Friday, October 30, 2009

The Fall 2009 Etsy Baby Shower is wrapping up...

This past week my Etsy Baby Shower co-host, Jessica from BuggaLove, and I have been featuring the 91 shops who have generously donated 112 gifts to 28 lucky new/expecting Etsy moms. For more information on this and upcoming Etsy Baby Shower be sure to visit the official Etsy Baby Shower Blog! :)

Aside from featuring the shops who donated in our blogs, we also held the first ever FORUM BLAST in the promotions section of the Etsy forums. We have also been curating treasuries featuring the wonderful shops and we have one final Etsy Baby Shower event up our sleeves! We will holding an Etsy Baby Shower Chat in the Etsy Chat rooms on November 5th starting at about 10pm to about midnight EST. The chat will be like a trunk show featuring the shops who donated. Many shops will be offering special discounts during the chat and you can't have a baby shower without games! We will have games complete with gifts for the winners, so be sure to attend our Baby Shower Chat on November 5th.

Some of the current active treasuries: Fall 2009 Etsy Baby Shower vol. 4 and Fall 2009 Etsy Baby Shower vol. 5

Also be sure to check out the flickr pool with pictures of the actual gifts that were donated. Both shops who donated gifts as well as the moms who received the gifts have been taking pictures of the wonderful items so that we can upload to our album. :)

Wednesday, October 28, 2009

Meet BabbidgePatch, VanillaKnitsandBits and DitsyBitsy from the Etsy Baby Shower

Cathy from BabbidgePatch joined Etsy in March 2008 with her adorable knit hats and body decor designer scarves. Cathy’s inspiration comes from a variety of sources, but many of her items are inspired by Maine's natural treasures. Cathy is a published designer with creations in Crochet! (a national crochet magazine) and my knitting book, "Puffins & Pine Trees," Downeast Books, 1991. BabbidgePatch was established in 1983, her three children (now all grown up) were the models for her knit creations as they were growing up and she now has 2 cute little grandbabies to dress up.

This is the first time BabbidgePatch is participating in the Etsy Baby Shower. The lucky mom matched with BabbidgePatch will be receiving a 100% cotton helmet ear flap style hat.

Cathy’s advice for new moms is to make time for themselves and relax reminding them “it will go a long way to stay balanced!”




Leanne from VanillaKnitsandBits joined Etsy as a buyer in July 2009 and started selling in September 2009. Leanne’s children, nieces, nephews and their friends are the inspiration for her products. She loves creating a hat that is just that little bit special, that is created especially for the child wearing it, using their favorite colors and style. Handmade hats are unique, each one being different to the next, even when using the same colors and/or style. Leanne’s favorite item is the beautiful pink and brown hat pictured below.
This is the first Etsy Baby Shower for VanillaKnitsandBits, and the two lucky moms receiving gifts from her shop will each be getting one of her beautiful hats.

Leanne’s advice for new moms is to teach their baby to put themselves to sleep, she says “it can be done and is much better for the baby and [mom] in the long run.” She also reminds moms to nap when the baby naps, and moms NEED naps too. One final bit of advice from Leanne is to prioritize so that the ‘absolutely have to be done stuff’ gets done and the rest can wait.

For the months of October and November VanillaKnitsandBits will be offering 15% off to blog readers - use the discount code "Baby Shower" in the message to seller and you will be refunded via PayPal.


Editha from DitsyBitsy joined Etsy in November of 2007. Editha’s inspiration is her daughter, Elyssa. When she was still a baby (she’s now 2 ½), Editha was never satisfied with the headbands available in stores. They usually were not well made and very limited. So one day, Editha bought some ribbon and stretchy nylon headband and made her first creation for her – a white & gold double layer hair bow headband to match her angel outfit for Halloween 2007. DitsyBitsy sells hair accessories for newborn, toddler, big girls, teens and even mommies consisting of a variety of headbands, hair bows, non-slip clippies, ribbon flower clips, bow/clip organizers, crochet hats, etc. Editha’s favorite product is the ribbon flower clip. It is so adorable!

This is the first Etsy Baby Shower DitsyBitsy has participated in and she is “very excited!” One of the lucky moms paired with DitsyBitsy will be receiving headbands and hair bows and the other will be getting a gift set (crochet hat with bow, clip holder/organizer, 2 sets of mini snaps, and 1 set of non slip clips). Editha is not only donating gifts she is also one of the “MOMS” who will be receiving wonderful items from very talented Etsy sellers. She will be having another baby boy in December.

