Are You Shopping Small?

Are you shopping small?! I think this was a brilliant campaign that American Express started a few years ago, helping the mom and pop shops. So many big box stores are run by greed it's nice to help out individuals who are working hard to make ends meet.  As a small business owner I am grateful for today.

To thank those individuals shopping small today I am offering FREE shipping and a FREE surprise gift with purchase! Coupon code: NOSHIP. Make sure you visit my Etsy shop: Hole In Her Stocking Designs to see some fab jewelry gifts, like the ones photographed below, priced between $4-$20! 

And don't forget to enter to win this super cool and super pretty personalized name wire wrap bracelet. 

  a Rafflecopter giveaway

And I plan on doing my part. I am looking for some fabulous presents solely on Etsy today. I will be posting again tonight and I will show you my fabulous finds!!

 

Hip Black Friday Sale & A Giveaway!!

Have a lot of cool gals to shop for this holiday season?! Then you'll want to check out Hole In Her Stocking Designs . Tons of fun and stylish designs and everything is under $20!! On top of that for one day only the shop is giving 30% off for Black Friday. Can't beat that!! Use coupon code: SHOPFRIDAY at checkout to get the discount. Below are a few of my fave designs...

 

As if that wasn't good enough, I am giving away a personalized wire wrap bracelet to one lucky winner!! Bracelet photographed below!! Enter below and winner will be announced and notified next Friday. Happy Shopping!!!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

No shame?!

I have to admit, the older I have gotten the less patience I have for people's ridiculous shenanigans. I don't mean crazy, drunk bar shenanigans but the ways people act at normal places: the bank, grocery store, the mall.  The closer the holidays are the crazier people get.

For example, today I took my toddler grocery shopping with me. She's almost two so she has her moments to put it lightly.  We have been diligently working on getting her to behave once again when we are out shopping. The current issue has been getting her to go in the shopping cart. Today was the first day in a while that I was able to reason with her get her in cart and she was an angel the whole trip. After walking around the store for a while and then waiting on line for while she was starting to get a little antsy. Nothing crazy, just typical two year old stuff. I kept thinking thank goodness we are next to get checked out. That was until I heard the women on line in front of us arguing with the cashier over a 50 cent coupon.  The woman clearly had the wrong item for the coupon but proceeded to argue how the coupon made no sense and it should be good for item she has too. For real?! It's 50 cents..You are making the women with the antsy baby wait an extra 15 minutes so you an argue over 50 cents!!! I swear I was so close to taking a damn 50 cents out of my bag and giving it to her so she would just move on but right when I was getting to that point she decided to let it go. UGH!! Don't people have any shame?!

Personally, I would maybe say something about the coupon but if they didn't accept it I am not going to hold a whole line up over a few cents. I would be embarrassed and would try to be considerate of others. It reminds me of the time I was at Walmart and a lady was fighting the cashier over the fact that an item rang up $19.99 but the sign said $19.97. OMG!! Seriously??!! Holding up a long line over 2 cents....No shame....

A Must Do This Holiday Season!

So my mom has been telling me about Ebates for a while now but I have to admit I never bothered to sign up, that was until she told me she got $700 in checks back over the past two years!!!! Mind you, my mom isn't very high tech so if she was doing this why wasn't I?!

It's so simple...Simply sign up here and earn $ back every time you shop online! You simply go to Ebates website first and search for the store you want to shop at and go to the website through them. It brings you to the stores normal website and tracks your purchases. You then get a certain percentage of $ back, which varies from store to store. I got 7% back for shopping at Old Navy today!! Then, quarterly you get a check back or it can be transferred to a Paypal account.

I earned over $12 in two days, just for Christmas shopping online!! What are you waiting for?! This is a no brainer especially for the holiday season. Get shopping!!

Click here to begin!! And put my email address jennyostudios@yahoo.com where it asks who referred you.. ;)

Giveaway Time!

Hello lovelies!!! Happy hump Day!!! I have joined Karly Kim in a fabulous giveaway she compiled. Tons of great prizes!!   The best part?  There are going to be TWO winners who will each get SEVEN prizes!

To enter, use the Rafflecopter below.  Also, do yourself a favor and get to know some of my favorite ladies in Blogland!
        
        Glossy Blonde                 Sunny + Turquoise      Handbags & Handguns         The Florkens

       Thoroughly Modern     Venus Trapped In Mars            Bits of Days                   Travel Babbles


      Dancin' With A Dolly        Helene In Between     Diaries Of An Essex Girl     Rhyme and Ribbons

                                                     Preppy Panache          Treasure Tromp

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Why So Serious??!

My little girl is silly and fun loving. She smiles a lot. An all around happy kid. Then why can hardly ever seem to get a good photograph of her smiling?! In our own photo sessions she's usually happy but the problem is maybe she's too happy.  Because she can't sit still. She'll flash me a quick smile and run off or smile looking in the opposite direction I need her to.  It's frustrating!!! And I am a photographer but maybe that is why it is so frustrating.  I feel I should have fabulous photos of her smiling  but they are limited.

