Handmade Halloween Costume Contest

Our first ever Halloween Costume contest! We wanted to have a place to brag about all the handmade items that are made by you. We brag about ourselves enough, we want to see your talent. Now, don't fret. Your items don't have to be as meticulous to detail as the ones SN designs and creates (my mom, Gamie, is amazing!). Get creative. Non-traditional items can be used: duct tape, iron-in tape, rope, cardboard, spray paint...we just want anything that is handmade! No store bought costume photos will be displayed in the album for voting.

Email your photos to sillynillydesigns@me.com by NOVEMBER 2, 2012 by midnight (CST).

I will post an album on our Facebook page then the voting will begin. Invite all your family and friends to vote, share the album on your page, send personal messages to your fb friends asking for their help...that is, if you want to win :)

I will have multiple categories for best, cutest, most creative (you decide what is important in a winner) handmade costume:

1. Overall winner (by votes on FB)
2. Winner in infant, newborn to toddler (2 years old)
3. Winner in toddler and child, 3 yrs and above
4. SN Studio favorite, if it is different from the overall winner

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STILL WANT TO WIN but don't have a costume to enter. Great! Become a grassroots marketer for us and you could win. One winner will be chosen from the final list of marketers who receives the most points for spreading the word. Here's the plan:

1. If you have a blog, email me and I will give you a graphic to post with a link back to the contest rules (5 point awarded).

2. On the graphic on Facebook, share the link and write shared in the comments below. (1 point awarded)

3. Go to The Silly Nilly Studio etsy page. In the comments below on this blog, write your favorite design or a party theme you'd like to see in the shop (2 points awarded).

4. Email us with 10 of your friend's email addresses and I will add them to our e-newsletter. Please make sure the addresses you send us are actually interested in children's clothing and stationary, printables, cards, invitations, etc. (10 points awarded).

5. Pin it! to your Pinterest page. Share the link to your Pinterest page in the comments below so we can check out your pins! (5 points awarded).

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 OVERALL WINNER/INFANT WINNER/TODDLER AND CHILD WINNER
3 WINNERS TOTAL, ONE FOR EACH CATEGORY!!! PLUS A SN FAVORITE WINNER!
$50 gift certificate to the Silly Nilly Kids shop or to The Silly Nilly Studio.
$10 in accessories (bows, headbands, or flower pins)
Personalized, custom-designed stationary TEMPLATE for easy printing from the studio ($30 value)
Christmas gift tags template for easy printing ($8 value)

GRASSROOTS MARKETER WINNER
All of the items above
Free shipping for a year when ordering from either shop
20% off entire order placed on ONE future order

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That's some good stuff, huh? I can't wait to see all of your handmade costumes!

Have a Silly Nilly Day and a safe night of trick-o-treating!

Many thanks,

P.S. If we have any East Coast followers, our hearts go out to the many people who have lost their lives in this terrible hurricane and also to those who continue to suffer through the consequences of this historic storm. Silly Nilly has been through numerous hurricanes in the Gulf Coast so we are sympathetic to your fears and needs. Stay Safe!!

*one winner per family only!

The girl who changed my life is now seven years old!

RAINBOW PARTY, part 1:

My daughter, Analise is seven years old. I just can't believe this. I remember the night before her first birthday I was rocking her to sleep in her room. I was singing and talking to her. By the time she was asleep, I was crying. I couldn't believe how fast my time with her was flying past me. I was trying to sneak out of her room and into the bathroom to tidy up my face before my husband saw me, but as luck would have it, he was standing in the hall outside the room. He asked me what was wrong and I lost it. I was sobbing. I told him I only had 17 more years with her and was sad that the first one went so quickly. He, of course, giggled and thought I was cute but there really wasn't anything cute about it. I was serious. These beautiful little creature miraculously flutter into your life and then before you know it they've grown up and they aren't your little snuggle-bunny any longer.

So now she is seven. I'm handling the birthday's a little better. I've convinced her that when she comes home from college that she has to sleep with me at least one night so we can snuggle. She smiles, hugs me, and says, "absolutely." What she doesn't realize is I plan on buying a house in her college town so a few of her girlfriends can live with her and I will be the house momma. Just kidding! I'm not that obsessive about my kiddos, but that does sound like a great idea.

I wanted to share her birthday theme with you. I let her pick the theme each year and she helps with the decorations. We love planning parties with each other and I'm always impressed because she comes up with great ideas.

Happy 7th birthday my sweet girl!

be only briefly envious of a 3 year olds imagination then be grateful that you were given a glimpse!

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I have a 3.5 year old named Lexie. I also have an almost 7 year old (one week away), Analise. When Analise was the exact same age as Lexie is now, Lexie was born. I didn't think I could love another child as much as I loved Analise. I loved everything about her. She had a bigger than life personality that demanded attention (she still does), she had a sense of humor, she was inquisitive about everything, she was already a planner and even tried to keep her daddy organized (none of us have conquered that feat yet), and she was so lovable and cuddly. Then came along Lexie. As I stared down at her sweet, quiet little face I started to worry that she would be super shy.

I remember finally telling my mom that I was worried that Lexie would not have such a big personality like Analise. I worried that she would always be overshadowed by her big sister. Well, if the Gods of Fate were listening, they got a huge chuckle out of that one. Analise and Lexie have the exact outgoing, independent, full of sass personality and I think I'm in a world of trouble when they are both teenagers.

