Babee Crafts

She's Baaaack!

2012-02-24T21:14:00.005-05:00

It's been a while, I know. Going back to teaching full-time this past fall has meant a bit less time to blog. And although balancing teaching, crafting, and family has had its challenges in recent months (more on that soon), I have been crafting up a storm. My Babee Crafts shop on Etsy has been doing well, and I'm happy to announce that I'll be returning to Clover Market for all three spring dates in April, May, and June. So I guess that means I better whip out my glue gun and plug in the sewing machine! Family, prepare yourselves. You won't be seeing our dining room table until sometime in July!

I hope that you can carve out some time to do some crafting soon, especially since I've found a fantastic collection of {free} baby crafting tutorials. Have fun exploring my growing collection on Pinterest. Click on the image below to connect to each of the tutorials seen below. Wait, Jen, what's Pinterest?

If you haven't stumbled across Pinterest, good. Pretend you've never heard of it and go about your way. It is highly (HIGHLY) addictive. Instead of storing your website bookmarks as a boring old text link, Pinterest is a visual way to save links to all your favorite web finds. It is social, it is fun, and so, so, so addictive. But you need an invitation to join. If you want one, leave a comment below with your email address and I'll be happy to pass one along. But be warned, you will get sucked in, losing hours exploring all the very cool connections and links.

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It's My Etsy-versary!

2011-10-13T19:47:00.002-04:00

Hard to believe that a year has already past since we started this eco-friendly adventure by opening our Etsy Babee Crafts shop! My youngest was barely two months old as I started to string together my first nursing reminder bracelets. And now, not only is he walking, he's climbing the stairs and into my craft cupboards and quickly getting into everything he can get those quick little hands on. And my toddler has turned into a dino-lovin', song writing, creative pre-schooler. He's my biggest helper, with his own little art table set up next my craft supplies. Together we craft away.

In the past year, I've been so thankful for all the encouragment and support I've received from family, friends, and return customers. I look forward to another year of crafting creative, eco-friendly baby gifts.

To celebrate our first anniversary, Babee Crafts offering a fantastic discount on all our hand-screened bibs, onesies, and t-shirts. Use code "ANNIVERSARY" for 25% off your next purchase. This code will also be good toward custom screening purchases. But hurry, this offer ends October 20th!

Join Me in November!

2011-10-11T17:18:00.004-04:00

I'll be joining a number of fantastic mom crafters on November 11th between 5-9pm at Ashbridge Manor in Downingtown for a holiday Mom Bazaar! So if you are local, stop by this free event to see all the new items I've been screening and stitching up through Babee Crafts.

Preview all of the great products that will be at the Holiday Bazaar by visiting the following websites by clicking on the link!

Lovely Little One – Handmade Baby and Nursing Apparel
Tastefully Simple – By Melissa Auvil
Elephants on Parade – Handmade Hair Bows and Clips
Meredith Joy Designs – Jewelry and Greeting Cards
Scentsy – Flameless Candle Warmers
Stampin’ Up
Creative Memories
Tiffinee A-Z – Antiques and Used Items
The Smiling Door - Creative Door Decor
Studio 791 - paper inspired stationery, magnets, collage items, desk accessories
Babee Crafts – Organic and Eco-friendly baby gifts
Thirty-One – Purses and Bags

A Day to Sew

2011-09-29T11:40:00.006-04:00

I have a terrible habit. I buy fabric without having a clear plan in mind for how to use it. And so I have a growing stack of adorable, organic cotton prints that have been begging to be crafted into something cute. So with a day off work today, I was struck by inspiration. Time to stitch up an organic cotton teething bib!

This bib is a must-have for parents. Never lose track of your little one's teething ring or pacifier again. Simply snap it onto the this bib, and it is always at hand for your little one.

And not only is it practical, it is eco-friendly as well! This bib is made from 100% certified organic cotton knits by Harmony Arts and fastens with snaps instead of scratchy velcro that can irritate baby's delicate skin. The bib is pre-washed to ensure that it does not shrink and top-stitched so that it can endure wash after wash after wash. The crossword design on the front coordinates with the tangerine colored backing.

This bib also comes with a 3" wooden teether, sanded smooth and finished with an all-natural beeswax and olive oil polish, which is food-grade safe for baby and will preserve the life of the wood. The wooden teether is handmade by fellow Etsy artist Urbanhomesteaders and is the perfect teether and early infant toy.

This set would make a wonderful, eco-friendly baby shower gift. I am happy to offer free gift wrapping and a handmade card upon request. Please see my other organic and eco-friendly baby gifts at Babee Crafts on Etsy.

Such Kind Words!

2011-09-26T17:14:00.003-04:00

Friend and fellow blogger Andria of Andria Drawing Near posted a wonderful piece on the recent Clover Market which included a little bit about Babee Crafts. So, I'm stealing her post and sharing it below. But don't just read it here. Click on over to her fabulous blog. You'll be amazed by all the clever crafting this stay-at-home mom of two does. Truly beautiful!

