Win Some Gingiber Product!

Hi friends! just wanted to give you a heads up that I am giving away a $35 store credit over at Smile and Wave today! So if you've been eyeing one of my new animal pillows, now's your chance!

Click here to enter!

Later, gaters :)

Business Basics: The Business Card

I remember over 2 years ago, when I was 1st dreaming up Gingiber, the scariest step for me was ordering business cards! Ordering my cards meant that I was a real business, and perhaps my hobby would soon turn into a tangible, profitable online shop.

One of my 1st business cards, though cute, had no real direction. It said "Gingiber" with my etsy shop address and no mention of what it was that "Gingiber" actually was! Over the past 2 years, I have gleaned the advice of many of my online artist friends, adding more pertinent information.

I recently ordered new cards to get me through the holidays, and thought it would be fun to make the fronts of the cards like little mini prints. So now I have "Quilted Fox" business cards and "Calico Cat" business cards, and both say "Gingiber Nursery Decor" below the artwork. On the back, my name is featured prominently, along with my e-mail address, twitter handle, and shop and blog urls. I also have a little coupon code as an incentive for return customers!

I feel like having a clean, informative business cards is like putting my best business face forward! Do any of you feel that way too in your small businesses? What advice do you have for business basics?

Honey Almond Madeleine Cookies

Hello! I've not had a chance to blog all weekend. My daughter has had the chicken pox (and yes, to preemptively answer the question, she has been immunized, but has only had the 1st of 2 shots). I've spent the better portion of the past 5 days tending to her needs. I have been so thankful to spend so much one on one time with her!

This morning, I had the sudden urge to act on one of those Martha Stewart Madeleine Cookie recipes I posted about earlier in the week. I decided to tackle the basic Madeleine recipe, but had to modify it a bit, given the ingredients I had on hand.

The recipe called for honey already, so I just increased the amount of honey. Then I substituted vanilla extract for some almond extract I had in the fridge. I was out of brown sugar, so granulated sugar all the way! Sprinkled with some powdered sugar, it was the perfect Sunday morning indulgence :)

What about you? Have you been cooking anything yummy recently? Do you find yourself often improvising in the kitchen?

27 Weeks Pregnant

At 27 weeks, I feel bigger (not necessarily better) than ever. The baby is kicking at all hours, which is comforting, but also a wee bit uncomfortable! I find myself staring at my belly while at work, putting headphones on my bump so that the little girl can listen to my Pandora Station. The feet are starting to swell, and I can no longer button my pre-pregnancy jeans, but that is to be expected :)

Next week I will be in the 3rd trimester! The final stretch. I find myself daydreaming more frequently about holding 2 little girls in my arms. I wonder about what life will be like? How will Nathan and I handle the late night feedings again? Will this new baby have blonde hair, like Violet? Or will she get Nathan's curls? Will her nose turn up like Violet's? Will she have my eyes?

Fantasizing about how much life will change within the next 3 months is possibly my favorite thing to do :) And I feel so blessed.

Martha Stewart Living September Issue

I've been home today with a sick little kid. Aside from lots of cuddling and cartoons, I finally got a chance to sit down and skim some of my magazines that have accumulated on the dining room table.

Let me tell you that the September issue of Martha Stewart Living is FANTASTIC! I won't give you a play by play of the entire issue, but I have several pages earmarked to go back and read when I have more time.

For instance, just look at this feature on madeleine cookies!!! Nathan got me my own madeleine cookie pan a few months back, so I am quite ready to jump in and try some of the variations listed in this article.

Don't maple madeleines just sound perfect for the fall? Or how about spice madeleines with icing?

Oh the possibilities :)

The Girls' Room: Happy Snippets

Here are a few little snippets of the girls' shared room!

I still have a ton to do, but before I give a full room tour, I wanted you share with you some of the happy things happening in their room! Violet really seems to like the changes so far :)

Shop Update: Animal Pillow Palooza

Presenting a brand new gang of Gingiber Plush Pillows!

