Good Stuff

First Tutorial!!!

2011-03-24T13:50:00.000-07:00

I am just so excited. Today I have finished my first tutorial- Make a Trendy Purse/Bag From a Crochet or Knit Pouch!! This has been a work in progress for a while now and I am proud of how it turned out! I am going to start creating more tutorials and PDF patterns in the near-ish future.

In celebration of the completion of this tutorial and because it is my first one...GIVEAWAY... I will be giving them out for free to anyone who would like one. The only thing I ask is that you leave a comment about the tutorial letting me know how as the consumer it helped you and what you think of it!

The tutorial will be available for a month here on the blog for free and if I get the approval from all of you, my lovely followers, then I will put it up for sale starting in May! If you would like a tutorial post your email address in the comments section and I will email it to you right away!To show my appreciation I also have a coupon code that I will give those of you who leave feedback!

Make a trendy bag/purse out of a crocheted or knit pouch!

Thanks again so much for your support and critique!
-Cayton

Ruffles! What more needs to be said!?!

2011-03-23T12:46:00.000-07:00

Sometimes as I read other lovely blogs I am astonished by what I find! One blog that is particularly inspiring to me is called Ruffles and Stuff. The author of this fabulous blog is Disney. She puts together some of the best tutorials and she always inspires me to create cuter and more creative things!

Click HERE to see this cute ruffle skirt tutorial!

Click HERE for this awesome ruffle scarf tutorial

Something else amazing she posted on her last tutorial was that there is a website devote to amazing ruffle fabric!! I was so excited I squealed a little! Check it out HERE!

Thanks for reading this blog about Ruffles and "Good Stuff"

-Cayton

Photo Editing Just Got Much Easier!

2011-03-22T09:28:00.000-07:00

Taking pictures, uploading pictures, editing pictures, organizing pictures- as an Etsy shop owner these are things that make up my everyday. I have people ask me all the time why I haven't listed something and taking pictures for my items is why. It can be tedious especially when you have to wait for good weather, find a model for your products, and setup the shot. This creative process is very exciting to me but when it takes a month from item creation to its final stages of listing on Etsy it can be a bit of a bummer, especially when my sweet little item just wants a good home!

Take me home!

To save a little bit of time I have been trying to take as many pictures inside when the sun pours through my sewing room window or on a sheet outside when the weather is good. This approach has worked alright but has not given me the professional look that I am striving to achieve with a ratio of success at about 1 good picture per 20 taken.

I thought the only answer to my problems was to get a super expensive digital SLR (sigh) but in talking to my amazing and oh so practical husband he told me he could make me an incredible lighting set up (sigh)! What a man! Anyway, we are still working out the kinks on that, however, as I was researching snazzy cameras I discovered that some of them have a new feature called "Artistic Filters". These filters make the pictures look vintage or like the shot was taken in a fairy wonderland before the photo taker even edits it. SO COOL for someone like me who is trying to save time!

Well, I for sure can not afford an expensive camera so I went on a hunt for a free/cheap online program that could do that for me. To make a short story extremely long (sorry) I found the answer to my problems on this website:

Here are some pictures that I edited with the free version of this program. Picnik does have a premium program but I have been very happy with the basic so far. So enjoy some of my work and let me know what you think about how it makes my products look and so on! There are so many more options to explore so go check it out!!

Thanks so much for stopping by! Tell a friend! :)

-Cayton

Good To Be Back!

2011-03-21T13:02:00.000-07:00

What a great trip to Florida!! The flights there were fantastic (Xanax worked wonders for me, but that could be its own post), the weather was perfect, and the company couldn't of been better (thank you Terah). If you would like to read more about the details of our trip you can go to the Missions Tab on the top right of this page and view the PDF version of our latest newsletter or click HERE ! Below is my favorite picture from the trip! Jake looks so handsome and I know how happy it makes him to be at the hanger working on the planes!

While we were gone in Florida I thought a lot about my sisters (since we had done alot of hanging out before we left) and how wonderful they are! I'm so blessed to have them since I had NO say in the picking process I feel as if I hit the jackpot! They are both so talented! Sydney is a fantastic make-up artist who will someday be queen of the Sydney Ann make-up empire! Madi is going to be famous on broadway someday and you will be able to day "I saw her before she was famous on the 'Good Stuff' blog! Here is a super cute picture of us that I thought you might enjoy.

Click this picture to see Madi's website.

Click this picture to visit Syd's website.

I haven't forgotten the "Vote and Win" promise of a winner if you told me that you voted!! The randomly selected winner is MaggieJoy. Congrats girlfriend!! You will be getting some awesome earrings and a to die for coupon code good on your next purchase with Minggus and Moob!! YEAH!! Not to worry if you did not win because lots of giveaways are coming up as new products get listed at the shop.

So this was not the most original post but tomorrow should be a bit more exciting as posts go. I will be talking about a new website I found that does some awesome photo editing! I gave you a sneak peak by including the pictures above. Wasn't that nice of me?

Have a good day!
-Cayton

VOTE AND WIN!!!

2011-02-25T09:49:00.000-08:00

WOW, what a whirlwind month! I can't believe its pretty much over! At the end of February every year Jake and I go on a trip to Florida to visit our favorite missions organization, MFI!!! We always have fun and this year we are looking forward to a nice trip to "The Sunshine State" cause of the way cold weather we have been having here in Redding, CA!

We will be gone until March 10th. My Etsy shop will remain open so that anyone can order if they choose but I won't be shipping things until the 11th!

