BuggaLove in True North Parenting Magazine!

This afternoon as I picked up the mail, I found a most wonderful thing amidst the holiday cards (and bills).  My copy of the December/January issue of True North Parenting magazine had arrived! Among the other helpful hints, resources, and articles, this fabulous magazine is featuring a BuggaLove Single Flyer in their Handmade for the Holidays article! I am thrilled and honored to be included.

If you're in Oregon, be sure to pick up a copy of True North! And if you're not, be sure check them out online here!

BuggaLove Recommends - Holiday Edition 2008

Last year, my kids had a Handmade Holiday.  Really, we just bought them one big gift and a few stocking stuffers. The BIG gift was their kitchen set. Which I then finished myself to match our living room. We got it from Willow Toys. The quality and craftsmanship are superb. I can say a year later that this set is going to last us for many years to come despite the fact that my kids play with it daily and they're not always gentle.  These toys also come with a lifetime guarantee. I consider them an investment. We got them the oven and refrigerator. There is plenty of storage space for all the kitchen accessories.

Every kitchen needs play food! I found a couple of wonderful Etsy shops to fit the bill. Their felt and cotton creations have more than held up to being cooked with by my two chefs for almost a year now and look as good as new. The first seller I'd like to introduce you to is BugBitesPlayFood who made our vegetable set. But beyond fruits and vegetables, this seller offers an amazing and creative variety of food items for your child to play with.

The fruits we purchased were equally fabulous. Made of felt and cotton, these fruits are colorful and very well made. We bought these from aebaby on Etsy. AeBaby not only offers these fun food creations but sells the most adorable I Spy bags and Loveys too!

Lastly, when we finished the kitchen set, I used a magnetic paint on the refirgerator door. I wanted to have letters to stick on it, just like a real refrigerator. But down with the plastic letters! I found these letters made from felt by MiChiMa on Etsy. You can get letters, numbers, names, uppercase, lowercase, you name it! These have held up well and were very colorful! The perfect finishing touch to our new kitchen!

Yes, I realize that this is the 2008 edition! Sadly, we didn't do much of a Handmade Holiday this year. And those items we DID  buy handmade I can't show you yet, lest the recipeint be a BuggaBlog Reader.  BUT there was ONE item we had custom made for our Buggas. I'd like to introduce you to CurlyQCuties. The most adorable custom monsters in the world! We bought one for each bugga to stick in their stockings. They came faster then I expected and are very well made. When I asked my 3 year old what to get her brother for Christmas yesterday, she told me a monster. I think I found the perfect thing to fit the bill! This monster isn't the one I got for him, but it was too cute not to show you.

Hope you enjoyed the BuggaLove Recommends Holiday Edition! Happy T-giving everyone!

Technical Difficulties Solved

Thanks for everyone's patience and kind words. All my data was able to be recovered and my computer is now fixed! I wasn't expecting to get it back until Friday at the earliest, but thankfully it was completed ahead of schedule. So, back to our regularly scheduled programming!

I have a few new mobiles to list over the next couple of days, hope you'll look out for them!

We are currently experiencing technical difficulties

Hello BuggaLove Readers!
I am sorry to announce that my computer crashed this morning. It is currently in for repair, but while it is being fixed there will be a delay in all BuggApparel orders. Sadly, I've lost all my graphics and designs. I anticipate they will be recovered and certainly I can recreate all of those that I did not have backed up. (Note to self...back up computer more often).

Please forgive any delay in my responses to you. I will have very limited computer access until I receive my computer back.

Sincerely,
Jessica

Blog feature from Sara's Toy Box

I'm thrilled and flattered to be put on Sara's Toy Box blog! Sara is a member of the Handmade Toy Alliance and is doing a series of articles called Handmade Holidays.  BuggaLove was featured in Part 1 of this series! http://saras-toy-box.blogspot.com/2009/11/handmade-holidays-part-1.html

Thank you Sara!

What I'm Working on Today

Since starting work on the Etsy Baby Shower in the beginning of October, I haven't posted any updates on what I'm working on for BuggaLove. The baby shower is still going on, we have a virtual Chat/Trunk Show in the Etsy chat rooms on Thursday, November 5th from 10pm to midnight. My co-host Deniz from DecorativeLabels is continuing to load the pictures of the gifts to the Etsy Baby Shower Flickr Album.That will wrap up the promotional activites for the Etsy Baby Shower and hopefully I'll have some time to stock up for the holidays.  It was a busy October, I'm hoping this trend holds through the holiday season!

