A fresh planner to start the New Year!  

I am a sucker for a new day planner.  

The spiral kind that lays flat.  Has lines in the square so life can be written in a straight line. I would take my time staring at the planners & finding the right one.

Then the computer age came along.  I married a Mac man before Macs were even cool.  

He told me how I need to throw my planner in the recycling bin & use a calendar on the computer & it would sync with his computer at work, his computer in the home office, his laptop & his iPhone.  And so it goes.  I did it.  My calendar now syncs with my computer, my iPhone & my iPad. 

{insert dorky snort!}

I won't lie, I get excited when I see new planners arriving in November for life to be written on the dates.  But I grieve that I won't be able to buy one.  I don't really have a need.  

Or do I?

lil' alice uses a paper planner.

It's a goal for 2013. To fill the squares with tasks/goals for the biz. 

I didn't buy a nice one like I would like too.  Instead I just printed off blank calendar months.  Clipped it to my clipboard.  

And filling in the blanks spaces begin.  It will create organization, which I crave.  It will create motivation.  It will create dreams!

What are you goals for 2013?

Can you believe the end of the Christmas season is upon us?  All the presents that were searched high & low for are now unwrapped.  They were hidden right under the nose of my children, but they didn't know.  They don't even try to snoop to find them!  

As I reflect on this Christmas & the time that was spent with family & dear friends, I can't help but be pleased.  

Our first Christmas party was at our neighbors.  They had a fabulous bash for neighbors, family & friends.  It was a lot of fun to celebrate the holidays with them!  I was feeling a little under the weather that day.  I woke up thinking I had a fever of sorts.  My man told me I was paranoid & it was all in my head.  I think he was partially true.  I white knuckled it through the holidays, praying I wouldn't get the flu.  I never did.  Praise Him!  

Sunday, we hosted my husbands side of the family.  My boys love this part, because all their cousins come over & they adore them.  My kids are a couple of the youngest amongst the cousins, so they enjoy picking at the older cousins until the older cousins pick back & tickle & tie them up with snuggies.  

I am the official photographer at most gatherings I show up to.  So the family party wasn't going to be any different.  I needed to make it fun & not have everyone whine at me while I captured the moment.  As I was flipping through Pinterest one day, I saw the photo props.  Created them.  Set up wrapping paper as the back drop (in the future, I would use fabric due to the glare I got off of the wrapping paper).  I printed up a sheet for the kids.  It encouraged them to get pictures taken with the adults that might otherwise not pose at the photo booth.  It was a success & we took a lot of great pictures!

As a newlywed, I was a part of "Girls Night".  It was a group of 9 girls  that were friends.  Some were friends from high school.  Some went to church together & some were shoved out the door by her dear husband.....ahem!  We lived a few miles apart from each other.  We met every other Monday for several years.  We had babies.  We had play dates.  We had dinner together.  We had parties together.  We lived life together.  Several years later & many babies after, families moved.  Careers changed.  Miles grew between us.  

Friendships have held the test of time & the miles between us.  Now we meet during the summer & at Christmas.  

Today was our Girls Night Brunch.  I hosted & I loved every minute of prep it took to make this day happen.  To make my house feel welcoming & to make the food taste yummy.  

I have 2 girls that are Gluten Free & considering I have a son that is GF, it wasn't a far fetch to make the meal all GF for them.  I made a breakfast casserole, a yogurt parfait bar, with granola & fresh fruit.  For dessert, I made GF Molten Lava Cakes.  They were to die for.  And the GF girlfriends were in heaven!  Bless them!  

2012 will be ending before we know it.  I am blessed.  I am thankful.  It's been a wonderful year for myself, my little family & lil' alice.  I am looking forward to 2013!

Katy

Isaiah 9:6 — “For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given; and the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”



Merry Christmas from my family to yours!  We are enjoying the Christmas season with many family & friends!  We are blessed to be so close to all of our family!  


