Tag Archives: Etsy

Wooden Blocks

18 Tuesday Sep 2012

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We have a collection of various wooden block sets, but these Uncle Goose numbers are my favorite lately.  We keep them in a big antique yellow ware bowl so they are easy for the kids to get to and clean up.  I love the colors and the carved details and their weight.  This set also has a rocket ship, skyscraper and circus on its sides.  There is something perfect and timeless about a child playing with blocks.  There are theories that block play leads to better understanding of language structure and spatial relations.  But I love to watch the girls imagine worlds and structures without bounds as they stack blocks.

Wool Felt Coaster DIY

05 Wednesday Sep 2012

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We made these wool felt coasters from some square lace doilies we found at the flea market. They are a simple cut and stitch project which requires very minimal sewing skills. Round doilies could be substituted if you have those. The simple X stitching we used will work for any shape, and a larger set of doilies would be great as trivets. To make the coasters you will need:
*Wool Felt (This is our favorite)

*Small Doilies

*Pinking Shears

*Straight Pins

*Sewing Machine

*Thread to Match Doilies

1. Cut felt into squares to match doilies using pinking shears.  (Our squares are 3 1/4″).

2. Iron doilies if needed.

3. Center each doily on top of a felt square and pin in place.

4. Using a zig-zag stitch, sew an X through each coaster as sewn.  Be careful to remove pins as you stitch and to not let the fabrics buckle.

5. Tie the stitch ends on the underside of felt and trim.

6. Make some cocktails!

Library Card Birth Announcement

21 Tuesday Aug 2012

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We had these library card announcements custom made by Ilfant Press for Josie’s birth. Lisa Hasegawa at Ilfant worked with us to design the layout and then letterpressed the library cards by hand. I love letterpress! Josie (and Ada) were born at home so the library home address made us happy. We used photo corners to attach Josie’s picture and tied them with a bit of baker’s twine.

Vintage Hand Towel

17 Friday Aug 2012

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Handmade lace edging on a vintage hand towel. I love using these in the bathrooms at our house. Linen and cotton hand towels are abundant and cheap at thrift stores. Linen lasts forever and just looks better with age. Be sure to check towels for signs of wear and stains.  This cotton hand towel was $6 and makes me happy. Here are some Etsy finds.

Shell Boxes

15 Wednesday Aug 2012

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Shell boxes that were Ada’s great-grandmother’s. We gave them to Ada for her birthday. She has filled them up with her own treasures. Similar boxes can be found here. Or, you could make some of your own with lots of tiny shells and patience.

Juice Glass Love

01 Wednesday Aug 2012

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I love vintage glasses.  We have a large collection in daily rotation, and they brighten up even the most boring beverage.  I especially love these tiny juice glasses (the stars, tulips and gingham in the photo), called Swanky Swigs.  The small Swigs from the 1930s and 40s make cheery little wine glasses.  I had a collection of them long before the kids, but they turned out to be the perfect size for little hands.  We have dropped our fair share, and it always brings a little pang when a favorite hits the tile floor…but I generally won’t pay more than $4 per glass, and a space on the shelf is a reason to go explore an antique shop.  We are planning the future kitchen shelves around the collection.  Etsy has a sweet collection of vintage glasses here.  Cheers!

Summer Bubblesuit and Pinafore

19 Thursday Jul 2012

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This easy project is from a vintage Simplicity Pattern, #9395.  The fabric is from Ebay, and I suspect was once a curtain.  (Who remembers that scene from The Sound of Music?  I loved that movie when I was little).  This pattern for toddlers is great because it can be worn three ways and is nice and airy for summer weather.  And, when else can you make your child wear a curtain?

DIY Paint Chip Game (or How to Learn the Colors)

17 Tuesday Jul 2012

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I made up this game when Ada was learning her colors and just dug it out again for Josie to play.  I am convinced it helped Ada learn her colors quickly and it is a simple and pretty toy to have around.  The felt swatches are beautiful to play with on their own, and my kids seem to find paint chips are endlessly entertaining.  I found the felt swatch ring here on Etsy.  The paint chips are free at almost any hardware store.  Felt + Paint Chips + Double-sided Tape = Awesome.

To make your own Paint Chip Matching Game you will need:

*Felt Sample Ring

*Paint Chips in Variety of Colors (We used Behr because I liked the square shapes)

*Double-Sided Tape

*Scissors

1. Stick the double tape to back of paint chip and place the same color on its back.  This will keep you from having to turn over each chip to see a color.

2. Trim any excess tape with scissors. The closer you tape to edges, the less likely the child will be to pull apart the chips.

3. Here is how we play:  Find a color on the felt ring, say the name of the color and ask the child to find the same color paint chips.  (None of the colors we have are exact matches, so it challenges a child to think about shades and grouping of colors).  Ada also liked to find the same color toys around her room and match them to swatches.  The possibilities are pretty endless…

*Pantone Colors is a beautiful new toddler book about the subtle shades of each color. The book is one of my favorite new baby gift and would make a great companion to this game.

Vintage Planter Baby Gift

12 Thursday Jul 2012

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This sweet little elephant vase was one the favorite gifts we were given when Ada was born.  (Thanks Aunt Marissa!)  Ada gets her own stem for it whenever we buy flowers.  You can find your own planter on Ebay or Etsy.  They are inexpensive and great to have on hand as gifts for new babies.

Renegade Booth Inspiration

26 Tuesday Jun 2012

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Thank you to all of you who stopped by our booth this past weekend!  (This post was meant to go out yesterday, but a lightning storm left us technology-free for the day).  Marissa, Marla and I had a nice break from the kids and got to meet some new faces at Renegade.  Here are some Instagrams from our booth:

*Letterpress business cards, printed by Woodside Press.  I love this place.  They are located in a cool old warehouse building in the Brooklyn Navy Yard and their space is full of huge old presses and pretty amazing views of the city.  I water-colored the card edges after they came off the press.

*Our table set up.  We used Instagrams of the girls modeling product and then had stickers made by Art Flakes.  The blocks were cut from a long board and stickers applied.  They stood up well to the bright sun and were a big hit with the crowd.

*My crowns on shelves made by Chris.  I am setting up an Etsy store soon, but feel free to email me if you are interested in purchasing.

*Laser cut sign.  Similar work can be gotten here.

*Marissa’s beautiful Soor Ploom clothes.  Purchases may be made on her site.

*Table Top.

*Table Top.

*Tassels that blew in the wind on the front of our booth.