Discovering the Clover Market

Last Sunday, in addition to finding a Paper Source within an easy drive from my home, I discovered a lovely place called the Clover Market.

The organizers describe the market as "an upscale vintage outdoor market...featuring original art, antiques, vintage jewelry & clothing, artisan crafts, and handmade items." In other words, my ideal browsing destination!

The vendors all take real care when setting up their booths, in order to make their vignettes interesting and their merchandise accessible to their customers.

Half the fun was checking out how items, as well as prices and other information, were displayed.

One of my first stops was to visit my friend Jen, who in addition to being a full-time high school English teacher, mother of two boys under three, writer of two blogs, and owner of an Etsy store called Babee Crafts, finds time to represent her hand-crafted baby items at markets, shows, and bazaars!

(If I ever find out her secret for juggling all these roles--and doing them all so WELL--while maintaining an admirable level of good humor and a relaxed vibe, I will definitely share it with you!)

Some of the vendors included:

--antiques and vintage items for the home--

--architectural salvage--

--purses and other fabric items--

--jewelry--

--paper crafts--

More by Andria at Andria Drawing Near

What a Fabulous Day!

2011-09-19T16:44:00.002-04:00

It was wonderful to be outside all day yesterday for Clover Market's Fall Kick-Off - fabulous weather, fantastic shops, and so many fun finds! I'll share some pictures very soon, but for those of you who were not able to attend, I wanted to share just a few of the fantastic shops that you missed. You certainly will not want to miss October's market!

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Upcoming Events: Clover Market in Ardmore

2011-08-05T08:45:00.003-04:00

I'll be there in September. Will you?

Fabulous Finds Friday: Happy Birthday, Little Monster!

2011-07-29T08:00:00.002-04:00

I haven't been on vacation. No, that's in a few weeks. But it has been quite a while since I've posted. I've definitely gotten a bit behind on my blogging. But I went back to school.

A couple weeks ago I had the opportunity to teach a graduate course to fellow teachers on integrating technology into the reading and writing classroom. Funny that I was online so much for the course that I was disconnected from my usual online haunts. Like this blog. So you will see a return of my Tell Me More Tuesday and Fab Finds Friday as well as other weekly posts returning this upcoming week. Starting with this fabulous collection of monster-inspired birthday party ideas.

My little one turns one in a few short weeks (seriously, where did the time go!), and we've decided on a monster themed party. Why? 'Cause that kid is a little monster! He's not quite walking but darn close. And since he figured out how to pull himself up on furniture around six months, he's been climbing everything. He climbs into our cabinets, has figured out the child safety locks, climbs stairs, pulls the dining room chairs over - he's our little monster!

So the invitations have been sent, some supplies ordered, and of course, I shopped Etsy for the perfect birthday boy onesie. But I still need some decoration ideas. Here's what I've found so far, but would love your ideas and suggestions, too!

Click on the image above to go directly to my annotated list of links on Pinterest. In addition to sharing my finds, I want to encourage readers to share their finds, posts, and tutorials. Use the comments section below to share blog posts on our weekly theme.

And if I've featured you in a Fabulous Finds Friday, please grab the button below for your website or blog.

So what were your fab finds this week?

Tell Me More Tuesday: Candy Curls Bowtique

2011-07-12T08:00:00.013-04:00

Jessica's creations for Candy Curls Bowtique have me secretly wishing for a little girl, or at the very least, a few more little girls to buy for! Her clips and headbands are just too cute. And each of her designs is inspired by her own too cute little girl.

Learn more about Jessica's creative process in today's weekly series - Tell Me More Tuesdays - in which I introduce readers to some of my favorite Etsy artists and crafters. Those of you new to Etsy (and even those who have racked up days surfing through handcrafted goodies and vintage finds) can find the site overwhelming. With so many wonderful shops and unique, handcrafted goods, it is easy to lose track of time clicking away. So Tell Me More Tuesday is a way to get to know the artist behind the shop, the story behind the craft.

Tell Us More About You: What are three words those closest to you would use to describe you?

I've been described as worldly. I'm not really sure that's true, but I did grow up overseas, and I love to travel. I also tend to move around a lot because my husband is in the military. I would hope compassionate. I tend to always feel an immediate attachment to anyone who's kind of an underdog, and I would never want to make someone feel bad about themselves in any way. And definitely the last word would be obsessive, I get obsessive about everything from new projects to my daughter and to all kinds of random things.

Tell Us More About Your Shop: What are three words you would use to describe your shop?

Fun - Charming - Endearing

I personally think these words describe my shop's personality and appearance perfectly.

