Take 3: Handmade Scarves

(Scout and Catalogue, Didbug, Bluebirds Fly Boutique)  

Scarves are my favorite way to accessorize this fall.

I must confess I have bought 5 scarves in the last few weeks....(!!!) but don't worry, some are for gifts! ;)

I realized that each of them were either printed, bold colors, or striped. Its what I gravitate to I guess. What colors and prints make a regular appearance in your closet??

Also, little heads up! If you have a small business, I have some fun holiday gift guide news coming up so stay tuned! 

Take A Little Bit of Love....

(via Yellow Heart Art)

I love my readers. That's all:)

Take 3: Handmade Goods For You to Love

 Allisa Jacobs

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Blog | Shop

Katheyl Jewelry

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Shop | Facebook

Spool No. 72

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Shop | Blog | Facebook

I am sure you can agree that these lovelies leave you itching for spring! These are a few favorite shops loaded with goodness for you to check out! ....We got snow today, but I am hopeful its the last spell. This girl needs some sunshine ASAP!

In case you missed the facebook announcement, I have put all the Little Miss items on Spring Clearance! Also, I am giving away one of the Spring Line items on Pretty Life Anonymous:) Check out these fabulous fashionistas.

For those who observe the 40 days of Lent, Happy Ash Wednedsay! My little boy looks might cute in his ashes cross;)

Seeing Pairs: Fine Black Lines

(Feather Bangle, Salt and Pepper Cellars, Triple Hoot T, Faceted Ochre Necklace)

These were the pairings I saw developed in my pinterest boards this week:) 

I think I have a thing for fine black lines right now...

I am just 7 weeks away from my due date! Time is flying! It hit me that in a short time I will have this sweet little soul entrusted to me, who will make my heart grow twice as large, and only bring more joy in my life. I know it will be a transition from one to two, but I welcome the challenge with open arms. My husband and I are most excited for Little G to be a big brother. He is going to be a great one:) We are keeping the gender of the little one a surprise until then so stay tuned! 

Happy Tuesday friends:)

IHOD Spring 2011 Line Premier

So its time to officially announce the launch of the new IHOD Spring line!! A long work in progress that is finally ready! I created a look guide using some of the pieces and color inspirations of the line. With all this snow and cold weather across the nation, I had to bring a little color into the blogosphere:)

The entire collection will be in my shop in the next few weeks! The majority of the above are already available. I have some amazing fashion bloggers lined up to model the accessories and will be posting those soon as well. This is a milestone for my business as it is my first complete line of seasonal accessories! I started from scratch with a design and color inspiration board that was a helpful guide in staying on board! From there it was the actual design process, supply purchasing in L.A., production, photography, photo editing, and look book! I think all of you fellow small business owners can relate to the amount of work involved! Tell me how you design your items. I would love to hear!

So please tell me which are your favorites, what colors stand out to you, and what type of accessories you would wear most! It will be of so much help to me in moving forward! Your feedback means so much!  Happy weekend friends!

Tips 2 Take With You: Product Pricing with Ashley Pahl

Ashley has a fantastic blog- Indie Pretty Projects dedicated to Indie Businesses and has a very helpful series with many more topics you may find helpful! I am so grateful for her being here today to share her tips with us!

When I first started selling my work online, I was drastically under-pricing my work. I was trying to be competitive with my pricing, thinking that people would be more likely to spring for a good deal; however, it didn't take long for me to realize that handmade shoppers will pay more for a nice, unique handmade product. A crafter's time is valuable, and they should pay themselves what they are worth.

 For handmade business owners, there seems to be a little bit of a struggle with pricing. They want to make their craft affordable to shoppers, but they want to pay themselves for their time. First, let's look at the top reasons for buying handmade: Handmade is quality, Handmade is unique, Buying handmade is important for supporting independent businesses. People shopping handmade usually aren't doing so because they think they can score a deal. Some handmade businesses will offer bargains, but that is the exception, not the rule.

(via yorktownroad)

Handmade business owners are trying to turn a profit, and they must price their products accordingly. Indie businesses must consider the following factors when pricing a product:

• cost of materials
• website fees
• time it takes to make that item and an hourly wage
• packaging
• any other unique costs

Sometimes handmade business owners do not pay themselves for their time because they want to keep prices affordable for shoppers. Crafters fear that if they charge too much, no one will buy their creations. The truth is, handmade items will sell if:

• there is a market for it
• no one else is making it
• it is the best product among the competition
• if the products are effectively marketed to the target audience
• if people trust the artist or business
• if the indie business has a great reputation

Many of those examples go hand-in-hand and cannot exist without another.

(via flapperdoodle)

Indie businesses who have a product that people want, and who have found their niche market, should never need to sell their products at a discounted rate. A simple way to make sure all of your bases are covered is to create a pricing formula unique to your own business.

