Mustard Yellow Lace and Felt Flower Clip - Precocious Paper

When people meet my little girl, the first thing they usually say is, "Look at all that curly hair!" She does have quite a bit of hair, although I wish the sides and back would catch up ;). The next question is sometimes, "Did you dye it ombre?" Of course I didn't, but she was born with very dark hair and it is now growing in bright blond. Her ombre is totally natural.

The next comment is usually about her pretty blue eyes, but then the conversation generally returns to her hair. Well, her hair clips and head bands, that is. I'm often asked if I make them myself, and the answer is almost always yes! I've been dying for years to make my flowers into headbands for a daughter of my own. Nearly every outfit has its own hair accessory. Adlyn wore this flower clip with her new vintage dress this past Sunday to church.

I have been selling these Lace and Felt flowers in my shop for several years now. This color, though, is one of the new colors I'll be offering soon. I love a pretty mustard yellow!

While I generally sell the flower appliques on their own, I do accept requests to make custom headbands and hair clips with them. For this clip, I secured the Lace and Felt flower to an alligator clip lined with a no-slip grip. I added felt leaves and finished the back of the clip with a circle of the same mustard yellow felt for comfort and a clean look.

I think the size is perfect. At just about 2.5 inches across (not including the leaves), the flower is just big enough to get noticed, but not so big that it overwhelms her pretty little head. And Addie is petite. She is 7 months old, but only in the 5th percentile for weight. She may look like her brothers, but she's a mini version ;).

If you are interested in any Lace and Felt flowers, or custom headbands or clips, please visit my shop, Precocious Paper, and let me know. I'd love to help accessorize your little one! Have a great day! Tessa

SMASH Sunday - Cheap Thrills + a Sale

Hello and happy Sunday! Today I am sharing from my blue retro portfolio. Last time I shared from this book, I wasn't sure which direction it was going in. Now, I know. This is going to be my hubby & me selfie book. I think this will be a great way to collect all of our date nights and us moments in one place. So, for the second set of pages in this book, here we go:

We took this photo at the Train concert that we went to last summer. I already scrapbooked a layout about it here, but I had an extra print of our selfie and this purple-pink page was perfect for it. I used lots of Heidi Swapp goodies from my Scrapbook Circle May kits - acetate tickets, acetate butterflies, glitter heart polaroid frame, acetate hearts.

One of my favorite details is the glassine envelope filled with sequins. I wanted some sparkle, but I wanted it to be muted like the bokeh paper on the right. Plus, it's fun to tip the book and watch the sequins move around.

I picked up some Project Life mini kits and this "admit one" card is my first Project Life addition to my SMASH books. I love the variety of cards and I'm sure I'll use them often.

Mini staples are my favorite way to attach acetate pieces. Just be sure you don't staple through too many pages of your SMASH book ;).

Oh yes, I mentioned a sale in my post title! Before the baby arrived, I turned my scrapbook room into a nursery. One wall is an Expedit unit from Ikea and that now houses almost all of my supplies (I kept the closet for my scrappy stuff, too). Now that I've had some time to experiment with how I store my supplies in the Expedit, I've decided to only have on hand what will fit, and that will help me keep my stash down to what I am likely to actually use ;).

So, I pulled a lot of great stuff from my shelves and have listed it in my Etsy shop, Precocious Paper. Almost everything is brand new, still in its package. You'll find alphabets, stickers, stamps, embellishments, tags, journaling cards, etc. Leftovers from Studio Calico and Scrapbook Circle kits. Extras from manufacturer exchange projects. I also put together some great SMASH kits, filled with die-cuts, pocket cards, journaling spots and more from a huge variety of manufacturers and lines, all ready for your smashing pleasure.

You can find all of these goodies in the "destash" section of my shop here. Every fifth item from the "destash" section is free (refund via PayPal within 24 hours). AND, just for you lovely readers, use code SMASHSUNDAY to receive an additional 10% off of the already discounted prices (and everything else in the shop, too).