Tell Us More About What Inspires You

My daughter definitely the most. She just turned two a few months ago and she's so excited about the world around her. I try to mimic her energy in everything that I do.

Tell Us More About Your Favorite Item

I love this headband because I love working with fabrics and prints. Each one of these are one of a kind pieces, they're pretty and unique.

Tell Us More About Your Interests: Other than creating and crafting, what are your other interests, hobbies, or passions?

Again, my favorite thing is to travel. I would love to be able to travel the entire world. There's so much to see and experience. I enjoy cooking, it's very relaxing for me. And of course, it's always fun to eat everything afterwords :) I enjoy learning new things. I've always been slightly envious of anyone who had a knack for knitting and sewing. I know how to hand sew, but have been really wanting to learn how to use a sewing machine, so I signed up for a six hour class which I'm taking in a couple of days, and really excited about it!

Learn more about Jessica and Candy Curls Bowtique at...

And Jessica is generously offering Babee Crafts readers a 20% off discount code good on anything in his Etsy shop. Simply enter "summer20" in the coupon code box during your checkout for 20% off! Happy shopping!

_{Would you like to be featured in an upcoming Tell Me More Tuesday post? Submit your information HERE.}

Fabulous Finds Friday: Baby Crafts and Tutorials

2011-07-08T15:00:00.000-04:00

There are just too many DIY mommy blogs out there. And I get sucked into all of them! Each week my Google Reader maxes out at 1000+ unread posts, mainly tutorials and ideas from sites like Craft Gossip, Tip Junkie (there's even an app), and Modern Parents Messy Kids. And I wish I had time to read each post, or better yet, make each adorable craft.

And this past week is no exception. I found a number of adorable ideas and tutorials for baby. Check out this cool collection of baby shower gift ideas and welcome baby crafts:

Click on the image above to go directly to my annotated list of links on Pinterest. In addition to sharing my finds, I want to encourage readers to share their finds, posts, and tutorials. Use the comments section below to share blog posts on our weekly theme.

And if I've featured you in a Fabulous Finds Friday, please grab the button below for your website or blog.

So what were your fab finds this week?

Tell Me More Tuesday: The Fyber Stud

2011-07-05T20:00:00.002-04:00

Rohn's work as The Fyber Stud (love that name!) is not only fashionably fun, it is also transformative. How? With every item purchased from The Fyber Stud, Rohn donates a Snuggle to The Suggles Project. The Snuggles Project is known for their transformative work with animals. After being given a Snuggle, a frightened or difficult to handle animal can potentially be reassured, be calmed, transformed. This calming effect gives the animal and the caregiver time to learn how to handle the situation. It is a cause near and dear to Rohn's heart.

Learn more about Rohn's creative process in today's weekly series - Tell Me More Tuesdays - in which I introduce readers to some of my favorite Etsy artists and crafters. Those of you new to Etsy (and even those who have racked up days surfing through handcrafted goodies and vintage finds) can find the site overwhelming. With so many wonderful shops and unique, handcrafted goods, it is easy to lose track of time clicking away. So Tell Me More Tuesday is a way to get to know the artist behind the shop, the story behind the craft.

Tell Us More About You: What are three words those closest to you would use to describe you?

Colorful - Creative - Passionate

Tell Us More About Your Shop: What are three words you would use to describe your shop?

Totes - Bags - Purses

The Fyber Stud specializes in fashionable and trendy bags, totes, and purses for men, women, and kids! We design and manufacture every bag, start to finish, in our Raleigh studio. We are the mindful labor behind every bag and are firm believers in concise, durable, well crafted, colorful designs.

Tell Us More About What Inspires You

Color is my biggest decided. I usually choose colors for the next season(s) a few months in advance. Like right now I am choosing colors for this fall and winter!

Tell Us More About Your Favorite Item

Currently my favorite creation is the Trapper Creek Tote. A large and in charge tote bag named after Trapper Creek, Alaska! It is linen and magenta in color with a bright red 100% organic and biodegradable burlap lining. I probably love the lime colored handles and the metal grommets! Such a gorgeous bag!

Tell Us More About Your Interests: Other than creating and crafting, what are your other interests, hobbies, or passions?

Other than crafting my interests include photography and Alaska. I love to travel and am going on an Alaskan cruise and Trek through the mountains next July! I am passionate about my dog Chase and my family. Although my job leaves little time to do anything but design and crochet, I still try to make time to relax and watch and episode or two of Ice Road Truckers!

Learn more about Rohn and Fyber Stud Designs at...

And Rohn is generously offering Babee Crafts readers a 15% off discount code good on anything in his Etsy shop. Simply enter "FRIENDS" in the coupon code box during your checkout for 15% off! Happy shopping!

