One Stop Boy Shop

AUCTIONS BEGAN TODAY!  PLEASE HEAD OVER AND PLACE YOUR BID ON SOME WONDERFUL GIFTS!

In our blogging community, we become a sort of extended family so to speak.  We meet each other, cheer for one another, cry together and just bond in a way that is really pretty magical if you think about it.  When some of us are in trouble, you want to do SOMETHING to help.

When Francesca my blogging friend from Mayhem and Moxie (formally 3 Bay Chicks) emailed me to let me know that 2 of our family was in trouble and could One Stop Boy Shop help by donating an item to an auction, my answer was YES!

Firstly Anissa from Free Anissa had 2 strokes within hours of each other and is in bad shape.  Her husband is keeping us all updated on their other blog.  She collapsed a few days before Thanksgiving, she’s only 35!!!!  Their children are 11, 8 and 6 years old.  I’m following their fight closely and praying for a miracle for them.

A Dad blogger Matt Logelin also needs our help.  One day he was proudly blogging about the birth of his daughter and the next was sharing the news that he lost his wife to a pulmonary embolism.

This is the season to give.  They need our help and it’s within our power to help them.  One Stop boy Shop has donated an adorable hat and mitten set made exclusively for One Stop Boy Shop by Carol of Cobblers Cabin, hand crafted and oh so soft (washable too)!  Perfect for a little boy OR girl (toddler OR baby sets available for the winner)!

Seven fellow bloggers are hosting an auction to help these families.  Please visit them in the coming days and bid on items that could help you with your Christmas shopping and could help some families in great need this holiday season.  The auctions begin tomorrow (December 8th) on the following sites:

Buried with Children

Mayhem & Moxie

7 Clown Circus

Scary Mommy

The Extraordinary Ordinary

Mama’s Losin’ It

Adventures in Babywearing

PLEASE visit these sites and help out if you can.  Bidding begins at just $10.00!!!!  The auctions only last 3 days beginning tomorrow so Please join in and make the donations from the small business owners count towards helping these families.  One Stop Boy Shop’s item will appear (I think) on Mama’s Losin’ It.

Or is it  Christmas Bazaar?  Regardless, if you’re in the Austin, Texas area, please come and see me!  I’ll be at Shoreline Christian Church on Burnet Road from 8-5 on Saturday.  Come out and see all of the adorable new inventory that I have for sale.  Some of it hasn’t even made it to my website yet and these outfits are just precious!  Want a peek?

I haven’t been blogging and I’m missing it horribly!  I’ve been working on a LOT of websites and getting my portfolio up and ready for a great possible business opportunity.  Plus I’m watching an extra kid every day plus a new PUPPY!  I promise that I have much to tell you and lots of stories to share and will get back to my blogging love soon.  I can’t wait to tell you about many things.

I’ve also been VERY distracted by this book series:

If you haven’t read them, I recommend it! They’re the books that the HBO show True Blood is based off of.

I guess it all depends on how you measure “success”.

This past weekend, I had a booth for One Stop Boy Shop at the Balance Womens Expo in Austin.  My booth received a lot of traffic and some potentially VERY good future exposure.  A morning anchor woman from a local television station came by and introduced herself.  I’m wondering if I should name her or her station by name, I’d love to because I’d love to tell you how lovely she was in person, both personality and on the outside.. she’s not someone who is slathered in t.v. makeup to make her look better, she’s gorgeous…. but alas, I probably shouldn’t name her without her permission.  She said that her station sometimes likes to help promote small mom businesses like mine and that I should email her to see if there was anything that she could do to help me get some exposure.  HOLY COW, did that ever make my day!

Also, a very large and popular local radio station (and just so happens to be the station that I listen to!) offered to look over my press release to see if there was anything that they could help with also.  They also asked me to (and I of course said yes) record a sound clip of why I like their station… I snuck in “Nancy from One Stop Boy Shop” hehehehe.  I don’t know if it’ll make the air since the only time my children allow me to listen to the radio is when we’re in the car.

As for sales, I made quite a few.  Not enough to make a profit, with booth cost and product cost I’m $100.00 in the hole, LOL but the exposure is priceless and I really had a good time.  It was an excellent venue, in the air conditioning and very upscale.  My booth was in a wonderful location, very close to the stage where Kate from Kate + 8 spoke, Michael Johns sang and Dr. Laura appeared.

The one disappointment was that my “Be Aware” t-shirts didn’t sell well and I had them up front and center.  I only sold one.  They’re the product I’m most proud of and I really thought it would be a hit to have a fabulous Breast Cancer Awareness shirt for boys…. but nope.

I was able to meet the lovely ladies running the Hybrid Mom booth and networked with many other vendors.  I was also invited to have a booth at a local daycare festival.  A special score bonus was the booth next to me is going to come out and give me an estimate on replacing my carpet with hardwood flooring!  LOL

My mother and Taylor were there to help me out and were both excellent assests to me.  They were wonderful and invaluable.  All in all, I had a great day and a good experience.

