MOMpreneur Monday: Sweetpea a la Mode

Happy Monday everyone!

I'm so excited to introduce you today to my friend Barbie, who recently opened an Etsy shop...with a little encouragement from our online-mama's group and after a few heart to hearts that we had.

Barbie has a beautiful spirit, and after her father passed away unexpectedly earlier this year, she channeled those emotions into a fantastic and funky Etsy shop, Sweetpea a la Mode.



As a gift for my son this spring, Barbie sent us a super funky and cool tie-onesie and tee, that I tend to put on him at every opportunity. Her designs are awesome, with onesies and tees coming in every colour of the rainbow, and fabrics that will blow your mind!



I recently had the pleasure of working with Sweetpea on a custom newborn onesie for my best-friend's baby shower (pictures of that event to come on Wednesday!) and the Mama LOVED it! Banana onesie with a teal and red fabric tie! Such a neat combination!

Girls items are something new to Sweetpea a la Mode, featuring super cute gingham bows and scarves! She's even done hearts, bowties, and I've strongly suggested some rockin' suspenders!



Barbie also believes in Being Green, which is awesome! All of her garments are prewashed in Rockin' Green detergent, she uses recycled cello bags for packaging, undyed kraft paper for her tags, and reuses ribbon at every opportunity for her packaging. Pretty great, if I do say so myself!

In her own words...some advice...

Love unconditionally. Treat whomever you speak with as though they are the most important person in the world. And that there is never a wrong time to laugh.

You can check out Sweetpea a la Mode on Etsy, Facebook (where she posts sneak peeks of all of her awesome fabrics!) and follow her Mama musings on Twitter!

Stay tuned...we'll be teaming up for a GIVEAWAY soon!

MOMpreneur Monday: Activate Encourage WAHM Showcase

Happy Monday! I hope you all had a wonderful long weekend! It's back to the grindstone for me this week, working on custom birthday orders, wrapping up things for the Emmy's and creating some gorgeous journals for my Etsy shop!

Today, I'd like to introduce you to Melissa, crafty mama behind Serafina and Stella, and mastermind behind Activate-Encourage WAHM Business Showcase!

I started the WAHM business showcase mainly because I feel like, at times, mothers that balance work and family don't get the recognition they deserve. I wanted to provide a thriving environment that allowed optimum exposure with minimal investment.

Alot of moms I had spoken with relied solely on Facebook and Twitter networking for their success, and never considered looking at other ways to promote their business.

When they is not alot of extra income set aside for advertising, it becomes a struggle to take it your business to the next step.

Every month we offer 15 bags, filled with items that our WAHM vendors have chosen to contribute. Each month has a specific theme and the contents of the bags reflect that!

We charge a fee of $5 per month for our Monthly Sample Bag contribution. That's less than 0.40$ per bag for exposure!

Each bag is posted on the 21st to be available for purchase. We require your goods/marketing material to be delivered or dropped off the 15th of each month.

Upcoming Themes

July-Summer Colours

August- Back To School

September-Halloween

October-Thanksgiving

November-Christmas

We are also having a Limited Edition Wedding bag for the month of October!

Also, each month, one member is chosen from that month's contributing vendors to receive a sample bag for free!

We are now filling for August Back To School bags but still looking for a few interested vendors for the July bags! We also provide vendor bags to different events in and around our community. We provide this service free of charge. We recruit vendors on an ongoing basis to fill these bags.

What's great about their feature vendor bags is that you can participate as often as you'd like! Sweet Stella's will be contributing to the September Halloween, November Christmas and October Wedding bags! It's such a great way to test out some new products, get feedback from your target market that you might not have been able to reach out to previously, and build your network.

Interested in collaborating with Melissa? Flip her a quick email at activate.encourage.showcase@gmail.com or stop by her facebook page and link up your own fanpage!

MOMpreneur Monday: Nikki Hart

Happy Memorial Day to my American fans!

This morning, I want to introduce you to a fabulous MOMpreneur, whose designs I positively LOVE! Here's Nikki Hart from Sweetharts!


