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And the winner of the $20 CSN Stores giveaway and a bunting or print from little ol' me is...
Mrs. P, who said:
"I stop by bobaloo every once in a while, but decided to "follow" so we could see you get to 20. I am just starting out with blogging, but From an Igloo is one I like to stop by time to time.... http://www.fromanigloo.blogspot.com/"
Congrats! Send me an email at contact AT bobalookids.com, and I'll get your prizes right to you!
I'm guest posting over at Prudent Baby today with a tutorial to make your very own Crayon Apron - go check it out!
Thursday, November 18, 2010
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
The Square Card Reader = Awesome!
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I heard about the Square credit card reader a few months back on Etsy. Basically it’s a little tiny reader that plugs into your smart phone to read and process credit cards. At the time, I had my Zach Morris flip phone, so I couldn’t use it (I decided to go with Propay, which is I’ve been happy with). A few weeks ago I broke down and bought a fancy new phone, so I ordered a Square reader and let me tell you, I’m in love!
I got it in the mail last weekend and had to try it out, so I ran a charge on my credit card for $1. I wonder how many $1 charges Square processes from everyone getting new readers and wanting to try them out? Here’s how everything looks when you process a payment. Sorry for the kind of crappy pictures – the screen on my phone is REALLY reflective and I was having a horrible time taking pictures without the reflection of our overhead lights.

Plug square reader into headphone jack. Evidently this thing is called a dongle, which I find to be a very funny word. I almost titled this post “Fun with my Dongle” but I was afraid of what kind of traffic I would get. Anyway, make sure it’s pushed in all the way – my first try I didn’t push hard enough and it didn’t read my card.

Open the Square app. I use a phone that runs on Android, so I just downloaded it from the Android Market.
Enter payment amount. You can even take a picture of the product (or the purchaser, I guess) by tapping on the little camera icon.
Swipe the card with the magnetic stripe toward the thicker part of the reader (toward the back of phone). A message will pop up that says “Authorizing”, but it was gone too fast for me to get a picture.
The customer signs the signature screen and taps “continue”.
Next, the customer can choose to receive an email receipt by entering their email address, or they can skip it. Just a note – their email address (and credit card number) aren’t stored anywhere, so you might want to reassure the customer that he or she won’t end up on a mailing list.
The confirmation screen will pop up, and you’re all done! You (the vendor) get emailed a payment notification and the customer gets an email receipt right away. The customer’s receipt even has a map showing the location of the purchase!
It’s all super easy, and I’m really excited to try it out next weekend at the Ben Davis Homespun Holiday show. The fees are low – 15 cents + 2.75% (or 3.5% for typed-in cards). I have to say, from a vendor’s point of view it’s much easier – the money just gets deposited into your bank account after a few days.
What do you think, if you were a customer would you be okay with paying on one of these?
I got it in the mail last weekend and had to try it out, so I ran a charge on my credit card for $1. I wonder how many $1 charges Square processes from everyone getting new readers and wanting to try them out? Here’s how everything looks when you process a payment. Sorry for the kind of crappy pictures – the screen on my phone is REALLY reflective and I was having a horrible time taking pictures without the reflection of our overhead lights.
Plug square reader into headphone jack. Evidently this thing is called a dongle, which I find to be a very funny word. I almost titled this post “Fun with my Dongle” but I was afraid of what kind of traffic I would get. Anyway, make sure it’s pushed in all the way – my first try I didn’t push hard enough and it didn’t read my card.
Open the Square app. I use a phone that runs on Android, so I just downloaded it from the Android Market.
Enter payment amount. You can even take a picture of the product (or the purchaser, I guess) by tapping on the little camera icon.
Swipe the card with the magnetic stripe toward the thicker part of the reader (toward the back of phone). A message will pop up that says “Authorizing”, but it was gone too fast for me to get a picture.
The customer signs the signature screen and taps “continue”.
Next, the customer can choose to receive an email receipt by entering their email address, or they can skip it. Just a note – their email address (and credit card number) aren’t stored anywhere, so you might want to reassure the customer that he or she won’t end up on a mailing list.
