Get to Know Ms. Moo Tonight at 9 pm Eastern

MOOOOOOOOO. What, you don't speak cow? Well you will after tonight!! Join us at 9 pm Eastern with Ruthie of Roseworks Jewelry to learn ALL about our beloved Ms. Moo, the brainchild behind Spotted Cow Soaps! Hear some great tunes and learn all about her soapy goodness, where she gets her moo cow spots, and what life is like up in good ol' Vermont!

There is just TOO much in her shop for me to highlight here, so simply click the pics to check out her shop ahead of time and give her some love! Ms. Moo has almost 600 sales....we think perhaps you could learn a thing or two from her tonight??

Get your soapy love here:




Don't you feel like your baths have been inferior up til now? Check her out and take your bathing experiences up a notch!

So join us at 9 pm Eastern on www.blockheadradiolive.com and meet Ms. Moo! Join in on chat if you want, or just listen in while you go about your business!!

Tell your friends, your mama, your buddy, your coworkers! Blockhead Radio Loves ya Baby!

Blockhead Rod and Witchy Tonight

Blockhead Rod and Witchy will be doing that Aritsan for Artisan thing. Come join us in chat also, share your links and feel free to ask any questions? Have an idea, question, concern, about marketing, handmade, or being an indie musician/artist? Tonight's the night to ask them!

So come on over at 9 pm Eastern to Blockhead Radio to listen, laugh, learn, and enjoy our crazy little crew!

And please check out the lovely little blog post about the potential for our very own Blockhead Rod to be in full on ballerina costume HERE!

Ask Huck Premiering Tuesday, Feb 3, 2009!!

Tonight is THE night!! Tune in at 8 pm Eastern to hear "Ask Huck" where our very own Huckleberry Arts will have her own show! Join us on www.blockheadradiolive.com where you can ask questions in chat, or call in to speak with Huck yourself! Pick her mind on marketing, business strategies, creative ideas, advertising, or just on how she survives life with Blockhead Rod!! :)

So come on over and pick her beautiful brain and learn everything you can from her...you won't regret it!!

A Huck Original:



Come join us! It'll be a HOOT! :)

Video Blogging and Google Analytics Tonight at 9 pm Eastern..pull up a chair!

Don't forget to join us tonight at 9 pm Eastern, on www.blockheadradiolive.com for Artisan to Artisan! Join Blockhead Rod, AGoodWitchToo, SewHappyDesigns and Huckleberry Arts for some laughs and learn how to use video blogging and Google Analytics to really build your business or website!

I can't promise Stein won't show up, but I can promise you'll learn something! :)

Blogging is an integral part of online marketing and every artisan should have one! Come learn how to make yours better!!

Be prepared for the show by being signed in to your blog and Google Analytics before the show.

Amy, your friendly blogging possum

Artisan to Artisan 9pm Eastern--Google Analytics

If you survived last week's lesson on www.feedburner.com, please join us again this week for Artisan to Artisan where we will have a far less Steinable lesson on Google Analytics. If you got Feedburner to work, you can master GA in no time! If you did NOT get Feedburner right, never fear, our resident geek, Blockhead Rod will show you the way!! Just drop him a line or call him and he'll help you out before or after the show!

Be signed in to your blog and Google Analytics before the show to save time, get comfy and learn how to drive people to your site and use GA to benefit your blog, site, etc. (Sometimes I use it for evil, but only on occassion...)

9pm Eastern, www.blockheadradiolive.com

Come on down!! Our doors are ALWAYS open!

Amy--your friendly blogger

The Witching Hours 5-7pm Eastern on Saturday

Tune in Saturday at 5pm Eastern to hear our lovely AGoodWitchToo (a.k.a. Witchy) host The Witching Hours. Join us for Saturday Night Specials, fun, laughs and the treasure hunt!!

You never know WHAT you'll find when Witchy is calling the shots!! :)

Join us at www.blockheadradiolive.com and chat away with us.

Perhaps you will be bestowed the purple hat?

Getting to Know Us at Blockhead Radio!

