EtsyKids Design Challenge: We have a Winner!

Posted Saturday, June 30, 2012

Congratulations to the winner of our June's challenge, Baby Bandana Bibs - Set of Three - Made to Order - Pick from over 75 fabrics by WeThreeBees!

"A wicked awesome accessory for all those Popsicle-eating toddlers too!"



WeThreeBees is a very cool Etsy shop specializing in a variety of handmade goodies for little boys. Coats, jackets, fleece hats, bandana bibs, baby blankets, pixie hoods, burp cloths and more.  Be sure to visit WeThreeBees right here!


July 2012 EtsyKids Team Desktop Background

Posted Friday, June 29, 2012

Here is the desktop calendar for July 2012! This month we selected some of the lovely items that will be featured in the Summer 2012 EtsyKids Team Shopping Guide.

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 View all these sellers and more on our teams website.

Introducing Busy Little Hands

Posted Thursday, June 28, 2012


Today We Introduce You To Janice from Busy Little Hands

Q: What motivated you to start your shop?
Busy Little Hands started with a busy Mama trying to find little things to keep her baby’s little hands busy. The busy Mama worked as a Management Consultant for years until the travel was too much and the yearning for creativity was desperate. Walking out on a great career, several flower shops were bought and loved into success. But then a sweet little baby girl was on the way and Mama wanted to sell the shops to care for the sweetest baby around. Because this Mama can’t sit still for too long, Busy Little Hands has come into existence!
My name is Janice Kalin and I grew up with a creative Mom who taught me the ins and outs of a sewing machine and the rewards and satisfaction of creating works of art very early. Through all the twist and turns that my life has taken, I was always making and creating with my sewing machine.
My little bitty girlie has inspired everything I make. I wanted to create thoughtful toys to challenge her mind, motor skills, imagination and creativity. We do a lot of traveling so finding compact, interesting toys and accessories for travel was essential. It was difficult to find well made and thought provoking toys and gifts. So learning what would interest my daughter (and me), I designed some toys and accessories to make our lives more fun. With all the lead poisoning and toy recall scares, it is nice to know how and where things are made.

Q: What is the story behind your shop name?
When my daughter was under two, we traveled A LOT! She had been on 50 flights by her first birthday! I was in need of some things to keep her entertained, contained and she had to feel that she was 'in charge' of her activities. So when we were not on a plane, I was searching for things to take on planes. Each store I would go in, I would ask 'I need something for my daughter's busy little hands'. So I started to make things (had to keep myself busy too!). So I started making things to keep my little hands busy in order to keep her little hands busy. And when you meet my daughter there is no other word than 'busy' to describe her!

Q: Do you have a favorite Etsy Shop (non-child related)?
This shop borders on the child-related realm – but I just love everything in it! http://www.etsy.com/shop/plushism

Q: What surprised you most about having your own craft / online shop?
All of the fabulous people that I have met through custom orders! I love doing custom orders and it often spawns a conversation with them. I have gotten to know people around the world and chatted about their families, tax issues, moving countries…… it is all so fascinating!

Q: What do you find most challenging about being an Etsy seller?
I love being a seller on etsy, however, I am struggling to find a mix of online selling, art shows, and etsy selling and this crazy social media. I need to find a balance that will work for me and realize that it is ok to post listings on facebook – I am not bothering people! I am also terrible at adding new listings and keeping my site current……. I just need to sit and do it!

Q: What's your personal philosophy behind your shop / products?
I want to make sure that people LOVE their creations so I put a lot of time and love into each one. I have so much fun making all the little embellishments and little details to make everything I make is sweet and unique. I read a book to my daughter – Unique Monique - and I want all kids to have their own special backpack or accessories so they feel special and so that they don’t match everyone else’s pottery barn backpack!

Q: How would someone (other then you) describe you?
CRAZY!

Q: What music do you have on while you are creating?
I live in North Carolina and LOVE it, but I grew up in Canada. So I listen to CBC radio all day long! I could not survive without it!

