Hip Hip Hooray!

I have some very happy news today!  For the last month I have been sitting on some exciting news for Stik A Pin In It and I have been a bit of a nervous wreck.  But now the wait is over and I can share with everyone… 

About a month ago I was contacted by a lovely lady through my Etsy messages. She asked if I would be interested in sending her a picture of one of my Needle Minders (have no idea what that is? Check out the link below to the listing in the Etsy shop) that is listed in Stik A Pin In It, so that it could be featured in a quilting magazine,  Love, Patchwork  & Quilting.  My first reaction was YES! YES! YES! Without a doubt YES!  And then I thought, wait, who are you?  Is this legit? Am I being pranked (really I don’t know what kind of prank that would be, but I thought it folks!). But after doing LOTS of research, asking some trusted peers, and discussing it with the hubby I decided to send in the picture, and give it a go.  During my research I learned that Love, Patchwork and Quilting is a publication of the larger magazine Mollie Makes, which is a popular UK crafting magazine...that I absolutely adore!  Needless to say I was excited, but I was also terrified!  What if they didn’t use it after all?  Or what if it looked ridiculous?  And my all time favorite crazy thought, what if they are using my product for an example of what not to do?!  Like a Hot or Not and I was the Not! Hahaha, I seriously should not be left alone with my thoughts… In the end, it did make it in the magazine, it does NOT look ridiculous, and my feature is a regular feature about a product they like and want to share with their readers...and isn’t that just plain exciting?!

     Love Life Feature in Love, Patchwork, and Quilting

I mean something that I made is now officially in print. In PRINT!  And to be fair it’s also for download as an e-version as well...in fact that’s the only version I have at the moment, well, because the magazine is a UK publication and I have to wait for it to arrive in the mail.  I’m hoping it arrives soon because I’m really not a very patient person!!!

If you want see the featured needle minder or one of the many needle minders, mason jar pincushions, hoop art, and various sewing and stitching accessories check out my Etsy store, Stik A Pin In It!  And if you want to see this blurb head on over to Love, Patchwork & Quilting to dowload an e-version (they even have a 1 month free special going on!) or wait until it's stocked in your local bookstore or news stand!

I'm really excited about this and I hope that it means more exposure and new opportunities!  This is the first time I have ever had something of mine in print or even online and I'm over the moon!  I know it's not the last time though, and hopefully the next time I'll be able to keep my cool and not freak out quite so much... Yeah. I know. I'm not fooling anyone:)

Till Next Time,

One Excited Chick (AKA Shelly Lyn Nguyen)

Highlights from March and April

Hello Lovelies:)

I haven't been around much the last couple of months and I have so many things I want to share with you all that will be coming up!  But before I jump into blogging about all the new adventures that I am and will be taking with the shop and my growing little business, I want to share some of the highlights from the last couple of months.  March and April where chaotic, exciting and not just a little exhausting for me and mine!

First, my sister gave me an adorably handsome new nephew to dote on and spoil as much as I do with my niece!  Such an exciting thing for Mr. N and I to be aunts and uncles...are kiddos are older (and we no plans for more) so getting to cuddle and play with little ones and then send them home to mom and dad is ideal.  Plus we get to buy the cutest shoes, and books and don't even get me started on creating for them!  This little guy came a bit early and threw our schedules out the window...but I was able to make the drive in plenty of time to be there for his birth:)

            Oh Happy Day!

When we finally got back home from the happy occasion we had one week to get my daughter ready for her prom.  She had her dress, but we needed shoes, makeup, jewelry, to get her hair dyed, ect! Plus we needed to pick up her handmade Gatsby inspired head piece from Brie Holst's etsy shop Vintage Wedding Gems.  Brie is a fellow member of Handmade In Kansas City and discovering her amazing shop and products could not have come at a better time (look for post coming very soon about Brie and Handmade in Kansas City!).  Getting her all ready in a week was crazy but it was so much fun and we ended up with some awesome finds!  Most important her and her date (who is always her bestie) had a blast...and looked stunning doing it!

    I can't get over how beautiful she is!  The roaring 20's fashion suite her well...

    I don't think these two could take a bad picture if they tried!  We stopped into Mr. N work and took snap shots from the balcony patio and it made for some pretty stunning pics.

With all this other stuff going on mine and Mr. N's 1 year anniversary snuck up on us!  I can't beleive last year at this time we were up to our eyeballs in a diy wedding that would eventually lead us to venture into opening our small business!  So much has changed in this year and has been one of the most rewarding, exciting years of my life.  I know I have picked the perfect person as my partner in life and in business, there is, without a doubt, no better match for me and I am one lucky girl.  Now someone remind me of that the next time one of us makes the other want to pull their hair out! ;)

     The Incredible Mr. N and I at the Adobe Max conference on our mini honeymoon/work trip for the hubby.

And even with the chaos and the busy schedule I have been busy creating!  I have been jazzing up a couple of regulars in the shop, like the mason jar sewing kit, and the needle minders, as well as thinking up some really fun and useful goodies!  In the next couple of weeks you will see several new designs and styles going up in the shop for the jars and needle minders, and make sure to check out what has been added the last couple weeks already in my Etsy shop, Stik A Pin In It.  And keep your eyes peeled for some announcements here on the blog for new products being offered in both shops!  I'm really excited about the direction things are taking:)

    Pow! Zoom! Bam! Let these comic inspired needle minders be your hero and keep your needle where it belongs!

                      Llama Love<3  A cute quirky way to keep your sewing tools at the ready                       with mason jar sewing kit and pin cushion! 

I'm telling you peeps, there is lots of awesome coming your way...so make sure you are following on FB or Twitter...or even better follow the blog by email so you don't miss out!  We have two giveaways lined up, and Mr. N and I are working on a few different free printables just for you! Plus I'm going to try my hand at some diy tutorials and at the very least you can point and laugh at my sad attempts...at the most you learn something new;)

Till Next Time,

Shelly Lyn Nguyen