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As a vendor, I try to be neutral. I try not to get too personal. I try not to reveal too much about myself and keep everything professional. I try. Tonight, I am finding that difficult. I fully admit it's my problem and my issues. I fully admit that I am sensitive about the issue. Maybe it's just being told "NO" yet again has gotten to me.

You see, there is a post going around Facebook (FB is where I do a lot of my business):

When you buy from boutiques and small businesses you are not helping a CEO buy a third vacation home,you are helping: a mom put food on the table, a little girl finally get those dance lessons, a little boy finally gets to be part of the football team, a young lady get a new dress for her big dance, a dad a present for his wife for the first time in years this Christmas......Support boutiques and small businesses♥ ♥ ♥

This, coupled with some emails and posts from other vendors about supporting ONLY working from home moms has made me lose it. Are you really ONLY supposed to buy from people supporting a family? Is that really fair?

I'm sad to say that I am not a mom. My Husband and I have been married for 2 years (on the 26th) and have been trying to conceive for our entire marriage. I'm not a mom, but it isn't by choice. I love kids. I chose to teach them. Then, I lost my job because education is the first thing that gets cut when money runs low. Sad but true. My sister, the photographer, started to encourage me to make props for her business. She'd tell me that hat she wanted, I'd make it. So, I started to help support my hubby and myself by making props.

Is it really fair to say that you won't do business with me because I don't have children to feed? When you buy from me, you help me pay my bills, you help me eat, you help me visit the doctor to figure out what is going wrong inside me preventing me from meeting your "mom requirement". You help me have less stress because I don't have to worry how I'm going to make rent, or car payments. You help me stress less because I know I might be able to afford the expensive, non-insured, treatments I need to be something that you probably take measures to prevent: pregnant.

I love making little hats, wraps and headbands. It makes me want to be a mom even more. I put a lot of love into every item I make. It really hurts me on a personal level that someone has said these things. I know most of the photographers and prop makers out there are moms. I know that I'm a minority. But, I'm just trying to get by like you.

Like I said before, I know I'm sensitive about the mom thing. I also don't know how long this post will survive. It may be a bit too personal.


EDIT: I'm in no way saying that the circulating post is "slamming" those of us that aren't moms. I don't think it was meant that way at all. I was more upset by a certain vendor advocating to only buy from Mom run businesses. It really hurt my feelings to know that others really feel justified to hold infertility against someone. I think supporting small businesses, regardless of who runs them, is AWESOME! I fully admit that this is a sensitive issue for me, and for many like me. I also think it's important to bring awareness to the emotional, financial and physical issues infertility has on those that deal with it. I think it's important for those that don't suffer with infertility to understand how innocent comments can be hurtful, even when those that get hurt try not to take it that way.

1K giveaway **CLOSED**

I am absolutely amazed that I have 1,000 fans. One thousand people on Facebook like my little crafts! To thank you all, I’ve put together this giveaway. I've looked forward to this for a while now, and I know some of you have too! 

Please read all the rules before you enter. I will be monitoring all the entries daily to verify they are valid. I know what you really want to know about though: the prizes! First, here's the legal:

*This giveaway is in no way sponsored by, endorsed by, administered by or affiliated/associated with Facebook. Participants are providing information to Jenn Liebman Creations and participating vendors; not Facebook. Winners will not be notified or announced on Facebook.

The Prizes:

• Michelle Renee Photography: A Vintage Luxe Headband by Strawberry Girl Couture (Winner must pay shipping if outside the U.S.)

• lilian.grace: $20 gift certificate towards anything in the shop. Gift certificate can not be used towards shipping, though winner will get a ONE-TIME use free shipping code. No cash balance will be given, item(s) must be equal to or more than value of gift certificate. 

• Positively Whimsey Hair Accessories : Brown Sparkly Singed Satin & Peacock Feather Hair Clip & Adjustable Headband
  Interchangeable - Hair Clip can be worn alone or attached to headband.
  Free shipping - US only

• Creative Addictions Babyography Props: Newborn Pixie Hat

• Splash of Color by Moonlight- digital props, backrops, and floors: $40 Gift Certificate

• Sugar and Snails {Photo Props & More}: $20 Shop Credit

• Gorgeoulsy Chic:The "Luxe Girl" Fascinator Headband

• Baby Bliss Photography Props: Wrap and Headband set

• White Picket Fence Designs: $10 Credit on a purchase of $25

• Bits & Bobs Galore - A Photographers Prop Haven: 52" x 3ft drop (Winner must pay shipping if outside the U.S.)

• {Whimsical Whatnots}: Newborn Football hat and winner's choice of one pictured headband. Free Shipping to the U.S.

