: sponsor love : hang with chelsea from sunny with a chance of sprinkles :

hey everybody!
today, i have chelsea here from sunny with a chance of sprinkles.

lets meet her, huh?
________________________________________________________________________________

Please tell us who you are?

 I'm originally from Minneapolis, MN and sincerely miss the cities. I'm now living about 45 minutes north of the cities, but still feel like a city girl at heart. Cows are living too close to comfort for me ;)

Whats your favorite way to relax?

 At a coffee shop, by myself, with a great book.

Where would you love to be in 1/3/5 years?

In 3-5 years I see myself working as a nurse in a hospital or clinic, Cory and I are planning our wedding and hoping to have another little one and my precious Alea is in preschool and soon to be in kindergarten. Wow, that's scary!

Describe your perfect day?

My perfect day would be laying in bed all day with breakfast in bed and endless lattes on my night stand with Netflix streaming on my laptop. Not a care in the world... bliss.

Where is your favorite place to create? why?

Well, maybe not create, but brainstorm. In the car. On my way too and from school I come up with the best ideas!

Tell us a few of your favorite sites/blogs to lurk on a daily basis?

 My current favorite shop is Mama's Nest Designs & I'm loving Casey's blog.

What do you want to learn?

To knit or crochet. It's actually one of my new years resolutions.

Lets be honest ; n*sync or the backstreet boys?

Backstreet Boys. I spent many, many days and nights laying on my bed or rocking out in my living room to Backstreet Boys! And I was always a fan of AJ... sometimes bad boys are just so hot!

 

______________________________________________________________________________

l o v e me some backstreet boys fans ;)

connect with chelsea here!

facebook // twitter // bloglovin' // pinterest

be sure to come back tomorrow.

i am pushing back insta friday til saturday & teaming up with 100 [!!] other bloggers to share something life-changing with you tomorrow!

[you wont want to miss it!!]

: how to get the most out of your creativity : guest post :

sunday!
woo hoo!
today i am needle felting for the first time! [review soon]
have you needle felted before?!

this afternoon, my fun sponsor friend katie is here to remind us all [me!!] how to get the most out of your creativity.
take.it.away!
_________________________________________________________________________________

Hello there!  I'm Katie and I blog about sewing, Pyrex and the cool things I find on Pinterest right here.  I'm lucky enough to be guest-posting on Dianapantz today and I'm so excited!  (Did you hear she gets to work on Dianapantz full-time now?!?!   Awesome!!!)  Anywho, I decided to write about how to get the most out of your creativity time because I know we just don't get enough of it.  I definitely don't and that gets frustrating.  So, here are a few tips that I have found to really work when my time is limited.

1.  Be Inspired
Not on Pinterest?  You must be!!!  It is easily the most inspiring place to go (follow me here!)  I love to Re-pin all of the pretty things I see on the site, especially craft and sewing tutorials, recipes and blogging info.  If I'm short on time I can quickly browse through my Pinboards to find something that lights that crafty fire :)  I found the pin below on Diana's board and I'm dying to try it!  I actually went looking for the supplies last week, but came up short.  I will find suitable marbles and end-caps, so keep an eye on my blog for the results!

                                                                                Source: craftster.org via Katie on Pinterest

2.  Get Organized
Something that really helps me is to stay organized.  It just makes things easier!  I have been slacking on the blogging front lately and I found this awesome blog planner that I think will help me organize and pre-plan my posting.  I went to Staple's and got it laminated and it's good to go!  For me, list-making and calendars are crucial to staying organized and getting things done.  I'm on the hunt for the perfect planner for 2012 - so many fun projects to do, I need to keep track of when to get them done!

