Welcome to the NEW Site/Blog: KristaMaurer.com

Well! What do you think?!

I really, really hope you like it and I really, really hope everyone who “grew with me” the last couple years at the Haystack of Light will follow me over the river and through the woods to this new site.

I must admit … I’m a little nervous about the change. My old site was comfy and cozy, broken in, and fit just right. This one’s so shiny and new and I’m learning more about it every day. So I hope you’ll bear with me as I enable all the links, post all the pictures, and wear her in just a bit.

I also want to send out a special welcome to any new visitors who found me through Good Things Utah. It was so fun to spend a few minutes with you this morning! I hope you’ll stick around and join in the fun we have here. I really, really love my readers (they’re so great!) and am happy to have you with us!

So. Since this is new to everyone (myself included), let me point out a few things:

1. The RSS feed. It’s that orange button at the top, on the far right side of the navigation bar. Click that button and you’ll be subscribed to my posting feed. Or you can CLICK HERE and it’ll take you to the same place.

2. The Mailing List. It’s over on the right column just above the ads (which aren’t really ads, but I can’t figure out how to change that Heading). If you’d like to recieve periodic emails filled with great stuff, leave your email and I’ll be in touch. I promise not to give your email out to anyone. And I promise not to email every day. (How annoying would that be?!)

3. Island Belle Boutique is now ONLINE! Yip yip! I thank you for your patience and encouraging nudges to get it up. I’ll be adding new items every week, so I hope you’ll stop in to shop often. There’s still a dozen more items to photograph and upload, but it’s a start. :) And in honor of the new site, and because I need to make room for my 2010 creations, I’m having a sale on all baby items through the end of January.  CLICK HERE TO SHOP

4. And finally, since this is all a little scary and because change is hard, I thought I’d make it a bit more fun by offering a CONTEST! So to welcome my old readers to the new site, and to welcome my new readers to the new site, I’m giving away three handmade gifts.

a) this brown and turquoise paisley print hand bag. Fully lined with a magnetic snap closure. Uh, SO cute!

b) Pink poppy headband. Thin wire = comfortable fit. Sweetly romantic accessory.

c) “Be Still and Know” — a fine art print. 5×7 matted photograph (taken by me). A soft reminder and beautiful piece of art. To see just the photo, click here.

To enter the drawing for one of these three gifts, leave a comment below. To receive additional entries, you can:

• subscribe to the RSS feed: CLICK HERE
• become a fan on Facebook: CLICK HERE
• follow me on Twitter: CLICK HERE
• “heart” Island Belle Boutique on Etsy or subscribe to the store feed: CLICK HERE
• blog about this new site or my Boutique being up and running online

You’ll receive one additional entry for each of those actions. But be sure to let me know in the comments what all you do! I’ll announce the winners on Monday, Feb 1.

So I think that’s everything!

I can’t wait to see where this road leads me, and I’m thrilled to have you along for the ride. Thanks again for being my friends.

Here’s to life and to dreams … CHEERS!