Happy shopping, and thanks for stopping by for another SMASH Sunday! Tessa

Etsy Update - Winged Things Collection

I have a new collection of paper crafting embellishments and felt and fabric flowers up in the shop today. Winged Things comes in a palette of coral, navy, aqua and yellow, with neutrals black, white and cork. Butterflies and birds are the main motifs, and the patterns include stripes, florals and polka dots:

If you use code ADLYN10 during checkout, you will receive 10% off of your order. Being my first collection back from maternity leave, quantities are limited. Find the entire Winged Things Collection here. Happy shopping and creating! Tessa

Attitude of Gratitude 2013 - Day 1

I am grateful for the privilege I have to bring children into this world.

As I woke up with pregnancy aches and pains, feeling like I must not have slept because I was still so tired, I chastised myself and remembered - be grateful that you can actually do this. This print, pinned here and found for purchase on Etsy here, is something I think I could use in my bedroom.

Honestly, I do not really enjoy being pregnant. Sometimes I have to remind myself that rather than complain about my temporary discomforts and challenges, I need to be grateful that carrying this baby is possible. I am. I am grateful that I can hear her heartbeat. I am grateful that I can feel her kick and stretch and - I swear, she does this - do cartwheels. I am grateful to know that she is growing well. And, even though I'm so excited for her to arrive in January, I am grateful for 13 more weeks to get ready!

Are you celebrating gratitude this month? I'd love to know how! Feel free to link me up in the comments. I'll be continuing my Attitude of Gratitude posts here and on Facebook, as well as joining in with Paper Issues on instagram. I'll be sharing projects throughout the month, too. Thanks for stopping by, and happy November! Tessa

Hello, September - and Baby!

Hello, September! Ahhh, I feel like I've finally reached a point where I can breathe better, think better, feel better. If we aren't Facebook or instagram friends, I have some news for you. I'm expecting! And you see, the summer months ended up being a complete blur of morning-turned-all-day-sickness, spirit-crushing-headaches, and creativity-destroying-fatigue. I am absolutely thrilled to be pregnant, especially after our loss earlier this year - don't get me wrong. It's just that this time around has been the hardest. I suspect that being pregnant for the fifth time might have something to do with it. Plus, there's the fact that it's harder to have babies at 32 than 21. However, I think the real kicker was summer. I've never been pregnant over a summer, and the heat really took it out of me. To the point where medications were involved. But, it's just about fall now, and after the gloriously rainy Labor Day we just had, I calling it safe to say that summer is basically over. Whatever the season, I'm starting to feel more functional, and that makes me very happy.

Today, we find out the sex of the baby! So what do you think? We have three boys. Will we get a girl? When I was pregnant with my first son, I did the pin on the end of a string thing and that said I would have four kids - three boys followed by a girl. Right so far! I don't know, though. I think it's a boy. My hubby is leaning toward a boy. My doctor thinks it's a boy. Everyone else is hoping for a girl, especially Jaxon, our youngest. He said that if it's not a girl, he's calling Jesus to rectify the situation. :)

Just for fun, let's take a vote. Leave a comment here about what you think - boy or girl. I'll randomly select an answer, wrong or right, to win some goodies from my shop. We are revealing the gender on Sunday to our boys and close family, so I'll let you know (the sex and winner) on Monday.

And speaking of my shop, to make room for fall and winter things, I have all of my Samplers, as well as some Sweet Spots, on sale at a great discount! Shop here.

Thanks for stopping by and not giving up on this little blog after a 3-month long hiatus ;). Have a great day! Tessa

Wild Child - DCWV and {a flair for buttons}

Happy Friday! I had the chance to play with my Neon Chic stack by DCWV recently.

This stack is full of bright colors, tulle, lace and paint splatters - kind of a girlie stack, if you ask me. Perfect for some of my dance routines, I think. However, I was bound and determined to make it work for my boys, and this is the result:

How cute is this kid?! That look - I just roll my eyes and melt! He is such a ham (unless strangers are around - then he's the most shy kid you've ever seen).

