tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23908169954757758572024-03-27T01:37:59.361-05:00Lu and EdLu & Ed is a blog about crafting, sewing, parenting, and monster making.
I post content about being an ecofriendly business, weekly studio recaps, fan mail and testimonials, giveaways, interviews with other handmade shops, craft shows, marketing and business tips for artists and designers and share my home life with my crafty readers! Codyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09921876838254054257noreply@blogger.comBlogger601125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2390816995475775857.post-3562824102257803042014-10-01T07:34:00.000-05:002014-10-01T07:34:04.028-05:00October Creative Daily Prompts<div style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 15.68px; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"></span><b>#creativedaily</b><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>- the first photo challenge geared directly towards creatives & makers. The prompts force makers to think of creative ways to tell their story, share their i<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 17.248px;">ndie biz journey as well as share their life and processes through daily photo uploads & bits of text, encouraging them to fill each and every day with a little bit of creativity, while fostering creative community & new friendships through social media. If you miss a day or few, it's not big deal - this photo challenge is just for fun! </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 17.248px;"><b>How it works:</b></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">Each day, you upload a photo to Instagram or other social media outlets that relates to the dated prompt (for example, the 1st is "pumpkin" so you would post your interpretation of that prompt on the first, like pumpkins, pumpkin art your kid made, pumpkins spice latte, etc) and share a blurb about what the photo represents. Be sure to add the #creativedaily hashtag to group to photos with the other images from this collective.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">Click the #creativedaily hashtag to find out what others are posting and make new friends by liking & commenting on their photos! </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">This collective is such a fun way to make new creative friends, discover new brands and share your own story. </span></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">This image is sized for Instagram! Feel free to save it & share the prompts to spread the word & get more people involved! I can't wait to see what you post!</span></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">Which prompt do you have a great idea for already? </span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br class="Apple-interchange-newline" /></span></span>Codyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09921876838254054257noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2390816995475775857.post-9147443504882555222014-09-29T08:00:00.000-05:002014-09-29T08:00:07.860-05:00Monday Monster Round-UpHere's a peek at what I made this week - it's not much, this week was a doozy:<br />
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I turned this stack....<br />
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Into cute oversized monster totes! I regret not getting pictures of all of the totes before I dropped them off at Greener Life Market in Lees Summit, MO. But I do have a few left I'll be adding to my shop soon. ;) <br />
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Now that things are settling down here, after a crazy week & even busier weekend, I'm super pumped for this coming week & have lots of monsters cut out all ready to be sewn and dates booked with my assistant to get.things.DONE. this week! So expect lots of cute monster WIP pics on <a href="http://instagram.com/lu_and_ed">Instagram</a> & if you haven't yet, sign up for <a href="http://bit.ly/luandednews">exclusive first looks at new listings</a> so when these cuties hit the shop you can be sure to grab yours before they sell out!Codyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09921876838254054257noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2390816995475775857.post-80054529090219661792014-09-26T08:55:00.001-05:002014-09-26T08:55:31.144-05:00Books for Boys - Thomas and the Dragon QueenIt is really hard to find decent books for boys that aren't gross (Like, Captain Underpants & The Bionic Booger Boy? Ew) so I thought I would start a series on books for boys that we discover & love! My son loves to read & is an advanced reader reading on an almost 6th grade reading level (he's in 3rd grade) so we read lots and lots of books here every week & go to the library regularly, plus he gets two books from the school library every week. <br />
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Gauge has a distaste for chapter books in favor of non-fiction science, nature, animal, or weird fact books. Really, he can quote every page of his Kids World Records book. And will tell you any chance he gets that he read about *insert anything here* in a book and the book said that *interest several interesting facts here* and goodness help you if you say your dogs nose is wet because he will quickly inform you that no, dog's noses don't produce moisture, dogs noses are actually dry and are only moist because they lick them - and that is the sort of things he loves to read about & gets really excited about. <br />
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And that is why I was so surprised by how much he adored this book!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtRhGI6yo3tF5mJFQeYO1eWIAhdX7fi4xRoKHn1zSYYgOsGLuCHd5jd-yrW2zwFrT6-1O3JhtJo9TXWShuBvVGe3iA4qHzconGYrxbGGPIcs3LeKDN0UYHZCYbZIb1yeaXZYRIhy5tFI8z/s1600/IMG_5399.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtRhGI6yo3tF5mJFQeYO1eWIAhdX7fi4xRoKHn1zSYYgOsGLuCHd5jd-yrW2zwFrT6-1O3JhtJo9TXWShuBvVGe3iA4qHzconGYrxbGGPIcs3LeKDN0UYHZCYbZIb1yeaXZYRIhy5tFI8z/s1600/IMG_5399.JPG" height="640" width="640" /></a>I recently picked this cute book up from a leave one, take one free library based solely on the fact I wanted to read it (Who doesn't love a good fairy tale?) and also, I hoped my son would like to read it as well. It's about a tiny squire who has to rescue a princess from a fearsome dragon queen - a story about bravery & courage & tiny little boys doing very big things.<br />
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My son dove right into this book! This is the first fiction chapter book that has totally engrossed my son and gotten him excited to see where the story goes & talking about a book's story and what he hopes happens rather than just reciting a fact he read in a book, which is why I just had to share it with you guys! Anything that gets his little imagination going makes mah heart happy! <br />