Getting to know the Possum!

Name: Amy
User Name/Shop Name: mamaslittlemonkeys/fleurdeink
Shop URLs/Website URLS:
www.mamaslittlemonkeys.com
www.fleurdeink.com
http://blog.mamaslittlemonkeys.com
www.cafepress.com/momsmonkeys
What type of art do you do? Sewn items for adults and children, soaps, graphic designs (Mama's Little Monkeys)
Flower Pens (Fleur De Ink)
Custom Clothing, Coffee Mugs, etc, (Cafepress)
How did you get started in your art? Honestly, out of necessity! I started cloth diapering my second son at 3 months and could NOT find any cute cloth wipes (I had yet to really find Etsy at this point, or even know about the handmade movements!). So I decided to try my hand at sewing my own. I bought a sewing machine off ebay and I was hooked! Flower pens naturally came later because in my former life as a teacher, we LOVED flower pens because people were always stealing our pens and it's a little harder to steal a pen with a big flower on it..plus it's way more fun to write a lesson plan with a pen with a big huge rose on it!
Where do you draw your inspiration? For my sewn items, from my kids, friends, and often the fabric I use. I have what you might call a fabric obsession. It's quite out of hand. And now the soaping obsession is building. For the flower pens, really whatever is pretty! I can't garden to save my life (literally, my family would die if they depended on me to grow food!), so I love flowers I can't kill AND are functional! I need an extra room to store all my supplies!
What are your main obstacles in your art? TIME! I often feel torn between work, kids, husband, house, etc. Obviously house cleaning is the first thing to go when I'm short on time! I mean, we're not living in a pigsty or those houses on "Clean House", but Martha would not be pleased...plus, hey, 2 kids under 4, EH, my house is just NOT gonna be picture perfect!
How did you find BHR? I am ashamed to say I really don't remember!! I THINK I found it becuase of the SNS, Witching Hours thread! (Shhh don't tell the boss that I can't remember!)
Are you a member of the Pluggers United Team? Yuppers! I'm mamaslittlemonkeys there too, and proudly proclaim my love for pluggers in my shops profiles!
What is on your wish list of handmade items? What would you LOVE to have, money being no object? Oh my gosh. Too much stuff. Probably some lovely wooden toys from www.banished.etsy.com, EVERYTHING in www.aebaby.etsy.com, All handmade soaps! Seriously, the wish list is huge. Oh and anything in www.glutenada.com YUM
What is one art/craft you'd love to learn to do? I would love to learn cold process soap one day. I enjoy melt and pour and am quite busy with it as is, but at this point we do not have the physical space for me properly do CP or HP soap, and also with the small kids around, I'm thinking clumsy me and lye are not good combos?
What is your 'off air' job/life? Family? Kids? Well, I am always a wife and mother first...(those kids are around here somewhere...) In my former life I was an early childhood education teacher, I worked with special needs kids, my husband is a mechanic..oh excuse me, automotive technician. I am conversationially fluent in American Sign Language (yes I can curse in ASL), I'm 5'12" and NO I did NOT play basketball. I love all things chocolate, coffee, and martini (in no particular order.) I LOVE "Lost" and will miss every Wed. night BHR show until Lost is off..I'm sorry..I've made it 5 years with those ppl, I must see it through! I used to want to be a writer once upon a time and dreamed of moving to New York City! I eat to live, I do not live to eat (unless it's above mentioned 3 foods), and I do NOT eat seafood!! I also have Celiac DIsease and run the local support group for the Celiac Sprue Association, so that is why you see "glutenfreegirl" at the bottom of the posts!!
What is your favorite dessert? Homemade: Pamela's Gluten Free Cake Mix that I turn into this AWESOME mocha/cream cheese cake...drool. Eating out: Chocolate Thunder from Outback--its GLUTEN FREE!
What are your business goals? Fight CPSIA to the death. Reevaluate future plans and goals due to CPSIA, perfect melt and pour soaping, work local craft fairs and have 60 sales this year! :)
If you have an extra 24 hours in the day with no constraints, what would you do? Sew and Soap in PEACE! Without having to put the baby in the crib or put tv on for the 3 yr old....Blast music, have a drink and create in PEACE!
If you could meet ONE BHR crewmember or listener, who would it be and why? I'd honestly have to save I'd love to meet each and every one of you...but if you held a gun to my head I'd HAVE To meet Witchy because I can so see us cruising down Bourbon Street, slurping down Hurricanes and dying of laughter! (and McGeeky trailing behind us carrying the shopping bags....)
Shameless Plug for anything here: Shop my lovely handmade shops and PLEASE check out my Cafepress shop!!