Sadly, my newsletter is late this month. I intended to have it out by now, but there has not been time to do so. It is my hope that by the end of the week it will go out. It will contain an exclusive Black Friday through Cyber Monday coupon code that is only for my newsletter subscribers.  Thanks for your patience!

In case you missed it, I listed a

brand new dragonfly mobile last week!

Today, I have the following things that I'm working on in my studio. With any luck they'll be listed next week!

2 dragonfly single flyers

3 moon and stars mobiles

On Deck to start next week!

6 Airplane Single Flyers

2 Safari Mobiles

Etsy Baby Shower Featured Shops - Volume 10

We are nearing the end of our Baby Shower Shop Features!  For the past 10 days, I have been featuring shops that participated in the Fall 2009 Etsy Baby Shower! The Etsy Baby Shower is a Virtual Baby Shower in which a number of expecting and brand new Etsy mommies receive gifts from donating Etsy shops. This shower we have raised 112 gifts from 91 Etsy Shops for 28 lucky new moms and moms-to-be! Check out my previous blog posts for more featured shops!

Also see my Co-host Deniz's blog for more featured shops!

 

If you're interested in participating in the next Etsy Baby Shower, contact us! You can also stay updated on this event through our brand new Etsy Baby Shower Blog!

 

Handcreativity joined Etsy in September 2009, but only started stocking her shop in October. Handcreativity is inspired by nature, beauty, and love. Handcreativity featuresGuest Book and Journal Pen Sets. They’re all one of a kind. The Guest Books are for Weddings, Bridal Showers and Baby Showers. The Journals are generally for everyday usage but there are some models for special occasions (Thanksgiving, Christmas and Family Gatherings). This is Handcreativity's first time participating in the Etsy Baby Shower. She is donating a baby shower guest book.

We asked HandCreativity what advice she ahs for new moms. She said, "The best advice will be to trust themselves and follow their gut feelings. As a new mom myself, I can definitely tell them to enjoy the times cause time flies and when you notice the baby is already a couple of months old. Also do not force themselves too much, all is well that ends well!"



For this holiday season HandCreativity is offering free domestic shipping on all Journals! You can find HandCreativity on Twitter and on her blog!

TishaTooDesigns joined etsy in June of 2009. Growing up in a wonderful and amazing family in a little town of Corrales, New Mexico really plays a huge role in her inspiration. Playing in their garden and helping her mother care for our little community of wild critters nurtured a wonderful sense of imagination and creativity. TishaTooDesigns creates unique and imaginative baby wear with a whimsical touch. Many creations use 100% cotton materials. This is her first time in the Etsy Baby shower and TishaTooDesigns is so excited to help support our wonderful community of crafters. She will be donating a new set of onesie and bib with an embroidered toadstool on the front.

You must see the Veggie Swaddler, the original inspiration for the whole business. 100% percent cotton and machine washable, snuggles little ones to sleep and is completely adorable.

We asked TishaTooDesigns what advice she might have for new moms. She said, “Don’t be afraid to ask for help when you need it. Friends and family are there to help you in this new transition for all the members in the family.”
TishaTooDesigns is offering a 10% discount on your order in the month of November. For blog readers only, enter code NOV%10GOBABY. You can also follow TishaTooDesigns on Twitter!

DesignaBag joined Etsy in September 2009. DesignaBag strives to create fun, functional and affordable things. DesignaBag loves making things for kids that are fun and adorable! She enjoys making things that you can't find on a rack at a store! She make custom bags (including diaper bags) custom shirts/onesies, hairbows, cloth diapers, slings... give her a pattern and she will make it and figure out a way to make it her own. :) This is DesignaBag’s first time participating in the Etsy Baby Shower. She will be donating a customized bib and burp cloth set.

Check out these messenger diaper bags, the most popular item at DesignaBag

We asked DesignaBag what advice she has for new moms. She said, “Take time for yourself. Grab a quick nap or a long shower when you can!”

DesignaBag is offering free shipping when you buy 3 or more items! You can also find DesignaBag on her Blog!

Etsy Baby Shower Featured Shops- Volume 9

This week I have been featuring a variety of shops who have generously donated to the Etsy Baby Shower. The Etsy Baby Shower is a Virtual Baby Shower in which a number of expecting and brand new Etsy mommies receive gifts from donating Etsy shops. This shower we have raised 112 gifts from 91 Etsy Shops for 28 lucky new moms and moms-to-be! Welcome to the final post in the series! If you missed my last 7 installments, go back and read them!



StarbrightBaby joined Etsy in June 2008 and this is the second Etsy Baby Shower she has participated in. She will be donating one of her sweet Teething Giraffes to a lucky baby. I can personally endorse StarbrightBaby’s teething giraffes! My son LOVES his!