1. determine the hourly rate you want to pay yourself
2. determine the cost of materials to make one item

A basic formula for pricing items is as follows:

• (hourly rate x time to make the item + cost of materials ) x 2 = wholesale price
• Retail price = wholesale price x 2

Multiplying by two to get the wholesale price is necessary to make sure all overhead, packaging, and website fees are covered. Wholesale is almost always half of retail price.
For example, let's say you want to pay yourself $18 an hour, you can make one necklace in 15 minutes and it costs $4 to make one necklace. Your pricing formula would look like:

($18 x .25 + $4) x 2 = $17 wholesale price

$17 x 2 = $34 retail price

*Remember: different crafters might require different formulas. This is a basic guideline, and it may need to be tweaked to your own specifications.


When a shopper is comparing two products, they look at the pictures, the description, the price, and the cost of shipping. They might look at feedback, too. An item that is priced much lower than the other might be perceived as being made with lower quality materials, or put together hastily. When someone is looking for a quality, unique gift, there's a good chance they could go with the higher priced item, based on the perceived value. If you take a look at some of the top sellers on Etsy, you will see that their items are not low-priced; they are charging what those items are really worth to make.


Here's the snag: if you know you are already paying yourself for your time and your items are priced fairly, this idea might not be for you. Shoppers can also recognize when an item is overpriced. If you are a crafter or artisan, do you use a formula to price your items? How do you balance paying yourself and making your items affordable to shoppers? What are your thoughts on raising prices when sales are stagnant?

Sponsor Faves: Lovely Littles

All over cuteness, right?!! Eleise is the mama/ business owner behind Lovely Littles. What I love about her work: Bright, Modern, and Handmade! These are a few of my favorites. Take a moment to check out her sites! I really do get to work with the best sponsors:)

Lovely Littles:

Website | Blog | Etsy

(If you are interested in advertising for the month of February please email me for blog stats and rates!)

Sponsor Faves: Days Gone Design

I LOVE getting to do sponsor feature posts because I get to pick out and post some of my favorite items to share with you:) Nikki is one talented mama! She runs a business called Days Gone Design, which offers design work for Business, Wedding, and Celebrations! These are just a few of her gorgeous designs from her etsy line, Curtsy Invitations. Enjoy!

Days Gone Design

Website | Blog | Etsy

Handmade Holiday Gift Guide: A Little Glamour and Glitz

1. Turquoise Big Bow Headband - The Artisan   2. Camelia Necklace - Anapinatelier

3. Serendipity Necklace - Days Gone Design   4. Mini Bow Shoe Clips - No.144

5. Georgia Satin Clutch - EmmaGordon  6. ipod sleeve - ellivenstudio

7. It's A Wrap Bracelet -LeeLaLa  8. Swap Flowers Brooch - Vadjutka Jewelry

Here is the last of the Handmade Holiday Gift Guides! 

THANKYOU to everyone who submitted their shops! Had so much fun!

* You could win #3 by entering the Make Your Day Designs giveaway! Check it out:)

P.S. This is the last weekend my shop will open before closing for the Holidays! I will be offering a weekend long sale! 20% off your entire purchase by entering HOLIDAY20 in the coupon code section. Have a wonderful December weekend!

Handmade Holiday Gift Guide: Happy Home

1. Holiday Yarn Wreath - Lovely Nest   2. Dauville Gold Brushed Bowls - One Sydney Road 

3. Burlap Wine Bags - South House Boutique   4. Royal Purple Wallflowers - Lilac Saloon

5. Wall Key Hanger and Vase - Old NewAgain   6. Holly Berry Soy Candle - Candles By Nature

7. Modern Bird Dessert Pedestal - Burlap + Blue 8. Charcoal Grey Ruffle Pillow Cover - Hettle Creative

Hard to choose from so many beautiful home decor pieces. These are all affordable, unique, and handmade! So visit these lovely artists and check out their other goodies!

*I have the Holly Berry Soy Candle...it is DIVINE! It smells amazing!

Handmade Holiday Gift Guide: Little Finds

1. Eco Friendly Snack Sacs - Mels Sells  2. Handmade Elephant - Reverie Boutique

3. Posh Legs - Posh Pibsqueak   4. Moccasins - Freshly Picked

5. Crocheted Hat in Bright Pink - Handmade Creations   6. Baby Ballet Flats - Three Fish Shop

Crayon Wallet Travel Toy - Our Little Messes 8. Rockin Roller Tee - One Artsy Mama

This one was difficult to choose!! So many amazing little finds for kiddos and I want to buy them all!

Hope you enjoy the beautiful works of these handmade artists! 
Consider joining me in supporting the nations small businesses and shopping handmade for Christmas!

Meet the Sponsor: Lemon and Lavendar

I really am SO excited about each and every one of my lovely sponsors.....so much talent loaded up on my sidebars!  I wanted to show you some goodies from one of IHOD's very first Premier Sponsors....Lemon and Lavender. You may remember beautiful Ashley from this post. Her shop is filled with exquisite paper goods. Here are a few of my favorites....

Aren't they lovely?!! If you are looking for an affordable and unique place to order your family Christmas cards, look no further!  And if you haven't visited her blog yet, now is your chance! ....Its just as pretty as the shop!!

