monster pouch and happy halloween!

Happy Halloween!! I hope you're having a great one!

In honor of this spooky holiday, I will share with you a fun d.i.y. monster pouch that can be whipped up any time!

Truth be told, I didn't intend for this to be a monster, or a Halloween project. But while I cut out the shapes, I couldn't think of any animal that would look quite right. You can't go wrong with a monster, so I decided to do that! And since today is Halloween, I think this project is very fitting. :)

You will need: felt, fabric scissors, velcro, and a needle + thread

 Step 1. Cut out your felt pieces. Start with a rectangle (it can be any size, depending on the size you want your pouch to be) and then cut another piece the same size, with a half circle added to one end.

 Step 2. Cut out four circles for the eyes and some triangles for the teeth.
Step 3. Sew the shapes on the rounded flap. Use same color thread as the felt (I needed purple and black). When you sew them, don't pull the thread too tight or the stitches will be easily spotted.
Step 4. Sew the velcro on the top rectangle and under the flap, so when the flap is shut, the velcro pieces will stick to each other.
Step 5. Sew all around the edges of the pouch, leaving the area underneath the flap open.

 Ta daa! Isn't he cute? You can use your pouch as a goodie bag, coin purse, or to hold any small items.
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Tonight I'll be hanging out with some friends who hand out free books instead of candy in their front yard! How cool is that?!

What are you planning to do tonight? If you've already done it, how'd it go?
xo. Kate
(ps-did you check out Google today?)

all about changing a blog title

I know several bloggers have or have been considering changing their blog name. I hope that if you are considering changing your title, this post will help you find the perfect name!


To start, I've put together my own quick tips about changing your blog name:

• Let your readers know well in advance that you will be switching.
• Remember to go into your settings of your old blog and set it so it will automatically redirect readers to your new address.
• Make sure this is the name you want to go with. You don't want to change it again a week later.
• Have fun! This is your blog. Your new blog name should reflect you.

I also wanted to share this paragraph found at Project: Inspire's post below. I think it really has a lot to say about what a blog/blog title really means :)

"During this time since my fast ended I started thinking about the direction of the blog. I knew that it was not going to continue on as it had in the past. I still LOVE to create and craft but I was not sure I wanted to blog about every crafty adventure. I felt like I wanted to blog when I was inspired to do it. Not because I felt I had to do it. Another thing was that I had gotten so much positive feedback from my blog break post and my follow up post “Why I’m Tossing Blog Etiquette Out the Window” that I felt like I was given this gift to inspire others to make changes in their lives. Believe me when I say, I most certainly do not feel inspiring. lol I have such a LONG way to go but I guess putting my thoughts out there gave people someone to identify with. So, I came up with Project Inspire. I will blog when I’m inspired to do it and hopefully whatever I blog about will inspire someone else. Whether it be in their crafty adventures or their relationship with God or their family life, I don’t know but Project Inspire it is!" -Diana from Project: Inspire (The Girl Creative)

Diana's post makes so much sense to me. Her other post "Why I'm Tossing Blog Etiquette Out the Window" is amazing. Seriously, go on and click on that link above then come back and finish reading this ;)

Welcome back! (did you follow my instructions? ;)) For this next part, I've interviewed two lovely bloggers who have some fabulous insight...

twitter // facebook // pinterest

First up is Natasha from Natasha in Oz. Here is what she has to say about changing her blog name from '5 Minutes Just for Me' to 'Natasha in Oz'...

Why did you change your blog name?   

When I first started my blog I hastily decided on a name and didn't think about it's length or the fact that I used "5" instead of the word "Five"-as an English teacher that always bothered me and I was angry at myself for doing it! I was always happy with my blog but at the same time I always knew it wasn't quite right name wise. I was also know as Natasha in Oz on twitter, pinterest, blogger and so on so thought I might as well change the name of my blog to Natasha in Oz and get my own domain at the same time. I'm so glad I did!

Do you think it has affected your amount of readers in any way? 

 I honestly don't think it has affected my readers at all. My bloggy friends all stayed with me because I made all of the changes through the Blogger platform. This meant that all my blog followers were automatically sent to Natasha in Oz when they visited my old blog. How easy is that!?

What are your pros and cons about changing your blog name? 

Pros. I have now got my own domain name and I think it's a bit easier to remember than the old blog name. It's also a much easier URL to type out and remember since I don't have that annoying "blogspot" in it any more!