What do you do?

First and foremost I am a mommy and when I am not busy being a super-carpooling-errand running-jake of all trades mom, I'm busy building and promoting my business "Sweetharts". Sweetharts is my shoppe where its all hand crafted from start to finish. Like most moms on the go, our styles and need for accessories change daily for us as well as our kids. I dabble in a little bit of this and that when it comes to accessories. Hair accessories from clips to headbands in all styles for mom and her girls. Clutches, Camera Strap Covers and jewelry.


Why do you love it?

I love it cause I am a creative person, I love to create and make beautiful things. I feel like I am showing my kids they can do whatever they want to do be as successful as they want. We should all be able to do what we love and if you can make a business out of it, whats better then that?



What advice do you have for other MOMpreneurs

Don't ever give up, find something that you are passionate about and run with it. It might not be easy and it takes alot of work but if you love it, it will be worth it in the end cause you will be doing something you love.



Absolutely wonderful, and such gorgeous work! Seriously!! How could you not want to wear your hair all pretty with one of her awesome headbands...daily!?

You can check out Sweetharts shop here, on Facebook, and follow along on her blog.

MOMpreneur Monday: Nikki In Stitches...GIVEAWAY!

Welcome back to Sweet Stella's! I hope you all had a wonderful weekend!!


Today, I am so incredibly, very excited! Not only is this MOMpreneur a wonderful one (and one of my favourites), there's a GIVEAWAY of amazing proportions at the end!



What do you do?


My name is Nikki McGonigal and I am the crafter/writer behind Nikki, In Stitches. I design, create, and provide instructions for craft projects from all mediums; from knitting and sewing, to cardmaking and home decor, and everything in between. I sell kits to go along with many of my projects, and just started selling patterns for my original designs.



I have a passion for teaching my readers new skills and techniques. I enjoy encouraging them to try something new. And I love when we embark on a craft project together, and learn alongside each other.


After many requests from readers, I have just opened my Etsy shop where I sell a few finished products. This gives me an opportunity to showcase my sewing skills, which is my favorite of all crafty mediums I dabble in!



Why do you love it?


There are so many reasons why I love what I do. It gives me the opportunity to stay home with my two babies, and there's no place I'd rather be. Before becoming a mommy, I was a teacher, so crafting and blogging allows me to still fill that need. But really, I don't think I have a choice but to love it...it's in my genes. My mother was a crafter. My grandmother was a crafter. I grew up working alongside them, and those memories are the ones that I look back on most fondly.



What advice do you have for other MOMpreneurs?


What works for me may not work for every MOMpreneur, but what I have found is the best way to work from home with my little ones thrown into the mix, is to incorporate them as much as possible. My son, 3, is my assistant for every project I work on. When I gather supplies for what we will be doing the next day, I make sure to include things that are safe for him to work with. He sits next to me, we talk and joke as we work and often times I am surprised at the ideas he comes up with...and you'd be surprised at how often they are actually used in the final product! I'm not sure if creativity is passed down or learned from the environment we grow up in, but either way, he's off to a great start, and I love having him as my partner!


Amazing advice Nikki, and beautiful products!!


Now onto the GIVEAWAY portion for today! Nikki has generously donated a $25 credit toward her Etsy store!


How to enter:



MANDATORY ENTRY:


Go to Nikki In Stiches on Etsy, and comment here what you would spend your $25 credit on!



Bonus Entries:

1) Become a fan of Nikki In Stitches on facebook; comment here that you're her newest fan!


2) Become a follower of @NikkiInStitches on Twitter; comment here that you're a follower!


3) Become a fan of Sweet Stella's on facebook; comment here that you are!


4) Enter the Sweet Stella's fanpage giveaway; comment here that you have!


5) Stop by Nikki In Stitches' website, and comment here with your favourite pattern!


6) Become a follower or subscriber of the Nikki In Stitches blog!

**Don't forget to put your email address on your entries so we can contact you when you win!!**


A Winner will be announced on FRIDAY at 9am EST!


