About Me

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LaFayette, Georgia, United States
Hi! I'm Emily, your crafty go to girl. I love all things crafty! I enjoy sewing, scrapbooking, photography, card making, DIY projects, home decor, photo projects, personalized gifts, stamping, jewelry making and just about anything that involves creativity. I run a small Etsy shop called paperpixie crafts. I also have my products in several local shops. I am slowly but surely extending my line of products. My goal is to start filling up my Etsy shop and then eventually open a local boutique. Luckily, I have a wonderful husband who can tolerate my craft obsession, and a great family who is always supportive of my goals. This blog is a sneak peek in to my life and my creative thoughts. I'll be sure to keep you posted with all the cool stuff I see along my crafty journey. Thanks for reading!

Friday, April 4, 2014

Where did 2 years go? A farewell note.

Well.. Where has the past 2 years gone?
I didn't realize that it had been so long. Goodness! I was just glancing at my last update post and oh my how life has changed since that day.
Did I drop of the face of the earth, no, but I did evolve more than I would have ever imagined possible. Since we last talked I have watched people in my life come and go, and I have learned that plans for my own life and rarely ever how things turn out. But, usually... in the end, the way thing happen are exactly how I would have wished them to.
So, what's all the buzz about? Well, first, we have a new 4 legged addition to our family. Miss. Trixie came to us shortly after my last post. She was a rescue that was abandoned on our street. She looked so much like our Georgia dog, that one of the neighbors mistook her for Georgia and put her in our fenced in yard. After locating Trixie's owner and learning that she was unwanted and was going to the pound, we adopted her. She's been a blessing to our family and a great companion for our Georgia.
In addition to our new 4 legged baby, the hubby and I also have a new house! We spent the better part of our fall 2012 searching for and closing on the perfect home. In Jan 2013 we purchased our first home. It's wonderful! Even  a year later, we are still happy with our choice. There have been only a few minor things we have decided to alter/ improve, but lets face it... we have the next 30 years to work on that. *Sigh*
New puppy, new house, a few vacations... our realitor gifted us a trip to the smookies when we purchased our home. We also took what I call the epic redneck road trip to celebrate our 5th wedding anniversary. We made the trip down the Georgia coastline and into Florida and the gulf and returned home via Alabama. We visited 12 beaches in 8 days, as well has many historic places. It was a wonderful trip and we enjoyed it so much. Oh.. and I forgot to mention that we took the trip in my brand new SUV. We finally put my old car to rest. It was a good one, and from what I hear is still a daily driver to the family who I donated it to. I can't believe that car was on the road 15 years and I had so little trouble from it. I was just tired to driving a 98 model car, so... enter my 2013 Captiva. I love her, shes small and easy for me to drive, great on gas, and has took us many miles already!
Do you feel filled in yet? Well... I've saved the biggest things for last.
First, in 2013 Paper Pixie Crafts became "Daisy Doodles Boutique" in a last ditch effort to rename my business to include my children's clothing and accessories that weren't "Paper." Shorty after the launch of this shop transformation, a new friend came in to my life and over late night coffee, an instant business plan came to us... everyone is making boutique items for kids now... we should make items for the other members of the family... pets! and.. with a few excited squeels and exchanged ideas... Fur Babies Puppy Boutique was born. We shopped for supplies, developed proto types, and created an Etsy shop: Furbabiespupboutique.etsy.com. It was a slow start... and a big investment, and my new business partner quickly decided that the world of Etsy just wasnt for her. I continued to press on and eventually with the help of many features and promotions along the way, I began to get sales. Customer had rave reviews and things seemed to look up. Just when I developed a routine and began to understand and plan to gown my new business... I received as important phone call, one that I had lost hope on receiving over a year before.
It was a call from our local county offices offering me a position that I had applied for and been turned down almost two years prior. I was surprised to get the call, but because it was an awesome youth program that I had worked with in college and now they were offering me a permanent job doing something I love, I knew I had to take it. It was just part time... I should be fine, right?
Negative. I quickly learned that when working with youth, no job is part time. Can other UGA 4H county PA's can confirm this for me. I may only work the hours of a part time job, but it's often split up into odd after school and weekend allotments, that keep you constantly busy. Daisy Doodles Boutique (formerly Paper Pixie Crafts) has since closed completely, as I just didn't have the time to sew outfits while working a day job and running a household. I made the decision to X Paper Pixie and keep Fur Babies because pet leash and collar sets are much quicker to make than children's outfits. I have a wonderful system where I can work Fur Baby order in during any free 15 minute time slots I can find. I spend Sunday evenings packing up the weeks orders for monday shipments. It works nicely, and honestly I've seen a huge growth in furbabiespupboutique.etsy.com since I've started this system.
