• mamahood
    • homeschool
    • Maxwell
    • Natalie
    • Marigold
    • Landon
    • baby things
  • faith
    • 23 identities (PDF)
    • Tanzania + Compassion
  • inspiration
    • our home
    • books
    • lifestyle
    • marriage
    • homeschool
    • simple living
    • we’re debt free!
    • book recommendations
  • homeschool
  • devotionals
    • (in)courage Devotional Bible
    • 31 Days of Prayer for the Dreamer & Doer
  • new? start here

Maggie Whitley

joy in motherhood, homemaking, faith & simple living

You are here: Home / blog & handmade advice / blog/craft events / {this season, shop the Gussy Sews Holiday Gift Guide}

{this season, shop the Gussy Sews Holiday Gift Guide}

August 31, 2011 · 13 Comments
Filed Under: blog/craft events, Holiday Gift Guide

{squeeeee} The holidays are ALMOST here, and to get ready for the cozy season I’m putting together my second annual Holiday Gift Guide. In about 6 weeks I’ll launch the guide ~ which is so exciting {hooray!}. This is the perfect blog “event” for me because since I started blogging I’ve loved learning about & promoting other handmade businesses. And since this event starts at the beginning of peak blog traffic months, this is a great opportunity for indie biz owners as they prepare for the holiday shopping season.

The Holiday Gift Guide is this years go-to list of the best holiday gifts, selected specifically for the Gussy Sews community… and this community means so much to me ~ without your help I wouldn’t have been able to leave my day job 18 months after learning how to sew to focus on Gussy Sews exclusively. And actually, some of my favorite holiday purchases are handmade items I found while reading other blogs, like this mug I had customized with the word CHAMPION just for Zack, or this glass that has a sandblasted mustache on it, which we gave to my dad last year for Father’s Day. The list goes on, but the point is that this gift guide is just for YOU ~ a fabulous member of the Gussy Sews community. And truthfully, it would bring me so much happiness to be able to share with you some amazing gift ideas for this holiday season.

The Holiday Gift Guide is a really great way to connect indie biz owners with loyal customers who are passionate about the handmade community.

Sponsorship with the HGG includes more than just a link to your shop ~ read on below for more information!

The guide will be hosted on a separate page on my blog and will be linked to from the front page of my blog {in the right sidebar} plus at the bottom of blog posts 2-3x/week. Here’s a small preview of what the HGG will look like:

For the HGG, each participating shop will receive a Large ad that links to their shop + a short blurb describing their product listed directly below. Everything will be organized by shopping category, which is super convenient for shopping.

I’m looking for a variety of categories for the feature, and here are a few that come to mind right away:
+ jewelry & accessories
+ creative art {paintings, illustrations}
+ clothing
+ handbags/camera bags
+ home decor & accessories
+ vintage pretties

If this is your shop, fill out this form! If this isn’t, but you have a great product, fill out the form! {What can it hurt? Besides, I’d love to learn about your wares.} Keep in mind I’ll be accepting a limited number of shops to feature in the Holiday Gift Guide. I wish I could accept everyone, but that’s just not possible…

Here are the details —

HOW TO BE INVOLVED AS A SHOPPER:
Come on over, starting October 15th, to see the Holiday Gift Guide. Shopping will be easy; each shop will be organized in the guide by category.

HOW TO BE INVOLVED AS A HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE SPONSOR:
Your shop will be listed in the guide {hosted on a separate page on my blog} by category and will receive frequent links via social media {twitter & facebook}. Every HGG sponsor will also be featured in a small group post on the front page of my blog {1 item from their shop will be featured}. These posts will occur randomly throughout the 60-day Holiday Gift Guide term. Each post will include a photo of the featured item, plus a description, price, and link ~ selected by me!

