Peanut Butter on a Stick

When I asked Abbie what she wanted for breakfast, she said peanut butter. (Well, that's what she meant. She actually says it like plbplbplb-ter... I can't spell it, it's more of a tongue-waggle than a word. ) However, we are out of bread. And crackers. And apples. And celery. And every other thing I could possibly imagine PB would taste halfway good on. So, in early morning mommy's-not-awake-and-doesn't-want-to-deal-with-a-tantrum-before-I've-had-my-coffee desperation, I grabbed a spoon and scooped some PB on it. Abbie's quite happily walking around, licking her peanut butter on a stick. No mess, no fuss. Just a happy kid. Good thing there was a sale on Naturally More peanut butter a couple weeks ago. A big jar for just a $1. I bought quite a few, since it's all natural with no hygrogenated oils, plus it has added wheat germ, flax seed and honey. Very yummy! (Although, next week, I'll be sure to stock up crackers to put it on!)

Sunday Shop of the Week!

Today's Sunday Shop of the Week is Deedaloos! Check out her swimsuits. I had no idea you could sew your own swimsuits, but that just shows what I know- as Deedaloos does, and does it very well! I love the scuba-style, and I only wish I had found this shop earlier in the summer. I'll definitely keep this in mind for next year, though! http://deedaloos.etsy.com Who are you? Sometimes I ponder that question myself so I'll keep it simple. My name is Kim and I live in Loudon NH. I am married with two children, Kristen is 3 and Matthew is 7. What is your Etsy Shop Name? Deedaloos, which most people mispronounce as i made up my own spelling. if you'd like to know where it came from, check out the about me section in my etsy shop! What EtsyKids items do you specialize in? I make these great scuba-style swimsuits and, knit fabric pj's and lots and lots of quality fun fleece hats which I won't list until Fall! I also make breastfeeding tops in tank, short & long sleeve styles! What do you like about Etsy? It's so laid back and the variety of products and people is overwhelmingly spectacular! What do you like about creating? I just love to look at the end product and know that I did it. I love it when I make something for my own and they truly like it and want to wear it! What do you love about your business? I love to create high quality products at a fair price and then pass them on to others. What is your favorite product right now? Right now, I would have to say it's the swimsuits since Summer is here and I love keeping my little one's skin protected for our beach trips! This year, I expect her to be a camo queen but even in camo, I know she's going to stand out amongst the other children. What makes you unique at Etsy? My variety of products and the name is certainly going to be one of a kind with a history to match! What makes you unique as a woman? I'm not really sure, you'd have to ask my friends and family that one. Oh, the stories they would probably tell . . . What do you love about Kids? I love their simplicity and innocence in the way they perceive and react to everything that goes on around them. The way they tell you that maybe we should "drive" to Concord when you say "let's run to Concord". What are some other sites to find out more about you and what you love to create? Right now, I'm more inclined to direct you away from the computer and to a book since we all spend waaaaaay too much time at our computers. Nancy Cornwell has several books out on working with fleece that include a large variety of projects and they are worth every penny. I mostly use the books as a reference tool at this point.

PARTY TIME!

We finally got around to throwing Isaiah his first birthday party. (My mom's work schedule has been so crazy and this was the first free evening she's had in July... and you know grandma's gotta be there for baby's first birthday!)

We had a jungle-themed party. I drew and cut out animals from posterboard (don't laugh, I can't draw!) for decorations:

and made monkey cupcakes (on banana bread, of course!)

Birthday dinner of veggie burgers and mac-n-cheese:

Cake time! (he was getting sleepy by that point)

And enjoying his new wooden horse!

What's new at Enchanted Dandelions?

Some of you may have noticed my new creations for sale at Enchanted Dandelions - flannel cloth wipes and burp cloths.

