Karatootie Custom Dress Giveaway!

*this giveaway is now closed. thank you for all of your entries!*

we've got an adorable giveaway today perfect for that special little girl in your life! one of our newest sponsors here in the mommyhood - karatootie, is giving away this precious dress just in time for the holidays!


karatootie is a brand new blog written by blogging friends ingrid & charity, who describe themselves as "two sisters seperated at inception"! the fun part about the blog karatootie are the challenges. once a week these two go head to head for a she said/she said challenge. they send each other fabric (some pretty, some not) and they have to make something from it. neither know what the other is going to do. sound fun? it is! they also have weekly tutorials, guest bloggers and giveaways! make sure to pop over and show this new blog some love!


the prize:

a custom made dress, your choice in sizes (12m thru to 9yrs), made by charity (the vines branches)

how do you win the prize?

1) pop over to karatootie & take a look around then come back & tell me if you have a friend you would love to start a blog with.
2) follow karatootie with google friend connect (on their sidebar) & then tell me in the comments you did.
3) follow luvinthemommyhood with google friend connect (on our sidebar) & tell me you did that too.

rules of the giveaway:

- you must leave a valid email address with your entry or you will be disqualified.
- the giveaway is open until monday, november 29th, 2010 at midnight (pacific standard time).

besides karatootie, both these busy moms have their own shops and blogs.

find out more about charity here



charity's shop "the vines branches":

specializing in cute, easy patterns for the beginning seamstress to a seasoned veteran and adorable, custom girlie clothing.


and more about ingrid here.


ingrid's shop "ribbons & pigtails":

specializing in boutique clothing, appliques and accessories to match.




thanks for the giveaway ingrid & charity and for helping to support luvinthemommyhood!


karatootie is also hosting their own fun giveaway this week. pop on over for your chance to win and have some fun with this new blog! you can also find karatootie on facebook here. tell ingrid & charity i say hello! happy reading!

sponsor love - shoeology

most women love shoes. we can never seem to have enough pairs. we always want more. but this time, instead of hitting the stores for new shoes or slippers, why not use those crafty talents of yours and whip up a pair custom made for your feet from a pattern from shoeology? pick the fabric you want, in the perfect color for that new fave outfit or refashion a jacket or pants into some must have comfy shoes!

what about those new skinny jeans that you've been hunting for a new pair of flats to wear with? pick up some faux leather or light weight leather from your local craft shop or online and put a soft sole on some stylish patterns from the new etsy shop "shoeology" and get walking. perfect for dry days, where you want to curl up at your favorite coffee shop with a great friend for some girl chat.

does it sound a bit daunting to add a leather sole? well, because i'm a newbie sewer i asked cheri about this and she gave us a great tip. make sure to use a leather sewing needle when sewing the sole on and also that 2.5oz or less would make a great lightweight leather.

cheri's got 3 new patterns in the shop to suit any style. mary jane's, vintage upcycled, & sunday morning slippers. those sunday morning slippers would be the perfect addition to any weekend lounging or even perfect for pre or post yoga. so comfy! you know when you go shopping and you find something you love and it's a great deal? well that's what's shoeology got. i don't know about you but when i find a top that fits great that's easy to wear i take my mom's advice and scoop up a few colors (if budget allows of course) cause i know i'm gonna wear the heck out of it. right now at shoeology you can get all 3 of these fun patterns for only $15! pretty good deal if you ask me.


want to know a little bit more? let's hear from cheri...

WHAT DOES THIS $15 PURCHASE INCLUDE?

1)Paper patterns for all 3 women shoe patterns. Classic Mary Jane's, Upcycled Vintage Shoes, & Sunday Morning Slippers. Sent via email in a PDF format.

2)Detailed picture tutorial to show you how to make the shoes. Each picture has a clear explanation. Sent via email in a PDF format.

3)Rose tutorial is included.

WHAT WILL THE TUTORIAL TEACH ME?

1)How to assemble these shoes from beginning to end.

2)All the tips & tricks you'll need to know in order to make amazing shoes.

3)How to customize the shoes for a perfect fit.

4)How to make these shoes seamless.

5)How to make cushy fabric covered insoles.

