Kicking Off the Craft Show Season.

So begins the busy season for many crafters and artisans. The days that we truly get a good night's rest are gone....and left in its place are loooong days of either burning the midnight oil or getting up BEFORE the early bird. But sadly more often than not it is sometime a little of both! But with a little advanced planning the evening before (and the morning of) the big event can be a little less stressful. The following are some basic tips to follow to make things go a little easier:

1)Start a checklist during the week leading up the event. As you think of things you want to remember write it down and by the end of the week you'll be ahead of the game. Once you have done a few craft shows, you will have a pretty thorough list...now put it on a spreadsheet or on your computer and print it off every time you need to pack up for a show. Everything you need will be right at your fingertips!

2)BRING ENOUGH CHANGE! I cannot stress this enough! I usually keep my prices in $0.25 increments so I only have to have quarters in my change box....just seems to make life a lot simpler (in my opinion). I usually start my day with enough change so I can break a big bill....because, sadly, more often than not, when a customer says they will come back and make that purchase....they usually don't. So I don't want to chance losing a sale simply because I couldn't break that $50 or $100 bill.

3)Decorate your booth for the season! I know that that is already accomplished for some by simply displaying your craft...but for me.....soaps and lotions really can't be that festive. So I try to incorporate some holiday fabrics or some pine or holly sprigs. Just anything to get people in the holiday shopping spirit. This then also sorta ties in with my next tip: Cover Your Tables. I use inexpensive sheets in solid colors for my table coverings....and then it's easy to spruce it up with some festive holiday themed fabrics.

4) Other things to remember to bring: a chair (if necessary), pens, pencils, and scrap paper. Also:DON'T FORGET YOUR BUSINESS CARDS! If you can't afford to have some printed professionally....go to the store and pick up some blanks and print them up yourself OR....I believe Vistaprint offers 250 free business cards. You can search for them online.

I also recommend bringing a small cooler or lunchbox to bring a cold drink and something to snack on.

So those are some tips I have to offer.....and there are plenty I'm sure I've forgotten.....so let's hear what tips you've got to offer.

OH...one more thing! Don't forget to stop over to my FACEBOOK page, I'm having a giftbasket giveaway! You and another one of your facebook friends could each win a basket!

Christmas Giveaway

I'm having a Christmas Giveaway over at my Facebook fan page.....I'm giving away TWO gift baskets....so stop over, become a fan and enter to win!

Here's the link

Spring Is Coming...NEW GIVEAWAY!

Good Monday morning and welcome! I am so excited to be announcing a new giveaway. This awesome prize comes to you from Tickleworm! She recently contacted me and asked me to host a giveaway for her…..and I jumped at the opportunity (as I do love a good giveaway)! She has decided to give away this cute little pouch.
Doesn't it just remind you of springtime? It is the perfect size and will hold your coupons, eyeglasses….just about anything you want!

So first, let's get to know a little more about the woman behind Tickleworm. Rachel lives in Georgia with her husband and (almost) 3 year old son. Rachel claims she was bitten by the crafting bug when she made her first hand turkey back in elementary school! (LOL) She began her felt work in August 2008. The year previous, her hubby had gotten her a sewing machine and up until that point had never really used it. Then one day, she decided that today would be the day….she broke out the machine and from that point on there was no looking back! She recalls, at that point, she barely knew what she was doing! It had been awhile since 7th grade home economics!

Rachel initially joined the Etsy community in October 2007 only as a buyer. At that time she had hopes of one day opening her own shop. Selling what? Now, that she wasn't so sure. She liked to dabble in all sorts of crafts….jewelry, soaping, and sewing. So one short month after she broke out that sewing machine, she knew. In September of 2008, she opened Tickleworm….and the rest they say, is history!

Rachel especially enjoys finding new ways to reuse old materials…ways to repurpose an old skirt. She loves trying different colors and textures to see what works and what doesn’t. She gets many of her up-cycled items at Salvation Army, second-hand stores or Value City.

Her best seller, Rachel says, are the smaller pouches she makes. Especially the ones with owls or buttons. She says people love them, they have a ton of uses and they aren't terribly expensive. Rachel is excited to announce that she will soon be offering machine stitched flowers, using fabric, felt and buttons. She also recently added some DIY kits to her shop, and if they go over well; she will be adding more.