The confirmation screen will pop up, and you’re all done! You (the vendor) get emailed a payment notification and the customer gets an email receipt right away. The customer’s receipt even has a map showing the location of the purchase!
It’s all super easy, and I’m really excited to try it out next weekend at the Ben Davis Homespun Holiday show. The fees are low – 15 cents + 2.75% (or 3.5% for typed-in cards). I have to say, from a vendor’s point of view it’s much easier – the money just gets deposited into your bank account after a few days.
What do you think, if you were a customer would you be okay with paying on one of these?
Labels:
credit cards,
square
Monday, November 15, 2010
My Fantasy Book Buying Binge
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Chronicle Books is having a contest right now that I just couldn’t resist participating in. You pick out $500 worth of Chronicle Books and post it, then one blogger and one blog commenter each win that list! Picking out $500 worth of books was heaven, I tell you – they just have loads of crafty books. I am usually a borrow-it-from-the-library kind of girl, so actually owning this many books would be UNREAL.
Without any further ado, here’s my list. Leave a comment so if I’m the lucky winner, you win too!
The Exquisite Book (39.95) I keep reading about this one, and it looks so cool! It’s a collaborative effort with a bunch of artists, who continue each other’s drawings. Awesome!
Cake Pops by Bakerella (19.95) I make cake pops for my kiddo’s birthdays every year and they’re always a huge hit. I’d love to have this one to expand my repertoire!
The Book of “Unnecessary” Quotation Marks (14.95) OMG, I had no idea this existed. I’m kind of a grammar junkie, and unnecessary quotes make me CRAZY!
Handy Dad (24.95) and Holiday Hero: A Man’s Manual for Holiday Lighting (9.95) The first one is full of projects for kids and dads – the hubs would LOVE it. I would just love for him to read the second one. I always need a drink when it’s holiday lights time.
Mom’s One Line a Day (16.95) and My Quotable Kid: A Parents’ Journal of Unforgettable Quotes (14.95) Because the kids’ baby books are woefully neglected.
Top Chef: The Quickfire Cookbook (29.95) and Top Chef: the Cookbook (29.95) I love me some Top Chef!
Eric Carle’s Dream Snow Pop-Up Advent Calendar (10.99) and The Backyard Birdsong Guide (29.95) I guess I can’t pick out books JUST for myself. The little guy will love the pop-up book, and Princess B loves birds.
Dirty Little Secrets from Otherwise Perfect Moms (12.95) and I Was a Really Good Mom Before I Had Kids (18.95) Who doesn’t love a little reassurance that you’re not the only imperfect mom?
Amy Butler’s In Stitches (24.95) and Amy Butler’s Style Stitches (29.95) Love her fabric, love her patterns!
Doodles: A Really Giant Coloring and Doodling Book (19.99), MOMA Modern Play Family (12.99), and MOMA Modern Play House (19.99) I’m going to pretend like these are for my kids, but they’re really for me.
Every Day’s a Holiday: Year-Round Crafting With Kids (22.50) Sometimes I struggle with what crafts to do with Bridget. Plus I LOVE Heidi Kenney’s stuff.
Subversive Cross Stitch (14.95), Paper + Craft: 25 Charming Gifts, Accents, and Accessories to Make from Paper (19.95) and Stencil 101 (24.95) I work so much with fabric these days that it would be fun to play with some embroidery floss, paper, and paint!
Handmade Nation: The Rise of DIY Art, Craft, and Design (24.95) and Creative, Inc (19.95) As you all know, I loved Craft, Inc and I really want to read this one, too. It’s inspiring to read about the handmade movement and all the success stories.
I’d love to hear if you guys have read any of these. If I don’t bring in the mother lode in this contest I may actually bite the bullet and buy a few new books!
Without any further ado, here’s my list. Leave a comment so if I’m the lucky winner, you win too!
The Exquisite Book (39.95) I keep reading about this one, and it looks so cool! It’s a collaborative effort with a bunch of artists, who continue each other’s drawings. Awesome!