BHR ROCKS! :)

CPSIA Blog-In

As parents and concerned citizens I'm sure most of us at one time or another have been confronted with the question of lead poisoning. But have you asked yourself what your government is doing to protect your children from lead contained in toys? The answer? They're banning toys, taking books from schools and libraries, hurting low income families, killing entrepreneurial spirit and risking putting the economy in an even greater depression than we've seen in decades. I'd like to introduce you to their solution: the CPSIA.

Do you know about the CPSIA? No? Then I ask you to take a few minutes to find out about it.

The CPSIA stands for Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act, a new set of laws that will come into effect on 10 February, 2009 and will impact many, many people in a negative way. Make no mistake, this is very real. View it for yourself. If Forbes, the American Library Association and numerous other media are paying attention, perhaps you should too.

How will these new laws affect you? Well, here are a few examples:

To the Parents of Young Students:
Due to the new law, expect to see the cost of school supplies sky rocket. While those paper clips weren't originally intended for your student to use, they will need to be tested now that your 11-year-old needs them for his school project. This law applies to any and all school supplies (textbooks, pencils, crayons, paper, etc.) being used by children under 12.

To the Avid Reader:
Due to the new law, all children's books will be pulled from library and school shelves, as there is no exemption for them. That's okay though, there's always television. Our children don't need to learn the love of reading after all.
Article from the American Library Association http://www.wo.ala.org/districtdispatch/?p=1322

To the Lover of All Things Handmade:
Due to the new law, you will now be given a cotton ball and an instruction manual so you can make it yourself since that blanket you originally had your eye on for $50 will now cost you around $1,000 after it's passed testing. It won't even be the one-of-a-kind blanket you were hoping for. Items are destroyed in the testing process making one-of-a-kind items virtually impossible. So that gorgeous hand-knit hat you bought your child this past winter won't be available next winter.

To the Environmentalist:
Due to the new law, all items in non-compliance will now be dumped into our already overflowing landfills. Imagine not just products from the small business owners, but the Big Box Stores as well. You can't sell it so you must toss it. Or be potentially sued for selling it. You can't even give them away. If you are caught, it is still a violation.

To the Second-Hand Shopper:
Due to the new law, you will now need to spend $20 for that brand new pair of jeans for your 2-year old, rather than shop at the Goodwill for second hand. Many resale shops are eliminating children's items all together to avoid future lawsuits.

To the Entrepreneur:
Due to this new law, you will be forced to adhere to strict testing of your unique products or discontinue to make and/or sell them. Small businesses will be likely to be unable to afford the cost of testing and be forced to close up shop. Due to the current economic state, you'll have to hope for the best when it comes to finding a new job in Corporate America.

To the Antique Toy Collector:
Due to the new law, you'd better start buying now because it's all going to private collection and will no longer be available to purchase. "Because the new rules apply retroactively, toys and clothes already on the shelf will have to be thrown out if they aren't certified as safe." http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123189645948879745.html

To the American Economy:
Already struggling under an economy that hasn't been this weak in decades, the American economy will be hit harder with the inevitable loss of jobs and revenues from suppliers, small businesses and consumers. The required testing is far too costly and restrictive for small businesses or individuals to undertake.

To the Worldwide Economy:
Due to this new law, many foreign manufacturers have already pulled out of the US market. You can imagine the impact of this on their businesses.