Inspired by her son, StarbrightBaby features Teething Giraffes for babies. Suzi came up with the Teething Giraffe pattern after she received something similar for a baby gift from friends. Her little one loved it, but so did her 3-year-old niece! When she asked where she could get another one, her friends told her that it had been made by their grandmother who had passed away. Suzi figured out how to make one with a few aesthetic changes and before her niece left to go home we had a herd of giraffes in the house! Check out the organic teethers! Colorgrown cotton fabric is Suzi’s new favorite material!

We asked Suzi what advice she has for new moms. She says, “Hold your baby as much as possible. It really helps with the fussiness of the first 3 months. Babywearing is my favorite way to hold my babies!”

Want to see more StarBrightBaby? Check out her website and become a Fan on Facebook!


ZadyBall joined Etsy in October 2007. She has participated in the Etsy Baby Shower several times before and Alayna always has a hard time choosing one to send, so for this shower, she’s letting the mom choose her favorite. ZadyBall gets a ringing endorsement from BuggaLove! My son LOVES his ZadyBall!

Alayna’s inspiration is her children. When her oldest was a baby, he LOVED toys with strings. He had one toy in particular that had a knotted fabric string for a tail. He would play with it ALL the time, and it would help to sooth him at bed time. Alayna decided to make a toy that had lots of strings for him to play with - and that's how the Zadyball was born!


A Zady®ball is a handmade toy that is easy for young babies to hold on to, and will quickly become a favorite! They are soft to hold and cuddle, and have lots of knotted fabric strings to grab and rub. As your baby grows, Zadyball just becomes even more fun! It is great for soothing sore gums while teething, easy to throw and catch – especially when you are learning how, and machine washable – a MUST for any baby toy! Zadyball is available in many different colors, styles and personalities. You are sure to find one that is perfect for the baby in your life!

Zadyball comes in different animal versions as well. Alayna is pretty fond of Ringo the Purple Octopus, shown above.

We asked Alayna if she has any advice for new moms, She says, “For first-time moms, I ALWAYS recommend reading "The Happiest Baby on the Block" and using the 5 S's method it describes. It was seriously a life saver for me! Also, while having a baby can be exhausting, frustrating and really hard, remember to enjoy the special time you have with your baby. It won't be long before they are all grown up!”

Through the end of November get 20% off with the code "BABYSHOWER" from ZadyBall! Want to see more? You can find ZadyBall on Etsy, Twitter, Facebook, and Blogger!

PtiteBaloue joined Etsy in October last year. Curiously Isabelle convinced her boyfriend to open an Etsy shop for his photographs first, then she was a bit jealous so she opened hers too! This is her first time donating to the Etsy baby shower and one lucky baby will be getting a sweet teddy bear.

Isabelle has always loved soft toys. And for years she had been knitting only scarves, so since all of her friends and family members now had at least one, if not several, of her scarves, she decided to try something a bit more challenging. Inspiration comes as she falls upon new colors / fibers / yarns and figure out what kind of animal they could turn into.

PtiteBaloue features knit soft toys. Some of them are vegan, made from acrylic, polyester and other non-animal fibers, but several are knitted from handspun (by Isabelle, on a drop spindle!) natural fibers and stuffed only with pure wool, which makes them entirely natural and eco-friendly. They are all unique pieces, and take a lot of time to make. Often Isabelle spends 5, 6, 7 hours on the smallest toys and even more on bigger ones. Especially when she has to spin the yarn first!

You must see Elvis the Lion, shown here. He's not currently in Ptitebaloue’s Etsy shop because he's just about to spend two months in consignment at the boutique of an art galery in Quebec. But hopefully Isabelle will make him lots of brothers and sisters soon! (I’m sure if you ask her, she’d be happy to make you one!)

We asked Isabelle what advice she had for new moms. She said, “mm that's a hard one since I don't have any kid of my own yet... maybe to spend as much time as they can with their children?”

Ptitebaloue is offering $5 off on a purchase of $30 or more (before shipping) until Christmas and $10$ off a purchase of $80 or more (before shipping) to BuggaBlog readers! Just mention "Baby Shower" in the "Comments to the seller" and Isabelle will refund the money through Paypal after you've checked out.

Woodponddesigns joined Etsy in June 2008. This is the first time Jennifer has participated in the Etsy Baby Shower and she will be donating a Jumble Ball to a lucky baby! Woodponddesigns is inspired by nature and the changing of the seasons, and by Jennifer’s children, who are always willing to help in the creative process.