Lemon and Lavender

Blog | Shop | Twitter

Hope you all had a wonderful weekend!

Artistry Feature: Grace Hester Designs

As a graphic designer, I really appreciate prints and typography. I am smitten with Grace Hester's shop and artwork. There is a wide selection of categories - each with well selected fonts and colors.

Aren't they fantastic?

Visit Grace Here:

Shop | Blog | Twitter

Meet the Blogger: Alli of Hooray Design

Hooray is one of my favorite resources for lifestyle inspiration. How did you determine your blog content and direction?

There are tons of blogs out there and I try not to take mine too seriously or let my life surround it, but I am passionate about things like parties, decorating, and discovering shops, so that's what I blog about. I named it Hooray in honor of celebrating fun, creative things. Plus I wanted an excuse to say my favorite word more :)

What came first- business or blog?

Blogging came first. I kind of fell into it after discovering blogs through a friend who had one. I started following her links and before I knew it I was reading a list of design blogs regularly. It was amazing to find so much inspiration on everything from decorating to cooking. I'd always been a big magazine person, so it helped fill the void left behind from good mags like Domino folding.

Your Hooray shop is filled with stationary and print goodies. What is your favorite aspect of being a small business owner?

I've been interested in owning a shop since I was little, so my small online store is just the first step in reaching that goal. I love the creativity involved with designing your own business, as well as being able to work with customers who share the same enthusiasm for design. 

(all items via Hooray shop)

Where are your top places to go for inspiration? 

Oh, there are so many...Rachel and Mariah for cute finds, Natalie for business advice, Krystle for healthy living, Melanie for party ideas. And offline - books, nature, and travel for endless sources of inspiration. 
Just for fun - must have items for fall??

I'm loyal to this combination: trench coat, great pair of boots, and a cute scarf. Perfect with any outfit!

(photo sources can be found via Hooray blog)

Thank you Alli for being a part of the series! Alli was one of my first blogger friends:) 

You will LOVE her blog and shop. Find more here:

Blog | Shop | Facebook

Taylor House Cowls - Fall 2010

I fell in love with the Taylor House Cowl Collection! 

Thank you Chaucee for sharing your beautiful handmade work!

Taylor House

Etsy Shop | Blog

Artistry: Chinny LuLu Couture

I am so tickled Chin-Lu submitted her shop. It is filled with couture hair pieces that are stunning and unique. I find this an art form....the design, styling, and photography. Enjoy!

Chinny Lu-Lu on Etsy

PLUS she is having a 25% summer sale today! Lucky us!

*If you have some artistry to share please email me:)

Happy mid-week Wednesday!

New website sneak peak + SALE!

I have been hard at work getting ready to launch the IHOD website! Its about ready! With the new website will also come new fun accessories and a new big cartel shop! Here is a sneak preview!

 So, to make room for all the new products, I am having a 5 day sale (through the weekend) for IHOD readers and/or facebook fans! Shop at IHOD etsy shop and take 20% off your entire order! 

To get the discount:

1) Enter IHOD Reader at checkout:)

2) Proceed with payment and 20% amount will be refunded to you

OR 3) Checkout and wait to receive the invoice from me with discount amount.

Thanks for all of your support! You make this business so much fun for me!

P.S. There will be an IHOD giveaway going on tomorrow on Lovely by M's blog!!

Vadjutka Jewelry Giveaway!

You may remember Vadjutka Jewelry from this post. Or maybe from this Storque article on photography...I am so honored to have Judit offer one of her gorgeous designs today for a giveaway!!

To Enter (must be a follower or subscriber of IHOD):

Leave a separate comment for each please!

1) Visit Vadjutka Jewelry and leave a comment about which piece catches your eye!

2) Blog, tweet, or facebook about the giveaway.

3) Sign up for Judit's newsletter here for fun shop news!

* Good luck to all! You have until Monday night, July 26th to enter! Thank you Judit for hosting!

Style: Patriotic Shoes and Totes!

This Holiday weekend you can count on me to show my patriotic side through red, white, and blue acessories:D Yes, this is a superficial post, but will be back this weekend with some deeper reflection on what it means to be American. Until then, enjoy the eye candy!

1. Red Frilly Bag

2. White Barrel Bag

3. Simple Cobalt Tote

4. Madison Shoes

5. Chrisette

6. Shaw Sandal

We are heading out tomorrow to continue wedding season and visit family. YAY! Hope you have the most wonderful weekend with friends and family and celebrating the great nation we live in! <3

Artistry Feature - Repurposed and Handcrafted Wood

(via - HalfPintSalvage)

(via - Uncommon)

(via - MemoryBeanDesigns)

I have a big appreciation for hand crafted and re-purposed wood. It is something I wish I had more time to do! Here are a few flawless and fabulous examples I found through etsy!

Also, thank you to the lovely Beth of Hello Splendor for including me in the The Splendid List: 4th of July! Head on over and check out the other fabulous ladies in this post!