The best piece of promotional advice Rachel has to offer: The Forums. She likes to go in there and promote. She also promotes offline as well….in her neighborhood, family and friends. Rachel has also recently started using Twitter as a promotional tool as well… I tweet about new products and sales, www.twitter.com/rachelherzog.

Rachel has also been nice enough to offer a 10% discount to my readers. So when you make your purchase, just put "BLOG GIVEAWAY DISCOUNT" in notes to seller.

Ok…now what everyone has been waiting for…..the contest rules:

Once Again, this will be relatively simple to enter and you will get multiple chances to win:

1. The contest is open to EVERYONE EVERYWHERE! You don't even have to have an Etsy store to enter.

2. The contest will run until midnight Sunday May 24, 2009 (mountain time), with the winner being announced Monday, May 25, 2009. Winner will be picked randomly.

3. THIS IS AN IMPORTANT RULE: YOU MUST DO A COMMENT FOR EACH DIFFERENT ENTRY TO QUALIFY!

4. You must include in your post a way to contact you....email, Etsy shop address...something! If you do not include a way to contact you, your entry will not be counted.

ENTRY CHANCES:
1. You get one entry for going to Rachel's shop and telling us what your favorite item is and why.
2. You will get 2 entries for blogging about this giveaway, with a link back to here. So simply blog about it (first) then return to my blog and post a comment with the link to your blog. Post YOUR blog entry first and then the comment....I won't go back again and again to check...I will only check once...if it's not there....no entry
3. Since Rachel is offering a 10% discount, anyone that makes a purchase and then comes back here and posts their purchase will get 5 additional enteries!

So that's like 8 entry possibilites in all!

Up And Coming....

Well today is another market....three down only like, um....20 some to go! We had an awesome...well for an opening market, it was awesome but last week was the pits. So this week I have cut back on baking a little, so hopefully we will sell out this week and not have so much left over! So I am really excited and just wanted to let you in on what is coming up on Monday. I will be HOSTING my first ever giveaway! The shop has REALLY cute items...so look for it starting on Monday! Oh, and if anyone else would like me to host their giveaway...just let me know! I'd LOVE to do it!

Winners and Mother's Day Giveaway!

So first off...I'll congratulate Tonja at Woods Ole Homestead. She got it right on the money....way to go! And now for the body candle winner(chosen randomly).....drumroll please.....Elizabear at The Bear Bunch! Congrats way to go! And for my Facebook winners....I have notified you directly...so just let me know the scents you all would like and I'll get them in the mail to you.

So, now what you all have been waiting for...the Mother's Day Giveaway! So what will you mom be receiving.....one body candle, one bath bomb, 2 bars of soap, a lotion bar, a lip butter and a 4 oz tub of body polish! That's over a $25 value. Awesome! So entry into this giveaway is going to involve a little bit of work. Here's how you enter......................simply tell me why your mom/wife/daughter/granddaugther/sister/friend is such and awesome mom and why they deserve to win! I will hand pick the winner myself from all the enteries received. So just leave me a comment or, if you choose email me directly at themuddymoose@wildblue.net.

Contest open to US and Canadian residents only. Contest will end on May 3, 2009 at midnight (mountain time) winner will be annouced on Monday, May 4, 2009. I will mail the gift directly to the winning mom, if you so choose, provided they are a resident of the US or Canada. You can enter more than once but each entry must include the name of the person being entered and their relationship to you. For example....I am writing to enter Cindy, she is my Aunt.....

So tell me your funny, touching, most memorable mom story....and good luck!

Current Giveaways Going On!

Like many of you already know...I love giveaways! I love to host 'em, I love to run 'em....I LOVE everything about them! So I decided to a post on some current giveaways going on!

The first one I want to mention is going on at Old But New. She has a fun giveaway going on right now, called Guilty Pleasures Giveaway. Very simple to enter...if you dare to confess YOUR guilty pleasure! The prize is your choice of one item from the sale section in her shop! Better hurry because this one ends on April 22nd!

The next blog, Caitlinesque, is having her VERY FIRST giveaway. This contest is super easy to enter as well! PLUS if you win, the prize is you get to choose one item from her lovely shop.

Nature Manipulated has a great giveaway going on at her blog. You have the opportunity to win this Munk Critter Bluefly. Be sure to stop over to her blog for all the details!