Woodponddeisgns is all about cute quirky fun! Jumble Balls are the bulk of their business, but Jennifer loves making all kinds of sewn items. She keeps a sketch book of design ideas and tries to stop herself from branching off in too many directions at once. When she’s not working on a new Jumble Ball, Jennifer enjoys working with felted wool, creating one of a kind plush critters. She also can't stand to throw out fabric scraps and is always looking for creative ways to use small amount of fabric, which is how she came to make drink coasters, button cover projects, passport sleeves, cute wallet purses, and mini sachets.



You must see Woodponddesign’s signature product: the Jumble Ball. They are a soft, squashy lightweight toy ball designed for infants and toddlers with tons of textured ribbons and rickrack and either jingle bells or a rattle secured inside. A sensory learning toy that is brightly colored, safe, fun, and best of all, washable!

We asked Jennifer what advice she has for new moms, she said, “My advice to new moms is to accept any help that is offered, don't try to do everything yourself. If a friend wants to bring you a casserole or come over and do your laundry so you can rest, say YES! It's also important to reach out and connect with other new moms, either in person or online.”

Special Christmas and Holiday themed items are arriving at Woodponddesigns now! BuggaBlog readers will receive 10% off any Jumble Ball order throughout the month of November at WoodPondDesigns! Use coupon code: BabyShower during checkout. A PayPal refund will be sent for the difference. Want to see more of WoodPondDesigns? Check out their blog or become a Fan on Facebook!



LittleAlouette joined Etsy in 2008. Inspired by their wee children and all babies and mamas and papas they love, you will find organic natural wood toys, teethers, and gifts. Each product is made by hand and usually all the wood is surrounded by cups of tea, laughing children, and disco music so each product will come to you infused with love and bliss! Your LittleAlouette item also comes with welcome card that includes information about their fabulous family business and locally sourced timber. They also provide you with a wood toy care guide.

This is LittleAlouette’s first time participating in the Etsy Baby Shower! They are sending the lucky lady a square teether! Perfect for wee small first teething times.

We asked Amy what advice she has for new moms. She said, “Get rest! Don't live on the new motherhood speed! It feels like you can do it all- but you will crash as some point! SLEEP- who cares about the state of your house for a few months. This time will never again be with you- nothing is like the few weeks and months after your FIRST baby. I promise. The second is different. Just relax. And enjoy this time and REST!”

LittleAlouette offers free worldwide shipping on some products! You can find LittleAlouette on their blog, website, Twitter, and facebook!

WigglyToothFactory joined Etsy on May 13, 2008. Inspired by the birth of her first child to make children related products and tooth fairy pillows you’ll find the WigglyToothFactory is a one stop shop for all your child's tooth fairy needs. My shop can take your child from teething to the tooth fairy.

WigglyToothFactory is a faithful Etsy Baby Shower donating shop! This is her third time participating. For this shower, she is donating a small hanging tooth fairy pillow and an item called a teether towel which is used for a child going through there drooling phase. You can see the original tooth fairy pillow here! It's a large tooth fairy pillow with a hand embroidered face and a small back pocket to hold a child's newly lost tooth or a special gift from the tooth fairy.

We asked Megan what advice she has for new moms. She said, “I guess I would just say take it one day at a time and enjoy every minute because they grow up quick.”

Find more WigglyToothFactory on Twitter, Facebook under The Wiggly Tooth Factory, LLC and my blogger!

Etsy Baby Shower Featured Shops - Volume 8

We've got a few more shops to showcase this week for the Etsy Baby Shower! The Etsy Baby Shower is a Virtual Baby Shower in which a number of expecting and brand new Etsy mommies receive gifts from donating Etsy shops. This shower we have raised 112 gifts from 91 Etsy Shops for 28 lucky new moms and moms-to-be! Check out my previous blog posts for more featured shops!

Also see my Co-host Deniz's blog for more featured shops!

BlessedMommyof1 joined Etsy on July 15, 2008 and this is her first time participating in the Etsy Baby Shower! She will be donating headbands in a variety of styles and colors to one lucky mom!

Nicole’s inspiration for her shop is her 18 month old little girl who shows her new things every day. Nicole says, “To see the world through her eyes really opens up my eyes, and I love creating cute little accessories to go with the things she loves.”

Nicole’s shop features all kinds of little girl accessories, from itty bitty clippies and larger clippies to tutus and hair bow holders. Her items are all one-of-a-kind, and are created with lots of love and attention to detail. Shown here is her crocheted flower itty bitty clippies! We asked Nicole what advice she might have for new moms. Nicole said, “I know everyone says it, but sleep while you can! Try to take some time by yourself, even if it's just for 15 minutes each day. You'll be amazed at how refreshing it is to just be: be alone and be YOU!”