Cons. It took a while for Google to recognize the new name but I have now gone and given every single old post a +1 on Google+! Let's hope that helps with search engine optimization!

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Up next is Carrie from Frugal Foodie Mama!
Up next is Carrie from Frugal Foodie Mama
 
twitter // facebook // pinterest

Why did I change you change your blog name?  

I initially started my blog as a place to record my recipes while I was pregnant with my third baby.  I miscarried my baby at around 8 weeks, and my blog title was kind of difficult for me after that.  I logged on everyday, just to be reminded that I was no longer preggo. :(  So, I then changed it to A Mother's Heart to chronicle my journey to get pregnant again, that subsequent pregnancy, and what it was like being a mother to a teenager and a newborn and two angel babies.  After my daughter was born and I decided to stay at home, I went back to my blog being about recipes... plus mothering and trying to stay on a budget.  So, Frugal Foodie Mama was born. :)

Do you think it has affected your amount of readers in any way?  

Yes, most definitely.  My readers have increased about threefold since my most recent blog title change. I think it is because I started to appeal to a broader audience, not just the infertile and baby loss community.  And I have quite a few followers who just love to cook, or save money, or are attachment parents too.  And I have still maintained my original infertility audience even though that is no longer the focus of my blog.

What are your pros and cons about changing your blog name?

Pros: It definitely increased my follower base, as I stated above.  Increasing my follower base has also opened up new opportunities for me in my blogging, such as collaborations with other bloggers and the possibility of working with companies and shops that I love and want to promote.

Cons: Sometimes I worry that my original followers- those who were with me through the miscarriage, the testing afterwards, my pregnancy- will think that my losses, my struggle no longer affects me because I have my beautiful baby girl here with me.  I worry that they think that I have forgotten about that part of my journey, about them.  I still sometimes blog about my angels, my struggles with secondary infertility, but it is not the center of my everyday life now, naturally. I blog about what is happening in my life now.  When I am moved to blog about my babies, my grief, then I open up and I post.  That just isn't as often now though.

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Thanks again to these lovely ladies for their interviews! There are definitely lots of pros and cons that come with changing your blog name. In addition to what Carrie said, remember to figure out what kind of audience you're appealing to!

I hope this post has helped you make the big decision. If you need any help, don't hesitate to shoot me an email. :)

<3 Kate

diy paperclip bookmarks.

I love paperclip bookmarks. They take two minutes to make and slip right into your book!

This rosette bookmark is my favorite. To make the rose, follow these steps: 1. Cut a rectangular piece of fabric. (Make sure your fabric is thin enough to easily twist) The rectangle can be any size. I think mine was 2x5inches 2. Tie a knot in one end 3. Start wrapping the fabric around the knot, twisting as you go. 4. Glue the paperclip on the back of the rosette. 5. Cover with the end of the fabric.

This bow was cut from leggings from a costume store. They were so cute I had to save them. Just hot glue the paperclip on. So easy!

I bought a bag full of adorable flower cabochons from Mindy Mae's Market. This is just one of them that didn't come with a match. It looked great as a bookmark! Hot glue this one as well.

For this button bookmark, sandwich the paperclip between the buttons, and hot glue them together.

These are sooo easy and are perfect little gifts to slip into cards or goodie bags.
Have a fabulous day! <3
xo. Kate

it's my blogiversary! {giveaway!}

This month is my very first blogiversary! (Be sure check out the post from yesterday) For the celebration, we will be having a FAB giveaway! (hint: someone will win goodies from all the shops above!)

Some very generous and LOVELY shops have donated to bring you a
$60 Prize Pack!
A HUGE thanks to these shops for giving away such an amazing prize!

Here's what YOU could win!
$15 to The Ribbon Retreat, a great store with beautiful fabrics, ribbon, and other crafty supplies!

$15 to Prettiful Designs, a fun design shop for online scrapbooking and other digital goodies!

$15 to That's What {Che} Said The Shop, an adorable shop with handmade items and more from the famous Cheryl from That's What Che Said blog!

$5 to Glitter and Mustaches, a graphic design and accessory shop by Sarah from All Things Blogs!

$10 to White Rabbit designs, my brand spankin' new blog design store with graphic design goodies!

One winner takes all!
Extra info:
Winner will be notified by email. If they don't respond within 72 hours, a new winner will be chosen. Entries will be verified, so please be honest.

Now go on and enter your little heart out! Good luck! <3

a Rafflecopter giveaway