04:00

Believe it or not I was a vegetarian for over 10 years. But due to an iron deficiency and major red meat cravings when I was pregnant I gave up being a vegetarian a number of years ago. However I still eat a number of vegetarian meals and have retained my love of vegetables and alternative meat sources like soy. Carol of HealthyVegRecipes has a shop full of healthy vegetarian recipes that anyone would love to make. Not only that she has created a number of spice blends you'll adore. She offering up for the giveaway some of her yummy Vegan popcorn seasoning. Who needs fatty butter or worse that butter flavored muck that you find in microwave popcorn and at the movie theaters? Now you can enjoy your popcorn with her sea salt and other natural spices blend. Check out her shop to see the other yummy spices and recipes she has cooked up! You can also follow her on facebook at www.facebook.com/healthyvegrecipes

What is your favorite thing in your shop? Without a doubt my Popcorn Seasoning is my favorite! I use it on everything :)

Any tips for someone looking to turn to a vegan/vegetarian lifestyle? I read a lot of books to help keep me motivated and inspired when I made my transition to a vegetarian diet.

What is your favorite thing about the fall? The leaves changing and the smell in the air.

Do you have future plans for you shop? I hope to include more of the hundreds of recipes and seasonings I have created over the years, but time is my obstacle.

Any tips on getting children and their parents off of the fast food track? I used to be a health coach and helped many families change their lifestyle. The 2 things that helped them stick with it and accept it as a new lifestyle were: 1, Education- The more they know, the more they believe it is right for their health and 2, Learning how to prepare meals that taste fantastic without all the harmful ingredients in the standard American diet. So, reading books on the subject, watching documentaries, researching online, taking vegetarian cooking classes, and experimenting with spices to give rich flavor their foods.

Halloween Harvest Sponsor Spotlight and Interview- SewSweetz

2011-10-13T14:07:00.000-04:00

Dana of SewSweetz is a mommy to three little girls. So she has a good idea of what they like to wear. Her shop is packed full of dresses and outfits any little girl would beg to wear! Please check out Dana's Facebook to keep up to date. Come back tomorrow October 14-24 for a chance to win a super cute Halloween themed dress for your little one!

When and where did you learn how to sew?I taught myself how to sew when my 13yr old was just a baby!!
What is your favorite item in your shop?I would have to say this is my favorite item in my shop!! It's a shirt and can be worn with leggings, so easy for church and play!
www.etsy.com/listing/76440036/girls-pillowcase-shirt-or-dress-green

What is your favorite costume either you or one of your girls has worn for Halloween?My daughter wore a tinkerbell costume I made last year!! Too cute!! :)

How long does it take you to finish an item?One dress takes me 30 mins to complete fron start to finish.

Where do you get your inspiration from?My mind is a crazy place ;) I am always thinking of new things to make, so I guess this mind of mine! :)

Halloween Harvest Sponsor Spotlight and Interview- GracefulByAnna

2011-10-13T13:48:00.000-04:00

Shop owner Anna from GracefulByAnna is new to Etsy! So come join her on her new journey in being a shop owner on Etsy. I just know you are going to love her stuff. She is offering 3 items from her shop just for the Hop giveaway! Come back tomorrow to see what they are and to begin entering the giveaway. Because her shop is so new I'm going to give any one who buys an item from her shop during the giveaway a bonus 12 entries!

Your shop is brand new what made you decide to jump in and open an Etsy shop?
I am turning 30 in 11 days. Towards the end of last year I really just felt like something had been missing in my life. I enrolled back in school which I started in the spring. Over summer break I still just felt this empty void. The best way to describe it was that it was a feeling like I’m just not doing what I want to be doing. I have always been a creative person. I love sewing but normally just find myself making baby quilts as gifts for friends when they have a new baby. I’ve never dedicated my time to do something I REALLY love to do. I’ve been fascinated by all the felt flowers and headbands I’ve seen around and when I saw how EXPENSIVE some of them were and the quality wasn’t even very nice I told myself I could make that and I wouldn’t have to charge as much as these other people. I try to keep my prices low. I know I live on a budget so I want people to be able to afford my items. For the past 2 months between writing a number of papers I have been working on my headbands and flowers. I wanted to have a Grand Opening so I’ve been waiting for the day to finally launch my site. The only problem with that was that I just kept coming up with other ideas of things to make so it kept pushing back my launch date. Finally I told myself I have over 60 items finished I just need to get em on there. So FINALLY I opened my shop! YAY!! I can say my Etsy Shop and my GracefulbyAnna.blogspot.com blog has helped fill that empty part of me that was missing. Now I just wish I had more hours in the day so I could focus on making more items!!

