Who the hell is this Hoots & Kisses lady?

Okay, so after my extremely succesful first facebook buy on facebook from Doodlebags, I decided it was time to purchase from another favourite page. The perfect opportunity arose when a market night was being held by Hoots and Kisses.

Hoots & Kisses Bird Card

It really was perfect timing as mothers day was in a few weeks and I would need to send my mum a mothers day card, and of course get a few cards for myself to give to the kids to then give back to me. Even better still was that Hoots and Kisses is also on the Sunshine Coast so I could support a local lady. So purchase away I did like a mad woman on a mission on the Market Night. I was slapping down that SOLD word everywhere and as fast as I could onto the cards I wanted.

Hoots & Kisses Mothers Day Card

The owner of Hoots & Kisses is a lovely lady by the name of Suzie, and over a few months we have become very chatty & supportive of each others facebook page, so we decided this would be a great excuse to meet and have a cuppa and for Suzie to hand deliver the cards & see the Kids Art setup.

Hoots & Kisss Cute Pocket Invites

At first, it did not seem wierd to organise this rendeveous but as the time got close, I started to think , this is like internet dating and we are meeting for the first time on our very first date. What if she is some crazy phsyco lady, that is going to come over to the Kids Art business and become a stalker or even worse be really boring and it is like pulling teeth trying to have a conversation with her. What would I do? How would I get rid of her? Who the hell is this Hoots & Kisses lady?

Hoots & Kisses - Owl Print Framed

Then I had a more terrifying thought. What if she was thinking these crazy things about me. ME? What if she was thinking who the hell is this Kids Art lady? I mean I know I am awesome, but what if she was thinking that she was coming to some crazy ladies business and was going to end up locked up in the basement forever, never to be heard of again... aghhhhh.

Hoots & Kisses - Mothers Day card

So we met, and it was a little odd at first, not wierd, just odd. That lasted about 1 minute, then after that, we just laughed and talked, and talked and laughed, and it was just awesome. She was so lovely and she was crazy but in the same way that I am crazy, so it was great and the time just flew. Her phone never rang, so her emergency call never came, you know the one that people make when they are going on a date and someone "pretends" to ring and say that there is an emergency and they have to leave. So the "date' was a great success and  I am sure I have made a new friend in real life as well as in facebook world.

Hoots & Kisses LOGO

And after all that, 2 things happened which explains why we are as crazy as each other

• 1st Suzie forgot to bring the cards I purchased from her market night to our first "date"
• 2nd Once I got the cards, I forgot to send the Mothers Day card to my mum.

crazy, crazy, crazy

Check out Hoots & Kisses Blog
& Hoots & Kisses Facebook Page

Have a great day!!!!!

Cheers Chantelle

www.kids-art.com.au

Buying products off Facebook - Doodlebags

When I first set up a Facebook page my main aim was to keep in contact with my family and friends, I never even considered using facebook as a way of purchasing and buying goods. But as I came across business pages & clicked "like",  mostly small businesses ran by mothers trying to make an income from their hobbies and handmade crafts, I fell in love with their stories & their products. One of my favourite pages is called Doodlebags, and is own and run by a gorgeous lady called Helen, whose page is quirky and funny & she is passionate about recycling.

Helen - owner of Doodlebags

Everything Helen makes for Doodlebags is upcycled - a term which  is the process of converting waste materials or useless products into new materials or products of better quality or a higher environmental value. For example Doodblebags hearts are made from old wool blankets and the lavender is grown and dried at Helens house (which must smell gorgeous).

Lavender Hearts, they smell devine

Helens bags "doodlebags" are made from curtains, bedding, fabric sample books. Helen said "I wanted Doodlebags to embrace my commitment to recycling and chose to work with textiles which had been something else in a previous life (curtains, bedding, fabric sample books). It would also be the ideal opportunity to make use of the stash of buttons and trimmings that I had removed from clothing over the years and kept in the belief that they would 'come in handy one day' "

Doodlebags

 I would see the photos of the Doodlebags craft stalls and wish I could go there and browse over their products. The main problem was that the Doodlebags craft stall is in the UK and I am in Australia,

Doodlebags Craft Stall

I decided if I needed to buy products then there is no need to get in my car and go to the chain stores and buy cheap imported goods when I can support another woman in the same situation as me by shopping at one of my favourite facebook pages. So this is how I managed to get a gorgeous Doodlebag in my possession and I love it.

I was blown away by the packaging, which was a recycled paper box, and the quality of the material, and the attention to detail in the stitching and construction of the bag. I have had so many compliments on the bag, that i cannot keep count, I will be shopping at Doodlebags again in the very near future.

