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!

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,

Tank dresses—a build-a-dress funpalooza!

These adorable dresses are so simple and fun for summer. Last summer, a few of my daughter's friends and their mom's got together to enjoy a free concert at Market Street. The Woodlands Market Street is an open air shopping center, located adjacent to The Woodlands. We picnic, drink wine, listen to great music, and watch our children run around enjoying the freedom of no boundaries, no real rules, and they can laugh, and giggle, and scream in little girl screams without any stern looks from the adults. This particular evening, I brought Silly Nilly dresses to do a photo shoot. I never posted these pictures because a week later I took them to a show and all 30 of them sold within an hour of the show. A sign that these are very popular summer dresses.

Well, we are going to make them again this summer. The only difference is, you can choose from our premade fabric combinations or you can design the dress yourself. I will post combinations of fabric, shirt choices, and silhouette choices. It's like a "build-a-dress" funpalooza!

Fabric choices will be posted this week. Check our Facebook page for details.

I can't wait to work with all of you. I am super-excited about this project.

Thank you for supporting all things handmade,

Meet Ellie—our first model profile!

VIEW OUR EASTER PHOTO GALLERY TO SEE MORE PHOTOS OF ELLIE!

Our first model profile and I couldn't have started with a sweeter little girl. She is 5 years old. I can't say enough good things about this little girl. She is my new neighbor and she is a delight (actually, her entire family is awesome!). She took the most perfect pictures and I didn't have to coach her at all. Her beauty and personality came through in every single shot.

I sent a little questionaire to her mom and these were Ellie's answers.

1. If you could pick any name for your own, what would it be?
"Sarah because it's cute"

2. What would you like to be when you grow up and why?
"A Mom. So I can stay home and come visit you a lot."

3. What accessory makes you feel beautiful? (lip gloss, earrings, shoes, sparkly stuff, a smile...)
"Lip gloss because it makes your lips smell pretty."

4. Do you have a favorite baby doll or stuffed animal? What is their name?
"My American Girl Doll, she looks just like me and her name is Sally."

5. Who is your favorite person in your family?
"Gavin, Daddy, and Mommy. Not Hadley because she always fights me in the bathtub."

6. What is your most favorite thing to do for fun? 
"Of Course it's playing with my friends"

I also had mom, write a short, descriptive paragraph describing her sweet daughter. I find such beauty in a parent's description of their child. This one is no exception.

Ellie was a dream come true. I always wanted a daughter and she was my first. She is such a sweet girl with an incredibly big heart. She is very compassionate and loves to make people feel good. She is the entertainer in the family. She loves to sing, dance, and put on a show. Her big eyes and smile always light up a room. And we can't imagine our lives without her. She is such a blessing to us!

Thank you to the Morgan family for letting us have your daughter for the morning. She was perfect. For more pictures of our photoshoot, go to the Easter gallery.

Blue Easter Bunny A-line jumper can be purchased on ETSY.  All outfits are 100% pique cotton and machine washable. This A-line dress is fully lined. The nose is a cute black pom pom. The dress can also be made in the pink bunny fabric as well.

Available in sizes 3 months to 8 years. The dress can also be made into a shirt with gingham pants for the older girls.

Find us on Facebook for sneak peaks of our designs before they are listed.

Have a Silly Nilly Day! Thank you!

about "Meet our models"

Last year, I posted on our facebook page that I was looking for models. I was overwhelmed with the response. So much so, that I put them all in a folder and fretted on what to do. I use my children a lot. It is easy for me. I can dress them, take them to a location, and take pictures. If the pictures don't turn out, then I have only wasted my time. I am not a professional photographer. Once I get the pictures home, there is a lot of editing that occurs to make them somewhat presentable. We can't afford a professional photographer so it is left to me. Anyway, I got so many cuties that my goal this year was to use as many as I could. That may sound like a silly goal, but it is big for me. It means that I have to be organized, scout locations, and try desperatly not to disappoint anyone who is so excited to be in a photo shoot. It still has to be fun for the kids. My stress can't ruin their fun. So, I scheduled a shoot with 4 little girls—two of my own and two friend's children. I didn't go to my master list of volunteers. I still got a little freaked by that, so I used my adorable neighbor, Ellie. But, hey, it is a big step for me, I used other children for the shoot. That counts, right?

I decided to do model profiles this year with the girls (and sometimes) boys that I shoot. They camera captures their adorable smiles and sometimes their quirky little habits, but it can't capture their sweet personality and charm. Our first model profile is Ellie. I will post her stoy once all the pics are edited. I can't wait for you to meet her.