Cute Fall Maternity Photo with Pumpkin

Okay, throwing it back to our last pregnancy and still in love with this easy Fall-themed maternity picture my husband and I took with a pumpkin!  It's so simple but I think it came out so sweet.  This idea would also be perfect for a Fall pregnancy announcement too.  Fall is our favorite time of year, so I'm happy we could capture a classy Fall-themed "belly" picture.  

I promise I'll share some photos from when I was farther along at our Christmas maternity photo session too - some sweet, simple ideas for your "special delivery" to come!  

Shop Fall Fashion

Sneak Peek: Kids Book Rails

Making over our daughter's room has been slow-going to say the least.   We had a busy, wonderful summer and now I'm already deep into Christmas ornament orders so finding time to work on the whole makeover has been tricky. 

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In progress

Today I finally hung the book rails I made in this tiny nook and I think it will help make this space functional.  Now I need to make something to hold the large, heavy books on the floor - and finish the rest of the room - and then I will share the whole project!  ;)

The Healthy Snacks Influencers are Eating

Lisa Valinsky just put together a great list of The Healthy Snacks that 24 Influencers are Eating Right Now and it includes a snack from yours truly that's BIG in our house - in fact I think it currently makes up at least 25% of our toddler's diet (oops).  

So if you're looking for some great healthy snack ideas - definitely check it out!  You're sure to recognize some great bloggers on there too :)  

Credit:  Lisa Valinsky

Featured on A Hopeful Happenstance

Payton from A Hopeful Happenstance rounded up the 7 Top Tips for Surviving Month One with Baby Number One (including a tip from yours truly) over on her blog, and it's a post not to be missed!  

Anyone who's about to have their first baby should check out these tips and take them to heart, because it's definitely an amazing - and very trying - experience :)  

Credit: A Hopeful Happenstance

Porch and Garden Farmhouse Finds on Amazon

I don't know about you, but I'm obsessed with HGTV's Fixer Upper and Joanna Gaines' Industrial Farmhouse Style.  Summer has me dreaming about redoing our outdoor spaces so I thought I'd put together a collection of great Amazon finds to bring you some farmhouse inspiration on a budget.  | This post contains affiliate links |

My Porch + Garden Farmhouse Picks

Click text for direct link to item on Amazon

| Westinghouse Watts Creek Wall Lantern | Mason Jar Wild Bird Waterer | Coca Cola Bottle Opener |
| Zinc Pitcher | White Porch Rocker |
| Red Enamelware Mug | Rustic Tin Planters |
| English Garden Trowel | Country Church Birdhouse | Rustic Wooden Crates |
| Game of Horseshoes |
| Chicken Wire Jar Lantern | Galvanized Beverage Tub | Trellis Panel |

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5 Things I Should Have Done from the Start with my Handmade Business

I've been selling my hand-etched ornaments and other small crafts locally and from my Etsy shop for a little while now, and I've learned quite a bit during this time.  In the beginning I was totally "winging it" and looking back now there are a few things that I really wished I had started right from the get-go.  | This post contains affiliate links |

DISCLAIMER: Always consult a local tax and business professional for the best advice for your situation regarding finances and how to legally set up your business.

5 Things I Should Have Done from the Start with my Handmade Business 

Keep All Receipts

In the beginning this all started out more as a hobby than anything else, and so I never kept my receipts from supplies bought, postage, etc.  I really didn't know how much I was spending vs. how much I was making or if it was really profitable.  However, you need to keep track of how much you're spending for these things - this is especially important for taxes (whomp, whomp) since you can write off a lot of your expenses, but only if you have the receipts.  You can use a receipt organizer to make it a little easier to file and organize everything for your records.  

Supply & Materials Records

Knowing how much everything costs for your business (craft supplies, packaging materials, etc) as well as how much you use is important for planning ahead and having enough materials on-hand.  In the beginning you can expect a learning curve where you'll run out of padded envelopes or ribbon from time-to-time.  But figuring out your demand and flow of goods and materials can help make sure you always have enough supplies on-hand without having too much surplus (also not good).  

Separate Bank Account

Keeping a separate bank account really helps keep track of expenses as well as makes sure you're only spending what you're making and not more.  Consider opening a new checking/debit account (and possibly a credit card) and use those methods of payment for all business related expenses - buying supplies at the store, shipping items, etc.  When Etsy payments are deposited, or checks from wholesale orders, they should go into this checking account.  By only using the money you're making to spend on expenses you won't go into debt.  Also make sure to set some money aside to pay yearly or quarterly taxes if applicable (your accountant can help you figure that out).  

Better Overall Financial Record Keeping

Keeping track of expenses vs. income can be hard and it's easy to forget infrequent or small expenses that can really add up (yearly website hosting, Etsy listing fees, advertising, items sent to bloggers for collabs, etc).  You'll definitely want to create or purchase a spreadsheet template to keep close tabs on all of these expenses.  