Q: What do you do when you aren't working?
Of course I am a mom and that takes just about all my energy, but I also run the PTA at her school, run the auction at her school and I love to read. My husband is a big runner and he has recently guilted me into running again! I certainly don’t consider myself a runner – but I run. And my favorite pleasure is the Duke Lemur Center. It is an education facility that has that has the largest number of lemurs outside of the island of Madagascar. I volunteer there one or two days a week. I am so grateful that I get to see all my little lemur friends and take people on educational tours through the center to teach them about these fascinating primates and the conservation efforts that need to happen in Madagascar and around the world.

Q: Anything else you'd like to tell us or share?
THANK YOU!


FOBulous Key Fobs

Posted Wednesday, June 27, 2012

SquishyBee
Key Fobs, do you have one yet?  No longer are they just sold in college town gift shops embroidered with Greek letters, now they can be found in hundreds of different colors, styles and patterns.  More versatile than a traditional key chain, these fobs make it easy to find your keys in a large bag, tote, purse or backpack.  Slip one on the handle of your suitcase for instant recognition at baggage claim.  Wear it like a bracelet to keep bulky keys out of pockets and close at hand or when both hands are needed.  Fobs are made from 1-1/4 wide cotton webbing and embellished with beautiful, stylish fabrics and are machine washable!



Finding the Perfect Sibling Outfits

Posted Monday, June 25, 2012

From Salinda of PersonalilTy, Southern Children's Clothing



Why do Moms love to dress their children alike? Who knows, but obviously, this is not a new phenomenon. My Momma dressed us alike on occasion, and yours probably did too. 

With the summer here, many families are planning sibling outfits for vacations, family reunions, weddings and of course, planning the annual holiday card photo.

SweetThreadsClothing
Shopping for girls is easy.  Shopping for boys, can be easy -  if you know where to look!  Mixed gender can be tricky, but finding a shop and seamstress that does custom work helps immensely!




But, what do you do when your children range from newborn to 12???

PersonaliTyChildren

Here’s an idea. Work for coordinating outfits instead. Put the baby in a seersucker jumper. Match big brother’s shirt to the jumper applique and add a seersucker touch. Finish off the set with a seersucker flower headband for big sister to wear with a white shirt and khaki shorts.

Another idea: Put the baby in a fun print. Find big brother a polo one of the colors from the baby’s dress. Big sister can add color with a bright scarf over her favorite white tee.

Etsy is an excellent source for coordinating accessories. Here are few of my favorites from EtsyKids Team members:

   













Work with your seamstress to develop the perfect color scheme for your growing family’s portraits to create a unique and totally personalized look the whole family will be happy with.

PersonaliTy Southern Children's Clothing can be found on Facebook, Twitter, her Blog, and of course on Etsy at her shop:

Sensory Activity:: Jello Sensory Play

Posted Saturday, June 23, 2012

If there is one thing Bug loves most it is sensory play! She used to be funny about it when she was little, but now she dives right in to whatever I may throw in her table. The other day I was roaming around Walmart and I saw some boxes of Jello and thought...hmm, that would be fun to play in...so I grabbed about 4 boxes. I followed the instructions on the box and let it cool in the fridge. {I put a little aside for a snack too} After nap time was over the Jello was ready to play in! I dumped it into Bug's water table {which I use as a sensory table as well} and she went to town.


She must have played in it for about an hour. It was all melted and sticky by the time she was done with squishing and squashing it. It was a little messy to clean up, but I just dumped what I could into the garbage and hosed the table off.


It's always nice to expose the kiddos to different consistencies. We talked about the Jello and it's stickiness and the sound it makes when you squish it. Keep the conversation flowing and your kiddo will get a whole lot out of this easy & fun activity.

If you like this post and want to see more toddler activities please visit my blog, Tutus and Tea Parties. You can also follow me on: Facebook, Twitter, Google+, Pinterest.

