Store and Blog are back up and running!

Whimsical Paper Garland

Sorry for the long hiatus friends!  The past few months have been CRAZY busy.  hoop~da~loop exploded in sales, which was awesome and overwhelming at the same time.  I think us etsy sellers know how that goes sometimes :)  Andrew and I also moved to Nashville woohoo!  And are very glad to be back amongst our families and closest friends.  Bailey is also very glad that our new space includes stairs.  She loves running up and down them to get in a bit of exercise.  Posts here will probably still be on the lighter side, but I hope to post here and there with some DIYs, inspiration, and updates on the shop.  So check out what I've got going on for the spring... some new shapes!

Butterfly Garland- Totally Customizable!

New to the Shop!

It's been a bit busy around here lately.  I've been working like craaaazzy.  Here's some of what's new to the shop as a result :)

Reminds me of the sea or bubbles

Cute baby shower colors for boys or girls

Fall Stationary and/or Thanksgiving Greeting Cards

Circus Themed :)

For the daring lady

Confetti for weddings, parties, DIYs... you name it!

PS- Did you know paper garlands make great stocking stuffers?  Cause they do!  :)

Etsy How-To: Free Advertising Through the Holidays

Now, I can't say from experience that I have used tons of paid advertising.  I have paid for advertising and been pleased with the results (another post sometime), but I have also sought out lots of avenues for free advertising and that's what I am going to talk about today mostly because it is HOLIDAY SEASON!  It is time to get your shop out there so people in the holiday shopping mode can find you.  So today I present you with 10 ways to advertise for free throughout the Holiday Season.  Make it your goal that by November 1st, you will try at least 5 of these.  I promise it will bring you more traffic and the more you work at it, the more traffic and sales it will bring!

1)  Start a Facebook Page for your business.  There are lots of how-to's out there.  Also consider Twitter, Flickr, and Tumblr.  Get your voice heard and your products seen!

2) Read blogs in your niche and comment on them with your shop link.  Aka if you sell wedding decor, start following some wedding blogs.  Don't spam them with your comments, but try every day to leave a comment on at least 3 blogs with insightful thoughts and leave a link to your shop with the comment.  People will click and be interested.  They were already somewhat interested because they were reading about weddings (or whatever your subject might be).

3) Start a blog.  This one may sound like a lot of commitment and it is more than the others, but it's always great to get your web personality out there.

4) Don't want to start a blog or already have one?  Doesn't matter which, seek out guest blog spots.  It is a great way to get your name out there so start contacting blogs that feature writers or DIY projects from other artists and send them an email with your ideas for a guest post.

Vintage Book Heart Paper Garland

5) Get your products featured on blogs.  Contact blogs that feature items like yours or in your style.  Give them a 3-4 sentence blurb about your shop and your product and include 2-3 great photos.  Follow up if you haven't heard back in a week.

6)  Get Pinterest and start working on building up a great inspiration board.  Include a couple of your items in your boards, but not too many.  You don't want to be a spammer.  (See how to grow your business with pinterest here.)

7)  Leave business cards sitting around in public places.  People are bound to look you up.  If you include a coupon code on the back, they are even more likely to purchase something.

8)  Go for wholesale accounts now.  If you are considering wholesale (which you should at least consider), this is the time for sales and the time that brick and mortar shops will really be looking for great products for holiday sales.  You have great products!

9)  Come up with new items and tell people about them through Twitter, Facebook, your blog... every avenue you have.

10)  Talk about your shop to everyone you know.  You are your biggest advocate and you should be proud that you took the time and energy to start your own business and nurture it!  Your shop doesn't have to be the only thing you talk about, but people should know you do it!

Now commit a bit of time every day to work on these ideas.  Free doesn't mean you don't work at it.  You will have to work even harder than paid advertising, but if you even commit 10 minutes a day to building a Facebook page, you will see a difference! 

Happy free advertising!

Exciting News!

I am proud to announce that hoop~da~loop is the newest featured artisan on Emmaline Bride, a great blog and resource for brides that LOVE handmade.  They provide readers with great DIYs and a marketplace to browse handmade items specifically for weddings and wedding events.  That's where you will find me!  Check me out here and be sure to browse the blog!

For the Men In Your Life...

Dillion from the blog An Integral Design added my personalized Men's stationary to his birthday wishlist!  Thanks for the feature Dillion!  I hope you get it :)

New to the Shop!

New to the shop!  My newest heart paper garland.  Totally customizable in length and color!  Find them here.

Artist Highlight and Giveaway: hoop~da~loop

Today I thought it would be fun to interview myself (weird? maybe... fun?! yes!) and tell you a bit more about hoop~da~loop.  I am also hosting a fun fun giveaway and offering you wonderful readers a discount!  So be sure to scroll down to see how to enter!

