We've Moved!

Check out our new & improved blog over at http://community.createdbymom.com/
... can't wait to see you, there!!!

Picks of the Week

Check out these fabulous products at the links below:

Shabby Creations
Scraps Decor
ooOhLaLa Mama
Mad Capz

Gotta have these!!

Here are this week's picks!! Be sure to click on the links below and visit these wonderful mom's products.





Lexi Lynne Designs
Mamie & Mable
Cupcake Chic
Cheeky & Swank

Picks of the Week!

After testing out the "Pick of the Day" promotion we have decided that EVERY day is a little intense so we've tweaked it a little to be "Picks of the Week". This way we can feature 4 products for the WHOLE WEEK!! Keep an eye out every Monday for that week's featured products. Here are this week's picks...

Here are links to these awesome products and where you can see other products created by these fabulous moms!:

Shabby Straps
Baby Burpies
Caroline Alexander
Bella Bead

Big News for Our Very Own Caroline Alexander!!!

We're sooooo excited to announce that our very own Caroline Alexander will be featured in an upcoming issue of Victoria Magazine!!! The feature is called "The Business of Bliss" & Caroline Alexander was one of eight businesses selected. We're so proud of them! You can check out their blog post about this here and enjoy at visit to their sweet products at CreatedByMom.com.

Also, they're having a HUGE giveaway on their blog right now & all you have to do is comment to enter.. how cool! Can check that out here.

Pick of the Day

Generous amounts of moisturizing, organic Aloe Vera make up this ultra rich lotion. This non-greasy formula absorbs quickly, leaving behind velvety soft skin kissed with a delicate scent. This is an excellent body cream for WHEREVER you need it!

* Nourishes skin
* Perfect light and creamy feel
* Great daily moisturizer

Get this luxurious product here!

Next Meet & Tweet the Moms

Wow, I'm so excited to dish the deets for our next Meet & Tweets on Twitter!

Thursday, March 12th 7:30-9pm MST
"Life, Motherhood, Business, SEO, Social Media & the Pursuit of Balance"
With Special Guests:
Tara McCausland (@myjoyquest) - Incredible Life Coach http://www.myjoyquest.com
Seth Jenks (@sethjenks) - Awesome Online Marketing Director http://www.adventcreative.com

If you're looking to find balance and/or need help working SEO & social media into your business, we'd love you to come chat with us on Twitter; just use #cbm to join the conversation! Chat with you then!

Pick of the Day

The Tot Tote is Tweetie Pie's own original design...created as a combination Pouch and Sling. They curved the body of the sling to give your baby a more comfortable fit. Combining the curved seam of the pouch with a nickle plated ring at the shoulder gives you the freedom to adjust it to your size. Carrier needs change as your child grows and prefers different positions. Tot Totes allow for that change! Go hands free, and have the ability to bond while accomplishing more than you ever imagined possible! Choose stretch cotton sateen or assorted prints. Fabric choices are all limited edition, so if you like it its probably best not to wait! Pick your favorite here.

Pick of the Day!

(Baby wearing "Bella" hat)

Your little sweetheart will look adorable in these chic and fashionable hand-knitted hats. With so many options you are sure to find one to match any outfit.
The flowers are sewn on securely to the hat for long wear.
There are 5 adorable styles to choose from here.

Inspired by the Twilight series this is Patrice's version of the bella bracelet. Shiny silver finish chain and a silver finish round toggle. A 10mm clear swarovski crystal heart for Edward and a pewter finish wolf charm for Jacob.
Measures 7 1/2 inches.
Click here to get this perfect gift for any Twilight fan!

Pick of the Day

An Asian flower with an Art Deco flair. Solid copper cuff with a solid copper flower accent. The flower has been enhanced with copper wire stamen. The flower has been lightly oxidized with the tips polished. The cuff has been wire brushed then polished and allowed to patina to a beautiful light coppery brown before being clear coated. Since this is a cuff, one size will fit most.
Click here to get it!

Pick of the Day

We hope you are loving our Picks of the Day! Today's pick is...


Have you ever wondered why there are belt loops on baby's clothing?

Have you every wished there was a much simpler way for your baby to wear a fashionable belt without the hassle of removing it during diaper changing?