SPONSORSHIP DETAILS:
+ Duration: the guide will run October 15th to December 15th {60 days}
+ Size: 261 x 125 pixels {a Large ad}
+ Price: $225 USD, paid via PayPal
+ Feature: Each participating shop will be spotlighted in a group feature post

♥ Keep in mind that this HGG sponsorship opportunity is a really great price ~ ad rates are typically high because of the time of year ~ the monthly breakdown is $112.50 for the Large ad AND it includes multiple social media/blog mentions + a feature post on the front page of my blog. {A Large ad on my sidebar doesn’t include social media/blog mentions but the cost is a noticeable contrast.}

♥ If you sign up for both the sidebar blog sponsorship & the HGG, I’m offering a 20% discount on the Holiday Gift Guide. Please email my assistant Cambria: cambria AT gussysews DOT com for sidebar sponsorship rates. (You must be a sidebar sponsor in October, November or December to get the HGG discount.)

THE HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE WILL BE PROMOTED TO:
Facebook: 6,450+ fans | Twitter: 6,050+ followers | Blog: 100,100+ monthly page views | Newsletter mailing: 2,650+ subscribers

HURRY ~ the deadline to sign up for the Gift Guide is Sunday, October 2nd.
*click here to fill out the form!*

Source: flickr.com via Gussy on Pinterest

OK, so that’s it! I’m so excited for this upcoming cozy season of family & friend time, festivities, and handmade creating & shopping. See you in 6 weeks! xoxo

Holiday Gift Guide image credit // design credit

  • Facebook
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • Email
  • Print
  • LinkedIn


13 Comments
Filed Under: blog/craft events, Holiday Gift Guide

Join over 4,400 women who receive Maggie Whitley Designs inspiration & encouragement:

 

Loading

« {answering YOUR questions, parts 2, 3 + 4}
{group giveaway :: August sponsors} »

Comments

  1. Amity says

    August 31, 2011 at 8:03 am

    This is SO neat Gussy! I am working towards having a handmade shop, each week I make at least one item. (Clearly it’s a slow going goal because I work from home and have kids.) Anyway, I completely look forward to the day (wish I could do it today!) that I can sign up for one of your great sponsorship offers (enter the Holiday Gift Guide) where I can promote my shop! Such an awesome idea for bringing the handmade world together. Again, you are awesome! :) Guess I will just have to browse/shop them this year!! :)

    Reply
  2. Sydney S says

    August 31, 2011 at 8:16 am

    I can not wait to see everything together on Oct 15th!! Marking my calendar now, thanks for always being so fantastic to us shoppers =)

    Reply
  3. Diane@Longaberger Lifestyle says

    August 31, 2011 at 8:18 am

    Maggie, you are seriously one clever, creative gal!!!! And you don’t miss a single detail. Can’t wait to see your awesome gift guide!!!!

    Reply
  4. Lauren says

    August 31, 2011 at 8:38 am

    Super exciting!!!!! Can’t wait to see it!!! I wasn’t able to get my shop together in time this year, but I am SO going to be up and running and IN THIS next year! (this is my ACCOUNTABILITY POST!!!) (HIPPIEDOGDESIGNS!)

    Reply
  5. Jessica says

    August 31, 2011 at 9:10 am

    Things have been slower in my shop lately and instead of getting down about it I’ve been focusing my energy into learning how to make buttons, fixing up my shop, improving my blog all so I can do some advertising! So what do you know when I open my browser today and this is what I see! :) It was like the opportunity found me. Gives my goosebumps!

    Thank you Gussy for your wonderful ideas and your inspiration daily!

    Reply
  6. Sarah-Anne says

    August 31, 2011 at 10:45 am

    friend, you are scaring me with all the holiday talk. hahaha, i’m ready for your gift guide, though; bring on the handmade!

    Reply
  7. Skye @ Neathering Our Fest says

    August 31, 2011 at 12:44 pm

    I just submitted an application! I am so excited – this is such a great idea and totally worth the investment!! :)

    Reply
  8. Barbara - The Tattooed Housewife says

    August 31, 2011 at 8:57 pm

    This is a great idea! Hopefully one day whenever I have my creations actually being made I can sign up for this! Great idea for people to get exposure!

    Reply
  9. Crystelle Carrick says

    September 9, 2011 at 2:03 am

    This sounds like wonderful exposure, but I couldn’t crochet fast enough to make enough products to justify the cost.

