Sew Fierce – Meet My Friend Stephanie – WAHM Guest Post

Meet My Friend

Sew Fierce Couture Clothing

I’d like you to Meet My Friend – Stephanie, from Sew Fierce Couture Clothing I met Stephanie on twitter when I won a gorgeous prize that she had created.

Stephanie is one busy work-at-home mom, and always a pleasure to tweet with – quick to say hello in the morning and always at-the-ready with helpful chat and advice.  You’ll want to read how Steph became an online boutique mompreneur, blogger and manages to keep base camp running smoothly!

Stop by her Etsy boutique and also

Follow Stephanie on Twitter @SewFierce

In the past, I’ve touched on topics about tapping into your interests and hidden talent, and parlaying them into a career where you turn your interests into a business. Many readers or their families have become victims of the current recession, and are actively seeking gainful employment. Some, like me, are considering either retiring, or trying to determine a move to another career that will spark our interest – whether it be something entirely different from what we’ve been doing in the past, or entirely new venture.

Perhaps you are off-ramping from corporate life to take time out to raise your children.

I have been inviting bloggers and writers to Guest Blog on my Meet My Friend meme to share their ideas and experiences with my readers who are interested in becoming a mompreneur.

If you have a WAHM or Momepreneur topic of interest that you’d like to share and be a Guest Blogger on Moomette’s Magnificents, please contact me (see Contact tab above).

Hello everyone from Sunny San Diego. Thank you Cindi for asking me to do a guest post on your wonderful blog, it is an honor.  My name is Stephanie I am a mother to two amazing toddler girls and wife to a wonderful, supportive man whom serves our country in the United States Marine Corps.

Isn’t it funny how we cannot tell people who we are without stating we are a mother and or wife? Sometimes it’s like our former identity has disappeared and now all we are is a mother to someone and or a wife to someone else. As much as I love my family I am more and when days are hard we need to remind ourselves of this.

So while half of me is a wife and mother, my alter ego is an online shop owner and blogger. I have a infant and toddler boutique called Sew Fierce that I started a year ago.

I remember watching my mom when I was very young making clothes for my Barbie’s and matching outfits for myself. I loved every little outfit because it was something special she did just for me. While my sewing adventure started with hemming curtains for my room, I soon moved on to making my first queen size quilt when I realized I was going to need a hobby while on bed rest after my second knee surgery.

After recovery my life became busy and I stopped sewing. A few years later I married my now husband and after a few months of trying and failing, we were pregnant with our first baby girl. It wasn’t until my second pregnancy, also a baby girl, that I finally got back into sewing. I saw some adorable outfits my girlfriends where making for their daughters and decided to try my hand at clothing for my then two year old toddler. At the same time I was cloth diapering my newborn baby girl and thought making my own All In One diapers would be fun. I soon realized I was having so much fun making clothing for my toddler as well as bibs, burps and blankets for my infant that this was a great hobby.

With much encouragement from my close friends and family I decided to open an online shop.

My main focus was to offer my handmade products at a great price. I would see so many beautiful and awe inspiring outfits and accessories for infants and toddlers at boutiques both in town and online, but as a now stay at home mom and military wife it just was not in my budget to spend $100 on a one of a kind outfit. So I thought if I could offer similar products for a great price “that any mommy on any budget could afford”, I would be happy.

Soon after opening my store my girlfriend Sharon suggested I open a blog – Get my name out there and let people get to know me as a mother, wife and business owner. Meet the person behind the Sew Fierce name and feel good knowing that if you buy from me you get top quality and someone who prides themselves in only giving my customers the best of what I have to offer. My blog, A Pocket Full Of Buttons has turned out to be more than I ever would have thought. It has been great therapy for me and I have so many wonderful ladies and new friends like Cindi because of it.

While my online business started with making bibs, burps and crayon Rollie Pollies, I soon added the clothing line. I have to say the clothing is my biggest joy. Seeing each piece finished is a thrill and when someone buys an outfit or a dress and tells me how much they love it, I then know that this is what I am meant to do.

And how awesome is it that I can do this from home with my girls by my side!

Stephanie has generously offered Moomette’s Magnificents  to host a Giveaway Contest! For a chance to win, there will be one (1) winner of a $25.00 Gift Certificate to Sew Fierce to be used on any products
custom or ready to ship.

