The Simple Life

on my desk: kraft paper bags, lace doilies, old book paper

I love getting orders ready, packaging them up has always been my favorite. staying true to my style for The Polka Dot Barn!

Saturday...siding the Barn

Happy Birthday Levi! Seems like we just celebrated your birthday, right?!

He spent all day finishing up the front of my barn, it's looking so good. We got rained out in the evening... good timing because we were burning up all day long. We went to dinner afterwards ♥  

backyard happenings...

 

yard work all weekend! i trimmed a few trees, finally pulled the last of the old fence on the corner of the property. it was a pain to clip out, over the years the trees and bushes grew through it. and a good section of it was buried in the ground. the last time i had worked on removing it was when i was pregnant with jeremy. so it was about time to finish the job!

levi formed up the walls for the sidewalk, and we got concrete poured on the following monday. the concrete was looking awesome, and we kept the boys off of it, until the very end. they ran across it, picked up the trowels and went to "work" just like dad! oops. 

saturday evening i swept out my barn, it was organized and swept a few months ago. i ended up getting super bad allergies, couldn't sleep all night, sneezing and stuffed up. barely survived church, and when i came home, i was so sick. couldn't walk, fever, achy sick, cold chills, ALL OF IT. i stayed in bed all day, as i could barely walk to the bathroom. i've been doing so good, and haven't had allergies this year. well, i shouldn't say i haven't had any, but they have been mild and almost non existent. i've been working on my diet, trying my best to stay gluten and sugar free, and that has helped so much. juicing too ♥

so making progress! finally painted my door. however, being exposed to the elements, sun, rain, snow, has weathered it so much. ugh. oh well. it is what it is. levi will have to take it apart and restore it again. at least he's good at that!

The Polka Dot Barn coupon code...

i want to always say thank you to all my customers! i am offering 25% off everything in my etsy shop for black friday, small business saturday, and cyber monday, lets just cover all of them at once! good through November 25-28th at midnight, use coupon code 'SHOPSMALL' #blackfriday #smallbusinessSaturday #cybermonday

custom Relief Society picnic invite...

how cute did this invite turn out!? sounds like a fun party! to have this customized for you, send me a convo through my etsy shop ♥

custom Young Women New Beginnings invite...

this was a custom order for a friend, they are going with Lehi's dream, with the tree of life and fruit. i thought this heart tree was perfect for february ;)

on my desk...

a lovely package going out to a special friend, who loves little lambies ♥ this is part of "the BARNYARD collection!" in my SHOP here. 

The Polka Dot Barn coupon code

i appreciate my loyal customers! 40% off all orders now through Nov 30th use coupon code SHOPSMALL40 thank you♥

on my desk...

just a few of today's orders, truly thankful for customers that enjoy purchasing from my shop!

on my desk: pretty packaging

i love to use vintage bingo paper for wrapping presents! this one is going to my aunt in california ♥ doilies, tags, tickets, and twine available in my shop ;)

boutique prep+ set up...

pricing and inventory is not my favorite thing to do! i also ran out of labels on my price gun. but when set up is done, the final product is worth it all! 

these two are pretty good helpers. after i took a photo of both of them, isabella says "ok now just a picture of me!" 

another show down. now i can just focus on online sales and the holiday season, thanksgiving is coming up!

on my desk...

 

handmade kraft tags for days... on my desk today.

visiting teaching printable...

i know, last day of the month! (and happy birthday heidi swapp!) git r dun!! visiting teaching printable from my etsy shop ;)

and kraft paper bags, polka dot washi tape, bakers twine and doilies too!

ladies night out...

with my little rascals! (we left jeremy home with dad) and what? is there really such thing as a "ladies night out?!"

we quickly put together this little happy spot for a little get together at the snow creme place for ladies night out! my kids are very helpful at unloading, setting up and then loading it all back up, love them! they had fun making cute little easter bunny make and takes and cards. 

easter junque banner...

my latest junque banner...in my etsy shop! 

thepolkadotbarn.etsy.com

on my desk...

working on lots of custom orders! can't wait to finish wrapping these last few up, so that i can get my room back to order, and then i can start on easter banners. never ending i tell you ;)

on my desk...

today's packaging with pink and red ♥

 

my little polka dot table...

on a whim...i ran outside to sand and paint this table! this last week i've been trying to get my studio back in order...and part of my solution is needing this little table right next to my main work table, so that i can pile on my tools and such on this, and keep my table clear and functioning, yay! and since this wasn't planned...i had 90 minutes before the sun went down...good thing i barely made it. i had to stain outside in the dark with a hallogen light. levi said i couldn't stain in his garage. mainly because i'm messy, and he's a neat freak in his garage.

super excited and can't wait to organize my stuff on it!

on my desk...

prepping and kitting valentine banners today ♥

valentine garland LOVE...