My friend, Tori, over at The Sweet Jellybean, is also hosting a giveaway...it's an awesome board game! Be sure to stop HERE to enter this great giveaway!

Now, last but certainly not least, my friend, Audrey, over at Audrey's Country Crafts is having her Birthday Giveaway! Be sure to stop HERE for all the details. I have donated some of my items for this giveaway too! So stop over, enter to win and be sure to wish her a happy birthday while you're there!

New Giveaway: New Body Candle Scents!

(sorry for using the old pictures, but have been working overtime and didn't get a chance to take pics with the new labels)
What a better way to kick of a new work week than with another great giveaway! In honor of the release of my new Body Candle scents...I thought I would give them away!
The new scents are Sandalwood Vanilla, Black Tea and Roses, Vanilla Oak and Spa Tranquility. So new scents, new name and new lables...what more could you want?

Never heard of a Body Candle? Well, you don't know what you are missing! These "candles" are chocked full with loads of skin loving oils. They contain shea butter, cocoa buter, avocado oil and soy wax. They are so simple to use. Light your Body Candle and allow all those wonderful oils melt. Once you have enough oil, extinguish the flame and pour the melted oils into your hand. Rub into your parched, dry skin. Enjoy alone or with someone special. Pure bliss (even if I do say so myself). The oils will be a bit greasy at first to allow for you to massage those dry areas, but will quickly absorb into your skin. So now on with the giveaway.

Once Again, this will be relatively simple to enter and you will get multiple chances to win, ok here are the rules:

1. The contest is open to EVERYONE EVERYWHERE! You don't even have to have an etsy store to enter.

2. The contest will run until midnight Sunday April 26, 2009 (mountain time), with the winner being announced Monday, April 27, 2009. Winners will be picked randomly.

3. THIS IS AN IMPORTANT RULE: YOU MUST DO A COMMENT FOR EACH DIFFERENT ENTRY TO QUALIFY!

4. You must include in your post a way to contact you....email, etsy shop address...something! If you do not include a way to contact you, your entry will not be counted.


ENTRY CHANCES:
1. You get one for simply following me! (please post a comment to say that you are following me)
2. You get one entry for commenting about my shop..your fave from my shop, something you want to see, something I need to change, ect!
3. You will get 2 entries for grabbing my button and posting it on your blog. Please post that you have my button and the link to where it is.
4. You will get 2 entries for blogging about my giveaway, with a link back to here. So simply blog about it (first) then return to my blog and post a comment with the link to your blog. Post YOUR blog entry first and then the comment....I won't go back again and again to check...I will only check once...if it's not there....no entry.

There will only be one winner that will get their choice of scent! So get going...enter! Tell your friends!

Oh I almost forgot...the picture from "Scenic Sunday" was from Yellowstone National Park. Congrats to my mom who guessed correctly!

Scenic Sunday...

So in honor of not blogging on Sundays...(um, ok, sorta)...I thought I would share one of Mr, Moose's many pictures! If anyone can guess where this picture was taken....something a little more specific than (for example) the state of Washington...will get a prize (nothing GRAND...so don't get too excited)!

So go ahead and post your guesses in the comments...if there are multiple people with correct guesses, I will randomly draw from them.

What Have Been Up To?

Well aside from not being a very productive blogger. I have been experimenting with all sorts of scrub formulas! This is the part of the bath and body business that I love. I guess that is the chemist in me(I have a minor in chemistry. No, seriously, I do). Creamsicle Body Polish, Chocolate Truffle Scrub and Cinnamon Swirl Coffee Scrub as well as your basic Brown Sugar Scrub. I am also still formulating a foot scrub.

So the next step on the road to releasing these products is to get some feedback from the public. The way I am going about that is I have formed a Facebook group. By joining, members are the first to get to try out new products and also get exclusive offers as well. So if you are on Facebook, just go to groups and search for The Muddy Moose Bath Boutique and join...that simple. I have also been busy making my new massage candle scents...OOPS I mean Body Candles: Black Tea and Roses, Spa Tranquility and Sandalwood Vanilla. In honor of their release, I plan on doing a giveaway starting next week...so stay tuned for that!

This and That Randomness...