Next, thing I wanted to tell you all about... I am featured on the Handmade Gift Guide (this is kinda a big deal). I would totally appreciate it if you all would vote for my Green With Envy Endless Scarf #170! The voting ends at midnight on 2/27 so go vote!! Once you have voted for me leave me a comment letting me know that you have voted and I will enter you into a drawing for free Minggus and Moob products!! :)

To VOTE click on the picture below and it will take you to the site! Remember #170 is Minggus and Moob!

Thanks!!
-Cayton

A Cup of Coffee and an Inspiration!

2011-02-03T13:46:00.000-08:00

So, this morning here in Redding was a wonderful almost 60 degrees with hardly a breeze so I decided that I would take some pictures of new items that I would like to sell at the shop. As I was setting up I thought you all might want to see what I do and how I got the idea to take them where I take them. Its not that crazy, however it may inspire you so I thought I would show all y'all!

When I first started taking pictures of Minggus and Moob products I would put my items on a book shelf under this window. This was the perfect place because the book shelf is kinda rustic (nice way of saying a touch beat up) which created a warm not to stark surface to place my items on. The window was directly above the items which would give me great non direct light to light my items without a shadow. I absolutely loved taking pictures with this set up!

Wonderful big window I used to use.

I would clear the top of this bookcase off.

As Minggus and Moob has grown so has the amount of space that I need for all my fun crafting! My wonderful husband has been such a support in trying to give me as much room as possible even if that means moving him and his stuff around. The most recent table and sewing machine set up is by far the best for creating but for taking pictures it is far from ideal. To get more space for my tools and such I had to move the book case across the room so that I could make room for a table to cut fabric on. Now I have been on a hunt for the next best spot and I think I found it this morning!

A section of the crafting space my husband made for me.

I was drinking my coffee and looked out onto my back porch and I realized that the morning sunlight hits the porch perfect for well lit pictures. So I draped a tan bed sheet over my outside furniture and the porch railing creating a wonderful and free picture backdrop! I chose a tan sheet because a lot of the time when you use white its to bright and stark and it is hard to get a good representation of the colors of your item.

My porch table with good light shining on it!

The porch table with the sheet on it. Creating the space!

See what a nice picture it takes!!

Of course after you do something you realize some things that you should have done differently. I should have ironed the sheet before I draped it over the railing. DAH! Talk about wrinkles! Because of the wrinkles I had to do way more editing then I would have liked to get rid of that photo fo pa... but live and learn. I'm super impatient and I just wanted to start taking the shots but next time I know that a bit more pre shoot prep would be beneficial.

Here are some pictures all finished and edited from this morning's efforts-

WRINKLES!!! :(

Everything that I took pictures of today will be up at the shop very soon! I also wanted to tell you that the best stuff for ironing out wrinkles (which I should have used this morning) is called Mary Ellens "Best Press". Its not just another starch your grandma used to use. This stuff works amazing and it comes in lots of great smells!! To get your hands on some click the picture.

Thanks for coming by today!

-Cayton

Ode To A Bad Hair Day!!

2011-01-12T16:54:00.000-08:00

I LOVE a good hair day don't you!?! It just makes everything in the world more manageable like a long line at the coffee shop or impromptu meeting at work...You feel ready and empowered! Well, if your like me you do NOT have those types of days enough!

Normally I feel like this-

Sometimes I cry!

On the rare occasion my hair makes me laugh-

HEHE, this makes me laugh!

Sometimes, my hair isn't really all that bad but I get bored with my same old same old-

I swear this is just what my hair does!!

The one thing that is always true about a bad hair day though-

Awe, thanks I needed that!

So, whether you are having a bad hair day or just waiting for the next one to inevitably come, you've got a friend in me, girlfriend! If you feel like you need a bad hair day pick me up or a tiny bit of inspiration here are some new hair "do dahs" at the shop that just might be the thing you need for a perfect do!

Wishes of Love $9.25

Xs and Os $6.00

Beautiful Soft Red Bobbies $10.00

New Life $11.00

Adeline's Bouquet $9.50

When Life Gives You Lemons $8.00

For even more great hair and makeup tips you can visit our sponsor (link at the top left of page). Good luck on all your future hair days!!

-Cayton

Makeuup Brush or Crochet Hook Rolls

2011-01-07T16:27:00.000-08:00

I have been having way to much fun just sewing and sewing and hot glueing, and cutting, and making a mess to my hearts content. Just as I had hoped this new year has recharged some creativity in me and I can't contain it all or at the very least make everything fast enough.

So that you do not feel left in the dust I will show you my new creations as soon as I can take pictures of them and edit them to perfection. For today I have completed and listed on Etsy just waiting for you...makeup brush rolls or if you prefer crochet hook rolls! So far I have 4 available at 2 different but similar price points.

Spunky Sparrows- $27.99

Vintage Blue- $27.99

Vintage Green- $27.99

The Orange One- $25.99

These rolls are great and so versatile. Heck you could put your collection of colored pencils in them or even paint brushes!! The possibilities are endless here at Minggus and Moob.

I hope that you catch the new year's creative bug and start making great stuff soon! For more inspiration and great ideas follow the blog and stay informed about all the fun. If you leave a comment saying that you just started following the blog I'll send you an exclusive coupon code good for your next purchase from Minggus and Moob!

-Cayton

Blog Follower Appreciation

2011-01-05T07:53:00.000-08:00

To help everyone get into the spirit of a new year with lots of new blog posts on the horizon I wanted to send out a thank you gift to all of my faithful and new followers!

I am so blessed to have you all; people who want to hear what is on my mind, see my new creations and laugh at the silly things I do!

If you haven't already received you coupon code in an email post a comment that you are a follower and I will be sure to send the coupon to you right away!

So what is this amazing coupon code that I will be sending you? This coupon code is good for 20% off your next purchase with Minggus and Moob! All you have to do is enter it in when you are at the purchase your cart point (it will prompt you) and it will automatically take 20% off your order. If you have any problems just convo me on my shop page and I can help you!