Good luck!

MOMpreneur Monday (and GIVEAWAY!): Lilybugs Clips n' More

Good morning everyone! It's such a beautiful morning, and what better way to celebrate the emergence of Spring than with a lovely MOMpreneur?!

Introducing Stacy from Lilybugs Clips n' More!

What do you do?

I make handmade hair accessories! I use the inspiration from my daughter Lily and my imagination. I try to do things that I haven't seen much of. it is wasn't for my daughter, I wouldn't be where I am.

Why do you love it?

I have always had a passion for crafty things. When I had my daughter 5 years ago, I started doing clips for her and it's grown since then. I've always had a passion for it and it's even better to see the smiles they bring. That's why I love it.

What advice do you have for other MOmpreneurs?

My advice: do what makes you happy and don't let others stop you. If you enjoy it, go for it! Share your passion with others!

Thank you so much for your kind words, Stacy and for creating really cute clips for little girls!

If you're in the Woodstock area, Lilybugs Clips n' More are featured at All Aboard Kids and Kangaroo Kid (also in the St. Thomas location) and in Tillsonburg at Tiger by the Tail. You can contact Stacy through email, and also find her on facebook!

NOW! Stacy was kind enough to want to do a GIVEAWAY! It will run until FRIDAY March 11th at 9pm EST.

What can you win? A $20 credit for the products of your choice from Lilybugs!

How to Enter:

1) Become friends with Lilybugs Clips n' More on Facebook, comment here that you've done so

2) Comment here what you would spend your $20 credit on

3) Share this on Twitter "I entered the @sweetstellas Giveaway to win $20 from LilybugsClipsn'More!" - this can be done DAILY! Make sure you comment back here each time!

4) Become a follower of the Sweet Stella's blog, comment below that you are!

Don't forget your email address on your entries so you can be contacted when you win!

MOMpreneur Monday:Yolanda Nussdorfer

Happy (Canadian) Family Day everyone! I'm just whipping on quick to blog about a super creative MOMpreneur and then it's time with my fam! My son mastered the words "ma ma" this weekend, and my heart is overjoyed! He's also pulling himself to stand (8mo) and trying to crawl. Time to baby proof!

Anyhow...without further adieu...here's your MOMpreneur for the week; Yolanda Nussdorfer!

What do you do?

I am a mixed media artist, from custom photo frames, custom shoes to canvas art.

Why do you love it?

I love being able to use all of my "stuff" all of the time. I bounce from polymer clay, to embellished chipboard, to paint and I love the diversity. Most of all, I love talking to a client and having them explain what they want in their art piece and then having them say they LOVE it when they see it. that makes it all worth it!

What advice do you have for other MOMpreneurs?

My advice to other MOMpreneurs would be to expose yourself and your artwork. Network within your community, online and everywhere else you can. Trade services with people. And give excellent customer service....always.

Thank you so much for your encouraging words, Yolanda!

Here's your Marvelous MOMpreneur button!

You can check out Yolanda's work on her site, and contact her directly at yolitahoe@gmail.com

MOMpreneur: Cup of Tea Photo Cards

Happy Thursday! Today, I am very thankful for our next MOMpreneur, Andrea Kurz from Cup of Tea Photo Cards.

I've had the pleasure of working with Andrea on a few projects after my son was born, and her work is outstanding.

What do you do?

I create custom photo cards and photo projects. I specialize in greeting cards where the customer provides their favourite photo and I turn it into a beautiful greeting card to send to family and friends. I also create ready-made cards that are ready to print, as well as nursery letters, calendars, wedding invitations and more to come. All my cards and projects are "we design, you print", which means that once the design is completed, the customer is is emailed a jpg file and they can print at their favourite print shop to their heart's content.

Why do you love it?

I love scrapbooking, particularly digital scrapbooking and I love making cards. I love taking a beautiful picture of a customer's child and creating the perfect birth announcement or even a Christmas card from it. I love working with my customers one on one via email to make their vision a reality. My customers push me to be more creative in my designs to make something that is just perfect for their occasion. I love it because I can do it anywhere: at home on the couch, in my office/craft room, with my son beside me, or even at Starbucks. Being creative helps me feel like myself, and not just like a mom.