i love pink and red! just finished taking photos of these yesterday. i made the small trek in the mud and deer poop to the old cabin in our backyard, we have no snow! all these lovely valentine garlands and banners are available in my etsy shop. thepolkadotbarn.etsy.com

lovely day...

we've had the warmest december days these past few weeks. i've been slammed with orders non-stopped and some days i just look out my window wishing i could be outside! today was the first day that i had nothing on my schedule, no orders to fill, no errands or kids to pick up/drop off...so i went outside and stained the side of my barn! (the only one that's currently sided) and i've been waiting to do this, so yay for crossing this off the list of to-dos ♥

work work...

boxes for days! thankful for all these orderes we've been blessed with. and these little rascals to help me carry boxes to the post office!

sadly right after we were done dropping these off anthony and isabella were racing back to the durango, and anthony tripped over his foot, and did a flip in the air and skid his face right on the sidewalk. poor kid. this is the 4th time he's gotten hurt in 2 days. 

memorial day...

hope you all had a wonderful memorial day. may we never forget those that served this great country! i love hanging up my vintage flag.

 

levi brought home some apple soda...i'm suprised anthony kept drinking it, and jeremy couldn't down it any faster!

 

and i worked on painting this bench for a customer.

freshly picked birthday giveaway: winners announced

thank you all for entering my birthday giveaway! and a big thanks to Freshly Picked and Amanda Fair Designs for sponsoring!! winners are posted below, and i will contact you by email!

freshly picked moccs review + giveaway

are these not the cutest pair of moccasins ever??!

they are from the one and only susan peterson of freshly picked! i've followed susan from the beginning...and just love her story which is similar to mine. you have to start somewhere, "do what you can, with what you have, where you are."

i love these little moccasins, i wish i had them for all my kids from the beginning. my kids aren't one to wear shoes, they take after me. even though i love tiny little shoes, i never really bought them when they were babies and through the toddler stage. mainly because shoes never stayed on their feet, and they either fell off or pulled them off. and we would always lose a shoe. so i wasn't about to waste money on shoes that would get lost! now these moccasins are awesome! not only are they easy to slip on, but they actually stay on. jeremy tried to pull them off and he couldn't do it! the moccasins are true to size, and they fit is wide little feet. (she has a printable shoe size chart that you can print off at home and match your little ones foot.) the leather is super soft, and they come in a lot of tempting colors! and i LOVE color! especially the "aruba" pair and have you seen the neon pink??! each pair of freshly picked moccasins comes in this cute linen bag, i honestly don't know if i was more excited for the bag or the moccs! i just love branding and packaging.

jeremy is wearing the prince george moccasins in royal blue. LOVE the blue! we went hiking up the canyon last week in pretty rugged terrain, and he was happy as can be in his little moccs! he gets excited and says "shoes!" and "mocc!" 

 

one of you lovelies will win a pair of freshly picked moccasins, and because it's my birthday today i'm also giving away a vintage birthday chipboard banner and 10 mini banners from my shop the polka dot barn, as well as a super cute zipper pouch bag from amanda fair designs! that's 13 winners and one of them could be YOU!

 

since typepad has been down all day, i've extended the giveaway til tomorrow night, so there is still time to enter!

please enter below using the rafflecopter entry form below. giveaway will close may 20, 2014 at 11:59pm. ***if you have previously won a pair of freshly picked moccs from another giveaway within the last 60 days, you won't be eligible to win but you are still able to enter for the other prizes.

 a Rafflecopter giveaway

be inspired: general conference

it's that time of year already...general conference! a moment to listen to some awesome speakers and to be uplifted and inspired by their messages!

have you listened to general conference before? what do you like to do over conference weekend? we usually have a big breakfast right before it starts and then i seem to find projects to do in the house while i listen to it. sometimes it's spring cleaning. painting...or working on projects. we used to get together and scrapbook while listening...those were the good ol' days! this year i have a kitchen cabinet to paint, as well as catch up on some banners and kits. 

i made these little treat bags for the young women (in our church youth program) to go along with the conference packets. i have 2 for my girls too, they love this kind of stuff! 

simple and cute! it's time for some bright spring colors! and complete with the hashtag #ldsconf

join with me to watch/and or listen to inspiring messages that we can all learn from on peace, hope and truth! and if you ever get a chance to attend the live sessions in salt lake, it's worth it. levi and i did back in 2006, we surely enjoyed every minute!

keeping up...

feeling very blessed...

and a bit tired. i'm always working, but i choose too! i set a goal to sell lots so that we can make a trip to disneyland next month, and i did...can't wait! thanks to all my friends and customers that support my small business.

--> link is on the sidebar to the polka dot barn.

this is what we did all last week! and it really is my favorite part...kitting all the soLUCKY junque banners. this was the very last batch of banners.

