Wordless Wednesday: Random

So, this post might be a little all over the place. I have a million ideas swirling around in my head, and none of them quite fit on the "schedule" that I have planned out for my blog this week. 

So, Wordless Wednesday seems like the best place to vomit my thoughts and photos all over. 

Sounds lovely, huh?

Well, here we go.......

1. I listed some new items in my Etsy shop yesterday. I've had these ideas for a while now, but I just got around to photographing and listing them. 

I added a new package deal, so that you can order essentially everything you need to decorate your party. I'm excited about that one, since I've made them for a few friends already......I can't wait to make some more!

Second are these Mustache Straw Huggers. Seriously, I can't believe something so simple could be so silly and fun! I've already sold one set since listing them yesterday......I think they're so fun!

2. I was working on a little something for Ellie's Valentine's, and I got this photo. I call it a "happy accident". 

I have really, really been working on my photography lately, 

but I can tell you that this particular pose and mood were not planned at all.

 I did get some other great shots that I took intentionally, but I can't share those with you just yet ;) 

This one, however, I love......regardless of how it was captured. So, I'm showing it off!

3. And finally, I wanted to give a little shout-out to my wonderful sponsors! I've been doing an ad swap for a few months now, and I have really loved connecting with all of the talented, sweet, and caring ladies whose buttons you see over there -------> on the right.I've made new friends and kept some old ones, and I'm so grateful for their continued support. So please, pay each of those ladies a visit! And, if you'd like to sponsor Pretty Little Life in February or in future months, please contact me or visit the "sponsors" page for more details. 

Happy Wednesday, y'all!
Linking up with And then, She Snapped, Jenni From the Blog, Live and Love Outloud, and Naptime Momtog

Wordless Wednesday: Fun with Friends

This weekend I had a fun night in with some friends.....I'll tell you more about it (and what we ate!!) next week. For now, I think you can guess that we probably had fun:

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Looks like fun, right?! I love these ladies, and am thankful for all of the fun times we have together!

(oh and, a shameless plug for my Etsy shop. You can buy these Christmas photobooth props here.)

Linking up with Jenni from the Blog, Naptime Momtog, The Paper Mama, and Live and Love Outloud.

Happy Wednesday!

Oh-So-Pretty

I've really been getting crafty lately.

And, as cheesey as this is going to sound, the thing I love most about it is seeing all of the "pretty" things I can make! I know I talk about it a lot (and if you're one of my co-workers, I apologize for bringing all of this craft-talk into the workplace), but that's because it brings me so much joy! Honestly, I love to sit back and just stare at some of the things I've created sometimes, because they're just so pretty!

This yarn-wrapped wreath is my newest creation, and I'm so pleased with how it turned out!

It was super simple, and I made it while watching my favorite TV shows (score)!

I love that something so simple can bring me such joy!

And the best part? Bringing other people joy with my crafts!

I've been blessed to make various items for friends and family members lately, and it is the best feeling to see their delight when I present them with what I've made!

If you absolutely have to have one of these fab yarn wreaths,

you can get your hands on one right HERE.

And, if you could spare two clicks and vote for us, that would be great! Muah!

HELP!

Scott was so thoughtful for my birthday and bought me Photoshop CS5.

I was floored because I didn't expect to be able to afford this amazing piece of software for quite some time (and yes, he pretty much made up for Mother's Day by surprising me with this).

I have a lot on my plate right now: work, summer vacations/activities, Etsy orders, potty-training, being a momma and a wife, and now my newest hobby of photography.

I really do thrive when I have a lot on my plate, but right now I'm feeling a little overwhelmed.

I think part of it stems from the fact that I'm so new to a lot of this that I don't even know where to start!

With Etsy I've just kind of muddled my way through, and I think, slowly but surely, I'm figuring it out.

I know it will never be my main source of income, but it is so fun that I really want to stick with it. I'm having a blast making special orders for people, and just being creative and thinking up new stuff to sell!

(If you want to visit my shop, click here)

With photography and photo editing, though, I just don't even know where to start! My dad is helping me with the principles and science and mathematics behind the camera, and I try to put those principles into practice every day.

But by the time I finish the day and get some photo-taking in, I'm too exhausted to try and figure out Photoshop!

Like I've said before, I want my pictures to speak for themselves.

However, I know how powerful Photoshop is, and I would love to use it to the best of it's abilities....even if I'm just making minor touch-ups.

So this is where you come in.....if you use Photoshop at all, please leave me a comment and/or shoot me an email (uwmomma at gmail dot com) answering one (or all) of the following, and include anything else that could help me learn about the program:

~What's the first thing you do when you open up a photo in Photoshop?

~What tools do you find yourself using most often?

~Any "secret weapons" regarding Photoshop that you would care to share?

~What free or cheap online tutorials have you found to be helpful for learning all that Photoshop has to offer?

I seriously appreciate any feedback!