EtsyKids Design Challenge: It's time to Vote!

Posted Thursday, June 21, 2012

It's time to vote for your favorite item! Voting will be open until June 27th. This month, EtsyKids members were challenged to create an exciting new item based on a theme "Schools out for Summer!". We received a bunch of fantastic entries from some talented people. Please vote for your favorite item from the list below.

Introducing Yassi's Place

Posted Wednesday, June 20, 2012


Today We Introduce You To Yassenafrom Yassi's Place

Q: What motivated you to start your shop?
For a while after I graduated I kept busy with work. My husband and I built our dream home. I barely had any free time. But for the last 3 years I've lightened my workload and finally had time for my hobbies.

I've been drawing, sewing and creating things for fun since I was 8 or 9. There isn't a craft that I read about or saw that I haven’t attempted to try. I love learning new things. However, my real passion is Graphic design. One day a friend of mine said: "You should open an Etsy shop. People would love to buy your creations." Since that day I have not looked back.

Q: What is the story behind your shop name?
There isn't much of a story. I wanted a name that would be versatile. That no matter what I offered in my shop it would work. So, I used my name and called it Yassi's Place. My closest friends and family call me Yassi and my art room is my place where I spend a lot of time designing, sewing and now printing my prints. That's how Yassi's Place came to be.

Q: Do you have a favorite Etsy Shop (non-child related)?
I love browsing through jewelry, fine art photography and home decor shops, but do not have a favorite one. They are so many... To name a few:Raceytay, shannonpix, honeytree , 6 Miles Cottage

Q: What surprised you most about having your own craft / online shop?
The biggest surprise was how many people love my art.

Q: What do you find most challenging about being an Etsy seller?
The time it takes to run a successful shop and to fit in deadlines while keeping a superior quality product.

Q: What's your personal philosophy behind your shop / products?
Do what you love, have fun along the way and do your best each and every time. My customers are my biggest priority, they are my biggest fans and they deserve the best.

Q: How would someone (other then you) describe you?
Creative, organized, friendly, resourceful...

Q: What music do you have on while you are creating?
Most of the time I like to work in a peaceful and quiet atmosphere, but for the times that I listen to music I like to turn on the radio. I like the variety and the element of surprise.

Q: What do you do when you aren't working?
I like to lounge by the pool, garden, decorate, Skype with my family.

Q: Anything else you'd like to tell us or share?
I was born and raised in Bulgaria. I've been in the US for over 12 years now. I have a very loving and supportive husband who has turned all my dreams into a reality. And now I have Etsy. Life is wonderful!

Artwork Overload

Posted Tuesday, June 19, 2012

By Cori of Peace, Baby! Batiks

Kids are prolific artists, and they want every creation hung in your home gallery, whether that’s the fridge, a wall, bulletin board, or, in our house, a door. Every so often I have to take my son’s art down and sort through it – mostly to make way for new art!

Not sure what to do with the creations you take down? Here are some ideas.


Save It
I save the projects I have fond memories of making or artwork that is particularly special or marked some kind of “first”: The first time he drew something I recognized, the first time he wrote letters, the first time he drew a face, etc. I keep these in a folder that is already stuffed full – and he doesn’t start kindergarten until 2013! Time to sort through that folder, I think …

Share It
Grandparents, aunts, and uncles love kid artwork, and chances are their fridges are empty. Share your little one’s creativity by sending artwork to them.

Repurpose It
There are a ton of ways to use your child’s artwork to make other pieces of art. Here are a few of my favorites (found, of course, on Pinterest!).

  • Paint Cut Paste shared a great weaving project that would work great for those abstract pieces your kids have made! 
  • Another great use for abstract art and early scribbles is to cut it into shapes (or use a punch) and mount it on canvas, as seen at Squash Bottom Babies
  • I love this idea from Prudent Baby to use your kids’ artwork, tiles, and Mod Podge to make fun trivets or coasters. Great gift idea! 
  • Or, cut the artwork into squares and piece it back together as a mosaic. More frameable art! 
  • I’m a scrapbooker, so a couple of years ago, I took some of my son’s finger paintings and used them as a background for a scrapbook page about his artistic efforts. 