What advice do you have for other MOMpreneurs?

Figure out what you love to do and do it. It's hard to learn how to be a mom, and sometimes we lose ourselves in the diaper changes and rendition of Head and Shoulders, Knees and Toes. We need to find an outlet for our creativity, and more importantly, we need to find a way of keeping true to ourselves and keeping our passion alive. Being a mom is the most rewarding thing I've ever done, and I love my son to death, but in order to be the best mom I can be, I need time to just be me.

Wonderful advice, Andrea! I think we all need time to recharge and be the best moms we can be!

You can check out Cup of Tea Photo Cards on Andrea's site, Facebook fanpage, wonderfully creative blog and on Twitter!

MOMpreneur: Rumor Has It...

Meet our MOMpreneur for today...Kassi Fleury from Rumor Has It. She creates absolutely gorgeous crocheted baby hats, which she puts her own little spin on to personalize them and make them unique...like fabric rosettes that are oh-so-sweet and new custom Rumor Has It buttons!

What do you do?

I am a stay-at-home-mom and in all of my free time with a 7 month old (haha!) I love to create and crochet baby hats.

Why do you love it?

I love crocheting and designing hats because I have always loved working with my hands and creating. I love that no two hats are ever the same and they are one of a kind....never duplicated.

What advice do you have for other MOMpreneurs?

If you love something, whether it is running Marathons or crocheting hats, try and find the time for it once a week. You will be happier and proud of yourself for accomplishing you love to do in life.

Thank you so much, Kassi!!

You can become a fan of Rumor Has It on Facebook where discounts and specials will be posted, shop in the Etsy store, or contact Kassi directly by email at kstabio@hotmail.com

MOMpreneur: Jenna Beaty

Welcome to Day 2 of MOMpreneur Week! Today we have the fabulous Jenna Beaty of Jenna Bee's Designs to chat with!

What do you do?

I make custom baby mobiles out of cardstock. Mom's email me pictures of their nursery and I will make a mobile to match it! I also create a few pre-made mobiles in color schemes that I like (when I have time.)

Why do you love it?

I think the main reason i love it so much if because I get to work with so many different colors. Cardstock comes in every color under the sun I have about 40 shades of every color, so i pretty much have every color one could imagine. This gives me endless color schemes for my mobiles! It never gets dull or repetitive and no two mobiles are ever the same!

What advice do you have for other MOMpreneurs?

My advice is simple: just keep doing what you love! Keep trying and keep working hard and eventually you will succeed!

You can check out and purchase Jenna's beautiful work at her Etsy shop, and you can follow her musings on Twitter!

Her work is absolutely stunning and I am very excited to be getting a mobile for my studio and a few for my son's room!

MOMpreneur: Stephanie Russell

Kicking off the week, we have the lovely Stephanie Russell! She is a fabulous independent Uppercase Living consultant, and is hosting a GIVEAWAY at the end of this post!

What do you do?

I am an Independent Demonstrator with Uppercase Living. We specialize in helping people express their stories and passions. Our vinyl words and images ~ what we call "expressions" ~ have the power to transform your environment, inspire creativity and enrich your surroundings.

Why do you love it?

I love Uppercase Living because because it allows me to put a smile on people's faces day in and day out. They can express their emotions through words that will spark something in their family, their business or their environments that is unique to each and every person. I also love that our prices are very affordable for everyone to transform their space without breaking the bank. Plus, it is all removable so when your taste changes or you grow out of a design, you can just take it down and replace it with something else.

What advice do you have for other MOMpreneurs?

The advice that I would give to MOMpreneurs is to find something that you are passionate about and then the business & customers will fall into place. I love what I do and when you do something you are passionate about, you will have fun and other will want to join you doing it. If it is fun, then when the times get tough you will still want to do it no matter what and you will keep pressing forward.

