Expanding my Horizons

So, I learned how to make hats fairly quickly. Now, I have added to my reportarie! Slippers! The first ones I made were these adorable dino booties!

Then, I made my niece & nephew some Santa slippers for Christmas.

Last week, I made OWLS! A friend in town ordered these 4 owl slippers for her daughter & 3 nieces. I posted them on my Facebook page, and instantly got 4 orders for them! I think I need to make myself a cute pair too :)

One thing I did make for myself was a skinny scarf! I love scarves, and now that it`s spring, I thought it was time to hang up my big, bulky scarves. Still needing that little extra for some outfits, I thought these would be a cute & fun way to jazz up some shirts!

Ethan`s Hat Update

Well! I have been one busy little bee!! I unveiled Ethan`s Hat to roarinig response! In one week, I got orders for 30 owls! THIRTY!! You are all so amazing, to help me support such an amazing cause!!

Our current total donation from Beyond Top is $150! And with Ethan`s mom & dad matching my donation, a grand total of $300 has been collected so far!

Remember, $5 from each Ethan`s Hat will be donated, no matter when it is purchased. Seven days from now, 7 months, 7 years, it does not matter. A donation will be made! This is not a one month promotion, just like the hospital is not a one time need.

Even after the hospital opens, it will continue to require donations to help buy new medical equipment, and supplies neccessary to help these children and their families.

Ethan`s Hat will forever be my symbol of hope for all of the children in Saskatchewan that need this hospital, and I will continute to do what I can to help raise money to get this hospital up & running!

Thank you all so much for helping me by purchasing Ethan`s Hat!

Doing Our Part

Is this not the cutest owl hat in the world? I love it! It is so bright & cheerful!! I made this adorable little guy for one my classmates, Lisa. I have know Lisa since eighth grade. Lisa is due with her second baby this August. She also has a little angel, Ethan. Sadly, Lisa`s little boy Ethan passed away May 1, 2011. He would have been 1 year old on May 15, 2011. I was absolutely honored when Lisa, who I consider to be an amazingly strong woman, asked me to make the new baby it`s very first hat!

In honor of Ethan, & to help so many other babies out there, I have decided to name this owl hat Ethan`s Hat, and to donate $5 from every Ethan`s Hat sold to the Saskatchewan Children`s Hospital Foundation. And to make Lisa even more amazing, she is matching my donations made from the sales of Ethan`s Hats!!

Saskatchewan really needs this hospital. Currently, parents with sick children have to travel to other provinces, & even to the US to get treatment for their children. They are far away from home, family, & their support systems. Having the Children`s Hospital in Saskatoon would mean so much to these families. There would be far less travelling, less expenses, the list goes on.

I personally know of the need for this hospital. My 7 year old son was born 6 weeks premature, & we were told he would likely need immediate open heart surgery once he was born, which would also include an air transfer to Edmonton`s Stollery Children`s Hospital. Thankfully, after closer monitoring, he did not require surgery, but was in the NICU for eight days. He is still monitored, & may one day yet require heart surgery.


My friend Lisa`s little Ethan had Tetrology of Fallot, a congenital heart defect. He also had a second defect, called pulmonary atresia (meaning he had no pulmonary artery at all which is how the body supplies oxygen to the lungs and back to the rest of the body). Even when he was sick, Ethan was the happiest baby! I loved to looks at his photos, he was always smiling! To treat Ethan`s condition, his mom & dad fought long and hard. They ended up in California! So far away!! His surgery was a success, and we need to bring those surgeries to Saskatchewan. Adding travel plans to the stress of a sick child is just not fair.

A very good friend of mine has an 8 year old daughter with Pulmonary Hypertension. Liv is on oxygen 24 hours a day, because her heart has put so much pressure on her left lung, that it won`t work properly. Every 2 to 3 months, Liv & her mom make the nine hour drive to the Stollery Children`s Hospital for testing. Can you imagine how much easier it would be if they only had to travel to Saskatoon, a mere two hours away?

Those are 2 stories of children who need this hospital. If you`d like to do more, please check out both the Foundation`s webpage, and their Facebook page. Also, as Lisa progresses through her second pregnancy, say a little thought to big brother Ethan in heaven, to watch over his mommy, daddy, & new baby sibling.

Sweetheart Sale!

To celebrate Valentine`s Day, I am having a Sweetheart Sale! If you order any item (tutu, hats, hair clippies, whatever I make & sale!) that is red and/or pink, you will receive 14% off! And remember, all of the hats can be customized, so that adorable puppy you love? It can be pink! Or that sweet little green dino? It would be just adorable in red!! The sale ends February 1, so order your little sweetheart something today!!

Also, be sure to check out Little Sweet Pea Creations on Facebook. They are celebrating 3500 fans with a giant giveaway, & I have donated 2, $25 gift certificates! The giveaway ends February 1 as well.

I have a few orders going out this week, an adorable red & hot pink tutu dress, some photography props, pompom hats & an owl! Be sure to check the FB page for updated photos!

Thanks for reading along!!
Robyn

Spring Is In The Air

As the weather gets shockingly cold (we got down to -48*C with windchills this week), we are all hoping for spring! To help get you in the mood, I have created an album for spring themed items! It is broken down into categories, currently Valentine`s Day & Easter.


If you`d like to order a Valentine`s gift for your little lovebugs, take a peek! Be sure to order soon, so I can get them made though ;) And remember, all hats are custom made, so you can choose the style, color & add ons!


Here is the link to the Springtime Album.


Stay warm!
Robyn

Photog Perk

If you are a photographer, pay attention! I have come up with a fabulous way to increase traffic for us both! AND, you will be rewarded with free Beyond Top items!!

Details!
I will be creating a photo album for photographers who have bought (and used!) props from Beyond Top. If you are willing to "give" me your photos using an item made by me, I`m going to give you hats! For every 2 photos you let me use in my album, you will get a $15 credit towards an item from me! There are, as always, rules we all need to follow, so here they are!
- Prop in photo MUST be made by me.

- I ask for a smaller watermark, & then I will link to you (either personal FB page, or if you have a website, whichever you`d prefer, or both).

- You are able to "save up" your credits, however, you are only able to get 2 credits a month ($30/month).

- All overages, including shipping, must be paid through Paypal before your item is created and/or shipped.

- Please email your photos to beyondtop@hotmail.com

If you are interested, let me know! Thank you for shopping at Beyond Top!!

Robyn

Welcome Back!

As 2012 begins, I have decided to make my business one of my priorities. To do so, I am reintroducing my blog. I hope you subscribe! Here, I will post specials, giveaways I am involved in, & what I am working on!

In the last year since I`ve posted, I been very, very busy! In November & December of 2011, I made a total of more than 200 hats. I also learned how to make adorable little slippers! I am hoping to expand to even more acessories (mitts, scarves, etc).

I will get photos posted, albeit slowly. Be sure to check back often! I will also categorize the hats as well, so if you are looking for something specific, it will be easy to find.

If you have any questions, please don`t hesitate to ask!

Happy Monday :)
Robyn