Rather than try to make one myself, several months ago I purchased the Etsy Seller Spreadsheet from Paper + Spark and was really impressed! Janet from Paper + Spark is a Certified Public Accountant, so she really knows her stuff. The Etsy spreadsheet template can input all the data (sales, Etsy selling fees, listing fees, etc) right from Etsy and populates them into the spreadsheet for you so you don't miss anything. There are also sections you can customize so you can put in expenses from website hosting, office supplies, etc or income from local craft shows or wholesale accounts. It can be hard to realize how much Etsy's cut is (they charge a listing fee, a transaction fee, and a percentage of the sale), so seeing just how much their take actually is has helped me adjust my pricing better. Recording all these details was so important to finally see what my bottom line actually is - I really wish I had kept better track of everything right from the beginning!

I had purchased Paper + Spark's original spreadsheet, but Janet's since come out with more detailed spreadsheets as well as “bundles” that include documents to help you with inventory, pricing, and selling on other platforms (Shopify, Square, etc) so you can decide what spreadsheet and package is best for you and your business. And the best part? Paper + Spark’s customer service is AMAZING! Janet will continue to make available the latest version of your purchases each year. That way if Etsy or another platform tweaks anything, you’ll know that your current spreadsheet will be up to date and working properly.

Social Media + Collaborations

Never underestimate the power of social media!  Social Media is the place to see and be seen - make sure you're always posting, commenting, and connecting with other handmade buisnesses, gift shops, bigger brands, and bloggers.  Always use hashtags on Instagram, but hide them in your first comment so they don't clutter up your caption.  In particular, Instagram is a great place to get exposure - in fact my photos have been reposted by brands like Nuby, Kohl's, and Yankee Magazine and one was even featured in print in Martha Stewart Living Magazine!  I was also contacted by Food Network Magazine to be a contributor for one of their articles.

Another great way to gain exposure and a following is to reach out to bloggers for collaborations (collabs).  Usually this entails you sending your product to them, free of charge, and they will style and feature your item on their blog and across their social media accounts.  You could also team up with them to host a giveaway.  Some larger bloggers may also charge you a fee to collab with them, but many bloggers will feature for free if your product fits their aesthetic.  This is a great way to get your name and your products out there and increase your following.  And don't write-off the power of smaller bloggers either - sometimes the smaller bloggers (aka, micro influencers) have the most active and devoted followings.  

DISCLAIMER: Always consult a local tax and business professional for the best advice for your situation regarding finances and how to legally set up your business.

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Looking for FREE Etsy listings to get started?  

If you're thinking of opening a brand new Etsy shop, please feel free to use my referral link HERE - and we'll both earn some free listings on Etsy :)

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- I purchased Paper + Spark's products myself and was so impressed that I chose to become an affiliate.  All my opinions are my own and I honestly love her product.  As an affiliate, if you purchase anything from her site using my links I may receive a small commission at no additional cost to you -

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Amazon Prime Day is Coming!

Amazon is a lifesaver in our house.  We live about an hour from the nearest big box store, so whenever we run out of paper towels, cereal, garbage bags, dog food, whatever - Amazon comes to the rescue.  We've been Amazon Prime members for years now, which grants us FREE 2-day shipping on most items on Amazon.  Right now we also use Amazon Video exclusively for our streaming TV service.  

This year Amazon Prime Day is July 12th, which means that Amazon will be having Black Friday-type deals that day but for Prime members only. If you're one of the few people out there that doesn't have Amazon Prime yet, you can click the link below to start your Free 30-Day Trial and take advantage of the savings on Prime Day. Happy Shopping! :)

| Affiliate Link |

Kitchen Herb Garden in a Mug

Ever have a favorite mug but the handle broke?  :(  Well that very thing happened to this great Salmon Falls Chowder Mug I have.  I superglued it back together and while the repair looked pretty good I didn't dare trust it to hold a piping hot cup of soup or coffee over my lap anymore.  I was thinking of tossing it but decided to repurpose it into a little herb planter for the kitchen instead.  

The first step was to fill the bottom with some gravel so my herbs won't sit directly in water.  Alternatively, you could drill a hole in the bottom for drainage and put a saucer underneath, but since I don't have anything to put under the mug that matches I decided to use it as-is.  

Then I filled it with dirt and added an Italian Chive plant I picked up at the local garden center and it was done!  (Pretty easy, right?)  Depending on the size of your mug and your plants, you could add more than one type of herb in it.  You could also grow your herbs from seed.  

Now I just need to keep it on a sunny windowsill and water it very carefully as needed.  Keep in mind since there's no drainage hole at the bottom and it's a small container, it would be very easy to over-water a plant like this.