GIVEAWAY: Prince Lionheart Wheely Bug {CLOSED}

July 22, 2011 | Posted by

So, do you guys all remember Ruari’s fun Wheely Bug bumble bee toy from Prince Lionheart? Well… now it’s time for you to win one for your little baby boo head! I have a Wheely Bug Ladybug (size large) for one lucky winner!

What can you win?

A Wheely Bug Ladybug (size large) from Prince Lionheart!


How do you win? Please follow these steps… AND make sure I have a way to contact you through e-mail. If I don’t… I’ll have to delete the entry… 🙁

Mandatory entry:
1) Reader must sign-up for monthly newsletter by completing form here: Prince Lionheart.
Note: We do not spam, nor disclose any information to other businesses. We also conform to a 1 email per month rule so as not to inundate our consumers. On certain occasions, though rare, we may send out 2 emails per month if there is a baby model search, a huge event or promotion.{1 entry}

{Optional entries (Please use a separate comment for each entry):
1) Follow me (see sidebar) {1 entry}
2) Like my Facebook page for The Paper Mama{1 entry}

3) Follow me on twitter: @thepapermama {1 entry}
4) Tweet or Facebook about this giveaway. You are welcome to copy and paste this tweet:
” Win a Wheely Bug Ladybug from Prince Lionheart http://tinyurl.com/3jcbehd @thepapermama “{1 entry}

If you have a moment, I’d LOVE to get 
a couple votes from you!
Vote For Us @ TopBaby Blogs! The Best Baby Blog Directory

Last day to enter giveaway is July 31st, 2011 at 11:59PM Pacific time.

♡ Chelsey


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Categories: Uncategorized

Making a living… doing what I love.

July 22, 2011 | Posted by

{I will be handing out a few of these prints to a few random peeps at Blogher 2011! Minus the copyright. ;D}

Never in a million years would I have thought that I would be able to make any sort of real money through blogging or by selling my creations in my Etsy shop. BUT! I’m on my way. Ok… I’m only able to help pay for a teeny teeny tiny bit of our expenses today… but, it does help! And, the best part: I love this job!

I’ve always had this need to be creative (run’s in my family) and here I am… drawing, writing, photographing everything, watching/taking care of Ruari… that’s my job! I LOVE it. I know I’m so lucky to be able to stay home with Ruari… and, then to be able to do something with those lonely naptime hours: it’s awesome.
So… why am I rambling on about being so happy and blah blah artsy fartsy? Well… I guess I got pretty excited when I stumbled across this article I found in Studio’s magazine: “How to Make Etsy Work for You” (see image below). It seems like you should be able to just throw your creations up on Etsy and everyone in the world will scramble to buy up every last thing you make. Well… if you’re on Etsy (or any other handmade/vintage selling site)… you know it definitely does not work that way. Everything this article talks about is sort of a no-brainer… but, it’s all things that my brain never really started thinking about until recently: You have to blog about your creations… tweet about them… give some away here and there… advertise… hand out business cards… offer discounts… and so much more. How will anyone know you even have a business if you don’t talk about it?

In the first two years I had my paper crowns shop open I had only sold about 60 items (talk about a downer). What was I doing wrong: I wasn’t telling anyone about my shop. Maybe every once in a while I would blog about a new crown… but, my old Paper Lady blog was very neglected and I never kept it up to date. Who wants to read a blog that never updates? 🙂 
I started the Paper Mama Blog in April 2010 and I found the wonderful world of mom-blogging, photography-blogging… everything blogging and things just started falling into place. I’m just doing what I love to do. Being myself is so important (but, can be a struggle with blogging sometimes: how far into my life/world do I want to go and share on my blog?). I used to worry about how I’m not a writer and am terrible with grammar… etc. Hee, I don’t worry about that anymore! The way you read my typing is pretty much how I talk in real life (well… I think I may be a bit more scatter-brained in real life… I can go back and edit these words. :}).

So, what’s my business? It’s this. My blog. My drawings. My photoshopping. That’s what I do. And… now, how do I grow? I don’t know. I’m just guessing at everything I do. Trial and error. It takes a lot of time and effort and reading/research to get a business started. A LOT (just ask my hubby who thinks I work too hard as a stay-at-home-mom. :D). Whenever Ruari is sleeping I’m either working on orders… or, blogging. I spend a TON of time on it. I am getting faster… sorta. And, more efficient… slowly.

The Studio’s magazine article above interviewed fellow Etsian: Timothy Adam. I’m guessing a few of you Etsy shop owners have heard of him. He has a great story (read it here). He has a very successful metal creations shop on Etsy and has a TON of advice and tips for us small business peeps. The funny thing is I actually used to read his blog in 2008 when I was the Paper Lady (RIP Paper Lady blog ;D). I was pleasantly surprised to see how well he’s doing for himself 3 years later!

Mr. Timothy’s blog has a wealth of info for you to wander through if you are looking for ways to get your shop out and about. Along with a book he just wrote: How to Make Money using Etsy. He can also be found on the Handmadeology blog. Another great resource to help you grow your biz.

So, I hope you enjoyed my random ramblings about my business dreams and do expect new and wonderful things from my shop and blog! Because, I’m constantly working hard to make it more and more lovely!

♡ Chelsey

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Categories: paper mama shop

Thrift Find: Blowfish Shoes!

July 21, 2011 | Posted by

I just needed to brag a little about this awesome find! I found me a pair of the most comfortable/amazing Blowfish shoes at a resale shop!!!!! AND, they were my size. AND, they have never been worn. AND, I love them. That is all. I also found a sweet sweater. Yay!
And, if you all get a moment…. 
I’d LOVE a vote! 😀
Vote For Us @ TopBaby Blogs! The Best Baby Blog Directory

♡ Chelsey

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Categories: Uncategorized

Wordless{ish} Wednesday: Ruari’s 19 months old! Whoa!