Fabulous Finds Friday: Screen Printing, Stamping, and Fabric Design

2011-07-01T08:00:00.002-04:00

I'm addicted to screen printing. Since finding Lynn Krawczyk's Fibra Artysta shop on Etsy, I have not seen the top of my dining room table. It is covered with a black trash bag and has been turned into my screen printing studio. It is just so easy and fun! And when I'm not screening, I'm on the computer dreaming up new screens to send her (or reading her blog and watching her video tutorials).

Lynn uses a thermofax machine to create her screens. This is a bit different from more industrial screen printing methods because it doesn't use harsh emulsion chemicals. Which is perfect for those of us concerned about the environment. In fact, thermofax printing doesn't use any chemicals. So I can feel good about printing on organic cotton onesies because I know everything -from the creation of the garment, the creation of the screen, and even the screen printing process where I use water-based inks- is a better choice for both the environment and the baby who will be wearing my creations.

And having learned more about screen printing recently...okay, having become obsessed with screen printing recently, I've also been curious about other ways to paint and print on fabric. So here is a round-up of some of my finds. There are some great tutorials and craft projects here, so be sure to click on the image below to learn more.

Click on the image above to go directly to my annotated list of links on Pinterest. In addition to sharing my finds, I want to encourage readers to share their finds, posts, and tutorials. Use the comments section below to share blog posts on our weekly theme.

And if I've featured you in a Fabulous Finds Friday, please grab the button below for your website or blog.

So what were your fab finds this week?

Giveaway 101: Hosting Your Own Facebook Giveaway

2011-06-29T20:58:00.033-04:00

Having hosted my first Facebook giveaway in late May, I've recently been contacted by a number of others interested in hosting their own giveaway but unsure of where to begin. So I thought I would take some time to share what I learned both as a recent giveaway host and as a giveaway sponsor. That said, I am not an expert nor a lawyer. Instead, I'm sharing what I learned from my personal experiences. And here's what I learned...

First, read and follow Facebook guidelines. Here's a good breakdown of the guidelines and what you can and cannot do:

bloggingbasics101 on livestream.com.

Basics to Keep in Mind:

You cannot require participants to "like" a sponsor's page if you are giving away other's items. However, you can "Like-Gate." Like fan-gating, like-gating makes it so that the participant has to "like" the host's Facebook page in order to access the giveaway application or form.

Use a third party app to host your giveaway on Facebook. There are a number of them available through developers like Wildfire or ShortStack. But the easiest way I found to do it (and free!) was to create an entry form for each prize using Google Forms. It made it easy to keep track of who entered to win each item and easy to use Random.org to select a winner.

You also cannot post winners via Facebook. You need to notify winners through your blog or through email. It is important to think about how you will notify winners prior to posting your giveaway. You likely will need to ask participants to share their email addresses. Using a Google Form, like I suggested above, insures that participants don't have to publicly share their email.

Use Bitly to share a link to your giveaway. Bitly not only allows you to shorten your giveaway link, but signing up for a free account also allows you to track who clicked on your link with its built in analytics.

PROMOTE! Promote to your current Facebook fans before your giveaway begins. Research giveaway sites and blogs. Use other social media sites - blogs, sweepstakes sites, Twitter, Pinterest (my new favorite) - to share your giveaway information. Some great places to share your giveaway are the Blog Giveaway Directory, Etsy Giveaways (great for Etsy shop owners), and this Squidoo list.

I jumped almost 150 fans in 1 week during my giveaway and had a few more sales than usual in my Etsy shop. Not sure if the sales were a result of the giveaway, but I'm sure it didn't hurt.

Good Luck!

Tell Me More Tuesday: Hana Sakura Designs

2011-06-28T08:00:00.006-04:00

I'm not sure if she knows this, but Shelly Williams of Hana Sakura Designs and I have something in common. Not only are we both passionate about sharing our creations through our Etsy shops, but we also both hail from Grand Rapids, Michigan. And something else we share is just how much place - landscape, setting, culture - can impact the creative process. For Shelly, Hawaii is a place of special significance.

Learn more about Shelly's creative process in today's weekly series - Tell Me More Tuesdays - in which I introduce readers to some of my favorite Etsy artists and crafters. Those of you new to Etsy (and even those who have racked up days surfing through handcrafted goodies and vintage finds) can find the site overwhelming. With so many wonderful shops and unique, handcrafted goods, it is easy to lose track of time clicking away. So Tell Me More Tuesday is a way to get to know the artist behind the shop, the story behind the craft.

And Shelly's story is too sweet to miss. Inspired by the beauty of the islands where she was married, Hana Sakura Designs is Shelly's way of sharing the unique and vibrant culture of Hawaii. In fact, many of her jewelry pieces are named after places on the islands. "My jewelry is all one-of-a-Kind and unique to that one piece. I want each piece of my jewelry to speak for itself. Each piece is as unique and individual as each woman who wears them."

Tell Us More About You: What are three words those closest to you would use to describe you?