Check out Nicole’s Etsy Shop! In October/November she’s featuring FREE SHIPPING on any order $15 and over! Use code FREE15 when ordering. You can also become a Fan on Facebook!


PrettyPrettyBows joined Etsy in August 2009 and this is her first Etsy Baby Shower. Monica is donating sets of infant bows to 4 lucky new moms! Monica’s inspiration for her products is her daughter and nieces. They LOVE bows so she tries to keep them stocked up. Monica started out making bows for her daughter, who calls them her "pretty pretties", and it grew from there. Shown here is Monica’s favorite product: The Little Hedgehog Clippie.

We asked Monica what advice she might have for new moms. She said, “Don't panic! LOL” For specials and discounts, check out the clearance section of PrettyPrettyBows! I have a clearance section with lots of cute discounted bows. You can also follow prettyprettybows on Twitter and become a fan on Facebook!


LilyBugBoutique
Lilybugboutique joined Etsy in December 2007. She is participating in her second Etsy Baby Shower and will be donating a lovely minky baby blanket. The inspiration behind LilybugBoutique’s hair bows is Ingrid’s daughter and making cute things to go with her clothes. And Ingrid loves finding cool designer fabric and matching minky to go with them for her minky blankets.

Lilybugboutique was started when daughter Lily was 6 months old. Ingrid named the shop after what they call her…Lily Bug. Checkout the sweet hair bow: The Flying Ladybug.

We asked Ingrid if she had any advice for new moms. She said, “Enjoy each and every moment, the good, and the bad, because before you know it...time has flown by and your kids have grown so big!”

Through November, LilybugBoutique is offering a Buy 1 Get 1 Half Off to anyone that convos Ingrid or mentions the code EtsyBabyShowerBOGO. She’ll be sure to adjust your invoice and refund you the discount!


JJKGirlyThings joined Etsy on April 15, 2009. Her inspiration for her products comes form several places. Mostly though it comes from creating things for her three grandaughters. As she shops with them she see outfits or colors that catch her eye and she usually writes it down to make something when she gets home. Also when she is at a craft store she finds ribbons or small embellishments that she thinks will make a cute bow. JJKGirlyThings loves to browse through Etsy supplies and find things that inspire creation.

JJKGirlythings is participating in the Etsy baby shower for the first time. She is donating a twenty dollar gift certificate to the new mom so that she gets exactly what she wants and needs!

You’ll find boutique style hair accessories for little girls at JJKGirlyThings. Barbara’s mission is to create durable, fun, all occasion hair accessories at an affordable price. Every little girl should have the opportunity to look their absolute greatest. Barbara strives to make just the right bow to complete that special outfit. Check out this little animal collection. So cute!

We asked Barbara what advice she has for new moms, she said, “It is a one day at a time experience. Enjoy each day. Make as many memory days as possible because before you know it they will be grown and gone.”

JJKGirlyThings is offering 50% off all Halloween items right now! And she has a clearance section for more great savings. You can also find her EtsyMini on this Blog.

Anther generous shop who has donated to the Etsy Baby Shower includes the founder of the Etsy Baby Shower EcoFriendly4u.

Etsy Baby Shower Featured Shops - Volume 7

It's been a full week of posts featuring shops that donated to the Etsy Baby Shower! And we're not done yet. There were 91 shops to donate 112 gifts, which is amazingly generous but not a surprising response from the Etsy community. I've found they always rise to the occassion. Don't forget to check out more Featured Shops on my co-host Deniz's blog!

JudyAGoddard
JudyAGoddard joined Etsy on April 20, 2008. Several years ago Judy made wooden growth charts and sold them on the internet for a specific site. But they were too bulky and there were issues. So she tabled the idea and then, in 2008, she discovered that she could make the charts on canvas, like a floor cloth and away she went!

Judy’s shop has really evolved since she first joined Etsy. She's gone from felted baskets to knitting and crochet supplies to fine art prints and cards, etc. But through all those changes, she always carried the canvas growth charts.

This is Judy’s second time participating in the Etsy Baby Shower. Check out her "Down on the Farm" growth chart. We asked Judy what advice she has for new moms. She said, “ Be involved in your children's lives. Make sure you make it to little league practice, school plays, dance recitals. Kids know you care when you share their adventures and successes. And just one more thing... Read To Your Children. Then they'll love to read.”

For the from November 1st – December 15th, all items will be 20% off at JudyAGoddard! Feel free to pop by Judy's Blog, become a Fan on Facebook, or Follow her on Twitter!