Please include a way of contacting you. Should you be the contest winner, this information may be shared with the contest sponsor in order to send your prize.

Main Rule:   (remember if this rule is not followed then no others will count)
a) Sign up for my free Newsletter Updates to my blog through my e-mail Feedblitz link (on the top of my right column or let me know if you already are, in a separate comment) AND

b) Visit Sew Fierce and leave a comment about one of their products you’d like to try and why.

This contest will run until August 20 at 11:00 pm. EDT

For Additional Entries, check out my Contest Entry Rules.

Copyright 2010 Moomette’s Magnificents – All Rights Reserved

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Sara Evans and Libby’s Vegetables Celebrate Get Back to the Table Month

We’ve all been hearing quite a bit lately about the importance of family values.  It seems that whenever you turn on the television or open a magazine, there are sound bites and articles galore.

My children are grown now, but I didn’t need to be constantly reminded of  “family values” when my husband and I were raising them.  It was just something we did.  When the kids were little, my husband worked late hours ~ yet we always sat down to eat dinner together as a family.  I often referred to it as “continental style” ~ meaning that in Europe, the dinner hour is frequently at 8 or 9 pm, as opposed to earlier times here in the United States.

Sitting down to dinner together and eating a well-balanced healthy meal gave us the opportunity to connect as a family with one another and share our day.  Studies have proven that families who dine together maintain healthier lifestyles and are more apt to make wise choices and decisions in their lives.

Sara Evans and Libby’s Vegetables celebrate “Get Back to the Table Month.” Although school is back in session and after-school activities oftentimes make sitting down as a family difficult, perhaps a continental-style dinner hour once or twice a week might be possible for your family!

Visit http://www.getbacktothetable.com/ for some terrific ideas, recipes, shopping tips, contests and more information about Getting Back to the Table. You’ll also be able to download Money Saving Coupons!

Copyright 2010 Moomette’s Magnificents – All Rights Reserved

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Steps to Prepare Your Older Child for the Birth of a Sibling

Many of you are aware that the birth of Slugger, my No-Name-Yet-Until-It’s-Time-To-Fill-Out-The-Birth-Certificate grandson is drawing closer. I’ll be blogging about a birth announcement soon! My 21 mo. old granddaughter, ‘Lil Moomette, is certainly going to be in for a rude awakening. Up until now, she’s been everyone’s darling, and enjoys being the center of attention. Slugger is going to be the first grandson for Charming Son-In-Law’s parents.

Charming Son-In-Law is a twin, and originally from Vermont. However, CSIL and the “Bonus” son-in-law have both moved away from Vermont, much to the consternation of their Dad. So when Slugger pays his first visit to the Green Mountain State to visit his grandparents, I’m sure he’s going to get a good, hearty, Yankee welcome!

Here’s an article that I’m recommending to my DD to ease the transition for ‘Lil Moomette. You can find other valuable information like this at Moms United in Business. Join Today!

Preparing Your Older Child for the Birth of a Sibling
By Jennifer Rogers, Founder and Owner Moms United in Business, LLC

One of my biggest concerns while pregnant with my second baby was how to prepare my nine year old daughter for the birth of her sister. She had been my one and only for so long. I wanted her to feel a part of the whole experience and not feel abandoned or replaced.

I set out on a mission. I was determined to find out how I could prepare her for life with a baby sister. I searched for any information that could help me make this transition easier for both my first born and for the family as a whole. I was disappointed to find that most books and articles focused more on younger children who were closer together in age.

I was on my own. However, by taking the following steps I was able to help my oldest daughter made the transition more smoothly. She has taken an active interest in her new sister without resentment or extreme jealousy.

Steps to Prepare Your Older Child for the Birth of a Sibling

1. From the very beginning talk with your child about the upcoming birth. Initiate conversations often, answering questions and concerns honestly. Allow your child to express his or her feelings without judgment.

2. Allow your child to attend at least one doctor’s appointment. By hearing the baby’s heartbeat or seeing the baby on the ultrasound monitor your older child will feel a part of the experience and the baby will become more of a reality to him or her.