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The art in this book is just delightful & I think may be part of the reason Gauge enjoys it so much! He says what he enjoys about the story is that the squire is little, like he is, and goes on grand adventures & that he likes him because he is always brave even if he is little, plus he is training to be a knight, and how cool is that? (I love how my son talks about stories - I need to find more books like this one!) <br />
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It has what I consider great vocabulary words for elementary school aged children - my son's favorite new words from this book are: ridicule, groggily, liege, precaution and conspirator. He loves finding new ways to use them in sentences & loves telling people all about the new words he's learned from this story and what they mean. The story is well written for young readers & exciting from the very first chapter - my son read 90 pages in his first sitting with this book! <br />
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I'd highly recommend this book for young boys (and girls!) who love a good tale of a brave little hero going on grand adventures! I think kids, say, 8 to 12 would most enjoy this book, younger readers may need some assistance with the larger words & meaning of some phrases.<br />
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Has your kiddo read any good books lately? Share them in the comments - I'm always looking for book recommendations! Codyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09921876838254054257noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2390816995475775857.post-71960522138221642812014-09-24T09:49:00.003-05:002014-09-24T09:50:19.225-05:00{almost} Wordless WednesdayLast night I went to <a href="http://www.heypaulstudios.com/">Hey Paul</a>'s Eat Drink Stitch event. So. Much. Fun! Good food, great craft beer & learning a new craft? Perfect girl's night out with Mel & Kel! Pics to prove the awesomeness of this fun event: <br />
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Codyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09921876838254054257noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2390816995475775857.post-34891470105774279802014-09-22T11:16:00.002-05:002014-09-22T11:16:48.626-05:00Monday Monster Round-UpLast week was a doozy - lots of doctors appointments, soccer practices, first soccer game of the season, a brief virus. I took several days off last week & feel like I need to take several more off this week to recover from last week, haha!<br />
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Here is a peek at what I did get finished over the last week, some cutie mini monsters in various stages of production:<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Four cuties I finished up last night waiting to be stuffed!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Five cuties ready to be sewn shut!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Four more cuties all finished up! </td></tr>
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Which one of these mini cuties is your favorite? Codyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09921876838254054257noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2390816995475775857.post-92174898905465960512014-09-19T17:28:00.000-05:002014-09-19T17:28:08.881-05:00Adventures in organic gardening - building new raise beds!This spring, we started our adventure into urban gardening. We decided to use the bones of the garden the previous homeowners left, assuming that it was there because it was a good location. We used some found lumber to add a triangle extension for beans & peppers, and were giddy with excitement to plant our first garden not in containers on our porch.<br />
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Here is a peek at the set up - it was a ton of room, and we planted lots! But, it didn't thrive, because the previous home owners had put the garden under the maple tree and it got little to no sun the majority of the day, save for the last beams of sunlight as the sun set each evening. Total oversight on our part, too, we didn't even take the shade into consideration in our excitement to plant our garden.<br />
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We did get a great harvest of beans, cucumbers, eggplants & some pumpkins - but our tomatoes, peas, peppers, broccoli, cauliflower, kale, spinach, squash and zucchini didn't do so well - some didn't grow at all, others just didn't produce any vegetables. <br />
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<br />After carefully evaluating the sun's trek across our lawn this summer, we decided to optimize our lawn by building simple raise beds with cinder blocks in front of our porch. This area gets sunlight from about 10am-7pm and is right outside of our back door, making it easily accessible and freeing up the rest of the lawn for the kiddo to practice soccer in.<br />
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We will be moving our fire pit, and building four more raise beds, two rows of three beds, with enough space between the beds for the lawn mower to fit through. The idea of using the cinder blocks is to maximize planting space - we will be building teepee like structures from lattice between the beds (where the fire pit is currently) and planting beans in the cinder blocks closest to the lattice to climb up it, and in the other three sides planting marigolds, which help repel certain insects that invade gardens. <br />
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Each raise bed will be about 3x3 feet, made of twelve cinder blocks, the perfect size for small plots to feed our little family & maybe produce enough to share with the neighbors. Or if the cucumbers do as well next year as they did this year, we may just have to learn how to can food! <br />
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Since we are getting an early start on these beds, we are gathering yard waste and composting inside each bed over the fall & winter to reduce the amount of soil we need to purchase this spring.<br />
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To make two raise beds, it cost us $34.76 and took less than half an hour to set up. You could also probably get cinder blocks from Craigslist for less (or free), but this was a spur of the moment idea while we were at Lowe's so decided to buy the supplies & test out this layout. We really like it & can't wait to plant our garden next spring! <br />