Cake Pops by Bakerella (19.95) I make cake pops for my kiddo’s birthdays every year and they’re always a huge hit. I’d love to have this one to expand my repertoire!
The Book of “Unnecessary” Quotation Marks (14.95) OMG, I had no idea this existed. I’m kind of a grammar junkie, and unnecessary quotes make me CRAZY!
Handy Dad (24.95) and Holiday Hero: A Man’s Manual for Holiday Lighting (9.95) The first one is full of projects for kids and dads – the hubs would LOVE it. I would just love for him to read the second one. I always need a drink when it’s holiday lights time.
Mom’s One Line a Day (16.95) and My Quotable Kid: A Parents’ Journal of Unforgettable Quotes (14.95) Because the kids’ baby books are woefully neglected.
Top Chef: The Quickfire Cookbook (29.95) and Top Chef: the Cookbook (29.95) I love me some Top Chef!
Eric Carle’s Dream Snow Pop-Up Advent Calendar (10.99) and The Backyard Birdsong Guide (29.95) I guess I can’t pick out books JUST for myself. The little guy will love the pop-up book, and Princess B loves birds.
Dirty Little Secrets from Otherwise Perfect Moms (12.95) and I Was a Really Good Mom Before I Had Kids (18.95) Who doesn’t love a little reassurance that you’re not the only imperfect mom?
Amy Butler’s In Stitches (24.95) and Amy Butler’s Style Stitches (29.95) Love her fabric, love her patterns!
Doodles: A Really Giant Coloring and Doodling Book (19.99), MOMA Modern Play Family (12.99), and MOMA Modern Play House (19.99) I’m going to pretend like these are for my kids, but they’re really for me.
Every Day’s a Holiday: Year-Round Crafting With Kids (22.50) Sometimes I struggle with what crafts to do with Bridget. Plus I LOVE Heidi Kenney’s stuff.
Subversive Cross Stitch (14.95), Paper + Craft: 25 Charming Gifts, Accents, and Accessories to Make from Paper (19.95) and Stencil 101 (24.95) I work so much with fabric these days that it would be fun to play with some embroidery floss, paper, and paint!
Handmade Nation: The Rise of DIY Art, Craft, and Design (24.95) and Creative, Inc (19.95) As you all know, I loved Craft, Inc and I really want to read this one, too. It’s inspiring to read about the handmade movement and all the success stories.
I’d love to hear if you guys have read any of these. If I don’t bring in the mother lode in this contest I may actually bite the bullet and buy a few new books!
Friday, November 12, 2010
By the Numbers
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One thing I love about running my business through the internet is the MASSIVE amount of stats available. I looooove numbers and I pretty much obsessively check Craftopolis, Google Analytics, and Blogger Stats. For some reason, this week I have reached some big numbers, so let’s have some sharing time!
Number of Blog Followers through Google Friend Connect – 21! I love each and every one of you lovely ladies (and my husband, who was the first).
Pageviews of the blog – just broke 5000! That seems like such a huge number to me! The tutorials I posted were both on One Pretty Thing, and that really boosted visits to the blog. The Fancy Burp Cloth Tutorial is the most viewed page BY FAR on my blog.
Number of sales in my Etsy shop – 26! I was excited to reach 20 on Monday, but then a had a few more sales Tuesday and Wednesday. I’ve been listing new stuff like mad so I’m sure that has something to do with it. I had my first repeat buyer this week, which is awesome!
Pageviews in my Etsy shop – just over 12000! Holy moly. That makes my head spin. Some big contributers to that number were being on the front page of Etsy in September and the giveaway going on at luvinthemommyhood (go over there and enter if you haven’t!). Speaking of, if someone with a big blog offers to host a giveaway, DO IT. Totally worth it for the number of people going through my shop this week!

Sweet Little Boys in my lap helping with my post – 1! Isn’t he the cutest? His big sister is at a sleepover, so it’s just the two of us this morning. His doctor referred to him as a toddler yesterday. He may be walking, but I am still insisting he’s a baby.