3. Make the most of the time you have left. Is there a special place you have been meaning to go? A favorite activity your child enjoys? Go to the library, a local museum, the park or a movie. Play a game together. Bake some homemade cookies. It does not matter what you do, it is the time you spend together one on one that counts. It is equally important to continue these activities after the new baby’s birth.

4. Write a love letter to your child and mail it. Children love getting their own mail! Be specific. Let your child know why you love them, what makes him or her so special. Praise any recent accomplishments, such as a good grade on a spelling test, or hitting a home run at a ballgame. Leaving random notes in lunch boxes and around the house are another sure way to make your child feel special.

5. Take a stroll down memory lane. Pull out photo albums, videos, scrapbooks and any other mementos you may have from your child’s babyhood.

6. When decorating your baby’s nursery, make some changes to your older child’s room as well. It could be anything from rearranging the furniture, adding some new posters or pictures on the wall, to redoing the room all together.

7. If you have a baby shower, have a couple of gifts for your older child to open. My daughter loved the “Big Sister” t-shirt she received and could not wait to put it on. Do not forget to keep a gift for him or her to open on the baby’s “birth” day as well.

8. Do not cancel. If your child is involved in sports, extracurricular activities or if there is a special event coming up, enlist the help of others. This is especially important once the baby arrives. Keep your older child’s schedule as normal as possible and make his or her activities a priority, even if you are unavailable.

9. Make holidays extra special during your pregnancy. This will be the last holidays you celebrate with your firstborn. Make homemade cookies and Christmas ornaments. Attend holiday programs together in your community. Go caroling. Go on a picnic to celebrate Independence Day. Attend an Easter Egg Hunt. Do something, anything, you and your child have never done before. In the process you will make memories that last a lifetime.

10. If you have a blended family, have your first born spend one on one time with his or her step parent. My oldest daughter was upset that the baby was going to live with both her mom and dad. Be sure to address these issues from the beginning. She was also afraid that that her step dad would love the new baby more. By spending quality time with her step dad she was assured of his love for her and that she was not being replaced by his “real” child. Again, this is especially important after your baby’s birth.

Preparing your older child for the birth of a sibling will not only benefit him or her, but will also help make the transition smoother for the entire family. This is a new experience for both of you, and there will be many challenges along the way. Be patient with yourself and your child. It may take time, but before you know it your child will be an eager participant in caring for the new baby!

Jennifer Rogers is the Founder and Owner of Moms United in Business, LLC. MUIB is an organization dedicated to supporting you as a Mom and Business Professional. To learn more about MUIB visit www.MomsUnitedInBusiness.com.
Article Source: MUIB Article Directory, http://muib-article-directory.blogspot.com
Sponsored By: Moms United in Business, http://www.momsunitedinbusiness.com

Copyright 2010 Moomette’s Magnificents – All Rights Reserved

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Coupons ~ Shopping Deals ~ Freebies ~ Savings ~ Find Out How to Get Them!

Interested in saving money with the downturn of today’s economy?  I know I am!  Whether you’re a young mom or a mid-life Boomer like myself,  every penny helps.  I even take advantage of Senior Citizen days and discounts, whenever I can!

I’ve added a new content section featuring Freebies & Contests!  Check in often and see what’s new!

For starters, visit My Savings, as I’m sure you’ll find something of interest ~ whether you’re shopping online, or looking for FREE Samples, Coupons, Sales,  and Special Offers & Deals!

Copyright 2010 Moomette’s Magnificents – All Rights Reserved

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Special Thanks to my Entrecard Advertisers

I’d like to acknowledge special thanks to my recent Entrecard and Red Hot Drops Advertisers! If you missed them the first time around, please take a moment to visit these special Blogs!

Make Money Online ~ Work At Home
My Two Cents Worth
Up the Hill Gang
The Sewing Mom
Roxiticus Desperate Housewives
Confessions of an Organized Mess
Life and Me
This Side of Eternity
The WAHM Blog
Crayon Writer
Mommy’s Little Corner
Mom Reviews
The Mom With Brownies
Moms ~ Check NYO
Is 8 Enough?
My Thousand Loves
Regina’s Family Seasons
Thinking Outloud

Copyright 2010 Moomette’s Magnificents – All Rights Reserved

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YAHOO GROUPS ~ Trade, Barter, Swap & Shopping Groups ~ Think Twice Before You Join

Back in January or so, I did a couple of blog entries here and here praising the benefits of joining Yahoo Swap, Barter & Trade Groups, as well as Yahoo Shopping Groups, as a means of shedding excess eBay inventory and meeting quota for the various companies I’m an affiliate rep for.