MyWoobie
MyWoobie is COMING SOON! The day it was created was October 8th, 2009 and MyWoobie just received their labels this weekend, so hopefully they will have woobies listed and ready to sell soon!

Woobies are small minky blankets with ribbon loops. Nancy loves minky and loves babies so it just seems like the right thing to create. Nancy recalls that when her children were little they didn’t have things like these! This is MyWoobie’s first time participating in the Etsy Baby Shower, but she intends to keep doing it from now on. MyWoobie donated to two very lucky moms! Each Mom chose which fabric combination they would like. The first one chose a blue and brown combination for her little boy and the second Mom chose a very colorful flower pattern with hot pink.

We asked Nancy what advice she had for new moms, she said, “Make every minute count and ENJOY your children every day! One day you will blink and they will be grown and having babies of their own!”

ILoveYoYo first opened with a different shop in February 2008. After a while, Nilufer decided to open a new store only for YoYo Appliques and opened ILoveYoYo in May 2008. Nilufer has a full time job and sews yoyo's to relax herself after long days. She sells them like supplies because she doesn't have enough time to design them.

Nilufer learned to make YoYo’s two years ago and fell in love with them. It’s very traditional quilting technique originally made with cotton fabric. She started to sew them with satin, satin lining, crepe, organza and velvet fabric. Check out her stain heart YoYos, they are ADORABLE and I can think of a million uses for them!This is ILoveYoYo's first time participating in the Etsy Baby Shower and she is generously donating YoYos to two moms! She's sending Pink & Red Heart YoYo's to a mom with a baby girl and Blue Heart YoYo's to a mom with a baby boy.

We asked Nilufer what advice she has for new moms. She said, "My son will be 10 in January. I can advise two things to all moms. First of all what you are scared of most, you have to teach it first. If you [are] scared your baby can fall down from the couch, first you have to show how he can come down. Second thing is if your baby fell down don't panic and start to laugh. Tell them that it's so funny and they have to show you again. Believe me when you behave like this they never cry very long. They also learn that they can get hurt but it's gonna stop at sometime."

Keep ILoveYoYo in mind for the holidays, for the Christmas season all red, green and white yoyo’s are on sale for $2.00! ILoveYoYo also welcomes wholesale requests and custom orders. Use code TOMTIS to get 10% off the baby colors yoyo appliqués (pink, blue, white and yellow) for the month of November.

Want to see more YoYos? Check out ILoveYoYos Flickr album, Blog, and follow Nilufer on Twitter!

Other generous shops that have donated to the Fall 2009 Etsy Baby Shower include:

AbleMabel which features a wide variety of baby items and home decor. You can also visit AbleMabel's Blog!

AND

BabyBaharCollection which features baby shower favors!

Etsy Baby Shower Featured Shops - Volume 6

Stay tuned this weekend! I am continuing the Featured Shop series from the Fall 2009 Etsy Baby Shower. The Etsy Baby Shower is a Virtual Baby Shower in which a number of expecting and brand new Etsy mommies receive gifts from donating Etsy shops. This shower we have raised 112 gifts from 91 Etsy Shops for 28 lucky new moms and moms-to-be! Check out my previous blog posts for more featured shops! Also see my Co-host Deniz's blog for more featured shops!

SprinklewithSugar
SprinklewithSugar joined Etsy this past year, in June. This will be the first Etsy Baby Shower she has participated in and she will be donating a cute, snuggly newborn hat to one lucky mom! And she is excited to know she is going to create something special to go on a brand new head in the world.

Tracey has been knitting since University when she should have been studying! The inspiration for her products comes from my daily life. Animals, nature, colours that get her attention, Tracey says, “There is not enough time in the day to create everything that is floating around in my brain.”
SprinklewithSugar features hand knitted items such as hats and photo props. Shown above is one of her favorite products!

We asked Tracey what advice she might have for new moms. Tracey said, “As a mom of three, I can give advice 'till the cows come home, but in the end, the only things that matter are 'enjoy every moment, because they grow up in the blink of an eye' 'tell them everyday that you love them'....and most importantly 'don't ask your eight year old son how you look in your new pair of jeans. He will tell you the truth.'”


JessECreations joined Etsy in January 2008. She has participated as a shop donor in the past and for this shower Jess will be donating a sweater for very lucky baby boy! The inspiration for the products at JessEcreations is the people Jess loves and she’s by the yarn she uses too. You can see some Ohio State Spirit Scarves she’s created here!
Right now, JessECreations handles custom orders for crochet creations; but Jess is getting ready to open a new shop! The new shop will be called Storied Yarns and will carry her line of handpainted and hand-dyed yarns. We asked Jess what advice she might have for a new mom. She said, “Take it easy. I tend to over-do it, and as a new mom myself I'm learning I have to take it slow if I want to survive. :)”

Blog readers get FREE SHIPPING on all orders from JessEcreations. Use the code ETSYBABY and let Jess know as part of your custom order request. Also check out Jess's Blog!