July 20, 2011 | Posted by

{Photos from 4th of July}

{Wow. I cannot believe how old you are now! I’ve already started planning some little birthday ditties for your 2 year bday! What? Yeah.}
{So… you are pretty much the silliest baby EVER! It’s so crazy seeing your personality form! You are one funny girl (not too surprising since your mama and dada are super silly ;D). One thing I really need to stop doing… is giggling when you fart. It’s so hard not to laugh (yeah, I’m 28 and think farts are funny :/). The thing is… you now laugh each time you burp or fart. Ooops! :D}
{You are talking up even more of a storm this month! You’re pretty much a copy-cat (gotta watch my potty-mouth) and repeat almost anything we say. You can name pretty much all of your body parts, know the names of a few favorite people and animals, you know your fruits, and the list goes on….}
{Some favorite things you love right now: Doggies (always), Horses, pacifier (addicted), Bernie (your stuffed Bernese Mountain dog that you call, “Buh-bee”), strollers or anything you can push with wheels, Cozy’s (aka blankets), going on walks, shoes, Dora the freakin’ Explorer (REALLY addicted to this), meltdowns I mean… getting into things and then me telling you no, you’re 2 cats and Angus, my mom’s cat Inky, Water, Nana’s (banana), CoCo (Kelsey’s daughter: Coral) and more.}
{You’re pretty tall for your age, average weight, and with sort of a big head (in measurement… you’re not stuck-up. :D). We have made absolutely no progress into starting potty-training… I set you on the potty and you pretty much freaked out… keep practicing! You do know when you poop… I know this because you announce it to me every time (like you did before you pooped in the tub the other night).}
{As hard as being a mom can be sometimes… I’m absolutely in love with you. I tear up thinking of how much I love you. Love you boo head!}
{- Mama}

{And, if you all get a moment…. 
I’d LOVE a vote! :D}
Vote For Us @ TopBaby Blogs! The Best Baby Blog Directory


{If you have a Wordless{ish} Wednesday, please feel free to link it up below. BY the way: Shawntae from A Little King and I now share our Wednesday Linky’s. :D. And, feel free to link up to these blogs too… 5 Minutes For Mom, Parenting by Dummies, Project Alicia, Supermom, And Then She Snapped, and Live and Love Outloud.}

♡ Chelsey

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Categories: Uncategorized

GIVEAWAY: A $25 gift card from Tiny Treehugger!!! {CLOSED}

July 19, 2011 | Posted by


Ok… so, when Pam from Tiny Treehugger offered to send me some cloth diapers to test out… I was VERY nervous. BUT, I had been wanting to try them for quite some time. It kills me a little each time I toss a diaper in the garbage… I have a hard time with waste. 🙂

Anyway, she sent me 5 to try out and play with. So, off I went… the pooping was the hardest thing for me… I mean really: ewww. I guess there are hoses you can attach to your toilet to wash the poo off… but, I didn’t want to invest in one. So… I shake and dip my diapers in the toilet. After a month I was very much used to my cloth diaper routine. We are now using cloth diapers MOST of the time. I use disposable (Seventh Generation) when we go anywhere and at night (or, when she has diaper rash). 

It’s seriously saved us a TON of money. Our water bill really has NOT gone up (like my husband thought it would) from washing the 5 diapers every other day. AND: my husband was also against the idea of buying special laundry detergent for our special diapers… well, that was cheap too. Ha! He’s so happy we don’t have to buy a package of diapers each week! We have been going through a pack of Seventh Generation diapers about every 2 weeks now… 

I definitely recommend giving cloth diapering a chance… the initial investment can be a little spendy… but, in the long run you can save money! We are saving money with just our 5. So, with this giveaway it’s the perfect chance to try out your own cloth diaper! OR, to add to your collection if you’re already into it. 😀


What can you win?
A $25 gift card (+ Free Shipping) to spend at Tiny Treehugger! Shoot… that’s enough to add ANOTHER cloth diaper to your collection. ;D OR… she does sell other items too. 🙂 


She only ships to the US and Canada though…. AND: use this code for 10% off your order: papermama


How do you win? Please follow these steps… AND make sure I have a way to contact you through e-mail. If I don’t… I’ll have to delete the entry… 🙁
Mandatory entry:
1) Just answer this question: Do you use cloth diapers?? OR, if you don’t… do you want to try?{1 entry}
 
Optional entries (Please leave a separate comment for each entry so it counts. Thanks!):
1) Follow me (see sidebar) {1 entry}
2) “Like” The Paper Mama on FB {1 entry}
3) Follow me on Twitter: @thepapermama {1 entry}
4) “Like” Tiny TreeHugger on FB {1 entry} 
5) Follow her on twitter: @tiny_treehugger {1 entry}
6) Tweet, Facebook, or blog about this giveaway. You are welcome to copy and paste this tweet:
” Cover your baby’s bum with this GIVEAWAY to @tiny_treehugger ! A cloth diaper and more store! http://tinyurl.com/3j6zkf8 @thepapermama  “{1 entry}

If you have a moment, I’d LOVE to get 
a couple votes from you!
Vote For Us @ TopBaby Blogs! The Best Baby Blog Directory

Last day to enter giveaway is July 31st, 2011 at 11:59PM Pacific time.

❤ Chelsey

…………………………………………………………………..

BlogHer 2011!

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Categories: Uncategorized