How do you handle the artwork overload at your house?

EtsyKids Design Challenge for June: Schools out for Summer!

Posted Monday, June 18, 2012


via

For our June challenge Lori of ttykes (our last month's winner) would like to celebrate with all the "rockin" kids out there -"Schools out for Summer!" Celebrating whatever fun things kids like to do during their summer vacation.

EtsyKids members will have until June 20th to submit their entries, and voting will be open to everybody from June 21st to June 27th. So, be sure to come back to the EtsyKids blog for a new post on the 21st to see all of the entries and VOTE!  In the meantime, please click here to get a sneak peek at some exciting entries so far!

Urban Farming: Involving the Children

Posted Saturday, June 16, 2012


Sarah, of ThatsAWrapBaby, has been sharing a short series of posts on her blog Three Little Monkey's on Urban Farming.  Today she shares of one of the projects in her series.  You can visit her blog (see her May 2012 posts) for other projects in the series.  

The kids and I set about creating a tiered herb garden yesterday afternoon. This project was inspired by one in the book The Ultimate Step-by-Step Kid's First Gardening Book. The book is fabulous and brimming with wonderful, kid friendly gardening ideas.

This project is perfect for kids of all ages. I had an 8 year old, 5 year old, and 4 year old helping, plus a 2 year old watching on. We modified the plans a bit to accomidate our meager budget! Instead of pretty terra cotta pots of varying sizes, I found some plastic and metal pots in the dollar bins at Target (small, medium, and large. Make sure they'll nest). They aren't as pretty, but they'll serve our purpose well. I am also banking on the herbs growing large and hiding the pots a bit.

First things first, make sure you have the right tools gathered. We had our three nesting pots, a bag of soil, a trowel, some seeds, and a few small herbs. We chose basil, thyme, lemon balm, chamomile, and curly parsley. There is a bit room for more, but that's what we had. Steer clear of mint, as it grows rampant and will take over your pots! Have fun choosing your favorite herbs or try new varieties. There are so many to choose from.


After we gathered our tools, we set the medium sized pot inside the largest pot and filled in all around with potting soil. We had a few herbs that were already a bit large, but mostly we had seeds (trying to be economical!!). We planted a couple types of seeds and a couple larger plants in this bottom tier. 


We filled in a bit more and then set the smallest pot into the middle one and filled in around it. We planted a few more herbs in our middle pot.


We then filled the top pot with soil and planted a lovely bit of curly parsley to crown our herb garden.



This fun project was quick and easy! It was perfect for including all of the children and gave them a real sense of ownership in our garden. 

 Try this project with your own little ones! Keep it in a sunny place and let them water it each day. Very soon, their own herbs will be gracing the kitchen!

We would LOVE to have you join in the conversation with comments or links to your own adventures in Urban Farming!

Sarah can be found on Facebook, at her Blog, and on Etsy at her shop ThatsAWrapBaby:

Introducing little girl Pearl

Posted Thursday, June 14, 2012

Today We Introduce You To Melissa from little girl Pearl

Q: What motivated you to start your shop?
My daughter! I went into a quilting shop with my Mom one day, and spied some Amy Butler fabrics. Inspired to pull out my old sewing machine from college, I grabbed a cute pattern, some adorable Alexander Henry fabric, and went to work one day to make her a cute little pant set for an upcoming wedding. I had been buying second hand designer duds on ebay, but after completing my first handmade garment for my daughter, piping and all, I was hooked. The fabric stash grew into an obsession, and when people started coming up to me and asking me where my I got those fabulous clothes for my daughter, "little girl Pearl" was born.

Q: What is the story behind your shop name?
My daughter's middle name is Pearl, after my paternal grandmother. It seemed an obvious choice for my business. She is my little girl Pearl!