Doodlebags branding

Check out the blog by Doodlebags - BLOG
and Doodlebags Facebook page

Cheers Chantelle

www.kids-art.com.au

How to change the Tab image on Facebook

You can change the default photo/ image that is on the Tab in Facebook on your fan page.

 In your facebook fan page make sure you can you see the tab that you want to change the photo / image on. Use the dropdown box at the right of the tabs if the tab you want to use is hidden.

When you hover over the photo on the tab, it comes up with a little pen (seen in above photo). Select that and a drop down box will appear. Select > Edit Settings,

It will come up with a little box, on the Cutom Tab Image select Change.

Then the image that you already have will appear, in this case the BLOG image. Over to the right select Change

Then Select Browse and find the image or photo that you want to use as your Tab.

Then you are all done and you will have a new image/photo for your tab on your facebook page.

Cheers Chantelle

Kids-Art.com.au

Get your blog to automatically load onto Facebook

The other day I worked out how to get my Blog to automatically upload onto my Facebook Fan Page.

I have been asked by a few people, how I did it, so I thought I would share, as there maybe other people wanting to know the same thing.

First I went onto Networked Blogs & registered my blog.
http://www.networkedblogs.com/

Register your blog at Networked Blog

Once you have registered the Blog on Networked Blog, you will need to go through a confirmation process, which means getting an email and

Verify your Blog

All done

How to get your blog to automatically load onto Facebook

Go to Networked Blogs & go to the Blogger Dashboard. This can be found in the top right hand corner of the screen.

Under Publish ( Manage, Promote etc) & select > Add to Facebook Page (there are 3 options to choose from.

Blogger Dashboard > Publish > Syndication

 Select the Blog that you want to automatcially update onto your facebook page. Then Select where you would like the blog to appear. In this case, we selected Add Facebook Target and for it to go to our Fan Page. You also have the option to get your blog to automatically load onto Twitter.

Then it comes up with a message and a tick, letting you know that you have been succesful. It also shows a little preview of how the blog will appear on facebook. The next time you publish a blog, it will automatically load onto your facebook page. It does not upload the blog onto facebook instantly but it does happen within half an hour. (in my experience.

Cheers Chantelle

kids-art.com.au

How to get a Blog Tab onto Facebook

The other day I worked out how to get a tab on the Kids Art Facebook Fan Page for my Blog


I have been asked by a few people, how I did it, so I thought I would share, as there maybe other people wanting to know the same thing

First I went onto Networked Blogs & registered my blog.
http://www.networkedblogs.com/

Register your blog at Networked Blog

Once you have registered the Blog on Networked Blog, you will need to go through a confirmation process, which means getting an email and

Verify your Blog

All done

How to get a Tab onto facebook for your blog.

Go to Networked Blogs & go to the Blogger Dashboard. This can be found in the top right hand corner of the screen.

Under Publish ( Manage, Promote etc) & select > Add to Facebook Page (there are 3 options to choose from.

Blogger Dashboard > Publish > Add to Facebook Page

Then you select which page you would like your blog to appear on, if you are an admin of more than one Facebook Fan page. 

You have now successfully installed the Tab onto your Facebook page for your Blog.

Cheers Chantelle

 
. 


kids-art.com.au

Mothers Day at Kids Art

Happy Mothers Day

Well Mrs Kids Art has spent the morning in bed whilst being pampered by her 4 boys.

First there was the cup of coffee, then toast with jam, and a nice magazine to read. Vintage Caravan Magazine, pop over and check out her gorgeous facebook page and become a fan. I have added a link to the photo.


Mothers day breakfast in bed with favourite Magazine

Gift 1 from Son 1 a beauty case with skin care products in. Notice I also have another plate with toast, 4 sons apparently means 4 breakfasts.

Gift 1

 Gift 2 from Son 2 - A gorgeous key ring with a heart and a crown. It apparently has REAL diamonds on it. Which is amazing seeing I know that he had $5.00 to spend at the Mothers Day stall at the local school. I will have to go up there next year and see what other expensive diamonds I can purchase on the cheap.

Gift 2

 Gift 3 from Son 3 - A handmade card, and a Coupon Book for Mum, special note inside "Beast mum in the world" roarrrrr or grrrr I am not quite sure what sort of beast I am. Maybe I am really scary in the mornings when I am yelling at them to get ready for school.