• Photographers Gathering Place: 1 year platinum membership that I currently have priced at $49.
        Benefits are: Sell your photography related products on the site at no additional costs, Advertise your photography business in your local region if you are a photographer, Participate in chats and forums, Photography classes, And more!
  
  
  
• Creative Creations by Chantelle: Top Hat. hat shown is sized for a toddler, but can be made for a newborn. Can also be made in any color.

• Little Spaniel's Crafts: $15 Gift Certificate

• Lil' Bow Peep & Lamb Boutique: Cocoon of the Winner's Choice

• Room to Grow: 2 Ties in value of $20

• Flair 4 Design: $20 Gift Certificate

• The Funky Frame Shop: 5x7 Frame in color of choice

• Gigi Stiches: Pretty 'n' Pink Bow and a pair of wings.

• Treasured Little Creations: $25 Gift Certificate

• Jenn Liebman Creations: $50 Gift Certificate

How to enter:

•          Required Entry: Like all the vendors fan pages from your PERSONAL Facebook page. You need post on the page that you are entering the giveaway, and tag my page (to tag, place the @ symbol and begin to type my page name. A drop menu will appear; just select my page and you’re all done!). If you're already a fan, just comment that you're entering the giveaway and tag my page. Comment that you’ve liked the pages for the required entry on this blog post to complete your entry. Include your email, so I can contact you if you win! You MUST complete this for any bonus entry to be valid.

•         Bonus Entry 1: Put a link on your Facebook page to this blog post. Tag my page in this as well; this will insure I can track your entry. Comment that you’ve posted the link for bonus entry #2 on this blog post to complete your entry.

•          Bonus Entry 2: Make any purchase from any vendor. Email me that you have made a purchase and from which vendor. I will verify it and add your entry. Comment that you made a purchase for bonus entry #3 to complete your entry. Feel free to purchase as many items as you would like, but only ONE bonus entry will be counted.

Bonus entries are just more entries with your name, not guarantees that you will win!­ You must comment on this blog post to ensure that your bonus entries get counted! Only comments on this blog will count as entries! Please include your email address so I can contact you if you win! I will NOT announce winners on Facebook.

How to Win:

This giveaway ends on August 30, 2011.

I will randomly draw three winners. You can only win once.­­

The first winner will have their choice of 9 prizes and I will contact them first.Tthey have 48 hours to tell me which prizes they would like or their prize will be awarded to the second winner.

The second winner will have their choice of 7 prizes from the remaining 12. They have 48 hours to inform me or their prize will move to the third winner.

The third and final winner will win the remaining 5 prizes.

If I don’t hear from a winner within 48 hours, and have to award that prize to another winner, I will redraw the third winner.

It is the responsibility of the winner to contact the vendor of the prizes they have won! I will notify the vendor of the winner’s name and contact information, but the winner must still claim their prize! Some prizes have shipping charges and it is the winner’s responsibility to pay those charges. You will NOT be notified on Facebook if you win!

I’m so excited about this giveaway! Good Luck to everyone!

Additional Links:

All links to fan pages are included in the prizes section. They are relisted here along with any other sites you may want to view.

Michelle Renee Photography: Facebook – Website – Strawberry Girl Couture

Lilian.Grace: Facebook  – Shop

Positively Whimsey: Facebook –  Shop

Creative Addictions: Facebook –  Shop

Splash of Color by Moonlight: Facebook

Sugar and Snails: Facebook

Gorgeously Chic: Facebook – Website

Baby Bliss Photography Props: Facebook - Shop

White Picket Fence Designs: Facebook

Bits and Bobs Galore: Facebook 

Whimsical Whatnots: Facebook

Photographers Gathering Place: Facebook

Creative Creations by Chantelle: Facebook

Little Spaniel's Crafts: Facebook - Shop

Lil Bow Peep & Lamb Boutique: Facebook –  Shop

Room to Grow: Facebook –

Flair 4 Design: Facebook – Website 

The Funky Frame Shop: Facebook 

Gigi Stiches: Facebook - Shop

Treasured Little Creations: Facebook - Website

Jenn Liebman Creations: Facebook – Shop

Refer a Friend Discount Game **CLOSED**

This event is CLOSED! Thank you for your interest.

I'm trying to get to 1,000 facebook fans so I can put together a HUGE giveaway. I want to give some new products I will making in the next couple of weeks and some of the classic favorites like the sock monkey set. I have so many ideas, and I want to share them with my fans! I also want to get a bunch of other vendors involved to make all that more amazing. So, I thought I would post some rules and explain how it would work.