One Stop Boy Shop will be at the Balance Expo for Women in Austin, Texas this Saturday at the Palmer Events Center!  There will be celebrity speakers such as Kate Gosselin, Dr. Laura, Ann Daly, career coach Sue Cullen, author/speaker Marny L. Lifshen, radio personality Kim Iverson and American Idol singer Michael Johns.

I’m extremely nervous.  There will be huge amounts of people at the event and I was lucky enough to procure a booth.  This is a much more upscale event than I’ve ever participated in (also a lot more costly!).  I’ll be selling my One Stop Boy Shop items (or trying to).  I do not have the salesperson mentality so I really hope that I can pull this off.  I’m just not much of a people person, I’m more of a computer person. 

Hybrid Mom will be there also and will have a booth.  I’ve been doing some blogging for them in the form of technical articles.  Here are my articles, #1 and #2.

If you’re local, please come and visit me!  The event is from 8:30 until 4:00 pm.  If you’re a local blogger, please blog about it!  I need friendly visitors!  I need customers!  I need a Valium!

First, I want to tell you about a subject that is Breast Cancer Awareness.  My mom was diagnosed with (and BEAT!) breast cancer 7 years ago.  She had a mastectomy and is still “cancer free”.  What in the world could this have to do with One Stop Boy Shop news?  Well, breast cancer affects EVERYONE, even boys.  Breast Cancer steals their moms, grandmothers, and someday (hopefully not, I hope there will be a cure) could steal their wives or daughters.  The symbol for breast cancer is the Pink Ribbon.  Not real manly but it is after all a woman’s disease.

I was contacted by Michelle from Just Be Products, LLC to see if I’d be interested in carrying some of their boy designs.  They have a clothing line that is really fun and creative.  Their “Just Be” campaign has really come up with some great, very well recognized designs.  Her designs are even showing up with celebrities.

I replied to her and asked her if she could design me a tee depicting BE AWARE, using the pink ribbon of breast cancer awareness and still keep it “manly” or “boyish”.  Boy did she come through for me!  I adore these tee’s and they really help spread awareness and remind us that breast cancer can affect us all.  They even have my 12 year old son’s approval and he stated he’d be proud to wear one.  I’m proud at One Stop Boy Shop to be your exclusive source for the new BE AWARE t-shirt by Just Be in toddler to young boy sizes (and will hopefully expand my selection soon, Michelle, let’s talk! lol).  Now boys too can show their support and help spread the wonderful message of Breast Cancer Awareness.  I will be donating 10% of the total of each of these tee’s sold to the Susan G. Komen Foundation to help make a difference.

In other news, I think you know by now, that I’m a big fan of our American Soldiers.  You can see this post and this one for reference.  I saw these patriotic designs and thought “I want those!!”.  I have them in sizes from baby up to older boys. You can buy them for all siblings to show their pride in the good ole U.S.A.  (and don’t rib me for saying this, but they’d look really cute on girls too! lol).  Their available right now for purchase (on sale) and just in time for the 4th of July.

Lastly, my toddler summer short sale is going on and will be over with on June 28th.  Hurry to catch your 20% savings!

Thank you for reading, for Being Aware, for Being Proud and for being a One Stop Boy Shop customer/supporter…. where it’s all about the boys (and a few sneaky girls too).

Nancy  aka “she who writes alot”

I’m having to fit a lot into one post.. make sure you have your caffeinated beverage of choice handy.

Fitness Friday – I’ve started going to a physical therapist and she is showing me some core strengthening exercises to hopefully help me with my neck and lower back problems.  I swear I’m falling apart (remember I told you I’d be writing a manual for it and I really am!).  I’ve been doing the exercises every day that she’s recommended.  I did not get on the treadmill or exercise bike, but I did accomplish a LOT of manual labor like staining the deck and mowing the yard.  I haven’t been near a scale but my appetite is decreasing because I’m weaning off those horrific headache pills that made me a ravenous fiend.  They caused a 22 pound weight GAIN!  In 2 1/2 months.  Horrific.

Now some news!

You remember that button that I begged everyone to push for me in order to vote for One Stop Boy Shop in the Leading Moms in Business Competition at Startup Nation?  Well I won!!!  Not first place or anything but any of the top 200 is considered a “winner” and I’m one of those 200!  So thank you, thank you and THANK YOU!  I’m not quite sure what that did for me because all they said when they announced that I’d won was send me a sample template for a press release and advised me to submit it to media in my area.  I sent my press release to the local papers like the pr people at StartUp Nation recommended but unfortunately, I wasn’t very news-worthy and no one ran my story.    I added a new tab on the top of my blog “Press Info” and that contains the complete press release (instead of the paired down one that I sent to the media) and if anyone wants to write about me, GREAT!  If not, that’s ok too… lol  but heck, I might as well try.  If you happen to know anything about PR and have recommendations of other things I can do with my news, please let me know!