                                                                            Source: livinglocurto.com via Katie on Pinterest

3.  Plan Ahead
When it comes to sewing projects - planning ahead is so important!  I read this tip ages ago - when prepping for a new project, get all your fabrics and interfacing cut ahead of time.  Lay out all the needed notions, thread your sewing machine and/or serger with coordinating thread, read over the pattern and then take it step by step.  Breaking each piece down into smaller steps will help you get a little bit done each day.  Sometimes when faced with starting a new project and I haven't gotten everything prepared ahead of time, makes me feel overwhelmed and I just put it aside, but pre-prep and small steps really do help you get more done in the long run :)


4.  Try Something New
Stretch your creative muscles!  For me, my fave thing in the world is sewing.  But, I've also dabbled in jewelry-making, embroidery and cross-stitch and I'm dying to learn to crochet (this will be the year, I swear it!!)  As much as I love to sew, it's not very portable and it's fun to have a craft to work on while in the car or watching TV at night.  Doing anything creative makes you feel so good!  And trying something new will keep you sharp :)

                                                                              Source: tipjunkie.com via Katie on Pinterest

5.  Reach Out
I have blogged and read blogs for years before reaching out to other gals that inspire me daily.  I have been loving my sponsorship dealings with Diana - it's kept me motivated to blog and to create fun giveaways and posts that she can share with her readers.  I also highly recommend linking up!  Link parties are so much fun and you can find so many creative people and awesome blogs when you check them out - plus you get to share your awesome creations with a bigger audience.  Tons of blogs sponsor link parties - they are lots of fun!!  Social media is another great way to reach out (I'm on Twitter here - posting infrequently but I'm trying to get better!)  You can find tons of great info like tutorials, products and even discounts by liking someone on facebook or following them on Twitter.  Getting connected with other bloggers will totally motivate you to create, I promise!

Well, I hope you enjoyed my chattering on here :)  Thanks so much to Diana for loaning me a little space today!  :)
_________________________________________________________________________________


what a great post!
this is katies first ever guest post and it is SO good!
great tips that apply to all of us ; no matter if we run shops, blog for fun or just love being crafty.


follow katies blog & twitter here

: get to know dani from good natured handmade crafts :

happy saturday!
today, i am at a craft fair, and my cute sponsor dani is here with a fun interview!
enjoy!

1) tell us who you are/where youre from/what you do/where can we find you?  
Hi everyone! I'm Dani, I'm 27 and live in Missouri with my husband (my junior high sweetheart!) and our two dogs, three cats, and three chickens!  I work full time as an educator at a zoo, which means during the school year I take animals to schools and daycares to teach the kiddos about them and then run zoo camps during the summer.  It’s a blast!  But in my spare time (ha!) I make needle felted wool critters, which I affectionately call craftimals, and lots of fun jewelry!  You can check them out in my shop here. And, I post info about new products and sales on my facebook page, and I would LOVE for you to join!

2) whats your fave way to relax?  
I love hanging out at my in-laws' little farm.  It's so soothing to sit on the back porch and just listen to all the songbirds and cows and chickens.  

here

3) where would you love to be in 1/3/5 years?  
Working at a zoo and teaching kids about animals and conservation is very important to me.  Animal species and habitats are declining in population and size at an alarming rate.  I want to help encourage and foster respect for our earth, and what better audience to do this with than children and teenagers.  Within the next five years, I hope to build on my teenage volunteer program at the zoo and be able to measure its success.  On a craftier note, I hope to increase my client and fan base for my shop and be able to say I actually make a profit! ;)

here

4) name your perfect day ; what you would do? be with? be eating?  ect.  
My perfect day would be spent with my husband exploring a small town in Europe.  We'd enjoy the local cuisine and wine, see the sites, and enjoy interacting with the people that live there.  We'd ride bikes around the town, find a secluded space and then watch the sunset.

5) what do you want to learn? [knit, to fly a plane, to be vegan ;)ect]  
I really want to learn to knit, and then once I know how to do something with yarn, I'd love to spin my own.  I think it would be so cool to have a little farm with sheep!

here

6) best advice you can give folks that want to start an artsy career/shop/side project?  
Learning how to manage your time is very important.  I have to decide on how much time I want to allot to certain activities like facebook, checking out blogs, or creating things for etsy vs. craft shows. I also love to make lists, and these help to keep me on track and organized.

7) lets be honest ; n*sync or the backstreet boys?  
Being totally honest--never really liked either. [whaaaaaa?!?! ;)]  
But now, I'll take Justin Timberlake any day! :)

fun right?!
dani is so cool ;) : i think shes great [LOVE the part about teaching children responsibility and conservation!] and her shop is fun!
be sure to check out her facebook AND shop! 