Have a great weekend! I have a meeting tomorrow that will hopefully result in some good news – I’ll fill you in Tuesday. Oh, and don’t forget about my gift card giveaway!
Number of Blog Followers through Google Friend Connect – 21! I love each and every one of you lovely ladies (and my husband, who was the first).
Pageviews of the blog – just broke 5000! That seems like such a huge number to me! The tutorials I posted were both on One Pretty Thing, and that really boosted visits to the blog. The Fancy Burp Cloth Tutorial is the most viewed page BY FAR on my blog.
Number of sales in my Etsy shop – 26! I was excited to reach 20 on Monday, but then a had a few more sales Tuesday and Wednesday. I’ve been listing new stuff like mad so I’m sure that has something to do with it. I had my first repeat buyer this week, which is awesome!
Pageviews in my Etsy shop – just over 12000! Holy moly. That makes my head spin. Some big contributers to that number were being on the front page of Etsy in September and the giveaway going on at luvinthemommyhood (go over there and enter if you haven’t!). Speaking of, if someone with a big blog offers to host a giveaway, DO IT. Totally worth it for the number of people going through my shop this week!
Sweet Little Boys in my lap helping with my post – 1! Isn’t he the cutest? His big sister is at a sleepover, so it’s just the two of us this morning. His doctor referred to him as a toddler yesterday. He may be walking, but I am still insisting he’s a baby.
Have a great weekend! I have a meeting tomorrow that will hopefully result in some good news – I’ll fill you in Tuesday. Oh, and don’t forget about my gift card giveaway!
Thursday, November 11, 2010
Hooray! A Gift Card Giveaway!
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So we made it to 20 followers and that means I get to give away something super fun – a $20 gift certificate to CSN Stores! Whether you’re in the market for some new kitchen stuff, some cute children’s luggage, or a sweet new bag, you can find it at one of CSN’s 200 online stores. Go check out their website now – I bet you can cross someone off your Christmas list (even if it’s you)!
AND I’m adding in a little bonus – you can pick a bobaloo! print or bunting from my Etsy shop, and I’ll ship it right to you! See, another present you don’t have to buy!
I really and truly appreciate each one of you who stops by to read my blog or takes a look at my shop. As a brand new Etsy seller and brand new blogger, I get a little thrill every time someone sees something I’ve written or made. So I want to give you an opportunity to give your shop or blog some exposure, too!
Here’s how to enter:
1. Leave me a comment and include a link to your own shop or blog so we can all check it out. If you don’t have either, share one of your favorites!
2. Get one extra entry by tweeting about the giveaway so other new sellers/bloggers can come and share their stuff. Make sure to include my twitter name (@bobalookids) in your tweet.
3. Get a third entry by liking bobaloo! on Facebook.
Leave me a comment for each entry, and I’ll use random.org to pick the winner on Thursday, November 18th at 2 pm EST. Good luck, and thanks again!
Just a note - CSN stores approached me about hosting a giveaway and I’m not getting anything in return (although I could really use a new bag).
AND I’m adding in a little bonus – you can pick a bobaloo! print or bunting from my Etsy shop, and I’ll ship it right to you! See, another present you don’t have to buy!
I really and truly appreciate each one of you who stops by to read my blog or takes a look at my shop. As a brand new Etsy seller and brand new blogger, I get a little thrill every time someone sees something I’ve written or made. So I want to give you an opportunity to give your shop or blog some exposure, too!
Here’s how to enter:
1. Leave me a comment and include a link to your own shop or blog so we can all check it out. If you don’t have either, share one of your favorites!
2. Get one extra entry by tweeting about the giveaway so other new sellers/bloggers can come and share their stuff. Make sure to include my twitter name (@bobalookids) in your tweet.
3. Get a third entry by liking bobaloo! on Facebook.
Leave me a comment for each entry, and I’ll use random.org to pick the winner on Thursday, November 18th at 2 pm EST. Good luck, and thanks again!
Just a note - CSN stores approached me about hosting a giveaway and I’m not getting anything in return (although I could really use a new bag).