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<b>Do you garden? If so, do you prefer raise beds or planting straight into the ground? </b>Codyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09921876838254054257noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2390816995475775857.post-42169575842249177902014-09-16T10:14:00.000-05:002014-09-16T10:14:05.789-05:00#happyhandmade picks for week 80Over on my other blog, <a href="http://daftcrafts.net/">Daft Crafts</a>, I run a weekly collective for makers called <a href="http://www.daftcrafts.net/search/label/happy%20handmade">#happyhandmade</a>. They can share their handmade products & in turn share goodies they discover with others. It's a super fun way to find & share new handmade goods and connect with makers!<br />
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This week, my top three favorites are:<br />
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<b><a href="http://rewallet.storenvy.com/products/8526564-lamron">Normal is boring wallet by Rewallet. </a></b><br />
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Seriously, it's upcycled & witty. I love it. <br />
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<b><a href="https://www.etsy.com/listing/152751697/sleepy-head-blend-organic-room-and-linen">Keep Cozy organic room spray By Winter Solstice Dreams.</a></b><br />
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No more spraying toxins around your home to make it smell great - Kim from Winter Solstice dreams makes this great natural alternative to chemical laden air fresheners. Used & approved!<br />
<br /><a href="https://www.etsy.com/listing/156752222/typography-art-print-make-the-mess-clean"><b>You Make The Mess You Clean The Mess Typography Print By Ink & Dirt.</b></a><br />
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Seriously, what mom wouldn't love this typography print by Karen from Ink & Dirt? Perfect to hang in the living room, play room or kid's room! Codyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09921876838254054257noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2390816995475775857.post-38472817801314881502014-09-12T09:47:00.004-05:002014-09-12T09:47:58.881-05:00Revisiting revisiting this space. I keep saying that I am going to come back to this space, but for a long time it hasn't felt right to invest so much time sitting front of a computer when I can barely keep my shop stocked. Things are starting to settle into a nice ebb & flow routine now that the intern has been upgraded to assistant & we have a regular work week lined up. I have a wee bit more time in the mornings that I usually spend in the omhg forums chatting with inspirational & motivating makers that I look up to, like Jenelle from <a href="http://trashn2tees.com/">TrashN2Tees</a>, Genevieve from <a href="https://www.etsy.com/shop/kittyscuriosity">Kitty Curiosity</a> & Jennifer from <a href="http://www.pikeletworkshop.com/">Pikelet Workshop</a>, just to name a few. The ladies in this community are so uplifting, inspiring and sweet, it truly feels like gathering around a table with friends for coffee every morning. If you are a maker looking to take your business to the next level, I highly suggest investing in the <a href="http://ohmyhandmade.com/shop/omhg-community-membership/">omhg membership</a> (it's less than the cost of 2.5 pumpkin spice lattes from that gross place I don't like, guys). Today though, I thought I would start carving out a little extra time to come to this place, a place where I can put more words & thoughts & feelings than I can in a brief little social media update.<br />
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As I think about coming back to this space, which was actually my first space (did you know? It was! I blogged before I Facebooked, Twittered or Instagrammed!) I've been thinking about how I want it to change. I mean, my need for it to change was the reason I grew away from it in the first place. I was using it to upload pictures of my monsters each week - and maybe I will do that again, to keep track of how much is coming out of my studio - but I think I want to produce some fresh content that is more in line with my life & business & ethos right now.<br />
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I am thinking of focusing more on the process of making monsters, and this space is perfect for it - showing monsters, from their start as blankets and sheets and pajamas and sweaters, being freed from that big blank slate and slowly becoming, bit by little bit, the cute little monsters at the end. Share more of the impact that Lu & Ed is really making on the environment & keeping textile discards out of landfills.<br />
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I also want to bring in a bit more of my life as a boy mom. As my son gets older, I find it is more difficult to connect with other moms, so why not connect & share here? He is such a big part of why I do what I do, how I do it. I don't want to be one of those parenting blogs with billions of opinions no one really cares about (really, have you met me? I'm not very opinionated, I do me & you do you, boo) but I think sharing thrifty fashion finds for my boy may inspire some more moms to think affordable, adorable & eco over overpriced & most-likely-produced-in-unethical-manners for kids fashion, as well as some other lifestyle habits we have as a family that are ecofriendly & have a positive impact on the health of our planet. I think that in changing the way we as parents consume & teach our children to consume that we can, quite literally, change (& save) the earth. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUXFtsV3MHyL-xlEXs5_B76jsQ88HlJlOFHtpOhpD8eyxQKiBX6aLjGXwb3Oq5_vD54BbPYLX87yhB5Gx4hCv4esQfZNge2irsgtu_jVtjP7gDO4Brfw0yYmqW-3C5eHuV9HbsyVQJ7c-5/s1600/10562963_10203220525292133_2713131494612030695_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUXFtsV3MHyL-xlEXs5_B76jsQ88HlJlOFHtpOhpD8eyxQKiBX6aLjGXwb3Oq5_vD54BbPYLX87yhB5Gx4hCv4esQfZNge2irsgtu_jVtjP7gDO4Brfw0yYmqW-3C5eHuV9HbsyVQJ7c-5/s1600/10562963_10203220525292133_2713131494612030695_n.jpg" height="636" width="640" /></a></div>
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Plus, there's other things that tie in with my eco & indie lifestyle - organic gardening, enjoying the slow-purchase, reducing, reusing or recycling so that our home stays clutter free & full of things that we love - that I want to share with you all but don't have the space to on social media, so I think I will be integrating some of that content here in this happy little blog space! This was our first year as organic suburban gardeners, and we loved it - and learned a lot! So I have tons to share with you guys next spring! It's also been just over a year since we bought our home, and we are finally feeling settled so I would love to start doing a sort of "home tour" series showing off how we use thrift store furniture & handmade decor to make our home lovely & functional.<br />
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So expect to see some new content here, soonish. And thank you, as always, for supporting my dream, as it grows & changes & becomes even more wonderful, day by day! <br />
