We're giving away free advertising!

Update: These have all been given away. Congratulations to all of our winners. Be sure to check The Downtown Boutique on a weekly basis, because we have at least 2 giveaways a week, not to mention some other great features!

Yes, it's true. We are giving away two free advertising spots on The Downtown Boutique. You can find out more about it here: We've Hit 5000!!!

You can also try to win this zippered coin purse from Ramsden Designs.

And, you can try to win this magnet set and notecards from Dirty Pretty Things.


So head on over to The Downtown Boutique and check it out!

Have a great day!

Angie

How to Get Featured on The Downtown Boutique

Hi there! Maybe you've heard of The Downtown Boutique, and maybe you haven't. The Downtown Boutique is a blog that I created in order to help promote crafters and artists, by showcasing their handmade products, and letting others know a little about them.

We began The Downtown Boutique on January 21, 2008, and have since had almost 5000 hits from over 40 different countries across the globe. We averaging about 100-140 hits a day right now.

We have two different features that we post about on a regular basis:

Tots on Tuesdays--featuring handmade items especially for kids

Friday Features--featuring handmade products and gifts for all ages.

If you're interested in being featured, we only ask a few things of you: We ask that you would be willing to do a giveaway. The retail value for the Tots on Tuesdays giveaways must be at least $10. The retail value of the Friday Features giveaways must be at least $15. The reason for the difference in price, is because we are doing a full interview feature on the Friday Features. The Tots on Tuesdays features is not a full interview, so we ask a little less of you. Giveaways run for one week. We also ask that you be willing to ship overseas, as we have a LOT of overseas visitors who frequent our blog on a regular basis.

Sound like something you'd like to do? We'd love to get you on the calendar. Please know that we choose our featured artists and crafters very carefully, based on quality of item, quality of photos we use, and what we think our readers will be interested in. We will not accept anything that is not family friendly. No vulgar, obscene or inappropriate material please.

Drop us a line, and we'll get you on the calendar!

Don't forget, you can advertise with us too!

Have a great day!

Angie

A Little About Angie

Ok, I guess it's time for me to introduce myself a little better, and give you a wee glimpse into my crazy hectic life. Life really isn't that crazy and hectic, but it sure does feel that way sometimes!


I am a 37 year old Christian stay at home wife and mom. I met my hubby on eHarmony, and the rest is history. God really orchestrated our meeting, because my husband is everything I have always prayed for, and MORE! He has become a wonderful father to my 14 year old son, stepping into the role like it was especially created for him...and it was! My husband is a Godly man, and a wonderful husband and father. He never raises his voice unless he's really excited about something. He has lovingly taught our son and me to fish, and has sat back in the shadows while I have outfished him for the past three years! He is an elder in our church, and is involved in a Men's Prayer Ministry, he teaches Sunday School, and helps out in the Junior High youth group. He's an awesome son to his wonderful parents, and he's a great brother and uncle too.


Speaking of my son, he is a heart and stroke patient, having been born with only 1/2 of his heart. Before he was 3 years old, he had had two major surgeries on his heart, and then proceeded to have FIVE strokes! He is such a blessing and a miracle, but my heart aches that he has to deal with all of this. We have always homeschooled him, but next year he will be going to public school for the first time in his life! We're a little scared (well, I am anyways), but we really think this is going to be a great time for him. He is currently involved in jujitsu, and doing very well, in spite of his disabilities. He loves to help out at church, helping us teach Sunday School, hanging out in the Junior High youth group, and helping babysit the little one I watch.


Oh, you want to hear more about ME? Drats! Ok, I am the second oldest of 7 children (the youngest was adopted), born to an Oklahoma Air Force man, and an Ohio teacher. I have lived overseas...in Okinawa. I love to travel and see different areas of the country. One of my favorite places to visit is Branson, Missouri. Some day I would love to visit the East Coast and all the amazing historical places. I love US History, and this would be a fun trip! I am even hoping to travel with my family to Ireland, where one of our pastors from our church is going with his wife to be a missionary and plant a church!