We hosted family last night & the photo booth was enjoyed by many.  I will be back to share some pictures!  It was a lot of fun!  

It all started with a simple search on Pinterest.  I saw a far away shot of the Photobooth & what it really looked like.  A back drop taped to the wall.  A camera on a tripod.  Photo props.  And some guests ready to join in on the fun!  

Instantly, my mind started racing & I started making my plan of how I was going to accomplish it & pull it off for my Christmas Party events coming up in a few days!

Earlier in the day, my mind was a dull.  I was exhausted & not sure why, I had just woken up 4 hours prior.  I was running errands & felt like I could have fallen asleep at the wheel.  I took in a Coke that afternoon & my mind made up for what was lacking earlier in the morning.

Thursday morning I ran through Hobby Lobby & gathered my craft foam & sticks for the props I had seen on Pinterest the night before. I gathered scrap paper from teacher recycling bins while I did school recess/lunch.  Going from class to class I made my cut outs by freehand drawing them.  If they weren't quite right, I'd try again.  I also had a captive audience, the students & asked for their opinions & if they could recognize the item.  The older kids loved the idea of a photo booth at a party & wanted to be invited to my house.  Not happening!  

You can do this too!  

Look at mine!  I am not an artist by any means, but elementary art class taught me a thing or two.  

I free handed mine on scrap paper & then traced & cut. 

Hot glue the sticks to your cut outs & away you go!  

Now I am just waiting for all the guest to arrive & inform them of all the fun they are going to have at the Photo Booth!  

Some guests may be resistant to taking pictures & having a little bit of fun this Christmas season.  In the event that this may happen, I am getting the kids/teenagers involved.  I am printing up a list of "Pictures to Take"  & they can check them off as they go.  For example, Take a picture with..... You & Grandpa, You & a parent. You & an Aunt, You & a cousin. etc.  You can change this to fit the guests at your party!  

After I have recovered from entertaining, I will print the pictures for the guests or slap them all over Facebook & spread Christmas joy! 

How are you making your Christmas Entertaining fun?

Yep it's 2:30am Sunday morning. Can't sleep. I find myself running on minimal sleep lately. My mind doesn't shut down in order to get 7 hours of required sleep.
Normally I toss and turn. Wanting to get up and sew, I end up not because I'm afraid I won't make it through the day without a nap. And I just don't have time to nap.
As I lay here, on the couch {awesome}, typing this entry on my iPhone {double awesome}, I sit in awe amazed its December already. 2012 is quickly closing.
I reflect back seeing Gods fingerprints on my life and the life of my family under my new roof {thank u hail storm}.
I've almost made it thru the first year of lil' alice as a biz. It's been nerve racking. It's been exciting. It's always fun. But more importantly I am more aware of His blessings & answers to my prayers & petitions.
I am so thankful for each and every order that was placed this year. I have awesome customers. I know how much easier it would be to go to a big box store and buy an item. I do it too.
All the orders I receive I appreciate and know the extra effort the customer is putting into the purchase. I don't take it lightly! A million thanks!
Next Sunday I'm excited to be having an Open House for friends to shop lil' alice. I will be announcing specials all week on my Facebook page that are only valid at the Open House. Specials do not apply to custom orders.

It's amazing what a little convincing over the years can do!  I've been asked by girlfriends for a couple years if I would teach them how to make an apple pie.  I would giggle & say it's easy!  

I have this way of thinking.  It goes something like this.  If I can cook, everyone can cook.  If I can sew, everyone can sew.  

I have found out that is not always true!  

I am a direction reader, a rule follower, abide by the recipe, manual reader kind of gal.  I also read shampoo bottles.  I believe that if I have directions, a recipe, manual & rules in front of me, I can do it!  And since it only involves reading which many people can do, then I believe they can do it too!

Again, not always true!