Here are a few pics showing Lexie's personality at our latest photo shoot. You will agree that she is a mess (but I wouldn't change it for the world). And by the way, I'm not sure how it works, but God and/or Mother Nature have a way of letting a mother love their children equally and with every ounce of your heart. I am so blessed.

 

This dress is one of the most versatile and the best buy for your budget. The dress shown is a size 2. Lexie is 3.5 years old so the dress is a little shorter than normal. No problem, we added a pair of capri pants and this will be the second summer she is able to wear the outfit. That's what I'm talkin' about...more bang for your buck!

The dress is made of 100% "year round" combed cotton Interlock and sewn with cotton thread. Rolled and stitched down neckline. Sleeves and dress bottom edge are scalloped and it is soft and cozy!

Visit our ETSY shop for more information on how to purchase the dress or email Jennifer if you have any quesitons.

Thank you for supporting all things handmade.

Have a Silly Nilly Day,

One reason I love working from home!

During the school year my oldest, Analise is away building her "girl brain power." That gives me an opportunity to enjoy my youngest, Lexie who is three. When I am supposed to be on my computer designing I sometimes find myself sitting and watching her. She usually is in my work space so I can listen or see her little imagination flowing freely for me to steal little moments of bliss.

Recently, she has been taking my forms and has me dress them in our sample attire. The most precious thing is that they HAVE to be refered to in their proper gender. If they are wearing a dress, then they are a girl, if they are dressed in blue, then they are the boys. She carries all six of them around from room to room talking to each one. Sometimes she explains the rules of the house, other times she is playing school and they are her students. Occasionally, they get to line up in front of the TV to watch cartoons. Once, one of the boys did something wrong and had to sit in the timeout chair. :) It is a memory I hope will never leave me.

This particular day, I couldn't stand it any longer and had to capture some photos. Don't they just make your heart melt?

After they watched tv they were allowed to go on a field trip (to the front porch!)

She has been doing this "pretend friends" for about five months. If I try to put them in the closet she quietly sneaks them out one at a time until the entire gang is back together again. Needless to say, they are always positioned around my house in the most peculiar places. I sometimes wonder what my neighbors think ;)

 

This is our Avery dress. We have short sleeve dresses ($32.99), long sleeve dresses ($35.99). In the cooler weather I even pair it with a single ruffle pant that matches the letters on the dress ($64.99). The dress comes in a variety of colors. We currently have white, bright pink, teal, sunflower yellow, and pale pink. Check out our ETSY site for information on how to purchase this dress or send me a message. We can custom design one for you. They make excellent birthday dresses.

One of the most fabulous things about this dress is you can wear if for a few years. Once it starts getting too short, just pair it with a pair of ruffle pants and wear it like a shirt. A great value!

Thank you for supporting all things handmade.

Have a Silly Nilly Day,

If you don't ask, you'll never know!

I've recently had numerous emails asking for discounts, free merchandise, even sample sales. I have to admire the directness of these requests. I have a hard time telling the cashier in a store when something doesn't ring up for the correct price so I would never email a company with such confindence to ask for a discount. It reminds me of the saying, "if you don't ask, you'll never know."

So I decided to play along. Yes, we have discounts, free stuff, and contests for you to enjoy.

1. FACEBOOK PHOTOS-This is quite simply the easiest way to get a discount and not any discount, a 20% discount on one item in your next order. All you have to do is post a photo* of your little cutie on our facebook page. I also use these photos in my marketing so you could see them on our blog (like here) or in my email marketing (like this). *One discount per outfit, if you post 4 pics of the same outfit you still receive only 20% off one item in your next order.

2. NEW! REFERRAL PROGRAM-For every 5 friends you refer to SND who make a purchase, large or small, you will receive a $10 credit. This adds up quickly. We recently had a mom receive two matching dresses for her girls for FREE because of all her referrals. Make sure you tell your friends to let us know that you sent them when they check out. Email us and we can sign you up for this program. We will even do an email marketing campaign and a postcard campaign that will go directly to your friends if you are interested.

3. HOST A SHOW-We have two types of shows. The easiest is an online/virtual show. You will email me your list of friend's email address and their physical address. I will send them information on how to participate. You will send reminders and ask them to go online and shop. You will receive 10% CASH from all items sold regardless of show minimum OR $25 credit per $200 in clothing sold to purchase your own outfits.

**The biggest reward and the most fun is to HOST A HOME/TRUNK SHOW. I will do home shows in The Woodlands, Texas or surrounding areas and Baton Rouge, Louisiana and surrounding areas. I bring sample outfits, all of our patterns, fabric choices, and accessories. The fun part of this show is your friends will get to design their own outfit with a little help from me. They could walk away with a one-of-a-kind outfit. How cool is that? You will receive 20% CASH from all items sold regardless of show minimum OR $50 credit per $200 in clothing sold to purchase your own outfits. You will also receive a free accessory just for hosting a home show.

4. FUNDRAISERS-We also do fundraisers with child care centers and schools. We send postcards to the center or school to hand out. For every purchase made using a special code, 10% will be donated.

5. GIVEAWAYS-Once a month, just for fun, I will have a contest on facebook for the most referrals. I will give a SND item away or an item from one of my favorite mom business.

So, let's celebrate the joy of today and all the bonuses you will receive from Silly Nilly Designs.

Thank you for supporting all things handmade,