Gift 3

Coupon Book includes - This coupon is good for

• Free Hug,
• One breakfast (which I have apparentley used up this morning on that special mothers day in bed toast with jam)
• One Bubble bath
• One backrub
• One Hug (Seeing I got screwed over on the breakfast I asked if the hug I got this morning with the gift was used up, he said no I will give you that one for free... aghh how sweet)
• Best one.... drum roll...... To do Kids Art for you.... cant wait for that one to happen.

Gift 4 from Son 4 - Chapstick and a chocolate heart. He had 4 dollars to spend at school Mothers Day stall... hold on, I can see that son 3 has hand made presents. I think that little bugger has pocketed the $5.00 he had for the Mothers Day stall... he is a cheeky bugger that one.

Note - the Chocolate Heart from Son 4 has already been eaten by him after he ate some of the toast with jam that I think they used a whole loaf of bread on.

Note 2 - Son 3 has just brought in chocolate Ferrero Rocher after I called him out about the handmade stuff... and what happened to the Mothers Day Stall money... He was like "oh, yeah I forgot, here it is".... I dont think they cost $5.00, somehow I think he has still spent some at the canteen that day.

Have  a great Mothers Day

Cheers Chantelle

kids-art.com.au

To Blog or Not To Blog

As the heading says, the question is To Blog or Not To Blog, well that was the question last night on the Cheeky Chats on facebook over at Tickle the Imagination's Page hosted by Cheeky Pickle

So after much deliberation, and all the encouragement that I received at the Cheeky Chat,  I have finally decided to set up a blog for my business Kids Art.

You can find the website for Kids Art here
www.kids-art.com.au

Kids Art Logo (Trademarked)

At the moment, this is just a first run on the Blogger to see how it all works and functions, and to learn all the tips and secrets on how to make a fabulous looking blog.

Kids Art is personalised art and gifts just for kids, and is all handmade and designed by me. Kids Art started with original handpainted artworks, which has grown into these artworks being professionally printed into clocks, growth charts, placemats which can all be personalised. If you have somehow managed to stumble across me and want to stay in touch with what is happening at Kids Art, please pop over to our Facebook Page and LIKE us.

http://www.facebook.com/Kids.Art.com.au

Kids Art on Facebook

If you would like to keep up to date with more detailed ramblings about the behind the scenes everday life at Kids Art and the family life, please subscribe to this blog. The plan is to make our blog all about our Kids Art News, and an extension of our Facebook page, and to help explain what is going on behind the Kids Art wesbite.
I know there is a way to add little icons and add the links onto that , but quite honestly, I have no idea how to do all that yet. Please bare with me as I set up the Kids Art Blog and any tips on how to make it look better, and navigate efficiently would be very much appreciated.

Thanks for stopping by and having a read

Cheers
Chantelle
kids-art.com.au

Day 2 of the Kids Art Blog

Okay so Day 2 on the Kids Art Blog, and I have acheived alot on it, if I do say so myself. Even if the fish tank did spring a leak and ruin my photos and documents, that were stored in the buffet and hutch that the fish tank is sitting on ... grrrrrr.

After the first initial blog, I published it, and went "live", as I wanted to see how the Kids Art News blog would appear to everybody else. Since then, I have managed to

• Change the background colour on the blog. I am not 100% happy with this, i want to make it more like the background colour on the website. Stay tuned, hopefully by the time you read this 2nd blog, the background has changed.

• Add the Kids Art header, the same as the one on the website

• Add a search tool up the top right hand side

• Add my Kids Art logo, and a little information about Kids Art

• Add a link to the Kids Art website www.kids-art.com.au

• Add a picture of myself, so my readers and Kids Art customers can see "me"

• Added the network blog, not real sure what that does, but seems to let people join my blog (note that only I have joined so far)

• Used the Network Blog to then add the Kids Art News blog to the Facebook page http://www.facebook.com/Kids.Art.com.au

• Added the Kids Art facebook news feed to the Blog. whew hew, pretty impressed with myself for managing that one

• Added the Page Views, so I can see how many times the page has been viewed. When I went to bed last night it was at 2, currently it is at 58. pretty cool

• The thing I am most pleased with is, adding the Pages navigation bar at the top of the blog. It makes it feel more like a website and so therefore should be easy to navigate around.

Now I just need to add a few more posts, and then work out how to set up categories and labels, so that the posts themselves will be easy to navigate and find.

I am going to post this blog as I am still really in test mode, and want to see whether once published in Blogger if it updates onto the Kids Art facebook page automatically. Fingers crossed xxxx.

Then I need to work out how to get my Mail Chimp onto the blog. I think I will leave that until next weekend. The sun is shining outside and its a cracker day, boys due home soon, so I need to get sorted.

Then set up one day a week, where I blog.

Cheers Chantelle
kids-art.com.au