Plush Fox Pillow in Yellow

Plush Fox Pillow in Orange

Plush Owl Pillow in Blue

Plush Owl Pillow in Pink

I hope that you like this new Gingiber Product :)

Obsessed: Pillow Power

Olive You by OliveHandmade

Monogrammed Pillows by Counter Couture Design

Pleated Cotton Pillow by Franny and June

Grain Sack Pillow by Leslie Janson

I really really LOVE pillows. Just ask my husband. When we got married, he inherited a plethora of pillows, most of which I have either donated or given away during the past 5 years of our marriage.

But recently, I've been bitten by the pillow bug (that sounds too much like bed bugs.... eek)! I want to add some fresh pillow covers to the mix, and I am totally digging the pillow in this post :)

How about you? Are you a pillow fiend?

Stacie

25 Weeks Pregnant

I am beginning to realize how much I have to do before the kiddo arrives, sometime around Turkey Day. Things like, oh, attend birthing classes, finish the girls' room, register for a few small items :)

When I was pregnant with miss Violet, I was working so many hours at Starbucks, I did not even think about how I wanted my birth to go down. I literally baked the kid, showed up at the hospital, and gave birth. Simple as that. This time, I am really wanting to contemplate my options. Like, do I want another epidural? Can I do it natural? My midwife is super supportive of either option. I found out that the hospital that I am giving birth at even has a birthing pool! Something to look into for sure.

I will not be a control freak about things. So, if the pain is just too much for me to handle, I just might get that epidural, and not feel bad about it. But, I do think I am leaning towards trying things without painkillers.

In terms of registering, since I had a kiddo 2 1/2 years ago, I have heard that it is not proper to have a full blown registry (at least that is the word on the street). So, I will register for a few items, like cloth diapers (Yes, I am going to give cloth a chance!), a new pack n play, and a baby food maker. BUT I am really excited about making some Etsy Treasury's filled with handmade items that I love! Not sure if it is fair to expect people to actually purchase from them like a Target registry, but what the heck!

Okay, this has been a really long post! Thanks for keeping up with me and baby Bloomfield :)

New Etsy Favorite: Nifty Kid Stuff

 Recently I found Nifty Kid Stuff, and I fell head over heals in love with their handmade creations!

Who couldn't love the Wool Baby Bear (pictured at the top of the post), stuffed plush with kapok and covered in polka dotted handmade goodness? Or what about the precious Piggy Puppet? I am totally digging the horizontal stitching that compliments the yellow stripes :)

The Baby Bunny Plush has stolen my heart for sure! Sigh, there are so many lovely items in this handmade shop! They create such gorgeous toys that truly do prompt imaginative play!

So hop on over to Nifty Kid Stuff and tell me what your favorite item is!

Nifty Kid Stuff: Shop

Nifty Kid Stuff: Blog

Product Sneak Peek: Reindeer Pillow

In an effort to get my holiday rear end in gear, I've been playing around with some different types of product. For the holidays, I've decided to make some cute reindeer pillows!

This is the pink prototype. I also have a green one, but am still trying to find the perfect backing fabric! I am still working on the 2012 calendar, and finishing up a new stocking design!

Happy holidays (a few months early....)

Stacie

Armchair Therapy

armchairs: via anthropologie

Hi, my friends. So, what do you do when you've been a little bit down? I'll tell you what I do! I imagine that it is fall. I grab my favorite quilt, cozy up in an arm chair, and imagine that my decaf cup of coffee is actually a delicous Pumpkin Spice Latte.... yummo!

image source: lick the bowl good

And, wouldn't the 2 armchairs at the top of the post be heaven to snuggle up in? They, of course, are from Anthropologie. LOVE their furniture! What girl doesn't dream of owning their blue amelie sofa?

But, in all seriousness, when I woke up this morning around 5 AM, after 2 days of feeling really in a funk, I opened the back door, and there was the smallest hint of fall in the crisp, cool air. I was reminded how thankful I am for the recent rain showers, and how blessed I am to have a community of uplifting friends and family both online and in Arkansas.

So, here's to a fresh start on this Friday morning for me and you.

Dear Blog.....

Dear Blog,

I feel like we have a very hot'n'cold kind of relationship going on. You see, I love writing on you. I get a bit tingly with excitement every time I see a new comment on one of your posts. I gulp with anticipation every morning I check my feedburner statistics to see how you are growing.