Q: Do you have a favorite Etsy Shop (non-child related)?
I have several favorite etsy shops. I wear jewelry from my friend Erica Walker of WalkerSilverworks.etsy.com on a daily basis, and enameled wonders from Lia at bullfinchbarbury.etsy.com. But there are others I love just as much!

Q: What surprised you most about having your own craft / online shop?
Something that has always amazed me is the reach of etsy! I have had buyers from all over the world... Australia, Norway, Thailand, Singapore, France, Italy, and from most regions of the U.S.. To me, there is nothing that surprises me more than that.
 
Q: What do you find most challenging about being an Etsy seller?
The most challenging aspect is finding time for it all. I can tell you, ashamedly, that my house is a bit of a disaster. Alas...
 
Q: What's your personal philosophy behind your shop / products?
My personal philosophy is that I want my craftsmanship and enthusiasm to shine through my designs. I adore what I do. I get so excited when I have a whole day in my studio to "play" with color and pattern. I am thrilled when one of my customers takes as much delight in my designs as I do. And I am very proud of the extra time and care that I put into each and every dress. Piping and all!

Q: How would someone (other then you) describe you?
They would describe me as being full of dichotomies. Driven, yet laid back. Introverted, yet personable. Opinionated, yet amenable.
 
Q: What music do you have on while you are creating?
The music I listen to is very dependent on my mood. I've been known to crank up the volume on Miles Davis' "Bitches Brew" when working with the sweetest of pink fabrics...talk about a dichotomy!! I love jazz, but I've been listening to the National, an alternative rock group quite a bit. But my absolute favorite thing to listen to while working is the BOSTON RED SOX! I'm a diehard fan, and because we don't have a TV, I listen to them on the radio when I work in the evenings...nothing better! Especially when they win!
 
Q: What do you do when you aren't working?
When I'm not sewing, I'm flying. I'm a flight attendant for Delta Airlines, and travel all over the world for my job. I've been doing it for 20 years, and still love it. I don't have a particular route, but lately have been flying to Amsterdam a lot. Best place for bicycling in the world (because it's flat!). On my London layover I was able to catch a show in the West End. What a life!
 
Q: Anything else you'd like to tell us or share?
I'm so grateful for having my daughter who keeps me on my toes on a daily basis. I'm grateful to be surrounded by family and friends who support my endeavors. I'm grateful to be able to CREATE!

Bring the Outdoors In: Beautiful Things - Collecting and Sorting

Posted Monday, June 11, 2012

By Christine of Belly Bear Baby Gear

Items found in nature contain such beauty, and children seem to be particularly attuned to this beauty. With only a few simple items, you can encourage your children to participate in this fun and educational nature based activity.

All you will need is a paper bag (or other collecting vessel), an empty egg carton and the great outdoors!

Begin by giving your child a paper bag and bringing them outside. A walk in the woods would provide for some great diverse items for collection, but as you will see, your own back yard will do just fine.


If you are working with young children, you may need to show them what to do by placing a few items in their bag for them. Encourage them to collect as many small three dimensional items as they'd like.


Sean was particularly drawn to this patch of grass and rocks in our yard. He discovered big and little rocks as well as a few left over acorn caps. As your child collects more items, this is an opportunity for you to build their nature vocabulary by naming and labeling what they are collecting.

Once your bags are nice and full bring them inside and pour the contents into the top portion of your egg carton.

Sit back for a moment and enjoy the spoils of all your hard work. Allow your child to study the items and consider how they may be sorted.

Young toddlers will simply enjoy exploring the items and filling the cups in the egg carton at random. You can begin encouraging them to notice the similarities and differences by explaining "Let's put all the rocks together" or "Look at all the pink petals".


When working with older children you can encourage more advanced sorting skills. Allow them to study what they have collected and decide how they will sort the beautiful things they have found. They may decide to sort by color placing all the brown things and pink things together, or they may decide sorting by type of object makes the most sense for them.