Autumn Garland

Hi hoop~da~loop! Welcome! Tell us a little bit about yourself and your whimsical party decor.
Hello!  I'm Allison.  I live in Knoxville, TN with my most wonderful husband, Andrew aka "Scout" and trusty pup, Bailey.  Besides creating, I love to be in the great outdoors, learn new things, and hang out with my family and friends.  I'm also a bit of a foodie and LOVE tracking down delicious restaurants and eating at them.  My Etsy shop hoop~da~loop is full of happy and whimsical party decorations and unique gifts.  It's pretty much the perfect place to find anything from wedding decorations and rehearsal dinner invitations to holiday home decor and dorm goodies.  I love custom work and do a lot of it so if customers don't see exactly what they want, I will make it happen!

Woodland Gift Tags

Besides the paper crafts and such that you have in your Etsy store, what else do you like to do?
Like I mentioned above, I love to be outside.  Specifically I love running and walking my dog.  We go to the park or at least to the walking path near our place almost everyday.  I also love watching a good movie and learning new languages.  I know four.

  
What first drew you to party decor?
 I love colors and textures.  They add so much life to plain decor in the home or at special events.  I also love the one of a kind uniqueness that comes with handmade.  That all culminated in me stealing my mom's sewing machine (thanks mom!) and creating fun paper garlands and the rest just sort of blossomed and continues to blossom from there.  Plus I think every event and lived in space should reflect you and these paper garlands can do just that!

Halloween Greeting Cards

 
What advice would you give to aspiring artists and Etsy shop owners?
I give lots of advice on this here little blog :) but I would say that you should never give up.  Sometimes I have a great week and I think oh man!  I have hit the big show!  But then everything is quiet for a week... and I'm like man what happened?!?  When things get slow, instead of sitting at the computer and watching my shop stats not increase (been there done that)... I hit the studio (my kitchen table) and start creating new items.  Not only does it renew my love for my shop because I love creating, it helps it grow at the same time!
 
Where else can we find you?  Right here on this blog!!  You can also find me on facebook here and Pinterest here.

And because I love giveaways!  I will be giving away my newest design... not even in the shop yet!... which is perfect for decor in the home, adding an extra special touch to your gift wrap, or sprucing up your holiday decor (Aka Christmas Tree garland!)--- My newest vintage heart paper garland!  I will make it as long or as short as you want up to 10 feet!  You can see a mini example here.  The winner will be drawn on October 15th so be sure to get in your entries by then!

Here's a Mini Version!

To enter, head over to my Etsy Store, hoop~da~loop, and leave a comment here about your favorite item(s). Additional entries for: 1) becoming a first time follower of A Girl and Her Scout 2) Posting this giveaway with a link to my blog on your blog 3) Posting this giveaway with a link to my blog on your facebook and/or twitter 4) “Hearting” or adding hoop~da~loop to your “Favorites” on Etsy and/or 6) making a purchase out of my store (one entry for every purchase). Be sure to leave a new comment for each additional entry!

Multicolor Paper Garland

In addition to such fun and because I love all of you, I will be offering a 15% discount plus a free gift on any items in my shop through October 15th.  Use coupon code "agirlandherscout" at checkout to receive your discount. 

So I have to brag for a second...

Please excuse my excitement, but my Halloween Greeting Cards were featured in the "Etsy Finds" newsletter today and my shop stats went through the roof!  Great photos pay off people!  They really do because after you slave away for hours repositioning your products so they have the perfect light, you'll find yourself in a huge Etsy newsletter that people click on and then favorite and then buy.

And speaking of buying, if you haven't gotten your Halloween cards yet, be sure to head over to my Facebook page to get a coupon code for these cards in honor of the feature!

Woodland Weddings

Woodland styled weddings are really popular right now and good thing- they are super dreamy and fun.  Can't you just see a tent with twinkling lights out in a field by some woods?  I could!  Luckily, if you are a fall or winter bride, I have some great wedding favor tags in my shop that are woodland themed and a matching paper garland that would look so cute on a buffet table, cake table, head table, hanging from the tent, laying on a table... ok you get the picture.  Endless possibilities.  But they are so cute and I'll offer you a discounted price if you order a lot.... Just sayin :) See the tags here and the garland here.

Introducing....

 

They are new to the shop and fabulous if I do say so myself.  They are called "Custom Family Portraits with Words."  AKA you send me some words that describe your family (or just go with the ones in the example), choose a color that fits your decor, and I provide you with a high quality one of a kind, meaningful print for your home or for someone else's.

  

I'm kind of obsessed with them because everyone that has gotten one is IN LOVE.  What a personal way to decorate your space!  If you are interested in other sizes, I can do them and at different price points.  Just let me know what you want.  I am working on listing the new sizes and versions for couples, babies, grandparents, etc.  I can definitely make those for you now though.  Just email me at agirlandherscout@gmail.com.  Basically, you get awesomeness for a really affordable price!   Perfect Christmas gifts!