What is your favorite item in your shop?
I’m in LOVE with my feather headbands. I just like the overall look of it and how it has the cuts around the edges. I really like the placement as well when you put it on. It’s perfect in time for Thanksgiving too!

What is your favorite fall time memory?
My birthday falls on the 23rd of October so pretty much all my birthday parties are Halloween themed. Last year I had a BIG party and had tons of left over supplies like cups, plates, chips, and little odds and ends. I had always wanted to have a Pumpkin Carving Party. I didn’t have much money to be able to buy food again after just throwing a party the week before but with the left over items I did have I decided to invite my family and some friends over. Everyone just brought their pumpkins and little appetizer type things to eat and I provided non alcoholic beverages and chips (all leftovers from my party). We all sat around one big table outside and carved our pumpkins, snacked on food and enjoyed each other’s company. After we played Uno and watched a football game. It was one of the most fun days EVER! In fact, it was so much fun I am throwing my 2nd Annual Pumpkin Party this year combined with my Birthday Party afterwards. I’m so excited!

How long have you been making hair accessories?I actually just started really making these 2 months ago. But I have been sewing and making crafts for as long as I can remember.

What are your future plans for your shop?
I’m hoping to grow little by little to provide additional accessories. I have so many ideas and items I want to make it’s just a matter of having the time to make them all. I’m so excited though to show everyone what they are!! Check back often to get a peek!

Anything you want to mention or add? :)
Most people think I would be a mom. I’m not...yet. But I have an In-Home Daycare. I take care of the lil ones! A lot of my inspiration comes from them. Or a lot of times I find myself thinking “If I had a lil girl I would want her to wear one of these.”

Halloween Harvest Sponsor Spotlight and Interview- Bellezaeluce

2011-10-13T13:15:00.000-04:00

What can I say other than I am so super excited to have met Danielle from Bellezaeluce. When she agreed to sponsor me during the giveaway I had no idea just how generous she was going to be. She is donating a bunch of items perfect for your Halloween party plus a $20 gift certificate! Talk about generous! She is a mother of 2 children. A son and a daughter. She named her shop after them because they are the beauty and light of her life. Her shop is stuffed full of items for the perfect wedding, shower, birtday party, christening, any party!! She loves doing custom designs so if you have an idea feel free to contact her and see what she dreams up for you. Please stop back tomorrow october 13-24 for a chance to win all the goodies she has offered up!
To keep up to date with her shopplease check out these:
Blog: bellezaeluce.com/blog/
Facebook: www.facebook.com/pages/Belleza-e-Luce/128887013844592#!/pages/Belleza-e-...
Twitter: twitter.com/#!/bellezaeluce

What is your favorite item in your shop?
My favorite item is constantly changing; currently it is my Save the Date Getaway Car
www.etsy.com/listing/81254310/save-the-date-wedding-invitations
It is very fun and casual, wonderful for a laid back couple. I just finished creating this design with a bit of a twist for a couple - to announce their elopement!

Where do you get your inspiration from?
Inspiration is everywhere. I always have a camera, notepad and paper wherever I go since you never know when that fabulous idea will pop into your mind.
When designing my children's collections, my own son and daughter play a part in the inspiration, and my daughter especially voices her opinions. I enjoy doing custom work for clients as I am able to take their interests, hobbies, or themes and create a design that truly reflects them.
Just recently a nightmare provided the groundwork for a custom Halloween invitation.

Do you have any tips for someone thinking of starting their own etsy shop?
Take the time to research your target market, and write a business plan. Great photographs and clear, concise descriptions in your listings will be welcomed by your potential buyers. Take advantage of the Etsy blog, workshop videos, and spotlights of other sellers; there is valuable information and wisdom, and I often find some of the best advice I receive is from a seller in another field as they can view things from a different perspective.

What is your favorite thing about this time of year?
I'll be honest, I am 100% a summer girl, but there is something truly wonderful about October. The chill in the air, jumping into piles of leaves with the kids and having apple cider after pumpkin picking are some of my favorite activities.

Do you have any future plans for your shop?
I'm working on expanding some of my children collections with many new items coming out in the next 2 weeks, including some holiday items. Additionally, there are 4 brand new collections in the pipeline where we will also be styling a party to provide examples of decor, desserts, and tablesettings to match our designs.

Halloween Harvest Sponsor Spotlight- Brynn and Amie

2011-10-13T12:43:00.000-04:00

My son and I both adore granola. The two of us will greedily gobble it up. I especially love to put a little bit in my yogurt (soooooo yummy!). The biggest problem with today's commercial granolas is that it is full of sugar and too little of the healthy stuff. That is why I'm so glad to have stumbled on Brynn and Amie's all natural Karma Krunch Granola. They use maple syrup to lightly sweeten the granola. They also pack it full of nuts and dried fruit. It is lighter and toastier than any other granola you've tried! Check out their website where you can find other delish products such as their Very Evil Nuts and Chocolate Bliss. Come back tomorrow October 14-24 for a chance to win a bag of their granola clusters! Talk about a healthy yummy treat! Please stop by their facebook to keep up to date on their goings on!