If you think this is exaggerating, here is a recent article from Forbes
http://www.forbes.com/2009/01/16/cpsia-safety-toys-oped-cx_wo_0116olson.html

And for those of you prepared to be stupefied and boggled, The New Law
http://www.cpsc.gov/about/cpsia/cpsia.html

Did you know? If this upsets or alarms you, please react.

www.cpsia-central.ning.com
www.handmadetoyalliance.org
www.nationalbankruptcyday.com

Morning Brew Ha-Ha @ 9am Eastern Mon-Fri

Don't forget to tune in to the Morning Brew Ha-Ha at 9 am Eastern (approx. 12 minutes from now!) :)

Toothless sharks, monkey meat, possums, and who knows what else will pop up!!

Thanks to all who tuned in last night for our Artisan to Artisan show on feedburner. We do hope that everyone got through it, and if you did NOT, do NOT give up!! Contact Blockhead Rod at some point during the week, either through the chat at www.blockheadradiolive.com or on the phone at 727-474-1064 and he will walk you through it! We want you all to be able to reach EVERYONE you can on your blogs! Better blogs mean better business!!

And we promise to go over Google Analytics next Monday at 9pm!!

And congratulations to the winner of the blog makeover from Huckleberry Arts...um, well, ME! I SWEAR it was not rigged, I warned you all I was the trivia queen. (Come on, I'll take any one of you..let's go...) :) So, big thanks to Huck for volunteering her services and thanks to all who played...Huck picked a hard one!

So tune in, laugh and learn guys on Blockhead Radio!

Amy, your friendly possum blogger

**Interested in advertising on Blockhead Radio? Email us at advertising@blockheadradio.com or visit www.blockheadradiolive.com/advertising

Artisan to Artisan 9pm Eastern--Win a Free Blog Makeover!!

Come chat with us tonight at www.blockheadradiolive.com and tune into Artisan to Artisan with Blockhead Rod, Huckleberry Arts, and Sew Happy Designs as we discuss blogging, google analytics and Feedburner. Learn how to use them to better your blog and thus your business!

PLUS, pay CLOSE attention in chat to Huckleberry Arts, so you can win a FREE blog makeover from Huck herself!! You need to tune in to the show (if you need tech help launching your player or joining chat, click here) to hear how to win.

Tune in, listen for Blockhead Rod to tell you what to watch for, and when Huck types it in...be ready to call in!! You can call in @ 727-474-1064 or you can Skype Us! You better pay attention--I'll be fighting you for this one!! :)

So come join us for laughs, a chance to win a free blog makeover, and some helpful tips for your business. Want to see what awesome work Huck does? Go to www.huckleberryarts.com/customgraphics...She ROCKS!

Tell her Amy the Possum sent you!

Amy, your friendly blogger


*Interested in advertising on Blockhead Radio? Email advertising@blockheadradio.com or visit www.blockheadradio.com/advertising for more info! Great rates and excellent customer service!

**Have any blog worthy news? Drop me a line at mama@blockheadradio.com

Get Inside Huck's Mind with "Ask Huck!"

You asked for it...now you will get your wish!! Premiering February 3rd, at 8pm Eastern, tune in to www.blockheadradiolive.com to hear "Ask Huck", a show with our very own Huckleberry Arts as she shared her wisdom on business, creating, marketing and more. Perhaps she'll even explain how she manages to live with our Senior Blockhead? (We love you, Rod!)

Huck has tons of information for you and this will no doubt be a blast!! Tune in for her premiere show on Feb. 3rd at 8 pm Eastern and give her some love!

--Amy, your friendly blogger

Interested in advertising on Blockhead Radio? Email advertising@blockheadradio.com or click www.blockheadradio.com/advertising for more information! Great rates and excellent customer service!

Lazy Sunday and The Week Ahead.....

Sooooo Blockheads...what is up on YOUR Sunday? I do hope I did not spread my nasty sickness around to too many of you! Darn computer viruses.... (no, your computer is not in danger...)

What's on tap today?