To get to my shop there is a link at the top left of this page for your convenience.

Thanks again,
Cayton

Where In The Word Are Minggus And Moob!?!

2011-01-02T22:21:00.000-08:00

So, my last post was May...I'm sorry! Thanks all for your patience as I struggle through busy life and writers block. Well, I'm back and ready to WOW you with creativity! I hope that the start of a new year will help the flame of inspiration burn bright within me. The shop will be hopping with new items as I use up my stashes and learn new skills. So here is the first batch of new items that will be waiting for you at the shop:

Dynamite Plaid $10.00

Sand Dollars $10.00

Mod Dots $10.00

Aztec Blue $10.00

All of these earrings are made from covered buttons with high quality fabric and silver jewelry pieces. I love the textures and colors that were used and the dangle earrings create a bit of a grown up feel! I hope you enjoy them...keep your eyes peeled at the shop cause they will be listed sometime at the beginning of the week.

-Cayton

Lots to be proud about!

2010-05-19T10:10:00.000-07:00

Aida (2000 Original Broadway Cast)

Hey Everybody!

Sorry I have been MIA for a while! I have been so busy that I have not had time to devote to my blog writing. I thought that I would take this opportunity to brag a bit however. One of the reasons that I have not had time to blog is because I have been completely distracted by the Shasta High School musical production of AIDA.

Why have I been so distracted by this.....MY SISTER MADISON WAS AIDA!!!!!!! I am just a bit proud of her as you can tell. Well, actually I am proud of both of my sisters because they both worked very hard on this production. Madison being the lead had to be at practices all the time and deal with the stresses of that and Sydney was the hair and makeup artist for the production. Of course there were many other very talented people involve in this production but I am partial. Here are some pictures form the production and a video of Madison during my very favorite part! ENJOY, and feel the pride!!

Lots of spray on "abs" and tans for this

production!

This shot shows the abs well. On stage this

looks totally real! (the cute man in maroon

is my Dad, he has mad skills!)

The lovely lady in blue is my mom! She did so

much for this production I couldn't write

about it all!

This picture is my favorite! I love that Syd is

spraying Madi with her eyes closed, Madi has

a doofy look on her face, and you can see my

Mom in the background taking the picture!

This is my family!! :)

My Dad fixing up Madi's tan. For this musical you needed

to have a dark skin tone and this does not come

naturally for my family!! Hurray for airbrushing!!

Yup, get those ankles!

Syd putting the finishing touches on

a nubian slave girl's braids. Syd was in

charge of doing LOTS of braids!

Madi all ready for the first scene that

takes place in a museum.

Click this picture for video link of Madi singing!

Her are some more helpful links that you might find interesting. (These are all from Broadway non are of the High School musical but the High School copied this version)

Storyline and history of Aida

Aida (Origianl Broadway Cast)

Aida (Easy Piano)

(Making of the Broadway Musical)

For more information about SK-Artistry click here!

Thanks for checking in today and reading about all this "good stuff"!
-Cayton

Saturday Hike!!

2010-05-08T17:42:00.000-07:00

Today was a wonderful Saturday spent away from almost all things Minggus and

Moob! Every aspiring artist needs an inspiration break now and again! Me, Jake and our friends Brian and Trisha all went on a hike today! We had lots of fun! Our destination was Whiskeytown Falls, near Redding, CA were we live. For more information about this check out this totally rad book!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

All beautiful and ready for the hike!

Trisha always ready for the goofy shot.. me I'm like never ready!

I always seem to be doing something doofy!

Can you say Heath Family

Christmas Card!!!

Ok, I know we are in tank tops.

Trisha and I put smiles on our faces, (not feeling quite so beautiful)

for this shot, we were just a touch winded! The picture

does not do a good job of showing how steep it

really was.

Almost to the top!

Jake always brings his bendy leg tri-pod

for our camera. Jake is a master at setting it up

on weird places to take a group shot! I was afraid it would

fall into the water or he wouldn't be able to get back

to us in time to be in the picture...but like always he

just made it. :)

The famous Jake one handed shot!

The famous Jake one handed shot... that almost

misses me!

WE MADE IT!!

The falls were spilling more water

then Trisha had ever seen before!

Brian always look so

"NOT WINDED"!!

I thought we were at the top! We were only at the first top!

You can hike above the falls and see more, of course the

guys were ready to climb up higher! Trisha and I just smiled

and kept following them up. :)

Sigh, the real top!! We made it!!

Monday I will annouce who won the Minggus and Moob

Headband Giveaway so come back soon!!

I hope you all have a great weekend filled with

adventures and "good stuff"!!

-Cayton

Giveaway Rule Change!!

2010-05-06T09:37:00.000-07:00

I have had some people say that it is impossible for them to leave comments on my blog post! Sorry about that... I will try to fix it soon. So if you would like to post something to get in on the giveaway for the headband go to my twitter account by following this link. In your message say that you are commenting for the headband giveaway and I will add your comment to the comments that I already have!! Thanks for your understanding and patience!!

Remember how cute these are!! You could

WIN your own!!

visit my etsy shop to see more items

OOPS!!

2010-05-05T07:57:00.000-07:00

Hey guys! Sorry about the confusing post that I wrote yesterday! I had written all about the giveaway and some how it was erased and it did not post when I published yesterday's post!! So... now if you read the bottom of yesterday's post (Say hello to my little friend...and get a prize) it will actually have a prize giveaway at the end!! The entry information is between the ** and the **!! :) So please leave a comment after that post to get your self entered to win the flower headband!!
Thanks so much,
Cayton

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"Say Hello To My Little Friend!" and Get A Prize

2010-05-04T11:16:00.000-07:00

Ok, cheesy title, however, true it is! I would like you to meet my little friend and newest workspace do-dah-

THE CUTTLEBUG!