LittleSideKick joined Etsy this summer, but posted her first listing on September 1st.
This is her first time participating in the Etsy Baby Shower and she’ll be donating a fun ribbon ball to one lucky baby!

LittleSideKick's inspiration is in the fabrics. She loves finding a fabric she likes and then thinks; "This would make a great..." LittleSideKick is very baby-centric, colorful and fun. The shop features cute hats, clothing, unique soft toys, bibs and burp cloths. Check out this little knit pant and appliqued tee set.
We asked Christina what advice she has for a new mom. She said, “Use cloth diapers! I'm on my third child, but my first in cloth, and I love it! It's so much easier than I thought it would be, and I am now an enthusiastic proselytizer spreading the cloth diaper gospel! Hallelujah! I'd also be happy to answer any cloth diaper questions.”

Check out LittleSideKick’s blog! She is having a giveaway for a $25 gift certificate. Contest ends October 27th. Want to follow LittleSideKick on Twitter? Click HERE.


CrochetandMore joined Etsy in September 2008. CrochetandMore can't put a finger on what inspires her shop, she says, "Ideas just come to me, I usually have more ideas than I have time to complete!" Her 15 year old daughter adds her ideas too. CrochetandMore decided to open this shop after discovering Etsy with her Rose Prints shirts and realizing she could be selling my crochet too. She love her beanies best.

This is CrochetandMore's first baby shower through this shop. Her assigned mom recently went into labor! So they haven't chatted about the specifics of the gift yet. We asked Crochetandmore what advice she has for new moms. She said, "Nap when they nap, especially first time Moms. You never get enough sleep, so don't feel guilty about taking a nap too. Even if there are chores, etc. to be done. Take care of yourself so you can better take care of your new baby!!"

CrochetandMore is offering FREE SHIPPING to any BuggaBlog reader. They can convo her in advance and she will change the listing or put EtsyShower2009 in the message to seller and she will refund via Paypal.

Other shops that have generously donated to the Etsy Baby Shower include:

IrishHooksandYarn which features gorgeous handmade baby hats. Beome a Fan of IrishHookandYarn on Facebook!

Etsy Baby Shower Featured Shops - Volume 5

This is the 5th blog post featuring a variety of shops who have generously donated to the Etsy Baby Shower. The Etsy Baby Shower is a Virtual Baby Shower in which a number of expecting and brand new Etsy mommies receive gifts from donating Etsy shops. This shower we have raised 112 gifts from 91 Etsy Shops for 28 lucky new moms and moms-to-be! Check out my previous blog posts for more featured shops as well as my co-host Deniz's blog for more featured Etsy Baby Shower sellers!


BirdandBean first joined Etsy WAY back in 2007, she had heard about all these great things that were being made and advertised there and she set up her kids shop soon after. Monica participated in last year’s baby shower and is donating a cotton recycling onesie to a lucky baby in this shower! It is never to early to become an activist for the earth!

Monica’s inspiration is a lovely group of nephews, nieces, god kids and friend’s kids. They make her smile and when they (the kids) started appearing here on earth. Monica wanted to send something that was like a hug, so she started making kids clothes. She had not sewn since Jr High Home Ec class, but soon remembered how and was on her way!

BirdandBean features kids clothes that grow with kids, are functional, affordable and are kids clothes, not grown up clothes made smaller! After all you are only a kid once!


Back in Nov of 2007, Monica was still working at her old job but wanting so badly to be creative again. She made her goddaughters some dresses and it went crazy from there!


You can see her Dia De Los Muertos stuff here! Monica’s nephew and goddaughter have been wonderful models! And all sales will come with a unique reusable bag.


We asked Monica what advice she might have for a new mom. She said, “Well although I am not a mom myself, but an Aunt....I find breathing really important!”

You can find BirdandBean on Etsy, her website, and the BirdandBean Blog!

October 15th was MakMayDesigns 1 year Etsyversary! This is the first Etsy Baby Shower she will be participating in and she is donating a onesie to a lucky mom! Inspired by Becky’s two daughters, MakMayDesigns features a variety of onesies, bibs and tank tops. See the cute chenille appliquéd whale onesie here!

When we asked Becky what advice she had for new moms, she said, “Relax and enjoy your time with your new baby, the time truly goes so fast.” Become a MakMayDesigns Facebook Fan!