It's quite intimidating, and I just need to know where to start :)

My first Photoshop edit....and linking up for Show Off Your Shot at And Then, She Snapped.

  
I have dabbled with Photoshop this week, just to try it out a little.

Here's a before and after of one of my new favorites of Ellie.

I did some very minor touch-ups, as you can see:

Thanks in advance for your help! And, can we get a vote today?!

My Week in iPhone Pics

Um, so here's the deal.

I've been taking a lot of cell phone pics, but I'm honestly too busy to organize them into neat little piles. They're all just jumbled together and I'm way too tired to even care. Is that bad?!

 I'm beginning to live by the phrase "I can sleep when I'm dead", and while that sounds miserable, I'm kind of enjoying myself!

I'm exploring new hobbies, making a little tiny bit of money selling items on Etsy that I love creating, and I'm trying to cram in as much time with my little family as I can!

So, I guess sleep and all that jazz can take a backseat to the exciting stuff that's happening right now!

And, my memories will still be captured by iphone pics, even if they are one big jumbled mess!

Here we go:

1. One of our rare "summery" days around here. Cutest kid in a two-piece I've ever seen!

2. Nummy berry and fruit cobbler for my co-workers. They're so lucky :)

3. A real, certified pony-tail. Sheesh!

4. Another sunny day?! Cousins playing melts my heart!

5. Interesting choice of seat, Elliott!

6. Where is Ellie?

7. I got feathers in my hair! Can you see them?

8. Cutey on a 4-wheel. And a serious obsession with balloons!

9. Ellie and Rosco jamming out to some Justin Beiber. Have you seen the movie? It's seriously good!

Did you take your week in iphone pics?! Head on over to A Good Life and link up! It's fun!!

New in the Shop

I've been busily crafting for a couple special occasions that are coming up, and as I've been making stuff I have been adding it to my etsy shop!

I guess I just didn't know exactly what direction I should take when I opened my shop, Prettiest Littles, and I feel like as we go along, I get new ideas and I'm just going to run with them!

Honestly, I'm having so much fun making this stuff!

As of now, I've only made things for friends or family members, but I would love to get some business and see what I can create for others!

 Check out my shop HERE.

I feel like I will be doing more stuff around party-planning: tutus, crowns, banners, invites.....but scrapbooking is still my first love, so that will always be there :)

Please keep my little shop in mind if you have a party coming up. I can help with invitations, banners, pom-pom decorations, napkin rings, etc.

Or, if you would like a scrapbook for yourself or as a gift, but you don't have time to do it yourself, I love creating those, too!

'Cause who doesn't love a good mustache on a stick?!

If you think of something you'd like that I don't currently offer in my shop, please let me know!

I'd like to think I'm pretty creative, and I'm very easy to work with, too :)

Prettiest Littles................

Winner: Super Skivvies Giveaway!

The winner of the Super Skivvies giveaway is...........

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Random Number:

Amy from A Good Life!

AmyLee said...

i coulda sworn i was already following you, but i guess not! good thing i checked... i am now :)

Saturday, May 21, 2011 11:57:00 AM PDT

Yay!

Thanks to everyone who played along :)

AND, don't forget, you can still get 20% off all Super Skivvies orders (excluding Special Offers...those are already a great deal!!) through June 19th!! Just enter PRETTYLITTLE at checkout!

Shop Super Skivvies HERE!

I took some pictures of Ellie in her new Super Skivvies last night, too!

Just for fun, here's some Wordless Wednesday action ;)

 Dancing. I think.

I had no idea this was whawt was going on when I snapped this picture. Hmmm....

 

Go buy some Super Skivvies and enjoy your Wednesday!

Oh, and if you like giveaways, please give us a quick vote!!


~Amanda

BIG NEWS!!!

(no, I'm not pregnant)

I just opened my own Etsy shop!!!

or Prettiest Littles

Please go check it out, and if you're on Etsy I'd love to be one of your favorites :)

(of course I'll return the favor if you heart my shop!)

I've been thinking about doing this for a looooong time now, but I don't know what it is......once I actually added items for sale last night, I just got really nervous!

Nervous that it will go well and I won't have the time to fill all of the orders (umm, let's not get ahead of ourselves, right?)!

Nervous that no one will like what I'm selling, or there just isn't a market for handmade paper crafts.

I have already invested a lot into this, and I put a little piece of my heart into every card and scrapbook that I make (I know it sounds cheesy but this really is the honest-to-goodness truth)! I would be bummed if it didn't pan out the way that I expected it to. In reality, I'm not sure how I want it to turn out!!

But I do know that I love this blogging/Etsy/momma/crafting community, and I just want to share my gifts and talents, too!

I love supporting other sellers, and I buy handmade as often as I can. I hope to make enough to support my addiction hobby, and I want to bring a little bit of sunshine to people through my hand-made, personalized crafts.

So spread the word, and check out Prettiest Littles. We appreciate it oh-so-much!

~Amanda