Etsy Dot Mom

cutest baby slippers ever

2010-07-15T18:29:00.000-07:00

I know, I know... it's been 6 months since I posted here. Sorry about that. The whole getting pregnant thing threw me for a loop. But in my 3rd trimester baby browsing I have come across some too cute not to share items. So I will try to post here a little more often, especially as the holidays approach.

Check these out!

Maybe I am all hormonal, but these are the cutest baby slippers ever. And I am a person who truly believes babies don't really need things on their feet other than socks, but I am totally coveting these. They are by FUNKY SHAPES. And check out her gorgeous designs.

Here is what they have to say about how these are made:

"These adorable, funky and unique kawaii baby slippers are 100% handmade, hand stitched and design by us, with so much love and care in the beautiful surrounding of the Isle of Wight, England.

+No glue is used in the production of our handmade accessories.

+Smoke free environment

+Each accessory and baby bootie is unique

+No internal seams, no lumps or ridges that could rub tiny feet.

+The soles and uppers of all of our baby booties are double stitched giving at least equal strength and durability to machine stitching, finishing with our decorative signature blanket stitching.

Her stock changes often and you can check out "sold" items to see what's possible. I am partial to the mushrooms myself. And I adore the way they match the fabric on the soles to the designs on the slippers.

Now if I can just get my brother to shop on etsy and get me a pair for the baby...

Remember, tell them that etsydotmom sent ya!

Tree House

2009-12-15T21:18:00.000-08:00

These are gorgeous - from the shine of the finish to the twists in the wood. And free shipping at the moment!
By Wake Robin Forest...

Don't forget to tell them EtsyDotMom sent you!

Go Car Go

2009-12-09T20:31:00.000-08:00

If you know a little one who loves anything that has wheels -- check these out!

A rainbow assortment from Small Town Toys

Natural wood cars from Wood Toy Shop

Crayon truck from Countryside Gifts

The mother load by Grandpa John's Wooden Toys

Adorable felted wool car with knit road by Green Mountain Wee Woolies

Flower power car by Happy Squash Toys

Classic coupe by Toys2Treasures

Sporty with contrasting woods by AE Wooden Toys

Be safe on the road and be sure to tell them EtsyDotMom sent you!

The Gift of Organization

2009-12-08T20:19:00.000-08:00

I am about the most unorganized person I know. And let's be real... that's not going to change. But these little beauties have helped. They are called the In Touch Clutch and they're by Downstairs Designs.

It's all about the fabric choices. She updates her stock frequently and there's always a tempting array of fabrics on hand, far more than I could ever post here.

This last one is a cute kid take on the same design...

I also love the same idea in a slightly different design over at Knitty Bitties. This is called The Happy Little List Taker. And the fabrics here are certainly happy! As always, check out her past sales to see other examples.

These make fabulous gifts! Happy organizing and be sure to tell them that EtsyDotMom sent ya!

Technology Meets Nature

2009-12-05T15:00:00.000-08:00

I just saw these and had to share. iPod & iPhone docking stations... I think the images speak for themselves!

From Woodtec! Be sure to tell them EtsyDotMom sent ya!

Fun In The Dark

2009-12-01T21:46:00.000-08:00

One of our favorite things to do on the dark days of winter is play with shadow puppets. It's such a fabulous, old fashioned way to brighten up the long nights. Etsy has an AMAZING array of shadow puppets to pick from...

Orange Moon Toys has really fun sets with all sorts of themes from sea creatures to monsters. And you can mix and match and create your own set too. They're laminated, so they are sturdy enough to use again and again...

And looks at these imaginative designs at Isabella's Art. I don't think the family will have a hard time
coming up with scenarios for characters like these.

The detail is beautiful! Be sure to click on past "sales" on the right hand side, you'll see some that will make your jaw drop!

And finally -- some whimsical creations by Owly Shadow Puppets...

Enjoy the darkness and be sure to tell them EtsyDotMom sent ya!