I've been using cloth diapers since Abbie was about 6 months old, but it took me until she was 18 months before switching to cloth wipes. I'm not sure why it took so long, as I absolutely LOVE them now! They work so much better than thin disposable wipes; instead of using a half a dozen disposable wipes, even the messiest of jobs get taken care of in just 2 or 3 cloth ones. Not to mention how much better I feel about a) saving money, b) producing less waste, and c) not having to worry about an ingredient list a mile long full of words I can't pronounce. And I find myself using them for SO many other things than just diaper changes. I keep a bunch of them in the kitchen drawer for cleaning up after mealtime, and in the bathroom for scrubbing up in the tub. Cloth wipes are truly a versatile baby neccesity!

When Isaiah was younger, he had reflux, and spit up multiple times after every feeding. Usually I just grabbed a cloth diaper, but as often as he spit up, I was running out of diapers to use on the other end! So, I started making these. The contour shape fits perfectly on your shoulder, and the 3 layers of flannel makes them absorbant, without being too bulky. And while you can only glamorize baby puke so much, the cute prints make it a little less mudane.

Sunday Shop of the Week!

This week, I'm featuring A Laina Designs as the shop of the week! Her onesies and T's are simply adorable! The designs are simple, yet whimsical. And I absolutely love the Twosie Tins. I'm just waiting on someone I know to get pregnant, as I think that would make the perfect gift! http://alainadesigns.etsy.com/

Who are you? I am Jessica. Stay at home mom to my beautiful baby girl and inspiration, Arden Laine. Formerly a higher education administrator, I took the plunge into motherhood and left that career behind for a new one.

What is your Etsy Shop Name? A Laina Designs What EtsyKids items do you specialize in? Onesies, Toddler T's and Tote Bags. I have a large variety of stock designs but I love custom designs!

What do you like about Etsy? I like the Etsy community. I like that it puts a high value on all things handmade.

What do you like about creating? I used to be in a pretty fast paced environment that I had to use a lot of structured creativity in. I like now, that if I have a vision, I can just move forward with it. I like the outcome of the item. If I think it's especially cute or if I get good feedback on it.

What do you love about your business? I love selling. I have always been a sales person. I remember going door to door at about 8 years old selling things I had made. Once, I went door to door selling these little pom pom things. They were 50 cents each. What a deal! I took orders for sizes and colors and delivered them a couple weeks later.

What is your favorite product right now? The Twosie Tin is my favorite. Two onesies of any designs (stock or custom) in a cute windowed tin, tied up with ribbon. I think they are VERY cute

What makes you unique at Etsy? I think there are a lot of people who do the same type of thing I do at Etsy. Looking into their shops, I see a distinct style from each of them. I think my designs have a style as well and that style is what makes me unique.

What makes you unique as a woman? What makes me unique is my ability to identify with people on many levels. My experience in business, education, and as a stay at home mom have rounded me into a person that can see through many sets of eyes.

What do you love about Kids? Well, I'm new to kids as mine is less than a year old. But there's something magical that happens when a kid learns something new or sees something he/she has never seen before. I love how kids explore their world.

What are some other sites to find out more about you and what you love to create? I am exclusively at Etsy!!

I :heart: Goodwill!

I love thrift-shopping! On the way home from grocery shopping, the kids fell asleep in the car. So, I convinced hubby to stop by Goodwill and let me run in, while the kids took a much needed nap. I knew I only had a few minutes, before Thomas started to get disgruntled, so I was practically running through... but I still managed to pick up a few things.

I found these wooden bowls for $0.25 each. I'm not sure what I'm going to do with them quite yet. Maybe I will put on my mantle with some lavender blossoms, once they finish drying in the closet. Any ideas for the other two?

I also found these pajama pants which I had to have! They are a bit worn, but that's the best way to buy PJs... already broken in and snuggly. My sister is going be jealous over these, but she's the Goodwill Queen around here, and has the best luck finding such great stuff. I also found Abbie an adorable dress for fall, a like-new Fuzzi Bunz cloth diaper for only a $1, a Hanna Anderson sleeper for $2, and a few books for the kids because you can never have enough books!