This little critter embosses and cuts out paper for scrap-booking and all kinds of other paper projects!! You might ask yourself, "Why would Cayton need that?", well, I enjoy it because you can use it not only for paper but for fabric too!! I have been using it to cut out applique shapes for my scarves and hats and also to make cute headband adornments! Remember the flower headbands from the latest shoot-

Yup, my trusty Cuttlebug cut those out for me!! I love how versatile it is. I can not only cut out paper, felt, and fabric but I can use almost any embossing or cutting plate out there on the market today!! SOOO many options and so little time, if you know what I am saying.

These plates cut and emboss; I used them for the flowers on the headband and they aren't for the CuttleBug at all! The following is an awesome video that I found which inspired me to make my fabric flowers and actually get a CuttleBug in the first place(project is on the top of their main page, customcrops.com- link below)-

"green" bracelet project" at CustomCrops

I love that video series and also their website. Custom Crops has great products and specials which make many scrap-booking supplies very affordable. The other website for Cuttlebug items that I really like is ohmycrafts.com. They have the green Cuttlebug (color before the blue one) on sale for only $40!!! I purchased the blue Cuttlebug because it came with some other supplies that I needed, (refer to picture at top of post) it was $80.

One, thing I should mention that caused me a bit of frustration was that when you cut paper or fabric with the CuttleBug the shape of that die gets impressed on the plastic spacer plates that come with the Cuttlebug. I thought that my Cuttlebug was messed up when I ran a die through it for the first time so I called Provo Craft (makers of the CuttleBug) and asked them if this was a normal occurrence and and they assured me that it was. So, I'm telling you so you do not have to call them like I did! :) Also, depending on how often you use your CuttleBug, the spacer plates that come with it do need to be replaced and are easy to find at retailers near you!

**Because I love my CuttleBug and YOU my followers I will be giving away one of my lovely flower headbands!!All you have to do to get entered is leave a comment under this post. Your comment can be about anything you want.. love comments...they kinda sorta make my day! The winner of this giveaway will be announced in the beginning of next week so get yourself entered now!!**

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New Products Up!

2010-05-01T09:24:00.000-07:00

Yeah! Its Saturday! Saturdays are the best don't you think?

I have spent way to long in front of the computer the past few days

listing all of the new products that I had taken pictures of!
I think that they all look fantastic and I have loved reading your feedback
about the shoot.I also have another exciting trial product
that I am going to be testing!

GIFT CERTIFICATES!!

I have created 3 gift certificates with different values
for those occasions when you just don't know
what to get that special someone.
I have the following three values and
you can order a custom amount as well like...$14.62

if you think that that is like the perfect amount for your lucky

gift certificate recipient!! :)

$5 gift certificate

$15 gift certificate

$25 gift certificate

Thanks for checking in today! I hope your weekend is full of

"good stuff"! (Does anyone get that? Its my tag line for

Minggus and Moob.) : )

-Cayton

Finished Images From Shoot Group 2

2010-04-29T07:49:00.000-07:00

Just like I promised here are the last pictures from the Minggus and Moob/ SK-Artistry photo shoot! You will get to see the last collection called "Not Naughty...Nautical" and I will show you some pictures that I think are great that I forgot to put in the blog the other day!

While you check out the shots I'm going to go grab a cup of coffee so I'll be right back!!

"Not Naughty...Nautical"

The "Not Naughty...Nautical" tank has great embellishments!!

I love Moob patch perfect!!

Now...More pictures that I hadn't edited from the shoot that I really like!!

Only Minggus and Moob models can

work tanks and scarves at the same time!

Antique buttons are always the perfect accent!

I can't get enough feathers!!

I think this is a beautiful shot and its for a $3

hair clip!!

These clips come in many different colors!

Okay! That was fun and my coffee is perfect! You know when you get the perfect

ratio of coffee to creamer, sigh, that would be the way mine is right now!

I would like to know from all of the shots (group 1 and group 2)
which picturesstruck you and made you want to click
to check out a Minggus and Moob product or which one
made you want to hire SK-Artistry to do your hair and

makeup for an up coming event!!
We would love and appreciate your feedback on

this and thank you in advance for your comments!

From the grand collaboration of Minggus and Moob and SK-Artistry
have a great, blessed rest of your week filled with "good stuff"!

For more information or to shop products click the following links:

Minggus and Moob

SK-Artistry

Finished Images From Shoot Group 1

2010-04-27T12:27:00.000-07:00

Okay all I can barely stand the excitement right now!! Today I will be sharing with you the first group of edits and finished images from the Minggus and Moob/SK-Artistry photo shoot!

Let me know what you think of the shots and be thinking...

"Would these pictures help me choose Minggus and Moob or Sk-Artistry products and services?"

Please leave some feed back because inquiring minds want to know! :)

"Very Vintage"

"Young Bright"

"Fearless Feathers"

(I changed the name...I like this better!)

"Not Naughty...Nautical"

(tomorrow)

Thanks all for the support! I hope you enjoyed a very brief collection

of images from the shoot! We took so many that it was very hard for me to pick my favorites and edit them for you. I will post more tomorrow (or Thursday).

**Don't for get to leave some comments on what you think of the shots, this would mean a lot to Minggus and Moob and SK-Artistry!!**

That was "good stuff" for sure!

-Cayton

Photo Shoot Prep.

2010-04-26T10:08:00.000-07:00

I have been having so much fun creating some great new pieces for Minggus and Moob in my newly organized work space! To help launch my new product lines and their themed looks I hired SK-Artisty to add some artsy flair to models that matched the look of the products that they would be modeling! My themes are "Very Vintage", Young Brights","Not Naughty, Nautical", and "Fairest Feathers".

