EtsyKids

On the second day of Christmas, the EtsyKids Team gave to me...

Posted Saturday, November 29, 2008

...two sets of cards!

Be ready for upcoming baby showers and children's birthday parties with this selection of cards and gift tags from Sweetbeets. The original illustrations are letterpress printed on 100% post-consumer recycled paper. The vintage printing press creates an impression in the paper that you can see and feel!

Set of four blank note cards with photo prints of children's art on the front from Bundles of Joy. 3 dinosaur drawings by her son, Gabriel, and one print of a Celtic lion.

Two turtle doves are hiding in a few item listings from EtsyKids members. Find just one of them and you could win one of these sets of cards!

Today's clue is: Say "I do"

When you think you've solved it and know what the keyword is, go to Etsy.com and type your keyword + etsykids team into the search, and start looking!

Once you have found the image, send a conversation to Tiny Stitches with 'EtsyKids 12 Days of Christmas' in the subject line, and a link to the item where you found it by midnight (Eastern time) November 29th. All correct entries will be entered into a random drawing for a prize!

Don't forget to keep track of where you find each day's image so you can enter the grand prize drawing at the end!

For complete instructions on how to play and contest rules, please click here.

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A big thanks to BuggaLove and My Mini-Mocs for creating the images, and Little Elephant Company for coming up with the clues!

Written by:

The Clever Kitty

On the first day of Christmas, the EtsyKids Team gave to me...

Posted Friday, November 28, 2008

...a clip for my baby's binky!

Don't loose baby's favorites ever again! This stylish and functional pacifier clip from Baby Peas and Carrots will stay in place to wherever you attach it to. Clip it on baby's shirt, coat, favorite blankie or even the carseat. These clips are also perfect for attaching your baby's favorite little toy, blankie or teether. Your choice of fabric, see this listing for swatches: Fabric Choice-Pacifier Clip

The Partridge in a Pear Tree is hiding in a few item listings from EtsyKids members. Find just one of them and you could win this pacifier clip!

Today's clue is: apples, oranges, and bananas

When you think you've solved it and know what the keyword is, go to Etsy.com and type your keyword + etsykids team into the search, and start looking!

Once you have found the image, send a conversation to Mod Dot Textiles with 'EtsyKids 12 Days of Christmas' in the subject line, and a link to the item where you found it by midnight (Eastern time) November 28th. All correct entries will be entered into a random drawing for the prize!

Don't forget to keep track of where you find each day's image so you can enter the grand prize drawing at the end!

EtsyKids Team Trunk Show

Posted Wednesday, November 26, 2008

The EtsyKids Team is having a Virtual Trunk Show!

Sixteen EtsyKids members will be presenting some of their latest and greatest, as well as showing a few of their favorite items from other fellow EtsyKids members. This will be a great chance to come and meet some of the designers/artisans/shop owners, and to see a sampling of the many fabulous items the EtsyKids Team has to offer. Door prizes will be given away throughout the evening. All are invited, so come join the fun!

what: EtsyKids Team Trunk Show

when: Thursday, December 4th at 8:00pm Eastern

where: Etsy's Virtual Labs

who: the following shops will be presenting:

The Clever Kitty
KnitStyle
MoRockin Creations
Daisy Chains
little girl Pearl
Happy Whosits
Tiki Tales
Lemon Cadet
Winklepots
Retro80s
Jills Fabric Designs
Rozzi's Sweet Peas
BAM Designs
Mami Girl Boutique
babycheeks
Jewelry and Baby Bling by Dara

12 Days of Christmas with the EtsyKids Team!

Posted Sunday, November 23, 2008

On the first day of Christmas, the ETSYKIDS team members gave to me….a Christmas event you really must see!

November 28th – December 10th, join EtsyKids for 12 days of fabulous, festive fun and dreamy holiday prizes.

Here’s how to play:

Each day the EtsyKids blog will contain a post showing an image that’s hidden in an item listing on a few different EtsyKids team members’ shops, along with a clue on how to find it. When a contestant finds just one of the hidden images, they send an Etsy conversation to the day’s entry collector with a link to the listing where they found it. Once their conversation is received, they’ll be entered into a drawing for an amazing EtsyKids prize. Those who find images for all 12 days are entered into the grand prize drawing!

Participants may use one of two methods to find the images:

1. Begin by looking at each of the 7,000+ EtsyKids listings, or

2. Decipher the clue to the keyword to narrow down the listings to under 100.

The clues are word association to the keyword. After you think you have the keyword, enter that word and "etsykids team" into Etsy's search, and start looking!

Example: Mary, Joseph, and Baby Jesus...........nativity

Thus, you would enter "nativity etsykids team" to narrow down the listings to hunt through. The clues start out easy, and they get harder!