Tuesday, November 9, 2010
Holiday Madness and a Giveaway!
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My very first blog giveaway is going on over at luvinthemommyhood! Shannon contacted me a while back with some very sweet comments about my shop and I’m so happy to have my inaugural giveaway at her blog. Go check it out – there’s even a special discount!
Speaking of giveaways, don’t forget my giveaway to celebrate 20 followers that’s coming up right here! I have a special goody for you guys (and maybe a kiddo in your life) all planned out. It will definitely help your holiday shopping! So if you haven’t already, click “follow” over on the left side of the screen so you don’t miss it.
I’ve been sewing like mad to get my Etsy shop ready for the holidays. I’m trying to make multiples of everything to make the best use of my limited amount of time. I cut out 27 bibs the other day, people. 27!! And last night I got to work on a whole mess of crayon aprons. Those two tend to be my best sellers at shows, so I’m stocking up! Doing a bunch of the same thing saves time in lots of ways – it’s quicker to pick fabrics, one photo shoot covers a stack of stuff, and clicking “relist” on Etsy when something sells is much easier than writing a whole new listing.

I’m also frantically trying to fill up the ol’ inventory wardrobe because I signed up for ANOTHER holiday show! I was going to be part of a holiday show at our airport, but unfortunately it got cancelled. The very next day Martha of Sunday Afternoon Housewife fame emailed me and invited me to be a part of the Handmade Promenade Last Minute Market. Funny how things work out, right? It’s going to be way cool – it’s a nighttime show at a restaurant and there’s even live music! I have a family event about two hours away that morning, so it’s going to be a really hectic day, but I’m REALLY looking forward to it!
Here are a few new products that are coming to the shop this week. I have so many listings all ready to go that I can hardly wait to share them!
Speaking of giveaways, don’t forget my giveaway to celebrate 20 followers that’s coming up right here! I have a special goody for you guys (and maybe a kiddo in your life) all planned out. It will definitely help your holiday shopping! So if you haven’t already, click “follow” over on the left side of the screen so you don’t miss it.
I’ve been sewing like mad to get my Etsy shop ready for the holidays. I’m trying to make multiples of everything to make the best use of my limited amount of time. I cut out 27 bibs the other day, people. 27!! And last night I got to work on a whole mess of crayon aprons. Those two tend to be my best sellers at shows, so I’m stocking up! Doing a bunch of the same thing saves time in lots of ways – it’s quicker to pick fabrics, one photo shoot covers a stack of stuff, and clicking “relist” on Etsy when something sells is much easier than writing a whole new listing.
I’m also frantically trying to fill up the ol’ inventory wardrobe because I signed up for ANOTHER holiday show! I was going to be part of a holiday show at our airport, but unfortunately it got cancelled. The very next day Martha of Sunday Afternoon Housewife fame emailed me and invited me to be a part of the Handmade Promenade Last Minute Market. Funny how things work out, right? It’s going to be way cool – it’s a nighttime show at a restaurant and there’s even live music! I have a family event about two hours away that morning, so it’s going to be a really hectic day, but I’m REALLY looking forward to it!
Here are a few new products that are coming to the shop this week. I have so many listings all ready to go that I can hardly wait to share them!
Labels:
craft fairs,
giveaway,
holidays,
new products
Friday, November 5, 2010
Welcome to my Sewing Room, or How to Fit 10 Pounds of Sugar in a Five Pound Sack
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My sewing room looks like a tornado hit it right after a show or busy time in my Etsy shop. After the mess from preparing for the Irvington Halloween Festival last weekend, I spent a few hours Tuesday straightening things up. I thought I’d take some pictures so I could share my sewing area with you guys – after all, it’s where I spend all my free time these days!
This room started off as our game room. My husband has always been a fan of pool, and we bought the house when we didn’t have kids so we had plenty of room for one (and the expendable income to buy one). As two kids took up our two spare rooms, the office-y stuff got moved in here. All of our household paperwork, our board games, and old pictures and CDs all ended up stored here, too (we have a tiny attic and no basement). So I guess this room is now our game-room-office-storage-unit-sewing-room.