Getting all lovelied up!

Who's up first!?!

Lots and Lots of product!

My newest model Helen Getting "teased"! Helen is the face of

"Young and Bright".

One of our biggest fans Minnie, wanted to model to!

Helen is amazed at the volume of her hair!!

Even more stuff! SK-Artistry is professional and they are always

prepared to fix any issue!

Grace, my "Not Naughty, Nautical" model waiting to get

finished.

What a trooper! Sarah, my "Fairest Feathers" model

had to endure much colorizing! To see what I mean

come back tomorrow for shoot images.

Christi, my "Very Vintage" model, patiently waiting for

her turn to get worked on.

Our other family dog Molly coming to check out everything! Did you

know she is half dash hound and half pitbull!

Normally I like to stay behind the camera but not today! I had to model

one of the lovely hairclips! Look for these at the shop soon!

My sister Madison looking lovely even though she was not a

model today! She is the lead in the play "Aida" by Elton John!

To learn more click HERE

Minnie just can't get enough and has to be

right in the center of the action!

Chill'n

Helen showing off her makeup line! SK-Artistry does a fantastic job

of airbrushing. Helen had never been airbrushed before!

Putting the finishing touches on the lovely Sarah.

Ok, all done!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Tomorrow I will post finished pictures from the shoot! So come back

and check out the photography side of SK-Artistry.

For more information on SK-Artistry click

HERE

(she sighs) What "good stuff"!

Just For Mom...

2010-04-23T17:21:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone!

I have been having a great time this week making new stuff and setting up some great sales and promos at the shop that will run all the way through Mother's Day! I am super excited and I hope that these sales, promos, and free gifts get you excited as well- especially since Mother's Day is right around the corner! Have you gotten your wonderful Mom something to show her how much you care? The shop has lots of great things on sale to help you find that perfect gift!Just click the shop banner to check it out!

Here are the current promotions and sales running at the shop:

** If you let me know where you heard about Minggus and Moob, we are doing some advertising, you get a FREE GIFT with your purchase (any $4.50 pair of earrings)!

** If you spend $30 or more in one purchase you get a FREE GIFT valued up to $10 (choose from anything 1 item in the shop up to $10)!

**Check out the SALE.SALE.SALE section for deep discounts on some favorite items.

These Sales and Promotions end May 9th so hurry and get some good deals TODAY!!!!!!

Minggus and Moob are not the only ones that have great gifts for mom! Here are a few more that I thought might give you a bit more inspiration:

If you want a bit of everything here is a sample basket idea!

The Sampler Village on Etsy has put together baskets for Mom

with samples of products from other Etsy shops!

Retail price $22.00

This necklace is adorable! The thing I loved about this necklace is that you can

customize the colors of the eggs to match the birthstones to

your family members different birthdays!If you think Mom might not want the bird

there is a necklace with just the nest and it is customizable too!

Retail Price: $11.40

Help Mom relax with these adorable felted slippers!

by alifecrocheted

Retail Price: $30.00

A cute apron is always nice! If I was your Mom I would

love this sweet little half apron in a spendid green fabric!

by Extra Mile Textiles

Retail Price: $32.00

How about buy those slippers (above) for mom and then

get her totally pampered buy SK-Artistry! If you live in the Redding, CA area

SK-Artistry is a must! Check out their website and blog for more info:

Website:

http://www.sk-artistry.com

Blog

http://www.sk-artistry.blogspot.com

**(I'm a proud sister what can I say)**

If you are more of a "do it yourselfer" and want to make Mom a gift but aren't quite sure what I recommend the blog Ruffles and Stuff. This is one of my favorite blogs out there-

I always get such great ideas and Disney is so easy to "listen to", well read!

Thanks all for checking out the blog today! I hope you got some great information

and learned some "good stuff"!

-Cayton

Inspiration Wire

2010-04-21T09:41:00.000-07:00

So I have been reading the wonderful book by Kari Chapin, "The Handmade Marketplace". I have really enjoyed this book and it is a great resource for any online shop owner. Kari talks about inspiration,

"Inspiration is often unexpected, but it's always welcome."

She goes on to say that any size space can be home to an inspiration wire. All you need is wire, some clothes pins, and a few tacks or nails. Next time you see something that inspires you whether it is in a magazine and you clip it or outside and you snap a picture of it hang that piece of inspiration on your wire to be drawn from next time you need a bit of a push. Hanging your wire were you can see it is very important and it does not have to be above your work space; you could hang it above your kitchen sink, or in your bedroom.

My Inspiration "Wire"

This entire idea got me all excited and I knew that I wanted to make my own inspiration zone. I did not have wire or clothes pins(I know, who doesn't have those things!) so I opted for inspiration cork squares. I nailed to my wall two pieces of cork (the kind with no framing) right above where I work so I can just glance up and see the things that inspire me. I have collected pictures from magazines that have unique color combination that I want to emulate, wedding magazine cut outs with pretty flowers, and funny sayings to lighten my mood when I am creatively stuck.

I love this inspiration idea because it is a great way to express yourself and it is totally inexpensive!

-$5.99 for 4 cork squares (I only used 2 squares, the other 2 squares I am using to display some of my pieces at a local boutique) at Target

-$1.99 for the straight pins (you can get less expensive straight pins but the pins I purchased were pretty) at Walmart

- FREE or almost free left over magazines

So there you have it! A fun project that can help you get out of a creative funk! Now that is some "good stuff"!

If you have any questions about this project or anything else written about in this blog feel free to email me at:

minggusandmoob@gmail.com

"The Bobbies Formally Known As Boobies"

2010-04-20T09:13:00.000-07:00

My sister Sydney.