Wow! So inspiring...and I have to say, I just placed my very first Uppercase Living order for a beautiful inspiration for my studio. I am absolutely thrilled to have found something that I can look at, day in and out, and drift into a dream.

NOW! Stephanie has been gracious enough to offer a giveaway with her MOMpreneur post today!

Up for grabs? A $25 Uppercase Living gift certificate, and will include shipping!

Enter in just three simple steps

1) Go to Stephanie's site and have a look through the catalogue - what would you spend your $25 credit on?

2) Like Sweet Stella's Facebook fan page

3) Follow Sweet Stella's on Twitter

Running until 4pm EST on WEDNESDAY February 17th!

Don't forget to put your email address in the comments section with your entries so we can contact you when you win!

Good luck!

MOMpreneur Monday: Tammy Goughnour

Welcome back to the work week! I don't know about you, but we've had some very snowy and blowy weather in these parts, so I am definitely looking forward to the sunshine that is in the forecast this week!

Also a good way to warm up this week...with our newest Marvelous MOMpreneur!

I'm pleased to introduce you to Tammy Goughnour of Up On The Roof Farm!

What do you do?

I make eco-friendly soy candles. I use domestically grown soy with cruelty-free scents and colors and pure cotton wicks. I have searched for suppliers that care about the products they sell!

Why do you love it?

I am passionate to create beautiful things that are good for the earth and my two great children. I am a homeschool mom and my kids are my inspiration and help me pick the scents. I have always been one to stop and smell the roses and even as a youngster I was creating flower gardens with the most fragrant flowers I could find! I have always enjoyed things that smell great!

What advice do you have for other MOMpreneurs?

My advice is to find your passion and start small. Find what makes you happy and give it a try. Involve your family. HAVE FUN!

Thanks, Tammy!! You can check out her yummy soy candles in her Etsy shop, and on Facebook!

And Tammy, here's your award for being so amazing!

Have a great week!

MOMpreneur Monday: Andrea Jackson

Good morning! I hope that it is warm where you are! We are being faced with -20 Celsius right now, with blowing snow, gusting cold winds and ridiculous windchills....and all of that spells FLU SEASON! What started out as my husband having the stomach flu, has morphed into a sinus cold for him, a runny nose and scream-filled 7month old, and a not-so-hot feeling Mommy!

Anyhow! Without further adieu...here is your MOMpreneur for the week: Andrea Jackson!

What do you do?

I am a stay at home mom of 2 very active boys ages 5 and 1, the president of my local chapter of MOMsclub, and a MOMpreneur who is launching my dream come true - Dreamer Creations and Baby Laughs by Dreamer Creations. I offer completely custom works of art in the form of Diaper Cakes, Greeting Cards, Party Favours, Invites & Thank-Yous, Wall Art, Photographic Prints and more.Plus I create designs for products sold on Cafepress and Zazzle (in my spare time).

Why do you love it?

I have always been an artist of some form or another. My art has transformed over the years and the current theme revolves around things to do with my kids. Being a busy full time mom, and also active in my community, with a husband who works MANY hours, I quickly found I needed an outlet. So late at night, on the weekends, or during nap time, I squeeze in a few minutes (or if I'm lucky, hours) of ME time and let the creative juices flow. I love making something unique and different, beautiful and fun. I try to offer a little something for everyone, and offer custom work to anyone interested.

What advice do you have for other MOMpreneurs?

Being a MOM is hard enough, but trying to balance family life while running your own business? That takes super powers! It's not for everyone, but for those willing to try it, I say give it all you've got. Some of the most amazing products in the world have come from MOMpreneurs! Even if you think you might not have what it takes to go big, do it anyway. There's always someone out there looking for what you have to offer. And you'll never know just how brilliantly successful you can be if you don't try!

You can find Andrea and her wonderful creations on Facebook, Etsy (here and here), Cafepress (here and here), Zazzle and on her website!

And here's a sweet little button for your website, blog and fanpage, Andrea! Congratulations on being a Marvelous MOMpreneur!

Have a lovely day!