Creative - Happy - Passionate

I am very artsy, and I love using my hands to create beautiful things. I'm always trying new things to challenge myself. And I just enjoy life and the wonderful things that it offers. And I love to make people laugh. And I'm passionate. I'm passionate about everything that I do.

Tell Us More About Your Shop: What are three words you would use to describe your shop?

Colorful - Fun - Unique

I love to combine and try new colors. Sometimes I try colors together that I wouldn't think of putting together. I'm always surprised at what the results are! And jewelry needs to be fun! If it's not fun to look at or to wear, what's the point! My jewelry is meant to make the woman who wears it, feel special. Everyone is special and unique and their jewelry should be, too!

Tell Us More About What Inspires You

Anything I see in our every day life inspires me. There will be a beautiful bluebird out on our fence in the backyard. Maybe a butterfly flying in the breeze. I see colors in nature everyday and try to incorporate that into my designs. Ideas just seem to "pop" into my creative mind, even when I'm not even thinking about it. When I go to the flower greenhouse down the road to buy my Spring flowers, I'll be inspired by the beauty of the flowers.

Tell Us More About Your Favorite Item

Currently, this Iris pendant is my favorite. Irises are my absolute favorite flower! They are unique and colorful and always make me smile. I thought creating one in dichroic glass would make it very special. And it is!
Tell Us More About Your Interests: Other than creating and crafting, what are your other interests, hobbies, or passions?

Well, my biggest passion is my jewelry. I'm always creating. But when I have free time, I really enjoy gardening in my rose garden and my various flower gardens around my yard. It's very relaxing and soothing after a stressful day.

I also love spending time with my hubby and we love taking a drive out in the country on a sunny afternoon. Sometimes we will stop for an ice cream cone. It's moments like that, that I treasure the most. Little sweet moments in time.

Learn more about Shelly and Hana Sakura Designs at...

And Shelly is generously offering Babee Crafts readers a 15% off discount code good on anything in her Etsy shop. Simply enter "FACEBOOKFAN" in the coupon code box during your checkout for 15% off! Happy shopping!

Fabulous Finds Friday: Upcycling Ideas

2011-06-24T08:00:00.010-04:00

I know I posted not long ago on upcycling my baby food jars. But I only need so many spice jars! So this week, I went looking for more ideas and tutorials for the growing collection of baby food jars cluttering up my garage. But I'm also interested in finding creative ideas for repurposing all sorts of household items - jars, materials, and fabric scraps.

I'll be sharing my finds from this week in a bit of a different form. I created my first Pinterest this week. Whew! It is addictive! It takes the idea of social bookmarking and makes it visual. Suddenly your bookmarks are a work of art! So enjoy!

Click on the image above to go directly to my annotated list of links on Pinterest. And make sure that you check out my favorite ideas -

Here's a great post on Pies in Jars from Our Best Bites,
The Kitchn has a great tutorial for creating a magnetic spice rack,
And Nest Full of Eggs has an adorable post on using repurposed jars as party favors,
And finally, be sure to check out this fabulous post on creating a votive chandelier using recycled baby food jars from Natural Home and Garden

In addition to sharing my finds, I want to encourage readers to share their finds, posts, and tutorials. Use the comments section below to share blog posts on our weekly theme.

And if I've featured you in a Fabulous Finds Friday, please grab the button below for your website or blog.

So what were your fab finds this week?

Vote For Me!

2011-06-23T18:47:00.005-04:00

I would love your support. The newest addition to my shop, my "Baby Mine" hand screened, organic cotton elephants onesie is currently up for votes on the Handmade Top 10 website. I was excited to see it in first place a few moments ago, and would love your help staying there!

Vote for me - HERE!

My newsletter subscribers got a sneak peak of this design a few weeks ago. This original design is hand screened on an organic cotton, sweatshop-free, American-made onesie. As adorable as it is responsible! Even the screening process is environmentally friendly. Each screen is created without the use of chemicals. Then each onesie is screen printed by hand using environmentally-friendly water based inks. I then heat press the image so that it will last through repeated washings.

More colors and designs will be hitting my shop in the coming weeks, so I hope you check back!

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Warm Weather Watercolors

2011-06-22T10:05:00.009-04:00

My refrigerator has become a gallery. For the last few days, my toddler has done nothing but paint. He wakes in the morning - "Mommy, can we paint?" After breakfast - "Painting time?" Following nap time, he bounds from his bed - "Paint time!" But rather than grabbing for his finger paints, he runs to the freezer when he wants to paint.

Using inexpensive popsicle molds I found at Ikea, my son and I had fun filling the molds with water and squeezing different colored drops of food coloring into each. After a quick stir to mix the color into the water, we let the paint-pops freeze for a few hours. Cheaper than store bought finger paints, our paint-pops were so much fun on a hot day!