Introducing a new unique and trendy line of belts for babies. GiGi Belts ha a convenient snap feature for easy wear and removal.

Click here to get one of these fashionable belts for that little boy in your life!

Pick of the Day

We are excited to launch the Haute Mama Pick of the Day! Every week day we will post a new Created by Mom product to feature. Today's Haute Mama Pick is...

What child doesn't love playing dress up? This romantic length tutu is made of tulle in a solid color or two different colors and is perfect for any little girl whether she's going to dance class, or acting out her favorite fairy tale. She can wear it for portraits or to parties. The length shown is 15 inches. The best part is that these tutus have no "right" way of being worn so you can have the ribbon at the front, back or side - the choice is up to you!

Click here to get this adorable tutu for the little princess in your life!

Bummas Video Review

Make it Happen Mama

This week, the fabulous Sugar Jones featured an interview about CreatedByMom.com & owner/manager Quinn in her "Make it Happen Mama" feature. It's a great story & you can check it out, here: Creative Moms, Chic Boutique.

Also, we were recently featured on the Blog Talk Radio program "Connecting Women." Feel free to listen to the interview here: Connecting Women.

And we were really excited to be in the Dream Big feature at TodaysMama.com: A Dream Created.

We feel very blessed to receive this great exposure to help bring business to the moms at CreatedByMom.com.

Professional-Looking Product Photography at Home

We hold a high standard for product photography at CreatedByMom.com because we know that beautiful photos SELL their products. Since the large majority of our products come from moms in a home-based business, we offer them a few tips on how to shoot a great product shot in their own home.

Natural light generally will yield the best results with color. A flash can distort the color & wash out the image. You'll want to place the item right next to where the direct sunlight is coming in. In this cat image (taken from Kodak.com) you can see how the cat's face is partially washed out because it's in direct sunlight. However, the cat's body & the flower plant look vibrant in comparison. They are right next to the direct light, right where you would want your product to be. If you need a little help to brighten things up, snatch a lamp or two & place them near your product also. This can help get rid of shadows & still give you a clear, bright photo.

A clean background, without distractions, is KEY to show off your product. For an inexpensive backdrop, buy 2 sheets of white foam board from your local office supply store. Then, use one as the base to set your product on & prop the other behind as your backdrop. I just found this nifty invention called the EZcube Light Box that retails for $14.95 that would be an excellent solution to get really great professional shots at home. You can lay an item on the floor of the cube or hang items from the rigging. Then, the natural light or lamp light will come through the cube & you can photograph the item very easily. What a great invention!

For a really clean shot, use a tripod or something to steady your camera. Most point & shoot cameras have a macro setting. The macro setting will work really well to help you obtain a shot full of detail.

However, the camera needs to be VERY steady or the image may blur. I've been surprised at how many tripods are lying around unused. Start asking around to see if anyone has one you could borrow; most people aren't using theirs. If you don't have a tripod, snatch a bag of beans or rice & prop it on books next to the product you want to photograph. Then, see if your camera has a timed setting. I prefer the 2 second timer. This makes it so that when I've got the shot exactly how I want it, I push the button & the camera will take the photo 2 seconds after. This gives me just enough time to remove my hands from the camera so that even the slightest movement won't blur the shot.

If you're ready for taking a little bit more advanced product photography at home, look in your manual or talk to a camera expert to see how you can adjust the white balance (many point & shoot cameras have this function). This allows you to fine tune exactly what your color will look like in the photographed image so you can more closely control that the color is true to what the product looks like in real life. However, don't panic if you're not ready for this step. If you can get the previous steps down, your photos will already look very professional.

Then, some simple photo enhancing in any photo editor (I recommend an inexpensive version of Photoshop Elements) can help the colors really pop & get rid of the grey tones that are common in digital photos. If you tighten up the levels of your photos, it can make a HUGE difference in the impact your photos have. For a good tutorial on adjusting levels in Photoshop, see Enhancing Photos With Levels (http://www.digitalscrapbookmemories.com/tips/levels.asp).

There's always more that can be said in photography, but even just these basics will help your product photos stand out above the rest!

Belly Bliss Nipple Ointment Video Review

Raging Forward

There are LOTS of exciting things happening & on the way for CreatedByMom.com! We've got lots of our haute mamas that are adding new products this month, along with exciting new mom-vendors joining the store.