All that being said I attempted Olivia's outdoor holiday photos the other day and I got some beautiful photos but again, no huge smiles. Child, I know you know how to smile, do it!!!!!! But here are a few shots for you to see.

 

The bottom one we got a smirk so I guess that's good. Haha. She's still not even two so I am hoping by next year she will understand the concept of smiling  big for photos. Until then, I guess these will have to do.

5 Things I Hate to Admit

Hey everybody!! What's going on...I am feeling a bit revealing today and thought I'd share 5 things I hate to admit. Here goes!!

1- I must own at least 10 pairs of black yoga pants and sweat pants. This could be because it has been my primary attire since I had my daughter. I am not proud of this so I invested a little in some new clothes and have been making an effort to wear jeans at least 3 days a week. Haha.

2- I cannot go into Target without spending a minimum of $100. We have a love/hate relationship.

3- I have awful road rage. This is so bad. Somebody cuts me off and the expletives come flying out. Another thing I have been working on since whenever my daughter is put in the car she starts swearing like a sailor. Parenting fail. (Just so you know..I have gotten better and now this behavior has stopped)

4- Ok, this is weird. Don't judge me. I LOVE books with smooth pages. This has been an obsession ever since I was a kid. Can't explain it. End of story.

5- When I bother to straighten my hair, which isn't very often nowadays, I can go three days without washing it. Before you get grossed out, I shower everyday, it's just the hair that doesn't get washed. I have been blessed with hair that doesn't get oily quickly. Come on, you know you are guilty of this as well.

There you have it. What are some habits you hate to admit?? Would love to hear!

An Obnoxious Idea?

Crazy me circa July 2012

So I have this idea.  I really love blogging, I really do but sometimes I feel like I cannot be a 100% me.  Please don't get the wrong idea, everything I write is 100% truthful but sometimes I don't write about certain things I want to write about.  I have a potty mouth, I can be very opinionated, quite humorous and highly inappropriate at times.  I feel that since my blog is about my family life and many business ventures, it wouldn't be appropriate to say everything I want to say, at least in this venue.

Now we get to my idea...I was thinking about starting a new blog. One where I can be my funny, opinionated, at times bitchy, inappropriate self.  Here comes the problem. Do I let everyone know this new blog is written by me or do I write it anonymously? I just don't want to scare the people that read this blog. Haha. Decisions, decisions....

Do any of you have more than one blog? And is it for this reason? And do any of you write anonymously on any of your blogs. Please comment! I am dying to get your thoughts on this...

Sunflowers To Brighten Up Your Day

Copyright Jenny O Studios

Hello lovelies!! I am feeling just a bit grumpy and overwhelmed today so I needed a little something to brighten my day. Sunflowers always make me happy and I feel I don't share enough of my photography with you guys so I wanted to share some photos I took recently for a senior portrait photo session I did about a month ago. I found this hidden sunflower field at a local arboretum and it made for the most beautiful backdrop.

Okay, it worked. Those photos cheered me up. You can become a fan of my photography Facebook page here. I hope you all have a beautiful day!! Keep on smiling!!

Let's Not Forget Thanksgiving

I was always someone who thought Christmas was shoved down everyone's throat waaaay to early, like the day after Halloween. Like hello? Thanksgiving is now a forgotten holiday. I would love it if big retailers could wait until like the week of Thanksgiving before decking the halls but the won't happen because it's all about the money.

As I sit complaining about the commercialization of Christmas I have been busy as a bee making holiday products for my shop Oh So Pretty Designs. Hypocritical? Maybe. The difference is I handcraft each item so I need time to make each item ordered. And since I make tutus and adorable headbands people use them for their Christmas photos which are often taken in November, I have no choice. So I am not a hypocrite, right?!

Below is a sneak peak of some of the fabulous headbands available in my shop this season! 

I hope you take the time to check out my shop.  You can find all items above here. And check back frequently for more fun and sassy designs for babies, kids and adults coming your way!!

A Confession

So I have to admit I had NO idea how much work was involved in writing and maintaining a good blog. A blog that has regular posts, sponsors and good and effective social media exposure. I thought I can blog, how hard can it be? Well, it's true anyone can blog but not just anyone can have a successful blog with tons of readers.  I have learned the hard way that it takes lots of time and effort.

I feel I have failed in some aspects. I have come a long way but I do not post nearly as often as I would like. I have so many post ideas but feel like I don't have the time to compile them. I have my own photography business, a couple successful Etsy shops and am a full time mommy to a very active toddler so unfortunately time is something I lack. All I can do is try, try to make more time and try to make my blog a priority.

But anyways....last week was consumed with Halloween activities so that is why I was absent from the blog. Let me share some of the highlights of Halloween activities in photos...

I was a scary witch

Liv at her dance class Halloween party

Liv's kitty cat costume for trick or treating

Daddy and baby

I had a blast this Halloween season but I have to admit I'm glad it's over, at least until next year. Now for some exciting news!!! We have a winner for the $25 giftcard to Ghirardelli!! Tony S. congrats!

I will be back tomorrow, I promise!! I am making a promise to myself to write everyday, even if it's short and sweet. Talk to you then!! xo