Monday Mentionables

This weeks lucky shop if D'Papier! This is a lovely new shop (only open since March of this year). The artist creates these cute art boards that are just perfect for decorating your child's room, and they can be personalized with his/her name. Head on over and check them out (click on any picture to go directly to that listing).

Monday Mentionables

Well, folks, it's that time again. Time for a new Etsy artist to have a little more exposure. There are so many talented artists, that it is a difficult to decide each week just who to choose. Since Arizona has been hit pretty hard with the recession (I know, other places have been hit, too), I thought I would do a little something to stimulate the local economy. I went to Etsy, chose the "shop local" option, and found a number of folks within a few miles of myself that were worthy.
Eventually, I whittled down my choices, and finally selected KnotSewShabby for this week's feature. KnotSewShabby is a family affair (2 sisters and their mom), and they produce a number kids items. Their shop has been open for just over a year now, and they are doing great! Let's see just what they've got in store for you....

There are christening/blessing gowns....

Boy blessing/christening outfits...

Interactive toddler books...

This book about animal tails:

And, these On-The-Go activity crayon bags...

Be sure to check out KnotSewShabby's shop and see what else they have for you!

Back to School?!?

I can't believe that school will be starting soon here. I have a few things on my list to get done before that happens. I need to make some scrubs for my oldest, new messenger bags for my boys, and I've managed to get a backpack done for my youngest daughter (not a small feat with a little one trying to climb on any material I try to lay out!).
The backpack is made with drawstring straps, and has pockets on the inside for pencils and things. There is one pocket on the outside as well.

New products added

I've got some new stuff in my shop for you today. Inspired by my custom order for a bonnet, I decided to make some more. This new one is in an ivory color (called "naked" by the company) and is super soft, just what is needed for a preemie's head.



I've also added a few new headbands to the shop, each with just a little bit of "bling" in the center. What little girl wants to be without her bling?

More Denim Upcyling!

Kaitlynn got the cutest pair of jeans for her birthday last year. BUT, she's harder on jeans than any other girl I know! You would think that she walks around on her knees all day long to see the hole in them. Usually, I can either turn them into shorts or a skirt, but this pair had a rip that was up too high to do either. So, in an effort to" reduce, reuse, recycle", I decided to turn this pair of well-loved jeans into a purse so she can continue to enjoy them.

The front:

The back (aren't those butterflies the cutest?):

The inside:

Custom Orders

I had the opportunity this week to make a custom bonnet for someone special. Her name is Nevaeh Grace. She is a special little girl who has been diagnosed, en utero, with anancephaly. You can follow her family's journey here.
I enjoyed making this, though it was with some sadness as it is a preemie size. It is difficult to see how small it is based on the pictures, but it is roughly large enough to fit a head the size of an orange.
I am honored to have had the privilege to create something so lovely for someone so deserving.

Monday Mentionables

It's that time of the week again. Our featured etsyian this Monday morning is TDNCreations.

From the shop announcement...I take pride in handmaking all my jewelry pieces and infuse them with positive vibes. Each piece is carefully crafted in my studio in Montreal, Canada, and I am always happy when they can find a nice home somewhere around the world and make someone beautiful.

Take a look at some of the beautiful jewelry offered in this shop.

There are rings...


Earrings...


Bracelets...


And more...


(Click on any picture to be taken to that listing).

Goin' Green!

In the interest of recycling, I've been trying to find new ways to reuse old clothes that me or the kids no longer wear. The easiest thing to reuse, by far, is denim. You can make bibs...



Or skirts...



Or bags...



What do you do with your old jeans?

Check out this giveaway!

Suburban Cottage is having a give away featuring Photography by Tim Irving, an artist on Etsy. (You can see his shop here.)
A sample of his beautiful work....

Baby Gifts!

What are we working on today? Today we are finishing up some bibs for a baby shower gift. The recipient doesn't yet know whether she is having a boy or a girl, so there will be 2 of each.


The best part? These bibs are virtually free to make! Using jeans that have been worn-out-of or grown-out-of and left over scrap material from other projects means that the only thing I purchased was some velcro for the closure. I used the free tutorial from CraftStylish with a few minor changes.

1) I did not cut out the 2 inch strip before adding my fabric accent. In fact, I didn't remove the denim behind the fabric at all, just top stitched it on with a decorative stitch.



2) I only used 1 fabric for the accent, not 2 like she shows.



3) I used velcro instead of a snap.

4) Added a little embellishment to the girl bibs.



Easy, Cute, and Unique!

Monday Mentionables!

This morning, our featured artist is CapturingCreativity. There are lovely cards and gift bags and scrapbooking items in her shop.

This card is my very favorite thing in her shop...
It's made with turquiose mother of pearl. Isn't it beautiful?

Here are a few more of her things. (Click on any picture to learn more about it.)

That last one would be a perfect "Back to School" gift for a new teacher. Don'tcha think?

New Crochet Hat for the Littlest One

Ever try to take a picture of a hat on a busy little boy's head? If not, here's what they look like...





Ok, I give up. I'll just take one while it's lying on the floor. (Of course, that was just an invitation to grab it and run away!)

This hat I made for Cameron for this winter since he's outgrown the one I made last year. It's a very basic hat and, while I'm sure there is something similar out there, I am going to try and write the pattern down. I have two fellow Etsyers who have agreed to test the pattern for me as soon as I figure out how to write down the instructions for the brim.

CPSIA

If you make children's items, you should be aware of CPSIA. For those that don't, it is the "Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act". It is requiring testing and labeling for all products intended for children under 12. Some things are exempt from testing, but most need to be tested for lead, phthalates, and/or small parts. If you donate handmade items, this affects you as well.
For me, this is what I love to do. But the rules and laws are so confusing that even the lawmakers themselves aren't exactly sure what they are. Then how in the world do they expect ME to be able to understand all of it. I understand that I need to test my items. However, testing needs to be done on each new item. Well, most of my creations are OOAK, so that would require testing on each individual item! If I have to do that, I will have to raise prices to cover those testing costs. It could cost over $300 just to test a headband for phthalates! Talk about an expensive accessory.
I am left to choose between two options: Do nothing or Do nothing...
Let me explain. I can either
A) Do nothing. I can continue to do what I'm doing and charge what I'm charging, doing nothing to follow this absurdity of a law.
OR
B) Do nothing. I can stop making any children's items. Nothing to be donated to those who need it most. Nothing to sell to help my family.
Talk about being stuck between a rock and a hard place! I know they are trying to protect our children, but give parents some credit! We can make appropriate choice for our kids without being forced to!

Got Scouts?

Any of you have cub scouts? I do and it was recently Pinewood Derby time. I would love to have a fun shirt to wear for it, but there aren't very many out there. So while I was at the last Pinewood Derby, I saw a car (or 2 or 3) using coins for weight. **Lightbulb** I got an idea for a t-shirt. I want to make one for next year that has a picture of a car loaded with coins and the caption "Pinewood Derby...Where the money is!"
Let me know what you think or give me another idea if you have one. Maybe I'll make 2 and send you one ;)

New Headband

And not a baby one this time! I love to make baby headbands, but had this idea floating around in my head for a crocheted one. Because of the yarn I used, it turned out extremely soft to the touch, but still holds it's shape. The black yarn was not the easiest to work with, but it turned out great!
You can see more images of it here