Our vision for CreatedByMom.com is to become the #1 competitor to big box online retailers, like Target, Costco & Walmart. We think moms have more to offer & that consumers WANT to purchase from moms. We're constantly working to build our inventory of incredible mom products, working to be your one-stop-shop for all things created by moms.

We're still a start-up business & can use your help to spread the word about all we're doing here to support moms & their families. If you're interested in swapping buttons with us, we're more than happy to accommodate. Just email us at info@createdbymom.com.

Also, if you've got a second, we'd love your vote over at MomFaves.com. Thank you for all you do to help support us moms!

Dream Big

Wow!!! I'm so excited & honored to be a Dream Big Mom on TodaysMama.com this week. I just love those gals!! Here's the link to the full profile here: http://www.todaysmama.com/dream_big.php.

Also, BIG reminder that tonight is out Meet & Tweet the Moms at 7-8pm MST on Twitter. The hashtag will be #cbm #cpsia. If you're joining us through TweetChat, enter the room #cbm. Can't wait to tweet with you later!! xoxo

Meet & Tweet the CreatedByMom Moms Tomorrow!

Hip, Hip Hooray!!! I'm sooo excited to announce that tomorrow at 7pm MST we'll be having another Meet/Tweet the Moms night on Twitter. Tomorrow's topic will be CPSIA & Valentine's Day (kind of a funny combo, huh?). We'll have lots of good info/discussion, prizes & just a generally fabulous, fun time! See you then! xoxo

Haute Click List

Introducing the CreatedByMom.com newsletter, the Haute Click List. Inside you'll be wowed by all the new products, fabulous gift ideas & inspired by the Featured Haute Mama (a different, fantastic mom-vendor from CreatedByMom.com every issue!). The newsletter will go out twice monthly, aiming for quality, rather than quantity. We want to make each issue count & be something you value & look forward to opening. To subscribe to our newsletter & find more information, including a link to our archive where we'll keep every issue for your convenience, click on this link: https://www.createdbymom.com/Articles.asp?ID=142. And, PLEASE, we'd LOVE to get feedback on what you think of the newsletter & how we can improve it to be exactly what you want to receive.

Time to Dream...

Wow. Was just over at my friend, Vanessa's, blog "I Never Grew Up" & found her BumbleRide giveaway for the Indie Twin stroller. I am in BIG love with this awesome double stroller!!! I was just saying to my husband yesterday that I needed to find a good double stroller that I could use to go jogging this spring & the Indie Twin is exactly - if not more - what I'm looking for! It comes with so many bells and whistles that I'm am singing right along. Looks like a snap to fold up & down & looks super-comfortable for the kids. Also, everything is adjustable, from the footrest, to the canopys, to the backrests, making it fit babies through toddlers really comfortably. I'm really, really hoping to win this sweet baby. That would be a dream come true!!! And you should try, too! Check out this amazing stroller & be wowed at all the incredible features. And be prepared to drool.

Girly Up Product Review

Just got this video up on Girly Up high-fashion flower clips at CreatedByMom.com. My daughter helped me out with this one, making it much more interesting than usual LOL.

Letter from Congressman Matheson Re: CPSIA

A couple months ago I sent out the copy & paste letter to my senators & congressmen & - lo & behold - I got a response back! I thought I'd post them here for everyone to check out. More importantly, I want to post these to ensure that I am expecting these elected officials to stick to their word & truly continue to work this out & not leave all my mom small businesses in the dust. Feel free to click on the images to see the large, full content version. And let's all keep working to amend this law so that the intention remains, but the current implications are avoided.

Glitzy Mama Gift Bag

A video is worth a 1000 words, right? So here's a little vid about our FABULOUS Glitzy Mama Gift Bag.

Itty Blanket Review

These adorable blankets are the perfect solution for kids who want a blanket around who's parents don't want to drag the WHOLE HUGE blanket around everywhere they go. Our family LOVES ours & here's a video review on why & what they are. Bitty Basics Itty Blankets. Enjoy!

Video Review of Magnetic Bibs

Finally posted this video review of Cheeky & Swank's Magnetic Bibs (they're awesome!!!).