CAN I SELL FINISHED SHOES MADE FROM YOUR PATTERNS?--YES!!!

Making shoes for your self is not only super fun, but it's also really rewarding. These shoes can also make a jaw dropping gift for your friends, mom, sister, or other family members! No one will believe you made shoes, it blows people's minds!!


thanks for being part of the mommyhood cheri! you can purchase the shoe patterns in the bundle, the mary janes on their own and next week you will be able to get the upcycled vintage pair as a single pattern as well. and if you've got kids, you can make them some too! check out cheri's other fab store "sweet pea shoe patterns" - love them!

have any of you tried making your own shoes before? your kids or babies shoes?

p.s. luvinthemommyhood is a fun place to showcase your business/blog/shop - email today for rates, holiday shopping season has begun :)

Cinnamon Sticks Jewelry Giveaway!

***this giveaway is now closed! thanks for entering!***

we've got another great giveaway for you guys today! one of our newest sponsors in the mommyhood - "cinnamon sticks" or on etsy here, a shop filled with stunning & gorgeous jewelry is here to offer you a great prize! i've got a soft spot for pretty things and jewelry is sure one of them. who doesn't love to accessorize? after a few weeks of knitting & sewing i thought a little bit of jewelry would be the perfect accent to your new comfy & cozy ensemble!

canela, a busy mom of 6, yes, i said 6 (can you believe it? how does she find the time to make jewelry never mind get clothes on in the morning) has put together a shop filled with rustic, whimsical and inspiring jewelry. her designs are fun to personalize and she also customizes her work. you can pop over to her blog as well to take a look at what lovely things she's working on and what new designs she has coming into the shop. her designs are hand cut and hand stamped and made from sterling silver. but enough from me, let's drool a bit shall we...
















and more! ohhhh...it's killing me that i can't enter this. what's that? you want to know the prize..ahhh, yes, the prize.

what's the prize:

- one lucky winner will win a $40.00 CG to the shop!!! wowsa! thanks canela!

how to enter:

1) pop on over to "cinnamon sticks" here or on etsy here and pick out what you would buy with your $40 CG and then come back & leave me a comment with your pick!
2) follow us on google friend connect (on the sidebar) & comment letting me know you did
3) subscribe to luvinthemommyhood & again, comment you subscribed
4) join our facebook group & let me know you did that too

rules of the giveaway:

- you must leave a valid email address with your entry or you will be disqualified.
- the giveaway is open until tuesday, november 8th, 2010 at midnight (pacific standard time).


bonus:

but wait...there's more...canela is offering all luvinthemommyhood readers 10% off their purchase for the duration of the giveaway! use the code "luvinmom" at checkout to receive your discount! if you are purchasing from the etsy shop you will need to type the code in the message box at check out and canela will refund the 10% through paypal, etsy doesn't offer a way to have an automatic discount.

thanks again, canela - for the lovely giveaway and for supporting luvinthemommyhood! good luck to you all, this is the perfect gift to treat YOUrself to for xmas :P

you can find canela at her shop -cinnamon sticks, on etsy, and on her blog - cinnamon sticks designs.

which design is calling your name? what do you wear the most - bracelets, necklaces or rings?

sponsor love - 2 little hooligans

expecting? looking for that perfect handmade baby gift? a new outfit for that special little someone? check out 2 little hooligans. run by christina, a talented and lovely mommy of 3 little ones who is what i like to call a bib whiz. her bibs are fun, modern and she just makes me want to buy all of them. she also sells washcloths, rompers, dresses, and many other gorgeous goodies!


you can also see what fabulous things christina is up to on her blog 2 little hooligans. i cannot wait for the tutorial to come out for this "casserole carrier". i've been crossing my fingers for months that she would share with us how to make one. you can find other tutorials, and pics of her adorable kiddos on her blog as well.


thanks for supporting luvinthemommyhood christina, you know i love ya girl, and thank you for all your wonderful emails and comments over the last year. getting to know people like you is what makes blogging so much fun :)

you can find more about christina at 2 little hooligans the shop, the blog and on flickr.

are you looking for a fun place to advertise? do you want your business to reach thousands of savvy & crafty ladies? send an email to luvinthemommyhood@yahoo.ca - we'd love to hear from you!