Editha’s advice to new moms is to enjoy & cherish every moment with their baby, “time goes by so fast and they will only be little once.” She reminds us moms that no matter how busy we may be, always find the time to play and watch TV with our children.

In November all hats in DitsyBitsy’s shop will be on sale, and all orders $25 and up will recieve a free gift.

Please be sure to check out these other generous shops who also donated gifts to the Etsy Baby Shower: CiteFuzz, BubbleGirlKnits and beberagz

*~* Don’t forget to stop by Jessica’s Blog from BuggaLove to read about more of the generous shops that donated gifts to the Etsy Baby Shower! Also be sure to check out the official Etsy Baby Shower blog!*~*

Monday, October 26, 2009

Meet kjmSILKS and Cookiefleur from the Etsy Baby Shower

Kim from kjmSILKS joined Etsy in January 2007. Her first shop was kjmART which included Kim’s original art and hand-painted silks. After a year, Kim split her shop in two and also opened kjmSILKS. Kim’s inspiration for her hand-painted silks comes from many sources, including her tropical surroundings, the holidays, and modern art. kjmSILKS features hand-painted and hand-dyed silks, including silk scarves, neckties, pillows, and hair accessories. Kim says her favorites change all the time, but her current favorite is the purple & orange scribble heart scarf.
kjmSILKS has participated in the Etsy Baby Shower a few times before and says “it's always a lot of fun!” The lucky mom matched with kjmSILKS will be receiving a hand-dyed silk scarf. New moms need a lot of pampering, and a silk scarf is a perfect, one-size-fits-all gift, she can “drape it around her neck to perk up an outfit, or wear it as a headband on a 'bad hair day'.”

Kim’s advice for new moms is to sleep when the baby sleeps, and to “take good care of yourself, so you can take good care of your baby.”

kjmSILKS will be offering free domestic shipping and half-off worldwide shipping during the month of November. Just enter 'NOVSALE' in notes to seller.
Linda from cookiefleur “discovered the joy that is Etsy” back in Nov 2008. She joined as a buyer, and at that time, did not think that she would eventually become a seller. Linda was a florist and loves working with ribbons too, so sewing ribbon into little flowers makes Linda very, very happy. Cookiefleur was born when someone commented that her little ribbon flowers look like “cookies - good enough to eat!” When Linda started cookiefleur, it wasn't with babies or little girls in mind. It was July of this year, when a friend of Linda’s commented on how cute her ribbon flowers would look on hairclips for little girls when Linda seriously started thinking of going in that direction. Since launching cookiefleur in August, Linda has participated in 3 craft markets and the response for her products has been really encouraging. Linda’s favorite product in her store are her headbands.

This is cookiefleur’s first Etsy Baby Shower and she says she is “excited and honored to be part of it.” The lucky mom paired with cookiefleur will be getting the The Bella Headband.


Linda says that since she is not a mom she really doesn’t have any advice to give new moms, but she would like to pass on the best advice her mom has given her: "Always try your hardest. It doesn't matter if you fail or fall. As long as you try your hardest, that's good enough. But make sure you try your hardest."

For the whole of November, cookiefleur will be running a Christmas special! Her products are great for stocking fillers. So be sure to stop by Linda’s shop before stuffing those stockings because she will be offering a discount! Be sure to enter "a very cookiefleur christmas" in Message to Seller to get 15% off entire order (excluding shipping).

Please be sure to check out these other generous shops who also donated gifts to the Etsy Baby Shower: TessieLou, thelollipopboutique and ditsybitsy
*~* Don’t forget to stop by Jessica’s Blog from BuggaLove to read about more of the generous shops that donated gifts to the Etsy Baby Shower! Also be sure to check out the official Etsy Baby Shower blog!*~*

Meet PaintMeAPicture, StymiepieStudios and ItzFitz from the Etsy Baby Shower

Lindsay from PaintMeAPicture joined Etsy in May of this year and started listing items for sale in August. The main inspiration behind Lindsay’s creations is fun fabric and scrapbook paper, and nursery/children’s bedding gets the creative juices flowing. PaintMeAPicture primarily creates paintings for nurseries, children's rooms, and other personalized designs. Each item is hand painted by Lindsay and all are original designs unless otherwise noted. PaintMeAPicture can coordinate with customers' theme, color scheme, or bedding and is open to custom orders. Lindsay’s favorite item is her “Pretty to a T" painting.