This activity will encourage your child to begin developing their mathematical thinking skills such as sorting objects varying by one or two attributes all the while enjoying the natural objects they collected. Take a moment to enjoy the beauty found outside with your children and help foster the next generation of nature lovers.

Christine can be found online on her blog Belly Bear Baby Gear, facebook, and her etsy shop:

Science Experiment: Dyed Flowers

Posted Saturday, June 09, 2012

From Michelle of himamma.

Science … we love it. Many times when we have gone past the flower area at the grocery store we smell the sweet scent of fresh roses and dainty daisies ... the girls have been fascinated with the flowers that are in an array of colors that are dyed but yet they know that they are not naturally that color … and have wondered “how do they do that?”

Well, we made it our science experiment last week! So now they have a much better understanding and can visualize how the flower petals changed colors.

Steve Spangler Science shares a great tutorial on dying flowers, in addition to other experiments he has done…but most importantly the details and why they work make sense on his website that kids understand.

Our science experiment was over a course of several days. We started out using some older daisies that we had purchased later the week before. We recut the bottom of the flower stems and placed them in the colored water glasses. The older flowers did not dye as well as we had hoped, but we knew that might be the case going into the experiment. A few days later we purchased new flowers and this time they did much better and the color was obvious.
One question the girls had asked was how soon do you think we will see the color in the petals? Within two hours, it was amazing to see the colors showing in the white petals. By dinner time, the flowers were fully dyed and in a brilliant shades of yellow, blue, red and green.

We even wondered if certain colors would dye the petals quicker than others. It seemed to us that the blue and the green food coloring dyed the white petals the quickest. I know in the printing world, that when you print with blue ink, it takes longer to dry than any other color just due to the pigment. I know it doesn't relate to the experiment but it is an interesting fact that makes you wonder about inks in general.

Do you have a favorite science experiment book/curriculum that you use? Please feel free to comment below or send us an email. We are always enjoying and reading science books and would like to share with other families in the journey of learning.

In addition to the Steve's website we also enjoy the following:
  • The Magic School Bus series. We will reserve DVDs and library books from our library and/or watch the various topics that we are studying via YouTube. Last year, I purchased The Magic School Bus Science Experiment books that take each of the episodes and relate it to an experiment/participate in an observation. On the MSB website they also have a Parent/Teacher section that is very helpful. Ms Frizzle and the gang are always a hit with the girls. I must admit...I love the series too.
  • I recently have exchanged emails with a mom I met through a workboxes group. Via our email workboxes group, Colleen shared that she has written several books, with one particularly focused towards science. Colleen has a blog called Raising Lifelong Learners as well as her writing website called Colleen Kessler. I strongly suggest you visit her blogs to learn more.

As we prepped for our experiment we talked about how flowers/plants drink water to survive, how the flowers use their roots, and the water travels up through tubes in the stem. By coloring the water, we will then see the water move up the stem and into the flower petals over a course of a couple of hours. Steve Spangler Science shares a great tutorial on dying flowers, in addition to other experiments he has done…but most importantly the details and why they work really make sense on his website that kids understand.

You can find Michelle online here ... Facebook, Twitter, her blog Hi Mamma and of course her Etsy Shop:

Introducing Pholkart Blessings

Posted Thursday, June 07, 2012


Today We Introduce You To Patti from Pholkart Blessings

Q: What motivated you to start your shop?
I started my shop back when my sons were still in their teens and I knew they’d soon be moving on toward college and the work world. I realized at that point that I wanted to begin transitioning myself toward “something art related” that would give me a sense of satisfaction and joy. I had filled up many sketchbooks over the years with cute, kid-friendly illustrations, and, when I learned about Etsy, I thought it would be so much fun to share my artwork there!
Q: What is the story behind your shop name?
I fell in love with children’s illustration when my sons were little! And as a result, I spent hours and hours teaching myself to draw. I thought the name “Pholkart” was appropriate for me since, like a folk artist, I’m entirely self-taught. The “Blessings” part of my shop name simply grew from my desire to share art that focused on the good things, the simple blessings of life. Thus, PholkartBlessings was born.
Q: Do you have a favorite Etsy Shop (non-child related)?
Gosh!... There are so many! I tend to love whimsical, colorful, humorous artwork. DudaDaze, Whimsy Studios, and ButtUglee are shops I enjoy visiting over and over again!
Q: What surprised you most about having your own craft / online shop?
I would have to say the ongoing learning curve that having a successful shop requires. Not only do I need to create quality artwork I’m happy to place in my shop… I also need to learn to present my work to the world in an appealing and continuing way. I am still learning a lot about promoting my artwork through my blog and by networking through social media sites.
Q: W hat do you find most challenging about being an Etsy seller?
A couple of things really stand out. While I LOVE working from home, there are times (like when my husband travels) when I can feel isolated. My lab, Winnie, is a pretty good studio buddy… but once in a while I’d love to have another Etsy artist in town to grab coffee with and compare shop notes.
The second thing that is hard for me is dealing with discouragement. There can be times when not many customers visit my shop or purchase my artwork. During those times, I have found there is a lot of value in reminding myself that my job is just to show up in the studio each day, no matter how I’m feeling, and keep making art!
Q: What's your personal philosophy behind your shop / products?
I love that I can be an artist who creates my own original designs and then offer them directly to buyers who enjoy them! I get to set a warm, friendly, positive tone in my shop. I’m the one-and-only person creating the artwork and helping the customer, and I find that very satisfying!
Q: How would someone (other then you) describe you?
Quiet, friendly, creative, and resourceful. I enjoy living a very simple life and I love being with my family.
Q: What music do you have on while you are creating?
This may be surprising, but I don’t listen to music while I’m creating. My husband and I both work from home, and we find we both concentrate best in a quiet environment. The “music” I most often hear while creating is the swish-swish of the washer and the hum of the dryer! ;)
Q: What do you do when you aren't working?
I’ve always loved to draw, so I doodle in my sketchbook anytime just for fun! I have decorated our old bungalow in “Design on a Dime” style and find that to be very creative and satisfying! I’m learning to knit & crochet (nothing very fancy yet!). My husband and I love to hang out together with our lovable lab and watch movies in the evening. And, as often as we are able to, we spend time enjoying our two grown sons and their families.
Q: Anything else you'd like to tell us or share?
I feel very blessed to be able to stay at home and do what I love to do every day! I have “met” so many talented people online through the Etsy community who have generously shared their knowledge and experience with me. And I hope I can continue to pass along the support and help and encouragement that I have been given.

Father’s Day Tie Bookmarks

Posted Tuesday, June 05, 2012

By Cori of Peace, Baby! Batiks

Got an hour between now and Father’s Day (June 17)? Then you have time for the kids to make fun bookmarks for the dads and father figures in their lives. My husband, father, father-in-law, and grandfather all love to read, so this idea was a no-brainer for us!


To start, I drew simple tie shapes on cardstock. I drew a triangle with rounded edges for the knot, and a long rectangle with a point at the end for the tie. I drew two per page, but I probably could have squeezed three or four on there. (I'll be the first to admit that my tie shapes are not perfect, but I think that only adds to their charm!)

Then, I set my son to decorating with crayons and markers. The first couple were simple, but he had a great time with patterns and shapes on the last two.


Once they were decorated, he stamped “Happy Father’s Day” onto the back of each and signed it. I dated them so the dads would remember. Then, I laminated them in clear contact paper. Add a loop or ribbon, and you’ve got a gift Dad will love!


We’re also going to fill out one of these fun questionnaires for my husband for Father’s Day. My son is four, and I can’t wait to see what answers he comes up with. I imagine it’s going to be hysterical. I think we’ll do it every year.
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