During the first week of this year... I was skiing with a group of youth from my day job when I fell. I tore my meniscus. It was awful! I refused to be out of work at the office... no rest for that knee injury set me up nicely to develop achilles tendinitis. Not fun! The pain from that put me on the couch- for the better part of a week. Which left me with little possibilities to fill my time, so....Then... because you all know I can't settle for well enough...and i had plenty of couch time to think about it.. I started ANOTHER Etsy shop before I returned to my day job. Why? Well, as business picked up in furbabiespupboutique.etsy.com, more people began messaging me wanting to know where I bought my supplies, if I would offer DIY collar kits, and eventually just plain out asking to buy yardage of the printed ribbon I used in my sets. When I started seeing just as much revenue from supply sales as I had on collar sale, I knew it was time to separate the two before my pet shop turned in to a craft store. On a whim, I opened supplyonadime.etsy.com and threw up a few listings... the response was huge, but because it takes me so long to recieve bulk orders to resale... I had to step back with the realization that this shop would be a success and invest the cash and a month of waiting on stock to arrive, so I could stock my shop. I am excited to say that even though it's a work in progress and i'll slowly be stocking the show to it's full potential... I stocked the store with my first ever products last month, and I currently already have 70+ sales. To many that may seem small, but for me... that's the best start I've had with any of my shops. While I'm excited to see supplyonadime.etsy.com grow, I am still nurturing Furbabiespupboutique.etsy.com, where things are going great considering the store was only active for 4 months last year and we have nearly 200 sales and proudly sport a perfect 5 star customer rating.
Just when I thought things were in the clear and I had it all figured out... I got another call. This time, It wasn't a pleasant surprise, but a call from my doctor. After a routine yearly visit I was told that I needed to come in to discuss some abnormalities. This came as an alarm to me, as while I had for years been dealing with unexplained and under-diagnosed stomach and anxiety attacks paired with uncontrollable weight gain and irritability, I was otherwise completely healthy with no problems or even any signs of blood pressure or diabetes on the rise. To learn that I had cyst on my ovaries was alarming, especially since the hubby and I have yet to add  a little one to our family yet. After learning of the problem, I was referred to endocrinologist. I have since became a human test subject. Dr visits, hospital testing, Rxs by the bag full, and test results of bad news have all been daily struggles for me. Last week my specialist finally reached a dianosis for me. I have non classic congenital adrenal hyperplasia (NCAH) *I still swallow a huge lump each time I say it*. While this condition is not currently life threatening to me, I've been advised that it could cause me problems in the future as my body ages. It's also an explanation for all of the undiagnosed symptoms I've dealt with other the years. While this may seem like not so life altering news, it was. My biggest concern with this diagnosis is that the Dr said it is probably the reason we haven't had any children yet, and he expects us to have a hard time trying to conceive in the future, as well as high risks for a complicated pregnancy and child with birth defects. This is crushing news! While having a baby was never on my list of "Things TO-DO this year", it surely wasn't crossed out of my life plans all together. Just when I thought things were going well.. We celebrated out 5th wedding anniversary, bought a new home and car, finally found a creative Etsy outlet that works for me, and even began a new career in an honorable position... I get bad health news.  It's been a shock, that's for sure! My family doesn't seem to understand the severity of the diagnosis, but my husband has been very supportive. Bless his hear, he deal with my mood swings and all. SO what's next? I have began treatment for my condition and we are seeing a fertility doctor. While little can be done to control my condition (other than treat symptoms), there is plenty we can do to try our best to conceive and have a healthy baby. With that being said, I started treatment today. My goal is to start a new blog as an outlet for my journey with NCCAH and fertility. If/ when I do so, i'll let to it here.
I want to thank all of you who are still reading and invite you all to keep in touch. I've you run across something from past post here on my blog and have questions, or if you just want to check in and say hello, please do. I'd love to hear from you. I wish you all a blessed & Beautiful life.
-Emily Anne.