Much to my husband’s dismay, the pool table has become my work table. I don’t usually cut fabric there – the island in our kitchen is higher and big enough to cut most things comfortably – but sometimes I cut smaller things on a cutting mat on top of the pool table. I have come thisclose to cutting the felt a couple of times, so I have to be extra careful.
My husband built me this awesome corner desk after he bought me my serger
for my birthday last winter. I LOVE it – it’s big enough to use both machines, plus has room for the stuff that gathers on top, like that square plastic thing that holds thread and bobbins waiting to be put away, and the big tin bucket of pens and markers. He also made the shelves above the desk, which hold my works-in-progress and future projects (in the Liberty print bins), boxes of scraps, my plastic boxes full of thread, and some fabric. Above the desk are my two inspiration board areas, where I keep ideas for bobaloo! and stuff I want to make for myself.
One of my favorite things in my sewing room is this metal organizer bar from IKEA. The little buckets hold groups of different tools – one has my sewing machine and serger feet, one holds my pins and seam gauges, one has my marking tools (like rulers, chalk, and disappearing ink pens), and one has sewing machine and hand sewing needles. The little hooks hold my scissors and rotary cutter, my hammer for attaching snaps, and whatever else I can hang up there. The whole setup keeps everything I need close at hand.
The stuff I don’t use as much is on the storage benches on either side of the room (which the talented hubs also built). This drawer tower (also from IKEA – do you notice a theme here? This one is similar) holds all of my fabric for bobaloo!. The top level is interfacing, stabilizers, and fleece. The drawers all hold fabric – the bottom is yardage, the next one up is big scraps, and the one above that is little scraps. The top drawer is home dec and specialty fabrics. They are organized by color right now, but chances are pretty good that won’t last long.
This bookcase holds my non-business related fabric, my knitting stuff, and lots of binders, books, and patterns. On top is our bragging area – my State Fair ribbons, our medals from runs, and my husband’s pool trophies (from back when we actually used the pool table for its intended purpose). We also have a big wardrobe from IKEA in our bedroom that holds most of my shipping boxes, all my packaging supplies, and my completed inventory.
Thanks for joining me in the tour of my sweatshop! I have some fun things coming up – I shot a couple of new tutorials yesterday – plus my first giveaway is coming up. When I reach 20 followers, I’ll have a 20-related giveaway, sound good? So go ahead and click on the “follow” button on the left so we can get to the giveaway quickly!
Much to my husband’s dismay, the pool table has become my work table. I don’t usually cut fabric there – the island in our kitchen is higher and big enough to cut most things comfortably – but sometimes I cut smaller things on a cutting mat on top of the pool table. I have come thisclose to cutting the felt a couple of times, so I have to be extra careful.
My husband built me this awesome corner desk after he bought me my serger
One of my favorite things in my sewing room is this metal organizer bar from IKEA. The little buckets hold groups of different tools – one has my sewing machine and serger feet, one holds my pins and seam gauges, one has my marking tools (like rulers, chalk, and disappearing ink pens), and one has sewing machine and hand sewing needles. The little hooks hold my scissors and rotary cutter, my hammer for attaching snaps, and whatever else I can hang up there. The whole setup keeps everything I need close at hand.
This bookcase holds my non-business related fabric, my knitting stuff, and lots of binders, books, and patterns. On top is our bragging area – my State Fair ribbons, our medals from runs, and my husband’s pool trophies (from back when we actually used the pool table for its intended purpose). We also have a big wardrobe from IKEA in our bedroom that holds most of my shipping boxes, all my packaging supplies, and my completed inventory.
Thanks for joining me in the tour of my sweatshop! I have some fun things coming up – I shot a couple of new tutorials yesterday – plus my first giveaway is coming up. When I reach 20 followers, I’ll have a 20-related giveaway, sound good? So go ahead and click on the “follow” button on the left so we can get to the giveaway quickly!
Labels:
sewing room
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