{You are welcome for taking a trip inside my head!}

After feeling convinced that I could teach a few girlfriends how to feel extremely domesticated in the kitchen, I came up with a plan.  I pulled up Word Doc & started typing out directions to prepare for the class + what supplies would be needed + which one ingredient they would contribute to the class.  Then I typed up the recipe + Katy's tips + a space for notes.  Each girlfriend took one of those with them + nobody left that recipe behind.

I offered the class on FB for 4 available spots.  By evening it was full.  My brain doesn't shut off + I pondered often how I was going to teach this class.  I finally concluded on 3 stations.  One station was set up with 2 apple peelers.  Thank you Jesus for them!  Station 2 was where the ladies mixed their flour, crisco etc. + the 3rd station was at my high top table where the dough was rolled out and pies were assembled.  

Having the stations worked well.  

After session one was closed, I received emails that I needed to do another class because they wanted to learn too.  So session two happened then session three.  

11 girlfriends, which was made up of girlfriends from my neighborhood, girlfriends from church, + a high school friend.  They were encouraged to take the night and go make pies because the husband, kids, friends, significant others + family in their life knew that they would be benefiting from this class.  

Every class amazed me.  We laughed over ourselves because we cracked the egg in the wrong bowl, we showed up with cake pans instead of pie, we poured the water before we were suppose to, the dough fell off the rolling pin, we forgot to put the butter in the pie, we bought a bag of really small flour........  But like a good teacher, I told them it was alright! :)

Sure we made pies & my house smelled yummy from all the apples that were peeled to put into the pie, but more importantly, relationships were built + sweet memories were made + a good belly laugh was always on tap!

After all the girlfriends are gone + they have made the important phone call to have the husband pre-heat the over, I wake up to  text messages with pictures of their apple pies + the word "yummy" always shows up! 

At the end of the day, each girlfriend felt a little more domesticated!

Okay, okay...... not really!  But it will once all the porch lights are turned off, goblins & witches are tucked tightly into bed next Wednesday  night!  Then it's full speed ahead!  

Handmade shops are already feeling the Christmas buzz  & the candy isn't even half eaten!  lil' alice loves Christmas.  I love to entertain.  I love to sit back & enjoy it.  And that's what I will be doing.  

So place your orders on or before December 8, 2012!  lil' alice will also be at Connection Church in Canton, MI on December 1 from 9:30-2, so stop by & shop & see all the handmade goodness one heart can hold!  I will have a special SALE basket just for the sale!  Things in the basket will not be listed online!  It's a HOLIDAY ART FAIR special that you won't want to miss.  

lil' alice also loves custom orders!  Don't hesitate to place an order for special items for the special friends & family on your list!  

A very special THANK YOU to all that have ordered & purchases lil' alice items.  It's because of you that lil' alice went from a hobby to a biz in 2012!  

Happy Fall Everyone!  I really did mourn the passing of lazy summer days & I dug my heels in deep as Fall chilly days were whisking in to meet me each morning.  The chill in the air only reminds me winter is around the corner.  But I do love the smell of burning piles of leaves as I drive through the village several time a day!  

The Holidays are just around the corner!  I do love putting the trees up & turning the lights on & illuminating the house.  As I gaze at my December calendar, I find that I am hosting several holiday parties throughout the season.  I delight in the thought of that.  Holiday parties don't stress me out at all.  I have learned to enjoy the process of preparing for it, being available at the gathering mentally & smiling as I clean up when the guests have left.  

Below are some links that I love with my handmade heart!  I wanted to share & brag about their talents & why I love them dearly.  

Photography by Amy is the best!  Amy is a one chick show as she snaps away with her camera!  Last year she photographed several of my aprons & I still use the pictures for my biz cards, this site & Facebook. 

This year, Amy is busy photographing my niece, Briella.  She is 6 months in this picture & it was taken last week.  It makes my heart do flips over her.  

I made her tutu & her headband & I let her borrow my pearls.  

If you are local & need a fabulous photographer, contact Amy!  She took her hobby to biz as well! 

Keep snapping away Amy!