I Spy

2009-11-24T21:54:00.000-08:00

If you search on etsy under the words "I Spy" you will open up wide variety of gift ideas for little ones. These bags are fabulous because they work for a wide range of ages, they come in a nice variety of styles and shapes, and truly range in price for just about any budget. The idea is this -- remember the "I spy with my little eye" game and books? Well take a couple of handfuls of trinkets, put them in a bag with some beads to mix it up and hide the trinkets, and then hand it over to your little one so they can find the trinkets. Carry it in your bag for long lines, car rides, plane trips, restaurant waits, you name it. For little ones who can't read yet, you can get the list in picture form from many sellers or a detachable list for mom to carry and read off the things to spy.

(Those Greathouse Women)

Here is a peak at some of the cool ISpy goodies you can find on etsy...

(1 Pixie place)

(Ainsley & Oswald)

(more by Those Greathouse Women)

Happy Thanksgiving & don't forget to tell them that etsydotmom sent ya!

Under $20 Tuesday - color crazy

2009-11-16T16:19:00.000-08:00

Here are some under $20 favorites from all around etsy...

Who can resist these colorful little boats from Willowbaus. We have the rowboat and I can attest that it's very well made, fully water proof, and loads of fun. All manner of gnomes and acorns and toy animals have voyaged on this boat.

And her fabric choices on the sailboats are just delicious!

And speaking of color -- feast your eyes on these...

Handmade crayons by Blue Bear Boutique. I've ordered from her many times and I can say first hand these are beautiful and make a fantastic gift paired with some coloring paper.

She always packages them so nicely and there are loads of crayons packed into each set.

Final splash of color... super kid capes!!!

There are all manner of capes on etsy. I could do a whole, long post on capes. But the ones that I think are the most reasonably priced and well made are found on Super Fly Kidz.

We've bought one of these for Zach and just about every one of his little friends for birthdays, girls and boys alike. They ALL LOVE them.

The deal it you can get it customized as far as color, letter, and shape on the cape. All that for under $20 -- super deal!

Remember to tell them etsydotmom sent you!

Book Beauty

2009-11-09T16:53:00.000-08:00

In our home books are truly treasured. So when we loan our literary jewels out to friends, we like to make sure we have a way of knowing they are coming home again. Book plates are a simple, old fashioned way of marking your books for your family and I have not seen any that are as beautiful and original as the ones by Shelley at OISEAUX.

The vintage designs are so sweet, reminds me of a storybook childhood.

You can either get them printed with a name, or get them blank and fill them in yourself.

I think these beauties speak for themselves, so enjoy the eye candy and visit OISEAUX's shop. Tell her etsydotmom sent ya.

The Tiny House

2009-11-04T18:33:00.000-08:00

My boy loves his bags, so we have scouted out lots of fabulous kid bags on etsy. I just recently came across The Tiny House and instantly fell in love. Kristy has a gift when it comes to picking fabrics! From Japanese linens to wood grain prints and classic ticking plus loads of vintage fabrics.

The bags are sized just perfectly for little people. And I love that she has a great selection of "boy" bags... very hard to find.

They are very well made, our has stood the 5-year-old test of being filled with rocks and acorns and shells and dragged through forest, beach, and city.

Kristy also makes sweet little accessories like these acorns...

And check out this cute little pine cone gnome...

This is a one stop shop for the holiday! Be sure to tell Kristy that etsydotmom sent you!

Geppetto

2009-10-31T10:09:00.001-07:00

I stumbled upon Geppetto's little etsy shop while looking under the keyword "cannon" in toys. I was hoping to find a wooden toy cannon that would be fun in an old fashioned kind of way. And boy did I score.
These cannons are made from beautiful pieces of wood and cool wine cork triggers powered by rubber bands. They are meant to shoot mini-marshmallows and he even supplies a small baggie with your order. These get a lot of play at our house.

Then there are the trains. If you've shopped around for a wooden train set for a little person in your life, you know they can be pricey and sometimes boring. These are affordable and so, so sweet!
Sweet Geppetto is Marvin Horner, age 82. He works from his shop in Montana and his prices will tell you that this is truly a labor of love.

The shop doesn't have a lot in the store front, so you need to click on "past sales" to see what he can make. And please know that the photos don't do the craftsmanship or the craftsman justice. His toys are well crafted, original, and just plain old fun!