This is the first time PaintMeAPicture is participating in the Etsy Baby Shower and she is “super excited.” The lucky mom paired with PaintMeAPicture will be receiving her choice of an 11 x 14 painting.
Lindsay’s advice to new moms is to get lots of rest before that precious little one arrives and take things one day at a time. She also tells moms not to comparea themselves to other mom's and not to solely rely on what books or articles say, because at the end of the day, “it's you and your baby.”
PaintMeAPicture has informed us that there will be a big sale on IN-STOCK items after Nov. 21st.




Leslie from StymiepieStudios joined Etsy on March 31, 2009. Leslie’s inspiration started with the reaction of one of her mural customers after finishing painting their nursery… Their reaction and the excitement of being a part of such a special time in their lives encouraged Leslie to start painting items for the home as well as decor and original artwork for children's rooms. Leslie has worked as an artist all of her life, but these past 6 months, after joining Etsy, have been the most creative period of her life. Leslie admits she cried (tears of joy!) after selling her first print on Etsy. Leslie’s favorite items are her prints, she says they are “like her children.”

This PaintMeAPicture’s first Etsy Baby Shower and she is “very proud to be doing it.” The lucky mom matched with PaintMeAPicture will be receiving either a wipes case or a print of one of her original illustrations.
Leslie’s advice to new moms is to enjoy each moment good or bad, because the baby's infancy and childhood will go by so fast. She reminds mom’s that their “child is lucky to have [them] there to savor this time... as you go thru these wonderful years together." Leslie encourages moms to "be a teacher and guide, to make [their baby] a strong, happy and positive person."

Jen from ItzFitz joined Etsy in August 2009. Jen’s inspiration for her products comes from her childhood memories. She loved her wall hangings and enjoyed seeing her name and birthday on things while growing up. Jen combined this with her keepsakes and ItzFitz was born. Jen has several favorites from her shop, the painted tiles, felt letters and name train are a few of them.

This is the first time ItzFitz is participating in the Etsy Baby Shower and says “it’s an awesome idea!” The lucky mom matched with ItzFitz will be receiving a personalized 8" x 6" hand painted tile with the child’s name and birth info on it.

ItzFitz will be offering blog readers 10% off, excluding shipping. Just convo Jen with your order and special code BABYBUY. This offer is good till November 16th, 2009.

Please be sure to check out these other generous shops who also donated gifts to the Etsy Baby Shower: alphabulous and GrowinLikeAWeed

*~* Don’t forget to stop by Jessica’s Blog from BuggaLove to read about more of the generous shops that donated gifts to the Etsy Baby Shower! *~*


Sunday, October 25, 2009

Meet SandysCapeCodOrig and Ahmelie from the Etsy Baby Shower

Sandy from SandysCapeCodOrig joined Etsy in November of 2007. When making her products she is inspired by babies. Sandy designs and writes crochet patterns from Cape Cod Mass for SandysCapeCodOrig. Her favorite item is the pretty in pink cocoon pattern.

SandysCapeCodOrig has donated to the Etsy Baby Shower before. The lucky mom paired with SandysCapeCodOrig will be receiving a sweater set!

Sandy’s reminds new moms that their babies will grow up fast so “love them while you can.”

Blog readers can get 3 free patterns at ravelry.com, check under sandypowers designer.



Ahmelie from Ahmelie joined Etsy in April of 2008. A smiling child is the inspiration behind her products. Ahmelie says she likes to “create something out of the ordinary with vibrancy and high quality.” Her favorite product is the swaddler, because they are very versatile and can be used past the swaddling stage. The swaddlers in Ahmelie’s shop are larger compared to store bought ones so they can be used to swaddle longer.


This is the first time Ahmelie is participating in the baby shower. The lucky mom matched with Ahmelie will be receiving a Hooded Towel.
Ahmelie’s words of wisdom to new moms are “You can never give too many kisses to your baby!”

Attention blog readers- a free handmade card is inluded with every order from Ahmelie's shop.