    Reply

Trackbacks

  1. {…on straying from my normal routine} says:
    September 27, 2011 at 11:01 am

    […] I’m hosting a Holiday Gift Guide October 15th – December 14th, click here for more info or click here to register your handmade shop {application deadline is October […]

    Reply
  2. {group giveaway :: September sponsors} says:
    September 27, 2011 at 9:53 pm

    […] on this blog, check out our advertising page and send us an email! Or click here to sign up for the Holiday Gift Guide {hurry, registration closes October 2}. Woo hoo ~ now on to the features + […]

    Reply
  3. {NEW! // seasonal gift guides + how your shop can be included} says:
    February 15, 2012 at 6:01 am

    […] super excited to announce our NEW! Seasonal Gift Guides. The last two years I’ve hosted a Holiday Gift Guide. In hindsight these guides were preparing me for this new resource we’re launching — […]

    Reply
  4. cornwall luxury hotels dog friendly says:
    May 11, 2014 at 4:35 am

    cornwall luxury hotels dog friendly

    this season, shop the Gussy Sews Holiday Gift Guide

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

ABOUT MAGGIE WHITLEY DESIGNS:
Maggie Whitley weaves her writings around joy in motherhood, homemaking, faith, and simple living. She homeschools her children, enjoys a quiet room while reading, and roars with laughter over the challenges & delights of motherhood. Maggie and her husband, along with their four young children, live in metro-Detroit. She has been writing online since 2008.
READ MORE >>
  • Bloglovin
  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • RSS

EMAIL NEWSLETTER

Join over 4,400 women who receive Maggie Whitley Designs inspiration & encouragement:

 

Loading

instagram

maggiewhitley

JOY in motherhood & homemaking 🧺🌿💓✨

maggiewhitley
“We are preparing to wind down for the school ye “We are preparing to wind down for the school year with just a few more weeks of intentional table lessons. We will then transition to a lighter learning schedule during the summer months. Today I am grateful for the books and resources I’ve read that have helped keep me in my own lane. (Visit my blog to see a personal favorite.)

Even now, three years in, I appreciate the reminder to stay on the path that was designed with intentional thought just for me.”

✨ see #maggiewhitleydotcom for the full post ✨
I took off my “comparison / contemplation” gla I took off my “comparison / contemplation” glasses last month and it’s been soooooo good. See also: sooooo hard (because life is never and/or). I’ve been writing more, reading more, spending more time outside. Talking to friends faces and smelling their detergent. My heart feels lighter. I’m sharing a few updates on my blog if you’d like to read? 🌾🤓blog reading & writing is a much better pace for me. You too? Link in profile.
Reflecting on this today 💓🕊 When I reflect o Reflecting on this today 💓🕊 When I reflect on the moments I’ve felt my mind spinning, my emotions swirly, it’s almost always when I’m not feasting on the word of God. Not that reading scripture is the cure for anxiety —no! Rather, it’s hard to worry when we’re worshipping.
.
.
.
.
.
#womenintheword #wearethehomemakers #scripture #dailyintheword #titus2woman #healthylifestyle #mentalhealth #anxiety #anxietyawareness
Current backyard status: stunning in wonder ❄️ Current backyard status: stunning in wonder ❄️✨
A quiet night: the furnace is running, the tea is A quiet night: the furnace is running, the tea is hot, and the whisper of a page turning. ♨️☕️📖 // We are breaking from school this week, my plan is to read a lot, walk a lot, and rest a lot. How about you?

#mothersofinstagram #tea #winterreading #hygge
I fought every internal comment I could think of a I fought every internal comment I could think of and took my kiddos for a looooong walk today before dinner. ❄️✨ There’s just so much work required to raise children! I’m feeling like a tired lady. But sunshine & fresh air are good companions to keep around. 

We came home and I made “the best dinner ever”. Max specifically announced, “it’s so great you’re launching new meals to the world”. LOL— kids! 🤣👏🏻💓
How about a little Wednesday night introduction? 😘Social media sure has changed over the years and we don’t always SEE who we’re following or remember WHY we’re following certain accounts. 