Please don't forget to enter my "Very Vegan Giveaway" that is ending today. Open to everyone, everywhere!

Also, I have gotten in some new scents for massage candles that I am anxiously awaiting to try out: Black Tea & Roses, Spa Sea Salt (which I WILL be renaming) it is a very light, clean spa scent...very nice, and last but certainly not least, sandalwood vanilla. So be on the look out for these new scents coming soon.

Also, I hope to be listing my soy candles soon. You know, making candles is not as easy as it looks...it takes a lot to get things just right! I have been playing around with them and are finally happy enough to offer them for sale!

And I have been making soap like a mad woman....be on the look out for my gardners soap with pumice and doggie soap, too!

Contest addiction!!

Ok, so it's no secret that I LOVE to have contests and giveaways! So please don't forget to enter the one I have going on right now. BUT....be sure to check back in tomorrow....I will be announcing ANOTHER awesome contest/giveaway that I am involved with. I am not hosting it, but I promise you it will be loads of fun AND you get to explore lots and lots of awesome shops....so...I'll see ya tomorrow....same time, same place! Have a great day!

New Giveaway And Contest Winner Announced.

So the winner of the St Patty's Day Contest is Elaine Rosser! Congrats!! She receives a $10 gift certificate for my shop. The winner was chosen from a pool of correct answers (the most anyone had right was 2!). So the anwers to the quiz were as follows

1. A
2. B
3. B
4. A
5. C

Now here's the next exciting giveaway! In honor of launching the new vegan line...it's going to be a "Very Vegan Giveaway"! There will be one winner. The prize for this great contest will be as follows: 1 vegan lemongrass soap, both vegan solid lotion bars, and all three vegan lip butters! AWESOME PRIZES (if I don't say so myself)!!

Once Again, this will be relatively simple to enter and you will get multiple chances to win, ok here are the rules:

1. The contest is open to EVERYONE EVERYWHERE! You don't even have to have an etsy store to enter.

2. The contest will run until midnight Sunday March 29, 2009 (mountain time), with the winner being announced Monday, March 30, 2009. Winners will be picked randomly.

3. THIS IS AN IMPORTANT RULE: YOU MUST DO A COMMENT FOR EACH DIFFERENT ENTRY TO QUALIFY!

4. You must include in your post a way to contact you....email, etsy shop address...something! If you do not include a way to contact you, your entry will not be counted.


ENTRY CHANCES:
1. You get one for simply following me! (please do post a comment that you are following me)
2. You get one entry for commenting about my shop..your fave from my shop, ect!
3. You will get 5 entries for grabbing my button and posting it on your blog. Please post that you have my button and the link to where it is.
4. You will get 5 entries for blogging about my giveaway, with a link back to here. So simply blog about it (first) then return to my blog and post a comment with the link to your blog. Post YOUR blog entry first and then the comment....I won't go back again and again to check...I will only check once...if it's not there....no entry.


SO GO....NOW!! AND ENTER! TELL YOUR FRIENDS!!

St. Patrick's Day Quiz Contest & Giveaway

So in honor of St Patrick's Day, I thought I would run a tiny little contest to see who knows the most about this fun "holiday". The person who has the most answers right, will win a $10 "Gift Certificate" from my shop. In the event that there are more than one winner, all the correct answers will be put into a hat and then the name drawn from that pool. To answer the questions, you will need to send me a convo in my etsy shop, or email me at themuddymoose@wildblue.net just put the number and then your answer. The contest will run until midnight Sunday, March 22, with the winner being announced on Monday. There are only 5 questions, so you're getting paid like $2 per correct answer! Ok, here ya go......

1. St. Patrick's Day is celebrated to commemorate which of the following events?
A. The day of his death
B. The day he was born
C. The day he drove the snakes out of Ireland

2. In Ireland, what does the color green stand for?
A. Spring
B. Hope
C. Countryside

3. What is a shillelagh?
A. A Wooden Pipe
B. A Short, Stout Oak Club
C. A Leprechaun's Outfit

4. What is cured by kissing The Blarney Stone?
A. Shyness
B. Lovesickness
C. Bad Luck

5. What does "Erin Go Braugh"mean?
A. Luck Of The Irish
B. Happy St. Patrick's Day
C. Ireland Forever.

Good Luck and Happy St. Patrick's Day