It's My Etsy-versary!

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!

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

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!

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!

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!

Upcoming Events: Clover Market in Ardmore

I'll be there in September. Will you?

Fabulous Finds Friday: Happy Birthday, Little Monster!

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.

<a href="http://babeecrafts.blogspot.com" target="_blank"><img alt="Babee Crafts Blog" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5052/5507196976_50be07650b_m.jpg" /></a>

So what were your fab finds this week?

Tell Me More Tuesday: Candy Curls Bowtique

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

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.

<a href="http://babeecrafts.blogspot.com" target="_blank"><img alt="Babee Crafts Blog" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5052/5507196976_50be07650b_m.jpg" /></a>

So what were your fab finds this week?

Tell Me More Tuesday: The Fyber Stud

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

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.

<a href="http://babeecrafts.blogspot.com" target="_blank"><img alt="Babee Crafts Blog" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5052/5507196976_50be07650b_m.jpg" /></a>

So what were your fab finds this week?