Please do not post the answers anywhere - all answers will be revealed at the end of the game.

If you don't jump into the game until after it's started, no problem! You can still enter that day's drawing, as well as the remaining days, then go back and find the previous days to enter the grand prize drawing.

The Etsykids blog will also let contestants know who to contact to enter, as well as the prize(s) that will be awarded that day. The number of prizes will increase each day and the winners will be selected at random.

***Contestants can enter once each day.

Within 24 hours of winning, the lucky winners will be contacted via Etsy Conversation, and MUST contact (via Etsy Conversation) the prize donor with their mailing address within 2 days of being contacted. If they fail to contact the prize donor within the given time, a new winner will be selected.

Written by:

planetpudge.etsy.com & thecleverkitty.etsy.com & littleelephantco.etsy.com

It's International Babywearing Week!

Posted Tuesday, November 11, 2008

Babywearing is a beautiful practice that helps babies feel secure and happy, helps regulate their body temperature and breathing, helps them learn, helps them bond with their caregivers, promotes breastfeeding success and even lets a caregiver get something done! Help us celebrate and promote babywearing this week by checking out all of the great EtsyKids sellers who build the handmade carriers that help us keep baby close.

Here are some of my favorites!

RaeGun offers up these amazing traditional Chinese carriers (Mei Tais), which are great for a super comfortable back carry or very well supported front carry and work well into toddlerhood. And I love the cute little bird!

Slingsandsacks creates sweet wrap style carriers. Wraps are very supportive and comfy, though they take a little learning to use properly.

At BabyPockets I offer my very favorite type of sling - silk ring slings! They are strong, versatile, and quick to get on, and great for newborns to toddlers, though they take more learning than mei tais or pouches to get properly adjusted.

Gorgeousbaby makes beautiful reversible pouch slings! Pouch slings are nice for a tiny one, and they are fitted, so there are no adjustments to make or straps or buckles to fiddle with.

Babeagogo also makes lovely pouch slings and features very clear instructions for measuring to get JUST THE RIGHT FIT.

There are so many other EtsyKids members who sell baby carriers, please check them out. Some may even be featuring a sale this week! I know at BabyPockets we're offering free shipping anywhere through Saturday. Let's whip out those slings and wraps and all enjoy the super snuggle of a great baby carrier together!

Written by:

BabyPockets.etsy.com

modmom furniture interview

Posted Tuesday, October 28, 2008

I’m so excited to introduce you to the very talented Kiersten Hathcock. If you don’t know her shop, modmomfurniture, prepared to be severly impressed. The craftsmanship is evident in every piece she makes, and it’s no wonder her furniture is selling like hotcakes.
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how did you go from the corporate world to a modern kids furniture designer? what advice to you have for someone considering this move?
When I first left my job at A&E, my husband and I knew we’d have to cut back in many areas but soon realized after a move to California, that somehow, I had to make up my salary. My youngest was not even two at the time of the move, so I really didn’t want to go back into corporate hours and late night events and pledged to do anything I could to make some cash for us. I took on freelance marketing jobs but it wasn’t enough so I designed a website which touted my nanny/caregiver skills and within days became a nanny for two young children in my home for two years.
While I enjoyed being a nanny, my first love has always been creative work, whether it is web design, marketing design, or just plain old art. I was really missing that side of me ( my out-of-the-corporate-world self once designed garage sale signs so elaborate, folks said our garage sale looked like the interior of The Gap) and knew my nanny gigs were coming to an end so I knew I’d be looking for work again. During that time, my friend and I built a Tiki bar, stage, and luau tables for my husband’s 34^th birthday. I had a blast and it brought back memories of all those childhood days tinkering in my Dad’s garage. My husband has always loved mid-century, modern style and we were starting to go that route in our own home. With that in mind, I started looking into what I could build – furniture that wasn’t as intricate or difficult as traditional/Victorian style furniture. My research showed a lack of kids’ storage options for parents who love modern design. Given what I was seeing on the net, one toy box would equal two days pay taking care of someone else’s kid. It looked like a good deal to me! I started with two toy box styles, The Gracie and The Sam Toy Box and figured it all out by trial and error and internet research. The first ones I built left A LOT to be desired yet my friends and family would cheer me on and tell me I was onto something. I naively believed them but I thank them everyday because looking back, that blind ambition and complete naivety is the reason I’m building three to four toy boxes a week now!
For someone looking to jump the corporate ship for a home-based business, I’d say go for it! It’s never been easier to set up shop on the internet but think wisely about your brand identity and overall marketing plan. The more professional you look, the more press you’ll likely get and in turn, the more sales you’ll get. Be prepared for even longer working hours; however, the good news is you can control when you work. I think the most important piece of advice I can give is to trust your gut. I’ve screwed up along the way not trusting my instincts but I find that, whenever I do, I succeed.
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Tell us a bit about your creative/creating process.
My creative process begins with research first. For example, when I designed the Owyn Toy Box, I looked at what wasn’t being sold on the market, and then went with my own design ideas. I was also frustrated at the time with installing hardware and slow-closing lid support. They are sometimes very difficult to install and are rather expensive. I loved the idea of a branch with leaves so I designed the toy box with that in mind. My favorite find of the century is the pressure sensitive veneer that can be drawn on and cut with scissors and then adhered to the exterior or interior of a box. This became my branch. I still hand draw and hand cut each branch. I haven’t really found that sketching ideas helps me in the workshop because so much of the design is trial and error and can only be flushed out by actually putting it together. Sometimes I win, sometimes I fail miserably but I just keep trusting my instincts and so far, so good.
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What is your ideal day?
My ideal day in the garage starts with knowing I only have to build one toy box but have three days to do it. I look at my production schedule, crank up the country radio, manage to drink half my coffee and then leave it there on the workbench for days, completely avoid the laundry sitting by our washer and dryer (which reside in the garage) and discover I actually have everything I need to build the toy box that’s due instead of having to stop everything and head to the hardware store or lumber yard. Obviously, I have to use the table saw and loud tools during the day so sometimes at the end of the day, I drag the half completed toy boxes to my family room where my husband I catch up on Tivo’d shows while I paint or polyurethane. I’ve found that if I watch TV while painting or finishing a piece, it makes it that part of the job, which is admittedly my least favorite, so much more enjoyable. Although sometimes my husband sometimes hates it because I’m always asking, “what just happened?”
name five things that are a constant in your daily routine.