Lazy Days of Summer

Sorry for not blogging more, but there really hasn't been much to blog about! It's been so hot lately and my car doesn't have air conditioning, so we've been staying inside mostly.

We did go out the other day to draw on the sidewalk. (Abbie was

so confused as she kept trying to take paper outside after I told her we were going to go color... and was pleasantly surprised when I told her to draw on the ground!). Even Isaiah did a great job, as he only ate a *little* bit of chalk. Both of them are proved to be quite the artists... and soon had the entire sidewalk filled with beautiful artwork.

Of course, we've been doing other things- chasing each other around the house, crawling behind the couch, playing peek-a-boo under blankets, pretending to be airplanes as we spin around in "kirkles", taking long mid-day baths. As you can see from the picture on the left, we spend most of the day just being outright SILLY!

Oh, we did make homemade pizza the other day, but I forgot to take pictures. Again, Abbie showed her artistic side as she decorated her pizza- all the mushrooms stacked up in the middle, and zuchinni slices going in a circle around it. Oh and cheese everywhere... EVERYWHERE!

Hopefully as the weather cools down, we'll be able to go on more outings. For now, we'll just keep coming up with ways to entertain ourselves.

Sunday Shop of the Week!

As "one of those" crunchy mommas, I absolutely love Georganne's shop! Her two-tone wraps are just gorgeous, and I'm definitely planning on buying some of her I Knead You modeling dough (just as soon as my kids stop eating everything LOL!).

Who are you? I've been asking myself that for YEARS! I am Georganne Lang, SAHM of 6 wonderful Children, wife to the greatest guy on Earth!

What is your Etsy Shop Name? Georganne.Etsy.com

What EtsyKids items do you specialize in? I make Wrap-style Baby Carriers, Custom-fitted Pouch Slings, Honey Buns(tm) All Natural Diaper Salve, Breastfeeding Mother's All Natural Healing Salve, All Natural Laundry Soap, Cloth Diaper Covers (fitted cloth diapers, coming soon!) , I Knead You(tm) scented modeling dough, and various blankies, quilts, lovey's & bibs have found their way into my shop!

What do you like about Etsy? That it is all HANDMADE, everything from art, jewelry, clothing, accessories, bath and body, ALL HANDMADE! (except, of course, the supplies, he he he)

What do you like about creating? Watching something wonderful take shape where a pile of materials once was! I find it difficult to let each piece go, as it is like a child to me!

What do you love about your business? That I can do it from home!

What is your favorite product right now? difficult to choose! Lovin my all natural products, and the slings!!

What makes you unique at Etsy? My style, it is not "classic" by any means!

What makes you unique as a woman? You'd have to *know* me, and answer that one yourself! LOL!

What do you love about Kids? thier desire to learn, grow, create and the pure JOY and lack of inihibitions! If they feel like singing, they SING!!!

What are some other sites to find out more about you and what you love to create? For now, my blog: http://georgannesbaby.blogspot.com

Happy 1st Birthday, Isaiah!

Yesterday was my little man's first birthday! I can't believe how fast the time has gone by. Isaiah Lincoln was born at home on July 8th, 2006. He weighed in at 6 pounds, 10 ounces. I will never forget, how seconds after he was born, he stared right at me, with his blue eyes looking into my soul. Even now, we have such a special connection, it's hard to describe.

And if you don't mind, this proud momma would like to show off some pictures...

A couple hours after birth:

First time leaving the house at a week old:

And now at a year old, and weighing in at almost 20 pounds...

Brightest blessing, Isaiah. I hope you 2nd year brings you as much happiness as your first year brought me.

Sunday Shop of the Week!

Baby Friendly Beads

http://bfbeads.etsy.com/

Who are you? I'm Jen Johnson -- domestic goddess, published poet, aspiring children's book author, proud SAHM and maker of beautiful things. I'm more original than my name would suggest! I'm an East Coast native thriving in West Coast soil, and I've been happily married for more than a decade. I've been many things in my working life, from high school teacher to professional artist's model. Being a mom is both harder and more rewarding than anything else I've done so far.