Please be sure to check out these other generous shops who also donated gifts to the Etsy Baby Shower: lemondropbay, bellassweetboutique, and joeyandaleethea


*~* Don’t forget to stop by Jessica’s Blog from BuggaLove to read about more of the generous shops that donated gifts to the Etsy Baby Shower! *~*

Saturday, October 24, 2009

Meet SweetDesignsByMaryum, PlumTreeStudio and BoutiqueLuckyStars from the Etsy Baby Shower

Maryum from SweetDesignsByMaryum joined Etsy in February of 2009. She says her children are her inspiration she makes everything, including custom orders, their personalities and unique style in mind. SweetDesignsByMaryum features fun kids clothes for that stylish little man or woman in your life. Maryum says that each kid has their own personality and she tries to offer something to fit them all. Maryum also offers baby accessories that are fun and bold and they make great shower gifts. Her favorite product is the wide leg or ruffled minky pants; she says “they are just so soft and comfy.” The first time her little girl tried them on she said "ooooooh mommy these are nice.”

This is the first time SweetDesignsByMaryum is participating in the Etsy Baby Shower. The lucky mom paired with SweetDesignsByMaryum will most likely be receiving a cute comfy tiny t-shirt dress in a fun bold print, but the mom will get to make the final decision.

Maryum’s advice for new moms is to take everything in stride and one step at a time. She said “[babies] like to throw monkey wrenches in any plan you try to make… just go with the flow and let baby take the lead sometimes.”

SweetDesignsByMaryum will be having a different sale each week between now and Christmas. This week is 15% off all Christmas items, so be sure to stop by her shop.
Dana from PlumTreeStudio joined Etsy in June 2007 and this is her first time participating in the Etsy Baby shower! She is giving one lucky mom a choice of either a one-piece or a custom bib and burp cloth set.

Plum Tree Studio’s inspiration currently is her nieces and nephews. Plum tree studio started because of one of her nieces. The plum tree studio collection includes unique appliquéd tees and one-pieces. They carry items for both boys and girls ranging in ages of 3 months up to 5 years. Their collection has recently expanded to include accessories like bibs, burp cloths and button ties. You can see the “Ships Ahoy Tee” here!
We asked Plum Tree Studio what advice she might have for new moms. She said, “I am not a mother yet, next year is my time. The advice I would give is from an aunt's perspective and many years of watching friends and family members. Enjoy the time you have with your children, play with them, laugh with them, love on them. But don't forget to give them structure.”

Starting November 1st, Plum Tree Studio will be participating in EtsyKids's Santa Sleigh Ride Team Holiday Sale. Receive a discount of 10% off any purchase of $50.00 or more (does not include shipping).


Jennifer from BoutiqueLuckyStars joined Etsy in November 2007, but didn’t open up her shop until November 2008. Jennifer is inspired by fabrics, when she says that when she falls in love with a fabric she is determined to find a use for it. Life experiences and my children are also an inspiration. Jennifer recalls a fishing trip her family took spent Father’s Day weekend down in Key West. Her 3 and 4 year old daughters fell in love with fishing and their excitement was priceless when they reeled in their first dolphin. From this experience her mahi mahi t-shirt was born.
BoutiqueLuckyStars specializes in handmade organic cotton t-shirts and organic cotton bodysuits, super plush chenille burp cloths and chic baby wipe cases for that little star in your life. Sustainable, organic and/or eco friendly products have been chosen when possible in designing each and every product and is carried all the way through to the labeling and packaging using recycled paper products and biodegradable jute for the hangtags. Jennifer says “life is a full circle...everything we put on the ground, in the air and in the water will eventually come back to us in the products that we consume so we must take care!” Her favorite design is currently the “Surfer Dude” organic t shirt because it reminds her of the beach. This design has three surfboards on an organic cotton blend and recycled polyester t-shirt with navy, aqua and green coordinating fabrics. The beach is her favorite place in the world to relax and let go, and luckily it is in her backyard (well, almost)!

This is the first Etsy Baby Shower BoutiqueLuckyStars has participated in. One of the two lucky moms paired with BoutiqueLuckyStars has chosen the Funky Tie Organic Cotton Baby Bodysuit and the other will receive the Lucky Star Organic Cotton Long Sleeve Baby Bodysuit (slate star).
Jennifer’s advice for new moms is to have a sense of humor, keep a camera or video handy and remember to write down all those proud, mischievous, and fall out of your chair funny moments or you WILL forget. Jennifer has a journal of memories in a Word Doc with hopes of one day making a scrapbook for her children when things slow down, she asks herself “but do they really ever?!”
BoutiqueLuckyStars is offering 15% off and Free Shipping with Code ETSYKIDS for the months of October and November.
Please be sure to check out these other generous shops who also donated gifts to the Etsy Baby Shower: elisehooperdesigns and whimsyranch