Sunday, August 26, 2012

"Time and tide wait for none." Business and life.

It's me! That's right.... I'm still around. I've been MIA for months but with really good reasons. After the holiday season I took a seasonal office position that kept me busy through the better part of March, then it was back to the craftiness that is me. I have been crafting up a storm lately! My latest crafty partnership venture Apple Sprouts started out so well, but after a few months I've had a huge out calling of followers and customers asking me to bring back the Paper Pixie, (paperpixiecrafts) So I have decided that I need to stick with my original plan and focus solely on PPC. That being said, with me just returning from our semiannual family beach vacation, and fall & holiday craft season just around the bin, I figured now was as good of time as any to catch you all up on my journeys.
In the past few months I have took to sewing more that I ever expected. Mainly focusing on children's items and women's accessories. I just love the feeling of a finished project. I can't believe the improvement I've seen in my own sewing skills since I've began to do it more often. I can finally say that I feel confident in my abilities to sew just about anything now. (with exception to zippers! they still make me cringe. Shhh.) My livingroom officially looks like a sewing sweat shop. I'll have to get that studio back in order before the holiday's so I can replace my work tables with a twinkling tree. ( =
During the sewing rush I have filled my crafting time with plenty of earring making to break up the monotony of constant sewing, and of course I make hair bows to go with each and every little girl outfit I make... because who doesn't love a matching bow?
My plans for the upcoming months include hosting a DIY wedding (this weekend! EEP!) as well as fall craft shows for almost every weekend in September and October. I'll be one busy gal!
I hope to start checking in here more often, but I'm sorry to say that the daily themed post was a bit unambitious for my blogging style. I'll eventually find the time to reformat the sections of this page, but don't worry... I'll archive all the goodies I posted during my days of themed post. (=
Now that you have listened to my year in the life... I guess what you'd all really like to see... is the projects I've been working on. Here's a quick run down in photos.
Alabama cork-board with rhinestone push pins. Available in theme of your choice. 12x12
Avengers themed baby gear was all the rage this summer with the new movie coming out.

Amy Butler Poppy print pillowcase dress. I love making the tie on the side.
 
Show in Cave Springs, GA

I did several Batman themed little outfit for the new movie premier and then afterwards for memorials.

Butterfly charm earrings.  

Bloom pillowcase dress with ribbon ties.

daisy button hairbow

For several weeks... I couldn't make these Farm all Tractor gift sets quick enough. Aren't they adorable.

I just love this forest print from Micheal Miller.

I've tried to come up with some cute boy outfits too. I think this Curious George baseball onesie set is  just perfect for an adorable little man.

beautiful glass European and cat eye bead earrings

Everyone loves Hello Kitty right now! Back to school bows galore!

John Deere lined jumper A line dress with matching bows.

Bottle cap necklaces. Crafters themed.


Key fob key chains. Webbing and grosgrain.


Another cute pillowcase dress.

Micheal Miller green ribbon pillowcase dress. Just screams St. Patty's day to me.

Outfit made for a little one to wear in the Miss. Georgia beauty pageant  this year. ( =

owl and crystal charm earrings

cute pillowcase dress with ribbon ties

Spring show at Dalton mall.

tinkerbell and dora bows

UGA bow

UGA swing top

Ruffle pants


Ladies checkbook wallet

Zebra and pink tassel key chain.
If you like some of the things you see... be sure to check out my shop Paperpixiecrafts.Etsy.com to find your own goodies.
Thanks for reading. Until next time. -Emily Anne.

Tuesday, December 13, 2011

I'll be {busy} for Christmas. ( with crafts galore!)


Sorry it's been so long friends. It's an extra busy time of year for me. I hope you are all enjoying this holiday season. Here are some of the things that have been keeping me swamped:
We have a brand new Mini Boutique in a local fabric shop called Mimi's in Rocksprings GA.
Paper yoyo holiday wreaths are one of my favorite projects this year.
Paper book page projects have been a HUGE hit this year.
And.. Exciting news... Theses little beauties below will be featured on next years Christmas episode of Extreme Home Makeover! How Exciting! 