What is your Etsy Shop Name? BFBeads, which stands for Baby Friendly Beads(TM)

What EtsyKids items do you specialize in? I make Baby Friendly Beads, jewelry for breastfeeding -- and beyond! My nursing necklaces are designed to occupy and amuse those busy baby hands so that they won't scratch, pinch, or twiddle with Mom's skin and hair. I also make reminder bracelets to help keep track of breastfeeding sessions. My jewelry is stylish, sturdy, practical, and pretty.

What do you like about Etsy? I like the sense of community and the way that creativity permeates the site. I love hearting people and being hearted; IMHO the very existence of the "hearts" says something special about the spirit of the website. And there seriously is a "spirit" to Etsy.... which is a rare find in cyberspace. Perhaps it's the handmade angle -- I often find that quality handmade goods have a sort of spirit to them, a bit of soul from having been made with love. You find that in the shops at Etsy, and you find that in the website as a whole. And of course I adore shopping at Etsy, especially for gifts! I also like the contests that are sponsored by Etsy, though I've only been able to find the time to participate in one. Thanks to the Coproduction contest, I had the wonderful opportunity to befriend and work with amazingly talented people -- including EtsyKids' own StoryBlox and Clever Kitty! I was on two teams and had great fun collaborating. I even had the good fortune of winning second prize in the contest, with our entry of a mobile titled "Botanical Balance."

What do you like about creating? I've always been a compulsive crafter and a creative person. Before kids, most of my creative energy went into writing. Now, as the mom of a toddler and an infant, it's difficult to find the time and focus to write, so instead I take a moment here and there to work on my jewelry. One of the things I like best about creating is how it inspires me to constantly learn new things. Just making the same thing over and over doesn't interest me very much. I enjoy the opportunity to tweak designs and imagine new ways of doing things.I appreciate how crafting requires me to focus both on process and product. There's something magical in being able to make something new, working with my hands to physically create an object that did not exist before. And there's a special kind of satisfaction when the finished product comes close to what I'd imagined it coud be.

What do you love about your business? I'm delighted to make and share something to help other moms with breastfeeding. I believe that nursing is one of the most completely loving exchanges -- but I also know from hard experience that it can be extremely challenging. A baby nursing peacefully at the breast is a beautiful sight, but when baby starts to scratch, bite, or pull hair it can turn ugly pretty quickly! I started this business thinking, "If just one mother is able to breastfeed better thanks to my Baby Friendly Beads, then I'll be happy." I've since heard from many moms who say that their babies love the necklaces and that the jewelry has made things easier for them. I love imagining moms wearing my jewelry and babies clutching the beads with their chubby little hands while they nurse.

What is your favorite product right now? I'm really excited about my Custom Birthstone Baby Friendly Beads Jewelry. I like the idea of giving the customer the opportunity to participate in the design process and decide what semiprecious stones they would like in their nursing necklaces. I don't know of any other nursing necklaces that incorporate semiprecious birthstones into the design, so I'm proud to offer such a unique product. I'll be adding customized birthstone bracelets to the shop very soon!

What makes you unique at Etsy? While there are other Etsy sellers making lovely nursing necklaces, nobody else sells breastfeeding jewelry like my Baby Friendly Beads. My designs are all one of a kind and different from the usual nursing jewelry in several ways. First, my necklaces are made from one continuous piece of cord (instead of a loop that hangs from a necklace) so there is not one piece that might break off from another. They are also adjustable in length, and can be adjusted from choker to full length without taking off the necklace. I am also one of the only shops offering reminder bracelets, and (last time I checked) the only one to offer bracelets that coordinate with nursing necklaces.

What makes you unique as a woman? The same things that make each of us uniquely wonderful: my creative spirit, my brimming heart, my capacity for joy.What do you love about Kids?The way they look when they are asleep! (Just kidding... kinda!) As the mother of a new baby and a two year old, I'm blessed with the opportunity to witness boundless energy, utter innocence, ceaseless curiosity, and total awe -- on a daily (sometimes hourly) basis. What's not to love about that?