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<br />Codyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09921876838254054257noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2390816995475775857.post-89106605539365841882014-08-25T09:35:00.002-05:002014-08-25T09:35:56.721-05:00Eco Outfit of The Day! <span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: #fefefe; color: #222222; display: inline ! important; float: none; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 20px; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">Monday's eco #ootd - cute kids fashion doesn't have to be expensive! It can be adorable, affordable & good for the Earth, too! </span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: #fefefe; color: #222222; display: inline ! important; float: none; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 20px; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">Today's thrifted outfit: </span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: #fefefe; color: #222222; display: inline ! important; float: none; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 20px; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">Levi skinny jeans - $3.98</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: #fefefe; color: #222222; display: inline ! important; float: none; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 20px; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">Vintage Zelda shirt - free! </span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: #fefefe; color: #222222; display: inline ! important; float: none; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 20px; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">Monster - available in my <a href="http://luanded.com/">shop</a></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span>Codyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09921876838254054257noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2390816995475775857.post-27456268626037512172014-08-21T09:05:00.003-05:002014-08-21T09:05:48.118-05:00Thirfty Thursday OOTDI know outfit of the day posts are usually reserved for super trendy brand names, but I thought I would take a stab at it & do a photo series of my sons fun outfits from thrift stores (& monsters I made from materials I got on the same thrift shop run) to show that cute fashion for kids can be eco-friendly! (and super-duper affordable, too!)<br />
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Today's outfit:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAmBkeODV7Oc7cuc4miSsU188t65wBGpXE5U303smXmE5jhYKd2UNdDkYnUjZrkZGB77CxlsSsqedOVMhyphenhyphenNBibw9VgFuTp22kxU9MdI-4lmyCxKxGDV_qxBHSCaTXsqsHhFrM8d8FugOQS/s1600/IMG_4840+copy.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAmBkeODV7Oc7cuc4miSsU188t65wBGpXE5U303smXmE5jhYKd2UNdDkYnUjZrkZGB77CxlsSsqedOVMhyphenhyphenNBibw9VgFuTp22kxU9MdI-4lmyCxKxGDV_qxBHSCaTXsqsHhFrM8d8FugOQS/s1600/IMG_4840+copy.JPG" height="640" width="640" /></a></div>
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Old Navy shirt: $0.98<br />
Shorts: $1.98<br />
<br />Codyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09921876838254054257noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2390816995475775857.post-92177258237951294072014-06-29T10:07:00.003-05:002014-06-29T10:07:25.543-05:00#happyhandmade week 70 picksI love discovering rad new artists, and I love it when the community comes together to support one another. That is why I love <a href="http://www.daftcrafts.net/search/label/happy%20handmade">#happyhandmade</a> so much! It smashes those two things together plus creates an awesome way for consumers to discover a variety of new artisans!<br />
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As I try to get back into the blogging habit over here, I thought I would start sharing my weekly Happy Handmade picks here so you can guys can discover new artists and awesome kid's items along with me!<br />
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This week, I picked three rad items from the collection:<br />
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<a href="http://beyounotthem.storenvy.com/collections/559990-crochet/products/6285514-blooming-flower-crochet-hoop-art">Rainbow crochet hoop by Be You, Not Them</a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ1BY1WimakLbg7kAQxv5LsAZ_olBI3LGBWTc-hNgRjm-NLxy-RNczQwOyLsdVaZVTf5ZYfnJLQKy-SxqQY-VGuoP2reCwByOCyXOVJRwIU9RIZiFSQQdQeUpHyKrO5GB51UKDzerDuK18/s1600/Rainbow-hoop-art_400w.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ1BY1WimakLbg7kAQxv5LsAZ_olBI3LGBWTc-hNgRjm-NLxy-RNczQwOyLsdVaZVTf5ZYfnJLQKy-SxqQY-VGuoP2reCwByOCyXOVJRwIU9RIZiFSQQdQeUpHyKrO5GB51UKDzerDuK18/s1600/Rainbow-hoop-art_400w.gif" height="640" width="612" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://justforlittles.storenvy.com/collections/125565-new-featured/products/4684030-felix-the-spotty-monster-bank">Monster Bank by Just for Littles</a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLcDFw2gKKzm5FZlKWyVIcaIxHiovGlz235mPh8Ym-FMRToak00Xa_FLpGhKjrfFQZjNUnFuVZSkjD2LyWW4CY5FJBz_aYSOXz8GQDhadywtvRVHsoGPFKn3p3pLrtsUYyMB2A5BkHvpX_/s1600/WP_20131231_092_original.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLcDFw2gKKzm5FZlKWyVIcaIxHiovGlz235mPh8Ym-FMRToak00Xa_FLpGhKjrfFQZjNUnFuVZSkjD2LyWW4CY5FJBz_aYSOXz8GQDhadywtvRVHsoGPFKn3p3pLrtsUYyMB2A5BkHvpX_/s1600/WP_20131231_092_original.jpg" height="640" width="360" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://www.etsy.com/listing/122595249/monster-plush-green-cute-horned-stuffed">Stuffed Monster by Tranifer's Wonky Critters</a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguT8VNo2jTPTezXz5MQl6TqRgan8BYv1lyWifMdWEKzAv2FahTLGnIp9de0No3anCLV5ijQW-GXDNuxT_6vgYrUh_FqNOhdcW5M98AKQpMeUeXLz0lndpN_BQTgllgbOCTae1P_m5zaMXM/s1600/il_570xN.424337551_cnn2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguT8VNo2jTPTezXz5MQl6TqRgan8BYv1lyWifMdWEKzAv2FahTLGnIp9de0No3anCLV5ijQW-GXDNuxT_6vgYrUh_FqNOhdcW5M98AKQpMeUeXLz0lndpN_BQTgllgbOCTae1P_m5zaMXM/s1600/il_570xN.424337551_cnn2.jpg" height="640" width="638" /></a></div>
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Head over to this week's <a href="http://www.daftcrafts.net/search/label/happy%20handmade">Happy Handmade</a>, take a peek then let me know in the comments which item is your favorite from the collection! And if you have a handmade shop, head over and share your own items for a shot at being featured on Daft! Codyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09921876838254054257noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2390816995475775857.post-25296698548707328462014-06-28T07:30:00.000-05:002014-06-28T07:30:00.427-05:00July's #CreativeDaily Prompts!I never expected #creativedaily to get so big so fast! Almost 1,000 images a month are getting uploaded to Instagram monthly since the start of the year! <br />