My son used the paint-pops to swirl and mix colors, and then used a wet paint brush to mix the colors. Such a fun and creative way to spend a hot afternoon.

A word of warning, remind your child that these paint-pops are not to eat. Unfortunately, my son loved our very dark blue paint-pop and before I knew it, it was at his lips. He looked like he had spent some time kissing a smurf. And since we used food coloring, it took a bit longer to wash off than your standard washable watercolor paints.

Tell Me More Tuesday: Little Dreamers

2011-06-21T08:00:00.005-04:00

Today kicks off a new weekly series - Tell Me More Tuesdays - in which I introduce readers to some of my favorite Etsy artists and crafters. Those of you new to Etsy (and even those who have racked up days surfing through handcrafted goodies and vintage finds) can find the site overwhelming. With so many wonderful shops and unique, handcrafted goods, it is easy to lose track of time clicking away. So Tell Me More Tuesday is a way to get to know the artist behind the shop, the story behind the craft.

And Denise, a stay-at-home mom in Redkey, Indiana, the creator of Little Dreamers, has such a wonderful story to share. Her little dolls aren't just adorable. They are also well-loved, world travelers!

Tell Us More About You: What are three words those closest to you would use to describe you?

Creative - Practical - Thrifty

I love to sew, paint, scrapbook, and quilt. And I also garden and can my produce. We do hand me downs; I save anything I think might be reusable. And, I make my own laundry detergent.

Tell Us More About Your Shop: What are three words you would use to describe your shop?

Personable - New - Cute

Well, anything in my shop can be changed to meet your desires or taste. I strive to do my best on custom orders, and I give lots of options! I haven't been open very long, but I adding new items and planning for new items, in hopes of having a FULL shop soon. I think my products are cute, sweet, inviting and fun!

Tell Us More About What Inspires You

I have always enjoyed crafting and sewing, but have really taken off with it after having a few children. We have 5 children ages 9 months to 8 years!

Tell Us More About Your Favorite Item

I LOVE my custom doll because she can be made to match your little girl's features, and she can be made out of a loved one's clothing - an army uniform, a mother or grandmother's wedding dress, saved baby clothing or blankets - the options are limitless! And what a SWEET keepsake to have!

Tell Us More About Your Interests: Other than creating and crafting, what are your other interests, hobbies, or passions?

My family loves to go camping, and I love to read and take long bubble baths, often at the same time! But my new passion is sewing dolls for children in other countries. In April I was able to make 40 dolls that were sent to Uganda, Africa along with other items sewn by some ladies from our church. In Uganda, they let the children's mothers pick a doll for their child. What a blessing to me and my family! My children helped me stuff the dolls' arms and legs and also helped by picking out material combinations. They had so much fun, they often ask me when can we make more dolls for kids who don't have anything. I'm currently creating a new selection of dolls which will be going to Haiti in December. I hope to have a few hundred ready by then!

Learn more about Denise and her shop, Little Dreamers, by visiting her on the web at

And Denise is generously offering Babee Craft readers a 20% off discount code good on anything in her Etsy shop. Simply enter "babee20crafts" in the coupon code box during your checkout for 20% off! Happy shopping!

Giveaway Time!

2011-06-19T16:22:00.007-04:00

Yup, you read that correctly - another giveaway! There are now two opportunities to win gift certificates to Babee Crafts!

Babee Crafts is one of the featured artists in Liliglow Boutique's Summer Giveaway. This giveaway features Liliglow's new Traveler Bag that is sturdy, stylish, and functional for the eclectic fashionista. It has super versatility that makes this bag easy for over-night stays, weekend getaways, a stylish diaper bag, and much more! And packed inside the bag are more fabulous prizes, including a $20 gift certificate to Babee Crafts! The giveaway will run from June 22 - 29, 2011. And there's a coupon code for 15% off anything in my shop for all who enter!

Check out Liliglow's fabulous bag!

Now I must confess that in helping Liliglow get ready for her big giveaway, I couldn't help myself and bought one of her bags. I have her Mini Sweetheart Traveler and LOVE it! It is so well made, so durable, and is the perfect (and pretty) purse/diaper bag. So believe me when I say, you'd be a fool not to enter this giveaway!
Make sure you mark your calendar to enter on Wednesday!

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Fabulous Finds Friday: Home Decor Ideas

2011-06-17T08:00:00.008-04:00

My dining room has blue painting tape decorating half the trim. I've been meaning to repaint and redecorate my dining room for months now. Inspired, I taped it off to repaint but stopped when I ran out of tape. That was in April. I need some inspiration to get going again. So this week I've been bookmarking ideas and tutorials for home decorating. I just wanted to share some of my favorites.