What are some other sites to find out more about you and what you love to create? http://www.babyfriendlybeads.com/ is coming soon... for now, I'm just on Etsy, and my website forwards directly to there. I also just started my blog: http://mamasmagic.blogspot.com/

There's a turtle in my bed!

This morning, I woke up to a baby turtle crawling on my chest. Apparently, Thomas had woken up early and walked outside to find the little guy crawling across the sidewalk. Knowing my obsession for all things turtles, he brought it in to show me. Of course, I knew Abbie and Isaiah would want to see it, so I woke them up as well. They were estatic! We watched the turtle crawl all over the bed, and let them hold him. After Thomas took him back outside, the kids and I pretended to be turtles in our shells, by hiding under the blankets. Definitely a morning to remember! I mean, how often do YOU wake up to reptiles in your bed?

INTRODUCING Pocket Playmats!

These playmats are the easiest way to tote along imaginative fun anywhere you go! A compact size allows the playmat to be carried around anywhere, by tucking it into a backpack, purse, or diaper bag. PERFECT for entertaining your child during doctor appointments, meetings, church, eating out, car rides, vacation... or just for playing at home. Pocket Playmats measure approximately 9 x 12 inches, unfolded (although some will vary, due to amount of pieces included). They fold in half and snap shut to protect the play surface from "the fuzzies". There is even a pocket on the outside to store all of the pieces! Details are completely hand sewn with two or more layers of felt for durability. Your child will have hours of fun, repositioning the pieces over and over, as they 'stick' to the felt playmat. Pocket Playmats will soon be available in many different themes. Some ideas currently on the drawing board include jungle pals, underwater adventure, Noah's ark, rescue vehicles, fairytale fun, a tea party, tic-tac-toe, as well as a few surprises. You can also request a custom theme, or personalize an already-available one. (For example, choose your favorite animals to go on the ark... or a neighborhood to look like your child's). Although this one is very similar in design to the previously posted roll-up playmat, you can get an idea of the features... All laid out: View of the storage pocket:

My Magical Cup of Tea

First of all, I need to tell you about my mug. I bought it from Alewine Pottery down in Gaitlenburg, TN. It's handthrown and glazed. And I absolutely LOVE it. Isn't it gorgeous? Although it probably sounds crazy, but everything seems to taste better when I drink from it. In the story The Little Prince, the prince explains how the water taste sweeter because of all the hard work that went into finding the well and drawing up the water. I guess it's like that. At least that's what it reminds me of... simpler times and the beauty of handmade things. (Okay, I guess it DOES sound crazy.) Anyways, yesterday both kids fell asleep at the SAME time. (Which is nothing short of a miracle lately). So, instead of doing something constructive like cleaning the house, I decided to enjoy a cup of tea. I made some mint tea with raw wildflower honey... and it was perfect. Just the right amount of honey, the right temperature. It was SOOO good. I snuck outside and sat on the picnic table behind the house. The late afternoon sun was filtering through the trees, throwing sunbeams across me and my tea. A bunch of goldfinches were flittering around feeders. The smell of lavender blowing by on the breeze. I wouldn't have blinked an eye if a faerie fluttered by, because it was just that magical of a moment. And then both kids woke up and spent the evening alternating between crying and destroying the house. But, also like in The Little Prince, how the desert is beautiful because of the well it hides, life is beautiful because of the special moments like these it hides. Just gotta keep living for those. :-)

Roll-up Felt Playmat... ON SALE!

I am now discontinuing the roll-up version of my felt playmats. I've been working on a new design- Pocket Playmats- that will be more compact (along with a few other surprises... stay tuned to learn more!). In the meantime, I have reduced to price to my last roll-up play mat in my Etsy shop to just $12 (orginally $16).

(However, I will be doing roll-up versions by request, so all is not lost if you want one! *wink*) http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=6230826