So, hello! As you can gather, my name is Maggie ;) 

I started writing online (almost 13 years ago) to share the handmade products I was sewing. My shop was called Gussy Sews. ✂️👛I love the community that has grown from sewing & sharing online.

Let’s FFW to today: Zack and I live in Michigan and have four young children (2 boys & 2 girls). I slowly left the handmade industry and walked right into homemaking, homeschooling, and encouraging women through writing. 💕📝

Motherhood has been very hard on me. (And not just because of how close in age our four children are.) It’s been hard for me because I fought for years to accept that *it’s supposed to be hard*. 

I mean, how do you effectively teach another person to know and love the Lord? Bc that’s how I think of motherhood: a calling to nurture others by studying the One who nurtures me. So I gotta make the first move: study the Bible and seek Him first. As my friend Autumn reminded me, vulnerability births transformation. 

(I’ve had to be really vulnerable!)

So, yes motherhood has fully transformed me. But even more so, Christ has fully transformed me. My list of “all that He’s done for me” is off to a beautifully long start.

Something else I want you to know about me: I stalled for years before acknowledging I have anxiety and depression. It’s hard to talk about this because of course this isn’t forever “my hardship”, but rather because acknowledging this means to heal I have to work through some really difficult things. ✨

But my friend Jesus walks alongside me. He’s already done a mighty work in my heart, including helping me process my anger in healthier ways. I’ve also adopted a heart for sisterhood, mothering, and Titus 2 mentorship.

Sometimes our greatest losses are our greatest gains? That’s what I’m clinging to!

How about you? Tell me something about yourself so I can get to know you on a deeper heart level. 🖤🖤
How do you play in the winter? // We had a really How do you play in the winter? // We had a really great time visiting family in northern Michigan. On my blog I share a few ways we played outside, plus I describe a memorable childhood game ❄️☃️. Did you play it as a kiddo?
We had gotten a bit lazy with our rhythms: screens We had gotten a bit lazy with our rhythms: screens in the morning (HGTV), playtime before lessons, and not enough quiet time after lunch. This made for a really, ummm, unenjoyable learning experience. 

But today! Today we reset the rhythm, and we have had a much happier home & time learning together. 👏🏻
Visit my stories for a quick message from ME — t Visit my stories for a quick message from ME — think outside the box in terms of how you view the definition of “motherhood” 💓😘 (also: look at my little friend, she’s sooooo snuggly)
It’s another cold, winter day. ❄️Today I hop It’s another cold, winter day. ❄️Today I hope to bundle up for another family nature walk, knowing the fresh air sweeps out any & all frustration, inviting inspiration inside. ✨That’s something we all need more of.
seriously LOL: I’ve found the secret to calming seriously LOL: I’ve found the secret to calming the Laundry Beast (as a family of 6). Who wants the inside scoop? ✔️🧺👏🏻
Another batch of “fun mail” is headed out tomo Another batch of “fun mail” is headed out tomorrow :) small celebrations like this are very life giving! PS. thinking of starting a zoom book club — I need more sisterhood in my life. 👏🏻📖
The house is quiet. The heat is on. The pages are The house is quiet. The heat is on. The pages are turning. The tea is calm. 🖤☕️🧺📖
Breakfast with Buzz! If only you could see his ful Breakfast with Buzz! If only you could see his full costume and laser blaster and of course the Buzz action figure he flys around 🌟💚💙💨someone has discovered a superhero crush! #joyinmotherhood #slowmornings #surprisedbymotherhood // Landon @ 2.5yo
Today on my blog I have a list of books I hope to Today on my blog I have a list of books I hope to read this year. Plus my reading goal for the year. And a few practicals ways I fit in reading as a mama of four young children & homeschooling them. Basically, all the good stuff ☺️💓📖 #maggiewhitleydotcom #readersofinstagram #read #readmorebooks
Load More... Follow on Instagram

Categories

Archives

Copyright © 2021 · Divine Theme on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in

loading Cancel
Post was not sent - check your email addresses!
Email check failed, please try again
Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email.