Well, I’m eating humble pie now, and am here as a hard-working WAHM to tell you, whoa nelly, slow down before you do anything like that and make the same mistakes I did.

I’m so much wiser for it now, and I’d like to tell you why. If I had come across any blogs telling it like it is before I joined, I would have thought twice.

I played by all the rules. One rep per company, listed my items, tried to join in the conversations, promoted my specials, yada yada yada.

But it’s not pretty. On the swap groups, I got taken for a ride. I’ve withdrawn from all I ever joined. I listed pretty good inventory from my eBay store – NWT (New, With Tag) kids Baby Gap PJs, Webkinz, etc. I sent my items with Delivery Confirmation when the vultures snapped them up. Any time I went online (which was really, really often) to try to “grab” an item – nothing was listed. What was on there? Pacifiers (used?)…. I’m not kidding here; coasters, probably just junk that was lying around the house.

All the gals were begging for “Walmart” gift certificates, and grabbed anything they could get their hands on, leaving nothing else. What really was the last straw for me on one group was that someone was offering to “burn DVD’s” to swap. Now, anyone with an ounce of ethics knows that it’s illegal to do that. As a paralegal, I protested and said I didn’t want to be any part of that ~ guess what ~ the group owner decided to hold a “vote” to see what the group thought about burning the DVDs. Well, I was outta there – and withdrew faster than you could hit “enter.” And I left behind probably several hundred dollars in “points to spend” and figure the Walmart gals could use them more than I need them.

My latest rant today is about the “Shopping Groups” that promote one rep per company, and you get to be Consultant-of-the-Month (COTM.) I belonged to two groups. Each month, I faithfully placed my order, and waited my turn to be COTM.

There’s supposed to be two COTM per month. As a COTM, everyone is supposed to place an order with you, and theoretically, you can get 4-5 orders, which would allow you to meet quota. Well, the other rep got all the orders, and I only got one.

I got an email from one group member in response to my withdrawal, who had this to say about me: …. maybe no one wanted what i had to offer that month?

At this point, I’ve had enough of these cliquey, greedy groups. When I withdrew from one other shopping group today, one nice gal e-mailed me and said she was in agreement with me and ‘right behind me on her way out.’ Fortunately, there are some nice, honorable people that I met on these groups, but they’re  few & far between.

Am I whining? Yes, in a way, I admit it. But the only positive experience that I feel has come of this, is that I’m brazen enough to post it here and try to warn anyone who’s thinking that this is the next best thing since sliced bread, to think twice. You don’t want to end up with a bad taste in your mouth.

Copyright 2010 Moomette’s Magnificents – All Rights Reserved

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Moomettesgram’s Musings Blog – Out of the Gate – November 2007

Hi & Welcome to my new Blog!
I’m Cindi – and Grandmom to one granddaughter (aka Moomette) and another on the way in 2008. I named my store after her. You can read more on my About Me page! I’m a Baby Boomer, and looking forward to retirement – not soon enough!
I opened Moomette’s*Magnificents on eBay where I specialize in Upscale New & EUC Womens, Childrens, Mens Clothing, Accessories, eBooks, Mugs, Vintage Collectibles & Hard-to-Find Cosmetics, in advance of that date to get it up and running so that I will be able to Work-At-Home ~ my retirement dream!
I enjoy shopping (both buying & selling) and eBay fulfills both.
As a Boomer, and being somewhat computer savy – the Internet has always facinated me. After a gap of many years, I took advantage of the Internet and took several online courses to finish and completed my B.S. in Business & Sociology in my 40s while working full time with a house & kids. It can be done!
So it’s just a natural for me to open up my eBay store ~ Moomette’s*Magnificents.
I hope through this blog to encourage other Boomers and SAHMs how to go about opening up a store, create support networks and overcome any obstacles you’ll encounter along the way.
And of course….you’ll hear me brag about ‘lil Moomette’s accomplishments along the way!

Copyright 2010 Moomette’s Magnificents – All Rights Reserved

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