I love this font - Soymilk. It's one of my new faves to cut on my Silhouette Cameo.

My favorite part about the layout is this flair, from {a flair for buttons}. I love the stars!

You can find that particular set here. And when you check out, be sure to use coupon code HAPPYBDAY49 for free shipping within the US! Shelley is celebrating her birthday this weekend with this special savings :).

Happy birthday, Shelley! Thanks for stopping by! Tessa

Wrap it Up Wednesday - Cupcake Poppies and Washi Tape

Hello and welcome to my last installment of Wrap it Up Wednesday :). I created today's gift wrap for my mother-in-law for her birthday gift. I had fun with this one because it features a new product for my Etsy shop - Luxe Cupcake Poppies.

I was making a batch of these new flowers and my mother-in-law stopped by. She saw them and commented that she thought they were pretty, so of course I had to adorn her gift with one! This is the pink bloom.

I wrapped her present in kraft paper (what else? You know I love it!), then dolled up the paper with washi tape. This coral and gold metallic quatrefoil tape is by K and Company for their SMASH line. It's my new favorite tape. I layered it with a yellow polka dot.

So, would you like to know what's inside? I'll share soon! Have a great day! Tessa

Etsy-versary Celebration - Giveaway Winners

Did you win? Let's see...

went to...

who graciously declined the prize due to her large SMASH stash, so the next gal in line was:

went to...

who is the lovely...

went to...

who is the lovely...

went to...

who is the lovely...

went to...

who is the lovely...

Winners, please contact me at precociouspaper (at) yahoo (dot) com. If you won a physical prize, please send me your mailing address. If you won the shop credit, just send me a list of goodies when you are ready and I will set up a listing for you in the shop.

Thank you all for your support! This has been a really fun week :). Don't forget - the sale is on through Sunday. Every fifth item is free and code 5YEARS will take 5% off of your entire order.

Have a great day! Tessa

Etsy-versary Celebration - Giveaway #5

Happy Birthday, Precocious Paper! I can't believe my baby is five years old today :). In celebration, today's giveaway is...

To enter, leave a comment on this post. Comments are only open through today, and winners for all the giveaways will be announced tomorrow.

Thank you for your orders and support! I have had so much fun celebrating this week. The giveaways may end tonight, but the sale continues through Sunday. Every fifth item is free, and use coupon code 5YEARS to receive 5% off of your entire order.

If you've been missing the scrappy content here on the blog this week, don't worry. I'll be back a little later today with a new layout for DCWV.

Have a fantastic day! Tessa

Etsy-versary Celebration - Giveaway #4

Hello, hello! Today I have a giveaway that I really put my heart into. If you've been following Precocious Paper for some time, you know I have an affinity for making yarn wreaths. I have a new one for my front door every month :). Today, I am giving away one I made just for one of you!

This is a large, 14 inch wreath. I based the color palette on my Sunday Best sampler, available here. Wouldn't this look pretty on your front door for Spring? If you'd like to win, just leave a comment below. Comments are open through Thursday and a winner will be announced Friday.

Don't forget about the Precocious Paper sale! I know many, many of you haven't ;). Thanks for keeping me busy! But if you haven't heard, every fifth item you purchase is free and on top of that, you can use coupon code 5YEARS to get 5% off of your total. Shop here.

Thanks for stopping by today! Enjoy your Wednesday :). Tessa

Etsy-versary Celebration - Giveaway #3

Happy Tuesday! As I sit here at my laptop with my planner (yes, I still use a paper and pen planner), I can't help but feel giddy about all of the dates lined up so nice and neat. Having everything as organized as possible, at least on paper, brings me a sense of calm. That doesn't mean my days ever go as planned, but having some goals and deadlines in place certainly helps. If you are a fan of calendars like me, you will love today's giveaway:

First, a magnetic calendar kit by SEI! The calendar has a blank, re-usable surface and it attaches to your fridge (or any other magnetic spot). You can slip in a background to dress up the calendar, and the kit comes with enough paper and embellishments to make a background for every month of the year. I love that this calendar is essentially perpetual. You could re-use it year after year.