*~* Don’t forget to stop by Jessica’s Blog from BuggaLove to read about more of the generous shops that donated gifts to the Etsy Baby Shower! *~*

Friday, October 23, 2009

Meet SmileyPomegranate, lovems1, TLCBlanketsandThings and LittleBabyFooFoo from the Etsy Baby Shower

Jayne from SmileyPomegranate joined Etsy in June of 2007 and opened her shop at the end of July this year. Her inspiration comes from offering stuff outside of the mainstream that isn't based on stereotypes that she doesn't particularly enjoy propagating. She was particularly inspired by the items she made for her own son. After gathering all the items she created she noticed that there was nothing in her pile that was even “remotely like anything you could go out and buy in a store.” There were certainly no "baby colors" or "boy colors" in there. There were no football or tractor appliqués, either. She is happy not to be pushing her baby into some gender identity that he hasn't signed on for yet. On the other hand, she has also made two blankets hoping would satisfy a mainstream customer, if one ever found their way to her shop, and admits that she ended up loving them as well.

SmileyPomegranate’s shop is made up almost entirely of hand dyed organic bamboo velour blankets. Jayne recently added a listing for some toddler pants and will likely add different items here and there, depending on what she is excited about at the moment. She also plans on adding scarves, loveys, and throw sized blankets at some point, but would like to keep organic hand dyed blankets as her signature item. Right now Jayne’s favorite item is her Five Flavor Blanket, but admits that her favorite item is usually the one she has most recently completed.
This is SmileyPomegranate's first Etsy Baby Shower and she is excited to see what everyone makes and gets. Jayne said she “wishes [she] had an Etsy shop and had known about [Etsy Baby Shower] in time for Augie.” The lucky mom paired with SmileyPomegranate will most likely be getting a five flavor lovey.
Jayne’s advice to new moms is to make things easy on themselves whenever possible. Nurse and keep the baby in your bed! Jayne said she has only had to get out of bed to care for Augie obly about three times since he was born eight months ago. She adds that most of the time she has been able to sleep right through feedings since she has everything right there in bed with her. She also said unless your baby is really tiny not to worry about how often they eat. Neither of her children ate anywhere near every two hours as infants. Her final pieces of advice are to not stress about any of that stuff you think you're supposed to unless there is actually a problem and enjoy your baby!



Nancy from Lovems1 joined Etsy in April 28th, 2008. She says she was inspired to make her ‘lovems’ when her granddaughter was little and couldn’t drag around her stuffed animal and blanket at the same time, so she took her little animal and attached it to a blanket for her. She says the first few she made were kind of rough, but after making several hundred of them now they are awesome and could make them in her sleep! The goal of the Lovems shop is to create something that each child will love when they receive it. Lovems1 haw a huge stock of different kinds (colors and styles) of Minky and animals as well. Nancy spends a lot of time trying to create something that everyone will like, and if there isn’t something that a customer just loves, special orders are more than welcome! Nancy says she doesn’t have a favorite Lovem, and adds that she is glad she doesn’t have to choose which one to get since they are just all so cute. She does LOVE Minky and has started making quite a few “MOM” size blankets for customers that buy the Lovems – no animal attached of course.

This is the first time that Lovems1 has participated in the Etsy Baby Shower and will be watching for it from now on. The two lucky moms paired with Lovems1 will each be getting a
lovems of their choice, and they have chosen the gifraffe lovem and monkey lovem.

Nancy’s advice to new moms is to “always stop and take time for your babies – anything else can always wait, before you know it they will be grown and gone, they are only little once!” She recalls a memory from when her daughters were little. She says she was a type A mom who had to have everything done and everything needed to be in its place. Her grandma came over one day and said the most profound thing to her. She said, “Nancy when those girls are grown, they will not remember the day you didn’t make the beds because you stopped to play a game with them, they will however remember that you always made the time for them no matter what!”


Gretchen Bristol from TLCBlanketsandThings opened her store on Etsy in March of this year. Her inspiration for her products came from her daughter spending a year volunteering in a home for abandoned babies in South Africa. Her daughter requested a blanket for a special little baby and then before she knew it all the babies needed a special blanket. Gretchen wanted all the blankets to be individual so she appliquéd and embroidered themes on them and personalized them with the babies’ names. Gretchen points out the children in the home have nothing to call their own so she makes them all a special blanket and if they are lucky enough to be adopted they take it with them, and if they don't then they at least have their own blanket. Some of the proceeds from the blankets will go to buying supplies and shipping the blankets to South Africa. Family and friends encouraged Gretchen to sell her blankets because they are so beautiful and feels Etsy is the perfect place to market her home based business.