You can find them here.  

Color Inspiration: Neons

I keep seeing lots of neon colors popping up in clothes, parties, and weddings!  Coincidentally, my multicolor garlands with neon colors are my best selling non-custom item and my favorite item to make.  The colors are so entrancing!

Would you have a neon wedding?  What about a neon party?  I think it will be my next party theme!

|| 1 || 2 || 3 || 4||

Sneak Peak!

I wanted to let you guys in on a new design I will be debuting in the shop this week.  It's more of a bunting than just a paper garland and for some reason, I like these even more than my other designs for decorating nurseries and kids rooms.  What's great about them?  They're double sided so they can hang in the middle of rooms, tents, etc and they're reusable!  Imagine creating a tent like shape over a bed where it comes down to the four corners.  So cute and fairytale like!  Plus, I can make custom lengths!  Use it for a party, then hang it in your daughter's room to add some whimsical fun.  Keep checking the shop for new papers and designs throughout the week.  I think you'll be pleased :)

Color Inspiration

Color inspiration for the shop.  Found via Oh Happy Day!

Weekly Wardrobe Post

I added bunting to the stationary I showed you!  Check out this Autumn Owl Stationary here.

Just posted my weekly wardrobe post over on the Vintage Etsy Society Street Team blog.  Check it out!

Paper Party

My paper garlands are great for decorating any room or party! This week I will be adding lots of new color schemes.  Do do you have any suggestions?

Top left to bottom: 1 || 2 || 3 || 4 || 5

Catch My Party

I am so excited to announce that hoop~da~loop is one of the featured vendors over on Catch My Party.  This blog/WONDERFUL website has oodles and oodles of party inspiration via photos, DIYs and FREE printables and a directory of featured vendors for your next party's supplies.  One of those is me!  So head on over and check out Catch My Party for some ideas on your next party (the holiday season is full of them) and check out my little corner here.

 

Autumn Stationary

I love to have some fun stationary around to send fun notes to people.  I created these fun (and very inexpensive) notecards for the fall yesterday and put them in the shop.  I'm thinking about making some with the stamp and some bunting.  I'll be sure to post those soon!  

Autumn Owl Stationary by hoop~da~loop

Want to be featured?

Multicolor Paper Garland by hoopdaloop

Back in the day, I used to have lots of artist features.  They were really fabulous with wonderful tips and inspirations and lots of giveaways.  Well, good news!  I am working on bringing those features back!  The cost to you, the artist, is totally free.  I recommend a giveaway, but only because I love giveaways (and so do many readers).  So if you are interested in being a featured artist over here on A Girl and Her Scout, email me!  I would LOVE to have you!  It's a great way to spread the word about your art and/or blog.

agirlandherscout@gmail.com

See my past Artist Highlights here.

Peace Crane Line at hoop~da~loop

Origami Peace Crane Cupcake Toppers and Wedding Favors.  Great for weddings!  

When I was a rising senior in high school, I spent about 2 months living in Japan, studying their culture.  It was unreal amazing.  Their culture of peace is inspiring and convicting and was the inspiration behind a blossoming line of party and wedding decor (also looks great in the house) in hoop~da~loop.  Whether  you choose to use them as cupcake toppers, party/wedding favors, or hang them from the ceiling to watch them sway back and forth, I hope the sense of and commitment to peace that I found in Japan finds you and your guests.

Paper Crane Garland

Party Cupcake Toppers

I'm Back!!

Hello All!!

I am finally back to the blogging world (or at least the writing part as I have been reading them all summer)!!  I am so excited to announce that after a crazy fun summer in Nashville, Andrew and I are back in Knoxville and my big dreams and plans of opening a handmade etsy store have come into fruition so without further ado....

Welcome to hoop~da~loop, your go-to place for whimsical party, baby shower, and wedding decorations, which also happen to work well as room decor! I provide unique, handmade party goodies to make your party the perfect one.  I specialize in vintage fabrics and paper goods and have lots of yet to list but head on over and check it out as I've got some super cute items already in the store!   

(Ps- This week I'll be posting new products daily and in honor of the grand opening, I'll be hosting a giveaway.  Stay tuned....)

Lots of paper garlands for great parties! 

Here, here, and here.

My Vintage Fabric Buntings look great at weddings, baby showers, and as nursery and house decor!

I specialize in Party Packs which include a custom blend of Invitations, Paper Garland, Fabric Bunting, and Confetti for decoration, cupcake toppers, cupcake wrappers, party favors, and Thank you notes.  Having a Halloween Party?  Check this one out! 

And if you are just wanting to top your cupcakes or tasty treat with something cute, I have those too!  Check out these origami peace crane cupcake toppers here.

And then I have lots of cute accessories that work great for your own crafts!  Check out these vintage fabric covered buttons here!

Much more to come!hoop~da~loop