I'm new to Mod Podge. I only recently discovered how much fun it is to decoupage every surface in my home. You giggle. But seriously, my family can attest to how many bottles of the stuff I was going through when I first figured out I could glue and seal just about any medium to any surface. This week, Katy over at KD Buggy Boutique has a cute tutorial for creating a family name display. This would not only make a great addition to the living room mantle, but it would also make a great gift - perfect for a housewarming or wedding gift.

My dining room is a cave. I love the mocha colored walls and teal accents I originally decorated the room with a few years ago, but unfortunately, the room does not get enough light throughout the day to make the dark walls work. It feels like you are walking into a cave. So I love this week's Etsy Storque edition of Get the Look Decor. Inspired by Alex Wijnen's costal home in Portland, Oregon, the post focuses on light and airy design. I love it! This is what I want to incorporate in my dining room redecorating - light, clean, simple. Now the only problem is painting over my cave walls!

I'm a fan of Tiffany over at Making the World Cuter. She has some great weekly linkys. So, I'm surprised I missed this post in late May about her dining room table makeover. Her tutorial was featured over at DIY Club. And since I have a dining room table in great need of a makeover, I know I'll be coming back to this tutorial again for some inspiration!

And here's another post I'll be returning to - Clover Lane's tutorial for repainting furniture. Wonderfully detailed, this tutorial might help me refinish the china cabinet that looms large, dusty, and dark in the corner of our living room.

Who knows, perhaps this week I'll be inspired to post my own before and after pics of my dining room. But I need your help! Link your favorite room decor makeover ideas and tutorials. Trust me - I need all the help I can get!

In addition to sharing my finds, I want to encourage readers to share their finds, posts, and tutorials. Use the Fabulous Finds Friday linky below to share blog posts on our weekly theme.

And if I've featured you in a Fabulous Finds Friday, please grab the button below for your website or blog.

So link up, friends!

What's Your Best Advice?

2011-06-16T15:30:00.011-04:00

^{This post has been cross-posted at Fig Media. Read all my local posts on Family Finds for Media, Pennsylvania.}

"Assemble your support team before your little one arrives," my aunt advised when my baby bump was just starting to show. A few weeks later, a friend echoed her words. "Figure out where the new mom support groups are, when play dates meet, and the resources around you before your son arrives. If you wait until after he arrives, you just won't have the time." And turns out, it was some of the best advice I got as a mom-to-be. Know where and who you can turn to for support.

Your life changes in ways you could never imagine or plan for when you become a parent. And when you are overwhelmed with diaper changes and midnight feedings, it important to know whom you can turn to for advice and support. Karla Trotman, local mom and owner of BellyButtonBoutique.com says, "It's ok to feel scared. Call a seasoned mom and talk about it. It can be lonely feeling like you are the only one." Fortunately, Media has a number of wonderful resources for new parents, including a diverse community of supportive moms.

Recently, I asked a number of local moms for their best parenting advice and resources. And Media moms responded with wonderful reminders and resources that parents, both new and not-so-new, can benefit from.

Take It Day-By-Day
Heather, a Media mom of two, says don't sweat the small stuff. "I loved when people would remind me that 'No one goes to college in diapers or with a binky, etc.'" As a new parent it is easy to become overwhelmed with what your little one should or shouldn't be doing based on all the expert advice you'll get from books, the internet, and from family and friends. Melissa O’Donnell, a mom blogger in our area, advises, "Don't get caught up in looking forward to what milestones they should be hitting next week or next month. You may miss what they are doing NOW, and that's what's most important!" Take time to treasure each day.

Search Out Local Experts
Media has a wealth of resources and local experts to help support new parents. One of those experts is Jacqueline Kelleher, known by many moms in our area as the owner of the Family BirthMark, formerly a storefront on Monroe Street. As a doula, childbirth educator, and certified lactation counselor, Jackie has supported and advised a great many moms in our area. Author of Nurturing the Family, Jackie's wealth of experience and expertise in birth and postpartum care makes her a local expert new parents will want to get to know. And while BirthMark no longer provides a brick and mortar location, Jackie continues to provide support and services through BirthMark's Facebook community.

Take Care of Yourself
New parents can easily become overwhelmed by all the changes that come with an infant's arrival. New moms in particular often neglect to take care of themselves, attending to everyone else before taking care of their needs. Build healthy habits early by carving out time to attend your needs. Begin before the baby arrives. And Camille Holstein can help.

Camille is a yoga instructor at Enso, located on the west end of State Street in Media. On Thursday evenings she leads a Pre-Natal Yoga Series. And it is something that she is passionate about. "This series aims to empower and educate women supporting them through the use of their breath, yoga practice, meditation, and discussions for labor and beyond. Each class will guide women into deeper connection with themselves, their babies, their community and the beauty of the journey of pregnancy." And once baby arrives, Camille also leads an all-levels class in addition to a power yoga class that offers lots of modifications for beginners and those returning to the practice or building strength. "There isn't a mommy and me class offered here at this time, but I would love to do that, too, if there is enough demand for one," says Camille.