TLCBlanketsandThings sells custom baby blankets and is starting to add burp cloths, and wall hangings. Gretchen also paints murals and wants to include pictures to compliment her blankets and create a kind of one stop shopping for the nursery. I don't think I have a favorite product, I get a kick out of all the blankets and it is very fun for me to sketch the pictures and see them come to life when painted. I welcome custom orders and love to add different fabrics. The blankets are made out of minky and chenille and the back have a coordinating flannel.
This is TLCBlanketsandThings first time participating in the Etsy baby Shower, and thinks it is a wonderful idea. The lucky mom matched with TLCBlanketsandThings will be receiving a blanket.

Gretchen’s advice to new moms is to enjoy every minute because they grow up so fast. She encourages moms to remind themselves everyday that their baby will never be this age again and make it special and ads that “the special times are sometimes the most unexpected ones.”

Ann from LittleBabyFooFoo joined Etsy December 2006. She has been making chenille stroller blankets, ribbon blankets and bibs for about nine years. The dolls have evolved from the idea of the patchwork chenille blanket that she made and a lovey type of doll. Ann has always been drawn to the sweet, southern, “foo foo” style…..hence the name…Little Baby Foo Foo. LittleBabyFooFoo specializes in chenille dolls and has incorporated a wide variety of the dolls made over the years so customers can get ideas. Although LittleBabyFooFoo consists of mostly chenille dolls, a bibs or blankets can also be found. Ann’s favorite products are the chenille dolls.

This is LittleBabyFooFoo’s first time participating in an Etsy Baby Shower and the lucky mom paired with this shop will be receiving a chenille doll.

Ann’s advice for new moms is get rest whenever the baby rests, even if there are a million things to do. She says is “it was the only way [she] kept [her] sanity!”
LittleBabyFooFoo has offered a 10% discount off any custom chenille doll order to blog readers during the month of November. Be sure to mention you read the blog post in the ‘message seller’ portion during checkout.


Please be sure to check out these other generous shops who also donated gifts to the Etsy Baby
Shower: YourLoveyBoutique

*~* Don’t forget to stop by Jessica’s Blog from BuggaLove to read about more of the generous shops that donated gifts to the Etsy Baby Shower! *~*

Thursday, October 22, 2009

Meet ProffittProductions, TheEnglishPea and EnglishMuffinShop from the Etsy Baby Shower


Amy from ProffittProductions joined Etsy on September 5th, 2008 and started working on her shop seriously about a year later. She finds inspiration anywhere- sometimes from a ladybug, sometimes from a Coke bottle, but she says most of my designs come to her right before bedtime when she has laid down and has nothing to do but drift off to sleep. ProffittProductions specializes in the design of custom photo birthday party invitations, baptism files, and birth announcements. Amy loves creating unique files and tweaking the ones she has to reflect the uniqueness of her clients. Amy loves several of her designs, but one of her favorites is a swirly sort of romantic inspired birth announcement in shades of chocolate and plum.

ProffittProductions has participated as both an expecting mom and a donating shop in Etsy Baby Shower before. She says "it's great getting something in the mail for your little arrival." The lucky mom paired with ProffittProductions will be receiving a custom birth announcement and a custom 8x10 collage for the baby. Both are digital files that can be reprinted as many times as the mommy wants.
Amy advises new moms to "trust [their] mom voice." She explains that several people will tell new moms how to parent, and they all have great intentions, but a lot of the time the mom instinct will kick in and be the best possible thing for mom and baby.

ProffittProducitons will be offering $2 off one design of your choice. Blog readers must mention "blog" in the notes to seller portion while checking out.


http://www.proffittproductions.etsy.com/, www.facebook.com/proffittproductions, http://www.aproffittablelife.blogspot.com/




Alison has been part of the Etsy family for quite some time through other shops but TheEnglishPea became a shop this time last year. Alison is inspired by her children. She loves creating for them and most of the things she makes were made for them first. She always has her children in mind when drafting designs. TheEnglishPea offers a line of fine stationery designed for children. She uses bright colors and simple graphics and all her items can be personalized. Some of her items include invitations, personalized notecards, bagtags, bookplates, and birth announcements. Alison's favorite item are her personalized note cards. She says "they are fun and perfect for jotting a little note of thanks for your child or writing a note to a grandparent or friend."