For me, finishing up some soap, hopefully sewing, pic editing and (cross fingers) going to pick out a NEW DISHWASHER!!! YES!!!! SOOOO sick of washing them by hand!!

Oh, and I suppose filing taxes so we can pay back said dishwasher....

Don't forget to enter our lovely little giveaway to win a FREE on air commercial!

Click the button under our blog header that says "Win a free commercial" or click this link:

http://blockheadradio.blogspot.com/2009/01/need-some-free-advertising-you-bet-you.html

And don't miss Monday's Nights show Artisan to Artisan where will discuss blogging/marketing with google analytics and feedburner. Also on Monday's show, don't forget to join in chat so you can be ready to win a BLOG MAKEOVER by our very own Huckleberry Arts!! WOOT!

Come on by! We'd LOVE To have you!!

Remember Blockhead Radio is open to EVERYONE! The only requirement is you keep chat and links PG-13 since we have many children tuning in with mom and dad!
Come one, come all!!

Blockhead Radio welcomes you!!

Tune in 24/7 at www.blockheadradiolive.com and join in on chat 24/7 also!

---Amy your friendly possum..I mean blogger...

Need Techy Help Getting Into Chat or the Player?

Hopefully..this will help! I'm no tech wizard...but I gave it a shot!! :) Simply click this link and follow the picture tutorial in NUMBER ORDER and that should help!! If you have any questions, feel free to email me at mama@blockheadradio.com

:)
Happy Chatting!
Amy---Your friendly Blogger

CLICK ME

Sneak Attack Live Tonight at 9 pm Eastern

Don't miss the Sneak Attack Live 9-11pm Eastern!! What is sneak attack?

It is done in conjunction with The Handmade Movement, so check out their great site! A sneak attack is when a shop with little or no sales is 'swarmed upon' and we try to get as many sales as possible for this shop! Think about how great that would feel as a business owner!! To wake up Saturday morning with a bunch of sales!

So come on over at 9 pm eastern tonight to help support fellow artisans and find some goodies for you! The shop is not revealed until just before the show!!

Don't forget our giveaway for FREE ADVERTISING! and a BLOG MAKEOVER!!

Have a great day!

Amy----Your Friendly Blogger

Friday Morning Brew Ha-Ha 9 am Eastern

Enjoy some fun, laughs, and odd news Friday morning with Blockhead Rod and A Good Witch Too!! Every weekday morning, tune in for the Morning Brew Ha-Ha!!

There is no telling what we'll discuss this time......



Tune in to www.blockheadradiolive.com, join us in chat, snag a user name and join in!! Don't forget our call in number as well! 727-474-1064!! You can also Skype-Skype us!

Have a laugh!!

Don't forget about our giveaways!!

Blog Makeover!

Free Advertising!

Have a great day!
Amy--your friendly blogger

Google Analytics and Feed Burner Info

Alright everyone, put on your tech hats and get ready to really revamp your websites/blogs, etc with our helpful show about how to navigate Google Analytics and FeedBurner. Tune in Monday night, 9 pm Eastern to learn all about these two programs to enhance your business, blog or other websites.

Be prepared for the show Monday night by being logged in to your blog for the show and by being signed up for google anayltics. Then join in chat and tune in as Rod (aka Stein) helps guide you through the process for setting up anayltics and Feedburner.

If you haven't already done so, you can now secure your username for Chat and assure that there is only one you!! :)

Please let us know if you have any issues joining in chat or launching the player. You may need to adjust your pop up blocker settings and update java.
Feel free to pop into chat any time! The station and chat runs 24/7!!!

---Amy, your friendly blogger

As always, if you have any bloggerrific news, email me at mama@blockheadradio.com

Interested in advertising on Blockhead Radio? Visit http://blockheadradio.com/advertising

Get your coffee and Depends and prepare to laugh..

The Morning Brew Ha Ha is coming on!! Catch up EVERY weekday morning at 9 am Eastern with Blockhead Rod and A Good Witch Too for odd news, relaxing fun and great music!

Listen in and find out just what are butt bubbles, monkey meat and toothless shark??