Make Connections
Media has a wealth of groups where new parents can find support and camaraderie. Our library offers a variety of programs for parents and their children, including an weekly Infant Story Times and Petite Playgroups. Be sure to check out their summer schedule for more information.

Another great resource for local moms is Media's MOMS Club. MOMS Club is an international organization which offer support to stay-at-home and work-at-home moms, and our own Media chapter is very active with over 50 members. "The Moms Club is a perfect place to meet other moms and build community connections. We have a calendar of events each month, which have at least one event per weekday. Moms host events such as a playdate at a park, going to a museum, going to lunch, and more," says Michele Wahba, Media MOMS Club Membership Vice President. Interested moms can find more information (and a great list of local playgrounds) on the group's website.

With so many wonderful resources for parents in our neighborhood, it is no wonder that so many families love calling Media home! What other resources can you recommend to new parents in our area? Please share!

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Not So Wordless Wednesday

2011-06-15T14:38:00.012-04:00

A fellow friend and blogger, Andria of Drawing Near, has inspired me today. Each Wednesday she posts a pic of her work space for a weekly series called WOYWW: What's on Your Work Desk Wednesdays. And let's face it, as a high school English teacher, I'm just way to verbose for Wordless Wednesdays!

But I don't really have a desk where I craft and create. Instead, I spread everything out on my dining room table. Consequently, I'm not sure who is harder on our table - me or the kids! This afternoon is case in point. Paint was everywhere!

I've had a stack of canvases begging to be painted, collecting dust in a drawer. This afternoon, windows open to the wonderful early summer breeze, I slapped down the backgrounds for a couple of mixed media projects I've been wanting to do.

I am not a painter. But you can see, I've got quite a collection of colors in my little art bin (and you'll also notice that my glue gun and coffee cup are always within reach). I enjoy painting but do so without a plan in mind. Any time that I've attempted to intentionally paint something, it turns out horribly unrecognizable. So this afternoon, I just started mixing and layering on the colors. And I like how the backgrounds turned out - muted. Which is perfect since I plan on layering on some brightly printed craft paper as soon as the paint dries!

So now I'm waiting for paint to dry.

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I Need Help, So It's Time For A Contest!

2011-06-14T21:04:00.006-04:00

The tagline for my shop - handcrafted sweet things for your little busy bees - is cute, but it doesn't really say a whole lot about my shop. I'd love a tagline that has something to do with my focus on organic and eco-friendly baby and new parent gifts. Something succinct, catchy, and cute.

So here's the deal - come up with my tagline, and you'll win a $15 gift certificate to my shop. Spread the word! I need all the help I can get!

Submit your suggestions below. Contest closes on Friday, July 1st at 5pm. I'll post the winning tagline shortly after the contest closes. And yes, you can enter more than once!

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Wordless Wednesday: Parents

2011-06-08T08:12:00.004-04:00

Clover Market - Perfectly Lovely

2011-06-07T20:26:00.010-04:00

Facebook fans know that I made an odd gift request for my birthday last week. While many women ask their husbands for perfume or jewelry or a day at the spa, I asked mine to build me a "bakery" display shelf for my booth at this past Sunday's Clover Market. I figured since so many of my baby gift items were food-inspired, I should have a bakery display to showcase my cupcake and sundae sets, the new "bun in the oven" gift sets, and coffee-inspired sets.

And not long ago I stumbled upon Shauna and Stephen's design for a similar bakery case over on their blog Something's Hiding in There. And so an idea was born - the Babee Crafts' Bakery Booth, complete with bunting and vintage table cloths and a retro apron (thanks Creative Chics). It's still evolving. I have plenty of new ideas for my next fair, which will hopefully be a return to Clover Market in mid-September.

I had a grand time scoping all the other vendors at Clover Market. I was fortunate enough to have some great "neighbors" on Sunday who volunteered to watch my booth so I could grab a quick peak and some of the other displays (thanks Sally and Anna!). Besides wanting to spend every penny I made while I was there, I also got to finally meet some of the people that I've been following on Etsy and Twitter - like John Sturgis, Christina of Momo Trees, and Jan of Janzibar. And like the marvelous Jen McCleary, whose blog I stalk. And just like her work, her booth was gorgeous. It sucked you in!

A newcomer at this month's market was Rebecca of Chirp and Bloom. I must confess that I scoped her booth quite a bit. It was just too adorable. And okay, I may have snapped a few pics of her booth and tagged them with "ideas for my booth". Her simple touches, curtains on the side of her booth, a rug, all made her display feel welcoming and uncluttered, and perfectly lovely.

Just like Clover Market in general - welcoming and perfectly lovely (and a little clutter isn't such a bad thing, especially if it's vintage!)

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