• Have your friends "like" Jenn Liebman Creations on Facebook. Make sure they tell me you sent them, so I can give you credit!
• For every friend you refer, that posts that you sent them, I will give you 2% off any single purchase made before August 30, 2011. This includes new items and OOAK, but does not include auctions or promotional days (i.e. Ten Dollar Tuesday or Twins Day {coming soon}). If you refer 1 friend, you get 2% off, 10 friends 20% off.. and so on.
• I will only count referrals until July 20, 2011, or I hit 900 fans, which ever come first.

Start referring your friends today!

Photographer Feature: April Cooper Photography

I will be posting special posts highlighting some of the fabulous photographers I have had the joy of working with. You can find a link to the featured photographer in each post, and links to photographers that have shared their work with me to the right. There will be more posts like this in the future.

I believe everyone should have up to date family photographs, especially if you have children. They grow too much and too quickly, so don't miss a memory!

April Cooper Photography

Not only is April my sister, but she takes some of the most precious photos I have ever seen! Her becoming a photographer and pushing me to make things for her is how I got started in photography props. April has helped me with ideas, color choices, and giving me honest feedback on products I send to her or just text a quick photo. I'll let her photos tell you how fabulous she is:

April is in Bakersfield, CA.

Auction Time! **CLOSED**

I have a few One of a Kind hats still available for purchase and I would like to clean out my inventory. Mostly so I can feel better about buying yarn to make more! Here are two of my favorites:

Here are the rules:

• Auction will start on Friday April 22, 2011 at midnight and end Tuesday April 26, 2011 at noon, PST.
• The caption of each photo will have a description of the item and the starting bid which will include shipping costs. The price you bid, will be the price you pay!
• Comment on the photo of the hat you would like with the email address you use with your pay pal account AND your bid amount.
• Bid increases must be in increments of at least $1.00.
• You can bid on as many items as you would like.
• If your bid is the final and highest bid, I will email an invoice to the address on your comment.
• You have 24 hours to pay the invoice. If it isn't settled, the item(s) will go to the next bid.
• Your item(s) will ship the same day you pay invoice if it's before 4pm PST, or the next day if it is after. 

 Good luck! If you know a hat you want, you can order it from now until the auction starts. For the duration of the auction, these hats will not be available for purchase.

If you're interested in ordering a custom one of a kind item, please email me at JennLiebman@gmail.com.

200 Fans Giveaway **CLOSED**

This giveaway is CLOSED.

200 Fans! I can't believe it. I have the best fans, recommending their friends check out my site, and helping me spread the word about my creations. I <3 you all!
To celebrate, I am hosting a giveaway. This is the biggest one I have done so far, and I hope you all like it! There are two giveaways to enter:

1. Like the facebook pages of the vendors that provided the prizes (there are links below), and post on all the pages that you are entering this giveaway. It's a good idea to tag my by typing @Jenn Liebman Creations so I can track your entry. After you have done this, tag me and/or include a link to this blog in your status. Then comment on this blog to let me know you have done all the steps. Random.org will be choosing a winner from the blog comments. Yes, you have to do everything in order to be entered.
2. Have your friends like all the pages and post that you sent them. It's a good idea to have them tag me by typing @Jenn Liebman Creations so I can track this entry. The person with the most friends visiting all the fan pages, will win!

Here are the sites you need to visit:

Jenn Liebman Creations 

Strawberry Girl Couture 

Crystal Keyes Photography 

Now, the fun stuff: prizes! The winner from the blog comments will win this matching set of newborn hats from Jenn Liebman Creations:

The winner with the most facebook comments from their friends will receive these two prizes:
From Strawberry Girl Couture, a yellow and orange stretchy headband fitting newborn to 2-3 years

and:

A free mini session from Crystal Keyes Photography

{miini session your desired location, within 15 miles 

of her studio in Noblesville or in studio. 

Up to 10 pictures on CD unlimited backdrops and outfit changes,

5 family members (additional members $10/ea)}

or, for those not in the Noblesville, IN area

Maternity/Baby wrap. 5x3 foot in your choice of color. There will be a $3 shipping charge.

Winners will be drawn Friday April 15, 2011 at 4 pm.

Thank you and good luck!

One of a Kind

I decided I wanted to take my business into more of a specialty shop. I've seen a lot of other handcrafters that make one of a kind items for photography props. I'm starting to head in that direction. I've even started to spin my own yarn. Here's what I made with my homespun yarn:

This is one of my favorite hats and I was so excited to sell it! This is the type of item I really love to make and share with others.

Enough talk, here are some more pictures (these are for sale):

I just bought some hand spun yarn and I can't wait to get it and create with it!