This is the first time TheEnglishPea is participating in the Etsy Baby Shower and she is excited to be a part of it! The lucky mom matched with TheEnglishPea will be getting a set of personalized folded notecards, and the mom can choose whatever graphic she likes.


Alison's advice to new moms is to "not sweat the small stuff and savor the little things." She encourages new moms to be present with their children as much as possible and explains that the "'to do' list will always be there and your little ones won't."


TheEnglishPea has extended her Friends and Family Discount (October 15th-31st) to blog readers. In order to receive 15% off anything in her shop simply mention 'Friends and Family' in the 'message to seller' during checkout.


http://www.theenglishpea.com/, http://www.theenglishpea.etsy.com/, www.facebook.com/theenglishpea, www.alischeaperbythehalfdozen.blogspot.com




Bess from the EnglishMuffinShop joined Etsy in September 2008 and then opened up shop in October 2008. She is inspired by bright colors, clean lines and simple shapes, by the wonder and imagination of children and by the journey of learning. The EnglishMuffinShop likes to design simple, beautiful and fun prints and posters for kids and kids at heart. Some of her pieces are staples in her shop, like The Animal Alphabet Poster and Letter Prints, while other items change with the seasons. Currently you can find EnglishMuffinShop's new 2010 Calendar for sale and the printable 2010 Holiday Stationary Sets will be listed in the coming weeks. Bess's favorite product is the Animal Alphabet Poster. It was the first thing she designed for EnglishMuffinShop and it has been my best seller. She says it is "amazing to think about all the little babies in North America and Europe that are looking up at [her] Animal Alphabet Poster, [it is]very humbling."


This is the first time the EnglishMuffinShop is participating in the Etsy Baby Shower. The lucky mom paired with the EnglishMuffinShop will be receiving an Animal Alphabet Poster unless she has another request.

Bess says that she will give her advice to new moms "if/when [she becomes] a mom [herself.] ;)"


The EnglishMuffinShop is offering a "free priority shipping upgrade" on her 2010 Calendar for the month of October.


http://www.englishmuffinshop.etsy.com/, http://www.englishmuffinshop.com/, http://www.englishmuffinblog.blogspot.com/, http://twitter.com/EnglshMuffnShop


Please be sure to check out these other generous shops who also donated gifts to the Etsy Baby Shower:


GraceHesterDesigns and iiventory



*~* Don't forget to stop by Jessica's Blog from BuggaLove to read about more of the generous shops that donated gifts to the Etsy Baby Shower! *~*

Wednesday, October 21, 2009

Meet SillySockMonkeys and RetroRugrats from the Etsy Baby Shower

Ilia from SillySockMonkeys joined Etsy in August 2008 and opened up shop in August 2009. Ilia is a stay-at-home mom of two and says her inspiration is her love of babies. She really enjoys making sock monkeys and her first one for her son and the rest is history. She loves embroidering child and baby themed hot iron transfer designs from the 40's and 50's and gets a lot of enjoyment from doing embroidery and hand stitching and says wool felt is one of her favorite materials to work with. SillySockMonkey's shop represents all the kinds of things that I think are cute and unique. Her favorite items are the baby sock monkeys, unicorn and fairy booties, and mini bootie ornaments.
This is SillySockMonkey's first time participating in the baby shower and is excited about hearing from "her" mom. The lucky mom matched with SillySockMonkeys will be choosing her gift from the many wonderful listing in her shop. I am happy to let the mom choose something she likes from my shop.

Ilia's advice to new moms is to "not worry about the housework, do what you can and enjoy this special time while your baby is so tiny!" She encourages moms to take lots of pictures and notes to stick into your baby book in case you don't have time to write everything in right away. She reminds us fellow moms that "when [our] child is big [we] will look at those pictures and all the good memories will come rushing back."

SillySockMonkeys will be offering a 20% discount to blog readers, be sure to enter the discount code: ETSY BABY SHOWER.





Maria from RetroRugrats joined Etsy in October 2007. She is inspired by bright, colorful fabrics and loves retro-inspired creations, vintage patterns and styles with modern day fabrics. "Fun accessories to make childhood fun!" The crayon roll is her top selling product, and since they come personalized it makes them extra special.
This is RetroRugrats' first time participating in the Etsy Baby Shower. The lucky mom paired with RetroRugrats will be receiving a kimono shirt with the baby's initial and personalized bib.