sponsor love - sweet pea patterns

now that we've started off comfy sews VS. cozy knits month and the first virtual showdown was between knit slippers and sewn slippers i thought it would be more than fitting to cause you to drool some more over the cutest slippers & shoes you can sew for your little ones!


the sweet pea patterns shop is filled with adorable, stylish and modern patterns for handmade shoes for your child ranging in sizes from newborn to 12-18mths! cheri's designed easy to read patterns that feature instructions, photos and pattern pieces. these are the perfect quick project that is appropriate for the beginner to the advanced sewer. i also love what cheri has to say here:

"Here at Sweet Pea Patterns we work very hard to make sure that each & every step is explained with a picture and explanation of what is being done to help you to make beautiful baby shoes just like you see in the pictures. Even if you are a beginner, you need not worry, every step is explained-- I promise!! If you still have questions, just email me, and I'll be happy to help you."

not sure about all you ladies who are still learning to sew like me, but anyone who is going to explain all the steps and show tons of pics is my kind of shop to buy patterns from! i seriously have been drooling over all of these patterns since cheri did a giveaway here in the mommyhood during our babyhood bonanza. i actually squealed when i spotted the new retro loafer! how cute are those? i need to make some for harper. they just jumped to the top of my must make list. so if you've got a wee one, or know someone who does and you want to make some adorable, stylish shoes for a .....

little boy? no problem.....



how about a little girl? you bet!

sweet pea patterns has got you covered!

here's to cute little, wriggly baby toes and to the super sweet shoes to keep them warm this fall! make sure you pop by sweet pea patterns and say hello :)

what fabrics would you use to make your favorite pair? which ones do you love the most? have you made baby shoes before? any tips?

sponsor love: par-t-perfect party planners

just because summer is over doesn't mean all the fun parties have to end! we've got thanksgiving, halloween, christmas, new year's and lots of bday parties still left to celebrate. if you're a mom like me who has big plans for their kids bday parties but just no time to implement them than par-t-perfect is the company for you.

one of our local sponsors here on vancouver island, "par-t-perfect", has 28 locations to serve you in canada & the us, and a main goal to create the perfect party! need a fun and original bouncy castle? maybe a theme party for your tween or a fun celebration for your child ranging from dinosaurs to pirates and princesses? how about a stuff a bear party! they even provide party supplies, loot bags and tableware if needed. fun! i'm always up for a good party.

image source

par-t-perfect doesn't just deal with children though. what makes them unique is that they are both a children's party and event service business, plus they have been helping make parties fun for over 20 years! with the busy holiday season looming why not bring in par-t-perfect to help with your next corporate function? whether it's a picnic or a holiday party, a grand opening, mall event, or a community block party, par-t-perfect is trained to deal with it all. so let go of some of that party planning stress, let an expert do it for you & have fun celebrating instead!

par-t-perfect:


call par-t-perfect at 250-386-5867 or visit their website at www.par-t-perfect.com!

do you have any parties coming up this fall? what's your favorite kind of party to throw?

sponsor love - chopstix

this weekend's sponsor love post is for one of my fave new shops - chopstix. stylish and fun children's clothing and other fun goodies all handmade by the talented and lovely jenny from the blog "the southern institute for domestic arts and crafts".

if you're looking for a great gift for a little one in your life i'm coveting one of the newest goodies in her shop - "the best bean bags ever". if you're like me the kiddos love to drool all over their beanbags all the time. it's a pain. well jenny's got bean bags with a washable and removable cover! simply undo the cover and take out the bean bag inside and wash it! genius. so handy!

remember this dress that i posted here? that's right, it's from jenny's shop! this gorgeous custom made hankie dress was made especially for mackenzie and she looks so precious in it and just loves it. you can find jenny's hankie dress in the shop as well. there's something just so special about reusing a vintage hankie - precious.

needing some new stylish onesies? chopstix also has custom monogrammed onesies as well as the apple and little man onesies to add some fun to any child's wardrobe. and let's not forget that every little girl needs a pretty skirt....i heart the market skirt that jenny has made as well.