: my favorite posts recap! : october blog sponsors :

its almost november!!
can you believe it?!
[i need to start making my 2012 goals pretty soon!]

i wanted to post my favorite posts from my small october sponsors.
[still looking to sponsor the blog in november?! check out rates and opportunities here]

allison showed off her engagement photos ; they are so cute! fun & classy!

sara showed her tutorial for homemade caterpillar sushi

anna made pumpkin waffles [we have TONS of pumpkin to use!]

liz shared her thoughts on finding balance [this is a great read is you are creating a handmade life!]

tara found a bunch of really great sewing patterns!

ashley has a bunch of really great vintage items in her shop.

meaghan posted a bunch of great fall outfits [i totally wish someone would take me shopping!]

and citlalli posted a great story and some amazing photos in honor of day of the dead.

have fun reading!

: sponsor love : interview with fallon from silly.beautiful.life :

hey!

so one of the perks of sponsoring my blog is getting to do a fun lil' interview. 

today, fallon is here to tell us a bit about her life.

annnnd since november is almost here [whaaaaat?!?], check out my sponsorship opportunities for the winter.

goooo fallon!

_______________________________________________________________________________

Hi! I am Fallon over at Silly.Beautiful.Life! I am so excited to get the chance to share a little of myself with you today!


1) Who are you? Where can we find you? What do you do?
I am a wife, a mommy, a daughter, a sister, a crater, a procrastinator, and a true blonde. (although right now its dark red!) I am always with my family, enjoying my two precious boys! I just opened my etsy shop, so you can find me creating, jotting things down, and fighting my 3 year old for the internet!

2) Where do you want to be [personally & professionally] in the future?
My life changes everyday. Somedays my husband wants to get out of his job, and become a police officer, some days a fire fighter, some days he wants to go back to school. So who knows where I'll be, but as long as I am still crafting, and being the best wife and mama that I can be, I will be a successful woman!

3) Tell us a few of your fave sites/blogs/places to find inspiration!
I LOVE HomeSpun Threads! On days when I just don't know where to go, and feel completely loony, her blog totally puts things into perspective! Also, I really love to read Ashley's blog over at The Shine Project! For inspiration, I get it everywhere, from walking Braxton to school, our local swap meet, and fabric. Colors really get me! :)

4) What makes you smile?
My family, disney movies, good books and quiet time (which is super rare with two boy children under the age of 4, and a husband who is usually on their level!!!)

5) What is the best advice you can give someone who wants to create a handmade life?
Just start doing it, and start with things YOU need/want to have in your home. It becomes so much fun to see rooms transform, and know that you put all the work into it. If after a while, you find that you are still loving every minute of your crafting, then maybe its time to go to some local craft fairs! Just dont let it become a stressor. Handmade is fun!

thanks fallon!

go send her some love!

cheers!

           

        

: a giveaway from good natured by dani! :

hey folks!
i have a fun giveaway for you today.
and ya know, since the holidays are coming up, the prize would make a great gift!


have you seen dani's shop?! she sells amazing wool-felted animals, origami jewelry, pottery AND hair accessories!


this cactus is my total fave! [i love living in minnesota for so many reasons, but they are already talking snow!!!]

today, she is giving you a chance to win *your choice* of ANY two origami jewelry pieces from the shop. you choose the style, the color AND if you want a necklace OR earrings.

here are a few of your choices [and head here to see everything else ;)]

[i would totally choose the crane necklace ;)]


so, how do you win?! [im going to give you a lot of chances]


mandatory entry : head here ; look around and come back and tell me your favorite item in the shop.


additional entries : 
1) follow good natured by dani on facebook  [leave a comment & let me know you did so]
2) follow my blog on bloglovin' [give yourself 2 entries for this one ; leave 2 comments telling me you did so!] 
3) follow my blog with google friend connect [hit that 'follow' button over there -------------> ; leave me a comment]
4) share this on twitter ; i entered to win origami jewelry from dani on @dianapantzmpls blog http://flytothewall.blogspot.com/2011/10/giveaway-from-good-natured-by-dani.html
5) donate to world concern! ; $8 will provide a soccer ball for a child in need ; $15 will vaccinate a pig ; $15 will provide 2 months of emergency food ; leave me a comment for EACH and leave me the link with the receipt.
lots of ways to win, right? [think ; you can enter a giveaway and change a childs life ;)]


giveaway runs today and will end on the 24th. its open to everybody in the universe!
good luck!