 

a tiny portion of what we made.

needed a photo in my green vintage suitcase!

i spent sunday cleaning up a bit. and restocking my mailers. ya you wouldn't be able to tell that i cleaned anything up, but i did! mostly trash. now i really need to hire a clean up crew ;)

the polka dot barn

feeling grateful today for growing my little business! just wanted to say thank you to all my customers! it makes me happy to create. i want to invite you to check out my "about page" on etsy. 

and since i need to get back to creating, i'll just copy and paste this from my profile page on etsy :)

i used to daydream back in high school of all the cool things i could be making if i wasn't sitting in class! now i have all the time in the world and i'm making use of it! i love to create and build things, design and dream. i do a little of everything from scrapbooking to sewing, painting, and reclaiming old things...all with my four little rascals by my side and the support of my loving husband. i love design and color, i love to mix and match everything from my artwork to decorating my home. it's hard to say what my exact "style" is...but when you see it, you just know it's ME! i don't follow rules, just my heart. i love anything vintage, industrial, modern, rustic, country...but what i love most is to mix it all TOGETHER! 

veryMERRY chipboard banner

hello friends! just listed my veryMERRY chipboard banner in my etsy shop and i used heidi swapp's darling christmas paper from her believe collection! 

crate paper Maggie Holmes flea market

crate paper maggie holmes flea market 12x12 paper pad

 includes 24 different patterns, 2 of each, 48 total.

12x12 patterened paper

 

$11.99 + $5.50 shipping 

crate paper DIY shop

i love this line from crate paper: DIY shop!

crate paper DIY shop collection

 includes 18 double-sided papers in 11 designs, designer diecuts, border stickers and phrase stickers.

 $14.99 + $5.50 shipping

october 2013 visiting teaching message printable

hello!

i'm venturing out and trying something new...

i figured since i already design them for me, maybe someone else would want them too...so i am going to start listing visiting teaching printables in my etsy shop! 

simply print, cut, deliver and teach!

i made raspberry muffins! (lehi roller mills mix)

everything is better with a little treat right?

i also added a little butterfly to my printable.

my booth, the polka dot barn...

i really want to go to bed, but i am going to make an effort to post photos, every night, like i said i would!

i did a local boutique...this weekend, and i am glad it's over so i can get my scrapbooking stuff cleaned up and organized again! we want our living room back! (it wouldn't be such a disaster if my scrapbook room was done...but levi is "working on it!") we did get my display done and of course it was the best one! i love to have it represent me and what i'm about...it really is a part of me and looks like it came from my home. it sure beats a table with a draped tablecloth! no offense, i just like to be creative all around... i had a few people that wouldn't even come into my booth, i overheard them saying "a chandelier, that is WAY over the top!" seriously...well maybe i AM! i sometimes have that effect on certain people. oh well, i am who i am, and i am CREATIVE ;)

i totally forgot to take photos with my real camera...i even had it, but i left it in the durango. so here's my instagrams. 

this is the least amount of product i've ever displayed at an event...with being in a small town, i wasn't going to make a big haul. levi was surprised. i told him, this IS all i am bringing! which was kind of nice for once. 

simplify...especially just starting out again, and with 4 little ones instead of 2. 

next time it will be BIG! and full of more fun things!

cherrie had her cute owl pincushions, toothfairy pillows, footwarmers, and bibs in my booth! i had gulianna and isabella selling them, they sold quite a few! check out her blog the cherry barrow and she's on etsy too!

in between selling, the girls would sneak off to the back room where gulianna would show isa her ballet moves! they had fun, i thought half way they would be tired and wanted to go home, i asked and they wanted to stay and sell stuff. can't wait for the next one! 

and if you see something you want please visit my shop!

http://thepolkadotbarn.etsy.com

www.thepolkadotbarn.com

spring boutique...

we made it through the first day at a local spring boutique! 

i was going to have isabella, anthony and jeremy with me, but after anthony set up his train tracks clear to the booth next door and used her wood word cutouts as his train "tunnels" levi decided that it would be best if he stayed home. so he skipped work for the day to take care of the boys. 

this was us on our way, all loaded up!

isabella hanging grandma cherrie's bows up!

isabella, anthony (crying cuz i just got after him for playing at the other booth) and jeremy...behind our display. gulianna was in kindergarten. 

levi putting up my display! he may or may not be swearing...but he does it because he loves me, and all my crazy ideas! i am thankful for his support and work that he does!

pouting! she didn't WANT a picture!

getting ready to go home for the night! gulianna and jeremy, look how big he is! (and poor gulianna, she must have got something in her eye, it was so red and irritated. we got home and washed it out.)

almost the same photo...but jeremy is looking in this one!

more tomorrow night...

st patricks day banners...

just posted a couple of these darling banners up in my shop!

i took these photos on my headboard...now i have the banner up on my shelf in the living room!

love mini book kits...

just in time for valentine's day...a cute little mini book for you to assemble!

here's a little sneak peek...

check out my shop on etsy and visit http://thepolkadotbarn.com!

i hope to have more items listed by monday...