I never put on a work apron. I typically saw and sand in whatever I have on that day. Which on some days, includes a skirt. No heels, though!
Country radio playing in the garage. Can’t seem to work without it even though I’m a huge fan of Cold Play, Dean Martin, and The Killers, I just can’t do woodworking without Patsy Cline and Johnny Cash in the background.
I’ll have to drag my kids to the hardware store and they won’t be happy about it. So I do what all good moms do. I bribe them with candy. J
I do all of my own invoicing/billing/order taking/email message answering so that is always on my plate. And to those of you who’ve received my messages at midnight, I hope I made sense.
Stain colors embedded under my fingernails. Always. Maybe one day gloves will be a constant in my daily routine.

who are other favorite etsykids shops?
I love Dandy Social Club (formally eeny meanie) www.dandysocialclub.etsy.com , www.ciuccio.etsy.com (thanks!), www.doodlebugfinery.etsy.com
what is your top piece of advice for other etsy sellers?
My top piece of advice for etsy sellers is to take good clean photos without a lot of background noise and make sure your banner looks professional. Both of these seemed to help me along the way.
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tell us something about yourself that we might find surprising.
I cry during patriotic songs. Anywhere. Anytime. I cried last summer during a 4^th of July parade when a group of soldiers marched by. I cried during a recent Neil Diamond concert when he sang, “Coming to America.” I generally get teared up when they show planes flying by at warp speed over a football stadium. Don’t even get me started on the Star Spangled Banner being played at, say, a high school football game. I’m starting to wonder if there’s a support group out there for people like me.
Thanks Kiersten, it’s been great getting to know you.

Written by:

Jenny

http://www.ciuccio.etsy.com

EtsyKids BOGO sale!!

Posted Thursday, October 09, 2008

BOGO Me Baby!!

Friday October 24 and Saturday October 25th be a part of a massive Etsy Street Team event. An EtsyKids BOGO sale of monstrous proportions!! With over 175 EtsyKids’ shops participating you’ll be sure to find huge deals on what you need this holiday season for children big and small.

Get your shopping list ready today and beat the crowd by previewing the entire list of EtsyKids shops taking part in this colossal event:

A La Mode Fabric - http://alamodefabric.etsy.com/

Ali Bug Bowtique - http://www.alibugbowtique.etsy.com/

Baby Friendly Beads - http://bfbeads.etsy.com/

Baby Hangers - http://www.babyhangers.etsy.com/

Baby Kay's - http://www.babykaysboutique.etsy.com/

Baby Peas And Carrots - http://www.babypeasandcarrots.etsy.com/

Bam Designs - http://bamdesigns.etsy.com/

Black Eyed Susie - http://www.blackeyedsusie.etsy.com/

Boo Roo's Bowtique - http://www.booroosbowtique.etsy.com/

Bossy Baby - http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5430401

Bows & Things - http://www.bowsandthings.etsy.com/