: vegan meal of the week : week 31 : guest veggie recipe from liz of the blue eyed owl :

happy monday!
today, i have a great fall recipe from my cute friend liz.
take it away! 
______________________________________________________________________________


Hi, I’m Liz, the author of The Blue Eyed Owl, a blog about all things vintage, handmade and my life as mom, wife and indie business owner. I run an online vintage and handmade boutique on Etsy with retail space at The Main Street Antique Mall near my home in Mesa, AZ. 

Diana & I are blog buddies and pen pals! She is always sharing yummy recipes with you and she was kind enough to let me drop in and share one of my own!

My husband and I have several dishes that we like to make in advance and have in the fridge for easy meals and snacks throughout the work week.  Our current favorite is black bean & corn salad.  It's super easy & versatile and the longer it sits in the fridge, the better it tastes!  Take a look..

The recipe is super simple:

2 cans black beans - rinsed & drained

1 can corn - rinsed & drained

1 medium onion - diced

2 celery stalks - diced

1/4 cup olive oil

10 sprinkles rice wine vinegar

sea salt - to taste

cilantro - chopped - to taste

Mix it. Serve it.  

All the ingredients can be adjusted to taste.  We eat this with eggs for breakfast, in breakfast burritos, plain as a salad (sometimes with cotija cheese) or as a dip for chips.  

Enjoy! Hop on over to my blog and let me know if you try it ;)

: sponsor love : interview with katie from katie sews it all : and a winner :

happy tuesday!
today i have a fun interview with my blog friend [and october sponsor] katie.

but first, i never announced the winner from the last giveaway!
kajira won these adorbs hairpins from francheskas shop!

[thanks for entering everyone!]

take it away katie!
_________________________________________________________________________________

1) who are you/where can we find you/what do you do?

 Hi there!  My name is Katie and I blog at Katie Sews It All.  I started blogging a few years ago on my blog called What I'm Making... (original, I know!) to document my sewing projects.  Over time I wanted to grow my little blog and so I renamed it Katie Sews It All and started sponsoring dianapantz to help expand my reader base.  A big thanks to Diana for helping me achieve that goal!!!  I still document each and every project I sew up, but I also post a lot of inspiration from Pinterest along with fun Pyrex and thrifty finds and tutorials and links from around the web.  I also tweet when I'm working on a project, but I'm not hooked on Twitter just yet.  At some point I will start a Facebook page, because I love Facebook!  I also plan to start an etsy shop someday, but for now it's still in the daydreaming stages :)

2) tell us a few of your fave sites/blogs/places to find inspiration.

 I'm an internet junkie!  I started reading blogs a few years ago and I draw so much inspiration from them!  My current favorites are dianapantz of course, along with Gussy Sews, KeykaLou Patterns, In Color Order, Pink Lemonade and Little Big Girl Studio.  I also find tons of inspiration on Pinterest (follow me here!), Flickr and Etsy.  I can literally spend hours reading blogs, repinning, and going back through my Flickr favorites.  It's what gets me through when I don't have time to sew!

3) best advice you can give someone who wants to create a handmade life?

 The best advice I can give is to do a little bit at a time.  I have to get up at 5:30 am to get to work and sometimes if I'm in the middle of a project I'll get up 10 minutes early just to get one or two little steps done.  While I love to have a few hours set aside on my days off to sew, that doesn't always happen, so doing a little bit at a time really helps.  I also try to cut a project out on a work night, then get all of my thread and pins and interfacing, etc. together on another night so that when I get a few hours free, I can just sit down and get sewing.  I also try to choose quick, little projects for some instant gratification.  :)

Thank you so much, Diana for letting me share a little bit on your blog!!!  And thank you to your readers for reading along!  :)

________________________________________________________________________________

yay!

shes so fun. 

make sure you go and check out her blog [and that awesome pyrex collection!]

[and go katie for getting up BEFORE 5:30am to work!!]