Vintage Body Spa Product Review

Today I reviewed some of Vintage Body Spa's fabulous products. See the video & start fantasizing about these organic, luxury home spa products.

Heartbreaking News

Our hearts are aching for one of the CreatedByMom.com moms today as we just received this announcement that Amy, mom behind So Chic Sassafras, tragically delivered her baby stillborn on Friday. This is Amy's first baby. Little Alexis is such a beautiful baby & is shown in the announcement dressed in a bow, bracelet & dress that Amy made for her months ago. Our thoughts & prayers are with Amy & her family at this time of grieving. We love you & pray angels are attending to you, walking by your side & holding you near. xoxo

Meet/Tweet the CreatedByMom Moms Tonight!

Just a quick little reminder about our first ever "Meet/Tweet the Moms" hour on Twitter tonight from 7-8pm MST. We're trying this out to make it easier to feel like there is a real mom behind every product sold at CreatedByMom.com. All the moms who sell here are incredibly inspiring & a complete blast to chat with! It should be a really fun time. We'd love you to feel free to ask all sorts of questions about the products or whatever comes to mind & we'll have some fun things to chat about with you, too. Yay! We're so excited & can't wait to Tweet with you!

Welcome Two New Vendors

We are excited to announce he arrival of two new vendors at CreatedByMom!
Please welcome:
Shabby Straps- Amanda makes fabulous straps for your cameras; both SLR/DSLR and point and shoot. They are great and come in many styles!

BugsNBees- Jennifer creates adorable, chic hand sewn dresses for children. They are fashionable and affordable!

Check them out and be on the lookout for giveaways to come!

Exciting Things in the Works

I'm am jumping out of my skin, so excited to tell you about some of the exciting things we have in the works at CreatedByMom.com!

CreatedByMom.com will now be hosting a "Meet & Tweet the CBM Moms" night each month on Twitter. A lot of our fabulous mom-vendors will be attending, tweeting about motherhood & their fabulous products. It will be a great chance to ask questions about products & meet new friends. We want shopping at CreatedByMom.com to be personal: you know & love the moms who sell here.

The "Meet & Tweet the CBM Moms" will be Thursday night, January 15th @ 7pm MST.

Oh, yeah... & did I mention there will be lots of prizes, especially gift certificates? Yay!

We're looking forward to tweeting with you!!! xoxo

Manic Mama Monday Giveaway Winners

Congrats to Mistress Meeyee, our Handle Baby Car seat Cover winner! Also, congratulations to MJ who is our Charm Bracelet winner!

Please email us at info@createdbymom.com to claim your prizes.

Look for details about another giveaway coming soon!

Toddler Rockstar

Thought I'd share with you this hilarious video of my DD rocking out to her Uncle's guitar playing. We can all use a pick me up, right? LOL

Get to know our Vendors

It has been awhile since we have put a list of our vendors on our blog. We were welcoming each vendor as we added them but for some reason that kind of fell by the wayside. Well, I am happy to say we are going to continue announcing our new vendors so you know what is going on at CreatedByMom.com.
Here is a list of the new vendors we have added since last posting:

Ari's Angels great baby blankets
Baby Burpies organic burp clothes
Bella Bead beautiful necklaces
Blue J Tees hand apliqued children's tees
Bummas dry baby wipes
CarolineAlexander handmade fairyhouses and flower belts
Cherish Bound Publish your own stories
the Flower girls tutus for toddlers, children, and teens
Girly Up flower and bow clips
Handle Baby carseat covers
I Heart Hairbows hairbows for girls and teens
Jewel Street Designs copper and steel jewelry
Lacee Lou Hats hand knitted hats for infants to adults
LegHuggers baby and toddler leg warmers
Patrice Wright Jewelry handmade jewelry and Twilight inspired jewelry
Savvy Spice superhero capes for dress up
Shabby Creations original blog designs
So Chic Sassifrass baby bows and headbands
Tweetie Pie Babybaby slings and toddler dresses
With Love, Lizzy toddler bed duvets

Sorry the list is sooo long! We will do much better to keep you updated on new vendors in the future. Please take the time to look at all their fabulous products! They are worth the look!
Thank you for supporting CreatedByMom and our awesome Mom-Vendors!