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Not familiar with #creativedaily? It is the only photo challenge geared directly towards creatives, artists,
makers & small biz owners - anybody who needs a spark of
creativity daily is welcome to join in and make new friends through this
fun photo collective! <br />
<br style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: black; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 15.199999809265137px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 17.24799919128418px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;" />
<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: black; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 15.199999809265137px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 17.24799919128418px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;">You see, the
goal of #creativedaily is to inspire creative people to document their life and
indie biz journey through daily photos & snippets of text,
encouraging them, each day, to do something creative while
fostering creative community & new friendships through social media.</span><br />
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<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: black; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 15.199999809265137px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 17.24799919128418px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;">Want to join in? Just upload a photo each day that relates to the daily prompt (7/1 is "love" so you would upload an photo that you took that means "love" to you) with the hashtag #creativedaily in the title. This is a great way to organically show people the person behind the products and give them a glimpse into your life & the processes for making your wares. </span><br />
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<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: black; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 15.199999809265137px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 17.24799919128418px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;">Wanna know something cool? Almost every single prompt on this list was suggested by kiddos! I posted on social media this week asking parents to ask their kids for three words, and I chose one from every suggestion and added a few in for the holiday. :) Enjoy! </span><br />
<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: black; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 15.199999809265137px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 17.24799919128418px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"><br /></span>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6_BPocMTR3pmwXHRUsycKR8FN2BWmGEirppIvZH2XZWzRfbNkwYFmZzzJZ7m8zR4FtjXngoINHgqY5QXYc5YTZExc-8PvF9NfhUlbyiFfV-xYBi6s3MZZo-k6nQr3lf1ucCMBGZdSgM1M/s1600/creativedailyjuly.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6_BPocMTR3pmwXHRUsycKR8FN2BWmGEirppIvZH2XZWzRfbNkwYFmZzzJZ7m8zR4FtjXngoINHgqY5QXYc5YTZExc-8PvF9NfhUlbyiFfV-xYBi6s3MZZo-k6nQr3lf1ucCMBGZdSgM1M/s1600/creativedailyjuly.PNG" height="640" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: black; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 15.199999809265137px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 17.24799919128418px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"><br /></span>
<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: black; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 15.199999809265137px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 17.24799919128418px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"><b>Which prompt is your favorite? </b></span>Codyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09921876838254054257noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2390816995475775857.post-7621770037683635712014-06-13T17:20:00.005-05:002014-06-16T09:04:25.708-05:00Snag a limited edition Mon-stor T-shirt for you, your kid, or a friend! Hey guys! I am super duper excited to announce that today, I launched my first ever line of tee shirts! These are limited edition, single print t-shirts, meaning after June 26th they will never be available again so <a href="http://teespring.com/tiblytee">snag yours now</a>! Proceeds from this batch of shirts are going to help fund my road trip next month to see my family again for the first time in <b>five years</b>, so any tee shirt reservations and help spreading the word about this campaign is greatly appreciated! <br />
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So, remember that super cute Tibly <a href="http://scrawnygirl.storenvy.com/">Scrawny Girl</a> drew for me? You can now score it as a rad t-shirt in both kid and adult sizes!<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBdwPtme7xhy5h_EOhPjVH_kZP49HgKKxz4mQbq3rUPIg3UZFnyjc_6SNKXMIYACXRbSoBEdgvgwzPj9UEK5SWVjyv3n66Ei09Xhn9hSRO1NTv9VllTfp9xfpapESL8qyNU063cHwgCNrp/s1600/shirt.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBdwPtme7xhy5h_EOhPjVH_kZP49HgKKxz4mQbq3rUPIg3UZFnyjc_6SNKXMIYACXRbSoBEdgvgwzPj9UEK5SWVjyv3n66Ei09Xhn9hSRO1NTv9VllTfp9xfpapESL8qyNU063cHwgCNrp/s1600/shirt.jpg" height="640" width="616" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Adult Tee</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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To select your size, just choose adult or child size from the drop down menu, then click "reserve" - which opens a pop up window to select size from. :) Then choose how you want to pay, enter your info, and boom, your done!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGyxDwBUaHPvWq6SKugONoMLrM-XLQCVH2h40bFOujWCs_k0QglpBW5kAB4paE4bCmY9cwo0itUH-XBzwcfF-anfz86DjMYimg7VY5u51VY8ZC43sMuxH6-GZrcN11l_VVOEPqK89Dmb2v/s1600/howtoorder.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGyxDwBUaHPvWq6SKugONoMLrM-XLQCVH2h40bFOujWCs_k0QglpBW5kAB4paE4bCmY9cwo0itUH-XBzwcfF-anfz86DjMYimg7VY5u51VY8ZC43sMuxH6-GZrcN11l_VVOEPqK89Dmb2v/s1600/howtoorder.jpg" height="328" width="640" /></a></div>
This is a <b>one time print run - meaning I will never print this t-shirt design again! </b>You won't be charged until the campaign ends on June 26th, and only if the minimum number of shirts are ordered Together, I think we can shoot past the 30 shirt mark! But I need your help! Tweet it, Facebook it, blog it! Any help spreading the word is greatly appreciated!! <br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv5Pk7poqZzBKZBLZf9cpVCO0CeQfQrPQHBlg3dsdzT7VShzvahbjPj8RiWHQ30-PK_BQx8L8CxCYyFilMa9hp40B5Mdh5dGEHdEIzHzsASBAoXCrgUtzgr-PqU-S0NJF0p_sVquIjT7nC/s1600/front.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv5Pk7poqZzBKZBLZf9cpVCO0CeQfQrPQHBlg3dsdzT7VShzvahbjPj8RiWHQ30-PK_BQx8L8CxCYyFilMa9hp40B5Mdh5dGEHdEIzHzsASBAoXCrgUtzgr-PqU-S0NJF0p_sVquIjT7nC/s1600/front.jpg" height="640" width="534" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kids Tee</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