Harvest Halloween Sponsor Spotlight and Interview- MorningTempest

2011-10-13T12:06:00.000-04:00

Crysta from MorningTempest is another one of those lovely ladies that I've come across on etsy that I just know I'll be keeping in touch with (just call me stalker girl). I fell in love with one of her zombie bibs and hearted it but was too scared to approach her about the giveaway. So imagine my surprise when she contacted me! To say I was ecstatic does not even begin to describe it. One look at her shop and you'll see why. The creativity and quality in all of her pieces is amazing. She has managed to make zombies and other monsters look downright adorable! So come back tomorrow October 14-24 for a chance to win one of her awesome "crankenstein" bibs. Your little one will look so adorable in it!

What is your favorite item in your shop? Well, while I get plenty of love for my zombies in my shop I actually love some of the more artistic items I have there. I think that myDark Fairy tale collection and the Alice in Wonderland series are my favorites because they are light and original. They remind me of those doodles you draw on a cool rainy day staring out the window, daydreaming of something special.
Your shop generously gives to charity. Can you tell me more about that?  Sure! I love both A Wider Circle and The Gentle Barn. They are both charities that give back to the community in different ways.
A Wider Circle is a group based out of Washington DC that not only provides clothing, furniture, and food for needy children and their families, but most importantly they work hard to provide education to those families and give them the knowledge and understanding of how to raise healthy strong children. They teach health and wellness classes that nurture the health of our community. There are so many groups who just simply hand out to those who reach for it, but this one actually makes an effort to not give hand-outs but help up. I started supporting their efforts by making a promise not only to myself but to my customers that I would donate one baby bib for every 5 sold. Well… I couldn’t just let it go at that and when I looked at my box that felt so empty with just a few small embroidered baby bibs, I knew I had to fill that box. So I went on a mission to find enough items to fill it up. We can all find ways to fill a box for those in need. Even if it’s just looking in the clearance racks and finding that one extra item to add to your basket, I knew I could help. I found clearance t-shirts for $2.00 and notebooks for school for $.15. And for just a cup of coffee at Starbucks I could send a little girl to school with a new notebook, a new pencil, and a new shirt, that I knew would make her feel better about herself when she went to school.
Then I found The Gentle Barn, another group that reaches out of the box to help others. The Gentle Barn has found a way to help children who have been broken and abused by humans with no heart and has opened a loving environment that has taken in animals that have also seen the dark side of human nature. From barn animals, cats and dogs, to the Llamas, the animals are given love and tender care and in return they have taught the children about kindness and the ability to forgive. I fell in love with each of the animals and their stories were heartbreaking. But thanks to the support from sponsors, the animals were able to receive treatment and then go on to be loved by the children who were brought to the Gentle Barn.   I made up my mind that I was going to do something for them too, so the Gentle Barn has become part of the charities that Morning Tempest Studios supports with the proceeds of sales.
   What is your favorite Halloween costume you wore when you were little? Wow, it’s been a really long time since then. But I have to say that when I was little I was slightly obsessed with Holly Hobby. I had the doll that I carried around everywhere and I must have been about 3 and I was Holly Hobby for Halloween with a homemade patchwork dress and all. And to this day, Holly Hobby is still my favorite character and is seen throughout my house with the old lunch boxes on my shelf, my mother even found an old well-loved Holly Hobby doll and gave her to me one year for the holidays.

Where do you draw inspiration from? I am not sure exactly WHERE it comes from, but odd things are always the most loved. I’ve always been a little different and found that art can be just about anything. You don’t have to settle for cutesy smooshy baby stuff, little guys can be Rockers in Training or Pirates in Training, or they can be zombie lovin cool kids. So my shop was started to give the littlest guys some fun baby bibs with attitudes and has grown from demand to adding other items for older kids and kids at heart.
What are your future plans for your shop? There are lots of new things ahead, people are always coming up with new ideas for custom orders and I’ve been working on taking those ideas and adding them for everyone else. Out of those custom orders, we’ve added hoodie jackets to the future plans as well as plans for scarves and reusable shopping bags. All of those things are available now as custom orders, and will be added soon to the shop windows for everyone to see. But most of all my plan is for my shop to continue to grow so that I can help those who can’t help themselves and donate to my charity groups.
So my blog, if you wanted to follow up on the things we are working on, what we love, and more is Blog.MorningTempestStudios.com or you can find us on Twitter and Facebook.