I often call my sisters Sydney and Madison to see how they are doing and to hear the latest scoop. This weekend was no different from the normal...so I thought. When I called my parents house and Sydney answered the phone with "Hi, Tottie(my nickname, Sydney has always called me this) have you been online today!?!", she tried to not laugh. I said, "No. Why?". Sydney then proceeded to tell me that I had a very, very, interesting typo on my latest Etsy shop listing and that I should check it out.

My sister Madison.

I have been making lots and lots of bobby pins lately and in my haste during a late night item post on Etsy I had accidentally written "Boobies With Bling", instead of, "Bobbies With Bling"!!!! Of course, the night before I had been totally proud of my new creations so naturally I posted my new item all over every social networking site I could think of!! I had over 20 facebook comments and many more "thumbs up" about this.

To make it worse a bunch of my husband's friends sent him private messages on facebook telling him that I was selling boobies with bling and how could they get some for their wives! I have read many "How-To" books on selling online and they always say to make your listing titles exciting and attention getting but I took that to a whole new level this weekend!!

These are the "Bobbies Formally Known As Boobies"

The moral of this story is- no matter how late at night it is...double check your spelling!!! That's some "good stuff" if I do say so myself!

Legos and Lists

2010-04-13T10:51:00.000-07:00

I know that I announced that this post would be up on Monday but oh look its Tuesday!! :) I try but sometimes a day will sneak by you and you realized that you just lied to all your faithful blog readers. Sorry about that! Anyway, I had quite a weekend visiting my in-laws and seeing my Aunt and Uncle. I also got to enjoy some great Lego talk with my cousin Robbie, he's so brilliant! So much fun!!

Robbie hanging out in front of the house.

One of Robbie's many amazing Lego creations!

I also wanted to share with you 5 very unique gift ideas that I found on Etsy this last week! If you ever don't know what to get that person with everything- Etsy won't let you down. Here are some unique gifts ideas that I have found:

Pretty smelling laundry soap samples

Re-purposed cabinet doors for jewelry organizer

Adorable personalized tote

Recycled materials guys belt buckle

Mustache Envy Kit

Ok, are all of those things not some of the funnest gifts you've ever seen! I love going on Etsy to see what there is to see and these are 5 great examples of what wonderful creative people like us can do! I hope you all just adore Etsy like I do! In honor of my favorite online marketplace this weeks giveaway is going to be something very Etsy.
Etsy has their own little online shop that you can purchase little Etsy promotional items that are very cute (would you expect anything less...of courser not). I went ahead and bought something from their shop last week and I am going to give one away to you my faithful readers! the item is:

I saw these on the Etsy Store and i just fell in love with this pin! Friday I will announce the winner of this adorable pin. So get yourself entered by leaving a comment about why you love Etsy and follow Minggus and Moob on Twitter (click the button at the very top left of the blog)!! That is all you have to do...GOOD LUCK!!
I hope you enjoyed this fun list and giveaway and like always I hope your week is full of "good stuff"!
-Cayton

And The Winner Is...

2010-04-09T20:43:00.000-07:00

Thanks to all of you for the encouragement and support. I am excited to announce that Kendra's name was drawn for the Minggus and Moob patch giveaway "hat"!! Congrats Kendra!! (Kendra has been notified)

Be sure to check back Monday for a new giveaway and some great and unique gift ideas that I found on my favorite site, ETSY, of course!!

Thanks again to all of my followers and like always I hope your weekend is full of "good stuff"!!
-Cayton

Handmade Darlings You Should Know About

2010-04-06T10:42:00.000-07:00

Because of Minggus and Moob I have become familiar with some amazing crafters through their Etsy shops, blogs, or books. I wish, wish , wish, I could meet them all for real and take in the talent and creativity that pours out of them like a perfect river flowing into the greater scope of the art and design ocean that is all around us, but a lass this is just a dream and my creative creek will have to do. Since I do not have the ability to meet them, as of right now, I have been studying the ways in which they do things and how they have moved to the top of the creative sphere of online crafting market places. Here are some of my favorite works and crafters that I feel everyone should have an awareness of.

Emily Martin

Emily Martin: Sweet and astoundingly brilliant Emily Martin is one of my heroes. She was one of Etsy's first online shops in 2005 and has become their top seller with 29,269 sales (as of this post). Emily paints and sews. The prints of her artwork have been her main product, however, whenever she makes a doll they sell out in minutes (bummer, I never can seem to get my hands on one)!


Emily and Martha make dolls!

Emily's blog (Inside A Black Apple) is fun and it really shows off the look of her Etsy shop. I love the way that she branded her products and I look to emulate that with my own Etsy shop and blog. I like to say "When my shop grows up it wants to be like the Black Apple." Thanks Emily for being someone we can look up to!

by Kari Chapin

Kari Chapin: A very talented and fresh writer, Kari Chapin has opened up a world of handmade incite like never before through her first book The Handmade Marketplace. Her style of writing draws you in and makes you say "I could totally do that!". I love the way that this book collaborates with other "big name" crafters and etsy staff to bring us a well rounded and person look into the handmade world!

When I went to Barnes and Noble to research this book and other books like it I could not set this book aside. I read for over an hour and my leg started to fall asleep! I hope to sell enough stuff at the shop this week to be able to buy this book- I want to highlight the heck out of it and turn page corners!! The other thing that I love about this book is that Emily Martin did the artwork all through out (my two favorites in one place...sigh)!!