If this batch is a huge success, I will be launching a new design with
Gabos through a Missouri printer, <a href="http://tinylittlemonster.com/">Tiny Little Monster</a> (how appropriate
is that?!). <br />
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And if these shirts continue to be a hit, I think I will release a new design every quarter, so in the comments tell me what colors of shirts/which Mon-stors you would love to see featured! Codyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09921876838254054257noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2390816995475775857.post-86109830135917828632014-06-06T19:32:00.002-05:002014-06-06T19:32:56.241-05:00PaperYou know how I send out a swag bag full of samples and goodies with each order? Well, today, I got <a href="https://www.etsy.com/shop/bugaboobeardesigns">Bugaboo Bear Design</a>'s swag samples and I <b>love</b> them! Each of the twenty-five mini art samples she sent is <b>hand-lettered </b>on black paper<b>- </b>they aren't prints! How cool is that?! These will be heading out soon with orders from the monster shop! ♥<br />
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<br />Codyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09921876838254054257noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2390816995475775857.post-44327673676994397612014-06-06T08:00:00.000-05:002014-06-06T08:00:00.819-05:00Fan Mail Friday 6.5.14Wowzers! I haven't had time to upload all of the amazing fan photos I've been getting in months! If you follow me on <a href="http://instagram.com/lu_and_ed">Instagram</a> you've probably seen peeks at some of the cute pics coming in, but I wanted to do a round up of some here from the past few months, too!<br />
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From Valerie in MO, her teeny tiny new monster with his new tiny monster! Rawr!<br />
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From Rachel in VA, her little dude giving a monstrous hug! ♥<br />
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From Joanna in KY, her trio of tiny monsters with their new monsters! <br />
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From Kelly in KS, her daughter being eaten by her monster and her niece dozing with her stuffie!<br />
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Easter Monster love from Nichole in AZ (What, I said it had been months since I posted fan photos!):<br />
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And I have oh-so-many more cute shots of kiddos and their Mon-stors, but I want to save some for next week! Thank you to everyone who has submitted fan photos over the past few months!<br />
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Feel free to send me pictures of your kiddos with their Mon-stors to cody@luanded.com or tag your Mon-stor photos on Instagram with hashtag #luandedswag!! :) Codyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09921876838254054257noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2390816995475775857.post-62055275590131920832014-06-05T21:05:00.003-05:002014-06-05T21:05:28.215-05:00Butterfly<div id="yui_3_16_0_7_1402019542919_12">
I still get butterflies in my
stomach when I think about how this one time, not too long ago, I owned my
own brick and mortar handmade gift shop called Daft Crafts. </div>
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<div id="yui_3_16_0_7_1402019542919_12">
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<div id="yui_3_16_0_7_1402019542919_12">
It was the
most amazing experience of my life and I can't wait to revisit it. Daft
was only open one year before we had to close due to a death in my
family, my aunt's kidneys failing, and my own breast cancer scare. We were
going to move back home to SC to be with my family during that trying
time, but then our car fell apart and we had to use all of our savings
repairing it, and two years later here we are, still in Missouri. </div>
<div id="yui_3_16_0_7_1402019542919_12">
<br /></div>
<div id="yui_3_16_0_7_1402019542919_12">
That
was a rough patch, the roughest of patches I've ever went through, but I
chose to bloom where I was planted & boy, I guess all that crap was
just amending the soil because I am blooming like crazy now. ♥ Life is
oh so good here now, in our cozy little home with my little family! I'm blessed with so many wonderful friends and I am so thankful that my little monster biz is thriving! </div>
<div id="yui_3_16_0_7_1402019542919_12">
<br /></div>
<div id="yui_3_16_0_7_1402019542919_12">
One day, in the next few years, I would truly love to revisit Daft Crafts as a gift shop but for now, I've converted that dream into a <a href="http://daftcrafts.net/">blog</a> full of businessy goodness and tips, tricks and tools of the trade and marvelous meet the maker interviews, hoping it can bring as much joy to other makers through it's cheerful, enlightening content as it always has to me. ♥</div>
<div id="yui_3_16_0_7_1402019542919_12">
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Codyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09921876838254054257noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2390816995475775857.post-17856505812725305632014-06-04T18:33:00.001-05:002014-06-04T18:36:55.087-05:00AcrobatCaught Balder the monster practicing acrobatics on a knitting needle this afternoon! Guess monsters gotta stay fit, too.<br />
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<br />Codyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09921876838254054257noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2390816995475775857.post-81546741683537912672014-06-03T12:25:00.002-05:002014-06-03T12:25:52.286-05:00Mon-stors are made of...Last week I posted a fabric combo for a Mon-stor and asked people to guess what they thought it was. Well, I finally got around to finishing the Mon-stor! So here's the big reveal! This Mon-stor....<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnkpC5_GIJM_dk4PkiYFPogVQWtsqidQjFsB1E4zwvluDocGJhZ5wD-p7uzbg8iIEH4384Wq9na_fJ2ybAlHGd6uM5uYiDW9C45CkghVAXJjhaIWyCwDqpVdPbThhZw84SzaXsvwvULzB7/s1600/IMG_4181+copy.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnkpC5_GIJM_dk4PkiYFPogVQWtsqidQjFsB1E4zwvluDocGJhZ5wD-p7uzbg8iIEH4384Wq9na_fJ2ybAlHGd6uM5uYiDW9C45CkghVAXJjhaIWyCwDqpVdPbThhZw84SzaXsvwvULzB7/s1600/IMG_4181+copy.JPG" height="640" width="640" /></a></div>
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... was made from a PJ top & PJ pants! <br />
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<br />Codyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09921876838254054257noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2390816995475775857.post-26617887582033540322014-06-02T12:51:00.000-05:002014-06-02T13:05:46.155-05:00Have a handmade shop? Check out the New & Improved Lu & Ed Swag Bags!In September of 2013, I launched the first ever handmade Swag Bag program. Others have launched similar services since then, but it is still the most successful swag bag program out there, resulting in increased audience & dozens of sales for makers.<br />