Also, I'm including a brand new stamp set from Technique Tuesday! I actually won this stamp set at CHA from their booth. Teri Anderson pulled my business card during a drawing ;). Even though the sentiments speak to my calendar-loving heart, I'm not much of a stamper, and this set looks like something someone who does Project Life would get more use out of. So, instead of hoarding a great set of stamps that I may not use, I'd love to pass it along to someone who will use it :).

To enter to win, simply leave a comment on this post. Don't forget to enter Sunday's and Monday's giveaways, too! You have through Thursday to enter and winners will be announced on Friday.

Don't forget about the sale going on at Precocious Paper, too! Every fifth item is free, and you also receive 5% off your entire purchase with coupon code 5YEARS.

Thanks for stopping by today and for celebrating Precocious Paper's 5th birthday with me! Tessa

Etsy-versary Celebration - Giveaway #2

Hello all! I was so busy working in my studio this morning that I almost forgot to post today's giveaway. If you love paper, this one is for you!

Two patterned paper stacks by DCWV! You've seen me putting Dear Jane to use on this layout and this card. I love the Victorian feel and book theme :). I haven't had a chance to work with Collage Art yet, but the colors and designs have me yearning for spring! These are two brand new stacks (not my leftover sheets, mind you), and they could be yours for just leaving a comment.

Comments are open through Thursday, February 28th. Winners (of all the giveaways) will be announced Friday. Be sure to enter yesterday's giveaway as well.

Don't forget about the sale going on, too! Every fifth item you purchase is free, plus use coupon code 5YEARS to get 5% off of your entire order. See details in the shop announcement here.

Have a great start to your week! Tessa

SMASH Sunday + Etsy-versary Giveaway!

Hello, hello! It's time for another installment of SMASH Sunday, as well as time to start my 5th Etsy-versary celebration! First, today's SMASH pages:

I wanted to create these pages around the theme of Valentine's Day, plus the note card in the top right was inspiring my color palette. My journaling ties it all into my One Little Word - best. As the Elle's Studio tags say, the best things in life...are the people we love. This page spread is all about giving those relationships my best effort.

The picture on the left was a picture I made for my sisters' Valentines, and the candy wrapper is from a package of chocolates that the hubby and I shared one night after the boys went to bed :).

On the right, inside the note card, I related those stories.

As always, you can find more photos of my SMASH pages in my flickr photostream here. Now, are you ready for some sale and giveaway details?

Precocious Paper is celebrating its 5th anniversary on Etsy! To say thank you to my wonderful customers and fans, I am having a sale and doing five days of giveaways.

SALES:

Use coupon code 5YEARS during checkout to receive 5% off of your merchandise total.

Every 5th item is free. For every four items you purchase, you can request one free item. The free item must be equal or lesser in price to the least expensive item you purchase. Do not add the fifth/free item to your cart. Simply leave a note during checkout with your request. Buy eight items, get two free. Buy twelve items, get three items free - and so on.

The sale starts Sunday, February 24th and goes through Sunday, March 3rd. Shop here.

GIVEAWAYS:

Each day leading up to my Etsy-versary (February 28th), I will host a new giveaway on the blog. To win, simply leave a comment on the blog post. US and International entries are welcome, but international winners will need to pay postage. On Friday, I will announce all of the winners.

I appreciate your willingness to share the news about the giveaways, too! I have a separate stash of gift packages for randomly selected fans/customers who are caught sharing Precocious Paper via social media :).

Ready for today's giveaway? It's SMASH Sunday, so what better to give away than a SMASH book?

To add this blue "retro" style folio plus a large selection of SMASH-able goodies to your stash, leave a comment on this post.

Thank you for stopping by today! I hope you enjoy this week of giveaways and sales :). And thank you for supporting Precocious Paper! I really, really appreciate it! Tessa