so pop on over to chopstix and have a little mommy shopping time. tell jenny i said hello and if you still have time when you're done make sure to visit "the southern institute for domestic arts & crafts" - there's lots of goodies to be found over there as well.


thanks for supporting luvinthemommyhood jenny - luv ya girl!

p.s. if you are on vancouver island and planning on attending the vancouver island baby fair don't miss out on entering our giveaway! i've got a whole bunch of weekend passes to giveaway! click here to enter, you've got till sunday at midnight - good luck and see you there!

p.p.s for all those lost or affected by loss during 9/11 - you're in my thoughts today.

sponsor love - marie madeline studio

let's show a little mommyhood luv for one of our newest sponsors - marie madeline studio! love 'em! this sweet, lovely group of 1 mom and her 4 daughters is super talented with an eye for all things colorful and patchwork. so fabulous!

need a cute bag or dress? how about something for the little girl in your life? your home? marie madeline's got something for you. they sell everything from patterns& fabrics to handmade goodies. get ready to be inspired and brighten up your day! the fabulous long sisters also have a lovely little blog filled with tutorials, sew simply series, fun stuff about their family, recipes, and info on new products/discounts and giveaways.

i've put together some of my faves for you to drool over.......i hope you heart their stuff as much as i do! plus marie madeline studio is offering all luvinthemommyhood readers a special treat:

10% off as many orders as you would like from now untill monday, september 6th! just enter the code "mommyhood" at the checkout.

you can find all things marie madeline on their website, etsy shop and blog. thanks for helping to support the mommyhood ladies - you guys rock!

are you interested in sponsoring luvinthemommyhood? looking for somewhere fun to advertise? we have limited spots open for september for businesses/blogs that are a great fit for luvinthemommyhood - we luv our sponsors here in the mommyhood. email me at luvinthemommyhood@yahoo.ca for rates if you want to be a part of our friendly neighbourhood!

Magpie Patterns Back to School Giveaway

****THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED****

september is coming up fast and one of luvinthemommyhood's sponsors - amy from magpie patterns and i thought a fun giveaway was in order to get your little ones all ready in style! my little girl is getting all set to start preschool (insert my tears & 3 paragraphs telling you how fast she has grown & all that lovely mommy mumbo jumbo). how about a stylish new outfit or a hat? a knitted dress or vest? some cool embroidery to brighten up a basic tee for boys or girls? today's your lucky day!

magpie patterns is one of my favorite go to places for lovely patterns. you can pop over there anytime to drool over the latest sewing, knitting, crochet and embroidery patterns as well as a great selection of books to boot! fabulous! magpie patterns is also one of the sponsors that helps support our friendly neighbourhood here :) so show your luv! check out amy's shop and also follow along on her blog as she makes some of the great patterns sold in her shop. you can read more good stuff about magpie patterns here as well.

now time for the back to school giveaway.............ready for the prizes? here ya go.....
1. little cap pattern 2. sweet dress pattern

1. shore 2. ocean

A, B, C alphabet embroidery patterns

ohhhhhhhhhh, so fun! i love these! wanna win?

the prizes:

1) 2 lucky winners will each win 2 patterns! the 2 patterns are:

2 - leila and ben patterns (sewing)
or
2- cotton and cloud patterns (knitting)

2) the first name drawn will win the embroidery patterns for "A, B & C" from penguin and fish as a lovely bonus prize!

wanna know how to enter?

how to enter:

giveaway rules:

***all commenter's must leave a contact email and stipulate which prize you would like to win - sewing or knitting (or either). you must mention the prize you prefer or you will be disqualified.***

pop on over to magpie patterns and tell me which new "new finds" on amy's homepage is your fave pattern and leave me a comment with it along with your prize of choice - sewing patterns or knitting patterns (or either). then for additional entries you can do all or any of the following:

a) subscribe to luvinthemommyhood (the top right hand corner of our sidebar) and leave me a comment telling me you subscribed.

b) become a follower (google connect) of luvinthemommyhood (in our sidebar as well) and leave a comment telling me you followed.

c) follow us on twitter, tweet about the giveaway and then comment you followed/tweeted on this post.

d) join our facebook group and comment that you joined.