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<h3 style="text-align: center;">
What it is</h3>
<h3 style="text-align: center;">
</h3>
With each order I send out from my monster shop, I include a carefully curated goody bag full of coupons and samples from other makers. There is eight to ten handmade items in each swag bag, a sweet little surprise for customers each time they order a monster! <br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSC3mEO8zSqBISBFMIEt_EYAZlkRTu0rOxm-etzY22RdonrWiOGUjom7xGsKAiaxxWjCkhpskUon1JohMDWEOTdIsTHaoz5KvimB2ZwLFxeACxYA-Z0VymFc0lFPFUlGYxcTZZ4ukGB6t_/s1600/10417489_659602817446690_5319660927625187698_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSC3mEO8zSqBISBFMIEt_EYAZlkRTu0rOxm-etzY22RdonrWiOGUjom7xGsKAiaxxWjCkhpskUon1JohMDWEOTdIsTHaoz5KvimB2ZwLFxeACxYA-Z0VymFc0lFPFUlGYxcTZZ4ukGB6t_/s1600/10417489_659602817446690_5319660927625187698_n.jpg" height="640" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fan photo of Lu & Ed monster & swag!</td></tr>
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</h3>
<h3 style="text-align: center;">
Why it works</h3>
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I have spent almost 5 years getting to know my clients and conducting market research, so I carefully review applicants and only accept samples & coupons from makers I know my clients will love - which results in <b>more sales for swag sponsors! </b><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdq46n6CK8TObNsGy0wrE7JbrUFxspfkV1Cgz7_YNPlnJos7kWej-ye6uCXgwhf8ntbY7UH2Ph3zv-FlmJqu1VY3jIKSZzIeJ8hwDBwT9mYDRUVLdFo31y7l2EPdHLlG8h-mRVuX8geujv/s1600/10367169_658361510904154_3902117841788731812_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdq46n6CK8TObNsGy0wrE7JbrUFxspfkV1Cgz7_YNPlnJos7kWej-ye6uCXgwhf8ntbY7UH2Ph3zv-FlmJqu1VY3jIKSZzIeJ8hwDBwT9mYDRUVLdFo31y7l2EPdHLlG8h-mRVuX8geujv/s1600/10367169_658361510904154_3902117841788731812_n.jpg" height="640" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fan photo of Lu & Ed monster & swag! </td></tr>
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<h3 style="text-align: center;">
</h3>
<h3 style="text-align: center;">
What's so "New & Improved"?</h3>
<h3 style="text-align: center;">
</h3>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Several months and hundreds of Swag Bags later, I have collected lots of amazing feedback about the program and am tweaking it slightly so that makers will get even better results from participating in Lu & Ed Swag Bags! Going forward, Swag Bags will be exclusively made up of samples - coupons & promotional materials will still be welcome (and are encouraged!) but <b>will</b> be accompanied by a sample, since samples proved much more likely to convert into a sale then a coupon or promotional material on it's own. </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Coupons must be worth 20% or more off the Swag sponsor's entire shop - again, extensive research I conducted showed more than 90% of people were more likely to make a purchase with a new brand if offered a discounter of at least 20% or greater, if they weren't limited on what they could use the discount on. </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
With these standards set in place, the original Swag Bag program becomes an even more powerful tool for creatives, effectively driving more traffic, increasing social media followings, and resulting in more sales than ever before! </div>
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</div>
<h3 style="text-align: center;">
</h3>
<h3 style="text-align: center;">
How can you get involved?</h3>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br />
You can learn more about what type of shop's I am looking for and apply to become a Swag Sponsor today by visiting the<a href="http://bit.ly/swagbagapp"> application here</a>. If you have any questions about the process or if you are curious about your shop being a good fit, feel free to email me at cody@luanded.com. </div>
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</h3>
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Have you ever received a Lu & Ed Swag Bag? Please leave your thoughts about it in the comments! </h3>
Codyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09921876838254054257noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2390816995475775857.post-11947780616270705532014-06-01T14:45:00.001-05:002014-06-01T14:45:19.192-05:00PencilKicking off June's #creativedaily posts with a peek into my supplies for Pencil - I love my hand stamped hustle pencils from <a href="http://rowhouse14.storenvy.com/">Row House 14</a>! They certainly keep me motivated! ;)<br />
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<br />Codyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09921876838254054257noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2390816995475775857.post-45625472209530224232014-05-30T09:34:00.003-05:002014-05-30T09:34:50.304-05:00June's #creativedaily prompts!Welcome to the half-year anniversary of #creativedaily!<br />
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Six months and almost 5,000 pictures uploaded to Instagram later, #creativedaily is the only photo challenge geared directly towards creatives, artists, makers and small business owners - anyone who needs a spark of creativity daily is welcome to join in and make new friends through this fun photo collective! <br />
<br style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: black; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 15.199999809265137px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 17.24799919128418px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;" />
<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: black; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 15.199999809265137px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 17.24799919128418px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;">The
goal of #creativedaily is to inspire people to document their life and
indie biz journey through daily photos & snippets of text,
encouraging them to fill each day will a little bit of creativity while
fostering creative community & new friendships through social media.</span><br />
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<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: black; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 15.199999809265137px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 17.24799919128418px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;">Sounds like a fun way to make new connections and share your creativity with others, huh? Well then, jump on board with June’s challenge! It’s super easy and fun to join in – each day has a prompt (Example, the prompt for June 1st is Pencil) and you just snap a photo of your interpretation of the prompt and post it to social media with the hashtag #creativedaily.</span><br />