Meg Mateo Ilasco

Meg Mateo Ilasco:

The next amazing book I love, because it has a hands on feel about it is Craft Inc. and the Craft Inc. Business Planner. The author Meg Mateo Ilasco helps you learn how to turn your favorite crafts into revenue! Meg is great because she has done so many things and is experienced in helping others like us achieve our goals! I cannot wait to get my hands on the the business planner and learn how to handle the money side of my online store!!

Here are some more great ladies to discover and learn from:

Betsy Cross (Betsy and Iya Jewelry

Grace Bonney (Design Sponge)

Jennifer Judd-Mcgee (illustration and collage on Etsy)

Agnes Blum (knock.knocking)

Liz Smith (Made in Lowell)

I hope that these lovely ladies help you to feel inspired. If you have reviews of anything or anyone here please feel free to share! On your way out don't forget to checkout the shop giveaway and get yourself entered (4/05/10 post). And as always I hope your week is filled with "good stuff"!
-Cayton

A Week Of Blogging and Patch Giveaway!

2010-04-05T09:01:00.000-07:00

First this morning I have a sad announcement! My beloved friend Monkey the goldfish has past on to fishy heaven. Please a moment of silence in honor of his passing. :)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

WOW, the patches have been really popular! Thank you all for your support on this project. I have started sewing them to tank tops and scarves and I think they are going to be really great! To celebrate one week of blogging and the launch of my patches I am going to be doing a giveaway!!! I will be giving one lucky Minggus and Moob blog follower an iron patch just for being there on the other side of this blog!

To get in on this giveaway all you have to do is follow this blog and our twitter profile!

Once you have done this (or if you are already doing this)

send me an email saying you are following the

blog and twitter and I will enter you in the giveaway! THAT'S IT!!! Piece of cake. I will be doing the drawing for the winner on Friday, April 9th.

EMAIL: minggusandmoob@gmail.com

I have had so much fun with all of you this first amazing week of blogging! Thanks for your comments and queries about my life. I wanted to take the time to brag about some wonderful

friends that I have made this week; who have given me great blog advice, and show off some of the wonderful creativity in their lives.

From the wonderful advice of these friends I was also able to help my sister Sydney start a blog. Sydney is a very talented make-up artist. She does airbrushing, theatrical make-up, runway make-up, and weddings!

Check out Sydney's blog here:

**Click the pictures to visit my new friends' etsy shops!


Fern and Dandy

HomespunHandmaiden

art cards & prints by candacejean

Pernilla's Something Swedish

Thanks again for visiting my blog today and taking the time to read the latest posts. Don't forget to follow the blog for your chance to win a Minggus and Moob patch and like always
I hope your week is filled with "good stuff"!

Patchwork Perfection And Simple Pleasures

2010-04-01T09:54:00.000-07:00

Amy's sweet little self.

So whats in a blog post title you might ask yourself? In the case of this particular one lots of laughter and brainstorming! As a new blogger I tend to focus to long on things like the title of my post and then I share my wonderful idea with a friend and they hold back a giggle! Does anyone else get this particular form of support? :) I have this wonderful cheesy quality about myself that sometimes goes to the extreme as I try to be catchy. So that you understand what I'm speaking of here are some wonderful title runner ups for your reading pleasure: "Patchwork Dreams", "Patchwork Orange", "Pretty Patchies", "Patches and Cream", "Pleasing Patchery", and "Patchwork: Amazing" (just to mention a few). So with the help of my very talented friend Amy J. we settled on this title and I kinda like it..don't you?

Minggus and Moob you've never looked so good!

Amy J. is one of those great friends that you don't know how you lived your sweet little life without nor do you care to remember! Amy has helped quite a bit through out my Minggus and Moob adventure. She models for my product shots, always gets the perfect amount excited when I show her something new that I'm working on, and she has so faithfully sewn patches and applique for my shop! This week she has come to visit me and my husband and I wanted to show you the little treasures she created for all of us to enjoy.

Big and small I adore them all!!

I will be using these cute patches on tank tops, purses, scarves, and selling them "as is" for you to create your own Minggus and Moob accessories and apparel. Look for all of these sweet little guys for sale at the shop in about a week. I will post an announcement when they are available!
Thank you all for taking the time to read my blog today! If you enjoyed yourself click the follow button so you can stay up to date on the lives of two very cute little birds-Minggus and Moob! (I know that it would just make their day ;) )

Shop Promotions

2010-03-30T10:06:00.000-07:00

Hi all and good morning!

Did any of you have storms around your house last night!?! My goodness I thought our apartment might flood! I was creating some new items for Minggus and Moob upstairs in my workspace when out of nowhere there was a big "CRACK/BOOM"!! I wish you all could have been there because I literally launched off my stool when that thunder crashed. I was so engrossed in what I was doing that I didn't notice the lightning (so I was not warned about the coming thunderous outburst)! Anyway, I thought you all might enjoy that!

Now, down to business. Promotions at the shop!

Minggus and Moob Tote Bag $10.00

I have started creating tote bags with the Minggus and Moob logo on them! This is a very exciting venture for me and I wanted to share with you! I am hoping to get the word out about my store and would love for all of you to help me! When you purchase a bag you don't just get a bag you also get some surprises! Each bag will have Minggus and Moob products inside and you just don't know what you are going to get! Some lucky shoppers could get a hat or scarf even!!

Tote measurements: 13x13x2

I have one of these totes and I absolutely love it!! I have been caring mine around for about 3 weeks and I have gotten so many compliments and it has held up beautifully!!

This promotion is for a limited time only so get your Minggus and Moob tote bag TODAY!!! Pictured below are some examples of products that just might make it into your bag! Thank you all for viewing my blog today! I hope the rest of your week is full of "good stuff"!