RosePrintsOnline joined Etsy in June 2008. Her inspiration for her products is her kids. She makes things she thinks she would want to see on her own kids from the things they are into. RosePrintsOnline is all about unique, custom decorated kids clothing inspired by my life and kids. The caterpillar from RosePrintsOnline is FABULOUS.

RosePrintsOnline has participated in the Etsy Baby Shower before. For this shower she is donating a beanie from her other shop CrochetandMore because that is what her assigned mom preferred.

We asked if RosePrintsOnline had any advice for new moms, she said, “Nap when they nap, especially first time Moms. You never get enough sleep, so don't feel guilty about taking a nap too. Even if there are chores, etc. to be done. Take care of yourself so you can better take care of your new baby!!”

RosePrintsOnline is offering FREE SHIPPING to BuggaBlog readers! You can convo her in advance and she will change the listing or write EtsyShower2009 in the message to seller and she will refund via Paypal.

Other generous sellers who have donated to the Fall 2009 Etsy Baby Shower include:

SewSoSweetBoutique which features handmade clothing and embroidered items.

AND

BRKids which features wonderful applique work on kid's clothing! You can also follow BRKids at their blog!

Etsy Baby Shower Featured Shops - Volume 4

This week I am featuring a variety of shops who have generously donated to the Etsy Baby Shower. The Etsy Baby Shower is a Virtual Baby Shower in which a number of expecting and brand new Etsy mommies receive gifts from donating Etsy shops. This shower we have raised 112 gifts from 91 Etsy Shops for 28 lucky new moms and moms-to-be! Check out my previous blog posts for more featured shops!

IvyandMae joined Etsy in another store in the summer of 2006. Ivy & Mae as it is now, has been in existence since March 2008. IvyandMae has been a loyal donating shop to the Etsy Baby Shower for at least three showers. She hasn’t decided which treasure to donate yet, it will be a surprise!

IvyandMae is inspired by fabrics. Usually Jessica sees a fabric and knows what she wants to use it for and things spur from there. IvyandMae is made up of cute dresses for girls and ties for boys, with a few odds and ends thrown in. You must see the yellow daisy bubble dress.
We asked Jessica what advice she has for new moms. She said, “I'm still figuring out what in the world I'm doing myself. I guess...be patient with yourself and your child.”

A quick note about IvyandMae, the cut off to order Christmas dresses (or other wear) from her shop is in early December. Jessica does custom orders, so if you want something extra special she’ll work with you. Jessica is pregnant with her 3rd baby...a girl! So she’s planning on phasing out her shop starting in December.

See IvyandMae's blog here!

SewClassic joined Etsy in July 2008. Inspired by her own daughter and love for all things pretty, you’ll find things that sew classic wants her own baby to wear in her shop. SewClassic hopes to branch into adult clothing in the future.

This is SewClassic’s second time participating in the Etsy Baby Shower. While she was supposed to be nurturing her new baby, she also had to sew for the increasing orders that she got from participating! For this shower, she is donating her signature item, a baby kimono. See her baby kimono in creamy white and burgundy with sakura here!

We asked Kennis what advice she has for new moms. She said, “Set up a good sleeping routine as early as possible. If you baby sleeps well, it makes everything else much easier!”

Special Offer from SewClassic! Those who mention “Etsy baby shower” will get 20% off! Just convo SewClassic for your discount! Also, visit the SewClassic Facebook Fan Page!

GrannyZann joined Etsy in September 2008. This is her second Baby Shower and she’s not exactly sure what she’ll be donating this time, but whatever it is, the baby will surely be lucky!

GrannyZann is inspired by different things but mostly Suzanne’s grandchildren. GrannyZann is primarily children's clothing. Suzanne loves to find fabrics that every one else is not using and she especially loves to work with anything toile! She also carries "Sammies" which are reusable sandwich bags and Market bags for grocery shopping or just about anything else you care to put in them. You must see this Christmas set, it is SO cute!

We asked Suzanne what advice she has for new moms. She said, “Stay relaxed and enjoy your baby. The dirty dishes and house really will be there when the baby is resting and you are rested as well.”

On November 19-22 you’ll find FREE shipping on all clothing items and 20% off your entire purchase when using GRANNY20 in the message to seller box.

Other fabulous shops that have donated to the Fall 2009 Etsy Baby Shower:

PoodleLove who specializes in a variety of baby items and is giving a Baby Shower in a Box to her lucky mom

AND

TutuCuteandMoore who, as the name suggests, specializes in tutus!

Don’t forget to read DecorativeLabel’s blog today to see more featured Etsy Baby Shower shops!