Geppetto works from an unheated shop and his health has been iffy, so he told me in his last correspondence that this may be his last year making toys.

His correspondences are always warm and honest and he always refunds any extra shipping charges. I feel lucky to have a few of the toys shaped by his hands in our home. Even if this is his last year in the shop, his creativity will live on in the hands of a whole generation of little people.

Last Minute Halloween Fun

2009-10-25T18:01:00.000-07:00

I know it's REALLY close to Halloween, but I wanted to spread some spooky etsy finds that I have been drooling over all month.

From Poppy Go Round these beautiful dried gourds.

She grows the gourds herself and coats them so they can be used again and again each Halloween. We bought a couple of small ones and I can tell you first hand they are so well made and absolutely beautiful!

Over at Funky Junky Art I fell in love with these...

Kerri's whole shop is a Halloween wonderland right now and she has fabulous taste mixed with loads of talent. I am coveting these for next year.

There's nothing worse than plastic knick-knacks handed out around Halloween. But I found the coolest little party favors around -- no plastic!

These are cascarones and they are made by Gracies Eggies. "Cascarones are are colorful confetti-filled eggshells that are cracked over the heads of friends and family at celebrations. Cascarones are very popular in the southwest, especially in South Texas. The word is derived from the Spanish word "cascara" which means shell." (description from Gracie's Eggies shop) We got some at easter and the kids went CRAZY with them. When I saw her Halloween ones, I knew they would be perfect for our Halloween party.

Finally, I have a weak spot for banners (or bunting, or flags, or whatever you choose to call them). They're fun, festive,colorful, and can be reused year after year (rather than paper decor that gets added to the trash pile). These ones from Bad Baby Quilts are my favorite for Halloween:

We have one (the first on the left) on the boat and I love all the color. I love how all of her work goes beyond the orange and black yet still feels Halloween-y (or Dia de los Muertos, or whatever you may be celebrating this coming week.)

Enjoy! And if you stop by one of the shops, tell them etsy-dot-mom sent you!

Bratsacks - Toddler & Kid Backpacks

2009-10-23T17:33:00.000-07:00

I wasn't sure what to post for my first pick because I have SosoSo many favorites. So I decided to go with the very first thing I ever bought on etsy.

(I got the pirate for Zach, the truck for my nephew, and the strawberry for a little friend of Zach's)

Bratsacks are lovingly stitched together by Jessi in the mountains of Georgia. She started making these backpacks for friends, and the requests started rolling in so fast it became a business.

I ordered the pirate pack for Zach way back when and I can tell you it was as well made as it was adorable. She uses recycled fabric whenever she can, and the mix matched corduroy soft and durable.

One trick to shopping on etsy it to remember that these shops are run by small mom-and-pop craftspeople, so you won't always see a full stock of what's possible in the "store front". I always click over on the right hand side where it looks like this:

other items

94 items for sale
846 sales

That second number, the one that says "sales" will take you to an inventory of items previously sold. This gives you an idea of what's possible and it's always ok to ask a seller if he/she can re-create something from the past or something like it.

Also be sure to read "shop announcements" across the top of the store front for information on upcoming lines, current turn around times, and holiday ordering deadlines.

Enjoy browsing Bractsacks! I'll be back with more soon!

Welcome!

2009-10-23T16:59:00.000-07:00

This little idea has been dancing around in my head for quite a while now, and I am finally putting it on the screen. Anyone who knows me in person knows that I am picky. I am picky about what our family eats, what we watch, and what we buy for our home. So I search... and I search... and I search. When I find just the right thing I get all excited about it and I want to share the love.

Of course not everybody has the time or the desire to hunt for things on etsy or anywhere else when they're shopping for their family... so I hope to make it easier for you. If I own the item, I'll give you my real opinion on it. If it's just something I covet, I will tell you where to get it. And I hope to interview some of the talented craftspeople behind the products too.

What it all boils down to is spreading the love of handmade to as many people as I can reach. I want folks to know that there are alternatives to box stores. I want people to know how fabulous and creative the handmade community is. And I want to spread the love.