Shoe Fascinator/Clips

Angel/Bird Wing Earrings

Covered Button Post Earring

***If you follow this blog and tell me in the message to sellers section when you are ordering your bag I will put ANOTHER ITEM in your bag!!!! (For blog followers that would be- 1 bag and 5 free items for only $10 but you must be a follower! To follow this blog go to the left column and click the follow button. Thanks!!)***

New Products and Great Resources

2010-03-29T10:39:00.000-07:00

I hope Monday is treating you well! Let's jump start the week with some new items and a couple links that should help you get inspired to make you blogs and shops the best that they can be!

Here are the two newest items at the shop! I really like these new rings because

they remind me of my wedding and I think that they would

make perfect "Something Blue" accessories for that special day!

Golden Gleam Blue Flower Ring $5.75


A Little Something Blue Flower And Filigree Ring $5.99

To view many wedding accessory ideas visit my shop.

http://www.minggusandmoob.etsy.com

As I have been an Etsy seller and have been faced with the challenges of bringing traffic to my shop I have found some very helpful links that have brought traffic, helped me to track that traffic and have also been a good way to advertise my shop. To follow are links and brief summaries for each!

-Craft Cult is a very cool site that is home to the Heart-O-Matic! What the HOM does is track your hearts, item views, and if you have ever been featured on Etsy's front page they provide you with a screen shot of your item in all its glory! On the left side of my blog is an example of a box that has a list with which my item was featured. I highly recommend this site for advertising as well as they have good prices and friendly service. www.craftcult.com

-Sample Village is a group of ladies that puts together boxes filled with samples of Etsy sellers products. They get the word out for you about your shop and all you have to do is send them at least 20 samples. When you sign up with them they also list your shop for a few days (free advertising!!) on their front page. I am apart of this group and have had lots of fun with them. I believe it is very worth it to send them at least 20 samples of your products and try being apart of this group. They are also featured on the left side of my blog. http;//www.samplevillage.com

-If you are on facebook and have a blog I recommend connecting your blog to your facebook by using Network Blogs. Network Blogs is fast, easy, and a good way for your friends to easily see your blog. You can also send blog invites to them so that they can sign up to follow your blog directly from facebook! http://www.facebook.com/networkedblogs

So those are my recommendations for this week! I hope that they are helpful and that you can grow your shop through them. Follow this blog and tune in every Monday for new products and a group of links to help promote your shop!

**If you have links and resources that have helped you email me and you and your resources might get featured next week! minggusandmoob@yahoo.com

Saturday Thoughts: Newness and Consistency

2010-03-27T13:09:00.000-07:00

As my title clearly states I am new to websites and blogging for that matter! I have felt the short lived and tormenting thrill of success with my Etsy.com and Artfire.com shops and am now trying to expand my skills and audience as I trudge through the online jungles on my quest for consistency.

Consistency is a word that I'm trying to find throughout my online store endeavors. Since you are at the whim of those shopping your site this word normally alludes me. A great example of this would be waking up one morning checking your online store and finding to your amazement you've sold 5 things (this is a day spent in entrepreneurial bliss)! The next day you wake up hoping to repeat the ecstasy of the day before, fulfilling peoples handmade shopping desires, but to your dismay not one person has even stopped by your store to view the 12 new items you so diligently posted the day before! As I ponder the hills and valleys of an online shop owners existence I am faced with this question "How many social networking sites does one girl have to join before her online store is brought to a place of shopping consistency!?!

Like many of you I am determined but I need your help- pass on the word! Next time you want to shop, instead of visiting your local box store, visit a hard working cyber shop and give that shop owner a much need shot of sales ecstasy!

*Visit my Etsy shop for featured product listings.
Click Here to View and Purchase

A Girl Inspired

2010-03-26T08:18:00.000-07:00

I thought that I would start my blogging life by sharing with you the things that have inspired me through out this journey called life and eventually brought me to Minggus and Moob. The first and foremost inspiration in my life is the Lord Jesus Christ who has given me every good thing by saving me and blessing me with the gift of creativity. The Lord in His ever present grace and mercy took me down a path that was hard, He held my hand through it all and then when the time was right He put my hand into the hand of my husband and now he leads us both.
As I write this blog my mouth curls up into a smile just thinking about that man that I had the privileged of marrying. Jake, is his name if you are unfamiliar with him. He is my best friend, he makes me laugh, but more then that he challenges me to do things that I would not do other wise. A list of examples of this are: roller-coasters, traveling by airplane, motorcycle adventures, and the laundry! Jake and I love doing life together and we look forward to our future adventures together (next blog will cover our career)!

The apartment that Jake and I live in is a perfect townhouse style. We have a garage(downstairs) where Jake gets to tinker and we have a spare bedroom(upstairs) witch acts as an office and creative work space for me! My little area is home to a beautiful sewing machine(thanks Nonny!), two knitting machines, some of the most beautiful yarn you'll ever see and a collection of antique buttons! Awe, doesn't that just sound so delightful! My favorite thing in the world is to wake up early, get a cup of coffee, and create a new piece for Minggus and Moob happy as a clam at my work space.

I have the best sisters and girlfriends in the world. I would not be here blogging about Minggus and Moob if it wasn't for them! Sydney, thanks for making me walk into my first boutique and promote Minggus and Moob, and for being a constant Minggus and Moob wearer/commercial! Madison, if you like something I just made I know that I am on the right track because you are full of style and good taste. Amy, um...there are no words to describe how thankful I am for your friendship and for knowing what I need before I do. Minggus and Moob would not have their cute faces and style without your extreme amounts of talent! There are so many of you
that I am thankful for but I just don't have enough time, but you know who you are and I love you all!! (Through doing this blog I realized that I do not have pictures with any of you...this must get resolved!!)

Here are some new products from Minggus and Moob inspired by those who inspire me:

Click the picture to be taken to my shop and the item's listings!
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