<br style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: black; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 15.199999809265137px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 17.24799919128418px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;" />
<br style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: black; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 15.199999809265137px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 17.24799919128418px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;" />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisXvM3LYsMYU3CKjNcQM15SyT91BLB33U07g84x-WPw1c-ODYfs2r_67TcYBClSLM-3UIY4SjwMhvTtYbufm0NoQUPVlqTIG5tFPrrz1T-HkF_jpevSr7d9JT3aOg1cSMME3Si7JernxL7/s1600/june+creativedaily.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisXvM3LYsMYU3CKjNcQM15SyT91BLB33U07g84x-WPw1c-ODYfs2r_67TcYBClSLM-3UIY4SjwMhvTtYbufm0NoQUPVlqTIG5tFPrrz1T-HkF_jpevSr7d9JT3aOg1cSMME3Si7JernxL7/s1600/june+creativedaily.JPG" height="640" width="640" /></a></div>
<br style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: black; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 15.199999809265137px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 17.24799919128418px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;" />
<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: black; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 15.199999809265137px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 17.24799919128418px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;">I am so excited to see the photos that everyone posts for this challenge! Don’t fret if you miss a day or few – no obligations, this challenge is just for fun & to infuse each day with a little bit of creativity! Have fun!</span><br />
<br style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: black; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 15.199999809265137px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 17.24799919128418px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;" />
<br style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: black; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 15.199999809265137px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 17.24799919128418px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;" />Codyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09921876838254054257noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2390816995475775857.post-65766350202070808652014-05-23T15:09:00.002-05:002014-05-23T15:09:18.526-05:00My Favorite Food & Back in the Good Ole DaysI have fallen behind on the blogging thing. Again. So I'm going to start posting the #creativedaily prompts over here again and maybe the blogging bug will hit me again. :)<br />
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Yesterday's prompt was "favorite food" but I was having an off day yesterday and missed it, but it rolls over into today's "back in the good ole days" prompt quite well because we were doing that weekly grocery store thing and lo and behold, my most favorite beverage from back home was sitting on the shelf - Snapple Apple. Every single time we go to any gas station or grocery store in Missouri I look for it. I have only found a single bottle, one time, in the five plus years since I moved to Missouri. So to say I was excited to see cases of it at the store was an understatement. Serious understatement. I had loaded all of the cases into the cart but Trace made me put a few back kinda of understatement. But have you ever had it?! It's just so good! <br />
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<br />Codyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09921876838254054257noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2390816995475775857.post-74765498335527781882014-05-05T12:39:00.001-05:002014-05-05T12:39:10.839-05:00Happy Mail! Man! I was so stoked when I opened my door to collect the mail today - a huge stack of goodies were waiting for me & I just had to share with you!<br />
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First up, look at this gorgeous mandala from <a href="http://habitualhomebody.com/">Habitual Homebody</a> I got in a trade! So beautiful! I was so excited to trade with Alycia because I have been a huge fan of her colorful crochet creations for quite a long time, and I am so excited to have this beauty in my home now! <br />
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Then I was overwhelmed with love and all manner of happy feelings when I opened two HUGE mailers from Darice of <a href="http://pauseli.us/">Pauseli</a> - In an <a href="http://ohmyhandmade.com/">#omhg </a>tweetchat a few weeks ago I had mentioned having a hard time finding red fleece and this awesome lady found some at her local thrift store and sent it my way - with lots of other cute fleece items for me to turn into Mon-stors! Thank you, Darice, thank you! I love it all! ♥<br />
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I love my community of makers so much. There is so much kindness and joy among them that is shared freely and without thoughts of reciprocation - being kind and generous for no other reason than to be kind and generous. I am so blessed to call so many thoughtful and sweet makers my friends. ♥<br />
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Codyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09921876838254054257noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2390816995475775857.post-31212283004042997592014-05-04T19:05:00.001-05:002014-05-04T19:05:23.652-05:00HotI managed to sneak into my hot studio for a bit this evening to whip up four-eyed Freckleton Francis Fleming the Fourth. What d'ya think? <br />
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<br />Codyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09921876838254054257noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2390816995475775857.post-86822445824239243832014-05-03T14:51:00.001-05:002014-05-03T14:51:51.401-05:00ColdTaking a break from cleaning my studio to sip on a nice cold banana-strawberry-raspberry-spinach-vanilla yogurt smoothie. In full on beast mode today, put together TWO huge bags of fabric I will never use to donate and totally organizing my fabric supply. Things are changing in the studio next week and I want to start the week with a clean studio & calm and clean mind. ♥<br />
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<br />Codyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09921876838254054257noreply@blogger.com0