that's five ways to enter!!!! this giveaway is open until sunday, august 22nd at midnight (PST).

thanks for the wonderful giveaway amy! i heart magpie patterns :)

ok everyone, have fun and happy back to school crafting! i'll be back tomorrow with some more fun for "tea cup month".

sponsor love - mini me paper doll boutique

this is what happened when our paper dolls came.............


and my face was pretty darn close. i would have gotten a picture of it too, but ya know, one pic a week of me with sans makeup is enough for you dear folk.

one of our newest sponsors "mini me paper doll boutique" has seriously sent me over the moon with her gorgeous handmade paper dolls. it's not too often i run squealing from my mail box, babies in tow, with a precious parcel. i seriously don't even remember if i was even properly clothed when we checked our mailbox. mackenzie and i had been waiting anxiously for our paper dolls to arrive. custom made to look like her and i with lovely outfits to match. well, the day finally arrived folks. they're here and we are in love.

so in love i can't bear to cut them out. i just keep staring at the lovliness of it all and drooling over them. the sad thing is i want to keep them for me to play with. is it bad of me to want to hide them from a 3 year old..haha, and keep them for myself? the best thing about the paper dolls is that they come with a unique sticky strip that never get's unsticky (is that a word?). you simply wipe it with a damp cloth and voila - all sticky again! love it!

she also sends you a cd so you can print out the dolls/outfits again, a lovely letter, a family tree for your doll, about me pages (so fun to fill out!) and the coolest part - she give you a keepsake doll! yep, one that never has to be cut, mushed, ripped or folded. i am going to frame ours and hopefully get one made for harper to match. so pretty!


all the dolls and outfits come on the thickest paper and the colors and tones are just gorgeous. hannah - you are amazing! if any of you have a little girl who loves paper dolls, seriously, get some of these. i'm not just saying that because hannah is my sponsor either. they are more than just a toy, i really do consider them a special gift that me and the girls can treasure and play with together. meaningful in a world filled with tv, plastic and gaming systems. a big thank you hannah, for allowing me to share something with my daughter that i loved as a child myself. you've brought the prettiness back to paper dolls. priceless.


hannah just released her new fall back to school line along with new custom boys in the store! in honor of back to school hannah is offering all luvinthemommyhood readers a special goodie!

what is it?

when you purchase any of the Ultimate, Standard or PIY Packets you get the whole fall line of outfits for free!!!!! yep, that's right, i said free!

getting a boy doll made? you get the Folk/Fairy Tale line for free!

how do your receive your free outfits?

simply put the word "LUV" in the notes to merchant and hannah will automatically include them in your order. don't order the outfits and expect paypal to deduct the amount. you just need to make your regular order and include the word "LUV" in the notes to merchant. easy? you bet :)

would you like to know more about hannah? check out her blog lily & thistle for freebies, craft tutorials, sewing patterns - the list goes on. here's the link.


so go on, make a doll of yourself....you know you wanna. i'm currently wearing the anne of green gables outfit. i love me some anne of green gables. i just need a gilbert and i'm all set.

which outfit do you love the best? are you a fan of paper dolls? what is your favorite memory of playing paper dolls?

sponsor the mommyhood!

hi there and thanks so much for your interest in advertising with luvinthemommyhood! if you think your lovely business, shop, blog or product would be a great fit for the mommyhood, please send an email to luvinthemommyhood@yahoo.ca with your business and contact information. i'd be more than happy to provide you with our rates and the sponsorship opportunities available to suit your needs.

we know times are tough right now and the mommyhood is offering competitive and reasonable rates to showcase your business to a large number of moms & crafters worldwide on a fast-paced growing blog! we also offer special 3 month /6 month /12 month rates as well as options to do giveaways. who knows, we may even barter and trade services with you!

so don't delay - contact the mommyhood today (sorry, couldn't resist the rhyme)! spaces are limited and we are only offering room for a few ads on the site that are businesses we believe in and are proud to promote. this is a great way to make sure your business will be showcased. if you would like to see blog statistics and numbers just ask :)

to learn more about me and the mommyhood click here. we look forward to hearing from you and welcoming you to the neighbourhood!

a big thank you to our current sponsors - they are fantastic & you should check them out!!