And yet, somehow, I just don't have enough time to give you all of the gentle loving you deserve......

I seem to have ideas for new blog posts and plans to update my blog roll. But, then quitting time at my day job rolls around. I get home, make dinner, give into the curse that is pregnancy television coma, and somehow loose the will to blog.

I forget to take pictures before it gets dark.....
My grand ideas for a vlog are as elusive as a candle in the wind.....
And if I were to post all of the recipes that I cook on a regular basis, everyone would realize that I essentially live off of spongebob mac n cheese....

I digress.

Little blog, I wholeheartedly plan on attending to your needs soon. Please forgive me? I'll buy you a pony!

Yours truly,

Big Momma Bloomfield

Just Listed: Back To School

Boy Chalkboard Silhouette

Girl Chalkboard Silhouette

Finally! I've listed the uber cute vintage inspired Chalkboard Silhouettes in the Gingiber Etsy Shop! Available in both chalkboard black and schoolhouse green, these are the cutest little boogers! 

I know that black is in, but I am quite partial to the green! Feels more classic to me! Get them while they are hot, folks!

Apple Papple Poster - Fine Little Shop

Yesterday I rediscovered this amazing poster by Fine Little Shop. I think that I had seen it months ago over at Poppytalk. It is of the cutest wittle yellow apple! And, since it was only $40, I decided to go ahead and purchase it for the girls' shared room :)

Their room is coming along nicely, although I have an overwhelming urge to paint their room a softer color. I love the blue walls, but now with a chevron rug and a smattering of pattern through-out the room, lighter walls seem like a nice idea. Maybe even a really really soft grey?

Now to see if I can get the hubby on board to help with this makeover!

I cannot wait for my Apple Papple poster to arrive! It is quite large, 19.5 x 27.5 inches! I nice space filler, if I do say so myself :)

Finally.... An Above the Couch Update

So I have gone back and forth about what exactly to put above my couch! I have had a mirror that did not fill the space, a failed frame cluster, followed by a sheet that temporarily filled the space with color.

Then finally one day, it hit me: ikat! It is such a lovely fabric pattern, so I got to hunting online and found this lovely dark pink upholstery weight ikat fabric from fabric.com! 

 I hung it above the couch with some hooks and a nice long curtain rod. I know you might be thinking, "Wow that's a lot of pink in that there room!"

Well, all the men in my life (including Wallace) seem okay with it. So I am a happy camper, and I think my living room is looking cozier by the minute :)

Have a great night!

Stacie

Tuesday is for the Birds......

Charles Harper birds, that is! Don't you just adore his minimalistic style? Mr. Harper is definitely one of my biggest illustration crushes! You should check out his home tour if you ever have the time...

So this past weekend I went to Springfield, MO to visit friends and family! We had dinner with our dear friends the Stiles, and then I got to have coffee with Miss Rachel Denbow of Smile and Wave! She is such a lovely lady :) Rachel took me on my first visit of the Red Velvet Shop on Commercial Street, where I got to browse some gorgeous vintage clothing and meet Elsie herself!

It is amazing to see how far Commercial Street has come in the last 10 years. Nathan and I both grew up in Springfield, and were never EVER supposed to go to Commercial Street. At the time Commercial was laden with run down buildings, and apparently the crime rates were high. But let me tell you, with dozens of cute new stores, restaurants, and other niche shops popping up all over the place, the northern part of Springfield is becoming "the place to be".

In other, perhaps less exciting news, I am now a member of the BlogHer Network. With that comes a shiny new layout of my sidebar and banner. I am still working out some of the kinks, but if you look to the right, you will now see some new categories to browse! Hurray for organization and simplicity!

Ta Ta,

Stacie

Top 50 Etsy Moms of Babble.com

Guess who was just named one of the Top 50 Etsy Moms by Babble.com???? That would be this momma, Stacie Bloomfield :)

I am honored, still a little shocked, and completely encouraged by this. I am a "Words of Affirmation" gal (even though I really really struggle with taking a compliment). Somehow, being a part of our online community, listed amongst so many talented and inspiring women makes me think, "I can do this!"

Read my blurb here, and be sure to check out the rest of the AMAZING women on this Top 50 List!

-Stacie