In other news... There have been some major changes with Paper Pixie Crafts lately. I have partnered up with a dear friend of mine who's a work at home mom and has been helping me though the rush of craft show season. We work together so well and have created some pretty awesome stuff together. Since I have this new found support, I have decided to finally take the next step with my Etsy shop. For months I've been pondering the idea that I need to have a focus on only paper items in my shop. I craft so many other fun things though, I knew I wanted to still offer them to the Etsy community, so together, my new partner and I opened a brand new Etsy shop called Emmescloset.etsy.com.
At Emmes Closet you can find all our other creations that aren't paper craft related. There's lots of cute stuff. You should check it out: 
fun fleece scarves & boutique clothing.

fun ribbon tassel keychains. These were our biggest seller at Craft shows this fall. We offer them in the colors schemes of your choice. Everyone HAD to have these to support their team this football season. It tickles me to see all the cute little girls bouncing down the school line with these on their bookbags, or to spot my work on a sassy mama's keys at the gym. I love seeing my work in public. I secretly smile, and say: "Yea, I made that!" lol
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These are our new travel cups. Aren't they cute? I think this one would make an awesome teacher gift.  (= Plus, I'm finally using my Cricut machine some. That's right... vinyl monograms for the mugs. Yay for monograms.
Chalkboard mats! These were another big craft show hit this year. Cute fabric on the outside, and a pretty ribbon tie with a loop for your chalk are just frills to the awesomeness that is chalk board cloth. I love the stuff. It's just like a REAL chalk board! These are sanity savers for Mom's with young children. Perfect for waiting rooms, the car, restaurants, and more! We've made tons of these for stocking stuffers this year. Our chalkboard fabric is in high demand right now, and we have a limited amount of the material, so if you want one for your little one... better claim it quick! Click HERE to see what we have premade and ready to ship.
We have also moved our boutique hair bows to Emmes Closet. We have some CUTE new ones, so be sure to check though out while you are visiting. Also, don't forget that we always welcome custom order if you need special bow designs.
If you are looking for jewelry, we've got that too! All of my handmade earrings are only $5! Can't beat it. There are some real beauties listed light now, and again, I'll accept custom request. Head over and pick up that last minute gift for the ladies on your list.
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So.. That's the new Emmes Closet for you. We have tons of new ideas coming soon that we can't wait to share with you. Keep a check back often as we are always adding new stuff. For those of you who are Paper Pixie Crafts fans, never fear, Paper Pixie is hear to stay... we'll just focus on paper goods and seasonal things now. It's still the same ole me... you can just find me over at Emme's Closet now too.

Ready for more news? Yea, theres more. There have been some adjustments at our house and I finally have my craft room back! Thats right my little creative corner of the world. It's not exactly creative at this very moment... because it's trash with tons of supplies, but I'm working on organizing. Let me rephrase, I HAVE BEEN (since before Thanksgiving) working on organizing. I'm slowly but surely finding that I have WAY to many supplies. My hobbies have changed so much over the past few years that I now have supplies that I'll never use, or that I just have WAY to many of. I can't bring myself to trash ANYTHING EVER. (Call me a hoarder, I guess) My crafty partner and I joke that between the two of us we have enough supplies to open our own craft store. After pondering it for a few days we decide that we should destash and open a supply shop on Etsy. Ta DA.... Closet Crafters Supplies was born. That's right, ANOTHER Etsy shop. But I think you'll love this one. We will be listing all our extra goodies at a fraction of the price. It's a great way to keep everyone crafting. It's a slow roll getting everything going, as you can tell I've been SWAMPED with work, but the destash shop is slowly filling up. AS of now, I've mainly been listing my jewelry making and bead stashes. Some of them were so popular that I had to reorder more just to fill supply orders! I know what your thinking... i'm supposed to be DESTASHING, but I just can't help passing on a great deal to a fellow crafter. ( = You aren't a jewelry maker? No worries, I'll be destashing fabric, scrapbook supplies, and other crafty supplies soon.  Are you wondering just what you'll find at ClosetcraftersSup.etsy.com yet? head on over and check it out.
Writing this post has remined me of just how much work I should be doing right now. whew! I better get back to it.
Thanks for reading.