I do many many things, including sewing, making jewelry, making greeting cards, scrapbooking (paper and digital), cross stitch (but not in quite awhile), baking, blogging, and making banners, business cards and more for fellow Etsians. I enjoy reading historical Christian fiction, and Christian mysteries (particularly from Dee Henderson). I love to go fishing with my family, and even enjoy our week-long extended family camping trip at a northern California lake.




I love children, and currently babysit a 2 year old who has been with us since he was 5 months old. My husband and I are wanting more children, and feel that the Lord is leading us to adopt. We are licensed foster parents, hoping to adopt soon. It's been a long road, but we know God is with us the entire way.

I have three blogs, and two Etsy shops, because I think I have ADD when it comes to doing the things I do. And yes, it keeps me pretty busy! You can check them out here, and let me know what you think:

This blog of course.

Ambrosia Delights Blog

The Downtown Boutique Blog

Ambrosia Delights Etsy Shop

Rio Oso Designs Etsy Shop

I sing on our church's worship team, and really enjoy it. I am also involved in a once a month "Girls' Night Out" with some very close friends from church. This is a time where we are able to get together at one of our homes for about 5-6 hours and just chat and laugh and eat. I would highly encourage you to get involved in something like this, if you aren't already. It's such a blessing to have these ladies as close friends, and be able to just visit with them for so long! It's really a treat for me.

Well, I think that's enough about me. Thanks for taking the time to read about my life, and thanks for indulging me by allowing all the photos.

Have a blessed day and don't forget to head over to my other blog, The Downtown Boutique, to enter for the giveaways during the Ultimate Blog Party.

Angie

Gearing Up for the Ultimate Blog Party

Hi there. I'm Angie, the owner of this blog, as well as two other blogs, and two Etsy shops (Ambrosia Delights and Rio Oso Designs). You might have heard of me through any of these venues, but especially through The Downtown Boutique blog. I tend to stay really busy between all of these online adventures; not to mention my homeschooling, babysitting, church participation, and last, but definitely not least, being a wife and mom.

Well, we're fixin' to get just a little busier for the next week, and believe it or not, I'm REALLY excited about it! Let me just tell you a bit about The Downtown Boutique. We wanted to help promote other artists, crafters, entrepreneurs, mompreneurs, etc.

With all the warnings out these days about lead, and other toxins in products made in China, we wanted to offer a safe and beautiful place to purchase handmade products. And so The Downtown Boutique was born.

Since the conception of The Downtown Boutique, we have had over 3000 hits! I'm so excited, because yesterday, we had the most hits ever in one day: 230! And we're well on our way to that today. We are averaging anywhere between 60 and 90 hits a day, and we have had visitors from over 35 different countries across the globe!

We offer so many ways to be featured on The Downtown Boutique, including being a sponsor, by advertising, and being chosen for "My Faves". Of course, we can't forget the "Friday Features", where we introduce you to an artist or crafter, and give away one (or more) of their products.

And then there's the "Tots on Tuesdays" feature, where we feature SAFE, handmade gifts, clothing, toys and just basic gear for babies and children; featuring one specific artist/crafter. We give something away on Tuesdays too!




Starting tomorrow, we're going to shake things up a bit and throw a great BIG party! You can read more about the Ultimate Blog Party on your own. Let's get to the GOOD stuff! We have EIGHT different giveaways going on from March 7th through the 14th! These items will be listed tomorrow...the 7th.

You can enter to win one of these great items, by commenting on which one you would like to win. Be sure to leave a VALID email address so that we can get ahold of you when you win! If we don't have any way of getting ahold of you, we will choose another winner. You can enter your email address like this (for safety):

myemailaddress (at) yahoo (dot) com

We will not share any of your information with ANY other company, so you can feel confident in entering these giveaways.

Here is the list of people who will be giving something away:

Ambrosia Delights

First Love

Gracie Designs

lil did creations

Modern Charm

Sew Gracious

Simply Sentimental

Trilei Jewelry

So put on your party hat, and we'll get this party started in just under 24 hours!! See you there!!

Have a great day!

Angie