Next is only good news for me and my family.  Tomorrow we embark on our several time per year trip to the cabin in northern Arkansas.  We’ll have a lovely week of no t.v. and attempts at forcing our sons to love each other.    I do have internet access so even if I don’t blog as much (but I might) I’ll still be reading!

I’ve also made some advertising merchandise available for purchase if you’d like to show your support of One Stop Boy Shop.  You can check these out at

http://www.cafepress.com/onestopboyshop, I will be adding some “Trouble” shirts soon.  But for now there are dog t-shirts as well as adult shirts and onsies.. some of the onsies are pretty darn funny if I do say so myself!  hehehhehhe

What else was I going to tell you….. hmmm I’ve probably made you all close your browsers by now anyway.

Oh well, I forget.  But happy week to you all and I’ll see you in the blog-osphere!

I remember!!!  I’ve lost some blogs that I liked and didn’t bookmark.  I know that I found them from other sites blogrolls.  I was hoping some of you could help me relocate their blogs.  One was a couple who had just had a baby (I think a girl) and they were from the U.S. but living in Germany and renovating a farm house.

Another was a retired couple that were fixing up a stone cottage that they had discovered.  They had to completely gut the place.

I’m excited to have recently started carrying Baby Banz sunglasses and UV protection hats (as well as sunscreen) for our little boys.  These sun glasses were one of my best sellers at the recent local festival that I had a booth at.  I finally had time to put them on my website and as a “launch” for these adorable sunglasses, I’ve decided to give a pair away to one lucky blog reader!

Baby Banz at the One Stop Boy Shop are available in 2 sizes for baby and kidz in 3 adorable styles; Green Camo, Blue Camo and Midnight Black (please note that I’m out of stock for the Black sunglasses in baby size).

Baby Banz sunglasses offer 100% UVA/UVB protection for their little eyes.  They’re fitted with a comfortable, adjustable strap to help them stay fitting comfortably as they grow.  They are made of shatter resistant frames and the lenses can even be replaced with prescription lenses.  These are the real deal and not just the costume type.  Baby Banz were originally designed in Australia which is home to some of the worlds toughest UV environments.  Durable polycarbonate Ophthalmic quality.

These are kid tested (Nathan and Ian both love theirs!) and mother approved!

And that’s not all, oh no, that is not all!  I’ll also be giving the winner 1 pack of Baby Blanket Sunscreen Towelettes.  These are awesome SPF45 sunscreen lotion that is so convenient to just throw into your purse or diaper bag.

All you must do to enter, is visit my store One Stop Boy Shop and come back and comment on your favorite item.

Want extra entries?  I’ll give you lots of ways!

Subscribe to my blog and leave a separate comment letting me know.

Tweet about this giveaway (come back and comment that you’ve done so and your user name or link).

Blog about this giveaway (come back and comment separately that you’ve done so)

Tell a friend!  Tell someone you know and have them leave your name in the comment and you’ll get an extra entry!

Want 5 extra chances?  Purchase something from One Stop Boy Shop and come back and comment to me that you’ve done so.

Giveaway is open to all. Domestic, standard mail shipping is included. If you’d prefer to have priority shipping or if you’d like them shipped internationally the winner will be responsible for the extra shipping fees.

Giveaway will close for all entries at midnight EST 06/12/09.  Random name will be drawn and announced 06/13/09.

Good Luck!

First, I am so thrilled to be able to offer two new lines of clothing.  First is sleepwear by “At Home by Jumper“  I have 3 super cute styles of short sleeved, short pant jammies in adorable fabrics.  They’re excellent quality and available just in time for the upcoming summer nights.  (pictures are linked if you want to check out the other styles or to place an order)

Next, I’m very proud to offer the organic line of summer outfits by Sage Creek.  The fabric is AWESOME.  So soft and comfortable and made of 100% Certified Organic Cotton.  The styles are adorable and very Earth Friendly.  Your little men (and mine!) are going to look so handsome in these stylish and comfy outfits.

In other news, I wanted to take a second to express my sincere thank you’s to all of the Mom Bloggers out there that have been helping to spread the word of One Stop Boy Shop.  With a mom-owned store advertising budget (ummmm zero), I need all the help I can get.  You are VERY appreciated and I am grateful for all that you do.

Lastly, but certainly not least… I wanted to let you know that there are only 7 more days to vote for One Stop Boy Shop in the Startup Nations Mom Owned Business Competition.  My status is “On Fire” (YAY!) but I have no idea if that is enough for me to make it into the Top 200.  I’m shamelessly asking you to vote for me once per day for the next 7 days.  I heart you guys VERY much!