****
Special Thanks to everyone who tuned in for Monday night's Artisan to Artisan show! Don't miss it, every Monday night at 9 pm Eastern.

****
Wednesday Night:
The Stones Coyote will be our Indie Music guest with Blockhead Rod!! Don't miss it!

****

Special Thanks to all our listeners and chatters, old and new! Please share our nifty little site with everyone you know!!

If you have any blog-worthy info please email me at mama@blockheadradio.com

If you are interested in advertising on Blockhead Radio (and who isn't?) please visit this link:
http://blockheadradio.com/advertising

Huggles, Snuggles and Butt Bubbles!
--Amy your Friendly Blogger

Come Join Us for our FIRST Live Show on www.blockheadradiolive.com

That's right, it is ON like Donkey Kong!! Come join us TONIGHT at 9:00-11:00 pm Eastern for Artisan to Artisan. Where? Well, I'm SO glad you asked! (Oh, you didn't ask? Must be the voices in my head again...)

www.blockheadrodlive.com is UP! If you tune in during the day, you'll likely hear us tweaking things..pay no mind to the man behind the curtain.... it WILL be worth your while! :)

Tonight's show is Artisan to Artisan! Listen in for fun, laughs and great information as well! Tonight's show will focus on blogging, using entrecard for your business, and a surprise report from SewHappyDesigns!

It will no doubt be memorable!

And DO NOT miss Wednesday's show!! 9:00-10:30pm Eastern is Indie Music Artist Spotlight. Wednesday's guest will be The Stone Coyotes!

The Stone Coyotes are a bare-bones rock family trio.

Barbara Keith began her career as a folksinger at Greenwich Village’s Café Wha?, the hallowed dive where Dylan, Hendrix, and many others got their start.

Her husband Doug Tibbles was a TV writer for such shows as “The Munsters”, “Bewitched”, “Andy Griffith”, “My Three Sons”, “Family Affair”, and many more.

Barbara was signed to a major label - but unhappy with show business in general, she gave back her advance and Doug quit his one-day-old job as story editor for “Happy Days”. He took up drums and son John took up bass at the ripe old age of eleven. Reclusive by choice, the band moved from L.A. to Massachusetts to write, play and record in their cellar.

On their own label, Red Cat Records, The Stone Coyotes have produced and recorded seven albums. Their eighth is… “VIII”.

--http://www.stonecoyotes.com/

Don't miss this great show! Wed. Jan 21, 2009, 9:00-10:30pm Eastern

Find out more about The Stone Coyotes:

http://www.stonecoyotes.com/products.html

http://www.myspace.com/thestonecoyotes

Hope to see you there!

--Amy, your friendly blogger.

Inagural Post...that'll be 160 million please....

Hello Blockhead Radio fans!! Allow me to introduce myself... I am Amy, also commonly referred to as Mama's Little Monkeys or Fleur De Ink. (I have multiple online personalities.) On blogger, I am glutenfreegirl, so let's hope that is not confusing.

You may also refer to me as Amy the Awesome, but for some reason that hasn't stuck around my house..... maybe it will here.....

The wonderful powers that be at Blockhead Radio have graciously bestowed upon me the job as promotions/public relations. So I will be your friendly go-to blogger here on Blockhead Radio.blogspot.com!!

We hope the blog will be fresh, up to date and FUN!

Information about Blockhead Radio, shows, guests, hosts and more can be found here. Please allow me some time to get into a flow with posting!!

Blockhead Radio will go LIVE on Monday, Jan 19th. The first show will be

Artisan for Artisan
Mondays 9 p.m. to 11 p.m. eastern time
Join Blockhead Rod, A Good Witch Too, Sew Happy Designs, and Huckleberry Arts for another night of fun. Listen Laugh and Learn.

Monday's topic will be how to use blogging and Entrecard best for your business. As well as a surprise report from SewHappyDesigns!

Come join us for fun, information and more!

Any questions or comments concerning the blog can be sent to mama@blockheadradio.com

Have a great day!!