The handmade community is an amazing community to be a part of.  We may not know each other in real life, but we extend support through social media, such as twitter, Facebook, blogs, emails etc.  I don't see other handmade businesses as competition, instead I view them as a great support system & a way to learn & expand my handmade biz.  

I love to read & I love to learn things from what I read.  So therefore, I am not reading novels or watching drama tv.  Instead, I am reading business books on running a handmade biz & watching Shark Tank.  Anyone else?  I love that show!

Maggie, the girl behind Gussy Sews is a fabulous example of making a handmade business beautiful!  She blogs daily, sometimes more than once a day.  She is running a series, Handmade Business in 31 days.  I am sad because we are on days 22 & I don't want it to end.  

She has a very successful handmade biz & so her words are words of experience & that is admirable to me.  

I am thrilled to be a part of her Holiday Gift Guide this Holiday Season too! 

I love to read blogs that feed me creatively & business wise.  I also read books that are recommended by others.  I have one in my car.  I have another on my night stand & I have two on my side table in my living room.  Here's the list!

Angie Smith's newest book!  Love her & I think we would make great friends.  Her newest book, Mended, pieces of a life made whole.  I use it as a devotional as it's kind of set up that way.  Angie shares her life, the beautiful & the not so beautiful.  She says, Your life does make a difference - because of how He is magnified in the cracks.  
Jen Hatmakers book 7 will rock your world & her humor pours through in her words.  I literally laugh out loud.  Even though she's funny, the message is very clear about how we as American have so much!  In a nutshell, she wore 7 clothing items for 30 days. She ate the same 7 items for 30 days. She addresses, media, waste, etc. & each one was for 30 days! 
Kari Chapin wrote 2 books on handmade businesses & how to run them.  I own both!  I read them slowly & process it because at times it can get overwhelming.  
Ann Voskamp wrote One Thousand Gifts:A Dare to Live Fully Right Where You Are!  We live in a society where people feel the need to keep up with the Jones, why?  This book reminds you that you have enough!  Look around & be thankful in the small things! 

Have you thought about what to buy for the girlfriends this year for Christmas?  

Do you have a gift exchange party that you are going to & you have no idea what to get as a gift that will be well loved no matter who ends up with it? 

 What about Mom? 

 Sister? 

Daughter?

So save yourself a trip from just grabbing another candle off the shelf & instead, buy something that is useful & handmade in Michigan!  

The Chevron Bags are available in Grey, Red, Aqua & Yellow in the shop.  Quantities are limited so don't delay (that was an infomercial line, right there)!

They are lined with a wipeable lining! Yippee!  Perfect for makeup!

I think I will be snagging one of these off of the shelves because I'll be traveling to Las Vegas with my man over Thanksgiving Break!  Can you believe I hardly every make myself anything.  True.  When I camp or travel I pack a bag that was the diaper bag.  But trust me it's not diaper bag - ish looking at all!  But since I will be flying & my space is limited for packing, I will be bringing along one of these Chevron Beauties!  

Hop on over to the Boutique & gets yours today!

P.S. It's October & we are having a pool put in today!  

Have you ever hear of the Square Card Reader?

It fits nicely into the top of my iPhone 4s.  A credit card slips right through the Square Card Reader!  It can also accepts cards manually through the app as well!

It's the easiest way for a handmade business to accept credit cards while at shows.  lil' alice is really excited about this little addition to the biz & will be using it at the Holiday Art Fair in December! 

In other news..... my sewing studio has been wrapped in plastic for a week.  The drywall is getting redone after the water damage/hail storm that happened on July 1.  So the dust is flying and it's settling on all my furniture.  I am hoping I can get everything back to normal by Saturday. 

I'm looking forward to spending some time down there & sewing and preparing orders & building up my stock for the December show. 

Until then, I must go dust my counters & kitchen table for dinner time!

This is the opinion of lil' alice.  lil' alice is not being compensated at all by the Square Card Reader or Apple.