Maria's advice to new moms is to put their baby to bed at bedtime despite protests at a young age. She adds that as they grow older, "you'll be glad you did." All 3 of her children go to bed at bedtime without any persuasion and it makes bedtime so much easier.

Please be sure to check out these other generous shops who also donated gifts to the Etsy Baby Shower:

ahmelie, littlethingsboutique and doodiesbooties


*~* Don't forget to stop by Jessica's Blog from BuggaLove to read about more of the generous shops that donated gifts to the Etsy Baby Shower! *~*

Monday, October 19, 2009

Meet SavvyStitcher, CuddleBaby and SewingGranny from the Etsy Baby Shower

Sara from SavvyStitcher joined Etsy on September 17, 2008.
Sara loves making contemporary baby items for contemporary moms and is inspired by new fabrics. She often rushes home to make a new creation when she gets a print she loves!
SavvyStitcher's shop is mostly made up of baby items, but also includes any new crafts that she has made and wants others to enjoy with her. Currently, Sara's favorite item is the embroidered squirrel onesie.


SavvyStitcher has also participated the spring 2009 baby shower and hopes to participate in many more! J The lucky mom matched with Sara will likely get a personalized bib or burp cloth set, but will wait until she hears back from her to hear what she likes!

Sara's advice to moms is that "the most important thing you can do is love your child unconditionally."

SavvyStitcher has offered free shipping for blog readers (enter code: Etsy Baby Shower) will refund via PayPal or revised invoice.

www.savvystitcher.etsy.com www.savvystitcher.blogspot.com
www.twitter.com/savvystitcher www.facebook.com/savvystitcher

Shannon from CuddleBaby joined Etsy in August 2007. When Shannon's 2nd daughter was born, she was 7 weeks early and spent 5 weeks in the NICU before coming home. Shannon loved the blankets they used there because they were so big and easy to wrap around her baby. She started making her own blankets after being annoyed when she couldn't buy any blankets that size, thus CuddleBaby Boutique was born.


CuddleBaby's shop is mostly comprised of X-Large Receiving Blankets, Minky blankets, several different Tutorials and really enjoys the challenge of making patterns for some of her favorite products! Although she likes the Receiving Blankets because they are so practical, she admits that she absolutely LOVES the Minky Blankets because "they are so soft and cuddly!" Her 7 week old baby loves his already and seems to prefer it over any others.


CuddleBaby also participated in the Spring 2009 Etsy Baby Shower. One of the lucky moms she is matched with will be getting couple of receiving blankets and another mom will receive a fleece blanket.

Shannon encourages new moms to "enjoy every second of every day because in the blink of an eye, your little one will not be so little anymore!"


CuddleBaby is currently offering a 'Buy 2 Get 1 Free' deal on all tutorials! All of her Minky blankets are also on sale right now.


www.cuddlebaby.etsy.com www.cuddlebabyblankets.blogspot.com

Mona from SewingGranny joined Etsy in June of 2007 after a marketing consultant suggested she check Etsy for to determine what price certain items were selling for. She loves to sew and loves beautiful fabrics...as soon as she finds a new fabric she immediately starts imagining what she can do with it. SewingGranny's shop is all about sewn items...her passion is quilting, but has ventured out into other items. Her shop has a wide variety of items now...Baby quilts, baby bibs and burp clothes, aprons, potholders and placemats, and does a lot of custom work. Mona's favorite items are her quilted baby quilts... She sells a lot of them to friends, family, coworkers and at her consignment shops.

SewingGranny also participated in the Etsy Baby Shower last year. The lucky mom matched up with SewingGranny will be getting a baby burp cloth set and possibly a surprise for the new little bundle!

Mona's advice to new moms is to "spend as much time as possible with your new angel as they grow up way to fast…" Her son is 29 and she "[has] no idea where the time went" and now her grandson is 8 and says 'he has so much going on in his life that [she] almost [has to] make an appointment to see him."

Please be sure to check out these other generous shops who donated to the Etsy Baby Shower:
perfectlyprecious and barnyardbaby



*~* Please also stop by Jessica's Blog from BuggaLove to read about more of the generous shops who donated gifts to the Etsy Baby Shower! *~*